East Koy Creek Angler Use and Electrofishing Studies (2011)
Overview
Electrofishing East Koy Creek.
October 15th brought an end to the angler use survey on East Koy Creek for 2011. A total of 83 days were surveyed throughout the season, resulting in 552 angler interviews. The vast majority of these interviews were in April, with low angler use noted through the summer and into the fall. Anglers reported catching a total of 852 trout, of which 74% were released, resulting in an average angler catch rate of 0.44 fish/hour (Table 1). The goal for a stocked stream in NY is to have an average catch rate of 0.5 fish/hour (one trout caught for 2 hours of fishing).
Study Findings
A total of 11,769 hours were estimated to have been spent fishing East Koy Creek by anglers in 2011 (235 hours/acre of stream). This is considered light to moderate fishing intensity and is considerably less than was found in 1996 and 1997 studies on the creek (Table 1). In depth data analysis of the angler use and electrofishing surveys is being completed by Cornell University, as part of the state-wide "fate of stocked trout" study.
Nineteen inch wild brown trout
from East Koy Creek.
The angler use study was done in conjunction with fish population sampling. In mid-May and again in late-August, Region 9 Fisheries staff, assisted by angler volunteers and a researcher from Cornell University, conducted trout population sampling on East Koy Creek. The same four sites were electrofished in both months. Preliminary analysis showed fair numbers of hatchery trout remained in the stream in May and also in August, where similar numbers of hatchery trout remained to those found in 1996 and 1997 (Table 1). Remaining hatchery trout included fish from all three stocking increments (March, April and May). This was good to see after such a brutally hot, dry summer. Moderate numbers of wild brown trout were also sampled, and wild trout outnumbered hatchery fish at three of four sites.
Although plenty of trout remained in the stream to provide good fishing, the angler use survey showed very little angling use occurred from mid-August to mid-October. Anglers are missing out on a good time of year to fish in East Koy Creek.
| Year | Fishing use (hours per surface acre) | Catch rate (fish/hour) | Percent of fish released | Number per mile (hatchery brown trout) | Number per mile (wild brown trout) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 418 | 1.08 | 68% | 220 | 367 |
| 1997 | 831 | 1.06 | 78% | 241 | 251 |
| 2011 | 235 | 0.44 | 74% | 219 | 494 |
