striped bass make the most important contribution to the minor 

 game fisheries of the Upper SacramentOo Fishing for striped bass 

 above Red Bluff is infrequent with but few oatohes reported as far 

 north as the Anderson area. Frcrni Red Bluff downstream the striped 

 bass fishery becomes more important. It constitutes the major aports 

 fishery in the area west of Chico during the summer months. 



Catfish provide a minor sports fishery during all months of the 

 year. Most of these fish are taken near sloughs formed by old river 

 channels. A bump-net (a form of a dip net) fishery for shad occurs from 

 May into July. Many shad are also taken by salmon fishermen during this 

 period. Sacramento squawfish, carp and the Sacramento sucker are most 

 often taken incidental to trout, striped bass and catfish fishing. A 

 very few smallmouth and largemouth bass are taken incidental to salmon 

 fishing. 



CREEL CENSUS METHODS 



The initial phase of the creel census covered the period from 

 September 1947 through February 1948. In addition to the collection 

 of creel census data during this period, various means of obtaining 

 an adequate sample pf the fishing effort were explored. The river 

 between Redding and Hamilton City was divided into four sections: 

 Redding to Balls Ferry, Balls Ferry to Red Bluff, Red Bluff to 

 Woodson Bridge, and Woodson Bridge to the Hamilton City area. One 

 section was toured each day and the coverage was rotated so that 

 during an 8-week period each section was covered twice on Fridays, 

 Saturdays, and Sxindays, and once on each of the remaining days of 

 the week. 



After November 1947 and through February 1948 the creel-census 

 study area was expanded to include the 106 river miles between Middle 

 Creek, the upper limit of fishing near Redding, and Chico Creek which 

 marks the lower limit of concentrated fishing. This area was divided 

 into two sections, one above and one below Red Bluff, of 54 and 52 river 

 miles respectively© Each section was covered on alternate Saturdays, 

 Sundays and one weekday each week. It was learned that fishing pressure 

 on Friday did not differ from that on other weekdays. 



Results of the 1947-48 study led to a change in the census pro- 

 cedure used during the fishing season May 1, 1948, through February 

 1949. Coverage of the sections was made in a scheduled pattern as 

 shown in Table 1. Following this schedule, each section was covered 

 every Saturday and Sionday, with the sections covered alternately in 

 morning and afternoon in succeeding y/eeks . A schedule for other days 

 was so arranged that each section was covered one day each week, thus 

 coverage of an individual section was made once for each weekday in a 

 5-^/eek period. 



