and for the sample of fishermen are shown in table 1. Fishermen in the sample who fished 

 Ridge Lake more than four times were more successful than those who fished from one to 



Table l.--The 1949 catch rate of all fishermen at Ridge Lake and the catch rate 

 of the sample of fishermen who filled out the fishing-cost questionnaire. 



four times, but when the two groups were combined their rate of catch was only 0.01 of a bass 

 per man-hour higher than that for all fishermen, and the poundage rate was identical. There- 

 fore, the sample was considered to be fairly representative of the entire group. 



DETAILED COSTS 



The costs that have been assigned to bass fishing at Ridge Lake in 1949 are as fol- 

 lows: cost of travel, cost of meals for those who drove relatively long distances, cost of 

 fishing licenses, and the amortized cost of fishing tackle and other equipment, which would be 

 the same no matter where fishing was done. Not included in the following analysis are such 

 cost items as boat rentals (boats are furnished at Ridge Lake -without charge), live baits, 

 and refreshments, which may be purchased in Fox Ridge State Park. 



Amortized costs of equipment. Costs of fishing tackle and other equipment were 



amortized over an estimated period of usefulness as shown in table 2. 



The amortized annual costs for all equipment items of the 126 fishermen were 

 added together and divided by 126 to give the average cost per fisherman per year. Some 



9 



