Local fisherman have expressed interest in the possibilities of 

 stocking walleye in Beaver Creek. This creek would probably only support 

 a put and take fishery due to limited spawninq substrate. Gravel -rubble 

 substrate seems to be preferred by walleye (Johnson 1961). Gradually 

 warminf] water temperatures during spring also appear to be important to 

 strong years classes of walleye (Busch et al. 1975). Rapid fluctuations 

 in water temperatures and flows were common in Beaver Creek as a result 

 of spring time storms and would probably severely reduce reproductive 

 potential of the creek. In Escanaba Lake, Wisconsin, stocked walleye 

 fingerlings added little to the angler harvest in following years 

 (Kempinger and Churchill, 1972), however, in a small lake in Iowa, stocked 

 walleye added significantly to the year class strength (Carlander et al. 

 1960) in subsequent years. 



Fishing pressure at the present time would have to be considered light 

 in Beaver Creek. Few fishermen were seen, and of 43 walleye that were 

 tagged in 1978 no fisherman tag returns were reported. Stocking of 

 catchable size fish would increase public interest, possibly to the point 

 that the fishing harvest would be adequate for future stocking. 



Sauger . Sauger do not maintain a continuous distribution throughout 



Beaver Creek. This species was collected only as far upstream as section 21 



(Figure 13). Most of the larger sauger were collected in spawning condition 



between April 21 - May 24. 



Ripe female sauger were collected between April 28 - May 3, corresponding 

 to the period when the highest concentration of sauger was encountered 

 (Figure 14). Water temperatures during this period ranged between 11-12°C 

 (52-540F). In Lake Winnebago, Priegel (1969) found sauger spawning 

 activity to occur between April 24 and May 9 while water temperatures 

 ranged between 43-520F. He concluded that spawning was essentially 

 complete in less than two weeks. Eschmeyer and Smith (1943) reported 

 that sauger below Norris Dam, Tennessee did not spawn when water 

 temperatures were below 50"F. Spawning may have been initiated earlier 

 in Beaver Creek than April 28 but high spring runoff precluded any sampling 

 before this date. 



After May 4, sauger numbers dropped off drastically (Figure 18). 

 Although sampling efforts remained essentially constant, subsequent catches 

 were low. This probably indicates that the spawning sauger returned to the 

 Little Missouri River. Durre (1977) indicates that the Little Missouri 

 River is important to the sauger populations of Lake Sakakawea. The 

 spawning migration into Beaver Creek probably contributes to this population. 



Sauger ranged in length from 233 to 561 mm, with 22.0 percent of the 

 sample falling into size class from 411 to 440 mm (Figure 17). The average 

 length was 421 nm and the average wieght was 614 g. The largest sauger 

 collected weighed 1290 g. 



A total of 41 sauger were tagged and released in Beaver Creek during 

 the spring of 1973. No tags were returned by fishermen indicating that 

 the sauger harvest is light. 



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