(Lere 1996). The majority of the area creeled in 1996 falls within the region identified as Section 

 1 (Quake Lake) in the 1995 creel survey (Figure 1). Both angler counts and individual 

 interviews were conducted. The study reach was divided into five sections as follows: 



1 . Slide Inn to Raynold's Bridge 



2. Raynolds to $3 Bridge 



3 . $3 Bridge to Pine Butte 



4. Pine Butte to Squaw Creek 



5. Squaw Creek to Windy Point 



Angler counts were stratified weekly, with counts on one weekend day and three random 

 weekdays, selected without replacement. Start times for the first count were selected randomly 

 from the following set; 7 am, 8 am, 9am, 10 am, 1 1 am, 12 noon, and 1 pm. Four successive 

 counts were completed at two hour intervals throughout the rest of the day. The single creel clerk 

 counted anglers the entire stretch on each survey day. The direction of survey was chosen 

 randomly on the first survey day for each week and then alternated as the week progressed. 

 Counts were conducted fi-om pre-determined vantage points along the highway and at river 

 crossings such as Lyons Bridge. An additional count was made between Squaw Creek and 

 Windy Point, a section closed to fishing, in order to measure compliance with the closure. 



Between count times the creel clerk interviewed anglers. Because of time constraints, both 

 completed and uncompleted fishing trips were tallied. However, obtaining as many "completed" 

 trip interviews as possible took precedence. In addition, interviews fi"om the Pine Butte section 

 were prioritized. Raw count and interview data were keypunched into PC computer files. 

 Pressure estimates and catch rates were analyzed using FWP's Creel Survey Program 

 (McFarland and Roche 1987). 



3.3 Creel Methods 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1981 



Information on exact creel methods for the earlier surveys was limited to fisheries division 

 reports for 1976 and 1977 (Vincent 1977, 1978). In both 1976 and 1977 the upper 30 miles of the 

 Madison fi-om Hebgen Reservoir to McAtee Bridge was creeled using creel checks and angler 



Evaluation of 1995 and 1996 Creel Data and 'tis Implications related to Whirling Disease 

 In the Madison River, Montana 



11 



MonUna Fish. Wildlife and Paries 

 March 12, 2002 



