DLL-Edits HLL-Edits High 



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North Half 



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South Half 



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Stratum 



Figure 4. Summary of catch per hour of brown trout (LL), by two analysis methods in 

 the North half (left bar cluster) and South half (right bar cluster) of Hebgen Reservoir 

 during creel survey by stratum from June 12, 2000 ("600") to June 1 1, 2001 ("601"). 



Estimated harvest reflected catch rates both seasonally and by species (Table 2). 

 Rainbow trout harvest was estimated at approximately 1 0,000 fish, versus approximately 

 3,000 brown trout. Harvest was greatest during periods around ice-on and ice-off. 



Creel clerks measured a total of 300 trout during interviews with anglers, including 239 

 rainbow trout. Brown trout averaged 16.1 inches long, ranging from 12.0 to 22.0 inches. 

 Brown trout weighed 1 .46 lbs on average, ranging from 0.74 to 3.37 pounds. Rainbow 

 trout were slightly longer on average at 16.4 inches, ranging from 9.7 to 20.0 inches. 

 Rainbow trout averaged 1.54 lbs, ranging from 0.36 to 2.59 pounds. The length 

 frequency distribution of both species suggests that few juvenile trout are caught in 

 Hebgen Reservoir (Fig. 5). This is similar to gill net catches, suggesting that a majority 

 of rearing occurs in areas inaccessible to reservoir anglers or gill nets (e.g. tributaries, 

 Byorth and Weiss 2002). 



Of 236 scale samples suitable for analysis, we aged 43 brown trout, 87 rainbow trout 

 classified as "hatchery" by fin erosion, and 106 rainbow trout classified as "wild" by fin 

 erosion. On average, brown trout grew more slowly than rainbow trout, although by age 

 5 were nearly the same length as rainbow trout (Fig. 6). Hatchery rainbow trout grew 

 faster than wild rainbow trout, although they reached nearly the same length by age 4. 



The only age 1 trout in the creel were rainbow trout classified as hatchery fish. This 

 supports the assertion that most wild trout rear in tributaries (Fig. 7). Age 3 and 4 trout 

 were the most commonly caught year classes for both species. It appears that wild 

 rainbow trout are more common than hatchery trout in older age classes. This may 

 indicate that wild rainbow trout are longer-lived or less susceptible to harvest as younger 

 fish. 



