VARIATION IN CATCH RATES 

 BY BAIT TYPE 



Intangible differences in angling experience are recog- 

 nized as a source of variation in catch rates among 

 anglers participating in a mixed-creel sport fishery (Cail- 

 louet and Higman 1973). The anglers interviewed on the 

 fixed platforms in the St. Andrew Bay system were par- 

 ticularly diverse in their selection of fishing tackle and 

 bait and in their method of fishing. Many of the anglers 

 were visitors who had little saltwater fishing experience 

 or knowledge of the available species of fishes. Most still- 

 fished with dead shrimp or squid on the bottom. The ex- 

 perienced anglers, in contrast, selected baits that they 

 regarded as most effective in catching a particular 

 species of fish. Inexperienced anglers' catches consisted 

 mostly of demersal fishes, while experienced anglers' 

 catches consisted of both demersal and pelagic fishes. 



The relative importance of bait type to angler success 

 (catch rate) and bait preference of 10 species of fishes 

 were investigated. According to the catch rate data, 

 squid was the most effective of the eight bait types used 

 by anglers on fixed platforms. The effectiveness of that 



particular bait may be attributed in part to its leather- 

 like toughness and its appeal to pinfish, a species that 

 was usually available at all the platforms. Because of its 

 toughness, it is less easily removed from the hook by 

 "nibblers" thus increasing fishing time by reducing the 

 time spent rebaiting, although my personal observations 

 and experience indicate that fresh dead shrimp will at- 

 tract more species of fish at a faster rate than will squid. 

 The highest average catch rate in any month (Novem- 

 ber) was achieved by anglers using dead shrimp. That 

 average was 4.47 fish/h (Table 2), but the catches con- 

 sisted mostly of pinfish, sea catfish, and unidentified 

 throwbacks. 



The experienced angler seeking spotted seatrout, a 

 highly prized food and game fish, generally fished with 

 either live shrimp or artificial lures. The catch rates in- 

 dicate live shrimp was 3.6 times more effective than lures 

 (Table 3). The comperatively fast moving pelagic fishes 

 such as blue runner and crevalle jack apparently pre- 

 ferred fast moving baits, as the highest catch rates were 

 obtained by anglers using artificial lures. 



The fishes that were caught and the percentage com- 

 position of the catch from each platform are presented in 



Table 2. — Variation in catch rates of saltwater fishes caught by interviewed anglers on fixed platforms in the St. Andrew Bay system, Fla., 1973, 

 by bait type and month, (hrs = hours of angling, c/h = average catch per hour.) 



















Bait type 





















Squid 







Fish 







Shrimp 

 Live Dead 



Artificial 

 lure 



Fid 

 cr 



dler 





Live 



Dead 



Cut 



ab 



Month 



hrs 



c/h 



hrs 



c/h 



hrs 



c/h 



hrs 



c/h 



hrs 



c/h 



hrs 



i h 



hrs 



c/h 



hrs 



c/h 



Feb. 



2.25 



0.00 















23.50 



0.51 



15.00 



0.00 



16.00 



0.12 



10.00 



0.10 



Mar. 



13.00 



0.85 



0.25 



0.00 



— 



— 



4.00 



0.75 



4.25 



0.94 



31.25 



1.06 



19.25 



0.00 



15.25 



0.72 



Apr. 



19.00 



1.42 



3.50 



0.86 



— 



— 



— 



— 



— 



— 



68.75 



1.64 



23.25 



0.26 



12.75 



0.24 



Mav 



12.00 



3.83 



6.50 



4.31 



— 



— 



17.00 



0.94 



— 



— 



66.25 



1.36 



31.50 



0.98 



— 



— 



June 



30.75 



1.72 



19.50 



0.51 



7.50 



0.00 



9.50 



0.10 



— 



— 



83.00 



0.96 



5.50 



3.09 



4.00 



3.25 



July 



52.50 



1.41 



— 



— 



2.25 



0.44 



47.75 



0.67 



1.50 



0.00 



120.75 



0.69 



7.50 



0.27 



3.00 



0.00 



Aug. 



82.25 



1.08 



— 



— 



— 



— 



18.25 



0.27 



2.00 



0.00 



151.00 



0.84 



19.75 



0.05 



— 



— 



Sept. 



7.00 



1.14 



0.25- 



0.00 



1.00 



0.00 



1.50 



0.00 



11.75 



0.59 



72.00 



0.40 



21.00 



0.38 



— 



— 



Oct. 



34.75 



1.12 



7.25 



1.10 



— 



— 



6.00 



0.50 



7.00 



3.28 



115.25 



1.29 



6.00 



2.50 



3.50 



0.00 



Nov. 



15.00 



1.07 



3.75 



0.53 



5.00 



2.00 



21.25 



1.22 



25.50 



1.10 



21.50 



4.47 



42.00 



2.74 



10.00 



0.33 



Dec. 







0.75 



0.00 



— 



— 



1.00 



1.00 



16.50 



1.82 



10.25 



0.88 



27.25 



1.47 



— 



— 



Total 



268.50 





41.75 





15.75 





126.25 





92.00 





755.00 





219.00 





58.50 





Average 





1.35 





1.22 





1.08 





0.69 





1.13 





1.07 





1.08 





0.53 



Table 3. 



-Average catch per hour of 10 saltwater fishes caught by interviewed anglers on fixed platforms 

 in the St. Andrew Bay system, Fla., 1973, by bait type. (Hours of angling.) 











Bait tvpe 











Squid 





Fish 





Shrimp 







Live 



Dead 



Cut 



Live 



Dead 



Lures 



Species 



(268.50) 



(41.75) 



(15.75) 



(126.25) 



(92.00) 



(755.50) 



(219.00) 



Pinfish 



0.38 



0.00 



0.00 



0.03 



0.03 



0.16 



0.00 



Sea catfish 



0.24 



0.00 



0.00 



0.03 



0.00 



0.13 



0.00 



Spotted seatrout 



0.00 



0.02 



0.00 



0.00 



0.71 



0.04 



0.20 



Blue runner 



0.10 



0.00 



0.06 



0.10 



0.00 



0.09 



0.12 



Crevalle jack 



0.04 



0.00 



0.00 



0.00 



0.00 



0.01 



0.41 



Sand seatrout 



0.00 



0.00 



0.00 



0.09 



0.00 



0.06 



0.00 



Atlantic croaker 



0.04 



0.02 



0.00 



0.02 



0.00 



0.06 



0.01 



Flounder 



0.01 



0.14 



0.00 



0.02 



0.00 



0.00 



0.11 



Tomtate 



0.03 



0.00 



0.00 



0.00 



0.16 



0.00 



0.00 



Spadefish 



0.02 



0.00 



0.00 



0.00 



0.00 



0.04 



0.00 



