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-35- <br />too small to interest the angler, and many were probably rainbow <br />fingerlings planted in 1976. Although these fish did not enter into <br />the harvest, their capture and release probably did add to the overall <br />enjoyment of the fishing experience. <br />Table 15. Mean weighted catch rates (fish/fisherman-hr), including <br />fish released, from all areas combined, by month and type <br />of fishing, Flaming Gorge tailwaters, 1977. <br />Type May June July Aug. Sept. 0-N Mean <br />Raft o.4o o.48 0.59 0.78 0.75 1.72 o.67 <br />Shore 0.55 0.45 0.61 0.71 0.92 1.32 0.66 <br />Mean o.48 o.46 o.6o 0.74 0.85 1.49 o.66 <br />Discussion <br />Fishing success, as evidenced by mean yearly creel rates, has <br />fluctuated between 0.27 and 0.91 fish per fisherman-hr since 1964 <br />(Table 16). Peak fishing pressures and harvests occurred in 1967 <br />and 1968, but at that time creel rates were already declining steadily. <br />Creel rates declined steadily from the first year of the fishery to the <br />low point in 1969 (Fig. 2). Beginning in 1970 the number of catchable- <br />sized rainbow trout planted annually was increased substantially, and <br />creel rates recovered somewhat. Since then, the creel rates have <br />fluctuated between 0.38 and 0.64. This is not surprising, since the <br />importance of catchable-sized rainbow trout to the total harvest has <br />already been demonstrated.