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<br />sport Fish Harvest <br />Lake Powell has incredible scenery and unique vistas. <br />Millions come every year to enjoy the spectacle. With visitation <br />of this magnitude it seemed possible to actually reduce striped <br />bass numbers by focusing angler pressure on the overabundant <br />population. The initial problem was that most anglers presently <br />embrace a catch-and-release ethic. More than 80% of smallmouth <br />bass caught at Lake Powell are voluntarily released (Blommer and <br />Gustaveson 1997) regardless of limits or other considerations. <br />Anglers do not keep as many fish now as they did in the 1970's <br />and 80's (Gustaveson 1998). <br />When it was determined in 1990 that it would not be possible <br />to introduce a new forage species an intensive effort was made to <br />educate the public about the need to harvest striped bass at Lake <br />Powell. Anglers are reluctant to embrace a program unless it <br />enhances enjoyment of their sport. Our program included a <br />fishing report aimed at providing the best information available <br />which anglers could use to increase fishing success followed by <br />educational information about the need to harvest striped bass. <br />A toll free fishing information hotline was provided which could <br />be accessed from anywhere in the world offering detailed <br />information on what techniques were working, where fish were <br />biting, and how anglers could enjoy angling success. Reports <br />were updated as new information was received. Much information <br />was gleaned from successful angler interviews even in years when <br />a creel survey was not conducted. That information was <br />disseminated in a timely and credible manner so that anglers <br />could rely on the service. <br />The hotline was initiated in 1991. It grew from a few <br />hundred phone calls initially to over 30,000 calls in 1995 at <br />which time it became too costly to maintain. It was then <br />combined with the national ASK-FISH fishing hotline service <br />offered by the FWS. The same reports were given but in a <br />recorded operator format which was less user friendly. The <br />report continues today and can be accessed at 1-800-ASK-FISH. <br /> <br />40 <br />