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<br />e) The age structure for brown trout has also shifted to a larger <br />percentage of older fish. Ages 1-5 changed by 30%, 9%, 67%, 205% and <br />423%, respectively. <br /> <br />The Pick Bridge station is approximately 23 miles downstream of the Treasure <br />Island station. Rainbow and brown trout population trends at the Pick Bridge <br />station revealed that there are no statistically significant differences between <br />years. Current sampling efforts in this area will be directed away from spring <br />sampling and towards early fall sampling to try and reduce the impact of early <br />spring rainbow trout spawning and late fall brown trout spawning which bias the <br />estimates. Early fall estimates have been obtained at this station and <br />additional work is planned in the future. <br /> <br />The Rochelle station is approximately 50 miles downstream of the Treasure <br />Island station. Approximately 5.2 miles of the river immediately upstream of <br />Interstate 80 were sampled in July using two boom equipped e1ectrofishing boats. <br />Fish stocked by Management Crew 55 (Casper) in the river downstream of 1-80 <br />comprise 55% of the total trout estimate above I-80. Upstream migration is <br />significant. Another significant finding is that walleye are the second most <br />abundant game fish in this portion of the river during the summer period. <br />Additional sampling in future years may reveal if the walleye population is <br />expanding. <br /> <br />The most significant limiting factor on downstream changes in wild trout <br />populations is probably habitat and the decline in associated tributary streams. <br />As an example, Sage Creek, which enters the North Platte approximately 22 miles <br />upstream of Interstate 80, introduces a tremendous amount of colloidal sediment <br />which in turn, limits spawning and inhibits food production. Water temperatures <br />can also reach limiting levels during low flow periods in late summer. <br /> <br />Fishermen use and harvest was evaluated at four locations: Treasure Island, <br />Saratoga, Foote and Pick Bridge. This section will address the changes in <br />fi shermen use and harvest wh i ch have occurred since imp 1 ementat i on of the slot <br />limit regulation. Data from the 1986 creel survey will be compared to the next <br />most recent survey which occurred in 1979. <br /> <br />1) Non-residents accounted for 52% of all visitors. Colorado residents <br />accounted for 77% of those visitors. Total non-resident use is down <br />slightly from 1979 (61%). <br /> <br />2) Non-residents comprised 64% of all license types in 1986. The one day <br />license was the most popular among non-residents. In 1979, non- <br />resident license types comprised 70% of the total. Of particular <br />interest is that of all interviewed visitors (2,689), only 45% (1,215) <br />held fishing licenses. This indicates that a majority of visitors are <br />using the river environment for activities other than fishing. <br /> <br />3) The most significant change in boating use as recorded by time lapse <br />cameras, was a decrease between Bennet Peak and Treasure Island. This <br />difference is most likely attributed to better flows in other river <br />sections and the long shuttle involved with floating the Bennet Peak <br />section. All other areas showed increases in use. Jon boats are the <br /> <br />7 <br />