Angler Opinions of Bluegill Management and Related Hypothetical Effects on Bluegill Fisheries in Four Minnesota Lakes

We surveyed anglers on four Minnesotta lakes who fish for bluegill Lepomis macrochirus to determine (1) if they would support regulation changes designed to increase bluegill size structure, (2) if their behavior would allow increases in bluegill size structure to be sustainable, and (3) what they viewed as the causes and remedies for declining bluegill fisheries. The majority of anglers surveyed would not support regulation changes on bluegill fisheries. However, most said they would increase the number of fishing trips they took if increased bluegill size structure could be reestablished. We estimated that a modest increase of two trips annually would result in a 16–34% increase in the rate of exploitation on the four lakes. On certain lakes this could jeopardize the sustainability of a quality fishery. The majority of anglers believed that stunting was the cause of the decline in bluegill populations and that removal by managers and anglers was the most important management tool available.