Catch uncertainty and its importance to recreational anglers

Catch orientation conceptualizes desired outcomes from recreational fishing trips. Such outcomes include catching something, catching many fish, catching trophy fish, and keeping fish. In a 2024 article, Robert Arlinghaus questioned whether this framework is missing an important characteristic of a fishing trip: the inherent uncertainty of catching fish that makes for a challenging and enjoyable experience. In a large survey of Ohio anglers, we included questions proposed by Arlinghaus to measure catch uncertainty and understand its importance. On average, anglers were more oriented toward catch uncertainty than all other dimensions of catch orientation. Catch uncertainty was positively correlated with catching trophy fish, but negatively correlated with catching something, catching many fish, and keeping fish. More specialized anglers had stronger agreement with catch uncertainty, whereas no significant differences were observed between men and women. These results contribute to the emerging study of catch uncertainty, providing evidence of its importance in fishing experiences.