A good day of fishing can mean different things to different people.
It goes beyond what you catch (or don’t). A successful day out on a lake or river is also affected by factors such as whether you want to fish from the shore or a boat or what kind of fish are stocked. Any fishery can be one angler’s secret spot—and another’s last resort.
Many of these factors can be controlled by fisheries managers, though, and a study recently released by University of Georgia researchers offers insight into how these factors can attract a broader range of anglers. Published in the journal Human Dimensions of Wildlife, the study analyzes fishing preferences between white and nonwhite anglers and, in turn, can help guide managers looking to improve management of a fishing area.
The study has already come in handy for its lead author, Hunter Roop, a graduate of the UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and a fisheries biologist for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The study was part of Roop’s master’s thesis, and he says its findings are useful as he sets goals and expectations for Lake Lanier, one of Georgia’s most popular fisheries and one he helps manage.
Continue reading at University of Georgia.
Image via University of Georgia.