MathGeek/FishGeek Creel Survey Begins Next Friday 23 May
 

Our creel survey team will be rolling into Lake Charles next Friday to begin taking creel survey data for our relative condition factor computations. This will be the fourth year of data, and once we have four years of data, we can begin some analysis of correlations between fish condition and hypothetical contributing factors (oyster stock assessments, salinity, water temperature, marsh-lake coupling, etc.)

The on-line advice, discussions, and references have been very valuable over the last couple of years, but the most valuable commodity in science is data. We need the cooperation of local anglers to allow our team to weigh and measure as many specks, redfish, drum, and gafftops as possible. Drum, gafftops, and the longer specimens of redfish and specks are typically hard to come by, so we would appreciate it particularly if you can bring in these specimens.

Over the past few years, the team has measured several thousand fish, so we can work through a cooler full of fish at a rate of 3-5 fish per minute for fish under 15 lbs and 1-2 fish per minute for the big ones. We usually minimize the delay by measuring the fish as they come from your ice chest and staging them for you at the cleaning station (or if you are cleaning them at home) quickly returning them to your ice chest.

If you prefer not to eat drum or gafftops or bull reds, we will have the ice chest capacity to take them off your hands and get them to a good home. Or, if you prefer, I can fillet them for you as soon as we're caught up with the measuring and put 'em in quart ziplock freezer bags. Note the offer for me to clean your fish only applies to black drum, gafftops, and bull redfish. You're on your own cleaning specks and rat reds.

Our plan (weather permitting) is to be at Calcasieu Point from mid-afternoon on Friday and remain there measuring fish until dark or only a few trailers remain in the lot. Then we'll have two teams working hard on Saturday, one at Hebert's, and one at Calcasieu Point. We'll arrive at the locations mid morning and work until most of the boats have returned Saturday afternoon. Please catch some fish and take part in this important scientific study.

Cleaning of bulls and gafftops is only offered at Calc Pt on Fri and Sat, though the Heberts team will have an ice chest to accept samples of bulls and gafftops if you prefer to donate the sample rather than just let us measure it.

In the event of foul weather, we'll adjust our schedule accordingly to make the best use of the holiday weekend.

Planning on trying to get out there. Will definitely help. If I actually catch anything that is. lol


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So free fish cleaning and bag n.

See you there one of the days Mathgeek

What entity is putting this on?

awesome! I love it!

I even have plans to fish lake Charles on Saturday, so I'm really hoping I come back with an icechest full.. of specks though not gaftops unless you clean my icechest for me lol jk!

This is put on by MathGeek and FishGeek who are performing this work as independent scientists. The first two years of the creel survey (2011 and 2012) were supported in part by the United States Air Force, who was MathGeek's employer at the time.

The 2011 and 2012 projects were reviewed and approved by various committees in Colorado. The 2012, 2013, and 2014 projects were reviewed and approved by a scientific review committee at LSU. We've also received valuable feedback on our experimental method and prior results from scientists at various institutions across the Gulf region.

MG your doing it a week too early since I won't be home from work until the next week.

Good luck with the survey. It should prove interesting


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We'll keep at it until we've collected sufficient data for the desired analysis. Check back on Salty Cajun next week, we may still be collecting next weekend.

We really would appreciate folks bringing in gafftops, drum, and bull reds. To get enough of these samples most years, we've had to spend some hot, sticky days at the jetty fishing pier and walking back and forth along the rocks. These samples are just as important in assessing the health of the estuary as the specks and rat reds.

Please throw the gafftops in the box. I'll clean 'em for you if you're coming to calc pt (it's fast and easy) and I'll clean your ice chest too. Once you see how easy they are to clean and get a taste, I bet you start keeping them. Once filleted, they are just as good as any fresh water catfish. Once the weekend rush is over, we're hoping to get into them at the jetties or the beach.