Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
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Jernejcic, F. (1986). Walleye migration through Tygart Dam and angler utilization of the resulting tailwater and lake fisheries. Pages 294-300 in Reservoir Fisheries Management: Strategies for the 80's, Bethesda, Maryland (USA), American Fisheries Society.
Fish populations in 1740-acre Tygart Lake, West Virginia and its tailwater were sampled to provide information needed to evaluate impacts associated with the addition of hydropower facilities to the Tygart Lake projects. Walleyes Stizostedium vitreum vitreum dominate the sport fishery of the lake and migrate through the dam, providing a major tailwater fishery. Anglers caught 6042 walleyes from the lake and 8724 from the tailwater during a 1-year period. Walleye fishing success was higher in the tailwater than in the lake (0.56 vs. 0.32 caught per hour). Walleye fishing success was highest during the fall in the lake but during the spring in the tailwater. Tag returns indicated a 6% exploitation rate for lake walleyes during a 15-month period. Tailwater walleyes experienced a 25% exploitation rate during a 7-month period. Nine percent of walleyes tagged in the lake were caught by anglers in the tailwater from December through March. Age-0 and Age-1 walleyes migrated through the dam more readily than older walleyes. Walleye migration occurred during the winter, December through April, at times when the pool elevation was decreasing at a rate of at least 6-ft per 24 hours.