An analysis of angling returns for trout, Salmo trutta L., in a Scottish river

Abstract. Analysis of 4 years’ club records shows that, on average, the anglers fishing for brown trout in the lower River Don, Aberdeenshire, Scotland made 9 trips/y of 4 hours duration, caught 0·8 fish/trip at the rate of 0·2 fish/h, making a total of 7 fish/season, having an average weight of 350g. There was, however, considerable variation in the results. Guests tended to fish for longer, and to catch less, than regular members. Most (95%) of the fish were caught by only 30% of the anglers, who accounted for 80% of the fishing effort. Angler efficiency increased with the number of seasons spent fishing the club waters during the period; it decreased with increase in water temperature and flow and, early in the season, tended to decrease slightly with increase in catch in the preceding month.