Stuart J. Wooldridge, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Hot Springs, AR; William M. Bivin, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Fayetteville, AR

Abstract. A 3-year creel survey (1995-97) of Lake Ouachita, Arkansas was conducted to compare spear fishing pressure and harvest with "all angler" pressure and harvest for this 16,000 hectare reservoir. Fishing pressure averaged 39.3 hour/ha/yr with total fish harvest averaging 8.6 kg/ha/yr for all anglers. Spear fishing pressure averaged 0.5 hr/ha/yr with a mean total fish harvest of 0.2 kg/ha/yr. Mean annual total harvests by all anglers of major game species were: 52,255 kg, striped bass (Morone saxatilis); 22,078 kg, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides); 8,892 kg, channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus); 5,053 kg, black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus); 4,965 kg, walleye (Stizostedion vitreum). Mean total harvests by spear fishermen of these same species were: 557 kg, walleye; 440 kg, channel catfish; 407 kg, largemouth bass; 150 kg, black crappie; 25 kg, striped bass. Mean harvest rates for all anglers compared to spear fishermen were 0.27 fish/hr and 0.32 fish/hr, respectively. Spear fishermen targeted primarily walleye and catfish while hook-and-line anglers targeted black bass and striped bass. Spear fishing pressure and harvest accounted for 1.2% and 1.9%, respectively, of total pressure and harvest exerted on Lake Quachita. Management recommendations will include spear fishing as a viable option for harvesting game species from this underutilized fishery.