Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

2025

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Natural Resource Management

First Advisor

Steven Chipps

Abstract

Walleye Sander vitreus are a popular sportfish among anglers in South Dakota with large economic impacts to local communities. A popular destination for Walleye anglers is Lake Sharpe, a 25,000-ha reservoir on the Missouri River, in central South Dakota. Gill net catches in Lake Sharpe show high annual variation, prompting concern that gill net catch rates may be poorly related to population abundance. A better understanding of Walleye movement and distribution could lead to increased precision in annual abundance estimates and improved active management that increases angler success. The goals of this study were: 1) determine spatiotemporal movement patterns of Walleye in Lake Sharpe, 2) identify how hydroelectric discharge impacts Walleye movement, and 3) identify how sex and seasons impact Walleye movements and site fidelity. In total, 91 Walleye (404-653 mm TL) were captured and implanted with V13 (n = 79) or V13AP (n = 12) transmitters from April 2018 to July 2020. Acoustic telemetry data were collected from June 2018 through December 2020 from 28 passive receivers distributed throughout Lake Sharpe. Walleye use was generally high in the riverine zone (14.2 % ± 1.6% SE), DeGrey (13.1% ± 1.6% SE), the upper lacustrine (12.4% ± 1.5% SE), and the Cedar Creek areas (12.3% % ± 1.5% SE). Zones with the lowest predicted use were Hipple Lake (4.0% ± 0.7% SE), lower lacustrine (5.0% ± 0.8% SE), and stilling basin (5.5% ± 0.8% SE). We found no significant seasonal changes in Walleye zone use. Discharge effects were zone-specific and limited, with only tailrace zones showing significant positive response to increased discharge. Movement averaged 23.9 km per month (95% CI: 19.5 - 29.2 km), with no significant differences between seasons or sexes. Males exhibited significantly higher movement than females during post-spawn and fall periods. Site fidelity patterns varied by season, with highest fidelity observed during winter and pre-spawn periods and lowest during the spawning season. These findings highlight the complex interplay between seasonal behavior, habitat preferences, and environmental conditions that should be considered for optimal Walleye management in Lake Sharpe.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Walleye (Fish) -- South Dakota -- Sharpe, Lake. 
Walleye (Fish) -- Habitat -- South Dakota -- Sharpe, Lake.
Walleye (Fish) -- Migration -- South Dakota -- Sharpe, Lake. 
Fish populations -- South Dakota -- Sharpe, Lake.      

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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Rights Statement

In Copyright