Survey captures anglers' feelings about Chain catfish March 18 2016 
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Channel catfish have fared well since their introduction in the Sauk River Chain of Lakes west of St. Cloud. The fish represent a unique opportunity for some anglers
and an annoyance for others.
Channel catfish in the Sauk River Chain of Lakes between Richmond and Cold Spring seem to elicit polarized responses from anglers. When it comes to catfish, some swear by them and some swear
at them.
......
The DNR Sauk Rapids Area Fisheries office recently completed both winter and summer angler surveys, and the results speak to the contrasting views anglers have of these fish. I emailed with DNR Area Fisheries Supervisor Joe Stewig to learn some of the preliminary results, as well as ask a few questions.
Horseshoe and Cedar Island lakes within the Sauk River Chain were stocked with channel catfish from 1976 to 1988 to create angling opportunities and to help reduce bullhead numbers. The riverine nature of the reservoir’s habitat has helped the catfish flourish. The Sauk River Chain as a whole saw channel catfish gill net catches increase from 15.1 in 2003 to 27.4 in 2013.
Catfish have moved upstream
into Long, North Brown’s, Eden and Mud/Vails. “At some point,” Stewig told me, “we expect the population will reach equilibrium.” For now it continues to grow.
Anglers on the Sauk Chain during the 2014-2015 winter angler survey and 2015 open water survey lined up surprisingly antithetical when asked about channel catfish.
...Anglers were asked “how do you feel about channel catfish in the Sauk River Chain of Lakes: are they good, bad, or do you have no opinion?” Of winter anglers, 31 percent responded “good” compared with 40 percent of summer anglers; 40 percent of winter anglers responded “bad” compared with 37 percent of summer anglers; and 28 percent of winter anglers and 23 percent of summer anglers reported no opinion.
During both surveys, followup questions were asked of anglers that were not fishing for channel catfish. These anglers were asked if catching catfish added to or detracted from their fishing experience. A nearly perfect split answered that it either added to or detracted from their experience.
Catfish in the Sauk Chain bedevil
some and are beloved
by others.
....
Stewig acknowledges that the catfish are an accessory, not the going fish in the Sauk Chain. Both the summer and winter angler surveys showed crappie and sunfish as being the most popular species sought, caught and harvested. Walleye and channel catfish were the next most popular, but still not caught nor harvested as much as crappies and sunfish.
Anglers concerned about catfish competing with more popular species should take note — channel catfish are omnivorous, and Stewig believes the fish are indirect competitors. Stewig reports that the Sauk Rapids office has collected channel catfish stomach contents and hopes to investigate diet as staff time allows in the future.
A fringe of the angling public has latched on to the great catfish angling on the Sauk Chain. “I think with the advancement of social media and fishing forums,” Stewig noted, “more and more anglers are seeing how unique this fishery is and making the trek to give it a shot. In 1999, during a summer angler survey on Horseshoe and Cedar Island, only 4 percent of interviewed anglers were targeting channel catfish as opposed to 17 percent in 2015.”
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