Chi Council for the Clear Lake Hitch

Volunteer Information

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Survey Protocol for Monitoring Hitch
(in printable pdf format)

If you do not have a copy of this year's Observation Form, download it from the website and print it out. (Alternatively, the form can be downloaded in Excel format to be submitted electronically.)

Following are the methods to monitor hitch in the tributaries to Clear Lake during the spawning season. Enter the results in the form, using whichever format you prefer.

For observations from a bridge

  • Park car off edge of road (be aware of oncoming traffic!)
  • Walk quietly to the center of bridge
  • Peer into the creek from both sides of the bridge
  • Estimate the total number of fish seen
  • Record the date, time, creek, bridge location, numbers of fish seen, and any comments such as water clariy or predators such as herons, ducks, ospreys

For observations from a creek bank

  • Make your observation from the same location each time, as if you were observing from a bridge. Do not wander up and down the dreek and total the numbers of fish
  • Enter the same information as above

The importance of "NO HITCH"

  • Please write down each time you look for hitch, even if you don't see any. A "no fish seen" is just as important as "fish seenn" because we know for certain that someone checked to see if fish were present. Over time, we can tell if the hitch population is increasing or decreasing.

 

Thank you for helping to preserve this unique and amazing creature!