I will look for you, I will find you, and I will [harvest] you: Persistent hyperstability in Wisconsin's recreational fishery

Shifting temporal or non-linear relationships between angler behavior and fish population characteristics can mask population declines or produce unexpected regulation outcomes. We tested for hyperstability in seasonal and interannual trends in angler effort, catch, and harvest rates in bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) across hundreds of Wisconsin, USA, lakes from 1990 to 2019. Higher centrarchid angling rates in summer than fall or winter and increases in winter effort suggest some policies, like seasonal restrictions, may be more effective in limiting exploitation. Hyperstability was substantial across all species and metrics and did not vary seasonally, but bluegill and yellow perch harvest rates became slightly less hyperstable over time. Our findings suggest anglers may not self-regulate or respond to management unless changes in populations or policies are conspicuous. These patterns demonstrate how angler experiences respond to policy or fish population change, and caution against reliance on fisheries-dependent data to set management goals.