ANGOSTURA RECREATION AREA - Jerry Evans and Gerald Schield fought high winds and low water for six hours Wednesday to catch one walleye and one smallmouth bass.

And as they loaded Evans' boat at a low-water ramp swept by warm autumn winds, Schield couldn't help but think about winter and hope for some heavy snows and long-needed runoff.

"We got to get something out here," he said, referring to Angostura, a popular but troubled reservoir that typically draws crowds to the state recreation area with its name. "This was probably the worst year we had for four or five years."

Schield was talking about the fishing. But state parks officials also lament the impact that a string of drought years have had on reservoir levels and park visitation. In a year when the state park system over all was slightly above last year and Custer State Park was up almost 6 percent, Angostura visitation fell for the third year in a row.

And state Game, Fish & Parks Department parks director Doug Hofer of Pierre said the problem is easy to identify and hard to address: low water.

"We've really had about three years of drought and low water levels to contend with at Angostura," Hofer said. "And its cumulative effects have really taken a toll there."

Visitation at the reservoir fell this year by 10.6 percent from 2006, which was down from 2005, which was down from 2004. Camping has suffered similar losses, dropping by 17 percent at Angostura this year.

Not far up the road, Custer State Park saw a 5.7 percent increase, topping 1.6 million visitors for the year through September. Camping in the park was up 13.6 percent, with 35,800 camping nights compared to 31,500 last year.

Statewide, the park system made a very slight gain of .6 percent, but camping was up 4.9 percent, Hofer said.

Overall, the park system had a good year, and the camping increase continued a decade-long upward trend, he said.

"This will be the 11th year in a row that we've seen an increase statewide in camping," Hofer said.

Hofer will give the GF&P Commission an update on visitation during its meeting in Pierre Thursday and Friday, Oct. 4 and 5. He also will present a staff recommendation for increases in camping and lodging fees at state parks and recreation areas - except for Custer, where the commission approved a separate set of increases earlier this year.

There would also be an increase in the user fee on the George S. Mickelson Trail in the Black Hills. Currently, users pay $2 a day or $10 for an annual pass to use the trail. The current basic camping fee at most state parks is $14 with electricity and $10 without it. More rustic sites are $10 with electricity and $6 without it.

Most camping cabins rent for $32 a night, with group lodges renting for $110 to $175, depending on size and location.

Hofer wouldn't give specifics of the fee package, except to say basic camping fees could go up $1 to $2, if the commission agrees.

Water is a big draw for state parks and state campgrounds. As levels fall, camping interest often goes with them, Hofer said.

Jerry Evans and Gerald Schield don't camp at Angostura, but they travel there from their homes in Rapid City several times a year to fish. They said the entrance fee was well worth the fishing opportunity, although low water has made angling more difficult when many formerly productive areas are high and dry.

"That changes things. And people need to change tactics," Evans said. "I think there are still good numbers of fish out there. But you have to figure out how to catch them in different areas. I haven't come up with that secret yet."

Evans and Schield said they were grateful that the irrigation season was shortened, which helped keep water levels from falling even more and adding to access problems.

But it wasn't enough to keep visitation and camping from dropping hard for the third straight year.

"The park that probably had the biggest struggle was Angostura," Hofer said. "It's all water related. I think we'll improve quickly there if we could just have that big moisture event to fill it."

Contact Kevin Woster at 394-8413 or kevin.woster@rapidcityjournal.com