Following the chain to elusive anglers Shane P. Griffiths 1 , Kenneth H. Pollock 2 , Jeremy M. Lyle 3 , Julian G. Pepperell 4 , Mark L. Tonks 1 & William Sawynok 5 1 CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, PO Box 120, Cleveland, Queensland 4163, Australia; 2 Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research, Murdoch University, South St, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia; 3 Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, University of Tasmania, Locked Bag 49, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia; 4 Pepperell Research & Consulting Pty Ltd, PO Box 1475, Noosaville D.C., Queensland 4566, Australia; 5 Infofish Services, PO Box 9793, Frenchville, Queensland 4701, Australia Ghoti Ghoti papers Ghoti aims to serve as a forum for stimulating and pertinent ideas. Ghoti publishes succinct commentary and opinion that addresses important areas in fish and fisheries science. Ghoti contributions will be innovative and have a perspective that may lead to fresh and productive insight of concepts, issues and research agendas. All Ghoti contributions will be selected by the editors and peer reviewed. Etymology of Ghoti George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), polymath, playwright, Nobel prize winner, and the most prolific letter writer in history, was an advocate of English spelling reform. He was reportedly fond of pointing out its absurdities by proving that ‘fish’ could be spelt ‘ghoti’. That is: ‘gh’ as in ‘rough’, ‘o’ as in ‘women’ and ‘ti’ as in palatial. Abstract Obtaining reliable estimates of important parameters from recreational fisheries is problematic but critical for stock assessment and effective resource management. Sampling methodologies based on traditional design-based sampling theory, is inadequate in obtaining representative catch and effort data, social or demographical characterization, or fisher behaviour from small hard-to-reach components within recreational fisheries (e.g. specialized sport fisheries) that may account for the majority of the catch for some species. A model-based approach to sampling is necessary. Researchers in other disciplines including epidemiology and social sciences routinely survey rare or ‘hidden’ populations within the general community by penetration of social networks rather than by interception of individuals. We encourage fisheries researchers to rethink survey designs and consider the social elements of recreational fishing. Employing chain-referral methods, such as respon- dent-driven sampling (RDS), may be a statistically robust and cost-effective option for sampling elusive sub-elements within recreational fisheries. Chain-referral sampling methodology is outlined and an example of a complemented ‘RDS-recapture’ survey design is introduced as a cost-effective application to estimating total catch in recreational fisheries. Keywords angling, homophily, recreational fishing, respondent-driven sampling, snowball sampling Correspondence: Shane P. Griffiths, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, PO Box 120, Cleveland, Queensland 4163, Australia Tel.: +61 7 3826 7364 Fax: +61 7 3826 7222 E-mail: shane. griffiths@csiro.au Received 16 Jul 2009 Accepted 19 Jan 2010 F I S H and F I S H E R I E S , 2010, 11, 220–228 220 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-2979.2009.00354.x Ó 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd