Anglers Encouraged to Report Tagged Fish

North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries biologists tagged hundreds of walleyes in two popular North Dakota fisheries earlier this spring to determine exploitation and harvest.

Walleyes were fitted with jaw tags at both Rice Lake in Emmons County, and Antelope Lake in Pierce County, as part of one-year studies.

Tagging fish for study purposes in North Dakota is not uncommon. For example, department fisheries biologists are in the third year of a four-year walleye tagging study on Lake Sakakawea to look at such things as natural mortality, aging mortality and fish movements.

Fisheries biologists say it’s imperative that walleye anglers report tagged fish from whatever waters they are fishing, no matter if they end up in livewells or back in the lake. Anglers are also encouraged to treat tagged walleye just like they would treat any other fish they catch. If it’s a fish an angler was planning on keeping, then harvest the fish. If it’s a fish an angler plans to release, then do so, but record the tag number and leave the tag on the fish. Tagged fish can be reported online at gf.nd.gov, or call the Game and Fish Department at 701-328-6300.