DNR Announces Tagged Walleye Could Be Worth $100 If Reported
OutdoorHub Reporters 04.05.18
Michigan DNR made an announcement earlier this week that 3,000 walleyes have been tagged, and released in a number of Saginaw Bay tributary rivers. They are now asking anglers who catch the tagged fish to collect and report information back to the state.
It’s worth noting there are two different styles of tags for anglers to watch out for. According to Michigan.gov, this is the second year that they are using a brightly colored disk tag to test how well anglers notice and report the tags.
The other style tag, called a jaw-tag, is pretty self-explanatory, and can be located right in the fish’s mouth.
Each tag is stamped with a unique identification number and a post office box address. If you catch a tagged walleye, make a note of the tag’s I.D. number, the fish’s weight and length, then report the catch by mail using the address on the tag or calling the DNR Bay City Customer Service Center at 989-684-9141, or online by visiting Michigan.gov/taggedfish.
Anglers do have the option to keep their catch, if they desire, but they must get a clear photo first.
Michigan DNR also notes that 20 percent of the tags come with a $100 reward IF reported.
“This information is essential to measuring the health of the population and is critical data we use to plan future management direction needed to protect and enhance this important fishery,” said Dave Fielder, research biologist out of the DNR’s Alpena Fisheries Research Station. “Besides ensuring the walleye fishery remains sustainable, we also annually estimate the population size with the aid of these tag reports.”
