$100 reward for 200 Green Bay walleyes caught wearing red floy tags

Madison — Walleyes for Tomorrow and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced a new walleye “reward tag” study for Green Bay and its major tributaries.

Green Bay and its tributaries support a world-class fishery of a robust walleye population and trophy-sized fish. Results from DNR angler creel surveys have shown that the popularity of this fishery has grown in recent years. The DNR and Walleyes for Tomorrow have seen increased angler effort targeting walleyes.

The DNR will begin tagging up to 5,000 walleyes with green and yellow “floy” tags to better understand the walleye fishery and gather information on population levels and harvest. Fish will be tagged throughout Green Bay’s five major spawning areas in Wisconsin – the Fox, Oconto, Peshtigo, and Menominee rivers, as well as Sturgeon Bay.

In addition to the yellow and green tags, 200 red “reward” tags will be distributed throughout these waters. Walleyes for Tomorrow is offering a $100 reward to anglers who report catching walleyes with red tags. Thanks to funding from Walleyes for Tomorrow, the DNR hopes to continue this tagging program for the next three to five years.

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Catching a tagged fish

Anglers who catch a tagged walleye of legal size may choose to harvest that fish, or release it. Any tagged fish not meeting minimum length requirements should be released once the tag information has been obtained. Anglers are asked to follow responsible catch-and-release practices and leave the tag intact for all released walleyes.

For all colored tags, anglers should report the tag number, tag color, fish length, location caught, date caught and whether the fish was harvested. The red tags will read “REWARD $100,” with a valid reward date listed. Anglers must verify their tag to redeem the reward. This can be done by:

• If harvested, present the physical tag or email a picture of the tag that includes the three-digit tag number to the DNR;

• If released, take a close-up picture of the tag that includes the three-digit tag number and a picture of the angler holding the walleye with the tag visible.

To report any catch of a tagged fish to the DNR, email   DNRFHGBFISH@wisconsin.gov or call (920) 662-5411.

To mail in a floy tag from a harvested fish, send it to: Department of Natural Resources, ATTN: Fish Biologist, 2984 Shawano Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54313.

Upon reporting a green or yellow floy tag, anglers will receive information about the fish, including the date, location, size, sex, and estimated age at the time of tagging. Anglers do not need to provide picture verification or mail in the physical tag when reporting walleyes with green or yellow tags.

Reported tags from released or harvested walleye will help guide walleye management throughout Green Bay and its tributaries by providing fisheries biologists with information about exploitation, harvest, spawning site fidelity, movement patterns and growth rates.