Idaho Fish and Game continues to track acoustic-tagged walleye in Lake Pend Oreille. This allows fishery biologists to learn more about walleye distribution and movement. It also provides information to help anglers better target walleye and participate in the angler incentive program. Between late-fall 2019 and continuing into spring 2021, biologists have tagged about 55 walleye with acoustic transmitters, about 45 of which are still active and at-large. Biologists also added more stationary receivers throughout the system and in some of the shallow bays to provide more detailed information than in past years.
With the completion of the spring walleye spawn, fish are now on the move. Although several fish are still residing in the Clark Fork River and delta, most of the tagged walleye have moved into the shallow bays in the northern and western portions of the lake. The highest concentrations of walleyes as of May 24 were in Oden Bay, Kootenai Point, Kootenai Bay, and the Highway 95 - Sandpoint long bridge areas. Only a few tagged walleyes have moved down into the Pend Oreille River so far this spring.
Check out May 24 Walleye Map to see specific numbers recorded at each receiver.
Fishery biologists will continue tracking walleyes all summer and will periodically provide location data with maps to help anglers better target walleyes and help us manage this complex fishery. More information about fishery work occurring on Lake Pend Oreille can be found on the Lake Pend Oreille Fisheries website.
