Fish Biologists Tag Fish Across the State

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game continues to tag fish across the state to estimate angler harvest rates more precisely, and to understand better how harvest affects state fisheries. This information will help Fish and Game manage the state's fish. In almost every corner of the state, the department's fish managers are tagging rainbow trout, crappie, smallmouth bass, and various other game fish. The orange-colored tags-about 3 inches long and as thin as spaghetti noodles-are attached to the top of the fish near the dorsal fin. But they do not harm the fish or impede its swimming ability. Anglers who encounter fish with tags are encouraged to report the tag numbers, where and when they caught the fish, whether the fish had one or two tags attached to it, and whether they kept the fish. Some tags have reward values, which must be removed and turned into the department to collect the reward. Tags without rewards do not have to be removed to be reported, but all the necessary information must be communicated to the department. Fish have been tagged in numerous lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and small streams all over the state. The broad spread of tags makes the resulting data more applicable statewide, rather than to just a few specific water bodies. "This project gives us information on harvest, survival, growth, and migration, and will help us answer some important questions that we couldn't answer any other way," said Jim Fredericks, Fish and Game fisheries manager in Idaho Falls. A toll-free fish-tag hotline at 1-866-258-0338 will record all the necessary information, or anglers can go to the department's Website at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov, and then to the Fishing page and look for the "Report Tagged Fish Here" link. Anglers who report a tagged fish will receive a history of the fish, including where and when it was tagged, how long it was when it was tagged, and information on whether it has ever been caught and released before.