Whether you are fishing at an urban pond, a wild river, or an alpine lake, that next fish you catch might have an orange tag, and Idaho Fish and Game needs your help reporting it.
Fisheries biologists attach orange-colored “t-bar anchor tags” to various fish species throughout the state to learn more about them. When anglers report tagged fish, biologists can learn how many fish in a specific area or population are caught by anglers.
“We’ve had some fish get caught the same day after we tagged them, while some fish might not get caught and reported until years later,” said Kevin Meyer, a fisheries research biologist for Idaho Fish and Game.
Tags can also describe fish migrations, and are used to compare survival and catch of different types of hatchery-raised fish after they are stocked. Each reported tag provides valuable information about angler catch, survival and abundance of certain species, which helps biologists manage fish populations for better fishing
“Tags are a crucial component of our research and management, aimed at making fishing better for Idaho’s anglers,” said Meyer.
Read More: Catch a tagged fish? Report it and help shape fisheries management in Idaho