DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) – Researchers are hoping to learn more about a couple species of fish commonly found in Northeast Wisconsin.
The U.S. Geological Survey has placed transmitters on various Whitefish and Walleye, with the goal of monitoring their movements during spawning season.
“Try to gain information that we’ve never had before on where all of these fish sticks are, how they move around and interact.”
The DNR’s Tom Meronek says they’re asking anglers who catch a fish with an orange tag to call the number on that tag to take a survey.
The Geological Survey’s Dan Isermann says “it has our phone number on it, and it indicates a $100 reward. The reason we’re doing that is that these transmitters last for three years so if we can get the fish back, we can reuse the transmitter.”
Meronek notes “we’ll get results after the first year, but it will take a couple of years to really build up.”
Grants and donations are funding the effort.
They hope to tag a total of 300 Walleye and 400 Whitefish.
Tagging locations include the Fox and Menominee rivers and North Moonlight Bay in Bailey’s Harbor.
