New Walleye Tag Reward Study Begins In Green Bay And Its Tributaries

New Walleye Tag Reward Study Begins
In Green Bay And Its Tributaries

This spring, help the DNR manage Green Bay’s world-class walleye fishery by reporting tagged fish. 

MADISON, Wis. – Together with Walleyes for Tomorrow, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the implementation of a walleye reward tag study for Green Bay and its major tributaries.

Green Bay and its tributaries support a world-class fishery boasting 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, and staff has 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 study for the next three to five years.

What Happens If I Catch A Tagged Walleye?

If you catch a tagged walleye of legal size, you can choose to harvest or release the fish. Any tagged fish not meeting minimum length requirements should be immediately released once the tag information has been obtained. Please 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. Additionally, for red tags that 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 attached tag visible.

To report your catch 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:

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 captured 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.