OGDEN, Utah – According to the state officials, DWR fisheries managers use data when setting fishing regulations and stocking rates at various waterbodies around Utah. Sometimes, that data is collected through fish tagging efforts.
When anglers catch tagged fish, it is important that they report it to the DWR so that specific data can be collected, which helps biologists make informed decisions about the overall management of the fishery.
Northern pike were first detected by the DWR in Utah Lake in 2011. Because pike are predatory and reproduce rapidly, biologists are worried about the effect they will have on some of the other fish species in the lake. June suckers — a threatened fish only found in Utah Lake and its tributaries — are of particular concern due to their precarious status, but pike have the potential to impact sportfish in the lake such as walleye, white bass and yellow perch.
As part of an ongoing study launched in 2020, the DWR is still asking anglers to report and release any tagged northern pike they catch in Utah Lake. And, because the invasive fish were placed in Utah Lake illegally, anglers must kill any pike they catch that don’t have a tag.
More information here.