Fishing

Tagged Fish:
Togiak National Wildlife Refuge and other agencies are conducting long term studies on fish in southwest Alaska. Char, rainbow trout, and other fish are being marked with individually numbered external tags. Reports of tagged fish caught provide information on the fish's travels and life span. The tags are usually located on the fish's left side near the dorsal fin. If possible please report both the tag color and tag number for any tagged fish you catch. If you release a tagged fish, please leave the tag in the fish.

Other fish have also been implanted with radio transmitters, and will have an antenna extending from the belly. The locations and movements of these fish are documented by using ground and aerial radio tracking. From this, information on the fish's life history is inferred, as in the Togiak River Dolly Varden Life History Study. We would appreciate the release of any radio-tagged fish. If you sacrifice a radio-tagged fish, please return the radio transmitter to Togiak Refuge.

Togiak Refuge records information provided by anglers. Recording the number of fish caught per angler for each day of your trip is useful information for long term monitoring of fishery health. Information on fish caught, whether tagged or not, is valued. Recording the length or weight of any fish you intend to release is not desired because of the unnecessary handling stress put on the fish. Anglers are reminded that the best way to ensure the survival of released fish is to keep the fish in the water and follow proper catch and release techniques. Togiak Refuge will send you information concerning the known history of tagged fish you report. To link to a Fish Report Form, click here.

Last updated: July 24, 2008