South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks is encouraging anglers to turn in the heads of tagged Chinook salmon caught on Lake Oahe and the Oahe tail waters. Doing so, could win you $100.
GFP fisheries biologist Robert Hanten says they want to know how stocking salmon in different locations improves their survival. He says research projects are underway evaluating salmon return and having anglers report tagged salmon is a crucial part of the research.
Thousands of specially-tagged Chinook salmon have been stocked in Lake Oahe. A small, coded-wire tag, only a millimeter long and the diameter of human hair, was implanted in these fish. Although tags cannot be seen by anglers, tagged fish can be identified by the absence of a tiny fin on their back.
According to Hanten, salmon have a small fleshy-lobed adipose fin directly in front of their tail, but this fin is removed as part of the tagging process. If you catch a salmon missing the adipose fin, Hanten asks that you turn in the fresh or frozen head of the salmon at the GFP Fort Pierre District Office, Spring Creek Resort or West Whitlock Recreation Area.
Information on where and when a salmon was caught along with the angler’s address and phone number must be included when submitting salmon heads. In addition, a coded-wire tag must be found in the head of the fish to be entered in the cash drawing.
Ten, $100 rewards will be issued each calendar year with a maximum of three rewards per person, per year. The annual drawing for winners of the $100 prizes will occur by Jan. 1.
For more information,
- visit gfp.sd.gov/pages/salmon-tags/
- stop at the Fort Pierre District Office at 20641 SD Hwy 1806, Fort Pierre
- call 605.223.7681.
