Michigan Fishermen Could Win Cash From Their Catch
If you plan on going fishing in any of the Great Lakes soon, keep an eye out on what it is you catch because you could win yourself some extra cash.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking fishermen to check for a clip on the adipose fin, which is the small fin on the back of the fish. If you happen to find one, you may have just scored yourself $100.
What fish are tagged?
Some of the fish that have been tagged by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service include steelhead, brown trout and Chinook or Atlantic salmon.
Thirty-three fish are currently tagged. Each fish was selected by the Great Lakes Salmon Initiative and fisheries around the state.
Why are these fish tagged?
Randy Claramunt, Lake Huron Basin coordinator with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says that it helps fish and game experts study populations and track their ecosystem. But they only have so much help, so they rely on anglers to return the tags to better understand the fishes survival and age.
We have creel clerks at some ports, but there are several areas that we don't have staff, including on river systems with unique fisheries, such as Atlantic salmon or steelhead. To get enough tag returns to learn about these species, we need the help of our anglers to voluntarily turn in heads.
In order to be eligible for a reward, tagged fish must be submitted by Nov. 1, 2021.
For more information and details on turning in tagged fish, visit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website.