Biologists from north-central Arkansas continue their research partnership with fisheries biologists from the Missouri Department of Conservation and researchers with the University of Missouri to study the movements of Walleye in Bull Shoals Lake.
In 2022, biologists implanted an additional 33 Walleye with transmitters from below the Powersite Dam, up the Theodosia arm, and at the Bull Shoals Lake Dam to track their movements. This tagging effort brought the total number of tagged Walleye to 93 fish in Bull Shoals Lake. Last year, biologists surgically implanted a small transmitter in each Walleye; this process was safely monitored to ensure the survival of each fish. The transmitters emit signals every two minutes, which can be detected by receivers placed throughout the lake by researchers with the University of Missouri for another study.
Also, researchers will periodically search for the implanted fish using boat-mounted receivers to gather more information about the tagged fish.
Here is an example of the data biologists will collect from this research. In March 2021, biologists tagged a 21.5-inch male Walleye at the Bull Shoals Lake Dam. The Walleye had moved up near Barnes Bay by late spring. The Walleye spent the remainder of the year in the Theodosia Arm and Oakland area. By early 2022, it began moving back down the lake. Finally, the fish was recollected at the Bull Shoals Lake Dam in late March 2022.
Biologists tagged each implanted Walleye with an external orange tag just below the dorsal fin. If you catch one of these tagged Walleye, please consider releasing the Walleye so the fish can continue to be tracked. However, if you decide to harvest the Walleye, please call the number on the tag or (1-877-425-7577) so biologists can get the transmitter back and potentially implant it in another Walleye.
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