NDOW asks anglers to release stripers marked with red flags

The Nevada Department of Wildlife is asking Lake Mead anglers who catch striped bass with red tags to immediately release them. The tagged fish are part of a study that the department hopes will shed light on stripers' movement patterns and their preferred habitat within the Lake Mead ecosystem.

"One of our objectives is to provide anglers with information that will help them locate new fishing areas and give them an understanding of what to look for when trying to locate a school of striped bass," NDOW fisheries biologist Debora Herndon said.

On Dec. 2, NDOW fisheries biologists released 19 striped bass that carry surgically implanted sonic transmitters. These transmitters emit a signal that can be tracked using telemetry equipment. Biologists plan to perform weekly status checks on the fish to determine their location and habitat of choice.

Anglers will recognize a fish that is part of the study by the red tag attached along its dorsal fin. Anyone who catches one of these fish is encouraged to record the location where they caught it, including the GPS coordinates if they have the ability to do so, and the time of day. This information can be reported by calling Herndon at (702) 486-6740.