Online survey for anglers who intentionally fish for catfish in the Twin Cities Metro Area

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is conducting a catfish tagging survey to gather information to help manage catfish populations in the Twin Cities Metro Area. Catfish will be tagged by the MDNR with wire and small plastic tags with unique numbers for at least the next four years (there will not be rewards for tag returns). Sampling will be conducted to determine overall population size and to gain a rough idea of how far catfish are moving in the area’s rivers. Anglers willing to participate in a catfish diary program will be asked to record their angling efforts, document numbers of fish caught, and provide the tag number and locations of any tagged fish caught. Angler efforts will greatly increase the amount of data collected to further the MDNR’s knowledge of this fishery.

In accordance with Minnesota Statute 84.072 Specific Location Data, tagged fish locations obtained in this survey are not public information and will not be disseminated. The only exception to that will be a few examples in reports and presentations that show examples of how far an individual fish moved between recaptures to demonstrate large movements or fish that appeared to move very little. Thank you in advance for your interest and assistance in catfish management in the Twin Cities.

Please provide your contact information. Name:
Address:
Address 2:
City/Town:
State:
ZIP/Postal Code:
Email Address:
Phone Number:

1. If you would like to participate in the catfish angler diary program, what would be the preferred method to contact you?

2. Please provide your contact information.

3. Roughly how many catfishing trips do you make per year in the Minnesota River (from Henderson in Le Sueur County downstream to confluence with the Mississippi River in St. Paul)?

4. Roughly how many catfishing trips do you make per year in the St. Croix River (from St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin downstream to confluence with Pool 3 of the Mississippi River near Prescott, Wisconsin)?

5. Roughly how many catfishing trips do you make per year in Pools 1 and 2 of the Mississippi River (from Coon Rapids Dam downstream to Lock and Dam #2 in Hastings)?

6. Roughly how many catfishing trips do you make per year in Pool 3 of the Mississippi River (from Lock and Dam #2 in Hastings downstream to Lock and Dam #3)?

7. Which species do you target most frequently? Check one.

8. Where do you fish for catfish? Check all that apply.

9. How many years have you been targeting catfish? Check one.

10. Do you have Microsoft Excel or some other type of spreadsheet software?

11. Do you have a GPS?

12. How did you hear about this catfish angler survey? Check one.