April 3

It was a Thursday. Ice was off Lake Oahe’s Cattail and Beaver bays and there was work to be done. The to-do list for this one day seemed long.

Knowing northern pike and other Missouri River System fish species were nosing into the shallows to dump their eggs, feed or do other fish things, North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel needed to be there to greet them. Following cues provided by Mother Nature, the clock for these fish was ticking and those on shore dressed in waders and waterproof gear could hear it.

From their trap nets, fisheries biologists unloaded an impressive number of fish. First, let’s start with the pike.

While the northerns weren’t ready to give up their eggs to help meet this spring’s 4.5 million egg goal, 175 male pike (with many more to follow in coming days) were loaded, hauled and released into Cottonwood Park Pond in Bismarck.

Second, 200 channel catfish trapped in nets were loaded and then hauled to Braddock Dam in Emmons County to provide fishing opportunities to anglers and help clean up a nuisance bullhead problem.

Third, about 100 walleyes captured in trap nets were fitted with metal jaw tags as part of a study with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.

Fourth, biologists collected shortnose gar from nets and then garnered weights, lengths and other samples from these prehistoric-looking fish to learn more about a Missouri River species that biologists know so little about.

And fifth, fisheries personnel used heavy equipment to push a courtesy dock into the water at Beaver Bay to be used by anglers and others.

“Whatever needs to be done in spring, we get it done,” said Paul Bailey, Department south central fisheries supervisor.

And sometimes a lot of that gets done in one day.