Katie Thomsen

Proud wife, avid outdoorswoman, fitness & sports fanatic | AGFC Fisheries Biologist. Tweets are mine and do not necessarily reflect my employer.

[Ben Neely @bencneely]

Had the pleasure of fishing with @chanskiCCO this afternoon and he landed a Blue Catfish we tagged nearly four years ago! Note the unintended hitchhikers.

[Katie Thomsen @ktthomsen23]

@bencneely @chanskiCCO That's something I've never seen before! Interesting...

[Katie Thomsen @ktthomsen23]

Heard it was #garweek and wanted to share a pic of a juvenile Alligator Gar. Thankful to work for an agency that values these marvelous creatures and is progressing to learn more about them. @AGFCFisheries

[AGFC Fisheries Division @AGFCFisheries]

New pier at Smith Park Lake in Miller County!

This pier provides additional access to the lake and should be a great spot for fishing and wildlife watching. Thanks so much to our partners in this project, Smith Park and Miller County Rural Development.

[Kyler Hecke @FisHecke]

Please share: I am recruiting a master’s student to sample mussels in tributary systems of the south-central plains ecoregion in Arkansas. Position starts in January (2024)

[Katie Thomsen @ktthomsen23]

Reaching out to see if anybody from the fish world has any solutions to tablets overheating in their field seasons? We use iPad and Lenovo tablets. All recommendations are welcome! #fisheries #fishsci #technology #help #fisheriesmanagement

[Dr. Solomon David @SolomonRDavid]

Amazing colors on this Orangethroat Darter, a small freshwater fish* that lives in North American streams!

*related to perch & walleye
📸@ARGameandFish

[AGFC Fisheries Division @AGFCFisheries]

As we ring in the official start of summer, let's also take a moment to thank those brave men and women who have served our country, and remember those who sacrificed everything fighting for our freedom. #MemorialDay

[TeacherGoals @teachergoals]

So true! 🙌

[AGFC Fisheries Division @AGFCFisheries]

Wow, check out some of these monster bass weighed in this weekend on Millwood Lake! 🔥

Keith Lanier - 11.78lbs
Buzz Sawyer - 10.08lbs
Jodie Raffaelli - 12.3lbs

[AGFC Fisheries Division @AGFCFisheries]

In mid-February, the Paddlefish and Sturgeon Species Management Team conducted a mark-recapture study to estimate the Paddlefish population size in Pool 13 of the Arkansas River. The Blue Catfish pictured weighed approximately 70 lbs, and the Paddlefish was 58 lbs. Wow!

[Katie Thomsen @ktthomsen23]

@BPN_Supplements All of the above?

[Katie Thomsen @ktthomsen23]

@EEwigman Such a cute lil teaspoon!

[Arkansas Game and Fish Commission @ARGameandFish]

Arkansas Wildlife Weekly Fishing Report
Sept. 22, 2022
The north ramp (canal access, county ramp, or Westmoreland Ramp) on Mercer Bayou was inspected, sprayed again and reopened Thursday, Sept. 22. Giant salvinia, an invasive aquatic species than can ...https://t.co/Z2pXExskyj

[Arkansas Game and Fish Commission @ARGameandFish]

AGFC makes emergency closure of Mercer Bayou boat ramps
Sept. 2, 2022
TEXARKANA – The three boat ramps on Mercer Bayou in Miller County near Fouke are being closed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for the Labor Day weekend due to the discovery …https://t.co/4BbiXLb7xS

[Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation @OKWildlifeDept]

To prevent the spread of Zebra Mussels and other aquatic nuisance species, please remember to drain, wash, and dry watercraft and accessories. For more
information on clean, drain, dry, visit https://t.co/KoUypgeBPR.

LEARN SOMETHING:

[Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation @OKWildlifeDept]

Zebra Mussels are named for the striped pattern of their shell and can be found attached to surfaces, or other mussels. They affect the ecosystems that they invade by damaging equipment, infrastructure, and threatening native fish and wildlife by consuming available food.

[Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation @OKWildlifeDept]

THIS IS AN INVASIVE SPECIES NOTICE: The ODWC Aquatic Nuisance Species program can confirm that Zebra Mussels are present for the first time at Lake Shawnee and Ardmore City Lake. This is what they can look like when attached to a boat motor:

[Katie Thomsen @ktthomsen23]

Such a mysterious Bighead Carp population. Thankful to have @DirtyDog650 and other ODWC staff to assist us with invasive species in Oklahoma.

[JD Schooley @DirtyDog650]

Today we got a visit from @EEwigman to collect some age and gonad samples from a bighead carp caught by a #paddlefish snagger.
A bit gory, but that’s how the invasive species sausage gets made. @colbygainer15 @JColvin19

[Katie Thomsen @ktthomsen23]

@OMorissette @DirtyDog650 @colbygainer15 We also have a project in place sampling for Bighead Carp within that system in both Kansas and Oklahoma. The hope is to use those results to manage/suppress this seemingly small population of Bighead Carp.

[Katie Thomsen @ktthomsen23]

@OMorissette @DirtyDog650 @colbygainer15 It appears to be a rare find in that system. Since 1991, I have a total of 8 records of Bighead Carp being captured. Average weight of those individuals was 71 lbs.