Tagging Fish

[CroakHunter]

In 3 of the private lakes I fish, we tag fish. Any fish over 16 inches gets tagged with a number and gets length, girth, weight, any distinct markings documented. As well as who caught it, when it was caught, where and what it was caught on. In the past 4 years, I personally have caught 20-30 tagged fish. Some on the same exact bait In the same spot, within 3 weeks of each other. It is very cool to go back in the records and see how much a fish has grown or how much it has moved. The last one I caught was a 7Lb 2oz fish that hadn't been caught since august 2012. I caught her 5-6-17. We estimated this fish at at least 11 years old. Only 75 yards from the previous catch and release. The fish had gained around 1.25lbs and still had the distinct black marking on her right gill plate. Does anyone fish Any lakes that have tagged fish? Also I released this fish and she swam away strong as ever. You can see the small orange tag just below her fin in her back. 

[Saki]

How do you tag them? What are you using?

Being able to reencounter a fish after 5 years it's amazing.

Like and old friend

[CroakHunter]

My friend has a tagging gun, not sure if it's specifically for fish or not.We have never had one die from tagging it. But it pierces the skin and has a barb on the end similar to a hook and then it's got something similar to about 100Lb mono attatched to a small piece of plastic(about the size of 2 tic tacs) that has 3 or 4 numbers on it. It's awesome going back through the records and seeing who has caught the same fish. 

[12poundbass]

That's pretty cool you guys do that. I never thought about that before. My sister lives on a small private lake and it would be pretty interesting to do that.

   I caught a tagged Walleye in Big bay Dr noc when I was 12 or so and it was pretty cool! We sent the info into the DNR. A few months later we got the info back about the fish. It was tagged the previous year about a half mile from where I caught it. I was hoping for a longer distance but either way it was cool.

[WIGuide]

The DNR used to tag walleyes around here. Unfortunately, that was pre-internet days so you would call in the number and report the catch. I believe they actually paid you a few dollars for reporting it regardless of if you harvested or released the fish. I think it would be really cool to do what you're doing on a small lake though and see how many times the same fish get caught and where. There's a small public lake I fish that I wouldn't mind doing that on actually. 

[Bucky205]

That's really cool.  You guys are gathering a wealth of data, Let me know when the book comes out I want one.  What are you guys seeing as the average growth rate per year?

[CroakHunter]

11 hours ago, Bucky205 said:

That's really cool.  You guys are gathering a wealth of data, Let me know when the book comes out I want one.  What are you guys seeing as the average growth rate per year?

It seems like the trend is once they get about 17 inches its a pound and an inch a year up until about 6lbs then it slows down. I fish in southern indiana not known for huge bass and don't have the longest growing season. 

Same day, the one in my right hand is previous fish posted. Other 2 were tagged as well.

[N Florida Mike]

I did that  on my lake.Tagged about 20 fish and the tag supplier went up on the prices so I didn't order anymore.

I caught one of them again around 200 ft from where I caught it the first time within a few months time. Another guy caught another one again.Its been 3-4 years and I haven't re- caught another one.I would really like to do it again if I could find a cheaper alternative.