Anyone else Tagging the Bass they catch?

[Basstagger]

I live on a 200+ acre lake and I just retired. I just started documenting ( Weight, Length, ect..) tagging every bass I catch and release. I wonder how long before I catch a tagged fish?

 So far only 26 tagged fish but I just started this project

[Vilas15]

Dang 200 acres that must be a pretty big private lake if you're tagging fish on your own ?

[soflabasser]

I rather release the bass as quick as possible than tag them. If you own the lake do whatever you want but if you do not own it make sure to get permission from the lake owner to tag bass since the lake owner might not like you tagging the bass in his or her private lake.

[papajoe222]

Back in the days before the light bulb was invented (my grandson once asked me if I was born before then) I regularly tagged and recorded information about my catch prior to releasing it.  This was on a 55 acre private lake/pond. I did that for five years. It gave the pond owner some valuable information and taught me a bunch about seasonal movements of the fish I'd caught multiple times. Yes, many of the fish I surveyed I'd caught more than once. One fish I actually caught three times in one year.

[David 7]

My stepfather use to do this in the 80s/ early 90s in a public lake for no other reason but to see if he caught the same fish twice. For a self described CPR guy, I have no idea why he did it still. Just seems unnecessary and can’t imagine it is good for the bass. 
 

I would fear that it might make them more visible, for both their prey and their predators. Also I’m a big advocate for leaving the water either the same, or better than I found it. Sorry to be that guy but I’ve never been crazy about the tagging thing unless it’s for a legitimate scientific purpose. 

[Glenn]

Why yes we DO have several articles about tagging bass on private ponds!  Great reading for those that want understand the benefit of it.

 

https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/tagging-fish.html

https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/tagging-bass.html

https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/radion-tagging-fish.html

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/fishtagger.html

 

[the reel ess]

Keep us informed about how many you catch multiple times. 

[fishballer06]

5 hours ago, David 7 said:

I would fear that it might make them more visible, for both their prey and their predators.

 

Not really...

 

 

[N Florida Mike]

@Basstagger , I would like to hear how you tag yours. I tagged around 20 fish in my lake a while back , and I think I only recaught 1 of them. The price of The tags I was buying went up too high for me to buy them so I quit.

[David 7]

10 hours ago, fishballer06 said:

 

Not really...

 

 

The ones I remember were about an inch or so long and were bright yellow. Had the fisherman’s name on it. Seemingly the technology has changed, I stand corrected. 

[schplurg]

No.

[fishballer06]

9 hours ago, David 7 said:

The ones I remember were about an inch or so long and were bright yellow. Had the fisherman’s name on it. Seemingly the technology has changed, I stand corrected. 

There's two methods. You've probably seen the dorsal fin kind where it's a string style tag that goes between the two dorsal fins on the back. 

 

[David 7]

39 minutes ago, fishballer06 said:

There's two methods. You've probably seen the dorsal fin kind where it's a string style tag that goes between the two dorsal fins on the back. 

 

Yes those are the ones except they were bright yellow.

[Tatsu Dave]

Wow wouldn't consider it myself, I leave things as I found them whenever possible.

[David 7]

3 minutes ago, Tatsu Dave said:

Wow wouldn't consider it myself, I leave things as I found them whenever possible.

Great Daves think alike ?

[Alex from GA]

For a couple of years before covid I went with a biologist from UGA to tag Shoal Bass on the Chattahoochee River.  A shock boat couldn't get there so we used kayaks.  There were usually several of us to catch fish and bring them to him to fin clip tag and record.  We usually caught some tagged fish from previous taggings.  I forgot how many we tagged but it was several hundred before covid hit in February.

[schplurg]

On 8/10/2021 at 6:11 AM, David 7 said:

Great Daves think alike ?

 

David's my middle name! I posted "No" above  

[geo g]

My house is surrounded by 10 small man made lakes about 10 to 20 acres in size.  A few years ago I was cutting a small V cut in a dorsal fin without hitting any spines.  The cut was very small and always in the same spot.  When I caught a fish I would check and if no sign I would make a cut.  It got to be a pain to do.  I never caught a fish that I had made a mark on, but I still check for signs.

[Tatsu Dave]

On 8/10/2021 at 9:11 AM, David 7 said:

Great Daves think alike ?

 

13 hours ago, schplurg said:

David's my middle name! I posted "No" above  

OK so three Dave's are unanimous on this........now if this Dave was fishing and caught a bass with antennas or plastic or metal lip ring, and I will measure my words carefully and simply say I would be that basses best buddy when I released him back into his home. 

[Basstagger]

I'm glad there is so much interest in my tagging project and here's an update. I have caught and tagged 44 Largemouth Bass on the Lake so far. Some fish were caught and released when I felt they struggled enough and it would negatively affect their chances of living, so they were not tagged or documented. As of Sept 1st ZERO  recaught fish.

 

To clarify some of what I am doing:

 

- The lake is in a fenced/gated community and really there are only 4-5 people who fish it on average, once every 2 weeks. On Holidays there may be 2-3 boats out on the lake.

 

- The purpose of the tagging is not just for fun- It is to determine how healthy the lake and fish are after we restocked in back in 2013. The information will be shared with the others in the community and then  it can be determined if any re-stocking is needed in the future. The lake was stocked in 2013 based on the DNRs suggestion as to what fish and how many to stock of each species.

 

- The lake needs structure added because 30 years ago the dam burst and people removed the majority of structure-Bad mistake.

 

- The tagging  information will also reviewed to determine if  the lake residents should  practice "Catch and Release Only", or if more fish need to be taken and eaten.

 

- The tags I am using are small tags that go on the gill plate and are used by some State fisheries. I went with these tags because they are so small and actually hard to see if you are not looking for it. The yellow tags are expensive and much more visible- our resident eagles and ospreys don't need a yellow target to help them catch fish. I am thinking of changing to using the lip bands someone posted a picture of, but I am sure they may cost more. If anyone knows a low cost place to buy Metal Lip tags, please let me know.

 

 

If anyone is tagging fish, what are you using?

 

 

[soflabasser]

I am surrounded by bodies of water loaded with lunker bass and never saw the need to tag a bass. These places have self sustaining populations of bass and do just fine without people's help. With that said if you have permission to tag bass and it makes you happy then go for it.

[Basstagger]

Tagging these fish is going to allow us to work with the Department of Natural Resources to be sure the lake is healthy and STAYS healthy. The issue in the South is anyone can go to the local feed store and order a variety of fish and add them to the lake. The Feed store does not care what species you stock, they are in the business of selling fish by the inch. Thirty five years ago someone had the great idea to add carp to try and reduce the weeds and the DNR told us they added a species that was not in the lake at that time. Since then, this species has been drastically reduced.

 

We are trying to systematically create a fishery for Bass, Crappie and Catfish and if not done correctly, we could set the lake towards an imbalance that could take years to fix. We actually looked into having a licensed person with a boat that shocks the fish come in to give us a report  as to the health of the lake. but at $2000 we ae holding off in doing it. The DNR says we can monitor the health of the fish by tagging and it's much cheaper.

[Tatsu Dave]

My guess is if anybody can tag bass if they want then someone can untag as well. Sure ain't leaving things as you found them and the bass can't be thrilled about it either. Cutting the fishes fins just makes me cringe and I wonder how its looked at as good for the fish. Gotta avoid this thread now done..........