How often do we catch the same bass??

[Paul Roberts]

We know it happens, and some fish have been known to be more "vulnerable to angling" than others. I do keep track of individual fish when I can.

The other day I caught a nice 18"er and noticed it had a shredded soft dorsal -probably from a cormorant bite when it was young (lucky bass).

I remembered catching one with a similar fin in this pond last year. So I found the photos and compared the fin damage -same. I then examined the spotting pattern and lo' -they are the same fish.

Yesterday. Note shredded soft dorsal.

Last year

Last year; showing shredded dorsal

Spotting pattern (2009 fish)

Spotting pattern (2008 fish)

In 13 months July 09 to August 09 this fish gained about 2 inches in length -from ~16" to ~18". (Unfortunately I did not bother to measure this year but do know what I'm lookin' at). This is actually pretty impressive growth for my waters. This year, with low summer temps, and a tremendous bass hatch, I've expected a good growth year. Who knows what she'll be like next year.

These catches occurred on different shorelines, about 600 yards apart (guesstimate) as the tube floats (crow flies).

[Clark Stewart]

Hehe you're pics look like somebody examining fingerprints! A couple years ago I was fishing a sour grape ringworm off a dock to some rip rap and caught a little dink - he killed that worm. I lost half of it down his throat as a result. 2 casts later I get another fish and when I pulled him in he spit out the other half of that same worm! I still laugh thinking about that greedy little guy.

[Derek84]

-Day one fishing in WI caught a nice smallie under a very nice laydown on a T-riged craw, had a gap taken out of him.

-Day two - Same bait - same time of day - same location - same fish.. it got a good laugh out of me.

-Day three.. I thought to myself no way this will happen.. repeated everything and same fish once again. The fishing buddy was laughing so hard he about cried.

-I would have liked to see a day 4, but all fishing trips sadly have to end sometime.

[moby bass]

Some fish never learn : ;D

I know I've caught the same ones in our pond, or at least someone has. Holes in the mouth are the most visible signs.

[Red]

Last year on a small golf course tank I used to fish, I caught the same bass three times.  It had a very distinct "hump" on its back.  Then again I caught a 5lber (my PB) twice and my buddy caught it once.  Both these fish came from the same tank that wasn't much more than a mud puddle.  

Cliff

[Mottfia]

Thats pretty cool Paul. I believe that a lot of the pond fish I catch are repeat customers ( its only a 3 acre pond) but I have never even thought to document it in such a way. Thats pretty awesome. I want to see this guy again in a few years!

Mottfia

[bandsr4me20]

I think ive caught the same fish four times this year or it is two big fish i have caught twice.

[TrippyJai]

Another awesome post Paul.

[Fishing Rhino]

Markings are like fingerprints.

I know of one fish I caught twice within a few days.

It was about two pounds, and one of its gills had been severed at the top.  That gill was white, and protruded about a half inch beyond the gill plate.

Aside from that damage, the bass appeared to be fat, healthy and well fed.  It did seem to tire more quickly than the average bass.  Oxygen depletion, maybe?

The markings of every lobster are also distinct.  Even though they shed their shell in order to grow, the new, larger, soft shell which forms beneath the old will have the  identical colors and markings of the old shell.  The new shell will be an enlarged version of the old.

[RobE]

So... my take on this is that Catch & Release does, infact, work. Would it be 'jumping to a conclusion' to suggest that we eat all fish that we have never caught before? Now I'm really confused.  

[Paul Roberts]

-Day one fishing in WI caught a nice smallie under a very nice laydown on a T-riged craw, had a gap taken out of him.

-Day two - Same bait - same time of day - same location - same fish.. it got a good laugh out of me.

-Day three.. I thought to myself no way this will happen.. repeated everything and same fish once again. The fishing buddy was laughing so hard he about cried.

-I would have liked to see a day 4, but all fishing trips sadly have to end sometime.

;D Very nice post.

Mottfia wrote:

...but I have never even thought to document it in such a way. ... Thats pretty awesome. I want to see this guy again in a few years!

Actually neither had I...I don't do this with all my fish!  ;D

Mottfia wrote:

... I want to see this guy again in a few years!

Me too. My hopes are  up for next year, in a number of places. Again, it looks like we're having an exceptional growth year here.

[tnhiker44]

My guess is that little fish get caught often. Big fish, not so much.

[MyKeyBe]

2" in one year in Northern Colorado is A-MAZE-ING growth. Wow!

I have in the past caught the same bass. The one I remember most would be my PB. Caught him on a spinnerbait and let him go, 2-3 casts later I caught him again this time on a grub.

Here he is:

[EastMarkME]

Casted under a limb and got a nice fish on....he broke off on a log.

1 day later Im with the wife this time. She casts not 5' from where I caught the one a day earlier. There it is in his mouth....remnants of a black 10" culprit with my weedless hook. Parts were missing and it looked chewed up but unmistakable.

Very few fishing the 10" culprits at the time..Im sure it was my fish. :-)

Mark

[skillet]

 It happens! I was at a small lake I fish sometimes, caught a fish weighing 7lb 14oz on a green pumpkin Brush Hog. I weighed her and turned her back. One week later, fishing green pumpkin Brush Hog, about 30 ft from the first time caught same fish. She had gained only an oz for 7lb 15oz (PB). She had to be the same fish. The hole for the scale was in the same place, I know. Turned her back. Since then have changed out the hook on the scale for a LARGE salt water hook (filed barb off) so as not to make such a hole...

skillet

BTW since then read on here about going right at bottom of gill plate where it connects to the body...

[steezy]

I know Ive caught the same 3# fish 4 times in a large pond this year because the first time I caught him on a shallow crankbait and the back treble hook torn out his eye and Ive caught the one eyed fish again 3 more times on 3 different baits.  The last time I noticed his lip was looking pretty bad.

[hoot3384]

How about weight difference?? Any chance you got some updated info?

[BIG M]

My wife broke off a fish and caught it again on the very next cast.   She got her jig back in the process.

[WRB]

If you are serious about determine catching the same bass again, tag it. A tag is positive proof it's the same fish.

Very aggressive bass don't usually live too long is pressured lakes or ponds, the survivors learn from being caught and don't often make the same mistakes. There will always be exceptions. I caught the same tagged 7 lb bass several times over a 3 year period from lake Sherwood several years ago. Tagged 100 bass and caught 3 tagged bass, one 4 times. 3 out of a 100 = 3%. Lake Sherwood is a private lake about 1 1/2 miles long, 50 feet deep at the dam.

WRB

[SirSnookalot]

In 1 of my small ponds there are 2 peacocks swimming around and I don't know who put them there.  3 years of trying couldn't catch them, then using a crappie jig I caught one of them 3 days in a row, they are noticeable different so I know it's the same fish.  1 year has passed and I haven't caught them again, but I still see them swimming around.

[roadwarrior]

I don't know, but there is a smallmouth swimming in the

Tennessee  River I would like another shot at this year.

[steezy]

I don't know, but there is a smallmouth swimming in the

Tennessee River I would like another shot at this year.

X10 on that thought, I know Ive lost a the same big one two times this year in the exact same spot, he dives down under a big boulder and both times popped the line. Ive seen his head one time and his tail another. Just about yanked the rod from my hands.  Id like to try some of that smallmouth action, I hear they fight like crazy.

[Kingbass43]

Bass are one of the smartest fish today if they get caught on a lure they usually know not to go for the same one BUT thats only tha smart ones theres always a dumb one http://www.bassresource.com/fishing-forum/Templates/Forum/default/wink.gif

[EastTexasBassin]

I caught this fish twice, on separate trips.  I'm pretty sure she fell for the same jig each time.  This one was easily recognized because of the scar on her lip.  

[Paul Roberts]

OK -noticed something else cool about those close-ups:

In 2008 you can see the lower arrow not only points out a pigment spot, but a tiny scar too. In 2009 there are two more small scars just caudal (right) of the 2008 scar. Anyone know what these might be from? I think I do.

Ah....the supense builds....

I believe they are from a male butting/nipping her during courtship. (Anglers have called this behavior "loosening up the eggs" -but I doubt that's the function.) The scars are in the right location. Some males are very aggressive with this. This tells me this bass is indeed a female, and is likely to grow bigger.