So, as I mentioned in Got Stripers thread, my wife, daughter and I took the boat out saturday afternoon. We had some fun with some schoolies, etc.

My wife caught a 20-22" fish and while I'm landing it, I see this yellow something on it. It lookes like a piece of fishing net or something. I get the fish in and its a tag covered with seaweed.

At first I was like, "cool"... I had never caught a tagged fish before. I guess I still haven't, but my wife has. Anyways, this thing was threaded thru the fish about 5" up from its tail, about 2" down from its backbone. It was essentially, a rubber tie as it went thru the fish and was tied in a loop. It was about the diameter of fly line.

The hole was all red, sore and raw. And the fish had sores where the tag and accompanying seaweed had been laying on his back.

I don't know anything about tagging, except the obvious, that its a way to track the fish, etc, etc. But while this fish had made it up from NJ and seemed healthy, was definitely feeding and was very strong... this couldn't have been good for the fish, certainly for the long haul. It looked pretty darn bad. I'm very glad we were able to remove the thing and hope he appreciated this and will pay me a visit in a few years.

Is this someone who just didn't know what they were doing... I know anyone can get tagging equipment... or is this just kinda the deal when punching a whole in a fish in the name of scientific research? I guess I figured the tags would be a little easier on the fish.

Sounds like an American Litoral Society tag. That's how they recommend to use their tags. I've tagged many fish for them but never got any tags back. :(

I don't like the loop style like that. I'm concerned the loop will catch on a rock or wreck.

Other technique people like is to tie a large double or triple overhand knot in one end of the tag and just slip it through the skin so it trails like a Spaghetti tag. The Society doesn't recommend this but it's often done.

Dang, you're good! I'm impressed.

I'm going to return the tag with the date and location, though I didn't take any measurements of the fish. I was kinda concerned about getting the fish back in the water and sending him on his way.

Seriously, this tag was draggin' a nice little patch of weeds and it was giving him a bad complexion... sores on his back and the weight of the weeds was probably keeping the tag holes raw. He was strong enough to smoke some drag though. Gotta love schoolies on light tackle.

Thanks for the info Jaiem.

Greg maybe you should mention that with the returned tag, about the sores and seaweed. I have never seen a tagged fish, I always thought they were tagged through the dorsal fin not the body.

schoolie monster

just as easy to call american littoral society 732-291-0055 they will take info over the phone

If I was you, when I went to return the data, tell them how dissapointed you are in their tagging methods. For a group that's trying to help the striper, sure seems like they are doing more harm than good.

I have caught about 6 tagged fish, all came from the hudson river. I caught these fish from several different locations in CT. anywhere from 12" to 10#s. These were mostly caught in the late 80's and early 90's. I was on a roll and caught one a yr for about 4 yrs straight. I remember one being on the belly. All the others were up near the dorsal fin. I never noticed any sores in the area of the tag. They were the little yellow tag about 3" long and thick as fly line. I have however seen the "snow bass" where they had the white fungus on them.
JohnS

I've taken a couple of tagged fish over the years. One was from the Hudson River Foundation (they sent me a $10 check for it!). The rest have been from various Cheas. groups.

ALS is the only group that does the looping of a tag as far as I know. I think they do it because it's quick and cheap instead of using some kind of insertion spring-loaded tool.

I don't think I understand the loop thing exactly but couldn't they just cut the loop after so it won't catch weeds and grass? Maybe I'm missing something. I never caught a tagged bass.

Slip, by loop, I mean they poked the line through the fish and then tied the two ends together. So it basically formed a circle. Every fish should come with one of those, it actually made a nice handle for picking up the fish... kidding.

I always kinda figured that tags would be similar to those you find on your clothes. Something thin that just penetrates the skin. Not something that is run right thru the fish.

So anyways, does the ALS tag mostly around the Hudson? Curious as to where this guys home might be.

greg
here is their website they are in Sandy Hook NJ . http://www.americanlittoralsoc.org

Thanks Greg, I get it now. Brain's a little foggy. At least that method leaves no barb in the fish when it is caught and released again.