Does the schoolie striper remain with the same scales thru its entire life ? Also, do the scales increase in numbers or are they constant?

i'd answer that for you victor but i don't like what it says under redsoxticket!:smash: good luck.

I'm pretty sure they keep them through there entire life and they grow with them. If you look at a larger fish's scales they have ridge lines, almost like the rings of a tree, from growing through the years.

And I LOVE what it says under Redsoxticket..:kewl:

THX, Dad Fisherman, the stripers keep their scales but I wonder if Hunan knows the Yankees lost their "stripes".
What about the number of scales, the same count ? I think you answered both questions but I.m not to sure.

Look at the major line patterns, not individual annular rings on those scales when aging the fish. Take a scale from a fish if you kill it (legal, and for the table), and compare it with the length/age charts to get an idea of how many "rings" you should see. This will help you to understand for future reference.

here is a typical blow up http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/striperscalesmall.jpg


blown up even further

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/striperscale.jpg

must've gotten that bass out of boston habha.:hihi:

Raven - age of that fish 4+ years old?

I thought I was the only geek who saved scales and tried to age my fish! Nice to know I'm not alone. :cheers:

I thought I was the only geek who saved scales and tried to age my fish! Nice to know I'm not alone. :cheers:

I thought I was the only one to use subliminal messaging to state my thoughts on the Yankees! Nice to know I'm not alone. :cheers: yankees suck

:hidin:

Seriously - there is a program done by - I believe - Mass DMF from an office out of Gloucster that has anglers mail in a scale or two from kept fish. They then study the scales for various info they can extract...

Raven - age of that fish 4+ years old?

appears to be 4 1/2 if the segmentation (rings) shown equal a year.

just hazarding a guess tho...

had a fishing buddy who years ago got a 63 lbs striper in ri-carried a scale from fish in his billfold.was like half dollars size.

Those scales don't grow at a consistent rate throughout the year, so adding a half-year isn't accurate. They grow faster in warmer months when their metabolism is higher, slower in cold weather.

so Baldwin....
based on your knowledge the pictured scale is how old?

A little over 4 years? Is the scale from a striper? Looks as if it may be. Where did you get the picture?

Baldwin - that is why it is referred to as a 4+ fish. The estimate of 4.5 is not a bad guess if the fish is 4 years old. The annuli do get laid down at different rates - during the warmer water months with the feedbag thrown on then they can grow more quickly. Colder water and reduced growth - and I believe even the diversion of resources to the production of eggs can lead to the annuli being put down closer together.

Labrax, I believe you're right. In some fish, most of their body mass is in the ovaries and eggs. Egg production would definitely divert resources from body mass, probably scales, too. Good deduction!