Jim,
I also caught a tagged bass last night - all of 16 inches. I was just about to release it and noticed the spaghetti tag.
Hudson River Foundation tag #568696. What was your number? Tag was brand new with no growth on it. Only my third HRF tag ever. Looks like there may have been some good spawns in the Hudson area. Although this season is comparably slow for me I have noticed quite an abundance of very small bass in the areas I fish that have sand eels present. Those very small bass have been missing for quite a while - good sign they're back.

DZ

My # was 54...something, all of 18 inches. my tag had a 3" green hunk of weed on it, it looked like it a little flag. There seems to be a lot of small fish all of a sudden here as well. Last night I had 12 fish from 12" to 25#, it was weird the range in sizes, normally they are all about the same size.

Lots of small sand eels out here as well. Blues coughing them up in balls. Now if those sand eels would grow to about the size of a habs 2 oz needlefish, then I think we would really have something (again)