Look for the Tag

Posted on September 11, 2012

While many outdoorsmen are thinking only about hunting these days, there are still men and women who are casting and catching on fishing adventures. At times the fishing and catching action can be so exciting and intense that anglers forget to look for one thing—a tag.

More than a dozen states from Georgia to California capture and tag fish as part of important research projects. Tags can reveal how much a fish grew, how far it traveled, possibly how old that fish is, and other important details. A recent tagged fish research project in Florida determined that a surprising number of caught fish were actually cleaned and cooked. Tagged fish can yield some startling information.

A catfish that was captured and tagged in Wyoming traveled more than 400 miles upstream into Montana before being caught. The trip took four years. Montana’s Game, Fish and Parks Department also tags the odd-looking paddlefish in the state’s eastern rivers when they are caught and will be released by anglers. Those fish head downstream to a lake upon release. Normally, only salmon come to mind when anglers think about migratory fish.

So, if you want to play a role in fish history and research, always look for a possible tag on the fish’s body or fins. If you find one, report the information.

Share

Print

Discussion