[Fish'n Phil]

Was fishing the Yorktown Ditch
today when I caught a puppy
drum with a tag.

I did not have a pen on me to
write down the number so I
quickly let the fish go.

In case I catch another tagged fish,
what is asked if I call the phone
number on the tag? Size, etc?
Someone said you get sent a hat?!?

 

[Advisor]

Thats right. You can ge either a hat [not a very good one] or a pin.

 

[Tom Powers]

What is asked is the size of the fish, tag number, and where you caught it. The best data comes from multiple returns on the same fish. So if you are out there and have more enough fish for the day go ahead and turn it loose for somebody else to catch.

Tom

 

[Jake Ace]

You're right about the pen/paper. They're in short supply generally when you're fishing from a rock jetty for sure.

But if you're able to retain the tag number, what's needed is exactly what's been said:

Tag Number
Date
Reasonable Proximity On Locale
Species
Size

If you can, leave the tag in the fish. The sizes tend to vary greatly based on whoever does the measuring, but the migration is what they're looking for.

Probably 99% of the return tags they've been getting in the last 2-months have been coming from recently tagged fish in the Elizabeth River and from down where you went.

So, don't be surprised if they can tell you where you caught before you can tell them when you call one in.

The hat's are nicer now, than those blue ones they used to give out a few years back.

Thanks for throwing them back.

Jake Ace

 

[Rob Holtz]

Another important thing that most people aren't aware of... The newer tags being used now have the tag nuber printed on the top and bottom. If you don't have a way to write the number down then cut the tag in half and let the fish go, the bottom number will still be on there if its recaptured again.