Banding Bass

Adjhunt · 05-08-2008, 08:42 AM

I am wondering if there is any way to band or tag bass?
I have a small pond in our backyard, and I've been wondering if I've been catching some of the same bass twice.

Is there anything like putting fingnail polish on them? or something so I could mark them?

Thanks everyone!

sharpshott · 05-08-2008, 09:56 AM

Ive always thought aboout doing this at some local ponds to try to figure out if the larger fish were the same ones or different, but i never did because I wasnt sure on rules regarding public tagging. Some things I thought about where taking a a small hole punch to a small fin or using some kind of wire or ziptie or something...I never did find a way that made me completely comfortable doing it though...there are some cool ones online that you can buy but they are a little spendy, it would be very cool though to know what fish you are catching....heres the link to one that would work...

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing_...ishtagger.html

raptorschild · 05-08-2008, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adjhunt

I am wondering if there is any way to band or tag bass?
I have a small pond in our backyard, and I've been wondering if I've been catching some of the same bass twice.

Is there anything like putting fingnail polish on them? or something so I could mark them?

Thanks everyone!

Judging by the size of the pond in the back ground of your pics you can rest assured that if you havent caught the same bass twice....you will.

I wouldnt worry about tagging them. Just puts extra stress on em, and what its going to tell you is something you already know...that you will catch some bass more than once when fishing a small pond.

bassnbass · 05-08-2008, 10:51 AM

I once pierce a gill and put an earing on it

jbooth · 05-08-2008, 11:24 AM

When I volunteered at a fish hatchery they used a punch to make a perfect circle in the fin. That way they would know if the fish that are in the trap have already been there before. Thats the only way I could think of doing it without putting a bunch of stress on the fish.

Adjhunt · 05-08-2008, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbooth

When I volunteered at a fish hatchery they used a punch to make a perfect circle in the fin. That way they would know if the fish that are in the trap have already been there before. Thats the only way I could think of doing it without putting a bunch of stress on the fish.

Thats a good idea. Thanks.

Still not sure if I am going to try it at all, but I just wanted to know if there was a way of doing it.

Thanks guys!

Jade Monkey · 05-08-2008, 01:05 PM

buy some cheap body jewelry like captive bead rings and put them threw there lip......... i have thought about this alot

Lil Buffalo · 05-08-2008, 03:07 PM

You would pierce a fish Jade....Why don't you just give them individual tattoos. Ha ha ...

Jade Monkey · 05-08-2008, 04:35 PM

na to messy and i would have to use my batteries to run my machine LMAO... NEED THOSE FOR THE TROLLING MOTOR...............

tnj8222 · 05-08-2008, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jade Monkey

na to messy and i would have to use my batteries to run my machine LMAO... NEED THOSE FOR THE TROLLING MOTOR...............

you
can cut off the tip of one of the spikes on the dorsal fin. i have seen this done several times. i think it was buku that did it but dont remember, i know they caught the same river smallie in the same spot two ears in a row and did this to tell it was the same fish.

BuKuBass · 05-08-2008, 06:49 PM

"...i think it was buku that did it..."
Yep...That was me. Cut the second spine flush with the one in front the first time that you catch the bass, then the third etc. Toenail clippers or the side cutters on pliers work well. I caught "Henry" a bass that lived in a cleft of a cliff face at Oxbow Rez so many times that he had a flattop the last time I tangled with him. The spine will grow back but not the sheathing. I've never noticed any sign of infection.

GraphiteZen · 05-11-2008, 09:46 PM

I think it would be a good time to quickly weigh and measure each fish, then a take a close up photo of the last 5 inches of it's tale. Print the photo and start cataloging them all in a binder. I assume the markings on the lateral line don't change but I may be wrong.

I caught two fish one evening that I though were the same, but upon getting home and comparing the photos they were clearly different fish. I'm not a big fan if punching holes and clipping tines.