Barbawang check your PMs.
Sorry. Thought I explained that better. DNR, for the red drum that we catch during our surveys, uses internal anchor tags in small fish (under 22"). The internal anchor tags go in the belly of the fish. We prefer to use the internal anchors because they say in the fish better than nylon dart tags and the fish are too small for stainless steel anchor tags.
John
Essentially what your saying is the DNR acknowledges belly tags can be intrusive but they remain the best compromise between fish stress and tag holding reliability.
I think that’s what “we” wanted to hear. It’s normal or expected that the belly tag sites are inflamed, red, irritated, puss, etc. Most of us don’t see tagged fish on a daily basis and can only draw from the few we have seen. Establishing what is “normal” goes a long way to help us fisherman understand.
Thank you for taking the time to help clarify.
How long does it take a belly tag to fully heal?
If we post pictures can you confirm what is normal or abnormal?
Exactly!
quote:
Originally posted by TheMechanic
Proline 201WA
Aloha 24ft pontoon (LooneyToon)
Old Town stern with 7.5 johnson
2001 Pathfinder 1806V Yam F100
quote:
DF, I had a gf in college that almost had me talked into getting that ridiculousness done...thankfully I used my better judgment that time and declined to do so
I’ve let females talk me into a lot but, ain’t no one talking me into pokin’ a hole in mine.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
I can’t wait to work this into a conversation.
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Originally posted by Optikerquote:
Originally posted by barbawangdorsoventral tag migration…
Thanks for that
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
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“You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” - C.S. Lewis
Friogatto - essentially, yes.
Hard to say exactly how long it takes a “belly tag” to heal, and I’m sure it depends on temperature, salinity, overall fish health (just like wound healing varries in people), but I’d expect them to be healed usually within a couple of weeks. As for the infected-looking tag insertion pictured above, while I would not call that “normal,” unfortunately, it does happen. Of the fish that we recapture with our own tags, and this is a total guesstimate, I’d say we see that on maybe 1 in 20. It’s not great, but it also does not appear life threatening, and hopefully it will heal fully in time.
John