Caught 'em again...with SCDNR!

To the South Beaufort / Hilton Head
1

Got a chance to go with DNR’s Bill Roumillat and John Archambault on a red drum tagging excursion in the Beaufort area today. We started at high tide this morning and ran 5 trammel net sets.

The 1st two sets saw the usual sharks, puffers, croaker and spots, plus one beautiful spotted eagle ray. The next set, however, yielded 18 fat reds, all over slot but one and a host of bonnet heads and other species, including trout, lady fish, mullet, spots, etc. The fish were golden bronze and robust…beautiful coming in. I rode with John, who tagged the fish, plus Jen and Jessica, grad students. I did my very best to close my eyes so as to not recognize where we were. :smiley:

The last two sets only caught two small reds, several sharks and a lot of mullet. We hooked back up with Bill’s boat, who had caught a pretty green sea turtle. We left the water just as a rain shower hit. Great day on the water with some very dedicated, hard-working folks. I was lucky to be aboard with them.

Net goes out…

Done on three fingers…

Spotted ray on 2nd set…

Shark in the net…

They get tangled…

Got her out…

Two at a time…

John measures…

Tag implanted…

Everyone has a job (even me…I’m polin

2

Very cool that you caught a green turtle. I don’t think they are common around here.

oc

3

That’s very cool. I have a lot of respect for John. Thanks for posting

2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
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4

That is very cool. Would it be beneficial for us to be tagging the fish too?

5

Some guides and others do try and tag…but I prefer to leave it to the biologists. They take the time to measure, tag & record the data, including air & water temp, DO2, wind, etc…while being careful to handle the fish properly. Fish the size we caught are tagged up at the leading edge of the dorsal, when the tag’s barbs can lock between the ribs. The minimum size they usually tag is 14 inches, and those fish are tagged in the abdomen ahead of the anal vent. DNR carries Betadine for reducing infection, plus they clip a fin sample for DNA analysis. While it seems like a lot to do before returning the fish to the water healthy, with three, it all goes quickly. I doubt we could do as well.

Here’s a little video I shot yesterday:

http://technautica.homestead.com/DNR_RedfishTagging_8-2012.wmv

We can help when capturing a tagged fish by recording the tag number, length, GPS position and condition of the fish…looking for lesions, etc, then reporting to John Archambault. The address and phone is:

SCDNR
Marine Game Fish Tagging Program
PO Box 12559
Charleston, SC 29422

Recaptures can also be reported via telephone to
1-888-TAGS-4-SC (1-888-824-7472).

If you still want to tag, you can learn more here:

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/tagfish/tagfish.html

There is a Sea Science PDF and a video to assist.

Good luck…and if you catch a tagged fish, you will get a copy of that fish’s history (where last tageed or released, size, date, etc) and qualify for a t-shirt or cap for your efforts as a cooperating angler. It’s a great program!

6

Very nice stuff by wildlifepic. video needed some voice over by the allstate man and some choice van halen (not van haggar).

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Good stuff.

8

That is awesome there Jim! Thanks for posting.

06 200 Bay Scout 150 Yam

www.joinrfa.org/

9

So thats how Jim finds his new honey holes!!! LOL

Keywest 2220 Suzuki 225 4 stroke
16’ homemade skiff 25 merc
The fish you caught taste better than the fish you bought!!

10

Neat pics and video-learn something everyday! Does the spotted ray have a stinger barb??..looks cool but don’t know about holding one like that???

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Yes…it does have a barb. They clipped it with pliers…grows back like a fingernail.

Hey Kingatic…you have my secret! :smiley:

12

Very cool. Man, the color on those reds is beautiful.

13

I wish yall wouldn’t drag right in my spot:smiley:

Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Marine Surveying & Repair

14

Looks a great day, that spotted sting ray is extra cool

Bragging may not bring happiness,
but no man having caught a large fish,
goes home through the alley.
-Anonymous

15

Hey, I think we saw y’all at a spot we were about to fish. Y’all were beatin on the boat and I didn’t know what the heck was goin on.

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Jim was trying to keep you from catching his “trained to bite fish” I think.:smiley:

Hope I can go Saturday but on the Broad side.

06 200 Bay Scout 150 Yam

www.joinrfa.org/

17

Yep…we we beatin’ the reds outta the grass!:slightly_smiling_face: