REWARD-Striped Bass Tags

[Greg's Baitshack]

Starting this weekend, we will be deploying some high-tech tags in large striped bass (assuming that I can catch some large striped bass). These tags will look like the one on the white marlin in the photo though they will be a bit smaller in size. These tags are designed to collect a lot of data, release from the fish after a determined amount of time, float to the surface, and upload the data to a satellite. This particular study is mostly looking at hook and release mortality, not long term movements, so the tags will be programmed to release after only 20 days. During this time a lot of detail will be collected about the short term movement of these fish. In a similar study on white marlin, some surprises were found about where they spend the majority of their day and how deep they actually go. We will see if there are any surprises with striped bass. If you catch one of these fish with the tag in it, it would be a good thing to release it and report the event. If you do keep the fish, please return the tag. After the tags pop off, they are going to be floating around out there. If you see one, get it. A returned tag will earn you $100. These tags can be rebuilt for a fraction if the cost of a new tag. Also, data transmission to a satellite is not 100 percent. Maybe sixty percent of the data will be recovered through the satellite but if the tag is in hand, one hundred percent of the data can be recovered. We will be tagging these fish in Virginia waters and with the short soak times, I do not expect tags to be showing up very far away but they could show up in North Carolina or Maryland waters. Keep your eyes open.

Ken Neill



For more info or to report a tag recovery, contact:

John Graves
Professor of Marine Science
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
College of William and Mary
P.O. Box 1346 (mail);
Route 1208 Greate Road (FedEx, UPS)
Gloucester Point, VA 23062
804 684-7352 (office); -7258 (lab); -7157 (fax)