AGFC tags bass in Norfork

[Quillback]

When managing a fishery, biologists conduct research to estimate the number of fish within a population, as well as the number entering and leaving the population. Estimating fish mortality rates (or the number of fish dying over time) for a particular fishery is essential to implement and evaluate fishing regulations. Biologists look at two types of annual mortality: (1) natural mortality (factors such as disease, old age, competition, etc.) and (2) fishing mortality (removal by fishing, etc.). Mortality estimates can be combined with information about growth and recruitment to evaluate current or proposed regulations.

One way biologists can estimate the number of fish harvested by anglers (i.e., fishing mortality) is by conducting an exploitation (tagging) study. Fisheries staff in North-Central Arkansas are conducting a year-long tagging study to understand the fishing mortality rates of black bass, especially Largemouth Bass, in Norfork Lake. This information will help staff to evaluate the current minimum length and creel limits of these species. For this study, biologists tagged legal-sized bass throughout Norfork Lake. In all, 704 Largemouth Bass, 80 Spotted Bass, and nine Smallmouth Bass were tagged by biologists from late October through early November. Each bass was tagged with either a single yellow tag (cash reward) or double-tagged with a red high reward tag ($100 reward) and a yellow tag (images below).

Bass tagged with a single yellow tag.

Bass tagged with a yellow and a red (high reward) tag.

What to do if you catch a tagged bass in Norfork Lake:

If the bass has been tagged, please clip (don’t pull) the tag off the fish. You may then release the bass if you want.

Call the number on the tag (1-877-425-7577) to report the tagged bass.

A biologists will ask you a series of questions that involve reporting the tag number(s), date of catch, the general location of catch, and whether the fish was harvested or released.

If a biologist does not answer, please leave your name and a callback number.

 

A biologists will ask you to mail or bring the tag(s) to the Mountain Home Office to provide proof of catch in order to receive the monetary reward. Tags from this effort will be accepted for rewards until November 30, 2021.   

[mojorig]

If anyone has any questions about this project, feel free to holler at me at jeremy.risley@agfc.ar.gov

[RickS]

On 12/10/2020 at 11:11 AM, mojorig said:

If anyone has any questions about this project, feel free to holler at me at jeremy.risley@agfc.ar.gov

Some friends and I were out and my friend caught a 16 inch largemouth bass with a yellow and red tag, we didn't know what to do but we returned the fish, we all 3 took pictures of the fish, what do we do now?

[Huntingducks117]

On 7/10/2021 at 4:04 PM, RickS said:

Some friends and I were out and my friend caught a 16 inch largemouth bass with a yellow and red tag, we didn't know what to do but we returned the fish, we all 3 took pictures of the fish, what do we do now?

On the tags there was a phone number to call (877)425-7577 along with instructions to clip the tag off. 

There are tag numbers on the tag as well used for looking up the individual fish. 

Call the phone number to report the tags.  The red tag said $100 reward on it.