Fluke tag return
 

Every fluke that I caught, tagged and released in NJ this year was recaptured for a 100% fish 🐠 tag return rate. That’s amazing 🤩.

Re: Fluke tag return
 

Was getting a neck ache so reposted your pic right side up :D

I wonder if these tagging results are looked at by fisheries management? If others are having similar results as you, their assumed catch and release mortality rates are way off...

Great job on the tagging!

Re: Fluke tag return
 

Gerry you know as well as anyone that NMFS, ASMFC and MAFMC have absolutely no idea what recreational discard mortality, natural mortality or recruitment is. No idea whatsoever. It's a number they input in their models to attain a desired result. They could care less about return tags. Again stay out of their sandbox and don't interfere with the fact this fishery has been turned over to the commercial sector aside from a few short summer months when we have inshore access to the stock. And then for most, as was noted yesterday, it's an occasional keeper and short city.

Again remember all the posts last year about the number of shorts and how that bodes well for the future of the stock. Where did those tens of millions of fish go? To the market or back overboard belly side up by commercials. They didn't just stop growing or move north. Read reports up north, fluking isn't so good up there either unless you're running way offshore to the Shoals.

It's a disgrace what these bureaucrats are doing to this stock.

Re: Fluke tag return
 

Bands, just curious, how many fluke have you tagged and released this year. Were they all caught and released in the MI? If so, how many were recaptured somewhere other than the MI?

Re: Fluke tag return
 

Only one. Ava A-17 is not a good fluke lure.

Re: Fluke tag return
 

I agree wholeheartedly with you especially the last sentence. However we recreational anglers must share some of the blame as we are not organized enough to counter commercial fisheries' lobbyists!

Re: Fluke tag return
 

That fish grew 1” in 30 days?

Re: Fluke tag return
 

That’s what the recapturer reported.

Re: Fluke tag return
 

I have been a volunteer fish tagger in Virginia since 2018. I have a low return rate for fluke, 1407 tagged with only 51 returns. Tautog is my highest return rate 1801 tagged and 405 returns. Virginia has a great tagging program with close to 200 taggers and they supply everything you need at no cost. Anglers that report a tagged fish also receive a reward (hat, shirt, etc.).

Re: Fluke tag return
 

Wow that’s great. I only tagged 280 fluke in NJ and 14 were recaptured for a 5% recapture rate. A fluke that I tagged in Manasquan Inlet in May 2003 was recaptured by a dragger offshore of Accomack, VA, in February of 2004.