Tagging 10,000 Bass Fingerlings

Type: Nontidal
Region: Southern
Location: Manning Hatchery

Yesterday I was asked to take a trip to the Manning Hatchery, to help tag 10,000 largemouth bass. Of course being an intern, there was no hesitation in my eyes. What a day it turned out to be. We worked all day tagging the fish. The tagging was done by a machine with a little needle. First, the fish would be placed in an air-filtered bin with a chemical called TRICAINE. The chemical basically served as an anesthesia, just slowing them down, and not harming the fish. This gave the people who were tagging an easier time so that the fish wouldn't squirm around while trying to insert the tag. When you got the fish in your hand all that was left was to poke it with the needle, making sure it is not too close to the brain, or the spinal cord. Next, you press the button to insert the tag, and send it down through what they called the "fish waterslide" while the machine counts the fish that was just tagged. Everyone had a different hold on the fish as it is just personal preference, and what works best for you. It took me a few tries to get it down, but eventually I got the swing of it. Overall it was a great experience, as I learned quite a bit while I was there.