Diamond Jim Tagging

Type: Chesapeake
Region: Central
Location:

Hi again folks.
As the Fisheries statistician, I have been busy with calculation for the upcoming river herring stock assessment and preparation for an upcoming summer flounder survey in the Coastal Bays (more about that in another post!). However, I did manage to get out �in the field� again recently. Early on the morning of May 31, several boats of DNR Fisheries folks (to do the tagging) and special guests (to do the fishing) headed out into different areas of the Bay. Any legal sized striped bass that were caught were tagged, the tag number was recorded, and that fish was released. One of those tag numbers will be chosen to designate the 2011 Diamond Jim!

You may have already seen articles from that day, as members of the press went out with Marty Gary. I asked for, and got, the terrific honor of being on the boat with Rudy Lukacovic. I have always considered Rudy to be one of our most influential biologists, as his work with circle hooks and discard mortality produced the guidance to change many fishing practices to improve survivorship of released fish. His work is also used all along the coast in stock assessment modeling. May 31 was Rudy�s last day before retirement, and I had great fun being one of his two �tagging partners� on his last day of work. (PHOTO 1a and 1b)

Russ Parsons, who works at our Unicorn Lake Fish Hatchery, was also on our boat and brought five young men from the Kent County Clay Crushers, a 4-H �special interest� club involved with shotgun sports such as Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays. They were so much fun! Russ is their club leader and said these guys �live and breathe this stuff�. He chose them to come with us due to their dedication to the club and their active interest in Maryland�s natural resources, along with being long standing members in the Clay Crushers. Pictured, left to right are Zak Kendall, R.J. Baldwin, Brett Baldwin, Kyle Thompson and Mike Connolley. (PHOTO 2)

The guys took turns reeling in the line when �Fish On!� was called, and luck favored Kyle Thompson (PHOTO 2) and Mike Connolley (PHOTO 3) with nice striped bass.