TAGGED FISH MEAN CASH FOR LUCKY CRAPPIE ANGLERS

February 7, 2006
CONTACT: Joy Hill (352) 732-1225

Anglers on lakes Dora and Beauclair in Lake County could win up to $50 if they catch a crappie, or speckled perch, that has a bright orange tag inserted near its top fin. The tagged fish are part of a joint research study of the two lakes’ crappie populations by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the University of Florida Fisheries Department.

“We need to get a better picture of the percentage that anglers harvest from the entire crappie population, and a tagging study is the best way to do it,” said Marty Hale, a biological scientist with the FWC’s Native Sportfish Enhancement Project.

Tags are easy to see and are imprinted with the FWC’s telephone number and the amount of the reward – either $5 or $50. Anglers may keep or release the fish, but they need to remove the tag and provide its information to FWC biologists either by telephone or mail to be eligible for the reward.

“When anglers catch these tagged fish, we would like them to call us so we can record the tag number, where and when the fish was caught, and whether the angler kept or released the fish,” Hale said. “They can also mail us the tag and the information if they prefer.”

Biologists began the study in November. Their goal was to catch and tag a minimum of 125 harvestable-size crappie, nine inches or longer, from Lake Beauclair, and three defined areas in Lake Dora. By using trawls, hoop nets and electrofishing, they caught, tagged and released 125 crappie in Lake Beauclair, and 126 from the east lobe, 126 from the middle lobe, and 131 from the west lobe of Lake Dora, for a total of 508 harvestable-size crappie.

Fisheries biologists have been evaluating the crappie fishery on lakes Dora, Beauclair and Eustis (the control lake for this study) using information they’ve obtained through a variety of research tools including trawls, other nets, angler creels (a fishing term meaning an angler’s catch), angler-caught crappie carcasses, and by observing a commercial gizzard shad fishery. The tag study will help them estimate what percentage of the population is removed by recreational anglers.

Anglers who catch tagged fish should call the FWC at (352) 742-6438 to find out how to claim their cash prize.