I know this has been discussed before, but does anyone have a photo of a "fin clip"?
We are growing out pure Florida LMB in 1/4 acre pond and want to transfer a few to main pond in time for spawn next spring, but want to be able to ID to prevent culling.

How long does it take to grow beyond recognition?
Thanks in advance.

george:

ALL of these sunfish were clipped at the rear end of the dorsal fin in 2008, then were recaught in 2009. It does not always show well in the photos, but over intervals approaching 2 growing seasons, a certain waviness/curvature can be seen in the rays of the regrown portion of the fin with what I feel is certainty (Past that interval, I cannot comment on yet. I have reclipped many of these this year to try and extend the lifetime of the clip mark.). On a couple of the BG, the fin has not regrown all the way yet (perhaps they were clipped late in 2008; that would be my guess).

Thanks Theo,
First and third photos appear obvious to me but others I might have a problem?
Anyone have photos of clipped LMB?

I like the way the tail is clipped on the one right above the RES.

I guess this is one of those it all depends. We shocked some bass this year that were clipped a year earlier and the fin had grown back. At a quick glance you would never have noticed the fin was clipped but looking at it closer you can tell that the fin was clipped. Where the fin healed at the cut, the fin was a little thicker (bumpy) than the rest of the fin. And you can feel the healed cut when you run your fingers down the fin. Sorry I don’t have any photos

George, darn it, I can't believe I don't have a fin clip photo. Here is the drawing that I use in teaching one of the classes. The left fin was clipped and did not re-grow. The middle one re-grew, but is deformed and recognizable. This actually is a very good drawing of a situation that I commonly see. If you initially clip the fin down very close, you usually can tell (I'm not saying 100%, but usually). The right figure is a fin clipped in the middle and then after re-growing, you can see the change in the fin rays and recognize the clip. In my experience, this partial clip is not always very recognizable -- it varies among individual fish.

So, this is NOT as good as a photo. However, I hope it will be helpful.

Thanks Doc, I may just stock the pure Floridas with the native LMB and let nature take it course without worrying about ID.
There will be others culling as time goes on, but will have a reserve stock of pure Floridas in little pond to use if necessary.

Theo, those are some beautiful blue gillzillas...

George you could tag them. The colored tags woudl do a great job and are cheap (numbered tags for individual fish id is pricey). Give us call and I will get you the special "grandad" discount.

I personally have not had good luck with the tags I've used in the past, and would not recommend the use of tags to anyone who has a lack of experience. A clip of the pelvic fin of LMB, not the pectoral fin, is a good way for most anyone to tag bass to prevent future culling. Although I don't have any pics of clipped or regrown pelvic fins, they grow back with a recognizable "kink" or "curve" if executed correctly. You need to cut the fin straight across with a good pair of scissors at about 1/2 the total fin length in order for it to grow back recognizably. Be aware that regrowth patterns are variable and some will be easy to recognize while others are subtle. We usually tranquilize fish before clipping fins. It can be very difficult to hold a lively fish steady for a fin clip OR a tag without a calming agent. Time to break out that magic tranquilizer I mixed up for you George!

Thanks to all - Todd, I'll dig out the La-La Land sauce ...

FYI

Thanks, Eric. your read my mind...

Todd what kind of issues have you had with tags? You talkin floy tag. Never had any issues with them. Do some fall out sure they do but way more recognizable for clients who have friends coming over to fish their pond. They can report I caught a tagged bass, if numbered even give the number. Fin clip is not easy to id for untrained eye.

In fact just today emailed Bob info on a few tagged bass we have shocked now three times in two years. INtersting data on weight loss and weight gain thinking they lose weight in the summer months. I think tagging is one of the more under utilized means of tracking fishery success. I agree if doing an entire batch of bass we knock them out.

Please share interesting data.

Please share interesting data.

Please share interesting data.

JHAp not just yet we might have to save it for a PB article. How is that for a tease.

You have 8 months, 3 weeks, four days and 17 hours to give us the data. Starting NOW!

8 months, 3 weeks, four days and 12 hours, now. The clock is ticking.

Reviving an older thread, but where do things stand now with the clip vs tag opinions?

I'll be removing all LMB under 16" this year, and need a way of differentiating the resident fish from the new ones.

FIH, for fish that size, floy tags will work. It's the smaller fish that have problems with them - the tag is too large in relation to the size of the fish.

I like the numbered floy tags because you can track individual fish if you want to see how specific fish are growing.

I'll fin clip if I'm just wanting to distinguish certain year classes or certain stocking "classes".

I'll use non-numbered floy tags if a client wants to keep tabs on certain fish when they come to the feeder, but doesn't need to keep data on individual fish. Say stocking 2# feed trained LMB in a pond with adult LMB in it, and he wants to see if the stocked FT LMB "teach" the resident adult LMB to eat pellets.

One isn't better than the other per se, but each method is better in certain circumstances.

Thanks, that's exactly what I was needing to know.

I'm curious as to what overtons uses to sedate the fish?Clipping a lively fish while trying not to induce stress is not something I have done too well in the past.

Clove oil or one of the others.

https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/getFactSheet/whichfactsheet/162/

I use tricane-s. It's expensive but it goes a long ways.

From what I remember, George said Overtons uses Clove oil.