Under the category of 'Why didn't I think of that', the folks at the fish aging booth used a microfiche reader to take a look at my scales. It just so happens that I have an old reader gathering dust from the good ole' days of parts lookup, and I drug it out this afternoon and gave it a new lease on life.
Thanks go to Jason, for taking the time to explain as well as show me the technique. And, while I already knew the age of the fish the scales came from, he didn't.... and he nailed it. Reading scales appears somewhat interpretive, rather than exacting, so I was very impressed with this young man's abilities. I hope at least some of what he demonstrated sticks with me.
Pics from my efforts this afternoon:
