I'm looking for some fish tags and applicator for rainbow trout. I only need 5-6 tags. I have stocked my pond with RBT and I want to tag some of them as 'prize' fish for the Project Healing Waters heroes when they come out to fish. Is there a safe, DIY way of doing this to RBT? Does anyone know of an affordable source for a small amount of tags and the appropriate applicator. Everything I am seeing online line is for fairly large quantities of tags and expensive applicators.

Thanks to all in advance for your suggestions,

You are talking around $100 or so for the tags and applicator.

If its just catch "X" fish and win something, then you could just trim off the adipose fin with scissors. It'll heal quickly and not grow back.

WRT fin clipping - on Centrarchids, the clipped fin will grow back, but remains distinct. They have kind of a wavy pattern that is easily detectable.

I don't know squat about trout.

Here is an applicator with 10 tags. Don't know if its suitable for the size of fish you will be tagging but the cost is $15.

https://matrixshad.com/shop/fish-tagging-applicator-10-tags/

I learned a new word today.

I still remember the day Condello threw "fusiform" at us.

Esshup, if I go with the trimmed fin, damn near every pic sent to me of their catch will have a trimmed fin on it...lol.

Anyone know whether or not jpsdad recommendation is suitable for RBT. I've never tagged a fish before nor familiar enough with the RBT fin anatomy to know whether or not they are sufficient

BTW, thank you everyone for your responses.

I've never used that kind before but it's the same principle that floy tags use. Poke the barb thru the bony rays of the dorsal fin that are inside the body. Pull back gently on the tag to make sure that it is caught behind the bone of the dorsal or anal fin, not just being held in place by the skin of the fish. The dorsal fin area is used for the majority of the tagging studies. We use a pistol type grip tool for our floy tags. http://www.floytag.com/index.php?page=about-us

You don't need to tell them what fin is trimmed, or you could use a hole punch and punch a hole through one of the fins. When in college we had a test on Orienteering. Timed test, team of 5. Grab a set of snow skiis for everyone.. We were dropped off in the hills via helicopter. We were then given a map and a compass. Told that there were "X" amount of way points marked with numbers on the map. We were to get to each way point in numerical order, punch the card in order as we arrived to the way points and get back to base. First team back with the least amount of wrong sequence way points won. Each way point had a paper "punch" that punched a different shape through the paper, so they would know if we hit the way points out of order or not. We had no idea what design of punch there would be at each way point.

Maybe see if you could get a punch made that nobody could duplicate that easily during the time of the tournament?

Same thing with the tags. Once someone knew what the color and style of the tag, what would prevent them from buying the the same thing and tagging their fish once they caught it?

Same here. Great product.

I ran across a cheaper tagging system. Or rather a cheaper supplier. I believe these tags will work, unfortunately you gotta buy a LOT of them. But at that price, it doesn't matter.

tagging gun $18.99

tags $9.49

The tags are all the same color, and not numbered, but at that price, does it really matter??

Thanks Essup. I'll check it out