Reading tags on tagged fish?

[tiotony]

I got a tagged barra the other week and this reminded me of how many tagged barra I've caught over the years (probably about a dozen) and never been able to read the tag and report it, because the tags were illegible. I've tried every time to clean the growth off the tag but always reach the point where I consider the fish to be at the limit of being out of the water, and just give up and release them before harm is done. I've also noticed (maybe its just me) that tagged barra seem to always be in not the best condition as well.

Any suggestions on how to clean the tag rapidly so I can do the righty and report the details without hurting the fish?

And seriously, I have noticed obvious lack of good condition in tagged fish.

[elops]

Tony, Barra usually have the 8cm dart tags there are numbers at both ends, just cut 4cm off the end and keep it, clean it later. 1800 077 001 if you cut the ph. number in half.

[tiotony]

Cheers Elops I'll do that next time. The one I got with a tag 4-ish weeks ago was only a little tacker too, around 50cm and very skinny. The cast immediately before that one I got obliterated by a high 90's fish; would have liked to have been able to check if that one had a tag :cheer:

[L1ve2fish]

I prob would not recommend not cutting the tag off if you are going to release the fish this is only going to mean in the future the fish wont be able to be recorded it would be alot easier for future if the tag at the end could be read i have never had a problem with the tags not being able to read. Maybe if you think you have had the fish out of the water long enough you could put it in a landing net or somrthing to give it a swim or try scraping the muck off the tag with a blade.

[elops]

Some data is better than no data.

Still one number on the tag after the end is cut off.

[L1ve2fish]

I just think mayme cutting it off should be a last resort and if the end number cant be read the other number wont be able to be read