PRIVATE FISH-TAGGING ON HOLD; TOURNAMENTS USING WEIGHT PLAN

WAPPAPELLO -- The Missouri Department of Conservation has put "fish tagging" on hold.

"Authorization of tagging fish by private groups will be curtailed this year," said DOC director Jerry J. Presley. "The practice could be prohibited by regulation in 1992."

Presley notified the Missouri Conservation Commission during its December meeting that he would not authorize tagging for profit-making fishing tournaments.

"The decision was based on several considerations," said Presley. "For several years, there has been concern that tagging fish for tournament and other activities might have undesirable effects. Because of these concerns the Commission instituted an authorization system last year."

According to Presley, only a handful of private fish tagging authorizations were issued in 1990, but the total number of fish tagged ran into the thousands.

"We feel there is a real potential for harm to fish in the tagging process," said Presley. "In addition, large scale fish tagging could interfere with the Department's own tagging studies. These concerns, along with poor cooperation from private taggers in 1990, dictate to me that it would be wise to discourage private fish tagging."

He said the DOC would continue to make exceptions to allow cities and other owners of lakes to continue tagging programs which will contribute useful information for fisheries management.

He added that the Department's Regulations Committee will consider later this year whether to recommend that the commission prohibit private fish tagging for some purposes.

"The Department has not taken the position of opposing fishing tournaments organized for profit," said Presley. "But we will not hesitate to take action to protect fisheries resources. If not carefully regulated private fish tagging does have the potential to harm fishing resources that belong to all Missourians."

Presley says some fishing tournament organizers have indicated they plan to base rewards in future tournament on the size of fish caught, rather than on catching tagged fish.

This is the case with the Johnson Reels Crappiethon, U.S.A., which conducts tournaments throughout the U.S., including Wappapello Lake, in Southeast Missouri.

This year's two-month "Crappiethon" at Wappapelo, which offers more than $365,000 in prizes for 1,066 prize crappie, will base the winning catch on the size of crappie caught.

The top two prize crappie will have to weigh a minimum of two pounds, 15 ounces (47 ounces).

The first crappie weighing 47 ounces, or more, checked in by a bounty hunter will represent "Tangle Free Tom," with a prize of $2,500. However, if the angler catches the crappie with a Buster Combo Rode & Reel, there's another $62,500 for the winner.

The second 47-ounce crappie reported will be "Country Mile Cat." This big crappie is also worth $2,500 to the angler who catches it. It could be worth an additional $62,500 if the angler is using a Country Mile Spinning Reel.

A total of 1,066 crappie will be eligible for prizes, ranging from the big one down to more than 275 crappie eligible for $25 awards.

Anglers must obtain a "Bounty Hunter's Badge," for the Crappiethon, which are available at several businesses around the lake, or at Chaonia Landing, Holiday Landing, State Park Marina, Sundowner Marina, Buddy's One Stop, or Feed/Mkt. Bait & Tackle. The bounty badge fee is $6.

The two-month long "Crappiethon," starts March 30. The final day of the tournament will be May 28.

The scales at each of the weigh-in stations will be the official scales.

Additional information concerning the Crappiethon is available by checking with one of the sponsors around the lake.