By: Joel Masson
A few years back, Tag Louisiana started a program that allowed anglers to stick yellow tags in fish, with the potential of that fish being recaptured.
The value of this program shows itself in many facets. For each recaptured fish, Tag Louisiana sends both the recipient and the original tagger a detailed report. On that piece of paper, there’s a map that shows where the fish was originally caught and where it was recaptured.
Additionally, the report shows how much the fish has grown in the intermediate time between captures.
The program has been an extreme success and very popular. Many hardcore South Louisiana anglers participate in this.
One of the neatest things about the program is it is educational for the biologists and the anglers. Biologists can learn more about the fish for research, and anglers can learn more about the fish to make their time on the water more productive and efficient.
As a general rule, redfish have about a 6-percent recapture rate. Speckled trout have approximately a 3-percent recapture rate.
www.MatrixShad.com recognized the success of the program, and the company has now started their own tagging endeavor.
Instead of the yellow tags the state uses to mark fish, Matrix Shad is using neon blue tags. Unique in color, these tags are easily identifiable on all predator species.
The Matrix Tagging Program is relatively new, so if you happen to be the first angler who catches a fish with a blue tag, your prize will be even better than those following yours.
If you catch a fish with a Matrix Tag, simply take a picture of the fish and the tag and record that you’ve caught it. Once this is done, get in-touch with MatrixShad.com. Some of the ways to do that are through Facebook, Instagram or calling 985-707-9049.
Once proof of the fish has been verified, www.MatrixShad.com will send you a care package, including all kinds of high-quality tackle and gear from their website.