Dorsal tag found on main stem brookie

DEC says tag isn’t theirs

LONG EDDY, NY — A client of Narrowsburg resident Tony Ritter’s Gone Fishing Guide Service caught and released this 23.5-inch trout June 6 while fishing the main stem of the Upper Delaware River, about two miles south of Long Eddy near Basket Riff.

Ritter said a blue tag was attached to the fish’s dorsal fin. He sent the photo to Wayne Elliot, Region 3 fisheries manager for the Department of Environmental Conservation, to inquire about the tag.

Elliot responded, “It looks to be a huge brook trout (square tail, light markings on a dark background in wavy rows, white on leading edge of the ventral fins). In any case, it isn’t one of ours.

“The radio tagging study Norm McBride did in 1965-1967 used the trailing antenna as an external marker. We have no ongoing tag study in the Delaware at this time. Could be a fish from a PA tributary, or some anglers feel compelled to do their own private tagging.

“We try to discourage this simply because it causes some confusion and may reduce tag reporting when we do a more ‘official’ study.

“Anyway, it is a fine fish, and I’m sure it made a positive impression on the client.”

To reach Gone Fishing Guide Service call 845/252-3657.