hookset
10-20-2009, 06:58 PM
Can you tell the age of a bass?
Fish Scale Age Rings
Fish scales can reveal the age of a fish in a fashion similar to the rings of a tree. Scales get larger as the fish grows by adding growth circles, called circuli, to the outside edge. When a fish feeds heavily from spring through fall, the scales grow pretty fast with wide spacing between each circulus. Because most fish feed less and grow more slowly during winter, there is less space between each cirulus and a thicker ring is formed. Biologists count these rings to determine the age of the fish, as seen below in this scale from a 10-year old striper.
http://www.striperspace.com/simages/sb_agerings_560.gif
Ten Year Old Striped Bass Fish Scale - Image provided by John Boardman - MA Division of Marine Fisheries.
Fish Scale Age Rings
Fish scales can reveal the age of a fish in a fashion similar to the rings of a tree. Scales get larger as the fish grows by adding growth circles, called circuli, to the outside edge. When a fish feeds heavily from spring through fall, the scales grow pretty fast with wide spacing between each circulus. Because most fish feed less and grow more slowly during winter, there is less space between each cirulus and a thicker ring is formed. Biologists count these rings to determine the age of the fish, as seen below in this scale from a 10-year old striper.
http://www.striperspace.com/simages/sb_agerings_560.gif
Ten Year Old Striped Bass Fish Scale - Image provided by John Boardman - MA Division of Marine Fisheries.