Tag‐reporting rates for marine recreational boat anglers were estimated directly by surreptitiously implanting, during routine creel surveys, fish tags into fish that had already been caught during October 1976‐September 1978. Twenty‐nine percent (177) of the 600 implanted tags were returned. Ninety‐five percent of all tags returned were received within 100 days after they had been implanted. Significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) were found among reporting rates by anglers from different fishing areas and for different species of fish. No significant differences were found for reporting rates by anglers among seasons or years. These results indicate that use of reward tags in other studies has not fully corrected for nonreporting of recovered tags and, consequently, fishing mortality estimates based on them have been underestimates. The vast majority of anglers (96%) correctly identified their fish to genus and they reported fish lengths that were within ±76 mm (SD) of those determined by agency staff. Received August 30, 1982 Accepted March 13, 1983

These assessments are the largest In area and most comprehensive to be documented In the literature with known levels of precision. Methodology used provides reasonably precise estimates which managers can use to assess extensive widespread kills and subsequent Impacts on affected populations. It Is recommended that managers consider reducing fishing mortality on the remaining economically Important populations after extensive kills to speed recovery of those populations.

A bstract. hooking mortalities of red drums Sciaenops ocellatus and spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus caught with single-barb hooks were compared with hooking mortalities for those caught with treble hooks in Texas bays in the summers of 1989 and 1990. Natural baits (primarily penaeid shrimp) and artificial baits (spoons, worms, and fish-shaped lures) were used with both hook types. Overall mortality of 121 red drums was 4.1 % at the end of 3 d after capture, and there were no significant (P = 0.67) red drum mortality differences between hook types or bait types. Mortality of 124 spotted seatrout was 7.3% by 3 d after capture, and no significant (P -0.27) differences between hook types or bait types were found. Restricting anglers to one hook type (either single-barb or treble hooks) would not reduce unintended fishing mortality for either species.

Black drum (Pogonias cromis) movement in Texas bays is reported for fish tagged and released with internal abdominal anchor tags between November 1975 and Augnst 1980. Intrabay movementwas substantial with almost one-half (44%) of the recaptured tagged fish moving more than 10 km. Few fish were returned from the Gulf or from outside of the bay in which they were tagged. Of the fish which left the bay where tagged, 75% were recaptured in adjacent bays. There were no significant differences in movement patterns among bay systems nor was there a detectable relationship between minimum distance moved by black drum and either time free until recapture, seasons, or size of fish. No mass migration of fish in the winter or during the spring spawning period was noted. Texas bay systems can be considered closed systems for fish of about 210-510 mm long (total length) when managing black drum stocks. Due to their substantial intrabay movement but restricted interbay movement, local populations of black drum may be susceptible to intense fishing pressure.