No I found that on the internet, it is a study that was done in Florida. Yes you do practice good tourney transports, if everyone did it would mean the fishing would be better.
www.hookerztackle.com “A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.” Frank Zappa
There are studies and published papers that show low voltage electrical current in the water, lowers mortality of transported hatchery fish for stocking. One day maybe they'll implement something like this for livewells.
there were two studis conducted here in CT about tournament mortality. Conducted by UCONN fisheries student Gordon Edwards and professor Rob Neumann. I have them both in PDF form, but knowhere to put them. If anyone has a site where I could post them and then like to it everyone could print them out. It would be beneficial for everyone to read....especially tourney anglers. The studies were conducted on Mansfield Hollow and Gardner lakes and put the weigh in fish in large cages and back in the water to determine post-tournament mortality.
Results varied, but were typically about 8% of tourney fish died...and that is just 72 hours. Overall tournament mortality "was approximately 2.4-8.4% of total annual mortality, 1.0-3.2% of the population size, and 2.0-20.8% of annual fishing mortality."
Team Daiwaimano Team too many broken rods to count Team bluefish lawn ornament Team "oh shiit we are out of gas"
I seldom post here but here is my two cents anyway. I agree completely that tournaments do much more harm to a fishery than the few individuals that occasionally keep a limit of bass. I myself kept ONE bass last year, which is currently at the taxidermist, and took my share of criticism from the members here. However when I visited Beach pond the day after a CTF event and found the launch littered with dead bass the response was mostly excuses about malfunctioning equipment. All season long the fish are continuously harassed by Iaconelli wannabes while bouncing around in one livewell after another. Anyone that is really concerned about the future of bass fishing in CT should take another look at reducing the number of scheduled tournaments.
I dont know about the whole mortality rates at tournaments, but one thing is for sure, If you keep a fish it is defintely going to die .
Im sure most people who fish tournaments would do whatever is necessary to keep the fish alive and healthy for release. The problem seems to be lack of education in keeping the fish safe and how to release them. Maybe the dep should hand out pamphlets or other info on how to do this effectively? Or possibly ban people who dont take the necessary steps to protect this fish, etc.?
You're right about the fact the fish will die. I think the point of pointing out tournament and catch and release mortality was to let people know they also have an impact evne if they think they don't. Some of the same people criticizing the keeping of bass are responsible for the death of 'larger' bass as well.
If you want to ensure the fish won't die, don't fish for them.
I believe that 6 bass died that night as one small boat had many problems including a total failure of its livewell. A few other bass died from being deep hooked, etc. We all regret that it happened, but nobody can forsee mechanical problems.
Candlewood gets HAMMERED by tournies wekk after week by tournies from CT, NY and NJ, yet it cotinues to thrive. I bet there were over 100 tournies on Candlewood this year. I agree that there should be a maximum number of tournies per lake per year. Maine does this and their lakes are fantastic.
Dusty, I'm not sure that Amos is a good representative of an "average lake" as far as big fish goes since it has been a Bass Management Lake for a number of years and has a tremendous forage base. Also, a 15.5" bass is a far cry from a 4 pound bass and the electrofishing is done after dark when many fish move shallow.
I'd love to have the DEP comment on the number of 20" or greater bass they estimate in Gardner, Hayward, Moodus, Amos, and other small to mid sized lakes and ponds.
My basic premise is that a 4 or 5 pound bass (that may grow into a 6,7, or 8 pound bass) is far more valuable in the lake than it is on the dinner table.
Thanks to all who have raised valid points. I am eager to see what the DEP response will be.
Not every tournament fisherman has as big of role in mortality as some or most. I think if tournament anglers were showed how to take proper care the rates would go down immensely. I fished in 20+ tournaments and I did not have one fish die on me. There was one tournament that I fished out of my dad’s boat in the dead of summer and the live well pumps died, my partner and I were lucky to find out they were not working and thought fast enough to use a one gallon milk jug to keep on putting fresh water in. We were able to keep almost 20 pounds of bass alive for about 6.5 hours. And after the weigh-in they swam away just a strong as anybodies else’s. The sad thing was at least 25% of the field had at least one dead fish. If there was only a way to teach people the rights and wrong of keeping fish alive in the wells.
www.hookerztackle.com “A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.” Frank Zappa
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