B1 Fishing - Mortality Rate - 44% - Not A Good Look

[jimmer]

On 7/24/2019 at 12:14 PM, grimsbylander said:

Yeah stop catch and release. Just go to catch and keep within the limits of the law...46 teams x2 days with a 5 fish limit = 460 dead fish with a 100% mortality rate. 

In my opinion, a much more common sense approach would be to regulate limits by the size of the body of water and current weather conditions. I will guarantee that super hot humid weather played a huge role in the mortality rate. Why not run the tournament with a 3 fish limit for example?? 

People read articles like this and instantly focus on that one number without looking at the big picture. Want to save 183 bass quickly? Cut the catch and keep limits down to 3 fish across the province. You’ll save 183 bass first day on Erie alone!! And every Saturday thereafter.

Knee jerk reactions rarely ever work out well.

 

I always liked the idea of smaller limits for tournaments, even if it's just when the conditions are not suitable.

 

[grimsbylander]

1 hour ago, Fisherman said:

460 fish dead, very unlikely as I would believe most of the contestants are there for the money and would not keep the fish for consumption.  If it was a catch and keep derby, you'd probably find a "number" of fish disposed of rotting away. 

Exactly. My point remains, there are other ways to mitigate risk of dying fish versus targeting the concept of catch and release tournaments. 

[BillM]

No need to be driving around with a livewell full of fish all day.   Why not a marshal for each boat, weigh and release?   

[OhioFisherman]

On 7/24/2019 at 12:14 PM, grimsbylander said:

Yeah stop catch and release. Just go to catch and keep within the limits of the law...46 teams x2 days with a 5 fish limit = 460 dead fish with a 100% mortality rate. 

In my opinion, a much more common sense approach would be to regulate limits by the size of the body of water and current weather conditions. I will guarantee that super hot humid weather played a huge role in the mortality rate. Why not run the tournament with a 3 fish limit for example?? 

People read articles like this and instantly focus on that one number without looking at the big picture. Want to save 183 bass quickly? Cut the catch and keep limits down to 3 fish across the province. You’ll save 183 bass first day on Erie alone!! And every Saturday thereafter.

Knee jerk reactions rarely ever work out well.

 

 

On 7/24/2019 at 12:14 PM, grimsbylander said:

Yeah stop catch and release. Just go to catch and keep within the limits of the law...46 teams x2 days with a 5 fish limit = 460 dead fish with a 100% mortality rate. 

In my opinion, a much more common sense approach would be to regulate limits by the size of the body of water and current weather conditions. I will guarantee that super hot humid weather played a huge role in the mortality rate. Why not run the tournament with a 3 fish limit for example?? 

People read articles like this and instantly focus on that one number without looking at the big picture. Want to save 183 bass quickly? Cut the catch and keep limits down to 3 fish across the province. You’ll save 183 bass first day on Erie alone!! And every Saturday thereafter.

Knee jerk reactions rarely ever work out well.

 

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=28+degrees+celsius  Weather was sunny and 28 degrees celsius on both days. From the link, hot but not really excessively for days in July.

Our club had a tournament on Sandusky Bay years ago off of Lake Erie, we had a self imposed area limit that only allowed us to fish in the bay itself and not go onto the main lake. Another bigger tournament launched from the same ramp as us and they had no area limits and most went out into Lake Erie for the big smallies.

We were headed to the ramp shortly after the big tournament ended and their fish were released, a lot of the big smallies they had released, 4+ pound fish, were struggling on the surface of the water getting picked apart by seagulls, either not fizzed or not properly fizzed.

20 years ago we had self imposed 3 fish limits on some waters of Lake Erie, but we didn't have sponsors to keep happy with impressive catches of 25+ pound bags of bass?

I fished a tournament years ago at Mosquito Lake here, it was sponsored in part by that areas local Walmart. So after launching at the state park, fishing all day, you had to trailer your boat, er and fish to the weigh in at the Walmart store 3-4 miles from the lake? Never fished that one again, just seemed more risk to the fish than I wanted to be a part of?

Because you can run 60 or 80 miles on some bodies of water is it the best plan for maintaining a healthy fish population?

[dave524]

These mortality numbers do not take in the numbers of culled fish during the day who don't make it. Is any competitor going to keep a smaller fish when a larger is caught even if it's survival is questionable ?

[dave524]

9 hours ago, OhioFisherman said:

 

Because you can run 60 or 80 miles on some bodies of water is it the best plan for maintaining a healthy fish population?

I recall years ago a big pro bass tourney out of Port Colborne, seems more than a few boats at blastoff made the run to Long Point targeting largies, so they got released at the end of the day with the smallies at Port Colborne, not really a good idea in my estimation. 

[woodenboater]

Went to the Bassmaster Classic in Lake Hartwell in 2015 and iirc, they had to drive back to Greenville for the weigh ins. That's a hella long drive with fish in the live well. Large and smallies looked fine and feisty at the weigh in...but still

and still wish Ike had come out on top

[dave524]

7 minutes ago, woodenboater said:

Went to the Bassmaster Classic in Lake Hartwell in 2015 and iirc, they had to drive back to Greenville for the weigh ins. That's a hella long drive with fish in the live well. Large and smallies looked fine and feisty at the weigh in...but still

and still wish Ike had come out on top

At least that is illegal here in Canada, transporting live fish overland.

[woodenboater]

8 minutes ago, dave524 said:

At least that is illegal here in Canada, transporting live fish overland.

I never asked, but am presuming this is how the fish got to the final day weigh ins. It was a big show with everyone sitting in their boats that were trailered into the arena. People went crazy when the local had his haul weighed. Insane. and Mercer was the emcee so he really got the crowd pumped !

Hopefully someone with BM Classic experience can fill us in if I got it wrong.

Edited July 27, 2019 by woodenboater

[Terry]

its only illegal in canada without a permit

i did a tourney some years ago and they did have a permit and the final weigh in was at another location

[b_cdot]

Maybe I read this wrong but what is the point of cooling your tank down to 13 degrees? Youre taking bass from a livewell that might be cooled by ice or might be continually aerated. It's not likely one of those livewells was 13 degrees when they got to weigh in. Whatever fish made it to the tanks was probably then killed from over chilling those tanks. I could be totally wrong but too much ice can kill fish just as quick as not enough. Mortality rate was actually higher the 2nd day they decided to cool the water even more. I've fished a few tournaments and unfortunately I've also had fish die. I am always caring for my fish and always trying to find new ways to take better care of them. This is the part of tournament fishing that sometimes makes me not want to participate anymore.

Edited July 28, 2019 by b_cdot

[Garnet]

Well I don't have Basmasters Classic experience.

I was part of both Bassmania Classics that we trailered to Memorial Park in Peterbourgh.

We weight our fish at Bensfort Bridge  and then top 10 trailered to arena for the big show.

Most boats where provide a Rapala portable air .

I always carried one with clips to run off battery's. I was last boat to trailer both years and don't remember

being offered the rapala one. So my boat had the recuirc and my Mr Bubbles plus ice and cosser  salt.

Both years my fish where in good shape but the fish where already weight so my big worry was over.

You don't win tournaments with dead fish penalties.  

[woodenboater]

2 hours ago, Garnet said:

Well I don't have Basmasters Classic experience.

I was part of both Bassmania Classics that we trailered to Memorial Park in Peterbourgh.

We weight our fish at Bensfort Bridge  and then top 10 trailered to arena for the big show.

Most boats where provide a Rapala portable air .

I always carried one with clips to run off battery's. I was last boat to trailer both years and don't remember

being offered the rapala one. So my boat had the recuirc and my Mr Bubbles plus ice and cosser  salt.

Both years my fish where in good shape but the fish where already weight so my big worry was over.

You don't win tournaments with dead fish penalties.  

thanks Garnet. I imagine the Classic would be run similarly. 

Can't recall if they also had weigh ins at the launch leading up to the final day. 

[colin519]

5 hours ago, b_cdot said:

Maybe I read this wrong but what is the point of cooling your tank down to 13 degrees? Youre taking bass from a livewell that might be cooled by ice or might be continually aerated. It's not likely one of those livewells was 13 degrees when they got to weigh in. Whatever fish made it to the tanks was probably then killed from over chilling those tanks. I could be totally wrong but too much ice can kill fish just as quick as not enough. Mortality rate was actually higher the 2nd day they decided to cool the water even more. I've fished a few tournaments and unfortunately I've also had fish die. I am always caring for my fish and always trying to find new ways to take better care of them. This is the part of tournament fishing that sometimes makes me not want to participate anymore. 

I agree. I'm thinking a combination of long days, the temperature changes you mentioned and people not pumping enough water in on long runs with big fish in the wells all day. Those fish are expelling waste into those tanks and if you are doing a long run back without pumping water then the oxygen is gonna be lower.  Imagine an aquarium in the size of a toolbox, put it in a greenhouse, cover the top and add 5 more big fish and that's a livewell....Imagine how big a fish tank you'd need to keep a 5lb smallie at home healthy in an aquarium...

How many boats pumped before the run back? Or even the most concerned anglers would probably flip it to recirculation and drive back with out stopping

[Old Ironmaker]

I've only gotten through 1/2 the article about the Bass Guru Mike Long and am enthralled to say the least. As well as the forensic investigation by Mr. Roelofsen and Akrisoner concerning the young woman and her claims. 

I  have been a member here for around 10 years I think. This has to be one of the most interesting if not the most interesting threads we have ever had in my opinion. 

[Garnet]

Bassmasters doesn't have on site weight they do have a person look in livewells so they can

coordinate the weight in show. The last few years they bring the leader up on hot seat and weight fisherman 9-2

much more realistic.

In most tournaments the anglers are responsible for the fish until the are weight in. From that point on, if the angler

got no penalty's the promoter has the reasonability.  

Stopping to refill livewells is common with all bassboats they all lose water.

It's just another thing you take into account. I also carried the wife's pee bucket so when I stop pumps on max and manual bucket.

Most big water guys have those sponge matts cut so the float on top of livewell water to stop sloshing.

What I'm saying is angler will do what ever necessary to get fish in alive.

Unfortunately all these little things are learned usually the hard way.

My 30 years of tournament fishing I can remember about 5 dead fish penalty's.     

[Rattletrap2]

I have followed tournament Bass fishing since the mid '80's and always enjoyed seeing the fish. Personally, I don't have enough competitive spirit in me to want to fish one myself! lol I would say that "seeing" the fish is the major reason why I fish! I snorkel a lot to do just that!

As of this past couple of years, I became a huge fan of Major League Fishing on TV. Those fish are released immediately. Granted the cost of having camera crews and scrutineers in each boat would cost them more than the way these B1 and other tourney's are run, but the mighty dollar should not dictate what is good for the industry and the reputation of tourney's in my opinion.

I looked at the photo's of the young woman holding up those fish in all different (sponsor themed) outfits. Just pathetic! Unfortunately, this is what the fishing industry wants though.

Anyways, very interesting thread, but also very infuriating!

[_al87_outdoors]

1 hour ago, Rattletrap2 said:

I have followed tournament Bass fishing since the mid '80's and always enjoyed seeing the fish. Personally, I don't have enough competitive spirit in me to want to fish one myself! lol I would say that "seeing" the fish is the major reason why I fish! I snorkel a lot to do just that!

As of this past couple of years, I became a huge fan of Major League Fishing on TV. Those fish are released immediately. Granted the cost of having camera crews and scrutineers in each boat would cost them more than the way these B1 and other tourney's are run, but the mighty dollar should not dictate what is good for the industry and the reputation of tourney's in my opinion.

I looked at the photo's of the young woman holding up those fish in all different (sponsor themed) outfits. Just pathetic! Unfortunately, this is what the fishing industry wants though.

Anyways, very interesting thread, but also very infuriating!

Are the women holding the fish at the end the anglers or are they just for show on the final stage ? 

[Terry]

12 minutes ago, _al87_outdoors said:

Are the women holding the fish at the end the anglers or are they just for show on the final stage ? 

?????????????????

dont know what you mean by that

[grimsbylander]

18 minutes ago, _al87_outdoors said:

Are the women holding the fish at the end the anglers or are they just for show on the final stage ? 

Her pics are not associated with tournament angling. There’s at least three separate topics all running under one article about the mortality rate at one bass tournament. Hence the confusion. Read comments that start with “Garnet” and you’ll be good. ?

[Old Ironmaker]

On 7/27/2019 at 9:34 AM, woodenboater said:

Went to the Bassmaster Classic in Lake Hartwell in 2015 and iirc, they had to drive back to Greenville for the weigh ins. That's a hella long drive with fish in the live well. Large and smallies looked fine and feisty at the weigh in...but still

and still wish Ike had come out on top

I am assuming this tourney was not in Ontario. As it was  pointed out it is illegal to transport live fish here in Ontario. 

[G.mech]

7 minutes ago, Old Ironmaker said:

I am assuming this tourney was not in Ontario. As it was  pointed out it is illegal to transport live fish here in Ontario. 

Only partly true OI, it is illegal to transport live fish over land without a permit.  Many of these tourneys get permits and take special precautions to ensure the fish survive.  

[Old Ironmaker]

Just now, G.mech said:

Only partly true OI, it is illegal to transport live fish over land without a permit.  Many of these tourneys get permits and take special precautions to ensure the fish survive.  

Didn't know that, got it thanks. 

[Garnet]

Those permits are why angler responsibility end at your weight in, most tournament.

Now the classics where we put them back into livewell and transport them to Memorial Park in Peterbourgh 

are a little grey area because I remember the legality's being talked about and the 10 boats where under the permit.

And the permit is to posses more than a limit. Even in a live release boat the operators might have 100's of fish.

 

 

 

[Garnet]

The typical dead fish penalty is 4oz/per fish so if all your fish where " fish care penalty's" (dead Fish) that's 1.4 lbs.  

You are not winning any tournaments with that loss.