Th interesting thing about bass tournaments is that all the fish are released. So what hurts the fishery more: 5 bait chuckers that keep 6 big fish each during the week? OR 1 tournament that 10-15 boats attend releasing all but 1 or 2 fish?
Just to make things clear, those 5 bait chuckers that keep and kill 6 fish each may cause the death of 30 fish…BUT, 10-15 boats catching and releasing fish can easily kill a lot more. Many fishermen–and it seems bass fishermen especially–don’t seem to realize that a released fish can and often do die. To put things into perspective, think this way–let’s say that those 15 tournament boats catch 10 fish apiece for a total of 150 fish caught and released. Studies show that the delayed mortality of released bass from bass tournaments are often in the 20 percent range and sometimes much higher…one study showed delayed mortality rates as high as 52%. If 20 percent of those 150 bass died after they were released, that is 30 fish…add on the 1 or 2 that were kept and your tournament has had a bigger impact that the bait chuckers! Also, FWIW, most tournaments shoot for delayed mortality rates less than 25%…if 25% is the goal, wouldn’t that mean that many are higher? Also, BASS tournaments usually have around 5% initial mortality.
That would not be “encouraging” the release of larger fish but mandating it. Too strict. I’m a hardcore basser, I could win tournaments if I wanted to I’m sure of it. I release plenty plenty big bass but on a big picture level, I prefer the freedom to do what I want with my fish, not be commanded I must release them. Its much better for society to allow people to choose what they want to do and have some autonomy over themselves. Sure some guidelines need to be set, or there would be total chaos, but even though i love bass, I admit there’s plenty of them. No way will the new regs damage the populations at all. Them bass reproduce and grow much faster than most realize. Even small ponds can have astounding numbers and poundage of bass. You also have to realize that the average angler will not be able to catch many, if any more bass this year than last. It takes a certain sophistication to truly get good at bass fishing and even then patterns vary according to water and can even change over time. It took me more than a decade to fully learn bass fishing and I’m still learning every day I go out. There’s always some new nuance. My fishing gal is the only one who knows many of these nuances I discovered haha. She can’t quite quite cast dead on and hit a small target, she isn’t the best angler by far, but she has already nailed her 20 inch lmb.
ifishutah – my issues with tournaments have nothing to do with mortality. My issues are competition. Competition for fishing space with other recreational anglers. When you schedule a tournament on Newcastle Reservoir and you have 60 boats participate, how in the world can any other non-tournament angler expect to be able to fish that same day?
Some restrictions certainly need to be in place. Limit the # of participants. Limit the number of tournaments per year. Why is that so bad?
The average mortality rate from tournaments that you quote is a national average. Many factors affect the mortality rate of tournament released fish; the greatest contributing factor is high water temps. On a national average, water temps are significantly higher in the southern states where the lakes are typically shallow and the weather is warmer for longer periods of time. Utah’s lakes and reservoirs do not reach the temperatures of many of the bodies of water where these studies are done. The mortality rate of tournament released fish in Utah is significantly less than 25%.
OH really…so, the water temps at lakes like Gunlock, Sand Hollow, and Quail are significantly lower than the national average? I highly doubt it. The studies I have seen and read show that water temps above 70 degrees end up having a pretty devastating effect on released bass…the water temps of the above reservoirs are above that mark most of the summer and into the fall (with surface temps exceeding 80 at times). Also, Lake Powell probably has more tournaments than any lake in Utah…how often are its temps that high? Now, I know that mortality rates on Lake Powell aren’t as devastating, but tournament anglers still kill more bass than bait chuckers.
Also, lakes like Minersville and Newcastle are also above that 70 degree mark for portions of the summer…and times when BASS tournaments are held. Also, just out of curiosity, how do you know that delayed mortality rates for fish in Utah are not higher than 25%? Where’s your proof? Also, in many of the northern lakes, other game fish are caught and released–like trout–that are not as hardy. What are the delayed mortality rates of these fish?
What are the mortality rates of bass taken from deep water…? Doesn’t that increase the mortality rates? Aren’t our reservoirs often deeper than the lakes in the south and midwest? And, don’t get me started on the harms of fizzing…
I agree with what you’re saying and it’s true. Excessive catch and release does hurt the fishery. Not just mortality, but it overeducates the fish and over time they will hit nada. There are some places where there’s lots of fish but they will not take any lures at all or if so only sporadically. I don’t see why anyone would need to go out and release over 50 trout on the ice for a “good” outing. There’s bound to mortality there for sure. Trout die easily. Other species are tougher but not much so.
Again, I’m trying to figure out where your numbers come from. I have directed many tournaments on all of the southern Utah lakes and have done so when the water is warmest. Even so the mortality rate is never close to 25% no matter what you claim. It always has been less.
This discussion gets a few select individuals really heated and I’m not sure why. I am a UTAH angler not just a bass angler. I participate in tournaments. I have a vested interest in the Utah bass waters. I have just as many rights as any other angler. Why are tournaments such an alarming issue to others? I really don’t understand the venom that gets tossed around when people start discussing bass tournaments.
PBH, I agree that 60 boats on Newcastle would be a complete joke… However, that being said I’ve never seen or herd of a tournament with more than 16 boats. If there was one, there was never more than 20. The large tournaments are all held on Flaming Gorge and Lake Powell.
What i’m saying is this: We as bass tournament anglers have opinions that may be different than the “average” angler in UT. Does that make us wrong? Does that make tournaments bad? No, it’s just a different point of view. Like I said, come see us, experience the tournament and competition of it yourself.
First of all I’m not trying argue with anyone. I’m just trying to get the out some truths. Now I’ll try to answer a few of your questions. First, 70-75 degree water is an ideal temperature for bass. The mortality rates of bass drastically increase when the water temperatures are above 80 degrees. I have spoken with one of the biologists that has been involved in these types of studies. I asked him specifically about Utah tournaments and his answer was that with our cooler water temperatures our motility rate would be much lower than the mortality rates they were finding in their studies. Which, by the way are being done in our southern states where water temperatures exceeding 90 degrees is not uncommon. His recommendation was to limit the tournaments to seasons when the water temperatures were below 80 degrees. Very few of our lakes and reservoirs reach the 80 degree mark.
A I’ve never seen or herd of a tournament with more than 16 boats. If there was one, there was never more than 20. [Newcastle]
Would you agree that 16 boats is too many for a lake the size of Newcastle? Further, your 16 boats is ONLY the registered tournament boats. What about the other 5-10 that show up for recreation that are not part of the tournament?
Does that make us wrong? Does that make tournaments bad? No, it’s just a different point of view.
I didn’t say that they were wrong, or bad. I said that some additional restrictions should be in place. Would you agree that 1 tournament every Saturday during the summer months at Newcastle is excessive?
Like I said, come see us, experience the tournament and competition of it yourself.
This is exactly why I don’t like tournaments. I HAVE been around during tournaments. I’ve been the guy in the pontoon being leap-frogged by bass boats. I’ve been the guy in the tournament anglers way! I’ve been that guy that felt like I couldn’t have a good experience because there were too many tournament anglers racing around the lake doing something that they considered “fishing”.
Something strange happens to people when prize money (or just prizes) get involved in an activity. For some reason, civility goes out the window.
So, I don’t like tournaments. Does that make me wrong? Does that make non-tournament anglers bad? No, it’s just a different point of view.
I’ve just never been one to enjoy competitive fishin’. I go fishin’ to enjoy it, not to see who can catch the most, or the biggest, or the first, or the last, or the smallest, or the whatever. Making it a competition just doesn’t seem right. At least not in my book.[crazy][crazy] Add to that the crowding you’ve taken every bit of pleasure out of it for me.
I’ve just never been one to enjoy competitive fishin’. I go fishin’ to enjoy it, not to see who can catch the most, or the biggest, or the first, or the last, or the smallest, or the whatever. Making it a competition just doesn’t seem right. At least not in my book.[crazy][crazy] Add to that the crowding you’ve taken every bit of pleasure out of it for me.
Now imagine your frustration when you can’t hit a single reservoir in southern Utah during the summer without seeing a parking lot full of bass boats. Newcastle, Minersville, Otter Creek, Sand Hollow, Quail Creek – they all have tournaments booked for nearly every Saturday all summer long. Talk about exploiting our resources! Give it a break, and let some of the other guys have a turn!
One of the reasons I don’t do Saturdays very often. And one of the reasons I’m not fond of bass. They aren’t that difficult to catch, just too much of what fishin’ ain’t for my tastes.
Fshrmn – you lucky to have the opportunity to fish on days other than Saturday.
However, not all bass tournaments are schedule for “bass” waters. Some of our waters just happen to be excellent trout AND bass waters (Minersville, Piute, Otter Creek).
Oh well. I guess I’ll just have to keep playing leap frog. I have made one decision: I won’t watch my back-cast. If I hook a bass boat, I’ll do my damndest to catch it! “Salvage rights” in effect, right?
Hey all of you that are aginst bass tourneys, Im here to appologise for all us clowns in the 70mph boats jumping in front of you. I have fished tourneys for many years and I dont agree with having tournaments on small waters. Lake powell or the gorge ya but not newcastle or a pond like that. I dont have any answers for this problem but to get together and make it mandatory catch and release for bass in all waters in utah.. that will end bass tourneys on the small waters. just a side note, has anybody ever seen a 500 boat tourney,watched one on grand lake in olk, and you think you got it bad
there are many articles that debate the single vs. treble. i would read the articles from actual scientific agency’s versus another fishing forum. let the pro’s answer that question aside from a bunch of fisherman that claim to be pro’s.
Like I said before … want to get rid or tourneys? Make it catch and release on all waters for bass—wont have anybody blowing by you at 70 anymore. Oh here is a fact bass fishermen spend more than 70 percent of the total sales in a given year for the local economy, salmon eggs and powebait dont compare with a 60 thousand dollar boat and 200 dollars at the tackle store every week and gas for a weekend. those taxes go into the kiddy-- a lot more than balls o fire will. Im sorry the bottom line is bass fishermen finance most of the fishing here and across the country..when was the last time you heard of a trout boat or troutmasters. Im sorry i love the competition side of fishing and I hate the whine that the cheapies make strdies are from the wallurp bureau website and the the u.s fish and wildlife website,check em out yourself Quit whineing about bass fishing we are funding your slimers for ya
Is that why they model grapple hooks off of single hooks? You can show me all the scientific data you want. When a Bass hits a husky jerk it usually ends up with one set of hooks in its mouth, one in the side of the face and another down its body. And who the hell decides who’s the authority on hooks? Let the Pro’s answer? So some dude at a scientific agency has more information on how to hook up to a fish than all us idiots on this forum? I’ve caught thousands of fish in my lifetime I don’t need any of your “Pro’s” advice. In my oponion, getting paid doesn’t make you a pro, its if you can go out and consistantly put fish in the boat, or pontoon in your case.
strdies are from the wallurp bureau website and the the u.s fish and wildlife website,check em out yourself Quit whineing about bass fishing we are funding your slimers for ya