bass tournaments=dead fish

[walleyemen]

In most tournaments great care is taken to insure fish are released healthy, i myself regularly clean and check my livewells, in sure the aeration works properly and during tournaments us live release (when needed) as well as using peroxiod and ice to keep the fish healthy and comfortable, i take 5 minutes of every hour during a tourny to monitor the health of my fish, now having said that i'm sure many more do as well,Healthy and live release is top priority in any bass club or tourny.

[tinman454]

I would like to see more tournament fishing done. this sounds like an anti hunting rant. I think that these guys do way more for the fisherys than the guy that fishes every now an then. thest guys are helping in ways you dont see also look at the money end of things every basss guy wants the same thing as you only if the fish go so does there way of living so in my mind these guys do look after fish stocks and help all fisher men! Its the same as hunting we need to stick up for fishing tourneys and other fisher men not bitch about others. you guys are helping others that want to see no fishing at all . first bass tournaments, then no fishing for you. dont help the antis all ways of fishing should be allowed !

[RJ]

As an interest point.....this past weekend in Kingston the Canadian Open was held...

$22,000 was raised directly from this tournament for the Soldier On fund....which helps injured Canadian soldiers and their families.

RJ

[RextypeS]

Ask another organization how many fish died and they probably would not know.

I would also say that this is a stupid blanket statement. Out of the first 2 Bass Anglers Association events that we have had this year our first event on Kilmarnock there where 66 Fish Caught with 0 Dead Fish and our second event on the Big Rideau there were 75 fish caught with 3 dead fish. It is definitely something that we pay close attention to in our club.

[almontefisher]

Ask another organization how many fish died and they probably would not know.

Or they probably do if anyone bothered to ask instead of making B.S. blanket statements.

Here are the dead fish numbers for the 3 tournaments the Petawawa Bassmasters has held so far this season.

- June 26, Ottawa River Petawawa : 95 fish weighed / 1 dead fish

- July 11, Muskrat Lake : 125 fished weighed / 9 dead fish. This was during the very hot weather. In 2009 on Muskrat under more normal conditions, there were 140 fish weighed with 1 dead fish.

- July 24, Lake Kamaniskeg : 160 fish weighed / 1 dead fish

Most of these fish are dead because they have swallowed a hook. This year, some succumbed to the heat and high water temps at Muskrat. All of these dead fish were taken home by participants with the intent of eating them. They were not thrown back in the lake nor left at the weigh-in station to rot.

Doug

Well Doug in no way did I make a "B.S blanket statement". A B.S blanket statement would be "I know all tournys do not keep track". There, education lesson over. I am sure my statement was very acurate actually. If I read what I posted which you did not I said probably would not know. So lets see the results of dead fish from all the other tourneys and see if they kept track. There is always a few well run organizations like SEBO and obviously your organization that keep track but again most probably do not know what dies at the end of day.

This is also what I was getting at was the lack of responsibility there is for this stuff. It is never the tourneys that the dead fish are from it is always external to the tourney. Now AGAIN TO MAKE THIS VERY CLEAR....NOT ALL ORGANIZATIONS ARE LIKE THIS. But every time there is a tourney somewhere and the following day there are a bunch of dead fish by the dock they used the tourney people say it was not their fault. Take some responisbility for their actions and help rectify this. How about when it is 3+oC higher in a span of a day to cancel or reschedule the tourney. For example the one on Muskrat lake that killed 9 fish due to warmer water temps. How about thinking that this will happen and instead of letting it happen reschedule. 0 dead from no tourney or 9 dead from a tourney...which one makes more sense.

[RJ]

AF,

How many walleye were kept from the ORWL event on the Miss a little while back? Just asking. I know I was offered fillets....


RJ

[Jimmy_1]

Compare apples to apples boys.

Do not be so naive into thinking that all living fish released survive. Fish die from stress. Bouncing around in a dark livewell all day will do that.

I love how people here are assuming that fish released alive will live. I am sure bass tourneys create fatalities.....and they surely do.

But so does recreational angling....if a fish were not stressed from being caught it wouldn't fight.

I do love to fish and will continue doing so, but I do know it is stressful and potentially harmful to the fish. Every time I catch one.

In the end people only fish for their own self-affirmation.....if they didn't C&R would not exist.....nor this "Oh WOW a 50", a HOG, a PIG etc ad nauseum" We'd eat them.

Just REALITY.

[almontefisher]

AF,

How many walleye were kept from the ORWL event on the Miss a little while back? Just asking. I know I was offered fillets....


RJ

I would have to say RJ that I do not know how many died. I am sure some succomded as well to our ORWL events and would even gaurantee that they die from it as well. I know where you are going with this RJ and I agree...Tit for Tat. Even when fishing for pleasure I know that a few fish I have returned probably did not survive. I hope they did but I am sure some did not. Now again I am not saying EVERY organization has these issues but at least admitt that fish are dying from the tourneys and not because it was warm, viruses, deep hook sets etc. We all have fish die but for some reason as soon as it is brought up that there are dead fish by the exact same location the weigh in was Bass guys turn their heads and say it was not the tourney. I guess what I am looking for is ownership to the situation. I could be way off and those fish on that exact location on that exact day all died from natural causes but that would be a BS BLANKET STATEMENT!

[curls]

Here's a better idea -- instead of bitching at the bass tourney guys, how about getting on the MNR's case about stopping the "white bucket brigade" from OOS fishing, keeping every baby bass and baby panfish, and not buying proper licenses?

Those baby bass would possibly have grown up into nice big bass...

[RJ]

Settle down Peter....

I believe almost all the tourneys have been heard from in the area in this thread......and we all took ownership to the numbers of fish that died during that event.

About the only thing I would advocate at some point is if you are running an event with over say 40 boats with a 5 fish weigh-in....that you must have a live release boat.....hard to enforce and a nightmare for the MNR to keep an eye on but it is likely needed.

RJ

[Jimmy_1]

Here's a better idea -- instead of bitching at the bass tourney guys, how about getting on the MNR's case about stopping the "white bucket brigade" from OOS fishing, keeping every baby bass and baby panfish, and not buying proper licenses?

Those baby bass would possibly have grown up into nice big bass...

Because the white bucket brigade are the Liberals voters....

Dalton McGuinty couldn't care less about natural resources unless highly taxable so that he can continue to spend like a drunken sailor and inflate the provincial deficit.

[RJ]

Here's a better idea -- instead of bitching at the bass tourney guys, how about getting on the MNR's case about stopping the "white bucket brigade" from OOS fishing, keeping every baby bass and baby panfish, and not buying proper licenses?

Those baby bass would possibly have grown up into nice big bass...

I'm always puzzled by this....would you like the "bucket brigade" as you call them to actually learn how to fish and keep bigger fish? would that make it better?

And why does everyone always assume because you fish from shore with a bucket you didnt buy a license?

Sure hope when my nephews (who happen to be Asian) never have to deal with the stereotype BS that spews from peoples mouths....and if so I hope I'm there to hear it.

RJ

[Todd B.]

Here's a better idea -- instead of bitching at the bass tourney guys, how about getting on the MNR's case about stopping the "white bucket brigade" from OOS fishing, keeping every baby bass and baby panfish, and not buying proper licenses?

Those baby bass would possibly have grown up into nice big bass...

Because the white bucket brigade are the Liberals voters....

Dalton McGuinty couldn't care less about natural resources unless highly taxable so that he can continue to spend like a drunken sailor and inflate the provincial deficit.

And this relates to bass tournaments how???

[RJ]

Agreed Todd...stay on topic...

[beachburger]

but again most probably do not know what dies at the end of day.

There's that probably word again.....

Probably

Adverb

* S: (adv) probably, likely, in all likelihood, in all probability, belike (with considerable certainty; without much doubt) "He is probably out of the country"; "in all likelihood we are headed for war"
* S: (adv) credibly, believably, plausibly, probably (easy to believe on the basis of available evidence) "he talked plausibly before the committee"; "he will probably win the election"

http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=probably

Three area bass clubs have weighed in here and all have refuted your "considerable certainty". Perhaps local bass clubs are far more diligent and knowledgeable than you (and others) are giving them credit for.

This is also what I was getting at was the lack of responsibility there is for this stuff. It is never the tourneys that the dead fish are from it is always external to the tourney.

No one is arguing that fish don't die as a result of tournaments. They do. Three clubs just told you how many dead fish came to the weigh station and I went so far to tell you what our club did with the dead fish.

Some fish will die after they are released. This isn't specific to tournaments. I would like to see clubs "run fish" away from the weigh-in area. I know our club does and SEBO does and Renegade does. Maybe other clubs do too or will start as a result of reading this.

How about when it is 3+oC higher in a span of a day to cancel or reschedule the tourney. For example the one on Muskrat lake that killed 9 fish due to warmer water temps.

Disregarding the naivety of this statement, it's not necessary. I said some fish were dead due to the high temps. Several had swallowed hooks. I do know that there were lots of weak batteries at the end of the day resulting from dual livewell pumps running constantly for 10 hours. We ended up calling the anglers in one-by-one for weigh-in so the fish stayed in an aerated livewell instead of waiting in line hanging out in a bag of hot water. Other area clubs do this as well. And I know because I have fished their tournaments or attended their weigh-ins.

0 dead from no tourney or 9 dead from a tourney...which one makes more sense.

If you don't want fish to die, don't fish. Period.

Doug