Summer bass tournament fish kills and the “BUBBA MENTALITY”

[stripernut1]

It does take a little effort to ferret out the truth, get past the shucking and jiving so common on the internet, print media and boat ramp arguments among tournament fishermen, sport fishermen, meat hunters and tournament officials, but the facts and data are solid as a rock regarding the negative effects tournament bass kills have on a State’s bass fishery… NONE.

All you have to do is ask the DNR experts. That requires a phone call, an email or a letter. For most folks that’s way too much trouble. There’s nothing more to debate about this matter when the truth is exposed. Tournament bass kills are a public relations problem for tournament directors, bass kills do not and will not ever endanger Kentucky’s largemouth bass fishery.

I emailed Ron Brook’s, Director of Fisheries Division, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Although there have been some relative small bass kills this summer generating reams of bad public relations, these tournament bass kills certainly have not negatively impacted the Kentucky largemouth bass fishery. The fishery is managed extremely well and rest assures although these bass kills may get a lot of bad press, all is well.

I ask Mr. Brook’s these questions:

1. Do tournament bass kills negatively impact Kentucky’s bass fishery?

Mr. Brook’s response: **We have no data that indicates Kentucky’s bass fisheries are negatively impacted by tournament fishing.

Bass populations can experience a certain amount of total (natural and fishing related combined) mortality without negative consequences to annual mortality rates. In other words, if there were no fishing-related mortality, natural mortality would either be greater (compensatory mortality), or more likely, most bass populations would be more susceptible to becoming overcrowded. As such, a certain amount of mortality is useful to promote a larger size structure with bass (and most other sport fish) populations.

Our regulations are structured to account for a certain amount of total mortality and still maintain quality fisheries. At times, we structure our regulations to promote the taking of smaller bass to make the overall population size structure larger; at other times, we have regulations to limit the take of bass when recruitment is historically low or total mortality is historically high. There are many regulatory tools to help us structure bass harvest rates around their population dynamics. Every lake is different in terms of its capacity to hold numbers of predator fish and the sizes that those fish can reach. Fishing pressure is but one factor in that complicated equation.

2. Would Kentucky’s largemouth bass fishery be negatively impacted if ALL the tournament bass were killed in every bass tournament in Kentucky and eaten?

Mr. Brook’s response: ** Without any data, I can only speculate on this,

but I would suspect that to be true; however, I also know that almost all tournament fishermen revere bass and would not intentionally kill them; during a tournament or any other time.

I would also suspect that if every non-tournament fisherman kept every bass they caught (even within the current regulations), overharvest would be an issue; regardless of tournaments. We manage our bass populations based on data collected routinely and by population trends that the collected data provide.

** If it became apparent that changing regulations would improve a bass fishery (or any other sport species), we would (and often do) implement regulation changes. This includes regulations that affect all anglers, including tournaments.

** If we had evidence that tournaments were detrimental to one or more bass fisheries, we would be compelled to make regulations that would not be optimal for tournament fishing in those lakes. We understand very well that outlawing tournaments is not feasible or enforceable; creel regulations that would deter the desire to hold tournaments are feasible.

However, I need to be clear that we do not intend make regulations that deter people from wanting to go fishing; tournament or otherwise. I also want to be clear that we have never, to date, made a regulation aimed at deterring tournaments from fishing any of our lakes.

** We have some regulations (in some reservoirs) that are not tournament friendly, but those regulations were made to improve the bass fisheries, not to discourage tournament fishing.

3. Are largemouth bass supported with State and/or Federal tax money and yearly fishing license fees that support culturing and restocking in Kentucky public fishing waters?

Mr. Brook’s response: All fish stocked by KDFWR in Kentucky are paid for by a combination of funds procured through the 1950 Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act (amended several times and commonly called the Dingle-Johnson and Wallop Breaux funds) and by funds KDFWR receives directly from fishing licenses and permits. We receive no general state or federal tax dollars... End

So rest easy fellows and be assured that the Kentucky largemouth bass fishery is kept safe and is well taken care of by professionals like Mr. Brook’s and other state fishery experts. Kentucky is not going to run short of bass on Mr. Brook’s watch nor is the support money going run short that goes to the Minor Clark Fish Hatchery in Morehead, KY where professional fishery managers like Ron Middleton grow and distribute largemouth bass throughout the Great State of Kentucky.

Now you know facts about Kentucky’s largemouth bass fishery in relation tournament bass kills this summer or any summer… there is no data that indicates Kentucky’s bass fisheries are negatively impacted by tournament fishing.

But, you can bet your last $100 with confidence that tournament bass kills are always a major, major public relations problem for bass tournament Directors, organizers and sponsors dating back over 40 years... and that PR problem does requires a reaction.

Tom

I like the answer to the question about 100% mortality....so which is it, im confused....one of your experts states 100% mortality would have zero negative impact.....and now another one of your experts states hes sure it would have a negative impact?????
On another note, I cannot find any evidence that smallmouth are stocked in lake cumberland.....so explain toe again how the minor branch hatchery would protect 100% tournament mortality on that lake???
Once again......NOBODY IS ARGUING THE IDEA THAT NORMAL MORTALITY ISNT HURTING KENTUCKY FISHERIES. You made a comment that 100% mortality wouldnt hurt a thing.....and now you cant back it up.
Im done.....

[Triton Tom]

... if you still don't understand the words, ask a friend to help you with it.

** If it became apparent that changing regulations would improve a bass fishery (or any other sport species), we would (and often do) implement regulation changes. This includes regulations that affect all anglers, including tournaments.

** If we had evidence that tournaments were detrimental to one or more bass fisheries, we would be compelled to make regulations that would not be optimal for tournament fishing in those lakes. We understand very well that outlawing tournaments is not feasible or enforceable; creel regulations that would deter the desire to hold tournaments are feasible.

Good Luck this time

Tom

[kstonich]

I've been on boards along time and this has got to be a trolling post by Triton Tom, just trying to get someone to respond to his point. But I'm bored here at work so I'll play.
Unfortunately Tom after reading all the responses it appears to me that you are the one who doesn't read that facts that you are posting so perhaps you should take a deep breath slow down and line by line read what you are posting.

If you look back at you latest posts your expert states that there is no evidence that Tournaments are having a negative impact. That's where the facts stop. End of that talking point.

But they do say if , that's the word of the day IF there were stats that showed a negative impact they would take measures. Those measures would not stop tournaments.
Again the word IF which means up to this point its not an issue. So please focus TOM and have a great day.

[jcb]

I've been on boards along time and this has got to be a trolling post by Triton Tom, just trying to get someone to respond to his point. But I'm bored here at work so I'll play.
Unfortunately Tom after reading all the responses it appears to me that you are the one who doesn't read that facts that you are posting so perhaps you should take a deep breath slow down and line by line read what you are posting.

If you look back at you latest posts your expert states that there is no evidence that Tournaments are having a negative impact. That's where the facts stop. End of that talking point.

But they do say if , that's the word of the day IF there were stats that showed a negative impact they would take measures. Those measures would not stop tournaments.
Again the word IF which means up to this point its not an issue. So please focus TOM and have a great day.

Bingo.

I don't have anything against KDFWR, but please keep in mind that if you ask any member of an organizational hierarchy a question that could possibly involve an evaluation of whether or not they are doing a good job, you are going to get an extremely nuanced answer.

"We don't have any data" doesn't lend itself to support either side of the argument. It's a CYA way of saying "we have no idea."

[stripernut1]

... if you still don't understand the words, ask a friend to help you with it.

** If it became apparent that changing regulations would improve a bass fishery (or any other sport species), we would (and often do) implement regulation changes. This includes regulations that affect all anglers, including tournaments.

** If we had evidence that tournaments were detrimental to one or more bass fisheries, we would be compelled to make regulations that would not be optimal for tournament fishing in those lakes. We understand very well that outlawing tournaments is not feasible or enforceable; creel regulations that would deter the desire to hold tournaments are feasible.

Good Luck this time

Tom

ok, i took your advice and went slower, re read it again and again, i also went to forum member KR and asked him to read it to me ( i kinda think hes a little more than qualified ....you know with his masters degree in education, and the fact that he is a high school principal) and after reading it to me we came to the conclusion that for some reason i just cant seem to understand incoherent, contradictory rambling. i never knew i was so stupid, than ks for pointing it out to me. who knows maybe we will bump into each other at a boat ramp somewhere sometime and i will get a chance to properly thank you in person.

[Triton Tom]

Ray Scott recognized Bubba and opportunity 40 years ago... the "Bubbas" made millions of dollars over decades for Ray, et.al... Ray knew.

[Tim_T]

As I stated previously, you have your facts Bassakwards. Ray Scott has stated in print that catch and release was an idea he got from elsewhere and incorporated into his tournament trail. Let me offer some advice that you seem to be fond of offering others......do some research, it's easy to find!