DEAD bass was up after Tourney on KY Lake.

[MagikSmallie]

As usual these tournament threads end up in the us vs them mentality but truth is we are all anglers wanting the same - good fishing albeit for different reasons. So instead of the ongoing whoa is me and you are wrong - no matter which side you see clearest -- what can we learn from this event to help us better preserve the catch from tournaments? In this situation I believe it comes down to handling in the heat. I read somewhere that it took 4 hours to weigh in all the fish brought in. I don't know the details of how big money tournaments are organized in terms of weigh-in logistics but I sense this was a major issue. Does anybody know how this weigh in was run? What can be done differently to make the weigh in process less impactful on the fish in this heat? How can we get a message across to the tournament organizers of next year's event that better handling procedures will make a difference (and the negative effect this has on their event and product)? Let's take this lemon and make some lemonade for a change instead of simply defending a position...


kc

The weigh-ins were done in groups, and the lines were short. Their check in times were staggered and they used two release boats.

[kyriverblues]

As usual these tournament threads end up in the us vs them mentality but truth is we are all anglers wanting the same - good fishing albeit for different reasons. So instead of the ongoing whoa is me and you are wrong - no matter which side you see clearest -- what can we learn from this event to help us better preserve the catch from tournaments? In this situation I believe it comes down to handling in the heat. I read somewhere that it took 4 hours to weigh in all the fish brought in. I don't know the details of how big money tournaments are organized in terms of weigh-in logistics but I sense this was a major issue. Does anybody know how this weigh in was run? What can be done differently to make the weigh in process less impactful on the fish in this heat? How can we get a message across to the tournament organizers of next year's event that better handling procedures will make a difference (and the negative effect this has on their event and product)? Let's take this lemon and make some lemonade for a change instead of simply defending a position...


kc

I agree 100%. Just an idea but Is there maybe a way where some tourney officials could be placed in different areas of the lake being fished and when a guy has a fish to be weighed he or she could use a VHF radio to call the nearest official to come and weigh the fish and it can be released quick. This way a fish would only be in live well minuets instead of hours and not be hauled all over the lake.

[kc]

I agree 100%. Just an idea but Is there maybe a way where some tourney officials could be placed in different areas of the lake being fished and when a guy has a fish to be weighed he or she could use a VHF radio to call the nearest official to come and weigh the fish and it can be released quick. This way a fish would only be in live well minuets instead of hours and not be hauled all over the lake.

I think the bottom line is we are past the age of the catch, hold in a live well all day, weigh in, parade around on stage, then release model of tournament fishing. Muskie tournaments have adopted what you describe and its a good thing because muskies would never survive what many tournament caught bass go through and their numbers are lower to begin with. I personally like the MLF-style of tournaments but that would not fly for a large tournament like the TOT. Imagine coming up with 400 boat officials for such a large tournament. Minimally if tournaments are going to continue with a central weigh-in then they must evolve to better care for the fish. There is a level of care exercised but the results from this tournament demonstrate there is much room to improve.

But I think the way forward is to find a tournament format that supports catch, measure, photograph, and release. One reason I like the MLF format it changes the game in terms of how you score. The 5 fish limit in tournaments is directly related to possession limits and the understanding that keeping too many and hauling them around is detrimental. So that lends to a strategy of culling and having to target larger fish but in MLF you can score significantly with numbers which changes strategy. Surely with technology we can come up with a tournament format of capturing each catch digitally to verify inches or weight and use that information as the basis for the results. GoPro style cameras could even catch some of the live action. Instead of keeping fish all day and parading them around on stage images or videos could be shared from each contestant as the top individuals / teams are presented. This could actually be a interesting business opportunity for those with the fortitude to develop this model and make it successful...

kc

[know1]

One related issue that I find interesting is that there are anglers who aren't fishing in a tournament who will still put the bass in the livewell and run it around all day, take some pictures back at the ramp (or at least later in the day) and then attempt to release. I don't understand the point of it.

[jcb]

One related issue that I find interesting is that there are anglers who aren't fishing in a tournament who will still put the bass in the livewell and run it around all day, take some pictures back at the ramp (or at least later in the day) and then attempt to release. I don't understand the point of it.

This is the one that kills me as well.

Is there any reason to do this?

[GeoFisher]

One related issue that I find interesting is that there are anglers who aren't fishing in a tournament who will still put the bass in the livewell and run it around all day, take some pictures back at the ramp (or at least later in the day) and then attempt to release. I don't understand the point of it.

If it goes in my livewell........I'm EATING it..........

I rarely run around a lake with fish, just to show them off.......

Later,

Geo

[Shellkat]

No livewell in my boat, straight on the ice in a chest then a hot oil bath. I never did like hauling my supper aroung dead in bath water for hours before I ate them. Big fish go back the little ones taste better.

[sweetwater]

No livewell in my boat, straight on the ice in a chest then a hot oil bath. I never did like hauling my supper aroung dead in bath water for hours before I ate them. Big fish go back the little ones taste better.

When you immediately put fish on ice like that they will be fresher, easier to clean and definitely tastier. I don't think bass are very good to eat and I never put one in the live well for any reason. I usually hold em up for a second to get a good look at them then I'll thank them for a good fight and gently ease them back into the water. Unless they are foul hooked they are not out of their natural habitat for any more than 30 seconds.

[GeoFisher]

When you immediately put fish on ice like that they will be fresher, easier to clean and definitely tastier. I don't think bass are very good to eat and I never put one in the live well for any reason. I usually hold em up for a second to get a good look at them then I'll thank them for a good fight and gently ease them back into the water. Unless they are foul hooked they are not out of their natural habitat for any more than 30 seconds.

If I know I'm planning on harvesting fish, I usually put 2 20lb bags of ice in my livewell. It turns into an ice water bath in about 30 minutes. That Ice water is the absolute best way to keep fish. Throwing them in the crazy cold water kills them pretty fast, and keeps them fresh for when I put them to the knife.

[sweetwater]

If I know I'm planning on harvesting fish, I usually put 2 20lb bags of ice in my livewell. It turns into an ice water bath in about 30 minutes. That Ice water is the absolute best way to keep fish. Throwing them in the crazy cold water kills them pretty fast, and keeps them fresh for when I put them to the knife.

We do the same. We use one or both live wells as fish boxes with ice in them for bluegill and crappie. Our boat has a built in cooler and we used that as a fish box one time without thinking. It turns out the cooler drains it's water into the bilge and the boat reeked of fish smell for several weeks afterwards. All ya gotta do with the live wells is pump the melted ice water out and rinse.

[365allout]

Taking release out of catch and release would be a loss to the fisheries without question. The very small percentage that was lost at that event was offset by the the much higher percentage of fish that were released, returned to enhance the population in opposition to another option, catch , weigh and eat. Keep in mind if a tournament wanted to they could allow double the limit now brought to the scales by allowing the legal limit per angler to be brought in, weigh and fillet. So there is no question the catch and release in a benefit as compared to some other options. Is care needed to be taken in the process, of course but that's old news, debated and decided decades ago. If one wanted to try and reach perfection one could make it law that any fish hooked but not landed, came free, broke line, no matter the reason, that fish could count toward your daily limit and it would without question enhance the fisheries. Now apply it to all species, crappie, cats, whites, hybrids, sounds crazy don't it?

[sweetwater]

Taking release out of catch and release would be a loss to the fisheries without question. The very small percentage that was lost at that event was offset by the the much higher percentage of fish that were released, returned to enhance the population in opposition to another option, catch , weigh and eat. Keep in mind if a tournament wanted to they could allow double the limit now brought to the scales by allowing the legal limit per angler to be brought in, weigh and fillet. So there is no question the catch and release in a benefit as compared to some other options. Is care needed to be taken in the process, of course but that's old news, debated and decided decades ago. If one wanted to try and reach perfection one could make it law that any fish hooked but not landed, came free, broke line, no matter the reason, that fish could count toward your daily limit and it would without question enhance the fisheries. Now apply it to all species, crappie, cats, whites, hybrids, sounds crazy don't it?

Yes it does.