>It is interesting to read about
>people aware of bass mortality
>with tournament fishing. The
>best thing that can be
>done is to not hold
>tournaments during the summer.
>Several posts here explain far
>better than I ever could
>as to what a bass
>is up against being caught
>in the hot months and
>surviving being held for hours,
>weighed in, and finally released.
> Larger fish (which are
>the one we want to
>protect the most) are the
>first to die. Study
>after study shows that even
>when the bass swim off
>after the weigh-in in warm
>water conditions up to 70%
>will die within a few
>days.
>
>I caught a 4 lb smallmouth
>last week end at night
>out of 6 - 8
>feet of water, did my
>usual of unhooking her quickly
>and putting her in the
>live well so she could
>revive and calm down a
>bit while I finish fishing
>the spot. About 10 minutes
>later I quickly measured and
>weighed her and she was
>not out of the water
>more than a minute or
>two and she wanted to
>roll on me when released.
> After working with her
>for a couple of minutes
>beside the boat she finally
>swam off and I only
>hope I didn't kill her.
> No way would she
>have survived a tournament experience.
> Fish have a hard
>time surviving the rigors of
>being caught when the water
>is warm and their best
>shot at survival is immediate
>release. I pray that
>tournament anglers will one day
>get the message and only
>hold tournaments during more favorable
>times.
>
>kc

Well put and you are dead on, but good luck it is not going to happen.