Bass mortality concerns

[vetsvet]

Put this up back in the spring, will post again. I have always used aquarium salt. It adds essential electrolytes and improves gill function. These electrolytes are essential for the uptake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide. It also is suppose to releive stress. About 1 rounded tablespoon per 5 gals. OK for all fresh water fish.

[DJD]

I like the ending of the article where he states the financial side of tournaments. Local business benefit from these guys and gals doing what that do.

I don't take the article as a gloom and doom on tourny anglers (some will)because of a percentage of dead fish but more as another informative article on how to handle our sports resources.

What I find interesting is you could have read the ideas and points in this article 20 years ago. That tells me two things...Firstly, some ideas take a long time to sink in. Secondly, the bass are doing just fine even with tournaments for the last 20 years.

[roadrunner]

Good post Tim T really good information. Most tournament fishermen think it a shame to keep a bass for dinner they should and I 'm sure they do feel terrible if several bass dies from a tournament. They would probably welcome two weigh in per tournaments or maybe a shortened tournament if it saves fish.

[Dean Scott]

While this won't work for every group of fishermen (sadly) - what we did with a small church group tournament was to have everyone weigh their own fish on a digital scale and then release immediately - we also made this a one fish tournament - (where only one was weighed in)... Of course this calls for honesty - and I've seen some church people cheat too... but at least it's better on the bass.... just my two cents...