Fish Weigh-in Bags

Is it just my poor memory, or are bass scarcer now than thirty years ago?
You might think with the emphasis on catch-and-release and more
sophisticated fisheries management practices that bass would be abundant,
but that's not the case. I'm convinced one reason for low catch rates has to
do with the numbers of bass caught and released in bass tournaments.

Fish caught and then immediately released have very high survival rates. Not
so, unfortunately, for those caught, confined, and then released after rough
handing in tournaments.

I just received an order of "Bas-N-Bag" weigh-in bags from Harper Custom
Products over in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. I saw them at a fishing show in
Claremore, OK, and was impressed by their design and construction. I can see
why these are being adopted by some organizations as the only weigh-in bags
allowed in their tournaments. They are really one part of a system designed
to keep fish healthy during the final stages of a tournament. They have a
mesh section at the top closed by Velcro strips that permits water exchange
in a lake or holding tank as an angler waits his turn, and the Velcro seal
is open at the end to allow insertion of an oxygen bubble-wand into the bag.
Some organizations provide oxygen tanks with multiple rods, and the
competitors waiting in line use them to keep their bass well-oxygenated and
lively. See them at http://www.basnbag.com/basnbag/basnbag.html.

I called Bob Harper, founder of Harpers Custom Products, to commend him on
his product and ask a few questions. That led to a discussion of caring for
bass during a weigh-in to decrease mortality rates. Here's what he told
me...

Even today, many club tournaments have not adopted measures needed to keep
fish healthy. Mortality rates are hard to measure and are usually higher
than we realize. Too many bass (around 50% in the warmer months) die and
sink to the bottom and are eaten by turtles before they have a chance to
float back to the surface in the classic "fish kill-off" scenario. Even
mortality studies, themselves, can contribute to the death rate, since to
monitor the bass they're released into large, mesh holding pens where
they're kept for several days of observation. It seems probable to me that
allowing bass to swim freely, where they can hide up or eat, will help them
recover from their ordeal.

I've seen the following happen in hundreds of club and event tournaments in
which I've competed.... see if this sounds familiar to you:

The angler puts an average of two gallons of water -- seldom more, since
they don't want to lug around the extra weight -- in a weigh in bag along
with their one, two... often five keeper-size bass. How long will those bass
remain confined in that water? The angler takes about a minute to get all
the bass in his bag, sets the bag down as he closes hatches, shoves his PFD
under the console, etc. and then steps up on the dock or shore for the walk
up the hill to the weigh-in station. (1-2 minutes have passed since the
first bass was put in the bag.)

There, he joins a line of anglers waiting their turn. Everyone gets a chance
to eyeball and comment on each others' catch, and after some time passes,
the angler presents his bag to the director for weighing. (Now we're up to
5-10 minutes).

The director removes bass individually, measuring the smaller ones, weighing
the largest, and then places all the bass in the basket for weighing. After
that, they're dumped back in the same weigh-in bag for a walk back down to
the lake for release. (They were out of water or in the bag for another 1-2
minutes. We're around 6-12 minutes now.)

The angler carries them back to the lake and either dumps them in and walks
off or, if conscientious, works with the fish a few moments to help them
regain equilibrium until they swim off.

Having been out of the water, handled by one or two people, and in
oxygen-depleted water for some time now, what are the chances of survival
for those fish? As you might imagine, not that good. Bob pointed out to me
that the oxygen in those two gallons of water is depleted within three
minutes.

If you're infested in working with your tournament organization to improve
the health and survival odds for released bass, Bob referred me to two
sources of information that you will find very useful:
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/FISHCARE.htm is by Gene Gilliland,
Oklahoma Fishery Research Laboratory. Gene received some money a ways back
that has funded his research, and most authorities in the country turn to
him for reliable data and advice. He is the resource for a tournament
planners' booklet put out by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency,
http://www.state.tn.us/twra/fish/Res.../livebass2.pdf. Secret
Weapon Lures sponsors a number of bass tournaments each year, and I'm going
to urge organizers and directors to adopts measures recommended by that
booklet.

I also spotted a little gadget on the deck of one of the boats in our last
club tournament. It was a prototype of an Electrolysis unit that you can
hook up to your boat's battery system, drop in your livewell, and split
water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules. In the water, you see what looks
like smoke rising from the electrodes -- tiny bubbles that add pure oxygen
to the tank. Have you heard of anything like that commercially available
now?

How many of your clubs or tournament organizations employ special measures
to keep bass healthy.... aerated waiting line tanks, salt-dip tanks, or
hospital tanks for stressed fish?

--
Joe Haubenreich
www.secretweaponlures.com
First real spinnerbait innovation in decades

"Joe Haubenreich" wrote in message
...
Is it just my poor memory, or are bass scarcer now than thirty years ago?

I think it depends on the fisheries. Personally I htink a good fishery
needs drastic upsetting change every few years to stimulate it. For
instance on a river and lakes system, it seems to me that the bass
population increases after a flood year where dams are opened up and water
comes over spillways. Those years when people who built to close to the
waterline get flooded out.

Also some fisheries just go through cycles.

As to your estimate on gross numbers of fish caught Ic an't say. I haven't
really fished for bass in pressured fisheries much over the years. In fact
in the last couple years I have caught more fish if anything, but only
because I have takent he time to learn how.

I agree that some fish are certainly killed by catch and release tournament.
This last weekend I fish two tournaments back to back, and I saw two decent
fish floating in the marina on the second day.

I also thinkt hat handling could be improved. I would your permission to
use most of your post as an incentive article for our next Yuma Bassmasters
news letter. I have a coupel things I want to add that are region / club
specific.

Yuma Bassmasters provides a livewell additive to all of its members for free
that is supposed to give the fish additional vitamins and improve its slime
coat. I have fished for a year and a half with Yuma Bassmasters and I have
yet to actually see another member actually adding the additive to their
livewell. I use it myself all the time. We also provide a tank next to the
weigh in to float your weigh bag. In the tank are multiple sprayers that
can be dropped into a weigh bag while waiting for weigh in. I still see as
many as ten or twelve anglers at a time standing in line waiting to weigh
fish and just holding their bags.

Snip
Yuma Bassmasters provides a livewell additive to all of its members for free
that is supposed to give the fish additional vitamins and improve its slime
coat.

Wouldn't by chance be "Rejuvenade" ?






"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
"Joe Haubenreich" wrote in message
...
Is it just my poor memory, or are bass scarcer now than thirty years
ago?

I think it depends on the fisheries. Personally I htink a good fishery
needs drastic upsetting change every few years to stimulate it. For
instance on a river and lakes system, it seems to me that the bass
population increases after a flood year where dams are opened up and water
comes over spillways. Those years when people who built to close to the
waterline get flooded out.

Also some fisheries just go through cycles.

As to your estimate on gross numbers of fish caught Ic an't say. I
haven't
really fished for bass in pressured fisheries much over the years. In
fact
in the last couple years I have caught more fish if anything, but only
because I have takent he time to learn how.

I agree that some fish are certainly killed by catch and release
tournament.
This last weekend I fish two tournaments back to back, and I saw two
decent
fish floating in the marina on the second day.

I also thinkt hat handling could be improved. I would your permission to
use most of your post as an incentive article for our next Yuma
Bassmasters
news letter. I have a coupel things I want to add that are region / club
specific.

Yuma Bassmasters provides a livewell additive to all of its members for
free
that is supposed to give the fish additional vitamins and improve its
slime
coat. I have fished for a year and a half with Yuma Bassmasters and I
have
yet to actually see another member actually adding the additive to their
livewell. I use it myself all the time. We also provide a tank next to
the
weigh in to float your weigh bag. In the tank are multiple sprayers that
can be dropped into a weigh bag while waiting for weigh in. I still see
as
many as ten or twelve anglers at a time standing in line waiting to weigh
fish and just holding their bags.

"Jerry Barton" wrote in message
...
Snip
Yuma Bassmasters provides a livewell additive to all of its members for
free
that is supposed to give the fish additional vitamins and improve its
slime
coat.

Wouldn't by chance be "Rejuvenade" ?


I'm not sure. We get in a huge bulk container, and I just go in with an old
vitamin container to restock my supply from time to time.


--
Public Fishing Forums
Fishing Link Index
www.YumaBassMan.com

webmaster
at
YumaBsssMan
dot
com








"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
"Joe Haubenreich" wrote in message
...
Is it just my poor memory, or are bass scarcer now than thirty years
ago?

I think it depends on the fisheries. Personally I htink a good fishery
needs drastic upsetting change every few years to stimulate it. For
instance on a river and lakes system, it seems to me that the bass
population increases after a flood year where dams are opened up and
water
comes over spillways. Those years when people who built to close to the
waterline get flooded out.

Also some fisheries just go through cycles.

As to your estimate on gross numbers of fish caught Ic an't say. I
haven't
really fished for bass in pressured fisheries much over the years. In
fact
in the last couple years I have caught more fish if anything, but only
because I have takent he time to learn how.

I agree that some fish are certainly killed by catch and release
tournament.
This last weekend I fish two tournaments back to back, and I saw two
decent
fish floating in the marina on the second day.

I also thinkt hat handling could be improved. I would your permission
to
use most of your post as an incentive article for our next Yuma
Bassmasters
news letter. I have a coupel things I want to add that are region /
club
specific.

Yuma Bassmasters provides a livewell additive to all of its members for
free
that is supposed to give the fish additional vitamins and improve its
slime
coat. I have fished for a year and a half with Yuma Bassmasters and I
have
yet to actually see another member actually adding the additive to their
livewell. I use it myself all the time. We also provide a tank next to
the
weigh in to float your weigh bag. In the tank are multiple sprayers
that
can be dropped into a weigh bag while waiting for weigh in. I still see
as
many as ten or twelve anglers at a time standing in line waiting to
weigh
fish and just holding their bags.

"Please Release Me"...


"Jerry Barton" wrote in message
...
Snip
Yuma Bassmasters provides a livewell additive to all of its members for
free
that is supposed to give the fish additional vitamins and improve its
slime
coat.

Wouldn't by chance be "Rejuvenade" ?

On Wed, 31 Mar 2004 06:57:54 -0600, "Joe Haubenreich"
wrote:

Is it just my poor memory, or are bass scarcer now than thirty years ago?
You might think with the emphasis on catch-and-release and more
sophisticated fisheries management practices that bass would be abundant,
but that's not the case. I'm convinced one reason for low catch rates has to
do with the numbers of bass caught and released in bass tournaments.

SNIP

Phenomenal info Joe! I will bring this all to the attention of my bass
club and see if we can incorporate any of these suggestions. I can
only see cost as a concern from our tightwad treasurer, but we are
talking about the preservation of our sport. Then again, we don't
catch too many fish...

Harry J aka Thundercat
Brooklyn Bill's Tackle Shop Fishing Team
http://www.geocities.com/brooklynbill2003/products.html
Share the knowledge, compete on execution.

Nah, that's a sedative. Rejuvenate does what Bob was saying about how it's
like a vitamin, or an upper for the fish. We've been using it for the last
year in the club and Roy will attest to the fact it makes a huge difference
on those hot summer days. At the weigh in for our tournaments, the fish are
kicking like you just caught them. I'm bringing some with me to the Classic.

"Charles Summers" wrote in message
...
"Please Release Me"...


"Jerry Barton" wrote in message
...
Snip
Yuma Bassmasters provides a livewell additive to all of its members for
free
that is supposed to give the fish additional vitamins and improve its
slime
coat.

Wouldn't by chance be "Rejuvenade" ?

Hmm... did know that it sadated them, but some of the fish that I've put in
there have really made some noise splashing around in there. Thought one of
them was going to jump out!

--
Charles B. Summers
Secret Weapon Lures
http://www.secretweaponlures.com


"Jerry Barton" wrote in message
...
Nah, that's a sedative. Rejuvenate does what Bob was saying about how it's
like a vitamin, or an upper for the fish. We've been using it for the last
year in the club and Roy will attest to the fact it makes a huge
difference
on those hot summer days. At the weigh in for our tournaments, the fish
are
kicking like you just caught them. I'm bringing some with me to the
Classic.

"Charles Summers" wrote in message
...
"Please Release Me"...


"Jerry Barton" wrote in message
...
Snip
Yuma Bassmasters provides a livewell additive to all of its members
for
free
that is supposed to give the fish additional vitamins and improve its
slime
coat.

Wouldn't by chance be "Rejuvenade" ?

Opps... that word after Hmm..., should have read "didn't".

--
Charles B. Summers
Secret Weapon Lures
http://www.secretweaponlures.com


"Charles B. Summers" wrote in message
...
Hmm... did know that it sadated them,

On Wed, 31 Mar 2004 06:57:54 -0600, "Joe Haubenreich"
wrote:

Is it just my poor memory, or are bass scarcer now than thirty years ago?
You might think with the emphasis on catch-and-release and more
sophisticated fisheries management practices that bass would be abundant,
but that's not the case. I'm convinced one reason for low catch rates has to
do with the numbers of bass caught and released in bass tournaments.
Fish caught and then immediately released have very high survival rates. Not
so, unfortunately, for those caught, confined, and then released after rough
handing in tournaments. (snip)
Even today, many club tournaments have not adopted measures needed to keep
fish healthy. Mortality rates are hard to measure and are usually higher
than we realize. Too many bass (around 50% in the warmer months) die and
sink to the bottom and are eaten by turtles before they have a chance to
float back to the surface in the classic "fish kill-off" scenario.

I think most fishermen that care for the sport go out of their
way trying to figure out why certain fisheries decline and how we can
do better to preserve the sport. Millions of dollars are spent on
studies...hundreds of people with animal biology degrees theorize on
potential problems. Many new products are brought to the market
saying that they are the savior to the problem.

Within reasonable limits, I'm all for speculation, studies, and
the new products. To this day, I still speculate as to why a certain
fisheries struggles and study why certain things happen with our fish
populations. However, I've come to the conclusion that there are
some things that happen in the water that we just don't understand and
perhaps never will.

Most definitely, I'm not impressed with the results of our modern
day "sophisticated fisheries management practices" and the zillions of
regulations that have been dreamed up by some well or not-so
well--meaning angler/biologist/politician/lake-owner. In fact, I'd
speculate that some fisheries might even be better off without
regulation.

Heh heh...last time I was down on Okeechobee (shiner fishing for
bass 1 day and crappie fishing the rest)...we caught a 12 lb. 4 oz.
bass (huge even for Okee standards) and I lifted him up and showed him
to a fellow angler who was practicing for an upcoming BASS tournament
and I got the response: "It's you people that are killing this lake!"
Now, I didn't take much offense to the statement bc I figured the poor
guy had been out all week and was struggling to find fish on this
massive lake and just had lost perspective. I mean...the lake is 30+
miles long by 30 some miles wide...and just a tad short of a 1/2
million acreas!

--
Dwayne E. Cooper, Atty at Law
Indianapolis, IN
Email:
Web Page: http://www.cooperlegalservices.com
Personal Fishing Web Page: http://www.hoosierwebsites.com/OnTheWater
Favorite Fishing Web Page:
http://www.hoosiertradingpost.com/FishingTackle
1st Annual ROFB Classic Winner