Dan Pozzobon Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Hi! Nice forum! I am a member of Niagara Bassmasters a bass fishing club based out of the Niagara Region. I understand that the Port Colborne 444 and 222 tournament is starting this upcoming weekend. Our club had discussed the issue of our members participating in the tournament. We had decided that we would not endorse this tournament because it goes against our conservation mandate in tournaments. To release all bass alive, to be caught again another day. From what we understand, there is no requirement for the boats involved in this tournament to have a working livewell, therefore there is no requirement to keep bass alive. Perhaps next year, we can work with the organizers to ensure a live release aspect to the tournament. Thanks Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Nagy Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 I am also a member of the Niagara Bassmasters. As anglers, we have to be concerned about the conservation of our fisheries. This Tournament obviously does not support that. There is a potential of at least a couple of hundred of bass being killed during this event. All T's that we hold and participate in require operating livewells and we do our best at saving every bass that is caught during our events so that they can be caught another day for someone else to enjoy. Please conserve our precious fishery and do not support this event until they make it mandatory for operating livewells. Hi!Nice forum! I am a member of Niagara Bassmasters a bass fishing club based out of the Niagara Region. I understand that the Port Colborne 444 and 222 tournament is starting this upcoming weekend. Our club had discussed the issue of our members participating in the tournament. We had decided that we would not endorse this tournament because it goes against our conservation mandate in tournaments. To release all bass alive, to be caught again another day. From what we understand, there is no requirement for the boats involved in this tournament to have a working livewell, therefore there is no requirement to keep bass alive. Perhaps next year, we can work with the organizers to ensure a live release aspect to the tournament. Thanks Dan 21[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigfish1965 Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Respectfully I disagree with your clubs stance. The idea that somehow a 6 bass release limit on Lake Erie will produce less mortality than a 2 bass kill tourney goes against modern science. It is widely known that mortality of bass from a tourney such as this exceeds 50%. Consider that most bass will be taken along Dunkirk and transported back across what is usually 3 foot waves at best and you will return with fish whose lactic acid build-up will be well past fatal levels. Sure they swim away when you release them, but generally within 24 hours they are dead. Now consider that this is amplified in a summer tourney when the warmer water increases the fish's metabollism and you have even greater deaths. I actually think this tourney is a noble idea and is well within sound conservation practises. The fish will be eaten as they are from the walleye tournies. No one seems to have much of a problem with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Nagy Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 I'm not here to have one of those back and forth"you're wrong-no you're wrong"threads. We are just expressing our views that we think it is not conservation to have a T with no live release. My thoughts are that any fish released live is better than none released. Good luck with the event and maybe we will see you out there in the future if it turns out to be a live release tournament. Rich Nagy Vice President Niagara Bassmasters Respectfully I disagree with your clubs stance. The idea that somehow a 6 bass release limit on Lake Erie will produce less mortality than a 2 bass kill tourney goes against modern science.It is widely known that mortality of bass from a tourney such as this exceeds 50%. Consider that most bass will be taken along Dunkirk and transported back across what is usually 3 foot waves at best and you will return with fish whose lactic acid build-up will be well past fatal levels. Sure they swim away when you release them, but generally within 24 hours they are dead. Now consider that this is amplified in a summer tourney when the warmer water increases the fish's metabollism and you have even greater deaths. I actually think this tourney is a noble idea and is well within sound conservation practises. The fish will be eaten as they are from the walleye tournies. No one seems to have much of a problem with that. 43[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigfish1965 Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 I'm not a bass fisherman and I'm not affiliated with the group putting on the event. I do,however, know a bit about fish mortality having studied it extensively in college. Several US states are now going to 'Kill Only' tournies during the hottest months of the year in an effort to stave off the inevitable flaoting masses (especially walleye) that occured in the past in the days following a toruney. I'm simply offering an opportunity for people to try and look a bit deeper and see that sometimes things are not as cut and dried as they seem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Pozzobon Posted August 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 Good posts about fish mortality. I agree, in the summer months fish are more susceptable than any other time of year. I know the walleye that are caught are not wasted but not too many people I know like to eat bass. I would hate to see hundreds of dead bass just tossed into a dumpster or buried in the back yard. It just doesn't make sense to me that a conservation club (from what I understand is running the event) does not incorporate a live release event for all fish caught. I am hoping that we can work with the organizers to weigh all the options for next years event. Lake Erie is a world class fishery and I want to keep that way for my sons to enjoy. Thanks Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigfish1965 Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 I agree absolutely..if they toss the fish, it would not only be a waste but also be highly illegal. I know guys who love to eat bass (I'm not one of them) and it is a shame to see big fish killed, but I'd rather them on a plate then floating in the lake. It is a hard spot to be in, for sure. Good posts about fish mortality.I agree, in the summer months fish are more susceptable than any other time of year. I know the walleye that are caught are not wasted but not too many people I know like to eat bass. I would hate to see hundreds of dead bass just tossed into a dumpster or buried in the back yard. It just doesn't make sense to me that a conservation club (from what I understand is running the event) does not incorporate a live release event for all fish caught. I am hoping that we can work with the organizers to weigh all the options for next years event. Lake Erie is a world class fishery and I want to keep that way for my sons to enjoy. Thanks Dan 62[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.