Is bed fishing ethical?

[David Whitaker]

With the spawn coming upon most of the country and with it full swing and almost over in Flroida, this is a HUGE topic on a lot of angler's minds. It's always been a huge debate in bass fishing in ethical terms: bed fishing. Many are against it, thinking it hurts future bass population, but a recent study conducted by Florida Wildlife Commision (FWC) answered this dilemma. This past February at the Bassmaster Southern Open's captain meeting, FWC showed the results from an AMZING study. Every variable was perfectly covered. In summation, they studied spawning bass in multiple regulated ponds. They knew the exact amount, size, and length of every bass in them as well as being tagged. During the spawn they would troll and even snorkel/dive to find beds and investigate the spawning behavior of all the bass. In half of the ponds, they measured the amount of bass that spawned and the amount of offspring after one year. They did the same with the other half of the ponds but all of the beds were fished. They caught every bass that would bite. From what I remember, I believe they caught 1/4 of all the spawning females as well as a certain larger amount of males. All caught fish were immediately returned after data was taken. In the end, the ponds that were fished put out MORE offspring. They were even able to tell exactly what parents made each bass and what bed they came from due to the magic of genetics. This is only one controlled study and I'm sure there will be more to come. Also, it can be taken into consideration that these were Florida Strain Largemouth and the bass were released back to the same area as the bed they came off of as soon as statistics were taken of the fish. So there is reason to speculate other strains and species may have a different turnout as well as keeping a fish in the live well may cause a different result. What can be taken from his study however is that fishing for spawning fish may not be as bad for the species prolification as we may seem to believe. Something to take into consideration next time you're staring at a double-digit!

[Choporoz]

Thanks....good read.  I'd be interested in a link to the study.   I do have a very slight tic that (coincidentally?) developed when you suggest that 'every variable was perfectly covered', however...

 

[Ridi620]

17 minutes ago, David Whitaker said:

With the spawn coming upon most of the country and with it full swing and almost over in Flroida, this is a HUGE topic on a lot of angler's minds. It's always been a huge debate in bass fishing in ethical terms: bed fishing. Many are against it, thinking it hurts future bass population, but a recent study conducted by Florida Wildlife Commision (FWC) answered this dilemma. This past February at the Bassmaster Southern Open's captain meeting, FWC showed the results from an AMZING study. Every variable was perfectly covered. In summation, they studied spawning bass in multiple regulated ponds. They knew the exact amount, size, and length of every bass in them as well as being tagged. During the spawn they would troll and even snorkel/dive to find beds and investigate the spawning behavior of all the bass. In half of the ponds, they measured the amount of bass that spawned and the amount of offspring after one year. They did the same with the other half of the ponds but all of the beds were fished. They caught every bass that would bite. From what I remember, I believe they caught 1/4 of all the spawning females as well as a certain larger amount of males. All caught fish were immediately returned after data was taken. In the end, the ponds that were fished put out MORE offspring. They were even able to tell exactly what parents made each bass and what bed they came from due to the magic of genetics. This is only one controlled study and I'm sure there will be more to come. Also, it can be taken into consideration that these were Florida Strain Largemouth and the bass were released back to the same area as the bed they came off of as soon as statistics were taken of the fish. So there is reason to speculate other strains and species may have a different turnout as well as keeping a fish in the live well may cause a different result. What can be taken from his study however is that fishing for spawning fish may not be as bad for the species prolification as we may seem to believe. Something to take into consideration next time you're staring at a double-digit!

@bassinhole great read! You ever see a big bass on a bed?! HAHAHAH

[WRB]

The issue isn't survival rates of bass being caught and released immediately after being caught and handled carefully by skilled biologist. The bed fishing debate arises when trophy size female bass are caught and kept becoming someone's PB, handled poorly or killed.

It's a high percentage the trophy bass that didn't survive may not be caught any other seasonal period. We all know bass are renewable resource and the trophy size already renewed it's genes from prior spawns. So is it ethical to intentionally target a bedding bass? Only you can make that determination.

Tom

[David Whitaker]

41 minutes ago, WRB said:

The issue isn't survival rates of bass being caught and released immediately after being caught and handled carefully by skilled biologist. The bed fishing debate arises when trophy size female bass are caught and kept becoming someone's PB, handled poorly or killed.

It's a high percentage the trophy bass that didn't survive may not be caught any other seasonal period. We all know bass are renewable resource and the trophy size already renewed it's genes from prior spawns. So is it ethical to catch a bedding bass? Only you can make that determination.

Tom

Exactly. However I have heard many state that in that small amount of time that the bass is off the bed, even if it is handled and released healthy, that invaders can take advantage of the opportunity, lessening the amount of genes in the gene pool for large size. This study focused on this. The only way to prevent mishandling would be education and word of mouth. For now, at least this study backs up the ethical factors that play into fishing for spawning bass with proper handling. Furthermore, the study also focuses on the survival rates of the offspring, not necessarily the survival rate of the spawning fish themselves although I'm sure that data was taken into consideration.  

1 hour ago, Choporoz said:

Thanks....good read.  I'd be interested in a link to the study.   I do have a very slight tic that (coincidentally?) developed when you suggest that 'every variable was perfectly covered', however...

 

http://myfwc.com/research/freshwater/sport-fishes/largemouth-bass/bed-fishing-research/

This link explains the study in a little better detail and with some data. I wish it included all of the information and data presented to us but it is a great summarization of the study and the conclusions brought from it. 

[F14A-B]

I doubt that only a biologist is capable of a proper release.. there are and have been some great fisherman that have done so.

I see no harm in it..

[Smokinal]

I'll start by admitting that I don't know much about the topic, therefore I will not judge. But, one concern I have thought about is the female losing eggs during the fight, on the way to the boat. I have had, and I'm sure you have too, fish just spewing eggs all over my boat as I get the hook out. Do you think that she didn't lose thousands of eggs while struggling on the end of the line on her way in? These eggs are not in a nest and will not be fertilized. Correct me if I'm wrong please.

[Scott F]

The study obviously did not look at tournaments where the fish are pulled off the beds, taken to the weigh in and released miles from where they were caught. What do think the success rate would be if tournament fishing took place at the study site?

[Raul]

It´s fortunate that most of the offspring doesn´t survive, otherwise you would be catching dinks, dinks & more dinks all day all year long.

[David Whitaker]

50 minutes ago, Scott F said:

The study obviously did not look at tournaments where the fish are pulled off the beds, taken to the weigh in and released miles from where they were caught. What do think the success rate would be if tournament fishing took place at the study site?

The success rate would more than likely be a lot less, but it all depends on if the male was not caught. Most tournament angler's only try for the female. If the male is caught many times they put him in the live well until the female is caught them return the male because usually they won't be much help to their bag weight. In this case the success rate would not be significantly affected because the male will continue to guard after release in most cases. If the bed is left empty however, the success rate of those offspring will be near zero.

1 hour ago, Smokinal said:

I'll start by admitting that I don't know much about the topic, therefore I will not judge. But, one concern I have thought about is the female losing eggs during the fight, on the way to the boat. I have had, and I'm sure you have too, fish just spewing eggs all over my boat as I get the hook out. Do you think that she didn't lose thousands of eggs while struggling on the end of the line on her way in? These eggs are not in a nest and will not be fertilized. Correct me if I'm wrong please.

You're most definitely right. It would all depend on if she laid any eggs prior to the catch, because keep in mind they can lay up to 10,000 eggs in one bed and can spawn up to three times each spawn, especially here in Florida where they can spawn for up to six months. The success of that particular bed may be much lower, but there is a good possibility of that female producing more offspring that spawn. I have had the same thing happen and it may effect success rates to an extent but often times it won't effect total offspring that spawn season. And keep in mind this is all from a Florida standpoint, this could be slightly or completely different at different parts of the country.

[Catt]

33 minutes ago, Scott F said:

The study obviously did not look at tournaments where the fish are pulled off the beds, taken to the weigh in and released miles from where they were caught. What do think the success rate would be if tournament fishing took place at the study site?

Conventional knowledge indicates that a male bass builds the nest, fans it out, and guards it (zealously). Generally, a good male that is aggressive and active will attract more than one female to his best and spawn with each of them. Along with that, an active   female will spawn a number of times and, in most cases, in a number of different males' nest. I think that is sort of a hedge (on the part of the female) against an infertile male spoiling the hatch of a good fertile  female. That ensures a higher success rate for that spawn.

It is this sporadic purging of eggs and the ability to spawn with different males n several nest that keeps the annual spring bedding season from being several impacted by large tournaments. Texas Parks & Wildlife biologist Clarence Bowling says studies have shown that a female (when handled properly) will simply locate a bed and an available male in the area where she is released and complete spawning.

GET A LOCK ON THE SPAWN by Tim Tucker

As far as killing the female for a mount it would not matter if it was during spawn or summer you have removed those genes from the gene pool. Down here Taxidermist will not accept bass for skin mounts!

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

Some people feel its unethical to sport fish period.

Should only fish to feed ones self.

No need to fish at all, be vegan.

Cant please every person so please yourself. Ill buy my license and fish legally and fish where /when for whatever in a legal means.

[blckshirt98]

I don't think it's unethical, but I do think it's kind of cheese.  It's like hunting for birds by camping out next to bird houses after they've laid eggs.  I'd be okay with not allowing fishing for a month during spawning if it means the fishing the other 11 months are greatly improved.

[gobig]

You know what would have a bigger impact? Stop sending all the water down stream for political reasons and stop spraying all the weeds so some yuppie on a bike path doesn't have to see them.

[J._Bricker]

I don't think bed fishing is unethical, and I appreciated David Whitaker's information post.  It's my understanding bass spawn dont spawn all at once, but at different times when the correct conditions their internal clocks say are present.   This may take place of the coarse of several months depending upon the location.  I think a bigger impact on the survival of the spawn is the lack of cover from which the fry can hide from preditation.  In an area (Frank's Tract) that hosts weekly tournaments, I noticed after last year's spawn a lot of fry clouds of various size fish.  This was due to the state's successful efforts kill aquatic vegetation and deny "predatory" bass a place to hide.

Anyone who has spent an hour or more trying to entice a bedding fish to bite knows it isn't as easy as some make it seem.  Of course, 10 yards down the bank another bass may bite on the first attempt....

[Dye99]

I feel that bed fishing is unethical. I also decided that its not very sporting to use a kayak where you can float right up on them.

Then I went ahead and decided that while swim fishing only for non bedding fish, that hooks are also don't give the fish a fair chance.

I haven't caught anything in a while...

[N Florida Mike]

59 minutes ago, gobig said:

You know what would have a bigger impact? Stop sending all the water down stream for political reasons and stop spraying all the weeds so some yuppie on a bike path doesn't have to see them.

Thank you!!

[Florida Cracker2]

I don't worry too much about bed fishing because I catch and release. The bass I release are a little smarter than it was before I released it. I've fished virgin ponds and seen first hand how they learn what not to bite. But I also castnet mullet during row season and love eating row so I cain't complain about being unethical. Just use some common sense. Leave some to reproduce.

[flyfisher]

How large is this pond?  I have a big problem with a "scientific" study that uses words like all, exact and every.

Good read but i am not buying it.....

[buzzed bait]

anyone know why they held them for 1 hour?

"Nests were fished and caught bass were safely stored away for 60 minutes before being returned."

[J._Bricker]

 

13 minutes ago, buzzed bait said:

anyone know why they held them for 1 hour?

"Nests were fished and caught bass were safely stored away for 60 minutes before being returned."

My guess would be the 1 hour was a sample size to determine if any preditation occurred to the nest/bed with the parent bass removed...

[YourBassIsGrass]

5 hours ago, flyfisher said:

How large is this pond?  I have a big problem with a "scientific" study that uses words like all, exact and every.

Good read but i am not buying it.....

[ww2farmer]

I am neither for, nor opposed to bed fishing. I will bed fish intentionally for smallmouth for a few days, then it gets boring because it's stupid easy at times. As for largemouth...........I rarely intentionally bed fish for them, but I have no doubt that I catch a lot off beds. Why don't I bed fish for largemouth on purpose? Because they are jerks...................you can practically park the boat on top of a smallmouth and catch them on a bare hook, come back in three hours and catch them again..............with largemouth you have to paint your face camo, sneak up on them, mark the bed with a stick, comeback in two hours, get the male agitated, say three Hail Mary's, have your hat tilted to a 45 degree angle to the axis of the sun, and try 653 different baits before one even looks at it.................I ain't got time for that.

[Jaderose]

23 hours ago, David Whitaker said:

Every variable was perfectly covered. They knew the exact amount, size, and length of every bass in them as well as being tagged.  They were even able to tell exactly what parents made each bass and what bed they came from due to the magic of genetics. This is only one controlled study and I'm sure there will be more to come. 

I don't intentionally target beds but that is my personal choice.  I've quoted the sentences I've got a problem with in the OP.  Do I think that targeting beds will decimate the bass population in a given body of water?  Nope.  Do I have a personal problem with doing so?  Yes.  this is a sport.  Sports are supposed to be challenging.  My .02 only.  Does not apply to anyone else.  I respect any angler's right to do as he pleases as long as it is legal.

[N Florida Mike]

Some of you sound like you think there's no sport in fishing beds.Sometimes they won't bite no matter what.Sometimes they will.Kind of like when you're not bed fishing.There's nothing wrong with catching and releasing the fish.The problem I have with it now is catching and keeping a bedding fish.And back in the day, most everyone kept them to eat, and catch and release was thought to be strange and even wasteful of time.Its all about perception and popular opinion. If our country keeps going the way it's going,we may be eating them again  to stay alive!