Elites dead fish

[12poundbass]

I've been reading a lot about a lot of dead fish at the Elite Series event due to them not fizzing their fish. I read Justin Lucas had 6 of 15 fish dead, and several others aren't fuzzing their fish! The penalty is only 4oz per fish (I believe). These guys are professional bass anglers and they don't know how to fizz a fish?

 

To be honest I don't I've seen it don't but I'm not a professional angler and I haven't fished deep enough to need to. The videos I've watched it appears very easy and doesn't take long at all. 

 

This is very disappointing in my eyes. I'd like to know how many fish have died this week because these professional anglers didn't take the time to fizz their fish. B.A.S.S is always quick to show how the fish are cared for and the very very low mortality rate for their tournaments, I'd like them to show it for this one. I hope someone take notice of this issue and increases the dead fish penalty because it doesn't sound like it matters to them at this point. 

[A-Jay]

Been watching this derby from the start - 

Plenty of big brown bass being brought to the scales.

A percentage died.

Exactly how many has not been broadcast but it was enough that there was some discussion about it.

This topic seems to me to be similar to the C & R deal.

Strong feeling on it both ways.  

While no 'laws or regulations' are being violated, dead bass may be bad optics for B.A.S.S. overall.

They want fans to know & believe that they are doing everything they can from catch to weigh-in to release to ensure the bass survive.

However, despite excellent live wells (that include max oxygen & even bags of ice) fin-clips and even fizzing, when it comes to deep and or hot weather caught bass (both brown & green) mortality goes up.  

Not saying that's right or wrong but any basshead who catches, kills a few every season; whether they know it or not.

They may swim off but don't all survive.  Part of the deal.  Difference is the few I kill aren't broadcast live on the interwebz. (and they surely are not included in a video).

Since I do not fish competitively, the deep bass I catch are immediately released.  Best I can do there.

Here's a video BASS put up on Fizzing bass.  

I do not do this as I do not 'need' to.

A-Jay

https://video.bassmaster.com/detail/videos/top-videos/video/5713863086001/what-you-need-to-know-about-fizzing-smallmouth?autoStart=true

 

 

[12poundbass]

I haven't watched a second of Live this week. I'm glad to hear the subject has come up. B.A.S.S was the Pioneer for catch and release and conservation so I hope this issue will be addressed in the off season. 

[scaleface]

Off topic but  ... I like to keep bass , mostly under the slot limit and some over . I put them on a clip stringer and drag them all over the lake for hours , even in   hot weather .Its electric motor only so the bass stay in the water and continually have fresh water flowing through their gills . Some of these bass may come from twenty feet deep , not the 40 foot  and deeper  they are catching them in this tourney . Any way , I never have dead fish  . If a bass is bleeding badly I release it .At the end of the day they are still lively .  I have had a lot of bass die in   live-well's however .

[RichF]

I've fished enough tournaments on the St. Lawrence to know this is a horrible time to fish up there for this very reason.  Sure the weights are crazy, but to me, it's not worth killing that many 4 to 6 pound smallies.  Unfortunately, I think the Elites will be back there through 2021.  

 

To be clear, I don't think the population is being hurt, I just don't like seeing so many dead bass.

[A-Jay]

10 minutes ago, RichF said:

I've fished enough tournaments on the St. Lawrence to know this is a horrible time to fish up there for this very reason.  Sure the weights are crazy, but to me, it's not worth killing that many 4 to 6 pound smallies.  Unfortunately, I think the Elites will be back there through 2021.  

 

To be clear, I don't think the population is being hurt, I just don't like seeing so many dead bass.

Agreed ~ 

While these men are "fishing in a tournament" - I don't see it any different than if they were just there fishing like everyone else.   Same things happen, it's just not televised. 

A-Jay

[Catt]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Agreed ~ 

While these men are "fishing in a tournament" - I don't see it any different than if they were just there fishing like everyone else.   Same things happen, it's just not televised. 

A-Jay

 

Exactly ?

[TnRiver46]

On 8/26/2018 at 11:06 AM, scaleface said:

Off topic but  ... I like to keep bass , mostly under the slot limit and some over . I put them on a clip stringer and drag them all over the lake for hours , even in   hot weather .Its electric motor only so the bass stay in the water and continually have fresh water flowing through their gills . Some of these bass may come from twenty feet deep , not the 40 foot  and deeper  they are catching them in this tourney . Any way , I never have dead fish  . If a bass is bleeding badly I release it .At the end of the day they are still lively .  I have had a lot of bass die in   live-well's however .

I have always had much better luck keeping fish alive on a stronger than in a livewell. I wish my livewell dispensed ice instead of water

[Dirtyeggroll]

On 8/26/2018 at 12:23 PM, A-Jay said:

Agreed ~ 

While these men are "fishing in a tournament" - I don't see it any different than if they were just there fishing like everyone else.   Same things happen, it's just not televised. 

A-Jay

These guys aren't everyone else. I would guess they catch a lot more and a lot bigger fish, and all at once (the whole field out at once for 7 days), thus affecting a larger population of a different category of fish... Somewhat like a miniature pandemic virus that is most deadly in the brightest and strongest.

 

Now whether or not it has any real impact on the population, I don't know... It may even be good for the population to thin it out just a bit. The numbers and quality on the St. Lawrence certainly don't seem to be decreasing.

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

These guys aren't everyone else. I would guess they catch a lot more and a lot bigger fish, and all at once (the whole field out at once for 7 days), thus affecting a larger population of a different category of fish... Somewhat like a miniature pandemic virus that is most deadly in the brightest and strongest.

 

Now whether or not it has any real impact on the population, I don't know... It may even be good for the population to thin it out just a bit. The numbers and quality on the St. Lawrence certainly don't seem to be decreasing.

Can't say whether or not it's good or bad.  No evidence either way.

Additionally, on that size body of water, and considering where all that water comes from, I do not agree with your guess.   IMO you are not giving the general public (and all the guides) that fish it,  enough credit.

Everybody catches bass - some bigger than others, but there's plenty of catching.

And not all of them go back like in the derbies.

A-Jay

 

[slonezp]

Unfortunately, many of us on the forums are closed minded and believe the bass is some kind of sacred animal. I got news for you. It's not. People harvest fish every day, including bass. Seems to me a 10%-20% mortality rate in a tournament is better than a 100% mortality rate to the frying pan. I harvest bass for the deep fryer. I do not harvest them on waters I fish for money...but other people do. It is what it is. If the pro's aren't breaking any laws or tournament regulations I guess you just have to deal with it.

 

As far as fizzing fish. Every fish I have caught deeper than 15ft fares much better in the livewell if it is fizzed. I'm not just talking bass. It applies for all fish.