my 2 cents...

[dday07]

does anyone else find it alittle hypocritical when lots of bass pros say to practice catch and release esp. during the spawn,yet during the tourneys they seem to have no prob. bringing in bedded females to the weigh ins?the female will obliviously never get back to the bed.why can't they sch. the tourneys after about middle may? just thought i'd throw that out

[kms399]

I would agree except that when you have big money on the line a fish completing its spawn is of low concern.

[cufishin]

I was thinking the same exact thing this morning while I was watching coverage of the Evan Williams tourney, one guy in particular was talking about how you need to get your jig right on top of the eggs to trigger a strike from the fish protecting the bed. 

$$$ will make people do things that they wouldn't normally do, or at least I hope they wouldn't.

[CJ]

I'm on the fence but I will say that the fisheries that the pros fish aren't effected by bedding fish being relocated during the spawn. While relocation of  mature bass isn't the best thing for them, a female will lay her eggs wherever she goes.

Another thought is that not as many bass as you might think need to spawn in order for a fishery to be stocked for that year. Too many kreel can be worse than not enough.

I believe that relocation is how tournament fishing may hurt bass more than anything....well other than improper care while in the livewell. 

[Grey Wolf]

Money talks , bull crap walks. It's sad but true.

[boneil]

bass tournaments have been going on for many years during the spawn and yet the bass still manage to thrive across the country.  I don't think a tournament has that much of an impact on a fishery.

[0119]

I want to go where you are....thriving?   Aint no bass or animal other than wild hogs and mis managed whitetails thriving anywhere in this country.  Golfers maybe thriving, jet skiers thriving, the fish and angling aint thriving.  Tournaments and pro's have most certainly a negative impact on fish. Just like average anglers do mishandling their catch oh but lets not start that argument again.

[boneil]

if bass weren't thriving, there wouldn't be people making a living off of bass fishing, and there wouldn't be so many tournaments in just about every state every other weekend.  And, I do believe that tournament anglers have done more good to the fishery by education and promoting catch and release.

Sure I wish I could go out fishing and be the only one on a lake but thats not gonna happen. You have to learn to deal with the jetskiers and other anglers.

[0119]

Ivory billed woodpeckers arent thriving but loggers are making millions. All because folks are making a living at the expense of natural resources doesnt mean any species is thriving.

[Bass_Akwards]

Tons of tests have been done on this.  Letting bass go away from the nest has zero negitive effect on a fishery.

[tcain38]

I dont think it has a neg effect on the bass and a lot of the fish weighed in are mostly males anyway there for the female will try to care of the nest. Sure some people will and can catch the females, most of the time they are done laying anyway. I think the pros put in alot of time and effort to catch fish, bed fish or not this is there job and they have to do what they have to do to make money. I love to bed fish. Other fish and animal have a more neg. effect on a bedin bass than fisherman ever thought about having. Thats my opinion everyone has one.

[NBR]

My memory is suspect but I recall reading that catch and later release in warm climes is not as detrimental. The young of the year have a better chance of surviving winter in the south as opposed to northern waters.

[FishingBuds]

does anyone else find it alittle hypocritical when lots of bass pros say to practice catch and release esp. during the spawn,yet during the tourneys they seem to have no prob. bringing in bedded females to the weigh ins?the female will obliviously never get back to the bed.why can't they sch. the tourneys after about middle may? just thought i'd throw that out

Once again posters going off topic :

I say yes dday07, its hypocritical, i would vote maybe to banned females during this time?

But lets make sure accused person is a pro catch and release person :-?

More and more I believe in the catch and release 100% especially when i see a lake suffer from not returning the catch :'(

[NorcalBassin]

Tons of tests have been done on this. Letting bass go away from the nest has zero negitive effect on a fishery.

+1 "Uncle Homer" from Bassmasters Magazine even mentioned that before. However, with that being said... I personally can't stand when pros, politicians, etc follow their own rules but tell you what you should do. "Do as I say, not as I do" just annoys the heck out of me.