By Steve Chaconas

An integral element of bass tournaments is conservation. Anglers bring 5 fish to weigh-in scales at the end of 8 hour days. It’s widely accepted by tournament anglers that keeping fish alive in livewells, through release, during hot summer months is challenging even though modern livewell systems provide aeration to keep fish alive. Replacing water several times a day keeps water fresh. Ice, additives, and replacing livewell water can get fish to scales, but by the time a fish in livewell captivity is released, survivability is challenged. Anglers watching their fish swim away assume they’ve done their jobs as conservationists.

Fish die during tournaments (initial mortality) before being weighed and released, albeit in small numbers. But after further review, fisheries managers have determined there’s delayed mortality, where some fish released after tournaments die. MD DNR Statewide Operations Manager biologist Dr. Joe Love says they generally see floating dead fish that succumbed to delayed mortality within 48 hours after a tournament.  For at least 2 decades tournaments across the country have seen and documented delayed mortality.

Public perspective concerns should concern anglers. The sight of dead fish, combined with the odor as they decompose in boat launch and dock areas, does nothing to support the sport of tournament fishing. Dr. Love says MD DNR and anglers should work together to avoid negative public perception of tournament fishing. As delayed mortality becomes more visible, the outcry to ban these events will only increase.

Early bass tournaments didn’t emphasize fish care. Tournament fish were released to the grease, none were to swim again. Eventually a gradual process of enhanced care, with catch and release in the name of conservation, evolved and has been improved upon with technology and changing angler attitudes. Fish survival is further encouraged with dead fish penalties.

From a fishery management perspective, Dr. Love says, “Delayed mortality adds to total mortality and as we remove more and more large fish from the fishery, then the fishery could be compromised.” Eventually anglers won’t be catching the lunkers they prefer and may catch fewer fish. Fish caught early in the season might be missing from that spawn or removed from nests, thus reducing overall fish population growth.

In addition, anglers catching their limits during the day release smaller fish as they catch larger replacements. While there’s no data on this procedure, fish caught and released during the day could succumb to delayed mortality. Delayed mortality data of fish released during the day is uncertain as death isn’t always immediate or obvious as injured or gut hooked fish might swim away.

MD DNR and The Black Bass Advisory Committee have put tournament mortality on the top of many discussions. Better fish care is researched and presented to tournament anglers and available to the public. The easiest way to prevent overall mortality is fishing with barbless hooks to cut down on lethal gut hooks. For widely accepted fish care practices, MD DNR partnered with BassCat Mercury pro Mike Iaconelli to demonstrate fish care in an online video. A series of MD DNR fish care videos are on the Department site. Keeping Bass Alive, the complete guidebook for tournament anglers and organizers, is here: https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/bass/ta.aspx

and the MD DNR Bass Class with conservation tips: https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/conserve-bass.aspx.

Tournament anglers can do their part on tournament day by ensuring batteries are charged. Keeping livewells fully operational, frequently exchanging water throughout the day, and high aeration is essential as oxygen rapidly depletes in closed containers, particularly during summer.

As reported by tournament directors, mortality at the scales is decreasing. However, this varies with water and air temperatures. Dr. Love adds the presence of largemouth bass virus can also have a higher impact on fish survival after release. As the impact of bass mortality on the Potomac River remains to be seen, the overall population remains robust, according to Dr. Love.  “I’ve seen some nice fish come across the scales; also, reports from our staff and those from Virginia suggest the fishery is doing really well.”

Getting the true measure of delayed mortality is difficult and requires monitoring fish following a tournament for up to 3 or 4 days to observe mortality. Containing fish from tournaments in net pens, tagging studies, and in the hatchery for long-term monitoring is difficult and comes with complications. It’s not routinely done.

There’s no dispute that delayed mortality is greater during summer with up to 40% of caught fish during a tournament experiencing delayed mortality, which is why the DNR and the BBAC stress the importance of implementing best management practices during summer (lowering creel limits, using catch-photo-& release, or catch-weigh & release). Shorter events and starting earlier in the day can also improve summer bass survival. Reducing the number of summer tournaments is likely the best plan to reduce delayed mortality.

Ultimately, it’s up to tournament anglers to maximize livewell efficiency no matter the season. Tournament directors need to have a smooth weigh in process to avoid further stressing the fish. As more anglers take to the waters, all anglers other than tournament competitors need to take better care of their fish as delayed mortality can occur from any type of fishing activity.

Author Capt. Steve Chaconas is Potomac bass fishing guide & freelance writer. Potomac River reports: nationalbass.com. YouTube video channel NationalBassGuide.

Potomac River Bassing in JULY

It’s time to frog fish! 50 pound test Gamma Torque Braid and cast to the thick grass! The strikes are explosive.

Other grass techniques include using swim jigs and bladed jigs in craw, black/blue, or white patterns. Tie to 30 pound test Gamma Torque braid.

For pitching docks and holes in the grass, use Mizmo tubes Texas rigged on 16 pound test Gamma Edge fluorocarbon.

Drop shot and shaky head on deeper drops. Use 15 pound Gamma Torque main line with 12 pound Edge leader. Green pumpkin colors are good.