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Hello Lane! So glad to see you here! :clap:

If you need any help, just give me a shout.

Thank you and please make yourself at home :thumbup01:
 
Thanks for the welcome. I will share the mortality results for the BassChamps Falcon
event. There were 2,696.86lbs/585 fish with a tournament average weight of 4.61lbs. weighed in between 2:45p.m. and 4:30p.m. The surface water temperatures were, 76F (morning) and 78F (afternoon). Skies were overcast and windy.

This was a HIGHLY organized tournament and anglers received both printed and verbal instructions from us and BassChamps. Anglers were instructed to release
their fish out in the main body of the lake if they were not in the points race or
did not have enough weight to draw a check. One of our employees announced
the weight cut via loudspeaker. He was also available to fizz fish in livewells if
needed. Only two anglers needed their fish fizzed before release. Anglers were
instructed to use TWO BAGS for their catch and to fill bags with water from treated
livewells. They were assisted every step of the way once they came in.

Seven fish were weighed in dead and penalites were assessed. A total of 14 fish
were pulled and placed into a cooler before release including the 7 dead ones.
NONE OF THE BIG BASS OVER 8LBS EXPIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anglers for the most part
did an EXCELLENT JOB with livewell care. The team of John Mills and Scott Burris
weighed in the second heaviest sack including two fish over 9lbs, and I was
AMAZED at the condition of these fish when they were brought to the staging tanks.

We had a LARGE crowd at the release. There was press, locals, Zapata officials,etc.
The BassChamps staff went into the water to recover weak bass, we deamed these
bass two weak to survive and they were donated. A total of 31 bass were donated
after release. We monitored the release site for three days after the release and we
only found two dead bass on Sunday morning. The north shore in Mexico was also
monitored, we had assistance from TPW gamewardens and local tackle store owners.
The final count as of yesterday morning was 33 bass, just over 5%. Based upon our
years of experience, condition of the fish released, years of delayed mortality studies
including some that we were involved with, we estimate TOTAL mortality to be
approximately 8%. Folks, when you look at the numbers that is pretty darned good.
This could NOT HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED WITHOUT THE COOPERATION of the anglers
who fished this event. The local grocery stores, gas stations and convience stores
reported selling massive amounts of ice to the anglers. We sold sooo much 3% hydrogen peroxide we are considering going into the peroxide business! It might be
more profitable. At anyrate, it was definately a group effort and proves that a LARGE
scale tournament CAN be conducted with minimal impact to the fishery. It takes effort and work on everyone's part, but it is possible. The bar has NOW BEEN SET!
It was set back in the 80's and now once again.
 
This was a 3 fish bag limit tournament?
When I first mentioned that limits of tournament caught bass placed in a livewell all day could lead to delayed mortality rates of 28% or higher, unless anglers learned to handle their bass better, you would have thought I was from the radical PETA group from the reaction that created.
Bass tournament fishermen believe that they never kill a bass, they always release them unharmed at the weigh-in or Marnia at the days end.
I believe that the 8% figure is phenomenal when considering the size of the bass caught.
You will get a negative response for letting that many bass die, when in fact that was a great effort and everyone should be proud of the achievement. The anglers used ice to keep the livewell water cool, C & R chemicals and 3% peroxide solution that you suggested and only kept 3 bass in the livewell. How many bass tournament at club levels would handle their bass that well? few if any.
I hope the tournament anglers will take your advice and follow the good handling practices that have proved to perform well.
Tom
 
Oldschool, BassChamps is a team event with a five fish limit per TEAM. In otherwords
they can only weigh in five fish. There was some discussion about reducing it to
three fish. The decision was made to keep the limit at five since both livewells could
be used. Like I said everything was highly organized, and we consulted with Doug
Hannon daily about the weigh in procedure and livewell protocol. The Hannon weigh in
system was implemented for this tournament. It was developed for BASS by Doug
back in the 80's but when ESPN took over a couple of biologists threw it out. You mentioned one of them in a previous post. At anyrate, it was proven through various
delayed mortality studies to work back then, and it sure worked this past weekend.
I guess those big bass don't read the same books.

BTW, They have large pressurized oxygen cylinders on the 2,700gallon release tank.
Dissolved oxygen and temperatures were closely monitored. The DO started to drop
to critical levels(6.5ppm)when the big sacks started to come in. The O2 was at maximum output. Tony and his assistants quickly added bottles of peroxide to the tank to bring the DO levels to 12ppm. DO and temperature levels must be closely monitored when stocking densities quickly rise. Otherwise you can get into trouble.
We pushed the envelope on this one, but we came fully prepared and had boats in
the water to assist with the release of recovered fish if needed.
 
That is all great info. Was this Bass Champs event held after the fiasco of the BASS event or before?

Is Peroxide conducive to keep in your boat in the heat or do you have to remove it each time when not in use? I would like to get some. I am not really a tournament fisherman but it never hurts to have it in the event I might enter one and I know if I can leave it in the boat then I will always have it handy. Otherwise, I might forget since I am prone to forget stuff :D

Thanks.
 
Keith, We keep ours in the boat. We use it OFTEN so it is not stored for long.
There is a shelf life on peroxide, so if you don't fish often, I would not recommend
storing it in the boat. Even when we are fun fishing, our livewells are treated and
ready. I ALWAYS put the larger fish in there for 15 to 30 minutes so that they can
recover from the fight. I also treat their hook wound with a pinch of Please Release
Me. I want them released in better shape than when they were caught.

The BassChamps Falcon event was held last Saturday, April 26th. Three weeks after
the BASS Elite Series.
 
Reminder; determine your livewell capacity in gallons at the water level you fill it to. To determine gallons; measure the livewell to the nearest foot; length X width X depth you fill it X 7.5 = gallons.
Lanes recommendation:
10 to 15 gallons = 1/2 cup (3% hydrogen peroxide), 2 1/2 cap fulls of C & R.
20 gallons = 3/4 cup (3% hydrogen peroxide), 3 to 31/2 cap fulls of C & R.
25 to 30 gallons = 1 cup (3% hydrogen peroxide), 5 cap fulls of C & R.
Tom
 
Beginning last season our club bought every boater a bottle of the release me to TRY to make sure we didnt have many dead fish. ( at least my club is trying )
 
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