RE: several dead/dying bass at tournament...why?
ABSOLUTELY NO WAY, SHOW ME YOUR DATA! 80% mortality rate on released fish from most tournaments? BOOSHEUT!!! The national average is well below 10% with many tournaments having practically 0 mortalities. Typically only the guthooked or already injured fish are the ones to parrish while being held during a tournament. Anything above that is simply unacceptable for ALL sportsmen. The modern bassboat has come along way in many respects but nothing has been so "modernized" as the livewell and oxygen blending systems contained therein. And over the last 20-25 years themost important tool, angler attitudes, has been changed toward maintaining valuable water resources.
My own boat recirculates water constantly unless switched too automatic which then recirculates each 5 minutes. I also add freshwater by the hour and when the temperature climbs over 85 I will also add chemical treatments that replace the slimecoating on the fish and induce a calming affect on them to prevent shock. And absolutely do NOT handle the fish anymore than absolutely necessary. My sentiments are duplicated by most other tournament anglers as well.
I hate that ANYONE feels tournaments are a bad thing. As a group we have probably had more impact on the evolution of equipment (with respect too both fishing tackle ANDboating and livewellsystems) than anyother group of anglers. Just because you either don't understand tournaments, choose not too participate or can't, doesn't make it right for you to badmouth those of us who choose to. I can assure you that NO OTHER SINGLE GROUP is more concerned for the health and longterm survival of the fish than those of us who seek them harder than anyothers on the water. We are concerned for their return and with imparting as little stress as possible on those fish. The average "yank and clean" livebait fishermen is typically out for whatever bites and won't think twice about putting fish on a stringer and then later releasing them at the ramp after he showed everyone what he caught!
Just had to clear a few things up, [:@]
RA