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Keeping Tournament Caught Bass Alive
by
Steve Magnelia,
TPWD Fisheries Biologist
Keeping tournament caught
bass alive for weigh-in is not only good for the resource, but also
is a key component in maximizing your tournament catch. Dead fish
penalties on reservoirs where limits are often caught by most of the
field can move you way down in the standings. Some key
considerations for keeping your catch healthy include:
- Aeration –
Aerators should be run continuously. This is especially critical
if you have a large catch or when water temperatures exceed 65
degrees. Anglers often use timers to aerate their catch. Often
the frequency of aeration isn’t great enough to maintain dissolved
oxygen levels at optimal levels. Many anglers feel continuous use
of the aerator will run down their cranking battery. A fully
charged 24 to 27 series cranking battery will have plenty of power
for continually aerating your catch and starting the outboard.
- Temperature – At
water temperatures above 70 degrees add ice to your livewell to
cool the temperature 6-8 degrees. Usually one ten pound bag of
ice per treatment will be sufficient. Don’t worry about chlorine
in the ice. There isn’t enough chlorine to cause damage to the
fish. Once you add ice make sure your livewell is set on
re-circulate so new lake water is not coming into the livewell and
the cooler temperature is maintained. You may need to add ice
several times during the day if it is extremely hot.
- Use livewell chemical
additives - Commercially available livewell chemical
additives are effective at reducing stress. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendations as stated on the label. Make sure
your livewell is in the recirculate mode (closed system) when
using them.
- Flush your livewell
– Once or twice during the day flush the livewell by adding new
water. This will remove any waste products, such as ammonia that
have built up in the livewell water. After flushing you will need
to add additional livewell additives and/or ice.
- Check your fish during
the day – Make sure you check your fish several times during
the day. Many of us witnessed Mike Iaconelli’s tirade during
coverage of the 2006 Bassmasters Classic when he discovered he
hadn’t turned on his aeration system and his fish were dying. If
he had checked to make sure everything was working correctly when
he put his first fish in the livewell this wouldn’t have
happened. I like to check my fish every time I sit down in the
drivers or passengers seat. Often a substantial amount of water
will be lost from the livewell when running if the water is
rough. This should be replaced. Always check the livewell system
at takeoff and after the first fish is added. You can also check
your aerators at home by turning them on and listening to them.
Aerators which are noisy are often on the verge of malfunctioning
and should be changed.
Everyone eventually will
lose a fish or two. Fish that are deeply hooked or hooked in a
gill often die no matter what care is administered. What is
inexcusable is losing all your fish due to poor livewell management
or maintenance. As temperatures get hotter properly caring for your
fish gets even more critical. Being good stewards of our natural
resources is something we all want to do, and in tournament fishing
ounces often make the difference. |
