Over fifty years ago, B.A.S.S. introduced the concept of releasing bass caught in tournaments. We now know that black bass can be “recycled.” They can be caught, weighed-in, released, and caught again if anglers make efforts to apply simple and proven-effective methods to maximize bass survival.
Occasionally however, fish die during tournaments. Biologists understand these consequences, but studies show that when we follow best management practices, tournaments generally have a negligible impact on bass populations. However, anglers must understand that just because a bass swims away after release does not mean it will survive. Some fish may die hours or days after release, often unseen, as a direct result of how those fish were cared for. For that reason, it is in everyone’s best interest to maximize the survival of released fish – to protect the resource and project a positive image that ensures the future of the sport.
The original 2002 Keeping Bass Alive booklet was a milestone publication that became the standard that anglers and tournament organizersfollowed. In this update, our objective remains the same – to provide information to help maximize the survival of bass released after tournamentweigh-ins.
To view Part 1 and Part 2 of KEEPING BASS ALIVE: A Guidebook for Anglers and Tournament Organizers in PDF format, click the hyperlinks below.
