B.A.S.S. High School and College rules require non-penetrating cull clips. Several manufacturers had new products to meet the demand. The G-Force Conservation Cull System from TH Marine have clips with numbered floats, a balance beam, and snap-on weights to stabilize fish with swim bladder over-inflation issues.
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The G-Force Conservation Cull clips feature a sliding lock that prevents them from coming off and rounded ends that don’t damage the fish’s mouth.
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Ardent SmartClips are non-piercing cull clips that can be attached to your existing cull clips.
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Ardent SmartClips feature spring-loaded scissor-action jaws for one-handed operation.
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Berkley Tournament Cull Markers come with metal non-penetrating clips that can be installed in place of the traditional safety pin clips.
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The Fish Grip Balance Beam will feature the same Mini-Grip, non-penetrating clips that were used during the B.A.S.S. Classic Bracket and Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest tournaments.
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The non-penetrating theme continues with the new Rapala High Contrast Digital Scale that features a clamp that will not harm the fish when weighing. It has a big bite to fit over the jaw of most any size bass.
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The Fish Grip “JR” is just the right size for most bass fishing application when you want to save your thumb or when you must tangle with that occasional drum, catfish, pike or snakehead.
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The KastKing Mad Bright Hook Remover features an intense, focused LED light that is just the ticket for getting out hooks in low light conditions or at night.
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The Lew’s Mach Speed Throat-hook Release is a long-nosed front-end cutter that can clip heavy wire hooks lodged deep in the fish’s throat, allowing easier extraction. Coated steel with Winn grips.
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Several companies displayed landing nets with knotless, vinyl coated nylon mesh that do not remove the fish’s slime like older knotted, hard nylon nets. Larger mesh also prevents snagging of treble hooked baits.
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Frabill’s Conservation Series nets feature coated mesh bags and large diameter hoops.
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The Release Ruler rolls out flat when you measure a fish, then rolls back up after use. It features estimated weights for every quarter inch. Perfect for kayaks and clubs using a “paper” weigh-in format.
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The ultimate conservation measure…The Catch & Release Shop fish prints. Prints to scale featuring the artwork of renowned illustrator Joseph Tomelleri. “Measure your prize...We create to size...The fish survives...”
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Each Catch & Release Shop print comes with a stamp showing additional information about the catch.
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The iCatch app (for Android or iPhone) lets the angler photograph his/her catch, the app then measures the fish and records the length in a data base that can be used like a log for “paper” tournaments. The photos create a unique “fingerprint” of each fish that can be used to track that fish if it is recaptured later.
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SeaQualizer descending devices are popular in the marine (saltwater) world but may have applications to bass fishing when fish are caught at extreme depths (over 40 feet) and need to be released so that barotrauma (over-inflated swim bladder) does not cause injury. The weighted device clips to the fish, it is lowered on a separate line and automatically releases at the pre-determined depth of 30, 50 or 70 feet.
Photo: Gene Gilliland
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Marine Metal Products Power Bubbles is a supplemental air pump that can add additional air to the livewell in an emergency.
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The Keep Alive Low-pressure Diffuser KA975 can be added to the Power Bubbles or similar air pump to increase efficiency by creating smaller bubbles which allow greater oxygen diffusion in the livewell water. Tiny bubbles are better bubbles.
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The Rule Oxygenator aeration pumps pull in fresh air as they move livewell water, creating a gentle cloud of micro-fine air bubbles that helps increase oxygen absorption.
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Pure oxygen systems like the Keep Alive Oxygen Infusor are the ultimate for larger catches and extreme hot weather conditions. Patterned after hauling equipment used by state fishery agencies, micro-pore diffusers produce maximum oxygen transfer to livewell water.
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The latest development in livewell oxygenation is the OxCool ICI (ice chest insert) by RK Outfitters. Soon to be adapted to bass boat livewells, a charge from an oxygen canister is stored inside and patented technology pulses pure oxygen into the water. Circulating pumps pass through a cooling plate that helps maintain livewell water temperature.
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The OxCool ICI is controlled by a programable timer that pulses the system according to the pounds of fish in the livewell. Future enhancements are to be able to control the system from sonar consoles.
Photo: Gene Gilliland
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Speaking of control…the Power-Pole Vision creates a centralized digital controller for all the pumps in a livewell system (and practically everything else electrical in your boat), allowing the user to control livewell freshwater fill, recirculate and pump-out speed to meet conditions.
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Livewell additives to help keep your catch healthy included TH Marine’s G-Juice, a blend of ingredients first formulated for the aquarium trade and adapted to the needs of bass tournament anglers.
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Catch-and-Release by Sure Life Products is an old standby.
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ICAST Conservation Hall and Conservation Corner featured booths from state and federal fishery management agencies.
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The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission had staff from freshwater and saltwater fisheries, law enforcement and their Trophy Catch program.
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South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (one of our hosts for the 2018 Geico Bassmaster Classic) and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service had staff to provide information about their fisheries programs.
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