Bass Study Results Yield Recommendations

Results of last summer’s research project focusing on bass released after a weekly jackpot tournament should give bass clubs and other tournament organizations useful information that will help bass populations.

Gene Gilliland, fisheries research biologist at the Wildlife Department’s Fisheries Research Lab, said 500 bass were caught by tournament anglers, tagged and released at the same site between April and August at a central Oklahoma reservoir. Anglers catching tagged bass were then urged to report the catch, and periodic electrofishing was conducted to determine whether bass remained in the release area.

"Our study showed that tagged bass generally stayed close to the release area where they found suitable habitat and food," Gilliland said. "Subsequently, 146 bass were recaptured, with 64 percent of those captured within one mile of the release site."

Gilliland said such a high incidence of recapture has significant management implications.

"Unfortunately, the release area for this particular tournament is a favorite spot for weekend and bass anglers," he said. "Each week, tournament anglers brought bass from all over the lake and restocked the area with from 11 to 57 ‘keeper’ bass. When non-tournament anglers caught tagged bass there was a better than 60 percent chance the fish would be kept."

Gilliland said fisheries personnel used the study results to formulate recommendations that could help maintain quality fishing for everyone. Recommendations were made for both release of bass and weigh-in procedures.

Gilliland said fisheries officials formulated two recommendations for releasing bass to avoid concentrating them in one area.

"Have several contestants volunteer their boats as release boats each week, and keep those boats in the water with aerators running continuously during the weigh-in," he said. "The boats would then take the fish and release them in other parts of the lake, scattering them in good habitat."

The other recommendation is to have alternate weigh-in sites to distribute the released fish.

"Have the weigh-in at a different boat ramp each week or at least rotate every few weeks," Gilliland said. "This way released fish are not ‘stocked’ into the same areas time after time."

Recommendations were also made for weigh-in procedures.

"We suggest that tournament organizers limit the number of teams waiting in line to weigh their bass to no more than 10," he said. "Require anglers with fish to keep their boats in water with aerators running until their numbers are called or they receive a weigh-in bag. After an angler weighs his catch, he should pass the bag to the next team in line. Research has shown that keeping fish in water-filled bags for as little as two minutes can cause lethal levels of stress."

Another recommendation for weigh-in procedures can also help ensure healthy release of fish.

"Holding tanks should be set up so that anglers waiting in line can have a place to refill their bags with fresh, aerated water," Gilliland said. "Also, a salt-dip sink can be set up at the water’s edge and each angler can treat his fish prior to release. This quick and simple treatment can really help reduce the effects of stress."

The Wildlife Department has designed a bass live release kit that is available for loan to tournament anglers. To find out the location of the nearest release kit, phone Gilliland at (405) 325-7288.

The study was funded by a donation from the Fishers of Men Bass Club in Oklahoma City and participants in the weekly tournament. Weekly tagging and recapture work was coordinated by Gilliland and other personnel at the Wildlife Department’s Fisheries Research Laboratory in Norman.