FISH CARE GUIDELINES FOR BASS FISHING TOURNAMENT ANGLERS:
KEEPING BASS HEALTHY THROUGH THE WEIGH-IN

 

PACE OF THE WEIGH-IN!

• Keep fish in live wells with aerators running continuously while waiting for a weigh-in bag.
• Use no more than five bags per twenty contestants (or teams).
• Use reinforced, perforated bags that allow water exchange.
• Weigh in flights if the tournament has over 50 contestants or teams.

• Set up one 100-gallon tank per 20 contestants or teams.

• Fill with lake water just before weigh-in to prevent heating.

• Cool water 10 degrees below lake temperature with block or bag ice.

• Aerate tank with recalculating pump or air compressor.

• Add Catch & Release as directed for volume of tank.

• Contestants dip fresh water from tank into bags while waiting in line.

HANDLE FISH AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE!

• Tournament personnel may wear latex or rubber gloves.
• Fish are emptied into plastic laundry basket resting in a sink.
• All baskets are checked and adjusted to weigh the same.
• Fish are checked for length but are not re-bagged.
• Lid is placed on top of fish and basket is weighed.
• Extra baskets are available to weigh individual "big bass".
• Fish are then transported in the basket to next station.

THE MIRACLE OF THE SALT DIP!

• Every tournament should have a salt-dip station!
• Mix three pounds of non-iodized salt with fifteen gallons of water in an aerated sink or tub.
• After fish are weighed, submerge the entire basket of bass in this solution for 10 to 15 seconds. No more!
• Bass may loose equilibrium and roll over, this is a normal reaction.
• The salt solution kills bacteria and fungus.
• It stimulates the slime producing cells on the fish’ body.
• The salt dip dehydrates the fish by pulling water out through the skin and gills. When the fish is placed back into fresh water it absorbs it like a sponge, flushing out toxic waste products.
• Drain and refill salt solution after 20 to 30 baskets of fish. Have salt and buckets of water at hand. Take care with disposal of salt water.

OTHER RELEASE CONSIDERATION!

PRE-RELEASE HOSPITAL TANK

• Large tank similar to waiting line tanks (75 to 100 gallon capacity).
• Water is cooled 10 degrees below lake temperature with block ice.
• Non-iodized salt added at a rate of one pound per 25 gallons of water.
• Add amount of Catch 8 Release0 appropriate for volume of tank.
• Supply pure oxygen if possible through air stones or bubble hose.
• All fish are placed in this tank after weighing but before salt-dipping.
• Healthy fish are recaptured, salt dipped and released immediately. Use a long handled net with soft, knotless nylon or rubber bag.
• Weak fish are given a longer prophylactic treatment. After 20 to 30 minutes they are netted, salt dipped and released if they are healthy.
• Fish showing signs of air bladder over inflation are treated here.
• Fish judged as dead at weigh-in or too weak to survive are removed immediately and placed on ice in a cooler.
• Caution! - It is often difficult for untrained workers to distinguish between "healthy" fish and those that will likely die some days later.

AIR BLADDER OVERINFLATION!

• Over inflation of the air bladder causes loss of equilibrium, swimming is erratic, the fish may float on its side and may even stop breathing.
• Not restricted to fish caught from deep water. Stress can also cause this problem in fish caught from very shallow water.
• Use a hypodermic needle to release excess gas from the air bladder.
• Caution! - Puncturing a fish in the wrong place can cause damage to other internal organs or internal bleeding.

RELEASE SITE

• Release site should have good water quality and adequate depth.
• Low traffic areas are preferred.
• Fish should not be released right at the shoreline if possible. Use a dock or a beached boat to get released fish into deeper water.

RELEASE TUBES

• Large diameter PVC pipes (at least 8-inch diameter).
• Smooth joints.
• Continuous flow of water.
• Do not drop at an angle of more than a 30 degrees.
• Delivery end should be no more than one foot from the lake’s surface.
• Empty into water at least three feet deep.

RELEASE BOATS

• Release boats should be used to distribute fish away from high traffic areas such as boat ramps & marinas.
• In the absence of a pontoon-style release boat, use contestant’s boats and shuttle fish away from boat ramps, marinas or weigh-in areas.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

• During the weigh-in, dead fish should be placed on ice in a cooler immediately and kept out of view of spectators.
• Following the tournament, workers should police the weigh-in area, leaving it cleaner than when they arrived. Tournament officials should remain in the release area for at least one hour following the final release and pick up any dead of weak fish in the area. If a fish is floating or cannot swim on its own it will likely die and should be removed.

For more information contact:

Gene Gilliland
Oklahoma Fishery Research Laboratory
Phone: 405-325-7288
E-mail: gene_gilliland@mail.fws.gov