I have just finished reading and higly recommend a great book, "Angling in the Smile of the Great Spirit", Six centuries of Wisdom from Master Anglers of Lake Winnipesaukee" by Dr. Harold C Lyon Jr. The author writes a piece in this book about a great concern to the serious decline of bass population in this great New Hampshire body of water (Lake Winnipesaukee is the 6th largest natural lake in US, 44,600 acres) the last several years. This lake has been known for its famous bass population for years. Many of the locals who have fish this lake for generations have wondered where have all the big bass (2-4 lbs) gone in the last 5-10 years.
Example, in 2002, there were 78 bass tournaments on this lake for a total of 2,868 boats during the summer months! Each boat speeds up and down the lake, catches as many big bass they can, culling the smallest bass. They put them in live wells up to 8 hours, travel back to the weigh in station, put them in plastics bags full of fish, wait up the 15 minutes to weigh them in at times, to see who has the most pounds of fish. The bass are then released in much dirtier waters of the marinas never to return to their natural habitat from which they were caught. One NH fish biologist estimates that over 40% of the released fish will not survive because they are not returned to their natural homes, and as a result from the trauma of habitat/temperature changes, lack of proper oxegynation/PH in the live well and dirtier water enviornment, they die within a short time after release. Many bass tournament anglers catch the most dominant bass in these structured areas and upset the natural ecological balance.
He recommends a conservation study to bring changes to these large sponsored bass tournaments. The tournaments should continue, by all means, also be better managed since there is big money involved in this fine fishing sport, but the fish are a fragile resource, be respected as such, need to be taken care of as such. In addition, he suggests there should be a small percent of money to hire on board tournament officials for each tournament boat to be established to measure, photogragh the weight/length and release the bass caught to it's natural habitiat of where they were caught. This process should only take 2-3 minutes, lessen the stress put on the fish. Traumatizing & bringing these fish back to a weigh station at the end of the long fishing day should be discouraged and stopped. This would provide four fold purposes ...help in the survival of the future bass tournaments, lessen the stress on the fish population, encourage healthy fisheries studies and conservation, most of all...release of unharmed bass to their established habitat to be caught again....
I found this this book very interesting and a good read... since I am getting older, seeing things differently now. I want my grandchildern to enjoy the outdoors like I have done. It is an interesting topic. I have always been a big advocate of CPR, "Catch, take a Picture and Release", I respect/brag on all species of fish I catch and these fish deserve to be released if not being utilized for the dinner table. They will give another fisherman or child the excitment of catching them again someday. I am NOT for PETA in any way, but have seen the cause & effect of over fishing of our natural resources. Your thoughts...
Tightlines to all,
Gillbuster
Example, in 2002, there were 78 bass tournaments on this lake for a total of 2,868 boats during the summer months! Each boat speeds up and down the lake, catches as many big bass they can, culling the smallest bass. They put them in live wells up to 8 hours, travel back to the weigh in station, put them in plastics bags full of fish, wait up the 15 minutes to weigh them in at times, to see who has the most pounds of fish. The bass are then released in much dirtier waters of the marinas never to return to their natural habitat from which they were caught. One NH fish biologist estimates that over 40% of the released fish will not survive because they are not returned to their natural homes, and as a result from the trauma of habitat/temperature changes, lack of proper oxegynation/PH in the live well and dirtier water enviornment, they die within a short time after release. Many bass tournament anglers catch the most dominant bass in these structured areas and upset the natural ecological balance.
He recommends a conservation study to bring changes to these large sponsored bass tournaments. The tournaments should continue, by all means, also be better managed since there is big money involved in this fine fishing sport, but the fish are a fragile resource, be respected as such, need to be taken care of as such. In addition, he suggests there should be a small percent of money to hire on board tournament officials for each tournament boat to be established to measure, photogragh the weight/length and release the bass caught to it's natural habitiat of where they were caught. This process should only take 2-3 minutes, lessen the stress put on the fish. Traumatizing & bringing these fish back to a weigh station at the end of the long fishing day should be discouraged and stopped. This would provide four fold purposes ...help in the survival of the future bass tournaments, lessen the stress on the fish population, encourage healthy fisheries studies and conservation, most of all...release of unharmed bass to their established habitat to be caught again....
I found this this book very interesting and a good read... since I am getting older, seeing things differently now. I want my grandchildern to enjoy the outdoors like I have done. It is an interesting topic. I have always been a big advocate of CPR, "Catch, take a Picture and Release", I respect/brag on all species of fish I catch and these fish deserve to be released if not being utilized for the dinner table. They will give another fisherman or child the excitment of catching them again someday. I am NOT for PETA in any way, but have seen the cause & effect of over fishing of our natural resources. Your thoughts...
Tightlines to all,
Gillbuster
