The value of big bass

Oldschool · Post by **Oldschool** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:14 pm

The pre spawn period is transitioning to the primary spawing period, when the majority of big bass will be caught each year. It is the goal of most bass anglers to catch a trophy size bass or a new personal best, this is a big part of the sport of bass fishing. Tournaments may be the driving force for promoting bass fishing, big bass sould be considered the engine.
The problem with catching big bass during tournaments are keeping these special bass in good condition so they will have a high survival rate. In California we are blessed with Florida strain LMB that can grow to weights exceeding 15 lbs, the size considered to be a giant LMB. These giants are extremely rare bass and very difficult to keep alive in a livewell for several hours. With todays cell phones it should be easy to call for a TD to pick up any bass over 10 lbs and weigh it in and hold the bass until the offical weigh, so the angler can continue fishing.
None tournament anglers should make every effort to release a healthy big bass by handling the fish carefully. The problem is similar to a tournament angler, the fish usually gets put into a livewell and photographed or shown to other anglers several times. Everyone is proud of catching a big bass and doesn't want to intentionally over stress the fish.
The best thing for the bass is to be released immediately, the next best is to handle the bass properly;
1. Keep the bass in well oxygenated cool water.
2. Don't keep the bass out of water longer than 1 minute at a time.
3. If the bass rolls over belly up, get it back into the lake water fast and try to revive it by getting lake water to pass through it's gills. Put 1/2 cup or 1/2 pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide (household over the counter) into the livewell before putting the bass in. Keep in mind some of these big bass will not survive being caught and that is part of bass fishing and not a crime.
Good luck.
Tom

lobinaloca · Post by **lobinaloca** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:32 pm

Good post!

Rich hamilton · Post by **Rich hamilton** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 2:15 pm

Tom,

Great post and I would support it as a tournament rule. I think it would save many bass in the long run.

RR

bassaddicted · Post by **bassaddicted** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:10 pm

AWESOME Idea.

nipples · Post by **nipples** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 10:38 pm

Oldschool wrote: 3. If the bass rolls over belly up, get it back into the lake water fast and try to revive it by getting lake water to pass through it's gills. Put 1/2 cup or 1/2 pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide (household over the counter) into the livewell before putting the bass in. Keep in mind some of these big bass will not survive being caught and that is part of bass fishing and not a crime.
Good luck.
Tom

What are you doing Tom??? Are you trying to get guys to kill bass on purpose or is that just ignorance rearing it's ugly head? Next time, do some research, or at least one quick google search. I have always said, Ignorance is the mother of stupidity (you can quote me on that if you like, that is one of my own).

According to the DFG, ESPN, and B.A.S.S... (this is a direct quote, and this info is all over the internet BTW)

"Another chemical that has sometimes been used to treat livewell or holding- tank water is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Hydrogen peroxide breaks down into oxygen and water in the presence of organic material. However, this chemical can injure fish and should not be used. Most people have used this colorless, odorless, tasteless liquid to disinfect a cut or scratch. You can see it fizzing and bubbling on the skin as it oxidizes. Now imagine what it does in a livewell full of bass. The bass’ mucus coating protects its skin from the oxidation reaction, but there is no such protective coating on the delicate gill filaments. Unfortunately, anglers who use hydrogen peroxide often think that if a little is good, a little more should be better. Wrong! Damage to gill filaments, suffocation and death may result.
Do not use hydrogen peroxide in the livewell!"

(that was them screaming, not me)

Tom... Get some Catch and Release or Rejuvinade... Don't be a total tool and kill yer fish with hydrogen peroxide, especially not a "giant bass". I do like the idea of calling the TD to see if the fish can be weighed asap, however most TDs don't set up scales until just before weigh in.

Personally I use catch and release (sparingly) and I swear by the stuff.

http://www.basspro.com/Catch-and-Releas ... 0/-1326493

As for you Jerry aka bassaddicted, why doesn't it surprise me that you are here, full of ignorant zeal (as usual), cheering for something you know nothing about? You of all people need to go reread the following over and over and over again, "Ignorance is the mother of stupidity"... Read it, learn it, live it.

bassindon69 · Post by **bassindon69** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 11:27 pm

I have always just turned my live wells on and leave them on full time. As soon as the bite is over or seems to be (most times less then 30 min) I take them back out to deeper water Take them out of the well and weigh them, wet them again and take a pic and set them free. Then go back to fishing. They have always been or seem to have been just fine. If you want to see them it will be on a pic not on the water

Take a scale and a cam with you, then you don't have to drag them around to find these things.
I don't realy do tourneys for the most part so mine go right back.

Oldschool · Post by **Oldschool** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:01 am

nipples wrote:
Oldschool wrote: 3. If the bass rolls over belly up, get it back into the lake water fast and try to revive it by getting lake water to pass through it's gills. Put 1/2 cup or 1/2 pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide (household over the counter) into the livewell before putting the bass in. Keep in mind some of these big bass will not survive being caught and that is part of bass fishing and not a crime.
Good luck.
Tom
What are you doing Tom??? Are you trying to get guys to kill bass on purpose or is that just ignorance rearing it's ugly head? Next time, do some research, or at least one quick google search. I have always said, Ignorance is the mother of stupidity (you can quote me on that if you like, that is one of my own).

According to the DFG, ESPN, and B.A.S.S... (this is a direct quote, and this info is all over the internet BTW)

"Another chemical that has sometimes been used to treat livewell or holding- tank water is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Hydrogen peroxide breaks down into oxygen and water in the presence of organic material. However, this chemical can injure fish and should not be used. Most people have used this colorless, odorless, tasteless liquid to disinfect a cut or scratch. You can see it fizzing and bubbling on the skin as it oxidizes. Now imagine what it does in a livewell full of bass. The bass’ mucus coating protects its skin from the oxidation reaction, but there is no such protective coating on the delicate gill filaments. Unfortunately, anglers who use hydrogen peroxide often think that if a little is good, a little more should be better. Wrong! Damage to gill filaments, suffocation and death may result.
Do not use hydrogen peroxide in the livewell!"

(that was them screaming, not me)

Tom... Get some Catch and Release or Rejuvinade... Don't be a total tool and kill yer fish with hydrogen peroxide, especially not a "giant bass". I do like the idea of calling the TD to see if the fish can be weighed asap, however most TDs don't set up scales until just before weigh in.

Personally I use catch and release (sparingly) and I swear by the stuff.

http://www.basspro.com/Catch-and-Releas ... 0/-1326493

As for you Jerry aka bassaddicted, why doesn't it surprise me that you are here, full of ignorant zeal (as usual), cheering for something you know nothing about? You of all people need to go reread the following over and over and over again, "Ignorance is the mother of stupidity"... Read it, learn it, live it.

Lane & Tony Gergerly, owners of Sure-Life products who make Catch & Release promote the use 3% H2O2;
10-15 gals of water use: 1/2 cup + 2 1/2 cap full of C & R
20 gals : 3/4 cup, + 3 1/2 cap full of C & R
25-30 gals: 1 cup, 5 cap fulls of C & R
average livewell is 10-15 gallons.
3% H2O2 (over the counter household hyrdogen peroxide) is safe and will boost DO levels 3-5ppm mixed as stated above.
15%-30% H2O2 will burn the gills and this is what some ill informed sources quote.
Doug Hannon and Lane & Tony Gergely have U tube videos on this subject; Google and do your research.
"The benefits far out weigh the risk" quote from Lane Gergely, a source I trust.
Tom
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zfXwLNp_o

bassindon69 · Post by **bassindon69** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 2:37 pm

May I add , The value of Big Bass is higher then a persons feelings and higher then friendships too.
Trust NO ONE when it comes to catching BIG BASS :twisted:Thats why I had these made (front and back).