Gene Gilliland, Oklahoma Fishery Research Laboratory, 500 E. Constellation, Norman, OK 73072

Abstract. Mortality of black bass Micropterus spp. was estimated in 1995 and 1996 following a series of ten fishing tournaments on six Oklahoma reservoirs. During the first year's trials, contestants were not given any special instructions on fish care. However, each tournament used the same weigh-in procedures. Initial mortality averaged less than 4% in both seasons. Mean total mortality ranged from 3% following spring events to 39% following summer tournaments. During 1996, working with summer events only, contestants were divided into groups that followed different fish care procedures. Initial mortality was again low, averaging less than 2%. Mortality of bass weighed by contestants that were given no special instructions was 32%. Among the contestants using fresh-water flow-through aeration only, total mortality averaged 18%. Bass that were confined in live wells where the water was recirculated, was cooled with ice and treated with non-iodized salt had a mean total mortality of 14%.  

Our recommendations to tournament anglers on reducing delayed mortality of bass caught and released after summer tournaments were 1) to run live well aerators continuously, not on automatic timers, and 2) to provide a less stressful live well environment and reduce delayed mortality even more, recirculate water that is cooled with ice and treated with salt.