Gene R. Wilde and Kenneth G. Ostrand, Department of
Range, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409
Dan W. Strickland, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 3407 S.
Chadbourne, San Angelo,Texas 76904
Maurice I. Muoneke, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith
School Road, Austin, Texas 78744
Keywords: black bass, angling mortality, fishing tournaments
We studied self-reported measurements of initial mortality in Texas
black bass Micropterus spp. fishing tournaments that varied in size and rules of
conduct. Self-reported measurements of initial mortality varied by a factor of 30. The
lowest initial mortality was reported for paper tournaments (1.1%), in which fish are
captured, measured, and immediately released. Initial mortality estimates ranged between
4.7 and 5.4% for big fish, team, and total weight tournaments. The greatest initial
mortality (31.8%) was observed in road runner tournaments, in which fish are captured from
various lakes, transported overland to a central weigh-in site, and then weighed and
released. For total weight tournaments, we also compared self-reported measurements of
mortality with those derived from a regression model that predicts initial mortality based
on water temperature. Self-reported measurements of initial mortality averaged 5.8% and
predicted initial mortality averaged 3.9%. The greatest differences between these
estimates occurred in March through June when self-reported mortality was 3-4% greater
than predicted mortality. The general agreement between self-reported and predicted
estimates of initial mortality suggests that most black bass fishing clubs and tournament
sponsors reliably report initial mortality.