Delawarebass (US)

 Potomac River, tournament related bass kill: one hundred and fifty-eight boats (316 anglers), launching boats from Smallwood State Park on June 25 and 26 and left behind a conservatively estimated 1000 largemouth bass, floating in the river, a disgraceful and unforgivable result. Maryland Department of Natural Resources initially estimated the kill to be 100. I began to contact DNR on Tuesday, June 30 after receiving many telephone calls from concerned anglers. I asked for an immediate investigation and on Wednesday, July 1, a team of DNR employees searched the creek and by their count, some 600 dead bass were still in Mattawoman Creek. That's four days (about seven tidal flushes) after the last day of the tournament. There is no way to estimate accurately how many bass died due to this event-but I firmly believe that "600" is just the tip of the iceberg. I have reliable reports from as far downriver as Arkindale Flats of huge amounts of dead bass days after the event.

State fisheries biologists are trying to learn what killed hundreds of bass on the Potomac River, just days after two fishing tournaments.

The fish were discovered and reported Monday by a fishing guide and longtime opponent of the large number of tournaments held each year on the river near Smallwood State Park in Charles County.

Don Cosden, chief of Inland Fisheries for the Department of Natural Resources, said biologists on the water Tuesday estimated there were 600 dead bass along with several hundred catfish and other species over a six-mile stretch of the river.

"It's not unusual to see a number of dead catfish and gizzard shad this time of year, and all of the bass were legal size so we believe that this was related to tournament releases," Cosden said. "There were more than 3,200 fish weighed in over the three-day period, so this would be about an 18.5 percent total mortality, which is unacceptably high."

Cosden said his staff is in contact with officials of the tournaments to get details. Ironically, state biologists were at the smaller of the two events Saturday -- the one-day National Guard FLW College Fishing tournament, which involved 80 anglers -- to measure and tag about 100 fish for a mortality study. All of those fish appeared healthy as the scientists handled them.

The larger event -- the three-day FLW Stren Series -- attracted 158 anglers, but only the top 10 fished the final day.

Guide Ken Penrod, who reported the problem and wants a complete investigation, said he has no issue with well-run events, but is angry that "most of these 100- to 200-boat events are from out of state and they abuse our fishery -- and our rights."

Cosden said most of the data on fish kills involves immediate mortality, not two to three days after being released.

Some studies have linked poor water quality to a high degree of delayed mortality after tournaments. But water samples taken continuously at the docks by the Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment group indicate temperature and dissolved oxygen levels to be within acceptable ranges.

The state has sent tissue samples to a laboratory to be tested for Largemouth Bass Virus. A recent study suggested that bass heavily infected with this virus may suffer higher release mortalities after being confined in livewells, the aerated holding tanks on bass fishing boats.

"Right now," said Cosden, " we don't have an answer."

Hundreds of bass found dead on Potomac

State investigating after 600 discovered, along with hundreds of other dead fish, after recent fishing tournaments in Charles County By Candus Thomson- The Baltimore Sun

State fisheries biologists are trying to learn what killed hundreds of bass on the Potomac River, just days after two fishing tournaments.

The fish were discovered and reported Monday by a fishing guide and longtime opponent of the large number of tournaments held each year on the river near Smallwood State Park in Charles County.

Don Cosden, chief of Inland Fisheries for the Department of Natural Resources, said biologists on the water Tuesday estimated there were 600 dead bass along with several hundred catfish and other species over a six-mile stretch of the river.

"It's not unusual to see a number of dead catfish and gizzard shad this time of year, and all of the bass were legal size so we believe that this was related to tournament releases," Cosden said. "There were more than 3,200 fish weighed in over the three-day period, so this would be about an 18.5 percent total mortality, which is unacceptably high."

Cosden said his staff is in contact with officials of the tournaments to get details. Ironically, state biologists were at the smaller of the two events Saturday -- the one-day National Guard FLW College Fishing tournament, which involved 80 anglers -- to measure and tag about 100 fish for a mortality study. All of those fish appeared healthy as the scientists handled them.

The larger event -- the three-day FLW Stren Series -- attracted 158 anglers, but only the top 10 fished the final day.

Guide Ken Penrod, who reported the problem and wants a complete investigation, said he has no issue with well-run events, but is angry that "most of these 100- to 200-boat events are from out of state and they abuse our fishery -- and our rights."

Cosden said most of the data on fish kills involves immediate mortality, not two to three days after being released.

Some studies have linked poor water quality to a high degree of delayed mortality after tournaments. But water samples taken continuously at the docks by the Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment group indicate temperature and dissolved oxygen levels to be within acceptable ranges.

The state has sent tissue samples to a laboratory to be tested for Largemouth Bass Virus. A recent study suggested that bass heavily infected with this virus may suffer higher release mortalities after being confined in livewells, the aerated holding tanks on bass fishing boats.

"Right now," said Cosden, " we don't have an answer."

There are many ways to avoid these kinds of things. The new methods of taking care of bass frm Sure Life Products as well as other manufacturers, if used properly, can stop this type of slaughter! The tournament directors are responsible as well for not knowing how to schedule tournaments during cooler weather periods. The anglers are at fault as well for not taking care of the fish peoperly. There are many reasons for this that I will discuss at my website and blog in the near future. Stop by Delaware Trophy Bass at http://delawaretrophybass.com for more information and discussion on this.

Steve vonBrandt Sponsored by: GYCB (Yamamoto),Okuma, TTI-Blakemore, and Ambush Lures.

Steve was the owner of a bass fishing Guide Service in Wilmington, Delaware, Anglers Radio in Delaware and New Jersey, and Delaware Tackle in Delaware. He is a tournament angler and freelance outdoor writer. He has over 40 years of fishing experience in the Northeast and California. He has fished lakes, ponds, and rivers from 1962 until the present. His new website offers over 150 bass fishing instructional videos for free at Delaware Trophy Bass.

http://delawaretrophybass.com