BassBlaster

Scientists weigh in on bedding bass

Jay tipped me off to this neat deal over on the Bassmaster website. Back during the last Classic, B.A.S.S. hosted a Conservation Summit for Federation Conservation Directors and others that tackled many of the controversial issues surrounding bass management, including topics like fishing for bedding bass.

Everything was recorded and turned into individual podcasts, so you can now go and listen to any of the main presentations given during the event, which featured many of the top scientists in the country. From the BASSMaster website, here’s a list of topics covered and links available:

  • Dr. Mike Allen, a fisheries and aquatic sciences professor at the University of Florida, giving an overview of the Fisheries Management Workshop
  • Gordon Robertson, vice president of government affairs for the American Sportfishing Association, on today’s issues in legislation regarding sportfishing
  • Dr. Cory Suski, University of Illinois; Dr. David Philipp, University of Illinois; and Dr. Mike Allen, University of Florida discuss the effects of bed fishing
  • Dr. Mike Netherland, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants; Aquatic plants: What’s out there, and why control it?
  • Dr. Mike Allen, University of Florida; Does chemical control change fish behavior?
  • Jeff Koppelman, Missouri Department of Conservation; New trends in fish culture and stocking
  • Dr. Mike Allen, University of Florida; Illegal fish stocking
  • Dr. David Philipp, University of Illinois; Effects of fishing on fish vulnerability to angling
  • Dr. Mike Allen and Bryan Matthias, both of the University of Florida; Spatial patterns in bass habitat use and angling
  • Gene Gilliland, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation; Ways to prevent tournament mortality

Just click on the Conservation Summit link above and select the topic you’d like to hear more about.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Chad Keogh

    May 14, 2012 at 8:52 pm

    Where I live you are allowed to fish for bass during the spawn, but it is a no-retention period. So you can catch ’em, but you must release them immediately. I fish during the spawn and will continue to do so, since I know that this type of bed-fishing is near zero impact.

    PLUS, what none of the studies discussed was that not all bass spawn shallow. The more novice bass anglers ease along the bank in about 8-20′ of water, and don’t realize that they are motoring right on top of the other 25-50% of the spawners (the guy fishing in Ontario during the spawn and beating the bank caught about that ratio).

    The fact that most of us NEVER keep bass, whereas our fathers and their fathers did, means we are already way ahead of the past. Go out and fish! Anything that keeps us from fishing is a bad thing in my mind. Make me immediately release, but let me fish.

    Chad

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