Too many dead fish

[Gbassman]

I was fishing on lake Guntersville at Goosepond today when I saw a bothersome sight. The rocks and trees around the shore were littered with dead bass. Just in the section I was fishing I counted about 50. They were all released from a tournament that was recently here. One fish I noticed would have proably weighed 6-7 pounds. The tournament directors should have taken more consideration for the fish due to the high temps and the stress level. It really is a shame to see something like that.

[MallenManson]

Been wondering where you've been Gbass!
That stinks, in more ways than one. Don't know if you caught it or not but there was a thread around here a month or so back about a huge amount of dead bass after a tourney. really sad, in both cases. Always respect the fish.

[bamabassman]

after we talked about this jeremy, i wa wondering if you might want to conntact the manager of goosepond. tell him about this. i am willing to bet he will look into it for future tournies.

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by Gbassman

I was fishing on lake Guntersville at Goosepond today when I saw a bothersome sight. The rocks and trees around the shore were littered with dead bass. Just in the section I was fishing I counted about 50. They were all released from a tournament that was recently here. One fish I noticed would have proably weighed 6-7 pounds. The tournament directors should have taken more consideration for the fish due to the high temps and the stress level. It really is a shame to see something like that.

Are you SURE they were from the tournament and there is no virus problems right now. That's a pretty serious accusation. Sometimes there may be something going on and the placed you find the fish may be coincidental to a tournament location. Besides, it is the angler's responsibility to protect those fish if they want to release them alive (most local tournaments have the anglers return the fish to the water themselves, otherwise they have a holding tank with antibiotics and sedatives).

[nofearengineer]

This whole thing worries me.

On the one hand, I am against wanton waste and cruelty to any animal, wild or captive.

On the other hand, if this keeps up, some lefty maniac who doesn't even seem to realize that there wouldn't be this many bass to begin with without active bass fishery management, supported by you know who, bass fishermen, will try to step in and "save us from ourselves". If they shut down bass fishing, the fishery will suffer even more.

At this point, it doesn't matter if the tournament is responsible or if it was a "natural" die-off. When the picture of it gets posted in the paper, the headline will be about how irresponsible the big, bad fishermen are.

Don't think it can't happen, or that there aren't people who would try to make it happen.

[Bucket]

On this day in 1992-17 years ago LDWF estimated we lost 62 Million finfish in the Atchafalaya Delta due to Hurricane Andrew. Lost another 14 Million last year on September 1 due to Hurricane Gustav. I witnessed both of these storms, the estimates are WAY LOW. Had to wear respirators to breathe. Some lakes and bayous were impassable due to all the dead fish and wildlife. Place has never fully recovered and might not in our lifetime. It's something i hope nobody ever has to see again.

[Gbassman]

I know they are SUPPOSED to have a holding tank, but after they weigh the fish, the angler walks about 30 feet from the stage and they have a big PVC pipe running underground that comes out just under the docks, and they run a hose pipe in the tube to kkep it wet and just slide the fish down the tube. Ive seen it happen many time and this is not the first time I have seen something like this in this location.