Dr. Phil Bettoli responds!

[MadBomber]

My e-mail to Dr. Bettoli and his response:</p><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Dr. Bettoli,</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">I'm sorry I couldn't stay at the commission meeting to listen to your presentation.  I had some family issues to get back to and it looked like the commercial fishing guys were loaded for bear!!</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">I read your report on the TTU website and took the liberty of posting it on <font color="#00008b">www.chattanoogafishingforum.com</font>.  We are now an almost 1800 member group and are becoming more & more conservation minded.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Many of our group fish tournaments and are deeply concern about the high mortality rate of tournament caught fish in the summer months.  We recently lost an 11lb largemouth that was hauled around in the live well for several hours.  Despite ice in the water and continous operation of the aeration system, the bass was found floating the following day.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Your conclusions are compelling, but one of our members wondered about the stress caused by simply catching a bass and fairly quickly returning back to the water.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">My questions are:</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Are there any studies that show the effects of "catch & immediate release".  Or, in the case of a large fish, taking a couple of pictures and then releasing the fish?  Also, what are the dangers, in your opinion, of bringing a bass up from, say, 30 feet deep and then released?</font></div><div> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">We have had several forum discussions about "bleeding the air bladder" with a hypodermic needle to help a bass right itself.  What is your opinion of this practice?</font></div><div> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Any feedback you could provide will be greatly appreciated.</font></div><div> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Alan Witt</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">"The Spotted Bass creel limit guy"</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Chattanooga, TN</font> </div>

Here's Dr. Bettoli's response to my e-mail!</p>

<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">Hi, Alan:</font></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font></span> </div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">Ah, yes, the "Spotted Bass Creel Limit" guy!  I remember you from a commission meeting last year, too, and I thought then (as I do now) that you made some good points regarding spotted bass in NIckajack.</font></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font></span> </div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">Thanks for the questions regarding bass survival.  If you posed those questions to me out on the sidewalk, or at a boat ramp or in a coffee shop, I would cheerfully offer opinions on all of your queries.  However, as you posed them via email - and anything I write to you will be in the public record for ever and ever - I need to operate under a slightly different set of rules.  Namely, I'll be happy to formally respond to each of your questions, in writing, after taking some time to do some more background research.  My students and I have been studying catch-and-release mortality (and tournament mortality) for years and new information is always coming out.  In fact, my newest student is getting ready to study barotrauma (that's what it's called when the air bladder swells) in saugers and whether "fizzing" fish with a hypodermic needle is a good idea.  Your question(s) came at a good time and I want to give you (and your fellow anglers) "opinions" based on the best available science (and there is a lot of that out there).</font></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font></span> </div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">I am teaching a graduate course in Reservoir Fisheries Management this semester and I am always looking for side-projects for my students to tackle.  I have decided to hand your questions over to them; I will work with them to research and draft a short "white paper", which I will then forward to you.</font></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font></span> </div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">Deal?</font></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font></span> </div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">Phil Bettoli</font></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">Fisheries Research Scientist</font></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2">USGS/Tennessee Tech University</font></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="681464213-11092007"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font></span> </div>

 

[TennesseeTalker]

Madbomber .. you need to find out where this fella fishes and plan to be at the ramp for his casual chat.

I would be interested in his personal views on these items.  AND I look forward to the research info too.

TT

 

[BackOnTheWater]

Excellent job Bomber! And a very curious subject, the best ways to keep them babies alive to catch another day.

I'm not a tx kind of guy...I fished many in the '70's and '80's, before catch and release really became as prominent as it is now. Lord the things we used to do to fish! You remember...anyway...I occasionally take home a limit to eat, especially when I run across a bunch of spaaaaats! It's usually a gut- or gill-hooked, or otherwise damaged/ killed fish that convinces me to take home a few. Otherwise, a shot fight, quick measurements, and a couple of pics and my fish are BackInTheWater.

I think that this could remain a hot topic & thread for some time...and maybe we'll all learn a lot from it!

I read in the 2007 TWRA Regs that you should not fizz fish...yet it appears to be a common practice...can someone expound on the benefits and risks of this procedure? Me, I'm almost afraid to fish in water over 25 ft because of this bladder issue...and I've had it happen but I was not aware at that time why that fish kept going belly up yet remained alive. I understand that this is one of the questions Dr. Phil will address, I just wanted to hear OUR opinions too.

Would allowing "deep" fish to fight longer and come up the water column at a slower pace help to avoid the bladder/ water temp problems? Just a thought...

Stayin' shallow...emoBigsmile

 

[TennesseeTalker]

My husband said that you should only need to "fizz" deep sea fish.  That something coming out of our lake wouldn't require it.  But I don't know if he's right or not. 

I asked my pet fish if I could use them to perfect the manouver ... they both swam into their ceramic log and refused to come out.  I'll take that as a no.    Good thing .. I'm not good with a needle.

Can't wait to hear more on this subject!

TT

 

[Ram Jack Scott]

wow bomber i can't wait to hear back from this guy.......very interesting and as TT said i sure would enjoy a talk with this fella at a boat ramp as to hear some of his views

 

[fisherpal2k]

Good job MB! Just want to say thanks for taking the time to keep after this stuff like you do. As always you bring some good points out and it seems that you made an impression on him last year...

</p>

  Keep us posted as to what the reply is. </p>

 

[Guest]

scroll to the bottom of this link for a sampling of just some of Dr. Bettoli's work:
http://www2.tntech.edu/fish/bettoli.html

 

[churly]

TennesseeTalker - 9/11/2007 3:26 PM

Madbomber .. you need to find out where this fella fishes and plan to be at the ramp for his casual chat.

I would be interested in his personal views on these items.  AND I look forward to the research info too.

TT

He fishes the Caney Fork quite often. Dr. Bettoli has done a whole lot more for our states fisheries than most of us would know. Years ago I landed a few trout on the Clinch river that were fitted with radio tracking devices. One thing led to another and I ended up sending them back to the owner of the tags (Dr. Bettoli) for a small reward. He was able to tell me all kinds of info regarding where the trout were stocked, caught over the previous two years. He is instrumental in many of the creel limit changes on our State's waters. I look very forward to his contributions here on CFF! Thanks for sharring Alan!

 

[MadBomber]

 Here is an interesting excerpt from his study on delayed mortality done on Percy Priest this year.  I believe this was the data he presented to the Commission.  I don't really know because the agenda only lists him as a representative of <u>The Tennessee Cooperative Fisheries Unit</u>.</p>

I took the liberty to convert the numbers from the metric system to the english system.  I don't relate well to metric numbers.  Just call me old-fashioned, or, just call me old!</p>

 <font face="TimesNewRoman"><font color="#3333ff">Fish tended to remain near the release site for several days before dispersing. Three days after release, most (60%) fish were located within the embayment where they were released.</font></font><font color="#3333ff"><font face="TimesNewRoman">The minimum distance traversed by tagged largemouth bass that survived averaged .92 miles after six days; fish that subsequently died traversed only 1 mile in the same period</font><font color="#3333ff"><font face="TimesNewRoman">. Seven days post release, 62% of the surviving largemouth bass were with .31 miles of their release site. All largemouth bass that survived traversed an average minimum distance of 1.54 miles during the first 13 days after release. Minimum distances traversed within 13 days were similar for largemouth bass that survived the water weigh-in and standard weigh-in procedures</font><font face="TimesNewRoman"><font color="#3333ff">. Fish that were tagged after the water weigh-in procedure and survived traversed a minimum distance of 1.68 miles and fish that were subjected to the  standard weigh-in procedure and survived traversed a minimum distance of 1.39 miles.  The greatest minimum distance traversed in 13 days was 3.3 miles by a fish subjected to a water weigh-in and released from Fate Sanders Marina. On their final location, most (70%) largemouth bass that succumbed to delayed mortality were in the embayment in which they were released. Of the 23 fish that died, 8 (35%) were within 100 m of their respective release site.</font></font><font face="TimesNewRoman,Bold"><p align="left"><font color="#3333ff">DISCUSSION</font></p></font><font face="TimesNewRoman"><font face="TimesNewRoman,Italic"><p align="left">Physiological Effects</p></font><font face="TimesNewRoman"><p align="left">Stress responses of largemouth bass had not been compared between fish subjected to either a water weigh-in or a standard (in air) tournament weigh-in prior to the present study. Suski et al. (2003) compared plasma osmolarity, lactate, and cortisol in largemouth bass subjected to standard tournament weigh-ins, in control fish held in a laboratory, and in control fish rapidly collected in the wild by angling. Fish subjected to the standard tournament weigh-in had elevated blood plasma constituents compared to either control group. In a follow up study, Suski et al. (2004) observed lower plasma lactate concentrations in largemouth bass from a simulated (i.e., in the laboratory) water weigh-in compared to fish from a simulated air weigh-in. Suski et al. (2003, 2004) recommended that air exposure during tournament weigh-ins be minimized to reduce physiological stress, and thus presumably post-release mortality. In the present study, plasma osmolarity was also higher in fish from standard weigh-ins compared to fish from water weigh-ins when temperatures were high (</p><p align="left">It has been common for researchers to assess delayed mortality by direct observation of fish in net pens or raceways for up to 4 days after capture (Kwak and Henry 1995; Weathers and Newman 1997; Neal and Lopez-Clayton 2001; Edwards et al. 2004). In the present study, delayed mortality in some fish was observed up to 10 days after release. Similar to the findings of Schramm et al. (1987), the majority of delayed mortality in the present study occurred within 6 days of tournament release. Researchers who plan to use the net pen confinement method to assess delayed mortality should extend their observation to at least 6 days.</p><p align="left">Subjecting fish to a water weigh-in did not reduce delayed mortality compared to standard weigh-in procedures. However, this finding does not obviate the potential efficacy of a water weigh-in protocol because live-well conditions, duration of containment in transfer bags, and other factors were not controlled in this study. Likewise, some fish were exposed to air after blood drawing and radio attachment in order for anglers to take pictures of their catch.</p><p align="left">Nevertheless, such uncontrolled variability is likely to be the norm in most fishing tournaments and the findings reported herein offer a realistic evaluation of the efficacy of a water weigh-in to reduce delayed mortality.</p><p align="left">The failure of a water weigh-in procedure to reduce delayed mortality may have been related to the fact that handling (and stressing) largemouth bass at high water temperatures will result in high mortality, regardless of the nature of the stressor or attempts to alleviate stress and improve survival. For instance, Schramm et al. (2006) electrofished largemouth bass to use as a reference (control) in a study examining mortality of largemouth bass held under different livewell conditions. Water temperatures ranged from 82 to 91</p><p align="left">The rate of delayed tournament mortality observed in J. Percy Priest Reservoir (32%; pooled over all tournaments and weigh-in procedures) was comparable to the 36% rate of delayed mortality observed by Neal and Lopez-Clayton (2001) in Lucchetti Reservoir, Puerto Rico, at water temperatures between 73</p><p align="left">Conversely, Kwak and Henry (1995) and Edwards et al. (2004) recorded much lower delayed mortality rates of 1% to 3% for largemouth bass in average water temperatures of 68</p><p align="left">Meals and Miranda (1994) observed a direct relationship between size and mortality in largemouth bass in Mississippi tournaments, a finding similar to that in the present study. <font color="#ff0000">The direct relationship between size and mortality could be explained by higher oxygen requirements of larger fish (Herman and Meyer 1990), making larger fish more likely to suffer hypoxia and stress.</font> The relationship between delayed mortality and fish size is of particular interest because prize money in many fishing tournaments is usually awarded to anglers presenting the highest collective catch weight and the largest single fish. <font color="#ff0000">Hence, tournament anglers often target larger fish, which in turn increases the probability of delayed mortality.</font></p></font><font face="SymbolMT">= 70F</font><font face="TimesNewRoman">); however, plasma lactate and cortisol concentrations were not reduced by the water weigh-in procedure compared to those that experienced a standard weigh-in. Lack of concordance between the results of Suski et al. (2003,2004) and the present study </font><font face="TimesNewRoman,Italic">vis-à-vis </font><font face="TimesNewRoman">mitigation of elevated cortisol and plasma lactate concentrations may have resulted from the confounding effects of different temperature regimes. Suski et al. (2003, 2004) examined the stress responses in largemouth bass over a narrow temperature range (72 -75</font><font face="SymbolMT">°F</font><font face="TimesNewRoman">); whereas, the tournaments at J. Percy Priest Reservoir occurred at water temperatures ranging from 45</font><font face="SymbolMT">°F</font><font face="TimesNewRoman"> to 86</font><font face="SymbolMT">°F</font><font face="TimesNewRoman">. Moreover, the fish tested by Suski et al. (2004) averaged 13" TL, much smaller than the average size (18" TL) in the present study. Plasma lactate concentrations can vary with fish length (as observed for fish subjected to standard weigh-ins in the present study). Whereas the studies described by Suski et al. (2003, 2004) were well designed to reduce confounding factors in order to more clearly reveal experimental effects and fish responses, the present field study reflects the more extreme and highly variable nature of largemouth bass fishing tournaments in southern U.S. water bodies.</font><font face="SymbolMT">°F</font><font face="TimesNewRoman"> and fish remained in a temperature-controlled aerated tank on the boat for no longer than 1 hr before being hauled to netpens or raceways. Despite such precautions, <font color="#ff0000">delayed mortality averaged 61% over 5 days</font>. <font color="#ff0000">In another study, harvesting and hauling hatchery-reared largemouth bass at high water temperatures resulted in substantial (88%) mortality </font>(Carmichael et al. 1984b).</font><font face="SymbolMT">°F</font><font face="TimesNewRoman"> and 82</font><font face="SymbolMT">°F</font><font face="TimesNewRoman">. On Lake Eufaula, Alabama, Weathers and Newman (1997) recorded an average delayed mortality rate of 22% at water temperatures ranging from 81</font><font face="SymbolMT">°F</font><font face="TimesNewRoman"> to 94</font><font face="SymbolMT">°F</font><font face="TimesNewRoman">. High water temperatures likely account for the similarity in delayed mortality rates among Lucchetti Reservoir, Lake Eufaula, and J. Percy Priest Reservoir.</font><font face="SymbolMT">°F</font><font face="TimesNewRoman"> and 72</font><font face="SymbolMT">°F</font><font face="TimesNewRoman">. Similar to the findings of Schramm et al. (1987) and Edwards et al. (2004), the present study showed a positive relationship between water temperature and the probability of delayed mortality.</font><font face="TimesNewRoman,Italic"><p align="left">Movement and Dispersal</p></font><font face="TimesNewRoman"><p align="left">Several researchers have attempted to describe the movements and dispersal of largemouth bass from tournament release sites. Richardson-Heft et al. (2000) reported that 64% of radio-tagged largemouth bass were located within .3 miles from their release site after one week, a behavior they termed “stockpiling.” Wilde and Paulson (2003) reported that 63% of tagged fish remained within .3 miles of the release site after 43 days. Of the largemouth bass in the present study located 7 days after release, 62% displayed stockpiling behavior. <font color="#ff0000">Stockpiling of largemouth bass near tournament release sites could lead to greater exploitation by nontournament anglers</font> (Gilliland 1999), assuming stockpiled fish are available to the fishery.  Stockpiling could also lead to an increase in the biomass of largemouth bass in a relatively small area, which might negatively affect growth, body condition, and mortality (Hunter 2006).</p></font><font face="TimesNewRoman,Bold"><p align="left">MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS</p></font><font face="TimesNewRoman"><p align="left"><font color="#ff0000">Delayed mortality rates of released largemouth bass were high at elevated water temperatures, regardless of the weigh-in procedure; thus, holding summer tournaments is not compatible with releasing all fish alive and healthy. </font>Tournament organizers and anglers alike have long embraced (and researchers have long studied) livewell practices such as aeration, exchanging water, and the addition of chemicals to reduce fish stress and improve survival (e.g., Plumb et al. 1988; Gilliland et al. 2002). However, the findings reported herein and the results of previous studies indicate that high mortality of tournament-caught-and-released largemouth bass is difficult to avoid at high water temperatures, regardless of how the fish are treated.</p><p align="left">Tournament bass fishing is very popular on J. Percy Priest Reservoir and the current structure of the largemouth bass population reflects all the forces of mortality acting on that population, including tournament-associated mortality. If anglers and managers were satisfied with the current abundance and structure of the largemouth bass population, it would be difficult to argue for restrictions on fishing tournaments. Likewise, limiting the number of tournaments (or when they could be held) would not be justified unless subsequent study revealed that delayed mortality after tournaments represented a large percentage of fishing mortality. For example, tournament mortality only accounted for 6-28% of all fishing mortality for largemouth bass at Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Texas (Driscoll et al. 2007) and no restrictions on tournaments were justified. If tournament-associated mortality is only a minor component of total mortality for largemouth bass in J. Percy Priest Reservoir, the only concern facing tournament organizers is the possible negative publicity associated with sponsoring tournaments and unintentionally killing fish during hot, summer months.</p></font><font face="TimesNewRoman"></font></font></font></font></p><p align="left"><font color="#3333ff">The average distance traversed by all fish that survived within the first three days of release was .42 miles, compared to .32 miles by fish that died. </font></p><p align="left"><font color="#3333ff">Largemouth bass released from the Fate Sanders Marina generally remained in the embayment for several days before following the shoreline uplake or downlake. Most fish traveling downlake traversed the shallow eastern shore, opposite the Stones River channel. Only 9 (13%) largemouth bass crossed the Stones River Channel, located approximately .31 miles from the release site. Fish released from Elm Hill Marina also tended to remain in the embayment for several days. Many largemouth bass located outside the embayment traveled along the western shore, moving downlake towards the dam.</font></p>

 

[jon the fisherman]

Thanks for your work MB, this info has opened my eyes.

 

[TennesseeTalker]

MadBomber .. can you put that in terms a simple person can understand????  Are more released fishing living or dying? 

I can't figure it out ...

TT

 

[MadBomber]

TT, you and Jon posted while I was trying to simplfy an excerpt from the report.  Look a couple of post above.  Hope this helps.  My next move is to contact some bass boat manufacturers to see what is on the horizon in livewell technology.  It seems we need toxic chemical filtration, temp control and pure oxygen aeration.</p>

I know this sounds like I'm beating the same old drum, but maybe July thru Sept Tx's could be spot only tournaments.  Immediately release any LM or SM caught.  Keep the spots, clean them, put them on ice and donate them. </p>

 

[BigFishGuide]

I'm using an insluated tank, ice, checimals and pure oxygen just to keep shad alive during the summer months. I don't keep any fish in my tank such as Bass or Rock's only shad. I'm using a 40 gallon tank and it's very difficult to keep shad alive during the summer or once the water temp get's into the 80's but it makes since if your going to haul around a five fish limit for 5 to 8 hours that you would need something similar to what I'm using. Filteration system, to take the ammonia out of the water, a pump that injects some type of air bubble into the water and ontop of that I'm using pure oxygen with an air stone turned down to get a higher oxygen content. There are companies out there that make oxygen sytems for TX fishermen. The only problem that I see in using an oxygen system is that it's explosive and a fire hazard onboard. But in using the oxygen I have noticed that my shad are more active and swim alot harder and just over all more hearty. My tank never shuts off (most bass boats have timers on the re-circ's) my tank is a closed circuit of cool clean water never pulling hot or surface water from the lake like all bass boats do. I think the bass boat industry needs to look at improving the live well of the boat instead of trying to put another electronic gadget that never get's used. Filtration system, insulated lids, re-cir system that stays on and injects tiny air bubbles into the water, Contour the tanks oval or round (no corners for the fish to nose down in), A pure oxygen injection system just to mention a few ideas that would help a fish over come the stress'es of Tx fishing.

 

[MadBomber]

BigFishGuide - 9/12/2007 12:13 PM I'm using an insluated tank, ice, checimals and pure oxygen just to keep shad alive during the summer months. I don't keep any fish in my tank such as Bass or Rock's only shad. I'm using a 40 gallon tank and it's very difficult to keep shad alive during the summer or once the water temp get's into the 80's but it makes since if your going to haul around a five fish limit for 5 to 8 hours that you would need something similar to what I'm using. Filteration system, to take the ammonia out of the water, a pump that injects some type of air bubble into the water and ontop of that I'm using pure oxygen with an air stone turned down to get a higher oxygen content. There are companies out there that make oxygen sytems for TX fishermen. The only problem that I see in using an oxygen system is that it's explosive and a fire hazard onboard. But in using the oxygen I have noticed that my shad are more active and swim alot harder and just over all more hearty. My tank never shuts off (most bass boats have timers on the re-circ's) my tank is a closed circuit of cool clean water never pulling hot or surface water from the lake like all bass boats do. I think the bass boat industry needs to look at improving the live well of the boat instead of trying to put another electronic gadget that never get's used. Filtration system, insulated lids, re-cir system that stays on and injects tiny air bubbles into the water, Contour the tanks oval or round (no corners for the fish to nose down in), A pure oxygen injection system just to mention a few ideas that would help a fish over come the stress'es of Tx fishing.

</p>

Hey BFG,</p>

This is exactly the kind of steps I'm thinking about, but I felt as a first step to let the experts get together and discuss the issue to determine which way to go.  The following is my e-mail to Triton Boats:</p><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Triton Boat Co.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Dear Sir</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Since I consider you guys to be on the cutting edge of bass boat technology, I would like to know if any research is going into livewell technology to reduce delayed mortality of tournament caught bass, particularily during the hot summer months.  Dr. Phil Bettoli of The Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit based at Tennessee Tech, recently published a report on this particular issue.(attached).</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Perhaps Dr. Bettoli might be able to consult or assist you in this endeavor.  It certainly would be in the best interest of the bass fishery in general and Triton Boat Co in particular to be the leading developer of new technology to address this serious issue.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Would you please forward this e-mail to your Management Team for their consideration.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Thanks,</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Alan Witt</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">5800 Taggart Dr</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Chattanooga, TN 37343</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">[email protected]  </font></div>

 

[Fishin Fool]

Thanks MB for posting this info. It will be interesting to see how this progresses as time goes on. I think it is something we should all be concerned with.

 

[TennesseeTalker]

Thanks for the simplification MB.  BOY .. those are HIGH numbers!!!  I suspected such but not being a tx fisher and watching the release I wasn't sure my assumption was correct.  The few tx's I have attended, I watched a lot of iffy fish ... hit the water when placed back into play.

I can't wait to follow this story.  Please keep us posted.

TT

 

[EricM]

I have a tank similar to BFG's for shad, except that I don't use pure oxygen - just air injection. My only concern for this layout as a live well for bass is that it creates a current which shad need but bass don't, and that may tire/stress the bass over time. Like BFG, I don't use it to hold anything but bait. Everything else involved with the tank sound like a really good idea for a livewell. Lots of great ideas folks! And thanks MB for the efforts!!!!!!!!