I laughed for 5 minutes after that...I probably need to go back to bed...

All that I want to see is that if you are going to release your fish please take every effort to take care and handle the fish, to help her odds to survive. And I know if you put a big fish in the livewell and keep it in their all day the odds are she will not make it. When the BASS Elite was here April 08 The fish kill was stagering to say the least and they are experts at fish care. The fact is that it is too stressfull for big fish to be bounced around all day in the boat.

I think we get hung up on the negative terminology. The TPWD regulations states clearly I am allowed to harvest 5 bass (in any combination). Harvest is dead. I pay for my license and go fishing in tournaments and release all 5 fish. It is being inferred this is causing up to a 35% mortality but I view it as creating a 65% survival rate. An option is being given to increase survival rate by not fishing 5 bass, weigh-in tournaments. Of course that is not going to happen. Another legal alternative is that tournament anglers be required to take their catch home so that the bass do not suffer delayed mortality. I believe the sharing of ideas would more civil when we start the discussion from the 65% survival rate and work to improve it. Keep in mind that everyone has a legal right of 100% bass mortality granted by the TPWD with the purchase of a license. 65% is pretty good in comparison to 0%.

We tourny guys need to make sure that the majority of our catches survive for the long term. If we continue to not really care, then some animal rights group may try to shut us down one day. Its possible, just look at the law in Europe stating that live bait cant be used anymore cause its cruel to the bait!

If we are constatly striving to make improvements we give nobody a reason to talk bad about us! Plus, we will only create better fishing for ourselves!

I think that tournys and anglers need to adobt a fish safety first attitude, before our own needs!

How many of the lunkers caught in gill nets on the mexico side survive? How many bass each year do the gill netters kill off of the total population each year?

How much money is fishing bringing in to the local economy around the lake?

We need to educate people on how to handle the fish to ensure they live if the angler CHOOSES to practice C&R.

How do you do that? Maybe have something added to the TP&W handbook you get with your license.

High % of fish kill due to a tournament is regrettable, but look what that tournament has done for the lake and local economy.

I am sure some locals would rather falcon not have been in the national spot light. But I would say it done more good than harm.

/agree 100%

Oh so if TPWD did the study then it must be true. Give me a break they more agendas than most democrats

I will say it again. This is not about your rights to keep 5 fish a day to eat or have 10 in possession in the frez. It is about if you plan to release your fish Take Care of Them. This time of year big sows full of eggs need to be put back as soon as possible for several reason including her surival and her natural restocking ability. Do you think if you catch a big fish on a bed and haul her around in the boat all day and 8 hrs latter release her at the boat ramp 20 miles from her bed she will be ok and spawn, I would rather you at this time to eat her, because it is very slim that she will surive. About the Mex netters I have been fishing Falcon for over 30 years and Very few large bass get into nets. I have seen nets with small bass in them, but very seldome large ones.

First, I wanted to adress the issue of Mexican gill netting! Though I am for Catch-n-Release fishing for the avg recreational angler, I have absolutely no problem with Mexican gill netters as long as they stay on their side of the lake and follow the law!

I am against over consuming game fish for most of us because most of us have the ability to go down to the grocery store or resturant to eat everyday! Most of us have jobs and earn enough money to buy food for ourselves and families. However, many of these mexican gill netters are poor and depend on the lake as a source of food and income! These people have been using the Rio Grande for hundreds of years as a source of life, if ios just recreation to us! Who are we to deny them the chance to feed themselves! Yes, it does suck when you here of 15 lbers caught in the nets, but just chalk that one up to the game! Besides, these people are mainly catching and targeting rough fish, Tilapia, catfish, and other panfishes. Bass does not make up a big part of their catches!

However, I do think it is wrong for them to put nets on the US side! they need to follow the law like everyone else!

as for Tournys on Falcon, once again; in no way am I totally against them or any other tourny. There is a lot of good to come out of them, however, there is also some very negitive side effects. However, these are things that I think can be easily made better with a little effort. In whatever you do, you should always strive to get better. Change for the better is a good thing. Its like an owner bringing in some new key players to a playoff football team so that it can make the super bowl! Sure, the playoffs are good, but you need to always strive for the superbowl, and you have to change or try something new to get there!

If there continues to be lots of fishkills at Falcon because of poor fish care by tournys or meat hunters, then the fishing will start to decrease. If the fishing decreases, than nobody will come to the lake anymore, they will got to the nex place.

For instance, have you ever noticed why there are not any tackle shops around choke canyon, and why there are several empty closed down building along the road going in? It was because the fishing got bad in the 90s because of severe drought and they went out of business!

+1000 great post I do not know if this will help, but if it saves a few fish lifes it will help. I have noticed a lot of big fish being killed. This is got to stop or we are headed for bad days. Guys this is our spawing season and if you put these big sows in you livewell and keep them in it all day for a group picture or to show you buddies it is a death sentence. If you want to eat some fish that is ok just keep your smallest five not the biggest. All that I want is that you respect the resorce even if it is not your home lake

Those of use that are still around when Fork, Ray Roberts Montecello just to name a few back in the 80's hang our heads in shame after the countless witness of abuse of fish and common courtesy and disrespect that "outdoorsman" of today portray for speed and greed.
I am thankful to have the memories of those 8+ lbrs that are now a few 2 lbrs at best.

Yes, I remember, and I still feel, no matter what you say, that you are trying to portray tournament fishing as a bigger cause or fish mortality than it really is. My gimp study was published just like the ones you posted. I can draw some radical conclusions from them as well. I fish tournaments and I have taken fish to eat. The only agenda I have is to try to insulate an activity that I enjoy from false accusations. I know the fish kill was troubling at Falcon but I guarantee it was nowhere near as gruesome as the results of the LMBV on Rayburn. Imagine dead fish all over the lake for weeks at a time. I think proper handling of bass is very important and the better techiniques the greater impact it will have on the resource. I just think that there are greater problems threatening fisheries that should require more attention from anglers: LMBV prevention, giant salvinia, hydrilla treatments and others. It's alot like politics, on some issues it's easy to find common ground and on others it's not.

All I know is that if the fishing at Rayburn doesn't get better soon someone will be studying the impacts of the most tournament fished lake in Texas!

I know, I know! It's just colder than usual! Oh, I know there will be a good tournament soon and the headlines will read, "Big Sam is Back!" In the words of the guy in the movie Charley Wilson's War, "We'll see, said the Zenmaster"!

I think the most overlooked impact of tournament fishing is the ability of a fish that is within a few hours of spawning, getting hauled 20 miles and released and then expecting this fish to do it's normal thing!

I think the most overlooked thing is the amount that are never hatched because the females are hauled all over the place.

i am about to leave to go respect it right now. another 10 minutes and i am out the door.

you know, your point made me think. People are worried about tourneys. What about gill netting? It is common on the Mexican side, and people still go to the Mexican side to fish. Especially on Amistad. I think fish are more resilient than we give them credit for.

Home lake or not, Mexican side vs US side the LMB is a highly sought after gamefish. Personally, I believe too valuable to put under the knife, but again that is my personal opinion. Everyone loves the spawn, because you can have a legitimate chance of catching an elusive sow. I believe with their vulnerability and access comes greater angler responsibility. Of course, lakes go through cycles, but to ensure QUALITY fishing for years to come, everyone must do their part. As an example take a look at the flounder fishery, anglers targeted their spawn, the fall run. Of course, big saddleblankets are more accessible and vulnerable. So after years of steady recreational pressure and shrimp boat bycatch, we now have TPWD stepping in to rescue the flounder fishery. I doubt the LMB fishery will get to that, but while we are enjoying fishing the spawn, lets keep in mind the health of our state's great LMB fisheries. Everyone cherishes and has their version of "the good 'ole days" It seems like we only miss it when its gone or just isn't the same anymore. So, let's not abuse it, enjoy fishing and remember that bass and many more are literally in your hands during the spawn.