BassMaster Classic 2021 Livewell chemicals and supplements requirements

98.4% successful live release plus hours of successful transport is really impressive and unmatched to date! And they said this could never be done in large summer bass tournaments or any other kind of C&R fishing tournament. THAT'S JUST PURE HUMBUG!

Succes like this is the New Reality but are bass really worth all this effort and new technology? Very few contestants and tournamen officials say yea and do it but most contestants and tournament organizers say hail nay, to much additional cost, to much trouble, to much his and that yada, yada, yada!

This kind of live release success requires motivation, effort and especially the new oxygen-injection livewell technologies that is available today for bass boat livewells and live release haul tanks.
B.A.S.S. and TP&WD Inland fisheries sets a high fisheries conservation bar for all other summer bass tournament operations and contestants.

I have a question for you Classic followers: Do any of you actually know, did you see or have any clue what popular brand of bass saver livewell chemicals/supplements/ Hydrogen peroxide/ice that contestants actually used in their boat livewells all 3 days at the 2021 Classic and in the TP&WD hauling tanks?

If so, what free chemicals and supplements did B.A.S.S./TP&WD require, issued and used pre-blast off in all 54 bass boat livewells?

Sharing information on the New Best Ways to Keep Bass Alive in hot summer tournaments.
Thanks

Really odd post to read.

Only thing I saw was someone put g-juice directly on to a bass. Only other thing I saw in a live well was melted bags of ice.

Them fish were floating in the state park later, just because you live release them doesn't mean they have long happy life afterwards.

Just get $40 livewell vents & skip all this other non-sense. Had the TD at my last derby comment how lively my fish were compared to others. They work.

Did you witness this yourself or just repeating what you heard? Those fish were weighed at the lake and not transported so the trip had nothing to do with it.

That is what I did also and have never lost a fish in the 3 years I have had them.. I do keep G juice on my boat if needed.

I was about to ask the same thing..

someone posted a few weeks ago that there were 1050 tournament boats on guntersville in one day.....this lake gets pounded every day of the year yet it produces great fishing and has for years.....two things to remember...if tournaments hurt the fishing,this lake would have been ruined years ago......and why do tournaments not hurt the fishing....because spawning bass produce far more fingerlings than the lake can ever sustain....

Guntersville is full of grass. Grass seems to be the best cover for fish to flourish.

Smart man ^^^ can think for himself

They brought them back and released them and yes they had plenty floating out in the middle maybe 98 percent when released. Maybe....

How were you able to tell which ones were weighed at the lake and which ones were transported to Ft. Worth and brought back?

I wasnt. Its not like their 98 percent claim is broken up between ones weighed at lake and ones brought all the way to ft worth. So why does it matter?

I was over it but man dont post some article we all know isnt correct. That just BS and anyone with a brain knows it.

No different than what I witness you do at a tournament on Lewisville. If it weren't for other boaters the fish you released would have died.

Bold accusation buddy. What tournament are you talking about? My partner is prob the best in the business at fizzing fish. I remember al lew tournament we were fizzing ones we found floating. Im guessing Scott Gordons tournament because the other TTO we caught em in I think had a live release trailer. Besides that I dont even fish that lake besides a handful of Friday nighter 3 years ago.

Not an accusation but a fact. It was a tournament put on by Scott. The team that weighed in before you was at the water releasing their fish. You weighed in, walked to waters edge and dumped your fish and turned around and walked off.. 2 or 3 of the fish floated to the top and needed to be fizzed. The Angler's before you grabbed them and another boater came up with a needle and fizzed an released them. This was maybe about 2-3 years ago.

Your partner was not with you on shore.

Take 2% mortality rate into consideration and even if every angler that fished each day had a limit( which many did not) you would be at about 10 fish lost out of the whole deal. Not bad at all.
Respectfully I trust and believe TP&W biologists over anyone on here by far. Not a shot towards anyone but I trust the people that have the education and field experience of fisheries management over people who fish a bit.

Yea I remember the exact opposite but we also won by over 20 pounds or so I think so I have no doubt that you boys wanted to start up some rumors. Not a chance thats how It went down I remember it like it was yesterday but par for the course and am not surprised.

100%, BPT has shown with the technology today there is a better way to do it in the hot months, not sure why the old guard guys are so butt hurt about it...

I was not in the tournament. I came to chat with Scott and watch the weigh-in. Yes, your team won that tournament. So, I have no need to start a rumor. Just stating facts ! Besides, Why would someone need to start a rumor. You create enough drama on your own.

Yea solid facts

No need for rumors. You create enough drama for yourself making false accusations.

Do you personally choose not to fish any tournaments because they are not MLF format or should us other guys not fish them.?

Yes sir...I'm a firm believer in the V-T2 livewell vents. Had them on the last boat and noticed an instant change when fishing tournaments. They were more lively, less slime in my well, and never lost a fish. I do keep some please release me in the boat for trailering events. I lock the wells in recirc and put a lid full in. They are as lively as can be when I go to get them out and take them to the scales.

They work!

I hear this same story over and over again. ^^^^ smart man

LOL this thread turned into an S-show pretty quick.

Has it really been two weeks? Dang time flies. It’s time for a summer tournament Bass mortality thread again?

wh2004,
Do you have any idea what the point is of putting G-Juice on the bass and not in the livewell water?
Did you really see someone pour it on the fish’s scales or pour it down the fish’s throat/gills? I have never heard of pouring G-Juice on bass. I have heard of using instant mashed potatoes to clot bleeding though.

This “someone you saw purring G-Juice directly on to a bass” a B.A.S.S. official or TP&WD employee or a contestant?
Here’s something really odd I saw first-hand.

A few years ago I went to a Bob Sealy bass tournament on Lake Fork. The bass saver chemical called Rejuvenade was popular back then and was passed out to Sealy’s contestants in abundance plus the livewell chemical was FREE. Anything, everything FREE is always very popular and a big hit at bass tournaments especially if the contestant believes if it’s good for the bass and enables the contestant to get the bass to the weigh-master alive or alive enough to dodge a “dead fish penalty.” Everybody knows that it just takes 1 dead fish to lose the tournament money. Winning the tournament money is the whole point of winning bass tournaments for the majority of contestants.

The Rejuvenade salesman was at the live release boat peddling his wares, talking the talk. There were 4-5 people standing around listening to his Rejuvenade sales pitch. He use a lot of this chemical in the release boat holding tank, the water was dark blue, it looked and felt thick, dense more like an oily texture compared to the look, feel and texture of plain fresh Lake Fork water. The bass went wild when they were placed in the chemical dip in the release boat tanks. They immediately became hyperactive, unnaturally active like they were pumped on adrenaline or cocaine. Like a cat with its tail on fire. These bass definitely did not look or act normal after riding all day in a bass boat livewell 6-8 hours July tournament.

The most impressive thing I actually saw and have never forgotten was when this Rejuvenade salesman ask the guy with the DO meter to test the haul tank water DO that was chock full bass and this syrupy water full of Rejuvenade. I figured the guy with the DO meter was part of the salesman’s pitch.

The Rejuvenade salesman’s show was going very well until the guy with the DO meter put the meter probe into the haul tank water to test the DO, that’s when the show went terribly wrong in a heartbeat.

The guy’s DO meter immediately pegged off the meter scale, > 20 PPM. The meter went totally haywire. The water in the haul tank was only aerated with ambient air pumped a bubbler rock and could not possibly contain > 20 PPM DO. I looks and saw no big green O2 tanks on the release boat bubbling welding oxygen into the haul tank water.

The guy doing the DO test as well as the Rejuvenade salesman were totally baffled and neither had any idea why the DO meter was acting so erratic, abnormally pegging off the scale immediately every time he put the probe into that blue-green syrupy water containing the Rejuvenade.
The guy with the DO meter was dressed like a piney woods local and may easily have been a biologist from TP&WD Inland Fisheries undercover. Who in the world would go to Bob Sealy’s bass tournament years ago at Lake Fork with a DO meter and then be invited by the Rejuvenade salesman to test the DO in the release boat hauling tank full of bass and Reuvenade?

That was when I saw and learned something very unusual and verboten about that particular bass saver chemical called Rejuvenade.
That first-hand experience at Bob Sealy’s bass tournament was a real eye-popper for me. This was definitely not an intentional part of the Rejuvenade guy's sales pitch.

I bet Bob Sealy would not have appreciated this Rejuvenade demonstration at all if he had only know about it.

Sharing information and first-hand experience has value.

You are on O2 systems salesman who used to post here as Ol One Eye.

I don’t know. I just saw him put It directly on the bass’ mouth.

Mark, I didn’t read his entire second post but that’s funny you called him on that. That’s exactly what I was thinking about his original post. Very salesmanesque like talk.

Tranquilo Perry, I can tell that you got a big old thorny burr in your culo. No disrespect intended Perry, everybody catches a burr occasionally in life if they are lucky enough to live long enough.

Please let me to help you focus Perry, reorganize, eliminate your confusion, redirect your attention and your meaningless accusations to the right people and organizations. You seem like a fairly bright dude, let me help you get back on track here so to speak.

If you must point your finger and make unsupported accusations let’s first identify the real oxygen-injection system sales force in tournament bass world: It’s Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Inland Fisheries Division Todd Driscoll et.al., B.A.S.S. Conservation Director Gene Gilliland and a hand full of outdoors writers who have been preaching, promoting and selling oxygen-injection technology to the tournament bass fishing industry for years including the summer 2001 Classic in central Texas.

Read the publications if you like, review the pics published about the 2021 BassMaster Classic fish care that was forced on 54 contestant bar none. You can bet those 54 contestants had absolutely no choice whether to use these oxygen-injection systems provided to them at no charge for the Classic this summer. Contestants not only got the oxygen-injection equipment FREE, but they also got the oxygen gas FREE too. All these fishermen had absolutely no say about using these oxygen-injection systems. They were all literally forced to use these oxygen-injection systems to transport their bass in their bass boat livewells.

I’m just sharing current knowledge and some fishery science with you Perry that you are clearly totally unaware of and probably could care less about. Here are the real oxygen-injection system promoters and salesmen. So, if it makes you feel better to point fingers and criticize folks, then point your little fingers at the right people and organizations.

Read this and you will know for sure who is and has been promoting and selling oxygen-injection systems for years to date. These people and originations definitely have an oxygen-injection system agenda and they are very persistent.

When teamed up with the same new tournament bass care agenda, the combination of B.A.S.S., TP&WD Inland Fisheries Department and TP&WD fish and game enforcement can change state regulations governing tournament bass fish care regulations. An average tournament bass fisherman may be able to see this hand writing on the wall after this summers Classic or well, maybe not.
.
Keeping Bass Alive, A Guidebook for Anglers and Tournament Organizers, ©2002, B.A.S.S. Montongery, Alabama By: Gene Gilliland, Gilliland is currently the B.A.S.S. National Conservation Director effective 2014 http://assets.espn.go.com/winnercomm/outdoors/bassmaster/pdf/Keeping_Bass_Alive.pdf

Fast Forward 7 years: Classic fish care plan hits home run with 98% live release, June 27, 2021, Classic fish care plan hits home run with 98% live release | Bassmaster You have obviously not seen this piece or the pics in this piece of contestants with these oxygen-injection systems the they were forced to use in their boats. The oxygen-injection equipment was provided to them by B.A.S.S. and TP&WD Inland Fisheries.

Enhanced fish care planned for Classic, May 29, 2021 Enhanced fish care planned for Classic | Bassmaster
Bassmaster Classic employs ‘advanced fish care’ initiative, July 1, 2021 by Matt Williams, July 1, 2021 Bassmaster Classic employs ‘advanced fish care’ initiative (beaumontenterprise.com)

OUTDOORS: Livewell Science, Tournament anglers encouraged to take extra steps to ensure good water quality, July 1, 2021 by Matt Williams

Livewell-Held Bass Require Special Care During Summer Months, By Todd Driscoll, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department https://hutdshow.com/article-2

To maintain livewell-held bass in the best possible shape, pure oxygen-injection systems (oxygen bottle, regulator, and fine-pore air diffuser) can be installed for under $300. Without question, lack of oxygen is the primary reason fish die in livewells.
Direct Oxygen Injection by Todd Driscoll, TP&WD U-Tube 6-8-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-EP3d9v5y8

Todd is a Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Inland Fisheries Supervisor, District 3D, 900 CR 218, Brookeland, TX 75931 and tournament bass fisherman - Homemade oxygen injection system (prescription medical equipment build)

Livewell-Held bass require Special Care During Summer Months, by Todd Driscoll, TP&WD Article-Livewell-Held Bass Require | Hook’n Up & Track’n Down Show (hutdshow.com)

Livewell Aeration in Bass Boats, Canoes, Kayaks and more
Posted July 18, 2013, Published by Todd Driscoll, TP&WD Todd Driscoll’s Content - Page 3 - Bass Fishing Forums (bassresource.com)

Driscoll says, "I posted this info below on another thread from a couple of weeks ago. The pure oxygen-injection system described below is scientifically proved to be the best way to maintain oxygen levels in livewells. This system would be a great fit for your situation.
Without question, the absolute best way to maintain ideal oxygen levels under any condition is the use of an oxygen-injection system (bottle with pure oxygen, regulator, and fine-pore diffusers). The difference here is that we are injecting pure, 100% oxygen, whereas livewell pumps just inject air (21% oxygen).

I have been running this system on my boats for the last 3 years (over 40 tournaments) and wouldn’t have it any other way. Detailed info and equipment specs are provided at the link below. $300 will buy all that you need.
Because tournaments are so popular and frequent in Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department fisheries biologists have conducted several scientific evaluations of fish care equipment to ensure that tourney anglers have the information to take best care of their fish and minimize tourney-related mortality. I have been involved in each of these evaluations. You can contact either me or the other fisheries biologists listed in the links below with specific questions."

Livewell oxygen-injection system - http://www.slideshare.net/raminlandfish/livewell-oxygen-injection-8773301

Oxygenators – how effective are they - http://www.slideshare.net/raminlandfish/the-oxygenator-how-effective-is-it

Oxygenation of Livewells to Improve Survival of Tournament-Caught Bass by Fishery Biologist Randy Myers and Jason Driscoll TPWP, Inland Fisheries Division, San Antonio, TX Publication 6/2011
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/didyouknow/inland/livewells.phtml

Livewell Oxygen Injection Systems by Fishery Biologist Randy Myers TPWD, Inland Fisheries Division, San Antonio, TX Publication 6/2011 https://www.slideshare.net/raminlandfish/livewell-oxygen-injection-8773301

Oxygen Set Uo for a Livewell System , U-Tube

These are only a few of the organizations and salesmen promoting and selling oxygen-injection systems to bass tournament organizers and contestants. There are many more.

Today there are some catfish tournament organizations that are requiring all their contestants to have on board and use oxygen-injection systems on their boats or they cannot fish in their summer tournaments.

This forum is about sharing experience, knowledge and fishery science for the more advanced tournament fishermen interested in the new best tournament bass care possible July 2021. All the underthinkers would never be interested in or even read about the new oxygen-injection technologies that so dranatically improve summer tournament survival. unless they were forced to use them for the good of the bass fisheries like new State tournament fishing laws with teeth; like hefty fines and sanctions attached for violaters, contestants, clubs and tournament officials.

This new tournament Bass care standard we saw demonstrated at this years Classic requiring contestants to use oxygen-injection system in their boat livewells sets a whole new tournament bass care precident that has never been done before this years Classic tournament. Today this new summer tournament bass care precident may affect the over thinkers and especially all the underthinkers. What is tournament bass conservation really worth to contestants, tournament officials and the public? Is this new tournamentr bass care personally worth anything at all or an annoyancem an inconvenience to put up with?

Perry, In my opinion, I believe we have witnessed a preview of the new summer tournament bass care precident established in the 2021 BassMaster Classic that improved tournament live release survival 98.4%. That's not only impreressive, but that''s extremely successfull.

Do you have any thoughts about this new oxygen-injection technology imposed on summer bass tournaments?

Cliff Notes?

and end all tournaments so that there will be less fish mortality.

I talked to a few guys at the Tuesday night tournament a couple of days after the classic that said the same.. I didn’t see any personally and nobody had pics. Really felt like TPWD and BASS did a great job of minimizing the loss, still super happy to have had the classic here, it was a great experience.

That ain’t happening. I’m going to one tonight. Lol

Bunch O fish died because of the the Classic, catch weigh release is the way to go

I do not think that is how that went down. I actually think I stood in the water and fizzed a few fish. Our fish swam off just fine to the best of my knowledge.

Also I spend a lot of time on RR and never saw a single fish floating after the classic so I'm not sure people saying they were floating everywhere is the truth either.

2% is about 10 fish. Not sure that is a bunch of fish.

all I know is if a hundred crappie guides on Fork can go out and limit twice a day everyday and still keep catching them, we will never run out of BASS.

just saying

Didnt read all post and most may know or most may not know, but they weighed 100% of the fish at the lake and let most only transport no more than 2 fish back to fort worth I drove some of the anglers from boat yard to arena every day if they had fish they had oxygen bottles and ice to keep the fish alive till they put them in TP&W holding tanks that transported them back to the lake.

BASS took every possible method to keep them alive, so if any were floating they were probably not the ones transported from fort worth. So if any died i would say it was less than 1-2%.
And didnt see any pics of this happening so far.
BASS should be commended not trashed by some. No trail major or minor is perfect.

Well said

Jack, we do not use Rejuvenade in the live release boat and never have. I have worked all of the Sealy tournaments for the last 18 years. The fish never jumped out like you described so I would say that a good part of your post is pure BS just made up to make your post seem .more credible.
We use "Catch and Release" and our usual percentage of dead fish brought to us swimming, not gut hooked, not needing fizzing and not with pink gills is 100%
When we receive fish with the described problems the percentage goes down exponentially. We also use oxygen, and ice to lower the temps about 3 degrees.

I believe all fish were brought to the arena on the last day, cut was top 25 anglers.

Not all 25 caught 5 fish limits on Day 3. Even if they did there would have been 125 fish and with a 2% mortality rate you are looking at 2-3 dead fish. As was stated especially on the last day TP&W had oversight of fish care using ice, oxygen etc. All fish were checked and monitored prior to leaving for Ft. Worth then TP&W handled the release back into the lake.

Well now someone looks like a complete idiot

Hahaha!!! I thought the same thing.

Sure was calling others foolish only to have his face pushed in the mud.

Being June I would guess all the bigger fish caught on the last day eventually died, I know they guy in third big fish was belly up on day 3.

Allan,
No harm no foul. How would you know or could you know because this incident occurred before your stent with Sealy.
Thanks for your opinion.

Before Sealy employed you, he was definitely using and promoting the use of Rejuvenade. He was using Rejuvenade in his live release boat tanks the 2003 spring/summer season.

Sealy did not use oxygen in his release boat tanks at that time. He probably thought air and oxygen back then because he used aerators, air pumps, bubblers, spray bars and Rejuvenade. This indecent I’m talking about obviously precedes your live release boat employment with him. Back then there were not many live release boats operational, tournament bass care was still archaic back then. Sealy may have been a release boat pioneer because he sure knew better than to dump tournament fish at the boat ramp.

By the way those bass acted like a cat with its tail on fire in the tank with the Rejuvenade. Looked to me like how a bass would react if it was put in a 5 gallon bucket full of vinegar. Hyper active, trying to jump out of the bucket with the vinegar and get away as quick as it can. There is no telling what chemicals are in Rejuvenade but there was something that caused a powerful negative reaction when fish are exposed to it. Captive bass do not react like this naturally unless the environment is really toxic or corrosive.
Plus DO meters do not work in water containing Rejuvenade.

You may be accurately describing the facts that you and your employer never use Rejuvenate and used another popular brand of fish safer chemicals, oxygen and ice.

What you have forgotten, failed to mention or chose not to mention or acknowledge is that you had no idea or knowledge what Sealy used in his live release boat before you came on the scene. Before you arrived Sealy was using an old pontoon boat; there were no O2 tanks or O2 on the boat because Sealy did not use oxygen at that time, he used aeration only. You were probably young kid in elementary school back then with a summer job on that live release boat.

Evidently Sealy really cleaned up his live release boat operation dramatically during your employment. He ditched the aerators replacing then with an oxygen system, discontinued using Rejuvenade, began using different livewell chemicals and had more ice available, etc.
By the way, the Regional Rejuvenade sales rep that poured all that chemical that made the water syrupy into the release boat haul tank was a ball headed white guy maybe 30 YO. I don’t recall his name but he did not live in Texas and traveled around the country promoting and selling Rejuvenade. He was a good salesman. By the time he was through with his 10 minute sales pitch, you would go out and buy a case of his wares he was so good. He is probably the boss of the company by now.

I have no idea who or where the guy with the DO meter doing the testing was from. He looked like, dressed like and had an East Texas piney woods dialect. This incident was very impressive and memorable to me because this was the 1st time I had ever seen a DO Meter and DO actually tested. What was so impressive to me was when he put the DO meter probe into the haul tank water with the Rejuvenade. His DO meter went haywire immediately slamming the needle off the DO scale. When he compared and tested the lake water his DO meter worked fine. This was repeated several times with the same results. The DO meter guy said the only thing different was the Rejuvenade in the water, the lake water and haul tank water was the same water.

Thanks for your opinion.

[/i][i]

So he's been with Sealy for 18yrs and now you're saying it happened before his "stent with Sealy"................? lmao. Just stop. lol. You look like and idiot. YOU SAID A FEW YEARS AGO. Now you're saying a few years is longer than 18yrs ago.............lol. What a dip

I think rejuvenade ingredients have been changes since then, those fish would act like they were on meth with that old formula, I remember FLW used to use it

My 18 years included 2003.

I guess you shoulda said 2001. Because the live release boat we have wasn't built until 2002. I don't know if Bob used the one that Jerry had prior to us coming on the scene. But you might and I can call him (Bob) to find out.

It's nice when you can hide behind a "handle" and then write anything you want true or not..

Pure oxygen is better than anything else. Cheap insurance not sure why anyone wouldn't have it in their boat for tournaments April through October

Allan, I hear you saying, “it’s nice when you can hide [your identity] behind a "handle" and then write anything you want true or not..?” I take it that you really believe this personal value “is nice.” I would certainly not discount or shame your pride or your value you have place on your statement here. That says a lot about a person that willing to share values like this to the public so all can see a route you have chosen in your life. Thanks for sharing your value.

I am surprised that you would share personal values about yourself like this with me and the rest of the world on social media.
Your value statement sounds like normal modern journalism speak to me. Students are being taught this value at all levels of education k-12, in college through grad school and at work according to a cousin that teaches college journalism. For most people, this is quickly becoming a normal accepted every day America value that’s taught in public schools today. That deception is OK, normal and should be expected
Your comment reminds me of something William Barr, past US Attorney General said. On Winners and Losers and Who Writes the History On Winners and Losers and Who Writes the History - by Jonah Goldberg - The Dispatch

“There is nothing sacred” or “what’s sacred to me means nothing to you.” Values are always relative to what we are taught, have learned and adopted.

History can be totally erased, changed and replaced in within 4-5 generations by motivated the winners with new agendas plus the support of mass media orgs., the right teachers in our educational systems, new religious teaching and new laws. This is normal cultural evolution, a dynamic process that is ongoing, alive and well.

I’m probably considered old fashion,“old school” Allen because I was taught, believe in and practice the personal value of truth and honesty I first learned from my parents when I was 3-4 YO.

You're probably a hard working good ole country boy with a poontoon live release boat business hauling tournament fish and we just have different values Allan, that's all.

What?

It seems like BASS did a good job. For the ones that were going to die or did die, what is wrong with fish tacos? It is a fish, they are good to eat, release the ones that are going to make it and fillet the rest. Good grief! Where this becomes a problem is when they have too many tournaments on the same lake and wreck a population without restocking.

Best I can tell a few of the “hammers” on that pond are tit bags.

TF are you talking about

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d see Jonah Goldberg quoted in the bass section. Wild.

Actually black bass are tasty with a nice seasoning. BUT BLACK BASS LIVES MATTER!!!

Agree. We eat black bass a few times a month. I take the fish that are struggling or dying from tournaments and clean them.
The big ones I cook on the half shell on the grill.

Hey 46, isn't it kind of disrespectful addressing someone by their last name only? Are you truly that egotistical? Do you really feel that you are that much superior to everyone else? You could at least have the courtesy to preface their last name with Mr., as in Mr. Perry or Mr. Allen. And although I have not met either of the afore-mentioned gentlemen, I have infinitely more respect for them than I will ever have for you

People that eat bass – Take a moment and check this bass care publication. This was published by ESPN Productions, Inc./B.A.S.S. 19 years ago and this bell still ring true today.

This section is about bass, livewell additives and chemical dips contamination and expert opinions by some of those over-thinkers.

Keeping Bass Alive, A Guidebook for Anglers and Tournament Organizers
http://assets.espn.go.com/winnercomm/outdoors/bassmaster/pdf/Keeping_Bass_Alive.pdf

Gene Gilliland, et.al.
Published by: ESPN Productions, Inc./B.A.S.S.
5854 Carmichael Rd.
Montgomery, AL 36117
Copyright 2002 B.A.S.S.* Montgomery, AL



As noted in an earlier section, fish under stress take in more water than normal, diluting their blood. This creates an osmotic imbalance in their systems that can cause delayed mortality. By keeping the salinity of the water in the livewell near what their blood should be, you reduce the effects of stress. To achieve this, make a 0.5 percent solution by adding noniodized salt at a rate of 1/3 cup per 5 gallons of water. It may be convenient to pre-measure the salt into plastic bags and carry several with you for use during the day. Remember that every time you flush half the water from the livewell and refill with fresh water, you will need to add more salt.
Some commercial water conditioners that are reported to calm the fish, reduce stress, replace lost mucus coating, help regulate salt balance, and fight infections, contain chemicals that are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug KEEPING BASS ALIVE – pg 20

Chapter Two Administration for use on fish that may be treated, released, then caught again at a later date and possibly eaten by humans. State and federal fisheries agencies cannot recommend the use of these products, not because of ineffectiveness, but because the ingredients have not been certified as safe for human contact or consumption.
“Use noniodized salt at a rate of 1/3 cup per 5 gallons of water.”

Another chemical that has sometimes been used to treat livewell or holding tank water is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Hydrogen peroxide breaks down into oxygen and water in the presence of organic material. However, this chemical can injure fish and SHOULD NOT BE USED.
Most people have used this colorless, odorless, tasteless liquid to disinfect a cut or scratch. You can see it fizzing and bubbling on the skin as it oxidizes. Now imagine what it does in a livewell full of bass. The bass’ mucus coating protects its skin from the oxidation reaction, but there is no such protective coating on the delicate gill filaments. Unfortunately, anglers who use hydrogen peroxide often think that if a little is good, a little more should be better. Wrong! Damage to gill filaments, suffocation and death may result.
“Do not use hydrogen peroxide in the livewell!” pg 21

B.A.S.S., State DNR’s and State Fishery Departments all continue this 19 year old stance on using livewell chemical dips for C&R tournament bass and contaminated food fish (bass) that humans catch and eat to date.

Here’s a published opinion from TP&WD Inland Firheries biologist:
Catch and Release Guidelines, Livewell Management Livewell Management (texas.gov)
“Never use commercial water additives unless they are in agreement with FDA and EPA regulations.”

Careful what kind of fish you eat. Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico because they contain high levels of mercury. These fish are chemically contaminated too.

I don’t know anyone that eats black bass. Careful what kind of fish you eat and feed your kids.
Enjoy the read.

Hey Tin Man, your spin-off is duly noted.

You may not have known what this thread is about. Let’s refocus, it’s about BassMaster Classic 2021 livewell Chemicals and Supplements. Now you know, just refocus.

I can see you’re having a pity party today. Hopefully tomorrow you will feel better and have something positive or constructive to add?
I hope so.

This topic always goes off the rails, 100 percent of time.

reminds me of Tbend Texas side, that dude could type some chit.

Man you are so full of [censored] you stink. There isn’t anything wrong with eating bass as long as it is out of a clean lake.
You remind me of the guy that ran Amistad Lodge years ago. Think your smarter than everyone else you talk to and all you do is copy and paste articles.

Yep, bass are delicious

Thanks to everyone that participated.

wh doesn’t know but he saw ”some guy” [at the 2021 Classic] putting a chemical directly into the bass’s mouth.

Buda talked with a few guys at a Tuesday night tournament that said the same thing wh said.

None had pics or video, one has 1st hand observation of chemical applications. That is very unusual that TP&WD and Gilliland @ B.A.S.S. would approve of any contestant using chemicals other than salt and oxygen.

I appreciate everyone’s’ response and participation. Especially the Tanks response. He’s the best livewell air vent salesman I’ve ever seen or heard and he’s funny too. He likes winding up the readers as he enjoys the show and his pop corn. I bet the Tank not only sells air vents, but may bean owner or part owner of the VT-2 venture.
JJ

How many livewell vent salesmen have you heard? …besides yourself?