Most fish caught with treble hooks never make it over the gunnel LOL.

I wish more tournaments would do what the Marks tournament has done on Lay for the past 20+yrs, restock the lake. They have released over 3 million fingerlings total. Each fisherman is given a sack of 100-200ish fingerlings to release at their first stop so the fish are released all over the lake.
I have no idea the impact if any it has on the population. That may represent 20% of an avg large mouth hatch or less than 1%. I believe the lake is around 12,000ac, if so thats 250 fish they've restocked per acre. To all the skillet fishermen on Lay, your welcome.

I read a report of a study that TVA performed years ago on Lake Guntersville I think. In the study they netted off an area at the boat ramp and released the fish from a tournament in it to study the mortality rate. If my memory is correct it was less than a 20%. They watched the fish over a period of time but I don't remember how long. I don't think it was weeks or anything like that. I will try to find the study and post it. Also I will talk to my buddy who is the state reservior biologist for Alabama and see what he has to say about it.

I'm thinking of one at Smith. Was told by a state DCNR official that the mortality rate was 60%. Don't how they did the study.

Many variables in play in something like this: water temps, season, handling of the fish by each angler in the livewell, some use 'treatments' like Rejuvenade and others dump in ice or salt or all of that, some don't do anything.

So it's impossible to say that ABC Tournament anglers or 34 tournaments over a 6-month period killed X-amount of fish because of ... and there is no specific "because of." There can't be. Stressors in summer heat and 85-plus degree water may be different than in April or February or October.

Aaron Martens, who is a super guy and one of the most incredibly fish-care conscious guys I know, killed his fish in his livewell once b/c the water was too cold. Too much ice -- Hey! Use ice to cool the water! -- and it shocked the shizzle out of them, like going from a hot tub to a cold bath. But he was doing what everyone thought was the right and recommended thing to do.

There's no doubt there is some tournament mortality. But I'll be damned if I take a report from Wisconsin and hold it up as Gospel, just as I wouldn't take one from Texas or Florida or Virginia and do the same. Too many variables.

Best thing to do is educate yourself and do the best you can.

You are dead on sir. WAY to many variables to say that 50% of all fish released die.

I have fished 100's of tournaments all over the state, and the 50% is no where close. Yes, there are fish that die, but to say that a fish dies the week after its released is asinine.

now we all know that fish caught with a hard bait with 2 treble hooks increases fish mortality. instead of one hole, there are 6. that leaves 5 more holes for the fish to bleed out from. on top of that, when they bite the hard baits it usually breaks their jaw. on top of bleeding to death from all the hook holes, now they cant eat so they just starve to death.

While there is no dout some fish die, its no were near 50%.Lake guntersville has prob close to a thousand fish a day caught at least. If half were dying trust me everyone would notice. There would be floaters every were. And stink to high heaven. I covered a LOT of water this weekend and didnt see the first floater. Take the zero off that 50% and thats more like the real number.
i mean how are you suppose to stop it from happening? Only fish that i see die is usually the ones that get throat hooked.

I throat hooked a six pounder in a pond, not bad but it was still in the throat. I took a knife and cut the hook out. Fish barely bled. I was curios to see if he would die even though he swam off. I went back every day for a week, didnt like the idea of killing a 6lber, and never seen him floating.

Now you fellows just settle down, gotcha1 is gonna go into detail and explain to us all how 50% of all released fish die. Just be patient.

Enough. Ain't worth it.

Monkey? Gun? You obviously support Obama, Finestein and Bloomberg?


There are many that have fished more tournaments than I have, but I don't think any fish we weighed and released died. Now I fish saltwater redfish tournaments and we only weigh two fish and two fish in the live well have much more room than a larger number/creel bag, but if prepared and done properly livewell fish should live after release.

Can't speak for the monkey with the gun.

My Grandson Rob McCarter came in 1st at Guntersville today with 215 boats entered. I think it was a youth fishing event. He is seventeen from Demopolis.

Thirty or so died today at goose pond. They had a fish holding tank boat instead of throwin em in the shoot back to the river. Sometimes when they try to save fish they just wind up killen em