Top Ten Fish Care Tips

[iClass]

 I have researched the Top Ten Tournament Fish Care Tips From Bassmaster.  Here they are:

1. Minimize handling and air exposure time.  Land fish and remove hooks as quickly as possible.
2. Protect the slime coat.  Don't let fish flop on carpet or deck.
3. When surface water temperature is less than 75 deg F, aerate the livewell by flushing with fresh water.
4. Run recirculating aeration continuously when the boat is moving and cannot pump in fresh water.
5. When Surface temp exceeds 75 deg F, use continuous recirculation.  Add a block of ice to cool the water
               Surface water temp.                                       Target livewell water temp
                        75-80                                                                  75
                        81-85                                                                  78
                         + 85                                                                   80
6. When operating livewell in recirculation mode with more than 5lbs of bass, replace half of the livewell water     with fresh water every 3 hours to remove amonia.  Add ice to lower temp to the target range.
7. When recirculating, add 1/3 cup non-iodized salt for each 5 gallons of livewell water.
8. At weigh-in, use only bags provided by the tournament officials.  Fill with at least 2 gallons of livewell water.
9. While in the waiting line, dip fresh water into your bag several times from the life support tanks.
10.Handle fish with wet hands, hold bass vertically by the lower jaw, or support the fish with 2 hands.

[iClass]

I am the offending angler who laid a fish on the carpet for a photo.  The water was rough, the wind blowing 20mph and this was the only safe way to get the photo.  In retrospect I should have released the fish without the pic.  In way of doing pennance I researched the above.  This offers many more tips without the personal opinions.
Thanks.

[Bassinkorea]

This is a great post iClass, I'll print it off and keep it in my boat 

[Ron Fogelson]

I am the offending angler who laid a fish on the carpet for a photo.  The water was rough, the wind blowing 20mph and this was the only safe way to get the photo.  In retrospect I should have released the fish without the pic.  In way of doing pennance I researched the above.  This offers many more tips without the personal opinions.
Thanks.

Yep I do it as well, there are times it's the only way to take a photo it's not the best way but it's not the end of the world.  These are great tips by the way but I would recomend a change to the tip on ice.  It's good to cool the water but IMO if you freeze water in a container "I use 20 ounce or one litter soda bottles" and drop them in the water it's better because you are not putting none lake water in with your fish. 

[Crigger Craw]

Yep I do it as well, there are times it's the only way to take a photo it's not the best way but it's not the end of the world.  These are great tips by the way but I would recomend a change to the tip on ice.  It's good to cool the water but IMO if you freeze water in a container "I use 20 ounce or one litter soda bottles" and drop them in the water it's better because you are not putting none lake water in with your fish. 

Fogy we do the same thing freeze water in 32 ounce gatorade bottles and put them in there on the hot days 

[ronalddipietro]

Interesting perspective:  Fish Care and Handeling

    1.  After catching the Bass..put it in a live-well or Ice Chest and keep fishing.
    2.  Continue this process until you are ready to go home (keep your legal limit)
    3.  As soon as possible, Ice the fish down with lots of ice
    4.  Let the fish stay on ice over night if possible, the longer the  better cause its easier to filet them 
    5.  Do the deed...and freeze the filets in water.
    6.  Unthaw at later date, corn meal the fish, put the fish in grease (300 to 350) and fry them...salt and pep to taste and EAT them.
    7.  This is the best method I know to be certain you dont mis-handle a Bass and inadvertantly kill him therefore wasting him..(except for the turtles and birds and other fish and such having a meal themselves) This is what God intended and I am sticking to it!!!

[coldfront]

pietro, I always thought that whatever could be done to the fish to keep them as alive and in good health as possible would pay dividends when they finally went 'under the knife'...

also, if you can bleed a fish...and or remove any of the fatty deposits (some fish have them) you're way ahead.

we also used to soak the filets overnight in saltwater...

[ronalddipietro]

I think the real issue here is to EAT or NOT TO EAT..I fish alot..I catch alot of bass and I clean and eat 90%..the big uns get to live..under 3 pds I release cause of the texture..but I catch more 1 & 2 pdrs than the bigger fish..so I dont think I am causing any harm in eco-chain...Just had a couple of bass I brought back from toledo bend this past tuesday..mmmmmmmmmmm  GOOD!

We all have our reasons to fish..mine just happens to be FOOD..because I can't buy any fish as good as my fried bass..bream..white pearch or catfish...I fish for fun and food...how wrong is that?

[Ron Fogelson]

I think the real issue here is to EAT or NOT TO EAT..I fish alot..I catch alot of bass and I clean and eat 90%..the big uns get to live..under 3 pds I release cause of the texture..but I catch more 1 & 2 pdrs than the bigger fish..so I dont think I am causing any harm in eco-chain...Just had a couple of bass I brought back from toledo bend this past tuesday..mmmmmmmmmmm  GOOD!

We all have our reasons to fish..mine just happens to be FOOD..because I can't buy any fish as good as my fried bass..bream..white pearch or catfish...I fish for fun and food...how wrong is that?

It's not wrong.   

[coldfront]

We all have our reasons to fish..mine just happens to be FOOD..because I can't buy any fish as good as my fried bass..bream..white pearch or catfish...I fish for fun and food...how wrong is that?

a good friend of mine turned me on to grilled bass...