Mississippi Project
Estimation of Angler Mortality and Development of Live Well Management Procedures to Improve the Survival of the Largemouth Bass
July 2014 - June 2017
Personnel
Participating Agencies
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Kansas Department of Wildlife,, Parks, and Tourism
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
- Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Black bass are the most popular sportfish in North American and, in addition to recreational angling, are the target of more than 30,000 fishing tournaments annually. The quality of bass fishing is a result of intensive regulation and the prevalence of voluntary live release. Water temperature has been consistently found to significantly affect the survival of tournament-caught bass. This research will measure the mortality that results from catch-and-release angling and tournaments across a range of temperatures and evaluate simple and easily implemented procedures for improving the survival of angler-caught bass.