Many fish die after being released in tournament - The Tennessean
Bass fishing tournaments are more popular than ever and in full swing on Midstate waters. But even the best efforts by competitive anglers to keep fish alive long enough for them to be weighed often fail. Dozens of dead bass were found washed ashore the following day after the Triton Owners Tournament, which took place on Kentucky Lake out of Paris Landing earlier this month. “The next morning I counted 53 dead fish,” said Sam Lashlee, a professional guide on Kentucky Lake. “This doesn’t really shed a good light on tournament bass fishing. Lashlee said he contacted tournament officials and they assured him proper measures were taken by the anglers to keep the fish they caught alive before being released. Rough conditions on the lake during the tournament, which created waves up to 5 feet, Lashlee said, likely stressed the fish that were caught and placed in live wells. “The problem was the fish had just started coming off beds when they’re fragile at that time. Morris Sheehan, president of the American Bass Anglers, which assisted Triton in running the tournament, told BassFan that the proper steps in keeping fish alive were. Source: www.tennessean.com
