could have had an effect on our results at the potomac

[bfitch]

Potomac River, tournament related bass kill: one hundred and fifty-eight boats (316 anglers), launching boats from Smallwood State Park on June 25 and 26 and left behind a conservatively estimated 1000 largemouth bass, floating in the river, a disgraceful and unforgivable result. Maryland Department of Natural Resources initially estimated the kill to be 100. I began to contact DNR on Tuesday, June 30 after receiving many telephone calls from concerned anglers. I asked for an immediate investigation and on Wednesday, July 1, a team of DNR employees searched the creek and by their count, some 600 dead bass were still in Mattawoman Creek. That's four days (about seven tidal flushes) after the last day of the tournament. There is no way to estimate accurately how many bass died due to this event—but I firmly believe that "600" is just the tip of the iceberg. I have reliable reports from as far downriver as Arkindale Flats of huge amounts of dead bass days after the event.

State fisheries biologists are trying to learn what killed hundreds of bass on the Potomac River, just days after two fishing tournaments.

The fish were discovered and reported Monday by a fishing guide and longtime opponent of the large number of tournaments held each year on the river near Smallwood State Park in Charles County.

Don Cosden, chief of Inland Fisheries for the Department of Natural Resources, said biologists on the water Tuesday estimated there were 600 dead bass along with several hundred catfish and other species over a six-mile stretch of the river.

"It's not unusual to see a number of dead catfish and gizzard shad this time of year, and all of the bass were legal size so we believe that this was related to tournament releases," Cosden said. "There were more than 3,200 fish weighed in over the three-day period, so this would be about an 18.5 percent total mortality, which is unacceptably high."

Cosden said his staff is in contact with officials of the tournaments to get details. Ironically, state biologists were at the smaller of the two events Saturday -- the one-day National Guard FLW College Fishing tournament, which involved 80 anglers -- to measure and tag about 100 fish for a mortality study. All of those fish appeared healthy as the scientists handled them.

The larger event -- the three-day FLW Stren Series -- attracted 158 anglers, but only the top 10 fished the final day.

Guide Ken Penrod, who reported the problem and wants a complete investigation, said he has no issue with well-run events, but is angry that "most of these 100- to 200-boat events are from out of state and they abuse our fishery -- and our rights."

Cosden said most of the data on fish kills involves immediate mortality, not two to three days after being released.

Some studies have linked poor water quality to a high degree of delayed mortality after tournaments. But water samples taken continuously at the docks by the Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment group indicate temperature and dissolved oxygen levels to be within acceptable ranges.

The state has sent tissue samples to a laboratory to be tested for Largemouth Bass Virus. A recent study suggested that bass heavily infected with this virus may suffer higher release mortalities after being confined in livewells, the aerated holding tanks on bass fishing boats.

"Right now," said Cosden, " we don't have an answer."

[Basscat7]

Not at all.

[dan61psu]

Is this what you were talking about at the meeting Stan?

[Basscat7]

Is this what you were talking about at the meeting Stan?

Yes.

Take Penrod's comments with a grain of salt.
At one time He was a fantastic champion of the Potomac.  Now He has turned into a Me first guy.

If He had his way, they would build a fence around the Potomac and only Maryland residents would be allowed to fish the river. Notice his comments about how the " out of state fisherman abuse our rights "

Every chance He gets  over the past 10 years or so He rails on this subject.

It was Ok for out of staters to use the river while He was building his very large guide service and selling a lot of books about  fishing the river.  He made a lot of money off that.
And it is ok when the Pros come down and  pay top dollar for his guides to take them out  on the river prior to the off limits.

He has been known to embellish reports of this nature to try and use his political influence to have changes made to the license structure, cost, etc for out of state fisherman.

Every year when the water temps get up towards the high 80's and 90's there are fish kills on the Potomac.  There are still a lot of  raw sewage plants along the river that are far too small and when they get heavy rains, they overflow into the river, causing O2 levels to fall. Not too mention some industrial plants on the Va. side that still dump toxic material into a few of the Va. feeder creeks.
A lot more is involved in these fish kill than a couple of bass Tx's. but they are a great rallying point for Penrod to use to try and STOP or slow down the out of state bass fisherman from using HIS river.

[fishaddict1426]

Bass fishing used to be fun. Its become more of a headache with everyones bitching. I am ready to just quit it all together. Everywhere you go people have reason why the fishing is bad, I got the answer. About 90% of the bass fisherman cant fish, myself included probably. I dont think its because we couldnt be good but, we simply do not have the time and resources of a professional. So everyone needs to stop complaining and just go fishing, fish a tourney and enjoy it. Please note I am referring to the potomac BS about tourneys causing dead fish. Its just like marsh creek. All I hear is that the place is starting to suck from tournaments and all this other BS causing shortages of quality fish. I think there is fish there. Just got to find them. Same with Blue marsh, that is a great lake and has good fish in it but, people will down it because the fish just dont jump in there boat. People need to just fish and have fun unless you are a pro like me :grin:

[Basscat7]

Bass fishing used to be fun. Its become more of a headache with everyones bitching. I am ready to just quit it all together. Everywhere you go people have reason why the fishing is bad, I got the answer. About 90% of the bass fisherman cant fish, myself included probably. I dont think its because we couldnt be good but, we simply do not have the time and resources of a professional. So everyone needs to stop complaining and just go fishing, fish a tourney and enjoy it. Please note I am referring to the potomac BS about tourneys causing dead fish. Its just like marsh creek. All I hear is that the place is starting to suck from tournaments and all this other BS causing shortages of quality fish. I think there is fish there. Just got to find them. Same with Blue marsh, that is a great lake and has good fish in it but, people will down it because the fish just dont jump in there boat. People need to just fish and have fun unless you are a pro like me :grin:

Bass fishing is fun.

If it is not fun, it is because You make it not fun.

10 % of the bas fisherman catch  90 % of the fish.

[Pillager]

Hey, we've had some really nice bass caught at Marsh Creek this year.  Just because I haven't caught one yet doesn't mean they aren't there.

I had a slow year in Canada this year.  None over 4#, but two lost by the boat (1 LM , 1 SM) probably were.  Thursday I only got 4 keepers into the boat along with a ton of shorts.  That hasn't happened in a LONG time.   It was just tough fishing, but certainly not because there were no fish.  I was fishing far deeper on average than I ever had to before up there.  Most of my fish were caught around 20 feet where in past years mostly I caught fish in 8-12 feet.  The water clarity the past 2 years is phenomenal since the zebra mussel explosion.  It will even out.  The fish are there.

The day I lost the two big ones I had about 11 pounds for my 5 best.  Those two would have put me at around 14+.

New quote:   "Quit bitchin, keep fishin"

[fishaddict1426]

nice quote dave c. I agree. some nice fish caught this year in MC. I simply blame the quantities of keepers on bad location adjustments by the anglers, including myself. The guys cashing checks are the guys who put time in there.  "Time is money" you dont get more original than that.