ournament mortality is widely accepted at 20-40%. Fish either show up dead at the scales or succumb to delayed mortality shortly after being weighed in.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been aware and concerned with these numbers as tournament fish are the bigger fish. While overall fish populations are holding their own, there are fewer larger fish as shown in recent surveys from Maryland and Virginia.
Over 10 years ago, Maryland DNR imposed a tournament registration process. Initially for monitoring the number of tournaments, the permitting process gradually included best fish care practices. Tournament directors were expected to comply with common sense fish care.
At the request of the Black Bass Advisory Committee (BBAC), the DNR was requested to increase monitoring to ascertain compliance. The results for 2025 are disappointing. The DNR monitored 10% of the tournaments launched in Maryland waters, attempting to avoid repeat monitoring of the same trails while assessing compliance and the use of best management practices.
A big concern about tournament weigh-ins was getting fish from the boat through the process. Fish were carried without water. Weigh-in lines were long and no recovery tubs were used in the process.
The opinion of biologists across the country is that this leads to increased delayed mortality. Maryland requires limiting three bags per flight if no aerated water tank is provided; or five bags for every aerated water tank provided. Overall compliance was 41%. 15% of tournaments didn’t have aerated tubs.
Bass are required to be transported in water-filled containers with sufficient water covering fish and not be kept in water-filled containers longer than two minutes prior to, during, and after weigh-in without supplemental aeration and/or water exchange.
DNR observed 16% not using water filled containers to transport fish and 27% had fish held for extended time periods without access to supplemental water or aeration. Of those tournaments using tanks, 91% had aeration and added ice when the air temperature was over 85 degrees. Roughly a third of tournaments used release chutes or released from boats to recuperate fish.
By far the easiest requirement was the dead fish penalty, increasing from ¼ to ½ pound, with 82% overall compliance.
The DNR reports tournaments out of compliance with new bag requirements were mostly smaller trails lacking weigh-in equipment. The largest issue observed was the extensive time fish were held through the weigh-in, along with dry weigh-in bags. The Department also finds livewell management as an issue responsible for some dead fish at the scales.
The BBAC is comprised of 13 members, mostly tournament anglers and organizers, a few recreational and kayak tournament anglers, and one guide. Over several meetings in 2024, this committee discussed and debated tournament fish care based on DNR presentations, tournament experience, and angler feedback.
Bottom line, anglers can and need to practice better fish care. Several clubs are following the MLF catch, weigh, and release format which nearly eliminates delayed mortality. Anglers should pressure tournament directors into protecting fisheries with commonsense fish care practices.
Author Capt. Steve Chaconas is Potomac bass fishing guide & freelance writer. Potomac River reports: nationalbass.com. YouTube video channel NationalBassGuide.
