Effects of tournament compared with catch and release angling on nest abandonment of largemouth bass

Matthew J. Diana, Aaron L. Larsen, Michael J. Siepker, David H. Wahl

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The popularity of tournament angling for largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides remains high, leading to concerns about the effects on populations. Catch-and-release angling and its effects on nest abandonment have been well documented, but few studies have examined the effects of competitive angling on nest abandonment. Nest-guarding male largemouth bass were subjected to one of three treatments: no angling (controls), catch-and-release angling, and simulated tournament angling. Abandonment rates were assessed at 24 h following angling. Both angling treatments experienced higher abandonment rates than the control group (3%) with tournament-angled males abandoning their nests at a higher rate (90%) than catch-and-release males (33%). Additional research will be required to determine the population-level consequences of these angling practices. Until then, a conservative recommendation would be for organizers to consider alternative tournament formats during the reproductive season for largemouth bass.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)832-837
Number of pages6
JournalNorth American Journal of Fisheries Management
Volume32
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 24 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • INHS

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Aquatic Science
  • Ecology
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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