Just in Time for Spawning Season

And yet another study (Individual Reproductive Success of Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass Subjected to Different Components of Competitive Angling Events) by Siepker, et al. about to be published concerning the effects of angling on nesting success and abandonment, this time with both largemouth and smallmouth bass and across several lakes. I have to admit I'm almost getting tired of these studies, but here goes anyway. Controls were only observed nesting fish. Treatments were:

1. Catch and immediate (120 s.) release (<30' from nest);
2. Catch, move (~1/2 mile) then release; 
3. Catch, keep (2 hrs) then release (<30' from nest); and
4. Catch, keep (2 hrs.) and move (~1/2 mile) then release.

Additionally, half the nests from each treatment were then covered to protect the nests from predation while the other half were left exposed. They also included nest depth as an observation relative to the study parameters. And some of the results:

• The worst results for both species were always unprotected nests receiving the time + distance treatment
• That said, in the 'largemouth bass guarding eggs' scenario there was no statistical difference among any of the treatments relative to the controls with the exception of the unprotected+time+distance case.
• Smallmouth bass abandoned their nests more frequently than largemouth bass, but again their was no significant difference vs. controls among all treatments in the 'smallmouth bass guarding eggs' scenario except for the unprotected+time+distance treatment.
• 'Smallmouth bass guarding fry' of unprotected nests had the highest across-the-board rates of abandonment.
• In most cases unprotected nests fared equal to or better than protected nests with the exception of the unprotected+time+distance in all scenarios and the 'smallmouth guarding fry'+distance scenario.
• Lake type did make a significant difference among smallmouth nest abandonment, but researchers couldn't pin down what factors accounted for this difference.
• Higher abandonment was also related to brood size left upon return of the male. It was as if bass could make a judgement as to whether what remained of the brood was worth reguarding upon return.
• Smallmouth guarding fry had the worst rates of abandonment, and researchers theorized that fry being larger and more mobile possibly made for an easier (more visible) meal by nest predators compared to in-the-nest and non-mobile eggs.

And perhaps the most important statement of the entire paper (my bolding):

"The effects of angling, both catch and release and competitive, on individual nesting success in largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are now well understood, although additional work is needed to determine whether disruption of nesting at the individual level translates to population-level effects."

Comments

[Rich Ziert]

Two small but significant points of contention. Some will not accept the first - because they are to far into the hole to see out (it happens to all of us). But, I hope everyone at least thinks open minded about the second. Finally, I’ll present a short course on big part of anthropology and fish biology.

#1. Anybody on the face of the earth with a private agenda is prejudiced toward what they want to believe. Truth hasn’t a chance in a jungle of even well intended lies.

#2. How about a little Reality T.V. ? (which I think is mainly B.S). "Abstracts' and your commentary do not cover everything that appears in the "Whole Magilla". However, treatises of themselves, narrow practicality to the venue. Please note that "eggs" as such were not mentioned. Before and after the hatch are survival worlds apart.

In the heat of battle, if one of your comrades, your brothers, your children in danger, doesn’t make it because of something you failed to do - for whatever reason, or because something you choose to look the other way on, you have jeopardized the entire effort. Chain reactions are subtle in these cases and take months, years, lifetimes to come to fruition. Nothing is ever proven in the moment, and all to often is not labeled as faith.

[Rich Ziert]

If anyopne sees plainly that it does talk about "eggs", let me know if you want "The rest of the story". : Paul Harvey.

[Big Indiana Bass]

Sent you the full paper Rich. Check your e-mail. And agree on point #1, we all tend to see/hear what we want to see/hear, or believe similarly. But I'm always up for a good discussion and not afraid to change my opinion on a subject if enough evidence is presented. Heck, look how long and how many believed the earth was flat and that the sun revolved around us :)

[Rich Ziert]

The Rest Of The Story:

Hi Brian and thanks. Maybe a regular format - formal pro and con review point of view from several people would be beneficial to your readers. I'll volunteer at your command. Here's a bootleg copy of what I worked on today. It's not groomed very well, but you can get the drift.

Rich

Bed Fishing: By Richard Ziert, 5/2009, about 800 words.

See - http://afs.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1577%2FT07-269.1

Two significant points of contention. Some will not accept the first - because we are to far into the hole to see out (this happens to everyone). I hope everyone at least thinks open minded about the second. Finally, I’ll present a short course on big part of anthropology, mixed with fish biology.

#1. Anybody on the face of the earth with a private agenda is prejudiced toward what they want to believe. Legitimacy, or candor hasn’t a chance in a jungle of well intended half truths.

#2. How about a little Reality T.V. ? (which I think is mainly nonsense). Fishery "Abstracts' and pro commentary do not cover everything that appears in the "Whole Magilla" of life. Articles of themselves, necessarily narrow practicality to the venue. Please note that "eggs" as such were not mentioned. Even in immediate post-spawn, before and after the hatch are survival worlds apart.

In the heat of battle, if one of our comrades, our siblings, our children, our co-workers in danger, doesn’t make it because of something we failed to do - for whatever reason, or because of something we choose to look the other way on, we have jeopardized the entire effort – including our own. Chain reactions as a result of actions or inactions are subtle and take months, years, careers, lifetimes to come to fruition. Nothing is ever proven in the moment, and all to often is not labeled as growing faith – if nothing else, enough faith (enter integrity) in one another to do right.

Regardles of what I said above, most of you will see that the article does mention eggs as such, but it does not go far enough?

I was fortunate to read a full copy of the above transaction - thanks again Brian. The report is quite well done. Depending on what you read and how you receive and understand it, the case for catch and release at the site of capture and as quickly as possible is in tact to the point of without this practice “things” would be a lot worse. The case of bed fishing leans substantially in the other direction. Past the abstract, the opening line clearly points out the complexity of bass reproductive strategies. I’m in full agreement. This study does not “go there” on the absolute complexity, and in partial understanding that it could not do so. But does it go far enough ? We will see as I comment on this aspect further on in this review.

I’m not going to go through the entire article with you. Rather, I’ve selected “jump off the page” stuff for comment.

In line with item #1. above, it is interesting to have it confirmed by a statement of who funded the study. The study was funded by a memorial bass research scholarship from a southern Illinois bass club. Here again, I applaud these efforts. But, it is unclear as to the result of the findings on such bass clubs, and individuals otherwise. I can’t say these findings, moreover simplified translation will not be known by the general public. No doubt, it and efforts like it will have to crawl out of a self serving hole before collective good will be realized.

My biggest contention was / is on egg survival before hatching The article did point out early that parental care is vital to brood success, and of course the longer the male bass is away from the nest, for whatever reason, the greater the predation of the young or unborn. The nest sights of this study were meshed in after the male bass was removed; “Meshed in” to the point that no predators could get in to the nests and devour the eggs. Every discerning fisherman alive has seen what happens when the male bass is removed from guarding eggs even if only momentarily. When in the course of nest guarding, predators try to find weak spots in the defense of the male bass. Bottom Line, If the male bass is not there, or is otherwise stressed to the point of less than full efficiency, by whatever means, including angling, the eggs get eaten in short order.

Combining these studies, these fine kettle of fish, admits these studies provide evidence that angling during the reproductive period does indeed reduce individual nest success. Then comes the escape clauses such as “But much work needs to be done before we fully understand population level effects.” There it stops without statement about safety and developed intelligence levels reflected in larger brood stats. Safety in numbers through schooling mechanics, and because larger broods, and therefore schools of fry, have both the ability to teach one another faster more efficiently through assimilation. The result of reduced broods is then, fewer and frankly less intelligent adult fish. Without too much imagination, that position is one where larger fish may not be present at all due to further angling. Where food is adequate and other ecosystem ingredients line up favorably, these would be surviving fish can be quite large. Where food in not adequate the lake ends up with fewer fish and much smaller fish than if reproduction were left alone to do its own thing naturally. None of us, including fishery people can afford to think we know “Our lake” to the point that it is simply O.K. to do as we please all the time and the fishery will not be affected. Nor can we be safe in saying to ourselves “my interference can’t hurt – it’s only one person”. Having faith in the natural processes of our lake is far more beneficial to bass population than any interference can bring about. The kind of interference needed is to stop angling during the immediate pre spawn through the spawning cycles, possibly based on water temperature, and to work toward reducing the adverse effects of adverse natural predation. The self serving part of human nature being a given, the only way to do this effectively is to enact laws in that direction.