Interesting listen on today’s Bass Talk Live

[Sore Thumbs]

Bassmaster Pro Steve Kennedy talks about fish mortality rates on certain fisheries. Saying some lakes have 40-60% mortality of bass annually just from natural causes. Stating tournaments have no impact on mortality rates. You can find it on Bass Zone. BTL section. 

[Sore Thumbs]

Be interested to see if there is any such data on TR. 

[mojorig]

For TR, I'm guessing (could be wrong) it is closer to 35% for estimated total natural mortality (percent of fish dying annually due to natural causes). A high percentage of the annual natural mortality occurs post-spawn. Total natural mortality is combined with total fishing mortality (percent of fish dying annually due to fishing) to  estimate for total annual mortality. 

A peer-review article (Beamsderfer and North 1995) looking at 409 LMB and SMB populations throughout the United States found an average total annual natural mortality of 35%. They found natural mortality decreased with increasing latitude and increased with increasing  temperature  and  degree-days.

Another peer-reviewed article (Sass et al. 2018) stated "Further, our mean total mortality estimate (43%) was similar to natural mortality estimates for Florida, largemouth, and smallmouth bass (29-46%)."

I am waiting to receive a better copy of this peer-review article mentioned on this site (link) which talks about TR.

[Bill Babler]

And that folks is why its nice to have a biologist on your web site.  Thanks much Jeremy

[Quillback]

2 minutes ago, Bill Babler said:

And that folks is why its nice to have a biologist on your web site.  Thanks much Jeremy

For sure.

[snagged in outlet 3]

8 minutes ago, mojorig said:

For TR, I'm guessing (could be wrong) it is closer to 35% for estimated total natural mortality (percent of fish dying annually due to natural causes).

That's seems astronomically high!!!   Does this include fry?  Where do they all go?  You would think the lake would be littered with dead fish.

Thanks, Jeremy!!

[Sore Thumbs]

16 minutes ago, mojorig said:

For TR, I'm guessing (could be wrong) it is closer to 35% for estimated total natural mortality (percent of fish dying annually due to natural causes). A high percentage of the annual natural mortality occurs post-spawn. Total natural mortality is combined with total fishing mortality (percent of fish dying annually due to fishing) to  estimate for total annual mortality. 

A peer-review article (Beamsderfer and North 1995) looking at 409 LMB and SMB populations throughout the United States found an average total annual natural mortality of 35%. They found natural mortality decreased with increasing latitude and increased with increasing  temperature  and  degree-days.

Another peer-reviewed article (Sass et al. 2018) stated "Further, our mean total mortality estimate (43%) was similar to natural mortality estimates for Florida, largemouth, and smallmouth bass (29-46%)."

I am waiting to receive a better copy of this peer-review article mentioned on this site (link) which talks about TR.

So? Does tournament fishing do that much harm to that percentage? Some say anglers aren’t taking enough fish out due to the popularity of catch and release. Thoughts?

[fishinwrench]

I'm sorry but any percentage you choose to claim is unfounded and simply a guess, and not even an educated one.   There's no way to know.

Not even tournament mortality alone can be determined, much less the mortality from the entire lake....and then assuming the percentage per "causes"????!!!    🙄

Absolute BS if you ask me....Which of course you didn't.  😁

[Jerry Rapp]

52 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I'm sorry but any percentage you choose to claim is unfounded and simply a guess, and not even an educated one.   There's no way to know.

Not even tournament mortality alone can be determined, much less the mortality from the entire lake....and then assuming the percentage per "causes"????!!!    🙄

Absolute BS if you ask me....Which of course you didn't.  😁

but they need more funding to study it further.  When I was growing up, Dad had a pond about 1 acre in size.  There were several bass that I caught each year that had identifying marks so you could tell them apart.  That pond sure didn't have 35% annual die offs.

[Devan S.]

1 hour ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

That's seems astronomically high!!!   Does this include fry?  Where do they all go?  You would think the lake would be littered with dead fish.

Thanks, Jeremy!!

I would think it would include juveniles at a minimum. Birds....turtles....critters gotta eat too.