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| FishTails |
West Virginia BASS Federation 2001 & 2002 Creel Data
[January 9, 2003] - John Burdette, President, West Virginia BASS Federation, jburdette@wvbass.com
I have always found it interesting to compile and analyze tournament creel data at season's end. This is something
I have been doing for several years. The last couple years I have published the West Virginia Bass Federation's
tournament data in the newsletter and on our website www.wvbass.com. Several
members have communicated to me how much they enjoyed seeing the information, which gave me the idea that comparative
data for the last two years would be even more enlightening.
One comparison I like to make is how the actual results compare to how I and other anglers perceived the year's
fishing. For instance it was surprising to me that the catch numbers in 2002 were so much better than 2001. With
all the cold rains and high muddy water in the spring and almost drought conditions later in the year it seemed
that fishing was tougher than it was during 2001. There were so many comments about not seeing many spawning fish,
poor water and weather conditions and that bass were not behaving or biting as they would normally during the past
year. However, with the total number of anglers up only 4% in 2002 the number of bass brought to the scales increased
72% and total weight of bass increased 57% over 2001 totals. Unlike fishermen, the numbers don't lie and therefore
safe to say that fishing success in the West Virginia Bass Federation's 2002 tournaments was much better than that
of 2001.
Another number I watch closely is that of dead bass. It's really does my heart good to analyze the number of dead
bass for the last two years and see that of 3,698 bass brought to the scales all but 80 were released back into
the waters from which they were caught. That is a 98% live release rate, which is even better than the 95% which
most tournament trails try to achieve including B.A.S.S. There is obviously some delayed tournament mortality as
studies have shown. These same studies have shown with proper operation of live-wells, correct weigh-in setup,
equipment and procedures delayed mortality is minimal, particularly if water temperatures are less than 80 degrees.
Something new I added to the buddy tournament data is the number of times a team brought more than six bass to
the scales for the tournament day. The reason for adding this information was due to the attention brought to the
Federation's eight bass per team daily limit. The state law has set the daily creel limit on bass at six per person,
which would allow a team to legally catch and keep twelve bass per day. A twelve bass per team limit would make
live-wells and weigh-ins cumbersome and decrease the survival rate of the bass and therefore the Federation has
opted for a team daily limit of eight with the understanding that no one team member can catch more than six. What
was surprising when compiling the data was how few times a team brings more than six bass to the daily weigh-in.
Excluding the Summersville Lake 2002 and 2001 tournaments and the 2002 Bass Festival it only happen fourteen times
over the last two years. So one could conclude having a six or eight bass limit is irrelevant, as very few times
will more than six bass be brought to the weigh-in anyway. In that respect a six bass limit is as good as an eight
and maybe better in that it would eliminate the possible of one angler catching more than the six bass state legal
daily creel limit. There are good arguments for both sides of this issue and all will be considered at the WVBF
February meeting.
Something I find most helpful improving my angling skills when gathering tournament data for the past year is reflecting
back to particular tournaments and situations to critique my performance and decisions. What did I do that was
successful and maybe more important - what did I do that was unsuccessful and can I determine why? Do I need to
spend more time on a particular body of water or improve a particular fishing technique? For me sitting back and
analyzing the prior year is the first step in getting ready for next year. Hopefully everyone will find this information
helpful in some way or at least interesting enough to ponder during the cold winter days ahead.
| Date |
Location |
Total
Teams
|
Total
Bass
|
Total
Weight
|
Dead
Bass
|
Teams
> 6 Bass
|
| |
2002 BUDDY TRAIL |
|
|
|
|
|
| 4/6/2002 |
Sutton Lake |
91
|
83
|
101-07
|
0
|
0
|
| 4/21/2002 |
Burnsville Lake |
86
|
135
|
210-07
|
1
|
1
|
| 5/4/2002 |
Summersville Lake |
75
|
304
|
387-11
|
1
|
18
|
| 7/7/2002 |
Ravenswood, Ohio R. |
47
|
103
|
141-08
|
1
|
2
|
| 7/21/2002 |
Moundsville, Ohio R. |
47
|
119
|
143-12
|
12
|
4
|
| 8/11/2002 |
Pricketts Fort, Mon. R. |
52
|
86
|
110-07
|
0
|
1
|
| |
2002 Buddy Trail Totals |
398
|
830
|
1,095-04
|
15
|
26
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 6/8-9/02 |
Bass Festival, St Marys |
137
|
599
|
803-07
|
26
|
20
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
2002 TOTALS |
535
|
1429
|
1,898-11
|
41
|
46
|
| |
| |
2001 BUDDY TRAIL |
|
|
|
|
|
| 4/1/2001 |
Sutton Lake |
75
|
20
|
23-13
|
0
|
0
|
| 4/14/2001 |
Burnsville Lake |
81
|
186
|
287-04
|
3
|
4
|
| 5/12/2001 |
Summersville Lake |
69
|
193
|
229-05
|
4
|
11
|
| 6/3/2001 |
Ravenswood, Ohio R. |
43
|
52
|
76-03
|
0
|
1
|
| 6/17/2001 |
Pricketts Fort, Mon. R. |
55
|
92
|
123-13
|
2
|
0
|
| 7/7/2001 |
New Martinsville, Ohio R. |
40
|
41
|
51-04
|
0
|
0
|
| |
2001 Buddy Trail Totals |
363
|
584
|
791-10
|
9
|
16
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 6/9-10/01 |
Bass Festival, St Marys |
142
|
225
|
350-04
|
1
|
1
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
2001 TOTALS |
505
|
809
|
1,141-14
|
10
|
17
|
| |
| Date |
Location |
Total
Anglers
|
Total
Bass
|
Total
Weight
|
Dead
Bass
|
Division
|
| |
2002 State Tournaments |
|
|
|
|
|
| 9/7-8/02 |
New Martinsville, Ohio R. |
160
|
197
|
229-01
|
7
|
North
|
| 9/14-15/02 |
Summersville Lake |
110
|
310
|
336-04
|
16
|
South
|
| 10/5-6/02 |
Ravenswood, Ohio R. |
92
|
147
|
204-03
|
2
|
Central
|
| 10/19-20/02 |
Sutton Lake |
100
|
254
|
251-13
|
0
|
State
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
2002 TOTALS |
462
|
908
|
1,051-05
|
25
|
|
| |
| |
2001 State Tournaments |
|
|
|
|
|
| 9/8-9/01 |
Kanawha River |
108
|
91
|
132-15
|
2
|
South
|
| 9/15-16/01 |
Kanawha River |
96
|
75
|
100-11
|
0
|
Central
|
| 10/6-7/01 |
Moundsville, Ohio R. |
154
|
284
|
365-08
|
2
|
North
|
| 10/20-21/01 |
Pricketts Fort, Mon. R. |
100
|
102
|
146-07
|
0
|
State
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
2001 TOTALS |
458
|
552
|
745-09
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
