Bass Tournaments on Lake Seminole

[Son]

For two weeks now, I've had no bass bites at the dock. Watching the water mornings and evenings, don't see any bass of any size swimming by. Last couple months, it's been one bass tournament after another, with contestants fishing between the tournaments to locate fish. Practicing and locating they say. I believe snatching the lips off bass for such a period has a negative effect, even if they throw the fish back. For example, had two bass bedding at the dock. Fishermen practicing caught both and threw them back. Neither fish came back to the bed. Then, the tournaments, they catch, go to weigh in and release what is still alive near the weigh in site. None of those fish come back. The lake I'm on connects to lake Seminole, but has fish barrier electric gates between us and the main lake. Surely that keeps any migration of fish coming into our lakes. Suppose to keep white Amura grass carp in the controlled area, but doesn't. High water periods, those carp go through wet lands to bypass those gates. The big lake is full of grass carp, some look to weigh 30 pounds or more. The gators love them, Have seen big gators come up with grass carp in their mouths.
A study some years ago found that released bass go to the first comfortable water and stay dormant for some time. Some die after a time from the trauma.
Another problem I have seen with tournaments is it affects local fishermen and boaters with a negative effect. Many local folks fishing the lake have said they can't enjoy fishing with all those bass boats running here and there. Huge wakes, coming too close without regard those wanting a mess of fish. Couple weeks ago, noticed several local fishermen heading in, I was heading in too. There was no way anyone could enjoy fishing with all the tournament traffic. Have fished all my life and never needed 150 or 250 hp motors to catch bass. When a tournament is going on in Lake Seminole, you better be a long way from the channels or open water to enjoy the day. That means boating through stumps, pads and hydrilla to get into those shallow areas behind some of the islands, like the goat island. I know some love tournament fishing and thrive on it. And they may have consideration for those not in the tournaments. Problem is, some could care less, they are after money.
I've been known to catch a bass or two, know plenty about fishing. I like catch and release in the grease.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

I won't argue with what you've experienced, but bass boats don't typically throw up "huge" wakes. The biggest wakes on the lake come from pleasure boaters in wake boats, ski boats, and pontoons. During a tournament, most bass boats are running wide open and up on plane, therefore leaving very little wake.

 

[antharper]

I’m 48 and don’t fish tournaments but use to and loved it . People have been fishing tournaments as long as I can remember , sure the boats may of got a lot faster but I don’t think it has anymore of a negative effect now as it always has .

 

[Dustin Pate]

There are plenty of studies that show tournaments ultimately have very little to do with overall fish populations. Sure fish die, but overall that percentage is a rain drop in an ocean.

If your area, if the gates are keeping the carp then I'm 100% sure it isn't keeping bass from coming and going during the same high water events.

 

[Nicodemus]

I just wish the Corp would at least try to fight the hydrilla and elephant ear.

Last time I was in the Ranger Station Slough, it was clean.

 

[Son]

High water conditions may mean just inches deep. Carp will use that, sizeable bass wont.
Anchored in a pontoon boat, I can tell you anchors wont hold when big wakes keep the boat pitching. And you wont walk around without hold onto something.
Fishing a bream bed on the south side of the lake some years ago, pretty close to the bank. A boat went by throwing a huge wake, threw my bass boat onto the bank. From that experience I can tell you. It's not easy for one person to get a 17 foot bass boat with a 40 hp on it, back in the water. I always take time to idle past anyone fishing if I have to pass anywhere near. Can remember tournaments at Wingate's years ago. Released fish staged out in the Flint at the big curve. Didn't take long for fishermen to key in on that. The curve got lots of attention until those fish moved out or were caught again. I expect folks tournament friendly to defend tournaments. I'm merely defending local fishermen who enjoy catching a mess to eat, usually panfish or catfish. Would just be nice if more consideration where exercised. Tournaments throw a lot of money around, helps local economies etc. Not at all saying do away with them.
I agree with Nic, hydrilla and other invasive vegetation needs attention. At present one can boat across from Spring Creek to the Flint past the Mule Lot if they know the trail. By summers end, that's impossible with an outboard. Grass carp impoundments don't seem to have any grass carp in them at present. And when the carp are in Cypress Pond to Hickory pond, dock feeders keep the carp from eating grass. No carp in it's right mind would eat grass when they can feast on fish food.

 

[Nicodemus]

Son, if you tried to dive off our dock nowadays, it would be like diving out the front door into the yard. The hydrilla is that thick. I remember 35 years ago when we had no hydrilla, that it was white sand bottom, crystal clear water with a few lily pads, and the bream always bedded about halfway down the dock. Now, it`s solid hydrilla with a little water mixed in.

I`m not really wanting to trade my boat in on an airboat.

 

[Son]

Air boats can go places, but I don't want the noise. My dock goes out about 81 feet, all because of exotic weeds. I have four feet of water within 15 feet of the bank. The grass is inner woven so tight 250 pound people can walk on it with going through. They did when the dock was being built. To build the landing, an 8 x 16 we had to cut that grass into blocks of about 2 feet square and pull off to clear the dock space. Fellow came by wanting to spray around my dock for 500 bucks. After looking at the dock area, he said he had never seen such a mess. Spraying wouldn't help much, killing that mess would only let it sink, and in a short time it would grow back. The weed mass is a floating grass island, gators can lay out on it. I'll get a photo and post in a bit.

 

[Son]

There is a machine that can take the grass out, to dispose on the bank. Doubt it could get to the bank here.

 

[Son]

This floating weed mass is about 2 feet thick, is so thick it can be walked on without going through. It goes out to about 71 feet from the bank. An average of 3 to 4 feet of water is underneath it. The Corp made me go out past it, increasing the cost of the dock. Another dock east of me belonging to a neighbor was mistakenly built in front of my jurisdiction, leaving the bank 5 feet west of the property line. Corp ask me how that happened, I told them they approved it years ago. That dock is now in need of repair, it was damaged in 2018 by the hurricane. That dock is lucky to have three feet of water, and is surrounded by the same vegetation as my dock.

 

[Nicodemus]

These pictures are a couple of years old, but next week I`ll put up some new shots of our dock. We`re grandfathered in with a 135 foot dock, but the Corp says if we lose it to a natural disaster, we can only go back with about half that distance. That should give us ankle deep water now. Maybe. This area has silted in badly. Same with our cabin, which was built in the early 1960s. The water laps the patio. If it is destroyed, we have to build back up closer to the road.

It doesn`t take much for me to get a bellyful of those folks.

 

[Son]

Many buy lots on the lake without researching the problems the Corp presents. Regulations with capitol letters. And they have super snopes going around all the time, by land and water. Thought about a cover, roof for the pontoon boat, but don't know if I want to deal with it.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

Guess it's a good thing I don't live on Seminole cause I wouldn't have that mess around my dock. The corps is even worse in the Mississippi basin.

 

[Son]

When I applied for a dock permit. It was 300 bucks. 65 for the permit. The rest for administrative fees. Big government at work. A permit is much more these days. Believe the permit has to be renewed ever five years. Have to get a permit for everything. Spray without one, and you will be fined if caught.

 

[Limbhanger2881]

This floating weed mass is about 2 feet thick, is so thick it can be walked on without going through. It goes out to about 71 feet from the bank. An average of 3 to 4 feet of water is underneath it. The Corp made me go out past it, increasing the cost of the dock. Another dock east of me belonging to a neighbor was mistakenly built in front of my jurisdiction, leaving the bank 5 feet west of the property line. Corp ask me how that happened, I told them they approved it years ago. That dock is now in need of repair, it was damaged in 2018 by the hurricane. That dock is lucky to have three feet of water, and is surrounded by the same vegetation as my dock.

Why dont you spray it yourself?

 

[Limbhanger2881]

There are plenty of studies that show tournaments ultimately have very little to do with overall fish populations. Sure fish die, but overall that percentage is a rain drop in an ocean.

If your area, if the gates are keeping the carp then I'm 100% sure it isn't keeping bass from coming and going during the same high water events.

Dustin, this is not really true. The fish mortality is around 50% at tournaments per some biologist I spoke with about a month ago at Eufaula. You can really see the decline on Eufaula this year vs the past few years. I am not saying it is 100% as a result of tournaments but I do feel that it has something to do with it.

There are a few issues that tournaments cause.

1. The fish our so stressed from being in the livewell that they do not make it. They may die several days later.
2. During summer months the locations that the fish are released is not suitable. The water is warmer and less dissolved oxygen in the area that results in a higher mortality rate vs using a release boat and dumping the fish in the main lake. Example: At Big Jim's on Seminole the fish are released in the back water which is at minimum a half mile away from the creek channel.
3. A lot of fishermen and tournament directors do not take care of their fish. I see ALOT of fish belly up and floating on their sides after a tournament. Most of these fish if not a majority of the fish need to be fizzed. I fished a tournament in April on Eufaula and noticed probably a dozen fish that needed to be fizzed by two different tournaments. I used my net to get them and I fizzed all of the fish. All of them swam off except 1.

Don't take this the wrong way as I am a tournament director and I do fish tournaments. At my weigh ins I have holding tanks that I try to hold fish in. I will fizz the fish that need to be fizzed.

Even at tournaments I have asked anglers if any of their fish need to be fizzed. At one tournament every one said no. After the tournament I noticed at least a half dozen fish in the holding tank that needed to be fizzed.

There is opportunity for tournament directors to step up and at least try to decrease the mortality rate of the fish

Some more room for thought.

Our last tournament had 49 boats weighing in 151 fish. That is an average of 3.08 fish per boat and does not include the fish that were not weighed in and released at the ramp. That same day there were two other tournaments out of lake point. One had right at 50 boats to so lets say that is 3oo fish released. Lets multiply this by 52 weeks in a year. That's 15,600 bass weighed in annually with two mediocre size tournaments at one boat ramp. With a 50% mortality rate we are looking at one boat ramp decreasing the amount of bass by 7,800 Bass. I think this number is on the low side with the amount of tournaments that are on the lake.

A lake like Guntersville averages 2,000 bass boats on it on any given weekend in a year. Now let that math sink in. I wish I knew what the amount of bass boats that are on Eufaula in a weekend.

 

[Dustin Pate]

Dustin, this is not really true. The fish mortality is around 50% at tournaments per some biologist I spoke with about a month ago at Eufaula. You can really see the decline on Eufaula this year vs the past few years. I am not saying it is 100% as a result of tournaments but I do feel that it has something to do with it.

There are a few issues that tournaments cause.

1. The fish our so stressed from being in the livewell that they do not make it. They may die several days later.
2. During summer months the locations that the fish are released is not suitable. The water is warmer and less dissolved oxygen in the area that results in a higher mortality rate vs using a release boat and dumping the fish in the main lake. Example: At Big Jim's on Seminole the fish are released in the back water which is at minimum a half mile away from the creek channel.
3. A lot of fishermen and tournament directors do not take care of their fish. I see ALOT of fish belly up and floating on their sides after a tournament. Most of these fish if not a majority of the fish need to be fizzed. I fished a tournament in April on Eufaula and noticed probably a dozen fish that needed to be fizzed by two different tournaments. I used my net to get them and I fizzed all of the fish. All of them swam off except 1.

Don't take this the wrong way as I am a tournament director and I do fish tournaments. At my weigh ins I have holding tanks that I try to hold fish in. I will fizz the fish that need to be fizzed.

Even at tournaments I have asked anglers if any of their fish need to be fizzed. At one tournament every one said no. After the tournament I noticed at least a half dozen fish in the holding tank that needed to be fizzed.

There is opportunity for tournament directors to step up and at least try to decrease the mortality rate of the fish

I agree 100% that a lot of fish die in tournaments. I have documented proof myself from pictures I have taken here at West Point. My dad and I have done just as you said and spent 30 minutes reviving fish at a ramp as guys had just tossed them and left.

From what I have studied, lake and spawning conditions have far more to do with overall populations than tournaments.

 

[brunofishing]

The mortality is 50%, That biologist must have taken an on line course! These threads get more outlandish every year. If we kept our limit every time we went fishing the fish would be gone!

 

[Son]

Sitting at the dock this morning for about an hour. Several bream came by. Several small redhorse suckers are hanging around. About an 8 pound mudfish came in and searched the bottom I have cleaned, then left. Few minutes later one nice bass of about 7 pounds swam through. No shellcrackers, no big bluegills and no small bass were seen. Can remember a time when this lake was full of shellcrackers, could catch them all around the edges, not anymore. Also remember a time when Seminole wasn't choked with weeds, I've been fishing the lake for over 35 years now. I'll gladly give tournaments a pass if they show more respect for those not fishing for money. Studies of mortality from tournaments might be much like political polls, lopsided. I haven't found a bream or shellcracker bed in our lake since the carp gates were installed. We're next to Cypress Pond, just the other side of the bridge.