Measures will be taken to keep the fish alive at the "Fish and Chips" tournament
By ED GODFREY, Outdoors Editor, egodfrey@opubco.com
Comments 
3
Published: October 18, 2009
The pro anglers in the "Fish and Chips" tournament are going to have to make a 90-minute drive from Arbuckle Lake to Riverwind Casino for the weigh-ins Friday and Saturday.
NewsOK Related Articles
That's left many local anglers who often fish Arbuckle worried that too many fish will die because of the tournament.
Gene Gilliland, biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Conservation, said a large fish hauling truck from the agency's Durant Fish Hatchery will be returning the bass to Arbuckle Lake immediately after the weigh-ins each day.
Having the tournament in late October with cooler water temperatures combined with less fishing hours than usual and a four-fish limit per boat also minimizes the risk of mortality, he said.
"There are going to be some fish that die," Gilliland said. "Depending on how they are hooked, sometimes the stress just gets to them.
"But I don't expect it to be an inordinate number and certainly nothing that will affect the overall population of the lake. We are going to do everything we can to make sure those fish get back in the lake healthy."
At Bassmaster Classics, anglers often have to travel similar or greater distances to weigh-ins, he said.
When proper fish care measures are followed, more than 90 percent of the fish caught in bass tournaments can be returned back to the lake alive, Gilliland said.
Prev
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
Thank you for joining our conversations on newsok. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Log in below or sign up (it's free).