04-12-2007, 08:10 PM
Bass tournament anglers caught more and bigger fish last year according to the most recent Oklahoma Bass Tournaments Report now available at wildlifedepartment.com.
"The success of competitive bass fishermen can tell us a lot about the quality of angling opportunities across the state, and the newest report shows that bass fishing is getting better and better in Oklahoma." said Gene Gilliland, senior fisheries biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "The Department has been gathering data on bass fishing tournaments across the state for the last 13 years, and the information we collect helps us manage bass populations."<br />
In 2006, the overall success rate at tournaments was 65 percent, up three percent over the previous year. Success rates are measured based on anglers or teams who bring at least one bass to the tournament weigh-in.<br />
"Not only that, but the average winning weight rose once again in 2006 to 10.9 lbs., which is nearly a one-pound gain over the last three years," Gilliland said. "The report summarizes the results of day-long weekend events as well as weekly evening jackpots across the state."<br />
Additionally, tournament anglers on average caught bigger fish in 2006 than they did during other recent tournament seasons. In 2006, the average angler caught about two fish per day that weighed 2.2 lbs., up slightly from 2.14 lbs. in 2004 and 2005.<br />
Sardis Lake claimed the number one spot on the list of top tournament lakes, followed by Okemah, Keystone, Thunderbird, Konawa, Arbuckle, Hudson, Texoma, Oologah and McGee Creek. Only lakes that the Department received at least 10 reports from were considered in the rankings. According to Gilliland, information from lakes with fewer reports may not convey their actual fishing quality. To see the rest of the top 20 list as well as other tournament results, download and print the 14-page report for free by logging on to wildlifedepartment.com.<br />
According to Gilliland, the continued improved fishing can be attributed primarily to favorable water levels and good bass recruitment in the last few years.<br />
"2001-2003 were very good years for fish reproduction in lakes across Oklahoma, and the fish that were hatched then are now reaching good sizes for anglers to catch," Gilliland said.<br />
With an estimated 1,200 tournaments held each year in the state, tournament anglers are an important part of the Department's fisheries management team. In the course of their pursuits, they provide biologists with hundreds of thousands of hours of fishing data every year.<br />
"Since our biologists cannot survey every lake every year, tournament data is vital information in our monitoring program," Gilliland said.<br />
The Department collects the data on "tournament report cards" that are submitted by tournament directors or through the Internet. Ninety-nine different organizations submitted almost 600 reports from 61 lakes for 2006.<br />
For more tournament information or to learn more about submitting tournament reports, log on to wildlifedepartment.com/tournamentcare.htm.
"The success of competitive bass fishermen can tell us a lot about the quality of angling opportunities across the state, and the newest report shows that bass fishing is getting better and better in Oklahoma." said Gene Gilliland, senior fisheries biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "The Department has been gathering data on bass fishing tournaments across the state for the last 13 years, and the information we collect helps us manage bass populations."<br />
In 2006, the overall success rate at tournaments was 65 percent, up three percent over the previous year. Success rates are measured based on anglers or teams who bring at least one bass to the tournament weigh-in.<br />
"Not only that, but the average winning weight rose once again in 2006 to 10.9 lbs., which is nearly a one-pound gain over the last three years," Gilliland said. "The report summarizes the results of day-long weekend events as well as weekly evening jackpots across the state."<br />
Additionally, tournament anglers on average caught bigger fish in 2006 than they did during other recent tournament seasons. In 2006, the average angler caught about two fish per day that weighed 2.2 lbs., up slightly from 2.14 lbs. in 2004 and 2005.<br />
Sardis Lake claimed the number one spot on the list of top tournament lakes, followed by Okemah, Keystone, Thunderbird, Konawa, Arbuckle, Hudson, Texoma, Oologah and McGee Creek. Only lakes that the Department received at least 10 reports from were considered in the rankings. According to Gilliland, information from lakes with fewer reports may not convey their actual fishing quality. To see the rest of the top 20 list as well as other tournament results, download and print the 14-page report for free by logging on to wildlifedepartment.com.<br />
According to Gilliland, the continued improved fishing can be attributed primarily to favorable water levels and good bass recruitment in the last few years.<br />
"2001-2003 were very good years for fish reproduction in lakes across Oklahoma, and the fish that were hatched then are now reaching good sizes for anglers to catch," Gilliland said.<br />
With an estimated 1,200 tournaments held each year in the state, tournament anglers are an important part of the Department's fisheries management team. In the course of their pursuits, they provide biologists with hundreds of thousands of hours of fishing data every year.<br />
"Since our biologists cannot survey every lake every year, tournament data is vital information in our monitoring program," Gilliland said.<br />
The Department collects the data on "tournament report cards" that are submitted by tournament directors or through the Internet. Ninety-nine different organizations submitted almost 600 reports from 61 lakes for 2006.<br />
For more tournament information or to learn more about submitting tournament reports, log on to wildlifedepartment.com/tournamentcare.htm.