 As
a professional angler, though not full time, I find it
difficult to harm, kill or eat that which helps put food
on the table. I can't tell you how long it has been since
I put a bass to the knife that eventually ended up on
my plate. It's been years. I just can't bring myself to
destroy something that I earn part of my living on. But,
lookout crappie, trout and white bass! Preservation and
conservation has been a tool of outdoorsmen and women
for many years. Our parks and wildlife departments throughout
the country place size and bag limits on the game that
we harvest. They do so in an attempt to make sure that
there are adequate supplies of game for our children and
their children.
There are numerous organizations that support and
finance the preservation of our game animals such as;
Ducks Unlimited, Quail Unlimited, Wild Turkey Federation
and so on. These organizations raise money to purchase
land, thus protecting the habitat for these species
of game animals. Each year millions of dollars are raised
by these groups to ensure the future of the species.
Likewise, many years ago, the Bass Anglers Sportsman
Society (B.A.S.S.) began using a catch and release program
for the bass caught by anglers in their sanctioned tournaments.
Once the fish were caught and weighed in, they were
released back into the lake or river from which they
came. It is now mandatory prior to the start of each
day during the tournament, that every boat be equipped
with working live-well aerators to help keep the fish
alive during the tournament. Additionally, any angler
bringing a dead fish to weigh in is penalized. Most
bass fishing tournaments around the country follow the
standard established by B.A.S.S.
While working in Las Vegas last July at a tackle show,
I met a gentleman working in his booth. In it, he was
selling products that tournament anglers use to measure
a fish's length, identify or mark each fish, carry fish
in to weigh in, etc. As I stopped to visit with him
about his products, I learned that he was different
than most. His primary goal was to utilize existing
products that were on the market, but make them more
"fish friendly" for anglers that used them.
In other words, he designed his products to protect
the fish and not injure them while weighing them, marking
them, comparing them, etc. The name of the company is
Bag-Em Products, LLC. You can visit his web site at
www.bag-em.com to see his line of products.
As an example, his fish markers used for culling,
clip on to the fish's mouth rather than piercing a hole
in the fine membrane between the jaw and face of the
fish. Most, if not all other similar products, require
piercing this membrane that could possible become infected
causing harm to the fish. The weigh in bags are black
in color. This is not to hide the fish from other anglers
or spectators, rather, his research shows that a bass
will relax and remain calm in a black bag reducing the
risk of injuring itself.
The Bag-Em balance boards used to compare fish for
culling are also black for the same reason. Additionally,
the balance boards utilize a small black bag that the
fish are inserted into tail first. This too, calms the
fish and eliminates the need to pierce the jaw of the
fish to get a clip in the fish's mouth to attach it
to the board. Again, this reduces the chance of infection
and injury to the fish.
As an avid angler, I really like the concept of returning
our resource back into the habitat with as little damage
as possible. It only makes since to care for the fish
as best we can so they will be there to be caught again.
Although I received a few of the Bag-Em products to
try at no cost, I would like to make it very clear that
the company does not compensate me in any way to endorse
their products. I sincerely believe in the results of
the research conducted by this company and the positive
impact using this type of product can have on our resource.
I have witnessed first hand that fish remain calmer
and healthier using these products and that benefits
all of us.
Remember, If we don't take care of our game and make
sure there will be some there for our kids and their
kids, who will?
Until next time, enjoy the great outdoors.
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