BASS Receives Paralyzed Veterans of America Corporate Leadership Award

September 26, 2008

Citing the organization’s nearly decade-long involvement in providing fishing opportunities for Americans with disabilities, the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) presented BASS with its Corporate Leadership Award.

BASS Vice President and General Manager Tom Ricks accepted the award during the 2008 American Gala Thursday evening in Washington, D.C.

“The partnership we have created is based on a common ground,” said Ricks in accepting the award. “The missions of PVA and BASS and ESPN align rather closely. The PVA focuses on the enrichment of sports and recreation for paralyzed veterans, and both BASS and ESPN, to a broader audience, look to do the same.”

For nearly 10 years, BASS has partnered with the PVA to conduct bass fishing tournaments in which paralyzed veterans and other Americans with disabilities can compete. To date, nearly 3,000 anglers with disabilities have taken part in 44 tournaments, including some that qualify fishermen for the prestigious Bassmaster Classic.

With the assistance of BASS officials and members of affiliated bass clubs in the BASS Federation Nation, the PVA hosts a tournament trail with a season-long points race. The winner of the points race advances to the BASS Federation National Championship, to be held Nov. 6-8 on Milford Lake out of Junction City, Kan. The top anglers in each of six geographic divisions, including one in which the PVA angler competes, receive berths in next year’s Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport-Bossier City, La., Feb. 20-22.

PVA tournaments are covered by BASS multi-media platforms, including BASS Times, Bassmaster Magazine and http://www.Bassmaster.com.

Founded in 1946, Paralyzed Veterans of America advocates quality healthcare and ample retirement benefits for armed forces veterans who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction. Its 2008 American Gala focused on the enrichment of sports and recreation for Paralyzed Veterans and other individuals with disabilities in expanding their quality of life.

Also receiving awards from the PVA were: Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a highly decorated veteran who received the 2008 Congressional Award for his support of PVA initiatives and issues; U.S. Rep. Steve Buyer of Indiana, the Public Service Award; and HOK Sport, the Sport and Design Leadership Award.

NASCAR legend Kyle Petty served as master of ceremonies for the event.

About BASS

For 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. With its considerable multi-media platforms and expansive tournament trail, BASS is guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer and comprehensive web properties in Bassmaster.com and ESPNOutdoors.com, the organization is committed to delivering content true to the lifestyle. Additionally, television programming on ESPN2 continues to provide relevant content from tips and techniques to in-depth tournament coverage to passionate audiences.

The organization oversees the prestigious Bassmaster tournament trail which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Women's Bassmaster Tour and the Bassmaster Classic, the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing. Through its grassroots network, the BASS Federation Nation, BASS sanctions more than 20,000 events annually.

BASS also offers a wide array of services to its more than 525,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

Put ’em Back Alive!

The Case for Better Catch and Release Methods


By Danny Suggs


Next time you’re on the water, watch a group of anglers, especially the youngsters. Notice their natural impulse when they bring in a fish. They’ll reel it in, hold it aloft, smile and laugh, then almost automatically, toss it back.

That’s amazing when you consider that just 20 to 25 years ago, the concept of “letting them go” at best raised eyebrows, and at worst, prompted a good tongue lashing. Catch and release has come a long way.

I love catch and release. Not being a big fish eater myself, the fun of fishing for me is in the catching, plus there’s the satisfaction in knowing that someone else can tussle with my releases another day.

With added fishing pressure hitting the water every year, lake associations, the general angling public, fisheries departments, and the tournament community all are demanding more respect for conserving our fisheries.

Study conclusions vary dramatically over how many fish die as a result of poor handling and release, but clearly, it’s an area receiving more attention.

As a pro angler, I believe tournaments have done an awesome job of showing the public how to catch fish, but we tournament guys could probably do a better job at demonstrating the best way to release fish.

Even though I’m exclusively a catch and release guy, my live well often contains fish. There are some legitimate reasons for placing fish in a livewell, even if you don’t intend to keep them.

For example, when I find a hot little honey hole, I’ll sometimes place the first couple fish I catch into the live well to avoid educating other fish. No, fish can’t talk, but they somehow communicate that my wacky rig is dangerous.

Think I’m crazy? Watch your electronics next time you’re on a nice school. You’ll catch a couple fish, throw ’em back, then the bite will stop. Yet you’re still marking fish!
That’s happened to you, hasn’t it? Next time, place the first couple in the live well, and see if you can extend that bite. Trust me, it will.

Of course, tournament anglers often keep fish temporarily in their live wells during events. These fish ultimately will be released, but we owe it to our sport, and the fish, to release them as healthful as possible.

Enter the Oxygenator, from Aqua Innovations. This revolutionary piece of equipment helps ensure that fish leaving your live well return to the lake in tip-top condition.

When you haul a bucket mouth, or any species, out of the water, he’s exhausted. Who wouldn’t be after being dragged out of their home by their mouth?

Though I’m confident enough in my handling of fish that the fish survive release, I figure I’ll boost its odds by placing them in a live well containing the Oxygenator. Lake and river water typically ranges about 21 percent dissolved oxygen. With the Oxygenator, your live well can contain between 80 and 98 percent oxygen, regardless of temperature.

The device accomplishes that feat through its remarkable design, which splits the water molecule into its two basic components — hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen harmlessly dissipates into the air, while the nanobubbles of oxygen saturate the surrounding water in your live well.
With that kind of oxygen available, fish revive from their angling struggle in mere seconds. Fish a spot, place a couple of eager biters in your Oxygenator-containing live well, and before you head out, release them. You’ll be amazed at how fresh and lively those fish return to the water.

It works at keeping your live bait healthy, too. Just drop your entire minnow bucket into the live well, and your minnows will benefit from that surplus oxygen. No more dead minnows after 60 minutes on the water, in any weather.

Now let’s talk proper release methods. I hate those TV fishing shows where the host flings the bass, walleye, or whatever back into the water 30 feet from the boat. Belly flops hurt fish, too.

Handle your fish delicately. Instead of throwing them into the water, kneel down and gentle lower them into the water and release.
Bass are a little more resilient than walleyes, but still deserve a little TLC. For instance, when lipping bass, especially big ones, support that belly underneath. When you lip a bigger fish, it places a lot of stress on the jaw.

You know the other basic rules. Keep your hands wet to help protect the slime layer on that fish when you’re handling them. And get them back into the water or your live well as quickly as possible.

I’ll leave you with one final tip. If your game plan begins with working fish in the warm shallows, say bass in the slop, stop first in the deeper, colder main lake water to fill your live well. Then put the live well into recirculate mode when fishing those warmer shallows.

That colder water will retain oxygen better, so — combined with the Aqua Innovations Oxygenator — it ensures a constant environment of cold, well-oxygenated live well water, even when you’re fishing over a warm water area.

That means fish in tip-top shape when you release ’em, and more aggressive bass for your next outing!