David P. Philipp

Factors Affecting the Vulnerability to Angling of Nesting Male Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass

Abstract Some, but not all, jurisdictions in North America have regulations in place designed to protect nesting male largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and smallmouth bass M. dolomieu from angling. The underlying assumption that brood-guarding males are particularly vulnerable to angling, however, is untested. In this study, we quantified the vulnerability of brood-guarding largemouth bass and smallmouth bass to angling and determined the factors that influenced that vulnerability. For this, male largemouth bass and smallmouth bass guarding newly spawned eggs were located by snorkel survey. The aggression of these males towards a brood predator was quantified, the males susceptibility to angling lures was assessed, and the quantity of eggs in his nest and his size were recorded. Male largemouth and smallmouth bass were quite vulnerable to angling while guarding their nests, 70% of nesting male smallmouth bass and 54% of nesting male largemouth bass being hooked during the experimental angling trials....

Effects of Catch-and-Release Angling on Nesting Male Smallmouth Bass

Abstract We assessed the effects of angling stress on nesting male smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu from two lakes in southeastern Ontario. In the first portion of the study, adult male smallmouth bass were hooked and then played either briefly (<20 s) or to exhaustion (2 min). White muscle acid–base and metabolite status were used as indicators of the extent of the physiological disturbance in these fish. Angling of smallmouth bass resulted in decreases in muscle pH and energy reserves for burst activity (phosphocreatine and adenosine triphosphate), as well as increases in muscle lactate, metabolic protons (▵H+), and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (Pco2). The physiological disturbance was most severe in smallmouth bass played to exhaustion. In the second portion of the study, other adult male smallmouth bass were hooked and played as described above. Fish played to exhaustion took four times longer to return to their nests than did fish played briefly. As a result, offspring in the nests of fish ...

Physiological Significance of the Weigh-In during Live-Release Angling Tournaments for Largemouth Bass

Abstract In the current study, we simulated different components of a live-release angling tournament (angling, live-well confinement, and weigh-in) to determine the relative physiological significance of these tournament components for largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides. Our results indicated that depletions of white muscle energy stores and accumulations of muscle lactate (i.e., a large metabolic disturbance) are the most important consequences of live-release angling tournaments for largemouth bass. This study also showed that there are two distinct components of a live-release tournament that cause a metabolic disturbance in largemouth bass: angling and the weigh-in. While the physiological consequences of angling are already well understood, this is the first study to show that the weigh-in portion of a live-release tournament also causes a large anaerobic disturbance in largemouth bass. In our simulation, the weigh-in resulted in a 75% decrease in white muscle phosphocreatine, a 46% decrease in A...