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The fishing tournament season is here, and with that comes a reminder from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to used the immediate release method.
With the immediate release method, also known as the catch-photo-release method, tournament participants measure and weigh their catch on their boat using bump boards and weigh scales, upload a picture to a mobile app and then immediately release the fish back into the water.
The DNR recommends this as opposed to the traditional method tournament organizations used, which can cause problems for some fish when they are put back in the water in a different area than they were caught. |
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Local and national tournaments have seen an increase in the use of the immediate release method. And in Wisconsin, the number of bass and walleye tournaments using the immediate release format has increased from an average of six per year between 2010-2015, to more than 30 per year from 2015 to 2020.
The DNR said immediate releases can even benefit local fish populations by minimizing the stress on fish, especially during spawning, nesting and warm water periods, keeping fish in their own “backyards,” as well as minimizing disease transmission.
Joe Bevington, DNR Statewide Tournament Coordinator said"Not only are these tournament types better for the resource, but it also allows for greater competition among tournament participants because they aren’t limited by size or bag limits. Whether it be a one-pound fish or a 10-pound fish, every fish can be counted in an angler’s total weight,” DNR Statewide Tournament Coordinator Joe Bevington said |
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