Dallas News, 2/15/2020 Tracking Study hits a snag when all 26 tracking study bass die within a month after being released with tracking devices. The study was trying to determine the decline is bass fishing at Toledo Bend. 1 transmitter was in a eagles nest, most were in the brush along the shoreline and 11 on the lake bottom.

The reason the bass died is a mystery at this time according the biologist.

Tom

Story here:

 

https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/other-sports/2020/02/15/largemouth-bass-research-hits-a-snag/

 

Sounds like they killed 26 bass with transmitters.

Interesting article. They are suspecting stress related to time of year or water temp. Nothing in the literature to suspect this previously. Will have to wait to hear more.

Very unusual - think their more immediate concern was how to recover as many of those transmitters as they could. They’re expensive. Heard they were hiring a diver to get the ones at the bottom of the lake before a catfish finds ‘em.

Thermal shock is very real with Florida strain LMB as they have low tolerance to water under 45 degrees or temp changes exceeding 10 degrees from the acclaimated body temps. I am sure the Texas biologist are aware the temperature limitations. The fact all the bass died means a common denominator is present, temp shock seems the most logical.

Tom

Interested to hear what happened, more interested to hear the results of the study, whenever that may be

2 hours ago, WRB said:

The fact all the bass died means a common denominator is present, temp shock seems the most logical.

Tom

Something caused (accidental) by manipulation of the fish by the researcher seems equally logical.

Catt caught em up, fish fryed em, and even gave 1 to an eagle (pretty American if you ask me) 

At least they weren't skin mounted.

5 hours ago, WRB said:

Thermal shock is very real with Florida strain LMB as they have low tolerance to water under 45 degrees or temp changes exceeding 10 degrees from the acclaimated body temps. I am sure the Texas biologist are aware the temperature limitations. The fact all the bass died means a common denominator is present, temp shock seems the most logical.

Tom

 

This appears to be what happened but farther studies are underway. Biologist performed the same insertion of transmitters at the facility in Athens Texas with zero deaths.

The latest I know of ?

 

 

Thanks @Catt

That was informative and gives us insight as to how they conducted the experiment and what the theories are behind the die off.

 

Interesting that the hatcheries noticed a larger kill rate with rapidly cooling water with all strains not just the FL strain

I wouldn’t want to be in charge of getting the one back from the eagle nest 

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I wouldn’t want to be in charge of getting the one back from the eagle nest 

good call

Update 

In the last 23 days Todd Driscoll warmed a holding tank up to 75° & put 6 bass in it for a week to let the bass get acclimated. Did surgery to insert a transmitter in 5 of the 6, the 6th for control. 

 

15 days post surgery everything is fine no signs of fungus & all bass are healthy.

 

The decision was made to postpone the study until lake temperatures reach 75°.