HOT SPRINGS — Arkansas summers can be scorching. As temperatures rise, it’s not just us feeling the heat; the fish are feeling it, too. We can beat the heat by lounging by the pool, taking a refreshing swim in a lake or creek, or retreating indoors to enjoy the air conditioning, but bass caught during tournaments face a different challenge. Being cold-blooded, they can’t regulate their body temperature like we do, so fish need anglers’ help in cooling down and staying calm from the time of the catch until weigh-in. Here are five ways to help our finned friends stay cool and comfy during these sweltering months:
By Eric Naas, AGFC Black Bass Program Biologist
Top photo: Professional angler Spencer Shuffield ices down his livewells between the boat ramp and weigh-in during the 2019 FLW Cup tournament at Lake Hamilton.
Schedule Outside of the Season
The best way to avoid tournament-related bass mortality is to avoid scheduling tournaments when water temperatures exceed the 80-degree mark. Most tournament circuits have begun moving their derbies earlier in the year to take advantage of some impressive prespawn weights, and the side-benefit of those tourney times is a natural increase in the survival of fish after release. Although night tournaments are a great way to beat the heat for anglers in summer, water temperatures are still very high, and fish survival still suffers as a result. Be prepared to put the work in to not only catch them, but keep them alive.
Ice ’Em Down
Adding ice to your livewells can give bass a cool escape from summer heat. When the surface water temperature is over 80 degrees, it not only holds less oxygen, but it increases the fish’s metabolism and oxygen consumption because they’re cold-blooded and can’t regulate their own body temperature. Keep a thermometer handy in your livewell, and add ice to keep the temperatures around 75-80 degrees, just like a comfy home climate. Don’t overdo it; dropping the livewell temperature too low can kill fish just as quickly from shock if they’re pulled from 80-degree water and put in an ice bath.
Give Them Some Air
Keeping water well-oxygenated is crucial. Think of your aerators as the fish’s personal air conditioning system. Keep aeration systems running nonstop when water temperature is high and the livewell is full of fish. Also do your best to avoid overcrowding in the livewell and separate fish into multiple livewells, if your boat is so equipped, to make the oxygen in the water last as long as possible. Aerators common on fishing boats use less power than a big-screen fishfinder with forward-facing sonar, so why not up the power potential of your batteries to make sure the fish you catch are healthy for weigh-in and don’t cost you precious ounces in penalties?
Fresh Water
Don’t forget to keep the water fresh. Recirculating the same water through your aerators will maintain a cooler temperature when surface temperature of the lake is high, but it can get contaminated over time. Exchange at least half of the water in your livewell with fresh water from the lake every 4 hours to reduce nitrogen and ammonia buildup from waste.
A Touch of Salt
Bass are freshwater fish, but adding a little salinity to your livewell water will help them recover after the catch. It can buffer the pH of the water, but most importantly it helps the fish regulate bodily fluids like their slime coat. As a general rule, add one-third-cup of noniodized salt for every 5 gallons of water in your livewell. Commercial additives also are available, but they are primarily composed of salt or similar compounds.
