Fish Care Paramount in Summer Heat
Southeastern Pond Management has partnered with the PAA for two seasons to provide fish care during weigh-ins from Texas to North Carolina. (PAA: Gerald Dutton)
PAA Communications
GADSDEN, Ala. – Notes and quotes from Day 2 of the Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament Series presented by Carrot Stix on Neely Henry Lake …
For the last two seasons the PAA has partnered with Southeastern Pond Management for transport and release of bass on the final day from the weigh-in at Bass Pro Shops to the lakes from which they were caught.
Since 1989, Southeastern Pond Management has provided pond and lake management services throughout the Southeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. Its team of fisheries biologists offer services from stocking different species to lake mapping.
Saturday’s final weigh-in will be at Bass Pro Shops in Leeds, a roughly 50-minute drive from Coosa Landing in Gadsden. Due to high summer air and water temperatures, PAA officials bumped the tournament’s weigh-in time an hour to 2 p.m. and will utilize Southeastern Pond Management’s tanker trucks to transport the 19 anglers’ catches from the lake to Bass Pro Shops and then back to Neely Henry.
“It’s a groundbreaking effort and something we’re excited to be part of,” said PAA President Dave Mansue. “I don’t believe something like this has been done before and it shows the PAA’s commitment to conservation, which is something all anglers should be striving for.”
When the anglers return to Coosa Landing Saturday, their fish will be checked by PAA officials, then put into individual compartments in one of four Southeastern Pond tanker trucks or trailers. Each truck or trailer has six 100-gallon tanks with cooled, oxygenated and treated water for transport.
“Each compartment is enclosed and has oxygen piped in, between 10 and 20 parts per million,” said Ryan Hermecz of Southeastern Pond. “That’s more than what’s in the lake and more than enough for them.”
Anglers will watch their fish be placed in the tank, then receive a number that matches “their” tank. The lids will then be sealed and locked for the trip to Bass Pro Shops. Upon arrival, the anglers will retrieve their fish for the weigh-in and then the fish will be returned to Neely Henry.
“We’ve hauled fish from Mississippi to Virginia, driving 12 or more hours,” Hermecz said.
Making major moves
After three days of practice it would seem logical that some of the best professional anglers in the country would be dialed in for the first day of a tournament.
But logic doesn’t factor into the equation of finicky bass, an increase in temperature and fishing under the gun of a ticking clock on an actual competition day. A look at the standings from the first two days shows how a few decisions can make a difference from one day to the next.
Seven pros making the final-day cut jumped at least 10 to 16 positions to ensure one more day on the lake. NetBait pro Greg Vinson of Alabama made the biggest move, from 28th to 12th, while Big Bite Baits pro Russ Lane of Alabama jumped 15 positions into third place.
Other notable moves were Yum pro Matt Reed of Texas (31st to 17th), Ranger pro Duke Jenkel of Illinois (32nd to 19th) and Bass King pro Joey Nania of Washington (15th to 5th).
Skeeter pro Mark Menendez of Kentucky moved five places, to sixth, after a rough start Friday. Like others, he said capitalizing on every bite is critical.
“The key thing here is your efficiency,” he said. “About 9 o’clock (Friday), I was about ready to get some golf clubs and give it up.”
Menendez rebounded for a limit weighing 11.07, for a total of 21.67 pounds.
Pierce wants a break
Vicious pro Pat Pierce of Florida headed into a little area Friday, caught two bass and then decided to try another area.
That’s when things went bad.
“It was just one of those little backwater spots that had a little sandy bar you could get over and then about a 3-foot deep area,” he said. “I got in there OK, fished a while and then got ready to get a shot to get back out over the bar.
“When I hit the throttle, the back end just hit something perfectly on the bottom and bent the (prop) shaft. I’ve never seen one bent that badly that didn’t break. I don’t know what it was.”
Pierce was able to finally wrangle off the prop and make some limp-back-to-the-ramp repairs.
“I knew I’d probably have one shot of getting out, so I just stayed in there all day,” he said. “I’m ready to get home for a break and get out on the (St. Johns) river to catch some fish without something happening.”
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