Conservation

Take care of the fish

We compete on public water and release every bass we catch. How we handle them is the whole reason there will be fish to catch next year.

Fish care from hookset to release

Wet your hands before handling. Never let a bass touch carpet or a hot deck.
Hold big fish horizontally with two hands — a vertical hold on a 5-pounder can tear the jaw.
Hooked deep? Cut the line close and leave the hook. The fish survives far more often than if you dig.
Take the photo fast. Every second in the air is a second without oxygen.
At weigh-in, keep fish in the bag with water until you're called, then release them at the designated spot — not off the dock.

Run the aerator on recirculate continuously once you have fish, and pump-in fresh water every 20–30 minutes when surface temps are cool.
Summer and early fall: add ice in a sealed bottle to bring the well 5–8°F below lake temp. Never dump loose ice.
Use a livewell additive (G-Juice, Rejuvenade) when water is above 75°F. Cheap insurance against an 8 oz dead-fish penalty.
Fizz fish caught deeper than 25 feet if they're floating on their side — ask a coach to show you before you try it.
Cull immediately when you catch a sixth fish. Don't wait — it's a rule and it's the right thing.

Grand, Hudson, Eufaula, Texoma, and Tenkiller all have zebra mussels. Moving them to a new lake is illegal and devastating.
Clean: pull every plant, mud, and mussel off the boat, trailer, and trolling motor before you leave the ramp.
Drain: livewells, bilge, and bait buckets at the ramp. Pull the plug for the drive home.
Dry: five days between lakes if you can. If not, hot-water rinse (140°F) the livewell and hull.
Never release bait fish into a lake they didn't come from.

Pack out every scrap of soft plastic, line, and packaging. Old line goes in the recycling tubes at most ramps.
Pick up trash at takeoff while you wait for your boat number. It takes two minutes.
Respect no-wake zones and other anglers' water — sportsmanship is a rule, not a suggestion.