West Neck Creek Ramblings: In the Best Interests of Those Big Back Bay Bass

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

In the Best Interests of Those Big Back Bay Bass

Fish similar to this 13-3 largemouth, caught in September 1979, by the late-Dewey Mullins, weren't that far removed from the norm for Back Bay during its heyday. Will this fishery ever return to what it was then? Biologist Chad Boyce hopes so, and he keeps working to make it happen. (Photo by Charlie Bruggemann)
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It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where many of those 5-plus-pound bass being weighed on local tournament scales during the springtime are coming from. It's none other than Back Bay or farther south from North Carolina water.

Some of the local bass fishermen have decided a run to Back Bay from the Northwest or North Landing River (or even farther away) is worth their time, especially when it nets them a 1st-place finish in one of the local tournaments. In some respects, who blames them?

The fishing in the bay has been better in the last five years than it's been in the previous 30 years! But, one must ponder this question: Will those big fish make it back to Back Bay once they have been released in the Northwest or North Landing?

Well, according to the local fisheries biologist who manages Back Bay, the answer is a firm "NO!" The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) is well aware of the current trend and consequently the removal of these larger bass (mostly mature females) seems counter-productive to the goals of VDGIF to restore the once nationally-ranked bass fishery in Back Bay.

Here's the scoop. According to the biologist, the bass in the bay are not very mobile...at least in terms of fish movement. Chad Boyce, the fisheries biologist mentioned, tells us that bass in the bay are not likely to move much at all...except in bass boats doing 70 mph! He mentioned numerous tagging studies performed by VDGIF, and the results of these studies are very interesting. In fact, Chad says the bass in the bay really don't move much at all, unless the water levels drop or dissolved-oxygen decreases make them move out. He said that they've tagged more than 1,000 bass, and of those, only a handful have shown any significant movement. He added that most tagged bass stay in the same creek or marsh cove where they were tagged. Who would have known?

So the question came up: Will a bass that is caught in the bay and released in the Northwest or North Landing River ever return to Back Bay? Chad's response, "You've got a better chance of winning the lottery than a bass making that migration. I'm exaggerating, but these bass find a good habitat and stay there...end of story. They are not coming back to the bay from one of the rivers."

So what's the answer? Chad offered an idea of his own as a possible solution to the problem. He said, "Why don't the local groups just hold some tournaments on Back Bay, so that those big fish caught there get released there, too?" He admits that the Trojan Wildlife ramp is the only "good" access to Back Bay, but noted that it would be better than hauling all those big mamas to places like Northwest or North Landing Rivers in the livewells of bass boats...never to be returned to their native habitat.

As Chad explained, "Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on restoring the Back Bay fishery. Honestly, we do not fully understand the implications of the removal of hundreds of larger bass by tournament anglers. However, it certainly can't be helping the bay's recovery, that's for sure. Additionally, many of the larger bass likely could be the stocked bass from the 2012-2014 stockings. It's in everyone's best interest to keep those bass in the system.

"If we deem this issue as being detrimental to the fishery, then there are steps that could be taken to prevent the removal of these bass. Steps include a protective slot limit for Back Bay, particularly during spawning months, and other regulatory changes."

It all boils down to this, fellow fishermen. We have the scientific evidence that clearly tells us bass won't make it back to the bay. Let's not put VDGIF in the position of enacting regulations when we could be handling the problem on our own. Simply put, if you want to keep running to Back Bay to catch a winning kicker fish for a tournament out of Bob's or West Neck, then be willing to return that fish to Back Bay after the tournament...or just hold a tournament out of Trojan. The choice is yours...for now.

On 6/5/2019, I received the following response to this post from Jason:

I'm sure you don't want to hear this but it wouldn't hurt my feelings for the tournaments around here to go away. The fishery is just starting to turn around and all these tournaments can't be good for it. I don't think the bay will ever be what it use to be but it's got potential.

I know it's not feasible but I'd like to see something more like the Major League Fishing format. They are big on the health and well being of the fish. Every fish goes back in the water right where it was caught.

The only thing tournaments held on the bay is going to do is put more boats and more pressure on those fish. There has been tournaments held out of Trojan in the past and every time I find nice bass dead in the canal in the following days.

I'd like to see boundaries put on the fishing areas. Tournaments out of Bob's can't cross the ICW and the ones out of West Neck can't cross the VA/NC line. That would keep the bass that are in the bay there. There are enough quality fish in the river to win tournaments.

I was born and raised here but after the fish and ducks were gone. The fish are coming back and I'd hate to see it ruined because guys want to win money.