TBF
WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN THE BASS FEDERATION
By Dan Johnson
VIRGINIA TBF MEMBERS AID FISHERY RESEARCH
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he Virginia Bass Chapter Federation (VBCF) is keeping
1990s and early 2000s, when the reduced freshwater outflow
The Bass Federation’s conservation tradition alive by
resulted in significant salinity changes in the river,” says Flicek.
assisting Virginia Department of Game and Inland
“The bass population declined dramatically following several
Fisheries (DGIF) biologists in monitoring bass populations in a
years with a poor spawn and as habitat changed due to loss of
growing number of the state’s lakes and rivers.
vegetation and forage. As conditions improved, concerned
anglers, coupled with DGIF biologists, began stocking an F1
“Our joint efforts led to the creation of the Tournament
strain of largemouth.”
Angler Creel Survey Project, which was originally designed to
The most recent effort took place in the summer of 2017,
provide biologists with additional data needed to better assess
when 114,000 F1 largemouths were stocked. VBCF anglers par-
bass populations and measure the effectiveness of recent
ticipated in that project.
stocking efforts on tidal rivers like the Chickahominy, Pamunkey
“These efforts to date have shown exceptional results,”
and James rivers,” explains John Flicek, conservation director
says Flicek. “Chickahominy River bass anglers once struggled
for VBCF.
to catch a limit, with a 2- to 3-pound bass being considered a
Flicek notes that Virginia DGIF creel survey data collection
in the past was made up of voluntary ramp surveys,
where some anglers were interviewed as they recovered
their boats.
“While those efforts continue, the Tournament
Angler Creel Survey Project provided DGIF biologists
with data streamed directly from the bass fishing com-
munity,” Flicek says. “We are a community of anglers
that specifically target bass, and our tournament efforts
cover an entire body of water, providing a far more com-
plete sampling than random surveys. The DGIF has
been very appreciative of our efforts in providing indi-
vidual angler surveys and tournament results to help
compile a more complete database to assess popula-
tions and validate management efforts to date.”
The TBF-assisted project has helped Virginia DGIF
track the amazing resurgence of bass in the Chickahominy
River.
“As many die-hard bass anglers may know, the
In addition to assisting with creel surveys, the Virginia Bass Chapter Federation
Chickahominy bass population has experienced a
welcomes state biologists to conduct fish sampling at tournament weigh-ins.
remarkable comeback since severe drought in the late
flWfIshInG.com I WInter 2019