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Wildlife Department Cancels Bass Tournament Study
ODWC
 

State Wildlife Department officials have reluctantly called off a bass tournament study scheduled for August 23, 2003 at Lake Texoma. The study, which was designed to be part of a multi-state research project to evaluate summertime bass tournament mortality in the southeast, failed to attract the number of anglers required to make the study valid.

Wildlife Department personnel from both Oklahoma and Texas have been working cooperatively for months to organize the tournament and to be on hand to collect the needed research information.

A target goal of 60 anglers participating in the tournament was set in order reach a valid sample size of bass needed for study analysis. As of Monday, 33 anglers primarily from Oklahoma had indicated an interest in participating but only about 20 of those had pre-registered and paid the entry fee for the event.

“I received a call late Monday from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials who stated they were canceling their participation in the tournament,” said Kim Erickson, Chief of Fisheries for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “Without having the combined personnel and equipment resources from both states to pull this off, we have decided to cancel the tournament,” said Erickson.

 “We deeply appreciate the anglers who were willing to help and regret any inconvenience this cancellation may cause. We especially want to thank Oklahoma Anglers Unlimited and President, Robert Cartlidge, for the help and assistance provided in trying to get this project off the ground.”

All pre-registration tournament entry fees will be refunded.