Bass club anglers caught fish, weighed their results, compared each other's skills, and then usually returned the fish to the lakes. Now bass clubs are making good use of their fun by providing the information about their catch to the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. The program compiles and analyzes tournament records of some of the state's many bass fishing clubs. Participating clubs complete a data card after each tournament and forward the card to the Fisheries Section of the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. The information complements fish sampling by fisheries biologists.
Biologists compare fish sampling results with angler experiences.
Participating bass clubs benefit by receiving the annual reports summarizing B.A.I.T. data from all the clubs. The B.A.I.T. program is even more successful than fisheries personnel anticipated, because bass club members are eager to cooperate to improve fishery resources. From 1986 through 1998, information was compiled from almost 6,000 tournaments. These tournaments include 1.5 million hours of fishing and a catch of more than 237,000 bass. Average weight of fish caught.