An attempt is made to determine the survival of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, that are captured, held, and released during competitive fishing events on Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. Comparisons are made on rate of recapture by anglers on various groups of tagged bass, including tournament releases, electrofishing releases, and transported bass from other sources. The data shows a pronounced difference of recapture rate between the various groups. Tag returns are generally poorer for all groups of tournament captured bass. Observations on stress of such groups demonstrates an association between tournament bass and severely stressed bass from other sources. Currently, the impact of competitive fishing on the bass resource of southern Nevada cannot be determined. Although, the impact on bass population is probably small, recommendations are made to minimize waste of the resource.
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