are you sure it is a bad timer rob? my pump was getting clogged constantly with willows and stuff until it finally quit altogether.

Is it just a stabing motion? We forgot the shot and I was trying my best to bring the little buddy back. After a half hour of mouth to mouth I remembered he had gills. I'll miss ole aqua lung!

Well the 4 oz penalty can be a killer, especially when the weights are so close. The 3 dead fish cost me 5th place... Time to get those timers fixed...Yeah watch out for the fish herion. Be sure you have an Atropine shot to jam in their hearts if necessary..

Oh you had to bring up this topic Rob.  I think my tournament winning fish OD'ed on that fish heroin. He was hammered . A moment of silence for the 1 and a half pounder.   You'll always be a monster in my eyes little buddy.

If you only loose 4 oz of the weight of the dead fish then why wouldn't you keep it? But once it becomes a cull fish... if you are allowed to heave it and the rules don't prohibit you, then why wouldn't you? If the rules said you are stuck with it then you are stuck. That's why I was wondering the rules. You are going to do what's best for you inside the rules...dead fish or not whenit comes tournament time.

Thats where it becomes a sportsmenship issue....if you have...say a gutshot fish....would or should you IMMEDIATELY give it the heave-ho?

Instant release would be the best-less stressfull chance the fish would have to survive........but what if you are leading into day two and you have no fish with an hour left?

Are you a gambler?

will it live?.....will I catch another?

these are the torments of the tournament angler.....

Or....
These are the MANDATES of the Black Bass Conservationist.

Great discussion.

Rod, I think it's actually a State Reg that you can't give a dead'un the heave-ho.... If they kick the bucket, they stay in your bucket. Probably should check, but that's what I remember.

Faz

Integrity would be the reason. I was thinking I heard a rule, and probably not in Western Bass, that if a fish died...you were stuck with it. Meaning you couldn't cull it out. Not sure where I am getting that idea from. I was just curious.

Terry is exactly right ....

Penalty is 4 oz. off of total weight per dead fish.  You do not lose the whole weight.  Why would anyone even bring in a dead fish if that was the case?  Hope this helps. 
Terry

When you have dead fish in a tournament, do you loose the weight of the dead fish, plus 4 oz? Or do you get the weight of the dead fish minus 4oz?