Anglers across the nation are asked to report signs of Blotchy Bass Syndrome (BBS) to support research being conducted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and West Virginia University (WVU).
Bass Pro Shops is partnering with WVU and USGS to incentivize angler participation through the donation of gift cards for weekly drawings, including $3,000 in gift cards specifically for Texas anglers.
Photos will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. Central Time on Dec. 31, and prize drawings will occur over the course of three weeks in January (Jan. 9 -13, 16-20, 23-27). Each fish an angler enters is one entry for the drawings so individual anglers who submit more than one fish are eligible for multiple prizes.
After scientists joined forces to study the distribution and prevalence of BBS, they found evidence that it is associated with a virus.
BBS produces black ink-like spots on the skin of freshwater bass species and has been documented in 18 states, including Texas. Even though BBS is associated with a virus, the fish generally appear to be in great condition and are actively feeding. The viruses that cause BBS have never been identified in humans or domestic pets and fish are safe to eat when properly cooked.
For more information about this study and BBS, contact TPWD biologist Cynthia Fox-Holt through email at Cynthia.fox@tpwd.texas.gov.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Inland Fisheries Division Corpus Christi District recently launched…
What do great white sharks eat in the Gulf of Mexico? It's a question researchers…
Texas State Parks continues to recover from flood impacts and encourages visitors to check park…
Seven tails. Seven beautiful bronze tails with a dot in the middle. That’s how many…
We hear more and more about electric boats, but would an electric outboard make sense…
Indianola Fishing Marina is proud to present the inaugural Manufacturers In-Water Boat Show, by Coastal…