Summary of Results Bass and Walleye Fishing Contests Held in Washington 2003

A total of 181bass fishing contests were held in 2003 and were sponsored by 45 bass clubs or other organizations. The bass contests were held on 40 different bodies of water and the majority of the contests were held on the Columbia River system. A total of 21,556 bass were caught (largemouth and smallmouth bass). The average weight per bass was 1.94 pounds. The largest largemouth bass caught was 8.14 pounds and the largest smallmouth bass caught was 7.43 pounds. The overall catch rate was 0.29 fish per hour and 98.5% of the bass caught were reported released alive. The total value of prizes awarded was estimated at $542,006.

A total of seven walleye fishing contests were held in 2003 and were sponsored by six walleye clubs or other organizations. The contests were held on five different bodies of water. A total of 4,301 walleye were caught. The average weight per walleye was 1.86 pounds. The largest walleye caught was 12.94 pounds. The overall catch rate was 0.27 fish per hour and 97.9% of the walleye were reported to be released alive. The total value of prizes awarded was estimated at $135,923.