We assessed the economic contribution of black bass tournament angling to the total economic value of the black bass (Micropterus spp.) fishery from 1 March 2001 to 28 February 2002 at O. H. Ivie Reservoir, Texas, a popular black bass tournament reservoir in rural west Texas. Creel surveys and mail-out questionnaires were used to estimate number of black bass tournaments, black bass tournament and non-tournament angling effort, and direct angling expenditures. An estimated 147 black bass tournaments were held on the reservoir during the study period. Despite the high number of tournaments, we found that tournament angling effort for black bass (27,348 h, RSE = 31) was greatly exceeded by non-tournament angling effort (110,268 h, RSE = 19) and comprised only 20% of total black bass angling effort and 15% of all angling effort expended at the reservoir. Similarly, total estimated angling expenditures were considerably greater for non-tournament anglers (US$742,430, RSE = 39) than for tournament anglers ($117,938, RSE = 33). Hence, only 14% of the economic benefit derived from the reservoir's black bass fishery was the result of tournament angling. Implementation of restrictive black bass harvest regulations not conducive to tournament angling (e.g., protective slot limit) would probably have minimal negative effect on angler utilization and the economic benefit derived from O. H. Ivie Reservoir's black bass fishery.
