BASS OPENER!!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

These are all good points!! To use "poaching" in the subject we are talking about is not right. Poaching is a term used for the TAKING of game out of season. We are debating the ethical issue of catch and release out of season. I can understand everyones point of view here. We need to contact our representitives and bend thier ears!! This is how to get bad laws off the books!!

[Guest]

One other point to think about here. Say we get the season changed to, open year round. There is a population of people that eat bass, this population of people are also predominately shore fisherman. What happens if these people are allowed to go down to the local lakes, stand on shore and catch spawning bass when the other seasons are not open?? How long before we do notice a change in bass population?? Just because you are not affecting the population, doesn't mean others wouldn't if enabled!!!

[Guest]

Note to Clayton: It is the males who bed, the females will spawn on several nests. Just because you didn't see bertha does not mean that she was not still around making baby bass.

[BassPatrol]

I don't know what Ice Hole meant by "minorities" but let's not make any stereotypical remarks please!

[Jim W]

Curious,

Do those of you who are into this discussion(a good one I might add) feel like they have posted their opinions yet? How about others out there?

ANd yes, let's keep the fingerpointing out of discussion, especially stigmatizing groups or individuals!!!! How many times will it take for people to understand how to discuss or argue their viewpoint with out taking it personal or making it personal????

I need a bass to bend my rod!!!

PS. The smallies are hitting very well on the Mississippi, pool 4 and 5!!!! Rip Rap shore lines!!!

Jim W

[Jarrod32]

Interesting discussion. This is a discussion I have had several times when I lived in South Dakota...it was mentioned earlier that there are no closed seasons, and that is correct. Ever fished for spawning Walleye on Lake Oahe in April? It's pretty amazing. And it is up to the angler to act responsibly...put back the larger spawners...and of course there are those who don't. It is a matter of personal responsibility...all the laws, rules, and regulations mean nothing if people refuse to take some responsibility and conduct themselves in a manner befitting civilized people. I have caught bass out of season (a few weeks ago on the opener, in fact) while fishing for northerns. The bass go right back....
There will always be people who refuse to follow the rules. It is up to the rest of us to conduct ourselves in a responsible manner and set an example. That's the best we can do, until the courts ease the burden of proof to convict someone of illegally fishing...and I don't think we want to go there.

[Guest]

I can't believe we are still discussing this especially when we all know that there is no guarrantee what is going to bite our lures/or baits. Plus, we have no way of reading someone else's mind. Therefore, being on the positive side of things, we should never assume someone is poaching bass when he/she catches a bass out of season.

It's only illegal if you get caught, however, respectable people avoid the situation altogether.

[Guest]

Note to Clayton:

You did not quote or paraphrase what I said well at all. I never said anything remotely close to myself being burdened because I cannot do what I want. Go back and look, it is NOT there and in fact that is not even close. I can legally fish for bass if I want, anytime. This is because there are many places where bass are always open. There is a very real burden of added time and expense to get there. This state mandate doesn't so much restrict me as it places financial and practical obstacles in my bass fishing path. And it does that without adequate reason. Even last weekend the vast majority of males on Sylvia/Twin were not yet on nests. So I did get to fish those pre-spawners twice and there is nothing the state could do about it. Why it does anything about it before that is beyond me.