Walleye and Pike Opener

[GlassEyeangler]

This just hit me a few days ago and it's bothering me. Why does the DNR call it "Fishing Opener" when it should be referred to "Walleye and Pike Opener"? There's a Deer, Musky, Bass...etc. Opener, why not Walleye and Pike? Kinda kicking myself for just realizing this now. At one time long ago was the season closed to all types of fish? Is walleye and pike opener just too long of a name?

Thoughts?

[elkhuntingfan]

You have too much time on your hands. Go clean your tackle box.

[LMITOUT]

Better yet, ditch the entire opener nonsense and then we won't have to worry about what to call it.

Problem solved.

Next.

[itchmesir]

here's how i look at it.. Trout Opener means its Spring.. Bass Opener means its time for Summer... Walleye/Pike has little meaning to me.. I think maybe it's considered "Fishing Opener" because well Minnesota is a Walleye state

[itchmesir]

Better yet, ditch the entire opener nonsense and then we won't have to worry about what to call it.

Problem solved.

Next.

indeed.. why can't we be like Iowa.. no "seasons"...

PS: I think the above statement is the only statement in which saying "Why can't we be more like Iowa" is acceptable

[OnAFly]

How easy is it to catch panfish while spawning? Now translate that success rate to Pike/Walleye/Bass/Muskie/Trout.

Could the water handle that much more pressure? This is why we have seasons.

Why it's called Fishing Opener. Probably because walleyes are the state fish.

[itchmesir]

How easy is it to catch panfish while spawning? Now translate that success rate to Pike/Walleye/Bass/Muskie/Trout.

Could the water handle that much more pressure? This is why we have seasons.

Why it's called Fishing Opener. Probably because walleyes are the state fish.

Honestly though I'm pretty sure the pressure factor would be off-set by having no seasons.. I would imagine out of all the openers.. Trout gets hit the hardest.. just because it's the first inland "sport fish" to chase.. If Bass'ers and Eye'man could fish for their loved species.. I'm sure they'd be out chasing them instead of going "well i guess i just gonna have to fish for trout for the next month"... I think a C&R season instead of outright closure would be better

[OnAFly]

I would agree more with the idea of a CR season. I guess I interpreted the posts as a fully open season year round.

[LMITOUT]

You interpreted correctly.

[itchmesir]

It's not like the DNR totally enforces closed seasons.. called them once because there were a couple of guys in april last year tossing frogs over weedbeds.. the lady on the phone goes "Well are they keeping any fish?" "uh.. No.. But you aren't gonna catch panfish with a 1/2oz frog lure are you?".. then she goes "ok.. i'll get a hold of an officer in the area" with the tone of when i hang up this phone i'm going back to facebooking

[goblueM]

seasons are (at this point) a mostly social regulation rather than a biological one

for instance, there's no biological reason to have a closed season on bass

i could see a short closed season during walleye spawning runs or other particularly vulnerable situations, but that's easily solved with a catch-and-release only during certain periods

[JimBuck]

I'd love a year round CR season on certain species as well . However, with MN having a limited amount of CO's to enforce CR, I think they'd be spread too thin between hunting and fishing seasons. I'd like to think people would stay honest with a CR season, but those that poach would then have an excuse to be there in the first place.

[OnAFly]

It would make things more difficult to enforce, that's for sure. I wouldn't mind a CR only season. I'm mostly CR anyway, so it would just mean more time fishing for me

Why is there no biological reason for a closed bass season? (serious question)

[itchmesir]

I think goblueM may be talking about how spawning patterns are changing due to change in weather.. but i could be wrong.. but Bass for one are still usually in spawn when their season opens.. or for that matter haven't even started in the more northern lakes

[theiceman]

I think big part is economical for the resorts and hotels because people aren't going to travel not to keep fish. And its something to look forward to.

[goblueM]

Well, not too many people harvest bass, there is a strong catch-and-release ethic to begin with

The main argument for a closed season is that by fishing bass on their beds, we increase nest predation and lower reproductive success. Research indicates that catching bass off their beds does reduce nest success to some degree.

However, there's very little evidence supporting claims that the reduced reproductive success of these fish significantly impact populations. Take northern Minnesota, where bass season opens before many bass are even thinking about spawning. Even if there is significant angling pressure, not all bass are going to be caught off their beds and recruitment is still fine. Plenty of great bass fishing up there despite the pressure. Same for Iowa and SD.

In short, in lakes with sufficient spawning habitat, there are plenty of bass that would never be caught off their beds and provide plenty of age-0 bass for that year class.

[OnAFly]

Ahh, I see.

[gloomiseye]

indeed.. why can't we be like Iowa.. no "seasons"...

PS: I think the above statement is the only statement in which saying "Why can't we be more like Iowa" is acceptable

[solbes]

Why change a tradition? Sure you could talk with guys that fish the bass opener exclusively, or trout guys, or muskie guys. The term Opener has always described the walleye opener, and at least in Minnesota, should always describe the walleye opener.

I agree it's more of a calendar thing now that marks the start of resort season. I also think it should be closed during the spawn. We spend enough money on walleye stocking that we don't need extra temptation for someone to keep fish while "C&R" fishing during spawn. Maybe my faith in fellow man wavers sometimes, I dunno.

[jwmiller33]

I think part of the reason the fishing is better in MN and WI (excuse my bias) compared to Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota [besides the # of lakes] is because of the fishing seasons we have (ie not open year round). IMO, it makes a big difference when the spawning fish are protected. Look how easy it is to put the smack down on crappies when they are on their spawning beds. Imagine if we did this for walleyes, among many other species. Sure, you Iowans can enjoy your year round fishing while us Minnesotans enjoy a shortened but overall better season.

How many people come to MN to fish from IA/ND/SD compared to how many people from MN go to those states to fish? Are all these people coming to fish in MN b/c the fishing is better? That would be what my best judgement tells me.

[Slabasaurus]

Why does the DNR call it "Fishing Opener" when it should be referred to "Walleye and Pike Opener"?

Thoughts?

Because it's MN and the Walleye here is "bigger than the Beatles." (Sounds more cynical than I mean it... I am just as excited for "fishing opener" as the next guy).

Plus, there's not a catchy ring to 'Walleye and Pike opener.' Bass opener has a ring to it, muskie opener has a ring to it, but Walleye and Pike openeer, well that's just cacophonous. Call it fishing opener and be done with it.

I am content with crappie and carp fishing for the two months or whatever of the closed season for walleye and bass though. No problems at all... where I grew up limits are a "new thing" and, for what it's worth, so are open container laws in motor vehicles.

[LMITOUT]

How many people come to MN to fish from IA/ND/SD compared to how many people from MN go to those states to fish? Are all these people coming to fish in MN b/c the fishing is better? That would be what my best judgement tells me.

Nobody I know from ND comes to MN to fish unless they are dragged kicking and screaming by the wife for a vacation.

There may be more diversity in MN as far as fish and lake types, but it ain't better fishing.

Regardless, if you still believe fishing is better here it doesn't have anything to do with a closed season.

[OnAFly]

I know a few that do come over here to fish Mn water. There are plenty of Iowans that come up. That goes for Illinios as well. I see quite a few Missouri plates heading north in the summer.

Does this all correlate to us having closed seasons for certain game fish? Maybe, maybe not.

[jwmiller33]

Regardless, if you still believe fishing is better here it doesn't have anything to do with a closed season.

What does it have to do with then? Better management of our resources? More stocking? More lakes to choose from?

I think everyone has their own opinion as to where the better fishing is, and regardless of what you say and what I say, both of our opinions aren't changing. All I can say is I see tons of out of state license plates towing boats driving up the highway opening weekend, and all summer long for that matter

The only group of guys I know from Iowa NEVER even wet a line in Iowa, they do ALL of their fishing in MN and WI.

[Fowlmouth]

Glasseye, On the DNR HSOforum it is stated as "Walleye, sauger, northern pike - 2011 season" Not "the fishing opener" I wish I had nothing else to worry about in life bsides what the DNR labels opener. Have a fantastic day.