Poachers

[grab the net]

Here in central Minnesota, Alexandria, Fergus Falls area, most smallies are on beds sometime in late May, early June. Normally after the bass season has opened. If there is a tournament during that time frame on Ida, Minnewaska, Green, smallmouth are targeted and provide a high finish. Yet the fishing on these lakes continues to be great. Also on the Missippi the season never closes and again fishing does not seem to decline. The examples could go on and on. For many it is a very emotional issue, but anecdotal evidence shows me that a catch and release season would not hurt.

[Sproguy]

I think that wonderful points have come up over and over again on this thread. I do want to add something. I want to be clear that I'm not pointing fingers but rather am trying to make an important point. Many say that they don't bed fish when the season opens, I respect your view but the reality is if you are fishing during that time frame you are bed fishing. Not every bed is one you can see and not every fish is on a bed, many are just off to the side looking like an "old" bed. If you fish bass during the spring shallower than say 15 feet, sorry but you are going to catch a few fish that are on a bed whether you know it or not.

I see that this is a very personal issue to many, but from my view, if you decide like many of us do to head to the Mississippi in the spring, guess what, you are bed fishing! When you catch two fish out of a tree, what do you think is going on in that tree? Same goes for weedy lakes on bass opener, if you are flipping baits in the weed pockets, what do you think is at the bottom of that weed pocket?

Again I'm not pointing fingers but so many in our state protect this season to their last breath and then go fishing on bass opener morning and say "well I'm not bed fishing", sorry but yes you are!

Many have brought this up, if you want to protect the spawn then the season can't start until July 1st. We have all fished long enough to see springs where the spawn is early (before opener) and ones where it is on like fire on opener and lastly seasons where it is early June. So sorry but if you fish during that time frame, just because you aren't looking at them doesn't mean you aren't catching fish off of their beds. Put them back and for the most part they will be ok. Yes we will loose some spawners to foul hooks and yes we will have some stay out of the water for too long for photos and yes we will harass some beds, but they are getting harassed regardless.

[RumRiverRat]

Year round Catch and Release for bass on all bodies of water is not really that horrible.

Look at pool 2,3,4 etc......

[DTro]

Year round Catch and Release for bass all species on all bodies of water is not really that horrible.

Look at pool 2,3,4 etc......

[downbytheriver84]

Year round Catch and Release for bass all species on all bodies of water is not really that horrible.

Look at pool 2,3,4 etc......

I know all the lake bass guys are gonna hate me for this but I went out St. Patricks Day on pool 6 in the backwaters. (the day after full ice out here) and had one of my top 5 bass fishing days ever, using nothing but topwater frogs.

For some reason they were seriously hammering the topwater better than Ive ever seen in the summer. Maybe the sudden 80 degree weather turned them on. After it cooled off the fishing hasnt been nearly as good and nothing is hitting topwater lately.

[BIGRED07]

fishing out of season for a species is against the law it says right in the regs, but you do see it all the time, and it is illegal

[RumRiverRat]

fishing out of season for a species is against the law it says right in the regs, but you do see it all the time, and it is illegal

Thanks for stating something we all know.

[corncob]

I have always wondered why Wisconsin has the earlier opener than Minnesota....Apparently their DNR people are trained at a different educational facility than Minnesotas.......Say anything about the millions of $$$$ spent across the border instead of here.....Go figger!

[Nick Kuhn]

Wisconsin is further South than Minnesota is, and on average ice out is almost exactly a week earlier than Minnesota. Wisconsin also has a 14" minimum length limit for bass. Prior to that limit, bass fishing was really poor in Wisconsin.

[Wayne Ek]

Nick, I'm 62 and have been a bass addict all my life. My family took a 1-week summer vacation each year in Wisc. Some of the biggest bass I have ever caught came during those vacations and the number of fish per day was very high. Now most of those fish came on live frogs or a top-water lure called the Whaletail; way old school lure. I would bet that Deitz would agree; Wisc. still has a strong bass fishery.

[Nick Kuhn]

Wayne: I'm saying bass fishing has improved dramatically since they added a minimum size limit. Like the lake Deitz mentioned at the show: it's current bass population is up 555% since they added that rule around 1990. My lake is up over 1000%. Some of that is angler attitude toward harvest as well. These dramatic increases are the norm: thus why the minimum length was removed for Washburn and Burnett counties.

[smallie_hawgin]

Wayne: I'm saying bass fishing has improved dramatically since they added a minimum size limit. Like the lake Deitz mentioned at the show: it's current bass population is up 555% since they added that rule around 1990. My lake is up over 1000%. Some of that is angler attitude toward harvest as well. These dramatic increases are the norm: thus why the minimum length was removed for Washburn and Burnett counties.

Well the biology may also be a significant reason... Minimum length limits are usually to build populations... They are supposed to function as a way to limit harvest of individuals until they have an opportunity to spawn at least once. Bass populations as has been suggested have all done well for a multitude of reasons... One of which is increase in the C&R ethic. Another has been to a certain extent range expansion due to more favorable conditions over the last couple of decades (whether this happens to coincide with climate change is up to your own opinion), increased habitat in the form of vegetation and potentially increased popularity among anglers in general with bass. The latter could lead to anglers "helping" state agencies in species distribution...

So the thought that it was all due to a 14" minimum.... Probably in part true... Just stating that there is more than meets the eye here.

[Juan Grande]

Do you guys think that if this bill passes to move the walleye opener up a week, that it could get things moving as far as an earlier bass opener? I know they spawn at very different times, but that would be a three week time period between openers.

[Hammer Handle]

I put my dock in this weekend...and a fresh bass was floating in the water...full of eggs.

Earlier that day, a boat was near my dock casting spinner baits.

I should have called TIP.

Let the fish lay their eggs. You have plenty of time to fish them this year...don't rush it.

[jalberg]

I DID call TIP this weekend because I saw a couple guys throwing big spinnerbaits on baitcasters in shallow water. Nobody showed up though.

[AwesomZZ]

I don’t think they actually show up if people are just attempting to fish bass. It seems like the only time they show up is when you tell TIP that people are keeping way too many fish. So, perhaps you should call TIP and say you saw 2 guys keeping every single bass they caught and maybe the officer will showup.

[NewJ]

Accusation and false information will lead yourself to being on the wrong end of the string.

[tengauge]

A little off subject but how many of you "haters" that are opposed to a c&r season Go up to the rainy river and catch those pre spawn walleyes?? Food for thought?? I just target bowfin this time of year, They like a nice black and blue jig also!!!

[Stick in Mud]

I'm not sure who you're referring to by "haters," but I assume it's to people who are for a C&R bass season. If that's the case (and if it's not, correct me), there's an important difference between those who are FOR c&r bass fishing but who are willing to follow the law by NOT fishing for species that are out of season. Therefore, fishing for eyes that are IN season doesn't seem to be a relevant point.

[tengauge]

ACTUALLY IM REFERING TO THE PEOPLE AGAINST IT! And not the legal reasons either. READ THJE POST!!!! If its so terrible and hard on the fish why do they have a catch and release season on big walleyes in the river?? THAT WAS MY POINT!!!

[jalberg]

If a catch and release season is opened then I will take advantage of it and fish for bass, but until then I choose to not be a criminal and follow the law.

I am a hater! I hate it when I see people targeting fish out of season.

Is it possible to target Bowfin without catching mostly bass or pike? If so, I'd like to see how it's done. I'm not saying you can't, I just don't know how you could do it.

[Deitz Dittrich]

ACTUALLY IM REFERING TO THE PEOPLE AGAINST IT! And not the legal reasons either. READ THJE POST!!!! If its so terrible and hard on the fish why do they have a catch and release season on big walleyes in the river?? THAT WAS MY POINT!!!

Lake of the Woods/Rainy Lake is a far larger lake for supporting spawning walleye than any other lake supporting bass.. poor argument.

[Cecil]

Also the #1 natural reproduction lake

[Craigums]

Also the #1 natural reproduction lake

[Cecil]

They are, but they were reffering to walleye in that instance.