Best Hope for Smallmouth Bass

[crazy4smallmouth]

ATTENTION SMALLMOUTH BASS ANGLERS !!!

If you are interested in working toward better smallmouth fishing you may be interested in a meeting that is being hosted by The Smallmouth Alliance.

The Smallmouth Alliance is a group of concerned anglers whose mission, since 1989, has been to enhance and preserve the great smallmouth bass fishing we have here in Minnesota. The organization has gone dormant for the last two or three years, but now a new group of anglers is trying to continue the important work done in the past by TSA.

The meeting is to be at the Eden Prairie Public Library at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, May 9. The location is 565 Prairie Center Dr. in Eden Prairie. Call for directions at (952) 947-5375.

If you are interested in getting involved in smallmouth bass conservation, take time to get to this meeting.

[AQUAJOE]

Is this really necessary? Hmmn I think I may start Crappie Minnows Forever group. (Anybody want to join?)

Sorry I just think this funny.

It would be different if the smallmouth fishing wasn't great. But if it's already great what is the next level to take it to??

[jerkin'm]

Comparing smallies and crappie minnows? Ouch...

[Mr.Perch]

AQUAJOE

Maybe greater, greateast, or greaterister that's what my nephews would say.

Just funnin

[AQUAJOE]

Well I did some searching on the net for Crappie Minnow Groups and there is already another group called "Minnesotans for Crappie Minnows" It said it is made up of the former members the "Smallmouth Alliance"

Sorry couldn't help it

[Down Deep]

Aqua Joe. Good one. My laugh for the day.

[Wayne Ek]

May be I'm wrong, but was'nt it the Small mouth group that lead the way on special reg.s for the Mississippi around Elk River, that seems to have improved that smallie fishing quite alot guys.

[Northlander]

I would agree. Not everyplace around us has fantastic smallie fishing. I really dont care much for the bucketmouths but smallies I really enjoy. I guess Im probably for anything to help any sort of game fish though. I think a lot of times things that will help 1 type of fish will indirectly help the others.

[Mark Christianson]

Case in point Northlander.... Green Lake in Willmar.

The walleye people fought to get the smallie restrictions lifted, because the opinion was that the smallies were hurting the walleye population.

Could the smallmouth alliance be coming back to go get Green Lake back for us bass guys????

[AQUAJOE]

Problem is you can't have it both ways.

The decisions (groups like this push for) are based on what that group wants.

Now case in point the Walleye group was in the opinion it was hurting their interest.

To fix their problem the DNR should have put a slot limit on the Walleye. But the Walleye guys want their cake and eat it too. So what do we do???

Hey lets blame it on another species and lift the regs that were there to protect that species.

Sounds to me like all they did was throw the lakes balance in another direction.

There should be group that covers all gamefish. This group could assist taking Minnesota's fishing to the next level. Instead of band-aiding it.

[river rat316]

the sad thing is there is 9999 "Walleye" lakes in this state, why the heck couldnt they leave some for other species, it makes me sick that they lifted those regs on Green, all goes to show you what the almighty dollar does.......

[Boedigheimer]

Crazy4smallmouth, I will not make the meeting but I will become a member or support them in whatever they they do. Smallmouth have in many ways proven to be 'different' than other fish, therefore requiring 'different' management methods. Any information on the organization would be greatly appreciated. Is there a publication, newsletter, or any literature on the group?

[crazy4smallmouth]

Dan, I think it is commendable that you actually stand up and promote smallmouth conservation. There are a lot of fishing professionals out there that are afraid to even mention that it is special treatment of smallmouth that is making it better. Nearly every weekend there is a fishing show on TV by some bass guy catching one huge smallie after another from Mille Lacs. I have yet to hear any of them say that there are special regs on that lake that allow such good bass fishing. On the other hand, if walley fishing is so great in Minnesota, when was the last time we saw a TV fishing host feature fishing walley in this state? To me, anyone making their living from fishing should be promoting methods to keep the quality up. How many grocery store owners would go out of business if they just went out in the street and gave away their stock?

[AQUAJOE]

Don't get me wrong I will help you protect to the teeth. But I just need understand how necessary it is.

I sure hate to cry wolf and then use up the favors and contacts I have in the industry. When there really isn't a problem.

[crazy4smallmouth]

Aquajoe. What you are saying is felt by a lot of people in the fishing industry. "Don't fix something that isn't broke." That reasoning is no longer valid in the real fishing world. We can all point to our favorite smallmouth hot spots and say "it's good enough for me", but the reality is that there are forces out there right now that want smallmouth gone from any waters that have walley. Green Lake is a good case in point. Green Lake was once thought to have the fastest growth rate for smallmouth in the nation. It had a long history of massive smallmouth until the lake became overdeveloped and began to eutriphie. This reduced the number of smallies. Over-fishing then turned it into a poor smallmouth fishery. Walley don't like light so when the algea began to bloom, the walley moved up onto the 10' to 12' reefs and were easier to catch. Now that the lake is clear again, the smallmouth love it and the walley moved deeper. One local guy, a retired school teacher, in Willmar decided that the smallmouth were the cause of the walley moving into deeper water and decided to do something about it. He formed a shadow organization called Walley Focus and went on a 3-year political campagn which filled the local area with disinformation and ultimately led the DNR to stop the 10-year study on smallmouth and pike on Green Lake and take all the special regs away. As a result, don't expect any special treatment for smallmouth or pike on Green Lake, ever. Some of the locals are now bragging about slitting the bellyies of smallmouth and dropping them back into the lake. Walley Focus touted themselves as a "conservation organization".

That same school teach has moved to Rochester and has started an ati-smallmouth campaign against the special regs on the Zumbro River. Fortunately, there is a very active Smallmouth Alliance chapter in Rochester who have been fighting this.

Bottom line is, if we want quality fishing we will have to fight to keep it that way. Look at all the battles fought over muskie and trout over the years. We currently have, as some think, the best muskie fishing in the country. Any large trout fishieries that exist are the direct benefit of those that have been willing to fight for it. The great smallmouth fishing caused by the special regs in the Upper Mississippi, Zumbro River, many lakes in Northern Minnesota, and the fall catch and release season are the direct result of anglers working with the DNR to help bring back smallmouth populations to what they once were. If anglers don't get involved, none of this will get done and we will just have to be content to have mediocre fishing at best.

[OnTheWater]

...and there ya have it! Nice post crazy4smallmouth! The green lake issue makes me sick. I've personally heard of the same stories, where glorified walleye fisherman are killing 3lb+ smallies, and tossing them back in the water. Why would anyone want to ruin such a good thing?

[AQUAJOE]

Quote:

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Aquajoe. What you are saying is felt by a lot of people in the fishing industry. "Don't fix something that isn't broke."

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I didn't mean by saying "How necessary is this" to mean "Don't fix something that isn't broke."

I ment it to spawn discussion on what the issues actually are. So myself and others can understand.

I am not a Smallie fisherman but I am an avid angler. If it happened as you say that is a real cause for concern.

[river rat316]

hmmmmmm............... guess I know where Ill be on opener...... Green Lake, watching for any "fisherman" slitting the belly of any fish and throwing it in the lake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[Norsky]

That's been going on for the last couple years. Now that the smallmouth regulations are back to normal, all those guys will just catch em and eat em. I'll be out there fairly often taking advantage of this great fishery for smallies, catching and releasing. In a couple years though I think the population will have really taken a hit and it will never be the same. Maybe I'll start walking around the access at Salisbury Beach carrying some signs that say, "Don't Eat The Smallmouth Bass, they're POISION." Think it'll help???

[Ice9]

actually the meeting isn't to talk. We're planning to crash the Walleyes For America Forever meeting in Chanhaska and throw down on them with Ugly Stiks and crawler inflators. Then we're going to retake some smallie turf out at a certain lake out by Willmar. And don't try to stop us. Last walleye guy who tried to infiltrate our ranks wound up bound and gagged with stringers and left in the Shower Curtain section of the Edina Bed, Bath and Beyond. Even the DNR anti-gang task force knows better than to mess with the SA. You'll know us by our chopped '52 Buicks, embroidered satin jackets, and chartreuse buzzbaits.

Word

ice9

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"Cheese it, it's the DNR!"

[Ice9]

Crazy--if you're still with us--send me an e-mail at [email protected] I wasn't able to make the meeting and want to be involved.

ice

[Jim W]

Hey Aqua Joe,

Here is a couple concern areas.

Speaking with the manager of the Lanesboro fisheries office over Trout Day, he indicated they are being pulled away from warm water work. HMMMMMM?

Now I know for a fact that two of the State's(if not country's) best smallmouth rivers are in SE MN.

Only the Zumbro has any regs protecting smallmouth and now that is under fire.

I guess from first hand experience and countless years of wading for smallmouth in SE MN, I have noticed obvious reduction in large to trophy size smallmouth. What is the cause is uncertain, but I am aware of many who catch and keep these fish that take 12 years to grow 16 inches!!!

CRP has been reduced, an increase in soybean farms, more homes being built etc etc,resulting in increased run-off and sediment production.

Now is there an answer...maybe maybe not. Would increasing awareness surrounding smallmouth and other fisheries in the state help....of course.

However, I am not one to hop on a "group" bandwagon. More often than not they need to be "one way or the other". At least when presenting their needs politically.

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

[AQUAJOE]

Jim W.

Thanks for the info. You have peaked my interest now.

Is it safe for me to assume that there are other fish that are affected by the run off?

Are there other fish that have been that may need some attention as well as smallmouth?

If these are true then there is a bigger picture to work on. You think?

I have never fished down that way and would like to come down and check it out.

[DEADhead]

Quote:

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Is it safe for me to assume that there are other fish that are affected by the run off?

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TROUT

Trout need clean water to survive. By managing the rivers to keep trout alive, other fish species will benefit. That's on the habitat end. That's why there is a SE MN Trout Habitat crew for the DNR.

I've never fished for smallies down in that neck of the woods, but if the popoulations are in jeopardy, then special regulations may be in order. The regulations placed on the Otter Tail river up here, have been in place for quite some time and the smallmouth fishing is fantastic. There are some huge fish to be caught up here.

I think the first step anyone really needs to take, even before fish management, is more involvement in the Clean Water Initiative. Write your legislators to support funding for Clean Water, and for more enforcement of existing laws. It is pretty clear cut what the EPA allows for clean water; you'd be amazed at the amount of Minnesota waters on the impaired list. Regions like SE MN that are highly influenced by agricultural practices and residential development are at high risk. It is not unlike the situation we are dealing with up here in Detroit Lakes and the surrounding area. There should be more responsible land management on the behalf of farmers, there should be revisions in the national farm policy, and more enforcement of EPA violations. There needs to be Best Management Practices for agriculture that do not harm the environment. Corn and soybean crops are the biggest threats to trout stream health. By targetting this area and reducing runoff, all fish species will benefit.

[Ice9]

Aquajoe--drop me a line when it's time to go try the Zumbro, or others, down that way. I'm in Plymouth and also want to try as many smallie streams as I can. I have a good boat for it, too.

Anybody who is connected to the smallie alliance, either the down there one or the up here one, please publish connection info. I couldn't make the meeting and want to be involved, and Crazy4 was evidently only visiting to publicize the meeting up in EP because I haven't heard from him.

ice

[email protected]