Why does bass open sooner up north

[rippinlips]

What I don't understand is why bass opens sooner up north then it does down here, seeing that the water warms faster down here and the fish should spawn sooner then up north. That is the reason they don't open bass down here is to let them get through there spawning without being disturbed isn't it?

[SluggoMaster]

There is no "logic" to the DNR just "tradition" which does not make it right either.

[YUM]

I dont know...but maybe cause there is a larger population of smallmouth up there and dont smallmouth spawn sooner than largies.. water temp wise?

[rippinlips]

Well that's good to hear I thought maybe I was missing something. Ya our DNR don't always make the most logical decisions you would think that the bass opener's would be flip flop.

[HawgTide]

I drew up a petition last year to end the hypocrisy. From what I was told by a DNR Fisheries employee "...There is a Bass "committee" that is discussing the exact issue among others.... And yes the way I understand it there is some serious consideration being given to the proposal Greg put together... I don't know any time line... Inevitably stuff like this takes for freekin ever..."

Hopefully someone in the DNR has the decency to stand up for what is right and have the cajones to make some changes.

[ikeslayer]

they are not going to change it cause then what would we talk about???

ike

[RobertELee]

Quote:

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"...There is a Bass "committee" that is discussing the exact issue among others....

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That sounds like a way to get paid alot of money to talk about fishing....where do I sign up?!?!?

[EBass]

I signed that petition - dang it DNR change that REG!

It doesn't make any sense to me either and what else ticks me off is that Wisconsin opens a week before ours. C'mon, the climate doesn't change from MN to WI because of the St. Croix.

It's a stupid regulation that makes us from MN wait for whatever reason. Great now I'm all ticked - where's SH, he's got an ear full coming. J/K

[TurnUpTheFishing]

There was some logic to it when it was implemented awhile ago. I dont remember the specifics but it had something to do with people wanting a lower bass population because they were worried about them eating or over competing other fish species.

As much as I love fishing bass I dont mind the current opener. Their are plenty of other fish to keep me occupied for a month or there are places where one can fish for them if they refuse to fish anything else.

[bassin]

Whats even more screwed up is the St.Croix opener. It opens a week before the wisconsin opener. But the screwed up part is that its a border water that has an opener a week earlier than either state that borders it, yet you can't fish bass until the Minnesota opener.

[rippinlips]

It sure would be nice if the dnr would flip the start dates, because I am dying to catch some bucket mouths.