DNR chooses Bass over Walleye for license plates

[SluggoMaster]

Not sure if anyone else saw this!

DNR chooses Bass over Walleye for license plates

ST. PAUL (AP) - State license plate designers are throwing back their walleye depiction in favor of a leaping largemouth bass for the next installment of the "critical habitat" car tags.

After stirring up a bit of fish controversy in November - anglers raised concerns about an initial design that put the walleye in an unnatural pose - state officials asked the plate artist to make the substitution.

"It made sense for the fish to be a specific fish species rather than to be stylized," said C.B. Bylander, chief of the Department of Natural Resources fish and wildlife outreach section.

The DNR wanted to preserve the jumping-fish image. Bylander said the largemouth bass, renowned as a leaping fighter, fit better than a walleye, which doesn't break water that way.

DNR officials met with Department of Public Safety and other law-enforcement interests recently to go over refinements in the image.

"I'm hoping, in two weeks, we should have the final one, and cross our fingers and go into production," Bylander said. "We hope the plate will become available sometime in June."

Motorists can opt for the increasingly popular "critical habitat" plates if they pay extra. The plates bring in $3.5 million annually for conservation purposes, such as buying new habitat for wildlife or scientific study. In the decade since the plates have been offered, more than $17.5 million has been raised.

The fish plate will be part of a series that also has plates with two deer silhouettes or a loon.

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(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[Central Bassman]

sweet!!!

[Cabela10]

Why isn't part of the license plate money going towards all those fees they want to charge to the tournament fishermen or directors of those tournaments.

[Scott M]

I'm guessing you are just griping, but if you are serious, the Reinvest in Minnesota license plate funds are used mostly for habitat land acquisition, both terrestrial and aquatic.

[Ralph Wiggum]

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Why isn't part of the license plate money going towards all those fees they want to charge to the tournament fishermen or directors of those tournaments.

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Why make all sportsmen pay for something that only a fraction of them participate in? Investing in habitat will benefit all sportsmen.

I can't wait to see the new design! I will have to get them. Can you order new plates at anytime, or do you have to wait for your normal renewal time?

[Cabela10]

You can get them at anytime, but you will pay twice for the $30 critical habitat fee. I did that with the loon plates, paid $30 then 3 months later, had to pay another $30 when my tabs were due. I'm not sure if you'd have to pay for tabs again.

My other post was more venting on the issue from another thread. But in response to the person above me, then why do I get charged a wheelage tax if they are fixing roads that I never ever drive on? Why should I get charged to fix those roads? ha Semi-Serious about that.

[Cabela10]

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Investing in habitat will benefit all sportsmen.

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I'm saying the majority of the money would still invest in the habitat for all sportsmen, but take the $200k that they are complaining about out. Tournament fishermen are part of that sportsmen equation and should be able to take out from that fund to support our tournament fishing.

[HGS 24]

tournament fishing - what good becomes of this practice? Two guys in an oversized boat with a giant motor that is only used for loading and unloading and racing to a distant shoreline at warp speed only to circle the entire lake no more than 20yds away from shore and clog the entire access for most if not the whole day. Tournament fishermen should get a pair of waders and walk the shoreline which would free up the access for the normal people. Tournament fisherman - Who needs 'em!

[Superduty]

I thought it was first come, first served at a public access. You could always get up earlier and beat us worthless tournament fishermen to the access. Ten tournament boats can get in and out of the water faster than a family of four with an inexperienced tow vehicle driver and boat driver.

[HGS 24]

Hey Superduty - That was pretty tame, I thought I would get savaged for sure with a post like that in the Bass forum. I would rather bave a lake full of fisherman than rec boaters any day. what bothers me is the 5:30 am start on Sunday the wake boarders get on O'dowd.

[Slyster]

Have they unveiled the new plate yet? I've tried everything and I cannot find a photo of it! Just the old strange looking walleye one.

[RobertELee]

Not yet, I guess its the same picture just with a bass..

[Cabela10]

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tournament fishing - what good becomes of this practice? Two guys in an oversized boat with a giant motor that is only used for loading and unloading and racing to a distant shoreline at warp speed only to circle the entire lake no more than 20yds away from shore and clog the entire access for most if not the whole day. Tournament fishermen should get a pair of waders and walk the shoreline which would free up the access for the normal people. Tournament fisherman - Who needs 'em!

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Repeat after me, "PUBLIC WATERS" & "PUBLIC RAMPS"

[Cabela10]

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what bothers me is the 5:30 am start on Sunday the wake boarders get on O'dowd.

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5:30am Start, I think not. Earliest "I've" ever had a take-off was 6:30, nothing earlier.

[HGS 24]

Bobby- I didn't accuse you of thinking- I said WAKE BOARDERS at 5:30 am not fisherman.

[luckycrank]

one also could say, why does the state of mn invest so much money in walleye stocking programs and so little in largemouth /smallmouth stockings. i for one do not fish for walleye but yet my license fees and what not help pay for this.

[TNFL]

this is because bass can spawn successfully in almost all lakes. Where as some lakes will not support "natural reproduction" from walleye so the DNR dumps tons of walleye in the lakes anyways.(to feed the pike)

[Cabela10]

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DNR dumps tons of walleye in the lakes anyways.(to feed the pike)

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Ha Ha I have no problem with the walleye stocking program but I would like to see the bass tournament scene get a little more support from the DNR guys.