largemouth-bass-negativesmallmouth-bass-negativeMichigan Bass Season Support Materials
 
 
 

Did You Know?

My handout for the public meetings

Note: This information has not been updated since 2005. Fewer states now have closed seasons, only 2 statewide – Wisconsin and Minnesota.

  • Only 6 states have a significant closed bass season. The other 43 states allow their anglers to fish legally for bass all year.
    • The closed states are Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, New York and Vermont.
    • Wisconsin, Maine and Vermont have legal spring catch-and-release seasons; New York has early May openers on Lake Erie and the Finger Lakes.
    • Minnesota has an early May opener for bass that includes keeping them in the extreme northeast because residents there consider them a nuisance species.
    • Northern states that allow their bass anglers to fish for bass legally all year (catch-and-keep or catch-and-release) include Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington among others.
  • The trend recently in the northern states has been to liberalize bass seasons, not shorten them. Pennsylvania went to year-round bass fishing on all waters by adding a catch-and-release season all spring. Wisconsin added a May catch-and-release season.
  • Michigan has had legal catch-and-release bass fishing on 6 lakes for 16 years that open April 1. Those lakes – Muskegon, Hardy Dam Pond, Holloway, Cass, Pontiac and Kent – still have plenty of bass despite being the only legal catch-and-release lakes all that time.
    • An MDNR study was done on these lakes and showed that no affect was apparent to the bass population because of the spring catch-and-release fishing added to the existing bass season. Pennsylvania used this study in designing their catch-and-release season.
    • The study showed that we could increase bass fishing opportunity in Michigan with almost no risk by adding a spring catch-and-release bass fishing season.
  • Despite bass being the most popular gamefish in Michigan and being the most widespread, they have the shortest season in Michigan of any gamefish.
  • The MDNR stocks trout, salmon and walleye consistently to supplement fishing opportunities. Bass are rarely stocked and almost never to supplement a fishery. The MDNR has stated in the past that “bass take care of themselves” as to why they don’t stock them.
  • Studies have consistently shown for decades that fishing during the bass spawn does not correlate to a less successful spawn. That is why so few states have a closed bass season. The following statements are from the Minnesota DNR
    • Largely because of the male’s fastidiousness in building and guarding the nest, many fry survive, and a few adult bass can quickly populate new waters. In fact, researchers have found no correlation between the number of spawning bass and the subsequent number of young-of-the-year fish. The success of the spawn depends entirely on good spawning areas and stable weather. (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/bass/biology.html on bass biology)
    • As with the largemouth, research on smallmouth has shown no relationship between the number of spawning fish and the success of the spawn. The strength of the year class depends solely on water conditions – in particular, the absence of a sudden cold snap or muddy floodwaters that can kill eggs and fry.” (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/bass/biology.html on bass biology)
    • Even MDNR studies support this: “Generally, there is no close relationship between the number of adult bass and the number of fingerling recruits they produce” (Latta 1974, 1975). “Only six adults per acre can produce excessive numbers of fingerlings” (Schrouder et al. 1989; Mraz 1964).” “Generally, anglers are unable to catch every bass, or even enough bass to harm recruitment” (Bennett 1972).
  • The MDNR has allowed some harvest during our bass spawn legally for over 30 years since our season opens during the southern spawn and before most of the northern spawn. Despite this, we have better bass fishing than ever on many waters.
  • About 80% of Michigan bass anglers state they release most of the bass they catch.
  • 92% of all bass caught on Lake St. Clair last year were released.

For more information, please contact the Michigan Bass Anglers at 810-433-2277 or visit:

http://www.greatlakesbass.com/fishing/bassseason.htm or

http://www.michiganbassanglers.com (website no longer exists)

Click here for the MS Word version you can print and handout.