A Mojo of a Proposal

[Mojo]

What if one proposal blew away all preconceived notions, was so far out in front that it would put Michigan back on the Sportsmanship map ?

A Proposal:

* C&IR Mar 15 - the Saturday preceding memorial day - bass only, and you need a $9 permit.  

* Possession memorial day - Nov 14th. Regular $14 permit

* C&DR Nov 15th - Mar 14th. No permit required

Advantages:

1 You now can fish all year round for bass - 12 full months

2 You can have tournaments all year round - for C&IR you fish with camera technology, there's just no good reason why a golden rule and a camera (everyone must set date and
time to the correct date and empty their SD card ) and photo your 5 best fish, write down
their length with a photo to back it up.

3 You have your card to show the officer when all other seasons are closed for spawn, so you can't be accused of any other type of fishing.

4 A simple live well check shows you are returning fish to their beds - and since neither side
has solid data in the last 20 years to show anything (except Kim Stricker's videos showing bass returning to their beds after being caught) this C&IR protects the Traditionalists views while letting us fish ( I didn't say protect fish in purpose- they don't need it ).

5 Falls into the Michigan concept that has be-fallen all activities during this 10 year recession: Pay to Play. I pay $9 bucks to take my kids to Taco Bell, and you just bought a movie ticket for $10 bucks so get over it. 2 spinnerbaits cost you $15 bucks. This is 10 more weeks of prime sight fishing ! That's 5 deer seasons !

6 Possession season is actually shortened ( at the tail end where the bass are tough to catch and wont matter anyway ) but it's a good point to sell for those worried about population issues.

7 Maintains Michigan's traditional opening day to fish on Memorial weekend.

8 IMPORTANT: Tie the end date of possession to the beginning of hunting season. Give an incentive like if you buy a bass fishing, C&IR tag and a buck tag up front, your second deer tag is half off. magic just happened baby !!!!! MDNR love when multi tags are bought, and maybe we'd call it the  Sportsmen's Pack.

9 by creating a C&DR winter season, Michigan would actually create a new sport. Think of it. (wrapped lol ) snowmobile sales up, power augers, up, tournaments in the winter. Fall big fish hog hunts and early season hunts for big fish. In line and vertical techniques and their products now selling. Pop up shanty sales. Nothing creates industry like avid fishermen, and I bet out of state folks would be attracted to this new idea. People pull bass through the ice all the time, but now Michigan made it legal, and even better, they all got released back into their waters with no beds to guard. No issues. Now that's a Win for Michigan economy and the fish.

10  Ever think the MDNR holds back and closes the season to force anglers to buy the additional tag and fish elsewhere ? By having this tag, now they get you to spend less, but fish the fish you want to fish - more.   .......  . That's a cool way to think of it eh ?


The change isn't incremental, it's monumental !!

Go back and chew on advantage 8. The change in the ruling goes into effect as the "new
MDNR sportsmens pack". $45 bucks gets me a Buck and a Doe tag in the fall, a C&IR tag, and a normal fishing license. Slipped in Is my right to fish 12 months out of the year .... like so many laws that screw us, only this time we get what we want and so do they.

I'm out -

[djkimmel]

These options you posted earlier seem a lot less complicated.
Be C&IR Jan 1 - Day before Memorial Day; Season is  Memorial Day - Dec 31    - 14 (28.6%)
Have no season - open all year    - 18 (36.7%)

I'm leaning that way right now. After the end of April, then I will see what plans seem to be good, possible options. If any. Who knows?

[bigjc]

Why don't we just pressure the Governor's office to completely reinvent the MDNR from the top down.

Why settle for less! Aren't we..."we the people?"

Why don't we just remind these idiots that they work for us...they represent us.

Lets give em hell!

[Waterfoul]

Less fees... not more.  You may see it as simple because you came up with it.   But many, many others will simply see it as more confusion and more fees.  As Dan said before... there is no greater way to complicate the matter and get the DNR off track than to propose more fees.

[djkimmel]

Why don't we just pressure the Governor's office to completely reinvent the MDNR from the top down.

Why settle for less! Aren't we..."we the people?"

Why don't we just remind these idiots that they work for us...they represent us.

Lets give em hell!

They do work for us. And for the lake association members and riparians. And the walleye anglers. And the muskie anglers. And the kayakers. And the people who think you should only look at fish and animals. And every other group that wants things a certain way, some of which is maybe different than what we want. That makes it a 'little' more of a challenge. But we will find out.

I think I have said before, it is too early to get too worked up about specifics until we get a better idea what might be possible. Sure, if you go by the studies alone, we should have a lot more bass fishing. I sure wish that was all it took and it had been fixed a long time ago, but it hasn't been. Yet, we are hearing lots of talk again and the MDNR seems willing to listen. They have also changed their mission statement or whatever you want to call it in what seems like a good direction.

Maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised? I know I have said that several times. I'm going with that until my first chance to hear what they are thinking about the bass season now. Then we can make talk about what needs to be done based on that interaction. Maybe we'll have little or nothing to do? Maybe we'll have a lot to do? It could go either way. Let's hope for the former (and for good news reasons).

[djkimmel]

Less fees... not more.  You may see it as simple because you came up with it.   But many, many others will simply see it as more confusion and more fees.  As Dan said before... there is no greater way to complicate the matter and get the DNR off track than to propose more fees.

It does a really good job of getting the anglers off track too. It did in the past each time 'the bass stamp' was proposed. I had to sit there at those meetings and figure out how to get everyone talking about the season again... Too many options is another great way to bog things down.

[fishstick]

Love your enthusiasm Mojo!

Going back to my college days I remember a few times the DNR guest lectured in classes. Simplicity was something that was important in determining their fishing regs. They've got think about the many people who aren't on the up and up on these sorts of things. Too many rules/fees will likely cause confusion to the masses!

I'm all for expanding our catch and release opportunities but won't sacrifice any of the catch and keep season for a single day of catch and release season.

[Mojo]

Love your enthusiasm Mojo!

Going back to my college days I remember a few times the DNR guest lectured in classes. Simplicity was something that was important in determining their fishing regs. They've got think about the many people who aren't on the up and up on these sorts of things. Too many rules/fees will likely cause confusion to the masses!

I'm all for expanding our catch and release opportunities but won't sacrifice any of the catch and keep season for a single day of catch and release season.

you mean you wouldnt give up your current last 6 weeks of bass possession in late nov and dec to gain 6 weeks of C&IR in the spring (Mar15-memorial day) ??

PS: anyone who salmon fishes, please inform us bass guys of what a truly confusing set of rules looks like. 

[djkimmel]

I'm with fishstick on not giving up any more regular season days. We don't need to. I would prefer to avoid complicated regulations like the trout, salmon and even walleye too. Many people do not like that though some other states go way beyond what we have.

[bassfan586]

I just want to fish for the species I love.  Carp!  Seriously though it would be nice to have a prespawn tourney here in michigan.  If the data the dnr  is collecting now supports what we a believe to be true than open it up for a couple years and then reevaluate.  If its not working we can always go back.  My biggest fear though are the bass anglers who will not want to change a thing because of fear of destroying our fishery in their belief.  Even though nothing supports that claim other than hersay.  I want to be able to chase them ice fishing or right after ice out.  Meat hunter and poachers will always be there no matter what the rules are.  Most bass guys are catch and release.

[djkimmel]

We all know you are THE BIG UGLY fishing king!

What you say is the truth of it. I think fewer and fewer anglers have that fear every year though. Most likely, if we were able to get something changed, it would be a 5-year fishing order that could be re-evaluated at the end of that period. That is the most common practice.

Of course, the MDNR has emergency powers to change season including for spawning closures. It is right in the Public Act. I would hope that any localized issues get addressed locally though rather than closing everything because something needs to be done on this lake or that river. There are local fisheries now that could use a little help. Often, just reducing aquatic plant treatment programs could make a big difference for some.

[bigjc]

Dan,
Sometimes I hate it when you take the sensible approach.  I work in local government, and I just get so fed up with big government that I could scream!!!

I just want to go William Wallace on em'.

[djkimmel]

I'm here to balance you out and you're here to balance me out! You complete me!

So go ahead and scream! I'm glad I'm not in any government!

FREEDOOOMMM to go bass fishing!

[Skulley]

Dan Kimmel...........the William Wallace (Braveheart) of bass fishing.  And a little Jerry McQuire wrapped into one package.     



BD                           

[djkimmel]

Show me the fishing!

Show me the fishing.