Is it too late to get some CDR relief for 2015 ?

[Mojo]

I am going to email the NRC and DNR with emails this week looking for just the pull back to match the pike and muskie dates as well as, CIR. This always made the best sense. 

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/outdoors/2015/03/22/lydia-lohrer-fisheries-order-upended/25176389/

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-65134_65145_65545---,00.html   (pfd for March 19th, list of speakers)

Here are the emails since you missed the meeting: If you're unable to attend the meeting but wish to submit written comments on Agenda items, email: nelsonc@michigan.gov .  If you would like further information or would like to address the Commission, please contact Cheryl Nelson at 517-284-6237 or email: nelsonc@michigan.gov.

[gmetime24]

So is the catch and release season being extended for sure?? I would be pretty happy with that. Being able to hit the water as soon as the ice is gone and enjoy this great sport would be a big plus IMO

[Manxfishing]

So is the catch and release season being extended for sure?? I would be pretty happy with that. Being able to hit the water as soon as the ice is gone and enjoy this great sport would be a big plus IMO

From the Free press article this morning

NRC Chairman John Matonich offered some good news.

"We've considered recent science, and our recommendation to Fisheries is to refrain from on any changes to Lake St. Clair's harvest season or adding CDR before a study can be performed," he said. "We're suggesting statewide CIR. We are fact-checking. That is why we're here."

So seeing how it was the DNR's proposal for CDR with CIR year round I'd say we should see a CIR all year.

[Skulley]

It's a start and we can probably all live with that.


BD.                       

[djkimmel]

It depends on how bad you want it. The other side showed up at the Higgins Lake NRC meeting in big enough numbers, they made a dramamentory video that was definitely now science and they passed out one study that they believe usurps all previous good studies including Michigan studies. Their study doesn't actually have any results concluded for sure related to bass fishing during the spawn as usual, but somehow the enough of the NRC Commissioners felt it was 'new' science.

We have until April 9th. I will do my part as always. The issues remain the same. A number of persons who fish Lake St. Clair don't want more people fishing the lake though they have no science showing the lake can't handle the present level of bass fishing even let alone additional bass fishing. And the amount of bass fishing will always be limited by the number of ramp parking spots on a first-come, first-serve basis anyway.

People fear change. Even when it is obvious to intelligent observant people that much of their arguments or reason for fear is not even valid or correct. We've been fishing the entire Northern Michigan and Upper Peninsula bass spawn legally during harvest for 45 years, and yet the bass fishing is awesome up there. I know as well as many of you how good the bass fishing is now, and how much better the bass fishing is now compared to 1970 when they changed the bass season earlier to Memorial weekend.

We are not getting scientific management right now. We are getting the same social 'management' we've always gotten. And though we turned in almost 1,500 petition signatures from every day anglers to demonstrate a large number of persons do not oppose Option 4 the minority is still winning because people are making this a bass tournament issue and the anti-bass tournament bias and prejudice in Michigan is still strong.

We have over 900 hand-signed petition signatures now and most of them are non-bass tournament anglers and even many are non-bass anglers. Not everyone is still prejudiced against bass tournaments in Michigan but bass tournaments are an easy target for the people who are willing to use that in their attack on fair, and equal scientific management of our equally owned bass fishing resource.

There is a demand for more bass fishing AND more bass opportunity that includes bass tournaments. The science is still on our side despite the efforts to show otherwise, and we all know the MDNR will go as far as stocking to boost number of fish for most other species for the demand to fish on those species. All we want is the same kind of effort to meet our demand to fish for bass more. People will claim that I am personally wanting to fish our bass down but I know we can fish more INCLUDING more bass tournaments, and our bass will handle it with minimal risk to bass populations - that is actually supported by statements from our MDNR.

The other side has had to twist words, studies and even make twisted, fear-mongering video that is NOT science to try to win. We don't have to like, twist facts or produce fear-mongering videos because the science is, and has been, on our side.

They are claiming that we have said zero risk when we have said all along minimal risk. Lies like that. They claimed there are 11 states with closed seasons when that is an obvious lie because statewide closed season - what we have said all along - mean NO bass fishing while all the other states they are listing as 'closed' actually ALLOW bass fishing though it may not be all harvest, or some of it catch-and-release only. Closed means closed and now ONLY 3 states are left as outliers with CLOSED (no fishing) bass seasons. We don't have to lie to get our points across. They do. It's such a shame that it is having an effect.

[djkimmel]

So what can you do about it:
1) Write your comments and opposition to whatever, any, all parts of the latest non-science coming out of the process to nrc@michigan.gov. Tell them you want true scientific management based on what is known and what has already worked in Michigan, not what might happen (and probably never will). Tell them you demand that they meet your demand to fish the way you want to based science and real-world experience of Michigan and other states. You do not want to be restricted from fishing your preferred way just because some people don't like bass tournaments, or the small number of people who still harvest some bass.

2) Write letters to your local paper editors about the topic of more bass fishing, especially the editor of the Detroit Free Press where we are under attack by someone who is influenced personally to not want more people fishing Lake St. Clair. Actually I think she wants less people to fish though there is no science showing that is necessary.

3) Take some of your time to schedule an appearance at the final NRC meeting to speak in favor of Option 4 or whatever the most new additional bass fishing opportunity we can get during the public speaking part of the meeting. The meeting is Thursday, April 9th in Lansing. You would want to be there by 3pm or so. The other side took the time to prepare and show up the other night. Will you do the same?