2006 Michigan bass season MDNR Fisheries Order

[djkimmel]

Here is the actual Fisheries Order regarding our new Michigan bass season beginning in 2006. This is not the complete Fisheries Order - I left out the parts about size and possession since they did not change for bass. I left out the parts about all the other gamefish covered. You can find the complete Fisheries Order later this year on the MDNR website if you want to see the parts about pike, walleye, etc.

I know the part we are interested most in pertains to our new longer bass season. It was quite a pleasant surprise to have the MDNR fisheries division come around and give us a new spring catch-and-release bass season without losing any of our already short existing season.

We now have 4 to 7 additional weeks of catch and immediate release bass fishing in the Lower Peninsula - we did not get the year-round bass on the Great Lakes as we thought we might at the end, but we can start fishing any Lower Peninsula inland or Great Lakes waters on the last Saturday in April starting 2006.

Here's the order language pertaining to this subject:

FO-215.06
ORDER

(Under the authority of Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, as amended)

STATEWIDE COOLWATER REGULATIONS
Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye,
Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, and Yellow Perch

Under the authority of sections 41101 through 41105 of Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, as amended, being sections 324.41101 through 324.41105 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources on November 3, 2005 ordered that for a period of five years the statewide size limits, possession limits and seasons on all state waters shall be as listed below, except as otherwise ordered:

STATEWIDE SEASONS (except as otherwise provided) ? A person shall not take, catch, or kill or attempt to take, catch or kill any of the fish of the species named below except during the open seasons specified below:


I left size and possession limits out here.


1.? Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass

a.? Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River, Detroit River: From the last Sat. in April to the Fri. before the 3rd Sat. in June, catch and immediate release fishing is permitted. All bass caught during this period must be immediately returned to the water. The open possession season is 3rd Sat. in June to December 31;

b.? On Lake Michigan, within one-half mile of the following islands of the Beaver Island Archipelago, Beaver, Garden, High and Hog, Charlevoix County: The open season is July 1 to December 31. Catch and immediate release fishing is not permitted on these waters prior to the open season;

c.? All other waters: From the last Sat. in April to the Fri. before Memorial Day on all waters in the Lower Peninsula (including Lower Peninsula Great Lakes waters), and from May 15 to the Fri. before Memorial Day on all waters in the Upper Peninsula (including Upper Peninsula Great Lakes waters), catch and immediate release fishing is permitted. Bass caught during this period must be immediately returned to the water. The open possession season is Sat. before Memorial Day to December 31.

I left seasons on the other fish out here.


This order is assigned FO-215.06 and is titled ?Statewide Coolwater Regulations for Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, and Yellow Perch?.

This order supersedes the order entitled ?Statewide Coolwater Regulations for Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, and Yellow Perch? effective April 1, 2004, and assigned number FO-215-04.

This order rescinds the order entitled ?Southern Michigan Catch and Release Bass Fishing? effective April 1, 2004, and assigned number FO-238.04.

This order shall take effect on April 1, 2006, and shall remain effective through March 31, 2011.

Issued on the 3rd day of November 2005.

(signed)
Rebecca A. Humphries
Director


The Natural Resources Commission has reviewed this order.

(signed)            (signed)
Keith J. Charters         Teresa Gloden
Chairperson            Executive Secretary