Michigan Bass Season POLL

[djkimmel]

Most of us are old enough to remember the anti's attack on bear hunting in MI with hound or bait.  Sportsman could have sat back and said, "I don't bear hunt, so it doesn't effect me". 

more recently we did exactly the opposite for the dove bill - MI sportsman in general are at each others throats for the most part these days.

Dan - i offered at the show in passing conversation - don't worry about it. The impression I got from that same conversation is somewhat contrary to what replied with here. So i'll leave it at that. I understand better your position now and can't fault you for that.  I still think pushing a little harder for something like an April opener would be a good thing, even if it's not eventually adopted - at least if we lose the gamble, the seed is planted.  It doesn't need to be about tournaments either - as stated a simplification of the regulations surely make enforcement easier and closes the gap on ignorance of regulations resulting in violations. This would surely benefit both angler and DNR/LEO through increased opportunity and cost savings.

So help think of more ways to stop outdoors people from being at each other's throats. I think about it a lot. Big waste of energy.

I do now vaguely remember that you offered something about that at the show. I am usually less memory-capable during the shows so anything I don't write down will most likely be lost forever. I have to continue to remind people to remind me of things. It's the only way to be sure I will remember. As far as what I said, I was freshly off the excitement of an unexpected change in current. If I gave the impression we will now get and have a whole bunch more tournaments next year, that was the excitement (and lack of sleep) talking, not what is left of smart Dan.

I was bummed a little to see someone posted a great example of the 'lake association' problem and then felt he had to delete it because people immediately contacted him personally telling him his topic wasn't relevant - shame on whoever who did that - anything like this can lead to individual harassment which is something I take extremely seriously. Any question of possible harassment of one member by another can lead to removal from GreatLakesBass.com as this involves a risk to keeping my business running and risk from various laws. I will tend to overreact on these types of incidents because I cannot afford to do nothing.

So please, continue to treat each other with respect for varying opinions. Everyone has an equal right to express their thoughts and what they believe is relevant to a discussion. It is up to me, and the moderators to work out what follows the rules and what doesn't. Any post can be edited or removed with or without explanation - I appreciate that this is rarely necessary. Pressuring someone into bowing out of the discussion does not magically eliminate an issue that is brought up so please do not do that. Please make sure you read the forum rules often and follow all of them. You have to follow them to remain a member.

I do understand that many people do not want to get into a head-butting contest -  as jcox7 pointed out, we all have better things to do with our time. If a poster decides to remove their own comments, that is their decision. Most of the time something is deleted, it is done so by the person who commented. I do wish to have a website where people feel they can safely share their opinions on this website without creating problems off this website for sure, and preferably that we can all continue to respect each other's opinions and keep things impersonal. More can be accomplished that way.

I have MBN covering my mileage to meetings where I represent them. Delayed reimbursement but better than nothing which is how much I would get done without it. I've been decent to drive lately. As I said, most of the meetings that count are during the week and most people tell me they can't go during the week... I can't do a whole lot about the fact that I have other things I should also be doing with my time so I'm not going to be repeating a lot of what I have already stated. I think I've stated everything I need to already on the topics brought up since the MBN meeting. I have to get some website work done or I won't be going to any meetings or writing any papers.

[djkimmel]

One last thing on here - if anyone has missed me saying this before, I almost always oppose regulations that make enforcement easier at the expense of the more numerous good people who just want to fish (or hunt). I have a todo list already built of other things I would like to tackle if things keep heading in the right direction, but I do not need anyone telling me to do more faster. I will most likely continue to advise those people if they want it done right/sooner/smarter/etc. that they are welcome to do it themselves and good luck.

Like all of you, I have to make a living and pay my bills first. This stuff is very time-consuming and when I can't mentally, physically or economically work on this stuff, I won't be working on it. I will be trying to work to pay my bills first as I should. I would also like to go fishing a little more once in a while too. That would be very nice.

If someone really wants to help, drive over to Lansing and fix my truck brakes! Not having my boat since last May or my truck since last July has been unhealthy for my emotional stability - so watch out!

[Lightningboy]

Not too take a left turn here, but what's the scoop on why the boat or truck are not running?  I'm a long way from Lansing, but PM me; I got a few connections...

Not having your rides working sucks.

BTW- I'm sure I'm among Al Gore's top ten carbon footprint offenders...

[djkimmel]

So is he, apparently...

[Waterfoul]

So we still can't hold a tournament until nearly June according to your proposal.  As I hear it the deputy Director of the MDNR wants a proposal to further tournament opportunities in Michigan, and yet I don't see any proposals mentioning it.

[ROI Outdoors]

So we still can't hold a tournament until nearly June according to your proposal.  As I hear it the deputy Director of the MDNR wants a proposal to further tournament opportunities in Michigan, and yet I don't see any proposals mentioning it.

That is correct Mike.  There will be alternate proposals submitted by other groups on the WRSC.....

[djkimmel]

So we still can't hold a tournament until nearly June according to your proposal.  As I hear it the deputy Director of the MDNR wants a proposal to further tournament opportunities in Michigan, and yet I don't see any proposals mentioning it.

To make sure people who read this have an accurate representation of the two Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation (MBN) proposals discussed recently in this thread and posted in the proposal information thread - Michigan Bass Season for everyone else - the 2 proposals are the official positions of the Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation (MBN). The board voted unanimously to approve them after a number of meetings and discussions with the MDNR and other parties beginning before April 2012, along with board discussion before the board vote on 4/21. They are not 'my' proposals. I am on the MDNR Warmwater Resources Steering Committee representing the MBN as their conservation person.

In addition, the MDNR Deputy Director has not asked for any proposal at any time that I am aware of. He told me at the Conservation Roundtable meeting on March 15 in Grayling that he 'would think bass tournaments would be a good way to boost our natural resources economy' and asked if he could come speak to the MBN members. This was very good to hear from an MDNR employee. I was excited about a suddenly potentially brighter future for bass fishing in Michigan including bass tournament anglers.

When I asked the MDNR Deputy Director at the well-attended MBN on 4/21 about what he said to me previously, he explained that the MDNR was looking at a number of potentially beneficial activities "involving activities and group activities like that, even just groups of visiting anglers," that might help Michigan's natural resource economy. He did not say anything about a season proposal, or a proposal for more bass tournaments.

The present MBN bass season proposal comes from previous discussions with MDNR Fisheries Division staff, particularly a discussion with the MDNR Fisheries Chief at the same March 15 Conservation Roundtable in Grayling where I was asked to write a 2-3 page bass season proposal supported by MBN to bring to the June 17 Warmwater Resources Steering Committee meeting in Lansing. There was discussion about the process being less uncomfortable and long as the last time, but no mention of bass tournaments.

In previous discussions with MDNR Fisheries Division, we were told the MDNR preferred any proposal would be about more bass fishing not bass tournaments. All of this was shared with the MBN Board. Some of the previous discussions involved myself and MDNR Fisheries Division staff; some involved myself, MBN President Paul Sacks and MDNR Fisheries Division staff. While some positive statements have been made about bass tournaments as of March 15 by MDNR persons, no one in the MDNR has asked me or MBN to submit a proposal for more bass tournaments. If someone else has been asked for that by someone in the MDNR, I'm not aware of, or involved in that request.

[djkimmel]

So we still can't hold a tournament until nearly June according to your proposal.  As I hear it the deputy Director of the MDNR wants a proposal to further tournament opportunities in Michigan, and yet I don't see any proposals mentioning it.

Are you a member of the Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation?

[edyer]

Other than having a Bassmaster and FLW membership, I am not politically involved with any fishing organizations. I appreciate and give thanks to you that are. I am a teacher and coach and try to be an ambassador to the the sports of hunting and fishing that I try to do as much as I can. I have been making a spring trip to Missouri every spring since 1980. They have no closed season on bass fishing. This past spring I fished both Bull Shoals and Table Rock Lake. If Arkansas or Missouri's season was closed like we are in Michigan, they would not have received by tourism dollars that i spent on lodging, fishing tackle, gasoline, and licenses. If we had an open all year season here, I believe more of my dollars and dollars of other Michigan anglers as well as those from Canada and other neighboring states, would be spent here in Michigan. If not an open all year season(which I think is the best choice), at least opening the catch and keep season on the same date as walleye, pike, and the trout seasons. Thanks again to those of you trying to make changes. Time to go fishing.

[djkimmel]

Thanks for sharing your opinions and feelings Ed. I especially like the 'Time to go fishing' part!

I have always been, and always will be, in favor of year-round fishing seasons for many, many reasons. It does seem like more anglers are more accepting of that general idea today.

Still, I receive frequent communication from anglers who don't want to see any more people on 'their' lake. So, it's not everyone. We may find out this year, or shortly thereafter, how many people are ready for more.