Guys already bass fishing

[SethV]

Water is 42 degrees and most of the fish are in 25-30 FOW.  Not exacly protecting a spawn right now, but of course, there is never a need for a bass season.  Dumb law, and like I always do, I won't spend 1 dime on fishing related stuff in Michigan until the season is wide open (C&R still is a 'season').  I can't change the law, so at least I can vote with my wallet.  Ordering boat parts and tackle from out of state until tx season.

[Frank]

yesterday 50 degrees.  bass cruising in 1 to 2 fow, all the way out to 12 fow.  nothing under docks though, just cruising around

[Coop]

Frank... Where are you talking about? 50 degree water temps? Huh?

[Got Fish??]

Every year some  bass fishermen pee and moan over the same sets of rules. Although I do not agree with the season rules. The DNR must have their reason for closing bass at certain times of year. We have some of the best smallmouth and largemouth fishing in the midwest, here in Michigan. It is what it is.

[Frank]

Watkins Lake, in Waterford

[Waterfoul]

As far as I can tell the 6 lakes on the DNR's test list from several years ago are still fishable all year long for C&R.  So hit Muskegon or Hardy pond all you want. Post pics all you want. 

Just be patient guys, it appears that come 2015 we will be able to target bass all year long.  Attend one of the "coffee with the DNR" meetings being held around the state and you will come to the same conclusion.  All of Dan's hard work is looking like it will finally be paying off.

[Waterfoul]

Every year some  bass fishermen pee and moan over the same sets of rules. Although I do not agree with the season rules. The DNR must have their reason for closing bass at certain times of year. We have some of the best smallmouth and largemouth fishing in the midwest, here in Michigan. It is what it is.

Oh they have their reasons.  All of them seem to be based on politics dating back decades.  They have ignored their own scientific study from several years ago (they say they lost all the data... not sure what to believe on that one) on 6 lakes around the state that they allowed open fishing all year long.  They found no adverse effect on the bass population in these lakes.  No one can answer the "why" question though.  WHY don't they follow their own scientific findings???  Easy... politics and "feelings."  Scientists are not supposed to base their recommendations on "feelings" and politics and yet they have been doing it for decades.  Makes me wonder how they keep their jobs.

[1javelin]

"Scientists" don't make the rule changes, they just do the studies, run the findings, and make the report.  "Politicians" read the reports, understand little of it, and then make the rules.  Occasionally this occurs in a different method, but only when someone has a sharp elbow they have been rubbing up against people with.

1jav

[21XDC]

May as well go poach a deer too.

Dave

That's one of the most ignorant things I have heard... Would it be considered poaching for deer if you hunted them with a camera out of season? How could you use this as a comparison? 

Were not "Harvesting" bass....

Your mentality could be some of the reason the Law/Rule exists... 

[Waterfoul]

"Scientists" don't make the rule changes, they just do the studies, run the findings, and make the report.  "Politicians" read the reports, understand little of it, and then make the rules.  Occasionally this occurs in a different method, but only when someone has a sharp elbow they have been rubbing up against people with.

1jav

But those scientists make the recommendations the politicians base their decisions on, and several of those scientists seem to refuse to see the truth.

The current bass season is based almost completely on politics.  They want to boost tourism on the Memorial Day weekend so they set the open date for that weekend.  It does NOTHING to protect the fish.  The biologists are so focused on the put and take species that bass get put on the back burner and it seems like they make snap decisions.  Thanks to people like Dan Kimmel and several members of this website those decisions are getting more scrutiny before being made into law.  The politicians are finally seeing the economic benefits of a longer bass season. 

[PineLk 49]

May as well go poach a deer too.

Dave

That's one of the most ignorant things I have heard... Would it be considered poaching for deer if you hunted them with a camera out of season? How could you use this as a comparison?  ::

Were not "Harvesting" bass....

Your mentality could be some of the reason the Law/Rule exists... 

Listen up wise guy... I'm only going to respond to this because you crossed the line and your getting a response your looking for. The point I'm trying to make is that a law is a law. It doesn't matter what you plug in there,twist it, spin it, or turn it any way you want. It's still a law. I don't like the closed bass season anymore than you, but it's still a law and I choose to obey it. Maybe I could have chose something a little less colorful than poaching, but it's still a law and fishing out of season is too.

If we as bass anglers set the standard that it's ok to fish out of season to other fishing groups such as pike,walleye and trout, then why have any laws. In my previous post, I mentioned negative perception of entitlement. You!!! Mr. 21 are exactly who I am referring too. Instead of coming on a public forum and whining about the law, why don't you go to Lansing and put some constructive time there and BE THE CHANGE. I will personally shake your hand and congratulate you. Until the bass season is changed, I will choose to obey the law. If some of you guys choose to fish out of season, I don't condone it. Have at it!!!

Dave

[Waterfoul]

I caught my biggest crappie ever on a senko so if I throw a senko before the bass season "opens" am I breaking the law?  Can you prove intent?  Can the video camera prove intent?  Can the DNR read my mind? 

Good luck with year round C&R - it's just not going happen anytime soon and I don't know where you guys are getting the information that it is.  Like I've said before the only change you'll get most OTHER groups to go along with is a uniform bass, pike, and walleye season - to me that's the fairest compromise.  But I bet there's plenty of people on this site that won't even want that because then there will be "to many tournaments". 

Straight from the DNR biologist that was at the meeting at D&R sports 2 weeks ago.  He said it plain as day that it was looking like 2015 would be a year of change and that we bass fishermen would probably (not 100%) get to fish year long.

[djkimmel]

May as well go poach a deer too.

Dave

That's one of the most ignorant things I have heard... Would it be considered poaching for deer if you hunted them with a camera out of season? How could you use this as a comparison?  

Were not "Harvesting" bass....

Your mentality could be some of the reason the Law/Rule exists...  

Let's try to keep it civil and impersonal please. Thank you.

[djkimmel]

May as well go poach a deer too.

Dave

That's one of the most ignorant things I have heard... Would it be considered poaching for deer if you hunted them with a camera out of season? How could you use this as a comparison?  ::

Were not "Harvesting" bass....

Your mentality could be some of the reason the Law/Rule exists... 

Listen up wise guy... I'm only going to respond to this because you crossed the line and your getting a response your looking for. The point I'm trying to make is that a law is a law. It doesn't matter what you plug in there,twist it, spin it, or turn it any way you want. It's still a law. I don't like the closed bass season anymore than you, but it's still a law and I choose to obey it. Maybe I could have chose something a little less colorful than poaching, but it's still a law and fishing out of season is too.

If we as bass anglers set the standard that it's ok to fish out of season to other fishing groups such as pike,walleye and trout, then why have any laws. In my previous post, I mentioned negative perception of entitlement. You!!! Mr. 21 are exactly who I am referring too. Instead of coming on a public forum and whining about the law, why don't you go to Lansing and put some constructive time there and BE THE CHANGE. I will personally shake your hand and congratulate you. Until the bass season is changed, I will choose to obey the law. If some of you guys choose to fish out of season, I don't condone it. Have at it!!!

Dave

I completely understand why you replied. But none of us have to 'take the bait' if we don't want to.

[djkimmel]

Dan's todo list:
1. Change every fishing law and/or regulation that causes anglers (and hunters next) to argue and fight amongst each other every season (especially winter and spring).
2. Go fishing.

[djkimmel]

Ross, I believe pike and walleye actually start a closed season on March 15th and it runs till the opening of bass C&R. The Great Lakes are the only waters that walleye stays open year around. Someone correct me if I am wrong

There are also inland waters where you can pike and/or walleye fish all year or for an extended period of time.

We should all carefully read the latest MDNR Fishing Guide each year a new one comes out.

[gmetime24]

Sorry Dan I didn't want this to turn into anything other than a civil conversation about this topic. Let's not get too mad about this discussion fellas, most of us want to see the same thing happen anyways

[djkimmel]

Like Mike said this comes up every year.    I live on a very popular lake.  There have been bass boats out fishing since the ice went off.  There is no way to tell if they are bass fishing.  It is not illegal to fish.  Posting bragging photos is there own right.   They want to brag about breaking the law it's fine with me.  I can catch some nice perch this time of year and will be out there.  This computer fishing is getting old.  I might take a break for a while.  

See ya on the lake.  

Don't give up on the computer fishing - there's a variety of things to read. But do go fishing for whatever is open when you get the chance. Life is too short not to take advantage of fishing opportunities.

[djkimmel]

Sorry Dan I didn't want this to turn into anything other than a civil conversation about this topic. Let's not get too mad about this discussion fellas, most of us want to see the same thing happen anyways

Happens every year on fishing websites all over about Michigan. Anyone brings it up it goes down this same old road every time.

I've been on this road for 30+ years. I wish it wouldn't happen. I try to take some of my personal time to make that reality.

Been hard on me too because the MDNR Fisheries Division chief Kelley Smith at that time of the last change in 2005 asked me to set an example by not fishing before the Michigan catch-and-release bass opener. I've tried to honor that for 8 years now. And people wonder why I have little patience when they tell me I need to give it more time. Wait until we 'know' it is okay, etc. etc...

I effectively can't go fishing in the spring on most of my favorite spring waters without having my fishing interrupted by a CO or someone on shore yelling at me because of 'guilty by bass boat.' I can't afford another boat just so I can go fishing for something that is open without getting hassled. One of the last times I went to one of my favorite spring lakes in my bass boat to crappie with (with small bobbers and 1 inch tubes) a riparian called the MDNR and a CO drove to the lake and launched to check us for illegal bass fishing. We were the only boat on the lake. Even some MDNR people I tell that to chuckle and say something like 'you can still catch bass on that can't you.'

Guilty by bass boat. It has to end.

[Waterfoul]

So because 1 biologist said that it's going to happen?  Try telling the steering committee that.

Well Dan Kimmel was there as well and concured with his statement.  And this guy (Jay was his name I believe) seemed to be very informed on the subject... he didn't deflect any of the questions asked of him.  He put several names out there that were also in favor of this change.  Stated that the only real nay-sayers were a couple of the older biologists and that the legislators saw the benefits of a longer season.  Before you doubt me Luke, attend one of the meetings and ask your own questions.

Kimmel has put a lot of time and effort into changing the bass season, and it looks like his work is finally going to pay off.  The only thing that could delay it is if they don't get off their duffs and get it done before the 2015 Fishing Guide is printed.