Free Press Article on Bass Season Change.

[dartag]

Not sure who this writer is.  Looks like she was fed mis-information from someone. 

Interesting the FLW going on in Florida to day has had 10 and 11 pounders weighed in.  Looks like year round bass fishing has not hurt there fisheries.



http://www.freep.com/story/sports/outdoors/2015/03/07/michigan-bass-fishing-proposal/24574661/


Keep fighting Dan...

[SethV]

Agreed - keep fighting Dan. 

And to make it worse you have fishermen I used to respect like KVD, Art F and Kim Stricker.  Those 3 disgust me by speaking out against bass fishing and would be more welcome in the PETA crowd now.  Hard to image, that with 6 months of winter they still feel that we need a season here.  Yet, all of them go south and fish year round.  If they really feel this way, I expect them to never fish in the south from December thru May - you know, gotta protect those fish too...

[gmetime24]

I saw this article posted by the hook n look page on Facebook. It seems most bass anglers want to have more of an opportunity to fish once the ice is gone. To extend the C&R season would be great and provide that opportunity, but to extend the tournament season is adding another layer of arguments to this debate. Maybe we start someplace in the middle and see how it affects our bass population. We have a pretty good thing going, especially with our smallmouth. I would even argue the best smallies in the country

Another thing I noticed is some of the comments being made by people on social media are not necessary and even rude. Some of the bass anglers out there are starting to make a bad name for the rest of us.  Any change to the current closed season law would be a step in the right direction, let's not all get worked up if we have to wait till Memorial Day weekend for tournaments

[LAPORTE]

Agreed - keep fighting Dan. 

And to make it worse you have fishermen I used to respect like KVD, Art F and Kim Stricker.  Those 3 disgust me by speaking out against bass fishing and would be more welcome in the PETA crowd now.  Hard to image, that with 6 months of winter they still feel that we need a season here.  Yet, all of them go south and fish year round.  If they really feel this way, I expect them to never fish in the south from December thru May - you know, gotta protect those fish too...

I'm with you Seth !

[Manxfishing]

And I'm with you Don

[TimH]

That article was something else, especially since the real science based data is so readily available thanks to all of Dan's hard work.  The problem is most people like to use opinion and emotion over facts, and its because of that we get articles like the what the Free Press published.  The reality is that scientific research has proven that year round catch and immediate release and an extended tournament season will have no ill effect on bass populations.  For anyone who says that its important we protect the bass during the spawn, let me ask you this.  How many of us have fished bass on beds AFTER catch and immediate release opened?  I know I have many times...sometimes well into June on St. Clair. and a few inland lakes.  Our current bass season already allows for fishing during the spawn, and his this had any negative effects on population numbers...no.  The reality is it only takes a couple of bass per acre to not only sustain population numbers, but actually grow it.  And no matter how good of anglers we think we are, we don't catch ALL the bass in a lake.
The biggest frustration I have with this whole thing is we have the data required to support the season change, so why not try it out.  Changing the season isn't going to be a permanent. etched in stone until the sun burns out type of action.  It could easily be changed if needed, so why not enact the changes based on already available research, and then see how it plays out in Michigan.  Worst case scenario is after a couple of years, we noticed that the bass population starts to drop a bit, and we can then change it back to the way it was or make changes based on the specific needs of certain areas or fisheries.
Its time people view this from a factual standpoint and not views that are clouded with personal opinions or unwarranted concerns.

[djkimmel]

We want scientific management with wise maximum use of our natural resources not restrictions based on who like whom, or emotion. That's the way it is supposed to work from now on based on our passage of the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.

The latest recommendation did not come from us at all. That is a misrepresentation of the facts. It came solely from the MDNR Fisheries Division. We still support Option 4 as the best option, simplest option, most easily enforceable option based on science and the majority support overall through the whole process.

All this other noise is emotion based on concern for what happens to individual bass during fishing. I say to anyone who worries about what happens to individual bass - stop fishing. That's the only way you'll stop what happens to individual bass.

But they all want to keep fishing. They just don't want people who think differently than them to also get to fish. More fishing by more people is good for fishing but it has to be equal and fair to all anglers, and that's what Option 4 is.

To be clear, last year Lydia Lohrer made up quotes I never said, and this year she never interviewed me (hasn't since 2013) but used approximations of what I have said out of context to make me look radical and crazy. That's how far she will go for his fishing guide buddies to keep the rest of us off THEIR Lake St. Clair. We will win overall in the end because the science IS on our side, not their's.

[djkimmel]

One thing to stress with this editorial writer disguised as a news person is that she made up quotes out of nothing for me, and then used comments she claims I made out of context and not worded as exact quotes to make me look bad because that fits her predetermined desired outcome for her and her fishing guide buddies. I wouldn't doubt for a minute she does the same thing to other person she may or may not have interviewed - twisting their words or using them out of context to help her cause. Shameful but I wanted you to realize she may be misusing other people in her article to paint her little picture so you may want to give Kevin the benefit of a doubt for example.

As far as the other two doing their thing outside of the article, they just don't want certain kinds of anglers to be able to fish their lake, and it doesn't work that way. Everyone should have equal opportunity to fish any lake their preferred, legal way whether they like it or not.

[Team houston]

Dan, you need to demand the free Press for a retraction.

[djkimmel]

We are weighing a call or letter to the sports editor to ask why I'm being quoted without being interviewed and why quotes were made up. I tried to give her a chance to admit last year she made quotes up but she did not follow through.

[t-bone]

I read the article online and it is a POS. I don't see references or comments from Stricker or Ferguson.
What a bunch of BS.

[TheFishinPollock]

I'm giving Kevin a chance to return a message on FB to me about this  before I say anything about him on this.  Art, don't know the guy or his deal. As for Stricker, he purposely put on his Facebook a post asking people to sign a petition against any changing of any seasons.  To me that is complete compliance with what this woman wants.  That is unforgavable in my book.

[dartag]

I have traded a couple e-mails with her.  She is definitely set in her ways on how she feels.  I kept it very professional and did not attack her in any way.  She was very prompt in replying.
Below is here address.  Got if from the Freep Site.


Lydia Lohrer <lydiaoutdoors@gmail.com>

[Skulley]

She chimed in on Facebook this afternoon.  She has no science or good facts to back up what she wants.  Just another coming to the party late and spoiling the fun.  Too bad.  You would think she would have some good facts with references to back up her talk. Also, just because these well known guides and professionals are just that, guides and professionals, doesn't mean they know any more or any less than I do or anyone else.  I'm as educated on the subject as anyone else as I am a bass fisherman.  If I want to be successful then I must pay attention to the biology of the bass and the mortality of the bass as I want them to live to be caught another day.  Science is what makes that happen.  Educated anglers is what makes that happen.  Not just a lot of newspaper psycho babel that has no conclusive data to back up her claim.  She is quick to put words in peoples mouths.  That's a "he said, she said" if I ever heard it.  As a union steward we had names for our constituency that used tactics such as that, except I can't say it here because this is a family channel.


BD                           

[Manxfishing]

Well
here's from Art's facebook page

"I am 100% against opening season any earlier then it is at this time. There's a reason our fisheries are so great in Michigan, BECAUSE of a closed season on Lake St. Clair and others that will keep our bass safe during critical times. "

I'm done with him and Kim Stricker
Would like to hear what KVD has to say

[jcox7]

All i know is that if the season changes ART WILL BE OUT THERE making his money!!! as will the rest of the guides.

[Manxfishing]

No he's in Florida fishing the spawn

[Skulley]

All i know is that if the season changes ART WILL BE OUT THERE making his money!!! as will the rest of the guides.

No he's in Florida fishing the spawn

You guys are killing me here. I love it. Sarcasm at its best.


BD.                         

[dartag]

Found this on the DNR site.  It explains a lot about when the process started. 

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/Fisheries_Informal_Bass_Recommendation_9.23.14_469329_7.pdf

[djkimmel]

You like how there is actual science cited on our side. No need to make up quotes for people that way...