Michigan Catch and Release Bass Season Opener Saturday April 24th 2010

[djkimmel]

Michigan's catch and immediate release bass season opens the last Saturday in April - April 24th for 2010 - for all lower peninsula inland and Great Lakes waters.

Please see that latest MDNR fishing guide for exceptions and special regulations for seasons.

[Skulley]

Can't get here quick enough!!!       So when is the spring DK Open going to be and did you invite Megan Fox.              And yeah I am going to start that again!!!!   

BD            

[djkimmel]

Sorry... she is out this year.

[motocross269]

Thanks for the good info..

[Waterfoul]

Thanks for the info Dan.

But...... A closed seaon on bass in Michigan only forces me to spend my dollars in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri for nearly 4 months... and I'm not the only one.  I would love to legally fish for bass as soon as the ice is gone... great fishing that time of the year.  This is one thing the new DNRE needs to take a look at changing, in my (bass fishingaholic) opinion. 

[Skulley]

Waterfoul, I think a lot of here on the board share that opinion!!!


BD         

[Waterfoul]

That's because I'm RIGHT!      And there are a lot of bass fishingaholics on this site!    

[Skip Johnson]

I'll second that, have a good winter everyone and lets try to keep the frustrated cabin fever posts down to a minimum...I may be guilty of one or two myself  Im sure a few here can agree they have also 

I was out last saturday on Erie, I first launched at Bolles Harbor and fished till noon and had decent success then trailered up to Erie Metro and fished out a few miles and did good there also, I might get out a couple more times and then I will be on about a 125 looong day count down, right now were at 146 days 

[bob o]

does anybody know of anyone that has gotten ticketed for "bass" fishing before the early season opens? i haven't fished early since the dnr changed the rules a few years back. i liked having a few lakes open early for catch and release only. it is too bad they changed the rules b/c that season opened on april 2 (my bday)

[Waterfoul]

I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket.  Therefore... if they aren't going to ticket you... why have a closed season?

[Durand Dan]

I've been stoped and questioned in of all places, shore fishing on the Shiawasse River.

[dartag]

I plan on being on White Lake in Highland for the opener.  That lake has some big smallies and lots of structure.    The White Lake Inn is a great place for lunch. 

[djkimmel]

dartag, I like how you always work lunch into your fishing plans

[dartag]

dartag, I like how you always work lunch into your fishing plans

Since i am OLD i am learning to enjoy my time on the water. 
Me and Cheetam did that this fall.  It was fun.

I am thinking about starting my own circut.   pick some lakes ( with food and drink ) .   fish till noon,  stop for a break,  fish the afternoon.   no entry fee.  Only bragging rights.


maybe a west side division of the EBA.   

[rustydog]

It would be nice to have year round open season but it would have to be catch and release through the ice. You wouldn't believe all the people that keep all they catch up here while ice fishing. I have seen guys yell and cuss up a stream when they catch one after season closes. I've had guys call me all kinds of name because I wouldn't give them a bass that I have caught before Jan 1. It don't make since to me when the gills that they are catching eat a hole lot better.

[Skip Johnson]

Heres a reply to a question that I asked the DNR last year.

"Hi Skip:
I understand your frustration about the current bass regulation situation. At least now the joke only lasts for a few weeks from ice-out to the last Saturday in April. Prior to the C&R season, it ran right into the middle of June on Lake St. Clair. Anyways, the problem is exactly as you identified it. Our conservation officers can write tickets all day long, for bass fishing out of season, but the tickets won't stand up in court as the Judges will ask the angler what he was fishing for and he'll respond, northern pike which are open all year on Lake St. Clair...or rock bass (open all year), or walleye (open all year). Then the Judge will ask the CO if it is possible to catch a northern pike with that spinner bait or tube bait, and the officer will answer yes, and that's the end of that case and the Judge scolds the CO for wasting valuable court time. As a result, conservation officers won't write those tickets anymore because they don't want to waste their time going to court to lose the case over and over again.

It's becoming practically impossible to enforce a closed fishing season for any particular species as long as any other species has an open season that overlaps. The muskie season closure on Lake St. Clair is another example, with a few guys now fishing for "big northern pike" during the month of April and May when muskie season is closed. Again, not much our Law Enforcement Officers can do about it. The only real way to have a "closed season" anymore is to have no fishing allowed at all for any species (like the trout water closure that exists on many trout streams). Closed seasons were really designed to address harvest, not catch and release fishing, which was practically unknown 50-60 years ago when many closed season regulations were originally started.

I do believe that eventually, there will be catch and release seasons for most of the year for most species. I think that this change will take place slowly. I hope that bass anglers can understand that MDNR biologists haven't ignored bass anglers and their interest in extended catch and release fishing because we don't care about bass or bass fisheries. In fact, in my opinion, the slow DNR move to expand bass fishing catch-and-release opportunities has been largely because MDNR biologists care so much about the bass fishery that we don't want to do anything that could potentially damage it without careful consideration.

I don't think there will ever be year-around open seasons that include harvest for predator species like LMB, SMB, etc.

I hope this answers some of your questions."

[djkimmel]

I think that is a nice response. Angler friendly and honest. It has been a challenging topic. As he says, things are coming around. Took 20 years this last time, but it won't take that long the next time. It is as much waiting for anglers to come around as anything else. So many people have a hard time with change.

My advice, be nice to everyone you meet. Don't show a blatant disregard for present regulations. I'm not saying stop fishing. Just please consider that some people react negatively just because of the fishing out of season. I have a bass boat and I know even if I am fishing for crappie some people will think I'm bass fishing, but we don't need to win everyone over. We just need to win as many people over as we can and also be prepared for compromise at times. At least for special cases.

Some states are going through similar things and a few are even lagging behind.

[Waterfoul]

Hmmm... fishing... White Lake Inn... sounds like a good idea to me!  Been to the Inn several times over the years... but have never fished the lake!  How about we set a date right now?  Saturday, April the 10th work for you guys??      

[dartag]

Hmmm... fishing... White Lake Inn... sounds like a good idea to me!  Been to the Inn several times over the years... but have never fished the lake!  How about we set a date right now?  Saturday, April the 10th work for you guys??      

14 days early,  won't be crowded.  The 24th should be good if we get a warm spring.  I was there a couple weeks ago and can not believe the amount of stuff on the bottom.  rocks, cement blocks, tires wood old docks.  the smallie sight fishing should be great.   

[Waterfoul]

Exactly... who wants to fight the crowd while rockbass and pike fishing??