more talk on bass season

[troossien1]

one thing I flat out do not understand is, why don't we just do a catch and delayed release all year long? This way we can have the tournament fisherman still doing their thing and the current closed season is ridiculous because if you were catchand releasing them there is no negative effect because the fish don't start spawing until early May. And another variable is there is ice on all the lakes during the winter months any way.. whats the point of the season? Its not for fish management, that's for sure.

[LennyB]

The DNR's answer to that question is that bass and bassfisherman are not the problem. It is the meat hunters targeting pike and walleye who would claim to be bass fishing at that time. Those species also spawn early in the season and they are trying to protect them.

[Got Fish??]

 I guess the DNR has gotting management started. Although it is the angler that moves the hole process forward and makes it work. For every nonsportsmen there is 10 of us who under stand the importance of fish management, and will abide by the rules. To make sure there is an abundance of a good quality fishery. Every group has it's negative side, at work, on your block and even in government. you are  going to have someone that is going to take advantage of the system. For the rest of us, just keep doing the right thing and we will provale.

[troossien1]

I guess the DNR has gotting management started. Although it is the angler that moves the hole process forward and makes it work. For every nonsportsmen there is 10 of us who under stand the importance of fish management, and will abide by the rules. To make sure there is an abundance of a good quality fishery. Every group has it's negative side, at work, on your block and even in government. you are  going to have someone that is going to take advantage of the system. For the rest of us, just keep doing the right thing and we will provale.

Good point thanks for the input!

[rkillick]

There are a lot of bass caught in the winter through the ice. People keep them even with the law/season. How many more would be taken if they opened it all year long? Open to any takers all year long is not a good idea. Longer catch and immeadiate release would be nice!

[Bender]

I've heard the walleye story before. Sounds like a bunch of crap to me, all the time I spent on inland lakes in Michigan I saw very few people targeting walleye or pike. When I did they were usually trolling so that's easy to spot. Make the Jan. 1-Opening day CIR and ticket anybody in possession of gamefish and be done with it.

[LennyB]

I agree with Bender. I have never seen anyone targeting walleye and pike on inland lakes then either. Most walleye guys would be on the Detroit River or Erie then anyway. When we had a DNR rep at our club meeting however, that was his reply. He also said the bass population is very healthy and resilient. Catch and release year round would have very little to no effect on them.

[troossien1]

We just gotta get to a point that makes tournament fisherman happy as well as everyone else

[Frank]

I say its because if it was open all year, we would be creative enough to melt the ice so we could put our boats in 

[fiker]

We just gotta get to a point that makes tournament fisherman happy as well as everyone else

That would be tough to do.  I don't want a catch and keep season year round. 

Tx fisherman are not particularly fond of paper tourneys that come with the CIR season.

[troossien1]

We just gotta get to a point that makes tournament fisherman happy as well as everyone else

That would be tough to do.  I don't want a catch and keep season year round. 

Tx fisherman are not particularly fond of paper tourneys that come with the CIR season.

But a catch and delayed release season would allow you to keep your fish in your livewell and release them after the weigh in..

[thedude]

pike and walleye LMAO - there's not enough walleye to even fish for in most lakes south of say houghton lake - sure a handful of exceptions - but if that's really the excuse why not have lake or river specific regulations.

No sense in a law that regulates being able to fish for bass in a lake that has no catchable walleye population to begin with! People need to keep more pike as it is... why is there even a closed season?

[Mojo]

Realistically - and I hate to stop the cabin fever banter - but  the main reason this isnt going to change is because the current system in place is working well enough such that the michigan eco system is 'seemingly' self sustaining, if not in a self sustained growth period.

(We'll get back to that 'seemingly' later)

Any change, just an opinion, Could upset a system that is terrificly underfunded, and no money is available to study a change in the C&R law, nor is there money to fix the system if the change has an effect, no money to study if there would be an effect.

I suggest we use either the TBF or other conservation arm that we all participate, and propose a 5 year 10 lake study, whereas 10 lakes get a jan 1 C& delayed R, and we help monitor the lake or provide summer / fall tournament results showing either an increase in weighs (ie more fish, better quality) or a decrease in weighs to demonstrate the overall effect of the change.

At least 5 years from now we either would or would not be having this debate. I just find it tough to go over this year after year........

[Bender]

When I lived in Michigan I never knew where to go or who to talk to about changing the season. It appears that there are some Town Hall meetings scheduled where you can talk directly to the DNR:
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10366_53150---,00.html
It might not hurt to go to one if it is in your area to voice your opinion on the subject. If I happen to be in Michigan I'll try to go to one.

[Mojo]

When I lived in Michigan I never knew where to go or who to talk to about changing the season. It appears that there are some Town Hall meetings scheduled where you can talk directly to the DNR:
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10366_53150---,00.html
It might not hurt to go to one if it is in your area to voice your opinion on the subject. If I happen to be in Michigan I'll try to go to one.

excellent input Chris, i tried to go to the link, but it is'broke' ?? according to google. Any other link to try ?

[josh617]

One of the biggest issues is lack of research, the michigan dnr has done relatively little research in the past mainly due to lack of funding and kind of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," attitude; and it has worked this long with little public outcry from the bass community.

On another note, the dnr just recently finished up a 5-year study on the effects of the early catch and release season on the bass population in like 3 or 4 bodies of water throughout the state. Preliminary data showed what many of us already knew the catch and release season has had little to no effect on the bass population and that most michigan bass spawn during the catch and keep season anyways. I m going to try to get the lead researcher to come in and answer questions at the TBF general membership meeting in April.

[Bender]

Mojo, it's now gone! When you search their site for "Town Hall" it is the first result but the page is gone! I will try to contact them tomorrow and see what is going on.

[troossien1]

Josh617: that's awesome let me know how that goes!!

[fiker]

"But a catch and delayed release season would allow you to keep your fish in your live well and release them after the weigh in"

I would be opposed to this as well. 

[Mojo]

One of the biggest issues is lack of research, the michigan dnr has done relatively little research in the past mainly due to lack of funding and kind of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," attitude; and it has worked this long with little public outcry from the bass community.

On another note, the dnr just recently finished up a 5-year study on the effects of the early catch and release season on the bass population in like 3 or 4 bodies of water throughout the state. Preliminary data showed what many of us already knew the catch and release season has had little to no effect on the bass population and that most michigan bass spawn during the catch and keep season anyways. I m going to try to get the lead researcher to come in and answer questions at the TBF general membership meeting in April.

are you serious ? That was like - I was pondering out loud a solution - so thats cool they did that. Please advise to the community on this if more info becomes available and thanks !