Michigan Bass fishing leagal dates

[blazin461]

A buddy of mine recently tells me that Michigan's catch and release date starts April 1st. I did not challenge him without consulting the State rule book. Only thing I can find is for inland waters, "All Lower Pen. waters including Great Lakes: Last Saturday in April - Fri. before Memorial Day.

No where can I find that C&R opens before last Sat. in April (April 24th) does anyone know anything different?

[keithram1982]

Bass catch and release season starts the last Saturday in April, April 24th and lasts until the Friday before Memorial Day, May 28th. Open season starts Saturday May 29th and lasts until Dec 31st. Per DNR website.

Keith

[CGWright]

Here's a link to the page on the DNR sight. You'll find your answer under Note 2.
http://www.michigan.gov/docume...7.pdf

[bronzebkr]

You can always just fish for crappie with a silver buddy

[CGWright]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bronzebkr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You can always just fish for crappie with a silver buddy </TD></TR></TABLE>

I tried that and those pesky green fish wouldn't leave me alone!

[bucks9009]

can I fish for pike with a rattletrap?

[jacksonmj]

That is what I plan to use for pike. I just hope that I get some green fish. Do the game wardens actually check what you are using and are they even on the water already?

[21XDC]

If you want to use a jitterbug for crappie, Thats your choice. A tube is a minnow imitator and will catch anything. The DNR can't say squat about your lure choices. They might have a problem watching you catch 100 bass, take pics, high 5 your bud after the 5lber and stay in that area and not catch a single other type fish though.

[tmbullet]

Normally when they come up to me on the lake, I tell them I'm fishing for pike then they check your live well. Of cours any bass fisherman is smart enough not to keep bass in the live well at this time of the year. You just cant target bass. Just fishing for pike officer!!!!!!!!!

[javelininmi]

fishing for dog fish no closed season and they eat everything so the dnr cant say a word

[PUMA1973]

just a quick note, don't forget that pike/walleye season does not open until last saturday in april also.
with that being said, if you head out this weekend remember to use the crappie/dogfish excuse if asked.

[blazin461]

Just as I thought I would find. Now I get to tell my buddy he is wrong and show him the black and white.

[DinkyDonker]

This closed thing is confusing. Closed means u can not fish for the bass in the rivers or inland lakes or you just cannot possess? I was told i could fish the bay with no problems. Also is this protect the walleye? The only fish i have ever heard of being closed is trout streams, so not sure the purpose of this. To me is jst punishing bass fishermam

[PUMA1973]

http://www.michigan.gov/docume...7.pdf

go to this site, it is from the michigan rule book.

basically from jan1 until the last saturday in april, bass fishing is closed. That means you cannot attempt to fish for bass. (now there are ways to get around that, like mentioned earlier in this post, but it is always open to interpretation, and at your own risk)
this means all waters.
now from the last sat. in april until the saturday before memorial day, a catch and immediate release season opens (except for the couple exclusions listed on note 2). you still may not possess any bass during this time.
the saturday before memorial day, season opens,meaning you may possess 5 bass per person(except for a couple waters, listed in note 2 again and lake st clair,st clair river and detroit river)
the reason for the closure of the season stems back years when they thought they had to protect the spawning bass more.

now, as for walleye and pike,the season for them(with a couple exceptions) opens the last saturday of april, same as bass catch and immediate release. that is where my earlier post stems from.

so you legally may not fish the bay for bass until the last sat. in april.

wow, that was a mouthfull. sounds pretty funny when you start adding in the exceptions. sounds like too much legal jargin.
hope that helped a little.

one last thing, when you look at the page i listed above, you have to realize that the notes on the right of the species you are looking at, go with that species. they should have extended the line all the way accross thru the possession limit box.