Well, I have a feeling convincing the walleye crowd may be a bit tougher, but maybe that tower will fall as well if enough people voice their opinions on it. We still have a way to go with bass, but so far, so good....Originally Posted by DeBo
Well, I have a feeling convincing the walleye crowd may be a bit tougher, but maybe that tower will fall as well if enough people voice their opinions on it. We still have a way to go with bass, but so far, so good....
The walleye crowd wanting to “protect” the walleyes they can’t wait to bring home in a pail…. Plus like 70% of the states walleye lakes are maintained by stocking because they don’t spawn successfully…. So what are we protecting? Pike have liberal limits begging for harvest. Muskies you could draw a latitude line at Detroit lakes and everything south is stocking supported so what’s being protected? I’m from SD. Been here for almost 20 years now and still don’t understand the seasons. End rant
Big thanks to anyone pushing for this. Being able to bass fish in spring would greatly improve my life!
Anyone have a recent update on this survey? Any outcome from it??
Hey Brian, still gathering input. Survey runs till the end of August. Over 2800 responses and 95% either supporting or strongly supporting having a season be open year round. We'll see what the higher ups want the Bass Tech Team to do with that information moving forward.
Appreciate your work on this, Eric.
"There was a time I didn't fish, but I cannot remember it".
With the lakes opening up, it sure would be nice to be able to go out locally instead of heading to a neighboring state to chase bass! It also got me thinking, any other updates that you can share?
Cabin fever with this cold weather's got me thinking of bass season. Any updates on this?
Probably long forgotten...MnDNR style.
I remember hearing something about this about a year ago now. Eric was still pushing and trying at that time. He had noted that things like this take a long time to push through.
I saw this and got excited that maybe they were asking again... I couldn't get the link to work... then I looked at the date... lol
1998 TR21 with 225 Opti 0G912442
I've been around long enough to remember when the DNR was a separate entity not under the control of state government. Wanna slow things down to a crawl? Make them subject to government oversight. Look no further than the example of Mille Lacs to see how badly they can eff things up.
"There was a time I didn't fish, but I cannot remember it".
Actually no! But, since it does require statute AND Rule change, it requires policy and political nonsense to get through in any form of a timely manner... It is going to be included in the statute change package this year, that needs legislative approval (let's hope our politicians all see this as favorable). Now would be a good time to contact your representative(s) and let them know "we want the early C&R bass season" Optimistically, 2026.
FYI - Communications plan bullets:
• The catch-and-release season for black bass could be extended with little risk to black bass populations.
• Currently the catch-and-release season begins before bass spawn in most of the state, and the closed season in April and early May does not protect spawning bass or improve spawning success.
• At present, only Minnesota and northern Maine maintain closed seasons for black bass as a standard regulation
• Bass populations are currently thriving in Minnesota and throughout the upper Midwest.
• Bass populations have shown increased abundance, increased sizes and broader geographic distribution (Figures 1-6).
• Increasing angling opportunities in the spring may also increase interest in angling and angler retention. Many high schools are now participating in bass fishing leagues.
• Participation could increase if high school teams could recruit anglers before schools close for the summers.
• Allowing more time for people to go fishing may also encourage participation because the longer time frame may help reduce competition with other summer interests and activities.
• A sunset date would be proposed during which the DNR would conduct some form of evaluation to ensure that the extra fishing was not causing harm to bass fisheries across the state.
• Bass tournaments would not be permitted prior to the walleye opener.
• A self-selection questionnaire was made available on “Engage with DNR” website from May 4, 2023, through September 10, 2023 in an effort to gauge how anglers felt about a potential season change for bass to include catch-and-release opportunities between the end of winter season and the current opener.
• A total of 3,041 responses were recorded. When asked “How much do you support or oppose the proposal to allow for an early catch-and-release angling season for bass from the end of the winter season to the current opening of fishing?”,
• 91% (2,771) responded either support or strongly support.
• Even among self-identified, non-bass anglers (238 total), 74% (178) were either supportive or strongly supportive of an increased fishing opportunity. (Figures 7 and 8).Tribal Interests
• Tribal Bands were consulted for their input into the extended catch-and-release season through emails sent to tribal contacts on both January 26, 2023.
• Of the 11 bands contacted, responses were received from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. The Leech Lake Band was supportive of the regulation change with the understanding that we would continue to monitor bass populations to make sure additional angling opportunities do not harm Minnesota bass populations.
• The Mille Lacs Band not only favored the regulation change but suggested that bass regulations could be liberalized even more.
• CATCH-AND-RELEASE SEASON FOR SMALLMOUTH AND LARGEMOUTH BASS- Amend current regulations for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass to include catch-and-release angling for bass from the current closure (end of February) until the traditional “harvest opener” (Saturday two weeks prior to Memorial Day).
Who are the 9% that opposed it??
Fix that for ya
Who are the 9% that opposed it and what is wrong with them??
You need to give something to get something. I would be in support of eliminating the closed season on bass if the catch and release season for smallmouth was extended to June 15 to protect spawning fish from live weigh tournaments and filet knives.
The closed seasons have nothing to do with protecting the spawn. They open the season early in the NE third of the state so people can kill smallies.
Honestly this. I think the antiquated way of thinking was having the offset season openers would drive people to buy walleye tackle early, and then stock up on new bass gear in the weeks that followed, and then muskie stuff. It could have also been resort driven as the walleye opener is a holiday of sorts, and Memorial weekend which is the traditional bass opener is another holiday weekend, generating good revenue for resorts. I may be wrong, but I think it was more about revenue back in the day vs protecting the spawn. If it were truly about protecting the spawn they would have to do it lake by lake, and make adjustments based on how the spring shaped up. This was an easy button to offset the seasons but they completely contradict themselves with the early season on smallies in the NE part of the state.
In our current era, a vast majority of bass anglers practice catch and release, and the small percentage that keep bass to eat, are not going to hurt the population. Open it up for fishing year round. It don't matter what day it is, you can buy all the tackle you want to target whatever species you want. There is no longer an economic factor to it. Do away with the seasons, have a protected catch and release period around the spawn if you need to, but let us go out and have some fun. Damn nanny state.
There's still many people that cling to the tradition of "the opener". And i'm not really sure why. I don't understand why most, if not all, fishing related businesses don't continuosly push for getting rid of closed seasons. I can get behind CnR seasons, I can see the benefits to that.
But, now we just have many more people that will be on the water the minute the ice is gone, why not take advantage of it. Just look at the river.
Some positive news... HF 2824 has been introduced!!! Edit for clarification: This is the required statute language that establishes the opportunity to have a catch and release season from the end of Feb (typically) until the current walleye opener. The remainder of the "law" would be defined in Rule.
"Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97C.395, is amended to read:
97C.395 OPEN SEASONS FOR ANGLING.
Subdivision 1.
Dates for certain species.
(a) The open seasons to take fish by angling
are as follows:
(1) for walleye, sauger, northern pike, and muskellunge, largemouth bass, and smallmouth
bass, the Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through the
last Sunday in February;
(2) for brown trout, brook trout, lake trout, rainbow trout, and splake, between January
1 through October 31 as prescribed by the commissioner by rule except as provided in
section 97C.415, subdivision 2; and
(3) for salmon, as prescribed by the commissioner by rule.
(b) The commissioner shall close the season in areas of the state where fish are spawning
and closing the season will protect the resource.
Subd. 2.
Continuous season for certain species.
For largemouth bass, smallmouth bass,
sunfish, white crappie, black crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, rock bass, white bass,
yellow bass, burbot, cisco (tullibee), lake whitefish, common carp, and native rough fish,
the open season is continuous."
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=HF2824...
As a biologist, I completely agree! However, we have a long running tradition in MN and that is hard for people to get around. Biologically, if there are spawning congregations that need protection beyond normal bag and length limits, so be it, protect those unique areas (mostly thinking of walleye here). The seasonal structure really is not one of necessity any longer (biologically), but the sociological aspect is hard to overcome.
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