Why fish beds? I am not trying to condem this-well maybe a little.

[opaleski]

Outside Temp 32 degrees
Water Temp 53 degrees
Caught Six 3 to 4 lb. 6:30 am to 9:30 am

[dartag1829]

Simple reason is it's an easy way to catch fish in numbers this time of year. We were out Monday and caught bed fish then switched to small swim baits. My buddy caught them on a spy bait. We went out deep and found very few fish. Got to believe a lot of the fish we caught on moving baits were bed fish the bait went over the top of and they attacked it. The good thing is bed fishing has been going on for years with no real impact on the fishing. Remember before catch and relase was made legal guys were " Blue Gill Fishing." We found lots of bed for a couple miles along the mile roads.
I have lived on Union Lake for 38 years. Every year the bed fish are hammered. Clubs do paper tournaments every year. They are just about done this year but there were more beds this year than I have seen in a long time.

[MichAngler]

Can you really say you haven’t caught a bedding fish?

You may avoid tossing into a bed you see but do you see your bait 100% of the time and know it’s never gone through, over or beside a bed?

Bass have one thing on their mind right now and are where they are for one reason only and if you are catching fish that’s because you are in the same area

You want to avoid catching bedding fish but the only way to positively say you haven’t is to not fish during the spawn

[Billdoe708]

I don't think the fish is sitting on the bed to keep it warm bud.

[dartag1829]

This subject has come up every year since I have been on this site and others. Soon it will be over and it will be back to guys posting. " Where did they go "

[Hollada]

What was edited out of the original post?

[opaleski]

What was edited out of the original post?

It was just an opinion that I thought looking for Bass on beds and trying to catch them on their bed, would cause all the fry to perish.

[21XDC]

As I age, Bed fishing feels dirty to me.... I used to do it a lot. I know it's not helping my sport at all.

[Hollada]

Watched a group of 25-30 out of state boats rotate around the same 40-50 beds by metro this week. It was pretty sad to see.

Personally, I’d like to see the DNR close the season entirely from mid May till the catch and keep opener. I’m Tired of seeing dead smallies and smallies with half their face tore off. Too many guys taking pictures and weighing every 2 and 3 pounder they catch. It’s sad.

[opaleski]

Watched a group of 25-30 out of state boats rotate around the same 40-50 beds by metro this week. It was pretty sad to see.

Personally, I’d like to see the DNR close the season entirely from mid May till the catch and keep opener. I’m Tired of seeing dead smallies and smallies with half their face tore off. Too many guys taking pictures and weighing every 2 and 3 pounder they catch. It’s sad.

I agree, but, nowadays, people just don't care!

[Grizzly]

Watched a group of 25-30 out of state boats rotate around the same 40-50 beds by metro this week. It was pretty sad to see.

Personally, I’d like to see the DNR close the season entirely from mid May till the catch and keep opener. I’m Tired of seeing dead smallies and smallies with half their face tore off. Too many guys taking pictures and weighing every 2 and 3 pounder they catch. It’s sad.

NJ does this. It really just means no tournaments during the closed season.

[AMSDJS]

Watched a group of 25-30 out of state boats rotate around the same 40-50 beds by metro this week. It was pretty sad to see.

Personally, I’d like to see the DNR close the season entirely from mid May till the catch and keep opener. I’m Tired of seeing dead smallies and smallies with half their face tore off. Too many guys taking pictures and weighing every 2 and 3 pounder they catch. It’s sad.

Dan, I'm a very cynical person given my old age and I'm sure I'll make enemies but I honestly think a lot of these guys are trying to ruin the fishery out of sheer jealousy. Maybe it's the time I'm out there, which is April 1st until May 1st (to avoid the crowds and the spawners in May) but I see the majority of boats along the mile roads are high dollar bass boats. I don't get close enough to see if they are MI or not but I do know a lot of the trailers are from OH, IN, IL and other states. I've also noticed a big increase in young (guessing 20-something) anglers - the ones big on social media - and have seen them holding up 3 lbers as you mentioned. I'm not dictating how guys should fish but I too care for this fishery! If it weren't for our Canadian brothers closing their season to protect the spawners, I'm sure there'd be a much more noticeable decline in the LSC smallie fishery. I'd have no issue closing the MI side (for bass) for a month mid May to mid June. Then use the funds from all the fines to get a new ramp, built right, lol.

[posmallie]

I would hate to see them close the season this time of year, but I wouldn't mind them leaving it open to Michigan residents only (I know this won't happen). I agree that I see too many people taking pictures of fish that are not picture worthy. The internet, social media, and all the pro tournaments on the lake also don't do us any favors.

[MichAngler]

Part of the appeal to creating this catch n release season was all the revenue it would generate in non-resident licenses and money spent locally so I don’t see them returning to the old regulations

One option is to increase non-resident licenses to pay for education and enforcement of the Catch and immediate release regulation

Another thing would be to eliminate catch and release tournaments during this season or at least regulate them more and crack down on all these tournaments that don’t pull/pay for a permit again generating funds for the aforementioned programs

Right now all these out of towners come here and don’t see any information or enforcement and figure we just don’t care so why should they

It wouldn’t take a ton of manpower to get people to comply with the regulations

[dartag1829]

Below is the date that year round catch and release became legal. Like I said above before 2015 guys were out Blue Gill Fishing doing what they are doing today. Bed fishing has went on forever out there. Same on my inland lake. I believe the tournament mortality rate is much higher that spawing bed fishing. I know 2 years ago in the Bass Nation State tournnament there were a couple hundred Big dead bass each day. The one BFL last year was a disaster with guys waiting 2 hours to weigh fish.

This changed when the Michigan Natural Resources Commission allowed year-round catch-and-release bass fishing at its April 9, 2015 meeting, a rule that became effective immediately.

[SAL321]

Watched a group of 25-30 out of state boats rotate around the same 40-50 beds by metro this week. It was pretty sad to see.

Personally, I’d like to see the DNR close the season entirely from mid May till the catch and keep opener. I’m Tired of seeing dead smallies and smallies with half their face tore off. Too many guys taking pictures and weighing every 2 and 3 pounder they catch. It’s sad.

The whole spawn is getting to be PIA in my opinion. I love the the late March/early April time frame. The Mile Roads are pathetic way too much pressure and it's showing. That area just keeps getting hammered.

For those that are local, we forget how lucky we are to have this fishery in our backyard. I've talked to and heard stories about guys coming up and getting sub 18 # bags and act like they hit the lottery. Unless it is special we don't even weigh em or take a picture anymore.

[dartag1829]

Just pin this thread at the top of the page. One pops up every spring. Did see a local club had a paper tournament out there over the weekend. Must have done the catch / weigh / release as they listed weights for the winners and lots of photos. Not all out of towners out there.

[bassnpro1]

Has anyone caught any 4lb and under smallmouth this year? Or has catch and release decimated those populations?

[dartag1829]

Has anyone caught any 4lb and under smallmouth this year? Or has catch and release decimated those populations?

We caught lots of them a little over a week ago. Didn't catch a lot of big fish. Would be interesting to see what percentage of beds get fished on the lake. Would imagine the number is low as guys fish the popular areas. Figure Canada is not fished since the season is closed and they enforce it.

[Hollada]

My experience and same from a few guides I’ve spoke with - lots of sub four pounders and a Number of 5’s. Very few fours compared to prior years. Hopefully that changes next week lol.