You are correct. Starts on the regular fishing opener. You bring up a good point with the sheer numbers of people that fish here. Seems like you would have tons of bass fishermen in FL too though. Maybe the DNR could start a “Pre-Season” license for say $20 and you could fish from ice out to the opener, still C&R only. That would weed out the people who aren’t going crazy waiting that extra month.
If they wanted to protect spawning bass, many years the season shouldn’t open until Mid-June. I’m sure there is a great reason for our bass season, but I don’t get it. Our bass fishing is pretty good around here. Maybe the Existing season is the cause. I grew up in SoDak which makes it tough.
Last time I looked, based on fishing license sales including non-resident sales, MN and FL were tied. And I believe it included saltwater licenses.
Total Fishing License,Tags,Permits & Stamps**
FL – 1,874,362
MN – 1,610,356
Mn is larger in size, which kind of shocks me.
I would guess there is far more pressure in MN based on that.
I guess the way I think about it is better to be over protective. I was going to say they should just open bass on the walleye opener, but then I thought that would be a bad idea. I could see meat hogs fishing for walleye stumbling upon bedding bass or feedbag prespawners and deciding to keep the incidental catch of fat mamas because they can’t find the walleye.
Yeah, I am bored at work today.
FWIW my responses to the above:
•Bass is not open until Walleye opener exactly for the reasons stated to protect walleyes. Walleye is king in Minn and always will be.
•If they really wanted to protect bass – yes, they would wait until 3rd week of June. Lindners are helping to communicate info that even C&R during the spawn has big impact. But it’s not going to change the regs any time soon.
•If you have regular issue backlashing a baitcast reel, or you like to skip lures – spend the extra $ on the SV model Tatula. If not, the CT works very nicely and is less expensive.
MN lakes by and large don’t have the fishing pressure on them that lakes in other states get for bass.
I assume the MN DNR is keeping an eye on the East to see what WI does with their bass season’s and what MI has done in eliminating them. If all goes well in MI in the next 3 to 5 years I am really hoping the MN DNR follows MI lead and eliminates the closed season and goes to C & R.
MN lakes by and large don’t have the fishing pressure on them that lakes in other states get for bass.
I assume the MN DNR is keeping an eye on the East to see what WI does with their bass season’s and what MI has done in eliminating them. If all goes well in MI in the next 3 to 5 years I am really hoping the MN DNR follows MI lead and eliminates the closed season and goes to C & R.
As much as that would thrill me to see, I don’t see it happening due to the fear of people hurting the walleye during the off season as others have mentioned.
The MN DNR needs to rethink their whole walleye protection program in my opinion. Pike shouldn’t have a closed season at all in probably hundreds of lakes here in the central part of the state. Pike are the first to spawn, therefore their young have a huge advantage over every gamefish in the lake. Getting pike numbers down to low levels and keeping them there would benefit all species tremendously and should be job #1. The amount of bycatch on walleye from opening up pike and bass for C & R pales in comparison to the number of walleyes that pike eat.
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