No new update on extended Bass season in MN

fishthumper wrote:

There is a answer to that. Start keeping those smaller SM to eat. I think you all would be surprised how good eating they are. I know many people who would prefer to eat a SM bass over a walleye any day. Far to much negative thoughts passed onto todays fishing population on the taste of bass.

I have no problem eating a Bass in general. I bet I have eaten more LM Bass than anyone on this forum since growing up we harvested them along with the panfish and fried them up together all the time. I am sure I have eaten more Bass than Walleye in my life.

There is nothing wrong with selective harvest of small to mid sized bass provided that its legal to do so. In fact, studies have actually shown that removal of a percentage of smaller bass would create more carrying capacity for bigger ones. The issue arises when you start keeping big ones. They take 10 years to reach trophy size in northern waters. Same with northern pike. In general, smaller fish not only taste better but they have less bioaccumulation of chemicals in their bodies too.

I personally think the over-population of snot rockets is a bigger problem than bass are, especially in smaller to mid-size lakes. The daily bag limit being 10 would seem to indicate that the DNR also thinks this is the case too. The problem is that very few people have the desire to keep a pile of 20 inch slime darts.

Pretty simple solution make it all C and R until the actual opener. Don’t see any harm and don’t see a reason to completely close seasons. Seems silly.

I have no problem eating a <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>Bass in general. I bet I have eaten more LM <em class=”ido-tag-em”>Bass than anyone on this forum since growing up we harvested them along with the panfish and fried them up together all the time. I am sure I have eaten more Bass than <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>Walleye in my life.
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I’m there with you. I bet I can cook a bass and most would guess it’s a walleye fillet but I don’t keep any over 15 or 16 inches. We used to eat bass weekly. Especially out of cold water.
Maybe that’s what’s wrong with me
I do fish bass often and would like to stay on this side of the border for the c & r season. I’m so close to wi it doesn’t even matter though.

Buzz wrote:

Bucky, just out of curiosity what have the DNR sampling, lift and trap net results been for walleye and small pike? In many central mn lakes, over the past 20 years we have seen an inverse in numbers?

I can count on one hand the number of pike I’ve ever caught or seen caught. It’s a great muskie lake though (for numbers).

I’m of the argument that bass just are better at adapting to warming waters, many of which are clearing too. Couple that with a better success rate of spawning and more spawning areas in many of the lakes in the Upper Midwest…and you get an expanding range of bass. I don’t think it has much to do with predation of young walleye or crazy over harvest on most typical small to medium sized inland lakes. I also don’t think this trend will stop or slow. There’s not really blame to cast, it’s just a reality.

It seems to me that a significant chunk of walleye fishermen, which I’m guessing is way more than a majority, are meat fishermen who don’t think much of catch-and-release fishing. I don’t think that many walleye guys would be out there skirting the rules if they can’t keep them.

What the latest on continuous Bass season? Did it go anywhere this year? I heard one of the DNR’s excuses was that they would need to get docks out earlier. LOL

The year round bass season is proceeding, the Commissioner approves and it is in the hands of the higher ups. Not surprisingly there are social issues needing to be addressed. Docks (aren’t a big issue), enforcement, interstate and tribal coordination. Good conservation is the wise management of resources and there are many moving parts to these types of actions. It could happen in 25, more likely in 26.

I think the public hearing/surveys were on it last year (2023) and nothing goes quick with these sort of monumental changes. My guess would be 2026.

Buzz wrote:

The year round bass season is proceeding, the Commissioner approves and it is in the hands of the higher ups. Not surprisingly there are social issues needing to be addressed. Docks (aren’t a big issue), enforcement, interstate and tribal coordination. Good conservation is the wise management of resources and there are many moving parts to these types of actions. It could happen in 25, more likely in 26.

Good to hear. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this, but even with approval across the board, you still might have grab some hands to pull them across the finish line.

Buzz wrote:

The year round bass season is proceeding, the Commissioner approves and it is in the hands of the higher ups. Not surprisingly there are social issues needing to be addressed. Docks (aren’t a big issue), enforcement, interstate and tribal coordination. Good conservation is the wise management of resources and there are many moving parts to these types of actions. It could happen in 25, more likely in 26.

Tribal Coordination? Simple, just eliminate any lakes with-in the reservation boundaries. Including Mille Lacs. Leave the traditional date of Mothers Day for opening the season on Tribal Lakes.

They should have ZERO input on how the DNR manages it’s resources. Overthinking the issue won’t get anything done.

Yes, I’m sure some guy will complain to his legislator or lakeshore Assn will find a reason to protest. What I’d like help with is getting a year round harvest season on small Pike in the Central Zone. Our walleye stocking program is just meals on wheels for sm pike

Buzz wrote:

Yes, I’m sure some guy will complain to his legislator or lakeshore Assn will find a reason to protest. What I’d like help with is getting a year round harvest season on small <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>Pike in the Central Zone. Our walleye stocking program is just meals on wheels for sm pike

Buzz:
Legitimate question(s):
You mention a “walleye stocking program”. So does this mean there is little to no natural reproduction of walleye in those lakes that are stocked?

If so, is there a closed season on walleye during the “spawning season” on those lakes? If there is a closed season, WHY?

Buffalo Fishhead

Buffalo Fishhead wrote:

You mention a “walleye stocking program”. So does this mean there is little to no natural reproduction of walleye in those lakes that are stocked?

If so, is there a closed season on walleye during the “spawning season” on those lakes? If there is a closed season, WHY?

Most lakes with walleyes have almost no natural reproduction. Its the larger ones and rivers that generate natural reproduction.

Yes, the season is closed on most of those inland waters from late February until “opener” in May. I don’t see them changing that. Would be difficult to communicate that they can only fish on X lake but not on Y lake.

Maybe the bigger issue is WHY they continue to stock thousands of walleye fry or fingerlings into these lakes that are over run with small aggressive hungry pike. Buzz has a point on them, but I don’t see them opening pike season either. It will continue to coincide with walleye season. I just don’t think there is a lot of interest in targeting and harvesting small northern pike.

The closed bass season doesn’t make much sense. The majority of bass anglers are C & R even if the harvest portion is open. And bass are not spawning from late February until mid May, so why is the season closed? To protect people from accidentally catching walleyes. They don’t want people “bass fishing for walleyes.” If they wanted to protect bass while they’re spawning, the season would be immediate C & R from mid May until mid June when they’re actually, you know, spawning.

Minnesota and Maine are the only two states in the entire country that still has a completely closed bass season.

There is more to our closed seasons than biological issues. Resorts, bait shops, bars and restaurants all benefit from predictability.

At this time, there is only one state in the U.S. that has a closed bass season. Guess which state…???

With the explosion of populations due to changing climate favoring both bass species, and the C&R ethics of most all bass fishers, there is little ‘protection’ needed other than what regulations can provide (e.g. C&R only, daily/possession limits, size/slot limits). This has been a ‘no-brainer’ for all but one of the 50 states.

All the hand-wringing and delays and roadblocks by the fisheries shot-callers – whoever they truly are – relating to the C&R bass season appear politically motivated by the much more powerful walleye-centric leadership.

To build such restrictive regs around a different target species (bass) to protect another, more favored species (walleyes), is maddening and suggests that anglers in this state have poor ethics and criminal intent (poaching) – which I don’t believe to be the case, except for the few bad actors you find everywhere in life.

C’mon Minnesota… Do better. The year round C&R bass season is a no-harm, no-foul proposition. Every other state and Canadian province gets that. You should too.

I tried to get some fried chicken the other day, but the deli was all out. Pretty sure it was the walleye-angler conspiracy cabal going around from deli to deli buying up all the fried chicken. Beware the walleye overlords.

Riverrat wrote:

I tried to get some fried chicken the other day, but the deli was all out. Pretty sure it was the walleye-angler conspiracy cabal going around from deli to deli buying up all the fried chicken. Beware the walleye overlords.

Lol…its true.

When the then-MN House Majority Leader tells me directly this is the reason that the C&R bass season won’t get traction, I tend to believe him. Not a conspiracy theory at all. Was directly from the horses mouth.

Rest assured that the MNDNR must first consult with the Walleye Oracle before making any decisions like this.