# Bass Season Change Meeting



## ABA (Feb 18, 2004)

Once again we need to preserve our fishing opportunities and rights from the Michigan DNR. The Michigan DNR is planning a Michigan Bass Season Change. They want to push back opening day STATEWIDE from Memorial weekend to either the 3rd Saturday in June or July 14th (depending on which scenario gets passed). We will also loose the catch and release season we currently have on all the existing 6 catch-and-release lakes The DNR supports 4 scenarios from the Michigan Bass Regulations Change proposals released in April. You can view the proposals and other information about the changes at my website www.michiganbassanglers.com

You may not care to Bass fish but if you're an outdoorsmen, it is in your best interest to support all other outdoorsmen as long as their activities don't adversely affect the resource. Walleye, Deer, Turkey, Small Game or Trout season maybe next. Bass fishing in Michigan is at an all time best. The DNR has not had the need to stock Bass in Michigan in over 25 years. Bass are self-supporting, bigger, more abundant and more plentiful than ever before. These are the good ole days of bass fishing. There is absolutely no need for a shorter Bass season. Think about how many hundreds of thousands of trout, perch and walleye the DNR have to stock each year just to keep the population in check. Walleye, perch and trout will be next. Lets unite and take a stand now.

If the DNR gets their way we could loose 4-6 weeks or more of our current Bass season in Michigan. Plus our current 7-week long Catch and Release season. 

A meeting is planned at 6:30 PM this coming Wednesday 6/16 at Wonderland Marine West to talk about our strategy to combat the DNR's attempt to limit bass season, to discuss the DNRs plans, organize and educate concerned anglers. We will follow up this meeting two weeks later on June 30th at 7:00pm at Bass Pro Shops and continue on with 2 - 4 more meetings in July and Aug if possible.

The goal of this meeting is to educate, to form a game plan, prepare and organize for the upcoming DNR meetings.

I hope we can all get on the same page.

I need all of your help and support. I need you to contact every fishermen (not just bass fishermen), business owner, outdoorsmen, politicians, Bass clubs, organization, media representative and any one else you can. We need to unite as concerned Michigan citizens. 

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.



Thanks,

Anthony Adams

[email protected]


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## Guest (Jun 15, 2004)

I havn't posted here in almost a year, but I really need to give my .02 on this issue. I am an avid bass fisherman and I strongly support the DNR's proposed changes (primarily scenarios 5 and 6). It all boils down to 1 issue for me: more bass fishing days per year. I would love to be able to begin bass fishing in April instead of having to wait until Memorial Day weekend. I understand that there has to be a little bit of give-and-take with a change such as this, and I therefore understand why they feel the need to push the possession opener back if they are going to give us more opportunities in the spring.

I also understand why some of the tournament guys are a little ticked, but I too am a tournament fisherman and I would gladly trade a few tournaments (would only be 3 weeks with scenarios 4, 5 and 6) for an extra month of fishing in the spring. Almost all of the bass fishermen I talk to support the proposed changes, and I am going to campaign hard for those changes. Now, if the DNR starts leaning toward scenario 7 (no CIR season, July 15th opener) then I will be screaming as loud as anybody.

Obviously this topic is going to spark some passionate debate, but all I can do is give my opinion. If you disagree with me, and feel the need to blast me then please do so via email or PM.

Thanks,

Brad


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## ABA (Feb 18, 2004)

Brad,

I respect your oppinion and I hope you respect mine and the many others who feel the same as I do.

You would be more than welcome at the above mentioned meeting and I would appreciate it if you came out. It would be benificial for us both to see each others point of view. 

I am not sure why anyone would support a reduced season but I would like to understand why.

I wonder if you realize that you will lose 4-6 weeks of a catch and keep season This will reduce your tournament time by as much as 6 weeks. I have been given the understanding that Bass Tournament permits will not be issued during this extended catch and release season. Does this bother you at all?

The truth is that we now have 6 catch and release lakes here in Michigan and all are thriving. The Bass could easily support a longer season. 

Bass fishing in Michigan is already the shortest season of ALL game fish. However the DNR feels justified in shortening it even more. Bass thrive better than any other game fish but they only feel the need to protect the Bass and not the Walleye,Trout, Muskie, Perch and others. Walleye and Trout are constantly stocked to keep the populations in check yet Bass have not been stocked in over 25 years. They feel the need to protect the Bass by shortening the season but feel no need to protect other game fish? Trout and Walleye have open seasons year round on many waters in Michigan yet bass do not. What is wrong with this picture? . 


Thanks


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

I would welcome delaying the start of the turkey season in Michigan, at least, in northern Michigan and the UP...we start too early as it is now, way before most of the hens have been bred...and the yoopers tell me they're tired of trying to get birds to gobble when there's still snow on the ground...

But I don't know how we could trade it for a catch and release season...


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2004)

ABA said:


> I am not sure why anyone would support a reduced season but I would like to understand why.


I guess I just don't see it that way. An April 24th opener as opposed to a May 29th opener sure looks like an increased season to me. I am not sure why anyone wouldn't suppport an increased season and I would like to understand that. It appears as though tournaments are more important to you than they are to me, so I think that's why our viewpoints are significantly different. All I know is that if the proposed changes occur I will be on the water a month earlier next year. I can only see that as a positive thing...


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## chad helsel (Nov 13, 2002)

why is there any reason whatsoever that the bass season should be closed from january 1 through april 24 or the end of may? if the season is supposed to protect the spawn, CLOSE IT DURING THE SPAWN. like say may 15 through june 15 and let us fish the rest of the year. I am so sick of this ignorant blah blah blah
the dnr doesn't have a decent proposal, so i have been pretty quiet, 
but nothing even remotely makes sense that the dnr is proposing.
there was a tournament on sanford sunday, took 21 pounds of smallies to win, and they all came off beds. they were bedding in early june last year also.
why can't i fish for almost 6 months to protect a spawn and then it opens
a week or two before the peak of the spawn every year. and if they need to 
adjust it for areas, like move the season two weeks later north of say m-55
then do it. this isn't rocket science. maybe earlier south. 
i apologize for venting, but i'm about to lose my mind. 
sorry i am not going to be able to make it to the meeting it's over 2 hours to get there. and i see no proposal from the DNR that makes any sense to me.


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## bignoccursg (Dec 31, 2002)

Bass season opener on Memorial day weekend has been a tradition in my family since I can remember {40 years}. With the lack of salmon in the thumb area, the overwelming commorant problem we have, the lamprey issues, and the mass bird feedings the DNR conducts by planting fish during the day, I dont see a need to change the one thing that in my mind seems to work perfect.
I am a bass fisherman for sure! I can understand why some fisherman would want a longer season. BUT, Michigan is a fishermans paradise! There is always some species to fish for all year long. If a fisherman wants to fish in April, fish for steelies in a river, browns from a pier, crappie on an inland lake, the suckers are running, walleye in the Detroit river, carp and catfish are available. I could probably go on and on.
The DNR needs to fix things that are broken. The bass regulations are not broken. They are working just fine.


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## TrailFndr (Feb 12, 2002)

Simple solution to the whole Mess...C&R from April 1 till Memorial day, then open it statewide..Hell..its worked Great for 10 years on the 6 lakes with NO negetive effects...just do it state wide.. NO ONE Bass fishes in Janruary, so leave it closed until April...Man...its SOOOO Simple...Besides...even if we have open water in March...fish won't co-operate in water that cold...and even the DNR KNOWS that.


Untill the DNR can support a NEED to stock...why restrict it even more than it already is?? Uless you are going to restrict EVERYTHING Else too...and simply elliminate ALL stocking programs....


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## live2fishdjs (Sep 9, 2003)

TrailFndr said:


> NO ONE Bass fishes in Janruary, so leave it closed until April...Man...its SOOOO Simple...Besides...even if we have open water in March...fish won't co-operate in water that cold...and even the DNR KNOWS that.
> ....


Some of the biggest bass (largemouth and smallmouth) I have ever caught have been in January and February while ice fishing...had 5 real nice smallmouth I would have liked to have mounted on a stringer one day, but the season was closed-to protect schooling populations of spawning fish


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## chad helsel (Nov 13, 2002)

why doesn't anyone bass fish through the ice, it's a blast.
if you pick up a jigging rod(#5 black/silver rapala) and jig all the holes left over from the
bluegill fisherman that come out in the morning and leave you can catch a ton of bass. i would rather jig for bass all day and catch and release 
a half dozen decent fish than catch 40 5" bluegills and crappies. the panfish
around here is definitely lacking.


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## MGV (Jan 22, 2002)

Never enough good safe ice before the first of the year to fish them. Years back you could.


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## ABA (Feb 18, 2004)

> I guess I just don't see it that way. An April 24th opener as opposed to a May 29th opener sure looks like an increased season to me. I am not sure why anyone wouldn't suppport an increased season and I would like to understand that. It appears as though tournaments are more important to you than they are to me, so I think that's why our viewpoints are significantly different. All I know is that if the proposed changes occur I will be on the water a month earlier next year. I can only see that as a positive thing...


Thats not true and please dont put words in my mouth. Just because someone doesn't feel the season needs to be decreased doesn't mean they put Bass Tournaments ahead of the fish.... that is absurd and an insult.

I can currently start fishing on April 1st on 6 catch and release lakes so I am loosing a month of my catch and release and a month or more of my catch and keep season. The only thing I am gaining is more catch and release lakes.

I am not shure how a shortening of those two seasons can be an increase but ok...... 

Why dont you all come on out tonight to our meeting and voice your oppinions.


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

I really appreciate reading some of the different opinions. Thanks for taking the time to post them. I'm hoping Anthony will be setting up more meetings in other parts of the state over the next few weeks so maybe there will be one near you. That's been the plan anyway.

There is additional support for not moving the traditional opening day and still allowing more catch-and-release from other sources than just bass tournament anglers. There will be other groups and businesses who will be supporting that type of change and against moving the traditional opener including some major ones. A decent number of individual anglers are coming forward also who don't want the traditional opener changed. It is not just a 'bass tournament angler' issue as some make it out to be. That's just the old 'divide and conquer' strategy at work.


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2004)

ABA said:


> Thats not true and please dont put words in my mouth. Just because someone doesn't feel the season needs to be decreased doesn't mean they put Bass Tournaments ahead of the fish.... that is absurd and an insult.


I visited www.americanbassanglers.com and it appeared to be a tournament site. I appologize for thinking that the effect on tournaments would somehow factor in to your viewpoint. So no, I was not trying to "divide and conquer", I was only trying to understand where you were coming from.




ABA said:


> Why dont you all come on out tonight to our meeting and voice your oppinions.


I would, except it is a 2.5 hour drive. Plus, I can already see that you don't want to hear any arguments for the changes. I'm already being flogged for having a differing viewpoint. Now I remember why I havn't posted here in almost a year...


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2004)

BuckBass said:


> It appears as though tournaments are more important to you than they are to me, so I think that's why our viewpoints are significantly different.


If that statement is "absurd", "an insult", and an attempt to "divide and conquer" then some of you are a little too touchy.


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## ABA (Feb 18, 2004)

> I would, except it is a 2.5 hour drive. Plus, I can already see that you don't want to hear any arguments for the changes. I'm already being flogged for having a differing viewpoint. Now I remember why I havn't posted here in almost a year...


We will be having more than one meeting around the state and I hope you can make it out. Like I said this IS about hearing everyones view not just mine or the majorities. Here is your chance to change my point of you. Come out voice your opinion thats what this is all about. I want to hear and understand your views.

These meetings are for ALL bass fishermen and concerned anglers not just for those who support my views.

I am sorry if you perceived what I say any other way. Please dont let the fact that I am a tournament director skew your view on my intentions. My intentions are to meet and discuss these proposals, hear EVERYONES views and make an educated conclusion as to what is best for BASS and MICHIGAN as a whole.


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2004)

Cool. If you get around the Grand Rapids or Holland areas then count me in.


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

BuckBass, I was definitely NOT referring to you or anyone else on this site, regardless of past occurences, when I mentioned 'divide and conquer.' I was talking about a few in the MDNR involved in the writing the report that know it will be easier to get the result they want by pointing out certain 'kinds' of anglers and trying to make it seem like one issue or another is only important to them, but no one else. That way we argue amongst ourselves instead of addressing the report and the season as clearly as we could.

There is no one at the meetings asking at the door how you feel before letting you in, but the majority attending this first one were of the belief that they don't want the regular season changed from what it is now and want additional catch-and-release opportunities. I have no idea if that will continue or not until the next meeting occurs.

There were non-tournament anglers there tonight, which was good to see. There were a few variations in opinions and questions too.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Gwizdz's bass article

The state's Coolwater Regulations Steering Committee has decided to take proposed bass season changes to the public. The Department of Natural Resources will begin holding public meetings around Michigan shortly. 

At issue is whether catch-and-release bass fishing should be legalized during periods when it's closed but walleye and pike seasons are open.

http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/statewide/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1088545200141060.xml


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

ERIC SHARP: Neither side golden in bass dispute 

July 9, 2004 , http://www.freep.com/sports/outdoors/

Tournament bass anglers will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at Bass Pro Shops in Auburn Hills to work out ways to stop what they see as the loss of three weeks of the competitive fishing season under regulations proposed by the Department of Natural Resources. 

The DNR's proposed rules are a compromise aimed at protecting the bass population while acknowledging and legalizing a preseason catch-and-release fishery that has been a common practice for a decade. 

The DNR has had a real problem policing the preseason fishery, because it's nearly impossible to win a court case against an angler who is ticketed for catching a bass in May when the season is open for pike and walleyes that take the same lures. 

If I got one of those citations, I'd demand a jury trial, and I'd also ask the judge to order the DNR to train bass to avoid biting lures in lakes where pike and walleye fishing are allowed at a time when bass fishing is not. 

The preseason, catch-and-release bass fishery has grown remarkably over the past few years because of several factors, including the increasing popularity of bass clubs in what was once almost exclusively walleye country, and the burgeoning number of bass guides. 

Under present regulations, bass fishing closes statewide from Jan. 1 until the Saturday preceding Memorial Day. Then catch-and-keep fishing runs through Dec. 31 with the exception of Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and Detroit rivers, which remain closed until the third Saturday in June. 

The regulations recommended by a DNR study committee would allow catch-and-immediate-release from Jan. 1 to March 15, close the season March 16 to the last Saturday in April in the Lower Peninsula and March 16-May 15 in the UP, then reopen for catch-and-immediate-release until the third Saturday in June. The catch-and-keep period would be from the third Saturday in June until Dec. 31 statewide. 

The tournament anglers don't like this, because they say it eliminates three tournament weekends out of what they already see as a very short season, compared with most parts of the country. 

The problem with their argument is that we shouldn't be managing the fishery for the benefit of tournament anglers, who account for a relative handful of the roughly 500,000 Michiganders who say they at least occasionally fish for bass. We should be managing the fishery for the benefit of the bass to ensure that we will always have lots of them. 

But the DNR is on equally shaky ground, because it hasn't produced convincing science to show that catching-and-keeping bass in May has any harmful effects on the bass population. In fact, it hasn't been able to show that leaving the season open year-round, as many states do, reduces bass numbers or sizes. 

For more about the meeting and the issues, go to www.michiganbassanglers.com.


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

Just wanted interested anglers to know that there are more than just tournament anglers coming to the meetings. We have had non-tournament anglers and outdoors business people in attendance also at both of the first two meetings.

If you don't believe, or even question the need for the MDNR to take away several weeks of our ability to keep a trophy bass or fish for a meal on your Memorial vacation; or you're concerned that moving the traditional and important bass opener from a holiday weekend may affect people's vacation plans and/or outdoors spending habits; or if you just don't believe the MDNR should be TAKING AWAY fishing opportunity that has existed for years without existing proof they need to; if you would like to see your MDNR be like other states and practice giving more opportunity to hunt and fish, and not take away any opportunity unless there is significant evidence they really need to do so - then you may be interested in attending these meetings.

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djkimmel: Why doesnt the State of Ohio have a closed bass season?

John Navarro  Ohio DNR Fisheries: We feel any regulation we dont have is not effective if we dont have the regulation. We dont like to tell people they cant fish without a good reason.

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djk: Why doesnt the State of Ohio have a closed bass season?

Roger Knight  Ohio DNR Sandusky Fish Research Unit fisheries biologist: Weve reviewed all the available data. There is no biological data to support it. No studies to show this is necessary.

djk: If you are reading the same data nationally as every other state, why would any other state have a closed season?

Knight: We would argue that most states with seasons have seasons for social reasons, not biological.

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djk: Why do you have the present bass season in Pennsylvania?

Bob Lorantas  Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Bureau of Fisheries biologist: We have some lakes with growth rate and productivity issues. The regulations hold back the harvest of bass a year or two to increase density so keepers end up being 3 or 4 years old. Our previous bass season had a grey area on allowing catch and release during the spring. Fishing was occurring, although technically illegal, so we decided we needed to do something.

djk: Do you have the season because you have evidence it is biologically necessary?

Lorantas: The jury is still out in Pennsylvania on how targeting spawning bass affects the bass population. We just took away the grey area. We are monitoring young of year (yoy) bass (two years of data so far) on some test lakes. Production has bounced around  probably due to our drought in our state. Smallmouths do better under drought in our streams though so they have probably been helped.

Lorantas: We could find no evidence of an effect of bedfishing for bass in the past. We set up focus groups and performed opinion surveys. We did literature searches and models of various populations. We modeled all the options anglers suggested to reach a consensus. We also followed the work of Jim Schneider on your Michigan catch and release study. I consider Jim an exemplary fisheries biologist.

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djk: Why doesnt the State of Tennessee have a closed bass season?

Frank Fiss - Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Fisheries biologist: There is no indication in study literature nationally that angling mortality has anything to do with bass recruitment. The environment is the major factor. This has been supported by rigorous testing. The critical period is late summer. Reproduction is not the major factor in recruitment. It is water conditions and lower water levels. Its a habitat issue.

djk: If all biologists are reading the same papers and studies, and know the same information, how would you explain why Tennessee can have no closed season, but Michigan would have a closed season?

Fiss: The social aspect is just different here.

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djk: Why doesnt the State of Tennessee have a closed bass season?

Bonny Laflin - Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Fisheries biologist: A closed bass season does absolutely no good whatsoever. Bass are so prolific. Arent your bass in Michigan still spawning when your season opens? Its hard to see how a fixed date in May each year would provide much protection for an event that varies year-to-year.

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djk: Why doesnt the State of Indiana have a closed bass season?

Stuart Shipman  Indiana DNR fisheries biologist: We have researched the topic and havent documented a need for a closed season. There is no harvest during the spawn that affects recruitment.


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## kkirkens (Jan 6, 2003)

I too would like to see a floating season to protect the bass during spawning. One thing I have noticed and many of the other tourny fisherman is that the fishing is going down hill in a hurry. I can remember almost every boat coming in with fish and many limits, which makes for a more exciting weigh-in. As of last year I quit fishing tourny because of this. Many times the contest is won with only one fish and it makes for a long boring season. Now we have LMBV in the majority of our lakes, which in my opinion is because of the huge amount of tourny's going on now. Many lakes around my place are getting hit up to 2 times a day 4 days a week. This is killing our fishing and our fish. Hopefully, the DNR will try to do a floating season to help the bass spawn. As for the LMBV, I hope they find something to get rid of it. As for tournaments, I'd like to see a reduction and a limit as of how many can be held in a lake per season. I know alot of fisherman don't agree, but more and more guys that I fish will are starting to feel the same way.


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

kkirkens,
There isnt a whole lot known about some aspects of LMBV yet. Luckily, we only have it in a handful of our lakes in Michigan (last I knew it was around 15 lakes), not the majority. No one knows how to get rid of LMBV but what is known is that is has normally only caused a die-off once on the infected lakes there have been die-offs and some lakes with infected largemouth bass dont even suffer a die-off. Additionally, only a small percentage of adult bass normally die when a die-off occurs  about a 10% maximum. Most lakes with LMBV die-offs have recovered quickly around the country. Check out this information from the MDNR: MDNR LMBV update 

Im curious what lakes you are referring to that you feel the fishing has gone south on? In general, most lakes are showing as good or better catches in our tournaments than ever. The Great Lakes are unbelievable at times for the weights and numbers that are coming in. There was a recent tournament up north on the Burt/Mullet chain that saw extremely heavy weights with a 5-bass winning weight of 26 ½ pounds and 5-bass limits of 18 and 19 pounds being in the 30s and 40s in the standings. I hear from other circuits that are still having exceptional weighins on many lakes.

Maybe the lakes you fish are having some kind of problem. Or maybe the bass are getting harder to catch if they are smaller inland lakes or rivers. That has happened here in Lansing on the Grand River. The fishing is better on the weekdays than on weekends often.

Are the lakes you are fishing having a lot of the weeds killed by the lake association? That is a major issue in some parts of the state. I have heard of one lake having some kind of forage problem also. Some of these things can be addressed if they are brought up to the right people.

There may need to be some discussion eventually about the number of tournaments on some waters, but bass tournament are one of the few growth areas in fishing and with more anglers wanting to participate, there is more demand. Its hard to squeeze the high demand into such a short season. Just one reason why I believe its a mistake to shorten the existing season even more.

There have been discussions before on having a maximum number of tournaments per year per lake. The existing MDNR permit process does attempt to keep tournaments off holiday weekends and limit the number somewhat between Memorial and Labor Day weekends. This is only for MDNR boat ramps.


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## kkirkens (Jan 6, 2003)

DJkimmel,
The lakes I am talking about are in the kalamazoo area like austin lake, long lake, west lake, even pine lake, gull lake, and gun lake have all been poor this year for NBAA. Last time we fished austin lake, there we many many bass floating which was very disappointing to see. Austin lake used to be an excellent fishery, but is now a poor fishery compared to 5 years ago. I know not much is known about LMBV, but I can tell it is a factor in our local lakes. Hopefully they figure out something soon.


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

New thoughts, from recent travels....Having had a chance to talk with folks and fish over a dozen lakes in last several weeks. One thing is apparently clear..The 'average joe' is not catchin fish like they used to, and the sizes are smaller when they do succeed! With conversations of national forest personnel,conservation officers, resort and tackle shop owners; the general consensus was, fishin ain't what it used to be.(while im thinkin Thanks KK on austin lake info..that was on my list for this weekend)..........Dj, back to the count......of over 150 separate fisherman i have spoken with in last few weeks(i realize fisher folk may shade truth), 2 reported legal size bass.lakes included were....leelanau,tippy,bear(manistee)long(alpena),grand,douglas,paradise,brevoort,otsego,ford,south,big,morrison,tipsico and union..............I understand not everyone is as efficient as you are, but it seems that an occasional fish should fall to these folks...I undertand its July and weather has been poor this year ,but checkin the master angler records from previous years lots of them are from july. Personally(with exception of st clair) it has been my worst year on bass in the 48+ years i've been fishin(and i've taken, maybe 5 bass home in all those years,the rest were released)! Undersize fish and smaller catch rates seem to be the norm. The DNR kicked the pike limit back to 2 per day and i can see why(per my travels)...Would u like to see the bass go to that?.How about tighter regs on jet skis and cormorant control,b4 we worry bout longer bass seasons? Its well documented how the wave runners disturb nesting waterfowl,could be they effect bedding bass and gills as well..and the devil birds have decimated fishing(perch in les chenauxs',etc) and eat all kinds of 12 inch and smaller fish inplaces they inhabit.. We are planning on larger craft to more efficently fish the big water(as stocks inland appear to decrease) if this becomes the 'norm' for other fisherman, how long til the big water starts to feel the effects?(i.e. see the eyes reg change in mich waters of erie).......Just the views of a layman..thanks for listening


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## bass-finaddict (Jul 10, 2004)

Shametamer, I do agree on one thing, the DNR has to better regulate other problems that hurt the fishery. I can go on Lake Erie every single day and always see a local taking undersized fish and illegal limits of fish. A year ago I watched a gentleman( i have a better word for him) catch a 12" bass from shore, do a overhand swing with the fish still on the hook a slam it into the rocks and put the fish into a bucket. This happened 10 times in an hour of watching him. I went to the ramp where i launched and told the DNR what i had seen and they shrugged there shoulders at me. I think the DNR should concentrate more on enforcing and educating the general public on what is legal. It gets pretty discouraging when you see stuff like this and the DNR solution is to take away bass fishing from the people who actually care about the resource.


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

hey bass! i see the same kinda stuff on belleville and other lakes around..the DNR or sheriff response is less than timely(i reckon they have bigger issues). wish i could prove more..but at 56 and feeble i'm not too inclined (without back up) to confront 2 or3 chicago bears linebacker types and question them on size or legality of their catch..all i can say is keep the DNR hotline number handy..even if it only stops 1 out of 10 it helps!


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

I'm glad to hear the feds are finally allowing states to start controlling cormorant numbers. I haven't kept up on what Michigan is doing specifically, but I believe they have started something. That may help perch and possibly smallmouth bass although I have only seen information from New York showing bass being targeted by cormorants on Lake Ontario. I don't know if it is a common problem here or not.

A couple things to consider is that all bass populations go in cycles. I don't know that we are experiencing that on some lakes this year or not. It would be a quick turn around on some lakes. Southern lakes get enough pressure that bass do get harder to catch as the year progresses. They may be there. I haven't fished any of the lakes mentioned myself this year though and have only talked to a few anglers on a few of them.

I have fished a few of them in the past. Long Lake was very impressive last time I was there. I'll have to check with some of the guys from up there and see how they are doing. I fished Douglas last fall and we did not catch tons of bass, but landed 8 really nice bass and lost about 5 others. We had more follows that day than hooked (jerkbaits are that way some times - bright sunny day - not enough wind).

Burt and Mullett were awesome last fall. This June, the federation tournament had phenomenal weights with 26.5 for 5 bass winning and limits between 19 and 20 pounds being in the 30 to 40 place area.

Some lakes are slower. Some lakes are on fire. That's the way it is sometimes. I personally don't want to make a decision based on a few weeks of fishing on some lakes. I do wish our MDNR had more personnel and the budget to look at more lakes or at least watersheds individually in case something really is occuring somewhere that they may be able to do something about. That would be valuable. The bass season issue may actually cause some reassessment of how much of their dollars is spent on what species and/or type of fishing.

There's no doubt some lakes are tough right now. Even St. Clair has been slow. Still some really good weights brought in, but not as many total fish seem to be caught. I noticed this at Lake Ovid too, yet earlier in the season I could see about as many bass moving in to spawn as normal so I have to believe the bass are still there.

I hope the fishing picks up as the summer progresses for everyone on the lakes that are fishing tough and slow. If a lake stays that way, maybe a further look is necessary by the MDNR to see if anything is wrong, especially if it is a popular fishing lake. I've talked to them about lakes and rivers in the past when I thought something needed investigation.

Hal Schramm published an article not very long ago about an angler survey that looked at what anglers wanted from their fishing. It was interesting to note that most rated knowing good numbers of bass with some nice ones just being available for catching rated higher than actually catching them. Anglers want to know that there a bass to catch and some of them are nice ones. I understand that. I feel the same way and I wouldn't do anything that I thought would destroy that.

I am not at all against separate regulations for lakes that need them. I never have been. If a lake needs help, whether it a reduced creel, habitat enhancement, forage improvement or even stocking, I would support it as long as it is looked at scientifically so the clear and necessary solution is discovered.


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

clear and necessary solution is discovered..................................BOY ARE THOSE GREAT WORDS!............I often wonder what our dnr boys are up to...7 lakes 3 different days..never seen anyone from that department at launch or on water...had to hunt them down at their office....i mean, really...i never put a 5 pound smallie on the hook sittin here at my pc!.......Seems to me..a little more..HANDS ON and a little less..relative theory may go a long way toward understanding....geez we coulda walked out of douglas..only boat at launch, with 10 6 pounders and no one would have known..and not reporting it..it coulda been 20 or 30.as u know that lake has few dwellings and places ur catch could easily go unnoticed..and as far as the treatment from locals i could certainly imagime some folks with a 'get even'.,f them atty............My concerns encompass many lakes and from all areas of the state over a several week period...as u know,fishing/vacation for most folks is from schools out, til schools in ,each summer. I'd like to think they might actually catch something of quality, as for me..i'll be chasin shiners on the rouge or guppies in a fishbowl..if neccessary.....you know its kinda like bein young and dating......sometimes the hunt is more fun than the catch!........lmao


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

Anticipation is a big part of it, no doubt.

As for the MDNR, I can't help but wonder often that some of them do need, for various reasons, more 'research' time on the actual water with a fishing rod. I've tried to arrange 'take a biologist fishing' days before with limited success. Ron Spitler tried this too in the past. It's hard to get them out and get volunteers to take them.

I've fished with a few over the years, but not many. It's still on my list of things to do in the future along with getting more legislators out on the water. Wisconsin has a great program they've done in the past that has even got governors out on the water.


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

isn't that Ron Spitzler? same guy that rose thru the ranks? he used to be small potatoes here locally,years back, when i used to bend his ear!..lol,


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

Ron Spitler retired from the MDNR a couple years ago. He was the SE Michigan district fisheries biologist for quite a while before he retired.

He's now the volunteer conservation director for the Michigan BASS Chapter Federation. That's the same position I held for 10 years from 1987 to 1996.


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

Hey Did Ron ever develop into much of a fisherman? He was kinda 'green' when i used to chat with him.........


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

He fishes tournaments and places high in some of them. I think he's won some, but I don't know a lot of details since he usually fishes different stuff than I do.

You'd think a fisheries biologist would have an edge, but I talked to another MDNR fb who is in a club and fishes tournaments and he told me just because he's supposed to know where the bass are doesn't mean he can make them bite.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

My answer is similar to Ron's. For many years as I gave presentations on our walleye culture projects I would be asked about how to catch the walleye. My usual answer was I'm a fishery biologist and here's the deal. I'll tell you how we put the fish into the lake and you can tell me how to take them out of the lake. That answer could apply to bass as well.


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

gee hamilton, i had no idea you were a walleye specialist! have read all your postings with great interest, but never your profile, guess with all the news you have to share, i figured you were a newspaper guy or associated somehow with the media(funny, the ideas that get in an old mans head!) now that i know, i'm sure i will have a 'herd' of questions for you(when i'm a little more awake!..lol).hey DJ, go figure, last night the wife and I went to our every thursday nite club thing we landed 19 bass(4 keeper size and 8 within an inch) and lost a half dozen more.All in 4 hours, on a lake 20 minutes from the house. Somebody must be doing something right! I mean we are talkin a 200 acre lake,cottaged around and high pleasure traffic until 7;30, in the middle of yuppie suburbia! I'll have to check the beginning of this thread for meetin date..i need to learn more!


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

My friend tells me the bite is picking up for bass on St. Clair too as of early this week. I'm seeing more posts on sites about better catches being made.

The next bass season meeting is Monday July 26 7:00 PM at D&R Sports Center in Kalamazoo on W M-43.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 22 JUL 04
Contact: Todd Grischke, 517-373-1280

Meetings set to discuss proposed bass season changes

State fisheries officials today announced 24 public meetings throughout the state in August to gather input on proposed bass season changes. 

The DNR in April finalized a report called Black Bass Fishing Seasons in Michigan, now available on the DNR web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr. The report identifies ways to provide additional recreational fishing opportunities without putting bass populations at risk. 

At a May meeting of the External Coolwater Regulations Committee  a group that includes Michigan United Conservation Clubs, Michigan BASS Federation, Michigan Musky Alliance, Michigan Darkhouse Angling Association, Pikemasters, Michigan State University and University of Michigan fisheries professors  the group reviewed the report and unanimously supported moving forward with the public review process. 

Four of the seven scenarios identified in the report will be the focus of the public meetings. The forums are intended to provide background information on the proposed season changes, answer questions about the report, and take public input on the proposals. The meeting schedule includes the following:

Aug. 2: 7 p.m., Newaygo County Sportsmans Club, 7951 Elm Avenue (just north of M&#8209;82), Newaygo 

Aug. 3: 7 p.m., Cadillac Junior High School Cafeteria, 500 Chestnut Street, Cadillac

Aug. 4: 7 p.m., Traverse City Civic Center, 1213 West Civic Center Drive, Traverse City

Aug. 5: 7 p.m., Gander Mountain, 43825 West Oaks, Novi

Aug. 10: Walli's East Motor Lodge, G-1341 South Center Rd, Flint

Aug. 10: 7 p.m., Escanaba Civic Center, 225 N. 21st St., Escanaba

Aug. 10: 7 p.m., Charlevoix High School, library room

Aug. 11: 7:30 p.m., Jackson County Outdoor Club, 3550 Hart Road, Jackson

Aug. 12, 7:30 p.m., Caledonia Sports Club, 10721 Coldwater SE, Middleville

Aug. 17: 7 p.m., Great Lakes Grill Conference Center, 817 E. State St., Cheboygan 

Aug. 17: 7 p.m., Bay City State Park, near Bay City

Aug. 18: 7 p.m., Best Western, M&#8209;32, Gaylord

Aug. 18: 7 p.m., Chesterfield Twp., 47275 Sugarbush, Chesterfield

Aug. 18: 6 p.m., Dickinson County Library Conference Room, Iron Mountain

Aug. 18: 7:30 p.m., Three Rivers Community Center, 103 South Douglas Ave, Three Rivers

Aug. 19: 7 p.m., Van Buren Township Hall, 46425 Tyler Road, Belleville 

Aug. 19: 7 p.m., Days Inn, 1496 M&#8209;32 West, Alpena

Aug. 20: 7 p.m., Jay's Sporting Goods in Clare

Aug. 23: 8 p.m., Tahquamenon Area Sportsmen's Clubhouse 

Aug. 24: 7 p.m., MSU Extension Office, 1040 S. Winter St., River Raisin Room, Adrian 

Aug. 24: 7 p.m. (EST), Negaunee Township Hall, 43 M&#8209;35, Negaunee 

Aug. 25: 7 pm (CST), Gogebic Comm. College, Solin Center, Room B&#8209;2, Ironwood

Aug. 31: 7 p.m., Manistique Courthouse, Manistique


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## djkimmel (Aug 22, 2002)

Guess there's only 23 meetings.

The Aug 10 Flint meeting is at 7 PM.


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## Santiago (Aug 10, 2004)

I've spent many hours perusing the DNR's report on bass fishing seasons in Michigan. One of the first questions I have is this: Why change regulations anyway? The report states that "bass clubs" have been lobbying for change for many years. Report also states that tournament anglers (a.k.a. bass club anglers) comprise a measley 1.7% of our half-million bass fishermen (B.A.S.S. statistics). So why change everything to benefit such a tiny portion of our population?

The report provides overwhelming science-based information that fishing for bass during the spawn is bad for adult bass, eggs and fry. There's also some fairly incriminating information that suggests what we really need is to provide enforcement with sharper teeth to enforce existing laws. Nearly 70% of preseason bass anglers admitted to violating laws that protect spawning fish. Giving them a longer season is like releasing all the prisoners because one person escaped the cell block. Of the anglers I've spoken with, this pisses them off the most, besides the usual anti-tournament arguments. So why should such a small percentage of our fishing community be allowed to manipulate how our fish are managed?

To me, this totally reeks of special interests and corporate money.


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