Quinte bass

Hi Guys, Will be doing some travelling soon and hope to do a little 'bassin' down south. Due to space constraints I need a 2 or three piece bass casting rod. I have a travel spinning rod and a fly rod but not a bass casting rod. Not a lot out there ....and I know why. I get it, I really do. Would like to have nothing but one peice rods (which I already have) however, this will not work for me at this time. Have seen the 'Gary Loomis signature series TFO 3 piece trigger travel rod' advertised but just hate to buy rods/reels etc unseen so to speak so any input from anyone that has knowledge of this rod would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance...

Rarely loose baits/lures but it happens from time to time. Main culprit is pike, particularly with top-waters, crankbaits and spinner baits. Goes with the territory I guess. Tackle industry just LOVE pike....

One method requires, thought, consideration and a modicum of water craft. The other much less so... Whatever floats your boat...enjoy!

Thanks Guys...appreciated. Seems I must somehow get out of making the trip with the Missus and hit Fall walleye up here instead....whilst the cats away and all that....

Hi Guys, just a general enquiry please of you SC Bassers. Wife is going down to Myrtle Beach Golfing in November with some buddies. Wants me to go too :-/ I don't golf much...(very little to be honest) Not sure what I am looking for yet, but would consider a few days during the trip at a Bassin lodge etc in the area, if that's possible. Web search has not revealed much so far. However it seems November Bassin in SC can be very good! Any info for an out of townee would be really appreciated as to what may be possible!....May even bring my boat down but that would make the trip kinda pricey on gas etc. Thanks in advance.

At least for one side of the argument

The evidence exists if you would just do a simple search for it or if you would just post this "empirical evidence" supporting your opinion then the matter would be cleared up in no time. I don't have empirical evidence supporting the closed season here in Ontario...and have never intimated I have. In addition I am not a Fisheries Biologist either. However I tend to accept that the MNR have more information than I (or most for that matter) to base current regulations on, than simply opinion and conjecture as is much of the 'evidence' posted on this thread. When the MNR say it's ok to fish bass whilst spawning etc, then I will be among the first to do it, but not until. Hope that's clear. Tim, re when smallmouth bass get off the beds in Southern Ontario here I cannot say for sure however, early July out on Lake Ontario I am told is about right depending on weather etc and some tournaments preclude fishing for them out on the lake (Ontario) till that time restricting that tournament to the Bay of Quinte.. The Tourist trade here would be delighted if the Regs were changed I am sure. It follows that they would be pressuring the Ministry accordingly in the light of any substantive evidence that may be available to change the Regs? As far as I am aware that has not happened.

Keep on believing. Nothing is going to convince you otherwise so I'm not going to bother. In the absence of empirical evidence to the contrary, I am afraid so.... Having said that I appreciate your opinion even if I don't necessarily agree with all of it.

Sounds like it's just based on feelings. Concerns are not the same as evidence. Of course it's a viable management option! That's like saying the sky is blue or bass swim in the water. The real question should be "does angling have a negative impact on overall fish populations?". Real world situations prove that moderate/managed angling even during the spawn will not have a significant detrimental impact. To determine this simply compare one state that has a season with another that doesn't. Say Wisconsin/Michigan vs Illinois or NY vs any of those neighboring states. There is no marked decrease in fish populations in the states that do not have a season vs those that do. It may well be that the Ontario MNR are erring on the side of caution in the absence of empirical evidence to the contrary. Sounds like a good (and safe) decision to me... 8-)...until such times as their is definitive evidence to the contrary, and not simply opinion or conjecture. Seems to be a lot of that on here at this time? I don't mind waiting for my bassin given that such regulations concerning the well being and management of a fishery/species should always err on the side of caution IMHO. If that means having to wait to fish, so be it! Visiting anglers please note. Enjoy!

Out of curiosity, which FMZ opens on Wednesday, June 23? Ours is still the 4th Saturday in June. Thanks! You are quite correct....my mistake! :-? I was looking at an old web page (2006 - 2007) as it came up first on my web search I took it as being current...which on closer inspection I now see it is not!!! Look before you leap and all that :-[ Last Saturday in June (26th) it is....apologies for the miss-information. :-X

Just because they say it doesn't mean it's true. As I mentioned earlier, New York just started out-of-season catch-and-release three years ago. Here in the U.S. we were one of only about a half-dozen states to be that restrictive. While we couldn't target bass, the anglers in every bordering state could fish for them. What did they know that New York didn't or vice versa? At any rate, about 90% of our states have always allowed year-round bass fishing and their fisheries are still producing, regardless of what some say about what happens during the spawn. Maybe fisheries are more sensitive in the north? I have no idea. In the meantime, in the three years since NY relaxed the regulations, I've heard nothing about any effect it has had or not had. I truly feel bad for our friends in Canada and some of the northern states who love their bass and can't do what they love so much. Got this from the MNR Ontario site. It may better explain the reasoning behind the 'total' bass close season in Ontario...that is to say, making the targeting of them during this period unlawful: At more northern climes, such as in Ontario, the growth and maturity of bass is delayed compared to stocks in the more southern portion of their range. Large bass are particularly vulnerable during the spawning and nesting period. There are also concerns that catch-and-release fishing of nesting bass can impair reproductive success and subsequent recruitment . This situation may be more acute in southern Ontario where waters generally have more complex fish communities and, therefore, greater predation. After modeling the effects of angling for nesting male smallmouth bass on production of age-0 fish, Ridgway and Shuter (1997) concluded that closed fishing seasons during the parental care period was a viable management option. 4 This year we get to go a week earlier for them (June 23rd) instead of the last Saturday in June! :)

Dan, you may well be correct however, I tend to err on the side of caution! So until the powers that be say it's ok to to target spawning bass and the regulations are amended accordingly, then I will willingly comply with the regulations as they stand. IMHO I believe all species should be left alone when spawning...it can do no harm and may (probably does) a lot of good!

As I said earlier, in the Northern States of the US, and in Ontario Canada, the Regulations are there with good reason! "Pre-season angling is believed to have a profound negative effect on the nesting behaviour and ultimately the nesting success of these highly sought sport fish species. It has been proven by many studies that if adult male bass are caught and removed from the nest, the eggs or fry (young bass) become easy prey for small predators such as pan fish and perch. In just the few minutes that it takes anglers to catch and release the bass, the nest may be completely wiped out. Even if the nest is not predated upon, the male may abandon their nest after being released" It all comes down to what individual anglers deem more important....their own selfish enjoyment, or the long term success of the bass population. It's not rocket science....is it? PS...as to the grammar aspect, no one is perfect however a semblance of punctuation etc does lend a greater degree of understanding to the reading public, of the point the poster wishes to promote....

Your dilemma can be very simply solved! Don't fish methods and locations where you suspect (out of season) bass may be nesting...Simple 'innit'? If you love bassin and the species to the degree you profess....the aforementioned should be a given!!!!