Fishing Season

[hooah212002]

As far as I understand it, game fishing season (here in WI, at least) doesn't open until May 4th, yet I have heard people talking about already getting out on the water (I frequent http://lake-link.com/'>Lake Link for local info and only one person has mentioned the season and he was a guide). Am I missing something? Is fishing season not actually enforced? Is it not "frowned upon" within the fishing community to disobey these times? Or am I totally misunderstanding what is meant? 

 

Source: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/seasons/

 

 

Large and smallmouth bass southern zone

May 4 to March 2, 2014

 

I attribute my lack of knowledge to this being the first year I actually remember to get out for the pre-spawn.

[rippin-lips]

As far as my state MD goes. You can fish year round but there are times when types of fish are out of season. All it means is you can't keep them but you can catch them all you want.

[hooah212002]

As far as my state MD goes. You can fish year round but there are times when types of fish are out of season. All it means is you can't keep them but you can catch them all you want.

 

That makes sense because if you follow my link, the PDF file distinguishes Nothern Zone catch and release, Nothern Zone harvest and Southern Zone harvest. That, in and of itself, should be sufficient, but a few other people I have talked to made much ado about it and I wanted to be crystal clear. 

[Basspastor]

I'm pretty sure your not supposed to catch and release bass in their closed season in WI.  You have to have a special catch and release season for it to be allowed.  I believe the Mississippi river allows bass fishing year round and maybe some other waters in WI as well.

 

Does everybody follow the law in regards to the closed season?  Probably not.  Are they hurting anything by fishing catch and release when the season is closed? Probably not.  Can they get a ticket for fishing for bass out  of season? Most definitely! 

[hooah212002]

I'm pretty sure your not supposed to catch and release bass in their closed season in WI.  You have to have a special catch and release season for it to be allowed.  I believe the Mississippi river allows bass fishing year round and maybe some other waters in WI as well.

 

Does everybody follow the law in regards to the closed season?  Probably not.  Are they hurting anything by fishing catch and release when the season is closed? Probably not.  Can they get a ticket for fishing for bass out  of season? Most definitely! 

 

EXACTLY why I made this thread! I have read that Lake Winnebago is open all year and isn't subject to seasons. I am starting to think that from the time the ice thaws to season opener is a no-go. Period. So you either ice fish or you wait.

 

I am going out of my mind. I want to fish so dang bad, but not at the expense of a ticket that I can't afford.

[Basspastor]

You can always fish for panfish and catch the occasional and totally absolutely accidental bass doing that.  I recommend beetle spins, panfish chatterbaits, jig under a bobber tipped with a minnow if you like, or 2" swim baits for crappies. 

[hooah212002]

You can always fish for panfish and catch the occasional and totally absolutely accidental bass doing that.  I recommend beetle spins, panfish chatterbaits, jig under a bobber tipped with a minnow if you like, or 2" swim baits for crappies. 

 

"Seriously, warden, my crappie gear is a 7' MH Baitcaster with 20# braided line"

[Basspastor]

Are Bowfin open in WI and in the lake your fishing?  I also fish for Bowfin here in Minnesota when the bass season is closed.  You will probably catch a lot of pike as well, so I recommend using wire leader.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

X's 2 on the regulation in Maryland.  There's sign posted at all the lakes I frequent that say something like "Closed Season on Black Bass March 1-June 15; Catch and Immediate Release OK".

[MarkH024]

Hooah, first saturday in May is correct. Been this way for a very long time. It sucks because April during ice out can produce some monsters.

[nascar2428]

April 27th is the official start of the catch and release season for bass here in Michigan. Our official season starts the weekend before Memorial day. Tomorrow will be our first 60 degree day of the year, I just might go out and try to catch a pike, and accidentally catch a Bass!! That's my idea of legal reverse psychology. LOL  

[hooah212002]

Hooah, first saturday in May is correct. Been this way for a very long time. It sucks because April during ice out can produce some monsters.

 

So then it is just largely ignored, both by the fisherman and the DNR/Police (since people do it and talk about, but not in a way that would indicate they are breaking the rules)?

[Scott F]

If you read the WI regulations, there are areas that do not have closed seasons. The Mississippi River, sections of the Wisconsin river, Lake Michigan and it's tributaries are open year round. There are hundreds of special regulations. Read the regulations.

[hooah212002]

If you read the WI regulations, there are areas that do not have closed seasons. The Mississippi River, sections of the Wisconsin river, Lake Michigan and it's tributaries are open year round. There are hundreds of special regulations. Read the regulations.

 

Thanks. Obviously, I already have read it, since I provided the link. I am asking for clarification. In this thread alone there is conflicting information and there is far less verbiage here.

[Scott F]

What is the issue?  Most of the fishing community on these forums don't live in Wisconsin so they don't have to follow Wisconsin's regs. In most other states, bass season doesn't close so they can fish year round. Is there someone who has posted here who said they were fishing Wisconsin waters for bass during the closed season? If they did I missed it. Please provide a link to one of those posts.

[hooah212002]

What is the issue?  

 

I am unsure how I can make any clearer from where my confusion stems. If you are unable to clarify either the ethics (as I pointed out in post #12) or the actual regulations (as in the first post), thank you for your time. I did not at any point indicate that these notions that I gathered were from bassresource other than perhaps a few glancing comments that alone are meaningless.

[HeavyDluxe]

I had a similar question re: the regulations here in Vermont.  So your mileage may vary, but here's what I was told:

 

Unless there is a specific 'closed season' for a given fish species outlined, you can catch and (if you choose) harvest according to the guidelines in the F&W guides.  F&W reserves the right to publish catch-and-release only segments to the fishing season such as during the bass spawn, for example.  

 

If there is a 'closed season', the fish species should not be targeted.  You can pursue other species and release any closed-season fish you target.  Since these closed seasons usually correspond to the spawn, I think you'd be ok if were in a different part of the pond from where the spawning beds are but still using your bass rig to catch catfish or whatever.  However, if you're around a ton of bedded fish then you're sketchy.

[MarkH024]

So then it is just largely ignored, both by the fisherman and the DNR/Police (since people do it and talk about, but not in a way that would indicate they are breaking the rules)?

Correct, i never start my fishing in Wisconsin until season starts but many do.  I'll be up there this opener. And for what it's worth, Wisconsin DNR is awful at what they do. Prime example, the BASS Green Bay tournament last year. If you don't know about it, read and you'll understand what I mean. Not just that instance, but some of their decisions on lakes and weed management and everything else is just mind boggling. 

[hooah212002]

Correct, i never start my fishing in Wisconsin until season starts but many do.  I'll be up there this opener. And for what it's worth, Wisconsin DNR is awful at what they do. Prime example, the BASS Green Bay tournament last year. If you don't know about it, read and you'll understand what I mean. Not just that instance, but some of their decisions on lakes and weed management and everything else is just mind boggling. 

 

Thanks Mark. Ya know, for a Sox fan, you're alright.

[MarkH024]

Thanks Mark. Ya know, for a Sox fan, you're alright.

us FIB's gotta stick together.

[hooah212002]

us FIB's gotta stick together.

 

GO HAWKS!!!

[A-Rob]

Ya'll are lucky, my bass season starts 4th saturday in June 

Only this year one zone opened 3rd saturday in june

Still got a long wait to go

[A-Rob]

oh and in my zones, you'll get ticketed for INTENT to fish for a species outside of its season.

 

So if you are fishing for 'pike' and you are in the shallows during bass spawn with a jig...busted