Still no bass fishing in Minnesota

[CM-fisher]

5 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

Haha. Drinking coffee as I read this.

So , you can’t fish at all? or You have to throw everything back? Or just throw bass back if you “accidentally “ catch one ? 

Because if you fish for other fish you might catch a bass by mistake?

Sorry, but I have no concept of a place where you can’t freshwater fish for part of the year.

 

Well, I guess I do partly understand: We have closed season almost all year for Red Snapper . Everyone ( except the people that “count”) know that red snapper are insanely numerous , and the season needs to at least be extended from TWO days a year...

 

I caught at 2.5 lb Largemouth with a crappie lure on my ultralight rod. After netting it, I threw it straight back. I always catch juvenile bass while fishing for crappie. It's just unavoidable

[MN Fisher]

45 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

I don't want to encourage any illegal activity, so I won't. But I could not live there. I would be in jail. Am I right in assuming you can fish private property?

If it's totally private - like a pond on a farm where the property totally encloses it - and there's no navigable stream running through it...ya.

 

Otherwise no...streams are considered public, and pond with a navigable stream entering, exiting, or both gets included as 'public waters'...and it's navigable if a canoe/kayak can traverse it without needing to be portaged across private property.

 

Ya, the law on 'public' vs 'private' water here is a little convoluted.

[roadwarrior]

Beg for a pardon and maybe you will be released.

 

                                                     

[gim]

I have lived here in MN most of my life.  It is something that we have simply learned to accept.  The state regulatory agency (that I worked for a couple years) is hell bent on protecting the state fish, the sacred walleye.  They will admit it.  They stock them in lakes that they don't do well in too, solely so people can catch and harvest them.  Bass are about 4th or 5th down the list in terms of priority here, and the data backs it up as only roughly 20% of all freshwater anglers specifically target bass here.  Walleye, Panfish, Trout, and then maybe Bass along with Muskie and Pike, in that order.

 

If you specifically target a fish out of season here, its illegal.  You can't even HAVE the tackle with you for fish out of season.  If you accidentally catch one or two, they understand that.  That's called by-catch or incidental catch.  If you start to hammer them, and you aren't catching any legal species (like crappie), you better move.  As MN Fisher stated, targeting a fish out of season has a stiff penalty.  You could lose equipment and your license to fish for a period of time.

 

That being said, I do think that eventually there will be a year-round season for bass and the portion that is closed now will be open for catch and release.  But its probably not gonna happen over night.

 

Lastly, for anyone that sits there on their computer and ******* about our laws, I challenge you to come here and fish sometime (during the open season).  Even with a closed season, we have more fish-able lakes and miles of river than almost any other state and the fishing is spectacular for a variety of species.  Mille Lacs lake was the top ranked bass lake in the entire country for a few years (yes, even ranked better than your lakes in Texas and Florida).  If you're lucky, you might even snag a coveted state fish called the walleye by accident too.

[FryDog62]

Agree with Gimruis and we do have outstanding lakes and rivers to fish. But it’s kinda like having a hot girlfriend you only see for about 5 months each year...

[Jig Rookie]

5 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

 

Meanwhile you can fish sunfish, crappies, etc... but not anything of size like a bass, pike, etc because the lures you throw for those might accidentally catch a walleye too and that could set in motion a domino effect and cause the Vikings lose their 5th Super Bowl you betcha...  

Absolute gold. 

[PhishLI]

Bass fishing is closed here between May1-Jun 4, but there are 4 places open for C&R. One's 4 acres, and all but dried up. Two are 8am thru dusk, and kayaks only. The last one allows boats with electric motors, but it's 70 miles east of me and is loaded with anglers right now, especially on weekends.

 

My friend has a brother who's a DNR officer. Around here they're all state troopers, and they don't tend to have a sense of humor. The word came down through the pipeline that the DEC has given them the green light to really hammer anyone caught in the act, and they're also watching local FB pages closely. They're specifically not accepting the "just fishing for Pickerel" line this year. If you're caught with anything other than panfish baits they'll be confiscating your gear and issuing fines. Get lippy and you might get locked up. A 4" Senko will be considered a bass bait. My buddy was Walleye fishing with bass baits, as he always does, and got pressed seriously. Lucky for him his phone's gallery was loaded with Walleye pictures, so they let him slide. They also told him not to come back and be caught with anything other than tiny jerkbaits or cranks or they'd bust him next time.

 

Even with this info being posted on FB, some dudes are still defiantly posting pics that clearly show that they're not at the open lakes. Nobody I associate with is that bold.

[Jig Rookie]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I have lived here in MN most of my life.  It is something that we have simply learned to accept.  The state regulatory agency (that I worked for a couple years) is hell bent on protecting the state fish, the sacred walleye.  They will admit it.  They stock them in lakes that they don't do well in too, solely so people can catch and harvest them.  Bass are about 4th or 5th down the list in terms of priority here, and the data backs it up as only roughly 20% of all freshwater anglers specifically target bass here.  Walleye, Panfish, Trout, and then maybe Bass along with Muskie and Pike, in that order.

 

If you specifically target a fish out of season here, its illegal.  You can't even HAVE the tackle with you for fish out of season.  If you accidentally catch one or two, they understand that.  That's called by-catch or incidental catch.  If you start to hammer them, and you aren't catching any legal species (like crappie), you better move.  As MN Fisher stated, targeting a fish out of season has a stiff penalty.  You could lose equipment and your license to fish for a period of time.

 

That being said, I do think that eventually there will be a year-round season for bass and the portion that is closed now will be open for catch and release.  But its probably not gonna happen over night.

 

Lastly, for anyone that sits there on their computer and ******* about our laws, I challenge you to come here and fish sometime (during the open season).  Even with a closed season, we have more fish-able lakes and miles of river than almost any other state and the fishing is spectacular for a variety of species.  Mille Lacs lake was the top ranked bass lake in the entire country for a few years (yes, even ranked better than your lakes in Texas and Florida).  If you're lucky, you might even snag a coveted state fish called the walleye by accident too.

Geez Louise, Gim, you stickin nothing but trophies out there!! I always hear the bass are smaller way up north, sure can't tell from those pics.

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

My friend has a brother who's a DNR officer. Around here they're all state troopers, and they don't tend to have a sense of humor.

Ya - our DNR-EOs have the same rights of arrest as state troopers.

[PhishLI]

4 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya - our DNR-EOs have the same rights of arrest as state troopers.

The state trooper uniform gets everyone's attention around here, as does the sidearm which is typically a Glock. 

[N Florida Mike]

4 hours ago, Jig Rookie said:

Bass are about 4th or 5th down the list in terms of priority here,

Then why are they so regulated? Just curious...

[MN Fisher]

11 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

Then why are they so regulated? Just curious...

Because bass IS five down from the top...they're not worried about the 20% of game fisher-people...they care more about the walleye/northern/musky chasers and the people who come from all over to hunt down those three species.

 

Plus they're still working off old, outdated data that says 'catching a game fish during their spawn period is bad for the species'. And since they rarely stock bass - a few thousand over the last ten years as opposed to millions of the other three - they keep bass under a tight lid.

[soflabasser]

Florida has much better fishing than Minnesota and Florida's fishing laws are much more reasonable. 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

Florida has much better fishing than Minnesota and Florida's fishing laws are much more reasonable. 

I'll take our 'lesser' fishing over the sauna that is Florida in the summer.

 

Yes, I've been there - in-laws live in Ocala, use to live in Boca.

[soflabasser]

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I'll take our 'lesser' fishing over the sauna that is Florida in the summer.

 

Yes, I've been there - in-laws live in Ocala, use to live in Boca.

I will keep living in the fishing tropical paradise that Florida is where I can fish for hundreds of species of fish whenever I want. You can keep your walleyes, I prefer eating saltwater fish. I can bass fish whenever I want in Florida since the bass fishing laws are reasonable here. 4-7 pound bass are a common catch with a good chance at a 8 pound or better bass. 

[MN Fisher]

14 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

tropical paradise that Florida is

See that raises the other issue. I'm 'allergic' to the tropics...I'm susceptible to heat-stroke...suffered it before.

 

When it gets 90 and above here in MN - all I can do is sit in the coldest part of my air-conditioned house and wait it out. So 3-5 days a year.

 

How many days would I be 'laid up' in FL? Too many.

 

6 months of winter - or 6 months of medically imposed isolation....I'll take the cold.

[soflabasser]

7 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

See that raises the other issue. I'm 'allergic' to the tropics...I'm susceptible to heat-stroke...suffered it before.

 

When it gets 90 and above here in MN - all I can do is sit in the coldest part of my air-conditioned house and wait it out. So 3-5 days a year.

I understand, in your case it is best to stay in Minnesota since the weather is better for you. It does get hot where I live but so does the fishing which makes taking the heat much easier. Fishing during low light periods, being in the shade, staying hydrated, and keeping fishing trips short is best during the Summer.

[gim]

57 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

You can keep your walleyes, I prefer eating saltwater fish.

I’ve only been saltwater fishing twice. They were both in Florida in the late winter/early spring. It was an incredible experience both times and it’s something I hope to do again. We didn’t really target fish to eat, but we did keep one fish each trip for the resort grill to prepare and it was a heck of a lot better than walleye. I have never bass fished there but I have no doubt that it’s excellent. The tropical steamy summers would be too much for me though. And I worry about hurricanes too. So for now, I’ll continue living here in the frozen north but infrequently enjoy a visit to the sunshine state to do battle with a redfish, tarpon, or jack. I hope that is OK.

[CM-fisher]

45 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I'll take our 'lesser' fishing over the sauna that is Florida in the summer.

 

Yes, I've been there - in-laws live in Ocala, use to live in Boca.

For me, it's worth it to stay in MN because of ice fishing. I don't mind the cold, but I do mind having to wait until mid-May (wasting perfect weather) to go Bass fishing

7 hours ago, Jig Rookie said:

Geez Louise, Gim, you stickin nothing but trophies out there!! I always hear the bass are smaller way up north, sure can't tell from those pics.

I fish pressured south metro lakes and can still consistently pull out 3 pounders easily with the right gear and location. Just no absolute donkeys (like 6+ lbs)

[FryDog62]

Racked up some more panfish today... makin’ lemonade out of lemons

[MN Fisher]

Just now, FryDog62 said:

Racked up some more panfish today... makin’ lemonade out of lemons

Dinner is served...some nice ones there.

[Deephaven]

2 hours ago, soflabasser said:

Florida has much better fishing than Minnesota and Florida's fishing laws are much more reasonable. 

Floridians however ruin the state for everyone.

 

Boat is rigged and ready to go.  Tomorrow has been a long time coming!

[soflabasser]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I’ve only been saltwater fishing twice. They were both in Florida in the late winter/early spring. It was an incredible experience both times and it’s something I hope to do again. We didn’t really target fish to eat, but we did keep one fish each trip for the resort grill to prepare and it was a heck of a lot better than walleye. I have never bass fished there but I have no doubt that it’s excellent. The tropical steamy summers would be too much for me though. 

I would travel to Florida during the Winter as well if I lived up north. Yes there are many saltwater fish that taste much better than walleye such as snapper, mahi mahi, etc. The Summer heat is not as bad as some say it is you just have to know when to fish. Best time to fish during the Summer is during low light periods, stay hydrated, fish in the shade when possible, and keep the fishing trips short. It sure beats not fishing for several months because of hard water or some states that do not allow bass fishing in certain times of the year. With that said Florida has millions of people that fish very year with reasonable bass fishing laws and the fishing is still amazing. Maybe one day your home state will be more reasonsable when it comes to its bass fishing regulations and allow bass fishing any time of the year.

[Vilas15]

On 5/13/2021 at 11:06 PM, FryDog62 said:

Check that, Wisconsin has already been open for catch n release for a couple years now... I know dozens of Minnesotans that have been over there fishing several times already. Meanwhile, we’re just making lefse and tapping trees for syrup here in Minne... 

Year round C&R for bass just started last year in april 2020.

 

The only argument i can see against it is it makes the walleye closed season harder to enforce. Previously if you had anything other than panfish tackle it was obvious you were targeting something out of season (bass/walleye/pike). Now you can catch walleye and argue you're after bass. And the people breaking those rules wont be releasing any walleye, just hiding them in the boat.

[LCG]

I live in Southern Ontario and we have some of the strictest laws and seasons. I don't for the life of me understand it.

 

Majority of people catch and release, why not just have a year round catch and release season. Then an open catch and keep season. Seems much simpler and clear cut than catching a bass on a crappie jig and fearing some serious fines and /or siezure of all equipment and license.