Very interesting email from my counties Fisheries biologist (Fishing seasons)!

[Bassboss]

I recently emailed our local fisheries biologist about fishing season... He had some interesting things to say about the fishing seasons and why we have them. Here's what I had to say:

Ever since moving to Wisconsin (Shawano County), one or the biggest things that has bugged me is the fact that there are fishing seasons in place for all bass species. I just don't see a purpose for them? I can understand having a no harvest season for them during the spawn, but closing fishing for them altogether seems pointless to me. I fallow the laws none-the-less, but knowing "why" would sure make them easier to fallow! I fish the Upper and Lower Red Lakes of Gresham, and the fishing is well worth waiting for. Does having a closed season pay dividends to the fish as a species? I'm really interested in the science behind it as well.

Thanks for any information!

His reply:

Hi,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You bring up some interesting issues regarding Wisconsin fishing seasons. I believe their are a combination of factors behind the current statewide season that involve social factors as well as science but I think one of the driving factors is tradition. Many years ago when the seasons were established I believe the thought process was to give the fish a break and many citizens liked having a traditional opening day. Some of the science was to protect spawning fish like walleye, northern pike, and musky. I think over time the seasons just became entrenched as part of the fishing culture in our state. However, DNR has liberalized fishing seasons on many waters of the state (e.g. Winnebago System) but we've also established seasons for some fish that are particularly vulnerable during spawning time (e.g. bass, northern pike, walleye) on most inland water bodies. Their is some discussion among biologists that perhaps we could have year around fishing statewide as long as we have proper harvest limits in place (e.g. no harvest or extremely limited during spawning times for certain fish). However, this is also assuming that we have adequate enforcement of the regulations to coincide with the liberalized seasons.

Your questions came up at an interesting time since DNR is in the process of reviewing our entire regulatory structure as it pertains to seasons, refuges, bag and size limits. We are looking at ways to create more angling opportunities as well as simplifying regulations. You probably won't see major changes overnight due to changes in the legislative process for changing fishing/hunting regulations but we are working towards improving the current structure. Some of our questions pertaining to these issues will be asked as advisory questions at the next Spring Conservation Congress Meetings (held every April in each county) where all rule changes are proposed to the public. I encourage you to participate in that process. Otherwise, stay tuned you will probably see more on this over the coming months.....

Thanks for your input.

Al Niebur
Fisheries Biologist -


I find it interesting that the driving reason for a season, is the fishing culture that has developed over the years, rather then having a practical benefit for the species. I plan on attending the Conservation Congress Meeting to see what they have to say, and to see what I have to say.

Thoughts?

[joedog]

Thanks Bassboss for the share.
We had a thread awhile back, I may have even started it?
Anyway, the real stupidity comes from the opener is usually weeks before water temps even get warm enough to spawn. (bass not pike)
So the season has absolutely NO bearing on the actual spawn itself.
Bring that up at the meeting.

It is 100% TRADITION driven....The DNRs traditions, not the citizens.
Thanks again Sam

[Marty]

I'm glad that your biologist is responsive and I'm glad he didn't try to snow you with "facts" that really are opinions. We have seasons here in New York; we still do, but it wasn't until five years ago that it became legal to fish for bass on a catch-and-release basis during closed season.

For what it's worth, to the best of my knowledge, only about a half-dozen states have closed seasons.

[WatterBoy]

Originally Posted by joedog

Thanks Bassboss for the share.
We had a thread awhile back, I may have even started it?
Anyway, the real stupidity comes from the opener is usually weeks before water temps even get warm enough to spawn. (bass not pike)
So the season has absolutely NO bearing on the actual spawn itself.
Bring that up at the meeting.

It is 100% TRADITION driven....The DNRs traditions, not the citizens.
Thanks again Sam

Originally Posted by Marty

I'm glad that your biologist is responsive and I'm glad he didn't try to snow you with "facts" that really are opinions. We have seasons here in New York; we still do, but it wasn't until five years ago that it became legal to fish for bass on a catch-and-release basis during closed season.

For what it's worth, to the best of my knowledge, only about a half-dozen states have closed seasons.

Just be glad you don't live in MN. Bass season is closed here every year from the last part of February until the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Plus we have a "You may not intentionally fish for any species during its closed season." regulation to abide by as well. And this one doesn't impact me because I don't keep any bass I catch, but Smallmouth bass goes to a "catch and immediate release only" on a statewide basis the week after Labor Day every year.

[keithdog]

I'm impressed that you recieved an honest and detailed letter in return. I'm also soooo glad we don't have a closed season here in Indiana!

[rrw4258]

I'm with Keith, thank God we don't have a closed season, or I would go nuts.... We do have a closed season on Lake Erie for LM and SM but you can still catch and relase, which is what we do anyhow, so it is not really a closed season for me.

Ryan

[IowaBasser]

Originally Posted by WatterBoy

Just be glad you don't live in MN. Bass season is closed here every year from the last part of February until the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Plus we have a "You may not intentionally fish for any species during its closed season." regulation to abide by as well. And this one doesn't impact me because I don't keep any bass I catch, but Smallmouth bass goes to a "catch and immediate release only" on a statewide basis the week after Labor Day every year.

I used to fish in Minnesota with a buddy who lives up there. We always fished for Northern Pike during closed bass season. It just so happened that we fished for Northerns with bass lures in areas you might normally catch bass. (We also released all our fish.)

[Bryan]

I think closed seasons probably save the states a lot of time and money as far as enforcement.

They also probably benefit walleye and pike quite a bit, since those seasons usually open after the fish have spawned. Walleye can be easy pickings when they're thrashing around like lunatics in 6 inches of water.

The timing of the bass seasons are a little strange though, since they seem to open up before or during the spawn. Don't worry though, I make it my duty to head to MN on opening weekend every year to personally assess the condition of the bass population. After 2 weeks I check my "thumb gauge" to make a conclusion.

[Bassboss]

Glad you guys are finding this as interesting as I did.

Originally Posted by IowaBasser

I used to fish in Minnesota with a buddy who lives up there. We always fished for Northern Pike during closed bass season. It just so happened that we fished for Northerns with bass lures in areas you might normally catch bass. (We also released all our fish.)

That would well here, but the season for pike is the same for bass. A float n fly with a little crappie jig catches a couple bass here and there though.

[WatterBoy]

Originally Posted by IowaBasser

I used to fish in Minnesota with a buddy who lives up there. We always fished for Northern Pike during closed bass season. It just so happened that we fished for Northerns with bass lures in areas you might normally catch bass. (We also released all our fish.)

I never felt right about doing that, so if I fish pike before bass season is open, I throw "traditional" pike lures like daredevils or syclops, or else a sucker minnow under a bobber.

[WatterBoy]

Originally Posted by Bryan

I think closed seasons probably save the states a lot of time and money as far as enforcement.

They also probably benefit walleye and pike quite a bit, since those seasons usually open after the fish have spawned. Walleye can be easy pickings when they're thrashing around like lunatics in 6 inches of water.

The timing of the bass seasons are a little strange though, since they seem to open up before or during the spawn. Don't worry though, I make it my duty to head to MN on opening weekend every year to personally assess the condition of the bass population. After 2 weeks I check my "thumb gauge" to make a conclusion.

Thanks for checking on our bass population for us! What part of the state do you usually head to?

[Bryan]

Originally Posted by WatterBoy

Thanks for checking on our bass population for us! What part of the state do you usually head to?

Ottertail county.

[Marty]

Just be glad you don't live in MN. Bass season is closed here every year from the last part of February until the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Plus we have a "You may not intentionally fish for any species during its closed season." regulation to abide by as well. And this one doesn't impact me because I don't keep any bass I catch, but Smallmouth bass goes to a "catch and immediate release only" on a statewide basis the week after Labor Day every year.

We had the same thing here except the bass season doesn't open until the 3rd Saturday in June. When they started allowing out-of-season catch-and-release fishing, that was the best thing that ever happened to me in 40 years of fishing. Opening day used to be the most important date of the year for me; now I'm hardly aware of it because I never keep anything.

[MallenManson]

Originally Posted by Bassboss

I recently emailed our local fisheries biologist about fishing season... He had some interesting things to say about the fishing seasons and why we have them. Here's what I had to say:

Ever since moving to Wisconsin (Shawano County), one or the biggest things that has bugged me is the fact that there are fishing seasons in place for all bass species. I just don't see a purpose for them? I can understand having a no harvest season for them during the spawn, but closing fishing for them altogether seems pointless to me. I fallow the laws none-the-less, but knowing "why" would sure make them easier to fallow! I fish the Upper and Lower Red Lakes of Gresham, and the fishing is well worth waiting for. Does having a closed season pay dividends to the fish as a species? I'm really interested in the science behind it as well.

Thanks for any information!

His reply:

Hi,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You bring up some interesting issues regarding Wisconsin fishing seasons. I believe their are a combination of factors behind the current statewide season that involve social factors as well as science but I think one of the driving factors is tradition. Many years ago when the seasons were established I believe the thought process was to give the fish a break and many citizens liked having a traditional opening day. Some of the science was to protect spawning fish like walleye, northern pike, and musky. I think over time the seasons just became entrenched as part of the fishing culture in our state. However, DNR has liberalized fishing seasons on many waters of the state (e.g. Winnebago System) but we've also established seasons for some fish that are particularly vulnerable during spawning time (e.g. bass, northern pike, walleye) on most inland water bodies. Their is some discussion among biologists that perhaps we could have year around fishing statewide as long as we have proper harvest limits in place (e.g. no harvest or extremely limited during spawning times for certain fish). However, this is also assuming that we have adequate enforcement of the regulations to coincide with the liberalized seasons.

Your questions came up at an interesting time since DNR is in the process of reviewing our entire regulatory structure as it pertains to seasons, refuges, bag and size limits. We are looking at ways to create more angling opportunities as well as simplifying regulations. You probably won't see major changes overnight due to changes in the legislative process for changing fishing/hunting regulations but we are working towards improving the current structure. Some of our questions pertaining to these issues will be asked as advisory questions at the next Spring Conservation Congress Meetings (held every April in each county) where all rule changes are proposed to the public. I encourage you to participate in that process. Otherwise, stay tuned you will probably see more on this over the coming months.....

Thanks for your input.

Al Niebur
Fisheries Biologist -


I find it interesting that the driving reason for a season, is the fishing culture that has developed over the years, rather then having a practical benefit for the species. I plan on attending the Conservation Congress Meeting to see what they have to say, and to see what I have to say.

Thoughts?

Ummmm....yeah.....and people who fish from shore and buy licenses enjoy free fishing weekend too

[joedog]

For thse of you who don't have seasons, heres Wi.
This is for Bass.

Northern Zone - catch and release
First Saturday in May through the Friday preceding the third Saturday in June

Northern Zone - harvest
Third Saturday in June through the first Sunday in March of the following year



Southern Zone - harvest
First Saturday in May through the first Sunday in March of the following year.

So bass are only closed after the First Sunday in March till the first Sat. in May.

[MallenManson]

In Michigan, for almost all waters, Bass season runs from Saturday before Memorial Day-December 31st.
Immediate catch n release runs from last Saturday in April till regular season opener.

[joedog]

Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters - harvest

Third Saturday in June through November 30

[MallenManson]

Originally Posted by joedog

Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters - harvest

Third Saturday in June through November 30

We have one boundary water, and my kayak can't handle it too well

[MallenManson]

On a side note....give me enough Leinenkugels and I'll paddle out a little further!