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Smallmouth Regulation Reminder


BigMike

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Just a reminder to everyone, the DNR regulations state: "no harvest of smallmouth bass is allowed from September 13, 2004 through the end of the season. All smallmouth bass taken during this period must be immediately returned to the water."

I know a lot of us practice catch and release already, but now it is manditory for everyone until next year.

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Mike
TJ Tackle Pro-Staff

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I went out above Sartell last Saturday morning. There was a guy fishing for smallies right from the loading dock. He had 5 on a stringer, and he caught a sixth one while I was launching. Guessed it to be over 15 inch. The rest all looked smaller. Anyway, he told me he was going to take them over to his parents house, as they liked smallies.

He was a decent guy, and in conversation I snuck in about release-only "sometime in mid-September" I myself always release all small mouths, so I actually did not know the exact date. He knew the regs and the exact date, so I felt confortable about him staying legal. Anyway, he was the first person I have seen keeping smallies.

I mostly target for walleyes. But usually end up with some nice crappies lately. I do know when the smallies start hitting in the deeper water, they are a blast. And usually end up with quite a few running over 18 inches.

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My very own dad keeps smallies to eat. In his words, "They're delicious! Plus then you don't have deal with all the bones in a pike."

I just shake my head. He doesn't get to fish much these days and just wants a fish fry. Everyone had their own perspective but as long as it's with in the laws set by the DNR who am I to say? Plus they were from some lake up nort and not a river smallie. He knows I don't like it when they keep em.

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My friend will keep any game fish he catches for food. I'll be sure to remind him about the smallie season being C&R only now.

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BM

Thanks very much for the reminder to all.

PS - Smallmouth taste like old leather boots anyway.

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No problem EB. I don't know too many guys that keep smallmouth, but they are out there. This policy really helps protect the smallies!

I like the policy they have on a big section of the upper 'sippi, it's a protected slot from June 1 to Sept. 13: "From the confluence of the Crow River upstream to the St. Cloud Dam, the possession limit is 3, with only 1 over 20". All from 12" through 20" must be immediately returned to the water." This really helps protect our future of smallie fishing on the 'sippi for those that don't already C&R. If you think about it, it's only 3.5 months out of 12 that you can legally keep a smallmouth - what other states have good protections like that. Thanks DNR grin.gif!!! I love that stretch!

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Mike
TJ Tackle Pro-Staff

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to play the devil's advocate here for one brief moment---

two years ago in the BWCA we went up with a group of eight people (most were experienced fishermen)..... on one of our nights we managed to catch a couple fish, keeping two smaller smallmouth, two walleyes, and two northerns....... i filleted the fish into finger-style bites to disguise their origins, battered and fried em up....... we had a taste test of sorts among the eight of us..... really more of a contest to see if anyone could decide which was which..... only the chef knew the truth.....

not one person in the group could discern correctly which was what.... i would challenge you to do the same..... my theory is walleyes are so cherished because they are so easy to clean.... no hard backbone like the smallies, and no y-bones like the pike.... if you are keeping smaller fish, they all taste great......

then again my experience could be an anomally, as i only keep fish in the Bdub for a meal per trip, so i can't comment on local smallies and northern..... could be sumthin in the water up there (hopefully not mercury)......

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EBass,

We must be twins who were seperated at birth because my dad says the exact same thing! He just about hemorrages at the thought of returning a big fish to the water. Took him on the river a few years ago and he insisted on keeping some for dinner. I capitulated (he is my dad after all!) and let him keep HIS limit of 8"-10" fish. He claims they were delicious.

Afterward my son, who was about 8 at the time commented about fishing being more than keeping fish to eat. He couldn't understand his grandpa wanting to keep a fish that you can't even order in a restaurant like you can with walleyes. Talk about your generation gaps. In case any of you are wondering, I haven't taken my dad out since that day.

[This message has been edited by sakman (edited 09-16-2004).]

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