Smallie Regulation St. Cloud to Coon Rapids - your input

[smallie_hawgin]

Ok Folks,

The DNR has been doing quite a bit of work on the Mississippi River since the start of the regulation

(12-20 inch protected slot, 3 fish daily bag, with one fish over 20")for smallmouth bass in 1990. Xcel Energy has sampled the area around Monticello since 1978. We have biological evidence that there has been a statistically significant improvement in the smallmouth bass population between St. Cloud and Dayton. Much of the info can be found here DNR Montrose River Info

We had a recent creel survey last year between

St. Cloud and Coon Rapids. We probably talked to quite a few of you. I am trying to get an idea of your thoughts. From our interviews we found that 97% of you favored the regulation, and 94% of you would support extending this to Coon Rapids Dam. Even for anglers that fish the area between Dayton and Coon Rapids, 96% supported the regulation and 89% supported extending it to Coon Rapids Dam....

So what do you think?

A. Would you support extending the regulation to Coon Rapids Dam??

B. Leave the Regulation as is to Dayton?

The signs will be posted before the bass opener, and there will be public meetings this fall.

Your input is welcome.

Thanks in advance

[Mark Christianson]

A.

[polarsusd81]

A - for me as well.

[AaronM]

A

[fonz1958]

I didn't know the DNR was a democracy.....

[riverwader]

A.

[Keith_MN]

I vote "A" as well.

I would also like to see the upper end of the slot increased to 21". I think most smallie fishermen consider the 21" mark to be a true trophy; so let's protect the 20"ers so they have a chance to hit 21".

[Sartell Angler]

A

[Stick in Mud]

A.

[MSRiverdog]

I won't be able to eat Smallies anymore ya putz!!!

OPPS, I forgot I don't eat Bass, they taste terrible.

Never Mind.

I also vote A.

[Navigator]

A, based on the past two summers of hitting the clearwater area heavily. Good numbers of 16" to 18" fish can be found down stream and up stream of the bridge with an occasional 19"er. Curious to know how many people keep smallies. I can't remember talking to anyone at an access that kept even one fish.

I can't speak for the coon rapids area, I don't fish that far downstream. Is it just a size shift or are the numbers of fish lacking too?

[EBass]

A! Extend it from CR dam all the way north. Eat a burger - save a bass.

[Moses2531]

Is this for keeping trohpy smallies for the wall, or do some people target and keep these sport fish for a meal???

[rockman]

I gotta go with A,even though I don't fish that section much anymore.The better quality sized bronzebacks are there, in the river section west of the 101 bridge, for a reason.

[MSRiverdog]

 Originally Posted By: Navigator

Is it just a size shift or are the numbers of fish lacking too?

I beg to differ with you Nav, it's just different fishing when you have all the rec watercraft we have down here. I go upriver at the risk of my props and skegs because there are so may un thinking boater's down here. The fish are here and the pressure can be absorbed much better than above the bridge.

[Royce Aardahl]

A A A A

not much else to say

[Ducks and Fish]

A

If it was up to me it would be 100% catch and release. Problem with the regulation is it still isn't going to stop the people that keep every single fish they catch, regardless of size or species.

[Navigator]

The bridge I am talking about is at clearwater Jim. I have a feeling that your area and Sartell (above the papermill) must be real similar in the levels of rec traffic. That's probably why I am "trying" to find areas that are out of the way and over-looked. The search goes on.

[Trouthunter]

B

[UncleKes]

Dear Smallie: I would be in favor of extending it as far south as the Coon Rapids Dam. However, I would want the DNR to continue monitoring the smallie population that far south to make sure it does not become stressed to the point of annihilation as it did in the first place. Otherwise, well I love bronzebacks as much as the next guy, but I can wait another few years if it means giving them a chance to get restarted and healthy again in a certain area.

By the way, smallie. Kudo's for all the fine work you guys have done and are doing out their.

Take care;

Tight Lines;

Uncle Kes

[DancesWithWaves]

Although it doesnt directly affect me, or at least at the moment, i support extending any fishing regulations.

A

[river rat316]

I vote A I would also like to see the size increase to 21" imho thats what evryone shoots for, and they are very few and far in between! I also think the regs should extend up to the Orono dam on the Elk, numerous times I have seen people keeping good smallies at that dam, those should be protected in that area!

On a side note yes lots of people keep smallies, either legally outside the slot or illegally in the slot. The one time I actually fished with SH we were in the Clearwater stretch, he was retrieving his trailer and I was down by the boat, there was another couple there and asked them how they did, they said they caught some smallies but none were big enough to keep. They weren't infavor of the slot, they wanted a meal of 16-19"ers the lady told me and couldn't do it on this stretch. I have seen plenty of shore fisherman with quality smallies wasting away in buckets (not over 20"es though) and have even kicked over a couple buckets and called tip on a couple. I'm all for people keeping a meal of fish, but these fish are protected for a reason and should not be kept!

[huntfish44]

A...I would also like to see it go up to 21'' also...they are a great sport...furthermore the regulation should extend north of st.cloud too and go up to sartell or rice. This is prime fishing to and wouldnt hurt the size here also!!!

[onthejob2]

A

[fishgutz77]

The surveying goes back even further as the plant was being built they hired biologists to do extensive studies and the first shocking was done back then as well. I don't know if that info is available though. I caught my first Monti-smallie 40 years ago at the age of 8. 21 1/2"s is the largest fish I ever landed.

I'm all for extending "A" to pool 4.

Many years ago good smallie holes were worth keeping a secret and if you saw a certain lure maker coming up or down river I learned you'd better not let him see where you were fishing cause your litte fish'in hole would get burned up. I just laugh about it now cause I learned alot from that shocking boat too.

[misterj1954]

A

Continuation of the regulation should be a minimum step. I would be in favor of extending it from Coon Rapids to the Sartell dam. A trophy over 21" would be great for the wall, but why not do a photo and/or graphite replica instead? IMO there is no need to kill any of these smallies.

[Sartell Angler]

agree with you completely mister...a replica makes way more sense this day in age

[Dean Schellinger]

Exactly, those 20"er's don't fight to well for the next guy when they are up on your wall!

[Neighbor_guy]

A. IMO release them all.

[jipper]

I never keep any bass at all, But as far is the tournament is concerned, I would vote for B.