Opener Moved Up

[tisosy11]

To May 5th? Is this official?

[uzbucket]

nothing on the dnr site, so I am assuming no...

MN Dnr fishin' seasons

[jolstadt]

It's an amendment on the fish and game bill. The amendment passed on a voice vote. However, it is my understanding the bill as a whole has not passed yet.

[goose89]

Passed the House. Up to the Senate.

[pushbutton]

I just put 20 bucks on the line(cost of backing out) and reserved a camper cabin in Big Bog. We'll see.....

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

This would be nice. Resorts could get more income too.

Hope it happens.

[jjohnson5150]

Could they really pull this off for this year considering there is a month to go?

[DTro]

While I think it’s a great idea to pop the cork early, you have to chuckle at the fact that they can just pick and choose whatever date they like.

Once again, for the millionth time. Have a harvest season and then have a non harvest season (C&R) the rest of the year (for all species). It’s a win/win. When you have a year like this you can still go fishing if you want to, or if we happen to have ice you can do that too. Why must the basis on all these discussions be on keeping fish and how many you can keep? I suspect the number of people that just want to get out and fish and not stock the freezer is much larger than people might think.

And I don’t buy the argument that a C&R season will kill or harass the fish. We are forced all year to throw back fish within a slot, so if that can be justified, than so can releasing everything during a non harvest season. We already close off special spawning areas to fishing to protect vulnerable fish, so that argument is out the window too.

It’s funny how very few walleyes are kept right now on the Rainy, but yet you literally have to wait in line to launch your boat, and rooms are pretty tough to come by. Not only that, but hundreds of people drive hours up there solely to catch a fish that you are required to immediately release (Sturgeon). So I also don’t buy the argument on the economic impact of being allowed to keep fish.

But whatever, it doesn’t affect me much anyways, I’ll still be out chasin cats and rough fish all year long while enjoying the beautiful weather and the peacefulness that is the MN river.

[bassfshin24]

Does anyone know if the bass season will be bumped up a week then too? I just cant believe I have to wait 2 months to hit the lakes.

[Craigums]

While I think it’s a great idea to pop the cork early, you have to chuckle at the fact that they can just pick and choose whatever date they like.

Once again, for the millionth time. Have a harvest season and then have a non harvest season (C&R) the rest of the year (for all species). It’s a win/win. When you have a year like this you can still go fishing if you want to, or if we happen to have ice you can do that too. Why must the basis on all these discussions be on keeping fish and how many you can keep? I suspect the number of people that just want to get out and fish and not stock the freezer is much larger than people might think.

And I don’t buy the argument that a C&R season will kill or harass the fish. We are forced all year to throw back fish within a slot, so if that can be justified, than so can releasing everything during a non harvest season. We already close off special spawning areas to fishing to protect vulnerable fish, so that argument is out the window too.

It’s funny how very few walleyes are kept right now on the Rainy, but yet you literally have to wait in line to launch your boat, and rooms are pretty tough to come by. Not only that, but hundreds of people drive hours up there solely to catch a fish that you are required to immediately release (Sturgeon). So I also don’t buy the argument on the economic impact of being allowed to keep fish.

But whatever, it doesn’t affect me much anyways, I’ll still be out chasin cats and rough fish all year long while enjoying the beautiful weather and the peacefulness that is the MN river.

[96trigger]

dTRO,

I agree with you 100%, great post.

[Farley]

Thats fine as long as it's metro\high pressure lakes only. But I think you'd have a hard time finding a resort owner/bait shop owner north of Mille Lacs that will support something like a C&R only season.

After re-reading, if you are talking about a C&R only during the current "off season", I would be comepletly down with that.

[TylerS]

Thats fine as long as it's metro\high pressure lakes only. But I think you'd have a hard time finding a resort owner/bait shop owner north of Mille Lacs that will support something like a C&R only season.

Really??? Business is business. Heck, they'd probably love it. That's more time on the water with clients, whether they can keep fish or not. Just get less people from Iowa and Wisconsin coming up to fill freezer and coolers, is all

[pushbutton]

It’s funny how very few walleyes are kept right now on the Rainy, but yet you literally have to wait in line to launch your boat, and rooms are pretty tough to come by. Not only that, but hundreds of people drive hours up there solely to catch a fish that you are required to immediately release (Sturgeon). So I also don’t buy the argument on the economic impact of being allowed to keep fish.

Pretty much catch and release up there right now.... you don't see them asking to shut the seasons down so the bait shops can have their supply chain fully functional. They have learned to make due, and people have adapted. Am pretty sure the lodges also appreciate the extra business

[PierBridge]

Interesting!

So would you guys go year round Catch and release open season on all Specie? Walleye, Bass, Muskie, Northern, Sturgeon, trout?

[pushbutton]

Everything but the Walleye, "them folks" seem to have the most problem with it

[Farley]

Interesting!

So would you guys go year round Catch and release open season on all Specie? Walleye, Bass, Muskie, Sturgeon, trout?

Gotta be able to keep walleyes. The others I dont eat so no problem there.

[pushbutton]

[leech~~]

I hate the idea! I think it is only going to hurt the resource by taking more fish off the spawning beds!

Plus my son Graduates collage on the 5th so I can't go!

[PierBridge]

Everything but the Walleye, "them folks" seem to have the most problem with it

HMMMM....I can think at of least 2 groups listed above that would have a much bigger problem with it then US Walleye guys...

As a matter of fact, and I'll concede first that the DNR is maybe a bit to cautious and extreme when it comes to there "OUR MN" management of the cash cow "EYE", I would say Walleye guys are the least anal or uptight then most of if not all the Specie factions, including some of the New age Specie Alliance/s that are popping up.

[bassfshin24]

Craigums....i know what you mean...ive been on Pool 2 6x this year already haha. I've caught some fish so that helps but would just love to fish the lakes early.

[DTro]

Yeah the choice between no business and some business would be pretty easy for me.

Never underestimate the power of a good bite. I guarantee you nobody is driving up to lake of the woods to keep 2 19” walleyes. They are all after 100 fish days and a chance at a fish that weighs in the teens. If all the sudden the DNR changed the regs to C&R only for the Rainy spring bite do you think it would change one thing? No way.

Now of course there is always the tradition of heading out on opener, filling the livewell, limiting out, and having a nice meal. I enjoy that just as much as the next guy. I feel a harvest season is very important. Not only for the tradition of fishing but also as a management tool. I would never be in favor of only catching and releasing. I just feel there is an opportunity to expand our season a little bit with little to no consequences.

[LMITOUT]

Interesting!

So would you guys go year round Catch and release open season on all Specie? Walleye, Bass, Muskie, Northern, Sturgeon, trout?

Yes.

[LMITOUT]

I hate the idea! I think it is only going to hurt the resource by taking more fish off the spawning beds!

Fairy tales and lies.

The problem is that this nonsense has been pounded into to people's heads all their lives and now they can't understand anything else.

[fisherjmb]

I am with you 100% Dtro. I wonder if the DNR doesn't want to do it because of the possible revenue stream of "fishing out of season" tickets bring in? Just a thought. Again, I wish they would make it C&R during the off season.

[leech~~]

Fairy tales and lies.

The problem is that this nonsense has been pounded into to people's heads all their lives and now they can't understand anything else.

LMITOUT, dude it was a Joke! read the fine print at the bottom on the post!

[Aaron Carrell]

From the Star Trib yesterday: (http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/146016325.html)

Minnesota's fishing season would be moved up a week to May 5 this year under a bill approved Tuesday by the Minnesota House.

The Senate still must OK the move, which the DNR says is unprecedented. The season now is set to open May 12.

"This is a bonus week of fishing, not a [new] fishing opener," said Rep. David Dill, DFL-Crane Lake, who offered the proposal in an amendment to a large game and fish bill. He said the proposal would only affect the 2012 season, not future seasons, and said the state should take advantage of what might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Because of the unusually warm spring and record ice-out, walleyes will spawn early this year, he said, so there should be no biological reason to not open the season earlier. Dill said some resort owners told him they don't want to open a week early.

"They don't have to," Dill said.

Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Landwehr said Monday that moving up the fishing opener shouldn't interfere with the spawning season, and he wouldn't have a problem with it.

Dill and Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, also noted that the regular fishing opener weekend clashes with Mother's Day this year, and moving it a week earlier will prevent that.

Meanwhile, if you're looking for ice in Minnesota, better head to the refrigerator. Most Minnesota lakes now are ice-free, shattering records. Lake Bemidji and Leech Lake went ice-free on Monday, setting records, while ice departed Lake Kabetogama, Namakan Lake and Lower Red Lake and Island Lake near Duluth on Sunday.

Most of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness also is open water. Also, little ice is on Lake Vermilion, but ice remains on Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake.

DOUG SMITH AND RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER

[LMITOUT]

I had to laugh the other day when I caught a press conference of the governor signing some sort of bill with a member of the Senate and House there as well. After it was over the press was asking questions and this subject of moving the opener came up so the Senator deferred the question to Landwehr (DNR) who was also there. He said that he had to check with his biologists to make sure that 'everything was OK' as far as the spawn before the DNR could green light this proposal. As soon as he was done speaking, the House Rep spoke up and said 'if anybody wants to fish, go to Rainy...a buddy of mine sent me a pic of a 11 pound walleye!' as he pulled up a pic on his phone to show the press.

Contradictory much?

ROFL.

I wish someone would have asked why it was legal to fish there but not anywhere else in the state...

[reinhard1]

moving it would be good and it should be permanent. why loose the income that goes to the cheeseheads for that week. that would be a shot in the arm for this state in certain buisness's. i think an increase in licence fees should go along with this bill as well. good luck.

[goose89]

How about we have no closed season for Walleye fishing, set the statewide limit at 4, and allow 2 lines per angler.

Never happen since it makes too much sense, but a guy can dream.