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Targeting Spawning bass?


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I was wondering if there is a law in Minnesota about targeting Bass while on their spawning bed. Some of the posts in another topic suggest that it is against the law.
I dont want to get a ticket.
Before someone jumps my case about catching spawning bass let me put in my two cents.
In Texas I would target spawning fish, but C&R only. I dont like the idea of people keeping ANY spawning fish. I perfer to target prespawn Bass because they are in feeding mode.
I just want to know if it is illegal in MN. I didnt find anything about it in the DNR 2004 regulations.

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All cold and no warmth makes Danny a dull boy.. all cold and no warmth makes danny a dull boy... all cold and no warmth makes danny a dull boy... all cold and no warmth makes danny a dull boy........

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dan i believe if the seasons open you can,you might have opened up a big can of whoop a?>>>> with this topic HA ha

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Dan... you shouldn't (ethically) target spawning bass because you may harm the spawn (cycle)...on last Saturday's "Fan Outdoors" (KFAN-1130AM) program they (Rob Dreislein, Terry Tuma and guests) discussed this very topic...and they stated that studies have shown that bass don't always return to their beds once disturbed and some females suffer severe distress that will cause them to miss the spawn. Other fish vacate the area because they are disturbed and threatened...so, if you love bass, let them be!!! The season will come soon enough...and if you're a good bass fisherman, you should catch them, regardless of time of year...right? Just watch Bill Dance work his magic...

All this concern and respect, from a walleye fisherman!...oh well, that's just how I feel about "targeting" vulnerable, I mean!, spawning fish... grin.gif--Andy

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"I fish. Therefore, I am...and still I buy my fish at Cub Foods!!"

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I think I know who will chime in here. Afterall he knows more than the fisheries biologists at the DNR. In the interim between now and ice out, oppps, I mean opener I can't wait to go bassin' again.

-And yes, I do catch bass while I'm fishing for crappies in the spring. I'm not talking about exploiting a loophole here folks(as some would suggest), but it does happen.

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"Let your conscience be your guide"

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Way to go Dan, you just opened a can of worms here! I think you shouldn't target the spawning bass when you don't have to, there is enough time in the season to fish for them. just my .02 cents

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Like I said, I prefer to target the prespawners, they are looking to feed and are easier to catch. I have mixed feeling about targeting the spawners. I dont go looking for them, when I see one I admit I'm curious to see If i can catch him. My concern in catching him would be the nest might get rob.
I really dont want a ticket, that is why I asked. I will stick to the prespawn fish and wont bring in any nesters to the weight-in. smile.gif

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It's not illeagle to fish them, if the seasons open. It's just VERY easy to catch them when their on the beds. They hit anything in site. I caught one guy three times in one day when I was a kid on Med. lk. We where good friends. I think he knew I'd let him go so he always was willing to play. Same with any fish at their most vulnerable time. For some it's pre-spawn. For some it's the spawn. Some even do pretty good post spawn. It seems that from mid April through mid June there is some species that is just ripe for the picking, and everyone thinks they're Al Lindner or Rollin Martin when they finaly figure it out.

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If the season is open, you can fish for them legally (they are usually still spawning during the opener).

It is illegal in MN to target bass out of season however. Not just illegal to keep them out of season, but illegal to fish for them during the closed season.

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There you go...now quit the "bass out of season" topics just for "something to do"...you know it just angers people by starting a controversial topic...heck, it's not even controversial...it's illegal!! All it does is depict you in a poor light...and we can't have that in our fishing league...we gotta respect the rules and the season's...All the time! Dan, you're in Minnesota now, so leave Texas behind!!! grin.gif

[This message has been edited by ackotz (edited 02-13-2004).]

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WOW there pilgram!!
I never said I was going to fish out of season. I just wanted to know what the law was. I want to be in full compliance.
BTW I caught the biggest smallie of my life today (23 inches), what a beautiful fish. Good thing I let him go so I can catch him this summer. What a great way to close the season grin.gif

[This message has been edited by dan2957 (edited 02-14-2004).]

[This message has been edited by dan2957 (edited 02-14-2004).]

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10-4 Dan...just keepin' an eye on ya! wink.gif...looking forward to getting the boat prepped (actually need some welding done soon!) for the league. I got my hours switched to Sunday night through Thursday night...so I can fish the weekends...weekdays might be tough for me. We'll see how the meetings go...and it's "pilgrim" to you, sir.

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"I fish. Therefore, I am...(and yet, my most consistent catches come at Cub Foods!!)"

[This message has been edited by ackotz (edited 02-14-2004).]

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We need a spell check on this thing wink.gifAndy let me know how the boat welding search goes, I need to get some welding done on one of my boats too.

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Congrats on a HUGE SMB. You don't have to tell, it's not like I'm prying or anything. I mean I'd never beg, but, was it out of the old Miss.?

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Thanks for the congrats. Dont really want to broadcast it here, I might fill you in via email......maybe... wink.gif

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You know I would jump in sooner or later. As others have said, once bass open it is open season on bass spawning or otherwise and they are usually getting on the beds right about the time the season opens.

So lets see it is unethical to incidently catch bass while they are not in season if you enjoy it and now some think it is unethical to catch them on purpose in season because they think it will hurt the spawn. So I guess all the ethical Bass fisherman can do is not fish any shallow water prior to July?

And whoever says catching fish when they are on the beds is easy is right only part of the time. Bedded fish can also be very finicky and difficult to catch requiring a great deal of patience. My theory on why bedding fish are so easy when they are easy is that the fisherman has found a spawning area full of Pre-spawners that are still on the feed and the competition for the beds is not settled yet even though you see fish on beds. It's really a late pre-spawn bite rather than spawn bite that is really good. When the spawn kicks in the bite gets a lot tougher in my experience. It can go from phenominal to just pretty good or even lack luster in a day. And if you don't hit it right all the big females have come and gone.

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Just like a preacher...he just won't shut up! I'm done with his phony sermon's...got better things to do, anyway...like clean out the litter box...at least that smells better!!! grin.gif

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What chu talking about willis?????

Fishface, get some sleep. Hope this is not your busy week.

[This message has been edited by walleyehawk (edited 02-16-2004).]

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Pout Preacher:

Boy, is the Walrus gonna be upset that you took this name before he thought of it.

Did you officiate the services up at Walker this weekend?

Ya, you know things are bad for the basspaster when even his friends are wearing masks. smile.gif

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I was just thinking about this:
"...on last Saturday's "Fan Outdoors" (KFAN-1130AM) program they (Rob Dreislein, Terry Tuma and guests) discussed this very topic...and they stated that studies have shown that bass don't always return to their beds once disturbed and some females suffer severe distress that will cause them to miss the spawn. Other fish vacate the area because they are disturbed and threatened...so, if you love bass, let them be!!!"

Why would Drieslen and Tuma be discussing this topic at this time of year? Then it hit me. It probably has something to do with the BASS Federation proposal to open largemouth for C&R fishing when they are not in season.

I think fishing beds and being allowed to fish during the pre-spawn are far different issues. The ice gets off lakes in early to mid April and generally MN bass will not start spawning until mid May, thus there is a month or more where the bass are not "on the beds." Also the "studies" refered to earlier were done on Smallies in infertile Canadian Shield lakes, which bear little likeness to most MN Largemouth bass fisheries.

The issues of fishing beds and pre-spawners is totally different in my mind. As said before in many years the bass will just be getting on the beds when the MN bass season opens.

If I were Govenor or DNR commish, I would have bass closed only for the last two weeks of May and First week of June and I would do something about getting the FLW and BASS trails up to Leech, Vermillion, LOW or Pokegama at least once every year.

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