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Posted

hey everyone,was wondering if anyone fishes for smallies in winter on mille lacs.since the walleye fishing has been slow i was thinking of trying something different.I know that bass in general are not very active in winter,just wondering what kind of structure should i look for how deep and bait prefrence. thanks JAYSUPNORTH

Posted

Might want to check and see if it's legal to target them there smallies this time of year.

Jim W

Posted

Whats wrong with keeping a smallie?

Posted

nothing just dont eat bass, power to ya if you like em

Posted

If you are under the age of 35, then you've probably been fishing within the era of B.A.S.S. and therefore think that not releasing a bass is bad for the soul (I tend to agree) but from what I've been told, smallmouth taste awful. At least there is one thing about them I wouldn't like.... wink.gif

[This message has been edited by irvingdog (edited 01-28-2003).]

Posted

i have heard smallies taste great, i donno who would say they taste bad.
everyone says rock bass taste bad and i actually think they taste aight. to me they dont taste that much different than any other fish. i used to catch them when i was littler and keep them, i dont anymore.

Posted

the regulations say that you cant harvest them from them sept 9 2002 till the end of the season so is there special regs on mille lacs that i didnt see

Posted

Glad you checked. Wasn't sure if there were special regs for them is all. I love my smallies!!!

Jim W

Posted

yes i love smallies to i would never even think of keeping one never caught one through the ice and thought it would be cool see ya jaysupnorth

Posted

I have gotten smallies tip-up fishing on the rocks in some of the same places i target in open water.Shequamegon bay can hold huge schools of smallies through the ice, and i have had some of the best days of my life running into them while trout fishing. smallies actually taste very good and would probably be even better out of cold water. and another thing, this must be the 10th time on this site i have seen someone who dosen't know the smallie regs and certainely dosen't fish for them much has tried to tell people that they should know the regs. it is very simple after sept 9, all catch and release. and any serious smallie angler should release most fish anyway!

Posted

Technically,
It isn't even legal to "target" them since the season is closed. But I guess it is pretty hard to prove intent to "target".

Also, SM Bass taste great! I will eat them on BWCA trips, but nothing over 12"
I even had a friend who refused to try bass like them. I had him taste some walleye, and then some SMBass. He said the walleye didn;t have any flavor, and the bass was sweeter.

Have fun fishing.

Posted

Nels, the season for smallmouth bass is still open. An angler can target this species but can not harvest any after Sept. 9.

Just a friendly reminder.
Goodluck Jbug

Posted

Saw a picture last weekend of a fella with a hog smallie he caught the weekend before out of Wilderness.

Posted

After my last post, I debated in my mind whether or not the way the regulations read amount to a closed season for SM Bass after Sept. 9th.
I decided to call the DNR (651-296-6157).
After listening to a recording for about 10 minutes, a live person came on.
I asked him if it was illegal to target SM Bass right now, since it is after Sept. 9th.
He said Yes, it is illegal because it is a closed season for SM Bass right now, and it is illegal to intentionally target a fish during its closed season.
Perhaps another DNR person might tell you otherwise.

Once the season opens again, I will be up in the BWCA catching(and releasing)the big girls.
33%20brian%20bbbig%20horizontal.jpg?mtbr
I hope to make it to Mille Lacs as well.

Have fun..
Nels


[This message has been edited by Nels (edited 02-04-2003).]

Posted

hey nels that sure is a beauty ever use the fly rod up there? nothing better than a smallie on a popper fly.

Posted

TRZ,

Yup, I know nothin' about smallmouth fishing!
Thanks for setting me straight!lol


Jim W

[This message has been edited by Jim W (edited 02-04-2003).]

Posted

I'm not trying to stir the pot here, but the DNR person is wrong. Page 13 of the Minnesota fishing regulations clearly states the season for smallmouth bass. Season runs May 25, 2002 to February 16, 2003 with no harvest of smallmouth bass from September 9, 2002 through the end of the season.

Good Luck JBug

Posted

hey jaysupnorth what ever you do i hope the fishing gods are with you GOOD LUCK!

Posted

I have been checked by a CO on mille lacs while smallie fishing after sept. 9, and we said we were after smallies andhe didn't say anything, i also see several guides smallie fishing up there in october, i don't think they would risk anykind of trouble while guiding.

Posted

I kind of figured that would happen.
Maybe someday all CO's will have the same interpretations...

OK, Maybe not wink.gif

Have fun fishing

Posted

Obviously it is not that clear to everyone.. even the DNR.

I stated that to the DNR person specifically the way it reads on page 13. He still said that it is a closed season for SM Bass, and hence no targeting.

If it was intended to be catch and release, perhaps they could have written it like they do for stream trout on page 19(2003regs).
Anyways, I guess this is something you could argue in court if you were ever ticketed. I don't want to take that chance.
I guess you could go to the Minnesota State Stautes and read what the definitions for "Open Season", "Closed Season", "Taking" and "Angling" are, but you still could argue either way since there are multiple descriptive words under "Taking".

Oh yeah, did I mention I like to play Devil's Advocate?

Have fun...

[This message has been edited by Nels (edited 02-05-2003).]

Posted

Ah...the good ol' DNR. Everyone has their own opinion. I suspect you spoke with someone who works in an office and never sets foot outside. Nels, you would NOT be taking any chances fishing for smallies. Jitterbug is correct. So is the CO that TRZ met. The season is open from May 25, '02 - Feb. 16, '03. That's the season. You cannot keep any on or after Sept. 9, '02. It's just catch and release after that. But it is clear that the season is until the 16th of Feb. Have fun fishing!

Posted

I'm sure more CO's would lean toward what you just wrote. I just don't think the Regs. are consistent. Why don't they just specifically use the wording "SM Bass Catch and Release only from Sep9-Feb16" like they do for certain trout seasons, and some of the border waters (see MN-WI St.Croix above Taylor's Falls).
I can't imagine anyone being cited or hauled into court for breaking the "intent-while out of season" law---What would be the proof?
Sure, I could intend to fish for Pike during the closed season, and just say I was intending to catch a monster Crappie.

And JAYSUPNORTH, I've only fished with a flyrod once on the St. Croix. So many techniques... So little time (or money.. or wife's approval)

Posted

the regulation signs on mille lacs specifically say the season is catch & release after sept.9, whic is nice. Jim W. i don't know if you are a guide or what but if you are, you really don't know much about smallmouth do you.

Posted

Glad to hear that it is specifically stated as catch and release.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  There is still some good ice fishing to take advantage of if you still have that itch and want to ice some walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, maybe an eelpout and certainly big pike.     Being up on the Canadian border, the colder temps Lake of the Woods enjoys vs much of the region combined with three feet of ice makes a big difference.  Fish houses are allowed unattended overnight through March 31st.  Some resorts have called it a season, but other resorts still have fish houses out, are still fishing and have availability.     Fishing reports have been good.  Numbers of walleyes, saugers and perch.  Using electronics is super helpful with some larger walleyes swimming through suspended.    It was a great week of pike fishing for most.  Good numbers of fish and some big fish tipping that 40 inch mark coming topside.  Suckers, frozen alewife and smelt are working well. Putting baits 1 foot under the ice or right off bottom has been effective.  Most pike anglers are fishing in depths, 9 - 15 feet. On the Rainy River...  The Rain River is still frozen from Nelson Park at Birchdale, MN (30 miles east of Baudette) and to the west, which is where most anglers spring fish.  The ice is showing signs of deteriorating in places.  The river is open water about 20 miles east of Birchdale near Loman.  Things are happening.   A good reminder, as of March 1st, walleyes and saugers are catch and release only on Four Mile Bay and the Rainy River.   Sturgeon fishing.  Once the open water appears, sturgeon are active.  Here are the seasons...   -Catch and Release Season: May 8th – May 15th and October 1 – April 23rd. -Harvest Season: April 24th – May 7th and July 1 – September 30. -Closed Season: May 16th – June 30th. Up at the Northwest Angle...  Fishing remains very good up at the Angle.  There is still some ice fishing happening with some, and others have called it a season.  Call ahead if you have that itch for one last ice fishing trip.   Walleyes, saugers, perch, crappies and pike are in good numbers.   The walleye and sauger season is open through April 14th. Pike fishing never closes, and perch and crappie remain open year-round as well.  You can fish for sturgeon through May 15th.  
    • mdogdaddy
      I'll go with April 22nd
    • smurfy
      what area.....there are already some in  the southern part of the state ice free.    northern part of the state..i'll go with april 10th!!!!!
    • smurfy
      🤣 mayhaps your looking in all the wrong places!!!!!!!🙄😉
    • SkunkedAgain
      It's that time of year again. What are your predictions for ice out this year?   I'll guess exactly one month from today - April 18th. Fishing opener is a little earlier this year so hopefully we aren't running up against the clock.
    • Kettle
      Ya know I typically don't cruise through Inger too often. Still looking for a plastic, orthopedic or cardiothoracic surgeon so I can be a stay at home husband and catch walleye every day. Not a whole lot of those in this neck of the woods 😆
    • smurfy
      ran into an old famous feller today at the grocery store.......spent about 20 minutes BS'ing with the world famous icehawk.   yea he still hunts and fishes more then he works!!!!!!! 🤣
    • SkunkedAgain
      I love fileting out a good pike, or pickling it. Good eating.
    • smurfy
      Zo you don't see anything like that up your way?? Like from Inger maybe!🤣
    • Kettle
      Very chesty looking hen... also some interesting lash extensions. Looks like the ladies I used to see when I worked in the hood on an ambulance a dozen years ago 
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