bass season.why so late and & short?

[Dara]

Lets be serious here, I think the large majority of the members of this community would be willing to pay 500+ dollars a year to buy a fishing license if it meant that enforcement was extremely strict and seasons were open with limitations regarding catch and release. But lets be honest, that would never happen although I wish it would.

 

 

Don't put me on that list..Its too much now as far as i'm concerned

[Stoty]

Opening them all year would have very minimal effect oj their population, at least in most areas of Ontario where essentially no one fished for them. Walleye, our most coveted fish, are only closed for 6 weeks in most zones yet they shut down bass for 6 freakin months. What a joke!

 

AMEN!!!

Couldn't agree more!

Should be open all year round. Populations are more than healthy, and like stated, not many people "target" them for the table.

[huzzsaba]

Why is it that people don't take them for the table? I have never tried bass, but is it because they don't taste good?

 

I also read something about people don't keep them out of respect since their growth is slow and supposedly a 14-15 incher is suppose to be over 10 years old?!?

Edited June 3, 2015 by huzzsaba

[Freshtrax]

Worms down south. I will eat a smalllies out of a cold lake or river.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Freshtrax

[Joeytier]

Smallies are good eating fish. A step below walleye or perch, but I definitely like to take home a few smallies whenever I get them.

[manitoubass2]

I dont eat smallie here unless deep hooked.

 

Too shallow around here. Flesh is soft.

 

Taste isnt bad on most at the right time of year.

 

In warm waters and shallow they not only have soft flesh but they taste like mud.

 

Kinda weird cause around here those fish are feeding on crawfish(delicious), youd think they would taste awesome

[crappieperchhunter]

Smallies out of colder water are great table fare. A good feed my brother and I caught in May one year on a walleye trip that went badly...in an area with a full year open bass season..is still rated by BOTH of us as one of the best fish fries we have ever shared.

 

I have never been able to understand why they are closed for as long as they are in most areas

[MrSimon]

At Happy Day Lodge the owner encouraged us to release the walleye and eat the bass ... since the bass are ridiculously abundant in that lake and walleye is far and away the more sought after fish by guests.

 

I thought that made sense so we ate some. They were delicious! Fried up in a fish taco you couldn't tell the difference between bass and walleye.

 

The bass were harder to clean though ... tougher skin and seemed like harder bones than a walleye. If I had to clean bass on a regular basis, I'd use an electric knife.

[misfish]

I am happy with the Lake Simcoe season. It,s plenty long enough. IMO

 

 

Just throwing this out there, but, Simcoe is becoming a small mouth big fish factory. IMO, if there was to be an open all year season, there should be a slot for keeping. The smallies here are very healthy. Probly due to the deep waters they are close by too. No warm water smallies to get worm infested.

 

Go ahead and hate. LOL

 

This year, there is going to be a late spawn again, just like last year. The water is still very cold. Heck, the shinners are still hanging out in the marina here.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Brian B

[MrSimon]

I couldn't agree more!!!!

 

I should get a bumper sticker that says "slot limits and lower creel limits save lives"

 

 

IMO, if there was to be an open all year season, there should be a slot for keeping.

[Canuck2fan]

I dont eat smallie here unless deep hooked.

 

Too shallow around here. Flesh is soft.

 

Taste isnt bad on most at the right time of year.

 

In warm waters and shallow they not only have soft flesh but they taste like mud.

 

Kinda weird cause around here those fish are feeding on crawfish(delicious), youd think they would taste awesome

 

I believe the reason for the muddy taste is because the flesh deteriorates quickly due to enzymes the fish release from being stressed, if you leave them alive on a stringer. When I am KEEPING cool water bass for a meal, I bleed them like a rainbow to kill them immediately and they are pretty good eating... I know more than once they have meant the difference being having a fish fry during a trip or not, when the other species go close mouthed (usually happens in direct proportion to the expense of the trip LOL)... I never, go after them more than once or twice for eating a year, and haven't bothered for a couple years now.

 

As for the seasons, it wouldn't take long for them to be decimated if it was left open in SWO... The bucket brigades would see to it...

 

As for being a blast, it is tons of fun rigging up a live leech under a float and drift for smallies in your favourite trib after the season starts.