Interesting Read

[jimmer]

http://www.outdoorcanada.ca/Fishing-for-nesting-bass

 

Just thought I would share because there is much discussion about this.

[manitoubass2]

Good read, good to hear science confirm what we already know

 

But, it grinds my gears people intentionally fish nesting bass. Even where legal, it's just stupid.

[jimmer]

Some will still defend the practice though.

[manitoubass2]

Some will still defend the practice though.

Unfortunately yep

 

I could do it with bass being open year round but I choose not to. I'd rather have a better fishery for years to come than two weeks of epic numbers

Edited June 6, 2017 by manitoubass2

[PickerelHunter]

Great read, great study. Nice to see some intensive studies done in this sort of area (and 22 years worth of data set is impressive). The general findings don't seem all that surprising but I had no clue that the numbers were this high. End of June opener in the south is great to help with the harvesting impact but problem lies that other cohabiting species (perch, crappie, pike) are open during this crucial nesting period.

 

I went out last weekend and trolled for some pike...first 200 metre stretch (max) and 3 smallmouth caught...went deep to try whities instead to avoid catching these males. Then you also get the "hey I'm just pike fishing" guys that catch bass after bass after bass, snap pics etc. I get that it's fun but knowing the impact it has to the populations would, hopefully, end that practice.

 

Curious...how come bass is open all year in the Northern Zones? Are they seen as a non-native species?

[Garfisher]

Curious...how come bass is open all year in the Northern Zones? Are they seen as a non-native species?

Bass are only native to the Great Lakes and their tributaries (and most lakes within those tribs) up to the 1st natural barrier (aka fairly tall waterfalls). Bass were widely stocked in the early 1900s (if I remember correctly), and in most/possibly all the trout lakes they were stocked into they have been very/extremely destructive. That and I believe a lot of anglers in the northern FMZs don't target bass like we do in the south, therefore a lot less pressure on the populations.

[manitoubass2]

Oh bass are targeted in the NW anyhow but it's waaaaay less densily populated.

 

Walleye is King up here

[PickerelHunter]

Bass are only native to the Great Lakes and their tributaries (and most lakes within those tribs) up to the 1st natural barrier (aka fairly tall waterfalls). Bass were widely stocked in the early 1900s (if I remember correctly), and in most/possibly all the trout lakes they were stocked into they have been very/extremely destructive. That and I believe a lot of anglers in the northern FMZs don't target bass like we do in the south, therefore a lot less pressure on the populations.

Devastating effects to trout lakes for sure. There's an area near Bracebridge/Huntsville that used to be very trout friendly, now they're all filled with bass. Stocking has stopped in a few Muskoka Lakes and Haliburton area recently for the same reason.

[OhioFisherman]

Good read! I can't deny fishing for them here before they put closed seasons on them, but I supported that move.