New proposed Bass Season Regulation FMZ 20

[Reef Runner]

Attention all Lake Ontario Bass anglers:

MNR is looking for feedback with respect to bass regulations in FMZ 20 (Lake Ontario):

https://files.ontario.ca/mnrf-fmz-20-2020-proposed-bass-reg-change-en-2020-02-28-v2.pdf

I am for the proposed rule change of splitting the open season between Largies (3rd Sat June-Dec 31) and Smallies (1st Sat Jul-Dec 31); adding a pre-spawn season (Jan 1-May 10) with limited possession limits.

Take a read, tell 'em how you feel.

Edited March 10, 2020 by Reef Runner

[msp]

Very interesting. Can the MNRF make the regulations any more confusing ....... 

im not sure how I feel about this one. If anything the early season Jan 1'to may 10 should definitely be catch and release only 

I am a bit bias because I don't fish for smallmouth but the US regs bass is open all season and it doesn't seem to affect the fishery. Do they stock more ? Idk ? 

[OhioFisherman]

Further reading on the topic.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0380133019301133

msp, to the best of my knowledge no US state stocks bass in the Great Lakes, and most of the states bordering them have some sort  of closed season or catch and release only times.

Erie and St. Clair are a lot different than Lake O a lot of shallower water to spawn in, never fished St. Clair, but here on Erie you could regularly find smallies and largemouth spawning in the same areas, once the spawn was done a lot of those areas became unusual places to catch a smallie.

The St. Lawrence with it's current has to make spawning and survival of fry a challenge? Deeper cooler water also? slows the growth rate?

[David Chong]

It definitely is a interesting proposal and I do believe that Dr. Bruce Tufts from Queens University is behind this proposal. If anybody understands the fish out there he does. His lab has been studying  the bass in the St. Lawrence & Lake Ontario for years now. I would defer to his expertise> I know that many would like to see a streamlining of the Ontario Fishing Rules & Regulations but with the diversity of different regions, I'm not sure that it is possible!