What about your State? 2024
bear7625 reply :
Here in NW Wisconsin it's 26 degrees this morning and the lakes still have ice. With the warm weather we've had, it appears they will be opening soon. The problem we have is the fishing season, for game fish, doesn't open until May 1. :'( We can fish crappie and panfish, but legally we can't fish with baits considered to be "game fish baits". :'(
Do any of you have a similar problem in your state?
Hooked_On_Bass reply :
Our bass season is from: 4th Saturday in June to December 15th.
We can fish perch, crappie, sunfish and pike all year in my FMZ.
Grey Wolf reply :
No , thank God.
Why did your states feel like you all needed a "fishing season."?
Frog Turds reply :
it may be annoying to have to wait. but there is a season for a reason, to protect the fisheries from being raped during spawn.
the mississippi is open all year here. if you have white bass around, go target them. their open all year as well, atleast in minnesota i know. white twister grub and your good to go & fun fish to catch on light gear.
really want to fish for the fight, go target some carp. nothing wrong with having a 10, 15 or 20 lb carp ripping your drag out. they may be a bit sluggish yet but they'll be kickin hard well before opener.
florida strain reply :
wow , that sucks, i fish any time , went this morning 64water temp, sunny skies, mild wind. nothing but a few dinks on worms though..yesteday afternoon the same but found a few 2 pounders on a floating jerk , and crankbait on deeper grass , started out fishing beds ,but nothing on them that i could see, i dropped back deeper and found some roamers..
eyedabassman reply :
Quotewow , that sucks, i fish any time , went this morning 64water temp, sunny skies, mild wind. nothing but a few dinks on worms though..yesteday afternoon the same but found a few 2 pounders on a floating jerk , and crankbait on deeper grass , started out fishing beds ,but nothing on them that i could see, i dropped back deeper and found some roamers..
Thanks for making us feel better ;D! I live in SE Wisconsin and I am in the same fix!
UPS VT reply :
Here in VT we can target bass catch and release only starting the 2nd Saturday in April. The ice is off Champlain in most places and will be off the inland lakes soon. We can't start having tournaments until the 2nd Saturday in June. We have some paper tournaments during the early season, but it is not as much fun.
Jake. reply :
No season here. I just got back from fishing, and it's 77 degrees today. 8-) 
brushhoggin reply :
yeah this sux. its supposed to reach 74 today, AND its overcast, AND a front is rolling through tonight....but......i got called into work during prime conditions, so.....yeah :-[
yeah...i left work that day and caught 9 keepers one 5 pounder. And no one noticed me missing. i rule. ;D
DINK WHISPERER reply :
Glad i live in the Eff Ell! Went out today for a few hours. Water temp was 58 degrees and 75 outside. Heavy winds but managed 4 dinks a 2lber and a 5lb 6oz fatty.
Dock Master reply :
QuoteNo season here. I just got back from fishing, and it's 77 degrees today. 8-)
Yup, sure is.
Madd Lunacy reply :
Nope. Missouri is year round too.
SoFlaBassAddict reply :
QuoteGlad i live in the Eff Ell! Went out today for a few hours. Water temp was 58 degrees and 75 outside. Heavy winds but managed 4 dinks a 2lber and a 5lb 6oz fatty.
Gotta love living down here. I went out for an hour and landed three little stinkers, and lost one large fish (all fish you lose are large though). Thank god for some nice weather this evening.
Hooked_On_Bass reply :
QuoteNo , thank God.Why did your states feel like you all needed a "fishing season."?
The MNR wants to ensure that the bass are off the beds before any anglers can target them.
burleytog reply :
Fishing season... ;D
Glenn reply :
Fishing season is year 'round in Washington state. However, many smaller lakes are closed Nov-Apr.
Just went out today and got a 3-10, 4-14, and 5-10. 8-)
fishinflip415 reply :
Year round in Cali too. 8-)
whoopbazz reply :
In PA some lakes stocked with trout are closed all together during the time stocking starts and the forsdt day of trout season begins. Once that season opens you can fish for bass C-N-R only. Some wardens are that fussy, you can't take pictures or anything. I've heard rumours that fish wardens want people not remove the fish from the water when unhooking it.
In NY you can't even target bass before the seaon opens...same in Ontario.
Yes the reason is to protect the bass during the spawning season.
firefightn15 reply :
Aside from some Mississippi/Lake Michigan and a few other seasonal restrictions, this is a general map of Wisconsin's bass fishing zone. Notice the northern zone barbless hook rule, I'm not sure if there is a huge benefit to the fish or not. :-/
Javelin200 reply :
QuoteIn PA some lakes stocked with trout are closed all together during the time stocking starts and the forsdt day of trout season begins. Once that season opens you can fish for bass C-N-R only. Some wardens are that fussy, you can't take pictures or anything. I've heard rumours that fish wardens want people not remove the fish from the water when unhooking it.In NY you can't even target bass before the seaon opens...same in Ontario.
Yes the reason is to protect the bass during the spawning season.
Incorrect....NY now allows C&R only bass fishing from Dec.1 - 3rd Sat in June (start of the regular season). There may be a few waters with special regs, but this is now policy state wide.
eyedabassman reply :
QuoteFishing season is year 'round in Washington state. However, many smaller lakes are closed Nov-Apr.Just went out today and got a 3-10, 4-14, and 5-10. 8-)
STOP! your killing me!
Paul Roberts reply :
QuoteQuoteIn PA some lakes stocked with trout are closed all together during the time stocking starts and the forsdt day of trout season begins. Once that season opens you can fish for bass C-N-R only. Some wardens are that fussy, you can't take pictures or anything. I've heard rumours that fish wardens want people not remove the fish from the water when unhooking it.In NY you can't even target bass before the seaon opens...same in Ontario.
Yes the reason is to protect the bass during the spawning season.
Incorrect....NY now allows C&R only bass fishing from Dec.1 - 3rd Sat in June (start of the regular season). There may be a few waters with special regs, but this is now policy state wide.
Interesting.
I'm a former NYer, and we had the 3rd Sat in June season. I lived on a good bass lake and remember watching our local CO (Conservation Officer) hiding with binocs all day to bust a guy who was "raping" the pre-spawn. He'd fill a small cooler, then come in and stash the fish in his shed. Then go back out. In the north the pre-spawn is short and intense and consolidates fish. Find em and you can make a serious killing. Then, when actual spawn came on, everybody could kill 'em.
Another issue was nest success of smallmouth in the Thousand Islands and Finger Lakes, where disturbing bedding males fishing was found to be significantly detrimental.
The closed season regulation was enacted prior to widespread C&R we now take for granted, and in some cases, has run amok since lol.
On the other side of the fence is the fact that a small number of successful nests have been shown to be able to produce a strong year class, as strong year classes are controlled by larger scale ecological factors that, when in place, allow young bass to survive and prosper. Esp in fisheries in which bass are kept, good fishing down the line tends to start with strong year classes. BUT... I argue something else, I've not heard discussed: That having MORE successful nests (than just a few) does two potential things for a fishery: Adds genetic diversity, and all those YOY bass are food for larger bass. In many ponds I've seen over the years, YOY bass are prime fodder for larger bass and a strong hatch year creates a flush of easy prey that can alter the fishing. I've seen this a number of times over the years, the most recent was last year. In a few ponds switching to UL or finesse tactics more than doubled our catch rates of mature bass.
I applaud the NY DEC for adjusting and allowing year round C&R for bass. That's what I did back then anyway, but mostly left bedded bass be, which I still practice to this day -an old habit I'll keep. Call me old fashioned.
Popeye reply :
Year round here in So CAL BUT most of the lakes are only open 3 days a week - Wed., Sat., and Sun (and most Monday holidays) to keep the pressure down. Some of the lakes are also "catch and release" only with barbless hooks and NO live bait either. I certainly can understand why some states have seasons if it enhances the fish populations.
bass or bass ? reply :
Year round fishing here.It was 80 degrees today. The lakes are full and starting to heat up. Putting the boat in the water in 2 weeks. Taking my 10 year old granddaughter shoreline fishing next Saturday.
Glenn reply :
QuoteQuoteFishing season is year 'round in Washington state. However, many smaller lakes are closed Nov-Apr.Just went out today and got a 3-10, 4-14, and 5-10. 8-)
STOP! your killing me!
Went out again today on the same lake and Keri nailed a 6-13! 
tnbassfisher reply :
We don't have a "fishing season".
It was 70 degrees here Saturday, and we're supposed to get a rain/snow mix here tomorrow. Got to love TN weather.
RedhookRR reply :
My part of the state fishing is open year around just have to wait for ice out. The rest of the state the rivers don't open till the 3 rd week of may. Lakes open year around. Oh, and 10 at night and 50 degrees.
Crestliner2008 reply :
Here in MA, we have a year round, open season. However, the ice has just left most of the ponds and the water temps are still in the lower 40's! When they start to move into the upper 40's, the fishing will start to get hot. 
These are the conditions in the "western" end of this state - not the eastern end. The folks out on cape and coastline lakes are starting to "kick some bass" already. Their water temps are in the low 50's.
I suspect that in other, larger states, conditions vary considerably as well, from section to section.
angler1 reply :
Wow, I finally found 1 good thing about living in New Jersey. You can fish all year long for bass. I thought trout was the only fish that had a season, never knew other states had seasons for bass fishing, that really sucks.
grimlin reply :
QuoteWow, I finally found 1 good thing about living in New Jersey. You can fish all year long for bass. I thought trout was the only fish that had a season, never knew other states had seasons for bass fishing, that really sucks.
It drives me nuts to be honest.I think a simple ban on spawning grounds and C&R won't hurt the fish one bit.Only problem is we got people who won't and don't follow the law.
BassinMichigan reply :
Michigan's bass season actually does nothing to protect spawning bass. It's closed from Jan 1st until the last Saturday in April. Both smallies and largemouth won't start spawning here until it's legal to target them.
MSPbass reply :
QuoteQuoteNo , thank God.Why did your states feel like you all needed a "fishing season."?
The MNR wants to ensure that the bass are off the beds before any anglers can target them.
The MN bass opener is May 29, by the way. (5/15 for Walleye.) And anyone who fishes here knows full well that the bass are not off the beds by that time. Many of the females are gone, probably most, but the males are left for a few weeks. So why do they let folks take the males off the bed leaving an unguarded nest? Isn't that almost as bad for the population as taking a pre-spawn female? It's been my experience that the folks who obey the laws are almost always the ones who treat the fish with the most respect; land them properly, remove bait skillfully and return them to the water as fast as possible. Every year, in the metro, I'm asked, at least twice, by someone on the bank if he can have the fish I just landed. The licensed anglers are not the ones damaging the bass population in MN. The guys that take bass home do it before the opener and then after the opener; they don't care either way. This law drives me nuts! It targets the wrong people.
I'll stop now though; because I know this rant is mostly brought on by the recent warm weather and the fact that I still have 69 days before I can start fishing again.
Hooligan reply :
Quoteit may be annoying to have to wait. but there is a season for a reason, to protect the fisheries from being raped during spawn.
That's one of the most common misconceptions about "seasons". It boils down to tourism dollars, not biological reasons. Daryl Bauer in NE, Dave Neuswanger in WI, Gary Elliot in MN, Darryl Ellison in MN...I can list many others that have been quoted as saying as much. Biologists nearly unanimously agree it has nothing to do with "raping the population" during the spawn, it's more about generating tourism and local hype for "opening day."
BassThumb reply :
QuoteThat's one of the most common misconceptions about "seasons". It boils down to tourism dollars, not biological reasons. Daryl Bauer in NE, Dave Neuswanger in WI, Gary Elliot in MN, Darryl Ellison in MN...I can list many others that have been quoted as saying as much. Biologists nearly unanimously agree it has nothing to do with "raping the population" during the spawn, it's more about generating tourism and local hype for "opening day."
I've never heard this debate, but I'd like to know more. I have seen the damage that fishing bass beds on or around the MN May 29 opener can do. It can't be good...Hoards of bass fisherman snagging males from nests with Senkos, causing the bass to abandon the nests and leave them to highly visible and easy to catch schools of aggressive sunfish.
Hooligan reply :
It's another "great debate" indeed. There are those with no biological knowledge of nest spacing, and habits that will say that the fish that are nested in the shallows are the fish that produce all the offspring for the lake. There are those that will say that drastically effecting the recruitment of a lakes year class could be achieved by simply targeting a few of those beds.
In truth, some of the biggest fish will spawn (where available) as deep as 20 feet. Their nests are spread 35-40 feet at a minimum. There are so many fry produced from one spawning pair that you'd have to hit a huge number of beds in an area, and have every single one predated to reduce the recruitment numbers dramatically.
Considering that a single female can lay as many as 90,000 eggs, that's a big chunk of fish that you're going to have to deal with. They've been documented as high as 62% survivorship.
Of course year class depends on many other factors, predation, natural mortality, fishing pressure, seasonal environment...there are many that contribute.
But then again, there are biologist friends that will tell people that fishing them while on beds is killing the fishery and is the reason for seasons in areas that have them....so who knows...
Frog Turds reply :
even though this thread was maybe originally directed towards LM. but mn has a season on all game species. Lm, pike, walleye, musky & smallies(also a period of c&r only for smallies). i do believe that having the season closed for those periods can only be a positive thing for all the listed species here. even though with LM there are still alot of males on the beds etc.
season;
05/15/10 - 02/27/11 Walleye, sauger, northern pike - 2010 season
05/29/10 - 02/27/11 Largemouth Bass - 2010 season
05/29/10 - 02/27/11 Smallmouth Bass - 2010 season
06/05/10 - 12/01/10 Muskellunge (Muskie) - 2010 season
09/13/10 - 02/27/11 Smallmouth Bass - 2010 catch and release season
iceintheveins reply :
It's in the 40s and 50s here in Colorado and most low elevation lakes are ice free, but temps are in the low 40s and bass are still sluggish.
I would KILL to have a state that actually managed gamefish and didn't kill them the way Colorado does. The Colorado Division Of Wildlife either directly kills or won't manage for any nonnative fish besides trout West Of the Continental divide. So not being able to fish for them till May 1st would be a tiny price to pay as far as it concerns me. There is no state fisheries worse than the Colorado Division Of Wildlife, popularly known as the Colorado Disaster Of Wildlife. Their main accomplishments are the killings of tens of thousands of gamefish over the last several years because of a twisted, ecological purity political agenda where anything that might possibly compete with native chubs, suckers and squawfish (considered trashfish by state residents) is placed on the chopping black. >
> >
iceintheveins reply :
I DO however think catch and release fishing should be legal during closed seasons unless the fish are so concentrated that it would interrupt spawning, such as when salmonids gather by the hundreds in certain areas.
timothy_spain reply :
southeast michigan -- has fishing season too. been targeting walleyes from the st. clair river -- no such luck. bummer... gonna check out if crappies are hot this weekend
Captain Obvious reply :
Whats a fishing season :-?
Never heard of them ;D
God Bless Texas 
Capt.O
RichF reply :
I live in Jefferson county (northern NY). My county and the next one over are like the only counties in NY that don't allow catch and release on bass before the season opens in june. How terrible is that! I never keep anything to begin with but we're not even allowed to catch and release!
dolomieu reply :
Quote...Considering that a single female can lay as many as 90,000 eggs, that's a big chunk of fish that you're going to have to deal with. They've been documented as high as 62% survivorship...
For how long? A day?
MSPbass reply :
Quoteit's more about generating tourism and local hype for "opening day."
I don't know what it's like in NE, but in MN, the "Fishing Opener", is the Walleye Opener. That's the tourist catcher. That's the day the Governor goes out and all the news crews follow to see if he lands one. I venture to guess that most of the State has no idea the Bass & Muskie openers are weeks later.
Hooligan reply :
I totally agree with that sentiment, however it rings true that because of the elements leading up to it, it's the primary reason for there still being seasons of any sort. If the walleye guys lost the "season" then everyone else would, too. If the bass and muskie guys lost it, the walleye guys would go absolutely haywire, and demand change. The sheer numbers of revenue dollars lost due to not having that would be astounding.
Hooligan reply :
QuoteQuote...Considering that a single female can lay as many as 90,000 eggs, that's a big chunk of fish that you're going to have to deal with. They've been documented as high as 62% survivorship...
For how long? A day?
16 days, in this instance. It was a measure of surviorship to dispersal from nests. After that, predation and mortality #s change pretty dramatically based on the individual body of water.
MSPbass reply :
That is a great point.
basswitch reply :
QuoteAside from some Mississippi/Lake Michigan and a few other seasonal restrictions, this is a general map of Wisconsin's bass fishing zone. Notice the northern zone barbless hook rule, I'm not sure if there is a huge benefit to the fish or not. :-/
Didn't they repeal the barbless hook/artificial bait thing last year? Still catch and release though.
firefightn15 reply :
QuoteQuoteAside from some Mississippi/Lake Michigan and a few other seasonal restrictions, this is a general map of Wisconsin's bass fishing zone. Notice the northern zone barbless hook rule, I'm not sure if there is a huge benefit to the fish or not. :-/
Didn't they repeal the barbless hook/artificial bait thing last year? Still catch and release though.
Your right, I see in the 2010/2011 regs that they did. I knew they were talking about it but thought they dropped the idea. Good catch! 8-)
diver_sniper reply :
QuoteQuoteit's more about generating tourism and local hype for "opening day."I don't know what it's like in NE, but in MN, the "Fishing Opener", is the Walleye Opener. That's the tourist catcher. That's the day the Governor goes out and all the news crews follow to see if he lands one. I venture to guess that most of the State has no idea the Bass & Muskie openers are weeks later.
I'm not the only bass fisherman in Minnesota?
I'm exaggerating of course, but really, the only lakes that I think would really get "raped" are the few big ones that have a reputation of being bass lakes. I could list about 10 lakes within 10 miles of me right now that I doubt would see more than 1 or 2 bass fisherman between ice out and 5/29. But, like someone said, take away the bass opener and we'd have all the walleye idiots (95% of all Minnesotans[born and raised here, I can trash it all I want ]) flipping out. First because of the shocking news that there is a bass opener, and second because they would want to fish their precious walleyes sooner too.
In all seriousness though, if we're agreeing that having an opening day is only for generating revenue, and it really doesn't have squat to do with protecting the bass on their beds, why is it two weeks after walleye opener? Why not the same weekend, or the weekend after?
It's all kind of confusing because I'm fairly certain that the the only fish lower than bass on the MN DNR's concern list are carp and bullheads. Bass don't make money here, walleyes do. Walleyes make millions and millions of dollars every year for the state and businesses that bring home a profit from fishermen. Maybe my view is a little skewed because I'm from a tourist trap lake town, but I'm surprised a season was ever set up for bass in the first place.
In fact, you want to know how much they love their walleyes here? I've heard of people catching muskies and slitting their bellies and letting them go because they think they're eating all their walleyes. I've also seen walleye fishermen taking smallies and bouncing them off their boat motors(to kill them, they hate them) because they get sick of catching them and having them ruin their wimpy @$$ walleye gear.
I'm sorry. Rant over.
BassThumb reply :
Good rant, diver_sniper. Very true, how bass are an under appreciated species in MN. I have to admit though, I like seeing the parking lots and lakes full of walleye fisherman who will be ignoring the bass. Pretty disturbing that people would kill valuable gamefish to protect the walleyes.
airborne_angler reply :
Here in AZ you can fish whatever species you want year round. You have to have a trout stamp to keep the trout though.
diver_sniper reply :
QuoteGood rant, diver_sniper. Very true, how bass are an under appreciated species in MN. I have to admit though, I like seeing the parking lots and lakes full of walleye fisherman who will be ignoring the bass. Pretty disturbing that people would kill valuable gamefish to protect the walleyes.
The musky thing was just something I heard about, I'm not sure if it's true or not. But you get the gist of it.
There is absolutely zero reason for any walleye fisherman to be concerned even a little bit about the walleye populations in this state. The DNR might as well be the DWS. Department of Walleye Stocking. I think that's the only thing to DNR exists for in Minnesota... Right? :-?
MSPbass reply :
I just looked this up: "Each year, anglers in Minnesota keep roughly 3.5 million walleyes totaling 4 million pounds." That's why they have to manage the population.
Bass, on the other hand, are (usually) not pulled from the lake and cooked for dinner that night. They're put right back in the water!
iceintheveins reply :
QuoteQuoteAside from some Mississippi/Lake Michigan and a few other seasonal restrictions, this is a general map of Wisconsin's bass fishing zone. Notice the northern zone barbless hook rule, I'm not sure if there is a huge benefit to the fish or not. :-/
Didn't they repeal the barbless hook/artificial bait thing last year? Still catch and release though.
Barbless hooks only are one of the dumbest regulations in fishing. Thank goodness my state doesn't have them, as horrible as the Colorado Division Of Wildlife is. Why mandate barbless hooks when just about all scientific studies show no difference in mortality between barbed and barbless?
iceintheveins reply :
At least in your states they don't kill bass and throw them on the bank to "protect" suckers and chubs here like here in Colorado. Tens of thousands of our bass, both largemouth and smallmouth, have been killed in our rivers or in ponds nearby the rivers.
jamarkwe reply :
QuoteMichigan's bass season actually does nothing to protect spawning bass. It's closed from Jan 1st until the last Saturday in April. Both smallies and largemouth won't start spawning here until it's legal to target them.
tick-tock-tick-tock....I'm counting down the days to sight fishing in its finest hours...
blkbearklr2001 reply :
In Washington state only a couple of lakes are not open, others are year round.
But going and spend a month on my home water of Lake Champlain this year. Have not fished it in 25 years due to me being in the Army. Man can't wait to hit some of the old haunts and see if they are still productive.
Joe
wounded minnow reply :
Yes we do here in Michigan, we are trying to change that in regards to Bass though, check out the petition in my signature...
BassThumb reply :
QuoteQuoteGood rant, diver_sniper. Very true, how bass are an under appreciated species in MN. I have to admit though, I like seeing the parking lots and lakes full of walleye fisherman who will be ignoring the bass. Pretty disturbing that people would kill valuable gamefish to protect the walleyes.The musky thing was just something I heard about, I'm not sure if it's true or not. But you get the gist of it.
There is absolutely zero reason for any walleye fisherman to be concerned even a little bit about the walleye populations in this state. The DNR might as well be the DWS. Department of Walleye Stocking. I think that's the only thing to DNR exists for in Minnesota... Right? :-?
Pretty much, but that's fine for me. The little walleyes make for good forage! ;D
There's a barren little 80 acre private lake in Clearwater that was stocked with tons of walleyes a few years ago. Otherwise, the lake had a very healthy bass population that was feeding on bluegills and carp. I think all 9 households on the lake paid $1500 each for the stocking, and soon the young walleyes became one of the main forage fish for the bass. The bass abandoned the predictable areas in the shallows where we had been catching them and went after the walleyes. For a couple years the bass were on the move, chasing after deep walleyes and eventually decimating the population. Now the bass are back in their original shallow water haunts, looking a little fatter and healthier than before, and there's hardly a fish to be found deeper than 12' of water. lol
The neighbors are not happy. They want their meat!! :
Alex77 reply :
Another Minnesotan here. I agree it sucks waiting for bass opener, but I think we have some of the best fishing in the country too, so I don't think we should change anything and risk affecting the fishing. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
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