MDNR public meetings on bass fishing
The MDNR is looking at additional bass fishing opportunity for Michigan bass anglers
DNR to host public meetings in July regarding proposed changes to fishing regulations
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has announced public meetings in July to discuss fishing regulation changes proposed for 2016 including 16 catch-and-delayed-release test lakes.
These meetings will take place in each of the eight management units that oversee Michigan’s fisheries. The public is invited to attend to learn about proposed regulations, ask questions and discuss local issues.
The major issues to be discussed at these meetings are in relation to a proposed list of catch-and-delayed-release lakes for bass-fishing tournaments, chumming regulations, and a steelhead bag limit reduction for four rivers.
Sixteen water bodies are being proposed for catch-and-delayed-release bass tournaments. Catch-and-delayed-release means temporarily holding bass in a live-well for tournament weigh-in purposes. The change to chumming regulations refers to allowing no more than 1 quart of chum in an angler’s possession. The proposal to reduce the steelhead bag limit pertains to the Muskegon, Pere Marquette, Little Manistee and Big Manistee rivers.
Meeting dates, times and locations include:
Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit
> Wednesday, July 29, 7 to 8 p.m. (EST) at D&R Sports Center, 8178 W. Main St. in Kalamazoo.
Central Lake Michigan Management Unit
> Monday, July 27, 6 to 7:30 p.m. (EST) at John Graves Lodge, 4684 Evergreen Drive (M-37) in Newaygo.
> Tuesday, July 28, 6 to 7:30 p.m. (EST) at Onekama Consolidated Schools’ media center, 5016 Main St. in Onekama.
Northern Lake Michigan/Eastern Lake Superior/Western Lake Superior management units
> Thursday, July 30, 6:30 to 8 p.m. (EST) at the DNR Pocket Park in the U.P. State Fairgrounds, 2401 12th Ave. North in Escanaba.
Please note, two additional proposed regulation changes will be discussed at this particular meeting (covering three management units). These include proposals to 1) modify the one-over-23-inches walleye slot limit boundary line for Little Bay de Noc, and 2) change the fishing regulations for lake sturgeon on the Menominee River between the Park Mill dam and the Grand Rapids dam.
Lake Erie Management Unit
> Tuesday, July 21, 7 to 8:30 p.m. (EST) at the Waterford Fisheries Office, 7806 Gale Road in Waterford.
Southern Lake Huron Management Unit
> Monday, July 13, 6:30 to 8 p.m. (EST) at the Saginaw Bay Visitor Center, 3582 State Park Drive in Bay City.
Northern Lake Huron Management Unit
> Wednesday, July 29, 6:30 to 8 p.m. (EST) at the Tuscarora Township Hall, 3546 S. Straits Highway in Indian River.
Meeting details also are available on the DNR website at michigan.gov/fishing.
The first meeting in Bay City only had 3 persons in attendance including myself. There were no negative comments about the proposed catch-and-delayed-release bass season proposal or the 16 inland lakes included as part of the test season to begin in 2016. The other participants felt that we will have good success releasing the great majority of our bass alive so it should be okay.