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Djkimmel (djk): I’ve been told that you
are against changing the bass season on St. Clair from what it is now and wanted
to know why from your own words, if this is so? Are you against a change in
the bass season?
MDNR fisheries biologist (mfb): “I would not support a change in the
season.”
djk:
“Why exactly are you against a change?”
mfb: “The bass anglers are already doing it (preseason bass fishing) and
not getting ticketed so why change it?”
djk:
“That’s why we want to change it. We don’t want to get tickets because we
happen to be out on the lake in a bass boat whether we are bass fishing or
not, because we catch a bass and let it go. I still have to ask why not just
change it to allow legal catch and release?”
mfb: “(because) I think it may just be the first step in having
tournaments during that time of year.”
djk:
“We can’t have tournaments in the spring where we take them in for a weigh in
if it is only catch and release, but why do you say that as your reason for
being against the change?”
mfb: “I think tournaments attract anglers… some anglers, who don’t care
as much about the resource as they should… I know that pulling bass off beds
and taking them in to a weigh in would be bad.”
djk:
“This is based on studies or other data?”
mfb: “It’s my educated opinion.”
djk:
“As far as the bass on St. Clair, can you tell me how many bass are there?
What is that actual angling impact on the number of bass available on the
lake? Are the anglers catching a significant percentage of the bass
population?”
mfb: “I don’t think so. But bass fishing pressure and interest seems
higher now. We don’t really know. We haven’t done a survey on bass in a
while. We just started a new 3 year creel census (survey) to determine how
many anglers are targeting bass and what their success is.”
djk:
“Your netting survey results (Anchor Bay) from this spring seem to indicate that
the present (St. Clair) bass population is still extremely healthy with a
higher than average number of keeper size bass. Other biologists have told me
that St. Clair bass have growth rates as high as reaching 14 inches in 3 or
maybe 4 seasons? Is that an accurate statement?”
mfb: “I would agree with that.”
djk:
“It would seem to indicate good survival and a healthy fishery?”
mfb: “All species of St. Clair gamefish grow above the state average.
It’s a very good environment. Lot’s of good forage.”
djk:
“I keep hearing that the reason we are being told from your office that we
can’t be allowed to catch St. Clair bass in the spring is because gobies will
eat too many bass eggs after bass are pulled from the bed causing harm to the
population, yet you say we are already doing spring fishing for bass. The
gobies and the fishing pressure has been here for years, yet netting surveys
show the bass population is excellent and we have not started nor planned to
start an actual study of the effect on bass beds by gobies from fishing
pressure in Michigan? Ohio just started their study on angling for bedding
smallies and gobies, but says they won’t take fishing away from their anglers
unless they have strong scientific evidence that it is necessary. Gobies have
already been in Erie for years with no closed season and seem to be more
abundant even than in St. Clair. I personally catch many more gobies on Erie
than I do on St. Clair per average trip.”
mfb: “My guess, gobies are not as abundant (on St. Clair) as in Erie. The
weeds my be hiding the gobies better though (on St. Clair).”
djk:
“I have a great interest too in considering who is really coming out ahead in
this contest of bass verses goby since I believe that part of why there has
been more big bass in recent years is because big smallmouths are targeting
gobies. I’ve had numerous big smallies spit up gobies in my livewells. I also
believe that bass are changing feeding habits now because gobies are
scattered all over unlike other food sources. Large numbers of bass are now
scattered all the way across the lake. You can often catch as many out in the
middle of the lake in the summer as you can on breaks. Many anglers think
there are less big bass now, but I believe they are just more scattered in
the summer than before. Does the MDNR know what the impact bass might have by
eating gobies more is?”
mfb: “We don’t really have much information on that.”
(Note:
There was actually a study done on what gobies eat by the MDNR that mentioned
they had no real feedback back from anglers to indicate bass were eating many
gobies. This was in regards to a high percentage of gobies having zebra
mussels in their stomachs – one exotic targeting another exotic – and the
thought that zebra mussels could be ‘recycled’ back into the food chain once
gamefish ate gobies that ate zebra mussels. Which is partly why I talked
about the above topic and the next.)
djk:
“Many bass anglers think smallmouths are eating zebra mussels. Do you think
that is true or have you developed evidence for that on any scale that would
impact them?”
mfb: “We haven’t seen much evidence that bass are eating zebra mussels.
They may be ingested temporarily when the bass is biting the lure or bait.”
djk:
“You believe it is incidental to the bass feeding on something, a lure or
food item, near the bottom – that would be most likely why anglers would
sometimes see zebra mussels in a bass’ mouth?”
mfb: “Yes. Few gamefish are showing evidence of feeding on zebra mussels.
Mainly, gobies (are eating them).”
djk:
“What other fish are eating them? Sheepshead (drum)? Walleye?”
mfb: “Sheepshead most likely, but probably not walleye. Walleye would
most likely only ingest some incidentally.”
(Note:
Another MDNR research biologist recently told me that perch are eating zebra
mussels.)
djk:
“So, do we need to protect bass from gobies by not fishing for them during
the spring? Is it your belief and position that this protection is needed?
Part of why you are against a bass season change?”
mfb: “Bass and other large
gamefish are frontrunners in keeping exotics down. We need to keep the
numbers (of bass) high. We use a closed season to attempt to do that.”
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