I’m not a fisheries biologist. I do not have a degree in biology. I do have over 35+ years of experience reading fisheries studies, sitting in meeting rooms with fisheries professionals and discussing bass biology and management with these fisheries professionals from across the US and Canada.
I’ve spent over 40+ years as a student of bass and bass fishing. My goals have always been to be a good citizen and a successful bass angler. I truly believe that to do this, one must be intimately knowledgeable of the bass and all the factors that affect the bass. The good citizen part is simple – if I expect to enjoy my chosen sport to its fullest, I must work to maintain and even improve the conditions for bass to succeed. Which means I need to understand what it takes to produce good bass populations – things like clean water, good habitat and plenty of forage.
The desire is of course to have plenty of good bass fishing opportunities now and in the future, and to be able to enjoy pursuing bass as much as the bass population can provide. Since I always consider myself a student, I use a combination of knowledge gained from reading the available science and talking to the fisheries professionals who have published that science, and of course, knowledge I’ve gained firsthand from over 30 years of hardcore bass fishing and tournament competition. I’ve spent a bunch of hours (just ask my wife) staring into the water, and then figuring out what I see, often with the help of others.
Below are online document links to important studies, articles, interviews and observations on bass biology and bass management. The newest additions will always be at the top except for special reports.
An In-depth look at:
“91-6 MDNR Fisheries Technical Report, Aug 15, 1991
Results of Early Season, Catch-and-Release Bass Fishing at Six Lakes
by James C. Schneider, James R. Waybrant, and Richard P O’Neal”
Part 1 – the MDNR Study Part 2 – My Commentary on the Study 01/31/2004
Early Opening of Black Bass Fishing Seasons in New York State: A Review of Issues and Available Data
by James R. Jackson and Thomas E. Brooking, Cornell Biological Field Station
New York Black Bass Early Season White Paper 07/16/2004
Commentary on NY Black Bass Early Season White Paper
To Fish or Not to Fish, That is the Question!
by Chris Horton, BASS Conservation Manager
Reprinted with permission from his Conservation Times column from the July 2004 BASS TIMES magazine
For the vast majority of bass anglers, the spring spawning season has just concluded… 07/16/2004
Proposal Letter to the MDNR On an Early Bass Season in Michigan
Time for a Change for More Bass Fishing
by Dan Kimmel
Proposal Letter to MDNR on Early Bass Season 04/08/2004
Interviews with Fish Biologists From Various Regions
Are Closed Bass Seasons Necessary?
by Dan Kimmel
Fish Biologists Interviews 04/02/2004
An Interview with a Michigan DNR Fish Biologist
Is it Gobies or Something Else? – Why is this biologist saying we shouldn’t have a spring catch-and-release season?
by Dan Kimmel
Michigan Fish Biologist Interview 03/28/2004