May 07th, 2008
By Arthur

Yesterday, after reading my post, Jeff called and alerted me to something that I had forgotten about. The DNR made a change to bass regulations that allow for a Catch and Release season before the actual bass season starts. I think this law was in effect last year as well, but I cannot remember for sure. I know that I was pretty pleased when he told me, even if it did exist last year!

It used to be that we had to be very careful when we were out fishing in spring for pike, because you always ran the risk of catching a bass. Now, while I don’t think the DNR would have given us any trouble, it was something that you always had to be conscious of. Now that problem is fixed.

Now in Michigan, on all the Lower Peninsula waters including the Great Lakes, there is a Catch and Immediate Release season for bass that runs from the last Saturday in April through the Friday before Memorial Day. Perfect. Now we can actually target bass and not have to worry about it while stumbling across a few pike at the same time.

This whole post may seem silly to a few of you reading it, but to me I think it is a great move by the DNR. It helps all of us Michigan anglers who are having some serious fishing withdrawals catch a few Largemouth without having to worry about any repercussions. It also helps us find some good fishing spots before the season actually opens the Saturday before Memorial Day.

What a great move by the DNR, and I can’t wait for this weekend and my shot at catching the first one of the season—-and then releasing it of course! (In case I had any doubters).

If any of you would like to see the regulation concerning this particular season you can find it here.

Popularity: 28% [?]

August 10th, 2007
By Arthur

Dana, over at The Wild WoodsWoman blog, posted a story that her mom had told and it got me to thinking about a story that happened to me that I couldn’t have wrote any better if I’d imagined it. 

 An old buddy and I were out fishing at a local lake one night.  At that time on this particular lake we were just tearing up the fish on good ole Rat-L-Traps.  It was nothing for all three of us in the boat to have a fish on at the same time.  Anyway, I am in the process of fighting this fish and finally get it to the surface where we can tell it’s a decent sized Pike.  Of course once it gets to where we can see him he spooks and shakes the lure right out of his mouth.  My buddy then, obviously just kidding around, drops his Rat-L-Trap in the water and tells me “Don’t worry, I’ll get him”.  That trap no sooner hit the water and this pike came back out of the shadows and drilled it.  The craziest thing I’ve ever saw.  We ended up landing that fish and setting him free for someone to catch another day.  So that is my crazy fish story.  I swear it’s the truth.  I couldn’t have even made up a story that good.

Popularity: 35% [?]