Not to start a fire...

Pretender Fishing · **Posted:** Sat May 19, 2012 8:07 pm

...but help me interpret the rules. In FL, you can catch-release any fish, whether in season or not. Just can't keep them. I understand that it's illegal to fish bass (or any fish) out of season in ON. So, how do you do not catch them while fishing crappie and pike? I know only the CO at the scene could answer this, but what would bring about a charge?

I ask because while tossing 1/8 bucktail jigs and micro spoons for crappie, I hooked a bass. Tossing the jig into brushpiles, not lily pads or cattails. Immediate release. But then it happened again. Should I stop? Should I switch lures? What the heck could I use if 1/8 jigs and microspoons are catching them?

Fast forward to pike fishing. Really, bass will hit a spoon, a stick bait, a spinner, a jig. Obviously worms and fat crankbaits are more bass-oriented lures, so they're out, but what could you use for pike without catching bass.

Do not turn this into a "you should read the rules" thing. I've read them, but it seems very subjective to me. The quote below from the MNR site juxtaposes lakers and bass. That's a stark contrast. Bass and pike? Not so much. I know that my intention was to fish for pike and crappie, but bass happen. How do you work around that or avoid it while still fishing for those other species?

CATCHING FISH DURING THE CLOSED SEASON

"Question Re: Catch and Release
I often see bass in the shallow waters early in the summer but before the season opens. Can I practice catch and release fishing during the closed season as long as I immediately return the fish to the water.

Answer:
The question is often asked whether or not a person can catch and release fish during the closed season. The answer is no, it is unlawful to target (fish for) closed season fish. Different fish species occupy different habitats and employ different feeding strategies; this is why fishing for bass requires different tackle and methods than fishing for lake trout. Fishers are expected to alter their fishing methods to suit legally targeted species and avoid out of season fish.

Occasionally non-target species are caught, when this happens anglers are legally required to release the fish immediately back into the waters where it was caught and in a manner that causes the least harm to the fish. When non-target fish are caught the angler should re-assess the location, tackle and fishing methods they are using. It may be advisable to alter one or more of these variables to avoid catching out of season fish."

Walleye 9 · **Joined:** Mon Jan 24, 2011 12:05 pm **Posts:** 1985

There are some Sketchy situations with the regs. Another situation which I've come across, is slot size. I believe it is illegal to release a dead fish. What do you do when you catch a fish outside the slot, and it dies. Example.. Small Walleye love to swallow small baits right down to their tail. Pretty much impossible to get the hook out without killing it, yet you have to release it. I guess you could cut the line, but then there would be lots of small fish swimming around with a worm harness or a jighead stuck in it's gut with a floro leader hanging out of it's mouth. Also, (just to add to your post) I think I've caught more bass out of season, trolling for Walleye with a harness and bouncer, than I do when I actually target them in the open season.

tennyis · **Joined:** Wed May 16, 2012 10:40 pm **Posts:** 1

my understanding is that you cannot be specifically targeting them. So if you are fishing for pike using a spoon and you get a bass, that's fine but you have to release it. now if you hit 3 or 4 bass in a row then maybe you should move.

When it becomes illegal is when say pike is out of season but crappie are in season, and your using a large spoon and catching and releasing pike. It's obvious you are not trying to catch crappie with a large spoon.

MrFisher · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2010 12:49 pm **Posts:** 67

My personal rule is, if I catch 2 bass back to back, I move on. As long as you are not scum froggin across lily pads or dropping senkos you are fine. Also don't get caught weighing or taking pics of your out of season bass, they frown upon that.

ChugBug262 · **Joined:** Sun May 15, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 464

MrFisher wrote:

My personal rule is, if I catch 2 bass back to back, I move on. As long as you are not scum froggin across lily pads or dropping senkos you are fine. Also don't get caught weighing or taking pics of your out of season bass, they frown upon that.

same here

cantcatchacold · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2012 2:11 pm

Some guys catching bass while crappie fishing on rice got charged last year on rice. They released all fish but what they broke the law with was holding them out for pictures.

fireball · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2012 3:59 pm

I have heard of guys, posting pictures of bass caught while crappie fishing, on face book.
And they get a visit at there front door, that comes with a stiff warning.
So if its out of season, put it back, no pictures, and i dont count out of season miss catches.

Pretender Fishing · **Posted:** Sun May 20, 2012 9:20 pm

Thanks for the clarification. Will keep after those pike and crappie and immediately release any bycatch.

TheDL · **Joined:** Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:13 am **Posts:** 435

fireball wrote:

I have heard of guys, posting pictures of bass caught while crappie fishing, on face book.
And they get a visit at there front door, that comes with a stiff warning.
So if its out of season, put it back, no pictures, and i dont count out of season miss catches.

Really? I find that hard to believe, that a CO (few and far between) would come all the way out to someone's house (nevermind how they found them) over a facebook post that could contain a picture from anytime, just to hand out a warning?

I agree with others that said this is somewhat of a grey area, but common sense should steer you right. If you're banging off bass back to back while pike fishing, move. Lure choice and location are pretty simple, although some pike/bass spots are close and some lure selections similar, I think we all know what's right and what's wrong.

Superdad · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2012 12:51 pm

Thanks for the tip about pictures of fish out of season - won't take anymore.

Some bulletin boards won't permit pictures of fish out of season - fyi

David aka Superdad

apmikel · **Joined:** Tue Mar 29, 2011 5:07 pm **Posts:** 232

Every year when we go north fishing for lake trout we quite often catch some big small mouth bass. One year a CO checked us and asked how fishing was, we just told the truth. We had released 2 slot sized lakers and 3 small mouth. We were troiling steel line with small spoons and minnows in 20 ft of water. His response was you should move and fish somewhere else as we where breaking the law. We did not argue, but with our set ups it was pretty abvious we where not targetting smallies, second they are not even a fun fight on steel line because they jump and can kink the line and break off.
I have even seen and caught myself large mouth ice fishing for pike. They are fish and no laws are going to stop them from doing what they want, like biting a pike lure or venturing into waters they normally aren`t. A true angler doesnt even need the rules and laws to know that it is better to release the fish if you catch them pre-spawn so they can reproduce. (dont even get me started on spearing spawning walleye, morons)

just my experience to share on the topic.

jimdoglk · **Joined:** Wed Aug 18, 2010 9:59 am **Posts:** 79

I remember watching a TV Bass show that Henry and Italo did years ago that clearly showed Trilliums on the shore. They eventually got caught doing something similar some years later on the Trent.

TheDL · **Joined:** Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:13 am **Posts:** 435

apmikel wrote:

Every year when we go north fishing for lake trout we quite often catch some big small mouth bass. One year a CO checked us and asked how fishing was, we just told the truth. We had released 2 slot sized lakers and 3 small mouth. We were troiling steel line with small spoons and minnows in 20 ft of water. His response was you should move and fish somewhere else as we where breaking the law. We did not argue, but with our set ups it was pretty abvious we where not targetting smallies, second they are not even a fun fight on steel line because they jump and can kink the line and break off.
I have even seen and caught myself large mouth ice fishing for pike. They are fish and no laws are going to stop them from doing what they want, like biting a pike lure or venturing into waters they normally aren`t. A true angler doesnt even need the rules and laws to know that it is better to release the fish if you catch them pre-spawn so they can reproduce. (dont even get me started on spearing spawning walleye, morons)

just my experience to share on the topic.

Thats bs! What can u do though really? I target lakers jigging tubes, and do very well with that rig, hard to say you were targetting smallies with steel line and spoons. I would have at least asked the co for his recommendations to target lakers?!?

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