No live-Fish rule in Northern Region approved by state.

[Mandalore]

https://www.centralmaine.com/2019/08/21/no-live-fish-rule-in-north-region-approved-by-state/

[walpy]

Haven't logged in for quite a while - figured with this passing it was time to visit my people again..

I don't living in the north region, but this will effect a lot of my trips I had planned.

[jacksmelt71]

and effectively kill ice fishing, the businesses and the bait dealers in this already economically poor region. no ones going to come up here to fish in -20 with a jigpole. they stood there and lied to us last winter at the meeting they had in ashland. they said they had no intention of banning live bait on the lakes that traditionally had it! so much for the long lake derby!  thank you libtard mills! can't trust a demrat as far as you can throw them!

[Moosekill]

Unless they changed it, this does not affect any waters that currently allow live bait ice fishing.

[lion]

Unless they changed it, this does not affect any waters that currently allow live bait ice fishing.

That's what I was wondering.  I'm interested to see how the law book reads.  I have a place near Jackman and I ice fish pretty regularly up there.  I know I can still catch fish on worms and dead bait, but the salmon fishing will go to crap.

[walpy]

https://www.maine.gov/ifw/news-events/single-release.html?id=815944

Looks like if a BOW currently allows live bait - it will continue to.

[Anomaly]

and effectively kill ice fishing, the businesses and the bait dealers in this already economically poor region. no ones going to come up here to fish in -20 with a jigpole. they stood there and lied to us last winter at the meeting they had in ashland. they said they had no intention of banning live bait on the lakes that traditionally had it! so much for the long lake derby!  thank you libtard mills! can't trust a demrat as far as you can throw them!

"Under the idea currently being discussed, all waters in the northern zone (Franklin, Somerset, Piscataquis, Aroostook, and northern portions of Oxford and Penobscot Counties) that are currently open to ice fishing, where live fish may be used at bait, would remain unchanged.”  https://www.maine.gov/ifw/news-events/single-release.html?id=815944

[SilverSides]

"Under the idea currently being discussed, all waters in the northern zone (Franklin, Somerset, Piscataquis, Aroostook, and northern portions of Oxford and Penobscot Counties) that are currently open to ice fishing, where live fish may be used at bait, would remain unchanged.”  https://www.maine.gov/ifw/news-events/single-release.html?id=815944

That was last October.....this is now. I have a bad feeling about this.
The new regulation would prohibit the use of live fish as bait in most of northern Maine’s lakes and ponds, which represent the majority of the wild brook trout waters in the Northeast. The use of live fish has been allowed in most of northern Maine for generations. In some waters, the practice will continue under a special regulation.

[SilverSides]

Maybe it's not as bad as I thought. I found the minutes to the Advisory Council meeting in July. It's a long read, but in the end it looks like they banned the use of bait on 84 bodies of water where it is currently permitted. That leaves 339 bodies where it will still be permitted. You can read it all here......https://www.maine.gov/ifw/about/advisory-council/meetings.html

[Anomaly]

Maybe it's not as bad as I thought. I found the minutes to the Advisory Council meeting in July. It's a long read, but in the end it looks like they banned the use of bait on 84 bodies of water where it is currently permitted. That leaves 339 bodies where it will still be permitted. You can read it all here......https://www.maine.gov/ifw/about/advisory-council/meetings.html

Thanks Silversides!!! Nice to see some research instead of panic and rumor!!! 

[jacksmelt71]

i was at the meeting in ashland. hey said they weren't going to close any areas currently open to live bait. so why are they saying it now after they said they weren't in the 1st. place? in the article its says ''most waters'' will be closed in n. maine. the F.R.C  is all heritage trout waters. if they do close these waters that means they have lied to us to our faces! we''ll see when the new regs. come out , if they backtracked on us or not.

[Anomaly]

i was at the meeting in ashland. hey said they weren't going to close any areas currently open to live bait. so why are they saying it now after they said they weren't in the 1st. place?  the F.R.C  is all heritage trout waters. if they do close these waters that means they have lied to us to our faces! we''l see when the new regs. come out , if they backtracked on us.

Guess I’ll call the IFW bios Monday. I’ll post the real news here. 

All this uniformed banter makes me a bit nauseous.   

My new poker!

[Anomaly]

Response regarding "No live-Fish rule in Northern Region approved by state.”  Next, I’ll request a copy of the newly adopted rules to to post here.

"Hi Joe,

Thank you for your e-mail.  The new fishing regs proposals in the northern zone that will become law starting January 1st, 2020 has many exceptions that allow most of all of the traditional ice fishing waters to still be fished with live bait.  If anglers have questions or concerns about specific waters they should contact the Augusta office at 287-5022.

Good luck this deer season!

Greg

[Anomaly]

Talked to IFW Joe Overlock this morning.

He’s going to email me when they are sending out a publication defining the new rule(s). Will be soon.

He was very clear that there are no substantial changes other than how the waters and rules are listed and defined. Where S-codes once defined no live fish waters, they will now define live fish allowed waters.

He said there are essentially NO changes to historically live fish as bait waters, but it sounded like some streams could be effected. Even many ice fishing prohibited waters would still allow live bait during open water.

As soon as I know when IFW will be publicizing the article and new rules, I’ll post them here.

[Anomaly]

and effectively kill ice fishing, the businesses and the bait dealers in this already economically poor region. no ones going to come up here to fish in -20 with a jigpole. they stood there and lied to us last winter at the meeting they had in ashland. they said they had no intention of banning live bait on the lakes that traditionally had it! so much for the long lake derby!  thank you libtard mills! can't trust a demrat as far as you can throw them!

unpucker your panties, old boy! ..hehehe BTW Mills has nothing to do with this. BEWARE of uniformed republitard reactionaries. 

[Anomaly]

I have the full list of water including lakes, ponds, river and streams as well. I’ll forward those later.

From IFW Joe Overlock:

Hi Joe,

Thanks again for reaching out with your questions on the recent rule change.  As I mentioned we will be sharing some information on our webpage and on Facebook soon, but in the meantime attached are the lists of waters that will retain the use of live baitfish and smelts.

 

Also, here are few highlights of the rule change:

This rule passed through the final step of the advisory council last week (public comment period closed on June 27th) and will go into effect on January 1, 2020 (you will see it in the next law book).
The introduction of competing fish species is one threat that has contributed to range-wide population declines of brook trout in the Eastern United States.
Waters currently open to ice fishing and the use of live fish as bait will remain open and be assigned a special regulation (S-11) that will allow use of live fish as bait.  Live fish as bait will continue to be allowed on those same waters during the open water fishing season.  Some additional waters with a tradition of fishing with live baitfish during the open water fishing season will also retain opportunities for the use of live fish as bait.
The rule limits the use of live baitfish in the Northern Region (Franklin, Somerset, Piscataquis, Aroostook, and northern portions of Oxford and Penobscot Counties) to reduce the chance of introductions of baitfish and other fish in the vast majority of flowing waters, dead-waters, small ponds, as well as tributaries of State Heritage Fish Waters.
The goal of this strategy is to develop a balanced approach to enhance protections for native fish while minimizing unintended adverse impacts to anglers, baitfish harvesters, and the fishing law book.
Does not reduce use of dead baitfish and worms, only the use of live baitfish.
This effort does not change the list of waters open to the commercial harvest of bait or smelt.
In total 339 waters will retain the use of live fish as bait
 

I know most folks have been concerned that they would no longer be able to use live fish as bait while ice fishing.  To reiterate (and hopefully put minds at ease) all waters currently open to ice fishing with the use of live fish as bait will remain that way.

 

Thanks,

-Joe-

 

 

Joe Overlock
Fisheries Management Supervisor
Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
Fisheries Division
284 State St, SHS 41
Augusta ME 04333
(207) 287-5022

[Mandalore]

Awesome that you looked into this and reached out to them clamfarmer! I admittedly read the article and was pretty confused over the issue.

[Anomaly]

Awesome that you looked into this and reached out to them clamfarmer! I admittedly read the article and was pretty confused over the issue.

My pleasure! I didn’t know about this until I saw you thread. I hate useless uninformed banter. I just don’t see a need for it and it makes me a little nauseous, literally. Overlock said IFW has no control over article content and headlines and that they don’t have time to comment or write articles on everything that pops up. BUT they will get back to anyone that has questions. Just call your local Bio or Joe Overlock. I’ve had a personal discussions and fishing relationship at times with Greg Burr, our local guy. Very knowledgeable, sincere and not a bad fisherman eethah! hehe

[jacksmelt71]

must be more ''fake news'' then. not surprising the source. we'll see for sure when the regs come out. i don't trust this administration as far as i can throw it!

[jacksmelt71]

unpucker your panties, old boy! ..hehehe BTW Mills has nothing to do with this. BEWARE of uniformed republitard reactionaries. 

excuse me? i was at these meetings. were you? did i call you a libtard? no i didn't . maybe i should have. maybe if this governor wasn't putting the state in debt and bringing in african ''refugees' for votes instead of helping struggling Mainers , maybe i would trust her! the whole party is evil and corrupt and their followers to brainwashed to think for themselves and see what this party is about! its ok. we got their number and will be watching!

[Anomaly]

sxcuse me? i was at these meetings. were you? did i call you a libtard? no i didn't . maybe i should have. maybe if this governor wasn't putting the state in debt and bringing in african ''refugees' for votes instead of helping struggling Mainers , maybe i would trust her! the whole party is evil and corrupt and their followers to brainwashed to think for themselves and see what this party is about! its ok. we got their number and will be watching!

NICE!!!

At least now you know what the regs and have real info!!!

I only posted the comments because YOU brought up the libtard thing without actually having looked at the easily-available-from-MDIFW info. It amazes me how some just go off without knowing the facts. Thank YOU for your comments and perspective. It is very helpful for me to know the context you conjecture through!!! 

Anyway, If yo would like the lists of lakes, ponds, rivers and streams - I’d be happy too send them to you if you send me your email address. I would forward yo the original email from IFW. I hope you are well. I couldn’t resist the easy target.  Happy fishing! Joe

[jacksmelt71]

lol! didn't know you were so thin skinned! wasn't a comment towards you but you took it as so . must be a guilty conscious!

[Anomaly]

lol! didn't know you were so thin skinned! wasn't a comment towards you but you took it as so . must be a guilty conscious!

Thin skinned? I really don’t care what anyone thinks about me. I put out facts and show real stuff and share fishing adventures at times. Other than that, meltdowns from snowflakes are you are fun. hehehe

I’m the chair of a seven town shellfish committee. It is my job to be at least on the right page with science, shellfish law, juvenile recruitment, etc. Accuracy is of little concern to you, seeing your posts. Have had people walk up and say the were going to leave me laying on the flats. Others threaten me and back down. Others say they will do this or that and never show up. (ME? I just get it done as best I can. ) They are about as funny as you. Big nuthins. . What are you making up now? Facts seem to give you the hives. How about answering my PM questions? That is if you have the ability aside from excuses. I doubt you can face yourself enough to answer.

[MarkNFish]

There are no substantive changes to the rules FOR NOW.  Make no mistake about it, there are groups in Maine that would definitely like to see NLFB everywhere, and would be happy if ice-fishing was eliminated altogether.  I believe those folks have the ear of this administration (and to some extent the last).  I think Jacksmelt and others are right to be suspicious.  If there are no substantive changes to the list of waters where live fish as bait can be used, then why did they change the way NLFB waters are designated?  My guess is to make it easier to take it away later.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[Anomaly]

I hadn’t given consideration to the definitive contacts this now. I doubt anyone else has. So, I shall. I’ll contact The Commissioner and Governor’s office to find their take and tack. Have you or Jacksmelt actually looked in this direction?? The first thing I’ll do is contact regional biologists. You might try facts instead of just sounding off! 

[MarkNFish]

Your facts are correct Clamfarmer, and I don't disagree with them.  However, predicting the future and understanding motives is a matter of speculation, and I simply offered an opinion, which I stated as such.  I have reason to believe I'm correct, but I hope I'm wrong!

[Anomaly]

If we don’t so something, there won’t be ANY dam brook trout anyway. Maybe IFW can start a walleye stocking program when the brookies are gone!

I haven’t had time yet to call and get the new commissioner's take or contact Joe Overlocke to see how and why this process happened. It would be interesting to know how it all actually developed. Must have been started under Lepage.

I DO understand the patience and perservence of people like NFC and TU. While we need to be aware and be ready to challenge theses guys, I am confident they will not succeed.

A thing we need to fight MORE is climate change and weakening of the Clean Water Act. I remember the days when lakes across the NE were beautiful crystal clear because they were dead from acid rain originating in the mid west coal fired plants. There wasn’t even any insect life in them!!! I remember even better the days when some lakes did not freeze around where I grew up in Upstate NY. They were covered in brown and multicolored sludge slush. I remember VERY well too, chemicals and raw sewage spilling directly into waterways. I saw these things up close and even stripped toilet paper for my line while watching carp swim into the effluent eating poop. This seems to be the current tack of the occupant.

A thing that might be an interesting coalition is fighting for clean water WITH TU and other environmental groups and individuals to protect what all of us love and cherish. There is common ground in this respect.