New DEC reg allows keeping one 12-inch+ bass though the ice.

[kayak2fish]

Wouldn't that be a good idea? My uncle hooked a lunker today and he made one attempt to remove the treble hook. We were going for walleye. The bass gushed some bright red arterial out its gills and I don't think it would have made it. So, would it be a good idea to allow ice fisherman to keep one bass through the ice? The fisherman could judiciously use this one-bass limit to avoid putting a good fish back down a hole when it has pretty much a zero chance of survival. I've caught more bass this year than anything else. Thankfully, I've been able to get them all released off the hook with the exception of one that I had to clip the line on.

[Chainsaw]

Strange too that the absolute largest Smallmouths I've ever caught have been coming up through the ice lately as well. Fortunately we've been able to return 'em without serious injury.

[bucketbass]

i dont see why u couldnt keep a bass all year around sorry but to me theyre like a carp  keepum off our game fish

[JJ]

Bass are gamefish.

[ChenBassHead]

The thing is, bass are WAY too protected.  If you can keep lake trout and walleyes through the ice, 2 fish that people keep year 'round on a regular basis, I don't see why you can't keep bass.  Fisherman have this view that all bass should be released, due to the emphasis that tournament angling has put on C&R.  I'm all for C&R, don't get me wrong...but bass aren't exactly underpopulated.    I've never understood the logic behind it...

-Zach

[fishskinner]

Well at the least they could give us a certain weekend to keep bass during ice fishing and set a limit for them. DEC already has the free fishing weekend so this would be something like that.Just a thought.

[irishjigger]

Most states around NY allow taking bass through the ice and you dont hear of population problems . Why not start an online petition like the one for (or should I say against ) Grannis ! We can sit around all day and talk about the pros and cons of this , but until someone actually starts a petition and brings it to the attention of our DEC and polititians that we want change then nothing will ever happen .  

[Rangerclay]

The thing is, bass are WAY too protected. 

ABSOLUTELY!  And over rated too in my opinion.  I would imagine a winter bass would taste a lot better too.

[JerryofWNY]

Say you're allowed to keep one bass through the ice. You catch one - you keep it. What do you do with the second bass you catch that is gut hooked or obviously going to die. The problem doesn't go away with the ability to keep one as we don't ice fish with live wells and the ability to cull our catch.

[Gamalot]

I sure have to agree with one part of this. I get very upset when the fish I am releasing back into the water is a gonner for sure. Gushing Arterial blood is one of those cases and it happens all the time with Pickerel and smaller trout I catch here.

I don't know how they could possibly regulate this but it does hurt when you know the fish you must put back by law is going to die anyway.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the DEC to adopt such a law! All the Salmon that go up the creeks and streams are going to die as well yet don't get caught lifting or snagging them.

Gary

[deadsmelthead]

I never understand the regs on bass, I have never met one person that eats them and from what I can tell everyone lets them go. Now look up the regs on some Brown trout streams with natural reproduction like Oriskany Creek, 5 fish any size. Go figure. 

[SKUNK-MASTER]

The thing is, bass are WAY too protected.  If you can keep lake trout and walleyes through the ice, 2 fish that people keep year 'round on a regular basis, I don't see why you can't keep bass.  Fisherman have this view that all bass should be released, due to the emphasis that tournament angling has put on C&R.  I'm all for C&R, don't get me wrong...but bass aren't exactly underpopulated.    I've never understood the logic behind it...

-Zach

the answer is easy...$$$...when was the last time u saw a lake trout tourney on espn???

[brookie12]

How do you post a pic? my son put a largemouth back at otisco today, we wanted to cry

[JNEMETH]

I would only want to keep a bass through the ice,that's when they would taste best. Let's plant a seed with the DEC and see if it grows.

[doctariAFC]

Interesting thoughts.  During the debate over removing the closed season with the artificial only, C&R period, debates happened concerning protection of bass, in particular Lake Erie Smallmouth, with the presence of the egg-eating round goby and their potential damages they could do to unprotected nests.

I am 100% in favor of protecting bass, provided we are protecting them during the RIGHT TIME OF YEAR (spawn)!  Lake Erie, as an example, sees the spawn being in late May/ early June, with males guarding fry into the first part of July.  Seems like, for Lake Erie, a C&R only period during June/ July would make sense.

We have extra protections in place for bass because (as one poster stated) of the $$ this sportfish represents to our economy.  We also have these protections in place due to the nature of their spawn.  Unlike walleye, perch, crappie, etc., where reproductive success is a large numbers game, bass produce relatively few eggs and rely upon the male of the species tending and protecting the spawning nest to assure young survival  If we pull those males off the beds, they get raided by egg eaters, so I understand that one and the logic to protect them bass - but during the right time of year (when protection is actually effective).

The fishing regulation changes for 2008-2010 are published on the DEC website, and comment period on these changes runs through mid-March, I believe.Please take the time to review these changes and offer your comments.  I would include this piece in the comments, if it isn't addressed in the proposed draft regulations.  I didn't see anything related to keeping bass in winter being addressed, perhaps this is something to include in a comment?

[aaron719]

Say you're allowed to keep one bass through the ice. You catch one - you keep it. What do you do with the second bass you catch that is gut hooked or obviously going to die. The problem doesn't go away with the ability to keep one as we don't ice fish with live wells and the ability to cull our catch.

  just a thought, but make a live well on the ice, then we would have the option to throw back the one(s) we're not going to keep.

[powdiddy]

they should reg bass season more like a walleye.close it during spawning season.and say make the limit 2or3 for ice fishing.releasing a dead fish back into the water is pretty useless if you ask me.but i guess anyone could just jam a treble hook down a fishes throat and say it was going to die anyway.

[bucketbass]

  just a thought, but make a live well on the ice, then we would have the option to throw back the one(s) we're not going to keep.

what about bringin a stringer with ya and cuttin one more hole, easy enough 

[badlab1]

I was wondering... Do other "sportfish" take as many years as a Largemouth to become trophy size??? From what I've read, a trophy bass from NY waters (say 5-7 lbs.) could take up to 20-25 years to get that large. Also, many other sportfish have the benefit of stocking programs to help populations in many lakes. I, personally, have never heard of bass being stocked other than in private lakes and ponds. Maybe taking more fish throughout the year would throw off the balancing act that the DEC tries to maintain?? Any ideas???

[deadsmelthead]

I was wondering... Do other "sportfish" take as many years as a Largemouth to become trophy size??? From what I've read, a trophy bass from NY waters (say 5-7 lbs.) could take up to 20-25 years to get that large. Also, many other sportfish have the benefit of stocking programs to help populations in many lakes. I, personally, have never heard of bass being stocked other than in private lakes and ponds. Maybe taking more fish throughout the year would throw off the balancing act that the DEC tries to maintain?? Any ideas???

I thought I read somewhere and I say somewhere because I can't remember where or if I am even right, but the oldest they have ever aged a Northern Large mouth was like 16 or 17 years old. I realy don't see how the bass population would suffer anywhere. Who eats them? And who takes every fish to the taxidermist. What they would need to do is create a slot limit for eating size, and trophy wall mouting size. Like you could only keep fish 10-14" and bigger than say 4 inches smaller than what the state record was in length.

[aaron719]

what about bringin a stringer with ya and cuttin one more hole, easy enough 

that would work too

[irishjigger]

Ive heard say , , that a bass caught during the winter tastes alot different than one from the warmer months , but thats just what Ive heard .