Hi all, Just wanted to provide a gentle reminder for all the avid fishers. As most of us are aware, Spring is spawning period for many fish species and as a result, there are fishing seasons that tell us when we can and can’t catch a certain species.
When a species season is closed, the targeting of that species is illegal, this includes catching and releasing.
Concerns have been raised about bass species being targeted and/or caught on our lake. As we would like to uphold our SLCA values, I wanted to remind everyone that bass season, in our zone as of 2020, opens the fourth Saturday of June (June 27th) and closes November 30th.
This means that bass cannot be targeted, caught & released, and if they are caught, they are to be released immediately (no pictures please).
Catching a male bass at this time takes away from its ability to guard the nest, exposing it to predation. The more times it is caught (you may not be the first one who’s caught it!), the lesser chance the eggs have of survival.
Bottom line is, although we are all eager to get out and cast a line, please be cautious of where you are fishing to limit the impacts of spawning bass! Holding off until June 27th may just help you catch a new record this summer.
Maria Kaczmarek – SLCA Lake Steward