ST. PAUL — Anglers may soon be able to fish for bass year-round under proposed rules from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
The current bass season periods will remain in place, but the current closed season periods will transition to open catch-and-release.
The state Legislature added largemouth and smallmouth bass to the list of species with a continuous season, joining sunfish, white crappie, black crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, rock bass, white bass, yellow bass, burbot, cisco (tullibee), lake whitefish, common carp, and native rough fish.
The measure enjoyed bipartisan support, and the DNR said bass are doing well and the rule change provides "more angling experience with no biological risk."
The change is now moving through the DNR's expediting rulemaking process.
Comments can be submitted until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, and should mention "bass season rules." They should be sent to Shannon Fisher, DNR fisheries populations monitoring and regulations manager, at shannon.fisher@state.mn.us.
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The office is one of 47 research and development facilities closing amid a major reorganization of the agency. The Superior and Chippewa offices and their staffing are not impacted.
