Post by djkimmel on Aug 23, 2005 18:04:56 GMT -5
MDNR Fisheries and Law Divisions propose drop shot regulation changes
Lansing 8/23/05- MDNR Fisheries staff presented a proposed fisheries order – FO-218.06 – today to the coolwater external committee for review. This new fisheries order will change gear restrictions that previously made the popular drop-shot technique illegal in Michigan.
The proposed changes were mostly well received by the coolwater external committee. The committee is made up of members representing various fishing groups including trout anglers, musky anglers, ice fishing anglers, walleye anglers and the Michigan BASS federation along MDNR fisheries and law division employees and other parties.
The new fisheries order would replace the existing gear restrictions (FO-218.02A) that apply to attempts by the MDNR law division to enforce snagging bans. The new regulation would read:
A) In all waters of the State it shall be unlawful to:
1. Have a weight permanently and/or rigidly attached to a multi-pointed hook; or
2. Have a weight suspended from a multi-pointed hook; or
3. Retain any fish not hooked in the mouth; or
4. Fail to immediately return to the water a fish not hooked in the mouth.
B) On all streams, including tributaries to the Great Lakes except for the St. Marys, St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, it shall be unlawful to use the following gear during the period August 1 – May 31:
1. Multi-pointed hooks exceeding 3/8 inch between point and shank and/or single pointed hooks exceeding ½ inch between point and shank; or
2. Lures exceeding one ounce in weight.
The intent of this regulation is to allow the baited hook or the lure to suspend freely in the water, allowing the fish to take the hook or lure in its mouth.
C) In a river, stream, and drowned river mouth lake* it shall be unlawful to:
1. Have a weight suspended below any hook unless the hook is on an un-weighted line which is at least 3 inches long.
*Drowned river mouth lakes listed by county: Allegan: Kalamazoo River and Silver Lake; Benzie: Betsie Lake; Manistee: Arcadia Lake, Manistee Lake, and Portage Lake; Mason: Pere Marquette Lake; Muskegon: Duck Lake, Mona Lake, and White Lake; Oceana: Pentwater lake, Silver Lake, and Stony Lake; Ottawa: Macatawa Lake and Pigeon Lake.
This new order, if passed, would take effect on April 1, 2006 and shall remain effective through March 31, 2011. This proposed order will be presented for information to the Natural Resources Commission meeting September 8th in Houghton Michigan.
Expect at least one change to the proposed order in adding Muskegon Lake to the list of drowned river mouths. There was additional discussion about the amount of fishing that would be affected by excluding the drowned river mouths. MDNR fisheries staff will continue to look at that issue.
Also discussed was the on ounce limit on lures for rivers since this would affect the way some anglers fish the popular Tacquamenon River musky fishery. Studies have shown the one ounce mark is needed to help snagging enforcement, but fisheries staff stated they would review this specific fishery situation while reminding participants that this regulation has already been on the books for several seasons.
Regardless, this is good news for bass anglers in Michigan since this new regulation would allow legal use of the popular drop shot technique on the Great Lakes, connecting waters and all inland lakes. Similar techniques used by other anglers would no longer be technically illegal also.
Lansing 8/23/05- MDNR Fisheries staff presented a proposed fisheries order – FO-218.06 – today to the coolwater external committee for review. This new fisheries order will change gear restrictions that previously made the popular drop-shot technique illegal in Michigan.
The proposed changes were mostly well received by the coolwater external committee. The committee is made up of members representing various fishing groups including trout anglers, musky anglers, ice fishing anglers, walleye anglers and the Michigan BASS federation along MDNR fisheries and law division employees and other parties.
The new fisheries order would replace the existing gear restrictions (FO-218.02A) that apply to attempts by the MDNR law division to enforce snagging bans. The new regulation would read:
A) In all waters of the State it shall be unlawful to:
1. Have a weight permanently and/or rigidly attached to a multi-pointed hook; or
2. Have a weight suspended from a multi-pointed hook; or
3. Retain any fish not hooked in the mouth; or
4. Fail to immediately return to the water a fish not hooked in the mouth.
B) On all streams, including tributaries to the Great Lakes except for the St. Marys, St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, it shall be unlawful to use the following gear during the period August 1 – May 31:
1. Multi-pointed hooks exceeding 3/8 inch between point and shank and/or single pointed hooks exceeding ½ inch between point and shank; or
2. Lures exceeding one ounce in weight.
The intent of this regulation is to allow the baited hook or the lure to suspend freely in the water, allowing the fish to take the hook or lure in its mouth.
C) In a river, stream, and drowned river mouth lake* it shall be unlawful to:
1. Have a weight suspended below any hook unless the hook is on an un-weighted line which is at least 3 inches long.
*Drowned river mouth lakes listed by county: Allegan: Kalamazoo River and Silver Lake; Benzie: Betsie Lake; Manistee: Arcadia Lake, Manistee Lake, and Portage Lake; Mason: Pere Marquette Lake; Muskegon: Duck Lake, Mona Lake, and White Lake; Oceana: Pentwater lake, Silver Lake, and Stony Lake; Ottawa: Macatawa Lake and Pigeon Lake.
This new order, if passed, would take effect on April 1, 2006 and shall remain effective through March 31, 2011. This proposed order will be presented for information to the Natural Resources Commission meeting September 8th in Houghton Michigan.
Expect at least one change to the proposed order in adding Muskegon Lake to the list of drowned river mouths. There was additional discussion about the amount of fishing that would be affected by excluding the drowned river mouths. MDNR fisheries staff will continue to look at that issue.
Also discussed was the on ounce limit on lures for rivers since this would affect the way some anglers fish the popular Tacquamenon River musky fishery. Studies have shown the one ounce mark is needed to help snagging enforcement, but fisheries staff stated they would review this specific fishery situation while reminding participants that this regulation has already been on the books for several seasons.
Regardless, this is good news for bass anglers in Michigan since this new regulation would allow legal use of the popular drop shot technique on the Great Lakes, connecting waters and all inland lakes. Similar techniques used by other anglers would no longer be technically illegal also.