Fish-Hawk.Net

So I'm confused. I thought there was going to be an early start to the Bass season this year. But after checking the MNR site I saw this.

BASS

In 2007, the season for largemouth and smallmouth bass was changed from the last Saturday in June to the fourth Saturday in June and will open on June 23rd in Divisions 1-11, 12A, 13, 15-18, 26-29 and 35.

Note - the season has not changed in the Ottawa River or in areas where the season is open all year (including all of Northwestern Ontario and parts of Northeastern Ontario).

So it is an early start for everywhere except for the Ottawa and St. Lawrence River. That sucks and it makes no sense... but when did the Government ever make sense?

HOT OFF THE PRESSES

Found on the MNR Web Site this afternoon

BASS

In 2007, the season for largemouth and smallmouth bass was changed from the last Saturday in June to the fourth Saturday in June and will open on June 23rd in Divisions 1-11, 12A, 13, 15-18, 26-29 and 35.

Note - the season for largemouth and smallmouth bass in the Ottawa River, Division 12, opens June 22nd in 2007.

Who says fishermen don't have any clout?

Really, there is an earlier start this year. If the MNR had just left things "status quo", we wouldn't be fishing Bass until the last Saturday in June(June 30th). The reason they did not change the Ottawa & St. Lawrence River, is because these much larger waterbodies warm much slower and spawning is usually a little further behind the majority of smaller in-land lakes and rivers. My thought is; Hats-off! to the MNR for having the forsight to recognize this!

Cheers

Swamp-Donkey wrote: The reason they did not change the Ottawa & St. Lawrence River, is because these much larger waterbodies warm much slower and spawning is usually a little further behind the majority of smaller in-land lakes and rivers.

Thats a darn good point SD......makes sense. And S'weed....there's tons of places to fish for bass other than the Ottawa.....much better ones too!

Someone should point this out to the organizers of the Lefavre open bass tournament thats taking place June 23rd then! Looks to me like some one made a little mistake when selecting the date of the tournament.

There's a bunch of tournaments being held on the 23rd too Sebo... renegade etc... sucks you can't practise

The stupid thing is the ottawa opens on the quebec side of the river on the 22 of june acording to there regs. I wish ontario could get things strait with them

If the MNR is doing this because of foresight of spawning bass due to colder temperatures, than why is the St Lawrence, a much colder body of water opening on the 23rd?

I have spent literaly hours on the phone today and have been told the Ottawa opens on the 22 (3 times), the 23rd (twice) and the 29th (3 times). This is in repeated conversations with 3 people at the ministry. The last I heard was that there is supposed to be an update on the MNR site this weekend stating the 22 of June as the opener in div 12 (Ottawa river) Keep checking the following site for any announcements, otherwise the Ottawa doesn't open until the 29th of June

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca

Ed

my understanding is that div. 12 is open on the 22nd

Serves you Ottawa River anglers right! You have had longer seasons than us folks here in Kingston, with a FRIDAY opener rather than our SATURDAY opener, plus a winter ice fishing season too!

Nya nya nya nya nya

J/K folks, we need CLEAR direction from the MNR not a bunch of opinions...

Doug

Well boys I'm here to inform you that Region 12 will open this weekend for Bass. After much conversation by executive members of the Petawawa Bassmasters and MNR Pembroke, who are now running their first tourney on Cobden lake on Sunday, after being informed on Tuesday, that the river will definiately not be opened for bass this weekend. Were informed by MNR pers late yesterday, that they (MNR Officials in TO ) have retracked that June 19 update and the Ottawa river will open this weekend for Bass. (New Update should be on the MNR site probably sometime today) I think pressure from the Lefaive tournament as well as the Petawawa Chapter, who was to run their Opening tournament on the River out of Petawawa, have brought on this change, which has been created sole by the MNR not being funded properly by the province, and not being able to produce the 2007 Fishing Reg's...if the funds were their we wouldn't be waiting this long to find out when..... Sorry Doug..we will be fishin on Saturday with ya.

Cheers, Frank

Good for you guys getting the MNR to make a common sense decision!

Tight lines!

Doug

...man, there's more flip floppin' goin' on here than a bass in the bottom of a boat!.....

Flip Floppin...that's for sure.

So I also checked, refreshed my browser several times, and have concluded the following as of right now.....

Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass Opener
Divisions 1-11, 12A, 13, 15-18, 26-29 and 35
Open this Saturday, June 23, 2007

Division 12 (Ottawa River)
Opens this Friday, June 22, 2007

That's what I'll be going with.

Bobber your dates are in line with the Quebec opening on the river, Friday oh thats tomorrow..I may be sick ...Glad to see the update is on the MNR site.

Cheers