Write to the Wisconsin DNR to maintain current bass regulations

The inland lakes of Wisconsin and their trophy, special management fisheries need your help.  If you don’t want to see tournaments and other events permitted and exempted to regulations (you and I follow) on special management waters, here’s your chance to act before early May! In response to question #10, write and express your input and concerns.

Write to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board – Response to Question #10

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB or Board) sets policy for the Department of Natural Resources and exercises authority and responsibility in accordance with state laws.

To submit written comments, email or call:

Laurie J. Ross, Board Liaison
Office of the Secretary
Laurie.Ross@wisconsin.gov
608-267-7420
PO Box 7921
Madison WI 53707-7921

Write to board members as well: https://dnr.wi.gov/about/nrb/members.html

10 days ago I wrote to members of the WI DNR. I won’t share what I wrote, but it was warmly accepted and resulted in return phone calls. My letter was then passed on to fisheries bureau chief Justine Hasz.

It’s very important to note that this question and past questions asked during the WCC spring hearings on this topic came from interest of bass tournament anglers and legislators, not from the WDNR bass team or WDNR biologists.

At this point the Bass Team awaits a request from fisheries and Department leadership on future direction. Last year as an advisory question, input was favorable to exempting tournament fishing from more strictive regulations than the statewide bass regulations (56% in favor, 50 counties voted in favor with 20 in opposition and 2 tied). Which is why the question was put forth as a regulatory proposal this year. This year Question #10 passed (58.5% in favor, 46 counties in favor, 19 rejecting and 7 tied).

One thing about question-10 that was not in the justification is that the intent is that the local biologist will have to write this into the conditions of the permit. This implies that if the county biologist is not onboard with derbies occurring on a low pop. density trophy managed bass lake, they can reject the request for a tournament permit. Maintaining the integrity and special regulations of that low number fishery will be at the discretion of local biologists.

There will be additional opportunity to express concerns if the fisheries program and Department decides to go forward with attempting to change rules and regulations.

In response to my letter, I was encouraged to stay active and follow what happens with this. Input to Preston Cole (WDNR Secretary), the Natural Resources board and elected officials could be considered as well.

Big bass that are right now protected from exploitation, mishandling, delayed mortality, and harvest for much of the year on low populated, fragile aquatic ecosystems of these 18-1 lakes don’t have voices that can be heard like some of ours.

If you make exceptions for a certain group then you are exploiting the resource.