Was The Ball Dropped On This One?

[Terry Dodge]

April 25, 2010

"Rockford Hawg Hunters' 21st annual Rock River Open team Bass Tournament",

Report has it that many smallies were brought to the scale.

I wouldn't think they (Hawg Hunters) would even be able to get a permit for

this tournament between April 1st and June 15th.

[Mike Clifford]

I recall the same thing happening on the Kankakee last year.

 

There is a C&R regulation during the spawn for a reason.

You can't have it both ways by giving exemptions for tournaments during that period.

It is something the IDNR needs to address, without question.

 

Most other states in the Midwest don't even allow us to fish for bass and simply close the season.

Do they give tournament exemptions?

 

 

[Terry Dodge]

Only large and smallmouth bass can be brought to the weigh-in.

http://www.basshawg....pages/form1.pdf (see rule #16, scoring)

[Mike Clifford]

Take a look on local fishing message boards......there are bass tournaments on virtually every river affected by the immediate catch and release season.

I'm not certain if there is a special exemption required, or what the deal is with these.

There is one on Weds. nights out of the Des Plaines Cons. area.

Saw a flyer in the local bait shop today.

The Fox River has a few scheduled during the spawn as well, but they are not allowing smallmouth to be weighed in.

Those folks deserve credit for doing the right thing.

 

An interesting paradigm.

Deny anglers from keeping them, but allow throngs of people to yank them from the beds and release them "God knows where" after toting them around for hours.

 

No wonder the fishing sucks around here.