Bass

KCW

Active Member
BC freshwater fisheries are thinking of lifting the catch and release regulation for Bass on Vancouver Island .
 
Caught more bass than I can count, only actually eaten one. Leave them to spawn during the spring, I say. They need to guard their nests from predators.
 
It is a way to control an invasive species..

Hopefully the feds will take the same approach and look at the Cutty populations
 
Bass were stocked by the provincial govt 60 or more years ago in many southern island and Gulf Islands lakes. Those were legitimate introductions by our provincial fisheries dept. They have coexisted in the lakes with the native species for over half a century. Where there has been problems it has been because of idiots illegally transferring perch or bass to other waters. I grew up on a lake that the government had stocked bass in. The bass grew to six pounds in that lake and so did the cutthroats when I was a kid. They both thrived together and reached very large sizes in the same lake. The lake was not attached to any other water system so there was no possibility of them invading and impacting other rivers or lakes. Brown trout were stocked by the provincial government in many South Island watersheds as well. The introductions didn't take in most places, and brown trout only remain in a few systems now.

Where it becomes a problem is when illegal transfers occur.
 
Last edited:
From Fishing Synopsis, 2015 - 2017
BEAVER CREEK, chain of lakes
Area 5-2
No Fishing for bass
Includes:Beaver, Chambers, Joan, McCauley, Opheim, and Roberts lakes, Lake George, and the unnamed lake known locally as
“Rye” lake.

I noticed this last year, why would they do this if it is an evasive species?
Is the ministry running some sort of experiment on these lakes to find out the variability of bass in the region?
 
From Fishing Synopsis, 2015 - 2017
BEAVER CREEK, chain of lakes
Area 5-2
No Fishing for bass
Includes:Beaver, Chambers, Joan, McCauley, Opheim, and Roberts lakes, Lake George, and the unnamed lake known locally as
“Rye” lake.

I noticed this last year, why would they do this if it is an evasive species?
Is the ministry running some sort of experiment on these lakes to find out the variability of bass in the region?

Maybe they are doing it to take away any incentive to stock lakes illegally. Stock a lake illegally then, you can't fish it. hmmm
 
Bass were stocked by the provincial govt 60 or more years ago in many southern island and Gulf Islands lakes. Those were legitimate introductions by our provincial fisheries dept. They have coexisted in the lakes with the native species for over half a century. Where there has been problems it has been because of idiots illegally transferring perch or bass to other waters. I grew up on a lake that the government had stocked bass in. The bass grew to six pounds in that lake and so did the cutthroats when I was a kid. They both thrived together and reached very large sizes in the same lake. The lake was not attached to any other water system so there was no possibility of them invading and impacting other rivers or lakes. Brown trout were stocked by the provincial government in many South Island watersheds as well. The introductions didn't take in most places, and brown trout only remain in a few systems now.

Where it becomes a problem is when illegal transfers occur.

What the hell is a legitimate introduction? The cane toad was legitimately introduced in Australia as was the Asian carp in the southern US. In my mind some dumbass govt biologist who was a bass fan, 60 years ago thought, hey lets introduce a few harmless bass so I can finally catch a fish or two. BC would be much better off with NO freaking Bass. They should have open season on them year round, they make good garden fertilizer and that is about all they are good for.
 
Top water bass fishing is great sport. They also take a fly readily, and are a blast on fly gear. They are actually good eating, not much different than any other white meat freshwater game fish. Lots of guys love to bass fish. The problems with them is not because of the governments introductions, but the idiots spreading them to areas where they could harm native Salmonid populations.
 
We regularely do our part in Maple ridge and do a bass cull in the surrounding areas. The last thing we need is them getting more common.
**** the people who are introducing foreign species!!!!!
 
Funny when you leave them on the grass and then the ppl from Richmond drive by and take them to eat lol!!!
They have been caught on the lower stave this fall, after our buddy got a few in the stave we started doing some major culls in silvermere lake!!!
 
Last edited:
I know you guys are only trying to help keep the Bass populations down in areas where they could harm Salmonids. Trying to keep Bass populations down in the Fraser is a good thing. Unfortunately, once they have been introduced its almost impossible to eliminate them by sports fishing. The best you could ever hope is to just keep there numbers in check.

While you guys are only trying to help, you have a responsibility to fish ethically and follow the regulations. Leaving dying bass littered all over public spaces gives anglers a very poor image. You also still have a responsibility to adhere to sports fishing regulations even though bass have no business in the Fraser. Bass are classified as a sports fish under our regulations, and you are legally required follow species limits and to not waste your catch.

In addition PETA loves any opportunity to paint anglers in a bad light. Your treatment of Bass is exactly the type of behaviour they love to document in an effort to outlaw sports fishing entirely. Please treat your catch in an ethical manner, as your behaviour reflects badly on all sports fishers. Also, please don't waste a perfectly good food fish when the meat can be put to good use.

Kill your catch in an ethical manner and take the meat home with you. The meat is actually quite good, although smaller bass are a pain to debone. If you can't be bothered to fillet and eat them yourself they can be boiled whole for pet food. Cats and dogs love fish and that way the meat is not going to waste and helps reduce you pet food bill. I usually boil my heads and trimmings to give to my dog. There is no excuse for wasting sports caught fish. The meat can always put to good use.

Please don't advocate unethical treatment and wastage of sports caught fish on public forums. There are many groups that would love to outlaw fishing and hunting and we all need to be concerned about our image with the non game harvesting members of society.

Let's please not turn this into a flaming war. I'm not posting this to attack anyone personally, I just think as anglers we all need to protect our image with the public. Please pm me if you'd like to discuss this matter further, as I'd be happy to talk about catching Bass if you wish.
 
Regulations and ethics on a foreign species? Sorry not in our backyard!!
Anyonecaught introducing foreign species should have the book thrown at them.
 
Ring Necked Pheasant, Chukar Partridge, Brown trout, Eastern Brook trout are all foreign species introduced to B.C. They are covered by the regulations as well. Yes, introduction of foreign species should be prosecuted to the full extant of the law, and violating limits should be as well.
 
Region 1 regulations currently disallow bass harvest during the spring period from April 15- June 15. The effect (and presumed intent) of this regulation is to protect bass during courtship and egg guarding. Provincial direction with respect to non-native sport fish is to either disallow fisheries or promote control/eradication fisheries, except in a small number of specific situations where a managed fishery may be considered.

The region-wide restriction on bass harvest is not consistent with provincial direction and is not considered defensible given the potential for continuing impact of bass where they occur and/or the risk of spread to new locations. In the small number of instances where a managed bass fishery is the objective, and spring harvest restrictions are warranted, waterbody-specific regulations may be considered.

Smallmouth bass have significantly impacted the native fish and invertebrate communities in waters of Vancouver Island.

Vancouver Island Lakes Questionnaire survey data indicate the only ~3% of bass that are caught are harvested.
 
Back
Top