Bass Closed Season May 15th to June 15th

Hi all

Normally I post something controversial in order to ensure everyone sees this but I too feckin tired to think up anything new, so for those of you lucky enough to live in parts of the country where there are bass, please not the closed season has just begun. You are supposed to try to avoid catching them to allow them spawn in peace - this means avoiding tactics and presumably locations which would normally allow you target them. If you catch one by accident, as can happen (even in Mayo so I'm told :wink: ) then it has to be released, irrespective of its size or condition, even if its deep hooked or a seal has had a go etc.

Thanks

If you want to read more about why this is important, the Marine Institute's 2007 Stock Books makes interesting reading.

If a fish is caught during the ban it can interupt, hasten, delay and abort spawning... in otherwards dont upset the bass :twisted: Its their time :lol:

what happens if i land one during a comp have one this sunday and its on a beach where there are usually a few. will i get points for it or wha

What happens in the case of where you put it back and a time later it gets washed up onto the beach again (obviously dead) - where do you stand if you take this home with you??

Would seem a pure waste to just leave it there??

what happens if i land one during a comp have one this sunday and its on a beach where there are usually a few. will i get points for it or wha

That's up to the club but I think the law states that you must return it immediately.

Please note
Anglers are only allowed to have two bass in their possession in any one 24-hour period and they must be over 40 cm in total length.

There is a closed season for bass from the 15th of May to the 15th of June each year. If you accidentally catch a bass during this period, just return him alive to the sea. Specimen bass cannot be claimed during the closed season.
The specimen weight for bass is 10 lbs and the Irish record currently stands at 17 lbs 13 ozs.

This is from Central fishieries Board i would say if in a competition if caught accidentally and your are fishing a Catch and Release you may as well record him and return as soon as possiable but you cannot deliberly target them if in doubt ring the CFB they are very helpful in regards to this.
The size limit is a take home fish in comp that are Catch and Release you can record them below this size and return as soon as possiable.
I stand to be corrected on the Accidently caught bass during the ban but thats what i am reading into from the above paragraph. 8)

What happens in the case of where you put it back and a time later it gets washed up onto the beach again (obviously dead) - where do you stand if you take this home with you??

Would seem a pure waste to just leave it there??

Seems wasteful alright, but I'd still leave it behind. Problem is (slightly) similar to over-quota fish discarded from trawlers.

What happens in the case of where you put it back and a time later it gets washed up onto the beach again (obviously dead) - where do you stand if you take this home with you??

Would seem a pure waste to just leave it there??

Would be a convenient excuse for any Tom, Dick or Pr*ck who wanted to kill a bass regardless of the closed season. "But I released him and he floated back in..." :roll:

It might seem a waste to leave it there, but if you take it you are breaking the law. How is a fishery officer supposed to tell the genuine guy who tried to release a fish from the guy who killed the fish and said the same thing? They're both in possession of a dead bass during the closed season....

It would be a good idea if possible to send a mass email to every member on this forum by the admin to get the information across?

As a sticky can be easily over looked, as well as that, Signs in the south east highlighting the Ban are few and far between to say the least :x

what happens if i land one during a comp have one this sunday and its on a beach where there are usually a few. will i get points for it or wha

That's up to the club but I think the law states that you must return it immediately.

it should be a non counting fish (like mackerel and seatrout) during the ban, to ensure that noone targets them for extra points.

Species 2008 : Ballan Wrasse, Flounder, Pollock, Whiting, Dab, 3 Bearded Rockling, Scorpion Fish, Dogfish, Greater Sandeel/Launce (Starfish & Crabs)...dont know if those last 2 count?!

I've managed to avoid them the last 5 months without any problem, so I dont think it will be too difficult for the next month :cry: :lol:

What happens in the case of where you put it back and a time later it gets washed up onto the beach again (obviously dead) - where do you stand if you take this home with you??

Would seem a pure waste to just leave it there??

you better have a very good excuse if you are seen with a fish regardless of its demise , it would be still in your possession and as you know the law states any angler with a bass in his/her possession during the ban is participating in an illegal activity.

so your just better off leaving it behind in the water :cry:

has any one even seen a bailiff this year or are they figments of our imagenation, have not seen one round all year....

has any one even seen a bailiff this year or are they figments of our imagenation, have not seen one round all year....

Bailiffs are people who evict you from your house if you haven't paid your rent/mortgage. I think you're referring to fishery officers.

If a fish is caught during the ban it can interupt, hasten, delay and abort spawning...

This is why it may be a good idea to extend the closed season. Many of the fish caught from mid-March onwards will already be secreting milt.

bailiffs or fishery officers what ever you want to call them has anyone seen them around

bailiffs or fishery officers what ever you want to call them has anyone seen them around

oh they do exist.. i know a couple and have also seen them on beaches where bass are the prominent species :wink:

oh they do exist.. i know a couple and have also seen them on beaches where bass are the prominent species :wink:

Ive only seen 1 CFB officer in the last 4 years and had not seen one before that. He pulled up in the jeep pulled out a pair of binoculars had a quick look out the harbor and drove off.

I mainly fish for Bass Steve , granted its off the beaten track , but Ive never had personal interaction with a CFB officer and I do a lot of fishing in a lot of different locations.

And unless there is some visual deterrent (in the form of a CFB vehicle/officer patrolling), I feel the likes of the sticky for the the bass Ban will fall on deaf ears as a result .

Just my two cents.

i'd say your better off to release bass as quick as possible and if it floats back to leave it there i think the fines are pretty hefty the shame would be worse!!
as for fishery officers i've never encountered one in the kerry region and i do a fair bit of bass fishing.