Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

House environment panel considers year-round bass fishing season

You might think a bill to allow a year-round fishing season for largemouth and smallmouth bass would be controversial.

But all evidence from Tuesday’s House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee meeting indicates that HF2824 enjoys wide support.

It has sponsors from both sides of the aisle. The DNR supports it. Angling organizations support it. Committee members spoke in favor of it.

The only opponents could possibly be the largemouth and smallmouth bass themselves, right?

But would their population suffer from the proposed law change?

Not really.

“Bass are doing quite well in this state.” said Brad Parsons, DNR fisheries section manager. “We see this as an opportunity to provide more angling experience with no biological risk.”

May and June are typical spawning times for bass, so Parsons said that adding several months outside of that time should have minimal impact on their population.

The season for largemouth and smallmouth bass is now the same as for walleye and some other species, running from the Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through the last Sunday in February.

The committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion in a policy bill.

Rep. Jim Nash (R-Waconia) is the sponsor. He said the impetus is twofold: to encourage more people to develop a healthy outdoor hobby and to help an industry that has suffered recently.

“The resort region has suffered in years past. Having the ability to go and angle for bass without a limitation of a season would be very helpful and beneficial for them,” he said.

Jimmy Bell, president of the Student Angler Organization, said a year-round season would increase participation in high school fishing teams by allowing them to recruit anglers before schools close for the summer.

“We’ve seen a huge increase in student angling in the state of Minnesota, which is just absolutely awesome,” he said. “We’ve got to keep them engaged, and the way that you keep them engaged is giving them more opportunity.”


Related Articles


Priority Dailies

Legislature — with budget incomplete — gavels out, prepares for special session
House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Republican Floor Leader Harry Niska speak with the media following the May 19 end of the regular legislative session. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) Some years, state legislative sessions surge to a climax on their final day, a flurry of activity providing a sustained adrenaline rush, culminating in smiles of satisfaction as...
Walz, lawmakers strike budget deal in session's final days
Gov. Tim Walz and three of four legislative leaders announce a bipartisan agreement on biennial budget targets during a May 15 press conference. (Photo by Andrew VonBank) With five days to go in the 2025 session, three of four legislative leaders announced a budget agreement Thursday that would sunset unemployment insurance for hourly school empl...