Bass fishing expands

[Lee Borgersen]

  :fishing2: Catch that? Bass fishing expands

  ......
Anglers get more opportunity to fish for bass this year starting on the Saturday, May 9, fishing opener when a new catch-and-release bass season begins in most of the state.

  The catch-and-release season runs until the regular harvest season opens Saturday, May 23. All largemouth and smallmouth bass caught during this two-week period must immediately be released.

Meanwhile, anglers in northeast Minnesota can continue to catch and keep bass during these two weeks starting May 9. Northeast Minnesota is defined as essentially north and east of U.S. Highway 53. In past years, anglers could not fish for bass until Memorial Day weekend outside northeastern Minnesota.

In another bass season change, the fall closure on harvest of smallmouth bass has been lifted in the northeast.

More on bass fishing can be found at www.mndnr.gov/fishmn/bass.