According to the new 2020-2021 regulations, you can now target bass year round in Wisconsin beginning April 1st 2020. Limited harvest season still exists and varies by location. Formerly the season was closed entirely from early March until the first Saturday in May. Good news!

Awesome!

That's awesome!! Michigan did the same thing a couple of years ago, because of that I'll be fishing my first ice out pond of the year on  Saturday.

I’m gonna say that most years that might add a week or two to the open water season. Every once in 10 years it might add a few weeks but most years the ice goes out in Wisconsin when we lose ours in Minnesota. And the last few years that has been late April or early May.

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I’m gonna say that most years that might add a week or two to the open water season. Every once in 10 years it might add a few weeks but most years the ice goes out in Wisconsin when we lose ours in Minnesota. And the last few years that has been late April or early May.

I fished a research lake in northern WI the last weekend in april once since its open year round. It snowed and was 40°. 

Last year, during the last week in May, the water temps on the lake I was fishing in Northern Wisconsin, never got into the 50’s. I don’t think the ice was even off on May 1.

In the Southern part of the state, it will be welcomed.

That's awesome for the small lakes in the southern part of WI I frequent

3 hours ago, MrPeanut said:

That's awesome for the small lakes in the southern part of WI I frequent

I can’t wait I’m in Kenosha County waiting for ice out.

On 3/6/2020 at 7:10 PM, Born 2 fish said:

I can’t wait I’m in Kenosha County waiting for ice out.

hopefully not too much longer - cabin fever is taking it's toll lol

8 hours ago, MrPeanut said:

hopefully not too much longer - cabin fever is taking it's toll lol

I fished northern Illinois yesterday one bite but nice to wet a line.

I really hope they do that here in mn. In the south where I live sometimes in the little reservoirs the ice will be off as early as mid-late March on war, springs, would love to be able to legally fish after work some days before may 9th

I don’t see this happening in MN anytime soon. We’re way behind the curve on this kind of stuff. It wasn’t that many years ago they wouldn’t even let use target a bass until 2 weeks after the walleye/pike opener.

20 hours ago, gimruis said:

I don’t see this happening in MN anytime soon. We’re way behind the curve on this kind of stuff. It wasn’t that many years ago they wouldn’t even let use target a bass until 2 weeks after the walleye/pike opener.

Tough enough to get the DNR to come around. There can be other factors impacting fish stocking and seasons as well. Its a mess with the guys who are convinced musky are eating all their walleye and rich lake home owners trying to keep people off "their" lakes combining to stop musky stocking in certain areas of the state.