Proposed Sport Fishing Changes

[Carl Guffey]

TWRC PREVIEWS SPORT FISH REGULATIONS



On August 29, 2007 the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency presented the following proposals regarding sportfish regulations to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission (TWRC). The public is invited to provide comments on these proposals until October 15, 2007. Send your comments to [email protected], or TWRA- Fisheries Division, PO Box 40747, Nashville, TN 37204. TWRC will consider the following proposals at the October 24-25, 2007 meeting. If approved, these changes would take effect on March 1, 2008.

Statewide
All Reservoirs, except Dale Hollow and Douglas Reservoirs- 18-inch minimum length limit on smallmouth bass. Proposal would not change existing creel limits.

Region 1
Beech River Watershed Lakes – no minimum length limit on crappie.
Glenn Springs Lake – Crappie- 8-inch minimum length limit; Bass- 14-18 inch protected length range with a creel limit of 10 bass, allowing only one bass in creel to be greater than 18 inches.
Gibson County Lake – Bass- 14-20 inch protected length range with a creel limit of 10 bass, allowing only one bass in creel to be greater than 20 inches.
Mississippi River Reciprocal Zone with Arkansas – common regulations for several species:

Black bass- creel limit 10, no length limit
Bream- creel limit 50, no length limit
Catfish- no creel limit, only one per day over 34 inches
Crappie- creel limit 50, no length limit
Striped bass and hybrids- creel limit 6, no length limit
Sauger- creel limit 6, no length limit
Trotlines- 100 hook maximum
Region 2
Normandy Reservoir- Walleye- 16-inch minimum length limit with a creel limit of 5 fish.
Laurel Hill Lake- Black bass- 13-18 inch protected length range.

Region 3
Upper Nickajack Lake from Chickamauga Dam downstream to mouth of South Chickamauga Creek – Spotted bass- increase daily creel limit to 15 fish.
Big Lost Creek to be managed like other stocked trout stream in Polk County: closed Fridays from March 1 to July 1 and only single hooks lures or bait allowed.

Region 4
Norris Reservoir- Spotted bass- no creel or size limit.
Chilhowee Reservoir- Largemouth bass- 14-inch minimum length limit with a creel limit of 5 black bass
Douglas Reservoir- Sauger/Walleye- 16-inch minimum length limit with a creel limit of 5 fish.
Cherokee Reservoir- Walleye- 18-inch minimum length limit with a creel limit of 5 fish; Sauger- 15-inch minimum length limit with creel limit of 10 fish.
Boone- Striped Bass- November through April- 36-inch minimum length limit with a 1 fish creel limit; May through October- 15-inch minimum length limit with a creel limit of 2 fish.
River smallmouth bass regulations: 13-17 inch protected length range for smallmouth bass, with a creel limit of 5 black bass, allowing only one smallmouth bass in creel to be greater than 17 inches. This regulation would apply to the following locations:

Nolichucky River- ENKA dam upstream to state line
French Broad River- HWY 168 to state line, excluding Douglas Reservoir.
Holston River- I-40 bridge upstream to North Fork Holston River confluence, excluding Cherokee Reservoir.
Clinch River- HWY 25E upstream to state line.
Powell River- Gap Creek confluence upstream to state line.
North Fork Holston River- Confluence with South Fork Holston River upstream to state line.
Clinch River from Norris Dam downstream to HWY 61 bridge- 14-20 inch protected length range on trout, with a 7 trout creel limit allowing only one fish in creel limit to be greater than 20 inches. There were no gear, tackle, or bait restrictions associated with this proposal

 

[EricM]

Thanks Carl!emoThumbsup

 

[Liveliner]

No problem to me with the exception to the downstream line on the upper Nickajack for the new proposed spot limit.  I still think it should be from upstream of the Suck Creek TWRA boat ramp.</p>

Thanks for posting that info.</p>

 

[MadBomber]

Liveliner - 9/13/2007 2:44 AM

No problem to me with the exception to the downstream line on the upper Nickajack for the new proposed spot limit.  I still think it should be from upstream of the Suck Creek TWRA boat ramp.</p>

Thanks for posting that info.</p>

</p>

I would like for the area to be lengthened to Suck Creeek also, but:</p>

To get the limit changed down to South Chickamauga is a major accomplishment.  In talking with Matt Majors, his biggest concern is not the experienced bass fisherman but the guy on the bank with a bucket full of largemouth claiming they are spots.</p>

The Commission is a cautious bunch.  If I go in there and push for an extension to the recommendation, my guess is that the recommendation will be tabled and the Agency will be asked to do some more electrofishing studies further down the river.</p>

For now, I'm going to ask the Commission to pass the change as recommended.  When further studies are done, it will be determined whether or not any improvement in the affected area has be accomplished.  If it can be shown that the Smallmouth fishery is better, that would be the time to ask for an extension.</p>

So, what I'm asking my fellow bass fishermen to do is to start keepng eating size spots from the river.  Start downstream, keep 5 each and if you wish come on up and and get a few more above South Chick.</p>

Next year, I'm going to ask for studies to be done further downstream.  Remember, TWRA has never before studied the Chickamauga tailwaters until now.  I believe we can get this done without getting the Commission involved in it.  </p>

 

[drumking]

MadBomber - 9/13/2007 7:15 AM

Liveliner - 9/13/2007 2:44 AM

No problem to me with the exception to the downstream line on the upper Nickajack for the new proposed spot limit.  I still think it should be from upstream of the Suck Creek TWRA boat ramp.</p>

Thanks for posting that info.</p>

</p>

I would like for the area to be lengthened to Suck Creeek also, but:</p>

To get the limit changed down to South Chickamauga is a major accomplishment.  In talking with Matt Majors, his biggest concern is not the experienced bass fisherman but the guy on the bank with a bucket full of largemouth claiming they are spots.</p>



MB, do you really think that the bank fisherman is going to catch that many largemouth bass very often? From the data that we have seen from your study, there didn't seem to be all that many largemouth caught to begin with. I am amazed at how many fishermen never read the changes from year to year in the fishing regs. How many bank fishermen are even going to know that the spot limit has been raised if indeed it gets passed? emoGeezer

 

[Bprice]

MB,</p>

It really looks like your work has done a world of good... congrats on the start of change.  As your boy FA would say... You done good!</p>

 

[fisherpal2k]

Thanks for the info Carl and for keeping us up to date!

 

[churly]

Thanks for the info Carl and the hard work MB!

I really like the proposal for the smallmouth slot, as well as the slot for the trout on the Clinch!

 

[MadBomber]

drumking - 9/13/2007 7:56 AM

MadBomber - 9/13/2007 7:15 AM

Liveliner - 9/13/2007 2:44 AM

No problem to me with the exception to the downstream line on the upper Nickajack for the new proposed spot limit.  I still think it should be from upstream of the Suck Creek TWRA boat ramp.</p>

Thanks for posting that info.</p>

</p>

I would like for the area to be lengthened to Suck Creeek also, but:</p>

To get the limit changed down to South Chickamauga is a major accomplishment.  In talking with Matt Majors, his biggest concern is not the experienced bass fisherman but the guy on the bank with a bucket full of largemouth claiming they are spots.</p>

MB, do you really think that the bank fisherman is going to catch that many largemouth bass very often? From the data that we have seen from your study, there didn't seem to be all that many largemouth caught to begin with. I am amazed at how many fishermen never read the changes from year to year in the fishing regs. How many bank fishermen are even going to know that the spot limit has been raised if indeed it gets passed? emoGeezer

</p>

It is quite possible for a person fishing from certain piers at the Riverpark to catch 10 or more largemouth using minnows.  Matt Majors told me his #1 problem on the river was folks keeping everything they catch including small LM & SM regardless of size.</p>

Right now, I thinking about how I might get some kind of permanent poster displayed at every pier along the Riverpark explaning how to identify each species of bass and what the limits are.  Matt Majors carries and hands out ID cards for bass.  I'm hoping Hamilton County and TWRA will help with this.  If some special funding is needed, I'll bet CFF will put on a couple of spotfest Tx's to help with that.</p>