Proposed Fishing Reg Changes in Arkansas

[Danoinark]

Here is a complete list of all of the Arkansas Fishing Regulation changes proposed for next year.

The AGFC will make their decisions on August 17...Dano

Fishing rule changes to be decided at Aug. 17 meeting

LITTLE ROCK - The Arkansas Game and Fish Commissioner's fisheries staff has proposed 27 changes in Arkansas fishing rules. Commissioners will take action on the recommendations at their Aug. 17 meeting in Little Rock.

Changes approved will take effect Jan. 1, 2007.

Most of the proposals are for sport fishing in specific waters, but some are for commercial fishing and turtling (the taking, raising and selling of turtles).

The proposals in brief summary:

1. Only one bass over 21 inches long can be kept each day on Mallard Lake.

2. Implement a family fishing program on Craighead Forest Park Youth Fishing Lake at Jonesboro.

3. Clarify the Mississippi River boundary in Desha and Arkansas counties.

4. Implement smallmouth minimum length limit of 12 inches with a daily limit of two on the Ouachita River downstream from Remmel Dam. Prohibit hogging and noodling on the Ouachita River upstream from the mouth of the Little Missouri River. Implement a 20-inch minimum length limit on flathead catfish for recreational and commercial anglers on the Ouachita River, from the confluence of the Little Missouri River to the confluence of the Caddo River. Impose a 10 fish creel limit on catfish for commercial fishermen on the Ouachita River, from the confluence of the Little Missouri River to the confluence of the Caddo River.

5. On the Lower Little Missouri River, implement one fish creel limit and 18-inch length restriction for smallmouth bass. On the Narrows Tailwater, implement a trout delayed harvest area. On the Narrows Tailwater, implement a brown trout catch-and-release area from Narrows Dam to Highway 27 Bridge. On the Ouachita River, upstream of the confluence of the Little Missouri River, close commercial fishing during January through March.

6. Begin a 13-inch minimum length limit on spotted bass, sometimes called Kentucky bass by anglers, on Lake Ouachita.

7. Remove the 16- to 21-inch protected slot limit and 4 bass a day limit on largemouth bass on Lake Cargile in Conway County.

8. On the Little Red River, implement a 16-24 inch slot limit on all trout, of which one may exceed 24 inches, change JFK and Mossy Shoals catch-and-release area to artificial lures only areas.

9. Remove the 13- to 16-inch protected slot limit on largemouth bass on Lake Maumelle. This regulation will become effective immediately after it is approved by the Commission.

10. Begin a 10-fish daily limit on largemouth bass, of which only one can be over 18 inches long, on SWEPCO Lake near Gentry in Benton County.

11. Begin a 16-inch maximum length limit for black bass on Lake Winona in Saline County. Longer bass must be immediately returned to the water.

12. Prohibit the use of common carp as bait in 31 Arkansas lakes: Bob Kidd Lake, Devil’s Den State Park Lake, Lake Elmdale, Lake Fayetteville, Wilson Lake (Washington County); Crystal Lake (Benton County); Lake Leatherwood (Carroll County); Lake Hindsville (Madison County); Lake Cargill, Lake Overcup (Conway County); Lake Barnett and Tom’s Lake (White County); Lake Conway (Faulkner County); Harris Brake Lake (Perry County); Lake Atkins (Pope County); Sugarloaf Lake (Sebastion County); Truman Baker Lake, Lake Hinkle (Scott County); Lake Wilhelmina, Irons Fork Lake (Polk County); Gurdon Lake (Clark County); Cox Creek Lake (Grant County); Gillham Lake, Dierks Lake (Howard County); DeQueen Lake (Sevier County); Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois d’Arc Lake, Rick Evans/Grandview Prairie WMA Lakes 1 and 2, Mike and Janet Huckabee Lake (Hempstead County); Lake Columbia (Columbia County); Upper and Lower White Oak Lakes (Ouachita County); Tri-County Lake (Calhoun County); Lake Monticello (Drew County) and Cane Creek Lake (Lincoln County).

13. Clarification of rules for trotlines, setlines and limblines.

14. Clarification of scientific collection permit rules.

15. Delete “scaled” from definition of rough fish.

16. Add “sportfish” to AGFC code book language.

17. Add bullheads to lists of rough fish.

18. Grand Lake, prohibit hoop nets for commercial fishing and turtling.

19. Harris Brake Lake, close seasonal commercial fishing.

20. Lake Atkins, close seasonal commercial fishing.

21. Lake Chicot, close seasonal commercial fishing.

22. Delete bullheads from list of bait fish.

23. Waters under family and community fishing regulations will be required to use electric trolling motors.

24. Clarify boundary waters with Louisiana where taking of paddlefish and sturgeon is closed.

25. Put in a 20-inch minimum length limit on striped bass on Lake Norfork.

26. Clarify commercial fishing gear rules on the Arkansas River from the Arkansas Highway 7 bridge to the nearby Dardanelle Lock and Dam.

27. Remove the 13- to 18-inch protected slot limit on largemouth bass on De Queen Lake and change the daily limit to six black bass.

The proposed rules changes were drafted after public meetings and other input from fishermen and from suggestions of AGFC fisheries biologists.

[retroaction man]

10. Begin a 10-fish daily limit on largemouth bass, of which only one can be over 18 inches long, on SWEPCO Lake near Gentry in Benton County

[Quillback]

I was surprised to see a 10 fish bass limit at SWEPCO. I fish that lake when I come down to visit, it's great bass fishing under the current catch and release rules. I don't see a need for bass retention on that lake, does anyone know why they are going to allow retention? Is the fishing too good?

BTW, does anyone know if they implemented the suggested changes?

[Terry Beeson]

Changes in regulations with AGFC are due to one of three reasons:

1. The commisioners want a regulation change that agrees with the biologists recommendations...

2. The commisioners want a regulation change that agrees with the feedback from public meetings...

3. The commisioners want the regulation change regardless...

As for adoption of any of them, any regulation changes will not go into effect until January 1. I think they vote on them in September. We probably won't know until October or November.

[gonefishin]

What is the creel limit for Trout in Arkansas? Why in the world would they make it illegal to use common carp and bullhead as bait fish?

[jOrOb]

Swepco is chock full of bass, but there are a lot of small fish. The last time I was there, I caught a number of 12" fish, but only 1 decent fish. I think they are just trying to thin the population of small bass. Thus the 1 over 18 rule.

[Quillback]

I haven't fished for bass in SWEPCO since last November, but it was good then for bass of all sizes, we did get some smaller ones, but also caught several in the 2-5 lb range. Maybe this reg change will create an environment where there will be more larger fish, but I'm sceptical. I think it's a fine lake for bass fishing as it is and I don't see how this reg change will improve it.

[Terry Beeson]

I'm guessing here, but I have talked with a couple of AGFC biologists and other biologists who would agree on this one.

A lake, stream, wooded area, range, etc. has a certain "capacity" it can properly maintain. Within its ecosystem there is a certain amount of life supporting factors - area/volume, oxygen levels, and food source levels- that are key factors in this "capacity." The total number of pounds of fish, deer, squirrels, ducks, quail, snakes, scuds, or other life forms is determined by these.

With most land animals, the total number of animals in a given ecosystem is the result, with minor differences in weight. (The exception would be the Key deer in Florida.)

With fish, the number of bass/fish in the lake increases, the "total pounds" stay the same (somewhat), but the average size decreases. When the number of fish decreases, the average weight increases. Simple statistics.

There are two ways to increase the size of fish in a given ecosystem:

1. Increase the capacity of the ecosystem (more food.)

2. Decrease the population of the target species.

Deer management, fish management, etc. are all the same. Limits and regulations are determined by several factors, but the one that guides them the most is the ecosystem status and population.

Simply put - SWEPCO has so many bass in it that the average size is small. Note I said AVERAGE size... The change in regulation is to decrease the total population, but increase the average size, thus making it more of a trophy lake. This has been a successful program in many lakes all over the US.

[Quillback]

Well I can understand that point, I wonder if angler opinion agreed with the biological reasons for the reg change on SWEPCO? It's a great place to introduce youngsters to bass fishing, and from the number of rigs I've seen in the parking lot on a Saturday morning it appears anglers aren't turned off by catching too many small bass. I would also argue that SWEPCO already contains a healthy population of trophy bass, I fear the end result will be a lake with a relatively small number of "trophy" bass and anything below 18" will also become scarce.

Anyway I guess we'll find out, hopefully this change is for the better, it would be great to have a lake that has a good number of trophy sized bass.

[Terry Beeson]

Actually, what you might be surprised to fine - if all goes as planned - is there will still be a sufficient population of smaller fish to give you a good day of line tugs, but the fight will be better. Overall, these fish are healthier and fight better. And if history is repeated,

Yeah, you might not see 100 + fish days, but I'd take 20-30 2 to 6 lb fish over 100 half-pounders any day.