New Paddlefish Regs 2014

[Bird Watcher]

There are new regs. for Spoonbill this year.

1. Must have Spoonbill permit
2. Can't keep fish on Monday or Friday
3. Barbless hooks only
4. Has to be tagged as soon as you keep one.
5. KEEP ONE PER DAY AND ONLY 2 FISH FOR THE YEAR
6. MUST GO ON LINE AND CHECK FISH IN

Go to www.wildlifedepartment.com for all the regs.

Game Wardens are not cutting any slack and the fines are steep.

Remember you can only keep 2 fish for the whole year.

I'm glad to see it. When I think of how many fish we legally kept 20-25 years ago, it kind of sickens me. At some point, this surely will cut into the Sodak, Nodak, Nebraska, and Iowa traffic that floods into Oklahoma each March and April for the spoonbill run. That will be bad for the local business that counts on those visitors every year, good for us that just want a quiet stretch of river to fish if it ever happens.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Proof that they have raped that resource almost to extinction.

Maybe they should take some of that money that they are stealing from the citizens and stock more paddlefish.

[Bird Watcher]

I don't know if I would say they are almost extinct. On any given summer morning you can watch them breach and jump as far as the eye can see. I've never had a problem going and catching one if I want to. I do fully support the regulations. 2 per person per season is plenty of spoonbill filets if someone wants to keep some for the table.

I also really wish they would address the jug line/trot line issue on that lake. There is so much litter in the form of pool noodles and plastic jugs from abandoned trot lines and jug lines that it's disgusting. I'm all for liberty to enjoy the outdoors however a person wants to and if someone wants to put out some jugs or a trot line I'm fine with that but pick it up when you're done or dont leave them unattended in the first place. I swear a lot of days I feel like I'm driving a slalom course trying to dodge jugs and noodles and most of the time there's not another boat in sight.

[Chief Grey Bear]

You're correct the term extinct is extreme.

But if you look at the restrictions that have been placed over the last decade on the paddlefish on Grand lake,the population must be plummeting.

[Bird Watcher]

You're correct the term extinct is extreme.

But if you look at the restrictions that have been placed over the last decade on the paddlefish on Grand lake,the population must be plummeting.

I'd say you're right. I had a biologist tell me 4 or 5 years ago that 70-80% of the fish checked in each year at the research station are from one single year class of fish about 12-15 years old.

You know, the funny thing is, I can remember going down there with my Dad and his friends in the late 80's early 90's and we were the only boat out there most of the time. Somewhere along the way this fishery picked up a ton of extra pressure and a lot of it is from Yanks. You very rarely see a boat with OK registration snagging them. There's a ton of ND, SD, IA, NB though. Huge groups of guys with 4 or 5 boats and 10-20 people camping down there for a week snagging spoonbill. I don't know what started that phenomenon.

[Quillback]

I don't see what the attraction is to snagging spoonies either (and I lived in the north for a while). A good thing IMO to get out in front with the regs changes rather than waiting until there's a population collapse.

[Chief Grey Bear]

I agree on the trotline Jug line issue. But I'

on Grand lake especially, what about the dock styrofoam? That crap is everywhere too. But you can also blame GRDA for that. They prostituted themselves out for revenue. And the lake is paying for it. And another issue is all the big catfish coming out of that lake. It seems to keep on producing but, I don't know how.

I remember in the 70s going with dad and his friends to the city park at Miami. It would be solid fishermen on both sides of the river. We didn't start spoon billing out of a boat until in the 90s. I can remember both sides Neosho and Spring being full of boats.

Of course some of them were white bass fishing too. But I think you're right over the last few years the popularity seems to have also grown.

[ollie]

I think the regs are well over due. Some of my friends probably won't like them though. I don't think they were getting to large due to everyone keeping them. There was a pic I posted down on the Spring River thread where a guide had taken clients out and all the fish were cookie cutter size. it will hurt some business I'm sure, but then again it might not make as much difference as we think.

[Chief Grey Bear]

You are right Ollie, they are long overdue! I think there's a lot of regulations that are long overdue.

[Bird Watcher]

I agree on the trotline Jug line issue. But I'

on Grand lake especially, what about the dock styrofoam? That crap is everywhere too. But you can also blame GRDA for that. They prostituted themselves out for revenue. And the lake is paying for it. And another issue is all the big catfish coming out of that lake. It seems to keep on producing but, I don't know how.

I remember in the 70s going with dad and his friends to the city park at Miami. It would be solid fishermen on both sides of the river. We didn't start spoon billing out of a boat until in the 90s. I can remember both sides Neosho and Spring being full of boats.

Of course some of them were white bass fishing too. But I think you're right over the last few years the popularity seems to have also grown.

Yeah, It's a mess down there. I guess the catfish issue is kind of what I'm getting at with the trotline and jug mess. I wish GRDA would adopt catfish regs more like MO has for Truman. I caught more 20# Blue cats last summer in 2 months fishing Truman than I have in 25 years of fishing Grand.

It's Oklahoma though. I don't mean that derrogatory. I love the state, but the rural parts are very poor and very conservative. They barely have enough money to fund the ODWC wildlife programs that they have and the residents REALLY do not like being told what to do by the gov't. Throw in the dynamic of tribal lands and it is a very unique place to hang out. I still love it though. It just takes digging a little deeper to see the beauty of the place.