Spot length

[willyfish]

What is the length limit on spots in Missouri and Arkansas? A friend told me they were allowing 12 inch spots at a LOZ tournament but I figured they weren't sustainable in that lake so conservation doesn't worry about it. I've heard different on these border lakes.

[dtrs5kprs]

15" in TR, thank goodness.

[J-Doc]

They removed the length limit on Beaver Lake because AGFC test results showed stunted growth due to over population and too many people releasing them vs eating the smaller ones. Was taking 4-5yrs to get to 12" long. Since this length limit has been removed, I've seen much better quality spotted bass in last 2yrs. Which surprises me because that's a super fast turnaround and may be unrelated to the limit removal.

When you get a lake that has no predators putting pressure on a species, you get an over populated lake full of skinny fish. And Beaver is on the recovery from this. Due to several reasons. Bass are getting bigger, fatter, and moving in the right direction.

[denjac]

Beaver doesn't have predators? Those 30 pound stripers eat anything that gets in there way.

[countryred]

Yep , 12 inch length limit on spots at LOZ. Seems they grow really slow there and most never made it to the old 15" limit. Table Rock spots are almost a different critter. Fatter, bigger, meaner. Lots of them too.

[Champ188]

Tournament results speak for themselves concerning Beaver Lake. The opening Everett Team Trail derby drew 191 boats, of which 112 zeroed, i.e. failed to catch a single keeper fish. That's not opinion, propaganda or hate --- just fact.

It can be viewed at

http://everettteamtrail.com/

Speaks volumes about why some of us in NW Arkansas, including several on this forum, regularly drive right past Beaver on our merry way to Table Rock.

[J-Doc]

Correct.

Not disagreeing at all on the results posted above.

I'll say this though.

191 start the day

Only 20-30 actually stay the full day and weigh in fish.

Most leave early and give up with several hours remaining. So this is something to consider. Most don't get enough fish or give up way too early. We cannot say that 170 boats didn't boat a fish. I think some did from what I heard. But they released the one or few they had and gave up and left early. That and weather hasn't been that great for those events.

I'm not one that can go out and catch a 10-15lb sack every trip or I might try it. That's my lack of skill....not the lake.

Beaver is tough. Super tough at times. No one can dispute that. Doesn't mean it doesn't have fish. Some big bass have been caught lately.

I was simply stating there is no length limit on spotted bass on Beaver. Not for two years now. I think it may be helping. Probably way to early to tell. I look forward to seeing the AGFC data. Would be interesting.

[J-Doc]

Beaver doesn't have predators? Those 30 pound stripers eat anything that gets in there way.

I believe Table Rock does as well. Probably not nearly as many as Beaver though. And I've yet to find a bass in a striper belly. If I do.....I'll post a photo so the haters can grab pitchforks and torches. Lol!! :-)

Kidding guys. Just kidding. All in fun. Not starting a war or anything. I will post a photo if I ever find one but everything I've seen so far in the few I've cleaned had gizard shad remains. One had crawfish. Kid you not. I showed Champ the photo.

Now back to the subject at hand.

No length limit for spots on Beaver. And 15" on TR.

I don't know about Bull Shoals. Never fished it. Someone here knows I'm sure.

[Champ188]

The last time I fished a Central Pro-Am on Bull Shoals, which has been several years ago, spots were 12 inches except for the Missouri portion of the lake, where they had to be 15 inches. So if you caught sub-15 inch spots early in the day, you couldn't take them into Missouri without being in violation of state law.

[willyfish]

I thought I heard it's 12 on one side of the border and 15 on the other side. I have no idea to be honest.