New smallmouth and rock bass regs approved

[Chief Grey Bear]

No baiting. Just asking for some actual proof. The easiest thing to do is sit behind a keyboard all day every day toss out factless information. Quite another to back it up. But that would require leaving the house. 

[Born to Fish]

Missouri fishing regulations have gone through various periods of  increased restrictions and liberalization dating back to about 1900.  Commercial fishing for game fish, with fish traps and nets, was common during the late 1800s and early 1900s and lead to the passage of the Federal Black Bass Act in 1926.  Most of our fish, and wildlife, resources were nearly wiped out during this time which lead to the formation of the U.S. Fish Commission in the 1870s and MDC in 1936.  Some of Missouri's first fish regulations were during the early 1900s including a goggle eye length limit and creel limit. Regulations started to be liberalized in the early 1940s up through the early 1960s.  Elimination of market fishing for sport species allowed fish populations to recover plus the country was celebrating life after WWII.  Fishing pressure increased significantly with the "Baby Boom" and fishery biologist had many new tools for studying fish populations.  Bass numbers started declining, as well as size, by the 1960s.  This lead to a 6 fish daily black bass creel limit (1961), a statewide seasonal bass harvest closure (1965), and a 12-inch minimum length limit (1974).  By the 1970s, streams and rivers in many states didn't hardly have any bass larger then 10 inches or so.  The 12-inch minimum length limit probably was one of the biggest accomplishments of MDC to help the quality of smallmouth fishing throughout Missouri.  Having the 15-inch minimum length limit has enhanced it even more and I wish they would have left the 18-inch limit alone. Fishing regulations, like many "regulations", aren't popular with large groups of our population now days. The human population of Missouri is doubling about every 90 years and, the last time I checked, nobody has made any new rivers or streams!  However, I still have family members that will keep any smallmouth 11 inches or larger no matter if it's hook-and-line or gigging!!!  They don't do it around me but I'm not around them very much!

P.S.  MDC has lots of river and stream studies dating back to the 1950s thanks to the Dingell-Johnson Act.  However, in my opinion, since they eliminated their research office in Columbia, Missouri, some 15 or 20 years ago, they don't do as much "research" as I think they should but that probably goes back to the anti-regulation sentiment now days.