TWRA to Present Sportsfishing Changes for 2010
Monday, August 24, 2009 | 09:57am
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) Fisheries Division has announced its proposed 2010 sportfishing regulation changes that will be presented to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission at its October meeting.
The TWRA made its initial proposals for 2010 at the August meeting of the TWRC which was held at Paris Landing State Park.
The following are TWRA’s proposed changes by region and statewide for 2010:
Proposed Changes-Region III:
*Dale Hollow Reservoir
Increase muskellunge minimum size limit to 50 inches, 1 fish per day creel
*Fall Creek Lake, Fall Creek Falls State Park
Remove black bass minimum size limit
Establish 20 fish aggregate creel limit for redear and bluegill
*Falling Water Lake, Burgess Falls SP
Remove all fisheries regulations- statewide apply
*Cordell Hull
Largemouth Bass-17-23 inches Protected Length Range (PLR), 1 fish over 23 inches, 2 fish under 17 inches
*Caney Fork River
Rainbow and brook trout-14-20 inches PLR with 1 fish over 20 inches
Brown Trout-22 inches Minimum Length Limit (MLL) with 1 fish over,
(changed from 18-inches MLL with two over)
Proposed Changes-Region IV:
*Cherokee Reservoir - remove paddlefish size limit. Replace wording: "Culling, the releasing of harvested fish, is prohibited" with “Paddlefish: 1 per day. Season is open from March 1-15. Fish may not be released when caught.”
*Melton Hill Reservoir – Increase the muskellunge minimum length limit from 44 to 50 inches. 1 fish per day creel
Extend the striped bass PLR (32-42 inches, 1 over) to Hwy. 61 bridge at Clinton
*South Holston Reservoir- Remove the closed trout season (Dec. 1 to Feb. 28)
*Norris Reservoir – change smallmouth bass size limit from 18 inch minimum length limit to a 17 to 22 inches PLR-1 fish under and 1 fish over the PLR
Proposed changes-Statewide:
Sport trotlines, limblines, and jugs: To read –"Sport fishing trotlines, limblines, and jugs must be tagged and/or marked with the angler’s name or current TWRA identification number."
Other changes being considered by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission (TWRC):
After hearing from several members of the public, the TWRC Fisheries Committee let it be known that it will also consider the following changes:
*Increasing the agency recommended 22 inches to a 24-inch minimum length limit on brown trout on the Caney Fork River with one fish allowed over 24 inches
*Also, on the Caney Fork, the TWRC Fisheries Committee will consider changing the daily creel limit from seven to five trout per day, per person
*The committee is also considering a change offered from the public that would increase the sauger minimum size limit from 14 to 15 inches on Kentucky Lake
---TWRA---
Note:
TWRA is asking for public comments on these proposed regulation changes by October 4, 2009. Public comments should be submitted by mail to: Sport Fish Comments, TWRA, Fisheries Management Division, P.O. 40747, Nashville, TN 37204 or emailed to TWRA.Comment@tn.gov. Please include Sport Fish Comments on the subject line of emailed submissions. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission will vote on these regulations at their Oct. 29-30, 2009 meeting in Knoxville.