2009 Sportfishing Regulations Approved at October TWRC Meeting

Thursday, October 23, 2008 | 04:29am

NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission passed the 2009 sportfishing regulation changes during its October meeting on Thursday (Oct. 23) that was held at the Meadowview Conference Center in Kingsport, Tenn.

The following are the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s changes by region and statewide for 2009:

Changes-Region I

  • Amended the proclamation to keep the smallmouth bass minimum length of 15 inches on Kentucky Lake.
  • Establish the crappie creel limit for waters in West Tennessee (Kentucky and Barkley Lakes and west to but excluding the Mississippi River) of 30 per day. 

Changes-Region II

  • Increase the current minimum length on bass from 13 to 15 inches at Lewisburg City Lake.
  • Include the Stones River from below Percy Priest Dam to its confluence with the Cumberland River in the definition for Cheatham Reservoir.

Changes-Region III

Proclamation/Guide Housekeeping

  • Section IV.F.A.-change “A” to “1” (proper outline sequence)
  • Section IV.F.2. –move bullet under Section G “Catch-and-release season will be from Oct. 1 through March 14” to Section F.2 – Tellico River (puts the statement under proper section).

Changes-Region IV

Adds to list of rivers with 13-17 inches slot length limit on smallmouth bass:

  • South Fork Holston River (confluence with North Fork Holston upstream to Fort Patrick Henry Dam).
  • Little River from Rockford Dam upstream to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park boundary.
  • Tellico River from Tellico Reservoir boundary up stream to state line.

Proclamation/Guide Housekeeping

  • Section 1.B. - Melton Hill Reservoir striped bass/Cherokee or on hybrid bass creel limit should be 2 per day in combination
  • Section 1.B. - Boone, Norris, and Watts Bar striped bass and Cherokee bass minimum length and creel limits. Currently the winter 36 inches minimum length limit and one fish creel limit on these reservoirs applies to both striped bass and Cherokee bass. The 36 inch size limit will only apply to striped bass. Cherokee bass limits should be the statewide regulation (i.e., 15 inches minimum length and two fish creel limit) year round.

SECTION XV. I. - Douglas Reservoir: It should read: “For the purpose of this proclamation, extends upstream to the confluence of the Pigeon and French Broad Rivers and to ENKA dam on the Nolichucky River (excluding sauger and walleye). Douglas Reservoir sauger/walleye regulations should include all tributaries to the reservoir.

Changes-Statewide

  • Remove all wording in the proclamation regarding the use of a tooth patch for differentiating spotted bass from largemouth bass.

During Wednesday’s committee meetings, the commission voted to keep the change to commercial fishing regulations that removed all seasons and size limits on paddlefish statewide. All gear and closed water regulations would remain in force. This change will become effective on Nov. 7, 2008.

The TWRC’s next meeting will be held Nov. 19-20 in Nashville at the TWRA Region II Ray Bell Building.
 

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