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Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Fishing Rule Changes To Be Decided At Aug. 17 Meeting
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
— 8/9/2006
LITTLE ROCK - The Arkansas Game and Fish Commissioner's fisheries staff has proposed 27 changes in Arkansas fishing rulesCommissioners will take action on the recommendations at their Aug17 meeting in Little Rock.
Changes approved will take effect Jan1, 2007.
Most of the proposals are for sport fishing in specific waters, but some are for commercial fishing and turtling (the taking, raising and selling of turtles).
The proposals in brief summary:
- Only one bass over 21 inches long can be kept each day on Mallard Lake.
- Implement a family fishing program on Craighead Forest Park Youth Fishing Lake at Jonesboro.
- Clarify the Mississippi River boundary in Desha and Arkansas counties.
- Implement smallmouth minimum length limit of 12 inches with a daily limit of two on the Ouachita River downstream from Remmel Dam. Prohibit hogging and noodling on the Ouachita River upstream from the mouth of the Little Missouri River. Implement a 20-inch minimum length limit on flathead catfish for recreational and commercial anglers on the Ouachita River, from the confluence of the Little Missouri River to the confluence of the Caddo River. Impose a 10 fish creel limit on catfish for commercial fishermen on the Ouachita River, from the confluence of the Little Missouri River to the confluence of the Caddo River.
- On the Lower Little Missouri River, implement one fish creel limit and 18-inch length restriction for smallmouth bass. On the Narrows Tailwater, implement a trout delayed harvest area. On the Narrows Tailwater, implement a brown trout catch-and-release area from Narrows Dam to Highway 27 Bridge. On the Ouachita River, upstream of the confluence of the Little Missouri River, close commercial fishing during January through March.
- Begin a 13-inch minimum length limit on spotted bass, sometimes called Kentucky bass by anglers, on Lake Ouachita.
- Remove the 16- to 21-inch protected slot limit and 4 bass a day limit on largemouth bass on Lake Cargile in Conway County.
- On the Little Red River, implement a 16-24 inch slot limit on all trout, of which one may exceed 24 inches, change JFK and Mossy Shoals catch-and-release area to artificial lures only areas.
- Remove the 13- to 16-inch protected slot limit on largemouth bass on Lake Maumelle. This regulation will become effective immediately after it is approved by the Commission.
- Begin a 10-fish daily limit on largemouth bass, of which only one can be over 18 inches long, on SWEPCO Lake near Gentry in Benton County.
- Begin a 16-inch maximum length limit for black bass on Lake Winona in Saline County. Longer bass must be immediately returned to the water.
- Prohibit the use of common carp as bait in 31 Arkansas lakes: Bob Kidd Lake, Devil's Den State Park Lake, Lake Elmdale, Lake Fayetteville, Wilson Lake (Washington County); Crystal Lake (Benton County); Lake Leatherwood (Carroll County); Lake Hindsville (Madison County); Lake Cargill, Lake Overcup (Conway County); Lake Barnett and Tom's Lake (White County); Lake Conway (Faulkner County); Harris Brake Lake (Perry County); Lake Atkins (Pope County); Sugarloaf Lake (Sebastion County); Truman Baker Lake, Lake Hinkle (Scott County); Lake Wilhelmina, Irons Fork Lake (Polk County); Gurdon Lake (Clark County); Cox Creek Lake (Grant County); Gillham Lake, Dierks Lake (Howard County); DeQueen Lake (Sevier County); Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois d'Arc Lake, Rick Evans/Grandview Prairie WMA Lakes 1 and 2, Mike and Janet Huckabee Lake (Hempstead County); Lake Columbia (Columbia County); Upper and Lower White Oak Lakes (Ouachita County); Tri-County Lake (Calhoun County); Lake Monticello (Drew County) and Cane Creek Lake (Lincoln County).
- Clarification of rules for trotlines, setlines and limblines.
- Clarification of scientific collection permit rules.
- Delete "scaled" from definition of rough fish.
- Add "sportfish" to AGFC code book language.
- Add bullheads to lists of rough fish.
- Grand Lake, prohibit hoop nets for commercial fishing and turtling.
- Harris Brake Lake, close seasonal commercial fishing.
- Lake Atkins, close seasonal commercial fishing.
- Lake Chicot, close seasonal commercial fishing.
- Delete bullheads from list of bait fish.
- Waters under family and community fishing regulations will be required to use electric trolling motors.
- Clarify boundary waters with Louisiana where taking of paddlefish and sturgeon is closed.
- Put in a 20-inch minimum length limit on striped bass on Lake Norfork.
- Clarify commercial fishing gear rules on the Arkansas River from the Arkansas Highway 7 bridge to the nearby Dardanelle Lock and Dam.
- Remove the 13- to 18-inch protected slot limit on largemouth bass on De Queen Lake and change the daily limit to six black bass.
The proposed rules changes were drafted after public meetings and other input from fishermen and from suggestions of AGFC fisheries biologists.
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