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Wildlife commission sets sport fishing regulations

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By Joey Wray

On Dec. 2, 2004, at its meeting in Nashville, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission passed the following changed for the 2005 sport fishing regulations, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

Statewide

  • Increase statewide minimum length limit for muskellunge to 36 inches

    (exception at Melton Hill Reservoir).
  • Reduce white bass daily creel limit from 30 to 15 per day.
  • Add rusty crayfish and virile crayfish to list of species banned in Tennessee. Possession of these exotic crayfish would be prohibited.

    Reservoirs
  • Tims Ford Reservoir—18-inch minimum length limit for smallmouth bass, 5 per day.
  • Norris Reservoir—36-inch minimum size limit on striped bass, 1 per day from November 1 to March 31 each year. This regulation will be in effect only through February of 2008.
  • Douglas Reservoir—Henderson Island WMA rearing pond closed to fishing.
  • Melton Hill Reservoir—Increase minimum length limit on muskellunge to 44 inches, 1 per day.
  • Watauga Reservoir—From January 1 through April 30 in select tributary areas in Elk River, Doe Creek, and Roan Creek, and in the upper Watauga river, anglers are restricted to the use of one hook having a single point or one lure having no more than one hook with a single point (artificial or bait). Snagging, dipping, and cast netting, and other non hook-and-line methods are prohibited in these areas during this period.

    Agency Lakes
  • Gibson County Lake—14 to 18 inch protected slot limit for largemouth bass, 5 per day with only one fish larger than 18 inches.

    Trout Streams
  • Hiwassee River—The section from the Reliance Railroad Bridge downstream to Patty Bridge will return to statewide regulations for trout.
  • Clear Creek—The time period for the closed to fishing area extended to include November 1 through March 31.
  • Tellico River—Delayed harvest area moved upstream with new boundaries from mouth of Turkey Creek upstream to mouth of North River, increasing the total length of the area by 0.5 miles.

    These changes will become effective on March 1, 2005. Sport fishing regulations will be printed and available to the public at all license agents in early spring. They will also be posted on the TWRA web page: www.tnwildlife.org.

    SPRING WILD TURKEY SEASON SET
    At its meeting the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission also set the spring wild turkey hunting regulations for 2005, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

    The statewide season is set for April 2 through May 15, 2005. This makes the season 5 days longer, now 44 days, and starts the season on a Saturday and closes it on a Sunday.

    In addition to adding 5 days to the regular season, the Commission added a day to the youth season and moved it before the regular season. The youth hunting weekend is the fourth weekend in March – March 26-27, 2005. The bag limit for the youth weekend is one bearded turkey, but it does not count toward the regular season statewide bag limit of four.

    The bag limit is: statewide hunts — one bearded turkey per day, not to exceed three per season; WMA hunts — one bearded turkey per hunt, not to exceed two per season. The total bag and possession limit is four bearded turkeys per season including statewide and WMA’s’.

    Applications for 2005 spring quota turkey hunts should be available from license agents and on the TWRA web page (www.tnwildlife.org) in late December.

    Season’s Greetings
    During this joyous time of year, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency would like to thank all the sportsmen who have supported us and our efforts to enhance the wildlife populations and the environment in Tennessee.

    Without your contributions in the form of license fees and excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment, this self-supported agency could not exist. All Tennesseans owe the sportsmen a hearty thank you; for the sportsman is directly responsible for the tremendous achievements which have been made in wildlife conservation.

    Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

    • Posted in News

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