The fact is that all lakes go thru up and down cycles on different species of fish sometimes and on all fish sometimes...caused by nature and man. Here at Ky/Barkley we are on an up cycle for bass but on a down cycle for younger year class Crappie which is why the limit was lowered here on Crappie this year. This is a direct result of scientific studies done by KDFWR and was enacted to protect the great Crappie fishery here. It was not enacted because someone "thought" it would be a good idea. These are the kind of changes to regulations we need. I doubt the changes that were enacted at Laurel were done without any studies and recommendations of the fisheries biologists responsible for that lake.

There is no doubt the slot limit placed on Dale Hollow has brought the Smallmouth numbers back in the right direction. This was not done because someong "thought" that it would be a good idea. It was done after studies indicated that the numbers of fish in their prime reproducing years was on the decline. I have no idea whether this is the case on Cumberland or not...it may be so and something may need to be done about it like a slot limit similiar to Dale, only our fisheries biologists can determine that.

So, what I am trying to say is that before anyone jumps up and demands changes to the fishing regulations, there needs to be some studies done to indicate that a change is needed. Now once the studies have been done, and a change is indicated as needed by the biologists that are far more qualified than you or I to make this determination, then this is when anglers as a group can assist KDFWR in putting pressure where it needs to be put (political arena) to enact these changes.

Sometimes there are special interest groups that want something changed that will have a diverse effect on a fishery just because it suits their needs. That has been the case here on Ky/Barkley for the past number of years. There is an organization here that represents resort owners and pleasure boaters (especially the big yacht type boaters) to change the annual water level drawdown schedule. KDFWR did a study on this proposed change and scientifically proved it would be detrimental to both the fish populations and water fowl populations but this group continues to lobby for this change. Some of us anglers here have fought this every year and luckily the TVA and COE have sided with the KDFWR on this matter so far or we would more than likely be looking at a drastic decline in the fisheries here.

As far as the economic impact...yes there would be some economic impact if a slot limit were to be placed on Cumberland Smallmouth. It would be an impact on those businesses that derive a good amount of their income from the tournament anglers. Like it or not, tournaments have a big impact on local economies and a slot limit tends to drive many of the bigger money tournaments (which are the big money producers to local economies) away. I am not saying the slot limit should not be enacted...I am saying that a study needs to be done to see if the lake is at a point at which the slot limit is needed to maintain a good fishery. If it is just a matter of we could have a few more big fish if we had a slot limit...then that has to be weighed against the possible economic impact to the local community.