Proposed fishing regulations for 2011

[peter]

KDFWR


FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission at its March 5 meeting proposed new regulations for lakes enrolled in the neighborhood fishing program, brook trout size limits for the Cumberland River and a new creel limit for catfish in Taylorsville Lake. The new regulations would take effect in March 2011 if approved by the General Assembly.
The commission recommends all hunting, fishing and boating regulations for approval by the General Assembly and approves all expenditures by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Legislators must approve all recommendations before they become law.
During Friday’s meeting, commission members proposed establishing uniform daily limits on the number of fish that anglers may keep from lakes enrolled in the Fishing in Neighborhoods (FINs) lakes. Proposed daily limits at these lakes include five rainbow trout, four catfish, 15 sunfish and one largemouth bass. The largemouth bass must be at least 15 inches long for an angler to keep it.
The Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam will receive about 10,000 brook trout in 2011. The commission recommended a daily creel limit of one fish over 15 inches on brook trout in this section of the Cumberland River.
The Commission also recommended a 15-fish daily creel limit on blue and channel catfish in Taylorsville Lake. Only one fish of the daily creel limit may be greater than 25 inches long. This regulation applies to only traditional hook and line angling, trotlines, jug lines and limb lines.
For regulatory purposes, the Commission also proposed moving the boundary of Elkhorn Creek from its confluence with the Kentucky River upstream to a permanent marker located just downstream of the first riffle. This means the lower section of creek would not be subject to the existing slot limit on smallmouth bass in place throughout the rest of the Elkhorn.
Commission members also recommended stopping the harvest of flathead catfish in A.J. Jolly Lake in Campbell County for five years. This will help improve the quality of the sunfish population in the lake.
The next Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting will be 8 a.m. Eastern time, June 11. Meetings are held at the Arnold Mitchell Building, located at 1 Sportsman’s Lane in Frankfort.
Persons wishing to be placed on the meeting agenda to speak before the Commission on an issue should notify Kentucky Fish and Wildlife in writing at least 30 days in advance. People who are hearing impaired and plan to attend the meeting should contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at least 10 days in advance. The agency will provide a translator.

[kygorski]

Bully for them, is KY going to raise these trout? With the slim in the cumberland river its a waste of money. And why do states that dont stock trout charge for stamp? Why not a single federal stamp like water fowl does? that should be slime instead of slim.

[kygorski]

More about brook trout. Does this mean you can keep any fish under 15 inches, or only one fish over 15 inches? 10,000 trout isn't even worth wasting ink over. If they hope for any success at all with this stocking, then ban ALL barbed hooks in the river. Acoiple of guys with a couple cans of red worms, can almost wipe that population out. Brook trout dont grow very big, they are not the fighters that bows are, and never reach the size of browns.the few things they have going for them are they are a handsome fish, and exotic in this part of the country.I have fished for brookies in colorado, in the upper peninsula of mich. where they were native, and caught a few in wisconson that were planted in lake michigan, never caught one 15 inches long.

[Fntsyfbgod]

Not a trout expert but really brook trout? Are you sure they didnt mean brown trout I thought brook trout only get 10-12in so why bother putting them in the cumberland river.

I think the part about 1 bass over 15inches in the city lakes is long long overdue. Our small lakes (less than 100 acres or so) should be managed better for bass. Too long we have had 12in limits with regular creels set. I talked to KDFW guys before about this and they said that most people practice catch and release with bass. Thats true for tournament fisherman but on smaller lakes guys that are fishing to keep fish really make an impact. I think 1 bass over 15in is about right and on the better ones make them trophy lakes with one fish over 20in. The key is they are enforced. I know of a couple small lakes in Kentucky that are just a shell of their former selves due to overharvest.

[creeker]

I think the part about 1 bass over 15inches in the city lakes is long long overdue. Our small lakes (less than 100 acres or so) should be managed better for bass. Too long we have had 12in limits with regular creels set. I talked to KDFW guys before about this and they said that most people practice catch and release with bass. Thats true for tournament fisherman but on smaller lakes guys that are fishing to keep fish really make an impact. I think 1 bass over 15in is about right and on the better ones make them trophy lakes with one fish over 20in. The key is they are enforced. I know of a couple small lakes in Kentucky that are just a shell of their former selves due to overharvest.

You hit on it with the key being enforcement. I've been to several of the FINS lakes here in L'ville and its crazy what you see on people's stringers. And if you really want to have some fun, try to have a conversation about a trout stamp with some of the fishermen there.

I once talked to a guy who told me he caught 50 trout that day. He told me he didn't keep a single one though. He said he gave them all away!

[RoadToad]

You hit on it with the key being enforcement. I've been to several of the FINS lakes here in L'ville and its crazy what you see on people's stringers. And if you really want to have some fun, try to have a conversation about a trout stamp with some of the fishermen there.

I once talked to a guy who told me he caught 50 trout that day. He told me he didn't keep a single one though. He said he gave them all away!

I do most of my fishing on those FiNS lakes, and you're absolutely right. The utter disregard for creel limits or the need for trout stamps is astounding! I've been fishing those lakes for around six years, probably fished a hundred or so days there total, and have been checked exactly once, at Miles Park.

I have no problem with the proposed changes, but I wonder if a slot limit might be a better idea on those lakes? As small as they are, I'd rather see someone take home a 12 1/2" male than some 5-6 lb. female they caught. I don't know, I'm not a biologist...

[Chubminnow]

More about brook trout. Does this mean you can keep any fish under 15 inches, or only one fish over 15 inches? I have fished for brookies in colorado, in the upper peninsula of mich. where they were native, and caught a few in wisconson that were planted in lake michigan, never caught one 15 inches long.

The commission recommended a daily creel limit of one fish over 15 inches on brook trout in this section of the Cumberland River. The daily creel limit is what you can keep.

I also believe in due time you'll get your shot at a Brook Trout over 15" in length from the CR.

[BurleyDog]

Brook trout get huge in Maine and Canada. They think that they may be native to Ky so thats probably why they want to introduce them.

sound like striper food to me

Are they still going to put triploid rainbows in the CR?

[Tim_T]

Okay guys, here is the scoop on the brook trout. This is the same species that grows to five pounds and bigger in the tailwaters of Missouri and Arkansas, that are being stocked here. They are looking to make it a trophy fishery. With the food sources in the Cumberland this should help growth rates.

The triplods will be stocked as well. These are the Arlee strain of rainbow. It is a sterile fish that uses energy normally reserved for reproduction for tissue development. All of these stockings will happen next Spring.

[RICHYD4U]

Okay guys, here is the scoop on the brook trout. This is the same species that grows to five pounds and bigger in the tailwaters of Missouri and Arkansas, that are being stocked here. They are looking to make it a trophy fishery. With the food sources in the Cumberland this should help growth rates.

The triplods will be stocked as well. These are the Arlee strain of rainbow. It is a sterile fish that uses energy normally reserved for reproduction for tissue development. All of these stockings will happen next Spring.

You are right about the Brookies, they can grow into the double digits if the conditions are right. I just hope that the water conditions at the time of the planting, have improved dramatically from where they are at right now. Brookies are great fighters, but do require clean, cold water. I think they ought to focus more on the browns, being that they are a more resilant trout species and can tolerate lower oxygenated waters. The Triplod Bows are another great idea. With them being sterile and focusing all their energy on growing, they can truly become GIANTS! I would say limit CR trout stockings to soley Browns and Triplods IMHO.

-Rich

[Lowerider]

KDFWR


The Commission also recommended a 15-fish daily creel limit on blue and channel catfish in Taylorsville Lake. Only one fish of the daily creel limit may be greater than 25 inches long. This regulation applies to only traditional hook and line angling, trotlines, jug lines and limb lines.

Why the creel for the rec anglers ONLY? WTF - it's the commercial fisherman using nets that wipes out the population. He who has the most money and the biggest lobby gets to make the laws - I can't stand politics in fishing.

The creel should apply to EVERYBODY and last I checked nobody can eat 15 fish a day!

[kygorski]

about that food source in the river.From what I have read dydamo or what ever that stuff is, coats the bottom of the stream, cutting off O2 to larva and other food sources.Till they find out how to get rid of that stuff, what food source?