A summary from an individual that attended the Spencer meeting:

"Sandra Jensen, the NRC public hearings officer, said that the Ohio River tributary/tournament issue came to light in the last week and that the NRC would attempt to draft new language to address it. What was less certain is how that exception/wording change would delay or even terminate the process of the current proposed rule getting accepted. There's a technical issue wherein a minor change to a new law can be granted late in the process if it's a "natural extension" of the original wording. She did not know if the state Attorney General would view an exception for the Ohio River tribs as a natural extension. "

I would not like to see this get terminated just because of a few tourneys on the Ohio. But I fish about 70 or so streams in Indiana so you can understand where I fall on this. I personally think loss of habitat is a much bigger factor, but this might be a baby step in the right direction. At least if the regulations pass it will be only be 2 fish over 15" leaving on the stringer and not 5 over 15".

How many slot fish make up the percentage of fish weighed in at these tourneys? If it's a large percentage, then what really is the difference between weighing in two over 15/three 11" dinks and weighing in 5 cookie cutter 14" largemouth? If you're bringing in 5 over 15" to the scales then I get it but I don't fish tourneys so a lot of times I don't understand the dynamics.....