The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) heard proposed changes to fishing regulations for 2018 at last week’s monthly meeting. Some of these proposed changes could have an impact on area anglers. They are available for viewing and public comment via an online survey at “survey.agfc.com” on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission website.
“Some of these changes are simply cleaning up some language in the code to eliminate confusion, others are the result of scientific data collection indicating a need for change, and some are changes derived from requests from anglers which will not hurt the resource,” said Ben Batten, assistant chief of fisheries at the AGFC.
“We always leave an open slot on our surveys to gather more public comment, and I encourage everyone to take that opportunity to voice their concerns,” Batten stated. He also said that anglers may feel like their comments are ignored or go unnoticed, but biologists read them and take every statement to heart.
“Sometimes there’s an underlying factor or scientific reason why we can’t do something suggested,” Batten continued, “but that doesn’t mean we aren’t listening. And some of the open-ended comments may shine a light on a situation that needs more attention.”
The following are some of the regulations being considered that could have an effect on area residents:
Implement an 18-21 inch slot limit and allow only one fish longer than 21 inches for largemouth bass on Lower White Oak Lake. The new rules would also enact statewide creel limits for crappie and catfish on the lake.
Remove the 13-inch minimum length limit for spotted bass on Lake Ouachita.
Revise current trout regulations to ban culling of all trout species statewide, and require the harvest of any trout that has been kept on a stringer, or in a live well or fish basket.
Require daily harvest reporting for commercial anglers.
Close commercial fishing in Ouachita County, except on the main channel of the Ouachita River.
Create a trophy tag system to keep alligator gar.
Open a special commercial fishing season on Lake Chicot to address silver carp.
Change opening date of hogging and noodling season south and east of Arkansas Highway 67 from June 1 to May 15.
Prohibit the taking of grass carp on Lake Columbia.
The proposed regulation on grass carp at Lake Columbia would not prohibit the taking of other rough fish there. The grass carp were put in the lake for a beneficial purpose, to help control unwanted vegetation. The proposed rule change would protect this fish.
The commission is expected to vote on these changes in its August 2017 meeting.
In other news of interest to anglers, the AGFC is relaunching its Master Angler program under the direction of Mikki Moore, an administrative specialist in the Fisheries Division. Pins have been redesigned for each of the eight categories — black bass, bream, catfish, crappie, perch, temperate bass, trout, and miscellaneous species. If you catch trophy-size fish in four or more categories or species, the AGFC will certify your status of Master Angler.
For each trophy fish that reaches or exceeds a minimum size for a species, an angler receives a commemorative pin. The program is open to any age angler, whether an Arkansan or a non-resident. The only requirement is that the fish be caught in Arkansas waters. A full list of species and starting trophy size is available at the AGFC website.
Moore is especially happy about the designs of the pins and the commemorative coin drawn by Greta James, an AGFC artist. “I like the coin a lot,” Moore said. “It has a logo on the back and shows your Master Angler status, and comes in a neat case. So, it’s there for a bragging right. We know our fishermen like to come into the coffee shops and say, ‘Look what I’ve got here.’”
Anglers must submit a Master Angler application to obtain each pin, and a photo of the angler and the trophy fish must be included. Applications will be available on new pamphlets at AGFC Regional Offices, and eventually at some of the state’s larger marinas. Applicants can also download the information from the AGFC website or call 501-223-6428 and have an application sent by mail.
Moore said she was looking forward to seeing interest grow in the program. She also noted that many states have a similar program. Some have set up a system where anglers who have caught so many of a species are inducted into a hall of fame, which is something that could be incorporated into the Arkansas’s Master Angler challenge.
“Accept this challenge, go out there and catch some trophy fish,” Moore finished.