Bass rule change for WA

[1bigfish]

I edited out most of the new release but...

WDFW NEWS RELEASEWashington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/February 5, 2008Contact: Susan Yeager, (360) 902-2267

In addition, the commission adopted a variety of new sportfishing rules for waters around the state. Rule changes approved for the 2008-09 season include:
- Separating limits for largemouth and smallmouth bass statewide.

Summaries of the rule changes, as adopted, will be available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/rule_proposals/index.htmby mid-February.


Has any one heard about this? Is this to help protect the bass (like protect smallies in a lake that has only a few smallies but a ton on LMB) or it to increase the total number of bass that "Mr. Keep&Eat" can take home?

[jbooth]

After reading the suggested rule changes it looks like they want to take more smallies out of certain bodies of water, mostly in the river system. While the smallies are under the largemouth rules they are too protected from harvest. They want to thin out the little guys as well as limit competition with largies. They have not allowed largemouth retention in some tournaments on certain bodies of water for the last couple years now also, but I think thats fading out. Looks like there are just too many smallies.

[dragon67]

Looks like you could keep 15 bass aday. 10 being sm and 5 being lm. I know someplaces this will be a good thing, since it also seems like they are going after the small sm to thin the herds out. I know on the Snake River this would be a good idea for Oregon too. I know on the some of the rivers around here in Portland I just don't trust the water. lol Just my two cents.

[BaitStop]

I guess you can be thankful there are no populations of Alabama & Kentucky spotted bass to ID & contend with. Fortunately only? CA is stocking & managing spotted bass.

[cavdad45]

It's about time. Though my Washington lakes are 90% largemouth, some of my get-together lakes are trumped with smallmouth, with rarely a three-pounder.