What’s a rookie to do?
December 1, 2014
Four rescued as fishing boat burns
December 2, 2014The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the following changes:
1. Allowance for small game hunters to carry buckshot and/or slug while small game hunting on private lands.
2. Modification of a portion of Iberville Parish from Deer Area 9 to Area 6.
3. Modification of a portion of St. Mary Parish from Deer Area 7 to Area 9.
4. Modification of a portion of Iberville Parish within Deer Area 9 from gun with dogs to still hunt only.
5. Establishment of a lottery and lease program for mooring of houseboats on Atchafalaya Delta WMA.
6. Elimination of requirement for an annual military permit on Camp Beauregard, Fort Polk and Peason Ridge WMAs.
7. Addition of 2015 turkey regulations and seasons, to include in the regulations pamphlet and eliminate the separate turkey brochure.
8. Addition of general turkey lottery hunt on Pearl River WMA.
9. Addition of youth turkey lottery hunt on Richard K. Yancey WMA.
10. Expansion of deer hunting opportunity on Lake Boeuf WMA.
11. Addition of youth shotgun deer season on Pass-a-Loutre WMA.
12. Expansion of fishing opportunity on Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA.
13. Change to opening day shooting hours for dove season from noon to 30 minutes before sunrise, EXCEPT on WMAs and LDWF Leased Dove Fields, which will remain at noon.
14. Special deer season for honorably discharged La. veterans that runs concurrent with the youth season on private lands.
Major Changes for the 2015 Commercial Fishing Regulations
Marine Fisheries
1. Closed season for the commercial harvest of gray triggerfish from June 1 through July 31. Commercial trip limit of 12 gray triggerfish.
2. 100-pound trip limit for commercially harvested tripletail. 18-inch minimum total length for commercially harvested tripletail.
3. 2,000 pound trip limit for commercially harvested greater amberjack.
4. No person shall be issued a commercial crab trap gear license unless that person qualifies under one or both of the following provisions:
• The person possessed a valid commercial crab trap gear license during any two license years between 2011 and 2014
• The person has enrolled in and completed the program to increase and elevate professionalism in the commercial crab industry
5. Crab traps (These regulations do not become effective until license year 2017.)
• A minimum of three escape rings shall be placed on the vertical outside walls flush with the trap floor or baffle, with at least two rings located in the upper chamber of the trap
• Minimum ring size shall be 2 3/8 inches in inside diameter, not including the ring material
• Traps placed in Lake Pontchartrain would no longer be exempt from escape ring requirements
6. Skimmer nets
• Horizontal net frame may extend no more than 20 feet from the gunwale of the vessel
• Skimmer nets (webbing) may be mounted to the frame at any distance from the side of the vessel
• Net opening not to exceed a maximum of 72 feet in circumference
• Maximum lead line length not to exceed 33 feet
7. The inside/outside shrimp line has been moved from its previous location in the Calcasieu Ship Channel known as the “Firing Line” northward 2.37 nautical miles to positions in the Calcasieu Ship Channel south of the Ferry Landing. The coordinates of the new locations are as follows:
• Western shore of Calcasieu Ship Channel – 29 degrees 48 minutes 06 seconds north latitude and 93 degrees 20 minutes 54 seconds west longitude
• Eastern shore of Calcasieu Ship Channel – 29 degrees 48 minutes 05 seconds north latitude and 93 degrees 20 minutes 41 seconds west longitude
Inland Fisheries
1. Season dates for the commercial netting season on False River, Lake Bruin and Lake Providence were modified. The season opened Oct. 1 rather than Nov. 1.
2. The net ban on Spanish Lake (St. Martin and Iberia parishes) was removed to provide commercial fishermen the opportunity to utilize abundant stocks of buffalo, catfish and carp.
2015 Recreational
Fishing Regulations
Major Changes
1. The saltwater license fee has increased from $5.50 to $13 effective Aug. 1, 2014. 2. The Louisiana residency requirement has changed from one year to six months. 3. The way recreational licenses are issued when purchased via mobile device has changed.
Freshwater Finfish
1. Changes in black bass size and creel limit on Black Bayou Reservoir (Bossier Parish), Chicot Lake, Cross Lake, Lake Rodemacher, Vernon Lake and Spanish Lake: statewide regulations now apply.
2. Change in possession limit up to three times the daily take for black bass (Micropterus spp.) below (south) U.S. Highway 90.
3. Regulations for in Louisiana-Texas border waters (Toledo Bend Reservoir, Caddo Lake, and the Sabine River) are now limited to five channel catfish and blue catfish per day over 30, rather than 20 inches.
Marine Finfish
1. The closed season for gag grouper is Jan. 1 – June 30.
2. The closed season for the harvest of black grouper, red grouper, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper, rock hind, red hind and scamp is Feb. 1 – March 31 seaward of the 20 fathom (120 feet) curve.
3. The closed season for the harvest of gray triggerfish is from June 1 – June 30.
4. The vermilion snapper recreational bag limit is not more than 10 fish per person within the current 20 fish aggregate.
5. The gray triggerfish recreational limit is not more than two per person within the current 20 fish aggregate.
6. The recreational bag and size limit of tripletail is five fish per person per day at 18 inches minimum total length.
7. Gray snapper, dolphinfish, wahoo and cobia have been added to the list of species requiring a Recreational Offshore Landing Permit. Permit must be obtained at www.wlf.la.gov/rolp.
8. The requirement for anglers on a for hire trip to have the Recreational Offshore Landing Permit has been removed, instead only requiring the charter captain to have the permit in possession.
9. The requirement for the possession of and the use of a venting tool when fishing for reef fish has been removed.
10. Regulations are being considered to remove size, bag and season limits for rock hind, red hind, misty grouper, black sea bass, dog snapper, mahogany snapper, schoolmaster, blackline tilefish and anchor tilefish.
11. Crab traps (These regulations do not become effective until license year 2017)
• A minimum of three escape rings shall be placed on the vertical outside walls flush with the trap floor or baffle, with at least two rings located in the upper chamber of the trap
• Minimum ring size shall be 2 3/8 inches in inside diameter, not including the ring material
• Traps placed in Lake Pontchartrain would no longer be exempt from escape ring requirements.
12. As of Oct. 2, the LDWF Commission passed a notice of intent to establish the Louisiana Catch and Cook Program and Permit. This is a program where permitted retail food establishments will be able to prepare certain recreational fish caught by properly licensed fishermen. Rules and regulations, penalties, terms, conditions and requirements will apply to those food establishments and fishermen participating in the program.
13. As of Oct. 2, the LDWF Commission passed a notice of intent to allow recreational anglers to possess three times the limit on the water for recreational saltwater finfish landed at Port Eads Marina, provided the fisherman is in compliance with specific requirements.
