6/11/2007

Length Limits Apply to More Than Just Walleyes

PIERRE, S.D.--While many anglers pursuing walleye on South Dakota waters know the walleye length limits on their favorite lakes, they often don’t keep track of length limits for other fish species they may be keeping during a fishing trip.

“Walleye are the target species of the majority of anglers in eastern and central South Dakota and most anglers know the length limits for walleye on the waters where they fish,” said John Lott, a Game, Fish and Parks Department fisheries biologist in Pierre.  “Length limits for walleye have been used to ensure quality walleye fisheries in South Dakota since 1990 and many anglers read the fishing handbook each year to see if regulations have changed.” 

However, some anglers fail to realize other species may also be managed using length limits. A perfect example of this is Lake Sharpe smallmouth bass. 

“Length limits have been used to manage Lake Sharpe smallmouth bass since 2003, yet 41 percent of anglers interviewed on the lake in 2006 did not know the smallmouth bass length limits,” Lott said. “Even on the lower portion of the lake, where most of the smallmouth bass are caught, 22 percent of anglers did not know that length limits for smallmouth bass were in effect.” 

Length limits for smallmouth bass on Sharpe require that all bass equal to or longer than 12 inches and less than 18 inches must be immediately released. Smallmouth bass shorter than 12 inches may be kept and at most one bass 18 inches or longer may be kept as part of the five fish daily limit. 

“Anglers will often be fishing for walleyes and catch a nice smallmouth bass and decide to keep it.  It doesn’t occur to some anglers that there may be length restrictions on harvesting bass, just as there are for walleye,” Lott said. “Length limits are a very effective tool for controlling harvest of fish to help maintain or increase the quality of a fishery. However, when fish that are protected by length limits are harvested, regulations become less effective.”

Besides the regulations for smallmouth bass, length limits are in place on South Dakota waters for largemouth bass, yellow perch, muskellunge, channel catfish, various trout species and sauger. 

“In fact, sauger are included in walleye length limits, largemouth and smallmouth bass often have the same length limits, and trout species may be included in the same length limit because it can be difficult to tell these species apart,” Lott said.

--GFP—