NEWS RELEASE

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

June 27, 2000

CONTACT: Norman Young (850) 892-8001 Charlie Mesing (850) 487-1644

REGULATIONS TAKE EFFECT JULY 1 ON THREE LAKES TO PROTECT LARGEMOUTHS

In an effort to improve largemouth bass fishing on three northwest Florida lakes, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has adopted new fishing regulations that will take effect July 1.

Beginning this Saturday (July 1), all largemouth bass caught on Karick Lake (PDF Brochure), a 65-acre impoundment in the Blackwater River State Forest, must be immediately released unharmed. On 318- acre Hurricane Lake (PDF Brochure)which is also in Blackwater, bass must be at least 18 inches in length before they can be kept. Both Karick and Hurricane Lake are FWC-managed lakes and among eight such impoundments scattered across the panhandle.

On Lake Talquin, largemouth bass must also be 18 inches in length before they can be put in the live well.

"There's been significant angling pressure and harvest of largemouth bass from both Karick and Hurricane lakes and this has affected the age and size structure of the bass population," said fisheries biologist Norman Young, who monitors the fish population and angling activity on both lakes. "Given time the regulations that have been put in place will mean an improvement in the quality of bass and more trophy-sized fish."

He said a creel (angling) survey that ran from 1997-1999 revealed that 94% of the bass taken from Hurricane Lake were under 18 inches in length and most were only 12 to 14-inches in size. The survey also revealed that 75% of the anglers fishing Hurricane Lake were non-local or out-of-state residents. He said numerous surveys have shown that anglers want places where they have a good chance to catch trophy largemouths, regardless whether they can keep the fish. Recognizing that many anglers currently utilize the lakes in Blackwater River State Forest solely for harvesting fish to eat and are not interested in catching a quality size largemouth bass, Young said Bear Lake will receive intensive fish stocking and management. Bream, catfish and sunshine bass will be stocked annually, and fish feeders installed and serviced regularly.

On Lake Talquin, an 8,000-acre reservoir south of Quincy, the FWC increased the minimum size limit for bass from 14 to 18-inches beginning July 1. FWC fisheries biologist Charlie Mesing said the protection of smaller fish is part of a three-prong management plan for the lake. In April and May 100,000 three-to-four-inch largemouth bass fingerlings were stocked as an experiment to see if hatchery-raised bass would survive and contribute to the fishery. Mesing said they are also hoping to expand the planting and establishment of bulrush in the shallower areas of the lake to provide spawning and nursery habitat for young bass. Talquin is a man- made reservoir and previous drawdowns, the last in 1997, have had short-lived results in establishing aquatic vegetation.

Mesing said they are trying to improve habitat and at the same time protect the bass until they are 18 inches or three-pounds in size.