Texas Largemouth Bass Management: Program Report Page: 8
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reservoirs with minimum length
limits, bass smaller than the
minimum length may become
overabundant. This increased
density can increase competition for
food and lead to poor body condi-
tion and slow growth, especially for
small bass. Slot length limits direct
harvest toward the overabundant
small fish to reduce their density
and improve growth. Bass protected
from harvest under this regulation
usually provide sufficient reproduc-
tion to sustain abundance and allow
some harvest of small bass. Slot
length limits also restructure bass
populations to provide anglers with
catch-and-release angling for slot-size
bass. An additional benefit is the
production of bass that exceed the
upper limit of a slot. Depending on
where this upper limit is set, these
fish can provide trophy-size fish for
anglers to catch.
Harvest of bass below the lower end
of a slot limit is crucial to the success
of a slot length limit. Bass anglers
have been at the forefront of practic-
ing voluntary catch and release, but
there are times when harvest is
needed. Anglers need to be kept
informed on the important role their
harvest plays in determining the
success of slot limits. If small bass are
not harvested, the slot will not have
the desired effect. Conversely, if too
many small bass are harvested,
recruitment into the slot will not be
sufficient to replace slot size and
larger bass lost to angling and natural8
mortality. This would result in a
reduction in fishing quality. Chang-
ing the regulations back to a mini-
mum length limit could be considered
in this situation.
A 14- to 18-inch slot length limit
has been used to protect from harvest
intermediate-size bass where growth
rates are slow to average. Harvest
opportunity is provided, especially for
smaller bass, and angler catch rates
can be high. Where growth is above
average, a 14- to 21-inch slot length
limit has been used to protect a
larger size group of bass. Faster
growth improves chances for produc-
ing bass greater than 21 inches. This
regulation has been used as a
"trophy" regulation in Texas although
other regulations, such as high
minimum length limits or catch and
release, can be more suited to the
production of trophy bass. Only one
largemouth bass 21 inches or greater
can be harvested. This restriction was
implemented to better distribute
harvest of trophy-size fish.
An additional slot limit, implemented
on Fayette County Reservoir, is a 14-
to 24-inch slot length limit. This
regulation is being used to further
limit the harvest of large bass and to
increase the chances for production of
trophy fish. Anglers are allowed to
harvest only one largemouth bass
24 inches or greater.
Other slot length limits may be
considered for future management of
largemouth bass. A 12- to 15-inchslot length limit has been used in
Texas to manage smallmouth bass.
A similar slot length limit may be
appropriate for largemouth bass
where growth is slow and recruit-
ment is above average.
Other Regulations
Other types of regulations could be
used in the future to manage bass
populations. Maximum length limits
are the opposite of minimum length
limits as harvest of fish is prohibited
above rather than below a specified
length. These limits could be
implemented to maximize angler
catch of trophy fish and, similar to a
slot limit, allow some harvest of
small fish to reduce their abundance.
Prerequisites for this regulation
would include above-average growth
and recruitment. Similar to reser-
voirs with catch-and-release regula-
tions, reservoirs with maximum
length limits should have a lakeside
weigh station so anglers can weigh
trophy bass before releasing them.
Closed seasons have been used to
protect largemouth bass during the
spawning period or other times when
vulnerability to harvest is high. There
are no closed seasons for largemouth
bass in Texas; however, other states
(mostly in the northern U.S.) have
such restrictions. Recruitment is
generally sufficient in Texas and
protection during spawning is not
needed. Success of such restrictions ismixed, and closed seasons can be
unpopular with anglers.
Quotas are another option that may
be consider in the future. These
could be used to limit the number of
fish anglers harvest over a specified
period, especially unusually large
fish, or the number of anglers
allowed to fish a reservoir.
Limitations on the means and
methods of catching largemouth bass
could be imposed to extend addi-
tional protection from harvest.
Current restrictions on means and
methods, such as allowing only use
of pole and line angling, have been
implemented to protect all sport
fishes, including largemouth bass.
Stocking
Stocking hatchery-reared largemouth
bass has been shown to be effective in
establishing initial year classes in new
or renovated reservoirs, supplement-
ing angler catch in waters with limited
natural reproduction, and altering the
gene pool of existing largemouth bass
populations. Florida largemouth bass
are the primary bass currently stocked
in Texas and are stocked to take
advantage of their ability to grow to
large size. Northern largemouth bass
will continue to be maintained in
reservoirs or used for stocking in
areas more suited for this type of
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Texas. Inland Fisheries Division. Texas Largemouth Bass Management: Program Report, report, April 1996; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1203034/m1/12/: accessed July 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.