New black bass fishing regulations went into effect throughout Florida Today. On Friday, July 1st, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced. The new regulation change will streamline existing rules. Allowing anglers to keep smaller and more abundant bass which protects larger bass.
FWC said it has received input from thousands of bass anglers before amending current regulations. “We are confident that these new regulations meet the desires of our bass anglers. Ensuring that Florida lakes will continue to produce high-quality fisheries,” said Tom Champeau, director of FWC’s Division of Freshwater Fisheries. “Florida’s reputation for trophy bass is one reason we are known as the Fishing Capital of the World. These new regulations will help provide our anglers with unforgettable fishing experiences in the near future.”
Largemouth bass is the most popular sport fish in the world, including in the state of Florida. The largemouth bass is found throughout Florida, while the other bass species are only found in rivers in the north-central and northwest regions.
A summary of the new black bass fishing regulations is below. You can also visit MyFWC.com/fishing and click on “Freshwater,” then “Regulations” for a copy of the complete regulations.
New Black Bass Fishing Regulations
Previously the state had three black bass fishing zones, and areas with special bass regulations have all been eliminated. Starting today, all species of black bass are included in the five-fish daily aggregate black bass bag limit. This is the same as the previous statewide rule.
Largemouth bass new rule: Only one black bass, maybe 16 inches or longer in total length per angler, per day, with no minimum length limit.
Suwannee, shoal, Choctaw, and spotted basses: 12-inch minimum size limit, only one maybe 16 inches or longer in total length.
One of the primary goals of the new regulations is to protect larger trophy bass, FWC said.
Good luck and Good Fishing with the new New Bass Fishing Regulation, and don’t forget to have a valid Florida fishing license whenever fishing!
05/26/10 — Bass fishing enthusiasts will want to stow a digital camera in the tackle box this summer for a chance to win $1 million for catching a record largemouth bass anywhere in Florida. BountyFishing.com, the place where anglers compete for cash prizes uploading photos of the biggest fish, announced the Florida Million Dollar Bass Bounty — an Internet-managed fishing tournament that will pay $1 million to the fisherman who sets the new state largemouth bass record.
The Million Dollar Bass Bounty is open to all anglers legally fishing in any public body of water in Florida from July 5 to Aug. 1, 2010. Sign-up costs $7 per day or $19 for one week. The first 1,000 entrants will receive a 50 percent discount by paying only $38 for all four weeks.
BountyFishing.com has partnered with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the nonprofit Wildlife Foundation of Florida to use a portion of the proceeds to conserve Florida’s fish and wildlife habitats for future generations.
BountyFishing.com makes tournament fishing accessible to the remaining 40 million anglers across North America, allowing them to compete when they want, where they want for just a few dollars. BountyFishing.com’s patent-pending remote tournament technology and licensed “FBI-Strength” imaging forensics determine fishing contest winners by analyzing catch photos. Validating pictures at the end of the week, instead of weighing fish at the end of the day, allows BountyFishing.com competitors to practice immediate catch-and-release fishing, which puts minimal stress on the fish and habitat.
Florida’s current largemouth bass record of 17 pounds, 4 ounces set July 1986 is impressive but not insurmountable. In 2008, an 18 pound, 8-ounce bass caught in Florida exceeded the record but was never certified by an FWC biologist (nor was a 20-pound, 2-ounce behemoth hooked in 1923).
Tom Champeau, FWC’s Director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management said, “We are convinced there are state-record breaking bass swimming somewhere in Florida waters, and we want your help to find them. Thanks to BountyFishing.com, you now have a million more reasons to go fishing in Florida.”
BountyFishing CEO and Founder, Richard Shafter added, “If you are a bass angler grab a digital camera and come to Florida this July to take your shot at winning a million dollars.”
To sign-up for the Florida Million Dollar Bass Bounty visit BountyFishing.com/FL, and half of your registration fee will be donated to the Wildlife Foundation of Florida to fund wildlife conservation projects and related public education efforts across the state of Florida.
About BountyFishing.com BountyFishing.com provides anglers across North America the opportunity to compete in fishing contests throughout the year to win cash and prizes from the convenience of their favorite fishing spots (over $250,000 already won). BountyFishing licensed FBI-strength image analysis software and developed patent-pending techniques to validate winners based on uploaded catch photos. BountyFishing.com also hosts the best online fishing community of thousands who post photos, share stories, and discuss fishing topics. For more information about BountyFishing.com and a free trial of an Internet-managed fishing tournament, visit www.BountyFishing.com/FL.
About The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is a constitutional agency whose mission is to manage fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people. The FWC builds on collaborations with other stakeholders who are interested in preserving our rich natural heritage. To protect and manage more than 575 species of wildlife and 700 species of freshwater and saltwater fish, the FWC and its partners apply the best available science to critical issues of climate change, human population growth, and habitat loss and degradation.
About The Wildlife Foundation of Florida The Wildlife Foundation of Florida works closely with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to ensure the conservation of Florida’s fish and wildlife resources by identifying crucial projects, funding these projects, and educating the public about the need to conserve fish and wildlife resources.
Till next time tight lines and good fishing…. From Staff Writer BASSonline – fishing@bassonline.com BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS
BassOnline.com is Florida’s Largest Freshwater Guide Service and Outfitter, specializing in Florida bass fishing on Florida lakes, canals, and rivers.
To learn more about Florida bass fishing, visit Bass Fishing Blog.
Spring is here, and the bass are on their beds. The males have been fanning out beds on firm lake bottoms with plenty of nearby vegetation. Suppose they are successful in their amorous intents to entice a female to join them. They’ll soon spend time guarding the nest and fanning thousands of eggs to keep them oxygenated.
This annual ritual is dependent not only on the sexual appeal of the individual bass. But also on the quality of the environment, the vagaries of weather, and the impacts of man.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) fisheries biologists are charged with sustaining fish populations. At the same time, providing recreational opportunities for more than 1.4 million anglers when the bass are on the beds. Those who enjoy more than 24 million bass fishing trips a year in Florida bolster the economy by $1.4 billion.
The FWC faces a considerable challenge that requires different approaches in many of Florida’s 7,700 lakes, which comprise 3 million acres of water, plus 12,000 miles of rivers, streams, and canals. FWC biologists work with many partners to ensure water quality and healthy bass populations. The FWC also conducts major habitat enhancement projects and controls the spread of non-native plants. The FWC’s two freshwater fish hatcheries provide quality, disease-free, genetically appropriate bass for stocking when needed.
Change will come
These biologists modify fishing regulations when necessary to ensure quality bass fishing now and in the future. Wildlife officers enforce the rules. Outreach efforts help reconnect Floridians of all ages with nature to lead happier, healthier, and more innovative lifestyles, following the advice of getting Outdoors Florida! Coalition and the Children and Nature Network.
Biologists from the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and the University of Florida are conducting a statewide largemouth bass research study. Scientists hope to learn how frequently bass are caught and harvested and more about the size range of fish saw. The results of this study will help them manage the fishery for quality and trophy-sized largemouth bass.
Bass in 30 lakes throughout the state has been tagged with small, yellow tags along the back of the fish, just below the dorsal fin. These tags carry a printed telephone number, e-mail address, tag number (e.g., LMB 0001), and reward value.
Anglers should carefully examine all bass caught in Florida lakes for reward tags, as biologists have tagged fish from lakes throughout the state. To claim their reward, anglers are encouraged to report these tags to the FWC Angler Tag Return Hotline (800-367-4461). The FWC is also working with BountyFishing.com to gain additional information about big bass being caught throughout Florida and is monitoring results from all permitted bass tournaments.
But there is Still More.
With all of this going on, the FWC has decided it is time to have a long-term management plan for black bass (largemouth bass, shoal bass, spotted bass, and Suwannee bass). To learn more about the plan while the bass are on the beds, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing. You can help by completing the online survey.
Don’t forget, that your fishing license fees and excise taxes paid on fishing tackle and motorboat fuels fund all of these efforts. The funds are returned to the FWC from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service based on the number of paid license holders in Florida.
To thank anglers for their contributions and to work with industry partners, the FWC is offering a unique 5-year freshwater fishing license bonus program. Until 3,000 boxes filled with free tackle, publications, and fishing accessories are distributed when bass are on the beds, anyone buying a 5-year freshwater fishing license will receive the bonus automatically in the mail.
A 5-year license costs just $79, plus a convenience fee. But in return, you know the fees won’t increase while you have your license, and you don’t need to worry about renewing for five years.
Be Prepared
Five-year licenses are available online at MyFWC.com/License and via the toll-free phone number 888-347-4356. In addition, they may be purchased at any license agent, such as retail stores that sell fishing supplies and bait-and-tackle shops or at county tax collectors’ offices.
For information about bass are on the beds local fishing opportunities, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing, where you can also verify that you will be one of the first 3,000 and see all of the bonus package contents.
Till next time tight lines and good fishing…. From Staff Writer BASSonline – fishing@bassonline.com BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS
FWC needs your input on the draft black bass management plan
Black bass are the most popular recreational fishes in the United States, but do you know what they are? In the Sunshine State, black bass include Florida largemouth, shoal, spotted, and Suwannee basses. We are fortunate to live in a state known as the Garden of Eden for these feisty sport fish.
Scientists specializing in fish species will tell you they aren’t real bass at all, but rather members of the sunfish family that includes crappie and bluegill. But anglers who have tussled with a Florida largemouth bass will insist they are the “reel” basses.
In Florida, black bass annually provide more than 800,000 anglers with nearly 15 million days of healthy outdoor recreation and generate substantially more than a billion dollars in economic impact for Florida. So although the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has always zealously managed these fish to ensure their survival and sustainable use, it is now time to pull together all the loosely connected pieces into one cohesive management plan.
Darrell Scovell, director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, announced the framework for such a plan at the first public meeting of the rapidly evolving Florida Freshwater Fishing Coalition (FLFFC.org), in October in Orlando. The FWC’s Black Bass Management Plan will ultimately provide the blueprint to ensure Florida’s recognition as “The Bass Capital of the World,” according to Scovell. The meeting drew representatives from 17 fishery-dependent type organizations, businesses, and groups who actively participated in the discussion and commended the FWC for its outreach effort.
Tom Champeau, an FWC fisheries expert and director of the South Region, introduced the concept at the meeting. He emphasized that the prominence of our bass fisheries cannot be taken for granted. Participation in freshwater fishing has been affected by societal changes related to urbanization and changing demographics. Freshwater fishing license sales have shown an overall decline since the 1980s, although sales have stabilized over the past 10 years. The development of land and water resources to support our current and projected population growth threatens lake, river, and associated wetland habitats. The uncertain impacts of climate change on freshwater habitats and bass fishing require investigation and adaptive management.
Help protect our valuable bass fisheries
To protect our valuable bass fisheries, the FWC plans to engage more stakeholders through a year-long process to develop a long-term (2010-2030) management plan for Florida bass species. This plan will provide strategies and programs to manage for high-quality fisheries and increase opportunities for anglers to pursue trophy Florida bass.
“The FLFFC is ecstatic about being involved at the grassroots level in discussing Florida’s black bass management,” said Todd Kersey, CEO of the FLFFC. “The enthusiasm of the participants shows how important this is and the desire to see all aspects of management – from aquatic vegetation control, to habitat enhancement and stocking, to regulation management and enforcement – included in the plan.”
That is just what the FWC biologists wanted to hear, not only from the FLFFC, but from all of the nearly 1 million anglers who enjoy fishing in Florida for black bass. The plan will include all those aspects and more, but the final product depends on good, solid science, knowledge of local fisheries – including the constraints and opportunities – and what you, the public, want your fisheries resources to be. From creating relaxing, low-pressure aesthetic fisheries where natural scenery is the major draw, to fast-action schooling bass in the small to average size range, to limited-entry trophy bass fisheries, FWC biologists are willing to work with local communities to design a management plan that, with adequate funding and public support, can provide the sustainable fishing opportunities you want.
To see a draft of the plan and the PowerPoint presentation given at the FLFFC meeting, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and select Black Bass Management Plan proposal. You’ll also have the opportunity to fill out a survey to provide the FWC with more information about what you think is important to having quality bass fishing in Florida. Make your voice heard, buy a Florida fishing license, and fill out the survey today.
FWC Presents Draft For Florida Black Bass Management Plan
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) staff will introduce a concept for a new black bass management plan on Oct. 26.
Reporter: Press Release
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Press Release:
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) staff will introduce a concept for a new Florida Black Bass Management Plan on Oct. 26 at the Florida Freshwater Fishing Coalition meeting in Orlando. The plan addresses the long-term needs of this group of sport fish, which includes Florida largemouth, shoal, spotted, and Suwannee basses.
Black bass are the most popular recreational fish in the world. In Florida, they provide 822,000 anglers over the age of 16 with 14.7 million days of healthy outdoor recreation and generate more than a billion dollars in economic impact for Florida, according to the 2006 National Survey of Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.
The FWC seeks public input at the unveiling of the draft plan. The meeting starts at 9 a.m. in the Orlando Bass Pro Shop’s conference room during the inaugural meeting of the Florida Freshwater Fishing Coalition. FLFFC is a partnership of freshwater fishery organizations and anglers, representing a cross-section of businesses, nonprofits, and individuals who have a stake in ensuring the future of Florida’s outstanding freshwater fisheries.
Collectively, they want to learn about and discuss lake management issues, fisheries data, and research so they can provide an informed voice to achieve the coalition’s vision. Their mission is “To serve as a coalition of freshwater fishery organizations and anglers to protect our rights by providing representation in Florida government on pertinent issues that affect recreation and conservation.” For more information, visit www.FLFFC.org.
“The FLFFC is ecstatic to be able to discuss Florida’s black bass management plan with the FWC at our inaugural meeting. The FLFFC and its partners are faced with many issues, including access, habitat protection, and water quality,” said Todd Kersey, FLFFC President. “We feel developing a plan to protect the most popular fish in Florida will go a long way in helping these issues and preserving the state’s title as “Fishing Capital of the World,” which is critical to Florida’s economy.”
Why do we need the Florida Black Bass Management Plan?
The FWC’s Florida Black Bass Management Plan will ultimately provide the blueprint to ensure Florida’s recognition as “The Bass Capital of the World,” said Darrell Scovell, FWC’s director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management.
This long-term management plan was compiled based on science, augmented by the input of more than 7,500 people who completed one of two surveys (or both) or spoke with our biologists. A technical assistance group – comprised of various public stakeholders, including avid anglers, tackle shop owners, lure manufacturers, tournament anglers, fishing guides, outdoor writers, university researchers, and tourism destination marketers – helped to refine the plan further. The plan is now ready for implementation. However, public, corporate, and angler support is essential to realize the vision.
If you’re interested in representing a fishery-dependent business or organization or are an avid angler with time to commit to helping the coalition, please visit www.FLFFC.org to reserve a seat and to provide input and guidance to the FWC on this comprehensive and innovative new plan. During the afternoon session, FWC staff will host a round table forum to solicit stakeholders’ thoughts, reactions, ideas, and suggestions to help craft the final draft that will be presented to FWC commissioners in December.
The public also may provide input at www.MyFWC.com/fishing. Sign up for the FWC’s stakeholder Florida Black Bass Management Plan newsletter, “FWC 4-1-1,” by selecting “Contact FWC” and then “FWC 4-1-1” from the left-side pop-up menu.
Till next time, tight lines and good fishing…. Posted From BASSonline Staff Writer BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS
These biologists modify fishing regulations when necessary to ensure 
caught throughout Florida and is monitoring results from all permitted bass tournaments.
The FWC seeks public input at the unveiling of the draft plan. The meeting starts at 9 a.m. in the 