Fishing

[dennishoddy]

This lake/reservoir is 50 acres in size, and the sign posted at the gate entrance says that "all state rules and regulations must be strictly adhered to when fishing this body of water".

A permit is also required to fish this particular lake.

So, we looked up Oklahoma's rules and regulations online for largemouth bass, and it specifically stated that bass under 14" in length must be returned to the water, and bass over 14" may be kept with a daily limit of 6 per person.

What am I missing here?

I included a pic of the regs. Note that the 14” is for areas without special regulations.
Some lakes have a slot limit as an example.
Length limits don’t apply to private waters unless the owner wants to follow state regulations.
Here is the title 800 legislation.

800:10-1-4. Size limits on fish
There are no length and/or size limit restrictions on any game or nongame fish, except as follows:
(1) All largemouth and smallmouth bass less than fourteen (14) inches in total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being taken from public waters unless regulated by specific municipal ordinance or specified in regulations listed below: Lakes and Reservoirs with no length limit on largemouth and smallmouth bass - Lake Murray, all waters in the Wichita National Wildlife Refuge.
(2) All largemouth and smallmouth bass between thirteen (13) and sixteen (16) inches in total length must be returned unharmed immediately after being taken from lakes Chimney Rock (W.R. Holway), Arbuckle, Okmulgee and Tenkiller Lake (downstream from Horseshoe Bend boat ramp).

It appears from your description your fishing private or municipal waters that can set their own regs. If all the bass are the same length they may be overpopulated and stunted. The folks that own it may not be aware of the issue.
I think they can ask for assistance from ODW to do a survey on the lake and get suggestions to improve it.
Our municipal lake did that to overcome stunted crappie. The ODW suggested the lake be stocked with saugeye that prey on crappie. It took several years but we are catching decent sized crappie now.
Good luck. Those bass are really fun to catch on the fly rod.

 

[Master Carper]

Thank you for all the information Mr. Hoddy.

More information will be forthcoming.

 

[Master Carper]

I posed the following information to OKSHOOTERS Jared, and here is the response I got back from him:

Jared,

I have a question for you.

I fish a small 50 acre public lake, and would like to keep a dozen or so of the largemouth bass that all average around 12" in length.

The way I understand the state rules and regulations, all bass under 14" must be returned back to the water, and any bass over 14" can be kept, with a daily possession limit of 6 per person.

My wife and I caught 30 bass yesterday, and everyone of them measured exactly 12" in length. We wanted to keep some for stocking in our pond, but since they were under the legal limit of 14", we did not want to get into trouble for removing them from the lake.

Could you please let us know the legality of removing largemouth bass from a state stocked lake like this.

Thank you for your time.

You are correct, the statewide regulation is 14" minimum length for the largemouth bass, unless there is a specific area regulation listed that differs (such as a lake with a slot limit). You won't be able to take any of the bass out of that public waters unless they are at least 14" in length, and it would be 6 per day per person.

I would advise reaching out to the regional fisheries biologist for your area and discuss this specific body of water with them. It sounds like the bass have either been recently stocked and they are still growing or they could be an existing population that has become stunted due to overpopulation, to which the biologists may try to do something to assist their growth and result in you being able to catch some big enough to take with you and put in your pond.

Hope that helps.

Jared

 

[Master Carper]

My wife and I went fishing for a couple of hours this evening, and the bass were constantly exploding on my wife's Perch Whopper Plopper and my eel lure.

22 of the bass were 12" in length and one was 13".

 

[dennishoddy]

My wife and I went fishing for a couple of hours this evening, and the bass were constantly exploding on my wife's Perch Whopper Plopper and my eel lure.

22 of the bass were 12" in length and one was 13".

View attachment 213228

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Very nice!

 

[Garrett]

Be patient and calm - for no one can catch fish in anger.
-Herbert Hoover

Tenkara and Peter`s Custom Trout Worms...
https://peterscustomtroutworms.com/
I throw these weightless Texas style on a Mustad #8 streamer hook...

 

[Master Carper]

That's a good looking bass you've got there Garrett.

I may have to get some of those Custom Trout Worms and fish them on an ultralight spinning outfit with 4 lb. line. That should make for a good combo going after these smaller bass.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Fished today and brought home 4 that were hooked deep. Caught 12 and broke off 2.

 

[Master Carper]

Very nice!

 

[Master Carper]

I fished for about an hour this afternoon and caught 6 little bass, and like the rest, they were all 12" in length.

Three bass were caught with each lure shown.