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This new limit doesn’t apply to spotted bass, which More restrictive creel limits have been tried
is another member of the black bass family. And experimentally in some states, but they have
always check for special area regulations for the spe- failed due to the tremendous fishing pressure. All
cific water body being fished, because the bass daily they have accomplished was to spread the harvest
limits and legal sizes for harvest might be different. around to more fishermen without solving the over-
Measuring fish presents no great difficulty. harvest problem.
Measure a bass from the tip of its lower jaw to the Refuge areas on lakes also have been tried. This
tip of its tail. Everything counts. method closes entire sections of a lake to bass
When you catch a borderline bass on a lake or river fishing. The idea is that the refuge will produce
and you need to measure it, wet your hands to avoid enough large bass to keep the rest of the lake in
disturbing the fish’s protective slime layer and care- balance. However, when nearly half of a lake was
fully unhook it. Place the bass flat along a ruler or set up as a refuge, bass still moved out too fast to
tape measure. If the tip of the jaw is on the beginning prevent overharvest.
of the measuring device and the tail is short of 16 Fishing for “sport only” has also been tried. This
inches when the tailfins are squeezed closed, then definitely prevented overharvest because no bass
the fish can be harvested. If the tip of the tail is lon- could legally be kept. While this sounded ideal to
ger than 16 inches, you may keep that fish – but only some anglers, it also was a failure because bass
one bass longer than 16 inches may be kept per day. became too crowded and consumed most of the
To say length limits are the only way to control forage. The result was stunted bass.
harvest in small lakes and streams is not completely When all possible methods of controlling bass
accurate. There are other methods, but they aren’t overharvest are considered, the length limit still
the best in terms of angler opportunity. comes out on top. Its success depends upon fisher-
The quota method has been tried in some man cooperation.
states. This allows 40 percent of the bass in a lake What’s at stake with the length limits? Anglers are
to be harvested each year. Censuses are taken of losing the chance to catch a bunch of bass of all sizes
the bass population, and then creels are checked and keep one of the bigger ones. It’s Oklahoma’s
until the harvest reaches 40 percent. Then, the lake way to improve fishing, and improved fishing is what
is closed for the rest of the year. fisheries management is all about.

FEDERAL SPORT FISH RESTORATION FUNDS
IMPROVE FISHING ACCESS IN OKLAHOMA

Early in the 1900s, anglers noticed the quality of sport fish management, TOM EVANS/READERS' PHOTO SHOWCASE 2023
fishing was deteriorating due to unregulated har- boating access develop-
vest, industrial pollution and other causes. Anglers ment, and aquatic educa-
organized and joined with the fishing tackle industry tion programs.
to develop a program to improve sport fishing. In 2023, Oklahoma
Both anglers and industry were willing to help pay received a total of $8.7
for these improvements and pushed for a special million in Sport Fish
tax to be placed on fishing equipment. These funds Restoration Funding.
were used specifically for enhancing sport fishing, Each state receives
and this program became known as the Sport Fish its share of the total Fishing and boating docks are projects undertaken by
Restoration Program, which was created by the funds collected based the Wildlife Department, supported by federal Sport Fish
Restoration Program funding along with Department funds.
Dingell-Johnson Act in 1950. on a formula that fac-
In the 1980s, boaters eagerly joined the ranks tors in the number of licensed anglers (60 percent of
of the Sport Fish Restoration program by having the formula) and the size or area of the state (40 per-
their federal fuel tax added to the program with the cent). Sport Fish Restoration funds are used by all
assurance that the money would be used to improve state wildlife agencies to improve fishing and boat-
and increase boating access facilities. ing access, but these funds are especially helpful in
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation states like Oklahoma where the main funding source
has received millions of dollars annually since 1991 is hunting and fishing license fees, not general state
through the Sport Fish Restoration Program from these tax appropriations. ODWC does not receive state
federal excise taxes. These funds are earmarked for tax appropriations.

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