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FLW official seeks waiver on fish size
Some contend limits on Cross Lake fishing hinders bass tournament
Jimmy Watson, Shreveport Times
Posted on September 1, 2002
FLW Outdoors CEO Charlie Evans will be in Baton Rouge Thursday to make an appeal to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission requesting the slot limit on Cross Lake be suspended for the FLW Tour Championship, scheduled for Sept. 11-15 on the local fishery.
If the slot limit is removed, it could be the first time that action has been taken for a bass tournament, according to LWF Commission Chairman Tom Gattle.
"That would set a precedent," Gattle said. "I'm not aware of the commission lifting a slot during my tenure on the commission, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. I wish we'd had a couple of meetings to look at it, but I'm certainly willing to put it before the commission and see where it goes and if we can help."
The slot limit was instituted on several Louisiana waterways in 1991 to promote the growth of lunker-sized bass. In Cross Lake's case, fish measuring 14 to 17 inches must be released. The limit caused headaches for FLW competitors during the BFL All-American in June (also on Cross Lake), an event that was televised nationally.
All-American winner Eddie Waites weighed-in a final-day stringer of 5 pounds, 13 ounces, a miniature total compared to most competitive tournament stringers. In contrast, Homer Humphreys, who won last week's CITGO BASSMASTER Central Open on the Red River, caught more than 18 pounds of bass in one day.
"We want to make a great television show that people can get excited about, and it's hard to do that with five pounds of fish," Evans said. "I'd hate to see Louisiana, Cross Lake or Shreveport look like a bad destination (for anglers), and there's certainly the potential for that to happen."
Gattle said he was not aware of FLW's request until Wednesday and said the commission will have to act quickly on the matter.
"I think their request is certainly reasonable," Gattle said. "The law, which I asked them to put in front of me today, establishes that the commission has the authority to remove the slot for a particular activity."
A similar request was made by city officials of New Roads for a tournament a few years ago on False River, which also has a slot limit. Gattle said he heard testimony from recreational anglers at that time who asked "if you're going to do it for them, why don't you do it for us?"
"I personally believe in cases like this, it does have a good economic repercussions for the community and the state. I'm willing to look at it," Gattle said.
Most bass tournaments have a 90 percent or better live release of weighed-in bass.
Some contend limits on Cross Lake fishing hinders bass tournament
Jimmy Watson, Shreveport Times
Posted on September 1, 2002
FLW Outdoors CEO Charlie Evans will be in Baton Rouge Thursday to make an appeal to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission requesting the slot limit on Cross Lake be suspended for the FLW Tour Championship, scheduled for Sept. 11-15 on the local fishery.
If the slot limit is removed, it could be the first time that action has been taken for a bass tournament, according to LWF Commission Chairman Tom Gattle.
"That would set a precedent," Gattle said. "I'm not aware of the commission lifting a slot during my tenure on the commission, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. I wish we'd had a couple of meetings to look at it, but I'm certainly willing to put it before the commission and see where it goes and if we can help."
The slot limit was instituted on several Louisiana waterways in 1991 to promote the growth of lunker-sized bass. In Cross Lake's case, fish measuring 14 to 17 inches must be released. The limit caused headaches for FLW competitors during the BFL All-American in June (also on Cross Lake), an event that was televised nationally.
All-American winner Eddie Waites weighed-in a final-day stringer of 5 pounds, 13 ounces, a miniature total compared to most competitive tournament stringers. In contrast, Homer Humphreys, who won last week's CITGO BASSMASTER Central Open on the Red River, caught more than 18 pounds of bass in one day.
"We want to make a great television show that people can get excited about, and it's hard to do that with five pounds of fish," Evans said. "I'd hate to see Louisiana, Cross Lake or Shreveport look like a bad destination (for anglers), and there's certainly the potential for that to happen."
Gattle said he was not aware of FLW's request until Wednesday and said the commission will have to act quickly on the matter.
"I think their request is certainly reasonable," Gattle said. "The law, which I asked them to put in front of me today, establishes that the commission has the authority to remove the slot for a particular activity."
A similar request was made by city officials of New Roads for a tournament a few years ago on False River, which also has a slot limit. Gattle said he heard testimony from recreational anglers at that time who asked "if you're going to do it for them, why don't you do it for us?"
"I personally believe in cases like this, it does have a good economic repercussions for the community and the state. I'm willing to look at it," Gattle said.
Most bass tournaments have a 90 percent or better live release of weighed-in bass.
