By Louie Stout
Bluegill limit, hunting proposals, back on Indiana DNR agenda.
That bluegill daily bag limit proposal that the Indiana DNR has been kicking down the road is back on the agenda for public consideration.
Its one of many fish and wildlife rule changes the DNR has put up for public debate.
The latest bluegill proposal is similar to the one that came up a few years ago before it got shelved despite public support. Indiana currently doesnt have a bag limit on bluegill.
The new plan tweaks the old one. While the first suggestion called for a 25-fish bag limit, the new recommendation asks for a bag limit. The amount of gills an angler could keep in one day of fishing would be determined later.
In addition, the DNR clarified the possession limit. When the bag limit came up a few years ago, vacationers complained it prohibited them from storing fish caught on an extended vacation. Under the new plan, anglers could store an unlimited number of fish as long as they were cut, wrapped and frozen, canned, vacuum-packed or otherwise preserved for long term storage.
The public has until May 15 to offer its comments on this and other DNR proposals or make suggestions for other rule changes theyd like to see.
You can find a complete list of the regulation changes up for discussion at www.wildlife.IN.gov/7373.htm.
Thats also where you will find the DNRs Got Input form to contribute ideas and provide input on issues the DNR has identified for consideration. Written comments can be submitted to DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife, Attn: Got Input, 402 W. Washington St., Room W273, Indianapolis, Ind. 46204.
After May 15, the DNR staff will evaluate all comments and seek approval on rule changes to present to the Natural Resources Commission for preliminary adoption. No rule proposals would take effect this year.
Other noteworthy proposals include:
- Elimination of the stream closure (April 15-June 15) on portions of the Little Calumet River and Trail Creek. In LaPorte County, fishing would be permitted year round from Franklin St. Bridge in Michigan City upstream to U.S. 35.
- Implement a harvest rule on Fidlers Pond (Elkhart County, Failing Lake (Steuben County) and Flat Fork Creek Park Ponds A and B (Hamilton County) that would restrict total harvest to an aggregate bag limit of 15 fish species, to include only two largemouth bass greater than 18 inches and a maximum of five channel catfish.
- Increase the statewide minimum size limit to 24 inches on northern pike and the bag limit to three, which may include only one fish per day over 30 inches.
- Add Elkhart, Kosciusko and Noble counties to the fall wild turkey firearms season.
- Allow the hunting of fox and gray squirrels and furbearers from a motorized boat as long as the boat is not under power when shooting the animal.
- Establish a bobcat hunting and trapping season in specific counties determined by the DNR.
- Allow the hides and carcasses of legally harvested furbearers taken during the season to be kept year round without a permit.
- Change the red and gray fox seasons to one taking season so that hunting and trapping starts and ends the same day. The ending date would be Jan. 31.
- Change the starting time for hunting/trapping furbearers to sunrise and the ending time on the last day of the season to sunset.