3 CSR 10-11.215 - Fishing, Length Limits

PURPOSE: This rule establishes provisions for length limits on department areas.

(1) Statewide length limits shall apply for all species, except as further restricted in this chapter.

(2) On lakes and ponds, except as listed below, black bass more than twelve inches (12") but less than fifteen inches (15") total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught.

(A) Black bass less than fifteen inches (15") total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught on the following department areas or individually named lakes:

1. Amarugia Highlands Conservation Area

2. Apple Creek Conservation Area

3. Atkinson Lake (Schell-Osage Conservation Area)

4. Bilby Ranch Lake Conservation Area

5. Binder Community Lake

6. Blackwell Lake (Indian Trail Conservation Area)

7. Blue Springs Branch Conservation Area (Shafer Pond)

8. Busch (August A.) Memorial Conservation Area (except Lakes 33 and 35)

9. Castor River Conservation Area

10. Che-Ru Lake (Fountain Grove Conservation Area)

11. Crowleys Ridge Conservation Area

12. General Watkins Conservation Area

13. Hazel Hill Lake

14. Jamesport Community Lake

15. Kearn (J. N. "Turkey") Memorial Wildlife Area

16. Limpp Community Lake

17. Lone Jack Lake Conservation Area

18. Magnolia Hollow Conservation Area

19. Maple Leaf Lake Conservation Area

20. Nodaway County Community Lake

21. Otter Slough Conservation Area

22. Painted Rock Conservation Area

23. Perry County Community Lake

24. Pony Express Lake Conservation Area

25. Ray County Community Lake

26. Reed (James A.) Memorial Wildlife Area

27. Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area

28. Schell Lake (Schell-Osage Conservation Area)

29. Shanks (Ted) Conservation Area

30. Tobacco Hills Lake (Guy B. Park Conservation Area)

31. Vandalia Community Lake

32. Weldon Spring Conservation Area

33. Worth County Community Lake

(B) Black bass less than eighteen inches (18") total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught on the following department areas or individually named lakes:

1. Bellefontaine Conservation Area

2. Lakes 33 and 35 (Busch (August A.) Memorial Conservation Area)

3. Belcher Branch Lake Conservation Area

4. Combs (Jerry P.) Lake (Little River Conservation Area)

5. Delaney (Robert G.) Lake Conservation Area

6. Hartell (Ronald and Maude) Conservation Area

7. Happy Holler Lake Conservation Area

8. Lake Paho Conservation Area

9. Port Hudson Lake Conservation Area

(C) On LaBelle Lake Conservation Area, black bass more than fourteen inches (14") but less than eighteen inches (18") total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught.

(3) White bass, striped bass, and their hybrids less than twenty inches (20") total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught on the following department areas or individually named lakes:

(A) Busch (August A.) Memorial Conservation Area

(B) Belcher Branch Lake Conservation Area

(C) Harmony Mission Lake (Harmony Mission Conservation Area)

(D) Lake Paho Conservation Area

(E) Limpp Community Lake

(F) Little Compton Lake (Little Compton Lake Conservation Area)

(G) Nodaway County Community Lake

(H) Perry County Community Lake

(I) Reed (James A.) Memorial Wildlife Area

(4) Bluegill less than eight inches (8") total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught on the following department areas:

(A) General Watkins Conservation Area

(B) Tobacco Hills Lake (Park (Guy B.) Conservation Area)

(5) On Lake Girardeau Conservation Area, crappie less than nine inches (9") total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught.

(6) Flathead catfish less than twenty-four inches (24") total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught on the following areas:

(A) Che-Ru Lake (Fountain Grove Conservation Area);

(B) Limpp Community Lake; and

(C) Little Compton Community Lake Conservation Area.

(7) Channel catfish less than sixteen inches (16") total length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught on the following areas:

(A) Current River Conservation Area (Buford Pond)

(B) Tywappity Community Lake

Notes

3 CSR 10-11.215

AUTHORITY: sections 40 and 45 of Art. IV, Mo. Const., and section 252.040, RSMo 2016.* This rule previously filed as 3 CSR 10-4.115. Original rule filed April 30, 2001, effective Sept. 30, 2001. Amended: Filed Aug. 30, 2001, effective Jan. 30, 2002. Amended: Filed May 9, 2002, effective March 1, 2003. Amended: Filed Oct. 9, 2003, effective March 30, 2004. Amended: Filed Sept. 29, 2004, effective Feb. 28, 2005. Amended: Filed Sept. 14, 2005, effective Feb. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed Oct. 2, 2006, effective Feb. 28, 2007. Amended: Filed Sept. 27, 2007, effective Feb. 29, 2008. Amended: Filed Oct. 10, 2008, effective April 30, 2009. Amended: Filed Sept. 25, 2009, effective March 1, 2010. Amended: Filed Sept. 30, 2010, effective March 1, 2011. Amended: Filed Sept. 12, 2011, effective March 1, 2012. Amended: Filed Sept. 19, 2012, effective March 1, 2013. Amended: Filed March 17, 2014, effective Aug. 30, 2014. Amended: Filed Dec. 8, 2014, effective March 1, 2015. Amended: Filed Aug. 29, 2016, effective March 30, 2017. Amended: Filed Aug. 28, 2018, effective March 1, 2019. Amended: Filed Jan. 22, 2021, effective Feb. 28, 2021. Amended: Filed Sept. 8, 2023, effective Sept. 18, 2023.

AUTHORITY: sections 40 and 45 of Art. I V, Mo. Const. and section 252.240, RSMo 2000.* This rule previously filed as 3 CSR 10-4.115. Original rule filed April 30, 2001, effective Sept. 30, 2001. Amended: Filed Aug. 30, 2001, effective Jan. 30, 2002. Amended: Filed May 9, 2002, effective March 1, 2003. Amended: Filed Oct. 9, 2003, effective March 30, 2004. Amended: Filed Sept. 29, 2004, effective Feb. 28, 2005. Amended: Filed Sept. 14, 2005, effective Feb. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed Oct. 2, 2006, effective Feb. 28, 2007. Amended: Filed Sept. 27, 2007, effective Feb. 29, 2008. Amended: Filed Oct. 10, 2008, effective April 30, 2009. Amended: Filed Sept. 25, 2009, effective March 1, 2010. Amended: Filed Sept. 30, 2010, effective March 1, 2011 . Amended: Filed Sept. 12, 2011, effective March 1, 2012. Amended: Filed Sept. 19, 2012, effective March 1, 2013. Amended by Missouri Register July 1, 2014/Volume 39, Number 13, effective 8/31/2014 Amended by Missouri Register January 15, 2015/Volume 40, Number 02, effective 3/1/2015 Amended by Missouri Register February 1, 2017/Volume 42, Number 03, effective 3/1/2017 Amended by Missouri Register January 15, 2019/Volume 44, Number 2, effective 3/1/2019 Amended by Missouri Register March 1, 2021/Volume 46, Number 05, effective 2/28/2021 Amended by Missouri Register January 17, 2023/Volume 48, Number 2, effective 2/28/2023 Amended by Missouri Register October 16, 2023/volume 48, Number 20, effective 9/18/2023.