Panhandle Region Scoping: Quality and trophy rules regulating harvest of largemouth bass
Largemouth bass in the Panhandle Region generally grow slowly relative to populations in other portions of the United States. Some Largemouth Bass populations grow so slowly that few, if any, fish reach minimum allowable length for harvest under quality (16”) or trophy (20”) regulations.
In these populations, existing quality and or trophy regulations do not achieve their objective of increasing the proportion of large bass in the population. As such, harvest on these waters is unnecessarily restricted and regulations add additional complexity in the regulation booklet.
Largemouth bass in the Panhandle Region generally grow slowly relative to populations in other portions of the United States. Some Largemouth Bass populations grow so slowly that few, if any, fish reach minimum allowable length for harvest under quality (16”) or trophy (20”) regulations.
In these populations, existing quality and or trophy regulations do not achieve their objective of increasing the proportion of large bass in the population. As such, harvest on these waters is unnecessarily restricted and regulations add additional complexity in the regulation booklet.