The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission adopted Notices
of Intent for the 2012-14 hunting season and the 2012-13 Wildlife
Management Areas General Rules and Regulations.
The Teche Area’s many deer hunters, among others, may be
interested in some of the proposed changes, including proposals for
the Atchafalaya Basin and Atchafalaya Delta WMA. You have a perfect
opportunity to have a say in the fate of of those proposals in a
public comment period. Many of the changes, which were recommended
by game biologists with the state Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries, are outlined in The Advocate Outdoors Editor Joe
Macaluso’s story on Thursday’s meeting on this page. To view the
full Notice of Intent and all proposed hunting season dates and
regulations for the upcoming hunting seasons, go to
www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items.
Public comment will be accepted at monthly LWFC meetings from
March through May and/or can be submitted in writing to Randy
Myers, Wildlife Division, LDWF, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, La.
70898-9000, until May 3, or by email to rmyers@wlf.la.gov.
Also, hunters can comment on the proposed hunting season dates,
general hunting regulations and WMA regulations at one of six
scheduled meetings around the Sportsman’s Paradise in March. The
closest one to here will be held at 6:30 p.m. March 14 at the
Yambilee Festival Building in Opelousas.
The other meetings, time and location are:
• March 13, 6 p.m., Alexandria Convention Hall.
• March 13, 6:30 p.m. LDWF Office, Minden.
• March 15, 6 p.m., Bastrop Visitor Center.
• March 21, 6 p.m., St. John Parish Council Chambers,
LaPlace.
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There is a good reason for the buildup of anticipation for this
year’s Bassmaster Classic.
State fisheries biologists have turned the Red River, site of
the Feb. 24-26 extravaganza out of Shreveport-Bossier City, into a
premier bass fishery. After all, three years ago Classic contenders
set a new record for heaviest total weight and heaviest average
catch per day in the event held on the Red River.
The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Red River
Waterway Commission stocked the body of water — separated by locks
— with Florida largemouth bass to enhance the bass fishery with
genetics to increase the potential for record-breaking bass. Over
the past 10 years, the two agencies stocked more than 1 million
Florida bass fingerlings in all five pools of the Red River.
“Our Florida largemouth bass stocking efforts, in combination
with the prime habitat offered by the Red River, presents great
potential for yet another record-breaking Classic in Louisiana,”
DW&F Secretary Robert Barham said recently.
We ought to be proud of that bass fishery. Hopefully, the
weather will cooperate and give the most accomplished pros in the
world a chance to catch them.
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Unlike last year in the New Orleans area, I won’t be on hand for
the Classic. But I will be following it.
I hope to be casting for big bass around here Feb. 26 in the Top
Rod Big Bass Classic on Lake Fausse Pointe out of Marsh Field Boat
Landing. Registration forms are pouring in, according to founder
Elvis “Top Rod” Jeanminette of Grand Marais. For more information
or to donate money or prizes call him at 519-0400.
The event is a fundraiser for the Louisiana PepperPlex.
DON SHOOPMAN is outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.