Page 12 - 2022/2023 Oklahoma Fishing & Hunting Regulations

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GENERAL FISHING REGULATIONS
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Fishing Regulation once every 24 hours. The boundaries have ing station has been provided or where fish
Changes been expanded for collecting bait with cast cleaning is specifically authorized.
nets in the lower Illinois River (see page 25). • Sell, barter or trade fish, frogs or turtles, ex-
The following are brief descriptions of regu- Vann's Lake Refuge is open to fishing and cept with a commercial license.
lation changes. This summary of regulation non-hunting use February 1 - October 14. • Enter, swim, wade, operate a boat or a float
changes is intended to be used as a reference Marbled Crayfish has been added to the list or floating device in any safety zone (the
only. You are required to be familiar with all of restricted aquatic species. water area below any dam for a distance of
the changes to regulations that apply to each 50 yards from base of the dam).
of these items. General Regulations • Use, operate or park vehicles not registered
In addition to general housekeeping changes for use on public roadways under Vehicle
and reorganization of Title 800, fishing regu- Game Fish Code 47 O.S. 1971, 15-101 through 15-114, on
lation changes for 2022-2023 include the fol- Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass; lands owned or managed by the Wildlife
lowing: black and white crappie; rainbow and brown Department.
• The key change to fishing regulations in- trout; sauger, saugeye and walleye; white and • Possess fish, or parts thereof, taken by an-
volves a modification of the statewide size striped bass; blue and channel catfish. Species other person without written information
and bag limits for largemouth and small- not listed are nongame fish. which includes the taker’s customer ID num-
mouth basses. Specifically, the statewide ber, date taken, and number and kind of fish,
limit for largemouth and smallmouth basses It is unlawful to: plus name and address of person receiving
(in aggregate) is six (6) fish per day, only one • Fish without carrying a license (mobile app those fish.
(1) of which may exceed sixteen (16) inches or hardcopy) or written evidence that you • Use and/or place into lakes and reservoirs
in length (See page 12). Public fishing waters are exempt. of this state any container, including but not
with special area regulations may differ from • Fish upon the land of another without con- limited to drums, cans, tubs, boxes or barrels
the statewide limits, therefore, see pages 24- sent of the owner, lessee or occupant of that which attract, entice or lure fish into an open
27 for special area regulations. land. Anglers must obtain permission to cavity within the container.
When an individual angler possesses a enter any posted or occupied land or land • Use or possess any controlled and/or dan-
tournament exemption authorized by the De- primarily devoted to farming, ranching or gerous substance as defined in 63 O.S., Sec-
partment, daily bag and size limits may devi- forestry purposes. Nothing in this guide tion 2-101 on any lands or waterways subject
ate from those listed here. Instructions for the shall be interpreted as permitting fishing to the control of the Wildlife Department.
tournament exemption application process or allowing access into any area, public or • Use Jet Skis, jet boats and other similar
are provided at www.wildlifedepartment. private, without permission from the own- nonpropeller-driven watercraft in the up-
com/blackbass. ers or custodian as required by law, this in- per Illinois River above the confluence with
• The catfish (blue and/or channel catfish, in cludes lands with rivers and/or creeks flow- Barren Fork Creek.
aggregate) daily limit is six (6) in the Fourche ing through them. Consent is not valid for • Tamper with the trotline, throwline, jugline
Maline River within Robbers Cave State Park more than one year, unless the owner, lessee, or limbline of another person without per-
(from Carlton Lake Dam downstream to the or occupant grants consent for a specified mission from that person.
state park boundary. period of time. • Stock aquatic organisms in any public waters
• Trout bag limits and harvest areas in the • Catch fish that are dead or die as a result of including streams and rivers without writ-
lower Mountain Fork River trout area have angling from any waters of the state, and not ten consent from the Wildlife Department
been changed (see page 18). The trophy har- remove those fish and bury or burn them, director.
vest area downstream of the State Park Dam except nothing will prevent anglers from • Possess a fish subject to size limits that has
has been restored, and is now subject to a returning fish remains, meaning any fish had its head, tail, or skin/scales removed
daily bag limit of up to one (1) rainbow trout that has been filleted or has had the entrails while actively engaged in fishing.
which must be greater than twenty-five (25) removed, to lakes and reservoirs (any fish • Use at any time in the waters of this state for
inches and up to one (1) brown trout which that does not meet length requirements must taking, catching, capturing or killing any
must be greater than thirty (30) inches. be returned to the water immediately). No game or nongame fish with any of the follow-
• Other changes: Any fish subject to size person may bury or burn any dead fish ing: any rotenone or other poison, dynamite
limits must remain intact (head, tail, and where it will become exposed through ero- or other explosive, or any electrical device
skin/ scales not removed) while the angler sion or where that land is at any time subject used for shocking purpose.
is actively engaged in fishing. Unattended to overflow. • No resident or nonresident shall have in their
fishing equipment (e.g. stringers, creels, • Dispose of dead fish, fish remains, or fish possession, in the field, more than one (1)
baskets, containers) used to store live fish carcasses into waters of this state within 100 daily bag limit listed in 800:10-1-5 and 800:10-
in the field (both caught fish and fish used yards of a boat ramp, or designated swim- 1-6. Nonresidents shall not have more than
as bait) must be labeled with the angler's ming area except where an official fish clean- two (2) daily bag limits in their possession
customer ID number and attended at least at any time other than in the field.
• The new statewide length limit for black bass allows additional
harvest of smaller bass while protecting larger bass.
• The goal of this change is to increase the number of quality-sized
bass in Oklahoma lakes. (Doc Hollis, Texoma, and rivers/streams
statewide have different regulations. See pages 24-27)
• Exemptions will be issued to tournament directors via a free
exemption permit.
For more information visit:
www.wildlifedepartment.com/blackbass
10 2022-2023 OKLAHOMA FISHING & HUNTING REGULATIONS