Alabama’s Freshwater Fishing Regulation Changes for 2012-13

The Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries has approved several fishing regulation changes related to creel and length limits in public waters. These changes were enacted to provide further protection for game fish species, to clarify previous regulations, and/or to allow a more liberalized harvest. All changes listed below went into effect on Tuesday, September 25, 2012. Some fishing regulations remain unchanged. For a complete list of freshwater fishing regulations in Alabama, consult the 2012-13 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest. The digest is available at various outdoor equipment retailers in Alabama or at www.outdooralabama.com.

Statewide Freshwater Fishing Regulation Changes

The creel and possession limit for smallmouth bass changed to five per angler, per day.
The creel and possession limit for white bass changed to 15 per angler, per day.
The creel and possession limit for yellow bass changed to 15 per angler, per day.
The creel and possession limit for saltwater striped bass and hybrids or combinations changed to 15 per angler per day. No more than five of these 15 may exceed 22 inches in total length. See exceptions for Lewis Smith, Inland, Yates, and Thurlow Reservoirs and Lake Martin.
The creel and possession limit for shoal bass changed to 10 per angler, per day. See exceptions in Little Uchee and Osanippa Creeks, tributaries of the Chattahoochee River.

Site Specific Regulation Changes

Guntersville Reservoir and its Tributary of Town Creek: It is illegal to possess any largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 15 inches in total length.
Pickwick and Wheeler Reservoirs: It is illegal to possess any smallmouth bass less than 15 inches in total length.
Wilson Reservoir and its Tributaries of Big Nance and Town Creeks: It is illegal to possess any smallmouth bass less than 15 inches in total length.
Weiss Reservoir: The regulation for white bass, yellow bass, saltwater striped bass and hybrids or combinations is now the same as the statewide regulation.
Lake Martin and Lewis Smith Reservoir: It is illegal to possess more than two saltwater striped bass that exceed 22 inches in total length in the daily creel limit. It shall be unlawful to intentionally cull from the creel any saltwater striped bass from June 15to October 15. Culling is defined as removing and releasing a saltwater striped bass from the creel (live well, stringer, basket, bucket, cooler or other container) whether or not it is replaced with another striped bass.
Inland, Thurlow and Yates Reservoirs: It is illegal to possess more than two saltwater striped bass that exceed 22 inches in total length in the daily creel limit and only one of those may exceed 30 inches in total length.
Chattahoochee River Tributaries: It is illegal to possess shoal bass in Little Uchee and Osanippa Creeks.

Alabama DCNR

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) is the state agency responsible for the conservation and management of Alabama's natural resources including state parks, state lands, wildlife and aquatic resources. ADCNR also issues hunting and fishing licenses for the state. The department promotes wise stewardship and enjoyment of the state’s natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Supporting those divisions are seven support sections: Accounting, Diversity and Recruiting, Engineering, Information and Education, Information Technology, Legal, and Personnel and Payroll.