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Earlier this year, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission adopted Notices of Intent (NOI) regarding the marking of nets in freshwater and rules for freshwater recreational yo-yos, trigger devices, trotlines, limb lines, jugs, and all other passive fishing devices containing a hook or hooks. Both sets of rules have gone through the process of public comment and legislative oversight, and will take effect soon.

The freshwater net marking rule will go into effect on September 20, 2022. This new rule, which duplicates and expands upon a similar established rule in saltwater, requires that:

• Gill nets, trammel nets, hoop nets, slat traps, and wire nets must be marked with a waterproof tag or waterproof ink/paint on the buoy (if the gear has a buoy).
• Markings shall include the full name of the user, as well as the user’s recreational/commercial license number.
• Gill and trammel nets must have buoys greater than 6 inches long in “international orange” color attached to each end of the net. The buoys can also act as gear tags.

The passive hooked gear rule will go into effect on October 20, 2022. The rule, which is applicable statewide, includes freshwater recreational yo-yos, trigger devices, trotlines, limb lines, jugs, and all other passive fishing devices containing a hook or hooks (hooked passive gear). The rule requirements are:

• Waterproof tags with name, fishing license number, and phone number must be attached to all hooked passive gear. Tag information may be written directly on the device.
• All hooked passive gear must be rebaited every 24 hours, and hooked, entangled, or ensnared fish and wildlife must be removed.
• Except for those devices that are attached to a privately owned pier, boathouse, seawall, or dock, all passive hooked gear shall be removed from the waterbody immediately by the owner or user when not in use.
• No metal object may be driven or attached to the water bottom, stump, tree, or shoreline, except for those located above the water that are affixed to a private pier, dock, houseboat, or other manmade structure which is designed for fishing. Metal anchors not attached to the bottom are permitted.
• The existing prohibition on driving any (metal or non-metal) objects in the water bottom on Black Lake, Clear Lake, Prairie Lake, Caddo Lake, Chicot Lake, D’Arbonne Lake, Lake St. Joseph, and Lake Bruin is included in the proposed rule.
• Objects driven or attached to the lake bottom, stump, tree, or shoreline used to hold passive gear shall not be wider than two inches by two inches or two inches in diameter, and shall be removed when not in use.
• Trotlines are limited to 150 hooks total per person and a cotton leader must be used on each end of a trotline.

To view the full notice of intent regarding net markings, visit http://ow.ly/lKEj50KJgIx. To view the full notice of intent regarding passive hooked gear, visit http://ow.ly/wfRR50KJbOQ. For more information, contact Robby Maxwell, Inland Fisheries Section, at rmaxwell@wlf.la.gov.