Jackson, TN – The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission amended the Statewide Non-protected Wildlife Proclamation concerning the eradication of wild hogs and heard updates on fisheries among business at its September meeting which concluded Friday.

Concerning the eradication of wild hogs, landowners have voiced concerns that the persons who had leased their land for hunting had expected to be able to have the opportunity to kill a hog. The landowners were concerned they will lose the income produced from these leases.

In response to this concern, the commission voted to allow all landowners who have hunting leases the ability to authorize individuals under those leases to assist in the eradication of wild hogs. The leases must have been in effect as of September 15th, 2011.

Landowners who have hunting leases in effect as of September 15th, 2011 may allow individuals authorized under the lease to assist in eradication efforts of wild hogs. Authorized lease members may use the following methods:

a. Any weapon and ammunition legal for taking big game and small game during daylight hours only.

b. Live traps with bait. Bait may not be used during big game hunting seasons without an exemption from the TWRA. All targeted animals must be dispatched before removal from trap.

c. If a landowner has obtained an exemption, authorized lease members may shoot hogs at night with the aid of artificial light, shoot over bait during big game season, or any other methods as approved by TWRA. Authorized lease members may also use dogs as part of the experimental eradication program in Overton, Fentress, Cumberland, and Pickett counties. Dogs may not be used during November or December.

The authorization of lease members by landowners for wild hog eradication expires February 28th, 2012.

Also, in response to suggestions about the hog eradication process, the commission authorized the incidental take of wild hogs during previously scheduled bear/dog hunts in the counties or portions of counties open to bear/dog hunting in the current Big Game Hunting Season Proclamation.

In other business at the meeting, as a follow-up to previous discussions, Frank Fiss, Assistant Chief of TWRA Fisheries, presented options for a fishing guide license for the commission’s and public’s consideration.

The fishing guide license options presented were 1) no change to existing rules or no guide license required; 2) fishing guide license required ($200.00 for residents, $1,000 for non-residents); and 3) fishing guide license required (the same fee of $200 for residents, $1,000 for non-residents) and guides would need to meet qualifying criteria. Those criteria included for discussion were proof of insurance, background check, first aid/CPR training, and boating safety training. No decision was made on these options. However, the discussion was centered around the guide license for designated tailwater fisheries.

Also presented were recommendations offered by Commercial Fishing Advisory Committee. The volunteer committee is entirely comprised of nine members of the commercial fishing community and was recently established by the Tennessee General Assembly.

Its recommendations were:

• Eliminate Region 2 contract requirements (calling in and reporting).
• Reduce the number of commercial roe fish licenses (Type 108) sold to 70.
• Make it legal for commercial fishing helpers to run gear without presence of commercial license holders.
• Change mesh size of hoop nets to be 1 inch on the square and larger.
• Open Tellico Reservoir to commercial fishing.
• Rework commercial fishing laws to resemble a business regulation model following the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act.
• Open commercial harvest of catfish in Fort Loudoun Reservoir.
• Drop the statewide limit on catfish over 34 inches.
• Paddlefish recommendations: no changes be made to the handling procedures; no changes be made to the Mississippi River regulations; and implement a 5-year plan to open new waters to paddlefish harvest beginning in the 2011-2012 harvest season. The new plan a) requests that existing regulations be kept the same for water bodies currently open to commercial harvest; and b) creates a rotational plan for opening Norris, Watts Bar, Cordell Hull, Old Hickory and Melton Hill reservoirs to paddlefish harvest with a limited season of January 15th–April 15th. Upon accepting items (a) and (b), then increase length limit to 38 inches for the new 5-year plan.

These recommendations will be reviewed by TWRA staff. After input from the general public, this issue will be reviewed by the commission.

The TWRC will hold its next meeting October 13th-14th in Nashville.

The new regulations established by the TWRC on Thursday (October 28th) will be effective March 1st, 2011. Among the new regulations for 2011 include:

Slat baskets must be checked at least every 72 hours.

Shovelnose sturgeon may not be harvested. This means that all species of sturgeon must be released immediately.

15-inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass at Great Falls Reservoir.

Established a delayed harvest season on Piney River near Spring City. From November 1st through last day of February, only artificial lures may be used and all trout must be released. From March 1st through October 31st trout may be harvested by all gears with a 7 trout creel limit.

At Gibson County and Browns Creek (Henderson County) lakes, there will be an 18-24 inch protected length range (slot limit) on bass, with a creel limit of five and only one may be over 24 inches.

Big Creek (Polk County) will follow the statewide trout regulations.

To provide additional protection to muskellunge at Melton Hill Reservoir, muskie that are not intended to be harvested must be immediately released in a manner that promotes survival of the fish. Culling of muskie is not allowed.

Removal of special trout regulations in Dale Hollow Reservoir. Dale Hollow will follow the same as statewide regulations.

Changes to trout fishing on the Hiwassee River include the removal of the 14 inch length limit on brown trout and eliminate the Quality Trout Fishing Area from the entire trout zone (from the Apalachia Powerhouse downstream to the L&N railroad bridge at Reliance). Other changes include the implementation of a delayed harvest regulation for Hiwassee River (from Apalachia Powerhouse downstream to the L&N railroad bridge at Reliance). From October 1st-February 28th all trout must be released and only artificial lures may be used. From March 1st-September 30th, all gears are allowed and the trout creel limit is seven trout (all species combined), only two may be brown trout.

Changes on South Holston Reservoir were made to match Virginia regulations for the reciprocal agreement. They include no harvest of white bass, changing the catfish creel limit to 20 per day; only one of which may be over 34 inches, reduce bluegill creel limit to 50 per day and reduce the number of limb lines from 25 to 15.

In other business at the meeting, the commission approved a pair of rule amendments to establish a $10.00 non-refundable application fee for computerized quota hunts for deer, turkey and Wildlife Management Areas. Currently, TWRA already requires a non-refundable fee of $10.00 for the Elk Quota Hunt and the Waterfowl Quota Hunt. This rule amendment will not affect Sportsman License holders, (including Annual and Lifetime Sportsman License holders, and persons possessing an Annual Senior Citizen Permit, Type 167), who will not be charged an application fee.

A resolution on wild hogs control was approved by the TWRC. The resolution defines that a wild hog on private property has potential for negative impacts and therefore the presence of a wild hog is evidence that damage is taking place. The goal of the resolution is to allow more efficient issuance of wild hog control permits to private landowners.

The annual awards for the TWRA Wildlife and Fisheries Biologists of the Year were presented at the meeting. David Lane, Erwin Hatchery Manager, was named the Fisheries Biologist of the Year. Chris Hunter, of Dyersburg, received the Wildlife Biologist of the Year award.

In addition, for the first time, the agency presented awards for the Wildlife and Fisheries Technicians of the Year. Wayne Ellison, from Chuck Swan WMA, was selected as the recipient of the Wildlife Technician of the Year. Carl Williams of the Stream Survey Unit was named Fisheries Technician of the Year.

The TWRC is scheduled to meet in Gatlinburg December 1st-2nd. The public is invited to attend.

At first glance it might seem like a stretch of the imagination, but all you have to do is drop into Paris, Tennessee, in the early spring to know that this annual festival lives up to its proclaimed title.

To begin with, Paris, Tennessee, welcomes visitors to the city with a huge sign and a sculpted catfish — a declaration that fishing and the prospect of Cajun catfish or any kind of catfish fillets are big business here.

Yes, it is about the fishing. And the people who fish. And the people who have businesses that either supply the fisher-folk. And it is about everyone who simply wants to have a good time. Paris, a West Tennessee country community at the edge of Land Between the Lakes, has created an increasingly complex and continually growing festival to supply some very simple down-home fun. It’s fairly obvious that the entire community is behind this event… eagerly awaiting the fairs, the parades, and the infamous “catfish races.”

So where did it all begin?

“Mule Day.” That was a 1938 event sponsored by the Post Intelligencer, the city’s daily newspaper. “Mule Day” picked up on a tradition where farmers came to town on the first day of April to trade mules and farm products, shop, and enjoy a social reunion with friends and neighbors.

Some fifteen years later, with tractors gradually replacing mules in this rural community, the Chamber of Commerce stepped up to the plate, searching for a new venue to replace what was becoming an out-of-date event.

Thus, in 1953, the Chamber sponsored the first Fish Fry., with less than stellar results. The fish fried were not culled from Kentucky Lake, and failed to please the palates of the locals.  The parade fell short as well.  This original iteration was held on a single day at Barton Field.

The event survived, though, and through the 1950′s began to grow. In the Camelot days of 1961, the Paris-Henry County Jaycees (Junior Chamber of Commerce) took over the event,and the “World’s Biggest Fish fry” was born.  In those early days the “fry” consumed 1600 pounds of fish, an amount that pales in comparison to today’s five tons of deep fried catfish. Yes, FIVE TONS. Cooked and dished up at the “Bobby” Cox Memorial Fish tent.

Another batch of Hush Puppies...keep 'em coming!

Community and business involvement in “World’s Biggest Fish Fry” brings the community together through many events: beauty pageants, parades, a country fair, tractor pulls, dances, a carnival, Catfish races, and the fish fry itself.

With the 2009 edition of the World’s Biggest Fish Fry just weeks away,  the Jaycees expect to continue the trend of “bigger and better’ every year. The fair has exploded from its “one day” origin to a full week of festivities, and some winter events like the beauty contests that feed into the final “Fish Fry” product.

Meanwhile, the Paris-Henry County community is waiting for more of that southern catfish and some flavorful hush puppies on the side. Me? Well, even though I am a newcomer, I hope to be wrangling a catfish in the races on a Saturday morning in April.

This year’s Fish Fry runs from April 20-27. For more information, visit the website: World’s Biggest Fish Fry.