Commission OKs El Dorado Lake restrictions

There will be more restrictive lengths and limits on several species of popular gamefish at El Dorado Lake next year.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks commission approved requests at its Thursday meeting in Sedan, hoping to control a growing white perch population in the lake.

Walleye will need to be 21 inches and fishermen will be able to keep no more than two per day. Current regulations are set at 18 inches and five per day.

Wipers will need to be 21 inches, up from 18, and the daily limit remains two per day.

The length limit on black bass largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass was raised from 15 to 18 inches. The daily limit remains five.

Biologists are hoping increased numbers of large predatory fish will manage a white perch population first found a few months ago.

The length and creel numbers closely resemble those implemented several years ago at Cheney Lake. White perch were unknowingly stocked in Cheney about 12 years ago. Their population was soon so high, they out-competed other fish for food and mostly destroyed classes of young walleye, white bass, crappie and wipers.

Biologists credit high numbers of predatory fish for the large reduction in Cheney white perch during the past few years. The lake again has good numbers of young walleye and white bass.

The department is also hoping to stock sauger into El Dorado. The relatives of walleye are known to prey heavily on white perch.

An environmental impact study involving state and federal input must be completed before the first saugers are stocked.

* Beginning Jan. 1, it will be legal to catch catfish with appropriate archery gear from lakes that don't have length limits on the fish. The minimum size for state-managed lakes where trotlines are legal will be increased from 500 to 1,201 acres.

* Commissioners also approved a new law that makes it illegal to mark or mutilate any fish before its released. The regulation was proposed after it was learned an angler at Marion Lake was trimming the tails of walleye so they wouldn't reach the lake's 18-inch minimum length limit. More than 100 fish were found with such scars, which can be fatal.

* A new system of selling spring turkey permits and game tags was also approved. Next year, resident and non-resident hunters who purchase both at the same time before March 31 will save $5.

* A state-wide youth spring turkey hunting permit was also approved for the upcoming seasons. They will be unlimited and available over the counter or online.

Before, youth in Unit 4 drew from a limited number of permits. The new regulation will also allow for increased numbers of adult permits in the southwest Kansas unit.

* April 1 through May 31 will be the spring turkey season for youth, disabled and archery. Regular shotgun season runs April 14 through May 31.

* Commissioners learned the department will continue to investigate the status of Kansas lesser prairie chickens. Earlier this year, several wildlife groups submitted a request that the birds be placed on the state's threatened and endangered species list.

Lesser prairie chicken numbers have been holding and have increased their range in some parts of Kansas. The groups fear wind farms and losses of grasslands from reductions in the Conservation Reserve Program could lead to major losses of habitat and reduce lesser prairie chicken numbers.

The next commission meeting is scheduled for Jan. 7 at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center near Great Bend.