Black Bass Season in the Ozarks

Black bass season opens May 22 for Ozark Streams

JEFFERSON CITY MO – The fourth Saturday in May marks the opening of catch-and-keep black bass season in Missouri Ozark streams for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. The Ozark-streams season runs from May 22 to Feb. 28, 2011.

Black bass fishing and possession is open year ‘round for impoundments and areas of the state other than the Ozarks. These other areas are defined as: the Mississippi river, all waters north of the south bank of the Missouri River, the St. Francis River downstream from Wappapello Dam and on streams in that portion of southeast Missouri bounded by a line from Cape Girardeau following Missouri highways 74 and 25, U.S. highways 60, 67 and 160, and the west bank of the Little Black River to the Arkansas state line.  

While the daily limit on black bass in most of the state’s waters is six with a possession limit of 12, there are many lakes, rivers and streams with special daily limits, as well as different length limits.  It is important for anglers to know the specific black bass fishing regulations for the areas they will fish.

Check pages 58-62 of the Wildlife Code of Missouri for special regulations regarding length and daily limits for specific bodies of water. More information is also available in the 2010 Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations available from fishing permit vendors and online at www.MissouriConservation.org.

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