Post by Sean Landsman on Dec 19, 2011 19:32:21 GMT -5
Apologies if you've already looked into this, but I was forwarded the following email from a DNR co-worker. Lakes where the regs state 2 rods and 2 lures per line are technically off-limits to this rig (e.g., Newton, Sangchris, etc.). Some of the larger water bodies (e.g., Kinkaid, Shelbyville, Lake of Egypt, etc.) have different regs and Alabama Rigs can be thrown on them.
My understanding is the A-Rig is the new thing in bass fishing, so I figured you guys might be interested in reading this.
XXXXXX,
Thanks for contacting us. I had not seen the Alabama rig before and didn’t realize there were issues. I Googled it as we spoke and had a look. After we talked I went to our Law Enforcement people (Conservation Police Officers) and they are aware of the rig and the enforcement problems. The rigs have grown in popularity so the questions come to them, more often each day. For that reason they went to the legal staff within the Department who, in turn, spent a great deal of time reviewing the statue. Their interpretation is that the Alabama rig is indeed illegal on those lakes where we have the 2 pole and line with no more than 2 hooks or lures per line.
It is true, we do have that regulation on most of our lakes. It is a broad regulation that disallows the use of commercial gear such as trot lines, bank poles and jugs. It has been in place for approximately 30 years to help maintain the fishery as a sport fishery, not commercial. It is not only the IDNR regulation but is also the regulation the entity that owns the lake wants. We have Cooperative Management Agreements with most of the lakes our anglers fish, since the state actually owns very few bodies of water. For example, I manage Lake Springfield, the city owns that lake and had a pole and line only fishing regulation with 2 hooks or lures per pole long before we added the lake to our list of managed lakes through the formal management agreement. The same is true of Lake Sangchris, owned by Dominion Power. So when you see a lake with a 2 pole and line with only 2 hooks or lures per line limit in our regulation book, it is not only the Department that has implemented that limit, it is the owner that wants it. Lakes Newton, Powerton, Baldwin, Jacksonville, the list goes on and on. We don’t own any of these, we manage them for their sport fishery with the cooperation of the actual owner. There are some lakes in the state that do not have the 2 pole and line with 2 hooks or lures per line regulation. The Alabama rigs are legal there. The lakes that come to mind are Shelbyville, Carlyle, Rend, Coffeen, Lake of Egypt (unless the city has an ordinance to that effect), Governor Bond Lake-Greenville, Kincaid in Jackson Co., Lake Sara down your way, Lake Taylorville and most of our rivers and streams including the Ohio River (except Smithland pool), the Mississippi River between IL and MO (not allowed between IL and IA). Check our fishing regulation booklet for the list.
I appreciate your concern over this matter and wanting to get the issue settled. It is a complicated situation but currently the Alabama rig has been ruled illegal, by our staff, on those lakes with a 2 pole only and no more than 2 hooks or lures per line regulation. You are certainly free to pursue this further if you wish. Thanks for contacting us.
Dan Stephenson
Division of Fisheries
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
My understanding is the A-Rig is the new thing in bass fishing, so I figured you guys might be interested in reading this.
XXXXXX,
Thanks for contacting us. I had not seen the Alabama rig before and didn’t realize there were issues. I Googled it as we spoke and had a look. After we talked I went to our Law Enforcement people (Conservation Police Officers) and they are aware of the rig and the enforcement problems. The rigs have grown in popularity so the questions come to them, more often each day. For that reason they went to the legal staff within the Department who, in turn, spent a great deal of time reviewing the statue. Their interpretation is that the Alabama rig is indeed illegal on those lakes where we have the 2 pole and line with no more than 2 hooks or lures per line.
It is true, we do have that regulation on most of our lakes. It is a broad regulation that disallows the use of commercial gear such as trot lines, bank poles and jugs. It has been in place for approximately 30 years to help maintain the fishery as a sport fishery, not commercial. It is not only the IDNR regulation but is also the regulation the entity that owns the lake wants. We have Cooperative Management Agreements with most of the lakes our anglers fish, since the state actually owns very few bodies of water. For example, I manage Lake Springfield, the city owns that lake and had a pole and line only fishing regulation with 2 hooks or lures per pole long before we added the lake to our list of managed lakes through the formal management agreement. The same is true of Lake Sangchris, owned by Dominion Power. So when you see a lake with a 2 pole and line with only 2 hooks or lures per line limit in our regulation book, it is not only the Department that has implemented that limit, it is the owner that wants it. Lakes Newton, Powerton, Baldwin, Jacksonville, the list goes on and on. We don’t own any of these, we manage them for their sport fishery with the cooperation of the actual owner. There are some lakes in the state that do not have the 2 pole and line with 2 hooks or lures per line regulation. The Alabama rigs are legal there. The lakes that come to mind are Shelbyville, Carlyle, Rend, Coffeen, Lake of Egypt (unless the city has an ordinance to that effect), Governor Bond Lake-Greenville, Kincaid in Jackson Co., Lake Sara down your way, Lake Taylorville and most of our rivers and streams including the Ohio River (except Smithland pool), the Mississippi River between IL and MO (not allowed between IL and IA). Check our fishing regulation booklet for the list.
I appreciate your concern over this matter and wanting to get the issue settled. It is a complicated situation but currently the Alabama rig has been ruled illegal, by our staff, on those lakes with a 2 pole only and no more than 2 hooks or lures per line regulation. You are certainly free to pursue this further if you wish. Thanks for contacting us.
Dan Stephenson
Division of Fisheries
Illinois Department of Natural Resources