Following the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting Aug. 3, many Louisiana saltwater fishermen are jeering, some are cheering and others are in-between in their initial reaction to changes proposed for the recreational harvest of speckled trout.

LWFC board members amended the Notice of Intent to change speckled trout minimum and maximum size and bag limits as well as daily creel limits. The proposal recommended by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologists shook up the state’s saltwater fishing world, for sure. Unless this action runs into a brick wall, we will have a minimum size limit of 13 inches long and a maximum size limit of 20 inches long with an allowance of two speckled trout over the maximum length limit, the state agency announced Thursday afternoon.

To go with the size restrictions, there will be a 15-fish daily creel limit, none of which can belong to a charter boat captain and/or deckhands while conducting a charter boat trip. The changes also create one statewide size and daily creel limit, thus removing separate regulations in coastal western Louisiana.

LDWF officials reported the changes are being made based on public input received during the comment period on the original Notice of Intent and during a Legislative Oversight hearing on Feb.1.

What happens next? A public hearing on the proposed substantive changes is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sept. 21 at LDWF headquarters on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge. After a 30-day oversight period, the proposed rule could be published as a final rule as early as November.

There is a stipulation that goes with the amendments to the proposed NOI. It includes a requirement for a stock assessment study to be provided to the commission no later than the April 2027 meeting and a sunset of the proposed changes at midnight on Jan. 1, 2028, unless regulations are modified before that date.

This action comes at a time when speckled trout fishing success is fair to good all along the coast, including in and around Vermilion Bay. The reports from the local waters have been favorable since before the Iberia Rod & Gun Club Saltwater Fishing Rodeo out of Cypremort Point.

Saltwater anglers currently can keep 25 fish per person in a daily creel limit with the exception of some areas south of Interstate 10 where the daily creel limit is 15. Also, speckled trout must be at least 12 inches long to harvest and some areas allow only two fish over 25 inches long.

Those statewide rules and regulations laws have been in place since the 1980s.

How does the amended NOI stack up to regulations in other states along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Ocean? Following are the state laws regarding speckled trout:

# Texas (North) – Daily creel limit 5, 15-25 inches long, 1 over 25 inches long a day

# Texas (South) – Daily creel limit 3, 17-23 inches long, none over 23 inches long a day

# Mississippi — Daily creel limit 15, 15-inch long minimum length limit

# Alabama — Daily creel limit 6, 15-22-inch long minimum length limit, 1 over 22 inches a day

# Florida (Gulf of Mexico) – Daily creel limit 5, 15-19 inches long

# Florida (South Atlantic) — Daily creel limit 2, 15-19 inches long

# Florida (Atlantic) — Daily creel limit 5, 15-19 inches long

# Georgia — Daily creel limit 15, 14-inch minimum length limit

# South Carolina — Daily creel limit 10, 14-inch long minimum length limit

Many Louisiana speckled trout fishermen say comparing this state’s speckled trout laws to other states is like comparing apples to oranges because the respective fisheries are just plain different. Nevertheless, those are the rules and regulations that residents and non-residents who target speckled trout in other states must abide by.

Speckled trout fishermen in this state are outspoken in their belief pogey boats raking coastal waters are taking a toll on speckled trout, redfish and other species (including forage). Others claim pogey boats don’t have as much impact on speckled trout as redfish.

Still another segment of recreational saltwater anglers blame habitat loss and salinity levels.

DON SHOOPMAN is outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.