FISH/FISHING: Provides for black bass and crappie bag and size limits. (8/1/26)

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Caleb Kleinpeter

Louisiana SB 111 sets specific daily bag and minimum size limits for black bass and crappie in freshwater to promote sustainable fishing.

Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 460.

Overview

SB 111 (Louisiana, 2026) addresses bag and size limits for black bass and crappie. The bill aims to modify current freshwater fishing regulations by establishing specific capture limits and minimum sizes for these species. It has progressed through committee and chamber steps in 2026, with a sponsor and co-sponsor listed.

Purpose and Intent

To regulate angling for black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and related bass species) and crappie in Louisiana waters.

To set explicit bag limits (how many fish a angler may keep per day or trip) and size limits (minimum length required for keeping) to manage populations, promote conservation, and ensure sustainable fishing opportunities.

Key Provisions (as described in the bill summary)

Establish specific daily bag limits for black bass and crappie.

Establish minimum size limits for keeping black bass and crappie.

The provisions would apply to freshwater bodies under state jurisdiction (subject to regulatory authority of Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and related agencies).

The bill may include details on enforcement, exemptions, and applicability to certain seasons or zones (not explicitly stated in the summary but commonly included in such measures).

Note: The available information does not provide the exact numerical limits (e.g., how many fish per day, or the inches required). The formal text would specify these figures.

Affected Parties and Impacts

Anglers and recreational fishermen: posture changes in daily bag limits and permissible keeper sizes for black bass and crappie.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and related Enforcement Agencies: responsible for implementing, monitoring, and enforcing the new limits.

Commercial or subsistence anglers: the bill focuses on bag/size limits for recreational fishing; commercial impacts would depend on any cross-referencing in the final text.

Fish populations: aims to improve fishery health and sustainability by preventing overharvest of key species.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Introduction and first committee action: Introduced in the Senate, rules suspended, read second time, and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources (as of 2026-03-09).

Senate action: Read by title, ordered engrossed and passed to third reading and final passage (as of 2026-03-23).

House action: Reported favorably (10-0) on 2026-05-12 and referred to the Legislative Bureau (process indicates pending or ongoing consideration in the House).

Sponsor: Co-sponsor Caleb Kleinpeter.

Effective date: The title indicates an 8/1/26 effective date, suggesting the law would take effect on August 1, 2026, unless otherwise specified in the final enacted text.

Practical Considerations

Since exact bag and size limits are not provided in the summary, the final bill text will specify the precise numbers (e.g., number of fish per day, minimum lengths in inches) and any seasonal or regional exemptions.

Stakeholders may want to review LDWF guidance and any interim rules issued in anticipation of or alongside the bill’s enactment.

Enforcement considerations, including penalties for violations and grandfathering or transitional rules, would be clarified in the final statute.

If you’d like, I can outline a placeholder example of how such limits are typically structured and provide a template to compare against the final bill text once the precise numeric provisions are available.