§ 4-735. Fishing restrictions -- Black bass and chain pickerel

   (a) Chain pickerel -- Creel limit. -- During the open season, a person may not catch by means of rod, or hook and line, more than ten chain pickerel in any one day.

(b) Chain pickerel -- Closed season; sale or possession prohibited during that time. -- A person may not catch chain pickerel in the tidal waters of the State during the period from March 15 to April 30. A person may not sell, offer to sell, purchase, offer to purchase, or possess any chain pickerel during this period caught in tidal waters of the State.

(c) Chain pickerel -- Manner of catching; use of seines. -- A person may not catch chain pickerel in any manner in the tidal waters of the State except with rod, or hook and line using natural or artificial baits. A person shall return uninjured immediately to the water any chain pickerel caught in any net, seine, or other device legally engaged in other fishing. However, a person may retain no more than one day's legal creel limit of ten chain pickerel for his own private use during the open season.

(d) Chain pickerel -- Transportation into or out of State. -- Chain pickerel may not be transported into or out of the State during April, May, and June. Anglers, however, may possess and transport chain pickerel caught with rod, or hook and line, in accordance with the provisions of this section. This subsection does not prevent shipment in interstate commerce of live chain pickerel for propagating, breeding, or stocking purposes under § 4-11A-21 of this title, nor prevent any person from catching or engaging in catching chain pickerel for propagating or restocking the waters of the State under the direction of the Department under § 4-410 of this title.

(e) Black bass -- Scope of Department's authority generally. -- The Department is authorized to supervise, regulate, and control the harvest of black bass in the tidal waters of the State.

(f) Black bass -- Regulations. -- The Department shall adopt regulations concerning the fishing for black bass by area, gear, season, size, and catch limits.

(g) Application of section. -- The provisions of this section do not apply to catching, selling, purchasing, or possessing black sea bass.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 66C, § 314-316; 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., ch. 4, § 1; 1976, ch. 71; 1980, ch. 77; 1990, ch. 6, § 2; 1997, ch. 303; 1998, ch. 21, § 1; 2009, ch. 60.