The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will allow licensed commercial fishermen to fish gill or trammel nets on Poverty Point Reservoir in Richland Parish for the first time, beginning Friday, January 20, 2017. The season will close on February 28, 2017. 
 
A recurring season has been established and will run from October 1 through the last day of February each year. Only nets with a minimum bar mesh size of 3.5 inches are allowed. The use of hoop nets, wire nets and fish seines will remain prohibited.
 
Department biologists recommended the creation of a netting season on Poverty Point Reservoir in an effort to reduce the abundance of commercial fish species while providing commercial anglers the opportunity to take advantage of an under-utilized natural resource. Abundant populations of catfish, buffalo, carp and freshwater drum have been identified in the 2,700-acre lake. Removing a portion of these fish will benefit the overall fishery and promote growth of sport fish species including largemouth bass and crappie.
 
Licensed commercial fishermen are required to possess either a fresh products or a wholesale/retail license and participate in the LDWF Trip Ticket Program.  A trip ticket must be filled out when the commercial fisherman transfers his catch to a wholesale/retail dealer or fresh products licensee. Interested fishermen should first call the trip ticket office at (225) 765-2449 for program instructions and a special area code for fishing the reservoir. Anglers should then contact either Poverty Point Reservoir State Park at (318) 878-7536 or the LDWF District 2 office in Monroe at (318) 343-4044 for further instructions including fishing boundaries, state park regulations and other requirements. 
 
For more information, contact Ryan Daniel, District 2 Fisheries Biologist Manager, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries at (318) 343-4044 or rdaniel@wlf.la.gov.