House bill 602 (linked below) is trying to lift the 34” restriction on fish and make it a free for all state wide. Voice your opinions on this and help save the fisheries we all enjoy in Alabama by contacting your local representative and the governor’s office. If this bill passes the Tennessee River is dead. Trophy catfishing puts more money into a local economy than the unlimited harvesting of catfish. It is being sponsored by Tom Haynes representative for Jackson County Alabama ( a retired commercial fisherman). It doesn't take much thought to figure out who this HB602 is intended to benefit.

HB 602

That's a big deal ! Hopefully it doesn't pass. Those pos pay lake companies will destroy our trophy cat population in no time.

Some people only care about $$$$

Evil, evil, evil.

This is exactly what destroyed catfishing in the Ohio River. If this passes you can kiss the TN river goodbye as well.

Thanks for posting Dryfire

Just saw where it got withdrawn. Crisis averted

Good deal!

I've never understood how you can commercially fish a public waterway anyhow??? I thought you couldn't sell fish? (or is it just "sportfish")

Last I heard, there is one person left on Lake Guntersville that has a commercial fishing license. He is allowed to sell catfish only.

I know Haynes , I think it’s more about getting to harvest spoonbill cats . I’ve heard him talk about it before .

You taking about paddlefish aka spoonbill? Those are not catfish and last time I read through the regs they must be released if caught. You can't keep any in lake gunterville as far as I know, even commercially. And I don't know why anyone would even want to try to commercial fish them around here. They're not all that plentiful here. I think their eggs bring a good bit, but a fella would spend a good bit just trying to get some. Then it wouldn't take much to wipe them out.

Is he from scottsboro? There used to be a guy years ago that advertized catfish for sale. I haven't seen those old signs in a long time. Anyone remember seeing those signs around scottsboro? I think he used to live off of boy scout camp road on the water.

This 34-inch limit only has been in effect for 15 or so years. Some catfish guides and local anglers pushed for it due to, according to them, the commercial "pay to fish" lakes from up north coming in with trucks, catching scads of giant cats, and hauling them back north in tankers to release in the pay ponds.

Tennessee enacted a similar 34-inch requirement also based on this "pay lake" issue a year or three before Alabama did.


The legislator better be careful or there will be a new Catfish Privilege Permit License Fee enacted by the DCNR, or something along those lines.

Yep. I havent noticed those signs around Boy Scout rd in years.

I see a couple of commercial boats around launches in Stevenson area all the time.

It's been a minute since I heard about commercial neeting, but is netting for rough fish still permissible in Guntersville? Buffalo, carp, stuff like that?

I have a hundred dollar license 😃

The Black Warrior River is full of them!