Ohio proposes a statewide five-bass, 12-inch rule; comments close Sept. 30

The Ohio Wildlife Council took up a package of proposals on Aug. 26, 2026, including a simpler set of rules for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife wants to remove many of the site-specific length limits and daily bags. Division surveys, the proposal says, found those special rules were not producing larger bass.

Most waters that now carry their own bass regulations would fall under the statewide standard: five bass a day, 12-inch minimum. The same fishing package would also drop the daily limit and the 9-inch minimum for crappie at Hoover Reservoir. If the council approves the fishing changes, they take effect March 1, 2027.

Anyone who wants to comment can do so online at wildohio.gov through Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. The Wildlife Council vote is set for Wednesday, Oct. 28. The Aug. 26 package also includes proposed spring 2027 wild turkey dates; the bass and Hoover crappie rules are the changes that would rewrite what anglers can keep.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: The Highland County Press — Ohio’s spring 2027 wild turkey hunting seasons, bass regulation changes proposed to Wildlife Council (ODNR press release, published Sept. 15, 2026).