The Daily Times

The 2012 Tennessee Fishing Guide is now published and delivered to all of the license agencies. All new regulations go into effect on March 1, but this year there are very few changes coming.

The only statewide regulation change: Amphibians (frogs and salamanders) and crayfish shall not be imported into Tennessee or exported from Tennessee for bait.

Changes for Region IV: On Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir walleye will have an 18 inch minimum length and a daily creel limit of five. On the French Broad, Clinch and Holston rivers and their tributaries, crayfish may not be possessed away from their home watersheds.

• Take a walk on the wild side. One of the earliest signs that spring is approaching is the northern migration of woodcocks (or timberdoodles) through Tennessee. They mate and nest here and in Kentucky from mid-February to early April.

The males’ aerial courtship antics are a sight to behold. They rocket high into the air and descend chirping and zigzagging, finally making a smooth and impressive (to a female woodcock) landing. The best time to see this performance is on warm afternoons and evenings.

Although the woodcock’s numbers have been dwindling over the past 20 years, the reason is not hunting but habitat loss. Studies show that this ground-dwelling bird prefers brushy cover and second-growth forests. Nowadays the forests are more mature due to forest fire suppression.

In November woodcocks migrate from the north-central states through Tennessee on their way to wintering grounds on the Gulf Coast. Our short hunting season is from late October to early December with a daily limit of three.

• In the next few weeks there is a lot going on in nature. Listen for extra coyote howling, especially at dusk and dawn, as they begin about six weeks of breeding; Female black bears with yearling cubs begin to leave their dens; Opossums are giving birth and the young promptly crawl into their mother’s marsupial pouch; Wood ducks begin to search for nest sites in East Tennessee and across the state; Spring peepers and chorus frogs turn up their noise as breeding begins for them and other amphibians, such as salamanders and bullfrogs; River otters are giving birth over the next six weeks; Bald eagles and other large birds of prey are building nests.

• The Association of Collegiate Anglers has opened registration for the 2012 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, the nation’s largest collegiate bass fishing competition. The 2012 Championship site will be Lake Pickwick near Florence, Ala. with on-site registration beginning on May 23.

This is the seventh year for the contest, and it gets bigger every year. The event is limited to 200 two-person teams. Besides lots of cash and prizes for participants, the Series provides national exposure on the Versus television network.

For more information on the Association of Collegiate Anglers, or for complete tournament rules for the 2012 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series, visit http://www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com .

• Here is a great source of information for fly fishing in this area, or anywhere in the country for that matter: http://www.orvis.com . Wade past the commercial hype and click on “Sporting Adventures,” then select fishing reports under “Fly Fishing Resources.”

Choosing Tennessee on the map will give you a list of the best places to go, plus details on how to fish them and what flies to use. The fishing reports I saw were only a few days old and included water temperature and visibility, “must-have” fly patterns and much more. Streams listed included the Clinch, Little Pigeon, Little, South Holston, and Watauga rivers, plus some mountain streams.

Tom Wiest welcomes news, questions and comments from readers. Contact him at (wiest.tom@gmail.com)

You must be logged in to Facebook to comment. If you're not logged in to Facebook, a login window will open when you click "comment". Or you can log in now. You may need to refresh your page after logging in via that link.