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The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission met one week ago in Kingsport and decided the changes in fishing regulations for 2009.

Proclamations were made affecting each region of the state and the state as a whole. They will begin March 1, 2009. Region IV follows.

More rivers will embrace the 13-17 inch slot limit on smallmouth bass. Those waters are: South Fork Holston River (confluence with North Fork Holston upstream to Fort Patrick Henry Dam); Little River from Rockford Dam upstream to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park boundary; Tellico River from Tellico Reservoir boundary upstream to state line.

The creel limit on striped/Cherokee bass and hybrids on Melton Hill Reservoir will be two per day in combination.

Striped bass and Cherokee bass minimum lengths and creel limits will change on Boone, Norris, and Watts Bar lakes. Currently the winter 36-inch minimum length limit and one-fish creel limit on these reservoirs applies to both striped bass and Cherokee bass. The 36-inch size limit will only apply to striped bass. Cherokee bass limits should be the statewide regulation (a 15-inch minimum length and two fish creel limit) year round. The boundaries of Douglas Lake for the purpose of this proclamation, will extend upstream to the confluence of the Pigeon and French Broad rivers and to ENKA dam on the Nolichucky River (excluding sauger and walleye). Douglas lake sauger/walleye regulations should include all tributaries to the reservoir.

On a statewide basis the regulations will remove all wording regarding the use of a tooth patch for differentiating spotted bass from largemouth bass. The TWRC voted to keep the changes to commercial fishing regulations that removed all seasons and size limits on paddlefish statewide. All gear and closed water regulations would remain in force. This change will become effective on Nov. 7, 2008.

For all the details on the other regions go to the TWR-Agency's Website, www.tnwildlife.org. The next meeting of the TWRC will be Nov. 19-20 in Nashville at the TWRA Region II Ray Bell Building.

- It is almost official: The first modern elk hunt for Tennessee will be in 2009, as proposed by the TWRA, and barring an unlikely veto by the TWRC. Here is the TWRA plan.

Five permits will be issued for five bulls. Four of the permits will be determined by a random drawing from quota hunt applications; the applications will cost $10 and be non-refundable. Holders of Sportsman and Lifetime licenses can apply at no charge. One of the five permits will go to a non-profit conservation organization to be raffled off, and 90 percent of the proceeds will come back to the TWRA for the elk restoration project.

The elk hunt will be held on Oct. 19-23 in the Royal Blue Unit of the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area (formally known as Royal Blue WMA). The five weekdays of the hunt were selected to minimize conflict with the many all-terrain vehicles in the area.

The unit will be divided into five sections with one hunter in each section. The first hunter selected will get to choose a favorite section, then the second hunter gets to choose, etc. The elk hunters can use any legal weapon and up to two non-hunting companions will be allowed to accompany him or her.

- How big is Tennessee's wild elk herd? TWRA estimates the number of adults to be about 265. The last infusion of transplants came last year when 34 arrived at Royal Blue from the Land Between the Lakes. No more are anticipated before the winter of 2009-2010. It is hoped that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will approve a sizeable shipment of elk (100 or more) from Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada.

- A good example of a successful elk reintroduction is on our northern border. Kentucky began planning its elk herd a year or so before Tennessee did, but it did not have delays from the state legislature, local landowners or local game farms as Tennessee did.

Today Kentucky has an elk herd numbering about 8,500, all of them in the southeastern part of the state. This year's gun hunt ended Oct. 11 and had 131 bull tags issued. The harvest was 115 bulls for an impressive 88 percent success rate. An 8x8 bull and an 8x7 bull were taken on this hunt.

- A quail hunt will be held at the McGhee-Carson Unit of the Tellico Lake Wildlife Management Area on Saturday, Nov. 15. This hunt will be for young shooters ages 10 to 16 that have passed a hunter safety class. The Knoxville Quail Unlimited Chapter and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency are the sponsors.

The event will go from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each young sportsman will need to be accompanied by a non-hunting adult. The hunt will be limited to the first 40 shooters.

Each young sportsman and partner, a dog handler, and a dog will enter a field where quail have been released. When a dog finds a quail the young hunter will be given the opportunity to harvest the bird; they will get three such opportunities.

Lunch will be provided by QU; and the TWRA Education Trailer, skeet shooting and other activities will also be available. To register call David Whitehead at 423-884-6767 beginning Nov. 3 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Leave a message if necessary.

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