• DEADWOOD, S.D. - The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Commission has proposed several changes to fishing regulations for 2013.
• One of the prominent changes proposed was to increase Lake Oahe walleye limits in response to a high abundance of 10- to 15-inch fish and low food resources since the flood of 2011.
• The commission proposal would double the daily limit, allowing eight walleyes to be kept daily; only four walleyes could be 15 inches or longer. The proposal would also eliminate the current "one-over-20-inch" regulation for Lake Oahe. The possession limit for Lake Oahe would be raised to 24 if the rule changes are finalized as proposed.
• The Commission also proposed opening the following waters to spring fishing:
• All creeks in Codington County, except those associated with Punished Woman and Round Lakes
• The outlet stream from Lake Poinsett
• All creeks in Grant County
• The Bois De Sioux River below White Rock Dam in Roberts County and below Reservation Dam gates on Lake Traverse.
• Proposed changes to game-fish spearing regulations include allowing northern pike to be speared on all inland waters statewide, with the exception of waters managed for muskies. The game-fish spearing season would be lengthened by moving the end date from the last day in February to March 15. The season opener would remain the same at June 15. Areas downstream of Missouri River dams previously closed to game-fish spearing would now be open to spearing of channel catfish and northern pike.
• Proposed changes in hoop net/setline rules include opening the season year-round on all South Dakota inland waters where hoop net and setline use is permitted and opening all inland waters of the Missouri River system to hoop net and setline use. The areas where setlines are legal to use would also be expanded to include the entire length of the western tributaries of the Missouri River in South Da

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