Fishing regulations at Edward Medard Reservoir will change on Jan. 1.
The 770-acre reservoir near Turkey Creek off State Road 60 south of Plant City is becoming a fish management area with specific rules for bag limits and slot limits for each species.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Hillsborough County reached an agreement to make what is commonly called Turkey Creek Reservoir a fish management area.
The FWC will likely create regulations similar to other FMAs like Tenoroc and Saddle Creek Park.
Medard has been restocked with 1.2 million fish by the FWC to rebuild the fishery after the reservoir was drawn down in late 2009 to repair a water-control structure.
The FWC stocked about 200,000 bass, 300,000 bluegill, 74,000 shellcracker, 200,000 speckled perch, and 200,000 channel catfish.
The reservoir started refilling in the spring of 2010, and it has been open for catch-and-release fishing since the start of this year. Those temporary restrictions expire Jan. 1.
There will likely be good action for bass, speckled perch, panfish and catfish, but having been restocked with juvenile bass, don’t expect any trophies for a few years.
The FWC held a public meeting on Wednesday night to gather input on the new fishing regulations.
Stay tuned for details on those regulations.
For information, call Paul Thomas of the FWC’s Lakeland office at 863-648-3811.