Section 68A-23.004 - Lawful Methods for Using Trotlines and Bush Hooks or Set Lines(1) Trotlines, bush hooks or set lines are permitted statewide except in that portion of the Ochlockonee River between State Road 20 and the Lake Talquin Power Dam; that portion of the Apalachicola River between US Highway 90 and the Jim Woodruff Dam; Bear Gully Lake in Seminole County; the Oklawaha River upstream from the Eureka Bridge; Lake Jackson in Walton County; Silver Lake on the Withlacoochee River; Lakes Jessamine and Holden in Orange County; Triplett lakes in Seminole County; Lake Helen in Volusia County; in Martin County east of the Sunshine State Parkway; in that portion of the St. Johns River and its tributaries south of State Road 46 and north of US Highway 192, including lakes Poinsett, Winder and Washington. Trotlines are prohibited in Little Bay Lake in Orange County except under permit. All fishing devices authorized by this section shall be permanently and legibly marked with the harvester's name and address while being used or possessed in or upon the waters of the state.(2) Trotlines are permitted in the portion of the St. Johns River lying between US Highway 17-92 and State Road 46 provided that from 9:00 a.m. on Saturday until sunset on Sunday all trotlines shall be sunk to the bottom or to a minimum depth of four feet during daylight hours. From January 1 until March 31, trotlines shall be prohibited from 9:00 a.m. until sunset in the waters of the main channel of the St. Johns River from a point immediately south of Lake Monroe to State Road 46, excluding Lake Harney. Trotlines are prohibited from 9:00 a.m. until sunset in the Oklawaha River below the Rodman Dam.(3) In lakes Beauclaire, Carlton, Dora, Eustis, Griffin, Harris and Yale, no trotline shall be allowed from 9:00 a.m. Friday until one hour before sunset Sunday. Trotlines shall also be prohibited from 9:00 a.m. until one hour before sunset Monday through Thursday from May 1 through October 31. No trotline shall be secured to or fished within 50 yards of a private pier or dock.(4) In East Lake Tohopekaliga, trotlines are permitted only from sunset Sunday until midnight Friday of each week and only during the period from sunset each day until 9:00 a.m. the following morning.(5) Trotlines are prohibited from 9:00 a.m. until sunset in the waters of the following lakes: (a) Lake County - Cherry, Cook, Crescent, Hiawatha, Johns, Louisa, Minnehaha, Minneola, Palatlakaha, Susan, Wilson, and Winona.(b) Orange County - Butler, Chase, Conway, Down, Fish, Isleworth, Johns, Mable, Maitland, Misell, Osceola, Picket, Sheen, Starke, Tibet Butler and Virginia.(c) Polk County - All lakes except Arbuckle, Crooked, Hancock, Rosalie, Tiger and Walk-in-Water.(6) A trotline limited to 25 hooks may be used for taking non-game fish for personal use. Persons operating more than 25 bush hooks or set lines or a trotline using more than 25 hooks are considered to be fishing commercially and shall be licensed as provided in Section 379.363, F.S. All game fish taken by trotlines, bush hooks or set lines shall be immediately returned unharmed to the water and it is unlawful to possess any game fish while operating trotlines, bush hooks or set lines.(7) Trotlines are prohibited in Lake Talquin during daylight hours.Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 68A-23.004
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const.
New 8-1-79, Amended 5-19-80, 6-4-81, 6-21-82, Formerly 39-23.04, Amended 12-12-88, 4-4-91, 4-14-92, 4-1-96, Formerly 39-23.004, Amended 7-1-08.New 8-1-79, Amended 5-19-80, 6-4-81, 6-21-82, Formerly 39-23.04, Amended 12-12-88, 4-4-91, 4-14-92, 4-1-96, Formerly 39-23.004, Amended 7-1-08.