State sports briefs

AGFC hears fishing regulations proposals

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission heard proposals for 2018 fishing regulations, including a revised version of a regulation intended to limit the transportation of wild-caught baitfish within the state Thursday at its regular meeting in Little Rock.

The commission will vote on the regulations Aug. 17 in Little Rock.

At a glance

SBC COACHES’ PRESEASON POLL

RK. TEAM;PTS.

  1. Appalachian St. (7);136

  2. Troy (2);127

  3. Arkansas State (1);122

  4. South Alabama;98

  5. La.-Lafayette (1);95

  6. Idaho;84

  7. Georgia Southern;82

  8. Georgia State;48

  9. La.-Monroe;46

  10. New Mexico State (1);41

  11. Texas State;31

  12. Coastal Carolina;26

The revised baitfish proposal clarified several points of confusion among members of the public and within the commission itself.

The revised language will make it illegal to to use any live baitfish, including crayfish, unless it was caught within the same body of water it is being used, or caught in a tributary entering upstream of the body of water where it is being used. No baitfish would be allowed to move upstream past a dam or barrier that prohibits the normal passage of fish.

It will also be legal to use bait that was purchased from a licensed dealer selling only certified farm-raised baitfish.

Other notable proposals include:

• Making it unlawful to cull any species of trout on all waters in the state.

• Removing the 13-inch minimum length limit for spotted bass on Lake Ouachita.

• Implementing an 18- to 21-inch protected slot limit for largemouth bass on Lower White Oak Lake. Anglers would be able to keep one largemouth bass per day longer than 21 inches.

• Removing the 13- to 16-inch protective slot limit on largemouth bass at Dierks Lake.

• Enacting statewide creel limits for catfish and crappie on Lower White Oak Lake.

• Removing the daily creel limit for crappie on Lake Charles.

• Open special commercial fishing season on Lake Chicot to address silver carp.

In other business, the commission approved a regulation that prohibits any movement of live cervids to or from captive facilities within 25 miles of a known positive case of chronic wasting disease.

-- Bryan Hendricks

FOOTBALL

ASU picked 3rd by Sun Belt coaches

Arkansas State University received 122 points and one first-place vote to finish third in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches' Poll on Thursday.

Appalachian State received 136 points and seven first-place votes to top the poll, followed by Troy, which finished with two first-place votes and 127 points. South Alabama (98 points) and Louisiana-Lafayette (95 points, one first-place vote) round out the top five.

ASU has been picked to finish among the top three teams in the league in nine of the past 12 years, but the Red Wolves have never been picked to win the Sun Belt Conference.

Arkansas State, under fourth-year Coach Blake Anderson, begins the season at Nebraska on Sept. 2.

Wand added to watch list

Arkasas State junior running back Warren Wand was named Thursday to the watch list for the Doak Walker Award, which is presented annually to the best running back in college football.

Wand, a second-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection in 2016 and projected to be the same in preseason picks made by several publications, finished last season with 879 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. He had at least 75 rushing yards in five games last season. Wand ranked seventh in the Sun Belt in all-purpose yards with 89.1 per game and had three games with at least 100 all-purpose yards.

GOLF

Maumelle Classic starts today

The Maumelle Classic tees off today at Maumelle Country Club. First round pairings are attached.

Previous champions in the field are are A.J. Kroeger of Jefferson City, Mo., Bryon Shumate of Fort Smith, Ken Moore of Bryant, Trey Schaap of Maumelle and David Apperson of Memphis.

The three-round tournament concludes Sunday.

Two make Southern Amateur cut

Luke Long of Fayetteville and Peyton Wilhoit of Searcy made the even-par cut Thursday at the 111th annual Southern Amateur Championship at the Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst.

Long started his round on No. 10 and was 2 over at the turn. He made birdie on four of his final six holes, finishing the front nine with a 4-under 32 and a 1-under 71 for the round that led to a two-day total of 2-under 142.

Wilhoit began his second round at even par and raced out to a 5-under 31 on the front nine that included three birdies and an eagle at the par-5 5th. Four bogeys on the back nine led to a 40, but his 1-under 71 was still good enough to advance.

Arkansans missing the cut were Carson Roberts of Conway and Garrett May of Hope.

-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services

Sports on 07/21/2017

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