By JIM BUTLER

Natural and man-made events have led to up-and-down fortunes for the Saline-Larto Lakes complex that sprawls across parts of eastern Rapides, LaSalle, Catahoula and Avoyelles Parishes. The Legislature is asking for a change it believes will be beneficial for the natural backwater system’s most notable asset – crappie.

A concurrent resolution by Rep. Mike Johnson of Pineville urges the Wildlife & Fisheries Commission and the Department of Wildlife & Fisheries to consider stiffening daily limit and minimum size restrictions on crappie catching.

From Big Creek to Horse Island to Shad Lake and on to Larto the 175-mile shoreline network of bayous, creeks, lakes and sloughs is an angler’s paradise – in good times.

From the nether reaches such as Campbell Slough, Deville Crossing, Indigo Bayou and Shoe Bayou to the camps-lined East Larto shore it’s a true Sportsman’s Paradise – in good times.

Yet fishing success can be like trying to catch water in your hand – in bad times.

Those times are largely defined by restorative flow of backwater – good when predominantly Black River-sourced, bad when Red River turbidity takes over.

Other contributing factors include spread of aquatic vegetation and fishing pressure.

The Legislature’s requests are on the heels of a similar resolution this year by the Rapides Police Jury.

Generally, the state crappie limit is 50 per day, with no minimum size limit. Some waterways have more stringent rules.

The resolutions seek a 25 fish per day limit with a 10-inch length minimum size for Saline-Larto.