Anglers who fish Tims Ford Lake or Woods Reservoir have a chance to shape how the state manages black bass for years to come — but they’ll have to do it online, since none of the five public meetings TWRA has scheduled statewide are within reasonable driving distance of Moore County.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is finalizing a statewide Black Bass Management Plan and is asking the public to weigh in before the comment period closes Sept. 4. The plan, developed jointly by TWRA and a stakeholder advisory committee of bass fishing enthusiasts, is meant to provide broad guidance for managing black bass across the state’s lakes and reservoirs — though agency officials note it won’t replace the existing process for setting specific fishing regulations.

The plan and a short video summarizing its seven key focus areas are posted on the fishing section of TWRA’s website. An online survey allows anglers to submit comments anonymously.

TWRA has also scheduled five open-house-style public meetings across the state where anglers can talk directly with agency staff, though none are within easy reach of Moore County. The closest options are the Aug. 25 meeting in Nashville, roughly 70 miles from Lynchburg, and the Aug. 18 meeting in Birchwood, near Chattanooga.

The full meeting schedule: Aug. 11, Paris — Henry County Fairgrounds, 6-7:30 p.m.; Aug. 18, Birchwood — Birchwood Elementary School, 6-7:30 p.m.; Aug. 20, Kodak — Bass Pro Shops, 6-7:30 p.m.; Aug. 25, Nashville — TWRA Region 2 Office, 6-7:30 p.m.; Aug. 27, Johnson City — Johnson City Public Library, 6-7:30 p.m.

The plan is now available on the Fishing Section of the TWRA website. Stakeholders can read the plan and/or watch a short video summarizing the process of developing the plan and details on the seven key areas. Also online is a survey where stakeholders can submit their comments anonymously. The public comment period will be open until September.•

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