JEFFERSON CITY, MO. ? New Missouri fishing regulations set to go into effect March 1 mean anglers no longer will need permits from both Missouri and Kansas to fish from both banks of the Missouri River.

Expansion of a Missouri-Kansas reciprocal agreement lets anyone with a valid Missouri or Kansas permit fish the backwaters and oxbow lakes throughout the portion of the Missouri that borders the two states.

The agreement also allows anglers to attach fishing equipment to land on either side of the river. Anglers must abide by the regulations of the state in which they are fishing, regardless of the state in which they are licensed.

They also must abide by the more restrictive of the two states’ regulations when fishing in the other state’s waters.

These new reciprocal fishing privileges are the same as those already in effect on the portion of the river that Missouri shares with Nebraska.

Among other new Missouri fishing regulations are:

l Bowfin and shovelnose sturgeon may not be used as bait.

l No fishing is allowed on the Osage River within 225 feet below Bagnell Dam. This area is being closed to fishing because of a serious, year-round problem with the illegal snagging of sport fish.

l On the Meramec, Big and Bourbeuse rivers and their tributaries, the daily and possession limit for black bass is 12 in the aggregate. This limit may include no more than six largemouth bass and smallmouth bass in the aggregate.

l On the Meramec, Big and Bourbeuse rivers and their tributaries, there is no minimum length limit on spotted bass. The minimum length limit on largemouth and smallmouth bass is 12 inches.