Texas Fishing News 2011 - Texas Fishing Information

Texas Fishing News (2011)

(December 20 Update)

Texas Anglers Alerted To Possible Coastal Freeze Events and Fishing Closures

News Release

Media Contact: Tom Harvey, 512-389-4453, tom.harvey@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN — As Texas approaches the winter season and temperatures drop, many anglers continue to enjoy great fishing on coastal bays. However, when temperatures on the coast are predicted to fall below 32°F for three or more days, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) executive director has the authority to close some areas to saltwater fishing until the threat from the freeze event is over.

When a closure occurs, this doesn’t mean all fishing is closed. It simply means that a few deepwater harbors and canals may be closed to angling if freezing conditions warrant it. For a complete list of these thermal refuge areas subject to closure go to the TPWD Saltwater Freeze Events web page.

In addition to killing game fish in shallow bay waters, these hard freeze events can cause surviving fish to congregate in a few deeper areas where they become sluggish and prone to capture. These are the areas the department may temporarily close.

"The high mortality that a freeze can cause may deplete fish stocks for years," said Robin Riechers, TPWD coastal fisheries division director. "Protection of the surviving fish during the few days when they are especially vulnerable to capture would likely shorten the time period for overall recovery of coastal species, especially spotted seatrout."

In February 2011, for the first time since TPWD adopted the thermal refuge regulation in 2005, the Texas coast had freezing temperatures long enough to enact temporary fishing restrictions. This winter, biologists hope not to have a freeze event that would cause TPWD to close thermal refuges.

However, since air temperatures have already dipped into the 30’s in November, anglers should be aware of the possibility of another cold winter with the potential for temporary restrictions to fishing. Due to weather forecasting, there may be a short window of time to get the message out before the closure is in effect.

With the boom in social media like Facebook and Twitter, TPWD can now disseminate information quickly and efficiently to users of that technology. However for the rest of the public, news media is the next best option. Additionally, TPWD will posts signs near the closed areas. TPWD will use all these methods to try and get the word out about any closures.

What can anglers do to help protect the resource during freeze events? By adhering to the regulations and practicing conservation during the freeze, anglers can help ensure a continued healthy future for Texas coastal fisheries.

Game fish, including spotted seatrout, red drum, sharks, snook and tripletail may only be taken by pole and line, and it is unlawful to take or attempt to take a fish with one or more hooks attached to a line or artificial lure used in a manner to foul-hook a fish (snagging or jerking). It is also unlawful to collect stunned fish including the use of a cast net or dip net.

Anglers and coastal residents can report fish kills or large numbers of sluggish or cold-stunned fish 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by contacting TPWD’s Law Enforcement Communications office at (281) 842-8100 or (512) 389-4848.

(December 13 Update)

Conference to teach management for raising trophy bass

Set March 23-24 in Athens

Media Contact: (903) 834-6191, rd-burns@tamu.edu; Dr. Billy Higginbotham, (903) 834-6191, b-higginbotham@tamu.edu

ATHENS – Mark your calendar if you want to grow trophy largemouth bass in your pond or lake. An upcoming program set in Athens will show you how, said a Texas AgriLife Extension Service expert.

"Bass Tech: The Technology to Manage for Success" will be held at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center- Conservation Center, Farm-to-Market 2495, Athens, on March 24, to show bass enthusiasts just how to do so, said Dr. Billy Higginbotham AgriLife Extension wildlife and fisheries specialist, Overton.

A joint venture by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and AgriLife Extension, programming will include presentations starting with basic pond ecology, water quality, pond fertility, supplemental feeding, bass population assessment, aquatic weed control, controlling nuisance wildlife, bass genetics and managing for trophy bass, Higginbotham said.

Similar programming has been held before in Athens, but not since 2008, he said. As the programming is applicable statewide, it has also previously been held in San Marcos and Conroe.

"The main difference this year is that we’ve trimmed some topics based on participant evaluations," Higgibotham said. "We have an optional tour of the hatchery at the center the day before, but the one-day program means participants won’t have to go to the expense and trouble of spending the night if they don’t want to."

Registration for the training is $70 by March 16, $100 thereafter. Participants may register online at http://agriliferegister.tamu.edu or by calling 979-845-2604.

For more information, contact Higginbotham at 903-834-6191 or b-higginbotham@tamu.edu, or Dr. Michael Masser, 979-845-7370 or m-masser@tamu.edu.

(December 6 Update)

Low Lake Level Allows Habitat Improvements at Lake Fork

Media Contact: Kevin Storey, (903) 593-5077, kevin.storey@tpwd.state.tx.us; Larry Hodge, (903) 670-2255, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—Members of the Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association (LFSA) partnered with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Inland Fisheries Division staff in making fish habitat improvements at Lake Fork on November 30.

Taking advantage of drought-induced low water levels that have exposed shorelines, teams planted 400 buttonbush plants at various sites. Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), a native woody shrub commonly called “buckbrush,” was chosen in an attempt to establish woody cover for fishes. When inundated by water, it helps provide great bass fishing.

Lake Fork has had a long history of relatively stable water levels. This has been advantageous in that it has mostly translated into stable aquatic habitat and fish production. However, during the recent drought the disadvantage of this stability became evident. The lake elevation has dropped to an all-time record low, exposing shorelines and reducing cover which provides young fish shelter from predation and ambush cover for feeding adult sportfish. Lake Fork will likely be subject to more water level fluctuations in the future as the City of Dallas increases pumping operations on the lake, especially if the current drought persists.

In lakes where there are prolonged draw-downs, communities of assorted plants will colonize exposed sediment. These include emergent aquatic plants such as smartweed, sedges and rushes, along with a variety of terrestrial plants including shrubs and trees. Woody plants such as willows will grow rapidly along the shoreline, and when substantial amounts of rainfall return to the watershed and the lake elevation rises enough, the plants can become partially or totally inundated. The “cover” that these plants provide creates shelter for fish and acts as a substrate for the establishment of many organisms in the aquatic food chain. Some of the woodier plants are persistent and will survive for many years and provide benefits to the ecosystem.

The first step in this habitat enhancement plan materialized in March 2011, when the LFSA purchased 1,000 bare-root buttonbush plants from a local tree nursery and planted them at selected locations throughout the reservoir. Survival of these small plants, most less than two feet in length, was low. At some of the planting sites they were trampled by feral hogs.

The second stage in LFSA’s habitat project began to take shape this past summer. The opportunity to purchase larger plants presented itself when a fish farmer in Columbus, Texas, approached TPWD looking for potential customers for 400 two-year old buttonbush plants. These larger plants should experience better survival. The LFSA agreed to underwrite the majority ($1,900) of the purchase price, and TPWD contributed $650. Bushes were planted at different elevations to hedge against future water-level changes

(November 29 Update)

Winter Trout Stocking Program Locations Announced

News Release

Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN — Throw your rod and reel in the car and take the short drive to your local fishing hole, it’s time once again for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s annual winter rainbow trout stocking.

Each year TPWD stocks roughly 250,000, 9-12 inch hatchery-reared rainbow trout in more than 100 neighborhood and state park locations across Texas as a part of the annual stocking program. Locations such as Brackenridge Park in San Antonio, Bullfrog Pond in Austin, Bob Sandlin State Park in Mt. Pleasant and Arena Park Pond in Marshall are some of the locations used by the program in past years. The program occurs in the winter due to the cooler water temperatures in Texas water bodies.

While most of the popular locations will still get trout this year, stockings will be down about 10 percent from last year due to water level conditions at some sites, according to Todd Engeling, TPWD hatchery program director.

“Trout stockings will be down, but not as bad as we initially anticipated,” Engeling said. “Our popular stocking sites should remain the same as long as there is sufficient water and those sites without enough water may not receive stockings.”

For the 2011-2012 trout stocking schedule broken down by city or county visit http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/management/stocking/trout_stocking.phtml. For an inside guide for fishing rainbow trout, read the TPWD Winter Trout Stocking Program Angling Tips by Marcos J. De Jesus at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_t3200_1692.pdf.

(November 22 Update)

TPWD Sets Public Meetings on Expanded Seagrass Protection and Freeze Events

Media Contact: Perry Trial, TPWD Rockport Marine Lab, (361) 729-2328, perry.trial@tpwd.state.tx.us; Tom Harvey, TPWD News, (512) 389-4453, tom.harvey@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has scheduled five scoping meetings this winter, starting Nov. 30, about two possible regulation changes for 2012. The scoping items include consideration of a new state scientific area to protect seagrass in the Laguna Madre near the John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway in Nueces County, and a clarification of emergency rules to protect fish during coastal freezes.

Dates and locations for the meetings are listed below. All meetings will begin at 7pm. Also, a Public Comment link will be placed on the TPWD website homepage to allow comments to be submitted electronically.

The two coastal items are part of possible statewide hunting and fishing regulation changes for 2012. After receiving input regarding these two issues, they may move to an official proposal after the January commission meeting, after which there will be more statewide meetings and comment opportunities before final rules are approved by the TPW Commission in March.

The JFK causeway proposal would create a new 15,500-acre protected area similar to the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area. This site was chosen because it has extensive shallow seagrass flats that would benefit from protection, plus heavy boat traffic with many access points.

Also, the site offers beneficial “overlap” from the nearby Redfish Bay area, only 10 miles away. The region benefits from previous outreach and conservation efforts, and existing partners dedicating to helping the cause. Because of this, many boaters and anglers in the region are already familiar with rules and boating practices to protect seagrass.

Seagrass protection in the JFK causeway area would be essentially the same as in the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area. Boaters could motor throughout the area under power as long as they do not uproot seagrass with boat propellers.

TPWD is also proposing to clarify rules to protect fish during prolonged freezing weather on the Texas coast. For example, on Feb. 2, the agency issued a temporary closure to saltwater fishing at specified areas or thermal refuges along the Texas coast. Texas has about two million acres of bays and estuaries susceptible to freeze. There were three major freezes during the 1980s, including one in 1989 when the temperature at Brownsville dropped to 16 degrees and an estimated 11 million fish were killed.

The existing rule says no one can fish with a hook and line, pole and line, or throwline in an affected area during a freeze closure. The proposed rule change for 2012 makes clear that no one may take or attempt to take any aquatic life by any means in an affected area during a freeze.

Public Scoping Meetings Dates and Locations

Nov. 30, Dickinson Marine Lab — 1502 FM 517 East, Dickinson, Texas 77539

Dec. 1, Bass Pro Shops – 17907 IH-10 West San Antonio, TX 78257

Dec. 5, Natural Resources Center, Room 1003 – Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive Corpus Christi, TX 78412

Dec.13, Holiday Inn North Padre Island – 15202 Windward Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78418

Dec. 14, Port Isabel Community Center – 213 Yturria, Port Isabel, TX 78578

Dec. 15, TPWD Headquarters, Commission Hearing Room, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744

(November 15 Update)

Where Will Season’s First Toyota ShareLunker Be Caught?

News Release

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—Only the sound of running water fills the Lunker Bunker at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. The 22 round, 1,500-gallon ShareLunker holding tanks are ready to receive fish.

So far none have arrived.

The Toyota ShareLunker season starts October 1 and runs through April 30 because Texas is so large that the spawning season stretches over many months. Over the 25-year history of the program, six 13-pound or bigger fish have been entered into the program in October, nine in November and 20 in December.

In a typical season, the action really picks up after the first of the year. There have been 55 entries in January, 119 in February, 224 in March and 85 in April.

October entries have come pinball-machine fashion from all over the state—from Lake McQueeney near San Antonio to Toledo Bend on the Louisiana border to Lake Fork in Northeast Texas to Lake Meredith in the Panhandle.

Things start to settle down in November, with six of the month’s nine entries coming from Lake Fork, one from the Nueces River, one from Lake Lewisville and one from a private pond in Anderson County. And one of those, Mark Stevenson’s 17.67-pound monster from Lake Fork, was ShareLunker No. 1 and remains the biggest bass reported caught on an artificial lure in Texas.

Surprisingly, more southerly Texas lakes like Falcon and Amistad have not been heard from until December. Lake Fork leads the December catch pack with seven entries followed by Falcon and Conroe with three each. But the pinball effect still shows up, with entries from Baylor Creek near Childress, O.H. Ivie near San Angelo, Amistad near Del Rio, Ray Hubbard near Dallas and Sam Rayburn and Nacogdoches in East Texas.

The pattern seems to be that there is no pattern, at least as far as location is concerned. But one thing is clear: The first Toyota ShareLunker of the 2011-2012 season is out there somewhere waiting to be caught.

You would look good wearing the Toyota ShareLunker shirt and jacket and G. Loomis cap holding a fiberglass replica of a big bass. Why don’t you go catch that first ShareLunker?

Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours.

ShareLunker entries are used in a selective breeding program at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens. Some of the offspring from these fish are stocked back into the water body from which they were caught. Other ShareLunker offspring are stocked in public waters around the state in an attempt to increase the overall size and growth rate of largemouth bass in Texas.

Anglers entering fish into the Toyota ShareLunker program receive a free replica of their fish, a certificate and ShareLunker clothing and are recognized at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.

The person who catches the season’s largest entry will be named Angler of the Year. If a Texas angler catches the largest entry of the season, that person also receives a lifetime fishing license.

For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass, a list of official Toyota ShareLunker weigh and holding stations and a recap of last year’s season, see http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available.

Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers when available, is posted on http://www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram.

The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects.

(November 8 Update)

TPWD Seeks Input on Expanded Seagrass Protection

Agency Scoping Possibility of State Scientific Area near JFK Causeway

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Tom Harvey, 512-389-4453, tom.harvey@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will hold initial scoping meetings and take online comments this winter about two possible regulations changes for 2012, depending on stakeholder input—a new state scientific area to protect seagrass in the Laguna Madre near the John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway in Nueces County, and a clarification of emergency rules to protect fish during coastal freezes.

The two coastal items are part of possible statewide hunting and fishing regulation changes for 2012. They will not become official proposals until January, after which there will be more statewide meetings and comment opportunities before final rules are approved by the TPW Commission in March.

Shallow-water seagrass meadows are among the world’s most productive marine habitats, next to coral reefs, salt marshes and mangroves. Seagrass meadows serve as nurseries for juvenile game fish, crabs and shrimp. They also provide food for sea turtles, shorebirds and waterfowl, help prevent erosion, and play a biological filtering role to improve water quality.

The JFK causeway proposal would create a new 15,500-acre protected area similar to the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area created in 2000. Redfish Bay was the state’s first scientific area for education, scientific research, and preservation of flora and fauna of scientific or education value. A key goal was to allow submerged seagrasses time for recovery from extensive damage caused by outboard motor propellers, as well as prevent further harm to the delicate aquatic plants.

When the Redfish Bay area came up for five-year renewal in 2005, TPWD enacted a rule to prohibit seagrass uprooting in the scientific area. At that time, TPWD’s Coastal Fisheries Division launched a comprehensive outreach and education campaign about the new rule and the importance of seagrass, emphasizing a “Lift, Drift, Pole, Troll” message. In 2010, the TPW Commission voted to indefinitely extend the “no uprooting seagrass with a boat propeller” law in the Redfish Bay area.

Public surveys of boaters before and after the Redfish Bay rule change showed that 88 percent of respondents were aware of the regulation, and 87 percent of them reported that their boating behavior had changed, the most common change being to avoid known shallow areas.

Also, scientific studies demonstrated the Redfish Bay rule has helped seagrasses recover. Using transect surveys and aerial photography, coastal fisheries biologists found the number of boat propeller scars in Redfish Bay decreased 45 percent from 2005 to 2009. Among the good news: preliminary data suggest seagrass propeller scars may recover faster than was previously thought.

In the wake of this success, the TPW Commission directed staff to explore expanding seagrass protection on the Texas coast. The team came up with a short list of five sites, from Galveston Island down to South Bay near Brownsville.

The JFK causeway site was chosen because it has extensive shallow seagrass flats that would benefit from protection, plus heavy boat traffic with many access points. Also, the site offers beneficial “overlap” from the nearby Redfish Bay area, only 10 miles away. The region benefits from previous outreach and conservation efforts, and existing partners dedicating to helping the cause. Because of this, many boaters and anglers in the region are already familiar with rules and boating practices to protect seagrass.

Seagrass protection in the JFK causeway area would be essentially the same as in the Redfish Bay scientific area. Boaters could motor throughout the area under power as long as they do not uproot seagrass with boat propellers.

The agency will hold public meetings to scope both items along the coast before the Jan. 25-26 commission meeting in Austin, and will also take comments via the TPWD website. Interested parties should stay tuned to the agency news release web pages for meeting dates and locations. The staff will make proposals for commission consideration at the January meeting. If approved by the commission, the proposals will be published in the Texas Register and the items will be considered for final adoption at the March 28-29 commission meeting.

A map showing the outline of the proposed JFK causeway scientific area is available on TPWD’s news images web page.

(November 1 Update)

Red Tide Update 4

October 31, 2011

To date, the red tide has killed 4.2 million fish since September. While significant, this number is a far cry from the 22 million fish killed during the 1986 red tide.

The red tide has caused recent fish kills in the Victoria Barge Canal near the State Highway 35 bridge; the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in a boat channel near the ICWW on the east side of the refuge; Goose Island State park between the island and the boat ramp; in Corpus Christi Bay at La Quinta Channel and Joe Fulton Canal.

Corpus Christi Bay: Corpus Christi Bay also has discolored water from Indian Point to the Lexington, near Oleander Point in Cole Park, and near Swantner Park (at the intersection of Ocean Drive and Airline.)

Mustang Island State Park: Park staff report nice conditions on the beaches with minimal aerosols and no new dead fish washing ashore.

Padre Island National Seashore: Cell concentrations and aerosols have diminished considerably, and there are no new dead fish washing ashore. However, they did observe a coyote exhibiting possible brevetoxin symptoms at the 17 mile marker, as well as a second coyote that was found dead at the 7 mile mark on Sunday.

South Padre Island: After a few days of falling K. brevis levels, cell concentrations have once again begun to rise, though aerosols remain mild. High concentrations were found along the town’s beaches, while moderate concentrations were found at the UT Pan American Coastal Studies Lab, Isla Blanca Boat Ramp, Brazos-Santiago Pass and the causeway

(October 25 Update)

Red Tide Update 3

October 24, 2011

Matagorda/Lavaca Bays: Dead mullet were found at the Perry R. Bass research facility on Friday. On Sunday, TPWD staff found dead spot, flounder, redfish, and spotted seatroutnear Sand Point and along the eastern portion of Lavaca Bay. Discolored water and feeding seagulls were seen between Keller Bay and Cox Bay. Seagulls were also feeding on dying fish in Cox Bay near Weesatche Cove and buzzards were seen feeding on dead fish along the banks. Dead and dying gizzard shad were found in Keller Bay.

Espiritu Santo/San Antonio Bays: On Friday, TPWD game wardens observed stressed red drum and dead sand trout in the ICWW on the western portion of San Antonio Bay. On Saturday, TPWD staff noted older dead gulf menhaden, sheepshead and shrimp eels at the Shoalwater Flats Association boat ramp near Charlie’s Bait Camp. Others at the ramp reported breathing discomfort in the area on Friday.

San Jose Island: Aerosols were affecting the beach on Friday; there were no dead fish and the water was clear.

Rockport/Port Aransas: TPWD received notification of a fish kill at Goose Island State Park this morning; biologists are investigating today. Heavy aerosols were felt over the weekend in Port Aransas and can still be felt this morning. Moderate cell concentrations are coming through the pass.

Mustang Island State Park: After 2 days of heavy aerosols, the state park has seen light aerosols this morning due to light winds. However, as winds pick up, we expect aerosols to increase accordingly. Discolored water and dead fish are once again being seen; the heaviest concentration of dead fish (mostly gulf menhaden and striped mullet) is near the Fish Pass jetty.

Padre Island: On Saturday, aerosols were heavy along the island at least down to marker 252; people were enjoying the beaches despite their coughing. Discolored water was seen but there were no dead fish on the beaches. There was a fallout of birds, particularly meadowlarks, mourning dove, sparrows and possibly pyrrhuloxia, likely related to the fall migration rather than red tide.

Corpus Christi Bay: Dead fish and discolored water have been reported near the Kiewit fabrication plant in Ingleside by the Bay.

South Padre Island: Aerosols have been noticeable over the weekend and today. Moderate cell concentrations have been found at the UT Pan-American Coastal Studies Lab, Brazos-Santiago Pass, Sea Ranch Marina, and the east and west ends of the causeway. High concentrations have been found at the Isla Blanca boat ramp and in the Pompano Avenue area of Port Isabel

(October 18 Update)

Red Tide Update 2

October 17, 2011

Calhoun County: TPWD Law Enforcement observed over the weekend that Espiritu Santo Bay had a very marked set of red tide patches measuring 100 feet across and 1/4 mile long stretching in bands across the bay. Numerous dead fish were sighted along the ICWW near Charlie's Bait Camp, including some legal-sized redfish. The game warden noted that larger fish are comprising more of the fish kill.

Port Aransas/Mustang Island: Conditions have improved along Mustang Island. No fresh dead fish are washing in and aerosols have diminished greatly. K. brevis cells are still being found at the UTMSI pier at Port Aransas. Mustang Island State Park has removed the dead fish along a stretch of their beaches in the pedestrian day area and along the first half-mile of beach camping. A fisherman called to report that he had fished all around Aransas Bay over the weekend and saw no evidence of red tide from the southern tip of Mud Island near the old shrimp boat wreck up to Paul’s Mott reef along the north side of San Jose Island, none at Treasure Island, and none in South Bay. He did report aerosols but no discolored water at the Port Aransas jetties.

Padre Island National Seashore: Moderate to heavy aerosols were reported this morning. Decomposing fish remain on the beaches from last week’s fish kill.

South Padre Island: After a few weeks’ reprieve from any red tide effects, concentrations of K. brevis rose sharply over the weekend. The highest concentrations were found from the beaches north of town, though moderate concentrations were found along the town beaches as well.

Fresh dead fish and aerosols began to be reported all along the island over the weekend, increasing in intensity toward the northern end. The fish kill includes mullet, menhaden, silversides, ladyfish, stargazers, hardheads, gafftops, scaled sardines, spotted seatrout, fat snook, spade fish, shrimp eels, needle fish, black drum, Atlantic bumper, and pig fish. One large tarpon measuring 6 feet in length washed ashore as well. Aerosols were also reported from Boca Chica.

(October 11 Update)

Red Tide Update

October 10, 2011

Aerosols have now been reported from the Corpus Christi and Port Aransas areas: the entire length of Padre Island National Seashore, Packery Channel, Newport Pass, Mustang Island State Park and Port Aransas. Water samples collected from the UT pier and marina both contained high concentrations of Karenia brevis. Biologists are investigating reports of lethargic fish in the Packery Channel area.

The South Padre Island area continues to have low concentrations of cells around the causeway, the San Martin boat ramp and the end of the Brownsville Ship Channel.

October 7, 2011

The Texas Department of State Health Services monitored the Galveston area for red tide yesterday. Very low concentrations were found at the south end of the causeway (West Bay) and inside the Galveston Yacht Basin. No cells were found at the Texas City Dike, the east end of the seawall, the 61st Street pier, the west end of Sportsman’s Road or at San Luis Pass. DSHS will collect samples again on Monday.

DSHS also collected samples from the Matagorda Bay and East Matagorda Bay areas yesterday and found high concentrations at the Colorado River jetty and in Matagorda Harbor. Moderate cell concentrations were found in the Caney Creek area and no cells at Palacios Harbor, Oyster Lake, Shell Island or the Mad Island Cut.

Dead menhaden are washing ashore today at Indianola, the Port O’Connor front beach and Boggy Bayou. Moderate cell concentrations were found at the Port O’Connor fishing pier, the TPWD Coastal Fisheries field station, and at the Indianola Fishing Marina. No cells were found at Magnolia Beach.

Dead fish are also washing up along the Padre Island National Seashore, from the Mansfield jetty to Big Shell. Biologists will conduct a fish kill assessment along PINS on Monday to determine the number and species of fish affected. Moderate concentrations of red tide cells were found at the north jetty, the 50 mile marker and the 39 mile marker. Low concentrations were found at the 28 mile marker. DSHS found no cells in their samples from Malaquite Beach, the Packery Channel boat launch or the UTMSI pier.

Two new fish kills have been reported from the lower coast. Dead mullet are reportedly washing up along the eastern shoreline of the lower Laguna Madre north of the Mansfield jetty. A second kill is occurring in the Laguna Vista area near Old Texaco Channel. Final results are still pending from TPWD’s investigation of the South Padre Island fish kill that included mostly ladyfish and mullet. Water samples showed low cell concentrations at the south Mansfield jetty and on the gulf beach 1 mile south of the jetty. No cells were found 2 miles south of the jetty.

October 6, 2011 afternoon

The red tide bloom is causing fish kills along the middle and lower Texas coast. Hundreds of dead gulf menhaden have washed ashore at the Port O’Connor front beach, mostly north of the fishing pier. On Friday, biologists will investigate a report of dead menhaden washing up between Boggy Bayou and Indianola Beach.

Padre Island National Seashore staff confirmed a fish kill occurring along the southern end of the park and the north Mansfield jetty. All species and sizes are affected, and the crews felt aerosol effects at least as far north as the 30 mile marker. Two dead green sea turtles were collected and will be handed over to the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network. They also collected water samples from the lower Laguna Madre at Yarborough Pass and Bird Island Basin; TPWD will analyze the samples tomorrow.

TPWD investigated the fish kill along South Padre Island that stretches for 4 miles south of the Mansfield jetty. The event is comprised of mostly striped mullet and ladyfish and little to no aerosols were felt by staff. Water samples were collected inside the Mansfield pass south jetty and from the gulf beach 2 miles south of the jetty.

October 6, 2011

Biologists are investigating two fish kills today: the first near the Mansfield jetties stretching south for approximately 2 miles along the gulf beach, and the second at the Port O'Connor front beach. DSHS confirmed moderate concentrations of K. brevis around the Port O'Connor area, including the little jetties and big jetties as well as the Dolphin Point Marina. Low concentrations have also been found at South Pass.

October 5, 2011

Upper Coast – DSHS has closed oyster leases in Conditionally Approved Area 1 of Galveston Bay, Central and East Approved Areas of Galveston Bay, and the Smith Point Approved Area of Galveston Bay due to the presence of Karenia brevis. Moderate cell concentrations were found at the Galveston Yacht Basin and low concentrations at the east end of the seawall, West Bay and inside San Luis Pass. Red tide was not present at Houston Ship Channel marker 25, the 61st Street Pier or Sportsman's Road.

Low concentrations of K. brevis have been found in the ICWW at the San Bernard boat ramp. No cells were found in Cedar Lakes or in East Matagorda Bay. Additional samples were taken from this area and analysis is ongoing.

Corpus Christi – Moderate concentrations of K. brevis have been found at Big Shell by staff of the Padre Island National Seashore. They also collected a sample from the surf at the north Mansfield jetty but no K. brevis was found. Another sampling trip is planned for later this week. DSHS staff collected samples and found no red tide at Island Mooring, Lydia Ann Channel at the Lighthouse,the UTMSI pier, the Gulf of Mexico just north of the jetties, Point of Mustang and La Quinta Channel.

South Padre Island - Disoriented birds have been found around the South Padre Island area. The birds have had difficulty flying and were exhibiting other neurological symptoms. City crews collected one dead bird, which was transported to Corpus Christi for toxin analysis. Results are pending. Water samples collected in the area show very low cell concentrations at the end of the Brownsville Ship Channel, Brazos-Santiago Pass, the Isla Blanca Park boat ramp, and the UT-Pan American Coastal Studies Lab. Moderate concentrations have been found at the west end of the Queen Isabella Causeway. No cells were found at the shrimp basin or the mouth of the Bahia Grande pilot channel. No new dead fish have been reported from the area this week.

(October 4 Update)

Are You Ready to Catch a 13-pound Bass?

News Release

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—Largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or more are rare. Only 523 have been entered into the Toyota ShareLunker program in the last 25 years.

Therefore, finding one on the end of their line comes as a total surprise to many anglers. Panic usually ensues when the biggest bass the angler has ever seen breaks the surface. “Holy [unprintable]! What do I do now?” is a common reaction.

The first problem is getting it into the boat, especially for anglers fishing alone. Those with a partner but no net can have their buddy grasp the fish by its lower jaw and tail and bring it in. Ideally there will be a rubber net available for landing the fish. In either case the fish should not be allowed to flop around in the bottom of the boat. This removes the slime coat that protects the fish from infection and can also result in wounds.

Many bass are caught on soft plastic baits, and sometimes they swallow it. Removing the hook through the gill arch is the recommended method. A video demonstrating the procedure can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/TexasParksWildlife#p/c/DD326D97517E327F/3/3RGTL9RBG2s.

Now it’s time to weigh the fish and put it in the livewell. You did fill the livewell before you started fishing, didn’t you?

And even before that you read up on livewell management at http://www.bassmaster.com/sites/default/files/imce/KBA_LivewellManage.pdf, right?

Give yourself a gold star if you installed a livewell oxygenation system using the information at http://www.slideshare.net/raminlandfish/livewell-oxygen-injection-8773301.

You can learn more about how to properly care for fish in the Outdoor Activity Area of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Lake Conroe October 28—30. For information on the event, visit www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com.

But now we come to the stumbling block that faces many anglers every year. Either they don’t have a scale or they have a discount-store special displaying numbers that don’t bear much resemblance to reality. Chances are the scale has rattled around in the bottom of the boat or tackle box for years and never been checked for accuracy.

There’s an easy way to check your scale. Put a gallon of water and a five-pound sack of flour or sugar in a plastic grocery bag and weigh them. If your scale is accurate, it will read very close to 13.5 pounds. The minimum weight for a ShareLunker is 13.0 pounds.

ShareLunker entries must be weighed on a certified scale. ShareLunker program manager David Campbell carries a certified scale with him, but at times he has driven for hours to pick up a fish only to find it does not make the weight. A number of reservoirs around the state have official ShareLunker weigh and holding stations that have certified scales and a tank equipped to hold big bass and keep them alive. You can find the list (and print it out and put it in your boat) at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/sharelunker/holding/.

If you are not fishing at one of the lakes on the list, many marinas, bait shops, feed stores, fertilizer plants, recycling drop-off centers, and United Parcel Service or other package-shipping locations have certified scales. So do grocery stores, and many are willing to let anglers weigh fish. You can also find a list of certified scale locations at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/programs/fishrecords/scales.phtml.

If you really want to be ready to catch a big bass, you can have your hand-held scale certified by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) or an independent scales calibration company. A list of all Texas companies licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture to certify scales is at http://www.agr.state.tx.us/vgn/tda/files/1848/lsc.html.

Information on the IGFA’s scale certification program can be found at http://www.igfa.org/Fish/SCALES-AND-CERTIFICATION-.aspx.

If all this sounds like a lot of trouble, it is. It is also a lot of trouble for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to send an employee halfway across the state, perhaps in the middle of the night, to find that some advance effort on the part of an angler could have made the trip unnecessary. It’s pretty embarrassing to find that the fish you hoped would weigh 13 pounds only weighs 10 or 12.

There’s another reason for having an accurate set of scales on board, and it’s the most important one of all. If your fish doesn’t qualify to be a ShareLunker, the best thing you can do for it is handle it carefully and get it back into the water as soon as possible. The next time it’s caught, maybe it will weigh 13 pounds.

And maybe the angler will be prepared to catch a 13-pounder.

Toyota ShareLunker season opened October 1. Are you ready?

(September 27 Update)

Rare Piranha Catch Illustrates Need to Prevent Invasive Aquatics in Texas

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN – A rare catch of a red-breasted piranha in a community lake near Houston recently illustrates the need for prohibition of invasive aquatic species in Texas waters.

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials an actual piranha is a VERY rare occurrence in the wild—only 2 documented specimens in 30 years—and possessing and releasing live piranhas and dozens of other exotic, harmful or potentially harmful fish species is prohibited by Texas law.

Dave Terre, management and research chief with TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division, said the 23-acre Tom Bass Park community lake in Pearland on the outskirts of Houston where the piranha was caught on Aug. 27 remains a great place to go fishing and is completely safe to go fishing there.

“We strongly believe that this is an isolated catch,” said Terre. “Our biologists will do an electrofishing survey of the lake to confirm this.”

Biologists say piranhas are unlikely to be able to over winter and they will not reproduce.

Terre said it is possible someone held this specimen in captivity illegally and disposed of the fish in the lake.

Game wardens remind individuals that first offense for possession of prohibited fish species is a Class C misdemeanor in Texas, with a maximum $500 fine. Subsequent convictions are Class B and Class A misdemeanors, which could carry jail time and heftier fines. Anyone caught releasing a live, prohibited fish in Texas faces a Class B misdemeanor for first offense, and repeated offenses can bring state-jail felony charges.

If someone catches a fish that they cannot identify or suspect may be an exotic species they should not return it to the water, handle it with caution, and contact their local game warden or TPWD fisheries office.

(September 20 Update)

Federation of Student Anglers Organizing Clubs Across Texas

Media Contact: Brad Newman, (830) 832-0315, brad@fishingstudents.com; Larry Hodge, (903) 670-2255, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—The Federation of Student Anglers (FSA) wants to hear from students in Texas middle and high schools who want to form or be on a school fishing team and from school administrators who are interested in starting a club team at their school.

FSA is expanding its two flagship programs, the Texas Middle School Fishing Challenge and the Texas High School Fishing Series, with chapters and club teams forming in and around North Texas, Houston, Austin and Tyler.

Student members fish every month of the year in on-the-water tournaments, online tournaments, in club and chapter outings and in the Summer Fishing Series that fishes one weeknight each week for the entire summer break. Club teams compete against other schools in their chapter for trophies, plaques, fishing and paddling equipment, boats, letter jackets (yes, you can now letter in fishing!), and most importantly, scholarships.

Clubs also build boats, rods and baits, learn to fly fish and tie their own flies. At the high school level, students compete for points qualifying them to advance to the state championship tournament tentatively scheduled to be held in June 2012 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.

Based in Texas but international in scope, the FSA’s programs give students the opportunity to get on the water and fish as well as learn about aquatic biology, fisheries management, ecology and the environmental sciences. FSA helps organize school-based chapters and works with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department angler education instructors to teach water safety and fishing skills while offering each student a chance to fish in a safe, supervised environment.

Fishing is done from shore or from human-powered craft, so students are not required to have access to a boat to participate.

FSA executive director Brad Newman of Bulverde, Texas, touts the non-profit organization as the only school-based, team-oriented fishing program in the United States in which students can captain their own watercraft. “Our goal is to educate our members on becoming better anglers, while at the same time introducing them to competitive fishing,” he said. “As a bonus, we award more than $100,000 in college scholarships annually, and that number continues to grow. We believe that anyone can fish and be good at it if given a place to start and an opportunity to keep doing it.”

For more information on the Federation of Student Anglers and how to start a club team or chapter, visit http://www.fishingstudents.com.

(September 13 Update)

New Fishing Regulations Affect Some West Texas Reservoirs

Media Contact: Spencer Dumont, (325) 692-0921, sdumont@sbcglobal.net; Larry Hodge, (903) 670-2255, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS — Effective September 1, some Texas reservoirs have different fish-harvest regulations. One is Lake Kirby, where the 12-inch minimum length and 25-fish daily bag limit for blue and channel catfish was changed to a NO minimum length limit and daily bag limit of 50 blue or channel catfish in any combination. No more than five blue or channel catfish 20 inches or greater can be kept.

The new catfish regulation will give anglers more harvest opportunities (i.e. anglers get to keep more fish and smaller fish) and will also provide more protection of larger catfish to increase, or at least maintain, numbers of larger catfish for anglers to enjoy (i.e. anglers can only keep five 20-inch or longer catfish).

Lake Alan Henry, near Post, will also have a new regulation for black basses. Gone is the 18-inch minimum length limit on spotted bass and smallmouth bass. The new minimum length limit for smallmouth bass is 14 inches, and the daily bag limit is five fish. For spotted bass and largemouth bass there will be NO minimum length limit and a daily bag limit of five largemouth or spotted bass in any combination; however, only two bass less than 18 inches long may be retained per day.

One other new regulation is that handfishing is now legal for blue, channel and flathead catfish. All current length and bag limits apply.

All hunting and fishing regulations are available in the 2011-2012 Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual, which can be accessed at http://www.txoutdoorannual.com/.

Spencer Dumont is a fisheries biologist with the TPWD. For more information on area reservoirs and fish populations, contact the Abilene Inland Fisheries district office at (325) 692-0921, send an email to sdumont@sbcglobal.net, or visit our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/tpwdifabilene

(September 6 Update)

Bluegill Family Fishing Tournament September 24 at Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, City of Athens

Media Contact: Jim Booker, (903) 670-2266, james.booker@tpwd.state.tx.us; Larry Hodge, (903) 670-2255, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS, Texas—The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center’s annual Bluegill Family Fishing Tournament will take place this year on Saturday, September 24.

Numerous prize packages will be awarded, including an X-Box 360 with game, fishing equipment and gift cards from local businesses.

Sponsors of the event include the Lake Athens Property Owners Association, Aaron’s Sales and Lease Ownership, Best Western Royal Mountain Inn, Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites – Athens, WalMart Supercenter of Athens, Cole Air Conditioning and Appliance, Chicken Express and First State Bank.

Sponsors also include Cabela’s, Morrison Supply Company and Brookshire’s Grocery. Brookshire’s will provide free bottled water to contestants.

The tournament awards prizes for the heaviest stringers of sunfish, but the event is really about adults and children having fun fishing together.

Teams must consist of one adult 18 years of age or older and one child under 18 years of age. Each team can weigh in a maximum of four fish. Multiple teams can fish from the same boat, making it possible for both parents to partner with different children and still fish as a family. Team members are not required to be related.

Teams may choose to fish either on Lake Athens, which is adjacent to TFFC, or in TFFC’s ponds and streams, some of which have been stocked with bluegills.

Anglers who plan to fish on Lake Athens are advised to check lake and boat ramp conditions before going to be sure water levels will permit launching. Contact the City of Athens, (903) 675-5131.

All species of sunfish or bream (except largemouth bass) are allowed; for information on identifying them, see http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/water/aquaticspecies/inland.phtml.

Pre-registration is required. Mail registration must be received by Wednesday, September 21. To download an entry form, go to http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/nonpwdforms/media/bluegill_flyer.doc.

To request a registration form by mail, call (903) 670-2222.

You may register in person on the day of the event by going to the admissions booth at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center AFTER 7:00 a.m.

A $15 entry fee per team will be charged. The entry fee includes admission to TFFC. Fishing will take place from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the weigh-in at the Anglers Pavilion at TFFC at 2:30.

For more information or to request an entry form, contact Craig Brooks at (903) 670-2222

(August 30 Update)

Anglers Reminded of Regulation Changes on Shared Waters with Louisiana

Changes go into effect on September 1, 2011

News Release

Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN – Louisiana and Texas have taken a big step to share consistent recreational fishing regulations governing their bordering waters. The new regulations are scheduled to go into effect on Sept. 1, 2011. Biologists from the two states have agreed upon regulations that are biologically sound and consistent on both sides of the boundary.

The two states share waters along most of their common border, supporting excellent recreational fisheries and attracting thousands of anglers each year. The line between the two states follows the state line boundaries and old river channels, so anglers currently must abide by two sets of rules.

“Although we still have a few differences in regulations, these changes should make it much easier for anglers on both sides of border to keep track of bag and size limits,” said Gary Saul, fisheries director for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “We hope this will result in less angler confusion and increased compliance.“

The compromise regulations for Toledo Bend affect channel, blue and flathead catfish and black and white crappie. Regulations for Caddo Lake and the Sabine River deal with those species in addition to white, yellow, largemouth and spotted bass.

The new regulations can be found on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Web site at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/regulations/changes12.phtml#txla

(August 23 Update)

Galveston Bay Oyster Restoration Expanding

TPWD Project Restores Reefs Damaged by Hurricane Ike

Media Contact: Jennie Rohrer, (281) 534-0103, jennie.rohrer@tpwd.state.tx.us; Bill Rodney, (281) 534-0127, bill.rodney@tpwd.state.tx.us; Charlene Drake, (281)534-0149, charlene.drake@tpwd.state.tx.us

HOUSTON – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has hired Apollo Environmental Strategies of Beaumont to distribute more than 70,000 cubic yards of oyster reef building materials (called “cultch”) over six natural, publicly owned oyster reefs in Galveston Bay.

This work is part of ongoing efforts to restore oyster reef habitats which were severely impacted by Hurricane Ike-induced sedimentation in September 2008. Starting in August and finishing in October 2011, cultch materials (river rock and/or crushed limestone) will be spread over 178 acres of public oyster reef.

These “cultch plantings” will attract planktonic oyster larvae that will settle on the cultch and grow into adult oysters thus helping to re-establish previously productive oyster reefs. Oyster reefs selected for cultch plantings are: Frenchy’s Reef, Middle Reef and Hanna Reef in East Bay and Dollar Reef, East Redfish Reef and South Redfish Reef in Galveston Bay. Reefs were selected for cultch plantings based on the depth of overlying sediments, water depth, and proximity to oil and gas pipelines and private oyster leases.

This work will cost $3.8 million, primarily funded through federal fisheries disaster grants awarded to TPWD to address impacts from hurricanes Rita and Ike. After Hurricane Ike struck the Texas coast in September 2008, TPWD side scan sonar surveys found that about 50 percent of oyster reef habitats in Galveston Bay and about 80 percent of oyster reef habitats in East Bay were covered in sediment deposited by the hurricane’s storm surge.

In addition to benefiting the commercial oyster industry, the restoration will provide numerous ecological benefits. One of the primary ecological functions of oyster reefs is water filtration. Oysters feed by filtering tiny plants known as phytoplankton from the water and a single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water in a day. This filter feeding also removes silt and some contaminants from the water, thus making oyster reefs nature’s bio-filters. At a minimum density of 10 oysters per square meter, the restored 178 acres of oyster habitat will be capable of filtering approximately 360 million gallons of water per day. By comparison, the average daily flow rate for Houston’s 39 wastewater treatment plants in 2009 was 252 million gallons per day (Greater Houston Partnership, http://www.houston.org/economic-development/facts-figures/utilities/index.aspx).

Oyster reefs also provide habitat for numerous bottom dwelling fish and invertebrates which are in turn food for larger game fish. Therefore, this project is expected to indirectly benefit the recreational fishing community. Scientists refer to these various functions of oyster reefs, including providing product for the commercial fishing industry, as “ecosystem services”.

Prior to this year’s restoration work, TPWD restored five acres of oyster reef off of Eagle Point near San Leon in 2009/2010, and 20 acres of oyster reef on Middle Reef in East Bay in 2009. This year’s work represents a seven fold increase in acres of oyster reef restored by TPWD. East Bay, which has been closed to commercial oyster fishing for the last two years, will re-open to commercial harvest on Nov. 1.

For more information or to schedule a news media site visit, call Jennie Rohrer, (281) 534-0103, jennie.rohrer@tpwd.state.tx.us; Bill Rodney, (281) 534-0127, bill.rodney@tpwd.state.tx.us, or Charlene Drake, (281)534-0149, charlene.drake@tpwd.state.tx.us

(August 16 Update)

Hunting, Fishing Licenses sold online

News Release

Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN — Current year Texas hunting and fishing licenses (except year-to-date fishing licenses) expire Aug. 31, and new licenses for 2011-2012 went on sale Monday, Aug. 15.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issues about 2.1 million hunting and fishing licenses annually through the agency’s 28 field offices, more than 65 state parks and at over 1,500 retailers across Texas. For a $5 administrative transaction fee, licenses may also be purchased online through the TPWD Web site or by phone (800-895-4248). Call center hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday — Friday. The online transaction system is available 24/7. A transaction receipt may be printed at the time of purchase for online and a confirmation number is provided for phone orders, and the physical license is mailed separately. Confirmation numbers will verify that a license has been purchased, which is sufficient for dove hunting, but will not allow hunters to take fish or wildlife that require a tag.

Fishing License Exemptions

Recently the legislature created an exception for fishing licenses. In addition to allowing the public to fish at state parks without a license, resident fishers born prior to Jan. 1, 1931 are exempt from purchasing a state fishing license. These senior anglers are free to fish any state water body without purchasing the required annual license. Resident anglers 65 and older qualify for reduced price fishing and hunting licenses.

Dove Hunting Requirements

In addition to a hunting license, all wing shooters will need to purchase a game bird stamp. To hunt dove or teal in September, a Migratory Game Bird Stamp ($7) is required. Duck hunters also need to purchase a Federal Duck Stamp and receive HIP (Harvest Information Program) certification. HIP certification involves a brief survey of previous year’s hunting success and is conducted at the time licenses are purchased. Certification will be printed on the license. Lifetime license holders must also be HIP-certified and purchase the Federal Duck Stamp to hunt migratory birds. All other state stamp endorsements are included with a lifetime license.

There are other mandatory endorsements to consider at the time of purchase, too. An Upland Game Bird Stamp ($7) is required to hunt all non-migratory game birds, including turkey, quail, pheasant, chachalaca and lesser prairie chicken.

Of course, anyone who purchases the Super Combo license package, the best bang for the buck at $68, automatically gets these needed stamps. Sportsmen ages 65 and older qualify for a discounted Senior Super Combo for $32. Duck hunters will still need to purchase a Federal Duck Stamp.

Lifetime License Drawing

Hunters and anglers can also take care of their licensing requirements for life with the purchase of an $1,800 Lifetime Super Combo, or you can enter for a chance at winning a lifetime license through a special drawing. Entries for the Lifetime License Drawing cost $5 each and may be purchased wherever licenses are sold. There is no limit on the number of entries that may be purchased. Winners will be drawn on Dec. 30, 2011 and June 30, 2012. If you enter by Dec. 27, 2011, you will be eligible for both drawings.

Mandatory Hunter Education Certification

Hunter Education Certification is also required of any hunter born on or after Sept. 2, 1971 and who is at least 17 years old. For hunters who are unable to work in a hunter education course before hunting season for whatever reason, TPWD does offer a deferral option that allows people 17 years of age or older a one-time only extension to complete the state’s hunter education requirements. The individual must first purchase a hunting license and then may purchase the deferral option #166.

Hunters using the deferral must be accompanied by someone 17 years old or older also licensed to hunt in Texas. The accompanying individual must have completed hunter education or be exempt from the requirements (born before Sept. 2, 1971). The extension is good for one license year, by which time the person with the deferred option needs to complete a hunter education course.

This option is not available to those who have ever received a conviction or deferred adjudication for lack of hunter education certification. They still must take the course before going afield.

Big Time Texas Hunts

Also available through license agents and online are chances for TPWD’s Big Time Texas Hunts. The Big Time Texas Hunts program offers the opportunity to win one or more premium guided hunts with food and lodging provided, as well as taxidermy in some cases. The crown jewel of the program is the Texas Grand Slam hunt package, which includes four separate hunts for Texas’ most prized big game animals — the desert bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, mule deer and pronghorn antelope. There are several quality whitetail hunt packages available, as well as opportunities to pursue alligator, exotic big game, waterfowl and upland game birds.

Entries for the Big Time Texas Hunt drawings are $10 each and are available wherever hunting licenses are sold. They may also be purchased online at a discounted price of $9 each. There is no limit to the number of entries an individual may purchase, All proceeds from Big Time Texas Hunts benefit conservation, wildlife management and public hunting.

For information concerning the latest regulations and articles on hunting and fishing in Texas, check out the 2011-2012 Outdoor Annual available Sept. 1 in print and online. The online Annual also includes a format easily downloadable for use on smart phones for quick field reference

(August 9 Update)

Toyota Texas Bass Classic Offers $100,000 Prize for Biggest ShareLunker Caught on Lake Conroe

Promotion limited to first 1,000 registrants

Media Contact: Lenny Francoeur, Tournament Director (479) 715-6103 or lenny@toyotatexasbassclassic.com; Adam Harris, Marketing and Communications Senior Manager; (919) 531-0500 or adam@toyotatexasbassclassic.com

CONROE — The Toyota Texas Bass Classic is proud to introduce the first-ever ShareLunker Club Tournament (SCT) on Lake Conroe, October 1 – 21, 2011. This unique tournament allows the everyday angler to compete like a pro for the chance to win $100,000.

To participate in the tournament, interested anglers need to register and become a SCT member, and then fish on Lake Conroe any time between October 1 – 21, 2011 (the “Tournament Period”). A $100 contribution is required to become a member of the SCT and only pre-registered members will be eligible for the $100,000 prize. The member that catches the largest Toyota ShareLunker from Lake Conroe, during the Tournament Period, will win a cash prize of $100,000. A portion of the proceeds from the program will benefit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s youth outreach programs.

“The ShareLunker Club Tournament is a great way for anglers from throughout the state to fish for big time money at Lake Conroe, the home of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic,” said Dave Terre of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “Lake Conroe and the City of Conroe are incredible hosts of this event and we’re excited to start the ShareLunker season off with a bang. The funds raised from this tournament provide fishing opportunities for youth and their families through the Department’s Neighborhood Fishin’ Program.”

A Toyota ShareLunker, as defined by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is considered any legally-caught largemouth bass that weighs at least 13.00 pounds and is accepted into the Toyota ShareLunker Program. The contest will be limited to the first 1,000 anglers signed up, and anyone who signs up after Sept. 29 will be subject to a 48-hour grace period before they are eligible to participate. Visit toyotatexasbassclassic.com to download a registration form and submit the membership fee. In addition, anglers can submit their registration and membership fees at Roadhouse Tackle (936-856-3009) located at 1360 Cude Cemetery Rd. in Willis, Texas.

The 2011 SCT will kick off the annual Toyota ShareLunker Program across the state of Texas. The Toyota ShareLunker Program runs Oct. 1 through April 30 with the mission of promoting the catch-and-release of large fish and selectively breeding trophy largemouth bass.

The ShareLunker Club Tournament is the perfect lead-in to the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, which will be held on Lake Conroe, Oct. 28-30. The Toyota Texas Bass Classic will feature 50 of the best professional anglers in the world along with three days of concerts. The anglers will compete for three days for the undisputed world championship of professional angling.

The Toyota Texas Bass Classic tournament functions are operated by the Professional Anglers Association with technical assistance and support from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division. Title sponsor for the event is Toyota. Additional sponsors include Evinrude, IKON, Oakley, Carrot Stix, US Reel and Mustang CAT. Corporate partnership opportunities are available for 2011. For additional information, visit toyotatexasbassclassic.com or call 1-866-907-0143.

For more tournament information visit toyotatexasbassclassic.com

(August 2 Update)

Summertime Fish Kills Affecting DFW Area Lakes

Media Contact: Tom Hungerford, (817) 732-0761; thomas.hungerford@tpwd.state.tx.us

Fort Worth— As daytime temperatures remain above 100 degrees, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries biologist are getting more calls from concerned anglers and pond owners in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex regarding fish kills.

“Unless the weather pattern changes in the near future, we expect to see more issues with fish kills as August rolls in,” said TPWD Inland Fisheries biologist Tom Hungerford.

A fish kill has been reported recently at Kimzey Park in Colleyville, which is likely attributable to a combination of low oxygen as well as a blue-green algae bloom. Blue-green algae produce toxins which can kill fish. Also, an ongoing fish kill is occurring at Lake Ray Hubbard involving blue and channel catfish and freshwater drum. “Monday, July 25, we estimated 2,071 dead fish based on three transect counts between the dam and IH-30,” said Melissa Dudley, a Kills and Spills biologist with TPWD. Low oxygen is suspected but the investigation is ongoing.

Water is a very interesting medium: As the temperature increases, the solubility of gases (specifically oxygen) decreases. With this in mind, fish are more likely to die of low oxygen stress when water temperatures are elevated because less dissolved oxygen is held in warm water and the fish’s metabolic requirements for oxygen are increased as temperature increases.

With record high low temperatures coming in recent weeks, surface water temperatures are reaching new heights. Small ponds are getting into the mid-90s while larger reservoirs are pushing 90 degrees. Also, the drought is lowering lake levels. Without sufficient rainfall, boating access may become impacted by low water.

Boaters and anglers are urged to use caution when on the water. Stay hydrated, wear a PFD at all times and carry a cell phone in case of an emergency.

(July 26 Update)

Drought Impacts on Texas Reservoirs Mounting

News Release

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—Following the drought of record of the 1950s, Texas built dozens of reservoirs designed to maintain an adequate water supply should another drought of equal severity occur.

That time has come, and the coming months will reveal if those reservoirs are equal to the task.

The outcome is anything but certain. As shown by the thunderstorms that swept across extreme North Texas in early summer and boosted water levels in lakes around Dallas-Fort Worth, one exceptional rain event can go far toward relieving an exceptional drought, at least in the short term.

But we can’t control the weather, and only one other part of the state has been blessed with reservoir-filling rains since the drought began in earnest in 2010. “Heavy rainfall in the Rio Grande watershed in 2010 filled both Amistad and Falcon International Reservoirs,” said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries biologists Randy Myers. “Amistad is currently two to three feet below conservation pool, and Falcon is about 15 feet low. Angler access remains excellent at both. With the current drought, water levels in both reservoirs should decrease but not reach problematic levels this year.”

Everywhere else across the state, TPWD fisheries managers are dealing with what appears to have the potential to become the new drought of record. [For current information on drought status, visit the Texas Water Development Board’s web site.]

“Some Hill Country lakes have been severely affected by the drought,” said TPWD biologist Marcos De Jesus. “Lakes Travis, Buchanan and Canyon are nearing record lows. The biggest problem in this area is access as lake levels fall below the point where boat ramps are usable.” [The TPWD web site provides links to reservoir controlling authority web sites providing water level and access information for individual reservoirs.]

De Jesus suggests anglers consider switching to lakes with more stable water levels, such as Inks, LBJ, Austin, Lady Bird, Fayette, Bastrop and Walter E. Long. “All of these reservoirs provide excellent, diverse fishing opportunities with easy access,” he said.

Conditions are similar at Choke Canyon, Coleto Creek, Texana and Lake Corpus Christi, said TPWD biologist John Findeisen. “As water level decreases we lose habitat, and this concentrates the fish to the remaining available habitat and provides ample successful fishing trips,” he said. “Fishing reports from Choke Canyon, Coleto Creek and Lake Corpus Christi are good, with lots of bass and catfish being caught. Access is not a problem at this time, but anglers need to be aware of timber now at or just below the surface.”

West Texas and Panhandle lakes have been hit particularly hard by the drought. Lakes Baylor (near Childress) and O.C. Fisher (San Angelo) have dried up. “Lake Meredith is listed at zero percent capacity, though it still covers about 2,000 acres,” said TPWD biologist Charlie Munger. “Low water levels have concentrated the fish, so walleye fishing was very good this year. Unfortunately, golden alga has impacted the catfish fishery.

“Lake Alan Henry is the one bright spot in the High Plains, as it is about 86 percent full,” Munger continued. “A pipeline to Lubbock now under construction will be completed in 2012 and will greatly impact water levels, but right now the reservoir is doing well. Largemouth bass anglers reported good catches this spring.”

O. H. Ivie Reservoir, the leader in entries into the Toyota ShareLunker program the last two seasons, is at 24 percent capacity, but anglers are still doing well, according to Jerry Hunter, manager of Elm Creek Village Marina. “Ivie is 33 feet low, but we still have 17 feet of water over the end of our ramp,” Hunter said. “Fishing is pretty slow, which is typical of summertime, but we usually see at least one double-digit fish a week.”

Other Panhandle and West Texas reservoirs range from less than one percent capacity (E.V. Spence, near San Angelo) to 46 percent full (Oak Creek Reservoir, near Sweetwater). “High evaporation rates and abstraction for municipal water supply are taking a toll,” said TPWD fisheries biologist Mukhtar Farooqi. “However, low water levels concentrate prey species that sportfish can take advantage of, and by the same token, sportfish should be easier for anglers to locate. Anglers can also take advantage of low water levels to mark structures using their GPS units and then target these areas when water levels rise.”

Low water levels can actually be beneficial to reservoir fisheries in the long run, as pointed out by several TPWD fisheries biologists. “Long-term benefits come from the establishment of terrestrial vegetation along shorelines that will provide a nutrient boost when lakes fill again,” said De Jesus.

In the short term, lower lake levels do impact fish reproduction, said TPWD fisheries biologist Craig Bonds. “Degraded habitat will likely result in poor reproductive success for many sport and prey fishes,” he said. “However, one poor year class does not pose long-term problems.”

“When the rains do come and reservoir water levels are suitable, TPWD will stock fish to rebuild the fisheries, taking advantage of the new habitat created by flooded terrestrial vegetation that took hold when lake levels were low,” explained Farooqi.

TPWD’s five freshwater fish hatcheries are making plans to be ready to restock reservoirs when levels rise, but they are facing their own set of challenges due to the drought.

“So far hatchery operations have not been impacted,” said Todd Engeling, director of hatchery operations for TPWD. “Our ability to divert water for hatchery production is obviously a key factor in sustaining hatchery operations,” he added. “In general, hatchery operations are considered to be non-consumptive, since 95 percent or more of the water diverted is typically returned. If the drought continues, we will most likely see impacts first at the A.E. Wood Fish Hatchery in San Marcos, where our ability to divert water from the San Marcos River is significantly reduced as flows drop in the river. In most cases our facilities enjoy senior water rights [meaning they are first in line for what water is available], but as lake levels continue to drop, it is likely that we will see additional restrictions on our withdrawals.”

If hatcheries are unable to maintain their water supplies, emphasis will switch from producing fish for stocking to protecting the valuable broodfish that are held on the hatcheries year-around to produce the next generation of fish for stocking. Contingency plans are also being made to transfer broodfish from hatcheries without adequate water to those with better supplies should that become necessary.

A complicating factor is that reduced streamflows can result in increased salinity, making it more likely reservoirs or streams supplying water to some hatcheries will suffer from outbreaks of golden alga, which can kill fish.

Reduced water levels and higher water temperatures in streams and reservoirs also lead to lower levels of dissolved oxygen in water, which can also be fatal to fish. TPWD’s Kills and Spills Team monitors fish kill events and can be notified of fish kills at their 24-hour hotline, (512) 389-4848.

Rainfall in Texas historically follows a boom-and-bust cycle. That’s why the nearly 200 major reservoirs exist in the state, to catch and hold water to sustain us in the dry times between wet times. But since we never know when the next drought will come, how severe it will be and how long it will last, prudence demands making the most of every drop of precious water those reservoirs hold.

Remember that every time you start to turn on a faucet.

(July 19 Update)

Texas Launches Mandatory Boater Education, Additional Safety Measures

Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot

AUSTIN – A new state law from the recent legislative session will require mandatory boater education for more people in Texas starting Sep. 1, a move supporters say will save lives and make crowded waters safer.

According to a legislative report by the state’s Advisory Panel on Boating Safety, the primary cause of boating deaths nationally is drowning, with 543 in 2009, of which 385 were not wearing lifejackets, usually in rough weather or on hazardous water.

Changes to Texas laws targeting boating safety include: mandatory boating safety education certification for anyone born on or after Sept. 1, 1993 to operate a vessel with a motor of more than 15 horsepower or a wind-blown vessel measuring more than 14 feet in length. While all boaters are encouraged to take boating safety education, those born before Sept. 1, 1993, are exempt from required certification.

Previously, only 13- to 17-year olds were required to complete a boating safety course to operate a vessel without adult supervision.

Texas’ state-approved boater education course is available as a one-day, classroom training, as a home-study course or as an online course at www.boat-ed.com . The course takes about six hours to complete. Costs range from $13 for classroom course to about $25 for the home-study course. Information about boater education, including schedules of upcoming classroom courses, is available at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/boater_education/ .

Boaters falling under the boater education requirement will be required to carry a valid ID and documentation of having taken and passed a boater education course. Failure to meet the requirements is a Class C misdemeanor, and violators have 90 days to complete a boater education course to have the charges dismissed.

The 82nd Texas Legislature during its regular session clarified the definition of a vessel to encompass such craft as standup paddle craft, kayaks and canoes. In Texas public waters everyone onboard a vessel that measures less than 26-feet in length must have a life jacket available and kids under 13 must wear one.

(July 12 Update)

Cleveland Angler Sets New State Catch-and-Release Record for Alligator Gar

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—Joseph Williams of Cleveland, Texas, fishes the Trinity River below Lake Livingston dam about 30 weekends a year, trying to catch big alligator gar and release them alive.

In April he landed a 200-pound-plus monster that did not survive and became the rod and reel record for the Trinity, but he had a higher goal in mind: the state catch-and-release record, which requires that fish be photographed, measured and released alive.

On July 4 Williams succeeded, landing and releasing an 88-inch-long gar that he will submit for recognition as the new state catch-and-release record.

Williams is passionate about conserving these trophy fish, using a circle hook or small treble hook to hook them in the mouth. He fishes from a small, 14-foot boat that lets the fish tow him around without straightening the hook.

Williams’s fish topped the previous catch-and-release record of 80 inches caught by Leo Flores from Choke Canyon Reservoir in March 2011

(July 5 Update)

Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Season to Open July 15

News Release

Media Contact: Mike Cox, 512-389-8046, mike.cox@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN, Texas — The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season for both state and federal waters will open 30 minutes after sunset Friday, July 15, 2011. The opening date is based on an evaluation of the biological, social and economic information to maximize the benefits to the industry and the public.

In making its determination, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Coastal Fisheries Division used the best available scientific information including samples collected by using trawls and bag seines in TPWD routine data collection.

The purpose of the closed Gulf season is to protect brown shrimp during their major period of emigration from the bays to the Gulf of Mexico until they reach a larger, more valuable size before harvest and to prevent waste caused by the discarding of smaller individuals.

Federal waters (from 9 to 200 nautical miles offshore) will open at the same time that state waters will open. The National Marine Fisheries Service chose to adopt rules compatible with those adopted by Texas.

(June 28 Update)

Toyota Texas Bass Classic Field Takes Shape

ATHENS—We’re into the final stretch for anglers to qualify for this year’s Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Lake Conroe October 28—30, and it’s going to be a showdown on all three tours.

This month has three major tournaments on the three tours that send pros to the annual TTBC: the Professional Anglers Association Tournament Series, the Bassmaster Elite Series and the Walmart FLW Tour. It’s getting to be crunch time!

Before we take a look at the tours and current standings, let’s look at the TTBC and qualification process. The event is set this year the final week of October on Lake Conroe northwest of Houston. It is the only unification event in professional bass fishing and brings together 50 of the best anglers from the PAA, B.A.S.S. and FLW circuits.

The tournament is the world championship of professional bass fishing. No other tournament combines the top pros from the top circuits. After the PAA, B.A.S.S. and FLW tour-level seasons are over, the top 15 anglers in each league’s point standings receive invitations to compete. If invitations are declined or there are double-qualifiers—many B.A.S.S. and FLW pros compete in the PAA events—the positions will be filled until 45 anglers are confirmed. The defending champion, Brian Snowden of Missouri, receives an automatic invitation, and four other anglers are invited through special TTBC exemptions.

These 50 pros compete for two full days before the field is cut to the top 10 for the final day. This format ensures high-caliber competition with every pro working hard to make it to the final day, and then a final-day shootout for the TTBC world championship title.

Stretch run

Going into the final events of the three leagues’ seasons, the point standings chases are tight with just a few tournaments remaining to determine Angler of the Year titles and TTBC qualification.

The Bassmaster Elite Series wrapped up its season on Wheeler Lake in north Alabama on June 20 and was the first to establish its final points list.

The Walmart FLW Tour just completed a slamfest at Kentucky Lake, which meant bass out on deep ledges. FLW had to reschedule an event from earlier in the year due to weather and will wrap up its season in mid-July on Pickwick Lake in Alabama. That will be an incredible tournament. So there’s still some shuffling to come in the FLW points chase.

Also this month, the PAA Tournament Series is on Table Rock Lake in Missouri for its second event of the year. Its opener was in late March and, with scheduling amenable to the pros so they don’t overlap with the Elite and FLW seasons, the second event and the final tournament in August on Neely Henry Lake in Alabama, give the anglers two final opportunities in summer to qualify for the TTBC.

Point Standings

Here’s a look at the current point standings, in order from 1-15, in each league, with the top 15 and “bubble” (15-25) pros listed. Anglers on the bubble, in 15th-25th places, could move into qualifying contention in the next two tournaments in each league.

The Bassmaster Elite Series season wrapped up June 20 on Wheeler Lake in Alabama, so the top 15 pros are set in that league. Depending on who accepts their invitations, the names listed below are those who automatically receive invitations to the TTBC.

Elite Series: Kevin VanDam, Edwin Evers, Gerald Swindle, Ott Defoe, Steve Kennedy, Terry Scroggins, Casey Ashley, Davy Hite, Alton Jones, Keith Poche, Greg Vinson, Chris Lane, Randy Howell, Dean Rojas and Keith Combs

FLW Tour: Brent Ehrler, Tom Monsoor, Mark Rose, Jason Christie, Stacey King, Wes Strader, Andy Morgan, Mike Reynolds, Bryan Thrift, Scott Martin, Darrell Robertson, Stetson Blaylock, Dave Lefebre and Jay Yelas

Bubble pros: Shin Fukae, Shad Schenck, Rob Kilby, Koby Kreiger, Luke Clausen, Mike Auten, Cody Meyer, Brett Hite, Cody Bird, Terry Bolton

PAA Tournament Series: Paul Marks, Derek Remitz, Todd Auten, Aaron Martens, Tom Mann Jr., John Murray, David Hendrick, Nick Larson, Takahiro Omori, Doc Seger, Shin Fukae, Chris Brasher, Tommy Biffle, Troy Morrow and Brett Hite

Bubble pros: Douglas Jones, Lance Vick, Mike McClelland, Cody Bird, Kevin Hawk, Gary Clouse, Rusty Saleswke, Jared Lintner, David Smith and Joey Nania.

A minimum of $250,000 from the event will go toward a donation to benefit Texas Parks and Wildlife Department programs. In the past four years the Toyota Texas Bass Classic has provided $1 million to help fund TPWD programs like the Neighborhood Fishin’ Program, the Texas State-Fish Art Contest and other youth and urban fishing and outreach efforts.

For more information visit http://toyotatexasbassclassic.com/.

(June 21 Update)

Anglers to Target Grass Carp on Lake Conroe

Bow and rod-and-reel anglers will remove excess carp to aid native aquatic vegetation restoration

Media Contact: Craig Bonds, TPWD, (903) 566-1615, ext. 202; Mark Webb, TPWD, (979) 272-1430; Walter Blackburn, TBA, (210) 818-8447; Ron Gunter, TBFN, (936) 524-4413

ATHENS—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries staff has partnered with the Texas Bowfishing Association (TBA) and the Texas BASS Federation Nation (TBFN) to conduct a grass carp removal tournament on Lake Conroe Saturday and Sunday July 9 and 10.

The TBFN will be hosting a rod-and-reel grass carp tournament from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday, July 9, and be headquartered at Stow-A-Way Marina. They will be fishing from boats and limited shoreline areas lake-wide during tournament hours.

The TBA bowfishers will be fishing from 8:00 p.m. Saturday, July 9, until 8:00 a.m. Sunday, July 10. They will be launching and weighing in at Scott’s Ridge boat ramp. The bowfishers will be restricted to fishing only above (north of) the F.M. 1097 bridge. For bowfishers, several no-fishing zones will be in place adjacent to developed shoreline, and an idle-only area will be in place adjacent to Cagle Campground to reduce noise for overnight campers.

TPWD Inland Fisheries staff will be on site at both weigh-ins and during the event to count grass carp harvested. Both tournament organizers have been provided a temporary exemption to the prohibition against grass carp possession. This event has also been coordinated with San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) and the U.S. Forest Service rangers.

Triploid grass carp were introduced to Lake Conroe as part of an integrated pest management approach to control the invasive exotic aquatic plant hydrilla. Hydrilla has been successfully controlled. Now, many fewer grass carp are needed to keep re-sprouting hydrilla at bay. Over-abundant grass carp have damaged important native vegetation and become a hindrance to fish habitat improvement efforts.

“This event is an attempt to reduce the total number of grass carp in Lake Conroe to a number capable of preventing re-sprouting of hydrilla but which will allow us and our partners to better enhance important native aquatic vegetation for fish habitat and water quality improvement,” said Craig Bonds, TPWD’s Inland Fisheries regional director for East Texas.

"We have come to realize that grass carp are an integral tool in hydrilla management, yet too many grass carp can be detrimental to future recruitment of desirable fish species such as largemouth bass,” said Ron Gunter, assistant state conservation director for TBFN. “Native plants provide habitat and cover for newly hatched fish fry, and grass carp are programmed to consume aquatic plants."

TPWD fisheries biologists estimate approximately 32,600 grass carp remained in Lake Conroe as of May 31, 2011. This estimate is based on applying a scientifically-accepted annual mortality rate of 32 percent to total numbers stocked.

"The goal of this carp tournament is to help TPWD better determine the ’magic number’ of grass carp needed on Lake Conroe to keep hydrilla at bay while allowing native aquatic plants to flourish," Gunter said. "This tournament will be a challenge, as grass carp are not targeted on a regular basis, yet the event will be a shining example of how concerned anglers can work together with TPWD to bring environmental balance to a reservoir such as Lake Conroe."

"The Texas Bowfishing Association is proud to be a partner in this joint effort to remove excess grass carp from Lake Conroe. Bowfishermen have been an effective tool in removing fish of undesirable species from Texas waters for many years and are happy to assist in this effort also," said Walter Blackburn, president of TBA.

Fish habitat enhancement projects in Lake Conroe have been financially supported by grants from the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Toyota Texas Bass Classic.

(June 14 Update)

Let your kids brag about their huge catch—and have the state record to prove it

News Release

Media Contact: Mike Cox, 512-389-8046, mike.cox@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN – Getting credit for catching a record fish in Texas is easier than you may think, especially if you’re a youngster.

Better still from a conservation standpoint, you can hang a nice Texas Parks and Wildlife certificate on your wall instead of a mounted trophy.

“With school out and plenty of time for fishing, the department would like parents to know the chances of their kid becoming a record holder are really good,” says Joedy Gray, who runs TPWD’s Angler Recognition Program. “The odds are in a young angler’s favor because there are a lot of bodies of water in Texas for which no one has applied for a record yet.”

Junior anglers under the age of 17 are encouraged to set records in fishing holes around the state this summer. In areas where there is no existing record, fish must be at least the legal size. To record the fish, remember to find a certified scale location and have a measuring tape handy. For a list of locations with certified scales, visit the TPWD site at: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/programs/fishrecords/scales.phtml.

The Angler Recognition Program maintains state records for public and private waters including all lakes, rivers and bays. In addition to size records, the program recognizes other fishing achievements including first fish (for any angler, any age), big fish (for landing a trophy fish of any qualifying species), elite angler (for catching five trophy-class freshwater or saltwater fish) and outstanding angler (for a catch that does not fit other award categories but still deserves recognition.)

If a junior angler’s first fish turns out to be a state and water body record for weight and length and also qualifies for a Big Fish award then that youth is looking at six separate awards for their one fish.

If you are unsure of your fishing hole’s records, look them up on your phone with the program’s mobile record search at: http://tinyurl.com/texfish

For more information, visit the program’s site at: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishrecords/.

(May 31 Update)

Go Fish! Summer Events Held Across Texas

News Release

General Media Contact: Business Hours, 512-389-4406

Get your kids hooked on the outdoors this summer with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Go Fish! summer event series. Free fishing lessons for the young and young at heart will be hosted around the state at selected state parks throughout May, June and July.

Classes and demonstrations in areas such as basic casting, fish handling, fishing rules and regulations, and fly fishing are offered to beginners and seasoned anglers alike. Loaner rods and reels, bait and door prizes are provided at each event, but participants are encouraged to bring hats, sunglasses and water.

All Go Fish! events begin at 9 a.m. with lessons given through noon. A fishing license is not necessary to participate in these events. Families with children 5 and older are welcome, and accommodations are available for the mobility impaired. Each participant takes away a fishing fun pack.

Hundreds of children have caught their first fish through the Go Fish! program, formerly the Family Fishing Celebration. Last year, some 2000 people joined state park staff and volunteers at fishing events held throughout the state. This year has already seen 47 first fish caught through the Go Fish! program. Come on out and make your son or daughter’s catch our 48th.

For more information on specific Go Fish! events visit the event calendar at http://beta-www.tpwd.state.tx.us/calendar/go-fish.

(May 24 Update)

Free Fishing Day Set for June 4

News Release

General Media Contact: Business Hours, 512-389-4406

Texas is one of the best places in the nation for fishing and on June 4, you can wet a line anywhere in the state for free.

As part of Celebrate National Fishing and Boating Week, on Saturday June 4 local residents and visitors alike will be able to fish anywhere in Texas without a license. However, normal regulations concerning catch size and quantity still apply.

The annual national event is coordinated by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and coincides with the TakeMeFishing nonprofit organization’s free fishing days throughout the country.

To celebrate this year’s festivities TakeMeFishing will be hosting a week-long Facebook contest for “Memories on the Water” video submissions beginning June 2. The video submission with the most “likes” at the end of the week wins.

For details on this contest and other information visit the takemefishing.org site, or for hosting information visit the RBFF’s homepage

(May 17 Update)

Big Fish Stories Can Have Happier Endings

News Release

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—When Joseph Williams of Cleveland went fishing in the Trinity River below Lake Livingston dam April 14, 2011, he was prepared to catch a big fish—a big alligator gar, the biggest freshwater fish in Texas.

“I was out for a big fish,” Williams said. “I caught several and lost several that day. I had some that I couldn’t turn that broke off. I think they were bigger than the one I caught—I have sure seen bigger.”

But Williams did catch a 7-foot, 9-inch monster so big it had to be weighed at a truck stop, where it was officially recorded as an even 200 pounds. “We did weigh the fish on uncertified scales we know to be reliable that showed it to be 230 pounds,” Williams said, “but the truck stop scales only read in 50-pound increments, so that was the weight we had to use for the record.”

Williams hoped to release the fish alive and capture the state catch-and-release record for alligator gar, but it could not be revived when put back into the water. The fish is now the rod-and-reel record for the Trinity.

As big as it was, the fish was not the biggest ever taken from the Trinity or from other Texas rivers and lakes. The state record for rod-and-reel remains Bill Valverde’s 1951 Rio Grande catch weighing 279 pounds. In 2001 Marty McClellan set the state bow-fishing record for alligator gar with a 290-pounder from the Trinity. From the Nueces River in South Texas came the all-tackle record, a 302-pounder T.C. Pierce, Jr., found on his trotline in 1953. And fishing guide Kirk Kirkland reported a 9-foot, 6-inch 365-pounder in 1991 from the Trinity.

With their massive, armor-plated body and mouth bristling with teeth, alligator gar look prehistoric—and they are. Perhaps because of their fierce appearance, alligator gar have been feared and blamed for attacks on humans, though there are no documented cases. Still, they have been largely extirpated from much of their natural range; Texas remains one of their last strongholds.

Alligator gar are opportunistic feeders and consume primarily non-game species such as gizzard shad and freshwater drum.

Alligator gar management has progressed considerably in Texas since the 1930s, when the predecessor of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) actively attempted to exterminate alligator gar by electrocuting them with a hopped-up version of a modern electrofishing boat that temporarily stuns fish.

Currently Texas permits the harvest of one alligator gar per day with no minimum length limit. Bow fishing, rod and reel and trotlines are all legal methods for harvesting the limit of one fish per day.

The current regulation was put in place in 2009 due to the increasing popularity of fishing for the species and its high vulnerability to overharvest. “We are currently studying alligator gar population levels, what level of harvest is currently occurring and what level of exploitation might contribute to a population decline,” said Craig Bonds, a fisheries biologist for TPWD. “If we waited to see an actual decline, it would take decades to rebuild the population.”

“Mathematical models and TPWD research suggest that alligator gar are very sensitive to overharvest,” explains TPWD research biologist Warren Schlechte. “Even low levels of overharvest can have dramatic results. For example, harvesting 9 percent of the population annually instead of the 3 percent to 4 percent currently being harvested can result in a 53 percent reduction in population in 25 years, and it would take 50 years for the population to recover even with no harvest."

Alligator gar are long-lived fish that do not reach sexual maturity until the age of 8 to 10 years. Since most anglers prefer to harvest older individuals because they are larger, this can potentially reduce the number of fish able to reproduce and replenish the population. This is complicated by the fact that the damming of rivers throughout Texas has reduced seasonal flooding of lowlands, which alligator gar require for spawning.

It was concern for the future of the species that led Joe Williams to switch from bow fishing for alligator gar to rod-and-reel angling. “I don’t bow fish for alligator gar much anymore,” he said. “It’s more fun to catch and release them and catch them again. As long as you use conservation, and keep a sustainable amount there, either way of fishing for them is fine, but anything can be overdone.”

The big gar was the biggest fish Joe Williams has ever caught. For most anglers, a 100-pound-plus alligator gar will be the fish of a lifetime, and the desire to have a mount of the fish to hang on the wall has motivated many anglers to harvest fish. However, it is possible to have your fish and release it, too, by having a fiberglass replica prepared by a taxidermist.

In general taxidermists will need photographs showing the fish from different angles to show head width, girth and coloration as well as measurements of the total length, girth behind the head and pectoral fins, girth in the middle of the fish in front of the pelvic fins and girth in front of the anal fin.

“While it is legal to harvest one alligator gar a day, catch-and-release fishing with rod and reel is an equally exhilarating and more conservation-minded way to fish for alligator gar,” said Bonds. “Releasing fish after they are caught, measured and photographed will help assure these fish will have the opportunity to perpetuate the species and make it possible for present and future anglers to continue to enjoy the extraordinary recreational experience of bringing one of these incredible fish to hand."

If anglers intend to release fish, TPWD encourages them to use rod-and-reel methods that result in fish being hooked in the mouth. Examples include circle hooks or small treble hooks that can penetrate bone if set prior to the bait being swallowed. It is illegal to release fish after shooting them with lawful archery equipment.

“The history of wildlife management in the United States and Texas is replete with examples of species that have been saved from significant decline or extirpation by the actions of hunters and anglers who were willing to accept limits on their ability to take game in order to ensure that their cherished outdoor pursuits would persist for the appreciation and enjoyment of future generations,” said Dave Terre, chief of research and management for TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division. “We hope that anglers will agree with the need to protect and preserve one of Texas’s great iconic recreational treasures, the alligator gar.”

(May 10 Update)

Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame to Induct Long-Time TPWD Employee

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—David L. Campbell, a 45-year employee of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division, will be inducted into the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame at a banquet June 4 in Athens.

Campbell is currently the manager of the Toyota ShareLunker program, an angler recognition and selective breeding program designed to increase the size and frequency of trophy (13-pound or bigger) largemouth bass catches in Texas.

The ShareLunker program is TPWD’s most highly visible program, gaining more media coverage annually than all other TPWD programs combined. Campbell picked up the first fish entered into the program in 1986 (from Lake Fork) and most of the more than 500 fish entered since. He has contributed a great deal to the knowledge of how best to care for big fish and has communicated this information to the public through countless interviews with newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Coming as it did at the same time catch-and-release of big bass became the norm, the impact of proper fish handling on the conservation of trophy bass can hardly be overestimated.

Campbell started working for TPWD in 1965 as an assistant at the Lewisville State Fish Hatchery and worked his way up to hatchery manager at the Tyler Fish Hatchery and later the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. He has raised and stocked millions of fish in Texas waters including black bass, channel catfish, blue catfish, crappie, striped bass, hybrid striped bass, northern pike, walleye, peacock bass and several sunfish and forage species.

Under the direction of former TPWD Fisheries Director Bob Kemp, a former inductee into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, Campbell went to Florida in 1973 to collect Florida largemouth bass for experimental breeding and growth evaluation in Texas. Trials in private waters showed that Florida bass did well in Texas. TPWD began breeding and stocking pure Florida bass into public waters. By the early 1980s those efforts began to pay off. The 13.5-pound state record that had existed since 1943 was broken four times in six years.

The stocking of Florida largemouth bass into Texas public reservoirs elevated trophy fishing in Texas and earned Campbell the nickname ”Godfather of Big Bass.” Despite all the media attention he received, Campbell never forgot he was part of a larger team. “I realize that many, many other people have helped me with the program through the years, from fisheries researchers to other hatcheries,” he said. “This could not have happened without them. I am fortunate to be the person on the front end who picks up the fish and gets to see the angler become an ambassador for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.”

In November 1986, Mark Stevenson caught ShareLunker Number 1, a 17.67-pound bass out of Lake Fork that shattered all previous records, garnered nationwide media coverage and changed fishing in Texas forever. Stevenson named the fish Ethel, and she became a legend among bass anglers.

“More than 10,000 people came to the old Tyler Fish Hatchery to see that fish,” Campbell said. “They asked questions about us stocking Florida bass in Texas and talked about their desire to help Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with the program. It’s sometimes difficult to get the public to support something a state agency does, but anglers gave their support right up front.”

Campbell spent every night for a month trying to get Ethel to eat. The importance of the success of that effort is enormous. In part because that fish lived, a series of events took place that had a national impact on bass fishing and a huge impact on the Texas economy. Public support for bass fishing led to funding of significant improvements to the TPWD hatchery system, including construction of a state-of-the-art hatchery, ShareLunker care and breeding facility and visitor center—the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC). The plans for TFFC included a Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame from the beginning.

Ethel proved to be a fish that changed the world in many significant ways. After Campbell nursed her back to health, she was put on display at what was then the only Bass Pro Shops store in the world, in Springfield, Missouri, where she pulled millions of visitors into the store. There are now more than 60 present and planned Bass Pro Shops. Founder Johnny Morris credited Ethel with much of the success of the business, saying that she was the best thing that ever happened to Bass Pro in terms of getting people into the store.

In recognition of the contribution Ethel made to his business, Morris donated $650,000 for the construction of the Richard M. Hart and Johnny Morris Conservation Center at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, where the Hall of Fame banquet will be held. Bass Pro Shops donates millions of dollars annually to conservation projects nationwide, adding to Ethel’s legacy.

Campbell is untiringly modest about his achievements, preferring to give credit for his success to others. “What stands out more than anything else from the 25 years of the ShareLunker program is the cooperation from the anglers,” he said. “Anglers have been very supportive of the program.

They have learned how to care for their big fish, and they understand the objective of the program is to increase the number of trophy bass caught in Texas. If you don’t have the support of the people using the sport fishery itself, you haven’t accomplished anything.”

As the only manager the ShareLunker program has ever had, Campbell still personally picks up most of the fish from the anglers, driving 10,000 miles or more annually and working all night and many weekends to do so. “I have never met an angler who was mad about anything who had just caught a 13-pound bass,” he said.

(May 3 Update)

Toyota ShareLunker Program Winds Up Season 25

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—The Toyota ShareLunker season just concluded marked the 25th anniversary of the ShareLunker program. During that time 523 fish have been entered. The current season’s 19 entries was about two fish short of the long-term average.

Two entries set water-body records: a 16.03-pound fish from Lake Austin and a 14.94-pound fish from Lake Gilmer.

Nathan Peña-Alfaro’s 13.59-pounder from O.H. Ivie became the new junior angler state record largemouth bass.

Two entries were repeats. Toyota ShareLunker 522 this season from Lake Caddo was the same as No. 487 last season. Toyota ShareLunker 523 from O.H. Ivie was the same fish as No. 503 caught last year. Both fish were lake records when caught last season and still hold that distinction.

Four of the fish entered died and four spawned, producing a total of 255, 503 fry, the highest number ever produced during a ShareLunker season. After being raised to 1.5 inches, the offspring will be stocked into the lakes that contributed entries during the current season.

The season saw O.H. Ivie Reservoir tie with Sam Rayburn Reservoir for third place in production of ShareLunker entries with 23 each. Only Lake Alan Henry, with 25 entries, and Lake Fork, with 247, have produced more.

The season was somewhat unusual in that more than half the entries, 10 of 19, came in January and February. In an average season 10.5 percent of the entries come in January and 22.7 percent in February; this season 26 percent of the entries came in each of those months.

ShareLunker catches normally peak in March, with 42.8 percent of total entries having been caught that month. This season saw 31.5 percent of the season’s entries caught in March.

The sharpest decline in entries came in April. On average 16.2 percent of the fish entered are caught in April; this year saw only one fish, or 0.5 percent, caught during the final month of the season.

Following is a chronological summary of Toyota ShareLunker catches during the season. Toyota ShareLunker anglers will be honored at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens June 4.

December 15, 2010. Bobbie Gayle of Millersview joined a very exclusive club when she caught Toyota ShareLunker 505 from O.H. Ivie Reservoir. The 14-pound fish was Gayle’s third entry into the ShareLunker program, making her one of only five anglers to have achieved that distinction. O.H. Ivie continued its remarkable run of Toyota ShareLunkers begun last season.

Toyota ShareLunker 505 died December 23, 2010.

January 1, 2011. O.H. Ivie Reservoir continued to pump out Toyota ShareLunkers. Nathan Peña-Alfaro, a 15-year-old sophomore at Western Hills High School in Benbrook, caught Toyota ShareLunker 506, a 13.59-pounder that earned him the state junior angler largemouth bass record.

The fish was returned to the lake February 19, 2011.

January 15, 2011. Christopher Wright of Flower Mound caught Toyota ShareLunker 507 from O.H. Ivie while fishing in a tournament. The 13.83-pound bass was caught at 2:00 p.m. and by 2:30 p.m. was in the minnow tank at Elm Creek Village.

Toyota ShareLunker 507 produced 51,810 fry. Fry are raised to approximately 1.5 inches at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. Each lake that produces a program entry during the season receives a share of the fingerlings. No. 507 was returned to the lake April 14, 2011.

January 27, 2011. T.J. Nissen of Austin set a new lake record for Lake Austin with Toyota ShareLunker 508, a 16.03-pound bass that also ranks 23 on the Top 50 list of big bass caught in Texas.

Toyota ShareLunker 508 was returned to Lake Austin February 11, 2011.

January 30, 2011. Toyota ShareLunker 509 was caught from O.H. Ivie by Wimberley angler Terry Capps. The 13.01-pounder was O.H. Ivie’s fourth ShareLunker of the season.

Toyota ShareLunker 509 produced 63, 525 fry and was returned to the lake on April 14, 2011.

January 31, 2011. Falcon International Reservoir kicked in its twelfth entry ever into the Toyota ShareLunker program, a 13.22-pound fish caught by Ky Martin of Grandview, Texas. Toyota ShareLunker 510 became the fifth entry submitted in January, tying the current season for second in number of entries for the month with January of the 1991-92 season. The 1994-95 season saw the highest number of January entries ever, seven.

Toyota ShareLunker 510 was returned to the lake March 9, 2011.

February 13, 2011. Susan Dixon of Hawley, Texas, was fishing with O.H. Ivie guide and friend Jeff Walker when she caught Toyota ShareLunker 511.

Toyota ShareLunker 511 was returned to the lake April 7, 2011.

February 18, 2011. Falcon International Reservoir sent Toyota ShareLunker 512 to Athens, its second entry of the year. The fish weighed 13.84 pounds and was caught by Charles Hardin of DeSoto, Missouri.

Toyota ShareLunker 512 was returned to Falcon March 9, 2011.

February 19, 2011. Travis Lane Epperson of Lubbock caught Toyota ShareLunker 513 from O.H. Ivie. The fish weighed 13.55 pounds.

Toyota ShareLunker 513 was returned to O.H. Ivie April 7, 2011.

February 25, 2011. Billy Weems of Liberty Hill caught 13.21-pound Toyota ShareLunker 514 from Lake Austin.

Toyota ShareLunker 514 produced 24,998 fry and was returned to the lake on April 20, 2011.

February 26, 2011. Cody Erin Smith of New Braunfels followed Weems’s catch with a 14.28-pounder, Toyota ShareLunker 515, also from Lake Austin.

Toyota ShareLunker 515 was returned to the lake March 9, 2011.

March 6, 2011. Falcon International Reservoir produced its third Toyota ShareLunker of the season, its fourteenth overall and the twelfth entry into the ShareLunker program for the season.

Gene Patrin of Zapata caught the 14.16-pounder, Toyota ShareLunker 516.

Toyota ShareLunker 516 was returned to Falcon March 9, 2011.

March 9, 2011. Falcon International Reservoir continued to solidify its status as one of the prime big-bass lakes in Texas with Toyota ShareLunker 517, a 13.56-pound largemouth caught by Jason Shropshire of Cleveland, Texas.

Toyota ShareLunker 517 died March 13, 2011.

March 13, 2011. Toyota ShareLunker 518 came from Lake Fork. Ed Carter of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, pulled in the 14.25-pounder.

Toyota ShareLunker 518 was returned to the lake April 5, 2011.

Before the Toyota ShareLunker Tundra made it back to Athens with that fish, Robert Amaya of Robert’s Fish ‘n Tackle in Zapata called to report Toyota ShareLunker 519, a 13.37-pounder from Falcon International Reservoir caught by David Cosner of Austin.

Toyota ShareLunker 519 died April 8, 2011.

March 15, 2011. Toyota ShareLunker 520 was caught from Falcon by Todd Elrod of Fritch, Texas. It weighed 13.18 pounds.

Toyota ShareLunker 520 died March 23, 2011.

March 17, 2011. Gilmer Reservoir sent a new lake record largemouth bass to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) March 17. Thomas Milam of Pittsburg, Texas, caught the 14-pounder, Toyota ShareLunker 521.

Toyota ShareLunker 521 produced 115,200 fry and was returned to the lake on April 21, 2011.

March 18, 2011. Sean Swank of DeBerry, Texas, caught Toyota ShareLunker 522 from Caddo Lake. The 16.07-pound fish was the largest caught during the season, earning Swank Angler of the Year honors and a prize package worth $818. The package includes a G. Loomis NRX854C jig and worm rod, a Shimano ChronarchD1007 casting reel and 150 yards of moss green Power Pro super-braid fishing line. Swank will also receive a lifetime fishing license.

Toyota ShareLunker 522 is the same fish caught from Caddo last season by Keith Burns and entered as Toyota ShareLunker 487, when it weighed 16.17 pounds and became the lake record. It was returned to Caddo Lake March 27, 2011.

March 14, 2011. Faron McCain of Sweetwater caught Toyota ShareLunker 523 from O.H. Ivie, a 14.94-pound fish that proved to be the same as last year’s lake record, which weighed 16.08 pounds when it was caught by Jerry Bales of Hico and became Toyota ShareLunker 503.

Toyota ShareLunker 523 was returned to O.H. Ivie April 19, 2011.

(April 26 Update)

Critical Texas Bass River Named “Water To Watch” For 2011

Llano River Project To Help Save Guadalupe Bass, The State Fish of Texas

Media Contact: Tom Harvey/TPWD, 512-389-4453, tom.harvey@tpwd.state.tx.us; Ryan Roberts/NFHAP, 202-624-5851, rroberts@fishwildlife.org

AUSTIN – The Llano River in Texas has been named one of 10 “Waters to Watch” for 2011 in the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. The watch list doesn’t necessarily indicate waters in trouble, but points to those that will benefit from strategic conservation efforts to protect, restore or enhance them, thus providing models for good work elsewhere.

The 10 “Waters to Watch” represent a snapshot of voluntary habitat conservation efforts in progress across the USA. Regional Fish Habitat Partnerships forming throughout the country are conserving these waters under the National Fish Habitat Action Plan, an initiative begun in 2006 to avoid and reverse persistent declines in aquatic habitats that are essential for fish, wildlife and people.

In Texas, the Llano River project aims to protect and improve aquatic habitats of the Guadalupe bass, the State Fish of Texas. By rallying support around this popular yet imperiled species, the project is bringing together a wide range of partners to conserve the entire Llano watershed, including tributary streams that feed into it, as well as the upland hills and riparian riverbanks that affect water quality.

Guadalupe bass numbers have declined dramatically in recent years, partly due to changes in habitat. After eons of adapting to its stream environment, the state fish is at a disadvantage in modern-day reservoirs and in streams with diminished flow. However, the greatest threat to its continued existence is hybridization with introduced smallmouth bass.

The good news is many stream reaches throughout the fish’s native range remain relatively pristine and intact, despite steady human population increases in the region. However, projections of population growth, water demands, and land-use changes indicate these streams will soon be at risk. Like most of Texas, land within the fish’s native range is almost entirely privately owned, which makes effective collaboration with private landowners critical to the long-term conservation of habitats for Guadalupe bass and other native species.

The Llano project will protect and restore Guadalupe bass by developing a network of willing landowners interested in coordinated landscape conservation at a watershed scale. These actions will promote functional riparian and stream systems and emphasize the conservation of native fish communities and supporting habitats. The network is attempting to curtail or eliminate activities on the landscape that degrade water quality, reduce water quantity, degrade riparian systems, favor non-native species or fragment stream systems, while encouraging a wide array of sustainable land-use activities compatible with aquatic resource conservation.

The project has so far assembled more than $1.4 million in grants and donations from project sponsors, including the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Anheuser-Busch Corporation. With these funds, partners are starting to stabilize stream banks and reestablish native plants to prevent erosion and support functional riparian zones, remove or redesign road crossings that are barriers to fish passage or that alter natural fluvial processes in the river.

The Llano project will enhance instream structural habitat, including placement of root wads, log and boulder complexes that support sustainable populations of Guadalupe bass and other native fishes, plus upland grasslands restoration to support recharge of springs and restored hydrologic flows.

A key partner group is the South Llano Watershed Alliance, an organization of landowners and interested stakeholders whose mission is to preserve and enhance the South Llano River and adjoining watersheds by encouraging land and water stewardship through collaboration, education, and community participation.

Other project partners include: Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, Anheuser-Busch Corporation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy of Texas, Texas State University, Texas Tech University at Junction, B.A.S.S., FLW Outdoors, KT Diaries , World Fishing Network, Trout Unlimited, City of Junction, and USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.

The national “Waters to Watch” list was first unveiled in 2007 and in 2011 will feature its 50th project. Since 2006, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has provided $12 million to support 257 on-the-ground Action Plan projects in 43 states, leveraging $30 million in partner match, to address the priorities of Action Plan Fish Habitat Partnerships. Additional funds have been provided by several other State and Federal agencies and Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and industry partners.

“Our approach—teaming local, state, tribal, and federal agencies with private partners and stakeholders—is helping to bring these waters back to life in most cases, in a faster more strategic way,” said Kelly Hepler, Chairman of the National Fish Habitat Board. “By watching these 10 models of our nation’s aquatic conservation efforts underway, we can see real progress, in both avoidance and treatment of causes of fish habitat decline. Too often we have focused on treatment of symptoms with limited success. Through sound science and on-the-ground locally driven partnerships, these select Action Plan projects can be held high as a vision of what quality habitat should and can be.”

To see the complete “Waters to Watch” list for 2011, visit the National Fish Habitat Action Plan website.

(April 19 Update)

Sweetwater Angler Pulls Rare Trophy from O.H. Ivie: Toyota ShareLunker 523

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—Faron McCain of Sweetwater went fishing at O.H. Ivie Reservoir April 14 intending to catch a big largemouth bass on her spawning bed, and he did just that.

What he did not expect was to catch the same fish that was last year’s new lake record, when it was caught by Jerry Bales of Hico and became Toyota ShareLunker 503.

When Bales caught the fish last April 30, she weighed 16.08 pounds. When McCain put her on the certified scale at Concho Park Marina, an official Toyota ShareLunker weigh and holding station, she weighed in at 14.94 pounds.

“I didn’t know she even weighed 13 pounds and would qualify for the Toyota ShareLunker program, but she was a big fish, and I put her in the livewell and immediately took her to be weighed,” McCain said.

Each fish entered into the Toyota ShareLunker program is fitted with an electronic tag that can be read with a scanner, and most fish are returned to the lake after the spawning season. This season two fish have been recaught that were entered into the program last season. The other was from Caddo Lake.

Oddly, both fish are also the current lake record at their heavier weight.

McCain was fishing in 6 to 7 feet of water using an undisclosed lure. The fish was 22.25 inches in girth in 27.5 inches long. When caught last season those measurements were 23.125 inches and 26.5 inches, respectively. Girth measurements can change significantly depending on the stage of egg development.

The person who catches the season’s largest entry will be named Angler of the Year and will receive a prize package from G. Loomis valued at $818. The package includes a G. Loomis NRX854C jig and worm rod, a Shimano ChronarchD1007 casting reel and 150 yards of moss green Power Pro super-braid fishing line. If a Texas angler catches the largest entry of the season, that person also receives a lifetime fishing license.

For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass, a list of official Toyota ShareLunker weigh and holding stations and a recap of last year’s season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available.

Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers when available, is posted on www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram.

(April 12 Update)

Trophy Bass Survey Proves Lake Fork Still a Prime Destination for Big Bass

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS — Entries from Lake Fork into the Toyota ShareLunker Program have been overshadowed recently by reservoirs in other areas of the state, but the Lake Fork Trophy Bass Survey’s eight-year history shows that Lake Fork should remain on the list of any serious trophy bass hunter.

For the last eight years, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has been collecting information on catches of trophy bass seven pounds or greater or 24 inches or longer at Lake Fork. Through February 2011, the survey recorded 11,368 such fish. Anglers weighed 83 percent and measured lengths of 59 percent of these trophies. With an average of 1,421 fish over seven pounds every year, these numbers suggest the lake is still doing well. By comparing eligible fish encountered in creel surveys with survey results for the same days, biologists estimate fewer than 10 percent of actual catches are reported, making these results appear even more astounding.

Entries during the past 12-month period (961) were up 28 percent from the previous year. The proportions of various fish length groups have been surprisingly consistent from year to year, suggesting the size structure of the largest fish in the population has remained stable over the past eight years. In the last 12 months, proportions of trophies weighing and exceeding 10, 12, and 13 pounds were 15.1 percent, 2.2 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively. For the eight-year survey, the averages for these same size categories were 15.6 percent, 2.3 percent, and 0.6 percent. More than a third of all measured entries in the survey were longer than the upper end of the slot length limit, providing evidence that the 16- to 24-inch slot is functioning as intended.

In the 26-year history of the ShareLunker program, Lake Fork has produced 247 entries, at least one per year. Although not as prolific as in its heyday, Lake Fork has averaged between three and four entries each of the last three years. The last time Lake Fork produced more than 10 entries was in the 1996 season, when it contributed 21. For the following 11 years, entries averaged between six and seven. The lowest levels were observed in 1986, the first year of the program, and 2001, two years after a largemouth bass virus fish kill, when Lake Fork contributed one fish. Interestingly, 2001 experienced a poor showing statewide with only five fish entered into the program.

It’s apparent that Lake Fork’s production of ShareLunkers has slowed, but after 30 years the lake has descended from incredible to simply outstanding. It still has few peers, and none when viewed from a perspective longer than three years. Lake Fork has produced 47 percent of its ShareLunkers in March and 15 percent in April, so there’s still time this season to catch a trophy bass from the lake.

The Lake Fork Trophy Bass Survey began in March 2003 as a cooperative project of the Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association, the Lake Fork Chamber of Commerce and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Through this volunteer survey, anglers are encouraged to report catches of largemouth bass 7 pounds and heavier and/or 24 inches and longer to participating marinas on the lake. This unique survey provides TPWD with invaluable information not available through traditional monitoring surveys commonly used by fisheries managers.

Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program. For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass, a list of official Toyota ShareLunker weigh and holding stations and a recap of last year’s season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available.

Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers when available, is posted on www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram.

The Toyota ShareLunker program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota. Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and TexasParks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects.

(April 5 Update)

TPWD Finalizes Hunting & Fishing Regulations for 2011-12

News Release

Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopted hunting and fishing regulations for 2011-12 with relatively few changes. All amendments take effect Sept. 1, 2011.

Topping the list are regulation changes impacting turkey hunting, and potential alteration of some size and bag limits in waters shared with Louisiana.

Effective for the 2012 season, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is closing spring turkey hunting in the following 15 East Texas counties in response to low populations and harvest numbers: Cherokee, Delta, Gregg, Hardin, Houston, Hunt, Liberty, Montgomery, Rains, Rusk, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Tyler and Walker.

Closing spring turkey seasons in these counties will enable biologists to reassess Eastern turkey restoration efforts in areas having suitable habitat, restock sites and provide brood stock protection. The agency’s goal is to reopen hunting once the Eastern turkey populations in the affected counties are capable of sustaining harvest.

Also effective for the 2012 season, TPWD is delaying spring Eastern turkey hunting in the remaining counties having an open season by two weeks, to run from April 15-May 14 beginning in 2012. Biologists say the delay gives hens time to begin nesting prior to the season opening.

Beginning in 2012, hunters may harvest any bearded Rio Grande turkey during the spring season in all counties having a bag limit of four turkeys.

A cooperative effort between TPWD and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to standardize fishing regulations on waters shared by the two states also received approval by the TPW Commission, pending adoption of similar changes by Louisiana in June.

Waters affected by the agreement include Toledo Bend Reservoir, Caddo Lake and the Sabine River from Toledo Bend dam downstream to the Interstate 10 bridge. The proposal would also redefine the Toledo Bend Reservoir boundary from the U.S. Highway 84 bridge upstream to where the river and the state line diverge.

The amendments are intended to maintain quality angling and make compliance and enforcement uniform in both Texas and Louisiana jurisdictions, which should reduce potential angler confusion. Specific changes to existing harvest regulations on all three water bodies are as follows:

Blue and channel catfish — no minimum length limit and a 50-fish (in combination) daily bag, of which only five blue and/or channel catfish 20 inches or greater in length may be retained per day; for flathead catfish an increase in the daily bag limit from five fish to 10 fish.

Black and white crappie — eliminate the10-inch minimum length limit, and on Toledo Bend only, decrease the daily bag limit from 50 to 25 and remove the winter no-release restriction.

Bass — on the Sabine River below Toledo Bend Reservoir, current regulations would be modified to mirror harvest regulations for largemouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass, and white bass that are in effect on Toledo Bend Reservoir. On Caddo Lake, the existing daily bag limit for largemouth and spotted bass would be increased to eight, and the 14-18 inch slot length limit for largemouth bass would be modified to allow the harvest of no more than four largemouth bass 18 inches or larger. Also, the existing 10-inch minimum length limit for white bass would be removed.

Other changes to fishing regulations taking effect Sept. 1, 2011 include the following:

Wheeler Branch Reservoir, a new 180-acre impoundment in Somervell County that will open for fishing Sept. 1, 2011 will have a 14-21 inch slot length limit for largemouth bass; an 18-inch minimum length limit for smallmouth bass; and a five-fish per day bag limit for black bass (combined) including no more than three smallmouth bass and only one largemouth bass 21 inches or greater.

On Kirby Reservoir (Taylor County) and Lake Palestine (Cherokee, Anderson, Henderson, and Smith counties), the minimum length limit is eliminated for blue and channel catfish and a 50-fish daily bag limit, of which only five blue and/or channel catfish 20 inches or greater in length could be retained per day.

Establish harvest regulations for largemouth and black bass on Lake Kyle in Hays County, which is set to open to the public by mid-2012, including a 14-21 inch slot length limit for largemouth bass and a five-fish daily bag limit for black bass (combined), with only one largemouth bass of 21 inches or greater.

Alter bass regulations on Lake Alan Henry (Garza County) to implement a combination regulation of no minimum length limit for largemouth bass or spotted bass; a five-fish daily bag limit; a daily retention limit of no more than two largemouth or spotted bass less than 18 inches; and a 14-inch minimum length limit and five-fish daily bag limit for smallmouth bass.

Clarify that only natural bait may be used when fishing for red snapper by means of a circle hook to make state rules consistent with federal rules.

(March 29 Update)

Louisiana and Texas Working to Standardize Boundary Fishing Regulations

Media Contact: Dave Terre, (512) 389-4855; dave.terre@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—A cooperative effort between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) to standardize fishing regulations on waters shared by the two states is nearing fruition.

Waters affected by the proposed agreement include Toledo Bend Reservoir, Caddo Lake and the Sabine River from Toledo Bend dam downstream to the Interstate 10 bridge. The proposal would also redefine the Toledo Bend Reservoir boundary from the U.S. Highway 84 bridge upstream to where the river and the state line diverge.

“This agreement was achieved through diligent effort and amiable cooperation between members of our respective departments,” said Ross Melinchuk, TPWD’s deputy executive director for natural resources. “I believe this compromise will provide meaningful benefits to recreational anglers, enforcement staff and fisheries resources in both states as well as establish a solid foundation upon which to build future cooperative efforts.”

Differing regulations in the two states have long posed problems for anglers. The line between the two states follows the old Sabine River channel down through the middle of Toledo Bend and passes through Caddo Lake as well. An angler with a legal Louisiana catch who drifted across the line into Texas could be cited for violation of Texas regulations.

Texas and Louisiana inland fisheries staff began talks in mid-2010 to develop a suite of standardized regulations acceptable to anglers in both states. In general the current Louisiana length and bag limits are more liberal than the Texas regulations. The compromise regulation proposals generally call for length limits closer to the current Texas regulations while allowing bag limits nearer the current Louisiana regulations.

The proposed compromise regulations for Toledo Bend affect channel, blue and flathead catfish and black and white crappie. Proposed regulations for Caddo Lake and the Sabine River deal with those species plus white, yellow, largemouth and spotted bass. Regulations governing the harvest of black basses, striped bass and white bass on Toledo Bend were standardized previously.

“The original goal of regulation standardization was specific to Toledo Bend Reservoir, but we all recognized an opportunity to broaden our scope and incorporate Caddo Lake and portions of the Sabine River,” said Gary Saul, director of TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division. “During this process we utilized a mixture of available science and old-fashioned compromise to seek common ground. Agency personnel from both states brought a cooperative spirit to the negotiating table. The anglers we serve deserve nothing less than a complete resolution to this issue.”

Public hearings on the proposed regulations have been completed in Texas. The public can still view and comment on the proposed regulations online until March 30, 2011, at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/feedback/public_comment/proposals/201103_fish_hunt_proclamation.phtml. Information for Louisiana anglers can be found at http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/proposedregulations.

Public response to regulation proposals and final recommendations by TPWD Inland Fisheries staff will be presented to the TPWD Commission for approval on March 31, 2011. The LDWF is operating on a parallel track for gathering public comment and presenting their findings to their Commission. Target date for implementation of the new regulations in both states is September 1, 2011.

(March 22 Update)

Toyota ShareLunkers 521, 522 Come from Gilmer, Caddo

Caddo fish is a repeat from last season; Gilmer fish is new lake record

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

March 22, 2011

ATHENS—Gilmer Reservoir sent a new lake record largemouth bass to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) March 17, and the next day Caddo Lake sent the existing lake record largemouth to Athens for the second year in a row.

The Caddo fish is especially noteworthy since it was the biggest fish caught in Texas last season, and it moved into the lead again this year. At 16.07 pounds it tops a fish from Lake Austin that weighed 16.03 pounds. It takes over the number 20 spot on the Top 50 list of biggest bass ever caught in Texas and also ranks number 16 due to its previous catch, when it weighed 16.17 pounds.

Two fish caught this season now are on the Top 50 list, the Caddo fish and the Lake Austin fish, which dropped to number 23.

Catches of 16-pound or bigger fish are extremely rare. Only 25 have been reported in Texas. Two of those came during the current season and two last season. Prior to last season, no 16-pound or bigger fish had been reported in Texas since the 2001-2002 season. This is the sixth season that two or more 16-pound-plus fish have been caught. Three were caught in each of the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons; one of those was the current state record 18.18-pounder caught from Lake Fork in 1992.

Thomas Milam of Pittsburg kicked off the action March 17 about 2:20 p.m. when he caught a 14.0-pounder from Gilmer Reservoir on a pumpkinseed craw worm in four feet of water. The fish was 25 inches long and 21.75 inches in girth. It is new lake record, eclipsing the former record of 11.41 pounds caught in 2009.

Since 1996 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has stocked about 450,000 Florida largemouth bass into Gilmer Reservoir. It is likely that Milam’s fish was stocked into the lake in 2000 or 2001.

March 18 Sean Swank of De Berry, Texas, caught Toyota ShareLunker 522 from Caddo Lake. When the fish was scanned for a PIT tag (Passive Integrated Transponder) at TFFC, it was found to be the same fish caught from Caddo last year by Keith Burns and entered into the ShareLunker program as No. 487. At 16.17 pounds, it became the new lake record, which still stands, since the fish weighed 16.07 pounds when caught this year.

Burns returned the fish to the lake last year, as most anglers choose to do once the spawning season is over. Since the fish is less than 90 percent Florida bass, it will not be used for spawning but will be returned to Caddo Lake as soon as possible.

Swank becomes the new leader for Angler of the Year honors. The person who catches the season’s largest entry will be named Angler of the Year and will receive a prize package from G. Loomis valued at $818. The package includes a G. Loomis NRX854C jig and worm rod, a Shimano ChronarchD1007 casting reel and 150 yards of moss green Power Pro super-braid fishing line. If a Texas angler catches the largest entry of the season, that person also receives a lifetime fishing license.

ShareLunker program records include at least six fish that have been caught and entered into the program again. One fish, from Lake Alan Henry, was caught and entered into the program for three years in a row.

For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass, a list of official Toyota ShareLunker weigh and holding stations and a recap of last year’s season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available.

Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers when available, is posted on www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram.

(March 15 Update)

Texas Fish Records Program Sets Its Own Records

Media Contact: Joedy Gray, (512) 389-8037; Joedy.gray@tpwd.state.tx.us

March 14, 2011

ATHENS—For many people, second only to the thrill of landing a trophy fish is seeing one’s name go into the record book for the catch.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Joedy Gray is the person in charge of making that happen, and with the cooperation and enthusiasm of Texas anglers, he was very busy in 2010.

“My number one goal when I took over the Angler Recognition Program in 2002 was to increase angler participation, especially among youth, and it looks as if that is being accomplished,” Gray said.

Gray cites the following facts to support his claim.

In calendar year 2010,

1,223 catches of fish were submitted for awards, the most ever, beating the previous high of 913 in 2009;

1,731 awards were issued for these catches, beating the previous high of 1,383 in 2009;

64 Outstanding Angler awards were presented, topping the previous high of 51 in 2003 and 2004.

36 Junior Angler water body catch-and-release awards beat the 2009 high of 15;

16 Junior Angler state catch and release records beat the 2008 high of 10;

93 water body catch-and-release records topped 2009’s 57;

and 394 Big Fish awards for the year was just shy of the high of 400 set in 1994 and the second most ever

Gray is especially proud of the fact that the 356 First Fish awards was extremely high. The previous record was 73 in 2003. First Fish awards go to anglers who report catching their first fish ever, and more than a few go to adults.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recognizes not just catches of big fish but also fishing excellence through its Angler Recognition Program. The program maintains state record lists for public and private waters and water body records for all public lakes, rivers, and bays. The program also issues certificates for other types of angler achievements such as first fish, big fish, elite angler and outstanding angler. Information on awards categories and current records can be found on the TPWD web site at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/programs/fishrecords/.

For state and water body records, junior anglers (under 17 years of age) compete in a separate division. If a junior angler’s catch beats an all-ages record, the young angler receives recognition in both divisions.

The catch-and-release division is relatively new and is one of Gray’s innovations. “It’s often difficult or impossible to find a certified scale to get a weight on a fish, and sometimes fish die while the angler is looking for a place to weigh it,” Gray said. “That’s why we started awarding catch-and-release records, which require only a photo of the fish with a measuring device.” Catch-and-release allows anglers to take an active part in conserving fish by releasing them immediately after catching and photographing them.

Gray is also working to increase awareness of the program among youth, especially those who fish in salt water. “If anglers have their own certified scale, each bay system in the state has a number of youth records available,” Gray points out. And a catch does not have to be Texas-sized to qualify in a category with no existing record. “There is a minimum weight requirement of two ounces or 0.125 pounds for youth and an eight-ounce or 0.5-pound minimum for adults,” Gray said.

In all, 14,179 catches have been awarded 21,095 awards. Gray would love to make your name the next to go into the record book.

(March 8 Update)

Wanted: Spring Break Trout Anglers in Tyler

ATHENS—The Nature Center in Tyler has about a thousand rainbow trout that need a home on someone’s dinner table.

Each year trout are stocked into The Nature Center’s pond for fishing events in January, and they need to be harvested before water temperatures rise to the point the fish cannot survive.

During the Spring Break Trout Fest March 7—10, anyone may fish for free from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 noon only. No fishing will be allowed after noon. Youth under age 18 must be supervised at all times by an adult. No fishing license is needed. Up to five rainbow trout and one channel catfish per day may be harvested. Anyone intending to harvest fish should bring a stringer or cooler.

Recommended gear is a light-action rod and reel combination (one per child) with very small fishing hooks, light line (less than 12-pound test) small bobbers, and small split shots. For bait, use canned whole-kernel corn, small worms or prepared trout bait such as Berkley PowerBait. Small rooster-tail spinners work well, but single hooks are required on this type bait.

The Nature Center is located on FM 848 (Bascom Road) two-tenths of a mile west of University Drive (Spur 248). Enter through the iron gate and park in the designated area; a path leads to the fishing pond.

For information contact Craig Bonds at (903) 566-1615, extension 200, or Richard Ott at (903) 566-2161.

(March 1 Update)

TTF Acquires Jenny's Jigs

VICTORIA — TTF Fishing, a leading provider of inshore fishing tackle, today announced it has acquired Louisiana-based tackle manufacturer Jenny’s Jigs. Founded in 1998 by Bobby and Jenny Woodson, Jenny’s Jigs is widely known for their hand-tied crappie hair jigs and their innovative Shiney Hiney shrimp lure. Jenny’s Jigs joins Team Numark, Alameda Tackle Company and Salt Shaker Ventures under the TTF Fishing brand umbrella.

“Jenny’s Jigs’ innovative products are a perfect compliment to the TTF Fishing lineup of Killer Baits,” said Tal Cowan, President of TTF Fishing. “The Shiney Hiney shrimp is a fantastic inshore lure, and we plan to elevate this bait and all the Jenny’s Jigs products into the angling spotlight where they belong. You can use the Shiney Hiney head with all your favorite scented and non-scented baits, and it’s one of the best sight-fishing lures on the market.”

In addition to hand-tied crappie jigs and the renowned Shiney Hiney shrimp lure, Jenny’s Jigs offers spinnerbaits, buzz baits and a selection of soft-plastics. You can find Jenny’s Jigs products in many independent tackle shops throughout Louisiana.

TTF Fishing plans to release six popping combo packs featuring the Shiney Hiney head and shrimp pre-rigged under a popping cork. The Shiney Hiney head and shrimp will be available in six different colors in both 1/8- and 1/4-ounce offerings. Six replacement tail colors for use on the Shiney Hiney hand-tied head will also be available in late spring.

For more information about TTF Fishing and its sister brands, visit: www.TTFfishing.com. To learn more about the Jenny’s Jigs brand and its products, visit: www.JennysJigs.com.

(Feb. 22 Update)

Freeze Impacts hit Fish, Turtles along Entire Texas Coast

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN – Preliminary assessments by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department coastal fisheries biologists suggest the damage from back-to-back freeze events that impacted marine life from Galveston to Brownsville could have been much worse.

Forecasts of prolonged sub-freezing temperatures along the Texas coast during the first week in February had biologists bracing for major fish kills the likes of which had not been seen in more than two decades. A second, less severe freeze wave hit the Texas coast less than a week later.

Coastal fisheries populations suffered devastating losses during three freeze events in the 1980s, with combined estimates of more than 30 million dead fish. In the aftermath of the freezes of 2011, TPWD officials are breathing collective sighs of relief. Based on early findings, the total numbers of fish impacted will be above that seen during 2010 (51,000 fish killed along the mid and lower coast), 2004 (35,000 fish killed in the lower Laguna Madre) and 1997 (200,000-300,000 fish killed in the upper and lower Laguna Madre) freezes, but lower than the three freezes in the 80s (1983 and two in 1989).

Biologists suggest the total impacts from this year’s fish kill in terms of numbers appear similar to the freeze of 1997, but the species makeup is drastically different. During 1997, spotted seatrout, black drum and red drum comprised roughly 75 percent of the impact. During this year’s freeze, it appears more than 85 percent of the impacted fish are non-recreational species, like silver perch, hardhead catfish, and mullet. Of the recreational species impacted this year, black drum appear to make up a larger component with spotted seatrout, red drum, sand seatrout, sheepshead, whiting, snook, gray snapper, Atlantic croaker and gag grouper making up a much smaller percentage.

“It could be that most fish had time to escape to deeper water before the freeze hit,” theorized Rebecca Hensley, TPWD coastal fisheries regional director. “We didn’t see the beaches covered in ice and very large numbers of dead fish like during the ‘80s freezes.”

Hensley also credits reduced mortality on game fish to conservation measures taken during the freeze, including a temporary fishing closure in deep water thermal refuges and voluntary stoppage of barge traffic in the lower Laguna Madre and through the land cut in the upper Laguna Madre.

“We appreciate the conservation ethic displayed by anglers during and immediately after the freeze when these fish were vulnerable,” said Robin Riechers, TPWD director of coastal fisheries. “It definitely helped reduce fish mortality.”

The recent freeze also saw a huge jump in the number of cold-stunned sea turtles recovered and the high survival rates. More than 1,500 sea turtles were recovered thanks to a massive network of volunteers and state and federal agency efforts.

“There were people out on the water gathering turtles immediately once the freeze hit and that made a huge difference,” said Riechers. “Turtle survival has been fairly high compared to previous freezes.”

In past years for similar coastal freezes, cold-stunned sea turtles in Texas have typically been held in captivity to recuperate for weeks until sea water temperatures rose. But two factors prompted Texas wildlife workers to return turtles to the wild faster this time. First, experts in Florida who’ve had similar recent experiences with cold-stunned turtles advised returning them to the water as soon as possible. Second, the sheer numbers of rescued turtles overwhelmed available facilities, so that many were on floors or wrapped in blankets, and experts say it’s better for them to return to water as soon as possible.

Within days of rescue, sea turtles were returned en masse with volunteers forming assembly-line chains to shuttle turtles down to the water’s edge on beaches near Corpus Christi and along the South Padre Island seashore.

Biologists say they won’t know the full impact to coastal fisheries from the freeze until annual sampling surveys are conducted later in the spring.

(Feb. 15 Update)

Possum Kingdom Fishery Bounces Back

ATHENS—Possum Kingdom Reservoir appears to have largely recovered from the effects of an outbreak of golden alga that struck the lake in spring 2010, according to the latest fish surveys conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) fisheries biologists.

“Largemouth bass came through the golden alga outbreak fairly well,” said biologist Robert Mauk. “The largemouth bass electrofishing catch rate was 53.5 fish per hour, which is slightly up from 49.0 per hour in the 2008 survey. Most bass were below the 16-inch legal size limit and were found throughout the reservoir. Stocking has not occurred since 2005, so the smaller bass were all naturally produced despite the occasional golden alga problems.”

The majority of the legal bass, including four over 20 inches, were found on the main lake from Caddo Creek to the dam.

Mauk said there is an abundance of prey species in the reservoir, and the predator species such as largemouth bass appear to be taking advantage of it. “All bass were extremely fat, probably from feeding on the abundant gizzard shad population,” Mauk said. “The gizzard shad catch rate of 306.5 per hour was above the historical average of 287.9 per hour, and most shad were four to five inches in length. Bluegill numbers were down compared to recent surveys while all other species of sunfish catch rates greatly increased.”

The news for crappie anglers was good as well. Trap nets are used to survey crappie populations. “Possum Kingdom had the second-highest catch rate of white crappie at 5.7 fish per net and the highest catch rate for black crappie 0.6 at fish per net ever documented at the reservoir,” Mauk said. “Both catch rates are well above the historical averages. The populations had a good mix of all sizes from three to 12 inches, and body condition was considered excellent, especially for those over 10 inches.”

The majority of legal-sized crappie were caught in the upper reservoir near Rock Creek, mid-lake in Bee Creek and at the entrance to Bluff Creek.

Survey results on catfish were mixed, but Mauk says there are plenty of fish available. “Blue catfish abundance was slightly down from the previous survey but consisted of more legal-sized fish than in 2009,” he said. “The channel catfish catch rate was also lower than the 2009 survey. This year was the first time since 2001 that flathead catfish were sampled. The catch rates for all three catfish species was above the reservoir’s historical averages.”

Some catfish over 25 inches were captured in Caddo Creek and around Costello Island in about 30 feet of water. The Brazos River-Rock Creek area also had some nice catfish.

“The bad news of the gill-netting survey was the low numbers of striped bass sampled,” Mauk said. “Their catch rate was the lowest we have seen. Apparently, last year’s golden alga kill negatively impacted the striped bass population more than other surveyed species. A majority of those sampled were seven to 11 inches in length, so they were most likely stocked in 2010. We did sample two 26-inch fish, so there are some big ones available. We also sampled some hybrid striped bass in the reservoir which likely came from Lake Graham when it went over the spillway.”

White bass numbers were down from the 2009 survey but were higher than they were in 2007. “Numbers are good, and anglers should enjoy catching them,” Mauk said. “We found them throughout the reservoir before they started their spring spawning run.”

TPWD Inland Fisheries management crews sample reservoirs regularly to help biologists make management and stocking decisions. Electrofishing and trap net surveys are conducted in fall, and gill netting surveys are done in January on Possum Kingdom. Electrofishing surveys examine populations of largemouth bass and prey species such as sunfish and shad. Trap net surveys look at the black and white crappie populations. Gill net surveys monitor the catfish, white and striped bass populations.

If you have any questions, please call the Wichita Falls Inland Fisheries office at (940) 766-2383 or send an e-mail to robert.mauk@tpwd.state.tx.us

(Feb. 8 Update)

Falcon Chimes in: Toyota ShareLunker 510

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—Falcon International Reservoir kicked in its 12th entry ever into the Toyota ShareLunker program January 31, a 13.22-pound fish caught by Ky Martin of Grandview, Texas. The fish was 25 inches long and 20.5 inches in girth.

Martin caught the fish about 2:00 p.m. and took it to the official ShareLunker weigh and holding station in Zapata, Robert’s Bait and Tackle, to await pickup. Martin was pre-fishing for a Bass Champs tournament when he caught the fish and is not releasing details on the catch at this time.

The fish became the fifth entry submitted in January, tying the current season for second in number of entries for the month with January of the 1991-92 season. The 1994-95 season saw the highest number of January entries ever, seven.

And now for the rest of the story: The 1994-95 season holds the record for the most entries, 36, and the 1991-92 season had 33, tying for second-highest number of entries with the season just past, 2009-2010.

Time will tell what this means, if anything, about the total number of entries the program will receive this season.

For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available.

(Feb. 4 Update)

Coastal Fisheries Freeze Closure Extended

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us

Feb. 4, 2011

AUSTIN –The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has extended until noon on Monday, Feb. 7, the closure to fishing along parts of the coast to provide additional protection to the resource.

A list of affected areas can be found on the TPWD Web site www.tpwd.state.tx.us.

The fishing closure only affects those deepwater thermal refuges the department has identified and does not extend to boat traffic. All other areas will remain open to fishing this weekend, but anglers are reminded that fish may only be caught using rod and reel and it is illegal to pick up stunned or dead fish with a net or by hand at any location.

Anyone observing fishing activity in the closed areas during the freeze or taking fish by illegal means is urged to contact their local game warden office or call Operation Game Thief at 800-792-GAME.

“This freeze event has lasted longer than was projected earlier in the week and temperatures are not expected to get much above freezing today,” said Robin Riechers, TPWD coastal fisheries division director. “We realize an extension through the weekend may inconvenience some anglers and we appreciate their patience and cooperation, but our primary concern is to give fish holding in those thermal refuges a chance to recover.”

While fisheries biologists have observed only minor impacts to fish populations from the freeze thus far, there is growing concern about sea turtles along the lower Texas coast. As of 10 a.m. today, more than 400 cold stunned sea turtles have been recovered in Texas, mostly green sea turtles found in the lower Laguna Madre.

“Only a few more and this will be the most recorded during a cold stunning event since the STSSN (Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network) was established in 1980,” according to Donna Shaver, head of sea turtle science and recovery at the National Park Service’s Padre Island National Seashore.

Texas has about two million acres of bays and estuaries susceptible to freeze. There were three major freezes during the 1980s, including one in 1989 when the temperature at Brownsville dropped to 16 degrees Fahrenheit and an estimated 11 million fish were killed in the freeze event.

State health officials are reminding people not to eat fish that may have died as a result of the freezing temperatures. Fish found floating or on the shore may have been dead for several days and could cause adverse health effects if consumed.

Anglers and coastal residents can report any freeze related fish kills or large numbers of sluggish or cold-stunned fish by contacting TPWD’s Law Enforcement Communications office at (281) 842-8100 or (512) 389-4848.

Coastal Areas Closed To Fishing During Freeze Conditions

(Feb. 2 Update)

Temporary Fishing Closure in Place on Texas Coast During Freeze

News Release

Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, 512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us

Feb. 2, 2011

AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has issued a temporary closure to saltwater fishing along parts of the Texas coast to protect resources during freezing weather conditions. The closure takes effect at noon Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011 and extends through noon on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011.

In addition to killing game fish in shallow bay waters, a hard freeze can also cause surviving fish to congregate in a few deeper areas where they become sluggish and prone to capture. Those are the areas the department has temporarily closed.

"The high mortality that a freeze can cause may deplete fish stocks for years," said Robin Riechers, director of TPWD’s Coastal Fisheries Division. "Protection of the surviving fish during the few days when they are especially vulnerable to capture would likely shorten the time period for overall recovery of coastal species, especially spotted sea trout."

Texas has about two million acres of bays and estuaries susceptible to freeze. There were three major freezes during the 1980s, including one in 1989 when the temperature at Brownsville dropped to 16 degrees and an estimated 11 million fish were killed in the freeze event.

Coastal Areas Closed To Fishing During Freeze Conditions

Effective Noon, Feb. 2, 2011 through Noon, Feb. 5, 2011

County	Nearest City	Site Name	Description
Aransas	Aransas Pass	City by the Sea	All waters and canals of the City by the Sea subdivision west of the GIWW and a line beginning at a point on the entryway seawall (27° 57.08" N; 97° 06.05" W) extending across the entrance to a point (27° 57.04" N; 97° 06.06" W).
Aransas	Fulton	The Raquetball	All waters and channels of the Racquetball Club development Club west of line beginning at a point on the entryway seawall (28° 05.94" N; 97° 01.73" W) extending across the entrance to a point (28° 05.96" N; 97° 01.73" W).
Aransas	Fulton	Kon Tiki	All waters and canals of the Kon Tiki development west of a line beginning at a point on the entryway seawall adjacent to the end of the fishing pier (28° 06.04" N; 97° 01.49" W) extending across the entrance to a point (28° 05.99" N; 97° 01.49" W).
Aransas	Rockport	Bahia Bay	All waters and canals of the Bahia Bay subdivision west of the GIWW and a line beginning at a point on the entryway seawall (27° 57.63" N; 97° 05.66" W) extending across the entrance to a point (27° 58.65" N; 97° 05.66" W).
Aransas	Rockport	Cove Harbor	Entire harbor west of the GIWW and a line beginning at a point on the entryway seawall (27° 59.37" N; 97° 04.38" W) extending across the entrance to a point (27° 59.42" N; 97° 04.35" W).
Aransas	Rockport	La Buena Vida	All waters and canals of the La Buena Vida subdivision west of the GIWW and a line beginning at a point on the entryway seawall (27° 57.31" N; 97° 05.89" W) extending across the entrance to a point (27° 58.36" N; 97° 05.89" W).
Aransas	Rockport	Little Bay	All waters of Little Bay and connected waters west of Nine Mile Point on Key Allegro (28° 01.98" N; 97° 01.52" W), including Blevins Channel south of the entryway seawall (28° 03.05" N; 97° 01.87" W), Leggett Channel west of the entryway seawall (28° 01.80" N; 97° 01.84" W) and all canals within the Key Allegro and Harbor Oaks subdivisions.
Aransas	Rockport	Palm Harbor	All waters and canals of the Palm Harbor subdivision west of the GIWW and a line beginning at a point on the entryway seawall (27° 58.05" N; 97° 05.36" W) extending across the entrance to a point (27° 58.03" N; 97° 05.36" W).
Aransas	Rockport	Rockport Harbor	Entire harbor north of the entryway seawall and a line beginning on the entryway seawall (28° 01.19" N; 97° 02.89" W) extending across the entrance to a point (28° 01.19" N; 97° 03.00" W).
Aransas	Lamar	Sea Gun Marina	Entire harbor north of the entryway seawall and a line beginning Harbor at a point on the entryway seawall (28° 08.06" N; 97° 00.40" W) extending across the entrance to a point (28° 08.11" N; 97° 00.42" W).
Calhoun	Port O’Connor	Army Hole	The enclosed waters between the Matagorda Island State Park docks and Pringle Lake.
Cameron	Brownsville	Brazos Santiago Pass South Jetty	Gulf of Mexico from and including the Brazos Santiago Pass south jetty along the beach for one half statute mile and out from shore for 1,000 yards.
Cameron	Port Isabel	Point Isabel	Area from shore out to a line from the high point of the Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway on the northwest and the end of the old causeway on the southeast including the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway bounded by the Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway on the north and the Port Isabel Swing Bridge on the south. Does not include the adjacent canal in Port Isabel.
Galveston	Dickinson, Texas City	Moses Lake	From Moses Lake to the Tide gate, to include the navigational channel up to the northern shoreline of Dollar Bay (area corresponds to 29° 26.00" N to 29° 27.00" N). Dollar Bay and Moses Bayou are not included.
Galveston	Galveston	Offats Bayou	All of Offats Bayou east of Marker 22.
Matagorda	Matagorda	Matagorda	Entire harbor from the entrance to the Gulf ICWW.Harbor
Matagorda	Palacios	Shrimp Basin	Entire shrimp basin from the entrance to Matagorda Bay, including all turning basins.
Nueces	Corpus Christi	Padre Island	The area is bounded on the north by Packery Channel, on the subdivision west by the ICWW and on the south by a line drawn due east from the intersection of the New Humble Channel and the ICWW to the mainland (along 27° 35.25" N).
Orange	Bridge City	Entergy Outfall	Entire canal – from the mouth of the canal at the Neches River Canal to the power plant.
San Patricio	Aransas Pass	Conn Brown	Entire harbor north and west of the GIWW and a line beginning from the Harbor at a point on the entryway seawall (27° 53.96" N; 97° 08.09" W) extending across the entrance to a point (27° 53.82" N; 97° 08.13" W).
Willacy	Port Mansfield	Port Mansfield	Entire harbor from the corners of the bulkheads on either side of Harbor to the harbor mouth.

(Feb. 1 Update)

TPWD Asks Coastal Anglers to Assist During Freeze

News Release

Media Contact: Mike Cox, 512-389-8046, mike.cox@tpwd.state.tx.us

AUSTIN — With a major arctic air mass bearing down on Texas, coastal anglers are asked to be mindful of the impacts a coastal freeze event can have on game fish populations.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists and game wardens are closely monitoring the potential for a saltwater freeze along the Texas coast this week. If the situation begins to look severe enough, the agency may close certain fishing areas to protect the resource.

Meanwhile, by adhering to the regulations and practicing conservation during the freeze, anglers can help ensure a continued healthy future for Texas coastal fisheries.

Game fish, including spotted seatrout, red drum, sharks, snook and triple tail may only be taken by pole and line, and it is unlawful to take or attempt to take a fish with one or more hooks attached to a line or artificial lure used in a manner to foul-hook a fish (snagging or jerking). It is unlawful to collect stunned fish.

Texas has about two million acres of bays and estuaries susceptible to freezes. There were three major freezes during the 1980s, including one in 1989 when the temperature at Brownsville dropped to 16 degrees and an estimated 11 million fish died.

Anglers and coastal residents can report any freeze related fish kills or large numbers of sluggish or cold-stunned fish by contacting TPWD’s Upper Coast Regional Office at (281)534-0100 or the Lower Coast Regional Office at (361)729-2328.

(Jan. 25 Update)

Possible State Record Spotted Bass Reported from Lake Alan Henry

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) geneticist Dijar Lutz-Carrillo is conducting DNA analysis on a 5.62-pound bass caught from Lake Alan Henry January 15 to determine if it is a spotted bass.

If the tests are positive, the fish will become the new state record spotted bass, eclipsing the previous record of 5.56 pounds caught from Lake O’ the Pines in 1966.

The fish was caught by Erik Atkins of Lubbock in a tournament and measured 22.75 inches in length and 15 inches in girth.

“I was fishing in three to five feet of water with a shaky-head worm, looking for a fish coming up to feed on the rocks,” Atkins said. “I turned the reel two cranks and she took it.”

TPWD stocked 150 adult spotted bass from Alabama in Lake Alan Henry in 1996. “These bass are native to the Mobile Bay drainage in Alabama and were stocked experimentally in Texas since their growth rate is similar to largemouth bass and they live longer than the spotted bass known as Kentucky bass (Micropterus punctulatus) native to the Ohio and central and lower Mississippi River valleys,” said Charlie Munger, TPWD Inland Fisheries biologist for Lake Alan Henry. “Alan Henry has the only population of Alabama spotted bass (Micropterus henshalli) in the state.”

Kentucky spotted bass are commonly found in East Texas streams. “Since there is no way for anglers to visually differentiate between the species of spotted bass, they are both considered to be simply spotted bass for record purposes,” Munger said.

The lateral line on spotted bass is broken, and spots on their lower sides form rows of spots. The closed mouth of a spotted bass does not extend beyond the back margin of the eye. An identification guide can be found at http://archive.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/bkbass_diagrams.phtml.

Munger says a study of the spotted bass in Lake Alan Henry shows that there has been no hybridization of spotted bass with largemouth bass. “We detected no hybridization at all,” he said.

Following a quarantine period the fish will be placed on display at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

(Jan. 18 Update)

Toyota ShareLunker 507: Three in a Row for O.H. Ivie

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—Christopher Wright proved again Saturday, January 15, what has become obvious to anglers: O.H. Ivie is the hottest bass lake in Texas right now.

Wright caught Toyota ShareLunker 507 from the lake while fishing in a tournament. Using a swim bait, Wright was fishing in 75 feet of water when the 13.83-pound bass took the lure at about 37 feet deep. The surface water temperature was 46 degrees.

The fish was held for pickup at Elm Creek Village, an official Toyota ShareLunker weigh and holding station. The fish was caught at 2:00 p.m. and by 2:30 p.m. was in the minnow tank at Elm Creek Village. The fish measures 26.5 inches long and 20.5 inches around.

All three fish entered into the Toyota ShareLunker program during the current season have come from O.H. Ivie. Wright’s catch came one day short of a year since O.H. Ivie started a remarkable run of big bass catches on January 16, 2010. The lake has now produced 14 bass weighing 13 pounds or more in the last 365 days, including the current lake record of 16.08 pounds caught by Jerry Bales of Hico on the last day of the previous season.

The person who catches the season’s largest entry will be named Angler of the Year and will receive a prize package from G. Loomis valued at $818. The package includes a G. Loomis NRX854C jig and worm rod, a Shimano ChronarchD1007 casting reel and 150 yards of moss green Power Pro super-braid fishing line.If a Texas angler catches the largest entry of the season, that person also receives a lifetime fishing license in addition to all other prizes.

Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers when available, is posted on www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram.

(Jan. 11 Update)

O.H. Ivie Continues Toyota ShareLunker Streak

News Release – News Images

Media Contact: Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—O.H. Ivie Reservoir continues to pump out Toyota ShareLunkers. The West Texas lake produced Toyota ShareLunker 506 on January 1.

The 13.59-pound bass was the eighteenth ShareLunker from the lake and was caught by 15-year-old Nathan Peña-Alfaro of Benbrook. The sophomore at Western Hills High School was fishing in 14 feet of 43-degree water with a live sunfish.

The catch strengthens O.H. Ivie’s hold on fourth place among all-time producers of big bass in Texas, ranking ahead of such better-known lakes as Amistad (12 ShareLunkers), Falcon (11), Choke Canyon (13) and Conroe (16).

What is amazing about O.H. Ivie is that it has produced 13 of its 18 ShareLunkers since January 16, 2010. Only Lakes Fork (246 fish), Alan Henry (25) and Sam Rayburn (23) have had more entries into the ShareLunker program.

The big fish gave Peña-Alfaro a battle to remember. “I feel this tug, and I think I’m stuck, because it was just slowly moving with it,” he said. “All of a sudden my rod tip just went straight down, and I started reeling and set the hook. At first we thought it was just a nice fish, a nine-pounder or eight-pounder. She tail-danced probably 30 feet away, and we didn’t think it was that big. Then she came in to about 20 feet away and tail-danced again, and we realized the size she was. She dove under the boat, and my pole was hitting the boat and going under the boat.”

Peña-Alfaro’s stepfather netted the fish, and once she was in the boat they realized what they had. “I was speechless,” Peña-Alfaro said, “I was just shaking. But there was a lot of yelling and high-fives.”

For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see http://archive.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program along with pictures where available.

Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers, is posted on http://www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram. An article about O.H. Ivie and other hot bass lakes in Texas will appear in the February 2011 issue of Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine.

(Jan. 4 Update)

Texas State-Fish Art Contest Seeks Entries

Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center to Host National Expo in 2011

Media Contact: Zoe Ann Stinchcomb, (903) 670-2238, zoeann.stinchcomb@tpwd.state.tx.us

ATHENS—Student artists across Texas take notice: It’s time to start preparing your entries for the 2011 Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest.

The contest is open to all students in public, private or home schools and requires submission of a one-page essay and a drawing of an officially recognized state fish. Entry deadline is March 31 each year.

Contest rules, guidelines and entry information can be found at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishart.

Support for the Texas division of the contest is provided by the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, which makes it possible for the top three Texas entries in each grade level to win cash prizes. First place in grades 10—12 wins $1,000; second place $750; third place $500. Prizes in the 4—6 and 7—9 grade levels are $100 for first; $75 for second; $50 for third.

Additional support for the contest is provided by Strike King Lures, the William E. Armentrout Foundation and Friends of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

One outstanding piece of artwork each year is selected for the Art of Conservation Award, and a commemorative stamp featuring the artwork is produced for sale. Proceeds from sales of the stamp are used to fund conservation projects. In 2010 a drawing of a steelhead trout by Liberty High School senior Anh Thu Do was selected as the Art of Conservation winner. The 2011 winner will be unveiled at the national expo to be held at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center June 25, 2011.

Educators who wish to have their students enter the contest can download the free “State-Fish Art Contest Lesson Plan” at www.statefishart.com. The interdisciplinary curriculum includes lessons and activities, a species identification section profiling each state fish, a glossary and student worksheets.

Located in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, Wildlife Forever is a non-profit multi-species conservation organization dedicated to conserving America’s wildlife heritage. Working at the grassroots level, Wildlife Forever has funded conservation projects in all 50 states, committing millions of dollars to “on-the-ground” efforts. Wildlife Forever supports habitat restoration and enhancement, land acquisition, research and management of fish and wildlife populations.

Lake Calcasieu