| Author | Message | ||||||||||||
| Basshunter
Bluegill Username: Basshunter Post Number: 239 Registered: 1-2007  Rating: |
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission today approved a number of proposed changes to freshwater fishing regulations, including the state’s first measure aimed at protecting alligator gar. The prehistoric-looking predators can live as long as 75 years and are the largest freshwater fishes in Texas. The statewide regulation on alligator gar will change Sept. 1, 2009, from no length or daily bag limit to a one fish per day bag limit. The bag will apply to both recreational and commercial fishing. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Inland Fisheries Division Director Phil Durocher told commissioners that Texas has the best remaining alligator gar populations in the country. "We have a window of opportunity to sustain populations by limiting harvest to one alligator gar per day. It’s a good first step toward managing gar into the future," Durocher said. While research on the fish, which can grow to more than 250 pounds, is still in its early stages in Texas, biologists know that alligator gar are very long-lived animals and take a long time to reach sexual maturity, with females attaining an age of 12 years and a length of about 60 inches before spawning for the first time. Alligator gars also apparently require very specific spawning conditions, including flooded terrestrial vegetation or seasonally flooded backwaters. Current research being conducted by fisheries biologists in Texas includes investigations into size structure and year class strength in a mark-recapture study; a seasonal movement and habitat study on radio-tagged fish; and research that looks a the genetics of alligator gar populations as well as contaminants that may be present in the fish. Public comment on the alligator gar proposal was 167 comments against the department’s recommendation and 233 comments in favor of the regulation, with the majority of concerns raised by bow and commercial fishermen. Blue Catfish — Lake Lewisville (Denton County), Lake Richland Chambers (Navarro and Freestone Counties), and Lake Waco (McLennan County) Harvest regulations for blue catfish on these reservoirs currently consist of the statewide limits (12-inch minimum length limit and 25 fish daily bag limit). Changes approved by the commission consist of a 25 fish daily bag limit with a 30 to 45-inch slot length limit, and harvest of only one blue catfish over 45 inches would be allowed. No harvest of blue catfish between 30 and 45 inches will be allowed. Largemouth Bass — Lake Ray Roberts (Cooke, Denton, and Grayson Counties) The commission approved changes will make Lake Ray Roberts consistent with the statewide limits for largemouth bass (14-inch minimum length limit and five fish daily bag limit). Lake Texoma — Cooke and Grayson Counties Alligator gar -The commission approved a harvest closure in May to protect spawning adults in a portion of the lake that is within the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge and a portion of the lake upstream of the U.S. Highway 377 bridge to the Interstate Highway 35 bridge. Blue and channel catfish — The commission changed harvest regulations for blue channel catfish from a 15 per day bag limit to a 15 per day bag limit of which only one blue catfish 30 inches or greater may be harvested per day. | ||||||||||||
| Hawghunter08
Bluegill Username: Hawghunter08 Post Number: 105 Registered: 4-2005  Rating: N/A |
thats old news.... the blue cat limit is surely news... glad you could add that :-) | ||||||||||||
| Hawghunter08
Bluegill Username: Hawghunter08 Post Number: 106 Registered: 4-2005 Rating: N/A |
congrats at Amisted by the way... looked to be tough | ||||||||||||
| Ghost_minnow
Bluegill Username: Ghost_minnow Post Number: 241 Registered: 4-2008  Rating: N/A |
I'm about to start spending a lot of time learning Ray Bob. There's about to be some $$$ thrown around there in tournaments, in the very new future  That and the boat ramp is only 17miles from my driveway .I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Phil 4:13 | ||||||||||||
| Charles
Moderator Username: Charles Post Number: 1249 Registered: 7-2004 Rating: N/A |
I used to fish with a guide named Jim Walling and he would put us on some toads. Has any of the hydrilla grown back? | ||||||||||||
| Texfisher
Bass Username: Texfisher Post Number: 803 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
Haven't seen any hydrilla in a few years but I don't cover the lake like others. There may be some isolated spots that I haven't heard about. It's not like it was in the late 90's. My bass club webpage http://texbass.8m.com/ 
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| Picou
Wall Hanger Username: Picou Post Number: 3490 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
I look forward to fishing out there again. It has been since the early 90s that I fished RB.  Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish
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| Cameron
Minnow Username: Cameron Post Number: 13 Registered: 1-2009 Rating: N/A |
Protecting alligator gar? Why? Such a great sport fish...wth | ||||||||||||
| Redskeeter
Moderator Username: Redskeeter Post Number: 540 Registered: 8-2007  Rating: N/A |
RayBob is gonna go NUTZ.. Buy land NOW and build a nice No-Tell Motel w/a Beer joint and you'll get RICH by October 2009 LOL... I'm a visionary. Some one will do that very thing watch and see... KBD Fishing |
