Did y'all see Thursday's Chronicle?

[Moonpie]

Sports/Outdoor section. Large article on flounder decline.

Don't mean to start a flame war but maybe gigging is causing too much harvest?

[Milkjug]

I think if you stay under the limits and gig only what you can eat or give to people close to you (in moderation) it is OK.

There are plenty of times I have felt like gigging but don't because I have a few in the fridge.

IMO the real culprits are, in this order....

1) Habitat loss. Less wetlands means less places for baby flounder to grow.

2) Commercial fishing. I saw 3 trawlers within a quarter mile dragging the GSC earlier this week. I'll bet it wasn't shrimp they were getting. Commercial gigging boats taking 50 a night can't help either.

3) Poaching. Man, some of these people must never work. Once the fronts start hitting I see tons of people, mainly certain ethnic groups, out bank fishing all day. I've talked to them and they will tell you about catching over 60 fish in a day. I've never seen them throw back ANY, regardless of size. TPWD needs to step up their warden coverage.

Flame on

[FlatoutFishin]

Sports/Outdoor section. Large article on flounder decline.

Don't mean to start a flame war but maybe gigging is causing too much harvest?

No way...I used to work a rig in Dickenson Bay. We had a day seine or what ever you call it. It was all legal and I helped drag it about 3 times on our crew boat. After seeing how many juvey flounder I got, more than shrimp. I said no more. It was like 5 to 1. I'm not a mathemathics wizard but shrimping does far worse than me and you poking one here and there. Now I really don't have aproblem with 10 on the catch side and 5 on the stab, but that's just me.

[WestEndAngler]

All valid points however if they make flounder a protected game fish then more than likely they will outlaw gigging...

It sucks because the commercial shrimpers get to ruin it for everyone else.

I go gigging often but never gig or excessively fill up stringer. In fact I've never harvested a limit of flounder...

[JT]

Ive changed my ideas over the past couple of years on gigging.
Heres the way I feel, to-wit:

1. So long as its me or a couple of my friends doing the gigging and they bring the cold beer, its ok.


2. Nobody else should be able to.

[caz]

TPWD needs to step up their warden coverage

.

[WestEndAngler]

Its the anglers responsibility to call Operation Game Thief to report crimes such as over harvesting... Take a photo of the person or boat w/ TX Numbers and call it in ASAP!

1-800-792-4263

[WestEndAngler]

Ive changed my ideas over the past couple of years on gigging.
Heres the way I feel, to-wit:

1. So long as its me or a couple of my friends doing the gigging and they bring the cold beer, its ok.


2. Nobody else should be able to.

LOL! Well just wait 1 week and we'll round up some flounder for a good cause!

[aqua pimp]

Flounder should have been made game status 20 years ago in my opinion. But with the Flounder populations way down I think thats fixing to change. In the last 5 years I have seen my catches go way down on Flounder. Years ago it was nothing to catch 5 or 6 Flounder while out Trout fishing, this was kinda of a bonus for us. Now, we are sometime lucky to see one. A few more during the spring and Fall run. Something needs to be done.
I know the bycatch from shrimpers could be the biggest reason for the numbers going way down, but, I also feel like gigging has taken a big toll over the years aswell. To me, you put 3 or 4 Flounder gigging boats in one small bay systen like Chocolate or Christmas Bay and you can basically cover every bit of the shoreline in one night. Thats alot of Flounder!
I don't want to see Flounder gigging banned because I myself still enjoy it aswell. Though I might do it 3 to 4 times a year by foot.
In my opinion I think commercial gigging should be done away with and maybe start out with smaller limits for recreational giggers.
I think we all agree something needs to be done to save our Flounder. Its going to be a tough decision by TP&W whatever they decide, but something needs to be done.

This is a touchy subject and has started a few wars on other fishing web sites. Again these are only my opinions.

AQUA PIMP

[WestEndAngler]

I hear yah on the gigging boats... I've never gigged from a boat it can be fun I'm sure but as you said your covering a lot of ground. I think that's why I like walking into a spot. If there are none there its oh well lets go back home and try under the lights for trout...

Anything in moderation is a good thing...

[FlatoutFishin]

Flounder should have been made game status 20 years ago in my opinion. But with the Flounder populations way down I think thats fixing to change. In the last 5 years I have seen my catches go way down on Flounder. Years ago it was nothing to catch 5 or 6 Flounder while out Trout fishing, this was kinda of a bonus for us. Now, we are sometime lucky to see one. A few more during the spring and Fall run. Something needs to be done.
I know the bycatch from shrimpers could be the biggest reason for the numbers going way down, but, I also feel like gigging has taken a big toll over the years aswell. To me, you put 3 or 4 Flounder gigging boats in one small bay systen like Chocolate or Christmas Bay and you can basically cover every bit of the shoreline in one night. Thats alot of Flounder!
I don't want to see Flounder gigging banned because I myself still enjoy it aswell. Though I might do it 3 to 4 times a year by foot.
In my opinion I think commercial gigging should be done away with and maybe start out with smaller limits for recreational giggers.
I think we all agree something needs to be done to save our Flounder. Its going to be a tough decision by TP&W whatever they decide, but something needs to be done.

This is a touchy subject and has started a few wars on other fishing web sites. Again these are only my opinions.

AQUA PIMP

I agree with everything your saying, I'm thinking limited boat gigging only during Summer months and dead of Winter,with lower gigging limits. I personally, don't think the rec fisherman is doing anything to hurt the population....I know I'm not!

[WestEndAngler]

I know I'm not and I'm a Rec Gigger... I don't get in a boat and target them and not taking anything away from them either cause I know I wanna try it from a boat... The key is taking a one man limit for 2 guys... I'm sorry but after the 10th flounder I would get tired of fileting or gutting. Keep what you need and let the rest swim away! Besides... 5 Flounder will last an individual for awhile... That's a month worth at least assuming you have Flounder once a week or okay maybe twice and your still 2-3 weeks in. I just cringe at those that don't vacum seal their catch especially when they leave them in the freezer for a year!

[FlatoutFishin]

Yeah, exactly. When I said rec fisherman, I didn't mean a gigger, just rod and reel. Just to clarify.

[WestEndAngler]

I know what you meant

[Milkjug]

It's kind of hypocritical, but I think gigging should be allowed, but only by foot.

Boats cover so much more water, including the deep wade-inaccessable mud that is the majority of the bay shoreline.

Giggers can only get the fraction of flounder in knee-deep or less water anyways, so I don't think it's too big of a deal.

I wouldn't mind a 5 fish limit, an increased minimum size, or a slot (get some of those small males out, and keep the big sows).

Not sure what I feel about a closed season...

Did ya'll hear about how they are having meetings to discuss changing the regs? Anyone going?

November 12, 2008 — Dickinson, Texas — Public Meeting - Flounder Regulations — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Coastal Fisheries Division hosts this public scoping meeting seeking input regarding potential changes to existing flounder regulations or strategies for managing the fishery. Input will be utilized in preparation of the Statewide Hunting and Fishing Regulation packet which will be proposed at the TPW Commission meeting in January 2009. Staff will present the most recent data trends regarding the flounder fishery. Held at the TPWD Dickinson Marine Lab, 1502 Pine Street (FM 517 East) at 6 p.m. For more information, contact Tonya Wiley at tonya.wiley@tpwd.state.tx.us or (281) 534-0131 or Art Morris at art.morris@tpwd.state.tx.us or (361) 825-3356. [Public Comment] [Events at the Same Site] [Events in the Same Region]