A good read

[FlyPelican]

This is a good discussion.

I'm all for sensible regulations that will preserve the resource for future generations. Like anything, everyone has different definitions of "sensible" based on perspective. For example, I get that more people make a living on the water these days and regulations I might consider "sensible" may not be viewed as such by someone who depends on the resource to provide a living.

I rarely catch limits of trout...can occasionally find a limit of reds...rarely find a limit of flounder (if ever). So to me, tightening up bag limits has little downside. I suspect (no data to back this up) that many recreational anglers fall somewhere close to this line of thinking.

I enjoy getting my gear ready...checking out the tides/weather, planning my trip, and getting out on the water either by myself or with good friends and acquaintances. It's one of the few times I get to spend where I don't think about the stresses life dishes out. Catching fish is always a bonus for me...but again, I make my living somewhere else.

Finally, I believe the good guides (especially the one's who actively support our little tribe here at WEA) will be able to carve out a living regardless of bag limits...because people like to fish and don't always have the means to do without a guide.

Maybe tightening up the limits "thins the guide herd" a bit...but it won't have as big an impact on that herd as a dwindling resource will.

My .02 cents...take it for that.

-FP

[lapesca67]

Changing limits is always emotional for some % of the fishing public. I grew up in Galveston and was one of those guys that once believed a successful trip was defined by a full stringer when I was an adolescent and in my teens.

Alot has changed since the 70's and 80's. As the capt. mentions in his data, our bays face a different level of pressure than they did in the past. The evolution of technology, boats that can get super shallow to google maps allowing for identification of features previously unknown to the general public, allows fishermen to access areas they could not in the past. I have raised my son to differentiate between "catching" and "keeping" when defining a successful fishing trip. His generation is more open to the concept than mine is and I believe it will continue to evolve.

For many of us on this board and others, fishing is part of our identity as individuals. We are the stewards of this resource. I believe that above any of our personal wants, we as a community want our bays to be filled with trout, redfish and flounder so that we can "catch" as many as are willing to eat whatever we are throwing, but "keep" a few because we enjoy eating them. Very few people on our waters today fish to feed their families and those that do are not fishing with guides or spending tens of thousands of dollars on boats and gear. The economics do not work out.

The numbers state we should keep less to catch more. We have more redfish today because we took this approach. We have more ducks today because we took this approach. Not sure why anyone would argue that trout should be viewed any differently.

[Kingfish Cowboy]

Changing limits is always emotional for some % of the fishing public. I grew up in Galveston and was one of those guys that once believed a successful trip was defined by a full stringer when I was an adolescent and in my teens...

For many of us on this board and others, fishing is part of our identity as individuals. We are the stewards of this resource. I believe that above any of our personal wants, we as a community want our bays to be filled with trout, redfish and flounder so that we can "catch" as many as are willing to eat whatever we are throwing, but "keep" a few because we enjoy eating them.
.

Agree 100%. My perception has evolved as I have gotten older. When I was younger it was about catching as many fish as possible. Now, it's more about the experience of fishing. I like to keep enough fish to keep my freezer stocked at home for the times I do want to fry up some speckled trout, blacken some redfish, or do a baked stuffed flounder. But typically after I catch this "quota", I practice catch and release until I need more fish to eat. I do look at our fisheries as a valuable resource that I want future generation to enjoy. I am trying to teach my young boys a healthy respect for the fish that I am teaching them to catch. We practice a lot of catch and release (after a few photos of course). I had a chance to show them this a couple of months ago after catching a 29.5" redfish (the one in my profile photo) that after several photos to capture the moment, I showed them how to revive the fish in the water and release it "so it could grow up and help make more redfish". I support regulations and limits that are based on science and are aimed at helping preserve our fisheries. It gets to be a more complicated discussion with species like red snapper where the recreational limits and season continue to get smaller, while commercial catches remain essentially unchanged.

[hacksaw]

Couldn't agree more. Here's a .05 nickel change. Thanks.

[dPop]

I will assure you the biggest contingency and loudest voices against lowering the limits at the TPWD scoping meeting were the guides. They claimed, and rightfully so, it would impact their livelihood as clients wouldn't pay their rate for a 5 spec limit but simply drive a hour and a half East to Sabine or Calcasieu and get 5x that amount. If you really think about it though, those that have the biggest impact on the fishery are those who fish it practically daily, the guides, more so than the recreational fisherman who's working 5 days a week.

As OP pointed out the increase in guide licenses, perhaps that number should be capped (although TPWD wants that revenue), or go to a bid/lottery system with some grandfathering provisions? The slot for guide boats could by tinkered with as well, and bag limit for clients only would reduce trip haul by 10 a day per guide. That's 3 million fish @ 1200 guides fishing 250 days a year. Just food for thought.

You do realize that on a guided trip that the bag limit is already for the clients only. The bag limit for a guided fishing party is equal to the total number of persons in the boat licensed to fish or otherwise exempt from holding a license minus each fishing guide and fishing guide deckhand multiplied by the bag limit for each species harvested. The guide can put fish he catches in the box but they go toward the boat limit for the party.

[Reef Drifter]

Good read , write up and comments

[kenny]

Steve Hillman's article is very good, and pretty much what I've been seeing.

Early this summer I went to TP&W and had a meeting with the guy in charge of the netting samples. He went over the gill net sample graphs of trout in West Bay over a 5 year period and this past year particularly. The samples showed a steep decline last fall and a steep increase this past spring. I told the guy that I saw the decline last winter, but really didn't see the increase this spring and summer, and what could explain such an extreme result. He said they "well we are using new software". He also said that the net samples had no trout over 25" and that he saw a lot of trout over 25" in the nets himself.

Are some people catching limits of trout this summer in one part of West Bay? Sure they are, but they're fishing long hours. I also see guides in other parts of the bay using croakers, fishing with three clients, coming in with not 30 trout but 8-10 fish total a lot.

What I don't understand is older guys that I know, who are excellent fishermen and who fish A LOT, keeping full stringers every time they go so they can put the pictures on social media.

[Spots and Dots]

Great topic and comments

Anyone who fished West Bay in the 90's would say we need to reduce limits.
After seeing what it has done in Port Mansfield I became in favor of it.

If you know anyone that actually keeps 3 limits of fish a week and feeds their family with it I would strongly urge them to do the following:
Take a sliver of the meat they are about eat . Put it in distilled water. Use it in a water testing kit you get at Walmart.
Share the results with a scientist or doctor.

I grew up fishing West bay and always will but people need to know what they are eating. There is a reason the consumption warning are on the upper coast. Besides we don't fish to feed our families. Keep some and enjoy . I do

[hacksaw]

Yeah Kenny, I won't be going back with that fellow I wrote about. Taking a limit every week, Saturday and Sunday, is rediculous. He goes to one spot. I wasn't brought up that way. I was satisfied with the fish I caught and still have 3 or 4 packages in the freezer. I'll go back at the end of September and into October, but I don't have anyone to give fish to, and it's just me and my wife, so I don't need many. If everyone who fishes W. Bay regularly caught a limit every time they went out, it wouldn't take long to fish it out. Live bait is too expensive to just drown it with nothing biting. Besides, I know where he goes, and maybe me and my friends might be there when he shows up. Not really, but...

[JT]

Steve Hillman's article is very good, and pretty much what I've been seeing.



What I don't understand is older guys that I know, who are excellent fishermen and who fish A LOT, keeping full stringers every time they go so they can put the pictures on social media.

I think its because it has to be "Facebook Official" for it to really count.....dude

[kenny]

I think its because it has to be "Facebook Official" for it to really count.....dude

I fish a lot but not a long time. I'm pretty much catch & release unless I want to keep a fish to eat. I run out, catch a few fish, and come home. I may go back out later the same day, catch a few fish (or no fish) and come home. I fish because it's fun and relaxing, and I love being in or on the water. Nothing better than wading green water, watching the day brightening before sunrise and busting some nice trout on tops or jigs.
I am ready for fall!

[kenny]

I think its because it has to be "Facebook Official" for it to really count.....dude

I fish a lot but not a long time. I'm pretty much catch & release unless I want to keep a fish to eat. I run out, catch a few fish, and come home. I may go back out later the same day, catch a few fish (or no fish) and come home. I fish because it's fun and relaxing, and I love being in or on the water. Nothing better than wading green water, watching the day brightening before sunrise and busting some nice trout on tops or jigs.
I am ready for fall!

[plugger]

I think the limits should be reduced and croaker as bait forbidden. Croaker are just too effective catching trout . If you really want to put a lid on it , make everyone use artificial lures ! The bays will be teaming with fish in no time . Seriously , a fee increase for saltwater licenses to discourage the less determined angler with the money being used for restocking is a thought . But , it runs counter to the concept of a family fishing trip to enjoy the salt outdoors . Those people aren't the problem . The frequent meat haul anglers do the major harvesting . Well , I know that I have been doing my part by not fishing much and when I do , by not catching anything .