You know anglers, I expect most everyone out there can read the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department “Outdoor Annual” as well as I can, but I think I need to hit a few highlights that some may be overlooking.
I am not trying to be facetious when I say there are size and number limitations to some of the fish being caught in our lakes, creeks and rivers, as well as on the coast in saltwater. There are exceptions and special size and limit number on a few species in different lakes. It may seem complicated, especially for those that have moved here from some other part of the country.
For instance, if a person may have recently moved to Texas from out of state, lets just pick one, and say Missouri. He may not realize that the minimum length for a crappie to be classified as a keeper is 10 inches, while Missouri has no size limit. The daily limit is 30 fish in Missouri, but here in Texas is 25.
I am not picking on Missouri in particular, but just pointing out that when folks come to this great state of Texas and decide to go fishing, they really need to read the instruction manual, that being the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) “Outdoor Annual”. Game laws and limits vary from state to state and even county to county, so lets all strive to be legal.
Crappie is undoubtedly one of the finest eating fresh water fish we have available to us, but if you break the cost down by the pound for the difference in taking a 10 inch crappie to eat, and keeping a 9 inch crappie to eat, and getting caught, believe me when I say the price per pound could soon surpass that of a new trolling motor.
There are always those who don’t care two bits about what the law says, or why, and will do as they well please. But, they will get caught sooner or later and I understand that the enforcement division of the TPWD, “Game Wardens,” as well as the judicial system are looking not too favorable at excuses offered by abusers of our natural resources of wild game, including fish.
Ignorance is not really a viable excuse either, because when you purchase your license you get one of the “Outdoor Annuals” and are suppose to read it. The “Outdoor Annual” is also posted on line at the TPWD website and is available as a free app for your phone. If you don’t have one it is your fault!
I read the new “Outdoor Annual” from cover to cover when I purchase my new license every year. I hate to do it almost as much as I hate to read the owners manual of a new car or anything else, but time and experience has proven unequivocally to me that if I don’t I am fixing to mess up, and it will cost me money to fix what I messed up. There is also not too much more embarrassing than to face a clerk or service manager after I messed something up, and have them state, “it says so right here in the manual”. Well the same holds true with the TPWD instruction manual, and don’t get yourself into a position where a judge has to tell you, “it says right here in the manual.”
I recently had occasion to speak to one of our TPWD game wardens and he said one of the problems he sees most consistently. nowadays, is some folks reading as far as the state general size limits on some fish, and stopping right there. If you read on a little further, you will find a chart that will cover most of the lakes, “reservoirs”, in our state. The size and bag limit may vary from the general state regulation, depending on what reservoir you happen to be on.
For instance, lets take Large Mouth Bass. The state wide bag limit is 5 and the minimum size is 14 inches. If you look on the scale under Lake Conroe, you find the limit is 5 and the minimum legal size is 16 inches. On Fairfield the minimum length is 18 inches. So if you are going to fish one of those it pays to know all you can about sizes and limits as they apply to that body of water.
I have only listed a few of the differences to the general state regulations that are there. If you go on line to the TPWD “Outdoor Annual” to the Exceptions to Freshwater Harvest Regulations you can find those there. I know it is a pain in the neck, but when heading out the next time, check out those exceptions and find out exactly what you need to be aware of, before you hit that body of water. It will save a lot of time, hassle of being illegal, and potentially some money.
The benefits will also be seen in the original purpose of the limits and regulations, and that is conservation, and the endeavor to guarantee we will have fish to catch tomorrow.
