BAFFIN BAY
Reported by CAPT. GERAD MERRITT
Email Gerad Merritt at GeradMerritt@gmail.com
Visit Online: ParadiseGuideServices.com
Fallout of New Trout Limits
LISTEN: (3 Min, 46 Sec)
THERE ARE A FEW different ways to look at how effective the new sea trout regulations are on our beautiful Texas waters. My report is on the Baffin Bay area, and I am addressing that portion of the coast. Now that the new limits are set in place, we are seeing the impact of it.
We have started to see a slight economic decline in the area due to the new regulations. It has led to a downward trend in people traveling to the area to fish because they are deterred by the 3 trout limit. This change has affected everyone from bait shops to lodging and fishing guides.
Although there are many that blame the uptick in the number of guides along the Texas coast for the depletion of the trout population, this is not the sole factor in our area. There are now a large number of recreational fisherman running boats up and down the coast, as well as a greater number of pier and bank fisherman. In fact, many fishing guides try to be as conservative as possible when it comes to the trout population, as our livelihood relies on it. Our groups range from wade fisherman with lures, trophy trout fisherman, and families fishing live bait who enjoy watching their kids hook up to their first saltwater fish. The trips vary from catch and release to keeping the limit allowed. Each client is different, and we provide the service that is asked of us.
With that being said, I personally don’t agree with the slot size. My concern is that we are now putting pressure on a specific size of trout and depleting the number within that size range. With the trout we are seeing on a daily basis, the reasoning behind the size change does not add up. It would be better if TPWD put tougher regulations on applications for guide licenses and currently licensed guids, to eliminate those who do not pursue it as a career.
We were disappointed that TPWD did not offer a meeting in the Baffin Bay area, especially after they claimed we were some of the ones hit hardest after the 2021 freeze that impacted our bay system. The biologists they sent to the area used gill nets and relied on a small number of the local fishing population to establish their results and make their decisions. They also treated the entire Texas coast as a whole. Which seems highly unfair as each ecosystem and trout population varies throughout the entire coast.
The trips we can offer this season are still featuring plenty of personal best trout and redfish along with the occasional black drum trips. Let’s fish the known structures and shorelines that are indisputably harboring reasonable sizes and amounts of fish. Bait is working and becoming the choice on the south shore and out at the mouth of Baffin Bay. The back side of the creeks are still producing good drum numbers with red fish and the occasional trout on the bottom. The pier fishing is promising in the wind we’ve had, but timing is key!
We strive to be highly respectful of the resource as our livelihood relies on it. There is always controversy when it comes to the economic impact of stricter changes and managing wildlife. Don’t let the limits discourage you; fun is still here. The guides around Baffin Bay are dedicated, talented and still can put excellent memories together. That is what we strive to do and hope that families, companies, corporations, and just brother and sister groups are still willing to allow us to put memories in their fishing scrapbooks.
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