There is No ‘I’ in ‘Speckled Trout’
LISTEN: (5 Min, 1 Sec)
WE’VE HAD SEVERAL MONTHS now to consider and reconsider, to hash and rehash the new speckled trout limits. To those of you who still consider the changes somehow unfair or ineffective or otherwise unsuitable to you—without consideration that their purpose is to rebuild and maintain this state’s trout population for the enjoyment of all licensed anglers—I say this: Come up with something better, stop griping…or stop fishing.
Having covered our state’s wildlife and fisheries now for nearly 40 years, I’ve gained solid insight into the department that oversees both and how it functions on our behalf. Additionally, I have friends who are closely tied to fishing and our fisheries, on professional levels, and they routinely help me fill in the blanks.
Three fish daily within a 15-inch to 20-inch slot. That’s hardly unreasonable given all the alternatives. And one of those three can be longer than 28 inches. (Those are rare fish, nearly so infrequent that I’d expect to see each of them being ridden by leprechauns in scuba gear.)
In September, there will come implementation of a $3 tag you can “spend” if you really, really want to kill a second giant trout and the leprechaun on its back. Which is unnecessary in any way or for any purpose; those fish deserve more than to be tossed into an oven, and skin mounts went out with the Hula Hoop.
During discussion of these changes on my radio show (weekend mornings on SportsTalk790 in Houston or on iHeartRadio) one weekend in April or so, Capt. Scott Null responded by email to a caller who wasn’t pleased with the way the regulation change impacted “my” fishing and “my” time on the water.
In his email, Null pointed out something quite telling about that statement.
Those who oppose the rules typically speak of short-term outcomes and the way they personally will be inconvenienced by the new regulation, Null wrote. The words “I” and “me” and “my” are littered throughout the lyrics of their sad little songs.
On the conservative side, among those who see this as an opportunity to rebuild the fishery so that it is braced to rebound from freeze or spill deep into the future, to keep the resource capable of providing entertainment and an occasional meal for generations to come…those folks talk of how the new limit will benefit “us” and “them,” meaning all anglers in the present and the future.
Fishing regulations, like everything else in the world, change. And it’s we, every time, who force those changes. When more people move into—or out of —an area, pressure on natural resources ebbs or flows in parallel. If somehow I woke up tomorrow and there were only 100 people licensed to fish the entire Texas coast—I sure hope my name’s on the list—limits could go up. Way up.
But because the opposite is almost certain in a country and world so smitten with Texas, lawmakers are compelled to plan for significant future pressure on this treasured, spotted resource.
If your blood is still boiling over the new limits, turn off the heat. Take a holiday from fishing and, while you’re missing it, try to look at it through less selfish eyes. Our wildlife and fisheries, collectively, belong to all Texans. But not a one of those fish belongs exclusively to you or me or anyone else. I’ve caught plenty of fish and never seen one with a tattoo that read, “Property of Doug.” (But how cool would that be?)
I’ve been a Texas fisherman for more than 60 years, and not once have I considered any hunting or fishing rule change severe enough to make me leave the outdoors. I love fresh trout prepared just so, but unless a fish is of legal length and on death’s door from injury during the fight, it gets free and gentle passage back into the water. Short, long, middle of the slot, 30 inches or three feet. All the same. Back they go.
By the time every fish I catch comes to my hand, they’ve given me all I could ask. The strike. The fight. The splash of water in my face for having embarrassed them in front of all their fish friends. In giving me all that, they earn a chance to put a smile on someone else’s face. And I hope the next fisherman is equally appreciative.
Rather than complain about change, be grateful we’ve still got enough fish to support a year-around season and that the new limit shines a strong, favorable light on the future of the state’s top saltwater gamefish.
Editors Note: See a complete description of the new trout regulations on page 28 in the TF&G Staff Report “Speck Regs: How Will New Limits Affect Trout Fishing.”
Email Doug Pike at ContactUs@fishgame.com
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