On March 25, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission discussed changes to saltwater fishing regulations for 2021-2022 that included allowing the recreational-only use of crab traps in areas of Aransas County and clarifying red snapper bag limits. The following changes […]
TPWD Changes Snapper, Crab Trap Rules Read More »
14 additional reefs and banks are officially part of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS). As of March 22, 2021, FGBNMS encompasses 17 reefs and banks located approximately 80-125 miles off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. These banks are a combination of
New Reefs Added To Flower Gardens Read More »
Bridges are natural-born fish havens. Their pilings provide structure, they’re often built at choke-points where the current is accelerated, and those with lighting draw in fish after dark. If you wanted to improve the fishing in any given area, it
Three Tips for Fishing at Bridges Read More »
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission took emergency action to change the bag and size limits on spotted seatrout in the Upper and Lower Laguna Madre due to the coastal freeze and subsequent fish kill in Feb. 2021. The new regulations for
Trout Regs Changed In Laguna Madre Read More »
The U.S. International Trade Commission released its findings on the economic impact of the importation of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) seafood on the U.S. fishing industry. The report found that the U.S. imported an estimated $2.4 billion worth of illegal
Illegal Fishing To The Tune of $2.4 Billion Read More »
As climate change reduces the frequency and intensity of killing freezes, tropical plants and animals that once could survive in only a few parts of the U.S. mainland are expanding their ranges northward, according to a US Geological Survey study.
Study Says Snook, Other Species Moving Northward Read More »
Everyone knows about the Big Chill that beset Texas in mid-February. But not everybody understands the severity of fish loss on the coast. Most bay fish cannot survive the frigid temperatures Texas endured. And dead fish can’t talk. Numbers compiled
Coastal Freeze: More Catch-And-Release? Read More »
Cue the “Jaws” theme. A great white shark has been confirmed by officials with Ocearch, the satellite-tagging-based research group, to be swimming off the Texas Coast. Acadia, a 10 foot, 9-inch, 1,600-pound female, quietly pinged near Nansen, one of the big
Great White Verified Off TX Coast Read More »
Tuna was on the minds of the anglers on Galveston Party Boat’s The New Buccaneer and Capt. Matt Smith as they traversed the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico on a 30-hour offshore trip. But that changed quickly as
Orcas Captured On Video Off Galveston Raises Marine Mammal Awareness Read More »
Winter weather the week of Feb. 14, 2021 led to fish kill events on the entire Texas coast. If fish do not make it to a refuge in deeper, more temperature stable water during cold weather, they may die when water temperatures
Freeze Kills 3.8 Million Fish-Trout Hit Hard Read More »
As spring hits many anglers along the coast are going to have cobia fishing on their minds. Few fish are as exciting to catch and as tasty to eat. And, few baits are as likely to tempt them as live
5 Tips for Fishing with Live Eels Read More »
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted today establish a four-month no fishing closure at Western Dry Rocks, the most important permit spawning site in the Lower Keys. Conservation organizations celebrated the vote, which capped a year-long effort to
Permit Spawning Grounds Protected Read More »
The red snapper fishery and the regulations that regulate it have gone through more iterations in the past decade than the iPhone. It seems like each and every season, there are new regs, new gear you have to carry, and
Red Snapper Regs and Refreshers Read More »
With the recent Executive Order (EO), recreational fishing gear, bottom trawls, and pelagic longline are viewed the same as all other fishing gear when it comes to designating Marine Protected Areas (MPA). The EO, signed by Biden, calls for closing
Biden Order Closes Huge Areas To Fishing Read More »
I’ll admit right up front that I’m not a kayak fishing sharpie. I do enjoy kayak fishing, but more commonly set out on one of my boats. Recently I was fishing near a kayak angling friend, and observed him using
Back-Trolling in a Kayak Read More »
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is now taking public comment on the following proposed changes to the 2021-2022 Statewide Recreational Fishing Proclamation: Allow the recreational-only use of crab traps on docks and piers in some currently restricted areas
TPWD Seeks Input On Saltwater Regulations Read More »
The Coastal Fisheries Division of Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD), with assistance from the Law Enforcement Division, continues to assess the fish kills along the Texas coast due to the recent winter weather. Freezing events along the Texas Coast are
What is TPWD Saying About Fish Kill? Read More »
Recognizing the extraordinary impact of the recent winter storm, the CCA Texas 2021 S.T.A.R. Tournament will feature a significantly revised format. The speckled trout, flounder, sheepshead and gafftop divisions have been removed entirely from this year’s tournament. The 2021 STAR
CCA Makes Big Changes To S.T.A.R. Read More »
USGS researchers are studying the growth and success of nursery-grown transplanted corals in the Florida Keys; research that might help this population of the threatened species rebound. Reefs there have experienced significant coral loss in recent decades from coral bleaching,
Study Aids Coral Restoration Read More »
The Texas freeze kill event of 2021 is still unfolding. While it began early last week, warming conditions have revealed more fish, sea turtle and other wildlife deaths along the coast. So far the hardest hit areas around Lower Laguna
Coastal Freeze Kill’s X-Factor Read More »
