Going After Giant Gar | Attractors Added to New Lake Ralph Hall | Bass Study Results | Auction for Game Wardens | Shark I.D. and More!



View as a Webpage [ [link removed] ]
Fish Texas header [ [link removed] ]
Go for That Gargantuan Gar
Alligator gar swimming, video link [ [link removed] ]

The alligator gar [ [link removed] ] is the largest freshwater fish in Texas – the current state record [ [link removed] ] is 283 pounds for a fish caught last year by Arthur Weston, a catch that broke world records [ [link removed] ] as well! 

The Trinity River has some of the world’s best fishing for huge alligator gar, so enter the drawing to harvest one from the Trinity over the 48" limit. Enter by Sept. 30 using the Texas Hunt & Fish app [ [link removed] ] (THF) or online [ [link removed] ] – there's no cost, you only need a Texas fishing license [ [link removed] ] to enter. See our press release [ [link removed] ] for details. 

Rod and reel is how most Texans fish for these megafish, and rope flies are surprisingly effective – learn more in the "Texas Parks and Wildlife" magazine story Gar on the Fly [ [link removed] ]. 

Your daily bag limit is 1, and alligator gar harvests must be reported within 24 hours using THF. Find all gar regulations in the Outdoor Annual [ [link removed] ]. And don't miss our 3 tips to catch-and-release large gar [ [link removed] ]. 

________________________________________________________________________



What’s New This Year

My Texas Hunt and Fish, video link [ [link removed] ]

My Texas Hunt Harvest is now called Texas Hunt & Fish and available as an app [ [link removed] ] or online [ [link removed] ]. Updates for the 2024-25 license year included an updated app interface and digital tagging enhancements.

A tag system for harvesting oversized spotted seatrout [ [link removed] ] went into effect Sept. 1, 2024. The tag allows harvest of one spotted seatrout longer than 28 inches. Daily bag limit is 3, with a minimum length of 15″ and a max length of 20″. 

For more information, see our short video Digital License and Tagging Information [ [link removed] ].



________________________________________________________________________



Bass Tracking Study Reveals Surprises

Female TPWD employee holds bass up

In 2020 we began tracking the habits of largemouth bass [ [link removed] ] in Toledo Bend and Lake Fork using radio transmitters. This was due to reports that anglers weren’t catching as many of these fish as they had in the past, despite healthy fish populations.

The study is complete, revealing many largemouth bass habits that can help you target them, including:


* The majority react to boat noise, and those over 20 inches were most likely to react to boat noise. 
* They stick to home areas and don’t migrate throughout a lake.
* Traditional target spots proved to be best, like drops, points, creeks and habitat structures.
* They become very wary if they sense an angler's presence.

“A big take home of this study is how important it is to be as stealthy as possible when fishing for largemouth bass,” said Inland Fisheries Division Tyler District Supervisor Jake Norman. Get Norman's stealth tips and more reveals from this study in our press release TPWD Completes Groundbreaking Bass Tracking Study [ [link removed] ].



________________________________________________________________________


Sunset angler with message Clean Drain Dry, link [ [link removed] ]
________________________________________________________________________



1 Billionth Fish Was a Red Drum

Boy holding fish in container, video [ [link removed] ]

This summer we released the 1 billionth hatchery-raised coastal fish, a red drum [ [link removed] ]. We operate 3 marine hatcheries, and each year we stock 20 million fish into Texas bays, estuaries and inland lakes.

Sea Center Texas [ [link removed] ] hosts tours of its hatchery and has regular events, including the Bull Red Run-A-Palooza [ [link removed] ] on Sept. 28. So if you're heading to the coast, be sure and stop by.

Discover more about coastal fish stocking in our magazine story Billionth Fingerling to be Stocked into Texas Gulf Waters This Summer [ [link removed] ].



________________________________________________________________________



Gear Up for Game Wardens Online Auction Oct. 1-3
Gear Up for Game Wardens, link [ [link removed] ]

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation’s 4th Annual Gear Up for Game Wardens Auction is Oct. 1-3!    

Here’s your chance to bid on dozens of excursions and exclusive items to lure any angler! Cast away on a coastal fishing trip or bid big on a wade along the beautiful Brazos. We also have tons of collectible YETI gear you can’t find anywhere else, and countless bragworthy finds tailor-made for Texas’ great outdoors.

Register online [ [link removed] ] or text GEARUP2024 to 243725

Auction proceeds provide program support to ensure Gear Up for Game Wardens can continue to get much-needed equipment in the hands of your Texas Game Wardens.

________________________________________________________________________



Fish Attractors Added to New Lake Ralph Hall

Fish attractors in a pile, video link [ [link removed] ]

A new lake is currently under construction in Fannin County, Lake Ralph Hall [ [link removed] ], and we did a massive fish habitat installation there this year. We also plan to stock it with largemouth bass, threadfin shad and other species. 

We installed 3 types of fish attractors: reef balls, spider humps and gravel spawning beds. We'll share the location coordinates with you via the Habitat Structure Viewer [ [link removed] ] in the future, so you'll be able to target these habitats once the lake fills.

Find out more in our magazine story With Eye on the Future, TPWD Builds Fish Habitat Before New Lake Is Filled [ [link removed] ]. And to see the attractors before they're submerged, watch our short video Lake Ralph Hall's New Fish Habitat [ [link removed] ].



________________________________________________________________________



Did You Know?

Shark on boat being checked by biologist, video link [ [link removed] ]

It’s easy to misidentify sharks. Review the list of prohibited shark species [ [link removed] ] and their distinctive features, so you can quickly identify protected sharks. If you’re unsure about the species, release it.

Find out more about the research we do about sharks in our short video Shark Survey [ [link removed] ]. 



________________________________________________________________________



"Messages from Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine advertisers:"

Return 'Em Right ad, link [ [link removed] ]
________________________________________________________________________


Turtlebox ad, link [ [link removed] ]
________________________________________________________________________


Marine Max ad, link [ [link removed] ]
________________________________________________________________________



"Fish Texas is made possible in part """by the generous support of Toyota. ""

Toyota [ [link removed] ]
________________________________________________________________________



Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe now [ [link removed] ] ⁠— it's free!



TPWD Home Page [ [link removed] ]  |  Buy A License [ [link removed] ]  |  Fishing Reports [ [link removed] ]  |  Fishing Regulations [ [link removed] ]  |  Toyota ShareLunker [ [link removed] ]

 






<!-- @media only screen and (max-device-width: 480px) { .mobile-footer .tablecell {border:none !important;} } -->

 

facebook [ [link removed] ]twitter [ [link removed] ]instagram [ [link removed] ]youtube [ [link removed] ]

*Texas Parks and Wildlife Department*

contact us <[email protected]>
update email account [ [link removed] ]
unsubscribe [ [link removed] ]


texas parks and wildlife [ [link removed] ]

You are receiving this message at [email protected] because you have done business with and/or signed up to receive email updates from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department [ [link removed] ]. Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe now [ [link removed] ] -- it's free!






________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department · 4200 Smith School Road · Austin, TX 78744 · 800-792-1112 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]