My understanding is you can put the bait in water from the destination lake upon arrival and discard the transport water in a location where it cannot run into the destination lake, and still be within the law.
"Live fish, including personally caught live bait, cannot be transported from the water body where the fish were caught in or aboard a vessel in water from the water body where the fish were caught. Personally caught live bait can be used in the water body where it was caught."
Right off the TPWD website. Your understanding is incorrect. Please contact a Game warden for clarifacation before you get a huge ticket. You now have to have a receipt for commercially raised minnows to take to any lake or you risk a fine.
