I am sitting at a spillway on the Trinity at California Crossing park near NW Highway and there are 2 guys here using a cast net. They just pulled out a largemouth about 2 pounds and put it on a stinger. This is killing me to watch. Is there a local ranger I could give a call and he would get out here quickly?!

800-792-4263 Call them NOW!


http://www.ogttx.com/

Here you go:
http://www.ogttx.com/reportpoaching.cfm

Call immediately! Dial toll-free, 1-800-792-GAME (4263), any time, day or night and provide the following information to the Texas Parks and Wildlife police communications officer:

the nature of the violation
the location of the violation
the name and/or description of the violator
a description of any vehicle or boat involved in the violation
any other important information which will assist in apprehending the violator

If you wish to remain anonymous, a code number will be assigned to you. You do not have to give your name if you do not want to. The more information you can provide at the earliest opportunity will increase the probability of and arrest and conviction.

Report illegal hunting and fishing – call 1-800-792-GAME (4263).
"This information will not be used for any purpose other than to attempt to apprehend the offender being reported."

Thanks guys, already reported it.

let us know what happens!

I had to head back to work, I was just there during my lunch break. I waited about 20 minutes after I called and no one had showed up yet. How long does it typically take for them to respond? The good thing is, the guys got in a small paddle boat and went down stream so I figured they would be there for a while. I was able to report their license plate number so that was a bonus.

I was given a case number and they said I could call to check on the report, but it could take up to 3 months to be filed.

Good work!

Even if all that happens is a check by the warden, you acted. Thats the first step in getting thing back the wa ay they should be, good job

A better question--Did you catch anything? are the sandies and or hybrids in yet?

i want to know the same thing.

I hope they get caught.

I know some use cast-nets to catch baitfish, which I respect.
But keeping game fish is wrong.

And Im tired of losing lures to abandoned cast-nets.
I probably lost about $100 worth of lures because of them, and its hard enough to get them back even with a chained lure retriever.

Dont worry,the disease they will contract eating the fish will serve them right.

Ever tried getting a net back that has been hung up in deep water? Pretty much impossible. Much more frustrating to lose a 50-$100 net than a lure imo. I have always tried to get my nets back, but have had no choice but to leave 2 different nets stranded.

i know how ya feel about the cast nets i dont have any problem with using for bait fish in fact i do that at times before i go catfishin but if i ever catch a game i throw it back. but i know how ya feel i dont like it when they take out game fish with the throw nets.

my question is..... how does one know that they are losing lures to an abandoned cast net vs some tree log?

Good Question Wilson

they are just practicing blackmagic before the creek run

I use 60# braid 95% of the time.
When I get caught in it, I try to wiggle off of it and use the lure retriever. After dozens of unsuccesful attempts, I give up and yank it out (hoping the net will break and not my line). The lure reaches the surface (with a cast net on its end). Half of the times, the lure will rip itself out of the net. The other half, my line will break and the net swallows the lure whole.

These abandoned castnets I find aren't in deep water (I fish from the bank). The water is 5' deep at most and found fish caught in them. Ive even seen 2 - 3# bass caught dead in them. From now on, I take a grapple hook with 30' of rope to yank them out if I should find one. From there, it goes to the nearest trash can.

That's what I thought folks who throw cast nets did. I use to throw cast nets quite a bit and I've got more than a few snagged but I get most if not all of the net back. May not come back whole, but I know the frustration of losing a lure, or worse a good fish, to a left behind net or anything else. Don't want someones else to feel that pain an my account. Carried a snagging hook on dacron wrapped around a pipe just for that specific purpose. Dragged out other nets and bunches of other things too. Felt good doing it!

I actually wasn't fishing, just watching hanging out on my lunch break. May try it after the next rain when the water is running good.

I had to leave that day and head back to work. The game warden called em when he got there and said the vehicle I reported was still there, but saw no cast netters. I'm hoping he ended up finding them.

Yep, I argee 100%.