RHSA and others

So, what are your associations and how do they work? Why do they exist? Is TPWD stocking not enough? Just curious is all.

I love my local lake of Bridgeport and i wonder if we should have something similar. Would like to give back to the lake in some way I guess.

The Ray Hubbard Assoc talked to the guys at Tawakoni that are in charge of their association. We all know what a great fishery Tawakoni is, big Hybrids and humongous Sandbass. We decided we would start a program like the LTSA and try to improve the fishing at Hubbard. We have not been at it long, starting on our 3rd year and we are just now beginning to see the growth from our work. Yes the TPWD stocks Hybrid fry but we are sticking fingerlings and the mortality rate is a lot better
Bottom line the RHSA is a group, which is always open to the public, is trying to make Hubbard as great of a fishery that Tawakoni is. We take donations, we sponsor family friendly tournaments, we have dock breakfasts periodically. At all of these there are prizes, giveaways, great food and most of all you get to network with all of the Hubbard regulars. We stay on top of the fishing. And don't mind sharing that information. When special events come up they are always posted here on the forum for everyone to be invited.
We would like to invite everyone that can make it to come out and see for yourself what a great group of guys and women represent the RHSA.

Interesting. So how many fish do you stock each year and at what cost (roughly)?

Someone has to help keep the lakes stocked when you've got professional guides doing this on a regular basis.

We are definitely going to start one up here and I've been talking to Oklahoma and Texas both on it.to answer the question on how much they cost fingerlings are roughly $.20-$.25 apiece and they are 2 to 4 inches long

Good for you Chris. Maybe you can get all the guides on Texoma to each kick in $0.25 each for every fish they kill during the year.

It's funny you say that Rex because we were thinking a lot more than that we were thinking more like a dollar each fish you kill because they have a 50% survival rate and 2 to 1 would be a nice gesture.I can't speak for everybody but I do know that me and the ones I know are going to donate.I have tried everything in my power to stay home by catching Sandbass and fishing for smallmouth and catching stripers I can and trying to release his many impossible but now the lake has went completely orange I'm just doomed and afraid I'm going to be forced to do it as well

Awesome idea.

Come on down Chris. Tawakoni would love to have you.

The question is, how does an organization like this get permission to stock whatever lake they choose? Who do you talk to? Bridgeport is a TRWD controlled lake. Do they give permission or TPWD?

The RHSA stocks 150k fingerlings at each stocking. So far we have had 2 stockings totally supported by the RHSA and again we have only been at it 3 years. Each stocking cost $10,000 dollars. Arkansas certified fish are suppose to be the heartiest and there are 2 strains of Hybrids. I do not know which one we order but one is suppose to be better than the other. We also try to coordinate the delivery of the fish with LTSA's delivery and we share that cost.
The TPWD dept. still stocks their annual or bi-annual amount. We are simply helping the process and in turn coaching members and friends on catch and release. There are plenty of sandbass in the lake to catch and eat.
I also think the state record or maybe it is the lake record is around 18lbs, so we know these 7-8 lb Hybrids that are being kept have a long growth period left in them.

This interests me also. I was first introduced to this type program when fishing with Matt C. at Twok. I quizzed him on it, and the concept seems good to me.

In for Bridgeport?

Maybe we can talk Keith, Jbobo and a couple of others into it as well.

My question is:
Do the stocking reports include the fish purchased by those 2 associations?

Yep, BPort, its handy at 17 miles away.

It has been my observation that guides rarely break the rules where as there are 1000's of individuals who do. If you are going to attack someone go after the ones who keep every fish, don't have a license and leave trash wherever they go.

Say what? dude, I am not blaming anyone. Don't bring drama in my thread. Thinking of a way to give back to my lake and other fisherman.

Yessir.

I'm gonna call JV and see if i can get some guidance. He is involved with RHSA pretty heavily.

10-4, I sent ya a PM

Very sorry txfour this was not directed to you in any way. I was responding to StreetWalker post not yours.

I actually had to look back at the posts to figure this out lol.....Thought you may have possibly been on the wrong thread

Ok, gotcha. Sorry.

No problem. What you are trying to do is exactly what all of us should do including me.
TPWD can only do so much. We are many they are few.
JV will be a great source of information as would any of the RHSA members.

We have hundreds of guys keeping every fish. The guides don't have much impact on Hubbard. Almost every guide on Hubbard is in RHSA and we all fish together every weekend. They contribute in many ways. I would like to see the game wardens hire "parking ticket like" fleet of folks to bust every idiot breaking the law. It could turn into a profit center for them and they could pay for more enforcement.

Not included.

Ditto to what Gene and Roy have stated. I live about Harbor Bay Marina. We've used the marina as home base for fundraiser events at my party dock and with the tournaments. We also use my neighborhood clubhouse for auctions after JV's annual sand bass fundraiser tournament. It's some work to raise the money but it's well worth the effort. A lot of us have written checks because we want to. There is no pressure to join us or donate. Everyone is welcome. I get asked at least once a week, "When is the next breakfast?" We have become such great friends through RHSA. We ask people to put their name and Forum handle on their name tags when we get together. It's great to put a name to a face. To have made this many new friends later in life has been a blessing to me. I mentioned in other posts this goes way beyond fishing and fundraising. We have a "safety net" for one another. If anyone needs anything we are all there for them. It's like a fraternity- only better.

Hey guys. I really need to keep a FAQs cuz ive been asked several times from folks at lakes across Texas regarding the hybrid stocking. Lol. First I have to give credit to mr. Joe Read from LTSA of Lake Tawakoni. Joe and his group got the stocking started in 2003 for twok. Joe explained the history and educated me for about an hour on the phone back in 2012. The state stocks our lakes much more but our clubs supplement as much as we can raise.

RHSA was started in summer of 2012. Our goal was/is to make our home lake a better hybrid catching lake because, simply, we all love catching hybrids! The more money raise the more fish we can buy.  The biggest challenges are to summon the anglers, coordinate and raise money by having fundraise events. In less than 4 years RHSA raised over $25k and stocked our lake twice, once in 2013 with 45k and 2015 with 48k of certified healthy fingerlings. Our next target stocking will be June 2017. The price per fingerling varies depending on the volume and freight cost. We commit to a stocking at every $10k raised.

We have an awesome group of men and women and kiddos at Hubbard who are very passionate about the sport and care for our lake's future. We even have several who donated and never been to Hubbard. Truly amazing! I feel so bless to know all of them. We are a blessed group!

To get started first, contact your lake Biologist and tell him/her your intention. Next, form a group and plan and coordinate fundraise events. I will say the fundraise will be the most challenging part, but also most rewarding because of the friendships made from many very gifted and diverse folks from all over who share  a common goal. I want to brag again that the RHSA guys are very talented, super friendly,  and from all spectrum of life. RHSA guys are the best!

LTSA and RHSA purchase from a fish farm in Arkansas.  The owner Mike is a marine Biologist also and is very educated, very respected by the park and wild life communities  and his peers (I found all that from goggle ) Mike is very professional and good to work with, a huge blessing to me

PM me if you have further questions. PS: My weekends are pretty hectic with son, wifes, and church activities. I may be slow in the replies.

Todd - President of RHSA 2014 to present

That's crazy

Lots of work went into RHSA getting off the ground. The research, creating the non profit, the fund raising and the stocking all are parts of what has made RHSA go. The friendships that has grown out of this have been wonderful. Water levels are up and our first babies are growing.

Thanks for all of the responses. Todd, PM coming your way.

Is there going to be a Ray Hubbard sand bass tournament this year? I've been looking for a notice but can't find one.

Hey Dennis and All, we will not have one this this year due to JV's busy schedule. It's a lot of work putting one together and JV did it for 10 straight years

But hope everyone makes it to the LTSA tourney. It's a great way to have fun, meet up with TFFers, and give back to our lake(s). RHSA will have one next year.