I normally carry my fish home in the boat livewell. If I'm reading this new zebra muscle rule correctly I can no longer do this because I'm transporting the fish in the same water they were caught in . Is this the way ya'll read it too?

Yes. Take an ice chest.

Thanks for reply. I'll have to pass that on to my fishing buddies cause I bet they don't know. News don't travel fast in East Texas. Having to carry an ice chest sounds like a good reason to start looking for a bigger boat. Wonder if she'll buy into that one?

What doesn't make sense to me is if you are in a bass tournament you can drive where ever ya want with them in your livewell. What is the difference in guys hauling bass to a weigh in somewhere and draining the water there and me hauling my crappie home and draining the water in my yard?

We are talking about our wonderful Government here. Not much common sense goes into any laws they pass.

in the bass turnys they are starting to have officals on the boat with the fisherman they mesure the fish weight it and release it no live well

in the bass turnys they are starting to have officals on the boat with the fisherman they mesure the fish weight it and release it no live well

The people that make these rules don't have one lick of common sense. They make fishermen drain their livewells at the lake, but there is no way for an inboard engine to drain all that water inside the engine before they hit the next lake. That's why they have to drain the block before winter every year.

Also, when I get home from fishing and I drain my livewells to get the fish out to clean them; that 30 gallons or so of water never makes it to any storm sewer or creek. The water evaporates in a matter of hours.

These people are fools!

Agree 100% with you AGSWON .

So as a minnow fisherman, I assume that if you change the water out in your bucket while fishing you can no longer take your minnows home. This is getting kind of stupid.

I'm all for protecting the environment, but this rule is impossible for a boater to follow. After draining live wells, bilges and lower units a small amount of water will remain in hoses, pumps and hulls. There is no way to eliminate every drop of water from a boat IMO.

Just finished reading about it SO WHEN THEY PUTTING IN WASH STATIONS at ALL the ramps ???? Just thinkn

I was talking with a Marine Biologist at the lake the other day, and he said a lake needs to have a high calcium content in the water for the mussels to grow. Has something to do with the make up of their shells. He said most East Texas lakes don't have a high enough calcium level in the water for the mussels to grow. I thought that was somewhat good news for parts of Texas.

I am still wondering who drains and dries and power washes all the darn cormorants ?

Would boiling them or frying them work? Should be an open season on them for duck hunters to get some practice.