My little community tank was covered in these today.

Not tagged or tended too must've been 20 of them covering the 10 acre pond.

My buddy said treat them like trash, they are illegal pull em in and throw them in a dumpster.

They seriously looked like trash. The pond looked like a dump with these everywhere.

I let em be bcs they are not mine....but next time I might trash em. Is it illegal if I do?

Does the pond/tank/lake have a rule against boats? is it catch and release only? If there are no gear tags you could always contact TP&W.

No rules about boats, it's not catch and release as far as I know.

However it's private property not a public lake.

Would wardens be able to enforce the tag requirements there?

If it is private, then talk to who is in charge and take pictures. You might be able to put a stop to it without throwing away somebody's gear and causing more finger pointing. 10 acres? won't be hard to find them. I would say that any gear that is not tagged is trash even when people say that you can't take another person's gear. How do THEY prove that it is theirs if you can't?

From http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/cfl.phtml

"Texas Community Fishing Lakes

A Community Fishing Lake (CFL) is a public impoundment 75 acres or smaller located within an incorporated city limits or a public park, or any impoundment lying totally within the boundaries of a state park. These small lakes are subject to special regulations on catfish and fishing gear. Many CFL's are stocked annually with channel catfish and/or rainbow trout. Visit our online stocking reports for a stocking history of your local lake."

Special regulations for community fishing lakes http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/action/fishregs2.php?water=cfl0

Specifically, this rule is in place: "Gear restrictions
Fishing is by pole and line only. Anglers may use no more than two poles while fishing."

If that's a community pond, then juglines are illegal, period. Call your TPWD office to get someone out there on it. If it's private property, the property owner can fish however he/she wishes.

Good stuff thanks Zeek

I would call it a target rich environment.

Update****

My buddy saw two guys retrieving the jugs yesterday.

They told him they were "just checking if there were any fish there"

I had dropped a marker on a spot I'd lost some gear on, just a small orange marker from academy. Had my name phone number and tx # on it.

They took it.

New policy for me: I find an illegal jug I cut it.

I'll show the same respect I was shown.

The GW is not going to show up and stake out my little local pond. I'll just clean up trash like I always do.

Just a little thought, if this is a private lake, someone owns it. If the individuals do not have land owner consent to fish there, it is a Class C Misdemeanor to "take or attempt to take wildlife resource without consent of the landowner" That is something the GW's can enforce.

Strictly not allowed in Community owned Lakes according to TPWD Read Regulations on Juglines in Texas.

I would be very careful not to cut their lines. Game wardens carry a gun for a reason and I do also. I had much rather keep mine concealed.

doubt it,sorry man,some people just don't get it !

at least they picked up the trash

I know a guy who did this very thing. What he didn't know is that a game warden had already seen the unmarked jugs and was watching for someone to pick them up. When my friend started picking them up the GW made contact with them. Of course my friend said well they aren't mine I was just cleaning them up because they're illegal. The GW told him there were two ways it could go. Either he believes that they aren't his and cites him for possesion of stolen property or he doesn't believe him and cites him for illegal jugs. The illegal jugs was a much cheaper fine so that's what he chose. And the GW DID give him a ticket.

Just something to think about before you "clean up the trash".

Ouch! An eye opener for sure.