Guys, here�s some of my thoughts on why I feel we need to protect these fish.

Growing up I learned to fish from my dad. I remember him telling me stories about how good the fishing WAS in various parts of the state. How YEARS AGO they would catch large numbers of huge crappie from Belton Lake. How YEARS AGO they would catch white bass from various lakes and rivers in the state until they got tired of catching them. How YEARS AGO it was not uncommon to catch a 10 lb hybrid from Belton Lake. How YEARS AGO they would catch unbelievable amounts of catfish from the Brazos River. And how YEARS AGO they could catch huge amounts of fish at the coast. Unfortunately, all of these memories he speaks of were before I was old enough to fish with him. Now, for various reasons (low water levels, consecutive bad spawning years, and overharvest ect.) the fishing in these same locations is just not near what it was 20 - 30 years ago. I was never able to experience any of these amazing trips with him.

Now I have a baby girl that is almost a year old. I want us to protect our great fisheries that we have now so that one day I will not have to tell my little girl how YEARS AGO we could catch huge blue cats frequently on rod and reel. I want her to be able to enjoy great fishing 20 years from now, just like we do today.

These pictures are an example of 3 things to me.

#1 They shows what a GREAT fishery Lake Tawakoni is. Possibly one of the best bluecat fisheries in the nation.

#2 They show how much damage a small group of people can do to a population of fish in just 1 day.

The 3rd thing I see is selfishness and greed in these pictures. The smiles say it all to me. Yes, it was a great day fishing, but why kill all these fish so that nobody else can enjoy this great sport years from now.

I know most guys on this forum practice CPR, but to the ones that don�t, look at the pictures again and ask yourself, is a harvest like that REALLY needed, and if so please explain why to me. My PM box will be cleared for anyone that wants to confront me about this off the public forum.

Salsa posted that harvest like this happen every year on Tawakoni and TRH said he saw these same guys 3-4 weeks ago. Obviously, this is not the first time harvest like this have happened and I think most of us on the forum know that. How long can we go on with taking fish out like this before there are no more to take out?? Guys, please do you part to stop this, and TPWD, please give us some regulations to stop this, and then enforce it.

That is a fair question. And, I agree 100% no one on my team are biologists. I am not certain on the numbers but looking back through our website photos I count six or seven trips we actually took pictures of smaller blue catfish on the dock. On about 70% of our Trophy Trip's we do not keep any fish at all. And, on the other 30% of our trips we keep less than 10. I do remember, one trip in particular where the customers wanted to target smaller fish and we kept probably 50 or 60. But, also remember we are talking about being on the water almost every single day.

We have several customers who fish with is that are also TFF'ers...feel free to share your experience with keeping smaller fish while fishing with us.

Gents, what we need is an organized group to voice our opinions. Much like B.A.S.S. As an organized group our opinion would count for so much more. They may not be biologist, but the anglers who spend countless hours on a lake have a good feel for what the fish/population are doing. The biologist shock survey's are just a snapshot in time...they give an idea but with so many variables they can easily be flawed. How about CATS...Catfisherman Across The South! A collective group of experienced fisherman from throughout the South, who don't always see eye to eye but who all have a common goal! (Protecting & Growing) the sport of catfishing. I nominate, Steve Nelson, Mickey Petree, Cody Mulineux, Michael Littlejohn, Bankfisher, Parttime, Tiny, & Danny King to represent the TX office (even though Tiny is an Okie we'll let it slide) ALL IN FAVOR SAY IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

It might be time Smoky.

I believe the issue is not how many fish are being kept, but rather how many big, old, trophy fish are being kept. I believe I read a study from TPWD that states estimated growth rates of catfish. I cant find the article now but I recall it saying blue catfish are slow growers, until they get to a large size (I want to say it was around 20 lbs). As they get bigger and older they gain weight faster. The slow growth rate at an early age is the reasoning behind the slot limits on the 3 lakes. I think TPWD knows there are an abundant amounts of catfish in our lakes, which probably is the reasoning for them having a 25 fish per person limit. Im not sure TPWD realizes how many big fish are removed from our lakes, especially Tawakoni.

Numbers of fish ain't the problem guys, its the numbers of big fish we are looking at here. You cant grow 50 lbers overnight.

I do know the current world record Blue Catfish is 143 lbs and came from Buggs Island Lake in Virginia. I also know this is the current harvest restrictions on Blue Catfish in Virginia. "No minimum size or daily limit, except only one blue catfish per day per person longer than 32 inches."

And for the record, when I fished on Salsa's boat, I don't remember exactly how many fish we took home, but I do know it was less than 10 and the biggest was about 10 lbs.

I am a jug-liner. We set about 8 out every time we go to Tawakoni. I bait it with hot-dogs. We catch enough blues and channels to fill the freezer and then stop and pull the lines out. About 4 gallon bags last us a half year, and none of it goes to waste. There is no way that those guys in the pics listed are eating all that catfish. They have to be commercial fishermen. I bet if you followed them to their cleaning station, they just fillet them and throw them in bags and drive to the nearest restraunt that wishes to purchase the filleted meat. I think jug-liners like me are doing it right. For those of you who say "Why don't you just catch them on rod-and-reel"? I say this...we like to troll for hybrids and sand bass as well. Those are the fish we prefer to catch on rod and reel.

I can't help but ask the same question here though about the guides who keep all the big hybrids. There are only so many big hybrids in Tawakoni, and they have no natural reproduction at all, even though they do go through the motions. I know the LT Association stocks it every year with more hybrids, but how many of them make it past the fingerling stage with all the big catfish in Tawakoni? How long can Tawakoni sustain the huge number of fish that it gives up before the good fishing in non-existent for all species? You have already seen a decline in the striper population there...

I am going to spend $150-$200 in gas driving to and from Tawakoni including boat gas as well. I want to bring home some fish to justify spending that much money on a weekend trip to Tawakoni. Stay the night at the State Park, and that will add another $30 to the tab. Us people that don't live on the lake, fish it every day of the year, and rely on it to make a living...just want some freezer fish. I agree the pics you posted are overkill...and then I see guide picture with a party of 4 and there is a limit of hybrids all 6 pounds and up (20 fish), and a ton of sand bass and catfish sprinkled in...who does more over-harvesting?

We will have around 30 people their spring break and we will catch lots of fish . All on rod & reel . All the fish we catch will be divided up. We will have 6-8 boats in the water. Any fish that is over 10lbs get put back in the water. Been doing this for last 6 or 7 years . And we will never hurt the lake like what these guy in one week end . Big 10 are you going this year?

Jug lines and trot line aint helping the problem either.Our #'s here are way down

Juglines and trotlines aren't the problem. Over-harvesters and commercial fishermen are the problem.

Daaang. I don't know anything about the guys in the pic, but I'm sure not going to vilify them or attribute motives and intent to them when there is no basis. They might have been fishing for a family reunion fish fry. But seems there are plenty on here ready to get a short rope and look for the highest limb. Those guys could easily post a pic or two from this forum of ice chests full of cats and whites and hybrids and say "here's why TP&W needs to outlaw all guided fishing". Would their opinion be any less valid than what's being posted now?

Seems to be a lot of people who want to impose their preference for a certain type of fishing on everyone else. The limits are there to protect the fishery and allow for a harvest. With all the noise being made the past few years about harvest rates of catfish, I'm sure TP&W is taking surveys and collecting data. I know they are collecting data from the three lakes with slot limits, the videos are out there.

The more posts there are on this forum and others showing catches, the more people who are attracted to go try it for themselves. There seems to be a misconception that all the big fish in the lake belong to just a few people for their continued enjoyment. And I understand the idea that the big fish need to be left for our kids to catch, but the fish won't live that long. So that means some of those "eaters" need to be left alone to grow to 30 lbs.

It's all speculation anyway unless you have access to the sampling data being accumulated by TP&W. Sure a shocking survey is a snapshot in time, but the fish numbers don't mysteriously go up or down in a couple days making the survey invalid. The survey data is more useful than anybody's conjecture.

I have talked about catch and release to people in my area and they really don't care. I fish Calaveras and Braunig lakes and have seen this stuff first hand. There are at least 6 guide services working these lakes and I have spoken to some of them and asked about catch and release. None of them promote it but one of them did say if the blue cat was over ten pounds it was suggested to the client to put it back. I would think the guides would be the biggest promoters of catch and release as it would be an investment in their business.
A few months ago on another fishing forum ,I mentioned catch and release in a post and immediately was told that the blue cat population was fine and that there will always be big ones and no need for catch and release. This statement came from one of South Texas Catfish Association members.
So, I think that the public needs to be aware of how the slot limit has worked for the largemouth bass and how it could be applied toward catfish. I hope that TPWD does look at the situation and do something statewide.

Don't swich it on guides it's not limits that tpwd is doing wrong. It's taking in account the big old catfish over 10 lbs harvested like nothing in the pick. I catch big bass and throw them back , hybrid , catfish , etc. Fishing is a privilege and its up to us to keep only what we really need for our kids future of fishing. Keep y'all's eaters being legal size not trophy size. I would love to catch a fish like some of them in the picture, but I am not going to set a trot line to reach my goal. Eaters ar smaller and help our fisheries not the big ones. I use to eat and catch any shark when I was younger , now I know better and it includes slot size limits.

I just want to say thanks to all that respect the sport of TROPHY CAT FISHING and do there part to protect it! Sad that some dont have the respect for the sport that we love so much. This is chance to make a change lets give it our best shot. Nothing can make you smile like a big blue!