Congrats Jig Man....you hit the nail on the head...

LOL, it IS legalized extortion...Broadly it is called the tax system...Government, through its authority, has the ability to raise funds through taxation..this set of regulations is simply another form of taxation(through creating new violation via ticket writing to new set/class offenders based on new regulations...is usually detailed in the study of Public Sector Economics...the real game is played in the debate of larger versus smaller government...want to slow it down? Limit funding to the affected agencies, and reduce their task force to the point where they don't have the manpower necessary to enforce the trivial regulations, such as this one...otherwise, just suck it up and follow the new laws, and avoid having your annual taxes increased via citations/fines.

It's interesting that the first line of that regulation has a qualifier, "while fishing from a vessel." So if you're fishing from dock or bank you don't need a receipt??? Guess that water in your minnow bucket isn't a problem if you're on a dock or the bank.

LOL...Gaby, you are a hero...that is funny right there! But don't worry, when they review the regulation they will amend it...I wouldn't push my luck, but HEY a Rule is a Rule, no matter how POORLY WRITTEN....FYI, I would probably go back to the definitions section, just to see if they somehow covered it there.

Just another reason to just quit minnows. What do you do, buy a dozen a month just to have a receipt handy, I try to save what Dad and the boys don't use for the next trip.

Wow, I never knew about this law regarding minnows. I never use them. Abother good reason for me not to lol. I'd loose the receipt I'm sure.

You must be a jig fisherman! Good question though...I am sure by now you realize it is part of the Zebra Mussel Regulations...A totally worthless set of regulations, that will not prevent the spread of zebra mussels (or even slow it down) but will cost fishermanand other boaters considerable sums of money going forward...just saying, you need to read the regulation and become familiar with its ridiculous requirements...such as this one, and a few others....

Bought minnows recently and the clerk called me back to get the receipt as I had forgotten. She commented that a customer recently had been checked and ticketed because he didn't keep his receipt. After it gets warmer, I often seine minnows at the boat ramp. You can usually get enough in a couple of drags for a fishing trip. I wonder what I would do to convince the GW that I had seined them?

A game warden SHOULD be able to tell the difference between minnows seined from a lake and minnows from a bait store. I use live shad I net all the time for stripers and the GW just reminds me to drain my bait tank at the ramp.

yessir, if they don't want to eat a jig, then I wont mess with em. LOL

Our GW here at Hubbard Creek checks receipts. He just gave warnings last year but says he will enforce on second offenders.
The reason is to prevent someone catching wild bait in a lake with zebra muscles and transporting them to another lake.

Me too, but occasionally (at night) I will use minnows to get started (until the bait balls show up.)

Of course, if your boat takes on water, might want to consider draining it as well...and don't forget to towel dry the bait tank, dry off the boat (inside and outside)...to be sure you are in compliance!!! Just saying totally ridiculous set of regulations that will stop/slow down nothing (except of course it will vastly increase long term ticket revenue). Not only that, but now that they have the right to approach/board your boat for no good cause, anything they notice, they can also write tickets for...so basically, they can stop you at the ramp for no reason (zebra mussel issues) and just see how much they can come up with (it is their job)...personally, I don't really care because I never do squat wrong; (but let's say you drink a beer or two on the water, get approached at the ramp by the zebra mussel task force and then let's see how much that zebra mussel issue will cost you!). Especially, if they decide to let you go and call ahead to the State Trooper sitting just down the road waiting for the GW to advise them of the issue...Just saying, it will eventually happen....

And of course the floods last year didn't move zebra mussels around AT ALL !!! (yea right)

BTW there are NO zebra mussels in my livestock water trough (with my minnows in it).
Do I get the TPWD to come out and certify that? Can I just get a receipt book from office max and make my own receipt?

No one will Ever be able to say I transferred zebbera mussels in with menners.ha Darrell

Good Point.