Laws mean nothing to certain people. While fishing on decker a couple weeks ago I witnessed 5 guys wade out into chest deep 55 degree water and each throw cast nets. It was about 48-50 degree air temp and raining.They proceeded down the bank throwing a net and covered the entire cove. They kept everything they caught.

Sad situation; comfort and prayers

You know they had to be netting for Tilapia, seen this same unsafe behavior with too many on a small boat on Fairfield before they closed the plant. None of them had life jackets or fishing licenses for that matter. Game Wardens tried to run them off but they just kept coming back, SMH.

Fayette dangerous? Maybe in a canoe or very small boat...or as in this case, a jon boat that is extremely overloaded with no safety gear...but I've been fishing Fayette for almost 40 years, I've NEVER seen it dangerous for the average boat/boater who uses common sense.
Cast net bans aren't going to save lives...
The ONLY thing that would help, is to see the game wardens actually patrolling the lake. The last time I saw a warden there was when I reported a cast netter for taking numerous slot bass...otherwise I never see them.

Did the ones that survived get tickets for returning the tilapia to the water?

Come on man! That’s not right. Funny though. Fireman humor. Nobody else will understand........

Really? Fayette is covered up with game wardens. I feel like I get checked at Fayette almost every trip I make there. My home lake is Toledo Bend. I wish we had the same game warden coverage there.

Fayette with high wind out of the south in a small boat is very dangerous. Would a cast-net ban prevent people from using them on the lake? Probably not entirely, but at least it would discourage their use on a lake that can be a killer, as witnessed by the loss of three lives. Shrug your shoulders and say "tough luck - they paid the price for a series of bad choices". That's fine and if you don't agree with more regulations for Fayette or any other lake for that matter, so be it. But let's not pretend they were there simply taking tilapia and ignoring the by-catch that cast-nets take along with the tilapia. More laws might not save lives, but something has to be done in light of what happened - more frequent patrols at night by GW's, better/faster response to reports of illegal activity - something. And as for those of you who dread the thought of infringement on your personal liberties, I guess you drive without a seatbelt?

It’s sad but the cast netting laws need to be tweaked. When I was growing up we only used cast nets to catch bait to use in the same body of water. These guys coordinate their throws so it is just as destructive to the fish and vegetation if you used a “line” net. They have depleted the fish in the stream of our suburban neighborhood using this tactic. I am assuming they used this procedure to deplete their home country’s resources too. They were on the lake illegally. Several people have complained about being a free country. We all have to abide by the laws in place and if they would have had PFDs, the chances of this incident ending in tragedy would almost have been 0%.

R

Kill switches are like seat belts...they're only effective when used

Kinda like the people in GA killing people jogging?

Ban it for everyone who can do it safely and responsibly just because of a few Darwin Award winners?? Are the liberals taking over in Texas now to!??? [/quote]

Right on... Nature's way of weeding out some stupid.

Have you been to Dallas or Austin lately?