This is one of those topics that no angler wants to talk about. Snagging fish is illegal and can get you into some serious trouble. After confering with other TFFers, I can not let this go over looked. This past Sunday I took my wife to go see how high the Sandylake Spillway was and still is. While there I noticed a fellow TFFer fishing. This individuals screen name on the forum is Fishist. He had a long stringer of smallmouth buffalo, so i decided to watch how he was catching them out of curiosity. I had never fished so I found it interesting to see how it was done. The way Fishist catches smallmouth buffalo is by rigging a snag lin consistant of 3 treble hooks about 8 inches apart and what looked like 2 oz. of lead weight at the end of his line and tries to snagg them. He is very sucessful at this. I would have called the game warrden but I forgot my cell phone at the house. I figured this was the next best thing. Fishist, quit poaching and learn how to catch fish the sportmans way, the right way, the legal way!

i believe its not a game fish. you can shot them with a bow. so why not snag them. if were bass thered be a reason to call. but nothing you can do i dont think

Fisherdude, purposefully Snagging fish is illegal in the state of Texas regardless of species. This includes Rough Fish.

thant aint good

Kinna strange one can slice one in half with a bow and arrow,But snagging a rough fish is illegal??? Don't get it

Its not the species, its the method used.....

It's illegal because you really have no idea what it is you are going to snag, and it is not exactly fair if you know what you are doing. I grew in the same neighborhood as a kid who was literally the Michael Jordan of snagging. He usually used a 1oz slab to claim he was lure fishing and would pull all kinds of flathead catfish below ray roberts when it was filling up. If he's not in prison, he's probably still doing it. Around 1988, I remember reading a newspaper article about him being arrested for having over 40 flatheads on a stringer that he had snagged below the dam. I have no idea what kind of fine he got, hopefully large, but I do know that the fish were returned to the water.

If you have access to the records, I believe at one time the world record flathead taken below Lake Lewisville was caught by a dude who snagged it with a slab spoon.

ya i guess. but that is stupid. you can shot it were ever with a bow but not snag it?? sounds like a deeee dee deeeee rule

Good Point,On the other hand you could be aiming that bow and arrow on that buffalo and miss,hitting that 6 lb bass directly beside the buffalo

Hey But whut do i know?

Starless, can you really not snag any fish speices? I am just asking because I really don't know.
When I was a kid (I am talking 30 years ago) we used to do that very same thing at the Lake o the Pines spillway. Everyone did it and I know it was legal then. Maybe that has changed and that is why I am asking.


Also - on another note - people really shouldn't call someone out like that on the forum.

From one of the other posts

Yeah, TreeBass just reposted my reply to this on another thread.

Directly from TPWDL: "It is unlawful to take or attempt to take fish with one or more hooks attached to a line or artificial lure used in a manner to foul-hook a fish (snagging or jerking). A fish is foul-hooked when caught by a hook in an area other than the fish's mouth."

I am glad someone finally caught this guy (Fishist) in the act !! It is a good thing you posted this in several section, and dont let anyone tell you any different !! Next time you see this take pictures or call the game warden !!

This guy has made posts about snagging in a couple different posts and several people have replied about it being illegal !!

As far as I am concerned there is no place on this forum for people who knowingly and purposfully break the law and laugh about it !!

Here are a couple of his posts that shows his aditude about the subject.....

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbt...rue#Post1363391

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/1257174/page/1/fpart/5