I am a catch & release fisherman but in the case of the non-native trout I don't mind if people keep them or not. If they are able to spawn I doubt they produce enough to sustain themselves, so without human intervention they will not survive in these areas anyway. this sounds like a good private venture but I would rather see public funds go to stocking fish that will reproduce or at least survive thier life cycle. Just my opinion. Oh and isn't the paddlefish (native fish) endangered?

As far as the tailrace to 2nd crossing, that should remain as is with no special regulations. The trout stocked there are no different from the trout stocked across Texas in rivers and lakes that will not support them bast the spring. They are there for us to take and eat, and they are not put there with the hopes that they will thrive and grow for later years. On top of that, there are other fish in that tailrace that anglers may want to take.

The special regulations downstream seem fine to me as well. there is obviously a preference for fly fishing in that area though any artificial is legal and GRTU has lobbied well to protect their stock from overfishing. on top of that, any little TPWD trout that ventures down stream becomes off limits until it grows up, so GRTU gets a little bonus there.

I personally would like my local fishing hole to go catch and release, but the Canyon tailrace should stay as is. If it was CnR only I would no longer support such aggressive stocking by TPWD.

Absolutely!!

i would like to see a part of the river become strickly c&r and grtu could focus stocking there and maybe making powerbait unlawful, because of the risk of a deep hook sit

or making a slot limit where one only takes the dink trout and nothing over 16ins...

it does make me mad to see ppl sitting at the forth crossing taking trout they caught on powerbait...

that also brings the question who in there right mind fishing fresh water for sport purposes?
but as far as trout, i do!

Leave it as is.

The argument for kids that can't master fly or lure fishing goes both ways. How about the kid that has worked hard with his grandpa learning to fish a fly and wants to experiance fooling a large trout. He is either going to have to find a way to get to the Ozarks or Rockies or he can fish the Guadalupe.
For many, fly fishing has as much to do with the history, the literature and the tying of your own flies as much as the actual time on the water. When I catch a trout on a royal wulff, I think of Lee Wulff and all he brought to the sport.

There are plenty of other streams in Texas where we can catch any other species but there is only one place where we can sustain a trophy trout population. If you made that water put and take, there would no longer be any trophy trout in Texas.

Kudos to TU and TPWD for all the work they do to make it happen.

I like the rule as it is. I have read an article that the TPWD stocked fingerlings several times and few to none survived. So while some may successfully spawn the numbers seem pretty low. Toss in the amount of tubers that might mess up the nest?
When I fish the "special area" and use my ultralight I do get some ugly looks but when two fly fishers are next to me getting nothing I don't feel too bad catching while they are fishing. If the fish is eaten and not wasted works for me. Have I kept one of the bigger trout? No but if wanted some fresh trout and was running low I surely would.

I agree with Jimbo. Trout should be put and take, and use what ever bait you like. They are not native and have little chance to survive long here.

i do because redfish put up a fight!!!!! but i do know one thing if i could catch trout that big i'd be there all the time...thems some quality fish sir. Wouldn't mind the 45min. drive if i could get onto some of dem.

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i do because redfish put up a fight!!!!! but i do know one thing if i could catch trout that big i'd be there all the time...thems some quality fish sir. Wouldn't mind the 45min. drive if i could get onto some of dem. [/quote]

well thank you, i have spent a long time trying to understand those fish...

speaking of reds, we could be having this conversation about them as well because they are not native in any lake such as lake calaveras, and they cant spawn in fresh water??

Reds do not spawn and are put and take, like the trout and should stay that way. No one is asking to make them C&R. Oh ya, they survive well for YEARS in fresh water.

good point parttime ...i think any fish stocked with our money should be able to be eaten if you want too, simple as that...just my .02

thanks for the info on the reds, the only reds ive caught where in about 4ins tailing in a back lake in poc, so i dont know too much about them in fresh water...


the fisherman in me want it to be c&r and the other hand i can see where you guys are coming from...

so lets agree to disagree

This will always be the question until we are really hungry!

the whole "native vs not-native" argument seems a little weak sometimes when the top freshwater game fish in Texas is the FLORIDA Black Bass.