cca is proposing to the tpw that a slot limit on speckled trout. it would be 16"-25" with one over 25" in your bag limit. it would almost be like eating popcorn if i would get into a school of big trout, i couldn't stop on just one. what does everyone else think of the new proposal?

Since you don't list your location in your profile I have to assume that you live somewhere on the Texas Coast.
There are many pro's & con's to this issue and it is being not only hotly debated in Texas but looked at by several other states as well.
My personal opinion is that the concept is valid if the goal is to create a base of larger fish while protecting the bottom sizes and allowing them to sexually mature and spawn at least once.
I would like to see the top size restriction raised from 1 to 2 over the slot but other than that I would support the measure. I am not in favor of a "Trout Tag" like the Redfish tag unless it would be for a 30" fish or larger.
While I live in North Texas and don't get to fish the coast but at most several times a year, the goal of having a larger base of catching size fish is more important to me than being allowed to catch the max limit of 10 all 25"+ fish. The guides I talk to at the Houston boat show all make fun of the Louisiana limits of 25 per day 12"s or larger and are firm believers that the LA fishery cannot support that kind of harvest for long periods of time. Well neither can Texas's fishery continue to support the daily take of nothing but larger Trout given the fact that the number of people fishing in Texas is several times larger than fishing in LA and growing rapidly every year.
Just because you get into a school of nothing but larger fish and and cannot catch anything but gators doesn't mean that you have to kill them all to satisfy your ego.
Just like at my home lake of Texoma, the locals and 300 licensed guides who work the lake assume that since they live there and fish there more often anybody else ... that they somehow "own" the resource and are the only people that need to be considered. We have the luxery of having the best natural freshwater Striper fishery in the United States and we live with a 10 fish per day with a 2 over 20"s in the aggregate and no minimum size. More often than not if I get into a school of larger fish I will catch nothing but +20"s and in the heat of the summer when the Stripers survival rate is even less than that of Trout will have to move unless I want to kill every fish I catch... or break the law. Texoma's biggest problem is the overpopulation of sub 20" fish and the lack of forage base to carry the biomass... hence the lack of a minimum size limit. We have other problems as well that are similar to the Trout proposals issue... the Livebait issue is beginning to heat up again as a way to address the lack of larger fish in numbers like the lake supported at one time.
The oversize fish concept of 1 or 2 fish in either species allows for a "trophy" to be retained, and I think is a good direction that will allow all the interested parties, the locals, the artificial bait purists, the live baiters, the vacation or tourist fiherman... everybody to benefit from a larger, more stable, more catch & keep and catch & release population. But thats just my 2 cents worth. And yes I belong to CCA because I have a vested interest in what happens to the coastal fishery, even from North Texas.
RV

[This message has been edited by ronvir (edited 05-07-2002).]

I am all for it. I filled out a questionnaire on the TPW web page or some ones web page about six months ago about this. There were also some questions about a guide restriction. I think it stated that if a guide took out some customers they could not use include his bag limit. Which makes a lot of since to me. If a guide takes out 3 people twice a day and they all limit out that is 80 fish taken out of the water. If this guide does the same thing 150 days out of the year that is 12,000 fish. Just think of how many eggs 12,000 fish can lay. I live in Dallas and do not get to go bay fishing very often. I have only caught three trout that were over 25 in. and two of them I released. The bigger the female spec is the more eggs she is going to lay. Look at what the slot limit did for the reds. I can remember when I was a kid I would go fishing at the coast at least 1 once a month with my grandfather. We would catch a lot of specs and maybe a red once or twice a trip. Now some days you can�t keep the reds off your bait. Some people might say that the slot has nothing to do with it and the only reason that that we have so many reds now is because of the state breeding them in captivity and releasing them into the bays. I disagree. The last time I was at the coast I saw way to may big fish being taken out of water. On my last trip we fished for 4 or 5 days caught close to or more than 10 reds a day per person. The average red was around 26-27 in, I think we had 4 reds in 5 days that were not legal, and were released at least one red a day that was over 28 in. . I think everyone should support this. Even if you do not like it just think about the future. . If we do not stand behind this now our children and our children�s children will be doing the same think in 20-30 years from now but the only difference is they will not be fighting about a 25 in fish it will be a 18-20 in fish. If you want keep more and bigger fish make the drive to LA and do it there.

Ben S.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by black cat:
If a guide takes out 3 people twice a day and they all limit out that is 80 fish taken out of the water. If this guide does the same thing 150 days out of the year that is 12,000 fish

If you are thinking the guides always catch two limits on two trips in a day. Limit is 10 fish a day. If the guide catches two limits, one in the morning and one in the afternoon he is over his limit. Doubt that is enforced though. I know some do, but most do not do two trips in a day. I have only fished with two guides who fish with us and they kept their fish for themselves.

I used to fish the coast 8 to 10 times a year. Seen way too many undersize trout dead as they were mortally hooked and or were not released properly. Now, with 15 inches you get alot of 14 inch fish, same thing when it was 14, you got 13 inch fish. I belong to CCA and in now way do I support this proposal. When we go, we catch a bunch of trout, mostly all over 15 inches. There have been days that I had 10 16 inch fish on the stringer and days when I had 10 18 to 24 inch fish on the stringer. We get our ten each, then we go looking for reds.

You catch so many reds now due to the restriction of commercial harvest and stocking programs. Lots of rat reds out there. I like the red tag and the limit of three, but to change the size and create a slot on trout is ludicrous. Will not work, more fish will die as they are caught and released poorly. Sure I have killed 14 inch fish when they swallowed the soft plastic and did the belly up release, but the biologist said that is part of the deal, if it is too small and dead you still have to throw it back.

Still you assume that the guide trips get their limit for them and their customer every day. Not true! So your math is skewed to a what if scenario. Figure a percentage of that instead.

I will agree that some areas of the coast are over fished and over harvested, but that is due to people driving down there for the weekend from San Antonio and Austin or other areas where they can get there in 3 hours or so. Prop Scars on Estes Flats are an example, too crowded and over fished for me to even want to go fish there any more. Got other areas to catch fish and not be bothered by too many boats.


If a guide wants to give his fish away he can, if he wants to keep his 10 for him he can. Now, if he goes out and does that twice in one day he is violating the daily bag limit. Sure some guides do, the ones I go with do not, they are very reputable and very conservative. They are there to guide and help, not add to your fish box in my opinion. 10 trout a day is plenty of fish for anybody.

No way I can support this proposal, if it passes then I will abide by it, but I am not for it at all and will now search a TPW or CCA forum questionnaire to voice my thoughts.


[This message has been edited by Steve Bradbury (edited 05-07-2002).]

Steve - so you would propose that in order to not kill any undersized fish -whatever size that may be - due to improper release methods or deep hooking what be done? As you stated when the size limit was 14"s there were 13" fish being killed etc... yeah ... but how do we "not do that" ? The idea of "stockpiling" by a given size limit has been proven too many times in both fresh & salt water. Florida is doing it now on Redfish & Snook very successfully to the point where some of the restrictions are now being considered for modification... by specific area.
Would you like to address the issue of certain areas being overfished like we do with freshwater lakes... having a different bag & size limit by county, bay system, or some other means? That would be one way to control the overharvesting issue. I can hear the screaming now from the guides, from the locals , from the Hotel/Motel industry, from the everyone who makes a profit off of the fishery when say ...the Galveston Bay area is restricted to a harvest of 5 Trout per day and Sabine Lake has 10, and Neuces & Aransas Counties have 7 for example, based on creel surveys and scientific data and not the politics or economic impact studies. We fine tune Black Bass limits this way why not Trout. We could also address other ways to address iisues like say impose a barbless hook regulation or maybe circle hook only rule that would improve the release survival rate like the freshwater Trout regs in some states. We could ...ban lures & natural baits with treble hooks as is done in Florida for some species... any number of things could be addressed to fine tune the proposals.
The bottom line is still the same ... killing 10 Trout a day is not a God Given Right anymore than killing 10 Black Bass at Lake Fork is. The Rules need to be changed to insure the future and improve the Resource ... What is the simplest, best for everybody solution? You stated what you were against ... how would you resolve the question?
RV

PS I think the easiest place to start is with the commercial bycatch issue... Eh?
rv

The other thought I had for your comment was about restricting days of the week or maybe months of the year... when Trout could be taken. I know the general thought is that these kind of restrictions create a "Derby atmosphere" where people go out and catch as much as possible in the limited amount of time like what happens with Red Snapper. But maybe we could do something like No Trout on Sunday (that was close to the movie title "Never On Sunday" about a Greek "business lady" who woulld only work 6 days a week if you are old enough to remember) or only 5 Trout on Sunday or closed for Trout on Tuesday & Thursdays... think outside the box and be creative.
RV

No, I do not want it to have seperate laws or restrictions for different bays. Surely, you do not think that a hook or a barbless hook is the answer either. That would be almost impossible to enforce.

The fact is, things will change per CCA and TPW and otheer groups and we will have to abide by them. I do not go to the coast for catch and release. Sure I throw back reds and trout that are undersize and even oversized reds, yet to put a tag on one, but have caught several over the slot.

You start restricting bays or areas then you will create a big uproar and do damage to economies. I agree with that.

When you see a trout slick pop up or see some birds working, most of those fish are schoolies, say 12 to 14 inches with a few 15 and over. I go after them and if I do not catch some of legal size then I am off to find more. I have no problem with treble hooks with shrimp under a popping cork. Sometimes that is the only way, but I would rather throw croaker on a single Kahle Hook. Circle hooks are not what they are cracked up to be. I also would rather throw artificials such as topwaters and soft plastics and do so often. NO, I do not want to take the barbs off my hook or go buy barbless hooks and lures.

We are looking at fish moving out of certain bays due to the inlet of fresh water being cut off from Cedar Bayou being silted in.

Sure I care about shrimping regulations, by catch laws, saving some of the sea turtles, dolphins etc. Killing fish that are undersize is a problem with me, it happens but I hate it. It happens at the coast, Fork, Texoma, Whitney and other lakes, sometimes there is nothing that can be done to prevent it.

Not everyone is going to go out and limit on trout every day. Even guides! However, it is my god given right or my right according to the laws of TPW and regulations for that species that I may keep 10 a day and 20 in my possession. Sure we go down there for three days and catch a ton of trout, but while we are there we eat fish twice a day, thus solving our possession problem. When I leave to come home, more often then not I have my possession limit of trout and a few reds to bring home and enjoy on the table at a later date. I do not go down to the coast to catch and release, i can do that up here when I bass fish. I love to eat most of all the saltwater game fish.

The trout tag is not the answer either. If I am fishing in the CCA star tournament and I get a 28 inch trout and she will take the lead, but might not stand up, do I use my tag and take my chances and then catch one bigger and not have a tag for it? Now, if you want to take the Texoma approach and say you can keep one or two fish over a certain size then oh well. I have been there too many times and limited on 15 to 16 inch fish and had times when I caught nothing but 19 to 22 inch fish with one or two over 24. I kept them as they were my limit. I get to my limit and then we go look for reds, sometimes we do not get limits and sometimes we spend many hours trying to scratch out a limit.

I do not think a guide on any lake should fish for his customers at all! I do not think he should take his limit and give it to the customers. If he fishes with you then he should keep his own fish if he chooses.

I am in favor of maybe lowering the limit from 10 to 7 or 8 same size restrictions, but no slot limit.

If I or any other angler wants to keep a legal black bass than that is our right, it is due to pressure from other black bass anglers and tournament anglers and guides that we now have the catch and release attitude for bass. I support that, but if I catch a legal bass and keep it then that should be supported, I hardly ever keep bass out of public lake though. I do keep stripers, hybrids, sandbass, and trout, flounder, reds, and black drum at the coast up to my limit. When I get to a limit, then I look for another species when appropriate or time permits.

The rules are fine now for the coast, but if they need to be changed then they will. I can support that, but not a tag situation or a slot for trout. There is much more water for trout given the vast bays and gulf then there is in a lake such as Fork. The slot for reds is fine, they are a much hardier fish and can survive being hooked and other aspects that effect them. Trout are not that strong of a fish. You keep one out of the water or hook it deep or cause it to bleed then his chances of survival are not that high. If the fish is legal size and you want to throw it back that is fine and your right, if it looks like it will not survive and is of legal size and you do not have your limit,then you should keep it. I would with any fish, even a 15 pounder from Fork, of course that fish would have a date with the taxidermist.

Restrict the guides on their catches, do not allow them to fish for the client at the coast. You try to manage the bays and gulf like a public lake then you are taking on way to big of a task that cannot be done.

I support CCA and have been a member and a participant in the Star tournament for years. I go for the fun of it and for the ability to bring home some tasty trout, flounder, and redfish. Sure I like to wade the surf for trout at Cedar Bayou, but it is so silted in now it is tough to get to. I would rather see the interest being put forth to dredge that area than imposing a slot for trout. I like to throw croaker in Espiritu Santo for big trout. If you tell me I can keep 7 or 8 trout over 15 inches instead of 10, I will still go and fish, but if you tell me I can only keep one or two trout over 24 inches i will still go, but not like it. Sure the days are fewer when you get into big trout all day than opposed to smaller fish, but legal is legal and keep them if you wish.

No one should complain about anybody keeping a legal fish of any species that is caught legally, whether it is a bass, striper or trout or any other. That is our right according to TPW.

I would start with restricting guides on their catch and what they do with it, not the recreational angler. I assure you that Joe Six Pack from Austin who goes down there to fish on a weekend or however long and wherever he is from does not limit every time. If he does and wants to keep his limit, then I support him in that right.

The only thing I was trying to say about God Given Rights is that the bag limits are not set in stone for any specie or location and no one should expect the Regs never to be changed or challenged. The Recreational Fisherman is not the core cause of the problems but can become the core solution if everybody can agree and get on board a common set of Regs.

I am in complete and total agreement that Cedar Bayou should be dredged and permanently fixed in such a way as to maintain the open flow from the Gulf. Who is going to fund it and pay to maintain it is the 64K ?
I wonder how much more Trout biomass would be spawned if the minimum size was raised not to 16"s but to say 18"s or even 20"s, done progressionally for 3 or more years by 1 inch each year starting at the 16" mark. I know when fish get to be that size they can produce radically larger amounts of eggs for every inch of length, and also pull the 10 fish max down a little to say 7 or 8 with no slot on max length. That would protect the mid range spawners a little more and reduce by a little the total number of big fish harvested and stretch out the the changes over several years so that no one segment of the dependant economic faction bear the brunt of the change all at once.
Missouri proved with Crappie that you got more meat from fewer 12" fish than half again more 10" fish, and has raised the average caught weight of Crappie by 25/30% or more based on a 2" increase in minimum lengh. That was the model I was told once upon a time that casused Texas to change to a stated length minimum and establish bag limits for Crappie & Sand Bass too. I can remember lots of Bass Tournaments in the 70's that were won with a 10 fish stringer that maybe had only a few 12" or 13" fish and a winning stringer would not average a pound per fish. Now the statewide standardized 14" & 5 fish bag limit plus C&R has been accepted as the reason for the general overall health of the fishery. Once again it's like having a leak in a boat that you can't find. You can't just rip out everything and start over without sinking the boat. Oh well I know that everybody has an opinion and is entitled to express it. I just believe that we need to improve the Trout resource and explore all the options before it craters.

Got another ? for you... would you spend another dollar or two for your Saltwater Stamp to be used only towards the buyout of Comm'l Shrimpers Licenses and fund things like the Cedar Bayou project or maybe additional hatchery's for other species ...maybe like Cobia?...like the project in Misssissippi that has proved to be successful? I would. Just a thought. RV

PS - I also agree that guides should not fish or if they do that their catch count towards the total bag limit of the boat... both in Saltwater & in Freshwater.
And you can create Barbless hooks with a pair of pliers by mashing the barbs down. I've done it lots of times when in large schools of Sandies and catching a 100 or more and releasing them without having to handle them at all by either shaking them off or flipping them off with a pair of needlenose pliers... yes a few will get off before getting to the boat but not as many as you would think even on ultralight tackle. I use medical forceps now for deep throat hooked fish with the same results and get very little bleeding most of the time when the barbs are mashed down 'cause your are not wrestling the fish or tearing a lot of tissue.rv


[This message has been edited by ronvir (edited 05-07-2002).]

I would pay a little more sure. I get the combo every year and still might buy a lifetime license. I also belong to CCA, Ducks Unlimited, Safari Club, Texas Trophy Hunters and Wild Turkey Federation, and sometimes to the NRA(though they call and ask for way too much money all the time). I support these groups as they help protect my rights and interests.

I got out my May/June issue of the Tide magazine. Check out page 65 under Speckled Trout Management. Read the article and the response from the Editor.

"Debate over whether or not to tweak Texas Speckled Trout rules continues and isn't likely to abate anytime soon. Whatever decision ultimately is made by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, even if that decision is to maintain the status quo, our primary concern should be that the rules put the resource first. So long as the overall health of tthe fishery is not compromised, limits simply represent the point at which the state tells us "enough is enough." Fisherman who choose to stop before reaching their limits are only helping to make a good thing even better."

That is the response from the Editor of the Tide.

I have caught some 6 an 8 pound trout. My goal for the wall is 10. I may get it and I may not. If I do, then any big fish after that will be turned back, but 15 to 24 inch fish which we catch a bunch of will be fileted up to my daily limit.

Sure there are changes needed in snapper fishing and shrimping. I am glad reds and trout are gamefish. Flounder should be as well in my opinion. You should not be able to go buy flounder, catch them yes with rod a reel, but that is my opinion.


Some lakes have different sizes for sandbass and keep the first however many the limit is on crappie. Hey, if the folks at TPW say to do that on certain lakes then I trust them, that is what they do.

I am for improving all fishing, but still know you have to get out there and work and find them before you start catching them and limiting out. Some folks do it and some don't....

Sorry about guys I did not read it before I posted it. I was just trying to get my point across before I left for Tulsa. All I was trying to get across was the amount of trout that are taken out of the bays in Texas.

I pulled this off the CCA TEXAS website. Notice it is CCA Texas that is proposing the change, not CCA as a whole. Also, the fish levels ar at very high levels.

A Change from Management-by-Crisis in the Trout Fishery

While trout populations are at their highest levels in years, CCA Texas' Board of Directors recently voted to urge the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission to consider a slot size limit on spotted sea trout. The minimum size limit would be 16 inches with a maximum of 25 inches and a bag limit remaining at 10 fish per day. Additionally, only one fish of the 10 fish per day limit could exceed 25 inches.

This request from CCA Texas comes after presentation of data and trends from TP&W's Coastal Fisheries Division to the CCA Texas Board of Directors. The information presented by Hal Osburn, Director of Coastal Fisheries Division, showed a fishery with great health in numbers. The spawning biomass of the spotted seatrout fishery is in good shape. The management tools described by Mr. Osburn, which have been elaborated on in the press at length, were presented as possibilities for improving the "quality of this fishery, specifically bigger fish." This was not meant to focus specifically on only "trophy trout." The data indicate that by increasing the minimum size from 15 to 16 inches, allows trout to grow 27% more in weight. Obviously by placing an upper size restriction of 25 inches (or some number), more large fish will stay in the water with the possibility of being caught by more anglers. The surprising result of this possibility of larger fish is that there would be no change in average anglers' catch rate (the number of fish caught per hours fishing). In effect, you would be able to keep the same number of fish, catch them at the same rate and they would be larger on average, but you could only keep one over 25 inches.

In TP&W's presentation to CCA, the first words from Mr. Osburn were, "Let me begin by saying that there is no problem with the spotted seatrout fishery. I can make no purely biological argument to support any of the possible changes as a necessity for the health of the fishery. These are only possibilities that will improve the quality of an already good condition."

The current list of management possibilities is a departure from the same old management-by-crisis scenario. It has become so ingrained in many fishermen that whenever a regulatory change is proposed, it's because of a pending problem (and it's usually restrictive with no benefit to the angler). It has become a knee-jerk response to oppose change unless the wolf is at the door. Why wouldn't we want to try to improve rather than remain static? In this respect, the old adage, "If it ain't broke don't fix it," should not apply. A proactive management approach is new and could create something really positive.

Make no mistake the 16 to 25-inch slot size for trout is far from done. TP&W is considering the creation of a task force from separate stakeholder groups including professional guides, bait dealers, marina operators, Chambers of Commerce, all interested conservation organizations and anglers from the general public. The purpose of this task force will be to debate the possible changes in the trout fishery. Again, this debate is far from over, and as on every other possible management change, CCA Texas welcomes and seeks more input and information from all parties. Everyone really does want the same thing, the best coastal fishing in America�FOR EVERYONE.

CCA Texas has organized meetings with professional guides in the upper and middle coast, not because it was asked to do so, but rather because CCA Texas felt that those groups had not been collectively heard from. The formation of a task force as described by Texas Parks & Wildlife would be an effective forum to hear from everyone involved.

Rarely does an absolute consensus arise from a public forum, but rather a range of differing opinions (many only differing slightly from each other). The debate over any changes to the management of trout will be no different. CCA Texas doesn't speak for all anglers unanimously, nor does any other group. CCA Texas represents the resource and what's good for it. CCA Texas' members are represented by its Board of Directors (over 100 members) which is made up of the Presidents of every Chapter in the state of Texas (42) and other individuals who have served for years on CCA Texas local chapter boards and the state board in this conservation cause. The position CCA Texas has recommended is far from being decided and will ultimately be debated publicly over the course of the next year. CCA Texas believes that in time, with public discussion and accurate information to the fishing public, it will gain widespread support. If not, it will not be adopted.

It is time to move forward to a discussion of the facts and possibilities understanding that disagreements will occur, but considering the same goal, the creation of something better.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

� Copyright CCA Texas

Well said ronvir. I too live in North Texas but trailer my rig 3-5 times a year to the coast. I have not seriously fished Lake Texoma or any other lakes in the area because of my love of coastal fishing which I have done for almost 50 years. I think rnovir's observations and stats could very well be played out on our coastal fisheries and I would support the raised size limit but I too would like to have a 30" incher or two to make the trip. My best catch ever was 8 trout wading dollar point off of Texas City Dike on a cold Feb morning. The stringer weighted 48 lbs, with the biggest being 8.5 lbs. That was in 1971. I have made alot of trips since then and never came close. So slot limit fishing is fine for me. I think one of the proof points that cannot possibly be argued is, again, what ronvir points to. The redfish population, regulated down to 3 fish daily has made an unbeleivable rebound. Now, I would not travel 9.5 hours with boat to catch 3 fish a day, but I do enjoy the fight form those brutes and keeping 3 is fine for me. (Besides, they are tougher to filet!). The release issue is concerning but larger fish are somewhat easier to unhook. Perhaps that would offset the mortality tables somewhat. Lastly, despite the clearly opposing positions from everyone, I was really glad to see some fellow north texans who enjoy the coastal fishing enough to make the trip. I will never stop! I grew up fishing with my dad in West Galveston bay when the water along the island shore line was always clear enought to cast into the sand patches between grass beds. We always caught trout and reds and then the reds disappeared. Now they are back. I think TPW, the sportfishing population and CCa made this happen. I trust that they can do the same for the trout.

There is one thing that looms in my mind as it relates to the trout population and specifically large trout over 28". The tournmaments that are beginning to show has to impact that population. Now, before I draw some serious disagreement from the participants and sponsors I will tell you that were I nearer the coast I would probably get in on 1 or 2 just to see how our fair against the 'pros'. These inshore saltwater tournaments, although one or two have ben around for a long time, are popping up like lick slicks along the Houston ship channel in June and July. Since there is little to any success in keeping these large trout alive and returning them to their spawning ground, this has to take a toll. You could apply the math and see what 3 of the largest fish from 75 anlgers or more, 10-12 times a year could mean to the large trout population. If oversize bag limits are put in place on these fish then that would really hurt the tournament business which is good business for the coastal sport fishing suppliers. But, it may need to be done. I guess you could say that these fish would be caught and destroyed anyway,perhaps by the same guides that have been catching them while participating in their profession. But with more and more of them participating in catch and release I think the tournaments put all of us back in the boat of keeping rather than releasing. I have not seen any statistic or even dialogue around the impact of these tournaments so I thought I would speak up. My bet is that somewhere, sometime, these events will be brought up as an issue both by the for and against populations reviewing top end slot limits on trout.

This is a good debate. Have you guys ever fished a popular spot in Galveston during the summer at night? You'd see literaly hundreds of 12-14" trout breing caught and released. The mortality of these released fish has to be high.

Living within an hour of the coast, most people I know who fish for trout keep their catch. I've seen people catch 100 trout to get to a 10 fish limit. Have you ever witnessed a boat drifting an area loaded with small schoolies. Many times the dolphins stay within 50' of the boat and pick off every release that occurs. Combine this with the fact that a majority of coastal anglers use shrimp on a small treble hook that kills many fish, it's a disaster.

Ever eat a big trout? The quality of the meat diminishes greatly when the fish is over 25". Much like redfish do after they reach 28".

Now Louisiana may not be able to sustain a 25 fish limit of 12" trout. I was there 2 weeks ago and limited out two days in a row. I can assure you there is ABSOLUTELY NO SHORTAGE OF TROUT in Louisiana. Texas is wasting a resource. So many 12-14.9" fish being thrown back in search of a 15" trout.

What about changing the limits to:

5-6 trout from 13" to 24"
1 trout over 24"

You could change the numbers but my question remains the same: HOW MANY "CATCH & RELEASE" TROUT DIE IN SEARCH OF A 10 FISH LIMIT? Lower the minimum keeper size and people will stop fishing sooner after they get their limit or switch species. Redfish are a great catch and release species with low mortality.

I think we are losing sight of the fact that the majority of families, kids, elderly, the poor & middle classes don't fish for a 25"+ trophy. They fish for fun, enjoyment, fellowship and a few filets. Our purpose should be to keep the speckeled trout population as a stable renewable resource that the maximum amount of Texans get to enjoy. If kids get to go fishing once in their childhood and catch 40 trout that are less than 16", they don't get to enjoy eating their catch and may not become lifelong defenders of the sport.

My 2 cents worth!

Just my opion and thats all. Went to trinty bay sunday morning and evening. Had 2 gentlemen and our wives in the boat caught probaly 60 or more 12" to 14" trout and only had 4 keepers. Now we only went out to catch a few trout and have a good time and that we did. But just wonder how many of those small trout that had their mouth torn up really survived. We would have been just as satisfied to have had 40 small trout than 3or4 big ones. So I guess it depends on what you are looking for some trout to eat or a trophy. A lot of people don't know the bay well and don't have time to hunt out the big trout. They are a different creature than there little brothers. But any way seems to me there is a lot of small specks and that is my opinion.