Why the State Needs to Impose Regulations on Blue Catfish

I know most here on this forum are in favor of imposing some kind of restrictions on the older large blue cats caught in our state waters.

Blows my mind that as of today you can keep 25 - 50lb fish, per person....per day. Seeming it takes between 15-25 years for these fish to get that big...harvesting them makes it a LONG JOURNEY before you catch that fish again.

Here is an example of what happens on state waters year round...and IS what happened on Tawakoni last week...trotlines. Sure makes it easy to see "why" we need to protect the older fish.

It would be nice if the "trophy" class fish were limited to a smaller limit. They're too fun to catch and not that great to eat.

I know where your coming from Salsa. I have become rather unpopular with some folks on my home lake for preaching and practicing CPR. Until there are some regulation changes all we can do is continue to solicit TP&W to make those changes and continue to practice and preach CPR.

I hear ya Don. What's working best is talking to folks keeping big fish. A friendly presentation of catch and release has worked best here on Twok. I give my spill bout once a week...sometimes more.

One things for sure...keeping quiet about it doesn't work,

The real "why" is WHY do these guys need to take this many big ones, and WHY is TPWD still allowing them to do so???

Behind tha' times Jerry...Texas is behind tha' times.

If it's the same boat I think it is...that boat is here every February and makes a HALUVA haul each year on lines n' jugs. Thousands and thousands of pounds...

I know I saw both them boats there last time I was there 3-4 weeks ago. I wasn't sure they were working together then, but this pic confirms for me they were.

One line had so many large fish on it (every hook) that boat 1 called boat 2 over to get room to put fish.

when I saw them the big flat bottom had gotten a line hung in the prop and smaller boat had to come help.

It doesnt take that long to fill the effects of that many big fish being pulled out of any lake. Texoma for example is hit very hard with jugs every year and it has a major affect on the fish. With our new lenght limit up here it has helped I believe but its getting the support and effort from TP&W to inforce these laws and limits that will truely make the most impact. Catfishing is starting to become more and more popular by the day and if we do not step foward and protect these fish now we will not be able to grow catfishing into the sport we all want it to become in the future.

Well said Daniel...

and don't mistake, this is happening on many lakes that put out large blue catfish. And, in some cases it's worse on smaller lakes that don't have the bigger populations like Tawakoni.

i don't get why those guys need OLD FAT NASTY FISHES... old meat does not taste good....

Well, the limit on oversized redfsh sure seemed to help that fishery recover. Why not a special limit of only 1 or 2 blue cats greater than 'x' length in a daily bag limit?

If they did put a limit on larger fish, how well would it be enforced? People keep tons of undersized crappie every spawn because there's not enough LEOs to police it.

Worse is seeing guys run jug lines then come back through in a hour or so and finding 8-10 large hybrids floating in that same area. Jugs not marked and I counted 38 jugs. Called GW they came out and pulled all of them and took a report.

All catfish over 42 inches (30lbs+\~) must be returned to water. Fish under 42 inches can be kept at a limit of 10 per day. Just my opinion......

Not to slam jug lines, I use to use them more when I was younger . But I just love to catch fish on a rod and reel and them boys are going to ruin it for my kids. Nothing wrong with keeping some smaller eaters , but that's ridiculous. I throw back almost all my fish even as much as I like eating fish , I go for the sport. Time for so new laws on the bigger cats !

+1 I don't ever really keep any catfish until Spring when I'm able to catch a bunch of 2-5lbrs,
Keeping 20-30lbr's seems excessive but some folks feed their families with fish and need a lot of fish.
TPWD probably knows what is best on each individual lake but keeping blue catfish over 30lbs is obscene,,,,, just my opinion.
Most lakes in the NE region are full of 15-20lbrs and alot will grow to be 40lbrs. Every lake should have it's own stipulations. Again just my opinion, but I think every fish for keeping should be caught by rod and reel on lakes that have regular populations and lakes with over-populations would be opened to jug-lining. No trot lines , safety issues for boaters and bankers alike. Just my 2 cents....

Salsa and Others,

Might be worthwhile to meet with the Biologist/GW's and get the info about Richland Chambers (Also Lewisville and Waco) and the Slot on Blues that was implemented 6 years ago. We don't see any of the Trotlining and not near as much Juglining as we used too. It's illegal to keep anything between 30" and 45" and you can keep one over fish. The lake is absolutely full of Blue Cats so the quantity and quality has improved dramatically in my opinion. I don't know exactly what the Surveys showed last year but I remember a conversation with a Biologist saying that it was definitely positive.

Sad to see pics like the one that started this thread!

Good Luck!

Oklahoma has a 1 over 30" and 15 combined limit seems to work pretty well

I think they need to cut the limits back some on all fish

I agree with a lot of what is being said here. Here's a post I made almost a year ago.

Re: here's your chance to speak you piece.... [Re: ChuChu1]
big10
Extreme Angler

Registered: June 12, 2006
Posts: 2339
Loc: Temple, Texas
I am Far from a biologist but here is my idea of a perfect world.

Daily bag limit of 15 fish per day, channels, blues, and flats combined. No more than 5 flats.

Minimum size limit of channels and blues 15". Minimum size on flats 21".

Implement a tag system simular to redfish at the coast. When you purchase your liscens you get 1 tag for a catfish of any species over 30". If you catch a catfish over 30" and want to keep it you must tag it. After cleaning the fish you can return the tag to TPWD and purchase another tag for $5. Each person is allowed only 2 tags per year.

This allows each person to harvest a big fish or 2 if they feel the need to but protects from the rediculous over harvesting. It also helps TPWD keep track of how many and how big of fish are being harvested. Lastly, the $5 for the additional tag goes to funds for restocking blue catfish.





Let's make this statewide.

We did it for the Alligator Gar, now it's time to do it for the Flatheads and Blues!

Maybe in your part of the state but down here in southern Oklahoma. I guarantee 90% Of the cat anglers that I encounter have no idea of that reg and will have a boat load of fish over 30". Also they don't give 2 $&!+$ about it when you try to inform them. And there's no game warden down here in this area. Well there is but do not patrol at all.

I agree it's ridiculous to harvest that many large fish. Where do I sign?

This picture is getting me all fired up over here and would think that it would result in a similar tidal wave of emotions if shared with the right people in Texas Parks and Wildlife. I suggest sharing the picture with TP&W as prime example of why they need to limit the # of big fish harvested on certain bodies of water

I'll sign the petition.

I dont get on the forum much anymore but post like this are what make me get on to add my $.02.

I would like to see slot limits put on blues and yellas. My thoughts are 15 fish per person per day combined with a limit of 5 yellas. Anything 30"-45" you are allowed to keep one with the same type of tag system that redfish use. Anything over 45" has to be released.

Why do people need to keep several fish 20+ pounds. Any half $$$ decent catfisherman should be able to go to tawakoni to catch a limit of good size eaters for several days to fill the freezer.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/protect-lake-tawkonis-trophy-blue-catfish/

This is the group that ultimately changes things...

https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/about/commission/commissioners/

I agree on a lot said for releasing big blues. I also think it would be wise to let it be know through the legislation when they have a open session for the public to speak about there concerns. I think thats very soon maybe next week. But keep in mind the fishery surveys which TPWD do on the lakes they don't just guess at the regulations. And for those people who say what good does it do because look at undersized fish that are taken. Well all I can say is be responcible for yourself , and if you see someone being a game theft report it. I do!!!! I promise .

Thanks for this information. Are you saying we need to go to these people with our concerns?

I don't fish Tawkonis but just signed. Takes less than 1 minute to complete. Strongly encourage anyone who has not done this regardless of whether you fish this lake to take the time and sign

I filled it out and encourage more to do so.........

Don't mean to step on toes here, but if lowering the limit is a good thing for catfishing in general, is there anything stopping the cat fishermen on this forum from self imposing a 12 fish limit for each person on the boat?

a lot easier to have a leo at the boat ramp checking boats as they come in. it would be nice if they were an avid fishermen too!

From what I can tell, most rod n' reel blue cat anglers harvest very few blue catfish. We are approaching the time when the smaller fish are easier to target and catch.

Would be good to hear from others who fish for blues on rod n' reel...how many do you normally keep. Personally I don't keep any, I prefer the channel cats when I eat catfish.

SAD to see greedy people like that. TPW needs to do something to stop this.

Great catch of Blues.
Solid fish.

ive had few people get upset at me cause I tell them on my boat if its over 10 it goes back in! And for the life of them they couldn't grasp why even after explaining to them why. What I can't grasp is why some people have don't get a damn in there dna.

Harvesting of big blue cat is not a new thing. They have been taking a large number of blues from Tawakoni and many other lakes for as long as I can remember. I tried every way to get these limit&length sanctions passed by TPWD in 2003 and it all fell on deaf ears. Back then not near as many knew how to catch big blues on rod&reel so very few cared at all, I met lot of resistance on this forum and many others. A few led the charge for keeping big fish and I respect them for that.
Just for the record the taking of big blues out of Tawakoni, Richland Chambers, Lewisville, and Cedar Creek have not hurt the population and bigger and bigger records are taken yearly, as more and more people are catching large numbers of big fish. The true conservative minded folks will release big fish and the harvesting people will not. Laws are just guides for people who choose to follow them.
Don't tell me the lakes with slots are producing bigger fish than ever, they have always produced big fish and will continue to do so. Tawakoni without a slot and the same limits as everywhere else is producing more and bigger fish than ever. Why? because more people know how to cat them. In the same breath more people are releasing big fish. TPWD runs gill net and shock surveys yearly and adjust limits as needed, a few lakes like Livingston have a 50 catfish limit, because of the number of fish. When and if a lake gets low on numbers TPWD will adjust the limit, size and number.
People who don't eat blue cat I don't blame you they have terrible tasting beautiful white meat so turn em all loose and eat the channels. Most folks will tell you a blue cat weighing from 1.5-3# out of RC and CC is better than any fish from fresh water.
I don't know I ain't been fishing all that long.

Yup, we see it down here on our smaller lakes. Lakes can not support the amount of jugging that is going on now. Even more disappointing down here are the guides that let the customers keep all the big fish they catch instead of teaching them catch and release....

I would like to know? How many fish I turn back get caught my jugs or trot lines. I turned back a 45lbs last weekend and 30 min I saw these guy running their lines. They been running lines and jugs in the cad do area all long will take to catch the fish we turn back that is what p-- me off

Not trying to single you out....BUT....what about the 4 guide boats you run? How many do you keep? What makes the situation tough is nobody knows the correct ratio of BIG FISH 2 LITTLE FISH....whose to say all the little fish you are pulling out of the lake aren't hurting the future of the lake? There are so many guides on that lake now I'm sure it cant be good! Putting a limit on yourself and your boats would be a great way to practice what ya preach! I'm all for preserving these big fish, but none of you are biologist, most of you just have a personal interest/opinion...if we don't get any rain, before long we'll have to keep all he big fish we catch! Good Day

Guys, here’s some of my thoughts on why I feel we need to protect these fish.

Growing up I learned to fish from my dad. I remember him telling me stories about how good the fishing WAS in various parts of the state. How YEARS AGO they would catch large numbers of huge crappie from Belton Lake. How YEARS AGO they would catch white bass from various lakes and rivers in the state until they got tired of catching them. How YEARS AGO it was not uncommon to catch a 10 lb hybrid from Belton Lake. How YEARS AGO they would catch unbelievable amounts of catfish from the Brazos River. And how YEARS AGO they could catch huge amounts of fish at the coast. Unfortunately, all of these memories he speaks of were before I was old enough to fish with him. Now, for various reasons (low water levels, consecutive bad spawning years, and overharvest ect.) the fishing in these same locations is just not near what it was 20 - 30 years ago. I was never able to experience any of these amazing trips with him.

Now I have a baby girl that is almost a year old. I want us to protect our great fisheries that we have now so that one day I will not have to tell my little girl how YEARS AGO we could catch huge blue cats frequently on rod and reel. I want her to be able to enjoy great fishing 20 years from now, just like we do today.

These pictures are an example of 3 things to me.

#1 They shows what a GREAT fishery Lake Tawakoni is. Possibly one of the best bluecat fisheries in the nation.

#2 They show how much damage a small group of people can do to a population of fish in just 1 day.

The 3rd thing I see is selfishness and greed in these pictures. The smiles say it all to me. Yes, it was a great day fishing, but why kill all these fish so that nobody else can enjoy this great sport years from now.

I know most guys on this forum practice CPR, but to the ones that don’t, look at the pictures again and ask yourself, is a harvest like that REALLY needed, and if so please explain why to me. My PM box will be cleared for anyone that wants to confront me about this off the public forum.

Salsa posted that harvest like this happen every year on Tawakoni and TRH said he saw these same guys 3-4 weeks ago. Obviously, this is not the first time harvest like this have happened and I think most of us on the forum know that. How long can we go on with taking fish out like this before there are no more to take out?? Guys, please do you part to stop this, and TPWD, please give us some regulations to stop this, and then enforce it.

That is a fair question. And, I agree 100% no one on my team are biologists. I am not certain on the numbers but looking back through our website photos I count six or seven trips we actually took pictures of smaller blue catfish on the dock. On about 70% of our Trophy Trip's we do not keep any fish at all. And, on the other 30% of our trips we keep less than 10. I do remember, one trip in particular where the customers wanted to target smaller fish and we kept probably 50 or 60. But, also remember we are talking about being on the water almost every single day.

We have several customers who fish with is that are also TFF'ers...feel free to share your experience with keeping smaller fish while fishing with us.

Gents, what we need is an organized group to voice our opinions. Much like B.A.S.S. As an organized group our opinion would count for so much more. They may not be biologist, but the anglers who spend countless hours on a lake have a good feel for what the fish/population are doing. The biologist shock survey's are just a snapshot in time...they give an idea but with so many variables they can easily be flawed. How about CATS...Catfisherman Across The South! A collective group of experienced fisherman from throughout the South, who don't always see eye to eye but who all have a common goal! (Protecting & Growing) the sport of catfishing. I nominate, Steve Nelson, Mickey Petree, Cody Mulineux, Michael Littlejohn, Bankfisher, Parttime, Tiny, & Danny King to represent the TX office (even though Tiny is an Okie we'll let it slide) ALL IN FAVOR SAY IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

It might be time Smoky.

I believe the issue is not how many fish are being kept, but rather how many big, old, trophy fish are being kept. I believe I read a study from TPWD that states estimated growth rates of catfish. I cant find the article now but I recall it saying blue catfish are slow growers, until they get to a large size (I want to say it was around 20 lbs). As they get bigger and older they gain weight faster. The slow growth rate at an early age is the reasoning behind the slot limits on the 3 lakes. I think TPWD knows there are an abundant amounts of catfish in our lakes, which probably is the reasoning for them having a 25 fish per person limit. Im not sure TPWD realizes how many big fish are removed from our lakes, especially Tawakoni.

Numbers of fish ain't the problem guys, its the numbers of big fish we are looking at here. You cant grow 50 lbers overnight.

I do know the current world record Blue Catfish is 143 lbs and came from Buggs Island Lake in Virginia. I also know this is the current harvest restrictions on Blue Catfish in Virginia. "No minimum size or daily limit, except only one blue catfish per day per person longer than 32 inches."

And for the record, when I fished on Salsa's boat, I don't remember exactly how many fish we took home, but I do know it was less than 10 and the biggest was about 10 lbs.

I am a jug-liner. We set about 8 out every time we go to Tawakoni. I bait it with hot-dogs. We catch enough blues and channels to fill the freezer and then stop and pull the lines out. About 4 gallon bags last us a half year, and none of it goes to waste. There is no way that those guys in the pics listed are eating all that catfish. They have to be commercial fishermen. I bet if you followed them to their cleaning station, they just fillet them and throw them in bags and drive to the nearest restraunt that wishes to purchase the filleted meat. I think jug-liners like me are doing it right. For those of you who say "Why don't you just catch them on rod-and-reel"? I say this...we like to troll for hybrids and sand bass as well. Those are the fish we prefer to catch on rod and reel.

I can't help but ask the same question here though about the guides who keep all the big hybrids. There are only so many big hybrids in Tawakoni, and they have no natural reproduction at all, even though they do go through the motions. I know the LT Association stocks it every year with more hybrids, but how many of them make it past the fingerling stage with all the big catfish in Tawakoni? How long can Tawakoni sustain the huge number of fish that it gives up before the good fishing in non-existent for all species? You have already seen a decline in the striper population there...

I am going to spend $150-$200 in gas driving to and from Tawakoni including boat gas as well. I want to bring home some fish to justify spending that much money on a weekend trip to Tawakoni. Stay the night at the State Park, and that will add another $30 to the tab. Us people that don't live on the lake, fish it every day of the year, and rely on it to make a living...just want some freezer fish. I agree the pics you posted are overkill...and then I see guide picture with a party of 4 and there is a limit of hybrids all 6 pounds and up (20 fish), and a ton of sand bass and catfish sprinkled in...who does more over-harvesting?

We will have around 30 people their spring break and we will catch lots of fish . All on rod & reel . All the fish we catch will be divided up. We will have 6-8 boats in the water. Any fish that is over 10lbs get put back in the water. Been doing this for last 6 or 7 years . And we will never hurt the lake like what these guy in one week end . Big 10 are you going this year?

Jug lines and trot line aint helping the problem either.Our #'s here are way down

Juglines and trotlines aren't the problem. Over-harvesters and commercial fishermen are the problem.

Daaang. I don't know anything about the guys in the pic, but I'm sure not going to vilify them or attribute motives and intent to them when there is no basis. They might have been fishing for a family reunion fish fry. But seems there are plenty on here ready to get a short rope and look for the highest limb. Those guys could easily post a pic or two from this forum of ice chests full of cats and whites and hybrids and say "here's why TP&W needs to outlaw all guided fishing". Would their opinion be any less valid than what's being posted now?

Seems to be a lot of people who want to impose their preference for a certain type of fishing on everyone else. The limits are there to protect the fishery and allow for a harvest. With all the noise being made the past few years about harvest rates of catfish, I'm sure TP&W is taking surveys and collecting data. I know they are collecting data from the three lakes with slot limits, the videos are out there.

The more posts there are on this forum and others showing catches, the more people who are attracted to go try it for themselves. There seems to be a misconception that all the big fish in the lake belong to just a few people for their continued enjoyment. And I understand the idea that the big fish need to be left for our kids to catch, but the fish won't live that long. So that means some of those "eaters" need to be left alone to grow to 30 lbs.

It's all speculation anyway unless you have access to the sampling data being accumulated by TP&W. Sure a shocking survey is a snapshot in time, but the fish numbers don't mysteriously go up or down in a couple days making the survey invalid. The survey data is more useful than anybody's conjecture.

I have talked about catch and release to people in my area and they really don't care. I fish Calaveras and Braunig lakes and have seen this stuff first hand. There are at least 6 guide services working these lakes and I have spoken to some of them and asked about catch and release. None of them promote it but one of them did say if the blue cat was over ten pounds it was suggested to the client to put it back. I would think the guides would be the biggest promoters of catch and release as it would be an investment in their business.
A few months ago on another fishing forum ,I mentioned catch and release in a post and immediately was told that the blue cat population was fine and that there will always be big ones and no need for catch and release. This statement came from one of South Texas Catfish Association members.
So, I think that the public needs to be aware of how the slot limit has worked for the largemouth bass and how it could be applied toward catfish. I hope that TPWD does look at the situation and do something statewide.

Don't swich it on guides it's not limits that tpwd is doing wrong. It's taking in account the big old catfish over 10 lbs harvested like nothing in the pick. I catch big bass and throw them back , hybrid , catfish , etc. Fishing is a privilege and its up to us to keep only what we really need for our kids future of fishing. Keep y'all's eaters being legal size not trophy size. I would love to catch a fish like some of them in the picture, but I am not going to set a trot line to reach my goal. Eaters ar smaller and help our fisheries not the big ones. I use to eat and catch any shark when I was younger , now I know better and it includes slot size limits.

I just want to say thanks to all that respect the sport of TROPHY CAT FISHING and do there part to protect it! Sad that some dont have the respect for the sport that we love so much. This is chance to make a change lets give it our best shot. Nothing can make you smile like a big blue!

I don't blame the guides at all, but I think that when they have a boat full of clients, that is the perfect time to talk about catch and release and why it is important to be selective in the harvest of fish.

No different than taking a cull buck or doe. No different than killing a mature Tom turkey. Because biologists have collected data ,done studies and have presented the state with facts. The state then passes laws to protect and manage game and fish for our benefit.

However, you and I may be selective in our harvests but the general public is not. That is why we have the laws and conservation officers to enforce them.

I also have no problem with any of the guides. The guides who post on here are all good people who run a very respectful business. However, it is a business and the goals of the commercial fisherman and the angler who travels to Tawakoni once or twice a year to catch some catfish for the freezer are totally different. Somewhere there is common ground on the "issues". But the rules can't be worked only for the benefit of one party or the other. There were some excellent suggestions made by BIG10 about tags for trophy fish. Might be a good place to start.

I would have no problem with regulations on big blues.
Guides on our smaller lakes are taking tons of fish and not one thought on catch and release. It's about sending their customers home with bags of filets so they feel they got their monies worth.
If you catch a blue over 25# it's a rarity even if you are targeting them.
Didn't used to be that way, but the larger fish are no longer there in numbers.
On our lakes the guides I feel should self impose limits on large fish but it won't happen because competition is too fierce.
Some new guide comes along and tells the customer he can keep everything he catches and guess what? That guide will start taking away a lot of the business from those guides trying to conserve the resource.

Blue Dot, I fish the same lakes, we may know each other. And I see the same issues.. It was a guide (Cliff Hill) who educated me on catch and release and I agree, it is in their best interest (guides) to support it and educate their clients. I am supprised that an STCA member told you that, I have not been a member for a couple years now, but the truth is all their tournaments are catch and release, and the organization does support conservation of the blue cats.

All the kitty guides I know support CPR! They make it known to the party that anything over 10 pounds, some are 15 pounds, is CPR. I know of a couple of very good kitty guides that will not book parties that do not accept this policy. It's in the guides best interest to protect the trophy fish so I don't know why all guides would not support the CPR policy on trophy fish.

I'm not a guide, but for anyone in my boat they are advised we will not keep any fish 10 pounds of larger and I prefer to release anything 6 pounds or larger as it is just plain ole fun to be able to catch the bigguns!:) I am all for slot limits on the big kitties!

Blue Dot,

I am a member of the South Texas Catfish Association and our tournaments support the catch and release program designated for large Catfish. Tournament rules state that all cats caught during the tournament should be returned back to the water after weighing. If the catfish is not alive then team is penalized weight and probably is out of the money places for tournament. I have been fishing Calavaras and Braunig and other lakes in area for 6 years and follow the catch and release of large Catfish. It takes many years for these cats to get that large and you would be removing a strong gene pool from the water. I discussed this post with the president of STCA and he also follows and wanted me to reiterate that we follow the catch and release of large catfish.On another not the picture of all of those cats being taken out of the water at one time MAKES ME SICK. It is inconsiderate and does not promote fishing values for young anglers. I just wish there was something legal that could be done for such disrespect to Texas fishing waters.

Whenever its just family and I fishing, we only keep ONE fish over 10 pounds. That fish is always put in the oven and baked. Big slab of baked cat cooked right cant be beat. Smaller fish are filleted and fried. We also do not keep 12 inch fish. Usually the minimum is 14 or 15 inches.
There is no way I could or would put the all the fish in that picture in my Kenner or pontoon...aint got the room for that many large fish in the live wells.
When on a guided trip, I recommend to customers ONE big fish per person. Then I recommend they throw foot-longs back and keep fishing for bigger ones...unless the fish is bleeding badly from the hook. Have not heard any grumbling yet.

TP&W is taking data from the slot limit lakes Waco, Richland Chambers, and Lewisville. I firmly believe the data from these lakes with slot limits will show how beneficial these regulations are. The whole reason for creating the slot limit was basically to collect data, test a theory. I firmly believe this is the proper way to go about introducing new regulations. I applaud TP&W for taking this approach instead of using the approach the Gulf Council and other phony regulatory agencies have used. Their mode of operation is to make some science up and then screw the recreational fisherman.

I firmly believe the slot limits will be made law on a vast majority, if not all, Texas lakes very soon.

I know the folks in the picture and guarantee that they're eating every bit of the fish they catch and can also guarantee they throw back twice as much as what's in the picture.

They are constantly frying fish for fundraisers for folks who've fell on hard times and that's where most of that fish is heading. Y'all need to get off your soapbox without knowing the context of a picture.

okay the deed of helping others is a good thing! it still doesn't negate the damage done by removing so many big fish! and it doesn't look like they threw much back. whats so bad about getting a bunch of eater size and continuing there good deed? to me coming to a great fishery all the time it seems others are seeing this group only tells me that they are only after big fish! The fact that you even say they are catching more than whats in the picture is alarming! No soap box to be had. Thats simple greed!

Chocolate bars= good fundraisers
Big fish make little fish.

One reason I use the Guides at Tawakoni be it Micheal Teri Littlejohn, Gary Moats or Matt Cartwright is their support of the lake and fishery. I know when I spend my hard earned money it will help keep this great fishing lake going. I have never seen such a great group of guides that help each other out when needed. Heck Matt and Teri caught a Seagull that had a slab stuck in its beak and removed it,that's caring and having pride about your lake and wildlife even if it is not fish. I plan at least 3-4 guided trips a year there, 1 hybrid/sandbass,1 Trophy cat, 1-2 10 person fishing trip for my Outdoors group. On all my Trophy Trips all the guides enforce a 10lb and under keeper rule with CPR anything over. I can personally tell you that I have released a 12 lb cat because it was the Guides rule and don't feel it was wrong for him to tell me to.It feels good to let a big cat go almost like you get karma points. I do keep all the fish on my Hybrid/Sandbass and some Channel Cat meat from the other trips but thats my yearly limit for fish meat. Also on the Outdoor group trips we usually have 50+ people camping at the State Park so we keep all the fish and feed the whole group at the fish fry that night. I do feel that harvesting that many big cats will hurt such a great lake so I signed.If I remember correctly there was a problem years back with people harvesting large amounts of white bass too.

Parttime and sigma cat- We have probably met at one time or another and maybe we will talk some time.I know very little about STCA,but have always heard that STCA is a stand up organization and promotes catch and release thru out their tournaments. That is one reason I was a little shocked when the man told me that blue cats are over populated in Calaveras and there will be plenty.

12thman11- If those folks are helping the needy that is great, but to over harvest fish and affect the quality of a species doesn't make it right. There are many other ways to help out the needy. If you know those folks, please have them talk with some of the catfish guides at Twok, so they can be educated on catch and release.

Hey Dan-O

I'm not a biologist, but along with the Lake Tawakoni Sportsman's Association, we keep in close contact with our regional biologist. We have to because we raise money and actually spend every penny stocking 5 times the amount we cold legally harvest with our customers each year. This is in addition to what your money and TPWD stock. Hybrid striper average 8 years lifespan. If we keep a 20 fish limit of 8 pounders they are at the end of their life and need to be harvested or they will die anyway. If you aren't catching 8 to 10 pounders every trip, neither are we. Lol. But when we do we keep them because nobody else will probably catch then before they die. Sand bass need high harvest rates or they will become the alpha predator in the lake. Eating all the bait and forage causing decline in catfish, lmb, crappie, perch....... all the way down the line. If you doubt my facts I can give you or biologists home number and he can better explain.

As far as the Catfish regulations are concerned in regard to trophy blue cats, I agree 100 percent that harvesting numerous trophy blues is a problem. It will not affect the overall population keeping limits as they are, but the trophy class will suffer. The question is, will TPWD change the law and promote Tawakoni as a Trophy fishery? I think it should.

And..... I'll go ahead and stir the pot some more. I think jug lines should be limited to a 6 hour soak and the owner cannot leave the water. I see every year a bunch of squatters come for a week and put out 100 jugs a day. Covering 10 acres and inhibit others from fishing. The lake is a fishery, so fish it. If you want to collect fillets and don't want to fish, go to Kroger. Trust me is cheaper.

State of Kentucky enacted new fishing regulations for the Ohio river, as the big cats are disappearing from the river. http://fw.ky.gov/FishBoatGuide/Pages/New-This-Year.aspx

Seems that the fish were being caught out commercially and being sold to the pay lakes in Ohio for contests. The man that pushed for the reform is Steve Douglas of Monster rod holders. http://monsterrodholders.com/

Don't know the guy, but my hats off to him.

I'm all in!
Signed!

People have been fishing twak hard for years. And every year we go it has just gotten better, if keeping larger fish was really that big of a deal I would think you would see the effects by now. I can see turning them loose over 40, they still taste the same and the belly flaps are awesome but they don't fit in the cooler to good. That lake along with most lakes in Texas mainly just need a 30' rise upriver. But as far as releasing big blues I'd be for it over 40lbs, not yellow cats though. If I were a guide and saw pics like that I'd prolly have a stronger opinion with people messin with my livlyhood.

Now Matt that was past pot stirring, that was whining. Did you vote for the participation trophy too.

I could certainly get on board with a "1 over" rule on Tawakoni. I fish the blues myself, and enjoy taking people out there to catch them too. Last year I put three people on their personal best fish in two trips. That being said, my boat has a self imposed 10lb and over release rule. I just don't see the point in keeping big fish when I can fill a 120qt cooler with 2-6lb'ers and still be under a 2 man limit while releasing the big'uns.

We can certainly disagree with what seems to be happening in the OP pic, but as long as they aren't breaking the law, there's not really much room to complain about it. Every year I witness people keeping every fish they boat when I'm on the same school catching a 50/50 ratio of magnum sandies and undersized hybrids. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to tell them that not all those fish are sandies and get blank stares in return. They know, problem is, there just isn't enough enforcement going on, not at the ramps, and certainly not on the water.

Wait till. I get some Mud-Cat. On those . 10/0!! Straight-J's.
Big-Heads. Hanging along my Fence. From the Concho,. To The SABINE.

1. I signed up this [censored] makes Me SICK!! Let me see how many BIG fish I can kill just for a photo!!! I am the best look at my picture and know I am better than you bullshi/ mentality.


2. Your trot lines and jug lines. I try to cut everyone I see down or bring it in and throw it away. I have removed 3 hooks from my dogs over the years while hunting and getting hung in a trot line or jug line that somebody left out. Remove your freaking trash from the lake!!!! I personally feel it's unsportsmanlike to fish this way anyhow. Like using a snare on a deer or some [censored].

Looks like portions of this thread got the ax

I think the whole post needs the axe. Lakes were built for water supply, fishing is just a bonus. Every person out there grew up different, were raised by people who were raised by people who grew up different. Everyone's situation and opinions will always be different and at times maybe hard for other people to understand. I've read this post many times and found myself getting a little more heated each time. It is a arguable topic from both sides and has been for ten years, prolly will be for another ten. At the end of the day if turning big fish loose to fight again and lay her eggs makes you feel like you did your part in conserving the sport for the future. That's fine. Or if you're one of the guys coming down for a three day weekend armed with jugs, big coolers, sharp knives and a thought of them golden belly flaps swimming through their mind. That's fine too. Fishing is and hopefully always will be what it has been.

Let me catch you running my lines or cutting them. We will have a major issue on the lake. It takes an hour to make one of my juglines. I have about $12 in each one in parts and equipment. You must live on the lake and have access to it daily. Some of us don't. Some of us get limited opportunities to go to Tawakoni. When we do go, we want to fill our freezers with meat we will use. You may not like jug-lines, but it is illegal to touch them if they are not yours. I have a 10 year old daughter. The look on her face when she pulls on the jug and it tugs back is worth more to me than your complaining.

And Matt, we have several mutual friends. If I wanted to go to Kroger and buy catfish fillets, I would. To me, going to the lake is about spending quality time with my family. We make memories while we are at the lake. Those memories will live long past my death for my daughter and other family members. Some of you need to drop the "Holier Than Thou" mentality and quit judging others. I agree the trophies should be released. Some don't. Educating others is all anyone can do until the law changes the laws. I have a problem with commercial fishermen who keep everything they catch...especially if they are doing it on a frequent basis. Some of the best memories of my life were growing up with my grandparents, parents, and siblings at the lake. Juglining, fish fries, running the lines, cleaning fish, all of that...are still great memories for me and my family. Everyone should be preaching enjoying the lake and using it resources to provide for their own families. Where to issue gets cloudy is when people use the resources to try to provide for everyones families, or selling their catch to others for profit.

Leave the jugliners alone. Just because they don't catch fish on rod and reel and you do, does not mean their way is wrong...or that you are a better fisherman.

A question for you guides...if a fisherman wanted to hire you for a trip to catch catfish on juglines, would you take their $350-$600 and make it happen? Or would you turn down that money and refuse to fish with them?

Again, I am all for regulations for releasing trophy catfish. A limit similar to what they have on Texoma for stripers would be great! But here is some truth about striper guides on Texoma that I have witnessed firsthand on numerous occasions: I have seen numerous guide boats catch a large trophy sized striper over the limit, and then reach into their iced down cooler and throw a smaller over the limit DEAD striper into the lake, just to keep the larger striper just caught. I have actually scooped one up before and added it to my catch just so it would not go to waste.

That, to me, is just as much an abuse of the resources as someone who keeps a trophy blue, regardless of how it was caught. It all boils down to ethics and doing what is right...now how anyone catches them-as long as it is by legal means.

So has anyone started a petition to do something in this direction?

Folks, one of the most important topics we can possibly discuss on the TFF is conservation. This is true whether the subject is blue catfish in our lakes, redfish at the coast, or grouper and red snapper in the Gulf. The concerns are the same. We have multiple user groups that all want to take fish from a limited, finite resource that is fairly long-lived and susceptible to overfishing.

This is not a matter of one group or another being inherently bad. Guides are not inherently bad, jugliners are not inherently bad, recreational fishermen are not inherently bad, and even commercial fishermen are not inherently bad.

What is at issue is whether our existing law and fishing practices are inherently bad by allowing a single fisherman to take 10, 15 or more BIG blue catfish in a single day of fishing, without even an annual limit on the number of oversized blues taken. Likewise, maybe it's time to reconsider the total number of hooks or devices that a single fisherman can use at one time. I don't know the best answer, but I do know that more people are being drawn to fishing every year, as evidenced by fishing license sales. Our lakes and rivers CAN'T sustain an unlimited take of every big catfish that someone catches as the total number of fishermen grows.

Lewisville lake has a reverse slot limit 30"-45" on blue cats, with a bag restriction of only 1 blue cat over 45". It seems to be helping the fishery, but we won't really see the real results for another decade or more. It wouldn't do any harm for similar rules to go into effect on other water bodies in Texas.

I personally don't have any better ideas, but this thread should be about exploring the ideas and options that we all have on how to conserve these fish for ourselves, our kids, grandkids, etc., not bickering over who does more over harvesting. EVERY user group (not individuals, but entire groups) is probably over harvesting big blue cats under our current regulations.

Well carp-- I guess I'm gonna join in this thread and you can take my part of it how ever you want--

I'm not wagging my finger just making a statement, There are over 3600 view's to this thread and only 88 post so I'm sure there are many reading this that are still forming an opinion one way or another--

For many years before finding this forum (I was 49 years old then, so I know to some of you that is MANY years) I had been fishing the same way I had learned and I had never caught a cat over about 7 lbs. and that was just an accident.
What I'm saying is my limited knowledge made me a non threat to larger blues even though I was fishing lakes that had them.
As I learned how to catch the bigger fish I also saw threads like this with all the differing opinions also.
I read the threads and formed my own opinion, what I do and the reasons I do it are my own.
I appreciate the folks on both sides of this issue and can understand the passion when you post here, and you can be sure there are many, many others just reading these same post and some are still forming their own opinions.
I am comfortable with my choice and those that have fished me know what it is, so repeating it here is not necessary.

I simply want to thank those earlier posters years ago for both posting enough for me to know the awesome excitement of catching a big blue on R&R, which I had not knew how to do previously, AND threads like these that helps me form an opinion that I am comfortable with for myself and my boat.

You folks on both sides put yourself "out there" by letting us know how you feel, I just think it DOES matter in helping others that haven't decided yet which side of the fence they are gonna be on.

Carry on-----

Sorry, MY BAD, we was just fishing

Uncle Zeek is right. Read it, Read it again and search your soul. Articulate and on point. Thanx!

Cool photo.

I have read and lurked without posting mainly because what I would post echos what most have already posted. I think the obvious majority of folks that support some limitations being added to protect the larger trophy fish.

The dissenters will probably not jump into the fray, they will simply keep quite to let the movement die and continue to profit from the current regs.

The guys in Austin do read these threads and pay attention, but more so to their own lake survey results rather than popular sentiment. But they are aware.

I took a couple of years off and fished almost every day for a year. I got to know a couple of commercial cat-fishermen that worked a couple of lakes that are not known for the trophies. I ran into one at the boat ramp one time when he was really drunk and talkative. He was trying to explain to me how to "work" the lines without getting caught. My ensuing conversation with the game warden did not fall on deaf ears but he did say that the poacher was right, they could not prove anything.

They typically worked their lines with very heavy, extremely sharp hooks bent so to snag the larger fish rather than lip hook. They ran tight lines in the shallows to keep the lines just off the bottoms and chummed like crazy. I can guarantee that these guys will continue to ignore any regs we get passed just as they do the laws we have now.

It is not the trot-lines, jugs or any other particular method that is the problem, it is the individuals that will cheat with any method they can get away with. They can all be used fairly and be a lot of fun just like rods and reels.

Just like the changed regs last year about the white jugs, sooner or later, Austin keeps drifting in the direction of good sense.

Thanks for all the input. Good to know I am not alone.

Yes Sir!
Will Said.
Man. If you want to fill the freezer? Do It.
Want to turn those Big-Blues back, after a stressing rod and reel catch.
Do it.
Want to post; show Pics of that BIG-Blue, Bass, Channel. Hanging or swimming away.
Outstanding.
Feel the need to go to AUSTIN; with an AMENDMENT. Too; the current-law. For the;
Benefit of your business?
Will. LMAO/ Good-Luck.
TPWD. Knows -WAY-More. Than any of us here.
Bottem line.
Do not pass judgement. On folks.


By the way. I do turn all Blues. Back over 15lbs. All Channels; over 4lbs. back in the water. Too tough.
All Legal-Yellar-CATS. From 25-70lbs. Goes into the Horse-Trough.
GodBless.

I'm with you. My boys grew up running jugs with me and the look on their faces when one went under for a couple of minutes is priceless. We turned back big ones unless the freeze was empty. But as long as you are following the law no one has the right to. Complain.

Kroger fish taste like ----. I like staying with my jugs to watch the fish hit them. I do agree, sometimes the lake gets a little crowded with jugs. But it sure is fun.

Having grown up fishing lake tawakoni, I find this topic rather amusing. People have been doing this for decades, with little to no impact on the fish population. Matter of fact, there are more large fish caught now then I can remember ever seeing. What I find funny is the person that started this topic profits from catching these large fish. It's extremely hard for me to believe that you actually care about the welfare of the lake as opposed to your income.

Perhaps the bigger problem is people,like guides,exploiting a resource for their personal gain.

Just my opinion.

So,Does anyone know what the bag limit for catfish was 20 years ago? I mean before the internet,and before these Forums had educated thousands and thousands of new fishermen each year on how to catch more and bigger fish? Seems to me like if the limits have been adjusted over the years to compensate for the increasing number of educated (and practicing)fisherman on our lakes,and the limit is now 25,Then in 1995 it must have been around 200.

I don't feel that taking people fishing and releasing the larger fish is exploiting the resource. As a person that has never taken a guided trip my opinion is that they are providing a much needed service to their customers. If they weren't needed, then they would be broke in a hurry. I would love to get paid to go fishing and to give others their best days on the water.

As to your question on bag & possession limit, the standard 25 bag/50 poss. for BC/CC mix & 5 bag/10 poss. for YC goes back into the 1970s (at least 1978/1979). I have the TPWD fishing regulation guides, as well as our newspapers Lake Reports from back then.

However, some lakes have been classified under a certain designation, such as no trotlines, juglines, and throwline, only R-n-R & poles. Fort Parker Lake is one such lake like that.

And some now have a little twist, such as a slot that you can take only or nort take.

The Big Blues & Yellows can literally deplete a lake easily if not controlled. They themselves, even with not being fished out, can basically eat themselves up out of existence. This why TPWD realizes in some cases, it takes all types of fishermen & fisherwomen to keep it balanced. But yes, the main focus of these lakes is watershed, not recreation nor fishing. That is just a bonus when there is plenty of water.

Some species will compensate if man tries to reduce their numbers. One good example is the coyote. Here in Texas, they decided to knock their numbers down. Only problem was the coyote adjusted to compensate by having much, much more in their litters. Meaning they reproduced at a phenomenal rate, enough so that their numbers actually increased more than before.

Recently we had some serious droughts going on back in 2011. Lake Limestone was down 10 feet that Thanksgiving. The Game Wardens & Lake Rangers were having to use a tractor to take their boats and trailers out into the lake near the dam, in order to launch. Some lakes lost many fish due to that year's drought. One example of yellowcats dying was shared as one on the TFF here noted he was grabbing & shuttling them to another portion of the lake so they would survive.

The recent droughts were just a warning for what is ahead- it will be much, much worse.

lol y'all are girls. This makes no sense.. A 50-60lb blue isn't going to live much longer than that weight, obviously because the lake record is 89. If you say otherwise show me how many 70-80lb fish are caught a year. So therefore you're actually in the wrong for taking the 15" blues out of the mix, they are the future of the lake.

The 15" ones sure do taste better though!

that aint no lie

There are confirmed reports of catfish weighing over 200 pounds (probably blues) from the 1800's, and an unconfirmed report of a 315 pound catfish landed in 1866 in Portland, Missouri.

If we conserve our big catfish now, there's no telling HOW big they could get.

I don't see how you can get too upset if people are keeping these big fish legally. Legally being the keyword here. I've never caught anything bigger than a 22 lbs flathead. I kept it. The next time I catch one bigger, I'm going to keep that one too, and enjoy every ounce of it. If anyone else on their high horse tells me I shouldn't do that, well they can enjoy the fish they buy at HEB I guess.

With all the new fishermen here and all the pressure we need to do something Its our future for us fishermen The white bass need to fall under this to Maybe just cut the limits back

I'm with you on this, anyone that has thrown a hook into twok knows the catfish population is anything but suffering. Unless it's a fish under 12" those seem hard to come by. I'm sure one of the guides or a city client of theirs will tell everyone otherwise. I'm also glad they removed the photos. After this I wouldn't dare post photos of one of our trinity river yellow cat runs!

There are states enacting length limits with a possession of one per day bigger than 30 inch,38 inch and 40 inch depending on the state .(Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, Virginia, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, South Carolina, Nebraska)

The study below came from the state of Oklahoma and is based on data collected and not on any one OPINION.

I thought the info on the age of state record and growth rate was interesting!

REGULATIONS ON BLUE CATFISH

Angler interest in catching "trophy-sized" blue catfish has been increasing nationwide. A survey of blue catfish anglers indicated that 75% of anglers were in favor of developing trophy fisheries but only 2% of management agencies managed for trophy fisheries. Increasing popularity of "trophy" fisheries has lead to formation of catfish tournaments and out-of-state anglers traveling to Oklahoma to fish for large blue catfish. Due to increased angling pressure on large blue catfish, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation initiated research studies on the status of blue catfish populations in reservoirs.

· Biologists collected population information over a 5-year period on 13 reservoirs statewide. Results of these studies indicate:
o blue catfish growth rates are slow statewide: 13-16 years to reach 30 inches; 10 years to reach 25 inches (6 lbs.)
o growth rates are highly variable; the largest fish aged (Texoma) was 102 lbs and 29 years old; the oldest fish aged (R.S. Kerr) was 34 years old and weighed 6 lbs
o numbers of fish are high in most reservoirs but the populations are dominated by small fish (less than 5 lbs); less than 1% of the blue catfish in Oklahoma lakes are 30 inches or larger
· Game Wardens conducted a 2-year statewide creel survey to determine the numbers and sizes of blue catfish being harvested by Oklahoma anglers. Current statewide regulations are15 channel and/or blue catfish, in aggregate, with no size restriction.
o blue catfish outnumbered channel catfish harvested 3:1
o less than 2% of catfish anglers caught their daily creel limit (15)
o only 1 in 5 anglers catching blue catfish caught one over 30 inches
o over 50% of the anglers that caught blue catfish over 30 inches caught more than 1 fish over 30 inches
o 8% of the blue catfish harvested were greater than 30 inches (as compared to less than 1% in the population)
In efforts to maintain the quality of catfish angling in Oklahoma and maintain the numbers of large catfish in the state's lakes, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation felt the need to restrict the harvest of blue catfish over 30 inches in length to 1 per angler per day. At the current rate of harvest (large blue catfish being removed at a rate 16 times higher than the abundance in the lakes) biologists feel that we will not be able to maintain the high quality catfish angling currently available to the state's anglers. This regulation still allows catfish anglers to keep a large number of fish (15) less than 30 inches and, in a good day of fishing, anglers can keep more than 50 lbs of filets.

Do you all really think throwing a big one back is a bad thing?

I think it would be interesting to see the stocking reports from those lakes in correlation to that data as well.

One thing to remember is that Tawakoni had no Blue Catfish in the lake before 1989. You can look at the stocking report at http://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/action/stock_bywater.php?WB_code=0714 . The fishing should be better and larger fish should be caught each year on Tawakoni because we know they can live much longer than 26 years.

Tawakoni most definitely had blue cats in it prior to 1989. My dad has dozens of old pics of Tawakoni Blues dating well before 1989.

That is silly, what does the method of catch have to do with it? I only catfish with jugs and I only do it for the fun have never kept a catfish over 5 lbs. So I am hurting the fish population because I let some jugs soak while I Crappie fish with rod & reel?

And how many hooks are you allowed to put out jug or trot lining ??????

5 hooks per jug, total of 100 hooks per licensed fisherperson. Have no clue about trotlines. You didn't answer my question. How does the method of catch affect population?

100 hooks out ??? think about it

1 hook or a 100 hooks, the limit is the same.

Thats true but the odds are whole lot greater that your gonna catch more I see whats it done to our lake

If you catch 25 on R&R, and I catch 25 on trotline, whet is the difference? Twenty five is twenty five.

Thats true but like I said the odds are whole lot greater when you fish with all them

What odds are greater? One fish , one hook. Just because someone catches his limit quicker than you makes absolutely no difference.

Sallysue...Look at Fayette County Res. There are, by net samples and actual catches, fewer catfish in the lake now than two years ago, and each lake survey back to 1982 the number catfish have gone down while the size has increased. There are no trotlines or jug lines allowed. Only rod and reel. How do you explain that?

Well thats my option to like it or not plus I like catching them on a rod and reel

I would rather rod and reel fish. I do believe that some not all over do it ON the jug fishing,it hurt Belton and Limestone.I don't think Belton will ever come back like it was, just my thoughts on it.

I R&r fish too, haven't done jugs or trotlines in years. But they do no more to a lake than R&R. I would support a limit similar to Tennessee. Only one blue cat over 30" per day. I personally don't keep any catfish over 2 to 3 pounds. That's what I like and that's what I target.

I've tried to tell the game wardens the same thing, whether I bait or not I can't kill but 15 dove! You can't talk sense with some people.

Trotlines. Jugs. ?
Shooting Whitetails.
100 Hks.
150gr. 30-06. Knocking down Does?
Its the Limit. Along with how one uses that BLESSING.

I’m still relatively new to bluecat fishing so I can’t speak for how the fishing was on Belton years ago. I do know the fishing has taken a run down hill. However I don’t think it’s too late for the bluecats to make a comeback in Belton.

Believe it or not, there’s actually a decent amount of blues in Belton, and there is a fair amount of big blues come out of Belton every year. Just this past year the All Tackle record was broken with a fish just over 70 lbs. I think it was the previous year that a group came up and caught 3 fish that would have beaten the previous record. I also know there are a large amount of 30 to 40+ lb fish that come out of Belton and I even saw a 50+ leaving the ramp last year on the tailgate of a truck with a trotline leader and hook still in its mouth. All these fish have 2 things in common.

#1 The most recent 70+ was caught on a trotline. The previous 3 potential records were caught on jugs. The most recent 50+ was caught on a trotline. Every time I see a big fish at the ramp I ask information about how it was caught and the answer is always jug or trotline.

#2 Earlier I mentioned “there is a fair amount of big blues come out of Belton every year”. That’s the problem. They come out, and never go back in. They end up leaving the lake on the tailgate of a truck, headed to someones fish cleaning station, and probably eventually hanging on someones fence post.










The average guy that dosent know Belton will say "if Belton is breaking records, then the fishing must be great there. NOT TRUE. The amount of pressure being put on the lake is unbelievable. If you don't believe me just try driving from 36 bridge down to owl creek any weekend from spring break through July. Thats maybe a mile run and good luck dodging the jugs!

Let's just say there's an average of 4-6 groups of people running lines on Belton each weekend. And each group of people is running an average of 50 hooks a weekend, every weekend for 4-5 months out of the year. Thats going to add up to a LOT of fish pulled from the lake. Someone is going to eventually run into a big fish and it's going to be pulled from the lake too. I think the number of hooks I just estimated will be on the low end just about any weekend through the months I mentioned, and it seems to be getting worse each year.

Bottom line, if someone wants to set a few jugs while they go crappie fishing, and then pick them up when they go home, have at it. Lets just back off the number of hooks they can use and the amount of time they can leave them in the water. And most importantly back off a bunch on what anyone can take home, wheather it be caught on lines or R&R.

Big 10 since you are relatively new to fishing, and obviously can't see the forest for the trees let me say what's already been said. The limit is 25 a day per person. How you get to up to 25 is up to the fisherman and HIS preference, I put his in capital letters because I really don't think you and others are getting that part. With that being said laws are put into place and keep honest people honest. And the last thing we need is more laws that only restrict the people that abide them. I hit belton at least 8 or 9 times a year prefishing and on tournaments. I have noticed jugs on the upper end but have never had to dodge them zig zagging my way down. Now one more time. 25 a day any legal way, now get out there catch'm however you desire and have fun. P.S. I hope the photos were your friends or family and were put there to show the quality of fish belton has to offer fellow anglers.

Lambcotx, did you even read my entire post?? Did you not understand the last paragraph? What tournaments have you been fishing and pre-fishing for on Belton? I'm only aware of 2-3 tournament held on Belton each year.

P.S. The people that caught those fish are not my friends or family. However, I do have permission to post them. They were sent to my by one of the guys that caught them, so I could post them on this forum, to represent the quality fish that were in Belton.

I started fishing for blues on Belton when I was about 14 years old. Im 24 now and have been after them for about 10. I consider myself still relatively new to it compared to the guys like sallysue, leonriver, and freeman clark. Correct me if im wrong guys but I think these 3 guys have been fishing for catfish on Belton longer than I have been alive. They dont post much on this forum, but when they do I listen. They been doing it long enough I figure they got a pretty good idea.

I think we all know the limit is 25 per person, no matter how they were caught (OR HOW BIG). I think that's the main reason this thread was created.

Are the guides that take 2 to 5 people a day and catching (and keeping) 50 to 125 fish not hurting? I know one guide that his clients catch about 6000 fish a year. Is that the problem? So do we ban guides?

The 6000 number is just about annual the spawn of one fish.
TP&W are the best managers, let them do their job.

Blows my mind that as of today you can keep 25 - 50lb fish, per person....per day.


I call BS. Show me proof that a person has taken 25 fifty pound fish in one day.

With all this talk about how many are kept, and taken home, it got me to thinking. I wonder how often this happens? Dead fish floating hung up on a trotline. I do know iv never reeled a dead one in on rod and reel.





PS I do have permission to post these pictures. I took them myself, with my phone, from my boat.

The original post that started this thread had a picture of about 20 fish that averaged close to 40 lbs laid across the deck of a big aluminum flatbottom boat. That's pretty close to what you just asked for. If we had a picture of that 1 time, I wonder how many times it has happened that we don't have a picture of.

PS I would post that picture again for you but I dont have permission.

Yes I've read everyone of your posts. Bass champs, TTZ and smaller clubs. And you said limit hooks and time in the water. That's why I kept saying you can't keep over 25. The live bait boys at the coast were still bringing in limits of trout and reds. The ones everybody i know knew of that we're bitching were guys fishing artificials. Now you load up drive 2 to 6 hours to get down there and can only keep a handful of fish. I think social media paints a picture that has always been there it's just getting exposed. And there's two sides to an argument so mine would be.I don't want to tell my daughter how it used to be. More laws lead to more laws, and I'd hate to see where we end up.

I have never kept more than 25 keeper sized cats and like I said, I jugline just for fun, so most of the time I keep none, I'm usually Crappie fishing and just toss some jugs to watch from the brushpile we are fishing, because I like to catch big cats on jugs (even though I haven't caught many). I have lost a jug once in high wind & waves and found it the next weekend with a dead 3 lb fish. Felt terrible because it was one of the only times we have left them unattended and sure enough we lost one. I also agree with the post that said what about guides taking 3-4 limits of fish a day 200 to 300 days a year?

Used to be a bunch of guides that only allowed fish under 10 pounds to be kept. But they had to change that because some of their clients said they paid to catch big fish and they were keeping them. So the guides changed because they like to eat and buy new boats.

No one group is causing lake catfish populations to change (if they are changing). I think a lot of the problem is a few people know how to catch fish, and a bunch don't know how so that small group is being blamed.

I saw the picture, and it was a guide wasn't it? How many clients did he have on those trips? Do you think guides need to be banned? How about guides only allowed to catch and release? Did those guides use trotlines? Did they use jugs? Are they the problem?

Any bets on how much longer this thread gets to stay here?

Its real simple to fix cut the limits down on all the lakes On all the fish

And also add in a slot limit!

And big10. I guess some people just cant see through the forest on here about what the post is all about. I think its be stated enough times by several of the same members of the forum postin under this topic over and over!

Im all for catch and release of any blue or yella over 15 pounds. Hell i run lines on the river every weekend for three months in a row and its purposly for CATCH and RELEASE of any blue or yella over 15 pounds!