Opinions needed about cast netting in creeks in spring

I am toying with the idea of lobbying for a law to outlaw cast netting in creeks from the months of February through May to protect game fish from illegal harvest by cast netters during the spring. As many of y'all may know cast netters can wipe out creeks this time of year especially in the smaller creeks. I believe making cast netting illegal from February through May on tributary creeks would cut through the guess work of whether or not someone is taking game fish or bait and in the long run would help protect our fisheries. I tried to post a poll but I couldn't figure out how to do it correctly so I'll just ask the bank fishing community about their opinion. Thank you, Nick.

I dont agree with this, because MOST folks arent harvesting illegally. MOST folks using a net are catching their bait. I know I have taken my net with me a few times, so i can have fresh, local bait for an idle cat rod while actively fishing for sandies or crappie. I understand that there are folks out there that ARE illegally wiping out tons of game fish, but these folks are not anywhere near the majority of anglers using nets.

thank you for your input

It would be nice to just see more enforcement out on the creeks (but Game Wardens are in short supply, and I actually wonder if the police were called - could they hold an offender over till the Game warden arrived?), but I also know many people catch baitfish in the creeks to fish with as well. No problem with catching baitfish, so I doubt they'll pass something like what you're wanting to introduce. It's a catch 22.

watched a fella last year throwing his cast net and keeping the crappie he caught in it. I called the warden but he could not get there in time. He did start making his presence known though and I haven't seen it since.

One more law that we don't need. Game warden presence would help.
Making a law against cast netting in creeks during the spring is like outlawing driving after 9pm because some people choose to drive drunk and break the law.

I think, like most laws, it would only hurt the people who aren't breaking laws to begin with. The type of people who would do that aren't generally the type who would obey a law forbidding it anyway, and it would prevent responsible anglers from catching bait. It's already illegal to keep game fish caught in a cast net anyway.

Yup.

I agree that simply a better game warden presence would be all that is needed.

A police officer can write citations for fishing and hunting
They can enforce ALL laws

Would they respond to a game violation?

I have a buddy who is a police officer in Mabank on Cedar Creek, and says he's responded to fishing violations before. Though Mabank is much smaller than Garland/Rowlett, who really knows. It's worth a shot.

I think those who use a cast net are spot on. Natural bait is the best bait to use, so throwing one of these or the use of any other type of method of capturing live bait lawfully is fine.
Now to talk about those who miss treat this tool and use it in a way to illegally harvest game fish. There will always be a few people in this world that will be wiling to gamble the risk of a fine and poach. In all reality, you can not punish honest people with a law that forbids them to net live bait to fish with just because there is a hand full of poachers out there. What an honest angler can do is, call the authorities on those who choose to break the law and report them. Let the authorities take it from there and handle it right. This year I did not call the 800 number once, how ever I did see a guy in the water with a frog gig at night with a bright light stabbing white bass. One of these days I may not be so lucky, but I chewed this guys rear end out and told him he had a choice to either get the heck out of dodge, or I would report him to the authorities. He packed up and left. But in the years past, I have walked away, dialed the number to report poaching and stayed there till they got there and pointed the poachers out. I sure have gotten a lot of guys busted. But my feelings towards these guys praying heavy on spawning fish just because they are sitting there and they are so easy to get, really gets my goat. I think it is wrong in so many ways and that�s why there are written laws to protect this kind of stuff from happening. Make that simple phone call and report every poacher you see.

I too have used a cast net to legally catch bait, but on the creeks I have fished, the vast majority of the people I have seen castnetting seem to be illegally netting game fish, 1 in 10 might be legally netting bait. I just feel like it would be a regulation that would protect game fish when they are so concentrated in the creeks, it would simply remove any and all doubt, you have a cast net, you break the law.

this is not as simple as it seems. In order to regulate this, one particular written law would not make any significant improvement. It has be a collective system with man power to enforce. To go over that, its a whole another discussion with more politics.

law enforcement cannot even keep up with all those illegal poachers. if they are there, they would not have any problem meeting their daily quotas in issuing tickets. illegal castnetters are mostly with no license to begin with. which means, if we have enough man power to control those with no license, then illegal castnetters are controlled by itself. So the fundamental problem is we don't have enough man power. and that comes from our tax money, etc, etc.. on and on....

bottomline, it's not a simple thing.

It's a good thought toward trying to solve a bad issue, Nick. Unfortunately, any proactive measure against keeping people from breaking laws usually restricts those that DO obey the laws, more than those that break them.

People also use car batteries to electricute fish to the surface... Do u also want to outlaw car batteries from the lake since they are also used for poaching? I have people that illegally hunt my ranch from time to time...should we outlaw firearms while we're at it? What about spot lighters who poach? Make flashlight illegal? From my experience, if you outlaw something, only the law abiding people will stop. The criminals will continue to poach no matter what. Tell them you called the game warden and watch how fast they get the hell out of there!

this is a little different, I'm not talking about outlawing cast nets, I'm just suggesting maybe ban it for a short period of time on small creeks to protect all species of fish when they are so concentrated. It was just an idea.

Go for it! I am all in for it.

Here is an idea. The state could set up high def hidden game cams around poaching hot spots in the creek along with high def night vision cameras in the parking areas. This could be done on the cheap these days given the proliferation of low cost camera technology. They could even "deputize" certain citizenry to help with the maintenance, deployment, and observation. Then people seen keeping game fish on camera can be linked up with certain vehicles that they depart in. I agree that there are too many laws and I know that resources are thin. However setting up something like the equivalent of a "red light camera" to get poachers sounds efficient to me?

Stupid idea

It's so easy to criticize others and have absolutely nothing to add or any other ideas. Have a great day!

The thing is officers dont have the knowledge/education to enforce game laws like a game warden.

Game wardens are stretched to thin trying to enforce a large areas.,...it's close to impossible to enforce game laws and that is why penalties for getting caught are so high...poaching makes me sick and if I see it I call the game warden and give them a description of the offender and their tag number...the game wardens I know are detectives when it comes to poaching and keep notes on active poachers...eventually they all get caught and have to pay big time...F em

So you want to create a law to keep people from breaking a law that already exist.

I don't think creating this new law, would stop people who are already breaking the law from doing it. They either do it, because they don't care, or they don't know. I think that some of this could be caused by Mexico citizens, as I believe it is legal there. They may assume it's the same law.

I was taught to read the TWPD pamphlet cover to cover, as time as gone by I release I am the exception not the norm. I assume many of us in this forum are those same exceptions.

I just looked at the pretty pictures.

I believe all licensed citizens receive the TWPD booklet when you get your license. I imagine most of those breaking the laws...aren't licensed.

Last few years, I have had to ask for it, or they were out.

Still people are breaking the law, more laws won't fix that.