2.97 lb. plecostomus caught on the fly in Brays Bayou in Houston.

Very cool. Are those native or invasive fish? My girlfriend has one in her aquarium, but it probably weighs closer to 2.97 grams.

Definitely invasive. They are native to South America.

That looks like something that was flooded out of someone's aquarium during a hurricane.

You were fishing a ditch? Awesome, good job!

Congrats on the record. Did you take the fish to a taxidermist? It is kinda cool looking and kinda ugly all at the same time.

Hmmm you might have some competition now that I know you can turn those in! I drive past 6 and brays bayou twice a day.

Congrats. You have raised the OB bar.

plecos are what stores sale as cleaning fish. then when they grow really large and people don't have enough tank for them they either flush them or let them loose in the wild.

The whole concept abhors me !!!!

Makes me want to break out the Rotenone (sp).
Jesus, that thing looks like something from Chernobyl or Japan in a few years!

what did it taste like?

I am not going to lie, I find it ridiculous that they acknowledge a record for an invasive/exotic species. Cool that you caught it but bad bull for people releasing them into the wild.

honest question... Were you:

a) practicing your fly fishing technique for an upcoming trip
b) dying to fly fish in some manor
c) doing anything you could to avoid/get out of the house/wife
d) seeing what lived in there/trying to catch dinner

either way, I hope that you did not, in any way, let the water hit your bare skin

What was the previous record?

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I find it ridiculous that they acknowledge a record for an invasive/exotic species.

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They aren't on the prohibited exotics list, although TPWD does accept records for tilapia and grass carp. Half the species on the records page, including all those Florida strain ShareLunkers, are non-native to Texas. Limiting records to strictly Texas natives sounds pretty ridiculous to me.

quote:

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Were you:
a) practicing your fly fishing technique for an upcoming trip
b) dying to fly fish in some manor
c) doing anything you could to avoid/get out of the house/wife
d) seeing what lived in there/trying to catch dinner

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E) Drove 4 hours from Fort Worth and spent 10 days fishing the bayou. The goal was: catch a record pleco, catch a 30" carp for the Elite Anglers program, and see Kiss in concert at the Houston Rodeo. Got the record, saw Kiss, and got the carp to the net, but couldn't land it. I lived less than a mile from the bayou for 2 years and taught myself how to fly fish there.

quote:

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What was the previous record?

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Catfish,Suckermouth 2.00lbs
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/action/staterecords.php?env=FW&age_group=all&list=0&browse=Submit

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Hmmm you might have some competition now that I know you can turn those in!

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I highly encourage you to fish brays bayou. It is a very unique and overlooked fishery.

Blue tilapia

another one

3lb carp

10lb carp

smaller pleco

As long as you're not eating the catch or wadefishing the bayou, I fully support it!

We used to fish Burton Creek off 29th St. in Bryan just North of University Ave. There were some big bluegill and medium bass in there. Used light tackle with tiny spinners with good luck. Lots of fossils around there, as well if you know what you're looking for.

there are quite a few invasives in the houston area. tpwd had an aquatic invasives tent at expo.

quote:

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That looks like something that was flooded out of someone's aquarium during a hurricane.

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I'm guessing it got too big for someones tank and they tossed it in the water somewhere. That thing is huge.

quote:

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They aren't on the prohibited exotics list, although TPWD does accept records for tilapia and grass carp. Half the species on the records page, including all those Florida strain ShareLunkers, are non-native to Texas. Limiting records to strictly Texas natives sounds pretty ridiculous to me.

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Tilapia and grass carp at least have a useful role in fisheries management. Biologists will actually recommend stocking them in certain water bodies, but I doubt you will find someone that encourages releasing plecostomus. And of course they aren't a banned species since they are so prevalent in the aquarium trade.

This is in no means a personal attack on you. I simply have a thing against invasive species, in particular aquatic species, as that is my area of study/expertise.

I live right near where Fannin crosses Brays bayou. I always thought about fishing it but I never thought it would hold much. Where would you recommend fishing along the route of the bayou? I have a fly rod but I have never done much with it, what sort of flies would I need to fish it? ALso, do you think I could be successful with light spinning tackle down there?

Sorry for all the questions, its just exciting to have a decent place to fish near me. Great job on the record. I have seen some monster plecos on the Comal River above Landa lake if you ever want to top your own record.

Pretty cool. To each his own. I like doing different things and would probably enjoy this as well...until it becomes so popular like so many other spots that there is a 1-hour wait to launch a boat.

By the way, I've heard hooking a grass carp on a fly rod is an excellent fight.

I'm not going to give you all of my super secret locations, but under the Fannin bridge and the 100 yard section upstream towards Greenbriar would be in my top 3. Beware that there are inhabitants under some of the bridges, and the south side of Fannin is one of them. The north side of the bridge has better structure anyways. You'll want heavy (big lead eyes) carp type flies. Go to the Bass Pro in Pearland. They were really helpful when I was first learning.

I doubt you'll catch anything with your spinning gear. Other than the occasional gar, there really aren't predatory fish in the concrete sections of the bayou. Go to the Lakes at 610 across from Reliant with some bass gear. There are really good sized bass in there, and lots of sunfish if you want some practice with the fly rod.

Red Fishing Ag, I don't have much experience with the grassers, but common carp are very comparable to redfish. A good sized one will take you well into your backing.

There are some big assed fish in that bayou. My wife and I were in a high rise condo near the medical center, and looking down from about the 6th floor we could clearly see several huge fish in the clear water.

I had no idea the state kept size records on invasive species.

I feel like I've seen bigger plecos while diving in the Comal.

Nice catches! TPWD needs to re-do those certificates tho... kinda looks like clip-art.

I see plecos in Houston creeks all the time, but I've never caught one. What kinda fly is that? I fly fish with streamers and poppers and have some decent catches from local bayous and ditches. My friend caught a ~10 drum once...I need to scan that pic..

Bass from a creek in SE Houston:





A nice rio grande perch from a creek in NW Houston



ps: watch for gators

I live in Houston and just might have to try that out one day. In my younger years I grew up steps from buffalo bayou and had my share of days shooting water moccasins and every once in a while having to swim in it. Always felt the need to take a long hot shower with lots and lots of soap to try and cleans myself. I still feel dirty 10+ years later.

My buddy and I tried bowfishing for them there when we were in dental school. Pretty hilarious some of the looks we got from the yuppies walking their ****-zhus and what not. Also caught quite a few bass at Herman park back in the day. And.....some of my classmates would catch huge bullfrogs at the park pond by crawling a jig in front of their noses. They caught 18 one night that'd go about a foot apiece. Mmmm mmmmm taste like fishy chicken.

Careful on the tilapia and grass carp

Make sure you eviscerate them after you land them

tx4guns - I think its funny that you mentioned the creek off of 29th. I just recommended that creek to someone on the thread about fishing in CS.

Thought I was the only one dumb enough to fish in that little guy.

Y'all need to deep six this thread!

Jeeez us Gawd, he caught a nuclear waste fish!

I lived in Houston for 25yrs and would NEVER fish that $h!tty stuff for fear of what I might have to unhook! (ie. get that $h!t on me).

Go catch a real fish Dude!

And we thought Doc only hated Auodads! I guess you learn something every day.