Caught quite a few 16-17" trout this summer on the ULM.

Will go back to catching quite a few 14-15" trout soon.

There's a bunch of guides who spearheaded a petition to keep 3 fish and do 15-20" personally id be good with that too.

The reduced limit was a political move initiated out of Austin by upper management without input from fisheries management personnel, and had little to no effect on trout recovery from the freeze. Fishermen and guides are always free to set their own more restrictive personal limits, in fact a number of fishermen are voluntary catch and release. At this time there is no reason to believe that either the trout or redfish populations cannot withstand fishing pressure under the existing regulations.

Of course it was especially, above the bridge. We have an elitist problem. Sure those with access to $125,000 bay boats that don't even like to eat fish don't care. They can buy whatever fish or Wagu steaks they want so why eat specs. Lots of people just want to keep a few for dinner off the damn state pier with their kids. They have rights to the fishery too. I am all about necessary limits and I don't keep more than I eat, but this was to discourage what they consider lesser fisherman.

For the record I have a boat in Central Coastal region and enjoy buying Wagu Steaks and Red Snapper for dinner.

The 3 fish limit was the gayest thing since GRIDS

I fish Rockport and Matagorda. Trout still hasn't recovered from the freeze.

I liked the 3 fish limit.

Just my personal experience with weekend fishing at those two locations. Occasional guided trip during the week (April, August, and October).

Before the freeze I could pick up my 5 trout and then hunt reds until it got hot. Doesn't work that way anymore.

The reference in my case is to describe who is pushing for those regulations. They are the same people who judge folks for the way they fish. Like if you use bait or even gulps you're not a real fisherman. Most of these people did not grow up fishing which is fine. Yes I have been to the Dallas CCA banquet so I have met my share. Oh and before anyone asks I am a lifetime CCA member and support the organization.

dahouse said:

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I fish Rockport and Matagorda. Trout still hasn't recovered from the freeze.

I liked the 3 fish limit.

Just my personal experience with weekend fishing at those two locations. Occasional guided trip during the week (April, August, and October).

Before the freeze I could pick up my 5 trout and then hunt reds until it got hot. Doesn't work that way anymore.

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my fishing experience this year is in direct opposition to what you posted. As stated before the reduced limits had little to no practical impact on trout recovery which is dependent on sufficient standing stock biomass of female trout to produce enough eggs to maintain the population. Given the massive reproductive fecundity of trout and onset of sexual maturity at 1 year trout are well equipped to rebound from intermittent mortality events.

I'd say everybody should set their own limits. No need to keep fish just because you catch them. I do catch and release most of the time. Keep a few when you want to eat some.

Ban guides from using live bait, or just croaker and eliminate 90% of the problem. These guys run two trips a day croaker soaking. This does way more damage to the fishery than anything else.

Sorry no. Habitat destruction and environmental impactors resulting in habitat loss does more harm to the fishery than anything else.

I would argue that we don't affect the fishery at all by rod and reel.

CorpsTerd04 said:

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The reference in my case is to describe who is pushing for those regulations. They are the same people who judge folks for the way they fish. Like if you use bait or even gulps you're not a real fisherman. Most of these people did not grow up fishing which is fine. Yes I have been to the Dallas CCA banquet so I have met my share. Oh and before anyone asks I am a lifetime CCA member and support the organization.

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I'm glad they are raising the limit, but wish they had kept the slot at 17". There's no meat on a 15" fish that's worth killing it over.

None of my f.u. money friends even remotely think that way about using limits and slots to discourage people from fishing. That's the dumbest take I've ever heard and just reeks of jealousy.

Lots of meat on 15" fish in copano

Always cracks me up when people start pointing fingers at guides. The guides just give their customers what they ask for. So if you are blaming guides be sure to blame all your neighbors, friends, coworkers, and family that hires guides. Take a lil scroll thru your contacts and blame some of them for sure. Lol

Guys it ain't those who keep a ton of fish or catch and release. It ain't croaker soakers or hard-core purists..... if we don't stand together we will lose it all separately.

Do a search for fish kill pics after the freeze. Then do a search of facetard of the hero dock shots with boat limits. One of those pics is super rare isolated event that is seen as end of the world and we all need to react to save the fishery. The other is celebrated with high fives DAILY! HUNREDS OF TIMES up and down the coast. Make no mistake....it's the same picture. One celebrated....one is horrific. Same picture.

Look to who and how and where we are losing habitat and oyster beds.... look to who and how and where we are impacting the estuaries and water quality.

When you really look at the commercial impact you realize rod and reel has no measurable impact.

......neither does limits. People following legal limits that is. The tightening of the daily limits has always led to more tightening of the daily limits. Nothing more. Tightening the limits has never resulted in recovery of the fishery. It's just reactive to a hurt fishery due to habitat loss.... never proactive to actually help the fishery. Because tightening the limits hasn't resulted in recovery of the fishery.

Push back. If commercial impact had the same restrictions I would be all for it. But they only squeeze the recreational angler.

3 fish, only 1 over 23".

Everyone gets to have a meal. At 3 fish, you can't hurt the population of small ones. Nobody has to throw back gut hooked fish. If a guy wants to take his kids to fish lights at night, they can actually keep some rather than all being under sized. And, the guides still get to go home early.

I offer an artificial only, bring your own gear, catch and release only trip for a significant discount over the full meal deal trips.

But buying back the resource is silly. This is a big ol team of outdoorsman. You either want to release or not. Silly to think you pay him to put you on fish then want him to pay you back for releasing the fish you paid him to help you catch. That's on you not the guide you hired to put yall on fish.