Did the freeze kill fish on the coast???

[bowhntrmatt]

I wouldn’t be surprised. Happens every few years. I could have hand picked a limit of trout out of Pringle lake a few years back while duck hunting. There will still be plenty of fish come summer.

[bowmansdad]

Probably going to take a few more days to see any big kills. I remember riding around Trinity a couple of days after the 83 kill and it was terrible to see.

[Tiger]

this is my assumption only, most fish hit the deep holes down south when these cold spells hit if you know where the deeper holes are you can put a hurting on big trout i assume they assume they are defenseless?

[panhandlehunter]

this is my assumption only, most fish hit the deep holes down south when these cold spells hit if you know where the deeper holes are you can put a hurting on big trout i assume they assume they are defenseless?

They still eat. They pile in those deep spots. Easy pickings. I went back to work yesterday, but myself, 2 brothers and uncle have been limiting out on trout in 20-30 minutes for the past week and a half.

[S-3 Ranch]

It can happen. From a CBS news report:

In 1989, temperatures in Texas dropped into the teens. It killed *1 million fish along the Texas Coast. On top of that, during several freezes throughout the 1980s, people took advantage of the surviving, but cold stunned fish, which were floating lethargically in the water.

In 1989 parts of the bay froze, the fish that didn't make it to the turn basins died
In the turn basin people where lined up with car trunks open filled up with fish
It was a free for all I didn't see the game wardens do anything but drink coffee at the marina
Port Mansfield 1989
1983 was worse

[Killer]

The only thing I had reported on it affecting bad were Florida Pompano, Spadefish and mangrove snapper. I was worried about the snook but my son has not been seeing any floating or struggling in the Port A area. Trout and reds in deep water stacked up big time.

[SaltwaterSlick]

There's a report over on 2Cool of large dead trout in the area of Pringle Lake, but no confirmation on it over there yet, but trout were said to be 28"+...

[marlinboy33]

There were some stunned red snapper, spadefish, and mangrove snapper in the UT marina yesterday. There were also some dead look downs as well as yellow jacks in the city marina here in port A as well. Haven't been out in the bay to lol yet.

[marlinboy33]

Look yet

[Jason Slocum]

We had a ~20" tarpon in the Rockport Harbor, and saw a large pompano struggling yesterday, but it will be a few days before the dead fish start to float.

Jason Slocum

[chopsknives]

In 1989 parts of the bay froze, the fish that didn't make it to the turn basins died
In the turn basin people where lined up with car trunks open filled up with fish
It was a free for all I didn't see the game wardens do anything but drink coffee at the marina
Port Mansfield 1989
1983 was worse

Yeah they lifted all fishing regs. so locals could harvest the dead fish

[Duke1227]

the cold bunches them up so theyre much easier to catch, some do freeze though if in shallow water.

[Walker]

My bil, an environmental economist said they found 50 dead tarpon and 30 dead snook in the Tropic Isle canals in Flour Bluff. Heres 2 tarpon.

[kyle1974]

yes, but it will be hard to know how many were killed yet. The water temp got down to 35 or 36, and dropped sharply. hopefully it was already cold enough before falling to the mid 30's that it didn't shock many fish, but for sure there are multiple reports of dead snook and tarpon.

[oldtestamentman]

Fish head for deeper water in the channels, large boats mix the cold water with the warm and contributes to the killing. I think that is why they want to minimize boat traffic. It happened like that in Baffin Bay years back. Massive fish kills.