tp@wd new trout law

[waterdog]

TP&W passed the new trout regs. Three fish per day, 17-23 inch slot. No oversized allowed. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/tex...s-16809057.php

[3rdCoastHunter]

Love it

[jaker_cc]

I figured once they took the 5 fish away they would never give it back. That’s about right

[speck1]

When does the new law take effect? Can’t read the article.

[SmTx]

When does the new law take effect? Can’t read the article.

Not the Chron but what's been floating around FB all day

It's officially official on Texas speckled trout protections across a swath of the coast. And it’s a great step in the conservation of our fishery.
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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission minutes ago approved the proposed new rule imposing bag, possession and length limits for trout identical to those imposed by the emergency rule after our historic freeze last winter.
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The minimum length limit of 17 inches and maximum length limit of 23 inches with a possession limit of three fish from the Lower Laguna Madre up through Matagorda Bay will now go into effect through Aug. 31, 2023, when the new regs will sunset. It should be noted the regulation also includes the beachfront in those areas out to 500 yards.
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As officials and biologists have noted, the fish kill estimates have always been on the "low end." Based on what I saw in the Laguna, the actual kill was likely much higher and affected numerous big fish of all kinds.
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Swipe right, and as you can see, there were numerous public comments and numerous scientific documents that were considered before adoption of the rules that had already been on the books after the freeze.
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Many of the comments opposed actually were for more restrictive limits or a narrower slot. The regs will likely go into effect in March.
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Full report on the freeze here: https://texasoutdoordigest.com/.../t...kled-trout.../

[Killer]

So this is the beach and bay right? I just saw the beach listed above

[Capt.Brown]

I have no prob with that. TPWD Actually did something that makes sense

[speck1]

Thanks SmTx. I am really encouraged by the numbers of trout I have seen this winter from Baffin down to Mansfield. I think we will recover numbers quickly. Gonna take a few years to recover the numbers over 27” though. Lots of fish up to 27” but not many over so far.

[Leemo]

17-23 inches....kill the females
Would be better to keep 12-15 inch trout, mostly males
TPW at its best

[SwampBuck]

I’m Fine with it. I know a lot of people that won’t be but I constantly see guides/clients and recreational anglers alike all over social media with some constantly full bags/stringers. After seeing what that freeze did more people should have been conscious of what they kept.

[DUKFVR]

17-23 inches....kill the females
Would be better to keep 12-15 inch trout, mostly males
TPW at its best

This!

[waterdog]

When does the new law take effect? Can’t read the article.

April one i think?? but please check.

[brokeno]

Lots of undersized trout die when hooked. I wish they would have just said 3 trout period under 23 inches period. I wish guides would report their catches to tpwd monthly it would be a more real number than their net surveys. J m o

[Diamond07]

17-23 inches....kill the females
Would be better to keep 12-15 inch trout, mostly males
TPW at its best

Female trout aren’t 12-15 inches at one point in their life? You’d still be keeping females. I saw somewhere that 70% of female trout reach sexual maturity at 12” and begin spawning. If this is true, 17”-23” would actually protect all females for a couple spawning seasons it would seem. But I’m not a biologist.

[ACbob]

Still baffled by why they didn't shut down the ICW. Would have saved untold numbers of fish.