coast fish freeze

[sneaky freak]

Lol I just used tournaments as an example of how it is because those big tournaments are fished by guides that are on top of the trout game and the norm is the weights are lower overall than they used to be

[JES]

I saw them too. I knew we grew a whole lot of big trout but the numbers I saw were pretty surprising even to me. We grew A LOT of big trout. And we will again. The plan TPWD has in place is working and will continue to work.

I think you hit the nail on the head as to why more were not caught. Pre-freeze I talked to guys all the time who are "artificial only, wade fishing only, trophy trout specialists" who tell me how bad the fishing has gotten, there just aren't any big fish left, the croaker guys have killed them all, etc. The problem is many of them are still trying to do it like we did it in the 90's. Fishing the same places in the same ways. The fish don't behave the same way anymore and they don't live in the same places. We have had major habitat changes. The big high reefs are a shadow of what they were in the 90's with very little live shell on them. There is hardly any grass on the shorelines. We have seen huge amounts of erosion in some areas. There are 10x as many boats on the water. All of that has changed where those fish live and how they act. If you were not catching big trout pre-freeze and you wanted to you need a new plan. They were there and there were lots of them.

Agree with your points about how the habitat has changed and the fish are not where they used to be. The shorelines have changed and the pressure from all the boats as Leemo suggested has forced the fish to change their patterns.

I do believe croaker as a bait has changed our fishery, not just from the fishing use of them, but the trawling for them as well. The Great Golden Croaker Run is no longer a big event like it was when I was young, Copper Spoons were the lure choice for them if I recall.

[friscopaint]

I'll keep and fry whats allowed.........love soaking croakers, limit on guides would help more than limiting fish

[rvd]

I'll keep and fry whats allowed.........love soaking croakers, limit on guides would help more than limiting fish

Making croaker a game fish would help the most imo

[doug]

debating a fishery with pics and tournament results vs. two guys making a living on the water day in and day out.

Priceless...

Yep! I fish quite a bit but rarely if ever comment on these type threads. Just read and try and learn from the ones that know and laugh at the ones that think they do.

[JES]

Making croaker a game fish would help the most imo

Onboard with this 100%. We would have another game fish for the table again and maybe remove some stress on the trout.

[Mexico]

I caught 3 10lbs trout in one day back in 79, when the fishing was good. All fish caught on a bingo.


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Bruh you weren't even born yet

[rtp]

Making croaker a game fish would help the most imo

I would be down with that! It would be great to see the croaker runs again. I was just a boy when my grandpa would take me to Rollover Pass to catch them. Freaking people standing shoulder to shoulder catching those fish. I would get tired of the people and move out to the points and catch me some flounder after I had enough croaker catching.

[Mayhem]

Bruh you weren't even born yet

I know, but it makes about as much sense as what skeeter has been saying.


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[justletmein]

Yall really wanna help trout, increase the Redfish limit to 5 fish. Not only will you have more anglers targeting Reds for your meat haul and heavy tugs but there will be less competition for resources by thinning out the Redfish numbers.

[panhandlehunter]

Yall really wanna help trout, increase the Redfish limit to 5 fish. Not only will you have more anglers targeting Reds for your meat haul and heavy tugs but there will be less competition for resources by thinning out the Redfish numbers.

I can get down on that. I’d like to see the slot drop to 18” or so and 5 reds a day.

[rtp]

Yall really wanna help trout, increase the Redfish limit to 5 fish. Not only will you have more anglers targeting Reds for your meat haul and heavy tugs but there will be less competition for resources by thinning out the Redfish numbers.

I can get down on that. I’d like to see the slot drop to 18” or so and 5 reds a day.

This too! I think them Louisiana boys might be onto something.

[Leemo]

I can get down on that. I’d like to see the slot drop to 18” or so and 5 reds a day.

I like 12”14” better

[Quackerbox]

I know, but it makes about as much sense as what skeeter has been saying.


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prolly more sense

I can get down on that. I’d like to see the slot drop to 18” or so and 5 reds a day.

heck yeah. You think a 20" red tastes good on a taco. An 18 is really good

[rvd]

I would be down with that! It would be great to see the croaker runs again. I was just a boy when my grandpa would take me to Rollover Pass to catch them. Freaking people standing shoulder to shoulder catching those fish. I would get tired of the people and move out to the points and catch me some flounder after I had enough croaker catching.

I did the same on the San Bernard, good times and not bad eating.