Free Fishing in TX State Parks?

[Br'er_Henry]

I was walking through the process of buying my 10-11 fishing license when I bumped into this.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat...ms/familyfish/

So.. let me see if I understand this right.. If I go to Casablanca State Park with my State Park Pass.. I can fish without a fishing license? What about Falcon Lake? The site says that you can fish for free from the bank, a pier, river or creek fishing, and fishing from a boat, if the water body is fully contained within the state park boundary and I don't think the whole Falcon Lake is contained in Falcon SP.

Anyone has any experience on this? Not really looking for "go ask your local Game Warden or TWPD for info" as an answer; that's something I already know and I'll certainly do but first I'd like to see what the TBH braintrust says.

[mulie_mike]

Game warden is the one who told us about this directly. We fish the river down in Big Bend now and all I need is my park pass. It makes it nice.

[SmTx]

According to this list you can fish both of those for free within the state park. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat...sh/stateparks/

[Br'er_Henry]

Game warden is the one who told us about this directly. We fish the river down in Big Bend now and all I need is my park pass. It makes it nice.

It sure makes it nice! I had an experience with the Game Warden last weekend and he was all into friendliness and provided us some great info. Thanks for sharing your info.

According to this list you can fish both of those for free within the state park. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat...sh/stateparks/

Correct, thanks. I just wonder if I can fish from a boat at Falcon since there are other entry points other than the State Park entries.. In anycase I would only plan to fish in the shoreline close to the park facilities. Thanks for the link.

[Backstrap Bob]

yep, that's what the game warden explained to me as he wrote me a ticket for not having my license on me (it was in the truck at the boat dock) on Cooper Lake. The body of water has to be fully contained within in the state park and Cooper is not.

Not a big deal since I had a license, had to send a copy (not sure why they don't have it on record) and a $25 processing fee to clear the ticket. Normally would have had it in the boat, but we were camping at the state park and my father-in-law wanted to take my nephew out on the boat so away we went. Left the wallet in the truck and decided not to go back because I thought we would only be out for a few minutes with my nephew and my f-i-l thought it was not needed because we were camping at the state park. And talk about bad timing, the sandies starting schooling and we were having a blast and my nephew caught his first fish and the game wardens pulled up. Had to watch the fish schooling around us as they wrote me a ticket.

[Br'er_Henry]

Dang Bob... that's exactly what I was affraid about.
In Mexico there's a saying, "Nobody learns in somebody else's brain" I guess I'll learn on your experience and save the scene. Thanks for your input.

[red]

in a boat you need a lic. but fishing from the banks in a state park is lic free

[Blue Eagle2]

Thanks for the tip

[Br'er_Henry]

[BoneDigger]

in a boat you need a lic. but fishing from the banks in a state park is lic free

This is incorrect. You can also fish from a boat without a license if the lake is completely contained within the state park. For instance, Tyler State Park and Huntsville State Park, to name two of the many, have lakes that are completely surrounded by the park. You can fish from a boat or the bank in these lakes without a license.

If you are in a park that borders a lake, but does not encompass the lake (like at Cooper, etc.) then you can fish from the bank on the park without a license, but not from a boat.

I work for Texas State Parks and I know this regulation very well.

Todd

[TXSTDU]

Lake Casa Blanca you will be fine but if you come to Falcon you need a license if you fish in Zapata but if you drive to the State Park on the south end of the lake then you won't need one as long as you are on the bank in the State Park.

I live here and I have been checked by the GW many times and I have a lifetime combo so I was fine.

[TxouT]

This is incorrect. You can also fish from a boat without a license if the lake is completely contained within the state park. For instance, Tyler State Park and Huntsville State Park, to name two of the many, have lakes that are completely surrounded by the park. You can fish from a boat or the bank in these lakes without a license.

If you are in a park that borders a lake, but does not encompass the lake (like at Cooper, etc.) then you can fish from the bank on the park without a license, but not from a boat.

I work for Texas State Parks and I know this regulation very well.

Todd

All you need to know!

[chrisk]

We have this also for a weekend

[rainbow trout]

Pond???

This is incorrect. You can also fish from a boat without a license if the lake is completely contained within the state park. For instance, Tyler State Park and Huntsville State Park, to name two of the many, have lakes that are completely surrounded by the park. You can fish from a boat or the bank in these lakes without a license.

If you are in a park that borders a lake, but does not encompass the lake (like at Cooper, etc.) then you can fish from the bank on the park without a license, but not from a boat.

I work for Texas State Parks and I know this regulation very well.

Todd

What lake is complete surounded by state park that is big enough to put a boat in? Just curios

[Chew]

What lake is complete surounded by state park that is big enough to put a boat in? Just curios

Raven Lake (Huntsville State Park) is a real nice one.