I Was Wrong - Alligator Gar

[Doublej]

I owe everyone an apology. I reported that TPWD Commissioners had forwarded the recommendation that the Alligator Gar would have no bag limit or size limit except for Lake Texoma. I was wrong. The proposal that went to the Texas Register and will be voted on in March is to limit the taking of Alligator Gar to One (1) fish per day on all waters statewide. This has a major impact on bowfishermen. You can check the schedule for the public meetings at: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business...wide_hearings/ . We all need to make as many of the public hearings as possible, comment on the TPW website when it opens for comment, and let our voices be heard yet again.

Again my apologies for misreporting it originally.

[Javelin]

While I dont like the one per day, I do like it way better than no limit at all. I feel that the sport taking of gar has reached or will reach a point soon where limits need to be in place, I mean even catfish can be over harvested and they reproduce and grow much faster than gar.

[tx07]

Jan. 22, 2009
TPW Commission Approves Proposed Changes in Size, Bag Limits on Some Lakes

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission’s Regulations Committee Wednesday approved the publication in the Texas Register of a number of proposed changes to freshwater fishing regulations. The proposals will be presented for public comment at a series of public hearings around the state this spring, and a final decision will be made by the Commission at its March 25-26 public meeting.

Details about the possible regulation changes can be found below, and TPWD invites the public to weigh in on these possible proposals by clicking the public comments section on the TPWD home page.

Blue Catfish — Lake Lewisville (Denton County), Lake Richland Chambers (Navarro and Freestone Counties), and Lake Waco (McLennan County)

Harvest regulations for blue catfish on these reservoirs currently consist of the statewide limits (12-inch minimum length limit and 25 fish daily bag limit). Proposed changes would consist of a 25 fish daily bag limit with a 30 to 45-inch slot length limit, and harvest of only one blue catfish over 45 inches would be allowed. No harvest of blue catfish between 30 and 45 inches would be allowed.

Largemouth Bass — Lake Ray Roberts (Cooke, Denton, and Grayson Counties)

Harvest regulations for largemouth bass are currently a 14- to 24-inch slot length limit and a five fish daily bag (only one bass 24 inches or greater may be retained each day). Proposed changes would make Lake Ray Roberts consistent with the statewide limits for largemouth bass (14-inch minimum length limit and five fish daily bag limit).

Alligator Gar — Statewide

Change harvest regulations for alligator gar from no length or daily bag limits to a one fish per day bag limit. Daily bag limit would apply to both recreational and commercial fishing.

Lake Texoma — Cooke and Grayson Counties

Alligator gar — Change daily bag limit from no limit to one alligator gar per day. Also institute a harvest closure in May to protect spawning adults in a portion of the lake that is within the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge and a portion of the lake upstream of the U.S. Highway 377 bridge to the Interstate Highway 35 bridge.

Blue and channel catfish — Change harvest regulations for blue channel catfish from a 15 per day bag limit to a 15 per day bag limit of which only one blue catfish 30 inches or greater may be harvested per day.

Range in size on blues too!