Archive for the 'Fishing' Category

A Family Tradition: Caddo Lake & Big Bass

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas

For thirty-nine year old Keith Burns, fishing isn’t just a hobby, it’s a family tradition. His grandfather and father both grew up fishing on Caddo Lake in East Texas.

Now it’s our turn to take our kids, or nephews or whatever down there and start fishing.

Burns fishes every free chance he gets. But fishing hasn’t been so good on Caddo Lake for several years because of the invasive giant salvinia plant.

You just kind of had to fish where there was open water. You couldn’t really fish some of your favorite places because of the invasive aquatic life that was in there. I hate that stuff.

Then, flooding and a cold winter killed off some of the giant salvinia, allowing Burns to really fish again. In fact, Burns didn’t just fish. This past March he caught a lake record 16.17-pound sharelunker bass.

I can’t tell you what it meant for me to do that. With the history our family has on that lake, it just meant the world to me.

Burns says he now wants giant salvinia to get off his lakes, and he wants everyone to help make that a reality.

We’ve got to take five minutes and check our trailers and make sure we don’t have any hitchhikers we are taking to another lake and depositing there.

That’s some good advice from a great fisherman.

You can find more information at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… we had research and writing help from Gretchen Mahan…the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration program supports our series… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 
icon for podpress  A Family Tradition: Caddo Lake & Big Bass: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Angler Legacy Movement

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas

If you’re a seasoned angler, put your skills to good use.

09—We really encourage the avid angler to introduce fishing to at least one new person a year. And there’d be no better time to do that than during National Fishing and Boating Week…

National Fishing and Boating week is now through June 13th, and it’s a project of the non-profit Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, or RBFF. Frank Peterson is president and CEO. He invites anglers who are passionate about sharing the sport with others to join the Anglers’ Legacy Movement.

12—If they go to our website takemefishing.org, they can join the anglers’ legacy movement. We have over 213-thousand ambassadors around the country who have taken a pledge to introduce fishing to someone new.

On average members of the Anglers’ Legacy movement introduce more than three new people to fishing each year.

12—Another interesting stat on our Ambassador program is that over 70% of the people they introduce to the sport are under the age of 18. So they’re helping to ensure the future of angling and boating in this country.

So introduce someone to fishing this week.

05—That would be a great week to just say, hey, I’m going to do something for young people; I’m going to do something for the sport.

Go to www.takemefishing.org for more information about the Anglers’ Legacy Movement. The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series. For Texas parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 
icon for podpress  Angler Legacy Movement: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

National Fishing & Boating Week

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

This is Passport to Texas

Experience the thrill of reeling in a fish, or the joy of boating with family and friends during National Fishing & Boating Week.

05—It’s June 5th through the 13th, and we’re encouraging people to get out on the water.

Frank Peterson is president and CEO of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase participation in fishing and boating.

07—By helping increase that participation, [we] build awareness for the need to conserve and protect our aquatic resources.

The way anglers and boaters help protect aquatic resources is by doing what they love to do.

13—By using the resource and buying equipment and buying licenses, putting fuel in their boat, registering their boat… there is excise taxes paid on that equipment that goes directly toward sport fish restoration.

Peterson says National Fishing and Boating Week kicks off in Texas and across the country on June 5th…and in Texas you can always fish free at State Parks.

13—A lot of states are starting to do that now, and we encourage that. Because the more people we can get fishing at a younger age, the more they’ll fish as an adult. And through participation they’re helping conserve that resource, and that’s very important so that resource is there for the future.

Go to www.takemefishing.org for more information.

The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series. For Texas parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 
icon for podpress  National Fishing & Boating Week: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

State Park Getaway–Fishing in State parks

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

This is a Passport to Texas State Park Getaway

Fishing is an ideal outdoor activity for the whole family. You don’t need a lot of expensive equipment or even much skill to have a good time. All you need is a place to relax and cast your line. As if this couldn’t get any better, our Sate Park guide, Bryan Frazier says he knows of places in Texas where you don’t even need a license to fish.

If you’re fishing inside any state park or wildlife management area, no one needs a fishing license or a stamp. So the freshwater or saltwater stamp and license requirements are waived as long as you’re inside state park property.

That always includes inside the park, fishing from a bank or from a pier, or wading along the shore on the property. But in some parks, it also includes being out in a boat in the lake—depending on if the lake is fully contained by park property. And you always want to check with park staff; they can give you the details about where the property boundaries are.

But, what we’ve seen is it really encourages people to fish who might not otherwise fish.

Fishing—it’s one of the most popular activities in the nation. So, the free fishing in state parks program is something we’re very, very proud to offer.

Bryan reminds us that things like size, weight and catch limits still apply. Find more fishing information on the Texas parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show … with support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration program…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 
icon for podpress  State Park Getaway--Fishing in State parks: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A Texas Angler Says “Thanks TPW”

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

This is Passport to Texas

Anglers who reel in and donate ShareLunkers, largemouth bass 13 pounds and heavier, have reason to be proud. Yet, Carl Adkins, who donated ShareLunker number 482 to the program, says these fish are the result of hard work.

I was fortunate enough to put my lure in front of that fish, and that fish bit it. And I was lucky enough to get it in.

But in reality, to me, a lot of the credit goes to the Texas Parks and Wildlife, the biologists, inland fisheries division, for having the dream of putting the Florida strains in our lakes and for constantly monitoring them.

I mean that fish was probably 12 years old at least. So, it was 12 years worth of hard work by our local biologists monitoring that lake [Lady Bird lake in Austin, Texas]. And over the years they’ve had to fight to make sure that all the vegetation just wasn’t stripped out of there, because it’s a popular lake with a lot of homes on it and everything.

So, to me, I was fortunate enough to catch it, but that fish would not have been there for me to catch if it wasn’t for the hard work of Texas Parks and Wildlife, as far as I’m concerned.

Sam Callaway of Corpus Christi reeled in ShareLunker number 500 on Friday, April 9 from O.H. Ivie reservoir. Mr. Callaway received $500 per pound for his 13.34 pound bass.

That’s our show…We receive support from the Sport Fish Restoration program…which provides funding for the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

 
icon for podpress  A Texas Angler Says "Thanks TPW": Play Now | Play in Popup | Download