Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Relive the agony and ecstasy of the First Toyota Texas Bass Classic this month on the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV show. Series producer, Abe Moore.

So on the last week of August, we’re profiling the Toyota Texas Bass Classic. It just wrapped up its second year at Lake Fork, but we’re going to profile the very first year. And we followed two characters: one was the tournament favorite, Alton Jones whose from Waco, Texas. I

t’s been a lot of fun. I’ve been fishing professionally now since 1990. I never dreamed that when I was starting out that some day I would earn more than a million dollars bass fishing. Now we just travel around, all over the United States and fish bass tournaments. It’s pretty fun.

So, he’s kind of established, and he’s doing pretty well in this bass fishing thing. And the other character is Darrin Schwenkbeck, and he’s only won a couple of tournaments and he’s barely making enough money to pay for gas to get himself from lake to lake.

It’s a tough road. And it’s where I stand. And then I’m going to have to get my act together and start catching them in the next few to, uh, keep on going.

So, what’s interesting about this story is that we follow the characters of professional bass fishing. So, maybe when the next Toyota Texas Bass Classic happens next year, folks can go down there and look at these anglers with a different perspective.

Thanks, Abe.

Find a list of stations that air the series at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

You don’t need much time or money to feel like you’re miles away from the responsibilities of life in the urban jungle. Just find a paddling trail.

Paddling trails are simply segments of the coast, or river, or in this case now a lake.

Ron Smith, with Inland Fisheries, is part of the paddling trail team. The newest paddling trail is at Lake Arlington. When you’re on this 10.9 mile shore-hugging path, the only decision you’ll have to make is where to go for refreshments when you take out.

We tell them where to put in, where to take out, where the regulations are, where the fun spots are, and some of the historic things about the area.

Moreover, you will see things you never thought you’d see in an urban setting.

You start to get into a more natural setting. And you go by the dam—most people don’t get to get that close to a dam—and then you turn, and you go past an undeveloped area along the shoreline, and you start seeing wildlife. Then you go behind an island into a little more of a riverine sort of setting. And you start seeing herons and all kinds of different wildlife that pop in and out of the trees. Really a unique paddling trail. We’re excited about this one.

So close, yet so far out. The Lake Arlington paddling trail dedication is August 14. Find more information about Texas Paddling Trails at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

On August 14, Texas gets its newest paddling trail located at Lake Arlington.

We’re very excited. This will be our first lake trail. And, not only that, it will be our first urban trail.

Ron Smith, with Inland Fisheries, is part of the paddling trail team. The new 10.9 mile trail hugs the shoreline of Lake Arlington, and is a partnership between the Arlington and Fort Worth Parks and Recreations departments.

The cities actually split right there on the lake. So, it’s a neat partnership for us and for them.

Smith was part of the team that surveyed the proposed site for the Lake Arlington Paddling Trail.

You know, one of the things we do here is we’re providing and improving public access to waterways around the state. So, when we go out, we look certainly at the access point. Does it need improvement? Do we need an additional one? We like for our trails to be between four and twelve miles.

What to expect when you put in at this new trail….that’s tomorrow.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

While most of the action at the second annual Toyota Texas Bass Classic at Lake Fork—April 18 through 20—takes place in the middle of the water, there is plenty on shore to keep attendees occupied.

The Toyota Texas Bass Classic was built around families.

Dave Terre is chief of Inland Fisheries research and management at Texas Parks and Wildlife.

We’re enticing families to come in—mom and dad—and all their kids to come in and see bass fishing, to see exhibits, to hear concerts, to have a picnic. We have a family fun zone, where kids have the opportunity to come in and explore things like we see at our Texas Parks and Wildlife Expo, things like how to fish, big bass displays, we have casting contests, archery contests, displays on our state parks, and just millions of different things for kids to do while they’re there.

Day passes and weekend passes are available, and children under seventeen are free with paid adult admissions.

I would really just like people to come out and see this tournament. It’s really a spectacle. It’s the biggest bass fishing tournament, of course, in Texas. It’ll teach people about what we do as an agency, and what we’re doing to make fishing better on Lake Fork. Come see an awesome partnership between industry, Texas Parks and Wildlife department, and the professional anglers to work together to help promote fishing everywhere.

Find details at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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A three-day Ticket Book valid for all the events at Lake Fork, April 18, 19 and 20 is $20 in advance and $25 on-site. One-day tickets are also available for $10. Kids 17 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult. Tickets are now on sale at www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com or (866) 907-0143 and at participating Bass Pro Shops locations and Brookshire’s grocery stores.

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish Restoration Program

The Toyota Texas Bass Classic planned for Lake Fork this month demonstrates how conservation and competition need not be at odds.

It’s really a conservation type tournament being done to benefit Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Dave Terre is chief of Inland Fisheries research and management. He says once caught, the bass are weighed and returned to the lake. Nearly 100-percent of bass reeled in during the three-day tournament survive.

This gives the Texas Parks and Wildlife department a great opportunity to tell the world about fishing opportunities in Texas, and what we’ve done to manage fish populations in a wonderful lake…. It just brings a good sense about what Texas Parks and Wildlife department is doing to make fishing better, and to promote conservation.

The event, April 18 through 20, involves one hundred four professional bass anglers vying for prizes totaling $750-thousand dollars, provided by Toyota and its sponsors.

Of course, $250-thousand dollars of that comes right back to the department to allow us to enhance fishing in our neighborhood fishing program, which is kind of a unique way that we have gone now to help utilize this money to promote fishing in our urban areas.

Event details at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… with 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.

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