Passport to Texas

Share Your Love of Angling Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

You don’t have to be a great angler to be a great Angler Education Instructor. If you love the sport find joy in introducing young people to it—Texas Parks and Wildlife wants to hear from you.

09—In the instructor class, we give them all of the tools and the knowledge and skills they would need to teach kids the junior angler program.

Before retiring, Ann Miller coordinated the aquatic education program for TPW. She encourages any adult angler with time to share, to help kids learn to fish.

24—Many adults out there are anglers themselves, and really want to share that love of fishing with the younger generation. And this gives them the opportunity to do that. Many adults also are working already with different youth groups and our junior angler program is just a wonderful addition to their potpourri of things that they can do with kids.

Miller says she finds youth group leaders attracted to the Junior Angler program because of the positive on the children they mentor.

11—They do want to have a positive outlet for their energies and enthusiasm and, kids just love it. So, this is something that they can do to steer kids in the right direction.

Find information about the volunteer angler instructor program on the TPW website.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series and works to increase fishing and boating opportunities in Texas.

Catching a Fish a Day Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

March 31 marked the end of Keith Miller’s quest to catch a fish a day for a year.

02—I just love fishing that much.

Miller began his mission on April 1, 2011. When I spoke with him in mid-March 2012, he remained confident he would make good on his fish-a-day pledge.

10—Being confident is a huge factor to being successful at this. And so far so good? So far. So far; I try not to jinx myself too much.

Keith Miller’s pledge to reel in any kind and any size fish using lures only—goes beyond his personal passion for the sport. It’s about showing families how easy and fun it is to connect with nature through angling.

20—I really just wanted to have some sort of positive impact on society, and reached out to Texas Parks and Wildlife, and they were very excited. They wanted me to be involved with a lot of their Go Fish events, and a lot of their activities involving kids and getting kids and families out fishing. This was a no brainer for me.

Miller’s committed his time and energy to the Fish-a-Day project without compensation or reward, other than seeing the smiles on children’s faces after they catch their first fish.

07—To help a kid go out and catch their first fish, and to watch them reel it up—to watch that excitement—it is just outstanding.

Find out how he did on Facebook, at Keith Miller Fishing.

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

Tackle Loaner Program Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Interested in learning how to fish, but money is tight, or you want to be sure you like the sport before laying out cash on gear? Then the tackle loaner program is for you.

15—The tackle loaner program is a program in which we provide different sites with basic fishing rods and reels and some very basic tackle so that citizens can borrow that equipment and go fishing.

Ann Miller coordinated aquatic education program at parks and Wildlife before retiring last year. Checking out loaner tackle is simple.

15—Each tackle loaner site has a simple form that the person who check out the equipment would sign, saying that, “yes”, they will bring the equipment back. And you will just leave an ID there. You can check it out for up to a week.

Anyone over 17 needs a fishing license to check out equipment, unless you decide to fish in the boundaries of a state park. Persons under 18 must have an adult check out the tackle for them. There are many loaner sites across the state.

07—And you can access the locations of those tackle loaner sites through our Internet site.

[Taj Majal fishing blues :06]

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series, and is funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motorboat fuels.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Fishing: White Bass Run Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Nature gave its creatures internal clocks that each follows faithfully. White bass—also called sand bass—are following their internal timetable now by migrating.

Through April large schools of this fish will concentrate in the far upper ends of reservoirs, making them easily accessible. Anglers love this silvery species for its schooling behavior and its willingness to take artificial lures. Not only that—it’s a tasty addition to the dinner menu.

Because they are similar in appearance and are often found in the same waters, it’s easy to confuse white bass with striped or even hybrid striped bass.

Striped bass and hybrid striped bass grow much larger than white bass and also have several distinct “stripes” that extend to the tail, while the white bass has only one stripe extending to its tail.

If you’re still not sure about who is who, there’s another way to distinguish these fish from one another, but you have to get a little personal. A white bass has a singular tooth patch on its tongue whereas two such adaptations exist on the tongues of striped bass and hybrid striped bass. Open wide.

Visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website for more information on sport fish in Texas.

The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series and provides funding for the operations and management of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Learning to Fly-fish Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Fly-fish Texas is a daylong introductory angling event on March 10 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) for those wishing to learn how to fly-fish.

23—You wouldn’t have to have any fishing experience whatsoever. We’re going to have different forums going on through in multiple venues throughout the day. We’ll have a couple of areas where there’ll be speakers that you can just drop in and take a look at what the topic is. We’ll also have some casting classes going on. There’s a BBQ house that will be here serving BBQ as well…so that you can come and just enjoy the day.

James Booker is events coordinator at TFFC. Participants will fish for rainbow trout using loaner equipment (or may bring their own); volunteers from fly-fishing clubs will guide learners through the process…which may result in taking home some fish.

15—You can keep up to five rainbow trout per person, which is the legal limit here in Texas. Wow. What a deal. And, so, is there a cost involved? This event is free with regular admission. And we do honor the State park pass, so that can even further reduce your fee.

It‘s $5.50 for visitors 13 and older, $3.50 for children four to 12, and free for children under four years of age.

Fly Fish Texas at the TFFC in Athens, takes place 9 to 4, March 10. It’s family friendly with activities and food available on site. Find complete details on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

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