Passport to Texas

Colt Anderson and his fishing partner Jonathan Gray.

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This is Passport to Texas

Size, strength and speed…important attributes for most high school athletes; unless, of course, the sport is fishing.

You don’t have to be the biggest kid, or tallest kid, or the most athletic kid to be a bass fisherman. It’s all about your knowledge.

Several years ago Colt Anderson was half of a high school fishing duo; Jonathan Gray was his teammate.

It’s kind of like playing golf a little bit, where you have different tools and you have to adapt to the conditions. You can never become perfect at fishing, and that’s a cool thing because you can always improve.

Another factor that makes competitive high school fishing a great sport is that young women can also participate – like Marinna Collins and Mia Sartor were the only female team at tournaments in which they participated.

It’s hard being the only girl team out there. We’re going to represent. This is my first year, so I am a little scared, but, you just have to relax. Chill. Just go with it.

Fishing is a terrific way to introduce young people to the outdoors.

Ooh. I think that’s the furthest I’ve cast yet. [giggles] That felt good. It’s really cool being in this club because you get to meet a lot of different people. And, we’re all like one big family – and that’s really good to have friends you can be really close with.

The Sport Fish restoration program supports our series.

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

Stocking fingerlings in Texas waters

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This is Passport to Texas

It’s no accident that some of the country’s best sport fishing happens in Texas lakes and rivers.

Fish stocking is an ongoing activity of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s inland fisheries division.

But why stock fish at all? Stocking helps to establish initial year classes of fish in new or renovated waters. It also supplements existing populations that, for some reason, have insufficient spawning or recruitment. Stocking also increases species diversity.

Restoring fish populations that have been reduced or eliminated by natural or manmade or catastrophes is another reason to stock fish in Texas waters.

Parks and Wildlife may also stock fish to either change or enhance the genetics of a particular fish population in a specific water body.

Moreover, the agency stocks certain lakes, streams and community ponds with catchable size fish year round—rainbow trout in winter and catfish spring through fall. Doing so makes sport fishing more accessible to all. The agency even offers free fishing in state parks, angler education classes and tackle loaner programs.

So, if you’re not catching fish in Texas, you’re just not trying. Find fishing information and the locations of Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes and ponds on the TPW website.
The Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

A family fishing outing at the lake.

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This is Passport to Texas

Catching a fish never fails to excite, especially if you’re a child. Reeling in one of these wiggly wonders has never been easier in Texas urban areas.

That’s because places for family fishing fun are in, or near, your neighborhoods…as are the opportunities for gaining the skills necessary for catching the fish.

Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Neighborhood Fishin’ program brings the fish to you. Currently, eighteen neighborhood fishin’ lakes are dispersed among eleven Texas cities: from Abilene to Houston and points in between.

Stocking takes place every two to four weeks during summer and winter seasons. Which means there should be a good supply of fish to catch and bring home for dinner whenever you find time to visit!

In addition to the Neighborhood Fishin’ program, state parks host fishing events where you learn about the best gear and bait to use, how to cast, and even how to cook what you catch. Some parks also loan tackle.

Fishing is a gateway activity into the Texas outdoors, and something the entire family can share together.

Find a list of the Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website. While you’re there, check out the calendar section for fishing events near you.

The Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series.

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

Sea Center Texas

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This is Passport to Texas

Coastal fishing is one of Texas’ most popular recreational activities, and its future depends on quality management. That’s where Texas Parks and Wildlife comes in.

Fisheries biologists and technicians are responsible for direct management of the resource. This entails getting fish into the water through hatchery efforts of breeding, raising and stocking fish.

Just as important: educating the public. Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Outreach, Education and Communications teams take the lead there. It’s vital to help people to understand the value of the marine life and habitat.

Whether you live on the coast or are visiting, a trip to Sea Center Texas fish hatchery and Visitor Center in Lake Jackson can help you on your road to understanding. At the hatchery they breed red drum, spotted seatrout and southern flounder for stock enhancement. The Visitor’s Center focuses on the importance of environmental stewardship. There’s something for the whole family.

The goal of the center is to instill in the public a deep understanding of and appreciation for the role they play in the improvement and enhancement of our marine resources.

Find more information about coastal fisheries and Sea Center Texas on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Sport Fish restoration program supports our series.

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

Fishing for Guadalupe bass in the South Llano River

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This is Passport to Texas

Courtney and Brandon Robinson love to fly-fish for Guadalupe Bass in the South Llano River.

[Courtney] We’re not looking at a whole lot of deep pools, it’s more shallow water, skinny water.
[Brandon] Fish on! This is why I love catching Guad’s, their little fish, but they use the river to fight!
[Courtney] Um so we’re gonna see little bass in the shoal’s area like in that little rapids area over there. Oh, there we go!

The state fish of Texas wasn’t always easy to catch. It was on the brink of disappearing from the South Llano, due to introduced Small Mouth Bass that crossbred with the native Guadalupe for decades!

They can breed with each other and what results is what we call a hybrid, and those fish, they’re not our pure native Guadalupe bass, so we’re trying to restore these populations throughout the state.
We’re stocking large numbers of these pure fingerlings, and what the goal is these pure fish outnumber the Hybrids and so we reduce that overall hybridization rate and get it back to where we have almost an entirely pure population of Guadalupe Bass.

But the data shows the Guadalupe Bass are back.

We’ve been working on the Guadalupe Bass here in the Texas Hill country for about twenty-five years, and been really successful in restoring these populations in these iconic Texas hill country streams, and now we have Guadalupe Bass in a lot more reaches of these streams here for people to enjoy!

Reel in an eyeful of Guadalupe bass the week of September 23 on the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV show on PBS.

The Sport Fish restoration program supports our series.

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