Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

Fishing just got a lot easier thanks to a series of “how-to” videos you can find on YouTube from Texas Parks and Wildlife. Producer Whitney Bishop.

We teach family fishing events where we teach kids how to fish. And what we found was that a lot of parents had gotten a little rusty on fishing. You know, maybe it had been years since they’d been, and they’d forgotten the basics. So, we developed a series of short Fishing 101 videos to give people the basic skills they need to go out fishing.

…our Fishing 101 series takes a step back and gives you the basics: everything you need to know about fishing but were afraid to ask.

Thanks, Whitney.

Go to YouTube.com to see the videos.

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

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

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This is Passport to Texas

We call searching the Internet surfing. But, we call searching a net that’s been in the surf, seining.

06—Seining is dragging a long net through the water, catching small fish and aquatic animals.

Hans Haglund is an interpretive ranger at Galveston Island State Park. He says the bay waters are teaming with all kind of life. And he’s taken more than a few visitors seining in Galveston Bay.

11—We do it to help educate about the bay, the wetlands, the environment out here; to show people how important they are, how productive they are, what these areas do for us, why we might need to protect them and look out for them.

Abundant, healthy wetlands can help to mitigate potential flood damage, as well as serve as nurseries for marine life. Haglund describes visitor reactions to what they catch in their seine nets.

09—Oh, I never know that was out there, and I never knew you could get so much in a little area. Even people that have been using the bay a lot – a lot of fishermen – don’t realize how productive these areas are.

Some of the more unusual fish Haglund says they see include the pipe fish and lizard fish.

Summer’s right around the corner and Galveston Island State Park offers a great coastal getaway. Learn more at texasstateparks.org.

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

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

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This is Passport to Texas

An artificial reef is marine habitat created by man and placed on the ocean bottom for the benefit of marine life.

12—Nature has a way of providing its own habitat, but in the case of the Gulf of Mexico – offshore Texas – most of the substrate is soft, murky, muddy, and there’s very little hard substrate out there.

Dale Shively coordinates the artificial reef program for Texas Parks and Wildlife. He says that hard substrate is necessary for the development of reefs. What’s fascinating is that once they deploy the substrate material, within days marine life begins attaching to it.

10—In a very short period of time, the substrate is covered with barnacles and sponges and some types of coral. And that begins the basis of the food web as we know it.

Without artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, the waters wouldn’t be nearly as productive and vital as they are.

All kinds of items end up on the bottom of the gulf as artificial reefs: from oil rigs to concrete rubble to decommissioned battleships.

But what does any of this mean to the average Texan? Why should we care about this effort to create artificial reefs?

13—The importance of the reef program is, number one: preserve and enhance the marine environment. And by doing that, we also create fishing and diving opportunities for not only Texans, but also citizens throughout the US.

That’s our show for today…we receive support from the Sport Fish Restoration Program… funded by your purchase of fishing equipment and motor boat fuels.

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

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

People who don’t live in Texas are usually surprised by the amount of water we have here, as well as the extensive and diverse angling opportunities available in the state.

If freshwater fishing is your thing, and bass your bag, then Lake Texoma, near Oklahoma, Falcon Lake on the border with Mexico, Caddo Lake near Louisiana, and even the White River Reservoir in the panhandle have healthy bass populations just waiting for you to reel them in. Each lake also has plenty of species like catfish and crappie for your angling pleasure.

For some… saltwater angling is a passion — and if it is for you — consider Goose Island State Park, where you won’t find any geese, but you will find prolific waters of Aransas, Copano and St. Charles Bays. Mustang Island, meanwhile, offers primitive camping on a first come first served basis, as well as prime opportunities to get into the surf and pull in rockfish, red fish and maybe sea trout, as well as other sport fish.

Come to passporttotexas.org where you’ll find useful links to help bring out your inner angler.

That’s our show…made possible by the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…working to increase fishing, shooting, fishing and hunting in Texas.

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

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This is Passport to Texas

This father’s day, make a memory. Gather the kids and celebrate outside.

10—One of the things that I remember from my childhood is having the opportunity to fish with my dad. And it’s just such a quiet, special time. I mean, I can still visually see everything that we did back then.

Ernie Gammage is former director of outreach and urban development at Texas Parks and Wildlife.

19—You know, if I had the chance to go to a movie or go to a theme park with my dad on Father’s Day, I believe I would choose going outside because you never know what’s going to happen outside. It’s the wide open spaces, and a lot of the distractions of the work-day world, family obligations, and so forth are put aside and it’s just you and somebody that you love, somebody that you respect.

While there may be a generation gap between parents and children, nature brings together all ages.

20—I think spending time outdoors with your son or your daughter, or whoever it is, is an opportunity, especially for fathers that already spend time in the outdoors, to pass on some of the things they love and value to their kids. You know, it’s one thing to talk about how to run a computer, and video game, and stuff, but sometimes there’s just no connection. The outdoors tends to be the great equalizer, I think, in that regard.

That’s our show for today…with support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motorboat fuels.

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

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