Passport to Texas

Bull Redfish, TPWD website

Angling: Annual Red Bull Run Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Texas anglers look forward to the annual running of the bulls — bull redfish, that is.

07—It’s large schools of mature red drum – male and female – aggregating near gulf passes to spawn.

Bill Balboa is ecosystem leader for Galveston Bay system. The bull red run begins in late August, crescendos about mid September, and continues through the fall. And these fish, most over 28-inches long, give anglers a good fight.

20 –They call them bulls for a reason, and it’s because they’re very strong fish; they don’t give up easily. So generally most anglers are going to fish for bull reds in the surf using what I would consider typical surf tackle — which is a little bit heavier rod and reel, because what they can expect is a lot of long runs from this fish. They pull very hard. Much like a bull would pull if you had it on a rope.

Although anglers can reel in bull reds all along the gulf coast, their best opportunities lie north of Matagorda Bay.

08—A lot of bull red fishing occurs in Sergeant up off of Freeport; Crystal Beach and Bolivar, in that area, and off of Sabine Pass.

And redfish is good eating. Keep an eye on the Texas Parks and Wildlife YouTube channel in the weeks ahead for a cooking segment with Chef Jesse Griffiths, preparing redfish three ways.

The Wildlife and sport fish restoration program supports our series and celebrates 75 years of funding diverse conservation projects throughout Texas…

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

Red Tide in Texas Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Last year’s record breaking heat and drought contributed to one of the longest outbreaks of Red Tide in Texas history. Texas parks and Wildlife biologist, Meredith Byrd, says a species of algae named Karinia brevis causes the condition.

06—And when these algae reproduce very, very quickly, they turn the water red or reddish brown and so that’s what we here on the Texas coast know as a red tide.

Red tide can be irritating to the skin and lungs but is not a serious threat to most people—but certain aquatic life, isn’t as lucky.

15—Red tide does cause toxins that kill fish and are collected in the oyster tissue so unfortunately the commercial oyster season that would have began Nov. 1st has been suspended indefinitely.

Texas parks and Wildlife Water Resources Branch Chief Cindy Loeffler says, because oysters are filter feeders that can filter up to 50 gallons of water daily, they will eventually rid themselves of toxins… just not in time to save this season’s $30-million dollar Texas oyster industry.

16— What has to happen is for the toxin level in the oyster meat to drop below a certain threshold level but unfortunately the drought, predicted to persist at least through early spring, mid-spring so that would typically be about the length of our commercial oyster season.

That’s our show. The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series, and is funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel.

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

Battling the Alligator Gar Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Alligator gar, virtually unchanged from prehistoric times, is attracting an enthusiastic 21st Century following.

:04—The species in recent years has become very popular amongst anglers and bow fishers.

David Buckmeier is a fisheries scientist for parks and wildlife. To fish for gar, you have to know where to find them.

:21—Most alligator gar are found in coastal rivers along the eastern part of the state; rivers like the Trinity are very, very well-known for their alligator gar populations. They’re also found in our coastal bays. They’re an interesting species in that they can go back and forth—maybe not into full salt water like in the gulf—but definitely in the bay systems. And they can go back and forth into the river and into those upper parts of those bays.

The alligator gar is the largest freshwater fish in Texas and gives anglers a good fight.

:16—Yes, they actually fight quite well. As you can imagine, any fish that weighs 150 or 200 pounds has a lot of power. So, they do fight; they actually jump quite a bit. They’ll completely clear the water. There’s some variations; some of them are more sluggish than others. But, they’re very entertaining and that’s the reason, I guess, for the popularity.

Anglers may keep one of these big fish per day. Lean more about freshwater fishing at the Texas parks and Wildlife website.

The Sport Fish and Wildlife restoration program supports our series…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Blast from the Past: Alligator Gar Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Evolution bypassed the alligator gar. Compare today’s gar to the fossil record, and the differences are insignificant.

:07—They’re often perceived as this very primitive, horrible fish that is kind of scary looking. So people, for that reason, have some fear of them.

David Buckmeier, a fisheries scientist for parks and wildlife, says this coastal river-dwelling freshwater fish is actually quite docile despite appearances.

The alligator gar is the largest freshwater fish in Texas, and can grow up to ten feet long and have the potential of tipping the scales at over three hundred pounds.

:11—They have a head shaped much like that of an alligator, hence the name. They are quite primitive; they have heavy bony scales all across their body, which are called ganoid scales. And it’s actual bone plates that protect that fish.

A behavior that some find unnerving is the gar’s tendency to linger at the water’s surface.

:21—Their gills aren’t advanced enough to get enough oxygen, especially when the water temperatures are warm. So, that’s why people will frequently see them at the top of the water; they’ll come up, gulp air then and go back down. So maybe, it’s not that their gills aren’t advanced enough, maybe they are evolving and they’re going to be crawling on the land soon. (laughs) Unlikely. They’ve been around for a long, long time, and they’ve been the same way.

Alligator gar is abundant in Texas, and is a sought after sport fish. More on that tomorrow.

The Sport Fish and Wildlife restoration program supports our series…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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.

Bay Seining Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download