Passport to Texas

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

Take time this month to catch up with the Texas Parks and Wildlife television series. As series producer, Alan Fisher tells us, some of the segments this month will reel in anglers.

Coming up in June, we have a story called “Where to Wade.” You know, there are a lot of different ways to catch a fish on the coast. One of the most involved ways it to wade right out into the bay or surf.

(surf/water ambience) Wade fishing you can always go most times where a boat can’t. You can walk and get to ‘em pretty easy, and you ain’t got to worry about spooking ‘em. (reel sounds and water)Is it going to be a keeper? (water) Oooo. Oh, that’s a keeper trout right there. Uh huh. Look at that. Pretty fish. Pretty fish. (water)

Later in June we’ll visit Tyler state park—lovely patch of pine forest in Northeast Texas, just an hour and a half east of Dallas, but it feels much further away. Also in June, we’ll learn where striped bass come from.

Well, the end result is that we’re producing basically seven and a half million fish that would not be here otherwise because these fish, for the most part, do not reproduce naturally in the state of Texas.

We’ll wrap up June with a look at paddling trails which are preplanned routes that are making Texas waters more accessible to canoes and kayaks.

You can catch the Texas Parks and Wildlife television series on PBS stations statewide.

That’s our show…with support from the Sport Fish Restoration Program…reminding Texans that June 7 is Free Fishing Day in Texas… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

TP&W TV-June Highlights Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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

Take time this month to catch up with the Texas Parks and Wildlife television series. As series producer, Alan Fisher tells us, some of the segments this month will reel in anglers.

Coming up in June, we have a story called “Where to Wade.” You know, there are a lot of different ways to catch a fish on the coast. One of the most involved ways it to wade right out into the bay or surf.

(surf/water ambience) Wade fishing you can always go most times where a boat can’t. You can walk and get to ‘em pretty easy, and you ain’t got to worry about spooking ‘em. (reel sounds and water)Is it going to be a keeper? (water) Oooo. Oh, that’s a keeper trout right there. Uh huh. Look at that. Pretty fish. Pretty fish. (water)

Later in June we’ll visit Tyler state park—lovely patch of pine forest in Northeast Texas, just an hour and a half east of Dallas, but it feels much further away. Also in June, we’ll learn where striped bass come from.

Well, the end result is that we’re producing basically seven and a half million fish that would not be here otherwise because these fish, for the most part, do not reproduce naturally in the state of Texas.

We’ll wrap up June with a look at paddling trails which are preplanned routes that are making Texas waters more accessible to canoes and kayaks.

You can catch the Texas Parks and Wildlife television series on PBS stations statewide.

That’s our show…with support from the Sport Fish Restoration Program…reminding Texans that June 7 is Free Fishing Day in Texas… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

TP&W TV-June Highlights Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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

The June issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine celebrates saltwater angling. Managing editor, Louie Bond is here to tell us more.

A lot of saltwater fishermen go out for the big three fish, which are the speckled trout, the red fish and the flounder. But, as Larry Bozka points out this month, unpredictability is the essence of saltwater fishing.

And so, any of these fish put up a good fight, they’re really great eating, they’re just as much fun as the big three, and, heck, part of the fun is the mystery of what is on the end of your hook.

Thanks, Louie. Find links to saltwater fishing information at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…with support from the Sport Fish Restoration Program…working to increase fishing and boating opportunities in Texas… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

TP&W Magazine June Preview--Saltwater Issue Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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

The June issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine celebrates saltwater angling. Managing editor, Louie Bond is here to tell us more.

A lot of saltwater fishermen go out for the big three fish, which are the speckled trout, the red fish and the flounder. But, as Larry Bozka points out this month, unpredictability is the essence of saltwater fishing.

And so, any of these fish put up a good fight, they’re really great eating, they’re just as much fun as the big three, and, heck, part of the fun is the mystery of what is on the end of your hook.

Thanks, Louie. Find links to saltwater fishing information at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…with support from the Sport Fish Restoration Program…working to increase fishing and boating opportunities in Texas… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

TP&W Magazine June Preview--Saltwater Issue Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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

Cut off from the Lower Laguna Madre, the Bahia Grande, a unit of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, changed from productive tidal wetland to nuisance dust bowl. The tide started to turn for this basin with the new millennium.

It was not until 2000 when the Fish and Wildlife Service acquired the land surrounding the Bahia Grande Basin that you could start doing something—because the Fish and Wildlife Service was very supportive of restoring the area.

John Wallace is the refuge manager. Eight years later, the process of restoring Bahia Grande continues.

Restoring ten thousand acres takes quite awhile. We have had to go through an environmental assessment—public hearings—to just make sure what we were planning to do in restoring it was not going to cause some kind of impact.

Wallace says the project is at the stage of installing the main channel that will fully restore the area. He estimates the work to start in early 2009. When fully restored, humans and wildlife will benefit.

Besides just reducing the blowing dust, it’s going to increase the number of marine organisms in the area: anything from larval finfish, to shrimp, to blue crabs that are already in the area. And when we have it fully restored it’s going to do nothing more than become a nice estuarine area to benefit wildlife.

Find more information at passportotexas.org.

That’s our show… with support from the Wildlife Restoration Program… providing funding for wetland conservation through the Private Lands Enhancement Program.

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

Wetlands Month--Bahia Grande, 2 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download