Passport to Texas

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

The November issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine puts the spotlight on a land steward and a rugged bike ride. Louie Bond is managing editor.

We’re going to feature our newest Lone Star Land Steward this month, who is none other than the inimitable, beloved, David Bamberger from Selah Ranch. He has such a poignant story, yet such a great story of success and a love of the land that we’re really happy to share. And I think everyone’s really going to enjoy that. And we have another great adventure this month. Our own Karen Blizzard, who is a publication manager here at Texas Parks and Wildlife [magazine], went out on a big bike ride at Big Bend Ranch State Park; and she’s been exploring the new mile and miles of trails out there. There’s a whole lot more available for the public. Now, this is not for the faint of heart—this is some rugged terrain. But the payoff is what she calls “fall off your bike views in every direction.” And if you want to see it for yourself, there’s going to be a Big Bend Ranch State Park fiesta, Saturday November the 14th. There’ll be all sorts of tours. If you’re rugged and you love to outdoors, then get out there and try it for yourself.

That’s our show… 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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Passport to Texas from Texas parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish Restoration Program

Carp is considered a desirable sport fish in Europe…and Buffalo fish, which resemble carp, also win praise from outsiders. This month, TPW TV Series takes a closer look at these species and the people who catch them. Producer Alan Fisher.

In this segment we meet some folks who’ve come to Texas to catch Carp and Buffalo.

The European anglers want to catch a big fish.

And a guide in the Dallas area who actually started a business to cater to people who are interested in coming here. It’s a high tech pursuit; they’ve got alarms on their fishing rods.

[alarm] Looky there…he’s got a fish. That didn’t take long. That was quick.

The fish can get quite large, so it’s a good sporting fight.

Texas carp fight extremely hard.

I saw a guy catch a 43 pound new state record carp right in the middle of Austin on Ladybird Lake.

[Fish in water] Nice.

Buffalo…they’re this interesting fish that people in Texas may not know much about, but they’re quite sought after by folks that live elsewhere.

And buffalo get really big here. They’ve been captured at over a hundred pounds.

They’re readily available and a lot of fun to catch.

Thanks, Alan.

That’s our show…the Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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

Everyone likes a little praise now and then. And anglers—young or old—get it when they submit details of their catch to the Angler Recognition Program.

Everybody gets something. If it qualifies for no records or awards at all, you’ll get an outstanding angler certificate which is frameable. And all children get some type of pin; an angler recognition pin that’s our logo.

Joedy Gray oversees the program, and says he especially wants see kids getting involved.

I’m trying to encourage youth to get out there. A lot of kids will catch their first fish—maybe a two or three inch sunfish—and if they weigh that on certified scales, it will be water body record in a lot of instances.

If you’re going for a water body record, you will need a certified scale, but not if you’re submitting your fish for a catch/release total length record.

So that way you don’t need to weigh it. You just need to take a picture of the fish next to a tape measure. Then turn the fish loose and it will be eligible for a state record or a water body record. That opens all the bay systems up, and that opens up all the reservoirs to possibilities of records for both adults and juniors.

Find everything you could possibly need to know about the Angler Recognition Program on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show… The SF Restoration program supports our series…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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

Spending the day fishing is usually its own reward. But if you want to make it more interesting, submit proof of your catch to the Angler Recognition Program.

It’s a program where you get recognition for trophy catches. For rod and reel… bow fishing and unrestricted gear—jug lines and things like that.

Joedy Gray oversees the program. Nearly any length or weight fish caught in fresh or saltwater, that’s been accurately documented, will be considered for recognition—with a few small exceptions.

Whatever you do, don’t bring me any small fish like anchovies, or minnows or mosquito fish.

In the past, before weight and length requirements were instated, Gray received lots of stats on tiny fish. Today, new minimums are in place.

For bow fishing we put a minimum weight requirement of a half a pound. And for other fish for rod and reel records, we’re using two ounces…or point one two five pounds.

Gray says anglers whose fish are certified as records will receive recognition.

You can get recognition for state record catches, or large catches, water body records, catch release records…you’re going to get something. Any kind of record submission is going to get some kind of award, or certificate or pin.

Find complete details about the Angler Recognition Program on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show… The SF Restoration program supports our series…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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

Anglers the world over know they can reel in really big bass in Texas.

We have more big bass caught in Texas than anywhere I know of. I’m talking about anywhere in the United States or anywhere in the world.

David Campbell coordinates a bass spawning program at Parks and Wildlife, called the Toyota Sharelunker program.

I know there’s been some bigger fish caught in California, Florida—but it’s the numbers of big fish. And the anglers can go to almost any reservoir in the state of Texas and have the potential of catching a thirteen pound plus large-mouth bass. I don’t think that Anyone else can come close to that.

Now through April, anglers that reel in largemouth bass weighing 13-pounds or more are encouraged to donate them to the Toyota ShareLunker program. The donated bass enter into a spawning program, with the hope of creating bigger bass—maybe even a world record.

We had somewhere in the neighborhood of three quarter of a million fry from the sharelunkers through the years. We’ve had some years we didn’t have any spawn. Then some years we might have five, six or seven spawn.

That’s a whole lot of potential. Find information about the Toyota Sharelunker program when you log onto the Texas Parks and Wildlife Website.

That’s our show for today…with support from the Sport Fish Restoration Program…providing funding for the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens…

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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