TPWD proposes bass fishing regulation changes

Published 5:02 pm Saturday, March 10, 2018

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is proposing changes to simplify fishing regulations at 20 lakes statewide, including several in East Texas.

The proposed changes include placing 12 lakes across Texas under the statewide 14-inch minimum length limit that currently exists on 80 percent of the lakes in the state.

Among the proposals for East Texas, lakes would be changing the limit from an 18-inch minimum length to 14 inches on Cooper Lake and Old Mount Pleasant Lake, and from a 14- to 18-inch slot to 14 inches on Lake Madisonville and San Augustine Lake.

Other changes proposed would be increasing the slot limit from 14- to 24-inches to 16- to 24-inches on Fayette County Reservoir, Gibbons Creek and Lake Monticello, and a change from catch and release to a 16-inch maximum length limit and five-fish daily bag limit on Purtis Creek State Park Lake and Lake Raven. An exception on both lakes would allow for the keeping of a bass 24 inches and longer for donation to the Toyota ShareLunker program.

Public comment must be made prior to March 22. More information and public comment on all fisheries proposals is available online at tpwd.texas.gov/business/feedback/public_comment/proposals/201803_statewide_fishing_freshwater.phtml.

Comments may also be made by calling Ken Kurzawski at 512-389-4591 or by email at ken.kurzawski@tpwd.texas.gov, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin 78744.