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Are Texas catfish in danger of over-fishing? Some anglers think so

Click here to view original web page at Are Texas catfish in danger of over-fishing? Some anglers think so

1st place at this year's King Kat tournament on Lake Tawakoni went to Justin Cook and Roger Gerloff from Missouri with a five fish weigh in at 217.15 pounds. Officials fear big hauls like this will attract more people from out-of-state and deplete catfish stocks.Click through to see more giant catfish catches from this tournament and from the area's Noodlers who fish by hand! Photo: Cabela's King Kat Tournament Trail — 1st place at this year’s King Kat tournament on Lake Tawakoni went to Justin Cook and Roger Gerloff from Missouri with a five fish weigh in at 217.15 pounds. Officials fear big hauls like this will attract more people from out-of-state and deplete catfish stocks.Click through to see more giant catfish catches from this tournament and from the area’s Noodlers who fish by hand! Photo: Cabela’s King Kat Tournament Trail

2nd place at Lake Tawakoni: Ray Austin and Robert Anuilera, Texas, with 180.40 pound bag. Photo: Cabela's King Kat Tournament Trail — 2nd place at Lake Tawakoni: Ray Austin and Robert Anuilera, Texas, with 180.40 pound bag. Photo: Cabela’s King Kat Tournament Trail

Robert Stanley and Dustin Sawyer, 4th place with 143.75 pounds of fish. Photo: Cabela's King Kat Tournament Trail — Robert Stanley and Dustin Sawyer, 4th place with 143.75 pounds of fish. Photo: Cabela’s King Kat Tournament Trail

The big fish title went to Johnson Merlyn and Derrick Crozier from Kansas with a weigh in of 73.25 pounds. Photo: Cabela's King Kat Tournament Trail — The big fish title went to Johnson Merlyn and Derrick Crozier from Kansas with a weigh in of 73.25 pounds. Photo: Cabela’s King Kat Tournament Trail

Dan and Paul Miles, Texas, took 9th place, with a bag weighing 121.65. Photo: Cabela's King Kat Tournament Trail — Dan and Paul Miles, Texas, took 9th place, with a bag weighing 121.65. Photo: Cabela’s King Kat Tournament Trail

Lucy Milsap and her 52 pound winner at the Tawakoni Noodling Tournament on Lake Tawakoni, Texas. Photo: Takakoni Noodling Tournament

More than 10,000 people attending the 15th annual Okie Noodling Tournament. Texas' couple Kelly and Jimmy Milsap took top prizes. Their daughter, Lucy Milsap, the so-called Queen of Noodling, won the Texas tournament earlier in June. Photo: Okie Noodling Tournament Gallery — More than 10,000 people attending the 15th annual Okie Noodling Tournament. Texas’ couple Kelly and Jimmy Milsap took top prizes. Their daughter, Lucy Milsap, the so-called Queen of Noodling, won the Texas tournament earlier in June. Photo: Okie Noodling Tournament Gallery

Don’t mess with Texas catfish – that’s the cry from anglers in the state who’ve answered overwhelmingly that they favor greater restrictions on the take of large fish from area lakes.

In a survey of catfish anglers conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife on Lake Tawakoni, just east of Dallas, 85 percent said they favored reducing the harvest of large blue catfish.

Restrictions currently vary between the states lakes. Some allow one fish over 30 inches to be kept, others have a so-called slot limit where only fish between 30-45 inches can be kept.

“There was discussion of having more restrictive regulation .. the vast majority were supportive of it,” said Kevin Storey of the TPW Inland Fisheries, “They felt, left unchecked, people would continue to remove the large fish.”

Those large fish are a big draw to the states lakes. A five fish haul of catfish weighed in at a combined 217-plus pounds and took the title at this year’s King Kat tournament at Lake Tawakoni. Giant bags like that are bringing more and more anglers from all over the country, Storey said.

“People come from Canada and throughout North American specifically to Lake Tawakoni to fish for large catfish,” Storey said, “Just seeing that weight of fish in a single day has generated a lot of interest.”

Although monitoring of catfish populations completed by Texas Parks and Wildlife since 2001 shows no decline, officials say anglers have voiced concern about the future of their beloved fish.

“The rod and reel guys are taking too many of the big fish,” said Bill Creed who recently launched the Lake Tawakoni Noodling tournament, “If they’re going to want to keep more of those fish for future generations, they’re going to have to cut back on the restrictions.”

Noodlers tend to fish for flathead catfish and the sport has recently “gone wild” according to Creed. Noodling was legalized in Texas two years ago.

The survey revealed that out of the 293 surveyed, just one percent were mainly noodlers who generally release every fish they catch.

Storey says Inland Fisheries has submitted a proposal for further regulation but admitted it may be next year before a decision is made. A change will likely form part of a statewide catfish management plan due to be published in 2015.

Don't mess with Texas catfish - that's the cry from anglers in the state who've answered overwhelmingly that they favor greater restrictions on the take of large fish from area lakes.

In a survey of catfish anglers conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife on Lake Tawakoni, just east of Dallas, 85 percent said they favored reducing the harvest of large blue catfish.

Restrictions currently vary between the states lakes. Some allow one fish over 30 inches to be kept, others have a so-called slot limit where only fish between 30-45 inches can be kept.

"There was discussion of having more restrictive regulation .. the vast majority were supportive of it," said Kevin Storey of the TPW Inland Fisheries, "They felt, left unchecked, people would continue to remove the large fish."

Those large fish are a big draw to the states lakes. A five fish haul of catfish weighed in at a combined 217-plus pounds and took the title at this year's King Kat tournament at Lake Tawakoni. Giant bags like that are bringing more and more anglers from all over the country, Storey said.

"People come from Canada and throughout North American specifically to Lake Tawakoni to fish for large catfish," Storey said, "Just seeing that weight of fish in a single day has generated a lot of interest."

Although monitoring of catfish populations completed by Texas Parks and Wildlife since 2001 shows no decline, officials say anglers have voiced concern about the future of their beloved fish.

"The rod and reel guys are taking too many of the big fish," said Bill Creed who recently launched the Lake Tawakoni Noodling tournament, "If they're going to want to keep more of those fish for future generations, they're going to have to cut back on the restrictions."

Noodlers tend to fish for flathead catfish and the sport has recently "gone wild" according to Creed. Noodling was legalized in Texas two years ago.

The survey revealed that out of the 293 surveyed, just one percent were mainly noodlers who generally release every fish they catch.

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