Day Trips: Texas Fishing Regulations
Fishing licenses required in Texas with exceptions
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., Feb. 12, 2016
A fishing license is required. A few weeks ago in the Jan. 22 "Day Trips" column about blue crabs I said there was no need for a state license when fishing for crabs with a chicken bone tied to a string without a hook. My apologies.
According to state law, anyone harvesting aquatic life from Texas waters must have a fishing license. A saltwater fishing license costs $35 for Texas residents ($63 for nonresidents), a freshwater license costs $30 ($58), and a combination license is $40 ($68). But there are exceptions. Kids can drag a chicken neck through the shallows to catch crabs at any time before their 17th birthday without fear of prosecution. You can also do it if you were born before Jan. 1, 1931 (85 years old). Or if you are certifiably mentally disabled (with caveats).
Crabbers who use a throw line without a hook and a piece of raw meat are not restricted by the 10-day closed crabbing period (Feb. 19-28) when crab traps are not allowed. Since 2001, this regulation has aided the removal of 31,237 abandoned traps.
The good folks at the Coastal Fisheries Division of TPWD helped me figure out the state fishing regulations. Their recommendation is, when in doubt, consult the Outdoor Annual at www.tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual.
The first thing I found in the book was that no fishing license is needed on the first Saturday of June. Also, no license is needed to fish from the bank in a state park or waters completely enclosed in a state park. Now that's a deal we should all be proud of.
1,281st in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of "Day Trips," is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 40312, South Austin, TX 78704.
