Flounder Limit Rules

[walkinwader]

Sounds like a congressional answer lol....thanks

[Root Canal]

Relpy from TPWD:

§57.972. General Rules.
> (g) It is unlawful:
> (1) for any person to take or attempt to take fish by any means, or at
> any time or place, other than as permitted under this subchapter;
> (2) for any person to possess fish within a protected length limit or
> in greater numbers than as permitted under this subchapter;
> (3) for any person, while fishing on or in public waters, to have in
> possession fish in excess of the daily bag limit or fish within a
> protected length limit as established for those waters;
> (4) for any person to land by boat or person any fish within a
> protected length limit, or in excess of the daily bag limit or
> possession limit established for those fish;
>
> "Possess" means the act of having in possession or control, keeping,
> detaining, restraining, or holding as owner, or under a fishing ley,
> or as agent, bailee, or custodian of another.
>
When interpreting this law, or any law or regulation, game wardens consider the intent of the law and this allows them to make reasonable and prudent decisions when checking the fishing and hunting public to determine if a violation has occurred. There would not be a violation if you netted the fish so that it could be released. It would require further action on your behalf, such as placing the fish in a live well and/or placing a fish on a stringer etc., before the fish would be considered in your possession. Please let me now if you need further clarification.

I apologize for the delay in response; unfortunately we get such a multitude of emails and requests that sometimes an inquiry can get lost in the mix. Thanks


Assistant Commander Brandi L. Reeder
Fisheries Law Administrator
LE Special Operations

[single prong]

Send the question to either Scott Vaca, LE Game Warden at TPWD HQ, Wildlife or Brandi Reeder, LE Game Warden at TPWD HQ with Fishing.

scott.vaca@tpwd.texas.gov or brandi.reeder@tpwd.texas.gov and one of them will reply.

[Lori77563]

I just emailed TPWD asking for a ruling since we have 2 Game Wardens saying different things. I would like to be able to cull if I know the released fish would survive. But don't want to be breaking any rules if I do. I will post their response.

Good luck, I did that a year ago and am still awaiting a response.

[Weekend Warrior]

WW.....were have you been ??
I miss your great fishing post.

I've been frequently out of town the last couple months. I'll post a lot more reports later in the fall and winter...

[walkinwader]

thanks for all the info

[Root Canal]

If culling is illegal for saltwater species, you would think it would be clearly described or defined somewhere in the saltwater regulations. Seems like a grey area in the regs.

Check out the the freshwater reg below for white, striped, and yellow bass:
For striped bass and hybrid striped bass, there is no minimum length limit. Daily bag limit = 10; possession limit = 20, and only two striped or hybrid striped bass 20 inches or greater may be retained each day. Culling of striped bass and hybrid striped bass is prohibited.

I think that's the only reg that mentions "culling".

WW.....were have you been ??
I miss your great fishing post.

[Root Canal]

Root Canal & GregG explained it well and I work at TPWD in HQ. Great reminder and always something to go over before aactually going fishing and then it might be too late if you don't know.

Thanks for that answer single prong.
walkinwader said as long as no more than 2 were in the do-net it was legal.
GregG made the answer clearer with a more detailed procedure.
Hopefully the email reply will say the same.

[Curmudgeon]

Thanks for all the good info guys. Y'all mentioned a couple things I'd never considered.


Curmudgeon only pawn in game of life.

[single prong]

Root Canal & GregG explained it well and I work at TPWD in HQ. Great reminder and always something to go over before aactually going fishing and then it might be too late if you don't know.

[GregG]

If it is in the do-net, cooler, bucket, stringer then it is considered in your possession if not immediately released and that fish counts toward your bag limit. However, if you remove it from the cooler, bucket, stringer, do-net, and set it free, then it is no longer in your possession. Therefore, it does not count toward your bag limit since it is no longer in your possession.

The key here is that you must release a fish prior to adding the just caught fish to the retaining device to avoid having above your bag limit in possession at any time.

You cannot add a sixth flounder to your do-net even if you intend to pull the smallest flounder out immediately afterward. The fifth has to come out of the net and be released prior to putting the larger fish caught in the retaining device.

[walkinwader]

Never thought bout that troutwader with do net....good point

[troutwader]

From what I was told, stringers harm the gills and do nets remove slime. Not safe either way to cull a flounder unless using a livewell.

[JT]

I know now that I'll be a lot more cautious and careful about "culling".

[Weekend Warrior]

If culling is illegal for saltwater species, you would think it would be clearly described or defined somewhere in the saltwater regulations. Seems like a grey area in the regs.

Check out the the freshwater reg below for white, striped, and yellow bass:
For striped bass and hybrid striped bass, there is no minimum length limit. Daily bag limit = 10; possession limit = 20, and only two striped or hybrid striped bass 20 inches or greater may be retained each day. Culling of striped bass and hybrid striped bass is prohibited.

I think that's the only reg that mentions "culling".