Ethical
Dilemmas
Catch & Release
Dilemmas
Catch & Release
You have just finished catching your daily bag limit, but your friend hasn’t. Your friend asks you to help him catch his limit.
You tell your friend………..
It is against the laws for you to help him catch his limit. If you want to continue fishing, you will practice catch and release.
You are fishing off a jetty on the coast and notice that the person fishing next to you left some line on the rock. He also left a drink can and a candy wrapper.
What should you do?
Even though it is not your trash, you should pick it up and dispose of it properly to help keep aquatic habitats healthy for wildlife. Always “leave it better than you found it” so we can all extend our fishing privileges and opportunities.
How do you properly measure a fish?
Place the fish on its side with jaw closed, squeeze tail fin together or turn it in a way to obtain the maximum overall length and measure a straight line from the tip of the snout to the extreme tip of the tail fin
If I am standing on private land, but fishing into a Texas river, I don’t need a fishing license.
False
In addition to needing a fishing license, you must also have permission from the property owner.
What is submerged plants?
Submerged plants are plants that remain under water.
You are canoeing and fishing on the Guadalupe River. The catfish are really biting the dough bait you made. When you have caught enough fish for dinner, the catfish are still biting and you want to continue fishing. What do you do with the extra fish you catch?
Practice catch and release, carefully releasing all extra fish.
You are moving and can’t take your aquarium with you. It has tropical fish and some snails. You don’t want your fish to die, so you…….
Give them to a friend or someone who will take care of them. You know not to put them in a nearby creek or river because they are not native to that water and they could either die or damage the ecosystem
When must you renew your fishing license?
September 1st of each year. Fishing license are good from September 1st to August 31st.
When measuring a fish, you can’t count the length of the tail.
False
To determine the precise total length of a fish, the tail must be either squeezed together or turned to the extreme tip of the tail.
What is emerged?
Emerged plants are plants that remain on top of the water.
You haven’t caught anything all day. You finally catch a 12 inch rainbow trout. You recall the minimum size for that stretch of river is 18 inches. You……..
Carefully release it back into the water
You are fishing with a friend who threw his drink can in the water. He tells you that the drink can provide cover for small fish and is food for the lake.
You tell him………….
Natural objects such as tree branches and large rocks make better cover for fish. Man-made objects like bottles and cans pollute the lake.
What book do you use to find the fishing laws and regulations for area lakes?
Outdoor Annual
There is a maximum length for some sportfish species.
True
For freshwater species, there are generally no maximum length limits, but there are some exceptions for specific water bodies. Check the Outdoor Annual for those exceptions. There are some maximum length limits for some saltwater species, too. There may also be minimum and maximum length limits (slots limits) that must be carefully reviewed by the angler in the Outdoor Annual before each fishing trip.
Hydrilla, Water Hyacinth, and Alligatorweed,
Are these aquatic weeds beneficial or non-beneficial to the waters.
They are not beneficial to the waters.
You have just landed an undersized largemouth bass and you notice that it’s bleeding from the gills. You try to release the bass, but it floats to the surface and is no longer breathing. You decide to……………..
Put it back in the water anyway. It is illegal to have and undersized fish. This fish may provide food for other animals.
You get your line tangled in an overhanging branch and have to cut off a large length of line. You can see that some of the line is hanging in the water within reach.
You decide to………………
Get as much of the line as you can safely do so, because you know that wildlife can get tangled in leftover fishing line and die.
What does “slot limit” mean?
1. Freshwater – Slot limits mean you must release any fish between the
slot limit numbers. For instance, a largemouth bass at a particular lake
has a 14” - 21” slot limit. That means you must release largemouth
bass between 14 and 21 inches. Depending on the fish species, some
lakes, reservoirs, rivers and streams have exceptions to statewide freshwater
harvest regulations. See the Outdoor Annual for those exceptions.
2. Saltwater – Slot limit means you may retain any fish between the slot
limits. For example, a black drum with a 14” - 30” slot limit means
you may retain any black drum between 14 and 30 inches. All others
must be released.
Protected slot limits are there for no other purpose than to confuse the angler.
False
Slot limits are there to protect reproducing females needed to increase fish populations.
Muskgrass, American Lotus, and Water Lily
Are these aquatic plants beneficial or non beneficial to the waters.
These aquatic plants are beneficial to waters. They produce viable seed.
You are fishing for bass using a popper and all you seem to be catching are small gar. You take each gar off the hook and……..
Carefully release it because all fish play a role in the aquatic ecosystem-even species some people might wrongly refer to as “trash” fish
At what age do you have to purchase a fishing license?
At age 17, you must have fishing license in order to fish legally in public waters
You don’t need a license to fish in Texas State Parks from September 1st to August 31st.
True
Provide that you remain within the boundaries of the Park and fish from the shore, bank or pier. Fishing from a boat requires a valid fishing license unless the body of water is completely contained within the park boundaries.
All sportfish species have minimum length limit if you are keeping them.
False
On some water bodies, the rule is “Catch and Release”; read through the TPWD Outdoor Annual for specific water body rules. Harvest rules may vary for water body to water body. Anglers must check specific exception rules for different water bodies and different species.
Native Aquatic plants are a beneficial component of:
>Reservoir and stream ecosystems
> provide structure and improve habitat for fish and other organisms
> increase water quality and clarity
> stabilize sediments and protect shorelines from erosion