Just as this session of the Texas Legislature opened, a bill (SB 1790) was introduced by Senator Jon Lindsay of Houston which would ban the use of croakers as live bait. There is another bill coming that seeks to ban fishing for finfish, shrimp, crabs and black drum by commercial fishermen in the bays. Whether you fish with croakers or even if you don’t fish at all, you should be concerned about negative economic effects such a move could bring to our community.
It is difficult to find anyone who will claim responsibility for Senate Bill No. 1790 and equally difficult to get anyone involved to admit the real reason for this legislation. Some say it’s a move by a few fishing guides in the Port Mansfield area. Others including R.F.A. Texas’ Jim Smarr of Rockport think it’s a way to allow small user groups to capitalize on a “Trophy Trout Fishery”, and that it attempts to cut many guides and bait fishermen out of the resource.
The proposal seems to have emerged from some group embedded within the Spotted Seatrout Workgroups (SSWG) in meetings with and TPWD. A response from Lindsay’s office supports that. The following was written by Capt. Kris Kelly who guides out of Port O’Connor: ----“On March 17th, I contacted Senator Jon Lindsay’s office to get some information about SB 1790 which calls for a ban on Croakers as a bait source in Texas waters. In a brief phone conversation with Mr. Rob Edwards at Senator Lindsay’s office in Austin, I asked where the stimulus came from for the Senator to introduce SB 1790 which calls for the ban on live Croaker as bait? His response was “Parks and Wildlife was a catalyst behind the bill insofar as TPWD is claiming the cost of producing Croaker in the hatchery for replenishment of the bays is prohibitive.” He stated that the SSWG meetings last year also stimulated the ban on live Croaker as a bait source.----
I sincerely believe this bill is an attempt by some elitist group to cut out the bait fishermen from a resource. I believe and think most of you do, that this resource belongs to all of us.
We shouldn’t tell “them” what kind of fly rod to use or what kind of lure to throw, and “they” shouldn’t tell us what kind of bait to use.
If you have been paying dues to any fishing (conservation) organization, you should find out what their official stand is on this issue. Some won’t tell you because they are afraid they will lose membership. If they won’t take a stand on this issue, you should stop supporting them.
If this bill should pass, it will have serious and long-term effects on recreational fishing, bait shrimpers, bait dealers, fishing guides, motels, restaurants and in the long run everyone in the coastal area. If you believe we should keep our freedom and keep our economic health, please write your congressmen.
If you want more information: my e-mail is: mlanders@prodigy.net