Bluebonnet Acres Landowners Association

Texas Parks and Wildlife Fishing Regulations

We do expect all our residents to abide by these fishing rules

GENERAL FISHING RULES FOR FRESH AND SALT WATERS

On leaving any public or private body of water in this state, a person shall immediately remove and lawfully dispose of any harmful or potentially harmful aquatic plant that is clinging or attached to the person's vessel, watercraft, trailer, motor vehicle, or other device used to transport or launch a vessel or watercraft. Fine $25-$500. For a list of harmful and potentially harmful plants, call TPWD at (800) 792-1112 (menu 4) or (512) 389-4444 or visit our Prohibited Exotic Species page.

General Prohibited Acts
It is a violation to:

...Take, kill, or disturb any endangered or threatened species (like paddlefish, shovel-nosed sturgeon, smalltooth sawfish, and others);
Take or kill (No Open Season) diamondback terrapin, largetooth sawfish, porpoises, dolphins (mammals), or whales;
Fail to immediately remove the intestines from tilapia, grass carp, or any other fish listed as harmful or potentially harmful, except on those waters where a valid Triploid Grass Carp Permit is in effect. In those waters, it is illegal to possess grass carp. Any grass carp caught must be immediately returned to the water unharmed. Please see our list of waters with Triploid Grass Carp Permits or call Texas Parks and Wildlife at 1-800-792-1112 (menu 4) or 1-512-389-4444.
Place any game fish into public waters, other than the body of water where the fish was caught, without a valid permit issued by TPWD. This includes fish caught by pole and line. For permit information, please call 1-800-792-1112 (menu 4) or 1-512-389-8037.
Take more than 15 live univalve snails during a day which include no more than 2 each of the following snails: lightning whelk, horse conch, Florida fighting conch, pear whelk, banded tulip, or Florida rocksnail.
...
Anchoring Boats and Vessels
It is a violation to:

...Use a vessel of any type to harass fish.
Tagging Fish - It is unlawful to release into the public waters of this state a fish with a device or substance implanted or attached that is designed, constructed or adapted to produce an audible, visual or electronic signal used to monitor, track, follow, or in any manner aid in the location of the released fish. It is legal to place an identification tag on the exterior of a fish and release this fish back into public waters. Caution should be used as use of these tags can damage fish.

Waste of fish - It is unlawful to leave edible fish or bait fish taken from the public waters of the state to die without the intent to retain the fish for consumption or bait.

Possession of Fish

The bag limit for a guided fishing party is equal to the total number of persons in the boat licensed to fish or otherwise exempt from holding a license minus each fishing guide and fishing guide deckhand multiplied by the bag limit for each species harvested.
It is unlawful to take, attempt to take, or possess fish and other aquatic life within a protected length limit, in greater numbers, by any other means, or at any time or place while fishing on or in public waters other than as indicated in this guide.
It is unlawful to land by boat or person any fish taken from public water within a protected length limit, or in excess of the daily bag limit or possession limit established for those fish in Texas, regardless of the state or country in which they were caught.
...It is illegal to be in possession of a number of fish that exceeds the daily limit while actually fishing.

LEGAL DEVICES AND RESTRICTIONS FOR FISH

Legal Freshwater and Saltwater Devices and Restrictions for Fish
Only devices and restrictions listed may be used to take aquatic life.

Game fish may be taken only by pole and line (which includes rod and reel), except as otherwise provided in this guide.

In fresh water, it is unlawful:

...to take fish with a hand operated device held underwater except that a spear or speargun may be used to take NONGAME fish.
Cast Net:
A net that can be hand-thrown over an area.
May be used to take NONGAME fish and shrimp only.
May not be greater than 14 feet in diameter.
Dip Net:
A mesh bag suspended from a frame attached to a handle.
May be used to take NONGAME fish only.
May be used to aid in the landing of fish caught by other legal devices.
Gaff:
Any hand-held pole with a hook attached directly to the pole.
May only be used to aid in the landing of fish caught on other legal devices, means or methods.
Fish landed with a gaff MAY NOT be below the minimum, above the maximum, or within a protected length limit.
Gig:
Any hand-held shaft with single or multiple points, barbed or barbless.
May be used to take NONGAME fish only.
Hooks:
In fresh water only, it is unlawful to fish with more than 100 hooks on all devices combined.
Jugline:
For use in FRESH WATER only. A fishing line with five or less hooks tied to a free-floating device.
May be used to take NONGAME fish, channel catfish, blue catfish and flathead catfish only.
Placement and Location Restrictions: ...Lawful Archery Equipment
(includes longbow, recurved bow, compound bow and crossbow):
May be used to take NONGAME fish only.
Minnow Trap:
May be used to take NONGAME fish only.
Trap may not exceed 24 inches in length. The throat may not exceed 1 inch by 3 inches.
...Perch Traps:
For use in SALT WATER only.
May be used to take NONGAME fish only.
May not exceed 18 cubic feet.
Must be marked with a floating visible orange buoy not less than 6 inches in height and 6 inches in width. The buoy must have a GEAR TAG valid only for 30 days attached.
Must be equipped with a degradable panel as described for crab traps.
Buoys or floats may not be made of plastic bottle(s) of any color or size.
...Pole and Line:
A line with hook, attached to a pole (includes rod and reel)
May be used to take GAME AND NONGAME fish.
It is unlawful to take or attempt to take fish with one or more hooks attached to a line or artificial lure used in a manner to foul-hook a fish (snagging or jerking). A fish is foul-hooked when caught by a hook in an area other than the fish's mouth.
Game and nongame fish may be taken by pole and line, except that in the Guadalupe River ...Seine:
A section of non-metallic mesh webbing, with the top edge buoyed upwards by a floatline and the bottom edge weighted. Includes a push net.
May be used to take NONGAME fish and shrimp only.
May not be longer than 20 feet.
May not have mesh exceeding 1/2-inch square.
Must be manually operated.

Shad Trawl:
For use in FRESH WATER only. A bag-shaped net which is dragged along the bottom or through the water to catch aquatic life.
May be used to take NONGAME fish only.
May not be longer than 6 feet or with a mouth larger than 36 inches in diameter.
May be equipped with a funnel or throat and must be towed by boat or hand.
Spear:
Any shaft with single or multiple points, barbed or barbless, which may be propelled by any means, but does not include arrows.
May be used to take NONGAME fish only.
Speargun:
Any hand operated device designed and used for propelling a spear, but does not include the crossbow.
May be used to take NONGAME fish only.
Throwline:
For use in FRESH WATER only. A fishing line with five or less hooks and with one end attached to a permanent fixture. Components of a throwline may also include swivels, snaps, rubber and rigid support structures.
May be used to take NONGAME fish, channel catfish, blue catfish and flathead catfish only.
Placement and Location Restrictions: Trotline:
A non-metallic main fishing line with more than five hooks attached and with each end attached to a fixture.
Nongame fish, channel catfish, blue catfish, and flathead catfish may be taken by trotline.
...General Construction and Design Restrictions: Trotlines may not be used with
a mainline length exceeding 600 feet;
hooks spaced less than 3 horizontal feet apart;
metallic stakes;
or the main fishing line and attached hooks and stagings placed above the water's surface.
Trotlines In Fresh Water
Tag Requirements: Must be used with a valid GEAR TAG. Properly marked buoys or floats qualify as valid gear tags. Gear tags must be attached within 3 feeet of the first hook at each end of the trotline and are valid for 30 days after the date set out.
Construction and Design Restrictions: May not have more than 50 hooks on any one trotline.
Placement and Location Restrictions: ...Construction and Design Restrictions:
Must be marked with a yellow floating buoy not less than 6 inches in height, 6 inches in length, and 6 inches in width, bearing a two-inch wide stripe of contrasting color, attached to end fixtures.
Buoys or floats may not be made of plastic bottle(s) of any color or size.
May not be baited with other than natural bait. Natural bait is a whole or cut-up portion of a fish or shellfish or a whole or cut-up portion of plant material in its natural state, provided that none of these may be altered beyond cutting into portions.
May not be used with hooks other than circle-type hook with point curved in and having a gap (distance from point to shank) of no more than one-half inch, and with the diameter of the circle not less than five-eighths inch (comparable to Mustad 11/0 circle hook Model #39960ST).
Placement and Location Restrictions:
...
May not be placed closer than 50 feet from any other trotline,
Umbrella Net:
A non-metallic mesh net that is suspended horizontally in the water by multiple lines attached to a rigid frame.
May be used to take crabs and NONGAME fish only.
May not have within the frame an area that exceeds 16 square feet.