Chapter 13
Fishing for
Conservation
I. Let’s Go Fishing
A. Why fish?
1. Fishing is a great way to learn about
nature and is fun.
2. People who fish are called anglers.
B. Traits of a good angler
1. They have patience
2. They possess fishing skills
3. They are knowledgeable about
aquatic ecosystems.
II. Think like a fish?
A. Knowledge about fish, their
habitats, food webs, niches,
trophic levels and aquatic ecosystems
improve fishing success.
B. Research and gather information such as
the habitat of the fish. Are they near the
bottom or the surface? Structures such
as rocks, logs and plants serve their
need for cover.
C. Know the food the fish likes to eat?
1. Use the fish’s
natural food as
bait.
2. Use artificial
bait that looks
or smells like
what fish would
normally eat.
3. Bait for fish.
a. Natural bait
includes
crickets and
grasshoppers,
worms, shrimp
and minnows.
b. Artificial bait
mimics
natural bait
and is used on
many species.
D. Finding fish. What are the indicators?
1. Fish tend to gather where there is
plenty of food they like. Look for
schools of minnows or other prey fish,
hatching insects, jumping frogs or small
fish darting near the surface.
2. Birds eating small fish is a good sign.
3. Rings appear in the
water when fish are
eating insects.
4. Some species of fish may move off structure
and into open water to feed where they
suspend themselves in the water. This is often
in response to following or searching for prey.
E. What purpose does cover serve?
1. Fish use cover to escape predators and
to help them ambush prey.
2. Cover can be anything that will hide or
protect the fish. Some fish spend most
of their lives near cover, moving out only
to feed or spawn.
3. Aquatic plants, docks,
rocks, undercut banks,
coral reefs, and logs
Lake Lavon
all provide cover.
4. Shade or shadows from a tree can
provide cover by making the fish less
visible to other fish, predatory birds, wildlife
and even people.
5. Fish have been found to prefer near dropoffs, points, ridges, islands, and sandbars
that shape the beds of lakes, rivers, bays
and the Gulf more than flat or gently
sloping bottoms.
6. Large bodies of water offer multiple
opportunities for different groups of fish of
the same species to inhabit different lake
zones simultaneously.
7. Individual groups of fish may or may not
interact and mix. Fish inhabiting different
zones tend to become active at different
times.
8. Fish may be active in shallow zones in
the morning, evening, and at night. In
deep zones they may be most active
during periods of brightest sunlight.
9. Each individual group may tend to stay
more or less within a defined depth
range rather than making daily
movements up and down structure.
10. Fish are usually caught near cover along the
edges of habitats in lakes, rivers, and bays. You
can often see these places from shore or a boat.
The edge of underwater plant or seagrass beds,
for example, usually attracts many fish.
III. Does Weather Impact Fishing?
A. Weather does affect fish,
but not always in predictable
ways.
B. Fish seem to prefer eating
during the low light conditions
of dawn and dusk.
C. Cloud days are low-light
periods and may help
get fish to bite.
D. A light to moderate wind is better than
no wind. Fish will move into shallower
water to feed in windy
conditions, as they are
hidden from the birds.
E. Fishing can be good before and during a
gentle rain but may be poor during and
after a big thunderstorm.
IV. Understanding the need for Rules
A. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
(TPWD) makes and enforces rules to
conserve fish and wildlife.
B. The purpose of rules helps Texans share
and keep our aquatic resources healthy.
C. Texas’ fishing rules are based on scientific
data and research provided by fisheries
biologists.
D. Taxes on fishing equipment and the sale
of fishing licenses pay for the work.
E. Rules about fishing limits can help us to
make sure our aquatic ecosystems and
other resources stay diverse, balanced and
healthy far into the future.
1. Fishing rules protect species by limiting
the number or size of fish that may be
taken.
a. Length limits give fish a chance to grow
and spawn before people are allowed
to catch and keep them.
b. “Slot” limits are restrictions on keeping
fish of varying lengths depending on
the health of the species. You are
allowed to keep fish within a particular
size range, while returning all fish
outside of the range.
2. Number limits assure that no one takes
too many. Taking too many of a particular
species can upset the balance in the food
web affecting all organisms in the
community.
F. In Texas, you must purchase a fishing
license when you turn 17 years old. Buying
a fishing license supports fish and fish
habitats in Texas.
G. Anglers make it possible
for TPWD biologists to
better manage
the state’s fish
and fishing
opportunities.
H. Money from the sale of fishing licenses and
a special tax on fishing equipment and gas
for boats helps pay for kids fishing
programs, fish hatcheries,
surveys of fish in lakes and
the ocean, and many more
things.
Tyler Texas Fish Farm
Stocking a Lake in Houston
I. In addition to the rules, learning to
identify fish and respecting fishing
regulations, anglers help keep fish
populations in balance.
J. The rules can be found in the Outdoor
Annual which is published by TPWD
every year and free anywhere licenses
are sold. The rules can also be found
on the TPWD website.
V. What is an Ethical Angler?
A. Ethical people use good judgment,
respect property rights, and respect the
rights of others who are using the water.
B. Ethical behavior includes picking up your
trash, collecting and proper disposal of
fishing line, never dumping any pollutants,
never releasing live bait fish into the
water, and carefully handling and
releasing alive, all fish you catch but do
not intend to keep.
C. Ethical anglers value and respect the
aquatic environment and all living things
in it.
D. Anglers contribute to fish conservation
through many avenues.
1. Use good conservation practices, like
catch and release.
2. They keep informed by checking out
Texas’ aquatic resources, through the
TPWD or visiting local TPWD office or a
nature conservation center.
3. Take a personal interest in the local lake,
pond, river, stream, wetland or estuary.
4. Always bring a trash bag to clean up after
a visit, leaving the spot in better shape
than when they found it.
5. Report invasive species.
6. Mentor and introduce
someone to fishing.
7. Be safe and responsible on the water.
8. Visit a fish hatchery.
9. Become active in local groups to
conserve and maintain water quality.
VI. Fishing in Texas is Great!
A. Texas has many Community Fishing Lakes,
some even in cities to provide everyone an
opportunity to experience fishing.
B. These are public lakes 75 acres or smaller
located in city, community, and state parks.
C. These lakes are stocked annually with fish.
D. Information about fishing and stocking in
community fishing lakes and major lakes in
Texas can be found on the TPWD website.
Happy Fishing!
Videos:
Through-the-Gill Hook Removal-TPWD
• https://youtu.be/3RGTL9RBG2s
The Proper Way To Hold a Catfish-Virginia Biologist
• https://youtu.be/pnE0Kvc5I14