In this issue:
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 Crank up for fall fishing season with a review of fishing regulations in the 2014-2015 Outdoor Annual which also includes hunting regulations. The Outdoor Annual is now available three ways:
Reminder: Be sure you hold a current fishing license! Most licenses expire August 31. You can renew online, at a retailer or by calling (800) 895-4248.
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 It was 972 pounds of shock and awe!
Richard B. Richardson, Jr. of Houston blew away a 1988 state record when he caught a 972.72-pound blue marlin from the Gulf of Mexico off Port Aransas. The huge fish measured 132.25 inches. Richardson (in red cap just left of the fish) was fishing in the Bastante John Uhr Memorial Billfish Tournament as a member of the eight-person Legacy Fishing Team.
The previous state record weighed 876.5 pounds and was caught August 20, 1988 off the coast of South Padre Island.
See the most recent Texas record catches.
Photo by Doonan Photography.
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 Volunteers are at the core of Texas’ great fishing opportunities. Their work creates fish habitat, stabilizes sediment and improves water quality. Here are two recent examples:
Fish Habitat at Brushy Creek: 22 volunteers joined TPWD Inland Fisheries staff to plant 144 colonizing plants, helping to establish fish habitat as recommended in the lake’s management plan. Brushy Creek Reservoir, in Cedar Park, is one of five small urban impoundments in the greater Austin area that is intensively managed to provide diverse, high-quality fishing opportunities close to where people live.
Canyon Lake Fish Attractors: Volunteers created and helped deploy 120 tree bundles to enhance 10 existing and one new fishing sites. Funding for the building materials was provided by a $1,000 grant from Friends of Reservoirs. Lunch was provided by Water Oriented Recreation District and Canyon Bass Club. The trees and access to the work sites were provided by the Army Corps of Engineers. Since the project was initiated in January 2005, 43 fish attractor locations have been installed and furnished with Ashe juniper (mountain cedar) bundles to help concentrate cover-seeking species like largemouth bass and increase catch rates. See a map of the fish attractors.
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 The very recent acquisition of the 17,351-acre Powderhorn Ranch along the Texas coast in Calhoun County is an exciting example of how restoration money from NFWF Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund is being used in Texas.
Through a fundraising effort led by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, the NFWF has committed $34.5 million over the next three years, making this the biggest land acquisition in the nation so far using BP spill restoration dollars. The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy also played critical roles in the acquisition. Watch a video about this pristine property which will someday be a state park and wildlife management area.
The Powderhorn Ranch acquisition will protect unspoiled coastal live oak forest and intact wetlands perfect for public hunting, fishing, hiking, paddling and bird watching, tourism activities which bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the Texas coast. The property also includes thousands of acres of freshwater wetlands and salt marshes that offer vital fish and wildlife habitats, provide natural filtering to improve water quality and shield people and property from storm surges and sea level rise.
Follow coastal conservation projects and opportunities through the Restore The Texas Coast website, an information portal dedicated to the state’s Deepwater Horizon recovery efforts. It includes information on the three funding sources available:
- RESTORE (Resources & Ecosystems Sustainability)
- Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States) NFWF/GEBP (Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund) and
- NRDA (Natural Resource Damage Assessment) as well as the RESTORE Act in Texas
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 Look for circling seagulls, cast into the melee and hang on! That’s what some say about fishing for striped bass at Lake Texoma.
The lake is one of about 10 reservoirs in the United States where stripers are able to naturally reproduce, and the fish are so prolific that the daily bag limit on Texoma stripers is 10 per day (only two of which may be more than 20 inches long), double the statewide limit. The fishing is good all year long.
Enjoy “Bounty on the Border,” the story of this great fishing phenomenon, as told in Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine. You may be inspired to join the fun.
Read up on striped bass and other inland species and where and how to catch them.
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 Do you know an enthusiastic and deserving Texas angler or a Texas-based organization that has made a beneficial impact on Texas freshwater fishing? You have until November 1 to nominate that person or organization for the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.
Honor someone who has given back to the sport of freshwater fishing, making fishing better for all. Learn more about the award’s criteria and rules and download a nomination form. Call (903) 670-2255 to request a form by mail.
To get an idea of the award’s criteria, check out this list of previous honorees.
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 Eight Texas state parks have been named among the top 100 family fishing spots in the nation, based on criteria from the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. Criteria included proximity to an urban area, abundance of common fishing species, nearby amenities, room to cast a line, and tips from anglers. Check them out:
6. Galveston Island State Park, Galveston
20. Cedar Hill State Park, Cedar Hill
29. Inks Lake State Park, Burnet
45. Lake Livingston State Park, Livingston
66. Eisenhower State Park, Denison
79. Lake Corpus Christi State Park, Mathis
86. Huntsville State Park, Huntsville
93. Blanco State Park, Blanco
And as you know, fishing is always free in Texas State Parks, so plan some time to wet a line. Forgot to pack the fishing gear? Many state parks loan fishing equipment.
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A message from a Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine advertiser:
 Mr. or Mrs. Rude Boater can ruin a perfectly good fishing trip. Operator errors account for 70% of boating accidents (US Coast Guard) so it’s important to know and follow all boating laws for the safety (and consideration) of everyone who uses the waterways.
If you are new to boating, learn the “rules of the road” and find out how to be a responsible boater by taking a boating education class in your local area.
Here are five common boating mistakes compiled by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF):
- Crossing the channel in front of incoming or outgoing vessels.
- Speeding past anglers in shallow water and running through grass flats.
- Running over another boat’s fishing lines.
- Anchoring in the middle of the channel.
- Not being aware of shallows, shoals or rocks and running aground.
Read RBFF tips on how to avoid these five mistakes. If you have boating friends who do not worry about boating safety, share this video, "Never Happens," in which teens who survived accidents tell their own stories.
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 Over the limit and outside the regulations! Catching too many fish and boating while intoxicated were themes of the latest Game Warden Field Notes as well as failure to release undersized fish and fishing illegally. (Good reasons to download the Outdoor Annual app!) These officers never know what the day will bring - they also ferried a pregnant mother to the hospital for a successful delivery.
Texas Game Wardens are widely recognized as the best-trained corps of conservation officers in the country. While you’re camping, hiking, fishing or hunting, and enjoying all the rewards of the Texas outdoors, Texas Game Wardens are out in the field managing, conserving and protecting our state's incredible natural resources. These men and women solve major crimes, prevent poaching, and save lives while risking their own, doing a variety of specialized law enforcement tasks.
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