[Tarponchaser]

I just wanted to say thank you to Scott and all other site sponsors for this board.

I have a great job but it is a job and this board gives me something to look forward to everyday.

I get a lot of information and chuckles as do many of us. I hope that more guys will give up there stories and information to those of us that can get there or are not lucky enough or skilled enough to find the big silver fish.

To you guys in Louisiana, I am just envious of your fishery. When I was a kid there were thousands of Tarpon in our bay systems... I never even went to the Gulf but by stories about Port A there were even more.

They are gone and I have to blame somebody.. The Mexicans, the Louisianas, Global warming..... but I wander.

Again Sponsors thanks for the site.

TC

 

[Pktdeace]

I second the Thanks!

 

[Freshwaterman]

I take offense to blaming the louisianians and mexicans. They both still catch alot of fish. The reason is they have the bait to bring the bigger fish into there waters. find the bait and you will find the fish grasshopper. if you want to blame it on anything blame it on the environmental conditions that killed the microorganisms at the bottom of the food chain. more than likely something in the raimwater runoff from the metropolis's we have built around our estuary's here in texas. But that comes with progress and we certainly do not want to go backwards, just maybe steer a straighter course for the future.

 

[Scott]

I think we are too simplistic if we view it as any one factor. It is a combination of all of the above. Lots of factors have fit into this but I will say, from my observations, our little fish are coming back in Texas. That is a good thing. Lets hope that trend continues.

 

[Tarponchaser]

Of course, Lilmombo and Scott are correct that there are many factors but there was a sudden and drastic drop in the numbers that occured in the mid 60's. Maybe somebody can track the circumstnces that caused it. Renyols Aluminum plant, Carbon Black Plant, Canyon Dam, increased irrigation, increased sewer dumping, Viet Nam... looks like a good theis for some doctorate degree.

Most of you guys are not old enough to remember those old times. I have seen hundreds of tarpon in the boat basin in Rockport. (1961 or 62) By 1970 there were very few to be found anywhere. I don't recall a comet hitting the Gulf or a valcano erupting to kill those fish or remove the bait that attracted them.

For years it has been said that the Mexicans dynamited them in the Bay of Campeche during the winter to use for fertilizer. I did not see that either but that has been the story for the sudden decline. It was documented that the Lousiana's killed four the other day. (Just kidding -- what they kill means nothing to the population.... it's just the old way of thiking that I object to.)

It seems that in recent years there has been a come back in populations. I don't really know if this is true or we are just learning where they are and are working harder to find them.

I hope that the population will continure to increase and that we can find ways to make the habitat better for all marine life. This can only happen thru us being involved in fourms like this and supporting organizations like CCA, SEA, and others that have goals which we beleive in.

TC

 

[Pktdeace]

Amen. I live in Texas now so there is NOTHING I would like to see more than a steady population increase along the coast.

 

[Freshwaterman]

`you are probably correct when you say we are finding the places that the tarpon now frequent. I can't speak about the fish in texas, but I started fishing tarpon in the mid 60's in louisiana. other than the fish in the delta area of the mississippi, the rest of the tarpon fishing along the louisiana coast has changed drastically. I have not heard reports of the massive schools that used to frequent the ship shoal and south marsh island areas off the louisiana coast. as well as the unbelievable numbers that used to gather in the passes of the barrier Islands. I am sure these fish still migrate through these areas but the paterns have definately changed. but so has the landscape of the coast. but with all that said it is still a joy to get out and chase them now and agai8n.

 

[Moonlight]

As a brand new member, I want to also say thank you to Scott, the board sponsers, and all the members who care not just about the thrill of a taildancing silverking, but the entire ecosystem that sustains a healthy fishery: from the rain that falls in the Hill Country and flows down to meet the coastal bend bays. I wish to see in my lifetime that our coastal fishery makes striving comebacks from snook, to tarpon, to nearshore snapper.

TC makes a good point for some/one/group getting to the bottom of this unsolved tarpon mystery. As a thesis it would be an awesome study. Did the entire coastal fisheries in Tx suffer during this period in the 60's? Did the more hardy species make a quick comeback or was it really just the Tarpon that disapperared and are slowly returning?

 

[dboudr5]

marsh island

Lilmambo-I think one big problem is that the LA tarpon fleet went from hundreds of boats in the 60's to probably less than 10 today. When I started tarpon fishing around 1990, we spent half our time patrolling the Marsh Island areas. My best day ever was there with 27 strikes and 9 catches. I think the fish are still there, but no one fishes there anymore.

 

[Tarponchaser]

I have not been there but I doubt that the fish are there or guy would not make the long run to the passes and get beat up in the Gulf.

The fishing along the Texas coast went down drastically. A bunch of guy out of Houston/POC got together and that was the beginning of CCA.

Because of CCA and only CCA dragging Parks & Wildlife laws were put in place to protect the redfish and later trout. This protection as well as hatcheries built by CCA, some corporate sponsors found by CCA, and Parks & Wildlife led by CCA have brought the fish populations back to where they are today.

The life cycle of redfish is well known now and they can be hatchery raised. We fish for the fish under three years old so this fishery can make a very fast recovery.

I went ballastic last year when Parks & Wildlife proposed allowing the taking of one oversized redfish per day so they could save a few bucks by doing away with tags. They say that populations are at near record highs. In the Rockport area I say bull..it. Very few boats limit. This year very, very very few boats lmit.

Everyone says the pressure on the fishery will increase immensely so for sure we can not take out our brood stock. Parks & Wildlife are a bunch of civil servants that use numbers to figure out what to do. Everytime they do a survey at boatramps, we the fishermen screw up. I have seen over and over again a boat come in with no fish and still give the day an 8 our a possible 10 rating for the day. Of course, a day on the water is better than a day at work but we should give a score of Zero or 1 for the fishing. The bureaucrat reports that everybody is happy and therefore nothing has to be done.

Dr Auld said that it probably takes 35 years for a tarpon to reach sexual maturity. A redfish takes 4 or 5. Oh yeah, P&W wanted to do a way with the tarpon tag to save a few bucks also.

Everyone should read the CCA Chronicle. It should be eyeopening. CCA has not made every right decision but over all they are a Gold Shinning Star. I also know the guys that formed SEA. They do good things locally and also have our the right goals.

CCA sued the National Fishery Assoc. and now have a ruling that should help the snapper and other offshore species.

TC