2017-2018 Texas Commercial Fishing Guide
5
of the hook to form a generally circular or
oval shape.
Community Fishing Lake: All public impoundments 75 acres or smaller located totally
within an incorporated city limits or a public
park, and all impoundments of any size lying
totally within the boundaries of a state park.
For a list of community fishing lakes in your
area, call (800) 792-1112 or visit www.tpwd.
texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/cfl.
phtml.
Crab Line: A baited line with no hook or pole
attached.
Crab Measurement: Blue crabs are measured
across the widest point of the body from tip
of spine to tip of spine. Stone crab claws are
measured by the propodus length which is
that distance from the tip of the immovable
claw finger to the first joint behind the claw.
(See Page 25 for details.)
Daily Bag Limit: The quantity of a species
that may be taken in one day.
Day: A 24-hour period of time that begins at
midnight and ends the following midnight.
Dip Net: A mesh bag suspended from a
frame attached to a handle.
Fishing: Taking or attempting to take fish,
shrimp, crabs, oysters, clams, mussels or any
other aquatic life by any means.
Fishing Guide: A person who, for compensation, accompanies, assists, or transports a
person or persons engaged in fishing in the
waters of this state.
Fishing Guide Deck Hand: A person in the
employ of a fishing guide who assists in operating a boat for compensation to accompany
or to transport a person or persons engaged
in fishing in the water of this state
Gaff: Any hand-held pole with a hook attached
directly to the pole.
Game Fish (includes hybrids or subspecies of
fish on this list):
• Bass, Alabama
• Bass, Guadalupe
• Bass, largemouth
• Bass, smallmouth
• Bass, spotted
• Bass, striped
• Bass, white
• Bass, yellow
• Catfish, blue
• Catfish, channel
• Catfish, flathead
• Cobia
• Crappie, black
• Crappie, white
• Drum, red
• Mackerel, king
• Mackerel, Spanish
• Marlin, blue
• Marlin, white
• Pickerel
• Sailfish
• Sauger
• Seatrout, spotted
• Sharks
• Snook
• Spearfish, longbill
• Swordfish, broadbill
• Tarpon
• Tripletail
• Trout, brown
• Trout, rainbow
• Wahoo
• Walleye
Gear Tag: A tag constructed of material as
durable as the device to which it is attached.
The gear tag must be clearly legible and
show the name and address of the person
using the device and except for saltwater
trotlines and crab traps, the date the device
is set out. (See Page 7 for details.)
Gig: Any hand-held shaft with single or
multiple points, barbed or barbless.
Handfishing: Fishing by the use of HANDS
ONLY. The use of ANY other fishing device
while handfishing (including but not limited
to gaff, pole hook, trap, spear, or stick) is
UNLAWFUL.
Harvester/Shell Recovery Tag: An identifying marker that must be affixed to the outside of each sack of oysters at the time and
location of harvest containing information
required by the Texas Department of State
Health Services under the National Shellfish
Sanitation Program. The tag must remain
affixed during transportation of the oysters
to a dealer.
Headboat: A vessel that holds a valid
Certificate of Inspection issued by the U.S.
Coast Guard to carry passengers for hire. A
headboat with a commercial vessel permit
is considered to be operating as a headboat
when it carries a passenger who pays a fee or,
in the case of persons aboard fishing for or
possessing coastal migratory fish or Gulf reef
fish, when there are more than three persons
aboard, including operator and crew.
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ): A form of
limited access that assigns a fixed share of
the total allowable catch to each user of the
resource.
Jug Line: For use in FRESH WATER only. A
fishing line with five or less hooks tied to an
orange buoy.
Lawful Archery Equipment: Includes longbow, recurved bow, compound bow, and
crossbow.
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5
of the hook to form a generally circular or
oval shape.
Community Fishing Lake: All public impoundments 75 acres or smaller located totally
within an incorporated city limits or a public
park, and all impoundments of any size lying
totally within the boundaries of a state park.
For a list of community fishing lakes in your
area, call (800) 792-1112 or visit www.tpwd.
texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/cfl.
phtml.
Crab Line: A baited line with no hook or pole
attached.
Crab Measurement: Blue crabs are measured
across the widest point of the body from tip
of spine to tip of spine. Stone crab claws are
measured by the propodus length which is
that distance from the tip of the immovable
claw finger to the first joint behind the claw.
(See Page 25 for details.)
Daily Bag Limit: The quantity of a species
that may be taken in one day.
Day: A 24-hour period of time that begins at
midnight and ends the following midnight.
Dip Net: A mesh bag suspended from a
frame attached to a handle.
Fishing: Taking or attempting to take fish,
shrimp, crabs, oysters, clams, mussels or any
other aquatic life by any means.
Fishing Guide: A person who, for compensation, accompanies, assists, or transports a
person or persons engaged in fishing in the
waters of this state.
Fishing Guide Deck Hand: A person in the
employ of a fishing guide who assists in operating a boat for compensation to accompany
or to transport a person or persons engaged
in fishing in the water of this state
Gaff: Any hand-held pole with a hook attached
directly to the pole.
Game Fish (includes hybrids or subspecies of
fish on this list):
• Bass, Alabama
• Bass, Guadalupe
• Bass, largemouth
• Bass, smallmouth
• Bass, spotted
• Bass, striped
• Bass, white
• Bass, yellow
• Catfish, blue
• Catfish, channel
• Catfish, flathead
• Cobia
• Crappie, black
• Crappie, white
• Drum, red
• Mackerel, king
• Mackerel, Spanish
• Marlin, blue
• Marlin, white
• Pickerel
• Sailfish
• Sauger
• Seatrout, spotted
• Sharks
• Snook
• Spearfish, longbill
• Swordfish, broadbill
• Tarpon
• Tripletail
• Trout, brown
• Trout, rainbow
• Wahoo
• Walleye
Gear Tag: A tag constructed of material as
durable as the device to which it is attached.
The gear tag must be clearly legible and
show the name and address of the person
using the device and except for saltwater
trotlines and crab traps, the date the device
is set out. (See Page 7 for details.)
Gig: Any hand-held shaft with single or
multiple points, barbed or barbless.
Handfishing: Fishing by the use of HANDS
ONLY. The use of ANY other fishing device
while handfishing (including but not limited
to gaff, pole hook, trap, spear, or stick) is
UNLAWFUL.
Harvester/Shell Recovery Tag: An identifying marker that must be affixed to the outside of each sack of oysters at the time and
location of harvest containing information
required by the Texas Department of State
Health Services under the National Shellfish
Sanitation Program. The tag must remain
affixed during transportation of the oysters
to a dealer.
Headboat: A vessel that holds a valid
Certificate of Inspection issued by the U.S.
Coast Guard to carry passengers for hire. A
headboat with a commercial vessel permit
is considered to be operating as a headboat
when it carries a passenger who pays a fee or,
in the case of persons aboard fishing for or
possessing coastal migratory fish or Gulf reef
fish, when there are more than three persons
aboard, including operator and crew.
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ): A form of
limited access that assigns a fixed share of
the total allowable catch to each user of the
resource.
Jug Line: For use in FRESH WATER only. A
fishing line with five or less hooks tied to an
orange buoy.
Lawful Archery Equipment: Includes longbow, recurved bow, compound bow, and
crossbow.
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