If you’re a saltwater angler and don’t like the idea of hundreds of abandoned crab traps catching and killing game fish you could have landed, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is looking for volunteers willing to help get rid of these derelict traps along the coast.

McKneely and Alexander fished all night December 18 into the morning of Monday, December 19.  Monday morning about 8:00 AM, they got a bite – a BIG bite.  After the fight, the two realized they had a shot to break the previous water body record of 55 lbs – ironically set December 23, 2001.

For hunters who do not have access to privately-owned land, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is providing low cost access  to nearly a million acres of department-managed lands for hunting, including most wildlife management areas, some state parks and many leased properties under the Annual Public Hunting permit program.

With whooping cranes now making their way back to Texas for the winter, biologists are hoping this year will see a record number of the endangered birds in the state.

Effective September 1, some Texas reservoirs will have different fish-harvest regulations. One is Lake Kirby, where the 12-inch minimum length and 25-fish daily bag limit for blue and channel catfish was changed to a NO minimum length limit and daily bag limit of 50 blue or channel catfish in any combination.

Louisiana and Texas have taken a big step to share consistent recreational fishing regulations governing their bordering waters. The new regulations are scheduled to go into effect on Sept. 1, 2011. Biologists from the two states have agreed upon regulations that are biologically sound and consistent on both sides of the boundary.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission today approved $5.6 million in competitive grants for city and county parks across the state. Commissioners chose 12 out of 52 eligible grant requests for outdoor recreation facilities funding.

Fishing and hunting licenses go on sale in Texas August 15, and hunters and anglers will be lining up to buy. Many will also pick up a copy of the latest Texas and Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) publication summarizing Texas hunting and fishing regulations, the Outdoor Annual.