Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Changes Freshwater Fishing Regulations for Blue and Channel Catfish
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There are new rules for catching catfish in Canyon Lake.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission on Thursday adopted multiple changes to freshwater fishing regulations for the upcoming 2021-22 season.
At the top of the list are changes to length and bag limits for blue and channel catfish, statewide, as well as at specific locations. Changes also include minor modifications to passive-gear float dimensions.
In a press release today, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) said changes take effect on Sept. 1. Details of these new regulations will be incorporated in its upcoming Outdoor Annual.
TPWD said current statewide regulations for blue and channel catfish consist of a 12-inch minimum length and a 25-fish daily bag limit that combines both species.
This week’s changes remove the minimum-length limit and a 25-fish daily bag limit that combines both species. However, of the 25 blue or channel catfish that could be harvested per day, anglers will be limited to harvesting no more than 10 fish that measure 20 inches or longer.
Two new exceptions to the statewide regulations for blue and channel catfish were adopted.
“The first category follows the no-minimum-length limit and 25-fish daily bag limit for blue and channel catfish from the approved statewide regulations, but further limits the number of fish 20-inches or larger that could be harvested per day to five and further limits the number of fish 30-inches or larger that could be harvested to one,” TPWD said.
A total of 12 locations were approved for this category. Canyon Lake is not included in this list.
The new final-exemption category is a 14-inch minimum length and a 15-fish combined daily bag for blue and channel catfish. Canyon Lake is not included on a list of these locations, either.
Current statewide length-and-bag limits for commercial harvest will remain at 14 inches and 25 fish (both species combined). A five-fish bag limit will apply on all community fishing lakes and lying totally within a state park.
Changes also were adopted to standardize the descriptions for float dimensions for some passive gears as length and width rather than height and diameter. The width of the float for minnow traps was listed as six inches but should be three inches.
