Fishing with the Texas Parks & Wildlife
In the photos below, 04/03/2003, I was
privileged enough to be invited to go along with TPWD on their
annual fish count at Old Settlers Pond and Meadows Lake here in Round Rock, Texas.
This event is done with a five thousand watt
(5 kw) generator with a special timer built to run for fifteen
(15) minutes and automatically turn itself off.
While driving over random
areas of the lake, two long electrical probes, as shown in the photo
on the right, extend out of the front of the boat. The electrical
shock stuns the fish and they float up to the surface.
The fish are then netted with long pole nets and placed in a large
tank (left) on the boat. When the generator turns off they dock the
boat on the bank. The fish are scooped out one by one, weighed,
measured, and recorded in an official log then returned to the
water.
Over at Meadows Lake, I was astounded at
the number, eighty nine (89),
and sizes of some of the Bass in that lake. I would guess at least one hundred fifty (150) pounds out of two (2)
fifteen (15) minute runs.
With the largest weighing in at a couple of ounces shy of nine (9)
pounds. A lot in the six (6) to eight (8) range and most of them in the four
(4) to six (6) pound ranges.
(These
fish would win any "Bass Masters Classic" in any State!)
They do this all at night and
the fish wake back up in about seven (7) to ten (10) minutes in the
dark.
You can imagine the excitement these fish display when the lights go
on and they have just come around.
They all try to jump free at once and makes quite a commotion
in that tub!
In addition to the fish count, these
guys also study the bait fish population, foliage and aquatic plant
life growing in and around the water. Notate habitat and water
conditions.
All together they make a full report and
make recommendations on each of the
lakes studied to the State Hatchery and other State Affiliated
Departments.
And included in this particular case, the Round Rock Parks &
Recreation Department.
This process has been working quite well all over Texas and is
primarily funded by the purchases of our Hunting and Fishing
Licenses. Considering all the effort that goes into these annual
studies, I think we are getting a pretty good deal.
Here, our three experts proudly display
three (3) Bass over ten (10) pounds coming from their study at Buescher State
Park Lake on 03/31/2003.
(From left to
right)
Craig Bonds:
Marine Biologist, Species, and Aquatic
Plant Specialist.
Steve Magnelia:
Marine Biologist and
Manager of the Freshwater Marine Studies Department.
Josh Duty:
The newest addition to the trio, Marine Biologist and Growth
Analyst. Coming to Texas from West Virginia in October
says, "He loves studying these BIG BASS so much more than the Lake
and Stream Trout with the Virginia Parks Department."
All being experts in their field of study come from the State Fish
Hatchery located in San Marcos, Texas.
Traveling all over the State, the three make up an awesome team
of superb specialist.
These guys are the
ones that assure the Bass Fishermen that the fish are there and will
always be there for us to enjoy.
 Here
I am shown (Left) with a couple of babies from the probe at Old
Settlers Pond. In this next pic (Below), Joshn is holding a "Red Eared Bream",
also
from Old Settlers, that comes close to some really descent Crappie!
Out of the
hundreds of Bass that were caught , measured, and weighed that
night,
not one fatality!
I want to thank the
Texas Parks Department and Steve Magnelia for just the chance to
be even remotely involved with his team of excellence and sharing
this unique experience with me.
Now that I have seen first hand how many and how big some of these
Bass are in our local lakes,
it's time to GO FISHING!
Dudley P Allen
04/20/2003
If you have some
pictures or comments you can email them to me
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