Anglers are often not aware of the many threats there are to our sport until they are affected personally. Threats only become a reality when the vegetation disappears from our favorite lake as the result of an "Integrated Vegetation Management Plan" or, the lake we grew up fishing is closed to the public for years at a time. What if we learned that the lake or river that we have been fishing since a child suddenly had a fish consumption ban placed on it as a result of dangerous levels of harmful chemicals? These are all examples of things that are happening in Texas right now! As members of the angling community, it is very important that we be aware of the threats to our sport and be ready to stand up and fight for our rights as fishermen/ women and protect the resources that are so vital to our sports survival. If we don't get involved, who will. 

Threats to Sport Fishing in Texas and Some Specific Examples

In an effort to control vegetation in our lakes, impoundment managers are resorting to drastic measures such as grass carp and herbicide to kill controversial vegetation which promotes Habitat Loss. Unfortunately once the vegetation has been eradicated, the fishery always suffers. We have seen this scenario played out over and over again on lakes such as Conroe, McQueeney, Dunlap, and many others. Currently Lake Austin is the target of the City of Austin, LCRA, and local home owners groups. It is their goal to return Lake Austin to a "pre hydrilla condition". Unfortunately their methods will result in a lake void of any vegetation which will leave inadequate habitat to support a healthy fishery.

Sometimes the very lack of water can be devastating to a fishery such as Falcon Lake, Choke Canyon, and O.H. Ivie to name a few. Because so many people rely on the water in our lakes and rivers, competing uses can take priority over recreation, and water rights are spread too thin to maintain lake levels and a healthy fishery.

Polluters in our state have a strong lobby that is constantly putting pressure on the EPA, state and national leaders to relax The Clean Water Act rules and standards. We must let our legislators know that it is unacceptable to sacrifice our natural resources for corporate profits.

Extreme environmentalism may be something we only see on the news every time there is a PITA rally. However there is a strong group of special interest groups in this country who would like to see our sport outlawed. You might also ask yourself why PITA gets media coverage on mainstream news coverage and why you rarely see bass fishing covered by the mainstream media. We need to do a better job of promoting our sport through the media by publicizing all the good things we support such as Casting Kids programs and lake cleanups.

Sometimes Agency Priorities can be different than those of the bass anglers of this state. The TPWD has a very difficult job and there are many different groups petitioning them for the available resources. As the Texas Bass Federation, we must be vocal about what we think is right or wrong. The squeaky wheel always gets the grease.

There are many more examples of real life problems that threaten bass fishing in Texas. If you are aware of a problem or have any information you would like us to know about, please click on the  Tell us about a problem link.