Marching Into Spring

Hang onto your hat! If the March wind doesn’t blow it off you might lose it trying to keep pace with all that’ll be happening this month.

Although the exact date is yet to be announced, a new set of speckled trout regulations should become effective sometime during the first weeks of March. The daily bag limit will become three fish, reduced from the current limit of five. A new retention slot of 15 to 20-inches will also be enacted. The current slot is 15 to 25-inches. An entirely new wrinkle will allow one of those three fish to be 30-inches or greater length; an opportunity for anglers to retain a career-best speck, which would also allow certifying a new state or water body record for the species during the remainder of the license year.

Texas anglers have long been accustomed to the tag system that allows anglers to retain an oversized red drum. It is expected that the Parks and Wildlife Commission will announce a similar program for speckled trout during their regular meetings March 24-25, 2024. While all details are yet to be confirmed, it is expected that a speckled trout tag will be included on the fishing license issued for the 2024-25 license year.

Given all that our seatrout fishery has suffered the past several years of freezes, floods and drought, I am personally very optimistic that these new regulations will further boost the recovery of our seatrout fishery. Kudos to the commission for taking these bold steps to insure that future generations will be able to enjoy this wonderful resource.

March 19 will mark the official beginning of spring in Texas. Of course, Old Man Winter has the last word on when spring truly gets underway, but we can always hope he will smile and allow Spring Breakers to enjoy warm days and favorable tides all along the coast. As always, please make caution your byword as you plan to get your family on the water.

Spring is such a wonderful season and perfect opportunity to enjoy the many wonders the Texas coast has to offer. I cannot imagine a better way to celebrate it than with family outings. The grin on a youngster’s face as they reel in a fish and pose for a photo is an absolutely priceless experience for everyone involved. Whether it occurs along a shoreline, from a pier, or a boat is hardly as important as the fact that you put forth the effort to make it happen. Think of it as an investment in their future, their character, and lover of the outdoors they have potential to become.

Take a kid fishing!