| (a) In fresh water only, it is unlawful to fish with
more than 100 hooks on all devices combined.
(b) Game and non-game fish may be taken only by pole
and line in or on:
(1) community fishing lakes;
(2) sections of rivers lying totally within the boundaries
of state parks;
(3) any dock, pier, jetty, or other manmade structure
within a state park;
(4) Brushy Creek (Williamson County) from the Brushy
Creek Reservoir dam downstream to the Williamson/Milam county line;
(5) Canyon Lake Project #6 (Lubbock County);
(6) Lake Pflugerville (Travis County);
(7) North Concho River (Tom Green County) from O.C.
Fisher Dam to Bell Street Dam;
(8) South Concho River (Tom Green County) from Lone
Wolf Dam to Bell Street Dam; and
(9) Wheeler Branch (Somervell County).
(c) No person may employ more than two pole-and-line
devices at the same time on:
(1) any dock, pier, jetty, or other manmade structure
within a state park;
(2) community fishing lakes that are not within or
part of a state park;
(3) Brushy Creek (Williamson County) from the Brushy
Creek Reservoir dam downstream to the Williamson/Milam county line;
(4) Canyon Lake Project #6 (Lubbock County);
(5) North Concho River (Tom Green County) from O. C.
Fisher Dam to Bell Street Dam; and
(6) South Concho River (Tom Green County) from Lone
Wolf Dam to Bell Street Dam.
(d) It is unlawful to take, attempt to take, or possess
fish caught in public waters of this state by any device, means, or
method other than as authorized in this subchapter.
(e) In salt water only, it is unlawful to fish with
any device that is marked with a buoy made of a plastic bottle(s)
of any color or size.
(f) Aquatic life (except threatened and endangered
species) not addressed in this subchapter may be taken only by hand
or with the devices defined as lawful for taking fish, crabs, oysters,
or shrimp in places and at times as provided by the Parks and Wildlife
Code and regulations adopted by the Parks and Wildlife Commission.
(g) Device restrictions. Devices legally used for taking
fresh or saltwater fish or shrimp may be used to take crab as authorized
by this subchapter.
(1) Cast net. It is unlawful to use a cast net exceeding
14 feet in diameter.
(A) Only non-game fish may be taken with a cast net.
(B) In salt water, non-game fish may be taken for bait
purposes only.
(2) Crab line. It is unlawful to fish a crab line for
commercial purposes that is not marked with a floating white buoy
not less than six inches in height, six inches in length and six inches
in width bearing the commercial crab fisherman's license plate number
in letters of a contrasting color at least two inches high attached
to the end fixtures.
(3) Crab trap. It is unlawful to:
(A) fish for commercial purposes under authority of
a commercial crab fisherman's license with more than 200 crab traps
at one time;
(B) fish for commercial purposes under authority of
a commercial finfish fisherman's license with more than 20 crab traps
at one time;
(C) fish for non-commercial purposes with more than
six crab traps at one time;
(D) fish a crab trap in the fresh waters of this state;
(E) fish a crab trap that:
(i) exceeds 18 cubic feet in volume;
(ii) is not equipped with at least two escape vents
(minimum 2-3/8 inches inside diameter) in each crab-retaining chamber,
and located on the outside trap walls of each chamber; and
(iii) is not equipped with a degradable panel. A trap
shall be considered to have a degradable panel if one of the following
methods is used in construction of the trap:
(I) the trap lid tie-down strap is secured to the trap
by a loop of untreated jute twine (comparable to Lehigh brand #530)
or sisal twine (comparable to Lehigh brand #390). The trap lid must
be secured so that when the twine degrades, the lid will no longer
be securely closed; or
(II) the trap lid tie-down strap is secured to the
trap by a loop of untreated steel wire with a diameter of no larger
than 20 gauge. The trap lid must be secured so that when the wire
degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed; or
(III) the trap contains at least one sidewall, not
including the bottom panel, with a rectangular opening no smaller
than 3 inches by 6 inches. Any obstruction placed in this opening
may not be secured in any manner except:
(-a-) it may be laced, sewn, or otherwise obstructed
by a single length of untreated jute twine (comparable to Lehigh brand
#530) or sisal twine (comparable to Lehigh brand #390) knotted only
at each end and not tied or looped more than once around a single
mesh bar. When the twine degrades, the opening in the sidewall of
the trap will no longer be obstructed; or
(-b-) it may be laced, sewn, or otherwise obstructed
by a single length of untreated steel wire with a diameter of no larger
than 20 gauge. When the wire degrades, the opening in the sidewall
of the trap will no longer be obstructed; or
(-c-) the obstruction may be loosely hinged at the
bottom of the opening by no more than two untreated steel hog rings
and secured at the top of the obstruction in no more than one place
by a single length of untreated jute twine (comparable to Lehigh brand
#530), sisal twine (comparable to Lehigh brand #390), or by a single
length of untreated steel wire with a diameter of no larger than 20
gauge. When the twine or wire degrades, the obstruction will hinge
downward and the opening in the sidewall of the trap will no longer
be obstructed;
(F) fish a crab trap for commercial purposes under
authority of a commercial crab fisherman's license:
(i) that is not marked with a floating white buoy not
less than six inches in height, six inches in length, and six inches
in width attached to the crab trap;
(ii) that is not marked with a white buoy bearing the
commercial crab fisherman's license plate number in letters of a contrasting
color at least two inches high attached to the crab trap;
(iii) that is marked with a buoy bearing a commercial
crab fisherman's license plate number other than the commercial crab
fisherman's license plate number displayed on the crab fishing boat;
(G) fish a crab trap for commercial purposes under
authority of a commercial finfish fisherman's license:
(i) that is not marked with a floating white buoy not
less than six inches in height, six inches in length, and six inches
in width attached to the crab trap;
(ii) that is not marked with a white buoy bearing the
letter 'F' and the commercial finfish fisherman's license plate number
in letters of a contrasting color at least two inches high attached
to the crab trap;
(iii) that is marked with a buoy bearing a commercial
finfish fisherman's license plate number other than the commercial
finfish fisherman's license plate number displayed on the finfish
fishing boat;
(H) fish a crab trap for non-commercial purposes without
a floating white buoy not less than six inches in height, six inches
in length, and six inches in width, bearing a two-inch wide center
stripe of contrasting color, attached to the crab trap;
(I) fish a crab trap in public salt waters for non-commercial
purposes without a valid gear tag. Gear tags must be attached within
6 inches of the buoy and are valid for 10 days after date set out;
(J) fish a crab trap within 200 feet of a marked navigable
channel in Aransas County; and in the water area of Aransas Bay within
one-half mile of a line from Hail Point on the Lamar Peninsula, then
direct to the eastern end of Goose Island, then along the southern
shore of Goose Island, then along the eastern shoreline of the Live
Oak Peninsula past the town of Fulton, past Nine Mile Point, past
the town of Rockport to a point at the east end of Talley Island including
that part of Copano Bay within 1,000 feet of the causeway between
Lamar Peninsula and Live Oak Peninsula, except that a person for recreational
purposes only may fish not more than three crab traps at one time,
provided each crab trap is securely tethered to a fixed structure
such as a dock, pier, or bulkhead;
(K) possess, use or place:
(i) for recreational purposes, more than three crab
traps in waters north and west of Highway 146 where it crosses the
Houston Ship Channel in Harris County; or
(ii) for commercial purposes, a crab trap in waters
north and west of Highway 146 where it crosses the Houston Ship Channel
in Harris County;
(L) remove crab traps from the water or remove crabs
from crab traps during the period from 30 minutes after sunset to
30 minutes before sunrise;
(M) place a crab trap or portion thereof closer than
100 feet from any other crab trap, except when traps are secured to
a pier or dock;
(N) fish a crab trap in public waters that is marked
with a buoy made of a plastic bottle(s) of any color or size; or
(O) use or place more than three crab traps in public
waters of the San Bernard River north of a line marked by the boat
access channel at Bernard Acres.
(4) Dip net.
(A) It is unlawful to use a dip net except:
(i) to aid in the landing of fish caught on other legal
devices; and
(ii) to take non-game fish.
(B) In salt water, non-game fish may be taken for bait
purposes only.
(5) Folding panel trap.
(A) Only crabs may be taken with a folding panel trap.
(B) It is unlawful to use a folding panel trap with
an overall surface area, including panels, exceeding 16 square feet.
(6) Gaff.
(A) It is unlawful to use a gaff except to aid in landing
fish caught by other legal devices, means or methods.
(B) Fish landed with a gaff may not be below the minimum,
above the maximum, or within a protected length limit.
(7) Gig. Only non-game fish may be taken with a gig.
(8) Handfishing. For use in fresh water only.
(A) Only blue, channel, and flathead catfish may be
taken by means of handfishing.
(B) It is unlawful to intentionally place or use a
trap in public waters for the purpose of taking catfish by handfishing.
(9) Jugline. For use in fresh water only. Non-game
fish, channel catfish, blue catfish and flathead catfish may be taken
with a jugline. It is unlawful to use a jugline:
(A) with invalid gear tags. Gear tags must be attached
within six inches of the free-floating device, are valid for 6 days
after the date set out, and must include the number of the permit
to sell non-game fish taken from fresh water, if applicable;
(B) for commercial purposes that is not marked with
an orange free-floating device that is less than six inches in length
and three inches in width;
(C) for non-commercial purposes that is not marked
with a free-floating device of any color other than orange that is
less than six inches in length and three inches in width; and
(D) in Lake Bastrop in Bastrop County, Bellwood Lake
in Smith County, Lake Bryan in Brazos County, Boerne City Park Lake
in Kendall County, Lakes Coffee Mill and Davy Crockett in Fannin County,
Dixieland Reservoir in Cameron County, Gibbons Creek Reservoir in
Grimes County, Lake Naconiche in Nacogdoches County, and Tankersley
Reservoir in Titus County.
(10) Lawful archery equipment. Only non-game fish may
be taken with lawful archery equipment or crossbow.
(11) Minnow trap (fresh water and salt water). It is
unlawful to use a minnow trap that is not marked with a floating,
visible buoy of any color other than orange that is not less than
six inches in length and three inches in width. The buoy must have
a gear tag attached. A gear tag is valid for 6 days after the date
it is set out.
(A) Only non-game fish may be taken with a minnow trap.
(B) It is unlawful to use a minnow trap that exceeds
24 inches in length or with a throat larger than one by three inches.
(12) Perch traps. For use in salt water only.
(A) Perch traps may be used only for taking non-game
fish.
(B) It is unlawful to fish a perch trap that:
(i) exceeds 18 cubic feet in volume;
(ii) is not equipped with a degradable panel. A trap
shall be considered to have a degradable panel if one of the following
methods is used in construction of the trap:
(I) the trap lid tie-down strap is secured to the trap
by a loop of untreated jute twine (comparable to Lehigh brand #530)
or sisal twine (comparable to Lehigh brand #390). The trap lid must
be secured so that when the twine degrades, the lid will no longer
be securely closed; or
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