by John Jefferson
You may know a fisherman caught a record bluefin tuna in the Gulf weighing 870 pounds. It took almost nine hours for Troy Lancaster to fight it to the boat and get it aboard. It was ten feet long.
THIS OVER-SIZE REDFISH was not a STAR- tagged fish but was caught in Nine-Mile Hole off the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near the south end of Upper Laguna Madre by Vicky Jefferson. It was gently released back into the water. This tournament season, tagged redfish must be released into the water after carefully clipping the tag with all data readable. Tags must be presented to a STAR weigh station within 24-hours of catch. (Photo by John Jefferson)
But before grabbing your Snoopy Rod and Zebco 202 and calling Woody’s in Port Aransas, where Lancaster booked his 150-mile trip to fame and food, there’re some things you need to know.
Large bluefin tuna are highly regulated. There’s confusion on whether the season is still open. If so, a permit and more red tape than the length of Lancaster’s catch are involved. A Gulf poundage limit may have been met, automatically closing the season. And then there are processing fees.
We’re not told how many cans of tuna fish that’ll make, but it may require a new pantry for the Lancasters. Or a new freezer for the tuna steaks. Makes me hungry just thinking about it! I wonder if Manuel’s still has tuna steaks on their menu.
There’s other saltwater fishing news, too.
The commercial shrimp season in both Texas and federal waters out to 200-nautical miles closed May 15. This allows brown shrimp to grow larger. The season’s re-opening in Texas waters has not yet been set by TPWD. Ongoing research is being conducted to aid in determining it.
But there’s good news that the private red snapper season for anglers fishing from their own boats will open in state and federal waters on June 1. The for-hire season is federally set and continues to be regulated by them.
Bag limits are unchanged and remain at two snappers in federal waters and four in Texas waters. The two caught in federal waters count in the state’s four-fish limit. Minimum length limits are 16-inches in federal waters and 15-inches in Texas waters.
Gulf species bite better in warmer months. And that leads into the beginning of the popular CCA-Texas S.T.A.R. tournament from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Officially, May 29-September 6. Prizes and scholarships total $1,000,000!
BUT you MUST be a member of CCA ($35) and registered for the tournament ($25). Considering that $60 goes to conservation and could net you and four other anglers a new boat, motor, and trailer, PLUS a new Ford truck to haul you home, it’s a killer-whale of a deal! Failure to register leads to broken hearts every year for those catching a tagged redfish … but hadn’t entered.
Texas had a devastating freezing spell in mid-February. Some are still trying to forget. Over 3.8 million saltwater fish died. TPWD changed some fish regulations. Commendably, S.T.A.R. altered its rules accordingly to aid in post-freeze recovery.
There is no 2021 speckled trout, flounder, sheepshead, nor gafftop category this year. Catching a tagged redfish now allows clipping the tag, releasing the redfish, and turning in the tag at any STAR weigh station. During a polygraph test, they’ll ask about the release. A red snapper division has been added.
For complete rules and registration, see https://www.startournament.org/
JJ
