Corpusfishing.com

[Tyler]

Billy forwarded this message and these pictures from Donna Shaver, PHD

Here are a couple of photos to show people just how challenging it is to
see the nesting turtles, which can easily become covered with sand. You
might also want to post these. Also, note that they sometimes nest in the
vehicle track ruts.
Best wishes,
Donna

[awesum]

Tyler....thanks for posting these. Although I don't drive the beach much these days I certainly support the point here. And this brings a question to mind. Have there been many incidents in recent years of these turtles being run over and maimed or killed? It's not something I've heard much on.

Inquiring mind.

[Tyler]

Not that I can recall and we would like to keep it that way!

[Capt Mike Singleterry]

Great Pic's Tyler....after I read Mr. Sandifer sticky and looked at your pic's maybe it's about time to shut down PIN's to traffic during nesting season. With more turtles nesting than ever and the lack of education that the public has the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service might want to make this a consideration again.
This is alot like the "Just Keep 5" madness that is going on we need to take more drastic measures to protect the species for our children.....
Think I'll go get some "T" Shirts made and handed out.

Mike

[Tyler]

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

[Capt Mike Singleterry]

Hey Tyler why "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh".....If there are efforts being made
by others to cut limits on the Texas Seatrout...that we are not having problems with according to TP&W who is doing a fine job of stewartship.
Why aren't we doing more for the turtle nesting area which we know
we are having trouble with their stocks. Why take the chance of have a nest destroyed.
I'm sorry but I don't understand the logic.
The job that has been done to bring the turtle to the point they are at now
has been fantastic but they can't be looked after 24-7-365.....
Lets follow in the foodsteps of the people who have started this movement
to lower speckled trout limits and get the traffic off the beach and save the turtles......Working on "T" shirts..

Mike

[Tyler]

Mike, I see the point you are making. That's what it may come down to with the turtles. However, they are making a comeback and their numbers are increasing not decreasing in spite of people driving on the beach so to keep from getting thrown off the beach during nesting season, I at least would like to educate beachgoers so that they might help in getting nests spotted and not destroyed by coyotes or careless people. I think the real problem would be with populating these areas with permanent structures, condos, lights etc so that there would always be some distraction keeping turtles from nesting. If you want to fight that battle so be it. At some point the feds will probably do just that.
Wanting to keep driving during turtle season is probably selfish on my point but you and everyone who fishes are just as guilty.
Would it be better if we banned outboards and made it kayak only fishing? No seagrass beds torn up? No problem with oil from the exhaust polluting the bays? How about no guides? Catch and release or No fishing allowed at all? Wouldn't it be better for the bays, fish and the environment? Should we do it? No, of course not.

I am allowing the keep 5 debate because there are two sides to this. I am of the belief that we should follow Tp and W's data on this but during the Spotted Sea Trout debates a few years back we had both sides not wanting to believe Tp and W's gillnet surveys about the health of the fishery. In essence both were using the same argument.

If for example the surveys then showed the number of trout decreasing in Corpus Christi bay, those that didn't want restrictions didn't believe the data.
Now the same could be said this time with the "Just Keep Five" So far early spring data from the Upper Laguna shows a good number of fish both in numbers and size. The sampling results are not all in and you have some that don't believe this data. You have to use something. I have this forum so that we can discuss these issues and get them out in the open. Your take is that Billy is a hypocrite because he wants the limit lowered to 5 but wants to allow beach driving though endangered turtles are nesting.
I think any guide can keep what the law allows if these and any other guides want to use artificial only, fish croaker only, Catch and release or keep 5 so be it as long as it is legal.
I think the feds will decide when it's time for us to be off the beach during turtle season just as they will decide when it is time to lower the trout limits.

Fair enough?

Tyler

[crab_n_fisher]

Nothing like bacon and eggs on the beach every morning!

[Capt Mike Singleterry]

Your right in alot of your points Tyler, but you know me well. Some people can be hypocrites especially the ones that want the whole outside
world to conform to the way they do things.
Why not give TP&W a chance, the new limits on speckled trout are only a few years old. They did a good job on the redfish.
This "Just Keep 5" issue is beginning to remind me of the beach traffic
closure issue.
If your going to Hug Trees, Hug Them All...

Mike

[CopanoCruisin]

Hey guys, I have a couple of pair of gloves if ya'll would like...LOL!!!! Just kidding The resource now is so much better than when I was a kid. Yes we caught plenty of fish, but the quality is so much better now. I have not always agreed at the time, but the TP&W has continously made improvements. It's kinda like looking at the stock market, you got to look over the 5-10 year period. As far as limits go, I rarely keep more than a couple 2 or 3 fish. Enough for a meal and one later in the week.

[TW]

It is pretty easy to tell who has a dog in this fight.
It seems some are still selling fish not trips.

Five is enough
TW

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TW

[mastergunner]

We don't need to restrict traffic on PINS during nesting season. If the Mexican government would take care of the 2 mile stretch in Mexico where as late as the 1950's saw as many as 40,000 turtles a day nesting we wouldn't be worried about the turtles here. Here we go again taking everyone's rights away because of a retarded few who are ignorant of policies on PINS. What PINS needs to do is the same thing the Army does on Ft. Sill and many other posts where you can hunt and fish. Before you can hunt and fish you must go to a class that teaches you policies, what you can and can't do then you test. You are given a permit that you must display in your windshield when fishing or hunting. At least this way everyone that drives down PINS has at least proven they know what the policies are, if they follow them is another story. In 5 to 10 years PINS will be the only beach left open to vehicles which will put a high number of vehicles on it which will play into the hands of those who want to close it.
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Mastergunner, supporter of hardheads for state fish of Texas

[Tyler]

[Big John]

Hey Mike,

I am for following the TPWD recommendations too. They have proven themselves effective and I am sure they will continue to be good stewarts of the trout population. Eventually we will have enough people on the water that they will eventually reduce the bag limits though. Don't get me wrong, I am not for reducing the bag limit now, but only when the good folks at TPWD department think so. We will eventually see days were 5 or even 3 is the bag limit, just because there are too many people fishing our waters.

And I ain't no tree hugger! I just think the TPWD should continue to be proactive. I edited my other post slightly just to clarify it better, as it could have interpretted the wrong way.

Besides Mike, you always put people on fish. I don't think I have ever talked to you and had you say you didn't catch fish. If your clients aren't catching, they just ain't trying.

Like I said in my post experienced guides just know wherre the fish are, and if you are on the fish, whatever you put in front of a hungry speck is gonna be hit.

The bigger problem is people keeping undersize fish or more than their limits when they get into the fish, regardless of it being specks, reds, flounder or whatever, and I should have put that in my other post. I have been on a certain pier several times and approached people who were about to put a 13" speck on their stringer. They always say they didn't know that 15 inches was the minimum size, but they always have put the fish back. Strict enforcement of bag and size limits is just not possible. If we want to keep the bag limits from being reduced it is more important that we keep our eyes peeled for those not obeying the rules. I don't suggest everyone go out and confront people like me, in fact, I would deter most people from doing this, but at least pick up your cell phone and report violations to the TPWD people so they can enforce the rules.

I'd never take home ten fish, because I can't use it fast enough to get back on the water quick enough to calm the salt and sand jonesing. Takes away the "well were getting low on fillets" excuse to get back out there too.

The thing with the turtles is, most are spotted by people just driving down the beach. To my knowledge there has never been a turtle run over on PINS. Pretty good record so far. I haven't been lucky enough to spot one yet, but I think it would be cool if we could get a class for the SFCCI members so I can be a resource if I ever do.

If you buy T-shirts, I'll buy some save the trout thong swimsuits with a tactfully placed trout and no one wants to see that out on the docks!
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[OIL FIELD TRASH]