Know the Fish and Game Laws

[Art]

Unfortunately my fishing days are about over. I'm especially too "stove up" to do any really active fishing and today my Orvis Performer fly rod and the gear that goes with it is going to a fellow who will use it. So now I do something I've never done before, watch an occasional fishing video.

I've watched a few videos about fishing the paved channelized bayous in Houston. These support a surprisingly large populations of fish. Many of these fish such as tilapia and grass carp are destructive invasive species that by law have to be immediately killed if they are caught.

If you want to catch and release that's fine, but putting these fish back in the water besides being illegal and carrying some hefty fines is really, and I mean really, bad for the environment. Why not just throw in an handful of zebra mussels? I've watched several of these videos and have yet to see one where these fishermen didn't return these destructive fish to the water.

As a sort of an aside note....there is terminology used by folks who regularly fish these bayous. For example the grass carp is the "Braes Bayou bonefish" and the abandoned shopping carts or bikes found in the bayous are "Braes Bayou mangroves."

P.S. In addition these bayous contain large numbers of abandoned aquarium fish, especially armored catfish that need to be removed.

[Allen]

I use to salt water fish with my kids when they were younger. With salt water you never know what you're going to catch.

Here, in the Gulf, the most invasive species is probably the lion fish. I've never caught one. I know they have no natural enemies and can't be handled by most people so I imagine people just cut the lines when they see they're reeling one of these things in.

I don't see how the wardens could enforce fines forcing people to touch and not release these.

The fines should be on the importers of non-native species plants and animals. The pythons in the Everglades are a good example of what damage can be done by others who profited from importing such.

[oscars]

We have one that may beat any other invasive piece of trash-the Northern Snakehead.

[Allen]

We have one that may beat any other invasive piece of trash-the Northern Snakehead.

Yes, there are many invasive plants and animals. Kudzu is a real problem where I live. It was imported as a ground cover to keep soil from washing away.

Here is one on the Asian carps. There are many video's on them. On this one they had to speed the boat up to get away from them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc-e8EGkLMo

[lyman]

I use to salt water fish with my kids when they were younger. With salt water you never know what you're going to catch.

Here, in the Gulf, the most invasive species is probably the lion fish. I've never caught one. I know they have no natural enemies and can't be handled by most people so I imagine people just cut the lines when they see they're reeling one of these things in.

I don't see how the wardens could enforce fines forcing people to touch and not release these.

The fines should be on the importers of non-native species plants and animals. The pythons in the Everglades are a good example of what damage can be done by others who profited from importing such.

if you watch Andrew Zimmern's show, Bizarre Foods, he did an episode about Lion Fish,
they are supposedly quite tasty

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We have one that may beat any other invasive piece of trash-the Northern Snakehead.

another pest that is reportedly damn good eats,

I work with a guy that catches them in Lake Anna, he loves them,

[Allen]

if you watch Andrew Zimmern's show, Bizarre Foods, he did an episode about Lion Fish,
they are supposedly quite tasty

I've heard that too but few people can or want to handle them. I've read articles stating that natives walking through streams would sometimes commit suicide if they stepped on one due to the pain from the venomous barbs.

[Art]

Even invasive species that have worked out have been problematic. Ringneck pheasants have played a part in the decline of the prairie chicken populations and brown trout in the northeastern United States have damaged the native brook trout populations. Brook trout and prairie chickens had other problems to be sure but brown trout and pheasant have significantly damaged their prospects. As it stands now only Kansas, I believe, has huntable populations of prairie chickens.

And, of course, don't get me started on any species of carp.....gag.

[barretcreek]

And, of course, don't get me started on any species of carp.....gag.[/QUOTE]

After the time you spent in NY you don't like gefilte fish?

[Art]

And, of course, don't get me started on any species of carp.....gag.

After the time you spent in NY you don't like gefilte fish?[/QUOTE]

In all the time six years I was there and all the Jews I knew and was friends with I never had gifelte fish.

[jon_norstog]

We have one that may beat any other invasive piece of trash-the Northern Snakehead.

That fish is great eating. In Thailand they call it "pla chawn" ... it can estivate in the mud and survive the dry season. In general I'm a 'catch and eat" fisher. Now my granddaughters, 7 & 9 YO are taking it up.

jn

jn

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And, of course, don't get me started on any species of carp.....gag.

After the time you spent in NY you don't like gefilte fish?[/QUOTE]

Grass Carp is really good eating, long as it comes from clean water. Go to a restaurant in Asia - a good one - there will be a big tank, you can pick out your carp and the6y will cook it right now. Trust me, a big, fat grass carp makes a damn good meal for a whole fami8ly.

jn

[Allen]

"Go to a restaurant in Asia - a good one - there will be a big tank, you can pick out your carp and they will cook it right now."

Most all the better restaurants here use to do that with lobsters. You picked out the one you wanted, the waiter would tong it and carry it back to the kitchen to cook for you. Later it was said that all of them were simply putting the lobster in a similar live tank in the kitchen and serving a cooked frozen lobster.

Must have been some truth to that because I don't see anyone here doing that anymore.

[Art]

"Go to a restaurant in Asia - a good one - there will be a big tank, you can pick out your carp and they will cook it right now."

Most all the better restaurants here use to do that with lobsters. You picked out the one you wanted, the waiter would tong it and carry it back to the kitchen to cook for you. Later it was said that all of them were simply putting the lobster in a similar live tank in the kitchen and serving a cooked frozen lobster.

Must have been some truth to that because I don't see anyone here doing that anymore.

In Houston, and I'm sure other cities with large Asian populations the bigger Asian supermarkets have massive seafood sections that, in addition to huge sections of fresh, dried and frozen fish and seafoods of all types have tanks containing live fish, included but not limited to carp and catfish to select from. They also sell live blue crabs and crayfish.

[dryheat]

I went down to Guymas, MX with some friends. It was a fishing diving trip. This was about the time the girls decided they wanted to come along to. Our one senior buddies wife was, well let's say a i*345$^%$ but she could cook. She threw the other girl out of the kitchen She was a louid mouthed Italian. I didn't really care for her. But the resulting shrimp made you stop and think about it.
Anyone else have a food "experience"? One every decade is good enough for me. I remember the beer batter salmon.

[lyman]

In Houston, and I'm sure other cities with large Asian populations the bigger Asian supermarkets have massive seafood sections that, in addition to huge sections of fresh, dried and frozen fish and seafoods of all types have tanks containing live fish, included but not limited to carp and catfish to select from. They also sell live blue crabs and crayfish.

we have one big Asian market that sells fresh meat and seafood,

no tanks, but just about any variety you can think of,


there are a few other places around town, but this one is in an area locally callled Lil Vietnam,

there is a Nationally known (to the beer geek crowd) restaurant in that area that is known not just for good food, but for the Belgian Beer selection on tap
usually over a dozen