Tackle Trade World - May 2023

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DBW... TExaS Texas exports 55 per cent of its goods to its top five trading partners Mexico, Canada, China, South Korea and Brazil, and imports mostly from Mexico, Canada, China, Vietnam and Germany. The geography of Texas comprises a series of vast regions, from the fertile and densely populated Coastal Plains in the southeast to the high plains and mountains in the west and northwest. The state’s most rugged terrain lies to the west of the Pecos River. Trailing down from the Rocky Mountains, the Guadalupe Mountains lead into Big Bend country, whose name is derived from a bend in the Rio Grande, the most important river in Texas, which extends some 1,900 miles from its source in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico, and its Texas segment forms the border between the United States and Mexico. F i S H i n G Texas’ coast and waterways are an angler’s paradise and the state is ranked one of the best states to go fishing, according to a report by Lawn Love recently, ranking Texas as the fifth best state for fishing. The report looked at community interest, access to gear and bait shops as well as licence affordability, and its proximity to water sources. The Lone Star State also was ranked fourth for having the number of fishing charters and guides. The Texas coast supports an extensive recreational fishing industry, involving fishing charters (fishing guides), private anglers, boaters, supporting businesses, and recreationally harvested seafood. With over 400,000 licensed recreational anglers, 1,500 licensed fishing guides, and hundreds of saltwater sportfishing tournaments held annually, this industry generates over $1 billion in economic impacts in Texas each year. This includes purchases of vessels, fishing gear, tackle, and other equipment; fishing trip expenditures such as ice, bait, fuel, and charter fees; industry job revenues; and other related costs. T a r G E T S P E C i E S LARGEMOUTH BASS SAILFISH REDFISH 28 www.tackletradeworld.com
DBW... Texas i n d u s t r y v i e w Everett Johnson, Editor and Publisher, Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine Ask any Texan: “Everything’s bigger in Texas!” Some will go so far to add “… and better, too.” Texas hubris aside, Texas is a very large state, geographically speaking, with a rapidly expanding population. According to the latest from US Census Bureau, Texas now has more than 30 million people. Thanks to its powerful energy and petro-chemical sectors, and perhaps the single greatest reason the population continues to rise year over year, the Texas economy is largely insulated from economic cycles common in other US states. There’s an old saying: ”If you can’t f ind a job in Texas, you don’t want one.” Recreational f ishing is big in Texas, too. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) report a marked upswing in f ishing licence sales of all types over the past decade. Current data indicates nearly 1.9 million licensed anglers. Economic impact of sport f ishing in the Lone Star State is more than $7.7 billion, according to Southwick Associates. Bass f ishing tops all other types of f ishing and, thanks to the conservation efforts of the bass f ishing community over recent decades, the quality of these f isheries is soaring off the charts. In the f irst three months of <strong>2023</strong> alone, Texas waters have delivered more than a dozen Share-A-Lunker submissions – angler’s f ish weighing more than 12lb, kept alive, and contributed to TPWD’s hatchery programs with hope of passing along the superior genetics of trophy specimens. Saltwater f ishing is booming as well. The Texas coastline is said to be 367 miles in length. But unlike many coastal states that have a relatively smooth coastline, if you look behind Texas’ nearly endless miles of barrier islands, the jagged shorelines of its major bays and estuaries are longer than 600 miles. Texas saltwater angling can be classif ied into three major categories – inshore, nearshore, and offshore. Species targeted across the three categories range from billf ish and tuna offshore, to the most-highly-sought-after species being seatrout and red drum inshore, with dozens more in-between. Unlike many states, Texas is unique in the ability of recreational anglers to access Gulf beaches, and year-around surf f ishing is very popular. Primary species sought are red and black drum, tarpon, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and Florida pompano. Shark f ishing from the beach is also very popular. At least a dozen species are landed regularly, some weighing hundreds of pounds, and shark anglers take great care to return these f ish to the ocean unharmed. Inshore saltwater f ishing is another year-around angling pursuit, with likely a million or more participants annually. Texas bays as a whole are relatively shallow, which means that wade f ishing is a very popular way to access the f isheries. Some anglers quip that the only reason they own a boat is to get where they f ish… and then jump out. The popularity of wade f ishing creates a whole other category of gear and accessories not nearly as common in other places. The specialised type of f ishing boats commonly seen plying Texas bays are also an entity unto themselves. A product of angler’s desire to access the hundreds of miles of shallow lagoons of the middle and lower portions of the coast, in pursuit of spotted seatrout, red drum, and snook; almost nowhere but Texas can you f ind crafts designed to navigate in less than 2ft depths. As a result, many Texas anglers own two boats. One for shallow flats f ishing and a second for larger, deeper bays that also qualify for daytripping the nearshore Gulf in calm weather. Which in itself becomes a signif icant boost for boat building, outboard power, and marine electronics industries. The tackle industry also benef its mightily from Texas anglers who require a wider than normal range of equipment and gear necessary in their varied angling interests. The bottom line in the recreational angling industry is that without f ish we cannot have an industry… that’s pretty basic. So, with the population booming and licence sales steadily on the rise, what does the future hold for Texas anglers and the f isheries that support the industry? Fair question. The answer to that important question lies solely within in the realm of TPWD’s management plans… and also within the rapidly evolving sporting and conservation ethic of the recreational angling community. TPWD is both a role model and the most forward-thinking f isheries management agency in the country. Their work is copied in many ways; from f ishing regulations and interface with constituents, to stock enhancement (sport f ish hatcheries and stocking programs), to habitat creation and restoration. Texas anglers are also blessed to have the support of some of the nation’s leading f isheries research programs. The work accomplished over the past 50 years by scientists at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute and Texas A&M University Harte Institute, has helped tremendously. And let’s not forget the contributions of the Coastal Conservation Association. Without these combined efforts, Texans might not have so much to brag about. With them, the future of recreational angling in Texas remains bright. www.tackletradeworld.com 29
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Tackle Trade World - May 2023

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