Under the right circumstances, spearfishing can be a rewarding hobby. But before you head into a body of water with a speargun and a snorkel, you should make sure that it’s permissible to do so. Unfortunately, two suspects didn’t bother themselves with legalities when they allegedly took to the waters of Lady Bird Lake near Barton Springs, Texas, and speared 76.05 pounds of black bass — including some real hogs.
A Hot Tip from Concerned Citizens
Bystanders informed the Texas Game Wardens about illegal fishing activity taking place at Lady Bird Lake on Dec. 30, 2024. A Travis County Game Warden and a Captain Game Warden responded to the scene shortly after the tip was received. Upon their arrival in the early afternoon, the wardens encountered two suspects actively engaged in illegal spearfishing activity.
One suspect was spearing black bass with a pneumatic speargun while snorkeling, which is a violation of Texas state fishing regulations. The other was waiting onshore with a cooler and bag, collecting the ill-gotten fish from his partner. When the wardens inspected the cooler, they uncovered 18 unlawfully taken black bass.
Spearguns, hand-operated devices that can utilize rubber bands, compressed air, or other means for propulsion, are not legal to take gamefish in lakes such as Lady Bird, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). They may however be used to take non-game, or so-called “rough,” species.
Giant Haul
The combined weight of the fish was a whopping 76.05 pounds, and they taped out to a combined 348 inches. There were many large specimens in the illicit haul, with 14 bass over 18 inches in length, and nine over 20 inches. One of the bass weighed almost 7 pounds. For reference, the daily bag limit for all black bass species on Lady Bird Lake is five in any combination.
All fish, along with the spearguns and gear, were seized, and the bass were donated for consumption. The suspects face multiple citations for illegal fishing methods and unlawful possession of black bass. Fines and restitution charges are pending.
“Harvests of this magnitude can be very detrimental to bass populations in a localized area like this,” Texas Game Wardens said in a statement. It probably goes without saying that removing bass as large as these, especially in such big numbers from a lake like Lady Bird can severely harm the population. So if you see something, say something. Hopefully your local game wardens are as swift and efficient as the ones that responded to this incident.
