From Staff Reports

[email protected]

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is reopening fishing for alligator gar in portions of the river between the Highway 31 Bridge near Trinidad and the Highway 7 Bridge near Crockett. The reopening was effective as of Thursday, June 11.

TPWD temporarily prohibited taking or attempting to take alligator gar in order to protect spawning alligator gar, which is a species of conservation concern in the Trinity River. Water conditions identified by department staff, such as water temperature above 68 degrees and presence of a flood level at the moderate stage as reported by U.S. Geological Survey gauges http://www.srh.noaa.gov/wgrfc/, are still occurring.

However, TPWD staff members believe that the length of time that flood levels have occurred and the rise of water temperatures to and above the reported upper limit of alligator gar spawning (82 degrees F) are indicators that most of the alligator gar spawning has most likely occurred eliminating the need for a fishing closure.

The temporary prohibition did not affect alligator gar fishing in parts of the state other than those aforementioned areas of the Trinity River.