Texas bow fishing centers on nongame fish. A lot of bow fishing occurs near sunset and at night, since this is the time nongame gars usually get close to the water's surface. Bow fishing in Texas public waters requires a freshwater, saltwater or all-water fishing license, with few exceptions. State codes also regulate the types of fish you can catch with a bow and the types of bows you can use.
Requirements
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, or TPWD, enforces bow fishing rules, as well as other fishing and hunting laws found in the state. Longbows, recurved bows, compound bows or crossbows are legal equipment for bow fishing. While there are various statewide requirements for arrow shafts and tips regarding hunting game animals, there are few specific rules regarding the types of shafts, fishing points or line test strengths for bow fishing.
Fish Types
According to the TPWD Regulations Summary for 2009 through 2010, bows can take only nongame fish, including gar, common carp and buffalo. A fish is considered nongame if it is not listed as a game fish on the TPWD Definitions page. Fish listed as endangered or threatened are also not legal to catch by bow fishing. There are no size or bag limits for nongame fish, with the exception of a one-per-day limit on alligator gar, a prohibition on harvesting alligator gar on portions of Lake Texoma during May, and a daily limit of one trophy-size carp on Lady Bird Lake in Austin.
Turtles and Frogs
You need a hunting license to hunt aquatic turtles and frogs, which are classified as nongame animals. You can hunt nongame animals with the same archery equipment used to hunt nongame fish. As with fish, you cannot hunt any endangered or threatened species of nongame animals.
Lake Restrictions
Bow fishing is legal in most Texas rivers, large lakes and coastal waters, but not anywhere on state park property or on lakes totally within state park boundaries. Prohibited bow-fishing areas also include community fishing lakes, defined as impoundments of 75 acres or less within a city or public park. The TPWD suggests bow fishers check first with managing agencies about carrying weapons in lakeside parks. It is also good to inquire about specific area bow-fishing restrictions in lakes managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
LCRA Requirements
The Lower Colorado River Authority, or LCRA, manages lakes throughout Central Texas. It prohibits bow fishing in LCRA lakes in Bastrop and Fayette counties. As of September 2010, bow fishing is allowed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. in Buchanan, Inks, LBJ, Marble Falls and Travis lakes. In addition to state requirements, bow hunters must have a copy of LCRA's Bowfishing Regulations in their possession. Bows must be hand pulled and hand released. Crossbows and draw locking mechanisms are prohibited. All bow fishing must be done from a boat. The regulations also establish arrow and line test strength requirements, as well as other rules.
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