whatever. it's a 40FOOT watering hole that will soon be gone. both my brother and had been doing this kind if catching for decades. not years decades. i know handful of other people who do it too, but nobody releases foriegn species in the water. the area is actually well policed too. they always come by to make sure nobody fell in or there sin't kids out there smoking pot. ive bern going there this year and catologuing all the species in the area, because they're tearing it down. it was originally created or should i say unmolested as a drainage ditch for the city. nobody cares about the ditch, and nobody even knows it supports life except for the few fishers who go there to catch and release. The city or town rather dumps chemicals, sewage, and tons of garbage in there. They're tearing it all down to build a veterans park and housing. What nobody knows is that the area was home to 2 endangered species 20 YEARS ago: The Texas tortoise, and horny toad. nobody knows the hole supported life because of the toxicicity of the sewage pipes that drain into it. As far as illegal goes, some will start giving a crappie before the polution long before the fish. If I can find atleast one endangered fish, reptile, mammal, or avian who calls this dump home, I can put in the motion to have the land preserved, and cleaned up, because in a few years according to schedule there will be no creek left. It is being removed and converted from a city dump into housing. If there were any laws pertinant to that land they haven't been acknowledged by the city since it was founded. Maybe one day I'll find what I'm looking for, and then we can instill some laws on it. Untill I don't really care and niether does the county. As far as they're concerned it's an isolated region only worth it's potential as commercial ground. As for me I'm the only ine nurturing it. This year almost the entire gambusia population disappeared, which guess what?? It's a foreign species, and the city dumped em in there to take care if the mosquito population. pretty hypocritical huh?? I captured a few specimens, bread them like crazy, and helped keep the population going, becayse theyre amazing durable little fish, and provide a service. You can preach to me about water laws all day, but just know it's A) an unregulated city dump, and as of right now B) I'm The only one trying to keep it alive. C) The only way this land will survive a few more years is if I find a species worth preserving. D) It's still labled as private property with tresspassing signs, but the owner removed them when he found out people were using it to have fun. If anyone tried to go in there, and tell him what to do with his own land, especially the city he could terminate the city lease for dumping rights, close it off to the public, and grab his shotgun, and tell everyone to get off. -And as far I know there are no laws that prohibit us from catching and releasing in your own back yard, because nobody can tell you what you can and can't put in your own water. Hence the only way I'll have a fighting chance at saving this forest is to prove something endangered lives there. You're right about only one thing it's Texas. -And here it's still legal to murder somebody for pissing on your lawn. I'm not gonna tell him what to do, and niether will anyone else. I'm just glad he knows I been fishing there for 30YEARS, and let's the public enjoy it. If I find a species worth saving we can buy the land, and turn it into a preserve. Until then, no fishing laws apply there.