AUSTIN, Texas — In Texas, fishing and warmer weather go together like chips and salsa. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wants those already "hooked" on fishing and newcomers to the sport to keep in mind that Texas state park waters offer ideal and economical spots for pursuing the family-friendly sport.

AUSTIN, Texas — In March, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists began a two-year study of two tidal streams on the middle coast, sampling fish, bottom-dwelling organisms, and water quality to measure the quality of aquatic life inhabiting these ecologically important areas.

April 15, 2008

ATHENS, Texas — A professional angler fishing in a tournament and a recreational angler fishing off a dock caught Budweiser ShareLunkers last week.

DEL RIO, Texas — Travel U.S. 90 through Del Rio and out to Amistad International Reservoir and it’s obvious there’s something going on in this border town.

New motels and restaurants are going up, and parking lots of old ones are crowded.

April 7, 2008

ATHENS, Texas — A Lake Casa Blanca largemouth bass has made its second trip to Athens as a Budweiser ShareLunker.

Cesar Gomez of Laredo caught the 13.33-pound bass April 1. When Texas Parks and Wildlife Department personnel wanded the fish to see if it contained a passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag, the display lit up. All ShareLunkers are tagged, and a check of the number revealed this fish had been caught February 14, 2006, by Abilene angler Jay Stevens. At that time the fish became Budweiser ShareLunker 397.

LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — The Bass Federation 2008 Western Divisional Championship presented by the National Guard will be held on Lake Havasu in Lake Havasu City April 9-11. As many as 84 competitors representing seven Western Division states – Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming – are expected to compete in the tournament.

HOUSTON, Texas — The Toyota Texas Bass Classic, a Professional Anglers Association sanctioned event, is only one month away from its return to Lake Fork. The April 18-20 team competition benefits Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) efforts to introduce young people and urban families to fishing and the outdoors.

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, at its March 26 meeting, adopted changes to hunting and fishing regulations designed to create additional recreational opportunities while effectively managing the state’s natural resources.

ATHENS, Texas — Tyler State Park Lake sent its second Budweiser ShareLunker and a new lake record to Athens Monday.

ATHENS, Texas — Three lakes produced Budweiser ShareLunkers March 9: Lakes Amistad, Richland-Chambers and Waco. Lake Fork sent its first fish of the season to Athens March 10.

ATHENS, Texas — The long-awaited second Budweiser ShareLunker of the season is now in the Lunker Bunker at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center courtesy of James Manasco of Hemphill.

AUSTIN — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are moving quickly to control small infestations of giant salvinia on Lake Palestine and Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

AUSTIN, Texas — By the slimmest of margins, Tyler Goetzman of Willis is Texas’ newest junior state record holder for largemouth bass.