# Feeding hundreds of people with Conroe cats



## BobBobber (Aug 29, 2015)

One of the local churches reportedly publicizes that their Lenten fish fries consist of catfish their members accumulated from fishing Lake Conroe.

What's your opinion? Should that be legal to use fish from a public resource for essentially commercial purposes?

Beyond any legality, is it ethical to harvest fish from a public lake in quantities massive enough to feed hundreds of people?

Should a church, with non-profit status, encourage using local public resources or should the church purchase commercially available fish from a fish wholesaler?


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## BobBobber (Aug 29, 2015)

From what I read in the TPWD regulations, the church can only have 50 catfish in possession at any one time (enough for less than two dozen servings).

And that would not include fish in coolers inside vehicles in the church parking lot (unless the owner of the vehicle uses that as a permanent residence.)

Quoting from the TPWD website:

*- Daily possession limit* for catfish is 25 in any combination.
*- Possession Limit*
 The maximum number of fish a person may possess before returning to their residence. Possession limit is twice the daily bag on game and nongame fish, except as provided in this guide, and does not apply to fish in the possession of or _*stored by a person at their residence*_.


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

What I read You post is that the members gathered the fish. If they each only had 50 fish then likely it is legal. Don't think "the church" can legally catch fish, must be a license holder. The legality all boils down to how many people caught fish. 

Morally, I think a church members catching and using it for an irregular occasion is much better than a company holding red snapper shares and the ability to sell them.


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## Old sailor (Mar 30, 2014)

I would think that there would be some problems with food safety and health inspectors for serving fish from uninspected sources.


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## That Robbie Guy (Aug 11, 2009)

A group of us do it every year. 

We are all legal, licensed recreational fisherman. 
We catch, we keep record of who-what, and we donate. All is good.


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## Ducktracker (Aug 1, 2011)

People have fish fries all the time including churches. Amen 

Good fishing to all!


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## BretE (Jan 24, 2008)

BobBobber said:


> One of the local churches reportedly publicizes that their Lenten fish fries consist of catfish their members accumulated from fishing Lake Conroe.
> 
> What's your opinion? Should that be legal to use fish from a public resource for essentially commercial purposes?
> 
> ...


Lat me get this straight, I'm sure I'm misunderstanding you. You're biotching about a church fish fry??? Seriously???


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## P (Nov 18, 2012)

BretE said:


> Lat me get this straight, I'm sure I'm misunderstanding you. You're biotching about a church fish fry??? Seriously???


yep get a life.


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## P (Nov 18, 2012)

Plenty of catfish for every one. If Conroe runs out they barrow some from the Trinity to restock it


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## pink camo (Jan 21, 2014)

BobBobber said:


> One of the local churches reportedly publicizes that their Lenten fish fries consist of catfish their members accumulated from fishing Lake Conroe.
> 
> What's your opinion? Should that be legal to use fish from a public resource for essentially commercial purposes?
> 
> ...


Why are you worried about what a church does. Do you love fried catfish so much that you scared you going to run out. So sad


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## dbullard1 (Jun 29, 2016)

The fish belong to God so if he chooses to use them this way then amen.
Jesus feed 5000 with just two fish from a young boy's lunch so he can provide.

The commercial fisherman take way more fish out of the lakes than some church members for an annual fish fry .I suspect the Church members catch the fish over several trips and stock their freezer in advance. I would figure 1/2 a lb per person average or 50 lbs for every 100 people .


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## dbarham (Aug 13, 2005)

Wgaf


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## RAMROD1 (May 4, 2012)

P said:


> yep get a life.


This/\

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## firedog4$ (Aug 24, 2004)

Sorry bobber bob, thats the way we do it here in the south. Have a good old fashion fish fry, no harm no foul!


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## SeaOx 230C (Aug 12, 2005)

Please tell us what about a group of Church members catching fish from a public lake and using for a Church sponsored not for profit fish fry do you find *"unethical".*

You ain't talkin' about Bubba having a fish fry in his back yard and charging for profit. This a Church event.

Bob, the church is not a person there is no possession limit for the "church". The possession limit applies until the fish/game reaches it's final destination such as a place of residence. Once those fish are cleaned packaged and frozen you can do what you will them short of selling them for cash money for profit.

For example say we are having a fish fry at your house. You have two limits of crappie in the freezer and I bring two limits of crappie and give them to you so that you will have enough fish. By your logic you are now in violation. That is simply not correct.

The members of the Church legally catch these fish, clean them and store them until they have enough and the designated day arrives.

Bob, If you have a true concern with this practice I suggest you call your local GW and get them to clarify the possession limit law and use of these fish in this manner. I am sure you local GW would be very happy to explain it to you.


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## dan_wrider (Jun 21, 2011)

dbarham said:


> Wgaf


This really should be an option on the poll lol.


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## stdreb27 (Aug 15, 2011)

Old sailor said:


> I would think that there would be some problems with food safety and health inspectors for serving fish from uninspected sources.


A general rule of thumb, in texas for a non-profit like a church, for outreach type feeding events is, health inspectors have bigger fish to fry.


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## 2slick (Dec 5, 2008)

Please clue me in as to which church is doing this. I haven't caught any catfish in a long time.


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## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

It's both ethical and legal as long as I have a free combo fried catfish plate!


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## Ditto2 (Jul 19, 2016)

I have friends that do this for their church. It's not one species of fish though. They fish for and freeze fish all year long for their church fish fry. They use it to raise funds for the church.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

dan_wrider said:


> This really should be an option on the poll lol.


Beat me to it!
:rotfl: Beware the troll !troll!


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## BobBobber (Aug 29, 2015)

BretE said:


> Lat me get this straight, I'm sure I'm misunderstanding you. You're biotching about a church fish fry??? Seriously???


I have enjoyed many church fish fries. Good food, meeting new people and pleasant conversation. It's a good income source for the churches.

However, from my own real experience in the past, some local restaurants stopped donating to the church and advertising in the church bulletins. The restaurants depended on income from their customers coming in for Lenten specials.

That is not the issue I posted. I questioned whether any church should endorse harvesting fish from Lake Conroe.


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## lx22f/c (Jun 19, 2009)

I don't understand how it's any different? The church members purchase fishing license, they spend money on tackle, and bait. They donate caught fish to the church! No different on our 2 cool fish fry, Shadslinger catches the fish and donates them all so we can all enjoy them .


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## BobBobber (Aug 29, 2015)

lx22f/c said:


> I don't understand how it's any different? The church members purchase fishing license, they spend money on tackle, and bait. They donate caught fish to the church! No different on our 2 cool fish fry, Shadslinger catches the fish and donates them all so we can all enjoy them


And most of us attending also bring food, often costing more than our fish fry plate.

Since Shadslinger is a commercial guide, he is aware of proper fish handling from catching to the freezer. Should be much safer to eat his fish than from unknown sources.

Plus, Duke does not ask for any money, donated or otherwise, from the members in attendance. It's also a one-day event with just 50-75 attending.


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## SeaOx 230C (Aug 12, 2005)

Just what is the issue here Bob? 

Money?
Public health concern?
Over fishing of Lake Conroe?

Church issue?

Dale


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## Blank Czech (Jul 26, 2016)

BobBobber said:


> lx22f/c said:
> 
> 
> > Since Shadslinger is a commercial guide, he is aware of proper fish handling from catching to the freezer. Should be much safer to eat his fish than from unknown sources.
> ...


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## BobBobber (Aug 29, 2015)

SeaOx 230C said:


> . . . Bob, If you have a true concern with this practice I suggest you call your local GW and get them to clarify the possession limit law and use of these fish in this manner. I am sure you local GW would be very happy to explain it to you.


OK, SeaOx, thanks for your suggestion. I called the local TPWD GW today. He said that Possession Limit refers to unprocessed whole fish. In the case of catfish, that's 50.

However, the Possession Limit does not apply to fish once processed. You can store as many filets as you want. Hundreds if you choose.

You can give those to anybody in any quantity.

He did state that people should not ever pay for those fish. They must be donated.

In true respect, a person attending a recognized charity-based fish fry should be allowed to "donate" any amount for that meal, regardless of the "suggested donation" asked by the charity. For example, you should be able to donate $1 or even $100 for that plate of fish . . . or even choose to donate nothing at all . . . if it is a requested "donation."

*Thank you to all who responded to the poll questions.*

We had some discussion going and opinions expressed. Some got po'ed. Some did not. But we had a lively discussion.

Guess the GW opinion wraps it up. *10-4, over and out.*


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## SeaOx 230C (Aug 12, 2005)

Bob, I guess you are not going to let us in on what issue *you* have with a Church doing this.

You can't just ask a question like that without clarifying why you are asking, or what your take on it is, and you have yet to do so.

Doing that makes it seem like one is just trying to start an argument.

I'm still curious on your issue with the practice:

Money?
Public health concern?
Over fishing of Lake Conroe?

Church issue?

Dale


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## Postman (Oct 11, 2015)

If you could please post what church is doing this, I would like to know so my wife and I could go eat supper there and maybe make a donation to the church members for some more bait. We love a good catfish dinner. Thank you Jesus. Amen.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Postman said:


> If you could please post what church is doing this, I would like to know so my wife and I could go eat supper there and maybe make a donation to the church members for some more bait. We love a good catfish dinner. Thank you Jesus. Amen.


That's about the only concern I had. Where is this church? I would imagine some 2coolers will give healthy "donations" for some nice hot catfish plates! Now I am hungry... :fishy:


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## BobBobber (Aug 29, 2015)

SeaOx 230C said:


> Bob, I guess you are not going to let us in on what issue *you* have with a Church doing this. Dale


Dale, To conduct a survey, any survey, personal opinions should be minimal at best, so responses consist of actual opinions of 2coolers. I'm not a professional at polling or surveys, but I tried.

Whatever non-profit auspices consisted of . . . church, BSA, VFW, K of C, Bingo Hall, etc. . . . should the fish served come from a public resource? Churches or not.

Dale, basically that's it.

Me? I have great respect for our public resources. Catfish are just a small part of those resources.

Setting the catfish topic aside, should ANY public resource be used as a revenue source by a non-profit? Should there be limits, and if so, where are the limits?

In what I assumed would have been my last post on catfish dinners, I stated that I had learned something. When the TPWD GW said that* processed fish in any quantity* *can be in possession*, that was news to me.

Dale, hope this answers your inquiry. In my last post (before this reply to you), the final statement from the TPWD GW closed the topic as far as I am concerned.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

BobBobber said:


> Setting the catfish topic aside, should ANY public resource be used as a revenue source by a non-profit?


Yes, it is okay.
Everyone who was at the fish fry was also breathing public air if and when they donated to the church.

If this bothers you, then what do you think of the sea lords who are allowed to get privately rich on red snapper, and prevent the general public from catching them?


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## SeaOx 230C (Aug 12, 2005)

BobBobber said:


> Dale, To conduct a survey, any survey, personal opinions should be minimal at best, so responses consist of actual opinions of 2coolers. I'm not a professional at polling or surveys, but I tried.
> 
> Whatever non-profit auspices consisted of . . . church, BSA, VFW, K of C, Bingo Hall, etc. . . . should the fish served come from a public resource? Churches or not.
> 
> ...


Ok Bob if you say so. I have a strong suspicion as to what your take on it is, but if you just don't want to say well that's OK.

Have great rest of the week!!!!

Dale


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## Fratcat70 (Jan 9, 2017)

Bob must be one of those libtards pushing for more regulation. One of these posts would get you kicked off the bluewater board. Ask those guys about how their fishery has changed since big government has started putting their hands in the pot when it comes to recreational vs commercial fishing.


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## Catfish Kyle (Mar 7, 2016)

Catfish are more abundant than most and by now most people know about the fish consumption issue, live and let live.


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