Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center
"Catch some memories - go fish Texas" is the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center's slogan. Those six words define what the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) is about: families and friends enjoying time together and forging memories that will last a lifetime.
No license is required for adults or children, and all bait and tackle are furnished. Plentiful numbers of sunfish and catfish are available for catching year-around, and rainbow trout are stocked from December through March.
Staff provide a brief orientation to fishing and your choice of bait. They will also untangle line, replace lost hooks or bobbers and fix any other equipment problems, leaving you free to concentrate on fishing.
Fishing is available every day TFFC is open, and fishing is a part of special events. These events include:
Fly Fish Texas, early March. Members of fly-fishing clubs from around Texas teach fly-tying and casting.
Outdoor Fools Day, early April. Learn about outdoor recreation opportunities in East Texas and acquire outdoor skills such as archery, camping and outdoor cooking.
Cinco de Mayo, early May. Celebrate the joint stories of Texas and Mexico with food, dance and, of course, fishing.
National Fishing Day, first Saturday in June. In addition to free fishing, this event offers free food and soft drinks.
Fireworks at the Fishery, July 4. Admission is free after regular hours, and fishing is allowed until an hour before the fireworks show.
It's best to follow a one-hour-for-year-of-age rule when deciding how long to fish with a child. TFFC makes it easy to observe this rule by providing a variety of activities and things to see if interest in fishing wanes. There are 300,000 gallons of aquaria with native Texas fish, a daily dive show, an alligator exhibit and a wetlands trail where kids can go turtle-spotting, see bees at work and walk off steam.
There's a gift shop with snacks, picnic areas and grassy areas for romping-plenty to keep active youngsters busy for several hours.
Among the exhibits at TFFC is the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and the Game Warden's Museum.
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