PORT ARANSAS, Texas — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Anheuser-Busch, Coastal Conservation Association Texas and the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring the first of two very special fishing events on Saturday, April 23 in Port Aransas to help anglers enjoy and succeed in fishing shallow water. Some of Texas’s most recognized shallow-water fishing experts and scientists will be providing information to all anglers to safely and successfully boat and fish the bay waters of Texas. Seminars begin at 8 a.m. that day at the Port Aransas Civic Center. Cost is $20 per adult and $10 for each additional family member for the day-long event. Children younger than 17 accompanied by an adult are admitted free. Topics include boat maintenance; fishing over seagrass flats, using Global Positioning Systems, water safety, sportfish life histories, drum fishing, sight casting, and photography. Speakers include Larry McKinney, Ph.D. and (Coastal Fisheries Division Director), Earl Nottingham (TPWD Magazine photographer), Lefty Ray Chapa (Licensed Kayak Fishing Guide), Capt. Pat Hunt (Pat Hunt Fishing Charters), Nolan Bell (Island Boat Works), Paul Choucair and Bill Karel (TPWD biologists). Other presenters include John Glenn’s Taxidermy, Texas Dept. of Agriculture “ GO TEXAN program, Capt. Billy Trimble, Texas Sea Grant Program, and the Coastal Conservation Association Texas. All proceeds from the event will go to the Parks & Wildlife Foundation of Texas to support the Crab Trap Cleanup program. Pre-register by sending cash, check or money order to the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce, 412 W. Cotter, Port Aransas, TX 78373 or register at the Civic Center on the day of the event. The event is restricted to the first 150 people who sign up. For more information contact the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce at (800) 45COAST or TPWD at (361) 825-3356. The second Flat-Out Fishing event is scheduled at the Texas A&M University-Galveston campus on Saturday, May 7. For more information about that event contact TPWD at (281) 534-0110.

– Texas Saltwater Fishing Guide