The BoatUS Foundation received a $375,000 grant from the U.S. Coast Guard to expand its Life Jacket Loaner Program by piloting up to 150 smart loaner stations nationwide. The program aims to improve access to properly fitting life jackets and boating safety education across diverse communities.

Bob Hewes invented the first true flats boat in the 1960s after a bone fishing trip with world champion fly fisherman Lefty Kreh. Working with guide Captain Bill Curtis, Hewes also invented the poling tower. His company, now run by son-in-law Jim Wiborg, was sold to Maverick Boat Company and remains a leading boat retailer.

MasterCraft announced its acquisition of Marine Products Corp., builder of Chaparral and Robalo boats, with MasterCraft shareholders owning 66.5% and MPC shareholders owning 33.5% of the combined company. CEO Brad Nelson and MPC chief executive Ben Palmer praised the transformational partnership. The transaction is expected to close in the second calendar quarter.

Marine retailer MarineMax received an unsolicited $35-per-share acquisition offer from hedge fund Donerail Group valued at over $1bn. The company's board, advised by Sidley Austin LLP and Wells Fargo, stated it will carefully review the non-binding indication of interest while remaining focused on shareholder value.

Major League Fishing's Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 1 streams live from Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida, February 6-8, 2026, featuring top pro anglers competing for a top prize of up to $135,000. The three-day tournament is hosted by Discover Lake County Florida and broadcast on MLFNOW! via MyOutdoorTV, MajorLeagueFishing.com, and Rumble.

Cody Stahl won the Bassmaster Open on Florida's Kissimmee Chain of Lakes with 74 lb. 6 oz., setting a new record margin of victory and earning his ticket to the 2027 Bassmaster Classic. Stahl's victory was aided by his engineering expertise at Pure Fishing, where he strategically selected Fenwick and Abu Garcia equipment for the tournament.

Brook Oliva, President and COO of Foundation Outdoor Group, has been appointed to Coastal Conservation Association Florida's Management Committee. Oliva will continue supporting CCA Florida's conservation initiatives, including the East Coast Redfish Restocking Program and youth scholarship programs, while maintaining his role as CCA Orlando Chapter President.

The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water launched a free interactive boating safety course approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The course meets state requirements, can be taken at the student's own pace, and is recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard as exceeding minimum National Recreational Boating Safety Program standards.

Milwaukee Muskie Expo promoter Mike Veserat invites attendees to meet top guides, outfitters, and tackle manufacturers Feb. 13-15 at Washington County Fair Park in West Bend. The event features seminars and vendor booths showcasing muskie fishing expertise and equipment.

The Pacific Northwest's annual Fly Fishing Show comes to Bellevue's Meydenbauer Center February 14-15, featuring free seminars, films, demonstrations, and new products. Admission is $20 for one day or $35 for both days, with special pricing for children, scouts, and active military.

Fishing Tom's Guide Service will exhibit at the 51st Annual Houston Fishing Show, February 18–22, 2026, at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Owner Tom Adams will offer exclusive specials including a three-person fishing trip with lodging and meals for $900 at Booth #506.

Starting February 9, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is reducing the daily and possession limit for yellow perch on Mille Lacs Lake from 10 to 5 fish through November 30, 2026. The adjustment, made through co-management with Ojibwe Tribes, aims to maintain a healthy perch population and stay within the state's harvestable surplus of 36,500 pounds.

North Carolina's sheepshead fishery has grown rapidly, with recreational anglers landing nearly 1.43 million pounds in 2024. The Division of Marine Fisheries implemented new regulations effective March 1, 2026, reducing the recreational daily bag limit to five fish and increasing the minimum size to 14 inches to protect younger fish and ensure population sustainability.

The Gulf Council is accepting applications for its Red Drum Advisory Panel and Coastal Migratory Pelagic Advisory Panel. Advisory Panel members serve three-year terms and receive travel expense compensation. Applications must be submitted by March 3, 2026, at noon for consideration during the April Council meeting.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission approved out-of-cycle fishing regulation changes for Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, including unlimited daily striped bass bag limits and 25 catfish limits. The changes align Arizona's regulations with Nevada Department of Wildlife rules and ensure consistency for anglers and law enforcement on shared waters.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is hosting a virtual public meeting on February 17 at 4 p.m. to discuss management options for 2027-2028 coastal recreational bottomfish fisheries. The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) is considering harvest levels and management measures such as seasons and bag limits for the upcoming biennium.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Marine Resources Division has partnered with the University of South Alabama to conduct the AL Creel survey, which collects saltwater fishing data through phone calls and dockside surveys. The survey aims to receive NOAA accreditation for fisheries management, following Louisiana's methodology, and reduce reliance on the federal MRIP program.

The 2025 Toyota ShareLunker program recorded 1,071 largemouth bass entries from 469 anglers across 93 Texas public waterbodies, including notable recaptures and offspring tracking. Jennifer Fisher won the $5,000 Bass Pro Shops grand prize drawing with her 9.85-pound catch at Joe Pool Reservoir, while Cullie Belveal submitted the season's largest fish at 16.39 pounds from O.H. Ivie.

Maryland angler Garrett Davis caught Fish 691, a 16-year-old female muskie tagged by Maryland DNR biologists since 2013 on the non-tidal Potomac River. This marked the fish's fourth recapture and first by an angler, highlighting the elusiveness of muskies in a challenging riverine environment with significant angling pressure.

Deadstick fishing is an effective ice fishing technique that presents bait motionless or with minimal movement to trigger bites from inactive or pressured fish. 

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announces the sturgeon spearing season on the Winnebago System opens February 14, 2026, with harvest caps set for Lake Winnebago and Upriver Lakes. Excellent water clarity is forecast, and applications for Upriver Lakes licenses are due by August 1.

The John D. Voelker Foundation and the American Museum of Fly Fishing announce submissions for the 2026 Robert Traver Fly-Fishing Writing Award, offering a $2,500 prize for distinguished fly-fishing stories or essays. The deadline is May 31, 2026, with entries limited to 3,000 words and a $25 submission fee.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will certify Youth Fishing Instructors at five locations across the state this spring. Instructors will receive training, loaner equipment, and educational materials to conduct youth fishing clinics and can volunteer for Family Fishing Nights and outdoor expos.

Free Fishing Weekend on February 14-15 allows anyone to fish without a license, making it an ideal opportunity to try ice fishing. The event emphasizes the experience of outdoor recreation, fresh air, and time with friends and family on the ice.

Michigan is offering Free Fishing Weekend on February 14-15, allowing residents and visitors to fish without a license. The state is also waiving Recreation Passport fees and providing free vehicle entry to all 103 state parks and over 1,000 DNR-managed boating access sites.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced $12.5 million in funding for 30 conservation projects in the Delaware River watershed, generating $29.3 million in total investment. Projects will restore habitats, improve water quality, and enhance public access across Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department requires ice fishing shanties be removed before ice weakens or by March 29th, whichever comes first. Failure to remove shanties and contents can result in fines, license points, and shanties are prohibited at state fishing access areas.

Vision Marine Technologies partnered with Nautical Ventures to launch the Specter, a 26'6" electric tritoon featuring a 180 horsepower E-Motion outboard. The platform will be showcased at the Miami International Boat Show and Montreal Boat and Watersports Show.

Fish Monkey and Hunt Monkey will showcase their full product lines at the Nation's Best Sports Fall 2026 Spring Semi-Annual Market in Oklahoma City, February 10-13, featuring hunting gear, winter fishing apparel, waterproof gloves, and merino wool socks at Booth #1900.

DAIWA will exhibit new 2026 fishing tackle at the Miami International Boat Show (February 11-15), featuring the SEABORG 500J electric reel, SALTIGA 30000P big-game spinning reel, Certate SW and Certate HD reels, and new Procyon rods. Exhibiting dealers Captain Harry's Fishing Supply, Crook & Crook Marine and Tackle, and El Capitan Marine and Fishing Supply will spool DAIWA reels with J-BRAID.

Wes Logan finished fifth at the FXR Bassmaster Elite on Lake Guntersville and earned an additional $2,500 through the Yamaha Power Pay program. The Alabama native praised his Yamaha 250-horsepower V MAX SHO outboard for its reliability in extreme cold conditions, emphasizing proper maintenance and the benefits of competing with Yamaha-powered boats.

Pursuit Channel highlights its flagship Sportfishing Sunday block airing every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. ET, featuring shows like Vice Versa Saltwater Adventures with Scott Martin, Texas Team Trail, National Walleye Tour, and Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Series. The 2026 lineup reached 158.4 million total viewers across all platforms in 2025.

World Fishing Network debuts "Reel In Canada Fridays," a Friday night promotional lineup featuring eight fishing shows including Lisa Roper Outdoors, The New Fly Fisher with Alyx Parks, Connect Fishing Experience, Fish TV, Fish n' Canada, West Coast Sporting Journal, BC Outdoors Sportfishing, and Fishing the Wild West, with past seasons available on MyOutdoorTV.

World Fishing Network launches "Reel In Canada Fridays," a Friday night programming block featuring shows like Lisa Roper Outdoors, The New Fly Fisher with Alyx Parks, Connect Fishing Experience with Josh Statham, Fish TV, Fish n' Canada, and BC Outdoors Sportfishing with Mike Mitchell and Garett Ellingham, showcasing Canada's premier fishing destinations.

Drew Gill won the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 1 at Harris Chain of Lakes with a 66-4 total weight, earning $100,500 and leading Angler of the Year points on Major League Fishing's top circuits. Gill defeated Brody Campbell by nearly 18 pounds while fishing for suspended offshore fish in Lake Beauclair.

The 2026 Lippert Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin runs Feb. 12-15 in Alexander City, Alabama. According to 2025 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens champion Lucas Lindsay, warming water will push bass to prespawn staging areas, with shallow dock fishing and swimbaits like Berkley Cull Shad expected to be key patterns for the 101-angler field competing for a $100,000 first-place prize.

Hank Cherry won the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville with 88 pounds, 11 ounces, edging Stetson Blaylock by 1-13 to claim the $100,000 top prize. Cherry primarily used a 3-inch hand-poured chartreuse curly tail grub, dedicating his fifth Bassmaster victory to his father Harold, Sr.

World Bass Enterprises, founded by Texas entrepreneur Brian Bird, announced The Champions, a new professional bass fishing championship scheduled for October 28–November 1, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee. The event will feature a record $3 million-plus purse with a $1.25 million first-place payout and will unite top anglers from the Bassmaster Elite Series and Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour.

Major coastal fish kills across the southeast coasts from the recent cold has turned up the heat on stocking popular species like redfish, trout and snook to restore fishing quality.

But is it an effective strategy or just a feel-good effort with no measurable result in the reality of more catchable fish in the water?

Stocking fish — releasing hatchery-raised fry or fingerlings into public waters — is common and successful in many freshwater fisheries—landlocked stripers as well as put-and-take rainbow and brown trout are notable examples. But for coastal gamefish such as redfish (red drum), spotted seatrout and common snook, success is harder to measure and perhaps less frequent.

These are species prized by anglers, subject to environmental stresses and historically managed with regulations on harvest and habitat protection. In Florida, Texas and a few other states, biologists have also tried hatchery enhancement as a tool to supplement wild recruitment. But does stocking actually translate into stronger adult populations? The short answer from decades of research and management experience: sometimes — but rarely as a standalone solution.

Stocking in Florida: Research, Trials and Limited Returns

Florida’s Marine Fisheries Stock Enhancement program — led by the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — has been experimenting with hatchery releases of red drum, snook and spotted seatrout for many years. Stock enhancement there is defined as releasing hatchery-grown fish into the wild to supplement natural populations, with careful attention to genetics, timing, habitat and monitoring to maximize survival and minimize ecological risk.

Florida’s approach has been methodical and research-driven. Early pilot releases of small red drum around Miami and Biscayne Bay in the 1990s found little evidence that tiny juveniles survived and contributed to the fishery, leading biologists to conclude that release size, location and habitat quality matter greatly. Subsequent research emphasized releasing larger juveniles in habitat with good nursery conditions and more intensive monitoring. Even so, evidence that stocked red drum substantially increased adult spawning stock biomass or catch rates in Florida waters remains limited or mixed, and most successes have come when stocking is paired with strong habitat management and regulated harvest.

For snook, research and enhancement efforts have expanded more recently, particularly through work at the Mote Marine Laboratory’s Aquaculture Research Park. Millions of juvenile snook have been raised and released in parts of Sarasota County and other estuaries. These releases are part of carefully designed research to measure survival, movement and integration with wild populations. Scientists are still analyzing long-term adult returns from these releases, but early data suggest that hatchery fish can survive and behave similar to wild fish — though whether they significantly alter adult population trends in open coastal waters isn’t yet fully confirmed.

With spotted seatrout, Florida has also undertaken enhancement research, but the bulk of management emphasis remains on regulatory measures (size limits, harvest controls) and habitat protection rather than large-scale stocking.

Overall, Florida’s experience shows that stocking is a complex tool, not a quick fix. Hatchery supplementation can help under the right conditions (good habitat, appropriate release size and timing, low environmental stress), but it must be paired with careful adaptive management to produce measurable gains in adult populations.

Texas Bays: One of the Oldest and Largest Marine Stocking Programs

Texas has one of the most extensive saltwater fish stocking histories in the United States. The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) began stocking red drum in the mid-1970s after the population declined deeply in response to excess commercial fishing and cold weather kills. Since then, hundreds of millions of hatchery-produced red drum fingerlings have been released into coastal bays and the state has eliminated inshore net fishing for reds as well as sea trout.

By some estimates, stocked fish have contributed 6 – 17 % of adult redfish caught in major Texas bays, based on genetic tracking and long-term monitoring, indicating a measurable  enhancement effect. Researchers emphasize that red drum stocking in Texas is only effective when linked with smart harvest regulations and good nursery habitat; in some bays the contribution of stocked fish appears higher than in others, showing considerable variability in success from place to place.

Spotted seatrout stocking in Texas began in the early 1990s to help sustain populations, particularly after environmental stresses such as spring freezes caused fish kills. TPWD has released tens of millions of seatrout fingerlings since then, and long-term catch data indicate that populations remain relatively healthy, with some evidence that stock enhancement has helped buffer low recruitment years. Genetic studies are ongoing to better separate hatchery versus wild contributions to adult harvests, but preliminary results and fishery trends suggest stocking is one of several factors helping maintain population resilience.

Other States and Broader Patterns

Beyond Florida and Texas, marine stock enhancement for coastal gamefish is relatively rare in the United States. South Carolina and other southeastern states have marine hatchery programs that study spotted seatrout and other estuarine species, but these efforts are mostly research-focused rather than large-scale operational stocking.

National reviews of fishery enhancement have repeatedly concluded that many stock enhancement programs produce inconsistent results when it comes to boosting adult populations, especially for marine species with naturally high early mortality and complex life histories. Success tends to be highest for species with lower natural mortality in early life, strong nursery habitat, and robust monitoring programs.

Bottom Line

Stocking redfish, spotted seatrout and snook in U.S. coastal waters has shown measurable contributions in some cases — particularly for red drum in Texas bays — but solid evidence that hatchery releases alone boost adult populations consistently is limited. Hatchery supplementation can be a valuable piece of the broader fisheries management puzzle, but it doesn’t seem to be a standalone solution for sustaining adult populations in coastal waters—only habitat preservation and smart harvest rules can preserve our fishing.

– Frank Sargeant, Frankmako1@gmail.com