Want to catch fish? Get a license

A boater races through the Corpus Christi Ship Channel on her way to fertile fishing grounds. Don't forget: New fishing and hunting licenses are required each year by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Annual hunting and fishing licenses (except for the yearto date fishing license) expire every Aug. 31.

Licenses may be purchased at several locations in Port Aransas, including charter fishing agencies and the Family Center IGA. Licenses also can be purchased online through the TPWD web site (http://www.tpwd.state. tx.us/) or by calling (800) 895- 4248. A $5 convenience fee is charged for either option, and a major credit card is required.

Call center hours for license sales are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The online transaction system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A license confirmation number is issued at the time of purchase for online and phone orders, and the physical license is mailed separately. Confirmation numbers will verify that a license has been purchased, which is sufficient for dove hunting, but will not allow hunters to take fish or wildlife that requires a tag.

Some people purchase licenses for everyone in their family or hunting group by phone or online to help ensure that everybody who shows up to hunt or fish, especially those coming in from out of state or kids coming in from college, already have a hunting license waiting for them. Licenses may be purchased for someone else, even at a retail counter, but personal information for each person will be necessary.

Buyers should be aware of recent changes in license requirements, the most significant of which involves streamlining what had become a complex set of temporary fishing licenses created to provide additional licensing options for a variety of situations. Variations of the resident and non-resident temporary fishing options known as "Day-Plus Fishing Packages" have been consolidated into "One-Day Fishing License" at a cost of $10 for residents and $15 for nonresidents.

Anglers may purchase as many one-day licenses as they wish. No additional freshwater or saltwater stamp endorsements are required with the one- day licenses and one Bonus Red Drum Tag will be available for free with the purchase of the first one-day license.

A "Senior Resident Hunting License" and a "Youth Hunting License" replace what had been the Special Resident Hunting License. The fee remains at $6 for these licenses. Both resident and non-resident youth under 17 qualify for the new Youth Hunting License.

Along those same lines, senior anglers have several options under the "Senior Resident Fishing License Packages," which allows resident senior citizens to fish in freshwater for $11, saltwater for $16 or any Texas public waters for $21. The "Special Resident Fishing License" will be available only to individuals who are legally blind and will cost $6. Freshwater stamp and saltwater stamp requirements are waived.

In addition to a hunting license, all wing shooters will need to purchase a game bird stamp. Duck hunters also need to purchase a Federal Duck Stamp and receive HIP (Harvest Information Program) certification. HIP certification will be printed on the license at the time of sale only after the purchaser answers a few brief migratory bird questions. Lifetime license holders must also be HIP-certified and purchase the Federal Duck Stamp to hunt migratory birds. All other state stamp endorsements are included with a lifetime license.