A current consumption advisory applies to fish caught from the Trinity River in the area near Midway. Know what to keep, what to limit, and what to avoid before you eat your catch.
The information on this page summarizes the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) fish consumption advisory for the Trinity River corridor from US 287 to US 90 — the stretch that includes the area near Midway. This is not a suggestion. It is an official public health recommendation issued by the state of Texas.
Always verify current advisory status at dshs.texas.gov. Advisories can change and this page may not reflect the most recent update.
The Trinity River advisory is primarily related to elevated levels of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that have been detected in fish tissue from this corridor. These are persistent organic compounds that accumulate in fish fat over time — particularly in larger, older fish and in species that are bottom-feeders or highly predatory.
The contaminant levels are not acute — eating a meal or two will not make you sick. The concern is accumulation over months and years of regular consumption. The advisory is designed to protect people who fish this river frequently and eat their catch regularly, especially those in higher-risk categories.
Most restrictive guidelines apply. When in doubt, do not eat fish from this area.
Follow the restricted guidelines for all species listed below.
Standard adult consumption guidelines apply.
| Species | General Adults | Women / Children (restricted) |
|---|---|---|
| Alligator Gar (any size) | Do Not Eat | Do Not Eat |
| Spotted Gar / Other Gar | Do Not Eat | Do Not Eat |
| Blue Catfish (large) | 1 meal/month | Do Not Eat |
| Flathead Catfish (large) | 1 meal/month | Do Not Eat |
| Channel Catfish | 1 meal/week | 1 meal/month |
| White Bass / Striped Bass | 1 meal/week | 1 meal/month |
| Largemouth Bass | 1 meal/week | 1 meal/month |
| Crappie | No restriction | No restriction |
| Bluegill / Sunfish / Panfish | No restriction | No restriction |
This table is a summary interpretation — advisory language and species groupings may be updated by DSHS. Verify current advisory at dshs.texas.gov. "Large" catfish generally refers to fish above 20–24 inches; smaller fish accumulate fewer contaminants. When DSHS specifies size cutoffs, those take precedence over this summary.
No consumption restriction applies to crappie, bluegill, warmouth, redear sunfish, or other panfish from this area. These are genuinely excellent eating fish and a safe catch-and-cook option for the whole family.
These species are fine in moderation for most adults — the concern is frequent consumption over time. One meal per week for general adults, one per month for women and children under the restricted guidance. Smaller, younger fish have lower contaminant levels than large, old fish.
All gar species from this corridor carry a do-not-eat advisory for all groups. Gar are long-lived, highly predatory, and accumulate contaminants at elevated levels relative to other species. Catch-and-release is the right approach for gar fishing on this stretch — and catch-and-release is exactly how most gar anglers fish anyway.
Since most contaminants in these species concentrate in the fat, preparation matters. You can significantly reduce (though not eliminate) your exposure with proper cleaning and cooking:
Crappie and panfish are excellent eating — and the Trinity has plenty of them. Book a stay and fish the river right from our ramp.
Book a StayCurrent stage, water temp, and fishing outlook — updated every 15 min from USGS data.