April 27, 2012 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

April 27, 2012

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Port Bay Club Celebrating 100 years on the coast.

Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

April 27, 2012

Volume 8, Issue 17

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Ling in early

Inside

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

❘❚ HUNTING

Deer on a bell curve Calculate the number of big bucks on your property.

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Tough turkeys

Ling are in full swing early this year.

Anglers in the know usually begin looking for the ling in early May. But this season they are showing up in numbers from Galveston to South Padre Island, and anglers are taking advantage with some solid inshore and offshore action provided by these great fighting fish.

Galveston deep sea charter Capt. Shannon La Bauve noticed ling around the jetties a little early this year, and he has been putting clients on the fish.

“We are catching a lot of them on the jetty and near buoys,” La Bauve said. “We are using live shrimp as bait,

SPRING LING: Ling are showing up along the coast right now in good numbers.

Many anglers have reported catching them near jetties, along with their normal haunts near wrecks, oil rigs and buoys. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

See LING, Page 13

North Zone turkey hunters battle wind, weather.

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Crappie scattered with rising, falling lake levels

❘❚ FISHING

Like most outdoor events this spring, the crappie spawn was about three to four weeks early in most parts of Texas, probably due to a mild winter and unusually warm water temperatures.

Even if crappie anglers were caught off guard, the fishing has been solid the past few weeks and promises to continue that way due to rising water levels and plenty of food.

“The fact that most of the lakes are full for the first time in two

New coastal lures Company forms in Texas man's bedroom.

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McQueeny cats Lake McQueeny holds some monster catfish.

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❘❚ CONTENTS Classifieds . . . . . . . .

Crossword . . . . . . . .

Freshwater Fishing Report For the Table. . . . . . .

Game Warden Blotter . . .

Heroes. . . . . . . . . .

Outdoor Datebook . . . .

Outdoor Business . . . .

Products . . . . . . . . .

Saltwater Fishing Report .

Sun, Moon and Tide data .

. . . . . . . . . . .

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years means we are having great fishing that will continue,” said Jay Don Reeve, president of the Crappie Anglers of Texas. “The rains really helped the spawn and provided good, shallow-water cover for the crappie to spawn in. Because of the early spawn, the fish are on multiple patterns right now and fairly scattered, making fishing a little tough.”

Fluctuating water levels held the early spring fishing back in some lakes like Lake Texoma.

“It’s been a little tough on Texoma because the water has gone up and down,” Reeve said.

“When you start dropping water levels, it sends those fish deeper and can make them tougher to catch. They either want to spawn or go deep. In some lakes, the fish never came shallow this year.”

Reeve said the better bite on lakes with fluctuating water levels has been in the 10-14 feet range.

“A lot of good See CRAPPIE, Page 13

Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210

❘❚ LSONews.com BIG BODIES, SMALL BEARDS: This old, 25-pound Rio Grande tom sported only a 7 1/2-inch beard and its spurs measured less than one inch. Drought and high stress from fighting are thought to be reasons for the abnormally short beards and spurs. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

Turkeys 2012: big bodies, small beards and spurs

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Much like antlers on a deer, beards on a turkey are ornamental.

They use their spurs for fighting, but things that aren’t necessary for survival are often the first things that suffer during periods of high stress, such as drought or lack of food.

Hunters are killing plenty of turkeys across Texas and almost all of

them are mature birds after a pitiful breeding season last spring. While many of the mature toms have good body weight, many are lacking beard length and spur size.

Case in point, Marina Sams was hunting on her father’s lease in the North Zone when she harvested a huge-bodied bird weighing 25 pounds. The old tom had a See BIG TURKEYS, Page 13

NICE STRINGERS: Crappie fishing has been steady, despite fluctuating water levels putting fish on multiple spring patterns. Photo by LSON.

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April 27, 2012

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April 27, 2012

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HUNTING

Bell curve for bucks Predicting number of big bucks on a ranch

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Each year hunters find new leases or, for those fortunate enough to do so, buy some acreage that hasn’t been managed or extensively hunted.

One of the first questions that pops up is, how many big bucks are on this place?

Thanks to researchers at Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, hunters now can make a highly educated guess.

Stuart W. Stedman, a member of the advisory board at CKWRI, has studied how mature buck antlers are distributed since 1986. That year, he shot a 236

3/8-inch buck on the Faith Ranch, a 5,000-acre South Texas ranch that had not been hunted and no supplemental feeding had taken place.

“Naturally, I wanted to shoot another one like that,” he said.

“We started looking hard at random capture data of mature bucks.”

What they discovered was an almost-perfect bell curve of antler scores, and Stedman recorded his findings in a several-part series through the CKWRI e-newsletter.

“The averages of the scores of randomly captured mature bucks varied with spring rainfall totals, but the average B&C

score was 133 — the low average was 121 and the high average was 143,” he said.

The ends of the bell curve dropped off.

“The bell curve tells us that most mature bucks are average,” he said. “At this South Texas ranch, 68 percent of the mature bucks scored between 115 and 151, and 95 percent scored between 97 and 169.”

The ends of the curve representing really poor deer or really great racks are rare.

“Many ask how many big bucks are on my ranch?”

See BELL CURVE, Page 21

HOW MANY BIG BUCKS? Most white-tailed bucks are average, according to a Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute study. Managers can increase the chances of having big bucks, though, through supplemental feeding and increasing the deer density of adult bucks. Graphic by Amy Moore, LSON.

North Zone toms still breaking off from hens

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS The birds at the bottom of the draw were clucking, yelping and gobbling loudly as a storm blew across the southern plains.

Each distant boom of thunder was followed by the cackle of hens and an equally loud gobble.

As the wind picked up, hail began to rain down, along with lightning strikes. The storm only lasted 15 minutes before blowing through Hall County and causing widespread hail damage and flooding in counties to the north.

However, during those 15 minutes, the turkeys went quiet and did not WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? Toms across the North Zone have been coming to the calls.

Jake decoys are working this season because of an abundance of mature birds. Photo by John Erikkson.

gobble for the remainder of the two-day hunt.

Many hunters complained that the birds had shut down from gobbling due to rain and high winds across the North Zone during the middle portion of the season.

Jason McAnnally, vice president of the Panhandle Region for the National Wild Turkey Federation, said the hunting was good until the bad weather rolled into the area.

“They shut down,” he said. “Before that, we were killing 3- and 4-year-old birds. They were henned up, but the hunting was still good.”

McAnnally confirmed what other hunters told LSON about beard length and spurs (see related cover story).

“We have yet to kill a bird with good spurs this year,” he said. “We are killing mature birds, but just not seeing any length on See NORTH ZONE, Page 21

Roundup removes 750 hogs Winning team brings in $18,750

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Pig Thrillers. That’s the name of the winning team in the 2nd Annual Wild Hog Roundup in East Texas. But the astounding feat was what they accomplished — taking 235 hogs over the 11-day contest period.

“We pre-baited our traps,” said team leader Nathan Phelps, of Center, after receiving the winning checks at the award ceremony.

“That and our trap placement were the keys.”

The bait of choice was a mixture

of corn and sour corn.

Wulf Outdoor Sports, the sporting goods chain with locations in Athens and Center, created the event last year, and prize money this year totaled $28,000.

“The goal is to bring more awareness to the feral hog issue and to get more hunters out there to help landowners remove them from their land,” said Wulf’s Marketing Director Virginia Solgot. “And we hope it will help create relationships between the landowners and hunters to keep hunting hogs.”

Wulf created a list of landowners that wanted help removing hogs to give to the teams prior to the event.

The contest, open to pre-registered teams of up to four members, ran April 11-21 in 20 East Texas counties. Teams who killed the most hogs over the course of the contest

battled for the $10,000 first place prize.

The total take was 750 hogs, up from last year’s total of 726. And the contestants weren’t all sporting boots and beards.

“We had a team of two doctor’s wives from Athens who won one of the $500 daily prizes for the most hogs,” said Wulf CEO John Ball.

After their polygraph tests, the Pig Thrillers team took home $18,750 between the grand prize, a $5,000 Shelby County bonus offered by the city of Center and daily prizes.

The contest was open for wild hogs taken on open range only, and the pigs could be taken by any legal means, including trapping.

The prize money was made possible by sponsors including Under Armour, Lacrosse Boots, Nikon, the city of Center, Farmers State Bank

and Shelby Savings Bank.

The $2,500 prize for the biggest hog went to the team of Attoyak River Boys, with a 303-pound boar.

Team member Brian Sample said they targeted the biggest-hog prize while hunting with dogs.

“We hunted both weekends and a few times during the week,” Sample said. “We got this one during the day. He wasn’t as big as the one we won with last year, though — that one weighed 400 pounds.

In Shelby County alone, 355 hogs were taken.

“They’re still all over the place,” Sample said. “I don’t think we made a huge dent in the population.”

BIG PIG: Contestants in the Wild Hog Roundup weigh in their entry. Photo

by Wulf Outdoor Sports.

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April 27, 2012

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The black holes of Texas

Texan wins 2012 CA Upland Game Bird Stamp Art competition

Why some areas hold lots of game and others don’t

A painting of a band-tailed Pigeon has been chosen by a panel of judges as the winning entry in the 2012 Cali.

Upland Game Bird Stamp Art Contest.

The painting, by Clemente Guzman of Lockhart, defeated seven other entries from across the country to become the official design for the 2012 stamp.

“I feel extremely excited and honored to win this contest,” said Guzman, who is a graphic artist. “I am tickled to death. I paint in my spare time at home and have entered these types of contests before, but this is the first time I have won. My thought was to show a scene in early morning where the pigeon is flying through the mist. It is very challenging to paint a flying bird.”

The competition was sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Game.

— CDFG

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Driving along the Interstate 35 corridor between Waco and Dallas, Texans usually don’t notice wild game like they observe along roadways in other portions of the state.

What is the reason for the lack of game animals in certain areas, while others, like the Hill Country, seem to be overflowing with animals?

In a word — habitat.

Animals such as deer, turkeys, quail and other game species need several things in order to survive, including a sufficient water source, enough cover to hide and readily available forage.

According to John Davis, head of wildlife diversity for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas is one of the leading states in wildlife diversity across the country.

“If you just look at natural requirements (to hold high concentrations of game), any place that has a diversity in topographic features and higher rainfall will have good numbers of wildlife,” he said. “But there has to be a distinction between natural and man-made ecosystems.”

The area east of I-35 between Waco and Hillsboro, known as the Blackland Prairie, is known for agriculture and lots of Bermuda grass pastures. These areas are not conducive to harboring big game.

“There’s not a lot of deer habitat remaining there,” said Alan

Cain, TPWD’s white-tailed deer leader. “Farming has taken over in that region and what deer are there are confined to small woodlots. There isn’t a lot of good habitat.”

But, if deer have ample cover, agricultural areas can produce huge bucks. This situation occurs across the Midwest, where corn and soybean farms are interspersed with pockets of timber big enough to hold deer.

Cain said deer densities from different areas of the state may be misleading because one ranch might have great habitat, while a ranch next door could be devoid of deer.

“One thing is for sure,” he said, “it depends on the scale you look at things. It could be a host of factors including the size of the ranch, section, county or even bigger areas.

Habitat quantity and quality are the biggest factors.”

Cain said an interesting question has arisen recently with deer and other game being seen in places that traditionally did not harbor game, such as Dallas, Rockwall and Collin counties.

Those counties will implement a hunting season for the first time during the upcoming season.

“Is that a function of habitat or deer numbers growing, or is it pockets of habitat being squeezed by development?” he said. ‘We don’t know. But deer will shift over time to find those areas.”

Other areas that have lower game densities include parts of East Texas, where a high canopy

Henrietta celebrates Turkey Fest 2012

HERE, BUT NOT EVERYWHERE: Some areas of the state hold huge numbers of game, while others seem devoid of large animals. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

created by pine trees has created less than ideal habitat in the understory and hunter pressure is higher. Also, parts of the Trans Pecos and the Panhandle have lower wildlife densities due to harsher climates.

However, for the deer hunter, there could be a silver lining in

places like the Panhandle with low deer densities — one deer per 128.22 acres.

“It’s not traditional deer habitat out there,” Cain said. “The trade-off is when there aren’t a lot of deer, they tend to have a better age structure and grow bigger bodies and bigger racks.”

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GABE PHILLIPS, 13, of Colorado Springs, Colo., Texas on New was hunting ne Year’s morning ar Breckenridge with his uncle 9-point buck wi and brother wh , th his .243 Rem en he took this ington. The mat Gabe had pass great ure buck stepp ed on a younge ed out moments r 12 point. He deer scored ar after stopped the bu ound 120 B&C. ck with one sh ot. The

The North Texas town of Henrietta has a population of 3,600.

So when 2,000 people turn out for an event, it gets noticed. That’s how many showed up for Turkey Fest the weekend of April 21-22.

According to Betty Ellsworth, executive director of the local chamber of commerce, the event was “spectacular.”

A hunt for celebrities and locals followed the festival, with 21 birds shot during the weekend from celebrities such as Michael Aho from the TV show “Huntin’ the World.” Aho won the celebrity division with a turkey that scored 60.75 on the National Wild Turkey Federation scoring system.

The overall winner was 11-year-old Blaine Martin, who killed a triplebearded bird scoring 71.56.

— Staff report

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April 27, 2012

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Management of creeks and streams for wildlife

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS A riparian area usually composes less than one percent of a property owner’s total acreage.

But its importance to wildlife is much higher, according to Sky Lewey, resource protection and education director at the Nueces River Authority in Uvalde.

The riparian area is defined as the fringe of vegetation that separates the water in a river, creek or stream and the upland.

Lewey has studied them for VEGETATION IS KEY: The areas along rivers, streams and creeks are wildlife havens. Allowing grasses and trees to grow helps hold water and increases the size more than a decade, and of the flood plain, while overgrazing can do the opposite. Photo by Steve Nelle. has discovered some myths that have proven untrue. storage, producing better fish, or mowing to the stream’s “It is an interaction aquatic and wildlife habi- edge, grazing in the riparian of vegetation, soil and tat. Without the vegetation, area, spraying unwanted vegwater,” she said at a webi- floods deepen the channel etation, burning or removing nar hosted by the Texas and carry the sediment away. large dead wood.

Wildlife Association and Despite the hassles of floods And getting the bulldozer Texas AgriLife Extension. and drought, both are essen- out during a drought is usu“Understanding it has tial for healthy riparian areas. ally a bad idea. changed some people’s “If there is vegetation, “Deepening or widenthinking.” floods leave sediment and ing the channel drains the Vegetation is the key, seeds,” Lewey said. “Drought water table and you’ll have according to Lewey. causes plant roots to go deeper less water,” she said. “And the “The most important and cradle the stream, hold- water won’t have access to thing the vegetation does ing the channel in place.” the floodplain to deposit the is dissipate the water’s The primary recommenda- sediments. energy,” she said. “It slows tion to landowners and man“The stream wants to the flowing water down, agers was to first examine the recover. Just remove the hinallowing the water to drop areas near creeks and streams. drance and allow vegetation the sediment it is carry“The streams will heal to get high enough to dissipate ing and build up the flood themselves, we just need to the water’s energy. We have plain.” remove the hindrances that seen streams recover in Texas, Good things follow, like inhibit the stream’s ability to and the process has been used erosion reduction, bank recover,” Lewey said. to restore blue-ribbon trout stabilization and water Hindrances can be farming streams in the West.”

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Nugent busted for Lacey Act violation Hunter, rocker and activist Ted Nugent has agreed to plead guilty to transporting a black bear he illegally killed in southeast Alaska.

Nugent made the admission in signing a plea agreement with federal prosecutors that was filed April 20 in U.S. District Court.

The plea agreement says Nugent illegally shot and killed the bear in May 2009 on Sukkwan Island, days after wounding a bear in a bow hunt, which counted toward a state seasonal limit of one bear.

According to the agreement, first reported by the Anchorage Daily News, the six-day hunt was filmed for his Outdoor Channel television show, “Spirit of the Wild.”

The document says Nugent knowingly possessed and transported the bear in misdemeanor violation of the federal Lacey Act. According to CNN, Nugent’s attorney told the Anchorage Daily News that his client, who has previously hunted in the same area, was unaware of the law, which was introduced less than five years ago. He told the newspaper he watched the video clip from Nugent’s show and the arrow “touched” the bear and stuck in the ground.

“There wasn't any blood trail that they could find,” Ross said. “There was a little blood apparently at the spot, but nothing that indicated the bear was hard hit.”

Nugent agreed to pay a $10,000 fine, according to the agreement, which says he also agreed with a two-year probation, including a special condition that he not hunt or fish in Alaska or Forest Service properties for one year. He also agreed to create a public service announcement that would be broadcast on his show every second week for one year, the document states.

— Staff report

Texas students aim for nationals The National Archery in the Schools Program concluded its 2011-2012 tournament for Texas high, middle and elementary schools.

More than 60 schools from across the state competed in the tournament, with the top finishers in each category moving on to the ninth

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

annual National Archery in the Schools National Tournament in Louisville, Ky. Top teams at the Texas state tournament included the elementary school champion team from Lamar Middle School in Lewisville with a team score of 3118, followed by S&S Elementary in Southmayd at 2665 and Union Grove ISD at 2543.

The Middle School Division was led by Kaufman ISD with 3274 points, followed by Lamar Middle School with 3159 and Arbor Creek Middle School with 3082.

High school teams were led by Canton High School with a record-high team score of 3332, followed by Argyle with 3265 and Allen with 3178.

A record 181 students from 21 Texas schools are signed up to attend the national tournament in May. Justin White, an eighth-grader from Kaufman, and Rhiannon Kosla, a sixth-grader from Argyle, won the top boys and girls titles.

“Texas-NASP is now the second largest state in-school archery program in the nation with more than 660 schools and 2100 instructors statewide” said Burnie Kessner, Texas-NASP state coordinator.

— Staff report

Boyt Harness partners with SHE Outdoor Apparel Boyt Harness Company has announced a joint venture with SHE Outdoor Apparel, a Texas-based company that designs and produces women’s outdoor clothing in safari, upland, camouflage, shooting, adventure and lifestyle collections.

The new partnership will utilize Boyt’s strengths in apparel manufacturing and distribution and will rely on SHE Outdoor Apparel to provide design, research and marketing support.

“One of our key strengths has always been our ability and focus to design functional and attractive apparel specifically fitting women who enjoy the outdoors,” said Brian Zaitz, CEO of SHE Outdoor Apparel. “We are proud to be partnered with Boyt to bring women a full range of safari, upland and shooting apparel and products.”

— Staff report

April 27, 2012

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FISHING

New lures from a Texas bedroom take shape Skinny Water Arsenal lures a hit along coast Skin

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Will a new lure created in his bedroom by a Texas fisherman take the coastt by storm?

The few that have tried the lures from Skinny Water Arsenal think it just might.

Henry Stokes, an electrician in San Antonio, who lives in Von Ormy, has been a kayak tournament fisherman on the coast for 8 years.

“It was frustrating — you were pitching topwaters and the treble hooks would catch the grass and spook the reds,” he said.

Inspired by his father, who died four years ago, Stokes decided to try to do something about it.

“I grew up fishing with him at Rockport,” he said. “In the ’70s, he was one of the first to create a livewell for shrimp and he had all sorts of fishing creations. He never would patent anything he created, though.

“I decided to try to make a soft plastic lure with action that had a slow sink rate and would stay weedless.”

The process involved a lot of trial and error.

“I looked at all the lures out there and saw what parts I liked and what was missing,” Stokes said. “I had never made lures before, so I had to teach myself. I learned about materials for the molds and the lures, and formulas to harden or soften the plastic.”

The hardest part was making the hard casts out of the resin needed to make the molds.

“They looked terrible at first,” he said. “It took until December before I was satisfied with them.”

Skinny Water Arsenal was born, with lures named the Stoker TT (Twitch Tail) and the Stoker RT (Rat Tail) in four colors: Airborn Assassin (purple), Bean & Cheese (brown/ chartreuse), Gold Rush (shrimp with gold flakes) and Moon Glow.

The Stoker ST (shrimp tail) lure is coming out soon.

Stokes took the lures to Dean Thomas, owner of Slowride Guide Services in Port Aransas and currently the exclusive dealer of the lures, for testing.

“It’s a soft plastic body with the hook rigged inside,” Thomas said. “It has a real natural action and swims very buoyantly.”

The weedless nature impressed Thomas.

“The trick is the shape of the hook and the wire — it rides with the point of the

saiid. hook against the body of the lure,” he said. yea ars “People have been modifying lures for years pla asto deal with grass, but hiding hooks in plastic costs you fish.”

The hook-up ratio passed the test as well.

“The hook moves like a hinge when the fish hits it,” he said. “The lure is grass-free th hook is exposed when the fish hits but the d this hook it. “We release a lot of fish, and gets them right around the lips.”

Stokes tested the lures himself, but also sent them to Port Mansfield guide Ruben

Garza Jr. of Snookdude Charters.

“At first, I thought it was just another bait try Garza said. “The first day, I fished with to try,” Dean and we caught trout 28, 27 and 26 inches long and good numbers of 4- to 5-pound trout.

The next day a customer caught a 28-incher, and I caught a 30 1/2-inch trout that weighed mor than 9 pounds.” more G Garza said the lure is truly weedless and durable.

“T “There were floating grass mats and I cast into them just to see,” he said. “The lure came bac without any grass on it. And it’s very back dur durable.

I used one for several days and caught a lot of fish on it before it was too torn up.”

Most of the fish were hooked on the side of the mouth just like a circle hook, Garza said.

“And the ones that sucked it in, the single hook was easy to remove. I was able to release the 30 1/2-incher and it had swallowed it.”

Stokes said new equipment will allow him to move out of his bedroom and make more lures, and he hopes their success could eventually replace his day job.

Thomas, though, was waiting on Stokes to ship him more lures.

“We can’t keep them in stock,” he said.

“There are cars sitting here with people waiting to buy them when we pull up.”

Capt. Ruben Garza, Jr. (832) 385-1431 Slowride Guide Services (361) 758-0463 facebook.com/skwars

TEXAS TROUT LURE: Jennifer Thomas landed this 28-inch speckled trout on a Stoker RT, one of the new Skinny Water Arsenal lures created by Texan Henry Stokes. Photo by Henry Stokes.

Shad spawning across Texas Bass anglers who know what to look for catching fish MORE SHAD COMING: The shad spawn is occurring in Texas lakes now through May. Bass will congregate near spawning shad, spelling opportunity for the angler. Photo by LSON.

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Madisonville Elite series angler Matt Reed was in contention going into the final day of the Professional Angler’s Association Lake Ray Hubbard event last spring.

The lake was fishing tough, but Reed knew where he could get off to a good start on the last day — flipping a swim jig around marina boat docks early in the morning.

The reason he was there?

“The shad are spawning around the docks,” Reed told LSON. “It

won’t last too long, but it is a good place to fish early.”

Two types of shad are prominent in Texas waters — gizzard shad and threadfin shad.

According to Rafe Brock, Texas Parks and Wildlife district biologist for the Fort Worth area, the shad begin to spawn in Texas when water temperatures hit 70 degrees.

“Current water temperatures on North Texas lakes are between 69 and 72 degrees,” Brock said. “Shad usually spawn near sandy beaches or sandy bottoms. Anglers can

look for glistening on the surface.

“They are tough to see spawning, but focus on sandy areas and around structure near sandy bottoms.”

According to TPWD, threadfin shad are found in waters with current and often found at a depth of less than 5 feet below the surface.

Spawning can continue into the summer months, with females accompanied by several males when they release eggs.

Brock said threadfin shad are less temperature resistant than gizzard shad, and a mild winter

meant large numbers of threadfins survived, providing game fish with a large forage base this spring.

“Threadfins came through the winter really well,” he said. “Two years ago when surface temperatures hit 33 or 34 degrees, there were a lot of threadfin that died.”

Gizzard shad are heartier than threadfins and traditionally spawn later in the spring, usually in shallow protected waters, according to TPWD. The eggs attach to submerged objects — often Styrofoam boat

docks — where they hatch within four days. Other spawning locations often include riprap, pilings, seawalls and bulkhead points.

Gizzard shad are found in all major streams and reservoirs in Texas, providing forage for most game fish species.

Spinner baits or jigs are great ways to catch feeding bass when the shad spawn is going strong.

Throw a bait parallel to the shore and be ready to set the hook, as bass will often hit as soon as the bait touches the water.

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TIGHTEN THE NET: Fresh bait caught each day in a cast net like this one being tossed by guide Ray Austin is the key to the guide’s success in hauling in big catfish at Lake McQueeney. Photo by Ralph Winningham, for LSON.

Lake McQueeny a hotspot for cats

By Ralph Winingham FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Even with as many as 15 fishing rods sticking out from the side of his boat like a pin cushion and each line offering a tasty live or big chunk of shad as bait, Ray Austin knows the big cat odds are stacked against him.

“I know there is at least a 60-pounder out there — the genetics are here so we just have to find the right place at the right time,’’ said

the veteran guide of TopCat Professional Fishing Guide Service.

Austin specializes in big blue and flathead catfish — lunkers tipping the scales at 20, 30 and 40 pounds are not uncommon — at Lake McQueeney and other lakes on the Guadalupe River, in addition to the Highland Lakes.

The 396-acre Lake McQueeney, built seven miles east of New Braunfels in 1928, is his go-to spot for hooking up with the big cats this time of year. Both the blues and flatheads, sometimes called yellow catfish, are spawning in April and May with females full of eggs often being the most aggressive.

The lake record for a blue catfish, a 41.70pound, 45.25-inch long monster, was caught last year on May 14, and the record flathead weighing 44.70 pounds and 45.5 inches long was landed last April 3.

Many of the anglers on this small impoundment devoid of public access and surrounded by million-dollar homes release the big fish caught on rods and reels, leaving

See LAKE MCQUEENY, Page 11

April 27, 2012

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TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT Rising waters TOLEDO BEND — Bass fishing on Toledo Bend has been steady the past few weeks in-between cold fronts, according to Ronnie Greer at the Holly Park Marina.

Greer said the conditions have been windy, but bass fishermen are doing well fishing shallow with soft plastics and deeper with crankbaits, boating several 7-pounders and a 9-pound bass last weekend.

“We’ve had 3 inches of rain the past week,” Greer said. “The lake is a little dingy, and I’ve been surprised (bass anglers) have done as well as they have.”

The crappie fishing has been good, with anglers catching them in deep holes and around boat docks. The bream fishing has also been outstanding, according to Greer.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 67–71 degrees; 20.37’ low. Largemouth bass are very good on jerkbaits, spinner baits, crankbaits, spinner baits and jigs. Catfish are good on cheesebait, shrimp and nightcrawlers over baited holes in 12–15 feet. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines, throwline, and droplines baited with live perch.

ARROWHEAD: Water off-color; 71– 76 degrees; 7.7’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits, lipless crankbaits, square-billed crankbaits and jigs. White bass are good on Road Runners and minnows. Blue catfish are good on live shad.

ATHENS: Water lightly stained, 70–75 degrees; 1.14’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on square-billed crankbaits and Texas-rigged soft plastics. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.

Catfish are good on prepared bait.

BELTON: Water stained; 67–71 degrees; 0.61’ high. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastic worms on the bottom. Hybrid striper are good on live shad.

White bass are good on light blue jigs. Crappie are good on minnows under lights at night. Channel and blue catfish are good on summer sausage and hot dogs.

BOB SANDLIN: Water stained; 70– 76 degrees; 2.77’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on soft plastics and shallow crankbaits.

Crappie are good on live minnows and jigs. White bass are good on Humdingers. Catfish are fair to good on trotlines or juglines with Redneck’s Catfish Bait Soap.

BRIDGEPORT: Water stained; 70–75 degrees; 5.04’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged green pumpkin creature baits and shallow-running large body crankbaits along secondary points.

Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs (best action midday).

BROWNWOOD: Water murky; 72–78 degrees; 10.04’ low.

Largemouth bass to 6 pounds are excellent on Shaky heads with plastic rattlesnakes and green pumpkin jigs along rock cuts in 1–4 feet. Crappie are excellent on

A 51-pound catfish was also caught recently on a trotline.

To contact Holly ly Park Marina, call (409) 625-4424.

Hybrids really good RICHLAND CHAMBERS RESERVOIR — “Fishing on Richland Chambers for whites and hybrids has been really, really good,” said guide Mark Parker. “The crappie fishing is just so-so.”

Parker also said the largemouth bass fishing has been average and the blue cat bite

Li’l Fishies and black/chartreuse tube jigs in 8–15 feet under lights at night.

BUCHANAN: Water murky; 66–70 degrees; 23.80’ low. Largemouth bass are good on lipless crankbaits, chartreuse spinner baits, and pumpkinseed plastics over grass in creeks.

CADDO: Water stained; 70–76 degrees; 1.00’ high. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue soft plastics and soft plastics around isolated cover. Spinner baits in the same areas are effective. Yellow bass are good on minnows.

CALAVERAS: Water clear.

Largemouth bass are fair on minnows over grass. Channel catfish are good on liver, shrimp, and cheesebait. Blue catfish are good on cut bait and liver.

CANYON LAKE: Water stained; 67–71 degrees; 6.72’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse top-waters and spinner baits, and on root beer/red flake soft plastics in creeks, and main lake flats in 10–18 feet.

Smallmouth bass are good on chartreuse tubes on jigheads, white curl tail grubs, and Bleeding Shad small lipless crankbaits along main lake points and ledges.

CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 70–74 degrees; 0.02’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, spinner baits and black/blue finesse jigs around main lake points and into the backs of creeks. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on live shad. Crappie are fair to good on minnows.

COLETO CREEK: Water fairly clear; 1.67’ low. Largemouth bass are good on perch-colored lipless crankbaits and soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows in 10–20 feet.

CONROE: Water fairly clear; 67–71 degrees; 2.06’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon Carolina-rigged soft plastics, and on small spinner baits. Catfish are good on stinkbait and cheesebait.

COOPER: Water lightly stained; 70–75 degrees; 0.84’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse shallow crankbaits and Texas-rigged craw worms later in the day. Green pumpkin

soft plastics are best. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared bait and cut bait.

FALCON: Water stained north, clear from marker 12 south; 70–74 degrees; 21.48’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon and chartreuse soft plastics, spinner baits and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are very good on minnows.

Channel and blue catfish are very good on frozen shrimp, stinkbait, nightcrawlers and cut bait.

FAYETTE: Water stained.

Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse Carolina-rigged soft plastic worms and shallow-running perchcolored crankbaits over grass.

FORK: Water stained; 71–76 degrees; 1.91’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastic baits. Shallow crankbaits on windy points are working well later in the day. Some reports of top-water bites being reported. Spawning fish are being reported on beds.

Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad and prepared bait.

GIBBONS CREEK: Water clear.

Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastics, spinner baits and crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows.

GRANBURY: Water murky; 66–70 degrees; 0.38’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse soft plastics, crankbaits and lipless crankbaits. Catfish are good on stinkbait and shrimp.

GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 70–74 degrees; 1.16’ high.

Largemouth bass are slow on watermelon Texas-rigged worms, watermelon finesse jigs, spinner baits and crankbaits along main lake points. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut shad.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 67–71 degrees; 0.58’ high.

Largemouth bass are good on June bug soft plastic worms on the south side of the lake in 8–15 feet. Crappie are good on live minnows off piers and over brush piles in 15 feet. Channel and blue catfish are good on stinkbait off piers and on trotlines

is going strong.

Parker said he has been putting a lot of white bass and hybrids in the boat using Sassy Shad and slabs in chartreuse colors.

The crappie bite has been trickier.

“This season has been tough on the shallow-water crappie guys,” Parker said. “With water levels up, there have been so many places for the crappie to go. They are starting to move to the brush piles, though.”

For blue cats, fishing with cut shad has been the ticket.

To contact guide Mark Parker, call (254) 479-0550.

Stripers hot LAKE TAWAKONI — The striped bass and hybrid bite on Lake Tawakoni has been fan-

baited with perch.

JOE POOL: Water lightly stained; 69–75 degrees; 0.23’ high.

Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, spinner baits and smaller jigs — midday bite has been best. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good on prepared baits.

LAKE O' THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 70–76 degrees; 0.74’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms and shallow crankbaits along main lake points. Isolated cover is the key.

Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 71–76 degrees; 0.85’ high.

Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, black/ brown jigs and square-billed crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs around bridge columns. Catfish are good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

LBJ: Water clear; 67–71 degrees; 0.59’ low. Largemouth bass are good on perch-colored top-waters, watermelon red lipless crankbaits and green pumpkin tubes in 12–25 feet. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse crappie jigs over brush piles.

LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 69–75 degrees; 0.39’ high. Largemouth bass are slow on shallow crankbaits along main lake points. Larger rock along main lake points producing as well. White bass are good on slabs.

Catfish are good on prepared bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 65–69 degrees; 0.20’ high.

Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits, spinner baits and soft plastics. Blue catfish are good on stinkbait, shrimp, and shad.

MONTICELLO: Water fairly clear; 79–88 degrees; 0.64’ high.

Largemouth bass are good on square-billed crankbaits, medium crankbaits and Texas-rigged creature baits on shallow wood cover.

The shallow bite is best early in the morning with occasional schooling reported.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 72–78 degrees; 1.45’ high.

Largemouth bass are fair on soft

tastic, according to longtime guide Dennis States.

States said the wind and weather have not been ideal, but when the weather cooperates, the bite has been awesome.

“A north wind affects this lake badly,” he said. “But the hybrids and stripers have been great and I am seeing a lot of sand bass that are bigger than normal. We’ve had a lot of great family trips the past few weeks.”

States said that he has been catching most of his fish on swimbaits, slabs and Sassy Shad on deep humps and lake points.

To contact guide Dennis States, call (903) 473-2039.

— Conor Harrison

plastic worms and spinner baits along the bank. White bass are good on silver slabs in 10–11 feet. Channel catfish are good on shad and stinkbait. Blue catfish are good on cut shad.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 70–76 degrees; 40.33’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on lipless crankbaits, Texas rigs, jigs and swim jigs. White bass are fair to good on tail spinners and live bait. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

PALESTINE: Water stained; 70–75 degrees; 0.13’ high. Largemouth bass are good on black and blue jigs and Texas-rigged soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair to good on slabs and minnows.

Catfish are good on prepared bait.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water fairly clear; 69–74 degrees; 5.28’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on Texas rigs, spinner baits, finesse jigs and weightless soft plastics. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair to good slabs and Road Runners. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers.

PROCTOR: Water stained; 66–70 degrees; 0.12’ high. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon spinner baits and crankbaits off points. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and shad.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 70–75 degrees; 0.05’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, squarebilled crankbaits and medium crankbaits. Swim jigs are good around riprap also. White bass are excellent on humps in 17–23 feet with hybrids mixed in. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

RAY ROBERTS: Water stained; 70–75 degrees; 0.17’ high.

Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged watermelon/candy 5” plastics, rigged with a 3/16 oz. bullet weight, pitched to standing timber in 6–12 feet of water around the mouths of creeks.

Chrome/Blue 5/8 oz. rattle baits worked around grass in 4–8 feet of water near secondary points.

Crappie are good on minnows in standing timber in 12–18 feet of

■ See Saltwater fishing reports: Page 16 water. White bass are excellent on slabs in 15–20 feet of water on humps and points toward the mouths of major creeks; watch for the gulls. Catfish are good around baited holes on punch bait.

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 66–70 degrees; 0.61’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse soft plastic lizards and worms. White bass are good on minnows and silver spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs over grass. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait.

SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 67–71 degrees; 2.77’ high. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse spinner baits and crankbaits. White bass are good on minnows and slabs. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait.

STILLHOUSE: Water murky; 66–70 degrees; 2.20’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits and spinner baits.

White bass are good on pumpkinseed soft plastics and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs.

TEXOMA: Water stained; 70–75 degrees; 0.08’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits and medium crankbaits along main lake points. Striped bass and hybrid striper are good on slabs.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 68–72 degrees; 40.80’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chrome topwaters, watermelon plastics, and white grubs.

WALTER E. LONG: Water lightly stained. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse spinner baits, crankbaits, and lipless crankbaits.

Channel and blue catfish are good on minnows and shrimp.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water stained; 70–76 degrees; 7.32’ high.

Largemouth bass are good on Texasrigged worms, shallow crankbaits and chatterbaits along main lake points. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on cut shad and prepared bait.

—TPWD

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Lake McQueeny Continued From Page 9

“Sometimes, the big cats will scoop up a bait the waters fertile with line-busting fighters.

“The key is in the bait,’’ Austin said. “You and swim sideways. One minute the line want to use bait that you have caught today will be straight out and the next it will be way over to the side. and the bigger the better.”

“When that happens, you have to crank His bait of choice is large gizzard shad and bluegills that have been captured using up the slack with about five quick turns of a cast net. The larger, 4- to 6-inch shad are the reel handle and then set the hook.”

The big cats also have a reputation of grabkept in a separate livewell from the smaller bing a bait and shad in order to keep bending a fishing the delicate baitfish rod double as they alive. make a run.

“If you mix the lit“I’ve got a couple tle ones with the big of rods and reels at baits, they will all die from the excess waste the bottom of the in the water,” he said. lake because they “Even doing that, the weren’t put back in shad just don’t stay a rod holder when alive very long.” someone checked a Because some of line,’’ he said. the shad die, Austin While Lake alternates his fishMcQueeny is hard to ing rods with both access, the lake prolive and cut bait duces for those who that seem to have manage to find a way an equal ability to on. Ram Medrano, entice the big cats a biologist techniinto biting. cian with the Texas Both live and cut Parks and Wildlife baits are threaded on Department, said large hooks and held HIDDEN CATFISH LAKE: Just a few pounds shy of the there has been some on the bottom with lake record, this 38-pound flathead catfish was caught preliminary discus1-ounce weights. by Bill Koehler of San Antonio during a trip this spring sion about the conStiff action rods and at Lake McQueeney with Guide Ray Austin. Photo by struction of a public 30-50 pound test line Ray Austin. boat ramp at Lake are essential to fightMcQueeney, but he ing any big cat that did not anticipate any work would begin in grabs onto a bait. the near future.

On a recent evening trip, multiple lines “It is really hard to say why Lake McQueeney were cast about 50 feet from the boat to is such a good lake for big catfish,” Medrano mussel beds that Austin found after years said. “There is a lot of good vegetation there of combing Lake McQueeney in search of and I understand a lot of good fish came into big fish. Other favorite fishing holes include the lake during the flood that happened in areas near the multiple boat docks that line the 1990s. Since there is no public boat ramp, the lake banks. we have not been monitoring the lake for the “What you have to watch for is the past three or four years.”

McQueeney Walk,’’ Austin said after all the rods were carefully placed in rod holders. Guide Ray Austin, (512) 663-1766.

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GAME WARDEN BLOTTER HIGH WATER RESCUE Two women attempted to cross a road in Palo Pinto County through high water caused by heavy rain. The women were able to get out of the car before it was swept away. They made it to shore but were trapped on an island. A third person used a small boat to get to them but could not get back. Palo Pinto County deputies contacted Palo Pinto County Game Wardens Matt Waggoner and Cliff Swofford. The wardens set up ropes across the creek and tethered a boat. One by one, the three subjects were brought across to safety and checked out by fire department personnel.

APRIL FOOL’S DAY FOOLS Briscoe/Swisher County Game Warden Clint Hunt came into contact with two Arkansas men hunting turkeys. One man was carrying a sack.

When he saw the warden approaching, he stepped into the mesquites and came out without his sack.

When asked what he left behind, the man said he was tired and needed to set his stuff down. The sack contained two turkey breasts without proof of sex. The second man had tags removed from his license and the tags fell. Hunt asked the subject where the turkeys were located. The subject responded the turkeys were at a hotel in Childress. After a short interview, it was found that the subjects had dumped three turkeys on a Hall County road on their way to hunt in Briscoe County. Hunt contacted Childress/Hall County Game Warden Gary Self, who searched for the dumped turkeys. Hunt asked the subjects to show him where the carcasses of the two turkeys they had were located. The subjects walked along a boundary fence of a neighboring landowner’s fence, but could not show Hunt the carcasses. Self

EAST TEXAS POACHERS RECEIVE BIG FINES, JAIL Wood County Game Wardens Derek Spitzer and Kurt Kelley and Van Zandt County Game Warden Steve Stapleton wrapped up a case known as “30 Deer,” that began in late 2010 with the discovery of a dead deer hanging from a gushing oil well pump.

The deer had been found with only the backstraps removed, dangling from the pump, surrounded

by oil. The investigation uncovered an extensive amount of poaching in both Wood and Rains counties.

The wardens were able to detail the killing of approximately 30 deer by four individuals. All of the deer had been killed at night from public roads with the aid of a spotlight during a three-month time span.

One incident occurred when two of the subjects

located the four turkeys and all edible parts that the subjects had dumped. Hunt returned to the area where he initially located the Arkansas hunters. Using skills that he had recently learned at a tactical tracking school, he tracked the men onto the neighboring landowner’s property and found the carcasses of the two turkeys. Multiple cases pending.

MORE APRIL FOOL’S DAY FOLLIES Mason County Game Wardens Randall Brown and Cody Hatfield caught two subjects stealing a boat on the Llano River on April 1.

Randall observed the subjects take the boat from a dock, walk up to a shed, steal two paddles, pull the boat to a gravel bar while leaving a trail of beer cans and load the boat and kayaks on their pickup. Hatfield approached the subjects with a deputy and when Brown got to the scene, they questioned the men about the boat. One subject said the boat had been sunk for a year and he salvaged it. Charges for littering,

shot two deer from behind a high fence at night and returned later with a pair of bolt cutters, which they used to cut a hole in the fence and remove the deer.

Along with the killing of the deer, wardens were also able to identify the subjects who originally shot the deer that caused the oil spill. Multiple stolen items were recovered and several theft cases

no PFDs, theft and trespassing are pending.

OFFER TO HELP CLAIM A FISH LIMIT FALLS SHORT Tarrant County Game Warden Clint Borchardt apprehended two individuals with 96 white bass in the bottom of their boat. A third person arrived to claim some of the fish. This still left the group 21 fish over the limit. Cases pending.

BOY TELLS TRUTH, DAD PAYS FINE At Falcon Reservoir, Zapata County Game Wardens Sam Padgett and Jerry Norris spoke with a young boy as his father looked for water safety equipment. The wardens complimented the boy for catching the fish in the livewell. Not to be undersold, the boy remarked that this wasn’t near as many as they had in the truck. Cases pending.

NOODLERS CATCH A BEAVER, CITATIONS Along Village Creek, Tarrant County Game Wardens Clint

were solved. A total of 22 charges were brought in Wood and Rains counties.

It is estimated that the three wardens spent 270 man-hours on the investigation. The four subjects received more than $41,000 in fines, 3,000 hours of community service and a combined total of 12 years of jail and probation time and loss of hunting privileges.

Borchardt and John Padgett noticed several vehicles at a bridge and someone loading catfish into the back of a truck. Members of the group said they had been noodling, since it was now legal in Texas.

Borchardt smelled marijuana and, while searching the vehicle, heard rustling in the brush behind the vehicle. To the warden's surprise, he located a beaver that was tied up. The noodlers had not obtained fishing licenses, didn't realize that they could not use grappling hooks for hand fishing and no one had a hunting license for the beaver that they’d caught, tied up and eventually killed. Multiple cases pending.

UNDERSIZED CRAPPIE KEEPERS CAUGHT Rusk County Game Warden Kirk Permenter received information regarding individuals who were keeping undersized crappie from a pier at Lake Striker. Permenter and fellow Game Warden Chad Gartman used the cover of darkness to

observe the individuals fishing from the pier. When checked, the subjects had several undersized crappie and largemouth bass. Citations were issued.

FISH LOOKED GOOD TO HIM, NOT SO GOOD TO WARDEN Aransas County Game Warden Karen Simmons observed a man fishing and catching what appeared to be small fish. When asked about the fish, the subject stated that he was throwing them back, but did keep three fish that looked good to him. The subject was issued a citation for possession of three undersized speckled trout.

MAN CAUGHT SETTING THROW LINES IN LAKE STOCKED FOR KIDS After a community lake had been stocked for a Kidfish event, Scurry County Game Warden Trey Kram received information on an individual setting throw lines in the lake.

Kram located the lines and observed the location from a distance. After a couple of hours, the suspect returned to run the lines. The suspect admitted to setting the lines and to knowing that the lake had a pole and line only restriction. Cases are pending.

CAGED BUCK BROUGHT TO MUSIC FESTIVAL Travis County Game Warden Christy Vales received a call regarding a 11-point white-tailed buck in a cage being fed from beer cans filled with corn at a music festival in Austin. Vales contacted wildlife rescue and made arrangements to tranquilize and transport the buck to a nearby rehabilitator once the antlers dropped. Several weeks later, the deer was transported safely.

Cases are pending for illegal possession of a live game animal.

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Ling

Crappie

Continued From Page 1

Continued From Page 1

but I had a client catch one on a fly-rod this morning. They will eat anything from cut shad to a saltwater fly.”

La Bauve said ling, or cobia, are normally around in spring, but he did notice them a few weeks early this year.

“They often come in here at the end of April, but they were maybe a few weeks early this year,” he said. “We are also catching a lot of kingfish out on 35-mile rocks. You sometimes find kings and ling in the same area.”

Ling like to hang around structure, making them fun targets of anyone fishing rocky bottoms, buoys, oil rigs or jetties.

Wyatt Hickman at Fisherman’s Wharf in Port Aransas said they have been picking up ling on their 12-hour trips.

“They are definitely starting to show up and we have caught a few,” Hickman said. “The last couple of weeks, they have been close in (to shore).

We are seeing about four or five dozen coming in on a weekly basis.

“On calm days, we are catching them near rigs, but with the high winds the past week, it has been

hit or miss.”

Hickman said they have been using artificials such as large Rat-L-Traps and feather jigs, along with squid and sardines to entice the hardfighting fish to bite.

One trick to entice a big ling to bite is to troll in and out of weed lines with a large artificial lure, such as a 7or 8-inch Rapala. The crew from LSON caught several ling by zigzagging through weed lines instead of running alongside.

Down south in Port Isabel, Capt. Todd Lohry said he has seen schools, which isn’t uncommon for his area this time of year.

“The ling are hit and miss all the time in this area,” he said. “They move through about now every year. I’ve seen a lot of schools of smaller ones.

“There are more now at wrecks and buoys.”

Capt. Shannon La Beauve, (713) 962-7502 Capt. Todd Lohry, (956) 299-0444

fish have been caught,” he said. “Even though they might be scattered, we have seen and should see more of some really good days.”

Reports from Cedar Creek and Lake Tawakoni have been good on quality, if not on numbers the past few weeks.

“My goodness, I have never seen so many beautiful homes and literally thousands of docks,” said one angler on The Texas Fishing Forum who recently fished Cedar Creek. “The shadows are your friend. On day one we kept 64 crappie and released at least 30 more. Day two was windy, so we only spent half a day there.

We managed to catch 17 nice fish and then

April 27, 2012

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drove to Tawakoni to get out of the wind.

“We picked up seven more big fish on Tawakoni.”

Another trip to Cedar Creek produced 64 fish in four hours.

“The first two days the fish wanted rubber with blue or purple,” he said. “They wouldn’t touch anything with yellow or chartreuse in it. Yesterday all the really big fish were caught on chartreuse and white and feather jigs that were chartreuse with a bright blue tail.

“All the fish were suspended between 10 and 15 feet.”

Granger Lake guide Tommy Tidwell said the fish were tough to find to because of high water.

“It’s harder for peo-

ple that only fish in the spring. Here, we had areas of willow trees in 1 to 3 feet of water (the lake was 3 feet high but is normal now),” he said. “Humans can’t get in there but the fish can. These are prime spawning areas, but people don’t think the fish are there because they can’t get to them.”

Tidwell said despite the tough conditions fishing the spawn, the big fish are there.

“The big fish have gone to the brush piles and it’s the best in five years,” he said. “The lake is loaded with crappie from the size of your hand and up.”

Guide Tommy Tidwell, (512) 365-7761

— Staff report

Big turkeys Continued From Page 1

7 1/2-inch beard and spurs less than 1 inch, shocking other hunters in camp due to the large body size of the bird.

Although many birds having short beards, some hunters have taken the occasional ground dragger.

Facebook fan of LSON Robert Steenbeke, from Schertz, killed a huge, double-bearded bird on April 18 that sported a 10 1/2-beard and another 7-inch beard with good spurs.

So there are some old toms still dragging around a long beard.

“Beards are hair,” said Dr. Bret Collier, a wildlife research scientist at Texas A&M University.

“They are an ornament and after a year under the food stress, the ornament characteristically will suffer. I’m not sure I would say it was specifically from the drought.

“There is an inherent variability in the species.”

Collier said more than the drought, the

fact that toms are actually strutting, fighting and breeding this spring could be a bigger factor for shorter beards on many toms.

“With so much breeding and fighting going on, toms will be rubbing and knocking the beard,” he said. “That could lead to shorter beards, especially if they were already brittle after the rough year last year.”

Jason Hardin, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department lead turkey biologist, said every-

thing was stressed after last year, turkeys included.

“We are seeing a lot of discoloration and smaller beards,” Hardin said. “The birds were severely stressed last year. It is nothing they can’t recover from with a good spring this year, but the turkeys were in bad shape.”

Hardin and Collier said the vast majority of the birds killed this spring have been two years old or older, because almost no breeding took place last year.

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TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT Sponsored by

Windy days KEITH LAKE — According to guide Lindy Hebert of Lucky Lindy Charters, the wind has been blowing strong on Sabine the past few days.

“After all the wind and weather, Sabine Lake has two sides,” Hebert said on his fishing report. “East side looked like coffee (not bad — brown but clear). The West side of Sabine Lake looked more like chocolate milk (real bad).” After getting blown around in the coffee side, Hebert only caught a huge gafftop under a popping cork.

After a trip to calmer waters near Pleasure Island, Hebert said, “the wind was calmer and we actually caught a couple of nice speckled trout. I decided since we were out of the water, I would try Keith Lake. My second

cast, I thought I was hung up and caught a nice flounder. After fishing that area really hard, that was it.”

Hebert ended the day with a nice mess of trout and several redfish after finding a group of seagulls over bait.

To contact Capt. Lindy Hebert, call (409) 720-8148.

Port A-verage P ARANSAS PASS —The fishing has been average in Port Aransas, but very good in av Copano and Port Bay, according to Capt.

C Cady’s Bait House in Aransas Pass.

C The manager said she got her first shipment of croaker last week and guides have been buyo ing a lot of it, as well as mullet and shrimp.

She said crabs have been in short supply, and they sell quickly when they have them in the store.

Other reports from the Port Aransas area had black drum being caught in the Shrimpboat Channel C a e on o crabs c abs and a d finger mullet, along with good goo catches of g sheepshead d and a redfish near ne the jetties.

Trout are also beginning to be show up at the sh jetty jet as well.

To contact Cady’s Ba Bait House, call (361) 688-3731.

Nice trout MARKER 67 — Capt. Mac Newton said the fishing around South Padre Island is just coming into the peak time, with the spring bite going strong for trout and redfish.

“We had a trip last week and caught two trout over 20 inches,” Newton said. ‘My cli-

NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under the birds when the wind allows on soft plastics and scented plastics.

Redfish are fair to good in the marsh on small top-waters and Stanley Ribbits.

TRINITY BAY: Trout are good for drifters working pods of shad and mullet on soft plastics and soft eels. Redfish are good at the spillway on crabs and mullet. Catfish are good in the marsh on shrimp.

good on the beachfront on natural baits.

the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet.

TEXAS CITY: Redfish are fair in Moses Lake on shrimp and mullet. Sand trout and a few black drum are fair in the channel off the dike.

SOUTH SABINE: Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp.

Trout are fair to good around the Reef on live shrimp and scented plastics under a popping cork.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on top-waters and soft plastics on the incoming tide. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair to good in Oyster Lake on shrimp. Trout are fair on shell and grass on soft plastics.

FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs in Christmas Bay. Black drum and redfish are fair to good at San Luis Pass on cracked blue crabs.

PORT O'CONNOR: Trout and redfish are fair on top-waters over mud and grass in San Antonio Bay. Trout and redfish are fair for drifters working the back lakes with live shrimp.

BOLIVAR: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on soft plastics and plugs. Black drum and redfish are good at Rollover Pass.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs.

Bull redfish and sharks are

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair to good for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Redfish are fair to good on the edge of

ROCKPORT: Black drum are fair to good in the Lydia Ann Channel on crabs. Trout are fair over grass while drifting with live shrimp and scented plastics.

en ent from New Braunfels had Br a personal best 25- incher.

25 We also caught another one that went 22 and a nice redfish that went almost 28 inches. We had ten total trout over 15 inches, so it was a good trip.”

Newton said scented plastics and other artificials were catching fish.

“The reds have been a little finicky,” he said.

“But one big red will make it worthwhile.”

Newton said more and more boats are out on the water, especially on the weekends, which is usual for the area in the spring.

Newton has been focusing on the north end of the island near Marker 67, south of the Gas Well Flats.

Other reports had Jack crevalle, redfish, sheepshead and trout being fair to good at the jetty on live bait.

To contact Capt. Mac Newton, call (956) 873-0444.

— Conor Harrison

CORPUS CHRISTI: Redfish are fair to good around Shamrock Cove on small top-waters and spoons. Trout are fair to good on the edge of the spoils on scented plastics and live shrimp.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good in mud and grass on Corkies and top-waters.

Redfish are good while casting to sand holes along the shorelines. Trout are fair to good on the King Ranch shoreline on top-waters and soft plastics.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are fair to good on top-waters around sand and grass holes

and along ICW spoils. Redfish are fair to good while drifting potholes.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout and redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on plastics shrimp and scented plastics. Jack crevalle, redfish, sheepshead and trout are fair to good at the jetty on live bait.

PORT ISABEL: Snook are fair in the Brownsville Ship Channel on free–lined shrimp. Trout and redfish are fair to good in South Bay on live shrimp.

Redfish are fair while drifting sand and grass flats on live shrimp and scented plastics.

—TPWD

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

April 27, 2012

Time tested traditions

Port Bay Hunting and Fishing Club celebrates centennial

By Craig Nyhus Photography by David J. Sams LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS A dozen redheads approached the spread of decoys, while two hunters waited in the “Middle” blind, located in virtually the same spot where hunters sat a century ago. One of the hunters wondered if the fast-flying ducks were the descendants of the huge flocks of redhead that swarmed Port Bay in 1912.

Both the birds and the bird hunters have been returning to The Port Bay Hunting and Fishing Club at least that long, as the oldest continuously running hunting and fishing club in Texas will soon begin its 100th year. Much has changed in a century at the club, near Rockport, but amazingly, much has stayed the same.

The club began as a camp operated

by Andy Sorenson, who purchased the property around 1900 and later decided to turn it into a club.

OLD TRADITIONS, NEW BEGINNINGS: Historical photos from 1950 taken by the San Antonio Express News Magazine show the Port Bay Hunting and Fishing Club clubhouse, launch and skiffs carrying hunters. Eric Nelson of The Woodlands may have been the last member to hunt over the old wooden decoys. A skiff is about to leave the historic “Middle” blind while yet another flock of redheads approach.

The club hosts more families than ever before, like club president Ralph McDade, who has made the club’s Thanksgiving feast a family tradition. And fishing has remained a popular pastime throughout the year.

Longtime member John Cooper of Houston has a copy of the original deed showing it was incorporated on May 25, 1912.

Unfortunately, records and photographs going back that far are either long gone or were never there.

The membership has remained near the century mark since the club’s inception, and initially was made up of a lot of out-of-staters.

“The first 10 stock certificate holders were from the North, places like Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois and New York,” Cooper said.

Early members rode the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad to Gregory.

Duck hunting methods, though, haven’t changed much. A launch boat pulling a row of skiffs transported the hunters to blinds set in the bay.

Today’s launch boat is a converted shrimper, and the skiffs have motors, but the practice still continues.

“Some of our members who came out as kids still recall rowing the skiff to the blinds,” Cooper said.

Lead shot has been replaced by steel shot, the old wooden decoys have See 100 YEARS, Page 22

Page 17

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April 27, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

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HEROES SHARE AN ADVENTURE ■ Want to share hunting and fishing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers?

E-mail them with contact and caption information to editor@ lonestaroutdoornews.com. High-resolution original jpegs only.

Mail prints to Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355.

Garland angler MICHAEL JUSTUS caught this toad in March fishing Lake Fork.

The big bass weighed 13.1 pounds and was caught fishing a finesse worm dropshot rig in 7 feet of water.

Florida hunters WILEY, 11, and BRAXTON GILLAM show two toms they recently harvested while hunting at the Plaska Ladge in Hall County.

STACEY BROOKINGS of Midland caught this 13.22-pound bass on March 25 fishing on O.H. Ivie Reservoir.

The big female was 26.5 inches long and had a 20-inch girth.

Brookings caught the bass on a spinner bait in 8 feet of water.

While hunting in Freer this season, Eagle Pass hunter RACHEL DRAEGER shot her first turkey. The mature tom had an 11-inch beard, 1-inch spurs and weighed 19 pounds.

The Whodathunkit Ranch near Brackettville produced this big aoudad on a Thanksgiving hunt for CHAD LAY.

ERIK MCCOWAN holds a nice 13-pound yellow catfish that he caught in the Colorado River near Smithville on a limb line baited with live perch.

RALPH VETTER from New Braunfels holds the 12-point buck he killed in December on a ranch in Comal County, weeks before his 69th birthday. The deer scored 140 B&C.

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

April 27, 2012

Page 19

DATEBOOK April 27

April 28-29

May 10

Coastal Conservation Association East Texas Chapter Annual Banquet Banita Creek Hall, Nacogdoches (936) 559-5500 ccatexas.org

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Bowhunter Education Class Tyler and Garland (903) 292-7014 and (214) 382-6087 tpwd.state.tx.us

Ducks Unlimited New Braunfels Dinner New Braunfels Civic Center (830) 660-2007 ducks.org

May 3

CASA of Denton County 12th Annual Pulling for Kids Sporting Clay Tournament Dallas Gun Club, Lewisville (940) 243-2272 casadenton.org

YO Ranch Game Ranching Seminar YO Ranch, Mountain Home 1-800-YORanch yoranch.com

Coastal Conservation Association Fort Worth Chapter Annual Banquet Joe T’s, Fort Worth (817) 291-1302

April 28

Coastal Conservation Association San Antonio Chapter Annual Banquet Freeman Exhibition Hall (210) 837-5500 ccatexas.org

Ducks Unlimited Winnie/Stonewall Dinner Winnie-Stonewall Community Center (409) 267-7116 ducks.org

Houston Safari Club Shoot for the Troops Greater Houston Gun Club (713) 623-8866 houstonsafariclub.org

Central Texas Safari Club Annual Gala Austin Crowne Plaza (512) 773-5674 centexsci.org Dallas Safari Club Big Bore Shoot Texas Pistol Academy, Whitewright (214) 980-9800 biggame.org Bass Champs Tournament East Region #4 Sam Rayburn Reservoir (817) 439-3274 basschamps.com

May 4-5 Tails and Tunes Fishing Tournament and Music Festival Galveston County Fairgrounds, Hitchcock tailsandtunes.com

May 5 Dallas Safari Club Youth SAFETY Event Greystone Castle, Mingus (214) 980-9800 biggame.org Bass Champs Tournament Central Region #4 Lake Travis (817) 439-3274 basschamps.com Texas Team Trail Tournament Lake Livingston (210) 788-4143 texasteamtrail.com

May 11 Texas Deer Association Corpus Christi Chapter Casino Fundraiser Richard M. Borchard Fairgrounds (210) 767-8300 texasdeerassociation.com

May 11-13 Great Outdoors Expo Horseshoe Center, Midland (806) 253-1322 goetx.com

May 12 Bass Champs Tournament North Region #4 Lake Tawakoni (817) 439-3274 basschamps.com

May 18-20 Legend of Lake Fork 8th Annual Open Bass Tournament Lake Fork (903) 383-7748 legendoflakefork.com

Arabia Shrine Sportsmen 8th Annual Fishing Tournament Matagorda Harbor shrinesports.com UV Country Grand Opening Celebration Alvin (281) 824-1198 uvcountry.com

May 19-20 Creekside Christian Fellowship 7th Annual Creekside Hunting and Fishing Show Creekside Christian Fellowship Facility, Needville (832) 287-5217 creeksideshow.com Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Bowhunter Education Class Pottsboro and Weatherford (903) 821-7640 and (817) 999-8585 tpwd.state.tx.us

May 22 Ducks Unlimited Plano Chapter Banquet Love and Peace, Plano (903) 372-6089 ducks.org

May 24 Texas Deer Association San Antonio Chapter Banquet Pearl Brewery Stables (210) 767-8300 texasdeerassociation.com

May 26 May 19 Bass Champs Tournament South Region #5 Choke Canyon (817) 439-3274 basschamps.com

Hooked for Life Kids Fishing Tournament Brownsville Event Center hookedforlife.us

Page 20

April 27, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

NATIONAL Polar bear bill takes a step forward Forty-one hunters who took polar bears in Canada four years ago but have been unable to bring the bears back into the U.S. got one step closer to recovering their trophies yesterday.

House Republicans and several Democrats voted 262-151 in favor of letting the hides back into the U.S. The bill still must pass the Senate.

Dallas Safari Club applauded the passage of the bill in a news release.

“For Dallas Safari Club, which has been working with Congress for three years to allow importation of legally hunted polar bears, yesterday’s passage of H.R. 4089 in the House of Representatives is especially gratifying.”

DSC has been most intensively involved in the polar bear issue. Since 2009, the club has provided Congressional committees with witnesses, information and support for legislation to allow importation of polar bear trophies taken in Canada prior to the species being listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Alaska Rep. Don Young cited the Second Amendment and the fact that two of the hunters were wounded American troops.

“They were in Iraq, in that heated area.

The one dream they had when they got back was to be able to go and hunt a polar bear.

And I can understand that,” Young said.

— Conor Harrison

Pennsylvania state record elk official The largest elk ever recorded in Pennsylvania, a bull taken in Clearfield County

by William Zee of Doylestown, Pa., in 2011, has been confirmed as the new state record.

An official measurer determined a final score of 442 6/8 B&C non-typical points, which ranks ninth among all non-typical elk in Boone and Crockett records.

The bull had nine points on the right ant-

ler and eight on the left, with a 47-7/8 inside spread. The antlers are unusually wide — an impressive 69 inches at their widest point.

The record elk is a result of a long elk restoration and habitat conservation effort that by the late 1990s began to generate significant tourism, wildlife watching and hunting opportunities.

The previous Pennsylvania state record for a non-typical American elk was a bull scoring 441-6/8 taken in 2006.

— Boone and Crockett Club

CA poachers busted with steelhead While conducting a search warrant for drugs, Mendocino County law enforcement officials were surprised when they also found endangered wild steelhead and poached ducks.

Department of Fish and Game Warden Don Powers seized 18 wild steelhead and 56 ducks from freezers in two locations while assisting the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department in serving search warrants for illegal marijuana propagation. The wild steelhead, 17 of which were spawning females, are believed to be from the Garcia River in Mendocino County, where they are protected and listed under the Endangered Species Act. “Enforcement efforts are critical to ensuring the threatened wild steelhead stocks are able to rebuild by returning and completing their spawning cycle on the Garcia River,” said Nancy Foley, DFG’s Chief of Enforcement.

— CDFG

Oklahoma bass records fall Just days after Poteau angler Benny Williams Jr. landed a new state record largemouth bass from Cedar Lake in southeast Oklahoma, an angler in the opposite southern corner of the state reeled in a new state

record smallmouth bass.

Ryan Wasser of Pocasset was fishing March 31 at Lake Lawtonka in preparation for an upcoming local tournament when he hooked a fish that he knew was special.

“The fish came to the top where I could see it, and I knew that I had a potential record-type smallmouth on,” he said.

At 8 pounds, 7 ounces, the fish outweighs the previous record smallmouth by four ounces.

Wasser caught the bass on a 1/4-ounce Shaky head rigged with a finesse worm and 10-pound test line. The fish measured 23 1/8 inches in length and 18 inches in girth.

“I was fishing in less than 5 feet of water when the bass bit,” Wasser said.

The new smallmouth record comes weeks after the Oklahoma state largemouth record was broken by Williamson Cedar Lake.

Williams was fishing with a Strike King jig when the 14-pound, 12.3-ounce bass hit.

Williams’ fish broke a state record held since 1999 when William Cross caught a 14-pound, 11.52-ounce bass from Broken Bow Lake.

— ODWC

Quail restoration efforts in Kansas The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism is launching a new quail restoration initiative aimed at making a difference in declining bobwhite quail populations.

The state initiative includes the designation of two large quail management focal areas and as much as $500,000 of KDWPT wildlife fee funds over five years to attract landowner participation.

Primary objectives are a 50 percent increase in bobwhite populations and a 5 percent increase in suitable quail habitat in each focus area.

“Bobwhite populations in eastern Kansas have declined by 50 percent or more in the past three decades or so and even more across other parts of its range nationally,”

says Jim Pitman, small game coordinator for KDWPT. “Biologists have associated the declines primarily with land use changes and resultant habitat loss, and they have joined forces across the nation as the National Bobwhite Technical Committee to counter the trend at a landscape scale with the habitat-based National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative.”

— KDWPT

Youngster lands big record Andrew Quinn, 8, caught an Alabama state-record king mackerel while fishing with his family over spring break.

The family was fishing with Capt. Billy Neff about 20 miles offshore.

After the 30-minute fight, Neff called and learned the standing record was 67 pounds, 15 ounces, caught in 2002. Quinn’s fish weighed 68 pounds, 3 ounces. Quinn will have to share the record with the previous record holder because of a state rule that fish that are 25 pounds or more must beat the standing record by at least a half-percent to dislodge the current record.

— Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

AGFC director announces retirement Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Director Loren Hitchcock today announced his retirement effective June 30. Hitchcock, who began his career with the AGFC in 1985, has served as director since January 2011.

Before that, Hitchcock had served as the interim director.

Hitchcock began his AGFC career as a wildlife officer. In 1989, he became chief of the Enforcement Division, a position he held until 2003. In 2001, he took on additional duties as deputy director.

— AGFC

OUTDOOR BUSINESS Executive Editor Craig Nyhus Managing Editor Conor Harrison Associate Editor Mark England Graphics Editor Amy Moore Business/Products Editor Mary Helen Aguirre Operations Manager Mike Hughs Accounting Ginger Hoolan Web site Bruce Soileau

National Advertising Mike Nelson Accounts Manager Advertising Sales Jaimey Honea Founder & CEO David J. Sams

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Martin, Stanley named HOFers Professional angler Tommy Martin of Hemphill and lure manufacturer and angler Lonnie Stanley of Huntington will be inducted into the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame June 2, at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.

Martin began guiding on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in 1968 and fished in his first tournament the following year. He turned pro in 1972 and won the prestigious Bassmaster Classic just two years later.

He was inducted into the National Bass Fishing Hall of Fame in 2003.

Stanley, owner of Stanley Baits, Inc., started building jigs in 1979 after winning a tournament on Toledo Bend Reservoir with one he had made. In 1980 he founded Stanley Lures, manufacturing jigs, spinner baits and other products. While continuing to build jigs in his garage in College Station, he won six more tournaments in 1980 and 1981.

Innovative ideas such as interchangeable skirts, silicone skirts and multi-colored skirts helped Stanley build his company into a multimillion-dollar organization.

— TPWD

Bell curve Continued From Page 4

Stedman said. “According to the bell curve, there is a 7 percent probability of a 160-plus buck in South Texas. If you know how many mature bucks (41 percent of all bucks will be 5 1/2 years or older according to the study) are in your herd, multiply by 7 percent.”

Can you increase the number of big bucks?

“You can shift the bell curve to the right,” Stedman said.

“You’re managing the bell curve. Good rainfall shifts it to the right, drought to the left.

Nutrition and supplemental feeding will shift the curve to the right. Supplemental feeding also increases the number of buck fawns on the ground, which will increase the size of the bell curve.”

Another way to increase the number of big bucks is to increase the number of total mature bucks on the property.

“When we started at the Faith Ranch, the deer density was one adult deer per 25 acres,” Stedman said. “That results in 36 mature bucks on 5,000 acres. Seven percent of that number is 2.5, so two or three big bucks. If the deer density is increased to one adult deer per 12.5 acres, that would result in 73 mature bucks. Seven percent of that means five big bucks.”

The full series of reports may be viewed at ckwri.tamuk.edu.

North zone Continued From Page 4

the beards or the spurs. Weights are up, but I don’t know if the drought affected the spurs and beard lengths.”

Florida hunters Braxton and Wiley Gillam killed three birds on a hunt in Hall County between storms.

“The dominant toms were henned up,” Gillam said, “but the subdominant birds were readily called. And we hunted one dominant bird one afternoon. He came into our setup, but Wiley, 11, couldn’t get a shot. So we went back the next afternoon, set up in a different spot, and called the same bird right back to us.

“This time, Wiley was ready and dropped the bird with one shot, so mature birds can be called with patience.”

April 27, 2012

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April 27, 2012

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LSONews.com

GOOD AS NEW: An overview of The Port Bay Hunting and Fishing Club exemplifies the commitment of members of the club and its current and former club managers.

100 years Continued From Page 17

been replaced by plastic, the bag limits are lower than in the early years, and most members are now Texans that drive to Rockport.

But there has always been a drawing held each morning for blinds, and now members draw a number from a custom-carved wooden redhead decoy with a hinged opening, donated to the club by Dr. Tom Nelson.

The rooms at the lodge sport names of ducks, with the last reservation usually receiving the Spoonbill room.

Early members included some interesting characters, such as Gov. G.W. Peck of Wisconsin and Tris Speaker, a Baseball Hall of Famer with a 22-year career mostly with the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians.

Admiral A.L. Mertz, retired from the U.S. Navy, came down from 1921 to 1936.

Jon Clarkson of Houston is a current member, but his family connections go back to the club’s inception.

“We’re pretty sure my great-grandfather, William Clarkson Sr., was a charter member of the club,” Clarkson said. His son and my grandfather was a member for 20 years beginning in 1930. My dad, William Clarkson III, went to Port Bay as a child and joined after World War II. He remained at the club until his death last year at age 90 — a 65-year member. I joined in 1975, so I’m at 37 years.”

Jon Clarkson’s brother, William Clarkson IV, was a member for 10 years until moving to Atlanta, but Jon has two sons and a daughter and expects the family string of membership to continue.

“I hope they will be applying for membership soon,” he said.

Two stalwarts who helped make the club what it is were former managers Milton Harrell and David “Bubba” Davis.

“They were incredible — true outdoorsmen, accomplished hunters and David was the best trout/redfish guy I have ever been around,” Clarkson said. “Best of all, they did better with the members' children than they did with the grouchy members.”

Dr. Bill Cox of Galveston, a 42-year club member and a regular duck hunter, called Harrell “the best hunter and fisherman ever.”

“The blinds were perfectly placed and he would tell you how to place your allotted 18 wooden decoys.

“But he wasn't much on maintenance.”

In the 1970s, the club’s facilities began declining, Cox said.

“Paint was peeling and the bathroom facilities were in bad shape,” Cox said. “It was so bad that once I decided to go out in the bushes outside the building. Once my pants were down, I noticed four other people doing the same thing.”

The duck hunting was good, though, albeit less convenient.

“We rarely had guides back then and members brought their own outboard motors from home,” Cox said. “Some of the old skiffs leaked. Harrell’s reply to that was ‘a leaky boat is more stable and easier to shoot from.’”

Although the late 1980s brought an economic downturn and a loss of members, the remaining members responded.

“We issued Port Bay Bonds to get money to fix the place up,” Cox said. “The revenue was used to perform structural work on the buildings and build a dining hall.”

In the ’90s, members donated their outboards to the club and new bathrooms were built. The manager at the time, Robert Atkins, built new skiffs.

Improvements continued in the 2000s under former manager Jeff Kucera.

The changes have drawn new families to the club while maintaining the centurylong traditions.

And families are showing up in numbers, with the youngsters free to roam the club and renew friendships each year while the adults gather by the nightly campfire that burns whether the temperature is 30 or 80 degrees.

Alan Skrobarcek, who has worked at the club for years and is known for being able to fix any mechanical problem in short order, is now the club manager and is overseeing the construction of the Bubba Davis Memorial Rec Room. And assistant manager Jeremy Griffis has worked at the club more than half of his entire life, devoted to keeping the club going.

Showing their desire to preserve marsh areas and the hunting opportunities they create, club members recently purchased 450 acres of marsh adjacent to the club.

“The club is in better shape now that it ever has been,” Cox said.

The redhead ducks missed the Centennial Celebration for members of the club on Apr. 27. But rest assured, come November, they will be back.

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April 27, 2012

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April 27, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Sun | Moon | Tides Height 0.3L 0.5L 0.7L 0.9L 1.2L 2.3H 2.7H 3.0H 3.3H 3.4H 3.4H 3.3H 3.1H -0.3L 0.1L

Time 9:52 AM 10:42 AM 11:18 AM 11:42 AM 12:00 PM 6:14 AM 7:24 AM 8:28 AM 9:26 AM 10:20 AM 11:12 AM 12:08 PM 1:26 PM 8:52 AM 9:48 AM

Height 2.6H 2.6H 2.5H 2.4H 2.4H 1.4L 1.7L 2.0L 2.3L 2.5L 2.6L 2.6L 2.6L 2.9H 2.8H

Time

Height

Time

Height

5:51 PM 6:06 PM 12:17 PM 12:34 PM 12:53 PM 1:16 PM 1:44 PM 2:17 PM 2:54 PM 3:33 PM

1.7L 1.3L 2.3H 2.3H 2.4H 2.5H 2.6H 2.7H 2.7H 2.6H

10:58 PM

2.1H

6:38 PM 7:17 PM 8:00 PM 8:46 PM 9:35 PM 10:26 PM 11:20 PM

0.7L 0.2L -0.3L -0.6L -0.8L -0.8L -0.6L

Galveston Bay entrance, south jetty Date Time Apr 27 1:05 AM Apr 28 1:57 AM Apr 29 2:58 AM Apr 30 4:07 AM May 01 5:24 AM May 02 1:22 AM May 03 2:38 AM May 04 3:43 AM May 05 4:43 AM May 06 5:42 AM May 07 6:39 AM May 08 7:38 AM May 09 8:39 AM May 10 12:43 AM May 11 1:46 AM

Height 0.3L 0.4L 0.5L 0.7L 0.9L 1.9H 2.1H 2.4H 2.6H 2.7H 2.7H 2.6H 2.5H -0.3L 0.1L

Time 10:39 AM 11:29 AM 12:05 PM 12:29 PM 12:47 PM 6:40 AM 7:50 AM 8:54 AM 9:52 AM 10:46 AM 11:38 AM 12:34 PM 1:52 PM 9:39 AM 10:35 AM

Time

Height

Time

Height

6:17 PM 6:32 PM 1:04 PM 1:21 PM 1:40 PM 2:03 PM 2:31 PM 3:04 PM 3:41 PM 4:20 PM

1.4L 1.0L 1.9H 1.9H 1.9H 2.0H 2.1H 2.2H 2.2H 2.1H

11:45 PM

1.7H

7:04 PM 7:43 PM 8:26 PM 9:12 PM 10:01 PM 10:52 PM 11:46 PM

0.6L 0.2L -0.2L -0.5L -0.6L -0.6L -0.5L

Last

May 6

May 21

May 13

Date Time Apr 27 3:59 AM Apr 28 4:57 AM Apr 29 5:55 AM Apr 30 6:54 AM May 01 7:58 AM May 02 5:50 AM May 03 7:12 AM May 04 8:22 AM May 05 9:29 AM May 06 10:40 AM May 07 12:17 AM May 08 1:15 AM May 09 2:16 AM May 10 3:19 AM May 11 4:20 AM

Houston Height 0.2L 0.3L 0.4L 0.4L 0.6L 0.7H 0.8H 0.9H 1.0H 1.1H 0.0L -0.1L 0.0L 0.0L 0.1L

Time 3:21 PM 3:56 PM 4:20 PM 4:30 PM 2:33 PM 9:24 AM 9:59 PM 10:38 PM 11:25 PM

Height 0.9H 0.9H 0.8H 0.8H 0.7H 0.7L 0.3L 0.1L 0.0L

12:01 PM 1:28 PM 2:43 PM 3:30 PM 3:15 PM

1.1H 1.1H 1.1H 1.0H 0.9H

Height 0.2L 0.2L 0.3L 0.3L 0.4H 0.4H 0.5H 0.5H 0.5H 0.2L 0.1L 0.1L 0.2L 0.2L 0.2L

Time 8:14 PM 9:17 PM 10:42 PM 3:46 PM 8:13 AM 8:20 AM 11:04 PM 11:57 PM

Height 0.5H 0.5H 0.4H 0.4H 0.3L 0.4L 0.2L 0.2L

2:30 PM 3:30 PM 4:38 PM 5:51 PM 7:05 PM 8:20 PM

0.6H 0.6H 0.6H 0.6H 0.5H 0.5H

Time

Height

Time

Height

9:21 PM 12:22 PM

0.5L 0.7H

9:31 PM

0.4L

Time

Height

7:13 PM 1:17 PM 1:34 PM 1:51 PM 2:10 PM 2:33 PM 3:01 PM 3:34 PM 4:11 PM 2:48 PM

0.8L 1.1H 1.1H 1.1H 1.2H 1.2H 1.3H 1.3H 1.3H 1.2L

Date Time Apr 27 5:32 AM Apr 28 6:19 AM Apr 29 7:03 AM Apr 30 7:42 AM May 01 12:51 AM May 02 3:52 AM May 03 1:29 PM May 04 1:19 PM May 05 1:43 PM May 06 12:50 AM May 07 1:46 AM May 08 2:44 AM May 09 3:41 AM May 10 4:36 AM May 11 5:25 AM

Time

Height

Time

Height

7:54 PM 2:52 PM 2:06 PM

0.4L 0.4H 0.4H

Time

Height

Time

Height

6:40 PM 6:45 PM 12:24 PM 12:25 PM 12:16 PM

0.9L 0.6L 1.4H 1.4H 1.4H

11:10 PM

1.0H

9:13 PM 10:11 PM

0.3L 0.3L

Port Aransas, H. Caldwell Pier Height 0.2L 0.2L 0.3L 0.4L 1.0H 1.1H 1.3H 1.4H 1.6H 1.6H 1.6H 1.6H -0.3L -0.2L 0.0L

Time 11:09 AM 11:59 AM 12:35 PM 12:59 PM 6:20 AM 7:36 AM 8:46 AM 9:50 AM 10:48 AM 11:42 AM 12:34 PM 1:30 PM 9:09 AM 10:09 AM 11:05 AM

Height 1.3H 1.2H 1.2H 1.2H 0.6L 0.7L 0.8L 1.0L 1.1L 1.2L 1.2L 1.3L 1.5H 1.4H 1.3H

Height 0.2L 0.2L 0.4L 0.5L 0.6L 1.4H 1.7H 1.9H 2.1H 2.2H 2.3H 2.2H 2.1H -0.2L 0.0L

Time 10:13 AM 10:57 AM 11:34 AM 12:05 PM 12:32 PM 7:13 AM 8:38 AM 10:00 AM 11:25 AM 10:00 PM 10:51 PM 11:45 PM

Height 1.8H 1.7H 1.7H 1.6H 1.5H 0.8L 0.9L 1.1L 1.2L -0.4L -0.5L -0.4L

9:27 AM 10:17 AM

2.0H 1.8H

Time

Height

7:28 PM 8:00 PM 8:39 PM 9:22 PM 10:08 PM 10:57 PM 11:48 PM

0.6L 0.4L 0.1L -0.1L -0.3L -0.4L -0.4L

4:50 PM

1.3H

Date Time Apr 27 12:54 AM Apr 28 1:49 AM Apr 29 2:51 AM Apr 30 4:03 AM May 01 5:22 AM May 02 1:05 AM May 03 2:29 AM May 04 3:40 AM May 05 4:45 AM May 06 5:48 AM May 07 6:51 AM May 08 7:52 AM May 09 8:51 AM May 10 12:23 AM May 11 1:21 AM

Height -0.1L 0.0L 0.1L 0.3L 0.6L 1.3H 1.6H 1.9H 2.2H 2.3H 2.3H 2.2H 2.1H -0.5L -0.3L

Time 10:48 AM 11:23 AM 11:47 AM 12:05 PM 12:17 PM 6:44 AM 8:08 AM 9:38 AM 9:01 PM 9:47 PM 10:37 PM 11:29 PM

Height 1.6H 1.6H 1.5H 1.4H 1.4H 0.8L 1.1L 1.4L -0.4L -0.5L -0.6L -0.6L

9:43 AM 10:25 AM

1.9H 1.7H

Time 11:01 AM 11:30 AM 11:49 AM 12:01 PM 12:07 PM 6:36 AM 8:06 AM 8:10 PM 8:54 PM 9:42 PM 10:33 PM 11:26 PM

Height 1.6H 1.6H 1.5H 1.4H 1.3H 0.8L 0.9L -0.4L -0.7L -0.9L -0.9L -0.8L

9:59 AM 10:35 AM

1.6H 1.5H

7:08 PM 0.4L 7:40 PM 0.1L 8:18 PM -0.1L

Time

Height

Time

Height

7:06 PM 7:05 PM 12:55 PM 1:16 PM 1:33 PM 1:46 PM

0.9L 0.7L 1.4H 1.3H 1.3H 1.3H

11:34 PM

1.2H

7:23 PM 0.5L 7:53 PM 0.2L 8:30 PM -0.1L 9:13 PM -0.3L

Date Time Apr 27 12:44 AM Apr 28 1:37 AM Apr 29 2:39 AM Apr 30 3:50 AM May 01 5:10 AM May 02 12:45 AM May 03 2:19 AM May 04 3:37 AM May 05 4:47 AM May 06 5:55 AM May 07 7:02 AM May 08 8:07 AM May 09 9:08 AM May 10 12:21 AM May 11 1:18 AM

Height 0.0L 0.1L 0.3L 0.4L 0.6L 1.2H 1.4H 1.5H 1.7H 1.7H 1.8H 1.8H 1.7H -0.6L -0.3L

2012 Apr-May 27 Fri 28 Sat Q 29 Sun 30 Mon 01 Tue 02 Wed 03 Thu 04 Fri > 05 Sat > 06 Sun F 07 Mon > 08 Tue > 09 Wed 10 Thu 11 Fri 12 Sat 13 Sun Q 14 Mon 15 Tue 16 Wed

A.M. Minor Major 10:55 4:43 11:47 5:35 12:12 6:24 12:59 7:11 1:44 7:56 2:28 8:40 3:12 9:26 4:01 10:15 4:54 11:09 5:54 ----6:59 12:43 8:07 1:52 9:15 3:00 10:19 4:06 11:18 5:05 ----- 5:58 12:34 6:45 1:16 7:27 1:55 8:05 2:32 8:42

P.M. Minor 11:20 ----12:36 1:23 2:09 2:53 3:39 4:29 5:24 6:25 7:31 8:39 9:45 10:47 11:44 12:10 12:56 1:37 2:16 2:53

Major 5:07 5:59 6:48 7:35 8:21 9:06 9:53 10:43 11:39 12:09 1:15 2:23 3:30 4:33 5:31 6:22 7:07 7:48 8:26 9:03

SUN Rises Sets 06:42 07:55 06:41 07:55 06:40 07:56 06:39 07:57 06:38 07:57 06:37 07:58 06:36 07:58 06:36 07:59 06:35 08:00 06:34 08:00 06:33 08:01 06:33 08:02 06:32 08:02 06:31 08:03 06:30 08:04 06:30 08:04 06:29 08:05 06:29 08:06 06:28 08:06 06:27 08:07

MOON Rises 11:27a 12:24p 1:22p 2:22p 3:24p 4:27p 5:34p 6:43p 7:53p 9:04p 10:10p 11:11p NoMoon 12:04a 12:50a 1:30a 2:06a 2:39a 3:11a 3:42a

P.M. Minor Major 11:25 5:13 ----- 6:05 12:42 6:54 1:29 7:41 ----- 5:57 12:38 6:51 1:27 7:40 2:12 8:23 2:53 9:04 3:33 9:44 4:14 10:25 4:56 11:08 5:42 11:54 6:30 12:42 7:20 1:08 8:12 2:00 9:05 2:53 9:57 3:45 10:48 4:36 11:37 5:25

SUN Rises Sets 06:43 08:04 06:42 08:05 06:41 08:06 06:40 08:07 06:39 08:07 06:38 08:08 06:37 08:09 06:36 08:09 06:35 08:10 06:35 08:11 06:34 08:12 06:33 08:12 06:32 08:13 06:31 08:14 06:30 08:15 06:30 08:15 06:29 08:16 06:28 08:17 06:28 08:18 06:27 08:18

MOON Rises Sets 11:27a 12:51a 12:25p 1:32a 1:24p 2:10a 2:26p 2:46a 1:20a 12:19p 2:04a 1:23p 2:43a 2:25p 3:19a 3:25p 3:54a 4:24p 4:27a 5:21p 5:02a 6:19p 5:38a 7:15p 6:16a 8:11p 6:57a 9:05p 7:42a 9:56p 8:28a 10:44p 9:18a 11:29p 10:09a NoMoon 11:02a 12:10a 11:56a 12:47a

P.M. Minor Major 11:32 5:20 ----- 6:12 12:49 7:01 1:36 7:48 3:30 9:44 4:23 10:39 5:21 11:37 6:23 12:07 7:27 1:11 8:30 2:16 9:32 3:18 10:29 4:17 11:22 5:10 ----- 5:59 12:33 6:43 1:14 7:25 1:54 8:05 2:33 8:44 3:13 9:25 3:55 10:07

SUN MOON Rises Sets Rises Sets 06:55 08:07 11:41a 12:50a 06:54 08:07 12:38p 1:33a 06:53 08:08 1:36p 2:12a 06:52 08:09 2:35p 2:50a 06:34 08:28 5:41p 4:00a 06:34 08:29 6:51p 4:48a 06:34 08:29 7:59p 5:43a 06:34 08:29 9:04p 6:43a 06:34 08:30 10:02p 7:47a 06:33 08:30 10:53p 8:53a 06:33 08:31 11:38p 9:58a 06:33 08:31 NoMoon 11:01a 06:33 08:32 12:17a 12:00p 06:33 08:32 12:52a 12:57p 06:33 08:32 1:25a 1:51p 06:33 08:33 1:57a 2:44p 06:33 08:33 2:30a 3:37p 06:33 08:34 3:04a 4:30p 06:33 08:34 3:40a 5:24p 06:33 08:34 4:19a 6:17p

P.M. Minor 11:46 12:13 1:02 1:49 2:34 3:19 4:05 4:55 5:50 6:51 7:57 9:05 10:11 11:13 ----12:36 1:22 2:03 2:42 3:19

SUN Rises 07:00 06:59 06:58 06:57 06:56 06:55 06:54 06:53 06:52 06:51 06:50 06:49 06:48 06:47 06:46 06:45 06:45 06:44 06:43 06:42

Sets 12:38a 1:20a 2:00a 2:38a 3:14a 3:51a 4:30a 5:12a 5:58a 6:50a 7:48a 8:50a 9:54a 10:59a 12:01p 1:00p 1:57p 2:51p 3:44p 4:37p

Dallas 2012 Apr-May 27 Fri 28 Sat Q 29 Sun 30 Mon 01 Wed 02 Thu Q 03 Fri 04 Sat 05 Sun 06 Mon 07 Tue 08 Wed > 09 Thu > 10 Fri N 11 Sat > 12 Sun > 13 Mon 14 Tue 15 Wed 16 Thu

A.M. Minor Major 11:01 4:48 11:52 5:40 12:18 6:30 1:05 7:17 11:43 5:29 12:14 6:25 1:03 7:15 1:48 8:00 2:30 8:41 3:10 9:22 3:51 10:02 4:33 10:45 5:18 11:30 6:06 ----6:56 12:44 7:48 1:36 8:41 2:29 9:34 3:22 10:25 4:13 11:14 5:03

San Antonio

South Padre Island

Freeport Harbor Date Time Apr 27 12:57 AM Apr 28 1:50 AM Apr 29 2:55 AM Apr 30 4:13 AM May 01 5:42 AM May 02 1:03 AM May 03 2:17 AM May 04 3:23 AM May 05 4:25 AM May 06 5:26 AM May 07 6:26 AM May 08 7:28 AM May 09 8:29 AM May 10 12:43 AM May 11 1:46 AM

First

Legend: Major=2 hours. Minor=1 hour. Times centered on the major-minor window. F=Full Moon, N=New Moon, Q=Quarter > = Peak Activity. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of a location, and add 1 minute per 12 miles west of a location.

New

Rockport Height 2.1H 2.1H 2.0H 1.9H 1.9H 1.1L 1.4L 1.6L 1.8L 2.0L 2.1L 2.1L 2.1L 2.3H 2.2H

San Luis Pass Date Time Apr 27 2:01 AM Apr 28 2:53 AM Apr 29 3:54 AM Apr 30 5:03 AM May 01 12:15 AM May 02 1:52 AM May 03 3:08 AM May 04 4:13 AM May 05 5:13 AM May 06 6:12 AM May 07 7:09 AM May 08 8:08 AM May 09 12:42 AM May 10 1:39 AM May 11 2:42 AM

Full

Port O’Connor

Sabine Pass, jetty Date Time Apr 27 12:39 AM Apr 28 1:31 AM Apr 29 2:32 AM Apr 30 3:41 AM May 01 4:58 AM May 02 12:35 AM May 03 1:51 AM May 04 2:56 AM May 05 3:56 AM May 06 4:55 AM May 07 5:52 AM May 08 6:51 AM May 09 7:52 AM May 10 12:17 AM May 11 1:20 AM

Solunar | Sun times | Moon times

Moon Phases April 29

Texas Coast Tides

LSONews.com

Time

Height

Time

Height

6:38 PM 6:36 PM 12:07 PM 11:59 AM

1.0L 0.7L 1.2H 1.1H

10:31 PM

1.1H

6:58 PM 0.3L 7:31 PM -0.1L

2012 A.M. Apr-May Minor Major 27 Fri 11:08 4:55 28 Sat Q 11:59 5:47 29 Sun 12:25 6:37 30 Mon 1:12 7:24 01 Fri 3:01 9:16 02 Sat > 3:53 10:08 03 Sun > 4:50 11:05 04 Mon F 5:51 ----05 Tue F 6:56 12:40 06 Wed > 8:01 1:46 07 Thu > 9:04 2:51 08 Fri 10:04 3:51 09 Sat 10:58 4:47 10 Sun 11:48 5:37 11 Mon Q 12:09 6:22 12 Tue 12:53 7:04 13 Wed 1:32 7:43 14 Thu 2:11 8:22 15 Fri 2:50 9:02 16 Sat 3:31 9:43

Amarillo 2012 A.M. Apr-May Minor 27 Fri 11:21 28 Sat Q ----29 Sun 12:38 30 Mon 1:25 01 Tue 2:10 02 Wed 2:54 03 Thu 3:38 04 Fri > 4:26 05 Sat > 5:20 06 Sun F 6:20 07 Mon > 7:25 08 Tue > 8:33 09 Wed 9:41 10 Thu 10:45 11 Fri 11:44 12 Sat 12:12 13 Sun Q 12:59 14 Mon 1:42 15 Tue 2:20 16 Wed 2:58

OUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen

Solution on Page 26 24.

27.

28.

29.

33.

35.

36.

37.

ACROSS 1. Home to a rodent 4. This holds the charge 8. A species of deer in Florida 9. Good boat for lake fishing 10. They don’t kill but feast on the carcass

12.

13.

14.

16.

18.

20.

22.

A duty of the gundog Angler’s term for a large crappie A type of fly lure This prevents easy arrow removal An appendage on a turkey’s foot Term for a scouting method Good to have in a duck blind

Name for the large lake trout Forward end of a gun barrel A male elk A large game of the plains To move to a new area for food source A large grouping of animals Name for the leader on a fly rod Indian name for deer

DOWN 1. Name for a cold weather tent 2. The ocean stinger 3. The wintertime ermine 4. A large member of the deer family 5. Firing pin crushes against this 6. Commercial boats use very large ones 7. To expel a used shell casing 11. The fur seeker’s gear 13. The largest bass, ____ bass 14. Term for a bass species 15. The hill-building pest 17. Fish eggs 19. The practice shooting area 20. A North American waterfowl 21. The hunting area 23. Protects from skin slap on arrow release 25. Certain area where a game is found 26. A wild sheep 30. Part of a fishline 31. A brand of bowhunter’s optic 32. Term for a shedded antler 34. An animal resting place

Major 5:09 6:01 6:50 7:37 8:22 9:06 9:52 10:41 11:35 12:11 1:09 2:18 3:26 4:31 5:31 6:24 7:11 7:52 8:31 9:08

Major 5:33 6:25 7:14 8:01 8:47 9:32 10:18 11:09 ----12:35 1:41 2:49 3:56 4:59 5:57 6:48 7:33 8:14 8:52 9:29

Sets 08:28 08:29 08:30 08:31 08:31 08:32 08:33 08:34 08:35 08:36 08:36 08:37 08:38 08:39 08:40 08:40 08:41 08:42 08:43 08:44

MOON Rises 11:43a 12:42p 1:42p 2:45p 3:50p 4:56p 6:06p 7:18p 8:31p 9:43p 10:50p 11:50p NoMoon 12:42a 1:26a 2:04a 2:37a 3:07a 3:36a 4:05a

Sets 1:17a 1:57a 2:34a 3:09a 3:43a 4:18a 4:53a 5:32a 6:16a 7:06a 8:02a 9:04a 10:09a 11:15a 12:20p 1:22p 2:21p 3:18p 4:13p 5:09p

FOR THE TABLE Venison stew with rosemary 3 lbs. boneless venison cut into bite-sized portions 1 tbsp. sugar 2 large diced onions Flour 2 large minced garlic cloves Salt and pepper to taste 3 tbsps. bacon fat 2 tsps. rosemary 2 cups meat stock Marinate venison in buttermilk overnight to soften meat and clean taste. Wash thoroughly, dust with flour, salt and pepper. Brown meat on all sides in bacon fat over medium heat; add onions and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer approximately 1 1/4 hours or until tender.

— wildgamerecipes.org

Easy grilled honey glazed tuna 1 lb. tuna cut into 4 portions 1/8 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. mixed garlic power and salt 2 tbsps. honey 1 tsp. mustard lemon wedges Mix honey, mustard, garlic powder and salt. Brush both sides of each piece with mix. Broil or grill until tuna flakes easily with a fork (about 4 to 6 minutes to a side depending on thickness and how rare you want the tuna to be). If the tuna is more than 1-inch thick, gently turn it halfway through grilling. Serve garnished with lemon wedges. Yields 4 servings.

— easyfishrecipes.com *E-mail LSON your favorite recipe to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

April 27, 2012

Page 25

PRODUCTS GAM GAME ME S SPY D-551RXT: Moultrie Mo oult Feeders’ infrared digital game camwas redesigned for serious hunters in a era w e smaller size that is easier to handle and to ssma conceal. The 5.0 megapixel camera has a con night range of up to 50 feet and operates nig as a hybrid time-lapse plot camera by day and an a infrared-triggered game camera by night. Among its in nfrar features are a continuous shooting mode that captures fe eatu up to three photos per second; three picture resolutions and two video resolutions; a picture delay; and tion more. The game camera comes with a weather-resismo tant camo casing an tan asing and mounting strap plus a n exterpower port. nal p n rt. It sells for about $135.

(800) 462-4474 www.drslick.com

SEMI-STRUTTING JAKE DECOY: Part of Carry-Lite’s Pretty Boy Series, this jake decoy in a semi-strutting position will taunt those dominant toms into stepping up to a challenge. The decoy’s head is molded from a freeze-dried turkey head and is hand-painted in a true-to-life scheme to ensure realism. The decoy, which is made from a soft and pliable material, also features a synthetic beard that adjusts for length to go from jake to mature gobbler in seconds. It sells for about $50.

(800) 653-3334 www.carrylitedecoys.com

To purchase, visit: www.riverrocklights.com

THE FISHERMAN’S ASSISTANT: This noncorrosive deep-hook remover from Caliber Outdoor Products will help catch-and-release anglers remove that hook — hopefully without killing the fish. Rather than leaving the hook inside the fish or using such implements as needle-nosed pliers that can harm the fish, this instrument is specifically designed to extract swallowed hooks without causing additional trauma to the fish. According to the company, the hook remover allows anglers to dislodge and flip the hook 180 degrees for easy removal. It works on circle and “J” hooks — even when the line has broken off. The hook remover sells for about $25.

(855) 263-2990 www.caliberoutdoors.com

>>

NECKLACE: Fishermen who want to unburden themselves should turn to Dr. Slick. The company, which produces instruments for anglers, sells an adjustable elastic shock cord with a padded collar designed to hold gear. The cords has a tippet spool caddy, two RPD retractors, a floatant holder, and a waterproof fly box that accepts existing tools, fly boxes and gear. Extra features include a 10-pound breakaway safety connector, compression “O” ring clips that allow portability of gear, and shirt clips to keep the necklace from swinging when deep wading or casting. The fully loaded necklace includes a nipper, a hook file, a clamp and a bug jelly floatant. It sells for about $60.

NIGHTFIRE: This 3-inch-long flashlight emits 100 lumens of light.

Made by River Rock Designs, this 1-ounce flashlight is just slightly longer than its AAA battery, about the size of a .30-06 round of ammo. Easy to clip onto a shirt pocket or tuck into a back pocket or hunting pack, this is a serious little flashlight that utilizes an advanced high-tech LED to project light up to 50 yards or to light up a 30-foot by 30-foot sized room. It will run up to one hour. The Nightfire sells for about $30.

>>

>> >>

>>

(800) (8 800) 653-3334 34 www.moultriefeeders.com ww ww. eeders.com

CLASSIFIEDS HEARING SYSTEMS, INC. We make premium custom shooting earplugs, made with an innovative diaphragm to reduce loud impulse shot noise while permitting normal sound.

Call for an appointment.

(281) 855-8916 DESERT HIDEOUT Private: 3 bedroom, 1 bath, waterfront home. On Falcon Lake. Great hunting and fishing. $60,000 cash.

(512) 777-9377 SOUTH PADRE FISHING Reds, Trout, Flounder, Snook. Everything supplied but food and licenses.

Multiple trip discounts. Call Capt. Thomas for details or CDCT12005@aol.com.

(956) 551-1965 DECOYS WANTED WOODEN Duck and Goose. Top prices paid. Ask for David.

(214) 361-2276

$

FOR SALE LEOPARD Full body mount, open mouth. $3,250.

Must sell to Texas buyer.

Bob (972) 298-5383 rjsurvil@sbcglobal.net

LEARN TO FLY FISH CASTING LESSONS Lessons by a certified casting instructor in Dallas.

Group lessons available.

(214) 677-6307

DEER LEASE WANTED Lone Star Outdoor News is looking for a hunting and fishing lease with all hunt and fish rights.

Central or Northwest Texas.

Camphouse is needed.

(214) 361-2276

STATE WATERFOWL STAMP/PRINT COLLECTION FOR SALE 32 total signed and numbered state prints and stamps from around the country 12 state first; Louisiana, Vermont, Arizona,Kansas, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Connecticut, Idaho, Virginia, Nebraska, Canada, Australia. 10 from South Carolina. All unframed.

Great art work for any water fowlers office wall or hunting camp. Call and ask for David.

214-361-2276 HOUSE FOR SALE IN KERRVILLE Come to the mecca of Texas hunting in the heart of the Hill Country.

Awesome 3/3 with a guest house close to downtown and the ranches.

505 Elm St. Call (830) 896-5503 SIDE-BY-SIDE SHOTGUN Smith & Wesson Elite Gold 20-gauge, 26” BBL, English stock. In box, never fired.

(214) 361-2276 x 201

PER WORD

1

Classified Order Form

LAKEFORKLODGE.COM Recognized as one of the top fishing lodges in North America. Also booking upland bird, duck, deer, and hog hunts.

(903) 473-7236

2 issues minimum

Page 26

April 27, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Fish stockings set to begin in Texas lakes

Puzzle solution from Page 24

Catfish anglers in Texas can begin checking gear and getting ready to hit the water after the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department released its first catfish-stocking schedule of the season last week.

Sites in Amarillo, Austin, San Antonio, Wichita Falls and Waco will be stocked April 26.

Lakes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area will also be stocked April 26, except Lakeside Park in Duncanville where the dam is being repaired.

Stockings will occur there in early May. Sites in Houston, Katy and College Station will be stocked with catfish on Friday, April 27.

According to TPWD’s Athens hatchery manager Jim Matthews, three bass from the ShareLunker program have been spawned so far this year — two from Falcon Reservoir and one from Lake Ray Roberts. The fry from those fish will be placed back into those lakes within the next few weeks.

Other lakes scheduled to receive largemouth

bass fry in early May are Cisco Lake, Lake Ray Hubbard, Tyler East, Lake Worth, Hubbard Creek, Caddo Lake, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Lake Arrowhead, Millers Creek and Coleman City.

Stockings in those locations will run through the middle of June.

“Due to some western lakes not receiving enough rainfall, some stockings have been cancelled,” Matthews said.

Lakes not receiving stockings this summer include Lake Clyde, Lake Trammell, Wards Creek and Lake Pflugerville.

According to Rafe Brock, TPWD biologist in Fort Worth, they have requested Florida-strain largemouth bass for Lake Ray Hubbard and Lake Worth, hybrids for Lake Ray Hubbard, Lewisville Lake and Benbrook Lake.

They have also asked for smallmouth bass to be stocked in Lake Grapevine.

“We are trying to get enough smallmouth bass in Grapevine to get a natural spawn,” Brock said. “We are in the developmental stage, but we think Grapevine could be a very good smallmouth fishery in the future.”

— Conor Harrison

LONE STAR MARKET

To advertise in this section, call Mike Hughs at (214) 361-2276 or e-mail him at mhughs@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

LSONews.com

Husband-wife team win Bass Champs Tim and Judy Reneau of Del Rio topped the field of 184 teams to win $20,000 at the South Region Bass Champs event at Lake Amistad.

The husband-wife duo boated five bass totaling 27.89 pounds. Trailing with 24.82 pounds was the team of Tim and James Griffin of Zapata, who took second place.

— Bass Champs

Former deputy dies in fishing accident A 63-year-old former Brazos County sheriff's deputy and College Station police officer drowned on April 22 after a canoe capsized on private property. Tommy Ray Preston of College Station was fishing with his nephew. The landowner reported to the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office that Preston did not resurface after his canoe capsized.

— Staff report

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

April 27, 2012

Page 27

Page 28

April 27, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

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