December 28, 2012 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LoneOStar Outdoor News

Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

December 28, 2012

December 28, 2012

Volume 9, Issue 9

Rutting in the dark down south

Inside

❘❚ FISHING

Almost there

Not much daytime activity seen; hunters blame warm weather

Water temps getting right for trout on coast.

Page 8

Cats close to the city Grapevine Lake a hotspot.

By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS

Page 8

❘❚ HUNTING

Making conservation a business Dallas Ducks 100 taking novel approach.

Page 5 TIME TO SHOW YOURSELF: Buck movement has been slow in South Texas leading up to the Christmas holidays. Hunters welcomed a cold front to get bucks chasing during the day. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

Christmas means rutting time to South Texas hunters.

South Texas just needs some cool weather to really kick off the rutting festivities.

“They are trying to chase and get after it, but the weather is just shutting them down,” said Leonel Garza of the famous Muy Grande Deer Contest in Freer. “Hunters have brought in some real nice bucks, but we have just been having some lousy weather. We can’t get any cold weather.”

Zapata County Game Warden Kyle Allison said the bucks he has seen haven’t been doing much in the way of rutting activity.

“It’s pretty slow,” Allison said. “I haven’t seen a lot of movement yet. Hopefully, we will get a cold front and the bucks will start moving.”

Allison said the hunters he has checked are

Afield Texas cookbook on wild game offers more than most.

Page 6

❘❚ 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 .

Page 1

INSIDE: Journeys, the 2013 Dallas Safari Club show program

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. . . . . . . . . . .

Page 24 Page 21 Page 10 Page 21 Page 12 Page 24 Page 26 Page 16 Page 22 Page 20 Page 21

See RUTTING, Page 14

Reputation holding

❘❚ LSONews.com

Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210

MORE HIDING THAN SEEKING: Hunters continue to report disappointing quail numbers across the state, causing many to dream of better conditions for next year. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

Covey counts staying sparse THAT’S A LUNKER: Gary Sims holds the 15.02-pound largemouth he pulled from Lake Fork this month while crappie fishing. Photo by TPWD.

Big bass being caught in December on Fork

By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS

Big largemouth are biting across Texas, and anglers are taking advantage.

Lake Fork is known to

produce huge fish, and Gunter angler Gary Sims can attest to just that.

Sims caught a 15.02pound behemoth on Dec. 12 while fishing with a crappie rig in 30

feet of water when the big fish hit.

“I thought all along that I had hooked into a catfish,” Sims said. “We’d See BIG BASS, Page 17

Quail still hard to come by

By John Keith

For Lone Star outdoor newS It’s only the middle of quail season, but it might as well be the end for many hunters who have either already hung up their boots or never got them out to begin with.

The problem all comes

down to water, according to David Coonrod, who runs hunts in the Panhandle between Childress and Wellington.

“There’s not many quail,” he said. “We have enough water to sustain some birds, but it’s been awfully dry. I know they’re See QUAIL, Page 18

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HUNTING

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Geese stay in big groups Lack of water hurting some hunters

COME ON DOWN: Geese have begun arriving in good numbers this season, some several weeks ahead of schedule. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

By John Keith

For Lone Star Outdoor News Waterfowlers know to expect the unexpected, whether it be a group of teal screaming into the decoys or a pair of redheads appearing from the fog.

For Jefferson County hunter Doug Pedigo, his unexpected moment involved a few snow

geese and a piece of jewelry.

“I’ve got a pretty significant goose roost on my property,” he said. “I roost anywhere from 5,000 to as many as 10,000 snow geese.”

Pedigo said he can usually rely on the geese to arrive at the same time every year, but this season the snows arrived two weeks early.

“I got up probably 5,000 from my duck blind,” he said. “When

it’s real foggy we kill them. This day was warm, sunny with a south wind and 75 degrees.”

Three singles peeled off from a large group and headed straight to Pedigo’s 20 goose decoys he puts out with his duck spread. The one Pedigo shot happened to be banded in Nunavut, Canada.

“I didn’t even call,” he said.

“Maybe (the goose) had a girlfriend

there one time. He’s definitely got some frequent flyer miles for sure.”

Pedigo said he has heard some specklebellies at night but has seen very few. He hasn’t seen any cacklers even though he usually sees some by this time most years.

Outfitter Justin Beckendorff hunts west of Houston in the Katy and Brookshire areas. The snow geese have been thick, according to Beckendorff, but hunting them has been tough.

“We’ve had quite a few geese,” he said. “For whatever reason, they’re staying in big groups.

We’ve got one or two big, big concentrations of 40,000-plus and they’re not breaking up into the smaller 5,000 or so groups.”

Beckendorff said he believes the best hunting is still to come.

“It’s been a real spotty season,” he said. “I honestly think the good hunting is just starting.”

A few groups of specks have been around, but the numbers aren’t as high as Beckendorff is accustomed to. He said the same goes for Canada geese.

“We’ve been doing fair on the goose hunts, but nothing like you’d hope,” he said. “It’s not hunts where you aren’t lifting your gun, but it’s nothing like everyone

expected with the big waterfowl numbers predicted.”

Between Lubbock and Wichita Falls, area hunter Stony Trainham has been struggling to stay on the birds.

“It’s been horrible — there’s no water,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything this bad. I think everything is going south of us.”

The sandhills haven’t been cooperating for Trainham.

“I’ll see them and they’ll fly over and rest here a day or two, but you can’t hunt them because the next day they’re gone,” he said. “It’s almost like they’re desperate to find water.”

Trainham said there are lesser Canada geese near Knox City, where positive hunting reports have been received.

And the geese are moving into the Panhandle in droves.

“There are millions of geese here,” said Robbie Shankle of Death Row Waterfowl. “We limited on Canadas today (Dec. 21) and more coming in every day — they are mostly snow geese, though, which is unusual. Any body of water around, which aren’t that many, is holding thousands of geese.”

Justin Beckendorff, (281) 382-2644 Death Row Waterfowl, (806) 367-0554

Mule deer check stations on target First batch of CWD test results negative

By Craig Nyhus

Lone Star Outdoor News Mule deer hunters in far West Texas dealt with either mandatory or voluntary Chronic Wasting Disease check stations for the first time this season, and it appears the process has gone without a hitch.

“The samplings went real well,” said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Mule Deer Program Leader Shawn Gray. “We looked at about 280 mule deer and we have the results from about 80 of the animals tested.”

Hunters had no problems or complaints, Gray said.

“The hunters we talked with liked it,” he said. “We’re pretty good at taking samples, so it’s a five-minute deal. They could be in and out in 10 minutes.”

Of the 120 or so mule deer and five elk tested as of Dec. 21, all tests have been negative for CWD, according to TPWD’s CWD results page on it’s website. Ages of the mule deer tested ranged from 1.5 to 7.5 years old. Approximately 20 of the tests came from animals taken in each of the Containment and High Risk zones, and 40 were from the Buffer Zone that stretches up

the Texas/New Mexico border.

TPWD wildlife biologist Jason Wagner worked the Bakersfield check station.

“We had 28 mule deer brought in,” he said. “The busiest weekend was the last weekend of the season; before that it had been really hot and windy.”

Wagner said the sampling took less than 10 minutes for most hunters, and the mule deer looked very healthy.

“The deer looked in really good condition with a lot of fat on them,” he said. “There weren’t any jaw-dropping muleys brought in to Bakersfield, but there were several 200-plus deer taken to the other check stations.”

Gray said that a few more samples are expected from ranches in the Managed Lands Deer Program system.

Mule deer hunters didn’t face any regulations regarding the movement of the carcasses, but TPWD recommended that hunters in the Containment and High Risk zones bury the inedible carcass parts at least 6 feet deep or take the parts to a landfill. If neither of these options were possible, it was recommended that hunters quarter their deer in the field and leave all but the quarters, backstraps and head at the site of harvest.

DOING WHAT YOU LOVE: Ryan Long, Reed Foster and Dayton Harrell show off a typical morning for Cut em Down Outfitters in Kaufman County. Photo by Conor Harrison, LSON.

We can do that High school friends turn passion for ducks into outfitting business Crandall High School seniors Reed Foster and Dayton Harrell have several passions in life, but none compares to their love of hunting ducks.

The pair, along with good friend and fel-

low senior Ryan Long, founded Cut em Down Outfitters after a chance encounter with a family friend at church in middle school.

“A guy from our church said, ‘Hey, I’ve

got some ponds with ducks on them. Do you guys duck hunt?’” Foster said. “That was in sixth or seventh grade. We started thinking about how we could make this a lifestyle. We also have our own ponds now.”

The guys still mostly take out their friends, but the group is now sponsored by several companies, including Pacific Calls.

“We are pretty relaxed,” Foster said. “We aren’t forced into working, so we don’t really advertise that much — we do have a Facebook page.”

All three of the seniors are headed to Lubbock in the summer to attend Texas Tech University.

Harrell said he plans to major in wildlife biology or wetlands management, and they will continue to guide every duck season throughout their final school years.

“We plan to keep it rolling when we are home,” Foster said. “We also aren’t going to miss out on the duck and goose hunting in the Panhandle. We might work with an outfitter up there.”

See YOUNG OUTFITTERS, Page 18

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December 28, 2012

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Cerberus to sell Freedom Group Succumbing to pressure from one of its largest investors, private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management announced on Dec. 18 it will sell its investment in gunmaker Freedom Group.

One day earlier, The California State Teachers' Retirement System said it was reviewing its investment with the private equity firm after the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting. The system had invested $751.4 million with Cerberus by the end of March 2012, according to its website.

Cerberus acquired firearms maker Bushmaster in 2006 and later merged it with other gun companies including Remington, DPMS/Panther Arms, Marlin and Dakota Arms to create Freedom Group.

Selling Freedom Group “allows us to meet our obligations to the investors whose interests we are entrusted to protect without being drawn into the national debate,” Cerberus said in its release.

— Staff report

LCRA to provide some water for rice fields

DUCK, DUCK, DUCK: A group of Dallas-area businessmen plan to fund a Delta Waterfowl project in duck breeding zones designed to increase nesting success and duckling survival. Photo by Delta Waterfowl.

A novel concept in conservation

By Craig Nyhus

Lone Star Outdoor News A small group of Dallas businessmen plans to fund a Delta Waterfowl project in North Dakota and use marketplace principles to monitor the results.

“The project is patterned after groups in Memphis, Tennessee, and Jackson, Mississippi,” said Bruce Klingman, a founding member of the group, Dallas Ducks 100.

“It’s a direct approach where we can monitor direct results.”

Group to fund waterfowl project “like a business” The group plans to “put their money where the ducks are,” and fund a site in the duck breeding grounds in North Dakota, focusing on predator management.

Delta’s years of research led the group to consider funding a project.

“We have learned that trapping predators and the use of hen houses

have proven to be the most costeffective ways to improve hatch rates and brood survival rates,” said Frank Rowher, the acting executive director of Delta Waterfowl, who attended the group’s first meeting.

“Trapping predators more than doubles nest success and duckling survival improves as well.”

With expectations of a decline in grasslands set aside through the Conservation Reserve Program, See CONSERVATION, Page 7

The Lower Colorado River Authority board, after lengthy testimony dominated by a large Highland Lakes contingent, passed an emergency order that will likely provide enough water for first crop rice on approximately 50 percent of the fields in Texas’ Wharton, Matagorda and Colorado counties.

It is very unlikely second crop rice will receive water unless significant rains materialize to increase water storage in the Highland Lakes before midsummer.

Kirby Brown, conservation outreach biologist for Ducks Unlimited, testified before the LCRA board in November regarding the importance of LCRA irrigation district rice for waterfowl on the Gulf Coast.

Approximately 60 percent of the estimated 1.96 million midwinter bird population for the Texas midcoast is expected to rely on ricelands (active and idle flooded rice fields) to meet their food needs.

“We realize that water allocation decisions are challenging, and that compromises have to be made,” Brown said. “However, Ducks Unlimited feels very strongly that the needs of waterfowl and wetland wildlife in the rice prairie wetlands complex must be voiced and evaluated along with other stakeholder interests.

There are significant economic impacts tied to rice agriculture and waterfowl hunting, as well as natural resource and cultural heritage considerations.”

For every 10,000 acres of flooded ricelands lost, the region loses the ability to support 120,000 waterfowl.

At the hearing, Brown expressed DU’s commitment to work with LCRA and other water-management entities to find sound conservation solutions in the rice prairie wetlands complex.

— DU

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Afield: A Chef’s Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish From the field to the kitchen, book takes reader through art of butchering, cooking wild game

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 Website Bruce Soileau

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

Contributors Kyle Carter David Draper Shannon Drawe Wilbur Lundeen Aaron Reed

Advertising Call (214) 361-2276 or email mhughs@lone staroutdoornews.com to request a media kit.

Erich Schlegel David Sikes Scott Sommerlatte Chuck Uzzle Ralph Winingham

For home delivery subscriptions www.LSONews.com (214) 361-2276

Lone Star Outdoor News, ISSN 21628300, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $30 for 24 issues.

Newsstand copies are $2, in certain markets copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2012 with all rights reserved. Reproduction and/or use of any photographic or written material without written permission by the publisher is prohibited. Subscribers may send address changes to: Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355 or e-mail them to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

By Conor Harrison Lone Star outdoor newS

Denton native and Austin resident Jesse Griffiths has worked in restaurants his whole life.

He knows something about the value of fresh food, especially wild game.

JESSE GRIFFITHS Griffiths grew up fishing the lakes and rivers of North Texas, but moved to Austin 13 years ago. He began hunting six years ago when friends took him on a dove hunt.

“It was over after that,” Griffiths said. “I learned butchering in Austin, and when I’m hunting, the butchering and cooking experience really comes into play. I didn’t see a really good reference that showed people the ins and outs. But I’ve learned people are very curious about food.

“They are losing their preconceived notions about hunting, and I thought I could write something that was approachable.”

His book has a Texas flavor, with many of the species covered living right in most people’s backyard — crappie, white bass, dove, snipe, ducks, quail, geese, deer, hogs, squirrels, flounder and crab.

The pictures accompanying many of the recipes, along with candid shots of Griffiths in the woods and on the bank, are well-done and have an everyman feel to them — something Griffiths said he wanted to accentuate.

“We do the majority of our fishing from the banks and we shoot a lot of does and hogs,” he said. “A friend of mine, Jody Horton, did the photography, and we wanted to illustrate what

hunting and fishing is like from a food angle.

“Anyone can do this.”

Griffiths said the attitudes of many people are shifting as the country becomes more aware of what they are eating and where their food comes from. It is a return-to-roots movement for Griffiths.

“We are seeing a big shift,” he said. “My company (Dai Due) sells stuff at a farmer’s market and that crowd wants to know where their

food comes from. It’s a big shift being able to accept a really good way to procure your food.

Our grandparents did that. They grew their own, took what they needed and used it to its full extent because they had to.

“It is sustainable and it is doing it yourself.”

Griffiths said his favorite hunt is out chasing ducks, but for food, it is hard to beat a Texas hog.

“I love duck hunting,” he said. “The appeal is awesome and I love eating them. But you can’t beat a pig for bounty. They give up so much. I even love the old boars. You can do so much with them.”

For fish, Griffiths loves the coastal pompano for eating, but he said nothing beats sitting on a creek bank catching crappie.

As for the recipes, they run the gamut from the basic — grilled venison tenderloin and grilled fish — to the extraordinary like venison heart, smoked catfish terrine and teal in a jar.

Griffiths said being a Texan gives him a unique perspective when it comes to hunting and fishing for your own food.

“Culturally, Texans are very rooted in tradition and a mind your own business outlook,” he said. “Texas is more lucid. I’m just happy to have written the book. I’ve got to meet so many great people. And now lots of people want to take me hunting.”

The book is available through Welcome Books in New York and retails for $40.

LSON tried several of the recipes in the book and they have all been outstanding. Along with the great recipes, the pictures and step-by-step instruction for butchering game (and using almost every part of the animal) were enjoyable and informative. We recommend this book, even to nonhunters.

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LoneOStar Outdoor News

Conservation Continued From Page 5 A SMELLY JOB: Trappers will be used in specific areas where ducks nest to remove predators of duck eggs and ducklings. Skunks are known to raid duck nests for the eggs.

Photo by Delta Waterfowl.

and the prohibitive cost of purchasing land for nesting grounds, focusing on the use of predator control in areas with sparse habitat and low hatch rates makes the most sense, Rowher said.

The proposed site is the size of four townships, and private trappers with access to more than 80 percent of the land will be used.

And the group will be watching for results.

“We’re a small group of people with the means to support a specific project,” said another of the founding members, Pat Schultz. “We’ll be looking for provable results — we’re used to running things like

a business and we’ll analyze the ROI (Return on Investment).

“If the results are there, we’ll look at supporting multiple projects.”

The group is looking for additional members willing to contribute at least $1,100.

“The $1,000 goes directly to the projects,” Klingman said. “The $100 is to defray costs of meetings, etc.”

And the group is off to a quick start.

“We had 34 people at our first meeting and signed up 30 of them,” Klingman said.

“We’re now up to 40 — and we haven’t sent out our first email yet.”

December 28, 2012

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FISHING

Getting closer Matagorda water temps dropping, big trout beginning to show up

By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News

Capt. Ron Frasier is primed and ready for the big trout in Matagorda Bay to get into full swing.

He has seen evidence recently that it could be just around the corner.

“We have been running the generator and catching some really nice trout at night on the river,” he said.

“Finger mullet has been the key to catching the bigger ones. In three or four hours the other night, we caught six or eight big trout.”

Along with finger mullet, chrome and black lipless crankbaits are also hooking a lot of fish.

“Those Rat-L-Traps are just smacking See MATAGORDA, Page 14

STARTING TO SHOW UP: Water temperatures are falling in Matagorda Bay, which signals the beginning of trophy trout season. Photo by Egret Baits.

Cats close to the city Grapevine Lake offers big blues, active white bass

NOT SUCH A BABY BLUE: Shad and perch are some of the favorite baits for anglers targeting trophy catfish. Photo by Bobby Kubin.

By John Keith

For Lone Star Outdoor News Almost mentioned as an afterthought when naming good lakes close to the Metroplex, Grapevine

Lake quietly and consistently produces large catfish and solid sand bass action.

According to area guide Bobby Kubin, not only is the fishing good, but the access is easy for

anglers.

“I think the benefit of Grapevine is that it’s a smaller lake, so guys in a smaller craft can get out and catch bigger fish,” he said.

“When the wind starts blowing on Lewisville or Tawakoni, it can really blow the smaller boats off of the water. It’s a great lake.”

Kubin mainly targets blue cats, but said the channel cats are there to be caught, too.

“The average size is pretty decent,” he said. “For channel cats, 14 or 15 inches is an averagesized catch. For blue cats, it just kind of depends on what you want to target. Over 10 pounds is very common.”

Punchbait and dipbait work well while drift fishing, with fresh shad the best for blue cats.

And this is the best time of year to get out on the water, he said.

“Weekend pleasure boat traffic on Grapevine can be pretty bad in the summertime,” Kubin said.

“By 10:30 or 11:00, you need to be back on the ramp. During the winter when we’re chasing big blues, you’ll see some sailboats, but we’ll have the lake to ourselves.”

Kubin said that as the water gets colder the shad concentrate, which groups the big fish near the bait.

Area guide Greg Lippincott, who said he has caught multiple catfish weighing more than 50 pounds, agrees.

“It’s excellent for trophy catfish, and it gets a lot better as it gets colder,” he said. “The big (catfish) are going to be moving around See CATS, Page 16

WHERE ARE THEY NOT BITING? The crappie bite is strong across the state in most creeks and rivers, according to Texas anglers. Photo by LSON.

Crappie bite is on Find a brush pile and get to catching slabs

By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News

The crappie bite is hard to miss along many creeks in Texas.

Just look for the anglers lining the banks, continuously pulling in slabs as they follow shad into the shallows.

North of Lake Livingston on the Trinity River and its myriad creek systems, guide Simon Cosper said the bite is ridiculously good.

“The fishing is unreal right now,” Cosper said. “We are pounding them in the creeks and river in 15 to 25 feet of water. We are hitting isolated brush piles and big logjams

with black and chartreuse jigs.

Those have been the best two colors.”

Cosper said the water clarity this year is as good as he has ever seen it.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “It is scary how clear and green the water is right now. I grew up here and the water is normally so muddy; it is like offshore fishing when you catch a fish — you look for color as they come up.”

Along with crappie, Cosper said the white bass are beginning to move up the creeks also.

“A few days ago, we caught 30 crappie and 55 white bass,” he See CRAPPIE, Page 16

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Mexican poachers caught with snapper Mexican fishermen are finding it harder and harder these days to poach in Texas waters.

Coast Guard crews seized 151 illegally caught red snapper and the catch will be used to feed sea turtles.

A lancha and Mexican fishermen were initially found adrift in the waters of southern Texas by a good Samaritan aboard a fishing boat. The person attempted to assist them, but when they overheard the captain of the fishing boat call the Coast Guard to report the incident at 1:10 p.m., the lancha crew untied themselves and resumed drifting.

The term “lancha” refers to crudely made, open-hauled, fiberglass skiff boats, normally around 25 feet in length, that are frequently used for a variety of smuggling activities.

The Coast Guard Station at South Padre Island responded by launching a 33-foot response boat, and the crew seized the lancha and catch at approximately 2:30 p.m. The boat crew towed the lancha back to their station, where the fishermen were transferred to Customs and Border Patrol.

“Although the catches seized in cases such as this are often not suitable to be brought to market, we have been working to find creative alternatives with local partners such as the Sea Turtle Inc. organization, NOAA Fisheries, and the South Padre Island National Park Service to reuse these resources to best benefit the local maritime habitats that are most affected by these activities,” said Cmdr. Daniel Deptula, response officer for Sector Corpus Christi. “Illegal fishing activities, such as gill netting, for example, kill many sea turtles and other protected marine animals.

Unfortunately, illegal fishing activities from lanchas coming across the border has been increasing and negatively impacts the local fishing industry at large.

“We ask that mariners assist in protecting our natural resources and marine wildlife by keeping a sharp look out for any suspicious activity and immediately report sightings to the U.S. Coast Guard on marine band radio through channel 16 or call 911.”

— U.S.C.G.

LoneOStar Outdoor News

TPWD seeks input The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has scheduled three public scoping meetings in January to gather input about possible regulation changes for 2013-14.

The scoping items include incorporation of a rule regarding recreational possession limit, clarification of fish harassment rules, bonus red drum tag requirement changes and new possession rules in state waters for aquatic resources in excess of federal limits.

All meetings will begin at 7 p.m. and are set for: Jan. 7 — Dickinson TPWD Regional Office, 1502 FM 517 East; Jan. 9 — Corpus Christi on the TAMU CC campus, NRC #1003, 6300 Ocean Dr.; Jan. 10 — San Antonio at Bass Pro Shops, 17907 W. IH 10.

During the regulation restructuring process, where fishing and hunting regulations were separated into their own chapters, language regarding the definition of recreational possession limit was not carried forward into the Statewide Recreational and Commercial Fishing Proclamations chapter. Though the definition currently is enforceable from the Statewide Hunting Proclamation, this proposal will incorporate the definition into the Statewide Recreational and Commercial Fishing Proclamation to make it clearer. The language to be incorporated reads: The possession limit shall not apply after the wildlife resource has reached the possessor’s permanent residence and is finally processed.

TPWD is also looking to clarify language in the regulations regarding fish harassment, which currently states that it is unlawful for any person to use any vessel to harass fish. In an attempt to clarify this definition to make it clearer, the department proposes the following language: It is unlawful to use any vessel to harry, herd, or drive fish including but not limited to operating any vessel in a repeated circular course for the purpose of or resulting in the artificial concentration of fish for the purpose of taking or attempting to take fish.

The department is also considering removing the prohibition regarding simultaneous possession of the red drum tag and bonus red drum tag. Currently anglers must obtain these two tags at separate times.

— TPWD

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December 28, 2012

Coastal bite improving GOOD BITE MOST PLACES: Coastal action has been steady this month, with guides expecting winter patterns to emerge with the colder weather expected soon.

Photo by Conor Harrison, LSON.

By Conor Harrison Lone Star Outdoor News

Some areas are tough, but the majority of fishing holes up and down the Texas coast are producing trout, flounder and redfish for winter anglers.

Along the midcoast, Capt. David Rowsey said he has quit Baffin Bay for the next few weeks because of a brown tide outbreak, but farther north, the fishing in Corpus Christi Bay has been better.

“I’ve been having some decent catches up north,” Rowsey said. “It hasn’t been cold enough to get a true winter pattern, but the fish are anticipating cooler weather. A lot of them are hanging near deep channels.

“We’ve caught a lot of fish within 100 yards of the channels on the flats.”

Rowsey said soft plastics like Bass Assassins have been catching fish.

“The fish, especially the trout, have mostly been slot-sized,” he said. “But at least one or two times a week, we are catching a big trout in the 28-inch range. It’s not going gangbusters yet — it will probably be January before we hit the peak.”

At Bluff’s Landing Marina, Daniel Middleton said guides were catching good

numbers of slot fish, and the trout were getting bigger as it gets colder.

“People are bringing in lots of slots, and the fishing has been pretty good,” he said.

“I went and checked the docks a few days ago and a big group had a lot of trout. They were all pretty decent-sized.”

A hot flounder bite was reported by several anglers around Galveston Bay, with limits being caught on white and chartreuse soft plastics. Trout action has also been picking up in the Galveston Bay complex, with some anglers reporting good catches on trout up to 26 inches.

In San Antonio Bay, reports of trout and redfish holding in drainages to creeks and lakes in the back of the bay emerged this week.

Near Port Arthur, reports of limits of trout emerged in cuts and drainages near the Intracoastal Waterway — fish have been holding in 3 to 7 feet of water early in the day, then moving to the flats to feed later in the day, depending on tidal movement.

Pier action has been good when the wind isn’t howling, with whiting, black drum and pompano making up most of the catch, with trout and reds also being caught with some consistency.

Capt. David Rowsey, (361) 960-0340

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December 28, 2012

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT Falcon turning on

Holy Toledo

FALCON INTERNATIONAL RESERVOIR — The bass fishing on arguably the country’s best bass lake is holding steady this winter, despite high pressure and low water, according to guide Tommy Law’s fishing report.

“This lake really got pounded early this year and then the water dropped as well,” Law said. “The lake is still full of big fish, they just pulled off and suspended because that is where all the food was. It is going to get better, as I was seeing the bait break up and get to the bottom and scatter out. This is exactly what we need. This usually happens earlier, but with the extremely warm weather and water temp it has been delayed.”

Fishing is still spotty, but several cold fronts will make it more consistent to pattern big fish.

“It is still hit-and-miss and you have to grind it out, but Falcon is full of big fish,” Law said.

“They have just been playing cat and mouse with us. A good example of what I am talking about — (a client) got on a spot yesterday and had 43 pounds on it and then nothing for two hours. It is timing, timing, timing right now.”

To contact guide Tommy Law, call (325) 439-6045.

ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 59–64 degrees; 9.45’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on dropshot rigs, shaky heads, Texas rigs, jigs and medium-running shadpattern crankbaits. Catfish are fair to good on prepared bait.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 71–75 degrees; 34.45’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics in 18–25 feet. Striped bass are good on jigging spoons under birds in 40–60 feet. White bass are good on jigging spoons under birds in 40–60 feet. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch in 18–30 feet. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch.

ARROWHEAD: Water off-color; 66–69 degrees; 8.25’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on white crankbaits, spinner baits and Texas rigs. White bass are fair to good on slabs.

ATHENS: Water clear, 57–61 degrees; 3.68’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on lipless crankbaits around shallow grass and Carolinarigged french fries along deeper points. Catfish are good on prepared bait and cut shad.

BASTROP: Water lightly stained; 71–75 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse and chartreuse/white soft plastics, spinner baits and crankbaits.

BELTON: Water clear; 68–72 degrees; 6.37’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Hybrid striper are slow.

White bass are good on slabs with bucktails. Crappie are excellent on minnows and blue tube jigs.

BOB SANDLIN: Water clear; 58–62 degrees; 6.02’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on lipless crankbaits and vibrating jigs around shallow cover. White bass are good on slabs.

BRAUNIG: Water clear. Largemouth bass are slow. Channel catfish are good on liver, frozen shrimp and cut shad. Blue catfish are good on cut bait and shad.

BROWNWOOD: Water lightly stained; 67–71 degrees; 10.25’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on Bass Hogg spinner baits, craw Bass Hogg jigs, Persuader crankbaits, and Grande Bass Baby Rattle Snakes along the shorelines of creeks and off points in coves.

White bass are good on Li’l Fishies and crawdad crankbaits. Crappie are good on Li’l Fishies and tube

jigs over brush piles in 12–15 feet.

BUCHANAN: Water stained; 68–72 degrees; 27.70’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon red JDC curl tail grubs on jigheads, Texas-rigged blue flake Scoundrel worms, and blue back Fat Free Shads along ledges and points in 10–20 feet. Striped bass are good drifting live shad, and jigging Spoiler Shad swim baits and Pirk Minnows around Garrett Island in 25–40 feet.

CADDO: Water stained; 57–61 degrees; 1.10’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged soft plastics around stumps. White and yellow bass are good on slabs.

Catfish are good on trotlines.

CALAVERAS: Water clear.

Largemouth bass are fair on small crankbaits. Channel and blue catfish are good on liver, frozen shrimp and nightcrawlers.

CANYON LAKE: Water lightly stained; 68–72 degrees; 8.64’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon red Brush Hogs, Texas-rigged Red Shad drop-shot worms and tubes on jigheads in the stickups and along bluffs in 15–20 feet. Smallmouth bass are good on white grubs, watermelon tubes on jigheads, and smoke drop-shot worms along main lake points and bluff ledges.

CEDAR CREEK: Water clear; 56–60 degrees; 3.89’ low. Largemouth bass are good on spinner baits around any shallow docks — small Texas-rigged green pumpkin soft plastics have also been productive. Hybrid striper are good on live shad. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 72–76 degrees; 16.84’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, heavy jigs and large soft plastic lizards in the grass.

Channel and blue catfish are good on punchbait.

COLEMAN: Water lightly stained; 67–71 degrees; 13.28’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on spinner baits and crankbaits.

Crappie are good on minnows.

Channel catfish are good on stinkbait, liver and frozen shrimp.

COLETO CREEK: Water clear; 3.67’ low. Largemouth bass are slow.

Channel and blue catfish are good on live perch and bloodbait in 12–18 feet.

TOLEDO BEND RESERVOIR — Water levels are rising on the border lake thanks to a good rain this past week.

The rain muddied up the water in creeks and streams, according to guide Joe Joslin’s fishing report.

“Bass already have a lot of eggs in them and will move on to pre-spawn/staging areas as soon as the water warms a bit,” Joslin wrote. “However, if we have water temperatures that stays in the mid to upper 50s, there will be lots of bass in the deeper grass and mid-level grassy areas. That will lend itself to slow-rolling a 3/4-ounce Stanley double willow spinner bait, as well as pitching a 1/2-ounce Stanley Casting Jig, which I like to work on the outside edge of grass lines.”

Later in the morning, lipless crankbaits around the edges of grass are producing bites. If that doesn’t work, try moving to deeper water and using Carolina rigs and drop-shot rigs in 20 to 44 feet.

To contact guide Joe Joslin, call (337) 463-3848.

— Staff report

CONROE: Water clear; 66–70 degrees; 3.27’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon red spinner baits and lipless crankbaits in 15–30 feet. Striped bass are good on chartreuse striper jigs. Catfish are good on stinkbait and frozen shrimp.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water offcolor; 58–63 degrees; 19.02’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on top-waters, shadpattern crankbaits, Texas rigs and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.

COOPER: Water clear; 57–61 degrees; 7.00’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged soft plastics and lipless crankbaits.

White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on live shad.

Catfish are good on cut bait.

JOE POOL: Water clear; 56–60 degrees; 2.73’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged soft plastic creature baits in watermelon red or green pumpkin. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

FAYETTE: Water stained.

Largemouth bass are fair on electric blue Carolina-rigged Finesse worms in 10–16 feet, and on spinner baits along the outside edges of grass. Channel and blue catfish are good on stinkbait and shrimp over baited holes in 14–18 feet.

LAKE O' THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 57–61 degrees; 4.05’ low. Largemouth bass are good on lipless crankbaits around grass and shallow cover. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on trotlines.

FORK: Water clear; 56–60 degrees; 4.60’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue 1/2-oz. jigs along channel bends and around standing timber near bends. Deepwater bite good with Carolina rigs and football jigs. Yellow bass are good on smaller spoons. Crappie are good on minnows.

GIBBONS CREEK: Water clear.

Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon red spinner baits, crankbaits, and lipless crankbaits.

Catfish are good on frozen shrimp and liver.

GRANBURY: Water stained; 67–71 degrees; 5.85’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon red and pumpkinseed soft plastics.

Catfish are good on shrimp, stinkbait, and live minnows.

GRANGER: Water stained; 68–72 degrees; 1.13’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Blue catfish are good on prepared baits, and on juglines baited with cut bait, shad and Zote soap.

GRAPEVINE: Water clear; 55–59 degrees; 7.49’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on square-billed crankbaits around main lake points and shallow cover. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 60–64 degrees; 0.13’ low.

Largemouth bass are very good on bream-colored jigs around brush piles in 16 feet, and on soft plastics off piers. Crappie are good on minnows in creek channels around brush.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 58–62 degrees; 9.63’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on black/chartreuse flipping jigs around shallow cover. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on cut shad.

LBJ: Water clear; 68–72 degrees; 0.30’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on PBJ-colored Snag Proof jigs, pumpkin drop-shot worms and green pumpkin tubes off docks.

White bass are good on silver Pirk Minnows and Spoiler Shads.

LEWISVILLE: Water clear; 55–60 degrees; 6.41’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on shaky heads around marinas and football jigs along main lake points. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared bait and cut shad.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 67–71 degrees; 0.72’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and soft plastics. Blue catfish are good on shad.

MARTIN CREEK: Water clear; 56–60 degrees; 5.27’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits around shallow cover. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared bait and cut shad.

MONTICELLO: Water fairly clear; 79–84 degrees; 0.06’ high.

Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged soft plastics and black and blue jigs around stumps.

Crappie are good on minnows.

Catfish are good on cut bait.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water lightly stained; 67–71 degrees; 2.77’ low. Largemouth bass are good on lipless crankbaits. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and doughbait.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 58–64 degrees; 33.09’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on lipless crankbaits, Texas rigs, chatterbaits and shaky heads. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.

OAK CREEK: Water stained; 59–65 degrees; 16.77’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on chrome lipless crankbaits, Texas rigs, shad-pattern crankbaits and shaky heads. Crappie are good on jigs and live minnows over brush piles.

Catfish are good on chartreuse (use Worm–Glo) nightcrawlers.

PALESTINE: Water clear; 55–60 degrees; 1.87’ low. Largemouth bass are good on black/blue jigs and shaky heads around docks.

Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs. White bass are good on minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water fairly clear; 58–65 degrees; 8.55’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair to good on shallow-running crankbaits, Texas rigs, jigs and drop-shot rigs.

Crappie are good on minnows.

PROCTOR: Water lightly stained; 67–71 degrees; 5.22’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on black/ purple and chartreuse soft plastic worms. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse/black tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on frozen shad. Yellow catfish are slow.

RAY HUBBARD: Water clear; 56–61 degrees; 4.34’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged plastics around deep rocks.

Football-head jigs and deep-diving crankbaits are effective as well.

White bass are good on slabs.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 55–60 degrees; 3.85’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on lipless crankbaits and Texas-rigged soft plastic baits along edge of grass lines. Carolina rig effective on clear days. Catfish are good on prepared bait or live shad.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water clear; 54–59 degrees; 4.79’ low.

Largemouth bass are slow on

SEE MORE

■ Saltwater fishing reports: Page 20 weightless soft plastics and shaky heads around docks. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs and live shad.

Catfish are good on prepared bait.

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 67–71 degrees; 4.67’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastics, crankbaits and lipless crankbaits.

Catfish are good on stinkbait, frozen shrimp, and liver.

SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 68–72 degrees; 2.37’ low. Largemouth bass are good on silver spinner baits. White bass are good on silver spinner baits.

TAWAKONI: Water stained; 57–61 degrees; 4.66’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on white-bladed jigs and California 420-color flipping jigs around docks — midday bite has been best. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on cut bait and trotlines.

TEXOMA: Water clear; 54–59 degrees; 5.30’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on medium-diving crankbaits and smaller football jigs along main lake points. Good numbers of fish reported on lipless crankbaits as well. Striped bass are good on slabs.

TRAVIS: Water clear; 68–72 degrees; 49.40’ low. Largemouth bass are good on green shad crankbaits, electric blue worms, and smoke grubs in 10–25 feet.

WHITNEY: Water lightly stained; 67–71 degrees; 8.98’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on green pumpkin and tequila sunrise spinner baits, crankbaits, and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Catfish are good on shrimp, nightcrawlers and stinkbait.

— TPWD

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LoneOStar Outdoor News

White bass congregating

ANGLERS ARE READY: The white bass have begun to congregate in big schools as they approach their late winter spawning dates. Anglers like these are already taking advantage of the schools offering easy jigging action.

Photo by LSON.

Big schools, some spawning reported White bass are beginning to show up in rivers and streams across Texas, as well as in huge schools getting ready to move into the shallower water.

Reports of a good white bass bite are emerging from the Trinity River near Lake Livingston.

According to a report on 2coolfishing. com, guide Loy Deason said the white bass were moving into the river near Bethy Creek.

“We hit a pattern and trolled up 46 white bass from 12 to 14 inches, and a lot of them 11 inches we released,” he said. “It was relaxing fishing and we enjoyed the beautiful river banks and birds we saw.”

Reports of deadsticking action on Lake Ray Hubbard have emerged, with anglers reporting good catches in the early morning near the dam. The favorite colors are chartruse and white, with bigger fish being caught on flukes with 1-ounce jig heads.

Huge schools of white bass are being

reported on Stillhouse Hollow Lake in 50 feet of water by guide Bob Maindelle on the Texas Fishing Forum.

“Although I looked over many areas today, those areas holding the fish all had two things in common — they were in deep water and they were adjacent to the river channel,” he said. “As is typical as we transition into the winter these fish were in very large schools with literally hundreds of fish per school.

Because my object was to find fish for upcoming guided trips and not catch a bunch of fish, I stayed on each area only until I boated 15 fish and then moved on to find more fish.”

Fishing slabs using a smoking technique caught most of the fish.

Solid white bass action is also being reported on Lake Texoma and in several other North Texas lakes.

On Lewisville Lake, white bass have been holding in schools in 20 to 30 feet of water. ­— Staff report

December 28, 2012

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GAME WARDEN BLOTTER IT’S NOT NICE TO INTERRUPT AGGIE WARDEN AT HALFTIME OF ’BAMA GAME Fort Bend County Game Warden Mike Weiss received a call during halftime of the Texas A&M/Alabama football game, informing him that a local rancher had located a feeder, stand, bow and other equipment illegally on his ranch. Weiss contacted Brazoria County Game Warden Jason Richers for assistance, and the wardens proceeded to the ranch. The wardens discovered a hunter sitting in the stand when they arrived. The violator’s equipment was seized, and charges for hunting without landowner consent are now pending.

ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION LESSON NEEDED The opening weekend of mule deer season, Hudspeth County Game Wardens Ricky May and Rocky Corona came upon two young individuals driving a white Chevy Tahoe pulling a small flatbed trailer. The two youngsters told the wardens they were on the way to pick up what their father had shot. At the scene, the father asked, “What exactly did I shoot, sir?” He was informed that he had killed a pronghorn out of season.

Case and civil restitution pending.

THAT’S SOME MANAGEMENT DEER While checking camps, Wilbarger County Game Warden Dyke McMahen and Foard/Hardeman County Game Warden Matt Thompson noticed false information, namely a ranch and county, on a harvest log concerning a buck that was killed and taken to the taxidermist. It was learned that the subject was only supposed to kill management bucks on this property and a non-processed carcass was later found in a creek bed. The subject said the meat had ruined since he did not find the buck until the next day, but he had traded the cape from the deer for a skull mount. Charges

SANDHILL SHOOTERS SNAGGED Matagorda County Game Warden David Janssen received a complaint concerning duck hunters who reportedly shot and killed some sandhill cranes.

Janssen contacted Game Warden Clay Shock for

assistance, and the wardens located the reported hunters as they left the area. The two hunters denied shooting at anything other than ducks, so the wardens went into the marsh on foot. The war-

were filed and a 148-inch buck was seized from the taxidermist.

ART PROJECT ATTRACTS ATTENTION OF WARDEN Lubbock County Game Warden Mallory Brodrick received a call from a landowner concerning a deer head, a dead chicken, and an altar with some very bright lights on an adjacent property. Brodrick was greeted at the scene by two Lubbock police officers and the caller. It was indeed an altar with lights, a timer, and lock boxes with cameras inside continually snapping photos of the feast of raw dead animals. Surprisingly, the white-tailed deer head was tagged, but with a mule deer tag. Brodrick learned the altar was actually an art project by an art graduate student at Texas Tech University. A citation was issued along with suggestions about posting signage warning, “Art in Progress — Do Not Disturb.”

PELLET GUN OK, DOVES SHOT NOT At about 10 p.m., Dallas County Game Warden Jamie Sanchez assisted the Richardson Police Department with a call regarding an individual who was seen walking around with what appeared to be a shotgun. The shotgun turned out to be a brand new pellet gun recently purchased by the individual. The man stated that he wanted to practice with his air gun and that he was

dens located three freshly killed cranes hidden under some brush and grass. The cranes had been breasted out, and a plastic bag containing the breast meat was also located.

Both hunters were also in

not hunting. The man, who did not have a hunting license, shot three dove out of season. Case pending.

HUNTER LEAVING STAND SEES POACHERS SHOOT FROM ROAD A hunter leaving his stand after dark called Comanche County Game Warden Mike Alexander after he observed a truck stop on the road and a shot fired. There were two people with lights searching the field across the road at that time.

Alexander chased a cloud of dust for five miles and caught the suspects just as they reached a busy highway.

The two juveniles had a fresh yearling doe in the bed of the truck. The suspects said that they were leaving their lease and saw some deer cross the road. They shot the deer on their property from the road. They were both charged with hunting from a public road.

THANKS, DAD Shelby County Game Warden Mike Hanson received a call regarding night hunting and a cooler full of deer meat that had been discarded.

Hanson was able to locate a suspect who admitted to discarding the cooler and meat. He stated that it was discarded due to a horse knocking the cooler out of the bed of his pickup, causing the meat to ruin. But when Hanson interviewed the suspect's father, he said it was not unusual for

violation of the hunter education requirement, and one of the subjects was a convicted felon. Fines totaled $1,300 on each violator. In addition, felon in possession of a firearm charges are also pending.

his son to allow deer meat to ruin.

Case pending.

BOY PLAYING WITH TURKEY FOOT FOILS FAMILY’S CLAIM OF NO LUCK While checking a deer camp on Thanksgiving Day, Kimble County Game Warden Tyler Zaruba made contact with a family that claimed the warm weather and steady wind kept them from having any success.

During this conversation, Zaruba observed the son of one of the hunters playing with a severed turkey foot. Shortly thereafter, a citation was issued for the untagged turkey.

SHOOTING DEER ON JP’S LAND BRINGS JUSTICE Guadalupe County Game Warden Kevin Frazier received a call from Caldwell County Game Warden Joann Garza Mayberry informing him that a Caldwell County Justice of the Peace had a hunter on his land in Guadalupe County who witnessed the neighboring hunter shoot a spike buck deer across the fence line on the JP's property. Frazier made contact with the suspect on the neighboring ranch, and the suspect first told Frazier that he shot the deer on his side of the fence and that it ran to the neighbor’s property and died.

Frazier asked the suspect to show him where he shot the deer and the blood on his property, then he would believe his story and they could both

go on about their business. Shortly after, Frazier obtained a written confession. The suspect was arrested for hunting without landowner consent.

Case pending.

TAG THAT TURKEY After inspecting hunting licenses at a deer camp, Edwards County Game Warden Scott Holly noticed fresh turkey feathers lying around the camp. When asked who killed the turkey, one hunter said someone else had shot the turkey and used it for hog bait. But during an inspection of the camp, Holly found a fresh turkey in the freezer of the camp, still warm to the touch. Charges for untagged turkey were filed.

NOT A SMART SOCIAL MEDIA POST An individual posted the following question on Facebook and a caller reported it to Brazoria County Game Warden Jason Richers: “Where can someone go to have an illegal deer processed in Brazoria County?”

Richers contacted the resident, who confessed to killing two illegal bucks in Wilson County. The 8- and 10-point white-tailed bucks, both of which failed to meet the 13-inch antler restriction, were seized, as well as a rifle, as evidence. Cases pending.

BAD KARMA AFTER SHOOTING DEER FROM ROAD Uvalde County Game Warden Henry Lutz filed charges on a 19-year-old for killing a white-tailed buck from a public road at night and waste of game. The subject killed the deer and cut the head off, leaving the carcass behind, and drove off. After driving down the road a few miles, he blew a tire, lost control of his truck and got stuck in a culvert. After the wreck, the subject attempted to hide the deer head by throwing it across the fence into a neighboring pasture.

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Rutting Continued From Page 1

still looking for the bigger mature deer they know are in the brush country.

“I haven’t seen too many good ones on the ground,” he said. “I am looking for the rut — expecting it — but I haven’t seen any big bucks acting like idiots yet.”

In Webb County, the outlook is much the same, according to Game Warden Weston Burris.

“I’m starting to see some young bucks getting into it,” he said.

“But the deer only seem to be moving very late in the afternoon or very early in the mornings. And the bucks aren’t hitting the corn because everything is still so green.

“We need some cold weather to get them moving to the corn.”

Burris said he has seen one 160-inch buck this year, but the rest have been management bucks no bigger than 140 inches and does.

“From what I have seen, it has been pretty slow this year,” he said. “Until we get some cold weather, I don’t expect that to change much.”

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist Daniel Kunz said some of the ranches he works are beginning to see rutting activity.

“I haven’t seen much rutting activity, especially west of (State Highway) 16,” he said. “A couple ranches in Duval County have reported the bucks are almost there. They are chasing, but not heavy. Most people aren’t seeing a lot of activity.”

Just because hunters aren’t seeing rutting activity doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

Several ranches LSON contacted said the rut is in full force, but it is taking place in low-light conditions, or at night and in the heavy brush.

WILL THE COLD GET THEM MOVING? South Texas hunters are banking on late December cold fronts to push bucks into the open. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

Matagorda Continued From Page 8

them,” Frasier said.

Frasier said the recent cold front should push the big trout into the deeper guts and channels and finally put the fish on their normal winter pattern.

“We are all on standby ready to go,” he said. “You can bet with the new cold fronts, those trophy trout will be in there.”

Capt. Scott Reeh is also having good luck drifting with plastics over scattered shell in East Matagorda Bay. “We are having good success using plastics,” Reeh said.

“In Middle Bay, wade fishing with Corkies is good. The big-

ger fish are starting to show up along the shorelines near the guts. For drifters, some very large Gulf trout are being caught.”

Reeh said the cold front that finally hit the coast Dec. 20, should get the bigger fish going.

“With the latest cold front, the big trout are on the rebound,” he said. “The Colorado River has been good for night fishing, and the reds are plentiful.”

In West Matagorda Bay, Reeh said look for big reds and trout in the guts and grassbeds.

Also in Matagorda Bay, Houston angler John Simpson had

good success the past week using scented plastics over shell.

“We were wade fishing the shorlelines, keying on guts and grassbeds,” he said. “We caught some nice, slot-sized trout and one big fish. The really big trout are still spotty and hard to come by, but that should change as the water temperatures get colder.

“I will be back down here in a few weeks to see if the big boys are biting.”

Capt. Ron Frasier, (979) 557-9444 Capt. Scott Reeh, (832) 595-5619

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OUTDOOR BUSINESS

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Cats Continued From Page 8

and foraging. I use cut bait and shad, but I prefer perch.”

The lake also offers opportunities for sand bass and black bass, according to Lippincott.

“It’s a good sand bass lake and it’s not bad for black bass,” he said. “I use the white and chartreuse slabs and medium runners. The bass school a lot on the lake so they’re easy to find.”

Taylor Clarke, who also guides in the area, said the proximity of the lake to the Metroplex makes it great for anglers who want a quick trip to catch a bunch of fish.

“There’s a good population of white bass,” he said. “I suspect the crappie will start pretty good within the next month, too.”

Clarke said he also experiences much of his success with blue cats, but says the channel cats can’t always be avoided.

“We fish for the blues, but we can’t stop the channels from feeding,” he said. “Today I had a party of four and we limited out.”

For catfish, crappie and white bass, Clarke prefers fresh shad.

Bobby Kubin, (817) 455-2894 Greg Lippincott, (817) 874-9777 Taylor Clarke, (817) 781-3613

Crappie Continued From Page 8

said. “And we weren’t fishing for white bass. They just got our jigs before the crappie could get to them.”

Farther north on Cypress Creek Lake, guide Chuck Rollins said the action has been good over brush piles, from 15 to 25 feet.

“We are throwing 8-ounce crappie jigs,” he said. “Just give it a little movement and wait for the light bite. We are catching 10 to 20 keepers at each brush pile.”

Rollins said he would normally be fishing the creeks this time of year, but there isn’t enough water on Cypress Creek Lake to get a boat into the creeks.

In North Texas, guide Paul O’Bier has been fishing lakes Lavon, Ray Roberts and Fork, and said all are producing good numbers of crappie.

“It’s a pretty good bite right now,” he

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GEORGE AUSTI N, 10, took th is pronghorn on hunt with his a family in Hudsp eth County ne Paso. The fam ar El ily was huntin g on leased la where they ha nd ve been huntin g the past seve years. George ral made a 175-y ard shot with Ruger .22-25 his 0 on the aftern oon of the firs of hunting. t day

said. “We are actually catching them by the dams on most of those lakes throwing a spider rig. We put a 1/4-ounce jig on the bottom and a 1/8-ounce jig above it.

“We just pick it up and set it down.”

O’Bier said he slowly trolls along in deeper water looking for bait balls near the bottom.

“On Lavon, we are catching them in depths between 28 and 34 feet,” he said.

“On Ray Roberts, we are working in 28 to 38 feet along the points and dam. And on Fork, we are working the bridges in 32 or 33 feet of water.

“Anywhere you find shad balls close to the bottom, the crappie will be right under them.”

Simon Cosper, (936) 355-2889 Chuck Rollins, (903) 288-5798 Paul O’Bier, (972) 816-2481

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Marsh conservation projects coming to Texas This fall, two Gulf Coast restoration projects are being added to a threeyear agreement between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Restoration Center and Ducks Unlimited.

The Conserving America’s Coasts partnership agreement aims to protect and restore approximately 5,000 acres of coastal habitat across the nation.

Two projects in the Gulf Coast region — a freshwater introduction project in Terrebonne Parish, La., and a shoreline protection and marsh restoration project in Galveston County — will be added to the partnership accomplishments.

Construction on the Louisiana project is scheduled to begin soon. DU, in cooperation with NOAA and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, will begin engineering and authorization for the Texas project this fall, with construction planned for 2013.

“NOAA and DU are natural partners,” said Jerry Holden, DU director of conservation programs. “What two better

Big bass Continued From Page 1

caught some big ones like that before. The fish stayed down the whole time and just pulled and pulled. I had no idea it was a fish of a lifetime.

“If I had known that, I probably would have panicked.”

Sims worked the fish to the surface, where he realized he did not have a catfish.

“It ran under the boat and then floated on its side at the surface,” he said. “I got her to the boat and just reached down and lipped her. We didn’t even have a net in the boat. I thought she was a 10- or 12-pounder until she stuck her head out of the water.”

According to TPWD, genetic information shows the fish is an intergrade, or a cross between pure Florida largemouth and northern largemouth bass.

Pure Florida bass are held for spawning, while intergrades are returned to the lake as soon as possible.

Sims, along with TPWD biologists, released the fish at the exact spot she was caught on Dec. 18.

And it wasn’t the first time the bass has been caught.

Examination revealed the fish had been caught before. Ed Carter of Broken Bow, Okla., landed the same fish on March 13, 2011. At that time, the fish weighed 14.25 pounds and was 22.25 inches in girth and 25 inches long. The fish is now 22 inches in girth and 25.25 inches long.

Also on Fork, Springtown angler Paul Nettleton caught and released a 13-pounder in December. The fish was caught on a chrome flutter spoon.

At Lake Fork Marina, Linda Benedict said the guides are all reporting solid catches of bass in 20 to 38 feet of water, depending on weather and light conditions at the time.

“Roadbeds and lake humps are producing fish right now,” she said. “The popular baits right now are swimbaits, flutter spoons, magnum flukes and Carolina rigs in watermelon with gold flake color.”

Benedict mentioned the two big fish in the article, and added that a lot of good-sized bass are being caught all over the lake.

And, according to Internet reports, nice bass between 4 and 10 pounds are being caught daily.

LoneOStar Outdoor News

organizations could America have working together to conserve these vital coastal ecosystems?”

With this agreement, NOAA committed more than $2.6 million over three years for coastal project funding. Ducks Unlimited works with other non-federal partners to match that commitment and more than double the initial funding.

“NOAA has been entrusted to manage the nation’s fisheries, and these wetlands represent some of our most productive nursery grounds,” said Sam Rauch, deputy assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “We’re pleased to work with Ducks Unlimited to rebuild these habitats because we share a common understanding that they are vital to our nation’s ecologic and economic security.”

Coastal wetlands serve as natural protection from storm surge and storm-related flooding. By some estimates, approximately 3 miles of coastal wetlands shrink storm surges by 1 foot. In the face of sea-level rise, coastal marsh loss and increasingly costly hurricanes, storm surge absorption is more vital than ever to the nation’s economic security.

— DU

December 28, 2012

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December 28, 2012

LoneOStar Outdoor News

LSONews.com

Young outfitters Continued From Page 4

LUCKY HUNTER: After commenting earlier in the hunt about a lack of banded birds in Texas, Ryan Long shot a banded mallard drake. His friend Reed Foster tries to figure out a way to steal it. Photo by Conor Harrison, LSON.

Harrell said there is one aspect of guiding duck hunters that he enjoys above all else.

“Some people go on duck hunts and they don’t do well,” he said. “That is why they normally come to a guide service in the first place. But I love getting people out on their first good duck hunt where everyone shoots a limit. We also get to know a lot of different people. We video all of our hunts, and it is opening up some doors for us that we wouldn’t have had if it wasn’t for the outfitting.”

LSON Managing Editor Conor Harrison joined the three, along with their dads, on a hunt in December on one of their ponds in Kaufman County.

It was one of the best 45 minutes of duck hunting

in Texas that Harrison has experienced.

“We were covered up in birds from first light until about 8 a.m.,” Harrison said.

“These boys know how to call ducks and have a great attitude. It was really enjoyable to spend some time in the blind with them.”

On the hunt, Long shot his first-ever banded bird — a mallard drake.

“We had just been talking about the fact that nobody had seen a banded bird in several years,” Harrison said. “Then Ryan went to check another pond and took a great mallard. When he got back to the blind, Dayton found the band.

Ryan wasn’t letting anyone near that duck the rest of the morning.”

— Staff report

Quail Continued From Page 1

still out there; they typically come into feeders a lot, but you’re just not seeing much of that this year.”

Coonrod said he has heard quail while out on deer hunts.

“I think they’ve left their normal areas they usually hang out in,” he said. “It’s all due to rain. This year it’s just so dry.”

The quail are likely staying put at water sources, according to Coonrod. Until the conditions improve, he plans on leaving them unpressured.

“I haven’t even put a dog on the ground for a second year in a row now,” he said. “I’ve seen coveys of 10 to 20 birds, and I’m going to jump birds and run into birds. But I’m just going to leave them alone for one more year.”

Despite the mostly dismal news, a few pockets are holding some birds in areas that have some cover and lucked into some timely rains.

Near Hedley in the Texas Panhandle, Robbie Shankle didn’t see many birds last year, but on Dec. 16 he kicked up eight coveys of 15-20 birds each, giving hope for a future buildup of quail numbers.

Another forum poster said he saw four coveys near Coleman while deer hunting, including one 23-bird covey that walked by his stand.

In Brooks County, the Tacubaya Ranch has also experienced some problems with the quail population, according to Ranch Manager Tony Chavez.

“Like most of the state we’re pretty dismal,” Chavez said. “We’re seeing some big coveys come out and eat the corn at each of the blinds, but that’s in kind of a thick, brushy area where you can’t really hunt them. Out in the open, I haven’t seen too many wild quail.”

Chavez said the numbers have been hurting since about seven years ago, but he is still going to put on a few hunts.

“There were quail everywhere, but not so much any more,” he said. “I am going to run some hunts; maybe just one in January and one in February.”

Office Manager Mo Chavez agreed.

“You used to see coveys of quail everywhere; now not so much,” she said. “We did have a group in late October and they had a covey come up to one of our photo blinds, which is encouraging to see. I want to say there were 20 quail and that’s the most I’ve seen in over a year.”

Other ranches shared the same experiences. One outfitter near Lubbock described quail as a “nogo” this year, even though he saw decent numbers during the spring.

David Coonrod, (806) 778-7632 Tacubaya Ranch, (361) 568-3440

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

December 28, 2012

Page 19

Page 20

December 28, 2012

LoneOStar Outdoor News

LSONews.com

TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT Big flounder now

Sponsored by

GALVESTON BAY — Big flounder are still being caught throughout the Galveston Bay complex, according to Capt. Craig Lambert’s fishing report on 2coolfishing.com Lambert said the flounder run was still going strong well into December, although it has tailed off a little since the peak the week before Thanksgiving.

“We caught flounder on almost every flounder rig I had in my box,” he said. “Gulps caught most of my fish but I did catch a few on Flounder Pounders, and I even caught some on the Chicken Boy lures that a client had given me to try out.”

If soft plastics aren’t working, throw shrimp with a scented plastic on a tandem rig.

“For those who are serious about catching trophy flounder now is the time to go,” he said.

“Some of the biggest flounder of the year are caught during the month of December and January. Don't expect to kill them, but that 8-pounder is out there waiting for you, no doubt.”

Search for the big flatfish on structure and fan cast to cover lots of water.

To contact Capt. Craig Lambert, call (832) 338-4570.

Trout, flounder near Sabine PORT ARTHUR — The flounder are still biting and big trout are beginning to appear in Sabine Lake, according to Ricky Lane at Luck in a Bucket Bait Camp in Port Arthur.

“The anglers are mostly fishing with mullet and mud minnows,” Lane said. “We’ve still got a

NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under the birds when the wind allows. Redfish are good in the marsh on small top-waters and weedless plastics.

SOUTH SABINE: Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp. Trout are fair around the Reef on live shrimp. Trout are good around rafts of shad on MirrOlures and soft plastics.

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

TRINITY BAY: Trout are good

for drifters working pods of shad and mullet on soft plastics, Trout Killers and Sand Eels. Redfish are good at the spillway on crabs and mullet.

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

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Waders have taken trout in the mud and shell on MirrOlures and Corkies. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs.

TEXAS CITY: Redfish are good

on the edge of the deep channels on fresh shrimp.

Flounder are fair on the spoils on scented plastics and jigs tipped with shrimp.

FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs.

Sheepshead are good from the piers on shrimp.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are fair for drifters on live shrimp and soft plastics over humps and scattered shell.

Redfish are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair to good on

few who want live shrimp, though. They are catching flounder and reds, with some trout in there as well.”

Lane said the flounder have slowed down a little, but that depends on who you ask.

“Some guys tell me it has slowed down and others tell me it is heating up,” he said. “I guess it depends on who you ask. But they are catching flounder in the ship channel. I haven’t heard of too many big trout, but I don’t think people tell me the truth all the time, because they know I give customers an accurate report.

“But I have a feeling they are catching the big ones on the North Levee of Pleasure Island.”

To contact Luck in a Bucket Bait Camp, call (409) 736-3486.

Whiting, sand trout from piers Port Isabel — Pier anglers are having good daytime success for whiting and sand trout off the Pirate’s Landing Fishing Pier in Port Isabel.

According to Marco Rodriguez, shrimp and mullet are the most common baits being used right now.

“Along with the whiting and sand trout, they are catching some speckled trout at night,” he said. “There aren’t a lot of big ones — mostly in the 15to 16-inch range; barely keepers.”

Along with the trout, the occasional black drum is also being brought ashore.

To contact Pirate’s Landing Fishing Pier, call (956) 943-7437.

— Conor Harrison

the south shoreline in the guts and bayous. Trout are fair on shell on soft plastics.

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

ROCKPORT: Trout are fair on the edge of the ICW on glow DOA Shrimp. Redfish are fair to good on the Estes Flats on mullet and shrimp.

PORT ARANSAS: Sheepshead are good at the jetty on shrimp. Redfish are fair to

good on the East Flats on scented plastics and mullet. Sand trout are good on shrimp in the channel.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Redfish are good in the Humble Channel on crabs and table shrimp.

Trout are fair to good on the edge of the flats on live shrimp and DOA Shrimp.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good in mud and grass on Corkies and Catch 2000s Redfish are good in the Land Cut on natural baits.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are fair to good on DOA Shrimp under a popping cork around grass holes. Redfish are fair

to good while drifting potholes and while wading spoil islands.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout and redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on DOA Shrimp and scented plastics.

Redfish, black drum and mangrove snapper are fair to good in the channel on shrimp.

PORT ISABEL: Trout are fair on the edge of the flats on scented plastics under popping corks. Redfish are fair around the spoils on soft plastics and shrimp. Sand trout are fair to good in the channel on shrimp.

— TPWD

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

Sun | Moon | Tides Texas Coast Tides Sabine Pass, north Date Time Dec 28 8:14 AM Dec 29 12:25 AM Dec 30 2:08 AM Dec 31 2:50 AM Jan 01 3:47 AM Jan 02 12:42 AM Jan 03 1:41 AM Jan 04 2:39 AM Jan 05 3:34 AM Jan 06 4:27 AM Jan 07 5:19 AM Jan 08 6:11 AM Jan 09 7:01 AM Jan 10 12:14 AM Jan 11 1:11 AM

Height -1.0L 1.8H 1.0H 1.0H 0.9H 0.6L 0.4L 0.2L -0.1L -0.4L -0.7L -0.9L -1.1L 1.2H 1.3H

Time 4:37 PM 8:45 AM 10:18 AM 10:54 AM 11:33 AM 4:58 AM 6:39 AM 8:49 AM 10:46 AM 12:11 PM 1:14 PM 2:06 PM 2:53 PM 7:52 AM 8:41 AM

Galveston Bay entrance, south jetty Date Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 01 Jan 02 Jan 03 Jan 04 Jan 05 Jan 06 Jan 07 Jan 08 Jan 09 Jan 10 Jan 11

Time 12:39 AM 1:12 AM 1:43 AM 2:16 AM 3:05 AM 12:07 AM 1:14 AM 2:15 AM 3:10 AM 4:03 AM 4:55 AM 5:47 AM 6:39 AM 7:30 AM 12:44 AM

San Luis Pass Date Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 01 Jan 02 Jan 03 Jan 04 Jan 05 Jan 06 Jan 07 Jan 08 Jan 09 Jan 10 Jan 11

Time 1:09 AM 1:42 AM 2:13 AM 2:46 AM 12:01 AM 1:03 AM 2:10 AM 3:11 AM 4:06 AM 4:59 AM 5:51 AM 6:43 AM 7:35 AM 12:11 AM 1:14 AM

Freeport Harbor Date Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 01 Jan 02 Jan 03 Jan 04 Jan 05 Jan 06 Jan 07 Jan 08 Jan 09 Jan 10 Jan 11

Time 8:48 AM 9:18 AM 9:47 AM 10:17 AM 10:52 AM 5:06 AM 2:15 AM 2:39 AM 3:17 AM 4:03 AM 4:53 AM 5:47 AM 6:41 AM 7:35 AM 8:27 AM

Height 1.4H 1.4H 1.3H 1.2H 1.1H 0.8L 0.6L 0.3L -0.1L -0.5L -0.8L -1.1L -1.3L -1.4L 1.5H

Time 8:40 AM 9:11 AM 9:42 AM 10:14 AM 10:48 AM 4:21 AM 6:42 AM 9:08 AM 11:10 AM 12:41 PM 1:46 PM 2:37 PM 3:23 PM 4:06 PM 8:21 AM

Height 1.9H -1.0L -0.5L -0.4L -0.3L 0.8H 0.7H 0.7H 0.8H 1.0H 1.2H 1.3H 1.3H -1.1L -1.1L Height -0.8L -0.8L -0.7L -0.6L -0.4L 0.9H 0.8H 0.8H 0.9H 1.2H 1.4H 1.6H 1.6H 1.6H -1.4L

Time 8:27 PM 5:06 PM 6:01 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 12:15 PM 1:02 PM 1:59 PM 3:10 PM 4:29 PM 5:43 PM 6:44 PM 7:36 PM 3:37 PM 4:19 PM Time 5:24 PM 5:53 PM 6:24 PM 6:52 PM 7:19 PM 11:25 AM 12:06 PM 12:55 PM 2:03 PM 3:43 PM 5:31 PM 6:41 PM 7:26 PM 8:07 PM 4:46 PM

Height 1.6L 1.8H 1.2H 1.1H 1.1H -0.1L 0.1L 0.4L 0.6L 0.7L 0.8L 0.9L 0.9L 1.4H 1.3H Height 1.5H 1.5H 1.4H 1.4H 1.3H -0.1L 0.2L 0.5L 0.8L 1.1L 1.2L 1.3L 1.3L 1.3L 1.6H

Height 0.9H 0.8H 0.8H 0.7H 0.6L 0.5L 0.3L 0.2L -0.1L -0.3L -0.5L -0.7L -0.8L 0.9H 0.9H

Time 9:36 AM 10:07 AM 10:38 AM 11:10 AM 3:35 AM 4:51 AM 7:12 AM 9:38 AM 11:40 AM 1:11 PM 2:16 PM 3:07 PM 3:53 PM 8:26 AM 9:17 AM

Height -0.5L -0.5L -0.4L -0.3L 0.7H 0.5H 0.5H 0.5H 0.6H 0.7H 0.9H 0.9H 1.0H -0.9L -0.8L

Time 5:54 PM 6:23 PM 6:54 PM 7:22 PM 11:44 AM 12:21 PM 1:02 PM 1:51 PM 2:59 PM 4:39 PM 6:27 PM 7:37 PM 8:22 PM 4:36 PM 5:16 PM

Height 0.9H 0.9H 0.9H 0.8H -0.2L -0.1L 0.1L 0.3L 0.5L 0.6L 0.7L 0.8L 0.8L 1.0H 0.9H

Height -0.4L -0.4L -0.3L -0.2L -0.1L 0.8H 0.6L 0.3L 0.1L -0.2L -0.4L -0.6L -0.8L -0.9L -0.9L

Time 5:20 PM 5:46 PM 6:10 PM 6:34 PM 6:56 PM 11:31 AM 6:57 AM 8:51 AM 10:40 AM 12:14 PM 1:25 PM 2:24 PM 3:15 PM 4:02 PM 4:44 PM

Height 1.6H 1.6H 1.5H 1.4H 1.4H 0.1L 0.8H 0.8H 1.0H 1.3H 1.5H 1.6H 1.7H 1.7H 1.7H

Time

2:11 AM 7:19 PM 12:17 PM 1:20 PM 3:12 PM

Time

Height

9:02 PM 10:57 PM 11:49 PM

1.5L 0.8L 0.7L

7:29 PM 7:57 PM 8:25 PM 8:56 PM 9:36 PM 10:24 PM 11:18 PM

1.1H 1.0H 1.0H 1.0H 1.1H 1.1H 1.2H

8:23 PM 9:11 PM

0.8L 0.8L

Time 8:53 PM 9:28 PM 10:15 PM

Height 1.3L 1.2 L 1.1L

7:43 PM 8:02 PM 8:19 PM 8:36 PM 9:00 PM 9:41 PM 10:38 PM 11:41 PM

1.2H 1.2H 1.1H 1.2H 1.2H 1.3H 1.4H 1.5H

8:51 PM

1.1L

Time 9:49 PM 10:24 PM 11:11 PM

Height 0.8L 0.7L 0.7L

7:49 PM 8:13 PM 8:32 PM 8:49 PM 9:06 PM 9:30 PM 10:11 PM 11:08 PM

0.8H 0.7H 0.7H 0.7H 0.7H 0.7H 0.8H 0.9H

9:03 PM 9:47 PM

0.8L 0.7L

Height

Time

Height

0.7L 1.3H 0.4L 0.6L 0.9L

7:41 PM 8:01 PM 8:19 PM

1.2H 1.1H 1.0H

Solunar | Sun times | Moon times

Moon Phases Full

Port O’Connor Date Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Jan 01 Jan 02 Jan 03 Jan 04 Jan 05 Jan 06 Jan 07 Jan 08 Jan 09 Jan 10 Jan 11

Time 11:36 AM 12:14 PM 12:21 AM 12:09 AM 1:59 PM 12:01 AM 2:45 PM 5:38 AM 6:05 AM 6:44 AM 7:32 AM 8:25 AM 9:21 AM 10:18 AM 11:13 AM

Rockport

Date Time Dec 28 2:29 AM Dec 29 3:07 AM Dec 30 3:40 AM Dec 31 4:06 AM Jan 01 4:36 AM Jan 02 1:01 AM Jan 03 3:27 PM Jan 04 6:48 AM Jan 05 7:22 AM Jan 06 8:05 AM Jan 07 8:54 AM Jan 08 9:46 AM Jan 09 10:41 AM Jan 10 12:47 AM Jan 11 1:43 AM

Jan. 19

Houston Height -0.4L -0.5L 0.4H 0.4H -0.3L 0.2H -0.1L -0.1L -0.2L -0.4L -0.5L -0.6L -0.7L -0.7L -0.7L

Time 11:57 PM

Height 0.5H

12:51 PM 1:26 PM

-0.4L -0.4L

2:27 PM 9:57 PM 8:54 PM 8:32 PM 8:27 PM 8:39 PM 9:18 PM 10:16 PM 11:26 PM

-0.2L 0.1H 0.1H 0.2H 0.2H 0.3H 0.4H 0.4H 0.4H

Height 0.1H 0.1H 0.1H 0.0H 0.0H -0.1H -0.2L -0.2L -0.2L -0.3L -0.4L -0.4L -0.4L 0.0H 0.0H

Time 12:53 PM 1:30 PM 2:02 PM 2:30 PM 2:58 PM 3:19 PM 11:03 PM 11:39 AM 10:33 PM 10:43 PM 11:12 PM 11:56 PM

Height -0.3L -0.3L -0.3L -0.3L -0.2L -0.2L -0.1H -0.2H 0.0H 0.0H 0.0H 0.0H

11:36 AM 12:28 PM

-0.4L -0.4L

Height -0.8L -0.8L -0.7L -0.6L -0.4L 0.5L 0.3L 0.1L -0.1L -0.4L -0.7L -0.9L -1.1L -1.2L -1.3L

South Padre Island Date Time Dec 28 8:29 AM Dec 29 8:59 AM Dec 30 9:30 AM Dec 31 10:01 AM Jan 01 10:39 AM Jan 02 11:17 AM Jan 03 1:55 AM Jan 04 2:22 AM Jan 05 3:00 AM Jan 06 3:45 AM Jan 07 4:35 AM Jan 08 5:27 AM Jan 09 6:20 AM Jan 10 7:13 AM Jan 11 8:04 AM

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.

First

Jan. 11

Jan. 5

Port Aransas, H. Caldwell Pier Date Time Dec 28 8:29 AM Dec 29 9:01 AM Dec 30 9:32 AM Dec 31 10:04 AM Jan 01 10:41 AM Jan 02 1:42 AM Jan 03 1:57 AM Jan 04 2:29 AM Jan 05 3:08 AM Jan 06 3:53 AM Jan 07 4:42 AM Jan 08 5:33 AM Jan 09 6:24 AM Jan 10 7:16 AM Jan 11 8:06 AM

New

Last

Dec. 28

Height -0.4L -0.3L -0.2L -0.1L 0.0L 0.2L 0.7L 0.4L 0.1L -0.2L -0.5L -0.8L -1.0L -1.0L -1.0L

Time 5:48 PM 6:10 PM 6:28 PM 6:41 PM 6:56 PM 3:48 AM 6:21 AM 9:11 AM 11:47 AM 1:15 PM 2:12 PM 3:00 PM 3:45 PM 4:25 PM 5:01 PM

Height 1.3H 1.2H 1.1H 1.1H 1.0H 0.5H 0.5H 0.6H 0.9H 1.2H 1.5H 1.6H 1.6H 1.6H 1.4H

Time 6:16 PM 6:35 PM 6:48 PM 6:56 PM 7:06 PM 7:11 PM 5:34 AM 8:28 AM 11:25 AM 1:21 PM 2:26 PM 3:18 PM 4:05 PM 4:46 PM 5:21 PM

Height 1.5H 1.5H 1.5H 1.4H 1.3H 1.2H 0.8H 0.8H 0.9H 1.1H 1.3H 1.5H 1.5H 1.5H 1.5H

Time

Height

Time

Height

11:51 PM

0.3H

11:33 PM

0.1H

Time

Height

Time

Height

11:39 PM

-0.1H

2:46 PM

-0.2L

Time

Height

Time

Height

11:19 AM 12:01 PM 12:56 PM 2:33 PM

-0.2L 0.2L 0.5L 0.9L

7:07 PM 7:14 PM 7:16 PM 7:08 PM

1.0H 1.0H 1.0H 1.0H

2012-13 Dec-Jan 28 Fri F 29 Sat > 30 Sun > 31 Mon 01 Tue 02 Wed 03 Thu 04 Fri Q 05 Sat 06 Sun 07 Mon 08 Tue 09 Wed 10 Thu > 11 Fri N 12 Sat N 13 Sun > 14 Mon > 15 Tue 16 Wed

A.M. Minor Major 4:45 10:57 5:34 11:46 6:24 12:13 7:15 1:03 8:05 1:54 8:56 2:44 9:46 3:34 10:36 4:24 11:26 5:14 ----- 6:04 12:41 6:55 1:33 7:49 2:28 8:44 3:26 9:41 4:24 10:39 5:24 11:06 6:23 12:10 7:21 1:08 8:17 2:05 9:10 2:58

Dallas 10:41 PM -0.1H

2012-13 Dec-Jan 28 Fri F 29 Sat > 30 Sun > 31 Mon 01 Tue 02 Wed 03 Thu 04 Fri Q 05 Sat 06 Sun 07 Mon 08 Tue 09 Wed 10 Thu > 11 Fri N 12 Sat N 13 Sun > 14 Mon > 15 Tue 16 Wed

A.M. Minor Major 4:50 11:02 5:40 11:51 6:30 12:18 7:20 1:09 8:11 2:00 9:01 2:50 9:51 3:40 10:42 4:29 11:32 5:19 ----- 6:09 12:46 7:01 1:39 7:54 2:34 8:49 3:31 9:47 4:30 10:45 5:30 11:11 6:29 12:15 7:27 1:14 8:22 2:10 9:15 3:03

San Antonio

Time

Height

Time

Height

12:00 PM 12:51 PM 2:05 PM

0.4L 0.6L 0.9L

7:12 PM 7:09 PM 6:58 PM

1.1H 1.1H 1.0H

2012-13 A.M. Dec-Jan Minor Major 28 Fri F 4:57 11:09 29 Sat > 5:47 11:58 30 Sun > 6:37 12:25 31 Mon 7:27 1:16 01 Tue 8:18 2:07 02 Wed 9:08 2:57 03 Thu 9:58 3:47 04 Fri Q 10:49 4:36 05 Sat 11:39 5:26 06 Sun 12:03 6:16 07 Mon 12:53 7:08 08 Tue 1:46 8:01 09 Wed 2:41 8:56 10 Thu > 3:38 9:54 11 Fri N 4:37 10:52 12 Sat N 5:37 11:18 13 Sun > 6:36 12:22 14 Mon > 7:34 1:21 15 Tue 8:29 2:17 16 Wed 9:22 3:10

Amarillo

2012-13 A.M. Dec-Jan Minor 28 Fri F 5:11 29 Sat > 6:00 30 Sun > 6:50 31 Mon 7:41 01 Tue 8:31 02 Wed 9:22 03 Thu 10:12 04 Fri Q 11:02 05 Sat 11:52 06 Sun 12:16 07 Mon 1:07 08 Tue 1:59 09 Wed 2:54 10 Thu > 3:51 11 Fri N 4:50 12 Sat N 5:50 13 Sun > 6:49 14 Mon > 7:47 15 Tue 8:42 16 Wed 9:35

OUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen ACROSS 1. Another name for the cobia 3. A lure 4. A type of gun choke 8. A herd moving to new area 9. An appendage on a turkey’s foot 10. To treat a hide 11. A hunting, fishing regulation 12. Shotgun model, _____ and under 14. A gun organization 16. A part of a gun primer 19. A polar bear food source 21. Hunter’s wild quarry in Rockies 22. Small boat that folds up to carry 24. A deer lure, scent ____ 26. Hunter’s weaponry 27. Term for the whitetail’s tine 31. Consider this when bowhunting 35. A food source for all trout 36. Term for the handle section of a bow 38. A popular fishing lure 39. Might pack the day’s catch in this

Solution on Page 25 3.

4.

5.

6.

40. They say fish can tell this of a lure 42. A trail or game pathway 43. Fish’s breathing organs 44. Term for part of a stag’s antlers DOWN 1. An eel 2. Worn to keep pebbles out of shoes

29.

30.

32.

33.

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Act of fish hitting a bait A good fish bait The spot on a scope Name for a certain arrowhead 7. The large fin on a fish 13. Term for antlers 14. Game or wildfowl having young 15. Name for the expert fisherman 17. Said to be most populated elk state 18. Bucks will do this to warn of danger 20. Code letters for a type bullet 23. A species of trout or bear 25. The wingshooter’s helper 28. Part of a fishline A deer habitat to hide in Term for a type of fly lure Fish gear used in frozen lakes A valuable trapper’s catch A deer food source 2 down keeps small ones out of shoes A catfishing rig, _____ line Future fish

Major 11:23 ----12:38 1:29 2:20 3:10 4:00 4:50 5:40 6:30 7:21 8:15 9:10 10:07 11:05 11:32 12:36 1:34 2:31 3:24

P.M. Minor 5:09 5:58 6:47 7:37 8:28 9:18 10:09 11:00 11:52 12:18 1:10 2:04 3:00 3:57 4:54 5:52 6:50 7:46 8:41 9:33

Major 11:21 ----12:36 1:26 2:17 3:07 3:57 4:48 5:39 6:31 7:25 8:19 9:15 10:12 11:09 ----12:37 1:34 2:29 3:21

SUN Rises Sets 07:15 05:29 07:15 05:30 07:15 05:30 07:15 05:31 07:16 05:32 07:16 05:32 07:16 05:33 07:16 05:34 07:16 05:35 07:17 05:35 07:17 05:36 07:17 05:37 07:17 05:38 07:17 05:38 07:17 05:39 07:17 05:40 07:17 05:41 07:17 05:42 07:16 05:43 07:16 05:43

MOON Rises 6:05p 6:59p 7:53p 8:48p 9:44p 10:40p 11:38p NoMoon 12:39a 1:42a 2:47a 3:53a 4:58a 6:00a 6:55a 7:45a 8:29a 9:09a 9:46a 10:22a

Sets 7:15a 7:57a 8:37a 9:13a 9:48a 10:23a 10:58a 11:34a 12:14p 12:58p 1:48p 2:43p 3:45p 4:50p 5:57p 7:04p 8:09p 9:10p 10:10p 11:07p

P.M. Minor Major 5:14 11:27 6:03 ----6:53 12:41 7:43 1:32 8:33 2:22 9:24 3:13 10:15 4:03 11:06 4:54 11:58 5:45 12:23 6:37 1:16 7:30 2:10 8:25 3:05 9:21 4:02 10:18 5:00 11:15 5:58 ----6:55 12:42 7:52 1:39 8:46 2:34 9:38 3:27

SUN MOON Rises Sets Rises Sets 07:28 05:27 6:05p 7:27a 07:28 05:28 6:59p 8:09a 07:28 05:28 7:55p 8:47a 07:29 05:29 8:51p 9:22a 07:29 05:30 9:48p 9:56a 07:29 05:30 10:46p 10:29a 07:29 05:31 11:45p 11:02a 07:29 05:32 NoMoon 11:38a 07:29 05:33 12:47a 12:16p 07:29 05:33 1:52a 12:59p 07:29 05:34 2:59a 1:47p 07:30 05:35 4:06a 2:42p 07:29 05:36 5:11a 3:43p 07:29 05:37 6:12a 4:49p 07:29 05:38 7:07a 5:57p 07:29 05:39 7:56a 7:06p 07:29 05:39 8:38a 8:12p 07:29 05:40 9:17a 9:15p 07:29 05:41 9:52a 10:16p 07:29 05:42 10:26a 11:15p

P.M. Minor Major 5:21 11:34 6:10 ----7:00 12:48 7:50 1:39 8:40 2:29 9:31 3:20 10:22 4:10 11:13 5:01 ----- 5:52 12:30 6:44 1:23 7:37 2:17 8:32 3:12 9:28 4:09 10:25 5:07 11:22 6:05 ----7:02 12:49 7:59 1:46 8:53 2:41 9:45 3:34

SUN MOON Rises Sets Rises Sets 07:26 05:42 6:19p 7:27a 07:27 05:43 7:12p 8:10a 07:27 05:44 8:07p 8:49a 07:27 05:44 9:02p 9:26a 07:27 05:45 9:57p 10:01a 07:28 05:46 10:53p 10:35a 07:28 05:46 11:51p 11:10a 07:28 05:47 NoMoon 11:47a 07:28 05:48 12:51a 12:27p 07:28 05:49 1:54a 1:11p 07:28 05:49 3:00a 2:01p 07:28 05:50 4:06a 2:57p 07:29 05:51 5:11a 3:58p 07:29 05:52 6:12a 5:04p 07:29 05:52 7:08a 6:11p 07:28 05:53 7:57a 7:17p 07:28 05:54 8:42a 8:22p 07:28 05:55 9:22a 9:24p 07:28 05:56 9:59a 10:23p 07:28 05:57 10:35a 11:20p

P.M. Minor 5:35 6:24 7:13 8:03 8:54 9:44 10:35 11:26 ----12:44 1:36 2:30 3:26 4:22 5:20 6:18 7:16 8:12 9:06 9:59

SUN Rises 07:54 07:54 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:56 07:56 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 07:54 07:54

Major 11:47 12:12 1:02 1:52 2:42 3:33 4:23 5:14 6:05 6:57 7:51 8:45 9:41 10:38 11:35 12:04 1:03 2:00 2:54 3:47

Sets 05:41 05:42 05:43 05:43 05:44 05:45 05:46 05:46 05:47 05:48 05:49 05:50 05:51 05:52 05:52 05:53 05:54 05:55 05:56 05:57

MOON Rises 6:21p 7:16p 8:13p 9:10p 10:08p 11:07p NoMoon 12:08a 1:11a 2:17a 3:24a 4:32a 5:38a 6:39a 7:33a 8:20a 9:02a 9:39a 10:13a 10:46a

Sets 7:53a 8:34a 9:11a 9:46a 10:19a 10:51a 11:23a 11:57a 12:34p 1:16p 2:04p 2:58p 3:59p 5:05p 6:14p 7:24p 8:31p 9:36p 10:37p 11:37p

FOR THE TABLE Grilled stuffed trout 4 trout about 3/4-1 pound each 1 lemon, thinly sliced 1 cup crumbled cornbread 1 can (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 cup celery, chopped 4 1/2 oz. black olives, chopped 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 tbsps. bacon drippings 1/2 tsp. fresh dill, finely chopped Salt and pepper to taste Sprinkle the inside and outside of each fish with the dill, salt

Grilled venison heart 1 venison heart 2 tbsps. olive oil 1 tsp. red wine vinegar 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped 1 sprig parsley, finely chopped 1 sprig thyme, finely chopped Salt and pepper 4 green onions Handful of arugula 1/4 cup pale green celery leaves Clean and marinate the heart one day in advance. Make a cut on one *email LSON your favorite recipe

and pepper. In a skillet, sauté the mushrooms, onion and celery in the bacon drippings until soft.

Add the cornbread, olives, sour cream and melted butter. If necessary, add a little water to the mixture to help it hold together. Stuff each trout with the mixture and use toothpicks to hold them closed. Place lemon slices on each side of the trout and place them in an oiled fish basket. Place basket on hot grill and cook about 15 minutes per side or 10 minutes per inch of thickness of the stuffed trout.

— backwoodsbound.com

side of the heart and open it like a book. Remove any sinew and all the stringy bits inside. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic and herbs. Rub the marinade over the heart and refrigerate overnight. Make a hot fire and season the heart with salt and pepper. Grill the heart until nicely charred and browned on both sides, but still pink inside — about 10 minutes. Grill the onions about 3 or 4 minutes. Let the heart rest for 10 minutes, then slice thinly. Serve with the grilled onions, arugula, celery leaves and a few drops of vinegar.

— “Afield,” by Jesse Griffiths to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

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December 28, 2012

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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PRODUCTS PROSTAFF 5 LASER RANGEFINDER: This nextgeneration Prostaff 5 rangefinder by Nikon is designed to deliver fast and accurate readings. Smaller than its predecessor, this easy-tocarry rangefinder is the ideal balance of size and power. Its 6x21 multicoated optical system boasts a huge ocular lens and optimized viewfinder display to provide the wide field of view needed for immediate subject acquisition and maximum ranging speed. It offers ranging precision out to 600 yards; a long eye relief of 18.3mm (great for eyeglass wearers); and an easy-to-read LCD in virtually any light condition. Hunters will appreciate the rangefinder’s .1-yard display plus the ability to enhance the display when needed. The waterproof and fogproof laser rangefinder costs about $230 in black and about $250 in Realtree APG.

>>

TOOL TAMER: TK2’s storage system, now available in Mossy Oak camo, combines versatility, durability and portability so that hunters and fishermen can organize equipment and objects of all shapes and sizes. The Tool Tamer includes hooks so that the grommets along the top edge can be easily hung on any vertical surface (including doors or walls in hunting camps, garages, deer stands and duck blinds). It also can be hung on the roll cage of an ATV or UTV. Made from tear-resistant and abrasion-resistant 900 Denier Cordura, the tool tamer is available in four sizes: small, medium, large and long. The price ranges from about $35 for the small (20 inches by 21 inches) to about $90 for the large (50 inches by 36 inches).

>>

(800) 645-6687 www.nikonhunting.com

(225) 907-0993 www.tooltamer.com

For retailers, visit: www.winchester.com

>>

>>

VARMINT X FACTOR: This new line of predator and varmint ammunition by Winchester will be offered in the most popular centerfire rifle calibers for predator hunting: .204 Ruger, .223 Rem., .22-250 Rem. and .243 Win. The charcoal-colored, polymertipped bullets in each caliber are optimized for long-distance accuracy and explosive impact on coyotes, prairie dogs and other varmints. Varmint X, which utilizes the latest ammunition technology, boasts velocities of 3,850 to 4,000 fps, depending on caliber. Each caliber will be available in 20-round boxes and 200-round cases.

10XD CRANKBAIT: Strike King Lure Company has built a bigger bait to catch a bigger bass. The 6-inch deep-diving crankbait will hit the 25-foot mark on 14-pound fluorocarbon line, allowing anglers to get the crankbait in front of fish that were previously unreachable. According to the company, this crankbait casts and pulls surprisingly easy for its size. Lure designer Phil Marks, a tournament-winning pro angler, attributes the bait’s size, depth capability and action for its appeal to big bass: “It catches the grade of fish that win tournaments and stories are told about.” The 10XD, which has an MSRP of $14.99, is available in 12 colors.

(901) 853-1455 www.strikeking.com TUNA ALLEY SUNGLASSES: Costa Del Mar’s newest sunglasses offer a large, wraparound fit to protect against glare. Its front-frame vents alleviate lens fogging. And the no-slip interior lining keeps the sunglasses comfortably in place all day for those long fishing expeditions.

Available in tortoise, matte black, white, crystal and the new blackout frame colors, the sunglasses come with the full spectrum of Costa 580 lenses. They start at about $170.

>>

(800) 447-3700 www.costadelmar.com

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December 28, 2012

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December 28, 2012

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HEROES Nine-year-old CADEN ARELLANO of Jacksboro ended his Thanksgiving weekend in style by taking this big tom with a 10inch beard and 1-inch spurs.

Dallas bowhunter STEVE SLEDGE shows the red stag he harvested near Decatur.

D’Hanis hunter THOMAS BEARD, 10, harvested this 8-year-old buck with a .243 topped with a Nikon ProStaff scope. Thomas was hunting with his dad, Warren, during the youth weekend.

PARKER REID CARRUTH, 11, from Missouri City, took his first deer, this big 8-point, with his grandfather in Gonzales.

This 225-pound 10-point was taken

by LESLIE HUMPHRIES in Red River County. It was her first deer.

TRISA SMITH took this buck on her ranch outside of Lampasas. The deer won the Burnet County Big Buck Contest and had been nicknamed Nick, due to a cut on his ear when he was younger.

SHARE AN ADVENTURE

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

Westlake High School student NICK NEIGHBORS caught this bull red Nov. 17 at the Bob Hall Pier in Corpus Christi.

Email them with contact and caption information to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com. High-resolution original jpegs only. Mail prints to Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355.

COLE OWEN hooked into this nice bass on Squirrel Creek Ranch in D’Hanis.

CLASSIFIEDS CAPSULE FEEDER Most dependable, longest lasting, toughest/ hog proof feeder ever.

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Call Sawyer Wright.

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Call Steve Barber at (817) 832-8078 LEARN TO FLY FISH CASTING LESSONS Lessons by a certified casting instructor in Dallas.

Group lessons available.

(214) 677-6307 QUAIL GUN 20-gauge, 26” BBL, English stock, side by side.

Smith & Wesson Elite Gold In box, never fired. $1850 (214) 361-2276 x 201

VETERAN SEEKING EMPLOYMENT Seeking employment in the Whitetail, Exotic, or hunting industry. Wildlife and hunting is my passion and would like to pursue a career in the industry. Please call Rodney (214) 723-3966 ILLINOIS WHITETAIL ARCHERY ONLY Fair chase. Privately owned and managed. HUGE trophies.

Boone and Crocket deer.

Hunted only 5 weeks per year during pre-rut/rut. Booking now for 2013. Call Dave.

(719) 963-4479 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

PER WORD

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December 28, 2012

Page 25

NATIONAL NBC, other channels cancel gun shows NBC Sports Network has canceled all gun-related outdoor programming, according to a press release: “In response to the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., the NBC Sports Network has placed an indefinite moratorium on the broadcasting of any gun-related outdoor programming.

With the network’s decision, “3-Gun Nation” will no longer be airing on NBC Sports Network, effective immediately,” according to a press release.

NBC wasn’t the only broadcast company canceling shows.

The Discovery Channel canceled the hit gun show “American Guns,” along with “Sons of Guns” and Ted Nugent’s show, “Ted Nugent’s Gun Country.”

— Staff report

Delaware striper record broken Ben Smith of Bryn Mar, Penn., was surf-fishing at Delaware Seashore State Park on Dec. 8 when he landed a 52-pound striped bass, a new Delaware state record. The fish measured 51 inches long and was 30 inches in girth.

Smith’s catch was measured and weighed using a certified scale and verified by officials with Delaware’s Department of Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation. The former state record of 51 pounds, 8 ounces had been in place since 1978.

Smith, who grew up in New Jersey fishing in the Long Beach Island area with his dad and younger brother, was enjoying a fishing weekend with friends at Delaware Seashore State Park.

— Delaware DNR

Arkansas deer harvest record surpassed Deer hunters in Arkansas have set a new record, and the season isn’t over yet.

Hunters this season have checked more than 196,000 deer, passing the record of 194,687 set in 1999-2000.

Favorable weather conditions along with increased season limits are factors in the new deer record.

Archery season continues through Feb. 28, and a Youth Hunt is Jan. 5-6.

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologists estimate that the state has 1,000,000 or more deer, many times the estimated 5,000 in the entire state just before World War II. Hunter numbers in Arkansas has remained fairly constant in recent years. Estimates are that about 300,000 people go deer hunting in the state.

— Staff report

“Made in U.S.A.” matters if price is right How much of a difference does the “Made in U.S.A.” tag make when buying hunting of fishing equipment?

HunterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com sought to find out.

Most respondents agreed that U.S.-made products were of better quality and it was important to buy them. The survey discovered, though, there is only so much most hunters and anglers are willing to pay for that label.

When asked how important it is to buy fishing tackle or hunting equipment that is made in the U.S.A., nearly 89 percent of anglers said it was very or somewhat important, while 94 percent of hunters said it was very or somewhat important.

When it came to price, though, the responses changed. If the Made in U.S.A. product was five percent higher or less in cost, 85 percent of anglers and 89 percent of hunters said they would buy the American-made product. Once the U.S. product becomes 20 to 30 percent higher in cost, only 34 percent of anglers and 36 percent of hunters say they were willing to pay the difference.

— Southwick Associates

National survey final report released Based on preliminary figures from the 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Association Recreation, wildlife-related outdoor recreation increased dramatically from 2006 to 2011. The final report, issued Dec. 20, showed that the increase was primarily among those who fished and hunted.

Final figures revealed the number of sportspersons rose from 33.9 million in 2006 to 37.4 million in 2011. The data show that 33.1 million people fished and 13.7 million hunted.

Of the 13.7 million hunters that took to the field in 2011,

11.6 million hunted big game, 4.5 million hunted small game, 2.6 million hunted migratory birds, and 2.2 million other animals.

Of the 33.1 million anglers that fished, 27.5 million freshwater fished and 8.9 million saltwater fished.

While 94 percent of the U.S. population 16 years of age and older resided in metropolitan areas, 89 percent of all anglers and 80 percent of all hunters were metropolitan residents.

Male anglers comprised 73 percent (24.2 million) of all anglers while 27 percent (8.9 million) were female. Hunters were more male-dominated, with 89 percent (12.2 million) while 11 percent (1.5 million) were females.

At the request of state fish and wildlife agencies, the Fish and Wildlife Service has been sponsoring the national survey every five years since 1955.

— USFWS

Puzzle solution from Page 21

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DATEBOOK January 3-6

Dallas Safari Club 2013 Convention Dallas Convention Center (972) 980-9800 biggame.org

January 10

Dallas Woods and Waters Club Monthly Meeting and Dinner Sheraton Dallas North (214) 570-8700 dwwcc.org

January 10-13

Houston Safari Club Worldwide Sporting Expo and Convention The Woodlands Waterway Marriott (713) 623-8844 houstonsafari.org

January 11-13

Texas Tackle and Hunting Show Mesquite Rodeo Arena (918) 343-4868 texastackleandhuntingshow.com

January 11-12

Uvalde County Hill Country Rivers Trout Days, Nueces River (830) 591-1065 hillcountryrivers.com

January 12-13

Texas Gun and Knife Show Abilene Civic Center (830) 285-0575 texasgunandknifeshow.com

January 17

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Texas State Rendezvous Lake Somerville (830) 935-4754 rmef.org

January 17-20

2013 Austin Boat and Travel Trailer Show Austin Convention Center (512) 494-1128 austinboatshow.com

January 23-26

Safari Club International 2013 Convention Reno, Nevada (520) 620-1220 scifirstforhunters.org

LONE STAR MARKET

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

January 24

Ducks Unlimited Corsicana Dinner and Banquet Star Hall (903) 654-7705 ducks.org

January 24-27

San Antonio Boat and Travel Trailer Show The Alamodome (512) 494-1128 sanantonioboatshow.com

January 25

Hallettsville Knights of Columbus Big Buck Contest, Wild Game Supper and Outdoor Show Hallettsville Knights of Columbus Hall (361) 798-2311 kchall.com

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LONE STAR MARKET

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

December 28, 2012

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