July 8, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

July 8, 2011

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State's best Aggie takes top duck calling honors.

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Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

July 8, 2011

Volume 7, Issue 22

Inside

❘❚ HUNTING

Dove season set Federal officials decline to OK earlier South Zone opener.

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Bear with me Texas youth scores on B.C. bear hunt.

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❘❚ FISHING

Can't fish here?

FROM THE DEPTHS: Anglers fishing deep lakes like Texoma and Bridgeport are hooking smallmouth bass on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs, even some soft plastics. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Who has jurisdiction?

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Go deep for smallies

Searching for snook Anglers having up-and-down season.

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Sucked dry O.C. Fisher is out of water.

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

Crossword . . . . . . . .

Fishing Report . . . . . .

For the Table. . . . . . .

Game Warden Blotter . . .

Heroes. . . . . . . . . .

Outdoor Datebook . . . .

Outfitters and Businesses .

Products . . . . . . . . .

Sun, Moon and Tide data .

Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP

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Anglers catching smallmouth bass in clear, deep-water reservoirs

By Nicholas Conklin LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Few options exist for anglers chasing smallmouth bass in Texas lakes.

But, for those willing to fish deep, clear-water

lakes, the reward can be hard-fighting bronzebacks, up to 6 pounds.

Anglers recently reported smallmouth-rich environments on lakes Texoma and Bridgeport.

See SMALLIES, Page 17

Camouflaged corn: Gimmick or law enforcement nightmare?

RIG RULES: A multitude of saltwater species, and the anglers who seek them, tend to crowd around offshore oil rigs during the summer. One guide suggests fishing several hundred yards from a rig, where big fish are frequently found. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

COVERT CORN: A camouflage corn dealer from Georgia said his product probably wouldn’t catch on in Texas where it’s legal to bait deer. Photo by Real Life Outdoors.

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Baiting deer is now legal in parts of Georgia, but corn dealer David Hendrickson said that’s bad for business.

You’d think sales of bait would jump, but Hendrickson, of Newton, Ga., sells a specialized product.

His corn is camouSee CAMOUFLAGED, Page 5

Not all big fish found up close to rigs

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Oil rigs off the Texas coast can be busy places during the summer.

Tuna, mahi mahi, red snapper, grouper, ling, kingfish and a multitude of other deep-water species congregate around the rigs — along with fishermen.

Anglers have their choices when fishing the rigs; bottom fishing and trolling both are popular.

What should a boater who doesn’t often fish the rigs need to know about these hulking metal structures of the deep?

For starters, pay attention to other boats and See RIGS, Page 21

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July 8, 2011

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HUNTING

A promise kept: Texas youth earns Canadian adventure

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Cody Witt, being a student athlete from Thrall, northeast of Austin, has plenty of upper body strength, but he tired while holding his compound bow at full draw, waiting on a big black bear.

The bruin was lumbering along some railroad tracks, stopping occasionally to feed on grass in some very remote backcountry of eastern British Columbia.

Cody’s guide, Jeff Lander, who was directing the 16-year-old archer with hand signals, first spotted the bear.

Cody finally saw the bear when it was nearly upon his guide.

“I was afraid he’d get wind of Jeff,” Cody said. “I had to draw my bow and I held it, but I was pretty fatigued.

“I was just waiting for him to turn broadside.”

The journey to this moment on June 2nd involved more than geography.

Cody said it wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for Jeff.

Cody’s uncle, James Bailey, and his uncle’s hunting buddy, Bob Gilbert, also played key roles.

But to appreciate their influences, it helps to understand that Cody’s parents divorced when he was 5.

“Because of the divorce, Cody had to grow up fast and become the ‘little man’ around our house,” said his mother, Lynn Voigt, who remarried two years ago. “Hunting has been his outlet.”

Cody was 9 when Uncle James, a Dripping Springs homebuilder, gave him his first bow.

“It snowballed from there,” Cody said.

Since then, uncle and nephew made numerous hunts on the Webb County deer lease they shared with Bob, a homebuilder from Leander.

That’s where, a few years ago, Cody first met Jeff, who had guided James and Bob on hunts for grizzly and black bears in British Columbia. They invited Jeff to hunt feral hogs in Texas.

BEAR OF A CHALLENGE: Cody Witt of Thrall and family friend Bob Gilbert of Leander present the 350-pound black bear that Cody shot June 2 in eastern British Columbia. Photo

by Jeff Lander.

“I could see he was totally fired up on hunting,” Jeff said of Cody.

“I said ‘Well, why don’t you come up to Canada to go bowhunting?’”

Cody responded that he’d love to, but his mother probably wouldn’t let him because his schoolwork was lacking.

Jeff didn’t hesitate to offer a free hunt if Cody could improve his grades and keep them high.

“Well,” Jeff recalled, “right then his uncle said, ‘Yeah, and I’ll pay for the flight.’ Then Bob said, ‘I’ll buy your license.’”

Cody took their challenge seriously.

“To have an opportunity was all it took,” Lynn said. “Cody has been on the honor roll the last two years while playing sports for Thrall High School.”

James and Bob drove Cody to

Jeff’s concession, south of Prince George, B.C. When they arrived, Cody discovered a vast, rugged pinery totally unlike drought-stricken Texas.

“We saw moose, grizzlies and lots of waterfowl,” he said. “It’s very wet up there, and the sun comes up at 4:45 in the morning and goes down 10:30 at night.

Living in Texas, I’ve never experienced anything like that.”

During the first outing from camp, Jeff was glad to see that his commitment to Cody was not misplaced.

It didn’t take very long for them to see their first bear, and Cody could See TEXAS YOUTH, Page 6

South Zone dove season opener set for Sept. 23 September season for Canadas approved for Eastern Zone

LATE START: A proposal from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to open the South Zone dove season earlier this year has been denied by a regulations committee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo By David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Dove hunters who prefer South Texas must now mark their calendars for Sept.

23 — the latest opening for the South Zone season in a long time.

A request from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to open that season earlier was recently denied by a regulations committee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The season traditionally begins the Friday nearest Sept. 20, but no earlier than the 17th. That’s nearly three weeks later than the Sept. 1 opening allowed for the rest of the state.

TPWD officials have said, however, that in the South Zone, dove hatchlings stay a little longer in the nest, but most are ready to leave by Sept. 20.

But this year, the Friday nearest Sept.

20 is Sept 23.

Not wanting to open that late, TPWD officials thought it would be OK to nudge the South Zone opener back one week to Sept. 16.

They needed federal approval to do that, but USFWS officials declined.

If you’re upset about that, the line forms behind Dave Morrison, TPWD’s small game program director.

“I’m really disappointed,” he said, “because our plan was supported by the Central Flyway Council. It would have been a very simple move, however, the service felt we needed more biological information to support that.

“We argued that there is no biological implication, but they chose to be conservative.”

So Sept. 23 is the opening date for the South Zone, including the special white-winged dove area.

But USFWS officials had more favorable news for hunters who’d like an earlier chance to hunt resident Canada geese in the Eastern Zone for waterfowl.

Hunters will be allowed to go after them Sept. 10-25, concurrently with the 16-day September teal season.

These “resident” populations evolved from pets that have turned wild or

snuck into Texas from neighboring states, but most of the geese are up along the Red River.

Resident geese in other states have created a lot of damage to parks and private lawns, although it hasn’t yet gotten that bad in Texas.

However, there are enough of these birds in the Eastern Zone to provide an earlier hunting opportunity, Morrison said.

But this new September Canada season will only be for the state’s Eastern Zone, basically the counties east of Interstate 35.

That’s because that portion of the state is allotted 107 days to hunt geese. The state doesn’t use all of them during the regular season in fall and winter, ■ 'Boundary' water so some of those regulations: Page 8 can be applied to a September season.

Not so in the Western Zone, which only gets 96 days and all of them are used in the fall and winter, Morrison said.

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CONCEALED: Camo corn, a product of Georgia-based Real Life Outdoors, is yellow corn dyed brown and green. But before they’re mixed together, the kernels are coated with a sweet, powdered flavoring. Photo by Real Life Outdoors.

Camouflaged Continued From Page 1

flaged — the result of a process that dyes kernels brown and green.

But before the two colors are mixed together, the kernels are coated with a sweet, powdered flavoring.

Deer love it, Hendrickson said.

So do hogs. But, unlike a pile of bright yellow corn, this bait is intended to go unseen to other people competing for prime hunting spots.

Game wardens, too.

But, Hendrickson said, when baiting became legal, “It killed my business in the state of Georgia.”

“We’re just going to have to expand in places where it’s still not legal to bait,” he added. “I have a lot of interest from Louisiana and Mississippi.

“It doesn’t really appeal to the places like Texas where it’s legal to put out the regular yellow corn.

“But, if they thought of it from a waterfowl aspect, they might consider it. It’s not legal to bait waterfowl anywhere in the United States.”

Mike Merida, special agent for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said

agents spend much of their time dealing with illegal baiting, especially in the southeastern states.

In North Texas, where he’s stationed, many of the investigations involve outfitters trying to put their clients on dove by baiting the ground with scattered wheat.

“If you’re not tilling it under, I’d say you’re more serious about killing doves than growing wheat,” Merida said.

He noted, however, that camouflage corn could pose a challenge for wildlife law enforcement in Texas, especially if it’s used to bait waterfowl.

July 8, 2011

Regular yellow corn, he said, is easily seen from a patrol aircraft, even if it is in water.

“It will shine like gold,” Merida said.

Illegal baiting, he said, is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a Class A misdemeanor which carries maximum penalties of a $100,000 fine and a year in prison.

So how can Hendrickson sell this product if it’s intended for an illegal purpose?

He likened it to radar detectors; it’s not illegal to sell or buy them, but it is illegal to speed.

“It never has been illegal to put it out, only to hunt over it,” he said. “Our disclaimer on the bag says we don’t ‘endorse illegal hunting activities. Please follow all state and federal game laws.’

“What you do with it is your business, but everybody knows that’s what it’s for.”

Hendrickson and his partners operate Real Life Outdoors, which sells the camouflage corn, and they host a television program about their experiences hunting and fishing in Georgia.

They developed the product because baiting was prevalent in Georgia, despite the previous law. The new law still has several restrictions — baiting can’t be done without a landowner’s written permission.

Hendrickson said the partners, nicknamed “Team Cuttenup,” were careful not to hunt deer over camo corn themselves, considering they have a TV show.

“We laugh about it more than being upset about it,” Hendrickson said. “It’s a gimmick, really.

“But you go into any Walmart and look at all those gels and attractants.

Every bit of it was illegal to hunt over, but not illegal to sell.”

Camouflage corn costs more than the regular variety — about $15 for a 50-pound bag. Customers frequently ask why they should pay that price if they can get the

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DISCLAIMER: Manufacturers of camo corn don’t endorse any illegal hunting activities, but everyone including game wardens knows the product is used to bait deer.

Photo by Real Life Outdoors.

same amount of the yellow corn for $8?

“I tell them it’s better than paying a $300 ticket,” Hendrickson said.

Several game wardens, he added, have picked up samples of the product.

“They laugh about it,” Hendrickson said, adding that they don’t believe they’ll have trouble finding it.

They simply look for it at night, scanning the ground with thermal imaging devices because corn actually emits a heat signature.

An Internet search revealed another camo corn manufacturer — Randy Parent, a farmer from Sandusky, Mich.

He said that he cut back on bait production to pursue other business opportunities, but his thinking about getting back into it.

“It was profitable,” he said.

“And, yeah, it was kind of sticking it to the man.

“I mean, there’s just so many foolish laws on the book, and I just think that’s one of them. If a guy wants to bait deer, what’s wrong with that?

“There’s so many of them up here; it’s not like we’re baiting bald eagles.”

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Aggie wins state duck calling championship

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Twenty-four-year-old Grant Moore from Bells, Texas, won the Texas State Duck Calling Championship June 25 in Katy.

The Texas A&M graduate, and current biologist at the RBT Ranch in Jacksboro, has been contest calling for three years, although he has hunted

GRANT MOORE

Texas youth Continued From Page 4

have made an easy shot, according to Jeff.

“But he looked at me and said, ‘That almost doesn’t seem fair,’” the guide said.

They passed on the bear.

“So,” Jeff said, “Cody, in 10 minutes, made a decision that most grown men wouldn’t make. And that was pretty cool.”

Later, Jeff saw a much bigger bear coming down the railroad tracks. That’s when Cody held at fulldraw on his Matthews Z7 Xtreme Tactical bow.

The bear didn’t detect Jeff’s presence before Cody finally got a behindthe-shoulder shot.

“He growled and bit at the arrow,” Cody said.

“He kind of spun around and I actually thought he’d run Jeff over. Then he circled around me

before he stopped about 40 yards away.”

The mature boar weighed about 350 pounds and was 6-feet-4inches long. Its skull had an 18-inch circumference.

The meat was donated to local families, but Cody is having the cape made into a full-body mount of a bear drinking water from a dip in a shed moose antler that Jeff gave him.

“It was a very generous gift,” Cody said of the hunt, “and I’m really excited and happy to be introduced, not just to bear hunting, but to bowhunting.

“I actually hope to complete the grand slam with archery equipment on all of the North American big game species.”

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ducks his entire life. He also serves as a pro-staff member for Collegiate Camo.

Moore used a routine he’d been perfecting for the event. He said he uses Rich-N-Tone Calls for his championship performances.

“It’s called Main-Street style,” he said. “It’s a style of calling from Arkansas, and the judges were looking for the calling to be loud, have good

tone, be consistent and smooth.”

With the victory, Moore qualified for the World Duck Calling Championships on Thanksgiving weekend in Stuttgart, Ark. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” he said. “My best friend, Clint Johnson, has actually won this event twice. We grew up together and have hunted ducks all of our lives. It’s pretty cool that it’s my turn.”

Moore said he has guided hunters from Texas to Canada, and mallards are his favorite ducks to hunt.

“I’ve chased mallards all over the place,” he said. “Where I hunt in North Texas, there is a lot of public land. I also guide hunts on the ranch where I work.”

Finishing second this year was fourtime state winner Ward McGee, of Houston.

Texans excel at USA Shooting championships

National Championship.

Other Texans securing spots on either the National Team or the National Junior Team included: Skeet, Sean McClelland, Harlingen, bronze medal Open Men’s; T.J. Bayer, College Station,

silver medal Junior Men’s.

Doubles trap: Glenn Eller, Katy, bronze medal Open Men’s. Trap: Miranda Wilder, Diana, Silver Medal Open Women’s & Silver Medal Junior Women’s.

—Staff report

Texans Brandy Drozd and Morgan Harbison medaled and qualified for the Junior National Team at the USA Shooting National Shotgun Championships held last month in Colorado Springs.

Drozd, a high school student from Bryan, won the silver medal Open Women’s skeet and gold medaled in the Junior Women’s events.

Harbison, a 2010 graduate of Farmersville High School, is a sophomore studying animal science at Texas A&M University, and a member of the Aggie trap and skeet team.

Harbison’s score also qualified him for the men’s open finals where he shot a final round score of 22 out of 25 targets, landing him in 4th place in the Open Men’s National Championships. There were 101 competitors vying for the

SILVER PERFORMANCE: Morgan Harbison of Waller, shown here competing at the USA Shooting National Trap Championships, won the silver medal and a spot on the Junior National Team. Photo by USA Shooting.

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Sportsman's Expo set for July 22-24 Take the family to the 21st annual Texas Hunters and Sportsman’s Expo at the new McAllen Civic Center in McAllen.

“The main thing we want to focus on this year is the fact that we are going to have items for everyone and a variety of exhibits to enjoy,” said Christopher Curl, of the Texas Hunter Association.

“We will have smaller exhibits with more affordable items for everyone.”

Curl said attendance has risen every year, and he expects 2011 to be no different. The three-day weekend guides and outfitters from across the United event is expected to draw several thousand States, Canada, Mexico and Africa, bookhunting and fishing enthusiasts and visitors ing hunts for trophy whitetails, exotics, bear, from both sides of the Texas-Mexico border. nilgai, moose, elk, mule deer, turkey, quail, “There is something here for the entire family,” dove, waterfowl, trophy bass, saltwater fishCurl said. “Our goal is to preserve our hunting ing trips and more. and fishing heritage and ensure that the sports Manufacturers and dealers will be on hand of hunting and fishing has a fuoffering special show prices ture in Texas for our children, on hunting blinds, feeders, grandchildren and their future Admission Prices are good for gun safes, custom knives, the entire weekend, courtesy generations to enjoy.” hunting vehicles, ATVs, of Academy Sports + OutOne of the main attractions boats, fishing gear, camo, doors and L&F Distributing. this year is Dr. Jim Reimer’s ranching equipment, tractors Goliath and the Giants Whitetail Adults: $10 and hunting accessories.

Display featuring more than 20 Senior Citizens: $8 Door prizes will be given. of the largest deer mounts in Children 12 and under FREE “In a nutshell, this show is the country. designed for the sportsman Show Dates and Times: The Texas Hunters and and his family, by sportsmen Fri. July 22: 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Sportsman’s Expo is recogwho know what they want,” Sat. July 23: 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. nized as the highest quality Curl said. “This is the type of Sun. July 24: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. hunting and fishing trade show show people can attend and in South Texas. This is the only For more information, call leave with a feeling of satisshow of its kind south of San (956) 664-2884, or go to faction. It’s all under one roof Antonio and north of Monterwww.texashunterassociation.com. rey, Mexico. The show features — A sportsman’s paradise!”

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FISHING

Snook: Eager anglers, guides waiting on the bite

By Nicholas Conklin LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Like the unpredictable distant cousin who shows up late or not at all to family functions, snook have made erratic appearances to the waters near South Padre Island.

According to guide Ernest Cisneros of Arroyo City, the fishing recently had been rather unpredictable with anglers landing only three to five fish per trip.

“The big ones have not come in yet,” he said. “We’re just catching average sizes right now, which is about 22-24 inches.”

The key to finding the fish is paying attention to the tides.

Cisneros said the snook bite will be better on the stronger tides.

Conversely, on the weaker tides, the bite may only last 30 minutes.

He also said the lack of rain has prevented freshwater from entering

the bay system, which has contributed to the weaker snook bite. But, he said, anglers can be successful by focusing on the moving tides and concentrations of bait.

Guide Robert Sirvello of Laguna Vista said he has had great success landing snook, but mostly while fishing for other salt species.

During a recent tournament fishing for speckled trout, he landed several snook on She-dog topwater lures by MirrOlure.

“I was trying to catch a big trout and every bite I had was a snook,” Sirvello said. “You can just about say (that) you can make 100 casts (for snook) and not catch one, but when you don’t want them, you can hardly keep them off your line.”

Sirvello said a variety of effective lure colors have worked recently on snook, including bone, chartreuse and redhead with chrome.

Cisneros reported snook upwards

of 26-28 inches near the mouth of the Rio Grande.

Topwater lures have been the most productive during the earlymorning hours; then Cisneros switches to 1/8-ounce jigheads and artificial baits for the afternoon.

But Sirvello also reported that he has found snook north of the Queen Isabella Causeway, which, he said, is a good sign for the snook population. LINESIDER: Angler Trey Crocker of San Antonio is no stranger “Now we’re catch- to snook over 24 inches. He caught several of them on a recent trip while fishing artificial baits on jigheads off South ing them north of Padre Island. Photo by Ernest Cisneros. the causeway, which years ago didn’t hapTo contact Capt. Ernest Cisneros, call (956) 266-6454. pen very often,” Sirvello said.

To contact Capt. Robert Sirvello, call “They’re just spreading out a little (956) 943-1010. bit and there are more of them.”

Regulations set to change on TexasLouisiana ‘boundary’ waters

By Nicholas Conklin LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Being stopped by a game warden on the water can be stressful.

But if you were fishing one of the lakes that share ‘boundary’ waters with Louisiana, your concerns may be exasperated due to the lack of standardized fishing regulations; what’s legal on the Louisiana side See 'BOUNDARY' WATERS, Page 17

West Texas lake sucked dry by drought

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS A year ago, O.C. Fisher Reservoir on the west side of San Angelo, was evaporating, but people could still launch boats to catch crappie and catfish.

Not now.

O.C. Fisher is a 5,540-acre flood-control lake that backs into San Angelo State Park.

It reportedly has some water in it, but people are having a hard time finding it.

Drought has throttled this West Texas lake’s primary feeder stream — the North Concho River.

Rick Smith, a native son and longtime columnist for the San Angelo StandardTimes, walked the lake bed on June 27.

He reported only dusty silt, spiked with withered weeds, a Coke can and an old tackle box.

“Right now it’s listed as 1 percent of capacity,” he said, “but I didn’t find that 1 percent.”

It was nothing like the lush landscape where a couple decades earlier he got stuck in the mud while four-wheeling.

“There was no mud at all,” the writer said of his most recent visit. “It was like walking on the moon.

“It was moon dry.”

Drought has been robbing lake levels across Texas. About 30 miles north of San Angelo, Lake E.V. Spence also was only 1 percent of capacity the first week of July, and 65 miles northwest of San Angelo, Hords Creek Lake was completely dry.

O.C. Fisher was impounded in 1953 See SUCKED DRY, Page 23

MOON DRY: A lack of rainfall and summer heat have kept O.C. Fisher Reservoir from recharging, and now it’s almost completely dry. A year ago, however, anglers were still catching fish on the 5,540-acre lake. Photo by Jason Hook, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Anglers hooking reds with swimbaits, croaker

By Nicholas Conklin LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Reports of accelerated redfish action out of Matagorda Bay and Rockport have been occurring with both live and artificial baits.

It’s welcome news.

After months of strong winds and limited smooth fishing, anglers and guides are excited to branch into calm water for fish.

For redfish tournament angler Randy Weaver of Houston, the key now is to get into the open bay and target stacked fish.

“Anytime you can get out and effectively fish out in the middle — with the winds below 10-15 mph — you’re going to smoke them,” Weaver said.

Weaver said that he had recently been catching fish between 5-7 feet deep and mainly on artificial baits. Heavily weighted jigheads between 1/2-ounce and 3/8-ounce

are preferred to get the bait down fast and keep it away from smaller fish.

Swimbaits have been productive lately, Weaver said. He explained that the commotion caused by the tails of these baits can be very attractive to bigger reds.

“The fat tail on it puts out a good wobble, and makes a lot of vibrations,” he said. “I have found that I catch a lot larger fish on some kind of swimbaits.”

Artificial baits have been key to guide Hollis Forrester in West Matagorda Bay. He said that the early mornings are when most artificial baits should be fished.

“It has just been an early bite,” Forrester said. “You have to get on them early while the temperatures are still down.”

Plum and chartreuse-colored plastics by the Texas Tackle Factory have been productive for Forrester. However, he said that as afternoon approaches, anglers need to slow

their retrieves and move into deeper water.

Conversely, guide Lanny Phillips has had success on live bait near Rockport and farther south near Corpus Christi Bay. “We’re using croaker right now and have done exceptionally well,” Phillips said. “There has been a lot of good fishing in Rockport, but we are finding more fish south.”

As long as the wind stays around 10-15 mph, Phillips said that catch numbers have been high and he has been able to track fish early.

To contact Capt. Lanny Phillips, call (432) 349-0353.

To contact Capt. Hollis Forrester, call (979) 417-3779.

DEEP WATER REDS: Capt. Mike Heidemann holds a redfish caught while fishing Galveston Bay. Anglers have found redfish schooling in some of the deep water in the bays while fishing heavily weighted artificial baits. Photo by Capt. Paul Marcaccio.

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Virginia yields pending world record bluecat

By Bob Hood

A Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologist witnessed the weighing and Dallas Weston, editor of the Mecklenburg News-Progress in Chase City, photographed Anderson with his father and brother helping to hold it.

Buggs Island Lake also is known as John H. Kerr Reservoir.

Anderson’s big bluecat has been certified as a new Virginia state record, said Lee Walker of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Walker said it also has been submitted for world record consideration to the International Game Fish Association.

If certified by the IGFA, it will replace the current world record of 130 pounds caught by Greg Bernal in the Missouri River in 2010.

FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Most Texas catfish anglers probably have never heard of Buggs Island Lake, but it’s likely the whole world will know something about it soon, thanks to a Father’s Day fishing trip made there last month by a North Carolina football coach, his dad and brother.

Nick Anderson of Greenville, N.C., was using a “family secret bait” while fishing with a rod and reel on a pontoon boat at the 50,000-acre Virginia-North Carolina border lake with his dad, Rick, and brother, Jeramie, when he hooked into a blue catfish that weighed 143 pounds and has become a pending alltackle world record.

The area where the fish was caught was near Goat Island, not far from Clarksville, Va. Anderson’s fish measured 57 inches in length and had a girth of 43 1/2 inches. It was weighed at a farm supply store in Chase City, Va.; that was the only place in the area with scales large enough to handle such a big fish.

See WORLD RECORD, Page 16 BIG BLUE: Nick Anderson, left, with help from his father, Rick Anderson, center, and brother, Jeramie Mullis, hoist the 143-pound blue catfish that Nick caught June 18 in the John H. Kerr-Buggs Island Lake near Clarksville, Va. The fish weighed 13 pounds more than the world record.

Photo by Mecklenburg News-Progress.

Illegal to fish here?

Maybe not

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Tournament and recreational anglers have all seen the signs.

The ones that read “No Fishing Area,” on some lakes around Texas — often times at marinas.

However, just because someone has a sign up, doesn’t always mean they have the authority to enforce what the sign says.

See ILLEGAL, Page 21

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TEXAS FISHING REPORT Sponsored by

HOT BITES LARGEMOUTH BASS

CADDO: Good on Texas rigs and topwaters early, later switching to shallow crankbaits in baitfish patterns around isolated cover.

CEDAR CREEK: Good on Texas rigs, shaky heads and shallow square-bill crankbaits around docks (best action is early morning).

JOE POOL: Good on Texas rigs, topwaters early and medium crankbaits.

PALESTINE: Good on crankbaits, Texas-rigged worms in blue fleck and black/blue jigs.

TOLEDO BEND: Good on chartreuse soft plastics, spinnerbaits and crankbaits.

WHITE, HYBRID, STRIPER

CEDAR CREEK: White bass are good throughout day on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on live shad.

RAY HUBBARD: White bass are excellent on humps from 17 to 23 feet hybrids mixed in.

TAWAKONI: White bass are excellent on SSS Slabs and Fiesta slabs in chartreuse.

TEXOMA: Striped bass are good on live shad and slabs.

CATFISH

CALAVERAS: Channel catfish are good on stinkbait and shad near the railroad trestle.

LBJ: Yellow and blue catfish are good on trotlines and juglines baited with live perch.

TOLEDO BEND: Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with shrimp and stinkbait in 20–30 feet.

CRAPPIE CONROE: Good on minnows and pink tube jigs over brush piles.

FALCON: Excellent on minnows and jigs.

MACKENZIE: Good on minnows and jigs.

TEXOMA: Good on minnows and jigs.

ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 79–86 degrees; 3.04’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, jigs and Carolina rigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair to good on prepared bait.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 87–91 degrees; 4.09’ low. Largemouth bass are good on topwaters, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, swimbaits and soft plastics. Catfish are good on cheesebait, shrimp and nightcrawlers.

ATHENS: Water clear; 84–89 degrees; 2’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms, jigs and medium crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

BASTROP: Water clear; 79–82 degrees.

Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon soft plastic worms with chartreuse tails.

Channel and blue catfish are good on cheesebait, shrimp and stinkbait.

blue catfish are good on trotlines and juglines baited with live bait.

CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 84–88 degrees; 3.76’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, shaky heads and shallow square-bill crankbaits around docks (best action is early morning). White bass are good throughout day on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on live shad. Crappie are fair to good on minnows with shallow bite improving.

Catfish are fair drifting cut shad.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 86–91

finesse jigs and medium crankbaits along main lake points — docks are starting to produce as well. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut shad.

JOE POOL: Water lightly stained; 85–88 degrees; 0.78’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, topwaters early and medium crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good on prepared baits.

HOT SPOT

BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 84– 88 degrees; 5.25’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits and football jigs off brush piles. Crappie are good on live minnows. Catfish are fair to good on trotlines or juglines with Redneck’s Catfish Bait Soap.

BRIDGEPORT: Water lightly stained; 84–88 degrees; 6.43’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged Jackall Sasuteki craws and medium-running, shad-pattern crankbaits along main lake points — weightless LFT Hyper Sticks are also producing around vegetation in the river. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs.

Channel catfish are good on cut and prepared bait.

BROWNWOOD: Water clear; 12.85’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Rat–L–Traps over grass, and on watermelon soft plastic worms with chartreuse tails around structure. White bass are good on Li’l Fishies and minnows off lighted docks at night. Crappie are good on minnows and Li’l Fishies.

Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait.

BUCHANAN: Water clear; 75–79 degrees; 17.87’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon topwaters, chartreuse Whacky Sticks and Texas-rigged green pumpkin Scoundrel worms on secondary points and ledges in 10–22 feet. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs over brush piles.

Channel catfish are good on live bait and stinkbait. Yellow and blue catfish are good on juglines and trotlines baited with perch upriver.

CADDO: Water murky; 84–88 degrees; 0.46 low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs and topwaters early, later switching to shallow crankbaits in baitfish patterns around isolated cover.

Yellow bass are good on minnows.

CALAVERAS: Water clear. Largemouth bass are fair on live bait. Redfish are good on live bait near the dam. Channel catfish are good on stinkbait and shad near the railroad trestle.

CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 76–79 degrees; 4.55’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Shad Raps, Rat–L–Traps and buzzbaits upriver near lay downs along banks in 5–10 feet early and late. Smallmouth bass are fair on smoke grubs and watermelon tubes on jigheads in 8–18 feet. Crappie are fair on crappie jigs and live minnows upriver over brush piles in 12 feet.

Channel catfish are slow. Yellow and

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 81–87 degrees; 29.32’ low. Largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits, Yum Dingers and Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on Rooster Tails. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 84–88 degrees; 2.92’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, Texas rig LFT Worms in blue fleck and black/blue jigs.

Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.

Hybrid striper are fair on slabs, Sassy Shad and live shad. White bass are fair to good on slabs and minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water stained; 79–86 degrees; 2.27’ low. Largemouth bass are good on topwaters early, later switching to Texas rigs, jigs and deep-diving H2O crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair to good on slabs and Little Georges. Striped bass are fair on live shad. Catfish are fair to good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

BELTON: Water murky; 81–84 degrees; 4.64’ low. Largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits and soft plastic worms early and late. White bass are fair but small on minnows and chrome slabs with bucktails at night.

BRAUNIG: Water clear. Redfish are good on perch and shad near the jetty.

Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait near the hot water discharge.

spinnerbaits, medium-running crankbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are fair on live bait and Little Georges.

Smallmouth bass are fair on live bait.

Walleye are good on live bait. Channel catfish are fair on nightcrawlers.

Galveston Anglers have had success while fishing the grassy shorelines around Galveston and Dickinson Bay's. Guide Paul Marcaccio reported nice catches of slot redfish, but also said many other species are in the bay system and being caught. Photo By Paul Marcaccio.

degrees; 8.31’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on shad-colored crankbaits and watermelon soft plastic worms. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on stinkbait and prepared bait in 5–15 feet.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 84–89 degrees; 0.83’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, topwaters early and jigs later in the day off brush piles. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

COLEMAN: Water clear; 75–78 degrees; 13.15’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics. Channel catfish are good on trotlines baited with perch.

LAVON: Water stained; 84–89 degrees; 3.56’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, topwaters and medium crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs around bridge columns. Catfish are good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

COLETO CREEK: Water fairly clear; 2.56’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on black/ chartreuse soft plastics and topwaters in 5–10 feet. Striped bass are slow.

White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are fair on stinkbait and shrimp.

CONROE: Water fairly clear; 83–87 degrees; 3.02’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon Carolina-rigged soft plastics, crankbaits and Rat–L–Traps.

Crappie are good on minnows and pink tube jigs over brush piles. Catfish are good on stinkbait and shrimp.

FALCON: Water stained; 88–91 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon and June bug jigs in 8–12 feet. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are excellent on minnows and jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on cut bait and frozen shrimp.

FORK: Water fairly clear; 84–89 degrees; 4.15’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs with Jackall Sasuteki Craws and watermelon/green pumpkin jigs in 12–15 feet along creek channels. Football jigs and Carolina rigs are producing in deeper water along main lake humps, drops and brush piles. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad and prepared bait.

LBJ: Water fairly clear; 80–83 degrees; 0.36’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastic worms and topwaters, and on shad-colored Rat–L– Traps along break lines in 5–15 feet early and late. Yellow and blue catfish are good on trotlines and juglines baited with live perch.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 84–88 degrees; 1.05’ low. Largemouth bass are good on medium crankbaits, shaky heads and Texas-rigged plastics — target main lake points in 10–15 feet.

Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs and improving. White bass are good on slabs.

Hybrid striper are fair on slabs and Sassy Shad. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 84–87 degrees; 0.01’ high. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits. Striped bass are good but small on slabs, troll tubes and pet spoons. White bass are good on pet spoons, troll tubes and slabs.

Crappie are fair on minnows. Blue catfish are good on shad.

GRANBURY: Water clear; 80–83 degrees; 2.35’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on watermelon soft plastic worms, lizards and crankbaits. Striped bass are fair on live bait. White bass are fair on minnows, slabs and pet spoons. Catfish are good on stinkbait and frozen shrimp.

MACKENZIE: Water stained; 79–86 degrees; 79.58’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, Carolina rigs and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass and striped bass are good on live bait and Rat–L–Traps. Smallmouth bass are good on live bait and white/chartreuse spinnerbaits. Walleye are good on minnows and white spinnerbaits.

Catfish are good on live bait.

GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 84–89 degrees; 0.15’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms,

MEREDITH: Water fairly clear; 79–85 degrees; 90.01’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on chatterbaits,

RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear; 84–89 degrees; 1.69’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rig creature baits, finesse jigs, hollow belly swimbaits. White bass are excellent on humps from 17 to 23 feet hybrids mixed in. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 44–48 degrees; 1.18’ low. Largemouth bass are slow on jigs and crankbaits around rocky points. Crappie are slow. White bass are good on main lake humps and ridges in 30–35 feet on chartreuse/ white 1 oz. slabs. Catfish are fair drifting cut shad around main lake humps.

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 83–87 degrees; 9.01’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on minnows and shadcolored crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows over brush piles in 15–30 feet.

Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait and liver.

TAWAKONI: Water fairly clear; 84–89 degrees; 3.21’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits and crankbaits fished around docks and timber. Crappie are good on 1/16 oz. curltail grubs and small minnows around bridge pilings and marina slips.

White bass are excellent on SSS Slabs and Fiesta slabs in chartreuse. Catfish are excellent. Channels spawning shallow on rip rap. Blues are good on cut bait around humps.

TEXOMA: Water lightly stained; 84–89 degrees; 2.45’ low. Largemouth bass are good on medium crankbaits in shad patterns, Texas-rigged finesse worms and topwaters — shaky heads around main lake points midday are also producing. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Striped bass are good on live shad and slabs. Catfish are good on cut and live shad.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 82–88 degrees; 8.97’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse soft plastics, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and white tube jigs over baited holes. Bream are good on crickets. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with shrimp and stinkbait in 20–30 feet.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 77–81 degrees; 34.45’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on black/chartreuse soft plastic worms and crankbaits in 10–20 feet. White bass are fair on live bait. Channel and blue catfish are good on stinkbait and nightcrawlers in 20–30 feet.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 77–80 degrees; 12.27’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Rat–L–Traps. Striped bass are fair on live bait. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies. Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Catfish are good on stinkbait and shrimp.

SALTWATER SCENE NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under birds and pods of shad on soft plastics — also good in the river on live shad.

SOUTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under birds and pods of shad — also good at the jetty on live bait and topwaters when the water clears.

BOLIVAR: Trout are good on the south shoreline on Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels — also good at Rollover Pass in the evening on the outgoing tide.

Black drum, sand trout and redfish are good at Rollover Pass.

TRINITY BAY: Trout are good for drifters working pods of shad and mullet on Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels.

Redfish are good on live bait around the reefs and in the marsh.

TEXAS CITY: Trout are fair to good on April Fool’s Reef on live shrimp and croakers. Trout are good in the ship channel on live bait and plastics.

FREEPORT: Trout are good in the surf and at the jetty on live shrimp and croakers.

Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs in Christmas Bay. EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are good for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell when the winds allows.

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

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are good on sand and grass humps on soft plastics and topwaters. Redfish are good on soft plastics and live shrimp in Oyster Lake and Crab Lake.

PORT O’CONNOR: Trout and redfish are fair to good on topwaters and live bait over sand, grass and shell in San Antonio Bay — also fair for drifters working the back lakes with live shrimp.

ROCKPORT: Trout are fair to good in the guts and channels on free–lined shrimp.

Trout are fair to good over grass while drifting with live shrimp. Redfish are good on mullet on the Estes Flats and around Mud Island.

PORT ARANSAS: Trout, redfish and sheepshead are fair to good at the jetty on shrimp and croakers. Redfish are also fair around Pelican Island on shrimp. Offshore is good for red snapper and kingfish.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Trout are fair to good on the edge of the spoils on soft plastics and live shrimp. Redfish are good in the potholes on shrimp.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are good on topwaters and soft plastics around fish rocks and grass. Redfi sh have been found in knee–deep water and on the sand on shrimp and gold spoons.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are good on topwaters around sand and grass. Redfish are fair to good while drifting potholes on small topwaters and live shrimp. Offshore is good for red snapper and kingfish.

SOUTH PADRE: Redfish and trout are good along the sand and ggrass in South Bayy and Mexiquita Flats. Tarpon are showing around the s Snook are fair on passes and jetties. shrimp in the channel.

PORT ISABEL: Trout and redfish are fair to good on the flats on live shrimp and in Airport Cove. Trout are also good on the deeper edges and flats in Laguna Vista on topwaters, DOA Shrimp and live shrimp.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Grass carp conundrum at Conroe

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS It’s not a stretch to say grass carp have helped make lots of Texas’ water bodies more fishable by removing the invasive aquatic plant hydrilla.

But when is a good thing too much of a good thing?

It hit that point years ago at Lake Conroe, north of Houston.

Due to a stocking program

by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to help remove hydrilla from the lake, the lake currently holds an overabundance of grass carp, something biologists hope to remove by several different means.

“TPWD directed Texas A&M to stock grass carp in Conroe in the early ’80s,” said Craig Bonds, TPWD’s regional director of inland fisheries for East Texas. “In the late ’80s, techniques for producing sterile grass carp were made.”

These fish are called “triploid.” Biologists put carp eggs in a hyperbaric chamber where they added a third chromosome, making the fish sterile.

“The only carp allowed in the state now are triploids,” Bonds said.

TPWD no longer stocks grass carp, but they do distribute permits to private lake owners and public waterway managers to introduce the fish in hydrilla-infested waters.

“We’re just the permitter,” Bonds said.

Grass carp are strictly herbiv-

■ Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Texas Bowfishing Association and the Texas BASS Federation Nation will host a grass carp removal tournament on Lake Conroe Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10.

Check www.lsonews.com for updates on the results of the tournament.

orous, meaning they only eat vegetation. Bonds said the fish have a preference when it comes to which vegetation they eat. First, they will attack the hydrilla before turning to native aquatic species that are beneficial to other fish.

But once hydrilla growth NOT ENOUGH GRASS: Grass carp on Lake Conroe has been slowed have become a nuisance because of the lack of and the plants are hydrilla for the fish to eat. Photo by TPWD. gone, carp numbers need to be we have estimated a 32-percent decreased because of the dam- mortality rate annually, which age they can do to native veg- leaves roughly 32,000 fish etation, Bonds said. remaining, which is more than “The hardest thing for a enough to keep resprouting fisheries manager is find- hydrilla in check,” Bonds said. ing the magic number,” he “Every little bit we can do can explained. “Once the hydrilla shorten the time period to reach is gone, it takes much fewer the optimal number of fish.” fish to keep it down.”

Bow fishermen are excited In Conroe’s case, carp con- about the opportunity to help sumed several thousand acres take out some of the overof hydrilla by 2008-09, but populated fish on Conroe. A then the fish turned to the carp-removal tournament is native vegetation. scheduled there for July 9-10.

Now, 90 percent of the “The Texas Bowfishing native vegetation is gone Association is proud to be a because of the carp. partner in this joint effort “We overshot it a little bit to remove excess grass carp in the recent hydrilla removal from Lake Conroe,” said plan, but not nearly as bad as Walter Blackburn, presiin the early ’80s,” Bonds said. dent of the Texas Bowfishing “The most recent plan put in Association. “Bowfishermen 124,000 carp over three years.” have been an effective tool in Although they are sterile, removing fish of undesirable there still are too many of species from Texas waters for them in Lake Conroe. many years and are happy to “They don’t reproduce and assist in this effort also.”

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GAME WARDEN BLOTTER IMPORTANCE OF LIFE JACKETS LEARNED Kaufman County Game Warden Eric Minter received radio traffic regarding a 15-year-old boy and his 18-year-old brother who were lost on a bass boat on Cedar Creek Lake. The boat was without power and was dealing with very high winds and rough water conditions. The boys’ father left the boat to swim to shore for help but was unable to show ground units where the boat was located. Minter, with the assistance of Henderson County Game Wardens Shawn Smith and Dustin Balfanz, a DPS helicopter, Mabank police and fire, Seven Points police and fire, Gun Barrel police and Kemp police and fire, searched the area for five hours. The father reported that the boys where wearing life jackets. Then, the Kaufman Sheriff’s Office received a call from a resident stating that the boys had managed to make it to a private dock and get out of the water to safety. The boys swam more than a mile in extremely rough water conditions.

FISHING FRIENDS WERE ALL FELONS, BUT DOGS WERE INNOCENT Young County Game Warden Brent Isom was working Lake Graham when he checked a couple who were fishing. Neither had a fishing license or identification. The couple said their identifications were back at their car. Isom requested that they retrieve their identifications and followed them to their vehicle. At the vehicle, after both subjects failed to obey commands, they were placed in handcuffs. Drug paraphernalia was located in the vehicle, and crystal meth was found in the tent. The woman took responsibility for the drugs and drug paraphernalia, while the man continued to give conflicting

SHRIMP SLOUGH NURSERIES LURE BANDITS Refugio County Game Wardens Raul “Pinky” Gonzales, Danny Kelso and Captain Henry Balderamas were working Operation Luna de Camaron, or Shrimp Moon, at the sloughs area just south of Bayside. Acting on a tip, the wardens apprehended two subjects with approximately 40 pounds of shrimp taken from the sloughs with a cast net. The sloughs are a nursery area and the taking of shrimp by any means there is prohibited. Aransas County Game Warden Karen Simmons apprehended nine groups of subjects taking shrimp from the Bayside sloughs nursery area. Several pounds of shrimp were returned to the water. San Patricio County Game Wardens Nichole Spatz and Albert Flores were in the sloughs area and stopped information regarding his identity.

The man was arrested for failure to carry identification while fishing. The couple requested to call a friend to pick up the two dogs they had in their camp. However, when the friend arrived, it was determined that she, too, had outstanding warrants, and was arrested. At the jail, it was learned the man was a felon who had been on the run for the last eight months. Fortunately, the dogs are safe and sound with another friend.

WARDENS’ GOOD MEMORIES PAY OFF Houston County Game Wardens Zak Benge and Eddie Lehr filed charges on two subjects for taking deer in closed season. The case stemmed from Benge finding a photo on a social Web site that looked as if the deer had been taken in a closed season. After asking about the other subject around town, Benge was able to identify the other subject as one Lehr had filed charges on in the past. The picture was of a buck (spike) deer in vel-

to check fishermen. Spatz spoke with one subject who was throwing a cast net and had kept some shrimp in a bucket. Spatz advised the subject of the nursery area regulation, and the man said he was unaware of the regulation and would put the shrimp back. Spatz went to an area where Flores was issuing a citation to a subject for fishing without a license. Another person standing nearby advised her that the man she had spoken with was leaving with shrimp still in his possession. Spatz stopped the man and asked about the three dozen shrimp he was leaving with. Spatz advised him that she was serious the first time she spoke with him and that his actions earned him a citation.

vet well after dark, and the subjects holding a .22-caliber rifle with two flashlights taped to the end of the barrel. After a week long investigation, the wardens interviewed the first subject and received a confession for the deer pictured as well as a doe killed without a permit and another buck killed illegally during the last hunting season. The second subject admitted to participating in killing the illegal deer in the original photo and gave a written confession.

Citations issued and the gun was seized as evidence. Cases and restitution pending.

STEALTH STALK OF FISH SCHOOLS RUNS AFOUL Complaints of guides operating without navigation lights in the early morning hours near the Denison Dam were received by Grayson County Game Warden Dale Moses. The guides were on their way to a large school of stripers that were coming up at daylight. Moses and Archer County Game Warden Richard Key patrolled Lake

booked into the county jail. The citation was paid in full.

ONE STEP OVER THE LINE Val Verde County Game Warden Bradley Durst patrolled a portion of the Rio Grande River below the Del Rio International Bridge.

This stretch of river is very shallow, remote and difficult to access.

While on a joint patrol on the U.S. Border Patrol airboat, Bradley was able to make contact with several Mexican spear fishermen in possession of carp and catfish who were straddling the international boundary.

Texoma and issued citations for an illegal cast net, no navigation lights, an insufficient number of PFDs and registration violations. One guide who had caught his limit was observed transferring fish to another guide.

They were also observed operating in a restricted area where no boats are allowed. There were between 100– 150 boats working this school of fish.

WARDEN RESCUES SWAMPED BOATERS While patrolling Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas County Game Warden Jamie Sanchez was signaled by two men who were on a boat that was taking on water. As Sanchez approached the boat to assist, the boat capsized. The two men, who had their life jackets on, made it safely to the warden’s boat and were safely transported to shore.

BAD TIME TO GET YOUR REGISTRATION While at the district office in Laredo, Webb County Game Warden Mark Nelson was going to the front to get something off the printer and noticed a man registering two Jet Skis with the office clerk. He remembered he had written the man a citation for insufficient number of life jackets onboard, and the man had not contacted the judge and a warrant was issued. Nelson checked to make sure that there was still a warrant. Nelson then explained to the man that he could either pay the citation in full right then or be

HEAT, WIND DIDN’T DETER BASS FISHING VIOLATORS Memorial Day weekend on Falcon Lake was extremely hot and very windy, causing many recreational fishermen to stay indoors. Starr County Game Wardens Drew Spencer and Brandon West checked a group of five anglers along a remote shoreline of the lake in Zapata County.

The anglers had caught 26 largemouth bass, with eight of those being undersized. One of the fishermen, who already confessed to having caught "8 or 9," accepted responsibility for all eight undersized fish.

Charges and civil restitution pending.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Dimmitt scholar-athlete honored for efforts to help hunting heritage The National Wild Turkey Federation has awarded a $5,000 National FFA Collegiate Scholarship to David Underwood of Dimmitt.

Underwood recently graduated second in his class of 65 students at Dimmitt High School, where he earned a 3.85 cumuDAVID UNDERWOOD lative grade-point average.

He plans to attend Texas Tech University in the fall to pursue a bachelor's degree in wildlife management.

To be eligible for the $5,000 National FFA Collegiate Scholarship, administered by the NWTF, applicants must support the preservation of North America's hunting heritage and be a community volunteer.

Underwood, who enjoys hunting with his dad and brother, participated in a Texas Brigades leadership conference as a freshman and then began speaking to groups about his passion for wildlife conservation.

Throughout his high school years, he raised quail and mallard ducks from hatchlings and released them into the wild.

He also is an accomplished athlete who was team captain of his high school football team and named second-team, all-district defensive tackle, according to NWTF. —Staff report

Sportsmen’s Alliance seeks 1 million ‘sentries’ The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance seeks 1 million “sentries” for its grassroots efforts aimed at protecting America’s hunting, fishing, and trapping heritage.

USSA is a watchdog organization that moni-

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tors issues from all 50 states to detect laws and proposals related to the outdoors.

Its sentries receive action alerts, news releases and updates via e-mail when hunting, fishing, trapping and conservation are under attack. Sentries are urged to speak out on such issues.

“If you think such bills don’t or won’t happen in your state, you are wrong,” said Dick Cabela, co-founder of Cabela’s, and chairman of the USSA board of directors. “The thousands of anti-hunting bills introduced across the nation each year should be reason enough to cause you concern.”

Joining the sentry program is free. For information, visit www.ussportmen.org/beasentry.

—Staff report

Time to nominate next ‘Capstick’ award winner Nominations are being accepted through July 30 for a prestigious award that recognizes significant contributions to wildlife and habitat conservation, as well as sustained commitment to the heritage of hunting.

The Peter Hathaway Capstick Hunting Heritage Award is the top conservation and service award given by the Dallas Safari Club and Dallas Ecological Foundation.

DSC will present the award during its annual convention and expo, Jan. 5-8, 2012, in Dallas.

The Capstick Award is named for the wellknown American author who wrote many titles about safari in Africa, including the classic, “Death in the Long Grass.”

According to the award’s criteria, nominees must have “a sustained and significant contribution to the conservation of wildlife and its habitat” and a “long-term commitment to our hunting heritage by pursuing that goal for the benefit of future generations.”

Nominations can be made by mail or e-mail. Send to Dallas Safari Club, 6390 LBJ Freeway, Suite 108, Dallas, TX 75240-6414, USA, or info@biggame.org.

—Staff report

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

TEXAS BIG BITES FIVE-POUND DIFFERENCE: James Schmidt, 16, of Portland, right, recently claimed the new junior state record for red snapper from Texas waters. James caught the fish June 12 on squid, cast from rod and reel. It weighed 25.8 pounds and it was 38.38 inches long, with a 28-inch girth. The previous record weighed 20.72 pounds. Photo by TPWD.

NEW LAKE ZEBCO RECORD: Chris McCaskill, 18, of Lewisville, above, caught this 10.72-pound largemouth bass March 15 from Lake Zebco, the 1.5-acre casting pond at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. Chris was throwing a night crawler when he got a bite from the big bass, a new water body record for the lake. Photo by Terry Bedford, TPWD. DORADO: Ella Stapleton, 9, of Austin shows off a 55-pound dorado she caught recently off the coast of Herradura, Costa Rica.

Ella was fishing with Capt. Dean Jacobs of Costa Rica Dreams Sportfishing.

BRADY KING TOP ARTIST: Brady King of Livingston recently was named the winner of the Seth Thomas Spradlin Best of Show award at the 13th annual Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Expo held at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. Photos by TPWD.

World record Continued From Page 9

Prior to Bernal’s catch, the world record blue catfish was a 121-pounder caught at Lake Texoma by Cody Mullenix in 2004.

Catching big blue catfish is nothing new to the Andersons.

“They target big blue catfish all the time,” Walker said. “Just a few weeks before Nick Anderson caught the 143-pounder, Nick’s father caught a 95-pound bluecat from Buggs Island Lake that was later released.

Nick caught his fish at about 8 p.m., which is what I call the magic time for big fish at this time of the year.”

Weston said Anderson and fisheries officials attempted to keep the 143-pounder alive, but those efforts failed.

Walker said Tony Milam caught the former Virginia state record blue catfish of 109 pounds in Buggs Island Lake on March 17, 2011.

“Buggs Island Lake has produced lots of big blue catfish,” Walker said.

Anderson would not reveal the “family secret bait” but told Weston he caught the fish on an Ugly Stick rod, Shimano reel and 30-pound test line.

He told officials the battle lasted about 45 minutes before he, his dad and brother could wrestle it into their pontoon boat.

Anderson's possible world record blue catfish isn't the only big whiskered fish to make the headlines recently.

The IGFA has certified a new world record Mekong catfish caught near Kradi, Thailand, that weighed 260 pounds and measured 7 feet long.

That fish was caught by retired Royal Navy member Martin David Kent while using a small piece of sweet corn for bait. Kent's battle with the fish lasted about 55 minutes, and he was assisted by local fishermen to land it.

LSONews.com

Smallies Continued From Page 1

“There are so few lakes around here and so few guys that will actually fish the smallmouth,” angler Evan Vidal said. “I know that if I am going to catch trophy-size smallmouth — anywhere from the 4- to 6-pound range — I am going up to Texoma, because you can’t beat smallmouth fishing up there.”

Vidal, of Roanoke, said that because of the many rock drop-offs on Texoma, a decent smallmouth population exists. He said anglers should key on water deeper than they would normally fish if they were targeting largemouth.

“If you’re looking for them, you’re going to want to find deepwater structure in forms of boulders or rocks,” Vidal said.

Bank lines that transition from sand to rock — especially during the springtime spawn — should also hold smallmouth, he said.

Lake Bridgeport, 55 miles northwest of Fort Worth, also has a strong population of smallies, according to the Weatherford angler Chris Stewart. On a recent trip he landed four fish between 12-14 inches, he said.

“The main lake points this time of year have

‘Boundary’ waters Continued From Page 8

may not satisfy the Texas judge presiding over your case.

The new regulations passed unchanged through the Louisiana Legislature, clearing the way for them to become law on Sept. 1, said Bobby Reed, senior technical adviser for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The rules are intended to end any confusion on waters shared by Texas and Louisiana.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission also recently approved the new regulations.

This blanket set of rules only applies to Toledo Bend Reservoir, Caddo and Sabine lakes.

Catfish, crappie and bass were the three main species that drew the most questions on limits in these boundary waters.

Under the proposal, the blue and channel catfish daily bag limit would be set at 50 fish, and only five can be of 20 inches or more.

Currently, the daily limit in Texas is 25, but it’s 100 in Louisiana.

There is no minimum length requirement on either subspecies, under the proposed regulations.

The limit for flathead catfish is set to rise from five to 10 fish per day in these boundary waters.

Texas currently only allows five.

The daily limit of both black and white crappie on Toledo Bend was reduced to 25 from 50, which is currently allowed in both states.

The overall minimum of 10 inches for crappie would be eliminated on all of these lakes under the plan, which would offer no minimum length limit.

Bass regulations for the Sabine River below Toledo Bend to the Interstate 10 Bridge will be altered to match Toledo Bend (eight-fish daily bag limit, 14-inch minimum).

The proposal would also redefine the Toledo Bend Reservoir boundary from the U.S. 84 Bridge upstream to where the river and the state line diverge.

The current limit on Caddo Lake for largemouth and spotted bass will now be an eight-fish daily bag limit, and the 14- to 18-inch slot limit for largemouths would be modified to allow harvest of no more than four largemouth 18 inches or longer. The 10-inch minimum will also be removed.

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

fish up there chasing shad,” Stewart said, “and what’s productive right now would be a medium-depth crankbait between the 6-10 foot range.”

Tackle on Texoma, according to Vidal, can be anything from 1/2-ounce to 1-ounce spinnerbaits, or curly-tail grubs and jigs. For spinnerbaits, Vidal likes to use white and chanteuse colors. With the curly tail grubs and other artificial baits, Vidal switches to browns and crawfish colors.

Vidal also said that drop-shotting for deep fish can be productive, especially when targeting finicky fish in heavily trafficked areas.

Stewart prefers shad-colored crankbaits, but will return to an area later in the day and fish soft plastics with a slow retrieve. Green, brown and pumpkinseed have been effective on Bridgeport, with most fish landed with crawfish-like plastics.

Although the late afternoon-early evening bite has traditionally produced the most fish, Stewart said that, on Bridgeport, early mornings until 10 a.m. have been best.

Vidal said Lake Whitney, 95 miles southwest of Dallas, also holds smallmouth, but with the recent bottom turnover in the lake, poor water clarity has crimped catches.

July 8, 2011

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July 8, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

Cabela’s LSi fly rods: great for beginners and your wallet David Sams, CEO of Lone Star Outdoor News, was determined to turn his editor, Bill Miller, into a fly fisherman.

Conveniently, Cabela’s had earlier sent David one of its LSi fly rods to test. This one was a four-piece 9-foot, 6-weight model.

David had a hunch that this might be a good rod for a beginner.

Cabela’s says the LSi series is a significant upgrade of its popular LST fly rods. The new ones, according to the company, offer “lightweight fast actions ready to precisely zip line to all targets, near and far.”

Other reviewers have noted that these rods are a good value at under $200.

David decided to try the product first — and he was impressed.

“It was a very fast casting rig,” he said later, “and great for beginners.”

The time came to get it into Bill’s hands. The venue was a small lake at the home of Executive Editor Craig Nyhus, northeast of Waco.

Being a newbie, Bill’s handling of the rig was awkward at first, but the fly rod was very forgiving.

David told him, “Just slow down the cast, Bill.”

The editor got the gist of it on the fourth cast.

“Oh, this is easy,” he said. “Now, what is it like to sight cast to a moving redfish?”

David grinned and said, “We will save that for another outing.”

Prices on the LSi series range from $179.99 to $199.99. The one tested by Lone Star Outdoor News lists online at $189.99. Each rod includes a rod tube and a rod sock.

FORGIVING FLY ROD: New fly angler Bill Miller of Fort Worth tries out a 9-foot LSi fly rod from Cabela’s. It sells online for just under $200. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

TOURNAMENT BRIEFS

No charges expected in Fukae boat wreck The one-boat wreck that involved pro angler Shinichi Fukae of Palestine, during an FLW tournament June 18 on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee, will not affect his standing within the FLW league, a spokeswoman said.

Julie Huber of FLW said that the wreck was an unfortunate accident and there was no reason to penalize Fukae. She said no rules were broken.

“It was just literally an accident,” Huber said.

The wreck injured Fukae and his cameraman, and an investigation was ongoing the last week of June.

However, Tennessee Wildlife Officer Steve Brewer said it did not appear that Fukae would be cited.

McWhirter, McClendon win tournament on Lake Ray Roberts Mark McWhirter of Corinth and Barrett McClendon of Denton took home $20,000 after more than 28 pounds of bass were caught June 25 at the Bass Champs tournament on Lake Ray Roberts.

Fishing for the 174 teams was tough as winds topped 25 mph. But McWhirter and McClendon landed a 7-pound, 7-ounce fish in about 30 feet of water. The team mostly fished with Carolina-rigged 10-inch worms, which was what they used to catch their largest fish.

They defeated second-place Leslie Kennedy of Fort Worth and Trevor Romans of Plano by more than 6 pounds. Kennedy and Romans finished with 22 pounds, 7 ounces, after flipping 10-inch Power Worms and big brush hogs.

Third place went to John Mayben of Aubrey and Eric Thompson of Sanger with a total weight of 22 pounds, 6 ounces.

Tommy Climer Jr. of Mesquite caught the biggest bass of the day with a Zoom craw worm in 4 feet of water. The fish weighed in at 9 pounds, 3 ounces.

Three anglers excel at women’s tournament

Extreme heat and low tides greeted 115 women participating in the fourth annual Broads with Rods fishing tournament June 18 at the Bastrop Marina in Freeport.

Three women each won $500 for battling the rough conditions. These cash prizes were awarded for the largest slot red, largest speckled trout and largest flounder.

Rose Perez of Freeport won the largest slot red category at 6 pounds, while Terri Truelove of Manvel won the largest speckled trout, which was 3 pounds, 13 ounces. Lake Jackson resident Michelle Haynes won the flounder category with a fish that was 4 pounds, 9 ounces.

— Compiled by Nicholas Conklin

WRECK: The boat of FLW angler Shinichi Fukae of Palestine was totaled when it crashed June 19 during a tournament on the Tennessee side of Lake Kentucky. Fukae suffered minor injuries, but his cameraman was hospitalized.

Photo By Scott Anderson.

July 8, 2011

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July 8, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

HEROES

This largemouth, 6.41 pounds, was boated by BILL COX of Canton in April on Lake Cypress Springs.

SHARE AN ADVENTURE ■ Want to share hunting and fishing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers? E-mail them with contact and caption information to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com. High-resolution original jpegs only. Mail prints to Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355.

He was only a 5 years old last December, but CANNON TAMBURELLO of Harper was big enough to stalk this black Hawaiian ram for 15 minutes with his dad in Kerr County. Then Cannon stopped the ram with a .204-caliber rifle.

Boy Scout WILL CHILD, 11, of Troop 32 in Keller recently hooked this bass on grasshoppers while fishing on a private stock tank where the troop was camping near Decatur. Also on hand was Assistant Scoutmaster Tim Long.

MICHAEL SOWARDS of Fort Worth caught this string of speckled trout recently while fishing in Baffin Bay.

GARRICK MCCARTHY, 12, of Katy, harvested his first buck, a ninepointer, last season in Atascosa County. His shot was made with a .243-caliber rifle at 120 yards.

KIT KIVELL of Austin landed her first bull red last May in West Matagorda Bay. The redfish was more than 30 inches.

JARED PENTON, 13, of Sanger caught this 6.5-pound largemouth at Lake Cypress Springs.

BETTE CARTER of Murphy got this Rio Grande tom turkey this past season while hunting in Hardeman County.

Bette and her husband, John, built a blind out of limbs and deadfalls and then got to calling.

Her Remington shotgun was a Model 11-87 Super Magnum. “As you can see,” said John. “It worked very well.”

JAMES NESBITT of Katy was hunting out of a ground blind last season near Table Rock Lake in Stone County, Mo., when a 12-point buck appeared.

Nesbitt used a grunt to get the big whitetail to stop; then he shot it at 30 yards with a muzzleloader.

The deer, which scored 158.25, had an unusual fatty tumor on its right cheek.

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Rigs Continued From Page 1

start fishing several hundred yards from the rig, according to longtime Port Isabel Captain Terry Hansen.

“Most people fishing on an oil rig crowd up to it,” Hansen said. “I’ve found the bigger fish to be on the outskirts of the rig. While everyone and their dogs are fishing right up against the rig, it’s not the way I do it.”

Hansen said he stays several hundred yards off the rig and sends down his favorite bait for deep sea BIG RED: Javier Maldonado holds a trophy red snapper he caught near a rig 50 miles offshore in 200 feet of water on June 2. He was aboard fishing — piggy perch.

“They’ve got to be one of the best the Fish + Fun II and used squid as bait. Photo by Chris Sessions. baits ever,” he said. “With those piggy drift their baits over the schools. perch, if there are fish there, they will eat it.”

Yellowfin tuna are notoriously picky eatAnother tip from Hansen was not fishing ers, so many anglers have a lighter leader to baits right on the bottom.

“Those big fish aren’t always right on the bot- compensate for their finicky ways.

Baits are also an important piece of solvtom,” he said. “They can be 10 to 15 feet off, so I ing the rig-fishing puzzle. always set a bait off the bottom a little bit.

Serious rig anglers carry a variety of baits — “The main thing is don’t crowd the rigs. both alive and dead. Menhaden, squid, croakers You’ll catch bigger fish.”

Many captains prefer to come prepared to and other small baitfish are a staple and produce catch fish both trolling and bottom fishing, good chum lines when fishing around rigs. which often results in several different rod and Sardines can also put fish in the boat. reel combinations.

The fish can grow large around rigs, so heavy tackle often is required to haul in anything from big grouper to a 500-pound marlin.

For bottom fishing, many anglers use big egg sinkers to get bait to the bottom and leaders ranging from 50 to 80 pounds.

Captains often position their boats a few hundred yards upcurrent of schools of fish on the surface and

Illegal Continued From Page 9

On a recent outing to Lake Ray Hubbard near Dallas, the crew from Lone Star Outdoor News saw several of the no fishing signs at lake marinas. The ‘no fishing’ sign referenced city of Dallas ordinance number 21176 — “No fishing from highway bridge structure or approach or in any area marked “restricted area – keep out” or any other area appropriately designated with a sign as a “no fishing area.”

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, cities only have authority to enforce no fishing areas if a clear safety hazard exists — something they question in this case.

“Cities and entities have limited authority,” said Ken Kurzawski, inland fisheries regulations director. “A marina owner can put up a sign, but that’s technically not always legal. Cities can pass ordinances if they can cite a public safety issue.”

TPWD attorney Boyd Kennedy agreed, although he said cities don’t need TPWD’s permission to pass ordinances — they just need to send the agency a filing and TPWD will send them an acknowledgement letter and the game wardens will enforce the ordinance.

“Our approach, legally, is that Ray Hubbard is a public water body,” Kennedy said, “and that means all of it, including marinas, under docks, around boats, etc… The Sportsmen’s Rights Act gives fishermen the right to fish public waters.”

A manager at the Harbor Bay Marina on Lake Ray Hubbard, who declined to give her name, said the no fishing ordinance is enforced by the Dallas and Rockwall Police Departments.

A representative for the Rockwall Police Department said they do not enforce the ordinance and to “call the city of Dallas.”

The city of Dallas did not respond to requests to discuss the signs.

Note: Before fishing any area that states it is off-limits to fish, check with all state and local regulations to verify current laws.

July 8, 2011

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Sun | Moon | Tides

First

Time 8:16 a.m.

3:35 a.m.

5:52 p.m.

6:43 p.m.

7:32 p.m.

8:19 p.m.

9:53 a.m.

10:17 a.m.

10:50 a.m.

11:34 a.m.

12:26 p.m.

1:22 p.m.

2:14 p.m.

7:32 a.m.

7:40 a.m.

Height 2.1 H 1.8 L -0.9 L -1.1 L -1.3 L -1.1 L 2.1 L 2.0 L 2.0 L 1.8 L 1.4 L 1.3 L 0.9 L 2.0 H 2.0 H

Time Height 4:05 p.m. -0.2 L 8:31 a.m. 2.1 H

12:30 p.m.

1:29 p.m.

2:25 p.m.

3:26 p.m.

4:38 p.m.

6:10 p.m.

8:02 p.m.

3:01 p.m.

3:44 p.m.

2.3 H 2.1 H 2.1 H 2.0 H 1.6 H 1.4 H 1.4 H 0.5 L 0.4 L

Time

Height

4:59 p.m. -0.7 L

9:02 p.m.

9:42 p.m.

10:19 p.m.

10:52 p.m.

11:21 p.m.

11:47 p.m.

-1.1 L -0.7 L -0.5 L -0.2 L 0.4 L 0.7 L

10:15 p.m. 1.4 H

Full

July 8

Time Height 2:23 a.m. 1.1 L 1:18 a.m. 1.6 H 2:44 a.m. 1.9 H 3:41 a.m. 2.1 H 4:27 a.m. 2.1 H 5:07 a.m. 2.1 H 5:43 a.m. 2.0 H 6:15 a.m. 2.0 H 6:43 a.m. 1.9 H 7:08 a.m. 1.7 H 7:29 a.m. 1.7 H 7:48 a.m. 1.6 H 12:13 a.m. 0.6 L 12:35 a.m. 0.9 L 12:47 a.m. 1.0 L

Date Time July 08 9:21 a.m.

July 09 9:16 a.m.

July 10 9:34 a.m.

July 11 10:07 a.m.

July 12/ 10:50 a.m.

July 13 11:39 a.m.

July 14 12:33 p.m.

July 15 12:45 a.m.

July 16 1:28 a.m.

July 17 2:08 a.m.

July 18 2:44 a.m.

July 19 3:14 a.m.

July 20 3:36 a.m.

July 21 3:26 a.m.

July 22 8:38 a.m.

Time 9:03 a.m.

4:01 a.m.

6:18 p.m.

7:09 p.m.

7:58 p.m.

8:45 p.m.

10:19 a.m.

10:43 a.m.

11:16 a.m.

12:00 p.m.

12:52 p.m.

1:48 p.m.

8:05 a.m.

8:19 a.m.

8:27 a.m.

Height 1.7 H 1.4 L -0.7 L -0.9 L -1.0 L -0.9 L 1.7 L 1.6 L 1.6 L 1.4 L 1.1 L 1.0 L 1.6 H 1.6 H .6 H

Time Height 4:31 p.m. -0.1 L 9:18 a.m. 1.7 H

Time 9:33 a.m.

4:57 a.m.

7:14 p.m.

8:05 p.m.

8:54 p.m.

9:41 p.m.

11:15 a.m.

11:39 a.m.

12:12 p.m.

12:56 p.m.

7:59 a.m.

8:18 a.m.

8:35 a.m.

8:49 a.m.

8:57 a.m.

Height .0 H 0.9 L -0.4 L -0.5 L -0.6 L -0.5 L 1.0 L 0.9 L 0.9 L 0.9 L 1.0 H 0.9 H 0.9 H 0.9 H 0.9 H

Time Height 5:27 p.m. -0.1 L 9:48 a.m. 1.0 H

Time 8:25 a.m.

3:58 a.m.

6:15 p.m.

7:06 p.m.

7:55 p.m.

8:42 p.m.

10:16 a.m.

10:40 a.m.

11:13 a.m.

11:57 a.m.

12:49 p.m.

1:45 p.m.

7:27 a.m.

7:41 a.m.

7:49 a.m.

Height 1.5 H 0.9 L -0.5 L -0.5 L -0.6 L -0.5 L 1.1 L 1.0 L 1.0 L 0.9 L 0.7 L 0.6 L 1.4 H 1.4 H 1.4 H

Time Height 4:28 p.m. -0.1 L 8:40 a.m. 1.5 H

1:17 p.m.

2:16 p.m.

3:12 p.m.

4:13 p.m.

5:25 p.m.

6:57 p.m.

2:40 p.m.

3:27 p.m.

4:10 p.m.

1.9 H 1.7 H 1.7 H 1.6 H 1.3 H 1.1 H 0.7 L 0.4 L 0.3 L

Time

Height

5:25 p.m. -0.6 L

9:28 p.m.

10:08 p.m.

10:45 p.m.

11:18 p.m.

11:47 p.m.

-0.9 L -0.6 L -0.4 L -0.1 L 0.3 L

8:49 p.m. 1.1 H 11:02 p.m. 1.1 H

Date July 08 July 09 July 10 July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14 July 15 July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20 July 21 July 22

Time Height 3:19 a.m. 0.7 L 1:48 a.m. 0.9 H 3:14 a.m. 1.1 H 4:11 a.m. 1.3 H 4:57 a.m. 1.3 H 5:37 a.m. 1.3 H 6:13 a.m. 1.2 H 6:45 a.m. 1.2 H 7:13 a.m. 1.1 H 7:38 a.m. 1.0 H 12:14 a.m. -0.1 L 12:43 a.m. 0.2 L 1:09 a.m. 0.3 L 1:31 a.m. 0.5 L 1:43 a.m. 0.6 L

1:47 p.m.

2:46 p.m.

3:42 p.m.

4:43 p.m.

1:48 p.m.

2:44 p.m.

3:36 p.m.

4:23 p.m.

5:06 p.m.

1.1 H 1.0 H .0 H 0.9 H 0.7 L 0.6 L 0.4 L 0.3 L 0.2 L

Time

Time Height 2:20 a.m. 0.7 L 12:40 a.m. 1.4 H 2:06 a.m. 1.6 H 3:03 a.m. 1.8 H 3:49 a.m. 1.8 H 4:29 a.m. 1.8 H 5:05 a.m. 1.7 H 5:37 a.m. 1.7 H 6:05 a.m. 1.6 H 6:30 a.m. 1.5 H 6:51 a.m. 1.5 H 7:10 a.m. 1.4 H 12:10 a.m. 0.4 L 12:32 a.m. 0.5 L 12:44 a.m. 0.6 L

Date July 08 July 09 July 10 July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14 July 15 July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20 July 21 July 22

Height

6:21 p.m. -0.3 L

10:24 p.m. -0.5 L 11:04 p.m. -0.3 L 11:41 p.m. -0.3 L 5:55 p.m.

7:27 p.m.

9:19 p.m.

11:32 p.m.

0.8 H 0.7 H 0.7 H 0.7 H

Time

Height

Houston Height 0.4 H 0.5 H 0.6 H 0.7 H 0.7 H 0.7 H 0.6 H -0.7 L -0.6 L -0.5 L -0.4 L -0.3 L -0.1 L 0.0 L 0.2 H

Time 7:16 p.m.

8:16 p.m.

9:14 p.m.

10:11 p.m.

11:06 p.m.

11:57 p.m.

Height -0.3 L -0.5 L -0.6 L -0.7 L -0.7 L -0.7 L

1:31 p.m. 0.6 H 2:37 p.m. 0.5 H 3:58 p.m. 0.4 H 5:29 p.m. 0.3 H 12:01 p.m. 0.2 H 11:08 a.m. 0.2 H 9:59 a.m. 0.2 H 6:41 p.m. -0.1 L

Time

3:55 p.m.

4:50 p.m.

5:44 p.m.

Height

0.1 L 0.0 L 0.0 L

Time

Height

7:12 p.m. 0.2 H 9:33 p.m. 0.1 H

Time 10:20 a.m.

10:31 a.m.

11:01 a.m.

11:46 a.m.

12:40 p.m.

1:37 p.m.

12:24 a.m.

1:13 a.m.

1:55 a.m.

2:29 a.m.

2:53 a.m.

3:07 a.m.

3:04 a.m.

2:10 a.m.

9:58 a.m.

Height 0.20 H 0.24 H 0.27 H 0.28 H 0.28 H 0.27 H -0.17 L -0.15 L -0.13 L -0.10 L -0.07 L -0.03 L 0.01 L 0.04 L 0.15 H

Time 8:06 p.m.

8:54 p.m.

9:45 p.m.

10:37 p.m.

11:31 p.m.

Height -0.09 L -0.14 L -0.17 L -0.18 L -0.18 L

2:36 p.m. 0.26 H 3:32 p.m. 0.23 H 4:25 p.m. 0.20 H 5:21 p.m. 0.16 H 6:30 p.m. 0.12 H 10:45 a.m. 0.08 H 10:06 a.m. 0.10 H 9:54 a.m. 0.13 H 7:16 p.m. -0.07 L

Time

Height

Time

Height

Time Height 2:02 a.m. 0.6 L 1:11 a.m. 1.3 H 2:37 a.m. 1.5 H 3:34 a.m. 1.7 H 4:20 a.m. 1.7 H 5:00 a.m. 1.7 H 5:36 a.m. 1.6 H 6:08 a.m. 1.6 H 6:36 a.m. 1.5 H 7:01 a.m. 1.4 H 7:22 a.m. 1.4 H 7:41 a.m. 1.3 H 7:58 a.m. 1.3 H 12:14 a.m. 0.5 L 12:26 a.m. 0.5 L

Time 8:56 a.m.

3:40 a.m.

5:57 p.m.

6:48 p.m.

7:37 p.m.

8:24 p.m.

9:58 a.m.

10:22 a.m.

10:55 a.m.

11:39 a.m.

12:31 p.m.

1:27 p.m.

2:19 p.m.

8:12 a.m.

8:20 a.m.

Height 1.4 H 0.8 L -0.4 L -0.5 L -0.5 L -0.5 L 0.9 L 0.8 L 0.8 L 0.8 L 0.6 L 0.5 L 0.4 L 1.3 H 1.3 H

12:39 p.m.

1:38 p.m.

2:34 p.m.

3:35 p.m.

4:47 p.m.

6:19 p.m.

2:37 p.m.

3:24 p.m.

4:07 p.m.

1.6 H 1.5 H 1.5 H 1.4 H 1.1 H 1.0 H 0.5 L 0.3 L 0.2 L

5:22 p.m. -0.4 L

9:25 p.m.

10:05 p.m.

10:42 p.m.

11:15 p.m.

11:44 p.m.

-0.5 L -0.4 L -0.3 L -0.1 L 0.2 L

8:11 p.m. 1.0 H 10:24 p.m. 1.0 H

Date July 08 July 09 July 10 July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14 July 15 July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20 July 21 July 22

Time Height 2:17 a.m. 0.7 L 6:48 a.m. 1.0 H 3:25 a.m. 1.3 H 4:18 a.m. 1.4 H 5:05 a.m. 1.5 H 5:48 a.m. 1.5 H 6:25 a.m. 1.5 H 6:54 a.m. 1.4 H 7:14 a.m. 1.3 H 7:26 a.m. 1.2 H 7:31 a.m. 1.1 H 7:31 a.m. 1.0 H 12:25 a.m. 0.3 L 12:48 a.m. 0.6 L 12:39 a.m. 0.7 L

Time 7:33 a.m.

4:55 p.m.

5:49 p.m.

6:44 p.m.

7:38 p.m.

8:30 p.m.

9:18 p.m.

10:03 p.m.

10:44 p.m.

12:15 p.m.

12:44 p.m.

1:21 p.m.

7:24 a.m.

7:11 a.m.

6:51 a.m.

Height 1.0 H -0.7 L -0.9 L -1.0 L -1.1 L -1.0 L -0.9 L -0.7 L -0.4 L 1.0 L 0.9 L 0.7 L 1.0 H .0 H 1.0 H

Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

24 issues for $30

3:52 p.m. 0.05 L 5:29 p.m. 0.01 L 6:28 p.m. -0.04 L

8:22 p.m. 0.07 H 11:43 p.m. 0.04 H

Time Height 4:10 p.m. -0.1 L 9:11 a.m. 1.4 H

1:10 p.m.

2:09 p.m.

3:05 p.m.

4:06 p.m.

5:18 p.m.

6:50 p.m.

8:42 p.m.

3:06 p.m.

3:49 p.m.

1.5 H 1.4 H 1.4 H 1.3 H 1.0 H 0.9 H 0.9 H 0.2 L 0.2 L

Time

Height

5:04 p.m. -0.3 L

9:07 p.m.

9:47 p.m.

10:24 p.m.

10:57 p.m.

11:26 p.m.

11:52 p.m.

-0.5 L -0.3 L -0.2 L -0.1 L 0.2 L 0.3 L

10:55 p.m. 0.9 H

Time Height 4:02 p.m. -0.3 L

2:41 p.m.

4:11 p.m.

5:46 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

2:42 p.m.

3:27 p.m.

1.1 H 1.0 H 0.8 H 0.5 L 0.3 L 0.1 L

Time

Height

11:22 p.m. -0.2 L 11:56 p.m. 0.1 L 7:42 p.m. 0.8 H 10:38 p.m. 0.8 H

Name _____________________________________________ Address______________________________________________ City/State/Zip______________________________________ E-mail (To Receive E-Newsletter)_____________________________ Phone______________________________________________ ❑ Master Card ❑ VISA ❑ American Express ❑ Discover

Credit Card No._____________________________________ Expiration Date________________________________________ Signature___________________________________________

Mail to Lone Star Outdoor News, PO Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355. For fastest service, call (214) 361-2276 or visit LSONews.com.

OUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen DOWN 1. A sign of deer in the area 2. A lake bird 3. Part of fishing gear 4. A game bird 5. Hunting and fishing regulation 6. The wild boar 7. A pheasant's night-time haven 8. A nuisance insect to fishermen 11. A method of hunting 12. Reel holding the line 13. Hunter's give these TLC 15. To insert the ammo 17. The object of the hunt 20. A saltwater favorite in red or black 21. A deer resting place 22. Teeth of some game can reveal this 25. Very large on the muley 26. A food choice for deer 27. Trapped for the fur 29. A predator of small game

A.M. Minor Major 2:37 8:51 3:28 9:43 4:24 10:39 5:23 11:38 6:23 12:09 7:24 1:11 8:25 2:12 9:24 3:11 10:20 4:07 11:14 5:02 ----- 5:53 12:31 6:44 1:19 7:33 2:08 8:21 2:56 9:09 3:44 9:57 4:31 10:44 5:18 11:30 6:05 ----6:51 12:40

P.M. Minor 3:05 3:58 4:55 5:53 6:53 7:52 8:51 9:49 10:45 11:39 12:06 12:57 1:46 2:35 3:22 4:10 4:56 5:42 6:27 7:12

Major 9:20 10:13 11:10 12:08 12:38 1:38 2:38 3:36 4:32 5:27 6:19 7:10 8:00 8:48 9:36 10:23 11:09 11:54 12:16 1:01

SUN Rises Sets 06:26 08:24 06:27 08:24 06:27 08:24 06:28 08:23 06:28 08:23 06:29 08:23 06:29 08:23 06:30 08:22 06:30 08:22 06:31 08:22 06:31 08:21 06:32 08:21 06:33 08:20 06:33 08:20 06:34 08:19 06:34 08:19 06:35 08:18 06:35 08:18 06:36 08:17 06:37 08:17

MOON Rises Sets 3:08a 5:38p 4:02a 6:39p 5:04a 7:37p 6:11a 8:29p 7:22a 9:16p 8:33a 9:57p 9:41a 10:35p 10:48a 11:10p 11:53a 11:46p 12:58p NoMoon 2:02p 12:22a 3:05p 1:02a 4:07p 1:45a 5:05p 2:32a 5:58p 3:23a 6:47p 4:17a 7:30p 5:13a 8:08p 6:10a 8:42p 7:06a 9:13p 8:01a

2011 July 08 Thu 09 Fri > 10 Sat > 11 Sun N 12 Mon > 13 Tue > 14 Wed > 15 Thu 16 Fri 17 Sat 18 Sun Q 19 Mon 20 Tue 21 Wed 22 Thu 23 Fri 24 Sat > 25 Sun > 26 Mon F 27 Tue >

A.M. Minor Major 2:42 8:57 3:34 9:49 4:29 10:45 5:28 11:43 6:29 12:14 7:30 1:16 8:30 2:17 9:29 3:16 10:25 4:13 11:20 5:07 ----- 5:59 12:36 6:49 1:25 7:38 2:13 8:27 3:01 9:15 3:49 10:02 4:37 10:49 5:24 11:36 6:10 ----6:56 12:46

P.M. Minor Major 3:11 9:25 4:04 10:19 5:00 11:16 5:59 12:14 6:58 12:43 7:58 1:44 8:57 2:44 9:54 3:42 10:50 4:38 11:45 5:32 12:12 6:25 1:02 7:16 1:52 8:05 2:40 8:54 3:28 9:41 4:15 10:28 5:02 11:14 5:47 11:59 6:33 12:22 7:18 1:07

SUN Rises Sets 06:24 08:37 06:25 08:37 06:26 08:36 06:26 08:36 06:27 08:36 06:27 08:36 06:28 08:35 06:28 08:35 06:29 08:34 06:29 08:34 06:30 08:34 06:31 08:33 06:31 08:33 06:32 08:32 06:33 08:32 06:33 08:31 06:34 08:30 06:35 08:30 06:35 08:29 06:36 08:28

MOON Rises Sets 3:06a 5:52p 3:59a 6:54p 5:01a 7:51p 6:09a 8:42p 7:21a 9:26p 8:34a 10:06p 9:45a 10:42p 10:53a 11:15p 12:00p 11:49p 1:07p NoMoon 2:13p 12:24a 3:18p 1:01a 4:21p 1:43a 5:19p 2:29a 6:13p 3:20a 7:00p 4:15a 7:43p 5:11a 8:19p 6:09a 8:52p 7:07a 9:21p 8:03a

P.M. Minor Major 3:18 9:32 4:11 10:26 5:07 11:23 6:06 12:21 7:05 12:50 8:05 1:51 9:04 2:51 10:01 3:49 10:57 4:45 11:52 5:39 12:19 6:32 1:09 7:23 1:59 8:12 2:47 9:01 3:35 9:48 4:22 10:35 5:09 11:21 5:54 ----6:40 12:29 7:25 1:14

SUN Rises Sets 06:40 08:36 06:40 08:36 06:41 08:35 06:41 08:35 06:41 08:35 06:42 08:35 06:42 08:34 06:43 08:34 06:44 08:34 06:44 08:33 06:45 08:33 06:45 08:33 06:46 08:32 06:46 08:32 06:47 08:31 06:47 08:31 06:48 08:30 06:48 08:30 06:49 08:29 06:50 08:29

MOON Rises 3:22a 4:16a 5:18a 6:25a 7:36a 8:46a 9:55a 11:01a 12:06p 1:10p 2:14p 3:18p 4:19p 5:17p 6:10p 6:59p 7:42p 8:20p 8:54p 9:25p

Sets 5:50p 6:52p 7:49p 8:41p 9:28p 10:09p 10:47p 11:23p NoMoon NoMoon 12:36a 1:15a 1:58a 2:46a 3:37a 4:31a 5:27a 6:24a 7:20a 8:14a

P.M. Minor 3:31 4:24 5:21 6:19 7:19 8:18 9:17 10:15 11:11 ----12:32 1:23 2:12 3:01 3:48 4:35 5:22 6:08 6:53 7:38

SUN Rises 06:39 06:40 06:40 06:41 06:41 06:42 06:43 06:43 06:44 06:44 06:45 06:46 06:46 06:47 06:48 06:49 06:49 06:50 06:51 06:51

MOON Rises 3:20a 4:14a 5:16a 6:25a 7:38a 8:52a 10:04a 11:14a 12:23p 1:31p 2:39p 3:45p 4:48p 5:47p 6:41p 7:28p 8:09p 8:45p 9:16p 9:44p

Sets 6:20p 7:22p 8:18p 9:08p 9:51p 10:29p 11:03p 11:36p NoMoon 12:08a 12:41a 1:18a 1:58a 2:44a 3:35a 4:29a 5:27a 6:25a 7:24a 8:21a

San Antonio 2011 A.M. July Minor Major 08 Thu 2:49 9:04 09 Fri > 3:41 9:56 10 Sat > 4:36 10:52 11 Sun N 5:35 11:50 12 Mon > 6:36 12:21 13 Tue > 7:37 1:23 14 Wed > 8:37 2:24 15 Thu 9:36 3:23 16 Fri 10:32 4:20 17 Sat 11:27 5:14 18 Sun Q ----- 6:06 19 Mon 12:43 6:56 20 Tue 1:32 7:45 21 Wed 2:20 8:34 22 Thu 3:08 9:22 23 Fri 3:56 10:09 24 Sat > 4:44 10:56 25 Sun > 5:31 11:43 26 Mon F 6:17 12:06 27 Tue > 7:03 12:53

Amarillo

JOIN US TODAY

ACROSS 1. A wingshooter's quarry 4. Term for a tackle-busting bass 9. A male pheasant 10. The Canadian honker 11. A species of grouse 12. A large member of the deer family 14. A name for the sea bass 16. A game bird 17. Action to eject a fired casing 18. A type of sight 19. To analyze game tracks 21. A type of fishing lure 23. A male mallard 24. A species of perch 28. At times, how ____ do you fish?

31. The arrow is his ammo 33. A group of decoys 34. The name for the expert fisherman 36. Shot fired without careful aim 38. Type of big game lures 41. Trap part 42. Mammal snared for the fur 44. The pelt 45. Worn by outdoorsmen for rain gear 46. Act of carrying boat overland 47. They kill many deer every year

2011 July 08 Thu 09 Fri > 10 Sat > 11 Sun N 12 Mon > 13 Tue > 14 Wed > 15 Thu 16 Fri 17 Sat 18 Sun Q 19 Mon 20 Tue 21 Wed 22 Thu 23 Fri 24 Sat > 25 Sun > 26 Mon F 27 Tue >

Dallas

South Padre Island

Freeport Harbor Date July 08 July 09 July 10 July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14 July 15 July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20 July 21 July 22

July 29

Port Aransas, H. Caldwell Pier

San Luis Pass Date July 08 July 09 July 10 July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14 July 15 July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20 July 21 July 22

New

July 22

July 15

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.

Rockport

Galveston Bay entrance, south jetty Date July 08 July 09 July 10 July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14 July 15 July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20 July 21 July 22

Last

Port O’Connor

Sabine Pass, jetty Time Height 1:57 a.m. 1.4 L 12:31 a.m. 2.0 H 1:57 a.m. 2.3 H 2:54 a.m. 2.7 H 3:40 a.m. 2.7 H 4:20 a.m. 2.7 H 4:56 a.m. 2.5 H 5:28 a.m. 2.5 H 5:56 a.m. 2.3 H 6:21 a.m. 2.1 H 6:42 a.m. 2.1 H 7:01 a.m. 2.0 H 7:18 a.m. 2.0 H 12:09 a.m. 1.1 L 12:21 a.m. 1.3 L

Solunar | Sun times | Moon times

Moon Phases

Texas Coast Tides Date July 08 July 09 July 10 July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14 July 15 July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20 July 21 July 22

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Solution on Page 26

2011 A.M. July Minor 08 Thu 3:03 09 Fri > 3:54 10 Sat > 4:50 11 Sun N 5:49 12 Mon > 6:49 13 Tue > 7:50 14 Wed > 8:51 15 Thu 9:49 16 Fri 10:46 17 Sat 11:40 18 Sun Q 12:08 19 Mon 12:56 20 Tue 1:45 21 Wed 2:34 22 Thu 3:22 23 Fri 4:10 24 Sat > 4:57 25 Sun > 5:44 26 Mon F 6:31 27 Tue > 7:17

Major 9:17 10:09 11:05 ----12:34 1:36 2:38 3:37 4:33 5:27 6:19 7:10 7:59 8:47 9:35 10:23 11:10 11:56 12:20 1:06

Major 9:46 10:39 11:36 12:34 1:04 2:04 3:04 4:02 4:58 5:53 6:45 7:36 8:26 9:14 10:02 10:48 11:34 ----12:42 1:27

Sets 09:03 09:03 09:02 09:02 09:02 09:01 09:01 09:01 09:00 09:00 08:59 08:59 08:58 08:58 08:57 08:56 08:56 08:55 08:54 08:54

FOR THE TABLE Grilled/baked striped bass Several fillets of striped bass, with red areas removed Lemon juice Steak sauce Prepare marinade using equal portions of lemon juice and steak sauce (Dales, Moore's or Murray's).

Place fillets in marinade for 15-30 minutes.

Grill over hot coals until done (15-20 minutes) or bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until done.

— Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Zesty skillet feral hog chops 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 11/4 pounds (6 chops) lean hog chops 2 cups diced tomatoes or 1 (14.5 ounces) can salt free diced tomatoes 1 green bell pepper 11/2 stalks celery 1 small onion 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce Nonstick cooking spray

30. Hunters call this animal a varmint 32. A bowman's association 35. A style of hunting or fishing 36. Bucks do this to warn of danger

37. Do this to your hunting routes 39. Part of ice fishing gear 40. A compass is useful in strange _____ 41. A freshwater fish 43. A rugged kind of fishing

Rub chili powder and salt evenly over chops.

Wash if using fresh tomatoes and dice.

Wash and chop green pepper, celery, and onion.

Combine tomatoes, green pepper, celery, onion, and pepper

sauce in bowl.

Lightly coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet to medium high. Add chops and cook one minute.

Turn chops and top with tomato mixture.

Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 25 minutes or until meat is tender and mixture thickens.

Transfer chops to serving plates.

Increase heat and bring tomato mixture to boil.

Cook two minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates.

Remove from heat and spoon sauce over chops.

— Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

REVERSAL: A boat ramp to O.C. Fisher Reservoir is closed because it’s virtually dry. The lake’s water level has been gradually declining since 2005, but even a year ago, people were catching their limits there on blue catfish. Photo by Jason Hook, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Sucked dry Continued From Page 8

and is unique, said Mandy Scott, an assistant biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

It has, she explained, only one feeder stream, the North Concho River.

By contrast, she added, both the Middle and South Concho rivers feed another lake near San Angelo — Twin Buttes Reservoir.

And water released from that lake feeds nearby Lake Nasworthy.

But refilling O.C. Fisher has other challenges, Scott said.

The soil around the 88-mile North Concho River seems to hold water back longer.

Abundant mesquite and salt cedar are also blamed for keeping runoff out of the river.

“That watershed is a little peculiar,” Scott said. “It takes a hard rain in a certain spot to do any good, and the rain clouds have to be right over it.”

The lake got a “big rise” in 2005 and another smaller rise two years later, Scott said.

Since then it has been on the decline.

Although 2010 was a wet year in West Texas, “there were no big runoff events” for O.C. Fisher, Scott said.

O.H. Ivie Reservoir, about 60 miles to the east of San Angelo, has been producing multiple lunker largemouth bass in recent years.

O.C. Fisher hasn’t enjoyed that reputation, but it did have a following before it went dry.

The lake’s record largemouth weighed 15.69 pounds when Charles Sirmons hooked it in 1996.

Ronnie Wallace caught a lake record 30.75pound blue catfish in 2003.

Six years later, John Ingle caught the lake’s record white crappie; it was 1.91 pounds and 14.25 inches long, according to TPWD records.

“Even last year you could launch a boat out there,” Scott said. “Catfish populations were good; people were catching their limits of bluecats, and crappie was good, too.”

TPWD in 2005 restocked O.C. Fisher with thousands of fingerling and adult largemouth bass, along with fingerling white crappie, catfish and baitfish.

Officials at that time were trying to mitigate a low-oxygen fish kill a year earlier.

Once water returns to the lake, it could be restocked again, Scott said.

July 8, 2011

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July 8, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

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New archery range opens in Plano Archery enthusiasts in the DallasFort Worth Metroplex have a new option where to shoot their bows, thanks to the opening of the Texas Archery Academy’s State Archery Training Center in Plano.

It has opened in phases, with the 24×7 TRUGLO Shooters Club opening in May, and the main facility opening to the public in June.

Center memberships will include full use of the Plano Training Center and the outdoor ranges of Texins Archery Club, located at Elm Fork Shooting Park in Dallas.

The 30,000-square-foot indoor training facility will be available all year to the public at $10 per day, and will also offer several levels of membership that allow extended hours and discounts for frequent usage. A variety of archery equipment will be available (in most cases without cost) for instructional programs and casual public use.

The facility is tailored to archers of all skill levels, from the curious “never-held-a-bow-before” novice, all the way to the Olympic athlete. Programs for all levels will be offered by certified instructors in a facility with state-of-the-art amenities for developing the skills and discipline of archery.

Archery instruction-classes, individual-team coaching, team training, and public recreational use (safe-practice) are the primary goals of the TXAA Training Center.

Support of the National Archery in the Schools Program, Outdoor Adventures program, after-NASP Programs, and recreational competitions will be the other activities of focus.

A flexible, modular design accommodates daily use by all levels and ages.

For membership information, contact Tony Fontana or Clint Montgomery at (214) 827-7000.

—Staff report

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

July 8, 2011

Page 25

DATEBOOK July 7-10 TWA Wildlife Convention JW Marriott San Antonio www.texas-wildlife.org

Ultimate Summer Boat and Outdoors Show Dallas Market Hall (469) 549-0673 www.letsgetoutdoorstexas.com

July 16-17 July 8 Dallas Safari Club Wine Pairing Dinner Chamberlain's Steak and Chop House Addison (972) 980-9800 www.biggame.org

July 9 Texas Deer Association Austin Sportsmen’s Banquet Driftwood (210) 767-8300 www.texasdeerassociation.com

July 14 Dallas Woods and Water Club Monthly meeting and dinner Sheraton North Dallas Hotel (214) 570-8700 www.dwwcc.org

July 15 Texas Deer Association Southeast Texas Chapter Sportsmen’s Banquet Beaumont (210) 767-8300 www.texasdeerassociation.com

July 15-17 Texas Trophy Hunters Association 2011 Hunters Extravaganza Alamodome San Antonio www.ttha.com

Texas Gun and Knife Association Amarillo Civic Center (830) 285-0575 www.texasgunandknifeshows.com

July 17-23 Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society Wildlife Conservation Camp Welder Wildlife Refuge Sinton www.tctws.org

July 28-31 37th Annual Port Mansfield Fishing Tournament (956) 944-2354 www.portmansfieldchamber.org

Editor Bill Miller Associate Editor Conor Harrison Associate Editor Mark England

July 29-30 Deer Breeders Co-Op 4th Annual DBC Convention La Torretta Del Lago Resort Montgomery

Graphics Editor Amy Moore Business/Products Editor Mary Helen Aguirre Operations Manager Mike Hughs Accounting Ginger Hoolan Web site Bruce Soileau

July 30 Deer Fest Wichita Falls (940) 704-2984 www.deerfestwichitafalls.com

National Advertising Mike Nelson Accounts Manager Classified/Outfitters Blazing Paths Media Advertising Intern Nicholas Conklin

July 21 Coastal Conservation Association Sam Houston Chapter Banquet (936) 291-6469 www.ccatexas.org

Executive Editor Craig Nyhus

July 30-31 Lake Fork Sportsmen’s Association 3rd Annual Yantis Catfish Classic Lake Fork (903) 763-2191

Founder & CEO David J. Sams

Contributors Kyle Carter Alan Clemons David Draper Wilbur Lundeen Aaron Reed Erich Schlegel David Sikes Scott Sommerlatte Chuck Uzzle Ralph Winingham

August 19 July 22 Texas Deer Association Corpus Christi Chapter Sportsmen’s Banquet U.S.S. Lexington (210) 767-8300 www.texasdeerassociation.com

Big Brothers Big Sisters Sporting Clay Shoot Elm Fork Shooting Range Dallas (817) 905-4653 www.bigclayshoot.com

July 22-24

August 26-28

Ultimate Summer Boat and Outdoors Show Dallas Market Hall (469) 549-0673 www.letsgetoutdoorstexas.com

Texas Hunting & Outdoor Classic Freeman Expo Hall San Antonio (210) 226-1177 www.huntersclassic.com

Texas Hunters and Sportsman’s Expo McAllen Convention Center (956) 664-2884 www.texashunterassociation.com m

August 27 6th Annual Fishing for Hope Tournament South Padre Island (956) 362-3100

Advertising Call (214) 361-2276 or e-mail editor@lone staroutdoornews.com to request a media kit.

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

Lone Star Outdoor News, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $30 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2011 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 editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

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July 8, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LONE STAR MARKET

Puzzle solution from Page 22

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

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July 8, 2011

Page 27

PRODUCTS MONSTER BUCKS XIX: This 2011 DVD from Realtree is filled with those heart-stopping hunts that make this series a favorite among hunters. Volume 1 follows pro hunters and celebrities as they travel to Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Montana, Illinois and Georgia in search of trophy wall hangers. Featured deer hunters include NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt Jr., Cal Bergsma of Whitetail Properties, David Blanton, Chris Keefer and Lee Lakosky going for their biggest bucks yet. Three hours of footage includes bow, muzzleloader and rifle hunts as well as gut-busting spoofs. The DVD sells for about $15.

>>

ONE ROD: Sage Manufacturing has launched a new series of fly-fishing rods.

The ONE rods use Konnetic technology for tracking with virtually no lateral movement, resulting in what the company describes as astonishing casting accuracy. The technology allows for greater inherent strength that results in a lighter rod with a smaller diameter. These attributes combine to provide augmented aerodynamic efficiency. Other features include lighter, lowprofile ferrules that help direct and carry energy through the rod without sacrificing strength, critical action and feel; a custom cork handle designed to match the exact taper of the rod providing even greater sensitivity and feel; and a round eye tip-top that doesn’t pinch or bind the line, allowing the caster to mend and cast in any direction with full control. The fast-action rod family is intended for all fishing conditions. Available in Black Ice with a translucent finish, the rods will sell for about $715 to $740. A selection of 22 single-hand models will be available next month.

(800) 992-9968 www.realtree.com

(206) 842-6608 www.sageflyfish.com

>>

>> NANOFIL FISHING LINE: Berkley’s NanoFil “Uni-Filament” line is made from gel-spun polyethylene thatt consists of hundreds of Dyneema nanofilaments that are molecularly linked and nd shaped into a unified filament fishing line. Berkley says this is its longest casting ting line with exceptional accuracy. Among its attributes: zero stretch for superb sensitivity and zero memory that virtually eliminates line tangles. Available in Clearr Mist and pound tests of 1 through 12; a 150-yard spool sells for about $20.

OLD TEX DUCK CALL: If it quacks like a duck, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a duck. It might just be Quack Shack’s newest call. Its barrel and tone board is handcrafted from cocobolo wood to produce the sound of a raspy mallard hen. The traditional Arkansas styled J-framed call is available in either a doubleor single-reed model. It sells for about $85.

(214) 907-2481 www.QuackShackTexas.com

>>

(800) 237-5539 www.berkley-fishing.com

>> 77/357 BOLT-ACTION RIFLE: The latest from Ruger is a lightweight, bolt-action rifle chambered in the venerable .357 Magnum caliber and fed via a five-round rotary magazine. The 5.5-pound rifle is offered in a weather-resistant stainless steel barrel and receiver, and a rugged, black composite stock. It is fitted with fully adjustable iron sights and includes scope rings that allow a variety of scopes. The flush-fit rotary magazine does not protrude at the rifle’s balance point and can be readily loaded and unloaded. This quick-handling rifle is described as an effective tool for hunting medium-sized game, especially in heavy cover. It sells for about $790.

(603) 865-2442 www.ruger.com

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October 22, 2010

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October 22, 2010

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