July 23, 2010 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

Hybrid turkeys

Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

July 23, 2010

Volume 6, Issue 23

North Texas holds a confirmed population of hybrid turkeys. Page 4

What’s on the inside counts

Inside

Examining deer stomach contents can prove useful

By Thomas Phillips LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

❘❚ FISHING

Cooler of croaker Some people use croaker only as bait. Others find them great table fare.

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Like so many young, curious boys, instead of being repulsed by the innards of a deer, Lane Seaman was intrigued. When he would shoot a deer growing up, he would gut it and look over the parts.

But rather than satisfying curiosity, examining the contents of a deer’s digestive tract can help a person become a better hunter — and deer manager.

“Every time somebody’s cleaning a deer, there’s an opportunity to learn some■ Shooting: Two thing,” said North Texans David Hewitt, a will shoot for the deer researcher world title. at the Caesar Page 4 Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute.

Most hunters try to avoid opening the stomachs and bowels of a deer.

Nicking the tissue while cleaning a deer — or misplacing a gunshot — results in a filthy, smelly mess that most hunters dread.

Hewitt, on the other hand, said hunters can find out what their deer are eating and whether they are suffering from parasites.

“It’s really kind of eye-opening what’s in there,” Hewitt said.

After removing the innards from a deer’s abdominal cavity, the rumen — one of the stomach chambers — can be opened to see

INSIDE

Alan Henry hit twice High water and an oil spill recently caused Lake Alan Henry to close temporarily.

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Catfish rigging A mix of rigs for hook, line and sinker help catfish anglers bring them in.

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❘❚ HUNTING

New turkey biologist A prominent turkey conservation group has hired a new biologist for Texas and Oklahoma.

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See STOMACH, Page 6

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Page 25 Page 22 Page 10 Page 22 Page 12 Page 17 Page 26 Page 24 Page 16 Page 22

INSIDE: Ranch managers and hunters can learn a lot from the stomach contents of deer they harvest, a top biologist said.

Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

High water, wind affecting summertime bass patterns Many catching largemouths deeper than usual

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See BASS, Page 24

One flatfish could put a person in the money

By Melissa Zamora

By Nicholas Conklin Varied weather conditions have caused Texas anglers to change some of their mid-summer techniques to catch bass.

High water on Falcon Lake and Choke Canyon Reservoir has forced some anglers to switch techniques while combing deeper waters. Most anglers at Choke Canyon have experienced slower-than-usual fishing because of higher water levels.

Angler Brad Milam of San Antonio fished the South Texas lake recently and focused his atten-

Flounder scarcity hits tournament anglers on southern coast

WEATHER: Bass anglers have had a couple of big factors to contend with on the water early this summer: high wind and high water. Photo by LSON.

With fishing tournaments in high gear and competition as fierce as ever, anglers participating in the typical grand slam category are facing a challenge more than ever — bagging a southern flounder for that award-winning trifecta.

“This year, it’s been very hard — it’s unbelievable,” said Johnny Rodriguez of Lozano.

“Previously, an angler could catch two or three flounder per tournament. Now, you’re lucky if you catch one per month.”

Rodriguez has won many tournaments, and he is a two-time Bay Grand Champion of the Texas Intracoastal Fishing Tournament held in the Port Isabel-South Padre Island area.

See FLOUNDER, Page 18

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HUNTING

BREEDING: Eastern turkeys, left, and Rio Grande turkeys, right, do not often overlap in habitat. But when they do, the different subspecies sometimes produce hybrid offspring. Some of the hybrid birds have been found in North Texas, and others are believed to live here. Photos by Joe Blake/National Wild Turkey Federation (left) and Lone Star Outdoor News.

Hybrid Easterns, Rios in Grayson Co.

More turkey crosses suspected of being in state, biologist says

By Nicholas Conklin LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

A hybrid version of the Rio Grande and Eastern turkey is popping up in small pockets of North Texas.

Although the hybrids are most common in Oklahoma and Kansas, some have been harvested in Texas, according to Texas biologists.

Texas Parks and Wildlife says a small population can be found in an area around Grayson County.

Jason Hardin, the top turkey biologist for TPW, said that the hybridization of birds happens in small quantities, especially in areas where the two different species cross.

“We have some recent genetics data out of that county and found that population of birds we tested (20 birds total), a little over half were Rios and about 7 of them were Eastern,” Hardin said.

Three birds, or 15 percent, were classified as the Eastern-Rio hybrid.

Researchers know little about the hybrids, including physical differences from their parents. The Rio Grande subspecies is slightly smaller than the Eastern turkey, and the correct identification of a hybrid can be difficult for hunters.

“There is really no big difference,” Hardin said. “You can’t say for certain if they are Rios,

Eastern or a hybrid. “You may think you’re hunting in Rio Grande country then have some big 20-plus-pound chestnut banded turkey walk out in front of you.”

Cross country Although favoring two vastly different habitats, the Rio and the Eastern have found a natural way of mixing. The habitat clash is something that Shawn Rodgers, National Wild Turkey Federation regional director, said is the reason why there are not larger numbers of hybrids.

“What really is a big differentiating factor on the habitat between the two subspecies is the amount of rainfall,” Rodgers said.

Because of fluctuations in weather conditions in recent years, the opportunities for Eastern and Rio territory to merge has

occurred.

“Eastern turkeys dislike overgrown areas, and it requires land management in certain areas,” said Dan Sestak of NWTF. “Also, the moisture (rain and humidity) and rainfall can cause problems.”

TPW has known about the existence of hybrids for some time, but only minimal research has been conducted on them.

Hardin sees promise in the small population that has been surveyed. He contends the data found thus far has only been a small snapshot of their population and more hybrids could be in the state.

“As far as any trends, we have felt certain that there are hybrids in Grayson County for a long time,” Hardin said. “But there doesn’t seem to be one population taking over the other.”

Texas shooters vying for World Championship Both hail from Collin County 4-H Club

By Nicholas Conklin LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Shooting demands intense focus and mental acuity.

For Junior Olympic shooters Morgan Harbison and Taylor Gallegos, that focus will be put to the test when they compete in the World Championships in Munich, Germany on July 31 through Aug. 10.

Harbison, of Farmersville, shot his way into the championships in the trap division by taking a bronze medal at the 2009 Junior Olympics.

He started shooting .22 rifles and air pistols at the age of 8 but did not begin shooting shotguns until he moved to Farmersville and joined the Collin County 4-H Club.

Harbison has been shooting competitively for five years and has placed well in several events around the country to get to this point.

In Colorado Springs at the Junior Olympics in 2009, Harbison claimed the silver medal in the trap competition.

Although competing on the world

ON THEIR WAY: Morgan Harbison of Farmersville, above, and Taylor Gallegos of Prosper, right, will compete beginning this month at the shooting world championships in Munich, Germany. The junior shooters are students of the same 4-H club in Collin County.

stage for the first time, Harbison has set his goals and knows what he wants to accomplish.

“It’s a lot bigger than any other

matches, and it’s my first overseas experience,” Harbison said. “So my goal is not necessarily to win but to do the best that I can.”

He will spend the remaining time training under the tutelage of Team USA shooting member Dominic Grazioli. Grazioli, of San Antonio, has

been shooting on the international stage since 1996 and will also comSee SHOOTERS, Page 6

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Outdoor News in Brief NWTF hires new biologist for Texas, Oklahoma The National Wild Turkey Federation recently hired a new biologist for Texas and Oklahoma.

Gene Miller’s duties will include working with state and federal wildlife agencies and private landowners on habitat initiatives, administering the NWTF’s Hunting Heritage Super Fund, working with NWTF chapters on habitat and outreach projects, providing oversight and coordination for conservation activities, addressing riparian forest health issues and coordinating youth hunting programs and landowners workshops.

“Gene brings not only tremendous passion and skills to his new position with the NWTF, he also brings more than 30 years of experience with wildlife and project management from the mid-Atlantic region to the southern Great Plains region,” said Scott Vance, NWTF assistant vice president of conservation programs. “We are proud to have him as part of the NWTF staff.”

Most recently, Miller, of Canyon, worked with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as a technical guidance biologist for the High Plains and Rolling Plains regions.

— National Wild Turkey Federation report

Ground broken for new Cabela’s store in Texas Cabela’s and the city of Allen broke ground July 15 on what will be the third Cabela’s store in Texas, joining Fort Worth and Buda locations.

Cabela’s expects to open the 100,000square-foot store, located between U.S. 75 and Allen Station Parkway, on the southern border of The Village at Allen, in early spring of 2011.

Cabela’s executive vice president and chief operations officer, Michael Copeland, a Texas native, said he was especially excited about opening another store in the state.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since we opened the Fort Worth and Buda stores,” Copeland said. “It’s the success of those stores that has paved the way for the Allen store — and for that, we are incredibly grateful to the people of Texas.”

Allen Mayor Stephen Terrell said he expected the much-anticipated store to bring economic

growth to the city and region.

“It has been a long-term, strategic goal of the city council to make Allen a destination,” Terrell said. “Cabela’s brings to Allen a true ‘destination’ store, and once visitors arrive for the Cabela’s experience, they will enjoy more great shopping, dining and entertainment options.”

— Cabela’s report

Stand maker holding contest to find best blind Southern Deer Stands, a Denton company, is challenging Texas hunters in the 2010 Texas Deer Blind Contest. Southern Deer Stands is hosting a competition to see which hunter has the best stand in the state. Based on creativity, comfort and overall design, the company is asking for photo submissions of personal blinds.

Participation is free, and photos may be submitted to Southern’s Web site and by mail.

Company President Rob Griffin started the contest so people could show off their blinds.

“As we have worked with clients, and in traveling across the country, everybody sort of has a story about the blinds they built, many times regardless of if they were good, bad or indifferent,” Griffin said.

Blinds will be entered in three categories: best photo, best story behind a blind and most interesting design. A panel of celebrity experts will judge the photos, and three prize packages will be awarded. The contest ends Sept. 30.

— Nicholas Conklin

Louisiana opens about 86 percent of coast to fishing Louisiana wildlife officials began reopening coastal waters to recreational fishing in May, and by mid-July, about 86 percent of the coast was open.

Oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico is still a concern to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

Recreational fishing is being allowed subject to continual monitoring, though near-shore water tests have shown chemical contamination levels below public health concern.

— Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries report

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Stomach

Shooters

Continued from Page 1

moment while competing.

“I am trying not to get too Continued from Page 4 psyched about it, and I don’t want pete in the World Championships to feel too much pressure,” Gallegos in Munich. Grazioli understands said. “It doesn’t matter what place I the pressure that Harbison will be get. I am just going to a world chamunder but stressed that nothing pionship.”

Gallegos’ shooting coach, Joel about the competition will be difUtz, has worked with her over the ferent.

“It doesn’t matter where you past year and a half and has been are or what the competition is,” pleased with the development he Grazioli said. “When they’re throw- has seen from her.

“She has come a long way in a ing a 4-inch clay target at 60 miles an hour, it’s just like everywhere short amount of time, she has put else in the world. There really is no a lot of time into it and done very well for herself,” Utz said. difference.”

He also understands that some Grazioli added that he expects Harbison to do well in the com- undue pressure can be placed on her while shootpetition, as he has ing on such a large been a quick learner It doesn’t stage. But he knows throughout the matter where that she will be pretraining process. you are or what pared to compete in Harbison began the competition Munich and ready shooting when he to shoot against the took up deer huntis. When they’re world’s best juniors. ing as a young boy. In throwing a Gallegos is also an recent years, he has 4-inch clay avid hunter, spendbecome an avid duck target at 60 miles ing many days in hunter. He has also an hour, it’s just the fall hunting deer hunted dove and is with her father. planning another like everywhere Both shooters deer hunt this fall. else in the world. honed their marksHe will attend There really is no manship while Texas A&M this fall difference. shooting at the and hopes to keep his — Dominic Grazioli, Collin County Field shooting up at one of and Stream 4-H Club. the local ranges.

Olympic shooter The club is under the The other Texan from San Antonio leadership of manheaded overseas to compete is Taylor Gallegos of ager and shotgun instructor Raye Prosper. She will compete in the 25- Murrell and Utz, the club’s pistol coach. Murrell and Utz have high meter pistol event.

Gallegos found her way to the but grounded expectations for the World Championships by plac- two competitors. They also know ing fourth overall at the Junior that the sport of shooting is a proOlympics and second for her pistol cess: Each shooter must concentrate on the individual shot and not class in January.

Gallegos has only been shooting allow his or her mind to wander.

“We try to teach every shooter competitively for about two years.

She began shooting Olympic-style that it’s about each shot, particularly in these precision-type last fall.

Also competing in her first matches,” Utz said. “And you have overseas event, she said that her to forget the last shot and move to focus has to be strong in the event the next one as each shot is a brand and that she needs to stay in the new opportunity.”

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what the deer ate for its last couple of meals. Looking closely at the (often) green goo can reveal grasses and forbs, bean pods, fruits and, yes, deer corn.

The stomach contents might also show whether a food plot is being used.

Food in the rumen often is still identifiable; it has not yet been digested beyond recognition. Hewitt suggests that a hunter can sieve the contents and wash them.

“That’s something that we do in our research framework,” Hewitt said. “(I’m) not aware of many people that do that in a hunting framework.”

Seaman, who lives in Heath and hunts in Palo Pinto County, has done it.

“From what I’ve seen, it typically looks like grass and that sort of stuff with a bunch of corn in there,” he said.

A couple of times, Seaman has found parasitic worms in the gastrointestinal tract of deer.

“It definitely made you wonder if that was fairly normal or if there were some issues there,” he said.

It’s normal, Hewitt said, and sometimes it can mean there are issues.

If a hunter finds a lot of worms, it typically means the area is overpopulated with deer, Hewitt said. It can also mean the foods the deer are eating are not providing enough nutrition or that other disease is present at a significant level in deer.

To determine what “a lot” of worms is, a hunter should examine deer every season. The number of worms found in one deer could be compared to the number found in others. That would allow the deer manager to see changes.

“Having that kind of resource would be of great value, especially as a landowner (trying to build a herd),” Seaman said.

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AFTERTHOUGHTS: Rather than ignoring the insides of a deer, hunters can learn from what they hold. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

National News in Brief New ballistics program helps match technology A new Internet-based, free tool helps rifle shooters match their preferred load to their style of shooting, riflescope and reticle.

Optics maker Nikon’s new Spot On program allows users to select from the largest database of factory ammo and reloading components ever assembled to build a plan for dialing in their rifle.

“Not all shooters have access to a 400-yard range or the time to figure out with trial and error exactly what their bullet is doing at every range,” said Jon LaCorte, senior product marketing manager for Nikon Sport Optics. “Spot On allows users to match their load of choice to any Nikon riflescope, with any reticle, and see what the possibilities are before they ever pull the trigger.”

Spot On, which is available online at www.nikonhunting.com/spoton, offers detailed sight-in info to match the user’s goals; ballistic reports for the bullet and load; printable reports with trajectory, field references and ballistic graphs; and adjustable atmospheric conditions.

Although nothing can replace time spent shooting at a range, Spot On helps shooters decide from thousands of load and sight -in options for specific hunts or shooting styles.

— Nikon report

Oiled birds from Gulf Coast being banded Birds rescued, cleaned and relocated because of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are being outfitted with bands to help track them, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Hunters know the silver-colored bands usually used on migratory birds, such as ducks and geese, well. But these bands will be different.

Instead of shiny silver, the bands will be colored orange, red or pink. Orange bands will not have identification numbers, but red and pink ones will.

Birds wearing one of the new bands will apparently be safe to eat. They are released only after wildlife specialists determine they are sufficiently prepared and exhibit natural behavior including waterproofing, self-feeding, normal

blood values and are free of injuries or disease, according to USFWS. Hunters around the Gulf, not only near the Louisiana coast, where the spill occurred, could run into one of the birds. The birds are often released in the Gulf area, but they are released as far as possible from areas affected by the BP oil spill, according to USFWS. Biologists want to make sure that birds are released into the same populations from which they came, but with as little risk of getting reexposed to oil as possible.

— U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report

Mule Deer Foundation breaks sales records The Mule Deer Foundation smashed its fundraising record of auction sales this year by almost $200,000, according to the foundation.

MDF sold 129 state auction and raffle hunting tags for $1.84 million. The dollar amount bests the nonprofit’s record of $1.66 million, set in 2008, when 175 tags were sold.

The 2010 tags were sold at MDF’s National Convention in Salt Lake City earlier this year and at several local banquet events.

— Mule Deer Foundation report

New invasive species found at Lake Texoma Dime-sized Harris mud crabs, a nonnative species, have been found in limited numbers at Lake Texoma, according to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Although the direct impact of the mud crabs on the fishery is still unknown, the species has created economic and ecological problems in several states, including Texas.

After several trapping and surveying attempts, it is thought that the Harris mud crab population in Texoma is limited.

Anglers have reported finding mud crab carcasses in the stomachs of cleaned blue catfish.

Because the numbers are small and the research is ongoing, it is unknown whether the crabs have been introduced (by way of boats or released bait) or have naturally traveled their way to Oklahoma from Texas through rivers.

— Okla. Dept. of Wildlife Conservation report

July 23, 2010

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FISHING

Double whammy socks Alan Henry Gulf isn’t the only place with an oil spill

By Nicholas Conklin LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

NO SHEEN SEEN: Oil containment boom guards Lake Alan Henry. Oil had not been detected in the lake after a spill upstream. Photo by the city of Lubbock.

While the eyes of the nation are focused on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a similar incident caused the closure of Lake Alan Henry in West Texas.

Recent rainfall in excess of 12 inches caused two pipelines upstream of Lake Alan Henry to rup-

ture July 4. High waters on the river upstream from the lake eroded the shoreline where the pipelines — one 2 inches in diameter, the other 4 inches —were buried, leading to their collapse.

The leakage was discovered the next day. Unlike the Deepwater Horizon oil spill off the Louisiana coast, where tens of millions of gallons of crude has been spilled, the pipeline problem at Alan Henry put 165 gallons into the environment.

The oil, though seemingly a small amount, was enough to close parts of the popular bass fishing lake for about two weeks.

The oil spill was not the first

calamity to strike the lake. The same heavy rains that caused the pipeline rupture also flooded the lake — also causing it to close.

The lake had reopened only days before the pipeline accident.

Randy Treusdall, community services director for the city of Lubbock, which owns the lake, said because of the rise in water level due to recent storms, the oil moved downstream quickly.

“The water at the time was coming into the lake at 39,000 cubic feet per second, and that’s a lot of water,” Treusdall said. “But, when you mix See ALAN HENRY, Page 21

One man’s bait, another’s bite to eat

Croaker are close cousins to redfish, fight and taste good, too

By Ralph Winingham FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Bob Holley remembers the early fall days years ago when he would camp out on a Galveston Bay fishing pier with a bucket of shrimp and some light tackle, then head home with a washtub full of Atlantic croaker destined for the frying pan.

If Texas Parks and Wildlife predictions are correct, this September may mean anglers will have to break out their washtubs again.

“A 2- or 3-pound croaker hits like a 10-pound redfish,” said Holley, a 60-year-old retired trucker and croaker fishing devotee from Tomball. “They are a lot of fun on light tackle and are excellent eating.

“I started fishing for croaker with my grandpa — been doing it for 50 years.”

Most anglers think of croaker as bait for more popular sportfish. For some, they are a top sportfish.

Like most croaker anglers, Holley’s preferred method of fishing is to use a spinning rig loaded with 12-pound test to cast a small weight and a No. 3 hook threaded with a peeled dead shrimp to the bottom near structure such as a pier or jetty. Croakers are notorious bait stealers, but when hooked they can put up a good fight.

Holley and other veteran anglers who caught croaker during the big spawning runs in the 1960s and 1970s are looking forward to reliving those family-fishing memories in the wake of officials’ report about good numbers of juvenile croakers in net surveys conducted this year.

“The Sabine Lake area had a massive croaker year in 2009,” said Mark Fisher, science director for the TPW Coastal Fisheries Division. “We

BEYOND BAITFISH: Croaker, a popular baitfish on the Texas coast, puts up a good fight and tastes good, too, some anglers say. The annual croaker run begins in late summer. Photo by Scott Sommerlatte, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

have been conducting net surveys for the past 30 years and have been seeing a steady increase in the number of juvenile croakers in the Gulf and bay areas during the past few years. This year should be as good as last year.

“A lot of people have forgotten about the big croaker runs in the past. They all seem to be focused on catching reds and trout only.”

Atlantic croakers, also known as golden croakers, are closely related to speckled trout

No-eat advisory issued for Trinity River fish One pollutant no longer a concern; two new ones are

FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

See TRINITY, Page 21

See CROAKER, Page 24

Can you rig it?

Catfish anglers mix it up on line Standard setups are adapted to conditions

By Bill Miller

Some anglers may not be bothered by a new advisory from state health officials warning that fish from some portions of the Trinity River are unfit to eat because of pollution.

They’ve known for at least 20 years that “catch and release” is the best way to handle the Trinity’s catfish, bass and drum, from Fort Worth to the Texas Highway 34 bridge in Ellis County.

That’s because the insecticide chlordane prevented them from

and redfish and are one of the most abundant fishes in North American coastal waters.

Although a croaker about 12 inches long and

By Kyle Carter

FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

POLLUTION: A map shows portions of the Trinity River where anglers are advised not to eat fish they catch. A previous warning ordered anglers not to keep any, let alone eat them. Map by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Rigging for catfish is like rigging for most game fish — there are hundreds of variations with hundreds of different names.

A little tweak here, an inch or two there, and it gets a new name and a personal touch.

But the premise behind the rig stays the same across all species.

“You have to listen to the fish,” said Ray Austin, a professional catfishing guide at Canyon Lake.

“We fish eight to 12 rods at a time, so I’m putSee RIGS, Page 11

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TEXAS FISHING REPORT Sponsored by

HOT BITES LARGEMOUTH BASS

BRIDGEPORT: Good on topwaters early, later switching to drop-shot rigs, chatterbaits and Texas rigs.

CEDAR CREEK: Good on buzzbaits, jigs and Texas rigs.

COOPER: Good on topwaters early, later switching to Texas rigs and Senkos.

HUBBARD CREEK: Good on black/blue jigs, watermelon candy soft plastics and live bait worked along grass lines and suspended along timber.

O.H. IVIE: Good on green pumpkin or red shad soft plastics, baby bass crankbaits, white spinnerbaits and live bait worked along grass lines and timber.

WHITE, HYBRID, STRIPER

ARROWHEAD: White bass are excellent on jigs and small crankbaits off windswept points and along the dam on jigs and small crankbaits with some surface action.

LIVINGSTON: White bass are excellent on slabs, pet spoons and trolling tubes.

TEXOMA: Striped bass are good on live shad, slabs and trolling with down-riggers.

FORT PHANTOM HILL: White bass are good on live bait and crankbaits.

CATFISH

CALAVERAS: Channel catfish are excellent on liver, cheesebait, shrimp and shad near the railroad trestle and 181 Cove. Blue catfish are excellent on liver and cheesebait.

BUCHANAN: Yellow and blue catfish are very good on goldfish and perch upriver.

CHOKE CANYON: Channel catfish are very good on live bait. Yellow and blue catfish are very good on live bait upriver.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Channel and blue catfish are very good on trotlines baited with stinkbait and cut shad in 25 feet.

SAM RAYBURN: Very good on trotlines baited with live bait and cut bait.

GRANBURY: Good on stinkbait, chicken livers and frozen shrimp.

GRANGER: Blue catfish are good on shad and prepared bait in shallow water.

CRAPPIE RAY ROBERTS: Excellent over brush piles on soft plastic crappie lures.

ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 82 degrees; 0.01’ low. The lake is set to open this week after an upstream oil spill.

AMISTAD: Water murky; 83 degrees; 9.94’ high. Black bass are good on topwaters, crankbaits, swimbaits, jigs and soft plastics. Striped bass are fair.

White bass are slow. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair.

Yellow catfish are fair.

ARROWHEAD: Water turbid; 80 degrees; 1.14’ low. Black bass are slow on crankbaits or chatterbaits in shallows off rocky areas. Crappie are fair. Blue catfish are good pounds on rod and reel using cheese bait or shad.

ATHENS: Water fairly clear, 84-88 degrees; 0.23’ high. Black bass are good on topwaters early, later switching to spinnerbaits, Texas rigs, chatterbaits and shaky head jigs with a finesse worm.

Crappie are fair. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers.

BASTROP: Water clear. Black bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair.

BELTON: Water fairly clear; 82 degrees; 2.05’ low. Black bass are good on dark spinnerbaits in coves. Hybrid striper are fair. White bass are fair. Crappie are fair.

Channel catfish are slow. Blue catfish are slow.

bait and bottom bouncers. Channel catfish are good on live bait. degrees; 0.14’ low. White bass are good on Little Georges and topwaters. Hybrid striper are good on swimbaits. Crappie are fair. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 85 degrees; 3.29’ low. Black bass are fair on small white/chartreuse spinnerbaits, shallow running crankbaits and pumpkin Whacky Sticks with chartreuse tails along main lake points. White bass are slow.

Crappie are slow.

COLEMAN: Water fairly clear; 83 degrees; 8.02’ low. Black bass are fair on watermelon red and chartreuse spinnerbaits and soft plastic worms. Hybrid striper are fair. Crappie are fair. Channel catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch and liver.

COLETO CREEK: Water fairly clear; 81 degrees (94 degrees at discharge); 0.04’

GRAPEVINE: Water stained; 83-87 degrees; 0.08’ low. Black bass are fair to good on medium running shad pattern crankbaits, Texas rigs and wacky rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on Rooster Tails, topwaters and Little Georges. Catfish are good on cut bait and nightcrawlers.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water clear; 84 degrees; 0.42’ high. Black bass are good on crankbaits near the marina and on jigs near the dam in 6-15 feet. Crappie are fair. Bream are good on live worms off piers and over grass beds.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water stained; 81 degrees; 7.53’ low. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on live bait and small shad-colored crankbaits. Catfish are good on live bait.

JOE POOL: Water off-color; 84-87 de-

HOT SPOT

BOB SANDLIN: Water off-color; 83-88 degrees; 0.43’ low. Black bass are fair on Yellow Magics and Stanley Ribbits early, later switching to jigs, Carolina rigs and Texas rigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs over brush piles and around bridge columns. White bass are fair.

Catfish are good on prepared bait.

BRAUNIG: Water clear; 83 degrees. Black bass are fair on crankbaits and dark soft plastic worms in reeds and near the jetty and dam. Striped bass are good on liver and shad off points near the pier and down-rigging silver and gold spoons near the jetty and dam. Redfish are excellent on perch, tilapia, shad and silver spoons and down-rigging near the jetty and dam. Channel and blue catfish are good on liver, shrimp, cut bait and cheesebait near the dam and the hot water discharge.

BRIDGEPORT: Water fairly clear; 84-88 degrees; 0.41’ high. Crappie are fair.

White bass are good on Rooster Tails and topwaters. Hybrid striper are fair.

BROWNWOOD: Water fairly clear; 82 degrees; 6.11’ low. Black bass are slow.

Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are good on Li’l Fishies and Rat-L-Traps off lighted docks at night. Crappie are good on Li’l Fishies over brush piles in 10-12 feet and off lighted docks at night in 18-20 feet. Channel catfish are good on cut bait over baited holes in 8-10 feet.

Yellow catfish to 25 pounds are good on trotlines baited with perch in 3-10 feet.

BUCHANAN: Water clear; 83 degrees; 8.63’ low. Black bass are fair on flukes, white buzzbaits, Chug Bugs and Texasrigged 5” watermelon candy Whacky Sticks in Morgan and Silver Creeks in 4-8 feet at first light. Striped bass are good on Rat-L-Traps, Rattlin’ Rogues and plastic swim baits. White bass are fair.

Crappie are slow. Channel catfish are good on liver, minnows and dipbait.

CADDO: Water murky; 84-89 degrees; 0.35’ high. Black bass are good on Scum Frogs, Senkos and Texas rigs.

Crappie are good on jigs and minnows and jigs. White bass are good on Little Georges. Catfish are fair.

CALAVERAS: Water clear; 83 degrees.

Black bass are fair on dark soft plastic worms, spinnerbaits and crankbaits over reed beds and near the dam. Striped bass are good on spoons and striper jigs.

Redfish are excellent down-rigging silver and gold spoons. Crappie are slow.

CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 81 degrees; 0.98’ high. Black bass are fair on topwaters, watermelon candy flukes and Whacky Sticks among flooded bushes and along grassy banks early. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow.

Smallmouth bass are fair. Crappie are fair. Channel catfish are fair. Yellow and blue catfish are good on goldfish.

CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 84-87

O.H. IVIE: Water lightly stained; 81 degrees; 22.66’ low. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on live bait and chrome crankbaits.

Smallmouth bass are good on shadcolored soft plastic jerkbaits and live bait along tree lines. Channel catfish are good on live and cut bait.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 85-88 degrees; 0.24’ high. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits, topwaters and soft plastics fished shallow and in 15-20 feet on jigs and Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair.

Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are fair. Catfish are fair.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water stained; 81 degrees; 1’ low. Black bass are good on Senkos, shad-colored buzzbaits and spinnerbaits in mid-lake pockets.

Crappie are fair. White bass are good on live bait, silver/black back crankbaits and jigging spoons. Stripers are good on shad-colored crankbaits along the southern lake points. Catfish are good on shad and worms.

RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear; 84-87 degrees; 1.69’ low. Black bass are fair on Carolina rigs, spinnerbaits, soft plastic frogs and buzzbaits. Crappie are fair.

White bass are good on Humdingers and chrome topwaters. Hybrid striper are fair.

Catfish are fair.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 85-88 degrees; 0.66’ low. Black bass are fair on wacky-rigged watermelon/red Senkos.

White bass are excellent on clear Tiny Torpedoes. Catfish are good on prepared baits in 6-8 feet over baited holes.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water off-color; 83-88 degrees; 0.01’ low. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits, Texas-rigged worms and topwaters. White bass and hybrid striper are fair. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs over brush piles. Catfish are good cut shad and prepared baits.

Port O’Connor

Trout and redfish are good on topwaters over soft mud in waist-deep water in San Antonio Bay. Trout and redfish are fair at the mouths of bayous on the outgoing tide. low. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with liver, stinkbait and live bait. Yellow catfish are fair.

CONROE: Water fairly clear; 0.26’ low.

Black bass are fair on chartreuse and watermelon Carolina-rigged soft plastics and spinnerbaits. Striped bass are fair.

Crappie are fair. Catfish are good on stinkbait, chicken livers and shrimp.

COOPER: Water off-color; 83-88 degrees; 1.92’ low. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows over brush piles. White bass are good on Rooster Tails and Little Georges. Hybrid striper are good on Sassy Shad and live shad. Catfish are fair.

FALCON: Water murky; 88 degrees. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are slow.

Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are slow.

FAYETTE: Water fairly clear; 87 degrees.

Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits early and late. Channel and blue catfish are good on Black Saltys and cut shad over baited holes in the trees.

FORK: Water fairly clear; 83-88 degrees; 0.33’ low. Black bass are fair to good on buzzbaits and Yellow Magics early and late, midday switching to drop-shot rigs, spoons, jigs and Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs under the bridges and over brush piles. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and prepared baits.

GRANBURY: Water clear; 0.47’ low. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are fair on minnows and silver spoons. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and white tube jigs.

GRANGER: Water murky; 86 degrees; 1.68’ low. Black bass are fair on Carolina-rigged soft plastic worms. White bass are fair on slab spoons over main lake humps. Crappie are good on chartreuse jigs in 5-12 feet. Yellow catfish are fair.

grees; 0.17’ high. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are fair. White bass are fair. Catfish are fair.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 84-87 degrees; 1.59’ high. Black bass are fair on topwaters early, midday switching to Texas rigs, 5” weightless Yum Dingers and spinnerbaits. Crappie are fair. Catfish are fair.

LAVON: Water stained; 83-88 degrees; 1.91’ low. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits and topwaters early, later switching to Texas rigs and shaky-headrigged finesse worms. Crappie are fair.

Catfish are fair.

LBJ: Water stained; 84 degrees; 0.46’ low. Black bass are fair on black/blue worms, watermelon topwaters and watermelon red Whacky Sticks in 5-12 feet.

White bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and watermelon jigs over brush piles. Channel catfish are good on minnows and stinkbait. Yellow and blue catfish are good on trotlines.

LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 84-88 degrees; 1.07’ low. Black bass are slow on spinnerbaits and soft plastics pitched around docks and on jigs and drop-shot rigs in 15-25 feet around structure. Crappie are fair. Catfish are good on prepared bait over baited holes.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 85 degrees; 0.23’ high. Black bass are good on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Striped bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfish are good on shad.

MEREDITH: Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 79.00 low. Black bass are good on live bait, topwaters, shad-colored crankbaits and black/chartreuse jigs or Texas-rigged soft plastics along grass lines and rocky points. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on live bait and shad-colored crankbaits. Smallmouth bass are good on live bait and chrome jerkbaits along rocky points. Walleye are good on live

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 84 degrees; 2.92’ low. Black bass are good on minnows and dark soft plastic worms.

White bass are fair. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs over baited holes in 20-25 feet. Bream are fair.

SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 84 degrees; 0.15’ high. Black bass are slow. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow.

Crappie are fair. Channel and blue catfish are slow.

TAWAKONI: Water fairly clear; 84-88 degrees; 0.73’ low. Black bass are fair on chatterbaits, spinnerbaits and finesse soft plastics. Crappie are fair. White bass are fair. Striped bass and hybrid striper are slow to fair. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers and prepared bait.

TEXOMA: Water off-color; 84-88 degrees; 1.04’ low. Black bass are fair on buzzbaits early, later switching to dropshot rigs, spinnerbaits and Carolina rigs.

Crappie are fair. Catfish are fair.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 84 degrees; 3.62’ low. Black bass are fair on redbug soft plastic worms. Striped bass are fair. White bass are good on spoons in the river. Crappie are fair. Bream are good on crickets and nightcrawlers.

Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait, stinkbait, livers and hearts in 30 feet.

TRAVIS: Water fairly clear; 84 degrees; 6.74’ low. Black bass are good on plum worms, smoke grubs and bone topwaters. Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on bloodbait and nightcrawlers.

WALTER E. LONG: Water stained; 84 degrees. Black bass are slow. Hybrid striper are slow. White bass are slow.

Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are fair.

WHITNEY: Water murky; 3.34’ low. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are slow.

White bass are slow. Crappie are slow.

Catfish are good on shrimp and live bait.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water off-color; 84-88 degrees; 6.56’ high. Black bass are fair on spinnerbaits and soft plastics in the shallows and in 15-25 feet on jigs and Carolina rigs. Crappie are fair. White bass are fair. Catfish are fair.

SALTWATER SCENE NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good on the Louisiana shoreline on topwaters and Corkies.

Redfish are fair on jigs tipped with shrimp around marsh drains. Some birds have worked over trout.

SOUTH SABINE: Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp. Trout are fair to good around Lighthouse Cove and around the jetty rocks on topwaters. Redfish are fair to good in the marsh on topwaters.

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

Croakers are good on dead shrimp in the channel and around the pass.

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

Redfish and trout are fair to good at the spillway on shrimp.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are good on the south shoreline on topwaters and soft plastics.

Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp. Mid-bay reefs have held trout on plastics and croakers.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair to good for drifters working shell on live shrimp.

Trout, sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp.

Tarpon are showing on the beachfront. Kingfish, ling and red snapper are good offshore.

TEXAS CITY: Trout are good on the channel on croakers. Reefs and wells have held good trout on live bait.

FREEPORT: Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs. Trout and sand trout are good at the jetties on shrimp and DOA Shrimp. Red snapper and kingfish are good offshore.

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

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair to good on the edge of Oyster Lake on shrimp and crabs. Trout are fair on sand and grass on soft plastics.

ROCKPORT: Trout are fair on free-lined shrimp in the deep channels. Trout are fair over grass while drifting with live shrimp. Redfish are good in shallow water on pin perch.

PORT ARANSAS: Redfish are fair to good at East Flats on shrimp. Redfish and sheepshead are fair to good at the jetty on shrimp.

Offshore is good for red snapper, ling and kingfish.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Trout are fair to good on the edge of the spoils on Gulps and live shrimp.

Trout are good on the flats with higher tides and around Pita Island on croakers.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair in mud and grass on Corkies and topwaters. Trout are fair to good in the Land Cut on live shrimp. Trout are fair to good while drifting with topwaters at Rocky Slough and on the surrounding sand and grass.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are good on topwaters and soft plastics under corks around sand and grass. Redfish are fair to good while drifting pot holes and sand flats on live shrimp.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout are good around the spoil islands, channel edges and color changes on DOA Shrimp.

Tarpon, snook, trout and Spanish mackerel have been caught at the jetty on live bait.

PORT ISABEL: Snook are fair to good in South Bay on shrimp and DOA Shrimp. Trout and redfish are fair to good at Gas Well Flats on live shrimp. Trout are fair to good on TTF Flats Minnows in 3-4 feet of water.

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Rigs

Continued from Page 8

ting various baits and various rigs out there and letting the fish tell me what they prefer.”

Here are some tips from guides across Texas in regard to four of the more popular rigs used in the state.

Slip sinker rig “This rig is used more when the blue or channel (catfish) are biting more aggressively,” said Chad Ferguson, who guides on lakes in North Texas. “You’re not having to fish off feeling. Usually when a blue cat comes along, it will hammer the bait, and there’s not any doubt it’s been hit.”

This is known in bass fishing as the Carolina rig. Ferguson said the advantage of using the slip sinker rig is it offers less resistance against a fish that has taken the bait because it does not use a bobber. It can be used in either anchored or drift fishing, but Ferguson said he prefers the rig when he’s anchored up on structure.

“If I am sitting still and fishing for blue cat, then that’s what I’m using the vast majority of the time,” he said.

Depending on how deep he’s fishing and how rough the water is, Ferguson said he, on average, uses an ounce-and-a-half no-roll sinker.

The weight is tied on the main line a few inches above a barrel swivel.

On the other end of the swivel is a 40-pound test monofilament leader, ranging anywhere from 8 inches to 12 inches long, depending on the aggressiveness of the bite that day (the more aggressive the fish are, the longer the leader should be). On the end of the leader is the hook.

“You get more movement when the leader is long,” said Ferguson, whose Web site is www.learnto catchcatfish.com. “But if you have to feel for the bite, it needs to be short.”

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Slip bobber rig Cliff Hill, a guide in South Texas, said no rig lends itself to the bass angler like the slip bobber rig.

“I have a retired doctor friend who is a converted bass fisherman,” Hill said. “He never anchors. He just runs the trolling motor and works structure on the banks with this rig.”

Coming from the main line, start with a bobber stop. Put a bead below the bobber stop, followed by, Hill said, a 3-inch slip float. Below the float, place a quarter-ounce egg sinker. Then, to protect himself from losing the entire setup if something gets stuck, Hill attaches a swivel. On the other end of the swivel, he runs 12 to 14 inches of 20-pound test monofilament and ties on a No.6 treble hook.

“It’s more of a numbers type rig,” he said. “It suspends the bait off the bottom and bounces it in front of their face to the point where they can’t stand it anymore.

“It’s not much different from bass fishing. We’re typically fishing these corks on structure, like a downed willow tree. You’re not just throwing it out there and waiting. You pitch it, leave it for 30 to 45 seconds, and if you don’t get a bite, pitch it to another piece of structure.”

Santee Cooper “Anytime I’m going to be drift fishing, I’m going to use a Santee Cooper rig because I don’t want that bait dragging in the mud,” said Bobby Kubin, a catfish guide on lakes Lewisville and Grapevine.

“You want it right in front of the fish’s face. You can also lose a lot of the scent off your bait if you’re dragging it in the mud.”

The Santee Cooper rig is almost identical, in terms of setup, to the slip sinker or Carolina Rig. The major difference being the addition of a 2inch cigar-shaped cork put about 6inches above the hook and before the swivel. Kubin said he uses 40- to 50-pound test monofilament and a 24-inch leader. The cork keeps the

July 23, 2010

Page 11

Three Way Rig

Santee Cooper Rig

Slip Sinker Rig

Slip Bobber Rig

bait suspended.

The Santee Cooper rig can be used drifting or anchored, but Kubin said there needs to be an adjustment to the weight, depending on which style you’re using. In anchor fishing, use a 1- to 2-ounce no-roll, and if drift fishing, he prefers a no-snag sinker.

“I make my own no-drags, but it’s basically four bass worm weights linked together and hooked onto a snap swivel,” he said. “This is a go-to rig that works both deep and shallow — anywhere between 1- and 60(feet) of water.”

Three way Although the other three rigs are used in more generic situations, Austin said the three-way rig has a more specific purpose.

“The only time I’d ever use a three-way is in some rock rip-rap or on the bottom of a dam when I know I’m going to lose my weight,” he said.

The three-way rig has more to do with the swivel than anything. The three-way swivel has three areas to tie to, instead of the traditional two.

The main line occupies one ring.

A 12- to 18-inch leader with some

light monofilament tied onto a weight that’s going to sit on the bottom takes the second ring. And a similar leader going to the hook occupies the third.

Austin said he uses all types of objects — rocks, bricks and “anything heavy” — as the weight because “you’ll never see it again.”

“Honestly, I’d rather use a Santee Cooper and take my chances, but sometimes you’re on some rock and know there’s no way you’re getting your weight back,” he said. “That’s when this rig becomes your best option.”

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July 23, 2010

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

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GAME WARDEN BLOTTER ALL SEEMED LOST FOR GRANDFATHER, GRANDSON While patrolling Lake Bridgeport, Wise County Game Warden Penny Nixon and two volunteers from the Texas State Guard Maritime Unit were dispatched about a missing personal watercraft operated by a grandfather with his grandson. Nixon found the missing craft tied behind a tree. Yells and siren blasts brought the traumatized grandson out of the thick brush to Nixon’s boat, where he could be reached by the guardsmen.

The boy was crying and sobbing that his grandfather had drowned. Nixon patrolled around the remote peninsula and found the grandfather sitting on a rock in the pounding surf. Upon seeing the child unhurt, the grandfather burst into tears after fearing the 11-year-old had perished. With waves crashing over the patrol boat’s stern and large rocks looming under the bow, Nixon and the guardsmen brought onboard the unharmed grandfather, who immediately grabbed his grandson for a reunion. The personal watercraft’s kill switch lanyard was retrieved from the grandfather’s life jacket and reunited with the craft, whose owner drove it home. The pair had borrowed the personal watercraft despite wavy, windy water conditions, inexperience and unfamiliarity with the lake. They hit a wave that tossed them off, and the grandfather yelled for the boy to stay with the watercraft as they drifted apart.

Wind and waves pushed the pair to landing locations almost a half-mile apart. Nixon transported the pair to greet worried family and friends at a lake house about two miles away.

WARDEN FLOATS THE DEVILS, FINDS VIOLATIONS Game Warden Chrissy Plant of Val Verde County patrolled the Devils River by kayak and was able to make contact with many anglers and boat-

Chase winds through chicken coops While traveling back from the Laredo district office, Dimmit County Game Warden Gene Fernandez noticed a male walking alongside the highway with a shotgun in hand in Webb County. Fernandez turned around and attempted to make contact with the person, but the person fled into a small ranch with chicken coops surrounding a chicken house.

Fernandez chased the person, who threw down the shotgun and ran around the chicken house. He was found hiding behind a chicken coop. ers along the way. Violations for unregistered vessel and no life jackets were identified and corrected.

BOATERS CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY WAVE McLennan County Game Warden Jason Campbell and Coryell County Game Warden Andrew Alexander worked a boat wreck based on a phone call about people in the water screaming for help. The wardens responded and found a boat almost totally submerged, bow up in the air.

They located three men floating in the water, loaded them into the boat and took them to shore. They were shaken up but not injured and displayed no signs of impairment. The boat was having fuel line problems, and while they were working on it, a large wave swamped the boat, sinking it almost immediately.

FISH FARM REPRIMANDED FOR LACK OF LICENSE, MARKING An investigation of an out-of-state fish farm resulted in two citations from McLennan County Game Warden Kurt Slaughter. The company was operating five trucks in Texas selling live fish. The company had only purchased one retail fish truck dealer license. Slaughter convinced

Fernandez brought the person out, and as he was questioning him and about to arrest him for evading arrest, he ran into the chicken house and attempted to slam the door on Fernandez. Fernandez pushed the door open and then the person went into another room of the chicken house and slammed another door behind him. Fernandez kicked the door open and had the person turn around. As Fernandez was about to put the second handcuff on him, he tried to fight Fernandez and resist

arrest. Fernandez, being bigger and stronger, gained control of the person, detaining him without further incident. After removing the person from the building, the landowner and his brother arrived and asked what had happened and why their shotgun was outside. The landowner and his brother both said they did not know the person and that he must have attempted to steal the shotgun. The person was turned over to another agency and was awaiting further action against him.

the owner to purchase four more licenses for his trucks. He wrote one citation for the license violation and one citation for fish vehicle not properly marked.

legal bag limits. A second shrimp boat that had been traveling with the first vessel was found to be in possession of one red snapper over the legal limit. Citations pending.

WOMAN’S DROWNING APPEARS TO BE HOMICIDE A call came in to Tarrant County Game Warden John Padgett about a body in a creek under a bridge in Tarrant County off Joe Pool Lake. A woman had apparently drowned with a 65-pound rock tied to her. Local agencies are investigating it as a homicide.

BOY ATTEMPTS LONG SWIM; WARDEN COMES TO RESCUE Karnes County Game Warden Chad Moore rescued a boy from drowning in Coleto Creek Reservoir. The boy and a friend were trying to swim from one side of the lake to another in a cove about 200 yards wide. Midway through their swim, the boy began to go under and was obviously having trouble staying afloat. Moore quickly moved his patrol boat to the juvenile, pulled him out of the water and took him to shore.

SUSPICION BY ASSOCIATION FOR SHRIMPER Coast Guard personnel in Freeport called Game Warden Lt. Fred Ruiz about a Gulf shrimp boat that one of their crews had boarded for a routine inspection. The shrimp boat, which had been shrimping in Louisiana and was on its way back to Brownsville, had several flounder, red snapper and ling on board. Ruiz forwarded the call to Brazoria County Game Warden Jim Bob Van Dyke, who responded. Once on site, Van Dyke determined that the vessel’s three-person crew was in possession of 18 flounder, 11 red snapper and ling that exceeded their

NEARBY WARDENS, FEDERAL BOAT RESCUE BOATERS ON AMISTAD Pecos County Game Warden Chris Amthor and Reagan County Game Warden Matt Adams were patrolling Lake Amistad for water safety enforcement in Val Verde County when they saw a boat in distress with multiple people in the water near the Highway 90 bridge. They went to the location of the boat with a Border Patrol boat not far behind.

The wardens pulled occupants out

of the water into their boat, and one person was pulled onto the Border Patrol boat. The wardens radioed Terrell County Game Warden Ken Stannard and Pecos County Game Warden Mike Dushay, who happened to be traveling east on the bridge.

They relayed the situation to another nearby patrol boat occupied by Ector County Game Warden Chris Lasiter and Val Verde County Game Wardens Mike Durand and Dustin Barrett, who immediately responded to help.

SPOTTED TRESPASSING, CAUGHT KEEPING TOO MANY FISH While patrolling Calaveras Lake by boat, Game Wardens Jesse Garcia and Derek Iden spotted three trespassers on private property. The wardens stopped the people and ultimately seized 94 illegally taken catfish, tilapia and other fish. The people took all the fish with a cast net. The seizure consisted of 40 catfish, 50 tilapia, one carp and three bream.

BOATER COULDN’T GET HIS ACT IN GEAR A revved-up motor and boat sitting still in the water on Lake Nasworthy caught Tom Green County Game Warden Jason Huebner’s attention. The confused operator could not figure out why his boat wouldn’t go. Huebner had to explain to him that the boat was still in neutral and then had to work to keep the subject awake in order to complete the a sobriety test. Huebner arrested the boater on suspicion of boating while intoxicated.

TOO MANY SNAPPER ON FISHERMAN’S SHIP Galveston County Game Warden Bobby Kana filed charges on a commercial snapper fisherman for exceeding his quota of fish. Three hundred sixty-one pounds of fish were seized and sold for $1,444.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

July 23, 2010

Page 13

100 YEARS OF SERVICE FREE DELIVERY FREE LOANERS ON WARRANTY SERVICE

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

July 23, 2010

Page 15

NO ONE BEATS OUR DEALS, NOT NOW, NOT EVER!

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July 23, 2010

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

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PRODUCTS

>>

ROOSTER TAIL This age-old lure by Worden’s Lures just got a little bit flashier and more enticing to trout, bass, perch, crappie and other gamefish. It now is available with copper and ultraviolet blades to make the lure more visible in challenging light and water conditions. The copper blades come in three colors that boast flashy red tinsel in the hackle tail; the UV blades also are available in three new colors. The Rooster Tails, which are offered in various sizes, sell for $4 to $5 each.

(509) 854-131 www.yakimabait.com

>>

>>

CAMOUFLAGE SPRAY PAINTS Krylon has introduced two new colors, Sand and Woodland Light Green, to its camo line of spray paints. The non-reflective paint dries quickly and can weather harsh exterior exposure. Designed for outdoorsmen, the paint can be used to create camouflage patterns on any outdoor equipment, be it plastic, metal, wood or hard vinyl surface. The spray paint sells for about $4.50 to $6.50.

(800) 457-9566 www.krylon.com

>>

Z7 COMPOUND BOW Mathews calls its 2010 Z7 model the smoothest bow the company has produced to date. Built with a Grid Lock riser that features increased levels of “cuts” to make the riser stiffer as well as a built-in harmonic stabilizer, the bow offers up to a 75 percent reduction in residual vibration. Another new feature is its Reverse Assist Roller Guard, which gives the bow its smooth feel, even while producing single-cam speeds of up to 332 feet per second. The Z7 bow has a 30-inch axle-to-axle frame with a 7-inch brace height. It sells for just under $900. www.mathewsinc.com

SUPERFORMANCE AMMUNITION Hornady’s newest ammo is 100 to 200 feet per second faster than any conventional ammunition on the market today, according to the company. And it achieves that speed without increases in felt recoil, muzzle blast, temperature sensitivity, fouling or loss of accuracy. The ammo uses specialized powders that impart all usable energy to the bullet. The Superformance ammunition can be used in any firearm, including semi-automatics, lever and pump actions. It is offered in SST or GMX bullets of various calibers and ranges in price from $35 to about $100 for a 20-count box.

(800) 338-3220 www.hornady.com

>>

TRAIL LIGHT Crooked Horn’s innovative light can be locked onto a hunting pack or hunting vest to give outdoorsmen a hands-free light source. When positioned on a person’s torso, the device (which features an anti-glare shield to protect eyes) projects light onto the ground to help hunters traverse rough terrain, check a map, or climb a treestand in the dark. The battery-operated Trail Light sells for under $30.

(661) 822-3635 www.crookedhorn.com

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

July 23, 2010

Page 17

HEROES

KYLE ABLERS, 7, of Pawelekville caught this 27 1/2-inch speckled trout while fishing with his father in Ingleside. Kyle was fishing with dead croaker.

JOHN SCHWALBE harvested this mule deer on the Flag Ranch in Ector County. The deer had 13 nontypical points and a net score of 180 5/8.

WILLIAM HUGHS of Sachse caught this 6-pound bass on Lake Monticello.

SYDNI LYTLE,13, holds the 13-point nontypical buck she shot on her father’s farm near Anson. Sydni shot the deer with a .243 at 210 yards.

Share an adventure

WHIT GENTRY with red drum he caught in south Louisiana in May. DAVE PRICE shot this gemsbok bull with his bow in April. He hunted with Johann Muller Safaris in Africa.

Congratulations, Enrique! You can claim your Nikon 10x42 Trailblazer ATB binoculars at the Nikon Sport Optics dealer nearest you: Freer Deer Camp 203 South Norton Ave. Freer, Texas 78357

r while hunting ranch near Free a on ot sh shot. er nt oi e deer with one ested this 12-p , and he took th 43 9, of Freer harv .2 , a do g na in do us al s M Enrique do. Enrique wa Javier Maldona with his father,

Want to share hunting and fishing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers? Send them to us with contact and caption information. editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304 Forest Lane, Suite 114 South, Dallas, TX, 75243

Page 18

July 23, 2010

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WHERE ARE THEY? Even a small flounder like this one could win some tournaments on the South Texas coast this summer, an angler and a tournament director said. Photo by Jennifer Phillips, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Flounder

Continued from Page 1

“If you have a flounder this year, you could win a tournament,” Rodriguez said. “Out of 30 boats, maybe 20 brought back flounder in previous years. Not this year. Maybe three boats will have one.”

The scarcity of flounder is an issue not isolated to the South Texas coastline, said Dr. Mark Fisher, Coastal Fisheries science director for Texas Parks and Wildlife.

“Since 1992, we’ve had a run of warm winters, so we’ve seen a slow decline in flounder numbers along the Texas coast,” Fisher said.

“Flounder are winter spawners, and they require cold water to successfully reproduce.”

With warmer winters in deep South Texas come fewer juveniles as compared with the upper coast with flounder more commonly found in Sabine and Galveston bays.

Still, in 2007, TPW researchers saw the lowest abundance of flounder in several years.

“The (farther) south you go, the fewer you see,” Fisher said.

Flounder are now being raised in TPW

hatcheries, but large-scale production is years away. TPW released 10,000 flounder this year to add to the estimated 3 million along the Texas coastline. In 1986, the population was estimated at 6 million.

Tighter restrictions went into effect last year for flounder. Now, anglers have a five-fish bag limit with a minimum length of 14 inches, and no gigging is allowed during the migration month of November, when flounder spawn. A two-fish bag limit is also in effect for November.

The winter of 2009-10 was cooler than normal, which led to a slight increase in flounder.

“We’ve seen more juveniles reproduce, meaning more adults later,” Fisher said.

More adults later increase an angler’s opportunity at successfully competing in the grand slam category of any fishing tournament.

“No flounder puts an angler out of contention in the Bay Grand Champion category,” said Betty Wells, TIFT tournament director.

“Flounder hasn’t been as plentiful in the last several years, so it does make it a bit more challenging.

“But it makes for a better fisherman.”

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July 23, 2010

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July 23, 2010

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Barrage of storms on coast raises water, changes fishing Bite slows for specks, catches fire for reds, anglers say

By Nicholas Conklin LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Heavy rainfall from Hurricane Alex and a tropical depression had an impact on fishing on the Texas coast, anglers said.

“It affected the fishing in terms of the pattern,” said Port Isabel guide Allen Salinas said.

“We had a tide rise above average about 2 feet, so we were fishing different areas.”

Alex made landfall as a Category 2 storm about 100 miles south of Brownsville on July 1. It caused little damage in Texas, though it’s blamed for several deaths in Mexico.

The U.S. side of the border saw several days of poor weather, causing many to cancel fishing trips.

“We did have some business shy off during the actual Fourth of July weekend,” Salinas said.

“But that’s not unusual when you have storms in the Gulf coming so close to your area.”

John Fails of Corpus Christi lost four days of trips because of the storm and said the fishing would become difficult with all of the freshwater runoff into the bay.

“We have a tremendous amount of runoff right now,” Fails said. “Now the water’s come up, and it spreads the fish out so it’s like letting the dog out after its been locked in the house all day, as they just run all over the place looking for new sources of food.”

Fishing patterns changed again after a small tropical depression swung through the area after the July 4 weekend. Some guides and anglers had experienced radical changes in their fishing patterns and noted high tides in the bays.

Guide Brad Smythe of Rockport said that before the storms, he had settled into a pattern and was catching fair numbers or speckled trout and black drum. The trout fishing

TEXAS REDS: Fishing action for red drum picked up after a second major storm hit the Texas coast, one angler said. Photo by LSON.

took a dramatic turn once storms came upon the area.

“When that storm happened, the trout bite came to a screeching halt basically,” Smythe said.

The abrupt change in water level improved the fishing for red drum. Smythe said his anglers caught many redfish in the days following the storms.

“When that super tide comes up, a lot of reefs that are only 4 to 5 inches underwater are now sitting at 3 to 4 feet underwater,” Smythe Said. “So it made for some pretty impressive red fishing.”

Since that time, the water level has receded, but it has become murky. Smythe had to adapt again.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Alan Henry

Trinity

all of that (oil and water), I wouldn’t call that really significant.”

A quick response to the spill is something that Treusdall attributes to containing the oil.

“The oil was captured down in the river and didn’t get into the lake body itself; it was all captured and contained,” he said.

possessing any fish from that stretch of the river, according to a 1990 aquatic life order from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The agency on July 7 lifted that order, declaring the Trinity had become free of chlordane. But at the same time, TDSHS officials warned that it’s still a bad idea to eat any fish caught in upper portions of the Trinity — because of different health threats.

Dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the officials said, remain in the water and sediment — remnants of industrial practices that were stopped more than 30 years ago.

“It’s a pretty well-known fact that from Dallas down to Lake Livingston, you don’t eat fish out of the Trinity,” said Larry Winters, owner of Midway Landing at nearby Richland Chambers Reservoir. “ Winters, whose operation includes a bait shop and RV camp,

Continued from Page 8

Fish, wildlife seem OK Borden County Game Warden Brent Tucker said the oil apparently has not affected fish and wildlife, and it is being monitored closely.

“We have monitored it by boat, helicopter, ATVs, and we don’t anticipate any impacts on wildlife,” Tucker said.

Tucker added that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has been taking intermittent water samples on the lake and the current levels remain normal.

Once the spill was discovered, cleanup work began, which, also like the Gulf oil spill, included the use of containment booms.

“They started cleanup efforts immediately, and there are still ongoing cleanup efforts,” Tucker said. “Kills and Spills (a Texas Parks and Wildlife team) has been up for the week, and the crews have been working diligently. It is just a lot of physical labor.”

Booms were placed about 25 miles downstream from where the leak occurred, and others have been placed in an upper portion of the lake to ensure that it does not spread into the lake.

About 60 percent of Alan Henry was reopened July 10, with a few booms in the remaining waters. It was set to reopen completely at 6 a.m. July 21, Tucker said.

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Continued from Page 8

has seen pictures of large catfish pulled from the Trinity. Most people, Winters said, prefer to fish in lakes such as Richland Chambers.

“It won’t affect us at all,” he said.

More river included The new advisory area includes the same stretch from the chlordane order, but also adds riverfront portions of Navarro and Henderson counties and the northern tips of Freestone and Anderson counties.

Specifically, it starts on the Clear Fork of the Trinity just below the Benbrook Reservoir Dam and the West Fork of the river from the Lake Worth Dam. It continues into the river’s main stem, through Dallas County, and farther east to the U.S. 287 bridge over the Trinity — the spot east of Richland-Chambers Lake.

Catch and release is still OK, and people can continue boating and swimming in the river.

And, even though Winters said people usually don’t consume fish for another five counties down to Lake Livingston, state officials said

July 23, 2010

tests show that PCBs aren’t found past the U.S. 287 bridge.

If people are concerned about pollutants in fish from any source, they should be sure to skin the fish and thoroughly cook them, according to the TDSHS. The new advisory is a reminder that Texans have much to do if they are serious about purging the Trinity of PCBs. “Fish consume these pollutants and they accumulate in their tissues over time,” said Chris Van Deusen, TDSHS spokesman. “The danger is that these toxins can accumulate in people over time and create health problems.”

Prolonged consumption of PCBs is known to cause skin rashes and acne, birth defects and cancer. They can also damage human livers and immune systems, Van Deusen said.

“These kinds of pollutants degrade very slowly in the environment,” he added, “so it’s certainly possible that the advisory could be in effect for some time in the future — probably in the order of years.”

Page 21

How many years?

“I don’t think anyone really knows,” said Ron Stein of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. “Certainly not a couple of years.”

Stein, of the commission’s Total Maximum Daily Load program, is working on a project aimed at mitigating the pollution.

PCBs are chemicals that were used in fluids that insulated transformers and capacitors. They also came from flame retardants and caulk. Dioxins are the result of inefficient waste incineration.

TCEQ, partnering with the North Texas Council of Governments, is scheduled to unveil a mitigation strategy in about a year, Stein said.

But, he noted, it’s important to consider that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned PCBs in the late 1970s — and the ones that seeped into the river before then are still with us.

“PCBs are very persistent,” Stein said. “They attach to sediment so they don’t get flushed downstream.”

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Page 23

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July 23, 2010

Bass

Continued from Page 1

tion in depths of 12 to 25 feet. Milam fished off of ledges and around brush in the deeper water and said fishing was tough.

He has stuck with similar artificial presentations over the past few weeks and has continued with his regular bait styles, tossing worms and creature baits.

“I have fished it a lot (Choke Canyon) and have been catching them on soft plastics,” Milam said.

“Nine-inch lizards in watermelon red and plum seems to be working better for me now.”

Windy weather conditions have also contributed to lower catch numbers. Angler Chris Dombkowski of San Antonio said changing conditions might be a reason for sluggish fishing.

“I think climbing temperatures, fluctuating water and constant frontal activity have the bass confused,” Dombkowski said. “The water will ultimately be a long-term blessing, but it is sure putting a damper on the catches.”

Similar high water issues have plagued Falcon Lake, where angler John Post of San Antonio has had trouble locating many schools of fish.

Fishing on July 10, Post had to work several areas on the lake to find bass.

“Well, it was a real slow day,” Post said. “I fished deep, shallow and in between, with the water coming up it has scattered the fish.”

Post had success fishing yellow topwaters and was able to catch bass weighing up to 2 pounds.

Post said that fishing in recent weeks has changed because of the varying amounts of water being let into the lake, which is not something he feels the fish are accustomed to.

“It was a dramatic difference from the last time I was fishing there,” Post said. “It is kind of unusual for it to go up that dramatically.”

Falcon Lake set a new lake record July 17 when it reached a conservation pool of 309.31 feet. The previous record was set in 1958 when the lake pooled at 308.1 feet.

The northern portion of Falcon was closed temporarily starting July 16. Zapata County Game Warden William Hullems said an area between buoys 10 and 14 was closed to prevent damage from boat wakes.

High water caused Post and other anglers to adapt to the different depths and use lures that will work closer to the 20 to 25 feet deep, rather than their traditional 10-15. That means the addition of weights onto artificial worms or the use of deep-diving crankbaits.

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

The change in water level has also caused some challenging scenarios on Brownwood Lake, where the level has fluctuated greatly over the past month.

Angler Matt Turney of Kerrville reported low water levels early in the summer, but the water has since risen because of heavy rains in the past weeks.

Catching bass on silver slabs, Turney said that he has had to try different techniques to trigger the bass to bite.

“Changing the rules on the speed or letting it fall a little longer, just kind of playing with it,” Turney said.

These altered styles have led to catches of 15 to 20 fish on recent trips, with most of his fish coming in the early evening to nighttime hours. Of those, Turney only considered about half of them to be keeper size, and he said that has been the trend on his recent trips.

Down deep Toledo Bend is also an area that some anglers have had to get creative and have found success in varying their styles.

Anglers have reported success while fishing in depths up to 30 feet in and around cover.

Lure presentation at Toledo Bend has ranged from topwaters to weightless worms, and even deep-diving crankbaits. Popular colors for the artificial worms have been in varied shades of red.

In a July 10 tournament on Toledo Bend, anglers reported catching fish weighing more than 5 pounds, with the winning team of Wade Gosnell and John Davis bringing in a sack of five fish that weighed more than 30 pounds.

Guide Randy Colson said that although some large bass can be taken this time of year, it has slowed down as the water temperatures have risen.

“The lake has been drawn quite a bit, it’s hot, and the fish are not feeding well,” Colson said.

With the surface temperatures in the mid- to upper 80s, he has had to search deep water (up to 30 feet) for bass.

To combat warm water temperatures, Colson has used deep-diving crankbaits and Carolina rigs with minimal success. Standard summertime colors such as watermelon and motor oil red-flake have produced bass for him.

He attributes the large fish caught during a recent tournament to the ability of anglers to fish late in the day when water temperatures are lower, which can bring bass up into shallow water.

LSONews.com

Croaker

Worth a try

Continued from Page 8

weighing one or two pounds is considered a large catch, the Texas state record is a 5.47pounder landed April 24, 2002, by Paul Straw.

The prime fishing areas for croaker are in the Galveston Bay system, Rollover Pass and the Sabine Lake area near the Louisiana border, with catches spreading all the way down to the lower Laguna Madre.

“Croakers are good family fishing,” said Muriel Tipps, who has been operating Tipps’ Bait Camp at Sargent along with her husband, Roy, for the past 30 years. “There are very few fish you can catch where there is no size limit, and you can use very affordable fishing gear.”

On their stretch of the coast, runs occur in April and September, and they always bring plenty of croaker, Tipps said.

“Most people fish with dead shrimp on the bottom,” she said. “You can catch two at a time, and when they hit, the fight is on. It is like hooking into a small redfish. They are tough little fighters, which probably makes them such good eating.”

The flesh of the croakers is a firm white meat that is similar in flavor to a small redfish. Smaller croakers can be cleaned and scaled, then covered in batter and fried whole. Larger croakers are normally filleted, producing two clean, white pieces of flesh that can be fried or baked.

Although croakers are in the same family, they are distinguishable from redfish because they lack the distinctive spot near the tail of a red. The head is a little broader than a red. And croakers have small barbels on their chin like a black drum.

“People catch them through the year, along with sand trout and whiting, but the prime time is the spawning season from about September to November,” said Bill Balboa, ecosystem leader at the TPW Coastal Fisheries Division office at Galveston Bay. He said although no definitive connection has been made, larger and more numerous catches of croakers in survey nets started shortly after by-catch reduction devices were required for all shrimpers in the Gulf.

“We are not sure that the runs will get to that point (of the heydays in the ’60s and ’70s), but we are catching a lot of juveniles

Fresh fish fanatics are quite adamant in their selection of freshly caught croaker as some of the tastiest table fare available from the waters of the Texas Gulf Coast.

The most preferred method of preparation seems to be pan frying cleaned and scaled smaller fish and treating fillets of the larger croaker to the same technique.

The following is a simple coating mix that can be used for croaker to create a fried fish delicacy.

Fresh Fried Croaker 1 cup biscuit mix 1 cup yellow corn meal 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon red pepper 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1 cup cooking oil 10 fresh fillets or five cleaned and scaled croaker Combine all dry ingredients in a resealable plastic bag and shake to mix well.

Heat oil in a large skillet (cast iron works well) over medium high heat. Rinse fish in cold, clean water and lay on paper towels to remove excess water. Season on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Place seasoned fish in the plastic bag with the dry ingredients. Shake well to coat fish.

Shake off excess coating and carefully place fish in hot oil. Cook, turning at least once, until golden brown on both sides.

Remove to a platter covered with a paper towel to drain and serve warm.

— Ralph Winingham

in our surveys, and they appear to be doing quite well,” Balboa said.

Although their numbers appear to be on the increase and there are no size or bag limits for croaker, state officials are urging anglers to use restraint when hauling in what has been called one of the hardest fighting and tastiest eating panfish in Texas saltwater.

“As with any fishing, we recommend that anglers take only what you can use,” Balboa said. “Trying to load up a freezer is just not a real prudent thing to do.”

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Outdoor News in Brief

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Mineral and water rights. $695,000 • 96 acres with 40 ac lake. Deep, clear water. Great fishing. Close to Dallas. $765,000 Bryan Pickens 214-552-4417 mobile pick@busbeeranches.com www.busbeeranches.com

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Tommy Biffle won the Bassmaster Elite Series regular-season finale July 18 at Fort Gibson Lake in his home state, according to Bassmaster.com.

Biffle, of Wagoner, won the Sooner Run Invitational with a four-day total of 73 pounds, 11 ounces.

Biffle caught all of his fish on a modified Biffle Bug, which had been tweaked to feature a football-type head in a watermelon color.

The win was Biffle’s fifth victory on the year and netted him $100,000.

Biffle qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason for the second consecutive season.

Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., finished second with 70 pounds, 15 ounces. He fished a half-ounce green jig with a chigger craw in shallow water.

Gary Klein of Weatherford, rounded out the top 10, and received a bid to compete in the postseason.

— Staff report

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Heaviest fish DQ’d at Poco Bueno tourney Whap Bam Boom’s 465-pound marlin won the Poco Bueno fishing tournament at Port O’Connor after a boat that brought in a heavier fish was disqualified, according to the Victoria Advocate.

Marlin Majic boated a 476.5-pound marlin but lost the title because it was not caught according to rules of the International Game Fish Association, according to the newspaper. According to a report by the Poco Bueno Tournament Committee, the 476.5pound marlin was gaffed on the side of the boat but separated from the gaff and leader, when the crew gaffed it a second time.

Gaffing the fish the second time constituted an illegal catch, the committee ruled. IGFA rule No. 14 states that a catch is disqualified if “a fish escapes before gaffing or netting and is recaptured by any method other than as outlined in the angling rules.”

— Staff report

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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, 9304 Forest Lane, Suite 114 South, Dallas, TX 75243 or e-mail them to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

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July 23, 2010

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DATEBOOK Through Sept. 6

Coastal Conservation Association State of Texas Angler’s Rodeo Fishing tournament www.startournament.org

August 4-8

Texas Legends Billfish Tournament Boats may leave from any Texas port www.txlegends.com

August 5

Port Mansfield Fishing Tournament (956) 944-2354 www.portmansfieldchamber.org

Dallas Safari Club Introduction to muzzleloading DSC Pavilion (972) 980-9800

July 23-25

August 6-8

July 23-24

Texas Hunters & Sportsman’s Expo McAllen Convention Center, McAllen (956) 664-2884 txhuntasso@aol.com Ducks Unlimited Waterfowl Weekend Sam Houston Race Park, Houston www.waterfowlweekend.com

July 24

Cinnamon Creek Ranch 2010 Bowhunters Classic shoot Roanoke (817) 439-8998 tracy@cinnamoncreekranch.com

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Texas International Fishing Tournament South Padre Island Convention Center (956) 943-8438 www.tift.org

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Deer Breeders Co-op Convention and deer auction La Torretta Del Lago, Conroe (866) 972-5001 www.deerbreedersco-op.com

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Gulf Coast Waterfowl Festival Pasadena Convention Center (713) 429-1950 www.gulfcoastwaterfowlfestival.com Texas Gun & Knife Show Civic Center, Abilene (830) 285-0575 www.texasgunandknifeshows.com Cabela’s Archery Classic Seminars on bowhunting Fort Worth (817) 337-2400 Buda (512) 337-2400

Texas Trophy Hunters Association Hunters Extravaganza Reliant Center, Houston (877) 261-2541

August 7

Deer Fest Fundraiser for the Adopt a Box Program MPEC Exhibit Hall, Wichita Falls (940) 704-2984 dayspadiva@aol.com North Texas Chapter Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Fundraiser Embassy Suites, Grapevine www.northtexasrmef.org

August 12

Greater Houston Quail Coalition Fundraiser River Oaks Country Club, Houston (713) 275 - 2600 jfatheree@beacon-title.com Dallas Woods and Waters Club Monthly meeting Beretta Gallery, Highland Park (214) 570-8700

August 13-15

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

August 16

Purina Wildlife Series Expo Jacksboro Speakers on pond and deer management (940) 567-3794

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July 23, 2010

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