Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper in Texas
January 22, 2016
Volume 12, Issue 11
Wandering waterfowl Lone Star Outdoor News Believe it or not, there are ducks around. They just don’t stay in one place very long. Duck hunters in much of Texas, along with states to the north, prepared for the season of a lifetime after the estimates came out regarding duck populations. For most, the season didn’t pan out that way. This past weekend, Comanche County hunters shot seven ducks between five hunters on Saturday morning at a time of year where the gadwall and pintails usually are a given, a few mallards are a bonus and the ringnecks are so numerous they are an annoyance. North Texas hunters have also been left scratching their heads. “It has been the worst season I can remember,” said Tim Danklef, who hunts near Dallas. “It’s like there are no ducks in North Texas.” While the ducks may not be abundant, the water definitely is, a welcome sight but a frustration for duck hunters wondering Please turn to page 5 STILL READY: Nick Kohleffel loads his Fabarm waterfowl shotgun on a recent duck hunt. Hunters are waiting for birds to arrive in much of the state as the season concludes. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Anglers finding big specks
CONTENTS Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 14 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 16 Crossword . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 19
By Craig Nyhus
Outdoor Datebook . . . . . Page 22
Lone Star Outdoor News
BIG MAMA: Charlie Bertoni of Cypress landed this 29-inch trout this week while fishing with Capt. Trey Pyre in East Matagorda Bay. Photo by Trey Pyre.
Capt. Daniel Lamb has been finding the big trout this winter, and said there isn’t much new to his approach. “We have been fishing the upper end of the Lower Laguna Madre,” he said. “Our best luck has been wading in knee-deep water and fishing a lot of structure.” Lamb landed five fish in the 26- to 29-inch range on his recent trips, and recommended that anglers not be too quick to leave an area. “If you get one bite, stay there and throw at least 20 more casts,” he said. While many anglers slow
Various remedies to keep hands warm By Mark England
Lone Star Outdoor News Peruse fishing forums during the winter and you’ll probably come across Texas anglers trolling for tips on how to handle the frigid weather. “I HATE COLD HANDS,” an angler calling himself bassslayer lamented online recently at the Texas Fishing Forum. He was seeking a “solution,” only to learn there really is none. That doesn’t mean that he or you must simply endure the cold, however. There are tricks of the trade that can make cold-weather fishing bearable. “I use latex gloves,” said Charles Whited, a Bass Champs tour angler and guide (who also
Please turn to page 9
INSIDE
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210
LSONews.com
Fishing with cold fingers
HUNTING
Lead and mottled ducks
Live-animal testing
Updated research shows the ducks are still ingesting pellets. Page 4
Symposium addresses testing deer for CWD. Page 5
FISHING
Please turn to page 11
The new thing?
State-record spot
Texan develops animated lure. Page 8
Big Spring angler lands 5.98-pound spotted bass. Page 8