January 26, 2024
Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Volume 20, Issue 11
A memorable birthday trip Richard Bridges landed his personal best speckled trout while wade-fishing out of Port Mansfield right before the coldest temperatures of the winter arrived. Photo by Capt. Ryan Aguirre.
Specks aggressive ahead of fronts Reds, black drum follow By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Air temperatures and water temperatures along the coast plummeted to their lowest readings of the winter during the middle of the month. Anglers fishing before the cold blasts arrived found speckled trout in an aggressive mood. Those who braved the conditions after freezing temps set in experienced consistent action from redfish and black drum. On the upper coast, Capt. James Frausto set out to try to find some fish along some deep bayous and creeks of lower West Galveston Bay immediately after the front. The air temperature was so low, that he had ice build up on his Power Pole and other areas of his boat. “We had a handful of soft strikes, but didn’t end up catching any fish,” Frausto said. “I think the fish must have still been in shock from the rapid drop in temperature, because we just couldn’t find any signs of life. I was focusing on deep holes in 20 feet of water, expecting to find trout and redfish stacked up, but they just
By Tony Vindell
For Lone Star Outdoor News For Jerry Nichols, a trip back to his home state after the New Year brought both memories and appreciation. The El Paso native who lives in southern California but can’t wait to move back to his home state, was in the Rio Grande Valley hunting and fishing, celebrating his 74th year on both land and water. Nichols, a survivor of three bouts with lymphoma, was here as his son, Jer-
emiah, arranged a birthday gift to spend nearly a week hunting and fishing, which began Jan. 4. Nichols said he couldn’t be happier than being with his son, who lives in Huntsville, waking up at 5 a.m. and hitting the sack at 9 p.m. or later for five days in a row. “This is a trip of a lifetime,” he said. “Thank you.” On the first evening hunt on Jan. 6, Nichols sat in a blind hoping to get a wild hog but not a single pig showed up. The next day, the father
and son sat on another blind hunting for whitetailed bucks. They saw several doe and a small buck he decided to pass up. Later in the evening, Nichols went back to the previous blind as his number one objective for a feral hog still lingered, but there was zero cooperation from the wild swine that previously seemed to appear regularly around feeders in sounders of 20 or more. The third day brought better fortune after Nichols and his son returned to the blind. They saw three
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Jeremiah Nichols gave his father, Jerry, a trip to the Rio Grande Valley for his 74th birthday following Jerry’s three bouts with lymphoma. Jerry harvested his first white-tailed buck in 25 years, some ducks and fish, including a redfish. Photos by Tony Vindell, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Chris Swift shows the nearly 3-inch thick ice from an East Texas pond. Many hunters with access to open water had good hunts. Photo from Chris Swift.
Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 16 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 17 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22
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Late push of ducks observed Finding open water a challenge after cold snap By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News To a duck hunter, a lateseason, bitter cold front can be great news, or it can send the ducks elsewhere. In northeast Texas, hunt-
ers believe an influx of birds moved in from Oklahoma and Kansas in time for the last few weeks of the season, which ends Jan. 28 in all of the state. For hunters, though, the difficult part was finding open water. “It’s the thickest ice I’ve seen,” said hunter Chris Swift. “Guys were walking across sloughs. The ducks
were using the rivers, flying to search for other areas and then returning.” Swift said hunters on Lake Fork and Cooper Lake had a great week of shooting, with gadwall leading the way. “There were plenty of guys shooting limits,” he said. “There was a push of wood ducks and pintail. Before the freeze, the wood ducks had Please turn to page 19
HUNTING
FISHING
Big dove feed (P. 4)
When rocks aren’t rocks (P. 8)
Birds piling in with cold front.
Baffin’s dangerous reefs being mapped.
Kerr facility deer cleared (P. 4)
Crappie bite improving (P. 8)
Lab fails to confirm positive test.
Jigs outproducing minnows.