Summer returns to bass lakes
By Cory Byrnes For Lone Star outdoor newS
The unseasonal cool front at the beginning of September gave a bump to bass fishing, but it has since settled back into summer patterns. Drop-offs, ledges, the end of points and deep structures where cooler water is present have been productive.
On Fayetteville Lake, an-
gler Brent Pool said deliberate fishing is the key.
“You have to slow way down,” he said. “My buddy had slowed down so much he almost fell asleep.”
Pool watched his friend’s rod bend over a couple of times before asking, “Are you going to set the hook?”
The friend caught that 7 1/4-pound bass on a Carolina rig.
“The water is 91 to 92 degrees and near the outtake is hotter,” Pool said. “Deep structure and finesse rigs like drop shots, ned rigs and Carolina rigs are working. As long as you can get it in front of them, they will bite.”
While on the water, Pool noticed quite a few dead fish and suspected the lake would turn over soon before it cooled down.
“As it gets cooler, and water temperatures come down on the lake the fishing will pick up,” he said. “I like this time of year, everyone is worried about dove and deer.”
Michael McGuffy has been fishing the evening bite on Stillhouse Hollow Lake to beat the heat. He was able to find a couple of fish up shallow on a Texas-rigged senko and jerkbait before the sun
Twin 12-foot gators on drawn hunt
been applying for a Texas
Numbers build as season unfolds
By Nate Skinner For Lone Star outdoor newS
Duck hunters were met with mixed results for the opening weekend of the early teal season. The bluewings, most of which were adult drakes, were scattered across the coastal rice prairies and marshes, and seemed to have inconsistent flight pat-
terns. While most folks encountered a decent number of birds, some enjoyed better shoots than others.
More and more teal continued to arrive with each passing day. In many areas, the hunting improved as the 16-day season wore on.
Nathan Brooks hunted both mornings of opening weekend on the Garwood prairie, where he said he enjoyed some fun hunts with his dad.
“It wasn’t a lights-out shoot on either
Clain each caught and harvested alligators that measured more than 12 feet in length. The reptiles looked like twins, and both measured exactly 12 feet, 1 inch.
“From the information we
Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper
FISHING
Crappie improving (P 8) Structure holding fish.
Stars buying saltwater teams (P 9) Scheffler, Moss own SFC teams.
Volume 21,
By Nate Skinner For Lone Star outdoor newS
James Lofton has
drawn hunt for alliga tors for the last 11 years. For most
Deliberate methods and fishing early and late have been producing largemouth bass bites. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Long time buddies, John McClain, left and James Lofton both harvested alligators that measured 12 feet, 1 inch while on a drawn hunt at the Guadalupe Delta WMA. They are pictured here with McClain’s gator. Photo from John McClain.
Reports from the opening weekend of the early teal season varied, as some hunters enjoyed barn-burner shoots while others experienced spotty action. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
OUR MISSION
DSC’s mission is to ensure the conservation of wildlife through public engagement, education and advocacy for well-regulated hunting and sustainable use.
OUR VISION
The vision of DSC is a society that values wildlife, engages in its conservation and understands and supports the role of well-regulated hunting in the sustainable use of wild resources.
To become a member or learn more about DSC, head to biggame.org. See you in Atlanta!
FROM WORK TO PLAY
WHATEVER YOUR ADVENTURE IS, WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.
By Miguel Morales For Lone Star outdoor newS
Daniel Roman bagged two banded white-winged dove on consecutive shots on a Sept. 6 hunt.
The 25-year-old from Edna hunted at his buddy Jess Cravv’s place in Jackson County.
“It’s a buddy hunt we do all the time, we did it last weekend as well and had great success,” Roman said.
The six hunters began setting
Two lucky shots
up and after a few short minutes, the action began to heat up.
“I recently got a bird dog, Sadie, and I love watching her work just as much as the hunt itself,” Roman said. “There were a couple of dogs at the hunt and the boys gave them plenty of work.”
“All of the sudden a dove comes flying by,” Roman said. “I took a shot with my Weatherby 20-gauge and knocked it into some tall Johnson grass. Sadie and I set out to look for it but one of my buddies shot and dropped
another bird and she broke off to go chase that one down.”
Roman continued to look for his downed bird.
“Then Brett Stancik called out another dove flying over me,” he said. “I raised my gun, took a shot and dropped it. Sadie brought it back, and to my surprise it was banded. I made the joke that I really need to find this first bird because it may be banded as well. I finally walked over it, picked it up, and no joke — it was another banded bird.”
Everyone stared in disbelief. The group continued their hunt, working their dogs. At the end of the hunt, they finished up with a six-man limit. Upon reporting the banded dove, Roman learned that both birds were banded in Jackson County — one in 2015 and the other in 2023.
The friends finished cleaning the birds and got ready for the next afternoon’s hunt. That day, 10 hunters bagged limits, but no jewelry.
Doves with Dad
Unusual dog treats from the field
By Craig Nyhus Lone Star outdoor newS
Aledo hunter David Deveny had a dove-hunting tradition with his former dog, Quinn. Each time Quinn retrieved a bird, Deveny would either toss the bird’s head to his dog or let him take it. Although it was done as a reward for a good retrieve, he may have been onto something in the nutrition department.
According to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, bird heads can be a good choice for a dog.
Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley wrote that things like dove or pheasant heads, freezer-burned fish, deer liver and duck feet all can be utilized for the pet. Some can be given fresh, but the food dehydrator works for many others. Letting the dehydrator run outside or in the garage might be the best option, though.
As with any new food or treats, veterinarians recommend introducing them gradually to your dog.
Event celebrates family hunting
By Nate Skinner tar outdoor newS
Lee Batson and his daughter, Bradie, recently attended the 7th annual Doves with Dad event with a group of about 25 other hunters that consisted of fathers and their children. They spent two mornings hunting dove west of Wichita Falls with Dry Creek Out-
On the first morning of the event, they hunted over a cut and baled milo field where they shot mostly mourning dove. The next morning’s hunt took place over a cut corn field that was dominated primarily by whitewings. On both mornings, most hunters were able to harvest at least half of their limit, and many shot a full limit
According to Batson, the annual hunting gathering began in 2018 with his friend, Brent Mcllwain, who originally founded and coordinated the event.
“Brent is responsible for introducing dozens of new folks to hunting, because of his idea and efforts that created this annual tradition that so many of us look forward to,” Batson said. “For many of the attendees, the event is one of the few times, or possibly the only time, that they will go hunting each year. And it’s all for the sake of fathers and their kids spending quality time together in the outdoors.”
After its origination in 2018, Batson took over the coordinator responsibilities for the event. He handles making the arrangements for the hunts and the lodging each year.
“I came up with the name Doves with Dad, and it’s become one my favorite weekends of the entire year,” Batson said. “Many of the dads that attend each year would say the same thing. It started out as a group of friends setting aside the time to get their kids out in
Ashes over the dove field
By Tom Stephenson For Lone Star outdoor newS
We have heard about shotgun weddings. But how about a shotgun funeral? Well, one occurred recently in Brown County. It took planners about a year after Mike “Mo” Mohon’s August 16, 2023 death to implement the rather bizarre celebration of the big man’s life. Dispersing one’s cremated ashes over the deceased’s favorite beach or mountaintop is now considered quite commonplace. But watch out. Many states post strict laws against such actions. Professional baseball and football stadiums have been overwhelmed with requests to spread human ashes. They routinely deny such requests
and often warn against attempting such an endeavor on the sly. Leave it to quick-thinking Texans to invent novel ways around such disciplines and to do so with an element of levity.
One such Texan was Jack McClintock, who lived many years on Mockingbird Lane near Dallas’ White Rock Lake. He loved his frequent visits to the lake and much wished to have his ashes scattered on the water. Thus, family and dear friends gathered lakeside for the maiden and last voyage of a paper vessel carrying McClintock’s ashes designed to disintegrate mere minutes after launch. Mohon, adored by family and friends, passed away in Dallas from natural causes at the age of 76. For most of his adult life, Mo
On back-to-back shots, Daniel Roman took two banded white-winged dove in Jackson County. Photo from Daniel Roman.
Fathers and their children join each year for Doves with Dads, a hunt west of Wichita Falls. Photo by Joel Jones.
Giving a fresh dove’s head to your dog can be more than an award, it can be a healthy treat, as long as the head is inspected for lead shot. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Some coastal waters aren’t public
Hunters advised to look for purple paint
By Tony Vindell For Lone Star outdoor newS
During an informational meeting Friday, August 30, in Port Mansfield, game wardens told duck hunting enthusiasts and hunting guides to be aware of boundaries that have existed but have not often been enforced.
At issue is hunting on privately owned property as well as property under the purview of the Texas General Land Office. Some of that land is submerged during high tides, allowing shallow-drafting boats to get in, and exposed when the waters recede.
These places are popular for those who like to hunt ducks during the early teal and regular seasons. But assuming that gaining access by water without crossing land isn’t always correct.
Some of the areas discussed belong to El Sauz Ranch, south of the Arroyo Colorado, and to the King Ranch to the north.
Although the boundaries have always been there, duck hunting has been going on for some time. However, as hunter numbers keep increasing, property owners have expressed liability concerns.
Texas Game Warden Oscar Castaneda said
they simply want to inform hunters and guides about this now to avoid issues during the season.
“We are here to work with both sides,” he said. “And there are resources available for them.”
Castaneda said hunters and guides should notice ‘No Hunting’ signs or posts marked with purple colors. That means those areas are off-limits for public hunting.
He said an area that has been a focus of attention is by the Land Cut, known as El Toro, which has seen an increase of duck hunters. For the most part, though, the areas of concern are to the south of Port Mansfield where two waterways are connected to the Laguna Madre and north of the Arroyo Colorado.
Amanda Steffen, with Sunset Motel in Port Mansfield, said she attended Friday’s meeting and expressed some concern, saying they have been taking duck hunters for the last 5 years and have not run into any issues.
“They are now talking about something that has not been enforced,” she said.
Castaneda said a GLO map shows which areas are private and public, but the maps are difficult to navigate, leading him to suggest looking for anything marked with purple.
Dads and kids
the field, and has evolved into an open invite event to anyone that wants to join us with their kid or kids.”
Batson said that over the years they have had boys and girls attend the event with their dads that ranged from as young as 5 years old up to their mid to late teens. His daughter, Bradie, was 8 years old when she attended the first event, and she attended this year’s event at the age of 15.
“It’s been really neat to watch some of these kids that have attended the event with their dads, year after year, develop as a hunter,” Batson said. “Many of them could barely shoulder a shotgun or had to play retriever during their first event because they
were too little or too young to hunt, and now some of them are shooting better than their dads.”
According to Batson, about half of the dads within the core group of folks that attend Doves with Dad each year had never hunted before until they attended their first event with their children.
“It’s been awesome to see these men make hunting a part of their family traditions,” Batson said. “Some of these guys may not have ever started hunting or taken their kids hunting, had they not gotten involved with this event. That’s pretty special to be a part of something like that.”
Duck hunters in the Laguna Madre south of Port Mansfield should be aware of private and GLO land, some-
times accessible by water, that is off-limits to hunters. Photo by Tony Vindell, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
The 7th annual Doves with Dad event took place earlier this month, consisting of about 25 people. The event began as a tradition centered around spending quality time in the field, and has helped introduce many folks to the sport of hunting. Photo from Lee Batson.
Teal still moving in
morning of opening weekend for us,” Brooks said. “Our group harvested near half-limits during both hunts.”
Brooks said he heard reports of a few barn-burner hunts in the area, but for the most part, the birds seemed to be scattered.
“I had buddies that only strapped a handful of teal on opening morning, that also shot limits the next day on the same pond,” Brooks said. “There was just no consistency to their movements.”
Mike Lanier, of Red Bluff Prairie Hunting Club in Garwood, said the teal were definitely scattered on opening weekend in comparison to previous years.
“We had more bluewings show up in the days following the opener, and the hunting only improved,” he said.
In the Chesterville area, Kody Ressler, a guide for Top-Flight Hunting Preserve, said their opener was much better than they had anticipated.
“On the day before opening weekend, we only counted 34 teal on 14 different ponds while scouting,” Ressler said. “On opening morning we had 10 groups harvest full limits, two groups that harvested about three quarters of their limit, and only one group that had a tough hunt.”
Ressler said the second day was a little slower, but that most folks still enjoyed decent hunts.
Byron Fischer said the opening weekend of the early teal season in the Winnie area was fair.
“Most of our hunts took place over rice ponds and flooded rice fields, but we did have a few groups hunting in the marsh as well,” Fischer said. “Most groups harvested their limits on opening morning, while the second morning was slower.”
Fischer said most of the bluewings acted as if they were feeling the effects of hunting pressure soon after the shooting commenced.
“The action continued to improve as hens and young bluewings arrived after opening weekend,” Fischer explained.
Allen Parker spent the opening weekend of teal season hunting with some buddies over rice ponds outside of Winnie. He said opening morning produced some good hunts with quick limits, while the next morning was more hit-and-miss.
“Most hunters still had decent shoots on the second morning, but many had to hunt much later into the morning,” he said.
Reports across coastal marshes varied. Hunters who found good concentrations of teal on the days leading up to the opener were rewarded, while others had very few shot opportunities.
Teal season ends September 29.
Electronic federal duck stamp OK
Previously, the electronic versions of federal Duck Stamps were only valid for 45 days, to allow time for mailed stamps to arrive to the hunter’s address and be signed and carried. With electronic versions of hunting and fishing licenses now accepted in many states, hunters and legislators pushed for a similar result with the Duck Stamp.
Starting with the 2024-25 hunting season, federal Duck Stamps either printed on physical licenses or validated on digital licenses meet the requirements for the entire waterfowl hunting season.
If waterfowl hunters only have physical Duck Stamps, they must still be signed across the face and in their possession while waterfowl hunting.
Federal Duck Stamps are required for all waterfowl hunters 16 years of age or older. A valid hunting license, HIP Certification and Texas Migratory Game Bird Endorsement are also required.
—USFWS
Treats for dogs
Continued from page 4
With bird heads, a few things are recommended. First, don’t offer head-shot birds to avoid potential lead poisoning, and second, clip the beaks on larger birds, like pheasants, as they are hard and sharp.
“The fur and feathers are fully digestible and provide an essential source of manganese as well as a natural means of colon cleansing,” according to pet treat company Naked Beasts, which sells duck and quail heads and feet, duck and venison liver treats and other natural treats.
Nguyen-Wheatley shared some other options to try at home, each prepared with a food dehydrator at 165 degrees for several hours. They included freezer-burned fish fillets, fish skin, deer flank jerky, deer liver chews and duck feet.
Teal hunters near Garwood and Winnie reported good opening day shoots on scattered birds. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Crappie fishing stepping up
By Cory Byrnes
Crappie anglers are finding good numbers of smaller fish, and the bite has been getting better.
In June, boaters were advised by locals to stay off Lake Palestine due to waters 4 feet higher than normal.
“It’s the highest I have ever seen it,” said Sam Parker, with Freshwater Fishing Adventures.
After about two weeks, the water came down and fishing picked up before the Texas summer heat slowed it down again. Now, the recent cold spell has helped to jump-start the fall crappie bite.
“The water has cooled down to 80 degrees,” Parker said. “You find structure, you will find crappie.”
Small jigs in dark colors with a chartreuse tail, and jigs tipped with shad have been productive lately.
“If you are using a minnow-tipped jig, then try and match the minnow color,” Parker said. “I think crappie are smarter than we give them credit. They get nervous if the jig doesn’t match the minnow.”
Parker recommends smaller baits between 1 and 1 3/4 inches.
“Some people say big bait, big fish, but I say small bait, more bites — and you still catch big fish,” Parker said.
Lake Conroe has had a couple of slow crappie years in a row, but anglers are finding fish in 10-13 feet of water.
“There are not as many fish,” according to Fred “SK” Daniels, of SK Crappie Catching Adventures. “It seems to be down from past years.”
Soft plastics as small as 1 inch in bright colors produce bites.
“Just stay on the move until you find what you’re looking for.”
Daniels also fishes Lake Houston, and said it is on the rebound after a few bad years caused by drought and low lake levels that affected the spawning grounds.
“There are a lot of small fish,” he said. “It can be hard to keep them off your bait.”
The guide and content producer has been finding the occasional 10- to 13-inch fish in these groups with an occasional larger slab, and said the recent cold front turned the fish on.
“The water temp went from 90 to 70 and now it’s back up to 80 degrees,” he said. “The fish have been moving up East Fork and West Fork congregating around heavy structures and laydowns.”
Artificials in bright colors have been the most effective around structure.
“Don’t be worried about going too shallow around the laydowns,” Daniels said. “I have been finding some up in as little as 2 feet of water.
Anglers on Lake Granbury also are finding a lot of undersized fish.
FISHING
Late summer patterns along upper coast
By Nate Skinner For Lone Star outdoor newS
After the first half of September provided anglers with a taste of fall conditions, the past few weeks have seen late-summer patterns setting back in. Anglers are catching a variety of species while employing various tactics from East Matagorda Bay to Sabine Lake.
Trey Thumann spent a couple of days wade-fishing the south shoreline along the eastern portion of East Matagorda Bay recently with his dad and a buddy, where they found steady action on soft plastics. Stretches of sand and mud with scattered shell in knee- to thigh-deep water were
holding the most fish.
“There were trout scattered across the flats with some reds mixed in,” Thumann said. “Most of the trout were in the 18- to 23-inch range, while the redfish were of the mid-slot caliber. The bite wasn’t hot and heavy, but there were some nice fish willing to play.”
In addition to speckled trout and redfish, Thumann had the hot hand for a couple of other less common species. He hooked a snook that ended up getting off right as he was trying to land it, and then he caught and landed a tripletail. Both fish were about 18 inches long.
“You don’t hear of many people catching a tripletail while wade-fishing, and it
Law tops 2,214 anglers at Fork tourney
By Vivian Leopold For Lone Star outdoor newS
Tim Law, of White Hall, Arkansas, had pre-fished Lake Fork the day before the Big Bass Splash tournament held Sept. 20-22. He caught nothing at all — until the end of the first day at the event.
A 9.06-pound largemouth bass became the early leader in the first hour of the tournament, brought in by Martin Thompson of Big Sandy. The next hour, Abram Caton, of Gladewater, added another 9.06-pounder. Within the first two hours, six over-the-slot bass had weighed in.
However, in the final hour of the first day, Law took the lead with a 9.85-pound bass, and the long wait to the final weigh-in began.
Winning the grand prize was somewhat of a redemption for Law. He had fished in a previous tournament many years ago. Without winning any hourly payouts, Law headed home to Arkansas. Big Bass Splash has an elimination drawing for another boat, motor and trailer during the awards ceremony where all registered anglers are eligible. Whose name was drawn? Tim Law. The problem is, he had to be present to win.
Law won this year’s event, and took home a Phoenix 721 Pro XP boat with 225hp Mercury motor, fully loaded with Minn Kota trolling motor, Humminbird electronics and Power-Pole, $5,000 cash and a Dodge Ram truck to pull it home. So years later, Law finally got his boat.
was pretty cool to catch and land one,” he said. “The only species I didn’t catch was a flounder.”
Thumann was blind casting for trout and redfish when he hooked both the snook and the tripletail. He had no idea that they were feeding alongside the redfish and trout he was pursuing.
In the Galveston Bay Complex, redfish have been roaming the jetties, marshes and open bay waters. Speckled trout have been found under working birds, as well as over mid-bay oyster reefs. Black drum and sheepshead have been holding tight to rocks and riprap.
Redfish tournament angler Tim Young said rocks and riprap along the Houston
For Lone Star outdoor newS
Crappie fishing has improved on many lakes, but anglers have to stay on the move. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.
Tim Young caught this redfish on a square-billed crankbait while fishing along a stretch of rocks off the Houston Ship Channel. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Volunteers from Grand Saline’s fishing team transported 855 largemouth bass from the weigh-in stage to the live release boat at the Big Bass Splash on Lake Fork. Photo by Vivian Leopold.
Scheffler, Moss own teams in Sport Fishing Championship
Sport Fishing Championship announced a lineup of high-profile team owners in the saltwater fishing league’s 16-team new competitive format that will debut in spring 2025.
World No. 1 golfer and Olympic gold medalist Scottie Scheffler headlines a group of team owners betting on the growth of competitive fishing. The Dallas resident purchased sole ownership of the Texas Lone Stars Angling Club, with an exclusive rights territory that includes Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and the coastal markets of South Padre Island and Corpus Christi.
NFL legend Randy Moss, New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara, Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams and Grammy Award winning country star Brian Kelley are among the team owners in SFC’s new championship format.
The league announced the formation of 16 teams representing 16 regions across North America, which will compete week-to-week in a “closed” format designed to showcase offshore fishing’s top competitors and create regional fan bases across the continent.
SFC will showcase the same teams week-to-week on an international tour competing in the top fishing locations and tournaments from April through August.
Stillhouse Hollow Marina shut down
Officials with the Fort Worth District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Stillhouse Hollow Lake announced the full closure and removal of the Stillhouse Hollow Marina. After more than 50 years of operation, a series of events have led to the docks and facilities being damaged beyond repair.
Earlier this summer, the strong winds that accompanied the Temple tornado caused severe damage to the marina. Severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall caused the Lampasas River, which feeds into the lake, to flood. This also flooded the lake, leaving many campsites, docks and attractions underwater. Then, on Aug. 7, a boat exploded nearby the marina. It then drifted into the marina and caught fire to the main structure.
According to the Corps of Engineers, the incidents combined have caused irreparable damage and have led to the decision by the marina owners to close and remove all facilities.
To support future marina capabilities, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it intends to put the marina lease out for bid once all the damaged facilities have been removed.
According to its website, Stillhouse Hollow Marina is the only marina on Stillhouse Hollow Lake, and included a gas dock, swim beach, indoor and outdoor fishing areas, bait and tackle store and a restaurant.
—Army Corps of Engineers
Lane snapper catch limits increased
NOAA Fisheries announced a final rule that modifies lane snapper catch limits in the Gulf of Mexico by increasing the lane snapper overfishing limit from 1,053,834 pounds to 1,116,331 pounds and increasing the lane snapper acceptable biological catch and stock annual catch limit from 1,028,973 pounds to 1,088,873 pounds. The final rule also revises reporting and compliance requirements for Gulf of Mexico reef fish commercial fishermen using vessel monitoring systems.
The rule comes after the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, after an interim analysis, recommended that an increase in catch limits was appropriate for Gulf of Mexico lane snapper.
The final rule becomes effective October 18.
Waiting for the fall bite
went down.
“I didn’t catch anything else until about 8 when the full moon started coming up,” McGuffy said.
He had switched to a 3.5-inch craw and moved to a rocky bank where the lake drops off to about 20 feet, and then followed that pattern around the dam, catching a 3.5-pound largemouth and a smallmouth just under 3 pounds.
On Sam Rayburn Reservoir, angler Rick Caldwell said the early morning bite is best, but it’s a short window.
“Shallow water crankbaits, spinner baits and wacky-rigged senkos along the grass lines and banks are producing good bites,” he said on recent social media posts. “After 10 everything slows down.”
Fishing has been fair on Lake Conroe.
“Conroe fishes differently than most,” said Chris Edwards with Catch a Trophy Fishing Guide Service. “Most of the fish are offshore.”
Edwards attributes this to the Florida strain bass that call Conroe home.
“The bite is best early and late,” he said.
Shad imitations around docks, grass lines and irregularities in the bulkhead are producing some fish in shallower water. Offshore, Carolina rigs and deep-diving crankbaits have been most effective.
More cold fronts are expected to improve the fishing, “It’s one of my favorite times of the year,” Edwards said.
Lone Star outdoor newS
Brent Pool, along with his best friend, landed this largemouth from Lake Fayetteville. Photo from Brent Pool.
TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT
ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 77 degrees; 0.34’ low. Crappie are fair on minnows.
AMISTAD: Water stained; 85 degrees; 65.84’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are fair on spoons, blades and small white grubs on jig heads. Striper are slow.
ARLINGTON: Water stained; 88 degrees; 4.49’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and creatures.
ARROWHEAD: Water lightly stained; 79 degrees; 5.79’ low. Catfish are good on fresh cut shad.
ATHENS: Water slightly stain; 80 degrees; 0.43’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs.
AUSTIN: Water stained; 85 degrees; 0.71’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on weightless flukes and senkos.
B A STEINHAGEN: Water stained; 85 degrees; 0.62’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and frogs. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on juglines.
BASTROP: Water stained; 90 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits, flukes and shaky head trick worms.
BELTON: Water stained; 87 degrees; 0.87’ low. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on fresh gizzard shad and cut bait.
BENBROOK: Water stained; 80 degrees; 2.41’ low. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms. Crappie are good on live minnows. White bass are good on spinner baits. Catfish are good on stink bait.
BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 0.38’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft jerkbaits, swim jigs and bladed jigs. Crappie are fair on jigs. White bass are fair on spinner baits. Catfish are fair on stink bait.
BOIS D’ARC: Water stained; 85 degrees; 1.86’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chatter baits, frogs Carolina rigs, and Texas rigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.
BRAUNIG: Water stained; 88 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Redfish are fair on swim jigs and crankbaits. Channel catfish are good along the reeds and rock lines on cheese bait and shad.
BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 79 degrees; 0.29’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on buzzbaits, spinner baits and crankbaits. Crappie are slow. White bass are fair on crankbaits. Catfish are fair on baited holes and cut shad.
BUCHANAN: Water stained; 80 degrees; 12.69’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Striped bass are fair trolling live bait and jigs. White bass are fair on jigging spoons. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on live shad.
CADDO: Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.12’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on buzzbaits, frogs, top-waters and flukes.
CALAVERAS: Water lightly stained; 90 degrees. Redfish are good on live bait and dead shrimp. Catfish are fair on shrimp, cheese bait and cut bait.
CANYON: Water stained; 84 degrees; 24.37’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters and chatter baits.
CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 1.79’ low. Hybrids and white bass are good on spinners and slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut shad.
CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 86 degrees; 30.98’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on worms and flukes. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs and jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
CONROE: Water stained; 85 degrees; 0.46’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters and soft plastics. Hybrid stripers are fair on pet spoons, slabs and jigs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait.
COOPER: Water stained; 83 degrees: 2.00’ low. Catfish are good on cut bait. Hybrids and sand bass are good on spoons or slabs. Crappie are good on minnows.
EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water stained; 77 degrees; 4.73’ low. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and cut bait.
FALCON: Water stained; 90 degrees; 46.78’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and soft plastics. Gar are good on cut carp, cut tilapia and big shad. Catfish are good on cut bait.
Largemouth bass are fair on chatter baits, frogs, Carolina rigs and Texas rigs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and prepared bait.
FT PHANTOM HILL: Water stained; 85 degrees; 7.48’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters along the rocks. Hybrid stripers are fair on slabs. White bass are good trolling with crankbaits and on live shad.
GRANBURY: Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.15’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Striped bass are good on trolled Alabama rigs and on gizzard shad. White bass are good on slabs and spinner baits. Crappie are good on small jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut and prepared baits.
GRANGER: Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 0.32’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters and crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on jug lines and live bait.
GRAPEVINE: Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.45’ low. White bass are good on jigging spoons and swimbaits.
GREENBELT: Water stained; 80 degrees; 49.52’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Sand bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on minnows and worms.
HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 85 degrees; full pool. Largemouth bass are slow. Sunfish are good on worms. Crappie are slow.
HUBBARD CREEK: Water stained; 85 degrees; 13.90’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters, square-billed crankbaits and jerkbaits. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair on live bait and cut carp.
JOE POOL: Water stained; 81 degrees; 0.07’ low.
Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.
LAKE O’ THE PINES:
Water stained; 90 degrees; 0.52’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs and lipless crankbaits.
Catfish are good on shad.
LBJ: Water stained; 85 degrees; 0.33’ low. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on punch bait.
LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.70’ low. Largemouth bass and spotted bass are good on crankbaits and jigs. White bass are fair on slabs, jigs and live bait. Hybrid stripers are fair on slabs, jigs and live bait. Catfish are fair on cut shad.
LIMESTONE: Water lightly stained; 81 degrees; 1.56’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, frogs, crankbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are fair on bladed baits, swimbaits and slabs. Catfish are good on shad.
LIVINGSTON: Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 0.34’ low. White bass are fair on slabs and jigs.
MARTIN CREEK: Water stained; 90 degrees; 1.16’ low. Largemouth bass are good on weightless senkos, crankbaits and Texas-rigged redbug worms. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.
MER-
EDITH:
FAYETTE: Water stained; 87 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and Carolina rigs. Perch are good on nightcrawlers.
FORK: Water stained; 81 degrees; 1.59’ low.
LAVON: Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 2.19’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits, crankbaits, Carolina rigs and Texas rigs. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs and swimbaits.
stained; 85 degrees; 25.62’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, spinner baits and chatter baits. Catfish are fair on shad.
OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 18.36’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on large plastic worms with large shaky heads. Crappie are fair on jigs.
PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 0.75’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, soft plastic jerkbaits, chatter baits and frogs. Catfish are good on shrimp and cut shad.
POSSUM KINGDOM: Water stained; 87 degrees; 1.47’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits, Carolina rigs and drop shots. Striped bass are slow. White bass are slow. Catfish are fair on cut shad and stink bait.
RAVEN: Water lightly stained; 85 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Crappie are fair on minnows and artificial grubs. Catfish are fair on worms fished off the bottom.
Water stained; 83 degrees; 47.80’ low. Largemouth bass are good on minnows and soft plastics. White bass are good on slabs. Walleye are good on minnows and grubs. Catfish are fair on crawlers, minnows, chicken liver and frozen shad.
NACOGDOCHES: Water stained; 80 degrees; 1.04’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits, drop shots and Carolina rigs. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and live minnows.
NACONICHE: Water lightly stained; 80 degrees; 1.00’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jerkbaits and soft plastics. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are slow.
NASWORTHY: Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 0.55’ low. Largemouth bass are good on white chatter baits and spinner baits. Crappie are good around boat docks on chartreuse jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.
NAVARRO MILLS: Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 0.20’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crawfish jigs near the dam. White bass are good on chartreuse slabs. Catfish are good on punch bait and shad in flooded timber.
O H IVIE: Water lightly
RAY HUBBARD: Water stained; 88 degrees; 1.66’ Low. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on cut shad.
RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 83 degrees; 0.45’ feet low. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and small jigs. Channel catfish are good on punch bait.
RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water stained; 84 degrees; 0.77’ low. White bass are slow. Hybrid stripers are slow. Catfish are good on punch bait.
SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 82 degrees; 0.25’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters, Carolina rigs and drop shots. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and minnows.
SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 83 degrees; 0.11’ low. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. White bass are slow. Hybrids are slow. Catfish are fair on cut shad and punch bait.
SPENCE: Water stained; 85 degrees. 46.27’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. White bass are fair on top-waters and spoons. Catfish are good on cut bait and live bait.
STILLHOUSE: Water stained; 89 degrees; 1.02’ high. White bass are slow.
TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 1.25’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Hybrid striper and white bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared bait or punch bait.
TEXANA: Water stained; 80 degrees; 1.03’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Catfish are good on trotlines.
TEXOMA: Water stained; 75 degrees; 0.97’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jerkbaits and soft plastics. Striper are good on live shad. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on punch baits and cut shad.
TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 83 degrees; 3.90’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chatter baits, buzzbaits and top-waters.
TRAVIS: Water lightly stained; 89 degrees; 38.02’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits, Texas-rigged soft plastics, frogs and jigs.
TWIN BUTTES: Water stained; 80 degrees; 37.48’ low. White bass are good on small crankbaits. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on cheese bait and nightcrawlers.
WACO: Water stained; 80 degrees; 0.52’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Hybrids are good on swimbaits. Catfish are good on cut bait and live shad.
WALTER E LONG: Water stained; 85 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on frogs and soft plastics.
WHITNEY: Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 0.41’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on small jigs and minnows. Striped bass are slow. Catfish are slow.
WORTH: Water stained; 77 degrees; 2.47’ low. White bass are good on slabs with teaser flies. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait punch bait.
Plenty of crappie
James Davis, with Davis Guide Service, said there is a lot of bait, more than most of the lakes in the area. He has been catching crappie on both jigs and minnows.
“Minnows have been a little better, but moving into fall it will be 50/50,” he said, “They are still spread out right now so you will have to move around to find them on the brush piles.
Locating reds, trout
Ship Channel and the ICW have been holding good numbers of mid- to lowerslot redfish.
“The upper-slot fish and oversized reds seem to be schooling in open water or in a few select back lakes,” Young said. “The redfish along the rocks have been hold ing tight to structure. I’ve actually been seeing them just under the surface and right on top of the rocks quite a bit, just as the tide starts to fall out after reaching its peak. They have been fun to sight-cast to.”
Young has been throwing a variety of square-billed crankbaits at redfish along the rocks.
“The sheepshead and puppy drum have been so thick along stretches of rocks late ly that I’ve also been catching quite a few of them on crankbaits as well,” he said.
In the Sabine area, speckled trout have been hanging around oyster shell humps on the south end of the lake, as well as along the edges of drop-offs in Sabine Pass. Reports of schooling redfish across the lake have been frequent on calm days.
Gary McElduff has been finding redfish of all sizes along stretches of rocks in areas of the Port Arthur ship channel. Top-waters and crankbaits have been his go-to lure presenta tions, and most of the action has been taking place right against the rocks during a falling tide.
“The key has been water clarity,” McElduff said. “If the ship traffic is steady, the water stays murky and the bite shuts down.”
Joshua Creek Ranch
Trey Thumann caught this tripletail on a soft plastic while wade-fishing along the eastern portion of East Matagorda Bay. Photo from Trey Thumann.
WARDEN CAPTAIN COMPLETES FBI ACADEMY
Texas Game Warden Capt. Jennifer Weaver graduated as a member of the 291st session of the FBI National Academy. The graduation took place at the National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, on Sept. 12. Weaver is the first female game warden in department history to complete this prestigious program. Nationally, fewer than 1 percent of officers have the opportunity to attend the program. The National Academy offers 10 weeks of advanced communication, leadership and fitness training. On average, these officers have about 21 years of law enforcement experience and usually return to their agencies to serve in executive-level positions. The class included members of law enforcement agencies from 26 countries, seven military organizations and seven federal civilian organizations. Weaver has served 19 years as a game warden in Gregg, Harris and Galveston counties before being promoted to the Region 4 lieutenant and then Harris County captain positions. She currently works in Special Op-
GAME WARDEN BLOTTER
BORDER INSPECTIONS FOR WILDLIFE PRODUCTS
Over the course of the past year, Texas game wardens inspected more than 300 individuals and vehicles crossing through ports of entry along the United States/Mexico border. The inspections, in conjunction with USFWS, NOAA Fisheries Service office of law enforcement, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, focused on uncovering illegal aquatic and wildlife products like oysters, shrimp, dove and even pets. When unregulated items cross Texas borders, skirting public health codes, they can end up in local restaurants or markets. Wardens issued more than 200 citations and warnings resulting in 2,500 pounds of seizures.
erations as captain of the Marine Theft Investigation Unit.
LOCAL GOAT DIES IN CAPTURE
As Texas Parks and Wildlife Department staff began the process of moving historically native desert bighorn sheep back into the Franklin Mountains this October, they captured a domestic nonnative goat, locally named “Bob,” to minimize the risk of disease transmission to incoming bighorn
populations. According to TPWD, the risk of “Bob” the goat spreading the disease was too great to allow it to remain on the mountain during restoration efforts. A local farm owner agreed to welcome the goat as a new resident, and on Aug. 13, TPWD staff captured “Bob” by roping him, but he died during the relocation process. The goat was known to be at least nine years old but was suspected to be older. The typical life span of
domestic sheep and goats in free range settings is about 10 to 13 years.
TWO WARDENS RECOGNIZED
Val Verde County Game Warden
Alli Hatten was named the Association of Midwest Fish and Game Law Enforcement Officer’s Texas Officer of the Year, and Comal County Game Warden James Adcock was named the Texas Boating Officer of the year. Hatten
teaches basic firearms skills and safety to cadets at the Texas Game Warden Training Academy. Back at home in Val Verde County, she trains new wardens patrolling the Devil’s River on maintaining public safety and supporting conservation. In 2021, Hatten joined the Texas Game Warden Rural Operations Group to support fellow law enforcement through tactical operations. Adcock prioritized keeping Texans safe on and off the water by increasing boater checks and encouraging wardens to look for signs of intoxication. He teaches his approach to fellow wardens to expand enforcement, and coordinates with the Boating and Water Safety Team to provide life vests for kids and families.
Lone Star Outdoor News reader Jeff Hulstein took this black bear in Ontario.
McCall Saathoff shows a tripletail he caught at the coast near Rockport.
Cayce Causey caught this speckled trout on a gold spoon wading the upper Laguna Madre. The fish measured 30 1/2 inches.
Cedar Bayou produced this beautiful 28-inch trout for Kirsten Saathoff
Kellie Drayovitch shot this mountain zebra in Namibia. It was her first African animal and she made a great 200-yard shot with a .300 Win Mag.
Oct
Oct 10 1:21 AM 2.14H 3:27 PM 0.20L Oct 11 1:52 AM 2.16H 4:33 PM 0.24L
TEXAS SUN, MOON AND TIDES
A fond farewell
Continued from page 4
weighed in the neighborhood of 375 pounds. Those pounds did nothing to defray his active enjoyment of a wide variety of outdoor amusement.
Mohon was a devoted dove hunter and part of a group of 20 or so whose pursuit of the opening day mourning dove ranked closely behind the much-anticipated camaraderie.
Mohon met his longtime pal, Bill Daily, in the fifth grade. They played sports together in the Lake Highlands neighborhood of East Dallas. They double dated as teenagers and pulled comical pranks on each other from day one.
Not long after Mohon passed away, his wife, Toni, called Daily.
“She kind of ho-hummed for a good while, and then I finally asked, ‘Well, what is it, Toni,’ ” Daily said.
Her response was an uneasy one.
“Mike told me he wanted some of his ashes loaded into shotgun shells and shot over some field,” Toni said.
Obviously, Toni did not know that Mo and Daily had been bantering about accomplishing this final escapade for years.
“I died laughing when she told me this, and, finally, I had to apologize and explain the entire story,” Daily said.
That story had its origin in some ancient hunting magazine forgotten by most. But presented with the question, Daily had to discern if granting the last request to a best friend was possible.
Daily has some recreational acres out in East Texas. So did a friend with Lake Highlands connections named Larry Bosco, often a member of the group hunting party that included Mohon, and one who loads his own shotgun shells.
“I told Larry I had this strange request but asked him if it was possible to load Mo’s ashes in shells so that on opening day, we can have this tribute to him and shoot those ashes over this field,” Daily said.
To make sure the project might actually work, Bosco first loaded ashes from his fireplace into shotshells. Daily fired some and was pleased.
Mo’s ashes were then loaded into a box of 12- and 20-gauge shotshells. then carried down to Brown County.
“We had a good bunch of guys, and we did the tribute,” Daily said. “I fired the first shot to make sure everything was okay, and it was great. It was windy, and the ashes came out just like dust. It was a windy day, so they blew out just perfectly.”
The rest of the group, that included Mohon’s son, Cameron, blasted next. Amongst the dusty ashes and sunflowers, you can imagine moist eyes and heavy beating of hearts.
“It was emotional,” Daily said before a long pause and a gulp. “After I fired that first shot — I just had to walk away.”
Maybe “Mo” was looking down with a wide grin.
Quail outlook at the Matador WMA
A favorite quail hunting destination in Texas is the Matador Wildlife Management Area near Paducah in Cottle County. The WMA issued its quail forecast for the season and, what started off great has diminished somewhat.
“We had good bird carryover from 2023 and that coupled with a wet winter and a good spring resulted in good spring and early summer nesting and brood rearing success,” the WMA reported. “Things began to dry out in late June and we have had little rainfall since late July. August was also exceptionally hot (4 days over 110 degrees) and the heat, to a degree, has persisted into September.”
Roadside quail counts were recently completed.
“Counts conducted in August were exceptional at 10.35 quail/mile and rival 2016 numbers (12.43 quail/mile). Unfortunately, the hot temperatures and persistent and deepening drought appear to be taking a toll on bird numbers as our counts in September have dropped to 4.57 quail/mile. These numbers are still the best since 2016, but the banner year we were hoping for does not appear to be panning out.”
The WMA is doing one more count in October.
“We normally do not conduct roadside counts in October but will do so this year to assess any further change in quail numbers,” the WMA said.
Photo from Bill Daily
Competing for big bass
The other top overthe-the-slot weights: Greg Seeger, of Fayetteville, Arkansas 9.51 pounds ($15,000) Martin Thompson, of Big Sandy 9.06 pounds ($10,000) Abram Caton, of Gladewater 9.06 pounds ($5,000) Bill Trembley, of Russellville, Arkansas 8.83 pounds ($2,500)
Though a slot lake makes for more challenging fishing, it also provides payouts for fish under the slot at tournaments. The heaviest bass on Friday under the slot won Wade Evans, of Powderly, $5,000 for his 2.79-pound fish. Vernon Croney, of Alba, landed a 2.57-pounder on Saturday to earn $5,000. Another $5,000 went to Jason Amperse, of Leonard, for his 2.75-pound bass on Sunday.
An elimination drawing for all registered anglers on Sunday called the name of Verlon Croney, of Alba, to win a Phoenix 819 Pro powered by Mercury and fully equipped. Unlike Law years ago, Croney was present to claim his prize.
The Little Anglers Division encourages 5–12-year-olds to enter and get involved in the sport of fishing early. They could fish any or all three days in the categories of bass, perch, catfish and crappie. A turtle even showed up at the weigh-in. As each child caught a fish, they joined the check-in line right beside the tournament anglers, had the fish weighed and were “interviewed” by Tournament Director Chris Bennett.
In total, 21 over-the-slot fish were weighed, and 855 fish total were taken to the liverelease boat.
Texas 78213
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Tim Law’s 9 85-pound bass took the title at the Big Bass Splash on Lake Fork.
Photo by Vivian Leopold.
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LONE STAR OUTDOOR PUZZLER
Solution on Page 26
ACROSS
5) Gatesville’s county
6) A duck favorite
7) East Texas river
9) Group of wolves
10) Salmon species
11) River that flows through Granbury
12) Good redfish lure
13) An African antelope
18) Fishing line brand
19) Offshore target
21) Livingston’s county
23) Border lake
25) Elk hunters’ org.
28) Sinker type
29) A Great Lake
31) The G1
34) Deer hunters like wind in their ____
35) Riflescope brand
36) The grumpy furbearer
38) Used to change the shotgun’s pattern
39) Hunting boot brand
40) They bring in the ducks
DOWN 1) East Texas lake 2) Centerville’s county 3) Smallmouth fishing province 4) Worm rigging style
8) Crappie lake near Ennis 9) Prime bass fishing spot 10) Coastal bay 12) Goose species 13) Teal hunters’ favorite month 14) Central Texas lake 15) Good speckled trout bait
16) Big Springs’ county 17) A goose favorite
20) Shot size used by duck hunters
22) The dove limit
24) Safari destination
26) Dumas’ county
27) Shotshell brand
30) African dove species (two words)
31) Rifle brand
32) Cherokee County’s seat
33) Webb County’s seat
36) The prize on a dove or duck
37) Turkey call type
Promotion at Arcus Hunting
Arcus Hunting, LLC named Matt Kinamore as senior director of product development and category management.
Pet division at PRADCO
PRADCO Outdoor Brands announced the launch of a new division, PRADCO PET, and a new brand, SimplePets, aimed at developing new products for the pet industry.
NOAA’s new law enforcement head
James Binniker was selected as the new director of the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement.
Yamaha Marine product manager
Miguel Avello was named the division manager, marine product management, at Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit.
Johnson promoted to COO
B.A.S.S. promoted Executive Vice President Phillip Johnson to chief operating officer.
1st Contact Tungsten sold
Outdoor Playground Inc., the parent company of MONSTERBASS, announced the acquisition and immediate sale of the assets of 1st Contact Tungsten LLC, making 1st Contact Tungsten a veteran-owned and operated brand.
New owners for GRANDEBASS
GRANDEBASS, known for its Airtail and Rattlesnake soft plastics, announced it has returned under new ownership.
Stevenson joins X-Vision X-Vision Optics hired Brady Stevenson as its new marketing specialist.
Blue-winged teal breasts and hearts
Bowtie pasta
Garlic, chopped Butter
Bacon, chopped Onion, finely chopped
Heavy whipping cream
1 can Rotel tomatoes
Chicken fajita seasoning
Boil bowtie pasta until half-cooked. In a cast iron skillet, melt butter and add bacon, garlic and onions. Brown and add Rotel tomatoes, cook down. Add teal meat and stir, about 3-5 minutes. Add fajita seasoning and heavy cream and simmer to thicken. Add bowtie pasta, stir and let sit a few minutes and serve.
—Texas Ducks Unlimited
1 1/2 lbs. catfish fillets, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Bacon slices or salt pork
1 large onion, chopped
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
4 cups water Worcestershire sauce 1/4 tsp. oregano 2 bay leaves 1 clove garlic, minced Salt and pepper Cooked rice
In large pot, cook bacon or salt pork until crisp and remove. Add onion, garlic and cook in drippings until translucent and soft. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste and water. Season with oregano, bay leaves and Worcestershire sauce. Salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 30 minutes. Add catfish and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over rice.
—WVDNR
Puzzle by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News
Big alligators
gathered, we knew we wanted to target deep bayous and hang our baits close to 2 feet above the water’s surface,” Lofton said. “According to the WMA manager and other sources, using these tactics would give us the best chance at harvesting a large alligator.”
Lofton and McClain used Google Earth to find deep bayous that came up out of Mission Lake and into the Guadalupe Delta WMA.
“We were only allowed to set out one line each, so we wanted to do our best to choose ideal spots,” McClain said. “After exploring some areas that seemed to be holding some large gators, we baited and set our lines.”
Lofton and McClain were told by the WMA manager that the average alligator harvested in the area was usually between 8-9 feet.
The next morning, they set out to check their lines, and realized that they had forgotten to refuel the gas tank in their boat. McClain’s line was closer to the boat launch area, so they decided they could at least go check it before heading back in to get more fuel.
When they arrived to McClain’s line, they saw that it was down in the water, which meant there was likely a gator on the end of it.
“I started to pull on the line and realized quickly that I definitely had a large gator on the end of it,” McClain said.
After a grueling 15-20 minute match of tug-of-war, McClain was finally able to get the reptile in position to be dispatched with a shotgun. Then they were tasked with figuring out how to get the animal into their boat.
“We were finally able to roll the gator into the boat, and that’s when we realized just how large it actually was,” McClain said. “It was much longer and wider than we were expecting.”
After loading McClain’s alligator into the boat, they headed back to the boat launch.
“Even if we didn’t need more fuel for the
boat, we didn’t think putting another alligator in the boat with that one already onboard was possible,” Lofton said. “Plus after wrangling that alligator, we honestly needed to rest for a bit.”
They got McClain’s alligator unloaded and checked in with the WMA, took some photos and some measurements of it, and then dropped it off with a local taxidermist and processor.
“We got the boat fueled back up and headed back to launch the boat and go check my line,” Lofton said.
They approached Lofton’s line and realized that the bait was down.
“I saw that the line was stretched back toward the shore, and then I noticed the sun shining on the scales of his shoulders where he was laying along the bank,” Lofton said. “We sized him up and immediately realized he was going to rival the other one. And then we discovered that we had accidentally left the shotgun in the truck, back at the boat launch.”
Lofton and McClain made the trek back to the launch, and then returned to Lofton’s line with the shotgun. After a difficult fight that included the alligator smacking their boat with its tail and the line getting wrapped around a tree, Lofton was able to pull the gator to the surface for it to safely be dispatched.
They got the reptile loaded and headed back to the launch with what they felt to be an almost carbon copy of McClain’s alligator. Sure enough, Lofton’s measured exactly 12 feet, 1 inch.
There were nine hunters on the drawn hunt, and eight alligators were harvested, with Lofton and McClain’s two being the largest.
The two alligators were both about a halffoot longer than largest gator harvested for that drawn hunt the previous year. They also set a Guadalupe Delta WMA record for the largest average size per alligator for a group of hunters.
NEW Automatic Dog Feeder
Weatherford, Texas
Reward offered for elk poaching incident
Oregon hunters raised the reward amount to $1,500 for information regarding a bull elk that was illegally shot and left to waste in Linn County on Aug. 30 or 31.
OSP fish and wildlife troopers, responding to a call from a member of the public, discovered the 5X5 Roosevelt elk east of Lebanon, in the Snow Peak permit area. The carcass had been gutted, partially skinned and then
The standard reward amount is $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest or citation in a poaching case involving deer or elk. Last week, Oregon Hunters Association Mid-Willamette Valley chapter members voted to add $500 to that amount.
—OSP
MISSOURI New class in Bass Fishing HOF
Bass fishing’s most celebrated week of the year will see five new members enshrined into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame as well as the unveiling of an expansion to bass fishing’s only dedicated museum and an annual auction that will generate funds for initiatives to preserve and promote bass fishing.
Those activities are part of Celebrate Bass Fishing Week, which culminates with the induction ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 26 at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium, and at the White River Conference Center in Springfield.
Formally inducted into the 2024 Hall of Fame class will be the late Fred Arbogast, inventor of such iconic lures as the Jitterbug and Hula Popper; Mike McKinnis, innovator of breakthrough live video and television coverage of tournament bass fishing with JM Associates; and noted pro angler, tackle designer and promoter Skeet Reese, whose career winnings exceed $4 million. Alfred Williams, a trailblazing angler from Mississippi who was the first African American angler to compete in a Bassmaster Classic, will also be inducted, while Mark Zona will be enshrined as one of the leading voices in bass fishing as a show host and TV analyst.
—Bass Fishing Hall of Fame
CONNECTICUT Grimm wins Duck Stamp contest
Adam Grimm of Wallace, South Dakota, won the 2024 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest with an acrylic painting of a pair of spectacled eiders. The announcement was made at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Grimm’s artwork will be made into the 2025-2026 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or Duck Stamp, which will go on sale in late June 2025. This is Grimm’s third time winning the Federal Duck
Stamp Art Contest.
Rebekah Knight of Deepwater, Missouri, placed second with an oil painting of a drake hooded merganser and Abraham Hunter of Dandridge, Tennessee, took third place with an oil painting of a pair of hooded mergansers.
–DU
UTAH
Elk cull kept quiet
In January and February, officials with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources culled 170 elk on the Deseret Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit, which is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The DWR said the effort was necessary due to an overpopulation of elk in the area, but the agency had previously tried to keep the operation a secret, according to The Salt Lake Tribune
According to The Tribune, public records that showed state wildlife officials were worried about how public hunters might view the culling operation since they were not invited to participate.
DWR staff members worked with private contractors to bait and kill the elk using suppressed rifles and walk-in traps. They field-dressed and butchered the elk on site after testing each animal for CWD and brucellosis and they ended up with roughly 39,000 pounds of elk meat to donate to local shelters, food pantries and persons on the department’s game meat donation list.
—Staff report
CANADA SASKATCHEWAN
Hen houses on the rise
Hen houses, cylindrical nesting structures made of rolled wire mesh, stuffed with flax straw, and mounted on poles over water — are the most cost-efficient tool for increasing mallard nest success and one of the keys to boosting duck production. Recently, a shipment containing steel, wire, and hardware components for 1,760 Hen Houses was delivered to Delta Waterfowl’s storage facility in Saskatchewan.
“This location is in the heart of prime wetland habitat in Saskatchewan and will serve as a distribution center for Hen House installations in both Alberta and Saskatchewan,” said Matt Chouinard, waterfowl programs director for Delta.
The installation of the Hen Houses will occur this winter to guarantee that they’re ready to welcome nesting ducks in the spring. Positioned in semi-permanent wetlands, the elevated nesting structures protect ducks from predators, significantly increasing their chances of successfully hatching nests — and ultimately adding more ducks to fall flight.
Chouinard said studies conducted over the past three decades of Delta Waterfowl’s Hen House research have shown that nest success in these structures is up to 12 times higher than that of ground-nesting mallards in nearby grasslands.
—Delta Waterfowl
SABINE LAKE: 85 degrees. Speckled trout are good on live shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish are fair on crankbaits and live shrimp under a popping cork. Flounder are good on soft plastics tipped with shrimp.
BOLIVAR: 83 degrees. Speckled trout are good on live shrimp. Sharks and bull reds are good on cut bait in the surf.
TRINITY BAY: 80 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on live shrimp and soft plastics. Redfish and black drum are fair on live shrimp.
EAST GALVESTON BAY: 82 degrees.
WEST MATAGORDA BAY: 85 degrees. Black drum and redfish are fair on artificials, live shrimp and croaker.
PORT O’CONNOR: 85 degrees. Black drum are good on dead shrimp. Redfish are good on Spanish sardines. Speckled trout are fair on live shrimp and live croaker. Bull redfish are fair on blue crab.
SAN ANTONIO BAY: 86 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair on live shrimp and croaker.
ROCKPORT: 84 degrees. Speckled trout are good on croaker and shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish are good on shrimp, piggy perch and cut mullet. Black drum are fair on live or dead shrimp.
REDFISH BAY: 85 degrees. Redfish are good on live mullet and chunks of crab. Black drum are slow.
Speckled trout, redfish and black drum are fair on live shrimp and finger mullet. Flounder are fair on soft plastics.
GALVESTON BAY: 79 degrees. Black drum, speckled trout and redfish are fair on live shrimp. Speckled trout and redfish are fair on soft plastics.
WEST GALVESTON BAY: 80 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics and shrimp. Redfish are fair on crankbaits and live shrimp. Flounder are fair on soft plastics and live finger mullet.
TEXAS CITY: 80 degrees. Bull redfish and oversized drum are fair on cut bait and cracked crab. Speckled trout and redfish are fair on live shrimp.
FREEPORT: 85 degrees. Speckled trout, redfish and black drum are fair on live shrimp under a popping cork.
EAST MATAGORDA BAY: 85 degrees. Redfish and black drum are fair on artificials, live shrimp and croaker.
PORT ARANSAS: 84 degrees. Redfish are good on shrimp and cut bait. Pompano are fair on spoons. Speckled trout are good on croaker and free-lined live shrimp. Kingfish are fair on free-lined ribbon fish and silver spoons.
CORPUS CHRISTI: 85 degrees. Redfish are fair on live mullet and chunks of crab. Black drum are slow.
BAFFIN BAY: 86 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on top-waters, suspending baits and soft plastics. Redfish are schooled up and fair on soft plastics.
PORT MANSFIELD: 86 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics. Redfish are fair on soft plastics and top-waters.
SOUTH PADRE: 82 degrees. Redfish and speckled trout are fair on live shrimp. —TPWD
OCTOBER 1
DELTA WATERFOWL
Smith County Banquet
Buck Wild-Cowboys (903) 944-7830
deltawaterfowl.org
OCTOBER 2
LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS FOUNDATION
Wild Game Night
Beretta Gallery Dallas (214) 361-2276 lsonews.com/lson-foundation
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Evening of Conservation Republic Boot Company, Houston setxducks.org
OCTOBER 3
DUCKS UNLIMITED
San Antonio Banquet
Security Service Event Center ducks.org
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Lonestar Banquet
John L. Kuykendall Arena Llano (512) 756-3655 ducks.org
WHITETAILS UNLIMITED
South Texas Deer Camp
Spring Creek Place, Victoria (512) 657-9943 whitetailsunlimited.com
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Fort Worth Dinner River Ranch (817) 965-3780 ducks.org
DATEBOOK
OCTOBER 4-6
PORT O’CONNOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
POC Boat & Fishing Expo (361) 983-2898 portoconnorchamber.com
OCTOBER 5
BLANCO WILD GAME DINNER
Blanco County Show Barn Johnson City (830) 833-4138 facebook.com/wildgamedinner
OCTOBER 8
QUAIL COALITION
Houston Dinner & Auction Post Oak Hotel quailcoalition.org
PARK CITIES QUAIL COALITION
Outdoor Adventure Cup
Sporting Clays Shoot
Dallas Gun Club (817) 410-5054
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Lake Ray Hubbard Dinner
Southern Junction, Royce City (214) 504-4544 ducks.org
OCTOBER 10
DALLAS SAFARI CLUB
OCTOBER 15
DUCKS UNLIMITED Texoma Banquet Loy Lake Park (903) 820-8882 ducks.org
OCTOBER 16
TEXAS WILDLIFE ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION Outdoorsman of the Year Gala San Antonio Country Club texas-wildlife.org
OCTOBER 17
DUCKS UNLIMITED Waco Dinner Exchange Event Center McGregor (678) 654-0768 ducks.org
DUCKS UNLIMITED
McKinney Dinner
Myers Park and Event Center (972) 529-0091 ducks.org
OCTOBER 18
DELTA WATERFOWL Brazos River Banquet Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse Cleburne (817) 307-4468 deltawaterfowl.org
OCTOBER 19-20
TEXAS GUN & KNIFE SHOWS Abilene Convention Center (830) 285-0575 texasgunandknifeshows.com
DUVAL COUNTY
South Texas Dove Hunting 200 acres, Lodging (RV Power Available) Huntershilton.com For more info (361) 244-0544 or (361) 443-9330
Volunteer Party and Fish Fry DSC Headquarters (972) 980-9800 biggame.org
MULE DEER FOUNDATION Beers for Deer Wild Acre Brewing Fort Worth (325) 277-6770 muledeer.org
Akaushi
AMIGOS
542-8511
Yamaha SHO, Lamivent System, Garmin 943 XSV, Power-Pole, Rodan
