Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper in Texas
November 22, 2019
Volume 16, Issue 7
Hunting for sales “Influencers” seek to reel in money for themselves and outdoor brands By Jillian Mock
For Lone Star Outdoor News Hunters with many “followers,” like Beka Garris, seek to cash in with outdoor product manufacturers. Photo from Beka Garris.
On Nov. 11, Beka Garris posted a photo on Instagram of her and her young
daughter smiling in front of a dead doe, with Garris’ bow and arrows draped over the animal’s side. For any hunter who is active online, this kind of post may not seem all that special. But this post isn’t like your friend’s trophy pictures — unless your friend also has nearly 95,000 Instagram followers. For Garris, this picture is part of her growing business as a hunting social media influencer.
Increasingly, outdoor companies are paying social media influencers, people with thousands of followers who post a constant stream of curated pictures on platforms like Instagram, to reach paying customers. What do these influencers have that traditional marketing does not? An audience that brands — and the influencers themselves — hope to monetize. Hunting and fishing is a crowded field Please turn to page 18
Charging on
Tim Soderquist sends his lab, Ceyanne, on a retrieve near Port O’Connor while hunting with the Shoalwater Lodge. The calm weather did not deter the redheads that flocked into the spread. North Zone hunters started off the season strong during opening weekend, although numbers tailed off for the second weekend of the season. Read the full North Zone report on page 5. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
By Robert Sloan
Although close geographically, Choke Canyon Reservoir and Calaveras Lake have little in common. Both, though, are loaded with catfish. And during the winter months, they are two of the best if you’re in the hunt for blue cats. Calaveras, a power plant
lake, covers about 3,624 acres. The main catfish structure includes rock riprap along the dam and intake canal. Choke Canyon when full covers about 25,989 acres, however it averaged 13,056 acres in 2017-2018. Thanks to a lot of rain this past summer, the lake level has risen substantially, creating a lot of catfish structure in flooded timber
where anglers find a mix of blue, channel and flathead cats. “In my opinion Choke is one of the best catfishing lakes in Texas,” said guide Manny Martinez, who has been putting anglers on blue cats for the past 37 years. “Both lakes offer great winter fishing, with easy access to some really good catches of blues. On Choke, it’s the flooded
Blue catfish become a target for anglers as winter approaches. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.
Please turn to page 14
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10
HUNTING
FISHING
Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12
Quail hunters on the search (P. 4)
Multiple tactics working (P. 8)
Sparse north, better south.
Redfish, black drum on big feed.
Memorable days (P. 5)
Looking for rainbows (P. 9)
Youngsters get their first bucks.
Stockings about to begin.
Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 16 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 20 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 21 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 24 Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 25
INSIDE
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210
Catfish biting on Choke Canyon, Calaveras