Lone Star Outdoor News 122322

Opening day madness

By Craig Nyhus Lone Star outdoor newS

When the flounder season reopened on Dec. 15, just after midnight seemed like the opening of dove season.

“People were flounder crazy,” said Ruben, with Texas All Water Fishing, who posts YouTube videos about his fishing adventures. “It was bonkers.”

In the area he fishes near Galveston, the parking lots were packed at 2:30 a.m.

“There were boats next to boats and boats next to people wading,” Ruben said.

Fishing with Capt. Cody Dunn, they landed a dozen slot flounder each, two over 20 inches, plus a handful of smaller ones.

“A lot of limits were being

caught,” Ruben said. “We did best on live shrimp in the dark, and then on white swim mullet and white Gulp shrimp once it got to daylight.”

Dunn fished between Pelican Island and Galveston Island, and so did a lot of others.

“There were boats everywhere,” Ruben said. “And there were lots of boats at the

Causeway.”

Winds picked up on the days after the opener, greatly reducing the number of boats on the flounder-popular waters.

“Those areas are tough to cross when the winds pick up,” Ruben said. “But there have been lots of bank fishermen, too.”

Several other anglers,

Late season magic

By Nate Skinner Star outdoor newS

Deer hunters across the state are still taking to their stands as the end of the general season approaches. The rut is in various stages in different geographic regions of Texas, and one thing is for sure — those who are putting in the hours in the field are finding out that persistence and a little bit of luck pays big divi-

David Rapstine has been hunting in Karnes and Wilson counties with his wife, Taylor, and their kids. He said they have

been seeing plenty of bucks chasing does pretty hard.

“It seems that the younger bucks are starting to slow down a little bit, but the mature bucks are still covering quite a bit of ground,” Rapstine said. “Most of the rut activity seems to be taking place during the morning hours. The does are still coming to corn feeders, but the bucks don’t seem to be concerned with feed a whole lot.”

Rapstine’s wife was able to take a mature 8-point buck that was chasing a doe.

“We had never seen that buck before,” he said. “I had to bang

Get up for West Texas geese

By Robert Sloan For Lone Star outdoor newS

Goose hunting can be hit-or-miss, but your chances are better in the wide-open corn fields around the northwestern area of Texas, outside of Lubbock. The only glitch is that you have to get up at three in the morning to get a head start on what may be one of the best goose hunts you will ever have.

“You definitely have to get up early and travel a pretty good distance to reach the best fields,” said Lewis Hiltpold, who has chased ducks and geese all over the Lone Star State. “But the payoff is in the hunt. You just can’t believe the number of birds that call the northwest area of the state home for the winter. Once you meet up with your outfitter, the rest is easy, with the exception of putting out hundreds of goose decoys.

Lubbock-area goose hunters are seeing good numbers of Canada geese, along with occasional good hunts for snow geese. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Boats were out in force when flounder season reopened Dec. 15. Many anglers in the Galveston area reported catching limits using shrimp and scented plastics. Photo from Cody Dunn.

Colton Beam finally caught up with this old buck on the Lowrance Ranch after several hunters put 20 days into hunting him without success. Photo from Colton Beam.

HUNTING

Group of Texans head north for pheasants

Youngster bags piebald mourning dove

By Craig Nyhus Lone Star outdoor newS

Crockett Patton likes to hunt dove with his dad. The 14-year-old and his father, from Cedar Park, hunt east of Pflugerville. And this season, Crockett bagged a prized dove.

“Crockett has been hunting since he was 8,” said his father, Bob Ed. “He started with a .410 single shot, and 2 years ago got his 20-gauge 870. He’s a good shot.”

In September, Crockett set up near a pond while his dad, awaiting back surgery, stayed 100 yards away on flat ground.

“I watched him shoot the bird,” Bob Ed said. “Then he had trouble finding it. We were too far away to yell, so I was texting him where the mourning dove went down between two trees. He finally found it, and then the texts started coming.

Crockett’s next text read, “It’s a piebald!”

“I decided to call him,” Bob Ed said. “He wanted to bring it to me to see. I told him to protect the feathers and be extra careful carrying it or placing it in his belt pouch.”

How did the youngster know what a piebald was?

“He learned it from the hunting video games,” his father said.

When Crockett’s dad saw the bird, he was a believer.

“I’ve been dove hunting for over 40 years and never seen something like this or even heard of anyone shooting a piebald mourning dove.” Bob Ed said. “We protected it and decided to call it a morning.”

That afternoon, they returned to the field. When returning to the truck, they got a visit from Game Warden Barkley McClennan. After checking the guns, they told the warden the story.

“I told him that my son shot a piebald mourning dove,” Bob Ed said. “He was surprised and said he had never seen one, and asked if we had any pictures.”

Crockett showed the warden his photos, and McClennan asked if he could show the photos to other wardens, saying he hadn’t heard any warden mention a piebald mourning dove.

“Crockett was on cloud nine,” Bob Ed said. “The officer was very nice and excited for him. Which was cool because he loves watching the game warden shows on TV.”

The proud father may have been the most excited.

“Watching your son have an opportunity like this happen for him, is one of the best days a father can have,” Bob Ed said. “Many of the most

By Robert Sloan For Lone Star outdoor newS

While the number of hunters chasing pheasants in the state isn’t that high, many fans of the birds head north.

A group of hunters from Houston and Beaumont have made it a point to make at least one trip a year to South Dakota for wild pheasants.

“It’s truly great hunting up there,” said Mike Ramsey, who put together a group of about 15 friends for the Dakota pheasant hunt a number of years ago. “I’ve hunted birds all over Texas. But one day I decided I wanted to make a hunt for wild pheasants, not the penraised birds that so many of us have shot. I found a place out of Kimball, South Dakota, called Pheasant Crest Lodge.”

Several of the hunters in that group are fathers and sons. It’s now an annual trip.

“Our last trip was the first week of December,” said Curtis Thorpe. “We made the arrangements to stay and hunt two full days. We arrived on Friday evening. We hunted on Saturday and Sunday, and flew back on Monday.

The bird numbers were outstanding.

“When we got there on Friday it was about six degrees below zero, with wind driven snow,” Thorpe said. “It was bitter cold. Things were not much better on Saturday. We were still around zero degrees, with a high in the mid20s, and blustery winds that did not help matters. But our Sunday hunt was much more comfortable, with lots of sunshine and very little wind. The key was layering our clothing for whatever the weather would dish out.”

Most of the hunters on this hunt used semi-automatic 12-gauge shotguns. But some opted for lighter over-and-unders in 12 and 20 gauge.

Hunters appreciate the 10 a.m. start

time in the state where the ring-necked pheasant is the state bird.

“You have breakfast and hot coffee, then get geared up with warm clothing, get the guns and load up in vans that take us to nearby fields of brush and corn stubble,” Ramsey said. “You have pushers and blockers. The pushers are at one end of the field, and the blockers are positioned along both sides of the field about 50 yards apart. The pushers are with a guide and four or five Labrador retrievers. The dogs flush the birds from the stubble and brush. When it’s

Two women score first deer

By Mimi Meyer For Lone Star outdoor newS

After participating in the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Women Hunt program back in October at the FTW Ranch with no luck after several hunts, Jamie Benn and Kathryn Hunter were eager to get out in the field for more experience. The Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation gave them just that earlier this month on a ranch in Stonewall County.

Hunter, who goes by Kat, explained her previous experience of working for an outfitter, but always being behind the scenes and never getting to hunt herself. Her curiosity made her apply for the Women

Hunt program to learn to hunt for herself. Meanwhile, Benn, just into her first few months of her new position working as a research professor at Texas A&M University-Kingsville studying white-tailed deer, was interested in hunting as it pertains to the full effects on the deer population and conservation to the species. After the vigorous WH training, especially shooting, the two were so anxious to check off their first deer from the list.

“I want to harvest a deer to really complete the cycle,” Jamie said. “I have been studying deer for years and I would really like to see how it feels to close the gap full circle on the end of an animal’s life.”

The first morning was full of

Texas bird hunters often travel to South Dakota to pursue ring-necked pheasant. One group from Houston and Beaumont hunted in below zero temperatures their first day. Top photo by Lone Star Outdoor News. Right photo by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Crockett Patton, 14, bagged this piebald mourning dove in September, and plans to be dove hunting again in the late season. Photo by Bob Ed Patton.

After attending a Women Hunt Program at the FTW Ranch, both Jamie Benn, left, and Kat Hunter, right, harvested their first bucks while on a hunt with the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation. Photo by Mimi Meyer, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Lone Star outdoor newS

John and Chrissie Jackson have been selected as the joint recipients of the 2022 APHA (African Professional Hunters Association) Selous Award. The award will be presented at the Thursday night banquet (Jan. 5) at the Dallas Safari Club Conven tion.

The APHA Selous award is unique, as it is not based on numbers or sizes. Instead, it is based on a hunter’s deep-rooted passion for Africa and Af rican hunting, their desire to hunt ethically, and their attitude toward success and failure.

The Jackson’s operate Conservation Force, which advocates for conservation efforts across the globe, and provides technical and legal assistance for hunters, and has become the voice for professional hunters with governmental authorities in the U.S. and abroad.

“Your passion for hunting Africa is discernable, your unwavering support of conserva tion hunting throughout Africa is world-renowned, and your reputation among Africa’s PHs is revered,” said Mike Angelides, AFHA president.

Ducks on

way

Big cold fronts to the north could mean improving duck hunting for North and Central Texas hunters — if they have water.

According to the Ducks Unlimited Migration Map, near Waco, Jerry S. reported duck numbers are improving. However, to the east near Cayuga, reports were poor in mid-December.

Near Glen Rose, Ethan M said numbers are on the upswing. On Dec. 18, he said limits of greenwings, wigeon and gadwall were shot, and was hoping the big cold front would bring more, including some greenheads.

Michael N. reported few ducks were in the Elgin area.

Shane O. reported increasing numbers near Llano, saying he shot a limit of five gadwall and a wigeon. The birds moved late, around 9:30 a.m.

“There are tons of birds showing up,” he said.

Along the coast, reports were down from a hot start early in the season, but flooded rice and freshwater ponds inland were reporting good success.

Photo by DSC

Lone Star outdoor newS

Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News

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With 8 hours of operating time, 1024x768 video resolution, continuous digital zoom (2.4x/19.2x), lightweight and coupled with lifetime customer support, the iAiming Model 612 will be the last thermal scope you’ll buy.

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Get the iAiming smart thermal scopes, some of the most technologically advanced optics on the market and at a very competitive price point.

Geese on the plains

Then you’ve got to set up the layout blinds, cover them up with straw and get ready to shoot.”

Evan Botsford has been one of the best outfitters in this region of Texas for years. And when he calls the shot, be ready to put some of the big birds on the ground.

“It’s fun hunting,” Botsford said. “We’ll go out there with a group of hunters that are usually some pretty good shots. But when the geese are landing in the decoys it’s hard to miss the ones that are cupped and gliding in right over your head.”

The decoys are important, and so are the blinds. Lots of full-bodied decoys are used, and it takes teamwork to get them out well before the sun comes up.

The geese you normally shoot in this region of Texas are snows and lesser Canada geese.

“I’ve been hunting geese for years and there is no better place than the land outside of Lubbock,” said Ed Simmons. “There are miles upon miles of corn stubble. All of those fields attract huge numbers of geese.

Rare harvest

memorable days with my son have occurred while we were fishing or hunting. I’ve been blessed with a son who loves to do both with me.”

The dove is now with Dan Lansford at Professional Taxidermist Studio in Cedar Park.

Dove season resumed Dec. 17 in all Texas zones. It closes Jan. 1 in the North Zone, Jan. 15 in the Central Zone and Jan. 22 in the South Zone. Bob Ed and Crockett plan to return to the field.

Most of the outfitters use a combination of decoys that include snow and Canada geese. The decoys are placed on a stake, and swivel with the ever-blowing wind.

“The geese here will easily come into a spread that is laid out right,” Botsford said.

“The main thing is to use full bodied decoys that move with the wind. They really get the attention of geese. And with some good calling mixed in, we will have geese landing in the spread.”

Botsford’s hunters get in position in layout blinds.

“They are comfortable and have a low profile,” Botsford said. “The main thing is to get set up and cover your face. When I call the shot the geese will be right over the spread. It’s a lot of fun and you’ll get plenty of shots. I came up here to go to Texas Tech. After graduating I never left. That’s how good the hunting is.”

The Canada geese usually begin coming into the decoys at dawn, then the snows will begin working.”

Photo by Bob Ed Patton.

Photo by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News

Persistence pays off

on the side of the deer blind to get him to stop, and she was able to make an excellent shot.”

James Meissner hunted a property he leases in Kinney County, where he said rutting activity is just now kicking off.

“Young bucks have started pushing around does pretty hard, but the more mature bucks seemed to be more focused on working scrapes and hitting feed,” Meissner said. “Some of the does are beginning to get spread out from being chased by younger bucks.”

Meissner ended up having a hunt he will remember for many years. He was able to arrow a mature, 8-point buck, and then also harvested a free range, mature axis buck with his bow during the same evening, about an hour later.

“After I shot the buck, I decided to stay in the blind to see if an axis that I had seen on my previous trip might show up,” he explained. “He ended up working his way into bow range and I was able to make a good shot. It was a hunt I’ll never forget.”

At the 501 Ranch near Uvalde, ranch foreman and guide Miguel Morales said the bucks began rutting pretty hard around the second and third week of the month.

“We are seeing the best deer movement during cool conditions, but when there has been a steep drop in temperature overnight, the bucks have been on their feet later in the day rather than first thing in the morning,” Morales said. “We are seeing new bucks seemingly every day, and the ones that are patterning the most are on the younger side. The mature bucks have been pretty unpredictable.”

On average, Morales said his hunters are seeing 10-15 deer per sit, with some hunts resulting in 20 or more, depending on the conditions and the area of the ranch they

are hunting.

“We are encountering plenty of middleaged bucks and some in the 5.5 years or older range,” he said. “The majority of our hunts recently have been focused on targeting management-class bucks, as we are giving our trophy bucks an opportunity to rebound from the effects of the drought.”

Wildlife manager and guide for the Lowrance Ranch, Colton Beam, said the rut is pretty much over in the southeastern portion of the Panhandle in the Truscott area.

“We do have some younger does coming into season and are seeing a small second rut take place, but for the most part the majority of bucks are starting to shift their focus back towards nutrition,” Beam said.

“We’ve had a lot of moisture this year and there’s plenty of green vegetation sprouting in a lot of areas of the ranch. Rather than hitting corn feeders, the bucks are preferring to graze on the fresh browse and greenery.”

Beam was fortunate enough to harvest a buck recently that several hunters have put considerable efforts into chasing this season without getting a shot.

“Over 20 full days of hunting have gone into tracking this buck down, and nobody had seen him in person since last October in 2021,” Beam said. “I had cattle come in to the setup I was hunting during an afternoon sit. They hung around for the entirety of the hunt. I had all but decided to get out of the blind and cut my hunt short, and had unzipped the blind when I saw a young buck coming toward me. A mature buck was following him, and I quickly realized it was the elusive one I was after. I was able to stop him and make the right shot, and the rest is history.”

Beam estimated the buck to be 6 or 7 years old.

Trip for roosters

Continued from page 4

done right, most of the hunters get multiple shots at the pheasants that are flying high and fast.”

The groups head to three or four different areas to hunt throughout the day.

“The nice thing is we never hunted the same field in two days of hunting,” Thorpe said. “We got plenty of shots, it’s always a pleasure to watch the dogs flush the birds then retrieve them.”

It is world-class wingshooting. Brian Havlik, whose family has owned the farmland ranch for 30 years, directs all the hunts on the 10,000-acre property.

“It’s classic hunting on the South Dakota prairie,” Ramsey said.

According to Havlik, their farmland has the highest population of native wild pheasant in the world. The season opens in October and runs through Jan. 31.

At the end of the trip your birds are frozen and placed in small coolers for each hunter. All the shotgun shells are provided. Plus, the gourmet meals are excellent. And each hunter has his or her own room.

“It’s about as good as a bird hunt can get,” Thorpe said.

Taylor Rapstine harvested this 8-point buck that was chasing a doe in the southern portion of Wilson County. Photo by David Rapstine.

The channel catfish bite on Squaw Creek Reservoir has been on fire, with boats bringing in more than 100 per day. Photo by Kraig Sexton.

FISHING

Catfish frenzy at Squaw Creek

By Craig Nyhus Lone Star outdoor newS

Squaw Creek Reservoir used to be a favorite spot for wintertime bass tournaments.

For the last two-plus years, though, access hasn’t been allowed. But Squaw Creek Park reopened Oct.

Bass spread out in Central Texas lakes

By Nate Skinner For Lone Star outdoor newS

Anglers and fishing guides are getting plenty of bites on various lakes in the central portion of the state while targeting bass. With the weather constantly changing from warm to cold, the fish do not seem to be holding to any specific patterns or areas. Folks who have been willing to cover water and employ a variety of techniques have been able to hook up consistently.

Austin-area guide Ander Meine has been spending plenty of time on Decker Lake, where the bass have been biting better on cooler days after weather changes.

“The bite has been pretty slow until you find the right spot where they are stacked up,” Meine said. “Once you find the right shoreline or the right stretch of grass where they are staging, it’s game on.”

Lately, the fish have been along the outside edges of grass in water depths anywhere from 10 to 15 feet.

“There really has not been a significant consistent pattern, other than

the bass have definitely been hanging along the deep edges of grass beds,” Meine said. “The spots holding the most fish seem to have a little bit steeper drop-off or transition to deeper water. Anywhere along the outside edge of the grass that drops off quicker into deeper water in relation to the surrounding area, is a good spot to focus on.”

Meine has been getting most of his bites using drop shot rigs. Crankbaits have been a good locator bait presentation, and the majority of bass he is catching are in the 2- to 3.5-pound range.

On Lake Travis, Ray Tomasits said his anglers have been catching anywhere from 15 to 30 bass per day.

“Swimbaits, jigs, and various soft plastics have been drawing the most strikes over areas with chunk rock in water depths of 5 to 15 feet,” Tomasits said. “There are some fish out deep as well, but we’ve still got quite a few fish hanging out in relatively shallow water.”

Most of the fish are in the 2 to 3.5-pound range, but Tomasits has been seeing a few pushing 5 pounds

1 after closures associated with pandemic concerns.

Kraig Sexton, of Sexton’s Guide Service, fishes for striped bass on Possum Kingdom Lake, Lake Granbury and Lake Whitney. For catfish, though, he has been heading to Squaw Creek.

“They are very consis-

tent right now,” Sexton said. “I’ve been chumming with range cubes and using Mr. Whisker’s punch bait. Some of the guys use soured maize to chum.”

The best depth for Sexton has been from 17-20 feet.

“The more you chum, the longer the fish stay,” he

said.

All of the fish are channel cats between 2 and 4 pounds.

“You’ll catch a lot them,” Sexton said. “Once you get them going, you can catch them on hot dogs.”

Sexton recently had a group no-show and was heading home.

Guide, teacher shares passion for both

By Nate Skinner For Lone Star outdoor newS

Capt. James Sanchez is a Corpus Christi-area fishing guide who focuses on wade-fishing and drift-fishing with artificial lures with his clients. He is also a 7th grade science teacher who holds a masters degree in biology. Sanchez uses his teaching background, education, and love for the outdoors and angling, to make a difference in his coastal community, both in the classroom and on the water.

Sanchez grew up in the San Antonio area, and started fishing with his dad at the young age of 4 or 5. His earliest memory of fishing occurred on Canyon Lake during the summertime.

“My dad took me to Canyon Lake, and I remember it being a really hot, summer day,” Sanchez explained. “We fished all day, and we didn’t catch anything. I remember falling asleep and waking up in my dad’s pickup truck, and so I asked him if we were headed home, and he told me that we were.

I was immediately disappointed that we were done fishing, even though we hadn’t had any luck.

“My dad says he knew, right then and there, that I was going to become a determined angler, because at that young age, it didn’t bother me that we didn’t catch any fish.”

When he was in the first grade, Sanchez said his dad picked him up from school one day and surprised him with a brand new rod and reel.

“He then took me down to Corpus for the weekend, and we had a banner trip catching not only limits of trout, but also a 30-inch speckled trout,” Sanchez said. “Some 30 years later, I still remember how beautiful that trophy fish was, and even though I didn’t realize as a kid how incredible of a feat that was when my dad landed that fish, that moment is what really solidified my addiction to Texas inshore fishing.”

From that moment on, Sanchez began reading fishing magazines, doing research and spending as much time as

he could learning how to become a better angler. Throughout his grade school and high school years, he and his family traveled to the coast for vacation and his passion for fishing continued to grow.

“I started wade-fishing with lures when I was 14 years old, and I was addicted to fooling fish with a piece of plastic,” Sanchez said.

While growing up, Sanchez had a goal of attending Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi to study Marine Biology and live on the coast where he could go fishing as much as possible.

“I remember telling my dad about my goals to come to Corpus for school when I was a kid, and I was fortunate enough to be able to accomplish that goal,” he said.

In 2007, Sanchez moved to Corpus Christi to study at the university. After earning his undergraduate degree, he continued to pursue a graduate degree, and earned his Masters before becoming a teacher.

Aaron Haynes shows a Lake Travis bass that he caught with guide Ray Tomasits. Photo by Ray Tomasits.

Capt. James Sanchez is a Corpus Christi-area fishing guide who uses his passion for teaching to help anglers achieve success on the water. Photo from James Sanchez.

Survey on Bois d’Arc

Inland Fisheries Denison District conducted one of the first standard electrofishing surveys last month on the new Bois d’Arc Lake. Biologists said the results were promising.

“There are two strong year classes of bass hatched in 2022 and 2021, reaching up to about 12-inches in length,” the district noted. “However, these fish are weighing about 10 to 20 percent more than a bass of that size normally weighs.

The biologists reported the adult bass, including ones stocked by the department, were scattered taking advantage of the robust habitat available in the lake.

“We only managed to catch three in about an hour. However, the heaviest was a 17inch bass that was over 4 pounds, almost twice the weight of a normal 17-inch bass.”

Bois d’Arc has received significant rain in the past month and the lake has risen 3.5 feet. However, several more feet of water is needed before the boat ramps will become usable.

Fish habitat added to Lake Bryan

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Inland Fisheries Division, local anglers and the Bryan Texas Utilities Department collaborated with Major League Fishing on a project to install new fish habitat in Lake Bryan.

MLF Fisheries Management Division, in partnership with Berkley Labs, spearheaded the initiative to improve catfish, crappie, largemouth bass and bluegill spawning survival, adult population density and catchability. TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division deployed its habitat barge to aid in the two-day installation, assembled by TPWD, MLF and BTUD staff along with local volunteers.

The structures deployed included 14 MossBack Fish Habitat Conservation Cubes, 12 Spawning Beds, 21 Trophy Tree XLs and 21 Safe Haven XLs. BTUD provided 33 concrete trash receptacle enclosures for use as catfish spawning habitat. Lowe’s of Bryan donated 100 cinder blocks for the MossBack structures and pea gravel to fill the spawning beds.

GPS coordinates for the new fishing structures will be posted on the Lake Bryan fish habitat structures website. —TPWD

December flatfish

including Jessie and Dennis Garcia, posted their success of landing limits on Dec. 15.

The Coastal Fisheries division of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department also was interested in the number of flounder being brought in. A public meeting on Dec. 6, the division outlined a new nighttime flounder harvest study, along with ways recreational anglers to self-report their catches using the My Texas Hunt Harvest App.

“Participation from the recreational angling community is imperative to this research study and will help the Coastal Fisheries Division obtain vital informa-

tion regarding flounder populations on the coast,” the division said in the notice of the meeting.

Some anglers were skeptical, while others supported obtaining more information about nighttime harvest of flounder.

“This whole effort is an attempt to gather more data and augment daytime creel survey data with nighttime data on a species that is more commonly targeted at night,” posted AggieAngler on 2coolfishing.com.

SeaOx posted the opposing viewpoint.

“I think it’s the beginning of the end, or at least restrictions, for gigging,” he said.

The TPWD habitat barge utilizes its hydraulic deck and dumps fish habitat into Lake Bryan. Photos from TPWD.

ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 51 degrees; 9.61’ low. Crappie are good over trees on jigs and minnows.

AMISTAD: Water stained; 64 degrees; 35.95’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged plastics and shad-colored soft jerkbaits.

ARLINGTON: Water lightly stained; 58 degrees; 0.84’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits, football jigs and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and chicken liver.

ATHENS: Water clear; 58-61 degrees; 0.88’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jigs and drop-shot worms. Crappie are good on minnows and small jigs.

AUSTIN: Water clear; 60 degrees; 0.69’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jerkbaits and drop shots.

B.A. STEINHAGEN: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.43’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters, spinner baits and swim jigs around grass.

BASTROP: Water clear; 65 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, shallow crankbaits, wakebaits and craws.

BELTON: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 13.08’ low. White bass and hybrids are fair to good on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows.

BENBROOK: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 5.69’ low. Catfish are good at the south end of the lake on juglines and trotlines baited with chicken liver and hot dogs.

BOB SANDLIN: Water stained; 61 degrees; 1.10’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on shallow crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on jigs or minnows. Catfish are fair on prepared baits.

BRADY: Water stained; 60 degrees; 10.27’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics and square-billed crankbaits. White bass are fair on top-waters and crankbaits. Catfish are fair on trotlines with perch or shad.

BRAUNIG: Water slightly stained; 71 degrees. Largemouth bass are slow. Red drum are fair in between cold fronts on live bait, cut shad and shrimp. Catfish are fair on cheese bait and nightcrawlers.

BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 55 degrees; 8.74’ low. Largemouth bass are good shallow on jigs and craws. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass and hybrids are fair on slabs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

BROWNWOOD: Water slightly stained; 58-61 degrees; 7.91’ low. Largemouth bass are very good on crankbaits. Crappie are slow. White bass are slow. Catfish are fair on cut shad.

BUCHANAN: Water lightly stained; 57 degrees; 16.87’ low. Crappie are good on orange and black jigs. Catfish are fair to good on punch bait.

CADDO: Water stained; 60

degrees; 1.12’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on shad lipless crankbaits, spoons and chatterbaits.

CALAVERAS: Water slightly stained, 68-72 degrees. Largemouth bass are slow. Red drum are fair on live bait and cut shad. Catfish are slow.

CANYON: Water clear; 57 degrees; 9.61’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits and Texas rigs. Striped bass are good on top-waters and deadsticking live bait and slabs. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on trotlines with live perch.

CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 53-57 degrees; 3.23’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on chartreuse and black or red square-billed crankbaits. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. White bass and hybrids are good on slabs. Catfish are fair on live or cut shad.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 62 degrees; 23.61’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are fair on jigging spoons or minnows.

COLEMAN: Water slightly stained; 60 degrees; 5.08’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jerkbaits and crankbaits. Hybrid striped bass are good on lipless crankbaits and slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.

CONROE: Water stained; 65 degrees; 1.46’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on lipless crankbaits and dark soft plastics. Crappie are good on hair jigs. Hybrid striped bass are good on chartreuse and white slabs. Catfish are good on catfish bubble gum and punch bait. Blue catfish are good on cut bait.

COOPER: Water lightly stained; 65 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits. White bass are fair on white jigging spoons. Catfish are good on cut bait.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Water stained; 62 degrees; 3.15’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut perch and soap baits.

EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water stained; 57 degrees; 4.16’ low. White bass are fair to good on spoons. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and minnows. Blue catfish and channel catfish are good on punch bait and shad.

FAIRFIELD: Water slightly stained; 65 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, Carolina rigs and wacky worms. Bluegill are good on earthworms.

FALCON: Water stained; 56-60 degrees; 39.73’

low. Largemouth bass are excellent on football jigs and Carolina rigs. Crappie are good on minnows and grubs. Catfish are good on cut bait, shad and shrimp.

FAYETTE: Water lightly stained; 57 degrees; 1.50’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shad crankbaits and Texas-rigged plastics. Catfish are good on punch bait and chicken liver.

FORK: Water stained; 54-57 degrees; 5.42’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits, Carolina rigs and jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows.

GRANBURY: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 2.02’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and crankbaits. Striped bass are fair to good on live shad and jigs. Crappie are good on small jigs. Blue catfish are good on cut shad.

GRANGER: Water lightly stained; 64 degrees; 0.65’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs. White bass are slow. Blue catfish are good on shad.

GRAPEVINE: Water stained; 54 degrees; 1.19’ high. White bass are fair on white jigging spoons with a scented plastic tied above.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 65 degrees; 1.48’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Ned rigs and wacky worms. Crappie are fair on minnows.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water stained; 58-63 degrees; 7.10’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Carolina rigs, crankbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on live and cut shad.

JOE POOL: Water slightly stained; 57 degrees; 0.96’ high. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on Texas-rigged worms and jerkbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and bright jigs.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.14’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on shallow crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs or minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 1.90’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Alabama rigs, swimbaits and large spoons. Crappie are good on jigs. White bass are fair on white and chartreuse slabs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

LBJ: Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.22’ low. Crappie are good on chartreuse jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 58 degrees; 2.66’ low. White bass are fair on slabs, small swimbaits and

live bait. Catfish are good drifting cut shad or chicken breasts.

LIMESTONE: Water clear; 65 degrees; 5.48’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, chatterbaits, and jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good on silver jigging spoons. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 70 degrees; 0.19’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good drifting cut bait.

MARTIN CREEK: Water lightly stained; 62-71 degrees; 3.69’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on plum and watermelon red worms. Crappie are slow.

MEREDITH: Water stained; 46 degrees; 54.62’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on minnows and artificials. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good on minnows and jigs with curly tailed grubs. Walleye are fair on minnows, crawlers and artificials. Catfish are fair on minnows and frozen shad.

MILLERS CREEK: Water stained; 55 degrees; 5.47’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics and topwaters. Crappie are fair on minnows and small jigs. White bass are fair on slabs and spoons. Catfish are good on cut bait and cheese bait.

NACONICHE: Water clear to stained; 63 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on Alabama rigs and deep-diving crankbaits. Catfish are slow.

NASWORTHY: Water murky; 52 degrees; 0.84’ low. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on jigs and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on black and chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 58 degrees; 2.87’ low. Crappie are good in timber on minnows.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 55 degrees; 22.83’ low. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits and soft plastics. White bass are fair on live bait and crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on prepared baits, cut bait and live bait.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 1.88’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on Carolina rigs and black and blue jigs. Crappie are good on green jigs tipped with minnows. White bass are slow. Blue catfish are good on trotlines and juglines with perch. Channel catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers, cut shad and punch bait.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water lightly stained; 56 degrees;

5.73’ low. Striped bass are good on live bait and slabs. White bass are good on chartreuse, white or pink slabs, small spoons and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

PROCTOR: Water stained; 56 degrees; 8.81’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 56-60 degrees; 0.08’ low. White bass are good on slabs and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good drifting with cut bait drifting.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 56 degrees; 1.48’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are good jigging with slabs with a bucktail trailer. Blue and some channel catfish are good on cut shad or on the slabs.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water clear; 56 degrees; 4.44’ low. White bass and undersized hybrids are very good on slabs. Channel and blue catfish are excellent on punch bait.

SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 64 degrees; 6.31’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, spoons and soft plastics.

Crappie are good in the creek channel on road runners and cork and minnows. Catfish are good on minnows and cut bait.

SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 59 degrees; 5.56’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on craw jigs and shad crankbaits. Crappie are fair on main lake brush piles with minnows. White bass are slow. Catfish are fair to good on juglines baited with shad.

SPENCE: Water stained; 60 degrees. 44.11’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on square-billed crankbaits. Catfish are slow.

SQUAW CREEK: Water clear; 69-72 degrees. Channel catfish are excellent on minnows, cut shad and punch bait.

STILLHOUSE HOLLOW: Water lightly stained; 61 degrees; 10.78’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on dark jigs with trailers. White bass are fair to good, best during colder and windier weather, on white slabs. the grass.

TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 61 degrees; 1.20’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits. Hybrid stripers and white bass are good on slabs, spinner baits and chartreuse swimbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Channel catfish are good on small pieces of cut shad. Blue catfish are fair on cut gizzard shad.

TEXANA: Water stained; 62 degrees; 1.26’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on chatterbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and cut bait.

TEXOMA: Water stained; 65 degrees; 1.03’ low. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are fair on live shad. Striped bass are very good on Alabama rigs, swimbaits and live bait. Crappie are good on chartreuse jigs and dead minnows. Blue and channel catfish are good on cut shad.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 54 degrees; 3.86’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chatterbaits, square-billed crankbaits, Carolina-rigged worms and a jig-and-pig. Crappie are good on jigs and small minnows.

TRAVIS: Water slightly stained; 62 degrees; 40.52’ low. Largemouth bass are good on small crankbaits, jerkbaits and creature baits.

TWIN BUTTES: Water stained; 57 degrees; 22.40’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Alabama rigs. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel catfish are fair on stink bait and cut bait.

TYLER: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 2.75’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow to fair on nightcrawlers and liver.

WACO: Water stained; 64 degrees; 11.24’ low. Crappie are good on minnows and black and chartreuse jigs.

WALTER E. LONG: Water clear; 60 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, jerkbait and swimbaits.

WHITNEY: Water lightly stained; 63 degrees; 7.02 feet below pool. Crappie are good on black and chartreuse jigs. Striped bass are good on slabs and swimbaits.

WORTH: Water stained; 58 degrees; 2.33’ low. White bass are fair to good on spoons. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfish and channel catfish are good on cut bait, shad and punch bait.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 54 degrees; 8.46’ high. Channel catfish are good on punch bait. Blue catfish are good dragging cut shad.

By Lili Keys Lone Star outdoor newS

Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation’s mission is all about one thing – providing opportunities.

Finding and cultivating future hunters and anglers is crucial to the survival of our passion for the outdoors. Unfortunately, many people never get the chance to have these life-changing experiences. Maybe they had parents who didn’t hunt; maybe they are from a single-parent household and need someone

to give them a gentle nudge into the outdoors. Texas is full of people wanting to become outdoorsmen or outdoorswomen, but they don’t know where to start.

In 2022, LSONF introduced nearly 30 people to the outdoors.

Jarrod Smith took his first deer at 40 years old.

“This is definitely just the start for me,” Smith said. “I want to get with guides and do some saltwater fishing this spring and get the boys out on Lake Conroe to

catch some fish. And I think my 11-year-old is mature enough to go out with me hunting.”

LSONF partnered with the Delta Waterfowl R3 program again this year to get 10 wildlife students from Texas A&MKingsville out in a duck blind for the first time. One of the students, Andres Rosales, shot a beautiful green-winged teal and had already made plans with his mom to get it mounted as his Christmas present this year. He couldn’t wait to get it back home to a taxidermist.

Working with the Texas Dove Hunters Association, LSONF took Texas Sen. Donna Campbell, M.D. and fellow staff members on their first dove hunt this September.

And it’s not just hunting. Five friends from San Antonio headed to Rockport over the summer for a weekend of fishing. Gabe Constantine caught his first fish and everyone in the group caught their first black drum. Most fish caught were undersized, but Courtney Cargil hooked one keeper, and the

group took it to a local restaurant to be prepared and shared.

This year, LSONF’s Wild Game Night raised more than $30,000 with the help of generous donations by our sponsors and patrons. The annual event will be celebrating its 12th year on Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at the Beretta Gallery in Dallas.

We hope you will look at our mission statement and consider becoming a donor or sponsor to help us pursue these worthwhile, and vital, causes.

Photos from Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation

SIX HUNDRED POUNDS OF SNAPPER SEIZED

The Coast Guard interdicted two lancha crews and seized 600 pounds of illegally caught fish in federal waters. Notification was received from a Coast Guard aircrew of lanchas engaged in illegal fishing approximately 8 miles north of the Maritime Boundary Line. Two crews launched to intercept the lanchas. The boat crews arrived and seized two lanchas with high flyers, GPS devices, radios, fishing gear, two sharks and a combined 600 pounds of red snapper on board. The crews detained the Mexican fishermen and transferred them to border enforcement agents for processing.

FELON CLAIMS DOVE FELL OUT OF TREE

While patrolling late at night, a Bastrop County game warden heard multiple shots from a nearby property. As he arrived, a truck exited the property, and he initiated a traffic stop. He immediately recognized the driver as a convicted felon he had previously arrested twice. The driver admitted to multiple guns in the truck and claimed they be-

HEADLESS DEER ON THE GOLF CART

On. Dec. 6 at approximately 6:05 p.m., a landowner’s game camera captured images of a male subject driving a golf cart on private property with what appeared to be a headless white-tailed deer on the back. Minutes later, the same golf cart was pictured leaving the property without

the deer on the back of the cart. The incident occurred in the community of Fulbrook, near Riverlake Road in Fort Bend County. Please call Operation Game Thief with information. A reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible.

the phone. The caller identified herself as the suspect’s mother. Believing the officers were buddies of her adult child and playing a joke on her, she identified the suspect and demanded to speak with them. The wardens explained the situation and discovered that over the years, the suspect accumulated multiple felony warrants.

TRESPASSER SOUGHT AFTER WHACKING GAME CAMERA

longed to the passenger. However, the passenger could not answer basic questions on the firearms like how many or what kind they were.

The warden also recovered a fish shocker in the backseat and two freshly killed mourning dove in the bed of the truck. The individuals claimed the dove had somehow fallen out of a tree and into the truck. Altogether, the warden seized seven firearms, one shocking device and the two dove. Dispatch confirmed one of the firearms was stolen. The male subject was ar-

rested for unlawful possession of firearms by a felon and possessing a shocker within a half-mile from public water. The female passenger was arrested on 11 outstanding warrants.

ALWAYS COUNT ON MOM

Tom Green County game wardens patrolled a city street late at night, when a vehicle sped by in a 40mph zone. The warden sped up to catch the vehicle and finally paced him at 60 mph. The warden attempted to stop the vehicle, but

the driver evaded. The suspect drove down a residential alley and crashed into a garage. The suspect abandoned their vehicle and fled on foot. Multiple agencies responded to assist with the crash and search for the suspect. During the investigation, wardens could hear the suspect’s cell phone ring over and over. Once in the vehicle, they found the cell phone connected via Bluetooth. The phone continued to ring as they gathered evidence. Eventually, wardens along with their city police counterparts answered

On Nov. 29, an individual was caught on camera trespassing on the Bar 7 Ranch located in Roberts County. The individual vandalized a game camera and also is suspected of poaching. Please call Operation Game Thief with any information.

REPORT ILLEGAL HUNTING AND FISHING ACTIVITY FOR A REWARD OF UP TO $1,000. CALL OPERATION GAME THIEF AT (800) 792-4263

HEROES

Grace Hamilton Tyler, 7, shot her first buck with a 6.5 Grendel on Big Branch Ranch in Blanco County.

DSC exhibitor, Jojo Tobey, right, of Joshua Tobey Studios, hunted this Beceite ibex in Spain.

Hunter Wolter, 8, shot his first deer with his dad, Clay, on their family ranch in Jackson County.

Lauren Wolter, 9, shot her first buck, a 9-pointer, with a .300 Blackout with her dad on their family ranch in Jackson County.

Curry Dullnig, 7, shot his first buck. On the same trip, he also shot a raccoon and a javelina.

Congressional caucus spans all 50 states

The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation announced the launch of the Hawaii Legislative Outdoor Heritage Caucus – the 50th and final state to join the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses. Started in 2004, the NASC network has grown to include more than 2,000 legislators and with the inclusion of Hawaii, now contains legislative sportsmen’s caucuses in all 50 states.

WYOMING

—CSF

Massive poaching case solved

Three men were charged with more than 100 wildlife violations in one of the largest poaching cases in Wyoming history. The felony and misdemeanor charges were the result of a 7-year, multi-agency investigation spanning four states and involving state and federal wildlife law enforcement officers, county and federal prosecutors, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department forensic laboratory personnel and others. The charges were prosecuted across four different Wyoming counties.

Russell Vick, of Alabama, Robert Underwood, of Oklahoma, and David Underwood, of South Dakota were convicted of numerous wildlife offenses and cumulatively fined $171,230 and $131,550 in restitution.

The case began in October 2015 when a Gillette game warden received a request from a hunter for an interstate game tag to accompany a deer head as it was shipped to Vick for taxidermy work at an Alabama address. However, a database search showed Vick having a Wyoming address and that he purchased Wyoming resident hunting licenses for several years.

As the investigation of Vick widened to include cellular and social media sources, evidence mounted against his acquaintances Robert Underwood and his son, David, both former Gillette residents. Multiple Wyoming resident hunting licenses and preference

Cats galore

points purchased in those names often shared a Gillette address on the applications.

A federal search warrant was executed on Vick’s residence in May 2017. Simultaneously, a federal search warrant was executed on David Underwood’s residence in Edgemont, South Dakota, and Robert Underwood was interviewed at his home in Jones, Oklahoma. Numerous elk, deer, pronghorn and a bighorn sheep ram mount were seized, along with digital evidence.

A second federal search warrant was conducted in November 2017 after officers learned Vick had removed more than a dozen wildlife mounts from his residence, including three bull moose and three bighorn sheep rams. The mounts were tied back to locations in Wyoming where Vick poached these animals. They were later found hidden in a trailer he had removed from his property and stashed over 60 miles away from his residence in Alabama.

—WGFD

INTERNATIONAL

EGYPT

Shotgunners win medals

Caitlin Connor and Vincent Hancock earned two medals at the 2022 ISSF President’s Cup in Cairo, Egypt, from Nov. 28-Dec. 4.

Connor, ranked fourth in the world for Women’s Skeet, earned a gold medal after competing with Martina Bartolomei of Italy in the gold medal match and achieving the Golden Target Award based on her performance. Connor also is the assistant program development and competition manager and assistant shotgun coach at Hillsdale College in Michigan.

Hancock, a three-time Olympic gold medalist ranked first in the world in Men’s Skeet, won a bronze medal after a strong performance in the semi-final round.

—Staff report

“I got to the highway, flipped a U-turn and headed back,” he said. “I caught a one-man limit of eater sized channel cats in no time at the first stop and then caught several more fish while doing a bit of scouting.”

Mike Watkins, of Personal Best Guide Service, took his wife, daughter and her boyfriend to the lake, and they caught about 170 channel cats.

“Some days I’m the guide, and some days I get to be a dad,” he said.

Watkins fished deeper, about 30 feet, and also used Mr. Whiskers punch bait.

“The catfishing is still on fire, with crazy action of eater-sized channels,” he said. “It’s a great time to get the kiddos out on the water and let them have a blast reeling in one fish after another.”

Squaw Creek Park is owned and operated by Luminant and is part of the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant in Somervell County. The 3,275-acre lake provides cooling water for the power plant and is a popular location for bass and catfish anglers.

To access by boat, a reservation is required, with a maximum of 150 boats per day allowed. Access for bank fishing is available without reservation. The cost to access the park is $30 per boat with up to four people in the same vehicle. The fee is $5 per person for bank fishing and $10 for kayaks. The park’s hours of operation are 6:30 a.m. through 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday for bank and boat fishing. Boats must be off the water by 3:30 p.m.

Searching for bass

Continued from page 8

or more.

“The fish have been on the move,” Tomasits said. “We recently got some cooler weather, but prior to this, it was warm for a long time. I’ve really had to cover water in order to find good numbers of bass. They definitely haven’t been stacked up in one area.”

Fayette County Reservoir guide Rick Denton said deep-water stretches have been holding the most fish.

“Creek channels with water depths ranging from 18 to 30 feet have been the ticket,” Denton said. “You just have to find where they are concentrating along these creek channels. Bends in channels, drop offs, and anywhere there are significant changes along the bottom in deep water are great places to look for schools of bass.”

Denton has been getting plenty of bites on crankbaits, large plastic worms and jigs. He’s been consistently catching them up to 4-5 pounds, with some bass pushing 6-8 pounds mixed in.

“Anything that will get you down deep where the fish are will work,” he said.

e r o e s

9:59 PM 1.05H Jan 2 6:34 AM -0.50L 3:09 PM 1.45H Jan 3 7:07 AM -0.64L 3:57 PM 1.52H Jan 4 7:41 AM -0.71L 4:33 PM 1.54H Jan 5 8:18 AM -0.74L 5:06 PM 1.51H Jan 6 8:56 AM -0.74L 5:40 PM 1.45H

Dec 23 11:08 AM -0.09L Dec 24 12:26 AM 0.52H 12:03 PM -0.09L Dec 25 2:00 AM 0.51H 12:56 PM -0.07L Dec 26 2:42 AM 0.49H 1:48 PM -0.03L Dec 27 2:33 AM 0.45H 2:41 PM 0.02L Dec 28 1:28 AM 0.41H 3:40 PM 0.09L 11:45 PM 0.37H Dec 29 4:49 PM 0.18L 10:50 PM 0.36H Dec 30 6:35 AM 0.20L 2:20 PM 0.29H 6:05 PM 0.26L 10:43 PM 0.37H Dec 31 6:56 AM 0.11L 10:20 PM 0.38H Jan 1 7:21 AM -0.45L 5:22 PM -0.04H

Jan 2 7:59 AM -0.52L 6:43 PM -0.04H

Jan 3 8:40 AM -0.57L 7:59 PM -0.06H

Jan 4 9:26 AM -0.59L 9:05 PM -0.09H

Jan 5 10:14 AM -0.60L 10:08 PM -0.13H

Jan 6 11:01 AM -0.61L 11:26 PM -0.16H

LONE STAR OUTDOOR PUZZLER

Wolf joins Otis

INDUSTRY

Otis Technology added Jacob Wolf to its sales team as Central Region sales manager.

Crossbow mag acquired

Outdoor Specialty Media Group announced the acquisition of Crossbow Magazine

Agency for Bear Forest Knives

Bear Forest Knives selected Source Outdoor Group as its marketing and public relations firm.

Bass Champs, Skeeter deal

Skeeter Boats renewed its role as Title Sponsor of Bass Champs for the next 3 years.

iAiming comes to Texas

iAiming expanded into North America, with headquarters in Arlington, Texas. The company appointed Tom Weeks as vice president of operations in the U.S.

New president at AMMO, Inc.

AMMO, Inc. hired Jared Smith as president and chief operating officer.

Corporate manager at PF/QF

Shannon Hoheisel joined Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever as corporate products manager.

New VP at TenPoint

TenPoint Crossbow Technologies promoted Keith Arnold to vice president of sales.

Mount Pleasant’s county

A favorite deer food

One of Texas’ ports

Reel manufacturer

Texas border lake

Bryan’s county

The young hen turkey

Fishing kayak brand

Catfish with a large dorsal fin

East Texas lake

Site of HSCF convention

Shotshell brand

Makes the Super Black Eagle

Montgomery County’s seat 25) One of the Great Lakes

Odessa’s county 29) An African wild cat

The baby swan

Fishing hook type

Greenville’s county

Sheep hunting state

The goose sound

Preparing the hide

Mourning, white-winged or Eurasian

A Texas bay

Thermal scope brand

Hunting boot brand

Deer alarm sound

Salmon species

Namibia’s capital 44) A lure brand 45) The female red stag

Ground venison stroganoff

1 lb. ground venison

1 cup sour cream

11/2 cups beef broth

1 small onion

1 stalk celery

2 tbsp. garlic, minced

1 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 10 oz. can sliced mushrooms

1 stick butter

2 tbsp. oil

Salt and pepper to taste

12 oz. egg noodles

Brown venison in a large skillet with oil and 1 tbsp. butter. Season with salt and pepper. Remove venison and add mushrooms, chopped onion, celery and 2 tbsps. butter to the skillet. Cook until tender. Sprinkle in flour and mix with the vegetable mix, after 20 seconds or so, whisk in the broth and Worcestershire. Add sour cream and stir until mix begins to bubble, add the venison back in and simmer for a few minutes. Serve over buttered noodles or rice.

—AGFC

1 flounder 2 sticks butter 1 stalk celery, minced 1/2 bunch green onions, minced 1/2 bunch parsley, minced 1/2 lbs. crabmeat 1 cup chopped mushrooms French bread 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté celery, green onions and parsley in butter. Add crabmeat and chopped mushrooms. Wet French bread, squeeze excess water from it and shred into mixture. Season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Remove backbone and split flounder down center of the top side. Lift up both halves of fish flesh and stuff with dressing. Dot with butter and bake stuffed fish at 400 degrees until fish flakes off with fork.

Puzzle by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News

Teaching and guiding

DATEBOOK

JANUARY 1

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

Permian Basin Chapter

Odessa Country Club (432) 230-4399 nwtf.org

JANUARY 5-8

DALLAS SAFARI CLUB

Convention & Sporting Expo

Kay Bailey Huchison Convention Center (972) 972-9800 biggame.org

JANUARY 8

DSC PRAYER BREAKFAST

Omni Hotel, Trinity Ballroom christian-sportsmen.org

JANUARY 13-14

DEER BREEDERS CORP

Annual New Year’s Auction

Horseshoe Bay Resort (972) 289-3100 dbcdeer.com

JANUARY 14

WEST TEXAS SCI

West Texas Hunting Extravaganza Midland County Horseshoe Pavilion info@westtexassci.com sciwesttexas.godaddysites.com

JANUARY 17

DELTA WATERFOWL

Leon County Banquet

Leon County Expo Center, Buffalo (903) 388-4705 deltawaterfowl.org

JANUARY 28-29

TEXAS GUN & KNIFE SHOWS

Gun Show

Abilene Convention Center (830) 285-0575

texasgunandknifeshows.com

FEBRUARY 1

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Tri-County Hereford Dinner

Hereford Country Club (806) 240-1184 ducks.org

FEBRUARY 3

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION

Victoria Banquet Victoria Community Center (361) 649-4751 rmef.org

FEBRUARY 4

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

Houston Banquet

Houston Distributing Company (713) 515-7796 nwtf.org

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Mexia Dinner

The Cowboy Club (254) 625-1111 ducks.org

FEBRUARY 11-12

TEXAS GUN & KNIFE SHOWS

Gun Show

Fredericksburg Fairgrounds (830) 285-0575 texasgunandknifeshows.com

was able to develop positive relationships with kids who were struggling with school, and motivate them to take their education seriously.

“I saw students that, even though they grew up around it, didn’t know anything about the coastal resources and the science that goes along with it, take an interest in the things that I was passionate about — the local bay systems and fisheries,” Sanchez said. “This really motivated me to become a teacher.”

While in school, Sanchez continued to fish as much as possible with the goal of one day becoming confident enough in his skills to become a guide. He was successful in some fishing tournaments, and was able to secure a sponsorship with KWigglers, and eventually became their pro-staff coordinator. In October of 2021, he became a licensed fishing guide and started his charter fishing business.

“Getting involved with KWigglers allowed me to meet some experienced fish-

ing guides that really became important mentors for me,” Sanchez said. “Without friends like Capt. Ernest Cisneros and Capt. Wayne Davis, along with several others, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish my goal of becoming a fishing guide.”

Sanchez’s passion for teaching and passion for fishing comes full circle. In his classroom, he tries to be as hands-on as possible, and comes up with captivating lab projects for students to participate in that relate to the local fishery. On the water, he strives to show others new ways to achieve success, and wants them to end their trip with him having learned something that will help them become a better angler.

“At the end of the day, if I can expose someone to something that causes them to learn and grow, then I’d call that day a success,” Sanchez said. “Whether that’s teaching students about the fish that thrive within the estuary that surrounds their hometown, or teaching anglers how to catch fish on lures for the first time, that’s why I do what I do.”

Capt. James Sanchez fights a speckled trout while wade-fishing near Corpus Christi. Photo from James Sanchez.

TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT

SABINE LAKE: 65 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good drifting over shell flats on glo chartreuse artificials and dark-colored plastics. Black drum are fair on a Carolina rig with live shrimp.

BOLIVAR: 66 degrees. Redfish are fair on a popping cork with shrimp and split tails.

TRINITY BAY: 70 degrees. Speckled trout, redfish and black drum bite are fair on live shrimp.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: 69 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair on soft plastics and live shrimp. Black drum are fair on shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: 69 degrees. Speckled trout, redfish and black drum are fair over deeper reefs on live shrimp, and trout are fair along shorelines on artificials.

TEXAS CITY: 67 degrees. Bull redfish and black drum are fair on dead shad and live crab, both from the jetties and the Texas City Dike.

PORT O’CONNOR: 69 degrees. Speckled trout are good on the outside of the jetties with live shrimp and artificials. Redfish are good on Spanish sardines and live shrimp.

ROCKPORT: 65 degrees. Redfish are fair to good on artificials, cut mullet and shrimp. Speckled trout are good on topwaters and shrimp under popping corks. Black drum are good on dead shrimp on outgoing tides.

Getting started

excitement and nerves. The deer were plentiful and moving for Hunter, while Benn only saw two small bucks. The afternoon seemed more promising, but no shots were taken, although the new hunters were able to practice getting the gun up and ready to fire. However, the deer weren’t cooperating.

PORT ARANSAS: 70 degrees. Speckled trout are slow. Redfish and black drum are fair to slow on live shrimp.

CORPUS CHRISTI: 70 degrees. Black drum and redfish are fair to good on live shrimp. Speckled trout are slow.

BAFFIN BAY: 70 degrees. Redfish and black drum are fair to good on live shrimp under a popping cork. Speckled trout are slow.

The second and last day proved to be much different from the first. That morning, it was off to the blinds. Within 40 minutes of the sun coming up, a shot was heard from across the ranch. Within a few minutes Kat texted “IMPACT” – a familiar saying at the range on the FTW which means you hit the target — and Jamie replied with smiley emojis.

FREEPORT: 67 degrees. Redfish, speckled trout and black drum are fair to good on shrimp off the bottom.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: 68 degrees. Redfish and speckled trout are fair to good drifting with artificials and shrimp.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: 68 degrees. Redfish and black drum are good on shrimp.

PORT MANSFIELD: 54 degrees. Speckled trout are good on KWigglers, top-waters and shrimp and scented plastics under a popping cork. Redfish are fair to good on shrimp under popping corks.

SOUTH PADRE: 71 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on scented plastics. Redfish are fair on shrimp.

PORT ISABEL: 71 degrees. Redfish and black drum are fair on shrimp. Speckled trout are fair on scented plastics.

An hour or two later, Kat sent a photo fist pumping — which meant success! Both women had successfully harvested their first animal, beautiful whitetail bucks with only one shot. Jamie helped her guide, Steve Hudson, dress her buck in the field, while Kat drug her deer back to the truck for cleaning at the ranch headquarters. The two were beaming — excited and proud of what they had accomplished.

The Women Hunt program teaches women of all ages the skills they need to shoot, hunt and ranch etiquette.

After several photos, cleaning deer and a celebratory beer, the two new hunters packed up their coolers with their quartered deer and headed home. Both Jamie and Kat plan on continuing their hunting journeys for the rest of their lives.

“This is the first of many,” Kat said. “I am finally a bonafide hunter and cannot wait to do it again.”