Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
January 28, 2022
Sporadic patterns for bass
Volume 18, Issue 11
First hunt at 40 Meeting at conference begins hunting future By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News Please turn to page 1
Cody Mason landed this 8.61-pound bass on Lake Fork while fishing along the bend of the creek channel. Photo from Cody Mason.
By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Inconsistent weather patterns are keeping bass on the move across inland lakes. With both daytime highs and overnight lows reaching extremes in short periods, the fish haven’t been holding to steady patterns or trends. On warm, sunny days, the fish seem to be moving toward shallow water, and on colder days, are holding over deep structure. Anglers covering plenty of water and a variety of areas are having the most success. According to Lake Fork guide Greg Hill, the water level on Fork is about 6.5 feet below normal. This has eliminated a lot of water, especially in shallow coves and flats. “There are a lot of shallow water areas that are high and dry right now,” Hill said. All of our grassy areas and banks have no water over them. There’s no flooded grass to fish on Fork. It’s a real good time to go take note of where logs, trees and other structures in shallow, backwater areas lie.” Please turn to page 15
Jarrod Smith hunted with the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation and harvested his first white-tailed buck. Photo by David Sweet, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
When Jarrod Smith met Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation board member David Sweet at a pharmaceutical sales conference, it was the start of his hunting future. “I grew up in inner city Houston,” the 40-year-old Smith said. “There was no talk of hunting there, and I never had the opportunity to get exposed to it. But when I went to Trinity University and played football, a few of the guys hunted and I got to go to a few ranches.” After college, Smith said life took over. “I had work and a wife and kids,” he said. “There was never a chance at that point — I didn’t know people who were actively hunting.” Fast forward a few decades to a chance meeting in Arizona with Sweet. “We talked about hunting, and I told David I really wanted to learn to hunt and fish. I don’t want my boys (Drew, 11, and Dylan, 6) to grow up like I did.” Sweet recognized Smith as a professional with both the passion and the means to hunt, a perfect candidate to hunt with LSONF, and the hunt was set up. In January, Smith made the 7 1/2hour drive from his Sugar Land home to Stonewall County. Once he arrived, the first stop was the shooting range. “I had never shot a rifle,” Smith said. “We went through how the rifle works and gun safety.” Sweet took the first shot to give the new hunter a feel for shooting a rifle. Then it was Smith’s turn with Sweet’s daughter’s .270 from Rifles, Inc. Please turn to page 6
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
A matter of scales Company certifies personal equipment By Shannon Drawe
Peter Wright measures the accuracy of a Esta Boga grip scale at Alternate Systems. Photo by Shannon Drawe, for Lone Star Outdoor News. Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 13 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 16 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 20 Datebook . . . . . . . . . Page 22
INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
For Lone Star Outdoor News For record chasers, especially those chasing specific water body records in Texas, a “certified scale” can be a hard thing to find when you finally land that fish you’ve been after. However, a certified scale
for weighing your fish may be in the tackle you already have. It’s just a matter of certifying the scale to standards set by the State of Texas. Enter Alternate Systems, of Dallas. The company certifies fishing scales for anglers and provides the ISO certification and documentation that transforms your fish scale into a certified scale to use for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s record and
recognition programs. “We don’t do a lot of certifications of fish scales, but we do probably one a month right now,” owner Peter Wright said. “We’ve had all kinds of fish weighing scales come in.” Most of the equipment Alternate Systems sees are digital scales. “Digital scales are more accurate than mechanical scales, but they’re also more Please turn to page 13
HUNTING
FISHING
Quail down south (P. 4)
Record meanmouth (P. 8)
Some areas having great hunts.
Fish may not get world record.
G&H Decoys coming back (P. 5)
Canal reopens (P. 20)
New owners reviving 87-year-old brand.
Popular Bahia Grande spot producing.