Lone Star Outdoor News 021023

Bucks shedding early

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star outdoor newS

Wildlife managers and hunters across the state have reported they are already starting to see bucks shedding their antlers. In many cases, this has occurred earlier than in previous years.

Miguel Morales, the ranch foreman at the 501 Ranch near Uvalde, said he usually sees one or two bucks shed their antlers by early February, but has already found matching sheds for five different bucks.

“That’s only the one’s that we know of, as there could be more bucks that have already shed their antlers,” Morales said. “The first buck we saw shed its antlers this year dropped them back around January 9. Most of the sheds that we have found are from younger deer.”

Morales has also heard from buddies that hunt or manage properties in the area who have seen more bucks that have already

Sheepshead on a feed at jetties

By Robert Sloan For Lone Star outdoor newS

The sheepshead may not be the most glamorous fish in the Gulf of Mexico, however they put up a good fight, are plentiful along the jetties and taste pretty good when grilled or fried.

“You can’t beat them,” said Robert Sanders who, along with his wife, specifically tar-

get sheepshead during the win ter months. “Right now, there are lots of them along the Port O’Connor jetties and in some of the canals leading into ma rinas and subdivisions. Most of the time we’ll catch them under corks fishing about 4 feet deep. The best baits are live shrimp. But right now, there aren’t too many live shrimp to be had, so we just use dead shrimp.”

Goose hunters finish strong out west

Conservation snow goose season underway

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star outdoor newS

The regular goose season in Texas’ West Zone extended through the first week of February, and those who made it out west were rewarded.

Crooked Wing Outfitters’ Jake Henriksen said there were large concentrations of lesser Canada geese and snow geese in the Lubbock area, along with a fair number of specklebellies, to close out the final week of the regular goose season.

“We were still consistently landing big wads of Canadas, with some specks mixed in, through the last day of our goose season which ended on February 5,” Henriksen said. “The birds were mainly hitting wheat and milo fields, but we did have some good hunts over nut-bearing crops as well.”

During the last week, Henriksen said the birds seemed to become a little more relaxed with the decrease in hunting pressure after duck and sandhill crane seasons closed.

“The geese were definitely feeding hard with the cold weather that greeted us at the beginning of the month,” he said. “This also made for more consistent hunting, as the weather forced them to hit the fields.”

Small spreads of full-body decoys helped

fool most of the birds.

“With the light goose conservation season upon us now, we still have huntable concentrations of snows around,” Henriksen explained. “The cold weather has really kept large numbers of birds in our area.”

Panhandle outfitter Jacob Salmon, of Full Throttle Outdoors, said cold weather made for excellent goose hunting to end the season.

“Snow goose numbers are looking good, which should bode well for some great conservation hunts as well,” Salmon said.

Along the middle and upper Texas coastal prairies, waterfowl hunters desiring to extend their season have been enjoying some of the best conservation season snow goose

Hunters and landowners are reporting bucks shedding their antlers earlier than normal. According to biologists, it could be a result of poor range conditions from recurring drought. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.

West Texas hunters enjoyed the final weeks of the season, with good numbers of Canadas, snow geese and specklebellies. Photo by Jake Henriksen.

Jetty anglers and winter Texans are fans of catching and eating sheepshead, usually caught on live or dead shrimp. Photos by Lone Star Outdoor News.

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Quail hunting fair down south

Lone Star outdoor newS

Some quail hunters in the Rolling Plains have shut down hunting for the season, not wanting to put any more pressure on the low numbers of birds.

Joe Crafton hunted in January in Stonewall County on a ranch managed for quail. He reported six coveys in five hours of hunting.

When the freeze and light snowfall came, Crafton said the birds hit the feeders.

Crafton also examines harvested birds for eyeworms, and said only 12 percent had visible eyeworm, the lowest total he has measured in the past five years.

Jay Stine hunted in South Texas near Hebbronville the first weekend of February and said while bird numbers were down from last year, the hunting was still good in certain areas.

“We found 16 coveys on Saturday but only seven on Sunday,” he said. “We quit at lunch Sunday because it got too hot — it got hot fast even after the big cold front.”

Stine said last year, about 25 coveys per day was the average on his hunts.

“There seems to be about 75 percent of the bird numbers this year when compared with last year,” he said. “But there were lots of young birds, so they had a good late hatch. A few of the birds barely got off the ground and several of the birds were real small.”

Century-old gun store carries the best

By Mark Hahn

For Lone Star outdoor newS

Thirty miles west of Houston, a hallowed legacy lives on and well at family owned Joseph’s Vintage Guns. Stepping into the Richmond building becomes a lifetime memory thanks to the lively walls filled with African game. Carefully cu-

Surprise hunt for new hunter

By Craig Nyhus Lone Star outdoor newS

James Jeanes has been sharing his love of hunting with others, especially new hunters, for decades. This winter, he took a friend and new hunter on adventures sure to kick-start a lifelong passion.

“I met JP (John Paul St. Charles) at a winery in Lakewood Village,” Jeanes said. “It’s the same place where I met my wife, Susie Kitchen, about 10 years ago. She knows the owners and JP started working there.”

As he got to know St. Charles, Jeanes assumed he had some hunting experience since his father owned some land and he was knowledgeable about cattle and working the land.

“But his father never hunted,” Jeanes said. “No one ever taught JP how to

A fine vintage

rated through experience, Joseph’s captures the essence of an international sportsman. With more than four generations of history, Joseph’s is one of Texas’ finest specialty shops offering a unique place to enjoy a coffee, a cigar or even an English shotgun.

Joseph’s got its start in 1900 after Mary Joseph, a determined widow with five children, moved to Richmond from Lebanon. Upon her arrival she began

selling goods out of her wagon across the county, creating the foundation for the business. In 1919, Mary Joseph’s eldest son, Emil, opened the doors to the brick-and-mortar store on Morton Street. Today, Joseph’s is in the care of Michael Joseph, Mary’s great-grandson, and his wife, Kathryn. Succeeding his father Richard and his grandfather Emil, Michael has overseen the shop since 2011 and has made Joseph’s his own.

hunt.”

Jeanes sought out to correct that.

“I invited him to the ranch (the Promise Land Ranch in Throckmorton County),” he said. “But JP always worked weekends. Finally, after nearly 10 years at about 30 years old, he came to the ranch in December.”

On the trip, St. Charles shot his first deer and received instructions on gutting, quartering and deboning the deer. He also made his own European mount of the 8-pointer. There was more, though.

“I won the elk hunt at the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation Wild Game Night in October,” Jeanes said. “I won a raffle, but with as many tickets as I bought, I almost could have bought it.”

After the Dallas Safari Club convention in January, where Jeanes has

Michael’s penchant for English shooting and passion for Africa are the heart of the store, inspiring guests to dream about new adventures. In fact, it’s Michael’s own adventures and firsthand experience that make Joseph’s special. As regulars to England and Africa, the Josephs have deep knowledge of shooting driven pheasant and partridge in the countryside of England and dangerous game in Africa. Their expertise is

been the volunteer in charge of raffles for more than 20 years, it was time to go on the elk hunt at the Riata Ranch near Glen Rose. And Jeanes invited St. Charles.

“He thought he was going to observe and learn how to butcher the elk ourselves,” Jeanes said. “I knew I was going to let him shoot it — but I didn’t tell him.”

The elk hunt was a success, as the bull was located by Roy Washburn, Riata Ranch’s owner.

“JP made a great shot,” Jeanes said.

“He dropped him and then had the biggest grin on his face — and he was shaking. The bull weighed 700 pounds.”

After the elk adventure, it was back to the ranch for the last day of duck season.

“He shot his first duck — a bluebill,”

South Texas hunters and their dogs found fair numbers of bobwhites coveys. While in the Rolling Plains, the birds are hard to find. Photo by Jay Stine.

James Jeanes, right, won a raffle elk hunt at the Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation Wild Game Night and surprised JP St. Charles with the hunt. Photo from James Jeanes.

Kathryn and Michael Joseph operate Joseph’s Vintage Guns, in business in Richmond since 1919. Photo from Joseph’s Vintage Guns.

Outdoor clothing for kids

Protective and stylish styles

By Lili Keys Lone Star outdoor n

Have you ever struggled to find good-looking, outdoorsy clothes for your children? You might re member your own struggles of finding clothes to fit your outdoor lifestyle as a kid. Maybe you had to wear hand-me-down camo T-shirts or pick out clothes from the boy’s section.

Amanda Lundgren, of Aledo, knew that feeling all too well. When it came time to clothe her own children in outfits appropriate for their outdoor lifestyle, the op tions were limited, so she decided to create her own line of clothing.

“It all started before I even had kids of my own,” she said. “A lot of my friends were having kids, mainly boys, and we were all com plaining about the options for boys clothes. When I found out that I was pregnant with twins, one girl and one boy, I thought, ‘where can I buy clothes like my husband wears? Where were kid-size Simms fishing shirts or lightweight button downs for the ranch?’”

The Lundgrens are an active outdoor Texas family.

“My family has a ranch and we spend a lot of time outdoors,” Lundgren said. “If we aren’t at home, 90 percent of the time we are at the ranch.”

When the twins were about 6 months old, the family went on a trip to the lake. That’s where frustration with options pushed Lundgren into designing her own clothing line, calling it BlueQuail Clothing Co.

“The thought of limited options and limited options for sun protection of my babies kept festering in my brain; I couldn’t let it go,” she said. “Pretty much by the end of that weekend, I had a name and everything for the business.”

Sun protection is very important for children and skin cancer runs in Lundgren’s family, so designing functional and protective clothing was important. All BlueQuail designs are stain resistant, UPF50+ rated fabrics, so you can rest easy knowing your little one will be protected from harmful UV rays and stains.

“We want our kids to spend as much time as possible outdoors, hunting and fishing and knowing they are protected from the sun and dressed in cute everyday outfits,” she said.

When it came to the name, Lundgren was researching animals and came across the blue quail. Originally from Midland, she was familiar with hunting for the game bird. In her research, she found quail will protect one another’s covey whether the chick is theirs or not.

“When reading that, I thought to myself, there it is,” she said. “That’s what I want to do- protect the skin of the youth.”

Lundgren’s brother is a graphic designer and created the company’s logo. Sourcing the materials and the right manufacturer took time, as Lundgren wanted to get it right. After some time, the company was up and running. They sell online and in select children’s boutiques, sporting goods stores and lodges across the state and beyond.

Being a hunting family, friends encouraged Lundgren to get involved with the Dallas Safari Club, where their booth stayed crowded during the 2023 convention in January.

“Our sales were really taking off in the children’s boutiques, but we weren’t really reaching who we though our real customer base was until we got involved with DSC,” Lundgren said. “I was able to get in front of the people who I created this line for, the outdoor-loving community.”

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Amanda Lundgren was frustrated with outdoor clothing options for children, so she created her own line of clothing that looked good but also protected kids from the sun. Photo by BlueQuail Clothing Co.

Good numbers for geese

Continued from page 1 hunts in many years.

El Campo guide

Chris Slemp said El Campo, Eagle Lake and the surrounding regions have had several impressive concentrations of geese since the extended conservation season began.

“Most of our hunts have produced an average of 20 to 25 geese, but we have had some hunts where we have harvested 80 or more,” Slemp said. “There have been a few large fields of geese around El Campo and Eagle Lake with tens of thousands of snow geese in them, and some smaller feeds of 1,000 to 3,000 geese scattered about. The cold weather at the start of the conservation season really helped us.”

The geese have been bouncing back and forth between various fields, feeding, and have been decoying in groups of 20 to 30 birds over spreads of full-body decoys.

“For the most part, we have been laying on the ground in the spread, and the birds have been working really well,” Slemp explained. That’s what really makes a hunt great. We try to be selective and only take shots at birds that are cupped up and committed over the spread.”

Slemp has been employing the use of waterproof, wireless speakers.

“We used to have to run wires across the field to project electronic calls with speakers, which didn’t always work well in wet and muddy conditions,” Slemp said. “Using these wireless speakers has been a game-changer and saves us a lot of time early in the mornings when we get set up before a hunt.”

In the Winnie area, guide for Southern Wings Outfitters, Devin Cryer, said there was a decent concentration of snow geese hitting rye grass fields located inland of Anahuac to start the conservation season.

“Decoy spreads consisting of full bodies and socks have been working the best, and Aframe blinds have been keeping our hunters concealed,” Cryer said.

Early sheds

should be aware of is whether they are just seeing a few bucks that have shed their antlers already, or if they are seeing a large population of bucks dropping their antlers

“Some bucks drop their antlers earlier than others for whatever reason,” Cain said. “Peak antler shedding periods can vary from property to property and from one geographic region of the state to an-

Cain said if people are seeing a larger number of bucks drop their antlers earlier than they normally do, then this is likely a result of poor range conditions and/or lack of nutrition due to recurring drought conditions in recent seasons.

“Whether this means that bucks will shed their antlers just days earlier, weeks earlier or a solid month earlier than normal, nobody really knows,” he explained. “With us coming off of two breeding seasons for white-tailed deer that were preceded by significant drought conditions in many areas of the state, bucks shedding early could be a common theme in various places over the next few weeks.”

STAND & FILL BROADCAST FEEDER WITH CORN SHIELD

Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News

Timeless treasures

Continued from page 4

reflected in the masterfully crafted range of field wear and sporting accessories.

“Joseph’s Vintage Guns is about the experience of English and African shooting,” Kathryn said. “We carry a wide variety of beautiful yet functional attire, which give you a feeling of the countryside. Our products are beautiful, stylish yet comfortable, unique and of the finest quality.”

Quality is no stranger to Joseph’s, and the gun selection represents only the best. A favorite is the walk-in gun vault, filled with vintage side-by-side shotguns and double rifles from world-renowned makers such as Holland & Holland, Purdey, Westley Richards and Rigby. Rows of walnut stocks and bespoke gun cases remind visitors that quality and tradition live on. For the discerning customer, many other side-by-side guns can be found in the vault, all sourced directly from England by Michael.

“We sell heirlooms, and unless you’re buried in it, or with it, it will last far beyond your lifetime,” Michael said.

For more than a century, Joseph’s has been a staple corner store in downtown Richmond, coming from humble beginnings selling candies and supplies to selling first-class sporting goods and fine vintage guns. It’s aged well under the Joseph name and will for years to come.

Hunting mentor

Continued from page 4

Jeanes said. “It was one of two ducks that came in that morning. Now, he’s been cook ing and eating ducks, deer and elk. He sends me pictures of him cooking them.”

Taking in S. Charles is nothing new for Jeanes — he does it all the time.

“Every one of my friends that I grew up with — I taught their kids to hunt,” he said. “I got my first lease in the 1990s when I was mostly a duck hunter. I started taking their kids with me, and they all named me the Duck Boat Captain. I guess it’s my personal mission in life.”

As for St. Charles, a new lifelong hunter has been created.

“I think he’s hooked, for sure,” Jeanes said. “He’s now married with a 1-year-old son, and he’s already looking for ways to get off work to hunt next year.”

John Paul St. Charles took his first deer earlier this season with mentor James Jeanes. Photo from James Jeanes.

The collection of fine guns at Joseph’s Vintage Guns includes side-by-sides and double rifles from age-old brands. Photo from Joseph’s Vintage Guns.

Tempering expectations

Big trout still in LLM, but need time to grow

By Craig Nyhus Lone Star outdoor newS

Those thinking of heading to the Lower Laguna Madre to fish for speckled trout can be in line for a successful trip — as long as they temper their expectations a little bit.

“People tell me they want to catch a 30-inch trout,” said Capt. Preston Long of Wreck ‘Em Outdoors in Corpus Christi. “I have to chuckle a little bit. Even in the good years, we hit one or two of those each year.”

Long said a trophy trout doesn’t have to stretch the tape to 30 inches.

“I consider anything over 28 inches to be a trophy, and while those are still uncommon, they do happen,” he said. “And a 24-inch trout will make your heart stop, as hard as they fight.”

Long said there are still good trout in the LLM, but the numbers of giants need some time to build back up after the 2021 freeze. During the first weekend in February, the fishing started off slow until the wind started blowing.

“It turned them on,” he said.

Big cats on the feed

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star outdoor newS

Catfish of all sizes have been feeding in changing depths across Texas lakes. Both eating-sized and trophy cats have been in the mix. There have been some fish found up shallow, but for the most part, the catfish are still concentrating in deeper areas.

of the month seemed to make

larger catfish feed more consistently.

Guide Trey Franklin, of Tight Lines Guide Service, has been running catfish trips with his guide buddy, Daniel Armstrong, of Southern Monsters Guide Service, on Lake Texoma and Lake Ray Roberts. According to Franklin,

to 70 feet of water,” Franklin said. “Drifting hasn’t been too productive, so we have had to mark fish on the ledges using sonar, and then anchor over them to drop baits down to where they are.” Catfish on Texoma have been sluggish, so the bites are not coming very quickly.

“We caught fish up to 5 1/2 pounds in deep grass pockets away from the crowds. If it’s slick, the bite is usually tougher.”

Long said working slowly is best this time of year and favors a Down South Lure in High Cotton and a Corky.

“Approaching an area quietly is important,” he said.

At recent Saltwater Legends Series event in Corpus Christi, several fish topping 6 pounds and 7 pounds were weighed and released.

Capt. Joe Prado, of Harlingen, said there are plenty of fish in the bay, but they have become harder to catch with all of the pressure.

“They get run over by boats and don’t do anything,” he said. “They’re almost turning nocturnal — the big trout go off deep and just sit there. I don’t blame them, if aliens flew over your house again and again you would stay inside, too.”

Prado said the best thing for winter fishing is when the Dallas Cowboys keep winning.

“Everyone is on the water unless they are playing,” he said.

The wind picking up in early February also helped Prado’s fishing.

“We had three good days of

Catching pre-spawn slabs

By Nate Skinner Lone Star outdoor newS

Crappie are beginning to make their move toward their spawning grounds, and anglers are finding them staged in a variety of areas across inland lakes. Creek channels, mid-depth structure, boat docks, timber, brush piles and deep-water areas are all worth checking if you’re on the water looking for crappie.

On Lake Ray Roberts, crappie guide Daniel Koberna said the fish are slowly migrating towards the backs of creeks to stage prior to their peak spawning season.

“There are really three patterns for crappie right now on Ray Roberts,” Koberna said. “Deep holes and structure along creeks are holding plenty of fish,

mid-depth areas with timber in 8 to 14 feet are also a great option, and stretches of structure out deep in depths of 30 to 40 feet have plenty of crappie as well.”

Koberna is mostly targeting trees in 8 to 14 feet of water with his anglers.

“You can fish most of the areas that are holding crappie along creeks from the bank, and these crappie are just easier to target in the wind, in my opinion, than the fish concentrated in really deep water,” he said. “The fish are definitely gorging themselves in preparation for the spawn.”

The majority of the crappie are from 11 to 13 inches with the occasional 15-incher mixed in.

Koberna said the best areas are located along creek channels, as well as adjacent flats. Small profile, 1.5-2-inch

Please turn to page 15 Please

soft plastic baits rigged on a 1/4-ounce jig head have been his preferred bait presentation.

On Lake Palestine, guide Sam Parker said the crappie are definitely in a prespawn transition and on the move.

“They are starting to make their way out of deeper water, so they can be tough to get in front of at times because they are really traveling a lot right now,” Parker said. “Funnel areas like a bridge or a river channel passing near a bridge have been holding the most fish, and the majority of the crappie are hanging tight to the bottom.”

Water depths anywhere from 10 to 22 feet have produced action, depending on the day.

“You have to cover a lot of water right now to catch numbers,” Parker said.

Jesse Hoffschneider caught this trophy blue catfish with Chris Moody of Texas Fishing Addiction Guide Service. Photo by Chris Moody.

Wade-fishermen work the flats and grass lines in the Lower Laguna Madre in search of trophy speckled trout. Joe Prado of Ultimate Flats Fishing landed this 7-pounder on Feb. 5. Photos from Capt. Joe Prado.

Lake Palestine guide Sam Parker recently landed his personal best crappie which weighed in at 3.3 pounds. Photo from Sam Parker.

Sabine white bass begin run

By Robert Sloan

For Lone Star outdoor newS

This is the time of year when white bass start moving out of the big lakes and heading up the rivers and creeks to spawn. On the Sabine River above Toledo Bend Reservoir in the Pineywoods, the anticipated run has begun.

“The river was running low, but we got some rain and it’s back up to about normal level now,” said longtime white bass guide Bill Fondren. “It’s always fun fishing because the whites we get up this river are mostly big and healthy and fun on ultralight tackle. We are beginning to see more and more people up fly-fishing for the whites. They wade the sand bars and boaters ease along using their trolling motors.”

Another white bass option is south of San Antonio. The South Texas run of white bass on the Nueces River is going strong. The fishing here is way off the beaten path, but not difficult to find. To reach the boat ramp, take Airport Road in George West and follow it to the end. They have been catching white bass there for the past few weeks, but the water is very low and may require pulling the boat over gravel bars or wading.

On the Sabine, some of the best ramps are at Logansport, where there’s a county ramp called Yellow Dog and another one at FM 2517. The ramp at River Ridge is open, along with the cabins there. River Ridge is owned and operated by the Gallenbachs. Once you launch at River Ridge the best fishing is usually upstream a couple of miles. You’ll see the boats. This place is the worst kept secret on earth.

“Even when you have lots of boats the fishing is still good,” Fondren said. “I like to stay on the trolling motor until we hit a school of fish. Some of the better areas will be at the mouth of creeks feeding into the river.”

Another good option is to troll crankbaits right down the middle of the river channel. That’s the way Bill Johnson has been catching spawning whites on the Sabine for years.

“I like to just idle along while trolling with two rods,” he said. “It’s a good way to catch lots of the bigger whites. The water in the river channel is usually anywhere from 5 to 10 feet deep. The cranks that dive down from 5 to 8 feet deep usually get the most bites. You want to use a lure that stays close to bottom. Chrome or chartreuse cranks are best.”

Fondren leans toward the Road Runner for spawning sandies.

“Regardless of where you fish for spawning white bass, the number one white bass lure is a 1/4-ounce Road Runner,” Johnson said. “Some of the best colors are white with a red head or chartreuse with a red head. The 1/4-ounce Rattle Traps are good as well. The best colors with cranks are chrome/blue back or chrome/black back. I like to fish with 8-to-10pound test monofilament line on an ultralight spinning rig.”

The water body record for this river is 4.04 pounds. That huge white was 20 inches long and was caught on March 19, 2010 by Ben Cornelius with a live minnow.

“As the run slows down, using live baits is a very good way get more bites,” Fondren said. “I like to use live minnows or small crawfish.”

Man dies after boat, barge collision

By Craig Nyhus

Lone Star outdoor newS

One man was found more than a week after being reported missing following a tragic boat accident that occurred the night of Jan. 27 in Port O’Connor when a boat struck a barge in the Intracoastal Canal.

The Coast Guard said it was notified of the collision at 10:56 p.m. by a vessel that had been towing the barge.

The man was identified as Hunter Hadley, 20, by Calhoun County Sheriff Bobbie Vickery. The passenger on the boat, McCoy Wagner, was found and taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

According to reports from persons familiar with the incident, two boats were running side by side in the Intracoastal after one boat received refueling assistance. Hadley’s boat was in front of the other boat, and a spotlight from the barge blinded the boaters, and they didn’t see where the barge was. Calhoun County Sheriff’s Bobby Vickery confirmed that the Hadley’s body was found on the evening of Feb. 4 around 5 p.m.

Wagner was thrown from the boat, but the following boat operator jumped in and rescued him, contacted authorities and met them at the nearby Sanctuary development where Wagner was taken to the hospital. The boat was underneath the barge and was later towed.

According to social media posts by Wagner’s family members, his condition is improving, although surgery was required.

An extensive search was conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Coast Guard, plus numerous community volunteers.

Haynie Boats founder dies

Rayburn Alan Haynie, 77, passed away on Jan. 29 at his home in Victoria.

Rayburn was a graduate of Calhoun High School and attended Victoria College. He enjoyed duck hunting, fishing, shrimping, and water-skiing in his younger years. Later, he owned and operated Haynie’s Seafood, as well as building steel hull shrimp boats, gulf shrimp boats, and oyster boats.

In the early 1980s Rayburn began the large-scale production of Haynie Custom Bay Boats, a shallow draft fishing boat design. The boats were designed, manufactured and sold in Seadrift. In recent years, he sold the business and retired.

—Staff report

Marina fire at Chandler’s Landing

A large fire at Chandler’s Landing Marina in Rockwall destroyed multiple boats and a portion of the marina at Lake Ray Hubbard on Monday, Jan 30. The Rockwall Fire Department was notified of the fire just before 5:30 p.m. According to fire officials, four boats and parts of the dock system were damaged during the fire.

Freezing conditions created difficulties for firefighters to access the fire and obtain available water. More than 40 firefighters from five agencies responded.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.

4” Jerk Bait

Jerk

The much-anticipated white bass run has begun in southeastern parts of the state, and is expected to begin soon on other creeks and rivers. Photo by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT

ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 46 degrees; 10.33’ low. Crappie are fair over brush and off docks on jigs and minnows.

AMISTAD: Water stained; 60 degrees; 35.43’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on deep-diving crankbaits, jigs, Carolina rigs and drop shots. Catfish are good on cheese bait and cut shad.

ARLINGTON: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 0.53’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on heavy finesse jigs, Carolina rigs and deep-diving crankbaits.

ARROWHEAD: Water lightly stained; 42-46 degrees; 6.22’ low. Catfish are good drifting with fresh cut shad.

ATHENS: Water clear; 52-54 degrees; 0.03’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow to fair on small jigs.

AUSTIN: Water clear; 56 degrees; 0.68’ low. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on Ned rigs and drop shots. Crappie and catfish are fair on minnows.

B.A. STEINHAGEN: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.12’ high. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on craw lipless crankbaits and weightless flukes.

BASTROP: Water clear; 55 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on flukes and shaky head trick worms.

BELTON: Water lightly stained; 52 degrees; 13.89’ low. White bass are slow to fair on shad-imitating soft plastics. Catfish are good drifting with cut bait.

BENBROOK: Water lightly stained; 50 degrees; 4.70’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Catfish are slow.

BOB SANDLIN: Water stained; 52 degrees; 0.24’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs or minnows. White bass are good on slabs.

BRAUNIG: Water slightly stained; 64 degrees. Largemouth bass are slow. Red drum are fair on cut bait and frozen shrimp. Catfish are fair on frozen shrimp and nightcrawlers.

BRIDGEPORT: Water clear; 48-52 degrees; 9.04’ low. White bass are fair deadsticking with soft plastics. Catfish are good drifting cut bait.

BROWNWOOD: Water stained; 48-54 degrees; 8.41’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are slow. Catfish are fair on cut shad.

BUCHANAN: Water lightly stained; 56 degrees; 17.66 feet below pool. Largemouth bass are fair to good on jigs, crankbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are good on char-

treuse jigs. Striped bass are fair under birds on live bait. Catfish are good on punch bait.

CADDO: Water stained; 46-47 degrees; 2.32’ high.

Largemouth bass are slow. Catfish are slow.

CALAVERAS: Water slightly stained; 62 degrees. Red drum are slow to fair on frozen shrimp and cut bait. Blue catfish and channel catfish are good on cut bait, frozen shrimp and cheese bait.

CANYON: Water clear; 53 degrees; 10.72’ low.

Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits and drop shots. Striped bass are good on white swimbaits.

CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 53-56 degrees; 3.19’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits and chatterbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White and hybrids are excellent deadsticking slabs.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 60 degrees; 24.22’

low. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on Carolina rigs.

CONROE: Water stained; 55 degrees; 0.28’ high.

Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged soft plastics and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs. Hybrid striped bass are fair deadsticking slabs. Catfish are good on punch bait.

COOPER: Water lightly stained; 51 degrees. Blue catfish are fair drifting in deep water with cut bait.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Water stained; 62 degrees; 3.75’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow.

EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water stained; 50 degrees; 4.39’ low. White bass are fair to good deadsticking spoons. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Blue catfish and channel catfish are fair to good on punch bait and shad.

FAIRFIELD: Water slightly stained; 50 degrees.

Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, Carolina rigs, wacky worms and jerkbaits.

FALCON: Water stained; 65 degrees; 40.81’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits, Texas- and Carolina-rigged creatures or worms and crankbaits. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

FAYETTE: Water lightly stained; 52 degrees; 1.00’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shad crankbaits, top-

waters and Texas rigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and chicken liver.

FORK: Water stained; 56-59 degrees; 5.47’ low. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and hand-tied jigs.

FT. PHANTOM HILL: Water stained; 44-47 degrees; 6.97’ low. Catfish are good drifting with cut gizzard shad.

GRANBURY: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 2.34’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to slow on soft plastics. Striped bass are fair on flukes and trolling swimbaits. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on small jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on live perch and cut bait.

GRANGER: Water lightly stained; 53 degrees; 0.13’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. White bass are fair upriver on spinner baits. Blue catfish are good on jug lines baited with shad or cut bait. Yellow catfish are slow.

GRAPEVINE: Water clear; 50 degrees; 0.03’ high. White bass are slow. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair drifting cut bait.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.22’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jerkbaits, Ned rigs and shaky heads. Crappie are fair on minnows.

HUBBARD CREEK: Water stained; 53 degrees; 7.64’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits. Crappie are fair on live minnows and jigs. White bass are fair in creeks on slabs. Catfish are fair on live and cut shad.

JOE POOL: Water slightly stained; 52 degrees; 0.89’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged soft plastics and jigs.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water stained; 52 degrees; 1.56’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good drifting with minnows or jigs. Catfish are fair on punch bait.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 1.04’ low.

Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on slabs. White bass are fair over humps on spoons and slabs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

LBJ: Water stained; 51 degrees; 0.37’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas or Carolina rigs and squarebilled crankbaits. Crappie are fair on chartreuse jigs.

Catfish are good on punch bait.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 51 degrees; 1.84’ low. White bass are good on flukes, small swimbaits and live bait. Catfish are good drifting cut shad or chicken breasts.

LIMESTONE: Water clear; 50 degrees; 5.11’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits and finesse jigs. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good on silver jigging spoons. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 58 degrees; 0.56’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. Catfish are good drifting with cut bait.

MEREDITH: Water stained; 42 degrees; 55.05; low.

Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow to fair on minnows. Walleye are slow. Catfish are slow.

MILLERS CREEK: Water stained; 50 degrees; 5.87’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas or Carolina rigs, football jigs and crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows or small jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and cheese bait.

NACOGDOCHES: Water stained; 52-56 degrees; 0.74’ low. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.

NACONICHE: Water clear; 49 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on jerkbaits and underspins. Catfish are slow.

NASWORTHY: Water murky; 50 degrees; 1.01’ low.

Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on black and chartreuse jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 55 degrees; 2.98’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow to fair on small minnows and jigs.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 53 degrees; 23.41’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on swimbaits and white swim jigs. White bass are good on live bait and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on prepared baits, cut bait and live bait.

OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 56 degrees; 11.14’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 55 degrees; 0.02’ low. Largemouth are fair on black and blue craws on a

big-eyed jig. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are slow. Catfish are fair on juglines and trotlines with live shad or small perch.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water lightly stained; 48 degrees; 5.99’ low. Striped bass are good on live shad. White bass are fair on small shad and small jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

PROCTOR: Water stained; 55 degrees; 9.29’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Catfish are good on whole and cut shad.

RAVEN: Water stained; 55 degrees; 2.00’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow to fair on cut bait and stink bait.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 48-50 degrees; 0.10’ low. White bass are fair on jigging spoons. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good drifting cut shad.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 51 degrees; 1.34’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Catfish are slow.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water clear; 52 degrees; 4.55’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass and hybrid stripers are slow. Catfish are good on punch bait.

SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 50 degrees; 2.68’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on lipless crankbaits, crankbaits and Carolina rigs. Crappie are slow. White bass are running and are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and minnows.

SOMERVILLE: Water stained; 48 degrees; 4.14’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair on juglines with shad.

SPENCE: Water stained; 50 degrees; 44.72’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are fair drifting cut bait.

SQUAW CREEK: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.21’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. Channel catfish are good on punch bait, cut bait and hot dogs.

STILLHOUSE HOLLOW: Water lightly stained; 51 degrees; 11.92’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are fair to slow on small slabs.

TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 52 degrees; 0.97’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass and hybrid striper are good on flukes, swimbaits and slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are fair on fresh gizzard

n Saltwater reports Page 13

shad.

TEXANA: Water stained; 52 degrees; 0.02’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and swimbaits. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow.

TEXOMA: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.81’ low. Striped bass are good under birds deadsticking and drifting flukes. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 52 degrees; 2.00’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on bladed swim jigs, spinner baits and lipless crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are running and are good on small swimbaits, beetle spins and roadrunners.

TRAVIS: Water clear; 57 degrees; 41.73’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits, jerkbaits and Alabama rigs.

TWIN BUTTES: Water stained; 50 degrees; 22.68’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. White bass are slow. Channel catfish are slow. Yellow catfish are fair on big minnows.

TYLER: Water stained; 50 degrees; 0.98’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are slow. Catfish are slow.

WACO: Water stained; 55 degrees; 11.88’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on finesse jigs and shaky heads. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse and white jigs. White bass and hybrids are fair on slabs.

WHITNEY: Water lightly stained; 54 degrees; 6.81’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are good to excellent on jigs, swimbaits and live shad.

WORTH: Water stained; 50 degrees; 2.61’ low. White bass are fair to good on spoons. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfish and channel catfish are fair on cut bait, shad and punch bait.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 50 degrees; 5.73’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. Catfish are good drifting with cut bait.

—TPWD

GROUP WITH SHARKS, 590 POUNDS OF SNAPPER

The Coast Guard interdicted five lancha crews and seized 590 pounds of illegally caught fish in federal waters. Coast Guard Station South Padre Island boat and air crews located and stopped five lanchas with a total of 22 Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing. Officials seized three sharks and 590 pounds of red snapper, along with fishing gear, radios, GPS devices and high flyers on board. The Mexican fishermen were detained and transferred to border enforcement agents.

WARDENS HOST HUNTS, TRAINING

Texas game wardens hosted hunts in January. One group, along with a department biologist, took a group of five women deer hunting for the first time. The group was taught hunter education, field dressing, rifle sighting and wild game meat options. Also, at Inks Lake State Park, wardens from multiple divisions mentored hunters on a drawn hunt coordinated by the department’s R3 Team. Several participants were successful and

GAME WARDEN BLOTTER

TWO RESCUED FROM SKIFF TAKING ON WATER

The Coast Guard rescued two boaters from a vessel taking on water near Port Mansfield. A report was received from a friend of two boaters, a 59-year-old man and an 80-year-old man, whose 17-foot skiff was reportedly taking on water south of the Arroyo Colorado in the Laguna Madre. A Shallow Water crew was launched, along with a helicopter crew, and the boaters and skiff were located, but crews were unable to reach them due to water depth. The helicopter crew hoisted the boaters and transported them to Port Isabel-Cameron County Airport. They were in stable condition.

all went home with a cooler full of food.

TWO WARDENS RECOGNIZED

Texas Game Wardens Dyke McMahen and Brannon Meinkowsky were presented with separate awards as Shikar Safari Officer of the Year and the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife’s Officer of the Year, respectively, by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at its January meeting. Nominated by their supervisors for outstanding service in the line of duty, both officers share a passion for

conservation, youth outreach and criminal investigation. In Wilbarger County, McMahen’s 30-year career in the field culminated with receiving the Shikar Safari Officer of the Year award. Known for his positive attitude and wildlife expertise, McMahen’s work ethic often makes him the district’s “go-to.” “There is no one more willing to go the extra mile for fellow officers or members of the public than Warden McMahen,” said Capt. Lacy Loudermilk.

“Recently, he assisted the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association with felony theft and

illegal hunting cases. Numerous stolen cattle, horses, trailers and tack were recovered. McMahen’s dedication to community and officer trust sets a precedent throughout the state.” Often found patrolling Lake Conroe, Meinkowsky leads his team in boating accident investigations. His thoroughness and attention to detail on cases resulted in high accolades from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office and various law enforcement organizations. “As a leader among his peers, he is integral to training local game war-

SPONSORED BY:

dens,” said Capt. Jonathan Heaton, Meinkowsky’s supervising officer. “He is considered a resource among his peers, devoting his time to classroom instruction for other officers and our partner organizations on Lake Conroe.”

DREDGE CREW RESCUES THREE

Crew members from Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, while conducting dredging operation in the Houston Ship Channel, identified an oyster boat on fire. The crew jumped into action to rescue all three persons in the water and extinguished the raging fire. Coast Guard officials arrived shortly thereafter and transported the three victims for additional medical care.

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

AN AMERICAN LEGEND

RUGER.COM/AMERICANRIFLE

TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT

SABINE LAKE: 58 degrees. When the weather allows, speckled trout are good at the levees on shrimp and swimbaits. Redfish are fair on shrimp under a popping cork.

BOLIVAR: 59 degrees. Redfish are fair on cut bait and shrimp under a popping cork.

Big limits at Big Sam

Sam Rayburn Reservoir appears to be bouncing back into a big-fish factory.

On Jan. 28, the familiar fishing pair of Brian Shook and Danny Iles beat 155 other teams at the Outlaw Outdoors team tournament with an incredible five bass limit weighing 41.56 pounds, including the big fish of 10.65 pounds.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: 60 degrees. Speckled trout are slow after recent rains.

PORT O’CONNOR: 59 degrees. Speckled trout are good on the outside of the jetties on live shrimp, root beer artificial shrimp and live shrimp. Redfish are fair on sardines and live shrimp.

ROCKPORT: 60 degrees. Redfish are slow. Trout are slow to fair on soft plastics and top-waters.

PORT ARANSAS: 62 degrees. Redfish, drum and speckled trout are are fair on live shrimp.

The pair beat the second-place team by more than 22 pounds.

Shook and Iles’ big total came one day after the MLF Toyota Series was at the lake for two days. At that event, Dakota Ebare brought in 32 pounds, 4 ounces on Day 2, bringing his twoday total to 48 pounds, 10 ounces to win the event and more than $80,000. The day also was big for second place finisher Wyatt Frankens, who brought in more than 28 pounds to finish with 47 pounds, 5 ounces, and win $17,000.

—Staff report

Winter favorite

Continued from page 1

TRINITY BAY: 59 degrees. Speckled trout and black drum are slow to fair on shrimp under popping corks.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: 60 degrees. Speckled trout are fair wading with mullet-imitation plugs and soft plastics.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: 62 degrees.

CORPUS CHRISTI: 65 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair to slow on live shrimp under a popping cork.

BAFFIN BAY: 64 degrees. Speckled trout are slow. Black drum are good on shrimp under a popping cork.

PORT MANSFIELD: 70 degrees. Speckled

The daily limit on sheepshead is 5 with a 15-inch minimum length limit. One issue people have is that these fish can be difficult to clean.

“You definitely need a knife that’s sharp and strong enough to cut through the tough hide of a sheepshead,” Sanders said. “The best thing to do is to fillet them, then trim off the red meat and you end up with some very tasty meat. During the winter months they are very easy to catch and between my wife and I we can box up to 30 per day. But, more often than not we’ll just keep about 10, that’s more than enough to clean.”

Mike Barnes has been fishing the jetties along the Texas coast for years, and like a lot of other folks he will box a few sheepshead when nothing else is biting. His favorite tactic is to use a slip cork.

“Sheepshead will often be suspended along the jetties, and very close to the rocks,” he said. “Some days they will be 5 feet deep, and other days the best bite will be 10 to 20 feet deep. That’s why I use a slip cork. I like to fish the jetties and that’s a way to stay on reds, trout and sheepshead just about any time of the year.”

Barnes threads braided line through a cone-shaped float. Next, he ties the tag end of the line to a torpedo weight that has a wire loop on each end. He’ll tie a monofilament leader to the lower end of the sinker. The leader is about 24 inches long. On the tag end of the leader, he’ll tie on a No. 4 treble hook.

“Once I have a slip cork rigged up, I’ll tie a tiny piece of a rubber band into a slip knot in the braided line,” he said. “I can adjust the depth by simply pulling out the rubber band. With this rig I can fish at any depth I choose.”

On most days Barnes said the best dept will be 8 to 10 feet deep for sheepshead. “If you’re just catching small fish, make a move, don’t waste your time,” he said. “Sooner or later you are going to find the big ones. They are good fighters, and are at the jetties at Port O’Connor, in big numbers for the next couple of months. Another good place to catch them is at the Galveston jetties.”

Harper Haas shot this 10-point buck on Christmas Day 2022 in Nueces County on her family ranch. She was using her new Browning .308 that she got for Christmas.

Jorge Bazan took this tom at the La Presita Ranch using a .22-250 Remington.

Addie Lewis harvested this 300-plus pound hog in Throckmorton County. She used the spot-and-stalk method and got within 50 yards for the shot.

Charlie Simpson caught this crappie while fishing along timber on Lake Ray Roberts with fishing guide Daniel Koberna

Reed Parker, 5, took his first deer.

INDUSTRY

LONE STAR OUTDOOR PUZZLER

Solution on Page 18

Outdoor News

DOWN

1) African game species

2) The rig named after a state

4) A lab color

5) Rifle, shotgun brand

7) Hill Country lake

11) A Texas crane

12) Weatherford’s county

14) A wild pig sound

16) The smaller shad

17) Salmon species

19) An African cat

20) A turkey sound

21) Botswana’s capital

23) Ammo brand

25) Northwest Texas lake

29) Thermal scope brand

31) Alpine’s county

33) One of the Great Lakes

34) A Texas port (two words)

35) Texas bay susceptible to freezes

36) Saltwater lure brand

37) Marks left by strutting gobblers

Cummins to lead B&C

James L. Cummins, the executive director of Wildlife Mississippi, has been elected to serve as the Boone and Crockett Club’s 36th president.

Knickerbocker joins KastKing

KastKing named Eric Knickerbocker as national sales strategist to lead retail and wholesale sales efforts across America.

Sales rep for iAiming

Thermal rifle scope manufacturer iAiming retained Leisure Sales as its sales agency in 13 western states.

Sales position for Texas, Oklahoma

1791 OLG is seeking a territory sales representative for Central Texas and Oklahoma.

Big specks

Continued from page 8

catch-and-release fishing,” he said.

Corbetta joins Burris

Optic manufacturer Burris appointed Alberto Corbetta vice president of strategic brand and product marketing.

New positions at Rapala

Rapala VMC hired Charlie Davis as director of product development–North America and promoted Bart Rosen to senior product manager.

Agencies for knife maker

BUBBA named Frontier Sales & Marketing Group its sales agency for the southern U.S., R.D.O. Marketing for the northeastern U.S., and named Dave Bertolozzi fishing sales manager for the eastern U.S.

International sales job at Easton

An international sales manager position is available at Easton to develop its overseas archery market.

Prado has been having the best luck with Custom Corky Floaters, and he landed a 27 1/2-inch fish that he estimated at 7 pounds on Feb. 6.

“It was healthy and swam away good,” he said. “I had another one hit but he came to the top shaking and threw the Corky.”

Long said the big fish will be back, but it will take a few years. But he stressed that it’s the anglers who can help that happen.

“We lost the upper-class, older fish in the freeze,” he said. “It takes time for that class of big fish to come back.”

Releasing fish has become much more important to the guide and angler.

“Ever since the freeze, I don’t care if I keep another one,” Long said. “It’s up to us if we want to get the fishery back. Big fish are rare. That’s why they’re special.”

Quail red curry

1 lb. quail meat

2 cups bamboo shoots

1/2 yellow onion

1 bell pepper

1 cup snow peas

1/4 cup green onions

1 tbsp. minced garlic

3 tbsp. cooking oil

3 tbsp. Thai red curry paste

14 oz. can coconut milk

1-1/2 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. fish sauce

1/2 tbsp. salt

Slice onion and bell pepper into thin strips. Strain the bamboo shoots and slice into thin strips. Mince garlic and chop green onion. Set the green onion aside for garnish. Chop quail meat into small pieces. In a large pan over medium heat, drop in oil and minced garlic and wait until you hear the garlic sizzling. Add meat and lightly brown it. Add curry paste and coconut milk. Bring the pan to a simmer and stir. Add in the sliced onion, bell pepper, snow peas, bamboo shoots and sugar, and stir to coat all vegetables in the coconut milk. Cover and let simmer on medium low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add fish sauce and stir. Serve over white rice and garnish with green onions.

—Quail Forever

Pear curry and crispy duck

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 tbsp. sesame seeds

11/2 lbs. crappie

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp. butter, melted

Salt and pepper

Stir together pecans and sesame seeds and set aside. Arrange fish on a baking dish or baking sheet. Add garlic to melted butter and brush on the fish. Cover fish with nut mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill or let stand for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a small amount of olive oil in the bottom of a skillet and sauté the fish, pecan side down for about 5 minutes. Transfer to an oiled baking sheet. When all fish are sautéd, bake with pecan side up until meat flakes.

—Missouri Dept. of Conservation

Puzzle by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star

NATIONAL

MINNESOTA

Teen wins world’s largest ice-fishing tourney

At age 13, Zac Padrnos, of Hutchinson, pulled in a 9.45-pound walleye on a pink and white tungsten jig with a wax worm to win the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Gull Lake. Nearly 12,000 ice anglers competed at the 33rd annual event, considered to be the largest ice fishing tournament in the world.

Padrnos won the grand prize, a Ford or GMC pickup. He plans to sell the truck and keep the money for his future, including buying a new shotgun to use on the school trap team.

More than 100 volunteers drilled 14,300 holes through the 15 inches of ice for the event.

—Staff report

Bear, stuck in ice, rescued

A bear was rescued Feb. 6 after getting stuck in the deep snow of a ditch in Roseau County. According to Andy Tri, bear project leader for the Department of Natural Resource in Grand Rapids, the adult male bear had been denned up in a culvert that started to flow during a recent warmup and became stuck when he attempted to seek drier cover.

“He tried to push himself out and kind of got wedged on some frozen water that had frozen and thawed and got stuck in place and tired,” Tri said.

Tri sedated the bear and with assistance from conservation officers, used a rope with “paw cuffs” to extract the bear from the deep snow. The bear was in good shape and weighed 375-400 pounds,

After the ordeal, the bear was taken to a new den at Thief Lake Wildlife Management Area in Marshall County.

—MNDNR

SOUTH DAKOTA

First hen houses in state wetlands

Hen houses were installed in the state for the first time as part of an expansion of the program by Delta Waterfowl. Thanks to a gift from John Dale, of Waubay, Delta will place 515 Hen Houses in the state to keep nesting hen mallards out of the reach of mammalian predators. Hen Houses have proved to dramatically boost nest success.

The South Dakota nest structures are large portion of the 2,075 new Hen Houses that will be placed into service this winter. Delta delivery specialists are erecting 450 in Manitoba, 400 in Saskatchewan, 300 in Alberta and 210 in North Dakota. Another 200 Hen Houses are going in as part of graduate

Big blues

Continued from page 8

research in California’s Central Valley.

With the additions, Delta’s Hen House Program will have more than with more than 11,700 nest structures in place for the 2023 nesting season in key breeding areas for mallards.

—Delta Waterfowl

MISSOURI Scholarships for fisheries degrees

The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is instituting a college scholarship program for students seeking a degree in a natural resource field with the goal of becoming a practicing fishery manager.

Up to $15,000 will be awarded in July 2023 to the selected applicants. Applications are now being accepted at bassfishinghof.com.

“Within many fishery management agencies, there is a definitive need to fill vacant positions with qualified individuals who understand and have a passion for both the sport of bass fishing and the science needed to manage those fisheries,” said BFHOF Board president John Mazurkiewicz. Scholarship applicants must be a high school senior who has committed to enroll or be an undergraduate and graduate student currently enrolled in a four-year college, university, or accredited graduate program. They must declare or have declared a major in biology, aquatic ecology, fisheries, marine science, or a closely related natural resources field.

—BFHOF

ALASKA Bristol Bay protected

On Jan. 30, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it would apply the Clean Water Act Section 404(c) to protect Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed. This final determination ensures that Bristol Bay and its salmon fishery is permanently protected against the Pebble Mine development.

—ASA OHIO

Deer harvest tops

200,000

Ohio’s 2022-23 white-tailed deer hunting season concluded Feb. 5, with 210,977 deer checked, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. The final total represents all deer harvested during archery, gun, muzzleloader, and youth hunting seasons since Sept. 10, 2022. The total represents the first time since 201213 that the number of deer taken surpassed 200,000.

—ODNR

pounds, as well as some larger ones.”

Franklin said the action on Lake Ray Roberts is much more consistent.

“The best catfish are holding in 35 to 45 feet of water along ledges with a gradual slope,” he said. “Drifting has worked well for these fish, and whole shad has been the most productive bait. We’ve seen a lot of catfish recently with shad as large as 1 pound inside of their stomachs.”

Franklin recently guided an angler that caught a 52-pound blue cat.

“On that particular trip, we caught 15 catfish in the 20 to 30-pound range, in addition to the 52-pounder,” he said.

On Lake Conroe, Darrell Taylor said the bite has been fairly consistent near the edges of deep holes along creek channels in 20 to 22 feet of water.

“We are catching mostly channel cats, with some blues mixed in,” Taylor said. “On average the fish have been around 5 pounds, but we have seen some blue cats pushing 15 to 40 pounds as well. Punch bait has been producing the best action.”

North Texas guide Chad Ferguson, has been spending most of his time on Eagle Mountain Lake where he said numbers of quality blue catfish and channel catfish have been coming pretty steady.

“The recent drop in water temperature at the beginning of the month did make

the action from larger fish more consistent,” Ferguson said. “There have been fish up shallow and out deep. I’ve found them anywhere from 45 feet of water up to 1.5 feet of water, and everywhere in between.”

Most of the fish are laying in the mud along the bottom and are somewhat lethargic.

“Points, ledges, humps and other areas with a gradual depth changes have been holding the most catfish,” Ferguson said. “Once you find them, the bite is pretty steady.”

Ferguson has been catching plenty of smaller blue cats with a few each day weighing 20 to 30 pounds or more. Punch bait and cut shad have been drawing the most strikes.

On Richland Chambers, guide Chris Moody said he has been drifting over 30 to 35 feet of water along main creek channel areas and open flats with a soft muddy bottom.

“A lot of the fish are laying along the bottom in the mud, and their bellies are pretty muddy when we land them,” he said. “We’ve been catching blue cats consistently up to 45 to 47 pounds, and there are ton of fish in the 20- to 30-pound range out there. Large chunks of fresh cut bait have been working well.”

Suspended slabs

Continued from page 8

“They have been awfully spooky, so you can’t really get your boat right over them. You have to cast or pitch to them from a distance to get them to bite.”

Most of the fish Parker and his anglers are catching are fairly large, and he’s even seen a few topping 3 pounds.

“I have caught and then broken my own personal best record a few times for crappie lately,” he said.

On Cedar Creek Lake, guide Kyle Miers said crappie are suspended and scattered around boat docks and brush piles.

“Boat docks in 8 to 12 feet have been

holding the most crappie,” Miers said. “Brush piles in 18 to 27 feet also have plenty of fish.”

The fish aren’t concentrated in huge schools.

“You really have to target several areas to catch numbers of fish, but for the most part, they have all been in the 11to 14-inch range,” he said. “Lightweight jigs as small as 1/32-ounce have been working the best. The fish are really reacting much better to a super-slow presentation.”

Junior Howell landed this 52-pound catfish on Lake Ray Roberts with guide Trey Franklin. Photo by Trey Franklin.

FEBRUARY 11

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Red River Valley Dinner

Gainesville Civic Center (940) 390-0081 ducks.org

FEBRUARY 11-12

TEXAS GUN & KNIFE SHOWS

Fredericksburg Fairgrounds (830) 285-0575 texasgunandknifeshows.com

FEBRUARY 13

DALLAS SAFARI CLUB

DSC 100 Volunteer Party Empire Room Dallas biggame.org

FEBRUARY 17

COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

Texas State Banquet

Texas Ski Ranch, New Braunfels (713) 626-4222 ccatexas.org

FEBRUARY 17-18

TEXAS DEER ASSOCIATION

Antler Extravaganza

Kalahari Resort, Round Rock (512) 499-0466 texasdeerassociation.com

FEBRUARY 17-19

GUADALUPE RIVER TROUT UNLIMITED Troutfest Lazy L&L Campground New Braunfels grtu.org

DATEBOOK

FEBRUARY 18

MULE DEER FOUNDATION

Parker County Banquet

Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo Grounds, Weatherford (817) 565-7121 muledeer.org

FEBRUARY 23

COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

Saltgrass Banquet

Winnie Stowell Community Building (409) 782-7934 ccatexas.org

FEBRUARY 24

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

Smith County Hunters Gala The Orchard at Martins Pecanville, Bullard (903) 724-1853 nwtf.org

FEBRUARY 25

DELTA WATERFOWL

Lamar County Banquet Love Civic Center, Paris (903) 249-2380 deltawaterfowl.org

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION Hill Country Banquet

Pedrotti’s Ranch, Helotes (210) 854-5093 rmef.org

FEBRUARY 23-25

RICHARDS OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Waterfowl Photography Workshop (210) 218-4375 richardsoutdoorphotography.com

FEBRUARY 25-26

TEXAS GUN & KNIFE SHOW

Kerrville Expo Hall (830) 285-0575 texasgunandknifeshows.com

TEXAS FLY FISHING AND BREW FESTIVAL

Mesquite Convention Center, Mesquite txflyfishingfestival.org

FEBRUARY 28-MARCH 19

HOUSTON LIVESTOCK AND RODEO

Ranching and Wildlife Expo and Auction NRG Center, Houston (832) 667-1000 rodeohouston.com

MARCH 2

SAN ANTONIO SCI

Chapter Banquet Aggie Park Brant Center, San Antonio info@scifsanantonio.com

MARCH 2-5

EXOTIC WILDLIFE ASSOCIATION

Membership Meeting Embassy Suites San Marcos info@myewa.org (830) 315-7761 myewa.org

MARCH 4

SAN ANGELO SCI Banquet and Auction First Financial Pavillion sanangelosci.com

TEXAS BRIGADES

Conservation on the River fundraiser Gruene Event Center, New Braunfels texasbrigades.org

CLASSIFIEDS

TEXAS TROPHY

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(717) 512-3582

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GUN/ACCESSORIES FOR SALE

Weatherby Vanguard bolt-action

270 Win.

C4 RANCH - WHITETAIL & EXOTIC HUNTS

Cull, Management & Trophies up to 300” Duval County, TX

High Fenced & MLD Managed

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DOS HERMANOS RANCH

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On 4000 acres near San Angelo, TX doshermanosranch.com

Jake at (208) 477-9065

PATAGONIA ARGENTINA RED STAG HUNTS

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Trophy and management packages available. (210) 748-9392

Brush country whitetail bucks! Doe, management bucks and hog hunts

All-inclusive guided hunts zacatehunts.com (325) 446- 6716

ANTLERS WANTED Buying all species, all conditions. Looking for large quantities Call Del

(830) 997-2263

NEED ARCHERY RANGE? www.TexasArchery.info

AXIS HIDES Tanned axis hides Axis pillows / gbroach@ktc.com (830) 896-6996

Texas Dove Hunters Association TexasDoveHunters.com

(210) 764-1189

EXOTICS + WHITETAIL

Several species Trophy and meat hunts Owner guided Very reasonable Let’s have fun! (325) 475-2100

DUVAL COUNTY South Texas Dove Hunting 65 acres, Lodging RV Power Available Huntershilton.com for more info

(361) 244-0544 or (361) 443-9330

FISHING

BAY FISHING

6 Hour Trip from $275 Port Isabel, TX (956) 551-1965

CLASSIFIEDS (PER WORD) $1

Excellent condition Stored indoors, Fully equipped and ready to go as is $5,599.00 rustynailranch7599@outlook.com (903) 390-5466

BAFFIN BAY ADVENTURE Offshore, Nearshore Fishing and Bay fishing at its best! Come enjoy the beauty of Baffin Bay and surrounding areas. Reasonable prices and family oriented! (361) 371-1857

Pelican Vault Single Gun Case Vortex Viper HS Scope Call David (214) 909-2747

SKID STEER BRUSH CUTTING / HYDRO AX

All your clearing needs, right-of-ways, senderos, creek & river bottoms, fence lines etc. South Texas Call Frank (512) 699-5381

LAWN BOY TILLER

5HP Briggs & Stratton Runs Great $250 (830) 708-7160

THE CHIMEY BOX OUTDOOR FIREPLACE

LIKE NEW 2014 NEWWATER showroom condition, stored indoors, 9 ft. T-Top, Front & rear casting platforms, Raised Console, Livewell, 90 HP Yamaha 4 stroke motor, less than 40 hrs. Located in Port Mansfield. $49,500 Call Capt. Steve (956) 492-8472

Great for your hunting camp or backyard Keeps smoke out of your face. New $1,500, asking $800 (214) 695-2950

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