Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
February 11, 2022
Volume 18, Issue 12
Crappie anglers battling winds By Lili Keys
Lone Star Outdoor News Crappie anglers and guides have been braving high winds and weather changes, making the most of the conditions but patiently waiting for the action that late February and the start of the spawn typically brings. In East Texas, Blake Oestreich of
BrushBuster Guide Service landed some slabs with hand-tied jigs on Lake Nacogdoches. “The fish are spread throughout the lake in 15 to 40 feet of water, mostly roaming getting ready for the spawn,” he said in a social media post. “There are very few fish grouped up on structure, so we decided to grind it out deep on the less
spooky fish. The wind beat us up all afternoon but they were still able to put a good box of fish in the boat.” The weather, lack of stockings from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and “too many anglers who fished and killed crappie during Covid,” are all reasons Phillip Mattern, of Phillip’s Guide Service, said Lake Conroe is in a holding pattern
Anglers are still finding crappie roaming in deeper water. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.
Please turn to page 18
Romance still in the air The rut may be over, but some deer came through unbred and went back into estrus, as did some doe fawns. Bucks were quick to notice, like this Stonewall County buck that chased one of several doe and doe fawns that darted around through the snow to get away. The area received 4 to 5 inches before fading away as temperatures returned to normal. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Hitting the rocks POC jetties producing reds, trout, sheepshead and flounder By Robert Sloan
A mixed bag of species are being caught at the jetties of Port O’Connor, with free-lined shrimp being the preferred bait. Photo by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News. Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 15 Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 18 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 19 Datebook . . . . . . . . . Page 19
INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
For Lone Star Outdoor News There may not be many anglers out, but those heading to the Port O’Connor jetties are finding good numbers of several species of fish. The jetties, located on the middle Texas coast, are one of the most productive for a variety of fish during the winter months. And typically, the fish-
ing gets better in February. One of the best at fishing these jetties is longtime guide Ron Arlitt. Recently, he put a group of anglers on a crazy day of fishing that included speckled trout, slot redfish, a bull red, black drum, sheepshead and, surprisingly, 11 flounder. “It’s been a good winter for fishing the jetties,” Arlitt said. “This is the time of year when there is very little fishing pressure along the rocks. It’s not unusual to get set up and not see another boat. The best catches have been sheepshead. But the slot reds are good, and so are the trout.” Please turn to page 9
HUNTING
FISHING
Less than spectacular (P. 4)
White bass run begins (P. 8)
Duck hunters see a few more birds.
Nueces, Neches rivers getting busy.
Cooper’s hawks and dove (P. 4)
East Matty trout, reds (P. 8)
Are dove a favorite target?
Jigs with green tails producing.
