FISHING TEXAS ANNUAL INSIDE
Fishing texas ANNUAL 2022
Chasing Spots
Advertising Section
Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
March 11, 2022
Volume 18, Issue 14
Redfish in the wind
Dakota, a German shorthaired pointer, takes a break after a last day hunt in Willacy County. Photo by Tony Vindell, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Better than average
Soft plastics under a cork and rattle have been bringing redfish to the boat. Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News.
Anglers seek protection to find reds By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News Red drum along the upper coast have been moving from shallow to deep water as tide levels fluctuate with varying northerly and southerly breezes. Anglers have been seeking refuge from the changing, gusty winds by focusing their efforts in protected areas like channels, the ICW, ditches, bayous, rivers and marshes. Tournament angler and member of the Blast & Cast Mens Ministries tournament outreach team James McDowell has been fishing the Sabine area with his brother, Mike, where they have been finding redfish moving back and forth from shallow
flats to deeper ledges and drop-offs, depending on the conditions. “We’ve really just been targeting flats along the edges of channels, where there are significant drop-offs,” McDowell said. “On colder days, the reds have been stacking up along the drop-offs anywhere from 3 to 8 feet of water. On sunny days, the reds have been pulling up from the ledges and drop-offs during the midday and afternoon hours as the water heats up, and feeding up on the flats in water 2 feet deep or less.” Soft plastics rigged under a popping corking have been producing the most strikes. “We’ve been finding some really healthy fish,” McDowell said. “Redfish pushing 7 to 9 pounds in the slot have been plentiful.”
McDowell said any stretch of water with a mud flat with a deep channel in the Sabine Lake area is worth targeting for red drum. Angler Jacob Sumney has been chasing redfish in the marshes and back lakes from Matagorda to Sabine Lake. “The reds have been bouncing back and forth from shallow ponds to deeper creeks, drains, and ditches leading into these shallow areas,” Sumney explained. “When the water gets pushed out of the back lakes from strong north winds, the fish have been staging in deeper depressions that drain the marsh. As tide levels return to normal and the water temperature warms back up, the reds have been returning to the shallows to feed.” One of the most interesting things Sumney has seen is the numbers of overPlease turn to page 12
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Covering water for stripers By Nate Skinner
Striped bass are on the move across inland lakes, and most guides and anglers are catching them on a variety of artificial presentations. The fish seem to be covering plenty of water, day in and day out, and anglers are having to do the same
Ledger Fortner, 12, landed this 18.7-pound striper on Lake Tawakoni, while catfishing with guide James Evans. The striper is unofficially the new youth state record striper for the lake. Photo by James Evans.
By Tony Vindell
For Lone Star Outdoor News The 2021-22 quail season ended Feb. 27 with a better than average note for South Texas hunters. Doug Hardie, an avid quail hunter, finished the season hunting on closing weekend in the Fullerton area of Liberty County. “The season was better than average,” he said. “I would say it was the same from San Antonio to the south.” Hardie also hunts on El Sauz Ranch east of Raymondville, where the conditions were as good as in other parts of South Texas. He said a quail season depends largely on how much rainfall an area gets. A report from the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation put South Texas as the hotspot for the last two seasons — attributed to good range conditions. Adequate rains last spring helped with chick survival as plenty of bugs were available during their critical time. Whenever drought strikes a particular area or region, the birds’ survival rate declines considerably, as happened several years ago in South Texas when rainfall was a scarce commodity. Five years or more ago, for example, fewer birds were seen in area ranches to the point some South Texas ranch owners did not let hunters go after quail. But as rainfall improved, bird hunting resumed. At one point, coveys with dozens of birds could be seen running along dirt roads northwest of I-69 from Raymondville to Kingsville and to the west
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Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 11 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 15 Datebook . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 19
INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Quail hunters pleased with season
HUNTING
FISHING
Spring snows (P. 4)
Big black drum (P. 8)
Geese cooperate before heading north.
Shrimp, crabs bringing the bites.
Big night for quail (P. 4)
Live imaging research (P. 8)
Park Cities Quail sells out event.
Crappie impact not significant.
