Page 12
March 11, 2022
LoneOStar Outdoor News
LSONews.com
GAME WARDEN BLOTTER COAST GUARD LAND RESCUE The Coast Guard medevaced an injured hunter from the woods in Crosby. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston Command Center watchstanders received notification from Crosby Fire Department personnel that a 17-year-old male had fallen approximately 20 feet from a hunting stand and injured his back. On-scene emergency medical services personnel were unable to transport the individual through the heavily wooded area. A helicopter crew was launched, hoisted the man from 130 feet, and transported the injured man to a Houston hospital BOAT HITS SAND BAR IN PORT ISABEL A 15-foot boat ran aground on a sand bar near Port Isabel with three individuals aboard. A 68-year-old man had fallen and was experiencing chest pains. TowBoatUS was notified and contacted the Coast Guard, who responded and medevaced the injured man and one other boater. The injured man was transported by EMS to a local hospital. DRUGS AT THE MARINA Denton County game wardens received a call for assistance from a local police department concerning drugs found at a marina belong-
MISSING HUNTER RESCUED FROM MARSH The Coast Guard rescued a missing hunter from
had become separated from two other hunters who
the marsh near Freeport. Coast Guard Sector
made it back to their boat and truck. A helicopter
Houston-Galveston command center watchstand-
crew and airboat responded and was signaled by
ers received a notification of a missing 34-year-old
the man, who had a flashlight. The crew hoisted
male in the marsh area between the mouth of the
and transported him to the boat ramp. No injuries
Brazos River and the San Bernard River. The man
were reported.
ing to patrons who left in a boat. Shortly after wardens arrived, the boat returned. Consent was granted to search the boat, and cocaine was found. One person was arrested and taken to the Denton County Jail. EXOTIC FIGHT, NOT POACHING On an Anderson County ranch, a game warden investigated a possible poaching incident. The caller stated that there were large amounts of blood present on the property. It was discovered that an exotic animal was wounded by another animal. However, the warden did discover several alligators that were taken illegally by one of the workers.
MORE THAN A FEW BEERS WHILE FISHING A call came in for an attempt to locate a reckless driver to a Polk County game warden. The warden was in the area and advised dispatch he would wait for the vehicle to pass by. The vehicle turned onto a county road directly across from where the warden was located. The warden attempted to make a traffic stop, but the driver continued down the road at a high rate of speed. The warden initiated his siren, and the vehicle pulled over. Upon contact with the driver, the warden could smell alcohol. The driver said he and his son were heading home
from Louisiana after a day of fishing and that he consumed four to five beers. Field sobriety tests were performed, after which the man was arrested and charged with DWI w/ Child Under 15 years of age. The driver was booked into the Polk County jail. The vehicle and child were released to the child’s mother. WARDEN’S SUSPICIONS COME TRUE A truck ran a red light and was stopped by a Montgomery County game warden. The driver seemed overly nervous, was dressed in black from head to toe, soaking wet, and could not give a reason for being out so late. He claimed
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the truck belonged to his uncle but could not remember the uncle’s first or last name. The warden made several attempts to call the registered owner of the vehicle with no success, and was unsuccessful in making contact when driving to the owner’s residence. The driver was identified, issued a citation and released. Later that morning, the vehicle was reported as stolen. DRONE FINDS MISSING GIRL A request was made for a game warden to operate a drone to assist in searching for a 15-year-old female who had gone missing the prior evening. After flying the drone around the area, the warden spotted a figure appearing to be a human walking in some brush with the thermal camera on the drone. When the female noticed the drone, she tried to hide in some thicker brush. Another game warden went into the brush and spotted the female with his flashlight. The female was returned safely to her parents.
REPORT ILLEGAL HUNTING AND FISHING ACTIVITY FOR A REWARD OF UP TO $1,000. CALL OPERATION GAME THIEF AT (800) 792-4263
A N AMERIC AN LEGEND RUGER.COM/AMERICANRIFLE
Plenty of reds
Roaming stripers
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Continued from page 1
sized redfish roaming the marsh. “I’ve never seen so many oversized redfish during this time of year,” he said. “And these are not just barely over 28-inch fish. We’ve been catching them to 37 inches. A lot of these fish are in water that is 1.5-feet deep or less.” Sumney has been throwing soft plastics in natural color patterns made by KDen lures. “The midday and early afternoon hours have held the best action as the rising sun heats up the shallow mud flats Gabi Molina, of League City, caught this redfish in the along the marsh,” Neches River while fishing with Sabine guide Capt. Chris Sumney explained. Phillips on a cold day. Photo by Chris Phillips. Capt. Chris Phillips has been finding protection from breezy conditions in the Neches River, where plenty of redfish have been stacked up. “When the tide is super low after the passage of a cold front, the fish have been pulling off of the flats and into the river channel,” Phillips said. “On cold, post front days, you can find good numbers of them piled up along deep ledges and drop-offs.” Phillips also has been finding some reds along ditches leading into many of the marshes surrounding Sabine Lake. Capt. Randy Foreman said Middle Pass and East Pass are also good areas to find protection from the wind and find redfish. “Any stretch of water where there are protected ditches and channels that drain shallow flats will definitely have reds lurking nearby,” he said.
in order to stay hooked up. Trolling umbrella rigs, dead-sticking flukes and jigging with spoons all seem to be working. Lake Buchanan guide Fermin Fernandez said the bite has been consistent, especially while trolling umbrella rigs. “We’ve also been catching quite a few fish on jigging spoons once we find a large school of them,” he said. Most of the stripers on Buchanan are suspended over the trees in 48-55 feet of water. “Our best success has been covering water while trolling, and then setting up on a school once we find a good concentration on the sonar,” he explained. “It’s kind of a no-brainer. We fish while we are looking for Kim Snell landed this striped bass on Lake Texoma while dead-sticking a them by trolling. Then if an opportu- fluke in 25 feet of water over structure. Photo by Stephen Andre. nity presents itself where we are able to sit right on top of them and catch them with spoons at some point, we take advan- ter, early spring pattern.” According to Andre, there aren’t any birds worktage of it.” Fernandez said the stripers haven’t been hold- ing over the fish, and anglers have to cover water and find the stripers by using their electronics. ing in specific locations for very long. Lake Whitney guide, Blake Stritz of Fellowship “They have constantly been on the move and staging in certain stretches of the lake according Fishing Guide Service, said there seem to be an abundance of schools with healthy stripers roamto the wind and weather,” he said. Most of the stripers Fernandez and his anglers ing the lake. “Dead-sticking and trolling umbrella rigs have are catching are in the 3-7 pound range, with a lot been the two best tactics for catching quality of undersized hybrid stripers mixed in. On Lake Texoma, guide Stephen Andre said the stripers lately,” Stritz said. “1-ounce jig heads with chartreuse, pink, or white and chartreuse flukes striper action has been steady. “Dead-sticking with flukes and slow-rolling have been dynamite, and 4-inch paddle tails also swimbaits has been producing well in 20-25 feet been the ticket.” Stritz has been focusing on areas in and around over structure like main lake humps, ledges and deep channels and old, deep creek beds. points,” Andre said. “The stripers have also been Twelve-year-old Ledger Fortner recently landed holding in various depths, suspended in stretches the unofficial youth state record striper for Lake of open water.” Andre has been seeing stripers from as small Tawakoni while fishing for catfish with guide, of 14 inches in length up to about 9 pounds in James Evans. The fish measured 33.5 inches and weighed 18.70 pounds. The current official youth weight. “An average day has been about 40-50 stripers,” state record for striper on Tawakoni is 18 pounds. he said. “It’s about as good as it gets for a late win-
