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Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
April 22, 2022
Volume 18, Issue 17
Catfish spawn picking up By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Danielle Barton caught this 52-pound catfish while fishing on Lake Waco with her husband and guide, Jason Barton. Photo by Jason Barton.
Spawning activity for catfish is on the rise across several major reservoirs, as heavy blues and channel cats move up into the shallows along flats, banks and creek mouths. Smaller catfish are still holding out in deeper water. A variety of baits from cut bait and whole shad to cheese bait
have been producing hookups. Chris Thompson recently went fishing for cats on Eagle Mountain Lake, where he said the fish have begun to move into the shallows. “My wife and I tried fishing some deeper holes, but didn’t have much action,” Thompson said. “We made a move to a shallow flat with lots of timber and started getting bites. I landed two
catfish in the 22-inch range that were full of eggs.” Thompson said they were using shrimp for bait. “There also seems to be a lot of catfish around the dam right now,” he said. On Lake Conroe, guide Darrell Taylor said there are plenty of catfish from 2 to 5 pounds hanging out in 20 feet of water near creek channel ledges and holes. “Shad are starting to
move up around the bulkheads and some fish are starting to follow them up shallow as well,” Taylor said. “On days following cold fronts though, you can almost bet that the fish will be out deeper.” Occasionally, Taylor has been seeing fish anywhere from 15 to 40 pounds mixed in with the eating-sized cats his anglers have been catching. Please turn to page 9
Toms still baffling hunters By Nate Skinner
warded with success. The birds within northern locales are still in large flocks, while they have started splitting up in regions to the south. North Zone turkey hunter Shannon Scott harvested a double-bearded gobbler with her bow while hunting in the Panhandle near Mobeetie. “This was my first multibearded turkey, and I had no idea that he had a second beard until after I recovered him,” Scott said. Scott got out to her spot early before daylight and set up a pop-up blind along a travel route she felt like the birds had been using quite a bit after leaving their roosts.
For Lone Star Outdoor News Spring turkey season is in full swing; however, range conditions seem to be running a little behind, according to many hunters. The drought being experienced in many areas has slowed the timing of the typical springtime green up, and the turkeys seem to be running late along with the vegetation across Texas pastures. Many hunters are reporting they are still seeing a lot of receptive hens that don’t act as if they’ve already been bred, so the gobblers seem to be “henned-up.” Those who have exercised patience have been re-
While turkey hunters are seeing lots of jakes, mature toms have been difficult to bring in. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Please turn to page 5
By Craig Nyhus
Some saltwater anglers call it the spring migration of menhaden. Whatever it is, the redfish and speckled trout get excited. In summer, the tiny baitfish, also called pogies, drift in after the adults have spawned offshore. But some sub-adults come into the jetty areas, so the early push of the prized prey is larger fish, about 5 inches. “When there are menhaden around, fish can’t get their minds
on anything else,” said Rockport guide Brian Holden. “Especially the redfish — they won’t hit anything else.” The oily fish, used for things like chicken feed, fish oil supplements and even some medicines when caught commercially, can gather in huge groups that are easy to spot. Just watch the water and look for slicks. “This time of year, the slicks are bigger and more prolific,” Holden said. “The menhaden have a higher concentration of oil. Last week, I saw an acre of menhaden
that were 2 feet thick.” Holden looks near the channels for small islands where the current peels off for concentrations of the fish. Others target areas where deeper water pulls close to shallow structure. “The redfish swarm them,” he said. When using menhaden for bait, ask for the slang term at the bait stand — shad. “A live one has to be real fresh,” he said. Holden buys his from a bait stand where the boat comes in at
Photo from NOAA
night, and the menhaden are put on ice on top of a cardboard box. “It keeps the oil from washing off,” he said. “If they don’t make a little slick on the water when you drop them in, you won’t catch anything on them.” When using lures, Holden said there are a few keys. “Menhaden are always slashing Please turn to page 15
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
Lone Star Outdoor News
Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 15 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 16 Datebook . . . . . . . . . Page 18 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 18
INSIDE
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Find the menhaden, find the fish
HUNTING
FISHING
Checking teeth (P. 4)
Sharks at night (P. 8)
Researchers study method of aging deer.
Day starts with catching bait.
Searching for fellowship (P. 4)
Spots on bass (P. 8)
New friends gather for adventures.
Skin condition may be a virus.
