REAL ESTATE ANNUAL INSIDE
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Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper in Texas
April 24, 2020
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Volume 16, Issue 17
Rock Mama lands 820-pound bluefin Pending state record While turkeys will hold tight during a storm, they quickly get back into their normal routine. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News
Turkeys and inclement weather By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News The anticipation was high, but the clouds were low. Turkey hunters have spent time sitting through gusty winds, rains, extreme heat and near-bitter cold this spring. The roller coaster ride of conditions left many wondering while passing the time without seeing birds, “What do turkeys do in bad weather?” According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Wild Turkey Program leader Jason Hardin, wild turkeys are not particularly fond of foul weather. “A lot of times, their movements during a rain or storm event will significantly decrease,” Hardin said. “I have witnessed them sit tight and look miserable for long periods of time in specific locations during heavy spring rain events.” National Wild Turkey Federation district biologist Gene T. Miller said wild turkeys may stay on their roosts all day if the weather is bad enough and their mood delegates that they do so. “Turkeys will fly back up into a tree at any time during the day if a storm erupts,” Miller said. “I have flushed them out of trees walking into or out of the wet woods on overcast days during the spring season.” Because wind and rain limit two of the keen senses turkeys rely on for survival, their abilities to see and hear, Miller said the birds will spend the majority of the day standing around and looking, rather than moving, when these
The Rock Mama crew tries to boat an 820-pound bluefin tuna caught by angler Daniel Miers. The fish is the pending state record. Photo by Steve Caruselle.
When Gulf seas went calm for a few days, bluewater-crazed anglers were chomping at the bit to get out of the house. For Daniel Miers, the trip resulted in a 820-pound bluefin tuna, a likely new state record. Most anglers found consistent action from yellowfin and blackfin tuna around floating rigs along the Boomvang and Nansen offshore oil and gas fields. A few were able to land giant bluefins in the record class. Freeport charter captain Jeff Naylor said he’s been encountering large schools of both yellowfin and blackfin tuna feeding aggressively around the first set of floater rigs, about 100 miles out. “We’ve been landing most of our fish in the 3,600-3,800 feet depth range while trolling ballyhoo rigged on various lures, as well as free-lining chunks of fresh cut bait,” Naylor said. Most of the yellowfin tuna have been from 20 to 100 pounds. “The blackfins have been averaging 10 to 20 pounds,” Naylor said. “There’s also been quite a few large bluefin tuna feeding on the schools of smaller blackfins. The best way to target them is by using a large, live bait.” Houston resident Sam Moore experienced some incredible action around the floaters during a three-day excursion aboard his 52 Viking named Decarb. The boat was captained by Troy Day, who was also assisted by Ryan Doxey, and Moore’s 14-year-old son, Sam Jr. The crew found yellowfin tuna schooling along the surface, along with some blackfins mixed in. “We caught several yellowfins in the 30-pound class while trolling, and we also caught and released two blue marlin,” Moore said. On the second day, the group was fishing within sight of a 55-foot Hatteras named Rock Mama, and saw an angler on that boat hook up with what seemed to be a pretty big fish early in the morning. Please turn to page 11
Please turn to page 13
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210
Running limblines for river blues By Robert Sloan
At the end of a washed-out road, through what’s akin to a tropical jungle in the middle of nowhere, is an exposed gravel bar that Gary Groll eases onto with his 1951 Lone Star Boat and trailer.
“It don’t look like much, but that old boat has caught more fish than most people catch in a lifetime,” Groll said as the Jeep was lined up on two pieces of pink plastic fluttering in the wind. “And this is not exactly the best boat ramp you’ll ever see, but for the time
being it’s where I’m launching to run my limb lines.” The ramp was nothing more than a small opening in a line of willow trees. But the slope of the gravel bar was enough to allow Groll to back his trailer into the Guadalupe River, which had risen about 6 feet.
“This section of the river is where I’ve been fishing for about the past 55 years,” Groll said. “We put the boat in and run downriver about a half mile. That’s where I have some limblines baited. We’ll run them, rebait and check them out this afternoon.” Please turn to page 13
Gary Groll holds a blue catfish he landed by a limb line on the Guadalupe River. Photo by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News.
Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10
HUNTING
Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 11
Scent control to virus stopper (P. 4) People helping guides (P. 6)
Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 17 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 18
INSIDE
CONTENTS
Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP
For Lone Star Outdoor News
FISHING
Ozone products surging.
Raise funds to assist.
First tom (P. 5)
State parks open (P. 8)
Woman bags double-bearded turkey.
Day use only.