Lone Star Outdoor News 051223

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Big speck while wading flats

By Robert Sloan outdoor newS

Kerri Chatham, a Port O’Connor fishing guide, made a run to Port Mansfield with her husband and father-inlaw, and the trip paid off with a nice speckled trout.

Chatham’s specialty is wading the flats just about anywhere she can find clean water, grass and baitfish.

“We had a really good time,” she said. “We waded the whole time we were there. The water on that area of the Laguna Madre can be anything from sandy green to gin clear. Drift fishing is popular there — it’s a way to cover a lot of water. Since the wind blows there more often than not, driftfishing is a good option. But wading is my specialty and the clear water flats out of Mansfield are perfect for wad-

Some of the best wading can be done on the flats off the Intracoastal Waterway. That’s where you’ll find lots of grass and lots of sand pockets.

“One of the best combinations you can have while wading is to be in clear water where you have scattered grass with sand pockets,” Chatham said.

On this trip, the group caught a good number of trout over 21 inches, along with a few reds, but the trip was highlighted by a 28-inch trout caught by the guide, her personal best.

“The weather was good,” says Chatham. “We found some good flats to wade and they were holding lots of small minnows, along with mullet. When I hooked up with that big trout we were fishing a north wind under a sunny sky.”

One of her favorite lures is the original Down South paddle tail in a

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Monster striper on Lady Bird

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star outdoor newS

Miller Polly and Theo Koulianos were bass fishing together out of a 14-foot jon boat they call “The Daisy,” rigged with a trolling motor on Lady Bird Lake, when Polly hooked into a fish that was clearly much larger than the largemouth bass they were pursuing. The jum-

Toms active as season ends

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star outdoor newS

Turkey hunters chasing gobblers in the North Zone have been hard at it for nearly two weeks since South Zone hunters had to call it quits. As their spring season quickly comes to a halt, many have observed varying behaviors from the birds.

Cody Johnston dedicated some time in the field on a ranch that he leases in Schleicher County, near Eldorado. He was rewarded by a close encounter with a mature longbeard, which resulted in him harvesting his first spring tom.

“The gobblers were pretty vocal during my two-day trip,” he said. “They gobbled a lot throughout the day, but most were not will-

ing to close the distance after responding to a call.”

Johnston was hunting with a friend, and said they had to put in several miles on foot before finding a tom in an aggressive mood.

“After making an early afternoon sit in an area that was holding quite a few birds, we decided to make a move in the direction of a gobbler sounding off in the distance,” he said. “We were able to sneak in fairly close to where we thought he was. After we sat down and waited a few minutes, both me and my buddy made one call each. The gobbler answered immediately, and a few moments later I could see him charging in in a hurry.”

The hunters didn’t have any decoys out, but the gobbler did not seem to care.

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bo bite turned out to be a 41.5inch, 31.5-pound striped bass that began an on-the-water rodeo before it was finally landed.

“I was chunking a swimbait around structure along the bank, and we had already caught a few largemouths that evening, before we moved into some deeper, open water,” said Polly. “As we drifted over the deeper basin before us, I

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Josh Smith took this mature gobbler in Wheeler County near Shamrock while hunting with outfitter Kevin Whiteley. Photo by Kevin Whiteley.

Miller Polly caught and released this 41.5 inch, 31.5 pound striped bass while pursuing largemouth bass on Lady Bird Lake in Austin. Photo by Theo Koulianos.

Kerri Chatham landed her personal best speckled trout on an outing with her husband and father-in-law. Photo by Joe Chatham.

FROM WORK TO PLAY

WHATEVER YOUR ADVENTURE IS, WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.

Rattlers mating, active

By Robert Sloan For Lone Star outdoor newS

When he’s not working as a fishing guide out of Port Mansfield, Jordan Caballero manages a South Texas ranch, and over the past couple of weeks has been dealing with some rather large rattlers. The biggest one so far, that he has killed, was 6 feet, 3 inches long.

“They are mating right now and are on the move,” Caballero said. “We saw this particular rattler cross one of the ranch roads. Usually they are pretty fast, but lately they have not been too quick to get out of the way.”

A diamondback rattlesnake is one of the most feared reptiles in Texas. And they are occasionally encountered by bird hunters after dove, quail and turkey.

“The ranch I manage is in Willacy County, just south of Port Mansfield,” Caballero said. “I think the reason they are moving so slow now is because of the rain we’ve had lately and the fact that they are mating. We’ve only had one person get hit on this ranch. He was weed-eating around the house and got hit on the foot by one that was about 3 feet long. Fortunately the fangs did not penetrate the leather boot.”

Carlos Fernandez manages his family

Anglers rope, save young nilgai bull

ranch south of San Antonio. Just recently, within a seven-day span, he killed three rattlers.

“I’m on a tractor a whole lot out here,” he said. “I get to see plenty of snakes. But the rattlers can be pretty aggressive. One that I ran into recently was 5-feet from the front door of our house. I came up on it but didn’t have a gun with me. I managed to grab a shovel and kill it. That one was about 5-feet-long and was very aggressive.”

A 5- to 6-foot rattlesnake is certainly in the larger class. Caballero likes the skin mounts on a board. But he’s got a buddy that shot a 6-footer the other day and is

Everything Outdoors at DUX

Lone Star outdoor newS

Dogs were the stars at the Ducks Unlimited Everything Outdoors Expo, held May 5-7 at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Purina Pro Plan hosted the Dog Village, including the Incredible Dog Challenge, the premier canine performance sport event. Crowds lined up to cheer dogs jumping off the platform, traveling nearly 30 feet before crashing into the water.

The three-day, family-friendly DUX event, presented by Purina Pro Plan, took place May 5-7 for its third year and continued as a hands-on consumer show. The event featured several villages where attendees tried and bought the latest outdoor products and talked with industry experts.

Animal had wandered well into Baffin Bay

By Craig Nyhus Lone Star outdoor newS

Justin Cooper had seen a young nilgai along the Kenedy Ranch shoreline on the south side of Baffin Bay while fishing and checking the floating cabins his company, Laguna Adventures, owns.

A few hours later, he and his friend, Louie, noticed the animal — way out in the water.

“We drove by and it didn’t even phase him,” Cooper said.

“His head was out of the water.”

After a short discussion, they decided to try to rope the young nilgai bull.

“We roped him and tried idling back in,” Cooper said. “We got to where it was belly deep for him, but

he got out of the rope.”

Once freed from the noose, the nilgai didn’t move an inch.

“We tried to splash water toward him, but that didn’t work,” Cooper said. “Then we got out and walked him to the beach. He didn’t bolt, it was just like walking a dog.”

Cooper guessed the nilgai was 4-5 months old.

“His head came up to your chest,” he said. “He had two little buttons on his skull.”

Cooper figured the animal lost his mother or was just lost.

“I’ve seen deer crossing before, but not nilgai,” he said. “Usually they are so skittish.”

Not this young bull, even after reaching shore, as the pair recorded on a video on Laguna Adventures’ Instagram page.

“Once we got him to shore, he trotted up on the grass,” Cooper said. “Then he left.”

Sportsmen and women from across the area spent time at the shooting ranges, where they could “Try it and buy it,” as the expo had a unique shooting village where people could shoot their new favorite shotgun, handgun or rifle at spacious ranges, and make their choices.

The event included duck and goose calling competitions with $5,000 purses for the top winners, including the Texas State Duck champion, Steve Elmore and the Ducks Unlimited Regional winner, Domingo Sanchez.

Other winners included Haiden Richard in the Mallard Meat contest, Sanchez and Richard in the Team Mallard Meat event, and Richard for Specklebelly Goose.

Texas Motor Speedway is expansive, with plenty of room for people to take ATV and UTV test rides, and then have time to browse the booths of exhibitors, mostly showing their products and services appealing to waterfowlers. That time was usually accompanied by the sounds of duck and goose calls in the background — but when they got too close, nearly piercing their ears.

Dock-jumping dogs drew the biggest crowd at the Ducks Unlimited –Everything Outdoors Expo at Texas Motor Speedway, held May 5-7.

Photo by Morgan Cameron, DU.

Justin Cooper and a friend rescued a young nilgai that had walked and swam out into the bay.

Photo from Justin Cooper.

Jordan Caballero came across this 6-foot, 3-inch rattler while working on a South Texas ranch. The snakes are active across the state. Photo from Jordan Caballero.

Rao honored for firearms training career

Heidi Rao was named the recipient of the Marrion P. Hammer Woman of Distinction Award from the National Rifle Association.

Rao began her career 24 years ago with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as the training specialist for the Hunter Education program in southeast Texas. She later became the statewide coordinator of the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program. She also conducts basic and instructor firearms training classes in rifle, shotgun, pistol, defense and protection in and out of the home and teaches the Texas License to Carry Course.

Hammer was the NRA’s first woman president (1995-1998) and continues as a gun advocate and lobbyist.

“Marion Hammer has been an inspiration to all who believe in and respect our Second Amendment, and I am honored to be the recipient of the award named after her,” Rao said.

—Staff report

HSCF convention moving back to The Woodlands

The Houston Safari Club Foundation announced the relocation of the HSCF Worldwide Hunting Expo & Convention to The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center in The Woodlands.

The group’s convention was held in The Woodlands before moving to the downtown Houston George R. Brown Convention Center in 2018.

The 2024 convention dates are from Jan. 19-21.

State sporting clays champs

—HSCF

Dominic Grossi and Haylyn Hanks were crowned champions at the 2023 Texas State Sporting Clays Championships, held at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio.

Beretta shooter Grassi won the overall championship, topping 778 total shooters, with a three-round score of 192. He was followed by Cory Kruse and Theo Ribbs, both with scores of 190.

Hanks topped the women’s division with a score of 181, and was followed by Savanna Barks and Haley Satterwhite, who both scored 178.

Defender Outdoors Clay Sports Ranch was recognized as the Club of the Year, and the Texas Sporting Clays Association inducted two new members into its Hall of Fame, John Calandro III, who won the Brister Shooter Award, and Gonzala Vargas, M.D., who was recognized for his years of service to the sport.

—Staff report

Colorado Hunting Ranches

Tracts 1-7

• 3,724.2± deeded acres and 14,678± BLM acres

• Excellent trophy elk, mule deer, and pronghorn hunting

• Demonstrated history of producing elk scoring in excess of 370” Boone and Crockett

• Located on Colorado’s GMU 2

• 2,403± square foot home, with attached 741± square foot three-bay garage

Tracts 8-12

• Four spring-fed trout ponds with fish up to 26” and seven pounds

• Twenty-five minutes west of Maybell, CO

• One hour and fifteen minutes west of Craig, CO

• One hour and thirty-five minutes west of Yampa Valley Regional Airport and FBO in Hayden, CO

• Two hours from Steamboat Springs

• 2,693.3± Deeded acres and 2,305± BLM acres

• Over 3 miles of Lay Creek

• Excellent hunting for Mule Deer, Pronghorn Antelope and Migrating Elk

• Located in Colorado’s GMU 3

• Ideally suited for nearly year-round cattle grazing

Heidi Rao

EARLY BIRD ENTRIES April 1-July 15

Open to all hunters with a Texas hunting license to harvest a Eurasian Collared Dove with a TDHA band on its leg. Every band reported provides data for the TDHA Eurasian Collared Dove research project.

Last turkey days

“It all happened so fast, and before I knew it he was no more than about 10 yards away from me,” Johnston said. “I took my shot and finally got to admire my first springtime tom.”

In Wheeler County, near Shamrock, Kevin Whiteley, said his hunters with Bones & Beards Outfitter have been dealing with decoy-shy birds and gangs of jakes during the tail end of the season.

“The gobblers have been more hesitant to come into decoy set-ups that have incorporated jake decoys,” Whiteley said. “We have had some large groups of jakes start to behave aggressively over the past couple of weeks. However, if you can catch one by himself when the jakes aren’t around, he’s usually willing to play.”

Whiteley’s hunters have had the most success hunting near watering holes and travel corridors the birds use daily.

“We still have quite a few toms following hens around,” he explained. “There aren’t too many of them roaming by themselves like they usually are at the end of the season. Because of this, the odds for success have been better for those willing to be patient and wait the birds out by setting up in high traffic areas.”

Shannon Scott also has been hunting in Wheeler County, where she has been chasing gobblers with her bow.

“I’ve been seeing a lot of birds, but getting them to come into bow range has been a different story,” Scott said. “They really haven’t been gobbling much at all, even on the roost, and they have not seemed to be interested in decoys much, either.”

“Most of our birds are making their way to fields with green grasses to feed on bugs during the day,” she explained. “The gobblers are still following hens, and it doesn’t seem as if many of our hens are tending to nests just yet.”

Cooper McFadin said most of the gobblers in the Leakey area where he has been guiding hunters have split up and are running by themselves.

“It seems like the majority of the hens have been bred, and the toms are really responding to a call pretty well,” he said. “They’ve been gobbling a lot, especially during the early morning hours and the late evening hours. If you set up in an area where they are moving through regularly, it’s just a matter of time before one comes in to your set-up to investigate.”

On overcast and cooler days, the birds have been talking all day long, McFaddin said, but on warmer days, the birds have been pretty quiet during the midday hours.

Mason Moore, left, harvested this longbeard with outfitter Cooper McFadin on a ranch near Leakey. Photo from Cooper McFadin.

Rollins, Berlanga, Caldwell honored

Lone Star outdoor newS

At the Harvey Weil Dinner on April 29, three Texans were honored for their conservation contributions; Dale Rollins, Hugo Berlanga and Sam Caldwell.

The annual dinner and award ceremony, held by the Rotary Club of Corpus Christi at the Welder Wildlife Foundation Refuge, in Sinton, is held in honor of Weil, who was a guiding influence in the establishment of the Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Foundation.

Professional Conservationist of the Year: Dr. Dale Rollins Rollins founded the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation in 2007, served as its executive director until 2021, and is currently serving as interim director.

A native of Oklahoma, Rollins has studied quail his entire professional life. He also served as Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist for Texas AgriLife Extension in San Angelo from 1987-2013.

Rollins retired from Texas Agrilife Extension Service in August 2013, but returned as the Program Coordinator for Texas A&M’s “Reversing the Quail Decline” initiative. He founded the Bobwhite Brigades program, which evolved into the Texas Brigades, and has taught a dozen sessions of QuailMasters, an annual 12-day course on quail and quail habitat held at various locations across the state.

Known for his unconventional teaching techniques, Rollins also founded the world’s first living laboratory for quail, the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch, in Roby, where groundbreaking research projects take place each year.

Conservationist of the Year: Hugo Berlanga Berlanga has served as a State Representative to the Texas House of Representatives for the 34th District. Berlanga focused on issues relating to health care, the environment and municipalities.

In 1991 he was the lead House sponsor of the Coastal Zone Management Act. In 1993 he was named Chairman of the Public Health Committee, which, under his leadership, was described as a “power base for the public good” by Texas Monthly magazine, July 1993.

Throughout his legislative career, Berlanga has championed legislation to protect Texas’ environment and improve health care. He also sponsored and won legislation credited with conserving the redfish population and promotion of strong mariculture management programs.

Living Legacy – Sam Caldwell

Sam Caldwell’s art hangs on the walls of many Texas hunters and anglers, with coastal scenes of waterfowl, gamefish and people prized by collectors. Working primarily in transparent watercolor, the Houston native seeks to capture the atmosphere of the moment, as well as the color and drama inherent in his outdoor subjects. Many of his recent images feature young hunters and fishers.

Early in his career, Caldwell became involved in outdoor organizations like Ducks Unlimited and the Coastal Conservation Association. He remains deeply involved in promoting coastal scenes as fine art and uses his images to provide funds for coastal conservation.

Watch the ground

Continued from page 4 going to have a full mount made.”

Fernandez said he doesn’t leave the ranch house without a pair of good snake boots on.

For much of recorded human history, the treatment for snakebite was more unpleasant — and sometimes more dangerous — than the bite itself, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Ancient Egyptians cut open a snakebitten limb to let the evil spirits out. Ancient Romans amputated the bitten body part. American cowboys in the 19th century treated snakebite with a hot branding iron, while others wrapped the bitten limb in a split chicken.

While treatments today aren’t that extreme, there remains controversy over first aid for a snakebite.

The Texas Department of Health and Hu-

man Services reports about 7,000 venomous snakebites in the U.S. annually, with 0.2-percent of the bites resulting in death.

On average, one to two people in Texas die each year from venomous snakebites, and roughly half of all bites are dry, with no injection of venom into the victim.

DHHS advises against any attempts to suck venom from a bite wound, cutting over a snakebite or applying a tourniquet or ice pack. The department recommends lifting the bitten limb to a height level with the heart, limiting movement, gently washing the wound with soap and water and seeking medical attention immediately.

According to TPWD, most people are never more than an hour or so away from a hospital, and antivenin treatments are widely available and effective.

Crappie both shallow and deep

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star outdoor newS

With ever-changing weather conditions and water temperatures, crappie across the state are in various stages of the spawn. Some of the fish are concentrated up shallow, while others are being caught over deeper structure and in open water. Regardless of where anglers are catching them, jigs in a variety of colors seem to being doing the trick.

Recreational and crappie tournament angler Mike Major has been catching quite a few solid crappie on Lake Lavon recently.

“I’m still catching some large females that are staging in 10 to 11 feet of water, waiting to move up shallow to spawn,” Major said. “There are also plenty of fish in a post-spawn pattern as well, it seems. The larger crappie are pretty spread out, and they are roaming out in open water.”

Areas with timber in 14-16 feet of water are holding the highest concentrations of crappie on the lake.

“These fish aren’t as big as the ones roaming in open water, but there’s plenty of them stacked up in places.” Major explained. “Most of the fish in the timber are suspended in the water column, about 7 to 8 feet above the bottom.”

Major has been catching a mix of both white and black crappie.

“I’ve been finding white crappie up to about 2 pounds or so, out away from areas with timber, cruising in smaller numbers,” he said.

Hand-tied jigs in white and chartreuse color patterns have been producing the most strikes.

“The fish are gorging on shad right now, so smaller profile jigs have been working the best,” Major said. “They really don’t want a big meal, so it’s all about trying to coax a reaction strike out of them.”

Lake Fork guide Russell Rollins said bridges, road beds, and brush piles have been holding good numbers of black crappie.

“We are catching crappie in all stages of the spawn on Fork,” Rollins said. “Some are staging to spawn, others are in the thick of it, and some are sticking to a post-spawn pattern. I believe this is due to the inconsistent weather conditions and varying temperatures we’ve been experiencing.”

Some of the bigger crappie have been concentrated in 32 feet of water along timber, near the edges of creeks.

“Brush piles in 15-20 feet of water have held a pretty consistent bite, and there’s

Watch for tags on amberjack

Greater Amberjack Count underway

Lone Star outdoor newS

Fishermen who catch a greater amberjack may also get $250 as part of the Greater Amberjack Count. Although the Gulf of Mexico greater amberjack recreational fishing season won’t reopen until August 1, researchers are asking that incidental catches of AJs with tags be reported.

A team of researchers, including from the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of

Fish Art winners

In the Texas division of Wildlife Forever’s Fish Art Contest, judges at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center examined 352 total entries, choosing the top 12. These top 12 works of art will be featured at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center and in the 2024 Texas Fish Art Calendar.

The Fish Art Contest is part of an international conservation education program designed to foster youth interest in fish, fisheries and fishing. The program encourages K-12 students to submit original artwork of any fish and an essay or poem (grades 4-12) about the participant’s fish entry, its habitat or efforts to conserve it.

Grades K-3

Mexico Studies, are conducting the study, similar to the Great Red Snapper Count. The Greater Amberjack Count’s goal is to estimate the number of greater amberjack in the U.S. South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

The project could have significant implications for commercial and recreational fishing. According to NOAA Fisheries, greater amberjack in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico are overfished despite a decades-long rebuilding effort. In contrast, the U.S. South Atlantic stock is not overfished.

This summer, the team will continue a wide-scale tagging effort involving two dif-

ferent types of tags. According to HRI, the team has tagged a total of 100 AJs since last fall.

Some greater amberjack will be fitted with acoustic tags – electronic transmitters surgically implanted inside a fish’s body cavity. Signals emitted are recorded by an array of underwater acoustic receivers or “listening stations.” A total of 450 acoustic tags will be deployed throughout the U.S. South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico from North Carolina to Texas. All acoustically tagged greater amberjack will also be tagged with one or two conventional tags.

A total of 750 amberjack will be fitted

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First place winners in each of the four age groups advance to the national level and compete against winners from other states.

Scholarships in the grades 10-12 division are $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place and $500 for third place. Awards in the 4-6 and 7-9 grade levels are $200 for first, $150 for second, $100 for third. In the K-3 division awards are $100 for first, $75 for second, $50 for third.

Lone Star outdoor newS

1. Claire Liu, of Coppell

2. Jackson White, of Hawkins

3. Aarya Doddapeneni, of Dallas Grades 4-6

1. Lydia Ireland, of San Antonio

2. Audrey Cunningham, of Houston

3. Claire Lee, of Prosper Grades 7-9

1. Grace Cao, of Sugar Land

2. Sophia Liu, of Coppell

3. Kamilla Pashayeva, of Plano Grades 10-12

1. Arim Jun, of Carrollton

2. Mia Macias, of Pasadena

3. Sofiya Berzhanskaya, of Highland Village

Ashley Tuppen caught this crappie near the edge of a shallow flat with grass on a cool day while fishing on Lake Cypress Springs. Photo by Brodie Ogle.

Top left, Grace Cao’s winning entry, Grades 7-9; top right, Claire Liu’s winning artwork, Grades K-3; bottom left, Arim Jun’s winner for Grades 10-12; and bottom right, Lydia Ireland’s winner for Grades 4-6. Photos from TPWD.

Tagged amberjack will help researchers estimate the population of the fish in the Gulf, potentially affecting future fishing limits on the fish. Photo from Harte Research Institute.

By Nate Skinner F

Corpus Christi area, but not in the way he now pursues the flats of the Lower Coast. Most of his angling experiences as a young ster and teen were limited to bank and surf fishing. So when he was able to purchase his first boat as an adult, he had to learn how to navigate and successfully find and catch fish along the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay through trial and error, on his own.

“My dad and grandpa took me fishing as a kid, and they are the reason I initially fell in love with the sport,” Torres said. “My brother is 7 years younger than me, so we started fishing together quite a bit later on when I was a teenager.”

The family didn’t own a boat during his childhood years, so Torres spent most of his time fishing the surf or from local piers.

“During middle school and high school, I spent a lot of my free time fishing the surf and piers with buddies of mine,” he said. “I really didn’t get an opportunity to learn and fish our bays until my late teens when my dad and grandpa ended up getting a boat. We didn’t really know much, but we were out there fishing and learning together.”

After getting an oil field job after high school, Torres decided he wanted his first

“This was an opportunity for my brotherguna Madre and Baffin Bay, and it was an adventure, to say the least,” he explained.

“I bought my first boat during my mid-20s, and we started learning our bays the hard way. We pretty much ran aground nearly every time we went out, hit rocks, and endured other on-the-water hardships regularly. The learning curve was steep, but the challenge was fun and exciting.”

Over the years, Torres became more confident in fishing the Laguna Madre and its surrounding waters.

“I eventually bought a newer boat that ran shallower than my first one, and I really developed a strong bond with my brother as we both became better anglers,” Torres said.

Torres obtained his captain’s license in 2016 after some friends motivated him to do some part-time guiding. Then in 2019, he took a voluntary layoff from his oil field job when the market started to tank.

“My family pushed me to start running more fishing trips since I had more time on my hands, and my business started to take off,” Torres said. “I had no intentions of not returning to the oil field and becoming a full-time fishing guide, but it just sort of happened. Before I knew it I was running several trips each week. I was really

FISHING REPORTS FROM THE GUIDES

Lake Tawakoni: Guide Michael Littlejohn of tawakoniguideservice.com reports that fishing continues to be good for white bass and hybrid stripers. The fish are still carrying eggs and are moving around a lot. Most fish are being caught in 2-25 feet of water. Swimbaits are currently out-fishing slabs. Search shallow flats early, then transition to structure such as points, ledges and humps after 9 a.m. The best color is chartreuse. Fish are spooky around the boat, so use your trolling motor around schooling fish, and you will increase your catch.

Lake Palestine: Guide Todd Froebe of toddfroebe.com reports the lake is high, making shooting docks tough, so he is fishing main lake timber in 18-25 feet of water. The shad are spawning in the tops of those trees, and the crappie are sitting anywhere from 4-16 feet deep feeding on them. He is staying 20-30 feet back from the fish and casting to them with ¼-ounce hand-tied jigs.

Eagle Mountain Lake: Guide Chad Ferguson of txcatfishing.com reports the blue catfish and channel catfish bite is good to excellent. He said fish are being caught at just about any depth with shallower fish being caught while anchored and deeper fish being caught on light tackle rigged with punch bait. The bite changes quite a bit, so keep watching your sonar because the fish are moving and every day is bringing something different.

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• CREATED BY AWARD WINNING LURE DESIGNER: BILL SIEMANTEL OF BBZ.

• 8 TOURNAMENT WINNING COLORS FOR ANY TYPE OF WATER CONDITIONS.

• DRAWS IN BIG STRIKES FROM A DISTANCE.

• DESIGNED TO BE FISHED ON A MULTITUDE OF 3/0 TO 5/0 HOOK STYLES. fishlabtackle.com |

Jesse Torres started fishing from piers and from the bank, and now guides anglers out of Marker 37 in Corpus Christi. Photo from Jesse Torres.

TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT

ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 62 degrees; 11.63’ low.

Largemouth and spotted bass are good on soft plastics and live bait. Crappie are fair on minnows.

AMISTAD: Water slightly stained; 76 degrees; 51.77’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged soft plastics, crankbaits and spinner baits. White bass are good on blade baits and crankbaits.

ARLINGTON: Water lightly stained; 70 degrees; 0.74’ low. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits and Texasrigged soft plastics. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

ARROWHEAD: Water stained; 65 degrees; 6.09’ low. Catfish are excellent drifting fresh cut shad and punch bait. Crappie are good at the bridges on minnows and jigs.

ATHENS: Water clear; 68-71 degrees; 0.50’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on finesse worms and Carolina-rigged soft plastics. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows.

AUSTIN: Water clear; 73 degrees; 0.68’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Carolinarigged worms and small swimbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on frozen shad.

B.A. STEINHAGEN: Water stained; 67 degrees; 0.73’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits and Texasrigged soft plastics.

BASTROP: Water clear; 75 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on square-billed crankbaits, spinner baits and watermelon creature baits.

BELTON: Water slightly stained; 67 degrees; 13.76’ low. White bass are good on tail spinners and slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and live bait.

BENBROOK: Water stained; 69 degrees; 0.27’ high.

Largemouth bass are fair on Carolina-rigged soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are slow. Catfish are good on minnows and worms.

BOB SANDLIN: Water stained; 72 degrees; 0.09’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chatter baits, flukes and top-waters. Crappie are good on minnows or jigs. Catfish are good on cheese bait.

BRAUNIG: Water slightly stained, 75 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on dark soft plastics and spinner baits. Redfish are good on live bait and frozen shrimp.

BROWNWOOD: Water slightly stained; 65-70 degrees; 9.19’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-water walking baits, Alabama rigs, jigs and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. White bass are good on crankbaits and small swimbaits. Catfish are good on juglines with cut bait.

BUCHANAN: Water lightly stained; 70 degrees; 18.81’ low. White bass are excellent on small crankbaits and swimbaits. Striped bass are fair trolling live bait. Crappie

are good on chartreuse jigs.

CADDO: Water stained; 70 degrees; 1.35’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on finesse worms and spinner baits.

CALAVERAS: Water slightly stained, 74 degrees. Redfish are good on frozen shrimp and live bait. Blue and channel catfish are good on cut bait.

CANYON: Water slightly stained; 71 degrees; 11.99’

low. Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits, white spinner baits and Texasrigged worms.

CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 65-71 degrees; 0.13’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on top-water walking baits and spinner baits. Crappie are excellent on jigs and minnows. White bass and hybrid stripers are good on silver slabs.

CHOKE CANYON: Water stained; 72 degrees; 24.26’

low. Largemouth bass are excellent on spinner baits, chatter baits and soft plastics worms. Crappie are good on minnows and small jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait and stink bait.

CONROE: Water stained; 71 degrees; 0.47’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on wacky-rigged worms, lipless crankbaits and Texas-rigged worms. Crappie are good on hair jigs. Hybrid striped bass are fair to good on swimbaits and trolling live bait. Catfish are excellent on catfish bubblegum, liver, minnows, shad and punch bait.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Water stained; 70 degrees; 3.81’

low. Largemouth bass are good on top-water frogs and soft plastics. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on cheese bait, cut carp and worms.

EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water stained; 67 degrees; 3.59’

low. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on crankbaits. White bass are good on minnow spins and roadrunners. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Blue catfish are good drifting cut bait.

FAIRFIELD: Water stained; 70-72 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on swim jigs, Texas rigs and chatter baits. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

FALCON: Water stained; 68-75 degrees; 35.81’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chatter baits, jigs and crankbaits. Catfish are good on stink bait and cut bait.

FAYETTE: Water clear; 73 degrees. Largemouth bass are excellent on shad crankbaits, top-water frogs and crawfish plastics. Catfish are fair on punch bait and chicken liver.

FORK: Water stained; 64-74 degrees; 0.99’ low. Largemouth bass are slow to fair on

white spinner baits, Carolina rigs and flukes. Crappie are fair to good on small jigs and hand-tied jigs.

FT. PHANTOM HILL: Water stained; 67-70 degrees; 7.67’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits and worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and dark jigs. Hybrid striped bass are good on live shad, silver spoons and chartreuse crankbaits. Catfish are good on cut shad and carp.

GRANBURY: Water lightly stained; 70 degrees; 2.00’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on swimbaits and live bait. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Blue and yellow catfish are good on cut bait.

GRANGER: Water lightly stained; 66 degrees; 0.58’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits. Crappie are slow. White bass are fair on spoons. Blue catfish are good on juglines baited with shad.

GRAPEVINE: Water clear; 70 degrees; 0.21’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits and crankbaits. White bass are excellent on lipless crankbaits and swimbaits. Catfish are fair on cut bait and live shad.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 70-72 degrees; 0.45’ high. Largemouth bass are good on swim jigs, Texas rigs, spinner baits and chatterbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait.

JOE POOL: Water slightly stained; 66 degrees; 0.27’ high. Largemouth bass are fair to good on Texas-rigged straight-tailed soft plastic worms, along with Carolinarigged lizards and flukes.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water stained; 60-65 degrees; 1.29’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chatter baits, flukes and top-waters. Crappie are good on minnows or jigs. Catfish are good on cheese bait.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.22’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits and squarebilled crankbaits. White bass are fair to good on swimbaits and white or chartreuse slabs for the deeper fish. Channel catfish are good on punch bait, shad and liver.

LBJ: Water stained; 68 degrees; 0.21’ low. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse jigs. Catfish are fair on punch bait.

LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 60 degrees; 0.09’ high. White bass are good on slabs, jigs and live bait. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on prepared baits and

drifting live shad.

LIMESTONE: Water clear; 68-74 degrees; 0.18’ high. Largemouth bass are good on swim jigs, Texas rigs and spinner baits. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on silver jigging spoons and spinner baits. Catfish are good on cut bait.

LIVINGSTON: Water stained; 70 degrees; 0.94’ high. White bass are excellent on slabs. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on shad.

MARTIN CREEK: Water slightly stained; 71 degrees; 0.05’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good over hydrilla on swimbaits and senkos. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on juglines with live bait and cut bait.

MEREDITH: Water stained; 59-60 degrees; 55.61’ low. Largemouth bass are good on minnows and artificials. White bass are good on minnows and curly tailed grubs. Walleye are good on minnows and crankbaits. Catfish are fair to good on minnows and frozen shad. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows.

MILLERS CREEK: Water stained; 65 degrees; 6.10’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swim jigs and spinner baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on cut baits and cheese bait.

NACOGDOCHES: Water clear; 67-72 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters and soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows.

NACONICHE: Water lightly stained; 71 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on underspins and jerkbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are slow.

NASWORTHY: Water slightly stained; 65 degrees. 1.16’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on white chatter baits and flipping soft plastics. Crappie are good on chartreuse jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and stink bait.

NAVARRO MILLS: Water stained; 70 degrees; 0.50’ low. Crappie are good on jigs thrown from the bank.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 71 degrees; 25.02’ low. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. White bass are fair on live bait and crankbaits. Catfish are good on live bait.

OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 70 degrees; 12.23’ low. Largemouth bass are good on green worms. Crappie are slow. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and chicken liver.

PALESTINE: Water stained; 73 degrees; 1.22’ high. Largemouth bass are good on shimmy shakers. Crappie are good on jigs. White bass are good on chrome and blue lipless crankbaits. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water

clear; 65-68 degrees; 5.67’ low. Striped bass are good on live bait. White bass are fair on slabs and spoons. Catfish are fair on live shad.

PROCTOR: Water stained; 70 degrees; 10.08’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swimbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut bait and prepared baits.

RAVEN: Water clear; 70 degrees; 0.00’ high. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are fair on minnows and scented minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and prepared baits.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 65-69 degrees; 0.01’ low. White bass are excellent on small swimbaits and spinner baits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut shad and punch bait.

RAY ROBERTS: Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.02’ high. Largemouth bass are good on spinner baits. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs or minnows.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water clear; 67 degrees; 1.46’ low. White bass and hybrid stripers are good on slabs and swimbaits.

Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs.

Channel catfish are fair on punch bait. Blue catfish are fair on shad.

SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 68-70 degrees; 0.08’ high. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, jigs and soft plastics. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on prepared baits.

SOMERVILLE: Water slightly stained; 68 degrees; 1.98’ high. Largemouth bass are good on craw jigs and spinner baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are very good on pet spoons and ghost minnows. Catfish are good on punch bait and cut bait.

SPENCE: Water stained; 75 degrees. 45.89’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and soft plastics. Catfish are good on cut shad, worms and prepared baits.

STILLHOUSE HOLLOW: Water lightly stained; 68 degrees; 12.74’ low. Largemouth bass are excellent on Texas- or Carolina-rigged dark soft plastics.

TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 62 degrees; 0.20’ high. Largemouth bass are good on spinner baits, square-billed crankbaits and top-waters. Crappie are good on jigs. White bass and hybrids are good on small swimbaits and slabs. Blue and channel catfish are very good on cut shad.

TEXANA: Water stained; 69 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics and spin-

n Guide reports Page 9

n Saltwater reports Page 18

ner baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on punch bait and cut bait.

TEXOMA: Water stained; 65 degrees; 2.19’ low. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are good on live shad. Striped bass are good on top-waters, swimbaits, live shad and slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 65-69 degrees; 0.30’ low. Largemouth bass are good on bladed jigs, Carolinarigged worms, speed craws and spinner baits. Crappie are slow.

TRAVIS: Water slightly stained; 70 degrees; 43.06’ low. Largemouth bass are good on walking baits, Texasrigged plastics and swimbaits.

TWIN BUTTES: Water stained; 70 degrees; 23.97’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on swim jigs and finesse worms. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel catfish are excellent on live bait and cheese bait.

TYLER: Water stained; 70 degrees; 0.37’ high. Largemouth bass are good on soft plastics. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are slow.

WACO: Water stained; 66 degrees; 10.68’ low. Crappie are very good on jigs. White bass are fair on slabs and small swimbaits. Catfish are fair on prepared baits.

WALTER E. LONG: Water stained; 70 degrees; 1.00’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on Alabama rigs and spinner baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.

WHITNEY: Water lightly stained; 69 degrees; 5.42’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on shad, swimbaits and minnows.

WORTH: Water stained; 67 degrees; 2.54’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits. White bass are good on small spinner baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 68 degrees; 0.13’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

—TPWD

Huge wind farms coming

102,481 acres out from Galveston proposed

By Craig Nyhus

Lone Star outdoor newS

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior, is proposing the first offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico.

The proposed sale is part of the leasing project announced by the DOI in 2021 with a goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030.

BOEM began identifying areas in the Gulf of Mexico in late 2021, following findings from government studies that show the Gulf of Mexico’s shallow waters and proximity to oil and gas infrastructure make it promising for the expansion of a new offshore industry. According to their studies, these areas presented the fewest apparent environmental and user conflicts identified as Wind Energy Areas.

On February 23, BOEM published proposed lease areas including two WEAs totaling a combined 199,266 acres offshore Galveston and a 102,481 acre offshore Lake Charles, Louisiana. BOEM said the proposed areas have the potential to produce enough wind energy to power 1.3 million homes.

Commercial fishermen have opposed wind farms on the grounds of potential disruption of traditional fishing area divisions.

The Billfish Foundation said it is looking at how BOEM will establish and contrib-

ute to a fisheries compensatory mitigation fund or contributing to an existing fund to mitigate potential negative impacts to commercial and for-hire recreational fish eries caused by offshore wind develop ment.

Existing artificial reefs were another concern. In a letter to BOEM, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department sought to pro tect existing artificial reefs, saying the reefs should have a 1 nautical mile protective buffer.

Other criticisms include the wind farms’ killing of migratory birds. It has been esti mated that wind turbines kill 1.17 million birds per year in the U.S. However, envi ronmental groups, like the Sierra Club, still support the proposed wind farm.

BOEM claims the turbines will be located far enough offshore that they will kill few migrating birds, which do not drop in al titude on their flight across the Gulf until they near land.

The original proposals were larger in scope, upwards of 682,000 acres, and now are just under 200,000 acres, according to BOEM.

Some fishermen, mostly recreational, welcome the turbines, as long as they can get close to them, as the structures attract various fish species.

BOEM also said there are no plans for restrictions on fishing vessels from operating near the wind farms, and the structures will be designed with fishermen in mind. Each will be specially built with a rack beneath, holding limestone rubble.

Striper rodeo

Continued from page 1

made a cast into open water that was immediately met by a bone-crushing strike.”

The fish began to take them for a ride, literally.

“The fish was rapidly peeling line off of Polly’s reel, so he tightened down the drag as much as he could, which resulted in the fish dragging the boat in the direction it was swimming,” Koulianos explained. “We still weren’t sure what he had hooked into, as it hauled the boat out of the open water and toward the bank.”

After running into the shallows and dragging the boat alongside the bank with it, the fish began to swim toward every piece of structure that it could find.

“My reel only had 12-pound test line on it, and there were several times I thought I might lose the fish,” Polly said. “The fish began to get my line and itself tangled up in some large, shallow rocks as it zigzagged along the bank.”

Recognizing that Polly’s line might break from the rocks, Koulianos bailed out of the boat and began to sprint down the bank with a landing net in the direction the fish had been swimming.

“The boat was now aground on some sort of structure along the bank, so Polly got out of the boat as well and kept the line tight while trying to walk my direction,” Koulianos said.

The two anglers frantically tried to figure out how to land the fish that was thrashing back and forth among shallow rocks that might break Polly’s line at any second. Then they realized the fish had gotten the line so entangled in the rocks that it was unable to swim much farther. Koulianos saw that it was wedged between some rocks to his immediate left, and was able to scoop it up in his landing net.

“We got the striper back to the boat and were able to weigh and measure it quickly,” Polly said. “Then we snapped a few photos, and took some time to revive it, before it swam off safely back to the depths.”

Koulianos had given Polly a segment of 25-pound test fluorocarbon leader to tie onto his line before they began fishing that evening. Both anglers felt had the leader not been there, the fish would have broken the line.

This was the first fishing trip that Koulianos and Polly had made together.

“We had crossed paths out at the lake while fishing, and realized we had some mutual friends,” said Koulianos. “So we decided to plan a trip together, and sure enough, it turned out to be one for the memory books.”

Fearing that his friend Miller Polly’s line might break on some shallow rocks, Theo Koulianos jumped out of the boat to net this monster striper in the shallows along the bank of Lady Bird Lake. Photo from Miller Polly.

GAME WARDEN BLOTTER

BOAT DRIFTS AWAY FROM WADE-FISHERMEN

The Coast Guard was notified by TPWD personnel of a man seen on a game camera waving his arms and a white flag on the Big Jetties in Matagorda. A helicopter crew diverted to assist. Before the helicopter crew arrived, a good Samaritan boater took aboard the man and transported him to the Coast Guard Station in Port O’Connor. The man reported he had been wade-fishing with his friend, a 51-year-old man, about 4 miles north of the jetties in Matagorda Bay when their 26-foot boat broke loose and drifted away. The man reportedly injured his leg while unsuccessfully trying to retrieve the vessel and was stranded on Matagorda Peninsula with no food or water. The helicopter crew located the stranded fisherman, hoisted him and transferred him to emergency medical services personnel waiting at Port O’Connor. The man was reportedly in stable condition and is working with TowBoatUS to locate and recover his adrift vessel.

BONFIRE PARTY COVERSATION

WARDENS’ ATTENTION

CATCHES

Illegal deer hunting in McLennan County was discovered by game wardens patrolling a popular lake for nighttime hunting violations.

BALD EAGLE RESCUED

SPONSORED BY:

wardens collected a sample from the deer, photographed the dock, the bottoms of the subjects’ boots and the firearm used. The wardens traveled to the area where the caller observed the boat and subject in the brush. They located footprints in the sand and took pictures. Utilizing drone technology, it was evident that the set of footprints in the sand matched the bottom of the suspect’s boots along with drag marks resembling dragging a deer.

The wardens observed an illegal bonfire on a dead-end roadway where a large group of under-aged subjects were observed consuming alcoholic beverages. Before contact was made, one warden snuck up to the group and overheard two subjects talk about a previous illegal hunting incident. Upon making contact, the two subjects were pulled aside for further questioning. The wardens and sheriff’s deputies issued citations for minor consumption of alcohol and released other group members to responsible parties. Following up on the lead, the wardens obtained pictures and verbal admission that a white-tailed buck was killed with a .22 rifle at

night and off the public road/right of way on Army Corps of Engineers property. In total, the wardens identified a total of three suspects involved in the incident. Wardens found the white-tailed buck dumped in a large culvert pipe with its antlers removed.

TWO DEER SHOT FROM BOAT Kenedy County game wardens received a call about two adult males hunting and shooting from a boat. The caller reported the suspects walked onto private land and into the brush. They offered a description of the two individuals and the boat. The next morning, wardens patrolled the area to locate

the individuals. While conducting water safety inspections, the two wardens stopped a vessel matching the description with two male individuals wearing the same outfits described by the caller. While inspecting one of the subjects hunting/fishing licenses, two deer tags were missing, and the harvest log showed two deer were killed on the day in question. The wardens followed the individuals back to their cabin and inspected the two deer. The subjects claimed they killed the deer on the island behind their cabin. While questioning the subjects about harvesting the deer, the wardens observed that the subjects’ stories did not match. The

Caldwell County Game Warden Joann Garza-Mayberry responded to a report of an injured bald eagle. She arrived to find the mature bald eagle unable to fly. Mayberry captured the eagle for transport to Austin Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Elgin. Along the way, she visited Luling Junior High and High School for an impromptu wildlife program on eagles which is also the school’s mascot. Once x-rayed, veterinarians determined the eagle suffered a broken right wing. It was not clear what caused the injury. New raptor research shows treatment promoting re-calcification of the bone may produce a healthy, flyable wing. RUGER.COM/AMERICANRIFLE

OFFSHORE TROUBLE

Three men departed from Port Aransas for a boating trip far offshore. When they didn’t return the next night, their family members called the Coast Guard for help. An aircrew began searching for the boat, and the boaters hailed the crew over the radio and activated a distress alert. This location data helped the aircrew and a boat crew pinpoint the catamaran’s location. The boat crew arrived to find the boaters battling rough seas and bailing water out of their catamaran. The crew escorted them safely back to land.

REPORT ILLEGAL HUNTING AND FISHING ACTIVITY FOR A REWARD OF UP TO $1,000. CALL OPERATION GAME THIEF AT (800) 792-4263

AN AMERICAN LEGEND

Tagged amberjack

Continued from page 8

with conventional tags. These simple, plastic-coated objects are applied externally and resemble colorful streamers. Some greater amberjack will have one conventional tag, while others will have two (“double-tagged”). This strategy will help scientists determine how often greater amberjack shed their conventional tags.

One side of the conventional tags contains the tag number (“AJ” followed by five digits) and instructions to clip the tag for a $250 reward. The other side contains a phone number and reprinted tag number. The conventional tags will be placed on each fish’s back beneath its second dorsal fin.

The success of the conventional tagging study depends on participation from fishermen of all sectors. Upon catching a conventionally tagged greater amberjack, fishermen should call the phone number printed on the tag(s) to report the recapture to team. In addition to the tag number(s), fishermen will be asked to provide other information, including the fishing sector, date the fish was caught, fish’s length and weight, and latitude and longitude where the fish was caught. Each tagged greater amberjack, regardless if it has one or two tags, will carry a reward of $250.

The physical tag must be mailed in to claim the reward, so fishermen should clip off and save the tag(s), even if they plan to release the fish. If a fish is double-tagged, fishermen will need to clip, report and return both tags to receive the reward.

Landing a big trout

Continued from page 1

chicken of the C color pattern.

“It’s got a lot of action,” she said “It seems to attract more trout than the larger tails. “The chicken of the C colors are black and gray with a chartreuse tail. I’ll rig them on 1/8-ounce screwlock jig heads. They are silver with red eyes. Another good color option is red with a white tail.”

When Chatham hooked up with the 28-inch trout, she was fishing grass and sand pockets.

“I saw a bait fish jump at the edge of the grass, made a quick cast and she was there,” she said.

Getting that big trout to the net became quite a challenge.

“She was swimming around me in circles,” Chatham said. “I finally got her in the net just as the lure fell out of her mouth. We made a few quick photos and let her go.”

Jigging slabs

Continued from page 8

also a lot of fish schooling underneath the bridges in the shade,” Rollins said. “Most of these fish are suspended about 14 to 18 feet below the surface.”

Blue and white jigs have been producing the best results.

Brodie Ogle guides on Lake Cypress Springs, and said the spawn is slowly winding down.

“I’m still seeing a bunch of fish up shallow in 2 to 3 feet of water,” he said. “Late spring cold fronts seem to have pro-

longed the spawn a little bit. The best action is occurring along the edges of grass over flats.”

Most of the crappie have measured from 1215 inches.

“We are starting to see more and more fish slowly transition on out to the brush piles as the spawn comes to an end,” Ogle elaborated. “The crappie that are holding out deeper are suspended about 10 to 15 feet below the surface in 20 feet of water or more.”

From banks to bays

Continued from page 9

enjoying guiding fishing trips, and felt like my quality of life increased because I was happier. I haven’t looked back since.”

Torres said his favorite aspect of the job is helping others make memories on the water.

“The most important thing about a fishing trip, in my opinion, is the experience,” he said. “So many folks associate success with how many fish they put in the box or on a stringer, and that’s just not what it’s about for me. If I can be the reason an angler enjoys a memorable experience, whether we catch one fish or 100 fish, I consider that trip a success.”

Torres especially enjoys guiding young people and kids.

“One time I had a client call me and say

he was having a hard time finding a guide to take his kid fishing,” Torres said. “That really hit me hard, because I couldn’t think of a better experience than to get a youngster out on the water and show him or her the ropes. I wasn’t able to learn how to fish in our bays until later in life, and I feel that providing opportunities for to day’s youth to learn at a young age is ex tremely important. One memorable fish ing trip could change a kid’s life.”

Torres runs his trips out of Marker 37 Marina in Corpus Christi, and primarily fishes the Laguna Madre, Baffin Bay, and surrounding waters. He will wade or fish from the boat with artificial lures and live or natural baits.

Mike Major caught this crappie while fishing in 11 feet of water near a stretch of timber on Lake Lavon. Photo by Nicole Major.

Jesse Torres

Jack Cordan holds a 10.6-pound largemouth bass he caught April 27 on Lake Fork with guide Marc Mitchell

Jackson Long, 14, landed his personal record bass on Lake Travis with Torwick’s Guiding Service. He used a drop shot with a plastic worm. He has been chasing bass for a year, getting out 2-3 times a week after school. He and his buddies fish the local ponds and lakes around Lakeway.

Cody Johnston tagged his first spring tom while hunting on a property that he leases near Eldorado in Schleicher County.

Kalyn Benavides, 13, shot this doe last season, along with a buck, and is looking forward to next season.

Viviana Cantu, 21, started fishing this year with her boyfriend. She caught her first redfish and later a 25-inch personal best red in Port Isabel.

LONE STAR OUTDOOR PUZZLER

Solution on Page 19

INDUSTRY

Director position at SSSF

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is seeking a foundation director.

Fort Worth sales and marketing job

XS Sights is looking for a director of sales and marketing to work in its Fort Worth location.

Palmer named VP

Rock Ridge Outdoors named Janette Palmer as its new vice president of sales.

Sales director job at Fiocchi

Fiocchi of America, Inc. is seeking a director of sales at its Ozark, Missouri headquarters.

Caza hires Anderson

Chuck Anderson was named the director of merchandising for Caza Outdoors.

Wille joins Orchid

Orchid hired Eric Wille, formerly of Gearfire and AcuSport, as its vice president of sales and marketing.

Outtech acquired

Outtech Inc., along with subsidiaries QuickFire and Peak Strategic Insights, has been acquired by investment holding company Legacy1846 Outdoor Group.

Hunting program position at WSF

The Wild Sheep Foundation is seeking an Award and Hunting Program manager at its Bozeman, Montana World Headquarters.

Simtek hires PR firm

Repputation Marketing was retained by Simtek, Inc. for its public relations and sales support needs.

Agency for lithium battery company

NORSK Lithium hired Traditions Media as its public relations agency.

Faxon Firearms hires reps

Tim Bailey & Associates was named the manufacturer representatives for Faxon Firearms.

DOWN

2) Ammo brand

3) Weatherford’s county

4) One of the setters

5) Johnson City’s county

6) The collared peccary

8) Fishing line brand

12) African game species

14) Rifle brand

15) Texas mountain range

18) East Texas border lake

19) Sinker type

23) A shorebird

25) Plastic worm brand

26) A creature bait

28) East or West bays

River where George Strait learned to swim 35) One of Leopold’s five tools

29) Hog-hunting dog

31) Duck-hunting state

32) Type of spinner bait

34) A Texas port

38) Jones County’s seat

39) A border lake

Puzzle by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News

Potato crusted baked cobia

2 cobia fillets, skin removed

1 cup freshly grated raw potatoes

2 tbsps. shallots, minced

2 tbsps. unsalted butter

1/4 cup smoked sun-dried tomatoes,

diced

1 tsp. prepared horseradish

1/2 tsp. capers, chopped

1 tbsp. olive oil, plus 1 tsp.

Salt and pepper to taste

Smoked paprika

Soak sun-dried tomatoes in 1 tbsp. olive oil, horseradish and capers for 15 minutes. While tomatoes soak, prepare potatoes. Squeeze out any excess moisture from potatoes with paper towels. In medium-high skillet, add butter, potatoes and shallots. Saute until potatoes soften.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season fillets with salt and pepper, set aside.

Place 1 teaspoon olive oil in a baking dish. Add fillets. Stir together potato and tomato mixtures. Place on top of fish. sprinkle with a pinch of smoked paprika. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

—South Carolina Aquarium

2 lbs. ground venison/pork mix (50/50 mix)

1 large red onion

1 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. thyme

2 tsp. marjoram

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. rosemary (crushed)

Tzatziki sauce

Tomato slices

Feta cheese

Mince garlic/onions. Mix all ingredients and puree in food processor until sticky. Press firmly into bread loaf pan, no more than 3 inches deep. Refrigerated for 1 hour. Fill an 11x13 cake pan half full of water and press a small cotton towel/dish cloth to the bottom. Place cake pan in oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place bread loaf pan inside the cake pan and bake for 45 minutes or until inside reaches 165. Remove bread pan, drain, then flip loaf onto a sheet of foil. Wrap in foil and compress for 1 hour with cast iron skillet. Slice meat in 1/8-inch thick slices. Fry on high in a little bit of olive oil until outside gets slightly charred. Layer meat on pita and top with Tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, greens and feta cheese.

—ND Game and Fish

ARKANSAS

Invasive carp as food

David Thomas, a commercial fisherman from Johnson County, sells his catch of catfish and buffalo at market, but catches invasive carp unintentionally.

About a year ago, Thomas began thinking about ways to commercialize the copi, a name applied to grass carp, silver carp, black carp and bighead carp. The result was a process that requires first cutting out the copi ribs as he would buffalo ribs, then taking the skinned leftover flesh and chilling it nearly to freezing before grinding it. He repeats that process and comes up with meat that looks like ground turkey, only lighter.

Thomas’ wife, Tasha, came up with recipes for the meat, such as nachos, copi salad for a sandwich, and copi burgers. Samples were provided to six Arkansas Game and Fish Commission taste testers.

The group performed taste tests on a copi cheeseburger and the fried copi ribs as well as other ground copi dishes. The consensus was that the copi presented no fishy taste, and was similar to ground turkey.

—AGFC

MISSOURI

Turkey harvest up

Turkey hunters checked 41,970 birds during the 2023 regular spring turkey season, April 17 through May 7, according to Missouri Department of Conservation data.

Young turkey hunters also harvested 2,566 turkeys over the youth weekend, April 1-2, bringing the spring turkey harvest to 44,536 –the highest harvest total since 2016.

Stable hatches for the past three years and good hunting weather were given as reasons for the increased harvest. The numbers were 23-percent higher than in 2022 and it was 19-percent higher than the average over the previous five years.

—MDC

OKLAHOMA

Redear sunfish record caught

Cord Smith, a 16-year-old from Cheyenne, is the new record holder after reeling a 2-pound, 5.6-ounce redear sunfish from a 1-acre pond in Roger Mills County. Smith was casting plastic lures after school with classmate Jacob Suarez when the sunfish struck.

Both anglers realized they might have netted a state record sunfish, so they kept the fish alive in a bucket until they could have it weighed on a certified scale at a Cheyenne market.

The April 10 catch beats the previous state record, 2 pounds, 1.25 ounces, established at a different farm pond in 1973.

—Staff report

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Vermilion snapper catch limits increase

A new final rule revises the annual catch limit for vermilion snapper in the Gulf of Mexico.

The National Marine Fisheries Service increased the stock annual catch limit from 3.11 million pounds to 5,452, 500 pounds. The agency concluded the vermilion snapper population is not overfished, and new estimates showed the population is greater than previously estimated.

Recreational landings from 2012 through 2020 have generally been below 4 million pounds, with the highest landings occurring in 2018 at approximately 4,380,000 pounds.

—NOAA

VIRGINIA

Striped bass regulation changes

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Striped Bass Management Board took an emergency action intended to reduce fishing mortality in the striped bass fishery with the goal of increasing the chances of rebuilding the population to the biomass target by 2029.

The emergency action will implement a 31-inch maximum size limit across the entire recreational fishery (in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coast) with states tasked with implementing the change by July

2. The minimum size limit, bag limit, seasons and gear restrictions will remain unchanged.

The Massachusetts delegation led the emergency action after population projections showed significant rebuilding headwinds stemming from four consecutive years of recruitment failure in the Chesapeake Bay and an increase in fishing mortality in 2022.

—ASA

UTAH Winter hard on mule deer

After a winter of heavy snows, for the fifth consecutive year, the Utah Wildlife Board approved a decrease in the number of generalseason deer hunting permits.

The current deer management plan includes an objective to have 404,000 deer across Utah — there are currently an estimated 335,000 deer in the state. While most of the deer had good body fat conditions going into winter, the fawn and doe survival varied throughout the different parts of the state, depending on the severity of the snowfall in each area. Deer herds in the northern and northeastern parts of the state were hit the hardest.

The Utah Wildlife Board approved the following for general-season deer permits:

• Northern Utah: A decrease of 7,500 permits (31 percent)

• Central Utah: A decrease of 550 permits (4 percent)

• Northeastern Utah: A decrease of 700 permits (8 percent)

• Southern Utah: An increase of 600 permits (5 percent)

• Southeastern Utah: A decrease of 200 permits (2 percent)

—UDWR

FLORIDA

No discrimination against firearm companies

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 3, legislation that prevents corporations with discriminatory policies against firearm industry members and other businesses from collecting taxpayer dollars through state contracts and pensions. The state will choose to do business with those companies that do not discriminate based on an industry they may not like or with which they disagree politically.

—NSSF

INTERNATIONAL ISRAEL 3-D fish fillets?

An Israeli firm claims its 3-D bio-printed, ready-to-cook grouper fillets taste like the real thing.

The product was achieved using grouper fish cells from partner company Umami Meats, which are used in customized bio-inks. Steakholder, which claims the taste and texture of the manufactured fillets is the same as traditionally caught fish, then worked on the inks to optimize the taste and texture of its printed grouper.

—Staff report

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TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT

SABINE LAKE: 71 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on top-waters, shrimp under a popping cork and 3-inch plastics. Flounder are good on small soft plastics.

BOLIVAR: 72 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair on shrimp.

TRINITY BAY: 73 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics and live shrimp. Redfish are slow.

PORT O’CONNOR: 73 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on live shrimp and croaker. Redfish are fair to good on blue crab and Spanish sardines. Black drum are fair on blue crab.

ROCKPORT: 70 degrees. Redfish are good on scented soft plastics, top-waters, live shrimp and cut mullet. Speckled trout are good on top-waters, soft plastics,and live bait. Black drum are good on dead shrimp.

PORT ARANSAS: 73 degrees. Redfish and black drum are fair on shrimp under a popping cork.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: 73 degrees. Speckled trout are fair to good on artificials and soft plastics.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: 74 degrees. Speckled trout, redfish and black drum are fair on soft plastics and live bait.

TEXAS CITY: 74 degrees. Speckled trout are fair on shrimp and croaker. Redfish are fair on live bait.

FREEPORT: 72 degrees. Speckled trout, redfish and black drum are fair on live shrimp under a popping cork when winds

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: 73 degrees. Speckled trout are fair to good wading and drifting on soft plastics. Redfish are good in the marshes on shrimp.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: 73 degrees. Redfish are good in the marshes on shrimp. Speckled trout are fair on soft plastics.

CORPUS CHRISTI: 72 degrees. Speckled trout are fair to good on live shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish and black drum are fair to good on live shrimp under a popping cork.

BAFFIN BAY: 67 degrees. Speckled trout are good around potholes on soft plastics and top-waters. Redfish are fair on scented plastics under a popping cork.

PORT MANSFIELD: 75-78 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair to good on top-waters and ball-tail soft plastics.

SOUTH PADRE: 74 degrees. Speckled trout are good but small on shrimp and soft plastics. Redfish are slow.

—TPWD

MAY 16

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MAY 18

DELTA WATERFOWL

Cowtown Banquet

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Greater Woodlands Banquet

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DATEBOOK

MAY 25

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JUNE 1

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION

South Plains Banquet

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COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

North Texas Banquet

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DUCKS UNLIMITED

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For home or office delivery, go to LSONews.com, or call (214) 361-2276, or send a check or money order to the address below. Lone Star Outdoor News, ISSN 2162-8300, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $35 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are $3, in certain markets copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2023 with all rights reserved. Reproduction and/ or use of any photographic or written material without written permission by the publisher is prohibited. Subscribers may send address changes to: Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355 or email them to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

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FISHING

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DOS HERMANOS RANCH

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DEER HUNTERS

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Used feeders also available

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BAY FISHING

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Even after you upgrade to a new HK VP9, with its best-in-class trigger pull and ergonomic, customizable grip, you’re not quite done yet. You still need a couple of important accessories. And we’re not talking about holsters, lights and optics either. Training and Practice – They are two different things and we all need more of both. Look into it … and go do the work!

A Place to Shoot San Antonio, 210-628-1888

Abilene Indoor Gun Range

Abilene, 325-698-4224

Able Ammo

Huntsville, 936-295-5786

AJC Sports

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Ally Outdoors

Midland, 972-332-3700

Richardson, 972-332-3700

Alpha Armory

Houston, 888-932-7660

Alpine Shooting Range

Ft Worth, 817-478-6613

Americana Arms, LLC

Beeville, 361-362-3673

Athena Gun Club

Houston, 713-461-5900

BPS Outfitters

Sherman, 903-832-2227

BTO Range

Conroe, 936-588-3333

Buck & Doe’s Mercantile, LLC

San Antonio, 830-980-3637

C.A.C Tactical

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Caroline Colt Company LLC

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Carroll’s Gun Shop

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Carter’s Country

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Houston, 281-879-1466

Pasadena, 713-475-2222

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Champion Firearms College Station, 979-693-9948

Collectors Firearms

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Danny's, Inc.

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Defender Outdoors

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DFW Gun Club

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Dury's Gun Shop

San Antonio, 210-533-5431

Field & Streams Sporting Goods

San Angelo, 325-944-7094

Fun Guns

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Gibson’s

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Glick Twins

Pharr, 956-787-429

GRITR Sports

N. Richland Hills, 817-200-7470

Grabagun.com

Coppell, 972-552-7246

Guard & Defend Firearms

Silsbee, 409-201-9468

Guns Warehouse LLC

Cedar Park, 512-986-7330

Hoss Arms, LLC

New Braunfels, 830-609-8891

John Doe Investigations, LLC

Lewisville, 214-773-0129

Kirkpatrick Gun & Ammo

Laredo, 956-723-6338

Marksmen Firearms

Mansfield, 817-453-8680

McBride's Guns

Austin, 512-472-3532

Misson Ridge Range & Academy

San Antonio, 210-504-9000

Mister Guns LLC

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Nardis Gun Club

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Past & Blast Antiques & Firearms

Whitesboro, 903-564-5444

Point Blank Sporting Goods

Pharr, 956-992-8799

Primary Arms

Houston, 713-344-9600

Ranger Firearms of Texas Inc.

San Antonio, 210-822-4867