Jacks on jetties

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star outdoor newS

Schools of crevalle jack, commonly referred to as jackfish or jacks, have been schooling in feeding frenzies along Surfside Beach near Freeport. YouTube fishing video creator, Brandon Molina, has been catching fish weighing up to 30 pounds or more from the Surfside Jetty. His success has stemmed mostly from consistency on the beach side of the jetty where he has seen large schools roaming the surf, although the occasional channel-side school has also yielded results.

“The early morning hours have been pretty exciting,” he said. “They have been all over the place, up and down the jetty, feeding aggressively right before sunrise.”

According to Molina, some of the schools have been working parallel to the rocks along the jetty, making for easy sight-casting opportu-

Freshwater Fishing Report Page 10

Game Warden Blotter Page 12

Heroes Page 14

Sun, Moon & Tides Page 16

Saltwater Fishing Report Page 21

Classifieds Page 22

Datebook Page 22 nities. Large top-water lures, 4- to 6-inch swimbaits and 3-ounce silver spoons have been producing the most strikes.

“When they are feeding along the rocks, you can just wait until the school gets in front of you, and then pitch your lure right in the middle of them, and hold on,” Molina said. “When they are schooled up in a big feeding frenzy, you can throw just about anything at them and they will eat it. The key is to

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HUNTING

Big business (P. 4)

$4.3 billion spent in deer hunting.

Aoudad quest (P. 4)

Hunter strikes gold after 42 hunts.

By David Schlake Lone Star outdoor newS

Following a spring headlined by mild temperatures and cascades of rainfall, quail hunters across the state are calling one another desperate for encouraging reports. Have you seen any chicks yet? What are your quail doing? Do you think this rain is going to last?

Meanwhile, early surveys at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation’s facility out in Fisher County have provided numbers brimming with nostalgia only halfway through the breeding season. By comparison, the entire 2022 breeding season from April through September produced 44 nests at the research ranch, whereas the team has already recorded 48 nests this year by mid-June.

Perhaps no Texas game species is as volatile as the bobwhite, which is evidenced by the massive swings in hunting success year over year. However, unlike other states where quail hunting no longer even exists (not counting private preserves), Texas has boasted seasons in the past decade that weren’t just good, but outstanding.

To estimate the bird numbers across the state each year, wildlife officials drive more than

FISHING

Giant hammerhead (P. 8)

Surf angler lands, releases 13-footer.

Shade for bass (P. 8)

Docks producing on Lake Austin.