SHOOTING SPORTS INSIDE Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
June 24, 2022
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Volume 18, Issue 21
Axis rut running late
Axis deer are just getting into full rut in much of the state, almost a month later than normal. Some hunters are seeing big herds, while others are finding the animals scattered. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
Some bucks just losing velvet By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News
Julia Bell was targeting carp on the Brazos River when this largemouth took her fly. Photo by Cody Bell.
Fly-fish while floating the Brazos By Robert Sloan
For Lone Star Outdoor News The 20-mile stretch of water below the Lake Whitney dam is an excellent fishing option from March through October, with summer months being some of the best, according to guide Jerry Hamon. “I specialize in fly-fishing from kayaks,” he said. “And based on what I’ve seen over the years, this is one of the really fine clear-water rivers that
gives us access to all sorts of structure with aquatic vegetation, rocks, gravel bars and deep pockets of water. It gives us fly-fishermen an opportunity to catch a variety of fish like largemouth and smallmouth bass, spotted bass, nine different kinds of sunfish, crappie, catfish, hybrid striped bass, drum, carp and smallmouth buffalo.” Hamon said a lot of the time they will be sight-casting to fish in the shallows. “What I usually do is put in at a
low-water landing and paddle upstream while fishing,” he said. “It’s usually about a 2-mile paddle. We fish our way up, and then back down. That’s about four hours of fishing.” Aside from fishing, the scenery is quite scenic. Hamon is 68 years old, a retired policeman and loves to get in his kayak and fly-fish rivers and lakes. As a guide, he provides Old Town kayaks to his customers along with fly-fishing gear. If you don’t know how to
Hunters who think they missed the axis rut this year may be mistaken. The peak of the rut, usually beginning the end of May, is starting now in many areas of the state. “The rut isn’t a little late, it’s a month late,” said Wes Mundy with Double Diamond Outfitters in West Texas. “We usually see this activity right before Memorial Day, and guys who wish to pick the heat of the rut book from then until the first two weeks of June. Now, it’s just starting out here.” Mundy said he is still seeing velvet on bucks. “They are stripping it right now,” he said. “Usually, we see that in May.” Outfitter Mike McKinny of West Texas Hunts said
clients took two nice free-range bucks over the weekend, but the rut is just beginning. “The bucks are starting to split off and roar a little bit,” he said of the ranches he hunts throughout the Edwards Plateau up to Menard County. “They still aren’t in a full-blown rut, but they’re thinking about it.” Eric Harrison, who hunts near Boerne and at Joshua Creek Ranch and is known for calling bucks with his EZY-Axis call, said June 14 is usually the peak of the rut in his area. “I called in some bucks in May, but it’s going to get better and better,” he said. “Since it is so dry, the axis are scattered out.” As he was describing the activity on June 20, something caught his eye. “Fourteen, no 17 does just ran by,” he said. A few minutes later, he got more excited.
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Sight casting to large beasts Low tides exposing fish By Nate Skinner
Water levels have dropped along much of the Texas coast, due to strong winds with a westerly influence. With lower tides, anglers have been finding fish more concentrated on the flats; and areas where oversized
the back lakes around Port Aransas where he’s been seeing oversized drum feeding in the same stretches of water where he has been seeing pods of reds. “The water levels have been a lot lower than normal, and the fish have been concentrated in several areas,” Mendoza said. “Large black drum have been in the mix. I think they are always nearby in these same locations, but with the tide
Capt. Dylan Mendoza landed this black drum while chasing reds along the flats near Port Aransas. Photo by Kyle Jordan.
Please turn to page 21 Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 16 Saltwater Fishing Report . . Page 21 Datebook . . . . . . . . . Page 22 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 22
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black drum are lurking and have been shallow enough for anglers to spot them tailing or cruising along the edges of oyster shell reefs and grass beds. Even though many of these anglers have been targeting trout and redfish, they haven’t been able to resist the chance to sight cast for these large beasts. Coastal bend fly-fishing guide Capt. Dylan Mendoza has been chasing redfish in
HUNTING
FISHING
Master the knife (P. 4)
River carp (P. 8)
Butchering class for hunters.
Fly-anglers target spooky fish.
Carter Smith to retire (P. 4)
New fishing lake (P. 8)
TPWD head for 14 years.
Making your own.
