Lone Star Outdoor News 082820 by Lone Star Outdoor News

Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper in Texas

August 28, 2020

Volume 17, Issue 1

Bass on the borders

Cautious optimism

Tactics vary from north to south to east By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News

A sky filled with dove is the hope of thousands of hunters beginning Sept. 1. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Dove hunters watching the radar By Craig Nyhus

Lone Star Outdoor News Hunters are like most Texans — they welcome rain whenever it comes. Except for the first 10 days or so of dove season, that is, when most of them do all of their hunting. Then, they hope it stays warm and dry. Rains and cool fronts tend to scatter the birds, especially mourning dove, and the one-two punch of Tropical Storms Marco and Laura are bearing down just before the season opener in the North and Central zones. Marco fizzled, bringing rains mostly to states to the east, but Laura is expected to grow to hurricane status and impact the greater Houston, Galveston and Beaumont areas, making hunters worry their hunting plans may be interrupted. The Texas Panhandle isn’t expected to get rainfall from any projections of the storms, and Jeremy Zint of Final Descent Guide Service in Wolfforth said the hunting should be good. “Our whitewings are coming in, but they haven’t showed up in big numbers yet,” he said. “Last year they showed up a few days before the opener. There are mourning dove and lots of Eurasians around, too.” Zint said one banded Eurasian-collared dove was shot there two seasons ago, as part of Texas

Todd Baker landed this almost 10-pound bass while fishing on Amistad Reservoir. Photo from Olin Jensen.

Bass in lakes located along our Texas borders are providing plenty of action. Anglers are using a variety of strategies, depending on which one of these bodies of water that they are fishing, in order to keep their rods bent. Lake Texoma guide Marty Zamora said the largemouth bass bite has been pretty spotty. He’s been focusing most of his efforts on chasing stripers and white bass that are schooling in open water. “The top-water bite has been fairly good lately, especially during the first couple of hours of the day,” Zamora said. “These fish are on the move and covering a lot of water, so it can be difficult to stay on them.” The slightly cooler weather that occurred during the middle of the month helped to keep the stripers and sand bass schooling along the surface later into the day. “The best way to catch them is to cover a bunch of water,” he said. “They are really hard to find suspended over structure right now, because they are almost constantly on the move. This can make keeping up with them a little inconsistent, but there are plenty of them to be caught.” On Falcon Lake, guide Robert Reissig said the bass are definitely in a late summer pattern. “We aren’t seeing any schooling activity from bass right now,” he said. “The most consistent bite is coming off of points in 18 to 25 feet of water, as well as near the edges of brush piles.”

Please turn to page 18

Please turn to page 11

Trip bought at auction leads to new passion By Craig Nyhus

A few Octobers ago, Dustin LaBat stopped in Dallas on his way from his Houston home to the Panhandle to attend the Lone Star Outdoor News

Amber Haynes, who co-owns McKenna Quinn clothing line, told LaBat about the event benefiting the foundation. “I went with my two dogs, and knew a few folks,” LaBat said. “I ended up bidding on about every item on the auction. Mostly, though, I was spending other people’s money.”

Until it came time for the guided fly-fishing trip for redfish. “I had guided fishing trips out of Houma, Louisiana, where I’m from, for a few years but kind of got burned out by fishing,” LaBat said. “But fly-fishing excited me, it was something I hadn’t done before. I didn’t know Scott Sommerlatte, the guide, but Please turn to page 11

CONTENTS

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Foundation Wild Game Supper at the Beretta Gallery. Now, after catching his first redfish on fly, the avid hunter and fisherman is hooked on fly-fishing the Texas coast. LaBat, called “Bigfoot” by his friends because of his size 17 shoe, was headed northwest to hunt pigeons.

Dustin LaBat landed his first redfish on a fly after winning a trip with Capt. Scott Sommerlatte. Photo by Scott Somerlatte, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Freshwater Fishing Report . Page 10

HUNTING

FISHING

Game Warden Blotter . . . . Page 12

Must-have for deer hunters (P. 4)

Helping new boaters (P. 8)

Book on aging deer updated.

Guide offers navigation help.

HIP Certification to change? (P. 5)

Friends no more (P. 9)

Other states require online signup.

Spat over tournament winnings.

Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . Page 16 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 20 Products . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . Page 22

INSIDE

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210

Getting that first red on fly

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HUNTING

Positive outlook for teal hunters

Funds set up for crash victims

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News

Lone Star Outdoor News After the deaths of three conservation professionals in a helicopter crash on the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area, hunters and conservationists stepped up to help. The crash claimed the lives of Texas State Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Bob Dittmar, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist Dewey Stockbridge and TPWD wildlife technician Brandon White during the annual desert bighorn sheep survey. All three are survived by spouses and children. Sam Cunningham, the president of the Texas Bighorn Society, said the organization was inundated with calls, email and texts from people inquiring how they could help. TBS set up a memorial fund for the families. A letter from Cunningham to TBS members said donations can be mailed to the TBS office at 1615 West Loop 289, Lubbock, Texas 79416, by calling (806) 745-7783, or donating online at texasbighornsociety.org. “This is not a TBS fund, as we are merely the central donation site,” Cunningham said. “Once all the donations are collected, the entirety of the fund will be distributed equally to the three surviving families. Nyle Maxwell and his wife, Nancy, had a more personal connection to one of the victims. Dewey Stockbridge was the guide on Maxwell’s bighorn sheep hunt and became a dear friend. The Maxwells established an educational trust fund for Dewey and Shannon Stockbridge’s children, Jameson, 5, and London, 1. The Maxwells committed to matching every dollar raised up to a goal of $100,000, to establish a trust fund of $200,000. Donations may be made to: 2020 Stockbridge Children’s Educational Trust P.O. Box 1425 Georgetown, Texas 78627

The season for blue-winged teal opens Sept. 12. Hunters are starting to see numbers of the birds migrating into the state. Photo by Nate Skinner, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

In mid-August, folks across the state were starting to see groups of blue-winged teal arrive along popular hunting grounds. The manager of Spread Oaks Ranch, Tim Soderquist, said he’s been seeing good bunches of bluewings buzzing around over fields and ponds in the Markham area. “I’ve been seeing groups of teal in the air just about every morning at sunrise across the ranch,” he said. “More and more seem to be arriving with each passing day.” On the coast near the San Bernard River watershed and surrounding marshes, duck call maker and waterfowl guide Tobin Copeland said he saw small groups of teal darting around the back lakes while he was fishing recently. “There weren’t any giant wads of birds yet, but it was good to already see a few around,” he said. Dog trainer and hunting guide Bryan Lee said groups of about 200 bluewings have been swarming over ponds along the north end of the Garwood Prairie. And Garwood-area outfitter, Mike Lanier of Red Bluff Prairie Hunting Club, confirmed the birds are already hitting the prairie. “They can be found early in the mornings, just about anywhere that there’s open water,” he said. “We are really hoping for a great early teal season.” According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Waterfowl Program leader, Kevin Kraai, bluewinged teal numbers are expected to increase once again this season in Texas. “We expect to see a strong, healthy migration of bluewings to kick off the early teal season,” he said. “They’ve had a lot of success in their breeding grounds over the last few years, and our Texas populations have been steadily climbing.” One unique aspect about blue-winged teal that Kraai said has become the standard over the last five years or so, is they have become season-long residents across Texas coastal bays, marshes and prairies. “We used to see waves of them during September and October, and then they would leave by the time that the regular hunting season came around, having migrated even farther south,” Kraai said. “That is just not the case anymore.” Kraai attributes the shift in bluewing migration patterns to milder winters. “They are a highly adaptive species that is simply taking advantage of available habitat,” he said. “Like any other migratory bird, they are only going to migrate as far south as they have to. Blue-winged teal populations have exploded over the last two decades and the change in their wintering grounds has been welcomed here in the Lone Star State.”

Updating a classic New version of the gold standard for aging deer on the hoof By Lili Sams

Lone Star Outdoor News Dave Richards and Al Brothers recently published an updated version of their original book, Observing & Evaluating Whitetails. The book, originally published in 2003, is used by wildlife biologists, wildlife educators, hunter education instructors, guide schools, wildlife managers, and hunters throughout the country. Contained among the book’s 470-plus stunning color photographs are sequences of numerous impressive bucks over multiple years showing their body and antler changes, providing a comprehensive overview of how to age and score white-tailed deer on the hoof through physical characteristics and behavior. Many hunters are taught how to age a

deer once it’s on the ground, but determining the age and maturity of a buck on the hoof is a different challenge. “Although the book is kind of bulky for this, I used the original version in South Texas as a field guide when scouting different blinds on a new lease,” said LSON’s Executive Editor Craig Nyhus. “It’s the standard when it comes to aging deer, especially when you’re seeing deer for the first time.” Similar to the first edition, Richards explains the techniques for doing so. In the updated version, he added several new buck images to the live buck aging and judging chapters. The book showcases 21 bucks in an aging sequence, showing their body and antler changes over their lifetime. It’s fascinating to note the subtle, yet noticeable consistencies of the antler growth. The updated version also includes photos of 35 live bucks used as judging examples with known Boone and Crockett scores.

Richards also teamed up with whitetail authorities, Dr. R. Larry Marchinton and Brian Murphy, to provide cuttingedge information on whitetail communication, sensory capabilities, aging after harvest, diseases and more. “The book has advanced our understanding of aging and judging bucks more than anything that has come before or after it was originally published,” Murphy said. Other chapters include aging by behavior, aging after harvest and estimating Boone and Crockett scores on the hoof. “I learn something new every time I open my copy of OEW, not to mention being enthralled by the fabulous photography. Simply a must have,” said Larry L. Weishuhn, wildlife biologist and TV host. The book is available to purchase at richardsoutdoorphotography.com.

Dave Richards proudly displays his updated book cover, Observing & Evaluating Whitetails, as they roll off the press in San Antonio. Photo by Joe Richards.

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Big grants for quail research Lone Star Outdoor News Park Cities Quail Coalition announced its 2020 grants, which totaled more than $1.49 million. Most of the dollars were raised at the annual PCQC Dinner & Auction in March, called “Conservation’s Greatest Night.” Since 2006, PCQC has donated more than $12 million to quail research, conservation and education programs in Texas. The grants were identified as follows: Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation Annual Operating Budget – $590,000 A grant to cover operating expenses for 2021 at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch. The funds will cover all payroll, project expenses, data tracking and dayto-day expenses for RPQRR, a 4,700-acre research ranch solely focused on quail in Roby. Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation Director of Development - $100,000 A grant to help fund the position of Development Director for RPQRF to focus on raising funds to support operating expenses and the future of the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch. Texas Tech Wildlife Toxicology Lab Analytical Study for FDA Approval of Medicated Feed - $200,000 A grant to fund continuance of lab research in support of FDA trials for a medicated feed for eyeworm control. Upon FDA approval, the QuailGuard product will be licensed by QuailGuard, LLC, which is a joint venture between Park Cities Quail Coalition, Texas Tech University and Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation. The Quail-Tech Alliance Integrated Study with Supplemental Feeding and Predator Management $120,000

A grant to fund a study combining aspects of previous studies funded by PCQC to study supplemental feeding of quail and effects of predator management on quail populations. This study will take place on the 6666 Ranch. The Quail-Tech Alliance Automated Covey Call Recording Software System - $80,000 A grant to fund a study on the effectiveness of automated recording devices to conduct covey call surveys in the field. Covey call counts are labor-intensive and timing-dependent as they are currently performed, and this study will explore the usability and reliability of an automated surveying system. Borderlands Research Institute Montezuma Quail Population Survey $80,000 A grant to fund a study to gain a better understanding of Montezuma Quail Populations in the Trans-Pecos region. Currently, there is no hunting season for Montezuma Quail in Texas, and this would be the first step in determining whether it could be proposed to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Tall Timbers Research Station East Texas Bobwhite Initiative - $75,000 A grant to introduce intensive quail restoration efforts in the Piney Woods Region of Texas. TTRS has revolutionized the process of sustaining viable quail populations on the East Coast and will establish its management system to try to restore quail populations in East Texas. Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation Outdoor Adventures Cup Sporting Clays Sponsorship - $25,000 Sponsorship of the OA Cup Sporting Clays event. PCQC has served as the Title Sponsor of this event since 2018, and the event raises money to support the installation of Outdoor Education programs Please turn to page 22

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Possible changes coming to HIP Certification Arkansas, Louisiana require separate online completion By Craig Nyhus

Lone Star Outdoor News

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As hunting licenses are being purchased across the state, hunters are used to answering some of the same questions at their favorite sporting goods store: Did you shoot any dove last year? Any ducks? Geese? And, for most, the best one: Any rails or gallinules? In Arkansas and Louisiana, hunters are no longer able to provide this information when purchasing their license at a retailer. The two states now require the certification either be obtained online or in person at a wildlife department facility. Shaun Oldenburger, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Small Game Program director, said the changes in the two states are part of a larger national effort via the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agency’s Harvest Information Program Working Group to improve sampling frames for migratory game birds. “HIP does not estimate harvest, but rather provides a sampling frame for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to sample hunters for various migratory game bird harvest surveys,” he said. “USFWS has identified a number of issues related to HIP for each state — so both Arkansas and Lou-

isiana are taking proactive approaches to improve their sampling frames to estimate migratory game bird harvest and hunter estimates.” Oldenburger said within Texas, TPWD has an (oversampling) issue with HIP. “We routinely have many more HIP certifications (approximately 900,000) compared with migratory game bird hunters (roughly 300,000). As suggested, one of the solutions is taking the HIP certifications out of the point-of-sale vendors and having the hunters themselves self-register to decrease this “oversampling” issue.” The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said because the HIP registration is free, many hunters who do not hunt migratory birds have still taken the time to fill out a registration on a “just in case” basis. In Louisiana, the certification is no longer free, and the online version will cost each hunter $2. “The change is to make sure that the most complete information is available to state and federal biologists as they manage the migratory bird resource,” the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said. At this time, TPWD has not proposed a similar change in obtaining HIP certification for next hunting season, but internal discussions are ongoing, Oldenburger said. And, keep in mind if you travel to hunt waterfowl, dove or other migratory birds, you need HIP certification in each state you hunt.

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Texas DU biologist honored Todd Merindino, Ducks Unlimited’s manager of conservation programs for Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, was one of the recipients of DU’s first Excellence in Conservation Awards for his role in increasing habitat conservation in Texas. DU’s Conservation Programs Committee created the awards to recognize outstanding conservation accomplishments and the 10 staff members who made it possible. “These awards were created to support morale, help maintain a high level of motivation and convey the gratitude of DU supporters and volunteers by recognizing truly exceptional conservation professionals,” said CPC Chair Dr. Christine Thomas. “These Excellence in Conservation Awards recognize the employees who are the boots on the ground for Team DU,” said DU Chief Executive Officer Adam Putnam. The remaining award winners are: • Dr. Scott Manley, DU’s director of conservation programs for the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, for his continuing work on DU’s Rice Stewardship Partnership. • Biologist Abby Rokosch for Farm Bill program delivery in Montana. • Regional Engineer Steve Carroll and Regional Biologist Renee Spenst for their exemplary work in San Francisco Bay conservation and restoration. • South Dakota-based Agronomist Brad Schmidt for his efforts with the Soil Health Program. • DU Southern Region Director of Conservation Planning Dale James and GIS/Remote Sensing Analyst Mike Mitchell for conservation planning in DU’s Southern Region. • Ducks Unlimited de México’s David Canul and Jorge Cerón for their work on DUMAC’s Mangrove Restoration Program. —DU

Texan receives CMP’s first scholarship Allison Henry, 18, of Granbury, was selected as the top applicant for the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s 2020 Carolyn Hines Memorial Scholarship. This highly selective honor brings with it the first $5,000 scholarship ever awarded by the CMP. Henry plans to attend Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, studying psychology, and participating as a member of the NCAA rifle team. She’s also focused on making the 2024 Olympic team. “I grew up hunting with my dad, but grew to love shooting on a competitive scale after attending a summer camp that my high school hosted,” Henry said. While in high school, Henry maintained excellent grades as an honor roll student and was a member of the Granbury High School Marine Corps JROTC rifle team. The Granbury team members earned themselves the JROTC National Championship title in 2018, with Henry placing third overall of the individual competitors. To date, her rifle career has led her to two Junior Olympic qualifiers in air rifle and threeposition, the 2018 American Legion Texas State Individual and Team Champion titles, and she helped lead her JROTC team to the 2018 Orion League Precision National Championship, where she was named the MVP of the tournament. —CMP

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FISHING

Boaters, waders racking up trout in the surf

Speckled trout are being caught in clearer water of the surf on top-waters and live bait. Anglers look for birds over the baitfish and trout. Photos by Robert Sloan, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

By Robert Sloan

For Lone Star Outdoor News On Aug. 17, a small cool front moved through and, although it didn’t cool things off too much, it did flatten the surf for a few days, setting up some excellent catches of trout along McFadden Beach south to Port O’Connor. Some of the most reliable fishing has been from the Matagorda jetties and south about 12 miles

past Pass Cavallo. The surf along the Bolivar Peninsula has been green to the beach a few times, along with the beachfront from the Sabine jetties and south for about 10 miles. Sabine Lake guide Jerry Norris said one of the best options for fishing the surf, south of the west Sabine jetty, is to run through the boat cut and look for bait in the surf. “It can be very good fishing

when you hit it right,” he said. “I’ll also fish the surf east of the Sabine jetties along the Louisiana shoreline. That can be very good. It’s wader-friendly, and under a slight southeast breeze the only thing you need to do is run until you find a good concentration of mullet. I’ll use a combination of top-water lures and soft plastics.” Norris prefers smaller top-water lures like a MirrOlure Top Dog Jr. or Top Pup in trout-green wa-

ter. Two of his favorite colors are chartreuse back and belly or bone. The surf on the middle Texas coast has been attracting a lot of fishermen, especially when the water is clean and green to the beach. Bryan Andrews fished the surf just east of the Port O’Connor jetties on Aug. 18, and said he’s never seen so many boats and waders. That was on a weekday and at one point he counted 19 boats and 21

waders. They were all taking advantage of the clear water. “The fishing on that day started out slow because of a north wind,” Andrews said. “That can kill the fishing in the surf. But as the wind began to calm down catches of trout picked up in a hurry. We caught them on topwater lures and live croaker.” A lot of anglers fishing the surf prefer to use lures, but others opt for live croaker or shrimp. Both Please turn to page 11

Offshore runs yield variety of fish

A novel approach for new anglers, boaters

By Robert Sloan

For Lone Star Outdoor News An advantage of fishing offshore out of Port Mansfield is that deepwater access doesn’t require a long run. The players right now include kingfish, ling, dorado, grouper, mangrove snapper, blackfin tuna and, of course, red snapper. “We’re boxing some very good catches of fish in state waters,” said Capt. Chad Kinney with Bamm Bamm Charters. “We had one run where we caught red snapper, grouper, ling and mangrove snapper.” Kinney said king mackerel are abundant and easy to catch on both trolled baits and lures. “The kings are everywhere in state waters,” he said. “I’m talking about fish in the 15- to 45-pound class. Our water clarity is good starting at the jetties. One of the best ways to catch the kings is with a three-hook rig on a wire leader and a ribbonfish. We’ll put two or three rods out and bump

Capt. Nathan Beabout’s instructions on a navigation trip begin as soon as the boat is launched. Photo from Nathan Beabout.

Navigation trips teach boating skills, fishing tactics Gag grouper and many species of fish are being caught offshore from Port Mansfield. Photo from Chad Kinney.

troll them. It’s solid action all day long.” Kinney also trolls with diving lures for kings.

“One of the best is a MirrOlure Big Game lure that can be trolled from 2 to 7 knots at 25 feet deep,” he said. “Some of the better colors Please turn to page 15

By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News With new boaters and anglers hitting the water each day, Capt. Nathan Beabout noticed many didn’t know their

way around large portions of his home waters near Seadrift. He decided to offer “navigation trips,” outings geared toward teaching anglers how to navigate new areas to find fish, while also increasing their confidence and skill level at the helm. “From popular main bay fishing grounds to the shallows of the back marshes, I’ll Please turn to page 15

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

Building friendships in the water

August 28, 2020

Page 9

Bass and lawyers Friendship ends over splitting winnings By Craig Nyhus

Lone Star Outdoor News Two fishermen were best of friends, and enjoyed hunting and fishing together, until a Legends bass tournament in 2016 ended the friendship, and resulted in the two men heading to court. In the event, Joe Smith and Greg Cano were fishing together when Cano hooked the winning 10-pound, 4-ounce largemouth, which Smith netted on Smith’s boat. The prize was a Legend 1999 bass boat that retailed for around $60,000. Smith was sure the pair would split the prize

value of the boat, with either one man paying the other half the value of the boat and retaining it or by both selling the boat together and splitting the proceeds. They figured the boat could be sold for more than $30,000. According to Smith, Cano began behaving weirdly on the way home to Dallas from Lake Fork, remaining quiet when Smith felt they should be celebrating. Finally, Cano said, “Joe, that was an individual, not a team tournament and I’m keeping the boat for myself.” Smith claimed the pair always had the understanding they would split any prizes won in fishing tournaments. Years earlier, they split prize money from a tournament, although Smith acknowledged the event may have been a team Please turn to page 19

Made i n U SA

Capt. Preston Long believes connecting with customers is easier while wade-fishing, without the distractions of fishing from a boat. Photo from Preston Long.

Baffin guide focuses on wade-fishing By Nate Skinner

For Lone Star Outdoor News There’s something to be said about developing relationships in the outdoors, and that’s what Capt. Preston Long tries to do every time that he steps out of his boat with his customers into the brine to wade-fish. The Baffin Bay-area fishing guide’s preference is to pursue game fish while standing in the water, and his passion is sharing his love for wade-fishing with others. Long has been guiding full time for about two years, but his affinity for saltwater fishing began much earlier in life. “Growing up, we did not own a boat,” he said. “My dad would take me to areas that we could just walk in from the bank and wade-fish around Nueces Bay. I caught my first speckled trout while wading when I was 5 or 6 years old. And to think, I thought I was hooked back then.” As he grew older, Long’s father began taking him on guided trips with different professionals. “These guides had an immediate impact on my life,” Long said. “I remember one in particular that just looked like he had spent a lot of time on the water and had seen some incredible things. That was who I decided I wanted to be one day. I wanted to become a veteran saltwater fishing guide, with years of experience and knowledge under my belt.” During his grade school, junior high and high school years, Long split time between living north of Dallas with his mom, and near the coast in Calallen with his dad. “I went to high school in the Dallas area, so I didn’t get to fish as much as I would’ve liked,” he admitted. “I was fortunate enough to be able to continue to go on guided trips with my dad.” After high school, Long earned a degree at Texas Tech University before taking an oil field job in West Texas. At the time, he still wasn’t fishing near enough to satisfy the itch. That all changed when he took a different job within the oil industry in the Hallettsville area in 2014. “This new gig came with shift work that provided me with six days off in a row at a time,” Long said. “I made a promise to myself that I would spend as much time as I

could on the water during my stretches of days off, and that’s exactly what I did.” He began to spend all of his time away from work fishing from Port O’Connor to Baffin Bay. “I truly found myself during this time in my life,” he said. “I was unhappy with what I was doing, and fishing literally saved me. When other things in life would let me down, I could always go to the water and fish.” As saltwater fishing became a part of who he was, Long decided to become a guide. He hasn’t looked back since. Staying true to his Texas Tech roots, his guide service is called Wreck ‘Em Outdoors. “It’s truly a blessing to see how far I’ve come in a short amount of time,” he said. “What began as taking friends and family members fishing, quickly turned into a business, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Long said he tries to turn all of his customers into wade-fishermen. “I just like being away from the boat and all the distractions associated with it,” he said. “When you’re standing in the water, you somewhat become one with nature. You don’t have a radio blaring or a cellphone ringing. It’s just an experience I love that I want to share with others.” Long’s favorite thing about guiding is seeing folks progress. “I take a lot of people fishing that aren’t necessarily thrilled about wading at first,” he said. “Some people don’t have any experience trying to fish while they’re walking through the water, and it is really special to see them put everything together, catch fish, and enjoy doing it away from the boat.” Long said he really makes an effort to create personal relationships and friendships with his customers. “I feel like this is something that has been lacking somewhat in the fishing guide industry and I want to change that,” he said. “And in my opinion, you can just form a stronger bond with someone walking alongside them on the flats.” Recently, Long has been wading in kneeto waist-deep water along shorelines in Baffin Bay. He said his customers have been catching limits of trout on both live bait and artificial lures, and that many of these fish have measured somewhere in the 20- to 26-inch range.

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August 28, 2020

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT ALAN HENRY: Water clear; 84 degrees; 1.42’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jigs, spinner baits and spoons. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are fair on live bait, cut bait and stink bait. AMISTAD: Water lightly stained; 89-90 degrees; 47.18’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on top-waters on the edges of vegetation, square-billed crankbaits and Carolina- or Texas-rigged worms over brush piles. Catfish are fair on stink bait and cut bait. ARLINGTON: Water clear; 87 degrees; 3.76’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs, crankbaits and Texas-rigged plastic creatures. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on crickets and prepared baits. ATHENS: Water slightly stained; 85 degrees; 0.02’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits, swimbaits and purple Texas-rigged plastic worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs in standing timber and boat docks. Catfish are fair on prepared baits. AUSTIN: Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 0.70’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Sunfish are good on worms along ledges, boat docks and brush. Catfish are fair on prepared baits and cut bait. B.A. STEINHAGEN: Water stained; 87 degrees; 0.33’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters. Crappie are good on minnows in vegetation. Sunfish are fair on jigs and crickets. Catfish are good on cut and prepared baits. BASTROP: Water lightly stained; 87 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on Carolina-rigged plastic worms, crankbaits and poppers. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on cut bait and live bait. BELTON: Water lightly stained; 85 degrees; 2.21’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and Carolina-rigged plastic worms. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on cut bait and live bait. BENBROOK: Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 3.90’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs, crankbaits and drop shots. Crappie are good on minnows. Hybrid striped bass are good on live bait and slabs. Catfish are good on cut bait and live bait. BOB SANDLIN: Water slightly stained; 87 degrees; 0.40’ low. Largemouth bass are good on jigs, crankbaits, chatterbaits and Texas-rigged plastic worms. Crappie are good on minnows in brush piles and standing timber. Catfish are good on live bait and cut bait. BROWNWOOD: Water clear; 87 degrees; 3.88’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on deep-diving crankbaits, jigs and Carolinarigged plastic worms. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared baits and live bait. BUCHANAN: Water clear; 86-89 degrees; 2.35’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged plastic craws, chatterbaits and deep-diving crankbaits. Striped bass are fair along the river channel on

live bait. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows in timber and brush piles. Channel catfish are good on prepared baits. CADDO: Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 0.28’ high. Largemouth bass are good near trees and grass beds on plastic frogs, top-water plugs and skirted jigs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on prepared baits and earthworms. CALAVERAS: Water stained; 86-89 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, Carolina-rigged plastic worms and light-colored weighted jigs. Red drum are good on live bait. Catfish are good on stink bait, chicken livers and cut shad. CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 87-90 degrees; 2.73’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and Texas-rigged plastic worms. Striped bass are fair on slabs, heavy jigging spoons and live bait. White bass are good on slabs and jigging spoons.. Catfish are good on prepared baits and cut bait. CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 0.99’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-water plugs and poppers, shaky heads, Texas-rigged plastic worms and crankbaits. Hybrids and sand bass are fair on slabs, spoons and swimbaits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on live bait and cut bait. CHOKE CANYON: Water lightly stained; 85-87 degrees; 20.31’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters, plastic worms and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on jigs. Catfish are fair on dough balls, live bait and cheese bait. CONROE: Water stained; 88 degrees; 1.10’ low. Largemouth bass are on shad imitations, nightcrawlers and Carolinarigged soft plastic worms. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Hybrid striped bass are fair on live bait. Catfish are good on cut bait. COOPER: Water clear; 86-89 degrees; 1.72’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Carolina-rigged curly-tailed plastic worms, crankbaits and skirted jigs. White bass are good on slabs and jigging spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait and prepared baits. CORPUS CHRISTI LAKE: Water stained; 87 degrees; 5.53’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastics. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait and cheese bait. EAGLE MOUNTAIN: Water clear; 89 degrees; 1.33’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on top-waters along reeds and grass edges and chatterbaits, jigs and plastic worms. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on fresh cut bait and punch bait. FALCON: Water lightly stained north and clear south; 88-90 degrees; 37.85’ low. Large-

mouth bass are good flipping plastics and crankbaits in trees and vegetation. Crappie are good above brush piles on minnows and jigs. Catfish are very good in shallow water on almost all baits. FAYETTE: Water lightly stained; 88 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged plastic craws, plastic grub drop shots and crankbaits. Sunfish are good on worms and crickets around bank ledges and structure. Catfish are good on prepared baits. FORK: Water lightly stained; 87-91 degrees; 1.35’ low. Largemouth bass are good on plastic craws, crankbaits, jigs and chatterbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait and prepared baits. GIBBONS CREEK: Water stained; 86 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on plastic worms and crankbaita. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are fair on live bait. GRANBURY: Water clear; 85-87 degrees; 0.96’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jerk baits and plum or maroon Texas-rigged plastic worms. Crappie are good around brush piles and boat docks on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs, jigging spoons and swimbaits. Catfish are good on earthworms or prepared baits. GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 86-88 degrees; 0.34’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on plastic worms in brush piles, standing timber and rocky areas. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs in marinas and near submerged structure. Catfish are fair on dough bait and chicken liver. HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 92 degrees; 0.41’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon/red and red finesse worms. Crappie are good on live minnows over brush piles. Sunfish are good on live worms. Catfish are good on juglines using shad. HUBBARD CREEK: Water stained; 84 degrees; 2.43’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters and Carolina-rigged worms and crankbaits over points and ledges. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are fair on live and cut shad. JOE POOL: Water lightly stained; 87 degrees; 0.81’ low. Largemouth bass are good on finesse worms, craws and crankbaits. Crappie are good beneath bridges and structure on minnows. Catfish are good on fresh cut bait and prepared baits. LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 87 degrees; 0.02’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on punch bait, chicken liver and cut bait. LAVON: Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 2.11’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chatter baits, plastic worms and crank-

baits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are excellent on jigs, jigging spoons and slabs. Catfish are fair to good on cut bait and punch bait. LBJ: Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 0.60’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on plastic worms, crankbaits and chatter baits. Crappie are good on minnows around brush piles and docks. White bass are fair on slabs, swimbaits and rooster tails. Catfish are good on cut bait and prepared baits. LEWISVILLE: Water lightly stained; 87 degrees; 0.95’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to on crankbaits, plastic worms, jigs and jerkbaits. White bass are excellent on slabs. Catfish are good on live bait and prepared baits. LIVINGSTON: Water lightly stained; 87 degrees; 0.10’ low. Largemouth bass are fair to good on plastic worms, spinner baits and crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs. White bass are good on spoons. Catfish are fair on live baits and stink bait. MARTIN CREEK: Water lightly stained; 89 degrees; 0.87’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on jigs, chatter baits and long plastic worms. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are fair on cut bait and prepared baits. MILLERS CREEK: Water stained; 85 degrees; 0.55’ low. Largemouth bass are good on buzzbaits, jigs and plastic worms. Catfish are fair on live bait, blood bait and livers. NACONICHE: Water slightly stained; 88 degrees. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, spinner baits and plastic worms. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on dough balls, cut and live bait. NASWORTHY: Water stained; 85 degrees. 0.94’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Carolina-rigged worms. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on live and prepared baits. NAVARRO MILLS: Water clear; 87 degrees; 0.28’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits, jigs and blue or purple Texas-rigged plastic worms. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on prepared baits and live bait. White bass are good on slabs and jigging spoons. O.H. IVIE: Water clear; 85 degrees; 11.66’ low. Largemouth bass are good on steep drops and above brush piles with crankbaits, jigs and plastic worms. Crappie are good on jigs. Catfish are good on stink bait, live and cut bait. OAK CREEK: Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 3.34’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged worms, crankbaits and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on nightcrawlers, live bait and cut bait. PALESTINE: Water clear; 89 degrees; 0.42’ low. Largemouth

bass are good on Texas-rigged brush hogs, shad swimbaits and deep-running crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows around bridges and timber. White bass are excellent on slabs and swimbaits. Catfish are good on earthworms and prepared baits. POSSUM KINGDOM: Water slightly stained; 84 degrees; 1.53’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on soft plastic worms and crankbanks. Crappie are good on jigs under docks and some vegetation. Striped bass are slow. Catfish are good on cut shad. PROCTOR: Water clear; 89 degrees; 3.51’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged worms. Hybrid stripers are good on live bait and jigging slabs. Catfish are good on prepared baits, chicken liver and cut bait. RAY HUBBARD: Water clear; 88 degrees; 1.27’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and Texas-rigged plastic worms. White bass are good on slabs and jigging spoons on main lake points, humps and ridges. Crappie are fair to good near bridges, brush piles and submerged timber on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on prepared baits. RAY ROBERTS: Water lightly stained; 88 degrees; 0.47’ low. Largemouth bass are slow. White bass are fair on slabs and minnows. Crappie are fair on minnows around standing timber and brush piles. Catfish are fair on live bait and prepared baits. RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water lightly stained; 86-89 degrees; 0.36’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chatter baits, flukes, jigs and jerk baits. White bass and hybrids are good on slabs. Catfish are good on punch bait. SAM RAYBURN: Water stained; 85 degrees; 2.20’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, light-colored worms and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs under shallow vegetation. Catfish are good on live bait and stink bait. SOMERVILLE: Water lightly stained; 85-88 degrees; 1.24’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on Texas-rigged worms, deepdiving crankbaits and chatter baits. White bass and hybrids are fair on slabs and jigging spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows in brush piles. Catfish are fair on earthworms and prepared baits. STILLHOUSE HOLLOW: Water clear; 88-90 degrees; 2.23’ low. Largemouth bass are good on flukes, crankbaits and Carolina-rigged soft plastic worms. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs and jigs. Catfish are good on prepared and cut bait. TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 86-89 degrees; 0.96’ low. Largemouth bass are good on spinner baits, dark blue or purple Texas-rigged plastic worms and skirted jigs. White bass and hybrid stripers are

n Saltwater reports Page 20 excellent on live bait and slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs around brush piles, docks and bridge pilings. Catfish are good on punch bait, earthworms and cut bait. TEXANA: Water stained; 87 degrees; 0.39’ high. Largemouth bass are good on plastic worms and crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on stink bait, cut bait and live bait. TEXOMA: Water lightly stained; 85-88 degrees; 0.49’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on skirted Striped bass and white bass are good on live bait and top-waters. jigs, Texasrigged plastic creatures and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait, prepared baits and live bait. TOLEDO BEND: Water slightly stained; 88-89 degrees; 2.55’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters and plastic worms. Crappie are good on shiners and jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on stink bait. TRAVIS: Water clear; 86 degrees; 16.55’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged blue flecked plastic worms, skirted jigs and chatterbaits. White bass are good on swim jigs and slabs. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on earthworms and prepared baits. WACO: Water clear; 86 degrees; 1.42’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinner baits, crankbaits and Carolina-rigged plastic worms. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on chicken liver and prepared baits. WALTER E. LONG: Water lightly stained; 86 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits and jigs. Hybrid stripers are good on live bait. Crappie are fair on minnows. Catfish are good on cut bait and prepared baits. WHITNEY: Water clear; 85-89 degrees; 2.67’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on plastic worms, crankbaits and jigs. White bass are good on jigging spoons and slabs. Stripers are good on live bait. Catfish are good on earthworms and prepared baits. WRIGHT PATMAN: Water lightly stained; 86 degrees; 1.32’ high. Largemouth bass are fair on chatterbaits and Carolina rigged plastic worms. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on punch bait, chicken liver and earthworms.

—TPWD

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

August 28, 2020

Page 11

Fly-fishing for reds Continued from page 1

had some friends who did.” Scheduling the trip took some time — a few years, in fact. “It was hard to get a time, and then came coronavirus,” LaBat said. “I did take some time to fish — my wife and I went to Alaska and I went to the Chandeleur Islands a few times. It revitalized my joy of fishing.” When it came to fly-fishing, though, LaBat was a novice. But now he and his friend, Paul, have a new fishing passion. “I took a friend of mine who had fly-fished a little bit, but it was a learning trip for both of us,” he said. “With Scott’s patience and skill, I caught my first redfish on fly on the first day, and caught another one that day and some the next day. Paul caught fish both days, too.” Sommerlatte said the two anglers came to the trip with a positive attitude, despite their lack of

experience. “They didn’t let their expectations outweigh their abilities,” the guide said. “They both learned a lot and the fishing was real good. The reds were tailing with their backs out of the water.” LaBat said both anglers already are looking at a second trip. “It was awesome,” he said. “Scott is an amazing teacher, he can really explain things. I’ll definitely be going back with him.” Lone Star Outdoor News Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization which seeks to create hunters and fishermen for a lifetime by creating hunting and fishing experiences for people that have the passion, but lack the opportunity. To donate, call (214) 3612276 or visit lsonews.com/lsonf-foundation. Photo by Scott Sommerlatte, for Lone Star Outdoor News

Bites in the surf

On the edges of Texas

Continued from page 8

Continued from page 1

work, but live baits often have an advantage, especially croaker. August and September are two of the best months to fish the surf, and Matagorda-based guide Charlie Paradoski said that’s when he won’t pass up a chance to fish it. “We have been wading the surf between Matagorda and the Port O’Connor jetties,” he said. “We hadn’t been in the surf too much at all until August. But as the winds calmed and we had green water to the beach, things changed in a hurry. If it’s flat enough we’ll be wading. That’s the best way to cover a lot of water and find schools of hungry trout. It’s pretty relaxed fishing, and when it’s right the fishing for trout, and the occasional red, is as good as it gets along the Texas coast.”

Flukes and jigs are the best baits of choice, and just about any color pattern that resembles a tilapia will work. “Despite the relatively hot weather, we’ve still been catching a lot of fish each day,” Reissig said. “The fish are ranging anywhere from 2 to 6.5 pounds, and it’s nothing for us to catch 25 or more during a morning session.” Amistad Reservoir guide Olin Jensen said the morning top-water action on the lake is lights out. “Whopper Ploppers and frog baits are both producing strikes along the surface near the edges of grass,” he said. “Flats anywhere from 1 to 11 feet deep with deeper water nearby have been key.” Later in the day, the bass have been moving towards the middle of the grass, and Jensen has been switching to Texas-rigged soft plastics once the fish make this transition. “We are catching a lot of solid, 2- to 4-pound fish right now,” Jensen explained. “Every now and then, a larger one bites, but there’s really no rhyme or reason as to what caused her to feed.”

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Jensen said the larger bass have weighed anywhere from 7 to 10 pounds. “The water on Amistad is really low right now, so there’s not really a lot of deep-water options,” Jensen said. “All of the grass that our larger fish tend to stage up on this time of year is in fairly shallow water due to the low lake level.” On Toledo Bend Reservoir, guide Josh Sikes has been focusing his attention in deep water. “We are catching anywhere from 25 to 40 bass per trip in 15 to 18 feet of water near main lake points,” Sikes said. “They are schooled up offshore big time.” Swim baits, jigs and Carolina-rigged flukes are all producing strikes when they are used in the right location. Lures with shad color patterns have been the most effective baits.

Page 12

August 28, 2020

LoneOStar Outdoor News

LSONews.com

GAME WARDEN BLOTTER PLANNING TO RELEASE DEAD FISH On Houston County Lake, a subject was checked by a game warden while loading his boat. The subject was in possession of bass in violation of the slot limit. The subject said he was going to take a photo of the fish and then release it back into the lake. The warden asked to see the fish, and when the subject removed the fish from the livewell, it was dead and beginning to turn stiff. Case pending. WOMAN TURNS IN HER POACHING BOYFRIEND A female called in a complaint that her boyfriend and a friend had killed a deer and had it hanging in the garage. A Montgomery County game warden arrived and found the deer had gone to waste. The boyfriend admitted shooting the deer from a public road, and at night. The boyfriend was arrested. The friend was arrested for a felony warrant and for hunting at night. THEFT ON LARGE RANCH Possible illegal hunting was reported on a large ranch in Maverick County. Two fences had been cut on the ranch with UTV tracks leading through the openings. The fences that had been cut were on opposite sides of an Farm-to-Market road

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WARDEN FINDS SUSPECTS IN MANHUNT A Smith County game warden received a call for assistance from the sheriff’s office with a manhunt in the southern end of the county. A dozen or more overnight vehicle burglaries had occurred in a nearby neighborhood. During the burglaries, multiple firearms and a vehicle were stolen. The

with a single set of tracks going through. Sheriff’s deputies followed the tracks in the ranch on the west side of the road as game wardens followed the tracks on east side. After several miles of tracking through thick brush and losing the trail more than once, the wardens discovered a UTV stashed in the brush with the key still in the ignition. The ranch manager was notified of what was found. It was determined the UTV had been stolen from the ranch. At the main house of the ranch, it was determined the house, as well as one of the outbuildings had been broken into. The wardens assisted in loading the UTV on a trailer to be transported back to where it belonged.

vehicle owner located his vehicle and chased the suspects to the “Whitehouse area” when they bailed out. The warden located two suspects on a trail and took them into custody within minutes. After a search, the remaining three suspects were not found but their identity is known.

CAPSIZED BOAT, MAN THROWN On Braunig Lake in San Antonio, a 75-year-old operator was attempting to pull in the boat anchor when fast water currents and strong winds caused the vessel to capsize. Bexar County game wardens responded. When the vessel capsized, the operator was thrown into the water. The operator was wearing an inflatable PFD and it deployed when he was in the water. The wardens secured the vessel to the shoreline to keep it from going into the intake. ILLEGAL FISHING AND MORE A couple at a bridge in Belton Lake were fishing along the bank when checked by Bell County game

wardens. Neither individual had a fishing license, and the female had an outstanding warrant for child neglect. She was arrested. DEER, DOVE AND SQUIRRELS In response to a call of possible illegal hunting, a Colorado County game warden found three subjects in possession of a white-tailed deer that had been freshly killed and butchered. The men also killed mourning dove in closed season and failed to keep the dove, along with some squirrels that were also killed, in an edible condition.

wardens responded to a call about an argument and shots fired at the Centex Sportsman’s Club residential development on Belton Lake. A caller on a boat was witnessing the scene as it was occurring on shore. While heading to the scene, the wardens were behind a police department vehicle. The PD vehicle stopped in a residential area when he spotted the suspect on the side of the road. The suspect was agitated and threw down his smart phone and shattered it on the road, but did not have a firearm in his possession. The man admitted he was having an argument with his spouse by the water and had fired his handgun nine times, emptying the magazine into the water and said he had thought about killing himself during the incident. On the boat, wardens found a substance that looked like marijuana and the Corps of Engineer ranger recovered the spent casings from the water. The husband was detained for his safety due to his suicidal ideations. He also was issued a citation by the Corp of Engineers for possession of a firearm on federal property.

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SHOTS FIRED DURING LAKESHORE ARGUMENT Bell and Travis County game

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August 28, 2020

Page 13

Page 14

August 28, 2020

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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HEROES

Meredith Sims, 17, caught this 32-inch redfish while fishing with her family in the Laguna Madre, guided by Capt. Alan White out of Corpus Christi. Dean Schwarz, 12, caught this 10-pound bass with a Texas-rigged purple worm on a private lake in Frio County.

Cooper Kiffe, 6, of Rio Hondo, caught this mangrove snapper in Port Isabel with his dad, Ron.

SHARE AN ADVENTURE

n Want to share hunting and fishing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers? Email them with contact and caption information to editor@lonestaroutdoornews.com. High-resolution original jpegs only. Mail prints to Heroes, Lone Star Outdoor News, P.O. Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355.

Tanner Pittman, 12, caught this kingfish offshore aboard the All Hook’D Up.

Chris Call, of McKinney, landed this 28.25-inch redfish while wade-fishing in Port Mansfield.

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August 28, 2020

Page 15

Help for new boaters, anglers Continued from page 8

show the customer whatever he or she wants to learn,” Beabout said. The navigation trips take place in the customer’s boat. “I basically make them drive, while I point and give directions,” Beabout said. “This hands-on method really helps them learn a lot of things about navigating an area and safely handling a boat.” The teaching begins as soon as the boat is launched at the boat ramp. Beabout gives the boat operator pointers on how to become more efficient when launching their boat. This includes boat ramp etiquette, and the same goes for loading the boat and pulling it out of the water. “Once we are out on the water, we head to whatever area the customer wants to gain more knowledge about,” explained Beabout.

Kings, ling and more Continued from page 8

are mackerel stripes, green back, white belly with silver scale.” The groups are catching good numbers of ling on small live baits around the shrimp boats and rigs. A lot of them are in the 40-pound-plus class. “The thing about ling is that you never know where they are going to show up,” Kinney said. “We’ll chum them up close to the boat then drop a bait in that’s about the same size as the chum. You don’t want to use too much chum — just enough to keep them feeding near the boat. We’ll use live spot croaker and fresh menhaden to get a hookup. Some of the ling can be surprisingly difficult to fool.” Mangrove snapper have been plentiful around the rigs and wrecks. But they can be leadershy. “We’re using fluorocarbon leaders and 10/0 circle hooks that are baited with spot croaker, squid or menhaden,” Kinney said. “Mangrove snapper are one of the smartest fish out there. They can become leader-shy really fast. The trick is to hide the hook in the bait. We’re finding most of the mangrove snapper suspended over structure. A lot of them are in the 6- to 10-pound class.” While chumming is a very good way to get fish like ling and mangrove snapper to take a baited hook, the key is to use fresh chum. They are also catching gag, scamp, Warsaw and yellow edge grouper in 200 to 400 feet of water, anywhere from 20 to 50 miles out. The best baits are live blue runners or croaker. And the red snapper fishing in state waters has been very good. “The water clarity is good,” Kinney said. “That makes catching red snapper easy.” Shrimp boats are everywhere, and they are holding a lot of fish. Those boats are in 90 to 280 feet of water. The boats in the shallower water are holding ling, kings, bonito and jacks. The deep-water shrimpers are holding decent numbers of blackfin tuna. Kinney said they are trolling the MirrOlure 25-foot divers to catch the deep-water fish.

“If safely getting to the specific location can be tricky, I’ll point out all the dos and don’ts along the way. When we arrive to the spot, we typically shut the engine down and start talking fishing.” Beabout asks the customer what he or she thinks about the conditions presented before them in the area they wanted to learn about. “I’ll ask them if they would start fishing in that exact spot, given the current conditions,” he said. “After they tell me what they think, I’ll give them my insight. What typically follows next, is a no-holds-barred discussion about anything and everything fishing. I’ll start to break down the importance of timing, and fishing around major and minor feed times. I’ll also explain the lay of the land and how I would ap-

proach the area under the current conditions.” Challenging the customer to ask the question, “Why?” is also something that Beabout emphasizes during a navigation trip. “If you’re catching fish in the area, then why are they there?” he said. “Surely they are there for a reason, and if you can figure that out, you’ll be able to figure out how to reproduce success in that same area again.” Helping a customer understand their boat’s limitations is another part of the trips. “It’s incredible to see the light bulb go off when a customer realizes that their boat is capable of doing things they didn’t think it could do, like run shallow,” Beabout said. “It’s almost like they get really excited to own the boat and go fishing.”

Boat operators learn the limitations and capabilities of their boat while on a navigation trip. Photo from Nathan Beabout.

Most of the time, average weekend anglers tend to revisit spots that they know have produced fish in the past. Beabout said this can be a waste of time if the conditions aren’t similar. “That’s why I encourage my navigation trip customers to keep a log book,” Beabout said. “It will

give them an opportunity to become more efficient in their time spent on the water. I always try to teach customers on these trips how to make a game plan, and explain to them the importance of knowing what their plan is before they ever get to the boat launch to launch their boat.”

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Page 16

August 28, 2020

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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TEXAS SUN, MOON AND TIDES Moon Phases

Full

Last

New

First

Sept 2

Sept 10

Sept 17

Sept 23

Solunar Sun times Moon times

Houston

Dallas

2020 A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Aug/Sept Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets

28 Fri 29 Sat 30 Sun 31 Mon 01 Tue 02 Wed 03 Thu 04 Fri 05 Sat 06 Sun 07 Mon 08 Tue 09 Wed 10 Thu 11 Fri

28 Fri 29 Sat 30 Sun 31 Mon 01 Tue 02 Wed 03 Thu

2:10 3:00 3:48 4:35 5:21 6:06 6:51

8:24 9:13 10:01 10:48 11:33 ----12:41

2:38 3:27 4:14 5:00 5:44 6:28 7:12

8:52 9:41 10:27 11:12 11:56 12:17 1:01

04 Fri

7:36 1:26

7:56

05 Sat 06 Sun 07 Mon 08 Tue 09 Wed 10 Thu 11 Fri

8:21 9:06 9:53 10:41 11:29 ----12:43

8:41 9:27 10:14 11:03 11:53 12:19 1:10

2:04 8:18 2:54 9:08 3:42 9:55 4:29 10:42 5:15 11:27 6:00 ----6:45 12:35 7:30 1:20 8:15 2:05 9:01 2:50 9:47 3:37 10:35 4:24 11:23 5:12 ----- 6:01 12:37 6:50

2:32 3:21 4:08 4:54 5:38 6:22 7:06 7:50 8:35 9:21 10:08 10:57 11:47 12:13 1:04

8:46 9:35 10:21 11:06 11:50 12:11 12:56 1:40 2:25 3:11 3:58 4:46 5:35 6:26 7:17

06:55 07:48 06:56 07:47 06:57 07:46 06:57 07:44 06:58 07:43 06:58 07:42 06:59 07:41 06:5907:40 07:00 07:39 07:00 07:37 07:01 07:36 07:01 07:35 07:02 07:34 07:02 07:33 07:03 07:31

5:00p 2:26a 5:51p 3:23a 6:37p 4:21a 7:17p 5:20a 7:52p 6:18a 8:24p 7:14a 8:53p 8:09a 9:22p 9:02a 9:51p 9:54a 10:20p 10:46a 10:52p 11:40a 11:28p 12:34p NoMoon 1:30p 12:08a 2:26p 12:54a 3:22p

2:11 2:56 3:42 4:29 5:17 6:06 6:56

06:59 06:59 07:00 07:00 07:01 07:02 07:02

07:56 07:55 07:54 07:53 07:51 07:50 07:49

5:14p 6:05p 6:49p 7:28p 8:02p 8:32p 9:00p

2:24a 3:21a 4:20a 5:20a 6:19a 7:17a 8:13a

1:46

07:03 07:48 9:28p

9:08a

2:31 3:17 4:04 4:52 5:41 6:32 7:23

07:04 07:04 07:05 07:05 07:06 07:07 07:07

07:46 07:45 07:44 07:42 07:41 07:40 07:38

9:55p 10:01a 10:23p 10:55a 10:54p 11:50a 11:28p 12:45p NoMoon 1:42p 12:07a 2:39p 12:52a 3:36p

San Antonio

Amarillo

2020 A.M. P.M. SUN MOON Aug/Sept Minor Major Minor Major Rises Sets Rises Sets

28 Fri 29 Sat 30 Sun 31 Mon 01 Tue 02 Wed 03 Thu 04 Fri 05 Sat 06 Sun 07 Mon 08 Tue 09 Wed 10 Thu 11 Fri

2:16 8:30 3:06 9:20 3:55 10:08 4:42 10:54 5:28 11:39 6:13 12:00 6:58 12:47 7:42 1:32 8:27 2:17 9:13 3:03 10:00 3:49 10:47 4:36 11:36 5:24 12:02 6:13 12:50 7:03

2:44 8:58 3:34 9:47 4:21 10:34 5:07 11:19 5:51 ----6:35 12:24 7:18 1:08 8:03 1:52 8:48 2:37 9:34 3:23 10:21 4:10 11:10 4:58 ----- 5:48 12:26 6:38 1:16 7:29

07:08 07:09 07:09 07:10 07:10 07:11 07:11 07:12 07:12 07:13 07:13 07:14 07:14 07:15 07:15

08:00 07:59 07:58 07:57 07:55 07:54 07:53 07:52 07:51 07:50 07:48 07:47 07:46 07:45 07:44

5:12p 2:40a 6:03p 3:37a 6:49p 4:35a 7:29p 5:34a 8:04p 6:32a 8:36p 7:28a 9:06p 8:22a 9:35p 9:15a 10:04p 10:07a 10:34p 10:59a 11:06p 11:52a 11:42p 12:46p NoMoon 1:42p 12:22a 2:38p 1:08a 3:34p

2:30 8:44 3:20 9:33 4:08 10:21 4:55 11:08 5:41 11:53 6:26 12:13 7:11 1:01 7:56 1:46 8:41 2:31 9:27 3:16 10:13 4:03 11:01 4:50 11:49 5:38 12:15 6:27 1:03 7:16

2:58 3:47 4:34 5:20 6:04 6:48 7:32 8:16 9:01 9:47 10:34 11:23 ----12:39 1:30

9:12 10:01 10:47 11:32 ----12:37 1:22 2:06 2:51 3:37 4:24 5:12 6:01 6:52 7:43

07:16 07:17 07:18 07:18 07:19 07:20 07:21 07:21 07:22 07:23 07:24 07:24 07:25 07:26 07:26

08:19 08:18 08:16 08:15 08:14 08:12 08:11 08:09 08:08 08:07 08:05 08:04 08:02 08:01 07:59

5:42p 2:38a 6:32p 3:35a 7:16p 4:35a 7:53p 5:36a 8:26p 6:36a 8:55p 7:35a 9:22p 8:33a 9:48p 9:28a 10:14p 10:23a 10:41p 11:18a 11:10p 12:14p 11:44p 1:11p NoMoon 2:09p 12:22a 3:07p 1:06a 4:04p

Legend: Major=2 hours. Minor=1 hour. Times centered on the major-minor window. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of a location, and add 1 minute per 12 miles west of a location.

Sabine Pass, north Date Aug 28 Aug 29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Sept 1 Sept 2 Sept 3 Sept 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 10 Sept 11

Time 2:43 AM 3:30 AM 4:08 AM 4:39 AM 5:04 AM 5:25 AM 5:43 AM 5:59 AM 6:13 AM 12:18 AM 12:55 AM 1:38 AM 2:39 AM 12:36 AM 2:43 AM

High Island Height 1.92H 1.93H 1.89H 1.83H 1.76H 1.70H 1.65H 1.61H 1.57H 0.94L 1.15L 1.34L 1.50L 1.69H 1.92H

Time 6:55 PM 9:37 AM 9:48 AM 10:00 AM 10:16 AM 10:39 AM 11:08 AM 11:42 AM 12:20 PM 6:21 AM 6:18 AM 6:02 AM 5:35 AM 4:25 PM 6:55 PM

Height -0.18L 1.50L 1.45L 1.38L 1.28L 1.16L 1.02L 0.89L 0.76L 1.53H 1.51H 1.51H 1.54H 0.30L -0.18L

Time 12:20 PM 1:26 PM 2:21 PM 3:11 PM 3:58 PM 4:47 PM 5:39 PM 6:38 PM 1:01 PM 1:46 PM 2:35 PM 3:28 PM 1:40 AM

Height 1.55H 1.58H 1.60H 1.60H 1.59H 1.56H 1.54H 1.52H 0.64L 0.54L 0.46L 0.38L 1.79H

Time

Height

7:48 PM 8:36 PM 9:19 PM 9:58 PM 10:35 PM 11:09 PM 11:43 PM

-0.14L -0.06L 0.05L 0.19L 0.35L 0.54L 0.74L

7:46 PM 9:11 PM 10:55 PM

1.51H 1.52H 1.58H

5:23 PM

0.21L

Time

Height

Galveston Bay entrance, north jetty Time 2:16 AM 3:06 AM 3:49 AM 4:25 AM 4:54 AM 5:16 AM 5:34 AM 5:50 AM 6:02 AM 12:07 AM 12:59 AM 1:53 PM 2:47 PM 12:36 AM 1:23 AM

Height 2.46H 2.45H 2.38H 2.29H 2.17H 2.07H 1.96H 1.87H 1.79H 1.12L 1.39L 0.54L 0.46L 2.14H 2.28H

Time 6:52 PM 9:52 AM 10:04 AM 10:22 AM 10:38 AM 10:46 AM 10:54 AM 11:14 AM 11:44 AM 6:09 AM 6:12 AM 11:28 PM

Height -0.14L 1.55L 1.52L 1.47L 1.38L 1.26L 1.12L 0.97L 0.84L 1.71H 1.66H 1.97H

3:43 PM 4:42 PM

0.38L 0.28L

Height 2.03H 2.03H 1.97H 1.87H 1.77H 1.67H 1.58H 1.51H 1.44H 1.00L 1.20L 0.47L 0.38L 1.79H 1.92H

Time 6:46 PM 7:44 PM 8:36 PM 11:02 AM 11:12 AM 11:26 AM 11:41 AM 11:56 AM 12:14 PM 6:09 AM 6:07 AM 10:47 PM

Height -0.19L -0.15L -0.08L 1.35L 1.27L 1.17L 1.05L 0.92L 0.80L 1.39H 1.35H 1.66H

3:33 PM 4:38 PM

0.30L 0.21L

Height 0.85H 0.85H 0.81H 0.76H -0.06L 0.02L 0.12L 0.24L 0.36L 0.45L 0.59H 0.65H 0.70H 0.74H 0.79H

Time 9:16 PM 10:20 PM 11:16 PM

Height -0.12L -0.12L -0.10L

10:14 AM 10:05 AM 9:40 AM 8:44 AM 7:25 AM 6:32 AM 3:44 PM 4:25 PM 5:19 PM 6:23 PM 7:30 PM

0.68H 0.60H 0.53H 0.49H 0.50H 0.54H 0.13L 0.09L 0.06L 0.02L -0.02L

Height 0.14L 0.11L 0.07L 0.05L 0.05L 0.09L 0.16L 0.26L 0.37L 0.48L 0.61H 0.64H 0.69H 0.73H 0.78H

Time 1:58 PM 3:03 PM 4:04 PM 5:04 PM 6:06 PM 7:11 PM 8:17 PM 9:28 PM 11:11 PM 12:31 PM 7:50 AM 8:36 PM 9:33 PM 10:35 PM 11:35 PM

Height 0.81H 0.86H 0.89H 0.91H 0.90H 0.86H 0.79H 0.71H 0.63H 0.52H 0.57L 0.35L 0.31L 0.27L 0.21L

Time 12:04 PM 1:15 PM 2:14 PM 3:08 PM 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 5:42 PM 6:39 PM 12:20 PM 1:03 PM

Height 1.58H 1.66H 1.73H 1.78H 1.81H 1.82H 1.81H 1.80H 0.72L 0.63L

7:51 PM 8:41 PM 9:22 PM 9:56 PM 10:26 PM 10:56 PM 11:28 PM

-0.11L -0.05L 0.06L 0.21L 0.39L 0.61L 0.86L

7:49 PM 9:26 PM

1.79H 1.84H

Time

Height

Time 2:52 AM 3:41 AM 4:20 AM 4:50 AM 5:11 AM 5:26 AM 5:38 AM 5:50 AM 6:01 AM 12:22 AM 1:11 AM 1:45 PM 2:34 PM 12:21 AM 1:27 AM

Time

1:25 PM 2:34 PM 3:35 PM 4:34 PM 5:35 PM 6:39 PM 12:37 PM 1:07 PM

Height

1.40H 1.42H 1.42H 1.42H 1.43H 1.45H 0.68L 0.57L

9:22 PM 10:02 PM 10:38 PM 11:11 PM 11:45 PM

0.05L 0.21L 0.39L 0.59L 0.79L

7:51 PM 9:13 PM

1.49H 1.55H

Time

Height

Port Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor Date Aug 28 Aug 29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Sept 1 Sept 2 Sept 3 Sept 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 10 Sept 11

Time 8:12 AM 9:03 AM 9:45 AM 10:10 AM 12:02 AM 12:40 AM 1:11 AM 1:33 AM 1:42 AM 1:19 AM 5:56 AM 5:43 AM 5:50 AM 6:12 AM 6:46 AM

Time 12:18 AM 1:17 AM 2:13 AM 3:05 AM 3:53 AM 4:37 AM 5:16 AM 5:54 AM 6:31 AM 7:08 AM 2:06 AM 7:45 AM 9:03 AM 10:04 AM 11:38 AM

Date Aug 28 Aug 29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Sept 1 Sept 2 Sept 3 Sept 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 10 Sept 11

Time 4:06 AM 4:58 AM 5:40 AM 6:04 AM 6:11 AM 6:14 AM 6:19 AM 6:25 AM 12:06 AM 12:31 AM 1:05 AM 2:59 AM 1:18 AM 2:21 AM 3:14 AM

Time 11:08 PM

Height -0.01L

10:20 AM 10:40 AM 10:15 AM 10:00 AM 9:55 AM 9:50 AM 9:42 AM 9:33 AM 3:06 AM 6:32 PM 7:13 PM 8:00 PM 9:05 PM

1.62H 1.54H 1.45H 1.38H 1.34H 1.32H 1.33H 1.37H 1.22L 0.31L 0.28L 0.28L 0.28L

Height 1.53H 1.52H 1.46H 1.38H 1.29H 1.23H 1.19H 1.18H 0.75L 0.90L 1.04L 1.18L 1.31H 1.41H 1.49H

Time 7:15 PM 8:14 PM 9:09 PM 11:11 AM 11:32 AM 11:51 AM 12:06 PM 12:21 PM 6:30 AM 6:35 AM 6:40 AM 6:34 AM 3:35 PM 4:29 PM 5:29 PM

Height -0.03L 0.01L 0.09L 1.20L 1.14L 1.07L 0.97L 0.87L 1.18H 1.19H 1.19H 1.21H 0.41L 0.34L 0.29L

Height 0.45H 0.44H 0.42H 0.40H 0.41H 0.04L 0.10L 0.16L 0.22L 0.27L 0.35H 0.37H 0.38H 0.39H 0.40H

Time 9:05 PM 10:05 PM 11:02 PM 12:04 PM

Height -0.03L -0.04L -0.03L 0.39L

4:47 PM 6:32 AM 6:32 AM 6:35 AM 6:27 AM 3:09 PM 4:02 PM 5:19 PM 6:40 PM 7:46 PM

0.39H 0.28H 0.29H 0.32H 0.34H 0.11L 0.10L 0.10L 0.09L 0.06L

Height 1.16H 1.14H 1.09H 1.00H 0.91H 0.91H 0.77H 0.76H 0.47L 0.58L 0.69L 0.80L 0.91H 0.99H 1.06H

Time 6:49 PM 7:45 PM 8:36 PM 10:29 AM 10:38 AM 10:55 PM 11:15 AM 11:41 AM 5:16 AM 5:32 AM 5:38 AM 5:14 AM 2:51 PM 3:49 PM 5:02 PM

Height -0.16L -0.14L -0.08L 0.94L 0.88L 0.24L 0.71L 0.60L 0.78H 0.80H 0.82H 0.85H 0.10L 0.05L 0.00L

Height 1.85H 1.84H 1.79H 1.69H 1.59H 1.49H 1.41H 1.37H 1.34H 1.06L 1.25L 0.51L 1.59H 1.72H 1.82H

Time 6:15 PM 7:15 PM 8:08 PM 8:54 PM 9:36 PM 11:11 AM 11:08 AM 11:18 AM 11:40 AM 5:32 AM 5:16 AM

Height -0.03L 0.02L 0.10L 0.22L 0.37L 1.29L 1.17L 1.02L 0.88L 1.33H 1.35H

2:25 PM 3:22 PM 4:24 PM

0.43L 0.36L 0.29L

Time

3:50 4:00 4:09 4:20 4:43 5:16 9:18

Height

PM PM PM PM PM PM AM

1.19L 1.10L 0.96L 0.80L 0.64L 0.49L 1.42H

Time

Height

1:41 PM 2:49 PM 3:50 PM 4:47 PM 5:45 PM 12:49 PM 1:25 PM 2:05 PM 2:48 PM

1.25H 1.24H 1.21H 1.18H 1.14H 0.77L 0.66L 0.56L 0.48L

Time

Height

6:33 PM 7:43 PM 8:49 PM 9:50 PM 11:02 PM

1.28H 1.25H 1.23H 1.21H 1.20H

5:54 PM

0.38L

Time

Height

9:57 PM 10:39 PM 11:14 PM 11:42 PM

0.19L 0.31L 0.45L 0.60L

6:53 PM 8:52 PM 11:38 PM

1.10H 1.11H 1.19H

Date Aug 28 Aug 29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Sept 1 Sept 2 Sept 3 Sept 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 10 Sept 11

Time 6:37 AM 7:39 AM 8:51 AM 10:00 AM 3:56 PM 12:36 AM 1:11 AM 1:35 AM 1:42 AM 1:12 AM 6:01 AM 5:42 AM 5:47 AM 6:05 AM 6:37 AM

Time

Height

Time

Height

2:54 PM

0.41H

11:53 PM

-0.00L

12:16 PM 1:03 PM 1:45 PM 2:26 PM

0.25L 0.20L 0.16L 0.13L

5:38 PM 6:39 PM 8:13 PM

0.36H 0.32H 0.29H

Height

Time

Height

Port Aransas Time

1:15 1:39 2:09 2:39 3:10

Height

PM PM PM PM PM

0.56L 0.45L 0.35L 0.25L 0.18L

Time

Height

3:39 PM 5:19 PM 8:14 PM 10:41 PM

0.58H 0.50H 0.46H 0.47H

Nueces Bay Date Aug 28 Aug 29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Sept 1 Sept 2 Sept 3 Sept 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 10 Sept 11

San Luis Pass

Height 1.68H 1.68H 0.02L 0.06L 0.14L 0.27L 0.45L 0.66L 0.87L 1.06L 1.25H 1.48H 1.56H 1.62H 1.67H

East Matagorda

Freeport Harbor Date Aug 28 Aug 29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Sept 1 Sept 2 Sept 3 Sept 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 10 Sept 11

Time 9:07 AM 9:45 AM 12:19 AM 1:22 AM 2:11 AM 2:47 AM 3:13 AM 3:25 AM 3:24 AM 3:18 AM 12:45 AM 8:45 AM 8:25 AM 8:36 AM 8:56 AM

Date Aug 28 Aug 29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Sept 1 Sept 2 Sept 3 Sept 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 10 Sept 11

Time 4:45 AM 5:28 AM 6:16 AM 7:10 AM 8:11 AM 2:53 PM 5:32 AM 5:04 AM 12:15 AM 12:50 AM 1:17 AM 12:54 AM 4:34 AM 3:44 AM 4:18 AM

Time

12:55 PM 1:56 PM

0.97H 0.94H

9:25 PM 10:11 PM

0.01L 0.12L

3:46 PM 4:38 PM 12:11 PM 12:45 PM 1:22 PM 2:03 PM

0.87H 0.83H 0.49L 0.37L 0.27L 0.17L

11:37 PM

0.36L

5:36 PM 6:51 PM 10:31 PM

0.79H 0.77H 0.83H

South Padre Island

6:48 PM 9:50 AM

0.45L 0.58H

Time

7:44 PM

Height

0.39L

Date Aug 28 Aug 29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Sept 1 Sept 2 Sept 3 Sept 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 10 Sept 11

Time 3:41 AM 4:33 AM 5:14 AM 5:44 AM 5:57 AM 5:52 AM 5:42 AM 5:37 AM 5:35 AM 12:14 AM 1:08 AM 1:34 PM 12:40 AM 2:00 AM 2:58 AM

Time

2:36 PM 3:48 PM 4:55 PM 6:04 PM 12:12 PM 12:50 PM

Height

1.37H 1.35H 1.35H 1.36H 0.74L 0.61L

Time

Height

10:15 PM 10:52 PM 11:31 PM

0.53L 0.70L 0.88L

7:33 PM 10:20 PM

1.39H 1.46H

Texas Coast Tides

Date Aug 28 Aug 29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Sept 1 Sept 2 Sept 3 Sept 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 10 Sept 11

LSONews.com

LoneOStar Outdoor News

August 28, 2020

Fiocchiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Texas White Wing upland ammunition is the convergence of Old World craftsmanship and our rich hunting heritage. These shotshells are the ideal load for dove hunting. Enjoy unparalleled accuracy, reliability and terminal performance with every shot.

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August 28, 2020

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INDUSTRY

LONE STAR OUTDOOR PUZZLER Solution on Page 20

Changes at Buck Knives

Shimano recognizes top sales reps

Chris Bourassa was named director of marketing and new product development and Chris Brooks will assume the role of director of business development at Buck Knives.

Tanner Worley with Sportco Marketing Inc. received Shimano’s 2020 ‘Stella’ award and Don Coffey Company representative Doug Rusch received the ‘Rep of the Year’ award.

Rep group for Nilodor Nilodor named the Steve Chastain Company as its sales representatives for Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas.

Wouters named CEO

Sales agency for Zebco

Rogers joins SCI

Zebco and Quantum selected Apex Outdoor Sales to represent the brand in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.

Evolution Outdoor awards

New position at MidwayUSA Foundation The MidwayUSA Foundation appointed John Linquist to the new position of relationship manager.

DOWN

1. A shooting sport

2. Where Chambers and Richland creeks

5. An African game species

meet (two words)

9. A wild turkey subspecies

Rob Parmentier was named president and chief executive officer of Sailfish Boats.

Bangers LP named Brent Wouters as the company’s new president and chief executive officer.

Safari Club International hired Mike Rogers Jr. as executive vice president of member services.

ACROSS

New head at Sailfish Boats

Kilgore-based Evolution Outdoor named The Hammond Group as Rep Agency of the year, and Rob Difatta as Rep of the year.

3. The creature bait imitates these

10. Picking up the bass out of the water

4. A sea duck

11. A blade design on a spinner bait

5. Fishing line type

12. Africa’s longest river

6. A shorebird species

13. A minnow species

7. Texas lake with redfish

14. The fastest dog

8. The dove daily limit

15. Important to bring on the dove hunt

15. The odorous catfish bait (two words)

19. A productive fishing spot (two words)

16. A pheasant hunting location (two words)

25. They check your hunting license

17. The dove-hunters’ month

26. A shark species

18. The front of the boat

28. A good catfish lake (two words)

20. The black bass

29. Group held virtual convention in July

21. Tackle for fishing with live bait

30. Lake where striped bass spawn

22. A Central Texas reservoir

successfully

23. A quail species

31. The baby gadwall

24. Used to get a dog to stop

32. Deliver painful stings to dove hunters

27. Texas’ state tree

(two words) 33. A coastal fishing town (two words)

Puzzle by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News

Counting the days Continued from page 1

Photo by Lone Star Outdoor News

Dove Hunters Association Banded Bird Challenge. Going into the season, the forecast is positive. Owen Fitzsimmons, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Dove Program leader, said above average spring rainfall led to prime habitat conditions during the peak nesting months of May and June, and the hot and dry summer that followed often helps concentrate birds around food and water sources during the season. Ed Micaletti of Wing Sport Depot, based in Graham, hunts on 25 properties scattered around the area. The track of rainfall isn’t expected to reach the area, but “you never know what those things are going to do,” he said. Micaletti said the sunflowers are mature on the properties. “We drove 300 miles scouting, and some of the sunflower fields had hundreds of birds, while the croton fields

were empty,” he said. “Another area is covered up in whitewings.” The outfitter won’t start hunting until Sat., Sept. 5, and is sold out for the weekend. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed,” Micaletti said. “We have food on the ground, we don’t overshoot our properties and we’re in the zone where the birds come.” Like most outfitters, Micaletti said the vast majority of hunters come through in the month of September. “We started offering a free hunt in October to people who book a full weekend hunt in September,” he said. “It’s hard to get people to come out in October, and the hunting can be great.” In the South Zone, Mark Katzfey of Katzfey Ranch in George West said the area got good rains from Hurricane Hanna, and the rains helped the dove outlook.

“It helped us get our sesame and sunflowers finished out,” he said. “The whitewings are showing up more each day. I’m optimistic on plenty of birds being here.” The South Zone opens Sept. 14, a Monday opener, and predictions having the moisture from Tropical Storm Laura going to the north. “That’s kind of a weird opener,” Katzfey said. “The weekend hunters like to be the first ones — I would rather they start on a Friday at noon.” Texas dove facts: Mourning dove: 35 million White-winged dove: 12 million Eurasian-collared dove: 5 million Hunters: 300,000 Harvest: 6.1 million (1.6 million mourning dove, 1.6 million whitewings 361,000 Eurasian-collared dove, and 60,000 white-tipped dove)

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August 28, 2020

Page 19

Battle over a boat Continued from page 9

tournament. The relationship between the two became strained. Smith said in a follow-up conversation, Cano informed him he felt badly and would make the situation right. But time passed, and while Smith felt Cano had broken an unwritten agreement to split all winnings, Cano disagreed there was such an agreement. With the two-year statute of limitations about to expire, Smith filed suit, seeking money damages and attorney’s fees. The attorneys on both sides were avid anglers. Smith’s attorney, Charlie Humphries, had previously split the $750 winnings of an hourly big bass with his partner at an event on Lake Fork in 2018.

Expert witnesses testified the usual custom and practice was to split prizes between fishermen on a boat, including Tommy Climber, a bass fisherman who won the Legends event in a previous year and split the winnings with two other anglers on his boat, and Bruce Spring, another experienced tournament angler who previously split prize winnings. The case was sent to a court-ordered mediation before proceeding to trial. The case eventually settled for $10,000, which Cano fulfilled. The friendship, though, may take more time. Chad Potts, who directs Bass Champs tournaments along with the Mega Bass and Berkley big bass events, said he had one similar

situation develop, but as a tournament director, he stays out of it. “It’s a conversation anglers might want to have before the tournament starts, though,” he said. Other anglers agree, but admit it’s easy to split expenses and winnings, but more complicated when the winning is a prize, like a boat. “We talk about all of this before we even get started for the season,” said angler Clay Lippincott on the Texas Fishing Forum. “This may seem a little too detailed but I think it is always a good idea to make sure that you cover all of your bases so no one gets upset in the end.”

SANTA ANNA HUNTING AREA SANTA ANNA, TEXAS

SANTA ANNA HUNTING AREA (SAHA) IS A FAMILY-RUN SHOOTING PRESERVE. WE HUNT ON 600 ACRES OF THE PRESERVE FOR PHEASANT, CHUKAR, HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE AND QUAIL HUNTS.

THE BEST FLYING BIRDS IN TEXAS

WWW.SAHAINC.COM | 325-348-9267

First-time gun buyers spike Retail survey-based estimates conclude nearly 5 million Americans purchased a firearm for the first time in 2020. Firearm retailers reported 40 percent of sales were to purchasers who had never previously owned a firearm. The FBI’s National Instant Background Check Systems showed 12.1 million checks from January through July, up from 7.1 million in 2019. Surveys conducted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation revealed that 58 percent of firearm purchases were among African American men and women. Women comprised 40 percent of first-time gun purchasers. Retailers noted they are seeing a 95 percent increase in firearm sales and a 139 percent increase in ammunition sales over the same period in 2019. —NSSF

Page 20

August 28, 2020

LoneOStar Outdoor News

NATIONAL

TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT SABINE LAKE: 88-89 degrees. Speckled trout are good on live bait and top-waters. Redfish are good in the on live shrimp under a popping cork and scented plastics. TRINITY BAY: 87-88 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on live shrimp under a popping cork near structure. Flounder are fair on mud minnows around rocks.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: 88 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on soft plastics and live shrimp near shorelines, jetties and granite reefs. Black drum are fair around vegetation on crab. WEST GALVESTON BAY: 87-88 degrees. Redfish, speckled trout and flounder are good around the jetties on live shrimp. TEXAS CITY: 87-88 degrees. Redfish and speckled trout are fair to good along the shoreline on shrimp under a popping cork or soft plastics. Black drum are good on blue crabs. FREEPORT: 87 degrees. Speckled trout are good around San Luis Pass on shrimp, MirrOlures and soft plastics. Redfish and black drum are good on live shrimp on the reefs in Christmas Bay and Bastrop Bay. EAST MATAGORDA BAY: 87 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair to good drifting the big mud flats on live shrimp under a popping cork. WEST MATAGORDA BAY: 87 degrees. Speckled trout are fair to good wading grass beds on top-waters and soft plastics.

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MASSACHUSETTS

PORT O’CONNOR: 87 degrees. Speckled trout are fair to good along the shoreline and near the ICW on top-waters and soft plastics. Redfish are good on shrimp under a popping cork. Black drum are good on crab around structure or vegetation. ROCKPORT: 87-88 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair near the ship channels on shrimp under a popping cork. PORT ARANSAS: 90 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good on shrimp under a popping cork. Black drum are good on crankbaits or crab around deep structure. CORPUS CHRISTI: 85 degrees. Redfish and speckled trout are fair to good in shrimp and soft plastics in shallows and over structure. BAFFIN BAY: 91-92 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are fair to good on live bait and top-waters. Black drum are good on live shrimp just off the shoreline in the deeper water.

Expanded striper season opposed The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries proposed adding open fishing days to the commercial striped bass fishing season. The agency said the extension would provide more opportunities for participants in the fishery to fill the annual quota of 735,240 pounds. When the proposal was announced, approximately 25 percent of the quota had been filled. Stripers Forever opposes the proposal, based on findings by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission that declared the population of wild Atlantic striped bass as overfished. The group said Massachusetts’ failure to catch its full commercial quota is an indication of the declining quality of the fishery, noting in past years the entire quota of over 1 million pounds of striped bass was caught within a few weeks. —Stripers Forever

WISCONSIN PORT MANSFIELD: 86 degrees. Speckled trout are good on the flats on ball tails in red and red/white. Redfish are good at the Land Cut on scented plastics. SOUTH PADRE: 87 degrees. Speckled trout and redfish are good in off-colored and dirty colored water adjacent to grass beds on shrimp and soft plastics. PORT ISABEL: 85 degrees. Speckled trout are fair to good on shrimp under a popping cork over shallower flats. Redfish are good in deeper water on shrimp or soft plastics. —TPWD

Ruffed grouse fighting off West Nile virus The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has received the test results from the second year of the ruffed grouse West Nile virus surveillance project. Results from the blood samples collected from harvested ruffed grouse in 2019 indicate that 20 percent of the Wisconsin submitted samples had antibodies consistent with WNV exposure. None of the 188 samples had evidence of the virus present in their hearts. “These findings indicate that while ruffed grouse are being exposed to WNV, there are birds that are surviving and clearing the virus from their bodies,” said Alaina Gerrits, Wisconsin DNR assistant upland game ecologist. This multi-year study aims to provide biologists with more information about WNV exposure and infection in ruffed grouse in the western Great Lakes region. —WDNR

UTAH

Wild game meat available to needy A program of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources allows anyone experiencing economic difficulties to be able to sign up to receive wild game meat throughout Utah. This program has been in effect for several decades as a way to use the meat from wild animals that are euthanized to help reduce conflicts with ranchers and farmers in rural areas. Wildlife, such as elk and deer, can cause property damage and economic hardship to ranchers and farmers by grazing

on their hay fields or crops. When these conflicts occur within town limits, on private land or outside of a hunting season, hunters aren’t in a position to legally harvest these animals. So, in some cases, DWR employees respond to these incidents and remove the wildlife. Some of the meat donated through this program also comes from wildlife that is poached and then seized by DWR conservation officers. —UDWR

COLORADO

River trout fishing curtailed due to warm water, low flows Because of the low flows and warm water temperatures on some southwest Colorado rivers, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department is asking anglers to curtail their fishing activity early in the day and to observe a voluntary closure. Recently, conditions at several rivers in CPW’s Southwest Region that receive a lot of fishing pressure have deteriorated to critical levels for trout survival. Water temperatures have approached or exceeded 71 degrees and daily flows are far below normal at less than 50 percent of average. Consequently, anglers are being asked to stop fishing activity at noon on portion of the Animas, San Juan, Conejos, Rio Grande and South Fork of the Rio Grande rivers. —CPWD

INTERNATIONAL SOUTH AFRICA

Hunting’s economic impact numbers Trophy hunting is worth R1,98 billion to the South African economy, according to a new study headed by Prof Peet van der Merwe of the North-West University’s research unit Tourism Research in Economic Environs and Society, in collaboration with the Professional Hunters of South Africa (PHASA). The research aimed to determine the profile of trophy hunters in South Africa, their spending patterns and reasons for hunting, their hunting patterns as well as the economic impact of trophy hunting on South Africa. “Our research, which was mainly focused on foreign tourists or hunters, showed that hunters spend an average of $10,300 U.S. dollars per hunting trip,” said Van der Merwe. “This is about R134 500. The previous study we conducted in 2013 was not nearly as extensive and showed that that trophy hunting contributed R1,3 billion to the economy. Although a lot, we underestimated the value.” —NWU

Puzzle solution from Page 18

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LoneOStar Outdoor News

August 28, 2020

Page 21

PRODUCTS GENERAL XP 1000 PURSUIT EDITION: Available in two- and four-seat models, Polaris’ 2021 model is purpose-built to transport avid hunters and their gear to remote locations and haul their trophy back to camp. Features include a lock and ride rear bed storage rack, which provides two levels of storage and is built to fit a Polaris Northstar cooler in the cargo box while the upper rack carries up to 50 pounds of gear. There is also secure storage for firearms as well as an 11-inch light bar mounted to the color-matched front bumper. The Pursuit Edition starts at $23,999.

ULTRADISC UDLA REEL: This Hardy reel, which won the 2020 ICAST fly reel category, is the company’s lightest reel to date. It’s light weight plus its spool and line guide design make it the go-to reel for euro-nymphing anglers. The unregulated disc drag system allows for fine drag adjustment in nearly any scenario and does not allow even the thinnest line and leader rigs to slip between the spool and frame. The reel will be available in 3- through 12-weight line configurations, making it suitable for a multitude of applications. It will start at about $325.

THE SHIFT CROSSBOW PACK: Insights Hunting’s new pack offers an optics protector that also functions as a removable gear compartment. The pack’s design combines weaponcarrying capability with comprehensive gear organization for any hunter who shifts from crossbow to rifle, and even muzzleloader season. The TS3 front panel system allows hunters to access their gear in three convenient modes: storage, shelf and basket. Available in Realtree EDGE, the hydration-compatible pack costs about $170.

>> PEN RANGE PRO CARBON RIFLE: Kimber’s new rifle incorporates high-level performance features such as all-weather KimPro finish and strong, light and well-balanced AG Composites carbon fiber stocks. Barrels and chambers are machined to critical match-grade dimensions and paired with crisp factory-set match-grade triggers. The rifle is offered in 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Winchester. Available in soft touch GORE Optifade Open Country or textured granite, it has an MSRP of $3,099.

BABY BULLSHAD: CatchCo’s latest lure is a downsized version of the classic Mike Bucca Bullshad swimbait. The “baby” version has a segmented body for that special bass-enticing action and is equipped with No. 6 hooks. Available in six color patterns, the 3.75-inch-long slow-sinking swim bait costs about $15.

FOR SALE BY OWNER

1988 SUZUKI SAMURAI Hard top with A/C & heat 4 wheel drive AM/FM radio Bed liner interior Corn feeder Gun rack inside Rack for hauling game Rigged for off road hunting Everything works, runs perfectly Why get cold or wet in a UTV? Vehicle located in Fredericksburg, TX

THE ULTIMATE RANCH VEHICLE RUNS PERFECTLY AND IT'S READY FOR YOU TO ENJOY

$12,850 713-899-3563 Call Rick Young

FIELDPRO

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For More Information Call or Contact Us fieldprofeeders@coxinet.net

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Page 22

August 28, 2020

LoneOStar Outdoor News

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Conservation funds Continued from page 5

focused on fishing and hunting in secondary schools across the U.S. Bobwhite Brigades Youth Outreach Camp - $15,000 A grant to support the annual Bobwhite Brigades camps, which is a summer camp focused on developing leadership skills in teenagers. The curriculum focuses on quail biology and land management practices. Higgins Branchini Shooting Foundation HBSF Quail Hunt Sponsorship - $12,000 Sponsorship of the HBSF Annual Quail Hunt, which raises funds to disburse in the form of intercollegiate shooting scholar-

ships. HBSF has funded shooting scholarships to some of the top shooters in the world, including USA Olympic shooters and world champion shooters. Veterans Grant Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch $200,000 A grant funded by a special Live Auction Item for veterans support programs, which sold for $200,000 at the 2020 Dinner & Auction. The funds will be used to develop facilities and a program to train military veterans for careers in ranch and land management.

CLASSIFIEDS HUNTING TEXAS TROPHY WHITETAILS Axis, Blackbuck, Hogs Free range whitetail and exotic hunts in Sonora, TX www.HuntTexasWhitetails.com (717) 512-3582 NEED ARCHERY RANGE? www.TexasArchery.info STOCKERBUCK.COM Call now to order Texas Trophy Bred does and stockerbucks or check us out online at stockerbuck.com Call Jay (505) 681-5210 ANTLERS WANTED Buying all species, all conditions. Looking for large quantities Call Del (830) 997-2263 TDHA - JOIN TODAY Texas Dove Hunters Association TexasDoveHunters.com (210) 764-1189 DUVAL COUNTY South Texas Dove Hunting 65 acres, Lodging RV Power Available Huntershilton.com for more info (361) 244-0544 or (361) 443-9330 DECOYS WANTED WOODEN Duck and Goose. Top prices paid. Ask for David (214) 361-2276

DOVE HUNTING Special Season White-Wing South Zone Sept. 5,6, 12&13 and Regular Season (361) 701-4711 ARGENTINA DOVE SHOOTING 5 Star Lodge – Hosted by Owner 4 Days/3 Nts/6 Shoots - $1320/person (972) 769-8866 ARGENTINA DUCK HUNTING Lots of Birds!!! Hosted by Owner Partridge & Dove Shoots Included 5 Days/4 Nts/8 Shoots - $4250 Includes everything but shells and tips dagaradventures.com (972) 769-8866 QUALITY DOVE FIELDS OPENING DAY AND WEEKEND $150 for 1 day, $250 for 2 days and $350 for 3 days Brown and Coleman Counties Sunflowers galore Blastandcast@ sbcglobal.net or (214) 207-8871 AXIS HIDES Tanned axis hides Axis pillows gbroach@ktc.com (830) 896-6996

FISHING BAY FISHING 6 Hour Trip from $275 Port Isabel, TX (956) 551-1965

REAL ESTATE/ LEASE DUCK LEASE WANTED Four hunters looking for ponds that hold ducks Prefer north of Dallas References available (214) 632-5417 SOUTH TEXAS DEER LEASE Duval County Low Fence 740 Acres 4-6 Hunters (361) 701-4711 WANTED PREMIUM FAMILY DEER LEASE 4 to 5 Experienced Trophy Hunters Year round–MLDP–2 hours max from Waco. Call Jim (254) 716-6227 JIM WELLS CO. 90.94 Acres For Sale Prime Hunting Electric Meter Fenced, Gated Rose Land, Realtor All City Real Estate (512) 924-2208 YOUNG PROFESSIONAL LOOKING FOR TEXAS MULE DEER LEASE No need for lodging and dining accommodations, I prefer to camp and hike. No antler size restrictions; will follow all agreed upon rules. Hoping to lease for one week of the season. Hunting industry references available. Call Carson (907) 460-4313

CLASSIFIEDS (PER WORD)

RANCH FOR SALE $665,000 - 2000 acres Coahuila, Mexico Big Deer, Quail, Water, Houses Beautiful Sierra Madre Valley (504) 236-8069

VEHICLES HUNTING JEEP 1995 Wrangler 4.0L, 6 Cylinder, Fully Loaded Many Extras, Automatic Transmission Winch and New Tires (361) 541-8420

JOBS DO YOU WANT A WEBSITE FOR YOUR BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION OR HOBBY? https://dolinw.com/custom-websites/ FACILITIES MANAGER Port Bay Hunting and Fishing Club, Inc. Full-time position. Responsible for onsite operations and maintenance of a 108-year-old duck hunting and fishing club in Rockport. Duties include: Managing kitchen, housekeeping, and other contract staff; managing member activities and well-being while at the club. Compensation includes housing on site. Contact RMANESS@CRAI.COM LEARN TO BECOME AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER https:onlinemediatraining.now.site

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 21628300, 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 2020 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 news@lonestaroutdoornews.com. Executive Editor

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Articles inside

Classifieds

Freshwater Fishing Report

Heroes

Game Warden Blotter

Saltwater Fishing Report