May 25, 2012 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 25, 2012

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Taking notes Journals of hunts help memories last forever.

Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

May 25, 2012

Volume 8, Issue 19

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A fistful of fish

Inside

First noodling tournament hits Texas

❘❚ HUNTING

Camo or no camo Mannequins used to help study deer habits.

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Hard work pays off A three-year quest finally results in a turkey.

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❘❚ FISHING

By John Keith LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Sticking your arm in a muddy, underwater hole up to your elbow in the hope it will coax a 50-pound catfish to latch onto your hand is not for everyone. But for members of the teams competing in Texas’ first-ever noodling tournament, the game of underwater tug-of-war was the ultimate goal.

And for one team, Team SeaArk, more than just money was on the line in the Lone Star Noodling Tournament held May 19 at Lake See NOODLING, Page 19 MUSCLES REQUIRED: Vera Tedder, a member of Team SeaArk, hoists a 42-pound flathead catfish she pulled from a hole during the Lone Star Noodling Tournament at Lake Palestine. Photo by John Keith, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Calmer and clearer offshore

Off the beds Postspawn bass are hungry.

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Mild weather gets people to the fish

Gafftop grief Saltwater cats bring big sting.

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By John Keith LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

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Outdoor Datebook . . . .

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ON TARGET: “The Hunger Games” is popular with teens and tweens, especially on the female side.

Archery complexes are seeing a significant increase in interest in the sport as more and more younsters see the movie. Photo by Erich Schlegel, for Lone Star Outdoor News.

Movie draws young girls to archery

By Mark England

Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP

LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS The pull of “The Hunger Games” is sending many young fans to places such as the Cinnamon Creek Ranch, an archery complex in Roanoke.

“Compared to last year, we’re up 20 to 30 percent,” said Ken Hays, field staff coordinator.

Hays gives much of the credit to Katniss Everdeen.

She’s the 16-year-old heroine in “The Hunger Games.”

Played by Jennifer Lawrence, she’s

movie rekindled a deadeye with a her interest in bow and arrow, archery, which whether it’s ■ ARCHERY IN started in the hunting animals THE SCHOOLS: sixth grade when or fellow comPage 7 she attended an batants known outdoors expo. as Tributes.

“It would defKatniss definitely scores big with initely come in handy if our society were to have tweens and teens.

“She just makes it a Hunger Games,” said look so easy,” said Thira Vicki, 17, of Dale, Texas.

Schlegel, 12, of Austin. “But I picked it up again “There’s a scene where just because I rememthey’re eating, and she bered how interesting and fun it is. Like any shoots an apple out of a other hobby, it’s nice just pig’s mouth. That’s why to forget your troubles they give her the highand focus on something est score. That was cool. else for a little while.”

Definitely cool.”

Vicki Ysla said the See ARCHERY, Page 23

INSIDE

Anglers headed into the Gulf of Mexico are finding calmer conditions, in stark contrast to last year’s windfest.

“We had months last year where the wind was blowing 20 to 30 knots daily, said Chris Ledford, an artificial reef specialist.

“Compared to last year, this year is great.”

The time of transition from the inconsistent spring to the more stable summer conditions help make offshore runs safer and more successful.

The water temperature is slightly higher than normal, Ledford said, reading

78 degrees at the surface, and 75 degrees at a depth of 100 feet.

These factors can prove beneficial to anglers.

“The (calm conditions) are real positive,” said guide Patrick Buchanan of Laguna Charter Company, who made a recent run out of Packery Channel about 10 miles to fish the rigs.

“Last year we had 111 days straight of 20 mph winds.

We’re having an extremely calm spring in comparison with years past, with very clear water.”

And the rigs held fish.

“We caught two good ling right off the bat — they were about 40 to 50 See CLEAR WATER, Page 25

SMILING DURING SPRING TRIPS: Anglers are battling more fish in calmer water offshore this year. Photo by LSON.

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HUNTING

Mannequins help students study deer, camo

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

WRITE IT DOWN: Maintaining a journal of your trip preserves the memories of the hunt for life. Photo by Lili Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Research projects in wildlife management can be fun — especially when they involve white-tailed deer, game cameras and mannequins.

Dr. Scott Henke, Regents Professor and Chair of Animal Rangeland and Wildlife Science at Texas A&M-Kingsville, sug-

gested the project to Brodie Carroll, a junior wildlife management student at the university.

“He suggested a camouflage versus street clothes project looking at whitetail feeding habits.” Carroll said. “We jumped on it.”

With another undergraduate student, Michael Shipley, Carroll got to work.

See MANNEQUINS, Page 23

Precious memories Journals of hunting trips last a lifetime

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Gustavo Gonzales began keeping a journal of his hunting trips almost five years ago.

He wished he’d done it sooner.

“It’s probably been four or five years since I started writing stories about my hunts and stories from my childhood,” he said.

“I found I have a passion for it, but I wish I’d done it sooner, since I was a kid.”

Gonzales said he writes most of his journal entries online, where friends and family can also read them.

He said writing his stories leaves a legacy for his kids, and he is starting to teach them the value of keeping a hunting journal.

“I just wanted to share my ideas,” the San Antonio resident said. “I get comments from people and it makes me feel real good.

I always wonder who will read my stories — that is a big motivation.”

Gonzales said he plans one hunting or fishing outing a month with his two boys, ages 3 and 12, and then he gets his older son to write about the experience.

“I am passing it on to him,” he said. “He enjoys

sharing what he thinks, and it is improving his writing skills.”

Even if you don’t want the information available to the public, journaling about an adventure while on the trip preserves details, thoughts and feelings that would otherwise be forgotten.

One group of hunters has maintained a journal for 20 years, and it has been used to reminisce, recall some of the more humorous events and settle campfire disputes.

“If someone claims they shot limits of ducks all through the year 2000, we can look it up and prove they’re bragging,” one of the hunters said. “Another guy claimed he had been at the lease longer than several of the others — we proved that wrong, too.”

Bruce Moon of Fort Worth keeps two journals.

“I got into hunting heavy about the time when Finn Aagard was writing for American Hunter,” said Moon, who loads much of his own ammunition. “He was of the opinion that hunters should keep track of their bullet performance and that it’s the only way to get enough information.

“It’s more of a checklist,

but I keep it for every gun I shoot and it’s been tremendously helpful — it can improve your ability as a rifleman.”

Moon calls his second journal “the big trip journal,” and recommends that all hunters keep one, especially when traveling to hunt.

“I put notes in it every day, more like bullet points, especially on a mountain hunt where you’re physically exhausted,” he said.

“One time in Canada it was so cold I had to use two pens, keeping one under my armpit while using the other until it would freeze up.

The next day I rewrote the bullets into sentence form and noticed how shaky my handwriting was.”

Using the information recorded in the journal, Moon has written several stories that have been published. His story about his 2010 goat hunt, called “One Last Mountain,” won the Dallas Safari Club Literary Award in January.

“These are wonderful moments, you’re going to want to remember them,” he said. “A big hunt is onethird preparation, onethird the hunt, and onethird the reminiscing. The reminiscing is the only part that lasts the rest of your life.”

LOOKING REAL: Students at Texas A&M-Kingsville used mannequins to study how deer react to human forms wearing different types of clothing. Photo by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Quest for turkey takes three years Eastern bagged near end of season

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS This turkey mission took some time and effort.

Michael Baird, a veterinarian from Dekalb, hunts on a 600-acre ranch in central Red River County, and Mother’s Day (May 13) was FINALLY: After three years of habitat preparation and frustrating hunts, it came together for Michael Baird of DeKalb a day before the eastern turkey season ended. Photo by Michael Baird.

his last chance at the birds that had been eluding him for three years.

“I almost gave up and didn’t go hunting that morning,” Baird said.

“One of our children was in a performance at church and the other two were sick, so I had to be back at the house by 10 o’clock.”

Glad he did, he recalled the time and work involved.

“Red River County has good numbers of easterns

in the northern part of the county, but the central part didn’t have birds,” he said.

“Three years ago, I found some tracks. While driving on the four-wheeler, I hit the call and one gobbled back. The quest began.”

The next day Baird called a bird in, starting the years of frustration with the birds.

“He made a semi-circle and came in behind me,” he said. “He was close, but I couldn’t turn around to make the shot — that got

me hooked.”

Baird started researching what to do to improve the habitat on the property.

“I got a grant from the National Wild Turkey Federation to plant some food plots and set up the place for prescribed burns,” he said. “I hired Clark Holdeman of Detroit who created 15-foot rightof-ways for fire lanes.”

It was time to burn, Baird thought.

“I contracted with

Michael Covey of McKinney to do the burn, but he came out and said I had to have bare dirt in the right-ofways, and the dead snags along the edges had to be laid down — it took me two weeks of work to do that,” he said.

Covey and three other firefighters came in to conduct the burn.

“They had all the gear; my 11-year-old son and I See TURKEY, Page 6

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Trans-Pecos muleys down, rains bring hope Mule deer numbers are down 40 to 45 percent in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas since 2009, according to surveys conducted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

But springs rains covered the region, giving biologists hope that the numbers will rebound.

“We’ve had anywhere from 2 inches of rain in some areas and up to 8 inches in others,” said Jason Wagner, a TPWD biologist based in Fort Stockton.

Each January and February, wildlife biologists fly helicopter surveys to estimate the mule deer population. During the surveys, biologists also tally the percentage of deer that are bucks, does and fawns.

“Much of the decline came from last year’s 13 percent fawn crop,” Wagner said.

The long-term average for fawn production is 43 percent, meaning 43 fawns produced for every 100 does.

“Normally 20 percent of the total population is fawns,” Wagner said. “We did lose some adults, though, and postrut mortality was high.”

Wagner still feels there will be a fair adult population for the fall hunting season.

“There still should be a lot of mature bucks,” he said.

“Last year there were a lot fewer hunters out there and many didn’t want to pull the trigger because it was so dry.”

And much of the area received some rains in January and February that, when coupled with the May rains, will help the fawn numbers.

“The fawn crop should be good this year,” he said.

The overall population estimate for the Trans-Pecos region is about 139,000 mule deer.

—Staff report

Anne Brown to head Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation Anne Brown has been selected as executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, the official nonprofit partner of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Brown comes to the foundation with an extensive career as a conservation fund-raiser. Since 2002, she has been with National Audubon Society and has served in several roles, including Texas State executive director, vice-president of Strategic Gifts and most recently as vice-president of the Central Flyway.

“Anne is an exceptional fund-raiser and a deeply committed conservationist, who believes strongly in our mission, programs and people,” said TPWD Executive Director Carter Smith.

“She will be a great asset and partner to the department and we look forward to working with her to further our conservation goals.”

Brown is replacing Dick Davis, who announced his plan to leave the foundation in February after serving seven years as executive director. While with the foundation, Davis led a number of significant fund-raising campaigns, including the new Game Warden Training Center in Hamilton County. He also helped to found the Texas Conservation Hall of Fame.

Brown, also an avid wingshooter, will begin her new job May 30.

—Staff report

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Austin residen t AVERY LIARD ON, 12, took th Bar H Bar Ranc is great scimita h near Lampasa r-horned oryx bu s. Avery was sh a rest on shootin ll on the ooting a Kimbe g sticks and co r .308 when sh nnected with th accomplished e took e old bull at 15 huntress, taking 0 yards. Avery her first deer at ram, more white is an age 9, followe tails and pigs. d by a sika, Co rsican

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Turkey

Shooting for the soldiers

Continued From Page 4

Veteran Chad Fleming of Virginia, right, shoots sporting clays during the The Boot Campaign, Boot’n and Shoot’n first annual fund-raising shoot at the Dallas Gun Club. Fleming lost his lower leg in Iraq but, after obtaining a prosthetic, returned and was wounded again.

The campaign raises money for several military and veteran charities. It provided for the sale of combat boots just like those worn by our soldiers.

Veterans from all over the nation attended the shoot and shot with groups of five shooters during the event. More than 250 shooters participated, followed by an after-party and auction with live music from Granger Smith and Kevin Fowler.

— David J. Sams SEE VIDEO LSONEWS.COM

Shotgunners compete for final Olympic spots Glen Eller of Katy will head to the Olympics in London for the fourth time after topping the field in Men’s Double Trap.

The reigning gold medalist in the event, Eller won the event by six targets over fellow Beijing Olympic teammate Jeff Holguin of Yorba Linda, Calif.

“I feel great about it,” Eller said. “Not many people get to go to one Olympics let alone four, so it’s an absolute honor. It’s getting harder the older I get.”

Dustin Perry of Lovelady, a freshman at Lindenwood University, finished sixth.

In Men’s Skeet, Vincent Hancock of Eatonton, Ga., had already qualified for the Olympic Team by beating the field

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by 11 targets, but after 525 targets, three other shooters went to a 25-target sudden death shoot-out to fill out the team. Frank Thompson of Alliance, Neb., aced the shootout to become an Olympian.

In Women’s Trap, Caitlin Barney Weinheimer of Kerrville led the field by six targets entering the Tucson competition, but shot 77 out of 100 in the first round on a windy day to fall out of the lead. 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Corey Cogdell of Eagle River, Alaska garnered her second Olympic Team spot with a 10-target win.

Texans Kayle Browning of Wooster and Miranda Wilder of Diana finished second and fourth, followed by Weinheimer.

Josh Richmond of Hillsgrove, Pa., and Kim Rhode of El Monte, Calif., had already been named to the team based on a two-year point system.

—USA Shooting

had a blast wearing the fire suits and listening to them on the radios,” Baird said. “We burned about 80 acres that day.”

The results quickly became apparent.

“Now it’s beautiful, more open and there are a lot of new plants growing,” he said. “And the turkeys are in there now.”

The work didn’t translate to turkey-hunting success, though.

“Last year, I played with a turkey all year with no luck,” he said. “And this year, I saw a tom the day before the season when scouting. The next day, he left the roost but went a different direction with some hens.”

Baird was with his son in a ground blind and, having no luck, was about to leave.

“I unloaded my gun and went to get the four-wheeler when I heard a gobble,” he said. “I went back to the blind to learn it was my son playing with the gobble call. I left the blind again and as I was walking, I came face-to-face with that turkey — he took off running.”

Another hunt brought another close call with a tom.

“I had learned where I thought he wanted to go and set up ahead of him,” he said. “He gobbled once, went quiet, then gobbled 50 yards behind me. I adjusted to my right, and later heard a weird, vibrating sound just to my left. I couldn’t get turned to get the shot. By the time I turned, he was 50 yards away.”

Foiled again.

About 10 days later, it was Mother’s Day. “I got out there late and it was already light out,” Baird said. “As I was getting ready, I heard a gobble.”

He went to a draw where the bird had been heard and set up.

“I set up on the east side,” he said. “The bird went west.”

It was time for a Hail Mary.

“I headed 100 yards toward him and set up by a lessthan-ideal tree,” he said. “I called and he gobbled. It repeated — he was locked in.”

When the bird came into view, Baird gave a few purrs on his slate call.

“He came in but it was a longish shot,” he said. “He kept coming but went behind a tree — I thought I had made a mistake in not taking the shot.”

Then the tom stepped out at 30 yards, and the threeyear quest was over.

“He was on the ground at 6:55 a.m.,” Baird said. “He weighed 20 pounds with an 11-inch beard and 1-inch spurs.”

All the work was worth it.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Texas students compete in national archery tournament

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Competing in the National Archery in the Schools National Tournament can be a daunting experience. A total of 275 targets lined the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky., with two archers at each target.

“It’s pretty incredible,” said Burnie Kessner, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department archery coordinator. “They are running nearly 600 kids through each hour.”

Many Texas teams shot their best scores ever, with one team falling just short of a trophy.

“Lamar Middle School in Lewisville sat in second place until the last flight,” Kessner said. “People from all over the country were asking me, ‘Who is this team from Texas?’”

Unfortunately, some of the top teams shot in the last flight and Lamar was bumped to fourth place, one spot short of a trophy.

The team from Kaufman placed 7th out of all middle schools nationwide and Canton’s High School team shot their best score ever to place 17th.

RECORD-BREAKERS: The National Archery in the Schools National Tournament set a Guinness Book of World Records with 7,804 participants, including many from Texas schools. Photo by TPWD.

“The high school division is crazy competitive,” Kessner said.

In the individual standings, Ryan Robenault from Marcus High School in Flower Mound finished 19th in the male division.

Competitors, after up to five practice arrows at each station, shoot 15 arrows at 10 meters and another 15 arrows at 15 meters, Kessner said.

The archery tournament involved 7,804 participants, and the Guinness Book of World Records was on-site to certify the new world record for the largest-ever archery tournament.

The National Archery in the Schools Program is designed to teach international-style target archery to 4th-12th graders in physical education classes across the United States.

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FISHING

Big bass out of bed Post-spawners in feeding mode

By John Keith LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

FATTENING UP: Largemouths are moving from their spawning grounds to deeper water and hunting for food. Some anglers are favoring larger, slower-moving lures. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.

Anglers hoping to land a lunker largemouth might begin by looking past spawning beds.

Bass are transitioning to their postspawn and summer routines in Texas' northern regions, which means the larger bass are

leaving their beds to find food as the smaller bass get their turn to spawn, said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department district biologist Mark Webb.

“We have a lot of flooded vegetation grown up with insects and small fish due to the droughts from the last few years,” he said.

Bass tend to move into creek channels or areas with vegetation and cover this time of year, and they will start branching out even more as the water gets hot, Webb said.

“We are seeing a lot of them in shallow water,” he said. “The hotter it gets, the more they’re

going to be moving down into deeper water.”

Baitfish activity is a key as well.

“As the shad numbers keep building, the bass will begin chasing them,” Webb said.

These postspawn conditions mean ample opportunities for anglers. As the See BIG BASS, Page 25

Saltwater catfish can bring pain, problems Soaking in super hot water is top remedy

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS If you’ve fished in the Texas bays long enough, it’s bound to happen sooner or later.

You’re chasing redfish and trout, but those pesky hardheads and gafftops keep stealing your bait before the game fish can get there.

Then it happens — the fish flops out of your grasp and you instinctively reach for it. A hot, burning sensation follows. Or, you use your shoe to stop the thrashing and to remove the hook. The barbs on the dorsal and pectoral fins are rigid and penetrate the sole of your shoe.

You’ve been stung. Now what?

The fish have toxin or venom, according to poison center officials.

“It’s a little similar to that of a stingray,” said Jon Thompson, director of the Southeast Texas Poison Center in Galveston. “The catfish do have venom glands.”

That may not be the biggest problem, however.

“You usually get a mixture of a puncture or laceration, a break in the sheath of the spine of the fish, the venom and the slime from the fish,” Thompson said. “And the fish comes from an environment of warm saltwater that has a good deal of bacteria in it, including the vibrio bacteria that can cause really bad infections.”

Not to mention the stings cause intense pain.

“It really hurts in a manner that is out of proportion with the size of the sting or wound,” he said.

Thompson said immediate immersion in very hot water is the first step in treatment.

“It relieves the pain and probably denatures the toxin,” he said. “But get the water as hot as possible without scalding the skin, preferably 108-110 degrees.”

Then it’s time to worry about the wound.

“Seek medical attention right away — the wound needs to be debrided, cleaned and irrigated, and we need to make sure there aren’t any small parts of the spine left in the flesh,” he said. “Then we follow with prescribing a broad spectrum antibiotic to keep the area from becoming infected.”

Michael Yudisky is the education manager at the North Texas Poison Center, and also is a saltwater fisherman. And he’s been stung.

“It was a long time ago, but I still remember it,” he said. “It hurt like the dickens.”

Yudisky is aware of some of the home remedies that have been passed down.

“To dull the pain, my favorite is to rub it with your everyday antiperspirant,” he said.

“It works — and chewing tobacco works too to a degree. But I wouldn’t recommend rubbing the fish’s slime on the wound — you’re just adding material that comes from the saltwater.”

WATCH THAT BARB: Gafftop, like this 5-pounder landed

by Jeff Dennis of South Carolina, put up a great fight, but coming into contact with the spines on the their dorsal and pectoral fins will cause pain and possible infection. Photo by Craig Nyhus, LSON.

Bank on it

By John Keith LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

READY TO FIGHT: Bluegills are sight feeders and are most active in the clearest water. The feisty fish begin to spawn when the water temperature reaches 70 degrees. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

When fresh water arrives, it brings new opportunities for anglers chasing panfish — no boat or electronics needed.

“The creeks have been fantastic,” said Chuck Dewey of San Antonio, a self-proclaimed bank fisher who has found success on Cibolo Creek in Guadalupe and Bexar counties, and Salado Creek in north central San Antonio.

Panfish anglers head to the creeks “The influx of water has revived the area,” he said. “The water is crystal clear, and the creeks are literally on fire.”

Dewey doesn’t worry about launching a boat or reaching all corners of the lake, preferring to simply grab his tackle box and fish

wherever he can reach on foot.

He said that when the lake water is stirred up and muddy, the portions of clear creeks that can be walked along are hard to beat.

Dewey’s best success has been with a slip-bobber technique and a nightcrawler on a light-action rod with a small cricket hook.

According to John Tibbs, a district biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the clarity of See PANFISH, Page 14

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Speckled trout limits subject of college senior’s study ’90s. You add that to all of the development along the coast and that may be the cause of the change.”

To gauge public interest, Carter put a survey on the Internet forum 2coolfishing.com requesting people’s opinion on whether they favor a five-fish limit for speckled trout or whether they favored maintaining the 10-fish limit on the upper and midcoast.

And from reading the posts, it creTROUT FIELDWORK: One University of Houston student, in his ated something of a frenzy. project studying trout on the upper and midcoast, believes that “Those for the 10-fish limit were improving water quality in the bays and improving the resource ahead at first, but it ended up pretty are better solutions to raise the number of trout in the bays than even,” he said. “I didn’t use the changing bag limits. Photo by LSON. information in my project, though, mainly because the moderators let

By Craig Nyhus me know that people were creating new user LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS names from the same IP address and voting For a research project during his senior more than once.”

The totals as of May 22 were 478, (52.5 peryear at the University of Houston, Clayton Carter chose a subject that may seem odd cent) in favor of a five-fish limit, 411 (45.1) for a Communications and Professional percent in favor of the 10-fish limit, with the Writing major — he studied whether there remainder favoring a five-fish limit in the was a direct correlation between fishing middle coast only.

His main conclusion in the project? pressure and the speckled trout population “There are better ways to correct the along Texas’ upper and midcoast.

An avid fisherman growing up in Houston, resource than trying to do it with bag limCarter mainly fishes with flies and lures and its,” he said. “Things like improving water quality and opening Cedar Bayou — giving rarely keeps fish.

What he learned may not seem in line the fish more reasons to come to the bays.”

He has been fishing West Bay in Galveston with his favorite methods of fishing.

“There has been a decrease in popula- Bay recently, and feels that water qualtions, but it is a very small amount in com- ity improvements made due to Houston’s parison to the increase in fishing pressure,” efforts to have better quality water flowing Carter said. “The figures didn’t tie up to con- to the bays has improved fishing.

“There is grass in West Bay like I’ve never nect the two — I found little evidence that fishing pressure is the cause of the decrease.” seen,” he said. “You can fly-fish and sightA lack of data before around 1983 lim- cast there now — Galveston is having one of ited his study, but he has a theory about the its best years.”

He’s aware that other studies have reached “glory days” of the 1950s and 1960s.

“We do have weather data that goes way different results, and takes no offense.

“I just reported the data I found,” he said. back,” Carter said. “There weren’t any major freezes during that time frame. There were “Now that school is out, I’m going to go fishthree major freezes in the ’80s and two in the ing for a while.”

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TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT Struggle on Cypress LAKE CYPRESS SPRINGS — Bass SP P behavior has been inconsistent, according to area bass club anglers who encountered tricky fish behavior lately on the Franklin County lake.

One angler said the fish seemed to be in a transitioning phase between postspawn and summer patterns, which made it hard to pinpoint the type of cover and depth that could reliably produce bass.

Carolina-rigged worms or watermelon

ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 73–79 degrees; 8.22’ low. Black bass are good on drop-shot rigs, shaky heads, Texas rigs and medium-running crankbaits. Catfish are good on nightcrawlers and shad.

ARROWHEAD: Water off-color; 72–77 degrees; 8.37’ low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigs, jigs and chatterbaits. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

ATHENS: Water lightly stained, 75–79 degrees; 1.23’ low. Black bass are good on Texas-rigged soft plastics and wacky-rigged worms on deeper brush piles. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

BASTROP: Water stained; 74–78 degrees. Black bass are good on chartreuse crankbaits, spinner baits, and soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows over brush piles. Channel and blue catfish are good on liver and stinkbait.

BELTON: Water lightly stained; 74–78 degrees; 0.27’ high.

Black bass are good on Rat–L– Traps and spinner baits in coves.

Hybrids are good on live shad and chrome slabs. White bass are good on chrome slabs on the bottom. Crappie are good on minnows under lights at night.

Channel and blue catfish are good on summer sausage, hot dogs, stinkbait, and snails. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines and throwlines baited with live perch.

lizards thrown around brush piles about 20-feet deep did hook some bass, another angler said.

Chartreuse spinner baits along shallow vegetation lining wind-blown banks was also effective.

Cats chomping LAKE SOMERVILLE — Species across the board are willing to bite, said guide Weldon Kirk of Fish Tales Guide Service.

“The white bass are shallow early in the morning, hitting beetle spins,” he said. “During the day you have to troll for them out deeper.”

BROWNWOOD: Water murky; 73–78 degrees; 10.46’ low. Black bass are good on watermelon and craw-colored crankbaits and spinner baits in 5–15 feet. White bass are good on minnows and Li’l Fishies. Yellow catfish are good on trotlines baited with perch.

BUCHANAN: Water murky; 70–75 degrees; 23.08’ low. Black bass are fair on Bleeding Shad Rat–L– Traps, chartreuse top-waters, and weightless wacky-rigged watermelon Whacky Sticks in 8–16 feet. Striped bass are good on watermelon top-waters and lipless crankbaits on the surface at first light. Channel catfish are good on shrimp and cut bait.

CADDO: Water stained; 74–78 degrees; 0.34’ high. Black bass are good on black/blue soft plastics around isolated cover. Yellow bass are good on minnows.

CALAVERAS: Water clear. Black bass are slow. Striped bass are fair on spoons and striper jigs between the dam and the crappie wall. Blue catfish are good on liver and cut bait near 181 Cove.

CANYON LAKE: Water stained; 71– 75 degrees; 5.40’ low. Black bass are good on chartreuse top-waters, Texas-rigged watermelon Whacky Sticks, and green pumpkin jigs in 8–15 feet. Smallmouth bass are good on green Rat–L–Traps, watermelon tubes, and white spinner baits in 12–18 feet.

BOB SANDLIN: Water lightly stained; 75–79 degrees; 2.48’ low. Black bass are fair to good on soft plastics and shallow crankbaits.

Crappie are good on live minnows and jigs. White bass are good on Humdingers. Catfish are fair to good on trotlines or juglines with Redneck’s Catfish Bait Soap.

CEDAR CREEK: Water lightly stained; 75–79 degrees; 0.17’ low. Black bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, shaky heads and black/blue finesse jigs around main lake points and into the backs of creeks. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on live shad.

BRAUNIG: Water clear. Black bass are fair on chartreuse crankbaits and dark soft plastic worms near the dam. Striped bass are good on liver and perch off points.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 72–76 degrees; 12.51’ low.

Black bass are good on minnows and shad-colored spinner baits.

Crappie are good on minnows.

BRIDGEPORT: Water stained; 74–79 degrees; 5.46’ low. Black bass are good on shaky heads with green pumpkin finesse worms around deeper docks and frogs in the Big Creek area.

Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on slabs.

COLEMAN: Water lightly stained; 71–75 degrees; 15.44’ low.

Black bass are good on pumpkinseed lipless crankbaits, spinner baits, and soft plastic worms and lizards. Crappie are good on minnows at night. Channel catfish are good on shrimp and stinkbait.

CONROE: Water fairly clear; 71–75 degrees; 2.25’ low. Black

bass are fair on pumpkinseed soft plastics and watermelon spinner baits. Striped bass are good on minnows and white striper jigs.

Crappie are fair on minnows and Li’l Fishies. Catfish are good on stinkbait and shrimp.

According to Kirk, the channel cats are bringing the most action, especially with punch bait on the line.

Over at the marinas, bluegill are biting on worms and small artificial flies.

“The water clarity is good and we have a full lake,” he said. “All the ramps are open.”

Crappie is the one species not biting well, Kirk said.

To contact Weldon Kirk, call (979) 229-3103.

Irrigation irritation LAKE AMISTAD — Lake water is being pulled for irrigation purposes, and that’s having a negative affect on the fish, according to guide Charles Rumfield of Lake Amistad

lake points. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut shad.

Guide Service.

“The last couple e of weeks haven’t been as good as usual,” he said.

“As long as water is being released, the fish aren’t going to do what they’re supposed to do.”

Rumfield said bass are being caught at depths of 10- to 15-feet on soft plastics.

Catfishing is good from 5- to 15-feet on cheese and other dip baits, he said. The white bass are scattered, with no solid concentrations.

“You have to work a little harder at it than normal,” Rumfield said.

To contact Charles Rumfield, call (830) 774-3484.

— John Keith

crankbaits along main lake points.

Larger rock along main lake points producing as well. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

COOPER: Water lightly stained; 75– 78 degrees; 0.55’ low. Black bass are good on chartreuse shallow crankbaits and Texas-rigged craw worms later in the day. Crappie are good on minnows. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared bait and cut bait.

HOUSTON COUNTY: Water stained; 76–80 degrees; 0.41’ high.

Black bass are good on soft plastic worms near submerged islands at midlake early and late. Crappie are good on white Rooster Tails with red heads and live minnows at night. Bream are good on live worms off piers and over grass beds. Channel and blue catfish are good on shad.

FALCON: Water stained; 80–84 degrees; 30.96’ low. Black bass are good on watermelon spinner baits and shallow-running crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows over brush. Channel and blue catfish are excellent on cut bait and frozen shrimp.

HUBBARD CREEK: 73–79 degrees; 14.97’ low. Black bass are fair to good on Texas rigs, mediumrunning crankbaits, weightless flukes and jigs. Crappie are fair to good on jigs and live minnows over brush piles. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 73–79 degrees; 41.41’ low. Black bass are good on Texas rigs, jigs, Senkos and drop-shot rigs. Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs.

White bass are good on slabs and Rooster Tails. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and cut bait.

FAYETTE: Water stained. Black bass are good on shallow-running crankbaits and Carolina-rigged soft plastic worms. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp and shad.

JOE POOL: Water lightly stained; 75–79 degrees; 0.01’ high. Black bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, finesse worms, and smaller jigs — midday bite has been best. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good on prepared baits.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 74–79 degrees; 0.03’ high.

Black bass are good on Texasrigged soft plastics near shallow cover. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair to good on slabs and minnows.

Catfish are good on prepared bait.

FORK: Water stained; 75–80 degrees; 1.72’ low. Black bass are good on wakebaits and top-waters along main lake points in early morning. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad and prepared bait.

GIBBONS CREEK: Water clear.

Black bass are good on watermelon soft plastic worms and shad-colored crankbaits. Catfish are good on stinkbait and liver.

GRANBURY: Water murky; 71–76 degrees; 0.67’ low. Black bass are good on chartreuse soft plastics, crankbaits, and spinner baits. Striped bass are fair on green bucktail jigs. White bass are fair on minnows and white spinner baits. Crappie are fair on minnows and chartreuse tube jigs. Catfish are good on stinkbait, liver, and shrimp.

GRANGER: Water murky; 73–77 degrees; 0.18’ high. Black bass are fair on minnows. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies and minnows.

Crappie are fair on minnows. Blue catfish are good on shad and prepared bait in shallow water.

GRAPEVINE: Water lightly stained; 75–79 degrees; 0.36 low. Black bass are fair on watermelon Texasrigged worms, watermelon finesse jigs, and crankbaits along main

LAKE O' THE PINES: Water lightly stained; 75–79 degrees; 1.14’ low. Black bass are good on Texas-rigged worms and shallow crankbaits along main lake points. Isolated cover is the key.

Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad.

LAVON: Water lightly stained; 76–81 degrees; 0.16’ high. Black bass are good on Texas-rigged creature baits, black/brown jigs and square-billed crankbaits. White bass are good on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs around bridge columns. Catfish are good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

LBJ: Water clear; 70–74 degrees; 0.51’ low. Black bass are fair on watermelon Senkos, pumpkinseed top-waters, and perch-colored lipless crankbaits early in 10–20 feet. Crappie are good on minnows and pink tube jigs over brush piles. Channel catfish are good on minnows and stinkbait. Yellow and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live perch and carp.

LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 75–79 degrees; 0.43’ low. Black bass are slow on shallow to medium

NAVARRO MILLS: Water lightly stained; 72–78 degrees; 0.26’ high. Black bass are fair on chartreuse soft plastic worms and spinner baits along the bank.

White bass are fair on silver slabs in 11 feet. Crappie are fair on minnows from fishing docks.

Channel and blue catfish are fair on cut shad and stinkbait.

PROCTOR: Water stained; 72–76 degrees; 0.21’ low. Black bass are good on spinner baits and crankbaits off points. Crappie are good on minnows. Channel and blue catfish are good on cut bait and shrimp.

RAY HUBBARD: Water lightly stained; 75–80 degrees; 0.47’ low. Black bass are good on Texasrigged creature baits, squarebilled crankbaits and medium crankbaits. Swim jigs are good around riprap also. White bass are excellent on humps in 17–23 feet with hybrids mixed in. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

RAY ROBERTS: Water stained; 74–78 degrees; 0.27’ low. Black bass are good on top-waters early around secondary points. Carolinarigged watermelon plastics around secondary points and main lake points are good as well. Crappie are good on minnows on COE brush piles. White bass are excellent on slabs in 15–20 feet of water on humps. Catfish are good around baited holes on punch bait.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water lightly stained; 75–80 degrees; 0.09’ low. Black bass are good on Firewater Swim Jigs in threadfin shad around shallow docks. Carolina-

■ See Saltwater fishing reports: Page 17 rigged soft plastics around deep brush piles has been effective.

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 71–75 degrees; 0.09’ low.

Black bass are fair on pumpkinseed soft plastics and green lipless crankbaits. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait.

TAWAKONI: Water stained; 75–81 degrees; 0.23’ low. Black bass are good on black/blue soft plastics and hollow body frogs. Best bite is around flooded cover. Crappie are fair on curl tail grubs and small minnows on docks, bridge pilings and deep timber. White bass are excellent on white slabs and tailspins — schooling on points early and late. Striped bass and hybrid striper are good on 4” to 6” whiteor shad-pattern Sassy Shad in the shallows early then suspending deep during the day — drifting live bait is also producing. Catfish are excellent in deep water drifting cut bait and fresh shad.

TEXOMA: Water stained; 74–78 degrees; 0.35’ low. Black bass are fair on spinner baits and medium crankbaits along main lake points. Striped bass and hybrid striper are good on slabs.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 70–74 degrees; 1.60’ low. Black bass are fair on soft plastic worms and crankbaits. Striped bass are fair on white bucktail jigs. White bass are fair on silver spoons and Li’l Fishies in the river. Crappie are good on minnows and pink tube jigs over baited holes. Bream are good on crickets and nightcrawlers. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 71–75 degrees; 39.43’ low. Black bass are fair on shad-colored top-waters, watermelon soft plastic worms, and smoke grubs. Striped bass are fair on minnows. White bass are good on chartreuse top-waters, white grubs, and small spinner baits.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 70–74 degrees; 0.12’ low. Black bass are fair on green spinner baits.

Striped bass are slow. White bass are fair on Li’l Fishies. Catfish are good on shrimp and liver.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

2012 RED SNAPPER SEASON IN FEDERAL WATERS OPEN JUNE 1-JULY 10 ■ Bag Limit 2 ■ Minimum Length 16 inches ■ Maximum Length No limit Fishing is under federal jurisdiction from nine-200 nautical miles off the coast of Texas.

CCA suggests alternative to snapper management As the short red snapper season is set to begin, the debate continues between federal fisheries managers and those from the Gulf States, especially Texas, regarding the season length, times and bag limits. The Coastal Conservation Association, though, suggests a possibly solution.

“In the Atlantic States, the feds allowed a group from the affected states to propose and determine the management for striped bass,” said Bob Hayes, CCA General Counsel. “It’s worked pretty well for the last 10 years.”

Texas hasn’t followed the federal red snapper regulations for years. Larry McKinney, now the director of the Harte Research Institute in Corpus Christi, was the director of fisheries at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department when the decision was made.

“I didn’t like doing it,” he said. “But Texas has a 30-year database of information on red snapper. That’s more than the feds or other states have, by far.”

Season length and especially the times of the snapper season are concerns.

“The season is so short, and when it’s calm and good fishing in Florida, it’s windy in Texas and people can’t get out,” McKinney said.

Could a coalition of the states provide the management strategy for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico? CCA officials think so.

“It’s a problem that has to be fixed,” Hayes said. “It would require a federal statute to implement, it would have to be funded and the commission would have to be manned.”

The advantage lies in data collection, Hayes said.

“The states have better data and data-collection methods,” he said. “It would be creating a process to hopefully reach a solution.”

— Craig Nyhus

Boating safety course available on any device Texas boaters seeking a boating license can get certified by taking an online boater safety course on any device at the newly revamped boat-ed.com/texas.

The training at boat-ed.com is state-approved and covers the same material that is taught in the classroom.

Regardless of what device students use, they will learn safe boating skills such as casting off and docking, understanding traffic laws on the water, dealing with emergencies and more.

— Kalkomey Enterprises

Boat sales show signs of recovery U.S. retail sales for recreational boats, accessories and marine services jumped 6 percent in 2011, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

The figures topped out at $32.3 billion, the first increase since 2006. Boating participation also increased 10 percent to 83 million people, 34.8 percent of adults.

The figures were contained in NMMA’s annual Recreation Boating Statistical Abstract.

Texas led the way in the sales of aluminum powerboats, primarily fishing and pontoon boats, followed by Minnesota and Michigan. Sales nationwide were up 4 percent in 2011.

— National Marine Manufacturers Association

Photo by Xpress Boats.

May 25, 2012

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GAME WARDEN BLOTTER CASTNETTING TOO MANY, TOO SMALL CATS Houston County Game Warden Eddie Lehr caught a subject using a cast net on the Trinity River Lock and Dam to catch catfish. The subject had 36 blue catfish, and 29 of the fish were undersized.

Cases pending.

UNUSUAL EXPLANATION FOR KILLING HEN TURKEY Trinity County Game Wardens Sam Shanafelt and Randy Watts interviewed a man about killing a turkey in his pasture. Shanafelt had received a call reporting that the man had killed a turkey on his property before the season started.

During the interview, the man admitted to shooting an eastern turkey hen a couple of weeks before the season started, on his property, with a .22 rifle. He then discarded the turkey in the ditch alongside the highway. When asked why he shot the turkey, he replied, “It was making my property look bad.” The wardens searched the ditch where the turkey was discarded and found the remains. Citations and civil restitution pending.

YOUNG MAN SHOT WHEN HOGS RAN BETWEEN BLINDS A young man was shot in a hunting accident in Karnes County.

The sheriff’s department reported the incident to Karnes County Game Warden Chad Moore. At the scene, it was learned that there were seven people in a hunting party hunting feral hogs, and the young man and his father were in a deer blind at the opposite end of the sendero from where the others were staged. The hogs ran between the blinds, and the larger

WARDEN RESCUES LOST CANOERS Nacogdoches County Game Warden Randy Stovall responded to a call regarding two individuals who were lost on the Attoyac River. The men were planning an overnight float trip. Stovall was unable to locate the men by boat because of low water levels and excessive logjams, so he searched on foot through private property. The two men, both

scoutmasters, were located near a hunting camp that borders the river. Other than being very thirsty and torn up by mosquitoes, they were both in good health. The men had run out of food after the first day and were using a water purifier to stay hydrated.

Stovall was able to get the men and their canoe out of the water and take them to their destination.

group of hunters fired at the hogs, where one round struck the blind and the youth. The young man is expected to make a full recovery.

undersized hybrid and then wrap it in newspaper and hide it in his truck. Four fish were seized and citations were issued.

WAY OVER THE LIMIT ON SANDIES Polk County Game Wardens David Johnson and Ryan Hall cited three subjects below Livingston Dam for exceeding the daily bag limit of white bass. The three were in possession of 101 fish over their limit. Citations were issued and cases are pending.

WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME WITH STOLEN ATV After patrolling the Trinity River, Madison County Game Warden Chris Lasiter and Walker County Game Warden Stephen Ingram noticed an ATV riding down the public road. The wardens stopped the ATV and learned it had previously been reported as stolen. The ATV was seized pending an ownership hearing.

CAUGHT USING NEWSPAPER TO HIDE FISH Two men keeping undersized hybrid striped bass were apprehended by Captain Scott Jurk and Bell County Game Warden Brandt Bernstein. Jurk observed one of the individuals from a distance and watched him throw back an undersized fish. Since the individual was the only fisherman in the area, Jurk drove into the park and checked to see if the man had any other fish. Jurk observed several undersized fish in his ice chest and contacted Bernstein.

Jurk then moved to another location and observed another truck.

He watched a person catch an

PADDLEBOAT USED IN RESCUE

BY WARDENS On Mother’s Day, El Paso Game Wardens Hallie Dacy and Kenneth Zuber were checking fishermen at Ascarate Lake, a community fishing lake. A group of three adults had flipped their canoe and were floating in the middle of the lake with their lifejackets on. Although other canoes were in the area, none helped the three. The three appeared unable to swim to shore.

Zuber and Dacy borrowed a paddle boat from a lady and her young daughter. They paddled to the

center of the lake to the exhausted and frightened adults. The three adults were instructed to hang on to the edges of the paddleboat while Zuber and Dacy paddled back to shore.

MAN CAUGHT WITH LIVE FOX PUP IN HOTEL ROOM An Alabama man staying overnight at a motel in Coleman was surprised when Game Warden James Brown knocked on the motel room door. Brown questioned the man, and the man explained he did have a live coyote in his motel room. Brown discovered the man had a live fox pup. The man was cited, and the fox was taken to a rehabilitator in Callahan County.

JUGLINERS HIDE CANOE ON OTHER’S PROPERTY Gillespie County Game Warden Sam Harris received a call from a landowner who found a canoe hidden on his property at the river's edge. Near the canoe in the water were unmarked jug lines and an unmarked trotline that were freshly baited. After several trips to the location, Harris located the suspect's vehicle on the private property, and the suspects in the canoe running

the trotline. The landowner decided not to pursue trespassing charges as it appeared to be a misunderstanding. However, there were several water safety and fishing violations, with one subject arrested on local outstanding warrants.

A BAD TIME TO YELL “YAHOO” While patrolling Lake Austin, Travis County Game Wardens Jeff Hill and Theron Oatman were conducting a water safety inspection when a boat cut perilously close between their vessel and the shore. The operator released a loud scream of “Yahoo” as she drove past at a high rate of speed.

The woman was arrested for BWI

by Hill. She refused to provide a sample of blood so a search warrant was obtained. Case pending.

TOO WINDY TO SAIL Grayson County Game Warden Dale Moses received calls from several striper guides advising that a sailboat had capsized and that several people were in the water.

Moses found seven adult females in the water hanging on to the hull of the sailboat. All of them were wearing PFDs. Moses got the subjects into his boat and towed the boat back to the local Girl Scouts camp, which owned the boat.

While this was happening, a second Girl Scouts sailboat capsized and was rescued by people in a cabin cruiser. A third Girl Scouts sailboat was then reported missing. Moses located the missing sailboat and transported the five passengers from that boat back to the camp. The wind was gusting to 30 mph. There was no property damage and there were no injuries.

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Violent storm, possible tornado hits Seadrift fishing camps

By Scott Sommerlatte FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Just before midnight on May 10, residents and visitors of the small fishing village of Seadrift were awakened to violent weather that left some fish camps at ‘the Lane’ in ruins.

“Our house is on stilts so when the wind blows, there is always a little bit of swaying back and forth,” said Seadrift resident and business owner Forrest Christy. “This was so much worse — the movement of the house was to the extreme and woke us up from a dead sleep.”

While the town of Seadrift itself

was spared any major damage from the reported 60-70 mph sustained winds, the area on the Intracoastal Waterway at the end of Lane Road known as Charlie’s Bait Camp and the neighboring community of Shoalwater Flats (the old Fulgham’s Camp) did not fare so well.

“It had to be a tornado,” said local guide Gary Gray, whose father, Neal, owns Charlie’s Bait Camp. “The damage that we saw was very random, and the wreckage we discovered was very twisted.”

Gray said the one couple that had been staying in their trailer over the weekend told him the trailer had

Finding fish attractors At Lake Brazos near downtown Waco, bankfishermen wonder why other anglers seem to stake out the same spots along the bank. They probably aren’t aware that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has placed bamboo “crappie condos” to attract sport fish to strategic areas of the lake.

At other Texas lakes, boats move from spot to spot hitting their “brush piles.” At Lake Buchanan, cedar-tree fish attractors were added by TPWD in cooperation with the Lake Buchanan Conservation Corporation. Most attractors were placed on key structure spots, including drop-offs, humps and roadbeds.

Fishermen without enough time or enough electronics on their boats often have difficulty finding these spots with brush piles or other underwater struc-

BAMBOO BRUSH PILES: At Lake Brazos, the ample bamboo available was used by TPWD to place brushpiles near the shoreline, and coordinates of the brush piles are made available to anglers.

Graphic by LSON.

WEATHERING THE STORM: Chico, the Shoalwater Flats camp dog, was rescued after he showed up skinny and malnourished at the camp. Preferring the two camps in the area to people’s attempts to take him in, he stays at the camps full time. During the storm of May 10, he became so afraid that no one could find him. Eventually he was found under a house. Photo by Scott Sommerlatte, for LSON.

been picked up about 4 feet into the air and then dropped to the ground almost immediately.

Several trailers serving as fish camps were destroyed in addition to the restrooms and covered areas of Charlie’s Bait Camp. In the neighboring camp, Shoalwater Flats, one older house that sat between two more recently built houses was lifted up and deposited nearly 15 feet off of the blocks it had rested on for nearly 50 years.

“What was crazy about this storm,” Gray said, “it did more damage than when the eye of Hurricane Claudette went right over the top of Charlie’s in 2003.”

ture. But on these and several other Texas lakes, GPS coordinates are available to do just that.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Inland Fisheries offices have worked with local organizations to create underwater structure for fish in certain reservoirs. GPS coordinates are available as a text file (CSV), a GPX file (GPS Exchange) for inputing into a GPS unit, or a KML file (Google Earth or Google Maps).

The coordinate formats for the text file options are DDM (Degrees and Decimal Minutes), DMS (Degrees Minutes Seconds), and DD (Decimal Degrees). A map or diagram showing approximate locations is also available for some reservoirs.

Lakes with available fish attractants include Amistad Reservoir, Archer City, Arrowhead, Brandy Branch, Lake Brazos, Buchanan, Canyon, Conroe, Georgetown, Gibbons Creek, Holbrook, Inks, Nasworthy, Sam Rayburn and Welsh.

—Staff report

Panfish Continued From Page 8 BOBBING BLUEGILLS: A slip-bobber technique with crickets as bait has been effective in landing sunfish in Texas creeks and lakes. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

the water has a lot to do with fishing success.

“During spring when there are inflows, it is important for spawning cues — especially for panfish,” Tibbs said.

“You get turbidity and fishing will shut down for a lot of species, especially fish that sight-feed,” he said. “The turbidity will move to the lake while the creek clears.”

The running water of the creeks moves the turbidity away faster than a lake can settle after new water is introduced. The creeks go back to producing sight-feeding panfish more quickly than a larger body of water, Tibbs said.

Sunfish spawn on the flats or patches of gravel in a creek, and will continue to spawn through

May, he said. Once the water temperature reaches 70 degrees, they begin their spawn. Canyon Lake in Comal County is reading around 76 degrees, while Toledo Bend is at 79 degrees.

At some lakes, anglers are waiting for the panfish to turn on.

“The lakes are totally full,” Mark Parker, a guide on Richland Chambers Reservoir, said, which causes the lake to become “muddy.”

Parker said that the panfish fishing has been “not great,” which has led him to have to focus on other species, like white bass, that thrive in the denser turbidity until the lake clears.

Mark Parker, Texas Guide Fishing, (254) 479-0550

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TEXAS SALTWATER FISHING REPORT Sponsored by

Galveston fish finicky

BAYTOWN — The trout and redfish activity slowed down in Galveston Bay compared with last week, said Thompson’s Fish Camp owner Debbie Thompson.

“The last couple of days the fishing has dropped out, but boats are still coming in with a few trout and reds,” she said.

Thompson said some of the guides are blaming recent tides for the inactivity.

As far as the weather and state of the water goes, everything is positive, she said.

NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good on the Louisiana shoreline on top-waters and Corkies. Flounder are fair on jigs tipped with shrimp around marsh drains. Redfish are good in the marsh on topwaters and plastics.

SOUTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good under birds and pods of shad. Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp. Trout are fair to good while wading coves and bayous on topwaters.

BOLIVAR: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels. Black drum, sand trout and redfish are good at Rollover Pass.

“We’re having great conditions and the water clarity is good,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll get some tides in that will change the fishing,” To contact Thompson’s Fish Camp, call (281) 427-2300.

Light up at night CORPUS CHRISTI — The trout fishing is so-so during the day, but doing well once the sun goes down, according to Cos of Cos Way Bait and Tackle. The reds have not been biting well at either time, he said.

“People are catching

TRINITY BAY: Trout are good for drifters working pods of shad and mullet on Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels. Trout are fair to good on deep shell on plastics and live bait.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are good on the south shoreline on Catch 5s, MirrOlures and top-waters. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp. Trout are good on live bait around the wells.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are fair to good on live shrimp on reefs. Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are good at the jetty on shrimp and crabs.

Trout are beginning to show in the surf and at the jetty.

TEXAS CITY: Trout are fair to good on Dollar Reef on live shrimp and croakers. Redfish are fair in Moses Lake on mullet and shrimp.

FREEPORT: Trout are fair to good at San Luis Pass on shrimp. Sand trout and sheepshead are good on live shrimp on the reefs in Christmas Bay. Trout and redfish are good at the jetties on live shrimp and finger mullet.

EAST MATAGORDA BAY: Trout are good for drifters on live shrimp over humps and scattered shell. Redfish are fair to good on the edge of the Intracoastal on crabs and mullet. Some redfish are schooling in the middle of the bay.

trout at night under the lights, with a few drum scattered in,” he said.

According to Cos, the fishing has been slightly improving, with live shrimp and nd croaker being the most successful baits to attract the fish.

The water conditions are excellent, he said.

To contact Cos Way Bait and Tackle, e e, call (361) 939-7513.

S Steady in San Antonio A SAN ANTONIO BAY — The

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair to good on the edge of Oyster Lake on shrimp and crabs. Trout are fair on shell and grass on soft plastics. Black drum are fair to good at Shell Island on crabs.

PORT O'CONNOR: Trout and redfish are good on top-waters over sand and grass in the guts in San Antonio Bay. Trout and redfish are fair for drifters working the back lakes with live shrimp. Trout are showing at the jetty.

ROCKPORT: Trout are fair to good in the guts and channels on free-lined shrimp. Trout are fair over grass while drifting with live shrimp. Many trout have been showing on the outside of the islands.

trout and reds are hot, according to Capt.

Lynn Smith of Back Bay Guide Service.

“It’s been great, both in the surf and in the bay both,” he said.

Live shrimp has been good for the reds, with top-waters also eliciting bites. Trout are being brought in predominantly on p soft plastics and tops waters. w “The water is in good shape; you g don’t want it too clear do d but it’s just about right,” he said.

He said when the winds pick up, fish have been biting on the shoreline along grass.

To contact Capt. Lynn Smith, call (361) 935-6833.

— John Keith

PORT ARANSAS: Redfish are fair to good at East Flats and around Dagger Island on shrimp and crabs. Trout, redfish and sheepshead are fair to good at the jetty on shrimp and croakers.

CORPUS CHRISTI: Trout are fair to good on the edge of the spoils on scented plastics and live shrimp. Redfish are good in the potholes on shrimp.

Trout are good for drifters working shrimp over sand and grass.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good on sand and grass on top-waters and plastics. Trout are good at night in the Land Cut on live shrimp. Redfish are fair to good in the grass on the King Ranch shoreline on small top-waters.

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are good on top-waters around sand and grass and along the edge of the ICW on soft plastics. Redfish are fair to good while drifting pot holes with top-waters and scented plastics.

SOUTH PADRE: Trout are good around the spoil islands, channel edges and color changes on artificial and live shrimp. Redfish are fair while drifting sand and grass on scented plastics and live shrimp under a popping cork.

PORT ISABEL: Trout and redfish are fair to good on the flats on live shrimp. Redfish are fair to good in South Bay on top-waters.

— TPWD

Page 18

May 25, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Noodling Continued From Page 1

Palestine Resort.

Finding areas in a “I bet a coonhound lake or river that may on it that there’s a fish hold catfish is not difin this hole,” said Dan ficult, said SeaArk team Tedder of Wetumka, member Trison Thain.

Okla.

“If an alligator or “Well, you owe me beaver likes it — then a a coonhound,” said catfish will love it,” he teammate Trison Thain said. of McAlester, Okla., “We’re looking for when the hole came up big, flat rock,” Vera empty. said. “The fish need Plenty of the holes something they can yielded catfish — and bury under.” big ones. Team SeaArk Catfish can be found finished in first place in underwater holes with 234.76 pounds because of spawning, and with the big fish CLENCHING CATS: Team SeaArk member Dan she said. of the tournament at Tedder hauls a flathead out of its underwater lair.

“The male will typi50.64 pounds. cally stay behind to Photo by John Keith, LSON. Teams of four memprotect the nest while bers each competed for both biggest fish and the female goes to rest,” she said. “If they don’t biggest stringer, with a restriction of five fish per have a nest laid already, then they’re not as team, SeaArk team member Vera Tedder said. aggressive; they’ll just hunker away from you.”

The tournament drew teams from Oklahoma Avoiding an unwanted creature’s bite and Texas. while poking around underwater is easiest Noonday Noodlers came in second with with the aid of a stick, Jason said.

165.92 pounds; followed by Pink Camo “There can be big air pockets under there with 95.52 pounds and Whiskers with 90.15 with anything (turtles, beavers, snakes) waitpounds. ing at the other end, so that’s why we use the The sport of catching catfish with bare sticks,” he said. “The things you don’t want hands, or noodling, is expected to gain to bite all breathe air.” momentum in Texas, said SeaArk team captain Because hand fishing in Texas only and tournament director Jason Tedder. recently has been legalized, the rulebook “Noodling is going to grow so quick. It’s been isn’t set in stone. After confirmation from huge in Oklahoma for a while,” Tedder’s wife, the warden, sticks were allowed in the event, Vera, said. and the noodlers approved.

Smith County Game Warden Chris Swift also “To say we can’t use a stick is like saying a said he could see the sport growing, but said the bass fisherman can’t use a net at the boat,” state is still analyzing details of the activity.

Vera said.

“It’s interesting and new,” he said. “I was surNoodlers can sometimes find more success prised at both the size and ease at which the than they can carry. teams caught fish, and we had a good turnout “You have to throw some fish back or of about 100 to 150 people watching and tak- you’ll just weigh the boat down,” Jason said. ing pictures.”

And the basics of winning a noodling tour“Noodling used to be a hand-me-down deal, nament are simple. a kept secret,” Dan Tedder said. “But it’s just “Give me a hole, a little time, exploded, and now everybody wants to go. I maybe a kind word or two — and SEE VIDEO think it’s going to get to be a big deal.” a 70-pound fish,” Jason said.

LSONEWS.COM

May 25, 2012

Page 19

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May 25, 2012

Lone✯ Lone✯Star Outdoor News

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DAKOTA CARRY-ON ROD & REEL CASE: This Aspen green and stone case by Fishpond is waterproof with a molded bottom. It has adjustable, padded, removable interior dividers for reels and a padded compartment that holds up to four rods in their socks, depending on length. The 31-inch by 9-inch by 5-inch case also offers three mesh interior pockets and three laminated see-through exterior mesh pockets for such items as keys, cell phones or airline tickets. The case sells for about $170.

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RAMPAGE SPOTTING SCOPE: Redfield’s spotter is for outdoorsmen who need more magnification on their hunts. This 20-60 by 60 mm magnification spotting scope offers prisms that deliver crisp images mages with accurate color fidelity and sharp edge clarity to help hunters pull game from their surroundings. And, its field of view — 114 feet at 20x and 51 feet at 60x — means that hunters won’t miss a detail as they scan for that game. The spotting scope, which features a lightweight-yet-tough polycarbonate body, comes equipped quipped with a standard tripod adapter so it can be mounted on most standard ard tripods or window mounts. It sells for about $230.

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SERRATED SC SCISSORS: ISSORS: Dr. D Slick’s 8.5-inch-long scissors sorrs with a straight serrated blade willll cut c anything fly-fishermen bring g to o the tying bench. Specifically d designed esigned to handle all the heavy vy new tying materials, the scissors orss feature heavy blades with large ser serrations rrations and become a a wire cutter. Sure to bec come an angler’s go-to scissors, theyy will a w cut right through thick sheetss of o foam, foa leather, yarn, lead, wire, re, rubber, rubb tubing, braid and more. e.

The sscissors sell for about $39..

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 25, 2012

Page 21

HEROES

Fort Worth hunter LAYNE SALDANA took his first turkey during the youth season at the Irons Ranch in Montague County with his grandfather, Pappy. Layne used a 16-gauge shotgun to harvest the bird.

BRIANNA (BOOMER) and KYLIE (BUGSY) SWANSON from Southlake caught these trout on an inshore trip with Capt. Ron on spring break in Sarasota, Fla. It was the first saltwater fish for both girls.

JASON SMULAND, left, and JOE BOB FREDERICK caught these specks and reds on the King Ranch shoreline. Joe Bob recently returned home to Corpus Christi from a tour of duty aboard the USS Bataan. Welcome home, Joe Bob.

SHARE AN ADVENTURE ■ Want to share hunting and fishing photos with other Lone Star Outdoor News readers?

E-mail 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.

This 9.7-pound largemouth was caught on ultralight tackle by Austin angler TONY MANIS using 4-pound test line and a jig. The bass was caught on Lake Austin.

This monster red stag scoring 432 3/8 SCI was taken by ERIC PARKER, right, of Grapevine, in La Pampa, Argentina. The stag is currently ranked #9 in the Argentine record books.

BILL HONZA caught this 9-pound bass in April on a private lake in Ellis County using a chrome Rat-L-Trap.

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Page 22

May 25, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

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NATIONAL Tournament fisherman caught putting lead in belly of fish A North Carolina angler was banned for life from competing in FLW Outdoors events after being caught cheating. At the Lake Wylie BFL event, John Hoyle of Rutherford, N.C., was caught weighing in a bass that had a handpoured, 11-ounce weight in its gullet.

Hoyle finished the event in third place before being disqualified. He would have won slightly more than $1,000 and $500 for the big bass award.

— FLW Outdoors

NOAA reports record number of rebuilt fisheries Six fish populations were rebuilt to healthy levels in 2011, bringing the number of rebuilt U.S. marine fish populations in the last 11 years to 27, according to a report to Congress from NOAA Fisheries.

The report documents historic progress toward ending overfishing and rebuilding the nation's fisheries, due to the commitment of fishermen, fishing communities, non-governmental organizations, scientists and managers.

NOAA's Status of U.S. Fisheries report declared Bering Sea snow crab, Atlantic coast summer flounder, Gulf of Maine haddock, northern California coast Chinook salmon, Washington coast coho salmon, and Pacific coast widow rockfish fully rebuilt to healthy levels.

— NOAA

Zebra mussels found at Oklahoma’s Lake Murray Biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation say Lake Murray is now home to significant populations of zebra mussels.

Water samples collected at Lake Murray

last spring turned up no evidence of zebra mussels, which demonstrates how quickly they spread.

— Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

Mitchell Guist, right, starred in “Swamp People” on the History Channel. Photo

by History Channel.

“Swamp People” star dies

NWTF app includes turkey ringtones

One of the stars of The History Channel’s popular show, “Swamp People,” died on May 14 after falling while aboard his boat in Louisiana.

Mitchell Guist, 48, was half of the alligatorhunting Guist brothers and, according to CNN, reportedly fell after suffering a seizure.

However, the official cause of death has not been officially determined.

— Staff report

Oregon begins mandatory boat inspections to combat invasives Motorists hauling boats in Oregon are required to stop at boat inspection stations to have their watercraft inspected for aquatic invasive species under a 2011 law.

During the first week of inspection operations, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife boat inspectors discovered invasive mussels on two boats: one in Central Point and one in La Grande.

The Central Point boat held quagga mussels; the owner had used the boat in Lake Havasu, Ariz.

The La Grande boat contained zebra mussels and had been in Saginaw Bay, Mich.

“Both of these boat owners willingly stopped for boat inspections,” said Rick Boatner, ODFW Invasive Species coordinator.

“It is somewhat alarming to find mussels on two boats in the first week of inspections, but it shows the program does work.”

— ODFW

Win is college graduation gift for Arkansas pair Mook Miller and Kyle Billingsley were scheduled to walk across the stage of Bud Walton Arena and receive their undergraduate diplomas at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville on May 12.

Instead, the two Arkansans walked across the B.A.S.S. weigh-in stage on the shoreline of Oklahoma’s Fort Gibson Lake and received their winner’s trophies at the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Central Super Regional.

Miller and Billingsley won the tournament after weighing the final day’s biggest catch of 13 pounds, 14 ounces. They finished the two-day event with 28 pounds, 1 ounce.

“Hopefully, all of our professors and family members will forgive us because this was worth it,” Miller, 22, a communications graduate said.

— B.A.S.S.

Iowa governor lifts lead shot ban for dove Gov. Terry Branstad signed an executive order to remove the ban of the use of lead shot in the state’s dove season. Last summer, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

OUTDOOR BUSINESS Executive Editor Craig Nyhus Managing Editor Conor Harrison Associate Editor Mark England Graphics Editor Amy Moore Business/Products Editor Mary Helen Aguirre Intern John Keith Operations Manager Mike Hughs Accounting Ginger Hoolan Web site Bruce Soileau

National Advertising Mike Nelson Accounts Manager Advertising Sales Jaimey Honea Founder & CEO David J. Sams

Contributors Kyle Carter David Draper Shannon Drawe Wilbur Lundeen Aaron Reed Erich Schlegel David Sikes Scott Sommerlatte Chuck Uzzle Ralph Winingham

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Lone Star Outdoor News, ISSN 2162-8300, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $30 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are $2, in certain markets are free, one per person. Copyright 2012 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 e-mail them to editor@ lonestaroutdoornews.com.

decided to implement the ban during the state's first-ever dove season, but the ban was eventually delayed. Gov. Branstad came to the relief of hunters after inaction by the Iowa Senate on SJR 2001, a legislative resolution to rescind the ban.

—NSSF

OUTDOOR BUSINESS TO ADVERTISE CONTACT LSON

(214) 361-2276

If you hear a gobble in the office, it might not be your boss. The new National Wild Turkey Federation Turkey Hunting Toolbox is available for iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch and Android devices.

The app was the top selling app in iTunes and Google Play's “Sports” categories for several days, according to NWTF. The toolbox includes turkey sound ringtones, turkey sounds recorded from live wild turkeys, video tips from champion callers, turkey hunting tips, a wild turkey score calculator and links to every state wildlife agency for hunting regulations.

The app costs $1.99.

— NWTF

RMEF conserves 1 million acres in Wyoming The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will exceed 1 million acres of conservation impact in Wyoming with its projects in 10 counties in 2012.

The RMEF funding commitment for 2012 projects in Wyoming totals $338,006.

“We’re currently about 13,000 acres shy of the 1 million-acre mark in Wyoming, and this year’s grants should impact a bit over 19,000 acres,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. Wyoming would become the first state to conserve a million acres with help from RMEF. Nationally, more than 6 million acres have been conserved.

— RMEF

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 25, 2012

Page 23

Archery Continued From Page 1

HIDDEN AND STILL: Mannequins dressed in street clothes, set back in the brush, did not disturb feeding deer, but they weren’t moving. Photo by Craig Nyhus, LSON.

Mannequins Continued From Page 4

“Dr. Henke got us two mannequins and we dressed one in full camo and the other in street clothes,” he said. “And we got a few feeders and game cameras.”

The street clothes consisted of blue jeans, a plaid shirt and a blue cap.

“We did 10 days with each (camo and street) mannequin right out front of the feeder; along the brushline; and in the brush hidden like a hunter would be,” Carroll said.

Poor range conditions limited them at first.

“Because of the drought, very few deer were coming in at all at first,” Carroll said. “We moved the feeders closer to the King Ranch fenceline and then more deer came in.”

With either mannequin out in the open, very few deer came in because of the human form, but Henke was surprised by one finding.

“Interestingly, the javelina, feral hogs and raccoons still came right in and fed,” Henke said. “The mannequin didn’t seem to bother them at all.”

With the mannequins along the brushline, Carroll noticed a slight difference after viewing all of the images from the camera.

“The deer stayed on the camera longer when the camo mannequin was in place compared with the one in street clothes,” Carroll said. “It may have been harder for them to make out the human form in the one wearing camo.”

When the mannequins were concealed well into the brush, “it didn’t matter at all,” Carroll said.

One item not studied was movement.

“We talked about setting up some mechanical movement in the mannequins to study it some more — I think that would matter and the camo would help mask the movement,” Carroll said. “But the mannequins cost about $500 each, and we had to agree to donate them to the fashion department at school so they would get double the usage out of them.”

Henke noted that this project and others conducted by students in the department aren’t meant to be pure scientific studies.

“We do a lot of the research projects for fun as opposed to pure scientific research,” he said. “We look at the campfire stories and try to determine if they are true or if they may be a myth.”

One such project involved having both students and townspeople look at feral hogs in traps and try to guess the hog’s weight.

“Most people overestimated the hog’s weight by at least 100 pounds,” he said. “And it didn’t matter if it was a big hog or an average hog.”

Carroll hunts and also guides whitetail hunters, and isn’t changing any of his tactics based on the project.

“Deer react to movement,” he said. “When I’m hunting or guiding I sure don’t want them taking off because they saw me — I’m always in full camo.”

The movie’s influence has led to a noticeable increase in people inquiring about taking archery lessons, Hays said.

“Where we used to get one or two calls a week, now we’re getting three or four a day,” he said.

Girls are more upfront than boys about the movie pushing them to take up archery, Hays said.

“I’ve had some boys say, ‘I’m kinda interested in archery — but I didn’t see “The Hunger Games.”’ They’re hesitant to admit that.”

Cinnamon Creek Ranch catered to the movie’s popularity by hosting Hunger Games challenges.

“We kind of replicated what’s in the book and movie,” he said. “In the book, Katniss shoots a deer in the eye so the meat won’t be damaged. We

had a 3D target with a balloon over the eye.”

Across the Metroplex, the Texas Archery Academy has hosted Hunger Games birthday parties, said Clint Montgomery, executive director. However, he notes it was the celebrants’ idea.

The Plano business, which does extensive youth recruitment via schools and city recreation programs, hasn’t embraced the phenomenon like some.

“Honestly, we feel it would alienate as many people as it would attract,” he said. “And we do so many fun shoots anyway.”

Montgomery takes pains to state he’s not disparaging the movie.

“There’s a lot of talk in the media now about archery,” he said. “And that’s a positive thing for the industry.”

Thira’s father, Erich, a

Lakeway photographer, knew his daughter read the book and saw the movie. He bought a beginning archery set at Academy Sports + Outdoors, but didn’t set his expectations high.

“I really thought she would find it boring,” he said. “It was quite the opposite. Once she tried it, she wanted to keep on doing it.”

She likes “the art” of archery, Thira said.

“When you pull back the string, you can feel the energy holding it against your face,” she said. “I try to put my finger on the tip to balance the arrow.

Then I let it go. It’s fun.”

Katniss uses that balancing trick, by the way. And while the movie is fantasy, the lead actress’ archery is realistic, Hays said. U.S. Olympic

archer Khatuna Lorig trained Lawrence for her role in “The Hunger Games.”

Hays said girls quickly find out that archery is a “great equalizer,” as testosterone sometimes gets in the way.

“The boys can get too competitive,” Hays said. “It’s easier for the girls to focus on the form and the process — and, as a result, often be more accurate shooting than the boys.”

Both Vicki and Thira plan to keep practicing.

“I want to own my own bow and arrows, of course, or a crossbow,” Vicki said. “I would love to join a league if I can find time.”

Thira may eventually hunt with a bow and arrow. It has nothing to do with mimicking Katniss, though, said Thira, who once fired an AR-15.

“Bowhunting is not as loud.”

Page 24

May 25, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Sun | Moon | Tides Height 2.6H 0.1L 0.4L 0.7L 1.1L 1.5L 2.3H 2.7H 3.0H 3.1H 3.2H 3.1H 3.0H 2.8H 2.6H

Time

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Time

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Time

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8:55 AM 9:28 AM 9:53 AM 10:13 AM 10:30 AM 5:42 AM 7:14 AM 8:27 AM 9:22 AM 10:08 AM 10:52 AM 11:46 AM 12:57 PM 2:29 PM

2.6H 2.5H 2.4H 2.3H 2.2H 1.9L 2.1L 2.3L 2.5L 2.5L 2.5L 2.4L 2.2L 1.9L

4:47 PM 5:01 PM 5:34 PM 10:46 AM 11:07 AM 11:36 AM 12:14 PM 1:00 PM 1:52 PM 2:47 PM 3:50 PM 5:14 PM

1.4L 1.0L 0.4L 2.3H 2.3H 2.5H 2.6H 2.6H 2.6H 2.5H 2.3H 2.0H

9:32 PM 11:39 PM

1.7H 1.9H

6:14 PM 6:58 PM 7:44 PM 8:33 PM 9:23 PM 10:13 PM 11:05 PM 11:57 PM

-0.1L -0.6L -1.0L -1.2L -1.2L -1.1L -0.8L -0.4L

Galveston Bay entrance, south jetty Date Time May 25 9:01 AM May 26 12:28 AM May 27 1:13 AM May 28 2:04 AM May 29 3:08 AM May 30 12:26 AM May 31 1:55 AM Jun 01 3:03 AM Jun 02 4:01 AM Jun 03 4:54 AM Jun 04 5:45 AM Jun 05 6:36 AM Jun 06 7:26 AM Jun 07 8:14 AM Jun 08 12:23 AM

Height 2.1H 0.1L 0.3L 0.6L 0.9L 1.5H 1.8H 2.1H 2.4H 2.5H 2.5H 2.5H 2.4H 2.2H -0.3L

Height

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9:42 AM 10:15 AM 10:40 AM 11:00 AM 4:30 AM 6:08 AM 7:40 AM 8:53 AM 9:48 AM 10:34 AM 11:18 AM 12:12 PM 1:23 PM 8:58 AM

2.0H 2.0H 1.9H 1.8H 1.2L 1.5L 1.7L 1.9L 2.0L 2.0L 2.0L 1.9L 1.7L 2.1H

5:13 PM 5:27 PM 11:17 AM 11:33 AM 11:54 AM 12:23 PM 1:01 PM 1:47 PM 2:39 PM 3:34 PM 4:37 PM 2:55 PM

1.2L 0.8L 1.8H 1.8H 1.9H 2.0H 2.0H 2.1H 2.1H 2.0H 1.8H 1.5L

10:19 PM

1.3H

6:00 PM 6:40 PM 7:24 PM 8:10 PM 8:59 PM 9:49 PM 10:39 PM 11:31 PM

0.3L -0.1L -0.5L -0.8L -0.9L -1.0L -0.8L -0.6L

6:01 PM

1.6H

Last

June 4

June 19

June 11

Date Time May 25 2:46 AM May 26 3:28 AM May 27 4:07 AM May 28 4:38 AM May 29 2:29 AM May 30 10:48 AM May 31 10:02 AM Jun 01 9:17 AM Jun 02 9:44 AM Jun 03 10:32 AM Jun 04 11:31 AM Jun 05 12:21 AM Jun 06 1:19 AM Jun 07 2:14 AM Jun 08 3:04 AM

Houston Height 0.1L 0.1L 0.2L 0.3L 0.4L 0.6H 0.7H 0.8H 0.9H 1.0H 1.0H -0.3L -0.3L -0.2L -0.1L

Time 1:38 PM 2:05 PM 2:20 PM 1:22 PM 12:11 PM 8:33 PM 9:02 PM 9:42 PM 10:30 PM 11:24 PM

Height 0.8H 0.8H 0.7H 0.6H 0.6H 0.2L 0.0L -0.1L -0.2L -0.3L

12:32 PM 1:28 PM 1:56 PM 1:27 PM

0.9H 0.9H 0.8H 0.7H

Height 0.2L 0.2L 0.2L 0.2L 0.3L 0.4H 0.4H 0.4H 0.5H 0.5H 0.0L 0.0L 0.0L 0.0L 0.1L

Time 5:56 PM 6:07 PM 2:42 PM 1:49 PM 1:09 PM 9:30 PM 10:14 PM 11:01 PM 11:52 PM

Height 0.4H 0.4H 0.4H 0.4H 0.4H 0.2L 0.1L 0.1L 0.0L

2:32 PM 3:34 PM 4:37 PM 5:40 PM 6:44 PM

0.5H 0.5H 0.4H 0.4H 0.4H

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8:22 PM

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8:25 PM 8:52 PM

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Date Time May 25 4:08 AM May 26 4:47 AM May 27 5:22 AM May 28 5:48 AM May 29 5:57 AM May 30 12:36 PM May 31 12:16 PM Jun 01 12:20 PM Jun 02 12:49 PM Jun 03 1:35 PM Jun 04 12:46 AM Jun 05 1:41 AM Jun 06 2:35 AM Jun 07 3:24 AM Jun 08 4:05 AM

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11:23 PM

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Port Aransas, H. Caldwell Pier Height 0.0L 0.1L 0.2L 0.3L 0.5L 0.9H 1.1H 1.3H 1.4H 1.5H 1.5H 1.5H 1.4H -0.4L -0.2L

Time 9:31 AM 10:12 AM 10:45 AM 11:10 AM 11:30 AM 5:26 AM 7:04 AM 8:36 AM 9:49 AM 10:44 AM 11:30 AM 12:14 PM 1:08 PM 8:44 AM 9:28 AM

Height 1.3H 1.2H 1.2H 1.1H 1.1H 0.7L 0.9L 1.0L 1.1L 1.2L 1.2L 1.2L 1.1L 1.3H 1.2H

Time

Height

Time

Height

6:09 PM 6:23 PM 11:47 AM 12:03 PM 12:24 PM 12:53 PM 1:31 PM 2:17 PM 3:09 PM 4:04 PM 2:19 PM 3:51 PM

0.7L 0.5L 1.1H 1.1H 1.1H 1.2H 1.2H 1.3H 1.2H 1.2H 1.0L 0.9L

10:49 PM

0.8H

6:56 PM 7:36 PM 8:20 PM 9:06 PM 9:55 PM 10:45 PM 11:35 PM

0.2L -0.1L -0.3L -0.5L -0.6L -0.6L -0.5L

5:07 PM 6:31 PM

1.1H 0.9H

Height 1.8H 0.1L 0.2L 0.4L 0.7L 1.2H 1.5H 1.8H 2.0H 2.1H 2.2H 2.2H 2.1H 1.9H -0.2L

Time

Height

Time

Height

Time

Height

9:17 AM 9:49 AM 10:17 AM 10:43 AM 5:15 AM 7:21 AM 9:18 AM 8:10 PM 8:59 PM 9:50 PM 10:42 PM 11:34 PM

1.8H 1.7H 1.6H 1.5H 0.9L 1.1L 1.2L -0.5L -0.6L -0.7L -0.6L -0.4L

5:43 PM 5:46 PM 11:05 AM 11:24 AM 11:36 AM

0.8L 0.6L 1.4H 1.3H 1.2H

10:12 PM

1.0H

8:44 AM

1.7H

Date Time May 25 9:07 AM May 26 12:20 AM May 27 1:05 AM May 28 2:00 AM May 29 3:09 AM May 30 12:25 AM May 31 2:03 AM Jun 01 3:13 AM Jun 02 4:13 AM Jun 03 5:09 AM Jun 04 6:02 AM Jun 05 6:53 AM Jun 06 7:39 AM Jun 07 8:19 AM Jun 08 12:04 AM

Height 1.6H -0.2L 0.0L 0.2L 0.6L 1.1H 1.5H 1.8H 2.1H 2.2H 2.2H 2.1H 2.0H 1.7H -0.6L

Time

Height

9:35 AM 9:57 AM 10:13 AM 10:23 AM 4:44 AM 6:43 AM 7:15 PM 8:00 PM 8:47 PM 9:36 PM 10:26 PM 11:15 PM

1.5H 1.5H 1.4H 1.3H 0.9L 1.3L -0.4L -0.6L -0.8L -0.9L -0.9L -0.8L

8:51 AM

1.5H

Time

Height

9:47 AM 10:02 AM 10:11 AM 10:14 AM 10:09 AM 6:28 AM 7:08 PM 7:54 PM 8:43 PM 9:33 PM 10:24 PM 11:14 PM

1.5H 1.4H 1.3H 1.2H 1.1H 1.0L -0.7L -1.0L -1.1L -1.2L -1.1L -0.8L

9:03 AM

1.4H

Time

Height

Time

Height

5:27 PM 5:33 PM 10:25 AM 10:18 AM

0.7L 0.5L 1.3H 1.4H

9:47 PM

0.8H

5:59 PM 0.2L 6:34 PM -0.1L

6:09 PM 0.3L 6:43 PM 0.0L 7:24 PM -0.3L

Date Time May 25 9:25 AM May 26 12:13 AM May 27 1:00 AM May 28 1:53 AM May 29 3:00 AM May 30 4:29 AM May 31 1:53 AM Jun 01 3:14 AM Jun 02 4:21 AM Jun 03 5:22 AM Jun 04 6:19 AM Jun 05 7:13 AM Jun 06 7:59 AM Jun 07 8:37 AM Jun 08 12:04 AM

Height 1.6H -0.1L 0.1L 0.3L 0.5L 0.8L 1.1H 1.3H 1.5H 1.6H 1.7H 1.7H 1.6H 1.5H -0.6L

2012 May-Jun 25 Fri 26 Sat 27 Sun 28 Mon Q 29 Tue 30 Wed 31 Thu 01 Fri 02 Sat > 03 Sun > 04 Mon F 05 Tue F 06 Wed > 07 Thu > 08 Fri 09 Sat 10 Sun 11 Mon Q 12 Tue 13 Wed

A.M. Minor Major 9:34 3:22 10:26 4:15 11:18 5:06 ----- 5:55 12:30 6:42 1:16 7:28 2:01 8:15 2:49 9:03 3:40 9:56 4:37 10:53 5:38 11:54 6:43 12:28 7:48 1:34 8:52 2:38 9:51 3:39 10:46 4:34 11:35 5:24 ----- 6:09 12:40 6:51 1:20 7:31

P.M. Minor 9:58 10:50 11:41 12:07 12:54 1:41 2:28 3:18 4:11 5:09 6:10 7:14 8:18 9:19 10:17 11:10 11:58 12:20 1:02 1:41

Major 3:46 4:38 5:29 6:19 7:06 7:53 8:42 9:32 10:26 11:24 ----12:59 2:03 3:06 4:04 4:58 5:46 6:31 7:12 7:52

SUN Rises Sets 06:23 08:12 06:23 08:13 06:22 08:14 06:22 08:14 06:22 08:15 06:21 08:15 06:21 08:16 06:21 08:16 06:21 08:17 06:21 08:17 06:20 08:18 06:20 08:18 06:20 08:19 06:20 08:19 06:20 08:20 06:20 08:20 06:20 08:20 06:20 08:21 06:20 08:21 06:20 08:21

MOON Rises Sets 10:18a NoMoon 11:15a NoMoon 12:13p 12:37a 1:11p 1:13a 2:12p 1:48a 3:15p 2:25a 4:20p 3:04a 5:29p 3:47a 6:39p 4:35a 7:47p 5:29a 8:51p 6:29a 9:50p 7:33a 10:41p 8:39a 11:25p 9:45a NoMoon 10:47a 12:04a 11:47a 12:39a 12:44p 1:12a 1:38p 1:44a 2:32p 2:17a 3:25p

Dallas 2012 May-Jun 25 Fri 26 Sat 27 Sun 28 Mon Q 29 Tue 30 Wed 31 Thu 01 Fri 02 Sat > 03 Sun > 04 Mon F 05 Tue F 06 Wed > 07 Thu > 08 Fri 09 Sat 10 Sun 11 Mon Q 12 Tue 13 Wed

A.M. Minor Major 9:39 3:27 10:32 4:20 11:23 5:11 ----- 6:00 12:36 6:48 1:21 7:34 2:07 8:20 2:54 9:09 3:46 10:01 4:43 10:58 5:44 ----6:49 12:33 7:54 1:39 8:57 2:44 9:57 3:44 10:51 4:40 11:41 5:30 12:02 6:15 12:46 6:57 1:25 7:36

P.M. Minor Major 10:03 3:51 10:56 4:44 11:47 5:35 12:12 6:24 1:00 7:12 1:46 7:59 2:34 8:47 3:23 9:37 4:16 10:32 5:14 11:30 6:16 12:00 7:20 1:04 8:23 2:09 9:25 3:11 10:22 4:10 11:15 5:03 ----- 5:52 12:26 6:36 1:07 7:18 1:47 7:58

SUN MOON Rises Sets Rises Sets 06:22 08:25 10:19a NoMoon 06:21 08:25 11:17a 12:10a 06:21 08:26 12:16p 12:46a 06:21 08:27 1:16p 1:20a 06:20 08:27 2:18p 1:54a 06:20 08:28 3:22p 2:29a 06:20 08:28 4:30p 3:07a 06:19 08:29 5:40p 3:48a 06:19 08:30 6:51p 4:35a 06:19 08:30 8:00p 5:28a 06:19 08:31 9:05p 6:28a 06:18 08:31 10:02p 7:32a 06:18 08:32 10:52p 8:39a 06:18 08:32 11:35p 9:45a 06:18 08:33 NoMoon 10:49a 06:18 08:33 12:13a 11:51a 06:18 08:33 12:46a 12:49p 06:18 08:34 1:18a 1:45p 06:18 08:34 1:48a 2:40p 06:18 08:35 2:19a 3:34p

P.M. Minor Major 10:10 3:58 11:03 4:51 11:54 5:42 12:19 6:31 1:07 7:19 1:53 8:06 2:41 8:54 3:30 9:44 4:23 10:39 5:21 11:37 6:23 12:07 7:27 1:11 8:30 2:16 9:32 3:18 10:29 4:17 11:22 5:10 ----- 5:59 12:33 6:43 1:14 7:25 1:54 8:05

SUN MOON Rises Sets Rises Sets 06:36 08:24 10:32a NoMoon 06:36 08:25 11:29a 12:12a 06:36 08:25 12:26p 12:49a 06:35 08:26 1:25p 1:25a 06:35 08:26 2:25p 2:01a 06:35 08:27 3:27p 2:38a 06:34 08:28 4:33p 3:17a 06:34 08:28 5:41p 4:00a 06:34 08:29 6:51p 4:48a 06:34 08:29 7:59p 5:43a 06:34 08:29 9:04p 6:43a 06:34 08:30 10:02p 7:47a 06:33 08:30 10:53p 8:53a 06:33 08:31 11:38p 9:58a 06:33 08:31 NoMoon 11:01a 06:33 08:32 12:17a 12:00p 06:33 08:32 12:52a 12:57p 06:33 08:32 1:25a 1:51p 06:33 08:33 1:57a 2:44p 06:33 08:33 2:30a 3:37p

P.M. Minor 10:24 11:16 ----12:33 1:20 2:07 2:54 3:44 4:37 5:34 6:36 7:40 8:44 9:45 10:43 11:35 12:01 12:46 1:28 2:07

SUN Rises 06:37 06:36 06:36 06:35 06:35 06:35 06:34 06:34 06:34 06:33 06:33 06:33 06:33 06:33 06:32 06:32 06:32 06:32 06:32 06:32

San Antonio

South Padre Island

Freeport Harbor Date Time May 25 8:43 AM May 26 12:26 AM May 27 1:13 AM May 28 2:11 AM May 29 3:28 AM May 30 12:00 AM May 31 1:26 AM Jun 01 2:38 AM Jun 02 3:41 AM Jun 03 4:40 AM Jun 04 5:36 AM Jun 05 6:30 AM Jun 06 7:20 AM Jun 07 8:06 AM Jun 08 12:27 AM

First

Legend: Major=2 hours. Minor=1 hour. Times centered on the major-minor window. F=Full Moon, N=New Moon, Q=Quarter > = Peak Activity. For other locations, subtract 1 minute per 12 miles east of a location, and add 1 minute per 12 miles west of a location.

New

Rockport

Time

San Luis Pass Date Time May 25 12:44 AM May 26 1:24 AM May 27 2:09 AM May 28 3:00 AM May 29 4:04 AM May 30 12:56 AM May 31 2:25 AM Jun 01 3:33 AM Jun 02 4:31 AM Jun 03 5:24 AM Jun 04 6:15 AM Jun 05 7:06 AM Jun 06 7:56 AM Jun 07 12:27 AM Jun 08 1:19 AM

Full

Port O’Connor

Sabine Pass, jetty Date Time May 25 8:14 AM May 26 12:02 AM May 27 12:47 AM May 28 1:38 AM May 29 2:42 AM May 30 4:04 AM May 31 1:08 AM Jun 01 2:16 AM Jun 02 3:14 AM Jun 03 4:07 AM Jun 04 4:58 AM Jun 05 5:49 AM Jun 06 6:39 AM Jun 07 7:27 AM Jun 08 8:11 AM

Solunar | Sun times | Moon times

Moon Phases May 28

Texas Coast Tides

LSONews.com

Time

Height

Time

Height

5:32 PM 5:26 PM 5:50 PM 9:52 AM

0.8L 0.4L 0.1L 1.0H

8:50 PM 11:57 PM

0.8H 0.9H

6:26 PM -0.3L

2012 A.M. May-Jun Minor Major 25 Fri 9:46 3:34 26 Sat 10:39 4:27 27 Sun 11:30 5:18 28 Mon Q ----- 6:07 29 Tue 12:43 6:55 30 Wed 1:28 7:41 31 Thu 2:14 8:27 01 Fri 3:01 9:16 02 Sat > 3:53 10:08 03 Sun > 4:50 11:05 04 Mon F 5:51 ----05 Tue F 6:56 12:40 06 Wed > 8:01 1:46 07 Thu > 9:04 2:51 08 Fri 10:04 3:51 09 Sat 10:58 4:47 10 Sun 11:48 5:37 11 Mon Q 12:09 6:22 12 Tue 12:53 7:04 13 Wed 1:32 7:43

Amarillo 2012 A.M. May-Jun Minor 25 Fri 10:00 26 Sat 10:52 27 Sun 11:43 28 Mon Q 12:09 29 Tue 12:56 30 Wed 1:42 31 Thu 2:27 01 Fri 3:15 02 Sat > 4:06 03 Sun > 5:03 04 Mon F 6:04 05 Tue F 7:09 06 Wed > 8:14 07 Thu > 9:18 08 Fri 10:17 09 Sat 11:12 10 Sun ----11 Mon Q 12:22 12 Tue 1:06 13 Wed 1:46

OUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen

ACROSS 1. A part of a rifle 4. The color bands on an arrow 7. A very large game 10. A grouse species 11. An animal's habit 12. Material used to waterproof fly lure

14. Small game to the eagle 16. This brings catch into the boat 18. A shedded antler 20. A game bird, bob_____ 24. Shells, arrows 25. Number of fish allowed 26. The trapper's interest 28. A trait of the deer

30. A duck species 32. Crappie and perch are classed as ___ fish 34. Term for a man-made deer trail 35. The ____necked pheasant 36. The freshness of a game track 38. The fur seeker's gear 40. Letters depict muzzle energy 41. Code for a type bullet 42. Mechanism that hits the primer 46. Term in a shoot, ____ fire 49. Female turkey 50. A game pathway 51. A caliber abbreviation 53. A gun recoil buffer 54. Sound made by wild turkeys 55. A deer lure, scent ____ DOWN 1. A deer's domain mark 2. A type of sight 3. Describes a turkey's vision 5. A grassland game bird 6. Use of size of this is important

Solution on Page 26 7. Rifle part that rests on the shoulder 8. To lay eggs in migration 9. Bushytail's food source 13. A good wood for arrow shafts 15. A fish species 17. A fishing method 19. A game trail 20. Name for a bass species 21. Largest species of the wild turkey 22. Largest bass, ___ bass 23. ____ as a fox 27. An animal den 28. A very good catfish bait 29. Some wildfowl are classed as this 31. A deer food source 33. A good jig, _____ jig 34. Thick foliage is one 37. Force exerted by shell on a target 39. The bowman 43. A simple tent 44. A name for the large sea bass 45. To analyze freshness of a track 47. Wild ones kill many deer 48. A fly-lure device, ____ guard 52. Code for a type bullet

Major 3:48 4:41 5:32 6:21 7:08 7:54 8:41 9:29 10:22 11:19 ----12:53 2:00 3:04 4:05 5:00 5:50 6:35 7:17 7:57

Major 4:12 5:04 5:55 6:44 7:32 8:19 9:07 9:58 10:52 11:50 12:20 1:24 2:29 3:32 4:30 5:24 6:12 6:57 7:38 8:18

Sets 08:50 08:51 08:52 08:52 08:53 08:54 08:54 08:55 08:56 08:56 08:57 08:57 08:58 08:58 08:59 08:59 09:00 09:00 09:01 09:01

MOON Rises 10:36a 11:34a 12:35p 1:36p 2:39p 3:45p 4:54p 6:05p 7:17p 8:27p 9:32p 10:29p 11:18p NoMoon NoMoon 12:36a 1:08a 1:39a 2:08a 2:38a

Sets NoMoon 12:35a 1:10a 1:43a 2:16a 2:49a 3:25a 4:06a 4:51a 5:44a 6:43a 7:48a 8:55a 10:02a 11:08a 12:10p 1:09p 2:07p 3:02p 3:58p

FOR THE TABLE Boar in honey sauce 2 lbs. boar loin 3/4 cup honey 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/4 tsp. sage 1/4 tsp. salt Olive oil 1/4 cup port or sherry 2 cloves garlic Cut loin into medallions, crossgrain, and shape with meat hammer. Sprinkle with pepper.

Brown both sides of meat in skillet over medium heat and remove.

Add garlic, honey and spices and stir. Return meat to pan and heat for 1 minute, turning several times. Remove meat and place in serving dish. Deglaze pan with wine and pour over meat.

Surround with small glazed carrots, peppers, other vegetables and small potatoes, then serve.

— wildgamerecipes.org

Buttermilk fried carp 2 lbs. carp fillets 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup biscuit mix or pancake mix 2 tsps. sea salt Lemon wedges Remove the skin of the carp and take out all the red-colored part of the meat — discard. Chunk up the rest of the carp fillets. Place fillet pieces in a shallow dish. Pour the milk over them and let it stand for half an hour, turning the fillets over once during that time. Stir the salt into the biscuit mix. Take fillets out of the milk and pat them into the biscuit mix, covering both sides. Fry fillets in deep fryer or in mediumhot oil in pan for 5-10 minutes until cooked through and browned on both sides. Use tongs or slotted spoon to turn them.

Drain on paper towels. Serve with lemon wedges.

— easyfishrecipes.com *E-mail LSON your favorite recipe to news@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 25, 2012

Page 25

Clear water Continued From Page 1

pounds,” he said. “And we saw several other nice, big ling, but they weren’t interested in anything we had to offer them.”

After hooking into a few red snapper, the group caught one kingfish as they headed back in.

“The kingfish action turned out to be closer to shore than we expected,” Buchanan said.

Moving into summer, the salinity level may influence how far offshore the fish will be.

“The fish follow the salinity gradient and follow the food,” said Leslie Hartman, an ecosystems leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in Matagorda Bay. She said the saltier a bay is, the fewer the number of specific species that can thrive in it, and many of these smaller species are the types that attract gamefish.

“The last couple of years we’ve had our bays really salty, because of the drought

Big bass Continued From Page 8

MORE HOT SPOTS: Postspawn bass scatter from the shallows and feed on a wide variety of baits as the fish stage to feed. Photo

by David J. Sams, LSON

bass come into their summer pattern and scatter from their spawning beds, it expands possible hot spots, said professional angler and Amistad Reservoir guide Kurt Dove.

The water has been cloudy in Amistad, but otherwise “the conditions are pretty standard right now, with bass being caught in both shallow and middepths,”Dove said.

The fish are pretty skinny, being postspawn,” he said. “Most are holding in the 15- to 25-foot depths — we’re getting a lot of bites.”

Using top-water lures when the water conditions are slick, or throwing chatterbaits by isolated trees and grass patches, has worked well for Dove, and both straight and ribbon-tailed plastic worms have been hooking bass around hard rock.

“The bass have now started summer patterns,” said Kent Meadows of Austin, who has found recent success fishing Lake Austin out of a kayak.

Bass may tend to come up into shallow water when it’s cloudy, but most are hanging in deep hydrilla, he said.

“About 85 percent of my fish are coming from 12- to 14-feet deep,” Meadows said.

Catching big bass often means throwing a big presentation, and Meadows starts in the morning with a black neon hollow-body frog and transitions to a bluegill-pattern heavy-cover swim jig with a 4-inch trailer later in the morning.

“The key to catching big fish this time of year is going slow and methodically,” he said.

“It’s been incredible here in Central Texas.”

Kurt Dove, (830) 719-3648

we were in. It had been saltier in the bays than in the ocean, which was not good for shrimp or crab,” she said. “This year we have a more standard salinity range, which means many species are doing quite well.

We aren’t seeing an increase in diseases that can usually be linked to high salinity.”

The fish are going to go where the food is,” Hartman said.

“Always.”

Offshore anglers should be mindful about what depth they are fishing, because going out far enough will always present fish, said Weston Threeton of Houston, who made a recent run out of Sargent.

PRIME CONDITIONS: With salinity levels back to normal, the ocean is saltier than the bays again. The shift back, along “We went until we hit 1,100 feet of with calmer seas than last spring, is good news for those heading to the rigs. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON. water,” he said. “The water was green where it should be blue, and it was a little bumpy.” amberjack and the grouper I was targeting.

“As long as the wind cooperates, you can Still, nothing is guaranteed.

They were an issue.” be successful,” he said. “It’s just a matter of “The sharks were a problem,” Threeton The group hooked one amberjack on a getting out there.”

Laguna Charter Company (361) 215-2608 said. “They had obviously run off the vertical jig.

Page 26

May 25, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

DATEBOOK May 26-September 3

June 8-9

June 21

July 11-14

CCA Texas STAR ccatexas.org

Texas Trio Classic Matagorda Bay (210) 602-9842 texastrioclassic.com

Dallas Safari Club Monthly meeting, featuring Stephen Miller Omni Hotel Dallas Park West (972) 980-9800

John Uhr Memorial Billfish Tournament Rockport (361) 205-0789 johnnybastante.com

May 26 Hooked for Life Kids Fishing Tournament Brownsville Event Center hookedforlife.us Third Coast Fishing Tournament Bluff’s Landing, Corpus Christi (361) 992-5152 winthirdcoast.com

June 1-2 Texas Deer Association 2nd Annual Brush to Bay Invitational Fishing Tournament Bluff’s Landing Marina and Lodge, Corpus Christi (210) 767-8300 texasdeerassociation.com

June 2

June 9 Texas Team Trail Tournament Lewisville Lake (210) 788-4143 texasteamtrail.com

June 14 Austin Ducks Unlimited Sportsman’s Night Out Hill’s Café (512) 370-3237 ducks.org Dallas Woods and Waters Club Monthly Meeting Sheraton Dallas North Hotel (214) 570-8700 dwwcc.org

June 15-17

Bass Champs Tournament Central Region #5, Lake Belton (817) 439-3274 basschamps.com

Challenged Outdoorsmen of America Overnight Youth Campout Lake Wright Patman (903) 748-2437 challengedoutdoorsmen.com

June 2-3

June 16

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Bowhunter Education Class, Tyler (903) 292-7014 tpwd.state.tx.us

Bass Champs Tournament East Region #5 Sam Rayburn Reservoir (817) 439-3274 basschamps.com

June 3 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Bowhunter Education Online Field Class Dallas (214) 282-3697 tpwd.state.tx.us

June 7-10 Toledo Bend Battle Bassmaster Elite Series Toledo Bend Reservoir (800) 358-7802 toledobendlakecountry.com

Dallas Safari Club Summer Fun Shoot Elm Fork Shooting Range (972) 980-9800

June 20-24 Texas Billfish Championship Surfside Marina, Freeport txbillfishchampionship.com

June 22-23 Marco Pena Memorial Fishing Tournament Benefiting Make-A-Wish Foundation Marker 37 Marina, Corpus Christi (210) 542-0970 mpmfishingtournament.com

June 22 Ducks Unlimited 2012 Texas State Convention College Station (210) 414-4858 d ducks.org

July 12 Dallas Woods and Waters Club Monthly Meeting Sheraton Dallas North Hotel (214) 570-8700 dwwcc.org

July 20-22 9th Annual Southeast Texas Great Outdoors Expo Ford Park Exhibit Hall, Beaumont (512) 358-1000 ext. 202 iemshows.com

July 26-29 T Texas Deer Association S Seguin Chapter Sportsmen’s Banquet F Falls City Community Hall ((210) 767-8300 ttexasdeerassociation.com

Port Mansfield Fishing Tournament portmansfieldchamber.org (956) 944-2354

June 23 Bass Champs Tournament North Region #5 Lake Ray Roberts (817) 439-3274 basschamps.com

June 28-July 1 Texas Deer Association TDA Convention — WildLife 2012 JW Marriott Hill Country Resort San Antonio (210) 767-8300 texasdeerassociation.com

July 7 Texas Deer Association Southeast Beaumont Chapter Banquet MCM Elegante Hotel and Conference Center Beaumont (210) 767-8300 texasdeerassociation.com

LONE STAR MARKET

To advertise in this section, call Mike Hughs at (214) 361-2276 or e-mail him at mhughs@lonestaroutdoornews.com.

Puzzle solution from Page 24

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Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 25, 2012

Page 27

Page 28

May 25, 2012

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

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