May 27, 2011 - Lone Star Outdoor News - Fishing & Hunting

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 27, 2011

Page 1

In bags and bulk Protein feed supplementing dry ranges.

Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

May 27, 2011

Page 4

Volume 7, Issue 19

Trout action solid along lower coast

Inside

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS The speckled trout haven’t seemed to notice the high winds along the lower Gulf Coast the past few weeks.

Guides near Port Mansfield and the Upper Laguna Madre reported the trout bite has

been going strong the past few weeks, along with the wind.

“The trout fishing has been excellent,” said Capt. Terry Neal of Terry Neal Charters.

“There are lots of big fish out there right now.”

Neal said he spoke with a friend at the docks near Port Mansfield during a recent tour-

nament and the friend told him he’d never seen so many big trout brought to the dock.

See TROUT ACTION, Page 19 BITE ON: Trout are being caught along the lower coast in large numbers, despite high winds hampering fishermen. Photo by LSON.

❘❚ HUNTING

Hunter-shooter TCU athlete takes expert aim.

Big bass program has critics, supporters

Page 4

Jane Metz is back Acclaimed “gun dog” artist returns to the easel.

Page 5

❘❚ FISHING

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

Panfish palooza Texans are reeling in lots of bluegills and one angler from Katy is canning them.

Pages 8 /11

Snapper Shorter season this year, but Gov. Rick Perry seeks bigger quota.

Page 9

❘❚ CONTENTS Classifieds . . . . . . . .

Crossword . . . . . . . .

Fishing Report . . . . . .

For the Table. . . . . . .

Game Warden Blotter . . .

Heroes. . . . . . . . . .

Outdoor Datebook . . . .

Outfitters and Businesses .

Products . . . . . . . . .

Sun, Moon and Tide data .

Time Sensitive Material • Deliver ASAP

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PLANO, TX PERMIT 210

❘❚ LSONews.com

. . . . . . . . . .

Page 25 Page 24 Page 10 Page 24 Page 12 Page 17 Page 23 Page 25 Page 18 Page 24

SPORT OR FASHION?: Rose Eliz, manager of Lure Salon in Dallas, models the new feathered hair extensions that are consuming feathers used by fly-tiers, like the ones shown (below) by Matt Jones of Dallas’ Tailwaters Fly Fishing Company. Photos by Bill Miller, LSON.

Fashion craze puts pinch on fly-tier feathers

Only four of 19 bass turned into the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s ShareLunker program spawned this season — equaling the number of fish over 13 pounds that died.

Three of the four fish that died were from Falcon Reservoir, a number that has some on the lake wondering just how much the program actually helps the fishing in South Texas.

“One of the biggest issues I have is three out of the six fish turned in this year from Falcon died, and only one was a pure Florida strain bass,” said James Bendele, co-owner of Falcon Lake Tackle. “That has been the trend down here.

“I think it is great publicity and gets more people to fish in Texas, but if the goal is to grow bigger fish, it’s not working.”

Bendele said fish from South Texas spend a lot more time in holding tanks, which contributes to mortality rates.

“These old fish are delicate,” he said.

See CRITICS, Page 19

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Late last year, tackle shop operators in Texas began noticing some new customers — hair stylists and jewelry designers with tattoos, piercings and spiked hair.

But they weren’t looking for the latest rods and reels.

They wanted feathers, and lots of them — the kinds used by fly-tiers.

They’re called “saddle” hackles because they come from a rooster’s back, and they are in hot demand for a new style of feathered hair extensions.

Celebrities Miley Cyrus and Jennifer Love Hewitt have

See FASHION CRAZE, Page 19

CATCH AND CALL?: Some anglers don’t call TPWD to come get their big bass when they catch a fish that qualifies for the ShareLunker program. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

TPWD waiting for Legislature to appropriate money for wildlife projects

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Hunters and anglers who don’t understand why all of the money they spend on Texas Parks and Wildlife Department hunting and fishing licenses doesn’t go

right back into conservation need to speak with Gene McCarty.

McCarty, deputy executive director for administration at TPWD, said that, while confusing, money from hunting stamps and the sale of super combo

licenses is easy to track — and most conservation groups don’t understand the process on how the money is allocated.

“It’s not hard to track at all,” McCarty said. “The Legislature does not appropriate all of the revenue, so

the excess money is held in fund balances. We (TPWD) can’t spend that money until it is allocated by the Legislature.”

McCarty said TPWD polls approximately 5,000 super combo license buyers annually to find out what

species they are hunting or catching.

“We get a reasonable rate of return from those surveys,” he said.

Currently, TPWD receives

See PROJECTS, Page 5

Page 2

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 27, 2011

Page 3

Page 4

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

HUNTING

Springing for supplemental feed Record sales after drought, fires

By Craig Nyhus LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Poor range conditions are a deer’s worst nightmare, and while feed stores enjoy the temporary benefits of sales of supplemental feed following a winter of drought and fires, they, too, pray for rain.

“We’re moving a lot of protein,” said Gabriel Cantu at Mumme’s, Inc. in Pearsall. “Both in bulk and bags of our own brand and other brands.”

Cantu said corn sales are steady, but sales of alfalfa bales and cottonseed hulls also are up.

“The deer are really picky when they eat the alfalfa, though,” he said.

Studies dating back decades revealed that while the alfalfa leaves are beneficial and provide good nutrition, the stems can cause stomach irritation in deer.

However, South Texas has a nutritional benefit that other parts of the state don’t, Cantu said.

“The landowners are telling me the deer are already eating the mesquite beans,” he said. “It’s very good for them.”

Has the price of the different choices been a factor this year?

“They fuss about it,” Cantu said.

“But just like with the cattle, they know the deer need it this year.”

For those who may be hesitant to provide protein through supplemental feed due to the cost, HELPING HAND: To combat drought and habitat loss due to fires, landowners are buying more supplemental feed this year. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON. Purina is promoting its Deer Browse Extender as a lower cost alternative for drought-stressed deer.

“The deer moved away from the fires and congregated in in cost when compared with corn has shrunk considerably, It’s a high-fiber, 15-percent protein pellet with a vitamin making the cost of protein less of a factor. smaller areas,” Eckel said. “Then they eat up all the browse.” and mineral package designed to supplement and extend Eckel has noticed an increase in customers new to supple“Corn is up to $8.50 a bag,” he said. “You can buy probrowse in habitats of free-ranging deer and other herbivores. tein for $9.90 a bag and you’re getting 20-percent protein mental feeding.

“And the price is barely more than a bag of corn, maybe instead of eight.”

“At hunting leases where they normally just feed corn 15 to 25 cents,” said Lance Coté at the Mumme’s home store Eckel said the landowners and leaseholders are stepping leading up to and during the season, they are buying proin Hondo. tein to try to help the deer survive,” he said. up out of necessity.

Cantu said supplemental feed sales have hit all-time While sales of protein and cattle feed are off the chart, both “They’re trying to keep the deer alive,” he said. “There’s highs each month this year. not much brush out here for browse — the frost got it twice.” Eckel and Coté said they would much rather see it rain.

Gerald Eckel at Lyssey & Eckel, with stores in Poth, George “When ranchers have to sell off their cattle, we all lose,” And the fires in West Texas have made it more important West and Hondo, said sales are way up, and the difference to feed.

Coté said.

Shooting skills put to good use by TCU athlete, hunter

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

TROPHY: Sarah Beard, a junior at Texas Christian University, shows off her first buck, an eight-point whitetail. Her shooting skills are being put to use as she competes for the TCU women’s rifle team. Photo by Beard family.

An eight-point whitetail inspired Sarah Beard to change the colors in her room.

The rich coat of the shoulder mount, made from her first buck, clashed with the lime green walls.

“A guy probably wouldn’t have lime green walls to begin with,” said Sarah, a student at Texas Christian University. “But I changed mine to a medium green and beige.”

Now the walls complement the trophy mount, and she has added a turkey fan and a goose.

But there are other awards to display.

Sarah, 20, is a key member of TCU’s top-ranking women’s rifle team.

The Horned Frogs were undefeated this season

STEADY AIM: Competitive shooting challenges an athlete to constantly think, like in a hunting situation, said TCU student Sarah Beard. She does both. Photo

by USA Shooting.

under the guidance of Coach Karen Monez, and they finished third at the NCAA Rifle Championships.

Sarah, from Danville, Ind., is one of four members of the team who were named AllAmericans at the end of the championships.

It was her second year to receive that honor; she also was named an Academic AllAmerican this year.

Sarah, who shoots small-bore and air rifles, credits her dad, William Beard, for introducing her to shooting sports. He was a member of the U.S. men’s rifle team at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

He also immersed his family in the outdoors. She has two brothers, Christopher and Stephen, and her mother, Karen, is a physician specializSee TCU SHOOTER, Page 6

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Metz back at the easel Acclaimed sporting dog artist painting again

CLASSIC: Jane Metz’s painting style reflects classic old-world scenes of sporting dogs. Photo by Jane Metz.

By Tony Dolle FOR LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Jane Metz had found an artistic niche.

Her lifelong passion for sporting dogs, especially pointing dogs, inspired a painting technique that evokes the classic, oldworld style.

The work of this Fort JANE METZ Worth-area artist has appeared on just about every major gundog magazine cover in the U.S. and in major galleries in New York, Dallas, Atlanta and Denver.

She has even painted former President George W. Bush’s Scottish terrier, Barney.

But a three-year absence from working — she was caring for an ailing father — nearly forced her out of the business.

“He was the biggest supporter of my decision to follow my art and see where it could take me,” she said. “His death took me away from this full-time and set me back a bit.”

Sporting dog breeders might be exempt from ‘Puppy Mill’ bill The controversial “Puppy Mill” bill cleared the Texas Senate during the final week of the Legislature, with amendments aimed at placating sporting dog breeders who felt they were needlessly targeted by the law.

Exemptions approved by the Senate would cover dogs bred for pointing, flushing, retrieving, tracking or competing in field or show trials. Livestock dogs and racing dogs would also be exempt.

The new law is meant to crack down on squalid conditions at puppy mills.

The Senate voted 22-9 on May 23 to approve the bill with an amendment that would exempt breeders of hunting dogs.

However, the bill, according to protocol, was sent back to the House which would either approve or deny amendments.

Officials with the Ohio-based U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, which vigorously opposed the bill, said they would wait to see what emerges from the House before declaring victory.

Final votes had not yet been taken by press time.

—Bill Miller The Texas Legislature is scheduled to adjourn Monday, May 30. Check www.lsonews.com for updates.

Earlier this year she got back to the basics and reacquainted herself with her passion.

A friend invited her to an event at the National Bird Dog Museum in Grand Junction, Tenn., and she eagerly accepted.

Hall of Fame members greeted her like she was one of them. In a way, she is. A hunter, dog breeder, trainer and even a top-ranked national show-ring handler, Metz knows dogs.

“I’ve really missed this,” she said, shaking hands with and getting hugs from handlers and dog owners from around the country.

“Being away from this has been hard.”

But with all the attention, this Kansas native (she’s a graduate of Kansas State University) is just about as down-to-earth as they come.

Besides, she said with a laugh, “My mother wouldn’t allow me to be stuck-up.”

Metz never took an art class in high school or college.

“My art is just a reflection of my experiences with sporting dogs throughout my life,” she explained. “As a former breeder and trainer, I know what makes them tick and I know what a good dog looks like.

“I love the classic, old-world poses and my art reflects that.”

Projects Continued From Page 1

estimated revenue of $3.1 million annually from the migratory game bird stamp, but only has appropriated expenditures of $2.5 million.

The remaining $600,000 goes into a fund balance. Along with the upland game bird stamp and other license sales, the total fund balance is around $14 million.

Upland game bird hunters are actively lobbying for the release of that $14 million in unused funds they say should go directly into conservation.

McCarty said the state uses the excess funds to help balance the state budget, although the money can only be allocated to TPWD’s wildlife division for conservation, habitat projects and research.

“All of our dedicated accounts have fund balances in them,” McCarty said. “Fund 9, the game, fish and water safety account, has a fairly significant balance as a whole. Total appropriations are less than the revenue, so we build fund balances.”

The excess balance from freshwater fishing currently is about $700,000, while the saltwater fund has more than $4.5 million, McCarty said.

The state counts those dollars in other areas to balance the budget, but can’t really touch the money. Some would call that fuzzy math.

“The value of the money is used,” McCarty said, “not the money itself. It’s like overdraft protection for a checking account. It’s very confusing and arcane.

“We absolutely expect to use that money (for conservation projects) once the state comes out of this budget crisis. We will be making requests to the Legislature to spend that money.”

May 27, 2011

Page 5

Page 6

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

Neophytes to seasoned sportsmen Inspired by neighbors, Dallas men master hunting

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Jay Johnson and Robert Shive grew up in different parts of the country, but they had this in common: neither hunted as kids.

They settled in the same East Dallas neighborhood — Jay is a lawyer and Robert works in real estate — but lifelong hunters surrounded them.

The stories told to them were enthralling.

“Hunting,” said Jay, “just feels like a Texas thing to do, like buying a pair of boots or eating a jalapeño. And these guys did all that.

“They wore the boots. They opened doors for women and they went hunting.

“I wanted to be part of that, too.”

Robert grew up in the Rio Grande Valley before getting a degree in accounting from Texas A&M University.

His family camped and fished, although they never hunted.

“But,” he added, “I always wondered about it.”

As a kid, Jay lived in several states and Washington, D.C. He graduated from the Naval Academy; after a stint in the service, he earned a law degree at the University of Oklahoma, then settled in Dallas.

In 2002, a member of his law firm invited him to hunt deer in Concho County.

Jay said he “jumped all over it” because it was a chance to learn some skills before hunting with his neighbors. That way, he explained, “I wouldn’t look like an idiot in front of them.”

Jay downed a doe on that trip, but he was hooked, so he arranged a return visit a few weeks later.

“Right before dark a big old four-point buck came out, so I got ready to shoot,” Jay said. “Then there was a six-point buck and

then an even bigger eight-point buck. I got the jitters, the whole works.”

But his shot was true on the biggest deer.

“Of course I had him mounted,” Jay said. “He turned out to be a pretty decent buck for my first one.”

Robert had a similar introduction 10 years ago. He was invited to hunt in San Saba County, and he, too, shot a doe. With him was his son, Gentry, who was 5 then.

“Sitting in that deer blind with my 5-year-old son was the coolest thing I’d ever done,” Robert said. NOVICES NO MORE: Jay Johnson (above) and Robert Shive (below) Jay and Robert together lease learned to hunt as adults after becoming enthralled with stories from lifelong hunters in their Dallas neighborhood. Photos by Robert Shive.

another ranch in San Saba County, and they’re no longer neophytes.

They speak with authority about proper buck-doe ratios, supplemental feeding and rattling during the rut.

And they’re sharing the experiences with their kids. Jay purchased lifetime hunting licenses for himself and his 15-year-old son, Brooks.

Robert’s son, Gentry, now 15, also hunts, as does 11-year-old son, Landry.

Even daughter Jordan, 16, likes to go to the lease.

“She’ll sit in the blind all day and read a book and not complain once,” Robert said. “But now she thinks she wants to do the hunting, so this is going to be her year.

“I cherish the time with the kids.”

TCU shooter Continued From Page 4

ing in family medicine.

“We grew up hunting everything: squirrels, ducks, dove, geese and deer,” she said. “Just yesterday I went out turkey hunting with my dad.

“We didn’t get anything, but it was really fun.”

Sarah became interested in shooting sports while watching her dad organize his gear. Then she went to one of his matches and thought that she’d like to try it.

She won the Indiana state championship at age 13 and, six years later, she was shooting for the Frogs. In her freshman year, she helped TCU win the national championship.

Sarah is studying biology and Spanish at the campus in Fort Worth, and is considering a career in wildlife management. Later this summer, she will compete at the World Cup Championship in Munich, Germany.

And following her dad to an Olympic team has crossed her mind.

But with such a hectic schedule, there is little time for the outdoors, although she hopes she’ll be able to accept some of the invitations to hunt with new friends from Texas.

Not all of her teammates hunt, but, she said, the two pursuits benefit each other.

“Shooting, they say, is 99 percent mental,” Sarah said. “You have to train hard and train smart.

“You’re always thinking, and I’d say hunting is the same way. The setup, the wind — you’re always thinking, how can I improve my situation and improve my chances at getting something?”

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 27, 2011

Page 7

Page 8

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

FISHING

Angler savors canned panfish

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Donald C. Puckett tends to gross out his coworkers when he tops a saltine with the bluegills that he crammed into a glass jar a year ago.

Maybe it’s because the whole idea of “canned” fish reminds them of a school science project preserved in formaldehyde.

But, Puckett, DONALD C. PUCKETT or “Puck” to his fishing buddies, proudly says that the same people devour his fish croquettes.

Then they’re surprised to learn that he substituted salmon with the canned bluegills that he caught months ago with his grandkids.

The angler from Katy said his fish are no different from grocery store salmon that is packaged in cans or pouches.

Actually, he asserts, they’re better.

“I like the taste of bluegills made into patties or fish loaves,” he said.

“It’s local, it’s fresh and you know what’s in it.

“And if you harvest them with a couple kids, it’s a lot of fun.”

Puck retired several years ago from the Army as a sergeant first class. Now

he’s an engineer in training, helping to troubleshoot design issues at a new refinery being built near Port Arthur.

He swears off commercial TV, which gives him plenty of time to pursue his interests: cooking, baking, fly-fishing, fly-tying and, yes, canning — the method of preserving food in airtight containers.

First, Puck dabbled with “pickled” fish in his hometown of Park River, N.D. He grew up thinking freshwater drum were trash fish, until he met “an old Norwegian gentleman who taught me how to pickle them.”

He enjoyed the delicacy, but there was one drawback to the preserving method.

“Pickled fish only lasts for a few months,” he said. “If you put them in the fridge, and if you didn’t eat them fast enough, they’d turn to mush.”

Later, while stationed in Germany, he started practicing the canning method he uses today.

Puck avoids using oily fish like Spanish mackerel because they leave a fishy taste.

Instead, he prefers small bluegills because they fit best in the canning jars. But, he added, any lean fish, like crappie, work well, although they might have to be cut up to fit into the jars.

But first, he has to catch the fish.

“They should be only about three fingers wide,” he said of the bluegills.

CRACKER TOPPER: Small panfish make great fodder for canning, says angler Donald “Puck” Puckett of Katy. He uses the bluegills to make fish croquettes, but he also likes to snack on them with crackers. Photo by Donald Puckett.

“Who catches the most of them? My grandkids!

“For them it’s all about fun.”

The bluegill squad, armed with cane poles, includes his grandson, 6, a granddaughter, 4, and a 9-year-old “neighbor kid I borrow.”

“I have a guy who has a pond and he says take out all you want of those little cheaters,” Puck said. “We’re able to leave the ones that are going to breed for you — the big bulls and the big females — and we’re taking out the little runts.

“We quit when the kids get bored.

That can be anywhere between 30 minutes and two hours.

“The whole time, all I’m doing is baiting the hooks and taking the fish off.”

Next, Puck removes the heads, guts and scales. He then slips the fish into the containers.

He uses wide-mouth pint jars, straight, with no shoulders on the side, made by Ball or Mason — just like the ones grandma used.

“I cram each jar with as many fish

as possible — no water, no oil — with a touch of black pepper and touch of salt.”

He closes the jars and puts them in a large canning machine, about seven at a time. The device applies pressured steam that radiates 250-degree heat through the jars, killing bacteria.

“The fish is completely cooked,” Puck said. “The bones are completely dissolved. And if you left a scale or two in there, they’re gone, too.”

Canned fish, he added, “can last for years” on a pantry shelf.

Legislators vote to legalize noodling in Texas

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Texans who wish to stick their hands into dark, murky water and wait for a big catfish to latch onto them became a happy bunch in the final days of the Texas Legislature.

Often called noodling or grappling, hand fishing for catfish is popular in other states such as Oklahoma and Louisiana. But in Texas it had been a class C misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine — until now.

The so-called “noodling bill” that would legalize hand fishing passed May 19 in the Texas Senate.

“Most people didn’t know it was against the law,” said Houston-area Rep. Gary Elkins, author of the bill.

“Initially there was opposition with Texas Parks and Wildlife, but we worked it to allow them to write the rules, including creating a season.

“We also gave them authority to create a stamp and charge a fee and put a bag limit on it.”

Some recreational anglers and guides worry the new law could deplete the bigger fish, something Elkins doesn’t think will happen.

“The number of people really doing this is pretty small,” he said. “ I am a fisherman and I’m not going to do this.”

The bill passed the Texas house almost unanimously on May 3.

According to Ken Kurzawski, regulations and information director for TPWD, the bill will become law as soon as Gov. Rick Perry signs it.

“Right now, (noodling) will go under normal recreational bag limits,” Kurzawski said. “We’ll consider additional restrictions if we feel a need, but that would have to go through the normal regulations process.”

Kurzawski said the only concern he had would be for older, breeding flathead catfish in rivers where the bigger fish could be targeted by noodlers.

“It could have localized impacts, but I’m not sure how we would get accurate data on that,” he said.

The Texas Legislature is scheduled to adjourn Monday, May 30.

Be checking www.lsonews.com for up-to-date reports on bills related to Texas outdoors.

Catfish easy to handle, easy to clean

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Longtime catfish guide Jackie Kennedy knows what it’s like to have your hand torn up by a large catfish.

“It feels like a belt sander,” he said. “I had a 30-pound fish grab my thumb and twist one-and-a-half times, and I squealed like a little girl.”

Kennedy said there are several things he does to ensure safe handling of catfish — both for the fish and his clients.

“If I’m going to keep the fish, I put it in a cooler with

New law passed to foil tournament fraud

ice immediately,” he said. “It slows their metabolism and makes them much easier to handle at the dock. It also tends to draw the blood into their organs, and he’ll have less blood near his skin.

“It is easier for me to clean and makes the meat taste better in my opinion.”

To pick the smaller fish up, many guides grab the leader and then grab the top of the fish with their two fingers with the thumb underneath the fin.

See CATFISH, Page 14

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Cheating at fishing tournaments with high-dollar prizes can bring felony charges with the passage of a new bill in the Texas Legislature.

The bill outlaws fraud at

SAFE HANDLING: Many anglers use the side of the boat to help secure smaller catfish. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

fishing tournaments, either on Texas lakes or the Gulf Coast.

Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Van, authored the bill.

“You can lie about the size of your fish to me, but not at a tournament,” Flynn said.

“It’s like anything else —

some people will always be trying to figure out how to beat the system instead of playing the game fair.”

Flynn agreed to work on the bill after game wardens and state prosecutors told him about an October 2009 fish-fraud incident on Lake

Ray Hubbard, which made national headlines.

Robby Rose, a semi-pro angler, fishing in the Bud Light Trail’s First Annual Big Bass Tournament, admitted

See NEW LAW, Page 14

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Shorter snapper season this year

By Conor Harrison LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Despite large numbers of red snapper in Texas’ Gulf Coast waters, according to area guides, the season this year has been set at 48 days — the shortest season since limits were placed on the snapper fishery.

The 2011 season begins June 1 and ends July 18 in federally controlled waters, meaning anything outside of nine miles from the Texas coast.

The National Marine Fisheries Service set the 2011 quota at 7.185 million pounds — up from 6.954 million pounds a year ago.

Recreational angler’s allotment came to 3.525 million pounds.

The same limits for recreational anglers remain in place from last year — two snapper per day per person with a 16-inch minimum.

The reason given for the shorter window to catch snapper is that the average weight of the snapper being brought to the docks is up the past several years, presumably as anglers cull smaller fish with a two-fish limit.

Texas anglers used Internet message

boards to express outrage over the shortened seasons, calling the new regulations “ridiculous” and “an overreach of a government agency.”

Gov. Rick Perry sent a letter to Dr. Robert Shipp, chairman of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, on April 13, requesting that last year’s uncaught quota be added to this year’s harvest. He joined Governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Rick Scott of Florida in the effort.

A decision on that request had not yet been made by press time.

“As you know, the 2010 recreational harvest season for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico was dramatically impacted by the Deepwater Horizon tragedy and the ensuing closure of fisheries in certain portions of the Gulf of Mexico,” Perry wrote. “Some estimates show over one million pounds of red snapper, or almost a third of the 2010 recreational quota, was not harvested.

“Adding this amount to the 2011 quota will supply much needed economic opportunities to our recreational fishermen and tourism industry along the Gulf Coast.”

CATCH THEM QUICK: A shorter red snapper season, 48 days, means anglers have fewer opportunities to catch the fish this year. The season runs from June 1-July 18 in federal waters. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON.

May 27, 2011

Page 9

Page 10

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

TEXAS FISHING REPORT Sponsored by

HOT BITES LARGEMOUTH BASS

BRIDGEPORT: Good on crankbaits and Texas-rigged worms.

CONROE: Good on green pumpkin Carolina-rigged soft plastics, spinnerbaits and crankbaits.

FORK: Good on bladed jigs, Texas rigs with and watermelon/green pumpkin jigs.

GRANBURY: Good on pumpkinseed soft plastics, crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Good on Texas rigs, top-waters and jigs.

TRAVIS: Excellent on silver top-waters, watermelon Brush Hogs, and white grubs in 5–10 feet.

WHITE, HYBRID, STRIPER

ALAN HENRY: Water lightly stained; 65– 69 degrees; 3.04’ low. Largemouth bass are good on white spinnerbaits, Texas rigs and shallow-running crankbaits.

Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.

Catfish are good on live bait.

AMISTAD: Water clear; 74–77 degrees; 0.29’ high. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on large top-waters. White bass are fair on live minnows, jigging spoons, and small white crankbaits. Crappie are slow. Catfish are good on cheesebait, shrimp, and nightcrawlers in 6–15 feet.

Yellow catfish are very good on trotlines and droplines baited with live perch.

ATHENS: Water lightly stained; 66–72 degrees; 1.12’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas-rigged craws, jigs and shallow crankbaits. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

CEDAR CREEK: White bass are good throughout the day on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on live shad.

LIVINGSTON: Striped bass are good on crankbaits. White bass are good on pet spoons, slabs and troll tubes.

SOMERVILLE: White bass are good on minnows and pet spoons.

CATFISH

AMISTAD: Yellow catfish are very good on trotlines and droplines baited with live perch.

CALAVERAS: Channel catfish are excellent on liver, shrimp, cheesebait and shad.

TAWAKONI: Excellent in 3–6 feet on cut bait and fresh shad.

CRAPPIE ALAN HENRY: Good on minnows and jigs.

COLETO CREEK: Good on minnows and green tube jigs.

LBJ: Good on minnows and crappie jigs over brush piles in 10–20 feet.

WHITNEY: Good on minnows.

and Texas-rigged soft plastic worms and lizards. Crappie are fair on minnow-tipped jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on punchbait and stinkbait. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live perch.

COLETO CREEK: Water fairly clear; 1.52’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and Rat–L– Traps in 8–15 feet. Crappie are good on minnows and green tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are fair on perch and shrimp. Yellow catfish are fair on trotlines baited with live perch in 12–20 feet.

slabs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs around bridge columns. Catfish are good on cut shad and nightcrawlers.

LBJ: Water fairly clear; 66–69 degrees; 0.16’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters, watermelon flukes, and green pumpkin tubes along flats in 5–12 feet. White bass are fair on Shad Raps and Tiny Traps. Crappie are good on minnows and crappie jigs over brush piles in 10–20 feet. Channel catfish are good on live bait and doughbait. Yellow and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait.

HOT SPOT

BASTROP: Water clear; 73–75 degrees. Largemouth bass are fair on minnows and pumpkinseed soft plastics. Crappie are good on minnows and blue tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are very good on live bait, frozen shrimp and stinkbait.

BELTON: Water clear; 70–72 degrees; 3.47’ low. Largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits in coves early and late.

Hybrid striper are fair on live shad.

Crappie are good on minnows and light-colored jigs under lights at night.

Channel and blue catfish are good on stinkbait, doughbait and hot dogs.

BOB SANDLIN: Water stained; 68–74 degrees; 3.66’ low Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, jigs and shallow crankbaits. Crappie are good on live minnows. White bass are fair on slabs and Little Georges. Catfish are fair to good on trotlines or juglines.

BRAUNIG: Water clear. Largemouth bass are fair on minnows. Striped bass are good on liver and perch, and down-rigging spoons near the dam and jetty. Channel and blue catfish are very good on shrimp, cheesebait and cut bait.

BRAUNIG: Striped bass are good on liver and perch, and down-rigging spoons near the dam and jetty.

good on prepared bait and chartreuse nightcrawlers.

BRIDGEPORT: Water lightly stained; 66–72 degrees; 5.17’ low; Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits and Texas-rigged worms. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on slabs and live shad. Hybrid striper are fair on live bait. Channel catfish are good on cut and prepared bait on shallow flats.

BROWNWOOD: Water clear; 11.14’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on watermelon spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Rat–L–Traps.

White bass are good on Rat–L–Traps, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Crappie are good on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and jigs over brush piles. Channel catfish are good over baited holes.

BUCHANAN: Water clear; 68–72 degrees; 10.95’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shad-colored lipless cranbiats, white spinnerbaits, and weightless wackyrigged watermelon worms in creeks and pockets in 5–15 feet. Striped bass are fair. Channel catfish are good on live bait and cut bait. Yellow and blue catfish are good on juglines and trotlines.

CALAVERAS: Water clear. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon soft plastic worms and crankbaits over reed beds. Striped bass are fair on chartreuse spoons and striper jigs near the dam. Channel catfish are excellent on liver, shrimp, cheesebait and shad. Blue catfish are good on cut bait and liver near 181 Cove and the railroad bridge.

CANYON LAKE: Water clear; 68–71 degrees; 3.25’ low. Largemouth bass are good on top-waters and flukes in feeder creeks, and on blue/chartreuse Baby Brush Hogs along deep flats in 10–20 feet. Crappie are fair on jigs and live minnows around submerged brush piles.

Channel catfish are fair on stinkbait and shrimp. Yellow and blue catfish are fair on juglines and trotlines in creeks.

CEDAR CREEK: Water stained; 66–74 degrees; 3.17’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs and shallow crankbaits. White bass are good throughout the day on slabs. Hybrid striper are good on live shad.

CHOKE CANYON: Water clear; 70–73 degrees; 7.33’ low. Largemouth bass are good on watermelon spinnerbaits

Falcon Reservoir According to area guides, Falcon is fishing better than it has in years. Large numbers of bass are being caught on crankbaits and Carolina-rigged plastics. Many guides aren’t even taking pictures of fish less than 7 pounds on outings with clients because anglers are catching so many 7-plus pound fish. The lake’s temperature is fluctuating between 78 and 82 degrees. Photo by David J. Sams, LSON. CONROE: Water fairly clear; 68–71 degrees; 2.28’ low. Largemouth bass are good on green pumpkin Carolinarigged soft plastics, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Crappie are fair on minnows and green tube jigs. Catfish are good on stinkbait, liver and cheesebait.

COOPER: Water stained; 66–72 degrees; 6.29’ low; Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and Texas rigs. Crappie are good on minnows with movement towards the shallows. White bass are good on slabs. Hybrid striper are fair to good on live shad. Catfish are good on prepared bait.

FAYETTE: Water clear. Largemouth bass are good on shad-colored crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Carolina-rigged soft plastic worms along the outside edges of grass. Channel and blue catfish are fair on shrimp and doughbait.

FORK: Water fairly clear; 68–76 degrees; 3.47’ low. Largemouth bass are good on bladed jigs, Texas rigs and watermelon/ green pumpkin jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad and prepared bait.

GRANBURY: Water clear; 68–71 degrees; 0.43’ low. Largemouth bass are good on pumpkinseed soft plastics, crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

Striped bass are fair on minnows and chartreuse striper jigs. White bass are fair on minnows and chartreuse spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and green tube jigs. Catfish are good on stinkbait, shrimp and liver.

JOE POOL: Water off-color; 66–72 degrees; 0.09’ high. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are fair to good on nightcrawlers and prepared baits.

LAKE O’ THE PINES: Water stained; 66–74 degrees; 0.21’ high.

Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, top-waters and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good on cut shad..

LAVON: Water stained; 66–74 degrees; 3.36’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, top-waters and shallow crankbaits. White bass are good on

LEWISVILLE: Water stained; 68–74 degrees; 0.32’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, worms and Texasrigged craws. White bass are good on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared bait and chartreuse nightcrawlers.

LIVINGSTON: Water fairly clear; 70–73 degrees; 0.27’ high. Largemouth bass are good on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and soft plastics. Striped bass are good on crankbaits. White bass are good on pet spoons, slabs and troll tubes. Crappie are fair on minnows.

Blue catfish are excellent on shad.

Yellow catfish are fair on live bait.

MACKENZIE: Water stained; 69–71 degrees; 79.58’ low. Largemouth bass are good on minnows and red/ gold Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on live bait. Smallmouth bass are fair on live bait and white spinnerbaits. Walleye are good on minnows. Catfish are good on prepared baits and cut liver.

MEREDITH: Water fairly clear; 67–71 degrees; 90.01’ low. Largemouth bass are good on minnows, watermelon pepper soft plastics, jigs and white/ blue spinnerbaits around rocky points with some top-water action along grass lines. Crappie are good on jigs and minnows. White bass are good on live bait and Little Georges.

Smallmouth bass are good on live bait and white/black crankbaits. Walleye are good on live bait along north end.

Channel catfish are good on live bait.

O.H. IVIE: Water stained; 66–70 degrees; 29.32’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shad-pattern crankbaits, chatterbaits and watermelon red soft plastics, with limited early morning top-water action. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are good on live bait. Channel catfish are good on cut bait.

PALESTINE: Water lightly stained; 66–72 degrees; 1.83’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on shallow crankbaits, Texas rigs and jigs. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs.

Hybrid striper are fair on slabs and live shad. White bass are fair to good on slabs and minnows. Catfish are

POSSUM KINGDOM: Water stained; 65– 71 degrees; 2.27’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, jigs and Rat–L–Traps. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. White bass are fair to good on Little Georges and slabs.

Striped bass are fair to good on live shad. Catfish are fair to good on cut shad and live bait.

RAY HUBBARD: Water fairly clear; 66– 73 degrees; 1.23’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, jigs top-waters and swimjigs. Crappie are fair on minnows and Road Runners.

White bass are fair on slabs. Catfish are good on prepared baits.

RAY ROBERTS: Water clear; 68–71 degrees; 1.27’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shad-pattern Zara Spooks early, 12” worms in Sooner Run or Jalapeno and Carolina-rigged french fries along secondary points and around standing timber in 8–15 feet. Crappie are very good on pumpkinseed/chartreuse Slab Slayers over brush piles in 20–25 feet.

White bass are excellent on Rat–L–Traps over shallow humps and across windy points (watch for the Herons lined up on the bank early). Catfish are good over baited holes in shallow water.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS: Water offcolor; 68–74 degrees; 2.77’ low.

Largemouth bass are good on Texas rigs, crankbaits and top-waters. White bass are fair on slabs and live shad.

Hybrid striper are fair on slabs and live shad. Crappie are fair on minnows and jigs. Catfish are fair on prepared bait and nightcrawlers.

SAM RAYBURN: Water lightly stained; 68–71 degrees; 8.53’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on chartreuse Senkos, lizards and Brush Hogs. White bass are fair on jigging spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and tube jigs in shallow areas.

Bream are good on nightcrawlers and crickets. Catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait.

SOMERVILLE: Water murky; 70–73 degrees; 3.35’ low. Largemouth bass are fair on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and lipless crankbaits. White bass are good on minnows and pet spoons. Crappie are fair on minnows and blue tube jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on shrimp.

TAWAKONI: Water lightly stained; 68–74 degrees; 2.95’ low. Largemouth bass are good on shallow-running crankbaits, swimjigs and top-waters. Crappie are good on 1/16 oz. jigheads with Tiny Assassins in and around docks. White bass are fair in the upper end of the lake on chartreuse grubs on a 1/4 oz. jighead (spawn has begun). Striped bass and hybrid striper are good in 8–15 feet on slow-rolled 4” Sassy Shad on a 3/4 oz. jighead. Catfish are excellent in 3–6 feet on cut bait and fresh shad.

TEXOMA: Water off-color; 68–74 degrees; 2.90’ low. Largemouth bass are good on crankbaits, Texas rigs and top-waters.

Crappie are fair to good on minnows and jigs. Striped bass are good on live shad and large Road Runners. Catfish are good on cut and live shad.

TOLEDO BEND: Water stained; 69–72 degrees; 8.09’ low. Largemouth bass are good on chartreuse crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics. White bass are fair on silver spoons and slabs in the river. Crappie are good on minnows and chartreuse jigs. Channel and blue catfish are good on trotlines baited with live bait, cut bait, and shrimp.

TRAVIS: Water stained; 68–71 degrees; 28.22’ low. Largemouth bass are excellent on silver top-waters, watermelon Brush Hogs, and white grubs in 5–10 feet. White bass are fair on silver jigging spoons and blue/white jigs in 5–15 feet.

WHITNEY: Water stained; 69–72 degrees; 9.99’ low. Striped bass are fair on minnows and green striper jigs. White bass are fair on minnows and small spinnerbaits. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are good on shrimp and cheesebait.

SALTWATER SCENE NORTH SABINE: Trout are fair to good on the Louisiana shoreline on top-waters and Corkies. Redfish are good in the marsh and the Louisiana shoreline on live bait.

SOUTH SABINE: Sheepshead and black drum are good at the jetty on live shrimp.

Trout are fair to good around slicks and pods of shad.

BOLIVAR: Trout are fair to good on the south shoreline on soft plastics. Black drum, sand trout and redfish are good at Rollover Pass.

TRINITY BAY: Trout are good for drifters working pods of shad and mullet on soft plastics. Waders have taken better trout on the shell along the east shoreline.

EAST GALVESTON BAY: Trout are good on the south shoreline on Catch 5s, MirrOlures and Catch 2000s. Whiting and sand trout are good on the edge of the Intracoastal on fresh shrimp.

WEST GALVESTON BAY: Sheepshead, k drum are good at the jetty redfish and black on shrimp and crabs. Sand trout are good in the ICW on fresh shrimp.

TEXAS CITY: Trout are fair to good on Dollar Reef on live shrimp and croakers.

Redfish are fair to good 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 fair to 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.

WEST MATAGORDA BAY: Redfish are fair to good on the edge of mp and d crabs. b Trout T t are Oyster Lake on shrimp ft plastics l ti and d lilive fair on shell and grass on soft shrimp. Redfish are fair to good at Shell Island on shrimp.

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 good on the reefs in San Antonio Bay on shrimp and croakers.

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.

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 plastics and live shrimp. Redfish are good in the potholess on shrimp.

BAFFIN BAY: Trout are fair to good in the sand and grass guts 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 small top-waters..

PORT MANSFIELD: Trout are good on top-waters and plastics under popping corks around sand and grass. Redfish are fair to good while drifting pot holes and while anchored with natural baits at East Cut. SOUTH PADRE: Trout are good around the spoil islands, channel edges and color h i and d lilive shrimp. hi changes on DOA Shrimp Redfish are fair while drifting sand and grass on 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 and plastics.

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Panfish fun for all

By Nicholas Conklin LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Most anglers can remember their first outings, usually with Zebco reels, bobbers and hooks baited with night crawlers.

While these techniques have proven effective for decades, many panfish anglers around the state have turned to slightly more advanced ways to fill their livewells with dinner.

But Robert Abel of San Antonio said that you don’t have to change very much to catch good numbers of bluegill, redears and sunfish.

Fishing mostly on Live Oak Lake, 12 miles southeast of Goliad, Abel said that he has found success the past two months throwing live bait under a float.

“They have got some amazingly sized panfish in that Live Oak Lake, typically anywhere from 5 inches up to 9 inches,” Abel said.

Abel suggested bank fishing because he has caught more fish near the creek channels that empty into the lake.

He explained that boats are prohibited on the lake, so anglers should focus on the creeks that flow into the main body.

He has also used artificial baits (minnows and grubs) to catch a variety of panfish.

Abel also reported good catches of bluegill, using similar methods, during a recent trip to Lake McQueeney near Seguin.

Floats and bobbers are also effective when fishing for redear, which tend to stay close to the bottoms searching for food, so it is important to keep bait at a consistent depth.

Fly anglers can also get in on the action,

said Dusty Abney, who reported success on Lake Athens.

“Athens is a really good bream lake,” Abney said. “It’s often overlooked and seen predominately as a bass lake. But most people have too big of an ego to fish for bream.

“I guess that’s better for me.”

He uses patterns for hand-tied flies, similar to that of the KDM rat.

He has modified the fly with skirt material from a spinnerbait.

Abney said that most patterns he ties utilize the rubber from spinner bait skirts because it provides a unique pulse and swimming action.

Although catching a variety of fish on the modified KDM, he has also had success with size 6 to 8 wooly bugger patterns.

Also tied with the rubber material instead of marabou, the bigger hooks help separate the bigger panfish from the smaller ones, Abney found.

Most of the fish in Athens were caught between 5 to 7 feet on the outside of weed edges. The modified frog pattern has also proven very productive in and around the lily pads in the lake.

Anglers have also reported good numbers of bluegill and sunfish on Cibolo Creek in South Central Texas while fishing with curly tail jigs and artificial grub baits.

Jigs in the 1/16-to-1/32-ounce range in yellow or red have been most effective. Because of the large clumps of moss and weeds on the creek, using a float has helped anglers keep their baits in ideal positions, away from the thick vegetation.

Pond options: steps can be taken when a plant becomes a weed

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS Question: When does a plant become a weed?

Answer: Just as soon as it creates a problem.

So said Trent Lewis, a consultant who helps landowners improve their bass ponds.

But Lewis, who operates Prosperbased Pond Medics, was not being flippant with his answer.

Most plants help provide habitat for bass, but too much of anything can be bad, be it water lilies, chara or coontail, to name a few.

“We don’t like to see anything that is 30 percent coverage on the pond,” he said. “If you have too much, bass can’t find forage fish.”

Worse yet, an overabundance of plants can deplete oxygen in the water, resulting in a fish kill.

When weeds increase, sediment accumulates, water levels shrink and the pond disappears.

“If you’re not able to fish the pond, even though it’s a beautiful plant, you need to control the plant,” Lewis said.

Basically, there are three options: mechanical, or physically removing plants with devices like rakes; biological, by introducing species like grass carp or Mozambique tilapia; and chemical herbicides.

LOTS OF LOTUS: Andy McSwain of Waco applies chemicals supplied by Lochow Ranch to control an outbreak of American lotus Lewis said that carefully applied on his McLennan County pond. Photo by LSON. herbicides are very effective because they are not as labor intensive as raking.

Also, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department requires landowners to go through a permitting process to stock grass carp.

But herbicides also require special attention.

“First, identify the plant properly,” he said. “There are a lot of plants that look similar, but they are different.”

For example, coontail, a multi-leafed plant, and chara look similar, but chara is a form of alga, Lewis said.

See POND OPTIONS, Page 14

May 27, 2011

Page 11

Page 12

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

GAME WARDEN BLOTTER MEN CAUGHT USING PICKUP TO KILL DEER A caller reported to Eastland County Game Warden Lee Dycus that two deer had been intentionally run over with a truck and the suspects had the meat in a cooler. Dycus contacted Brown County Game Warden Travis Allen and Kimble County Game Warden Lee Morrison. Allen and Morrison made contact with the driver of the pickup, who was reluctant to tell the story, but when confronted with the report, confessed. The driver stated that he and another subject had run over two deer and that the meat was at a third subject’s house. The deer was retrieved, but the meat was not kept in edible condition. Cases pending, including restitution on the two deer.

TOO SMALL TO BE A MOUNTAIN LION Freestone County Game Warden Craig Hernandez received a call from the sheriff's department about a mountain lion bedded down behind a landowner’s house. Hernandez responded to the call within minutes, and after a search of the area was able to obtain a confirmed sighting of a 12-pound calico house cat.

SQUATTERS AT A DEER CAMP ARRESTED Acting on a tip, Shelby County Game Wardens Mike Hanson and Randy Button arrested three subjects at the scene after they apparently broke into a camp house in a hunting lease and began living there. Charges are pending for the suspects’ unauthorized entry into both the deer lease and the camp house — an investigation continues into three other camp house break-ins on the same lease.

MAN DIES IN BOAT WHILE FISHING Bell County Game Warden Billy Champlin responded to a call on Stillhouse Hollow Lake, where a boat was floating with a deceased man

VANDALS DAMAGE PROPERTY, RUN OVER FIVE DEER Menard County Game Warden Clint Graham received a call from the Menard County Sheriff's Office indicating that two subjects from the night before stole a vehicle, ran over 17 road signs, 19 mail boxes, three deer and wrecked the stolen vehicle. Graham called Kimble County Game Warden Lee Morrison to help with the investigation. Both wardens traveled the road onboard. Champlin located the boat with the man at the front and fish in a bucket in the back. It did not appear that foul play was involved.

Bell County is investigating the death.

TRESPASSERS BRING GILL NET ONTO RANCH Willacy County Game Wardens Luis Sosa and Oscar Castaneda noticed a pickup truck halfway covered with thick brush along the fence line of a local ranch. Both game wardens entered the ranch and came across five men trespassing and fishing illegally. Three of the individuals were working a gill net that stretched out about 100 feet. The group was escorted out of the ranch and arrested.

Cases are pending.

TOO MANY CATFISH FROM STOCKED POND Two men were reported taking more than their limit of catfish at a TPWDstocked community pond. Tarrant County Game Wardens Patricia O’Neill and David Vannoy responded and located the vehicle and the owner.

The man stated that his three fishing buddies had left to go to the store and all the fish were theirs because he was not fishing. Eighteen catfish were confiscated and citations were issued.

EXTRA CRAPPIE WERE STORED ON SHORE Nacogdoches County Game

where the deer were run over. The wardens found the first three deer and continued to look at the other damage. They found two more deer that had been run over.

Both subjects were brought in for questioning. The driver admitted that they ran over a total of five deer.

Several citations were issued to both subjects. Cases pending.

Wardens Randy Stovall and Heath Bragg filed on a local man for exceeding the daily bag limit of crappie.

Bragg checked the man at the boat ramp, and he was under his legal limit. Stovall was then informed from a witness that the man stashed an ice chest full of fish in the woods after seeing the warden’s boat. Bragg was able to apprehend the man several miles down the road. Citations and restitution pending.

unfolding. Dispatch had GPS coordinates from the cell phone used to call 911. The suspect was reported to be on foot traveling near a creek.

A short search revealed the suspect running across a county road. Isom was able to apprehend the suspect and hold him until backup officers arrived. The suspect is being held for capital murder.

WATERMELON EATING DEER SHOT After suspecting the illegal killing of deer over farm crops, Frio County Game Warden Mike Morse observed an irrigated watermelon field at night.

Near midnight, he witnessed a spotlight working and heard gunshots.

Morse apprehended a farmer and two companions killing deer in an irrigated watermelon field. The farmer and companions confessed, claiming the deer were depredating the watermelon crop. Morse recovered three freshly killed buck deer carcasses in the field. Charges of hunting deer in closed season and failure to retrieve/ waste of game were filed. Civil restitution and criminal charges are pending.

TWO VEHICLES CAUSE DOUBT TO CLAIM OF BEING ALONE A landowner who had previous problems with trespassers searching for arrowheads reported two vehicles parked along his property. Travis County Game Warden Christy Vales responded and entered the property. One man said he was alone and fishing. Vales escorted him back to his vehicle with all his fishing gear. Vales and the landowner then heard branches breaking in the woods from which they had just come. Vales secured the man and reentered the property. Two more men were located holding their fishing gear. Vales escorted them back to their vehicle and picked up where she left off. Several charges were filed. Cases pending.

WARDEN LOCATES DOUBLE MURDER SUSPECT The Young County Dispatch Center requested that Game Warden Brent Isom attempt to locate a suspect in a double murder incident that was still

TRESPASSING DEER TASERED AFTER DAMAGING BANK Travis County Game Warden Jeff Hill responded to a call that a whitetailed deer had crashed through a large plate glass window at a bank.

The mortally wounded deer was contained in an office and was causing substantial damage. Austin PD assisted with rounds fired from their tasers as Hill hog-tied the deer and removed it, wrapped in a heavy tarp.

TIRE PRINTS A TREAD GIVEAWAY San Patricio County Game Wardens Kevin Mitchell and Laura Peterek filed charges on two subjects for taking deer in a closed season. The wardens made the case by matching tire prints in a field to a truck parked at a school. The young adults gave a full statement.

MAN TAGGED WITH ILLEGAL HUNTING A Comal County employee observed a freshly killed turkey carcass near a boat ramp at Canyon Lake. Game Warden Michael McCall was notified and discovered that the shooter failed to remove the tag from the carcass prior to dumping it. The information contained on the tag led McCall to a residence where he learned that the homeowner’s son had hunted the turkey. McCall also found a European mount of a white-tailed deer skull and antlers with the tag attached. Both animals were illegally killed in a subdivision near Canyon Lake. The son received citations for the illegal killing of the turkey and the white-tailed deer, and also for not completing a Hunter Safety Course. Charges are pending.

HIGH-RIDING WARDEN SAVES OWL FAMILY Mitchell County Game Warden Randy Bullard temporarily halted blasting at a construction site to rescue a family of great horned owls.

Due to the location of the owls, Bullard had to ride in the bucket of a commercial front-end loader to make the rescue. The family of owls — a mother with two youngsters — was removed approximately 25 feet up a bluff line.

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 27, 2011

Page 13

Page 14

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

Gulf shrimping closed until July; specific date to reopen not yet set The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season closed May 15 for both state and federal waters until an unspecified time in July.

While the statutory opening date for the Gulf season is July 15, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be sampling shrimp populations to determine the optimum opening date for both the shrimp and the shrimpers.

The May 15 closing date was based on samples collected by TPWD's Coastal Fisheries Division using trawl, bag seine and other information gathered from the shrimping industry.

Typically, once the shrimp reach about 3 1/2 inches long, they begin their migration back to the Gulf.

No announcement will be made concerning the reopening until June data are collected.

—Staff report

Catfish Continued From Page 8

Kennedy said holding the fish against the boat while it flops is a good way to anchor it.

“If the fish is more than 6 pounds, I always use a dip net underneath him,” he said.

But if Kennedy is going to release a catfish, he avoids touching its slimy coating by using a lip grip.

“Even when taking pic-

HONORED: The 29-foot P.V. Shane Detwiler was commissioned recently near Anahuac. Detwiler, a decorated veteran of the Iraq War, was a game warden for several years and, later, a Chambers County Sheriff’s deputy. He was fatally shot in 2009 while responding to a disturbance. Photo by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

tures, I use that lip grip so clients don’t remove the slime,” he said. “We take a quick picture and get him back in the water quickly.”

Once at the dock, cleaning catfish can be a simple, three-step procedure.

First, cut at a slight angle from the dorsal fin on top to the pelvic fin on the underbelly. Cut through the ribs but stop at the vertebrae.

Second, cut down the fish until the tail, stopping

just before the meat ends.

Finally, flip the fillet over with the skin still attached and fillet the meat away from the skin.

Repeat the process on the other side.

Once you’ve cleaned the catfish, thoroughly wash the fillets and either eat them fresh or freeze them.

Chad Ferguson of North Texas Catfish Guides offered a simple method for preventing freezer burns on catfish fillets.

To start, put the cleaned

fillets in a Ziploc bag. Then fill the bag with water up to the top of the fish. Remove all of the air from the bag and seal the bag well.

Date the bag with a pen and place in the freezer.

He said the fillets will keep for more than a year without getting freezer burn using this method.

To contact guide Jackie Kennedy, call (903) 6033793.

To contact guide Chad Ferguson, call (817) 5223804.

TOO MUCH, TOO SOON: Some plants are good for fishing at first, but spread too quickly on smaller ponds and must be controlled.

Photo by LSON.

Pond options Continued From Page 11

They are not be controlled by the same chemical, but thinking that they do could result in wasted money, Lewis said.

Next, be sure to use the right equipment because, Lewis said, the effectiveness of spraying “is 10 percent related to the herbicide and 90 percent (of) how it is applied.”

He explained that a liquid algicide dispensed with a hand-held sprayer would kill top layers of an alga mat, but not the lower ones.

“So,” he added, “we use a highvolume but low-pressure pump, which applies force to break up the mat while the 3-inch stream applies the algicide.”

Finally, read the label to prevent dangerous chemicals from entering the water.

One such chemical is Karmex, a herbicide used on land. However, Lewis said people in his business have been trying to debunk a rumor that it can be used in ponds.

“When it comes to fish, there are a lot of wives’ tales out there,” Lewis said, “and not all of them are truthful.”

Lewis said business is good for

consultants like him, and not just for plant control.

His company and others like it help landowners with bank maintenance and research on other features, like fish feeders, docks or aerators.

But he also encourages wouldbe clients to seek advice from state agencies like the local county extension office or a federal group like the National Resource Conservation Service.

“We partner with extension agents, NRCS and TPWD,” Lewis said. “Any time a property owner can use (them), I encourage them to. That’s why they pay taxes.”

New law Continued From Page 8

to forcing a 1-pound lead weight down the throat of a 9.5-pound bass.

He later pleaded guilty in April 2010 to attempted theft. The competition’s grand prize was a $55,000 bass boat.

The angler served 15 days in jail, and was placed on five years probation. He also was banned from having a fishing license during his probation.

Fishing tournament fraud, under the new law, would start out as a Class A misdemeanor.

But, in tournaments that offer prizes worth $10,000 or more, the crime could be upgraded to a thirddegree felony.

The Senate voted 30-1 to approve bill, and the House passed it by a 142-4 vote.

Although the law moved through both houses with little opposition, some Internet commentary questioned the need for another law, considering fraud is already illegal in Texas.

“I can understand why someone might think that, and I support limited government,” Flynn said.

But, he explained, prosecutors told him they needed a law that dealt with the unusual potential for fraud that could happen at fishing tournaments.

The new law makes it illegal to alter the weight or length of a fish at a tournament.

But it also allows criminal charges to be filed if someone offers or sells fish to tournament anglers who, in turn, use the catch toward their own totals.

A tournament official who knows about any such offense, and does not report it, also commits an offense, according to the law.

“The main thing,” Flynn said, “is we wanted to be sure Parks and Wildlife had sufficient tools to be sure that when fish tournaments happen, they know that people who come here know they’re being properly regulated.”

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 27, 2011

Page 15

Page 16

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

MORNING MUNCHIES: On a recent outing to cover a bass tournament on Lake Ray Hubbard, the crew from Lone Star Outdoor News followed several anglers throughout the day. They saw this heron catching breakfast. He took his bluegill catch to a scenic overlook in a marina to enjoy his meal.

Photos by Conor Harrison, LSON.

LSONews.com

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 27, 2011

Page 17

HEROES Peter and Barbara Franklin of Dallas shared this photo of granddaughter ALYSSA FRANKLIN, 9, of Frisco, who recently caught this 4 1/2-pound largemouth at Lake Fork. “She caught it within 30 seconds of casting her first lure!” Barbara said.

JOE MARTINEZ of Agua Dulce used a .308-caliber Remington 700 BDL to take this 10-point buck on the Milner Ranch, north of Snyder. Joe said the deer had a 19-inch spread and scored 152 B&C. THOMAS FISHER, 8, of Kyle shot this 180-pound hog with a 6mm Mohawk rifle last season on a ranch in Cameron County.

KADE KRAMR was 9 when he used a .270-caliber rifle to down his first buck at the Kramr Farm near Ellinger.

ETHAN COX, 5, of Canton fished with his dad, Bill, recently at Lake Fork where the young angler caught his first slot fish. The 3-pound largemouth was hooked on a Smithwick Devil’s Horse in about 2 feet of water.

VANESSA POLLOK of Corpus Christi shot this 10-point white-tailed buck last season at Nisbet Ranch near Orange Grove.

LANDON BRICKEY of Dallas was 10 when he shot his first deer last season in Menard County. He used his dad’s .308-caliber rifle to drop the 100-pound doe.

Aiming a new .223-caliber rifle, 6-year-old WYATT FORD of Tomball shot his first buck last season on the Palace Cave Ranch in Kinney County.

NATALIE HOFFMAN, 11, of San Antonio caught this 30-inch redfish recently on the Upper Laguna Madre. She hooked the big fish on a Gulp under a rattle cork while drifting. It was released after photos.

Congratulations, Trey! You can claim your Nikon 10x42 Trailblazer ATB binoculars at the Nikon Sport Optics dealer nearest you: Independence Firearms 6360 Fm 50 Brenham, Texas 77833 979-421-9677

on a ranch ite-tailed doe D III and the wh his BrownAR W on HO ck Y” ba RE parated J.T. “T Hempstead drew se m s fro rd a clean er ya t ch go en ar w fte Fi ar-old true. The arro l Rio. The 9-ye d his shot was an w, d. northeast of De bo pe d op un dr naline compo s before she ing Micro Adre d about 50 yard d the doe trotte an h, ug ro th pass

Page 18

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

PRODUCTS VARMINT HE 3/1 SEGMENTING BULLET: Winchester Ammunition’s rimfire hunting lineup now includes this HE 3/1 segmenting expansion bullet, which promises explosive impact and maximum terminal effect. It features a 37-grain plated HP fragmenting bullet that delivers 1,435 fps velocity, optimized for maximum accuracy. The programmed hollowpoint fragments include three forward segments, plus a solid rear core designed to provide explosive impact energy plus penetration. In addition, the Varmint HE consists of non-corrosive priming and clean burning powder to generate a surefire ignition every time. A 50-round box sells for about $10.

For retailers, visit www.winchester.com

>>

(928) 541-8892 www.ruger.com

>> PRO DIABLO SLINGSHOT KING: Barnett Outdoors’ professional grade high performance sling shot is a fast-shooting, hard-hitting, accurate and powerful. It features a contoured “soft touch” molded comfort grip with stainless steel arms, a three-piece stabilizer system, a detachable wrist brace, Magnum Power Bands, and an adjustable sighting system. It also comes with target ammo and a shooter’s guide.

The high-tech sling shot sells for about $25.

>>

>>

THE PERFECT BUNGEE: Just Ducky Products’ bungee is resistant to saltwater, oil, ozone, and common household chemicals. Hunters and anglers will appreciate ciate this superstrong bungee that won’t break, fray, become brittle or lose its shape with normal, everyday use, even with exposure to extreme outdoor temperatures. The cargo pack includes a 24-inch flex web string, which features severall fixed end cords that come together in a central ring; and two 18-inch fixed-end cords. Available in various colors, lors, the cargo pack sells for about $36.

(727) 234-4962 (570) 366-7316

>>

SR1911 PISTOL: Ruger’s homage to John Browning's most famous handgun design, this .45 pistol boasts a beadblasted stainless steel frame and slide. The stainless steel barrel and bushing are produced simultaneously from the same barstock for a precise fit and improved accuracy. The slide features rear cocking serrations and a dovetailed three-dot sight system with a rear sight and standard front sight. Other features include titanium firing pin and heavy firing pin spring; an extended thumb safety for improved manipulation; an oversized beavertail grip safety for reliability; an inspection port for visual confirmation of a round in the chamber; and a standard recoil guide system. The SR1911 uses a skeletonized hammer and trigger with an adjustable over-travel stop. Each pistol includes one sevenround and one eight-round stainless steel magazine, bushing wrench and a soft case. It sells for about $800.

BIOLINE FISHING LINE: Unlike nylon monofilament line that can remain on the bottom of lakes, rivers and other waterways for hundreds of years, Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle’s 100-percent biodegradable line is kinder to Earth — and to anglers who are tired of their gear getting tangled up in line that’s been left behind. Bioline is engineered to retain its strength and durability for 10-12 months of use, and then completely degrade in water or on land within five years. It is made from a special formula of biodegradable polymers. As its tensile strength deteriorates, it becomes much less a nuisance to those who enjoy the aquatic environment, especially fishermen who pursue species in and around cover like submerged wood. Bioline comes in 4-, 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-pound test line, and sells for about $12 for a 225-yard spool.

(303) 321-1481 www.biolinefishing.com or www.eagleclaw.com

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Fashion craze

Critics

Continued From Page 1

Continued From Page 1

STYLE: Esther Ibarra of Dallas’ Lure Salon says she can run a comb through her feathered hair extensions, and wash them with shampoo. Photo by Bill Miller, LSON.

been photographed wearing them, and they regularly dangle from the head of rocker Steven Tyler.

But the style is so popular, designers have been buying up the feathers in mass quantities, which has put a hurt on tackle shops like Tailwaters Fly Fishing Company in Dallas.

“I was selling to hairdressers for a standard price,” said Travis Moore, general manager. “Well, they wiped me out pretty fast.

“This is a niche store, but the flytying is a niche within the niche.

But now it has been expanded to every 14-year-old in the country.”

An entire saddle of about 200 feathers used to cost as much as $35, Moore said, but he has seen the prices for the same quantity grow “exponentially” into the hundreds of dollars on some Internet sites.

He has also noticed some Internet sites charging $70 for just a dozen feathers.

Meanwhile, tackle shops like his have adjusted feather packaging specifically for hair extension designers. These “fashion packs” now run about $25, but only for about 20 feathers, Moore said.

Farmers who supply hackles are trying to make sure they don’t run out completely, said Greg Welander of the fly-fishing department at Sportsmen’s Finest in Austin.

The roosters, he explained, are killed before their feathers can be taken.

“These birds aren’t your typical barnyard chickens,” Welander said. “They’re grown for the premium shape of their feathers.

(But) it takes about a year for a bird to mature out for its feathers.”

Moore said his supply of feathers has been replenished somewhat, but he is trying to balance sales between designers and longtime fly-tying customers.

“We’ve been putting people on a waiting list,” he said.

Included is jewelry designer Ashlee Starrett of Dallas. She learned about the extensions last year from another designer she met on a flight that stopped in California.

“She told me I got to buy my feathers now,” Starrett said, “but when I got home I tried looking, and, sure enough, they were sold out.

“Honestly, I’m not trying to knock the fly-fishers, but right now I’m scavenging.”

And she has achieved some success. Her designs are available about a mile up the street from Tailwaters at a salon in Dallas’ trendy West Village called “Lure.”

It’s not so named to attract anglers, but manager Rose Eliz hopes the hair extensions — with prices starting at about $35 for an application and two feather bundles — will attract more customers.

“We want to lure them in so that they’ll be more aware of the other services in the salon,” she said.

“Like the fishermen, we want the big ones.”

“When they come from this far south, they may or may not make it. It just doesn’t look like it is worth the investment. Most of the bass down here aren’t pure Florida strains anyway.

These big fish aren’t a product of the ShareLunker program in Falcon.”

Although Falcon Lake Tackle isn’t an official holding station, Bendele said he is encouraging people to release fish that weigh more than 13 pounds, once they have taken pictures. He’s even offering them a shirt and a cap as incen-

tive to do so.

However, not everyone agrees with Bendele’s views, like Brian W. Loy, owner of the Callaham Store near Choke Canyon — an official holding station for the ShareLunker program.

“The only problem I have with it is I had 11 (bass entered) two years ago and none this year,” Loy said in jest.

Loy said his only real complaint is TPWD allows entries caught with live bait, something he called “not fair.”

“Outside of that, I have no problems with it and I’ve sent 20-some fish up there,” he said. “They have treated me well and provided me with information when I

needed it. And they get down here in a timely manner.

“Nobody is twisting anybody’s arm to turn their fish in.

I think it’s a great incentive program for anglers to take care of those big fish.

I think TPWD does a good job.”

Ken Bull, owner of Minnow Bucket Marina, an official holding station on Lake Fork, agreed with Loy. “I believe it’s a good program that generates a lot of interest in the lake,” Bull said. “It’s been good for bass here on Lake Fork.”

Fork leads all lakes in Texas by a large margin with 247 total entries. Second on the list is Lake Alan Henry with 25.

May 27, 2011

Trout action Continued From Page 1

Most of the bigger fish were caught on croakers, he said.

Neal also said the wind was howling.

“The wind has been blowing 40 mph today,” he said. “It blew 40 mph yesterday and will probably blow 40 mph tomorrow.

We just haven’t had a break yet, and that is the only thing holding back the fishing right now.

“I’m using soft plastics and, when the wind allows it, topwater lures.”

Neal said he has focused his efforts recently in the Land Cut and areas near Port Mansfield.

“The fish have been spread out on both sides of the channel,” he said.

Several guides along the midcoast reported the trout fishing was as good as they had seen it in May in a long time.

But guide Kevin Cochran

Page 19

of Trout Tracker Guide Service said he has been catching large numbers of trout in the Baffin Bay, Upper Laguna Madre areas.

“The fishing is good,” he said. “Some days there is a lot of top-water action and some days there isn’t, but there is a lot of fish to be caught.”

Cochran said the water quality in the southern bays is “as good as it gets.”

“You have a little bit better chance when it isn’t windy, but that certainly hasn’t stopped us from catching fish,” he said. “The trout fishing has been excellent.”

Cochran said five days fishing in early May produced 350 fish for his clients.

“We’ve caught quite a few big fish,” he said. “You’re never going to catch as many really big fish now as you do in January or February fishing with artificials, but one day this month we caught 25 trout over 20 inches.”

To contact Capt. Neal, call (956) 642-7357.

To contact Capt. Cochran, call (361) 688-3714.

Page 20

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

CONSERVATION

Cougars on the move Officials believe drought is pushing predators into cities

By Bill Miller LONE STAR OUTDOOR NEWS

PREDATOR: Wildlife officials believe drought is forcing mountain lions into urban areas to look for food. Photo by TPWD.

Drought in West Texas is likely pushing mountain lions into urban areas, officials said.

A mountain lion made national headlines May 10 as it was chased through downtown El Paso, just hours before a visit from President Obama.

Animal control officers tried to tranquilize the 102-pound male cat (officials had earlier said it was a125-pound female), but the chase culminated with the animal being shot and killed.

Lois Balin, a biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in El Paso, said dry conditions have withered food for wildlife.

“First we had a protracted, severe freeze that

damaged native plants, cacti in particular, and now we have a prolonged drought,” she said.

Consequently, she said, animals are showing up in urban areas, especially mule deer. Predators are following them.

“We’re getting more calls about deer and bobcats in the city,” Balin said. “I’m sure they’re looking for water or food.

“And we have had several incidents with mountain lions, but never in the downtown area.”

A similar incident happened nine days later in neighboring New Mexico, when a cougar was spotted in a residential area of Ruidoso, a popular tourist destination for Texans.

That cat was also killed by a game warden because it showed no fear of humans, and had been chased

Cabela’s helps ‘Adventures’ program in Texas schools Cabela’s has donated $20,000 to the Dallas Ecological Foundation’s Outdoor Adventures physical education program, which aims to encourage outdoor recreation among youth.

The contribution came from proceeds of a Jack Ingram concert celebrating the grand opening of the company’s Allen, Texas store last month.

The donation will be used to provide four area high school districts with equipment for the National Archery in Schools Program — which includes target training in physical education classes with the goal of increasing extracurricular opportunities and participation in shooting sports — as well as Shakespeare fishing rods and

Cabela’s Dutch oven cooking gear for similar outdoor learning sequences.

“Over 200 students at the Allen Independent School District’s Lowery Freshman Center have signed up for the Outdoor Adventures class offered this fall. They are extremely excited to have all of their outdoor equipment furnished by the newest Cabela’s store in Texas,” said Scot McClure of the Dallas Ecological Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization affiliated with the Dallas Safari Club.

Benefitting schools include: Allen High School, Allen Ninth Grade High School, Plano High School, Plano East High School, Plano West High School, McKinney High School, McKinney

North High School, McKinney Boyd High School and Lovejoy High School.

The remaining funds will be applied toward equipment for any other Collin County secondary schools adopting the Outdoor Adventures education program.

“The young people taking up outdoor recreation today will be the stewards of America’s natural resources tomorrow,” said Cabela’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Michael Copeland. “So the more we can help educate them about the outdoors, the better. We’re proud to support the Outdoor Adventures program.”

—Staff report

off a few times earlier, but returned to the neighborhood, according to the El Paso Times.

An official for the New Mexico Game and Fish Department told the Times that drought could be contributed to increased sightings of cougars or bears in several New Mexico cities, including Alto, Capitan, Roswell and Silver City.

Balin said taking certain steps could minimize human-wildlife encounters in any community.

The biggest precaution is to not leave food and water for pets in the yard.

Also, Balin said, don’t plant landscaping that attracts wildlife. A “native” scheme featuring highdesert plants works well In El Paso.

“Nonnative plants are like ice cream to mule deer,” she said. “And if you attract deer, you might attract a mountain lion.”

Dallas Safari Club helps pay for trip to championships The Dallas Safari Club announced it is helping underwrite the cost of sending U.S. junior athletes to the 2011 World Shotgun Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, Sept. 3-14.

The DSC grant, presented to the USA Shooting Team Foundation, will support 15 USA Shooting Team members and Olympic hopefuls competing in junior women's skeet and trap as well as men's skeet, trap and double trap.

DSC Executive Director Ben Carter said the sponsorship is a way for the club to help America's rising stars make their marks.

“It's great to sponsor the junior shooters because they represent the next generation of sportsmen and conservationists,” Carter said. “USA Shooting does a super job of preparing them to represent our country in international competition.”

—Staff report

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Texas youth artists in national competition Winners of the Texas division of the “Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest” were announced recently.

First-place winners advance to the national Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest Expo, June 24-25, at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.

Texas winners in the 4-6 grade division are: First Place, Samuel Beltran, Pasadena; Second Place, Candace Ma, Sugar Land; Third Place, Maggie Maddison, Duncanville.

Winners in the 7-9 grade division are: First Place, Brady King, Livingston; Second Place, Sun Yiming, Katy; Third Place, Lillian Chen, Sugar Land.

Topping the 10-12 grade division are: First Place, GiGi Barker, Village Mills; Second Place, Bonnie Leung, The Woodlands; Third Place, Lorenzo Leya, Del Rio. Honorable Mentions: Grades 4-6: Mitchell Glover, Lake Jackson; Evett Makenzie, Corsicana; Emmy Emmons, Paige; Allison Killgore, Bremond; Jessica Schroeder, LaVernia; Seanna McCarty, Katy; and Riley Dean Merritt, Copperas Cove.

Grades 7-9: Ghenica-Rose Delfin, Del Rio; Nasa Xu, Katy; Karli Boyd, Athens; Rachel Reed, Sugar Land; Lauren Millard, Sugar Land; Jonathan Criner, Mertzon; and McKenzie Flowers, Hardon.

Grades 10-12: Madison Johnson, Dallas; Caroline Zurmely, Dallas; Peyton McCown, Willow Park; Elissa Weaver, Richwood; Judit Aguilera, Liberty; Fabian Galvan, Liberty; and Jennifer Lipscomb, Liberty Hill.

—TPWD

Ed Harte, publisher and conservationist, dies AQUATIC ART: GiGi Barker of Village Mills took first place for grades 10-12 in the Texas division of the Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest with her drawing of a bluegill. Other first-place winners are Samuel Beltran, bottom, Pasadena, grades 4-6; and Brady King, middle, Livingston, grades 7-9. Photos by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Edward H. Harte, who helped create a leading research institute for saltwater fisheries and other issues related to the Gulf of Mexico, died May 18, at age 88.

Harte was a former publisher of the Corpus Christi-Caller Times and other newspapers.

But he also was a conservationist.

In 2000, Harte donated $46 million to the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (HRI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

It quickly became “a recognized authority on the world’s ninth-largest body of water,” accord-

ing to a news release from the university.

“Ed Harte understood the economic and social importance of building a nationally respected research-intensive university in South Texas and at the same time assuring the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico,” said Dr. Flavius Killebrew, president of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

“A quiet, unassuming man, his actions spoke louder than words,” Killebrew added. “Through his generosity, Ed and his family have enriched the university and the Coastal Bend community beyond measure.”

Last year, the HRI became an international source of expertise for worldwide media covering the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform off the Louisiana coast.

“The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies would not exist but for his commitment and forethought,” said Dr. Larry McKinney, HRI executive director.

—Staff report

TPWD honors land stewards Native habitat restoration for the benefit of wildlife is a common thread among the recipients of this year’s Lone Star Land Steward Awards.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Sand County Foundation recently recognized these model land stewards and others, who have shown exemplary efforts to manage property for wildlife.

Among this year’s recipients are: Blackland Prairie – Warbler Woods Bird Sanctuary, Guadalupe County Warbler Woods covers 124 acres of diverse Blackland Prairie habitat. For more than 15 years, owners Susan and Don Schaezler have managed the property to provide maximum diversity of native plants and wildlife. Known throughout the nation, Warbler Woods became a charitable foundation in 2008. Volunteers participate in habitat enhancement and bird banding.

Cross Timbers and Prairies – Lodge Creek Ranch, Jack County Since 2003, Bryan Mitchell and his family have worked to improve the habitat diversity on their Lodge Creek Ranch primarily to benefit white-tailed deer. Prescribed burning and brush management has been used to improve plant quality and diversity, resulting not only in improved antler quality, but also helping expand turkey populations.

Edwards Plateau – Blue Mountain Peak Ranch, Mason County In 2001, with goals of increasing plant and

May 27, 2011

Page 21

animal diversity and putting more water in the ground, Richard Taylor began restoring land heavily dominated by juniper. Brush management, grazing deferment and prescribed burning have been used. The Taylors also manage deer through TPWD’s managed land deer permit program.

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes – A Country Life Ranch, Austin/Colorado Counties The Cary Dietzmann family has improved plant and animal diversity through rotational grazing, invasive species control, prescribed burning, strip disking, and wetland/riparian zone enhancements. Deer are managed cooperatively with neighboring landowners and bird diversity is enhanced using supplemental nest structures and water features.

Pineywoods – Clear Creek Ranch, Sabine County With state and federal assistance, Mike Howard has restored his Clear Creek Ranch.

Prescribed fire is used to control yaupon and create an open longleaf pine forest that provides habitat for a diversity of wildlife.

The ranch is one of the few places in the Pineywoods where you can hear bobwhite quail whistle.

Post Oak Savannah – Trinity Bluff Wildlife Ranch, Navarro County Since 2002, the Brian Smith family has worked to transform overgrazed uplands through livestock deferment, prescribed burning and native grass seeding. White-tailed deer quality has improved as a result of population control and enhanced plant diversity.

Rolling Plains – Hailey Ranch, Jones and Shackelford Counties Described as “the hardest working man in wildlife management,” Rob Hailey has implemented discing, livestock deferment, prescribed burning, food plots, and water troughs to enhance wildlife habitat.

South Texas Plains – Halff Brothers Ranch, Frio County Jim Halff and his family use prescribed burning and aerial herbicide to manage brush and enhance native grasses, resulting in a robust turkey population and quality whitetailed deer. They also participate in programs that help bobwhite quail.

Trans Pecos – O2 Ranch, Brewster and Presidio Counties This 275,000-acre ranch began major restoration efforts in 1998 with ranch-wide deferment from grazing. Over the years, Charles P. Lykes Jr. and ranch operator Homer Mills have partnered with Sul Ross State University, and state and federal agencies to protect, restore and monitor riparian areas and associated uplands.

—TPWD

Page 22

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com

TEXAS BIG BITES

Gargantuan alligator gar pulled from the Trinity When Joseph Williams of Cleveland went fishing in the Trinity River below Lake Livingston dam April 14, 2011, he was prepared to catch a big fish — a big alligator gar, the biggest freshwater fish in Texas.

“I was out for a big fish,” Williams said.

“I caught several and lost several that day.

I had some that I couldn't turn that broke off. I think they were bigger than the one I caught — I have sure seen bigger.”

But Williams did catch a 7-foot, 9-inch monster so big it had to be weighed at a truck stop, where it was officially recorded as an even 200 pounds. “We did weigh the fish on uncertified scales we know to be reliable that showed it to be 230 pounds,” Williams said, “but the truck stop scales only read in 50-pound increments, so that was the weight we had to use for the record.”

Williams hoped to release the fish alive and capture the state catch-and-release record for alligator gar, but it could not be revived when put back into the water. The fish is now the rod-and-reel record for the Trinity.

—Staff report

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Lure maker Bill Dee dies at home Lake O.H. Ivie guide Tommy Hagler never met Bill Dee in person, but in 30 months of telephone calls — some lasting for hours — they became close friends.

Hagler saved the last voice mail Dee left him the afternoon of May 18 and will keep it for a long time to listen to his pal’s raspy voice and joking nature.

Dee, the founder of the popular home-grown SOB Lures spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, died suddenly later that night at his home in Lytle while watching television with his wife, Lana.

“He was a friend to everybody whether he’d ever met them or not,” Hagler said. “I truly will miss him and am still in disbelief he’s gone.”

Several posts on the Texas Fishing Forum were from anglers who had purchased Dee’s lures and talked with him on the phone, but never met him in person.

Dee founded SOB Lures more than 15 years ago in his home, building it into a small but well-known company.

Orders were placed from across the nation for his jigs, spoons, buzzbaits and spinnerbaits, including his signature “Mini-Me” spinnerbait.

It features a hidden weight along the shank under the skirt, giving the package some heft but with a smaller presentation than a regular quarter-ounce spinnerbait.

—Alan Clemons

Marina on Toledo Bend going on the market After more than 40 years of operation, the Huxley Bay Marina on Toledo Bend Reservoir may soon have new owners.

Bob and Stacey Vandrovec, the third owners, have operated it for 18 years.

“It may seem like a strange time to sell it,” Stacey said, “(but) our kids are in horse shows, which happen on the weekends, so it really is a big conflict.”

The marina is in a protective cove on the north end of the reservoir, near the original channel for the Sabine River. It has an RV park, motel, restaurant, and wet and dry slips.

“It has a lot of character, and a lot of characters come down there,” Stacey said.

—Staff report

Yamaha moving most ATV manufacturing to Newman, Ga. Yamaha has announced it is moving production of new all-terrain vehicle models from overseas markets to its plant in Newman, Ga. Officials said the company’s long-term strategy is to move most of its worldwide ATV manufacturing to the U.S. This month’s transfer to the Georgia plant is the first step in that process.

The factory already employs 1,100 people in Newman and 90 of them are assigned to the new ATV production.

The transfer is expected to add 200 jobs to that plant and possibly create another 125 jobs at various parts suppliers, Yamaha officials said.

As many as 1,000 jobs could result from the move, “depending on market conditions,” officials said.

—Staff report

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 27, 2011

Page 23

DATEBOOK May 28

June 8

June 18

Third Coast Fishing Tournament

Houston Safari Club

Bluff’s Landing Marina Corpus Christi www.winthirdcoast.com

Monthly Meeting (713) 623-8844 www.houstonsafariclub.org

Mako Boats Owners Tournament Aransas Pass www.mako-boats.com/owners

May 28 - Sept. 5

June 9

CCA Texas Star

Ducks Unlimited

Angler's Rodeo Texas Gulf Coast (713) 626-4222 www.ccatexas.org

Fort Worth Fun Shoot Alpine Shooting Range (817) 291-6696 www.ducks.org

Dallas Safari Club Summer Fun Shoot Elm Fork Shooting Range Dallas (469) 484-6774 www.biggame.org

July 7-10 June 3-4

Dallas Woods and Water Club

Texas Deer Association

Monthly meeting and dinner Sheraton North Dallas Hotel (214) 570-8700 www.dwwcc.org

Brush to Bay Invitational Fishing Tournament Bluff’s Landing Marina Corpus Christi (210) 767-8300 www.brushtobay.com

June 4 Safari Club International Houston Casino Night (281) 353-2771 www.scihouston.org

National Wild Turkey Federation Kaufman County Double Beards Banquet (972) 533-7823 www.nwtf.org/texas

June 4- July 10 Bass Pro Shops Family Summer Camp All Bass Pro Shops www.basspro/summercamp.com

June 7-10 TWA Wildlife Convention JW Marriott, San Antonio www.texas-wildlife.org

June 10-11 Fourth Annual Texas Trio Classic Fishing Tournament Matagorda www.Texastrioclassic.com

June 11 Lone Star Bowhunters Association 37th Annual Awards Banquet and Expo Pedrotti’s North Wind Ranch Helotes www.lonestarbowhunter.com National Wild Turkey Federation Hopkins County Longbeards Banquet (903) 885-6237 www.nwtf.org/texas Ducks Unlimited Madison County crawfish boil (979) 255-1124 www.ducks.org

TWA Wildlife Convention JW Marriott, San Antonio www.texas-wildlife.org

July 14 Dallas Woods and Water Club Monthly meeting and dinner Sheraton North Dallas Hotel www.dwwcc.org (214) 570-8700

Executive Editor Craig Nyhus Editor Bill Miller Associate Editor Conor Harrison Associate Editor Mark England Graphics Editor Amy Moore Business/Products Editor Mary Helen Aguirre Operations Manager Mike Hughs Accounting Ginger Hoolan Web site Bruce Soileau

National Advertising Mike Nelson Accounts Manager Classified/Outfitters Blazing Paths Media Advertising Intern Nicholas Conklin Founder & CEO David J. Sams

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

July 15-17 Texas Trophy Hunters Association 2011 Hunter’s Extravaganza Alamodome, San Antonio www.ttha.com

July 16-17 Texas Gun and Knife Association Amarillo Show, Amarillo Civic Center (830) 285-0575 www.texasgunandknifeshows.com

July 17-23 Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society Wildlife Conservation Camp Welder Wildlife Refuge, Sinton www.tctws.org

July 28-31 37th Annual Port Mansfield Fishing Tournament (956) 944-2354 www.portmansfieldchamber.org

Advertising Call (214) 361-2276 or e-mail editor@lone staroutdoornews.com to request a media kit.

For home delivery subscriptions www.LSONews.com (214) 361-2276

Lone Star Outdoor News, a publication of Lone Star Outdoor News, LLC, publishes twice a month. A mailed subscription is $30 for 24 issues. Newsstand copies are free, one per person. Copyright 2011 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.

Page 24

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

Sun | Moon | Tides

Last

Time 6:43 a.m.

7:56 a.m.

8:59 a.m.

8:01 p.m.

8:31 p.m.

9:04 p.m.

9:40 p.m.

10:19 p.m.

11:00 p.m.

11:44 p.m.

Height 1.8 L 2.0 L 2.0 L -0.4 L -0.5 L -0.5 L -0.5 L -0.5 L -0.5 L -0.2 L

Time Height 11:15 a.m. 2.1 H 11:23 a.m. 2.1 H 11:28 a.m. 2.1 H

8:54 a.m.

9:18 a.m.

9:38 a.m.

9:56 a.m.

2.3 H 2.3 H 2.1 H 2.1 H

3:19 p.m.

3:58 p.m.

4:40 p.m.

5:23 p.m.

1.6 L 1.3 L 0.5 L 0.0 L

Time 7:09 a.m.

8:22 a.m.

9:25 a.m.

8:27 p.m.

8:57 p.m.

9:30 p.m.

10:06 p.m.

10:45 p.m.

11:26 p.m.

Height 1.4 L 1.6 L 1.6 L -0.3 L -0.4 L -0.4 L -0.4 L -0.4 L -0.4 L

Time 12:02 p.m.

12:10 p.m.

12:15 p.m.

Height 1.7 H 1.7 H 1.7 H

9:12 a.m.

9:41 a.m.

10:05 a.m.

10:25 a.m.

4:17 a.m.

2.0 H 1.9 H 1.9 H 1.7 H 1.3 L

Time 8:05 a.m.

9:18 a.m.

10:21 a.m.

9:23 p.m.

9:53 p.m.

10:26 p.m.

11:02 p.m.

11:41 p.m.

Height 0.9 L 0.9 L 0.9 L -0.2 L -0.3 L -0.3 L -0.3 L -0.3 L

Time 6:49 p.m.

7:10 p.m.

7:34 p.m.

Height 0.4 L 0.2 L -0.2 L

6:14 p.m. 1.8 H 9:27 p.m. 1.6 H 11:40 p.m. 2.0 H

New

May 27

Date Time May 27 7:02 a.m.

May 28 8:04 a.m.

May 29 8:53 a.m.

May 30 9:43 a.m.

May 31 10:36 a.m.

Jun 01 12:10 a.m.

Jun 02 12:47 a.m.

Jun 03 1:25 a.m.

Jun 04 2:03 a.m.

Jun 05 2:41 a.m.

Jun 06 3:16 a.m.

Jun 07 3:48 a.m.

Jun 08 4:07 a.m.

Jun 09 3:43 a.m.

Jun 10 10:40 a.m.

3:45 p.m.

4:24 p.m.

5:06 p.m.

10:43 a.m.

1.3 L 1.0 L 0.4 L 1.7 H

Time 12:32 p.m.

12:40 p.m.

12:45 p.m.

Height 1.0 H 1.0 H 1.0 H

4:41 p.m.

5:20 p.m.

6:02 p.m.

11:13 a.m.

0.8 L 0.6 L 0.3 L 1.0 H

Time 11:24 a.m.

11:32 a.m.

11:37 a.m.

Height 1.5 H 1.5 H 1.5 H

3:42 p.m.

4:21 p.m.

5:03 p.m.

5:46 p.m.

0.8 L 0.6 L 0.3 L 0.0 L

Time 7:15 p.m.

7:36 p.m.

8:00 p.m.

Height 0.3 L 0.1 L -0.1 L

June 17

Houston Height 0.5 H 0.6 H 0.7 H 0.8 H 0.8 H -0.3 L -0.3 L -0.4 L -0.4 L -0.3 L -0.3 L -0.2 L 0.0 L 0.2 L 0.5 H

7:01 p.m. 1.4 H 10:14 p.m. 1.3 H 5:49 p.m. 0.0 L

Date Time Height May 27 12:33 p.m. 0.41 H May 28 12:39 p.m. 0.43 H May 29 12:53 p.m. 0.45 H May 30 1:16 p.m. 0.45 H May 31 1:46 p.m. 0.45 H Jun 01 12:36 a.m. 0.09 L Jun 02 1:22 a.m. 0.08 L Jun 03 2:10 a.m. 0.07 L Jun 04 2:57 a.m. 0.07 L Jun 05 3:42 a.m. 0.07 L Jun 06 4:22 a.m. 0.09 L Jun 07 4:55 a.m. 0.12 L Jun 08 5:14 a.m. 0.16 L Jun 09 4:54 a.m. 0.21 L Jun 10 1:46 a.m. 0.34 H

Time Height 10:10 p.m. 0.1 L 10:34 p.m. 0.0 L 11:03 p.m. -0.1 L 11:36 p.m. -0.2 L 11:35 a.m. 0.9 H 12:36 p.m. 0.9 H 1:38 p.m. 0.9 H 2:36 p.m. 0.9 H 3:27 p.m. 0.8 H 4:07 p.m. 0.7 H 4:14 p.m. 0.6 H 1:40 p.m. 0.4 H 11:46 a.m. 0.4 H 8:50 p.m. -0.1 L

Time

8:34 p.m.

Height

Time

Height

Time

Height

0.1 L

Time Height 9:43 p.m. 0.20 L 10:27 p.m. 0.16 L 11:09 p.m. 0.13 L 11:51 p.m. 0.11 L 2:22 p.m.

3:04 p.m.

3:49 p.m.

4:33 p.m.

5:14 p.m.

5:43 p.m.

2:36 p.m.

1:07 p.m.

12:15 p.m.

9:16 p.m.

0.45 H 0.44 H 0.44 H 0.42 H 0.40 H 0.36 H 0.31 H 0.29 H 0.30 H 0.08 L

Time

Height

9:06 a.m.

9:42 a.m.

10:11 a.m.

10:35 a.m.

10:55 a.m.

5:13 a.m.

1.3 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.0 0.8

H H H H H L

Time 7:06 a.m.

8:19 a.m.

9:22 a.m.

8:24 p.m.

8:54 p.m.

9:27 p.m.

10:03 p.m.

10:42 p.m.

11:23 p.m.

Height 0.9 L 1.0 L 1.0 L -0.2 L -0.3 L -0.3 L -0.3 L -0.3 L -0.3 L

8:34 a.m.

9:03 a.m.

9:27 a.m.

9:47 a.m.

10:05 a.m.

1.7 H 1.6 H 1.6 H 1.5 H .5 H

Date Time Height May 27 2:16 a.m. 1.4 H May 28 3:16 a.m. 1.5 H May 29 3:59 a.m. 1.6 H May 30 4:35 a.m. 1.7 H May 31 5:10 a.m. 1.8 H Jun 01 5:46 a.m. 1.8 H Jun 02 6:24 a.m. 1.8 H Jun 03 7:05 a.m. 1.8 H Jun 04 7:48 a.m. 1.7 H Jun 05 8:29 a.m. 1.7 H Jun 06 9:05 a.m. 1.6 H Jun 07 12:35 a.m. 0.1 L Jun 08 1:28 a.m. 0.2 L Jun 09 2:30 a.m. 0.5 L Jun 10 12:20 a.m. 1.3 H

Time Height 8:11 p.m. 0.2 L 8:32 p.m. 0.1 L 8:56 p.m. -0.1 L

7:31 p.m. 0.9 H 10:44 p.m. 0.8 H 6:45 p.m. 0.0 L

Time 6:48 a.m.

8:01 a.m.

9:04 a.m.

8:06 p.m.

8:36 p.m.

9:09 p.m.

9:45 p.m.

10:24 p.m.

11:05 p.m.

11:49 p.m.

Height 0.8 L 0.8 L 0.8 L -0.2 L -0.2 L -0.2 L -0.2 L -0.2 L -0.2 L -0.1 L

9:34 a.m.

9:58 a.m.

10:18 a.m.

3:56 a.m.

1.5 H .5 H 1.4 H 0.7 L

8:05 p.m.

8:35 p.m.

0.23 L 0.16 L

11:20 p.m. 0.24 H

Time 6:17 a.m.

7:08 p.m.

7:37 p.m.

8:07 p.m.

8:39 p.m.

9:14 p.m.

9:51 p.m.

10:31 p.m.

11:14 p.m.

11:59 p.m.

Height 1.0 L 0.0 L -0.2 L -0.4 L -0.5 L -0.6 L -0.7 L -0.6 L -0.6 L -0.4 L

9:34 a.m.

9:37 a.m.

9:32 a.m.

4:06 a.m.

1.4 H 1.2 H 1.1 H 0.8 L

Time Height 11:55 a.m. 1.4 H 12:03 p.m. 1.4 H 12:08 p.m. 1.4 H

3:24 p.m.

4:03 p.m.

4:45 p.m.

10:36 a.m.

Time 6:54 p.m.

7:15 p.m.

7:39 p.m.

Height 0.2 L 0.1 L -0.1 L

0.7 L 0.5 L 0.2 L 1.4 H

6:54 p.m. 1.1 H 10:07 p.m. 1.0 H

Time Height 10:15 a.m. 1.1 H

Time Height 6:41 p.m. 0.2 L

5:28 p.m. 0.0 L

South Padre Island

Freeport Harbor Time 7:12 p.m.

7:33 p.m.

7:57 p.m.

Height 0.2 L 0.1 L -0.1 L

6:23 p.m. 1.2 H 9:36 p.m. 1.1 H 11:49 p.m. 1.4 H

Date Time Height May 27 2:12 a.m. 1.1 H May 28 3:25 a.m. 1.3 H May 29 4:18 a.m. 1.3 H May 30 5:02 a.m. 1.4 H May 31 5:42 a.m. 1.5 H Jun 01 6:23 a.m. 1.5 H Jun 02 7:05 a.m. 1.6 H Jun 03 7:47 a.m. 1.6 H Jun 04 8:26 a.m. 1.6 H Jun 05 8:58 a.m. 1.6 H Jun 06 9:21 a.m. 1.5 H Jun 07 12:47 a.m. -0.2 L Jun 08 1:40 a.m. 0.1 L Jun 09 2:42 a.m. 0.5 L Jun 10 12:14 a.m. 0.9 H

2011 May-June 27 Fri 28 Sat 29 Sun 30 Mon > 31 Tue > 01 Tue 02 Wed 03 Thu 04 Fri Q 05 Sat 06 Sun 07 Mon 08 Tue 09 Wed 10 Thu > 11 Fri N 12 Sat N 13 Sun > 14 Mon > 15 Tue

A.M. Minor Major 1:49 7:59 2:25 8:36 3:03 9:14 3:44 9:56 4:28 10:41 9:47 3:36 10:36 4:26 11:22 5:12 ----- 5:54 12:24 6:34 1:02 7:13 1:40 7:51 2:19 8:31 3:01 9:14 3:48 10:02 4:41 10:55 5:38 11:54 6:40 12:25 7:45 1:30 8:48 2:34

P.M. Minor 2:10 2:47 3:26 4:08 4:54 10:10 10:58 11:43 12:04 12:44 1:23 2:02 2:43 3:27 4:16 5:10 6:09 7:11 8:14 9:17

Major 8:20 8:57 9:37 10:20 11:06 3:58 4:47 5:32 6:14 6:54 7:33 8:13 8:55 9:40 10:30 11:25 12:24 12:56 1:59 3:03

SUN Rises Sets 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 08:17 06:21 08:17 06:20 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 08:21 06:20 08:21 06:20 08:21 06:20 08:22 06:20 08:22

MOON Rises 2:55a 3:26a 3:59a 4:35a 5:17a NoMoon 12:10a 12:42a 1:11a 1:39a 2:07a 2:37a 3:10a 3:47a 4:31a 5:22a 6:20a 7:24a 8:32a 9:41a

Sets 3:48p 4:42p 5:37p 6:33p 7:30p 10:28a 11:23a 12:17p 1:09p 2:01p 2:55p 3:51p 4:50p 5:51p 6:55p 7:57p 8:57p 9:51p 10:40p 11:22p

Dallas

Port Aransas, H. Caldwell Pier

San Luis Pass

Date Time Height May 27 1:45 a.m. 1.5 H May 28 2:45 a.m. 1.6 H May 29 3:28 a.m. .7 H May 30 4:04 a.m. 1.8 H May 31 4:39 a.m. 2.0 H Jun 01 5:15 a.m. 2.0 H Jun 02 5:53 a.m. 2.0 H Jun 03 6:34 a.m. 2.0 H Jun 04 7:17 a.m. 1.8 H Jun 05 7:58 a.m. 1.8 H Jun 06 12:07 a.m. -0.1 L Jun 07 12:53 a.m. 0.1 L Jun 08 1:46 a.m. 0.3 L Jun 09 2:48 a.m. 0.5 L Jun 10 4:14 a.m. 0.8 L

Full

June 10

June 3

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.

Rockport

Galveston Bay entrance, south jetty

Date Time Height May 27 2:53 a.m. 1.0 H May 28 3:53 a.m. 1.1 H May 29 4:36 a.m. 1.2 H May 30 5:12 a.m. 1.3 H May 31 5:47 a.m. 1.4 H Jun 01 6:23 a.m. 1.4 H Jun 02 7:01 a.m. 1.4 H Jun 03 7:42 a.m. 1.4 H Jun 04 8:25 a.m. 1.3 H Jun 05 12:22 a.m. -0.3 L Jun 06 1:06 a.m. -0.1 L Jun 07 1:52 a.m. 0.1 L Jun 08 2:45 a.m. 0.3 L Jun 09 3:47 a.m. 0.5 L Jun 10 12:57 a.m. 0.9 H

First

Port O’Connor

Sabine Pass, jetty

Date Time Height May 27 2:23 a.m. 1.7 H May 28 3:23 a.m. 1.9 H May 29 4:06 a.m. 2.0 H May 30 4:42 a.m. 2.1 H May 31 5:17 a.m. 2.3 H Jun 01 5:53 a.m. 2.3 H Jun 02 6:31 a.m. 2.3 H Jun 03 7:12 a.m. 2.3 H Jun 04 7:55 a.m. 2.1 H Jun 05 8:36 a.m. 2.1 H Jun 06 12:10 a.m. -0.1 L Jun 07 12:56 a.m. 0.1 L Jun 08 1:49 a.m. 0.4 L Jun 09 2:51 a.m. 0.9 L Jun 10 12:27 a.m. 1.6 H

Solunar | Sun times | Moon times

Moon Phases

Texas Coast Tides Date Time Height May 27 1:36 a.m. 2.1 H May 28 2:36 a.m. 2.3 H May 29 3:19 a.m. 2.5 H May 30 3:55 a.m. 2.7 H May 31 4:30 a.m. 2.9 H Jun 01 5:06 a.m. 2.9 H Jun 02 5:44 a.m. 2.9 H Jun 03 6:25 a.m. 2.9 H Jun 04 7:08 a.m. 2.7 H Jun 05 7:49 a.m. 2.7 H Jun 06 8:25 a.m. 2.5 H Jun 07 12:30 a.m. 0.2 L Jun 08 1:23 a.m. 0.5 L Jun 09 2:25 a.m. 1.1 L Jun 10 3:51 a.m. 1.6 L

LSONews.com

4:37 p.m.

4:54 p.m.

9:17 a.m.

0.6 L 0.2 L 1.0 H

9:05 p.m. 0.8 H 5:28 p.m. -0.2 L

2011 May-June 27 Fri 28 Sat 29 Sun 30 Mon > 31 Tue > 01 Tue 02 Wed 03 Thu 04 Fri Q 05 Sat 06 Sun 07 Mon 08 Tue 09 Wed 10 Thu > 11 Fri N 12 Sat N 13 Sun > 14 Mon > 15 Tue

A.M. Minor Major 1:55 8:05 2:31 8:42 3:09 9:20 3:49 10:01 4:34 10:47 9:52 3:41 10:42 4:31 11:28 5:17 ----- 6:00 12:30 6:40 1:08 7:18 1:45 7:56 2:25 8:36 3:07 9:20 3:54 10:08 4:46 11:01 5:44 11:59 6:46 12:31 7:50 1:35 8:54 2:40

P.M. Minor Major 2:15 8:25 2:52 9:03 3:31 9:43 4:13 10:25 4:59 11:12 10:15 4:04 11:03 4:53 11:48 5:38 12:10 6:20 12:50 7:00 1:28 7:39 2:07 8:18 2:48 9:00 3:33 9:46 4:22 10:35 5:16 11:30 6:14 12:29 7:16 1:01 8:20 2:05 9:22 3:08

SUN MOON Rises Sets Rises Sets 06:21 08:26 2:59a 3:57p 06:21 08:26 3:28a 4:52p 06:20 08:27 4:00a 5:48p 06:20 08:27 4:35a 6:45p 06:20 08:28 5:15a 7:43p 06:19 08:29 NoMoon 10:28a 06:19 08:29 12:21a 11:25a 06:19 08:30 12:50a 12:20p 06:19 08:30 1:18a 1:14p 06:18 08:31 1:44a 2:08p 06:18 08:31 2:11a 3:03p 06:18 08:32 2:39a 4:00p 06:18 08:32 3:11a 5:01p 06:18 08:33 3:47a 6:04p 06:18 08:33 4:29a 7:09p 06:18 08:34 5:19a 8:12p 06:18 08:34 6:17a 9:11p 06:18 08:34 7:21a 10:05p 06:18 08:35 8:31a 10:51p 06:18 08:35 9:42a 11:32p

P.M. Minor Major 2:22 8:32 2:59 9:10 3:38 9:50 4:20 10:32 5:06 11:19 10:22 4:11 11:10 5:00 11:55 5:45 12:17 6:27 12:57 7:07 1:35 7:46 2:14 8:25 2:55 9:07 3:40 9:53 4:29 10:42 5:23 11:37 6:21 12:36 7:23 1:08 8:27 2:12 9:29 3:15

SUN MOON Rises Sets Rises Sets 06:36 08:25 3:08a 4:01p 06:35 08:25 3:39a 4:54p 06:35 08:26 4:12a 5:49p 06:35 08:27 4:49a 6:45p 06:35 08:27 5:30a 7:42p 06:34 08:28 NoMoon 10:42a 06:34 08:28 12:23a 11:37a 06:34 08:29 12:54a 12:30p 06:34 08:29 1:23a 1:22p 06:34 08:30 1:51a 2:14p 06:33 08:30 2:20a 3:07p 06:33 08:31 2:50a 4:03p 06:33 08:31 3:23a 5:02p 06:33 08:31 4:01a 6:04p 06:33 08:32 4:44a 7:07p 06:33 08:32 5:35a 8:09p 06:33 08:33 6:34a 9:09p 06:33 08:33 7:38a 10:03p 06:33 08:33 8:46a 10:52p 06:33 08:34 9:55a 11:35p

P.M. Minor 2:36 3:13 3:52 4:34 5:20 10:36 11:24 ----12:30 1:10 1:49 2:28 3:09 3:53 4:42 5:36 6:35 7:37 8:40 9:42

SUN Rises 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 06:32

San Antonio 2011 A.M. May-June Minor Major 27 Fri 2:02 8:12 28 Sat 2:38 8:49 29 Sun 3:16 9:27 30 Mon > 3:56 10:08 31 Tue > 4:41 10:54 01 Tue 9:59 3:48 02 Wed 10:49 4:38 03 Thu 11:35 5:24 04 Fri Q ----- 6:07 05 Sat 12:37 6:47 06 Sun 1:15 7:25 07 Mon 1:52 8:03 08 Tue 2:32 8:43 09 Wed 3:14 9:27 10 Thu > 4:01 10:15 11 Fri N 4:53 11:08 12 Sat N 5:51 ----13 Sun > 6:53 12:38 14 Mon > 7:57 1:42 15 Tue 9:01 2:47

Amarillo

JOIN US TODAY Texas’ Premier Outdoor Newspaper

24 issues for $30

Name ____________________________________________ Address_____________________________________________ City/State/Zip____________________________________ E-mail____________________________________________ Phone_____________________________________________ ❑ Master Card ❑ VISA ❑ American Express ❑ Discover

Credit Card No.____________________________________ Expiration Date______________________________________ Signature__________________________________________

Mail to Lone Star Outdoor News, PO Box 551695, Dallas, TX 75355. For fastest service, call (214) 361-2276 or visit LSONews.com.

OUTDOOR PUZZLER | By Wilbur “Wib” Lundeen

Solution on Page 26

2011 A.M. May-June Minor 27 Fri 2:15 28 Sat 2:51 29 Sun 3:29 30 Mon > 4:10 31 Tue > 4:54 01 Tue 10:13 02 Wed 11:02 03 Thu 11:48 04 Fri Q 12:06 05 Sat 12:50 06 Sun 1:28 07 Mon 2:06 08 Tue 2:45 09 Wed 3:27 10 Thu > 4:14 11 Fri N 5:07 12 Sat N 6:04 13 Sun > 7:06 14 Mon > 8:11 15 Tue 9:14

Major 8:25 9:02 9:40 10:22 11:07 4:01 4:52 5:38 6:20 7:00 7:38 8:17 8:57 9:40 10:28 11:21 ----12:51 1:56 3:00

Major 8:46 9:23 10:03 10:46 11:32 4:24 5:13 5:58 6:40 7:20 7:59 8:39 9:21 10:06 10:56 11:51 12:50 1:22 2:25 3:28

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

MOON Rises 3:18a 3:46a 4:17a 4:51a 5:31a 12:13a 12:45a 1:14a 1:40a 2:05a 2:31a 2:58a 3:28a 4:03a 4:44a 5:33a 6:31a 7:36a 8:47a 9:59a

Sets 4:20p 5:16p 6:13p 7:12p 8:10p 10:45a 11:43a 12:39p 1:34p 2:29p 3:26p 4:25p 5:27p 6:31p 7:36p 8:40p 9:39p 10:32p 11:17p 11:57p

FOR THE TABLE Crispy fish with citrus aioli

ACROSS 1. Term for trout that spawn upstream 4. A fish coloration 8. Shotgun model, over and _____ 10. Term for a group of pheasants 11. Solution used to wash out a gundog's eyes 12. 1 across lay hundreds 13. A good bait for brown trout 14. Consider this when choosing lures 17. Lure that attracts game, fowl, fish 18. An art of the fly-fisherman 21. Sought after for the fur 22. To adjust a scope 24. A game hideaway 25. Stream fishermen do this 30. A term for a perch species 32. A turkey call 34. Might be in a hunter's kit 35. Boat that folds up for carrying 37. Device on a fly, ____ guard 39. A shell that fails to fire 40. Bowhunting equipment 45. A game pathway 46. Color worn by hunters for safety 47. The turkey's feet 48. A hunter's quarry in the Rockies

DOWN 1. A species of deer 2. To make ready to shoot 3. The ____necked pheasant 4. Name for a large lake trout 5. Used for bait at times 6. A game resting place 7. Summer trout are found in ____ waters 9. A duty of the gundog 15. Shooting at random targets 16. A two-legged support for shooting 17. Term for a whitetail's tines 19. Teeth determine this on some game 20. A bowhunting quarry in Florida 23. A very good walleye bait 26. To ready gun or bow for a shot 27. Excellent pheasant gun, _____ musket 28. A good thing to have in a tent

1 lb. panfish filets cut into 1-inch strips 1 cup tempura mix 1 cup ice water 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tbsp ground pepper Panko breadcrumbs Oil heated to 375 degrees F Citrus Aioli 1 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate 1/2 tbsp freshly grated orange zest 1/2 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest 1 tbsp fresh orange juice 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 clove garlic finely diced

1 cup mayo Combine aioli ingredients in bowl, mix thoroughly and chill in refrigerator until cool.

Mix batter by combining tempura mix, water, garlic powder and ground pepper. Dip fish strips in batter and toss battered filets in panko breadcrumbs until coated.

Fry in oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season with salt to taste.

Serve hot crispy fish with cool aioli. Serves two.

— National Shooting Sports Foundation

Thai turkey spring rolls

29. Hauls a catch into the boat 30. Name refers to the wild turkey 31. Used for troll fishing 33. Old gobblers that stay to themselves 36. An action on a repeating

shotgun 38. Term for a method of deer drive 41. A good grain lure for traps 42. A female bear 43. A fly lure, hares ____ 44. Best lure color to attract fish

1 pound wild turkey breast Olive oil Fresh squeezed lemon juice Fresh ground pepper Salt Watercress sprigs Cilantro sprigs Cucumber strips Tomato, thinly sliced Carrot strips Lettuce leaves Thai rice spring roll wrapper Sweet chili sauce Peanuts crushed Lightly pound wild turkey breast to 3/4-inch thick. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Panfry it in olive oil until both sides are lightly

browned and meat juices run clear.

Let cool, slice into 1/2-inch strips and soak turkey breast in dressing made from three parts lemon juice, one part extra-virgin olive oil, pepper and salt.

Refrigerate meat until chilled.

Soak one rice wrapper in water until soft, lay on plate or cutting board and assemble roll. Use turkey meat, watercress, cilantro, cucumber, tomato and carrot combinations as filling and use lettuce and rice paper as the outer layers of the spring roll wrap. Chill spring rolls in refrigerator and serve with sweet chili sauce and crushed peanuts.

— National Shooting Sports Foundation

LSONews.com

TOURNAMENT BRIEFS

Yamamoto uses his plastics for fifth at Red River Pro angler and custom bait maker Gary Yamamoto was the only Texan to place at the Walmart FLW Tour May 19-22 on the Red River in Shreveport, La. Yamamoto, of Palestine, came in fifth, with 20 bass weighing 37 pounds, 11 ounces. His winnings were $18,553.

First place was won by John Cox of DeBary, Fla., whose four-day total of 20 bass weighed 48 pounds, 8 ounces.

As expected, Yamamoto threw his own soft plastics, including a Texas-rigged 4-inch Yamamoto Craw, a Yamamoto Hula Swimmer and a 5-inch prototype craw with a double tail. All were colored black and blue.

Cox won first place by fishing a Dandy Baits 1/2-ounce jighead with a green-pumpkin/green-glitter skirt and then a ChatterBait and swimbait. He also used a Producto Buzztail shad.

Strong winds can’t stop Shriner tournament Powerful winds hammered the Texas coast May 21, but it couldn’t stop the Arabia Shrine Sportsmen’s 7th Annual Fishing Tournament at Matagorda Harbor. Results follow.

Five trout stringer over 15 inches: first place, the team of John Calhoun, San Antonio, 19 pounds, $1,000; second, the team of Steven Peoples, El Campo, 17.6 pounds; third, the team of Tom and Lisa Perilloux, hometown unavailable, 17.5 pounds.

Largest trout: first place, John Calhoun, 6.9 pounds, $500; second, Jason Zbranek, El Campo, 6.5 pounds; third, Steven Peoples, 5.3 pounds.

Three slot redfish stringer: first place, Marty Van Dyke, Bay City, fishing alone, 23.6 pounds, $1,000; second, the team Perilloux, 23.5

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

pounds; third, Dustin Koreba, Houston, 23.5 pounds (tie was decided by fish length, which favored the Perillouxs.)

Largest slot redfish: first place, the team of Charles Barton, hometown unavailable, 8.8 pounds, $1,000; second, the team of John Gully, Cyprus, 8.5 pounds; third, Marty Van Dyke, 8.4 pounds.

Flounder pot, $1,100, split between the Shriner club and angler Matthew Wood, Austin, who caught a fish that weighed 2 pounds, 4 ounces. Both received $550.

American Rodsmiths awarded fishing rods to all the first-place winners.

Tutt takes top spot at Texoma Pro angler Jim Tutt of Longview weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 4 ounces May 14 to win the FLW EverStart Series Texas Division event on Lake Texoma.

Tutt’s three-day total of 13 bass weighed 44 pounds.

His prizes were $26,722 and a boat and motor.

“I tried to catch them on a spinnerbait all week but just couldn’t do it,” said Tutt. “I threw a Gambler Giggy Head and got a lot of bites.”

Other top finishers were: second, Gary Vining, Morgan City, La., 15 bass, 40-2, $9,162; and third, Todd Castledine, Nacogdoches, 12 bass, 40-0, $7,635.

Four boats awarded at ‘Legend of Lake Fork’ The 7th Annual Legend of Lake Fork Open Big Bass Tournament awarded four boats May 13-15 at Lake Fork Marina.

The Legend boats went to: Joe Poole, of Gilmer, for heaviest bass over slot, 10.96 pounds; Shawn McKinney, of Hughes Springs, second heaviest bass over slot, 10.05 pounds; Jerry Sumner, Melbourne, Ark., heaviest bass under slot, 2.61 pounds; and Robert Tatomirovich, Martinsville, Ind., early entry draw winner.

—Staff reports

May 27, 2011

Page 25

Page 26

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LONE STAR MARKET

Puzzle solution from Page 24

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

LSONews.com

LSONews.com

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

May 27, 2011

Page 27

Page 28

May 27, 2011

Lone✯Star Outdoor News

LSONews.com