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MARCH 2011|$3. 95|VOL.26,NO.11
ST RI P E RS: F I SHF ORA L L SE A SONS WA DE F I SHI NG
COBI A ! F L OUNDE R’ S A CHI L L E ’ SHE E L
T ROP HY
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PRO TOD FAI RCLOTH HOSTS ULTI MATE TROPHY QUEST WI NNER DENNI S MI TTASCH AT LAKE SAM RAYBURN
T HET F &GBA SS F I SHI NGQUI Z SHORTRA NGE OP T I CS
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www.FishGame.com Published by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC. TEXAS FISH & GAME is the largest independent, family-owned outdoor publication in America. Owned by Ron & Stephanie Ward and Roy & Ardia Neves.
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DON ZAIDLE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
CHESTER MOORE EXECUTIVE EDITOR
C O N T R I B U T O R S
JOE DOGGETT DOUG PIKE TED NUGENT BOB HOOD MATT WILLIAMS CALIXTO GONZALES LENNY RUDOW STEVE LAMASCUS LOU MARULLO KENDAL HEMPHILL REAVIS WORTHAM TOM BEHRENS GREG BERLOCHER PAUL BRADSHAW CAPT. MIKE HOLMES LISA MOORE JOHN GISEL
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DENNISE CHAVEZ ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR TEXAS FISH & GAME (ISSN 0887-4174) is published monthly by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC., 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. ©Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission. The publication assumes no responsibility for unsolicited photographs and manuscripts. Subscription rates: 1 year $19.00: 2 years $34.75; 3 years $48.50. Address all subscription inquiries to Texas Fish & Game, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for response. Give old and new address and enclose latest mailing address label when writing about your subscription. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Address all subscription inquiries to TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Email change of address to: dhruzek@fishgame.com Email new orders to: dhruzek@fishgame.com Email subscription questions to: dhruzek@fishgame.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX 77267-9946 and at additional mailing offices.
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FEATURES 22
FISH FOR ALL SEASONS
Caught so many black bass that you’ve lost count? Take a break from basic black and try something in stripes. Winter, spring, summer or fall, from the Red to the Rio Grand, you can find stripers to tangle with.
by Paul Bradshaw
SHORT-RANGE OPTICS
Every common sense-equipped hunter knows you never use the scope of your rifle to sight on anything you don’t intend to shoot. But what is your best option for non-lethal optic sighting — a binocular or monocular?
by Bob Hood
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THE MENHADEN FACTOR
Menhaden are a flounder’s Achille’s Heel. Flatfish are ambush-prone opportunists and menhaden are easy to ambush—which can lead a floiunder right into its own ambush by a crafty angler.
Bass fishing is not rocket science, but a little knowledge can take an angler a long way. Think you’re already an ace at finding and catching bass? Take our Quiz and see...
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BIG SAM BASS QUEST
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Pro Angler Todd Faircloth hosted Texas Fish & Game’s Ultimate Trophy Quest winner, Dennis Mittasch of Willis, for a day of bass fishing on Lake Sam Rayburn. STORY:
MOSSBERG: MADE IN TEXAS
O.F. Mossberg, one of the world’s leading firearms manufacturers, relies on its Maverick County, Texas, factory (appropriately named Maverick Arms) to supply a global marketplace.
by Steve LaMascus
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Imagine wading a shallow-water midcoastal bay, fishing for trout, when a bragging-size cobia strikes your lure. Rare, but it does happen, and one of our writers was there — with a camera — when one did. STORY:
by Will Leschper
THE TF&G BASS FISHING QUIZ
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COBIA ON FOOT
by Chester Moore
by Matt Williams
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ON THE COVERS:
TER MOORE PHOTO: CHES
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LESCHPER PHOTO: WILL
MARCH 2011 • Volume XXVI • NO. 11
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by Chester Moore
www.FishGame.com
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COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS MARCH 2011 • Volume XXVI • NO. 11
COLUMNS 10 Editor’s Notes Thirteen Laughing Gulls by DON ZAIDLE TF&G Editor-in-Chief
14 Chester’s Notes
30 Texas Saltwater The Front of the Shield
by CALIXTO GONZALES TF&G Saltwater Editor
Shooting Flipper
by CHESTER MOORE TF&G Executive Editor
16 Doggett at Large Seeing Red
by JOE DOGGETT TF&G Senior Contributing Editor
18 Pike On the Edge 42 Hunt Texas Do We Need More Fishing Regulations? by DOUG PIKE TF&G Senior Contributing Editor
20 TexasWild Good, Bad, and Ugly
21 Commentary Giving Back
by KENDAL HEMPHILL TF&G Politcal Commentator M A R C H
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by BOB HOOD TF&G Hunting Editor
43 Texas Freshwater
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LETTERS
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TF&G REPORT
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BIG BAGS & CATCHES TRUE GREEN
The Highs and Lows of Rising, Muddy Water
by TED NUGENT TF&G Editor At Large
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Raven’s First Goose Hunt
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by MATT WILLIAMS TF&G Freshwater Editor
56 Open Season Stingers
by REAVIS WORTHAM TF&G Humor Editor F I S H
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www.FishGame.com
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Letters to the Editor Taking Issue with ‘Hunting Land & Money’ Letter THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO A LETTER, “Hunting, Land, & Money,” by Mr. Ryon Grant, published in the January 2011 issue. In Mr. Grant’s letter, he complains about Texans leasing their land for money. I can only theorize that in Michigan where he said he grew up, the court systems and such are different from ours, since the very thought of allowing someone to hunt on property that I own without a lease, a release from liability signed by the hunters, and drawn up by my attorney makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. It’s nice of Mr. Grant to offer “straps, roasts, chopping firewood, or helping to fix my tractors,” but that won’t pay the liability insurance that I have to buy every year or the attorney fees that would result in case someone gets injured or killed on my land; whether they are on it with my permission or not. Mr. Grant contradicts himself a bit by stating that “when I felt like hunting, all I had to do was talk to one of the local farmers and they would let me sit on a fence row or in a plot of woods and I could hunt to my heart’s content.” Then later states, “I would never expect anyone to simply open their land to someone, especially a complete stranger...” Mr. Grant also states that 20 acres is “such a chunk of land.” My back yard is 15 acres and the front and side yards are another 15. That might be a “chunk” in Michigan, but not so in Texas. He goes on to state that “monetary compensation for the use of God’s green Earth is a concept that will forever remain foreign to my understanding.” I can only guess that Mr. Grant’s not a landowner or he would know that you have to pay for it to own it, and then you simply rent it from the government in the form of taxes each year—taxes 8 |
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that lease payments certainly help to pay, especially when the cattle market isn’t doing so well. In any case, I am not trying to tear the man down, but trying to point out some facts. As long as there are people willing to pay to hunt on private land, there will be landowners willing to lease their land for money. You are not in Michigan anymore, Mr. Grant. Wade Warner Via email
Old Baits to New I ENJOYED MATT WILLIAMS’ TEXAS Freshwater column on “Old Baits to New.” I, too, repair a lot of old baits that I find at estate and garage sales. Sometimes at estate sales I find complete tackle boxes full of old plugs that, after they are washed and new split rings and hooks are installed, look like new and still catch fish. My biggest find was last year at an estate sale. I was looking in an old dirty closet and found six fly rods and an old tackle box; the lid was rusty and I could not get it open. I asked the lady doing the estate sale about the price for the old rods and tackle box. She looked at the dirty rod covers and rusty box and said, “Would you pay $10 for all of them?” When I got it all home and worked the tackle box open, in it were five fly reels, about 100 flies, and one old casting reel in a bag. I had all of this appraised by a person that knows old fishing tackle. One of the fly reels was made in England and worth $150. The rods were Eagle Claw and the value for all was $125. Most of the flies were handtied and he gave me an off-the-cuff value of $100. The reels held top-dollar line and the box had several leaders in packages. There was one package of old Crème worms in original
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packaging. I have a fishing buddy that gave back a tackle box he brought at a garage sale. The man’s wife had set his good tackle box out by mistake, and it was full of lures! William C. Edgar Brownfield, TX If you enjoy making “finds” like these, keep out an eye for a feature article titled, “Trophies in the Attic” scheduled for an upcoming issue. —Don Zaidle, editor-in-chief
Viva La Revolución THANK YOU FOR KENDAL HEMPHILL’S excellent column, “La Revolución,” in the January issue. It was the first time I had read anyone telling that side of the problems in Mexico. Being a Texan and having some knowledge of the border problems, what Hemphill wrote makes a lot of sense. I am not sure I even want to chase the specks and reds down near Brownsville anymore. I think I will spend more time on Upper Laguna Madre. Thanks for the heads- up.
Don Townsen Via email
Send Your Comments to: Texas Fish & Game Attn: Letters to the Editor 1745 Greens Road Houston TX 77032
E-mail: letters@fishgame.com
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Editor’s Notes by Don Zaidle | TF&G Editor-in-Chief
Thirteen Laughing Gulls N THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2010, THE Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) issued a press release stating: “State and federal biologists today released back into the wild 13 laughing gulls and two royal terns and one sandwich tern rehabilitated after rescue from oil impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.” (sic) Thirteen laughing gulls. And a partridge in a pear tree.
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In this space, August 2010 issue, I wrote under the title “Killing is Kindness” of the futility and absurdity of “rescuing” oiled birds, and advocated euthanasia as more practical and humane. To recap briefly, I presented data showing survival of cleaned birds is almost nil; that estimated costs to clean birds vary widely from $600 to as much as $15,000 per bird (estimates for the Deepwater Horizon accident averaged $1200); and posited that all such expenditures of funds and resources are a deplorable waste with zero return for wildlife. I was surprised and disappointed to see the usually pragmatic LDWF boasting about its involvement in post-Deepwater Horizon theater, particularly with 13 laughing gulls as the central prop. With an estimated continental U.S. population of 800,000, laughing gulls are hardly
endangered—and even if they were, the data say post-oiling efforts to save them would be futile. Thirteen laughing gulls, which equals 6 percent of the 211 female laughing gulls purposely killed and necropsied in 2001 for a reproduction study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thirteen laughing gulls, which breed from April through July—just when all those bird “rescuers” were stomping around the marshes and shorelines—and for which disturbance of nesting colonies is the greatest threat to local populations. One must perforce question why, in the face of all evidence to the contrary, groups and governments insist on performing such efforts and claiming they serve a “valuable” purpose. I do not know how many “charities” and
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“save the animals!” groups are making hay out of the Deepwater Horizon accident, but you can bet each group’s salaried bigwigs are laughing all the way to bank after rolling in the donations from gullible sympathizers. I do not know how government bureaucrats and politicians count the value of “we’re saving the Gulf!” publicity, but they are undoubtedly laughing all the way to the political capital bank. I do not know why the gulls are laughing; perhaps at the silly humans making all the fuss. I do know why legitimate scientists, biologists, and other wildlife professionals are laughing: slapstick and Keystone Cops routines are funny. Defending one’s personal dung heap is natural and expected, but mounting a defense does not make a position defensible—reminiscent of the man asking the court for leniency on the basis he was an orphan after killing his parents. And what of the “outdated data” claims? (Notwithstanding that post-cleaning follow-up data from the 1980s and 1990s is hardly
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“outdated” in terms of the body of relevant literature.) When pressed for data from more recent credible studies, the bird launderers cannot provide it—because it does not exist. It seems, therefore, that the massive postDeepwater Horizon bird-washing effort was a prime opportunity to do just that: Band each washed bird, index the band numbers to computerized files containing all pertinent data (date and location caught, cleaning methods, date and location of release, etc.), and then collect survival, nesting, and other data from band returns. Better still, equip released birds with GPS tracking and data telemetry devices, and in no time, a clear picture of postwashing survivability would emerge. Alas, apparently BP Oil’s money was insufficient to fund such a follow-up program. Here, nigh-on a year after the accident, no follow-up data is forthcoming and no programs to collect it in evidence—or if there are, they are well-guarded secrets. One must wonder whether such data might prove inconvenient to fund-raising and embarrassing to “save the animals!” pundits. In the interests of offending as many pur-
veyors of ill-conceived “wildlife rescue” programs as possible, I hereby springboard from the preceding twice-chewed cabbage to posit that all wildlife “rescue” and “rehabilitation” efforts—even when the objects thereof survive—are monumental wastes of money, time, and resources. Biological realities make onesie-twosie species conservation irrelevant in a wild population, and often in captive situations with some species. “Rescuing” and “rehabilitating” individual specimens of any species accomplishes nothing for the population, be it hawk, eagle, or owl; mink, ermine, or weasel; or bear, cougar, or coyote (yes, there actually are people and organizations that “rescue” and “rehabilitate” coyotes). Delude yourself all you like, but catch-andrelease of sustainable fish species does nothing to “ensure the genes remain in the population.” It is a feel-good gesture that accomplishes little, if anything, from a biological standpoint. (Before you write me nasty letters, Continued on page 13
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The TF&G Report PHOTO: LARRY HODGE
New Lake Austin Bass Record
threw a big crankbait up under a dock, and she hammered it on about the third Record Bass crank,” Nissen said. “It made a bunch of runs and shook its head three times. We didn’t have a net, but luckily I had a partner in the boat who was willing to take as many treble hooks in the hand as he had to to get her in the boat. Once we got her in the boat, we just stood there and stared, wondering what to do next.” The small boat did not have a livewell, but Nissen had the next best thing: Friends who were willing to do whatever it took to T.J. Nissen with his 16.03-pound catch from Lake Austin.
T.J. NISSEN OF AUSTIN NOW HOLDS THE bass record for Lake Austin after catching a 16-pounds-plus largemouth on January 27. Nissen was fishing in 4-5 feet of 49degree water when the 16.03-pound fish took his crankbait. The fish is 28.25 inches long and 21.75 inches in girth. Only three other fish entered into the Toyota ShareLunker program have been that long. Lake Austin is traditionally drawn down in January,and that poses a problem for anglers, since all the boat ramps are out of the water and unusable. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. “The only way you can get in is with a kayak or a V-bottom boat or a flat-bottom boat,”
Nissen said. “We bought one a couple of years ago specifically for this.” Forethought paid off with a new lake record largemouth bass that ranks No. 22 on the list of 50 biggest bass caught in Texas. “I
B IG B AGS &CATCHES Speckled Trout Port Isabel
Ryan Bagwell, age 7, caught this 29-inch, 8-pound speckled trout while fishing with his dad out of Port Isabel. The fish was big enough to make the STAR leader board, but not big enough to win, so Ryan decided to release the big girl. She was worth more to him alive.
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Whitetail Buck
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Uvalde
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Kent Marze killed this 8 point management buck, 6 1/2 years old and weighing 170 lbs, hunting at Uvalde. He took the trophy with a Remington Model 700 7mm08, shooting Hornady Interbonds bullets.
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Evan Janson caught this 6-pound largemouth bass while fishing a private pond in Frisco. He caught the bass using a chatter bait. Evan’s photo was sent in by Eric D. Janson.
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Editor’s Notes keep the big fish alive. “I started calling friends and saying, ‘We need some help. We need an ice chest and an aerator.’ All my buddies came through, and my wife came down and brought us pizza while we waited for [Texas Parks and Wildlife Department]
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Once we got her to the boat, we just stood there and stared, wondering what to do next.
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to show up. It was fantastic.” In the 25-year history of the ShareLunker program, only 19 fish entered into the program (including Nissen’s) have weighed 16 pounds or more. Nissen’s fish ranks No. 22 on the Top 50 list because some of the fish on that list were not entered into the ShareLunker program.
Only five of the 19 (including Nissen’s) were caught before the end of January, and three of those catches came during the month of January. The most recent was the current state record of 18.18 caught by Barry St. Clair January 24, 1992. Three 16-poundplus fish have been caught in the last 10 months, and that fact is causing some raised eyebrows among Texas Parks & Wildlife Department fisheries biologists. A 16pound fish could easily top 18 pounds when the eggs it is carrying are fully mature, and that process is just getting under way as water temperatures warm and days grow longer. “Will we see a new state record caught this year? I wonder,” said ShareLunker program manager David Campbell.
On the Web Catch the latest Outdoor News & sign up for Daily Newsblast: www.FishGame.com
Continued from page 11 please read up on the purpose of slot and maximum length limits.) All the millions of dollars and manhours poured into restoring whooping crane and California condor populations will ultimately prove for naught, because the populations are too far below those species’ sustainability thresholds. Managing “consumable” populations with harvest regulations works because the affected species are robust and self-sustaining. Managing or restoring damaged habitat works because it addresses the target population as a whole, and benefits other species to boot. There is a name for these management practices: It is “conservation.” I close with a reminder to the fools from whom their money has parted: The gulls are laughing—all 13 of them. E-mail Don Zaidle at DZaidle@fishgame.com.
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Chester’s Notes by Chester Moore | TF&G Executive Editor
Shooting Flipper T WAS SINGLEHANDEDLY THE MOST bizarre idea I ever heard related to fisheries conservation. During the flounder regulation debate in 2008, someone literally suggested killing dolphins as an option.
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“They are always out there in the passes flipping those flounder out of the water and eating them. The dolphins are getting more populous and they eat more flounder than we ever kill, so we should enact some dolphin population control.” “So, you’re saying we should shoot Flipper to save the flounder,” I asked. “Yes, pretty much.” I wrote that off as an isolated incident and then over the next few months was contacted by several people making the same suggestion. Somehow the idea of setting up dolphin sharpshooters in our bays and passes did not seem like it would fly with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission (TPWC) or the general public for that matter. “Come to the Texas coast where we blew away 500 dolphins last year!” Not exactly good Chamber of Commerce material, is it? Soon however, the tide turned away from dolphin eradication to redfish annihilation. “There are just too many redfish. They are eating all of the baby flounder. That is why flounder numbers are down.” Once again I wrote this off and ended up hearing the same thing from several people. One even suggested doubling the redfish bag limit, dropping the minimum size and ending all red drum stocking. With trout regulations the hot debate this year, I have not heard new cries for porpoise plinking but redfish are back in the 14 |
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crosshairs. At scoping meetings there have been several calls for redfish population control. “The trout are declining because the reds are eating all their food.” “The reds are eating everything in their path.” This is reminiscent of the late 1990s when commercial fishermen in Louisiana tried to get gill and strike nets legalized for redfish once again because the reds were “wiping out the crabs.” A decline in blue crab numbers could not possibly have been related to the insane number of crab traps set in Bayou State waters but had to have been redfish, which as far as we know have been co-existing with crabs forever. There is a tendency in fisheries management to seek scapegoats when there are population problems or regulation debates. These kinds of arguments and others like them do nothing but move the attention from the real issues, taking the fishing public down rabbit trails with no end. More importantly it takes the focus off the side of the conservation equation we can control: ourselves. There is a reason size and bag limits are put in place. Of the myriad factors that go into management of a species including drought, flood, salinity levels and freezes, our take of that resource is the one thing we can control. TPWC members cannot pass a measure deeming salinity levels above 60 parts per thousand. Well, they could but it would have zero impact. Changing bag and size limits however does have an effect and along with stock enhancement are the only cost effective mechanisms we have to impact sport fish numbers. A good, straightforward debate on whether or not we should make changes and the value we place on things like trout availability and trophy size is something we should discuss. However, we should do so without relegating redfish back to 1970s status when their primary purpose was an
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ingredient in a Chef Paul Prudhomme recipe. They deserve more respect than that. For many years I have studied the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s creel, purse seine and gillnet survey results. They are by far the most thorough of any state in the nation and in my opinion as legitimate an account of what is happening in our bays as we can get. The raw numbers are real or at least as real as anything else out there. When the TPWC goes by science, just by the raw numbers they do a good job of regulating the state. However, we have to remember the Commission is made of appointees who are usually wealthy folks who contributed to the sitting governor’s campaign. They are accountable to no one. In the past there has been more than one occasion where an agenda of a single commissioner drove them to enact regulations based more on social and special interest wants than on scientific standards. Similar things have come from within the department and made their way to official status. Have there been times when decision was basically made before proposals ever made it to the public scoping process? I think so. And on the other hand I know for a fact there have been times when public comment changed the agenda and common sense won out over social regulations and pet projects. If we keep our focus on the science, examine it and question every aspect, then true conservation usually wins out. The state and the fishing public owe it to our resource to fight it out over the facts, but suggesting decreasing one resource to benefit another does not help trout, flounder or anything else. Neither does ramming regulations through to appease a small contingent of anglers who just happen to have the ear of an influential legislator or other high-ranking official. Both are a disservice to the resource and the future of our beloved outdoors lifestyle.
E-mail Chester Moore at CMoore@fishgame.com.
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Dogget at Large by Joe Doggett | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor
Seeing Red The pleasant’st angling is to see the fish Cut with her golden oars the silver stream And greedily devour the treacherous bait. —William Shakespeare, “Much Ado About Nothing” HE BARD OF AVON WAS A VISIONARY OF modern times and coastal tides when he penned those words in 1598. He no doubt was referring to the brown trout with bold, gold markings native to the rivers of England, but his imagery is well-suited for the back lakes near Port O’Connor and the grass flats on the Laguna Madre. Watching a redfish swirl with “golden oars” in shin deep water to grab a plug or fly is one of the great thrills in angling; indeed, the frequent sight casting opportunities on flats and shorelines elevate the red drum in Texas to Tier One status as a gamefish. Certainly, other inshore sport species along our coast provide visible shots—tarpon, jackfish, black drum, ladyfish come to mind. Even large speckled trout offer legitimate presentations—and the bold sight of an “upper 20s” sow with gray-black back sliding across a white flat is a guaranteed thumb-fumbler over a casting reel. But these are random encounters. The redfish puts Texas on the map as a shallowwater venue. Schools of immature fish in the two- to 10-pound class thrive in the bays and estuaries, and favor feeding in mere inches of water for shellfish and baitfish. They often root or grub on bottom, with inverted tails flashing in the sun—high drama in low water for the poised angler. The “tailing” and cruising bonefish on tropical tides get more publicity but the Texas reds offer the same experience; in fact, many veteran anglers agree that skinny redfish can be the tougher of the two. This especially is true from a skiff drifting over a wind-riffled bottom of grass and sand/mud, when sight casting opportunities often are close and fast.
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Sight casting opportunities for redfish along the Texas coast are where you find ‘em, from Sabine Lake to the lower Laguna Madre, but the farther south you go, the better the odds become. This is because the bays of the middle and lower coast are, on average, shallower and clearer. Regardless of venue, sight casting with plug or fly combines the best of fishing and hunting. The angler is a stalker, seldom making a blind cast across open water. As soon as you do, with your lure way off in left field (or flat, as the case may be), a dandy red will materialize from nowhere, offering an “ice cream” shot at 50 feet at 11 o’clock (the clock coordinate with the bow being 12 o’clock). No—you stand cocked and locked, scanning with polarized glasses from 9 to 3, ready for a crisp presentation. Remember, this ever-vigilant stance guards against the maddeningly frequent pop-up target inside 30 or 40 feet. The goal is to spot the fish before it senses your approach. Wading and poling/drifting each has advantages and disadvantages. The wader is lower to the water, reducing the high image, but the cone of vision across the water is reduced. Wading also is quieter—well, assuming you don’t bumble over the back of a giant stingray. And, as long as you close the gap, you can shuffle left or right to improve the casting angle. The fisherman standing on the casting deck of a skiff can see way out there, but fish have an annoying habit of seeing back. Your head and casting arm are perhaps eight or 9 feet above the surface, not exactly the best profile for a stealth mission. And, with a contrary angle or a gusting wind, the boat can be difficult and noisy to maneuver. Regardless of approach, the idea when casting is not to hit the unaware red between the eyes. Or, worse, on the tail. In short, don’t aim at the fish. Note the direction the red is facing and estimate the speed and depth, then try to place the cast several feet ahead of and slightly beyond the target. The “lead” can
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be based on several factors but, as a rule, better to overshoot and let the fish close the gap. The exception might be with a subsurface lure over shallow grass or shell; too much lag time can result in a bogged-down bait—always a major bummer as a big red waddles past. If possible, minimize the commotion as the lure splashes down. A low sidearm cast might help; conversely, a high lob is likely to fall with a jarring chunk. Fly casting is quiet—a whisper snaking above the water to drop close to a shallow fish. For this reason, the long rod is very effective. The serious sight caster can most definitely expand his options by including an 8-weight fly rod with the usual battery of casting rods. Your casting distance is reduced with the fly rod but the presentation with a lightweight offering is soft and subtle. It’s much safer to press close with, say, a Seaducer streamer than a 1/2-ounce Johnson Sprite spoon. This can be a real advantage over thick bottom grass. Plus, many of the specialized baitfish, shrimp, and crab fly patterns really look good. Fly casting can be deadly and a competent caster with a proper weight-forward floating line can handle the gusting Gulf wind—but pay attention to line management when a close fish is sighted. From a skiff, this means glancing down to insure that the stripped line on the deck is not tangled or, worse, adrift under the bow. While wading, take a moment to pull the trailing line close for easier shooting and make certain no strings of grass are clinging to the coils. Now—put a crisp double haul into the air and nail that sucker! With plug or fly, “seeing red” on the Texas coast takes the game to a higher level. It is, indeed, the most pleasant angling.
E-mail Joe Doggett at JDoggett@fishgame.com
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Pike on the Edge by Doug Pike | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor
Do We Need More Fishing Regulations? HE TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE Commission at its January 26 meeting voted to leave the coastwide speckled trout limit at 10 fish per angler per day. TPWD Coastal Fisheries Director Robin Riechers recommended against changing the limit from 10 to five coastwide. The limit remains at five within Lower Laguna Madre in all inside waters south of marker 21 located inside the area known as the Land Cut. Comments submitted to TPWD during the scoping period were split 49 to 51 percent in favor of no change. Beyond current length and bag limits, do you think Texas inshore fisheries would benefit from restrictions on how, when, or where we fish? Managers have more cards in their hands than are being played. In other states, fishermen face season, location, and gear restrictions the likes of which would boggle most Texans’ minds. Often as not, those rules are necessary because fisheries and habitats elsewhere are in such woeful states as to command ultra-cautious harvest regulation. Here, at least for now, we have plenty of fish. Optimistic Texans point to a succession of favorable state surveys of our two most popular inshore sportfish: red drum and speckled trout. We are flush on both; tie a knot and make a cast. (I wouldn’t mind seeing the trout limit dropped to five and another inch tacked onto the minimum length, but TPWD overseers see no reason to drop such a hammer now.) Pessimists contend that we are never more than a hiccup from some natural or manmade disaster that will devastate coastal fisheries, and that the more fish we protect, the more will be left to begin a post-doomsday recovery.
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I disagree. TPWD does a good job of safeguarding these resources, and I am comfortably inclined to follow its lead. If bad happens, nature will fill whatever voids are created as quickly as habitat and food sources allow. TPWD holds the ace of “emergency rule” to counter catastrophic events, but I do not think we are anywhere near need for routine area or seasonal closures in our bays. Offshore fishermen already deal with closed seasons on red snapper, and it’s unlikely that the calendar will reopen fully on that species in the foreseeable future. That’s because management of that species was bungled for years by federal rule makers. Imagine the outcry if TPWD suggested a similar “season” for trout or reds, or if they declared certain bays to be “artificial lure only” zones, as are some trout streams and rivers up North. I am all for fishing with lures, but I am not ready to tell another person what to throw so long as there are enough fish for the both of us. Beyond a major increase in law enforcement, which we would all like to see, do we need more rules to protect our inshore fisheries into the future? ON A VERY DIFFERENT YET RELATED NOTE, many anglers pin their catch rates on the rods whereby they proffer lures or baits or magic elixirs. Fishing rods come in nearly endless sizes and actions, and the subtle differences between them change the way they make lures wiggle or beat the starch out of hot fish. I have owned or tested hundreds of different rods during nearly a quarter century in this business and continue to be amazed at how the industry manages, year after year, to
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make improvements. Nothing changed fishing rods more than introduction of graphite, which was significantly lighter and stronger than fiberglass. Early graphite rods had problems but still, for most applications, were the better technology. They still are. Today’s rods are lighter by half, in many cases, than same-size and same-action models from not a lot of years past. Good rods today are better than the best rods five years ago, and there is no reason to believe that technology won’t put a new spin on tomorrow’s rods to make them better yet again. So here’s my question: Can you really tell the difference in a $50 rod and a $200 rod? Side by side, no markings whatsoever, could you pick the premium stick from the more affordable one? Professionals and serious amateurs, I believe, can pick out the little variables in action that separate the best rods from all others. For the average weekend fisherman, however, I see no reason to invest heavily in a premium rod until that angler can explain in detail how the upgrade would be of benefit. It’s the same as when high-handicap golfers ask me about buying more expensive clubs. “When you can tell me why you need them,” I advise, “you’re ready for the better equipment.” Until then, buy a good rod, but maybe not the best rod, and spend whatever money remains on more lures or bait or a cool cap. Never let money allocated for fishing gear go back into the family’s “general fund.” Same as with tax dollars—once it’s taken away, you’ll never get it back.
E-mail Doug Pike at dpike@fishgame.com
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Ted’s TexasWild by Ted Nugent | TF&G Editor at Large
Good, Bad and Ugly OLY BACKSTRAPS! WHAT A GRAND huntseason huh! Best I’ve ever, that’s for sure. Exciting adventure, mind blowing critter encounters, fascinating campfires, nerve tingling/wracking challenges, soul cleansing dynamos, incredibly beautiful arrows, rock solid crosshairs, very happy dogs, backstraps for miles, wonderful new friendships and spirit fulfillment beyond measure. My memory bank bursts with absolutely amazing and powerful positives, and quite honestly, I suppose I couldn’t possibly, nor should I dare, ask for more. But I think I will anyway. I could go on and on and on and on about the abject joys of yet another glorious hunting season at CampNuge here, there and everywhere, but instead, I am compelled to scrutinize those less than desirable experiences in my ongoing quest for upgrade and improvement. I’m allergic to stagnancy and addicted to upgrade. Such a dreamer, I. If I just dwelled on all those outrageous guitar licks that so turn me on, I would never discover new and better musical visions. What would the girls dance to? Forward motion is my favorite motion, so as I take stock of the massive good that each and every outing provides my family, friends and me, it is here now that I wish to share the pain and suffering of the bad and ugly, so as to clear the path for more good. Bad and ugly left unchecked creates a real mess wherever we find it. I give you the state of the runaway Obama Fedzilla insanity as inescapable proof of this truism. When bad and ugly wins, good takes a hit, and I am convinced that it is totally avoidable with but a modicum of due diligence and intelligent dedication. Of course the poor pathetic souls living in the eleven states where Sunday hunting is forbidden have a rank bed to sleep in. My
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suggestion, make a new bed ASAP. Good old “we the people” activism has fixed this anti-American Sunday hunting ban embarrassment in numerous other states, and the eleven that accept this goofiness have their work cut out for them. The fix is proven and simple and I would highly recommend it gets Priority One for those who believe in freedom and individual liberty. Goodluck and Godspeed to you all. And yes, each of our fifty states and all Canadian provinces have many inexplicably illogical game laws on the books that need to go immediately, and I wish everyone the best of luck in beating back the soulless bureaucrats who stand in our way. We are slowly but surely winning this battle, and the prognosis improves somewhat incrementally. Stay on it. But there are some universal upgrades available to all hunters and shooters, and I would expect Texas to lead the way, seeing as how Texas is the number one hunting state in the nation and our hunt/shoot tradition is so solidly entrenched in the fabric of our Texas lifestyle. With that being said, why do you suppose there are so many Texas hunters who are barely familiar with their guns and bows? How can it be that so many new, young shooters are downright clumsy, uncomfortable and actually dangerous in the mishandling of their bows and guns? If I witness another young shooter show up raring to hunt that is incapable of finding game in their scope, who can barely struggle to draw back their bow, or that flinches maniacally when firing their bow or gun, I think I may implode. Though the majority of parents and friends are introducing new shooters properly with adequate time at the range getting efficient with gear, (this would be the good) there are way too many new shooters who are irresponsibly inept when venturing on their first hunt, or maybe 100th hunt. The only thing worse than failing to introduce a newcomer to our cherished shooting sports is the egregious violation of introducing them wrong, incomplete or too quickly.
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Finding a stationery target from a bench rest is one thing, a fidgety deer under hunting conditions quite different. Just because that new shooter can settle into the scope at the range does not mean they are ready to go deer hunting. It takes extended and controlled guidance to effectively become a capable rifleman, and a few shots from the bench is never enough. Let that new shooter work the action, shoulder the rifle, smoothly find the target and dry fire with a trained squeeze over and over and over again so that a level of confidence and comfort with the weapon and the shot sequence becomes second nature. Same with archery tackle. And I’m not just talking about youngsters here. An adult must dedicate themselves to total familiarization with their weapon before going afield. And Dear God in Heaven, never let anyone shoot without hearing and eye protection. Do use enough gun, but not too much gun! Or bow! Really. Please. Gun handling, archery, hunting, fishing and trapping should all be taught in American schools K through 12. But that is not going to happen in the predictable future, so it is up to us to demand a responsible level of efficiency before allowing newcomers or our hunting buddies to actually hunt. There is nothing more enjoyable than the shooting sports and hunting. But while sheer fun, it is also serious business, to be taken very seriously by all participants. I say we turn up the demand for seriousness so that the American hunting army is a better, more qualified, capable army. Then the fun factor is unlimited.
E-mail Ted Nugent at TNugent@fishgame.com.
On the Web For more Ted Nugent writings, visit www.tednugent.com
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Commentary by Kendal Hempill | TF&G Political Commentator
HERE HAS BEEN ONE, AND ONLY ONE, honorary veteran of the United States Armed Forces. In 1996 congress voted to present that title to Bob Hope, in appreciation for the 50 years of service he gave our troops all over the world, entertaining and boosting morale by performing in almost 200 USO shows. Hope brought a little bit of laughter and pleasure into the lives of the people responsible for protecting our freedom far from home, and he did it because he wanted to make a difference. When told he was being made an honorary veteran, Hope said, “I’ve been given many awards in my lifetime, but to be numbered among the men and women I admire most is the greatest honor I have ever received.” Joe Fox, of Marietta, California, spends his time doing the same thing Bob Hope did. Not on the same scale, and not overseas, and not exactly the same way. But, like Hope, Joe Fox makes a difference. He’s president of the Paralyzed Veterans of America Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund. Joe gives wounded veterans a chance to enjoy life again, at a time when many of them have decided there is no joy left. He takes them hunting and fishing. Founded in 2001, the PVA Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund was endowed with a one time, $1 million government grant made possible, in part, by a couple of retired U.S. Marine officers, Maj. Gen. Randy Grit West, and Lt. Col. Lou Deal. The Fund has raised an additional $350,000, and the interest from the endowment is used to give veterans back a small return on the immense investment they have made in their country. “These guys think their lives are over,” Fox said at a dinner during a Wounded
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Warriors hunt in Mason, Texas. “They think they’ll do nothing but sit in a room and stare at the walls from now on. We take them out and give them a chance to enjoy life again.” Enjoying life, for someone who loves to hunt and fish, means getting outdoors and experiencing the thrill of feeling a hard tug on a line, or watching a deer step into a clearing through a rifle scope. Veterans who have given arms, legs, eyes, or the use of those assets in battle, often consider that thrill gone forever. One such man, on a black bear hunt in Alaska, told Fox, “You’ve given me my life back.”
In an 1863 letter, Abraham Lincoln wrote, “We never should, and I am sure, never shall, be niggard of gratitude and benefaction to the soldiers who have endured toil, privations, and wounds, that the nation may live.” He also said the government has a responsibility “to care for the veteran who has borne the battle, his widow, and his orphan.” While the Veteran’s Administration tries to take care of the basic needs of those who have enabled our nation to live, Fox, and others, try to provide more to life than mere survival. And they do it because they care. Fox travelled to Mason at the request of Col. Steve Toone, U.S. Army, Retired, who helps arrange hunts in the area for the Wounded Warrior Project. The PVA Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund assists groups such as Wounded Warriors through grants, which help defray the expenses involved in giving our veterans a chance to enjoy the outdoors again. T E X A S
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Also on hand for the Mason hunt were Jake Little and his friend, Brian Beauchamp, who runs the Mid-American chapter of PVA out of Miami, Oklahoma. Brian’s grandfather, Dwight Guilfoil, was a wounded veteran who was decorated in 1960, by then vice president Richard Nixon, as the Handicapped American of the Year. Giving, it seems, runs in the family. But arranging hunts and taking veterans into the outdoors can sometimes be dangerous. Fox was reminded of this on a hunt in Alaska, when he was charged by a grizzly sow. The bear got within fifteen yards before the boar slapped her and made her turn away. Such an event would be exciting for anyone, but may have been more so for a man in a wheelchair. A veteran himself, Fox lost both legs and partial use of his right arm in Vietnam. He had a rifleman with him on the bear hunt, but you never know. We can’t all be Bob Hope. We can’t even all be Joe Fox. But we can still help. Without donations from private citizens, those who are directly involved in giving our wounded veterans a chance to get outdoors again could not do what they do. And these volunteers make more difference than most of us will ever know. Fox says, “What we do is help these guys focus on their abilities, instead of their disabilities.” Donating a few bucks doesn’t pay our veterans what we owe them, by a long shot, but it lets them know we appreciate their sacrifices. None of them ever asks for more than that.
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E-mail Kendal Hemphill at KHemphill@fishgame.com.
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PHOTOS: MAIN, DON ZAIDLE; WINTER, © MILLLDA; SPRING, © DIMITRI ZIMMER, SUMMER, © VLADISLAV ROMENSKY; AUTUMN, © JODIE LEE
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ODDS ARE THAT MOST OF YOU have lost count of the number of black bass you’ve put in the boat but if you’re like most Texans you can probably count the number of stripers you caught on one hand. While bass fishing is fun it’s time to move beyond your comfort zone, step up to the big boy table, and start chasing something with stripes, because with all due respect a black bass doesn’t have anything on a striper when it comes to pulling power. Striped bass are not native Texans, but they got here as quick as they could. Stripers were initially stocked by Texas Parks and Wildlife in 1967 in three reservoirs, and due to additional stocking efforts throughout the last four decades by TWPD, anglers now have a chance to catch them from the Red River to the Rio Grande. While you have the opportunity to catch them in more lakes and rivers than ever before, if you really want to go after consistently big fish then you need to hit Lake Texoma, one of the original lakes to receive fingerling in 1967. While the majority of Texas’ top 50
stripers came from rivers, Texoma is still the granddaddy of freshwater striper fishing in Texas. The reason behind this is that, unlike other lakes in the state, it has a very strong documented striper spawn. Texoma doesn’t rely on TPWD to continually provide it with stocked stripers but rather produces it own so there is little chance of it running out any time soon. Now, just because there are a lot of fish in the lake that doesn’t mean they are particularly easy to catch and this is where Bill Carey, owner of Striper Express (striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477), comes in. Bill has been putting customers on stripers since
1983 so when he recently started talking about catching stripers in the spring I thought it was best to listen, and take a few notes. Bill and his guides pride themselves with putting limits in the boat with artificial baits. That’s not to say that live bait doesn’t have a place when chasing stripers but for them artificials are more consistent in the spring. The artificial bait they go to most of the time is a Blakemore Road Runner of massive proportions. While I carry 1/16 and 1/8 ounce heads for chasing small fish, Bill and his crew use the one ounce buck-tail version to bring in big stripers. He also advises that
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you can use any color you want as long as it’s white or chartreuse. They tip this with a nine inch white grub that you won’t find in the panfish section of your local sporting goods store. Sometimes oversized Road Runners and grubs are hard to come by. If you can’t get your hands on some then the next best thing is a plain one ounce jig head tipped with a six inch glow Sassy Shad. If you have a few swim baits for bass you can toss those as well. If you go this route, use one that is big and light colored. One ounce jig heads with huge plastic bodies attached make for a massive bait. Tossing bait this size requires some heavy equipment so plan on using a medium heavy action rod at least six and a half feet long with a long butt so you can make two handed casts. Mate this with a reel spooled with 15 to 20 pound test line and get ready to have a sore wrist at the end of the day. Knowing what bait to use is only half the battle because if you throw it in area where there aren’t any fish then it doesn’t really matter what you use, now does it. Finding stripers on Texoma in March means concentrating on main lake structure like humps, points, and the mouths of coves. The key to the structure is the depth so look for these humps and points in water between 12 and 30 feet deep. One tip for fishing points that Bill advised as critical is which side of the structure you fish on. The stripers tend to hang off the downwind side of the point or hump, theoretically staying out of the wind blown current eating shad blown over the point. Position your boat on the downwind side and cast onto the point (yes, you will be casting into the wind) and count to five before starting your retrieve and the stripers will hit it as you pull in your bait off the point into deeper water. Once you find one fish you’ll generally find more hanging out with it. Another way to locate fish is to watch the birds, but you have to be careful because the birds can lie to you. “If the birds are just diving down casually and grabbing a fish every now and then they may be actively feeding but there aren’t any fish beneath them,” Bill pointed out. “But if they are really diving down and hitting the water hard then there are stripers under them pushing the bait fish up to the surface.” Now if you make a trip up to Texoma then there are a few things you need to know. Like a lot of the reservoirs on the edges of
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the state, the waters of Texoma are shared by two states, Texas and Oklahoma. However, unlike lakes like Caddo and Toledo Bend, your Texas fishing license does not grant you access to the water in both states. Spend $12 to get the Lake Texoma license and you’ll be able to fish anywhere on the lake without worrying about if you’ve crossed an invisible state line. The other thing to keep in mind is that the length and bag limits are different on Lake Texoma than they are throughout the
rest of the state. On Texoma you can keep ten fish (instead of five) with no minimum length limit but can only retain two fish per day over 20 inches. Texas is known for its black bass fisheries but if you really want to get your line stretched by a Texas giant, head to the northern border and start tossing big lures for bass with stripes.
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THE LATE-EVENING TEMPERATURES had begun to cool but the situation ahead was about to heat up. John, a fictitious name I will give a fellow hunter, and I
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were nearing the preverbal fork in the road where we would split from one another and work our ways to our separate hunting blinds on a ranch north of Junction. But just as we reached the fork, John stopped abruptly, raised his rifle and peered through its scope at something in the woods to the left. I anticipated a shot, figuring he had spotted a deer I hadn’t seen, but John soon lowered his rifle. “It’s just a stump,” John said. “I wasn’t sure but it’s always worth checking out.” “Where are your binoculars?” I shot back. “As long as you have been hunting, I figured you would know to never point your gun at something you didn’t intend to shoot. Binoculars are made for looking, rifle scopes are made for shooting.” Needless to day, my respect for my companion quickly leaned to the left, and I was glad the stump he had seen through his rifle scope wasn’t a cow, horse or another hunter. Indeed, parts or portions of deer, turkey and other game often appear as stumps, yucca, tree branches, rocks, fence posts and
many other things in the woods, but a good binocular or monocular are the best and safest ways to check them out. Never should a rifle scope be used for that reason. So, here’s the question: When should you choose a binocular over a monocular or vice versa? The answer really isn’t that difficult to obtain. Binoculars are best suited for scanning a large area or a specific area for a long period of time. Less eyestrain is produced while using two eyes to look through a pair of binoculars which results in better visual acuity. On the other hand, a single monocular is much lighter and is more handy to use than a pair of binoculars, and that makes it a
great hunter’s choice for short-range optics. After all, who has not gone hunting when carrying along a pair of heavier binoculars has seemed inconvenient and even burdensome at the time? In the case of John, my hunting companion, he was going to a box blind high on a hill where a high-powered pair of binoculars would have helped him scan or focus on areas a few hundred yards away or even closer. That same pair of binoculars would have told him the stump he had seen indeed was a stump. A monocular would have done the same with the stump but would not have performed so well once he got into his blind when trying to view long distances. In John’s case, he had neither a binocular or monocular. A low-cost optic of either
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would have been the correct choice for checking out that stump rather than his rifle scope. My choice would have been a monocular. Monocular optics are great options to binoculars under close-range situations for several reasons, including reliability, accessibility and costs. My monocular of choice is an Alpen 8X25. It fits easily in my shirt or coat pocket , and I have used it for getting quick closeup looks at spring gobblers that I have called in as well as many whitetail deer, javelina, coyotes, bobcats and other animals I have encountered within 50 yards or less. Many hunters are aware of what the numbers, such as 8X25, on a pair of monoculars, binoculars or even a spotting scope means. I will explain them in short, easy terms for those who don’t know. The first number on a monocular such as an 8X25 is the magnification of the instrument. The 8 is how many times the image is enlarged over normal view. The second number on an 8X25 is 25 mm, which is the size of the front lens in millimeters. One might think that the higher the magnification (8 in this instance) and the larger the lens (25) seems better but not necessarily so. The higher the magnification, the more difficult (hold steady and focus) a lightweight instrument like a monocular is to use. Also, the larger the lens, the heavier the unit will be. As a rule of thumb, I think a 5 or 6X30 monocular will fill the bill for most hunters wanting something quick, easy and reliable to use, but that doesn’t mean it will work fine for everyone. It’s all a matter of choice, as is the price range you want to be in when purchasing one. A wide variety of monoculars are on sale from about $10 to $175 on up to a few thousand dollars, including some that have infrared optics for night vision and some that are waterproof. As anyone knows, better quality comes with a higher price, so choose one that fits your needs and pocketbook. Another short-range optic that many hunters are learning to take a closer look is the range-finder. Like monoculars, range-finders come in a variety of price ranges. While some offer capabilities of determining yards of objects in distances up to 400 to 1,000 yards or more, it is those that give the hunter nearaccurate measurements out to 30 or 100
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yards that are the most beneficial under close-range situations. Traditional bow and crossbow hunters, particularly, have much to gain from range-finders, especially when hunting in unknown territories. Bushnell, Leupold, Nikon, Optic-Logic, Zeis, Laser Technologies and many other companies offer great lines of range-finders. I would never go without a pair of good binoculars when hunting in high or open country, nor would I go hunting in close quarters, such as hunting spring turkeys, rat-
tling for bucks in thick brush, or hunting for anything in heavy cover along creek bottoms, mesquite flats,and the like without my binocular. After all, I want all the advantage I can get. A monocular and most range finders are small, easy to use and can identify an object or give you accurate distances in a matter of seconds.
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Texas Saltwater by Calixto Gonzales | TF&G Saltwater Editor
The Front of the Shield K, SO LET’S TAKE A MOMENT AND TALK game wardens. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard fellow anglers complain and rail about their experiences with wardens. The talk of woe usually revolves around a spot check that a game warden conducts, and more often than not, it results in a ticket. “That trout was 15 inches when I put it in the cooler. He didn’t have to give me a
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ticket over a lousy 1/4 inch.” “I didn’t know the kids had gotten at my fire extinguisher and used it up. He didn’t have to give me a ticket over an empty fire extinguisher.” “I don’t know how that extra red got in the cooler.” “My fishing license was in my wallet. I just left it in the truck.” The refrains are different, but the song is usually the same. Too many times, the recollection of the experience is not positive, and ends with a ticket. On a handful of occasions, an angler say a few positive things about game wardens, some even shake hands when the boarding is over. More often than not, the storyteller closes with something along the lines of, “don’t they have better things to do than bother fishermen?”
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Humph. You’d think what they were doing was pretty important. The funny thing is, there is always a reason for the ticket, never a trumped-up charge (although there was the one wag who told me that a game warden took a perfectly legal redfish out of the cooler and flexed and stretched it until it was an untagged 28 ½ inches long). I have never heard of an unjustified ticket. I even received a ticket from a warden (I left my boat registration card in— you guessed it—my truck). As much as I hated to pay it, I can’t dispute the writing of it. Honestly, I believe that we all need to ease up on the job that game wardens do. Plenty of people seem to fail to appreciate what they do. These same men and women who catch
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heat for writing tickets for everything from short trout to missing floatation cushions are charged to enforce not just the game laws of the State of Texas, but ALL the laws of the Lone Star State. If they stumble on a meth lab while inspecting a deer lease, they make arrests. They stumble upon some fugitive with a felony warrant while conducting a safety check, they make arrests. If they happen upon some lowlife smuggling drugs along the Rio Grande, they make arrests. They have all the duties of any other law enforcement officers, but they don’t seem to get the credit. Instead, all too often they get disrespect, criticism, and derision. Even so, they do their jobs with professionalism, aplomb, and tact. They behave just like every other officer of the law. And they bleed just like other officers. Since 1919, 18 Texas Parks and Wildlife agents have died in the line of duty. By anyone’s tally, that is too many. These men had families and friends who mourned the loss. To them, these weren’t nit-picking snoops who were looking for any reason to write a ticket. These were mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, best friends and confidants who paid the ultimate price while serving on the front of the shield. Like all others who dedicate their lives to public duty, their service can’t be measured, and no gratitude is enough. It would be a shame to have to read a news story of a game warden being shot on some lonely ranch road or drowning while coming to the aid of anglers in distress before we stop to consider what these men and women mean to us all. It's a real shame.
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The prognosis is good, however. A surgical procedure called a vitrectomy will clean out the polluted fluid and, with a little time, my vision should return to normal or close to normal. It is a surgical procedure, however, and a real pain in the neck. I can’t stress enough how important it is that every diabetic remain diligent in managing his disease. I see others who have my condition, who feel that, since they take medication, they can put syrup on their pan-
cakes, or eat two breakfast tacos and wash it down with a regular soda. They couldn’t be more incorrect. Even when you do everything right, like I have, you can have problems occur (just imagine if I had ignored my doctor’s orders...). There are people out there who depend on you. Don’t let them down. E-mail Calixto Gonzales at CGonzales@fishgame.com.
• • • PERSONAL NOTE TO ANY READERS WHO may be diabetic: take care of yourselves.... I, like you, am a diabetic. I’m Type II. It can be controlled with exercise, diet, and the appropriate medication. Those who know me know I’m a huge paranoid when it comes to this condition, and I try to stick as close to my regimen as I can. Even so, the little horrors that come with the disease do pop up. I’m currently battling diabetic eye disease, which includes vascular-genesis. My retinas don’t get enough oxygen, and they create extra blood vessels to make up the deficit. These vessels are fragile, however, and leak. The end result is that I have blood in the vitreous of the eye, and my vision is compromised.
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BY WILL LESCHPER I FEEL SAFE IN stating you can’t touch it, taste it, smell it or even see it, but it’s there looming just below the shimmering surface. Call it the great unknown.
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It’s the masked uncertainty dripping with luminous anticipation that drives anglers of all ages to plumb the depths, longing for confirmation that our efforts will be rewarded with a sweeping curve in the rod and the ensuing splash and dash at the other end. Quite frankly, it’s why we fish. An outing last April reaffirmed a number of things in my mind, Ron Coulston gets a grip mainly that the greatest aspect of on a rare catch... a shalour angling pursuits is that you low water ling (cobia). still can plunk an imitation into the Wading for Ling water and bring back a surprise from time to time — even spectacular ones you couldn’t have envisioned in this lifetime. much of the morning, though we did find The morning that started with promise pockets of willing trout that thumped and held the potential for topwater tactics in Assassins of the Cajun croaker flavor. The stage was set for better fishing as the stalk of speckled trout and redfish quickmorning gave way to afternoon, especially ly morphed into a day that would call for since it appeared the trout bite was turning another approach plucked from the goodie on and we’d found enthusiastic specks after bag. Blustery conditions on an otherwise gliding under the 361 bridge into an area radiant, sun-kissed day forced friends Ron frequented by a variety of shallow-water Coulston, Loy Moe and I to adopt a differcrafts. ent approach as we waded a variety of sandy After a short run back to the shallows just slopes marked with gesturing seagrass in off Traylor Island near where we’d started Aransas and Redfish bays. For whatever our morning, we decided to again hop out reason, the specks and reds were finicky for
and stroll the stingray shuffle in search of increased activity. It took a dozen casts or so, but we soon found a couple of chunky trout that gobbled up our offerings and exceeded 20 inches. We fanned out in a wider arc in our sweeping exploration for more keeper-size specks. Off to my left about 50 yards away, Ron suddenly reared back and set the hook on a quality fish, exclaiming that fact aloud as the braid on his baitcaster shot out in strident spurts. As is the case when a veteran angler knows instantly that they’ve barbed a hulking specimen sporting shoulders, the others wading nearby stopped their efforts and took notice. Ron did his best to work the quarry in for a closer inspection, but the critter was more than a little shy, opting to remain in the depths at a distance while mocking the drag. A couple of more minutes passed that included witty banter about sharks and porpoises, and as the fish finally rose about 50 yards out, a curved brown fin crept into the
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sun before gliding back down. Speculation at this point ran rampant, but anything with serious teeth would have shredded the line amid the pulsing runs, we established, and Ron kept working his magic. Eventually the fish rolled up on its side and actually woke up — applying a generous splash to the surroundings and a clue to its true identity. “Cobia!” was the common call as the ling continued to thrash about near the surface, and the excitement only grew as the most atypical of fish in this locale kept perpetual pressure on the drag. Another couple of minutes passed before the bruiser got close enough for a BogaGrip bite, allowing Ron to finally get a handle on the stout fish. It’s safe to say this was one fish tale that elicited a variety of intriguing questions. If you’ve ever headed into the big blue horizon or earned your stripes at the jetties, you’ve more than likely either caught ling or been in the midst of the curious fish. Lemon fish, as they also are called, are well-known for their desire to frequent oil rigs and lurk under other surface objects in open water. I’m also told that the fish are suckers for
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shrimp boats, swimming near the surface as scraps and other edibles are dumped during the trawl haul. However, hooking—much less finding — one of these impressive critters in a bay system while wading in waist-deep water is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I’m told. Karen Meador, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Aransas Bay ecosystem leader, and Kyle Spiller, TPWD Upper Laguna Madre ecosystem leader, who have more than six decades of saltwater fisheries experience, said discovering a nice ling inshore remains a curious incident. “I think I can count on one hand the number of ling I’ve come in contact with outside of the gulf, and those were juveniles,” Spiller said. “We’ve occasionally caught them in gill nets during surveys over the years, but those fish all were a foot or less.” Meador pointed to interesting figures gleaned from a database containing more than 30 years of TPWD gill-net survey data. She said that in that time frame, only 20 ling were caught coastwise from Port Arthur to Port Isabel in gill-net surveys, including only two in the Aransas Bay
ecosystem. One was caught in 1984 behind Mud Island and the other was caught in 1996 near Long Reef. “The largest ling caught in gill-net surveys came from the Lower Laguna Madre in 1979, and that fish was 27 1/2 inches long,” Meador said. Meador noted that offshore fish sometimes creep into bay systems when tides are high. However, with salinities being fairly low in Redfish Bay compared to figures in the gulf, it makes the catch of a hefty cobia by a wading angler—one measuring 42 inches—that much more baffling. Are there other unlikely swimmers frequenting known hotspots up and down the coast skulking below just a cast away? No doubt about it. And while there’s nothing better than targeting areas tailor-made for reds, specks and flounder this time of year and into the summer, the great unknown makes things that much more interesting. It’s why we fish, and more importantly why you can never have too many witnesses. And cameras.
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Fishing Sam Rayburn for Bass with Todd Faircloth by Chester Moore TODD FAIRCLOTH KNOWS Sam Rayburn. The Jasper native and Bassmaster Elite Series pro has fished nine Bassmaster Classics, won more than $1.2 million professionally, and says he owes much of his success to “growing up on Rayburn.” “Rayburn is one of those lakes that always has something different to offer. It is definitely not one-dimensional and I think that fishing a lake that has grass, timber, and a water level that fluctuates frequently has made me a better angler,” Faircloth said. And that is why Dennis Mittasch was so excited to win the Ultimate Trophy Quest to fish with Faircloth last fall. 36 |
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“This was a unique shot at not only fishing with one of the top anglers in the country but to fish with him on his home lake. Living in the Houston area, Rayburn is within my reach and definitely a lake I would like to spend more time fishing.” On the day of the trip, Rayburn was nearly eight feet low with much of the typical grass habitat unfishable. Launching at Twin Dikes, Faircloth ran as across the lake to an area that had some thick grass growing along a deep creek channel near a flat. “We’ll start off with some topwaters to see if we can make something happen,” Faircloth said. There were several blowups and eventually a couple of fish but the pro saw what he needed to see and ran back through the same route fishing spinners and worms. Fishing with quite a few pros over the years, I have learned they will often start fishing with surface lures to draw strikes. If they can get fish to hit topwaters or buzzbaits (even without committing) they know it is likely they can go back and pick off fish with something like a Carolina-rigged worm put
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right in front of the fish. After catching a 4-pounder, we stopped for a photo shoot and then the fishing was back on, but there was little conversation. I am one that tends to constantly pick the brains of the pros I fish with, Mittasch had a different approach. “I’m watching every move he makes and filing this all away. Watching what a pro does, the little things, will hopefully help me become a better fisherman,” he said. As we moved from place to place looking for big fish, it was evident Rayburn’s fishery was healthy. There were lots of 1- to 2pound fish, especially out along the edge of flats in deeper water. Not surprisingly, the conversation turned to the ShareLunker program, which seeks donations of bass weighing 13 pounds or more. Over the years, Rayburn has produced nearly two dozen placing it third in overall ShareLunkers donated to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department hatcheries, and is a must-fish destination for serious Texas anglers. “You have Lake Fork, which is always so productive for big fish, and then you have places like Falcon or Ivie that will pop up
UTQ winner Dennis Mittasch gets pointers on landing a Sam Rayburn bass from pro angler Todd Faircloth.
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and give up a lot of big fish all of a sudden, but Rayburn has always held its own. This lake has never lagged in quality and is a place anglers have a good shot of catching a 10-plus-pound fish,” Faircloth said. “It’s not easy but those fish are definitely here.” Mittasch said he had no expectations of necessarily catching a monster that day, but hoped to be able to get some information that would help him catch the bass of a lifetime: “There are lots of good lakes in easy driving distance of me, like Conroe, Rayburn, and there is always that chance of catching a wall-hanger. That makes things just that much more exciting.” Moving into a deep cove with some grass, Faircloth broke out a flipping stick and put on a jig to see if he might produce a Rayburn monster. “Year-in, year-out, jigs are the best way to hunt for monster bass. The fishing can be a little slow and there is definitely an art to it, but for the angler who wants a big one, it is the way to go,” Faircloth said. In fact, Texas Fish & Game writer Paul Bradshaw recently conducted research on which lures ShareLunker bass were caught
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on, and jigs produced the most (95) and their close cousins, the lizards/creature baits, gave up 75. That is out of just over 500 fish. “So, if you aren’t using a jig you should be,” Bradshaw said. This trip never yielded a really big bass, but Faircloth and Mittasch managed to catch somewhere between 75 and 00 fish on everything from topwaters to worms and crankbaits. “There is nothing wrong with a day of fishing like that,” Mittasch said. “I am thankful for the opportunity to fish with Todd. He was a pleasure to meet and I hope to see him again, maybe at next years Toyota Bass Tournament, if not sooner. We may not have caught any giant fish, but numbers make it just as enjoyable and it’s a memory that I will never forget. “A big thanks to Roy and Ardia Neves and everyone else at Texas Fish & Game for making this trip possible. I look forward to reading the magazine for information on what is going on in the Texas outdoors.” By the time this hits newsstands, Faircloth will have fished the Bassmaster Classic, and as anyone familiar with his
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work knows, he is a constant contender. His winning would come as no surprise to anyone. In 2008, Faircloth was narrowly beaten by Kevin VanDam for “Angler of Year.” At only 36 years of age, he still has a long career ahead of him to earn that prestigious honor--and perhaps a Bassmaster Classic title. It is a career started on Sam Rayburn, where he gladly shared his knowledge and passion for fishing with a dedicated angler and TF&G reader who won what truly was an “ultimate” Trophy Quest. (Todd Faircloth is sponsored by Skeeter, Yamaha, Sebile, Costa Del Mar, Castaway Graphite Rods, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, and All-Terrain Tackle.)
On the Web Watch video of Todd and Dennis’s Bass Quest, at: www.FishGame.com/video
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GREEN Zebra Mussels Spread in Texas Waterways TWO ATTEMPTS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER OF 2010 TO CHEMICALLY TREAT SIS-
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE /
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There will always be feral hogs in Texas. We have passed the point of no return.
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Feral Hog Control with Poison
Texas Wildlife Services is testing a special feed hopper designed so only hogs can access the bait. “There’s a bar that has to be lifted with a hog’s nose in order to gain access,” Bodenchuk said. “It’s very natural for a hog to do that, very unnatural for any other animal. A raccoon couldn’t do it if it wanted to.”
TEXAS WILDLIFE SERVICES IS DEVELOPING A FEED-BASED POISON AND DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING FERAL HOGS. Last year, feral hogs caused an estimated $400 million worth of damages in the state. Michael Bodenchuk with Texas Wildlife Services said controlling the population with hunting and trapping is ineffective. “We are not able to take enough to affect the breeding population,” he said. Bodenchuck said the agency is testing feed-based commercial poison, Hog-Gone, which contains sodium nitrite, a common human food additive that is highly toxic to hogs and fatal within minutes. 40 |
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The hoppers will be tested with non-lethal bait for several months before Wildlife Services seeks approval to use poisonous bait. “There will always be feral hogs in Texas. We have passed the point of no return,” Bodenchuck said. “But we believe that we will be able to reduce the population and reduce the damage that they cause significantly with this.”
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TER GROVE CREEK FOR ZEBRA MUSSELS AND KEEP THEM OUT OF LAKE LAVON HAD MIXED SUCCESS. Brian Van Zee, regional director of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Inland Fisheries Division, led the effort to treat the creek for the invasive bivalve. Without complete success, the mussels could still invade Lavon and spread to the Trinity River Basin and beyond. Crews poured potassium chloride, which isn’t harmful to humans or animals, into the creek at a specific location in calculated amounts. The chemical inhibits the mussels’ ability to breathe. It has been used successfully to treat still bodies of water, but this was the first attempt to use it in a flowing system. After the treatment, Van Zee said the first evaluations of the effort were positive, but as crews examined more locations, they discovered mussels that survived the treatment. “When you’re dealing with a flowing system like that, it’s really difficult to say you’re getting an equal and even distribution of the chemical you’re using throughout the entire stream,” Van Zee said. “There’s so many facets to a flowing water system like that, it’s just very difficult to achieve.” Zebra mussels were first discovered in the Great Lakes in 1988. Experts believe they traveled from their native home in
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Asia to North America in the ballast water of a freighter. Often referred to as hitchhikers, the mussels made their way down to Lake Texoma by attaching to boats or riding in locations like live wells, as well as by traveling through interconnected water systems. They were discovered in Lake Texoma in April 2009, and while Lake Texoma doesn’t connect to Sister Grove Creek, a water pipeline used by the North Texas Municipal Water District connects Texoma and the creek. The district has voluntarily stopped pumping between Zebra mussels Texoma and the attach in clumps creek and has hired to any hard surface.
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a firm to study the issue and help develop a solution. But so far, nothing has been decided. Zebra mussels attach to almost any hard surface and feast on plankton in the water. They can clog water pumps and deplete oxygen in the water, affecting the aquatic ecosystem. Van Zee said so far no mussels have been discovered in Lake Lavon, but if they reach the lake they could be introduced into the Trinity River Basin. Van Zee said PHOTO: WIKKIMEDIA COMMONS
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he didn’t think the department would try another treatment of the creek, but that it will continue to monitor the situation. In the meantime, when trailering between water bodies boaters should drain buckets, engines, and live wells; remove any visible mussels, vegetation, mud, or foreign objects; allow the boat and trailer to dry
completely for at least a week; and wash the boat and trailer at a commercial car wash using high-pressure, hot, soapy water. —Staff Report TG
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Hunt Texas by Bob Hood | TF&G Hunting Editor
Raven’s First Goose Hunt HE MARCH WINDS ARE BEGINNING TO push the last of the geese and ducks out of Texas and on to their northern breeding grounds. As they head north, they are leaving behind some lasting memories for many of us who have sat for hours in brushed blinds over water, in coffin-shaped hide-outs dug into West Texas fields or simply have slipped up behind stock ponds in an attempt to harvest a few of these great natural renewable resources. One day last November, I went to Knox County to join long-time friend Steve Barber of Arlington and others for two days of goose hunting in the dusty, dry harvested peanut fields which attract specklebelly and Canada geese by the thousands. Just as with duck hunting, a 15 m.p.h. or so wind is preferred because the geese decoy better under those conditions but we would have to settle for the slight breeze that was at hand on our first morning’s hunt. The pickup trucks whose headlights had lit up an area in a peanut field as we dug into the ground were now parked beside a roll of cotton bails about 300 yards away, and their owners had returned to join the others in their semi-underground blinds surrounded by a spread of about 250 silhouette and half-shell goose decoys . The hunt had been set up by Stanfield Outfitters of Knox City, a family-run outfit that specializes in goose hunting but which also offers hunting for ducks, pheasants, deer, hogs, doves and quail. I have hunted with the Stanfields many times over the past two decades and have watched them grow into one of West Texas’ top outfitters. Many of my hunts in the Knox County area have been with long-time friend Steve Barber of Arlington, his family members
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her first but certainly not her last goose retrieve this day. The skies began to fill with thousands of geese, some in singles, pairs and groups of three to six, others in long strings of honking and cackling birds to numerous to count. On this day, little Raven would retrieve more than 20 geese. Her enthusiasm showed with each single retrieve and carried over to the second morning’s hunt when about the same number of birds were downed by the hunters. At just two years old, Raven has a ways to grow in body size but I don’t think she could grow much larger in heart. Late in the mornRaven, a two-year-old ing of the second black Lab, retrieves a hunt, the hunters snow goose during seized an opportuRaven wasn’t exactly raw at retrieving. her first goose hunt nity to bag two Ross’s Professional dog trainer Ron Stanfield, a near Knox City. geese and one huge cornerstone of the Stanfield Outfitters In the Hunt snow goose, two organization, already had helped put species of geese that Raven on the right track in obedience and don’t often decoy well here. retrieving. The light geese were “bonus” birds for To help conceal Raven when geese would the hunters’ bags that normally include no approach out spread of decoys, Barber had more than four specks and one Canada, but dug a special hole for her next to his coffin- for little Raven retrieving light geese in addilike hole except with a dirt platform so she tion to dark geese made no difference. Each would be able to exit more easily to make a bird was a special occasion to her and that retrieve. spread to the rest of us who watched closely If anyone had any questions about how as the little dog showed us what she could Raven would respond when the first goose do. or geese tumbled from the sky, those quesTruthfully, I cannot remember a lot about tions were about to be answered quickly. A my first goose hunt, but I always will rememlone specklebelly was the first to approach ber my first goose hunt with Raven. And I the decoys. Tony Stanfield, positioned feel sure Steve Barber and anyone else who behind the row of hunters, used his geese has watched their retriever do so well on calls and a black flag (to add motion to the their first hunt will, too. spread) to coax the speck to within about 30 yards from us before calling the shot. E-mail Bob Hood at Raven sprinted from her dugout upon her BHood@fishgame.com. cue and went straight for the downed goose,
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Texas Freshwater by Matt Williams | TF&G Freshwater Editor
The Highs and Lows of Rising, Muddy Water HEN TACKLE SHOP CHATTER shifts to the topic of fishing in rising, muddy water, I sometimes reflect on the eventful weekend John Burk and I spent running trotlines out of Bill’s Landing on the Texas side of Toledo Bend Reservoir. It was early spring and the water level on the 181,000-acre reservoir was on a steady rise thanks to a nasty storm system which dumped nearly eight inches of rain across the Sabine River watershed earlier in the week. The onslaught of the fresh water had turned the lake’s upper reaches into a frothy mix of chocolate, complete with floating logs, trash and other debris flushed from the landscape for more than 100 miles upstream. Knowing what I already knew about catfish, I felt certain Burk and I would be working some overtime at the fish cleaning table. Bill’s Landing owner, Charlie Shivley, confirmed the notion the second we rolled in the gate. “Hope you boys came ready to work,” Shivley quipped. “You timed it just right — the current is rolling and the blues and channels are on a tear.” Anxious to try our luck, Burk and I unpacked our gear and headed north to make our line sets. We staged six, short sets with 15-20 hooks each, then headed back to camp to empty our bream traps to bait up for the night. Interestingly, the fun started before we even had time to bait our hooks. Upon
returning, we discovered a pair of threepound channel cats dangling from the first set, obviously fooled by the flash of the stainless steel circle hooks dancing in the current. “Uh-oh,” I said. “This is going to get ugly.” I don’t recall how many pounds of catfish fillets we brought home that weekend, but I do remember having multiple fish fries over
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the course of the next six months to make room for deer meat in the freezer the following Fall. Case in point: A sudden change in water level does much more than alter the appearance of a water body. It also can affect the mood of the fish and alter their feeding habits. This means anglers will need to make some adjustments, or face certain failure. High, rising water can be a boon for some fishing prospects. Terrible for others. As previously illustrated, rising water rings that dinner bell for catfish. According to Shivley, the feeding frenzy is sparked by the steady influx of food that T E X A S
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washes into a lake via creek and river channels. “Anytime you get a sudden rise, the catfish go on the move,” he said. “All the new water and current rouses the fish out of their deep holes and it puts them in a feeding mood.” Rod and reel fishing can be outstanding at times. But if you really want to sack up some freezer fillets in a hurry, trotlining gets the nod. Jug lines, noodle lines and limb lines also can be deadly. When fishing for catfish in high, rising water, Shively says it’s best to think shallow — six feet deep or less. For best results, try to locate a flat, ridge or flooded field adjacent to some sort of channel to create some current. Bass fishing prospects can be equally good in rising, muddy water. But it’s critical to look in the right places to capitalize. When water levels rise, bass move right along with it. Rising water also means the playing field suddenly gets larger. This provides the bass with more room to roam, which can make locating fish much more difficult. This is especially true of reservoirs with an abundance of shoreline cover such as buck brush, willows or huisache. During the spring, when bass have spawning on their minds, the fish will sometimes move so far into the brush that getting to them in a boat is next to impossible. For this reason, many pro anglers suggest searching for areas on a lake where there isn’t a lot of newly-flooded cover next to the bank. These types of places don’t offer the fish as many places to hide, so they’ll naturally be easier to find. To refine the search even more, key on little rises and points that are relatively flat on top. Find a spot like this adjacent to a creek or drainage ditch and you just might stumble across a mother lode of lunkers.
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IT LOOKED AS IF SMALL DROPS of rain were hitting the bay’s surface. Along a point on the north shore of East Galveston Bay were thousands of tiny ripples. And as the sun peaked out of the clouds you could see hints of silver glistening below the surface, creating an odd but familiar scene. “Throw right there,” I said to my wife Lisa as we trolled up toward the point. She quickly flipped a smoke-colored Gulp! Swimming Mullet into the fracas and after dragging it a few feet, the line instantly went from stiff to slack. “I just got the ‘thump’. A big one,” she said.
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A few seconds later she was battling a big southern flounder and I was already hooked after flipping a Swimming Mullet under the tiny ripples. Those ripples were made by tens of thousands of juvenile menhaden, the baitfish I call the flounder’s Achille’s heel. While shrimp, croaker and other baitfish are all important component of the flounder’s diet, menhaden often call pogies or shad in Texas are the prey source I focus most of my flounder fishing efforts on from spring through summer. And at times the results are stunning. Last July my father, Chester Moore, Sr. and I watched flounder literally jumping out of the water feeding on menhaden as millions congregated in a Sabine Lake cut during the storm tides spawned by Hurricane Alex. Another time I caught over a dozen flounder in a spot the size of my desk because it was inundated with menhaden. Why are these fish so desired by flounder? It all boils down to opportunity. Of all of Texas’s bay dwelling sport fish, flounder are
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the most opportunistic. Due to their flat design, these fish are best suited as ambush predators and menhaden are easy to ambush. These fish spawn numerous times from late fall through spring, producing numerous classes of juveniles that gather in schools sometimes number millions. These tiny fish often cannot swim well so they are blown against leeward shorelines, which was the case with the example at the beginning of this story. Anyone who has attended my flounder seminars or one of my Flatfish University ™ events has heard me talk about the importance of finding eddies (areas of slack water) in the bayous winding into our bays and along ship channels. The reason is the tiny menhaden we most frequently encounter in the spring cannot negotiate strong tides well and will often congregate in eddies. Flounder, being the consummate ambush predator, gather there as well and feed aggressively. The first spots I target during spring are bayous, sloughs and other drains where I find concentrations of menhaden and the first thing I look for is
eddies. And when these tides are running extra high, I seek flounder along the main shorelines of bay systems. Attacking vast shorelines would be a waste of time and end up in dogged frustration so you have got to have a strategy. Instead of looking over eight miles of shoreline, narrow your search down to an eighth of a mile. You must eliminate water to successfully bag spring flounder. The first step I take while eliminating is to once again look for a shoreline that has stands of roseau cane. Roseau cane has an intricate system that is somewhat like a smaller version of mangrove and it gives menhaden a place to linger, hide and dodge larger predators. It is best to fish these areas during the first couple of hours of a falling tide. As the water recedes, the menhaden removed from their cover and the predator/prey dynamic begins. During the early stages of spring as flounder move into the bays from the Gulf of Mexico, they are typically aggressive and will hit a variety of lures. The Gulp! Swimming Mullet is four inches in length and is a great lure to begin with because of
PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE
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its coloration and the scent The author feels a dispersal. Another good lure "thump" on his line as he is the Bomber Saltwater works a jig in a concenGrade Mud Minnow Curl tration of menhaden. Tail tipped with a piece of Flounder Focus shrimp. It’s another four-incher that I prefer in hot pink. I fish almost exclusively on braided line like 65-pound moss green Spiderwire Stealth Braid which allows me great power on the hookset. If the water is clear I use Stren Fluorocast, which is virtually invisible and can sometimes help fool spooky clear because of the difficulty of setting the hook in water flounder. a flounder’s mouth but I found this setup At times flounder can get so fixated on effective when the flounder were only wantmenhaden they don’t really feed on anything ing the tiny menhaden. else. I have found this especially true when Fished live the menhaden after they get they are surface striking at the really tiny about two inches in length are awesome ones so my father and I go to an ultra light flounder baits either fished on a Carolina rig setup with a 2.5-inch clear/silver flake/black or under a popping cork. back Sassy Shad from Mr. Twister rigged on The next time you see flounder striking an 1/8-ouncer or 1/16-ounce jighead and around riprap in the ship channel or near jettipped with a very small piece of shrimp. I ties, catch you some menhaden in the cast fished this on a Fenwick EliteTech River net and rig them under a popping cork. Let Runner spinning rod with a Pflueger reel it float along the rocks and I can pretty much and 10-pounder Berkley Fireline. guarantee you, flounder will respond accordSuch light line will lose you some strikes ingly.
There is something about menhaden they cannot resist and the angler that learns this will usually catch the most flounder in spring and summer.
On the Web For more on Flounder, plus specific lure and live bait rigging photos, go to Chester Moore’s Blog at www.forum.FishGame.com
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BASS FISHING IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. But a little education goes a long way when it comes to choosing the proper baits and developing the right strategies for catching fish from one season to the next, under ever changing conditions.
4.) You are fishing along a defined creek channel flanked by matted hydrilla on both sides. Most strikes will come in relation to the grass edge.You can refine the search even farther by targeting? A. Inside and outside channel bends. B. Straightways in the channel. C. The channel bed itself. D. None of the above.
13.) ANSWER: B. Crawfish patterns such red, orange and brown are generally most effective from late fall through early spring. a different spot. Anything more and you are wasting valuable time. |
10.) ANSWER: D. For starters, wind creates wave action that stirs up silt and detracts from the bass ability to see as well. It also causes lapping waves, which increases oxygen content. More importantly, wind pushes zooplankton against the bank, which in turn attracts shad, bream and minnows. Bass like to feed on those little guys.
14.) ANSWER: B. Sometimes it takes multiple casts to trigger a strike from a bass relating to wood. Pro anglers will often make a dozen or more casts to a blowdown from different angles using two or three different baits if they suspect it is holding fish. 2 0 1 1
11.) ANSWER: B. A heavy action rod combined with braided line provides plenty of leverage for turning a big fish quickly and horsing it out the heavy cover, before it wraps you up and gets away.
15.) ANSWER: B. Fluorocarbon sinks, which will hamper or kill the the action of most topwater lures. The best line to use with topwaters like a Zara Spook, Pop R, etc‌. is monofilament. That's because monofilament floats. M A R C H
12.) ANSWER: C. Most flipping bites occur on the initial fall, or soon after the bait reaches bottom. If a bass doesn't grab it after a couple up hops, reel in and drop it in
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A. White B. Watermelon C. Chartreuse D. Chrome
2.) You have made multiple casts to a bedding bass with no luck. The fish maintains a defensive posture, but refuses to take the bait. What should you do?
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A. True B. False C. A&B 8.) You need a big, expensive boat equipped with all the bell and whistles to catch bass. A. True B. False C. A&B
7.) ANSWER: C. As a rule, it is always a good idea to work baits slowly in cold water. The exception is when you are fishing a lipless crankbait around submerged hydrilla during winter or early spring. The key there is to "burn" the lure at a pace fast enough to keep it ticking the top of the grass. The speeding bait will trigger "reaction" strikes when it tears free from the grass.
A. Grab a rod and get a bait under the fish's nose quickly. B. Move in as close as possible so you can make an accurate cast to the bed. C. Quietly move the boat into position, staying as far away from the fish as possible, preferably with the sun at your back. Then pick your cast. Make a long cast past the bed and slowly work the bait into the bed. D. None of the above.
3.) Which is the best lure color to use in muddy water?
5.) Cows lying down in a pasture are a good indicator the fish are not biting.
8.) ANSWER: B. Bass could care less whether you are in a fancy boat or a wreck.
1.) It is early spring and you spot a big bass turning tight circles around a spawning bed in two feet of water. What is the first line of business to follow in order to get that fish to bite?
A. Move on and look for a bass that is more cooperative. B. Keep trying. Sooner or later the bass will become aggravated enough to bite. C. Build a Texas rig equipped with a 3/4 ounce slip sinker. Work the bait close to the fish and twitch your rod tip to make the heavy weight pop the fish in the side repetitively. D. All of the above.
9.) ANSWER: B. Low gears equal power. High gears equal speed. The lower the number, the slower the gear ratio. The slower the gear ratio, the less effort it takes to turn the reel handle when retrieving a hard pulling bait.
Think you're already a crackerjack when it comes to finding and catching bass? We'll see about that. What follows is a Texas Fish and Game quiz to test your knowledge of America's favorite sport fish. Answer all the questions first, and the check the answers at the bottom of the page to see how you fared. No cheating!
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A. 7.1:1 B. 5.3:1 C: 6.4:1 10.) Why are wind blown points and shore lines such good places to look for bass? A. Bass can't swim against the wind. B. Waves pin bait fish against the bank. C. The wave action causes bass to become disoriented and let their guards down. D. None of the above. 11.) Which is the best rod action/line combo for working frogs and soft plastics in or around heavy cover such as lily pads, grass beds or thick brush. A. Light/ 8 pound monofilament B. Heavy/ 65 pound braid C. Medium/ 12 pound fluorocarbon D. None of the above. 12.) Let's say you are flipping a heavy jig in matted vegetation or flooded bushes. The bait makes it all the way to bottom without getting bit. What do you do next? A. Reel in the bait immediately and drop
it in a different spot. B. Let the bait sit still for a count of 10. A bass might be looking at it. C.) Hop the bait a couple of times and reel in. D. None of the above. 13.) Crawfish pattern baits are most effective during the mid-summer months. A. True B. False C. A&B 14.) A fallen tree or isolated laydown log along the shoreline looks especially appealing. If you make a couple of casts to the wood without a taker you should move on and write off the spot. A. True. B. False. C. A&B 15.) Fluorocarbon is the best type of line to use in combination with topwater baits. A. True. B. False C. A&B
Flip the Page for the Correct Answers
1.) ANSWER: C. Stealth is imperative when targeting bedding bass in clear, shallow water. Keeping your distance and forcing the bass to look into the sun reduces the odds of it detecting your presence and spooking.
9.) What is the best reel gear ratio for working a deep diving crankbait that pulls like a bulldog?
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2.) ANSWER: D. The best way to deal with bedding bass is on a case-by-case basis. A fish that hangs tight to a bed, but is reluctant to bite, can generally be caught if you are willing to invest the time. If time is short, it might be wise to look elsewhere.
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3.) ANSWER: C. Muddy water hampers the bass' ability to see. Bright, fluorescent colors are much easier for them to detect.
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6.) ANSWER: A. When nasty weather sets in, it generally means a falling barometer. Many experts will agree that bass are more active when atmospheric pressure is dropping, because it reduces pressure on their hyper-sensitive air bladders. 5.) ANSWER: False. I've caught fish plenty of times with cows hunkered down in a distance field. If you believe otherwise, what does it mean when the cows are feeding on one side of the road and lying down on the other? 4.) ANSWER: A. Bass have a tendency to gang up in channel swings. Outside bends are generally deeper because of washing out over time.
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One of the World’s Leading Firearms Manufacturers Relies on its Texas Factory to Supply a Global Marketplace
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O.F. MOSSBERG & SONS OPENED for business in 1919. The Great War (WWI) had just ended and the United States was trying to come to terms with the bitter ramifications of that first truly global, mechanized conflict that moved the world from the Victorian era, with its horse drawn carriages, famous explorers, and sailing ships, into the age of machines, airplanes, and assembly lines. O.F. Mossberg and his two sons, Iver and Harold founded the company, and it has remained a family owned business to this day. T E X A S
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The first firearm offered for sale by Mossberg was a funky little .22 caliber pocket handgun called the Brownie. It had four barrels and was, I'm told, a financial success. It sold for $5.00 and was marketed as a handy tool for the fur trapper to use for dispatching animals in his traps. In fact, the success of the Brownie allowed Mossberg to diversify, which they did with a passion. Soon the company was producing such
widely diverse products as golf clubs and sailboats, while still maintaining firearms as the core of the business. Today Mossberg is one of the great success stories of the firearms industry. By offering quality and value — two things that too often seem to be strangers to each other — they have succeeded when many, many others have failed. In addition to the civilian market, Mossberg provides the U.S. military with shotguns, as well as exporting weapons to over 40 military agencies worldwide. And in August of this year of our Lord 2011, Mossberg will celebrate the 50th By providing high-quality Anniversary of firearms at affordable prices, the introduction Mossberg and Maverick make of the 500® hunting more accessible. model. On top of Outfitting the Future that, Mossberg is the largest manu-
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Mossberg’s Joseph Bartozzi, left, and the author with the new Lightning Pump Action adjustable trigger shotgun.
Mossberg 500LPA Shotgun facturer of pump shotguns in the world. Any of these things by themselves would be newsworthy, but as a group, and by the same company, are almost unbelievable. As preparation for this article I made a pilgrimage the Southwest Texas border town of Eagle Pass. I graduated from high school there in 1969 and left that same year to attend college. I had returned a few times through the years, but seldom. This time I was there on business. I had been invited to visit the Maverick Arms plant (remember that Eagle Pass is in Maverick County). Maverick Arms is a subsidiary of Mossberg Corporation. From what I gath-
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ered, they do a large part of the assembling of the guns sold by Mossberg. I saw people working industriously on everything from assembling pump shotguns to the nimble-fingered artist whose job it is to do the fine woodwork fitting that the machines simply cannot do. Included was a demonstration of how the camouflage finish worn by many of their models is applied. The actual process is secret and licensed, but let me say it was interesting to watch. As most of my friends will tell you, I am pretty much a curmudgeon and am very hard to impress. This facility was impressive. What impressed me most was the precision and flawless execution they demand, and that is demanded of them by BATF. They literally track every single piece of material that comes through their doors. They inspect it in the receiving area and again and again as the guns are put together. Security was airtight as well. Since the BATF is continuously looking over the shoulders of the firearms manufacturers, any mistake on their part could cause immense problems with the bureaucracy. This is one area where there are no do overs. It has to be right the first time and every time. Every Mossberg gun that leaves the Maverick Arms facility is fired multiple times and with at least one proof load. A proof load is a cartridge that is loaded far above standard, to ensure that the gun is safe. Some guns, such as the semi-auto shotguns, are fired with a variety of loads to ensure that they function properly with light and heavy loads. If a flaw is detected the gun is turned over to a skilled worker who remedies the problem. The gun is then fired again to see if the problem has been fixed. The receivers, which are the parts that have the serial number, are made in North Haven, Connecticut at Mossberg’s headquarters, and are closely monitored from start to finish. Assembly and finish work (bluing and plating) is done at the Maverick Arms plant in Eagle Pass. While much of the work is done by machines which are controlled by computers, deviations made by the computers are still corrected the old-fashioned way, by skilled artisans using hand tools. And the guns are assembled by hand, since no machine is yet capable of such fine motor skills. For some reason this makes me happy, to know that at least for now the nimble fingers and keen eyes of men and women are still needed and still do things that computers cannot handle. PHOTOS: FAR LEFT, COURTESY O.F. MOSSBERG & SONS; ALL OTHERS, © TEXAS FISH & GAME
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A blend of manual skill and innovative automation
Automated Checkering
Manual Etching
Polishing
When Maverick Arms first opened in 1988 (the grand opening was February 1, 1989), the facility covered about 40,000 square feet. With additions and improvements, including a huge storage/shipping room, it now covers a massive 85,000 square feet. You should have seen me drooling at 85,000 square feet of guns. Mossberg has from its inception been a company that tries to offer quality products for reasonable prices. Most of their products are not fancy, but all of them I have ever seen are durable and of high quality. If you ever thought of Mossberg as that old company that makes cheap guns, think again. There is a very large difference between cheap and reasonable. In my personal opinion, there are a lot of other manufacturers out there today who could learn a great deal about how to run a successful business from the folks at Mossberg. Look for reports in the next year on several of the newer Mossberg firearms in “Guns & Gear” and on the TF&G Internet forums. One thing I am really excited about is the new Mossberg adjustable trigger. They even have this new trigger system (called the Lightning Pump Action Trigger on shotguns and the Lightning Bolt Action Trigger on rifles) on some of their pump shotgun offerings, which should make the turkey hunters giddy with glee. Mossberg has come a long way since the Brownie in 1919. They have some fine guns that they sell at prices which are competitive with any manufacturer in business today. I find this enormously refreshing in the light of modern gun prices. I suggest you check them out yourself at www.mossberg.com.
Receiver Assembly
On the Web Stock Assembly
Join Steve LaMascus on his video tour of the Maverick Arms Plant: www.FishGame.com/video
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Open Season by Reavis Wortham | TF&G Humor Editor
Stingers NEED SOMEONE TO GO HUNTING WITH me tomorrow,” Doreen said to the Members of the Hunting Club, gathered at her place, Doreen’s 24 HR Eat Gas Now Cafe. “It’s spring,” Doc pointed out. “This is fishing season. There’s nothing but turkey hunting going on, and we’ve already gotten our birds.” “There is pass shooting where I’m going, still shooting, and if you’re any kind of a wingshot, you guys will keep busy for a couple of hours.” “May as well,” I said. “There’s nothing else to do.” Statements like that get me into trouble all the time. Doc, Woodrow, Wrong Willie, Delbert P. Axelrod, our personal penance for living in this century, and I, met Doreen the next day at lunch. She loaded us into her Suburban “You guys leave those shotguns here, I’ll supply everything you need.” W drove to an old ranch house in the country. She stopped on the gravel drive and we got out. “This place comes with the deer lease I just got with Trixie,” she said, rummaging around in the back of the car. “We signed everything last week for next year.” She passed out cans of wasp spray. “No one has lived here for about two years. Yellowjackets and wasps have almost taken over and I’m allergic to stings, so I thought you guys would enjoy helping me.” “Uh, oh,” Woodrow said and backed off, shaking his head. Wrong Willie and I grabbed cans of spray. “Let’s go. We’ll take the interior.” Doc frowned at a can of waspicide in his hand. “C’mon Delbert. We’ll look around out here.” Woodrow slammed and locked the
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Suburban’s doors. “I’ll keep the air conditioner running.” Willie and I stopped in the doorway of the large living room and looked around. “I don’t see any bugs,” I said. Willie looked my way, gasped, and directed a stream of bug killer at my head. I ducked and the blast soaked an enormous yellow-jacket nest barely two feet from my cap. The angry insects were already hot and mad before we ever started shooting. I think they sleep all swelled up, wings extended, standing on their toes. They dropped off the nest like yellow leaves and charged us. We backed into a corner, alternately shooting and ducking. One got through
our defenses and nailed Wrong Willie just above his eyebrow. It immediately swelled shut, drastically impeding his aim. “YAAAA!!!” In the middle of the battle Delbert P. Axelrod came running through the house, hotly pursued by a swarm of red wasps. His head looked like a lumpy water bucket from several stings. Wrong Willie shot at Delbert just for good measure. “You’re supposed to be outside!” I shouted at his retreating back. “I’m going!” Another nest of yellow-jackets in the corner of the living room began to discharge its occupants into the fray. Soon the room was filled with a cloud of noxious chemicals, apparently only lethal to humans. The insects seemed to thrive on the stuff. I was
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convinced they were getting a rush off the insecticide. We slowly backed toward the doorway and into the yard, fighting for every inch. Delbert was draped over the hood of the car, pounding weakly on the windshield in a vain attempt to get Woodrow to unlock the doors to let him in. A cloud of red wasps swirled over his prostrate body like a mini-tornado. Woodrow responded by turning on the wipers. Doreen and Doc hunkered in the shade of a large pecan tree and watched the proceedings with interest. Doc occasionally directed a stream of insecticide at passing wasps by leading them a foot or two, usually dropping them with the first blast. It reminded me of dove season with him laughing and pointing. My eyes watered from the chemicals we’d sprayed into the air. No wasp could come any closer than five feet without dropping dead from the fumes emanating from our clothes. “You guys want some first aid and a drink of water before you go back?” Doreen asked. “No,” I said. “Just some matches. We’re gonna burn the house down and rebuild. It’ll be safer for everyone.” Woodrow waved at us from inside the air conditioned car, and pushed the windshield washer button, just to aggravate Delbert some more. He seemed pleased at the results, as Delbert rolled limply off the hood, and happily turned up the radio as he waited for us to complete Phase II of our assault. Phase II will consist of convincing Doreen to let us hunt with her and Trixie. It could be a good year in the fall of 2011.
E-mail Reavis Wortham at RWortham@fishgame.com. ILLUSTRATION: © ILKKA KUKKO, DREAMSTIME
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What the Hell is a ‘Tout’? THE COINAGE OF QUIRKY NAMES FOR LURES AND OTHER OUTDOOR GADGETS BY REAVIS WORTHAM
PHOTO: © TEXAS FISH & GAME
THE ANGLER WAS IN A GOOD HUMOR when he arrived at the boat ramp. The man at the store had touted the wonders of the new spoonplug, saying it caught hawgs better than any buzzbait, crankbait or spinnerbait he’d ever thrown. While he was making his plug, the angler wondered if the conversation would spark a successful day on the water, or be a bust. He hadn’t picked up a spinning rod in a fortnight, but he knew that after traveling a league or so across the state, he’d find a mess of fish. Recognize any of those words? Outdoor enthusiasts recognize the fishing terms, and some of the old language rings familiar, but many would be hard pressed to know that a fortnight is two weeks, or that a league is a unit of measurement of about three miles that is no longer officially recognized anyC O A S T A L
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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: MATAGORDA • Fresh Tides | BY
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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: ROCKPORT
• Old Ways Still Work | BY CAPT.
76 78 COVER STORY • What the Hell is a ‘Tout’? | BY REAVIS WORTHAM
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TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots | BY TOM BEHRENS, CALIXTO GONZALES, & BOB HOOD
HOTSPOTS FOCUS: UPPER COAST • Feast or Famine | BY CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ
HOTSPOTS FOCUS: GALVESTON • March Can Be A Problem | BY CAPT. MIKE HOLMES
sage onto the next grade. But I can promise you that she said such words as ain’t were inappropriate, and counted off for them. Today ain’t, is. She’d have probably counted off for the following spellings: plough for plow; wass for was; flean for fleas; or Godbwye, which eventually became goodbye (originally God be with you), but then again, we suffered through the struggles of old English classics such as Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Beauwulf, so I still don’t see why she bothered. So where am I going with all this in an outdoor magazine? The English language has changed dramatically since the Pilgrims stumbled off the boat and pushed the Indians out of the way while at the same time tinkering with their vocabulary. In addition to casting off religious shackles, they seemed determined to hammer out new words, probably in the hopes that they could converse among themselves without another English tax on their ideas. This is where we get into the outdoor part of this discussion. Creek in England was an inlet of the sea, but it came to refer to a stream of fresh water on this side of the world. They also threw out such useful 58 |
HOTSPOTS FOCUS: LOWER COAST • A Different Kind of March | BY CALIXTO GONZALES
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OUTDOOR CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY • Guides, Gear and More | BY TF&G STAFF
TF&G PHOTOS • Your Action Photos | BY TF&G READERS
BOWHUNTING TECH • Be Prepared | BY LOU MARULLO TEXAS BOATING • Advanced Electronics |
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TEXAS KAYAKING • The 1,000 Bass Spawn |
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words as mere, moor and marsh, and penned swamp, hollow and range (though not as replacements for the aforementioned examples).
The English language has changed dramatically since the Pilgrims stumbled off the boat.
It didn’t stop there. As the years rolled by like calendar leaves flying off the wall in those old 1940s and 50s black and white movies, new words were created for a variety of familiar objects, mostly because the speaker’s needs change. New technologies have a lot to do with this, and advertising has taken the driver’s seat to engage potential buyers and while creating a pleasurable mental image about their products. Let’s engage the word tout from our title. There was an old bait called a Trout Tout,
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but I’d be hard pressed to describe the proper retrieve for the old fellow. However, to tout is to solicit customers or patronage. I guess that was the general design for the lure. Writers might tout the benefits of a spoon, and among the vast majority of end users, don’t have to draw a distinction between an eating utensil and a silver lure designed to spin in the water and catch a variety of gamefish, because we know what they mean. The name comes from the lure’s design, because it looks like a spoon without a handle. Many lure names have evolved simply from the bait’s action in the water. Spinnerbait, crankbait, or buzzbait, all refer to artificial lures that are draw through the water. A skirted, painted leadhead hook with one or more wire blades that can be used in both shallow or deep water, and fished at a variety of speeds is a spinnerbait. Crankbaits sound somewhat alike, but they perform differently. The name refers to any type of hard plastic or wooden lure that dives when cranked through the water. Buzzbaits are aptly named. When enthusiastically cranked CONTINUED through the water, they usually buzz SEE PAGE 60
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LOWER GULF COAST
Baffin Specks, Unnecessary Reds by CALIXTO GONZALES cgonzales@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Black’s Bluff GPS: N27 13.97202, W97 31.11198 (27.232867, -97.518533) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live bait; Catch 5 or Catch 2000's or Topwaters in chrome/blue, baby trout, soft plastics in Baffin Magic, Morning Glory, plum/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361985-6089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Wade around the rocks with sus-
pending lures or an eel-type plastic bait. Use fluorocarbon leader for abrasion resistance and invisibility. Use light (1/16the ounce) heads. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge GPS: N27 18.08202, W97 27.51198 (27.301367, -97.458533) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live bait; Catch 5 or Catch 2000's or Topwaters in chrome/blue, baby trout, soft plastics in Baffin Magic, Morning Glory, plum/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361985-6089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: This is the month, and this is the spot, for the trout of your dreams. Wade the area with topwaters or soft plastics
fished slowly. Watch for nervous mullet to tip off the presence of Ms. Big. Be patient, though; these trout hit when they want to. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Unnecessary Island GPS: N26 13.81098, W97 16.34202 (26.230183, -97.272367) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp, live or dead mullet, topwaters, gold spoons, Logic Tandem Rigs in Gold/metalflake, black/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: If March is true to form, weather will start warming up, and the redfish will start spreading out on the shallow flats. You can fish more aggressively and work lures faster than normal for reaction strikes. Live bait or tandems are good with a Mauler. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
COVER STORY along surface, while rotating propellers FROM PG. 58 emit a tinny buzz that either scares the pee-waddlin out of a bass, or provokes a violent attack. The response of these baits is determined by the speed in which the angler reels. Spoonplugs act differently. They run at a precise depth, regardless of the angler’s fervor. The size of the plug determines the depth at which they travel. The wobbling action triggers strikes, especially when it is walked on the bottom. Texas, Carolina and California rigs probably have something to do with their origin, but they all involve specific methods of deep-water fishing in which a plastic worm follows behind a sinker of varied styles. They can be fished over or through any type of structure without hanging up, CONTINUED
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and are effective in a variety of water depths. Structure is any material, plant or geological contour which can provide a habitat for fish. Fish can be a noun or verb. It is singular or plural, and applies to any species of numerous cold blooded aquatic vertibrates of the superclass Pices, characteristically possessing fins, gills and/or scales. Our language is often confusing. A gig, a multi-pronged barbed spear commonly used to ventilate and retrieve frogs, is not a gaff which has a hook on the end of a handle and is used to land large fish, and a gaff of this type is not to be confused with a clumsy social error… …which usually defines my attempts at fishing. Now, if you want to get away from this
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discussion of fishing, let’s look at the evolution of such words Pilgrim John Smith’s attempted to spell back when the colonists were cheerfully tagging such animals as the raugroughcum or rahaugcum for a later stab at spelling aracoune or rockoon for what eventually became rackoone or, anyone…anyone…raccoon. Don’t you love this stuff? Then there is the original name of Trailtimer for today’s game cameras…which might have been called Trail Detective Cameras if the original name for cameras hadn’t changed, but was commonly called an Eastman for years before becoming known as a Kodak. But that’s an entirely different discussion, altogether.
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HOTSPOT: Stover Cove GPS: N26 13.93002, W97 19.39002 (26.232167, -97.323167) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp, Logic Solo or Tandem rigs in Pearl/chartreuse, pearl/pink, black/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: Fish the windward shoreline where the waves start to push bait into the shallows. Fish your lures or bait in a frantic retrieve. Use live shrimp on cloudy days or in stained water. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: The Drum Boat GPS: N26 10.713, W97 11.10702 (26.178550, -97.185117) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp, live or dead mullet, topwaters, gold spoons, soft plastics in red/white, gold/metalflake, mullet CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish the deeper water to the west for speckled trout. Trout will hold around the edges of potholes and will hit soft plastics or live shrimp under a popping cork. Gulp! Shrimp are a good choice if bait is scarce. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Horsehead Bay GPS: N26 20.87298, W97 19.70802 (26.347883, -97.328467) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters, gold spoons, Logic Tandems in gold/glitter CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: This is very, very skinny work; best suited to technical skiffs, tunnel boats, and kayaks. If you get in there, look for mud boils or tailing reds. Keep your rod tip high while retrieving to keep your lure visible. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: King Ranch GPS: N26 46.30602, W97 28.35198 (26.771767, -97.472533) SPECIES: speckled trout 62 |
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BEST BAITS: Soft baits in Pearl/chartreuse, glow/chartreuse, purple/chartreuse Topwaters in baby trout, mullet, Bone CONTACT: Captain Steven Devries, 956289-3631 TIPS: Fish the deeper water near the spoils with soft plastics. If there has been a warm stretch, try topwaters in shallower water early in the morning. Look for weedlines and fish them thoroughly. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: The Saucer GPS: N26 27.64002, W97 22.24992 (26.460667, -97.370832) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft baits in Pearl/chartreuse, glow/chartreuse, purple/chartreuse Topwaters in baby trout, mullet, Bone CONTACT: Captain Steven Devries, 956289-3631 TIPS: This area offers both a chance to put some good solid trout in the box, and a shot a truly big fish. Fish topwaters slowly near spoils for the bigger trout, or the weed and potholes with plastics for chunky trout hungry after the winter.
MIDDLE GULF COAST
Causeway Reds & Quarantine Trout by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: West Shoreline GPS: N28 8.865, W96 58.197 (28.147750, -96.969950) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a popping cork; B&L Corky lures or Catch 2000 in Bone or natural colors CONTACT: Capt. Brad Smyth: 361790-8354 TIPS: Look for bait rafting up on the shorelines
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LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: Turtle Pen Cut GPS: N28 12.18798, W97 1.227 (28.203133, -97.020450) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a popping cork; B&L Corky lures or Catch 2000 in Bone or natural colors CONTACT: Capt. Brad Smyth: 361790-8354 TIPS: If water is cold look for fish over mud bottoms LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: JFK Causeway GPS: N27 38.07102, W97 14.46102 (27.634517, -97.241017) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: 3/4-ounce; gold spoons CONTACT: Capt. Jon Fails, 361-9490133 TIPS: The flats around the Causeway can produce some good redfish action in March. LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Packery Channel GPS: N27 37.4856, W97 12.8826 (27.624760, -97.214710) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Jon Fails, 361-9490133 TIPS: Good location for anglers without a boat; take Hwy 361, exit at the bridge. Free line lived shrimp with a light weight. LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Quarantine Shore GPS: N27 55.00602, W97 4.06998 (27.916767, -97.067833) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastic baits or live shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. John Barbree, 361222-0477 TIPS: Water temperature will determine what water depth fish will be found. LOCATION: Redfish Bay HOTSPOT: Inside Hog Island GPS: N27 56.35998, W97 1.24998 (27.939333, -97.020833)
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SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp or mullet CONTACT: Capt. John Barbree, 361222-0477 TIPS: Best time to fish is in the afternoon after the water has warmed. LOCATION: Rockport HOTSPOT: Blackjack Shoreline GPS: N28 7.27302, W96 57.31998 (28.121217, -96.955333) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Soft plastic baits CONTACT: Capt. John Barbree, 361222-0477 TIPS: Work the shoreline while drifting LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Panther Reef GPS: N28 18, W96 43.19802 (28.300000, -96.719967) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Brad Smyth: 361-7908354 TIPS: Fish mid bay oyster shell bottoms if the wind allows LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Pure Oil Channel GPS: N27 31.57002, W97 17.85 (27.526167, -97.297500) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 1/2-ounce jigheads with soft plastics in either brown/chartreuse tail or white CONTACT: Capt. Jon Fails, 361-9490133 TIPS: Lots of grass
UPPER GULF COAST
Merry Christmas Speck Action by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Christmas Bay HOTSPOT: South Shore Line 64 |
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GPS: N29 2.57802, W95 11.703 (29.042967, -95.195050) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 52 and 51 series MirrOLures CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Throw 51 series when wading; 52 series when drifting LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Little Pasture Bayou GPS: N29 31.254, W94 32.31798 (29.520900, -94.538633) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 52 and 51 series MirrOLures CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Not a lot of fish, but quality fish
LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Blue Buck Point GPS: N29 47.77998, W93 54.43902 (29.796333, -93.907317) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Pink Skitter Walk, Bone Top Dog topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez, 409-721-5467, or 409-673-3100 TIPS: Topwaters early in the morning, switching off to soft plastics, such as Flounder Pounder later in the day
LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Kain Cove GPS: N28 40.092, W95 50.32098 (28.668200, -95.838683) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Black Norton Sand Eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Drift shell areas LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Catchall Basin GPS: N28 42.19698, W95 46.61202 (28.703283, -95.776867) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Black Norton Sand Eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: As water and air temperatures heat up, try fishing the mud flats. LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Boiler Bayou GPS: N28 38.547, W95 53.001 (28.642450, -95.883350) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkys, Norton Sand Eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Wade the south shoreline as it gets warmer
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LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Sabine Neches Canal GPS: N29 53.84622, W93 54.29346 (29.897437, -93.904891) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Black Gillraker worm soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Edie Hernandez, 409721-5467, 409-673-3100 TIPS: Using the drift of the boat, drag worms along the bottom.
LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: South Causeway Reef GPS: N29 47.22102, W93 55.91898 (29.787017, -93.931983) SPECIES: flounder BEST BAITS: live finger mullet or mud minnows; Pearl or chartreuse colored plastic grubs CONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez, 409-721-5467, 409-673-3100 TIPS: Tip the grubs with a piece of fresh shrimp LOCATION: San Luis Pass HOTSPOT: San Louis Pass Flats GPS: N29 5.673, W95 6.88002 (29.094550, -95.114667) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 52 and 51 series MirrOLures CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Throw 51 series when wading; 52 series when drifting LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Reef GPS: N28 33.84102, W96 14.166
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(28.564017, -96.236100) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, black Norton Sand Eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Start the morning throwing topwater lures working the guts; switch to Sand Eels later in the morning.
PINEY WOODS
Hybrids, Whites and Largemouth by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Old Folks Playground GPS: N32 41.94936, W94 6.5934 (32.699156, -94.109890) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Senkos, chartreuse-white spinnerbaits, black-blue jigs CONTACT: Paul Keith, caddoguide1@att.neet, 318-455-3437, caddolakefishing.com TIPS: Fish the bases of the cypress trees and adjacent grass flats. The bass often hold close to the tree trunks beneath the moss that gathers around the trees near the surface. They also prowl or stage near the outside edges of the grass beds.
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LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N30 23.7141, W95 35.41422 (30.395235, -95.590237) SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: live shad, Storm Swim Shad CONTACT: Richard Tatsch, admin@fishdudetx.com, 936-291-1277, fishdudetx.com TIPS: This is a great time to catch big hybrids. Find schools of shad and you will find hybrids. Search humps and points in 28-40 feet of water. Constantly watch what depth the fish are in because they will move up and down the water column hourly. LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Harmon Creek GPS: N30 52.11096, W95 23.91396 (30.868516, -95.398566) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, white Sassy Shads CONTACT: Dave Cox, dave@palmettoguideservice.com, 936291-9602, palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Find the schools of fish by trolling the lures, then make long casts behind the boat and retrieve with a medium retrieve, stopping the lure occasionally to let it fall before continuing the retrieve. LOCATION: Toledo Bend Res. HOTSPOT: Bayou Seipe GPS: N31 43.7817, W93 49.86516 (31.729695, -93.831086)
SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, stick baits, Rat-L-Traps, topwaters, jigs, soft plastics CONTACT: Greg Crafts, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, 936-368-7151, toledobendguide.com TIPS: A number of variables will determine the pattern and lures to use. If the lake is close to high pool, flip or pitch jigs and soft plastics in the buck brush. Work shallow flats, backs of creeks, points and creek bends with the other lures mentioned.
PRAIRIES & LAKES
Stripers, Crappie, Cats & Hybrids by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Cedar Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Cedar Creek GPS: N32 25.04934, W96 11.3325 (32.417489, -96.188875) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: live minnows, crappie jigs CONTACT: Jason Barber, kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com, 903-887-7896, kingscreekfishing.com TIPS: You will need a small boat to access Cedar Creek and Lacy Creek nearby to the south. Look for shallow cover such as cattails and brush in one to four feet of water. Change the colors of your lures and depths you are fishing until you find the fish. LOCATION: Fayette County Res. HOTSPOT: Main Point GPS: N29 56.31696, W96 44.217 (29.938616, -96.736950) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Shad, stinkbait, chicken liver CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Most of the stumps here are under water. Use your electronics to anchor in the stumps. Throw out chum around the boat.
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It will take about 30 minutes for the chum to bring in the fish. Fish with a tight line on or just off the bottom at about 13 feet. LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Diversion Canal GPS: N30 38.40582, W96 3.23028 (30.640097, -96.053838) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, crawfish, shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, wel-
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don_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Use a tight line or a cork with a 2/0 Kahle hook or No. 4 treble hook and fish close to the bank. You will catch more fish by using only one rod. Stay on the move, fishing slowly and moving about 50 yards at a time until you locate pockets of fish. LOCATION: Lake Cooper
HOTSPOT: Doctor’s Creek GPS: N33 20.58234, W95 41.11794 (33.343039, -95.685299) SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: Shadlicious and other hollow-body swimbaits CONTACT: Tony Parker, tawakonifishing@yahoo.com, 903-348-1619, tonyparkerfishing.com TIPS: Look for hybrids to be moving up the creeks to go through the spawning
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motion. Fish the edges of the creeks in 2-3 feet of water. If you don’t get strikes in the creek you are fishing, switch to another creek until you find the fish. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: South Sandy Flats GPS: N32 4.50912, W95 25.43172 (32.075152, -95.423862) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Earthworms, punch bait, shrimp CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Concentrate on the flats at the south end of the lake with sandy bottoms, especially those near concrete retaining walls. Drift-fish earthworms, punch bait or shrimp across the flats. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Kickapoo Channel GPS: N32 16.78812, W95 29.97342 (32.279802, -95.499557) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Crappie jigs, minnows CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, rickysguideservice.com TIPS: The crappie are beginning to spawn in the shallows of all creeks, especially Kickapoo Creek above the FM 315 bridge. Use ultra-light spinning tackle and work the lures across the flats. Also target Kickapoo and Flat Creek bridges and flats nearby. LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Yegua Creek GPS: N30 18.4437, W96 39.13752 (30.307395, -96.652292) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, shad liver CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Look for the occasional deeper holes in this shallow area. Tie up and chum the area with soured maize. Use a one-ounce weight if there is a current. Fish a tight line with a 2/0 Kahle or No.4 treble hook. Look for the fish to be close to 68 |
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the banks. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Paw Paw Creek GPS: N33 51.41022, W96 52.54374 (33.856837, -96.875729) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Road Runners, Sassy Shad jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477, striperexpress.com TIPS: In March the stripers are staging up the main tributaries. Fish main-lake points and creeks with one -ounce Road Runners and Sassy Shad jigs. Watch for sea gulls and keep your lure in the top 15 feet of water when fishing under them. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: The Islands GPS: N33 51.55992, W96 42.26466 (33.859332, -96.704411) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Coho minnows, Sassy Shad jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477, striperexpress.com TIPS: Big fish are roaming the flats and main-lake points at 5-30-feet depths. Cast white glow or chartreuse 3/4-ounce Coho minnows and Sassy Shads on the banks for great topwater action. You may catch eggladened stripers to 20-pounds. LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Whitney Hump GPS: N31 54.67194, W97 20.87298 (31.911199, -97.347883) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Wild Eyed Shad, oneounce Slabs CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, teamredneck.net TIPS: Use chartreuse Wild Eyed Shads and make long casts behind the boat. Drag the lures using the trolling motor. Work the lures on long lines back and forth across the hump. Watch for feeding birds and have rods rigged with Slabs to cast under them.
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LOCATION: Richland-Chambers Res. HOTSPOT: Alligator Cove GPS: N31 59.50626, W96 12.51894 (31.991771, -96.208649) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged worms, Hag’s Tornado F6s, Undertaker craw creatures CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 682-5188252, schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: The bass still are moving up the creeks in a pre-spawn pattern. Fish shallow on warmer days and move out to secondary points after cold fronts. Use spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits to locate fish and then fish slow with large soft plastics. LOCATION: Richland-Chambers Res. HOTSPOT: 309 Flats GPS: N31 58.71798, W96 6.87 (31.978633, -96.114500) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: One-ounce Silver Glitter RSR Shad Slabs CONTACT: Royce and Adam Simmons, royce@gonefishing.biz, 903-389-4117, www.gonefishing.biz TIPS: Concentrate on drop-offs and ridges in the 309 Flats at water depths ranging from 20-30 feet. Bounce the slabs off the bottom for the best results. Some large hybrid stripers also roam this area. Keep an eye out for feeding gulls to locate the fish.
PANHANDLE
Ivie Lunkers and Possum Whites by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: OH Ivie Res. HOTSPOT: Main Lake Flats GPS: N31 32.83818, W99 43.19874 (31.547303, -99.719979) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged, 10-inch Power Worms, finesse worms
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CONTACT: Dave Caudle, fishinwithdave@aol.com, 325-365-1020, fishinwithdave.com TIPS: With the low water conditions, the spawning flats are smaller than usual and concentrating the female bass. Fish the points in the Leaday area and around the south island for double-digit bass. The river also will hold bass on all points. LOCATION: OH Ivie Res. HOTSPOT: River Channel Flats GPS: N31 34.41798, W99 42.09672 (31.573633, -99.701612) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, slabs, in-line spinners CONTACT: Dave Caudle, fishinwithdave@aol.com, 325-365-1020 TIPS: The white bass are schooling on all of the flats near the river channel. Some largemouth bass also may be mixed in with these huge schools. Catfish can be caught shallow in the same areas on cheese baits fished under corks at three to six feet. LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Res. HOTSPOT: Bird Island GPS: N32 56.208, W98 26.0388 (32.936800, -98.433980) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: live shad, slabs, jigs CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: White bass, striped bass and crappie will be running upstream to the headwaters to spawn. Fish the flats at Bird Island as well as those at Costello Island and the other small islands between it and Bird Island. Expect to catch 50 to 200 fish a day.
BIG BEND
Dive Bomb Amistad Bass by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Caballo Canyon GPS: N29 30.54078, W101 18.0942 (29.509013, -101.301570) SPECIES: largemouth bass C O A S T A L
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BEST BAITS: Deep-diving Bombers, Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Larry Scruggs, Amistad Lodge and Adventures, fisherofmenlrs@hotmail.com, 210-789-1645 TIPS: Search for water in 20-30 feet near spawning areas. It is imperative anglers buy a Mexico fishing license when fishing south of the international river markers. Fisherman’s Headquarters in Del Rio at Highways 277 South and 90 West has them.
HILL COUNTRY
SOUTH TEXAS PLAINS
Take a Walk for Granger Whites
Falcon’s Spring Bass Haven
by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Triple Peak Cove GPS: N29 51.09594, W98 12.693 (29.851599, -98.211550) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Berkley Power Worms, Zoom Flukes, and Zoom Finesse Worms CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, kandie@gvtc.com, 210-823-2153 TIPS: Fish slowly along the channel with a Carolina-rigged Watermelon-red flake Fluke on 6 1/2-foot Castaway rod. Also throw a Secret Weapon recoil drop-shot with green pumpkin magic Zoom finesse worm or a Wacky-rigged Watermelon-purple finesse worm. LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Willis Creek GPS: N30 41.67216, W97 22.89144 (30.694536, -97.381524) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Small white jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, gotcrappie.com TIPS: Walk in from County Road 348 and fish the eddies below gravel bars with small white jigs.
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(30.696011, -97.380407) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Small white jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, gotcrappie.com TIPS: Fish 1/16-ounce crappie jigs below slip bobbers as close as you can to the banks. Find the thickest brush and roots and drop jigs into small open spots. Willis Slough east of the park near the pavilion also is one of the hottest spots at this time.
LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Veleno Creek GPS: N26 53.60664, W99 14.57088 (26.893444, -99.242848) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Lake Fork swimbaits, Skinny Deepers, 10-inch plastic worms, magnum plastic lizards CONTACT: Robert Amaya, robertsfishntackle@gmail.com, 956-765-1442, robertsfishntackle.com TIPS: Veleno Creek is a big bass haven in the early spring. Fish the flats close to the main creek channel and tributary creek channels. You will find post-spawn bass there along with spawning bluegills. The best lure colors are Watermelon red.
On the Web Find hundreds more Texas Hotspots online with our new interactive HOTSPOTS app: www.FishGame.com/hotspots
LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Willis Creek GPS: N30 41.76066, W97 22.82442 T E X A S
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Feast or Famine in March H MARCH. THE MONTH WITH ALL the potential. Without a doubt some of the most memorable days we’ve spent on the waters of Sabine Lake have come during this month. From flounder to speckled trout to redfish, when the stars line up just right the fishing can be better than good. My logbook helps jog my memory and bring me back to days when I was totally convinced that fishing just couldn’t possible get any better. Those days date back to fishing in the 70’s with dad all the way to March 2010. I’m sure this year will be no different.
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Although Mother Nature sometimes has difficulty deciding what season it is, you can bet there will be some days when everything seems to come together. Light winds, warm temperatures, good tides, and plentiful baitfishes usually amount to some serious rod bending action on Sabine. Get lucky enough to have the right barometric pressure and moon phase thrown into the mix and you’ve got all the ingredients for some of the best fishing days of your life. Unfortunately, that same logbook is also quick to remind me that catching fish in March can be tough. The conditions can be downright nasty. Brutal, relentless winds that seem to never end and off-colored water are some of the things we have to contend with. The bite can be just as tough as it can be good when the wind decides it’s going to approach 30 mph. Big winds from the south and east are much better than from the north and west but you’ll still have to earn every bite you get.
It’s not easy when you’ve got whitecaps in the bayou. If you can catch a break from the wind you should have little problem finding fish from Blue Buck Point to Willow Bayou. Bouncing soft plastics on 1/4 and 1/8 oz. lead heads off the bottom in 1 to 4 feet of water should get results. Good color choices are limetreuse, glow, marguerita and smoke with chartreuse. It’s very hard for flounder to resist the wobble of a curl tail grub like Flounder Pounder’s CT Shad. Glow and glow/chartreuse work very well especially when tipped with fresh shrimp and dragged on the bottom. If you hit a couple of fish in a spot ease the anchor overboard or drop the Power Pole and work that area over good. Trout and reds should also be ganging up in the bay under working gulls. The south end from Blue Buck Point to Pleasure Island Marina should provide the most action. Rattletraps in chrome with blue and chrome with black and bone and pink with silver Skitterwalks as well as light colored soft plastics will get the job done. Hopefully the stars will line up for you when you fish in the month with all the potential.
THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Causeway at Pleasure Island SPECIES: Flounder, Redfish BAITS/LURES: Curl Tail Grubs, Mud Minnows BEST TIMES: Incoming Tides
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March Can Be A Problem ARLY PREDICTIONS WERE FOR A drier, warmer winter for 2011, and while a drought is not something most of us look forward to, it is perhaps more tolerable in winter than during the heat of a Texas summer. Personally, I don’t mind dry summers so much, as the yard needs mowing less often, skeeters are limited, and there is much less mud to deal with. A dry winter suits me much better than the extremely wet one we went through in early 2010. Winter is a generally slow month for saltwater fishing – especially inshore fishing – to begin with, and March is perhaps the least promising of the traditional winter months, barring a very early spring – so perhaps if we need a drought, this is the best time for it. For certain, low rainfall combined with at least cooler than spring/summer temperatures will mean extremely clear water conditions in the bays, plus higher salinities. These conditions often mean that there will be more bait available for fishermen and fish, and also that certain artificial lures may work a bit better. This would include slowly worked top waters over shell and grass beds, and along the banks of tidal streams. If bait camps take their normal winter vacations, or at least strictly curtailed operation, catch your own with a cast net and some carefully placed mud minnow traps. Warmer weather conditions negate the biggest downfall of winter fishing, and keep the metabolism of target species moving at fall and spring levels, meaning they feed more often. This is good news for fishermen even though the game they seek will be scattered and not grouped up in deeper holes to survive the cold.
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As I used to have to explain a lot to visitors from inland areas inquiring about coastal fishing, lack of rainfall does not affect water depth in the bays and Gulf much, although too much rainfall can have an immediate, short term flooding effect in coastal streams and bays. Warmer winters mean fewer hard blowing “northers” to push water out of the bays, leaving us hopefully with not only warmer, clearer water of a higher salinity – but also relatively normal tides for good water depth. There will probably be some low winter tides, but not as low as when a 30 mph plus north wind howls behind them for a few days. If all of this falls together, conditions should be better than usual for March fishermen in the Galveston area. It can still be a windy month, meaning boat anglers need to be careful on open water, but protected coves that can be reached without long runs across big water will be comfortable, and coastal streams should be in great shape to shelter both fish and fishermen. When bayous like
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Chocolate and Bastrop and the coastal stretches of rivers like the Trinity, Brazos and San Bernard (now that it opens to the Gulf again) run clear and salty, fishing will be unusually good for this time of year. Surf conditions should mirror this clear and salty theme, and with warmer water temperatures wading out for a long cast will be much more endurable. It would not be unreasonable for long rodders to hook an early jack crevalle or shark, and bull reds might be fooled into thinking spring has decided to come early, especially with crabs running in the guts instead of being buried in the mud until cold water is gone. Speckled trout will not need to flee the muddy water of the bays for the Gulf if the bays are not muddy, but some of the big “surf-runners” should still be prowling the second sandbar on sunny days, especially near passes and river mouths that offer fast access to the Gulf and back. In all, this could be CONTINUED a March when those SEE PAGE 73 who made a big pur-
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Fresh tides Jumpstart Fishing EWARE THE IDES OF MARCH,” spoken to Julius Caesar in the Shakespearian tragedy, foretelling his death by fellow Romans, friends. Likewise, anglers should beware of the Ides (March 15), for swelling, tepid, spring
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tides stir large, aggressive fish to feed – rapaciously. Enough of Billy Shakespeare, let’s speak Texan. Warm, new water from Equinox tides pump fresh recruits to barren back lakes and reefs that have been exposed all winter. It’s rejuvenation from the winter doldrums, for both fish and fishers, and the first real opportunity to shed clothing and add a little color to your skin. “Spots like Lake Austin, Oyster Lake, Crab Lake and Boggy are great March hideouts,” said guide Ken Marshall. “Redfish are usually everywhere. We can make long drifts with live shrimp under a popping cork, or anchor on reefs. And you can still fish them when the spring winds blow.”
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If a late-season cold front blows through, dropping tides with ardent north winds, Marshall said to make a few adjustments. “Move to the mouths of the lakes,” he said. “The water and bait will be pouring out of the back lakes and the fish ride with the tide and bait. Camp out and wait for the redfish to come through.” Redfish are not the only drum in abundance in March, juvenile black drum, the eating kind, frequent reefs in West Matagorda Bay. Twin Islands, Shell Island and Oyster Lake are all proven drum haunts in March. Live shrimp under a popping cork is the best bet, but dead shrimp will work, too. “You can get plenty of pulls on the north shoreline of West Bay,” said guide Walt Wendtland. “Shell Island is a great place to anchor and wear out the drum and redfish.” Over-sized black drum, those over 30 inches, are the spawners and are only catchand-release, but that doesn’t mean they are any less fun to catch. Big black bruisers frequent the channels, rivers and jetties leading to the Gulf, and a cracked blue crab is the most popular hors’dourve. Matagorda’s new jetty should be a great spot to intercept ocean-spawners, as well as tide-runners like speckled trout. “Our new jetty is supposed to be dredged to 12 feet,” said guide Bill Pustejovsky. “We are excited about it – it should change the way we fish for all species.” Waders most certainly work the east end of East Matagorda Bay for large trout. Brown Cedar Flats, Half Moon Reef and Catch-All Basin have soft mud bottoms that hold heavy trout in the spring. Since a gator trout’s main diet is finfish, mimic a mullet with plugs like Corkies and MirrOlures. But never discount a topwater plug; March is the month many consider the start of the topwater season. “Bass Assassins new Die Dappers were created to slow-sink like plugs,” said Pustejovsky. “Rig them like a bass worm and it sinks slow but moves like a swim bait. I should work on the flats for large trout this
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GALVESTON HOTSPOT FOCUS chase at a winter boat show can do FROM PG. 71 more than just burn gasoline during the testing phase of their new vessel. Gulf coastal weather can be good or bad, serene or outright dangerous, but it has a pattern over the years of rewarding those who struggle through the bad times with exceptionally good weather periods when we might least expect them. For the coastal fisherman, at least, here’s hoping March of 2011 turns out to be one of those times. CONTINUED
THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Coastal piers, jetties, and rock groins: On sunny days with calm surf, getting spring.” The same could be said for TTF Flats Minnows, Norton Bull Minnows or any of your favorite soft plastics rigged weedless on a single bass hook. The lighter offering might require spinning tackle, unless you have an educated bait-casting thumb.
into a bit deeper water can increase both the productivity and variety of our fishing. Winter visitors like pompano and bluefish will mix with panfish species like croaker and sand trout. SPECIES: Speckled trout and “sand” trout, along with some flounder and more redfish will mix with the winter imports mentioned above. Big black drum may be lingering, and big redfish in the surf and passes will occasionally might their presence known. BEST BAITS: If the weather predictions hold true for warmer weather with low rainfall to trigger muddy run-off, top waters and soft plastic jig tails should do as well as flashy spoons and spinner baits at times. Live bait is always hard to beat, and big trout always preFor info, go to www.matagordasunriselodge.com, or binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net.
fer to take a big meal they can digest for several days, rather than chase shrimp much more often. Give larger mullet a try, along with croaker and skipjack. Menhaden (shad to most of us) are much easier to keep alive in a bait well or on a hook in cooler weather, also. BEST TIMES: Night fishing can still be good off docks and piers, but a warm sunny morning with good tidal movement is probably best, if for nor other reason than the comfort factor. Email Capt. Mike Holmes at Mholmes@fishgame.com.
Matagorda) BAIT: Cracked blue crabs, in quartered chucks
THE BANK BITE SPECIES: Black drum LOCATION: ICW (under the big bridge in
Contact Bink Grimes at, BGrimes@fishgame.com
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Old Ways Still Work WATCHED AS THE BLUE CHEVY PULLED up to the boat ramp across from my house. The 16-foot aluminum Grumman boat was on an old trailer that had polished/brushed rust marks as testament to its age. The motor was an old Evinrude that had no decals, so I couldn’t identify the HP but its cowling was polished to a high gloss. I was sweeping the porch off from weed eating (my least favorite task in the whole universe) so any distraction was welcome, especially one that was boat related. An elderly man gingerly eased out of the truck on the driver’s side with an elderly lady exiting the truck on the passenger’s side. It was more the way they moved that caught my attention, as each seemed to be in
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concert with the other as they worked to ready themselves and their boat for what I could tell was a much loved task. He walked around the front of the truck and helped her on with her coat, pulling up on her collar to keep the brisk wind of the day off of her neck. They headed in opposite directions, he to the boat and she to the back of the truck, and the excitement and joy in their faces stopped me in my tracks cold. I took a seat (I’d been wanting to do that for hours). After three attempts the gentleman made his way up into the boat and began to prep for launching. The lady loaded down with slickers, PFD’s and a small ice chest made her way to the boat and handed the items up to the man, then headed back for the rods. I walked over to their boat and asked, “Could you guys use a hand?” I asked, thinking I could at least back the boat down the ramp which would save the man the difficult task of climbing down out of the boat. “No, I think we have it young man,” was the response. She said, “are we blocking you
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from launching?” “No ma’am” I said, “I just thought I might back your trailer down the ramp for you.” “No, no” said the gentleman, “she does that just the way I like it.” She then looked up smiled and said “I’m not fast but I am forever” and giggled. It was at this point I realized I had interrupted a much loved and practiced ritual. “Well if you need help I’m just across the street” I said, and attempted to gracefully bow out, when the man said “I couldn’t launch this boat without her.” “Oh, he says that all the time” she said. “Truth is I think he likes my company or maybe my cooking.” “You’d think after 60 years she would know which one it is” he replied. “You’re way over your head here honey, so just get the boat ready” she quipped. “Been catching many fish?” she asked me. “Not today” I said, “mostly grass burrs in the shin from that weed eater.” They both laughed and she said “he does the mowing and I do the weed eating at our place, he drives the truck to the boat ramp, I back the boat down the ramp, he drives the boat and I navigate.” “That way if we get lost on the water it’s her fault,” he said. “You’re 85 and I’m 81 and we’re here talking to him, aren’t we? So I guess I’ve done okay navigating you for 60 years.... wouldn’t you say?” (looking at me) “Yes ma’am” I replied. By now I had a pretty good look at their boat and its layout.... simple functioning poetry was what came to mind. Everything had a place and everything was in its place. The man saw me taking this all in and asked if I liked his/her handy work. “Well,” I said “it all looks neat, tidy and functional.” “Simple too” he said, “and we rigged her ourselves after my treatments ended. “Treatments?,” I asked “You see I had pancreatic cancer 7 years ago and the treatments were just too tiring to
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do anything but be sick” he said. “That stuff is usually fatal but I have her to thank for my cure.” By now they had my undivided attention. “You see she told me one night after I found out I had it that she just wasn’t ready for me go yet.” A lump was now in my throat — having lost loved ones recently to that dreaded disease and I choked out a ... “Well, good for her and you sir!” “The treatments took most of our money and when the doctors told me to go live the rest of my life, well we love to fish so we had to do it the old fashioned way. This old boat doesn’t look like much but we are proud of her and she always brings us back home. “See those old Mitchel 300 reels? We’ve had them since they were brand new and took good care of them. I wish I had a dollar for every fish I caught on ‘em” he said, “then I could buy some new gear but then again who needs it. Bet you’ve never seen a floating bait bucket like that have you? It’s made out of cedar. My Dad made it. It’s the only one I like to use — those yellow and blue plastic ones scare the fish,” he preached. “Do you wade fish much?” I asked. “He doesn’t get too far from the boat” she said, “only a rope’s length; then after a while I tug on it and tell him it’s time to come back.” “You see she always catches the biggest one,” he said. By now I’m ready to get in the boat and go with them just to enjoy their energy and see what other vintage treasures they had tucked away. “You going to be out long?” I asked. “It gets dark here in about 4 hours.” “We’ll be back shortly after dark” he said. “By then we should have our fish and peace of mind.” “Sir” I said “let me give you one of my cards so if you get in trouble you can call me.” “Call you with what?” he said. “We don’t have a radio or a cell phone. We won’t be far, just out to that channel to catch our 3 or 4 fish for supper.” “Maybe you’ll get ‘em quick and be back before dark” I said. They both laughed and shook their heads and said “And miss the setting sun and the joy of seeing the close of another day? Young man do you know a day on the water adds a day to your life?” Yes, I thought, I’ve heard it before, but never really embraced it until right now. “No, not really sir, not til today,” I replied. C O A S T A L
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“Well,” he said “you might say I’m an expert on it.” He winked and then they were on their way. ••• MARCH FISHING TACTICS ARE BEST described as a lesson in endurance. I like to fish a lot of water moving often until I find a consistent bite. This month and the next are transition months for the bays and can test an angler’s metal. The very first schools of bait fish start to arrive and water temperatures and water depths can vary greatly. COPANO BAY — The black drum bite is still good in the cuts leading into Mission Bay. Peeled shrimp and/or cut squid work well here on a light Carolina rig. The transition to deeper water (4ft) off of Black Point is good for trout using soft plastics in morning glory and new penny colors. ARANSAS BAY —Pauls Mott Reef is a good wade for reds and trout using top waters in bone and red and white colors, rattle traps work well here as well. The key here is to straddle the transition line between shallow and deep water casting away from the shore and then into the shore as you make a silent wade. Pelican Reef has been good for black drum on shrimp, free lined or Carolina rig. ST. CHARLES BAY — Drifts across Cow Chip produces some nice reds using super spooks in bone and silver and grey colors. The
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back part of Cavasso is good for black drum and flounder using free lined live shrimp. CARLOS BAY — On cold day fish the Carlos Dugout using rattle traps or Berkley Gulp shrimp on a 1/16 ounce jig head. The Carlos Bay side of Cedar Reef is good for reds using cut mullet or mud minnows on a fish finder rig. Make your rigs with heavier line - 30lb braid for main line and 17lb mono for leader. On high tide Cedar Point is a good wade heading west Work out from the shoreline using a bubble cork with a Berkley Gulp crab for reds ...this rig will also catch trout there. MESQUITE BAY — The East shoreline of Bludworth Island is a good wade for trout and reds in the early morning using soft plastics in electric grape, salt pepper and chartreuse. The new spoil area off of Roddy Island is a good place for sheepshead on small pieces of shrimp or squid. Wind permitting, throw the bait free-lined; set the hook at the slightest tap. AYRES BAY — The east shore line of second chain has some good red action using finger mullet free lined. The spoil area close to Rattlesnake Island has some big black drum when the tide is coming in; the key here is live shrimp under a cork. Wait for a three count after the cork disappears to set the hook.
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A Different Kind of March HIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL MARCH. Water temperatures remain unseasonably low after the mind-numbing cold snap of February. As a result, most Laguna Madre species, especially those of delicate c constitution such as speckled trout, will be holding deeper than normal. Most anglers will be staying home until water temperatures creep closer towards normal (70 degrees or so). Those who feel the need to wet a line can still find some great fishing. The key is finding deep water. The most obvious target for deep water fishing is the Brownsville Ship Channel. This big ditch is reaches depths of over 25 feet and is a fish magnet in the best of times. When weather is hostile and water temperatures dip, trout, redfish, sheepshead, black drum, and other desirable LLM species see the warmer depths as sanctuary (see December, 2010 for further information). The structure consisting of sunken concrete, broken-up metal, and various items that fall of ships and barges helps hold fish. Unlike in December, where the spots that were recommended were located closer to Port Isabel, anglers should make a slightly longer run into waters closer to the Port of Brownsville. It’s a little more gas, but well worth the run (you can also save on some fuel costs by dropping your boat in at the improved High 48 boat ramp, which recently re-opened after an extensive makeover). Some of the obvious targets are the points of some of the service channels that branch off of the main Ship Channel. The drop-offs on these points allow fish to set up
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near the security of deep water, plus a hunting ground should the sun warm the muddy bottom enough to be comfortable. On sunny days, start by working a soft plastic or live shrimp under a popping cork in the shallower water (about 3 to 4 foot) to see if trout are actively cruising the ledge. If there are not takers, or if it is a cloudy, cooler day,
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move off the ledge and either swim a soft plastic, or free-line your bait along the drop-off. The key is to be patient and thorough. IF the trout are on the point, work up and down the ledge on either side of the point until you locate your quarry. Naturally, a depth finder with a high-resolution transducer is very helpful to achieving your goal. Admittedly, some anglers aren’t keen on the idea of running so far from homeport into relatively unfamiliar territory. So, does that mean that these anglers cry “no joy” and simply stay on dry land and have another cup of coffee at White Sands? Not necessarily. Anglers who want the relative security of staying close to port (or eschewing the windburn a long run in cold temperatures can provide) find deep water and structure in the Port Isabel Shrimp Basin, which is a short run west of down the Port Isabel channel. The deep water (30 feet) and docks and broken structure provide an excellent substitute for the Ship Channel. The most popular spot is the drop-off near the dock of the old cement factory (look for the street light over the water), but the pilings of the
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docks up and down the shoreline are magnets for trout, sheepshead, black drum, some winter-pale mangrove snapper, and the occasional redfish. The sheepshead and trout will be hiding around the pilings, and drum will be closer to the bottom and a bit away from the docks (some anglers throw out a prospecting rig with a live shrimp or chunk of crab into the deep water and put it in a rod holder while they fish the pilings; a lot of big drum get caught that way). Don not be surprised to find some snook lurking about the pilings. There are two species of Fat snook that don’t move out of the bay system the way common snook do. They seek out pilings and rip rap near deeper water to keep their body temperatures up. They may be a bit sluggish, but they will strike the same baits and lures you may be throwing out for trout. They are hugging very close to structure, though, so don’t be surprised if they hit a live shrimp you throw out for sheepshead. This March may be a bit chillier than most, but the fish are still out there, hungry. Of course, you could choose to stay warm and wait for April, but where is the fun in that?
THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Dolphin Point SPECIES: Black Drum, Sheepshead TIPS: Work the rocks with live or fresh shrimp for sheepies. Deeper water and bottomed rigs are best for drum.
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MARCH 2011
Tides and Prime Times
USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR
The following pages contain TIDE and SOLUNAR predictions for Galveston Channel (29.3166° N, 94.88° W).
T12
T4
T11
T10 T9
TIDE PREDICTIONS are located in the upper white boxes on the Calendar Pages. Use the Correction Table below, which is keyed to 23 other tide stations, to adjust low and high tide times.
T8 T6 T5 T17
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY is shown in the lower color boxes of the Calendar pages. Use the SOLUNAR ADJUSTMENT SCALE below to adjust times for points East and West of Galveston Channel.
T15 T16
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AM & PM MINOR phases occur when the moon rises and sets. These phases last 1 to 2 hours.
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AM & PM MAJOR phases occur when the moon reaches its highest point overhead as well as when it is “underfoot” or at its highest point on the exact opposite side of the earth from your positoin (or literally under your feet). Most days have two Major Feeding Phases, each lasting about 2 hours.
T19
SOLAR & LUNAR ACTIVITY: Sunrise: 6:34a Sunset: 7:51p
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PEAK DAYS: The closer the moon is to your location, the stronger the influence. FULL or NEW MOONS provide the strongest influnce of the month.
AM Minor: 9:11a AM Major: 2:57a PM Minor: 9:40p PM Major: 3:25p Moonrise:9:27a Moon Set: None Moon Overhead:
T21
TIDE PREDICTIONS are shown in graph form, with High and Low tide predictions in text immediately below. SOLUNAR ACTIVITY data is provided to indicate major and minor feeding periods for each day, as the daily phases of the moon have varying degrees of influence on many wildlife species.
T13 T7
T3 T2 T1
PEAK TIMES: When a Solunar Period falls within 30 minutes to an hour of sunrise or sunset, anticipate increased action. A moon rise or moon set during one of these periods will cause even greater action. If a FULL or NEW MOON occurs during a Solunar Period, expect the best action of the season.
4:55p
TIDE CORRECTION TABLE Add or subtract the time shown at the rightof the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine the adjustment from the time shown for GALVESTON CHANNEL in the calendars.
KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6
PLACE Sabine Bank Lighthouse Sabine Pass Jetty Sabine Pass Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass Galveston Bay, S. Jetty Port Bolivar
HIGH -1:46 -1:26 -1:00 -0:04 -0:39 +0:14
LOW -1:31 -1:31 -1:15 -0:25 -1:05 -0:06
KEY PLACE HIGH Galveston Channel/Bays T7 Texas City Turning Basin +0:33 +3:54 T8 Eagle Point +6:05 T9 Clear Lake +10:21 T10 Morgans Point T11 Round Pt, Trinity Bay +10:39
LOW +0:41 +4:15 +6:40 +5:19 +5:15
KEY T12 T13 T14 T15 T16 T17
PLACE Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay Gilchrist, East Bay Jamaica Beach, W. Bay Alligator Point, W. Bay Christmas Pt Galveston Pleasure Pier
HIGH +5:48 +3:16 +2:38 +2:39 +2:32 -1:06
LOW +4:43 +4:18 +3:31 +2:33 +2:31 -1:06
KEY T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23
PLACE San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor Pass Cavallo Aransas Pass Padre Island (So. End) Port Isabel
SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK IS SPONSORED BY:
NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION T22 T23
KEYS TO USING THE TIDE AND SOLUNAR GRAPHS TIDE GRAPH: Yellow: Daylight
12a
Tab: Peak Fishing Period
6a
12p
6p
12a
Light Blue: Nighttime
BEST:
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Green: Falling Tide
AM/PM Timeline
Gold Fish: Best Time
Blue: Rising Tide Red Graph: Fishing Score
Blue Fish: Good Time
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY: MINOR Feeding Periods (+/- 1.5 Hrs.) Time Moon is at its Highest Point in the Sky 12a
AM/PM Timeline
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AM Minor: 1:20a
PM Minor: 1:45p
AM Major: 7:32a
PM Major: 7:57p
MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)
Moon Overhead: 8:50a 6a
12p
6p
12a
Time Moon is Directly Underfoot (at its peak on opposite side of the earth)
Moon Underfoot: 9:15p M A R C H
2 0 1 1
T E X A S
F I S H
&
G A M E ®
C O A S T A L
A L M A N A C
HIGH -0.09 -0:44 0:00 -0:03 -0:24 +1:02
LOW -0.09 -1:02 -1:20 -1:31 -1:45 -0:42
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2/8/11
10:50 AM
Page 79
NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:
7:45-9:40 AM
= Peak Fishing Period
= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS
Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score
TUESDAY
28
WEDNESDAY
Mar 1
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
3
2
SATURDAY
4
SUNDAY
5
6
Sunrise: 6:45a Moonrise: 4:02a
Set: 6:17p Set: 2:50p
Sunrise: 6:44a Moonrise: 4:41a
Set: 6:17p Set: 3:46p
Sunrise: 6:43a Moonrise: 5:16a
Set: 6:18p Set: 4:41p
Sunrise: 6:42a Moonrise: 5:48a
Set: 6:19p Set: 5:34p
Sunrise: 6:41a Moonrise: 6:18a
Set: 6:19p Set: 6:26p
Sunrise: 6:40a Moonrise: 6:47a
Set: 6:20p Set: 7:18p
Sunrise: 6:39a Moonrise: 7:16a
Set: 6:21p Set: 8:10p
AM Minor: 1:45a
PM Minor: 2:10a
AM Minor: 2:28a
PM Minor: 2:51a
AM Minor: 3:09a
PM Minor: 3:31a
AM Minor: 3:49a
PM Minor: 4:10a
AM Minor: 4:29a
PM Minor: 4:49a
AM Minor: 5:10a
PM Minor: 5:30a
AM Minor: 5:53a
PM Minor: 6:13a
AM Major: 7:57a
PM Major: 8:22a
AM Major: 8:40a
PM Major: 9:03a
AM Major: 9:20a
PM Major: 9:42a
AM Major: 10:00a
PM Major: 10:21a
AM Major: 10:39a
PM Major: 11:00a
AM Major: 10:56a
PM Major: -----
AM Major: 11:39a
PM Major: 12:03p
Moon Overhead: 9:25a
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 10:56a
Moon Overhead: 10:12a 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 11:38a 12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 1:00p
Moon Overhead: 12:19p 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 1:40p 12a
6a
12p
6p
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
MONDAY
Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2011
12a
FEET
FEET
Moon Underfoot: 9:48p +2.0
-1.0
BEST:
4:00 — 6:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: None BEST:
4:30 — 6:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 12:39a BEST:
5:00 — 7:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 1:20a +2.0
BEST:
5:30 — 7:30 AM
6:00 — 8:00 AM
T I D E
L E V E L S
BEST:
3:30 — 5:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: None
L E V E L S
0
BEST:
Moon Underfoot: 11:17p
T I D E
+1.0
BEST:
2:30 — 4:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 10:34p
Low Tide: 7:37 am High Tide: 3:49 pm Low Tide: 8:47 pm
-0.47ft. High Tide: 12:23 am 1.02ft. Low Tide: 8:24 am 0.84ft. High Tide: 4:00 pm Low Tide: 8:57 pm
0.97ft. -0.38ft. 0.96ft. 0.74ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
1:29 am 9:03 am 4:09 pm 9:10 pm
1.00ft. -0.27ft. 0.91ft. 0.62ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
2:26 am 9:36 am 4:20 pm 9:28 pm
1.02ft. -0.13ft. 0.88ft. 0.49ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
3:18 am 10:05 am 4:32 pm 9:53 pm
1.03ft. 0.02ft. 0.87ft. 0.36ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
4:10 am 10:31 am 4:45 pm 10:22 pm
1.03ft. 0.18ft. 0.87ft. 0.25ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
5:01 am 10:56 am 4:57 pm 10:54 pm
1.02ft. 0.34ft. 0.88ft. 0.15ft.
+1.0
0
-1.0
ALMANAC C.qxd:1002 Coastal
2/8/11
10:50 AM
Page 80
NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:
= Peak Fishing Period
7:45-9:40 AM
= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS
Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score
TUESDAY
7
WEDNESDAY
8
9
Sunrise: 6:38a Moonrise: 7:47a
Set: 6:21p Set: 9:03p
Sunrise: 6:37a Moonrise: 8:20a
Set: 6:22p Set: 9:57p
Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 8:56a
AM Minor: 6:38a
PM Minor: 6:59a
AM Minor: 7:25a
PM Minor: 7:47a
AM Major: 12:27p
PM Major: 12:48p
AM Major: 1:14a
PM Major: 1:36a
Moon Overhead: 2:22p
12a
6a
12p
6p
6a
12p
6p
12a
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
10
SUNDAY BEG. DST 13
12
11
Set: 6:23p Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 10:53p Moonrise: 9:36a
Set: 6:24p Set: 6:23p Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 11:48p Moonrise: 10:22a Set: None
AM Minor: 8:15a
PM Minor: 8:39a
AM Minor: 9:08a
PM Minor: 9:32a
AM Minor: 10:01a
PM Minor: 10:27a
AM Minor: 10:56a
PM Minor: 11:23a
AM Minor: 12:23p
PM Minor: 12:50p
AM Major: 2:04a
PM Major: 2:27a
AM Major: 2:55a
PM Major: 3:20a
AM Major: 3:48a
PM Major: 4:14a
AM Major: 4:43a
PM Major: 5:09a
AM Major: 6:36a
PM Major: 7:04a
Moon Overhead: 3:52p
Moon Overhead: 3:06p 12a
THURSDAY
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 4:40p 12a
6a
12p
6p
Sunrise: 6:32a Set: 6:25p Sunrise: 7:31a Moonrise: 11:13a Set: 12:44a Moonrise: 1:10p
Moon Overhead: 6:25p
Moon Overhead: 5:32p 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
MONDAY
Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2011
Set: 7:25p Set: 2:37a
Moon Overhead: 8:21p 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
FEET
FEET
Moon Underfoot: 2:01a +2.0
-1.0
BEST:
2:00 — 4:00 PM
BEST:
8:30 — 10:30 PM
Moon Underfoot: 5:06a BEST:
9:00 — 11:00 PM
Moon Underfoot: 5:58a
Moon Underfoot: 7:53a
BEST:
10:00P — 12:00A
+2.0
BEST:
6:30 — 8:30 AM
8:00 — 10:00 AM
T I D E
L E V E L S
BEST:
1:30 — 3:30 PM
Moon Underfoot: 4:16a
L E V E L S
0
BEST:
Moon Underfoot: 3:28a
T I D E
+1.0
Moon Underfoot: 2:44a
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
5:55 am 11:20 am 5:07 pm 11:29 pm
80 |
1.01ft. 0.50ft. 0.89ft. 0.08ft.
High Tide: 6:54 am 0.99ft. Low Tide: 11:43 am 0.65ft. High Tide: 5:08 pm 0.91ft.
M A R C H
2 0 1 1
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
12:08 am 8:03 am 12:06 pm 4:53 pm
T E X A S
0.03ft. 0.97ft. 0.79ft. 0.96ft.
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
F I S H
12:53 am 9:31 am 12:24 pm 4:35 pm
&
-0.01ft. 0.98ft. 0.92ft. 1.03ft.
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
G A M E ®
1:46 am 11:38 am 12:23 pm 4:33 pm
-0.05ft. Low Tide: 2:49 am 1.03ft. High Tide: 4:43 pm 1.03ft. 1.11ft.
C O A S T A L
-0.09ft. Low Tide: 4:59 am 1.17ft. High Tide: 5:34 pm
A L M A N A C
-0.15ft. 1.19ft.
+1.0
0
-1.0
ALMANAC C.qxd:1002 Coastal
2/2/11
11:56 AM
Page 81
ALMANAC C.qxd:1002 Coastal
2/8/11
10:50 AM
Page 82
NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:
7:45-9:40 AM
= Peak Fishing Period
= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS
Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score
TUESDAY
14
WEDNESDAY
15
THURSDAY
16
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
18
17
SUNDAY
20
19
Sunrise: 7:30a Moonrise: 2:12p
Set: 7:26p Set: 3:29a
Sunrise: 7:29a Moonrise: 3:17p
Set: 7:26p Set: 4:16a
Sunrise: 7:27a Moonrise: 4:24p
Set: 7:27p Set: 5:01a
Sunrise: 7:26a Moonrise: 5:32p
Set: 7:27p Set: 5:42a
Sunrise: 7:25a Moonrise: 6:39p
Set: 7:28p Set: 6:21a
Sunrise: 7:24a Moonrise: 7:48p
Set: 7:29p Set: 7:00a
Sunrise: 7:23a Moonrise: 8:57p
Set: 7:29p Set: 7:39a
AM Minor: 1:16a
PM Minor: 1:43a
AM Minor: 2:07a
PM Minor: 2:35a
AM Minor: 2:56a
PM Minor: 3:24a
AM Minor: 3:45a
PM Minor: 4:11a
AM Minor: 4:33a
PM Minor: 4:59a
AM Minor: 5:23a
PM Minor: 5:50a
AM Minor: 6:18a
PM Minor: 6:45a
AM Major: 7:29a
PM Major: 7:57a
AM Major: 8:21a
PM Major: 8:49a
AM Major: 9:10a
PM Major: 9:37a
AM Major: 9:58a
PM Major: 10:25a
AM Major: 10:46a
PM Major: 11:13a
AM Major: 11:37a
PM Major: -----
AM Major: 12:04p
PM Major: 12:32p
Moon Overhead: 9:16p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 11:07p
Moon Overhead: 10:12p 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: None 12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 12:53a
Moon Overhead: None 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 1:47a 12a
6a
12p
6p
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
MONDAY
Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2011
12a
FEET
FEET
Moon Underfoot: 8:49a +2.0
-1.0
BEST:
BEST:
2:30 — 4:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 12:27p BEST:
3:30 — 5:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 1:20p
Moon Underfoot: 2:14p
BEST:
5:00 — 7:00 PM
+2.0
BEST:
6:00 — 8:00 PM
7:00 — 9:00 PM
T I D E
L E V E L S
BEST:
1:30 — 3:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 11:33a
L E V E L S
0
BEST:
12:00 — 2:00AM
Moon Underfoot: 10:39a
T I D E
+1.0
Moon Underfoot: 9:44a
Low Tide: 6:09 am High Tide: 3:20 pm
82 |
-0.21ft. Low Tide: 7:13 am 1.21ft. High Tide: 3:32 pm Low Tide: 8:10 pm
M A R C H
2 0 1 1
-0.24ft. High Tide: 12:18 am 1.20ft. Low Tide: 8:10 am 1.02ft. High Tide: 3:48 pm Low Tide: 8:36 pm
T E X A S
1.12ft. -0.23ft. 1.17ft. 0.83ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
F I S H
1:54 am 9:03 am 4:05 pm 9:13 pm
&
1.19ft. -0.15ft. 1.12ft. 0.58ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
G A M E ®
3:13 am 9:54 am 4:23 pm 9:56 pm
1.28ft. 0.01ft. 1.09ft. 0.30ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
C O A S T A L
4:26 am 10:44 am 4:42 pm 10:41 pm
1.35ft. 0.22ft. 1.08ft. 0.03ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
A L M A N A C
5:37 am 11:32 am 5:01 pm 11:29 pm
1.40ft. 0.47ft. 1.09ft. -0.20ft
+1.0
0
-1.0
ALMANAC C.qxd:1002 Coastal
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10:53 AM
Page 83
Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2011 TUESDAY
21 Sunrise: 7:22a Set: 7:30p Moonrise: 10:07p Set: 8:21a
22 Sunrise: 7:20a Set: 7:30p Moonrise: 11:16p Set: 9:07a
THURSDAY
23 Sunrise: 7:19a Moonrise: None
Set: 7:31p Set: 9:58a
FRIDAY
24
SATURDAY
26
25
Sunrise: 7:18a Set: 7:31p Sunrise: 7:17a Moonrise: 12:21a Set: 10:52a Moonrise: 1:21a
SUNDAY
27
Set: 7:32p Sunrise: 7:16a Set: 11:49a Moonrise: 2:14a
Set: 7:33p Sunrise: 7:14a Set: 12:48p Moonrise: 3:01a
Set: 7:33p Set: 1:45p
AM Minor: 7:17a
PM Minor: 7:45a
AM Minor: 8:20a
PM Minor: 8:49a
AM Minor: 9:25a
PM Minor: 9:55a
AM Minor: 10:30a
PM Minor: 10:59a
AM Minor: 11:31a
PM Minor: 11:59a
AM Minor: 12:03p
PM Minor: 12:27p
AM Minor: 12:53p
PM Minor: 1:18a
AM Major: 1:03a
PM Major: 1:31a
AM Major: 2:05a
PM Major: 2:35a
AM Major: 3:10a
PM Major: 3:40a
AM Major: 4:15a
PM Major: 4:44a
AM Major: 5:17a
PM Major: 5:45a
AM Major: 6:14a
PM Major: 6:41a
AM Major: 7:05a
PM Major: 7:30a
Moon Overhead: 2:42a
12a
WEDNESDAY
6a
12p
Moon Overhead: 4:38a
Moon Overhead: 3:40a
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 5:37a 12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 7:30a
Moon Overhead: 6:35a 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 8:22a 12a
6a
12p
6p
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
MONDAY
= New Moon = First Quarter = Full Moon = Last Quarter = Best Day
12a
FEET
FEET
Moon Underfoot: 3:11p +2.0
-1.0
BEST:
Moon Underfoot: 7:03p
BEST:
4:00 — 6:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 7:56p
BEST:
9:30 — 11:30 PM
6:00 — 8:00 AM
BEST:
Moon Underfoot: 8:46p +2.0
BEST:
12:00 — 2:00 AM
1:00 — 3:00 AM
T I D E
L E V E L S
BEST:
2:30 — 4:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 6:06p
L E V E L S
0
BEST:
1:00 — 2:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 5:08p
T I D E
+1.0
Moon Underfoot: 4:09p
High Tide: 6:49 am 1.41ft. Low Tide: 12:21 pm 0.72ft. High Tide: 5:21 pm 1.13ft.
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
12:20 am 8:04 am 1:10 pm 5:40 pm
C O A S T A L
-0.35ft. 1.39ft. 0.94ft. 1.17ft.
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
1:15 am 9:26 am 2:04 pm 5:54 pm
A L M A N A C
-0.41ft. 1.36ft. 1.11ft. 1.20ft.
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
2:16 am 11:01 am 3:43 pm 5:29 pm
T E X A S
-0.39ft. Low Tide: 3:26 am -0.31ft. Low Tide: 4:44 am 1.32ft. High Tide: 12:48 pm 1.31ft. High Tide: 2:11 pm 1.21ft. 1.22ft.
F I S H
&
G A M E ®
-0.21ft. Low Tide: 1.29ft. High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
M A R C H
6:05 am 2:52 pm 8:44 pm 10:49 pm
2 0 1 1
|
-0.12ft. 1.25ft. 1.05ft. 1.08ft.
83
+1.0
0
-1.0
ALMANAC C.qxd:1002 Coastal
2/8/11
10:53 AM
Page 84
NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:
7:45-9:40 AM
= Peak Fishing Period
= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS
Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score
TUESDAY
28
WEDNESDAY
29
THURSDAY
30
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
APR 1
31
SUNDAY
2
3
Sunrise: 7:13a Moonrise: 3:42a
Set: 7:34p Set: 2:42p
Sunrise: 7:12a Moonrise: 4:18a
Set: 7:34p Set: 3:37p
Sunrise: 7:11a Moonrise: 4:51a
Set: 7:35p Set: 4:30p
Sunrise: 7:10a Moonrise: 5:21a
Set: 7:35p Set: 5:22p
Sunrise: 7:09a Moonrise: 5:50a
Set: 7:36p Set: 6:14p
Sunrise: 7:07a Moonrise: 6:19a
Set: 7:36p Set: 7:05p
Sunrise: 7:06a Moonrise: 6:49a
Set: 7:37p Set: 7:58p
AM Minor: 1:40a
PM Minor: 2:03a
AM Minor: 2:22a
PM Minor: 2:44a
AM Minor: 3:00a
PM Minor: 3:21a
AM Minor: 3:37a
PM Minor: 3:57a
AM Minor: 4:13a
PM Minor: 4:33a
AM Minor: 4:50a
PM Minor: 5:11a
AM Minor: 5:30a
PM Minor: 5:51a
AM Major: 7:51a
PM Major: 8:15a
AM Major: 8:33a
PM Major: 8:55a
AM Major: 9:11a
PM Major: 9:32a
AM Major: 9:47a
PM Major: 10:07a
AM Major: 10:23a
PM Major: 10:43a
AM Major: 11:01a
PM Major: 11:21a
AM Major: 11:41a
PM Major: 12:02p
Moon Overhead: 9:10a
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 10:38a
Moon Overhead: 9:55a 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 11:19a 12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 12:39p
Moon Overhead: 11:59a 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 1:21p 12a
6a
12p
6p
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
MONDAY
Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2011
12a
FEET
FEET
Moon Underfoot: 9:33p +2.0
-1.0
BEST:
3:30 — 5:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: None BEST:
4:30 — 6:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 12:19a BEST:
5:00 — 7:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 1:00a +2.0
BEST:
6:00 — 8:00 PM
6:30 — 8:30 PM
T I D E
L E V E L S
BEST:
3:00 — 5:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 11:39p
L E V E L S
0
BEST:
Moon Underfoot: 10:58p
T I D E
+1.0
BEST:
2:00 — 4:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 10:17p
Low Tide: 7:17 am High Tide: 3:14 pm Low Tide: 8:50 pm
-0.02ft. High Tide: 12:31 am 1.20ft. Low Tide: 8:16 am 0.95ft. High Tide: 3:28 pm Low Tide: 9:03 pm
1.09ft. 0.09ft. 1.14ft. 0.83ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
1:48 am 9:04 am 3:38 pm 9:17 pm
1.14ft. 0.21ft. 1.09ft. 0.70ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
2:51 am 9:44 am 3:49 pm 9:34 pm
1.20ft. 0.35ft. 1.07ft. 0.56ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
3:47 am 10:18 am 4:00 pm 9:55 pm
1.26ft. 0.50ft. 1.07ft. 0.42ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
4:38 am 10:48 am 4:12 pm 10:20 pm
1.31ft. 0.64ft. 1.08ft. 0.30ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
5:26 am 11:15 am 4:24 pm 10:49 pm
1.34ft. 0.77ft. 1.10ft. 0.20ft
+1.0
0
-1.0
ALMANAC C.qxd:1002 Coastal
2/2/11
11:58 AM
Page 85
2/2/11
11:58 AM
New Oasis YOU LIKE KAYAK FISHING, BUT YOUR significant other doesn’t like getting left behind? Then you need a tandem ‘yak. Up until now there haven’t been many fishing-dedicated tandem models on the market. Now, however, Hobie has one that’s perfect for the angling-oriented paddler: the Mirage Oasis. Like the others in the Mirage series this kayak can be operated with either paddles or leg-powered peddles which propel the kayak with a set of fins, called the Mirage drive. (Go to Hobie’s web site, and you can see an underwater video which shows these fins in operation; they work by copying the penguin’s style of fin-powered propulsion). There’s also a tandem fishingyak version without the peddle drive, called the Odyssey. Anglers will be psyched to find out that all Oasis models come with standards including three contained cargo areas (with twist-on compression hatches fitted with O-rings), “twist and stow” rudders, high-back padded seats with inflatable lumbar support, and a pair of molded-in rodholders. Two-piece paddles also come with the kayak, and it can be rigged out with options including an eight gallon livewell (with a sealed six-volt gelcell battery and an adjustable drain), fishfinders, rod holders, and stake-out poles, and there are even some major-league options available like an electric motor, a Bimini top, a trailer, and a sailing kit. With the Oasis’s closed-deck design there are self-draining scuppers that’ll keep your seat dry, and the long, narrow nature of this kayak ensures comfort and safety even when paddling through a chop. The hull is polyethylene, so you know it’ll stand up to all sorts of angling abuse, like grounding on oyster bars or beaching on rocky shorelines. LOA is 14’6”, beam is 86 |
M A R C H
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There’s just one problem: the E-Z Cast is undeniably a beginner-level reel. It’s not the smoothest or the strongest reel in the world (though it does have an aluminum frame) and it has a mere three ball-bearings. On the bright side, list cost is only —Lenny Rudow $40 for the reel, or $50 for a rod and reel combo (available in men’s or a “Ladyfish” model, with a 6’0” rod that has stainlesssteel eyes). As a result, serious anglers HERE’S ONE THING EVEN DEMOCRATS won’t opt for the E-Z Cast. But this is an and Republicans can agree on: backlash excellent option for folks who want to equip stinks. Nothing’s worse than letting your a beginner or a child with a lure sail out over the water, and baitcaster that’s low-cost, reliShakespeare’s then discovernew baitcaster able, and most importantly, ing a big, effectively stops doesn’t ever backlash. And fat bird’s backlashes. since the system has proved nest in successful, this is a feature we’ll your reel. EZ Cast probably see applied to better, Modern more advanced reels in the magfuture—so keep your eyes on Shakespeare, and at least for the time being, continue to keep your thumb cocked cautiously above the spool. Learn more at www.shakespeare-fishing.com.
33”, and displacement is 75 pounds. List cost is $2,699, but you can quickly break three grand if you opt for a lot of extras. Check it out at www.hobiecat.com.
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netic and centrifugal braking systems help, but they don’t eliminate backlash completely. That’s why Shakespeare decided to create a new anti-backlash system that would take the lash out of backlash. This new system is based on a sensor bar, which flips up and slows the spool as a backlash begins to form. It’s been introduced on the E-Z Cast reel, which is a 7.3 ounce, 6.2:1 ratio baitcaster that can hold up to 100 yards of 10 pound test. I had a chance to try one out, and I did my very best to make a big, ugly snarl appear in the reel by doing everything wrong—but the E-Z Cast simply wouldn’t let it happen, no matter how hard I tried. Dozens of casts later, I was convinced that the system works.
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Muzzle Brake-Through I HATE MUZZLE BRAKES. I ESPECIALLY hated muzzle brakes when I was working as a hunting guide because I normally did not wear hearing protection, so I could better communicate with my client. Also, I usually couldn't cover my ears because I would be holding a pair of binoculars as the client was shooting. If there is anything louder than a muzzle brake on a magnum rifle fired from the confines of a box blind, I have yet to hear it. It is akin, I expect, to the Trinity nuclear blast at White Sands in 1945. A few weeks ago, as I write this, Johnny
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Glueck of Active Tuning Solutions and Active Camo Products, Inc. called me to discuss testing his muzzle brakes. He has two different models, one, called the Masterbrake, he claims is primarily a standard muzzle brake, that reduces the felt recoil of a rifle by a considerable percentage, and does some other fancy things with the escaping gas that keeps the blast off the shooter and enables better accuracy. The other, called the HuntersBrake, however, not only reduces the felt recoil, it keeps the muzzle blast to near normal levels. To be completely honest, I did not believe him. You see, a muzzle brake works by redirecting the gases produced by the burning powder in the cartridge. To reduce the kick, the gas is redirected up, down, to the sides, and to some extent, to the rear. This does, indeed, reduce the apparent kick. Unfortunately, it also increases the apparent noise produced by the cartridge. Most muzzle brakes turn the kick into a deafening blast. You have the choice of being kicked black and blue or deafened. I generally prefer to be kicked. Johnny claimed that he had a muzzle brake that did not deafen the shooter or the shooter's companions. I invited him to come to my place in Brackettville and prove it. He agreed and we met for the first time at my front gate, late in the afternoon on Pearl Harbor Day. To tell you the truth, I simply did not believe him about the one that was quieter. You see, I had heard this before, more than once, and it was never true. The next morning we got down to business. Johnny brought several Blaser rifles equipped with threaded barrels to accept his muzzle brakes. In the interest of science and brevity I decided I would start at the top. We pulled out a .375 H&H Magnum and a .30-378 Weatherby Magnum. Neither of these calibers is known for their lack of recoil and the .30-378 is renowned as a beast with a terrible muzzle blast. We shot the .375 with 300-grain bullets and the .30-378 with 180-grain bullets. Johnny said the .30-378 load was pushing the 180-grain bullets to 3450 feet per second. First I shot the .375 without the muzzle brake and I must admit that the Blaser rifle handled the recoil quite well. Still, when I pulled the trigger the gun set back with authority. The recoil with the 300-grain bullets was in the realm of 41 foot-pounds. C O A S T A L
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Then we attached the muzzle brake and I tried it again, prepared to have my eyebrows singed by the blast. Recoil was significantly reduced and, much to my surprise, the muzzle blast was so close to what it had been without the brake that I honestly couldn't tell the difference. To be sure I asked Johnny to shoot the gun while I stood back and listened. Same results. Next we tried the .30-378. Same routine. The recoil with this high velocity cannon should be in the neighborhood of 36 foot-pounds, and it has a muzzle blast to break windows and cause the chickens to quit laying. The addition of a muzzle brake usually makes it into a terror that should require clearance from NORAD before firing. Again the HuntersBrake tamed the recoil and did not noticeably increase the noise level. Now understand this: the HuntersBrake Model, does not decrease the muzzle blast of your cannon, it merely does not make it louder, or, at least, not enough that you can tell without a decibel meter. That is a huge accomplishment, by the way. Okay, I'm sold. The thing works, I give. We shot the rifles some more; enough that I was thoroughly convinced that the propaganda was absolutely true. So then I asked, how did you do it? Johnny explained that the concept was not his. It was originally invented by another man, George Vais,
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who sold the patents to Johnny. In reality the concept is quite simple. I will not go into the mechanics of the thing; Johnny can tell you how it works, if he wants to. The inventor, a friend of Johnny, has since retired and moved back to his native Greece, but Johnny still honors him with recognition as the inventor. You can read the story on the website www.activetuningsolutions.com. Johnny Glueck is a master gunsmith. He will install the muzzle brake for you, refinish your gun with some of the neat camo patterns they have, such as my favorite, Barbed Wire, clean the accumulated decades of gunk out of the gun, and any other gunsmithing you require. He will also sell the muzzle brake to you or your gunsmith for installation. My suggestion is that unless you have a gunsmith who you trust implicitly, let Glueck do the work. I saw his work on the test guns and it was very, very good. The Masterbrake is being stocked by Brownells, but as this is written they are not yet carrying the HuntersBrake. Well, that's it – a muzzle brake that finally does not add to the muzzle blast. Now I know what I want for my next Christmas. Oh, Santa... —Steve LaMascus
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My Little .243 RECENTLY TRADED FOR A .243 WINchester, and yes, I do have several reasons. I have been doing some testing of a pet theory of mine. That is that older guns shoot better now than when they were built because modern bullets are much better than the bullets of years gone by; and that average guns today are just marginally more accurate than guns of 50 years ago, but appear
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to be more accurate because of the superior bullets. I also think the .243 Winchester is one of the best varmint/deer crossover calibers made. Because of these reasons, and because it was a good trade, I am now the proud owner of a really nice pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .243 Winchester. When I traded for it I did not realize that it was one made in 1955, which was the year Winchester introduced the .243. That makes it a very special little gun. Generally, guns
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made in the year any particular caliber was introduced are above average in accuracy. I think it is because the tools used to cut the barrels are new and therefore very close to perfect, without the wear that naturally occurs and increases tolerances as they are used, and there is a bit more care taken in assembling the guns. My .243 is not in new condition, but it is in very good shape, especially for a gun more than a half-century old. I would give it about 95% on a scale of 1 to 100. The barrel is pristine, the stock has a few character marks, and there is some blue wear on the muzzle. In addition, someone polished the
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forward hinge on the aluminum floor plate and the edges of the metal butt plate so that they look silver. It looks okay, if a bit gaudy, but it is not original. I mounted a 3-15X Weaver Super Slam on it using Weaver rings and mounts. When I first shot the gun, the weather was cool, cloudy, rainy, and windy. I had to put the gun in the truck once to keep it from getting wet. Even with the less than perfect weather conditions it shot very well. I shot it with a pet long-range coyote load using 95grain Nosler Ballistic Tips. After several 3shot groups the average was almost exactly 1 inch, with the smallest being .734”. I have said several times that modern guns are more accurate than older guns and that the biggest difference in accuracy today is in the perfection of modern bullets. In years past, say, the 1960s, it was common knowledge that a rifle that would group less than 2 inches was a fine gun, and one that
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would group less than 3 inches was worth keeping. Today those same guns will generally shoot better than they did when they were new. I have shot a lot of older guns, ranging from Model 98 Mausers, to 1903 Springfields, Model 100 Winchesters, Model 722 Remingtons, pre-64 Model 70s, and many more. I have found that almost every one of them shoots better now than it was said to shoot when brand new. It is not terribly unusual for “sporterized” Mausers made in the 1920s and '30s to shoot near minute-of-angle with modern handloads. That can only be because of the bullets. Still, the accuracy potential of new guns has also advanced over the years. I know this because I have been running a test of old bullets. It seems that just as old guns shoot better with new bullets, old bullets also shoot better in the new guns. Strange as it may seem, I have yet to determine a concrete
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level of accuracy differential between the two. In fact, it is rather confusing to me, providing data that seems somehow contradictory. However, I will continue the testing as I come across the old bullets, which are getting hard to find. If you have an old box or two of bullets that were made before the age of computer controlled manufacturing, and that you would turn loose of in the interest of semi-scientific truth finding, please get in touch with me at the email address below. But back to my Model 70. Suffice to say that I have fallen in love with the little Featherweight. The trigger is a bit of a problem. It is just about a pound too heavy to suit me, which is common with most factory triggers. I am, in this instance, hesitant to put another trigger in the gun. I would like to keep it all original. If it weren't for its unique collector's value I would CONTINUED put a aftermarket trigger in it and be SEE PAGE 93
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Be Prepared HEN I WORE A YOUNGER LAD’S clothes, I was a scout. The most important thing I learned as a scout was to always be prepared. I try to think of every possible scenario, and be ready for anything in order to assure a good outcome. Turkey season is almost here, and it is time to practice and practice hard so you are well prepared to take that bird with your bow. Some of the bow hunters that are reading this right now are saying to themselves that to take a longbeard with a bow is just too difficult. They will choose to just continue to hunt birds with a gun. If you are one of those people, believe me, you are making
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a huge mistake. Taking any game with a bow is challenging, but there comes a special pride in one’s self when you are successful in the turkey woods with your stick and string. So, if you have decided that bow hunting turkeys is for you, then you need to take some time and practice. For most of us bow hunters, the practice stops after opening day of bow season and does not return until the following summer months. I am not saying that this is a good thing…quite the contrary,
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but I would be lying to you if I did not put myself in that same category! Start by grouping your field tips once again. Shoot until you are almost touching your arrows. That will determine what your known accuracy range is. When you are confident enough to consistently and accurately shoot your bow from a standing position, try sitting down and then kneeling down. You will need to be able to accomplish this task if you plan to hunt from a portable blind. If you can master your shooting abilities from these positions, I think you are ready to hunt turkeys with a bow. You will need to determine what broadhead you will be using when hunting birds. There are many to choose from. It is a question of personal preference. What works for you might not work as well for your friend. The only sure way to see what works best for you is to practice using the broadheads you plan to hunt with. Just make sure that when hunting you always are using razor sharp broadheads. This does not mean the exact ones that you practiced with. Those will be dulled from the practice. Oh they will be able to harvest a bird…maybe. The only ethical thing to do is to make sure your blades are always razor sharp. Will you be using a blind (which I highly recommend), or are you going to try your luck against a tree? Remember, if you use a blind and plan to shoot through a mesh-covered window, an expandable broadhead will open, or at least try to open, going through the mesh. Personally, I see no reason to shoot through the mesh. Turkeys will not see you while you are concealed in a portable blind. Now is the time to crank down the poundage of your bow as well. What you use for deer is much more than what you will
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TEXAS GUNS & GEAR done with it. In any case I will probably end up FROM PG. 90 putting a Timney in it, but I will try to tune the original Winchester trigger first. While I am not a in the sanctity and per-
fection of the pre-64 Model 70, I really like this one, and it has shot well with everything I have loaded for it thus far. I am presently testing a box of old Herter's 100-grain semipointed bullets that I found on one of the websites. If it shoots them well I will be forced to conclude that it will shoot just
about anything. Anyway, you can expect to see more about the bullet test when and if I finish. In the meantime my little .243 and I are having a great time.
need while hunting turkeys. The important thing is you want to try to keep the arrow from going through the bird completely. Most of the time, this will prevent the turkey from flying off with your arrow. You will note that I said “most of the time.” If you are familiar with “ Murphy’s Law” then you know what I am talking about. I always say the Mr. Murphy is an optimist! As far as I am concerned, if something can go wrong…it will! I have heard stories of the turkeys that flew away with an arrow still in it. I can say that it does not happen often. It is difficult to find your bird once it takes flight but not impossible. If it happens to you, then watch where the turkey flies and sit tight. He will not go far. When you do go after him, take it slow. He will try to sit still
and let you walk by. If you stop often, his nerves will give himself away. Dropping the poundage on your hunting bow will also force the sights to change. What once was your 20-yard pin will now need to be adjusted. The same rule applies to your sights as when you practiced for deer season. Simply follow the arrow to get your sights where they should be. If you are shooting high, raise your sight pin. If you are shooting to the right, move your sight pin a little to the right. Eventually, you will be back to your good shooting form. Can you see why practicing now is so important? There are so many variables and so many things that can go wrong that you need to be prepared for them. Hunting wild turkeys with a bow is right
up there with whitetail hunting for me. It is exciting. It is challenging and it is fun. It has all the elements I look for when I think about the reasons I am hunting in the first place. When you try bow hunting turkeys, it is one of those times where you are not hunting them…but the toms are hunting you! The closer the sound of their gobble gets, the harder and faster my heart beats with anticipation. Oh how I love this sport called bowhunting!
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E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com
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E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com
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Advanced Electronics F YOU’RE UNDER THE AGE OF 60 AND you don’t use a smartphone, type on a computer, or navigate down the highway with an automotive GPS, you probably live in a cave in north-east Zabagastan and go by the name of Ugg. Like it or not, technology has invaded just about every aspect of modern life no matter what your ilk. This goes for us boaters, too, and the technological advances we need to stay up to date with have been evolving just as quickly as that phone/camera/internet browser that’s in your pocket or clipped to your belt. You don’t believe me? Then you obviously haven’t been keeping up to date. Here are some of the hottest, coolest, newest marine electronics you need to know about.
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BLACK OPS – Can infra-red go portable? Oh, yeah—file this one under uber-cool military trickle-down. FLIR has developed a handheld infra-red nightvision monocular called the First Mate, which lets you peer through the darkness without spending cash like the DOD. Coming in a hair under
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$3,000, the First Mate weighs a pound and a half and is 11” x 3” x 3”. In other words, it’s small enough to fit into your jacket pocket. It’s also waterproof, it floats, and it runs for five hours on
four AA batteries. Take a peek at www.flir.com. DATA FLOW – Technology has also turned the usual electronics land/sea relationships upside-down; today you can not only use your marine gear to get back to land, you can also use your land gear to navigate your boat. Case in point: your smartphone can be transformed into a full-blown chartplotter (among other things) by downloading a dirtcheap application. Several options are out there, but one of my favorites is Navionics Mobile. This one won the 2010 Innovation and Design award at the Marine Electronics and Trade Show, and was voted the Best Boating App by Laptop World magazine. You can use it to transform iPhones, iPads, and Androids into chartplotters that have all of the basic nav features, like setting and navigating to waypoints, computing time-to-go, and creating and navigating on routes. But it also offers the latest and greatest perks in chartplotting, such as graphic wind forecasting, terrain overlays, panoramic picture overlays, and wireless chartography updates. The newest feature is the ability to build a “community layer” of data. The community layer is user-generated; you and other boaters using the app can add to the database as you discover new things on the water (like a moved channel marker, or a shifting sand bar), or discrepancies on the charts. There’s just one problem: figuring out what you’ll spend to do this stuff can be tricky, because pricing varies depending on which version you want and which charts you use. Go to www.navionics.com, to learn more about it. And check out your local friendly neighborhood app store, to see what other marine miracles you perform with that smartphone—turn it into a speedometer, get videos that teach you how to tie knots, locate boat ramps and marinas—the opportunities are essentially endless. GO-ANYWHERE NAVIGATOR – A trend
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we’ve seen lately in the world of handheld GPS units is embodied by Magellan’s new Explorist line-up: the ability to cross-over between land and sea navigation. The Explorist 710 isn’t just a pocket-sized handheld with a three-inch touchscreen interface, it also comes with built-in City Series turnby-turn mapping, as well as Summit Series topographic mapping. That means you’ll make good use of it whether you’re boating across the bay, cruising down the highway, or climbing a craggy mountain peak. Jazzed-up features include a three-axis electronic compass (which can tell you the direction you’re facing in regardless of motion; old-tech handhelds need to be moving to compute compass course), a 3.2 megapixel camera, a microphone and speaker, and waterproofing to IPX7 standards. This little gizmo doesn’t come cheap, with an MSRP of $550, but it sure does do a lot for you. See www.magellangps.com.
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to 41 characters) to those communications satellites orbiting high above the Earth. You can also send Facebook, Twitter, and SPOT Adventure updates to your favorite social networks, and use all of the usual SPOT functions, like sending pre-defined messages, tracking progress on Google Maps, and transmitting an SOS message with your GPS coordinates to the GEOS Emergency Response center. The cost of the Spot Connect hardware
is relatively inexpensive at $169, but you’ll also have to pony up a $99 per year subscription fee Check it out at www.findmespot.com. WATERBORNE WIFI – You want to check your e-mail in-between casts? That’s not a problem, if you have a chartplotter like Standard Horizon’s CONTINUED new CPN 1010i SEE PAGE 97 and you’re close to a
SOUNDS NEW – Stereos have been around on boats forever, but when’s the last time you saw a sound system that you could control from your chartplotter screen? That’s one big perk you get if you add a Lowrance Sonic Hub audio server to your Lowrance HDS system. The Sonic Hub is designed to work in conjunction with (of course) your iPod. Place that magical little music box into the Sonic Hub’s waterproof docking station, wire in the four-channel, 50 watt amp/tuner, mount the pair of 6.5” 200 watt marine speakers, and you’re ready to rock. All of the usual stereo controls like the tuner, volume, and iPod music selection then pop up on an on-screen bar, at the bottom of your HDS display. The system has a surprisingly reasonable price, too, with a $350 MSRP that’s easy to beat with a little web shopping. Get the details at www.lowrance.com. TEXTING TEMPTATION – Don’t you wish your cell phone worked everywhere, all the time? Not likely. But if you outfit yourself with a SPOT Connect, you can get texting service via satellite, regardless of how far away the cell towers are. The tiny 3.7-ounce Connect, which is IPX7 waterproof, communicates with your cell phone via Bluetooth (after you’ve downloaded the Connect app, of course), then bounces your text message (up C O A S T A L
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The 1,000 Bass Spawn AYAKS ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED AS serious fishing platforms on inland lakes. The “poor man’s bass boat” might be small but kayaks are deadly efficient on spawning and postspawn bass. Just ask Jim Darnell. He and his fishing partner, Mike Schlimgen, came close to cracking the 1,000 bass mark in March and April of 2010. Darnell is a retired minister who spends most spare days fishing from his kayak when he and wife Beth aren’t busy producing their television show, God’s Great Outdoors. I don’t know the last time you caught
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500 largemouth – or even half that amount - during a spawning season but personally I have never come close. Granted, Darnel has the benefit of time on his hands and it is the rare angler that gets to fish as much as he does, but he definitely considers his kayak a major part of his success. “Kayaks allow you to get into areas you can’t reach in bass boats,” Darnell explained. “Plus, they are much quieter.” Darnell is a resident sage on Bastrop Lake, which he has been fishing regularly since 1968. He is a keen observer of bass behavior and is a big believer in wade fishing from a kayak. “A kayak will get you into a promising area and then you can slip overboard and start wading,” he explained. “You can really sneak up on fish when you are on foot.” Darnell prefers stalking bass on shallow flats, keeping a low profile while searching for circular beds swept clean of detritus. Water that is 2 -3 feet in depth is generally a target rich environment.
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Darnell and Schlimgen are both partial to fly rods; both hold numerous fly rod records on just about every watershed near their native San Marcos. Both have caught bass on Bastrop Lake which would surely be fly rod records but they were .5 inch shorter than the 21-inch minimum slot requirement. Darnell’s favorite fly for spawning bass is a hard boded popper but not the jumbo bugs people typically associated with fly rod bass. A five-weight fly rod is his favorite and the limber rod effectively limits the size popper he can cast. Flies with size 6-4 hooks are the largest he casts. “Sometimes a bass will completely ignore the popper when it touches down and you have to cast again. Sometimes they will hover underneath the fly and eyeball it for the longest time; and other times, they will charge it like a wild animal,” Darnell explained. He believes the popper’s modest size is less apt to spook bedding bass when it touches down compared to the loud splat of a large topwater lure. “Occasionally midsized poppers spook bedding fish,” he explained. “When the fish are skittish, I scale down to a bream popper, like a Miss Prissy. The bass really hit those little poppers but you will miss a lot of strikes because the hook gap is so small.” When Darnell uses conventional tackle, he ascribes to the less is more theory, preferring small topwater baits like a Tiny Torpedo. When the bass aren’t feeding on the film, he will cast 4-inch Carolina rigged worms. As the spawn tapers down, Darnell shifts his focus to a bit deeper water. Bastrop Lake features good accumulations of coon tail moss and hydrilla. “Look for dark spots where bass can ambush their prey, especially if the surrounding bottom is clean,” he added. Bastrop Lake isn’t known as a big bass lake and its name likely won’t be uttered in the same sentence with Lake Fork, but it is
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TEXAS BOATING WiFi hotspot. This brainy little FROM PG. 95 box has Wifi builtin, and it allows you to use the unit’s 10” touch-screen interface to check your e-mail, send and answer, or stream “live” music and video—or if you like doing things the old fashioned way, connect a mouse and keyboard via Bluetooth or the chartplotter’s USB port. The unit has fishfinder, radar, and AIS expandability, an internal 50channel WAAS GPS antenna, a 1024 x
600 bonded touch-screen display, dual-station networking, NTSC and PAL video inputs, and built-in chartography for the entire coastal US and most of North and Central America. Yup, you’ve gotta pay for all these goodies: list price is $2,299 (a seven inch version is available for $1,499). Take a closer look at www.standardhorizon.com
a productive fishery. Darnell and Schlimgen logged 8 days in 2010 with at least 50 fish between them, all caught before noon. They logged an additional 20 days with 10 -20 fish between them. Darnell wasn’t sure about the exact number of fish they caught and I was the one who called his attention to the 1,000 fish mark. I caught up with him by cell phone on his way to an elk hunt, and after rehashing the numbers with him, it was clear that Darnell and Schlimgen released at least 700 bass, with the total possibly
exceeding 1,000 fish. Most spawning fish were in the 2 -4 pound range. The largest topped 5-pounds – a very nice prize when taken on a five-weight fly rod. To keep the resident bass from becoming stunted, TPWD encourages anglers to harvest some of the smaller fish from Bastrop Lake. In this vain, Darnell occasionally invites a few of the small bass to join him for dinner. If you want a nice change of pace during the spawn this year, plan a kayak trip to
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On the Web www.Flir.com www.MagellanGPS.com www.Lowrance.com www.FindMeSpot.com www.StandardHorizon.com
E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com
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some of the smaller fishing venues across the state. While the smaller lakes may not have the potential to cough up monster bass, they can sure make up for it in sheer numbers. Just ask Jim Darnell.
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Greg Berlocher can be reached for question or comment at kayak@fishgame.com.
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Getting Lost “I’ve never been lost, but I was mighty turned around for three days once.” — Daniel Boone
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clue. Walking through the Sabine River bottom well before the sun was up I could see something reflecting in the distance and thought it odd that someone had parked there truck near the duck slough I was planning on hunting. When I got closer I could tell it was my truck I was looking at. I had walked for 30 minutes in a huge circle and ended up back where I started. This little walk in the woods was an inconvenience that could have turned out much worse but it was a learning experience and led me to start carrying a “go bag” with me just about everywhere. I say just about everywhere because I forgot it the other day when I was out scouting for ducks (this was written months ago). What I call my “go
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bag” is a backpack that I can pick up go hunting, fishing, or camping at any minute and not worry about not making it back alive. My list of items I carry in my bag may be different from yours but here is what I consider the minimum required. I have never used them in an emergency situation (and I hope I never do) but I carry waterproof matches and a candle in my bag at all times. Having the ability to build a fire for warmth, drying clothes, or cooking might be the difference between life and death. A few years ago I was given a fire starting tip from an elk guide in Colorado who used a concoction of what he called diesel dust to help start fires. Diesel dust is basically saw dust soaked in diesel and kept
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in a small container. The diesel dust weighs next to nothing, ignites easily, and burns long enough that you don’t feel rushed while getting the fire started. One item that I never leave the house without is a knife, and I have a couple more stashed away in my bag. One of the
knives happens to be one of the items on my multitool and the other is part of an inexpensive fork/spoon/knife combination that I carry just for the heck of it. The key here is that you can never have too many knifes on you. An item that most outdoorsmen rarely think about but is probably the most useful is a length of rope. For years I carried about 20 feet of 550 paracord in the bottom of my backpack. Most of the time it ended up a
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tangles knotted mess but it has countless uses (from dragging deer out to hanging up clothes to dry)
that I couldn’t leave it at the house. Now, I still carry around 20 feet of cord but today I have it braided into a bracelet that I wear most of the time. When the bracelet isn’t on my wrist it’s in my bag. If I need the paracord for an emergency I simply unbraid the bracelet which takes just a few minutes. Most of the time our outdoor activities occur at dusk and dawn so a flashlight is essential and in my bag I carry two. They are both small LED lights and I could probably get by with one but why take that chance. I’d rather carry a few extra ounces of weight and not need it than to need it and
not have it. One of the last items that I carry (yes I carry two of these as well) is a compass. Now a compass only works if you know where you are and know which direction you want to go so it’s not a bad idea to also have a map of the area you plan to be in (even one that’s not very detailed but has major landmarks). Along with all these items I throw in a bottle of water and small poncho just in case the weather gets hot or wet. The best part is that all of these items fit in the small front pouch of my backpack leaving the larger compartments open for cameras, tripods, and all the other junk I tend to carry.
E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com
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Kendall Red North Padre Boating Adventures
Captain Chuck Matthews Red North Padre Boating Adventures
Chris, David and John - Rockport Redrunner
TEXAS SALTWATER
TEXAS FRESHWATER
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BAFFIN BAY
GALVESTON
MIDDLE COAST
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UPPER COAST (SABINE LAKE)
ROCKPORT
FOR ADVERTISING RATES AND INFORMATION CALL DENNISE 281.869.5519
SPOTLIGHT: NORTH PADRE BOATING ADVENTURES Operated by Captain Chuck Matthews, licensed by U.S.C.G. and T.P.W.D., is a retired Firefighter/Paramedic who established North Padre Boating Adventures in 2008. As an avid angler and lover of the outdoors, he’s taken these two loves and combined them into a new career. Captain Chuck Matthews believes in customer service, and giving his clients the best possible fishing experience he can. It is his belief if you catch a legal limit, the fishing is not over, because you paid for a certain service and it is his job to provide that service to best of his ability. If you limit out on a species he will take you to find another species. Captain Chuck Matthews also believes in “C.P.R.” Catch Photograph and Release. Catching a limit may be fun, but releasing them back into nature to have something to catch on another day for you or your kids is just as important. Fishing trips are from 1 to 4 anglers. Fishing gear and tackle provided, but you are welcome to bring your favorite fishing gear. Additional services: Romantic Sunset Cruises, Dolphin Watching, and Bird Watching or just a family outing in a boat for something different to do with friends and family. He can accommodate up to six persons on these adventures. Contact Captain Chuck at 361-855-FISH (3474) or check out www.northpadreboatingadventures.com
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Goose McFaddin WMA
Largemouth Bass Speckled Trout
Coleto Creek
Wadefishing
this on Alice, caught ns age 9, of hing with his fis Jack Scoggi de wa ile ug wh s a top water pl . The photo wa Jim Scoggins . granddaddy ns gi og Sc Gray submitted by
Future goose hunter Allan Downs of Gr shows off on oves e of "Pop’s" ge McFaddin W ildlife Refuge ese, taken from . Allan is 2 ye old and can’ ars t wait to go on his first hunt .
at ht this bass r, age 7, caug ssin Bethany Halte servoir, on a Bass Assa Re ls Coleto Creek worm. She fishes artificia tic red bug plas r. lte Ha Dennis like her Dad,
Whitetail Buck Lampasas
Speckled Trout Arroyo City
Black Drum Rollover Pass
Carolyn Dell, age 5, of San Antonio with 19-inch spec kled trout ca her ught at Arroyo while fishing City with her PaPa Erchinge. (George)
at is Black Drum ne caught th with her husCathy Shuptri ng hi fis ile , wh Rollover Pass . band Wilson
Cole Breed, 11, New Year’s Da shot this 6-point buck on y, 2010. He wa dad Johnny Breed near La s hunting with mpasas.
Redfish Chocolate Bayou
Whitetail Sonora
Speckled Trout Aransas Pass
ch ught this 24-in of Seguin ca ar Aransas ne Craig Jones, ng hi fis k ut kaya speckled tro al best speck. Craig’s person Pass. It was
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Gavin Gregor y, 10, of Tom ba first 20 inch redfish in Ch ll caught his ocol He was fishi ng with his Pe ate Bayou. paw (Dennis Gregory) and his Dad (Mic hael Gregory) .
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is picof Nederland nt 5 years old, on his first hu Jacob Kotz, l, kil er de st s fir lso pictured) tured with hi (a tz Ko n so er Ja with his fath ar Sonora. rry Graves, ne and friend La
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Largemouth Bass Rancho Viejo
Feral Hog
Largemouth Bass
Nixon
Unspecified Lake
first NY took his of Mahopac, pound Joe Schultz, xas. The 150- ingTe n, xo Ni in m Re a th wi hog, hunting ot e’s 40-yard sh sow fell to Jo 0. .3 0.3 8 ton Model 78
Seven-year-o ld Lucky Edge caught this 2 ½-pound larg em spinnerbait in outh bass on a white the Rancho Vi ejo Resaca.
with the first den of Wall, himself on an Mason Snow by ht ss caug n Ryan Snowde largemouth ba d Da , a Senko. hopper”. “w s artificial lure n’ so s oud of hi was mighty pr
Black Drum Copano Bay
Quail
Feral Hog
Red River County
Henderson
Charles Ray (left) and his so enjoyed a su ccessful fath n Mike Ray er and son qu hunt at Wildca ail t Creek Quai l Hunting Re in Red River sort County, Texa s.
Karen snare set by s caught in a nderson. This hog wa He of nd Holla and Jonathan ars old. The estimated 5 ye Jonathan is 0 pounds. is sow was 20 weight on th
Miriam Rogo wicz caught a 29-inch, 14 black drum, -pound her on Copano Ba first, from her Poppy’s pi er y. Miriam land minutes. Sent ed the fish in in by her Dad, 15 Chad Rogowi cz.
Channel Catfish Choke Canyon
Channel Catfish
Flathead Catfish
Lake Fairfield
Lake Livingston
14 ld caught this ld. 15, of Fairfie irfie Fa ke La Natalie Neill, at s annel Catfish 1/4-pound Ch was the boat captain. It wa ill d reel. an d Dad Perry Ne ro on est catfish Natalie’s larg
Sheryl Odge rs brought th is 15 inch flathead in on 20 lb. lin -pound, 31-1/2e the Cape Ro yale Marina on rod and reel at Lake Livings was her bigg tonIt est catch yet on a rod and reel.
she ht this catfish th age 11, caug hing wi fis ile Teri Barton, wh on in oke Cany caught at Ch is Halter sent oud Dad Denn her family. Pr her photo.
Redfish Redfish
Galveston Bay
Laguna Madre
Feral Hog Hidalgo County
Teyo Turrubi ates, 8, shot this 300-poun on his first hu d hog nt Hidalgo Coun , on the Gomez Ranch in ty. Dad Marc o Turrubiates Teyo used a sa .17 HMR to do wn this brute. ys C O A S T A L
a 27 s first redfish, stin caught hi on Spring ile wh Thurman Gu y Ba n Galvesto 7/8-incher, on mpkinseed & ught it on a pu appie rig. cr Break. He ca a d tail lure an green paddle
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PHOTOS: DEER, TONY CAMPBELL; HOG, SCATTOSELVAGGIO, DREAMSTIME
Hand Loading for Deer and Hogs BY STEVE LAMASCUS I FEEL SAFE IN STATING THAT TODAY the two most popular big game animals in Texas are the white-tailed deer and the feral hog. Deer hunting has boomed in the last 40 years until it is virtually a different sport than it was when I was a hunt-crazy kid. On the other hand, hog hunting is a relatively new sport in many parts of Texas. When I was a kid growing up on the Rolling Plains of North Central Texas, there were few deer and no hogs. Today both are there in large numbers. The hogs have proliferated until they have become a genuine problem for many ranchers. I hunted turkeys with the guys from Browning and Thompson Center on a ranch near Seymour, Texas, a few years ago, where the lease agreement between the outfitter and the land owner required the outfitter to I N L A N D
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kill a large number of hogs each year. If memory serves, the number was over a thousand and they saved the ears to prove their success to the owner. There have been feral hogs in parts of the state for hundreds of years, but the virtual explosion of porcine pests has happened in the last, say, 30 years. Today there is a saying in the wildlife biologist circles that “there are two kinds of ranches in Texas; F I S H
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87 COVER STORY • Handloading for Deer and Hogs | BY STEVE LAMASCUS
FISHING FORECAST SECTION
60 74
TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots | BY TOM BEHRENS, CALIXTO GONZALES, & BOB HOOD SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides & Prime Times | BY TF&G
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BOWHUNTING TECH Be Prepared | BY LOU MARULLO
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TEXAS KAYAKING • The 1,000 Bass Spawn | BY GREG BERLOCHER
OUTDOOR CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY • Guides, Gear and More | BY TF&G STAFF TF&G PHOTOS • Your Action Photos | BY TF&G READERS
TEXAS BOATING • Advanced Electronics | BY LENNY RUDOW
PAUL’S TIPS • Getting Lost |
BY PAUL BRADSHAW
GEARING UP SECTION
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those that have hogs and those that are gonna have hogs.” The average mature wild hog and the average mature whitetail buck are not that far apart in body weight. Both will probably average between 110 and 180 pounds; but the largest hogs are far larger than the largest deer. For instance, the largest deer I have ever shot was, I believe, nearly 300 pounds; it is also the largest deer I have ever seen shot in Texas. On the other hand, the largest hog I ever saw weighed was well over 500 pounds, and a 300 pounder is fairly common. Because of these statistics, we need to think carefully before we begin to buy or reload ammunition for these animals. I do not believe in small, light, fast bullets for big game, and I don't know any hunter with long experience who does, either. That is not what they were intended for and they are not what you should use. Such bullets, like the a 55-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip in the .243, or a 40-grain Hornady V-Max in a .220 Swift, are not intended to penetrate into the vitals of an animal the size of the above. They are intended to expand violently on animals the size of prairie dogs. And remember this, the higher the velocity, the more explosive will be the bullet performance. If you are shooting a 150-grain Hor58 |
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TEXAS GUNS & GEAR My Little .243 |
OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION
TEXAS TESTED • Oasis, E-Z Cast, Masterbrake | BY TF&G STAFF
www.FishGame.com
nady Spire Point Soft Point at 2600 feet per second in a .300 Savage, or even at 2970 fps in a .30-06, you will probably get beautiful bullet performance and good penetration. If you use that same bullet in a .300 Weatherby at 3400 fps, it will likely perform like a varmint bullet in a .22/250. This is not what you want in a load for deer and hogs. Believe me, please; I speak from hard learned experience. For deer and hogs there are a slew of good bullets. So many that I cannot name them all here. Instead let's look at some of the calibers and loads that are best for hunting deer and hogs. First, let's set some minimums: Try not to hunt deer or hogs with any caliber smaller than .243. Yes, as I have admitted, the .22s will kill either hogs or deer. I have killed large hogs with both a .204 Ruger and a .22/250. However, these calibers require perfect bullet placement, or the use of specially built bullets like the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw or Nosler Partition. Shooting the hot shot .22s with store bought ammunition that was intended for hunting varmints is the best recipe for disaster that I know. It is legal, I am not going to tell you can't do it, but I will promise you that you will eventually lose an animal that would have been killed easily with a larger caliber
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and tougher bullets. Many animals are thus wounded and lost because the hunter shoots the animal and it runs off. Then the hunter goes to look for blood and does not find any. The conclusion is a clean miss, but the fact may be that the bullet blew upon a bone and the animal did not bleed externally. I have seen this happen at least a dozen times and probably more. My personal minimum is the .243 Winchester shooting 100-grain standard soft points at 3000 fps. My personal favorite is a .25-06 shooting 110-grain Nosler AccuBonds at about 3250 fps. My second choice (but not by much, and not because it is less efficient; it is actually a better choice for the purpose) is a .35 Whelen shooting a 225grain bonded core bullet at 2600 fps. This load is death from above on hogs. Here is a simple truth: If you trade bullet weight to get velocity, you are not gaining a thing. If you have a .300 Magnum, shoot bullets in it that are intended for a .300 magnum. Don't go buy some 125-grain soft points and load them for deer and hogs just because you can get 3400 fps rather than the 3200 you get with a 165-grain bullet. At hunting distances the heavier bullet will be CONTINUED just as fast or faster than the lightweight SEE PAGE 60
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tip off the presence of Ms. Big. Be patient, though; these trout hit when they want to.
LOWER GULF COAST
Baffin Specks, Unnecessary Reds by CALIXTO GONZALES cgonzales@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Black’s Bluff GPS: N27 13.97202, W97 31.11198 (27.232867, -97.518533) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live bait; Catch 5 or Catch 2000's or Topwaters in chrome/blue, baby trout, soft plastics in Baffin Magic, Morning Glory, plum/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361985-6089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Wade around the rocks with suspending lures or an eel-type plastic bait.
Use fluorocarbon leader for abrasion resistance and invisibility. Use light (1/16the ounce) heads. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge GPS: N27 18.08202, W97 27.51198 (27.301367, -97.458533) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live bait; Catch 5 or Catch 2000's or Topwaters in chrome/blue, baby trout, soft plastics in Baffin Magic, Morning Glory, plum/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361985-6089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: This is the month, and this is the spot, for the trout of your dreams. Wade the area with topwaters or soft plastics fished slowly. Watch for nervous mullet to
LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Unnecessary Island GPS: N26 13.81098, W97 16.34202 (26.230183, -97.272367) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp, live or dead mullet, topwaters, gold spoons, Logic Tandem Rigs in Gold/metalflake, black/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: If March is true to form, weather will start warming up, and the redfish will start spreading out on the shallow flats. You can fish more aggressively and work lures faster than normal for reaction strikes. Live bait or tandems are good with a Mauler. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Stover Cove
COVER STORY pill, and it will certainly give you better FROM PG. 58 penetration and bullet performance. My opinion is that there is no valid reason, not ever, to shoot a bullet lighter than 165 grains in a .300 Magnum; there is, likewise, no reason to shoot bullets of less than 139 grains in a 7mm Magnum; and bullets lighter than 150 grains are a poor choice in any .30 caliber rifle from the .30-30 on up. Here are my suggestions for rifle loads for deer and hogs. Centerfire .22 calibers, .222 Remington and above – 55-grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, 60-grain Nosler Partition, Barnes 55or 60-grain TSX, loaded to top velocity. .243 calibers – 100-grain soft point, 100-grain Nosler Partition, various 100grain bonded core bullets, at 2900-plus fps. CONTINUED
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.257 Roberts and .25-06 Remington– 100 grain Nosler Partition, 100-grain Barnes Triple Shok, 110-grain Nosler AccuBond, 115-grain Nosler Partition, at above 3000 fps. .257 Weatherby -- 120grain bullets. Lighter bullets in .257 Weatherby tend to fragment and sometimes lack penetration. I have come to really love the 110-grain AccuBond for these applications. 6.5mms – 129-grain Hornady InterBond, 140-grain Hornady InterLock, or the new Speer 140-grain DeepCurl bonded core. .270 Winchester – 130-grain Speer or Hornady Soft Point, 130-grain Nosler partition, other 130- or 140-grain hunting bullets, loaded to 3100 fps plus. .30-06, .308 Winchester, .30 TC, and other cartridges of this general power level – 150- or 165-grain softpoints, Nosler Parti-
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tion, Nosler AccuBond, Hornady InterBond, Barnes TSX, Nosler E-Tip. 7mm Remington and Weatherby Magnums, 7mm WSM – 140-grain Hornady, 145-grain Speer, 150-grain Sierra, 150and 160-grain Nosler Partition, Hornady 154-grain InterBond. Loaded over a stiff charge of IMR-7828 or Reloader 22 or 25, any of these bullets can be pushed to 3000 fps or more. .300 Magnums – This power level in not needed for deer and hogs. However, the various .300 Magnums are now the most popular cartridges in the nation. With any of the .300s, a 165- to 180-grain bullet is sufficient for either deer or wild hogs. This is where the new Nosler E-Tip bullet would really shine.
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GPS: N26 13.93002, W97 19.39002 (26.232167, -97.323167) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp, Logic Solo or Tandem rigs in Pearl/chartreuse, pearl/pink, black/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956-
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943-3474 TIPS: Fish the windward shoreline where the waves start to push bait into the shallows. Fish your lures or bait in a frantic retrieve. Use live shrimp on cloudy days or in stained water. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: King Ranch GPS: N26 46.30602, W97 28.35198 (26.771767, -97.472533) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft baits in Pearl/chartreuse, glow/chartreuse, purple/chartreuse Topwaters in baby trout, mullet, Bone CONTACT: Captain Steven Devries, 956289-3631 TIPS: Fish the deeper water near the spoils with soft plastics. If there has been a warm stretch, try topwaters in shallower water early in the morning. Look for weedlines and fish them thoroughly.
MIDDLE GULF COAST
Causeway Reds & Quarantine Trout by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: West Shoreline GPS: N28 8.865, W96 58.197 (28.147750, -96.969950) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a popping cork; B&L Corky lures or Catch 2000 in Bone or natural colors CONTACT: Capt. Brad Smyth: 361790-8354 TIPS: Look for bait rafting up on the shorelines LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: Turtle Pen Cut GPS: N28 12.18798, W97 1.227 (28.203133, -97.020450) SPECIES: speckled trout 62 |
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BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a popping cork; B&L Corky lures or Catch 2000 in Bone or natural colors CONTACT: Capt. Brad Smyth: 361790-8354 TIPS: If water is cold look for fish over mud bottoms LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: JFK Causeway GPS: N27 38.07102, W97 14.46102 (27.634517, -97.241017) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: 3/4-ounce; gold spoons CONTACT: Capt. Jon Fails, 361-9490133 TIPS: The flats around the Causeway can produce some good redfish action in March. LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Quarantine Shore GPS: N27 55.00602, W97 4.06998 (27.916767, -97.067833) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastic baits or live shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. John Barbree, 361222-0477 TIPS: Water temperature will determine what water depth fish will be found. LOCATION: Redfish Bay HOTSPOT: Inside Hog Island GPS: N27 56.35998, W97 1.24998 (27.939333, -97.020833) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp or mullet CONTACT: Capt. John Barbree, 361222-0477 TIPS: Best time to fish is in the afternoon after the water has warmed. LOCATION: Rockport HOTSPOT: Blackjack Shoreline GPS: N28 7.27302, W96 57.31998 (28.121217, -96.955333) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Soft plastic baits CONTACT: Capt. John Barbree, 361222-0477 TIPS: Work the shoreline while drifting
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LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Panther Reef GPS: N28 18, W96 43.19802 (28.300000, -96.719967) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a popping cork
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CONTACT: Capt. Brad Smyth: 361-7908354 TIPS: Fish mid bay oyster shell bottoms if the wind allows LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Pure Oil Channel
GPS: N27 31.57002, W97 17.85 (27.526167, -97.297500) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 1/2-ounce jigheads with soft plastics in either brown/chartreuse tail or white CONTACT: Capt. Jon Fails, 361-9490133 TIPS: Lots of grass LOCATION: Christmas Bay HOTSPOT: South Shore Line GPS: N29 2.57802, W95 11.703 (29.042967, -95.195050) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 52 and 51 series MirrOLures CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Throw 51 series when wading; 52 series when drifting
UPPER GULF COAST
Merry Christmas Speck Action by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com
LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Little Pasture Bayou GPS: N29 31.254, W94 32.31798 (29.520900, -94.538633) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 52 and 51 series MirrOLures CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Not a lot of fish, but quality fish LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Kain Cove GPS: N28 40.092, W95 50.32098 (28.668200, -95.838683) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Black Norton Sand Eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Drift shell areas 64 |
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LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Catchall Basin GPS: N28 42.19698, W95 46.61202 (28.703283, -95.776867) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Black Norton Sand Eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: As water and air temperatures heat up, try fishing the mud flats. LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Sabine Neches Canal GPS: N29 53.84622, W93 54.29346 (29.897437, -93.904891) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Black Gillraker worm soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Edie Hernandez, 409721-5467, 409-673-3100 TIPS: Using the drift of the boat, drag worms along the bottom. LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Blue Buck Point GPS: N29 47.77998, W93 54.43902
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(29.796333, -93.907317) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Pink Skitter Walk, Bone Top Dog topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez, 409-721-5467, or 409-673-3100 TIPS: Topwaters early in the morning, switching off to soft plastics, such as Flounder Pounder later in the day
SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, black Norton Sand Eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Start the morning throwing topwater lures working the guts; switch to Sand Eels later in the morning.
PINEY WOODS LOCATION: San Luis Pass HOTSPOT: San Louis Pass Flats GPS: N29 5.673, W95 6.88002 (29.094550, -95.114667) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 52 and 51 series MirrOLures CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Throw 51 series when wading; 52 series when drifting LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Reef GPS: N28 33.84102, W96 14.166 (28.564017, -96.236100)
Hybrids, Whites and Largemouth by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Old Folks Playground GPS: N32 41.94936, W94 6.5934 (32.699156, -94.109890) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Senkos, chartreuse-white spinnerbaits, black-blue jigs
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CONTACT: Paul Keith, caddoguide1@att.neet, 318-455-3437, caddolakefishing.com TIPS: Fish the bases of the cypress trees and adjacent grass flats. The bass often hold close to tree trunks beneath the moss around trees near the surface. They also prowl the outside edges of the grass beds. LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Government Ditch GPS: N32 44.0031, W94 6.56766 (32.733385, -94.109461) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Jigs with pork or soft plastic trailers, Texas-rigged plastic worms, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Paul Keith, caddoguide@att.net, 318-455-3437, caddolakefishing.com TIPS: Fish the lures around the moss at the bases of the isolated cypress trees. Also
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fish the edge of the moss beds, narrow pockets and stickups with spinnerbaits and jigs or worms. LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N30 23.7141, W95 35.41422 (30.395235, -95.590237) SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: live shad, Storm Swim Shad CONTACT: Richard Tatsch, admin@fishdudetx.com, 936-291-1277, fishdudetx.com TIPS: This is a great time to catch big hybrids. Find schools of shad and you will find hybrids. Search humps and points in 28-40 feet of water. Constantly watch what depth the fish are in because they will move up and down the water column hourly. LOCATION: Lake Livingston
HOTSPOT: Harmon Creek GPS: N30 52.11096, W95 23.91396 (30.868516, -95.398566) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, white Sassy Shads CONTACT: Dave Cox, dave@palmettoguideservice.com, 936291-9602, palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Find the schools of fish by trolling the lures, then make long casts behind the boat and retrieve with a medium retrieve, stopping the lure occasionally to let it fall before continuing the retrieve. LOCATION: Toledo Bend Res. HOTSPOT: Bayou Seipe GPS: N31 43.7817, W93 49.86516 (31.729695, -93.831086) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, stick baits, Rat-L-Traps, topwaters, jigs, soft plastics CONTACT: Greg Crafts, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, 936-368-7151, toledobendguide.com TIPS: A number of variables will determine the pattern and lures to use. If the lake is close to high pool, flip or pitch jigs and soft plastics in the buck brush.
PRAIRIES & LAKES
Stripers, Crappie, Cats & Hybrids by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Cedar Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Cedar Creek GPS: N32 25.04934, W96 11.3325 (32.417489, -96.188875) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: live minnows, crappie jigs CONTACT: Jason Barber, kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com, 903-887-7896, kingscreekfishing.com TIPS: You will need a small boat to access Cedar Creek and Lacy Creek nearby to the south. Look for shallow cover 66 |
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such as cattails and brush in one to four feet of water. Change the colors of your lures and depths you are fishing until you find the fish. LOCATION: Fayette County Res. HOTSPOT: Main Point GPS: N29 56.31696, W96 44.217 (29.938616, -96.736950) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Shad, stinkbait, chicken
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liver CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Most of the stumps here are under water. Use your electronics to anchor in the stumps. Throw out chum around the boat. It will take about 30 minutes for the chum to bring in the fish. Fish with a tight line on or just off the bottom at about 13 feet.
LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Diversion Canal GPS: N30 38.40582, W96 3.23028 (30.640097, -96.053838) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, crawfish, shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Use a tight line or a cork with a 2/0 Kahle hook or No. 4 treble hook and
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fish close to the bank. You will catch more fish by using only one rod. Stay on the move, fishing slowly and moving about 50 yards at a time until you locate pockets of fish. LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Snake Island GPS: N31 55.30656, W97 12.8484 (31.921776, -97.214140) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Little Georges, Tail Hummers CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, teamredneck.net TIPS: Have your binoculars handy. The birds still are working and the white bass are gorging shad and spawning. Cast the lures across wind-blown points for spawning fish. Triplet Point also produces a lot of fish. Also try chrome Rat-L-Traps and
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Slabs. LOCATION: Lake Cooper HOTSPOT: Doctor’s Creek GPS: N33 20.58234, W95 41.11794 (33.343039, -95.685299) SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: Shadlicious and other hollow-body swimbaits CONTACT: Tony Parker, tawakonifishing@yahoo.com, 903-348-1619, tonyparkerfishing.com TIPS: Look for hybrids to be moving up the creeks to go through the spawning motion. Fish the edges of the creeks in 2-3 feet of water. If you don’t get strikes in the creek you are fishing, switch to another creek until you find the fish. LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: 380 Bridge GPS: N33 9.7362, W96 26.18136
(33.162270, -96.436356) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows CONTACT: Billy Kilpatrick, straightlineguide@yahoo.com, 214-232-7847, straightlineguide.com TIPS: Crappie are staging at 5-8 feet during the daytime and moving shallow after dark in search of warmer waters. Use lanterns at night and fish 2-3 feet of water along bridge riprap. Start at the shallow ends of the bridge. Lighted docks also are good. LOCATION: Lake Lewisville HOTSPOT: Lake Park Point GPS: N33 4.74528, W96 59.86872 (33.079088, -96.997812) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Fresh gizzard, shad, threadfin shad CONTACT: Bobby Kubin, bobby@bobby-catfishing.com, 817-4552894, bobby-catfishing.com TIPS: March is a perfect time to catch trophy blue catfish. Look for shallow windblown points like this one and others near deep water drop-offs and creek channels. Use Carolina or Santee-Cooper rig with one-ounce weight, 18-inch leader, 5-0 or 80 hook. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: South Sandy Flats GPS: N32 4.50912, W95 25.43172 (32.075152, -95.423862) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Earthworms, punch bait, shrimp CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Concentrate on the flats at the south end of the lake with sandy bottoms, especially those near concrete retaining walls. Drift-fish earthworms, punch bait or shrimp across the flats. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Kickapoo Channel GPS: N32 16.78812, W95 29.97342 (32.279802, -95.499557) SPECIES: crappie
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BEST BAITS: Crappie jigs, minnows CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, rickysguideservice.com TIPS: The crappie are beginning to spawn in the shallows of all creeks, especially Kickapoo Creek above the FM 315 bridge. Use ultra-light spinning tackle and work the lures across the flats. Also target Kickapoo and Flat Creek bridges and flats nearby. LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Yegua Creek GPS: N30 18.4437, W96 39.13752 (30.307395, -96.652292) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, shad liver CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Look for the occasional deeper holes in this shallow area. Tie up and chum the area with soured maize. Use a one-ounce weight if there is a current. Fish a tight line with a 2/0 Kahle or No.4 tre-
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ble hook. Look for the fish to be close to the banks. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Paw Paw Creek GPS: N33 51.41022, W96 52.54374 (33.856837, -96.875729) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Road Runners, Sassy Shad jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477, striperexpress.com TIPS: In March the stripers are staging up the main tributaries. Fish main-lake points and creeks with one -ounce Road Runners and Sassy Shad jigs. Watch for sea gulls and keep your lure in the top 15 feet of water when fishing under them. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: The Islands GPS: N33 51.55992, W96 42.26466 (33.859332, -96.704411) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Coho minnows, Sassy
Shad jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477, striperexpress.com TIPS: Big fish are roaming the flats and main-lake points at 5-30-feet depths. Cast white glow or chartreuse 3/4-ounce Coho minnows and Sassy Shads on the banks for great topwater action. You may catch eggladened stripers to 20-pounds. LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Whitney Hump GPS: N31 54.67194, W97 20.87298 (31.911199, -97.347883) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Wild Eyed Shad, oneounce Slabs CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, teamredneck.net TIPS: Use chartreuse Wild Eyed Shads and make long casts behind the boat. Drag the lures using the trolling motor. Work the lures on long lines back and forth across the hump. Watch for feeding birds and
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have rods rigged with Slabs to cast under them. LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Nolan at Brazos GPS: N32 5.24196, W97 28.152 (32.087366, -97.469200)
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SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Sassy Shad, Flea Fly, CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, teamredneck.net TIPS: Head up the river to this hotspot for spawning white bass. Use a Sassy
Shad or similar swimbait with a Flea Fly tied 10-inches above it. Make long casts to the points and bounce the lure up and down along the edge of the points. LOCATION: Richland-Chambers Res. HOTSPOT: Alligator Cove GPS: N31 59.50626, W96 12.51894 (31.991771, -96.208649) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged worms, Hag’s Tornado F6s, Undertaker craw creatures CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 682-5188252, schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: The bass still are moving up the creeks in a pre-spawn pattern. Fish shallow on warmer days and move out to secondary points after cold fronts. Use spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits to locate fish and then fish slow with large soft plastics. LOCATION: Richland-Chambers Res. HOTSPOT: 309 Flats GPS: N31 58.71798, W96 6.87 (31.978633, -96.114500) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: One-ounce Silver Glitter RSR Shad Slabs CONTACT: Royce and Adam Simmons, royce@gonefishing.biz, 903-389-4117, www.gonefishing.biz TIPS: Concentrate on drop-offs and ridges in the 309 Flats at water depths ranging from 20-30 feet. Bounce the slabs off the bottom for the best results. Some large hybrid stripers also roam this area. Keep an eye out for feeding gulls to locate the fish.
PANHANDLE
Ivie Lunkers and Possum Whites by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: OH Ivie Res. HOTSPOT: Main Lake Flats GPS: N31 32.83818, W99 43.19874 70 |
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(31.547303, -99.719979) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged, 10-inch Power Worms, finesse worms CONTACT: Dave Caudle, fishinwithdave@aol.com, 325-365-1020, fishinwithdave.com TIPS: With the low water conditions, the spawning flats are smaller than usual and concentrating the female bass. Fish the points in the Leaday area and around the south island for double-digit bass. The river also will hold bass on all points. LOCATION: OH Ivie Res. HOTSPOT: River Channel Flats GPS: N31 34.41798, W99 42.09672 (31.573633, -99.701612) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, slabs, in-line spinners CONTACT: Dave Caudle, fishinwithdave@aol.com, 325-365-1020 TIPS: The white bass are schooling on all of the flats near the river channel. Some largemouth bass also may be mixed in with these huge schools. Catfish can be caught shallow in the same areas on cheese baits fished under corks at three to six feet.
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LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Res. HOTSPOT: Bird Island GPS: N32 56.208, W98 26.0388 (32.936800, -98.433980) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: live shad, slabs, jigs CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: White bass, striped bass and crappie will be running upstream to the headwaters to spawn. Fish the flats at Bird Island as well as those at Costello Island and the other small islands between it and Bird Island. Expect to catch 50 to 200 fish a day.
GPS: N29 30.54078, W101 18.0942 (29.509013, -101.301570) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Deep-diving Bombers, Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Larry Scruggs, Amistad Lodge and Adventures, fisherofmenlrs@hotmail.com, 210-789-1645 TIPS: Search for water in 20-30 feet near spawning areas. It is imperative anglers buy a Mexico fishing license when fishing south of the international river markers. Fisherman’s Headquarters in Del Rio at Highways 277 South and 90 West has them.
BIG BEND
HILL COUNTRY
Dive Bomb Amistad Bass
Take a Hike for Granger Whites by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Caballo Canyon
LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Triple Peak Cove GPS: N29 51.09594, W98 12.693 (29.851599, -98.211550) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Berkley Power Worms, Zoom Flukes, and Zoom Finesse Worms CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, kandie@gvtc.com, 210-823-2153 TIPS: Fish slowly along the channel with a Carolina-rigged Watermelon-red flake Fluke on 6 1/2-foot Castaway rod. Also throw a Secret Weapon recoil drop-shot with green pumpkin magic Zoom finesse worm or a Wacky-rigged Watermelon-purple finesse worm. LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Willis Creek GPS: N30 41.67216, W97 22.89144 (30.694536, -97.381524) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Small white jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, gotcrappie.com
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TIPS: Walk in from County Road 348 and fish the eddies below gravel bars with small white jigs. LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Willis Creek GPS: N30 41.76066, W97 22.82442 (30.696011, -97.380407) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Small white jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, gotcrappie.com TIPS: Fish 1/16-ounce crappie jigs below slip bobbers as close as you can to the banks. Find the thickest brush and roots and drop jigs into small open spots. Willis Slough east of the park near the pavilion also is one of the hottest spots at this time. LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Sunrise Beach Area GPS: N30 35.556, W98 24.96 (N30.592600, W-98.416000) SPECIES: largemouth bass
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BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps; chartreuse/blue Bandit crankbaits, Terminator spinnerbaits TIPS: Bass will have reproduction on their agenda and will be relocating from deep to shallow areas. Three to eight feet of water is prime territory to find them. Work any stump fields thoroughly out to the first break line. Every day will find more bass moving
SOUTH TEXAS PLAINS
Falcon’s Spring Bass Haven by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Veleno Creek GPS: N26 53.60664, W99 14.57088 (26.893444, -99.242848)
SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Lake Fork swimbaits, Skinny Deepers, 10-inch plastic worms, magnum plastic lizards CONTACT: Robert Amaya, robertsfishntackle@gmail.com, 956-765-1442, robertsfishntackle.com TIPS: Veleno Creek is a big bass haven in the early spring. Fish the flats close to the main creek channel and tributary creek channels. You will find post-spawn bass there along with spawning bluegills. The best lure colors are Watermelon red.
On the Web Find hundreds more Texas Hotspots online with our new interactive HOTSPOTS app: www.FishGame.com/hotspots
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MARCH 2011
Tides and Prime Times
USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR
The following pages contain TIDE and SOLUNAR predictions for Galveston Channel (29.3166° N, 94.88° W).
T12
T4
T11
T10 T9
TIDE PREDICTIONS are located in the upper white boxes on the Calendar Pages. Use the Correction Table below, which is keyed to 23 other tide stations, to adjust low and high tide times.
T8 T6 T5 T17
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY is shown in the lower color boxes of the Calendar pages. Use the SOLUNAR ADJUSTMENT SCALE below to adjust times for points East and West of Galveston Channel.
T15 T16
T14
AM & PM MINOR phases occur when the moon rises and sets. These phases last 1 to 2 hours.
T18
AM & PM MAJOR phases occur when the moon reaches its highest point overhead as well as when it is “underfoot” or at its highest point on the exact opposite side of the earth from your positoin (or literally under your feet). Most days have two Major Feeding Phases, each lasting about 2 hours.
T19
SOLAR & LUNAR ACTIVITY: Sunrise: 6:34a Sunset: 7:51p
T20
PEAK DAYS: The closer the moon is to your location, the stronger the influence. FULL or NEW MOONS provide the strongest influnce of the month.
AM Minor: 9:11a AM Major: 2:57a PM Minor: 9:40p PM Major: 3:25p Moonrise:9:27a Moon Set: None Moon Overhead:
T21
TIDE PREDICTIONS are shown in graph form, with High and Low tide predictions in text immediately below. SOLUNAR ACTIVITY data is provided to indicate major and minor feeding periods for each day, as the daily phases of the moon have varying degrees of influence on many wildlife species.
T13 T7
T3 T2 T1
PEAK TIMES: When a Solunar Period falls within 30 minutes to an hour of sunrise or sunset, anticipate increased action. A moon rise or moon set during one of these periods will cause even greater action. If a FULL or NEW MOON occurs during a Solunar Period, expect the best action of the season.
4:55p
TIDE CORRECTION TABLE Add or subtract the time shown at the rightof the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine the adjustment from the time shown for GALVESTON CHANNEL in the calendars.
KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6
PLACE Sabine Bank Lighthouse Sabine Pass Jetty Sabine Pass Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass Galveston Bay, S. Jetty Port Bolivar
HIGH -1:46 -1:26 -1:00 -0:04 -0:39 +0:14
LOW -1:31 -1:31 -1:15 -0:25 -1:05 -0:06
KEY PLACE HIGH Galveston Channel/Bays T7 Texas City Turning Basin +0:33 +3:54 T8 Eagle Point +6:05 T9 Clear Lake +10:21 T10 Morgans Point T11 Round Pt, Trinity Bay +10:39
LOW +0:41 +4:15 +6:40 +5:19 +5:15
KEY T12 T13 T14 T15 T16 T17
PLACE Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay Gilchrist, East Bay Jamaica Beach, W. Bay Alligator Point, W. Bay Christmas Pt Galveston Pleasure Pier
HIGH +5:48 +3:16 +2:38 +2:39 +2:32 -1:06
LOW +4:43 +4:18 +3:31 +2:33 +2:31 -1:06
KEY T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23
PLACE San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor Pass Cavallo Aransas Pass Padre Island (So. End) Port Isabel
SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK IS SPONSORED BY:
NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION T22 T23
KEYS TO USING THE TIDE AND SOLUNAR GRAPHS TIDE GRAPH: Yellow: Daylight
12a
Tab: Peak Fishing Period
6a
12p
6p
12a
Light Blue: Nighttime
BEST:
7:05-9:40 PM
Green: Falling Tide
AM/PM Timeline
Gold Fish: Best Time
Blue: Rising Tide Red Graph: Fishing Score
Blue Fish: Good Time
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY: MINOR Feeding Periods (+/- 1.5 Hrs.) Time Moon is at its Highest Point in the Sky 12a
AM/PM Timeline
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AM Minor: 1:20a
PM Minor: 1:45p
AM Major: 7:32a
PM Major: 7:57p
MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)
Moon Overhead: 8:50a 6a
12p
6p
12a
Time Moon is Directly Underfoot (at its peak on opposite side of the earth)
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LOW -0.09 -1:02 -1:20 -1:31 -1:45 -0:42
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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:
7:45-9:40 AM
= Peak Fishing Period
= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS
Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score
TUESDAY
28
WEDNESDAY
Mar 1
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
3
2
SATURDAY
4
SUNDAY
5
6
Sunrise: 6:45a Moonrise: 4:02a
Set: 6:17p Set: 2:50p
Sunrise: 6:44a Moonrise: 4:41a
Set: 6:17p Set: 3:46p
Sunrise: 6:43a Moonrise: 5:16a
Set: 6:18p Set: 4:41p
Sunrise: 6:42a Moonrise: 5:48a
Set: 6:19p Set: 5:34p
Sunrise: 6:41a Moonrise: 6:18a
Set: 6:19p Set: 6:26p
Sunrise: 6:40a Moonrise: 6:47a
Set: 6:20p Set: 7:18p
Sunrise: 6:39a Moonrise: 7:16a
Set: 6:21p Set: 8:10p
AM Minor: 1:45a
PM Minor: 2:10a
AM Minor: 2:28a
PM Minor: 2:51a
AM Minor: 3:09a
PM Minor: 3:31a
AM Minor: 3:49a
PM Minor: 4:10a
AM Minor: 4:29a
PM Minor: 4:49a
AM Minor: 5:10a
PM Minor: 5:30a
AM Minor: 5:53a
PM Minor: 6:13a
AM Major: 7:57a
PM Major: 8:22a
AM Major: 8:40a
PM Major: 9:03a
AM Major: 9:20a
PM Major: 9:42a
AM Major: 10:00a
PM Major: 10:21a
AM Major: 10:39a
PM Major: 11:00a
AM Major: 10:56a
PM Major: -----
AM Major: 11:39a
PM Major: 12:03p
Moon Overhead: 9:25a
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 10:56a
Moon Overhead: 10:12a 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 11:38a 12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 1:00p
Moon Overhead: 12:19p 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 1:40p 12a
6a
12p
6p
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
MONDAY
Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2011
12a
FEET
FEET
Moon Underfoot: 9:48p +2.0
-1.0
BEST:
4:00 — 6:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: None BEST:
4:30 — 6:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 12:39a BEST:
5:00 — 7:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 1:20a +2.0
BEST:
5:30 — 7:30 AM
6:00 — 8:00 AM
T I D E
L E V E L S
BEST:
3:30 — 5:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: None
L E V E L S
0
BEST:
Moon Underfoot: 11:17p
T I D E
+1.0
BEST:
2:30 — 4:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 10:34p
Low Tide: 7:37 am High Tide: 3:49 pm Low Tide: 8:47 pm
-0.47ft. High Tide: 12:23 am 1.02ft. Low Tide: 8:24 am 0.84ft. High Tide: 4:00 pm Low Tide: 8:57 pm
0.97ft. -0.38ft. 0.96ft. 0.74ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
1:29 am 9:03 am 4:09 pm 9:10 pm
1.00ft. -0.27ft. 0.91ft. 0.62ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
2:26 am 9:36 am 4:20 pm 9:28 pm
1.02ft. -0.13ft. 0.88ft. 0.49ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
3:18 am 10:05 am 4:32 pm 9:53 pm
1.03ft. 0.02ft. 0.87ft. 0.36ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
4:10 am 10:31 am 4:45 pm 10:22 pm
1.03ft. 0.18ft. 0.87ft. 0.25ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
5:01 am 10:56 am 4:57 pm 10:54 pm
1.02ft. 0.34ft. 0.88ft. 0.15ft.
+1.0
0
-1.0
ALMANAC I.qxd:1002 Coastal
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11:02 AM
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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:
= Peak Fishing Period
7:45-9:40 AM
= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS
Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score
TUESDAY
7
WEDNESDAY
8
9
Sunrise: 6:38a Moonrise: 7:47a
Set: 6:21p Set: 9:03p
Sunrise: 6:37a Moonrise: 8:20a
Set: 6:22p Set: 9:57p
Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 8:56a
AM Minor: 6:38a
PM Minor: 6:59a
AM Minor: 7:25a
PM Minor: 7:47a
AM Major: 12:27p
PM Major: 12:48p
AM Major: 1:14a
PM Major: 1:36a
Moon Overhead: 2:22p
12a
6a
12p
6p
6a
12p
6p
12a
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
10
SUNDAY BEG. DST 13
12
11
Set: 6:23p Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 10:53p Moonrise: 9:36a
Set: 6:24p Set: 6:23p Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 11:48p Moonrise: 10:22a Set: None
AM Minor: 8:15a
PM Minor: 8:39a
AM Minor: 9:08a
PM Minor: 9:32a
AM Minor: 10:01a
PM Minor: 10:27a
AM Minor: 10:56a
PM Minor: 11:23a
AM Minor: 12:23p
PM Minor: 12:50p
AM Major: 2:04a
PM Major: 2:27a
AM Major: 2:55a
PM Major: 3:20a
AM Major: 3:48a
PM Major: 4:14a
AM Major: 4:43a
PM Major: 5:09a
AM Major: 6:36a
PM Major: 7:04a
Moon Overhead: 3:52p
Moon Overhead: 3:06p 12a
THURSDAY
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 4:40p 12a
6a
12p
6p
Sunrise: 6:32a Set: 6:25p Sunrise: 7:31a Moonrise: 11:13a Set: 12:44a Moonrise: 1:10p
Moon Overhead: 6:25p
Moon Overhead: 5:32p 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
MONDAY
Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2011
Set: 7:25p Set: 2:37a
Moon Overhead: 8:21p 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
FEET
FEET
Moon Underfoot: 2:01a +2.0
-1.0
BEST:
2:00 — 4:00 PM
BEST:
8:30 — 10:30 PM
Moon Underfoot: 5:06a
Moon Underfoot: 5:58a
BEST:
9:00 — 11:00 PM
Moon Underfoot: 7:53a
BEST:
10:00P — 12:00A
6:30 — 8:30 AM
+2.0
BEST:
8:00 — 10:00 AM
T I D E
L E V E L S
BEST:
1:30 — 3:30 PM
Moon Underfoot: 4:16a
L E V E L S
0
BEST:
Moon Underfoot: 3:28a
T I D E
+1.0
Moon Underfoot: 2:44a
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
5:55 am 11:20 am 5:07 pm 11:29 pm
76 |
1.01ft. 0.50ft. 0.89ft. 0.08ft.
High Tide: 6:54 am 0.99ft. Low Tide: 11:43 am 0.65ft. High Tide: 5:08 pm 0.91ft.
M A R C H
2 0 1 1
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
12:08 am 8:03 am 12:06 pm 4:53 pm
T E X A S
0.03ft. 0.97ft. 0.79ft. 0.96ft.
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
F I S H
12:53 am 9:31 am 12:24 pm 4:35 pm
&
-0.01ft. 0.98ft. 0.92ft. 1.03ft.
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
G A M E ®
1:46 am 11:38 am 12:23 pm 4:33 pm
-0.05ft. Low Tide: 2:49 am 1.03ft. High Tide: 4:43 pm 1.03ft. 1.11ft.
I N L A N D
-0.09ft. Low Tide: 4:59 am 1.17ft. High Tide: 5:34 pm
A L M A N A C
-0.15ft. 1.19ft.
+1.0
0
-1.0
ALMANAC I.qxd:1002 Coastal
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11:02 AM
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ALMANAC I.qxd:1002 Coastal
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11:02 AM
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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:
7:45-9:40 AM
= Peak Fishing Period
= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS
Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score
TUESDAY
14
WEDNESDAY
15
THURSDAY
16
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
18
17
SUNDAY
20
19
Sunrise: 7:30a Moonrise: 2:12p
Set: 7:26p Set: 3:29a
Sunrise: 7:29a Moonrise: 3:17p
Set: 7:26p Set: 4:16a
Sunrise: 7:27a Moonrise: 4:24p
Set: 7:27p Set: 5:01a
Sunrise: 7:26a Moonrise: 5:32p
Set: 7:27p Set: 5:42a
Sunrise: 7:25a Moonrise: 6:39p
Set: 7:28p Set: 6:21a
Sunrise: 7:24a Moonrise: 7:48p
Set: 7:29p Set: 7:00a
Sunrise: 7:23a Moonrise: 8:57p
Set: 7:29p Set: 7:39a
AM Minor: 1:16a
PM Minor: 1:43a
AM Minor: 2:07a
PM Minor: 2:35a
AM Minor: 2:56a
PM Minor: 3:24a
AM Minor: 3:45a
PM Minor: 4:11a
AM Minor: 4:33a
PM Minor: 4:59a
AM Minor: 5:23a
PM Minor: 5:50a
AM Minor: 6:18a
PM Minor: 6:45a
AM Major: 7:29a
PM Major: 7:57a
AM Major: 8:21a
PM Major: 8:49a
AM Major: 9:10a
PM Major: 9:37a
AM Major: 9:58a
PM Major: 10:25a
AM Major: 10:46a
PM Major: 11:13a
AM Major: 11:37a
PM Major: -----
AM Major: 12:04p
PM Major: 12:32p
Moon Overhead: 9:16p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 11:07p
Moon Overhead: 10:12p 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: None 12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 12:53a
Moon Overhead: None 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 1:47a 12a
6a
12p
6p
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
MONDAY
Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2011
12a
FEET
FEET
Moon Underfoot: 8:49a +2.0
-1.0
BEST:
BEST:
2:30 — 4:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 12:27p
Moon Underfoot: 1:20p
BEST:
3:30 — 5:30 AM
BEST:
5:00 — 7:00 PM
Moon Underfoot: 2:14p +2.0
BEST:
6:00 — 8:00 PM
7:00 — 9:00 PM
T I D E
L E V E L S
BEST:
1:30 — 3:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 11:33a
L E V E L S
0
BEST:
12:00 — 2:00AM
Moon Underfoot: 10:39a
T I D E
+1.0
Moon Underfoot: 9:44a
Low Tide: 6:09 am High Tide: 3:20 pm
78 |
-0.21ft. Low Tide: 7:13 am 1.21ft. High Tide: 3:32 pm Low Tide: 8:10 pm
M A R C H
2 0 1 1
-0.24ft. High Tide: 12:18 am 1.20ft. Low Tide: 8:10 am 1.02ft. High Tide: 3:48 pm Low Tide: 8:36 pm
T E X A S
1.12ft. -0.23ft. 1.17ft. 0.83ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
F I S H
1:54 am 9:03 am 4:05 pm 9:13 pm
&
1.19ft. -0.15ft. 1.12ft. 0.58ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
G A M E ®
3:13 am 9:54 am 4:23 pm 9:56 pm
1.28ft. 0.01ft. 1.09ft. 0.30ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
I N L A N D
4:26 am 10:44 am 4:42 pm 10:41 pm
1.35ft. 0.22ft. 1.08ft. 0.03ft.
A L M A N A C
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
5:37 am 11:32 am 5:01 pm 11:29 pm
1.40ft. 0.47ft. 1.09ft. -0.20ft
+1.0
0
-1.0
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Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2011 TUESDAY
21 Sunrise: 7:22a Set: 7:30p Moonrise: 10:07p Set: 8:21a
22 Sunrise: 7:20a Set: 7:30p Moonrise: 11:16p Set: 9:07a
THURSDAY
23 Sunrise: 7:19a Moonrise: None
Set: 7:31p Set: 9:58a
FRIDAY
24
SATURDAY
26
25
Sunrise: 7:18a Set: 7:31p Sunrise: 7:17a Moonrise: 12:21a Set: 10:52a Moonrise: 1:21a
SUNDAY
27
Set: 7:32p Sunrise: 7:16a Set: 11:49a Moonrise: 2:14a
Set: 7:33p Sunrise: 7:14a Set: 12:48p Moonrise: 3:01a
Set: 7:33p Set: 1:45p
AM Minor: 7:17a
PM Minor: 7:45a
AM Minor: 8:20a
PM Minor: 8:49a
AM Minor: 9:25a
PM Minor: 9:55a
AM Minor: 10:30a
PM Minor: 10:59a
AM Minor: 11:31a
PM Minor: 11:59a
AM Minor: 12:03p
PM Minor: 12:27p
AM Minor: 12:53p
PM Minor: 1:18a
AM Major: 1:03a
PM Major: 1:31a
AM Major: 2:05a
PM Major: 2:35a
AM Major: 3:10a
PM Major: 3:40a
AM Major: 4:15a
PM Major: 4:44a
AM Major: 5:17a
PM Major: 5:45a
AM Major: 6:14a
PM Major: 6:41a
AM Major: 7:05a
PM Major: 7:30a
Moon Overhead: 2:42a
12a
WEDNESDAY
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 4:38a
Moon Overhead: 3:40a 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 5:37a 12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 7:30a
Moon Overhead: 6:35a 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 8:22a 12a
6a
12p
6p
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
MONDAY
= New Moon = First Quarter = Full Moon = Last Quarter = Best Day
12a
FEET
FEET
Moon Underfoot: 3:11p +2.0
-1.0
BEST:
4:00 — 6:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 7:03p BEST:
9:30 — 11:30 PM
6:00 — 8:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 7:56p BEST:
12:00 — 2:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 8:46p +2.0
BEST:
1:00 — 3:00 AM
T I D E
L E V E L S
BEST:
2:30 — 4:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: 6:06p
L E V E L S
0
BEST:
Moon Underfoot: 5:08p
T I D E
+1.0
BEST:
1:00 — 2:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 4:09p
High Tide: 6:49 am 1.41ft. Low Tide: 12:21 pm 0.72ft. High Tide: 5:21 pm 1.13ft.
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
12:20 am 8:04 am 1:10 pm 5:40 pm
-0.35ft. 1.39ft. 0.94ft. 1.17ft.
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
1:15 am 9:26 am 2:04 pm 5:54 pm
-0.41ft. 1.36ft. 1.11ft. 1.20ft.
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
2:16 am 11:01 am 3:43 pm 5:29 pm
-0.39ft. Low Tide: 3:26 am -0.31ft. Low Tide: 4:44 am 1.32ft. High Tide: 12:48 pm 1.31ft. High Tide: 2:11 pm 1.21ft. 1.22ft.
-0.21ft. Low Tide: 1.29ft. High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
6:05 am 2:52 pm 8:44 pm 10:49 pm
-0.12ft. 1.25ft. 1.05ft. 1.08ft.
+1.0
0
-1.0
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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:
7:45-9:40 AM
= Peak Fishing Period
= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS
Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score
TUESDAY
28
WEDNESDAY
29
THURSDAY
30
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
APR 1
31
SUNDAY
2
3
Sunrise: 7:13a Moonrise: 3:42a
Set: 7:34p Set: 2:42p
Sunrise: 7:12a Moonrise: 4:18a
Set: 7:34p Set: 3:37p
Sunrise: 7:11a Moonrise: 4:51a
Set: 7:35p Set: 4:30p
Sunrise: 7:10a Moonrise: 5:21a
Set: 7:35p Set: 5:22p
Sunrise: 7:09a Moonrise: 5:50a
Set: 7:36p Set: 6:14p
Sunrise: 7:07a Moonrise: 6:19a
Set: 7:36p Set: 7:05p
Sunrise: 7:06a Moonrise: 6:49a
Set: 7:37p Set: 7:58p
AM Minor: 1:40a
PM Minor: 2:03a
AM Minor: 2:22a
PM Minor: 2:44a
AM Minor: 3:00a
PM Minor: 3:21a
AM Minor: 3:37a
PM Minor: 3:57a
AM Minor: 4:13a
PM Minor: 4:33a
AM Minor: 4:50a
PM Minor: 5:11a
AM Minor: 5:30a
PM Minor: 5:51a
AM Major: 7:51a
PM Major: 8:15a
AM Major: 8:33a
PM Major: 8:55a
AM Major: 9:11a
PM Major: 9:32a
AM Major: 9:47a
PM Major: 10:07a
AM Major: 10:23a
PM Major: 10:43a
AM Major: 11:01a
PM Major: 11:21a
AM Major: 11:41a
PM Major: 12:02p
Moon Overhead: 9:10a
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 10:38a
Moon Overhead: 9:55a 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 11:19a 12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 12:39p
Moon Overhead: 11:59a 12a
6a
12p
6p
12a
6a
12p
6p
Moon Overhead: 1:21p 12a
6a
12p
6p
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
SOLUNAR ACTIVITY
MONDAY
Tides and Prime Times for MARCH 2011
12a
FEET
FEET
Moon Underfoot: 9:33p +2.0
-1.0
BEST:
3:00 — 5:00 AM
BEST:
3:30 — 5:30 AM
Moon Underfoot: None
Moon Underfoot: 12:19a
BEST:
4:30 — 6:30 AM
BEST:
5:00 — 7:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 1:00a +2.0
BEST:
6:00 — 8:00 PM
6:30 — 8:30 PM
T I D E
L E V E L S
BEST:
Moon Underfoot: 11:39p
L E V E L S
0
BEST:
2:00 — 4:00 AM
Moon Underfoot: 10:58p
T I D E
+1.0
Moon Underfoot: 10:17p
Low Tide: 7:17 am High Tide: 3:14 pm Low Tide: 8:50 pm
80 |
-0.02ft. High Tide: 12:31 am 1.20ft. Low Tide: 8:16 am 0.95ft. High Tide: 3:28 pm Low Tide: 9:03 pm
M A R C H
2 0 1 1
1.09ft. 0.09ft. 1.14ft. 0.83ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
1:48 am 9:04 am 3:38 pm 9:17 pm
T E X A S
1.14ft. 0.21ft. 1.09ft. 0.70ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
F I S H
2:51 am 9:44 am 3:49 pm 9:34 pm
&
1.20ft. 0.35ft. 1.07ft. 0.56ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
G A M E ®
3:47 am 10:18 am 4:00 pm 9:55 pm
1.26ft. 0.50ft. 1.07ft. 0.42ft.
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
I N L A N D
4:38 am 10:48 am 4:12 pm 10:20 pm
1.31ft. 0.64ft. 1.08ft. 0.30ft.
A L M A N A C
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
5:26 am 11:15 am 4:24 pm 10:49 pm
1.34ft. 0.77ft. 1.10ft. 0.20ft
+1.0
0
-1.0
2/8/11
11:03 AM
New Oasis YOU LIKE KAYAK FISHING, BUT YOUR significant other doesn’t like getting left behind? Then you need a tandem ‘yak. Up until now there haven’t been many fishing-dedicated tandem models on the market. Now, however, Hobie has one that’s perfect for the angling-oriented paddler: the Mirage Oasis. Like the others in the Mirage series this kayak can be operated with either paddles or leg-powered peddles which propel the kayak with a set of fins, called the Mirage drive. (Go to Hobie’s web site, and you can see an underwater video which shows these fins in operation; they work by copying the penguin’s style of fin-powered propulsion). There’s also a tandem fishingyak version without the peddle drive, called the Odyssey. Anglers will be psyched to find out that all Oasis models come with standards including three contained cargo areas (with twist-on compression hatches fitted with O-rings), “twist and stow” rudders, high-back padded seats with inflatable lumbar support, and a pair of molded-in rodholders. Two-piece paddles also come with the kayak, and it can be rigged out with options including an eight gallon livewell (with a sealed six-volt gel-cell battery and an adjustable drain), fishfinders, rod holders, and stake-out poles, and there are even some major-league options available like an electric motor, a Bimini top, a trailer, and a sailing kit. With the Oasis’s closed-deck design there are self-draining scuppers that’ll keep your seat dry, and the long, narrow nature of this kayak ensures comfort and safety even when paddling through a chop. The hull is polyethylene, so you know it’ll stand up to all sorts of angling abuse, like grounding on oyster bars or beaching on rocky shorelines. LOA is 14’6”, beam is I N L A N D
Page 81
the smoothest or the strongest reel in the world (though it does have an aluminum frame) and it has a mere three ball-bearings. On the bright side, list cost is only $40 for the reel, or $50 for a rod and reel combo (available in men’s or a “Ladyfish” model, —Lenny Rudow with a 6’0” rod that has stainless-steel eyes). As a result, serious anglers won’t opt for the E-Z Cast. But this is an excellent option for folks who want to equip a beginner or a child HERE’S ONE THING EVEN DEMOCRATS with a baitcaster that’s low-cost, reliable, and and Republicans can agree on: backlash most importantly, doesn’t ever backlash. And stinks. Nothing’s worse than letting your lure since the system has proved successful, this is sail out over the water, and then discovering a feature we’ll probably see applied to better, a big, fat bird’s nest in your reel. Modern more advanced reels in the future—so magnetic and centrifugal brakShakespeare’s keep your eyes on Shakespeare, and ing sysnew baitcaster at least for the time being, continue to tems effectively stops keep your thumb cocked cautiously help, backlashes. above the spool. Learn more at but they www.shakespeare-fishing.com. EZ Cast don’t
33”, and displacement is 75 pounds. List cost is $2,699, but you can quickly break three grand if you opt for a lot of extras. Check it out at www.hobiecat.com.
E-Z Cast
—LR
Muzzle Brake-Through eliminate backlash completely. That’s why Shakespeare decided to create a new anti-backlash system that would take the lash out of backlash. This new system is based on a sensor bar, which flips up and slows the spool as a backlash begins to form. It’s been introduced on the E-Z Cast reel, which is a 7.3 ounce, 6.2:1 ratio baitcaster that can hold up to 100 yards of 10 pound test. I had a chance to try one out, and I did my very best to make a big, ugly snarl appear in the reel by doing everything wrong—but the E-Z Cast simply wouldn’t let it happen, no matter how hard I tried. Dozens of casts later, I was convinced that the system works. There’s just one problem: the E-Z Cast is undeniably a beginner-level reel. It’s not
A L M A N A C
T E X A S
F I S H
&
I HATE MUZZLE BRAKES. I ESPECIALLY hated muzzle brakes when I was working as a hunting guide because I normally did not wear hearing protection, so I could better communicate with my client. Also, I usually couldn't cover my ears because I would be holding a pair of binoculars as the client was shooting. If there is anything louder than a muzzle brake on a magnum rifle fired from the confines of a box blind, I have yet to hear it. It is akin, I expect, to the Trinity nuclear blast at White Sands in 1945. A few weeks ago, as I write this, Johnny Glueck of Active Tuning Solutions and Active Camo Products, Inc. called me to discuss testing his muzzle brakes. He has two different models, one, called the Masterbrake, he claims is primarily a standard muzzle brake, that reduces the felt recoil of a rifle by a considerable percentage, and does some
G A M E ®
M A R C H
2 0 1 1
|
81
PHOTO: COURTESY MFG
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1:12 PM
other fancy things with the escaping gas that keeps the blast off the shooter and enables better accuracy. The other, called the HuntersBrake, however, not only reduces the felt recoil, it keeps the muzzle blast to near normal levels. To be completely honest, I did not believe him. You see, a muzzle brake works by redirecting the gases produced by the burning powder in the cartridge. To reduce the kick, the gas is redirected up, down, to the sides, and to some extent, to the rear. This does, indeed, reduce the apparent kick. Unfortunately, it also increases the apparent noise produced by the cartridge. Most muzzle brakes turn the kick into a deafening blast. You have the choice of being kicked black and blue or deafened. I generally prefer to be kicked. Johnny claimed that he had a muzzle brake that did not deafen the shooter or the shooter's companions. I invited him to come to my place in Brackettville and prove it. He agreed and we met for the first time at my front gate, late in the afternoon on Pearl Harbor Day. To tell you the truth, I simply did not believe him about the one that was quieter. You see, I had heard this before, more than once, and it was never true.
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The next morning we got down to business. Johnny brought several Blaser rifles equipped with threaded barrels to accept his muzzle brakes. In the interest of science and brevity I decided I would start at the top. We pulled out a .375 H&H Magnum and a .30-378 Weatherby Magnum. Neither of these calibers is known for their lack of recoil and the .30-378 is renowned as a beast with a terrible muzzle blast. We shot the .375 with 300-grain bullets and the .30-378 with 180-grain bullets. Johnny said the .30-378 load was pushing the 180-grain bullets to 3450 feet per second. First I shot the .375 without the muzzle brake and I must admit that the Blaser rifle handled the recoil quite well. Still, when I pulled the trigger the gun set back with authority. The recoil with the 300-grain bullets was in the realm of 41 foot-pounds. Then we attached the muzzle brake and I tried it again, prepared to have my eyebrows singed by the blast. Recoil was significantly reduced and, much to my surprise, the muzzle blast was so close to what it had been without the brake that I honestly couldn't tell the difference. To be sure I asked Johnny to shoot the gun while I stood back and listened. Same results. Next we tried the .30-378. Same routine.
The recoil with this high velocity cannon should be in the neighborhood of 36 footpounds, and it has a muzzle blast to break windows and cause the chickens to quit laying. The addition of a muzzle brake usually makes it into a terror that should require clearance from NORAD before firing. Again the HuntersBrake tamed the recoil and did not noticeably increase the noise level. Now understand this: the HuntersBrake Model, does not decrease the muzzle blast of your cannon, it merely does not make it louder, or, at least, not enough that you can tell without a decibel meter. That is a huge accomplishment, by the way. Okay, I'm sold. The thing works, I give. We shot the rifles some more; enough that I was thoroughly convinced that the propaganda was absolutely true. So then I asked, how did you do it? Johnny explained that the concept was not his. It was originally invented by another man, George Vais, who sold the patents to Johnny. In reality the concept is quite simple. I will not go into the mechanics of the thing; Johnny can tell you how it works, if he wants to. The inventor, a friend of Johnny, has since retired and moved back to his native Greece, but Johnny still honors him with recognition as the inventor. You can read the story on the website www.activetuningsolutions.com. Johnny Glueck is a master gunsmith. He will install the muzzle brake for you, refinish your gun with some of the neat camo patterns they have, such as my favorite, Barbed Wire, clean the accumulated decades of gunk out of the gun, and any other gunsmithing you require. He will also sell the muzzle brake to you or your gunsmith for installation. My suggestion is that unless you have a gunsmith who you trust implicitly, let Glueck do the work. I saw his work on the test guns and it was very, very good. The Masterbrake is being stocked by Brownells, but as this is written they are not yet carrying the HuntersBrake. Well, that's it – a muzzle brake that finally does not add to the muzzle blast. Now I know what I want for my next Christmas. Oh, Santa... —Steve LaMascus
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My Little .243 RECENTLY TRADED FOR A .243 WINchester, and yes, I do have several reasons. I have been doing some testing of a pet theory of mine. That is that older guns shoot better now than when they were built because modern bullets are much better than the bullets of years gone by; and that average guns today are just marginally more accurate than guns of 50 years ago, but appear to be more accurate because of
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the superior bullets. I also think the .243 Winchester is one of the best varmint/deer crossover calibers made. Because of these reasons, and because it was a good trade, I am now the proud owner of a really nice pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .243 Winchester. When I traded for it I did not realize that it was one made in 1955, which was the year Winchester introduced the .243. That makes it a very special little gun. Generally, guns made in the year any particular caliber was introduced are above average in accuracy. I think it is because the tools used to cut the barrels are new and therefore very close to perfect, without the wear that naturally occurs and increases tolerances as they are
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used, and there is a bit more care taken in assembling the guns. My .243 is not in new condition, but it is in very good shape, especially for a gun more than a half-century old. I would give it about 95% on a scale of 1 to 100. The barrel is pristine, the stock has a few character marks, and there is some blue wear on the muzzle. In addition, someone polished the forward hinge on the aluminum floor plate and the edges of the metal butt plate so that they look silver. It looks okay, if a bit gaudy, but it is not original. I mounted a 3-15X Weaver Super Slam on it using Weaver rings and mounts. When I first shot the gun, the weather was cool, cloudy, rainy, and windy. I had to
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put the gun in the truck once to keep it from getting wet. Even with the less than perfect weather conditions it shot very well. I shot it with a pet long-range coyote load using 95grain Nosler Ballistic Tips. After several 3shot groups the average was almost exactly 1 inch, with the smallest being .734”. I have said several times that modern guns are more accurate than older guns and that the biggest difference in accuracy today is in the perfection of modern bullets. In years past, say, the 1960s, it was common knowledge that a rifle that would group less than 2 inches was a fine gun, and one that would group less than 3 inches was worth keeping. Today those same guns will generally shoot better than they did when they were new. I have shot a lot of older guns, ranging from Model 98 Mausers, to 1903 Springfields, Model 100 Winchesters, Model 722 Remingtons, pre-64 Model 70s, and many more. I have found that
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almost every one of them shoots better now than it was said to shoot when brand new. It is not terribly unusual for “sporterized” Mausers made in the 1920s and '30s to shoot near minute-of-angle with modern handloads. That can only be because of the bullets. Still, the accuracy potential of new guns has also advanced over the years. I know this because I have been running a test of old bullets. It seems that just as old guns shoot better with new bullets, old bullets also shoot better in the new guns. Strange as it may seem, I have yet to determine a concrete level of accuracy differential between the two. In fact, it is rather confusing to me, providing data that seems somehow contradictory. However, I will continue the testing as I come across the old bullets, which are getting hard to find. If you have an old box or two of bullets that were made before the age of computer controlled manufacturing, and
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that you would turn loose of in the interest of semi-scientific truth finding, please get in touch with me at the email address below. But back to my Model 70. Suffice to say that I have fallen in love with the little Featherweight. The trigger is a bit of a problem. It is just about a pound too heavy to suit me, which is common with most factory triggers. I am, in this instance, hesitant to put another trigger in the gun. I would like to keep it all original. If it weren't for its unique collector's value I would put a aftermarket trigger in it and be done with it. In any case I will probably end up putting a Timney in it, but I will try to tune the original Winchester trigger first. While I am not a in the sanctity and perfection of the pre-64 Model 70, I really like this one, and it has shot well with everything I have loaded for it thus CONTINUED far. I am presently testing a box of old SEE PAGE 86
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Be Prepared HEN I WORE A YOUNGER LAD’S clothes, I was a scout. The most important thing I learned as a scout was to always be prepared. I try to think of every possible scenario, and be ready for anything in order to assure a good outcome. Turkey season is almost here, and it is time to practice and practice hard so you are well prepared to take that bird with your bow. Some of the bow hunters that are reading this right now are saying to themselves that to take a longbeard with a bow is just too difficult. They will choose to just continue to hunt birds with a gun. If you are one of those people, believe me, you are making a huge mistake. Taking any game with a bow is challenging, but there comes a special pride in one’s self when you are successful in the turkey woods with your stick and string. So, if you have decided that bow hunting turkeys is for you, then you need to take some time and practice. For most of us bow hunters, the practice stops after opening day of bow season and does not return until the following summer months. I am not saying that this is a good thing…quite the contrary, but I would be lying to you if I did not put myself in that same category! Start by grouping your field tips once
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again. Shoot until you are almost touching your arrows. That will determine what your known accuracy range is. When you are confident enough to consistently and accurately shoot your bow from a standing position, try sitting down and then kneeling down. You will need to be able to accomplish this task if you plan to hunt from a portable blind. If you can master your shooting abilities from these positions, I think you are ready to hunt turkeys with a bow. You will need to determine what broadhead you will be using when hunting birds. There are many to choose from. It is a question of personal preference. What works for you might not work as well for your friend. The only sure way to see what works best for you is to practice using the broadheads you plan to hunt with. Just make sure that when hunting you always are using razor sharp broadheads. This does not mean the exact ones that you practiced with. Those will be dulled from the practice. Oh they will be able to harvest a bird…maybe. The only ethical thing to do is to make sure your blades are always razor sharp. Will you be using a blind (which I highly recommend), or are you going to try your luck against a tree? Remember, if you use a blind and plan to shoot through a mesh-covered window, an expandable broadhead will open, or at least try to open, going through the mesh. Personally, I see no reason to shoot through the mesh. Turkeys will not see you while you are concealed in a portable blind. Now is the time to crank down the poundage of your bow as well. What you use for deer is much more than what you will need
TEXAS GUNS & GEAR Herter's 100-grain semi-pointed bullets FROM PG. 84 that I found on one of the websites. If it shoots them well I will be forced to conclude that it will shoot just about anything. Anyway, you can expect CONTINUED
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to see more about the bullet test when and if I finish. In the meantime my little .243 and I are having a great time.
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while hunting turkeys. The important thing is you want to try to keep the arrow from going through the bird completely. Most of the time, this will prevent the turkey from flying off with your arrow. You will note that I said “most of the time.” If you are familiar with “ Murphy’s Law” then you know what I am talking about. I always say the Mr. Murphy is an optimist! As far as I am concerned, if something can go wrong…it will! I have heard stories of the turkeys that flew away with an arrow still in it. I can say that it does not happen often. It is difficult to find your bird once it takes flight but not impossible. If it happens to you, then watch where the turkey flies and sit tight. He will not go far. When you do go after him, take it slow. He will try to sit still and let you walk by. If you stop often, his nerves will give himself away. Dropping the poundage on your hunting bow will also force the sights to change. What once was your 20-yard pin will now need to be adjusted. The same rule applies to your sights as when you practiced for deer season. Simply follow the arrow to get your sights where they should be. If you are shooting high, raise your sight pin. If you are shooting to the right, move your sight pin a little to the right. Eventually, you will be back to your good shooting form. Can you see why practicing now is so important? There are so many variables and so many things that can go wrong that you need to be prepared for them. Hunting wild turkeys with a bow is right up there with whitetail hunting for me. It is exciting. It is challenging and it is fun. It has all the elements I look for when I think about the reasons I am hunting in the first place. When you try bow hunting turkeys, it is one of those times where you are not hunting them…but the toms are hunting you! The closer the sound of their gobble gets, the harder and faster my heart beats with anticipation. Oh how I love this sport called bowhunting!
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The 1,000 Bass Spawn AYAKS ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED AS serious fishing platforms on inland lakes. The “poor man’s bass boat” might be small but kayaks are deadly efficient on spawning and postspawn bass. Just ask Jim Darnell. He and his fishing partner, Mike Schlimgen, came close to cracking the 1,000 bass mark in March and April of 2010. Darnell is a retired minister who spends most spare days fishing from his kayak when he and wife Beth aren’t busy producing their television show, God’s Great Outdoors. I don’t know the last time you caught 500 largemouth – or even half that amount - during a spawning season but personally I have never come close. Granted, Darnel has the benefit of time on his hands and it is the rare angler that gets to fish as much as he does, but he definitely considers his kayak a major part of his success. “Kayaks allow you to get into areas you can’t reach in bass boats,” Darnell explained. “Plus, they are much quieter.” Darnell is a resident sage on Bastrop Lake, which he has been fishing regularly since 1968. He is a keen observer of bass behavior and is a big believer in wade fishing from a kayak. “A kayak will get you into a promising area and then you can slip overboard and start wading,” he explained. “You can really sneak up on fish when you are on foot.” Darnell prefers stalking bass on shallow flats, keeping a low profile while searching for circular beds swept clean of detritus. Water that is 2 -3 feet in depth is generally a target rich environment.
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Darnell and Schlimgen are both partial to fly rods; both hold numerous fly rod records on just about every watershed near their native San Marcos. Both have caught bass on Bastrop Lake which would surely be fly rod records but they were .5 inch shorter than the 21-inch minimum slot requirement. Darnell’s favorite fly for spawning bass is a hard boded popper but not the jumbo bugs people typically associated with fly rod bass. A five-weight fly rod is his favorite and the limber rod effectively limits the size popper he can cast. Flies with size 6-4 hooks are
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the largest he casts. “Sometimes a bass will completely ignore the popper when it touches down and you have to cast again. Sometimes they will hover underneath the fly and eyeball it for the longest time; and other times, they will charge it like a wild animal,” Darnell explained. He believes the popper’s modest size is less apt to spook bedding bass when it touches down compared to the loud splat of a large topwater lure. “Occasionally midsized poppers spook bedding fish,” he explained. “When the fish are skittish, I scale down to a bream popper, like a Miss Prissy. The bass really hit those little poppers but you will miss a lot of strikes because the hook gap is so small.” When Darnell uses conventional tackle, he ascribes to the less is more theory, preferring small topwater baits like a Tiny Torpedo. When the bass aren’t feeding on the
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film, he will cast 4-inch Carolina rigged worms. As the spawn tapers down, Darnell shifts his focus to a bit deeper water. Bastrop Lake features good accumulations of coon tail moss and hydrilla. “Look for dark spots where bass can ambush their prey, especially if the surrounding bottom is clean,” he added. Bastrop Lake isn’t known as a big bass lake and its name likely won’t be uttered in the same sentence with Lake Fork, but it is a productive fishery. Darnell and Schlimgen logged 8 days in 2010 with at least 50 fish between them, all caught before noon. They logged an additional 20 days with 10 -20 fish between them. Darnell wasn’t sure about the exact number of fish they caught and I was the one who called his attention to the 1,000 fish mark. I caught up with him by cell phone on his way to an elk hunt, and after rehashing the numbers with him, it was clear that Darnell and Schlimgen released at least 700 bass, with the total possibly exceeding 1,000 fish. Most spawning fish were in the 2 -4 pound range. The largest topped 5-pounds – a very nice prize when taken on a five-weight fly rod. To keep the resident bass from becoming stunted, TPWD encourages anglers to harvest some of the smaller fish from Bastrop Lake. In this vain, Darnell occasionally invites a few of the small bass to join him for dinner. If you want a nice change of pace during the spawn this year, plan a kayak trip to some of the smaller fishing venues across the state. While the smaller lakes may not have the potential to cough up monster bass, they can sure make up for it in sheer numbers. Just ask Jim Darnell.
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Greg Berlocher can be reached for question or comment at kayak@fishgame.com.
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Advanced Electronics F YOU’RE UNDER THE AGE OF 60 AND you don’t use a smartphone, type on a computer, or navigate down the highway with an automotive GPS, you probably live in a cave in north-east Zabagastan and go by the name of Ugg. Like it or not, technology has invaded just about every aspect of modern life no matter what your ilk. This goes for us boaters, too, and the technological advances we need to stay up to date with have been evolving just as quickly as that phone/camera/internet browser that’s in your pocket or clipped to your belt. You don’t believe me? Then you obviously haven’t been keeping up to date. Here are some of the hottest, coolest, newest marine electronics you need to know about.
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BLACK OPS – Can infra-red go portable? Oh, yeah—file this one under uber-cool military trickle-down. FLIR has developed a handheld infra-red nightvision monocular called the First Mate, which lets you peer through the darkness without spending cash like the DOD. Coming in a hair under $3,000, the First Mate weighs a pound and a half and is 11” x 3” x 3”. In other words, it’s small enough to fit into your jacket pocket. It’s also waterproof, it floats, and it runs for five hours on four AA batteries. Take a peek at www.flir.com. DATA FLOW – Technology has also turned the usual electronics land/sea relationships upside-down; today you can not only use your marine gear to get back to land, you can also use your land gear to navigate your boat. Case in point: your smartphone can be transformed into a full-blown chartplotter by downloading a dirt-cheap application. Several options are out there, but one of my favorites is Navionics Mobile. This one
won the 2010 Innovation and Design award at the Marine Electronics and Trade Show, and was voted the Best Boating App by Laptop World magazine. You can use it to transform iPhones, iPads, and Androids into chartplotters that have all of the basic nav features, like setting and navigating to waypoints, computing time-to-go, and creating and navigating on routes. But it also offers the latest and greatest perks in chartplotting, such as graphic wind forecasting, terrain overlays, panoramic picture overlays, and wireless chartography updates. The newest feature is the ability to build a “community layer” of data. The community layer is user-generated; you and other boaters using the app can add to the database as you discover new things on the water (like a moved channel marker, or a shifting sand bar), or discrepancies on the charts. There’s just one problem: figuring out what you’ll spend to do this stuff can be tricky, because pricing varies depending on which version you want and which charts you use. Go to www.navionics.com, to learn more about it. And check your neighborhood app store, to see what other marine miracles you perform with that smartphone—turn it into a speedometer, get videos that teach you how to tie knots, locate boat ramps and marinas—the opportunities are essentially endless. GO-ANYWHERE NAVIGATOR – A trend we’ve seen lately in the world of handheld GPS units is embodied by Magellan’s new Explorist line-up: the ability to cross-over between land and sea navigation. The Explorist 710 isn’t just a pocket-sized handheld with a three-inch touchscreen interface, it also comes with built-in City Series turn-byturn mapping, as well as Summit Series topographic mapping. That means you’ll make good use of it whether you’re boating across the bay, cruising down the highway, or climbing a craggy mountain peak. Jazzed-up features include a three-axis electronic compass (which can tell you the direction you’re facing in regardless of motion; old-tech handhelds need to be moving to com-
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pute compass course), a 3.2 megapixel camera, a microphone and speaker, and waterproofing to IPX7 standards. This little gizmo doesn’t come cheap, with an MSRP of $550, but it sure does do a lot for you. Check it out at: www.magellangps.com. SOUNDS NEW – Stereos have been around on boats forever, but when’s the last time you saw a sound system that you could control from your chartplotter screen? That’s one big perk you get if you add a Lowrance Sonic Hub audio server to your Lowrance HDS system. The Sonic Hub is designed to work in conjunction with (of course) your iPod. Place that magical little music box into the Sonic Hub’s waterproof docking station, wire in the four-channel, 50 watt amp/tuner, mount the pair of 6.5” 200 watt marine speakers, and you’re ready to rock. All of the usual stereo controls like the tuner, volume, and iPod music selection then pop up on an on-screen bar, at the bottom of your HDS display. The system has a surprisingly reasonable price, too, with a $350 MSRP that’s easy to beat with a little web shopping. See more at: www.lowrance.com.
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dard Horizon’s new CPN 1010i and you’re close to a WiFi hotspot. This brainy little box has Wifi built-in, and it allows you to use the unit’s 10” touch-screen interface to check your e-mail, send and answer, or stream “live” music and video—or if you like doing things the old fashioned way, connect a mouse and keyboard via Bluetooth or the chartplotter’s USB port. The unit has fishfinder, radar, and AIS expandability, an internal 50-channel WAAS
GPS antenna, a 1024 x 600 bonded touchscreen display, dual-station networking, NTSC and PAL video inputs, and built-in chartography for the entire coastal US and most of North and Central America. Yup, you’ve gotta pay for all these goodies: list price is $2,299 (a seven inch version is available for $1,499). Visit: www.standardhorizon.com. E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com
TEXTING TEMPTATION – Don’t you wish your cell phone worked everywhere, all the time? Not likely. But if you outfit yourself with a SPOT Connect, you can get texting service via satellite, regardless of how far away the cell towers are. The tiny 3.7-ounce Connect, which is IPX7 waterproof, communicates with your cell phone via Bluetooth (after you’ve downloaded the Connect app, of course), then bounces your text message (up to 41 characters) to those communications satellites orbiting high above the Earth. You can also send Facebook, Twitter, and SPOT Adventure updates to your favorite social networks, and use all of the usual SPOT functions, like sending pre-defined messages, tracking progress on Google Maps, and transmitting an SOS message with your GPS coordinates to the GEOS Emergency Response center. The cost of the Spot Connect hardware is relatively inexpensive at $169, but you’ll also have to pony up a $99 per year subscription fee. Check it out at www.findmespot.com. WATERBORNE WIFI – You want to check your e-mail in-between casts? That’s not a problem, if you have a chartplotter like StanI N L A N D
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Getting Lost “I’ve never been lost, but I was mighty turned around for three days once.” — Daniel Boone
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clue. Walking through the Sabine River bottom well before the sun was up I could see something reflecting in the distance and thought it odd that someone had parked there truck near the duck slough I was planning on hunting. When I got closer I could tell it was my truck I was looking at. I had walked for 30 minutes in a huge circle and ended up back where I started. This little walk in the woods was an inconvenience that could have turned out much worse but it was a learning experience and led me to start carrying a “go bag” with me just about everywhere. I say just about everywhere because I forgot it the other day when I was out scouting for ducks (this was written months ago). What I call my “go
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bag” is a backpack that I can pick up go hunting, fishing, or camping at any minute and not worry about not making it back alive. My list of items I carry in my bag may be different from yours but here is what I consider the minimum required. I have never used them in an emergency situation (and I hope I never do) but I carry waterproof matches and a candle in my bag at all times. Having the ability to build a fire for warmth, drying clothes, or cooking might be the difference between life and death. A few years ago I was given a fire starting tip from an elk guide in Colorado who used a concoction of what he called diesel dust to help start fires. Diesel dust is basically saw dust soaked in diesel and kept
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ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW
in a small container. The diesel dust weighs next to nothing, ignites easily, and burns long enough that you don’t feel rushed while getting the fire started. One item that I never leave the house without is a knife, and I have a couple more stashed away in my bag. One of the knives happens to be one of t h e
items on my multi-tool and the other is part of an inexpensive fork/spoon/knife combination that I carry just for the heck of it. The key here is that you can never have too many knifes on you. An item that most outdoorsmen rarely think about but is probably the most useful is a length of rope. For years I carried about 20 feet of 550 paracord in the bottom of my backpack. Most of the time it ended up a
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tangles knotted mess but it has countless uses (from dragging deer out to
hanging up clothes to dry) that I couldn’t leave it at the house. Now, I still carry around 20 feet of cord but today I have it braided into a bracelet that I wear most of the time. When the bracelet isn’t on my wrist it’s in my bag. If I need the paracord for an emergency I simply unbraid the bracelet which takes just a few minutes. Most of the time our outdoor activities occur at dusk and dawn so a flashlight is essential and in my bag I carry two. They are both small LED lights and I could probably get by with one but why take that
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chance. I’d rather carry a few extra ounces of weight and not need it than to need it and not have it. One of the last items that I carry (yes I carry two of these as well) is a compass. Now a compass only works if you know where you are and know which direction you want to go so it’s not a bad idea to also have a map of the area you plan to be in (even one that’s not very detailed but has major landmarks). Along with all these items I throw in a bottle of water and small poncho just in case the weather gets hot or wet. The best part is that all of these items fit in the small front pouch of my backpack leaving the larger compartments open for cameras, tripods, and all the other junk I tend to carry.
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E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com
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Kendall Red North Padre Boating Adventures
Captain Chuck Matthews Red North Padre Boating Adventures
Chris, David and John - Rockport Redrunner
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TEXAS FRESHWATER
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BAFFIN BAY
GALVESTON
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CORPUS CHRISTI
UPPER COAST (SABINE LAKE)
ROCKPORT
FOR ADVERTISING RATES AND INFORMATION CALL DENNISE 281.869.5519
SPOTLIGHT: NORTH PADRE BOATING ADVENTURES Operated by Captain Chuck Matthews, licensed by U.S.C.G. and T.P.W.D., is a retired Firefighter/Paramedic who established North Padre Boating Adventures in 2008. As an avid angler and lover of the outdoors, he’s taken these two loves and combined them into a new career. Captain Chuck Matthews believes in customer service, and giving his clients the best possible fishing experience he can. It is his belief if you catch a legal limit, the fishing is not over, because you paid for a certain service and it is his job to provide that service to best of his ability. If you limit out on a species he will take you to find another species. Captain Chuck Matthews also believes in “C.P.R.” Catch Photograph and Release. Catching a limit may be fun, but releasing them back into nature to have something to catch on another day for you or your kids is just as important. Fishing trips are from 1 to 4 anglers. Fishing gear and tackle provided, but you are welcome to bring your favorite fishing gear. Additional services: Romantic Sunset Cruises, Dolphin Watching, and Bird Watching or just a family outing in a boat for something different to do with friends and family. He can accommodate up to six persons on these adventures. Contact Captain Chuck at 361-855-FISH (3474) or check out www.northpadreboatingadventures.com
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Goose McFaddin WMA
Largemouth Bass Speckled Trout
Coleto Creek
Wadefishing
this on Alice, caught ns age 9, of hing with his fis Jack Scoggi de wa ile ug wh s a top water pl . The photo wa Jim Scoggins . granddaddy ns gi og Sc Gray submitted by
at ht this bass r, age 7, caug ssin Bethany Halte servoir, on a Bass Assa Re ls Coleto Creek worm. She fishes artificia tic red bug plas r. lte Ha Dennis like her Dad,
Future goose hunter Allan Downs of Gr shows off on oves e of "Pop’s" ge McFaddin W ildlife Refuge ese, taken from . Allan is 2 ye old and can’ ars t wait to go on his first hunt .
Whitetail Buck Lampasas
Speckled Trout Arroyo City
Black Drum Rollover Pass
Carolyn Dell, age 5, of San Antonio with 19-inch spec kled trout ca her ught at Arroyo while fishing City with her PaPa Erchinge. (George)
Cole Breed, 11, New Year’s Da shot this 6-point buck on y, 2010. He wa dad Johnny Breed near La s hunting with mpasas.
at is Black Drum ne caught th with her husCathy Shuptri ng hi fis ile , wh Rollover Pass . band Wilson
Redfish Chocolate Bayou
Whitetail Sonora
Speckled Trout Aransas Pass
ch ught this 24-in of Seguin ca ar Aransas ne Craig Jones, ng hi fis k ut kaya speckled tro al best speck. Craig’s person Pass. It was
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Gavin Gregor y, 10, of Tom ba first 20 inch redfish in Ch ll caught his ocol He was fishi ng with his Pe ate Bayou. paw (Dennis Gregory) and his Dad (Mic hael Gregory) .
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is picof Nederland nt 5 years old, on his first hu Jacob Kotz, l, kil er de st s fir lso pictured) tured with hi (a tz Ko n so er Ja with his fath ar Sonora. rry Graves, ne and friend La
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Largemouth Bass Rancho Viejo
Feral Hog
Largemouth Bass
Nixon
Unspecified Lake
first NY took his of Mahopac, pound Joe Schultz, xas. The 150- ingTe n, xo Ni in m Re a th wi hog, hunting ot e’s 40-yard sh sow fell to Jo 0. .3 0.3 8 ton Model 78
Seven-year-o ld Lucky Edge caught this 2 ½-pound larg em spinnerbait in outh bass on a white the Rancho Vi ejo Resaca.
with the first den of Wall, himself on an Mason Snow by ht ss caug n Ryan Snowde largemouth ba d Da , a Senko. hopper”. “w s artificial lure n’ so s oud of hi was mighty pr
Black Drum Copano Bay
Quail
Feral Hog
Red River County
Henderson
Karen snare set by s caught in a nderson. This hog wa He of nd Holla and Jonathan ars old. The estimated 5 ye Jonathan is 0 pounds. is sow was 20 weight on th
Charles Ray (left) and his so enjoyed a su ccessful fath n Mike Ray er and son qu hunt at Wildca ail t Creek Quai l Hunting Re in Red River sort County, Texa s.
Miriam Rogo wicz caught a 29-inch, 14 black drum, -pound her on Copano Ba first, from her Poppy’s pi er y. Miriam land minutes. Sent ed the fish in in by her Dad, 15 Chad Rogowi cz.
Channel Catfish Choke Canyon
Channel Catfish
Flathead Catfish
Lake Fairfield
Lake Livingston
14 ld caught this ld. 15, of Fairfie irfie Fa ke La Natalie Neill, at s annel Catfish 1/4-pound Ch was the boat captain. It wa ill d reel. an d Dad Perry Ne ro on est catfish Natalie’s larg
Sheryl Odge rs brought th is 15 inch flathead in on 20 lb. lin -pound, 31-1/2e the Cape Ro yale Marina on rod and reel at Lake Livings was her bigg tonIt est catch yet on a rod and reel.
she ht this catfish th age 11, caug hing wi fis ile Teri Barton, wh on in oke Cany caught at Ch is Halter sent oud Dad Denn her family. Pr her photo.
Redfish Redfish
Galveston Bay
Laguna Madre
Feral Hog Hidalgo County
Teyo Turrubi ates, 8, shot this 300-poun on his first hu d hog nt Hidalgo Coun , on the Gomez Ranch in ty. Dad Marc o Turrubiates Teyo used a sa .17 HMR to do wn this brute. ys I N L A N D
a 27 s first redfish, stin caught hi on Spring ile wh Thurman Gu y Ba n Galvesto 7/8-incher, on mpkinseed & ught it on a pu appie rig. cr Break. He ca a d tail lure an green paddle
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William Serra ta from the offic of McAllen took a day aw ay e and caught this 28-inch fish with live redsh Laguna Madr rimp while fishing the lowe e. r
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PHOTOS: DEER, TONY CAMPBELL; HOG, SCATTOSELVAGGIO, DREAMSTIME
Hand Loading for Deer and Hogs BY STEVE LAMASCUS I FEEL SAFE IN STATING THAT TODAY the two most popular big game animals in Texas are the white-tailed deer and the feral hog. Deer hunting has boomed in the last 40 years until it is virtually a different sport than it was when I was a hunt-crazy kid. On the other hand, hog hunting is a relatively new sport in many parts of Texas. When I was a kid growing up on the Rolling Plains of North Central Texas, there were few deer and no hogs. Today both are there in large numbers. The hogs have proliferated until they have become a genuine problem for many ranchers. I hunted turkeys with the guys from Browning and Thompson Center on a ranch near Seymour, Texas, a few years ago, where the lease agreement between the outfitter and the land owner required the outfitter to N O R T H
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kill a large number of hogs each year. If memory serves, the number was over a thousand and they saved the ears to prove their success to the owner. There have been feral hogs in parts of the state for hundreds of years, but the virtual explosion of porcine pests has happened in the last, say, 30 years. Today there is a saying in the wildlife biologist circles that “there are two kinds of ranches in Texas; F I S H
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In This Issue HOW-TO SECTION
76 77 57
78 COVER STORY • Handloading for Deer and Hogs | BY STEVE LAMASCUS
FISHING FORECAST SECTION
60 62
SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides & Prime Times | BY TF&G STAFF
TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots | BY TOM BEHRENS, CALIXTO GONZALES, & BOB HOOD
those that have hogs and those that are gonna have hogs.” The average mature wild hog and the average mature whitetail buck are not that far apart in body weight. Both will probably average between 110 and 180 pounds; but the largest hogs are far larger than the largest deer. For instance, the largest deer I have ever shot was, I believe, nearly 300 pounds; it is also the largest deer I have ever seen shot in Texas. On the other hand, the largest hog I ever saw weighed was well over 500 pounds, and a 300 pounder is fairly common. Because of these statistics, we need to think carefully before we begin to buy or reload ammunition for these animals. I do not believe in small, light, fast bullets for big game, and I don't know any hunter with long experience who does, either. That is not what they were intended for and they are not what you should use. Such bullets, like the a 55-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip in the .243, or a 40-grain Hornady V-Max in a .220 Swift, are not intended to penetrate into the vitals of an animal the size of the above. They are intended to expand violently on animals the size of prairie dogs. And remember this, the higher the velocity, the more explosive will be the bullet performance. If you are shooting a 150-grain Hor58 |
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TEXAS GUNS & GEAR My Little .243 | BY STEVE LAMASCUS
BOWHUNTING TECH Be Prepared | BY LOU MARULLO
OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION
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PAUL’S TIPS • Getting Lost |
BY PAUL BRADSHAW
TEXAS KAYAKING • The 1,000 Bass Spawn |
TF&G PHOTOS • Your Action Photos | BY TF&G READERS
TEXAS BOATING • Advanced Electronics | BY LENNY RUDOW
www.FishGame.com
TEXAS TESTED • Oasis, E-Z Cast, Masterbrake | BY TF&G STAFF
nady Spire Point Soft Point at 2600 feet per second in a .300 Savage, or even at 2970 fps in a .30-06, you will probably get beautiful bullet performance and good penetration. If you use that same bullet in a .300 Weatherby at 3400 fps, it will likely perform like a varmint bullet in a .22/250. This is not what you want in a load for deer and hogs. Believe me, please; I speak from hard learned experience. For deer and hogs there are a slew of good bullets. So many that I cannot name them all here. Instead let's look at some of the calibers and loads that are best for hunting deer and hogs. First, let's set some minimums: Try not to hunt deer or hogs with any caliber smaller than .243. Yes, as I have admitted, the .22s will kill either hogs or deer. I have killed large hogs with both a .204 Ruger and a .22/250. However, these calibers require perfect bullet placement, or the use of specially built bullets like the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw or Nosler Partition. Shooting the hot shot .22s with store bought ammunition that was intended for hunting varmints is the best recipe for disaster that I know. It is legal, I am not going to tell you can't do it, but I will promise you that you will eventually lose an animal that would have been killed easily with a larger caliber
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OUTDOOR CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY • Guides, Gear and More | BY TF&G STAFF
BY GREG BERLOCHER
GEARING UP SECTION
74
SPORTING TALES • What the Hell is a ‘Tout’? | BY REAVIS WORTHAM
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and tougher bullets. Many animals are thus wounded and lost because the hunter shoots the animal and it runs off. Then the hunter goes to look for blood and does not find any. The conclusion is a clean miss, but the fact may be that the bullet blew upon a bone and the animal did not bleed externally. I have seen this happen at least a dozen times and probably more. My personal minimum is the .243 Winchester shooting 100-grain standard soft points at 3000 fps. My personal favorite is a .25-06 shooting 110-grain Nosler AccuBonds at about 3250 fps. My second choice (but not by much, and not because it is less efficient; it is actually a better choice for the purpose) is a .35 Whelen shooting a 225grain bonded core bullet at 2600 fps. This load is death from above on hogs. Here is a simple truth: If you trade bullet weight to get velocity, you are not gaining a thing. If you have a .300 Magnum, shoot bullets in it that are intended for a .300 magnum. Don't go buy some 125-grain soft points and load them for deer and hogs just because you can get 3400 fps rather than the 3200 you get with a 165-grain bullet. At hunting distances the heavier bullet will be CONTINUED just as fast or faster than the lightweight SEE PAGE 62
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MARCH 2011
Tides and Prime Times
MONDAY
TUESDAY
1
PRIME TIME
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
7 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
PRIME TIME
Sunrise: 6:57a Moonrise: 8:04a AM Minor: 6:56a PM Minor: 7:17p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
1.01ft. 0.50ft. 0.89ft. 0.08ft.
6:00 — 8:00 AM
Set: 6:39p Set: 9:25p AM Major: 12:46a PM Major: 1:07p 2:41p 2:20a
14
PRIME TIME
Low Tide: 6:09 am High Tide: 3:20 pm
Sunrise: 7:49a Moonrise: 2:27p AM Minor: 1:34a PM Minor: 2:02p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
21
-0.21ft. 1.21ft.
8:00 — 10:00 AM
Set: 7:44p Set: 3:52a AM Major: 7:48a PM Major: 8:16p 9:36p 9:08a
PRIME TIME
High Tide: 6:49 am 1.41ft. Low Tide: 12:21 pm 0.72ft. High Tide: 5:21 pm 1.13ft.
Sunrise: 7:40a Moonrise: 10:29p AM Minor: 7:35a PM Minor: 8:04p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
7:00 — 9:00 PM
Set: 7:48p Set: 8:38a AM Major: 1:21a PM Major: 1:50p 3:01a 3:30p
28
PRIME TIME
Low Tide: 7:17 am High Tide: 3:14 pm Low Tide: 8:50 pm
Sunrise: 7:31a Moonrise: 4:04a AM Minor: 1:58a PM Minor: 2:21p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
60 |
12:23 am 8:24 am 4:00 pm 8:57 pm
0.97ft. -0.38ft. 0.96ft. 0.74ft.
Sunrise: 7:04a Moonrise: 5:03a AM Minor: 2:47a PM Minor: 3:10p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
5:55 am 11:20 am 5:07 pm 11:29 pm
-0.02ft. 1.20ft. 0.95ft.
1:00 — 3:00 AM
Set: 7:53p Set: 2:58p AM Major: 8:10a PM Major: 8:33p 9:29a 9:52p
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WEDNESDAY
Sunrise: 6:56a Moonrise: 8:36a AM Minor: 7:44a PM Minor: 8:06p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
-0.24ft. 1.20ft. 1.02ft.
Sunrise: 7:47a Moonrise: 3:33p AM Minor: 2:25a PM Minor: 2:53p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
22
12:20 am 8:04 am 1:10 pm 5:40 pm
1:30 — 3:30 PM
12:00 — 2:00AM
1:00 — 2:00 AM
1.09ft. 0.09ft. 1.14ft. 0.83ft.
Sunrise: 7:30a Moonrise: 4:39a AM Minor: 2:40a PM Minor: 3:02p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
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1.12ft. -0.23ft. 1.17ft. 0.83ft.
PRIME TIME 1:15 am 9:26 am 2:04 pm 5:54 pm
-0.41ft. 1.36ft. 1.11ft. 1.20ft.
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2:30 — 4:30 AM
Set: 7:49p Set: 10:13a AM Major: 3:29a PM Major: 3:58p 4:58a 5:27p
PRIME TIME 1:48 am 9:04 am 3:38 pm 9:17 pm
1.14ft. 0.21ft. 1.09ft. 0.70ft.
Sunrise: 7:29a Moonrise: 5:11a AM Minor: 3:19a PM Minor: 3:40p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
Set: 7:53p Set: 3:54p AM Major: 8:51a PM Major: 9:13p 10:14a 10:36p
1:30 — 3:30 AM
Set: 7:45p Set: 5:22a AM Major: 9:28a PM Major: 9:56p 11:26p 10:59a
30 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
2:00 — 4:00 AM
F I S H
PRIME TIME 12:18 am 8:10 am 3:48 pm 8:36 pm
Sunrise: 7:37a Moonrise: None AM Minor: 9:44a PM Minor: 10:13p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
PRIME TIME 12:31 am 8:16 am 3:28 pm 9:03 pm
2:00 — 4:00 PM
Set: 6:40p Set: 11:16p AM Major: 2:22a PM Major: 2:45p 4:11p 3:47a
23 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
Set: 7:49p Set: 9:23a AM Major: 2:24a PM Major: 2:53p 3:59a 4:28p
29
0.03ft. 0.97ft. 0.79ft. 0.96ft.
Sunrise: 7:46a Moonrise: 4:41p AM Minor: 3:15a PM Minor: 3:42p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
PRIME TIME
Sunrise: 7:39a Moonrise: 11:39p AM Minor: 8:38a PM Minor: 9:08p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
PRIME TIME 12:08 am 8:03 am 12:06 pm 4:53 pm
16 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
3:30 — 5:30 AM
Set: 6:35p Set: 4:58p AM Major: 9:39a PM Major: 10:01p 11:15a 11:36p
Sunrise: 6:55a Moonrise: 9:11a AM Minor: 8:34a PM Minor: 8:57p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
Set: 7:44p Set: 4:39a AM Major: 8:39a PM Major: 9:07p 10:31p 10:03a
-0.35ft. 1.39ft. 0.94ft. 1.17ft.
1.00ft. -0.27ft. 0.91ft. 0.62ft.
9 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
PRIME TIME
Low Tide: 7:13 am High Tide: 3:32 pm Low Tide: 8:10 pm
PRIME TIME 1:29 am 9:03 am 4:09 pm 9:10 pm
Sunrise: 7:03a Moonrise: 5:37a AM Minor: 3:28a PM Minor: 3:50p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
Set: 6:40p Set: 10:20p AM Major: 1:33a PM Major: 1:55p 3:25p 3:03a
15
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
2:30 — 4:30 AM
PRIME TIME
High Tide: 6:54 am 0.99ft. Low Tide: 11:43 am 0.65ft. High Tide: 5:08 pm 0.91ft.
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
Set: 6:35p Set: 4:03p AM Major: 8:58a PM Major: 9:21p 10:31a 10:53p
8
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Set: 7:54p Set: 4:48p AM Major: 9:29a PM Major: 9:50p 10:57a 11:17p
N O R T H
THURSDAY
3 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
2:26 am 9:36 am 4:20 pm 9:28 pm
Sunrise: 7:02a Moonrise: 6:08a AM Minor: 4:08a PM Minor: 4:29p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
PRIME TIME 1.02ft. -0.13ft. 0.88ft. 0.49ft.
Set: 6:36p Set: 5:52p AM Major: 10:18a PM Major: 10:39p 11:57a None
10 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
PRIME TIME 12:53 am 9:31 am 12:24 pm 4:35 pm
Sunrise: 6:53a Moonrise: 9:51a AM Minor: 9:26a PM Minor: 9:50p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
-0.01ft. 0.98ft. 0.92ft. 1.03ft.
PRIME TIME 1:54 am 9:03 am 4:05 pm 9:13 pm
Sunrise: 7:45a Moonrise: 5:50p AM Minor: 4:03a PM Minor: 4:30p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
1.19ft. -0.15ft. 1.12ft. 0.58ft.
PRIME TIME 2:16 am 11:01 am 3:43 pm 5:29 pm
Sunrise: 7:36a Moonrise: 12:45a AM Minor: 10:48a PM Minor: 11:17p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
-0.39ft. 1.32ft. 1.21ft. 1.22ft.
4:00 — 6:00 AM
Set: 7:50p Set: 11:07a AM Major: 4:34a PM Major: 5:03p 5:57a 6:26p
31 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
2:30 — 4:30 AM
Set: 7:46p Set: 6:03a AM Major: 10:16a PM Major: 10:43p None 11:53a
24 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
8:30 — 10:30 PM
Set: 6:41p Set: None AM Major: 3:14a PM Major: 3:38p 5:00p 4:35a
17 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
4:00 — 6:00 AM
PRIME TIME 2:51 am 9:44 am 3:49 pm 9:34 pm
Sunrise: 7:27a Moonrise: 5:41a AM Minor: 3:55a PM Minor: 4:16p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
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1.20ft. 0.35ft. 1.07ft. 0.56ft.
3:30 — 5:30 AM
Set: 7:54p Set: 5:41p AM Major: 10:05a PM Major: 10:26p 11:38a None
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Tides and Prime Times
FRIDAY
4 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
PRIME TIME 3:18 am 10:05 am 4:32 pm 9:53 pm
1.03ft. 0.02ft. 0.87ft. 0.36ft.
Sunrise: 7:00a Moonrise: 6:37a AM Minor: 4:48a PM Minor: 5:08p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
PRIME TIME 1:46 am 11:38 am 12:23 pm 4:33 pm
-0.05ft. 1.03ft. 1.03ft. 1.11ft.
Sunrise: 6:52a Moonrise: 10:36a AM Minor: 10:20a PM Minor: 10:45p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
18 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
4:30 — 6:30 AM
Set: 6:37p Set: 6:45p AM Major: 10:58a PM Major: 11:18p 12:38p 12:18a
11 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
SATURDAY
9:00 — 11:00 PM
Set: 6:42p Set: 12:12a AM Major: 4:07a PM Major: 4:33p 5:51p 5:25a
PRIME TIME
3:13 am 9:54 am 4:23 pm 9:56 pm
1.28ft. 0.01ft. 1.09ft. 0.30ft.
Sunrise: 7:44a Moonrise: 6:59p AM Minor: 4:51a PM Minor: 5:18p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
3:30 — 5:30 AM
Set: 7:46p Set: 6:41a AM Major: 11:05a PM Major: 11:31p 12:19a 12:46p
25
PRIME TIME
Low Tide: 3:26 am -0.31ft. High Tide: 12:48 pm 1.31ft.
Sunrise: 7:35a Moonrise: 1:45a AM Minor: 11:49a PM Minor: ----Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
9:30 — 11:30 PM
Set: 7:51p Set: 12:04p AM Major: 5:35a PM Major: 6:03p 6:54a 7:22p
5 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
4:10 am 10:31 am 4:45 pm 10:22 pm
1.03ft. 0.18ft. 0.87ft. 0.25ft.
New Moon
First Quarter
N O R T H
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
5:00 — 7:00 AM
12
-0.09ft. 1.17ft.
Sunrise: 6:51a Moonrise: 11:27a AM Minor: 11:14a PM Minor: 11:41p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
19
Low Tide: 4:59 am High Tide: 5:34 pm
10:00P — 12:00A
1.35ft. 0.22ft. 1.08ft. 0.03ft.
Sunrise: 7:42a Moonrise: 8:08p AM Minor: 5:42a PM Minor: 6:09p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
5:00 — 7:00 PM
-0.21ft. 1.29ft.
Sunrise: 7:34a Moonrise: 2:38a AM Minor: 12:22a PM Minor: 12:46p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
6:30 — 8:30 AM
Set: 7:43p Set: 3:01a AM Major: 6:55a PM Major: 7:22p 8:40p 8:12a
PRIME TIME
5:37 am 11:32 am 5:01 pm 11:29 pm
1.40ft. 0.47ft. 1.09ft. -0.20ft.
Sunrise: 7:41a Moonrise: 9:19p AM Minor: 6:36a PM Minor: 7:04p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
6:00 — 8:00 PM
Set: 7:47p Set: 7:57a AM Major: 12:22a PM Major: 12:50p 2:06a 2:33p
27
PRIME TIME
Low Tide: 4:44 am High Tide: 2:11 pm
PRIME TIME
-0.15ft. 1.19ft.
20
Set: 7:47p Set: 7:18a AM Major: 11:55a PM Major: ----1:12a 1:39p
26
5:30 — 7:30 AM
Set: 6:38p Set: 8:31p AM Major: 12:01a PM Major: 12:21p 1:59p 1:39a
Sunrise: 7:50a Moonrise: 1:25p AM Minor: 12:41a PM Minor: 1:09p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
Set: 6:42p Set: 1:07a AM Major: 5:01a PM Major: 5:28p 6:44p 6:17a
PRIME TIME
4:26 am 10:44 am 4:42 pm 10:41 pm
1.02ft. 0.34ft. 0.88ft. 0.15ft.
13 Beg. DST
PRIME TIME
Low Tide: 2:49 am High Tide: 4:43 pm
PRIME TIME 5:01 am 10:56 am 4:57 pm 10:54 pm
Sunrise: 6:58a Moonrise: 7:34a AM Minor: 6:11a PM Minor: 6:32p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
Set: 6:37p Set: 7:38p AM Major: 11:14a PM Major: ----1:18p 12:58a
Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:
6:00 — 8:00 AM
PRIME TIME 6:05 am 2:52 pm 8:44 pm 10:49 pm
-0.12ft. 1.25ft. 1.05ft. 1.08ft.
Sunrise: 7:32a Moonrise: 3:24a AM Minor: 1:11a PM Minor: 1:36p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
Set: 7:51p Set: 1:02p AM Major: 6:32a PM Major: 6:59p 7:49a 8:15p
PRIME TIME 4:30 — 6:30 AM
6
PRIME TIME
Sunrise: 6:59a Moonrise: 7:06a AM Minor: 5:28a PM Minor: 5:49p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:
High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:
SUNDAY
12:00 — 2:00 AM
Set: 7:52p Set: 2:01p AM Major: 7:24a PM Major: 7:49p 8:41a 9:05p
PRIME TIME
SYMBOL KEY 5:00 — 7:00 AM
Full Moon
A L M A N A C
PRIME TIME
Last Quarter Good Day
T E X A S
F I S H
PRIME TIME 6:00 — 8:00 PM
BEST DAYS
&
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TIDE STATION CORRECTION TABLE (Adjust High & Low Tide times listed in the Calendar by the amounts below for each keyed location)
NOT FOR NAVIGATION PLACE SABINE BANK LIGHTHOUSE (29.47° N, 93.72° W) SABINE PASS JETTY (29.65° N, 93.83° W) SABINE PASS (29.73° N, 93.87°W) MESQUITE PT, SABINE PASS (29.77° N, 93.9° W) GALV. BAY, SO. JETTY (29.34° N, 94.7° W) PORT BOLIVAR (29.36° N, 94.77° W) TX CITY TURNING BASIN (29.38° N, 94.88° W) EAGLE POINT (29.5° N, 94.91° W) CLEAR LAKE (29.56° N, 95.06° W) MORGANS POINT (29.68° N, 94.98° W) ROUND PT, TRINITY BAY (29.71° N, 94.69° W) PT. BARROW, TRIN. BAY (29.74° N, 94.83° W) GILCHRIST, E. BAY (29.52° N, 94.48° W) JAMAICA BCH., W. BAY (29.2° N, 94.98° W) ALLIGATOR PT., W. BAY (29.17° N, 94.13° W) CHRISTMAS PT, CHR. BAY (29.08° N, 94.17° W) GALV. PLEASURE PIER (29.29° N, 94.79° W) SAN LUIS PASS (29.08° N, 95.12° W) FREEPORT HARBOR (28.95° N, 95.31° W) PASS CAVALLO (28.37° N, 96.4° W) ARANSAS PASS (27.84° N, 97.05° W) PADRE ISL.(SO. END) (26.07° N, 97.16° W) PORT ISABEL (26.06° N, 97.22° W)
M A R C H
HIGH
LOW
-1:46
-1:31
-1:26
-1:31
-1:00
-1:15
-0:04
-0:25
-0:39
-1:05
+0:14
-0:06
+0:33
+0:41
+3:54
+4:15
+6:05
+6:40
+10:21
+5:19
+10:39
+5:15
+5:48
+4:43
+3:16
+4:18
+2:38
+3:31
+2:39
+2:33
+2:32
+2:31
-1:06
-1:06
-0.09
-0.09
-0:44
-1:02
0:00
-1:20
-0:03
-1:31
-0:24
-1:45
+1:02
-0:42
2 0 1 1
|
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fish the edge of the moss beds, narrow pockets and stickups with spinnerbaits and jigs or worms.
PINEY WOODS
Hybrids, Whites and Largemouth by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Old Folks Playground GPS: N32 41.94936, W94 6.5934 (32.699156, -94.109890) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Senkos, chartreuse-white spinnerbaits, black-blue jigs CONTACT: Paul Keith, caddoguide1@att.neet, 318-455-3437, caddolakefishing.com TIPS: Fish the bases of the cypress trees and adjacent grass flats. The bass often
hold close to the tree trunks beneath the moss that gathers around the trees near the surface. They also prowl or stage near the outside edges of the grass beds. LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Government Ditch GPS: N32 44.0031, W94 6.56766 (32.733385, -94.109461) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Jigs with pork or soft plastic trailers, Texas-rigged plastic worms, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Paul Keith, caddoguide@att.net, 318-455-3437, caddolakefishing.com TIPS: Fish the lures around the moss at the bases of the isolated cypress trees. Also
LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N30 23.7141, W95 35.41422 (30.395235, -95.590237) SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: live shad, Storm Swim Shad CONTACT: Richard Tatsch, admin@fishdudetx.com, 936-291-1277, fishdudetx.com TIPS: This is a great time to catch big hybrids. Find schools of shad and you will find hybrids. Search humps and points in 28-40 feet of water. Constantly watch what depth the fish are in because they will move up and down the water column hourly. LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Harmon Creek
COVER STORY pill, and it will certainly give you better FROM PG. 58 penetration and bullet performance. My opinion is that there is no valid reason, not ever, to shoot a bullet lighter than 165 grains in a .300 Magnum; there is, likewise, no reason to shoot bullets of less than 139 grains in a 7mm Magnum; and bullets lighter than 150 grains are a poor choice in any .30 caliber rifle from the .30-30 on up. Here are my suggestions for rifle loads for deer and hogs. Centerfire .22 calibers, .222 Remington and above – 55-grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, 60-grain Nosler Partition, Barnes 55or 60-grain TSX, loaded to top velocity. .243 calibers – 100-grain soft point, 100-grain Nosler Partition, various 100grain bonded core bullets, at 2900-plus fps. .257 Roberts and .25-06 Remington– CONTINUED
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100 grain Nosler Partition, 100-grain Barnes Triple Shok, 110-grain Nosler AccuBond, 115-grain Nosler Partition, at above 3000 fps. .257 Weatherby -- 120grain bullets. Lighter bullets in .257 Weatherby tend to fragment and sometimes lack penetration. I have come to really love the 110-grain AccuBond for these applications. 6.5mms – 129-grain Hornady InterBond, 140-grain Hornady InterLock, or the new Speer 140-grain DeepCurl bonded core. .270 Winchester – 130-grain Speer or Hornady Soft Point, 130-grain Nosler partition, other 130- or 140-grain hunting bullets, loaded to 3100 fps plus. .30-06, .308 Winchester, .30 TC, and other cartridges of this general power level – 150- or 165-grain softpoints, Nosler Partition, Nosler AccuBond, Hornady InterBond, Barnes TSX, Nosler E-Tip.
T E X A S
F I S H
&
G A M E ®
7mm Remington and Weatherby Magnums, 7mm WSM – 140-grain Hornady, 145-grain Speer, 150-grain Sierra, 150and 160-grain Nosler Partition, Hornady 154-grain InterBond. Loaded over a stiff charge of IMR-7828 or Reloader 22 or 25, any of these bullets can be pushed to 3000 fps or more. .300 Magnums – This power level in not needed for deer and hogs. However, the various .300 Magnums are now the most popular cartridges in the nation. With any of the .300s, a 165- to 180-grain bullet is sufficient for either deer or wild hogs. This is where the new Nosler E-Tip bullet would really shine.
N O R T H
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GPS: N30 52.11096, W95 23.91396 (30.868516, -95.398566) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, white Sassy Shads CONTACT: Dave Cox, dave@palmettoguideservice.com, 936291-9602, palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Find the schools of fish by trolling the lures, then make long casts behind the boat and retrieve with a medium retrieve, stopping the lure occasionally to let it fall before continuing the retrieve. LOCATION: Toledo Bend Res. HOTSPOT: Bayou Seipe GPS: N31 43.7817, W93 49.86516 (31.729695, -93.831086) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, stick baits, Rat-L-Traps, topwaters, jigs, soft plastics CONTACT: Greg Crafts, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, 936-368-7151, toledobendguide.com TIPS: A number of variables will determine the pattern and lures to use. If the lake is close to high pool, flip or pitch jigs and soft plastics in the buck brush. Work shallow flats, backs of creeks, points and creek bends with the other lures mentioned.
PRAIRIES & LAKES
Stripers, Crappie, Cats & Hybrids by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Cedar Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Cedar Creek GPS: N32 25.04934, W96 11.3325 (32.417489, -96.188875) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: live minnows, crappie jigs CONTACT: Jason Barber, kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com, 903-887-7896, kingscreekfishing.com TIPS: You will need a small boat to access Cedar Creek and Lacy Creek near64 |
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lures across wind-blown points for spawning fish. Triplet Point also produces a lot of fish. Also try chrome Rat-L-Traps and Slabs.
by to the south. Look for shallow cover such as cattails and brush in one to four feet of water. Change the colors of your lures and depths you are fishing until you find the fish. LOCATION: Fayette County Res. HOTSPOT: Main Point GPS: N29 56.31696, W96 44.217 (29.938616, -96.736950) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Shad, stinkbait, chicken liver CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Most of the stumps here are under water. Use your electronics to anchor in the stumps. Throw out chum around the boat. It will take about 30 minutes for the chum to bring in the fish. Fish with a tight line on or just off the bottom at about 13 feet. LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Diversion Canal GPS: N30 38.40582, W96 3.23028 (30.640097, -96.053838) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, crawfish, shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Use a tight line or a cork with a 2/0 Kahle hook or No. 4 treble hook and fish close to the bank. You will catch more fish by using only one rod. Stay on the move, fishing slowly and moving about 50 yards at a time until you locate pockets of fish. LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Snake Island GPS: N31 55.30656, W97 12.8484 (31.921776, -97.214140) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Little Georges, Tail Hummers CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, teamredneck.net TIPS: Have your binoculars handy. The birds still are working and the white bass are gorging shad and spawning. Cast the
T E X A S
F I S H
&
G A M E ®
LOCATION: Lake Cooper HOTSPOT: Doctor’s Creek GPS: N33 20.58234, W95 41.11794 (33.343039, -95.685299) SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: Shadlicious and other hollow-body swimbaits CONTACT: Tony Parker, tawakonifishing@yahoo.com, 903-348-1619, tonyparkerfishing.com TIPS: Look for hybrids to be moving up the creeks to go through the spawning motion. Fish the edges of the creeks in 2-3 feet of water. If you don’t get strikes in the creek you are fishing, switch to another creek until you find the fish. LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: 380 Bridge GPS: N33 9.7362, W96 26.18136 (33.162270, -96.436356) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows CONTACT: Billy Kilpatrick, straightlineguide@yahoo.com, 214-232-7847, straightlineguide.com TIPS: Crappie are staging at 5-8 feet during the daytime and moving shallow after dark in search of warmer waters. Use lanterns at night and fish 2-3 feet of water along bridge riprap. Start at the shallow ends of the bridge. Lighted docks also are good. LOCATION: Lake Lewisville HOTSPOT: Lake Park Point GPS: N33 4.74528, W96 59.86872 (33.079088, -96.997812) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Fresh gizzard, shad, threadfin shad CONTACT: Bobby Kubin, bobby@bobby-catfishing.com, 817-4552894, bobby-catfishing.com TIPS: March is a perfect time to catch trophy blue catfish. Look for shallow windblown points like this one and others near deep water drop-offs and creek channels.
N O R T H
A L M A N A C
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Use Carolina or Santee-Cooper rig with one-ounce weight, 18-inch leader, 5-0 or 80 hook. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: South Sandy Flats GPS: N32 4.50912, W95 25.43172 (32.075152, -95.423862) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Earthworms, punch bait, shrimp CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Concentrate on the flats at the south end of the lake with sandy bottoms, especially those near concrete retaining walls. Drift-fish earthworms, punch bait or shrimp across the flats. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Kickapoo Channel
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GPS: N32 16.78812, W95 29.97342 (32.279802, -95.499557) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Crappie jigs, minnows CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, rickysguideservice.com TIPS: The crappie are beginning to spawn in the shallows of all creeks, especially Kickapoo Creek above the FM 315 bridge. Use ultra-light spinning tackle and work the lures across the flats. Also target Kickapoo and Flat Creek bridges and flats nearby. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Old Folks Playground GPS: N32 15.36852, W95 29.13966 (32.256142, -95.485661) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Mister Twister worms, spinnerbaits, Shimmy Shakers
CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: The water is clear in most areas of the lake. Look for the bass to be spawning in the shallows and use watermelon-red lures in two to four feet of water along the banks and in the creeks. Cobb Creek and Flat Creek also are good places to try. LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Yegua Creek GPS: N30 18.4437, W96 39.13752 (30.307395, -96.652292) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, shad liver CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Look for the occasional deeper holes in this shallow area. Tie up and chum the area with soured maize. Use a one-ounce weight if there is a current. Fish a tight line with a 2/0 Kahle or No.4 treble hook. Look for the fish to be close to the banks. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Paw Paw Creek GPS: N33 51.41022, W96 52.54374 (33.856837, -96.875729) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Road Runners, Sassy Shad jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477, striperexpress.com TIPS: In March the stripers are staging up the main tributaries. Fish main-lake points and creeks with one -ounce Road Runners and Sassy Shad jigs. Watch for sea gulls and keep your lure in the top 15 feet of water when fishing under them. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: The Islands GPS: N33 51.55992, W96 42.26466 (33.859332, -96.704411) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Coho minnows, Sassy Shad jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-786-4477,
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M A R C H
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T E X A S
F I S H
&
G A M E 速
N O R T H
A L M A N A C
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striperexpress.com TIPS: Big fish are roaming the flats and main-lake points at 5-30-feet depths. Cast white glow or chartreuse 3/4-ounce Coho minnows and Sassy Shads on the banks for great topwater action. You may catch eggladened stripers to 20-pounds. LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Whitney Hump GPS: N31 54.67194, W97 20.87298 (31.911199, -97.347883) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Wild Eyed Shad, oneounce Slabs CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, teamredneck.net TIPS: Use chartreuse Wild Eyed Shads and make long casts behind the boat. Drag the lures using the trolling motor. Work the lures on long lines back and forth across the hump. Watch for feeding birds and have rods rigged with Slabs to cast under them.
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LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Nolan at Brazos GPS: N32 5.24196, W97 28.152 (32.087366, -97.469200) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Sassy Shad, Flea Fly, CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, teamredneck.net TIPS: Head up the river to this hotspot for spawning white bass. Use a Sassy Shad or similar swimbait with a Flea Fly tied 10-inches above it. Make long casts to the points and bounce the lure up and down along the edge of the points. LOCATION: Richland-Chambers Res. HOTSPOT: Alligator Cove GPS: N31 59.50626, W96 12.51894 (31.991771, -96.208649) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged worms, Hag’s Tornado F6s, Undertaker craw creatures CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, steve@schmidtsbigbass.com, 682-5188252, schmidtsbigbass.com
TIPS: The bass still are moving up the creeks in a pre-spawn pattern. Fish shallow on warmer days and move out to secondary points after cold fronts. Use spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits to locate fish and then fish slow with large soft plastics. LOCATION: Richland-Chambers Res. HOTSPOT: 309 Flats GPS: N31 58.71798, W96 6.87 (31.978633, -96.114500) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: One-ounce Silver Glitter RSR Shad Slabs CONTACT: Royce and Adam Simmons, royce@gonefishing.biz, 903-389-4117, www.gonefishing.biz TIPS: Concentrate on drop-offs and ridges in the 309 Flats at water depths ranging from 20-30 feet. Bounce the slabs off the bottom for the best results. Some large hybrid stripers also roam this area. Keep an eye out for feeding gulls to locate the fish.
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waters to spawn. Fish the flats at Bird Island as well as those at Costello Island and the other small islands between it and Bird Island. Expect to catch 50 to 200 fish a day.
PANHANDLE
Ivie Lunkers and Possum Whites
BIG BEND
by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: OH Ivie Res. HOTSPOT: Main Lake Flats GPS: N31 32.83818, W99 43.19874 (31.547303, -99.719979) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged, 10-inch Power Worms, finesse worms CONTACT: Dave Caudle, fishinwithdave@aol.com, 325-365-1020, fishinwithdave.com TIPS: With the low water conditions, the spawning flats are smaller than usual and concentrating the female bass. Fish the points in the Leaday area and around the south island for double-digit bass. The river also will hold bass on all points. LOCATION: OH Ivie Res. HOTSPOT: River Channel Flats GPS: N31 34.41798, W99 42.09672 (31.573633, -99.701612) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, slabs, in-line spinners CONTACT: Dave Caudle, fishinwithdave@aol.com, 325-365-1020 TIPS: The white bass are schooling on all of the flats near the river channel. Some largemouth bass also may be mixed in with these huge schools. Catfish can be caught shallow in the same areas on cheese baits fished under corks at three to six feet. LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Res. HOTSPOT: Bird Island GPS: N32 56.208, W98 26.0388 (32.936800, -98.433980) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: live shad, slabs, jigs CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: White bass, striped bass and crappie will be running upstream to the head68 |
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Dive Bomb Amistad Bass by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Caballo Canyon GPS: N29 30.54078, W101 18.0942 (29.509013, -101.301570) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Deep-diving Bombers, Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Larry Scruggs, Amistad Lodge and Adventures, fisherofmenlrs@hotmail.com, 210-789-1645 TIPS: Search for water in 20-30 feet near spawning areas. It is imperative anglers buy a Mexico fishing license when fishing south of the international river markers. Fisherman’s Headquarters in Del Rio at Highways 277 South and 90 West has them.
HILL COUNTRY
Take a Hike for Granger Whites by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Triple Peak Cove GPS: N29 51.09594, W98 12.693 (29.851599, -98.211550) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Berkley Power Worms, Zoom Flukes, and Zoom Finesse Worms CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, kandie@gvtc.com, 210-823-2153
T E X A S
F I S H
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TIPS: Fish slowly along the channel with a Carolina-rigged Watermelon-red flake Fluke on 6 1/2-foot Castaway rod. Also throw a Secret Weapon recoil drop-shot with green pumpkin magic Zoom finesse worm or a Wacky-rigged Watermelon-purple finesse worm. LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Willis Creek GPS: N30 41.67216, W97 22.89144 (30.694536, -97.381524) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Small white jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, gotcrappie.com TIPS: Walk in from County Road 348 and fish the eddies below gravel bars with small white jigs. LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Willis Creek GPS: N30 41.76066, W97 22.82442 (30.696011, -97.380407) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Small white jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, gotcrappie.com TIPS: Fish 1/16-ounce crappie jigs below slip bobbers as close as you can to the banks. Find the thickest brush and roots and drop jigs into small open spots. Willis Slough east of the park near the pavilion also is one of the hottest spots at this time.
SOUTH TEXAS PLAINS
Falcon’s Spring Bass Haven by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Veleno Creek GPS: N26 53.60664, W99 14.57088 (26.893444, -99.242848) SPECIES: largemouth bass N O R T H
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BEST BAITS: Lake Fork swimbaits, Skinny Deepers, 10-inch plastic worms, magnum plastic lizards CONTACT: Robert Amaya, robertsfishntackle@gmail.com, 956-765-1442, robertsfishntackle.com TIPS: Veleno Creek is a big bass haven
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in the early spring. Fish the flats close to the main creek channel and tributary creek channels. You will find post-spawn bass there along with spawning bluegills. The best lure colors are Watermelon red.
UPPER GULF COAST
Merry Christmas Speck Action by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Christmas Bay HOTSPOT: South Shore Line GPS: N29 2.57802, W95 11.703 (29.042967, -95.195050) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 52 and 51 series MirrOLures CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Throw 51 series when wading; 52 series when drifting LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Little Pasture Bayou GPS: N29 31.254, W94 32.31798 (29.520900, -94.538633) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 52 and 51 series MirrOLures CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Not a lot of fish, but quality fish
LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Catchall Basin GPS: N28 42.19698, W95 46.61202 (28.703283, -95.776867) M A R C H
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LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Boiler Bayou GPS: N28 38.547, W95 53.001 (28.642450, -95.883350) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkys, Norton Sand Eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Wade the south shoreline as it gets warmer LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Sabine Neches Canal GPS: N29 53.84622, W93 54.29346 (29.897437, -93.904891) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Black Gillraker worm soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Edie Hernandez, 409721-5467, 409-673-3100 TIPS: Using the drift of the boat, drag worms along the bottom. LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Blue Buck Point GPS: N29 47.77998, W93 54.43902 (29.796333, -93.907317) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Pink Skitter Walk, Bone Top Dog topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez, 409-721-5467, or 409-673-3100 TIPS: Topwaters early in the morning, switching off to soft plastics, such as Flounder Pounder later in the day
LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Kain Cove GPS: N28 40.092, W95 50.32098 (28.668200, -95.838683) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Black Norton Sand Eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Drift shell areas
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SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Black Norton Sand Eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: As water and air temperatures heat up, try fishing the mud flats.
LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: South Causeway Reef GPS: N29 47.22102, W93 55.91898 (29.787017, -93.931983) SPECIES: flounder BEST BAITS: live finger mullet or mud minnows; Pearl or chartreuse colored plastic grubs CONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez, 409-721-5467, 409-673-3100
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TIPS: Tip the grubs with a piece of fresh shrimp LOCATION: San Luis Pass HOTSPOT: San Louis Pass Flats GPS: N29 5.673, W95 6.88002 (29.094550, -95.114667) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 52 and 51 series MirrOLures CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Throw 51 series when wading; 52 series when drifting LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Reef GPS: N28 33.84102, W96 14.166 (28.564017, -96.236100) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, black Norton Sand Eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Start the morning throwing topwater lures working the guts; switch to Sand Eels later in the morning.
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0133 TIPS: Good location for anglers without a boat; take Hwy 361, exit at the bridge. Free line lived shrimp with a light weight.
ping cork; B&L Corky lures or Catch 2000 in Bone or natural colors CONTACT: Capt. Brad Smyth: 361790-8354 TIPS: If water is cold look for fish over mud bottoms LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: JFK Causeway GPS: N27 38.07102, W97 14.46102 (27.634517, -97.241017) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: 3/4-ounce; gold spoons CONTACT: Capt. Jon Fails, 361-9490133 TIPS: The flats around the Causeway can produce some good redfish action in March. LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Packery Channel GPS: N27 37.4856, W97 12.8826 (27.624760, -97.214710) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Jon Fails, 361-949-
LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Quarantine Shore GPS: N27 55.00602, W97 4.06998 (27.916767, -97.067833) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastic baits or live shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. John Barbree, 361222-0477 TIPS: Water temperature will determine what water depth fish will be found. LOCATION: Redfish Bay HOTSPOT: Inside Hog Island GPS: N27 56.35998, W97 1.24998 (27.939333, -97.020833) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp or mullet CONTACT: Capt. John Barbree, 361222-0477 TIPS: Best time to fish is in the after-
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Causeway Reds & Quarantine Trout by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: West Shoreline GPS: N28 8.865, W96 58.197 (28.147750, -96.969950) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a popping cork; B&L Corky lures or Catch 2000 in Bone or natural colors CONTACT: Capt. Brad Smyth: 361790-8354 TIPS: Look for bait rafting up on the shorelines LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: Turtle Pen Cut GPS: N28 12.18798, W97 1.227 (28.203133, -97.020450) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a popN O R T H
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noon after the water has warmed. LOCATION: Rockport HOTSPOT: Blackjack Shoreline GPS: N28 7.27302, W96 57.31998 (28.121217, -96.955333) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Soft plastic baits CONTACT: Capt. John Barbree, 361222-0477 TIPS: Work the shoreline while drifting LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Panther Reef GPS: N28 18, W96 43.19802 (28.300000, -96.719967) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Brad Smyth: 361-7908354 TIPS: Fish mid bay oyster shell bottoms if the wind allows LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Pure Oil Channel GPS: N27 31.57002, W97 17.85 (27.526167, -97.297500) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: 1/2-ounce jigheads with soft plastics in either brown/chartreuse tail or white CONTACT: Capt. Jon Fails, 361-9490133 TIPS: Lots of grass
LOWER GULF COAST
Baffin Specks, Unnecessary Reds by CALIXTO GONZALES cgonzales@fishgame.com
LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Black’s Bluff GPS: N27 13.97202, W97 31.11198 (27.232867, -97.518533) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live bait; Catch 5 or Catch 2000's or Topwaters in chrome/blue, baby 72 |
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trout, soft plastics in Baffin Magic, Morning Glory, plum/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361985-6089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Wade around the rocks with suspending lures or an eel-type plastic bait. Use fluorocarbon leader for abrasion resistance and invisibility. Use light (1/16the ounce) heads. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge GPS: N27 18.08202, W97 27.51198 (27.301367, -97.458533) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live bait; Catch 5 or Catch 2000's or Topwaters in chrome/blue, baby trout, soft plastics in Baffin Magic, Morning Glory, plum/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361985-6089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: This is the month, and this is the spot, for the trout of your dreams. Wade the area with topwaters or soft plastics fished slowly. Watch for nervous mullet to tip off the presence of Ms. Big. Be patient, though; these trout hit when they want to. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Unnecessary Island GPS: N26 13.81098, W97 16.34202 (26.230183, -97.272367) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp, live or dead mullet, topwaters, gold spoons, Logic Tandem Rigs in Gold/metalflake, black/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: If March is true to form, weather will start warming up, and the redfish will start spreading out on the shallow flats. You can fish more aggressively and work lures faster than normal for reaction strikes. Live bait or tandems are good with a Mauler. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Stover Cove GPS: N26 13.93002, W97 19.39002 (26.232167, -97.323167)
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SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp, Logic Solo or Tandem rigs in Pearl/chartreuse, pearl/pink, black/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: Fish the windward shoreline where the waves start to push bait into the shallows. Fish your lures or bait in a frantic retrieve. Use live shrimp on cloudy days or in stained water. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: The Drum Boat GPS: N26 10.713, W97 11.10702 (26.178550, -97.185117) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp, live or dead mullet, topwaters, gold spoons, soft plastics in red/white, gold/metalflake, mullet CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish the deeper water to the west for speckled trout. Trout will hold around the edges of potholes and will hit soft plastics or live shrimp under a popping cork. Gulp! Shrimp are a good choice if bait is scarce. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Horsehead Bay GPS: N26 20.87298, W97 19.70802 (26.347883, -97.328467) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters, gold spoons, Logic Tandems in gold/glitter CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: This is very, very skinny work; best suited to technical skiffs, tunnel boats, and kayaks. If you get in there, look for mud boils or tailing reds. Keep your rod tip high while retrieving to keep your lure visible. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Coast Guard Station GPS: N26 4.36002, W97 10.03098 (26.072667, -97.167183) SPECIES: sheepshead BEST BAITS: live shrimp, fresh shrimp CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474
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TIPS: Fish the channel drop-offs and channel markers in the boat channel that passes in front of the Coast Guard station with live shrimp or fresh shrimp on free line rigs. The bigger fish are on the edges. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Coast Guard Station GPS: N26 4.36002, W97 10.03098 (26.072667, -97.167183) SPECIES: black drum BEST BAITS: live shrimp, fresh shrimp CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956943-3474 TIPS: Black drum are available along the channel edges, especially when tidal flow is pushing water off the flats. Use a 1/2-ounce egg sinker on fish finder rig with large shrimp. Most will be 14-20-inch fish, but there will be some big bruisers, too. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: King Ranch GPS: N26 46.30602, W97 28.35198 (26.771767, -97.472533) SPECIES: speckled trout
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BEST BAITS: Soft baits in Pearl/chartreuse, glow/chartreuse, purple/chartreuse Topwaters in baby trout, mullet, Bone CONTACT: Captain Steven Devries, 956289-3631 TIPS: Fish the deeper water near the spoils with soft plastics. If there has been a warm stretch, try topwaters in shallower water early in the morning. Look for weedlines and fish them thoroughly. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: The Saucer GPS: N26 27.64002, W97 22.24992 (26.460667, -97.370832) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft baits in Pearl/chartreuse, glow/chartreuse, purple/chartreuse Topwaters in baby trout, mullet, Bone CONTACT: Captain Steven Devries, 956289-3631 TIPS: This area offers both a chance to put some good solid trout in the box, and a shot a truly big fish. Fish topwaters slowly
near spoils for the bigger trout, or the weed and potholes with plastics for chunky trout hungry after the winter. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Bennie’s Shack GPS: N26 30.23898, W97 23.64798 (26.503983, -97.394133) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft baits in Pearl/chartreuse, glow/chartreuse, purple/chartreuse Topwaters in baby trout, mullet, Bone CONTACT: Captain Steven Devries, 956289-3631 TIPS: I don’t know who Bennie is, but he picked a good spot. Watch for birds working over feeding trout in deeper water West of what’s left of the shack. Drift past the island, and, come back around to 200 in front of it, repeat.
2/3/11
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New Oasis YOU LIKE KAYAK FISHING, BUT YOUR significant other doesn’t like getting left behind? Then you need a tandem ‘yak. Up until now there haven’t been many fishing-dedicated tandem models on the market. Now, however, Hobie has one that’s perfect for the angling-oriented paddler: the Mirage Oasis. Like the others in the Mirage series this kayak can be operated with either paddles or leg-powered peddles which propel the kayak with a set of fins, called the Mirage drive. (Go to Hobie’s web site, and you can see an underwater video which shows these fins in operation; they work by copying the penguin’s style of fin-powered propulsion). There’s also a tandem fishingyak version without the peddle drive, called the Odyssey. Anglers will be psyched to find out that all Oasis models come with standards including three contained cargo areas (with twist-on compression hatches fitted with O-rings), “twist and stow” rudders, high-back padded seats with inflatable lumbar support, and a pair of molded-in rodholders. Two-piece paddles also come with the kayak, and it can be rigged out with options including an eight gallon livewell (with a sealed six-volt gelcell battery and an adjustable drain), fishfinders, rod holders, and stake-out poles, and there are even some major-league options available like an electric motor, a Bimini top, a trailer, and a sailing kit. With the Oasis’s closed-deck design there are self-draining scuppers that’ll keep your seat dry, and the long, narrow nature of this kayak ensures comfort and safety even when paddling through a chop. The hull is polyethylene, so you know it’ll stand up to all sorts of angling abuse, like grounding on oyster bars or beaching on rocky shorelines. LOA is 14’6”, beam is 74 |
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There’s just one problem: the E-Z Cast is undeniably a beginner-level reel. It’s not the smoothest or the strongest reel in the world (though it does have an aluminum frame) and it has a mere three ball-bearings. On the bright side, list cost is only —Lenny Rudow $40 for the reel, or $50 for a rod and reel combo (available in men’s or a “Ladyfish” model, with a 6’0” rod that has stainlesssteel eyes). As a result, serious anglers HERE’S ONE THING EVEN DEMOCRATS won’t opt for the E-Z Cast. But this is an and Republicans can agree on: backlash excellent option for folks who want to equip stinks. Nothing’s worse than letting your a beginner or a child with a lure sail out over the water, and baitcaster that’s low-cost, reliShakespeare’s then discovernew baitcaster able, and most importantly, ing a big, effectively stops doesn’t ever backlash. And fat bird’s backlashes. since the system has proved nest in successful, this is a feature we’ll your reel. EZ Cast probably see applied to better, Modern more advanced reels in the magfuture—so keep your eyes on Shakespeare, and at least for the time being, continue to keep your thumb cocked cautiously above the spool. Learn more at www.shakespeare-fishing.com.
33”, and displacement is 75 pounds. List cost is $2,699, but you can quickly break three grand if you opt for a lot of extras. Check it out at www.hobiecat.com.
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netic and centrifugal braking systems help, but they don’t eliminate backlash completely. That’s why Shakespeare decided to create a new anti-backlash system that would take the lash out of backlash. This new system is based on a sensor bar, which flips up and slows the spool as a backlash begins to form. It’s been introduced on the E-Z Cast reel, which is a 7.3 ounce, 6.2:1 ratio baitcaster that can hold up to 100 yards of 10 pound test. I had a chance to try one out, and I did my very best to make a big, ugly snarl appear in the reel by doing everything wrong—but the E-Z Cast simply wouldn’t let it happen, no matter how hard I tried. Dozens of casts later, I was convinced that the system works.
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Muzzle Brake-Through I HATE MUZZLE BRAKES. I ESPECIALLY hated muzzle brakes when I was working as a hunting guide because I normally did not wear hearing protection, so I could better communicate with my client. Also, I usually couldn't cover my ears because I would be holding a pair of binoculars as the client was shooting. If there is anything louder than a muzzle brake on a magnum rifle fired from the confines of a box blind, I have yet to hear it. It is akin, I expect, to the Trinity nuclear blast at White Sands in 1945. A few weeks ago, as I write this, Johnny
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Glueck of Active Tuning Solutions and Active Camo Products, Inc. called me to discuss testing his muzzle brakes. He has two different models, one, called the Masterbrake, he claims is primarily a standard muzzle brake, that reduces the felt recoil of a rifle by a considerable percentage, and does some other fancy things with the escaping gas that keeps the blast off the shooter and enables better accuracy. The other, called the HuntersBrake, however, not only reduces the felt recoil, it keeps the muzzle blast to near normal levels. To be completely honest, I did not believe him. You see, a muzzle brake works by redirecting the gases produced by the burning powder in the cartridge. To reduce the kick, the gas is redirected up, down, to the sides, and to some extent, to the rear. This does, indeed, reduce the apparent kick. Unfortunately, it also increases the apparent noise produced by the cartridge. Most muzzle brakes turn the kick into a deafening blast. You have the choice of being kicked black and blue or deafened. I generally prefer to be kicked. Johnny claimed that he had a muzzle brake that did not deafen the shooter or the shooter's companions. I invited him to come to my place in Brackettville and prove it. He agreed and we met for the first time at my front gate, late in the afternoon on Pearl Harbor Day. To tell you the truth, I simply did not believe him about the one that was quieter. You see, I had heard this before, more than once, and it was never true. The next morning we got down to business. Johnny brought several Blaser rifles equipped with threaded barrels to accept his muzzle brakes. In the interest of science and brevity I decided I would start at the top. We pulled out a .375 H&H Magnum and a .30-378 Weatherby Magnum. Neither of these calibers is known for their lack of recoil and the .30-378 is renowned as a beast with a terrible muzzle blast. We shot the .375 with 300-grain bullets and the .30-378 with 180-grain bullets. Johnny said the .30-378 load was pushing the 180-grain bullets to 3450 feet per second. First I shot the .375 without the muzzle brake and I must admit that the Blaser rifle handled the recoil quite well. Still, when I pulled the trigger the gun set back with authority. The recoil with the 300-grain bullets was in the realm of 41 foot-pounds. N O R T H
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Then we attached the muzzle brake and I tried it again, prepared to have my eyebrows singed by the blast. Recoil was significantly reduced and, much to my surprise, the muzzle blast was so close to what it had been without the brake that I honestly couldn't tell the difference. To be sure I asked Johnny to shoot the gun while I stood back and listened. Same results. Next we tried the .30-378. Same routine. The recoil with this high velocity cannon should be in the neighborhood of 36 foot-pounds, and it has a muzzle blast to break windows and cause the chickens to quit laying. The addition of a muzzle brake usually makes it into a terror that should require clearance from NORAD before firing. Again the HuntersBrake tamed the recoil and did not noticeably increase the noise level. Now understand this: the HuntersBrake Model, does not decrease the muzzle blast of your cannon, it merely does not make it louder, or, at least, not enough that you can tell without a decibel meter. That is a huge accomplishment, by the way. Okay, I'm sold. The thing works, I give. We shot the rifles some more; enough that I was thoroughly convinced that the propaganda was absolutely true. So then I asked, how did you do it? Johnny explained that the concept was not his. It was originally invented by another man, George Vais,
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who sold the patents to Johnny. In reality the concept is quite simple. I will not go into the mechanics of the thing; Johnny can tell you how it works, if he wants to. The inventor, a friend of Johnny, has since retired and moved back to his native Greece, but Johnny still honors him with recognition as the inventor. You can read the story on the website www.activetuningsolutions.com. Johnny Glueck is a master gunsmith. He will install the muzzle brake for you, refinish your gun with some of the neat camo patterns they have, such as my favorite, Barbed Wire, clean the accumulated decades of gunk out of the gun, and any other gunsmithing you require. He will also sell the muzzle brake to you or your gunsmith for installation. My suggestion is that unless you have a gunsmith who you trust implicitly, let Glueck do the work. I saw his work on the test guns and it was very, very good. The Masterbrake is being stocked by Brownells, but as this is written they are not yet carrying the HuntersBrake. Well, that's it – a muzzle brake that finally does not add to the muzzle blast. Now I know what I want for my next Christmas. Oh, Santa... —Steve LaMascus
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My Little .243 RECENTLY TRADED FOR A .243 WINchester, and yes, I do have several reasons. I have been doing some testing of a pet theory of mine. That is that older guns shoot better now than when they were built because modern bullets are much better than the bullets of years gone by; and that average guns today are just marginally more accurate than guns of 50 years ago, but appear to be more accurate because of the superior bullets. I also think the .243 Winchester is one of the best varmint/deer crossover calibers made. Because of these reasons, and because it was a good trade, I am now the proud owner of a really nice pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .243 Winchester. When I traded for it I did not realize that it was one made in 1955, which was the year Winchester introduced the .243. That makes it a very special little gun. Generally, guns made in the year any particular caliber was introduced are above average in accuracy. I think it is because the tools used to cut the barrels are new and therefore very close to perfect, without the wear that naturally occurs and increases tolerances as they are used, and there is a bit more care taken in assembling the guns. My .243 is not in new condition, but it is in very good shape, especially for a gun more than a half-century old. I would give it about 95% on a scale of 1 to 100. The barrel is pristine, the stock has a few character marks, and there is some blue wear on the
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muzzle. In addition, someone polished the forward hinge on the aluminum floor plate and the edges of the metal butt plate so that they look silver. It looks okay, if a bit gaudy, but it is not original. I mounted a 3-15X Weaver Super Slam on it using Weaver rings and mounts. When I first shot the gun, the weather was cool, cloudy, rainy, and windy. I had to put the gun in the truck once to keep it from getting wet. Even with the less than perfect weather conditions it shot very well. I shot it with a pet long-range coyote load using 95grain Nosler Ballistic Tips. After several 3shot groups the average was almost exactly 1 inch, with the smallest being .734”. I have said several times that modern guns are more accurate than older guns and that the biggest difference in accuracy today is in the perfection of modern bullets. In years past, say, the 1960s, it was common knowledge that a rifle that would group less than 2 inches was a fine gun, and one that would group less than 3 inches was worth keeping. Today those same guns will generally shoot better than they did when they were new. I have shot a lot of older guns, ranging from Model 98 Mausers, to 1903 Springfields, Model 100 Winchesters, Model 722 Remingtons, pre64 Model 70s, and many more. I have found that almost every one of them shoots better now than it was said to shoot when brand new. It is not terribly unusual for “sporterized” Mausers made in the 1920s and '30s to shoot near minute-of-angle with modern handloads. That can only be because of the bullets. Still, the accuracy potential of new guns has also advanced over the years. I know this because I have been running a test of old bullets. It seems that just as old guns shoot better with new bullets, old bullets also
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shoot better in the new guns. Strange as it may seem, I have yet to determine a concrete level of accuracy differential between the two. In fact, it is rather confusing to me, providing data that seems somehow contradictory. However, I will continue the testing as I come across the old bullets, which are getting hard to find. If you have an old box or two of bullets that were made before the age of computer controlled manufacturing, and that you would turn loose of in the interest of semi-scientific truth finding, please get in touch with me at the email address below. But back to my Model 70. Suffice to say that I have fallen in love with the little Featherweight. The trigger is a bit of a problem. It is just about a pound too heavy to suit me, which is common with most factory triggers. I am, in this instance, hesitant to put another trigger in the gun. I would like to keep it all original. If it weren't for its unique collector's value I would put a aftermarket trigger in it and be done with it. In any case I will probably end up putting a Timney in it, but I will try to tune the original Winchester trigger first. While I am not a in the sanctity and perfection of the pre-64 Model 70, I really like this one, and it has shot well with everything I have loaded for it thus far. I am presently testing a box of old Herter's 100-grain semipointed bullets that I found on one of the websites. If it shoots them well I will be forced to conclude that it will shoot just about anything. Anyway, you can expect to see more about the bullet test when and if I finish. In the meantime my little .243 and I are having a great time.
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2:16 PM
Be Prepared HEN I WORE A YOUNGER LAD’S clothes, I was a scout. The most important thing I learned as a scout was to always be prepared. I try to think of every possible scenario, and be ready for anything in order to assure a good outcome. Turkey season is almost here, and it is time to practice and practice hard so you are well prepared to take that bird with your bow. Some of the bow hunters that are reading this right now are saying to themselves that to take a longbeard with a bow is just too difficult. They will choose to just continue to hunt birds with a gun. If you are one of those people, believe me, you are making a huge mistake. Taking any game with a bow is challenging, but there comes a special pride in one’s self when you are successful in the turkey woods with your stick and string. So, if you have decided that bow hunting turkeys is for you, then you need to take some time and practice. For most of us bow hunters, the practice stops after opening day of bow season and does not return until the following summer months. I am not saying that this is a good thing…quite the contrary, but I would be lying to you if I did not put myself in that same category! Start by grouping your field tips once again. Shoot until you are almost touching your arrows. That will determine what your known accuracy range is. When you are confident enough to consistently and accurately shoot your bow from a standing position, try sitting down and then kneeling down. You will need to be able to accomplish this task if you plan to hunt from a portable blind. If you can master your shooting abilities from these positions, I think you are ready to hunt turkeys
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with a bow. You will need to determine what broadhead you will be using when hunting birds. There are many to choose from. It is a question of personal preference. What works for you might not work as well for your friend. The only sure way to see what works best for you is to practice using the broadheads you plan to hunt with. Just make sure that when hunting you always are using razor sharp broadheads. This does not mean the exact ones that you practiced with. Those will be dulled from the practice. Oh they will be able to harvest a bird…maybe. The only ethical thing to do is to make sure your blades are always razor sharp. Will you be using a blind (which I highly recommend), or are you going to try your luck against a tree? Remember, if you use a blind and plan to shoot through a mesh-covered window, an expandable broadhead will open, or at least try to open, going through the mesh. Personally, I see no reason to shoot through the mesh. Turkeys will not see you while you are concealed in a portable blind. Now is the time to crank down the poundage of your bow as well. What you use for deer is much more than what you will need while hunting turkeys. The important thing is you want to try to keep the arrow from going through the bird completely. Most of the time, this will prevent the turkey from flying off with your arrow. You will note that I said “most of the time.” If you are familiar with “ Murphy’s Law” then you know what I am talking about. I always say the Mr. Murphy is an optimist! As far as I am concerned, if something can go wrong…it will! I have heard stories of the turkeys that flew away with an arrow still in it. I can say that it does not happen often. It is difficult to find your bird once it takes flight
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but not impossible. If it happens to you, then watch where the turkey flies and sit tight. He will not go far. When you do go after him, take it slow. He will try to sit still and let you walk by. If you stop often, his nerves will give himself away. Dropping the poundage on your hunting bow will also force the sights to change. What once was your 20-yard pin will now need to be adjusted. The same rule applies to your sights as when you practiced for deer season. Simply follow the arrow to get your sights where they should be. If you are shooting high, raise your sight pin. If you are shooting to the right, move your sight pin a little to the right. Eventually, you will be back to your good shooting form. Can you see why practicing now is so important? There are so many variables and so many things that can go wrong that you need to be prepared for them. Hunting wild turkeys with a bow is right up there with whitetail hunting for me. It is exciting. It is challenging and it is fun. It has all the elements I look for when I think about the reasons I am hunting in the first place. When you try bow hunting turkeys, it is one of those times where you are not hunting them…but the toms are hunting you! The closer the sound of their gobble gets, the harder and faster my heart beats with anticipation. Oh how I love this sport called bowhunting!
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Getting “ Lost
I’ve been lost before. I just didn’t know it at the time.
’M NOT GOING TO LIE TO YOU, I’VE BEEN lost before. I just didn’t know it at the time. I thought I knew exactly where I was but found out later I didn’t have a clue. Walking through the Sabine River bottom well before the sun was up I could see something reflecting in the distance and thought it odd that someone had parked there truck near the duck slough I was planning on hunting. When I got closer I could tell it was my truck I was looking at. I had walked for 30 minutes in a huge circle and ended up back where I started. This little walk in the woods was an inconvenience that could have turned out much worse but it was a learning experience and led me to start carrying a “go bag” with me just about everywhere. I say just about everywhere because I forgot it the other day when I was out scouting for ducks (this was written months ago). What I call my “go bag” is a backpack that I can pick up go hunting, fishing, or camping at any minute and not worry about not making it back alive. My list of items I carry in my bag may be different from yours but here is what I consider the minimum required. I have never used them in an emergency situation (and I hope I never do) but I carry waterproof matches and a candle in my bag at all times. Having the ability to build a fire for warmth, drying clothes, or cooking might be the difference between life and
ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW
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“I’ve never been lost, but I was mighty turned around for three days once.” — Daniel Boone
death. A few years ago I was given a fire starting tip from an elk guide in Colorado who used a concoction of what he called diesel dust to help start fires. Diesel dust is basically saw dust soaked in diesel and kept in a small container. The diesel dust weighs next to nothing, ignites easily, and burns long enough that you don’t feel rushed while getting the fire started.
One item that I never leave the house without is a knife, and I have a couple more stashed away in my bag. One of the knives happens to be one of the items on my multitool and the other is part of an inexpensive fork/spoon/knife combination that I carry just for the heck of it. The key here is that you can never have too many knifes on you. An item that most outdoorsmen rarely think about but is probably the most useful is a length of rope. For years I carried about 20 feet of 550 paracord in the bottom of my backpack. Most of the time it ended up a tangles knotted mess but it has countless uses (from dragging deer out to hanging up
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clothes to dry) that I couldn’t leave it at the house. Now, I still carry around 20 feet of cord but today I have it braided into a bracelet that I wear most of the time. When the bracelet isn’t on my wrist it’s in my bag. If I need the paracord for an emergency I simply unbraid the bracelet which takes just a few minutes. Most of the time our outdoor activities occur at dusk and dawn so a flashlight is essential and in my bag I carry two. They are both small LED lights and I could probably get by with one but why take that chance. I’d rather carry a few extra ounces of weight and not need it than to need it and not have it. One of the last items that I carry (yes I carry two of these as well) is a compass. Now a compass only works if you know where you are and know which direction you want to go so it’s not a bad idea to also have a map of the area you plan to be in (even one that’s not very detailed but has major landmarks). Along with all these items I throw in a bottle of water and small poncho just in case the weather gets hot or wet. The best part is that all of these items fit in the small front pouch of my backpack leaving the larger compartments open for cameras, tripods, and all the other junk I tend to carry.
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E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com
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The 1,000 Bass Spawn AYAKS ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED AS serious fishing platforms on inland lakes. The “poor man’s bass boat” might be small but kayaks are deadly efficient on spawning and postspawn bass. Just ask Jim Darnell. He and his fishing partner, Mike Schlimgen, came close to cracking the 1,000 bass mark in March and April of 2010. Darnell is a retired minister who spends most spare days fishing from his kayak when he and wife Beth aren’t busy producing their television show, God’s Great Outdoors. I don’t know the last time you caught 500 largemouth – or even half that amount - during a spawning season but personally I have never come close. Granted, Darnel has the benefit of time on his hands and it is the rare angler that gets to fish as much as he does, but he definitely considers his kayak a major part of his success. “Kayaks allow you to get into areas you can’t reach in bass boats,” Darnell explained. “Plus, they are much quieter.” Darnell is a resident sage on Bastrop Lake, which he has been fishing regularly since 1968. He is a keen observer of bass behavior and is a big believer in wade fishing from a kayak. “A kayak will get you into a promising area and then you can slip overboard and start wading,” he explained. “You can really sneak up on fish when you are on foot.” Darnell prefers stalking bass on shallow flats, keeping a low profile while searching for circular beds swept clean of detritus. Water that is 2 -3 feet in depth is generally a target rich environment.
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Darnell and Schlimgen are both partial to fly rods; both hold numerous fly rod records on just about every watershed near their native San Marcos. Both have caught bass on Bastrop Lake which would surely be fly rod records but they were .5 inch shorter than the 21-inch minimum slot requirement. Darnell’s favorite fly for spawning bass is a hard boded popper but not the jumbo bugs people typically associated with fly rod bass. A five-weight fly rod is his favorite and the limber rod effectively limits the size popper he can cast. Flies with size 6-4 hooks are
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the largest he casts. “Sometimes a bass will completely ignore the popper when it touches down and you have to cast again. Sometimes they will hover underneath the fly and eyeball it for the longest time; and other times, they will charge it like a wild animal,” Darnell explained. He believes the popper’s modest size is less apt to spook bedding bass when it touches down compared to the loud splat of a large topwater lure. “Occasionally midsized poppers spook bedding fish,” he explained. “When the fish are skittish, I scale down to a bream popper, like a Miss Prissy. The bass really hit those little poppers but you will miss a lot of strikes because the hook gap is so small.” When Darnell uses conventional tackle, he ascribes to the less is more theory, preferring small topwater baits like a Tiny Torpedo. When the bass aren’t feeding on the
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film, he will cast 4-inch Carolina rigged worms. As the spawn tapers down, Darnell shifts his focus to a bit deeper water. Bastrop Lake features good accumulations of coon tail moss and hydrilla. “Look for dark spots where bass can ambush their prey, especially if the surrounding bottom is clean,” he added. Bastrop Lake isn’t known as a big bass lake and its name likely won’t be uttered in the same sentence with Lake Fork, but it is a productive fishery. Darnell and Schlimgen logged 8 days in 2010 with at least 50 fish between them, all caught before noon. They logged an additional 20 days with 10 -20 fish between them. Darnell wasn’t sure about the exact number of fish they caught and I was the one who called his attention to the 1,000 fish mark. I caught up with him by cell phone on his way to an elk hunt, and after rehashing the numbers with him, it was clear that Darnell and Schlimgen released at least 700 bass, with the total possibly exceeding 1,000 fish. Most spawning fish were in the 2 -4 pound range. The largest topped 5-pounds – a very nice prize when taken on a five-weight fly rod. To keep the resident bass from becoming stunted, TPWD encourages anglers to harvest some of the smaller fish from Bastrop Lake. In this vain, Darnell occasionally invites a few of the small bass to join him for dinner. If you want a nice change of pace during the spawn this year, plan a kayak trip to some of the smaller fishing venues across the state. While the smaller lakes may not have the potential to cough up monster bass, they can sure make up for it in sheer numbers. Just ask Jim Darnell.
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Greg Berlocher can be reached for question or comment at kayak@fishgame.com.
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Advanced Electronics F YOU’RE UNDER THE AGE OF 60 AND you don’t use a smartphone, type on a computer, or navigate down the highway with an automotive GPS, you probably live in a cave in north-east Zabagastan and go by the name of Ugg. Like it or not, technology has invaded just about every aspect of modern life no matter what your ilk. This goes for us boaters, too, and the technological advances we need to stay up to date with have been evolving just as quickly as that phone/camera/internet browser that’s in your pocket or clipped to your belt. You don’t believe me? Then you obviously haven’t been keeping up to date. Here are some of the hottest, coolest, newest marine electronics you need to know about.
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BLACK OPS Can infra-red go portable? Oh, yeah— file this one under uber-cool military trickledown. FLIR has developed a handheld infra-red nightvision monocular called the First Mate, which lets you peer through the darkness without spending cash like the DOD. Coming in a hair under $3,000, the First Mate weighs a pound and a half and is 11” x 3” x 3”. In other words, it’s small enough to fit into your jacket pocket. It’s also waterproof, it floats, and it runs for five hours on four AA batteries. Take a peek at www.flir.com.
DATA FLOW Technology has also turned the usual electronics land/sea relationships upsidedown; today you can not only use your marine gear to get back to land, you can also use your land gear to navigate your boat. Case in point: your smartphone can be 80 |
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transformed into a full-blown chartplotter (among other things) by downloading a dirtcheap application. Several options are out there, but one of my favorites is Navionics Mobile. This one won the 2010 Innovation and Design award at the Marine Electronics and Trade Show,
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and was voted the Best Boating App by Laptop World magazine. You can use it to transform iPhones, iPads, and Androids into chartplotters that have all of the basic nav features, like setting and navigating to waypoints, computing time-to-go, and creating and navigating on routes. But it also offers the latest and greatest perks in chartplotting, such as graphic wind forecasting, terrain overlays, panoramic picture overlays, and wireless chartography updates. The newest feature is the ability to build a “community layer” of data. The community layer is usergenerated; you and other boaters using the app can add to the database as you discover new things on the water (like a moved channel marker, or a shifting sand bar), or discrepancies on the charts. There’s just one problem: figuring out what you’ll spend to do this stuff can be tricky, because pricing varies depending on which version you want and which charts you use. Go to www.navionics.com, to learn more about it. And check out your local friendly neighborhood app store, to see what other marine miracles you perform with that smartphone—turn it into a speedometer, get videos that teach you how to tie knots, locate
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boat ramps and marinas—the opportunities are essentially endless.
GO-ANYWHERE NAVIGATOR A trend we’ve seen lately in the world of handheld GPS units is embodied by Magellan’s new Explorist line-up: the ability to cross-over between land and sea navigation. The Explorist 710 isn’t just a pocket-sized handheld with a three-inch touchscreen interface, it also comes with built-in City Series turn-by-turn mapping, as well as Summit Series topographic mapping. That means you’ll make good use of it whether you’re boating across the bay, cruising down the highway, or climbing a craggy mountain peak. Jazzed-up features include a three-axis electronic compass (which can tell you the direction you’re facing in regardless of motion; old-tech handhelds need to be moving to compute compass course), a 3.2 megapixel camera, a microphone and speaker, and waterproofing to IPX7 standards. This little gizmo doesn’t come cheap, with an MSRP of $550, but it sure does do a lot for you. See www.magellangps.com.
SOUNDS NEW Stereos have been around on boats forever, but when’s the last time you saw a sound system that you could control from your chartplotter screen? That’s one big perk you get if you add a Lowrance Sonic Hub audio server to your Lowrance HDS system. The Sonic Hub is designed to work in conjunction with (of course) your iPod. Place that magical little music box into the Sonic Hub’s waterproof docking station, wire in the four-channel, 50 watt amp/tuner, mount the pair of 6.5” 200 watt marine speakers, and you’re ready to rock. All of the usual stereo controls like the tuner, vol-
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ume, and iPod music selection then pop up on an on-screen bar, at the bottom of your HDS display. The system has a surprisingly reasonable price, too, with a $350 MSRP that’s easy to beat with a little web shopping. Get the details at www.lowrance.com.
TEXTING TEMPTATION Don’t you wish your cell phone worked everywhere, all the time? Not likely. But if you outfit yourself with a SPOT Connect, you can get texting service via satellite, regardless of how far away the cell towers are. The tiny 3.7-ounce Connect, which is IPX7 waterproof, communicates with your cell phone via Bluetooth (after you’ve downloaded the Connect app, of course), then bounces your text message (up to 41 characters) to those communications satellites orbiting high above the Earth. You can also send Facebook, Twitter, and SPOT Adventure updates to your favorite
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social networks, and use all of the usual SPOT functions, like sending pre-defined messages, tracking progress on Google Maps, and transmitting an SOS message with your GPS coordinates to the GEOS Emergency Response center. The cost of the Spot Connect hardware is relatively inexpensive at $169, but you’ll also have to pony up a $99 per year subscription fee Check it out at www.findmespot.com.
WATERBORNE WIFI You want to check your e-mail inbetween casts? That’s not a problem, if you have a chartplotter like Standard Horizon’s new CPN 1010i and you’re close to a WiFi hotspot. This brainy little box has Wifi built-in, and it allows you to use the unit’s 10” touch-screen interface to check your email, send and answer, or stream “live” music and video—or if you like doing things the old fashioned way, connect a mouse and keyboard via Bluetooth or the chartplotter’s USB port. The unit has fishfinder, radar, and AIS
expandability, an internal 50-channel WAAS GPS antenna, a 1024 x 600 bonded touch-screen display, dual-station networking, NTSC and PAL video inputs, and built-in chartography for the entire coastal US and most of North and Central America. Yup, you’ve gotta pay for all these goodies: list price is $2,299 (a seven inch version is available for $1,499). Take look at www.standardhorizon.com
E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com
On the Web www.Flir.com www.MagellanGPS.com www.Lowrance.com www.FindMeSpot.com www.StandardHorizon.com
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PHOTO: DON ZAIDLE
What the Hell is a ‘Tout’? THE COINAGE OF QUIRKY NAMES FOR LURES AND OTHER OUTDOOR GADGETS BY REAVIS WORTHAM THE ANGLER WAS IN A GOOD HUMOR when he arrived at the boat ramp. The man at 82 |
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the store had touted the wonders of the new spoonplug, saying it caught hawgs better than
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any buzzbait, crankbait or spinnerbait he’d ever thrown. While he was making his plug, the N O R T H
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angler wondered if the conversation would spark a successful day on the water, or be a bust. He hadn’t picked up a spinning rod in a fortnight, but he knew that after traveling a league or so across the state, he’d find a mess of fish. Recognize any of those words? Outdoor enthusiasts recognize the fishing terms, and some of the old language rings familiar, but many would be hard pressed to know that a fortnight is two weeks, or that a league is a unit of measurement of about three miles that is no longer officially recognized anywhere on earth. The English language is a plastic and malleable form of communication. Your English teacher most likely taught the fundamentals and you were expected to regurgitate the answers well enough to satisfy the school district’s requirements for passage onto the next grade. But I can promise you that she said such words as ain’t were inappropriate, and counted off for them. Today ain’t, is. She’d have probably counted off for the following spellings: plough for plow; wass for was; flean for fleas; or Godbwye, which eventually became goodbye (originally God be with you), but then again, we suffered through the struggles of old English classics such as Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Beauwulf, so I still don’t see why she bothered. So where am I going with all this in an outdoor magazine? The English language has changed dramatically since the Pilgrims stumbled off the boat and pushed the Indians out of the way while at the same time tinkering with their vocabulary. In addition to casting off religious shackles, they seemed determined to hammer out new words, probably in the N O R T H
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hopes that they could converse among themselves without another English tax on their ideas. This is where we get into the outdoor part of this discussion. Creek in England was an inlet of the sea, but it came to refer to a stream of fresh water on this side of the world. They also threw out such useful words as mere, moor and marsh, and penned swamp, hollow and range (though not as replacements for the aforementioned examples). It didn’t stop there. As the years rolled by like calendar leaves flying off the wall in those old 1940s and 50s black and white movies, new words were created for a variety of familiar objects, mostly because the speaker’s needs change. New technologies have a lot to do with this, and advertising has taken the driver’s seat to engage potential buyers and while creating a pleasurable mental image about their products. Let’s engage the word tout from our title. There was an old bait called a Trout Tout, but I’d be hard pressed to describe the proper retrieve for the old fellow. However, to tout is to solicit customers or patronage. I guess that was the general design for the lure. Writers might tout the benefits of a spoon, and among the vast majority of end users, don’t have to draw a distinction between an eating utensil and a silver lure designed to spin in the water and catch a variety of gamefish, because we know what they mean. The name comes from the lure’s design, because it looks like a spoon without a handle. Many lure names have evolved simply from the bait’s action in the water. Spinnerbait, crankbait, or buzzbait, all refer to artificial lures that are draw through the water. A skirted, painted leadhead hook with one or more wire blades that can be used in both shallow or deep water, and fished at a variety of speeds is a spinnerbait. Crankbaits sound somewhat alike, but they perform differently. The name refers to any type of hard plastic or wooden lure that dives when cranked through the water. Buzzbaits are aptly named. When enthusiastically cranked through the water, they usually buzz along surface, while rotating propellers emit a tinny buzz that either scares the pee-waddlin out of a bass, or provokes a violent attack.
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The response of these baits is determined by the speed in which the angler reels. Spoonplugs act differently. They run at a precise depth, regardless of the angler’s fervor. The size of the plug determines the depth at which they travel. The wobbling action triggers strikes, especially when it is walked on the bottom. Texas, Carolina and California rigs probably have something to do with their origin, but they all involve specific methods of deep-water fishing in which a plastic worm follows behind a sinker of varied styles. They can be fished over or through any type of structure without hanging up, and are effective in a variety of water depths. Structure is any material, plant or geological contour which can provide a habitat for fish. Fish can be a noun or verb. It is singular or plural, and applies to any species of numerous cold blooded aquatic vertibrates of the superclass Pices, characteristically possessing fins, gills and/or scales. Our language is often confusing. A gig, a multi-pronged barbed spear commonly used to ventilate and retrieve frogs, is not a gaff which has a hook on the end of a handle and is used to land large fish, and a gaff of this type is not to be confused with a clumsy social error… …which usually defines my attempts at fishing. Now, if you want to get away from this discussion of fishing, let’s look at the evolution of such words Pilgrim John Smith’s attempted to spell back when the colonists were cheerfully tagging such animals as the raugroughcum or rahaugcum for a later stab at spelling aracoune or rockoon for what eventually became rackoone or, anyone…anyone…raccoon. Don’t you love this stuff? Then there is the original name of Trailtimer for today’s game cameras…which might have been called Trail Detective Cameras if the original name for cameras hadn’t changed, but was commonly called an Eastman for years before becoming known as a Kodak. But that’s an entirely different discussion, altogether.
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Kendall Red North Padre Boating Adventures
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FOR ADVERTISING RATES AND INFORMATION CALL DENNISE 281.869.5519
SPOTLIGHT: NORTH PADRE BOATING ADVENTURES Operated by Captain Chuck Matthews, licensed by U.S.C.G. and T.P.W.D., is a retired Firefighter/Paramedic who established North Padre Boating Adventures in 2008. As an avid angler and lover of the outdoors, he’s taken these two loves and combined them into a new career. Captain Chuck Matthews believes in customer service, and giving his clients the best possible fishing experience he can. It is his belief if you catch a legal limit, the fishing is not over, because you paid for a certain service and it is his job to provide that service to best of his ability. If you limit out on a species he will take you to find another species. Captain Chuck Matthews also believes in “C.P.R.” Catch Photograph and Release. Catching a limit may be fun, but releasing them back into nature to have something to catch on another day for you or your kids is just as important. Fishing trips are from 1 to 4 anglers. Fishing gear and tackle provided, but you are welcome to bring your favorite fishing gear. Additional services: Romantic Sunset Cruises, Dolphin Watching, and Bird Watching or just a family outing in a boat for something different to do with friends and family. He can accommodate up to six persons on these adventures. Contact Captain Chuck at 361-855-FISH (3474) or check out www.northpadreboatingadventures.com
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Goose McFaddin WMA
Largemouth Bass Speckled Trout
Coleto Creek
Wadefishing
this on Alice, caught ns age 9, of hing with his fis Jack Scoggi de wa ile ug wh s a top water pl . The photo wa Jim Scoggins . granddaddy ns gi og Sc Gray submitted by
at ht this bass r, age 7, caug ssin Bethany Halte servoir, on a Bass Assa Re ls Coleto Creek worm. She fishes artificia tic red bug plas r. lte Ha Dennis like her Dad,
Future goose hunter Allan Downs of Gr shows off on oves e of "Pop’s" ge McFaddin W ildlife Refuge ese, taken from . Allan is 2 ye old and can’ ars t wait to go on his first hunt .
Whitetail Buck Lampasas
Speckled Trout Arroyo City
Black Drum Rollover Pass
Carolyn Dell, age 5, of San Antonio with 19-inch spec kled trout ca her ught at Arroyo while fishing City with her PaPa Erchinge. (George)
Cole Breed, 11, New Year’s Da shot this 6-point buck on y, 2010. He wa dad Johnny Breed near La s hunting with mpasas.
at is Black Drum ne caught th with her husCathy Shuptri ng hi fis ile , wh Rollover Pass . band Wilson
Redfish Chocolate Bayou
Whitetail Sonora
Speckled Trout Aransas Pass
ch ught this 24-in of Seguin ca ar Aransas ne Craig Jones, ng hi fis k ut kaya speckled tro al best speck. Craig’s person Pass. It was
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Gavin Gregor y, 10, of Tom ba first 20 inch redfish in Ch ll caught his ocol He was fishi ng with his Pe ate Bayou. paw (Dennis Gregory) and his Dad (Mic hael Gregory) .
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is picof Nederland nt 5 years old, on his first hu Jacob Kotz, l, kil er de st s fir lso pictured) tured with hi (a tz Ko n so er Ja with his fath ar Sonora. rry Graves, ne and friend La
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Largemouth Bass Rancho Viejo
Feral Hog
Largemouth Bass
Nixon
Unspecified Lake
first NY took his of Mahopac, pound Joe Schultz, xas. The 150- ingTe n, xo Ni in m Re a th wi hog, hunting ot e’s 40-yard sh sow fell to Jo 0. .3 0.3 8 ton Model 78
Seven-year-o ld Lucky Edge caught this 2 ½-pound larg em spinnerbait in outh bass on a white the Rancho Vi ejo Resaca.
with the first den of Wall, himself on an Mason Snow by ht ss caug n Ryan Snowde largemouth ba d Da , a Senko. hopper”. “w s artificial lure n’ so s oud of hi was mighty pr
Black Drum Copano Bay
Quail
Feral Hog
Red River County
Henderson
Karen snare set by s caught in a nderson. This hog wa He of nd Holla and Jonathan ars old. The estimated 5 ye Jonathan is 0 pounds. is sow was 20 weight on th
Charles Ray (left) and his so enjoyed a su ccessful fath n Mike Ray er and son qu hunt at Wildca ail t Creek Quai l Hunting Re in Red River sort County, Texa s.
Miriam Rogo wicz caught a 29-inch, 14 black drum, -pound her on Copano Ba first, from her Poppy’s pi er y. Miriam land minutes. Sent ed the fish in in by her Dad, 15 Chad Rogowi cz.
Channel Catfish Choke Canyon
Channel Catfish
Flathead Catfish
Lake Fairfield
Lake Livingston
14 ld caught this ld. 15, of Fairfie irfie Fa ke La Natalie Neill, at s annel Catfish 1/4-pound Ch was the boat captain. It wa ill d reel. an d Dad Perry Ne ro on est catfish Natalie’s larg
Sheryl Odge rs brought th is 15 inch flathead in on 20 lb. lin -pound, 31-1/2e the Cape Ro yale Marina on rod and reel at Lake Livings was her bigg tonIt est catch yet on a rod and reel.
she ht this catfish th age 11, caug hing wi fis ile Teri Barton, wh on in oke Cany caught at Ch is Halter sent oud Dad Denn her family. Pr her photo.
Redfish Redfish
Galveston Bay
Laguna Madre
Feral Hog Hidalgo County
Teyo Turrubi ates, 8, shot this 300-poun on his first hu d hog nt Hidalgo Coun , on the Gomez Ranch in ty. Dad Marc o Turrubiates Teyo used a sa .17 HMR to do wn this brute. ys N O R T H
a 27 s first redfish, stin caught hi on Spring ile wh Thurman Gu y Ba n Galvesto 7/8-incher, on mpkinseed & ught it on a pu appie rig. cr Break. He ca a d tail lure an green paddle
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