Texas Fish & Game February 2015

THE TEXAS OUTDOOR AUTHORITY

www.FishGame.com

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Saltwater Spoilers to Avoid

February 2015 $3.95

The Rise of

High School Bass Fishing Dippin’ for

Catfish

How Demand for Water Could Pit Texas Anglers Against Texas Hunters

Hill Country

Bighorns Valentine’s Day

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The Texas

Snow Goose Situatiion

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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.

ROY NEVES PUBLISHER

CHESTER MOORE EDITOR IN CHIEF

C O N T R I B U T O R S JOE DOGGETT DOUG PIKE TED NUGENT LOU MARULLO MATT WILLIAMS CALIXTO GONZALES LENNY RUDOW STEVE LAMASCUS DUSTIN ELLERMANN KENDAL HEMPHILL WILL LESCHPER REAVIS WORTHAM TOM BEHRENS GREG BERLOCHER PAUL BRADSHAW CAPT. MIKE HOLMES DUSTIN WARNCKE STAN SKINNER LISA MOORE JOHN GISEL

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SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR EDITOR AT LARGE HUNTING EDITOR FRESHWATER EDITOR SALTWATER EDITOR BOATING EDITOR FIREARMS EDITOR SHOOTING EDITOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR CONSERVATION EDITOR HUMOR EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR COPY EDITOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR STRATEGIC ADVISOR

A D V E R T I S I N G ARDIA NEVES VICE PRESIDENT/ADVERTISING DIRECTOR LARRY DALTON • ADVERTISING COORDINATOR 1745 GREENS ROAD HOUSTON, TX 77032 PHONE: (281) 227-3001 • FAX (281) 227-3002

REPRESENTATION

PHONE:

THE OMNI GROUP BRIAN THURSTON • PRESIDENT LEAHA WIRTH • VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES (971) 322-7548 • EMAIL: omni@fishgame.com

C R E A T I V E ELLIOTT DONNELLY DIGITAL PUBLISHER ANNA CAMPBELL MELINDA BUSS WENDY KIPFMILLER-O’BRIEN

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GRAPHIC DESIGNER GRAPHIC DESIGNER DIGITAL ISSUES DESIGNER

SUBSCRIPTIONS 1745 GREENS ROAD, HOUSTON, TX 77032 PHONE (800) 725-1134 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. Content is not to 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.

Paid Distribution of over 90,000 Verified by Independent Audit

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Table of

FEBRUARY 2015 Volume 31 • NO. 10

Contents FEATURES

THE RISE OF HIGH SCHOOL BASS FISHING

COVER: Bass vs. Bucks

When over 700 kids enter a regional tournament, it’s no wonder competitive fishing is becoming one of the fastest growing activities in Texas high schools.

As Texas’s water needs spur a land grab for new reservoirs, a boon for anglers may become a bust for deer hunters.

STORY:

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by Paul Bradshaw

Story: Matt Williams Photo: Ranger Boats

HILL COUNTRY BIG HORNS

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Why pay tens of thousands of dollars for exotic hunts in equally exotic (and distant) places when you can bag big horn sheep and other exotics right here in the Texas Hill Country?

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by Chester Moore The Show Goose Situation

DIPPIN’ FOR CATFISH

Light goose numSTORY: bers are exploding.

Why aren’t we seeing more of them in Texas?

Catfish dip is a smelly concoction made of indredients you’d rather not think about. It’s also one of the most effective baits for putting tasty catfish in the boat—and in a frying pan.

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by TF&G Staff with Chad Ferguson

by Chester Moore

VALENTINE’S DAY FLOUNDER

No need to wait for March and the spring flounder run: big flatfish are already making their way from the Gulf into the bays by Valentine’s day.

Saltwater Spoilers STORY:

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Here are five things to avoid when saltwater fishing.

by Chester Moore

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Contents (continued)

Inside FISH & GAME

COLUMNS

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by ROY and ARDIA NEVES TF&G Owners

Editor’s Notes

by Chester Moore

TF&G Editor in Chief

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Thieving S.O.B. Update

Doggett at Large

by Joe Doggett

TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

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Pike on the Edge

by Doug Pike

TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

HE SONS OF B*****S IN OREGON THAT WE WROTE about several months ago have not stopped their assult on subscribers to magazines and newspapers all over the country— including Texas Fish & Game and Texas Parks & Wildlife. In fact, they seem to have rolled out even more efforts to defraud unsuspecting subscribers with bogus renewal notices.

They are apparently so secure in their fortress of invincibility under the enforcement jurisdiction of the Oregon Attorney General that they have begun to take on some extremely big targets—such as the Wall Street Journal.

Federal investigations have thus far led nowhere, and Oregonian authorities have accomplished even less.

Many of you have started receiving a new batch of the fraudulent renewal notices in recent weeks. If you haven’t seen one yet, they look like this:

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Nugent in the Wild

by Ted Nugent

TF&G Editor At Large

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Commentary

by Kendal Hemphill

TF&G Politcal Commentator

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Bare Bones Hunting

by Lou Marullo

TF&G Hunting Editor

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Texas Saltwater

by Calixto Gonzales

DEPARTMENTS

8 LETTERS 12 TF&G REPORT 34 TEXAS DEPT. OF DEFENSE

40 TRUE GREEN Texas Freshwater 62 TEXAS TESTED

by Matt Williams 64 INDUSTRY TF&G Freshwater Editor TF&G Saltwater Editor

50 51 One tip-off: They’re charging $49.95 for a one-year subscription. That’s more than twice our current basic rate.

They are being mailed under several different company names: Magazine Distribution Service, Platinum Publishing Service, or Publisher’s Periodical Service. The mailings are based in White City, Oregon, although some publishers have seen mailings sent from addresses in Nevada and Florida.

If you get a notice that looks like the one pictured above, or from any of the above named companies, DO NOT RESPOND. It is fraudulent.

If you have any questions about your TF&G subscription, call us at (800) 725-1134 and we can quickly check the status of your account.

Meanwhile, if you have received one of the fraudulent renewal notices, call the Oregon Attorney General’s office and file a complaint.

Their toll-free number is: (877) 877-9392.

If they get bombarded by a slew of calls from angry Texans, maybe they’ll get off their asses and go make an arrest, and stop this nonsense.

Open Season

by Reavis Wortham

TF&G Freshwater Editor

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Texas Boating

by Lenny Rudow

TF&G Boating Editor

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Practical Angler

by Paul Bradshaw

TF&G Contributing Editor

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Texas Guns

by Steve LaMascus

TF&G Firearms Editor

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INSIDER

66 FISH AND

GAME GEAR

68 HOTSPOT FOCUS

76 TEXAS

HOTSPOTS

86 TIDES & PRIME TIMES

94 TF&G

PHOTOS

Texas Tasted

by Bryan Slaven

The Texas Gourmet

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LETTERS to the Editor F.L.E.X. Success LET ME START THIS EMAIL BY telling you just how much I have enjoyed your articles over the years. I always find your writings informative, captivating, and for lack of a better word, just plain awesome! I find true genius in your F.L.E.X. Fishing system the angling insights you have shown in quantifying these principles are impressive to say the least. Elegant, simplistic and sensible are all adjectives I would use in my description of your program. Your most recent article, F.L.E.X.ability (December, 2014) has provoked my correspondence.

I myself am an avid, dedicated, well informed crappie fisherman. In your article you touch on a few points that I have been preaching for many years, starting with the first paragraph in the Ecology section. I fish for crappie at night, not totally exclusively but more often than not. All of my best crappie fishing has been done at night.

A lot of folks look at me like I have 10 heads when nighttime fishing is discussed for the first time. I believe it’s a fact-crappie fishing is best done at night. I cannot tell you how many times I have reached my fishing grounds after dark and caught limits of crappie for them to go shut-mouth at daylight. I fish the solunar tables in Texas Fish & Game magazine quite heavily. Anyone who follows these tables will find themselves fishing at night often. Having done so has paid off for me in spades.

I also agree with your section on Senses where you remind us that crappie eyes are designed to look up. ABSOLUTELY! In my experience crappie will come up a little, but they do not feed down. Depth is everything when it comes to crappie.

I love everything in X Factors, but regarding your reference to setting the hook.

I believe this conveys the wrong message to anglers reading your article. I tell people never “set the hook” while crappie fishing.

I feel setting the hook to most means jerking on the rod to drive the hook point home.

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moochers” jerking on the rod will lose you more fish than a gaping hole in your fish basket! Slow and steady wins the race here.

Let them commit, be gentle. When straight-lining minnows let the fish pull on the rod before simply reeling up, letting the fish and the rod do all the work. When fishing with floats, always wait until the float is completely submerged before simply reeling up. I am not convinced that you meant to tell readers to jerk on the rod. Just in my opinion there may have been a better choice of words.

Please forgive me, my enthusiasm in writing this has carried me away and I have neglected to introduce myself. My name is Bill “Hooker” Harwell. I guide for crappies on Lake Conroe, and I am the only guide I know of who does so at night.

Bill “Hooker” Harwell Editor: Thanks so much for the kind words Bill. I appreciate your thoughts, enthusiasm and love for crappie. “Setting the hook” can be sort of a relative term, and with crappie you are right—it should be done lightly. An angler definitely doesn’t want to put the same kind of hookset as they would on a bass or flounder. Feel free to send us pics of your crappie catches. We’d love to see them.

—CM

Disagreement on Zoos

To Kendal Hemphill, in response to the article; Merry Christmas, PETA, (Dec. Issue) I AM NO FAN OF PETA AND I agree with most of what you say in the article, but you make two statements which I find to be in direct conflict with each other: “I believe we are stewards of the wildlife on earth, and should not be abusive or cruel, ever.” I wholeheartedly agree. However, in the following sentence you state: “I also agree with PETA’s opinion on zoos and circuses, most of which are, in my opinion, cruel and inhumane.” This statement

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dismisses the truth that while there are a few public zoos in the US that may treat the animals in ways deemed inhumane (though I do not know of any), the majority of animals in public zoos in our country are well cared for. Indeed, we are fortunate that Texas has a number of very fine zoos.

The Dallas Zoo, Houston Zoo and San Antonio Zoo in particular are distinguished examples of modern animal husbandry at its best. Their displays are educational, clean and more than adequate for the optimum care of the animals. Most wild animals adapt well to captivity, especially those that are captive-born, and nearly all of the animals kept in zoos today were born in captivity.

Zoos have a crucially important role in educating a public which is increasingly out of touch with nature, and giving them a close view of animals they would never have an opportunity to see otherwise. What’s more, zoos serve as valuable reserves for species which are critically endangered, many of which will soon be extinct in the wild.

Animal rights organizations would argue that keeping wild (or even domestic) animals in captivity is wrong under any circumstances. It is my opinion that, as stewards of the wildlife on earth, we are obligated to keep some wild animals in captivity; to preserve them, and to promote their conservation by showing people firsthand how amazing they are.Respectfully, Bill Montgomery

Send Your Comments to: MAIL: Editor Texas Fish & Game 1745 Greens Rd Houston TX 77032 EMAIL: editor@fishgame.com

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EDITOR’S Notes

by CHESTER MOORE :: TF&G Editor-in-Chief

Reality Check

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FRICAN ELEPHANTS HAVE been at the forefront of international wildlife conservation efforts for the last 30 years. When ivory poaching was brought to the public’s consciousness in the mid-1980s, the world was rightly appalled and millions of dollars have gone toward their cause.

Currently there are an estimated 400,000 African elephants throughout the continent.

That’s a huge drop from at least two million in the 1940s, but it is large in comparison to the Asian elephant with a best estimate standing at around 35,000 animals scattered throughout Asia.

And the giraffe with an estimated 40,000 individuals in Africa.

Or tigers (of all subspecies) standing at around 2,000 animals.

I dare say if any of these species had received a tenth of the attention that African

elephants have gotten, then they might not be in their current state.

Big conservation is like anything else: it can become big bureaucracy and the public’s fascination with the African elephant helps generate funding lots of it.

I am all for helping this species, but shouldn’t a bigger focus be on Asian elephant populations which stand at a tenth of that in Africa?

Tigers are at an even worse place—a much worse place.

In 2015, a good question for those of us who support wildlife conservation is which areas to prioritize and which groups to support. At my Kingdom Zoo, we are looking at doing something with tigers and are searching out effective, well-managed projects to support with the limited resources we have available.

The clock is ticking and extinction is a real possibility for some of the creatures on this list. And if we’re honest about it, the African elephant, even with increased poaching, will likely be the last of these to vanish while it receives the majority of media attention.

Hopefully that will not be at the expense of other species closer to the brink of eradication.

You might be wondering why I am writing about elephants and giraffes in a Texas publication. Well the fact is there are more Africa hunters from Texas than any other state and many read this publication.

Another reason is these are vastly important species that are symbolic of the world’s wildlife. If we can’t keep them alive, then where are we headed in the future?

And finally it is indicative of problems we have with conservation right here in the good old US of A. When I entered this industry at age 19, I was proud that the hunting community was talking about not only helping game animals, but all species. Although hunting-related conservation work has truly helped everything from the red-cockaded woodpecker to the whitetail deer, the reality is the words are I was reading were just words.

On the same note, much of the same segment of the industry that purported to be saviors of all species, also is touted to be for all sportsmen.

Yeah, right.

“ These are important species that are symbolic of the world’s wildlife... and indicative of problems with conservation here in the US of A.

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Let some sort of import ban on lion or elephant parts (species that cost like $25,000 plus to hunt) even be mentioned and the outcry from the hunting media and conservation organizations sounds off like a sonic boom.

However, let duck hunting be heavily restricted on some public land in Mississippi or some place and no one even sounds out a press release condemning it. Delta Waterfowl might get involved but you can bet the rest of the community will be silent.

Why? Duck hunters are the wrong crowd. Well, not really duck hunters, but anyone who hunts on public land and doesn’t have a trophy room the size of a convenience store.

And there are wrong species as well.

Take the Mexican gray wolf, a unique subspecies that was nearly extinct and has been stocked at various locations in New Mexico. You would have thought someone was releasing smallpox in some circles of the hunting industry when this first occurred in the 1990s.

Why? They eat some of the elk the aforementioned trophy room guys pursue. Despite that being the natural order, the program has been plagued with problems, including many wolves being shot. Yes, a truly endangered species.

And I’m not even talking about the big gray wolf recovery effort in Yellowstone and its various controversies and legalities. This is the little old Mexican gray wolf that will be lucky to establish any kind of wild foothold, much less wipe out all of the elk and cattle in the Southwest.

In 1994, I tried to work out a joint support project with Mexican wolf supporters and hunting groups, and neither side wanted in. The Mexican wolf people rejected my idea they should not take funding from animal rights groups, and the hunting community didn’t want to look like animal rightists by supporting wolves.

Insanity!

The hunting community has a lot to be proud of with stellar conservation accomplishments, but it could do more to gain PR with the non-hunting public by being proactive in something like Mexican wolf recovery or aiding some other endangered species than all of the wild turkey releases combined.

Those free-thinking non-hunters who just happen to vote understand intentions and

also have a pretty good BS detector. And so do those rank and file hunters who often lose out because certain leaders in the industry spend more time hunting in Mongolia or wherever than they do standing up for all hunters.

Part of my awakening I wrote of last year involves me not balking at speaking out against problems in our own camp and that is exactly what we are dealing with.

What is the solution?

Honesty-in the message we send to the

public and in the actions we take for wildlife and those who pursue it.

That’s a good place to start.

Catch Chester on the radio Fridays, 6 pm on 560 KLVI Beaumont (www.klvi.com) and Thursdays online on TF&G Radio (www.fishgame.com) Email him at CMoore@fishgame.com

PHOTOS: VERA KUTTELVASEROVA, DPC; VENERATIO, BIGSTOCK

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The TF G Report Duck Stamp Fees to Increase, Online Purchase Available IN WHAT OFFICIALS WITH DUCKS Unlimited (DU) call a major win for wetlands and waterfowl conservation, President Obama has signed into law both the Duck Stamp Act of 2014 and a bill making the federal duck stamp permanently available for purchase online.

“It’s great that both Republicans and Democrats can come together to pass legislation of such importance to conservation efforts nationwide,” said Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall.

“The additional duck stamp funding provided by waterfowl hunters and other

conservationists will not only conserve critical habitat, but will also help ensure the future of our waterfowling traditions.”

Since 1991, the last time the price of the duck stamp was increased, its purchasing power has declined due to inflation and rising land costs. The Duck Stamp Act of 2014 will increase the fee from $15 to $25 and build on this program’s long tradition of helping to conserve vital waterfowl habitat across America, especially in the Prairie Pothole Region, one of the continent’s most important production areas.

Along with the Duck Stamp Act of 2014, President Obama also signed into law the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act, which will allow people to purchase the duck stamp online.

Physical stamps will still be mailed to buyers, but the online proof of purchase

BIG BAGS&CATCHES

provides new convenience to sportsmen and women by immediately fulfilling the requirement of possessing a stamp to hunt waterfowl. After 45 days, the proof of purchase expires and purchasers must carry the traditional paper stamp when hunting waterfowl.

“Anyone with an internet connection and a credit card can now purchase federal duck stamps from the comfort of their own home,” said Kellis Moss, DU’s director of public policy.

“State hunting and fishing licenses have been available online for years, and this is one more step in making waterfowl hunting more accessible to everyone.”

Game Wardens Make Huge Gillnet Seizure TEXAS GAME WARDENS CONDUCTing an enhanced marine patrol of the lower Rio Grande near Boca Chica along the Texas–Mexico bor-

FERAL HOG

CATFISH

San Saba County

Sam Rayburn

Brady Palermo shot his first big game animal at age 5. He harvested the hog with a .223 The hunt took place in San Saba County at Buck Horn Ranch.

Lauren Iles landed this 41 lb blue cat on light tackle at Lake Sam Rayburn with assist from Ryan, Lytle and Milo.

Visit FishGame.com to upload your Big Bags & Catches Photos and Vote for our next Winners 12 |

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der recently seized roughly 8,000 feet of illegal gill net.

Though no arrests were made, the gill net is believed to have belonged to commercial fishermen from Mexico. Fishing with a gill net in Texas waters is a violation of state law.

Game wardens found hundreds of fish trapped in the netting, including red drum, snook, black drum, sheepshead, tarpon, mullet, jack crevalle, and gizzard shad. In addition to fish, the gill net contained blue crabs, as well as cormorants and brown pelicans. Game wardens were able to save two of the brown pelicans, but the other birds had died.

Using a gill net in state waters is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000, confinement in jail not to exceed 180 days or both. Taking the fish, crabs, and protected birds would bring additional charges.

“Illegal commercial fishing activity from Mexico poses a significant threat toward the natural resources of Texas and we take the threat extremely seriously,” said Maj. Malcom Wilkes.

Anyone witnessing alleged illegal commercial fishing or any poaching activity is encouraged to call their local game warden

WHITETAIL Jasper County Chris Cook bagged this 8-point buck while hunting in Jasper County.

MONOARCH PHOTO: BIGSTOCK

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or Operation Game Thief at 800-792GAME (4263).

“Game Wardens working the Rio Grande, the Gulf of Mexico, and border lakes are working in a very complex, demanding, and dangerous environment,” said Grahame Jones, TPWD Chief of Special Operations. “In addition to routine interdiction of commercial fishermen from Mexico who are fishing Texas waters illegally, our game wardens encounter human smugglers and drug smugglers very frequently.”

“It is important to realize that the same groups from Mexico that utilize long-lines and gill nets in Texas waters to indiscriminately remove thousands of sharks, reef fish, turtles, dolphins, and other species of marine life also take part in other illegal smuggling activities,” said Capt. James Dunks, who is based in Brownsville. “Our presence along the Texas Border helps to protect our natural resources significantly while also helping to protect Texas against other criminal activity.”

Scientists Seek Help with Monarch Migration “WHERE HAVE ALL the monarchs gone?” This is becoming an oft repeated query, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists are asking for citizen help in answering the question.

Since monitoring of overwintering monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) populations in the Mexican states of Michoacán and México began in 1993, the World Wildlife Fund has documented a significant decline in overwintering area (a surrogate for population size) that reached an all-time low in the winter of 2013.

Monarch decline has been attributed to multiple factors including illegal logging of Oyamel forests in Mexico, extreme weather conditions in overwintering and breeding grounds, and widespread decline in milkweed abundance in the United States.

Biologists from the department’s Wildlife Diversity Program recently launched a project to explore Texas milkweed and determine where it is, how much is out there and whether the monarchs using it. The project T E X A S

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developed as a result of concerns arising from the Midwestern U.S. that herbicideresistant crops are resulting in increased use of herbicide to control weeds and a resulting loss of milkweed in that region. Loss of milkweed is significant since it is the only plant monarch caterpillars can eat.

This project is housed on the internet app iNaturalist.org, a platform being used by researchers worldwide who look for citizen assistance in supporting their work. To participate, a volunteer should first join the project after creating a free account on iNaturalist. When people then see milkweed in their travels, they can snap a picture, add it to the project, and answer the four brief questions about your observation. They do not even have to know any of the 40-some species of milkweed found in Texas – they can simply say “milkweed” and ask for assistance in identifying the plant.

Through this project, the Wildlife Diversity Program hopes to produce a map showing where milkweed is found in Texas, what species of milkweed people are finding,

whether it is natural or cultivated, and whether monarchs are using it. Patterns in agricultural areas will be interesting, but urban communities are a concern too.

“People tend to want to remove “weeds” from their gardens, often by using a herbicide,” says Mark Klym of TPWD, one of those involved in the project. “If we are using this in our gardens anywhere close to where milkweed is growing, the wind could carry the product to the plant; and the plant could be lost.”

—from Staff Reports

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DOGGETT at Large

by JOE DOGGETT :: TF&G Contributing Editor

Quail Caution

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ERE ARE TWO WORDS OF advice concerning quail hunting: Be careful.

Here are two more: Be deliberate.

February “bird” hunting can be outstanding, perhaps the best of the season (assuming winter die-offs don’t occur). This is because ground cover is reduced and typically cooler weather allows better dog work.

But, regardless of calendar timing, quail hunting can be dangerous.

First, the reaction to shoot usually is abrupt. Even over a staunch point, the covey rise can be a blur of frantic action. The urgency to shoot can be overwhelming. Even a single bird buzzing from low grass can trigger a hasty reflex. But noise and motion do not always equate to great speed.

Take a look at the standard-issue bobwhite or scaled (blue) quail. Any ground-loving bird with a profile like a Royal Riviera pear is not exactly noted for blinding velocity. Wild quail have been clocked with top-end speed of approximately 30 miles per hour. Conversely, several duck species can push 60.

The typical shot at a quail is going away and rising at a slight angle. The bird may dip or veer but nothing like a flaring greenwing teal or a wind-swept mourning dove. A big factor the flush usually occurs within 10 or 15 yards of your gun. And quail holding in the grass usually launch from a dead start. Even if a running bird takes flight, the initial lob is a cupcake.

This is assuming you take the time to gather your wits, plant your feet and properly shoulder the shotgun. You have time to settle down and take the first shot within easy range.

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be dangerous for two reasons: You might trip while high-stepping after the birds; and if no rise occurs, you might forget you have a hot gun in your hands.

Second, the shots at flushing quail often are taken at low angles (opposed to, say, incoming ducks or passing doves). A careless shotgun can sweep past another hunter, a dog, or a nearby hunting buggy.

Wild quail may lack dazzling speed but they are survivors. This is because everything in the brush except maybe a horned lizard wants a piece of one. When flying, they relate to thick cover no doubt a conditioned dodge against hawks.

A bird can dip to a fence row or levee or mesquite clump, aiding and abetting the treacherous low-shot angle. Also worth note, damp, heavy air encourages low flight. For various reasons, a wild quail against nothing but open blue sky seems to be the exception on many South Texas leases.

On the subject of proper field procedure, it is poor form to shoulder the gun before the flush occurs. This is not a skeet range. The quail hunter is moving, scanning the ground cover as he approaches the point. Walking stiffly across a field while staring over a mounted shotgun looks ridiculous and invites problems.

Keep the gun pointed out and away from trouble and don’t stare fixedly at the bugeyed dog. The covey almost certainly will be poised some yards out in front, so step lively and move in a line with other shooters past the rigid dog.

When the covey erupts, pick one prominent quail within a clear field of fire amid the whirring melee. The “flock shot” is a rookie mistake. We’ve all done it and, trust me, nothing falls except your batting average.

Finally, brush might obscure other hunters. This especially is true if a covey of wild quail starts running ahead of the dogs, or if the hunting party elects to follow up on scattered singles. The regimented advance of shooters approaching the point can break down as the pace quickens.

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Most experienced quail hunters insist on no more than three guns on a point. This is an effective rule. The three shooters spread out and walk together to the dog. The classic rise of 12 to 15 birds is straight away and fanning out, so you have right, center, and left zones for safe shooting.

Of course, “classic” does not always translate into “typical” in the jumbled brush country. The covey may squirt hard left or hard right. Or the birds may run. Or they might flush in a staggered rise five or six here, three or four out ahead, that sort of thing. In thick underbrush you might even walk past a skulking covey if the birds whir out behind you, be extra cautious when turning for a shot. The rest of the hunting party might be back there somewhere.

The traditional magazine-cover drill can break down quickly. Safety considerations aside, swinging across the rise and into another hunter’s zone is a gross breach of gunning etiquette. When a shooter starts poaching from his partners and the rise becomes a quick-draw contest, hard feelings can develop.

If fate fails to present you with an open shot, then so be it. Stand firm and watch the show.

Getting a bad rise or being “brushed out” is common on wild birds, but shooting opportunities have a way of balancing out.

Following singles that have scattered in thick brush can fragment the group. This is where a bright orange cap and shirt/vest are mandatory. So, too, are voice signals (“I’m over here!”) to coordinate movements through screening cover.

And, covey or single, when you muff a creampuff, don’t beat yourself up. A comprehensive survey done years ago on the King Ranch concluded that a three-gun tally of two birds per covey rise is about average. In short, every bird hunter misses.

The main thing is to be aware and to use safe judgment.

Email Joe Doggett at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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PIKE on the Edge

by DOUG PIKE :: TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

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O I’M LEANING OVER THE side of the boat this past fall, staring at my reflection in calm water and wondering about the world…

Not really. Actually, I was standing shindeep off the north shore of a little bay island, trying to see through muddy water and locate the jig head I’d just dropped. But I

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was thinking about the world. And the more I thought, the more I realized how much silt I’d stirred and how long were the odds of finding that hook.

No worry. There were, as always, others in the box. I stepped carefully backward so as not to puncture my own wading booty and/or foot with an accidental recovery of the fumble, and got back to fishing.

It’s so often little things, like a dropped jig head, that remind us to count our blessings.

(It was a blessing, just then, amid big trout, that I could count one extra chunk of lead.)

Dig deeply enough into any life, and there’s likely reason to whine or moan or otherwise get caught up in some whimpering waste of time better spent doing anything but

those things. I tried whining and moaning once when I was a kid. They did nothing but get me in trouble and annoy the people around me.

I’m not telling anyone to go Mary Poppins or Mr. Rogers, but even when you haven’t caught a fish on your past 10 fishing trips, you’ve still been fishing 10 times.

This year, and for all years to come, I am determined to present a more positive, appreciative me to everyone I meet. Some of that better attitude will come from a secondary self-promise that includes more time outdoors, especially with my son. The rest will emerge from inside, from wherever the human self-discovery closet is located.

Perhaps, before a man can feel truly com-

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fortable under uncomfortable circumstances, he’s got to witness a minimum number of sunrises or sunsets that don’t include manmade structures more substantial than barbed-wire fences. Those are the special beginnings and ends of days, a minute or two when it honestly can be said that nothing else matters. If that quota system is real, then I must finally have met it. And it feels great.

Don’t mistake this calmer, gentler me for any change in attitude toward the outdoors or fish or wildlife. I’m not taking up yoga or climbing a mountain in search of some dude sitting cross-legged in a bath towel. I’m just reflecting, like that wrinkled face looking back at me from calm water, so I can see a little good in everything.

If only there were good in everyone.

More than once this year, and about as often in years past, I read stories of poachers who poached so long they probably forgot it was wrong and not just backwoods goofballs. More than one television-outdoorshow host has run afoul of the law lately, presumably in the name of putting a show in the can no matter the cost.

Double shame on them. Now my pressure’s beginning to rise. Ooooohhhmmm.

Inhale. Exhale.

It would serve the industry well a good thing to purge a few of the shows being aired now and hold on to a tighter, higher-quality lineup. I’d rather watch Honey Boo-Boo do cartwheels than see another hunter squeal like a middle-school cheerleader over a dead turkey.

The good that hides even within those bizarre episodes is that we, as a nation, are still OK with hunting and shooting shows on television. I intend to live a really long time, and I don’t think I’ll outlive outdoor shows on television.

Nor do I worry excessively any longer over broad-reaching threats to private gun ownership here. Despite exhaustive efforts at the local, state (except Texas) and national levels, there’s still no hard evidence that restricted gun ownership among law-abiding folks results in a reduction of gun violence. In fact, criminal use of guns seems worst where gun ownership is most heavily restricted.

Hang a “Guns welcome” sign in one store window and a “Guns prohibited” sign in the store next door, and see which one gets robbed first. The predictable result gives me peace.

For six or eight seconds, I was a touch

worried in December about a proposed ban of soft-plastic lures that was introduced by a state representative in Maine. Then I remembered that it was Maine and that the elected legislator’s ban would impact lures made of “rubber,” and I can’t recall when the last soft-plastic lure was made of rubber. That wasn’t necessarily good, but it was funny.

Things are looking good in the outdoors, generally, and not just for me. We’re all blessed, especially Texans, to live in a time

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when game and fish are plentiful despite human and political encroachment into wild space.

I’m encouraged routinely by stories of improved fisheries, higher duck numbers, thriving deer populations and increased participation in outdoor activities. Times genuinely are good for outdoorsmen. Pass the word.

Email Doug Pike at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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NUGENT in the Wild

by TED NUGENT :: TF&G Editor-at-Large

Joyous 2015

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APPY 2015 EVERYONE! Even though we are already throttling on with mucho gusto into a brand new year, all my hunting buddies and I don’t really actually see it that way. Our calendars don’t go from January to January, as we see our years through an American hunter lens, usually kicking off the official “New Year” on September 1st with the opening day of dove season!

Now that’s a New Year’s party where I come from if ever there was one!

But for a well-rounded inclusive celebration of the actual New Year 2015, let us all wish everyone we know a very happy, healthy 2015 for the best year of our lives.

The Nugent family is still hard at it hunting pretty much every day. With our Managed Land Deer Permit program still in full swing right up to March 1st, the whitetail hunting in Texas remains challenging and as exciting as ever.

And of course anyone who hasn’t come to Texas to hunt the ubiquitous exotic big game is missing out on some of the most challenging and fun hunting to be experienced anywhere on earth.

I have been on safari in Africa more than twenty times and Texas exotic hunting ranks right up there with the greatest African dynamo ever. Honest to God real world hunting is available on private high fence operations as well as free range properties all across the Lone Star state, and it is truly amazing.

With a dangerous overpopulation of wild hogs tearing up the place statewide, Texas offers wild boar hunting at its finest. We keep after these elusive swine all year long. If you haven’t booked a helicopter hog hunt, you have no idea what a thrill you’re missing.

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exciting hunting in the history of the chase.

We are diligently running our year round trapline to keep the varmints and furbearers under control and in balance with the land.

Thank the good Lord that here in Texas a landowner has the power to keep such critters from overpopulating and wreaking havoc on the land and all other wildlife in general.

When coyotes and bobcats get out of control, fawn production can be dramatically reduced, and along with unmanaged fox, coons, possums and skunks, there is little hope for any smallgame or songbirds to flourish.

Like hunters and fishermen, trappers bring about essential balance and healthy biodiversity overall, and I’m proud to be part of the conservation brotherhood.

We the people politics in America impact everything in our lives including our hunting rights, private property rights, 2nd Amendment rights, allthings conservation and freedom, so we should celebrate the GOP victory back in November by remaining engaged hardcore to demand accountability from the party that claims to be our ally. Just because we reduced the scourge of leftwing freaks does not mean our “we the people” job is complete. Not by a long shot.

As we plan our 2015 calendar, it is important now more than ever to increase pressure on our elected officials to get back to a US Constitutionally guided path for all policy and lawmaking.

Even here in the Great Republic of Texas with the best governor, best attorney general, and some of the best representation in the country, we still have our work cut out for us due to the fact that the America-hating left would like nothing more than to turn this great state into a suburb of California like they did in Colorado.

We shut down the hate and lies of Wendy Davis and her gang of America haters, but we still have anti-Texans like Sheila Jackson Lee doing all they can on a daily basis to end the Texas Dream. Stay vigilant my friends. A disengaged Texan is by all counts not a real Texan at all. If you’re not driving the idiots T E X A S

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crazy, you are probably an idiot.

And that goes for every state, every citizen, every American who knows what is going on and how critical it is for us to correct the abuse, corruption and sheer criminality that us running amok in the government of our great nation. It is a do or die moment in America my friends. This sacred experiment in self-government is not supposed to be a spectator sport, it’s supposed to be the ultimate hands on duty of real freedom loving/ demanding Americans everywhere.

Then there’s this little ditty we call high energy MotorCity Madman rock-n-roll that keeps me titillated throughout the year. I’ve had the runaway Chuck Berry bug for 66 years now and there is no end in sight.

My SHUTUP&JAM! tour in 2014 was by far the most intense, outrageous tour of my life, so there is no telling when or where I may unleash my sonic bombast beast upon an unsuspecting civilian public. My guitar does not gently weep, and I feel it is my duty to taunt and abuse my mighty arsenal of feral Gibson Byrdlands on a daily basis. Think of it as eargasm waterboarding, but with a loving, tender touch.

So I don’t know about you all, but the Nugent calendar throbs eternally all 12 months for 2015, and I wish all my Spirit BloodBrothers, wherever you may be, the best year of your lives.

Life is a nonstop series of choices, and by now all the wrong choices should be ridiculously obvious to everyone with half a brain.

With that in mind, the quality of our new year and every year is clearly in our own hands, and I for one know exactly what 2015 holds in store for me and my family.

More fun, more work, more play, more hunting, more fishing, more rocking, more shooting, more activism, more hell raising, more gungho American stuff, but bigger, badder, louder and crazier.

Doesn’t that sound like a plan? Happy New Year to everyone. Life is what you make of it. So make it already.

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TF&G COMMENTARY

by KENDAL HEMPHILL :: TF&G Political Editor

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HE GAME SEEMS TO BE changing. That isn’t always the norm when there is a regime shift after a big political election, but it certainly seems to be what’s been happening since last November in Texas.

One of the most discussed and debated topics of recent years, that of open carry of handguns, was moved from the back burner to front and center, when Governor-elect Greg Abbot announced, shortly after the last vote was counted, that he would sign just about any bill that crossed his desk allowing open carrying of firearms in the Lone Star State. Done deal.

Of course, we’ve heard it all before, from previous occupants of government housing, and it never happened. And when Abbot claimed, prior to the election, that he was ready to sign such a bill, his announcement could easily be construed as a fishing expedition for votes. When he said it again after the election, and then again a few days later, the fog seemed to be clearing for those who have pushed for open carry for a long time.

The big question is whether an open carry bill will cross the new governor’s desk during the upcoming legislative session, and give him the chance to make good on his claim. And the answer is – maybe.

Some, however, say the bigger issue is whether open carry is a good idea for Texas at all. Few readers wonder where this columnist stands on gun rights, but to be perfectly fair, it seems sensible to consider both sides of the question before a decision is made. The antis have some valid concerns which should be addressed.

The main objection to open carry of handguns is that there will be pandemonium in the streets. People will start shooting one another

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Few readers wonder where this columnist stands on gun rights.

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over ketchup packets at Wendy’s, and blue light specials at K-Mart. Our society, which is so safe and cordial now, will suddenly erupt into anarchy if citizens are allowed to walk around with their guns exposed.

The problem with that scenario is that it hasn’t happened in any of the other states where open carry has been adopted. Several other states are ahead of Texas on open carry of handguns, and their streets have not run with blood, as was predicted. There is no reason to believe Texas would be any different.

The antis apparently believe the air will suddenly fill with lead just because of some ink on a piece of paper in Austin. Granted,

there may be more people carrying guns if open carry is passed, but it would seem that those who intend to break one law in order to do harm to others would not hesitate to break another law in order to carry the weapon with which they intend to do that harm. The values people hold don’t change when a new law is passed.

Another objection is that accidents will be more frequent, because of guns being carried in plain view. This actually seems logical, but that hasn’t happened, either, where open carry is practiced. Why would Texans be less responsible, or respectful, than the citizens of other states?

Of course, our society is not necessarily safe and cordial now, and the idea that more guns will improve things is completely rejected T E X A S

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by some, and totally embraced by others.

Robert Heinlein’s assertion that ‘an armed society is a safe society’ notwithstanding, guns make some people feel more secure, and cause others to shake in their boots. You can’t please everybody, no matter what you do.

Even among advocates of open carry, some concerns are too logical to ignore. Any criminal who plans to rob a bank or convenience store, or commit a mass shooting, would have an easy time choosing whom to shoot first, if all of the armed citizens in the vicinity were carrying in plain view.

The best defense against any potential crime is the one that remains hidden until needed. Carrying a gun openly paints a target on the back of the average armed citizen.

This writer plans to continue to hide his guns, thanks all the same.

There is also the question of what bill, if any, might show up on Abbot’s desk.

Legalized open carry is one thing, constitutional carry quite another. Under an open carry law, a citizen without a concealed handgun license would be in violation with a hidden gun. Under constitutional carry firearms could be carried concealed or in plain view, with no permit at all.

Which brings up the issue of whether citizens should be required to pay the state to purchase a right they already have. The Bill of Rights either applies to citizens or it doesn’t. With permit requirements to exercise Second Amendment rights, it stands to reason citizens should have to buy permits to avail themselves of the freedom of speech, or the right to peaceably assemble, or to worship God (or not) however they see fit. Buying rights is a slippery slope with jagged shards of despotism at the bottom.

Every American already has the right to carry arms, openly or otherwise, according to our federal laws. It might not be a good idea to openly exercise that right all the time, but we have it.

G A M E ®

Email Kendal Hemphill at ContactUs@fishgame.com |

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As Texas’s Water Needs Spur a Land Grab for New Reservoirs, a Boon for Anglers May Become a Bust for Deer Hunters | story by matt williams 20 |

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ATER IS FAST BECOMING A very valuable commodity in Texas as many census pundits call for the Texas population to double within the next 50 years. Some experts believe Texas’s growing thirst for what is arguably the most taken-for-granted natural resource on the planet may eventually outweigh the available supplies unless measures are T E X A S

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taken to shore things up for the future.

There’s been plenty of talk about the development of more projects aimed at looking for untapped water sources underground, as well as building more facilities for converting waste water and saltwater into drinking water.

Athough those are certainly viable solutions to help stretch the state’s water supply, most will agree a more logical alternative is to be more conservative with the water we’ve already got. &

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Construction of Lake Lavon in the early 1950s—during a reservoir construction boom that built more than 200 major lakes— forced the author’s grandparents to sell much of the family’s land for “chump change.” Is another such boom on the horizon?

Take a look around. Examine your own habits for a day or two and you’ll see what I mean.

CASE IN POINT: Little things mean a lot when it comes to water use. With millions of people being wasteful every day, the amount of water going down the drain in this state would probably be staggering if somebody could put a number on it.

In my book, soaking golf greens, street medians and thirsty lawns isn’t any more conservative than taking a 20-minute shower or using the toilet as a trash can.

We can all do better. The same is true for agricultural, mining and other industries.

Although some of these operations have made huge strides in water conservation in recent times, others haven’t done so well.

Another viable solution to meeting the coming water challenge is to build more dams along creeks, rivers and other bottomland drainages. This will create more reservoirs, basins and other “holding tanks” to capture surface water that can later be used later on by residents, businesses and agricultural operations, etc.

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because it would invariably result in the taking of hundreds or thousands of acres of private property much of it hardwood-rich bottomlands from folks who aren’t all too excited about giving it up.

Being from a family that surrendered a significant chunk of property to the U.S Army Corp of Engineers I can certainly feel their pain. We were paid only chump change back in the early 1950s, when the East Fork of the Trinity River was dammed up to build Lake Lavon, My grandparents fought fiercely to hold on to their land, but lost. So did many other Texas landowners who were forced to sell all or portions of their family farms and homes during an ensuing reservoir boom that resulted in the construction of more than 200 reservoirs around the state in the wake of the epic drought of the 1950s.

Hunting lease operators are concerned about the topic, too. As are wildlife and environmental advocates, who say the construction of more new reservoirs would gobble up pristine bottomland habitat that is vital for deer, squirrels, turkeys, river otters, ducks and other migratory birds.

Environmentalists also say it would do irreparable harm to rare forests and plant life while altering river and stream flows T E X A S

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that are critical to maintaining ecosystems downstream.

Another argument hinges on money.

Building a reservoir is a costly project that can require hundreds of millions or billions of dollars to complete, depending on its size.

To wit: Lake Ralph Hall will be a 12,000-acre reservoir that the Upper Trinity Regional District is pushing to build in Fannin County northeast of Dallas. It has been projected to cost around $300 million to build.

Meanwhile, the North Texas Municipal Water District is recommending another Fannin County impoundment called Bois ‘d Arc at a projected cost of around $700 million. An even bigger northeast lake is being talked about by water planners. The 62,000-acre Marvin Nichols comes with a significantly higher price tag of $3.4 billion.

When lakes are built for water supply as these and nearly a dozen others recommended by the 2007 State Water Plan would be controlling authorities often look to local municipalities to help recoup those costs. In turn, those costs trickle down to consumers, who are largely divided on the subject.

As mentioned earlier, new reservoirs also bring a host of benefits to the table. In terms of fishing, the potential economic benefits PHOTO: US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

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can be extremely high because good fishing lakes attract lots of fishermen. This, in turn, spurs local economies and can drive adjacent property values straight through the roof.

One of the best examples around is Lake Fork. Built for water supply by Texas Utilities and the Sabine River Authority in the late 1970s, Fork eventually became one of the best big bass lakes the world has ever seen. It’s a driving force for local economies.

A 1996 economic survey indicated that the lake generated more than $27 million annually for the three counties around it and that it attracted as many as 325,000 bass fishing visitors each year.

One of the main reasons why is that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries division got involved with the lake early on. The agency implemented a fisheries management plan that came together more beautifully than any other before it, or since.

The plan involved making recommendations to engineers as to how much timber and other cover to leave in the lake (at Fork it was a lot) during the construction process. It also hinged on plentiful stockings

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of Florida bass (many of them retired brood fish) and a bounty of forage to support them during the pre-inundation stages.

According to Dave Terre, TPWD’s management and research chief, that pretty much summarizes TPWD’s involvement with proposed new reservoirs. He emphasized the state agency has no involvement in determining where lakes are built, which ones get built or when they get built.

“TPWD is neither a proponent nor opponent of reservoir development,” Terre said. “Our role is to provide science-based information to decision-makers on how alteration of natural landscapes will affect fish and wildlife resources. Once a decision is made to construct a new reservoir, TPWD has a role in ensuring that impact to native fish, wildlife, and their habitats are appropriately mitigated. We also take a voluntary and proactive role in working with controlling authorities to maximize habitat value to sport fishes and associated recreational benefits to anglers and other resource users of newly developed reservoirs.”

Terre added that TPWD’s inland fisheries division has a proven track record

for providing quality fisheries management on public reservoirs. He added that the agency stands ready to use that experience to bolster fishing on any and all new lakes in the future. The biologist says there are numerous potential reservoir projects on the books in Texas. All of them hold promise for providing quality bass fishing, he said, especially if the department is allowed to get involved during the early stages.

“We know what to do, how to do it, and we stand ready to get working on a project once a decision is made to build one,” he said. “We will use all our existing knowledge, past experience, and hatchery resources to make sure that fishing is the best that it can be.”

Of course, the crux to all of this is rain.

Water developers can throw up all the dams they want, but without rain to fill up new impoundments and recharge existing ones as well as our dwindling aquifers, we’re all going to be in world of hurt.

Some areas of the state already are.

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COMPOSITE IMAGE: TF&G:

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Alton Jones with the top two 2014 Texas State High School Bass championship teams.

I DON’T KNOW HOW TO BREAK this to you gently, but things have changed a lot since you left high school.

Sure, you can walk down the hall and some things will still look the same. There are still letterman jacket wearing football players T E X A S

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(this is Texas after all), students worrying about the calculus test they forgot about until ten minutes before class started, and overdue library books that are checked out but never read.

However, if you want to see where things have changed you’ll need to step into room B103 at Lumberton High School after the final bell of the day has rung. Here you’ll find members of the Lumberton High School Fishing Team getting ready for their next tournament. &

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DURING THE 2012-2013 SCHOOL year, Bryan decided to start a fishing club at his school with the hope of introducing a handful of kids to the outdoors. That first year he had 47 students in the club where they competed in three tournaments that averaged around 50 boats each. That can easily be considered a success for a fledgling organization. Now the Lumberton Fishing Club has more than 80 members, and Bryan has become President of the South East Texas High School Fishing Association one of the largest high school fishing organizations in the country.

When I called Bryan recently to talk fishing he was in the middle of planning the first tournament for the 2014-2015 school year. The tournament, which is put on by the South East Texas High School Fishing Association on December 6th at Lake Sam Rayburn, already had 355 teams signed up.

No, that’s not a typo. More than 700 teenagers (two anglers per team) plus an adult boat captain for each team representing 42 schools, including one from Louisiana, had signed up to fish a bass tournament in the middle of the winter. High school fishing is clearly here to stay.

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given their time to make sure they have this opportunity.

For every boat in a tournament there must be an adult captain driving since students are not allowed to drive the big motors during competition. There are countless others that work weigh-ins, direct traffic, solicit sponsors, and do all the behind the scene work to make sure these tournaments run flawlessly.

“ Competitive fishing is one of the fastest growing activities in most high schools today.

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You read that right; they have a high school fishing team. How often did you willingly stay late at school to talk boater safety, fishing etiquette, the best places to fish and the right rigs to use for an upcoming tournament? See, I told you things had changed since you graduated and it is a change for the better.

There is a good chance you never even knew that competitive high school fishing existed, but it is one of the fastest growing activities in most high schools today. While participation in traditional sporting activities has remained relatively stable for the last decade, participation in tournament fishing among teenagers has increased exponentially over the past few years.

Need proof? Look no farther than the school mentioned earlier. Lumberton High School is in the southeastern part of the state. Bryan Thomas is their fishing team advisor. Bryan and I first met in college more than two decades ago. He found out I lived less than 30 minutes for Lake Fork, and we became instant friends.

The other reason high school fishing is booming is that the students can win scholarship money doing it. In 2013-2014, the SETX High School Fishing Association gave away $60,000 in scholarships and prizes to anglers. For the 2014–2015 season they will host six tournaments, five qualifying tournaments (each having individual prizes and money) and a season ending championship where they are paying out a guaranteed $75,000 in scholarship money.

There are a few ways to qualify for the championship and be eligible for the scholarship money. One is simply fishing in all five of the qualifying tournaments. So even if a student doesn’t catch a fish at all during the year, they still have the opportunity to compete for a scholarship at the end.

A student can easily pay for some, or all of their education by catching little green fish. As my wife put it plainly, “you can get a scholarship for throwing a ball, why not for catching a fish?” Great point, and now YOU can.

These kids can fish!

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those days anything over a pound or two was a good one. Nowadays, if you want to be competitive in one of the SETX tournaments, you’d better be able to put five quality fish in the boat with a lot of other anglers on the water.

Although the SETX High School Fishing Association is one of the largest in the nation in terms of angler participation per tournament, it is not the only one in the state doing good things for high school fishing. According to Jeff Lobaugh of the Texas High School Bass Association (THSBA), there has been exponential growth in young tournament anglers in the northern part of the state as well. Lobaugh is also the fishing team advisor at Rains High School Originating during the 2012-2013 school year, the THSBA roughly encompasses an area outlined by a line starting at Wichita Falls, going south to Stephenville, east to Carthage and north to Texarkana. The first year they had eight participating schools, 85 members, hosted four tournaments and gave out $3,000 in scholarship money. Now in their third season of operation their participation has grown to 54 schools and over 800 members. They’ll host 12 tournaments in 2014-2015 with an average of 125 boats per tournament and plan to award between $40,000 and $45,000 in scholarships.

With the growth in participation, they expanded into two divisions for the 20142015 season (east and west) and anticipate 100 schools and 2,000 students joining for the 2015-2016 season. This will necessitate four divisions and 22 tournaments to handle all of the participants. They also plan to increase scholarships awarded to between $70,000 and $75,000.

For as long as there have been fish, there have been kids chasing them with hooks and lines. Now, they can do so for more than just a few fillets, they can also do it to pay for their future.

Even if your kid can’t throw or dribble a ball, if they can work a jig or wind a crankbait they can still have the experience of playing on a team (without the threat of injury) and have their education paid for.

Where was this when we were in school?

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IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST striking animals I have ever seen.

CAUTIOUSLY EASING down a rocky draw in, the limestone cliffs of Real County, a magnificent ram made its way toward my position. With a full deep curl, gigantic bases and a tall body, it was an animal any hunter would want to take.

Its coat was a mix of deep brown, black but it had a partial white saddle patch across its back.

As the animal disappeared behind a bush, I raised my camera to get a photo as the beautiful creature looked right at me with an intense look of wildness in its eye, snorted and bolted away.

This was my first sighting of a Hill Country bighorn.

These are a species developed by exotic hunting innovator Thompson Temple.

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PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

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Story by chester

The Texas Dall is a beautiful alternative to the super expensive to hunt Dall sheep of Alaska.

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“Milt Sanburg outside of Montrose, Co. had a herd of mouflon sheep. Rocky Mountain bighorn rams from the nearby national forest periodically came over and bred a number of ewes. The result was 10 to 15 rams and ewes that were 1/2 bighorn and 1/2 mouflon. The rams were very impressive,” Temple said.

“Alan Baier of Collbran, Co. and I met with the Colorado Fish and Game. They were anxious to get the crossbreeds out of Colorado. An agreement was reached to transport the sheep to my ranch in Texas.”

In recent years he has attempted to replace the mouflon portion of the sheep with a larger breed of sheep-Stumberg Sheep.

“I have also purchased Urial rams to do the same thing,” Temple noted.

His goal is for hunters to have a species very similar to Rocky Mountain Bighorns that hunters can pursue for an affordable fee. Bighorns cost upwards of $50,000 in some cases to hunt. Temple wants hunters to have a bighorn-like experience at a minute fraction of the cost.

My experience at the ranch showed these animals are super wild and have a very much Bighorn-like demeanor. I was just there to photograph them and thought it was such an interesting story to bring to hunters who like to do something different.

And while these creatures are not yet a common sighting on Texas ranches, there are numerous species that are and offer fun, affordable hunting on a year round basis.

CORSICAN — This is the classic exotic sheep with horns that curl outward and often in a full double position. Their coats can range from burn orange to nearly deer color and some specimens sport an impressive mane of fur that makes them as attractive as any North American game.

TEXAS DALL — While most hunters will never be able to hunt Alaska’s dall sheep, the Texas dall is an affordable alternative that is essentially a white Corsican. The horn configuration is the same although the horns of this ram tend to be a light color.

Some Texas dalls are pure white while others have a mixed reddish/orange in their coat.

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are often noted A Hill Country Bighorn in full for sporting a glory. heavy coat of wool although some have a thin coat and will occasionally have a chocolate brown color mixed in the coat.

MOUFLON — A truly wild sheep, they are small but have large heartshaped horns that almost never spiral outward like the Corsican. True mouflons are fairly rare on Texas ranches but they do exist. Besides the horn configuration, the classic trait is a large white saddle patch on the back and a short tail.

MERINO — A huge, wooly domestic breed from the Pacific, merinos often called “Rambo Rams” are the largest horned by far. Forty plus inch horns are not uncommon on these animals that can weigh upwards of 250 pounds on the hoof. Merinos seem to come in two varieties.

They are either almost entirely tame or super wary. And while the wool may turn off some hunters, the horns are undeniably impressive.

FOUR HORN — Also called “Jacob’s Sheep”, these unique animals are mentioned in the Bible and date back to the earliest period of the Old Testament. They have goat-like horns on the top of their heads that typically rise straight up with a slight bowing and then regular ram horns on the side. Colors range from white to red although most are a mix of colors.

Many fourhorns have sort of mutated looking horns with one growing tight to the head or not at all. If you take one of these with all four horns large and well-defined you have taken a noteworthy trophy.

AOUDAD — Aoudad (Barbary sheep) were officially released into the Palo Duro Canyon in the Panhandle decades ago and have been stocked on hundreds of exotic ranches in the Hill Country and beyond.

Aoudad will tear up deer feeders and could potentially outcompete native desert bighorn for food but they certainly do more damage than domestic sheep and goats and they are highly embraced by the hunting community.

Most of these animals are available to hunt for a fairly affordable fee and provide great action especially for young hunters or those using crossbows or archery equipment.

The “Grand Slam” is the collection of all four species of North American wild sheep. The “Texas Slam” is the taking of a Corsican, Texas dall, Hawaiian black and mouflon. While it might not be as glamorous as shooting Stone’s sheep in Canada, hunting Texas rams can be every bit as fun and it is far more affordable.

As the deer hunting season ends you might want to look at some of these exotic hunting alternatives as in many cases they are affordable and available year-round.

And believe it or not, the meat of these sheep tastes great if cooked properly. The late great bowhunting legend Fred Bear once said the freshly cooked ribs of wild sheep was his favorite of all wild game.

For more information visit the websits www.hillcountrybighorns.com

Texas hunters looking for off-season action can find plenty on Texas ranches.

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PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

1/9/15 10:47 AM

Bare Bones HUNTING

by LOU MARULLO :: TF&G Hunting Editor

Hunter Tech, Part 1

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WAS THE FIRST HUNTER AT THE hunting camp. No problem finding it at all, I simply turned on my GPS, typed in an address and like magic, “you have arrived at your destination.”

I took my rifle out of the vehicle and checked my scope. I am not sure if I like the red illumination or the green one. I think my eye likes the green crosshairs.

I searched my pocket for my smart phone and opened up the ScoutLook app. I can see from the warmth of the hunting camp what the wind is doing at each of my hunting locations.

I can also see how cold it is out there. Hmmm.

Do I need my boots with 1,000 grams of Thinsulate?

Things sure have changed since our father’s hunting days. In order for him to find the hunting camp he had to actually pull his vehicle over and look at a map (for the younger hunters out there, a map is a piece of paper that has lines representing the roads in the area). More often than not, the back country roads that lead to those remote hunting spots were not even on the map.

Bowhunting or rifle hunting, it matters not.

Both sports have had more than their share of technological advances that have made success much easier.

Every year, a “new and improved” bow hits the market and with it comes a promise to be the fastest and quietest bow out there. Faster bows mean fewer mistakes judging distance.

That is a good thing. A faster bow means a flatter trajectory and a better chance at hitting the target within inches of your aim.

There seems to be less and less of a need for a range finder, but it still is sure nice to have just in case. A range finder is another one of those technological advancements that our father never had. At the end of the day, a fast bow combined with a range finder means

more success in the field with fewer wounded deer. And to a hunter, that should be the important thing.

Rifles have improved as well. Lighter synthetic stocks on some rifles make the firearm comfortable to carry. A heavier gun is better for a steady aim on your target. On the same token, if you have to hold the rifle on a target for any length of time, a lighter rifle will be much easier. Some rifle stocks and forearms are coated in a rubber material that improves the grip and control of the gun. On a personal level, that is what sold me on my 30-06. It just felt better than all the others that I tried.

There are many different “new and improved” bullets available to the outdoorsman. Some seem to do a better job than others.

For me, it is tough to beat a hollow point bullet.

It seems to explode once it enters the target ensuring a quick and humane kill.

There has been an increased number of calibers over the years. Different manufacturers would come out with a new rifle and then a new caliber bullet made for that firearm.

One of the latest ones that I know of is a .17 WSM (Winchester Short Magnum) made by Winchester. Some hunters still prefer to load their own bullets. With the newer high-tech scales available, loading your own hotter load is fairly common.

Scopes have also come a long way over the years. The glass used for the scopes is improved with a much greater magnification than ever before. Some of the better scopes today also come with what is known as a BDC (ballistic drop compensator). Hunters can choose which line to use in the scope depending on the distance of the shot which drastically improves accuracy. Now THAT is something Dad never had.

Keeping warm while hunting especially in the northern States has always been a challenge. Well that challenge has been addressed.

Warm face masks made of fleece keep the chill off your face, but your extremities are tough to keep warm. There are times when I feel like my fingers are frozen. I can handle cold weather, but when my fingers lose all sense of feeling, it T E X A S

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is time to get serious about warming up.

Chemical hand warming packs have replaced the old fashioned charcoal burning hand warmers. Not only do they last longer, but unlike those charcoal warmers, there is no scent to warn the deer of my presence.

I have saved the best for last. In days gone by, the hunter had to dress in layers (and sometimes many of them) to keep comfortable while hunting. No longer! I have discovered a new company that has developed a coat that heats up. It works and it works very well. They call themselves My Core Control hunting gear.

Finally, a coat that actually DOES keep you warm for your entire hunt. It is a hunting parka/coat equipped with a rechargeable battery pack in one upper pocket. On the other side of the coat is a charger. The ingenious idea behind this hunting miracle is generated heat modules that are located on the wrist area.

The gentle heat warms blood vessels on your wrists and, in turn, the warmed blood rushes throughout your body. The result is a coat that is keeping you warm from your own core body temperature. Genius!

A microprocessor controller is conveniently located on the chest area of the jacket allowing you to adjust the amount of heat needed.

Depending on the weather of the day, you can change it from low, medium or high. The battery on the low setting will last for 12 hours.

Medium is nine hours and set on high will give you a whopping six hours of controlled heat.

Now THIS really is something that Dad never had. For that matter, I never had it either but I will from now on.

There are so many new ideas for hunters our predecessors never had that I cannot list them all here. Next month I will continue. It really is amazing how far technology has come, which leaves us with the question of how far will it go in the years to come.

For more information on My Core Control hunting gear, visit mycorecontrol.com.

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TEXAS Dept. of DEFENSE

by STEVE LAMASCUS & DUSTIN ELLERMANN

Self Defense Tactical :: Concealed Carry

The .40 Smith and Wesson

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HE .40 SMITH & WESSON caliber is relatively new. New that is in comparison to such other “modern” cartridges as the .357 Magnum (1934), .45 ACP (1905), 9mm Parabellum (1902), or even the mighty .44 Magnum (1955).

The .40 S&W was produced in 1989 as a joint venture of Winchester and Smith & Wesson, in response to some testing done by the FBI using the 10mm auto. The FBI was apparently loading the 10mm down to attain specific criteria for bullet weight, diameter, and velocity.

According to Cartridges of the World,

Protecting the Family Having a family means having responsibility. One of those responsibilities is to protect your family to protect them from outside evil and harm, but also to protect young ones from accidents in case they ignore parental advice.

Having a firearm readily accessible in your home is one of the greatest equalizers against violence and evil that might target your household. However, safe storage needs to be a priority if you have young children around.

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Winchester and Smith & Wesson realized that the figures the FBI was looking for could be attained in a shorter cartridge case than the 10mm. They began experimenting and within six months had completed development of the .40 Smith & Wesson, which was ready for use in 1990.

The .40 S&W is a wonderful self-defense cartridge. Shortly before I retired from the U.S. Border Patrol, the Patrol adopted the .40 S&W in a Beretta double-action-only semi-auto, and to standardize the weaponry carried by its agents, withdrew all authorization for personally owned firearms in other calibers.

Before this time the agents were allowed to carry either personally owned semi-autos in 9mm or .45 ACP, or the standard issue revolver in .357 Magnum. I thought the .40 S&W was a fine caliber, but that the huge Beretta handgun was a terrible choice.

However, I wasn’t

training is first and foremost. As soon as my kids can speak, I drill them constantly not to touch daddy’s guns. I also satisfy their curiosity by letting them handle a firearm in a safe manner as we discuss gun safety. But the only way to guarantee no accidents will happen is with redundancy, and part of that is safe storage.

With most traditional firearms storage solutions you sacrifice speed and accessibility. For instance, the cable locks that are included with most firearms are pretty child-proof, but if a home invader kicks in your front door it will take you too long to find the key, clear the cable,

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asked for my input. Since that time the BP has moved on to other, more appropriate handguns, but has stayed with the .40 S&W caliber.

To clarify things, no matter what you may have heard, the Border Patrol did not, ever, issue firearms in either .45 ACP or 9mm Luger. Agents who carried weapons in those calibers bought them with their own funds and wrote memos requesting authorization to carry them. If the weapons met the Border Patrol’s standards, the weapon was authorized for carry. Sadly, the Colt 1911 was not on the list of accepted weapons, but Glocks, Sig-Sauers, and a couple of others were. I carried a Glock 17 for several years.

I suppose the hunt for a cartridge like the .40 S&W really began when gunwriter Elmer Keith and U.S. Border Patrol, retired

The GunBox, strong, secure, sleek, and...

load the pistol and eliminate the threat.

However GunBox is a product that ensures safety yet is quickly accessible, and it looks pretty slick too.

The GunBox is constructed from an aircraft-strength aluminum alloy, and it has a dual moving motorized lock that will hold up to quite a bit of force.

It has enough storage space to hold my threaded S&W M&P 9mm with a Trijicon RMR on the slide. If I add my

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Assistant Chief Patrol Agent, Bill Jordan, at an NRA convention, approached the gun and ammunition manufactures and persuaded them to develop a revolver in .41 caliber. At that time revolvers in either .38 Special or .357 Magnum were the ubiquitous police weapons.

Semi-autos of that era were not considered sufficiently dependable for daily carry by police officers. When the .41 Magnum was produced, the weapon, an N-Frame like the .44 Magnun -- but a bit heavier because of the smaller holes in the barrel and cylinder -- turned out to be too heavy, and the ammunition too powerful for the average police officer, and was never very popular.

If it had been loaded down, as a sort of .41 Special, as Jordan really wanted, with a lighter bullet of around 165 grains, at a velocity of around a 1000 to 1100 feet per second, and chambered in a smaller, lighter handgun, like the S&W L-Frame 686, it would have been exactly was Jordan was looking for. For that matter, it would have been, in a revolver, exactly what the .40 S&W now is in a semi-auto.

As a reloader I have played with such loads in a couple of .41 Magnums and it is a

...quick to open with either RFID or biometrics.

Streamlight TLR it gets pretty tight closing the box, but that’s a very large gun at that point so it should hold most sidearms just fine.

The coolest part of the GunBox is the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) scanner that unlocks the box in under a second. Using an RFID ring, bracelet, or embedded sticker, the box opens up as soon as you wave the RFID chip over the lighted sensor.

pleasant and hard hitting load. However, for police officers the .357 Magnum became the gold standard.

Today most semi-autos are more than sufficiently dependable for police carry. A number of manufacturers offer handguns without safety catches, which, if the truth be known, was one of the big reasons the higherups in law enforcement did not want their officers carrying semi-autos. Apparently they were, and still are, of the opinion that their officers were too stupid to remember to flick the safety. If this was not catering to the lowest common denominator, I don’t know what is.

If an officer can’t be trusted to flick the safety of his handgun, he shouldn’t be allowed to carry a handgun, at all.

Anyway, when police departments and federal agencies finally began to allow their officers to carry semi-autos, the only real choices available were the 1902 vintage 9mm Parabellum and the old but hugely effective .45 ACP. Since the FBI always seems to be on the cutting edge of such things, they were the outfit that initiated the development of the .40 cal.

When it was determined that a 150- to 180-grain bullet could be pushed to very good velocities, given that the modern handguns would take the higher pressures required, several of the manufacturers jumped on the

bandwagon and began to produce guns in the .40 cal., and police outfits began to buy them.

When the ammo manufacturers saw the guns being purchased, they began to spend the needed dollars on R&D and came up with some very good bullets to be used at those velocities. Soon, the .40 S&W had replaced the .357 Magnum as the gold standard.

Today it has overshadowed the 9mm and .45 in most areas, but many civilians still stick to the older cartridges. I personally am a lover of the .45, but even I must admit that the .40-cal. is one whale of a good cartridge.

The only disadvantages of the .40 cal. are its muzzle blast and recoil, both of which are quite robust.

This puts three cartridges at the top of the heap for personal defense rounds. With proper ammunition I would be perfectly happy carrying any of the three. In fact, I do on occasion carry all three, although my favorite is still the .45 ACP. Still, the .40 cal. is probably just as effective as the old .45, and more effective than the 9mm, but has enough recoil that many civilians are better off carrying a 9mm with a good +P hollow point load. Those are the facts as I see them.

I found this to be 100 percent reliable and pretty fast.

However if wearing a “wireless key” isn’t your style, it also is available with biometrics so you can use your fingerprint to open the box. I like this option because while I might lose a ring I should be able to keep up with at least one of my fingers, and you can program up to 20 unique fingerprints.

Since you can tell it must take a lot of power to scan and unlock, it’s obvious that the GunBox stays plugged in to either a home or car outlet. However, it does have a battery backup that will work up to three days. And on the posi-

tive side it boasts two USB ports so you can charge your phone and other equipment conveniently on the nightstand.

You can also enable the motionsensing alarm that will alert you if someone tries to tamper with it. Then if you want to get really serious, the Premier GunBox has 24/7 monitoring, GPS tracking and alert notifications for a monthly subscription fee. This might be handy if you’re traveling since the GunBox is also TSA/FAA approved.

The GunBox starts at $279 and using “topshot” will knock off 10 percent for you at www.thegunbox.com.

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—Steve LaMascus

—Dustin Ellermann

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INSET PHOTO: HARD & SOFT BAITS

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ATFISH LIKE THINGS that smell disgusting.

What began with homemade concoctions of mixed blood, fish parts and rotten cheese has now turned into a viable market with hundreds of varieties of baits to catch cats for the frying pan.

Dip baits have been highly effective for channel catfish in the past ten years or so because of their effectiveness and the fact they’re fished without the use of an added sponge or dip tube.

According to Texas catfish pro Chad Ferguson, many catfish anglers prefer to use dip baits and sponge baits like those in the Uncle Josh Little Stinker line in late winter and early spring.

“The thought process being that scent doesn’t carry as far in cooler water. Dip baits and sponge baits are thinner and dissipate in the water more so they help the scent carry further in the cooler water,” he said.

Ferguson likes to fish with a slip bobber rig.

“Use a bobber stop with the slip bobber rig, a dip tube or sponge and a size six treble hook.

I’ve found the size six hook is best for prepared baits and catching numbers of channel catfish from one to two pounds.

If you’re deep hooking fish then you’re not in tune with the bite and not setting the hook quickly enough. If you’re confident you’re setting the hook quickly enough then you can always increase the hook size to a size four,” he said.

Story by TF&G Staff with Chad Ferguson PHOTO: CHAD FERGUSON

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The key to slip corking for channel catfish is to use the smallest split shot weight possible. You only want enough weight to make the float stand up.

“The other essential is the style of float.

A streamlined float that’s sensitive and allows you to see activity is key. Many people expect catfish to slam a bite and run with it, but channel catfish are fickle and at the first sign of resistance they’ll often shy away. The cooler the water, the more this seems to fall into play,” Ferguson said.

According to Ferguson, fishing with any prepared bait, dip bait included is a form of chumming in itself. A bait such as Uncle Josh Little Stinker dip bait in the blood flavor for example spreads across a large area especially when there is current but throwing a small amount of soured wheat in the area you’ll be fishing will help add food and scent and start drawing in scattered cats in a concentrated zone.

“The key to chumming is to use small amounts (about a cup full) and scatter them out well, never just throw them over the side of the bite or off the bank in a pile. You want the chum to be scattered out so the channel catfish really have to search for the food and 38 |

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move around,” he said.

Ferguson advises targeting deeper water and mid depths in early spring when the water is cooler.

“You can catch channel catfish shallow during this time but deeper water usually produces the best numbers. Focus on contour changes, river and creek channels, points and humps,” he said.

“As the water warms the fish will move shallow and they’ll be there in big numbers.

Don’t be afraid to fish water that’s one to two feet deep. They’ll be feeding heavily when the water temperatures start to rise and putting weight on preparing for the spawn.”

The passionate catfish pro advises keeping the following five tips in mind to maximize all catfish expeditions, especially those using dip bait.

1. “USE A STRONG, SENSITIVE AND long rod. Make sure you’ve got a soft enough tip but good backbone for handling the larger channel catfish. The softer rod tip helps with shy bites and good hook sets and the good strong backbone gives you some muscle for moving fish out of heavy cover.

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the Chad Ferguson Signature Series Catfish Rod from Whisker Seeker Tackle.”

2. “HOLD THE ROD. CATFISH anglers have tendency to rely on rod holders and fishing multiple rods. Channel catfish bite light and they move fast. Fish with one fishing rod and hold the rod at all times while prepared to set the hook and you’ll catch more fish. I’ll often out fish others by 500 percent or more by simply fishing one rod and holding it the entire time when fishing for channel cats.”

3. “FINESSE FISHING IS KEY. OFTEN times getting the bait in a small area makes all the difference in the world. This is finesse fishing at its finest. Pay attention to where you’re catching fish and develop patterns.

It’s not uncommon for an area of a few square feet t produce fish all day long and getting out of that area can mean no fish.”

4. “DON’T BE STINGY WITH BAIT. Prepared baits are not meant to stay on the hook for multiple casts or long periods of time. They break down in the water, that’s part of what makes them effective. Bait the PHOTO: CHAD FERGUSON

1/9/15 10:56 AM

Triple Dip THERE ARE THREE FLAVORS IN THE Uncle Josh Little Stinker dip bait line: blood, chicken liver and shad. All three will work any time of year but there is an interesting consideration for the shad flavor in late winter and early spring.

Cold snaps will kill hook every single time you cast. This not only helps keep fresh bait on the hook but it puts scent in the water and draws more fish in.”

5. “MOVE QUICKLY AND MOVE often! The hardest part of catching channel catfish is catching the first one. Once you catch that first one there’s usually tons more in the area. Be agile, fish quickly and cover the water well but don’t sit waiting for the fish to come to you. If I’m fishing for channel catfish and haven’t caught a fish in 5-10 minutes I’m moving on to the next location until I find active feeding fish.”

Dip baits and these strategies will work in any Texas waterway and are methods that allow for anyone in the family to catch catfish with methods that aren’t exactly rocket science but that involve a little more technique than one might think.

Catching catfish is Texas-sized fun and when employing these methods you can virtually guarantee success on the water and in the frying pan.

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shad in shallow water, especially on north Texas water bodies that get a little cooler than the rest of the state.

We often talk about matching the hatch in fishing. This is a situation of matching the death, and it works.

Shad flavor is a great place to start especially this month when freezing conditions will cause small shad kills that often go unnoticed by many anglers.

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True GREEN TF&G Conservation Editor

Edited by WILL LESCHPER

Texas’ bass fishing success rests almost solely on the efforts of fisheries biologists, who in the early 1970s began producing and stocking Florida largemouth fingerlings.

Those fledgling efforts have amped up into mass production – TPWD stocked more than 11 million Florida largemouth fingerlings across the state last year – and the big bass craze only will continue to expand.

The work of fisheries biologists hasn’t

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The lakes are in a variety of locales and climates.

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Texas Bass Fishing is Living Large

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ND THAT’S NOT JUST LIP service about the bucketmouth fish that have become the top angling target not only across the state but also the country. Texas remains the best state for bass anglers, with multiple lakes often making top lists as compiled with input from state fisheries department rankings and other notable anglers across the country offering their input.

Among the bodies of water that have gained notoriety for producing quantity and quality bass and highlighted annually are Lake Austin, Lake Fork, Falcon International Reservoir, Amistad International Reservoir, Toledo Bend Reservoir, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, 40 |

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Ray Roberts Lake and Fayette County Reservoir.

The lakes are situated in a variety of locales and climates, but all feature one similarity – excellent habitat for spawning and ambushing prey – the things bass do best.

Each lake has produced numerous entries 13 pounds or larger into the ShareLunker program, a selective breeding effort by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department that ultimately is aimed at eclipsing the state record largemouth of 18.18 pounds. That fish was caught from Fork, which has produced more than 30 of the state’s 50 heftiest largemouths, but recently has tailed off somewhat in its ShareLunker frequency that had been a frenetic pace.

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gone unnoticed but one glaring certainty is the fact that it has been two decades since the state record largemouth was landed. The state largemouth standard was eclipsed in 1980 with a fish just over 14 pounds and as the stocking efforts intensified the record was topped again and again until the current mark was reached. Biologists have done a first-class job of making sure that almost every region of the state has been stocked with a burgeoning surplus of bass, but perhaps it’s time to look west for one example of what it may take to top the most hallowed of fishing records.

California is blessed with the title of big bass capital of the world due in large part to the stocking of a complementary species – one that Texas biologists also introduce each year into state waters. On the list of the 25 heaviest U.S. largemouths, 20 have been landed in California, including its state record of 21 pounds, 12 ounces. In many California lakes bass feed primarily on stocked rainbow trout, which are fat, slow Continued on page 42 u

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PHOTO CREDIT

Restoration Work Completed

Wetlands covering 8,300 acres were restored.

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UCKS UNLIMITED RECENTly completed several coastal Texas projects funded through a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant.

The projects, partially funded by the Texas Gulf Coast 10 NAWCA grant, are part of an ongoing effort to meet the North American Waterfowl Management Plan habitat conservation goals and objectives for the Texas Gulf Coast.

In addition to the nearly $1 million from NAWCA, partners contributed more than $1.5 million in match.

Partners included Ducks Unlimited, the Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust, multiple private landowners, Texas R.I.C.E., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Futch

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Foundation, Tomlinson Farming Company and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The projects collectively restored and enhanced 8,300 acres of wetland and upland habitat on public and private lands along the Texas coast, including 6,000

acres of waterfowl habitat at Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge provides outdoor recreational opportunities for birders, hikers, campers, hunters and Continued on page 42 u

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True GREEN Texas Bass t Continued from page 40 and dumb. These easy prey targets ensure that gluttonous bass don’t ever go hungry and they essentially just swim and eat until they can’t anymore.

The classic example of this scenario is Lake Dixon, which sits just east of Escondido. The 70-acre body of water is diminutive to say the least but is relatively deep and harbors gargantuan largemouths,

Wetlands t Continued from page 41 fishermen within 45 miles of the greater Houston metropolitan area.

The Texas Gulf Coast has under-

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including a 25-pound fish caught in 2006.

However, that fish was foul-hooked and would not have been eligible for entry into the International Game Fish Association record books. The longstanding IGFA largemouth record is a 22.4-pound fish caught by George Perry in 1932 at Montgomery Lake in Alabama.

Fisheries biologists have done nothing short of outstanding and prolific work in creating a sustainable bass fishery that is light years ahead of what it was even a generation ago. There’s no doubt their tireless gone tremendous wetlands loss due to urban and commercial development, reduction of rice acreage, altered hydrology and saltwater intrusion.

Conservation efforts are needed to ensure that the area continues to fulfill its historical role as one of the most

efforts will continue, which is a great thing for all of us, but maybe it’s time to look at other avenues in the quest to help some lucky angler latch onto a fish of a lifetime.

And a record one, too, which could be found at the end of the rainbow.

—Will Leschper

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Email Will Leschper at WillLeschperOutdoors@gmail.com

important wintering and migration habitats in North America for continental populations of waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds and other wetland wildlife.

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—Andi Cooper

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COMPOSITE LAYOUT: TF&G; INSET PHOTO: GRADY ALLEN

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FLOUNDER ARE MOVING INTO BAYS ALONG the Gulf Coast right now.

In a super-slow fashion, they are coming through the jetties and filtering into the

This will not provide the kind of super-

inland ecosystems after spawning in the

hot fishing action you will encounter during

Gulf of Mexico. I know this is a controver-

the big fall run or even during the peak of

sial statement because the “spring” run is

the spring migration. However, there are

not supposed to begin until March, but for

fish to be caught and they tend to be quite

the last decade I have found evidence of

big.

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Besides fish migrating in, The flounder fishing I believe the fish that stayed at Gross Savanne lodge is super. And during the winter start to feed the techniques in more aggressively as we get the this article provide a kind of warming trends that focused way to catch happened here last week. “early” fish.

On incoming tides, focus on mud flats adjacent to deep water and areas with mixed shell. The deepwater access will help find fish that are migrating in. They are moving shallow to feed and enjoy warmer waters, particularly on sunny afternoons.

The mixed mud/shell zones are full of tiny crustaceans and other marine life that flounders will feed on during these periods.

I will begin my early flounder fishing with light gear.

My rig is a Fenwick ultralight River Runner rod and Pflueger Supreme XT spinning reel rigged with 10-pound test Berkley earlier than smaller ones. I don’t know why, Fireline and two-inch, salt and pepper- but it happens. colored, curltail grubs tipped with shrimp.

The more spring-like the weather gets, Over the last four years, I have found the better the flounder fishing will be but flounders tend to respond better to more nat- you can find fish even if February gets super ural-colored lures during the winter period. cold.

Ultralight rigs are important because these “You can catch some flounder in the fish often barely grab a lure, unlike other winter if know where to look,” said Capt. times of year when most bites involve a clas- Shane Chesson. sic flounder “thump.”

Chesson said anglers should target areas Do not expect to catch limits of fish with such as the mud flats he fishes adjacent to every trip as you might have during last fall’s the Intracoastal Canal in East and West big run. However, you might just end up Galveston Bay on warm, sunny winter aftercatching your biggest fish of the year. noons when the tides are running high.

The relatively few anglers who seek floun“The black mud in the shallow water ders during this period tend to bag some retains heat and gets the fish on the flats,” nice ones. And the best part is the fishing Chesson said. will only be getting better as winter segues They do not move around much when the to spring. water is warm; so with their metabolism low, My suspicion that the biggest flounders they typically stay on the flat’s side of the leave last and start to come in earlier than drop off. I believe this serves two purposes. others was verified while fishing on the east First, it fits their lazy nature. They do not side of Lake Calcasieu in Louisiana with have to move far.

Grosse Savanne Lodge. Their expert guides Secondly, when the tides are both rising told of some of the biggest fish leaving their and falling, it gives the flounder a place to private marsh in December. intercept baitfish going to and from the deep.

Texas anglers wanting a Cajun-style fish- Tides are the number one crucial issue in ing adventure might want to consider linking flounder fishing because they almost totally up with this outfit. I had one of my top five rely on tides to bring baitfish to them. In flounder days ever there last October. these areas, it is no different.

I have seen this happen myself on the In researching my book Flounder Fever, I Texas side of Sabine Lake and have found interviewed several guides who I know target some of the bigger fish start showing up trout in these areas in the winter. Each of 46 |

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them said they have incidentally caught flounders all over the flats, but they did say they caught the most near the dropoffs and also bonding to any structure on the mud such as small oyster reefs.

On super cold days, stick with slow-moving lures in these areas such as the Corky which is what most of the anglers that I know use for big trout or the aforementioned micro jigs.

Another area to consider is the warm water discharges along the coast.

Baitfish congregate here during cold spells, making it a sort of buffet for a host of flounders that winter in the bays. Flounders often sit down-current and can be found in eddies that form near drop-offs. Small baitfish cannot negotiate current very well, and they often are stuck in eddies. Flounders will stack up in these eddies and gulp up the shad, shrimp and whatever else ends up there.

Something to keep in mind is that even small flows from a single drainpipe can draw fish. They may not hold massive schools of fish for long periods, but even a slight change for the positive in water temperature can make a difference in cold weather. It is very important to look for the little things in these spots since very often that is all it takes to attract game fish.

If you can get your hands on live mud minnows, they are great this time of year for these warm water flounders. Another option for anglers this month are the passes that link the Gulf to bays. These are great spots to fish on big incoming tides, especially from Valentine’s Day on when the “early run” as I call it really starts to kick in.

In these areas, fishing live mud minnows or finger mullet on a Carolina rig is the best bet. Some anglers are starting to wise up to the fact that they can set out several rods with live bait so they can get more action as more flounders move through their area.

Look for incoming tides to provide the best bites as they bring in new fish from the Gulf.

PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE:

1/7/15 7:55 PM

Texas SALTWATER

by CALIXTO GONZALES :: TF&G Saltwater Editor

A Mechanical Advantage

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N MY RECKLESS YOUTH, I USED to practice both judo and catch-style wrestling. It wasn’t that difficult, since my teacher taught both masters from the same dojo.

This judoka looked more like a piano teacher than a man who held an 8th Dan in judo and had actually competed in international tournaments. During the first session, he took the time to discuss how the philosophies of the two disciplines paralleled each other. “Our goal in either practice is not to overpower an opponent,” he lectured.

“Rather, we seek to gain a mechanical advantage.”

It sounded like some pretty heavy rap at the time, but as the classes wore on, I discovered the philosophy is pretty simple. Our goal, whether on the mat or on the street is to gain an edge against our antagonist. It can be bending an elbow against itself, or grapevining a knee, but the idea is to find a way to control the situation.

That lesson has stuck in the back of my head for the last 20 years, and moved to the forefront of my thoughts the last few months as I dug deeper and deeper into the world of do-it-yourself anglers. The more I learned about why so many anglers have taken to designing and making their own lures, rods, hardware, and even clothing, the more I realized that many of these anglers, perhaps even most of them, were looking for some kind of mechanical advantage.

Their mechanical advantages may range from a smaller version of their favorite topwater (would that someone come up with a smaller version of the River2Sea Wide

Glide), a longer rod, or a stiffer action than the norm. Other advantages include shorter leaders, or a lure design that is simply not extant on the market. Anglers are constantly looking for strategic and tactical advantages over their quarry, be it a trophy speckled trout, tuna, or flounder. If that means they need to as Larry Dahlberg so eloquently puts it “build a better mousetrap,” they will.

Fishing rods are a great example. I’ve written thousands of words about the sheer variety of fishing rods on the open market, and how amateur rod-makers around Texas are constantly experimenting with various characteristics to build their better mousetraps.

Every conceivable factor is modified, adjusted, tweaked, and re-tweaked. Guide placement. Butt lengths. Ferrules. Blank composition. Guide size and number. Even threading and epoxy get tinkered with. If a rod maker believes he can gain some kind of mechanical advantage by adjusting something, he will.

A lot of the innovations that take the tackle industry, and thus, fishermen, by storm are as often the products of amateurs as they are of a sophisticated R&D department at a big-name tackle company.

That is not to cast aspersions on tackle companies; they come up with some fantastic and mind-boggling stuff, as anyone who has ever visited ICAST will attest. Travel rods for example have their origins in multi-piece fly rods that anglers designed for easy carrying to remote waters (which in past days were more remote than they are now).The concept of the spiral-wrapped guides has its origins among amateur rod-builders who were seeking the mechanical advantage of maximizing the leverage and pulling power of their gear.

As I’ve written in the past two issues, the grassroots movement of amateur lure-making has taken off lately. This is another example of the quest of a mechanical advantage.

Some anglers are simply not satisfied with what they find on the shelves and racks of modern tackle stores (which is actually astounding, when you consider the sheer T E X A S

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variety of hard and soft baits that are on the market these days). Other fishermen have to satisfy that voice in their minds that always start a sentence with “wouldn’t it be cool if…”

Still others just have to tinker, sort of how your wife has to add ingredients to the pot of stew you’ve been letting simmer on the stove (and how often have you had to admit that she actually made it better?). There is always something different floating around in an angler’s mind from what he can find at Bass Pro Shops.

Imagine the stories behind the genesis of the Wide Glide, or the Bugg, or DOA’s Tough Guy. I will bet a bag of hand pours that it usually begins with the realization of a need that no product could satisfy, and after some effort the prototype was born. Some experimenting, some practice, maybe even some advice from friends (or spouses), et voila!

A fellow educator—a non-fisherman— was listening to me rave about my conversations with Alumilite’s Mike Faupel while I was still composing the December, 2014 column.

“I don’t get it,” he snorted. “You guys are going through all that trouble to trick an animal who has a brain the size of a pea. Aren’t you guys embarrassed by that fact?”

Says the guy who chases a little white ball around a cow pasture with a bag of curved sticks, I thought to myself.

I didn’t argue with him, because he’s 100 percent right. We do go through the trouble of making rods and lures to trick a creature with little more than the reptilian brain. We actually seek a mechanical advantage over something whose sole existence is to swim, eat, and make copies of itself.

We often fail, too, but we have a blast in the process. And if we succeed, we have a mechanical advantage.

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North American Light Goose Numbers Are Exploding. Why Aren’t We Seeing Them in Texas? | by chester moore 48 |

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ILL STRANSKY COULD NOT BELIEVE HIS EYES. THE dedicated waterfowler and founder of Wharton-based conservation group Texas R.I.C.E. was stunned at the number of snow geese he saw before him.

“I had heard about all of the birds that had started to stack up in Arkansas and made a trip up there a few years ago to see what all of the buzz was about,” Stransky said.

“It was stunning.”

What he saw was snow geese as far as the eye could see on far more rice and other agriculture than Texas.

“All of the wetlands enhancement we could do in a decade would not equal what you can see down one farm road up there in Arkansas. Those birds have plenty to eat and little pressure,” Stransky said.

Arkansas hunters prefer green over white focusing their efforts on the state’s bountiful mallards and other puddle ducks and do very little snow goose hunting.

Contrast the above scenario to the rice country east of Houston where there has been a rice loss of 83 percent over the last 30 years and an increase in hunters that put extreme pressure on geese.

“There’s scarcely a huntable field anywhere east or west of Houston that does not have hunters on it throughout the season. And if you look at the number of birds you see driving the Interstate 10 corridor, it is obvious that pressure is having an effect on the birds,” said David Schmidt of Baytown.

Schmidt hunts near Anahuac and said he believes the 2009 season was a breaking point for waterfowl on the local prairies.

“You just do not have any large concentrations of geese here, anything remotely comparable to even just a few years ago. And then the ducks were not on the prairie, except for a few large reservoirs. The marsh had ducks and even some geese, but the prairie was pitiful.

Even though there has been some rice in areas that haven’t had it in many years, it was scattered all over the place and not in any large contiguous tracts,” Schmidt said.

ONCE RELATIVELY SCARCE, they now number nearly millions and are

causing major damage to their nesting habitat in the arctic.

Special conservation order seasons were put in place to help trim the population. Electronic calls, unplugged shotguns and a limitless bag were something waterfowl managers hoped would help the population but some believe in Texas it actually helped send the birds elsewhere.

Outfitter William L. Sherrill is not a fan of the special conservation order and puts a strict limit on the number of geese his parties can take.

If there has ever been a waterfowl guru out there, Sherrill is it. I have had the pleasure of hunting with him several times and am blown away by the habitat management on the property he hunts and his focus on small details.

“There is such a thing as putting too much pressure on the birds and with geese it seems like that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

In 1999 when the special conservation order was put in place Texas hunters took around 370,000 light geese.

The next year the harvest only slipped a bit but by the 2007-2008 season it had dropped to around 250,000 birds.

The difference is in the number of geese wintering in Texas, which a big topic of conversation was at last March’s Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) Commission hearing.

Speaking to Commissioners, former TPWD Migratory Bird Program leader Dave Morrison used Kansas as an example of how snow geese are changing their patterns.

“They had 350- to 400,000 birds in their state, they killed 15,000. They’re not putting pressure on their birds like we do. We have a mid-winter estimate of around 350-, 400,000 year before last, and we shot about 250,000 birds.”

Think about that for a second.

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Texas hunters shot more than half of the light geese that wintered in Texas.

And according to Morrisson’s testimony there is a direct correlation between the amount of pressure here and wintering bird numbers, and the lack of pressure elsewhere.

“Now that’s a direct relationship — I understand, that’s just the indices compared to population estimates. But the decline, you can see the decline, what’s going on. Now, understand that the intent was to cause birds to go down.

That was the intent of the expanded and liberal seasons. But the continental population has not gone down. It’s simply a Texas problem.”

When asked by Commission Friedkin if biologists were sure the problem was hunting related and Morrison replied as follows.

“The reasons for the decline are really very — I mean you look at what’s going on in Arkansas and Kansas, Kansas had 400,000 birds this year. Typically Texas would winter anywhere from 80 to 90 percent of the white geese in the Central Flyway; now we’re down to about 41 percent.”

“But continental populations have not declined, it’s just this Texas portion that for some reason birds aren’t getting to Texas and we’re trying to figure out a way, how do we at least keep those birds here in Texas longer and provide maximum opportunity. We’re not suggesting that we’re trying to back away from harvest, simply because they’re continues to be a continental population, we’re just looking at how do we restructure this thing to provide the best possible opportunities.”

We have written about this situation in two different stories over the last four years and find it intriguing. Goose hunting has been and in some ways continues to be an important part of Texas hunting culture, particularly on the coast but things are not changing any more. They have changed.

And with the highly dynamic nature of waterfowl, things could look vastly different for the better or worse five years from now.

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Texas FRESHWATER

by MATT WILLIAMS :: TF&G Freshwater Editor

Boat Patrol Dangers

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N CASE YOU HAVEN’T HEARD (and you probably haven’t), the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Criminal Investigations Division named a shoddy hull design as a primary cause of a boating accident that seriously injured a game warden.

The May 2014 accident seriously injured Sabine County game warden Henry Alvarado when his boat hit a wave and suddenly swapped ends throwing Alvarado from the boat.

A lengthy investigation following the accident turned up a long trail of shocking evidence to illustrate that it likely could have been prevented if not for a breakdown in communication among TPWD law enforcement staff.

Alvarado was injured over the Memorial Day weekend while on patrol at Sam Rayburn Reservoir with his partner, Sam Smith. The report says Smith was driving the 17 foot center console boat an Explorer KS when it hit a swell, causing it to spin 180 degrees clockwise.

Alvarado was thrown out of the boat and struck by the boat’s propeller, resulting in a serious laceration on his left thigh.

According to Craig Hunter, Alvarado has since recovered and is back on the job in Sabine County.

The boat he was driving had a long track record of ill performance characterized by spinning out or swapping ends multiple times with other Texas game wardens dating all the way back to the early 2000s. Regardless, the boat was passed around between game wardens in multiple counties where it was used in routine water safety patrols on public waters.

Furthermore, the report indicates the boat was equipped with a 130 HP engine, which exceeded the U.S. Coast Guard maximum horsepower rating by 15 horsepower. The document also shows that each time the boat changed hands it was accompanied by a clear message to 50 |

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warn of its dangerous history.

Each warning message was similar to the one that Alvarado’s supervisor, Region 3, District 2 Capt. Tom Jenkins, received when he took delivery of the boat from Region 4, District 2 Capt. Rod Ousley in March 2014.

According to the report, Ousley told Jenkins the vessel “was dangerous and should be operated with great care. Ousley pointed out that turning or cornering the vessel could cause it to slide out of control or go into an uncontrollable spin.”

The reason Ousley was so familiar with the boat’s history is because one of the game wardens in his district, Orange County warden Daylon Damron, had almost been thrown out on two occasions when it spun out of control.

Following the second incident, Damron told his supervisor that he refused operate the boat any longer because he didn’t feel it was safe, the report says.

Damron wasn’t the first game warden to have trouble with the boat.

Harris County warden Susan Webb, now retired, operated the boat from August 1999 through June 2012, the report says. She told investigators that she was once “slung” from the boat during a boating program that allowed youth to operate department vessels. Webb said she was thrown out when a youth driver “made an inadvertent turn while at speed.”

The warden said she was wearing a kill switch that stopped the engine and that no one was injured, according to the report. Webb, who told investigators she did not file a report, said she did not find the boat to be difficult to handle “when operated with due diligence.”

Between June 2012 and Jan. 2013 the boat was transferred twice without incident, but always with a fair warning of its history, the report says. In May 2013, the boat was transferred to Damron in Orange County by Jefferson County game warden Colt Crawford.

The report says Crawford warned Damron the vessel “had thrown a game warden out, so use caution when operating it.”

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determining that the hull design, rough water and operator inexperience with the hull design were the primary causes,” the report says.

Overpowering was not cited as a possible cause.

The report indicates the boat is designed with a sharp keel in the bow and a tunnel (lacking a keel) in the aft of the vessel. Investigators said that because only the forward part of this vessel has a keel that it could be prone to slip sideways in the water under certain circumstances.

Wardens also consulted with some boating experts, including the current owner of Explorer, Cleve Ford.

Ford said the boat in question was made by the previous owner of Explorer but that he was familiar with the design. The report says when Ford purchased the company he destroyed the mold of this vessel because he had heard of problems with it sliding and swapping ends.

Ford also stated that “the previous owner had a tendency to build these vessels as cheaply as possible. They often had rack and pinion steering, which will cause the motor to turn all the way to the right if the operator lets go of the steering wheel.”

Ford added that his current 17 foot tunnel V design is rated for a 90 horsepower engine and that he felt the horsepower rating on the old design was too high, according to the report.

Investigators gathered more input on the boat’s hull design from Steve Hicks, a marine master technician with Meeks Marine in Kemah. Hicks stated that this type of hull design is known for swapping ends. He added that the vessels are designed for shallow waters and that they are more susceptible to sliding and bow steering in deeper, rougher water, the report said.

According to Hunter, the boat in question and another one just like it have since been removed from TPWD’s fleet of patrol boats.

Email Matt Williams at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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Open SEASON

by REAVIS Z. WORTHAM :: TF&G Humor Editor

An Excellent Question

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’D FORGOTTEN HOW DARK IT gets in central Texas until I went hog hunting with Wrong Willie and Jerry Wayne outside of Hico. It was one of those jump trips, when the phone rings and someone on the other end starts the ball rolling.

I answered. “What?”

Wrong Willie responded as usual.

“That’s not the way you answer the phone.

Me and Jerry Wayne will be over in an hour.

We’re going hog hunting tonight.”

“Aren’t you supposed to ask me if I want to go? I have a life. I might be busy tonight.”

“We’ll be there in fifty-nine minutes.”

“See you then.”

It was full dark-thirty when we wrestled the wire gate out of the way, suffering only one minor gash that we eventually stanched with a field dressing. Negotiating the pasture without headlights was easy under the full moon. When we got to the lowest part near the creek, the ground bounced us around like seeds in a rattle.

Willie fought the wheel. “That’s why we need to shoot some of these hogs. They’re tearing this place up.”

I held onto the handle attached to the door post. “Park there. We can see most of this open bottom from this little ridge.”

He turned, backed up, and we detrucked. Each of us grabbed a backpack and a rifle. Willie provided the million candlepower red light. I didn’t think we needed it, but you never know.

Jerry Wayne sounded like an elephant as he stomped around the bed of the truck.

“Can you move a little more quietly?”

He sat heavily onto the toolbox, sounding as if someone had dropped a sack of cement.

“Fine. I’ll sit right here.” With that declaration, he unzipped the loudest zipper I’ve ever heard. The sound of his hand rustling through the pack filled the air.

“Shhh.”

“I’m being quiet.” Not finding what he was looking for in the pocket apparently full of nothing but crunchy cellophane, he closed the zipper as loudly as possible. Then he unzipped the next pocket.

Willie leaned over and whispered. “What are you looking for?”

“Something to eat.”

“Can’t you do that a little quieter?”

“I’ll try.”

Another zipper about three yards long riiiipped through the silence. It sounded as if he was crushing a bag of chips inside, then it closed. “I know I have snacks in here.”

“Hang on.” Willie picked up his bazillion-power candlepower spotlight and flicked it on….directly in my eyes.

“Jeeze!!!” I nearly fell over the side. “I’m blind!”

“Shhh. Here Jerry Wayne.” He started to aim it toward the offensive backpack when a grunt caught his attention. Willie swung the beam toward a line of cedars and caught the hind end of a hog disappearing.

“Rev, get ready.”

“I was ready a long time ago.” I raised my rifle and waited. “I can’t see anything but spots now.”

The grunting continued, almost drowned by the noise coming from Jerry Wayne’s backpack. “Found it.”

Cellophane again crackled behind me, followed by a low, satisfied moan and the sounds of chewing.

The hogs disappeared and Willie clicked off the gazillion power light.

As our eyes became accustomed to the moonlight, I saw a deer slip past, about fifty yards away.

“Did we leave the cooler in the back seat?”

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“You left the cooler in there, Jerry.”

He grunted over the side and opened the door. The dome light immediately destroyed our night vision once again. Ice swished in the cooler as Jerry Wayne lifted it out and bumped it against the fender. The sound was like a dead body plopping into the back.

He finally piled in again.

Thinking it was over, Wrong Willie flicked on the mazillion-power red light and scanned the area. Apparently satisfied, Jerry chewed thoughtfully. “You know, I’d have found something to eat faster if I hadn’t been looking in your pack, Willie.”

“That’s what we get for buying them at the same time.”

“Hey, it was a great sale. Thanks for the jerky.”

The red light beam stopped its prowl.

“Jerry, I didn’t bring jerky.”

“Sure you did. It’s pretty good, too.”

“No. I didn’t bring jerky.”

“Then what am I eating?”

The beam raced from the cedars, across the pasture, and into the bed of our truck, finally lighting the object in Jerry Wayne’s hand.

“That’s not jerky.”

We stared for a long moment, then the beam slowly returned to the cedars.

“If this ain’t jerky, then what is it?”

Willie and I swallowed, gagged slightly, and returned to the hunt, leaving Jerry Wayne to ponder what was in his hand.

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E OFTEN TALK ABOUT the signs to look for when seeking speckled trout, redfish, flounder and other residents of our bay and Gulf waters. There are signs however that point to bad fishing or that will perhaps lead us the wrong direction.

This very thing happened to me on numerous occasions last year.

Gulls were diving as shad leap from the water in terror. There was no question a predator is under them and due to the location the highest likelihood (or hope)

is that it is trout of the speckled variety.

We made dozens of casts and did not get the first hit.

Usually when trout are feeding under birds it is virtually impossible not to get at least a nibble with each cast but you are feeling nothing. Zippo.

Then we saw flash of silver in long, cylindrical form. It moved through the water with great speed.

It was ribbonfish.

These strange-looking predators will rarely take a hook but they will kick up baitfish just like specks do. If you see rib-

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bonfish chasing baitfish make a couple of casts just incase trout are below them and then leave. You are wasting your time.

The vast majority of the time when the big ribbonfish are in the bays they don’t hang out with trout.

That is unless the trout are after them.

If you see smaller ribbonfish jumping out of the water, by all means stop and fish. Big trout love ribbonfish and will target them with great focus. Pay extra attention when glassing across the bay for birding action because you can waste a lot of time seeking out trout when ribbonfish

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are what is kicking up the baitfish. Pay close attention to those flashes of silver.

Another fish that can mess up an angler’s day are gafftopsail catfish.

They work shrimp and shad just like trout do and will have birds flocking around and picking out the escapees. If you pull up to bird action and your first cast yields a gafftop go elsewhere. They will sometimes run with the trout but usually the trout have enough sense not to run with them.

Would you want that much slime in your vicinity?

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A more challenging factor to work around is dredges.

Currently there is a lot of dredging work on the Texas coast and this can make the water quite murky. If the tide is pushing the dredge’s remnant onto your fishing hole forget it. Super murky water is no good for anything.

Something else that is important to watch for is wind direction. Bay systems all have winds that are preferable to fish so it is important to learn which ones are good and which ones are the worst. I will give you the example from my home bay T E X A S

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of Sabine Lake along with a very common saying.

“Wind from the east, fish bite the least.

Wind from the west fish, bite the best.”

That is saying most anglers have heard over the years and some believe it is absolutely true. Growing up in Southeast Texas it was something I thought was a regional theory but after doing some research I found it is popular all over the country.

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1/9/15 9:39 AM

Texas BOATING

by LENNY RUDOW :: TF&G Boating Editor

Ten Commandments of Boat Wiring

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HETHER YOU WANT TO upgrade a fishfinder, add a courtesy light, or change a switch, sooner or later most of us end up wiring something on our boats.

And if you wire something on a boat the same as you’d do it on land, it’s a disaster in the making.

In the best case scenario whatever you wired up will cease to work. In the worst case, your boat burns to the waterline ouch.

So pay heed to these 10 commandments of boat wiring: 1. NEVER USE REGULAR COPPER wire on a boat. Copper wires corrode in the marine environment, and it happens fast.

Corrosion at connections causes electrical resistance in the wire, which can lead to a build-up of heat. That heat can cause the wire’s insulation to melt, and the next stage of this process includes open flames.

In fact, one of the leading causes of boat fires is the use of wiring intended for the home, by do-it-yourselfers. Instead, you need

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Coast in the 1600s according to some sources.

In that area, bay fishermen experience some tough fishing conditions during certain times of year on an east wind because it pushes in cold water and air from the Atlantic and can fish lockjaw, particularly during the early spring period.

From Sabine Lake down to the tip of the jetties west winds are our biggest enemy.

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to use marine-grade tinned-copper wire. The additional tin coating helps keep corrosion at bay, and the wires survive far longer.

2. ABHOR THE WIRE NUT. THESE almost always lead to failure on boats, for a number of reasons. First, they tend to vibrate free over time. Remember, a boat is subjected to intense and prolonged vibrations, so what works just fine in the garage most certainly does not work after a few days of pounding through waves.

Secondly, cheap wire nuts often have coils inside made from sub-par metal. Again, the problem here is a vastly enhanced corrosion process. Spin that nut over your connection, and you may actually be doing more harm than good.

That’s why on a well-made boat, the original wiring is ramrod-straight, loomed in cushioned clamps, and secured every six inches or so. When you add or repair a system, you should rig your wires the same way.

4. USE (PROPERLY SIZED) CRIMP connectors, each and every time. It’s tempting to twist those wire-ends together, I know. But in time, the common twist will either vibrate free or corrode away. Crimp connectors are the only reliable way to make your connections.

5. USE HEAT-SHRINK PROTECTORS, over the crimps. Adding heat-shrink protectors to your crimped connections will extend their lifetime immeasurably. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see 20 year old wiring in a heavily-used saltwater boat in perfectly good condition—if it was done right in the first place. Shoddy work left uncovered by heatshrink protectors, on the other hand, often doesn’t last for more than a few seasons.

3. SUPPORT EVERYTHING, EVERY six inches. Remember those vibrations all boats are prone to? They cause wires to wiggle, jiggle, and sway. That movement stresses connections and can cause the insulation to fray.

6. SPRAY DOWN ALL EXPOSED METals with a corrosion-inhibitor once a year.

This includes bus-bars and fuse panels—anywhere any metal or wire is exposed to the air.

It’ll slow corrosion down substantially; some good choices are CorrosionX and Boeshield

unprotected shorelines on the north end of the lake, Sabine Lake muddies up. Ditto for the surf on the west side of the jetties which seems to be a little more silted in than on the east side of the rocks. Sure the Louisiana side gets murky when the winds are strong for the east but not nearly as what a much lighter west wind does to the Texas side.

Our prevailing wind is southeast and that optimal fishing condition for Sabine Lake, the channel and jetties when it is blowing lightly. Over the last couple of years however there has been a change and we are seeing far more west in the wind, which has translated to murkier water conditions more

frequently.

The old saying about wind direction we have been talking about has a second half, which brings us to the last half of our equation.

“Wind from the north, fish do not go forth? Wind from the south blows bait in their mouth?”

There are no historical references but a north wind often comes with a cold front and the first day after a big front usually brings in high barometric pressure, which in turn gives fish lockjaw.

Barometric pressure is the probably the Continued on page 58 u

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Texas BOATING 7. BUY THE HIGHEST QUALITY, most expensive fuses you can find—and replace the cheap ones that often come with accessory gear. Marine equipment often isn’t as standardized as automotive equipment, and you’ll find more variation in it. Then, add into the equation a jumble of cheap fuses made in China or Taiwan, which don’t conform to the few standards that do exist.

Net result? Gremlins in your boat’s electrical system.

You’ll encounter fuses that don’t work even though they seem to look and fit just fine. You’ll find others that work in one slot of a fuse panel, but not another. And you’ll sometimes even have a fuse or two that only works after the electrical system has been fired up, you pull the fuse, then re-insert it.

Frustrating? You betcha.

8. PROTECT WIRES WHERE THEY pass over or through bulkheads. Many boatbuilders don’t pay much attention to smooth-

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ing the edges of bulkheads that are hidden from view. As a result, sharp or jagged wood or fiberglass is often exposed.

Run wires across these sharp edges, and you’re just asking for trouble. Even wellloomed wires will chafe, and soon you’ll be looking at exposed metal. Failure is not far behind.

It may not seem too important the first time you add a wire under the helm. But if you own a boat for several years and replace this wire then add that one, eventually, you won’t be able to remember what wire feeds which unit. Having the proper color coding can help immeasurably, when it’s time to do the next fix or upgrade.

9. BE GENTLE, WHEN PULLING wires through rigging tubes or pipework.

While fishing a wire through an enclosed space you can’t see it, so you may cause damage without even realizing it. If the spot that gets damaged is hidden from view you won’t figure out what’s happened until it’s too late.

In fact, wire damage occurring during installation is one of the leading reasons why new radar units don’t work, and transducer cable damage accounts for the majority of new fishfinder failures.

THE BOTTOM LINE: electrical systems and electronics wiring are among the most important systems in your boat. And the shape of your boat’s electrical system can make the difference between years of troublefree boating, and watching Mom’s Mink burn to the waterline. So the next time you fix a wire or add a chart plotter, be sure to keep these 10 commandments of boat wiring in mind.

10. STICK WITH ABYC (AMERICAN Boat and Yacht Council) wire color-coding.

Email Lenny Rudow at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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The Practical ANGLER

by PAUL BRADSHAW :: TF&G Contributing Editor

Wacky Shotting

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’M GOING TO SHARE SOME good news with you. You are blessed to live in Texas. Why? Because living in Texas means you probably own 47 bass rods and zero snow shovels.

You don’t have a calendar taped to your wall that lists “ice out” for all the lakes in your general area. Heck, most of you don’t even know what “ice out” is (it’s when all the ice is off the lake and you can fish on real water again, I think). The only time we have ice floating in our lakes is when we spill our tea while crappie fishing. See, you’re blessed.

Now with that being said, it still gets cold (relatively speaking) down here which can make bass lethargic and catching them difficult, especially in February.

Bright, sunny days warm the water temperatures just enough to make the bass start having thoughts of spawning and moving semi-shallow into staging areas, only to have late season arctic fronts pushing through dropping temperatures. This sends bass scurrying (I’m not sure bass can scurry since they don’t have legs, but I digress) back into the depths of the lake.

Catching these fish can be frustrating, and when times are tough it’s best to have a lot of tricks up your sleeve to help put fish in the boat. So this month we’re going to go over a combination of two rigs you probably

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least understood aspect of fishing and it is one I am continually exploring. High pressure puts strain on fish and typically makes them bit finicky and sometimes not at all.

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use all the time that will help drag a few bites out of lethargic late winter, post cold front bass.

We’re going to call this wacky-shotting. Stop laughing, it works. Really. If you know how to tie a drop shot and rig a worm wacky style then you already know how to make this rig.

If you don’t know how to do these then continue ready and we’ll go over both.

Let’s start with the drop shot since that is the backbone of this fishing rig, and really the most time consuming part of the outfit.

Somewhere between 24 and 36 inches from the end of the line is where you tie on your hook.

Using a palomar knot, tie on a wide gap worm hook. If you run the tag end of the line back through the eye of the hook (from the point side) before attaching your weights it will help the hook stay upright. Some anglers swear by using a specific type of hook for this rig but if we’re being realistic any hook you typically use for worm fishing will suffice.

On most rigs, the tag end of your line is where you put the hook, but not on the drop shot. The tag end of the line is where you will put your weight so don’t trim it off after tying on your hook. The depth and type of cover you intend to fish around is the determining factor for the amount and type of weight you will use.

If you plan to fish after a front for suspending bass in deep water then you’ll want to use a heavier weight. If you plan to cast to staging fish that have moved shallower, then you’ll need less weight. trend means a strong bite.

That is why the day immediately following fronts is beautiful (clear skies with high pressure) but the fishing is sub par. Some suggest pressure over 30.20 is too high and if it gets below 29.80 things can get a little shaky. If it is above 30 and falling you have ideal conditions. Remember if you are fishing high-pressure days, use light line, small T E X A S

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The best way to plan for either situation is to use ¼ ounce crimp on bullet weights on the end of your line. If you are fishing shallow, just crimp o n one, if you are going deep then add as many as you feel necessary to get the bait down quickly and hold it in position.

The crimp on weights give you the flexibility to add or remove weight as needed and the bullet shape helps them slip through cover easily.

Also, if they happen to get hung on something, a steady pull on the line will cause them to slip off the end. You may lose some weights this way, but not the full rig so it’s just a matter of crimping on a few weights to continue fishing.

Now comes the easy part, wacky rigging the worm. I’m a fan of the Zoom Trick Worm, but really any soft plastic that is long skinny and flexible works, just be sure to keep it in a subdued color this time of year. Think watermelon seed or motor oil, instead of neon chicken. To rig the worm, simply run the point right through the middle from the side with the tip exposed. The worm should hang down from the hook in an inverted U shape when done right.

Email Paul Bradshaw at ContactUs@fishgame.com

lures and be ready for a soft bite.

While these signs certainly lead to lackluster fishing, we sometimes have no other option but to fish. By keeping a positive attitude and working around negative circumstances we can make the best out of the absolute worst the coast has to offer.

PHOTO: JACKALL LURES

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Texas GUNS

by STEVE LAMASCUS | TF&G Shooting Editor

The Winchester Model 71

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N MY OPINION, THE MOST beautiful lever-action rifle ever made was one most people have never heard of the Winchester Model 71. That it is not well known is understandable since it was only made from 1936 to 1956 or ‘58 (depending on who you ask) and was only

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made in one caliber .348 Winchester. The shame of it is that it is also, probably, the finest lever-action combo that Winchester ever made.

The Model 71 is, from what I can find out, a modernized version of the Model 1886.

The 1886 was the big bore Winchester rifle that used such monsters as the black powder .50-110. With the obsolescence of the 1886 and the .33 and .405 WCF, Winchester decided they needed a modern big bore rifle and cartridge. The M71 and the .348 were that combo.

The .348 was one of the most powerful rounds ever chambered in a lever-action rifle, until Browning brought out their BLR in the modern magnum calibers. It was

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originally loaded with 150-, 200-, and 250grain bullets, but the 150- and 250- were dropped from production, and last I heard, Winchester was producing only the 200grain bullets.

Don’t expect to find any factory loads at your local sporting goods store. They are almost impossible to find, and will cost you near a hundred dollars a box if you do find them, so if you want to shoot your .348, you almost have to hand load the ammunition.

Components are still available from several sources. If they are not out of stock, which often happens, Buffalo Arms offers custom loaded ammunition, as does Buffalo Bore.

The .348 is fully capable of taking the largest animals in North America. I wouldn’t

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purposely choose it for brown bears or American bison, but if faced with hunting them with the .348, I wouldn’t turn tail and run, either.

The .348 can be loaded with a 200-, 220-, or 250-grain bullet. Hornady makes the 200-grain in either flat-nosed soft-point or their new FTX plastic-tipped spitzer bullet. With the aerodynamic FTX bullet at 2,600 feet per second, the .348 should make a truly wonderful deer rifle capable of shots to as much as 250 yards, if the shooter is capable of such shots using the iron sights or peep sights found on the Model 71.

Barnes makes both a 220- and 250grain bullet in their Barnes Original lead core design, and Woodleigh makes their Weldcore in 250-grain. These will turn the .348 into a great close cover rifle for elk or moose. I have seen deer shot with the 220grain Barnes bullets, and let me tell you, it is impressive.

It is certain that the best way to shoot the .348 as cheaply as possible is to mold lead bullets. There are still a couple of bullet molds available for that caliber. The best is undoubtedly the type that uses the brass gas checks. RCBS makes one in 200-grain weight. They are made from reclaimed and cleaned wheel weights with a bit of tin added to aid easy molding. These bullets will weigh about 210 grains and can be fired at up to about 1,800 feet per second without undue leading in the barrel. This way the .348 is a great plinking round and can be used for small game, varmints, and even deer and hogs, if the shooter is careful of his shot placement and keeps the range short.

I often get 2- to 3-inch 100 yard groups from my Model 71 using this bullet at a chronographed velocity of 1,845 feet per second.

In Texas, the place where the .348 should really shine is as a wild hog gun. A lot of the shooting at hogs is fairly close, which is where open sights are at their best. With the 220grain Barnes Original bullet the .348 should be a fantastic hog gun, really numbing the smaller hogs and providing plenty of punch and penetration for even a really big old boar.

One of the best loads is a 250-grain Woodleigh Weldcore over a stiff charge of H4831. This load should be fine for anything in North America and especially good for black bears. Even cast lead bullets, like those I make, when pushed to over 1,800 fps, should be plenty of medicine for hogs and deer.

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The original load for the .30-30 was a 160-grain bullet at 1,960 feet per second, and the larger, heavier bullet of the .348 should make up any minor difference in velocity. I intend to find out if this is true at the first opportunity.

If Winchester really wants to hit a home run, I think they should reintroduce the Model 71 and chamber it for both the .348 and the .45-70. I expect that it would be a hit for both hunters and the Cowboy Action shooters.

What I do know is that the Model 71 is the finest tubular magazine lever-action ever made by Winchester, and the .348 is a true powerhouse, a thumper sufficiently powerful for anything up to moose. If you happen to run across one, buy it. Or better yet, call me, so I can.

Email Steve LaMascus at ContactUs@ďŹ shgame.com

1/9/15 11:21 AM

Texas TESTED Redneck Hunting Chair IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE FOR all hunters that the longer you stay in the woods hunting, the better your chances are of success. I recently tested the Redneck Hunting Chair while on a whitetail hunt. I have to say it gets two thumbs up from this writer.

When I first received this hunting chair, I set it up in my living room and tried it.

It was so comfortable that I left it set up in my living room for days. You could easily spend countless hours in this chair without fidgeting around trying to get comfortable. The extra thick seat cushion accompanied by comfortable back cushion has a lot to do with being able to stay in the woods for hours.

I have to say Redneck Outdoors put some thought in this design when they made a seat that could rotate 180 degrees, and it is super quiet when you turn from side to

Redneck Hunting Chair

side. The three legs are individually able to change height making it easy to set up on uneven ground.

By adjusting the back leg, I found that I could have it straight up or on an angle making it even more comfortable to sit in. As a matter of fact, the first time I set it up in the woods, I almost fell asleep in it. I remember I was hoping the deer wouldn’t bother me.

It also comes with a bungee cord that keeps the unit quiet and secure while you carry it to your hunting spot.

I found that for this grizzled veteran hunter, it was a little heavy to carry. However, for the comfort this chair provides, the extra weight matters little. The strap provided makes it a little easier to throw over your shoulder as you walk through the woods. I keep it in my hunting truck and have used it many times already. I love it.

For more information go to www.redneckblinds.com.

—by LOU MARULLO

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Industry INSIDER Digiforce: Prescription Strength Wiley X AS A LEADING INNOVATOR OF PREMIUM protective eyewear for military, occupationaland recreational use, Wiley X has now moved far beyond simply offering Rxable eyewear. A precision prescription digital lens technology developed byWiley X — DIGIFORCE — is now being offered to provide superior vision to awide variety of wearers in various wearing conditions.

New DIGIFORCE digital Rx lenses have been DigiForce Rx lenses designed specifienhance visual clarity. cally for Wiley X’s 8-base wrap frames. These lenses increase and optimize the field of vision in all directions.

DIGIFORCE lenses also provide a more significant reading zone and crisper, clearer optics. They enhance visual clarity, color contrast and depth perception and are perfect for any activity including motorcycle riding, hiking, hunting and while on the job. This is in keeping with the active, outdoor lifestyles enjoyed by those who wear Wiley X sunglasses.

DIGIFORCE digital lens technology allows Wiley X to completely customize each prescription to the wearer’s lifestyle and frame fit resulting in amazing prescription accuracy and clarity. Standard Rx lens 64 |

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designs in Wiley X 8-base wrap frames can cause peripheral distortion, commonly referred to as the “fishbowl effect.” DIGIFORCE point by point digital lens mapping delivers enhanced visual clarity and color contrast while minimizing distortion.

DIGIFORCE lenses matched with Wiley X frames allow the wearer’s personalized vision needs to be met. By accounting for various measurements including

pantoscopic tilt, wrap angle, vertex distance and more, DIGIFORCE delivers truly personalized free form lenses. These intricate measurements are even more important to wrap style frames and higher prescription ranges.

DIGIFORCE gives Wiley X prescription wearers personalized eyewear for their unique viewing angles and frame measureT E X A S

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ments, improving the perceived prescription results as the wearer moves their eyes around the lens. As a result, wearers will enjoy the widest possible vision zones, smoother transition through the corridor, and minimized oblique astigmatism.

When combining this new level of prescription lens performance with the advanced vision protection Wiley X is known for, absolute premium protection is achieved for the way people work, play and live. Every pair of Wiley X frames meets stringent ANSI Z87.1 High Velocity and High Mass Impact Safety standards, providing occupational grade protection for all wearers and a wide range of activities. Wiley X is the only premium performance sunglass brand with this level of vision protection in every pair of eyewear it makes.

This is a major reason why Wiley X is a leading provider of protective eyewear systems to U.S. military, law enforcement and other tactical wearers around the world.

For more information on DIGIFORCE personalized prescription lenses — or Wiley X’s full line of performance protective eyewear models for work and play Visit Wiley X, Inc. at 7800 Patterson Pass Road, Livermore, CA 94550; Telephone: (800) 776-7842 Or visit online at www.wileyx.com.

PHOTO: WILEY X

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Fish and Game GEAR Flextone Introduces FLX Series Game Calls

THE NEED FOR HIGH QUALITY, GREATsounding Electronic Game Calls has never been higher. The exhilarating experience of hunting with electronic calls is attracting many newcomers to the world of electronic calls for the first time. Others are introduced to electronic calls out of necessity.

Vermin like coyotes are taking too big a bite out of wildlife populations in many areas, and those sportsmen realize something needs to be done. In either case, the new FLX Series of Electronic Game Calls from Flextone Game Calls has you covered.

Flextone Game Calls is proud to announce the FLX Series of Electronic Game Calls, new for 2015. The FLX Series includes four models ranging from the easy-to-handle FLX 50, a lightweight remote caller, on up to the FLX 1000.

The FLX 1000 and FLX 500 are top-of-the-line premier programmable devices that hold up to 1,000 and 500 calls respectively. Both feature superb bi-directional speakers that can be activated and controlled remotely at long ranges. Both the remote and the call control the activation of the unit. In addition, both the FLX 1000 and FLX 500 come pre-loaded with 100 high-quality calls, perfect for just about any calling situation.

Also new from Flextone Game Calls are the FLX 100 and FLX 50. These small hand-held units feature a high-quality speaker and come pre-loaded with 100 and 40 calls respectively. The FLX 50 is small and compact, perfect for close range work and is activated by a trigger. The FLX 100 has a long-range remote and both the remote and the unit can activate the call.

Whatever the hunting situation, the type of animal being hunted, or what the spending budget may be, one of the four new 66 |

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models of FLX Series Electronic Calls will be in the sweet spot for features, functionality and price.

Visit www.flextonegamecalls.com.

FLX50

Dead Serious Apparel for Bowhunters

SCENTBLOCKER, CONSTANT INNOVATOR OF hunting apparel technology recently announced the introduction of Dead Quiet, a new scent control jacket and pant that incorporate the best technology, finest features, and latest fabric that ScentBlocker has to offer.

Building on the feedback of bowhunters from around the country, the new Dead Quiet is based on their number one request - silence. Dead Quiet started with the development of a brand new composite fabric exhibiting the perfect weight, hand, and ability to stay silent in nearly all conditions.

It uses a high denier, microfiber brushed tricot outer layer that is wet printed to maintain the soft characteristics of the fiber. This outer layer is treated with a highly water repellent DWR finish, and then combined with a plush inner layer of microfiber fleece.

And incorporated between the layers of this ultimate fabric system is Trinity technology, the heart and soul of ScentBlocker’s scent control program.

This outfit is loaded with hunter-friendly features. The mid-weight jacket offers a new hood design which can be easily compressed and tucked away in the collar yet is stretchable and cut to allow for great peripheral vision. Other features include an adjustable and removable arm-guard, perfect size pockets in the right places, Spider Speed Clips and harness slit for Tree Spider safety compatibility, hybrid BodyLock waist, and of course the ultimate in soft, quiet fabric.

The Dead Quiet pants are equipped

FLX100

FLX1000

FLX500

Flextone FLX Series game calls.

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Dead Quiet jacket and pant.

Interal rubberized waistband Full front zipper

give you complete control on every hook up. The skeletonized rotor and frame afford extreme resistance-free performance.

The Bass Pro Shops Extreme Series Spinning Reel includes sizes and line capacities to meet every need and is available at www.basspro.com or your nearest Pro Shops store. MSRP $59.99.

2 inset waist pockets

Two zippered chest pockets

2 thigh side entry bellow pockets

Two lower zippered pockets

with an internal rubberized waistband which keeps shirts tucked in and pants up.

Side elastic waistband provides comfortable fit without a belt, but also offers belt loops and tunnels. Both cargo pockets feature side entry zippers as well as top flap for easy access to gear. Pants include 20” leg zippers for easy on/off over footwear, diamond crotch gusset for maximum mobility and comfort, and silent rubberized snaps throughout.

Dead Quiet has the fit and features to be your year ‘round favorite.

Scentblocker is a product of Robinson Outdoor Products, a privately held corporation based in Cannon Falls, MN. As a leader in hunting apparel, scent control technologies, scent control liquids, and treestand safety equipment, their mission is to improve the hunter’s experience by innovation.

For more information about Robinson Outdoor Products and the Tree Spider brand, call 1-507-263-2885.

Or visit www.RobinsonOutdoors.com.

PHOTOS: SCENTBLOCKER; BASS PRO SHOPS

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20-in. leg zippers

Extreme Fishing

THE NEW BASS PRO SHOPS EXTREME Series Spinning Reel is tough enough to take anything you or the tournament trail can throw at it while its precision engineering also means less wear and tear on you.

The Extreme Series Spinning Reel incorporates Mag Spool Technology with forged aluminum spools 30 percent wider than standard spinning reels to wind more line with each revolution. Fewer turns mean less line twist and better lay resulting in longer casts and extended life of the line. The 6-bearing system with Powerlock instant anti-reverse and super-smooth sealed carbon fiber drag Extreme Series spinning reel

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SABINE Area Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

Cold Days Bring Big Stringers

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OASTAL FISHING IN THE month of February is written off by lots of anglers for several reasons. The obvious being that it has notoriously earned the reputation as being the coldest month of the year.

That and other reasons, such as “The fish just don’t bite in February” and “The weather is just too unpredictable,” or, “I can think of several much better things to do.” are why people opt for staying closer to the comforts of home rather than taking on the elements in the open bay.

There will be days this month when staying home is definitely the better choice.

However, on some days getting out there and exposing yourself can pay off big with fish in your ice chest.

Even some of the iffy days when people look at you like you’re crazy for going fishing can produce in big ways. The key to locating and catching fish in February is to fish the warmest water possible. Deep channels, outfall canals and mud flats once the midmorning sun begins to feel good on the back of your neck are places you want to hit.

The term “deep” is used loosely here because most of the channels I’m referring to have depths of no more than seven feet. The deeper water will maintain a more consistent, slightly warmer temperature than shallow water, and it won’t fluctuate as often or as quickly when the air temperature drops.

The slightest variance in water temperature can make a big difference in whether a particular area, or depth will hold fish.

When you’re fishing the flats, it is important to experiment within the different levels of the water column.

We usually start by slowly bouncing soft

plastics on 1/4 oz. lead heads along the bottom. If this approach is enticing a few strikes, stick with it and experiment with different colors or baits. If it is not working, try the mid-range levels of the water column by throwing slow sinkers like Corkys and swim baits.

If you’re still not having any success, switch to a good ol’ mullet-imitating top water plug such as a Skitterwalk or Super Spook. If fish are in the vicinity, one of these tactics should get the job done.

I think the numbers of solid trout that the Sabine ecosystem gives up in February would surprise a lot of people. Fishing for trophy trout this month is a common occurrence up and down the coast.

The idea of catching limits of solid trout in February, however, doesn’t enter lots of people’s minds simply because they don’t think it can be done. The truth is, it can and does happen on a fairly consistent basis.

You just have to fish the right places and figure out where they are in the water column.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Intracoastal Canal, Hwy 87 (Sabine Pass) SPECIES: Redfish, Black Drum, Croaker BAITS/LURES: Fresh dead shrimp, cut bait BEST TIMES: Early with incoming tide

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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GALVESTON Area Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. MIKE HOLMES

Surf Fishing Success

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ARLY IN MY SURF FISHING “career,” I can remember a nice, sunny Sunday evening in February near San Luis Pass on the Galveston side. After a chilly Saturday and a cold night, temperatures warmed enough to venture out in shorts and a Tee-shirt at least briefly, as long as you didn’t actually go in the water.

My friend Dave and I had gone to the shore mostly to get away, not actually expecting to catch anything. But with the warmer air and little wind we caught a few small stingrays and some hard heads, which was better than a sharp stick in the eye.

Later, Dave reeled in a decent-sized “Gulf” trout, which would be a sand trout caught in the Gulf, and not the bay. In better fishing weather at a better time of the year, this small fish would have been instant bait, but on that particular day it seemed special.

The attractive golden hue was especially welcome after a dreary start to the trip. As it flopped on the wet sand just past the receding foam from the last wave, I felt a sense of promise that spring and better fishing weather was actually on its way, maybe just around the corner?

Although February is hardly a prime month for surf fishing, I have caught, or seen caught, bull reds in the suds in every month of the year – including February.

Of course, I used to spend a great deal of my time surf fishing. Besides reds and Gulf trout, I have seen large black drum, croakers, an occasional small flounder, and even at least one smallish bull shark taken in the surf on warm February days.

The drum fishing was actually better

on the other side of the pass, off the old bulkhead near the KOA campground.

That property is now a nice County Park (Brazoria), with a store and boat ramp; but the pass side before entering the park should still be a good spot to intercept migrating drum.

While we are on the subject of Gulf trout, boaters catching a calm day can hit near shore reefs and banks, sometimes finding good concentrations of these often overlooked fish. There are no limits or seasons on Gulf trout, but there will usually be some smallish red snapper in the same habitat.

These are completely off limits in Federally controlled water beyond nine miles from the beach. Bluefish have no such restrictions, and fight harder than small snappers. Big blues can be found around rigs from just off the beach to 20 miles out or so, providing good light tackle action and decent eating.

When bottom fishing in water over 50 feet or so in depth the sort of tackle used for snapper bottom fishing might be more

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appropriate. Big blues fight hard, and on multi-hook leaders, more than one might join the battle.

Fishermen who venture into deeper water are always in a position to see or catch unseasonal sea creatures. I don’t advocate fishing for vermillion snappers anymore, because too many red snappers are caught incidentally and have to be released.

Red snappers – or any deep water bottom fish – have a high release mortality rate, and are not good candidates for successful catch and release fishing. Still, tuna, wahoo, and even billfish are present in the waters along and beyond the 100 fathom curve.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Lighted piers and docks that allow fishing are good bets at night, deep water in harbors or canals can hold fish day or night. In February warm spells, “meet” the fish in shallows near their deep water winter haunts.

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1/7/15 4:37 PM

MATAGORDA Area Hotspot Focus :: by MIKE PRICE

Offshore Rewards

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ED SNAPPERS ARE BIGGER and more abundant than I have ever seen in the 44 years I have been fishing and diving in the Gulf of Mexico.

In the winter months, many snappers move to inshore waters. There is a lot of controversy about red snapper fishing regulations in Federal waters more than nine miles offshore. However, Texas fishing regulations state that if you are less than nine miles from shore you are allowed to keep four red snappers that measure over 15 inches.

The reason that red snappers move closer to shore when the water is cold is that cold water holds more oxygen than warm water.

Water temperatures and thermoclines have a big influence on the movement of bait and predator fish in the Gulf of Mexico.

In February, the Gulf of Mexico surface water temperatures (less than 50 miles offshore) vary from the high fifties to the midsixties. The thermocline is at approximately 40 feet, and usually lowers temperatures by an additional 5°F. So even if you only go to the rigs that you can see from shore, or to bottom structure only six or seven miles offshore, you have a good chance to find red snappers.

If you have a boat capable of going fifty or sixty miles offshore from Matagorda, you can really get into some great fishing. Buddy Wolf, expert tackle rigger and employee at Fishing Tackle Unlimited rigged four rods.

Two had ballyhoo underskirts to troll near the surface, and two trailed Braid Marauder lures at 40 feet.

We commenced to troll.

It wasn’t long before I was rushing to grab a severely bent rod. Through the clear water, we could see the silver and blue

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stripes of a large wahoo. Chip and Buddy had to double gaff the six foot fish (which had hit a purple Marauder).

After trolling for a while with no action, Buddy said, “Nothing is happening on the surface, let’s use the planars and drop the ballyhoo to about 35 feet.” This was a good decision. Soon Chip hollered, “Fish on!” I grabbed a rod which had about 75 yards of line out and Buddy played a fish on another rod about 25 yards off the stern.

Both fish were blackfin tuna.

They were jumping out of the water and being attacked by silky sharks. Buddy tightened his drag and horsed his fish to the boat as fast as he could. He thought there was no way that he would beat the sharks, but he managed to get the tuna on the boat. I heard a huge commotion near my blackfin; and Chip, who was at the helm on the bridge, said he could see the sharks tearing the tuna apart.

If you can go offshore on one of the rare February days when the weather cooperates, it can be a memorable trip.

East and West Matagorda Bays PICK A PARTLY SUNNY, FAIRLY warm day in February with southeast or south winds that help push water into the bays, along with good tidal movement. Then select a fishing spot that has deep water close to shallow water and you will maximize your catching possibilities.

The reason you want deep water is that fish tend to congregate in deeper water where it is a bit warmer. By deep, I mean four feet or deeper. Late morning into afternoon is the best time to fish, because the T E X A S

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Leon Gilchrist, from Markham, Texas, caught this trout using his bait caster rod with a D.O.A. shrimp and a popping cork.

water has had time to warm up, and the fish move around looking for prey.

EARLY LAST FEBRUARY, MY WIFE Janet and I went to one of the cuts that lead to houses on the south shore of West Matagorda Bay. The wind was from the south at 8 to 12 mph, tide was high and outgoing fairly strong, the water was clear, green, and 50.5°F when we arrived. For three days prior to this trip, the air temperatures had been from 31 to 45 degrees. Janet went to the far south end of the boat cut in her kayak, found hungry redfish in a hole and caught five. I worked the flats on the bay side of the cut and caught three redfish.

On another February morning it was foggy when I left Matagorda harbor and

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went to a spot in East Matagorda Bay, close to the deep water of the Intracoastal Waterway. I launched my kayak and paddled to one of several shell islands and cast toward the island, using a Chicken on a Chain Bass Assassin with a little piece of Fishbite on the 1/16 ounce jig head hook.

I felt a little tick, and then a very large trout exploded out of the water with my lure in its mouth. I kept the line tight and the drag was set the way I like it for trout, fairly light; the fish changed directions several times and then jumped out of the water a second time. I finally worked a very hefty 25-inch trout into my net. Drifting the shell islands produced several more trout and redfish.

IF YOUR BOAT IS SUITABLE FOR going offshore, February is a great time to try for red snappers in Texas’ waters. When planning a day of bay fishing, be sure to pick a spot that has deep water next to shallow water.

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live without water, and will attract more than just flounder.

SPECIES: Speckled trout and reds can be found, croaker and sand trout will be more common, with some flounder as a welcome winter surprise.

BEST TIMES: Night fishing under lights can be good in cooler weather, but a warm, sunny day with good tidal flow can get them moving in shallower areas.

BEST BAITS: Live bait is hard to come by this time of year, unless you catch your own – or use mud minnows. These hardy little fish will almost

Email Mike Holmes at ContactUs@fishgame.com

THE BANK BITE FISHING AT THE LOCKS CLOSED—Simon DeSoto from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said that the popular bank fishing site where the Intracoastal Waterway intersects with the Colorado River is permanently closed. It was closed because a new berm has been added to the levee and no road was built over the berm, and also for security reasons.

UPPER TRES PALACIOS RIVER—The Upper Tres Palacios River has two good drive up fishing spots. In February trout move up the Tres

Palacios River if there has not been a lot of rain, so these fishing locations give bank fisherman a shot at catching winter trout. Carl Park is at FM 521 and Tres Palacios River. It has an extensive deck next to the river, a boat launch, and picnic areas. County Road 364 is about a half mile east of the river off FM 521. This road is parallel to the river and there are several places to park and fish. When I was there in November I met 88-year-old Leon Gilchrist from Markham. He parked his truck, got his bait caster rod with a D.O.A. shrimp and a popping cork and commenced to catch trout.

Email Mike Price at ContactUs@fishgame.com

1/9/15 11:59 AM

UPPER MID Coast Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. CHRIS MARTIN

Top Specks for February

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HERE’S NO BETTER TIME OF the year to catch big speckled trout than in February, and there’s nothing more exciting than catching them using top-water lures. However, in order to be able to experience the thrill this addictive sport has to offer, coastal anglers will need to first learn to pick some of the

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more favored days and conditions.

Don’t let the fact that some brief warming trends occur this month fool you.

Meteorological history shows some of the most severe and bitter cold fronts of the year can take place this month. Keeping that in mind, February’s top-water anglers will stand a better than average chance at reaping big trout rewards. The trick is being able to piece together certain key components of the water. This includes its level, its temperature, and its clarity, in addition to baitfish activity, and a presence of underwater vegetation such as grass (even if only in slight amounts).

When the level of the water fluctuates, so can the bite. Water levels in February might be two feet below normal one day, then more than a foot above normal the next. This makes for what can often become frustrating and challenging times. If you add to this the fact that water temperatures can begin to plummet overnight in the wake of a harsh cold front, all of a sudden you can have chaos within the coastal fishing arena.

It may sometimes seem as though neither the trout, nor the anglers, know how to react.

This month, anglers can aid their trout efforts by locating shorelines and lakes that hold two to four feet of water or maybe a little bit deeper. Others will have their own opinion, but I personally prefer locating water that’s on the deeper end of the scale.

That’s simply based upon my own experience.

I also intentionally look for water that is clean rather than sandy or murky. Top-water baits are great producers, especially when the fish are able to see them. Extremely clean water, however, is not always an option given the amount of churn in the water after the passing of the latest front.

When casting top-water lures in water that’s slightly sanding or off-color, anglers can increase their odds by throwing lures that possess a sharp rattle. My first preference for such a lure is the She Dog. The She Dog is easy to work whenever I have to deal with windy conditions. I like that they have T E X A S

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a higher-pitched rattle compared to the Top Dog or the Skitter Walk.

If you feel you have exhausted all resources in your search for clear water, another condition you can look for would be the tides. An incoming tide will, most likely, only help to keep the water stained or dirty.

An outgoing tide tends to flush the dirty water out of the area and keeps the area clean longer. So, next time you’re unable to find clean water, try setting up in the same place at the beginning of a falling tide to see whether this might help clear the water.

Another consideration for top water anglers this month will be the water temperature. Fishing logs I’ve kept over the years indicate good results on top water lures whenever February waters range in temperature from near 60-degrees to 65-degrees.

When the water temperature falls much below that range, success on the surface seems to decline considerably. If the water gets really cold, anglers will often be forced to look toward slow-sinking baits and softplastics as they search for the bite at various sub-surface levels.

One last thing to give top water enthusiasts an advantage this month is locating active mullet in a place that still holds some grass along the bottom. I can live with water that’s not the cleanest in the world, but if I don’t see any mullet in the water, a lot of times I won’t even turn off the boat motor.

No mullet simply means I’ll venture on to my next destination, or will continue to scout, until I am able to find some.

Good luck, and keep grindin’!

Contact Capt. Chris Martin at bayflatslodge@gmail.com or visit bayflatslodge.com

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ROCKPORT Area Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. MAC GABLE

A Common Thread

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HEY WERE CHILDHOOD sweethearts; and as the winds of fate often dictate, they ended up marrying other people. Time went by and change again was in the wind. His spouse died and her significant other decided life was greener in another pasture so both were left bruised from their marriages.

Through their high school reunion coordinator, they crossed email paths and as is the custom these days, traded email and a few text messages even though both were not very good at either.

As the story goes neither really wanted to make anything out of the contact. However as time went on, their previous marriage injuries began to heal, and each began thinking about the other.

They were both born and bred Texans, but their livelihoods had them on opposite shores of our great country, so a drink or a non-committal brunch was out of the question. They shared a love for the gulf coast waters of the Lone Star State (Texas) and as fate would have it, Rockport, Texas was the same distance for each to travel almost to the mile.

Each had to talk themselves into the long distant date, and that still wasn’t enough.

They needed a common thread to weave the trip, themselves and the 35 years they not seen each other together.

The phone rang on her end, and it was the man saying “Well, you still have the same voice as I recall.” She knew immediately who it was. He said he would probably go fishing, if they decided to meet in Rockport.

She said “I didn’t know you liked to fish!

I love to catch trout and love how they taste.

Lord, I have missed that these past years.”

“How about we go fishing?” he said.

“Works for me. I will find a fishing guide so it ups the odds of catching fish, we will split the cost,” she said, not wanting to feel obligated should they not fit each other’s fancy. “We can meet wherever the guide wants to take us out.”

It was a relief for him as well. He didn’t want to feel like he had to entertain the entire time they were in Rockport, should they not mesh.

“Well,” he said. “I take Texas Fish and Game magazine (Inland edition) and by mistake they sent me the coastal addition here in Washington. In that edition I read an article by a fishing guide and think he might be worth trying. Let’s just hope we catch some fish just in case we don’t get along!”

They both laughed.

My phone rang and a date was picked out for the trip. “The fee will be split,” said the man. “I will tip you up front, in case we have a bad day, so tell me where to send half the fee and tip.”

I laughed. “Well, you must have gotten some bad/ weird vibes about me from

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somewhere to position your payment that way,” I said.

He then explained this wasn’t as much a fishing trip as it was a reuniting of a long-lost high school romance, meeting for the first time in 35 years with me at the dock on St Charles Bay. “The tip,” he said, “isn’t for fishing but rather for introducing us once we both arrive.”

He stated again they would be in separate vehicles.

“I’m the chaperon?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yes sir you are,” he replied. “Do you accept the terms?”

“Why not,” I said. “I have been many other things but never that!”

I could see very easily that my boat might never leave the dock on this adventure, so getting at least half the payment up front was prudent thinking.

“Capt. Mac Cupid’s hard-headed helper!” I called myself as I hung up the phone.

The croaker bite had been good, but could be slow given the day.

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Focus: ROCKPORT I decided shrimp was the ticket to keeping them both busy in case the cold shoulder emerged from either party.

He was at the dock early. To say he was a bit nervous was like saying Bill Gates was doing just okay for himself.

“Hi Capt. Mac” he said.

Before I could respond, he added “She broke up with me 35 years ago so this might just be a BIG mistake.”

“How about a cup of coffee?” I offered, weakly. “That will boost your confidence.”

“No, I think a Prozac is in order here,” he replied, “even though I’ve never taken one.”

“Hmmmm,” I thought. “Sir, why don’t we just focus on fishing and let nature take its course, be it good or bad.”

“Well, that’s just it,” he offered. “If we don’t get along I can’t decide if that would be good or bad or if we do get along is it too late for a new chapter in my life?”

“Sir, you need to get a rod in your hand!”

I laughed.

“What if she drives up takes one look and drives off?”

“I am pretty sure that’s NOT going to happen,” I said, “I received money from her as well. We are going fishing sir, come heck or high water, so get your head around it pretty quickly because I think that’s her driving up.”

He looked like a deer in the headlights (total brain lock). She got out of the car, and I was floored. She had on the same fishing shirt, same cap and the same type nylon pants that he did.

“This is gonna be a good day,” I thought.

I greeted her and walked with her to the dock where he waited.

“Miss so-and-so this is Mister so-and-so,” I said. “I believe you two have met at least once before. and you both are fishing companions on my boat for today.

“The trout bite has been good, the red bite has been okay, and the black drum and flounder have been iffy so can I offer anyone coffee?”

“No,” she replied, her voice shaking, “but I will take a Prozac even though I don’t take drugs.”

The guy cracked up laughing. “I told him the same thing,” he said, his voice shaking.

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worth.

“Well,” I said, “If we don’t catch any fish at least I’ll know where to find some on sale fishing clothes. You guys must have gotten dressed off the same racks at Wal-Mart or Tackle Town.”

They looked at each other and again laughed and hugged. The conversation was flowing. At this point I am normally ready to get away from the dock and fish, but I knew for today a bit of a delay was warranted so they could catch up briefly.

I excused myself and walked to my house to get some more coffee. Even from a distance, I could hear the conversation never ended.

When I showed back up at the dock, I said “Well, do you still want to go fishing or should a call a minister to do a marriage ceremony?”

We all laughed.

At the first spot, I handed the pole to the lady after casting and she was hooked onto a fish almost instantly. I motioned for the guy to get the net.

Under my breath I said “net her fish for her.”

He did, but as luck would have it, the keeper trout flopped actively out of the net.

“I can’t believe you let my fish get away!” she shouted. “That was a trout! Was it a keeper Capt. Mac?” “Well not to put too fine of a point on it,” I replied. “Yes it was.”

“That’s for breaking up with me in high school!” he shouted back.

“I didn’t break up with you, you broke up with me!” she replied, hotly.

“I did not!” he shouted. “You gave me back my go-steady bracelet.”

“OMG,” she said, “is that what you thought!???”

“I gave it to my girlfriend to hold for me while I was in gym class, but she had to leave school unexpectedly so she put it in your locker because mine was locked.

“No wonder you didn’t talk to me the next day,” she said, her voice remorseful. “I can’t believe you thought I was breaking up with you! You didn’t say a word to me the last week of high school.”

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things down. “You guys gonna fish or shall we sort the last 35 years out right now?”

“Quiet” she ordered. “Don’t forget who is paying your fee today.”

That’ll shut a fishing guide up, so I did.

“You broke my heart” she said to him.

“You? What about me? I was love sick for months!”

“Well you were walking with floozy Susie in the hall the next day is all I know.”

“Trout on!” I said and handed the pole to the guy and whispered “Shut up while you are ahead.”

“Let’s see if you can net HIS fish,” I said to the lady.“Done” she replied and in the boat the trout came.

“Please God let this guy have a clue what to do now,” I prayed.

As if on cue he reached down, unhooked the trout and said “This one’s for you because I screwed up last time. I guess I screwed up more than once, huh?”

When I tell you this lady put a lip lock on this guy I mean lip bruise was the injury of that fishing day.

For the next few hours they talked, laughed and cried while I fished and handed them the pole. I don’t think they even remembered catching a fish.

From this point on they were Mutt and Jeff, two peas in a pod.

As the day wound down, it had been a magical time for them. Luckily I had some wine coolers left over from a previous trip, so I broke out the deer sausage and cheese and handed each a wine cooler.

A chance taken and a chance reborn.

Both relocated to Texas where they were married and still fish with me even though their age limits them now. The gales of misunderstanding had separated them for more than 35 years, but a common thread called fishing wove their sails back together.

••• Yes it’s still cold, but I have caught some very BIG fish in February. Cut bait and soft plastics are the ticket this month. Slow retrieves, patient hook sets and a hot thermos of your favorite coffee or tea should rule the day!

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LOWER Coast Hotspot Focus :: by CALIXTO GONZALES

Plumbing The Depths of Winter

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OFTEN GET CHIDED BY READers and colleagues because I am a huge proponent of fishing deep water structure during the winter months, especially February.

I guess I’m revealing my piscatorial roots in Buck Perry teachings about fishing structure and the tendencies of fish toward the availability of forage, cover, and climactic stability that deep water provides. The saltwater publications I read when I was a kid, which focused mostly on fishing along the Eastern Seaboard, were filled with features about fishing for trout and redfish in deeper water. It was only natural that I would have an affinity toward fishing deeper water.

This focus on fishing water where you can’t touch bottom while standing next to your boat seems anathema to fishing along the South Texas Coast. The average depth of the Laguna Madre from South Bay to the Land Cut is only three feet.

These days, you are as likely to see me casting swimbaits and topwaters across grassflats as fishing a channel dropoff or depth break. I’ve even tailored my tackle preferences to the long casts and finesse needed in fishing shallow flats. I do pretty good, too.

However, sometimes, a serious cold snap turns weather colder than the usual winter fare, and water temperatures will dip down below 60 degrees. The Arctic blast that rolled into the South in November thanks to, of all things, a Japanese typhoon, was a harbinger of the harsh winter that was coming The front itself was an encore of the polar vortex that put Texas into cold weather for much of the winter.

When that sort of weather prevails, coldblooded trout will abandon their shallow water haunts and seek the warmer, more comfortable environment of deeper water.

Fishermen being fishermen, most of us are willing to brave 50, 40, even high 30-degree weather to wet a line, especially if we’ve had a trip to the coast planned for quite some time.

Our wives will stay buried under the blankets and mumble that we’re crazy. Our dogs won’t even get up and follow us to the kitchen, but we’ll grab rods and tackle box, hitch up the Dargel, and make the run to the coast. The only thing that will keep us in bed is a howling north wind. No one will buck that (although, I often did in my impetuous youth).

If you are among the happy few that will brave drizzle, even rain, and cold temperatures to have a shot at some trout, there are plenty of deep water spots to turn your attention to, and some of them are not very far from most Port Isabel and South Padre Island boat ramps.

One spot that anglers who don’t want to venture too far from port should consider is the Port Isabel Turning Basin. The deep water of the turning basin is a major fish magnet after a serious cold snap, and can offer some excellent fishing. Speckled trout will hold along the drop-off near the shoreline.

A depth finder can be very useful here, because it will pinpoint the depth break.

Some anglers prefer anchoring in the shallows and casting out towards the drop-off, but I’ve been more successful dogging-up in deeper water and casting up to the edge and easing the bait or lure into the drop-off.

Tackle and techniques are relatively simple. A live shrimp on a #1/0 Octopus 14 inches below a #3 split shot will present a very natural offering that a trout won’t pass up.

Let the bait fall along the edge on a semislack line. When you feel a bump or see the line jump, ease the rod up until the line comes tight, and you’re hooked up. Faux T E X A S

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shrimp, such as the ¼ ounce DOA Shrimp are good choices too. Fish them the same way as you would a live bait.

Another good cold water trout spot is the Y Port Isabel Boat Channel and the Brownsville Ship Channel. The drop-offs along the inner channel edges and the points have structure that trout congregate around in cooler weather. The mangroves on the channel and center island shorelines are also keen trout and redfish spots when the weather is warmer and fish move up to forage. If you choose to work the shallows on a mild day, a gold spoon, Topwater in Bone or Pearl, or Gulp! Shrimp or Mud Minnow in Root Beer/Glitter are tough to beat.

One last thing, this is structure-oriented fishing. Do not be surprised if you run into a variety of structure-loving species during your outing. It is not uncommon to find sheepsheads, mangrove snappers, black drums, or even a flounder keeping company with the trout in your cooler. All these fish gravitate to deep water structure at one point or another during foul weather.

On one trip, my fishing partner Jim Brewster and I were only catching dink trout after dink trout. On speculation, I eased my boat farther away from the drop-off and located a school of keeper-sized drums cruising along the bottom of the depth-break.

Still, the trout were there, and they will be, pretty much all winter when the weather goes in the toilet.

THE BANK BITE DOLPHIN POINT SPECIES: Sheepshead, Black Drum TIPS: Fish live or fresh shrimp under a popping cork. Work near the rocks. Fish on bottom for drum.

Email Calixto Gonzales at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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Texas HOTSPOTS

UPPER COAST

Trout Boil on East Matagorda

by TOM BEHRENS LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Boiler Bayou GPS: N 28 38.4829, W 95 53.6479 (28.6414, -95.8941) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Mirrolure 52 CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “Wade the shorelines looking for big trout.

We have had some 11 pound fish come out of East Bay.” Capt. Countz LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay

GPS COORDINATES are provided in two formats: “Decimal Degrees” (degrees.degrees) and “Degrees and Minutes” sometimes called “GPS Format” (degrees minutes.minutes).

Examples (for Downtown Austin): Decimal Degrees: N30.2777, W97.7379; Degrees and Minutes: N30 16.6662, W97 44.2739. Consult your manual for information specific to your GPS device.

HOTSPOT: Raymond Shoal GPS: N 28 40.449, W 95 53.898 (28.6742, -95.8983) SPECIES: Speckled trout and redfish BEST BAITS: Norton Bull Minnow or Lit’l Fishie CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “I have been throwing a Norton soft plastic, called the Baffin Magic, pink with a white tail with silver metal flakes in it. It has a big paddle tail and I have had some good results.” Capt. Countz

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: St. Mary’s Bayou GPS: N 28 39.7829, W 95 57.4309 (28.6631, -95.9572) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Mirrolure 52 CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “If the water is warm enough, the Raymond Shoal, in front of St. Mary’s Bayou and the Tripod shoud produce fish. There is scattered and solid shell along the bottom.” Capt. Countz LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Tripod GPS: N 28 40.39, W 95 55.8029 (28.6732, -95.9301) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Mirrolure 52 CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com

HOTSPOT FOCUS: ROCKPORT t CONTINUED FROM PAGE 74 COPANO BAY — Black drum have been plentiful on Italian Bend shoreline, use a light Carolina rig with peeled shrimp or silent cork with peeled shrimp. The pilings on the old fishing pier are still good for sheepsheads using small Kahle hooks and cut squid.

Some red action can be had near Turtle Pen using cut mullet or mud minnows on a light Carolina rig. Some trout are being caught on the deep edges of Lap Reef using Jerk Shad in new Penny color.

ARANSAS BAY — Some black drums can be found on Long Reef using free lined shrimp. Some keeper reds are on the bay side of Mud Island. This is a good place for mud minnows either free lined or on a light Carolina rig. Cast into the pot holes found in this area..

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CARLOS BAY — Drifts across Carlos Lake using live shrimp or soft plastics in morning glory or root beer are good for trout and some reds. Cedar Reef is good for reds and black drum using cut menhaden or mullet on a fish finder rig. High tide or a falling tide is best here.

MESQUITE BAY — The flounder action has been good in Brays Cove using small grubs in white and electric chartreuse.

The key here is slow, slow, slow retrieves bouncing the grubs off the bottom. The cut going into the ICW from this bay is good for reds, especially on a falling tide. Cut mullet or finger mullet work best here on a free line or light Carolina rig.

AYERS BAY — Still good numbers of black drums on the east shoreline especially on high tide. Peeled shrimp is the ticket here on a very light fish finder rig. Second Chain is T E X A S

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decent for trout and reds using free-lined live shrimp. Berkley new penny Jerk Shad works well here too. Ayers Reef is good for reds with a north wind at high tide. Approach quietly and fish farther off the reef than one would think, as the fish are usually in the deeper edges of the reef. Mud minnows and finger mullet free-lined are best here.

THE BANK BITE THE FULTON BEACH front is a good wade for sheep head and trout using live shrimp under a silent cork. Be respectful of private property here and fish the pilings of the many piers that are in this area.

Contact Capt. Mac Gable at Mac Attack Guide Service, 512-809-2681, 361-790-9601 captmac@macattackguideservice.com

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Texas HOTSPOTS TIPS: “We will go and make long drifts, looking mainly not for the real clear water, but for the offcolor water, murky stgreaks in the water. A lot of the time the streaks are caused by bait, and the fish seem to be in the murky stuff.” Capt. Countz LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Bird Island GPS: N 28 43.86, W 95 45.6169 (28.7310, -95.7603) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Norton Bull Minnow or Lit’l Fishie CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “Close to Bird Island is a big mud flat. Drift the mud flat, bouncing the bait off the bottom.

During cold weather a lot of times the fish are on the mud flats…1/4 or 3/8 ounce lead head gets the bait down pretty quick and you can cover a lot more water.” Capt. Countz LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Intracoastal Waterway Cut GPS: N 28 44.6689, W 95 42.303 (28.7445, -95.7051) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Bass Assassins CONTACT: Capt. Charlie Paradoski 713-725-2401 www.captcharlieparadoski.com TIPS: “When the conditions are right the Intracoastal can be a gread place to fish for redfish.

Anywhere you see a lot of shell on the edges, use your trolling motor and fish the edges.” Capt.

Charlie Paradoski LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Shoal GPS: N 28 43.345, W 95 46.422 (28.7224, -95.7737) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Norton Bull Minnow or Lit’l Fishie CONTACT: Capt. Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “Redfish seem to hang closer to the bottom most of the time, and the trout are up in the water column a little bit more.” Capt. Tommy Countz LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Chinquapin Reef GPS: N 28 44.562, W 95 46.773 (28.7427, -95.7796) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: MirrOlure 52

CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “Sometimes I like to throw the MirrOlure 52s in a chartreuse/silver or chartreuse/gold, let them fall down and just kind of pluck them along like you would fish a Corky.” Capt. Countz LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Anahuac Wildlife Refuge GPS: N 29 33.804, W 94 32.374 (29.5634, -94.5396) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky Devil CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: Marcaccio prefers the Corky Devil over the regular Corky in cold water. “The Corky (regular) just flotas up and down. The Corky Devil has a lot of side to side, as well as up and down.” Capt.

Marcaccio LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Jumbile Cove GPS: N 29 11.4642, W 94 59.5451 (29.1911, -94.9924) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky Devil CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: “In February don’t even bother to get on the water until after 10:00 a.m. Your best bite is going to be just before dark, between 4-6 p.m.” Capt.

Marcaccio LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Offats Bayou GPS: N 29 16.819, W 94 51.507 (29.2803, -94.8585) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky Devil CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: “February is the most treacherous month as far as weather conditions, but it is the time of the year for a trophy trout.” Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Colorado River GPS: N 28 40.5419, W 95 58.08 (28.6757, -95.9680) T E X A S

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SPECIES: Speckled trout and redfish BEST BAITS: Norton Bull Minnow or Lit’l Fishie CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “The Colorado River started producing early for us this year. In February the cool or cold weather should put trout in the river.” Capt. Countz LOCATION: Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Middle Ground GPS: N 27 8.2362, W 97 24.5321 (27.1373, -97.4089) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Norton Bull Minnow or Lit’l Fishie CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: Countz recommends concentrating on some of the guts coming out of the peninsula while throwing 1/8 ounce lead head or a weedless gold spoon. “Sometimes you can stand in one spot and catch your limit.” Capt. Countz LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: East Pass GPS: N 29 59.0269, W 93 46.5619 (29.9838, -93.7760) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: 5 Inch Provoker soft plastic CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins 409-673-9211 4097862018@sbcglobal.net www.fishsabinelake.com TIPS: “Depending on how much fresh water we have coming in will determine where the trout will locate. If the lake is real clear and salty, the fish will be distributed all over the lake, many of them up north by the rivers.” Capt. Watkins LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Blacks Bayoo GPS: N 29 59.866, W 93 45.1819 (29.9978, -93.7530) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Corky, Corky Devil CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins 409-673-9211 4097862018@sbcglobal.net www.fishsabinelake.com TIPS: If the water temps drop below 50 degrees Watkins shifts from soft plastics to the Corky.

LOCATION: West Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Carancaua Cove GPS: N 29 12.3312, W 94 58.6619

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Texas HOTSPOTS (29.2055, -94.9777) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: 5” soft plastics baits CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: “The shorter paddle tail baits don’t work at this time of the year. The bigger lure looks like a mullet which the bigger trout are feeding on.”

Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: West Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Butterowe Cove GPS: N 29 12.5142, W 94 58.2617 (29.2086, -94.9710) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky Devil CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: Marcaccio’s prefers the Corky Devil over the regular Corky. “The Corky Devil has the long tail. I change the hook to a VMC 6/0 hook. It adds to its ability to drop a little quicker.” Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: West Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Jamaica Beach GPS: N 29 11.6808, W 94 58.6451 (29.1947, -94.9774) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: 5” Bass Assassins CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: Bait color selection: “In clear water use a translucent bait; in off-color water use an opaque bait. With a dark bait the fish will see a shadow. A translucent bait in the sun provides reflection of the fish.” Capt. Marcaccio.

LOCATION: West Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Oak Bayou GPS: N 29 12.4974, W 94 57.6954 (29.2083, -94.9616) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: MirrOlure 38 and 51 series CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: “Wade the shorelines for a trophy trout. Take the bait you have the most confidence in. You’re hunting one big fish.” Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: West Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Starvation Cove

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GPS: N 29 14.1312, W 94 56.1953 (29.2355, -94.9366) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: 5” Bass Assassins CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: “You’re looking for mud and scattered shell along the shoreline. The sunlight penetrates the mud and allows the big trout to lay in it…almost like a warm blanket.” Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Cotton Bayou GPS: N 28 30.45, W 96 12.3816 (28.5075, -96.2064) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Mirrolure 52 CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “A couple days after a Norther has blown through, while the water is still low, wade fishing for redfish can be outstanding.” Capt. Countz

MIDDLE COAST

Flatfish in the Flats at Port A

by TOM BEHRENS

LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Estes Flats GPS: N 27 56.541, W 97 5.944 (27.9424, -97.0991) SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Gigging CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: “At this time of the year, almost any shoreline on a channel should be holding flounder.”

Capt. McPartland LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Ingleside Point GPS: N 27 50.0869, W 97 14.4799 (27.8348, -97.2413) SPECIES: Redfish T E X A S

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BEST BAITS: Cut and live mullet CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: “The redfish should be on the flats unless we have some horrible freeze…I will be fishing the sand pot holes.” Capt. McPartland LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Ingleside Cove GPS: N 27 50.3179, W 97 13.816 (27.8386, -97.2303) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Cut and live mullet CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: McPartland says let the cut bait sit until a redfish decides to take it. Use a weight only to keep the live mullet from out of the pocket.

LOCATION: Neueces Bay HOTSPOT: Back end of the bay GPS: N 27 51.0348, W 97 25.9662 (27.8506, -97.4328) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Flapp’n Shad CONTACT: Capt. Levi Price 830-613-1865 captlevi@tstar.net www.thefishtx.com TIPS: “There are a ton of reefs in the back of the bay. When I first pull in I look for bait activity. One or two mullet jumping can mean there are big trout close by.” Capt. Price LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: St. Joes Island GPS: N 27 50.4689, W 97 2.458 (27.8412, -97.0410) SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Gigging CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: Flounder should be making their return trip from the Gulf. Rockport, Corpus, Port Aransas, and Ingleside should all be good places to try your luck.

LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Lydia Ann GPS: N 27 52.218, W 97 2.883 (27.8703, -97.0481) SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Gigging

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Texas HOTSPOTS CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: Tidal movement and moon phases can affect when to start gigging.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline GPS: N 27 29.134, W 97 21.1079 (27.4856, -97.3518) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Sand Shad with a 1/8 oz. lead head CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: Twenty miles of shoreline from the King Ranch to Baffin Bay — “Run the shoreline till you find bait action. Some big trout come from this shoreline in February.” Capt. Countz

LOWER COAST

Laguna Redfish Take Refuge

by CALIXTO GONZALES and TOM BEHRENS

TIPS: “When there is a north wind, we fish the Badlands. Key on bait and work the lure a little bit slower.” Capt. Countz

TIPS: “If the wind is out of the south, we go over to the Kennedy side and work Los Coralles, Black Bluff and South Rocks.” Capt. Countz

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge Bar GPS: N 27 18.109, W 97 28.051 (27.3018, -97.4675) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Sand Shad with a 1/8 oz. lead head CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “The Tide Gauge Bar is like a big sandbar that runs three miles or so along the north side of Baffin. You can wade and throw out into 7 or 8 feet of water. We throw heavier lead heads to get the bait down, and then work it back it slow coming back.” Capt. Countz

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: East Kleberg Point GPS: N 27 16.3, W 97 30.46 (27.2717, -97.5077) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Corkies, soft platics in dark color patterns CONTACT: Captain Joey Farah 61-442-8145 TIPS: Fish the rocks that are off the point in deeper water. Fish Corkies and eel-style soft plastics on light (1/16th ounce) jigheads.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: East Cleburne Rocks GPS: N 27 16.198, W 97 30.5069 (27.2700, -97.5085) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boy CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “The pink Fat Boy has always been a good producer for big fish. Work the bait really slow. You are fishing in about 3 feet of water.” Capt. Countz

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Atascosa Wildlife Refuge Shoreline GPS: N 26 10.244, W 97 18.155 (26.1707, -97.3026) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, topwaters in Bone, Gold spons CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish the mud/sand transitions in deeper water along the shoreline. Trout will mingle in the warmer water. Redfish will be prowling shallower water.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Los Coralles GPS: N 27 14.869, W 97 30.22 (27.2478, -97.5037) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boy CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “Chartreuse Fat Boys also work good.”

Capt. Countz

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Badlands GPS: N 27 17.152, W 97 25.053 (27.2859, -97.4176) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Sand Shad with a 1/8 oz. lead head CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Black Bluff GPS: N 27 13.7029, W 97 31.8829 (27.2284, -97.5314) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boy CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com T E X A S

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LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Center Reef GPS: N 27 16.206, W 97 34.362 (27.2701, -97.5727) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics in dark patterns, Corkies CONTACT: Captain Joey Farah 361-442-8145 TIPS: Trout prefer to forage around areas that can provide cover. Fish the deeper edges of the reef with soft plastics and Corkies.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Queen Isabella Causeway GPS: N 26 5.206, W 11 0.039 (26.0868, -11.0007) SPECIES: Sheepshead BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp, fresh srhimp.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez 956-551-9581 TIPS: Free line shirmp around the pilings.

Spinning tackle helps make the finesse casts needed to get a small bait close to the structure.

Briaded line is best for light bites.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Port Isabel Turning Basin GPS: N 26 3.761, W 97 9.482 (26.0627, -97.1580) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, Gulp! Srimp in New Penny, Rootbeer/Glitter, Kelly Wigglers in Plum/ Chartruese, Black/Chart.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish the edges of the dropoff early, when trout are sulking down deep. If the sun comes out and begins to warm the shallows, tie on a Mauler rig and fish live shrimp or plastic tails round pilings and rocks. |

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Texas HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Bay GPS: N 26 2.961, W 97 11.031 (26.0494, -97.1839) SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp, fresh shrimp, Gulp!

Shrimp in New enny, Root Beer/Glitter.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish the channel edges on the bottom to intercept feeding drum. Fresh or live shrimp are bets. Use stout tackle; there are some big drum out there.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Marker 63 GPS: N 26 14.343, W 97 16.482 (26.23905, -97.2747) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, Gulp Shrimp, twitchbaits.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish the flats just west of the Marker. Trout and redfish hang out around the potholes in 3- to 4-feet of water. The traditional live bait and soft plastics work well.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Fishing Shacks GPS: N 26 26.4756, W 97 20.591 (26.44126, -97.3432) SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp, Fresh Srhimp.

CONTACT: LG Outfitters 956-371-0220 lgonzales@lgoutfitters.com lgoutfitters.com TIPS: Anchor up near a set of pilings marks where a shack used to be, or where on may still be standing, and toss a live shrimp or fresh shrimp out on a fish finder or split-shot rig towards the edge of the ICW. If the current is pulling hard, you may want to go with the heavier weight of the former.

PINEY WOODS

Toledo Bass on the Bayou

by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Toledo-Bend Resevoir HOTSPOT: Bayou Seipe

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GPS: N 31 43.884, W 93 50.8259 (31.7314, -93.8471) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spinner Baits, Swim Baits, Jigs, Rat-L-Traps and finesse Plastics CONTACT: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages 936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: February is your chance to catch your big bass. The bass will be feeding heavy and moving toward the spawning flats. Follow and work the ledges and drops along the creeks. Use your electronics to locate the bait -fish. The bass will be hungry and heavy. All sorts of baits can be productive. When you catch one bass, slow down as more bass will usually be in the area.

LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Whatley Island Area GPS: N 32 42.972, W 94 6.216 (32.7162, -94.1036) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: 1/2 oz jig in colors of black/blue or black/brown/amber CONTACT: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith (318)-455-3437 caddoguide1@att.net www.caddolakefishing.com TIPS: Pitch the jig around the base of the cypress trees in 4-5 feet of water, hopping it 2-3 times before moving to the next tree. When the bass are really aggressive a swim jig works well too by throwing it past the cypress trees and simply swimming it by.

LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 27.216, W 95 34.4099 (30.4536, -95.5735) SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers BEST BAITS: Live shad, Storm Swim Shad CONTACT: Richard Tatsch (936)291-1277 admin@fishdudetx.com www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: “The hybrid stripers are schooling around ledges along the river channel. Find the schools of shad and you will find the Hybrids. This time of year they will run shad up on these ridges during the day they will move deeper around the area. Find the depth the bait are in and you will find the fish.

As the water temperatures drop they will be in the 30 to fourty foot depths.

Live shad will be the bait of choice in deeper water but the swim shad will work as long as you can control your retrieve to keep the bait in the depth

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the fish are going to be in. The depths will vary from one day to the next. It all depends on the schools of shad.

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: White Rock Creek GPS: N 30 54.3223, W 95 15.9463 (30.9054, -95.2658) SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Road Runner jigs, Bear Paws Ribbed Shad, 1/8 or ¼ oz Rattletraps, Bluefox, Sassy Shad CONTACT: David S Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 dave@palmettoguideservice.com www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: “Best time for fishing is following a warming trend after a 1 -2 inches of local rain with the water temperature getting up over 60 degrees. Go all the way up the creek until the water begins to clear and fish the sandbars and points where they drop off into deeper holes. Fish slowly downstream until you find the fish. Bank access: White Rock City or Hwy 94 Public Ramp

PRAIRIES & LAKES

Slickem Slough for Texo Stripers

by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Slickem Slough GPS: N 33 51.3539, W 96 52.686 (33.8559, -96.8781) SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Road Runner 1 oz. white Bucktail jigs with 7” soft plastic worm, 1 oz White-Glo Sassy Shad CONTACT: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfish@striperexpress.com www.striperexpress.com TIPS: Winter fishing on Lake Texoma is legendary.

Chances of landing trophy stripers in February are in your favor. Road Runner jigs with a 7” soft plastic worm are deadly on the big fish holding on structure. Always keep your eyes on the seagulls. Cast your Sassy Shad jigs under the birds where large schools of stripers can be feeding. Multiple hookups are common with lots of action in the open water. Bank Access: Sand Point

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Texas HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points and Humps GPS: N 32 22.4339, W 96 9.2459 (32.3739, -96.1541) SPECIES: White Bass and Hybrids BEST BAITS: Small live shad CONTACT: Rodney Stuart, Go Fish Guide Service 817-675-8062 Fishingrod38@aol.com TIPS: This is a great time of year for fishing for White Bass and Hybrids. Fish main lake points and humps in 33 to 40 feet of water using live shad.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Bridges and Brush Piles GPS: N 32 19.674, W 96 11.0399 (32.3279, -96.1840) SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Jigs CONTACT: Rodney Stuart, Go Fish Guide Service 817-675-8062 Fishingrod38@aol.com TIPS: Crappie fishing is good on jigs. Fish around brush piles and bridge columns in 22 to 27 feet of water.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points and Humps GPS: N 32 18.714, W 96 10.1339 (32.3119, -96.1689) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Small crankbaits CONTACT: Rodney Stuart, Go Fish Guide Service 817-675-8062 Fishingrod38@aol.com TIPS: Fish small crank baits in twelve to 15 feet of water. Concentrate fishing main lake points and humps.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 21.216, W 96 10.7519 (32.3536, -96.1792) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut buffalo CONTACT: Rodney Stuart, Go Fish Guide Service 817-675-8062 Fishingrod38@aol.com TIPS: Drift cut bait on the main lake. Fish in 27 to 33 feet of water. The fishing for catfish is excellent this time of year!

LOCATION: Fayette County Res. HOTSPOT: Groce Branch GPS: N 29 56.238, W 96 43.056 (29.9373, -96.7176) SPECIES: Catfish

BEST BAITS: Shad, CJ’s punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Fish in the trees 2-8 feet deep. Fish moving into spawning areas now. Fish stage here deeper, before moving to shallow for spawn.

LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Pelican Island GPS: N 30 37.314, W 96 4.218 (30.6219, -96.0703) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch bait, shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Pelican Island is barely under the water, and covered with lily pads.Carolina rig 8-12 foot water along the hump where Hog Creek comes close.

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: San Gabriel River Channel, Willis Creek Channel GPS: N 30 39.864, W 97 23.2919 (30.6644, -97.3882) SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Live Minnows and jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell (512) 365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: “Now is the time that the crappie start their pre spawn and begin to move up the river and creek.

One good technique is to night fish with lights either from the bank or from a boat. Some of the coldest nights offer the best fishing. Use bobbers and set them at 2 to 4 feet deep. For day time fishing, try some of the deeper holes fishing a jig just off the bottom. Slow trolling is a good technique.

Also, look for log jams. These can hold large concentrations of pre spawn crappie. After about 2 to 3 warm days in a row, the crappie will move into shallow coves off the river and can be caught fishing slip bobbers fishing jigs about 14 to 18 inches below the bobber.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Decordova Dam GPS: N 32 22.3139, W 97 41.616 (32.3719, -97.6936) SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Jerk baits or Storm Wildeyes in glow, white or Chartruese CONTACT: Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters T E X A S

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817-578-0023 www.unfairadvantagecharters.com TIPS: Work the soft plastics using dead sticking techniques near schools of baitfish near channel ledges. Best action is typically around 20 to 25 feet down. Look for bird action or just hovering birds.

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Dam Area GPS: N 33 2.0879, W 96 27.87 (33.0348, -96.4645) SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Spider rigged minnows CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Crappie are in 28-30 foot of water near the dam area. You have to work the whole water column till you find the magic number where they are holding but 22 feet usually seems to be a good number. Use your graph to locate baitfish and start there.

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 33 3.276, W 96 27 (33.0546, -96.4500) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits Carolina and Texas rigged, Sexy Shad crankbaits in watermelon greens and reds, motor oil, Blue Fleck colored worms and Creature Baits CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Bass will be in 9-18 feet of water. Fish with Carolina and Texas rigs starting at all depths in this range until you find the magic number.

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Island area GPS: N 33 3.006, W 96 28.8 (33.0501, -96.4800) SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Slabs and minnows CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Sandbass will be on the humps or behind the island cut and island, on the south side of it.

Fish slabs and minnows in 17-28 feet of water.

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake Banks |

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Texas HOTSPOTS GPS: N 33 3.8639, W 96 32.346 (33.0644, -96.5391) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut shad and buffalo CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Catfish are good around wind blown banks.

Fish in 6-15 foot of water using cut bait.

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake Brush Piles and Boat Docks GPS: N 33 8.286, W 96 26.304 (33.1381, -96.4384) SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: “Jigs in black/chartreuse and white/chartreuse in 1/16 ounce and 1/32 ounce, live medium minnows. CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Crappie are good under private boat docks.

Fish on brush and anchor poles cocentrating in 1-17 feet of water. Work the whole water column.

LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 34.404, W 98 21.6719 (30.5734, -98.3612) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Hard plastic jerk baits, soft plastic jerk baits, slow rolling spinnerbaits CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide ServiceBarry Dodd 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtofish.net www.teachemtofish.net TIPS: Water temperature is in the 50’s but the bass and crappie are looking to begin their search for spawning grounds. Most fish are still deeper during the cold nights and days; however, bass seem to never leave the comforts of oxygen rich vegetation and move into shallower water as the sun heats it up. The best fishing occurs just before frontal passage and then a couple days after when the winds return from the south. Generally, the best fishing is in the afternoons on north banks protected from the north winds and areas which receive lots of sunshine. Try throwing hard plastic jerk baits over grass with longer pauses on the retrieve. Soft plastic jerk baits and slow rolling spinnerbaits in the same areas are also good producers.

LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Elm Creek Area GPS: N 30 34.7039, W 98 21.7739

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(30.5784, -98.3629) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Hard plastic jerk baits, soft plastic jerk baits, slow rolling spinnerbaits CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide ServiceBarry Dodd 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtofish.net www.teachemtofish.net TIPS: The Elm Creek area is a good location this time of year. There is lots of vegetation, ditches, deeper water nearby and fairly protected from the north wind.

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Cades Lake Area GPS: N 32 17.5379, W 95 27.1379 (32.2923, -95.4523) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Top Shelf spinnerbaits by Texas Spinner baits, Shimmy Shakers and Big Eye jigs 3/8 oz. Black/Blue CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 OR 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Fish the back waters near the dam of Cades Lake. This is a good time of year to throw the lures listed above.

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Cades Lake Area GPS: N 32 17.61, W 95 27.1199 (32.2935, -95.4520) SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows and jigs CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 OR 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Fish the shallow water of this area with minnows and jigs rigged on slip bobbers about one foot deep.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Heath Boat Ramp Area Levees GPS: N 32 50.496, W 96 31.056 (32.8416, -96.5176) SPECIES: White Bass and Hybrids BEST BAITS: 1 oz slab spoons, soft bodied plastics (Sassy Shad) on a 1/2 oz jig, CONTACT: The Cajun Guide/Johnny Procell (972) 814-8942 cajunguide@att.net www.johnnyprocell.com TIPS: Fish are concentrated in a general area of a line drawn from the Heath Boat Ramp toward the Power Plant. There are several inundated levees in

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this area. Search should begin in the center of the lake in 20 to 24 feet of water. Early mornings will find the fish in the deeper water and they will move to the tops of the levee later in the day. One ounce slab spoon in almost any color will work when fished near the bottom in the “dead stick” manner.

Late in the day they will chase shad to the surface and will want some of the soft bodied plastics. Fish both the slab and soft plastic in a slower than slow mode. One can enhance the catch ratio by learning and using the “hammer technique which actually calls the fish to your boat.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Old Railroad River Channel GPS: N 32 53.976, W 96 29.1659 (32.8996, -96.4861) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: 3” or 7” Silver jigging spoon, 1/4 oz. hair jigs.

CONTACT: The Cajun Guide/Johnny Procell (972) 814-8942 cajunguide@att.net www.johnnyprocell.com TIPS: Black bass will hug the old river channel and can be located in the East fork branch of the trinity above I-30. Go north of Harbor bay Marina 100 yards and follow the railroad embankment west until the river is reached which is about 25 yards into the standing timber. Follow that river bed and fish every standing large tree that touches that bed.

There are always some bass on the rocks along the I-30 corridor. Use light line and hair jigs. Bite will be very light so it is imperative to watch the line.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Sunken Highway GPS: N 32 51.8399, W 96 32.2019 (32.8640, -96.5367) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut shad or punch bait CONTACT: The Cajun Guide/Johnny Procell (972) 814-8942 cajunguide@att.net www.johnnyprocell.com TIPS: Catfish have been on a tear and twenty to thirty pound fish are the norm and forty pound plus cats happen frequently. Locate any sandy point jutting into the main lake and work it in eight to 14 feet of water. If your electronics have the old road beds in the unit be sure to fish the sunken highway just south of the Bass Pro Shop.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Harbor Bay Marina Fishing Barge / I-30 bridge GPS: N 32 53.79, W 96 28.998 (32.8965, -96.4833)

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Texas HOTSPOTS SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows and small crappie jigs CONTACT: The Cajun Guide/Johnny Procell (972) 814-8942 cajunguide@att.net www.johnnyprocell.com TIPS: Crappie have just begun to show up at the Harbor Bay Marina Fishing Barge and they are also hitting under the I-30 bridge nearest the east shore.

Use the electronic s to locate the river bed and concentrate on the bridge piling on either side.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: East Bank Humps & Ridges GPS: N 33 23.472, W 97 1.6728 (33.3912, -97.0279) SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Slabs CONTACT: Dannie Golden, Get Bit Guide Service 817-228-5999 www.get-bit.com TIPS: The white bass fishing will still be slow as well. Electronics are still the key. The fish will still be holding on their winter humps and ridges on the main lake. A 1oz or 1 1/2oz slab will work best.

The key is going to be to keep your bait very close to the bottom. Small jerks off the bottom is all you need to do. The ridges along the East bank of the lower East arm are usually very productive this time of year.

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: South Schooling Area GPS: N 30 18.1439, W 96 34.4399 (30.3024, -96.5740) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad or cut bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Area is 12-14 foot deep. Fish along the old road bed, no bite, move 50 feet and chum again.

Fish travel shore line as it is close to the main creek channel LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Big Rocky Creek GPS: N 31 52.788, W 97 23.682 (31.8798, -97.3947) SPECIES: White Bass and Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Stripaholic 3/4 Lead Heads and 4” Chartruese swim baits and jerk baits from www. rsrlures.com CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com www.teamredneck.net

TIPS: Using the lead head and swim baits, we are making long casts behind the boat and using the trolling motor on slow speed and slowly dragging the baits through the fish. When marking a big or tight school of fish, I am stopping the boat and switching to a Lead Head and doing nothing (dead sticking). Wait for the small tap and set the hook quick. Hang on! Same tactics are working in other main creeks on the lake as well. Remember the water is cold and when you think your fishing slow enough, slow down some more. On mornings when the bite slows down, I am moving out to the open water and using my binoculars and glassing and lake to locate gulls diving on the baitfish. Using the same swim baits, we are making long casts counting down to about 5 feet and make medium to slow retrieves.

LOCATION: Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Main Lake/Creeks GPS: N 33 23.9603, W 97 3.1223 (33.3993, -97.0520) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs CONTACT: Dannie Golden, Get Bit Guide Service 817-228-5999 www.get-bit.com TIPS: With February being the shortest month of the year, it can almost be like two different months with how much the fishing can change. Early in the month you can still do the same things you were doing in January. Late February can be fantastic.

It all depends on the weather. If it is still cold at the end of the month, it will stay the same as early February. Fishing mainly on the main lake and the mouth of the major creeks on the North end of the lake. Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs will be a main pattern in most of February. Sexy Shad and Firetiger are great colors to use on your jerkbaits. I recommend a suspending jerkbait. The key is too fish it slow. Make sure you are waiting in between jerks.

You want that bait to come to a complete stop. Most of the bites come when it is sitting still. If it warms toward the end of the month, the creeks will also start to heat up. You can use the same patterns, but concentrate on the secondary points. A trap and square bill will also start to produce with the warmer weather.

LOCATION: Richland Chambers HOTSPOT: 309 Flats/Windsock Point GPS: N 31 59.268, W 96 8.58 (31.9878, -96.1430) SPECIES: White Bass and Hybrid Striper BEST BAITS: Sassy Shads and 1oz. Silver Slabs CONTACT: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 simmonsroyce@hotmail.com T E X A S

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www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: “February can be a really tough month on RC or it can be a month when you catch the Trophy fish you’ve always fished for! It all depends on what’s happening with the weather and water temperatures. If we don’t have much of a winter or have an early Spring warm up period, the water temperatures will begin to move into the low 50’s and the fish will turn on! Sassy Shads and 1oz. Silver Slabs fished in 20’-30’ of water off the 309 Flats will result in lots of White Bass action and the occasional LARGE Hybrid Striper. Don’t forget the really deep water (40’ plus) off the end of the Windsock Point. Look for the gulls to help locate the baitfish that the Whites are feeding on. Not many fishermen will brave the cold temperatures you usually experience in February, but those that do are often rewarded with the BIGGEST fish of the year!

LOCATION: Stillhouse Hollow Lake HOTSPOT: Upper End of Main Lake GPS: N 31 0.174, W 97 38.76 (31.0029, -97.6460) SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Redneck Fishin’ Jigs model 180 slab — 3/4 oz. silver/white for vertical work; Reef Runner Cicada, 1/2 oz. Threadfin Shad color for horizontal work CONTACT: Bob Maindelle/Holding the Line Guide Service (254) 368-7411 Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com TIPS: Valentine’s Day is typically the date the spring fishing turns on due to increasing temperatures and daylight length. Bird activity should continue to be helpful. Most fishing will take place in the upper end of the lake as fish stage to spawn in the Lampasas River.

PANHANDLE

Bird Island for PK White Bass

by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER LOCATION: Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Bird Island GPS: N 32 56.37, W 98 25.987 (32.9395, -98.4331) SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: crankbaits, RatLTraps, live shad, |

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Texas HOTSPOTS minnows CONTACT: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 fav774@aceweb.com TIPS: This is the month to catch the biggest sand (white) bass of your life, as they are fat and full of eggs waiting to run up the river to spawn. Troll around Bird Island and you can with crankbaits and RatLTraps behind the fish from 2 up to 3 1/2 pounds. Of course live shad is best but you can also cheat with minnows.

BIG BEND

Get to the Point for Amistad Bass

by DUSTIN WARNCKE

LOCATION: Amistad HOTSPOT: Pencil Point GPS: N29 36.35118, W100 58.4484 (29.605853, -100.974140) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina-rigged worms, jigs, deepdiving crankbaits CONTACT: Stan Gerzsenyl 830-768-3648 stan@amistadbass.com amistadbass.com TIPS: Fish the under-water ledges and end of the narrow point with a deep-diving crankbait early, slowly working the lure across the end of the point for feeding fish. After the sun rises, work the under-water brush and stumps with Carolina-rigged worms.

HILL COUNTRY

Bedtime for Bass on Lake Austin

by DUSTIN WARNCKE

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LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Potters Creek Park GPS: N 29 54.1739, W 98 16.134 (29.9029, -98.2689) SPECIES: Stripers and White Bass BEST BAITS: 1 oz. red jigging spoon CONTACT: Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230 steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com www.sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Fish from the point back to the swim beach casting out the spoon and try to maintain a depth of 20 to 40 feet, the Striped Bass and White Bass like to school in this area this time of year.

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Jacob’s Creek Area GPS: N 29 53.778, W 98 13.3739 (29.8963, -98.2229) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Hard plastic jerk baits, soft plastic jerk baits, slow rolling spinnerbaits, lipless and square bill crankbaits CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide ServiceBarry Dodd 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtofish.net www.teachemtofish.net TIPS: This area offers protection from the north wind and receives lots of sunshine to warm the water. There is no vegetation but there are stickups and this area has deep water not far away.

Because this area has a lot of shallower water, it’s a good area to throw the suggested baits above.

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Guadalupe River Area GPS: N 29 54.348, W 98 18.858 (29.9058, -98.3143)

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Dam Area GPS: N 29 52.416, W 98 11.9879

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(29.8736, -98.1998) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Carolina Rig and Texas Rigged Berkley Power Worms, Wacky Worms, drop shot, and jigs.

CONTACT: KC’S Bassin’ Guide Service 210-823-2153 kandie@gvtc.com www.kcbassinguide.com TIPS: Using a stout rod like at 6”10 MH Carolina rod. Rig up ½ — 3/4 ounce Tungsten weight and put on a 4” ratlesnake (in Trophy Hunter color).

Work the mail and secondary point up river. Visit the dam area and drop shot. Fish Texas-rigged Powerworms with a Motor Oil Red Flake Berkely worm along the dam wall. Hook yourself up a jewel jig 1/2 ounce Texas Craw with an Uncle Josh pork in Green Pumpkin and work it along the breakline.

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Minnows and jigs CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide ServiceBarry Dodd 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtofish.net www.teachemtofish.net TIPS: This area is protected from the wind and has lots of trees, drop-offs and ledges. Fish about 6’ to 10’ deep in the deeper water above and around the trees.

LOCATION: Lake Austin HOTSPOT: Creek Inlets and Bedding Areas GPS: N 30 17.838, W 97 47.2739 (30.2973, -97.7879) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Picasso Double Underspin, Picasso Flashback and School E Rig, Pacemaker Flatline Jig or Pulse Swim Jig, V&M Twin Tail Trailer, V&M Cliff’s Craw, V&M Thunder Shad CONTACT: Brian Parker — Lake Austin Fishing 817-808-2227 lakeaustinfishing@yahoo.com www.LakeAustinFishing.com TIPS: February is an interesting time of year for most Central Texas lakes as many of these monster pre-spawners are still eating before going to their beds and the other fattened up spawners are already preparing their beds. I enjoy this time of year because of the options to fish. If you’re after the pre-spawners, the creek channels should be your focus as these fish aren’t going to stray to far from their anticipated bedding areas. I will be loading up a Picasso School-E-Rig and Double Underspin to give these fish something to eat. If your after the bedding fish, I would suggest the Pacemaker Flatline Jig with a Cliff’s Craw or Twin Tail Trailer or V&M Super standup Shakeyhead with a V&M Thunder Shad on and around the beds.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Upper end of Main Lake GPS: N 30 51.6299, W 98 25.308 (30.8605, -98.4218) SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@yahoo.com www.centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: Fish early morning on ridges in 15 to 20 foot of water, Live shad is the preferred bait. Move out to deeper water in late morning until evening.

Then move back to fish on ridges, watching for the birds as they are your tell-tale sign there are fish nearby.

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Texas HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake Trees in Coves GPS: N 30 51.5279, W 98 26.202 (30.8588, -98.4367) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut shad or carp CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@yahoo.com www.centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: Big Cats (20 lbs and much bigger) are excellent this time of year. Fish early and late near sharp drops or trees in coves. Also double anchor boat in the upper half of the lake in 15-25 feet of water and cast out large cut bait. Hang on!

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Garret Island Area GPS: N 30 47.6759, W 98 24.9299 (30.7946, -98.4155) SPECIES: Striper/Hybrids and White Bass BEST BAITS: Best: Live minnows and perch.

Good: Slabs, jigs, and trolling baits CONTACT: Ken Miliam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: Stripers, hybrids, and white bass will be running together this time of year. Fishing is good on the upper end of the lake around Garrett Island.

Fish in 20-30 feet of water and watch for feeding seagulls as a sign for where to find the fish.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake River Channel GPS: N 30 46.464, W 98 26.3159 (30.7744, -98.4386) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut shad, perch. or carp CONTACT: Ken Miliam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: Fishing action is good along the river channel. Anchor along the river channel and fish cut bait with rod and reel or throw jug lines along the river channel.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake Trees and Brushpiles GPS: N 30 46.056, W 98 26.124 (30.7676, -98.4354) SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows and jigs CONTACT: Ken Miliam 325- 379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com T E X A S

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TIPS: Crappie action is good. Concentrate on fishing around trees with jigs in minnows.

SOUTH TEXAS

Coleto: Sure Cure for Cold

by DUSTIN WARNCKE

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 28 44.4959, W 97 10.7819 (28.7416, -97.1797) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Zoom fluke CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-250-3959 www.coletocreekguidefishing.com TIPS: If you can take the cold, it’s a great time to fish Coleto creek. No matter how much wind we get there is always somewhere to get out of it. Like any other lake this time of year we need to slow our bait down. Everything is moving slower this time of year.

The thing about artificials is that we need to match the real stuff. Throw a zoom fluke to outside grass and just let it sink. Even if it makes it to bottom, barely twitch it. When you see your line move or feel tension, hang on!

LOCATION: Lake Falcon HOTSPOT: Little Tiger Creek GPS: N 26 53.112, W 99 15.5099 (26.8852, -99.2585) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: “War eagle spinnerbaits — Screaming Eagle in Gold Shiner color.

CONTACT: Jim Behnken 210-414-8048 jimbehnken@hotmail.com www.fishlakefalcon.com TIPS: Place your boat in the creek channel and vary your casts from the center of the channel up onto the edges of the creek channel. Slowroll the spinner bait making as much contact with underwater bushes and trees as possible. Occasionally flutter the bait to attract bites.

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 28 44.4959, W 97 10.7819 (28.7416, -97.1797) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Watermelon jig in 1/2 oz with a watermelon craw, White spinnerbaits in 1/2 ounce with Colorado gold blade CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-250-3959 www.coletocreekguidefishing.com TIPS: “Fishing this time of year on Coleto Creek lake is great! Warm water seems to keep the fish shallow. As always in back of the little and big creeks. You can throw about anything this time of year Just keep pitching. If they don’t hit shallow keep swimming it slow till around 4-5 feet. If there not hitting it move to another section of creek or different creek.

White spinners are a lot of fun too.The slower the retrieve the better it catches. Focus on very back of creeks and you’ll do good!

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Sportsman’s DAYBOOK FEBRUARY 2015

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 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

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

T5

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

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.

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.

T21

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 HIGH San Luis Pass -0.09 Freeport Harbor -0:44 Pass Cavallo 0:00 Aransas Pass -0:03 Padre Island (So. End) -0:24 Port Isabel +1:02

LOW -0.09 -1:02 -1:20 -1:31 -1:45 -0:42

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 Tab: Peak Fishing Period Green: Falling Tide

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

AM/PM Timeline Light Blue: Nighttime

BEST:

5:30 — 7:30 AM

Gold Fish: Best Time

Blue: Rising Tide Red Graph: Fishing Score

Blue Fish: Good Time

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY:

AM PM MINOR Minor: 1:20a Minor: 1:45p Feeding Periods AM PM (+/- 1.5 Hrs.) Major: 7:32a Major: 7:57p Time Moon is at its Moon Overhead: 8:50a Highest Point in the Sky 12a

AM/PM Timeline

86 |

6a

12p

6p

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

F E B R U A R Y

1502 ALMANAC.indd 86

MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)

12a

Time Moon is Directly Underfoot (at its peak on opposite side of the earth)

2 0 1 5

|

T E X A S

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

1/7/15 4:38 PM

SYMBOL KEY

BEST:

7:45-9:40 AM

= Peak Fishing Period

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

Fishing Day’s Best 2nd Score Graph Score Best

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Tides and Prime Times

FEBRUARY 2015

WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY

THURSDAY

28

27 º

29

SATURDAY

30

31

FEB 1

Sunrise: 7:11a Set: 5:51p Sunrise: 7:10a Set: 5:52p Sunrise: 7:10a Set: 5:52p Sunrise: 7:09a Set: 5:53p Sunrise: 7:09a Set: 5:54p Sunrise: 7:08a Set: 5:55p Sunrise: 7:08a Set: 5:56p Moonrise: 11:30a Set: None Moonrise: 12:14p Set: 12:47a Moonrise: 12:59p Set: 1:47a Moonrise: 1:46p Set: 2:44a Moonrise: 2:35p Set: 3:38a Moonrise: 3:26p Set: 4:28a Moonrise: 4:18p Set: 5:15a AM Minor: 10:37a

PM Minor: 11:03p

AM Minor: 11:30a

PM Minor: 11:56p

AM Minor: -----

PM Minor: 12:20p

AM Minor: 12:42a

PM Minor: 1:07p

AM Minor: 1:28a

PM Minor: 1:53p

AM Minor: 2:13a

PM Minor: 2:37p

AM Minor: 2:57a

PM Minor: 3:21p

AM Major: 4:24a

PM Major: 4:50p

AM Major: 5:17a

PM Major: 5:43p

AM Major: 6:07a

PM Major: 6:33p

AM Major: 6:54a

PM Major: 7:20p

AM Major: 7:40a

PM Major: 8:06p

AM Major: 8:25a

PM Major: 8:50p

AM Major: 9:09a

PM Major: 9:33p

Moon Overhead: 6:06p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 7:50p

Moon Overhead: 6:58p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 8:41p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 10:21p

Moon Overhead: 9:32p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

26

 = New Moon º = First Quarter  = Full Moon » = Last Quarter  = Good Day  = Best Day SUNDAY

DIGITAL EXTRA Tap for Customized Tide Charts

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

Moon Overhead: 11:09p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 5:40a

+2.0

Moon Underfoot: 6:32a

BEST:

BEST:

0

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 8:16a

BEST:

10:00A — 12:00P

Moon Underfoot: 9:07a

BEST:

11:00A — 1:00P

BEST:

12:00 — 2:00 PM

2:00 — 4:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 9:57a

Moon Underfoot: 10:45a

BEST:

BEST:

3:00 — 5:00 PM

+2.0

4:00 — 6:00 PM

TIDE LEVELS

9:00 — 11:00 AM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 7:24a

+1.0

0

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

3:09 AM 9:55 AM 2:30 PM 8:48 PM

-0.16 ft 0.61 ft 0.35 ft 0.80 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

4:20 AM 11:53 AM 3:47 PM 9:22 PM

-0.34 ft 0.67 ft 0.57 ft 0.79 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

5:26 AM 1:45 PM 6:16 PM 10:02 PM

-0.48 ft 0.78 ft 0.70 ft 0.79 ft

T E X A S

1502 ALMANAC.indd 87

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

6:26 AM 3:00 PM 7:57 PM 10:50 PM

F I S H

-0.59 ft 0.87 ft 0.75 ft 0.80 ft

&

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

7:19 AM 3:46 PM 8:51 PM 11:44 PM

G A M E ®

-0.65 ft Low Tide 8:05 AM 0.91 ft High Tide 4:19 PM 0.76 ft Low Tide 9:21 PM 0.82 ft

|

-0.67 ft High Tide 12:39 AM 0.92 ft Low Tide 8:47 AM 0.74 ft High Tide 4:45 PM Low Tide 9:39 PM

0.84 ft -0.65 ft 0.90 ft 0.71 ft

|

87

F E B R U A R Y

2 0 1 5

-1.0

1/7/15 4:38 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION = Peak Fishing Period

BEST:

7:45-9:40 AM

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

Fishing Day’s Best 2nd Score Graph Score Best

MONDAY

2

WEDNESDAY

3

THURSDAY

4

 = New Moon º = First Quarter  = Full Moon » = Last Quarter  = Good Day  = Best Day SUNDAY

FEBRUARY 2015

Tides and Prime Times

TUESDAY

SYMBOL KEY

FRIDAY

5

7

6

SATURDAY

8

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

AM Minor: 3:41a

PM Minor: 4:05p

AM Minor: 4:26a

PM Minor: 4:49p

AM Minor: 5:12a

PM Minor: 5:34p

AM Minor: 5:58a

PM Minor: 6:19p

AM Minor: 6:44a

PM Minor: 7:05p

AM Minor: 7:31a

PM Minor: 7:52p

AM Minor: 8:19a

PM Minor: 8:40p

AM Major: 9:53a

PM Major: 10:17p

AM Major: 10:38a

PM Major: 11:00p

AM Major: 11:23a

PM Major: 11:53p

AM Major: -----

PM Major: 12:08p

AM Major: 12:34a

PM Major: 12:55p

AM Major: 1:21a

PM Major: 1:42p

AM Major: 2:08a

PM Major: 2:30p

Moon Overhead: 11:56p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 12:41a

Moon Overhead: None

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 1:25a

6p

12a

6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 2:50a

Moon Overhead: 2:08a

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 7:07a Set: 5:57p Sunrise: 7:07a Set: 5:58p Sunrise: 7:06a Set: 5:59p Sunrise: 7:05a Set: 5:59p Sunrise: 7:05a Set: 6:00p Sunrise: 7:04a Set: 6:01p Sunrise: 7:03a Set: 6:02p Moonrise: 5:10p Set: 5:58a Moonrise: 6:03p Set: 6:38a Moonrise: 6:55p Set: 7:16a Moonrise: 7:46p Set: 7:51a Moonrise: 8:37p Set: 8:26a Moonrise: 9:28p Set: 8:59a Moonrise: 10:20p Set: 9:33a

Moon Overhead: 3:33a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 11:33a

+2.0

Moon Underfoot: 12:19p

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

5:00 – 7:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 2:29p

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 3:11p

BEST:

5:30 – 7:30 AM 6:00 – 8:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 3:54p

BEST:

6:30 – 8:30 AM

+2.0

BEST:

8:00 – 10:00 PM

9:00 – 11:00 PM

-1.0

TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: 1:47p

TIDE LEVELS

4:30 – 6:30 AM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 1:03p

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

9

1:30 AM 9:23 AM 5:07 PM 9:52 PM

0.85 ft -0.60 ft 0.87 ft 0.66 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

MONDAY

2:19 AM 9:55 AM 5:27 PM 10:10 PM

TUESDAY

3:05 AM 10:25 AM 5:48 PM 10:35 PM

0.84 ft -0.43 ft 0.82 ft 0.51 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

3:52 AM 10:53 AM 6:10 PM 11:08 PM

0.81 ft -0.31 ft 0.80 ft 0.43 ft

THURSDAY

0.77 ft High Tide 5:33 AM 0.71 ft Low Tide -0.18 ft Low Tide 11:47 AM -0.03 ft High Tide 0.79 ft High Tide 6:53 PM 0.77 ft Low Tide High Tide 0.35 ft

4:40 AM 11:20 AM 6:32 PM 11:45 PM

FRIDAY

12

11 »

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

SATURDAY

13

12:25 AM 6:33 AM 12:14 PM 7:12 PM

SUNDAY

14

15

Set: 6:04p Sunrise: 7:01a Set: 6:04p Sunrise: 7:00a Set: 6:05p Sunrise: 7:00a Set: 6:06p Sunrise: 6:59a Set: 6:07p Sunrise: 6:58a Set: 6:08p Set: 10:45a Moonrise: 12:06a Set: 11:25a Moonrise: 1:02a Set: 12:09p Moonrise: 1:58a Set: 12:58p Moonrise: 2:55a Set: 1:52p Moonrise: 3:51a Set: 2:52p

PM Minor: 9:29p

AM Minor: 9:56a

PM Minor: 10:18p

AM Minor: 10:45a

PM Minor: 11:09p

AM Minor: 11:34a

PM Minor: -----

AM Minor: 12:01a

PM Minor: 12:25p

AM Minor: 12:47a

PM Minor: 1:15p

AM Minor: 1:38a

PM Minor: 2:07p

AM Major: 2:56a

PM Major: 3:18p

AM Major: 3:44a

PM Major: 4:07p

AM Major: 4:33a

PM Major: 4:57p

AM Major: 5:22a

PM Major: 5:47p

AM Major: 6:11a

PM Major: 6:38p

AM Major: 7:01a

PM Major: 7:29p

AM Major: 7:52a

PM Major: 8:21p

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:47a

Moon Overhead: 5:00a 12a

6a

-1.0

0.26 ft 0.65 ft 0.13 ft 0.75 ft

AM Minor: 9:07a

Moon Overhead: 4:16a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 8:24a

Moon Overhead: 7:29a

Moon Overhead: 6:36a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:21a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 4:38p

+2.0

Moon Underfoot: 5:23p

BEST:

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 7:02p

BEST:

BEST:

3:00 – 5:00 PM

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 8:52p BEST:

11:00P – 1:00A 12:00 – 2:00AM

Moon Underfoot: 9:50p

+2.0

BEST:

1:00 – 3:00 AM

2:00 – 4:00 AM

TIDE LEVELS

10:00P – 12:00A

Moon Underfoot: 7:56p

TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: 6:11p

BEST:

9:30 – 11:30 PM

+1.0

0

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

WEDNESDAY

10

Sunrise: 7:03a Set: 6:03p Sunrise: 7:02a Moonrise: 11:12p Set: 10:08a Moonrise: None

12a

0.86 ft -0.53 ft 0.85 ft 0.59 ft

+1.0

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

1:10 AM 7:48 AM 12:41 PM 7:26 PM

0.18 ft 0.60 ft 0.29 ft 0.75 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

2:01 AM 9:22 AM 1:11 PM 7:32 PM

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE

0.09 ft 0.59 ft 0.45 ft 0.76 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

2:58 AM 11:11 AM 1:44 PM 7:27 PM

-0.02 ft 0.65 ft 0.61 ft 0.79 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

4:00 AM 12:58 PM 2:36 PM 7:24 PM

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

LOW

KEY

T1

Sabine Bank Lighthouse -1:46

-1:31

Galveston Channel/Bays

T2

Sabine Pass Jetty

-1:26

-1:31

T7

T3

Sabine Pass

-1:00

-1:15

T8

Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass -0:04

-0:25

Galveston Bay, S. Jetty -0:39

Add or subtract the time shown at the rightof the T4 Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine T5 the adjustment from the time shown for GALVES- T6 TON CHANNEL in the calendars.

Port Bolivar

PLACE

-0.15 ft 0.76 ft 0.75 ft 0.84 ft

HIGH

LOW

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

5:02 AM 2:03 PM 4:24 PM 7:56 PM

-0.29 ft 0.88 ft 0.86 ft 0.88 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

HIGH

LOW

6:00 AM 2:42 PM 6:32 PM 9:58 PM

-0.44 ft 0.97 ft 0.89 ft 0.92 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

6:55 AM 3:15 PM 7:33 PM 11:38 PM

KEY

PLACE

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

LOW

T12

Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay +5:48 +4:43

T18

San Luis Pass

-0.09

-0.09

Texas City Turning Basin+0:33 +0:41

T13

Gilchrist, East Bay

+3:16 +4:18

T19

Freeport Harbor

-0:44

-1:02

Eagle Point

+3:54 +4:15

T14

Jamaica Beach, W. Bay+2:38 +3:31

T20

Pass Cavallo

0:00

-1:20

T9

Clear Lake

+6:05 +6:40

T15

Alligator Point, W. Bay +2:39 +2:33

T21

Aransas Pass

-0:03

-1:31

-1:05

T10

Morgans Point

+10:21 +5:19

T16

Christmas Pt

T22

Padre Island (So. End) -0:24

-1:45

+0:14 -0:06

T11

Round Pt, Trinity Bay +10:39 +5:15

T17

Galveston Pleasure Pier -1:06

T23

Port Isabel

+2:32 +2:31 -1:06

-0.57 ft 1.03 ft 0.87 ft 0.97 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

+1:02 -0:42

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION 88 |

F E B R U A R Y

1502 ALMANAC.indd 88

2 0 1 5

|

T E X A S

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

1/7/15 4:38 PM

1502 ALMANAC.indd 89

1/7/15 4:38 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

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 2nd Score Graph Score Best

MONDAY

TUESDAY

16

FEBRUARY 2015

Tides and Prime Times WEDNESDAY

17 

THURSDAY

18 

FRIDAY

19 

SATURDAY

20 

SUNDAY

22

21 

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

AM Minor: 2:30a

PM Minor: 2:59p

AM Minor: 3:23a

PM Minor: 3:52p

AM Minor: 4:18a

PM Minor: 4:46p

AM Minor: 5:15a

PM Minor: 5:43p

AM Minor: 6:14a

PM Minor: 6:42p

AM Minor: 7:15a

PM Minor: 7:42p

AM Minor: 8:16a

PM Minor: 8:43p

AM Major: 8:44a

PM Major: 9:14p

AM Major: 9:37a

PM Major: 10:07p

AM Major: 10:32a

PM Major: 11:01p

AM Major: 10:57a

PM Major: -----

AM Major: 12:00a

PM Major: 12:28p

AM Major: 1:01a

PM Major: 1:29p

AM Major: 2:02a

PM Major: 2:30p

Moon Overhead: 10:19a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 12:16p

Moon Overhead: 11:18a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 1:13p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 3:04p

Moon Overhead: 2:09p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:57a Set: 6:08p Sunrise: 6:56a Set: 6:09p Sunrise: 6:55a Set: 6:10p Sunrise: 6:54a Set: 6:11p Sunrise: 6:53a Set: 6:11p Sunrise: 6:53a Set: 6:12p Sunrise: 6:52a Set: 6:13p Moonrise: 4:46a Set: 3:56p Moonrise: 5:37a Set: 5:03p Moonrise: 6:26a Set: 6:11p Moonrise: 7:12a Set: 7:19p Moonrise: 7:57a Set: 8:26p Moonrise: 8:41a Set: 9:31p Moonrise: 9:25a Set: 10:36p

Moon Overhead: 3:58p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 10:49p

+2.0

BEST:

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

4:00 – 6:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 12:45a

Moon Underfoot: 1:41a

BEST:

5:00 – 7:00 AM

BEST:

6:00 – 8:00 AM

6:30 – 8:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 2:36a BEST:

7:30 – 9:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 3:31a

+2.0

BEST:

8:30 – 10:30 AM TIDE LEVELS

0

Moon Underfoot: None

TIDE LEVELS

3:00 – 5:00 AM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 11:47p

Low Tide 7:47 AM High Tide 3:46 PM Low Tide 8:16 PM

90 |

-0.66 ft High Tide 12:57 AM 1.06 ft Low Tide 8:37 AM 0.79 ft High Tide 4:16 PM Low Tide 8:59 PM

F E B R U A R Y

1502 ALMANAC.indd 90

1.02 ft -0.68 ft 1.06 ft 0.66 ft

2 0 1 5

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

|

2:08 AM 9:26 AM 4:45 PM 9:44 PM

1.06 ft -0.63 ft 1.03 ft 0.48 ft

T E X A S

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

3:17 AM 10:14 AM 5:14 PM 10:32 PM

F I S H

&

1.07 ft -0.50 ft 0.99 ft 0.29 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

4:26 AM 11:01 AM 5:43 PM 11:22 PM

1.05 ft High Tide 5:39 AM 0.99 ft Low Tide -0.29 ft Low Tide 11:48 AM -0.04 ft High Tide 0.95 ft High Tide 6:11 PM 0.91 ft Low Tide High Tide 0.10 ft

12:17 AM 6:57 AM 12:36 AM 6:41 PM

-0.06 ft 0.93 ft -0.22 ft 0.891 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

G A M E ®

1/7/15 4:38 PM

SYMBOL KEY

 = New Moon º = First Quarter  = Full Moon » = Last Quarter  = Good Day  = Best Day SUNDAY

DIGITAL EXTRA Tap for Customized Tide Charts

FEBRUARY 2015

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

24

THURSDAY

25

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

27

26 º

28

Mar 1

Sunrise: 6:51a Set: 6:14p Sunrise: 6:50a Set: 6:14p Sunrise: 6:49a Set: 6:15p Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 6:16p Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 6:16p Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 6:17p Sunrise: 6:45a Set: 6:18p Moonrise: 10:10a Set: 11:38p Moonrise: 10:56a Set: None Moonrise: 11:44a Set: 12:38a Moonrise: 12:33p Set: 1:34a Moonrise: 1:23p Set: 2:26a Moonrise: 2:14p Set: 3:14a Moonrise: 3:06p Set: 3:58a AM Minor: 9:16a

PM Minor: 9:43p

AM Minor: 10:14a

PM Minor: 10:41p

AM Minor: 11:09a

PM Minor: 11:35p

AM Minor: -----

PM Minor: 12:00p

AM Minor: 12:23a

PM Minor: 12:48p

AM Minor: 1:09a

PM Minor: 1:33p

AM Minor: 1:52a

PM Minor: 2:15p

AM Major: 3:03a

PM Major: 3:30p

AM Major: 4:01a

PM Major: 4:28p

AM Major: 4:56a

PM Major: 5:22p

AM Major: 5:48a

PM Major: 6:13p

AM Major: 6:36a

PM Major: 7:01p

AM Major: 7:21a

PM Major: 7:45p

AM Major: 8:03a

PM Major: 8:27p

Moon Overhead: 4:52p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:38p

Moon Overhead: 5:45p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 7:29p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:07p

Moon Overhead: 8:19p 12a

6a

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6p

12a

6a

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SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

23

TUESDAY

Moon Overhead: 9:54p 12a

6a

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6p

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FEET

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Moon Underfoot: 4:25a

Moon Underfoot: 5:19a

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 6:12a

BEST:

3:30 – 5:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 7:04a

BEST:

4:00 – 6:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 7:54a

BEST:

5:00 – 7:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:43a

BEST:

7:00 – 9:00 AM

BEST:

8:00 – 10:00 AM

9:00 – 11:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 9:31a

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

0

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BEST:

2:00 – 4:00 AM

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

1:16 AM 8:23 AM 1:26 PM 7:11 PM

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-0.19 ft 0.88 ft 0.47 ft 0.88 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

2:22 AM 10:03 AM 2:27 PM 7:43 PM

-0.28 ft 0.86 ft 0.68 ft 0.87 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

3:35 AM 11:55 AM 4:47 PM 8:22 PM

-0.33 ft 0.90 ft 0.81 ft 0.87 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

4:51 AM 1:37 PM 7:09 PM 9:20 PM

-0.35 ft 0.96 ft 0.84 ft 0.86 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

6:01 AM 2:37 PM 8:04 PM 10:37 PM

-0.37 ft 1.00 ft 0.83 ft 0.87 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

7:01 AM 3:12 PM 8:32 PM 11:49 PM

-0.36 ft Low Tide 7:51 AM 1.00 ft High Tide 3:36 PM 0.80 ft Low Tide 8:50 PM 0.90 ft

-0.33 ft 0.98 ft 0.76 ft

+1.0

0

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1/9/15 12:23 PM

Texas TASTED

by BRYAN SLAVEN :: The Texas Gourmet

Grilled Oysters on the Half Shell!

O

YSTERS HAVE ALWAYS been one of my favorite seafood items. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some shrimp, redfish, speckled trout, scallops and snapper, but oysters have a unique flavor of their own. I love’m raw on the half shell, stewed, fried, baked into a casserole or stuffing just to mention a few. My Aunt Betty loved them wrapped in bacon and baked or grilled, she called it Angels on Horseback which turns out is an old English recipe. I have mentioned below a good place to go for grilled oysters and a great place for a Fried Oyster Caesar salad in Houston. Then, below is a great traditional grilled oyster recipe that you can make at home!

The cooks at Gilhooley’s in San Leon, Texas, grill their oysters with parmesan.

Broiling them works, too. Just remember when going to Gilhooley’s, no kids and no credit cards, but it’s really good.

Ingredients: 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened 1 tbsp. Worcestershire 1 tbsp. finely chopped garlic 1 1⁄2 tsp. Tabasco 12 oysters, shucked, on half shell 12 small shrimp, cooked and peeled 1⁄3 cup finely grated parmesan Lemon slices, for serving 1. HEAT OVEN to broil; place a rack 3 inches from heating element. In a food 92 |

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processor, pulse butter, Worcestershire, garlic, and Tabasco until smooth.

2. ARRANGE oysters on a foillined baking sheet.

Top each oyster with a shrimp and some of the butter mixture; sprinkle with parmesan. Broil until oysters just curl, about 5 minutes. Serve with lemon slices.

Parmesan Grilled Oysters

NOW, FOR YOU GUYS AND GALS at home who want to cook up your own grilled oysters, here is a great recipe for you to try...

in a foil baking dish for indoors or directly on the grill outdoors. Be sure and have a good pair of tongs and some high heat mitts to handle the oyster trays as well.

Oysters Rockefeller

Preparation:

This recipe is one that was created originally for John D. Rockefeller, and there have been plenty of variations, but this a simple and delicious version. I like to cook them in the broiler or on the grill.

Sauté the green onion in the butter over med. high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic and continue until both are softened. Add the heavy cream and continue stirring. Now add the parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper and a dash of Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice, stir for a couple more minutes and then add the spinach and stir well for 2 more minutes, then remove from the heat.

Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the mixture over each oyster, then after all have been filled, sprinkle each with a teaspoon or two of the breadcrumb mixture. Place in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes or until the oysters are beautifully golden and curling up a bit.

Remove from the heat and serve in the shell with garlic bread and fresh lemons. This makes me hungry, I think I am headed to the Oyster House. Hope you all enjoy it!

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients: 12- Oysters, fresh shucked and put back into the half shell with their liquor (the liquid surrounding the oyster) 2- tablespoons- green onion 2- cloves- freshly grated garlic 2 teaspoons melted butter1 cup- fresh spinach, steamed until soft, about 2 minutes, then chopped coarsely and set aside ¼ cup heavy cream 3 tablespoons – fresh grated parmesan cheese In a zip locking baggie, mix ½ cup of bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of fresh parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil Preheat oven or your gas or charcoal grill to 475 degrees Arrange the oysters in the shell carefully T E X A S

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Email Bryan Slaven at bryan@thetexasgourmet.com PHOTO: BRYAN SLAVEN

1/9/15 12:26 PM

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FLOUNDER Undisclosed

REDFISH

Jolie Ramos caught her first flounder while fishing on a special trip with Texas Boys Outdoors. Her proud dad, Luis, sent in the photo.

Seven-year-old Laken LeBlanc-Hayes admires his firs fish, a 22-inch redfish that he caught at Port Isabel while fishing with Captain Jack Barton.

Port Isabel

FERAL HOG

BLACK DRUM

Leander

Clear Lake

Tim Croley, age 13, with a feral hog he shot on his first hog hunt near Leander.

Mike Shoemaker caught this black drum in the Clear Lake area. It measured 41 inches and weighed 60 pounds.

After a few pictures, the fish was released to fight another day.

MIXED STRINGER East Galveston Bay Matt Matlock and Capt. A.D. Harvel with a nice limit of specs and reds they caught in East Galveston Bay.

REDFISH Port Mansfield Mike Gar with his Second Place redfish (8 pounds, 7ounces, 28 in.) at the Young Farmers tournament in Port Mansfield.

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MAIL TO: TFG PHOTOS 1745 Greens Rd, Houston TX 77032 NOTE: Print photos can not be returned.

EMAIL: photos@FishGame.com

For best results, send MED to HIGH quality JPEG digital files only, please.

No guarantee can be made as to when, or if, a submitted photo will be published.

TURKEY Newton County Trey Barnard of Lumberton, got this trophy Tom in Newton County.

The 20-pound gobbler had an 11-1/2inch beard.

BASS Toledo Bend Pictured, left to right, are Carter, Duncan and Seth Benton with bass they caught on Toledo Bend, weighing (left to right) 5.7, 5.1, and 2.0 pounds.

BLACK DRUM Matagorda Justin McCarrell caught this 41-inch black drum on the Colorado River at Matagorda. He caught it on bottom with a big hunk of shrimp and quickly released it after taking this photo.

WHITETAIL Ft. Bend Bryson Bellar and his dad, Jason, with their first big buck, a 10-pointer with a 16-1/2 inside spread, bagged in Fort Bend County.

SPECKLED TROUT Galveston Melanie Mencacci shows off her biggest trout to date, a six-and-a-halfpounder caught last summer in Galveston.

Her husband Malcolm says she enjoys summer fishing.

SPECKLED TROUT South Padre Island Brayden Douglas, 10, caught this nice trout while fishing with his aunt Lia Helle at South Padre Island.

T E X A S

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