Texas Fish & Game May 2015

TEXAS FISH & GAME « MAY 2015 • VOL. 32 NO. 1

THE TEXAS OUTDOOR AUTHORITY

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May 2015 $3.95

CCA’s Epic Tournament Casts Off This Month THE TEXAS OUTDOOR AUTHORITY

Offshore Options:

Deep Sea Texas

They’re Back:

Coastal

Freshwater

Catfishing:

Texas Bears

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OVER 50 FRESH & SALTWATER LOCATIONS 2500 GPS FISHING SPOTS

2015 EDITION Available Now!

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

ORDER NOW

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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

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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: subscriptions@fishgame.com Email new orders to: subscriptions@ fishgame.com Email subscription questions to: subscriptions@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

MAY 2015 Volume 32 • NO. 1

Contents FEATURES

TAKE IT TO THE BANK FOR SALT FISHING

COVER STORY: All STAR Cast

As CCA Texas prepares to launch its epic coastwide tournament again, TF&G reflects on this classic’s 20-year history and our partnership with it for most of that time.

STORY:

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A rundown of some of the best spots on the coast for fishing without a boat, from Sabine Pass to South Padre.

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by Chester Moore

Story by Elliott Donnelly

TEXAS BLUE WATER

Photo: Canstock

Offshore season is upon us, and while you may not think of Texas as a “blue water” destination, there are a number of great options for a Lone Star deep sea adventure.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

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by Chester Moore USING YOUR NOODLE FOR CATFISH

The Bears are Back

The black bear is a STORY: part of Texas’s natural heritage and there has been a sharp increase in bear sightings in East Texas and the Hill Country. Here are some of the facts about this magnificent beast’s remarklable comeback and what to do if you should happen to encounter one.

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by Chester Moore

Father’s Day Tribute STORY:

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A celebration of the outdoor gifts our dads have given us.

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There may be more than one way to skin a cat, but there are definitely many ways to catch one— a catfish, that is.

Using a noodle is one that is a bit more passive, but still plenty of fun.

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by Matt Williams

FRESHWATER KAYAK FISHING

Yakking for bass and other action in a kayak on the many freshwater lakes and waterways across Texas.

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by Greg Berlocher F I S H

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Inside FISH & GAME

Contents (continued) COLUMNS

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by ROY and ARDIA NEVES TF&G Owners

Slamming the Scammers

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HE ONGOING SAGA OF THOSE SCAM ARTISTS from Oregon who have been preying on subsribers to major publications in Texas, including TEXAS FISH & GAME, has taken a positive turn, at least from our perspective.

As many of you know—because several hundred of you have forwarded to us some of the fraudulent mailings from these (insert your own expletive here) people—this group has been conducting a large-scale operation that solicits payments for counterfiet renewals charging more than double the normal subscription price and — at least in our case — pocketing every cent. They have not submitted any subscriber information to us, so anyone taken in by this ploy has both overpaid and received nothing.

We have honored subscriptions for anyone who has been scammed. When we first reported this scam last year, it put many of you on alert, which has helped keep more subscribers from being victimized. Still, it has been a frustrating and costly distraction that we have hated having to deal with.

So, we were pleased to be contacted by the Texas Attorney General’s office which has filed a lawsuit over fraudulent renewals sent to subscribers of TEXAS FISH & GAME, TEXAS MONTHLY, TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE and several major Texas newspapers against three companies running this operation in Oregon.

The lawsuit has been filed—in cooperation with four other states—against Liberty Publishers Service, Inc. and its president, Laura Lovrien at 1750 Delta Waters Road #102-204, Medford, Oregon 97504; Express Publishers Service, Inc. and its registered agent, David Lennon at 3922 Bellinger Lane, Medford, Oregon 97501; and Orbital Publishing Group of which Laura Lovrien is also president and is located at the same address as above.

According to the lawsuit, these three companies have used 77 registered assumed names, including Platinum Subscription Service, Publishers Distribution Services, Magazine Distribution Services, Publishers Periodical Services, and so on. The suit also refers to one entity, Platinum Publishing Service, that targeted TF&G and TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE but is not one of the Liberty, Express or Orbital assumed names. Platinum Publishing Service does, however, use the same White City, Oregon, PO Box as the others.

We have confidence in the Texas Attorney General’s office staff and have offered our full cooperation and assistance in obtaining a successful outcome, namely to shut these (expletive)holes down for good.

WE HAVE ALWAYS FOCUSED OUR ENERGIES ON BUILDING A direct relationship with our readers through the subscription process, as opposed to the less personal method of saturating the market with newsrack copies. While we do participate in that high-waste, low-return retail game, we still prefer the more intimate form of connecting with loyal subscribers. We will not let the scammers who have taken advantage of this process dilute our continuing efforts to maintain these strong and lasting relationships.

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Editor’s Notes

by Chester Moore

TF&G Editor in Chief

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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

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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 Political Commentator

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Texas Saltwater

by Calixto Gonzales

TF&G Saltwater Editor

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Bare Bones Hunting

by Lou Marullo

DEPARTMENTS

8 LETTERS 12 TF&G REPORT 32 TEXAS DEPT. OF DEFENSE

40 TRUE GREEN Texas Freshwater 62 FISH AND TF&G Hunting Editor

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by Matt Williams

TF&G Freshwater Editor

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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 Greg Berlocher

TF&G Contributing Editor

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Texas Guns

GAME GEAR

64 HOTSPOT FOCUS

72 TEXAS

HOTSPOTS

82 TIDES & PRIME TIMES

102 TF&G

PHOTOS

by Steve LaMascus

TF&G Firearms Editor

100 Texas Tasted

by Bryan Slaven

The Texas Gourmet

www.FishGame.com

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LETTERS to the Editor ‘The Message’ CHESTER I WAS HAVING COFFEE this morning and opened your March mag article “The Message.” I have just renewed last week for another three years and because of that was able to share your experience you had with your dad. I am 68 now and I do not think we ever stop thinking of those that mean so much to us.

I think that is the greatest inheritance we could ever hope for, the memories of good parents. Any way, I just wanted to thank you for sharing your memories of a great man and reminding us all of how fortunate we have been. It has also been a sign as to why I look forward to your mag each time it comes in the mail. Quality, respect and integrity is reflected in every print. Thank you and may God continue to bless you all.

Keep your line tight and your hook set and never forget the best of God’s gifts.

Byron Terral HEY CHESTER. JUST READ “THE Message.” I’m sorry to read about the loss of your Dad. I lost my Dad twenty four years ago so I know what you’re feeling.

My Dad gave me the gift of the love of music and fishing. We didn’t get to fish together much but we did sing and play plenty of old country songs together. Without his advice and support, I know for sure that I never would have had the drive and discipline to have a successful career in music. I lost him just as my career took off.

One of the last things he told me was “I got you this far, now you’re on your own.”

I think of him everyday and every time I record or step on a stage. So I’ve never really been on my own. I just wanted to share this with you and to let you know my family and I are thinking of you and your family.

rest of your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

Mickey Phelan CHESTER; I AM SO SORRY TO hear of your dad’s passing; I was not aware this had happened until I saw your testimonial in the magazine. I remember fishing with you and your dad just a few years back on the Sabine jetties; he was a truly wonderful guy and I know you and your family miss him terribly. Even so, knowing he was a believer and now resides with Jesus gives comfort and assurance that we will all meet again in a most glorious and better place.

Our paths don’t seem to cross much these days but nevertheless I think of you as a friend , a brother in Christ and as a most remarkable and talented young man.

John Paul

Wild Cats and Wolves

YOU PENNED A BEAUTIFUL TRIBute to your Dad. Your Dad, you and the

I HAVE HUNTED AND FISHED FOR over 55 years in Matagorda , Wharton and Brazoria counties. To a large extent much of these counties remain as wild as when the first white settlers came here. My kinfolks being among the first. Mygrandfather made his living hunting black bears for meat and by products. A Matagorda county history book made up of letters and transcripts tells of a huge black panther that was killed while it fed on buckets of lard that was being stored in the open loft of a house.

A more recent story is two black bears were seen by a friend and his wife near

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their home which is located in one the most remote areas in Matagorda county. I saw a ocelot that had been hit and killed by a car on a cold and rainy night in the late seventies. I made the mistake of not stopping to pick it up when I came back less than ten minutes later somebody had beat me to it. A good friend I hunt with saw a cougar in hot pursuit of a deer on a right of way in the early eighties near the same block of bottom land where the bears and ocelot were seen. My dad had a friend who worked on a train that passed through the west end of that same stretch of jungle.

His pal told of seeing at least one panther on the rail tracks almost every trip they made at night. I enjoy your mag.

J.C. Smith

Redfish Cloud AS WE PREPARED FOR A DAY OF fly fishing at our “floater” near Baffin Bay last week, we were greeted with this cloud formation in the Northeastern sky. As it turns out, it was a good omen, as I predict-

ed, as I caught my personal best Redfish on a fly—25 inch— on a Gold Spoonfly from Orvis. (This photo has not been altered in any way) Gregg Hurt Email your comments to:. editor@fishgame.com

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EDITOR’S Notes

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

Healing Heroes in Action

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T WAS A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT. As a swollen orange sun rose over the coastal prairie of Southwest Louisiana, Tyson Scott of Houston caught a threepound largemouth bass. A few seconds later, his partner for the day, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Edwin Evers hooked up with a good fish too.

“It’s going to be a good day. A really good one,” said Evers with a huge grin on his face. But it didn’t end there.

A couple of hundred yards away Bassmaster Elite Series pro Dennis Tietje and his partner James Holbrook of San Antonio caught fish after fish along a marshy canal.

They were fishing a highly managed, 484-acre manmade private lake, one of Gross Savanne Lodge’s exciting properties, which is full of large numbers of quality largemouths.

This was part of the Ever’s “Healing Heroes in Action” campaign. This year in partnership with one of his major sponsors, Optima Batteries, Evers will take part in five total events where soldiers wounded in combat get to fish with him.

Both Scott and Holbrook earned Purple Hearts in combat in the Middle East and both are great lovers of the great outdoors.

“We wanted to do something to give back to these soldiers who have given so much to us,” Evers said. “It’s truly an honor and a

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privilege to do this.”

For the kick-off event, there could not have been a better place to fish and stay than Gross Savanne Lodge. It’s truly an oasis on the coastal prairie/marsh of Southwest Louisiana near the eastern shorelines of Lake Calcasieu (Big Lake) and just a short drive from Lake Charles, Louisiana.

“We were happy to host the kick-off for The anglers getting ready to hit the water for the first Healing Heroes in Action event, held at Gross Savanne Lodge.

this project and are excited about what they are doing for our wounded warriors,” said Gross Savanne’s Doug Miller.

The actual format includes a bidding process whereby a winner brings a friend to fish against Evers and a purple-heart veteran.

In fact, a man from Oklahoma won this first event but mistakenly thought it was for a later date and had already planned another trip.

Evers adapted quickly, like he does in so many tournaments, and with the help of Gross Savanne and Dennis Tietje, he was able take out two vets and kick off the project in style.

All proceeds raised through this effort will go to Wounded Warriors in Action, a national 501(c)3 non-profit organizaF I S H

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tion. This group is dedicated to serving our nation’s combat-wounded Purple Heart veterans by providing world-class outdoor sporting activities according to officials with Optima Batteries.

The WWA will identify those veterans who will fish with Evers. Also, the foundation will provide transportation, lodging and assistance for them at the chosen body of water.

Besides Optima, Evers’s other sponsors include Bass Pro Shops, Lowrance, Mustad, War Eagle, Wild River, Wiley X and Zoom Bait Company. These sponsors will provide additional resources and prize packages for the events.

By the time this issue reaches subscribers, there will be three more events remaining: *May 30 (Paris, TN) *July 25 (Waddington, NY) *Aug. 8 (Cecil County, MD) “I hear from people all the time who say they would love to fish with or even against me,” said Evers.

“Now is their chance to do just that. To sweeten the deal, each team will get some incredible gifts from my very generous sponsors and the opportunity to help our nation’s combat-wounded veterans in a really special way.”

You can keep up with the project through Evers’s Facebook page where regular updates on bidding opportunities and the trips will be posted frequently. Tune in for a great cause and to follow the great works for a truly remarkable angler and human being.

For more information on Gross Savanne Lodge, go to grossesavanne.com

Email Chester Moore at CMoore@fishgame.com

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The TF G Report Only One New CWD Case Found CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE (CWD) was detected in only one of 222 tissue samples that were collected from hunter-taken deer and elk from the Trans Pecos ecoregion during the 2014–15 season as part of a CWD surveillance effort.

This sample was collected from a mule deer buck taken in the Hueco Mountain area of far West Texas.

“Without the hunter check stations and the strong cooperation of hunters and landowners, we would know very little about the prevalence of the disease or where it exists,” said Mitch Lockwood, Big Game Program Director with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Also included in the sampling effort last season, 143 deer and elk brought to check stations were tested for

bovine tuberculosis as part of a cooperative effort between TPWD and Texas Animal Health Commission to monitor for bovine tuberculosis. No positives were found.

To date, 839 deer and elk have been tested through the CWD check stations and strategic sampling that occurred during the summer of 2012. Of these, 282 were in the Containment Zone, 205 were in the adjacent High Risk Zone, 117 were in the Buffer Zone, and 235 were outside of the CWD zones.

The disease has been detected in only seven animals, all within the Hueco Mountain area, indicating a disease prevalence of 10–15 percent within that population.

“Additional sampling is necessary to develop more confidence in the geographic extent and prevalence of the disease, but the fact that CWD has not been detected in Texas outside of the Hueco Mountain area of northern El Paso and Hudspeth

counties is encouraging,” said Lockwood.

CWD is a member of the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other diseases in this group include scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) in cattle, and Cruetzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. CWD among cervids is a progressive, fatal disease that commonly results in altered behavior as a result of microscopic changes made to the brain of affected animals.

An animal may carry the disease for years without outward indication, but in the latter stages, signs may include listlessness, lowering of the head, weight loss, repetitive walking in set patterns, and a lack of responsiveness. CWD is not known to affect humans or livestock.

There is no vaccine or cure for CWD, but steps have been taken to minimize the risk of the disease spreading from beyond the area where it currently exists. The Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas

BIG BAGS CATCHES

WHITETAIL

WHITETAIL

TROUT

Undisclosed Location

Undisclosed Location

South Padre Island

Six-year-old twin brothers Clayton Perry and Colten Perry each took their first deer last season. Colten got an 11-pointer on October 25 and Clayton got an 8-pointer on November 1.

Silver Chapa of Kingsville caught this 26-inch trout while fishing with friends the Lower Laguna Madre at South Padre Island

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

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Animal Health commissions adopted rules to restrict movement of deer, elk, and other susceptible species within or from the CWD Zones as well increase surveillance efforts.

More Zebra Mussels Found in Lake Waco LIVE ZEBRA MUSSELS HAVE BEEN found in Lake Waco, despite efforts over the last five months by the City of Waco, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).

After first being documented in the central Texas lake on September 26, 2014, eight plastic tarps were installed over the shoreline and lake bottom with hopes that the tarps would block oxygen from reaching the area where the infestation was discovered. However, after removing the tarps from the lake earlier this month, two live specimens were found on rocks brought to the surface by divers.

“While we were not able to get 100 percent control of the zebra mussels, we do believe that we were successful in creating anoxic conditions over much of the area,” said Brian Van Zee, Inland Fisheries Regional Director for TPWD. “At this point we can’t say if enough survived to create a reproducing population, but at least we may have slowed them down. Both TPWD and the City of Waco will continue monitoring Lake Waco for evidence of zebra mussel reproduction and potential expansion of the population.

“Boaters who come to Lake Waco need to be aware that zebra mussels are still present in the lake and they need to take the proper precautions to avoid spreading them to another water body,” Van Zee continued.

In Texas it is unlawful to possess or transport zebra mussels, dead or alive.

TPWD regulations also require boaters statewide to drain all water from their boat and on-board receptacles before leaving or approaching a body of fresh water in order to prevent the transfer of invasive species.

This regulation applies to all types and sizes of boats whether powered or not personal watercraft, sailboats, kayaks/ canoes or any other vessel used on public waters. Movement from one access point to T E X A S

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another on the same lake during the same day does not require draining, and there is an exception for governmental activities and emergencies. Marine sanitary systems are not covered by these regulations.

“Three simple steps can help stop the spread of zebra mussels,” said Van Zee. “Clean, drain and dry your boat when leaving any body of water. If a boat is stored for a long period of time in a slip in a marina and then taken off the water to be transported to another lake, it will need to be carefully inspected. If zebra mussels are found it should be placed in dry dock long enough to ensure all zebra mussels are dead and then fully cleaned.

“We recommend that the vessel be cleaned by someone who is familiar with all the components of the boat, as all live wells, bilges, motors and any other receptacles or water-intake systems coming into contact with public waters must be cleaned.”

Additionally, live fish, including personally caught live bait, cannot be transported from the water body where the fish were caught in or aboard a vessel in water from the water body where the fish were caught.

Personally caught live bait can be used in the water body where it was caught.

Anglers are allowed to transport and use commercially purchased live bait if they have a receipt that identifies the source of the bait. Any live bait purchased from a location on or adjacent to a public water body that is transported in water from that water body can only be used as bait on that same water body.

Anglers participating in a fishing tournament confined to one water body may transport live fish in water from that single water body to an identified off-site weigh-in location, but all water must be drained and properly disposed of before leaving that location. Anglers are required to possess documentation provided by tournament organizers that identify them as participants in the tournament.

TPWD and a coalition of partners have been working to slow the spread of zebra mussels by reminding boaters to Clean, Drain and Dry their vessels before traveling from one lake to another.

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—from Staff Reports

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DOGGETT at Large

by JOE DOGGETT :: TF&G Contributing Editor

Mr. Toad

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OUSTON-AREA TOADS, utter, bloody, screaming, hopping, croaking or otherwise, where have they gone?

Oh, some are still around; the roster presumably includes the East Texas toad, Gulf Coast toad, and Texas toad. And, in theory, the now-endangered Houston toad. I wouldn’t know one from another, all averaging two or three inches in length, mottled and blotchy and wrinkly and puffy.

You see one here and there, especially at night, but the hoards of flopping, hopping

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toads are missing. At least, I’m not noticing them in significant numbers in the urban environs where I grew up.

And that’s not a good thing. Toads, for all their swarthy shortcomings, are grand bugeaters. The dearth of these simple amphibians probably reflects a disruption in the ecology.

I submit that something is out of whack in the lower chain of life in southeast Texas.

Maybe the drought cycle is a factor. But I’m not totally buying into that premise.

Frankly, southeast Texas hasn’t been all that parched in recent years. Most of the nearby lakes are at normal or near-normal levels (as opposed to low levels in Central Texas).

For example, during the first quarter of this year, Lake Houston and Lake

Livingston were holding slightly above pool.

Lake Conroe was normal. Houston’s average annual rain total is approximately 50 inches; 2014 was almost 44 inches. That’s not a drastic shortage, especially when you consider that land-based toads do not require reliable amounts of year-round water.

Based on my random observations, lack of water should not be a major issue contributing to the decline on the Houston Croak Meter.

Some claim pesticides are to blame. I’m not sure about that, either. Back in the late ’50s, when we were laboring over Mr. Wallace’s chalkboard, poor toads were squashed by the thousands each warm rainy night on neighborhood and rural roads around Houston.

Yet the government was playing fast and

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loose with terrible agricultural and industrial poisons.

Mind, this was several years before Rachel Carson’s landmark 1962 book, Silent Spring, which called foul on the widespread use of toxic agents such as DDT. I must presume that the overall ecology in southeast Texas is better now than then. Surely it’s not worse.

And loss of habitat cannot be an issue.

We’re not talking about mountain lions or black bears here. All a happy urban toad needs is a nearby drainage ditch and few hedges or flower beds.

Nor can Increased predation be a major factor. Not much out there cares to screw with a nasty, warty toad. I take that back.

Hognose snakes relish them. The specialized little snake has a turned-up scale on the snout for rooting through loam for burrowed toads.

The stocky hognose also boasts a wide mouth for grabbing and securing prey.

Heterodon even sports a pair of longer rear teeth (not hollow fangs) for deflating the luckless toad.

The harmless hognose snakes were common in vacant lots and along uncut bayou banks during the Mr. Wallace years. We caught and collected them often. Not coincidentally, hognose snakes seem scarce these days. When the primary food source is depleted, well, bad things can happen.

The changing ozone level might have something to do with it. I suppose no amount of romantic huffing and puffing along marshy banks can overcome strings of infertile eggs.

Of course, as they say, be careful what you wish for. We don’t need a transfusion of exotic toads. For example, the cane toad (giant or marine toad) native to Central America is an absolute brute compared to our little “hoptoads.” A documented specimen weighed more than five pounds and taped 15 inches from snout to vent.

I once saw a record-class cane toad in Costa Rica. We were sitting at night on the jungled patio of the old Golfito Sailfish Rancho. This Jurassic toad flounced from the dark vegetation bordering the stone walkway and landed with a thump near a bowl of milk poured for “Gus,” a yellow Lab puppy.

The whining Gus retreated, tail between legs, and cowered under our table. The great toad lurched over to the bowl and glared with bulbous eyes and glum maw. Then it tilted the rim in its chubby front arms and began casually lapping the milk. If this didn’t happen exactly as I’ve recounted, I’ll agree

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to have my earlobes and eyebrows cruelly pecked by an angry swarm of chee-chee birds.

It looked more like a lumpy, bumpy overinflated NFL football than any toad I’ve ever seen. Gus remained under the table, and I don’t blame him a bit.

No, we don’t need an infestation of cane toads. Too many troublesome exotics already are messing with the ecology. Fortunately, the cane toad being tropical, I doubt they could survive a cold Texas winter.

All I know is, we do not have the visible and audible abundance of native toads we once did. And, being a mathematics scholar, I must conclude from the overall equation that cannot be a good thing.

Email Joe Doggett at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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PIKE on the Edge

by DOUG PIKE :: TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Rhino Rut

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OR A SHORT WHILE, LET’S step outside the great state of Texas and talk about the black rhinoceros and its conservation halfway around the world, in Africa.

At the Dallas Safari Club’s convention this past year, one wealthy man wallet-whipped several other wealthy men with a bid of $350,000 for the opportunity to shoot one of those endangered animals on safari in Namibia.

Once that story broke, an immediate outpouring of anger and hate arose toward the high bidder from people who know either nothing about wildlife conservation or, equally likely, think they know

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a lot but most of what they know is wrong.

As hot stories do in this nation of shortattention-span headline readers, the black rhino hunter’s tale was pushed aside by, well uh…I’ve already forgotten the first quarter’s big headlines.

Near the end of March, however, the black rhino hunter was back in the news. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had approved the permit that allows him to bring home his trophy. Most of what I read, all too predictably, was skewed heavily against the man, his money and his upcoming hunt.

Where to start. Where, oh where, to start in the dismantling of ignorance.

Let’s build from simple background. In the 1960s, depending on which source you accept, there were somewhere between 75,000 and 100,000 black rhinos roaming a territory that cov-

ered most of southeastern Africa and a big chunk of the continent’s midsection.

Today, that area has shrunk. So has the rhino population deeply to somewhere between only 3,500 and 5,000 individuals give or take.

However, many rhinos eluded census takers.

The black rhinoceros is, by nature, a loner.

Males and females unite seasonally, briefly, to perpetuate the species, and mothers nurture their calves for a time. Outside that intermingling, however, it’s uncommon to see more than one black rhino at a time.

Since they face no significant natural threats, their decline is easy enough to pin on people. We did it. Plain and simple.

Some of us are trying to fix it. Some continue to kill for profit. And a whole bunch of people just want to carry signs and beat tambourines, but

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really don’t want to roll up their sleeves or pull out their checkbooks.

Back in the day, sport hunters took their share and then some of the rhinos, which can weigh more than a ton. And I’m certain that habitat loss also our doing played some role in the reduction.

The greatest threat to the species is and for decades has been poaching.

Valued as high as $45,000 per pound, black rhino horn is prized throughout Asia as a medicinal cure-all and is even used in some parts of the world as knife handles.

In countries where annual income wouldn’t fill a tube sock with Krugerrands, the lure of fast, big money is tough to pass up. One rhino horn, even at the equivalent of wholesale when first passed from poacher to smuggler, is worth several years’ wages.

Poaching isn’t yet in check or even close to being so. However, sport hunting, for all animals on the African continent, has never been more closely regulated than it is now.

To avoid excessive taking of any species by legal sport hunters, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (in partnership with its worldwide counterparts and a carefully vetted list of conservation organizations) keeps a close watch on how many African trophies make it back here annually. Of greatest importance, when the USFWS considers issuing a permit to hunt an endangered species, is whether the taking of the animal offers measurable, lasting benefit for the remaining population.

It’s important to note that American hunters inject millions of dollars into African economies.

Accordingly, national governments in Africa tend to be receptive to our conservation-related suggestions.

The USFWS stance on black rhinos has been rightfully tight, and the service has issued only three permits in 30 years (one in 2013 and two this year) for the importation of black rhinos by hunters.

The rhino in Namibia meets that standard, and the choice of animal to be taken will not be left to the hunter. Quite the contrary. An older bull has been identified as “the one,” and as relates to the rhino population’s future, its demise will be good riddance.

Old black rhino bulls often outlive any ability to impregnate a female, including the one selected in Namibia this year. These bulls have the annoying habit to conservationists of blocking younger, fertile bulls from mating. This is obviously contrary to what’s needed to increase the number of black rhinos, so the old bull gets targeted.

In addition, Namibia’s effort to fight poaching gets $350,000 they wouldn’t otherwise have.

I’m OK with that, as is the U.S. Fish and

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Wildlife Service, despite receiving 15,000 comments and more than 135,000 signatures on petitions that said, “Don’t do it.”

The infusion of so many dollars into the fight against poachers there will result in more rhino births. That’s a good thing, a bottom-line benefit, and no logical argument can be made to the contrary.

If anti-hunters wish to stop this hunt, there’s only one way to do it. Get the attention of the cashstrapped Namibian government write a check.

If anti-hunters don’t want this latest hunter to

shoot his rhino, they should cut that check today, payable to the nation of Namibia for, say, half a million bucks.

What would happen then? The Namibians would have a little more money, but that old bull would still get culled. Because that’s in the best interest of the black rhinoceros as a species, and that’s what matters most.

Email Doug Pike at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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NUGENT in the Wild

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

Godspeed Texas and Greg Abbott

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IME FOR MORE NEVER ENDing massive celebration Texas! Our beloved Great Republic of Texas just went from Rick Perry, America’s best governor, to Greg Abbott, America’s new best governor.

Godspeed governor Rick Perry, Godspeed Governor Greg Abbott, Godspeed Texas; We the people freedom BloodBrothers!

Us Texans should never fail to count our blessings everyday, and share them with the whole world, for there is no question that we here in the mighty Lone Star State have the best “we the people” representation of any state in the USA. From Governor Greg Abbott, to the Attorney General Ken Paxton, through most of the legislature and state reps, we surely have done a fine job seeking out, vetting and electing true statesmen who abide by the US Constitution and the Texas Constitution and the will of “we the people”.

Thank God Almighty and say Hallelujah like you mean it, and pass the ammo, and lots of it.

When it comes to real freedom, ultra-quality of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as ultimately defined by our hunting rights and gun rights, our sensible wildlife regulations and the overall environment of individual liberties, the Nugent family found our home here in Texas as soon as we figured it out.

Though there are some great governors and great states across this grand country, I’m thinking South Dakota, North Dakota, Louisiana, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho and a few others come to mind, there are also genuinely bad regimes and states that spit in the face of the US Constitution where the citizens are dangerously, if not down-right insanely over-restricted by antiAmerican goons.

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The poster child for sheer insanity has to go to California, where its subjects are not allowed to hunt mountain lions, but the state charges these very subjects’ outrageous amounts of tax dollars to hire government killers to kill their cougars for them.

Add to that the engineered tax waste for compensating farmers and ranchers for all the guaranteed destroyed livestock and you have a bizarre condition that is impossible to explain on any honest level.

And that’s not the worst of it! No! Not only can’t California residents hunt the flourishing cougar population in their own state, if a Californian goes out of state on a mountain lion hunting trip and kills a lion legally in another state, the hunter is forbidden to bring the lion home to eat or have mounted.

You heard that right. Jerry Brown and his gaggle of insane bureaucrats have got to be from another planet where honesty, logic, truth, commonsense and science are banned.

Then there is the sheer goofiness, and many of us believe to be the clear and present criminal infringement of our sacred 2nd Amendment guaranteed right to keep and bear arms, where a law abiding California resident can own an AR15 style rifle, the most popular, commonly owned firearm in America, but not if it has standard AR features.

Can you in your wildest imagination figure out what sort of missing brain function must exist in what otherwise appears to be an upright humanbeing that would make a simple pistil type grip illegal?

What sort of mindless creature would actually believe that a flash suppressor somehow makes a firearm more dangerous or crime prone?

Here’s a real doozy to test your tolerance for absurdity; not only have the braindead bureaucrats of California outlawed standard capacity magazines, but get this, California ARs are only legal if the magazine cannot be released with a finger. By law, California ARs are only legal if the magazine can be released with a “magazine release tool”.

Okay, I’ll give you a moment to pick yourself up from the floor and regain your composure

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from that surprise bizzarro belly laugh, even if it really isn’t funny at all.

You ready? In the land of Oz California, a bullet qualifies as a legitimate AR magazine release tool.

Feel safer yet, or just scared to death that such evil, nasty freedom hating weirdo’s exist in this otherwise great country?

God help us all.

And I could go on.

While good American citizens in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Illinois and California are subjected to tragic over-regulation, we here in Texas know exactly why more freedom loving Americans are flooding to this Last Bests Place.

I know Governor Greg Abbott. This great man, great Texan, great American knows exactly who he is and lives his oath to serve his “we the people” employers. He has stated unambiguously on many occasions that he takes his oath to heart and will not waver from the clear guidelines of the US Constitution.

As we throttle into 2015, those of us fortunate and smart enough to be Texans know that we are leading the way, and though we have it made with such great leadership, it is never a good time to take it easy and relax just because we have it so good here.

Our elected employees in Texas expect us to keep raising hell, they want us to increase and upgrade our communication with them so they never lose touch with the most important and powerful guiding force in the history of mankind; a free people who refused the evil control of kings, emperors, dictators and tyrants, where “we the people” call the shots, and that this sacred experiment in self-government came about by divine intervention from the very hand of God. Texas is America my Spirit BloodBrothers.

And if America wants to get back on track, there is no better guiding light than Texas.

Godbless America, Godbless Texas, Godspeed Texans.

Email Ted Nugent at TNugent@fishgame.com

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4/3/15 6:08 AM

TF&G COMMENTARY

by KENDAL HEMPHILL :: TF&G Political Editor

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LINT EASTWOOD’S MOVIE about the life of Chris Kyle, “American Sniper,” pretty much blew its competition out of the water at the box office when it was released.

There’s probably a reason for that.

I read the book when it came out, and I’ve followed Kyle’s experiences since then as well as I could, and he seems to have been as humble and personable as he’s been portrayed. I never met him, but I felt a great sense of loss when he was killed.

Kyle was, without question, a hero. My definition of a hero is someone who puts his life at risk for someone else, and Kyle did that over and over. Michael Moore’s rude comments, along with several others of his ilk, notwithstanding, I can’t imagine anyone, friend or foe, honestly claiming otherwise.

Matter of fact, the actions of Kyle and those like him have given others the freedom to disparage people they probably don’t deserve to address.

When the movie came out I began to see reviews and comments about it, mainly on social media. Without fail, every mention of the movie I saw had one thing in common.

One friend summed it up by posting on Facebook, “I had been told you could hear a pin drop in that movie theatre at the end of the movie. If you haven’t seen it, it won’t be a waste of your time. You can hear a pin drop in that movie theater at the end of the movie.”

My son, Leret, sent me a text after he saw it. He said, “It was absurd. After most movies people just start talking and get loud, but after that one it was dead silent.” I told him it was reverence. Not, of course, the kind we extend toward God, but the kind we offer those who have done us a great service, which we cannot repay. We are humbled into silence at the gift,

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Kyle was, without question, a hero.

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and at the heart that made it possible.

My wife and I went to see the movie, and it was the same. Everyone got up and began shuffling out of the theater, heads down, not talking. It almost felt like embarrassment, that we had been allowed to freely go out and watch a movie in America, when the subject of our entertainment could no longer do that.

Our reaction to American Sniper illustrates the depth of our debt to those who have fought for our freedom.

One line in the movie, offered by Bradly Cooper, who portrays Kyle, stuck in my head.

He was talking to a SEAL friend, and said, in effect, “Do you want to end up fighting these guys on our home soil? We’re defending more than just this dirt.”

Many, I realize, don’t see it that way.

They have reservations about our purposes in the war on terror, as a nation. And I can’t argue with them, but I can fully support those who are involved, regardless of my opinion of the war. I hope others can do the same, even if they don’t believe the entire effort is right.

Whatever our opinion of the war, I believe we owe our full support and appreciation to those who are risking their lives for the rest of us. They believe, even if we may not, that without those efforts, we could easily be fighting the bad guys in our own backyards by now. And if the events of 9/11/2001 are any indication, they’re right.

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But if the movie had been about nothing but Kyle’s service and his impressive shooting and his four tours of duty in The Sandbox, I don’t believe the reaction in theaters would be the same. Sure, it would still be a good movie, and we would still owe Kyle and his fellow soldiers, sailors, and marines a great debt.

But there’s more to it than that.

When Kyle finally came home for good, he had the feeling that he had let down his friends, who were still over there. He felt guilty for not going back, even though he had gone far above and beyond the call of duty.

He still needed a job, a mission that would make him feel valuable.

He found that mission in helping other veterans, mostly those who had been damaged physically as well as emotionally by their war experiences. He was able to help those people better than anyone else, because he’d been there and done that, and had the T-shirt. He spent his time helping others to heal, and in turn they helped him to heal.

And one of them killed him.

After four tours, more than three years spent away from his young family, being filthy and tired and hated in a country he was trying to help liberate, and having countless rounds aimed at him, even a huge bounty offered for his dead body, Kyle came home and was murdered by one of his own, whom he was trying to help.

There is a battle between good and evil in this world, and we send our very best to fight it, and sometimes evil wins. And those of us who stay home have no idea what it’s like to fight that war. When we get a tiny glimpse of it on a screen, it humbles us. That’s why we’re silent.

And we certainly have no right to make rude comments about those who went to fight it for us, whether they came back or not.

Email Kendal Hemphill at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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ot all anglers have boats.

That is something TEXAS FISH & GAME has known for a long time, which is why we include “Bank Bite” locations on most of our coastal Hot Spots Focus columns every month.

While there are a fair number of quality bank fishing destinations on the coast, many anglers are not aware of them. We get questions all the time from anglers asking the location of certain spots they might have heard of or where to fish when on vacation.

This is a collection of some of the very best of these destinations ranging from the obvious to the obscure. We realize for landbound anglers, access is key, and this is our way of continuing and upgrading this coverage.

Before we get into these many locations, there are some important things to remember when fishing from the shore in saltwater venues.

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Many anglers complain of rarely catching legal-sized game fish from the bank, and I believe a big reason for this is their choice of bait. Dead shrimp is by far the easiest bait to get and it will catch everything, but that is just the problem. It catches hardheads, small croaker, sand trout and lots of undesirables.

My advice is to bring one rod rigged with dead shrimp (let the kids use it if they are fishing) and use just the croaker, sand trout and piggy perch you might catch as live or cut bait.

Also, learn to throw a cast net and catch mullet, mud minnows and baby croakers.

All of these fished on a Carolina rig will catch reds, specks and flounders, and the beauty of using a cast net is you do not have to pay for your bait. Of course it is a lot of work, but it will save you money.

Something else to consider is using a popping cork. There are lots of snags along shorelines, and when fishing on the bottom you are bound to get snagged. By using corks you can fish just above the bottom and avoid most snags. At the same time you’ll have the advantage of being able to draw attention to your bait by utilizing the popping action of the cork.

There are lots of good ones on the market, but I am a big fan of the Bomber Paradise Popper X-Treme, which has a killer sound and a titanium shaft that survives plenty of punishment and is easy for casting long distance. Another good long distance caster is the Outcast from Midcoast Products.

Little details like these can go a long way when you’re fishing these saltwater walk-up venues.

SABINE LAKE AREA Causeway Bridge LOCATION: At Pleasure Island on SH

82 at the causeway bridge.

SPECIES: Flounder.

LURE/BAITS: Live mud minnows, finger mullet and jigs tipped with shrimp.

BEST SEASON/TIME: Fall and Spring on outgoing and incoming times respectively.

McFaddin Beach LOCATION: Off of Highway 87 past

Sabine Pass.

SPECIES: Redfish.

LURE/BAITS: Live croaker, mullet or

whole crab.

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Lower Neches Wildlife Management Area

BEST SEASON/TIME: On high tides

during the summer and fall.

Lower Neches WMA (West Side) LOCATION: Highway 87 between Bridge City and Port Arthur.

SPECIES: Redfish LURE/BAITS: Cut and live mullet, dead shrimp BEST SEASON/TIMES: Summer and fall on outgoing tides

GALVESTON AREA U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fishing Pier LOCATION: CR 476 and CR 227 at Bastrop Bayou.

SPECIES: Redfish, trout.

LURE/BAITS: Finger mullet, cut bait, crab.

BEST SEASON/TIMES: First couple of hours of out- and incoming tides year-round.

Rollover Pass LOCATION: Highway 87 between High Island and Port Bolivar.

SPECIES: Flounder.

LURE/BAITS: Live mud minnows.

Best times/Season: Fall and Spring (while it lasts).

Bolivar Pocket LOCATION: Off of Highway 87 near

the jetties.

LURES/BAITS: Topwaters and silver

spoons.

BEST SEASON/TIMES: Summer during early morning hours on high tides is good as are late, calm evenings.

MIDCOAST Lighthouse Beach & Bird Sanctuary LOCATION: 700 Lighthouse Beach

Drive, Port Lavaca.

SPECIES: Redfish.

LURE/BAITS: Crab.

BEST SEASON/TIMES: On the last half

of rising tides.

Copano Bay Bridge LOCATION: FM 136, Bayside SPECIES: Speckled trout, flounder,

sheepshead.

LURE/BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp, shad imitations and live mud minnows.

BEST SEASON/TIMES: The fishing tends to be best on outgoing tides. Summer and fall.

Mustang Island State Park LOCATION: SH 361 Port Aransas.

SPECIES: Redfish.

LURE/BAITS: Live mullet, croaker,

Gulp! Crabs and cracked crabs.

BEST SEASON/TIMES: High tides during summer and fall.

SPECIES: Speckled trout.

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PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

4/8/15 9:14 PM

JFK Causeway LOCATION: At Humble Channel in Corpus Christi.

SPECIES: Black drum.

LURE/BAITS: Dead shrimp, sea lice.

BEST SEASON/TIMES: Spring, Winter.

Jetty Park LOCATION:

End

of

FM

2031,

Matagorda.

SPECIES: Speckled trout, redfish.

LURE/BAITS: Live shrimp.

Best Season Times: When light winds are blowing and waters are running clear in summer for trout. Fall for redfish.

Highway 188 LOCATION: At Port Bay in Rockport.

SPECIES: Redfish.

LURE/BAITS: Cracked crab, cut mullet.

LURE/BAITS: Live mud minnows.

Best Times: First hour of falling and last hour of rising tides in spring and fall.

Fulton Fishing Pier LOCATION: 250 Deforest Loop, Rockport.

SPECIES: Speckled trout.

LURE/BAITS: Live shrimp.

Best Times: At night and early in the morning in spring, summer and fall.

LOWER COAST LOCATION: North end of Park Road

100.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout, Redfish.

LURE/BAITS: Live croaker and mullet.

BEST SEASON/TIMES: Early in the

morning and late in the evening in summer and fall.

Foley Reserve Park

Pirate’s Fishing Pier

CR 1145 South LOCATION: Kingsville.

SPECIES: Redfish.

LURE/BAITS: Crabs, dead shrimp, mul-

let.

BEST SEASON/TIMES: Early in the morning in spring, summer and fall.

LOCATION: Across from Edwin King Atwood Park, South Padre Island.

SPECIES: Redfish, trout.

LURE/BAITS: Soft plastics fished under a popping cork, topwaters.

BEST SEASON/TIMES: Evenings on strong, moving tides in spring, summer and fall.

LOCATION: 204 North Garcia.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout.

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going, last of incoming tides during spring and summer.

Park Road 100 Bay Access 1

South Padre Island

Best Times: Look for high tides in summer and fall to provide the best fishing.

LOCATION: East Bayshore/Palacios.

SPECIES: Flounder.

LURE/BAITS: Live shrimp.

BEST SEASON/TIMES: First hour of out-

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As CCA’s Epic Coastal Tournament Begins Once Again, A Reflection on a Two-Decade Partnership STORY BY ELLIOTT DONNELLEY 24 |

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exas

Fish & Game has been a proud colabora-

tor in the amazing conservation efforts of CCA-Texas and the scholarship element of STAR since the mid-1990s. It has been a fruitful partnership that has

drawn anglers to read Texas Fish & Game and garnered support

through us for STAR. Founded in 1977, CCA started in Texas and has grown into a national organization involving tens of thousands of members in states all along the Gulf, Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the U.S. T E X A S

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Chester, TF&G, and STAR THE VERY FIRST COLUMN I wrote for TEXAS FISH & GAME (as saltwater editor) in 1998 was about STAR. Since then, I have written for every issue of the magazine and plan to be writing here for years to come.

STAR is a special event and CCA is

a special organization that we are more committed than ever to helping. Part of that will come with the amazing digital content we can provide but it will also come in the form of more print magazine features on CCA’s conservation efforts and STAR’s scholarship strides.

The STAR tournament also began here in Texas and has been a driving force in the growth of CCA from a regional organization into a national conservation force. With trucks, boats and other big ticket prizes, and a unique format that covers the entire Texas Coast and the whole summer, it is a wildly popular tournament.

This year, STAR celebrates the 20th anniversary of its scholarship program in which young anglers can win $50,000 and $20,000 scholarships by fishing in the annual tournament. Over the past 20 years, STAR has awarded many millions of dollars in scholarships.

It has been with great pride that TEXAS FISH & GAME has shared in presenting these scholarships for much of STAR’s history, in addition to other efforts to promote and support the tournament.

So…back to the app. We have partnered with Mag+ to deliver an app that provides us enough customization to make it ours, but uses a backend that has been tested and proved to be stable. We essentially have the best of both worlds over here. Mag+ provides us, the publishers, with some pretty cool scripts (fancy computer word for templates) that we can use to create fully customized interactive versions of our magazine.

Each month we sit down and create at least five digital issue files that are unique to the device that you are using to read the mag.

Once we have built these files, we perform some magical exporting and upload it to a server to be sent directly to your device. Its actually far more complicated than that but we are on a schedule.

Why digital? If I could list off all the features that we could include in the digital issue of the magazine, you would be reading this article for a fortnight, a full fortnight!

We have barely scratched the surface of what we can do with our digital issues. Each month we have been incorporating more and more small features to add to the overall reader experience. For example, many of our readers treat the hotspots feature of the magazine like their personal fishing guide.

We have started to add hot links (not the sausage) and real time maps to the hotspots section of the digital issues. So what? Its just a fancy map! The reality is, anglers have been some of the earliest adopters of technology out there. Think about where we have come in such a short time with fish finders and GPS trolling motors. Including the map is just the first step. Once we have the map in place, we can start integrating real time GPS and navigation straight out of the digital issue. For you, the reader, it allows you to navigate to your favorite hotspot directly from your phone while in your boat. Boom, real time results!

Why am I telling you all of this? It is important to us that our readers understand the reasons we are choosing to innovate. We want to stay ahead of the curve and offer a

As many of you will be signing up for STAR, we are excited to share some innovations to our partnership and our media platform.

While many of our readers still enjoy their paper magazine delivered to their mailbox at the beginning of each month, the technology driven features of semi-gloss slick paper are antiquated at best. Paper magazines and postal delivery are no longer king. Frankly, the sheer fact that the United States Postal Service is still in operation after taking loss after loss, year after year is baffling to me.

Like every other magazine out there, we have made the choice to innovate.

For the past six months, we have been working on a platform that we believe is going to change the way our readers enjoy TEXAS FISH & GAME. We have collaborated with a subsidiary of Bonnier Corporation, called Mag+, to develop a mobile app that is both functional and full of features. I know you are wondering why we decided to go a third party route and not develop something in-house? The answer is simple, time. We are still a 100 percent tried and true mom and pop business.

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We at TEXAS FISH & GAME are a loyal lot and in this case, loyalty is easy because our partners are so good for the coastal fisheries and the anglers who enjoy them.

—Chester Moore Editor-In-Chief

publication that you love to read. However, reading is just a small part of the equation now. Interactive media, buzzword alert, is the new model for most publications that want to stay relevant. Our relationship with our readers is no longer top down, but a two way street. We want your feedback just as much as you want our content.

For many years we have been partnering with CCA and industry leaders such as Blue Wave Boats to provide one year subscriptions to anyone who registered for the STAR Tournament. This year is the first year that we will be proving the digital version for our beloved CCA subscribers along with an option for a print subscription at a vastly discounted rate. We are not doing this because it is easier to do.

Honestly, the easy road would be to simply continue sending out a paper mag to everyone like we have done in the past. We chose to do this because there is more to offer with the digital issue.

For example, we will be incorporating a leaderboard into our digital issues that will give real time standing for the CCA STAR Tournament. Features like that are not something we can put into print.

For all of our readers who are not STAR Tournament entrants, go to Academy and sign up, it is a fantastic program for our great state. In addition, access to the digital issues will be complimentary with your print subscription. Best of both worlds, win/ win, enter alternative obligatory positive comparison.

We encourage everyone to check out the new TEXAS FISH & GAME app that is available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android.

These are inspiring times when we can deliver a product much more effective and impactful and as always remain on the cutting edge of the outdoors media market.

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Texas SALTWATER

by CALIXTO GONZALES :: TF&G Saltwater Editor

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USED TO HAVE A POSTER IN MY old high school classroom. It was a rendering of a dragon standing on top of a prostrate knight, a broken sword and dented shield scattered on the ground.

The caption read, “Sometimes, the dragon wins.”

I had a principal who hated that poster.

It didn’t project the correct attitude, she said.

I thought it was right on point. Sometimes, even when you have the right equipment, you come up short. I’m a fisherman. I understand that.

Saltwater fish are a source of endless consternation for me. I often hide a laugh (okay, sometimes I don’t hide it) when a person who doesn’t fish actually tells me that fishing seems pretty simple enough. They have no idea.

Let me re-phrase that fishing easy. Very easy. Catching is a redfish of a different spot.

Those who claim that fishing is just a matter of dropping bait in front of a “stupid” fish have never been on a flat surrounded by cruising redfish that don’t even acknowledge your offerings, or cast at a speckled trout that swims up to your bait, examines it, even nudges your lure, and then turns off and swims away.

Fishing is very easy. Men and women have been doing it for hundreds of years. Catching, on the other hand, can be ridiculously hard.

Anglers can whip the water into foam and still end the day the same way they started, only without hope. You could buy a quart of shrimp at dawn, fish until noon, and go home with a quart minus one.

I’m a stubborn man, and I don’t accept bad fishing when it happens. There’s too

“ Saltwater fish are a source of endless consternation for me.

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Breaking with Tradition

much trouble and preparation in the endeavor to simply accept the reality of a bad day of fishing (the person who says that a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work must both hate their job and catching fish equally).

Over the years, I’ve experimented, tweaked, and stumbled into some out of the box strategies that have saved the day on occasion.

My favorite technique isn’t so much out-ofthe-box as it is from a long forgotten part. My late Uncle Bob used to tell me how the old commercial fishermen would use cane poles with a short length of line, a big hook and a white strip of pork rind. They would swim the offering along the jetties and breakwaters and just clean up on trout.

I began using a pork strip one post-front day when the water in the Laguna Madre was gin clear and redfish and trout were skittish. I had a jar of Uncle Josh Porker strips in my tackle box from a bass trip. The fish weren’t hitting anything else, so I figured Jack Burton was right. Sometimes you say, “What the hell.”

I pinned a Porker on a 3/0 straightshanked hook, and cast it out. It landed with little sound or splash, and for the first time all morning there were no explosions of a spooked red or trout heading for Parts Unknown. The Porker had a slinky, nonmechanical action that eased through the T E X A S

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water. A trout came up and sucked it in and turned away.

I caught two more trout and a redfish, all keepers, which was actually pretty good when you consider the conditions. It wasn’t a day that I brag about, but I do know I was the only fishermen who came back to the dock with fish that afternoon.

Over the years, I’ve tweaked how I used the Porker. I pin it on a 3/0 weedless hook so that it slides through grass with no trouble, and I soak the strips either in fish oil or my favorite scent .The porous nature of pork skin absorbs the liquid and leeches it out slowly. It does the trick on those ultra-clear, blue bird days after a big northern, or along the jetties early in the morning.

Another non-traditional method I’ve taken to using is a unique sort of tandem rig that I first learned from an old issue of Texas Fisherman (the progenitor of this very magazine). I tie a Clouser Minnow or similar fly about 10 inches behind a Top Dog or Zara Spook. The fly adds almost no weight to the topwater and darts behind the plug as I work it back. I’ve discovered on many an occasion that a short-striking trout that misses the plug will often times come back and chase down the fly.

This type of lure presentation is open to variation. You can use a crab or shrimp fly behind a broken back or suspending jerkbait, or even a Corky. A Junior-sized Shimano Waxwing with a weightless curly-tailed grub trailing 18 inches behind it just sounds too good for any fish to pass up.

The key to these two non-traditional techniques is that you are not limiting yourself to angling orthodoxy. The angler’s greatest weapon is his imagination, especially if the dragon is winning.

Then you have to find a way to pull a victory from the fiery jaws of defeat.

Email Calixto Gonzales at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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COMPOSITE PHOTO: TF&G

4/9/15 5:13 PM

Texas Offshore Options by Chester Moore

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lowly but surely the offshore fishing scene is coming to life.

Red snappers are out of the picture for most of the year now in federal waters, but there are other fish to thrill anglers in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

q

Three hot Texas offshore species: king mackerel, spadefish & shark.

King mackerel is one of those species.

Any kind of cut or live bait will draw strikes from kings.

Big, lipless crank baits are even better choices. Silver spoons are also great choices, especially those tipped with a jig or cigar minnow. They are great to troll behind culling shrimp boats.

If you fish the rigs for kings, bring along some chum such as menhaden oil or throw out chunks of pogey to attract the big fish. I have found that canned jack

mackerel makes great chum, and it is very inexpensive.

All you have to do is punch holes in the can and put it in a lingerie washing bag or fish basket tied off to the boat. It will not take long to create a massive (but environmentally safe) oil slick. Spoons are also good for working around the legs of a rig to see if there are any mackerel prowling around. Simply throw out the spoon, let it flutter and float with the current around the structure of the rig.

One can hardly mention kings without talking about sharks because they run together a lot, especially behind the shrimp boats. These fish fight as hard as anything out there and they are quite tasty as well.

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ers are the most popular terminal tackle for bagging sharks. Sharks cannot only cut a line with their teeth, but also with their skin, which is sharp in its own right. One quick slap of the tail can cut even heavyduty line with no problem.

For targeting blacktips and spinners, my personal favorite chumming method involves bringing along a bucketful of small menhaden, grabbing a handful and squeezing. Some of them will float, others will sink quickly and others slowly.

This creates a feeding frenzy with sharks that can allow you to sight cast to them with cut bait.

The ideal setup for this kind of fishing is having one bait on the bottom for species such as bull sharks and Atlantic sharpnose. Along with this add and a couple of free lines to get the species that feed in the upper level of the water column.

This time of year, a big bonus for anglers fishing around the rigs is the ling that are starting to show up in good numbers. Locating these unusual fish is no problem. They are suckers for structure in Gulf waters and can often be found hanging around oil platforms, stand pipes, jetties and buoys.

One of the best tactics for locating ling around structure is to rev up the motors, take a paddle and pound the water’s surface to get the attention of the fish. The first time I saw this done I thought the guy doing it was crazy. I had always been taught to be quiet in the boat and to avoid spooking the fish. But when I saw a huge ling rise up to the surface I was convinced that the technique was for real.

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If you would like to catch ling, try the standard summer fishing protocol: a handful of cut pogeys thrown overboard, and live crab or fresh cut bait hanging from circle hooks.

The ling themselves are fascinating creatures to study. Their moves have baffled the scientific and angling communities but recent developments give insight that can help anglers catch more of them.

Out of several hundred tagged in the northern Gulf, 55 were recaptured the next year, and 12 of them were caught in the exact same spot where they were initially caught. That means the big ling you just never could get to cooperate last summer might bite this year.

Spadefish are a highly underrated, but viable offshore option.

My good friend Bill Killian is probably the most skilled spadefish angler I know. I got him into catching them back in 1999 and since then he has mastered the art and routinely catches spades in the five to 10-pound class. For those not familiar with the species, fish that size are monsters.

“We rarely go out just to catch spades,”

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Ling, a.k.a. cobia.

Killian said. “But if we get out there and see a lot of them, we always break out the light tackle and start putting them in the ice chest.”

Killian typically finds the heaviest concentrations on the down current side of the rig where they feed on the many little invertebrates pushed through the structure by the tides.

“You see them feeding on a lot of little tiny stuff that is really hard to see.

Sometimes they will get into a frenzy and really be going to town. Down in the water it will look like a little tornado of spadefish feeding,” he said.

His favorite strategy involves using a

small, slightly offset hook such as the Eagle Claw Baitholder in No. 10 or No. 8 rigged on 14-pound Berkley Big Game and finished off with a split shot weight about six inches above the hook.

“I use little pieces of shrimp positioned good on the hook. You can’t leave a whole lot hanging off the hook because the spades will pick it apart and if there are any triggerfish around, they will definitely wear you out,” Killian said.

Spadefish are unique in that they bite best during slack or slow-moving tides.

While conducting research on the species years ago, I came across this fact by talking with east coast fishermen who pursue them regularly. That does mean you have to wait until the tides are slack to fish for them but it certainly seems to get them in the right kind of mood.

Very few of us fish offshore as much as we used to because of strict regulations and fuel prices, but there is no question the most exciting fishing in our regions is out past the jetties in the sandy-green waters of the Gulf.

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4/8/15 9:15 PM

TEXAS Dept. of DEFENSE

by STEVE LAMASCUS & DUSTIN ELLERMANN

Self Defense Tactical :: Concealed Carry

Stopping or Knockdown Power

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HOSE OF US WHO CARRY handguns for personal protection are always looking for a cartridge, caliber, or ammunition that provides better stopping power. Generally we take the word of some expert about the qualities of such ammunition. If we are told that this bullet provides 10 percent more knockdown power than Brand X, we run panting with cries of great joy to the nearest gun shop to buy a few boxes, secure in the knowledge that the Ex-Spurt had given us the true gospel.

By the way, just so you will know, my favorite definition of an expert is one I heard a long time ago ”A has-been drip under pressure.” I remember that and cringe when

What’s in Your Range Bag? WE ALL HAVE A RANGE BAG OF some type. It might be as temporary and cheap as a plastic Wal-Mart bag or as over-loaded as a rolling suitcase depending on what we need at the range. Besides arms and ammo, the following is what I usually have on any given day while shooting.

Unless I have a suppressor on, you will always find me wearing eye and ear protection. For eye protection my 32 |

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anyone introduces me as a firearms expert.

Stopping or knockdown power is a combination of so many different interrelated and unrelated things that it is, realistically, impossible to adequately define. Velocity is one factor, but so are bullet form, bullet construction, bullet weight, and bullet diameter. But equally important is the attitude and physical condition of the bad guy at the moment he is shot. Is he mad, scared, depressed, drunk, high on drugs, or in some other state of mind? Is he fat or skinny; is he a body builder or a long distance runner?

And so on, and so on….

Since we can’t control the condition, mental or physical, of our attacker, all we can

choice is Wiley X, and I usually want non-polarized lenses at the range because polarized glasses can cause trouble with some optics and shot timer screens. I also enjoy my 3M Peltor WS Tactical sport earmuffs that are Bluetooth compatible. These are always stored in an easy access side pouch of my bag.

The main compartment of my range bag pulls out as a small pouch that is perfect for bringing to the firing line or to each stage of a match. It has a side pocket for score sheets and organizing loops and compartments for holding my F I S H

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do is focus on the weapon and the ammunition it shoots. I think it is safe to say that the larger the projectile we are shooting, all other things being equal, the better the result will be.

As gross hyperbole, it would be akin to the difference between shooting a man with a BB or a bowling ball. To a lesser extent, the bullet form is important. A flat-pointed bullet imparts energy to the target more quickly and efficiently than one with a round nose, and the round-nose is better than the sharp pointed form, if, again, all the other criteria are equal, which they almost certainly will not be.

Next we must deal with velocity. In the equation that gives us the energy, defined in foot-pounds (ft-lbs), that any projectile delivers to a target, velocity is figured in as 1/2 the square of the velocity while the weight of the projectile is counted only once (you can look the formula up easier than I can write

The author’s 5.11 Tactical DE Range Qualifier bag with its standard content.

CED shot timer, shooting sock, stapler and extra staples, lens pen, markers, and mulitools such as the Leatherman Guard and Rail.

I also try to consolidate my tools into PHOTOS: DUSTIN ELLERMANN

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TEXAS Dept. of DEFENSE it here).

Therefore any increase in velocity provides much more energy than an increase in bullet weight. But velocity alone gets us nowhere. We have to have sufficient bullet weight and bullet toughness to get inside the target, but not so much that the energy is expended on the far side of the target. Tearing up the landscape does nothing to stop an aggressor. So, there must be a very fine balance between velocity, caliber, bullet weight, and bullet construction.

Remember this, foot-pounds of energy is that amount of energy acting through one foot of distance. Thus, a weapon that delivers 384 ft-lbs of energy is only equivalent to 384 pounds dropped one foot. Sort of changes the complexion of things, doesn’t it?

Also, a handgun so powerful that we can’t hit anything, is useless. So again, a balance is needed. And the weapon must be small enough so that it can be concealed and not be too much of a burden to carry 10 or 12 hours a day.

A .500 S&W Magnum would probably be a fantastic manstopper, but who would want to try to carry one concealed, every day, all day long? Even a full-sized .44 Magnum is a terrible burden when carried for a full day. I know, because I have carried

one a lot on hunting and fishing trips. I put up with it because I thought I needed the power, but after each day I was usually wishing for a lighter rig.

To get to the crux of the problem, stopping power can usually be defined by the amount of tissue a bullet destroys. Just as in a hunting cartridge, the more tissue destroyed (assuming it is vital tissue), the faster the target will be disabled. The .22 Long Rifle cartridge has killed a lot of people, but it will seldom quickly disable. Our military changed from the .38 Long Colt to the .45 ACP because during the Philippine Insurrection the .38 LC was found to be a very poor manstopper in combat. The .45 on the other hand proved to be a great manstopper. The main difference between these three cartridges is the size of the bullet they shoot.

Two of the best manstoppers, as shown by actual shooting statistics, are the 125grain .357 Magnum hollow point and the 230-grain .45 caliber hollow point. The .357 is great because it has sufficient bullet weight and diameter and a lot of velocity.

The .45 is great because it has a lot of bullet weight and diameter and sufficient velocity.

See what I mean by balance?

The two cartridges above, with the .40

Smith & Wesson shooting 155- or 165grain hollow points, thrown in for good measure, are the gold standard of personal defense handgun rounds today. Almost all the other commonly available rounds fall somewhere below these in stopping power.

The 9mm Parabellum and the .38 Special, with the proper +P or +P+ expanding rounds, either hollow point or the newer plastic tipped rounds, are almost, but not quite, as good. From there you go downhill in a hurry, with the possible exception of the new .32 caliber magnums, about which there is insufficient information available to make that determination.

In the end, it is you who has to decide what you will carry. I suggest you carry the most powerful round you can shoot well and conceal during your daily duties, whatever those are. I do not, however, recommend anything of less power than the .380 ACP, with good expanding, high velocity bullets.

No gun or cartridge, however, is a manstopper if the bullet is not put in the right place, and a solid hit by a less powerful round is 100 percent more effective than a miss with a cannon.

a MultiTasker, that is one hardcore, CNC-made set of pliers including a castle nut wrench, magnetic ¼-inch driver for bits, AR sight adjustment tool, carbon scraper, 3/8-inch and ½-inch hex wrench, as well as the usual locking knife blade.

The 5.11 DE Range Qualifier bag that I collaborated to design also includes three different tool pouches from zippered netting in the top flap, to clear vinyl organizers for all the smaller tools that we collect with our firearms.

This helps secure tools such as the tiny Crimson Trace laser adjustment wrenches, scope adjustment tools, extra batteries, shotgun chokes, dummy training rounds, and Loctite.

Other tools that I found necessary are a small armorer’s hammer for drift sight adjustment and the occasional stubborn

rifle bolt, a solid brass rod for pistol squib loads, and a small level to ensure you post targets level so you can confirm your rifle’s optic is mounted correctly.

For cleaning, the DE Range Bag has a small mat for field stripping with an embedded magnet to keep from losing small parts. This will save lots of headaches at the range. Then I keep a compact Otis kit tucked away along with a bottle of Fireclean and FrogLube.

For my suppressors, I really have come to appreciate Silencer Shop’s “suppressor removal tool” (oven mitt), and I always make sure I have suppressor fittings, pistons, and tools tucked away as well as copies of my tax stamps in the back document pouch.

Finally I always have a trauma medkit attached to the side of the bag where

other folks will see it, if necessary.

Shooting sports are statistically among the safest sports, however a mishap can be serious, so this kit packs hemostatic clotting agents, Israeli bandages, tourniquets and other packs of gauze and smaller first aid items.

Everyone’s individual range bag will be different, because we all have different shooting styles. But being prepared is the best way to optimize your time sending rounds downrange.

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—Steve LaMascus

—Dustin Ellermann

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Bare Bones HUNTING

by LOU MARULLO :: TF&G Hunting Editor

Deer Dreamin’

T

URKEY SEASON IS NOW A memory (I hope it was a good one for you). As for me, well, let’s just say that turkey season is now a

memory.

It is time to move on to other game. Here in Texas, we have much to choose from.

There are many different exotics and of course, there are also many feral hogs to try your luck at way too many feral hogs Personally, once turkey season is over, whitetail deer are on my mind. Oh I still might go and do some feral hog hunting if one of my friends wanted to go and needed company, but deer season has my full attention.

I probably overdo it, but it seems every year that I hunt whitetail deer, it takes more and more time to prepare for a successful season.

Maybe I am just getting old and need more time to do what took me half the time when I wore a younger man’s clothes.

One of the most important things to prepare for is where to put your tree stands. If you have hunted your lease for a few seasons already, then you have a good idea of where the deer like to roam, but if this if this year brings with it some unfamiliar hunting ground or if you are new to this sport, then you should start to prepare. It is never too early to start.

If you locate a stream on your property, then follow it and look for deer prints on the banks. Deer are lazy creatures of habit and will tend to cross the stream at one of its shallowest spots. One of the biggest deer I ever taken was killed in just such a spot.

Another location to look for is a ridgeline on top of a hillside. If you are hunting in such a location, you might have the urge to just walk the ridgeline. That might be because in general, we always take the easiest route.

Deer do not like to be silhouetted in the

woods. They prefer to walk parallel to that ridge, but down the hill enough so as not to stand out and be easily spotted. That is a good place to find a well-used deer trail and a great ambush spot.

While you explore the woodlots in your area, look for a stone fence. Back in the day, stone fences were built for boundary lines (it is no wonder why people back then did not live too long). Can you imagine how much work that was? But most of the fence still stands today. If you walk along the fence, you will probably find a place where the stone has broken away and has caused a break in the stone fence.

Remember, deer are lazy creatures and they would rather walk through an opening than jump a fence. If you are fortunate enough to have something like this on your property, then it might be a good place for a tree stand.

Deer trails that go to and from food sources are also great locations for a tree stand. To be successful, however, you have to remember not to place your stand too close to the bedding areas as well as the food sources.

I like to put one of my stands about 30 to 40 yards from a food source for an afternoon hunt. If I choose to hunt the morning, I prefer to hunt a stand that is about 100 yards or so from a bedding area.

It is a good idea to have more than one stand set up. Remember, every time you hunt from a stand you leave a trail of your human scent to that location. Use it too many times without giving the stand a rest, and you will spook the deer from using that site for at least a week, maybe longer.

Most of the better locations are places that funnel the deer to a certain spot making your shot much closer and much easier. You may find an area that does not provide a natural “funnel” to your tree stand. With a little work, you can make your own. You will need a small saw, some pruning shears and permission from the landowner.

Once you decide on the best place for your stand, then locate the deer trails within a few hundred yards. At certain spots, you T E X A S

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can place natural debris on the deer trail and then cut and trim a pathway to within 20 yards of your stand. Those “lazy” animals will head in your direction on the easiest path they can find.

Getting to your stand could be almost impossible without making a racket. The deer will hear you coming as soon as you set foot in the woods, but you can put the odds in your favor here as well. I first saw this when I went out to scout an area with my friend Tom Ryan.

Again, well before the actual season begins, go to your woods with a rake or garden hoe. Decide which way is the best way to get to your stand keeping in mind the way the wind usually blows. Then, keeping the wind in your face as much as possible, clear a path to your stand getting rid of all the dried leaves and sticks that might give you away in the dark, early morning.

Believe me, it works. He also brought along the pruning shears to clear any brush that might rub up against your hunting clothes. Great idea!

It is paramount to remember that whatever stand you finally decide to hunt out of, the wind needs to be right for the stand area.

If the wind is wrong, then better to choose another stand or stay home and get some sleep. That’s why I set up as many stands as I can, long before the season begins.

You can see how much prep work is involved to put the odds in your favor for a successful hunt. Give yourself enough time to get prepared for the hunt and you will not be disappointed.

Have fun and hunt safe out there.

Email Lou Marullo at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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More Passive

— but fun —

Ways to Catch Cats story by Matt Williams

is often said that there is more than one way to skin a cat.

I’m not so sure about all of that.

But what I do know is there is more than one way to catch one — a catfish, that is.

Texas is home to a bounty of reservoirs and rivers, and many of them are chock full of whiskered fish. Three sub-species are recognized as sport fish — flatheads, blues and channel cat.

While blues and flatheads rank highest on the hit lists of trophy hunters, there are an army of fishing fans hooked on the channel cat, mainly because populations are plentiful and widespread across the state. Plus, they make excellent table fare and, like blue cat, are regulated by a liberal statewide limit of 25 fish, 12 inches. The following is so strong that Ictalurus furcatus won third in a Texas Parks and Wildlife angler popularity vote behind largemouth bass and crappie.

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Amazing Pop-Up Noodle Pop-Up Fish-a-Noodle is a new, fun and effective way to catch fish. Just tie on your baited line, drop your Noodle into the water and get ready. The Noodle floats on its side until a fish takes the bait. Then, the Noodle will pop straight up letting you know you have caught a

fish.

There are lots of ways to make noodles and fish them but this one is super easy and is great for someone wanting to get into “noodle fishing” or a veteran wanting to try something different.

These are great ways to help introduce kids to fishing because the excite-

There are all sorts of ways to catch catfish. The standard hook and line is probably the most sporting. But if you are in it just for the fun and the food, it is hard to go wrong with a passive fishing method like trotlining, jug lining and noodling.

Each method calls for securing a line to a stationary or floating object, suspending one or more baited hooks beneath the surface, then waiting for a spell to see if you get any takers. While all three can be super productive, none will keep you busier out there when the catfish are on a tear than a couple of dozen noodles will.

“Running catfish noddles also is a lot of fun,” says Heath Bragg, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game warden based in Nacogdoches County. “I take my kids noodling every spring and they have a ball with it.”

Not surprisingly, the Braggs also catch a lot of fish in the process. In fact, they are usually able to stock their freezer with enough channel cat for multiple family fish fries.

Not to be confused with hand fishing for catfish, setting and running noodles is more akin to fishing with jug lines. The main dif-

ference is the style of the floating device used to suspend the bait.

The typical jug line is made by tying a length of heavy line to a one-gallon antifreeze jug or a liter Coke bottle with several hooks spaced out to cover the water column.

The noodle serves the same purpose, but is generally built for applications in fairly shallow water with only one hook. Not only are noodles inherently easier to manage than jugs, but they are also way less cumbersome to store when not in use. For storage or transport, wrap the line and stab the hook into the foam to keep everything tangle free.

You an easily fit more than a dozen catfish noodles neatly into the same space it takes to hold 2-3 jug lines. That’s because the devices are small in profile measuring roughly 3-4 inches in diameter and about 15-18 inches long.

Another neat thing about catfish noodles is they are relatively easy and inexpensive to build, or you can purchase them already assembled. One of the most popular manufactured catfish noodles on the market is made by Little Stinker, which a l s o offers all sort of hooks, baits, jugs and other gear

THE LITTLE STINKER AMAZING

Getting Legal with Noodles • IN SEPT. 2014, TPWD AMENDED

a state law requiring that noodles used for recreational fishing be white in color. The new law states that noodles can be any color except orange.

Commercial fishermen are required to use orange exclusively.

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• ALL NOODLES MUST BE

equipped with some sort of gear tag listing the user’s name, address, phone number and the date the device was set out. You can also write the info on the PVC using a sharpie.

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ment of seeing the noodle pop up gets them pumped up. In fact, it’s tons of fun to throw out a few of these within view of where you’re rod and reel fishing to keep things interesting.

An added feature is that it glows in the dark, making things conventient especially as the catfish bite often goes to night in the summer.

—Chester Moore

designed especially for the whiskered fish connoisseur.

Fittingly called the Little Stinker PopUp Fish-a-Noodle, the cyclinder-shaped device is made using a 17 1/2 inch section of soft and flexible water noodle commonly used for floating in a swimming pool. There is a rigid metal rod inside with durable line tie on one end. At the opposite end is a glow-in-the dark cap, which stands out nicely to help you keep up with the noodles after the sun goes down.

“Our noodles are built to last and they are designed so they lay horizontal on the water until you get a bite,” says Little Stinker’s Matt Bianich. “When you get a fish on the noodle lets you know it because stands up in the water with the glow in the dark cap on the topside. That takes a lot of the guesswork out of running noodles, because you know which ones have been messed with and which ones haven’t.”

Academy advertises the noodles for $4.19 each, which means you can get a couple of dozen units for around $100. And trust me.

You won’t need any more than that. When the fish are really bit• EACH LICENSED ANGLER IS

allowed a total of 100 hooks.

• IT IS NOT LEGAL TO RETAIN

largemouth bass and crappie that are caught using noodles, jugs or trotlines.

—Matt Williams

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ing, two dozen noodles will keep you as busy as you want to be.

If you’ve got the time and basic hand tools you can build your own army of noodles for less money. Materials you will need are several water noodles, a few joints of 3/4 or 1 inch PVC (depending the diameter of hole in water noodle), end caps for the PVC, some small eye bolts, a tube of silicone and a few joints of 1/2 inch rebar cut about 3-4 inches long.

Begin by cutting the PVC into 18 inch sections and the water noodles into 12 inch sections, then insert the PVC inside the water noodle. Drill a small hole in one of the end caps and secure the eye bolt (that’s your line tie). Seal around the inside of the eye bolt using silicone to prevent seepage and allow to dry.

Insert the rebar into the PVC so it can slide freely back and forth, then secure both end caps using PVC glue. The rebar will shift when you get a bite, causing the noodle to stand erect in the water.

To make the noodle visible at night, tape the cap opposite the line with reflective tape.

There are a passel of good instructional

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videos for building noodles on the Internet.

To find them do a good search for “building catfish noodles.”

The are a couple of ways to fish with noodles. You can fish them stationary by securing the main line to bottom with a weight, or allow them to free drift with the wind. Some noodlers like to bait up right at dark and run the noodles at first light.

Others prefer to stay with their noodles until they are done fishing. The latter is usually the best option, especially when fishing with free floating noodles.

Free floating rigs work great when fishing in shallow coves or pockets with an incoming breeze. Bragg likes to build his using 80-pound monofilament line so the bait (a live perch, shad, shrimp or cut bait works great) hangs about three feet below surface.

He places a 1/8-ounce slip sinker on the main line then adds a barrel swivel to prevent line twist. He finishes out the rig with a 12-16 inch leader and a 2/0 or 3/0 worm hook. One noodles drift too shallow Bragg will retrieve them and start the process all over again.

Charlie Shivley of Huxley prefers a

stationary noodle on shallow flats that are around 5-6 feet deep. Shively owns a fishing camp at the upper reaches of Toledo Bend, which is well known for its whopper blues and flatheads. For that reason he builds his main line from No. 36 tarred nylon and his hook staging from No. 15-18 tarred nylon.

Shivley makes his main line about eight feet long and secures it to bottom using a railroad spike or a manufactured weight. He adds in a 2/0 barrel swivel about 18 inches below the float. He prefers a hook staging about 16 inches long and always uses 6/0 stainless circle hooks when fishing with live perch or cut bait. He says the staging should always be secured to the top ring of the swivel to prevent line twist.

Building, setting and running noodles ranks among the most productive methods around for sacking up a mess of catfish for the freezer. It also is among the most enjoyable, especially when there are youngsters in the boat.

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True GREEN Edited by WILL LESCHPER

TF&G Conservation Editor

Catfish ‘Noodling’ Legal but Regulated

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OODLING HAS BEEN around for centuries, but in Texas where it didn’t become legal until 2011 biologists are still fishing for answers.

“Handfishing” or “grappling” is the act of wading into shallow areas in rivers and lakes to find holes where catfish have taken up residence. Then, using hands and feet, probe inside and allow the fish to latch onto an appendage. This practice had brought as much as a $500 fine in Texas before House Bill 2189 was passed and signed into law.

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Wildlife Department continues to be vigilant about noodling, launching a statewide study involving flatheads, and catch methods of all catfish varieties.

Kris Bodine, a fisheries research biologist at the Heart of the Hills Fisheries Science Center in Mountain Home, leads the project, which is focused on the growing recreation of catfish angling.

“We’re not trying to necessarily determine how much of an impact noodling will have as much as how it pertains to the overall catfish fishery,” Bodine said. “One of the things Texas is doing right now is putting together a statewide catfish management plan. One part of that is to determine harvesting of catfish and what anglers are F I S H

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using to catch them. The other part is gauging what types of anglers we have and their opinions toward the managing of the fishery.”

Flatheads, the main angling target for noodlers, differ from the more abundant channel catfish and blue catfish that inhabit many of the same waters. They mature and reproduce slowly, and feed exclusively on live bait.

Although “mudcats” can grow to extreme sizes, the daily bag limit for them is vastly different from channel cats and blues.

License holders are allowed to keep an aggregate of 25 blue and channel cats daily with a 12-inch minimum, while they can only keep five flatheads, and they must be at least 18 inches in length.

Although most bass anglers are catchand-release artists, most folks who get their hands on a big catfish keep it for dinner.

That potentially could have a negative impact on the population, because flatheads are like largemouth bass in that the largest fish are females on or near nests. Still, there is little viable data to make any solid determination, which again has biologists probing a variety of other issues.

“In terms of managing catfish, it’s really picked up in the last decade, and to do that we’ve had to collect a whole suite of information on all the different angling types,” Bodine said. “Suddenly handfishing came about, and we knew nothing about it, so we’re trying to do what we can and make it a recreational sport that is sustainable for those guys, too.

“Obviously any new type of angling method is going to have some type of impact on the fishery, but whether it’s good or bad we don’t know yet. That’s one of the things we’d like to know and how it will change things. And if it does change things, how can we make the situation so that all parties or all groups can utilize the resource.”

Bodine said that one portion of the statewide catfish plan is to monitor catch Continued on page 43 u

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True GREEN Diverse Partnership

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UCKS UNLIMITED AND THE U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service completed a marsh restoration project in coastal Texas on the San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge’s Cow Trap Lake unit in 2014. Cow Trap Lake is a popular area for public use and recreation, including waterfowl hunting and fishing.

Funding partners for the project include diverse public and private sources such as USFWS Coastal Program, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, Phillips 66, the National Marine Fisheries Service, Coastal Conservation Association and Houston Endowment.

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After newly constructed terraces have settled, native grasses are planted along the outer edge to promote vegetation spread and increase soil stability.

Cow Trap Lake is located north of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, approximately five miles west of the mouth of the San

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Bernard River. The north shoreline has suffered from significant erosion from winddriven waves during the past decades. Many acres of coastal marsh habitat have been lost. Refuge staff expects that these emergent marsh losses will continue to occur without some level of intervention.

To provide shoreline and marsh protection, DU and partners constructed marsh terraces within the open, shallow water.

Terraces reduce wave energy, erosion, and turbidity. They also provide a place for emergent marsh vegetation to establish.

Additionally, the calmer conditions and reduced turbidities within the terraced area will benefit growth of submerged aquatic vegetation, an important food source for waterfowl and habitat for fisheries.

To further our conservation impact, two of the terraces were constructed as miniature “islands” to provide nesting habitat for

colonial waterbirds such as herons, egrets, and terns. Artificial material was also placed within Cow Trap Lake to provide additional substrate for oyster reef establishment, as well as to provide wave dissipation and water quality improvement.

« —Andi Cooper

Noodling t Continued from page 40 rates on a variety of tackle, mainly to decide how to manage fisheries for all species.

“We do want to know what size fish the hand fishermen catch, but with that, we also want to know what size the other folks are catching, too,” he said. “We’ve heard all kinds of stories.

Some people say hand fishermen are super effective while some people say the trot liners are super effective. But without having a tagging study to measure that, we don’t know.”

Catfish always have been an everyman’s fish—one that the average angler can fully take advantage of across the state. However in recent years, the pursuit of this whiskered species with multiple nicknames has grown, something that has biologists excited.

“We kind of talked inside the agency, and catfish are becoming the new largemouth bass,” Bodine said. “Folks are really utilizing those resources.

From the weekend warrior to the specialized angler, anybody can go catfishing. That’s the great thing about it. You don’t have to have a $40,000 bass boat. Catfish is a really good opportunity for folks to get outdoors.”

Noodling is the same as any other fishing pursuit to be legal anglers must have a valid license issued by TPWD that includes a freshwater fishing stamp (endorsement).

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Email Will Leschper at WillLeschperOutdoors@gmail.com

PHOTO: DUCKS UNLIMITED

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4/8/15 5:28 PM

Yakking for Bass and other Freshwater Action NOT MUCH MORE THAN A DECADE AGO, THE only boats sighted around lakes and major reservoirs were bass boats, ski boats and johnboats, with the occasional deck boat thrown in to round out the mix.

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kayaks have brought paddling into the mainstream.

Kayaks are reliable fishing platforms to chase anything that swims in freshwater. Interest in bass fishing dwarfs the other freshwater species so we will first look there first.

Bass ‘yakers use their crafts to fish the same water as their brethren in metal-flaked hulls, only at a slower

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story by Greg Berlocher pace. Once on station, the kayaker works an area thoroughly before moving even a short distance. “Run and gun” isn’t in the kayaker’s vernacular.

Kayaks can be outfitted with the same electronics found in powered vessels. GPS location units and depth finders are a must to pinpoint humps, drop-offs, and the edges of channels.

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A kayak’s slender shape allows it to penetrate deep into brush and push through narrow openings, something even a mini bass boat can’t do.

The down side is you can’t stand up to fish. You can, however, turn sideways and fish sidesaddle. Many kayak anglers prefer this orientation and, with practice, learn to twist in the seat without capsizing. Of course, T E X A S

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it is best to master this maneuver sans fishing tackle. Remember the Three L’s: leash it, lanyard it or lose it.

This applies to rods and reels, too.

Working tight to brush and pitching or flipping jigs is productive.

Kayaks penetrate tangles of brush easily, allowing the angler to sneak into areas that deter other boats.

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It’s hard to beat the versatility of a kayak for stealth fishing.

Kayaks can be stationed over structure in deep water, too. Pinpointing turns in creek channels and anchoring is your best bet if the wind is blowing.

An anchor system utilizing pulleys makes the task much easier and safer. Mushroom anchors are a good choice in lakes, as they are easy to deploy and retrieve.

Quietly easing down a shoreline and pitching crank- and spinnerbaits is a great tactic for spawning bass. Paddles are significantly stealthier than even the quiet hum of a trolling motor. Plus, you don’t have to worry about a mutinous propeller beating against a submerged branch. Bedding bass are spooky and a fisherman seated in a kayak presents a significantly smaller silhouette than does a fishermen standing in a bass boat.

In autumn, kayaks are fun vessels from which to snipe at schooling bass. Be aware that the sounds of approaching power boats will often spook a school of feeding fish, causing them to dive for the safety of deep water. Wait a while and they will usually resurface in the immediate area. As discussed in Chapter 2, boats float because their hulls displace a large amount of water.

When a boat planes across the water’s surface, it displaces less water than when it is at rest. Imagine all the water that is displaced when a planing hull slows to a stop. The amount of water that is in motion during the final stage of deceleration causes a cacophonous racket and subsurface pressure wave.

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Kayaks can float for extended periods amidst schools of busting fish. The reason: stealth. Assuming another boat doesn’t crash the party and put the school down, of course.

The kayaker is at a disadvantage to a standing angler when it comes to casting distance. To maximize casting distance, throw aerodynamic lures, such as Little Georges and Rattle Traps. Scaling down a line size also helps milk extra distance from each cast.

White bass are another open water adversary. Electronics can help you spot schooling fish hanging hovering near structure deep beneath the surface. Fishing heavy slab spoons with jig trailers is a productive technique. The same long distance casting techniques for tapping surface-busting schools of black bass work just as well on white bass.

Hybrids and stripers are battlers that prefer to roam open water in search of threadfin and gizzard shad. Deploying bait rigs from rod holders is easy to do from a kayak, assuming it is safe to paddle in open water.

Baits can be kept frisky by towing them in a floating container behind your kayak. There are certain reservoirs in Texas, such as Lake Conroe, where the noise of an approaching boat will shut down the bite. Kayaks are the ideal vessel in these fisheries.

Using a kayak to meander down a shoreline during the spring and dabbling minnows for spawning crappie is relaxing. A fly rod or cane pole can be holstered in a side-mounted F I S H

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rod holder when you need to unhook a fish.

A minnow bucket holding several dozen shiners can easily be tucked between your knees.

When they are not spawning, crappie adore the hominess that bridge pilings provide. Instead of working a handful of pilings from a roadside pull-off, a kayak allows you to work them all; the same with submerged trees and brush. Brush anchors (a large spring clip tethered to a rope) are handy for securing your kayak to a promising treetop.

In a pinch, the clamp from a set of jumper cables can be pressed into duty. Brush anchors don’t require twisting to deploy and can be released with a squeeze of the hand.

Bream fishermen can get in on the action as well. Conventional gear, fly rods and cane poles are all good choices for dispatching a mess of bluegill and redear for a fish fry.

Kayaks can be used to run trotlines, but there isn’t much room in the cockpit to dodge prickly spines. A small bucket is a good option to drop fish in. Kayaks are also a good option for tracking down jug lines.

Regardless whether your favorite catfish rig is tethered or free floating, use goof judgment and don’t tangle with extremely large fish while afloat; instead, tow them back to shore.

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4/8/15 9:23 PM

Texas FRESHWATER

by MATT WILLIAMS :: TF&G Freshwater Editor

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HEN I THINK OF PUBLIC fishing piers, I automatically think of a guy named “Ike.” Ike sent me an e-mail several years ago that originated from the concrete jungles of Frisco, a fast growing suburb north of Dallas. I could tell from his question that he didn’t know much about fishing, and it was fairly evident by the tone of the message that he was pretty much at end of his big city fishing rope. Otherwise, I don’t think he would have gone shopping on the Internet for advice that might lead him to a good spot to fish for bluegills, crappie and bass off the bank.

Initially, I thought about telling Ike to shag a few grasshoppers and go door knocking for permission to soak them in a private stock tank somewhere. Then I thought of an easier, less complicated solution.

Fishing piers.

Fishing piers can be found on just about every public water body in the state. Some double as places to dock boats, while others are designated strictly for public lounging and fishing.

There are public fishing piers owned by city and county governments that in many cases can be used for free. Others are operated by marinas or other lakeside businesses that may charge a nominal fee for access.

Many of them offer handicap access and, best of all, they almost always hold fish.

Sometimes, armies of them.

Boat docks and marina boat stalls also are good shore options. Naturally, you will need permission from the property owner to set foot on a lakeside dock that is privately owned. As for marina boat stalls, many of them provide public access for a small fee.

Others may require that you be a rental tenant. Bottomline: Be sure and check things out

“ Fishing piers can be found on just about every public water body.

“

Banking on Piers

before attempting to access one.

I explained to Ike that these types of structures offer pint-sized bluegills and other small sunfish species (such as longear and redbreasts) good places to hide from large predators such as largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and white bass. Furthermore, the man-made structures attract small minnows and other forage, attracted there by zooplankton. These organisms feed on the algae and other junk that naturally forms on pier supports and cross member braces over time.

Simply put, docks and piers are good places to wet a hook. There is no telling what you might catch there. Finny critters of all sizes and types are attracted to these types of structures.

Perhaps no one knows that better than Jon Babich of Lewisville. In 2005, Babich was fishing for crappie from the Lake Lewisville Fishing Barge when he saw a huge bass rise from the depths to inhale a small crappie he had tossed back into the water seconds earlier.

Babich quickly pitched a soft plastic bait to the same spot and the big bass grabbed it.

The fish was a beauty, indeed. Better yet, it had a serious weight problem.

The big bass tipped the scales to 13.63 pounds and was officially entered in the Toyota ShareLunker program. If there were records for pier-caught lunkers, the Babich fish would surely rank near the top.

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Naturally, some piers are more likely to hold fish than others. Those that provide some sort of secondary cover are almost always the best. The ones with brush piles sunk around the perimeter can be especially good.

The folks at Minnow Bucket Marina on Lake Fork have done an exceptional job in the brush-sinking department. Dozens of Christmas trees and brush piles have been strategically placed around that public fishing pier over the years. Not surprisingly, shore crowds have enjoyed some great fishing there.

One of the more noteworthy catches ever reported from the 250-foot long pier was a state record black crappie caught while night fishing in April 2002 by George Ward of Garland. Measuring 18-1/2-inches long, Ward’s giant crappie weighed a whopping 3.92 pounds.

Another exceptional public pier catch surfaced in June 2010, when then-16-yearold Ashleigh Defee of Manville reeled in a huge flathead catfish from the 150-foot long pier located at 429 RV Park and Marina on Lake Tawakoni.

Weighed on certified scales, Defee’s fat cat ranks as the state junior angler rod and reel record for flatheads; the state catch and release record for juniors and adults; the junior angler flathead record for Tawakoni; and the catch and release Tawakoni record for juniors and adults.

I never heard back from Ike following our initial contact, so I don’t know if he chose to take my advice about pier fishing or not.

Maybe he did. Maybe he didn’t.

But one thing is certain. If you are restricted to fishing from shore, in freshwater or salt, public fishing piers are among the best options going.

That’s advice you can bank on.

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Email Matt Williams at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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Black Bear Sightings are on the Rise in Parts of Texas story by Chester Moore 50 |

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COMPOSITE ILLUSTRATION: TF&G

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THE EYES ALWAYS TELL THE STORY. Having encountered thousands of wild animals over the years, my attention is always drawn to their eyes because they reveal so much about demeanor and intelligence.

The eyes looking at me from just a couple of feet away revealed a thinking creature a curious creature. In this case, it was a 350-pound black bear named Barnaby.

A couple of years ago, I filmed a bear segment for my GETV God’s Outdoors with Chester Moore at Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch (www. sharkarosa.com) near Denton with founder Scott Edwards.

For the episode, we filmed a bear encounter with Barnaby and a similar-sized female named Bailey, three-year-old bears both rescued from a bad situation and trained to be ambassador animals.

“You can train wild animals,” Edwards said, “but you cannot make them tame. There is a difference.”

Sharkarosa is an amazing facility that propagates a variety of endangered species and does educational outreach on behalf of everything from sloths to Père David’s deer.

I came to get a little deeper understanding of bears because these great animals are returning to Texas in surprising numbers.

“Black bears are one of the few large mammals in North America that wasn’t endangered at some point,” Edwards said. “They continue to thrive and in many areas even live right alongside large numbers of people.”

“When people leave them alone they go stealth and are very rarely seen,” he said, “but when people start feeding them and treating wild bears as if they are pets then trouble starts.”

Wildlife managers say “a fed bear is a dead bear.” Bears accustomed to receiving food from people are often removed from the population to prevent them from harming people.

“Black bears rarely attack people,” Edwards said, “but you don’t want to invite problems by conditioning them to come around people.The truth is the bear will probably get hurt before a person ever does. We need to keep the interest of the animals in mind as well,” One of the chief reasons for filming me as I interacted with bears was to show that once they become accustomed to people they lose fear.

There has been a sharp increase in bear sightings in East Texas and the Hill Country along with an expanding population in the Trans-Pecos region.

The black bear is a part of Texas’s natural heritage and forest ecology, the Louisiana black bear is on the federal threatened species list and is the focus of an ongoing restoration effort in Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. “Black bears appear to be poised for a slow return in East Texas,” said Nathan Garner, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologist in Tyler.

A possible obstacle to the bear’s return in the region is poaching, which still looms large in some areas. Shooting a Louisiana black bear (which all bears in East Texas are considered to be) is a state and federal crime. Because they come under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), fines could be as high as $25,000 and come with six months jail time.

Another potential problem is misidentification. Bear and feral hogs can look similar at a distance, especially when you’re not expecting to see a bear.

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Bear sightings were giving people in the Texas Hill Country a shock in 2011 during the prolonged drought. A press release noted that wildlife biologists were advising hunters, ranchers and rural residents about black bears that appear to be roaming longer distances. These bears may approach people or houses in search of food and water because of the drought.

“If conditions remain dry, people could see more bears,” said Mike Krueger, district leader of the Edwards Plateau Wildlife District for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“We are getting a few reports of people seeing bears during daylight hours, and that is unusual,” Krueger said.

“It’s the associated water around homes and the food. The pet food, the smell of cooking all those things could attract bears.”

The rain situation has changed in some of the state, but the need for people to be bear savvy has not. “We need to encourage everyone to be more tolerant of bears,” Krueger said.

“We recommend people try to scare bears away, or go to a safe place and call us. But

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To report a black bear sighting in Texas, call a TPWD Wildlife Division regional office: West Texas (432) 837-2051 Central Texas (830) 896-2500 East Texas (903) 566-1626 Panhandle (806) 655-3782 Cross Timbers (325) 643-5977 South Texas (830) 569-8700

killing a bear should be a last resort unless a person is truly threatened.”

According to TPWD, bears are omnivores, meaning they eat almost anything.

Research shows free-roaming black bears are mainly vegetarians, and up to 90 percent of their diet is vegetable material, including nuts, fruits, berries and plants. Most of the protein in a bear’s diet comes from insects such as beetles, wasps, termites and ants.

According to the TPWD brochure “Bear Safety in Mind,” bears are normally shy and not aggressive to humans.

“But if a bear regularly visits a ranch or deer stand, people should try to scare it with rocks, a slingshot or air horn. If people encounter a bear at close range, they should

talk calmly while backing away slowly. Don’t make direct eye contact, and don’t run away.

If a bear approaches you, stand your ground and raise your arms, backpack or jacket to appear larger. Yell at the bear to scare it off.”

That’s why it is important for people entering bear country to get educated about these great animals. Their comeback is happening right now. Four years ago we created black bear educational posters that were distributed as digital downloads to hundreds of individuals, teachers, scout leaders and church groups. If you would like one, email me at cmoore@fishgame.com and I will get you a copy.

Just the thought of seeing a black bear here in Texas makes things seem a bit wilder and gives hope to those of us concerned about the wildlife and wildlife habitat.

My encounter while filming at Sharkarosa gave me an even deeper respect for the black bear than I had before. In their eyes, I saw a glimpse of wildness. In my wild life that serves as a deep source of inspiration.

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Open SEASON

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

Water

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HE ONLY PROBLEM WITH this lease is a distinct lack of water,” Doc observed, standing on the edge of a sheer ridge. Below us, cactus, salt cedars and grass spread down to a very, very dry wash. In our continuing search for a deer lease, we’ve examined dozens of potential candidates. They’ve all failed in some way.

It was an unusually cool spring day, but we knew that it would be soon be hot and dry. I drained a plastic water bottle and pitched it into the back of the truck.

“Mr. Tom Mills said that draw down here had water most of the time,” Woodrow recalled.

“It must be underground,” I said.

“Let’s hike down there and take a look at it,” the Cap’n suggested.

“Can’t we drive down there instead?” Jerry Wayne asked. He doesn’t like to walk when he can ride.

This eleven-hundred-acre lease had potential, as Doc said, water was an issue. Animals need a continuous drinking source, or they won’t hang around an area. Without stock tanks to provide water, I wasn’t sure we’d see much game at the end of a long, hot summer.

Woodrow found the lease in the newspaper, and set up the tour after a long telephone visit in which he expressed our desire for a quality lease and continuous water. The Hunting Club members all lean toward what we call “wet” leases, or those with a creek or stream.

To avoid a crisis with Jerry Wayne, we climbed in the truck and made our slow, fourwheel way through the rocky country.

“Mr. Mills said he’d meet us here in a little while,” Woodrow said as we bounced over a particularly rough section. “He and his wife wanted to visit with us after the checked the cows over on that section beyond those trees.”

“He’ll have trouble finding us,” Wrong Willie said.

I looked over my shoulder at the tire tracks through the dry, crushed grass. “Nope, they’ll

find us all right.”

Half an hour later we finally coasted to a stop near the creek bed. The boys scattered to walk the country and get a feel for the lease. I joined Willie after a while, and we ran across Jerry Wayne sitting on a rocky outcrop overlooking the creek bed about half a mile from the truck.

“What do you think?” Willie asked, stopping under a live oak.

Jerry Wayne shook his head. “I’ve found a lot of game trails that lead down to this creek bed. But I haven’t seen a drop of water. It’s scary for this time of the year. It doesn’t look good for the hot months.”

A hen turkey couldn’t stand hiding anymore and she burst from the cover of a small shin oak grove. We watched her run down the creek bed and disappear into the distance.

“That was cool,” Jerry Wayne said and stood up. He carefully picked his way around the rocks and followed the tiny trail to the bottom. “This looks a little damp right here,” he said. “Maybe the deer can paw a little water in the dry months.”

Willie snorted. “They’ll more than likely just wander into someone else’s lease. Let’s get out of here.”

He turned to leave and Jerry Wayne stepped onto the carpet of fallen leaves covering the damp ground. In a slow-motion move that reminded me of a Jack Woo movie, Jerry Wayne’s lower extremities disappeared into a foul smelling muck reminiscent of a pig pen.

Not a tiny person, Jerry Wayne’s considerable bulk propelled him forward and he splatted face-first into the mud with a splat so satisfying, the only thing I could think to do was clap.

He flopped over on his side, covering still more of his body; and by the time we grabbed his hands and hauled his stinking, muddy carcass out of the morass, the only thing not muddy was the back of his head.

Sympathy isn’t one of the Hunting Club’s greatest attributes, so Willie and I laughed the whole way back to the truck, while Jerry Wayne grumbled, stank and squished.

“Thought there wasn’t any water on this lease,” Doc deadpanned when we arrived at T E X A S

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the truck.

“There isn’t,” I said. “Only mud.”

“How am I gonna get this off?” Jerry Wayne asked miserably. His sinuses had closed up from the stench, and he sounded like Don Meredith with a head cold.

“You can ride home in the back,” the Cap’n suggested.

“Won’t work,” Jerry Wayne complained.

“I’m already getting cold.”

Struck with an idea, I opened our cooler full of bottled water and twisted the top off. “Peel down, boy. We’ll rinse you off best we can.”

He looked at the cooler full of ice and water.

“I’ll freeze.”

“Better than stinking,” Doc said.

While Jerry Wayne peeled down to his skivvies, we uncapped bottles and began to rinse him off. He was right, the cold water made him scream like a little girl. He jumped, wriggled and shrieked, and before you know it, we were all laughing insanely while pouring water on him at a ferocious rate.

The whole thing stopped when an old pickup rattled around our grove of trees. Mr. Mills and his wife stopped in shock at the sight of Jerry Wayne, wearing nothing but tightywhities and goosebumps. I walked up to the open driver’s window.

“I know you boys said water was important to you, but I didn’t realize y’all did something special with it.”

Before I could answer, he shifted into reverse. “I’ll find somebody else,” he called and gunned the motor.

“Give me an unopened bottle,” I told Doc. “What for?”

“Have you ever seen them launch a ship?” I asked, and advanced, intending to christen Jerry Wayne in a good, old-fashioned way.

Email Reavis Wortham at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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Texas BOATING

by LENNY RUDOW :: TF&G Boating Editor

Trailer Trials and Tribulations

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RAILER-BOATING IS INCREDibly popular, since it lets you fish, explore, and enjoy countless bodies of water through the course of every season. There’s just one problem. In order to be a trailer-boater, you have to own, maintain, and register a trailer. And just as a car and a boat have differing requirements for all of the above, so do boat trailers.

No, wait a sec—it’s a whole lot worse for boat trailers because they’re designed for use

on roads, yet we dunk them into the water.

Many of us, into saltwater. If you’ve ever owned a boat trailer, you know how regularly the lights tend to fail, how quickly saltwaterdunked brakes fail, and how quickly the tires wear out.

In fact, getting through a single season without some sort of relatively major trailer repair seems like an epic feat. Now, with the new “Two Steps, One Sticker” program, you may have another thing or two to think

about.

First off, let’s dispel any serious angst— the new inspection and registration program won’t really have a significant effect on new boat trailers, and for most of us, getting our existing trailers through won’t exactly be a hardship. On trailers over 4,500-lbs GVW will require inspection, and the cost is $14.50.

“Other than the slight cost and the time it takes to get the trailer inspected, the impact shouldn’t be dramatic,” explained Ken Lovell, Executive Director of the Boating Trades Association of Metropolitan Houston.

“Existing boat trailer owners may encounter additional cost and inconvenience in getting the trailers they already own inspected.

It is possible that some trailers may require some costly work (such as adding a brake system), and some older trailers may have indecipherable VIN numbers due to exposure to the elements over time.

The process to secure a new VIN number is somewhat lengthy and complicated.

So boater concerns lean more towards existing trailers than new trailers, which will be purchased with the new requirements already in place, but the overall concern among boat business is that this added inconvenience could discourage people away from boating.”

If you’re an experienced trailer boater, naturally, you already know that the rewards of trailer boating vastly outweigh the costs and inconveniences. A speed-bump like this isn’t going to stop a boater from splashing his hull in Lake Conroe this weekend, and Corpus Christi the next. Meanwhile, you can make sure a trailer inspection goes smoothly by keeping your rig in tip-top shape. Here are five important maintenance tips that will make sure you pass with flying colors.

1. GIVE YOUR TRAILER A SELFinspection, to make sure everything’s up to snuff. Things that will be checked for

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Texas BOATING include brakes, tires (for visible wear and at least 1/16th of an inch of tread depth) and wheel assembly, safety guards or flaps, tail, brake, turn signal, and license plate lights, side markers or reflectors, and a serial or VIN number.

For most of these items, it’s easy enough

to tell if your trailer makes the grade. When it comes to the tires, if you’re not sure whether or not you have sufficient tread depth, the old saying “Lincoln’s head measures the tread” applies. Just hold a penny with Lincoln’s head upside-down and insert it into the tread, and if any part of his head is obscured, the

tread is more than 1/16th of an inch deep and you’re good to go.

2. WASH DOWN YOUR BRAKE SYStem, immediately after a saltwater dunking.

The key word here is “immediately.” Even a 20 or 30 mile tow home is going to take a toll, because that saltwater begins eating away at the metals, regardless whether you have drum or disc brakes. If the marina you launch at has a freshwater hose, use it before you hit the road. And if you launch where there isn’t any freshwater available, carry a pump sprayer (the ones designed for spraying weed killer work great) full of freshwater, and use it to give the brakes an initial rinsedown before the trip home. Then, back at the ranch, give the entire trailer a more thorough wash-down.

3. UNPLUG YOUR TRAILER LIGHTS and give them a moment to cool, before launching. One of the reasons trailer lights go kaput with such regularity is because they get dunked in cool water while they’re still hot. While this is much less of an issue with new LEDs, if you have bulbs back there, a few minutes of cool-down time is invaluable.

4. PROTECT THE VIN. THESE DAYS many manufacturers use a mere sticker to put the VIN on a boat trailer, which is both short-sighted and insufficient.

The VIN wearing away is one of your biggest potential issues, so make sure to protect it. This includes making sure the trailer isn’t stored in such a way that a VIN sticker is in direct sunlight, and if the sticker looks like it may be in danger of fading away, one thing that’s worked for me is clear-coating it with a spray-on acrylic.

5. GO TRAILER BOATING MORE. Yes, count your blessings, boaters—the more you use your trailer-boat the happier the trailer will be. Sitting in a driveway for weeks on end is bad for much of your equipment, and often when we encounter maintenance problems, it’s the result of extended non-use. So get out there and hit the road to the water, ASAP!

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The Practical ANGLER

by GREG BERLOCHER | TF&G Contributing Editor

Sliding into Summer

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EAMS OF SUNLIGHT PROjected upward behind a band of ragged clouds hovering over the coastal horizon. Higher in the sky, smudges of pink, coral, and scarlet stained the thin wisps of clouds. The early gray light of dawn was quickly giving way to a beautiful sunrise.

The shallows were alive as marsh birds took their breakfast. A snowy egret stepped lively after a killifish, showing off the bright yellow feet that adorned its stark black legs.

Long-billed curlews pondered their next move while sanderlings scurried across the marsh lake’s damp shoreline.

The birds weren’t the only things in motion. A grass shrimp broke the water’s surface, flipping a time or two, and then vanished beneath the film as quickly as it appeared. The early morning tranquility was violently interrupted by a giant swirl, followed by a spray of bounding mullet.

The square tail peeking out of the water in front of me seemed indifferent to the commotion. Tilting forward, the tail moved slowly, certainly not in a hurry. The large fish has its head down in the grass rooting out its next meal.

Everything appeared to be in order: The wind was reasonable and there were several pods of redfish tailing in the shallow lake. It was time to fish.

The bone-colored top water arched smoothly through the air, landing fat in the skinny water.

Splat!

In just a moment, the promising situation had turned dismal, The startled pod of reds charged off the flat, seeking the safety of deeper water. Even though the lure touched down a reasonable distance from them, it was clear the fish were skittish, and a change of

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tactics was called for.

A 1/8th ounce Johnson Sprite spoon would have been my immediate choice but the submerged hayfield we were fishing in made this totally impractical. Instead, I knotted on a large single hook and threaded on a Bass Assassin; the hook’s point tucked neatly out of the way so it wouldn’t collect strands of seagrass.

Armed with a stealthier offering, I eased toward a pod of feeding reds on the other side of the flat. I launched the light payload, landing the soft plastic lure a few feet to the side of the rooting reds.

The gentle touchdown was a huge contrast with the topwater’s offending belly flop.

Within seconds, several of the reds stopped rooting and turned their attention to the faux eel, simultaneously lurching toward it. A fraction of a second later, the speedier redfish crushed the soft plastic. Reeling down on the striking fish to remove any slack from my line, I set the hook and the red rocketed across the flat. The fight was on.

That scene played out in a marsh lake near Rockport last summer. I was having problems presenting topwaters to reds without spooking them. The reds had a laser-like focus on the bottom in front of them. Landing a cast too far away would leave them uninterested.

Landing it too close would spook them. The heavy seagrass prevented me from using a swimming bait.

Soft plastic tails rigged weedlessly are highly effective in the thick grass, and a handful should be in everyone’s tackle box. There are a myriad of choices when it comes to tails.

Gulp, Bass Assassin, and Sand Eels are just a few of the popular brands. Soft plastics come in a dizzying variety of colors and sizes.

There are quite a few hooks that have been designed specifically for fishing soft plastic tails in a weedless manner. The most popular hook style features two 90-degree bends in the hook shaft. When fully rigged, the eye of the hook is pulled inside the lure a bit and the hook point is impaled in the soft plastic. If you switch hit as an angler, the weedless hooks you use for F I S H

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bass will do nicely for trout and reds.

I prefer weedless hooks that feature a “keeper,” which are wide gap hooks with some sort of thin wire device attached to the eye of the hook. The keeper is generally a small spiral of wire that you screw into the plastic or a barbed, pin-like sticker onto which you impale the plastic tail.

Some specific brands of soft plastics are softer than others. Softness equates to pliability, which is a good thing, especially in colder water.

Unfortunately, extremely pliable and supple plastic tails tear easier, and you can burn through a lot of tails on a fishing trip. In short, they are harder on your pocket book.

I find that the hooks rigged with keepers do less damage to the plastic tails, and they tend to last longer than tails rigged on traditional worm hooks.

Whenever possible, I like to fish with an un-weighted soft plastic tail in thick seagrass.

This allows the lure to sink slowly and be retrieved in small, seductive movements.

Casting weight can be a challenge at times.

When tailing reds like to play peek-a-boo, you don’t have the luxury of making a short cast.

I typically fish unweighted tails on a spinning rod because I get greater casting distance.

However, when fish are skittish, additional weight is needed for greater casting distance.

Of course, when fish aren’t in shin-deep water, additional weight is called for to get the lure down into the strike zone.

Weedless slider heads are a good option, providing the extra casting weight with a hook style that allows you to embed the hook point on the soft plastic body. I keep several sizes and weights in my wading box, allowing me to fish a wide range of depths.

As the summer progresses, seagrass beds will become thick and lush, and coastal anglers will need to change tactics to catch fish in a patch of thatch. Try casting weedless-rigged soft plastics on your next expedition to the flats.

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Texas GUNS

by STEVE LAMASCUS | TF&G Shooting Editor

20th Century Battle Rifles

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TARTING BEFORE THE END of the 19th Century, the U.S. began to modernize its weaponry. In 1892, the U.S. Army transitioned from the single-shot trap door Springfield and the black powder .45-70 round to the bolt-action KragJorgensen in the smokeless powder .30-40. The .30.40 Krag used a 220-grain round-nosed, metal-cased bullet at about 2,200 feet per second. This was a huge jump over the .45-70, which fired a 405-grain lead bullet at around 1,400 fps. The Krag did not last long, as it was soon found that a clip-fed rifle, such as the German Mauser, was much faster to reload than the Krag, which had a magazine on the right side of the receiver that had to be loaded one round at a time.

This was demonstrated quite definitively when our soldiers went up against the Mauserarmed Spanish in Cuba during the Spanish American War. Consequently, the clip-fed 1903 Springfield was developed and adopted, using a round-nosed, .30-03, 220-grain bullet.

Then the Germans threw another wrench into the machinery by demonstrating that a lighter weight, pointed bullet was far superior to the previously used round-nosed projectiles. Thus in 1906 the 1903 cartridge was changed to use a 150-grain spitzer .308 bullet at 2,700 feet per second, and the great .30-06 was born.

The .30-06 was the cartridge with which we fought two world wars and the Korean War. During WWI we used the various editions of the 1903 Springfield and the 1917 Enfield, both of which were truly great bolt-action battle rifles, the equal of any rifle in the trenches of WWI. The Springfield was so accurate that for a good many years it practically owned most of the rifle matches around the country. Customizing Springfields was for many years practically a cottage industry in the U.S. Even today, a 60 |

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Springfield in good condition will nearly match modern factory rifles for accuracy. The 1917 Enfield (which we made for the British as the Pattern 14 in .303 caliber) was very strong, had a longer action than the 1903 Springfield, and was sought after for conversion into some of the long magnum cartridges such as the .300 and .375 H&H. The first modern Remington bolt-action, the Model 30, was nothing more than a slightly remodeled and sporterized 1917 Enfield.

Most folks these days don’t know it, but at the beginning of WWII the Marines and some Army units were still armed with the bolt-action 1903 Springfield; even a few of the so-called “low numbered” Springfields were still in use.

At the start of the Pacific Campaign, when the Marines invaded the Japanese-held island of Guadalcanal, the vast majority of them were armed, not with the M1 Garand, but with Springfields. As the war progressed the troops, both Marine and Army, transitioned from the five-shot bolt-action Springfield to the eight-shot M-1 Garand that we see in all the old and notso-old war movies.

In his vividly written book, Shots Fired in Anger, Lt. Col. John George gives the semiauto, eight-round, M1 Garand much of the credit for winning the war against the Japanese in the Pacific and Burma. However, the Garand was far from the only weapon employed by our troops during WWII. The M1 Garand was arguably the finest battle rifle on the field of battle during WWII. It is a semi-auto, fed by a spring steel, en-bloc clip that holds eight rounds. When the last round was fired the clip was ejected and all the soldier had to do was slap in another clip and he was ready to go again.

General George S. Patton, renowned as a battlefield commander, said that the M1 Garand was “…the finest battle implement ever devised.” It had range, power, accuracy, and a high sustained rate of fire. On a battleground where most of the other armies were still armed with bolt-actions, it was truly a war winner.

An odd duck in the military arsenal of the WWII era was the M1 Carbine, officially F I S H

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United States Carbine, caliber .30 M1. It came into being because a small, lightweight weapon was needed by some army units. Soldiers such as mortar crews, Rangers, paratroopers, artilleryman, forward observers, signal corps, engineers, and headquarters staff, needed something more powerful and with longer range than a handgun and lighter weight than a Thompson submachine gun. The Garand was too long and too heavy and interfered with their primary duties.

The M1 Carbine was designed by a group working for Winchester and was adopted and delivered to troops in the European Theater of Operations in Mid-1942. It was used in all the theaters of operation during WWII and continued to be employed through Korea and Vietnam.

There were several different configurations of the M1 Carbine, including the M2 select-fire, and the M3, which was equipped with an infrared night scope.

Problems with the M1 Carbine were several, but the most prominent was that, even though it was often used in that capacity, it was underpowered for a primary combat weapon. It used a round-nosed 110-grain bullet at 1,960 to 1,990 feet per second. It had an effective range of only about 200 yards (maximum effective range was officially stated to be 300 yards) as compared to around 800 yards for the .30-06, and often failed to down an enemy soldier, even with multiple hits. However, some of the troops loved it because of its light weight, only 5.8 pounds, loaded with sling attached, 15- round (later 30-round) detachable magazine, and because they could carry a lot more .30 Carbine ammo than the larger, heavier .30-06 ammo fired in the M1 Garand. It saw a lot of action in the jungle fighting of the Pacific Campaign and in Burma. It was even used at the start of the Vietnam War. The M1 Carbine was either loved or hated, depending upon who you asked.

More on this to come in June.

Email Steve LaMascus at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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Fish and Game GEAR New Sport Metal Costas Ready for Adventure

NESTLED NEXT TO THE SEA OF Cortez in Baja California Sur, Mexico, lies the town of Loreto, a sport fisherman’s haven. While anglers may come for the fishing, they stay for the area’s rich culture, colonial history, and incredible views seen from under the thatched roofs of a Mexican beach palapa.

Costa’s new hybrid sport metal, Loreto, honors its namesake with laidback style. It features a medium fit aviator frame shape, built with quality Monel metal, integral hinges and durable nylon arms. Optically adjustable no-slip silicone nose pads, and hypoallergenic rubberized temple tips offer a “forget-they’re-on” fit. Frame colors include palladium with white temples, gunmetal with black temples, rose gold, and gunmetal with crystal temples.

A second new sport metal style, Palapa, features a smaller, square-shape lightweight frame. It also offers optically adjustable noslip silicone nose pads and integral hinges for a durable, comfortable fit. Frame colors

include palladium, gunmetal, rose gold, and the new palladium with crystal red temples.

Both Loreto and Palapa can be customized in a full array of Costa’s patented color enhancing polarized 580G™ or 580P™ lenses. The styles, which feature a six-base lens curve, can also be fitted with Costa Rx lens technology.

Costa’s 580 lens technology selectively filters out harsh yellow and harmful highenergy ultraviolet blue light. Filtering yellow light enhances reds, blues and greens, and produces better contrast and definition while reducing glare and eye fatigue.

Absorbing high-energy blue light cuts haze, producing greater visual clarity and sharpness. Lens color options include: gray, copper, amber, blue mirror, green mirror and silver mirror.

Loreto and Palapa start at $199, and are available online at http://www.costadelmar.com, and at authorized Costa retail partners.

Costa’s new adventure ready sport metal models.

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DOA’s 4-inch Shad in a variety of colors.

DOA 4-Inch Shad

THE NEW DOA 4- SHAD WAS designed to meet customer demands for larger profile shad tail baits. The large tail provides plenty of action and a hard pulse even when retrieved slowly. The heavy mass of plastic in the nose of the bait allows for good holding power when using one of our new premium jig heads or a screw lock style worm hook.

When rigged weedless the large belly opening and recessed hook slot ensure great hook up’s. The recessed hook slot helps to extend the life of this durable bait by eliminating the need to burry the hook point back into the plastic to remain weedless.

The new 4” shad is being packed in a custom 6-count blister pack to eliminate the bent tail problem found with many bagged baits of this style. This bait has already proven itself in freshwater and salt inshore and offshore and is quickly becoming a favorite of anglers everywhere.

It is available in 12 of our favorite colors, #330 Pearl, #309 Glow Gold glitter, #407 Silver mullet, #406 Arkansas glow, #385 Glow chartreuse tail, #351 root beer chartreuse tail, #419 green back, #415 Gold rush,#440 Morning glory, #441 Figi chix, #453 Black blue tail, #454 Houdini. More colors coming soon.

Like us on face book and visit our website for the latest creations from DOA Lures.

PHOTOS: COSTA; D.O.A LURES

4/8/15 4:19 PM

A See-Worthy Open Sight

SEE ALL OPEN SIGHT IS THE open sight with an optical advantage. Just line up the easy-to-find triangular crosshair reticle and shoot – it’s that easy. See both the sight AND the target in perfect focus simultaneously by eliminating eye focus straying between target, front post and rear notch in other set ups. Microadjust-

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See All Open Sight (below) allows you to see both sight and target in perfect focus (right).

able for windage and elevation, it’s open design allows you to see a wider field of view at a fraction of the cost of a scope – perfect for fast-moving targets.

Fast, rugged and accurate, the See All Open Sight aiming system will work on virtually anything with a rail: from rifles and shotguns, to handguns, muzzleloaders and black guns – even crossbows. A batteryfree design means it will never lose it’s aiming point. It’s rugged enough to stand up to rain and snow, and will never fog up. It even withstood being run over by a full-sized truck, so a few bumps and nudges along the way won’t

misalign it.

See All Open Sight is designed and manufactured in the United States, and offers a 30 day 100% Money Back Guarantee, and promises Lifetime Replacement on materials and workmanship, so you can be confident that See All Open Sight will never let you down.

FishandGameGear.com

4/10/15 9:33 AM

SABINE Area Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

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HE TEMPERATURES THAT come with the month of May leave little doubt that spring has definitely sprung and the dog days of summer are so close we can actually taste them, or at least feel them.

Stepping out of the house and instantly breaking a sweat is a pretty good indication.

With water temperatures consistently above 70 degrees and weather patterns much more stable, the predator fish and baitfish will be out in full force.

May should bring plenty of opportunities to get a little sample of what to expect over the next few months while fishing Texas’s

“ Simply troll down the rocks until you locate the fish.

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Getting a Jump on Summer

vast coastline during the real dog days. All of the fish catching ingredients are beginning to come together and lighter winds will prevail for the most part. This will allow you to catch fish in some of the places you haven’t been able to in recent months.

The predominant south winds and strong tides will move the pretty water and predator forage throughout the system. Here on Sabine, the trout bite at the jetties seems to kick it up a notch sometime around the

middle of the month and anglers will ice nice limits on both the Texas and Louisiana sides.

Let the wind direction determine which side you fish on and make sure not to forget your Louisiana license if that’s where you end up. Simply troll down the rocks until you locate the fish. The trout will be scattered all along the wall with the washouts typically holding more than other areas, while better numbers of reds will be hanging around the rock piles.

Tidal movement is a crucial element to successful jetty fishing so check the charts and make sure you are there during either an incoming or outgoing tide. The speckled trout have also found their way to the beach front, and if you can get out there on a good calm morning with green water you should be able to locate them.

Any sign of nervous water or bait busting the surface should mean you’re in the right spot. Giving them a few different baits to choose from can help your chances, but usually a straight tailed soft plastic with a ¼-ounce. lead head will do the job.

They have a hard time resisting a glow or limetreuse CT Mullet or Bass Assassin.

They also have no problem inhaling other colors like Morning Glory, Closing Night and Texas Roach. Hard baits such as rattletraps, spoons and Mir ‘O Lures are also very effective in the surf for trout, reds and other species.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Old Coast Guard Station (Sabine Pass) SPECIES: Flounder, Trout, Reds, Black Drum BAITS/LURES: Mud Minnows, Finger Mullet, Fresh Dead Shrimp BEST TIMES: Mornings and evenings with moving tides

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GALVESTON Area Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. MIKE HOLMES

M-A-A-A-YBE?

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AYBE SPRING FISHING will get off to an early start for 2015? The winter of 20142015 has so far (as this is being written) not been severe along the coast, with no freezes recorded through the beginning of the New Year.

Nor has the upper Texas coast been under the curse of drought conditions.

Rainfall totals might not have been more than a historical average, but that has been good enough. This has provided the freshwater influx needed for a balanced ecosystem to the rivers and streams that feed the bays.

Avoiding flood conditions, on the other hand, has also been beneficial. A temperate beginning to spring could set up some very good early season fishing in the Galveston Bay system.

The Gulf of Mexico is the beginning of life for most inshore species, so good fishing for a new year often has its start with fresh, green tides moving in. This brings new life both in the form of game fish and forage species although which comes first might be a chicken versus the egg question.

The jetties, beachfront, and passes from the Gulf might warm up first as far as fishing action and also fishing pressure. A great feature of such a large bay system, however, is that there will be a year ‘round population of many species that do not move to deeper Gulf waters in cool weather.

The list of fish that stay at home may include speckled trout, redfish, flounder, drum, croaker, and sheepshead. Although not all of each group will resist the pull of the Gulf, those that do will be feeding with renewed vigor in the back bays and brackish streams with warmer water.

An interesting and often overlooked spot to find a variety of different fish and usually

not a lot of other fishermen is the Tire Reef in West Galveston Bay. An artificial structure built of large pilings has been driven into the bay floor and then used to hold “stacks” of old automobile tires. This man-made reef has been in place for decades and provides the most prominent structure between the Intracoastal Canal and San Luis Pass. Like offshore oil rigs, the pilings can be seen from some distance away, so advanced electronics are not necessary to locate it.

My first introduction to the Tire Reef came when I lived on Chocolate Bayou, and a neighbor returned from a trip to the reef with a fairly large stingray and a decent shark, among other things. This spot is not that far from the back side of San Luis Pass where deep holes are known to hold both these species, so I would think such catches would not be unheard of.

Although I was never able to repeat his catch, I have taken trout and some nice gafftop catfish while tied to a piling and sort of wasting away a spring afternoon. This is also a good spot for night fishing. There is

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no need to anchor, and the pilings offer protection from any less-than-responsible boat traffic should a nap seem necessary.

On the subject of the gafftops sometimes found around the Tire Reef some fishermen disdain them because of their slimy covering, but that goo washes off, leaving a source of very tasty fillets.

I have always liked eating gafftops, and they can be a very sporty adversary on normal bay tackle. In the surf, however, they give up quickly tugging against tackle meant for bull reds, but their first hit can be a very strong one that will make you wonder if you have hooked a good red or jack. Although they will hit cut mullet or squid, the small threadfin baitfish that can be cast-netted in the surf are especially effective.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: The beachfront is always a top choice for the fisherman on foot, whether he fishes

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MATAGORDA Area Hotspot Focus :: by MIKE PRICE

Seaweed

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N MAY, THE GULF OF MEXICO IS teeming with shrimp and fish, and surf fishermen are eager to add their baits and lures to the great variety of food available to predator fish, such as speckled trout, and redfish.

But in 2014, the overabundance of Sargassum seaweed disappointed many fishermen who had left home in the early morning darkness to catch the sunrise bite in the surf.

Once there, they found it was impossible to fish because thick seaweed extended a quarter mile from the beach into the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) website, www.oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sargassosea.html , the Sargasso Sea is a vast patch of ocean named for a seaweed called Sargassum, which freely floats around the ocean and reproduces vegetatively on the high seas. Although all other seas are defined at

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least in part by land boundaries, the Sargasso Sea is defined only by ocean currents. It lies within the North Atlantic Subtropical gyre.

Because the area is defined by currents, its borders change and correlate roughly with the Azores High Pressure Center for any particular season.

On May 29 last year, the wind was light from the north so I called one of my fishing friends, Jeff Wiley, and asked if he wanted to meet me on the beach for some fishing in the surf. Usually a light north wind will push seaweed in the surf offshore, making the prospect of swimming lures over the sandbars and guts of the surf possible. However, when we drove onto the beach we realized that surf fishing was impossible because of the mass of seaweed, but we still had a good morning of fishing. We decided to drive down the beach and then turn north and wade-fish Hog Island in East Matagorda Bay. The water visibility at Hog Island was about what you want, a somewhat murky 10 inches. Eddie Douglas, an accomplished fisherman from Bay City, said this about

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water visibility, “You always want to fish in off colored water, and you want some wind blowing. If that water is crystal clear, very few people can catch fish. The reason is: the water is too clear, the fish look at the lure and say, ‘That is not what I want to eat.’”

The flounders were hungry that day. Both Jeff and I had flounders come off the bottom and “stun” our baits, hit the soft plastic Bass Assassins that we were using about half way, but just shy of the hook. So I changed to an H2O shrimp. This shrimp is similar to the Vudu shrimp from Egret Baits. It has a very flexible, durable, and realistic-looking tail, and the hook is positioned so that you are more likely to hook a flounder.

We each caught a couple of 15- to 18-inch flounders while wading in thigh to waist deep water. Then I waded to a gut located just east of Hog Island and switched to a pumpkinseed/chartreuse Bass Assassin. On the third cast, the lure was snapped up by a feisty 21-inch trout, and I caught several more trout in the deeper water.

Sargassum seaweed offshore does a lot of good. Little shrimp, crabs, and fish live in the seaweed and have adapted so that their colors are the same as the seaweed. Other fish such as barjacks, blue runners and 12- to 18-inch dorados are found under the seaweed to feed on the small critters.

These small fish are food for ling, large dorados, and wahoos. I was about a mile out in the Gulf of Mexico with my brother when he lobbed a 5 ½ inch Norton Sand Eel next to a weed line and let it sink. An eight-foot tarpon came completely out of the water angrily shaking its head with the lure in its mouth, broke the line and swam off.

You cannot fish the surf if the seaweed is a quarter mile out into the Gulf of Mexico, but on a normal year the Sargassum seaweed will collect on the beach and clear out of the surf with the help of a north wind. If some seaweed remains, rig your bait so it will collect a minimum of weed. I use an Egret five-inch Wedgetail Mullet on a 5/0 TTF Texas Weedkiller Swimbait hook.

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When fishing offshore, seek out an extensive weedline, and either troll it for big dorados and wahoos using Ballyhoo and a dredge head, or slowly move next to the weedline watching until you see some little fish. Then stop and float lines with sardines or cut bait and see what comes out from under the seaweed. I have been on boats several times when we have caught ling, dorados, and triple tails using this method.

Texas A&M Galveston has a Sargassum Early Advisory System that enables you to see how much Sargassum Seaweed is on the beach where you intend to fish. Go to their website at http://seas-forecast.com/ index.html.

THE BANK BITE SARGENT, TEXAS: You can purchase live bait at CD’s and fish from their 100-foot bulkhead in the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). CD’s is owned by Dean Garner. “We sell live and fresh dead shrimp, crabs, and piggy perch and we do not use chemicals on the bait,” Dean said. “After we have it for two days, we dump it in the ICW. We also have table

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Focus: GALVESTON t CONTINUED FROM PAGE 65 the surf, jetties or rock groins, or beachfront piers. Further inshore, most bank fishing opportunities come from piers and docks, under bridges and around boat ramps.

SPECIES: Redfish, speckled trout, flounder, croaker, gaff top catfish (and stingrays), plus drum and an occasional shark.

BEST BAITS: When you can’t move around shrimp, but remember that the offshore shrimping season usually closes on May 15.”

Dean is often a guest on Micky Eastman’s Saturday and Sunday mornings fishing shows at 5:30 a.m. on Houston radio 610. To get up to date information about the fishing and availability of bait call CD’s at 979-479-0149.

Right next to CD’s on FM 457 at the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a new restaurant called Bridge Cove Christian Restaurant.

Another spot to bank fish in the ICW is Sargent West Mooring Site Park. Go over the swing bridge and turn right on CR 230. The Park is about a mile

a lot, move your bait. Drift natural baits with the current, vary the retrieve of a lure from the surface to bottom bumping―and work each cast all the way to the rod tip. Catch your own fresh and/ or live bait for best results.

BEST TIMES: Although any time you can go is a good time to fish, work the tides for best catching results.

Email Mike Holmes at ContactUs@fishgame.com west on a bumpy, but passable, dirt road that runs parallel to the beach. The park has picnic tables, shelters, restrooms, and a cleaning table.

If you want to fish the beach, but you do not have a four wheel drive vehicle, you can park next to CR 230 and walk to the beach. Another parking area with beach and wheel chair access, and clean restrooms is 1.7 miles east of the intersection of CR 230 and CR 457.

Email Mike Price at ContactUs@fishgame.com

4/8/15 4:20 PM

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

A Windy Coastal Alternative

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NGLERS WHO HAVE BEEN fishing the Texas coastal bend area for even just a brief while know just how hard the wind can blow in May. Strong winds this month can often make it extremely difficult to simply navigate across open bay waters to reach the many miles of

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protected shoreline offered by Matagorda Island. This well known barrier island separates our local inshore bay systems Mesquite Bay, San Antonio Bay, Espiritu Santo Bay, and Matagorda Bay from the expanse of the Gulf of Mexico.

Because of the windy conditions this time of year, you may launch your boat knowing that the ride across the bay is going to probably be slow and possibly even uncomfortable. You and your buddies are eager to find some calm water, so you all opt for enduring the slow, agonizing ride across the open bay.

After a half hour or more of relentless pounding, your back hurts and most everything in your boat is wet, including you and your friends. As you get closer to your targeted wading spot, you find that the shoreline in both directions is covered with boats drifting with the wind or that are anchored and already have wading anglers scattered nearby.

There’s no place to fish around here, at least not any place where you wouldn’t be fishing really close to someone else. What do you do now?

Don’t worry, there are always alternatives whenever you are fishing such big bay systems as are along the Coastal Bend region.

The first alternative that comes to mind for escaping the May wind is the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), or “the ditch” as it is so commonly referred to.

The ICW is simply a scaled-down version of the larger bay systems, meaning that it offers everything that the bays offer mud, sand, oyster shell, and even grass in certain areas. The ditch even has flats, just like the ones you look for along the shorelines of most of the open bays.

It also has some really deep water adjacent to those flats a great place to be fishing during the May kickoff to the speckled trout spawning season. The ICW also offers constantly changing currents caused by the non-stop barge traffic that makes its way up and down the waterway almost every day of the week.

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periods of high wind because it has sections that offer seemingly endless protection from the wind by land mass and by sand dunes.

Mile upon mile of spoil banks from the actual construction of the ICW, are piled-up in some places as high as 40 feet in places along the ICW. This separates it from the open bays, allowing protection from the southern winds so predominant this time of the year.

Some anglers like to anchor their boat along the edge of the ICW and simply cast live and artificial baits out to the deeper center portion of the waterway. Others prefer to wade the banks of the ICW because wade fishing offers many advantages compared to other forms of angling.

For example, a wading angler can cover a lot of real estate stealthily, compared to drifting anglers who many times are plagued by boat noises, erratic drift patterns, and often uncontrollable shadows. A wading angler also has the luxury of working the chosen shoreline or flat in whatever pattern they choose.

When you wade you can work those otherwise hard to reach areas, and can elect to walk as far as you wish. If you do happen to cover a great distance before you find the bite, you’ve now staked out your claimed territory for the remainder of the day, We all know how helpful this could be on some of those busy and crowded weekends. Make your way back to the boat and begin again down the same path as before.

Good luck, and keep grindin’!

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

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4/8/15 4:20 PM

ROCKPORT Area Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. MAC GABLE

A Fishing Truck

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EEMS THE FOCUS THIS time of year is all about boats, motors and trailers.

Although I can talk to no end on these subjects my current truck is more than 11 years old. It was time for another, so I started the process of searching for a used or new fishing truck.

It has been more than a decade since I had been in the vehicle market. I will admit I’m not the most astute technological person, but I have tried to keep up with the latest options now available.

Or so I thought.

As a fishing and hunting guide, my needs are rather specific about what I need and what I can live with. I know what I want, and I know what I need. Like a boat, a truck is a tool and it needs to have all the options I require.

To say I was overwhelmed by the advances in the truck sector is a gross understatement. They pretty much look the same on the outside but that is where the similarities end. Everything is built lighter now.

The new trucks ride better, and they get better gas mileage. The new ½-ton trucks pull almost as much as the ¾-ton trucks of 10 years ago or at least they are rated that way.

The technology inside is way off my radar screen. Being the research nut I am, it took me three months to work my way through the maze of gadgets to determine what I really needed.

My current truck had none of these advancements just a radio and CD player, which I have now discovered is no longer standard on most trucks. To get a CD player you have to order it as an option.

Some of the dealers I spoke with had no clue about axle ratios, horsepower to truck weight ratio, limited slip differentials etc. etc. etc. One salesman told me he had never been asked those questions before, but added “Did you like the way the truck rode?”

Hmmmm.

This column is not a lesson in vehicle purchase negotiation, but rather my research findings on what the average angler who is pulling a boat will need to get the job done.

First, you don’t need a 3/4 ton truck or a diesel for that matter. The new 1/2 ton trucks are more than capable of towing the average bay boat (i.e. boat, motor, trailer full of fuel).

Most bay boats weigh between 2,800 and 4,000 lbs. Even with a gas V6 engine, this is still within the range of a 1/2 ton truck.

If you are going to frequent the saltwater environment, keep it simple. If you love the creature comforts a loaded truck offers, get what you need and want, not what the truck in the dealer lot has on it.

Many of us tend to say we don’t really need that option; but okay, it might be nice or, well, it doesn’t have this or that option, but yeah I guess I can live without it.

Stop right there.

Know what is required to pull your boat and any other trailer you own. Think ahead. Will you be getting a travel trailer? Are you pulling a large motor home? If so, add that to the list.

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I found most V6 engines will easily pull my hunting travel trailer. Can I go from 0 to 60 in three seconds? No. Will I feel head winds while towing? Probably. Am I going to be touring around all over the country pulling a 30 foot RV? No. This is a fishing rig/truck and one that can double as a work truck or commuter for the family.

I personally love diesel trucks. I love the way they sound, the way they pull, the gas mileage they get, and that the engines are built extra heavy.

They are not the most economical in the short term or long term. Diesel fuel can cost as much as $1 more per gallon than gas. Oil changes are about twice as much; repairs more than twice as much.

With today’s gas engines, their better fuel economy and much improved maintenance schedules, I just could not see buying another diesel. I did the math for my own driving and found at an average of 15,000 miles a year, a diesel would cost me $300 to $700 more to operate, just in fuel.

Options I personally like on a truck for fishing which you might consider are: 4WD: I have guide buddies who have never had it and get along just fine, but having been stuck on a slick boat ramp at 4 a.m., not to men-

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Focus: ROCKPORT tion where I drive with my hunting business, and I found 4WD is necessary for me.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: With 8 to 10 speeds these new trannies are smooth as silk and pay for themselves when launching and loading a boat.

LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL: This is the rear end in your truck. It prevents excessive power from being allocated to just one wheel, thereby keeping both wheels in powered rotation.

Get stuck one time without it and you’ll have it on your next truck.

THE RIGHT REAR AXLE RATIO: In a nutshell, the all-around ratio that has served me well for over 30 years in diesels, gas V8s and V6s is the 3.55. It gets decent highway mileage and pulls a boat with its equivalent trailer very well.

HEATED/LARGE MIRRORS: I would never have believed a heated mirror would be needed in Texas until I owned one. It’s not about ice but condensation and foggy glass. A heated mirror pretty much eliminates both.

FOG LIGHTS: I use these as much if not more than my headlights. I can see better with them when driving in fog (which can be often here on the coast). I never approach a boat ramp with my headlights on. I use my fog lights so as not to blind someone trying to back his or her boat. I also use them on ranches where I hunt.

CONTAINMENT FLOOR MATS: Whatever brand you get make sure they pool the water, dirt and such on the mat itself. If full these mats move the water to the outside threshold of your door. I do not like rubber flooring in a fishing truck; I think you’re much better off with carpet.

Rubber does not breathe. Once wet underneath, it stays wet and it will get wet underneath. I’ve had my floor board rust out for this very reason. Carpet with a good containment floor mat is the way to go.

ENGINE: This is always debated, but again, base this on how much you are going to be pulling. The new V8s are getting more efficient and more reliable. Some even shut cylinders down to help fuel economy.

A V8 is going to have more torque (there still is no real substitute for cubic inches). Yes, the V6 turbo models spool up a good amount of torque, but the way they deliver that torque when pulling in my opinion doesn’t match up with the V8.

You can get V6s now with single and twin turbos and they run like the wind very peppy.

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ment and maintenance and they are not cheap.

Most require outside air and the air on the coast can be lethal to these metal wonders. My money will go for the naturally aspirated gas engine, in my case, it’s a V6. The V6 has fewer parts, fewer things to break and gets better gas mileage on the road and in town. It tends to have a better reliability records than a V8.

ELECTRONICS: back up cameras are nice, but most folks I know don’t use theirs. You will probably get one because it’s hard to find a truck now without it. Parking sensors are an annoyance for me but again can be useful. Don’t rely on them though.

Inside the cab anything that gets you to stop texting or gets you hands-free I am all for. You can do just about anything with a voice command now, so go for it. Get the larger screen if it’s an option especially if you require glasses to read.

You will find it worth the extra dollars.

We Texans love our trucks, and I have to admit I love a 3/4 ton, lifted, chipped-to-the-max diesel with big tires and huge grill guards and bumpers that drip with testosterone, but it’s just not needed to pull most bay boats.

One can, and many do, get by with much less less invested, less to take care of, allowing more time to fish. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

Bait me baby!

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ARANSAS BAY — Deadman’s Reef is a good place for black drum using fresh dead shrimp under a cork. The drums travel the ICW and frequent the reef this time of year. Long Reef is good for trout using croaker or mud minnows free-lined. The spoil area close to Dunham Bay has some sheepsheads and reds hanging close to the rocks. A silent cork is the ticket using cut menhaden or live shrimp.

THIS IS THE BAIT TIME OF YEAR, with croaker, shrimp and finger mullet topping the list. The rule of thumb for bait is pretty simple get it live or as fresh as you can, keep it oxygenated and recirculate with good salt water.

AYERS BAY — Second Chain is a good place for reds using finger mullet either free-lined or on a light Carolina rig. Cast into the shallow water close to the oyster shell. Ayers Reef is good for trout using croaker free-lined. Fish 15 yards or so off the reef in the deeper water during high tide.

COPANO BAY — Lap Reef is a good place for trout using free-lined shrimp. Cast to the top of the shell then slowly work the shrimp back into deeper water. Nice black drums frequent the pilings of the LBJ causeway this time of year.

Using free-lined shrimp one can catch both black drums and sheepsheads.

ST. CHARLES BAY — Midway of Cavasso Creek is a good place for flounder. Light Carolina rigs with live shrimp slowly worked across the bottom work well here. The bite is subtle, so set the hook at the slightest tap. Some trout and reds can be caught on the northwest shoreline close to Twins Creek. Finger mullet and croaker work well, either free-lined or on a light Carolina Rig. F I S H

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CARLOS BAY — The northeast side of Cedar Reef is a good place for reds. Wading this area is productive using top waters in bone and red colors or soft plastics in nuclear chicken. On high tide the shell reef adjacent to Carlos Dugout is good for trout and reds using a rattle cork and live shrimp. Try to fish the eddies in this area where the current swirls around the small inlets to Carlos Lake.

MESQUITE BAY — Ayers Reef is a good place for reds using mud minnows or cut mullet on a light Carolina rig. Cast out and try not to move your bait. Wait until you get a bite as this is full of shell, and one can easily get hung up.

Trout slicks pop up frequently in this bay, and a drifting boat fishing the upwind side of these slicks can be productive. Slicks larger than 15 yards in diameter have usually drifted away from fish so target those that are smaller.

THE BANK BITE WADES TO NEWCOMB POINT are productive for a wide variety of fish. This is a long wade―about one mile―so take some water with you. Much of the property is private so unless you have permission―stay in the water. A bait bucket with live shrimp is hard to beat here or soft plastics in morning glory and anchovy colors. Stay within casting distance of the shoreline casting into the shoreline and then casting 180 degrees into the deeper water. Trout and reds and some flounders can be caught here.

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4/8/15 4:20 PM

LOWER Coast Hotspot Focus :: by CALIXTO GONZALES

The Colors!

The Colors!

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OWER LAGUNA MADRE anglers love May. The winds that have howled through much of March and April begin to die down more often, although they do tend to conveniently pick up whenever I try to get on the water.

Trout and redfish begin congregating under flocks of seagulls and make for exciting sight fishing, and shoals of shrimp and hatches of sand eels turn the bay into a piscine smorgasbord. What’s not to love?

The spring tides of May put an exclamation point on the top notch springtime fishing. The influx of warm gulf water pushes water temperature above the magic 70 degree mark, and already ravenous predators explode into almost frenzied activity.”

Anglers don’t have to venture too far from home to find excellent fishing in May. Numerous trout start to school up and zero in on schools of shrimp, young baitfish, and other prey on the vast grass flats just north of the Queen Isabella Causeway (known locally as the Pasture).

The broad flats vary in depth between two and four feet and are bracketed by the IntraCoastal Waterway to the west and a long boat channel to the East.

Look for seagulls and terns diving over bait to signal where speckled trout are schooling bait and pushing them to the surface. Drift around the perimeter of the school and work the edges of the school either with live shrimp or soft plastics such as the Attraxx Shrimp tail or Gulp! Shrimp in pearl, glow, or bone.

If some inconsiderate fisherman blows through the school while trying to fish it or while heading to another fishing ground, don’t fret. If the school doesn’t resurface after a bit, there are other schools around the flat.

Anglers with a taste for bronze can find some solid redfish action on an incoming tide. The east side of the flats alongside the boat channel are a route that reds use to move up on the oyster and mangroves along the west shoreline. Both waders and kayakers will find some steady, sometimes spectacular, action along these migration routes.

Live bait, topwaters, flies, and gold spoons are all excellent choices for these hungry reds. Early morning fishermen will spot reds tailing among the oysters.

If the redfish aren’t tailing up shallow, then back up just west of the boat channel and line up a drift across the deeper water next to the channel markers. Redfish cruise in this deeper area (a relative term, by the way, because the depth is about three feet).

Try larger (four-inch) plastics in chartreuse patters, live shrimp, or cut mullet close to the bottom. I have a lot of success fishing the old reliable, the gold weedless spoon.

I fish it at a slightly faster pace than I would normally because the fish are much more aggressive than they are in the winter. I’ve gotten some arm-popping strikes burning a little bit of gold over the shallow weeds and postholes. Don’t be surprised if you hook a big trout, too. They like to be spoonfed.

The only catch about fishing the Pasture is that it can get crowded on weekends and when the trout are on a major feed, as does the nearby Long Bar. Anglers looking for a little more elbow room should point their bows west and make the 10-minute run toward Laguna Vista.

Anglers don’t have to run all the way to Laguna Vista Cove, which in and of itself is an excellent area for trout and redfish. The flats that parallel Highway 100 from the entrance of the Fingers Channel to the 510 Intersection offer some excellent fishing.

A color change between the grass and sand bottoms becomes easily visible as May sallies forth, and the area is loaded with speckled trout. Again, May fishermen should watch for birds working over bait and feeding fish. If the birds aren’t there, T E X A S

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then start a long drift with the prevailing wind. Live bait or plastic shrimp tails under an Alameda float or Old Bayside Paradise Popper are good choices. Smaller minnow plugs like the Badonk-A-Donk SS in pearl, croaker, or mullet patterns might produce larger fish. The 3 ½ bait has the same sideto-side action as the original Donk, but is a sub-surface bait that gives trout a target to zero in on.

These are ambush hunters that sit on the edges of grass lines and potholes and strike at prey that skyline themselves by venturing onto the sand. Obviously, the trick is to fish the SS, or any other lure or bait, around weedlines and potholes.

Certainly, soft plastics can be equally effective. Whether you swim the lures on a 1/8 to ¼-ounce head or under a noisy float (which is a simple, effective, and successful way to introduce neophytes to fishing with lures), plastics can do a number on trout and redfish in this area.

The important part is to fish with a pattern you have the most confidence with (there is a reason, however, that the venerable red/white tail soft plastic is still a best seller along the lower coast).

Gulp! Baits such as the Shrimp have become increasingly popular among LLM fishermen, especially when live shrimp are sold out. Fish them the same way you would a live shrimp, under a popping cork or freelined when fishing the depth breaks.

May is a special time on the Lower Laguna Madre, but the most stalwart of fishermen will always remember the old adage: Go West, young man. Go West.”

Or you can stay home and sample some of the local color. Either way, you win.

Email Calixto Gonzales at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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Texas HOTSPOTS

UPPER COAST

Starving Reds on West Bay

by TOM BEHRENS

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Starvation Cove GPS: N 29 14.1314, W 94 56.1953 (29.2355, -94.9366) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Redfish Crack Fly CONTACT: Capt. Scott Null 281-450-2206 captainscottnull.com TIPS: You can tie it to imitate a mud minnow, a small mullet, or make it look like a shrimp. Capt.

Scott Null LOCATION: Carancahua Bay HOTSPOT: Pipe Line GPS: N 28 42.6, W 96 23.8159 (28.7100, -96.3969) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics with a 1/8 oz. jig head CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@wcnet.net TIPS: Countz normally throws a topwater first in the morning and then switches over to a soft plastic using a 1/8 oz. jig head. He likes darker colors in the soft plastics such as black, Chicken-on-a-Chain or Tequila.

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: Topwateers CONTACT: Capt. Jim West 409-996-3054 captjimwest@yahoo.com bolivarguideservice.com TIPS: I throw topwaters, series 51 MirrOlures and some Corkies…a little bit of everything at this time

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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.

of the year. Capt. Jim West LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: North Shoreline GPS: N 29 33.1439, W 94 37.785 (29.5524, -94.6298) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwateers CONTACT: Capt. Jim West 409-996-3054 captjimwest@yahoo.com bolivarguideservice.com TIPS: On windy days and good tides, there will be fish to be caught along the shorelines. Capt.

Jim West LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Marsh Point GPS: N 29 31.834, W 94 34.339 (29.5306, -94.5723) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Jim West 409-996-3054 captjimwest@yahoo.com bolivarguideservice.com TIPS: When the winds are down, we can get out in the middle of the bay. Put the trolling motor down and drift looking for slicks. Capt. Jim West LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Little Pasture Bayou GPS: N 29 31.254, W 94 32.3179 (29.5209, -94.5386) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Jim West 409-996-3054 captjimwest@yahoo.com F I S H

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bolivarguideservice.com TIPS: I like the Tidal Surge soft plastic because it holds up well. I use a 1/8 ounce jig head; it suspends better, doesn’t drop as fast. Capt. Jim West LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Greens Lake GPS: N 29 16.245, W 94 59.539 (29.2708, -94.9923) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Redfish Crack Fly CONTACT: Capt. Scott Null 281-450-2206 captainscottnull.com TIPS: Capt. Null specializes in sight casting for redfish.

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: North Shoreline GPS: N 29 16.515, W 94 57.4499 (29.2753, -94.9575) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Redfish Crack Fly CONTACT: Capt. Scott Null 281-450-2206 captainscottnull.com TIPS: I have tried all different sizes, but generally a 2 1/2 to 3 inch long fly with lots of different colors, has a big head, pushes a lot of water, works well.

Capt. Scott Null LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Redfish Cove GPS: N 29 6.1009, W 95 6.5689 (29.1017, -95.1095) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Paddle tail soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Scott Null 281-450-2206 captainscottnull.com TIPS: If a client is not proficient with a fly rod, light tackle spinning rods will work.

LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Cleveland Reef GPS: N 28 39.9829, W 95 51.982 (28.6664, -95.8664) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics with a 1/4 oz, sometimes 3/8 oz. jig CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz

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Texas HOTSPOTS 281-450-4037 tcountz@wcnet.net TIPS: A lot of times in East Matagorda Bay we will drift the west end over scattered shell, looking for slicks, looking for bait. I will put on a little heavier lead head, 1/4 oz, sometimes 3/8 oz. Capt. Tommy Countz

hang up lead heads, but it’s not that big of a deal.

Capt. Tommy Countz LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Island Reefs GPS: N 29 45.106, W 93 53.307 (29.7518, -93.8885) SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Gillraker soft plastics or Culprit worms CONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez 409-673-3100 www.goldenhookguide.com TIPS: We will be drifting the reefs on the south end of Sabine, the big reefs, making long drifts, mostly throwing long, soft plastic baits. Capt. Eddie

LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: Cotton Bayou GPS: N 28 30.45, W 96 12.3816 (28.5075, -96.2064) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Pink Skitter Walks or small Spooks in bone or clown colors CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@wcnet.net TIPS: In May we will start off in close to shore fishing some of the drains using topwaters. Capt.

Tommy Countz LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: Greens Bayou GPS: N 29 44.8302, W 95 10.1628 (29.7472, -95.1694) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@wcnet.net TIPS: We will start out in a drain and work our way back on to the grass beds. Capt. Tommy Countz LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: Middle Ground GPS: N 27 8.2362, W 97 24.5321 (27.1373, -97.4089) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@wcnet.net TIPS: We are looking for something that shows fish are around … baitfish movement or slicks popping up. Capt. Tommy Countz LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: New Half Moon Reef GPS: N 28 33.7999, W 96 14.5309 (28.5633, -96.2422) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics with a 1/8 oz. jig head CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@wcnet.net TIPS: It’s about 55 acres of new reef that is producing fish. There are lots of rocks and you will

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Texas HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Jetty GPS: N 29 39.021, W 93 49.8169 (29.6504, -93.8303) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: 4 inch soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez 409-673-3100 www.goldenhookguide.com TIPS: Normally we bounce the bait off the bottom, but we will use a popping cork also.

MIDDLE COAST

Intracoastal has Spoiled Specks

by TOM BEHRENS

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Intracoastal Spoil Banks GPS: N 27 33.6839, W 97 16.759 (27.5614, -97.2793) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Mark Robinson 361-550-1081 fishmpr@aol.com TIPS: Robinson will be wade fishing for spawning trout.

LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Traylor Island GPS: N 27 56.6849, W 97 4.4609 (27.9448, -97.0744) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahooo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: Size of the croaker is not that important unless they aren’t smaller than a silver dollar. Capt.

Jack McPartland LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: St. Joseph Island GPS: N 28 0.7285, W 96 58.365 (28.0121, -96.9728) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahooo.com

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www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: Hook the croaker under the backbone and towards the back of the fish. You don’t want to hit the backbone, and if you hook toward the tail you won’t hit any vital organs. Capt. Jack McPartland LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Shamrock Island GPS: N 27 45.9679, W 97 9.7829 (27.7661, -97.1631) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahooo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: You twitch the croaker to make it grunt and to keep it from burrowing down in the grass.

LOCATION: Redfish Bay HOTSPOT: Dagger Islands GPS: N 27 50.1019, W 97 10.2659 (27.8350, -97.1711) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahooo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: Pop the croaker a little bit with rod tip every 30-40 seconds. Do it by moving your wrist, not your arm. Capt. Jack McPartland 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: Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Mark Robinson 361-550-1081 fishmpr@aol.com TIPS: A bone/silver She Dog, with a Walk-the-Dog retrieve should produce results.

LOWER COAST

Slam Dunk Laguna Flounder

by CALIXTO GONZALES and TOM BEHRENS LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Dunkin Channel

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GPS: N 26 20.17, W 97 19.928 (26.3362, -97.3321) SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Shrimp tails, live mullet.

CONTACT: LG Outfitters 956-371-0220 lgonzales@lgoutfitters.com lgoutfitters.com TIPS: Work the edges of the channel during a high tide, the mouth of the channel on a falling tide.

Use live shrimp or—better still—live finger mullet on a split shot rig. Gulp! shrimp or shad are good artificials to use.

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: Topwaters or soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Mark Robinson 361-550-1081 fishmpr@aol.com TIPS: Look for spawning fish in shallow water sand pockets.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Rocky Slough GPS: N 27 9.903, W 97 26.716 (27.1651, -97.4453) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Mark Robinson 361-550-1081 fishmpr@aol.com TIPS: Start out the morning throwing a topwater.

The She Dog is one of Robinson’s favorite baits.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Land Cut GPS: N 27 0.5195, W 97 26.8494 (27.0087, -97.4475) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Mark Robinson 361-550-1081 fishmpr@aol.com TIPS: At the Land Cut we would be using either live shrimp or soft plastics. Capt. Mark Robinson LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Bay GPS: N 26 1.785, W 97 11.011 (26.0298, -97.1835) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Shad tails in red/white, LSU. Cut ballyhoo.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez

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Texas HOTSPOTS 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish the grass flats for both trout that have rejuvenated appetites. Look for depth changes, potholes, and oyster clumps, or anything that trout might use as ambush points.

Line up with the spoil islands that bracket the yellow cabin and drift parallel to them in the 2-3 foot depths. On a clear day you can see redfish working the bottom and you can cast to them with either a Gulp! Shrimp or gold spoon.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Color Change GPS: N 26 10.429, W 97 17.74 (26.1738, -97.2957) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in red/white, LSU. Live shirmp, cut ballyhoo.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez 956-551-9581 TIPS: Trout will hand out iin the murky water waiting to ambush bait that moves along transition line.

Start in clear water and drift into the milky stuff.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Community Bar GPS: N 26 35.144, W 97 25.644 (26.5857, -97.4274) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in red/white, LSU. Live shirmp, cut ballyhoo.

CONTACT: Captain Randy Pierce 956-248-6576 outlawcahrters@yahoo.com TIPS: Use soft plastics around the edges of the Bar to find hungry speckls. Topwaters along the shorline are effective early. Fish slowly to work deeper water.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Long Bar GPS: N 26 8.891, W 97 17.74 (26.1482, -97.2957) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, cut bait. Gold spoons, soft plastics in Tequila gold, rootbeer/gold.

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez 956-551-9581 TIPS: Drift the length of the bar and work either live bait under a popping cork, or soft plastics near the bottom. Work with a steady, moderate pace.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Cullen Bay GPS: N 26 15.159, W 97 17.273 (26.2527, -97.2879) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters, gold spoons, live bait.

CONTACT: LG Outfitters 956-371-0220 lgonzales@lgoutfitters.com lgoutfitters.com TIPS: If you are drifting the edges of the channel for redfish, use shrimp under a popping cork, or topwaters.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Peyton’s Bay GPS: N 26 25.948, W 97 22.269 (26.4325, -97.3712) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, cut bait. Gold spoons, soft plastics in Tequila gold, rootbeer/gold.

CONTACT: LG Outfitters 956-371-2220 lgonzales@lgoutfitters.com lgoutfitters.com TIPS: Fish the northern shoreline of Peytons.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: East Cut GPS: N 26 33, W 97 17.029 (26.5500, -97.2838) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Bait, soft plastics in red/white, LSU, topwaters CONTACT: Captain Randy Pierce 956-248-6576 outlawcahrters@yahoo.com TIPS: When warm water starts flowing into the bay from the Gulf during spring, the cuts along the shoreline of the East Cut are the first to attract fish.

Use topwaters early, switch over to plastics and fish the dropoffs of the cut when the tide starts to run.

PINEY WOODS

Caddo Bass Go Shallow

by DUSTIN WARNCKE

LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Shallow Areas GPS: N 32 41.73, W 94 3.0539 (32.6955, -94.0509) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Texas rigged soft plastics (V&M T E X A S

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Pork Shad and Chopsticks), frogs and buzzbaits CONTACT: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith 318-455-3437 caddoguide1@att.net www.caddolakefishing.com TIPS: Fish the lake’s cypress tress, lily pads, and grass in 2-4 feet of water. Use dark colored soft plastics and frogs. Use light colored buzzbaits.

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Texas HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points and Humps GPS: N 30 24.93, W 95 36.864 (30.4155, -95.6144) SPECIES: Hybrid Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live gizzard shad or swim baits CONTACT: Richard Tatsch 936-291-1277 admin@fishdudetx.com www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: The hybrid stripers are getting back to their normal patterns now. They will be all around the lake on main lake points and humps. The use of electronics is a necessity! Find the schools of shad which should be in 20 to 30 foot of water. The key to finding these fish is finding the bait. Find the depth the bait are in and you will find the fish. Live shad will be the bait of choice but the swim shad will work if you can control the depth.

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: The Lump GPS: N 30 41.166, W 95 5.658 (30.6861, -95.0943) SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Jigging white slabs, trolled Pet Spoons on downrigger. Tsunami Zombie Eye Jigs (1 oz pink/silver glow) CONTACT: David S Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 dave@palmettoguideservice.com www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Fish the slope of the drop off, jig the slabs and Tsunami Zombie Eyes right off the bottom.

Feel for strikes on the falling jig. BANK ACCESS: Beacon Bay Marina LOCATION: Sam Rayburn HOTSPOT: Buck Bay GPS: N 31 11.124, W 94 4.044 (31.1854, -94.0674) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Topwater lures like the Stanley Top Toad, crankbaits CONTACT: Lynn Atkinson 979-220-0251 lynn@reelumn.com www.reelumn.com TIPS: May is topwater month for the bass on Sam Rayburn. You’ll find bass in Buck Bay, Mill Creek, Veach Basin and Caney Creek around the pads and grass. The Stanley Top Toad is one of the best ways to work this type of heavy vegetation. On the deeper note the crankbaits off the points and edges of the grass will start getting some good fish stacking up on them. Covering a lot of water looking for active fish is the key here in putting a pattern together.

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LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Bayou Seipe GPS: N 31 44.0418, W 93 50.5679 (31.7340, -93.8428) SPECIES: Bream BEST BAITS: Crickets, earth worms, and meal worms CONTACT: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages 936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: May is the month to take a kid fishing, and the best way to get a kid hooked on fishing is to take him bream fishing. In May the bream will be on the beds in shallow water. Cruise the shoreline and look for honeycomb circles along sandy banks.

Once you find a bed, pick off the fish from outside to inside so you don’t spook the fish. White bass will also be ganging up on the north end sand bars.

PRAIRIES & LAKES

Gibbons Cats in Hot Water

by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Hot Water Discharge area GPS: N 30 38.3459, W 96 3.2759 (30.6391, -96.0546) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch bait, cut shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Some fish are through spawning and are very hungry. Try close to shore here for spawning fish and move out to edge of trees for post spawn fish. On outter edge fish straight down over chum, set hook at slightest movement of rod tip.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: The Dam Area GPS: N 32 10.842, W 96 4.734 (32.1807, -96.0789) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Walking baits and poppers CONTACT: Jason Barber 903-887-7896 kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com www.kingscreekadventures.com F I S H

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TIPS: Throw walking baits and poppers against the rocks and work them out to 10 feet of water.

LOCATION: Fayette County Res. HOTSPOT: Main Point GPS: N 29 56.442, W 96 44.442 (29.9407, -96.7407) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Punch Bait, Worms CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Cats are coming off the spawn to open water or wooded areas. Anchor or tie off here. Slip cork, right off the bottom. Cast out, retreive the cork at a snails pace.

LOCATION: Lake Cooper/Jim Chapman Lake HOTSPOT: Harper’s Crossing and Main Lake Humps GPS: N 33 18.2459, W 95 38.64 (33.3041, -95.6440) SPECIES: White Bass and Hybrid Striper BEST BAITS: 4in sassy shad on a 1/2oz jig head.

CONTACT: Tony Parker’s Guide Service (903)348-1619 tawakonifishing@yahoo.com www.facebook.com/tonyparker.fishingguide TIPS: Use a steady retrieve, just keeping the bait from bumping the bottom. I will be running and gunning, fishing fast until I find a school of hybrids and white bass. This is the time of year for big numbers of both whites and hybrids.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Mid Lake GPS: N 32 25.9942, W 97 47.4511 (32.4332, -97.7909) SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Live minnows and road runners.

CONTACT: Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 817-578-0023 www.unfairadvantagecharters.com TIPS: Best color for jigs include electric chicken or monkey milk. Fish near bridge pilings, trees in 20 to 30 feet of water. Granbury levels continue to be low, so call to make sure access is available.

Access continues to be available at the Hilton/City Beach launch and Pecan Plantation private launch.

Water temperatures are 70’s and the summer patterns are starting to be in full force.

LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 42.6479, W 97 20.7179 (30.7108, -97.3453) SPECIES: Crappie

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Texas HOTSPOTS BEST BAITS: 1/32oz Marabou Jigs-any color CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell (512) 365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Along with September, May is the very best month for crappie at Granger Lake. If you are going to get a limit of the nice fat crappie that Granger Lake has to offer, this is the time to do it. This time of year the crappie are hungry from the spawning that has been going on for the last couple of months and they will aggressively hit almost any type of crappie bait. Jigs are the favorite because you can catch 2 or 3 crappie on a jig while a person using minnows is still trying to dip out another minnow to bait his hook. All you have to do to catch these fish is to find any structure in 4 to 15 feet of water and it will hold crappie. All the brush piles and structure will hold fish. The main problem is finding the ones with the big keeper fish. Just keep moving from place to place and you will eventually hit the jackpot with big fish. Position your boat over the structure and lower the jig until you contact the brush. Hold the jig very still and if a crappie doesn’t bite, move around until you get bit. Catch what is biting and

don’t wait any longer. Move to the next spot and repeat the process. If you can’t catch crappie this time of year on Granger, you are doing something wrong and have no chance of ever catching them. If that is the case, give me a call and I can show you exactly how it is done. Good luck and good fishing.

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 33 5.268, W 96 28.614 (33.0878, -96.4769) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Deep diving crankbaits in Crawfish, Sexy Shad, Fire Tiger; Soft plastic worms in Motor Oil or Chartreuse/Watermelon Green, Watermelon Red, Sinko’s, creature baits in soft plastic.

CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Fish starting shallow at 3-12 feet.

Concentrate on road beds, rocks, and timber.

Carolina rig and fish any humps you can find in between the power plant and the dam.

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LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Flat Creek GPS: N 32 11.3099, W 95 30.4799 (32.1885, -95.5080) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Texas Spinner Bait Top Shelf spinnerbaits and buzz baits, both white in color CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 OR 903-530-2201 ricky@.rickysguideservice.com www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Fish along the shore lines and the standing timber.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 49.9259, W 96 32.292 (32.8321, -96.5382) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: 4 black lizard, lipless crankbaits, Alabama rig with 2’ Sassy Shad type plastics, Shaky Head 4 worms and drop shot rigs.

CONTACT: The Cajun Guide/Johnny Procell (972) 814-8942 cajunguide@att.net

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Texas HOTSPOTS www.johnnyprocell.com TIPS: Black Bass will have completed their spawn with the exception of some of the bass that will still be spawning on the trunks and limbs of standing timber in the deeper water. I use a four inch black lizard and a very tiny weight and target all the standing large trees. For the rest of the conventional anglers; use lipless crankbaits and run the rocks. the Alabama rig will also work well when using two inch sassy shad type plastics as the lure. Later in the month shaky head four inch worms and drop shot rigs will work the bass over under the bridges.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point GPS: N 33 22.6386, W 97 3.147 (33.3773, -97.0525) SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Topwaters, buzzbaits, squarebill crankbaits, flukes CONTACT: Dannie Golden, Get Bit Guide Service 817-228-5999 www.get-bit.com TIPS: There will still be fish spawning on Ray Roberts and May is a really good month for topwater fishing. Our deep bite will start to set up as well. The spawning fish will be on the South End of the lake. The fish on the North end of the lake will be guarding fry or done completely with the spawn. Start the day working a white buzzbait along the secondary points and grass edges early in the Northern creeks. After the topwater bite ends, squarebill cranks and weightless flukes will continue to get bit. I like a shad pattern crank and watermelon/red flukes. Targeting offshore fish we use football jigs and a Carolina-rigged french fry.

Fish will start to relate to the humps and main lake points. Also look for a buzz type frog bite to start as well. Focus on weed lines and holes in the grass.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points GPS: N 33 25.7283, W 97 0.7561 (33.4288, -97.0126) SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Lipless crankbaits, torpedoes, swimbaits CONTACT: Dannie Golden, Get Bit Guide Service 817-228-5999 www.get-bit.com TIPS: The white bass will be over their spawn and be looking to fatten back up. The shad spawn in May is a great time to fill the freezer with fillets.

Main lake points and flats are a good place to look.

There may even be some schooling start to happen on the flats. A clear Torpedo worked over the top of the schooling fish will get you bit. If the fish are not on top work a lipless chrome/blue rattle bait thru

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the school. They can’t resist it. Also if you don’t like messing with the treble hooks and small swimbait on a jighead will work great. A Gene Larew Sweet Swimmer is a good choice in shad color. 3/16oz jig head will work great.

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Rocks on left end of the dam GPS: N 30 19.578, W 96 31.836 (30.3263, -96.5306) SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows, Chartruese jigs CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Brush extends out from the rocks here. Use minnows four foot off bottom to start with. Or, 1/16 oz jigs held as still as possible then moved very slowly along rocks. Look for a post-spawn bite here.

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: The North End , Washita Point GPS: N 33 52.068, W 96 41.67 (33.8678, -96.6945) SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Sassy Shad jigs, topwater plugs , live shad CONTACT: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfish@striperexpress.com www.striperexpress.com TIPS: May is most fishermen’s favorite month of the year on Lake Texoma. Most of the stripers are finished with the spawn and are roaming the lake. Large schools of post spawn fish are hungry and will strike on artificial lures and live bait. Cast Pencil Poppers and big Chugbugs on the shallow banks early in the mornings. After the topwater bite, switch to 1oz white glo Sassy Shad jigs or live shad. Work the jigs on main lake ledges to 30’ depths. Drift or anchor with live shad on the same ledges. Limits of fish are common and May is an exciting month on Lake Texoma.

LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Whitney Point GPS: N 31 54.666, W 97 20.868 (31.9111, -97.3478) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Live gizzard shad CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Got to love Whitney in the Spring! Sow Stripers are gorging on Gizzard Shad and the bite is on! Anchor up just off the hump using a Carolina rig with a 2oz weight above a #2 circle hook baiting up

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a Gizzard shad and make long casts up on the hump and locking in reel. Wait for the Striper to pick up the bait and make her run and use a sweeping hook set to hook up with the Linesiders. From the boat we are dropping a couple of lines straight down in 26’ of water using the same rig and reeling up 3 to 4 turns off the bottom. Stripers are coming off the hump and also in the deeper water alongside the hump. BANK ACCESS: STATE PARK LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake HOTSPOT: 309 Flats GPS: N 32 2.046, W 96 12.516 (32.0341, -96.2086) SPECIES: Crappie/White Bass/Hybrid Striper BEST BAITS: Small minnows or jigs below a slip cork, Rat-L-Traps, and 1oz. Silver Slabs CONTACT: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 simmonsroyce@hotmail.com www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: May can be an AWESOME month on RC as the last of the crappie spawn will still be occuring in the creeks and coves in early May and the hybrid stripers and white bass will be going great guns in the main lake area all month long. Crappie will be in the shallow water on the far southeast end of the lake and bank fishermen will be able to catch them in the coves around Fisherman’s Point Marina.

Rat-L-Traps and 1oz. Silver Slabs fished in 20’-30’ water off the 309 Flats will result in lots of white bass action and the occasional large hybrid striper.

Look for the gulls to help locate the baitfish that the whites are feeding on.

PANHANDLE

PK Sets the Table for Stripers

by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER LOCATION: Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Tabletop GPS: N 32 51.527, W 98 32.526 (32.8588, -98.5421) SPECIES: Stripers/Hybrids BEST BAITS: Live shad, jigs CONTACT: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: May is the month that we like to fish midlake and tabletop is just that. A big tabletop with old creeks and riverbeds around 3 sides so the fish can

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Texas HOTSPOTS push the bait up on it and feed on them. Big blue and white herons will actually fly out and dive on bait being pushed to the top so look for that. Live bait is best but this is the time of year we downrig and catch big stripers on big jigs trolling them at deeper depths behind the boat! Stripers,Hybrids and big sandbass will hit anything behind trolled and slow speeds this time of month.

LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Dam Area GPS: N 33 3.5939, W 101 3.318 (33.0599, -101.0553) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: White jigs, Senko-type baits (any color) CONTACT: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220 nclayton42@sbcglobal.net http://www.lakealanhenry.com/norman_clayton.htm TIPS: May on Alan Henry will be a great time to fish for bass. The bass are shallow and willing to bite. The spawn will be on and the big gals will be on the beds. Find the clear water and you will find some bass on the bed. Fish lures you can

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see. Many of the coves close to the dam area will have clear water unless we get a big flood rain.

From the launch ramp to the dam is a good place to start looking. Bass on Alan Henry usually spawn into the first part of June. It all depends on the water temperature.

HILL COUNTRY

Smooth Sailing to Canyon Bass

by DUSTIN WARNCKE

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Sailboat Moorings Area by Randolph and Jacobs Creek GPS: N 29 52.4339, W 98 12.846 (29.8739, -98.2141) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass

BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, jewel Jigs, Trick Worms (Texas rigged), Missle Baits, Picasso Shakey Heads with a Trick worm in Junebug or green pumpkin.

CONTACT: KC’S Bassin’ Guide Service 210-823-2153 kandie@gvtc.com www.kcbassinguide.com TIPS: As you approach the sailboat area, fish the point to the right and work your way left to marina.

Trick Worms in Watermelon Red Texas-rigged with 1/8oz weights work really well. Jewel jigs in 1/8oz with Net Paca Chunks in Texas Craw color fished in and around the end caps of the slots have been productive as well.

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Canyon Park Point GPS: N 29 53.2559, W 98 13.638 (29.8876, -98.2273) SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Hogies 4 Super Shad Pearl / Black Back CONTACT: Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230

4/8/15 4:20 PM

Texas HOTSPOTS steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com www.sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Look for the Striped Bass to be shallow (20-40 feet). They will be suspending over the river channel and feeding on the point in this area.

Fishing the Super Shad close to the bottom produces fish in this area. Tight lines and Fish-On! LOCATION: Lake Austin HOTSPOT: Lake Austin Flats and Docks GPS: N 30 21.006, W 97 51.018 (30.3501, -97.8503) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: V&M Delta Bug, V&M Trickster, Picasso Tungsten, Picasso Inviz Wire Spinnerbait, Picasso Double Barrel Underspin CONTACT: Brian Parker - Lake Austin Fishing 817-808-2227 lakeaustinfishing@yahoo.com www.LakeAustinFishing.com TIPS: This will be post spawn feeding time on Lake Austin and other Lower Colorado lakes. I start my mornings with a Picasso Inviz Wire Spinnerbait and work the sandy flats right by depth changes.

As the sun comes up, I switch to a Picasso Double

ALMANAC-1505-May.indd 80

Barrel Underspin with a V&M Thunder Shad (usually in white or hitch color) and work the 8-12 feet of water column with a yo-yo action. When the sun gets high, I switch to a Carolina rigged V&M Trickster in 15+ feet of water or start skipping docks with V&M Delta Bug. It’s very important to throw multiple times at the same spot when skipping or fishing docks and the reason is these fish are usually coming back from feeding in the mornings and are in metabolize mode (meaning they are digesting their meals from the morning feed). So to trigger reaction strikes its best to make sure you give that fish multiple opportunities to decide to eat again.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Upper End of Main Lake GPS: N 30 49.92, W 98 22.506 (30.8320, -98.3751) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut Shad for Blues, Cheese bait for Channels CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@yahoo.com

www.centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: I fish in 15 to 20 feet, double anchored with rod and reel or with jugs. Channel catfish will be in the shallow areas. Blue cats will be along the river channel and around humps and rock piles.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points GPS: N 30 47.004, W 98 25.002 (30.7834, -98.4167) SPECIES: Striper BEST BAITS: Topwater plugs CONTACT: Ken Miliam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: The best Striper action can be found using topwater plugs in May along the points and structure around the banks where the threadfin shad are running.

4/8/15 4:20 PM

Texas HOTSPOTS SOUTH TEXAS

Get Buzzy with Coleto Bass

by DUSTIN WARNCKE

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 28 43.4759, W 97 11.8859 (28.7246, -97.1981) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Buzz baits, Pop-Rs and other topwater lures.

CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-250-3959 www.coletocreekguidefishing.com TIPS: The spawn is over and summer time patterns have begun.This is a time of year bugs are flying,and fish actually will jump out of the water for

them.It can be explosive with the right baits. Buzz baits are a big bass bait. I throw a 1/2 oz white or chartreuse lunker buzz.i like to slow roll it along rocks , lay downs,bank edges. It can be a great bait for locating fish. Early morning or late evening are the best times. Pop r’s can be productive along with other topwater lures.

LOCATION: Choke Canyon Res. HOTSPOT: Main Lake Shallow Areas GPS: N 28 29.2919, W 98 20.994 (28.4882, -98.3499) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Stink bait, cheese bait, or worms.

CONTACT: Charlie Brown 830-780-2162 TIPS: Expect to find catfish in shallow water this time of year since May is usually a spawning month. Use a float rigged to 3 feet and move to another spot if you don’t get a bite within 10-15 minutes.

DIGITAL EXTRA: Locator maps link to Google Maps online.

LOCATION: Lake Falcon HOTSPOT: Dam Area GPS: N 26 33.648, W 99 9.738

T E X A S

ALMANAC-1505-May.indd 81

(26.5608, -99.1623) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Flukes, Senkos, deep diving crankbaits, brown/orange jigs CONTACT: Billy Tompkins/Bassin’ Billy’s Guide Service 281-928-1133 billy34@gmail.com www.LakeFalconFishing.com TIPS: Rocks are holding fish. Approach them with a Texas rig or Carolina rig and fish very slow. When throwing the crankbait make sure you are digging into the rocks and pause often.

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Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MAY 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

82 |

6a

12p

6p

MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)

12a

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

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Time Moon is Directly Underfoot (at its peak on opposite side of the earth)

T E X A S

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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

Tides and Prime Times MAY 2015

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

28

THURSDAY

29

FRIDAY

30

SATURDAY

May 1

2«

3«

Sunrise: 6:41a Set: 7:52p Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 7:52p Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 7:53p Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 7:54p Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 7:54p Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 7:55p Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 7:55p Moonrise: 2:31p Set: 2:54a Moonrise: 3:22p Set: 3:29a Moonrise: 4:14p Set: 4:04a Moonrise: 5:05p Set: 4:38a Moonrise: 5:57p Set: 5:12a Moonrise: 6:51p Set: 5:47a Moonrise: 7:45p Set: 6:25a AM Minor: 1:14a

PM Minor: 1:36p

AM Minor: 1:54a

PM Minor: 2:16p

AM Minor: 2:32a

PM Minor: 2:53p

AM Minor: 3:10a

PM Minor: 3:31p

AM Minor: 3:47a

PM Minor: 4:09p

AM Minor: 4:27a

PM Minor: 4:50p

AM Minor: 5:10a

PM Minor: 5:34p

AM Major: 7:25a

PM Major: 7:47p

AM Major: 8:05a

PM Major: 8:26p

AM Major: 8:43a

PM Major: 9:04p

AM Major: 9:20a

PM Major: 9:42p

AM Major: 9:58a

PM Major: 10:20p

AM Major: 10:39a

PM Major: 11:01p

AM Major: 11:22a

PM Major: 11:45p

Moon Overhead: 9:02p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 10:28p

Moon Overhead: 9:45p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

Moon Overhead: 11:11p

Moon Overhead: 11:54p

6a

6a

12p

6p

12a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: None

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

27 º

l = New Moon º = First Quarter l = Full Moon » = Last Quarter « = Good Day n = Best Day SUNDAY

DIGITAL EXTRA Tap for Customized Tide Charts

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

Moon Overhead: 12:40a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 8:41a

+2.0

-1.0

BEST: 2:00 — 4:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 10:49a

BEST: 10:00A — 12:00P

Moon Underfoot: 11:32a

BEST: 3:30 — 5:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 12:17p

BEST: 4:30 — 6:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:03p

BEST: 5:30 — 7:30 PM

+2.0

BEST: 6:30 — 8:30 PM

TIDE LEVELS

0

BEST: 1:00 — 3:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 10:06a

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 9:24a

Low Tide 6:37 AM High Tide 1:43 PM Low Tide 8:17 PM

0.49 ft 1.29 ft 0.88 ft

ALMANAC-1505-May.indd 83

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

12:58 AM 7:38 AM 2:05 PM 8:33 PM

1.14 ft 0.60 ft 1.26 ft 0.76 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

2:07 AM 8:28 AM 2:24 PM 8:48 PM

1.22 ft 0.70 ft 1.25 ft 0.63 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

3:05 AM 9:09 AM 2:43 PM 9:08 PM

1.30 ft 0.80 ft 1.25 ft 0.50 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

3:55 AM 9:45 AM 3:01 PM 9:32 PM

1.38 ft 0.90 ft 1.26 ft 0.38 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

4:42 AM 10:18 AM 3:18 PM 9:59 PM

1.45 ft 0.98 ft 1.27 ft 0.27 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

5:28 AM 10:52 AM 3:34 PM 10:30 PM

1.51 ft 1.07 ft 1.28 ft 0.17 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

4/8/15 4:20 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

SYMBOL KEY

l = New Moon º = First Quarter l = Full Moon » = Last Quarter « = Good Day n = Best Day SUNDAY

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

TUESDAY

4¡

MAY 2015

Tides and Prime Times WEDNESDAY

5«

THURSDAY

7

6«

8

FRIDAY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

10 »

AM Minor: 5:57a

PM Minor: 6:21p

AM Minor: 6:48a

PM Minor: 7:13p

AM Minor: 7:43a

PM Minor: 8:09p

AM Minor: 8:40a

PM Minor: 9:07p

AM Minor: 9:40a

PM Minor: 10:07p

AM Minor: 10:39a

PM Minor: 11:06p

AM Minor: 11:37a

PM Minor: -----

AM Major: -----

PM Major: 12:09p

AM Major: 12:35a

PM Major: 1:00p

AM Major: 1:30a

PM Major: 1:56p

AM Major: 2:27a

PM Major: 2:54p

AM Major: 3:26a

PM Major: 3:53p

AM Major: 4:25a

PM Major: 4:52p

AM Major: 5:23a

PM Major: 5:50p

Moon Overhead: 1:27a 12a

9

Set: 7:59p Sunrise: 6:31a Set: 7:59p Sunrise: 6:30a Set: 8:00p Set: 10:22a Moonrise: 12:15a Set: 11:21a Moonrise: 1:03a Set: 12:22p

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 3:07a

Moon Overhead: 2:16a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 3:59a

6p

12a

6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 5:47a

Moon Overhead: 4:53a

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 7:56p Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 7:57p Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 7:57p Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 7:58p Sunrise: 6:32a Moonrise: 8:40p Set: 7:05a Moonrise: 9:36p Set: 7:49a Moonrise: 10:31p Set: 8:36a Moonrise: 11:24p Set: 9:27a Moonrise: None

SATURDAY

Moon Overhead: 6:41a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 1:51p

+2.0

BEST: 7:30 — 9:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 4:26p

BEST: 8:00 — 10:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:19p

BEST: 8:30 — 10:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 6:14p

BEST: 9:00 — 11:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 7:08p

+2.0

BEST: BEST: 9:30 — 11:30 PM 6:00 — 8:00 AM

TIDE LEVELS

0

BEST: 7:00 — 9:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 3:33p

-1.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 2:41p

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

6:14 AM 11:28 AM 3:45 PM 11:03 PM

1.56 ft 1.14 ft 1.29 ft 0.09 ft

MONDAY

11

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

7:03 AM 12:08 PM 3:51 PM 11:41 PM

1.59 ft 1.22 ft 1.31 ft 0.03 ft

High Tide 7:55 AM Low Tide 12:52 PM High Tide 3:50 PM

TUESDAY

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

1.61 ft 1.29 ft 1.33 ft

WEDNESDAY

12

12:22 AM 8:50 AM 1:48 PM 3:46 PM

-0.01 ft Low Tide 1:07 AM 1.61 ft High Tide 9:48 AM 1.34 ft 1.35 ft

THURSDAY

13

-0.01 ft Low Tide 1:58 AM 1.60 ft High Tide 10:43 AM

FRIDAY

14

0.03 ft 1.57 ft

Low Tide 2:56 AM High Tide 11:31 AM

SATURDAY

15

SUNDAY

16 «

17 «

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

PM Minor: 12:32p

AM Minor: 12:57a

PM Minor: 1:24p

AM Minor: 1:46a

PM Minor: 2:13p

AM Minor: 2:34a

PM Minor: 3:00p

AM Minor: 3:21a

PM Minor: 3:48p

AM Minor: 4:09a

PM Minor: 4:37p

AM Minor: 5:01a

PM Minor: 5:29p

AM Major: 6:19a

PM Major: 6:45p

AM Major: 7:11a

PM Major: 7:37p

AM Major: 8:00a

PM Major: 8:26p

AM Major: 8:47a

PM Major: 9:14p

AM Major: 9:34a

PM Major: 10:01p

AM Major: 10:23a

PM Major: 10:51p

AM Major: 11:15a

PM Major: 11:43p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:21a

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 12:02p

Moon Overhead: 11:08a

Moon Overhead: 10:14a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

AM Minor: 12:08a

Moon Overhead: 8:28a

Moon Overhead: 12:58p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

0

-1.0

BEST: 12:00 — 2:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 8:54p BEST: 1:00 — 3:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 9:47p

Moon Underfoot: 10:41p

BEST: 1:30 — 3:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 11:35p

BEST: 3:00 — 5:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: None

BEST: 4:00 — 6:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 12:30a

BEST: 5:00 — 7:00 PM

BEST: 12:00 — 2:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 8:01p

TIDE LEVELS

+2.0

0

-1.0

0.12 ft 1.53 ft

Sunrise: 6:30a Set: 8:01p Sunrise: 6:29a Set: 8:01p Sunrise: 6:28a Set: 8:02p Sunrise: 6:28a Set: 8:02p Sunrise: 6:27a Set: 8:03p Sunrise: 6:27a Set: 8:04p Sunrise: 6:26a Set: 8:04p Moonrise: 1:49a Set: 1:24p Moonrise: 2:33a Set: 2:27p Moonrise: 3:15a Set: 3:31p Moonrise: 3:58a Set: 4:35p Moonrise: 4:41a Set: 5:40p Moonrise: 5:26a Set: 6:44p Moonrise: 6:12a Set: 7:48p

Moon Overhead: 7:34a

+1.0

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

4:01 AM 12:11 PM 6:48 PM 10:40 PM

0.24 ft 1.48 ft 1.00 ft 1.10 ft

Low Tide 5:12 AM High Tide 12:44 PM Low Tide 7:08 PM

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE

0.40 ft 1.42 ft 0.77 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

12:35 AM 6:27 AM 1:13 PM 7:42 PM

1.16 ft 0.56 ft 1.37 ft 0.51 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

2:04 AM 7:41 AM 1:40 PM 8:21 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

1.29 ft 0.73 ft 1.34 ft 0.24 ft

HIGH

LOW

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

3:20 AM 8:51 AM 2:06 PM 9:02 PM

1.43 ft 0.89 ft 1.33 ft 0.00 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

HIGH

LOW

4:26 AM 9:54 AM 2:33 PM 9:45 PM

1.55 ft 1.03 ft 1.34 ft -0.18 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

5:27 AM 10:54 AM 3:01 PM 10:29 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

1.63 ft 1.15 ft 1.35 ft -0.29 ft

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

+1:02 -0:42

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION 84 |

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ALMANAC-1505-May.indd 85

4/8/15 4:20 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

SYMBOL KEY

l = New Moon º = First Quarter l = Full Moon » = Last Quarter « = Good Day n = Best Day SUNDAY

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

TUESDAY

18 l

MAY 2015

Tides and Prime Times WEDNESDAY

19 «

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

21

20 «

SATURDAY

22

23

24

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

AM Minor: 5:56a

PM Minor: 6:24p

AM Minor: 6:54a

PM Minor: 7:22p

AM Minor: 7:53a

PM Minor: 8:20p

AM Minor: 8:52a

PM Minor: 9:18p

AM Minor: 9:49a

PM Minor: 10:13p

AM Minor: 10:42a

PM Minor: 11:05p

AM Minor: 11:31a

PM Minor: 11:54p

AM Major: -----

PM Major: 12:38p

AM Major: 12:40a

PM Major: 1:08p

AM Major: 1:40a

PM Major: 2:07p

AM Major: 2:39a

PM Major: 3:05p

AM Major: 3:36a

PM Major: 4:01p

AM Major: 4:30a

PM Major: 4:54p

AM Major: 5:20a

PM Major: 5:42p

Moon Overhead: 1:54p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 3:44p

Moon Overhead: 2:49p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 4:36p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:12p

Moon Overhead: 5:25p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:26a Set: 8:05p Sunrise: 6:25a Set: 8:06p Sunrise: 6:25a Set: 8:06p Sunrise: 6:24a Set: 8:07p Sunrise: 6:24a Set: 8:07p Sunrise: 6:23a Set: 8:08p Sunrise: 6:23a Set: 8:09p Moonrise: 7:01a Set: 8:49p Moonrise: 7:53a Set: 9:47p Moonrise: 8:46a Set: 10:40p Moonrise: 9:41a Set: 11:28p Moonrise: 10:36a Set: None Moonrise: 11:30a Set: 12:12a Moonrise: 12:23p Set: 12:51a

Moon Overhead: 6:57p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 1:26a

+2.0

BEST: 7:00 — 9:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 4:10a

BEST: 8:00 — 10:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:01a

BEST: 9:00 — 11:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:49a

BEST: 10:00P — 12:00A

Moon Underfoot: 6:35a

+2.0

BEST: BEST: 11:00P — 1:00A 6:30 — 8:30 AM

TIDE LEVELS

0

BEST: 1:00 — 3:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 3:17a

-1.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 2:22a

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

6:24 AM 11:51 AM 3:31 PM 11:14 PM

1.67 ft 1.23 ft 1.36 ft -0.33 ft

MONDAY

25 º

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

7:18 AM 12:50 PM 4:01 PM 11:59 PM

1.66 ft High Tide 8:12 AM 1.27 ft Low Tide 1:58 PM 1.34 ft High Tide 4:29 PM -0.29 ft

TUESDAY

26

1.62 ft 1.28 ft 1.31 ft

WEDNESDAY

27

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

12:45 AM 9:05 AM 3:44 PM 4:46 PM

-0.19 ft Low Tide 1:32 AM 1.56 ft High Tide 9:55 AM 1.25 ft 1.25 ft

THURSDAY

-0.05 ft Low Tide 2:20 AM 1.49 ft High Tide 10:41 AM

FRIDAY

28

0.12 ft 1.42 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

SATURDAY

29

3:11 AM 11:21 AM 6:54 PM 9:29 PM

SUNDAY

30

31 «

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

PM Minor: 12:17p

AM Minor: 12:38a

PM Minor: 12:59p

AM Minor: 1:18a

PM Minor: 1:39p

AM Minor: 1:57a

PM Minor: 2:18p

AM Minor: 2:35a

PM Minor: 2:57p

AM Minor: 3:14a

PM Minor: 3:37p

AM Minor: 3:55a

PM Minor: 4:19p

AM Major: 6:06a

PM Major: 6:28p

AM Major: 6:49a

PM Major: 7:10p

AM Major: 7:29a

PM Major: 7:50p

AM Major: 8:07a

PM Major: 8:29p

AM Major: 8:46a

PM Major: 9:08p

AM Major: 9:25a

PM Major: 9:48p

AM Major: 10:07a

PM Major: 10:31p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:06p

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:49p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:20p

Moon Overhead: 10:33p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

AM Minor: -----

Moon Overhead: 8:23p

Moon Overhead: None

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

0

-1.0

BEST: 12:00 — 2:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 8:02a BEST: 12:30 — 2:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 8:45a

Moon Underfoot: 9:27a

BEST: 8:30 — 10:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 10:11a

BEST: 2:00 — 4:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:56a

BEST: 3:00 — 5:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:44a

BEST: 4:00 — 6:00 PM

+2.0

BEST: 5:00 — 7:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 7:19a

TIDE LEVELS

+2.0

0

-1.0

0.30 ft 1.36 ft 0.95 ft 0.99 ft

Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:09p Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:10p Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:10p Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:11p Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:11p Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:12p Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:12p Moonrise: 1:14p Set: 1:28a Moonrise: 2:06p Set: 2:03a Moonrise: 2:57p Set: 2:37a Moonrise: 3:48p Set: 3:11a Moonrise: 4:41p Set: 3:46a Moonrise: 5:35p Set: 4:22a Moonrise: 6:30p Set: 5:01a

Moon Overhead: 7:41p

+1.0

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

4:06 AM 11:54 AM 7:12 PM 11:21 PM

0.47 ft 1.30 ft 0.83 ft 0.98 ft

Low Tide 5:07 AM High Tide 12:21 PM Low Tide 7:31 PM

0.64 ft 1.26 ft 0.69 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

12:55 AM 6:14 AM 12:44 PM 7:50 PM

1.04 ft 0.79 ft 1.24 ft 0.55 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

2:11 AM 7:19 AM 1:04 PM 8:10 PM

1.13 ft 0.91 ft 1.23 ft 0.40 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

3:12 AM 8:17 AM 1:23 PM 8:34 PM

1.24 ft 1.01 ft 1.24 ft 0.26 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

4:03 AM 9:08 AM 1:41 PM 9:01 PM

1.34 ft 1.09 ft 1.25 ft 0.12 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

4:49 AM 9:53 AM 1:58 PM 9:32 PM

1.43 ft 1.16 ft 1.27 ft -0.00 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

SOLUNAR ADJUSTMENT SCALE

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY is shown in the lower color boxes of the Calendar pages. Use the SOLUNAR ADJUSTMENT SCALE (right) to adjust times for points East and West of Galveston Channel.

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Black Hills Ammunition

Page 90

Power Pole

Page 94

Climate Bug Shield

Page 96

Ken Kirkeby/ Author

Page 92

Faultline Outdoors

Page 96

KT Coolers

Page 97

Fishing Lights, Etc

Page 98

Lansky Sharpeners

Page 97

Fishing Tackle Unlimited

Page 93

Rock River Arms

Page 91

Truglo, Inc.

Page 89

Gary Yamamoto’s Custom Baits Page 95 Hallmark Cutlery

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Special SECTION

Outdoor

Dreams

Dad from

M

Y FIRST MEMORY IS two teenage neighbors bringing over a big cottonmouth they killed in the brushy field down the street.

The next thing I remember is sitting with my dad on the docks at the Port of Orange catching croakers and black drum.

After that it is watching him catch a seven foot long

alligator gar at one of our roadside fishing holes. We aptly named the armored beast “Moby,” and although it was not a white whale the pursuit of such creatures would lead me onto a number adventures throughout my life.

From the beginning, I have been obsessed with wildlife.

Whether it was big, tall, great or small, it has piqued my interest at some point or

by Chester Moore

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other and led to an incredibly fulfilling, adventurous and unique life.

Truly unique.

I was born in 1973 so my formative years were in the’70s and early ’80s when things were much simpler than they are now. Most of us only had three television channels to choose from, there was no Internet, and you had to go to an arcade to play a video game. For those of you a decade or so younger than I, it might seem

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A FATHER’S DAY TRIBUTE PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

as if I am describing the dark ages, but this was reality.

Being an only child, I spent a lot of time alone and with my parents.At a very early age in my life, my mother read to me. She did this every single day. By kindergarten, I was reading at a second grade level. Sports Afield, Field & Stream, Outdoor Life and other outdoor magazines were strewn around the house and became reading favorites. Soon though, my parents started buying me wildlife books, two of which stand out.

A good father spends time with their children. Here’s Chester with his father, who spent time every day with him.

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One was from the classic Golden Books line and was simply called Reptiles & Amphibians. The other, which we ordered from the Time Life series

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A FATHER’S DAY TRIBUTE

Chester’s outdoor dreams started playing with rubber snakes.

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on television, was called Dangerous Sea Creatures.

I would read the texts over and over again. I stared at the photos, imagining myself encountering king cobras, saltwater crocodiles and going down in a shark cage like ocean explorer extraordinaire Jacques Cousteau.

During these years you could take a class full of first graders and ask them what they wanted to be when they grew up, and at least half would say marine biologist or ocean explorer. Cousteau, who invented scuba technology, had frequent television specials viewed by millions.

Children around the world were captivated by his exploits and that definitely included me.

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A FATHER’S DAY TRIBUTE Another major influence was a program that came on every Sunday evening called Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. It was hosted by an eloquent zoo manager named Marlin Perkins and his younger, more adventurous cohort Jim Fowler.

They traversed the world in search of wild creatures of all kinds and had amazing on-camera chemistry. Perkins would see the animal and talk about how incredible it was to be so close and send the younger Fowler out to tangle with it.

I remember watching them getting super close to Cape buffaloes in Africa, toying with alligators. It was a big deal when Perkins got in on the action as they both wrestled with a monstrous anaconda

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in the jungle of South America.

This program is so engrained in my psyche that to this day I can still sing the Mutual of Omaha jingle. “Mutual of Omaha is people you can count on when the going’s tough.” I did that from memory by the way.

I used to love sitting in my Dad’s lap putting together hunting and fishing scrapbooks from his hunting and fishing magazines. We eventually expanded into going to the local thrift shop and wiping out their supply. They sold for a nickel apiece, so dumping out my piggy bank would yield several dozen at a time. They were like gold to me.

I would look at the photos, imagine myself pursuing the amazing creatures

splashed across the pages and live vicariously through the hunters and anglers pictured within.

One of our early finds was a full page photo of a man with a nice mule deer he took with a bow and arrow. I thought the muley was great, but I was convinced it was my uncle Jackie Moore in the photo. I still have this scrap book and the guy is an absolute dead ringer for my late uncle.

Another favorite was a group of men loading a 15-foot-long black marlin onto a boat. Billfish were pretty fascinating, and I had never seen one so big. Since that time, a black marlin has been near the top of my fishing dreams.

Many of the photos were of wild, exotic animals and fish from Africa, South

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Later in life he has been able to take that dream to the real thing with much help from his father.

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A FATHER’S DAY TRIBUTE America and Asia, but some of my favorites were animals I knew lived in our local woodlands.

Back in the early ’80s, North American Hunter would have a centerfold of

some game animal or bird in each issue. I cut out a stunning photo of a wood duck drake that haunted my imagination every time we would go out to my Aunt Ann’s property in southern Newton County.

There were lots of woodies in the creek bottom there and the thought of shooting one of those beautiful birds inspired me.

In fact, simply looking at the mounted wood duck drake I shot a few miles from her property brings me back to that photo.

The scrap books helped define my interest in the outdoors.

My all-time favorite shot was another North American Hunter centerfold of a gigantic cougar slinking along some rocks in the Sierra Nevadas.

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would still crack up.

My friends would ask, “Where’s that picture of the red-ass baboon,” I would break out the scrapbook and laughter would ensue. I must mention that for years I thought “red ass baboon” was their official name.

After I got around 10 years old, the

scrapbooking ended as my actual time in the outdoors increased. But it was always in the back of my mind.

Wildlife was not the only thing that stirred my imagination, though it was certainly my favorite. I was way into Star Wars, the super heroes of Marvel Comics and music.

Time and interest are two of the greatest gifts a father can give to a child.

uncle Jackie saw one crossing the entrance road a couple of times. Every time I looked at that photo, I thought how amazing it would be to see one.

One of the more “exotic” photos contained in the scrap book was a baboon.

I remember asking, “Dad, would you shoot a baboon?”

“Son, I don’t think a red-ass baboon (as he always called it) would look very good on the wall.”

I could not argue because his description of the baboon was dead on and caused me to literally roll on the floor laughing. He could say it 10 times, and I PHOTO: CANSTOCK

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A FATHER’S DAY TRIBUTE My Dad would always have some little gift for me when he came home from work. Sometimes it was a stick of gum and other times it might be a little cap gun, but it was always something. One

day he brought me a pack of Star Wars cards. He and mom had seen the movie and thought the cards might interest me.

They did.

I remember seeing Chewbacca the

wookie and thinking “Wow, this looks like a Bigfoot” which I already had an interest in at that point.

More on that later.

Then there was Darth Vader, R2D2 and C3P0 and the beautiful Princess Leia, who had the cool looking double bun hair. I was a fan of the movies before even seeing them. After they took me to see the movie, I was just blown away I mean floored.

From when that first Star Destroyer moves across the screen in the first few seconds, to the end when Han and Luke get their medals, I was enthralled.

My only complaint was they did not give Chewbacca a medal. He helped out as much as Han and Luke and yet they discriminated against the poor wookie.

Kind of irks me to this day, now that I think about it.

From then on, my Christmas time became dominated by Star Wars toys, which were flying off the shelves. With The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi coming out within a six-year span, you can see how it became such an incredibly important part of my youth.

As noted in the March edition, I lost my father back in December. With Father’s Day coming up, I thought it proper to reflect back on the amazing things my Dad did for me and hope it serves as inspiration to all of you fathers out there.

You can have the same impact on the children in your life as my Dad did in mine.

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Texas TASTED

by BRYAN SLAVEN :: The Texas Gourmet

Sugar Cured Feral Hog Ham

M

ANY HUNTERS AND other folks view the feral hog as a nuisance, and as a result they are often shot and left to the critters for dinner. Many other hunters have taken them, only to find the meat strong tasting and dry. The truth is, the meat is and can be fantastic, and you will have a meat that is free of chemicals used in traditional processing.

After skinning and quartering, the meat should be placed in a cooler with plenty of ice to allow it to bleed down for a couple of days.this will remove most of the undesirable hormones and blood from the meat.

Then you can debone and freeze your favorite cuts, or be ready to begin making sausage or whatever else you may desire.

Remember, be sure to trim off all fat from the hog as it will turn rancid if left on the meat, even in the freezer!

Back in the April issue this year, I introduced a curing process on wild turkey, designed to take an otherwise generally dry piece of meat and turn it into a succulent and tender treat. The same process can be used on feral hog ham.

The Sugar Cure (Starting with a 6 to 10 lb. ham) Mix 1 pint each of sugar and sea or kosher salt into 1 ½ to 2 gallons of cold water. Stir until it’s all dissolved. Place the ham in a large disposable plastic bag. Using your turkey injector, draw up two to three full syringes of the solution and inject it in next to the bone in several places on the ham.

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the places most vulnerable to spoiling when on a pit).

Pour the rest of the cure solution in the bag with the ham.

Squeeze all of the air out of the bag and tie it up tight and close to the meat.

Place the bag in a refrigerator or a cooler lined with plenty of Sugar Cured Feral Hog Ham (with a mandarin ice and allow it orange Serrano, crown royal , rosemary glaze) to sit in the solution for 24 to 48 hours. Remove the ham from the bag, rinse, and it is ready for the pit.

1 jar- Texas Gourmet’s Mandarin orange Serrano jelly 4 T-Honey After preheating your pit, I like to start 3 t- fresh rosemary leaves – chopped with about five pounds of lump hardwood 1 stick of butter (salted is ok) charcoal, then add seasoned pecan, post ½ cup – olive oil oak, and a little hickory wood for smoke 2T- black pepper and flavor enhancement. Place the ham 3 T- soy sauce in the pit at the far end from the firebox 6 cloves- fresh garlic- minced with the temperature at about 250 to 275 1 T ground ginger degrees, and baste every 45 minutes or so.

6 ounces – Crown Royal (that’s right Flip the ham every 1½ hours and continue partner, and don’t be drinking the darned basting. (I would use 45 minutes to the sauce all up ) pound as a guide for smoking times) or Heat all of the above ingredients until until a meat thermometer inserted next to well blended together, then remove from the bone registers 160 degrees. heat and use a good silicone or paint-style basting brush for applying (the cloth style Remove from the pit to a platter and will drink up too much baste and hold it ). drape a loose piece of foil over the ham for 30 to 45 minutes before carving, to rest the meat.

Heat remaining baste to a boil on the stove then you can use the remainder as a Email Bryan Slaven at sauce when serving. Try not to hurt yourself bryan@thetexasgourmet.com by attempting to eat the whole ham while carving it. Enjoy with your favorite sides.

Baste for the ham

Pit Instructions

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PHOTO: BRYAN SLAVEN

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BASS Huffman Eleven-year-old Evan Mainord caught this largemouth bass in private pond in Huffman.

REDFISH San Luis Pass Six-year-old Gracey McHatton caught her first redfish on a popping cork using shrimp Fishbites, while kayak fishing at Bird Island near San Luis Pass.

RED SNAPPER Galveston Brian Cronin with a 15-pound red snapper, one of 20 fish he and his dad, James, caught on a 12-hour excursion into blue water with Galveston Party Boats.

Brian and his dad have been fishing together for 30 years.

REDFISH Galveston Tony Keill with a bull red he caught at the Galveston fishing pier.

WHITETAIL Undisclosed Location Chloe Kusenberger, 20, of Portland shot her first deer last season with a 30-06.

She missed the first six deer she shot at (buck/doe fever), but the seventh time was the charm! Her hunting guide was Chris French.

REDFISH Port O’Connor Rick Bauer with his personal best redfish, 32 inches caught and released while sight-casting in 1-1/2 feet of water at Port O’Connor.

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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.

BLACK DRUM Galveston Pat Adcock caught this black drum at the Galveston South Jetty last August.

Friday Fishing at its best!

HYBRID STRIPED BASS Lake Conroe Left to right: Braden Peterson, Brandon Nelson, and Tristan Peterson caught these hybrids on Lake Conroe while trolling just north of the dam with Hellbenders and Pet spoons.

REDFISH

REDFISH

Rockport

Rockport

Stephen Gifford caught this 27-inch red bank fishing in Salt Lake at Rockport. He and his fishing partner Jeffrey Long (see photo, right) also landed another 25-incher and two drum.

Jeffrey Long caught this 25-inch red while fishing off the bank in Rockport.

REDFISH Lower Laguna Madre Rollie Pena of Alamo with a 22 1/2-inch redfish he caught at the Saucer on the Lower Laguna Madre.

TURKEY Rocksprings Ten-year-old Levi Powell shot this Gobbler while hunting in Rocksprings with guide Bardy Helwig, pictured on the left.

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