Texas Fish & Game August 2015 by Texas Fish & Game

THE TEXAS OUTDOOR AUTHORITY

www.FishGame.com 2015 Pre-Season Special:

Hunting Forecast

AUGUST 2015 $3.95

Fresh Salt

Cross Fishing Chipique, MudďŹ sh, Grinnel, a.k.a.

...Bowfin Follow Marker Buoys & Currents to Reds, Specks & Flounder

Close Encounters

of the Doggett Kind 1508-Aug-CoverDIG.indd 1

Preparing for

Public Hunts

Mind Your

Fishing Manners 7/31/15 9:00 AM

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2015 EDITION Available 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

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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.

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Table of

AUGUST 2015 Volume 32 • NO. 4

Contents FEATURES

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE DOGGETT KIND

COVER STORY: Good Buoy

A long career in outdoor journalism has offered many opportunities to invade Nature’s personal space, and to get up close and personal with bears, crocodiles and other food-chain toppers.

Marker buoys and currents are two fishing factors that are often overlooked by anglers trying to locate redfish, trout and flounder.

STORY:

by Joe Doggett

Story by Chester Moore Cover Photo by Terry Upton

FISHING ETIQUETTE

Manners seem to have gone out of fashion in our larger society, so it would be nice if we could hold on to the lost art of honor on the water, and on the boat ramp.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

by Matt Williams GOING PUBLIC

Crossover Fishing

Compared to a private lease, with feeders and trail cameras, public hunting can be difficult. But that’s why they call it hunting, right—success isn’t guaranteed and challenge is inherent. But with the righ prep work, you can still have a rewarding hunt.

Striped bass, known to most Texans as a big fish in Lone Star lakes, are actually a bigger deal as a saltwater gamefish on the East Coast. Meanwhile, redfish, the toast of the Texas Coast, are also thriving in many inland lakes.

STORY:

by Steve Schaffer

Story by Chester Moore

BOWFIN

Also known as “mudfish,” or “grinnel,” bowfin are often disparaged by anglers who hook into one thinking they’ve snagged a monster bass. But these aggressive prehistoric predators can provide incredible sport on their own.

2015 Hunting Forecast This special section provides a pre-season look at the prospects for hunting deer and waterfowl this fall and winter.

STORY:

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by John N. Felsher

TF&G Staff 4 |

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Contents (continued)

Inside FISH & GAME

COLUMNS

9 by ROY and ARDIA NEVES TF&G Owners

TF&G Editor in Chief

Neither Snow Nor Rain... but Fire, that’s Different

PHOTO: KHOU; COURTESY “VINSON 2015”

N BUSINESS, SPORTS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND ANY other combat-like enterprise, you should always hope for the best but expect the worst. Right? We understand that concept and operate FISH & GAME, day in and day out, with it firmly in mind. But we did NOT see this one coming: For three days in early July we didn’t get any mail. No subscription renewals, no advertising payments, no bills, no junk mail, nothing. On day four, we called the Post Office and they informed us that our regular mail carrier, Ralph (who is a great guy), was involved in a threevehicle crash in his postal truck, on the service road of the freeway about two miles from our office. Ralph, thank the Lord, survived, but was hospitalized. His truck, and about three days of our mail, did not survive. From news footage of the blaze. The vehicle burst into flames and about ninety percent of its contents burned. What wasn’t set ablaze was left beyond salvage, sustaining heavy smoke and water damage. SO, IF YOU MAILED AN ORDER FOR A NEW OR RENEWAL subscription to the magazine between June 29 and July 3, there is a good chance we didn’t get it. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing who did or did not send us an order. If you did mail anything to us around those dates, or if your service gets interrupted, please call us at 1-800-725-1134 or email subscriptions@fishgame.com. Likewise, any advertisers who mailed a payment to us during that period, your check was very possibly burned up, too. In this case, we do know who we sent bills to, and we will be reaching out to make sure any advertiser whose payment may have been lost in the conflagration gets proper credit. And, if you sent us any junk mail that week... good timing. TEXAS FISH & GAME, more than most businesses, has a strong connection to the Post Office. They deliver many tens of thousands of subscriber magazines every month, normally without incident. And we, like everyone else, enjoy pretty reliable regular mail service every day. But, as a great philosopher once observed, “stuff happens.” Speedy recovery, Ralph.

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Editor’s Notes

by Chester Moore

Doggett at Large by Joe Doggett

TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Pike on the Edge by Doug Pike

TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Nugent in the Wild by Ted Nugent

TF&G Editor At Large

Commentary

by Kendal Hemphill

TF&G Political Commentator

Texas Freshwater by Matt Williams

TF&G Freshwater Editor

Bare Bones Hunting

by Lou Marullo

TF&G Hunting Editor

Texas Saltwater

by Calixto Gonzales

TF&G Saltwater Editor

Open Season

by Reavis Wortham

TF&G Freshwater Editor

Texas Boating

8 LETTERS 10 TF&G REPORT 24 TEXAS DEPT. OF DEFENSE

37 TRUE GREEN 52 INDUSTRY INSIDER

56 HOTSPOT FOCUS

64 TEXAS

HOTSPOTS

by Lenny Rudow

76 TIDES &

Practical Angler

94 TF&G PHOTOS

TF&G Boating Editor

DEPARTMENTS

by Greg Berlocher

PRIME TIMES

TF&G Contributing Editor

Texas Guns

by Steve LaMascus

TF&G Firearms Editor

Texas Tasted

by Bryan Slaven

The Texas Gourmet

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LETTERS to the Editor Snake Identiﬁcation DEAR CHESTER, THANK YOU SO much for taking the time to identify the snake photo that I sent you. Everyone at our place was saying it was a copperhead but I thought something was wrong with that assertion. Thanks for letting us know it was a broad-banded watersnake. Glad I made the right choice of not killing it. Katy Evers Editor: It was my pleasure. We get huge feedback on snakes especially during spring and summer, and it is always exciting to educate people on snakes or any other kind of wildlife for that matter. CHESTER, WHAT IS THE LARGE black snake that has an orange/red underbelly and a pointed tail? I saw one in Hardin County on a creek bottom. Eugene May Editor: That’s a mud snake. They are a nonvenomous species that is usually seen road-killed. They can grow up to six feet long in extreme circumstances and spend most of their time in muddy, stagnant water chasing amphiumas and crawfish.

Feral Dog Problems DEAR CHESTER, IT SEEMS A FEW years back I remember you writing a story about feral dogs and en encounter you had. I am having a serious problem with them on my deer lease. We have a big pack of them numbering about 10 that is seen frequently. They have killed some nearby cattle and came after one of our hunters. I know you are a bit of an expert in the dangerous side of wildlife. Where would you rank feral dogs in that equation? PJ Fields Editor: I rank feral dogs as more danger8 |

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Chester Moore with a mud snake found near Deweyville, Texas.

ous than any native wildlife creature in Texas and much higher than feral hogs. You have the pack hunting ability of wolves but unlike wolves you have little or no fear of man. There have been shockingly few wolf attacks in North America even in areas with high densities because they are wild and know to avoid people. Feral dogs are different, and if you dig into the reports as our former editor, the late Don Zaidle did, you will see there are many reports of feral dogs attacking people. I would contact a local game warden and make him aware of what’s going on and do my best to inform everyone to enter the woods armed even in the off season in case the pack shows back up. My Dad was almost killed by feral dogs in the 1960s and I have had two run-ins, one with a pit bull on my old deer lease and another with a small pack of dogs near Jasper with my friend Kenneth Pigg. It is a potentially serious situation.

No Ma’am MR. HEMPHILL I ENJOYED YOUR article “No, Ma’am” and agree that it is most enjoyable to hear and see articles/ photos concerning women practicing wildlife conservation in all forms. We also agree all conservators of wildlife management in

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whatever capacity is absolutely necessary and is taken negatively by those of the opposite view vehemently. The ironic issue with those against hunting/fishing etc. is their side is killing 10k babies children/ week by abortion, and they defend that with as much or more enthusiasm. What we are dealing with here is a convoluted side of America that is a loud minority that has gained prominence by being immensely vocal whereas we as conservationist, have withdrawn and allowed them to prosper in this and other arenas. It does not serve us to be “quiet” any longer. We will most certainly be dispatched at their whim as they become more arrogant. It’s past time to say we have had enough of this ignorance. Please continue to promote the importance of wildlife management aggressively for these brave women and all that share our values. Byron Terral

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

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EDITOR’S Notes by CHESTER MOORE :: TF&G Editor-in-Chief

’M A LITTLE ENVIOUS OF CAPT. Scott Fitzgerald. The guide at Madfish Charters was fishing for amberjack this spring about 8.5 miles off the coast of Panama City Florida when he felt a big bump on his boat according to a report from USA Today. A large, great white shark attacked his trolling motor. “He knocked the boat two feet to the side, then grabbed the trolling motor and started shaking it in his mouth,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s when I ran up front and pulled it out of his mouth.” How cool would that be? Yes, you are probably thinking I am crazy at this point, but I have been a mega-fan of great whites since I first saw “Jaws.” It was the television airing in 1979, but that blockbuster debuted 40 years ago this summer. Since then the great white has been the most iconic creature in the ocean. Last year I wrote an article “Great Whites Rising” for our partners CCA in their Tide magazine. It was the second great-white-inthe-Gulf article in 10 years on their pages. A decade ago, people thought I was crazy for suggesting great whites were in the Gulf. Last year, science proved otherwise. Last summer, “Katharine” and “Betsy” two great whites fitted with satellite transmitters by OCEARCH caused a full-blown media circus when they showed up in the Gulf Coast near Florida. A paper titled Seasonal Distribution and Historic Trends in Abundance of White Sharks in the Western North Atlantic published by PLOS ONE sheds some fascinating light on white shark populations. The study, which examined great white sightings from a wide variety of sources from 1800 to 2010, showed the range of white

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The presence of great whites in the Gulf has been veriﬁed.

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‘Jaws’ in Texas?

shark occurrences extended from the north coast of Newfoundland to as far south as the British Virgin Islands, as far east as the Grand Banks and Bermuda, and as far west as the coast of Texas. Yes, Texas. According to NOAA, their earliest recorded white shark was off the coast of Sarasota, Fla on a set line in the winter of 1937. Another specimen was caught in the same area in 1943. In addition, National Marine Fisheries Service officials reported 35 great whites as bycatch in the Japanese longline fishery in the Gulf from 1979 through 1982.

The presence of great whites in the Gulf has been verified but the information was rarely discussed until the appearance of “Katharine” and “Betsy” last year. There is a very good chance more great white sightings will take place in the Gulf and possibly Texas waters. The removal of gill nets along the shallow areas of the Gulf Coast beginning in 1994 has given young great whites an advantage. They use these areas as a nursery, and for decades almost all were killed in the nets. Great whites are sexually mature at around 15 years of age, so we are on our second generation of whites born without the nets. Research shows most great whites in the Atlantic region are born along the eastern seaboard and then disperse into other areas, including the Gulf, to feed. The research T E X A S

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conducted by OCEARCH is fascinating. By logging onto their website you can track the sharks with their tracking devices and keep up with your favorite sharks. Numerous great whites as well as other species are fitted with these devices. Technology has opened up an entirely new view of these rare sharks and given us access to information formerly not dreamed of, much less available. Maybe one day “Katharine” or “Betsy” will venture over toward the Texas coast. It is not beyond the realm of possibility, and I for one think it would be incredible. “Jaws” does live in the Gulf. Right now, there is no proof of any swimming off the Texas coastline, but of course, not all of them have satellite transmitters. In fact, most do not. That leaves some distant, yet intriguing, possibilities. “Jaws” changed my life. Most people wanted to get out of the water, but it made me want to go in to search for great whites and other magnificent creatures. As a kid, I admired the Capt. Quint character from “Jaws” and famous ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau. Somehow, I sort of became a cross between the two—passionate about the pursuit of sharks, but interested in their conservation. Some people are inspired by great athletes or powerful orators. I was inspired by sharks, other amazing wildlife and those who pursue them. The next time you venture out into the Gulf, perhaps wading into the surf or paddling beyond the breakers in your kayak, keep in mind you might encounter the real-life “Jaws.” The chances are extremely slim, but you never know. That’s the beautiful thing about the ocean. It’s deep and mysterious.

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Email Chester Moore at CMoore@ﬁshgame.com |

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The TF G Report Waterfowl gets $58 Million Boost, Texas to Beneﬁt THE MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVAtion Commission has approved $58 million in funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its partners to purchase, lease or otherwise conserve more than 200,000 acres of wetland and associated upland habitats for waterfowl, shorebirds and other birds across North America. Wetlands provide vital habitat for wildlife, purify groundwater and protect communities from storms,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Michael Bean. “With so many millions of acres of wetlands lost over the years, it is impossible to overstate the importance of North American Wetlands Conservation Act and Duck Stamp funding in setting aside and conserv-

ing them. We all benefit from healthier ecosystems and more abundant fish and wildlife.” Of the total funds approved by the commission, $25 million will be provided through North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants to conserve more than 85,000 acres of wetlands and adjoining areas in 16 states. NAWCA is the only federal grant program dedicated to the conservation of wetland habitats for migratory birds. To date, funds have advanced conservation of nearly 8 million acres of wetland habitats and their wildlife in all 50 states, engaging more than 3,300 partners in nearly 1,000 projects. NAWCA grants are funded through federal appropriations, as well as fines, penalties and forfeitures collected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; from federal fuel excise taxes on small gasoline

engines, as directed by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act; and from interest accrued on Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act funds. Examples of projects include: TEXAS GULF COAST: This project will restore and enhance an additional 2,800 acres of wetland habitat on private and public lands, providing important migration, wintering and breeding habitat for more than 304 bird species. NORTH DAKOTA GREAT PLAINS: This project is phase eight of a multi-year effort to establish, enhance and protect valuable wetland and associated upland habitat. This phase will conserve more than 13,000 acres of habitat for northern pintail, long-billed curlew, mallard and many other species. VIRGINIA/NORTH CAROLINA: The ACC Wetlands Conservation Initiative will conserve 2,745 acres of diverse habitat, including bottomland cypress-gum swamp, emergent wetlands and pine forest. Habitat for

BIG BAGS CATCHES

SPECKLED TROUT

AXIS DEER

Sabine Lake

Rocksprings

Tommy Hurlburt caught this 28-inch speckled trout while ﬁshing on the North end of Sabine Lake.

Thirteen-year-old Jeremy Noack and his ten-year-old brother Jayden, both of Spring, bagged two nice axis deer on their ﬁrst hunt, in Rocksprings on the Faith ranch. They were hunting with their grandfathers, “Paw Paw” and “Opa.”

Visit FishGame.com to upload your Big Bags & Catches Photos and Vote for our next Winners 10 |

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10 priority or high priority waterfowl species will be protected, including canvasback, black duck and greater scaup. Grants made through this program require matching investments. The projects approved today will leverage an additional $58 million in non-federal matching funds Many bird species spend part of their life cycles outside the United States, meaning effective conservation must address the needs of these species beyond our national boundaries. This is why projects funded through NAWCA occur throughout North America, to ensure a comprehensive approach to the protection of migratory birds and their habitats. This year, the commission approved a total of $21.6 million for 12 projects in Canada and $2.7 million for 12 projects in Mexico. The commission also approved expenditures of $8.8 million from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to conserve 16,044 acres for nine national wildlife refuges, through fee-title land acquisitions and lease renewals. These funds were raised largely through the sale of Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, commonly known as “Duck Stamps.” For every dollar spent on Federal Duck Stamps, 98 cents go directly to acquire or lease habitat for protection in the National

REDFISH Crystal Beach Hans Stewart of Waco caught this bull redﬁsh on cut mullet while ﬁshing in the surf at Crystal Beach.

Wildlife Refuge System. The Duck Stamp program has been in place since 1934 and has raised more than $800 million to acquire more than 6 million acres for the National Wildlife Refuge System. The 2015-2016 Duck Stamp will go on sale June 26. The Texas approved project is at the Laguna Atascosa NWR in Cameron and Willacy counties, Texas. Boundary addition and price approval to acquire approximately 1,778 acres for $1,000,000 have been given the green light.

Seven NTX Lakes Fall to Zebra Infestation ZEBRA MUSSELS HAVE already infested seven North and Central Texas lakes since 2009. They’re now in Lakes Texoma, Ray Roberts, Bridgeport, Lavon, Lewisville, Belton and Waco. If you’ve been on these lakes, you are at high risk for transporting zebra mussels and must be vigilant. This destructive invasive species threatens to spread to water bodies across the state by hitching a ride on your boat and gear. To avoid spreading zebra mussels, always clean, drain and dry your boat, trailer and all gear before transporting them to another water body. If you don’t take action, you could be potentially fined up to $500. ¬For anglers, this includes bait buckets, waders, nets and anything else that’s come in contact with the water. Making sure you clean, drain and dry is imperative because there’s no feasible way to rid a lake of zebra mussels once they’ve invaded. It’s against the law to transport zebra mussels even if you’re unaware you’re doing it. The small adult mussels attach to boat T E X A S

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hulls and motors, hiding in the tiniest of crevices, and can be difficult to detect. And because zebra mussel larvae are invisible to the naked eye and can survive in even small amounts of water, you’re also required to drain all water from your boat and onboard receptacles when traveling to or from any public water body. The law applies to all types of boats, whether powered or not. Violation could land you with a Class C misdemeanor and a fine of up to $500. These rapidly reproducing mussels have serious economic, environmental and recreational effects. They’re filter feeders that impact the lake’s food web and directly compete with baitfish, such as shad, for food. Any impact on baitfish can affect their predators, including game fish. Zebra mussels can damage boats by attaching to hulls and clogging water-cooling systems, completely cover anything

under water, and litter shorelines with their sharp shells. Economically, they can cause millions of dollars in damage to drinking water facilities and electric power plants, ultimately resulting in higher utility bills. If you find zebra mussels attached to your boat or are planning to transport a boat that has been stored on an infested lake, call Texas Parks and Wildlife at (800)7924263. Visit TexasInvasives.org/CleanDrainDry for more information and instructions on how to clean, drain and dry.

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DOGGETT at Large by JOE DOGGETT :: TF&G Contributing Editor

Small Details

HEN EDITH LINDEMAN and Carl Stutz collaborated on writing the top song for 1954, “Little Things Mean a Lot,” they probably didn’t have fishing in mind. But in angling, as romance, the small things can be a big deal. Failing to pay attention to a seemingly minor detail might cost a trophy. We’re talking about fishing, here. A big fish doesn’t need much excuse to break free, so don’t make things any easier by being careless or inattentive. For example, a nick or abrasion near the terminal end in the casting line deserves prompt attention. Granted, it’s a hassle to stop fishing and re-rig, and the glitch appears awfully little so maybe you let it slide. We all know where this is going—a wisp of soul-deadening slack over the monstrous splash of a trout or bass. Or, a fly-rod leader gets a “wind knot” caused by the tailing loop of a poorly timed cast. Most likely, the simple knot is in the final tippet section, the lightest link in the entire setup. The tight overhand knot doesn’t look like much but it can seriously weaken a light tippet. You need to stop casting and rig a new length of tippet section (simply cutting off at the knot and retying might leave a tippet that’s too short to turn over properly). The preferred splice for lines of similar diameter is a trim blood knot but you won’t hear me barking if you opt for a quick double surgeon’s knot. If you blow it off, a big fish boils up and you snap off with a lusty strip set, be prepared to don a Size XL set of goat ears. On the subject of small things, the seasoned angler will not accept a suspect knot. If the coils fail to seat properly, if anything looks “iffy” to the trained eye or feels wrong to the practiced hand, the School of Hard Knocks and Broken 12 |

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Lines strongly endorses a pair of clippers and another effort. A mutinous hook is another little thing than can ruin a day. Today’s hooks are far superior to those of several decades ago, and the top manufacturers (Eagle Claw, Mustad, Gamakatsu, Owner, etc.) offer razor-sharp points right out the package. Utilize this technology and buy good quality hooks. This applies to singles, trebles, bait hooks or lure hooks. They are inexpensive insurance when it really matters. Jug trout and panfish don’t count. That big sow bass or trout does count. A lot. Change out any “el cheapo” hooks on plugs or spoons, maybe going a size larger if the lure will allow you to get away with it without hampering the action. The hooks that are easiest to set on light tackle are thin, with a wide gap for a superior hold. The point of a conventional “J” hook (opposed to a circle hook) turns back parallel to the shank. Although top-end steel is strong, it’s not unusual to see a hook whose bend has opened. This occurs after putting powerful leverage with needle-nosed pliers on a well-hooked fish, or when using the pliers to flip a fish free in the water. Incidentally, even the stronger 2X or 3x trebles can open during a vicious tug-of-water. It doesn’t cost anything to periodically inspect that “killer bait” during a session of repeated strikes. You might be shocked to discover how many times the bend on a treble has opened sufficiently to offend Lady Luck. Keep in mind that even the bigger trebles used on trout- or bass-sized plugs are pretty puny compared to large single hooks. While you’re at it, confirm that all points are sharp, not turned or dulled. Little things that can mean a lot also include the split rings found on many plugs and spoons. The smaller (1/4- to 1/8-ounce) lures often are packaged with cheesy split rings, and you and I both know that big fish often grab small forage. A package of quality stainless split rings

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and a pair of specialized split-ring pliers allow easy and inexpensive upgrades. Again, I’d try to go up a size. Same thing with the swivels often used to prevent line twist or to connect a short shock leader to the casting line. You want the swivel as small and unobtrusive as practical but this is no place to cut corners. Spend an extra couple of bucks and buy a packet from a proven company. If you’ve got a choice, go with a flat black finish. It’s less apt to spook fish or, worse, attract one with line-cutting teeth. A periodic check of the drag setting is another little thing that might spare catastrophic consequences. A short line pull off the reel should ensure the tension is appropriate for the conditions. Based on the hand pull, you might set the drag a tad on the light side since the friction through the guides and off the rod and across the water will increase the resistance. So, too, will the narrower spool diameter following a manly cast. Frankly, the star drag system on the typical casting reel is not all that great, at least compared to the internal drags on quality fly reels and open-faced spinning reels. This is because the latter two have much larger surfaces on which to seat the disks. Some are sealed and water-tight. The smaller drag system stacked on the handle of a casting reel often is a bit balky, slow to start and prone to stutter. This especially is true if the reel has seen considerable use, or if excessive pressure was put on the line, say, pulling or yanking against a snag. This strain can cause the line on the spool to bite into itself. If the jam occurs out at the end of a long cast, you might not notice it until a big fish tries to take line. The operative word here is “tries.” It takes just a moment to give a test pull at the start of each trip and every so often on the water. This is another one of the many little things that can—well, it’s the same old song.

Email Joe Doggett at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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7/8/15 11:10 AM

PIKE on the Edge by DOUG PIKE :: TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

ITHIN PHYSICAL LIMItations, wild animals go wherever they please whenever they please. I’m routinely tickled by people who are vocally shocked and awed when something they never dreamed could be, when it turns up where it does. In early July, as a recent example, a Texas teenager used his cell phone to snap a picture of a bobcat. The cat happened to be in the young man’s suburban backyard at the time. He sent the photo to his mother, who immediately called the authorities. What she expected them to do, exactly, I’m not sure. What they did, according to a news story that week, was arrive about 30 minutes after the cat jogged through the yard. I’m surprised they showed up at all. My reaction, one reason I don’t work for animal control, would have been a recommendation to call back if the cat returned. In reality, there’s not much anyone with a badge or net or tranquilizer dart could have done unless that cat had stopped for a nap. Odds of it being anywhere near that backyard were slim even three minutes after the photo. A ready-toroll S.W.A.T. team couldn’t have arrived quickly enough to change the outcome. The cat kept going. Given the opportunity in most backyards, so will a snake or a skunk, an armadillo or an opossum. They don’t want to interact with us any more than we want to deal with them. The animals are not to blame. We started it. We built homes where they lived, not the reverse. And I’m OK with suburban development, at least to a point. I live out there. (Sometimes, though, when I see what’s happened to the prairie and wooded areas around Houston, I’m a bit saddened.) I made that choice long ago, and I embrace the commute. And welcome to anyone who wants to join us. What bugs me, however, are people

“ If you live in the burbs and don’t like wildlife, ﬁnd a place closer to the city.

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who say they want to be closer to nature and then think they get to dictate how, when and where nature gets close to them. Two major rain events around Houston in early summer forced me to deal with one of Texas’s nastier animals— Norway rats. Big, disease-carrying Norway rats. I knew something had gotten into the attic, but I didn’t know what. My uneducated first guess was mice, or maybe a squirrel. An exterminator and friend, Randy LaCount, assured me it was Norway rats displaced from Oyster Creek’s brushy banks by rising water. Through June, LaCount got daily calls about those rats.

I understood why they were there, but I couldn’t wait around hoping they’d leave on their own when the water receded. And if those rats were a “couple,” I might wind up with more than just the pair. Four traps were baited with cheap cheddar and set. Two worked, and there has been no more pitter-patter overhead by day or night. I trapped the Norway rats because they posed a health risk. Had they been king snakes in the backyard, or even a bobcat, I likely would have done nothing except tell and retell the story. A king snake, like that Garland bobcat, almost certainly would have been moving randomly through my yard headed for someplace that offered more food, better shelter and a lot less water than a swollen, fast-flowing creek. Even venomous snakes get regular passes from me, at least from execution. Instead, more T E X A S

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than once in the past, I’ve opted to put them in ice chests and relocate them to natural habitat. I rescued a cottonmouth from the neighbor’s rake years ago and relocated a little, lost copperhead from the backyard shortly after we moved into the house. My backyard isn’t terribly big. Games of catch with my son were moved to open parks before he was five, so we didn’t spend more time retrieving balls from neighbors’ yards than tossing them to each other. If I were in a lawn chair on the patio, I’m pretty sure I’d rather see a bobcat or snake inside that fence, than a coyote. At least the cat could escape over the fence and the snake, underneath it. The “song dog,” as some animal activists call them, might get a little feisty if it forgot how it found its way into the yard in the first place. And better any of them in daylight than the encounter I had on the front porch once. I was a smoker when we bought the house but didn’t want it to smell like cigarettes. Just before bed, I’d take off my glasses, step onto that front porch and have a smoke. One night, I looked down after a puff and saw in the shrubs, through near-sighted eyes, what I thought was the neighbor’s black cat just a couple of feet away. “Hey, kitty,” I said, stooping to give it a little pat on the head. It stepped toward me, into better light. And I could see the white stripe down its back. That could have turned out much worse than it did. I stood, slowly, and the skunk waddled off. After that night, until I quit for good, I did my smoking in the middle of the driveway. I never saw the skunk again, but there were a couple of nights when it let the neighbors and me know it was still upwind somewhere. If you live in the burbs and don’t like wildlife, find a place closer to the city. There’s still a surprising amount of wildlife there if you look for it, but the animals are way better at going undetected.

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Email Doug Pike at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com |

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7/8/15 11:21 AM

NUGENT in the Wild by TED NUGENT :: TF&G Editor-at-Large

Nature Stimuli As Recruitment Bait

HUNTED HARD NONSTOP, searching far and wide for a soulmate, a wife, my very own Queen of the Forest, and when I finally tracked her down (I won’t dare say I “bagged” her!) there was no way I was going to lose her. As a lifelong, gung-ho reasoning predator, I knew for this ultimate trophy that I had to improvise, adapt and overcome like never before. I pulled out all the stops. My amazing wife of 26 razzle dazzle, heart throttling years and best hunting buddy Shemane had never fired a gun, gone hunting, ate venison, scaled, fileted or gutted a fish, or had ever heard of the perfection of our sustain yield game management successes before she ran into me. Hell, she had never heard the ultimate lovesong Wango Tango either, but the stunning, spunky lass was fearless, (obviously) and was oh so ready to rock, learn, upgrade and pursue adventure with her new hubby, the always charming WhackMaster. She had no idea at the time that I was a hopelessly addicted deerhunter, and at first could not quite grasp the dynamo of my nonstop daily hunting obsession, day in and day out six to seven months a year. Did I mention daily, as in every day? I gently invited her to join me in the deerblinds and treestands when the weather was pleasant enough, but never pushed hard. I knew instinctively that this brilliant young lady would fall in love with the healing powers of nature that is the essence of the hunting lifestyle. She just needed to be baptized gently and assuredly. She immediately discovered that once the old MotorCity Madman put down his frightening flamethrowing guitar, took a hot shower and shut up, I wasn’t all that hard to be around, especially during The Season. I made it a point to break her in gently to all 14 |

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the things in life that provide me so much quality of life. A quiet .22 rifle and revolver with CB caps, a super smooth lightweight bow at closerange, and easy going fun strolls in the woods identifying all the spellbinding nature magic that so turns me on. She reveled in my nightly passionate, excitable stories of close encounters with big and small game, songbirds, hoot owls, breathtaking skies, and the nightly symphony of waterfowl overhead. At one point a year or so into our marriage, she commented how surprised she was at my joyful, wild eyed hunting stories each night even though I rarely killed anything. She had presumed, spurred on by the anti-hunting media orgy all around, that hunting was all about killing. That I could name every songbird, bird of prey, waterfowl species, flora and fauna made her realize pretty quick that my gung-ho hunting lifestyle was really all about participating in harmony with nature as a conscientious steward and conservationist. Whoa Nelly and stop the presses!! You mean to tell me that the deadly WhackMaster was not all about killing everything that moves? Surely you jest. (And I will quit calling you Shirley) With all this constant flow of positive spirit, love and respect for all living things from me clearly having an impact on her, she further lit up my life one October day and asked if she could sit in a treestand and try to arrow a deer. Oh Lord have mercy and pass the marriage made in heaven baby! Suffice it to say, that the jury is not still out on the best procedure to baptize and introduce a new hunter to our beloved lifestyle. Never push hard, share the passion constantly and always welcome and introduce gently. Before sharing the fine art of anatomical shot

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Shemane Nugent, Queen of the Forest.

placement and the sharp edge ballet of gutting the sacred beast, it is always best to take it slow and easy from a wildlife lover’s and resource steward’s perspective. Point out the stealth art of seeing critters before they see you. Name every critter and its essential habitat and habits. Share the names of all those songbirds that share our daily outings with us. Go into detail on how the four seasons work, and why Thanksgiving is in November as we approach the wrap-up of the natural season of God’s annual bountiful harvest. Explain what would happen to the herds during winter if we fail to reduce them to responsible balance with the carrying capacity. I have never failed to lure anyone to at least examine this greatest of sports from a factual and scientific hands-on reality. Visit my Facebook at any given time and you will witness millions and millions of people (8million as I write this) who get it, share it, believe it and live it, many of whom came to our deerhunting campfire because of a shared love of high energy American rock-n-roll, the relentless celebration of truth, logic, commonsense and reality and the inescapable believability of our Spirit of the Wild TV show. In a world gone mad on the big lie of political correctness, each and every one of us must do all we can to educate, enthuse and hopefully recruit as many new sporters as we possibly can. Easy does it, steady as she goes. Our soulmates await the spirit!

Email Ted Nugent at TNugent@ﬁshgame.com

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7/8/15 11:20 AM

TF&G COMMENTARY by KENDAL HEMPHILL :: TF&G Political Editor

Should Christians Own Guns?

OST OF US REALIZE that, to avoid arguments, it’s best to steer clear of two subjects: politics and religion. Lately, because of the huge debate over gun control, a third topic guaranteed to elicit heated words in many settings is the issue of gun ownership. Ask ten people what they think of gun control and you’re liable to get a dozen or more opinions. Mix any two of these subjects, in certain venues, and you could probably sell tickets to the ensuing brouhaha. A recent ABC News poll revealed that 83 percent of Americans, when asked, “What is your religion, if any?” named one that was recognized as a Christian religion. According to Texas Almanac, at least 56 percent of Texans claim to be Christians. Texas ranks number fourteen on a list of most Christian states, and Houston is the ninth most Christian city in America. Dallas edged Houston slightly at number eight, and San Antonio came in twelfth. This column is not an attempt to irritate or inflame, but since the majority of Texans identify themselves as Christians, it seems logical to address the question of whether Christians should be gun owners. It’s been said there are two sides to every story, but ethic, moral, and religious issues are often more complicated than that. While the question of gun ownership for Christians sounds like a ‘yes or no’ query, many see it as a gray area. To be clear, the question is not whether the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to gun ownership for individuals. The

Supreme Court has ruled that it does. The question is one of Christian ethics, and it would seem to be relevant to everyone who claims to adhere to the Christian faith and also supports gun rights. Some argue that government allowance of an action for its citizens does not authorize the same action for Christians. This is a valid argument with which most Christians would agree. Many states allow other acts viewed by most Christians as contrary to their faith, such as abortion. Government authorization does not necessarily agree with the Bible. The counter argument is that our government is not God, and the Constitution is not the Christian creed. Christians answer to a higher power than the president, although Romans chapter 13, among others, requires obedience to the law of the land, as long as it doesn’t contradict God’s rules. So the issue of gun ownership for Christians hinges on what the Bible says about it, not the government. But instead of clearing up the issue, that fact seems to complicate it even more, because opinions vary widely as to whether Christians should be armed. Some claim the ‘Golden Rule,’ from Matthew 7:12, means Christians should not hurt anyone, because they would not want anyone to hurt them. If we do unto others as we would have them do unto us, shooting someone seems a poor choice of action. There is also the admonition from Jesus, earlier in the same section, to ‘turn the other cheek’ when confronted with evil. Of course, if a woman encounters a rape in progress, her choices would be to ignore the crime or try to stop it. By ignoring it she would be treating the rapist(s) as she would want to be treated in that situation. By stopping it she would be treating the victim as she would want to be treated. And the only way for her to stop such an event, especially if there were multiple attackers, would be if she were armed herself. So the question is prickly, but there seems T E X A S

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to be a mandate to help others throughout the Bible. Some, then, believe having a gun would facilitate service to God through helping the helpless, or victims, we may encounter. But what about self-defense? When Jesus was arrested before his crucifixion, the apostle Peter drew his sword and cut off a man’s ear. Many argue that, because Jesus told Peter to put his sword away, we should not defend ourselves. Of course, Jesus had spent the previous three years with Peter. It seems unlikely that the sword had gone unnoticed all that time. And Jesus didn’t tell Peter to throw the sword away, He told him to put it away. Indeed, in Luke 22, while sending out His disciples, Jesus commanded them to buy swords. Some claim this is figurative speech, others that Jesus meant what He said. If Jesus meant it literally, it would seem that He intended His followers to defend themselves. The bottom line is that there isn’t really a bottom line, and even those who advocate gun ownership for Christians agree that it should be a personal choice. Believers are commanded to protect the weak, but the Bible doesn’t explain exactly how they are to do that. To non-Christians, the question may seem like shadowboxing, but to the majority of citizens, the issue of gun ownership is not just political, but religious. The only predictable factor in the debate is the fact that those who advocate gun ownership for Christians hold that everyone should decide for themselves. Those opposed insist that no Christian should own firearms. Both sides agree, however, that whatever you decide, you will one day have to answer for your choice. Make it carefully.

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Email Kendal Hemphill at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com |

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7/8/15 11:09 AM

A Lifetime of Invading Nature’s Personal Space •

by Joe Doggett

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tests ar be n ow br an sk la A y p Grum tt works ge og D ty af cr a as d in w the Game on his Junior Woodchuck Stalker merit badge.

ECKLED P S R O F F HE SUR T G N I t-deep D is a A w W in E g R in E ﬂ f W ND I were shu A e E W K n tide I . e P t e r r g o G p U e A e r . t F DO u g r a e deeper Beach ne h t a n o a t t in in u g Q in t s t ca heeling. d w n a e r trout a e r a w b d s n ll a s u g nd bold a he second t g g in n rod. r e lo g a t t in a r t c e s s t a a c e r w e is h w mullet ed with t r e in g o n p ﬁ e , g ik in P n n il ‘gator unt e , h ll was ru e T w . y a — w d a o s o oking g 10 yard lo t s u a o b w a g t in u h g t y e Ever ing in th t if r d ppeared. s a a is w d r ly o t w a lo ig s ll a nout and s s A six-foot u o lb u b y r r a hoa ts udied us ove T E X A S

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to Crocodiles are reported be more aggressive thang alligators, as this feedin frenzy in a Costa Rican river suggests.

can be ey th t bu zy la rs ea p ap e Sunning crocodil provoked. n he w s u ro ge an d d an extremely fast

We each were towing trout. We looked at each other and started backing up, but the alligator did not reappear. Perhaps not coincidentally, the trout bite stopped. The incident occurred during early June, about a week after the record-setting May floods swept across southeast Texas. The alligator most likely was flushed down the Brazos River drainage and dumped into the Gulf. AN ALLIGATOR IN THE OPEN surf is a rarity, but I once was chased by a saltwater crocodile. I was wading with a guide off the south coast of Cuba. This was back in 1978; it was my first fly-fishing trip for bonefish. I didn’t know what to expect and was shocked when the Cuban guide pointed to the mangrove shoreline. “Señor, cocodrillo!” The Spanish word for bonefish is “macabi,” not “cocodrillo.” I knew that much. There, about 100 feet away, a crocodile lounged on the sand. The reptile was boldly marked in green, yellow and black. It looked about seven or eight feet in length, not big by crocodile standards but substantial enough to get your attention when you are armed with nothing but a hollow, fiberglass fly rod. The crocodile was motionless. It had a thick body and a thin snout with a profusion of snaggled teeth. It stared, not giving ground and in no mood to be trifled with. Naturally, I decided to trifle. I waded closer in the shin-deep water and worked out a snazzy double haul. I shot the line and the tiny bonefish fly landed in front of the sullen reptile. 18 |

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Mercy! Experts claim that crocodiles are more irritable and aggressive than alligators, and I must concur. This observation is correct. The crocodile raised up and rushed straight at me. I wheeled and ran, high-stepping across the shallows. The sand bottom was hard and I gained good purchase. Trust me, you don’t know what kind of licks you are capable of until a crocodile is closing the gap in your wake. After 15 or 20 yards, the crocodile peeled off with a curling splash of tail and returned to the mangroves. Raphael, the Cuban guide, is probably still laughing. I’ve seen crocodiles in various tropical countries; but, knowingly, have been in the water with only one other. This was in Costa Rica about 20 years ago at a surfing beach, Boca Barranca. Well-formed waves break off the mouth (“Boca”) of the Rio Barranca. You paddle out through the channel to reach the lineup. It’s a spooky exercise, with the cool river current mixing with the bathtub-warm Pacific amid the rows of breaking waves. And, occasionally, the river is swollen and muddy from upcountry rains, carrying limbs and logs and displaced tropical fauna into the surf break. I was out on a fun day when a nearby surfer started yelling about a “cocodrillo grande!” The kid pointed and I saw the low snout and a weaving tail motion about 50 yards inshore of us. An older guy, a local tico named Otter, straddled a long, yellow board. He was lean and dark, a hardcore surfer.

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“Get out of here!” Otter said. “I got tangled up with one, years ago.” Otter and I each caught a wave, riding smartly into the cove and out of the croc zone. A pack of 15 or 20 surfers remained in the lineup. I watched them from the sand. I was beginning to think the whole crocodile issue was a ruse to thin the crowd of gullible gringos when I saw Otter pacing up the beach. He walked with a slight limp. His left thigh, knee and calf were creased and puckered from terrible scars. He nodded at the bobbling surfers sitting and waiting beyond the river mouth. “They are fools,” he said. “You don’t ever want to screw with a crocodile.” If you did want to screw with a crocodile, a river only a few miles south of the Rio Barranca would be an excellent place to start. The brown water literally crawls with them. I guess technically they are caimans; but, by any name, they are lurking and sunning by the dozens within sight of a coastal highway bridge. Many are in the six- to eight-foot class, with the occasional 10- or 12-footer showing. Once, while peering from the bridge walkway, I eyeballed a massive giant that surely started at 16 feet. It was the apex predator. It was huge, with a massive head, grotesque bulging neck, and awesome ancient girth. It could have eaten the runner-up in the nearest Big Boy competition. I had no freaking idea they attained such size. The thought of that Jurassic creature thriving only scant miles from the popular surf spot PHOTOS: JOE DOGGETT

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unters are Unexpected wildlife enco on and trout common on Alaskan salm, but streams during summerown most bears mind their business. The Psycho-Bitch expresses her opinion (note urine stream) of visiting anglers on her gravel bar. —well, maybe Boca Barranca isn’t that great of a wave. (I must confess I know of no recent croc attacks in Costa Rica, but I wouldn’t want to bet many colones on swimming under that bridge.) I HAVE MADE AT LEAST 30 fishing trips to Alaska. Spend that much time on the summer salmon rivers, and you will bounce off a few brown bears. I’ve been close to at least a hundred. By “close” I mean inside 50 yards. They usually mind their own business, but occasionally one gets pushy. One season, a big sow known as “PsychoBitch” staked out a gravel bar on a great rainbow trout stream. When she decided it was her shift, her time to fish, she would waddle from the thick alders and herd any nearby anglers downstream. Fair enough, I suppose—unless maybe you were catching one big trout after another and didn’t want to relinquish the hole. Psycho-Bitch would start padding slowly toward you, rocking back and forth, all the while giving you a major dose of the stink eye. I was playing a grand rainbow as this scenario unfolded. “Doggett, break off and get out of there!” somebody yelled. I held ground and Psycho-Bitch advanced. She was maybe 20 yards away, absolutely enormous. Her watery eyes and drooling snout and heavy paws were right there. You could see flies buzzing around her bristling fur. Well, maybe the hooked trout wasn’t all that great. I pointed the rod and snapped off and

started backing downstream. Psycho-Bitch lumbered to the edge of the water and stared. I waded deeper. The current was pulling around my chest. My best chance was to reach the other side, a steep, brushy bank. Of course, the channel was undercut, but better a soaking than a mauling. I toed forward, bobbling and angling and shipping water over the clutched wader bib. Psycho-Bitch made her point and turned away, uninterested in my soggy flailing. I scrabbled at a branch and started to haul myself onto the blessed far bank. The green brush above me parted, and I was staring point-blank into the great moon face and cubby ears of another huge bear. I yelled and fell back into creek and floundered and kicked downstream before washing ashore around the corner from Psycho-Bitch’s gravel bar. At least I didn’t break my rod. Not all odd animal encounters are threatening. Some are just, well, odd. During one of my early Alaskan adventurers, we were tent camping on a remote stream. I waded solo up a side channel or “braid” and found an untapped trove of gorgeous trout. They were the so-called leopard rainbows with scarlet slashes and spots everywhere, even on the eyeballs. If the first few casts meant anything, none had ever seen an egg-sucking leech streamer. I followed the gentle creek, stepping along the grassy bank and spying one fish after another in the sparkling flow. Ahead, the stream widened into a fabulous 100-yard T E X A S

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run below a big beaver dam. The sodden mound of logs, limbs and branches was constructed against the far bank. As I approached, the resident beaver popped to the surface. Well, hello there, I thought. The XXL rodent floated, affixing me with dark beady eyes, yellow buck teeth, and long suspicious whiskers. Then it slapped the water with its flat tail. The sound carried across the hushed creek like a .300 Weatherby Magnum. I jumped and the visible trout vanished. I cursed and walked farther downstream to reach new water. The hateful beaver kept pace, drifting like a chubby, hairy mat and cracking the tail about every 25 yards. I did not catch another fish from that braid. I felt like a reluctant participant in some old Indian fable: Brother Beaver slapped the silver water to warn Brother Trout of the approach of the Evil Fisherman. These are a few of the many oddball animal interactions I have experienced. I could tell you about the bullfrog that ate my dove or the seal that grabbed my salmon or the owl that made a pass at my fur hat—while I was wearing it. If you’ve spent much time outdoors, you surely have a few unusual animal encounters—probably more than a few. Worth note and regardless of result, these wild creatures have every right to be there.

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7/9/15 10:31 AM

The Lost Art of Honor on the Water

HEN IT comes to fishing, nothing chafes my line like the disrespectful jerk who sees you catch one or two fish and then attempts to hedge in on the sweet spot as if you aren’t even there. Or the guy who watches with binoculars from a distance and waits patiently, then slips in and claims your spot as his own the moment you move on. For lack of a better term, let’s just call these bait-slinging misfits “potlickers” and leave it at that. They say a fool is born every day. But judging from the countless war stories I’ve heard over the years, it seems as though potlickers are born a whole lot more often than that. 20 |

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...and on the Ramp | story by Matt Williams

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Although hole jumpers have likely been around since the dawn of fishing, the practice has become especially troublesome on public waters since the advent of GPS and sideimaging technologies. Nowadays, with a few clicks of a button, someone with a good working knowledge of modern electronics can idle past your boat from a considerable distance, check out your fishing spot and pop a waypoint on it in matter of seconds. Voila—the secret spot you spent countless hours looking for, or the brush pile you worked so hard to position, isn’t such a secret anymore. Make no mistake about it. It’s not against state law to be a potlicker, but it is serious violation of an unwritten code of ethics that seasoned fishing crowds know to abide by. Translation: There are some things you just don’t do when you are on the water fishing. Knowingly moving in on another angler’s fishing spot uninvited ranks high on the list. “It’s gotten pretty bad out there, especially on Sam Rayburn,” says Jonathan Garrie of Nacogdoches. “It’s amazing how many people are so inconsiderate nowadays. You can be sitting in the middle of nowhere, and they’ll pull up right next to you and start fishing. Or you can be fishing down a bank and some guy will pull in 50 yards ahead of you to cut you off. I don’t think some of them are purposely trying to be rude. I think a lot of them just don’t know any better.” But some of them do, as illustrated by a horror story told by Garrie. Garrie is a former weekend tournament angler who enjoyed a considerable amount of success on his home lake between 2011 and 2013. During 2011 alone, he and his fishing partners won nearly a dozen team derbies on Rayburn. During that time, Garrie pocketed around $70,000, targeting sweet spots he had spent dozens of hours locating far from shore. Garrie and his fishing partner, Casey Sobzak of Houston, were competing in a championship event in 2011 when they noticed they were being tailed by another boat. “I purposely made a detour just to see if he would follow us and he did,” Garrie said. “I stopped and moved a couple of more times and he followed us everywhere we went.” Frustrated, Garrie motored toward the boat and confronted the driver, who had has face covered with a buff he refused to remove. Garrie said the man claimed he was some sort of a federal investigator and admitted he was following them in an attempt to learn their fishing spots. 22 |

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“I told the guy we had worked hard find our fishing spots and that I didn’t appreciate him following us around—that it was very disrespectful,” Garrie said. “He basically told us he didn’t care what we thought.” Garrie eventually contacted a state game warden, who met him at the Caney Creek boat ramp. The warden boarded the boat and Garrie took him to the mouth of the cove where the other boat was waiting. “The warden told him what he was doing was harassment and that if he didn’t stop we were going to file charges on him,” Garrie said. “The warden also told him he could be charged for impersonating somebody he wasn’t. At that point the guy just sat there and cowered. He said he didn’t understand why we were mad—that he was just trying to learn. But he knew exactly what he was doing.” Lake Fork fishing guide Gary Paris knows all too well how it feels to have an angler hedge in on a fishing hole uninvited. A few years ago Paris and a client were set up on a creek bend catching bass after bass. A boat passed nearby, and the driver witnessed the action. The sight was obviously more than he could stand. “This guy moved in a boat length away and started videoing what we were doing,” Paris said. “I couldn’t believe it at first, but that’s just the way people are. It happens pretty often. If they don’t move in on you when they see you catch one, they’ll probably be there on your spot the next day.” I’ve spoken to numerous other guides and tournament pros with similar stories to tell. A few years back, veteran Toledo Bend guide and tournament pro Tommy Martin was competing in a pro/am event on his home lake when he took his draw partner to one of his offshore sweet spots, where they caught a few fish. The following year, the amateur joined the boater division and helped himself to the very spot Martin showed him the previous spring. “He just smiled waved at me when I idled by,” Martin said. That’s just sorry, plain and simple. But it probably happens way more than it should. Potlicker bass fishermen like those just described aren’t the only ones who need to clean up their acts out there. Other types of anglers and pleasure boaters alike can go a long way toward making fun in the sun more pleasurable for everyone by exercising a little courtesy on the water.

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Here are some good examples: • Don’t Pitch Plastics or Line: Used or torn soft plastics should be retained and disposed of properly once you get to shore, not tossed overboard. Bass and other game fish are prone to pick up discarded plastics and swallow them. This can result in blockage and digestive problems. Do the same with fishing line you remove from your reel. Discarded fishing line can take years to deteriorate, and it can cause serious outboard problems by causing lower unit seals to wear prematurely should it get wrapped around the prop. • Keep Boat Lanes Clear: Boat lanes can be great places to wet a hook, especially when the fish are schooling. But you should always be prepared to clear the way for approaching boat traffic. • Boat Ramp Sense: If you don’t know how to back a trailer, don’t wait for a busy holiday weekend to learn at a public boat ramp. The best place to learn to back a trailer is in a vacant parking lot. That way you won’t be in the way. Also, be sure to remove all tie down straps, boat covers, and transom savers, etc…. and have the boat fully loaded and ready to roll BEFORE you back down the ramp. The quicker the boat is unloaded and the tow vehicle is cleared from the ramp, the faster other boaters can do the same. • Trotline Removal: Way too often trotliners run off and leave their passive fishing devices in the water rather than gathering them up before they leave. Not only will this leave a lake looking trashy when the water levels drops, but it also could pose some safety hazards and other problems for other boaters and anglers should their props or lures get caught in the lines and hooks. • Gas Tips: If you pull in to refuel at a lakeside marina, get in and get out as quickly as possible and don’t leave the boat blocking the pump while you run in to buy drinks or snacks. That way other boaters can tend to their business in a timely fashion. Being courteous to others on the water doesn’t take a much effort, but it does require some manners. If you don’t have any water manners, it would be wise to learn some. Otherwise, it is only a matter of time before someone gives you an embarrassing tongue lashing…. or worse.

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7/9/15 10:42 AM

Texas FRESHWATER by MATT WILLIAMS :: TF&G Freshwater Editor

The Line on Fishing Line

WELL-SCHOOLED ANGLER probably won’t get much of an education here, but a beginner is sure to learn a little something. The topic for discussion is fishing line and a few things to consider in shopping for a string that will best suit your needs. For starters, remember that not all fishing lines are created equal. The three most popular types are monofilament, fluorocarbon and braid. All three have a place in freshwater fishing arenas, but some are used more frequently than others. Here’s a look at three most popular types of fishing line:

Monoﬁlament THIS IS THE LINE many of us grew up with. It remains a mainstay in the arsenals of many anglers, largely because it can be used for a wide variety of applications and techniques. It also is fairly manageable and is the least expensive line for manufacturers to make, which translates to a good price point at the checkout line. One of the main differences between monofilaments and the other two line types is it has the tendency to stretch under pressure. This can cause some problems with hook penetration on a long cast where there is significant amount of line between you and the fish. However, it can be positive when throwing lipless or billed crankbaits because it gives the fish a little more time to inhale the bait. Monofilaments are generally larger in diameter and lack in sensitivity in comparison to other line types. This may

result in reduced castability in heavier line tests and make it more difficult to detect light biting fish. Another major difference between monofilament and fluorocarbon is it floats. This makes it the hands-down favorite for many pro anglers like Jim Tutt of Longview when throwing hard body topwater baits like a Pop-R, Zara Spook or a Lucky Craft Sammy. “Fluorocarbon will hamper the action of any topwater bait, mainly because it sinks,” Tutt said. “I use mono 100 percent of the time on my topwater baits, but that’s about the only thing I use it for anymore.”

Fluorocarbon FLUOROCARBON LINE HAS BEEN on the market for quite a while and during the last decade has become a huge favorite among bass junkies for most chunk and wind applications. Though it closely resembles monofilament, the similarities are only skin deep. Because of the way it’s manufactured, fluorocarbon line is much less visible beneath the surface, making it more difficult for the fish to see in clear water. Some anglers also contend that it resists abrasion better than mono, which equates to improved durability around heavy cover. Two other key attributes are that fluorocarbon does not stretch and the line diameter is smaller than monofilament of equal size. This translates to much better sensitivity and better hook penetration on the hookset while maximizing casting performance with larger diameter lines. Something you need to always remember about fluorocarbon is that it sinks and is much less manageable than monofilament or braid. This makes it a terrible choice when throwing in combination with surface lures. It’s a potential troublemaker on spinning reels because of its tendency to twist and kink. Another factor is expense. You can T E X A S

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expect to about twice as much or more for a filler spool of fluorocarbon over monofilament, but most serious anglers justify the cost by the improved sensitivity and overall performance. “Gamma fluorocarbon is about all I use anymore, unless I’m throwing a topwater or flipping in really thick cover,” Tutt said.

Braid BRAIDED FISHING LINE MADE its bass fishing debut way back in 1993 when Onalaska bass pro Randy Dearman used a super line called “Lynch Line” to win the Bassmaster Central Invitational held on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. He did it by flipping heavy jigs and plastics tight to ‘Rayburn’s dense willow bushes and buck brush, then relying on the heavy duty line to winch the fish out of the thick cover without the worry of breaking off. Numerous improvements have since been made to make “super lines” smaller in diameter and stronger and more manageable than ever before, making it a staple in both light and heavy tackle arenas. “I use it anytime I’ve got a flipping stick in my hands, when I’m throwing a frog around thick vegetation or when I fishing with spinning gear,” Tutt said. “It’s super sensitive and super strong with zero stretch, so you can turn big fish quickly and horse them out of thick cover. Plus, the smaller diameter lines in 12- to 15-pound test are great to use with spinning reels because they have no memory and don’t twist like fluorocarbon and monofilment will.” Another distinctive characteristic of braid is it has a tendency to cut or saw through lily pad or hydrilla like a knife, further increasing the chances of landing a fish out of thick vegetation.

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Email Matt Williams at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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7/8/15 11:14 AM

TEXAS Dept. of DEFENSE by STEVE LAMASCUS & DUSTIN ELLERMANN

Self Defense Tactical :: Concealed Carry

Pocket Pistols

HE TITLE OF THIS PIECE IS Pocket Pistols. However, that’s just the standard name for these small weapons. I do not, ever, recommend carrying a handgun in a pocket. Just too many things can go wrong. Besides, a lot of really good concealment holsters are available on the market today. Now on to the story. Over the century and a half since Wyatt Earp carried a Colt Peacemaker in his pants pocket on his way to the OK corral, the definition of pocket pistol has been refined a great deal. In 1903 Colt introduced their 1903 hammerless semi-auto pocket pistol in .32 ACP. It is a slim little gun that is a great con-

Laser Defense LASER AIMING DEVICES FOR FIREarms have been around for a while. In fact the first ones appeared in the late 1970s and were as large as a four D-cell Maglite and required an external battery. However since then they have decreased in size and increased in quality. Crimson Trace is one of the top tier laser sight manufacturers and lately I’ve enjoyed using that company’s 1911 model on my favorite Ruger 22/45. If you look for the model 22/45 laser grip you won’t find it. However the Ruger 22/45 is designed to take 1911 grip panels, so with a little modification 24 |

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cealed carry weapon, but it does not really fit into the pocket pistol category. On the other hand, Colt had a gun they called the 1908 Vest Pocket Pistol in .25 ACP that was a true pocket pistol. Both Browning and Colt sold versions of the Vest Pocket Pistol. It is small to the point that it is difficult for me to shoot. The little auto almost gets lost in my big mitts. As its name would suggest, I recently saw a gentleman carrying one of these little beauties in the pocket of a leather vest. Also in 1908, Colt introduced their Model 1908 in .380 ACP. It was for all practical purposes identical to the 1903 .32 except that it was offered in the more powerful .380 ACP. The .380 1908 was and is still a viable option for a concealed carry weapon. It was carried by cops, gangsters, and U.S. Army officers. Even General Patton

around the safety selector switch they installed just fine. The model I installed activates instinctively with a pressure pad that lies beneath your middle finger, and it also includes a master switch that you can deactivate to store the pistol. Shooting with a laser sight doesn’t replace training with iron sights because in bright daylight the beam will be difficult to see, and electronics aren’t always 100 percent reliable. However there are several advantages to having one on your defensive pistol as well as your training and plinking sidearm. Defensively, laser grips such as the Crimson Trace models give a tactical

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carried one on occasion. If you watch closely you will see it in the movie Patton. When the general (George C. Scott) and his staff were attacked by German airplanes in North Africa, he jumped out the window and shots back at them. The pistol he was using was a Colt Model 1903/1908. I have a Model 1908 in .380 that was given to me by my friend, Jay Bute. I seldom carry it, but when I do, I carry it in a pancake holster, not my pocket. By the way, Browning just introduced a modern version of the 1908 .380. If you are looking for a .380 for concealed carry, this is one you should consider. The first Smith & Wesson handguns were pocket pistols chambered for the .22

Crimson Trace grips have an extremely low proﬁle. The batteries reside under the grip panels and you are only left with a tiny bulge (top) and the Laserguard allows universal mounting on pistol dustcovers and rails (bottom).

advantage. First there is the single plane focus advantage. Under stress you will naturally focus on the attacker, if that attacker has a glowing red dot in the

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TEXAS Dept. of DEFENSE Short. And yes, the .22 Short was intended to be a self-defense round. Smith & Wesson revolvers have long been considered among the best concealed carry guns available. My mother had a Smith & Wesson Hand Ejector in .32 S&W Long that I now have. It rode in her purse and lay by her bed for more than 40 years. Although it is beginning to show its age it is still a classy little handgun, but it is best carried in a holster as it is too large and heavy to carry comfortably in a pocket. Also, the .32 S&W Long cartridge is very underpowered for serious self-defense purposes. In the early 1970s North American Arms came onto the scene with their tiny single-action revolver in .22 Short. This was a gun that was small enough for pocket carry. My old friend, the late Bill Waldrop, a Texas Game Warden, carried one of these in his pocket like a pocket knife. He knew it was terribly underpowered, but said that if things ever got to the point where he needed the little gun it was bound to be better than his teeth and fingernails. He was right. Since then NAA has

introduced a number of variations on the theme, including one or two that are chambered in the powerful .22 WMR. The .22 Magnum hollow point is beginning to edge up into the serious self-defense category and is certainly better for the job than the .25 ACP or .22 Short. Today there are a large number of true pocket pistols on the market. Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Taurus, Kel-Tec, and others make small, easily carried semi-autos. Many companies are making revolvers with lightweight alloy or even polymer frames. These guns, both revolvers and semiautos, are made in calibers that are lightyears ahead of the .22 Short and .25 ACP. With modern +P hollow point ammunition, the .380 ACP and .38 Special are both powerful enough to be serious self-defense cartridges. Carrying a pistol in a pants pocket is not the best way to go for most of us. It is difficult to carry a gun in your pocket without the gun imprinting and being obvious to everyone. However, loosely fitted pants makes it possible. I have a buddy, a former Border Patrol Agent, who carries a Kahr PM 40 in his

pants pocket all the time. He is, however, six and a half feet tall and large enough that the gun is not obvious in his pocket. If you do carry a handgun in your pocket, and again, I do not think it is a good idea, do not carry anything else in there with it. A car key or a pocketknife could easily slip into the trigger guard and cause an accidental discharge. If you feel that a pocket pistol is the way to go, make sure you have one of sufficient power to get the job done. Something like the little NAA in .22 Short that my friend Waldrop carried is not a good choice. It is a last ditch weapon that should only be carried as a backup to a larger weapon. Bill carried an S&W Model 29 .44 Magnum as his primary handgun. Neither is a .25 auto a wise choice. Something like the little Ruger LCP .380 is okay, better is the Kimber Solo in the more powerful 9mm Luger. But, like Waldrop used to say, “Any gun is better than your teeth and fingernails.”

middle of his chest then you won’t have to worry about adjusting your vision to a set of dark iron sights. It also helps criminals make an informed decision about their life choices. I’ve heard a few stories from law enforcement officers that the red dot can assist in improving criminals’ critical thinking skills and motivate them to make informed decisions before they bleed out on the ground. There is also the unconventional firing position advantage. When your firearm projects the aiming point the shooter isn’t locked into looking down the firearm. Single shots can just as easily be fired from the hip or from behind cover without exposing yourself. Finally there is the low light advantage. Where iron sights might not be visible, a laser will be. On the range, I’ve found the laser to be helpful at our Youth Marksmanship

Camps by being able to use it in tandem with a red dot sight. When zeroed for the same distance, the shooter only sees one dot. However if they are having difficulty finding the aiming point, or aligning it with the target I’m able to see their laser and help them make corrections. It also allows instructors to diagnose the problem if the shooter isn’t properly pressing the trigger or applying other fundamentals. Finally, in my own recent experience I’ve been able to use my Ruger 22/45 in hunting varmints on my property. You will need to keep in mind point of impact offset for different distances the same as you would any other aiming system. For large animal or bad guy defense, an inch or two offset probably won’t matter. But when a pistol is zeroed at 25 yards, shooting point blank at a snake’s head will result in a miss. With a few quick reference shots into

cardboard on the ground it was easy to find my offset was ½ inch to the left and one inch high. So when I’m out at night eliminating small, dangerous critters, I just keep that in mind and don’t have to worry about sights, lights or anything else. I can’t point out a single disadvantage to adding lasergrips to your pistol as long as you don’t expect it to turn your pistol into a “laser guided bullet launcher” Although marksmanship fundamentals still apply, a laser sight just might be the next tool you decide to add to your defensive toolbox.

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—Steve LaMascus

—Dustin Ellermann

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7/9/15 11:12 AM

Bare Bones HUNTING by LOU MARULLO :: TF&G Hunting Editor

Preparation is the Key to Success

INALLY, THE WAIT IS ALMOST over. It is time. Time to make those final preparations. Time for the final ckecklist. It’s finally time to make sure that everything is ready to go and your equipment is in top working condition. When the moment of truth comes, you can put the odds in your favor to be successful this hunting season. Did you finish your scouting? I certainly hope so. It is too close to hunting season to be out there trampling around your hunting location and leaving your human scent everywhere. The woods needs to be free of any foreign odor. You should already know where the preferred food sources are, both in the open fields and those hidden in the middle of your lease. The recent wet weather that Texas has experienced has been horrible for some people, and I am sure the wildlife has also been affected and forced to make some changes in their daily habits. Has anything changed in your hunting grounds from last year? A fallen tree, a swollen river or just about anything else could change the habits of a whitetail. A whitetail is a very cautious animal, especially after the season has started. They are also creatures of habit and will generally stay in the same area year-round. However, Mother Nature has a way of messing things up and when that happens just before hunting season, it could be a real problem—one that you could do without! Most veteran hunters make sure their tree stands are still in place. Hopefully, the May flooding has spared the stands, but the only way you know for sure is to go and check them to make sure they are still safe to use. This trip should be in and out as quickly as

possible, paying close attention to where you are leaving your human scent Are you all sighted in? No matter how many times we talk about this, there are—believe it or not—still some hunters that never take the time to sight-in their firearm every season. Chances are that if any adjustment is needed at all, it will only need a slight fine tuning to hit your mark every time. Sighting-in is just a good habit to get into and a safe one as well. You want to be absolutely sure you know where that projectile is going because you are responsible for it until it finally stops. Depending on the rifle, that could be a very long way. The old safety message that we all should remember is “Know your target and what is beyond.” If you are shooting a bow this season, then a little fine-tuning should be part of your practice as well. If you have been shooting your arrows all summer long, it does not necessarily mean your shot will be true during bow season. Every broadhead company will claim their broadheads fly exactly like a field tip or practice head. Some may, many do not. It is imperative that you practice shooting arrows tipped with the broadhead you plan to hunt with. You might find your bow sight needs to be tweaked a little. I can tell you it’s like that for me anyway. Other archers I know swear they never have to adjust anything. They tell me that the broadheads they use (and it does not matter what type it is), will fly exactly like their field tips. Personally, I have not had that luxury. I always start practicing with broadheads about two weeks before the season begins. I find that I always—and I do mean always—have to move my sight up slightly to be accurate T E X A S

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with an arrow. It might be a question of human error when you shoot with broadheads. Whatever the reason, again, it is just a good practice to get into. You owe it to yourself and the animal you are pursuing. It becomes a question of ethics and answers the question of what would we do when no one can see. This is also the time of year when I make final preparations caring for my hunting clothes. I wash them in a scent-free soap, dry them outside and store them in a container with a sealed top and some earth scent wafers. Otherwise they are stored in a plastic bag that has been pre-filled with ground debris from the area where I plan to hunt. Remember to care for your boots as well. If you need a new pair and have not already purchased them at least a few months ago, then you would be better off going hunting in your tennis shoes. I have to laugh when I am in Academy the day before hunting season begins and all these “hunters” are buying boots to wear in the morning. To a whitetail, it will smell like the Goodyear tire factory opened up a new store in their tree stand. The boots need time to lose that new rubber scent, and that may take a while. Good preparation for any event would help with the success you are looking for. Great preparation that involves a little more of your time and effort, will pay off in the end. Your full freezer will be proof enough as to how important it really is! In any event, remember to have fun and hunt safe.

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Email Lou Marullo at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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7/8/15 11:18 AM

Preparing for a Public Deer Hunt by steve schaffer 28 |

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PHOTO: BIGSTOCK

7/7/15 5:06 PM

PUBLIC HUNTING IS HARD. LET’S NOT MINCE WORDS HERE. In comparison to sitting on an elevated box stand on a private lease overlooking a corn feeder with a game camera recording when deer come and go, public hunting can be downright difﬁcult. But that’s why they call it hunting, right? Success is not guaranteed and a challenge is inherent. Yes, hunting on public land can be hard but it can also be very rewarding and there are plenty of ways to make the opportunities you have lead to backstrap in the freezer and perhaps antlers hanging on the wall. In Texas, there is relatively little public deer hunting land in comparison to private property. Whereas public land is the rule in a state like Colorado, it is the exception here. You basically have three types of areas to hunt: draw/lottery hunts on state parks and federal wildlife refuges, national forest and state-controlled wildlife management areas. Let us look at the draw hunts first. These typically allow access to a specific area of a state park or refuge. In other words, you will get allotted an area to hunt in and cannot leave that zone. In some instances you will be brought to a certain spot and left. This severely limits your options but there are a couple of tricks that can help give you favor in the field. If you draw a permit, contact the park or refuge manager in advance and ask what general area will be open for hunting. Often it will only be a certain zone. Then go onto Google Earth and start mapping it out. Look for animal trails, water sources, and certain kinds of vegetation and print out copies of the different areas. Then when you go to the location to hunt, you can find out where you will be hunting, ask the manager which is on the map and you have advance intelligent of the area. Something else that is extremely important is learning rutting periods

for the specific area you will be hunting. The rut dates in Texas range from September on the coast to January in South Texas. Learn the rutting periods for the specific park or refuge you will be hunting. Again, a phone call to the manager can help answer these questions and let you know if you want to bring your grunt call and doe-in-heat scent or leave it at home. For national forest and wildlife management areas hunters typically have a few more options, especially in terms of flexibility of where to hunt. Google Earth is the standard bearer for looking at game trails, food sources and key topography. However, the first thing to consider is hunting pressure. Call the local game warden or area wildlife manager and simply ask them which areas of the region you want to hunt have the very least hunting pressure. That information alone will open up your greatest chances for success. Deer will go to great lengths to avoid hunting pressure so start with areas with the least pressure. This often means packing in for long hikes and perhaps carrying a deer back a long way. Hunting with a partner can be a big help but so can bringing a cart designed for a lone hunter packing their own deer out. Sometimes however the pressure might be light right off the main road. Areas with few refuge signs or that hunters simply ignore for whatever reason can lead to wonderful hunts. These are rare but they do exist. Communication with governing authorities is the key to locating them. Once you have located a specific area, locate the local deer’s favorite food items. Start with mast crops. If the deer tend to prefer pin oaks over white oaks

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or red oaks over walnuts, look for those sources and see if they are producing. Even on private land with feeders, deer will hit the mast crops first, so locating those areas with abundant nuts is as solid a strategy as a hunter can employ. It is also crucial to find the spots deer travel from bedding to feeding area and be careful not to trample through their lair. Pre-season scouting will give you an idea of the key thickets and travel corridors. It might be that hunting directly over an oak flat is not feasible or could spook the deer but there are good points to intercept them in transit. Leaving stands overnight is not an option on public lands in Texas, so you will need to bring portable ones which can actually be advantageous. It is crucial to learn the prevailing winds and set up your stands so the wind is your face and hopefully blowing away from the deer coming through. Yes, they have that annoying habit of coming in downwind anyway but any time you can avoid the nose, do your absolute best to make it happen. Be physically and mentally prepared to stay all day. Deer movements in lightly pressured areas of public land sometimes have them moving throughout the day so you might get that shot you want at 1 p.m. that others would never have had because they were back home taking a nap. Perseverance pays off on public land. Learning to hunting public land will make you a better hunter and can save you thousands of dollars in a single season. That alone makes it worth pursuing.

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7/7/15 5:06 PM

Buoys and Current: Overlooked Fish Factors | BY CHESTER MOORE

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PHOTO: JOHN N. FELSHER

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Sometimes, getting spleckled trout to bite requires making them angry.

Some of the best redfish habitat gets passed by anglers on every fishing trip. I am talking about marker buoys. There are thousands of marker buoys and barnacle encrusted channel marker poles in the canal and they hold reds, specks and flounder year-round. These poles make up their own mini ecosystems in much the same way oil and gas platforms do offshore. They are obviously not a pronounced as rigs, but they do draw in fish. The first thing you need to do is check to see if the poles have many barnacles on them. Those spots are good ones to fish because they are likely to draw in lots of baitfish and crustaceans, which reds of course dine on. In addition, the ones located near shorelines with shell are great places to fish. The markers typically designate where the channel and shallows meet, so setting up between the shell along the shore and the marker puts an angler in a great position. Chunk one line in the shallows and another in the deep and there is a very good chance will score on redfish. “Vertical Trapping” is a method I am experimenting with in such areas. It involves using a Rat-L-Trap or similar lipless crankbait and dropping it down over deep holes and simply reeling it up. This is something anglers use for smallmouth bass in channels along the Great Lakes and I am experimenting with it for redfish and other coastal predators in Gulf Coast waters. What is appealing about this method is that it allows for targeting various depths of the water column. If you do not have electronics and have no means of telling where 32 |

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the fish are this can allow you to hit all areas of the column with a lure that mimics what they are feeding on this time of year and one that is hard to ignore. Sometimes getting reds and specks to bite requires making them angry or being loud and intrusive to get their attention and to get them on the end of your hook. No matter where you fish it is always important to look at water movement. Most angers know that tidal movements are what push the bite button coastal-dwelling fish. For anglers fishing the Intracoastal, remember that straight, narrow canals have a faster moving tide than do wide, shallow areas like bays. With this in mind, watch your tide charts and look for the strongest moving tides to produce the best bites. If you are fishing areas of the Intracoastal very close to the coast, it will not take a huge tide to get good moving water. A tide is like wave in that it weakens the farther you move inland. Therefore, the rule is that the bigger the tide the better the bite will be farther inland. And while buoys are highly overlooked for pursuing coastal fishing and yes tides are crucial, I believe current is an equally overlooked factor. For fishermen along the coastline tides are important because they spark fish to bite, give access to certain areas when water levels are high and cut off access when they run low. However there is great misunderstanding of tides and actually much misuse of the word. Let us say an angler wants to fish the outlet of a small marsh pond on the north end of the massive Galveston Bay complex. He looks at the tide tables and sees the tide will begin pouring out at 9 a.m. and the peak

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low will be around 1:30 p.m. He needs this pond to drain because it is very shallow and on high tides holds many fish. As the water levels recede, the fish move like a funnel through the outlet. When he gets there, the water is higher than he thought and in the course of a few hours, only a few inches of water pour out of the spot instead of the expected 14 inches. What happened? He relied solely on the tides but should have focused his attention on the current. These terms are used interchangeably but there are big differences. The definition Farlex gives in relation to the kind of current we are speaking of is, “A steady, usually natural flow.” This flow does not have to be caused by the sun and moon like a tide as other factors can make water flow. If the angler had paid attention to the fact the wind was blowing at 15 miles per hour out of the south and had been blowing 25 to 30 out of the south the last few days he would realize since the shoreline is south facing vast amounts of water have been pushed into marsh from the Gulf. The huge winds caused current that nearly negated the tide. Conversely, a stiff north wind can push out water when tides are supposed to be rising. Other kinds of situations can cause currents that impact fishing. Take for example large ships moving down the channel. I have fished spots on numerous occasions and caught a slack tide. However, as soon as a ship came by and started pulling water flounder (my usual target there) started biting. Flounder in particular are programmed to bite when currents turn on. I have even witnessed this in captivity when the flounder used as broodstock at Sea Center Texas are being fed. With the current in the pool turned off for a few minutes, they will not touch the food. As soon as the current comes back on the fish feed aggressively. The next time you go fishing do not just consider the tides but what other factors might be causing or restricting current and make sure not to pass up those marker buoys. It is often the things we consider the least that will open up the very best fishing opportunities on the Gulf Coast.

PHOTO: TFG

7/7/15 5:07 PM

Texas SALTWATER by CALIXTO GONZALES :: TF&G Saltwater Editor

Everything Old...

ACK IN THE DAYS OF remote antiquity—or the 1950s and 1960s, if you prefer—lure choices were fairly limited in design and variety. Over the years, some lures such as the spoon and bucktail have continued to find their niche in modern tackle boxes, although their use is generally limited, and still others such as the venerable Bingo, have faded into the mists of time. Still, by and large, most of these lures were effective for trout, redfish, snook, and flounder. For various reasons, they fell out of favor with fishermen. Perhaps the strongest reason so many classic lure designs have been relegated to closets and attics up and down the coast is due to what in the computer business is called “evolved obsolescence.” Other lures have been developed that are more effective than the old reliables. Many modern lures have different dimensions that enhance their effectiveness— most notably sound chambers. An excellent example is a permutation of one of the most popular trout lures ever used on the coast—the Mirrolure 7M. The 7M is a noted trout catcher up and down the Texas Coast. It’s been a popular big fish lure among some of the old salts who seem to catch when no one else does. But the 7MR (the “R” signifying it has rattles inside) throws a curve-ball into the design because it emits sound. That subtle rattle seems to make a huge difference in the overall effectiveness of the plug. Not only have many newer versions evolved with the addition of sound, but another sensory factor has changed the landscape of lure development— sound. Soft bait manufactur-

ers have produced scented lures that have become the go-to baits for many fishermen on the coast and Texas lakes. It’s only understandable the some of the more venerable, unscented (and even some scented) plastics fall out of favor. A great example is the Cocahoe Minnow by H&H Lures. For years, the red and white version of this venerable shad tail was a staple in every tackle box on the Gulf Coast. It literally caught millions of trout and redfish. Over the years, this saltwater veteran has started seeing less playing time as other, newer soft plastics have been drafted onto the field of play. Swimbaits have become more popular, as have shrimp imitators as the redhot DOA Shrimp, the Gulp! Shrimp, Live Target’s shrimp plug, and on and on. That doesn’t mean that the Cocahoe is no longer effective. In fact it is still my favorite bait to really put the hurt on trout and redfish in the Lower laguna Madre. These tails still tear fish up. One of my favorite surf lures is still the Pluggin’ Shorty Shrimp. I’ve made some remarkable catches with the little plug over the years, and I always have a rod rigged with one when I drive up and down the beachfront. For those who’ve never heard of it, the Pluggin’ Shorty Shrimp was invented in the 1930s by the late Anton “Pluggin’ Shorty” Stetner, a longtime fishing partner of Paradoski. Legend has it that the first lures were carved out of toothbrush handles. They, and the minnow plug that also bears Stetner’s nickname, became so popular that Stetner couldn’t keep up with the orders. It was later put into production by Doug English Lures and then the Bingo Bait Company after merging with English’s company. The Pluggin’ Shorty Shrimp, and all the Bingo lures, haven’t been produced since the mid-1980s due to what the website www. bingobait.com refers to as “financial reasons.” The Pluggin’ Shorty Shrimp is actually considered a collector’s item. One in pristine condition with its original packaging sells for T E X A S

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upwards of $40 on E-Bay. That doesn’t change the fact that the lure is still very effective. Another lure that was, and still is, very successful but has fallen out of favor among saltwater fishermen is the broken-back minnow, most notably the Cotton Cordell Jointed Redfin. Broken backs were the go-to bait for a very long time, and they worked well. A state record trout fell to Redfin, and a DVD that is still floating around on store shelves shows a 12-pound trout falling to one (if you can’t find the video, a little searching around YouTube will turn it up). Another pattern that was very popular was locally referred to as the “Texas Chicken,” pink back/silver sides/yellow belly. Many considered the pattern as the ultimate trout and—as I learned on a trip—snook killer. The biggest snook I ever landed—a fat 32-inch fish—fell to a Redfin in Texas Chicken. I fished it with long, sweeping pulls of the rod get it to dive six inches under and then let rise to the surface on a semi-slack line. The water was murky, and all I saw was a silver flash, and a toilet-flush swirl underneath the plug. Redfins are effective because they not only have the disjointed wiggle that the segmented body gives it, but they also increase a fisherman’s chances at hooking up. Most top-waters are low-percentage lures. A fish will blow up a popper or dogwalker, but chances are they will miss the lure completely. With its sub-surface action, a Redfin is more likely to get swallowed by a striking fish, thus improving the chances of the hooks gaining purchase. As with any lure, it comes down to how much faith does a fisherman have in a lure. If he believes a lure will catch fish, he’ll fish it like it will. Sometimes, as the saying goes, age and guile will trump youth and style.

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Email Calixto Gonzales at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com |

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7/8/15 11:22 AM

( a.k.a. choupique, mudfish, grinnel...)

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THE BLACK AND GOLD SPINNERBAIT plopped next to the partially sunken log and rested briefly on the bottom in about three inches of water before the angler moved it. As the angler retrieved the temptation, churning blades flashed in the black water of this backwater swamp. Just under the surface, the whirling blades bulged the water, forming a v-shaped wake running parallel to the fallen log. At the drop-off edge, a cloud of brown silt suddenly erupted as a huge green head snatched the bait, throwing spray into the air as if someone threw a brick into the water. The powerful fish headed deeper into the opaque channel, straining the line nearly to the breaking point and doubling the rod almost beyond limit. “I think we got this tournament won,” the angler shouted enthusiastically to his partner. “Get the net. This one’s a monster. It must be … nuts, another mudfish! Never mind the net.” That reaction typically follows many strikes from mudfish, also known as grinnel, dogfish, cabbage pike, cypress trout, cottonfish (because of the texture and flavor of its meat) and many other names unfit to print. Cajuns call them “choupique,” an Anglicized version of a French translation of the Choctaw Indian word “shupik” meaning mudfish. Biologists typically call them bowfin or Amia calva, which means “bald fish” in Latin. No matter what anyone calls them, these large, aggressive prehistoric predators can provide incredible sport, particularly on light tackle. However, most anglers hold them in low regard because of their unsavory reputation on the dinner table. Although some people eat them, many people describe the flavor of bowfin as something akin to wadded cotton soaked in swamp mud. However, they do make a great sport fish for catch and release. T E X A S

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Called mudﬁsh, grinnel, cypress trout or choupique depending upon the location, these ﬁsh make excellent sport.

Daniel Felsher with a bowﬁn he caught.

“Bowfins hit hard and can put up a good fight, but are not normally targeted,” said Chris Greene of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries in Montgomery. “Anglers mostly catch them by accident while fishing for bass or something else. Some archers target them in backwater areas. Bowfin are common in swampy backwaters. They can live in muddy backwater areas without much oxygen much better than most other species.” In Texas they are pursued by a few anglers in the eastern portion of the state but for the most part they are not targeted. Long and cylindrical with a rounded tail and an exceptionally long dorsal fin, a bowfin looks similar to an eel, but thicker with greenish-brown scales and a huge head with a mouth full of sharp teeth. Young bowfins often exhibit black spots surrounded by yellowish-orange rings on their tails. The only surviving representative of a primitive order dates back about 150 million years to the Jurassic Period in the time of the dinosaurs. Their swim bladders can serve as a primitive lung, allowing bowfins to breathe air. A bowfins can remain alive nearly a week out of the water as long as it remains moist. People sometimes find them alive in semi-dried ponds resembling little more than 36 |

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mud puddles after a drought or when a falling river drains backwaters. Since they can breathe air, they often occur in rivers, quiet swampy backwaters, shallow ponds and lakes full of submerged aquatic vegetation. They range from southeastern Canada to Texas and up the Mississippi Valley from the Gulf of Mexico to Minnesota. Bowfins frequently become more active during the warmer months, particularly from April through early October. Spawning typically occurs from late February through June with the peak in April and May. After hatching, tiny fly often gather into schools that resemble black squirming clouds in the water. Once they reach about five inches long, they head their separate ways, remaining largely solitary for the rest of their lives. A bowfin may grow about 12 inches in its first year and live more than 30 years. The world record topped 21 pounds. Some larger specimens exceed three feet in length. “They can grow pretty big,” Greene advised. “It’s not uncommon to catch bowfins in the 5- to 10-pound range.” Big bowfin can challenge any type of bass tackle an angler might want to throw. The vicious predators normally feed on small fish, but also eat crawfish, frogs, salamanders, snakes, small animals and anything

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This bowﬁn was caught from a riverbank by a young angler.

else they can catch. Just about anything that might tempt a largemouth bass could also tempt a bowfin. Bass anglers catch them on spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Texas-rigged plastic worms. Bowfins also hit jigs dropped into thick cover, particularly around weeds or wood. Crappie anglers often catch them on live shiners. Bowfins might even hit nightcrawlers and other baits used by bream or catfishermen. “Most bowfins are caught by bass fishermen throwing lures in backwater areas,” Greene said. “They’ll hit a lot of different bass lures and live baits. Sometimes, crappie anglers catch bowfins on live baits. They’ll eat about anything they can find including tadpoles, snakes, other fish and lizards.” While perhaps not as desirable as a big largemouth bass, a vicious bowfin can provide excellent action in numerous streams rivers and backwaters across the nation. Almost any sluggish creek, bayou, canal or reservoir within its range probably holds a population of these fierce living fossils. Tying into one can give an angler some fun when the bass or other more desirable fish won’t bite.

PHOTOS: JOHN N. FELSHER

7/9/15 11:19 AM

True GREEN Edited by WILL LESCHPER

TF&G Conservation Editor

food out there, you couldn’t bait them in. So, again, it’s not great for our research and restoration efforts but great for the birds. “We had some hens on their second nesting attempts with 16 eggs in a clutch. That’s just phenomenal,” he added. “You never think about that for those second nesting attempts. We had some birds sitting on

Turkey Season Looks to be a Good One

EXAS TURKEY HUNTING IS the best in the country, thanks in large part to Mother Nature, but also to conservation and restoration efforts from state wildlife biologists. Jason Hardin, turkey program leader for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, said the overall turkey outlook across the state is as good as it has ever been. “There was a lot of moisture this past winter going into early spring,” he said. “Good moisture for Rio Grande turkeys means early green-up, and those hens are going to be in great shape. We had a fair amount of production in 2014, so we had a fair number of juvenile birds out there— mostly adult birds. They went into the

nesting season and the breeding season in great shape.” Hardin said spring gobbler hunting was tough in many traditional hot spots, but in a good way. “If you were out there calling you had a lot of competition (from breeding-ready hens). A lot of hunters were having trouble getting hens in off the roost, first thing in the morning. “For those hunters that stuck with it, early morning or mid-afternoon, you could get a bird,” he said. “What’s good for a turkey isn’t always what’s great for a turkey hunter. We do a fair amount of restoration. So to do that, we have to go out and trap turkeys, and it was one of the hardest years to trap turkeys. There was just so much T E X A S

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their third nesting attempt all over Texas. They may only have six or eight eggs, but just the fact that it’s been such a good year green-up-wise and cover-wise, they’ve had a lot of opportunity.” Hardin cited the heavy rainfall that created dangerous flooding across the Hill Country as good overall for production. However, the lingering effects can be detrimental in the short-term outlook. “All the rain we’ve had (late spring and early summer) has been tough on birds,” Hardin said. “Typically your birds are going to nest more in the uplands, so if a lot of that country floods, your hens are nesting down there,” he said. “You want a lot of rain heading up to nesting season. Then you

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7/8/15 11:07 AM

True GREEN Improvements Continue for Cow Trap Lake

UCKS UNLIMITED AND THE U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service completed a reef construction project in coastal Texas on the San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge’s Cow Trap Lake unit to complement a terracing project completed last year. 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, NRG and

DU Biologist Greg Green explains to a group of funding partners what they’ll see and how the project was designed and constructed.

Houston Endowment. Cow Trap Lake is located north of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, approximately five miles west of the mouth of the San Bernard River. The north shoreline has suffered significant erosion from wind-driven waves during the past decades. Many acres of coastal marsh habitat have been lost. Refuge staff expect that these emergent marsh losses will continue to occur without some level of intervention. DU completed a marsh terracing project last year to prevent further erosion and promote marsh growth. The new reef project complements this restoration work and provides increased structure within the area. The artificial reef structure was constructed between the two large terraces in open water. More than 770 tons of crushed stone material was placed at the site and resulted in almost two acres of sub-tidal and submerged habitat. The reef structure is approximately 2,000 feet in length, 25 to 40 feet wide at the base, and up to 12 inches tall. This type of structure and bottom relief offers excellent habitat for many species and provides wave breaking structure as well. Additional crushed stone was also placed along the lake side of the outer terraces to provide shoreline protection and sub-tidal habitat.

—Andi Cooper

The artiﬁcial reef was constructed between two terraces to provide underwater structure for ﬁsheries.

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PHOTOS: DUCKS UNLIMITED

7/8/15 11:07 AM

Texas Turkeys t Continued from page 36 kind of want it to slow down because those wet hens are real susceptible to predators. They’re already losing about half of their nests in a good year. Add in the wet hens and the smelly hen syndrome or theory, and you get the idea that a lot of predators are going to find those nests more efficiently. So we’ve lost a lot of nests through that. We’re still going to see some pretty good production this year.” Hardin said that turkey hunting in general has seen a rise in hunter participation, which can have negative influences on the average Texan looking to bag some birds. “We’ve actually seen hunter numbers go down, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a function of a decline in

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turkey population as much as it is an increase in the popularity of turkey hunting,” he said. “Ten years ago you could come to Texas and you could hunt just about anywhere for $300, $500. “You come to Texas nowadays it’s hard to find a place to hunt that doesn’t cost you a couple of grand,” Hardin said. The majority of Texas is privately owned so there’s not a lot of public land out there for people to hunt, especially public lands that are open throughout the turkey season. I think financially it has become a little more difficult, so the opportunity is not there as much as it once was. Texas is one of the most popular places to come get your Rio Grande, and people will pay top-dollar for it.” Although the rise in turkey hunting costs may keep some hunters from enjoying the pursuit in the spring, fall is the perfect time to target hens and

gobblers because most deer hunters are sitting in great Rio Grande turkey country. “We have the highest number of Rios, the highest harvest in the nation and the highest number of hunters, so we are the place to be for Rio Grande turkeys,” Hardin said. “Overall in Texas our population is expanding. Historically that I-35 corridor has been a bit of a barrier, but now we have those birds on the east side of I-35, and they’re continuing to expand. “If you look at it over the span of decades, you can see that it’s a growing population. Just over the last five years in that area of Bastrop south to Goliad, that population has really grown and they’ve expanded their range, so it’s a good time for Rio Grande turkeys.”

Email Will Leschper at WillLeschperOutdoors@gmail.com

7/8/15 12:03 PM

Going After Species that Thrive

TO CALL THE STRIKE “POWERFUL” WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEment. Picture someone dropping a cinder block in the water and you get an idea what the splash under my topwater, a Jumpin Minnow, looked like. The fight was no less impressive as the fish made several long runs, doubling over the rod that was more suited for catching Lake Texoma’s more civilized fish, say, largemouth bass. Finally, a 10-pound striped bass made 40 |

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its way into the landing net and after posing for a few photos, I thought to myself, “This has got to be the hardest fighting freshwater fish in Texas.” Then I paused. “Wait, this isn’t a freshwater fish at all.

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It’s a crossover.” Striped bass are a saltwater species. In fact, they are the most popular one on the eastern seaboard. What redfish are to Texans, stripers are to anglers on the East Coast. Yes, they have redfish, too, but the PHOTO: NAUTICSTAR

7/7/15 5:02 PM

in Both Salt & Freshwater

story by Chester Moore stripers are tops for them. According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD), the East Coast representatives of the species have been introduced at scattered locations throughout the central US including California. “Because stream flow is required for a successful hatch, most reservoir populations are not self-sustaining and must be maintained through stocking. One notable exception is Lake Texoma along the Red River in northeastern Texas.” “Our striper fishery is world class.

Incredible action and really they are what you think of when fishing Texoma and for good reason. They are a true world class sportfish,” said Bill Carey of Striper Express Guide Service. TPWD noted that striped bass are the fourth most preferred species among licensed Texas anglers. It is estimated that the economic impact of striper fishing in the Lake Texoma area alone totals well in excess of $20 million. Although specimens exceeding 100 pounds have been caught T E X A S

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in saltwater, to date a 67.5-pounder was the largest individual reported from inland waters.” In Texas the record is a whopping 53 pounder caught in the Brazos River by Ron Venerable in 1999. In a report titled “Stripers in the Gulf of Mexico?” by TPWD’s Dr. Mark Fisher it is revealed there is or was a native Gulf strain of striper. “There is no historical record of stripers ever being particularly common off Texas. The last reported commercial landings were

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in 1939 from Corpus Christi Bay (495 lbs), although in 1890 5,000 pounds were landed from Galveston Bay, 3,000 pounds were landed from Aransas Bay and 1,000 pounds came from Corpus Christi Bay. We occasionally encounter stripers in our gill nets, mostly from Sabine, Galveston, and Matagorda Bays,” Fisher wrote. “Ditto for our creel surveys. We also see hybrid stripers, although much less frequently. These fish are all “escapees” from upstream stocked reservoirs, such as Toledo Bend, Lake Livingston, and Lake Texana.” Sabine Lake was actually stocked with stripers in the 1990s but there has been no evidence those fish survived at any level. Over the years I have encountered big stripers in the Sabine Lake area, usually during winter. The first one was a 20-plus pound dead specimen floating in Coffee Ground Cove in 1997. Having knowledge of the stocking program I was excited that perhaps the fish hailed from it but TPWD biologist Jerry Mambretti let me know it was one of the aforementioned “escapees.” In this case from Toledo Bend. Others were encountered near the Dupont Outfall Canal on the Sabine River and the old intake “horseshoe cut” in Adams Bayou. They were alive, well and giving mullet lots of grief. Texas reservoirs stocked with stripers or a white bass/striper hybrid include Texoma, Belton Lake, Canyon Lake, Cedar Creek Reservoir, Cooper Lake, Lake E.V. Spence, Hubbard Creek Reservoir, Lake Bridgeport, Lake Brownwood, Lake Buchanan, Lake Conroe, Lake Granbury, Lake Kemp, Lake Lewisville, Lake Livingston, Lake Palestine, Lake Ray Hubbard, Lake Somerville, Lake Tawakoni, Lake Travis, Lake Whitney, Lavon Lake, Medina Lake, Pat Mayse Lake, Possum Kingdom Lake, Proctor Lake, Red Bluff Reservoir, Richland Chambers Reservoir, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Toledo Bend and Wright Patman Lake. Redfish are another saltwater crossover. TPWD annually stocks around two million redfish fingerlings into Calaveras and Braunig near San Antonio, Lake Fairfield and Tradinghouse Creek near Waco. A few other lakes including Nasworthy, Coleto Creek and Colorado City have received redfish but the previous four are the main inland fisheries. Redfish are also a put and take fishery with no spawning populations. But that 42 |

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Striped bass do well when stocked in Texas lakes. But they are more common to saltwater, such as this Chesapeake Bay striper.

The author caught this redﬁsh on a spinnerbait while ﬁshing for largemouth bass on the Sabine River, far north of the “salt line” of Sabine Lake.

does not mean they do not grow to impressive sizes in our reservoirs. In fact, the state freshwater record was caught on Fairfield Lake in 2007 by angler Billy Tyus and weighed 36.83 pounds. That’s a “bull red” by coastal standards and would require a red drum tag. In freshwater, however, there is no limit on the upper end with redfish, due to the fact there is no spawning. Freshwater reds are caught by a variety of means ranging from trolling with spoons and crankbaits to fishing from the bank with hunks of cut perch fished on the bottom. A saltwater crossover experiment that I truly wish would have worked was the introduction of corvina and corvina/speckled trout hybrids in lakes Braunig and Calaveras in the 1980s.

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Corvina are a West Coast speckled trout look-alike (minus the speckles) that grow to impressive sizes. The Texas record is a 16.31-pounder caught by Earl TenPenny in 1991 in Calaveras. These stockings were eventually deemed not worthy of pursuing but the legend of the corvina on these lakes is still alive with anglers of the San Antonio area. The fishing on Texas reservoirs is exciting enough with the abundant largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and alligator gar. However, when you throw in the saltwater crossovers, it is easy to see why there truly is no place like the Lone Star State.

PHOTOS: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; CHESTER MOORE

7/7/15 5:02 PM

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

Disassembly

WAS SEATED AT THE ISLAND IN our kitchen, cleaning my fifty-year-old .22 semi-automatic rifle. The island is dark granite, so it makes it hard for me to see the smaller parts. It was only the second time I’d ever completely disassembled the rifle in all those years, so I had the parts on a green felt cleaning pad to remember how they went back together. I intended to take a photo with my phone before putting it all back together, but forgot. I’d also disassembled a semi-automatic handgun for the very first time. Those parts were at the opposite end, carefully spread out. Some were soaked in Hoppes. A ladybug crawled across the pad. I picked it up, stepped to the open back door, and released it. I was back at the island when Wrong Willie came through the front door like a ten-year-old. “You here?” We can’t see the front door from the island. “That depends.” He stepped through, into the living room and saw what I was doing. “Hey, hang on,” he said. “I need to clean mine too.” He trotted back out to his truck and returned with a handgun in a zipped carrier. Willie dropped into a stool at the end to my left. “I just bought this Beretta a few months ago, but I haven’t tried to take it apart.” I shifted to the middle of the island and pulled the pad with me. “Careful.” I took a photo of the disassembly process to be sure I could get it back together. “Where’s your iPad?” I pointed to the kitchen counter. I don’t have one, I replied. “That belongs to the War Department.” Willie snagged it and returned to the island. “I’m gonna need to watch a video on this.” He poked at the screen. “Why don’t you do that at home, just in case you have a problem getting it back together?”

“Isn’t there a marine asleep back there in the bedroom? He can help if we need him.” I shrugged. He was referring to Adam, our resident Marine. “He’s asleep. You don’t want to wake up a guy who did a couple of tours overseas.” “Oh, well, this shouldn’t be too difficult.” Willie pushed, pulled, and removed a pin. A spring shot out the instant the slide was free. It bounced across my carefully laid out parts, hit another spring, and they sprang in two different directions. “Oops.” He scooped it from the floor, and caught the edge of the pad with his hip. It shot off the slick granite and parts from three different firearms exploded in a clatter. Integral components rained on the hardwood, bouncing around like floor was made of rubber. I sat very still, a tiny screwdriver in my hand. “Watch where you step!” I shouted. “What was that crunch? Oh, whew, never mind. I only stepped on a ladybug. Look, here’s another one. You have a ladybug infestation.” I carefully slid off the stool and started picking up the parts. “It’s not an infestation. I bought a box of ladybugs to release in the back yard, and it had a hole in it. I bet a thousand got out in the house.” “Lordy. How many were in the box?” “Ten or twenty thousand.” He picked something up. “I thought this was a part, but it has legs.” “Put your glasses on.” “Oh.” He felt through his pockets and located a pair of cheaters. “Yep, it’s a ladybug.” Minutes later, I stared at a pile of recovered parts. Most were identifiable as to which of the three firearms they belonged, but a couple of components suddenly looked unfamiliar to me. “I’m gonna kill you.” He shrugged. “We’ll figure it out. See? There’s a YouTube video for all of these. All we have to do it watch them and we’ll have every part back together in no time.” He punched on a video, and a guy with T E X A S

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a heavy accent told us how to reassemble Willie’s pistol as the music from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly played in the background. Missing a step, he backed the video up and the music began mid-note. Twenty minutes later, and just as many backup and restarts, Adam came padding down the hallway. He stopped at the sight of the piles of parts and disassembled firearms. Frowning, he stepped forward. “What are you doing?” Willie paused with a tiny screw in his hand and flashed him a grin. “Morning! We’re putting these back together.” Barely awake, Adam punched the mute button on the iPad, killing the music. Then he squinted at Willie’s hand. “Well, that’s not a screw in your hand, it looks like a ladybug. I’d put that, there, and it’ll go back together, but you shouldn’t have taken those screws out.” “I see that now. As soon as I get this last one back in, though, I’ll be finished.” “Uh, probably not.” We paused, squinting at the ladybug in Willie’s fingers. I shook my head. “She won’t stay in there, even if you screw her in real tight.” Adam sighed and took the iPad. “You guys go out back and enjoy the sunshine. Tell a couple of lies. Be retired. I’ll do this for you after I shower and wake up. Just don’t play that music anymore.” Willie sat in the sunshine as ladybugs buzzed everywhere. He plucked one off the seam of his shirt pocket. “I think we could have done it. We could have put them back together.” He placed the bug in his palm. “Fly away home, ladybug!” I peered through the bottom of my trifocals. “That’s a screw, not a ladybug.” “Well, it looked like a screw.” I sighed, wondering who’d be the first volunteers to shoot the reassembled firearms.

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Email Reavis Wortham at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com |

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7/8/15 11:17 AM

Texas BOATING by LENNY RUDOW :: TF&G Boating Editor

Changing Times

N THE PAST DECADE, OUTboard engines have seen more technological advances than any other power systems for boats under 30 feet’. In fact, they’ve eclipsed stern drives in popularity, and except for dedicated water skiing and wakeboarding boats, straight inboards have basically disappeared. But outboards have been changing in several ways—so let’s take a look at some of the newest and most different outboards to hit the market.

Mini-Mights IN THE 25-AND-UNDER CATEGORY, the big news is propane. Just five years ago a company called Lehr introduced the first propane-powered outboards, in 2.5 and 5 hp models. Last year they added a 15 hp

model to the stable, and this year, a 25 horse outboard. We could get all preachy about the environmental benefits of running propane versus gasoline, but we won’t. Instead, let’s talk about what you’re really interested in: reliability and convenience. If you’re sick and tired of battling with gummed up carburetors due to E10 gas, propane is the answer—these engines don’t even have carbs. They also do away with the choke, and primer ball. When it comes to convenience, get this: you can screw a regular propane tank, the same 16.4-ounce greenies you use in your camping stove, right into the engine. That’ll get you about half an hour of running time at WOT. If you want a bigger tank, a standard five gallon propane tank, the same one you have on your grill, will work just fine. True, these motors haven’t been around for very long. But the early reports are that they’ve been extremely reliable. They’ve already become popular in areas where people use small dinghies to run out to moor-

ings, because in this situation a tank of gas may last an entire season, and gummed-up carbs are a perpetual problem.

Maximum Motion AT THE OTHER END OF THE SPECtrum, maximum size in outboards has grown by leaps and bounds just in the past few months. For the 2015 model year, Mercury Racing introduced a Verado 400R. Yes, that’s right, 400 horsepower in a Mercury. It’s based on the same six-cylinder 2.6L supercharged design as the original Verado, but the heads and valve train are all new. Mercury also uses a different intake snorkel and flywheel cover—and maximum RPM goes up to a shocking 7,000. Of course, this much power doesn’t come cheap. The 400R starts at over $30,000. And the Mercury Racing warranty is shorter than Mercury Marine’s, dropping from three years to two years. Seven Marine, meanwhile, has also been pushing the envelope on their existing powerheads. Their 557 was already the most potent outboard on the market, and now they’ve milked 627 hp out of the package. This engine is a 6.2L supercharged V8 built by GM for Cadillac. Seven Marine modified the heads and exhaust valves, to get the boost. To go along with the power they’re offering three different gearcases; one that’s rated for up to 80 mph, a “GT” case for speeds up to 100 mph, and a “CR” gearcase for larger, heavier boats that need a pair of counter-rotating props. But if you thought power was expensive, well, the Seven Marine 627s will take your thinking to a new level. No MSRP has been announced as yet, but considering that the 557’s cost over $70,000 and can approach $100,000 depending on the level of customization, it’s a fair bet that the 627s will shatter all outboard price ceiling records.

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Texas BOATING our future. Leading the list is Mercury’s new OptiMax diesel outboard. This is a sparkfired—yes, I said spark-fired—outboard that runs on diesel fuel. Mercury developed it for the military, which wants to be able to run all of their equipment on a single fuel source. How can there be a spark-fired diesel outboard? OptiMax utilizes a two-stage directinjection system; a burst of compressed air atomizes the fuel charge into the combustion chamber. To get diesel to ignite air pressure had to be increased by 15 psi (to 95), which breaks the fuel down to 10 to 20 microns. The combustion chamber and port timing also had to be tweaked, and a glow plug had to be added to pre-heat the engine block and help vaporize the fuel when the engine is cold-started. Just how much horsepower can a diesel OptiMax make? Though most of the engine is essentially a 300SX, in its diesel incarnation, it puts out around 175 horsepower. Cost is an unknown at this point, and to date, the

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engine has only been designed for military use. But there’s a good chance that will change after the government has completed its testing of the OptiMax diesel. Mercury has already received inquiries from the recreational marketplace, and says the only thing they’d need to do to make the engine available to the public is iron out some emissions standards issues. Evinrude, meanwhile, has its own unusual outboards to talk about, which are also developed for military use. And I don’t mean the G2, an awesome new outboard which we’ve already discussed at length on these pages and in the TFG blog. No, right now I’m talking about their 55 MFE and 30 MFE, which will run on just about anything (though when it comes to diesel, they say “for short periods”). Jet fuel, kerosene, and gasoline are all fair game. The MFE stands for Multi-Fuel Engine, in case you didn’t guess. The other cool feature of these outboards is they’re designed

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for submersion. Yes, submersion. They have drain petcocks that allow the motor to be (ahem) hidden underwater, while those Seals go about their business, then be drained and re-started in a heart-beat. One problem: Evinrude doesn’t make these available to the public, and at this point, doesn’t have any plans to share them with us. Finally, here’s a heads-up: if you see an Evinrude with a slight misspelling on the cowl, it’s not an Evinrude. At a recent boat show we spotted “Evindoo” brand outboards, made in (go ahead, take a guess) Ningbo, China. These are built by Ningbo Jian Chi Power, and although the company name doesn’t sound anything like Evinrude, the lettering on the Evindoo cowl looks strangely familiar. Hmmm, go figure. And on top of that, they call these models “Earrow TEC”. Grrrrrrrr…. Email Lenny Rudow at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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The Practical ANGLER by PAUL BRADSHAW | TF&G Contributing Editor

Fireball Rig

CAN’T STAND A THIEF. HIDING in the shadows and sneaking around when you can’t see them. Ruining your day by taking something that isn’t theirs. Thinking they can take anything sitting around without consequences. Making you reel your line back in and re-bait every 15 seconds. That’s right, I’m talking about bait thieves. What did you think I meant?

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That’s right, I’m talking about bait thieves.

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You guys on the coast know what I’m talking about. You’re standing waist deep in the surf, either trying to catch dinner or bait for your long surf rods, when you feel a little tap on the end of the line. You immediately go on point like a bird dog, waiting for the run that you know means fish on, but all you feel is tap, tug, tap, tap. Stupid crabs. Although it is impossible to put your bait in the water without a thief having access to it (since crabs can swim), you can get it up off the bottom a little where they at least have to work for it. To do this we need to take a page from east coast anglers where they use a fireball rig when fishing for blue fish. It is 48 |

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designed more to attract fish than deter bait thieves, but it does help for that as well. Start your fireball rig by tying a barrel swivel onto your main line. Use a black barrel swivel. Anything shiny might draw undue attention from fish with teeth that could bite your rig here instead of at the hook. Next, get about five feet of heavy monofilament to be used as a leader. Use something in the 30 to 40 pound range. It’s not that you intend to catch a fish that big, but the heavier monofilament is stiffer. The stiffness will help keep the hooks (yes, I said hooks, as in more than one) away from each other so they won’t tangle. It will also last longer and allow you to catch more fish before having to re-tie. Using an improved clinch knot, tie one end of the monofilament leader to the barrel swivel attached to your main line. Tie it so you have about a foot of tag end left over (the part you normally cut off after tying a knot) but do not cut it off. We’ll use it later. On the other end of the leader, tie on a snap swivel, again using an improved clinch knot. Leave about a foot of the tag end of the line hanging loose. You should now have your main line tied to a barrel swivel, around three feet of leader connecting the barrel swivel to a snap swivel, and one foot of line hanging down from each end of the leader. The ends of these lines is where you’ll tie on your hooks. My preference when fishing

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with live or cut bait is to use circle hooks since they tend to have fewer issues hooking the fish too deep. Just remember you don’t have to set the hook

when using them. Simply start reeling and the hook will set itself. Now, go raid your pan fish tackle and dig out two Styrofoam bobbers. The brighter colored the better. Attach these to the two lines with hooks as close to the hooks as possible. This is where the buoyancy to keep the baits off the bottom comes from. Use Styrofoam instead of hard plastic because it will never crack and will still float if bitten by a fish. Plastic will fill with water and sink. Be sure to match the size of the bobber you use with your bait. To stay off the bottom, bigger baits may require bigger bobbers. Also, experiment with bobber colors. Sometimes bright yellow might attract more fish.On other days red may do better. You might remember

that a few paragraphs back we added a snap swivel to the end of the leader. This is where you will attach your surf weight. A traditional pyramid sinker will work here most of the time. However, there are some days when the current is strong enough to require a spider weight. The snap swivel allows you to change weights easily based on conditions without having to re-tie multiple times throughout the day. Email Paul Bradshaw at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com ILLUSTRATION:PAUL BRADSHAW

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Texas GUNS by STEVE LAMASCUS | TF&G Shooting Editor

What is Long Range?

HESE DAYS, A LOT OF TELEvision shows focus on long-range shooting. Some are about sport hunting, and some deal with modern snipers and their shooting. The two things are so different that they are not even in the same ball park. The real difference is the amount of training that a military sniper has as compared to the average sport hunter. Also the equipment that a sniper has is light-years ahead of the equipment that the normal deer hunter totes into the field. I truly don’t know what the military sniper has at his command these days, but I do know that it allows him to make hits at ranges that most of us should never try when hunting. Also, if the sniper hits his target but fails to make a kill, he has still done his job by taking an enemy soldier out of the battle. The sport hunter, on the other hand. simply must make a one-shot kill, or at least he must anchor his prey so that a quick second shot will do the job. Over the last 40 years I have seen a tremendous number of hunters shoot under field conditions. Take my word for the fact that Joe Average should never take a shot at more than 300 yards, and many should not shoot at more than 150. That said, long-range is that distance that is right at the limit of your skill. I have heard it said that the best longrange hunters are those that do a lot of sniping at woodchucks, rockchucks, and prairie dogs. This kind of shooting teaches a shooter to judge wind and mirage and keep his shots on the button way out

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there. It also makes for a slow, deliberate shooter, which is not always a good thing when hunting in tight, brushy conditions. Sometimes a long shot is a hundred yards, when the shot presented is at a moving animal that is visible for only a few seconds in heavy brush or timber. At other times a long shot can be way out in the stratosphere, as when hunting in the mountains or on the plains. The longest shots I have ever been presented were under those conditions - when hunting large oat fields, high desert mountains, or the flat plains. Two of the longest shots I ever made were on a pronghorn in Wyoming and a desert mule deer in the Eagle Mountains of West Texas. And let me say that I have never been presented with a situation where I had to shoot at a game animal at 800 or 1,000 yards. In those situations I could always, I repeat, always, get closer. Another difference is that the sniper is almost certain to know the range to his target. The sport hunter, on the other hand, may have to take a shot at an animal at long and undetermined range. This is not as prevalent as it once was, because of the various laser range-finders on the market today, but you will not always have the time to get your range-finder out of your day pack and check the range before you shoot. For this reason, it is important to sight your rifle in for the longest range that will not cause mid-range misses. I learned a long time ago that I should sight my deer and elk rifles in 2.5 or 3 inches high at 100 yards. This gives me a zero of from 250 to 300 yards and allows me to aim dead center on an animal from bayonet range to 300 yards or a bit more. If you sight your rifle in to be zeroed at 100 yards and are presented a shot at 300 yards you will have to guess where to hold. My guesser isn’t that accurate. But if I am sighted in as above, I simply hold in the middle of the animal and expect a shot that will hit in the kill zone. If I believe the animal is farther than 300 yards, I will put

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the crosshairs level with the backbone and expect a killing shot to as much as 400 yards. If it is farther than that, I don’t shoot until I can get closer. My personal rule is that I will not shoot at an animal if I have to hold above the backbone. If there is air between the crosshairs and the animal’s back, it’s too far; so I try to get closer. Last is that you need to practice at the ranges you might shoot at. If you set your limit as 300 yards, then practice at 300 yards. If you do all your shooting from a bench at a hundred yards, you will be totally unprepared to shoot at an animal from a field position at 300. Get away from that bench! Once you have your gun sighted in and your load worked up, quit shooting from the bench and start practicing for hunting situations. Shoot from sitting using a bipod; shoot from standing at ranges up to whatever you can handle; practice shooting from prone using an improvised rest, such as your backpack or a rolled up jacket. I have shot a number of game animals using my old felt hat as a pad on a rock. And don’t believe the TV shows that tell you that you can kill a deer at 800 yards if you will only buy their scope and follow the instructions in the box. It takes a lot more than a fancy scope to make such shots. I would really like to know how many wounded animals those guys have to track down for every one they show on TV that drops like a rock. I’ll bet it would surprise you. When I was guiding deer hunters, I had to track a lot of wounded deer. Most of those were shot at less than 120 yards. Just remember, you owe it to that game animal to make a clean kill. Blazing away at a buck from standing position at 400 or 500 yards, hoping to luck one in, is slob hunting. Don’t be a slob.

Email Steve LaMascus at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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Industry INSIDER Rio Ammo Calls Texas Home ON JUNE 25 IN THE PRESENCE OF representatives from the state of Texas, the local community and Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rio Ammunition inaugurated its new world class sporting cartridges manufacturing facility in Marshall. Requiring an investment in excess of $19M, the new facility encompasses nearly 105,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The facility has created 40 new jobs in the Marshall community, and possibly double that number in the years to come. “This is a state of the art technology facility from a quality, environment, safety, and security point of view,” said José Fernando Sánchez who is Junco President and CEO of MAXAM Outdoors. “Our goal is for Rio Ammunition to add value and progress to the city of Marshall and

the state of Texas while also providing shooters and hunters in the U.S. with top quality products and services.” Working in conjunction with the state of Texas and with the cooperation of the city of Marshall and the Marshall Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO), this project has received

Construction of Rio’s 105,000 square-foot plant outside Marshall took just over a year to complete.

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significant economic development support through substantial and generous tax incentives. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, further believe that with Texas’s status as a nationwide leader in job creation the opening of the new Rio factory also signals that the state is open for business to future international investment as well. Rio Ammunition began its commercial activities in the United States in 2001 by importing from the MAXAM Outdoors plant in Vitoria, Spain, and is now one of the key players in the American shotgun shell market MAXAM Outdoors is a worldwide leader in this sector with over 500 million shotshells produced annually in its various global facilities in Spain, the U.S., the U.K., and Turkey, and an international distribution network that operates in more than 80 countries. MAXAM Outdoors has a completely integrated production chain that includes both shotshell components (cases, primers, powder, wads, and lead shot) and raw materials (nitrocellulose). PHOTOS: MAXXAM

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The facility has the capacity to produce a million shotshells a day, giving them the ability to fill orders at a phenomenal rate from either the sporting or law enforcement market. According to an article in the Longview News-Journal Texas House Speaker Joe Straus said the new plant was an example

Vertically integrated, the plant manufactures all key components of its ﬁnal products.

Rio, the largest manufacturer of shotgun shells in the world, has relocated its U.S. Production facility from Tennessee to Texas.

of growth occurring across the state, and Rio’s presence would benefit the area. “The people of Marshall have a new way to provide for their families and work in an exciting field,” he said. “Families and businesses will benefit from this plant whether they work here or not.” Rio has had a presence in the US domestic market since 2001. In 2009 they opened the doors to their new loading plant in Tennessee. Now with a major plant in Texas, they are taking things to an entirely new level. “As far as our product range goes, we’ll continue to push the envelope and strive for the best in all realms DIGITAL of the industry and BONUS certainly for the hunters of Texas,” said Rio’s Take a video tour Patrick Thomas. of Rio’s new Rio plans to be

Texas Facility.

a good neighbor to the state that has welcomed the company warmly. In the past Rio has been involved with the Boy Scouts and many charities. We

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Costa’s GEOBASS Makes a Splash in Texas THERE ARE FEW FISHING TEAMS that have toured around the world like the GEOBASS team. Sponsored by Costa Sunglasses, the GEOBASS team is four men who risk life and limb to get to some of the best fishing locations in the world. Once there they challenge some of the world’s most exotic bass with a fly rod. T E X A S

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can expect that to happen as this state of the art company branches out in the Lone Star State.

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GEOBASS started out as GEOFISH several years ago. The team met each other at a fishing trade show and formed an alliance around the sport of fly fishing. Now, the GEOBASS fishing show has an incredible following with tens of thousands of views on each episode of the series. The award-winning show is currently airing season two and has new shows airing in the near future. In this second season, the team visits destinations in Brazil, Guyana, The Solomon Islands, Australia, Papua New Guinea and, of course, Texas. In Texas they fished the Devil’s River, which is known as one of Texas’s gemstones for paddlesports. Diablo Paddlesports (www.diablopaddlesports.com), one of their many sponsors, helped them get outfitted for their adventure here and, over the past few years, in other places in the world as well. When asked the difference between fly

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PHOTO: COSTA

Industry INSIDER

The GEOBASS team in the Texas Hill Country.

fishing and traditional fishing, the group agreed that it was all “fishing,” but fly fishing adds a separate level of challenge to the equation. This is especially true when you add in the adverse conditions and challenging and sometimes dangerous, situations on nearly every episode of their show. The group agrees they are not profes-

sional bass fishermen. “We really don’t know what we are doing half the time,” said Chris Owens. “But we’re doing it anyway. We will pinpoint a location on the map where we think there will be some kind of bass and gather the resources to go there. We do whatever it takes to get it done. We have a team here. All of us have

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different skill sets.” Brian Jill is great at mechanics and technology. He is the technician of the group and works with all sorts of technological and mechanical devices, building many of them himself, to get the group where they need to be to find fly fishing action for big bass. If it breaks, he can usually fix it and get everything back on track. Thad Robison is the father figure of the team. He keeps the group in check and watches over the welfare of everyone involved. He keeps the group level-headed. Jay Johnson keeps humor and lightheartedness in the team. He is always up for a new adventure and even an occasional party. Chris is an adventurous guy and has a burning drive for fishing new destinations. His passion is evident in everything he does and he has a burning desire to succeed at whatever he puts his mind to do. All four of the team members have previous fly fishing experience before teaming up together, but the adventures they face on each journey are brave new realms to all of them. From chopping and sawing their way to virgin fishing waters to learning about new cultures in different parts of the world, the GEOBASS team is experiencing life in a new way. I asked the team what advice they would have for beginning anglers just entering the world of bass fishing or fly fishing. “First of all, you need to care about what you are doing,” said Jay Johnson. “Also, success in fishing is higher when you have fish around you, so watching out for your surroundings is important.” “When we arrive at a destination, we have no idea what the fish are biting on,” Chris Owens said. “In fly fishing, the patterns are constantly changing. You have to match what the fish are feeding on to the best of your ability and be prepared to change often.” One of the team’s main goals for their show is to inspire young and old alike to get outside and experience the outdoors through fishing or other outdoor pursuits. “The outdoors really helps shape a person,” Jay Johnson said. The GEOBASS team has, indeed, inspired and motivated many people to get outdoors and try new adventures, such as fly fishing, through their outdoor series. “Bass are opportunists to the highest

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degree,” Chris Owens said. As a fly fisherman, you have to imitate what the bass feed on regularly. That being said, fly fishermen don’t have the same advantages in regard to the tackle we use compared to traditional fisherman.” Fly fishing is not easy, but it’s the challenge that keeps the team going location after location, for bass fishing action on the fly. Owens pointed out that “We wouldn’t be doing what we are doing without Costa

Sunglasses and our other sponsors such as GoPro, Yeti, Carhartt, Mountain Dew, Diablo Paddlesports and many more.” The GEOBASS team has indeed given the sport of fly fishing a new set of rules and upped the ante on fishing new and challenging waters for bass, both here in the USA and abroad. —by Dustin Vaughn Warncke

7/8/15 12:06 PM

SABINE Area Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

T’S AUGUST AND IT’S BLOOMing hot! As much as we long for the summer months in January and February, by the time this month rolls around, most of us are ready for a cool, or at least, slightly cooler change. The bad news is that it’s not going to happen any time soon. We’re just going to have to keep sweating it out and catching fish in what feels more like an oven than a bay. The good news, on the other hand, it that there are lots of fish to be caught as the temperatures hover around 100 degrees and the wind dies down to near non-existent. Huge schools of fish ranging from trout and reds, to gaff top and lady fish will be easy to locate and stay with because of the super

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Ladyﬁsh are key players in this late summer game...

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Summer School

slick surface. The tiniest of ripples caused by either bait or fish will be easily seen and lead you to the action. Ladyfish are key players in this late summer game because they are almost always mixed in with the schools of trout and reds. The fact that they are constantly popping the surface makes them easy to spot from long dis-

tances without having to rely on birds for help. The north end of Sabine Lake between

Coffee Ground Cove and the North Revetment on Pleasure Island is one of our go-to destinations when we get the midday slick offs of August. Look and listen for ladyfish busting the surface and shrimp skipping for their lives. Come armed with a 6-1/2 to 7-1/2 foot medium-light casting or spinning gear rigged with 1/8 to 1/4 ounce lead heads and a variety of soft plastics. Cocaho Minnows, Assassins and H & H Sparkle Beetles are good choices. Color usually doesn’t matter, but it’s not a bad idea to experiment to see what they like best. Topwaters like Skitterwalks and She Dogs also work well and can help weed out some of the smaller fish. Throwing soft plastics under a popping cork with about 24 inches of leader is also very effective. There is no shortage of shad in our system in August. You should have no problem finding what appears to be acres of them all over the lake. Fish the outside of the school and let your bait get a little deeper if you want to catch better trout and nice reds. Live shad free-lined or under a popping cork is a great set-up that they can’t resist. If you want to escape the mayhem you can target flounders that are gearing up for the fall migration. The bayous on the Louisiana side of the lake should be giving up nice boxes of flatties. Bridge, Willow and Johnson Bayous should be good choices for a consistent flounder bite this month. Live mud minnows and Gulf Swimming Mullet are excellent choices for putting these tasty flatfish in the ice chest.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Pleasure Island SPECIES: Flounder, reds, croaker, drum BAITS/LURES: Mud minnows, fresh dead shrimp BEST TIMES: All day, especially with tidal movement

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GALVESTON Area Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. MIKE HOLMES

Fishing is HOT This Month!

UGUST IS VERY OFTEN the hottest month of the year in our part of the world for fishing – both in fishing action and in the temperatures we have to do it in. Wading, whether in shallow bay waters or in the surf, can often be a cooling break. Coastal anglers look forward to this; but at this time of year, the water we wade might be the temperature of warm bathwater. Not very refreshing. The normal drill to overcome the August heat is to fish early morning and late afternoon or at night. When the sun goes down, so does the temperature to a point. A cooling breeze moving over the water can actually render conditions to be quite pleasant. Keeping exposure to the Texas sun at a minimum is also a good idea one sort of pushed home to me recently by the need to have two small skin cancers removed. While these were of the basal cell variety, which the doctors tell me is the kind you want to have, if you indeed have to experience a skin cancer, it would certainly be preferable to avoid such experience if possible. Using modern skin protection from lotions to clothing is important, of course, but staying out of the sun altogether as much as possible is even better. It appears the mythical vampires were probably justified in roaming around only at night. In my case, it was discouraging to learn that the sun’s damage can be cumulative. All my years offshore and on the beach in the heat of the day will probably cause me problems for the rest of my life, no matter what precautions I take now. The cows are out of the barn, so to speak;

too late to shut the gate. This is something I overlooked in my younger days, but will be taking seriously now. The other “up” side to avoiding the sun and heat is that most other creatures such as fish want to avoid it, also. Depending on tidal movements and some other variables, fishing at night can be better at any time of year, but even more so now. We usually think of night fishing as taking place under some sort of light that attracts bait, and thus, fish. There are lights on jetties and piers both commercial and private. Many night fishing specialists carry their own in the boat or as a portable unit that can be set up on a bank or dock. Light works very well, of this there is no doubt, especially the green lights now common for night fishing, but fish can be caught without light. Using an active live bait, a dead bait with a good odor or blood trail, or an artificial lure that splashes or flashes can produce very good results. A light will be useful for bait rigging and landing fish, however, but fishing in the dark

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can also cut down maybe a little bit on the number of mosquito bites. Under a bright moon it’s a very pleasant way to pass some time without getting a sun burn. Red snappers are not normally found in Galveston Bay, although they have been caught at times off the jetty rocks. Snappers, nonetheless, are a very important fish to the Galveston economy. Commercially, snappers are one of the most popular of all Gulf species on the table, and they are pursued recreationally by anglers aboard private boats, for-hire charter boats, and large “head” boats that charge each angler individually. There is a big push building to turn all management of red snappers in the Gulf over to the states. This should have the support of all saltwater fishermen. To see what the alternative might be in leaving the Feds in charge of our fishery, note that they are proposing a “tag” system for red snappers. The quota and distribution of the tags would be based on very questionable data about historic catch levels of red snappers.

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MATAGORDA Area Hotspot Focus :: by MIKE PRICE

Boat Surf Fishing

E ARE HEADING OUT past the Matagorda jetties just before daylight, and lightning offshore illuminates threating clouds. Thunder follows, and I question the wisdom of going out in these conditions to fish the surf in my nineteen-foot Carolina Skiff. We are approaching the end of the jetties, and the sun is up and the storm has moved on. The wind is light from the north, and the Gulf of Mexico is so calm that I can run west along the shoreline at 25 knots. We slow the boat, and turn toward the beach threequarters of a mile from the jetties and ease the anchor into the water, and discover that the water is so clear that we see the anchor on the bottom, eight feet deep. The tide is incoming. My fishing partner, Jeff Wiley, and

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I are aware that we have a rare, ideal morning for fishing the surf. Jeff casts his red and white Norton Sand Eel near some brown pelicans and hooks a lady fish, which is also called skipjack. It fights much harder than its slim eighteen-inch, one and one-half pound size, flipping, leaping and running over and over. We know that some people eat them, but we don’t consider them table food, so we catch and release several. In between ladyfish we are hooking Spanish mackerel, a fish that is very tasty (especially if cooked fresh. Their sharp teeth bite through our twenty-pound test monofilament leaders and we don’t land any. We know that we should change to steel leaders if we want to consistently land Spanish mackerel, but we don’t want to discourage trout from hitting our lures, and trout will shy away from a steel leader. So we stay with monofilament leaders and eventually manage to land a couple of 18- to 20-inch Spanish mackerel. I cast my pumpkinseed/chartreuse Bass

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Assassin on a quarter-ounce jig head away from shore, let it drop and then start working it back to the boat. I feel the assault of a large predator reverberate through my braided line and rod, then go up my arm. The fish is ripping my line off, and I am thinking that I am going to get spooled. I gain a little line. The hard charger almost spools me again, but I am making progress and I get a look at the fish. It’s a jack crevalle. Suddenly two sets of shark fins merge on my fish and the line goes slack. I guess that the fish weighed about fifteen pounds. Jack crevalles range in size from five to thirty pounds and are not good eating. Jeff goes up to the bow and picks up the anchor, and we slowly idle along the beach and come upon a great deal of splashing. Easing close to the action we find a big ball of bloody bait fish surrounded by attacking jack crevalles. We toss our lures into this frenzy, and they are hit instantly. My fish breaks off, but Jeff manages to land his. We take a picture and release the piscatorial bruiser. We don’t want to hook any more jack crevalles, but it is mesmerizing to watch this life and death struggle. The feeding frenzy is moving toward the beach into the midst of a big flock of brown pelicans. The jack fish are smashing the baitfish while the pelicans are grabbing the leftovers. We move down the beach and see birds working and baitfish jumping, so we anchor within casting distance. My soft plastic drops near the action. I feel a strong thump, set the hook and work the fish back to the boat. I am delighted to see we have found some speckled trout, which are common in the August surf. Jeff hooks up, and we watch his trout in the clear water as he reels it in. A second before he lifts it out of the water a seven-foot bull shark moves toward the fish. Quickly, Jeff jerks up on his rod but the shark is faster. All Jeff gets is a trout head. A dozen or so striped mullet fly out of the water near the boat, then it happens again. We look through the clear water and see two tarpon, about three feet long, swimming past.

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No doubt they are the cause of concern for the mullet, and it’s quite a thrill for us to see. As we make our way back through the jetties, we are aware that we have experienced a phenomenal morning of surf fishing: light winds, clear water, incoming tide, action galore, and we even have some trout and Spanish mackerel in the ice chest for dinner.

THE BANK BITE MATAGORDA BEACH: There is so much bait in the surf in August that just watching it is fascinating. The bait brings in many different species of predators. A friend and I were fourteen miles east of the beach entrance in late August, wading in waist deep water and surrounded by gafftops sails catfish eating jumping and snapping shrimp. We caught and released several gafftops. Then we moved about a half mile where we found menhaden popping out of the water all around us. At this spot, in addition to gafftops, we caught blue fish, whiting, and sand trout. At fifteen miles from the beach entrance we saw Gavin Ondrias from El Campo hooked up to a 32-inch redfish. Gavin and his friend, Greg Vasquez

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Focus: GALVESTON t CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57 As an example, this system rates Florida as the state with the largest amount of snapper catches, with Alabama (more believable) in second place. Texas is far down the list because our state routinely reports its data on snapper catches too late for them to be included in the NOAA/NMFS totals so—they are not counted at all. “Best available science”? I think not.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: The August surf can be pleasant from Eagle Lake, used their cast net to catch menhaden. Then they used the menhaden to catch the seven good-sized trout that were on their stringer. Whether you are ﬁshing with live shrimp, artiﬁcial lures, or bait that you catch with a cast net, the chances of a good day in the surf are high in August. That’s especially if blue water is up to the beach and the tide is incoming. However, you

early and late in the day. Piers and jetty rocks beckon at night, and shallow reefs and sandbars allow anglers to at least get wet – if not really cool off. SPECIES: Redfish, speckled trout, flounder, sharks of various sizes. Mackerel and other “offshore fish” can visit the surf or jetties. BEST BAITS: Live bait entices, but can be hard to keep alive in the heat. Cool water helps, even if ice must be used. Top water artificials are exciting both to fish and to fishermen alike. BEST TIMES: Stay out of the mid day heat, and play the tides.

Email Mike Holmes at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com should use a four-wheel-drive vehicle on the beach and buy a beach permit from CJ’s or Stanley’s in Matagorda before going on the beach.

Email Mike Price at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

7/8/15 12:06 PM

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

Hit the Beach

HETHER WE ARE ACTUally able to notice any difference in the climate whatsoever, August often marks some of the initial cool fronts of the year. The term “cool front” probably isn’t the best choice of words here, as at this time of the year all this basically means is that the wind blows out of the north for a day or two, but there’s really not any significant change, or drop, in the air temperature.

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Whenever this occurs in August, anglers should attempt try heading to the surf for a fun-filled day of wading along the beach in the blue-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Being able to do so is a treat that isn’t offered but on certain occasions during summertime due to high, southerly winds. So, whenever the opportunity presents itself, learn to take advantage of the situation. It’ll be hot, and you might sweat a lot, but you’ll forget all about whatever discomforts might be ailing you the moment you hook into that first big surf-runnin’ speck. In searching for a place to anchor upon arrival in the surf, scan the horizon to see if you can spot any birds, either skydiving or sitting. These guys are natural anglers, so pay close attention to what they’re doing and where they’re doing it. The skydiving birds are normally eating baitfish or shrimp that are being driven to the water’s surface by predator fish from below. And the birds sitting on the water are most times picking-off small baitfish that are congregating in the area. Either way, birds are a good indication of the presence of fish, so always look the area over really well before choosing to stop in any one spot. If the surf water is flat all the way to the beach, the trout bite can sometimes become more consolidated in one area. But if there are small, rolling waves present along the beachfront, the trout will tend to roam up and down the beachfront more actively, thereby creating somewhat of a lull in between the bite. When this happens, don’t be discouraged, as there will be other trout along in a little while. Just keep fanning your casts in all directions, and maybe walk a short distance in either direction if you get too hot and need to move around in the water in order to cool-off a bit. A lot of folks like to fish with live bait in the surf this time of the year, particularly croaker and live shrimp. And they often do quite well for themselves. However, for the artificial enthusiasts out there, there is nothing that can be as exciting as working a topwater bait in a calm surf, but other baits can be just as effective. Some prefer to try their luck in the lower water column by offering to the fish some soft-plastics worked along the sandy bottom

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across the numerous guts that run parallel to the beach. Others like to work various levels of the water column by tossing hard baits (plugs) that may run anywhere from just below the surface, or to nearly five or six feet deep. Regardless of your poison, it’s always a fun thing for me to experiment with many different types of artificial baits when I’m out in the surf. Although wade fishing the surf can seem absolutely spectacular at times, you need to also know that surf conditions are more than capable of presenting very dangerous situations at times. Safety, especially while in the surf, should always be your number one consideration. You should always know the local weather forecast before heading to the surf, and you should even carry a weather-band radio with you if at all possible. It’s imperative that you remain alert to your surroundings, and learn to anticipate the present and upcoming weather conditions so you can prepare accordingly. If you feel that it’s too windy or you have any reservations whatsoever, then you should simply not go. Consider using a personal floatation device. Holes in the sandy bottom, unpredictable wave action, and strong undercurrents can be hazardous, and have been known to sweep people right off their feet without notice. If you have never waded in the surf, it’s extremely difficult to convey to you the exact thrill and excitement that it can offer you. Gulf waters often promise something for anglers of all levels of experience, from novice to old-salt. You can catch anything from sand trout to speckled trout, redfish to Spanish mackerel, and king fish to sharks. There’s something for everyone, and you should truly contemplate the surf as a contingency or probability if you ever get a chance to do so. Remember to hydrate early and often, wear plenty of protective clothing, and to apply and re-apply sunscreen throughout the day. You’ll thank yourself for doing so.

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

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7/8/15 12:06 PM

ROCKPORT Area Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. MAC GABLE

Questions, Answers, Opinions

FEW YEARS BACK I WROTE an article for us common folks on practical ideas and solutions to the salt water angling life. I still get phone calls and emails on that subject, with suggestions and some really great ideas. This is a similar article and I hope it will be as helpful to you as some of the emails and phone calls I get are to me. The information here comes from my experience over the last 30 years as it applies to my area of expertise.

Questions: IS THERE A PERFECT boat for fishing the Texas coast?

a used 16 to 18 foot semi-V aluminum boat with the smallest motor that will plane the boat out. Have it serviced by a reputable boat/motor mechanic and experiment. You may find it’s all you need and it won’t break your bank account. As you fish the boat if you find you really would like a bigger boat you should know by then if you want to spend your hours in skinny water or want to run off shore into the Gulf, or if you want the limited advantages of both. If you glean nothing from the above then please heed this: don’t make high payments on a boat, especially one you fish in the saltwater. Boats depreciate fast and they are expensive to keep up. Double that if it is used in saltwater. When I retire I will hire my guide buddies to take me fishing. Nuff said! WHAT IS THE MOST versatile reel to use in saltwater? A medium action spinning reel. It covers almost all the bases required and one can learn to cast it fairly easily.

IF YOU HAD TO pick three lures to fish with what would they be? Red Headed Super Spook; Berkley Gulp New Penny Jerk Shad; Gold Spoon with a red insert. WHAT ARE THE BEST three knots for bay fishing? The Polamar knot; Uni to Uni knot; Loop Knot. I have caught fish all over the world using these three knots. WHAT IS THE best outboard boat motor? One that is paid for! I run a Mercury 175 Optimax. It is a tried and proven V-block motor which has been around for years. Mercury added fuel rails, on board compressors etc. etc. etc. but the power head itself has not changed—nor has much else— over the years. In my opinion the Big Four manufacturers (Mercury, Bombardier, Yamaha, and

Yes, the one that is paid for! Otherwise there is no such thing. Each boat offers its own advantages and disadvantages and is often designed for a specific reason/capability. Flat hull boats are shallow running miracles but beat you to death in rough water and most get you plenty wet on windy days. The deep V hulls have a softer and dryer ride but can get you into trouble if you are not familiar with the bay systems you are fishing. The number two reason for most tow jobs my buddy and I do is when a boat runs aground. Of these, 90 percent are deep V type hulls. The new breed of boat that has caught on is a happy medium between the two, with the front of the hull being an aggressive V which transitions into a flat tunnel hull in the back. This type of boat is pretty good in the shallows and rides reasonably well in rough water. It is my boat of choice as a guide. If you are a newbie to coastal fishing, get T E X A S

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Focus: ROCKPORT Suzuki) are all pretty close to each other with not enough difference to live on between them. I would keep a close watch on the four stroke engines as I believe they are the future of outboard motors. Four strokes get better mileage, are quieter, and to date seem to hold up as well if not better than 2 stroke engines. IS BRAIDED LINE better than mono or fluorocarbon? No, but one must define better. Will braided cause more fish to bite? NO. Will braided fight fish better? NO. Is braided better for the environment? NO. The use of braided line for fishing is nothing new; in fact it was used before mono was even invented. The old braided lines were made of cotton and or linen and admittedly had their draw backs. The new braids use spectra, micro-dyneema, Dacron or some version thereof. Their popularity increased for predominantly one reason: guides used them because they held up to the rigors and abuse of day to day fishing. The original braids were rough and so abrasive they cut grooves in the rod guides and most fishing guides still have scars where the line cut them. The manufacturers improved the line by smoothing and rounding the line out. Rod manufacturers got in line as well and went to harder guide material to prevent guide damage due to the abrasiveness of braided line. The plus for braid is their diameter per pounds of tested strength. Roughly, braided line can be from 1/3 to 1/2 the diameter of monofilament line, allowing for more line on the reel and in theory, better cast ability. I use braided line in my business now almost exclusively simply because it holds up better and instead of relining my reels every third trip or so I can go as much as a year without having to reline. In some fishing applications mono works better for catching some types of fish. Like red fishing? The stretch of the mono allows for better acquisition of the bait where with the no-stretch braided line, clients often prematurely pull the bait out of the fish’s mouth before the hook is allowed to work. Braided can be harder on the handi62 |

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capped for it has a more jarring action than the more forgiving / stretching mono. Braided is also a lot more expensive than mono. So, NO, braided is not a hands down better line than mono, as with many things that have to do with fishing its personal choice. Note: every year I find or rescue birds and animals in our area that have become entangled in fishing line. With mono the wildlife has some chance (be it little) but with braided there is virtually no chance of the animal or bird freeing itself. Outboard motors do not fair very well either with braids - get some wrapped around your prop and you thought mono would do a number on a lower unit seal - with braids the seals I’ve seen look like they were attacked with sand paper. WHAT IS THE biggest mistake seen at boat ramps? Not being ready to launch one’s boat when arriving at a boat ramp. The crowds are getting bigger and less forgiving, so when someone pulls up to the boat ramp and blocks access while they take 10 to 30 minutes to get their boat ready, others wait impatiently. This lack of consideration is action begging for trouble. I must admit that guides tend to be the least understanding. WHAT IS THE SECOND biggest mistake seen at boat ramps? Asking one’s spouse or buddy who has no experience backing a boat/trailer to do the honors. People become conflicted very quickly in this situation: this is the stuff divorces, fist fights and jail time are made of. You wouldn’t see a pilot ask someone with no experience to land his/her plane, so why would you ask a spouse, family member or friend to back a trailer at a busy boat ramp unless you know they have the skills? IS THERE A SECRET to docking a boat? YES. Keep in mind boats react almost totally opposite of vehicles, approach slowly but under power (meaning in gear) for you have no control if the boat engine is in neutral.

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Tell your passengers to stay seated ALWAYS when approaching a dock. If someone is going to get hurt it’s usually when a boat is approaching / hitting the dock. I see this every week! Boat docking skills are gained over time and through years of experience and each boat is different in the way it reacts to its engine. Rule of thumb: Make sure your boat has cleats or some form of appendage that you can tie a dock line to for both the port and starboard sides of your boat. Have the tie line attached before you reach the dock to the side you are going to dock to. Secure the front part of the boat FIRST to the dock. Once it is secure you can use the reverse in your motor to bring the back of the boat alongside the dock to secure the back. Practice this and you will see it works in almost all cases. Remember your control of the boat is where the motor is, which is usually in the back. Remember to shift to neutral once positioned where you want to be. WHAT ERROR do most new anglers to the coast make? Fishing too heavy. Bay fishing does not require off shore gear nor does it require 10 ft. surf rods. A 6 1/2 to 7 foot medium action rod is mostly all that is needed. Again, with a good medium action spinning reel. Get a rod and reel that feels balanced in your hand and one you can cast a long way. 20 to 30 lb. test line is all that’s needed. Rinse your gear off with fresh water after every fishing trip. DO YOU have favorite a bait? NO. Each bait I use has its time of year and within that realm I match to the conditions. DO YOU AGREE with the lowering of the trout limits? YES, even though I signed a petition saying I didn’t agree for reasons of lack of a sunset date which drives a re-evaluation of the limits over a specified period of time. I believe the number of all species of sport fish CONTINUED ON PAGE 64 u

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7/9/15 11:55 AM

LOWER Coast Hotspot Focus :: by CALIXTO GONZALES

Little Mouth Opens Wide

UGUST IS REDFISH TIME on the Lower Gulf Coast. Thousands of slot-sized and oversized redfish school up and forage over the flats of Lower Laguna Madre and feed on any finfish or crustacean that fits in their big rubbery mouths. Fishermen who want to match-up with a true bull redfish, a beast that is can stretch the tape up to 44 inches, will look to Boca Chica Beach. The real monster redfish will be roaming over the guts and bars in the surf both on Padre Island and Brazos. These fish are packing on the protein before they make the journey to their offshore spawning grounds. The fish show up in the surf mid-month, and usually stay until late October or early November. During this time, these monsters of the suds ravage schools of mullet, pilchards, sardines and ballyhoo that they overrun. One area accessible both for the boat and the surf fishermen is the Boca Chica Jetties tip. Redfish swim around the piled pink granite at the end of the point from the deeper Brazos-Santiago Pass and into the surf on the Boca Chica Beach side. Boat fishermen can anchor up-current of the point and let out a bow line until they are within casting range of the rocks. The best chance at hooking a trophy redfish would be with live bait, whether it is a large shrimp, a crab (some fishermen swear by these nasty little buggers), or a finger mullet ( which is the most available bait for anyone who owns a cast net). Mud minnows are hardy and will outlive finger mullet in the bucket, and redfish don’t

seem to notice that these guppy lookalikes don’t reside in the suds. If live bait is hard to come by, then fresh chunks of crab, mullet, pinfish, and ballyhoo are effective. Most fishermen prefer to use a slip-sinker rig while fishing the jetty tip. Egg and bell sinkers, however, have a tendency to get snagged up in the rock crevices. Most usually bring plenty of terminal tackle to not be completely depleted, but still spend plenty of time re-rigging. One way to mitigate the snagging issue is to use banana-type sinkers such as the Lindy No Snag Sinker. The NSS comes in weights from ¼ to 1 ½ ounces, and its long narrow design minimizes snagging in the rocks. Another rig that can prevent snagging is a bait walker, which looks has a safety-pin design with a sinker on the bottom arm and a swivel for a leader on the top arm. The sinker bounces along the bottom and rarely snags. Both setups are available at Bass Pro Shops (www.basspro.com). Some sharpies have taken a page from winter visitors and use a sliding leger, which is made up of a short segment of line looped over the main line and several size 4 or 5 split shot sinkers crimped onto it. If a sinker gets caught up in the rocks, a steady pull causes the sinker to come off, and the entire rig is saved. Bank fishermen walking the rocks also have an excellent shot at some of these trophy redfish. The standard 7- to 12-foot surf rig is ideal for this sort of fishing. The longer rod means that you have more leverage to turn a big fish, and the extra length allows you to keep the fish out of the loose boulders at the base of the jetties. The faster recovery of a long rod also allows you to use braided line, which means greater line strength and capacity. If you prefer not using braid, you should still consider using a stiffer, more abrasion resistant line such as 15- to 20-pound fluorocarbon to prevent break-offs. Braid also offers less water resistance, which means that strong waves are less prone to throwing your rig T E X A S

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into the rocks. Whether on a boat or the rocks, please be aware of your surroundings and the conditions. If the wind picks up, the seas can get sloppy in a hurry, and a rogue wave can ruin your day. A few years ago a boat was thrown up onto the rocks after seas got snaky, and the anchor line snapped. Many fishermen have been pulled off the jetties by surprise waves. Some were not recovered alive. A little caution can prevent a tragedy. Of course, if you have a fit of apoplexy because you’ve hooked up to a 35 pound redfish, you’re on your own. If you don’t have a desire to get up extra early and drive down Highway 4 to get to Boca Chica, the fishing along the South Padre Island beachfront can be offthe-boards good. Drive up and down the beachfront and watch for cuts that bisect the parallel sandbars. Redfish, speckled trout, and tarpon use these cuts to move into the guts along the shoreline. You can find some really nice fish roaming in the wade gut early in the morning. There is no real secret to success in fishing the beachfront. Many anglers go to the old #1—a gold spoon. A Johnson Sprite or Kastmaster will catch just about anything that swims the suds, and the latter of the two will not hang up in a stiff Southeast breeze when you have to “punch” a cast into it. Soft plastics such as the popular Kelly Wigglers Balltail Shad on a ¼ ounce jighead work quite well, too. Of course, live bait is always an effective option, but you’ll catch a lot of bull whiting on meat along with the other species, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Just be sure to have a selection of wire leaders on hand if the Spanish mackerel show up, or you’ll go through your entire tackle box in a hurry.

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Email Calixto Gonzales at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com |

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Texas HOTSPOTS

UPPER COAST

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.

All’s Well on Galveston/Trinity by TOM BEHRENS

LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Gas Wells GPS: N 29 42.9829, W 94 43.138 (29.7164, -94.7190)

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CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “The deep water bite is always a good thing for catching numbers of trout in East Bay or Trinity Bay.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Trinity Bay Wells GPS: N 29 41.677, W 94 47.3249 (29.6946, -94.7888)

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Slammin Chicken Paddle Tail

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Bass Assasin soft plasics CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “Start with a 1/16 oz. jig head but you might have to go with a 1/4 oz to 3/8 oz. to get the bait down deep.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Exxon C Lease GPS: N 29 40.446, W 94 45.5789 (29.6741, -94.7597)

HOTSPOT FOCUS: ROCKPORT is depleting and we should use catch limits to help manage that decline, however the track record of lowering fish limits is this: once the limits are lowered they NEVER go back up. P.S. A sunset reevaluation date was put in the 5 trout limit

don’t hire a guide. Further, the resource (fish) is a limited resource and too many are going after that resource. It’s clearly not a slam dunk winning game. If I am able to retire someday it’s not because of fishing—education, sound money management, (meaning living on a strict budget) and good investments will be the reason.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE to new wantto-be guides?

DO YOU HAVE a feeling as to where fishing is headed on the Texas coast?

If you can do anything else and be happy, do it! The guide’s life is not the dream job most think it is. It’s hard work, long hours, hard on your body and relationships. Most new guides don’t make it; the market is just too fickle these days. As a guide you are dealing with people’s play money, so when times get hard they

NO. I can’t predict the future of our fisheries in all its entirety. I have my own thoughts based on what I have seen over the past 50 years. I believe we all have to reset our expectation level of what sport fishing means here. There are a lot more people coming to our waters, which mean longer lines at boat ramps, scarcity of bait, heavier

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toll on our environment, more fishing pressure (which equates to less fish). I see all species of sport fish limits being lowered as this trend continues. It used to be 40 to 50 fish/day was the norm, then 20 to 30, now 15 to 20 fish is a pretty good day. I believe those that need to sink the boat with fish to have a good day on the water need to re-evaluate what a good day on the water is. I am encouraged by those that seem to grasp what the total on the water experience encompasses which is more than just catching fish. It entails the energy that breathing the salt air brings, the wind that echoes through one’s ears while at the same time bringing quietness and peace, the plentiful wildlife one sees from deer, hog, snakes, dolphin to bobcat and some of the most diverse birding anywhere on the planet. Let’s not forget the camaraderie with family CONTINUED ON PAGE 66 u

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7/31/15 9:42 AM

Texas HOTSPOTS u TAP FOR ONLINE MAP

TIPS: “We will start to see a whole lot more schooling activity with redﬁsh feeding, chasing around groups of shrimp.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Dana Cove GPS: N 29 12.7669, W 94 58.305 (29.2128, -94.9718)

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Weedless Gold Spoon CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “A weedless gold spoon, quarter ounce will pull redfish from grass flats.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Sun Gas Wells GPS: N 29 38.932, W 94 48.4372 (29.6489, -94.8073)

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Slammin Chicken Paddle Tail CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “The deep water bite is always a good thing for catching numbers of trout in East Bay or Trinity Bay.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Chocolate Bayou Cove GPS: N 29 12.4476, W 95 11.5458 (29.2075, -95.1924)

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SPECIES: Redﬁh BEST BAITS: Solf Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com

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S S

Texas HOTSPOTS SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Sea Shad soft plastic on a weighted worm hook CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “For the angler who is hunting the isolated single trophy, he will pull them off shallow water, but not typically numbers of big trout.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: North Shoreline GPS: N 29 14.3149, W 95 0.6769 (29.2386, -95.0113)

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “Typically the ﬁsh are in 2-3 feet of water.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Redﬁsh Cove GPS: N 29 6.1009, W 95 6.5689 (29.1017, -95.1095)

281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “Focus on schools of mullet, and especially the areas that have small bait ﬁsh.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Chocolate Bay Shoreline GPS: N 29 10.392, W 95 9 (29.1732, -95.1500)

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com

HOTSPOT FOCUS: ROCKPORT t CONTINUED FROM PAGE 64 and friends. Add to that the fun of catching fish and bringing home some tasty meals and enjoying the flavor of our coast. Or perhaps, catch and release. For those seeking these kinds of things I see fun times ahead and a bright future. ••• AUGUST FEELS LIKE the heat will last forever and fishing seems to follow suit with a predictable repeatable cadence. With croaker still the bait of choice, I often switch to piggy perch and mud minnows and the change of pace are often quite productive. Shrimp is still a good bait but this time of year shrimp often get hammered by perch and tiny hardhead. COPANO BAY – Wades around Rattlesnake Point are good for reds using finger mullet or piggy perch free lined. The shoreline west of Swan Lake is good for black drum using fresh dead shrimp. There are trout frequenting this area as well. Live shrimp free lined is a good backup bait. ARANSAS BAY – Sheep head action 66 |

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is good around the old fishing bridge/pier using small kahle hooks and pieces of squid. The back side of Mud Island is good for reds using finger mullet or croaker on a light Carolina rig. The reds feed just off the shoreline so cast as close to the island as possible. Deep draft boats should fish this on high tide only. Allyns Bite is holding some black drum just off the salt grass with fresh dead shrimp on light Carolina rig. ST. CHARLES BAY – Drifts across Little Sharp Point are good for reds and trout using Gulp! crabs and shrimp under a bubble cork. East Pocket on high tide is good for reds using cut mullet on a light Carolina rig. Indian Head Point has some keeper reds using free lined finger mullet. CARLOS BAY – Cedar Reef is good for black drum and some flounder using free lined live shrimp. Work the shrimp slowly back to the boat and set the hook on the slightest tap. The west side of Third Chain is good for reds using croaker or piggy perch free lined. MESQUITE BAY – Wades close to Bludworth Island are good for trout and

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reds using free lined croaker. Cedar Point has some nice trout using croaker free lined. Wading is best but fish can be caught from the boat here as well. The spoil area just off Roddy Island is good for sheep head and some gafftop using live shrimp under a rattle cork. AYERS BAY – Wades on Second Chain are producing trout and reds using croaker and finger mullet. Ayers Point is good for black drum using peeled shrimp on a light Carolina Rig.

THE BANK BITE THE SHORELINE just off Goose Island State Park is good for reds using cut mullet and menhaden. The key here is to wade out and cast into the structure (grass and shell) that’s just off the shore line. A medium heavy Carolina rig works well here. One must gain access to the state park to ﬁsh here.

Contact Capt. Mac Gable at Mac Attack Guide Service, 512–809–2681, 361–790–9601 captmac@macattackguideservice.com

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7/31/15 9:42 AM

Texas HOTSPOTS www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “Areas with small baitﬁsh will normally have the bigger trout.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Chocolate Bayou GPS: N 29 11.6209, W 95 9.948 (29.1937, -95.1658)

LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Raymond Shoal GPS: N 28 40.449, W 95 53.898 (28.6742, -95.8983)

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “August is one of my favorite months for true shallow water ﬁshing.” Steve Soule

SPECIES: Reﬁsh BEST BAITS: Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordaﬁshing.com TIPS: Countz’s favorite soft plastics are the Marsh Minnow and the Soft Shad. “They’re scented. LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Oyster Farm GPS: N 28 41.47, W 95 48.5209 (28.6912, -95.8087)

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SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Weedless Gold Spoon CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “In August we will always see lots of schooling redfish…one of my favorite months for shallow water fishing.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Kain Cove GPS: N 28 40.3249, W 95 50.43 (28.6721, -95.8405)

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7/31/15 9:40 AM

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Sea Shad soft plastic CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “In August I like to sight cast for giant trout in shallow water.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Catchall Basin Flats GPS: N 28 43.7719, W 95 45.562 (28.7295, -95.7594)

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Weedless Gold Spoon CONTACT: Capt. Steve Soule 281-352-6289 shallowist@msn.com www.theshallowist.com TIPS: “On the deeper edges of the grass ﬂats there will be still pretty decent numbers of redifh feeding, not visible, but grouped up, slicking along a dropoff.” Capt. Steve Soule LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: Greens GPS: N 29 44.8302, W 95 10.1628 (28.490721, -96.22523))

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LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: Cottons GPS: N 28 30.45, W 96 12.3816 (28.5075, -96.2064)

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters and soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: “Start the day wading until you find fish. Early morning they are going to be shallow. Getting into mid morning, and it gets hotter, we will be throwing into 4-5 feet of water.” Capt. Tommy Countz LOCATION: Matgorda East Bay HOTSPOT: St. Mary’s Bayou GPS: N 28 39.7829, W 95 57.4309 (28.6631, -95.9572)

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins 409-673-9211 9782018@sbcglobal.net www.ﬁshsabinelake.com TIPS: By August anglers should be able to ﬁnd trout in just about anywhere. “Just look for the bird action.” Capt. Bill Watkins

MIDDLE COAST

Stalk Panther for SA Specks by TOM BEHRENS

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordaﬁshing.com TIPS: Countz’s favorite soft plastic colors are black with a chartreuse tail and Chicken-on-a-Chain. LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Flats GPS: N 29 56.404, W 93 50.919 (29.9401, -93.8487)

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters and soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net

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www.matagordaﬁshing.com TIPS: “I like to ﬁsh the grass beds early and maybe some of the little cuts that trickle through the grass beds.” Capt. Tommy Countz

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Panther Reef GPS: N 28 13.6339, W 96 41.8339 (28.2272, -96.6972)

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live croaker or live shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Chad Verburgt 361-463-6545 rockportredrunner@yahoo.com www.rockportredrunner.com TIPS: Croaker rigging … “Besides going to a 6/0 hook, don’t forget to use a circle hook.” Capt. Chad Verburgt LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Lydia Ann Channel GPS: N 27 51.736, W 97 3.298 (27.8623, -97.0550)

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G A M E ®

7/31/15 9:40 AM

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Chad Verburgt 361-463-6545 rockportredrunner@yahoo.com www.rockportredrunner.com TIPS: “Fishing a bunch of schooling ﬁsh mostly. Use your trolling to move along to ﬁnd the schooling action.” Capt. Chad Verburgt LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Chicken Foot Reef GPS: N 28 15.832, W 96 46.8889 (28.2639, -96.7815)

rockportredrunner@yahoo.com www.rockportredrunner.com TIPS: “If I start loosing ﬁsh, not actually getting hooked, that’s when I move to the 6/0 hook.” Capt. Chad Verburgt

(28.2155, -96.7859)

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LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Shell Reef GPS: N 28 12.9319, W 96 47.155

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Chad Verburgt 361-463-6545 rockportredrunner@yahoo.com www.rockportredrunner.com TIPS: Croaker rigging … “Keep the bait looking as natural as possible using a 5/0 hook, moving to a 6/0 hook later on as the month progresses.” Capt. Chad Verburgt LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Refuge Reef GPS: N 28 17.392, W 96 46.6519 (28.2899, -96.7775)

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Chad Verburgt 361-463-6545

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Texas HOTSPOTS SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live croaker or live piggy perch CONTACT: Capt. Chad Verburgt 361-463-6545 rockportredrunner@yahoo.com www.rockportredrunner.com TIPS: As August progresses Verburgt will switch to live piggy perch.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline GPS: N 27 29.134, W 97 21.1079 (27.4856, -97.3518)

Kennedy Ranch, focusing early on the shallow edges, wading knee deep water. u TAP FOR ONLINE MAP

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters early, soft plastics later in the day CONTACT: Capt. Chad Verburgt 361-463-6545 rockportredrunner@yahoo.com www.rockportredrunner.com TIPS: “I’m throwing topwaters early and then switching to soft plastics later. One of my favorite baits is the Norton Sand Eel in Watermelon/chartreuse.” Capt. Chad Verburgt

LOWER COAST

Shore Enough for Bafﬁn Specks

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Bay GPS: N 26 1.785, W 97 11.0109 (26.0298, -97.1835)

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SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp, Gulp! Shrimp in New Penny, Pearl CONTACT: Captian Jimmy Martinez 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish the dropoffs and channel edges with bottom rigs with live or dead shrimp. Free shrimping rigs also work. A transient snook might also strike your offering. Bounce a Gulp! Shrimp on the bottom. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Color Change GPS: N 26 10.429, W 97 12.7589 (26.1738, -97.2127)

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by CALIXTO GONZALES and TOM BEHRENS LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Kennedy Shoreline GPS: N 27 15.598, W 97 27.6509 (27.2600, -97.4609)

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, ballyhoo; topwaters early, soft plastics in white/chartrues, glow/chartreuse, red/chartreuse. CONTACT: Captian Jimmy Martinez 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish the “trout green” water that marks the boundary between the grass ﬂats and sand that stretches all the way to the ICW. The trout will mostly be just inside the murkier water. Live shrimp or a soft plastic can be ﬁshed under an Alameda or popping cork set around 24-28 inch depths. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Long Bar GPS: N 26 8.8909, W 97 17.7399 (26.1482, -97.2957)

G A M E ®

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shimrp, pinﬁsh; cutbait. Soft Plastics in Red/White, Chartreuse/whie. CONTACT: Captian Jimmy Martinez 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish around the Underground Cable sign and cast to the potholes. It is best to anchor in this area because of tome of the extremely shallow spots. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Dunkin Channel GPS: N 26 20.17, W 97 19.9279 (26.3362, -97.3321)

CONTACT: Captain Cesar Agnuiano 956-456-1363 TIPS: Fish the northern shoreline of Peytons. 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

HOTSPOT: East Bay GPS: N 26 23, W 97 17.029 (26.3833, -97.2838)

LOCATION: Port Mansﬁeld

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SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, finger mullet, Soft baits in New Penny, Red/Whtie, Hot Pink. CONTACT: Captain Cesar Agnuiano 956-456-1363 TIPS: Flounder use channels to migrate in and out of bays when the water begins to warm. 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: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Peyton’s Bay GPS: N 26 25.948, W 97 22.269 (26.4325, -97.3712)

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live Shrim, cut bait. Topwaters in black/red or yellow head.

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PINEY WOODS

Hot Dam Striper Action SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live Bait, Gulp! Shrimp pearl, soft plastics in pearl/red, strawberry/white, topwaters in bone, chartreuse. CONTACT: Captain Richard Bailey 956-369-5090 TIPS: Fish topwaters up in the cuts early in morning, move back as the sun rises up in the sky and ﬁsh the edges. Fish soft plastics deeper on a ¼ ounce jighead.

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in red/white, limetreuse, pearl/chartreuse. CONTACT: Captain Richard Bailey 956-369-5090 TIPS: “Use soft plastics around the edges of the Bar to ﬁnd both trout and redﬁsh. Fish slowly to work deeper water.

LOCATION: Port Mansﬁeld HOTSPOT: Community Bar GPS: N 26 35.144, W 97 25.644 (26.5857, -97.4274)

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by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Dam - Deep Water Area GPS: N 30 37.974, W 95 1.5059 (30.6329, -95.0251)

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SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, 1 ¼ oz white slabs,

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7/31/15 9:40 AM

Texas HOTSPOTS spoons, Tsumani Holographic hot pink/gold 4 inch Swim Shad CONTACT: David S Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 dave@palmettoguideservice.com www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Bounce baits off the bottom, look for strikes on falling baits. Troll a Tsumani Swim Shad behind a #10 jet diver. LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Big Cypress Channel and Alligator Bayou GPS: N 32 44.0405, W 94 6.474 u TAP FOR (32.7340, -94.1079)

ONLINE MAP

CONTACT: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith 318-455-3437 caddoguide1@att.net www.caddolakeﬁshing.com TIPS: “Fish the edges of these channels by punching the creature baits on a heavy texas rig through the matted vegetation. Fish the frogs over the vegetation, and the Texas-rigged plastic worms along the outer edges. I usually throw darker colored baits in the vegetation this time of the year. LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 28.992, W 95 35.0579 (30.4832, -95.5843)

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(936) 291-1277 admin@fishdudetx.com www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: Locate stumps lining the river channel edge and tie off in 20 to 25 foot of water. Use a bag of cattle cubes to bring the fish to you. I will dump a half bag of cubes on two different locations and come back to the first, tie up and get my boat back in the same position. Using a spinning reel with a treble hook, an 1/8 ounce egg sinker and a piece of cut sponge wrapped around it; dip it in the bait and drop it to the bottom. Stay in contact with the bottom raising the bait up and down slowly until I feel some resistance, then set the hook. You can on most days catch limits of fish in just a few hours. Bank Access: Stowaway Marina. LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: English Bay Flats (The Cotton Field) GPS: N 31 23.586, W 93 41.3999 (31.3931, -93.6900)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Creature baits, V&M Bull frogs, V&M Wild Thang 8.5 worm

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SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Primos Dipping bait CONTACT: Richard Tatsch

7/31/15 9:40 AM

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, tail spinners, slab spoons CONTACT: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages 936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: The White Bass will be schooling in the ﬂats, roadbeds and off the main lake points close to deep water. The schooling activity is usually the best early in the morning and late in the evening. Look for the sea gulls feeding on the shad and the Whites are usually close by. Rat-L-Traps, shallow diving crank baits tail spinners and slab spoons work best. If the top water action slows down, back out to the ﬁrst drop and throw a tail spinner or slab spoon.

PRAIRIES & LAKES

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 20.304, W 96 9.8579 (32.3384, -96.1643)

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Cut bait CONTACT: Jason Barber 903-887-7896 kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com www.kingscreekadventures.com TIPS: “This is a good time of year for jug lines. Use white foam noodles or small bottles with a short 1”” to 6’ line and a small weight and hook with fresh cut bait. Set out several jugs and follow along while watching for hookups. Fish over deep open water for the best results. LOCATION: Fayette County HOTSPOT: Snake Island Point GPS: N 29 55.878, W 96 43.368 (29.9313, -96.7228)

Palestine Bass on the Cobb by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Cobb Creek GPS: N 32 5.436, W 95 27.852 (32.0906, -95.4642)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, Shimmy Shakers, and black/brown jigs CONTACT: Ricy Vandergriff 903-561-7299 OR 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com www. rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Fish around boat docks and brush. Docks should be in around 6’ to 10’ of water.

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SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, cut shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Anchor 20-25 foot deep off the point. Chum close to the boat, fish straight down using tight lines. Best to fish on a light wind day here. LOCATION: Gibbons Creek HOTSPOT: Intake Channel GPS: N 30 37.02, W 96 4.3319 (30.6170, -96.0722)

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LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Main lake for Crappie and up the San Gabriel River for Black Bass GPS: N 30 41.4599, W 97 21.2819 u TAP FOR (30.6910, -97.3547) ONLINE MAP

SPECIES: Crappie and Black Bass BEST BAITS: Jigs and minnows for Crappie and spinner baits for Black Bass CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell (512) 365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: “The crappie are still biting good at this time of year and really pick up around the last week of the month. They are getting very fat after feeding on all the bait that hatched from the recent flood. Main lake brush piles are the ticket for the crappie. This is one of the best times to catch black bass at Granger Lake. The best time to fish for them is during the early afternoon at the hottest time of day. They are feeding heavily on shad that travel the river channel. The best area of the river to try is around the island just below where the ditch runs in up from Fox Bottom. Spinner baits and crank baits like a Bomber Model A work very well but you might have luck with any of the standard bass baits. Good luck and good fishing. LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Triplet Point/Aerator GPS: N 31 54.843, W 97 11.646 (31.9141, -97.1941)

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Tail Hummers and Rat-L-Traps

SPECIES: Catﬁsh T E X A S

BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Water is warm, chum works great. Anchor on left side of intake in the trees. Fish should show up in 15 minutes to the chum. Fish cork just off the bottom or tight line for both Channel and Blue cats.

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Texas HOTSPOTS CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The Whites are chasing shad along Triplet Point early and late. After the sun gets up good the aerator is a great place to take kids and let them wear out the Whites. LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Lower Ends GPS: N 32 23.262, W 97 42.432 (32.3877, -97.7072)

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 33 5.112, W 96 27.2399 (33.0852, -96.4540)

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SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Live Shad and Jigging Slabs in Chartruese and Holographic Silver CONTACT: Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters

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817-578-0023 www.unfairadvantagecharters.com TIPS: Fishing near humps and ridges around 20 feet down. Early surface action is possible on spinners and rattle traps.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Mister Twister Hog Frog, buzz baits, BD7 Shad colored crankbait CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Fish the rocks around boat ramps that have

been submerged in about 12 feet of water surrounding the lake. They are usually located around the old boat launches. These can be found with good side imaging. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Kickapoo Creek GPS: N 32 17.5919, W 95 30.0719 (32.2932, -95.5012) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Shimmy Shakers and jigs black/ brown CONTACT: Ricy Vandergriff 903-561-7299 OR 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com www. rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Bass fishing is good in around the islands in back of Kickapoo creek and over on river in the Cade’s cove area. Fish early with top waters. Soft plastics good as well. Fish water in 3 to 5 foot range. Down south fish back of Flat Creek. Down near the dam you will find bass good early in 3-5 feet and out on points in 10-16 foot on big crank baits and Carolina rigs using watermelon colored soft plastics.

7/31/15 9:40 AM

Texas HOTSPOTS GPS: N 33 22.5895, W 97 3.1718 (33.3765, -97.0529)

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: IH-30 and Power Plant Jetty GPS: N 32 51.96, W 96 32.082 u TAP FOR (32.8660, -96.5347)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Trick 4” worms on a shaky head, deep diving crankbaits in perch pattern, buzzbaits and top water lures. CONTACT: The Cajun Guide/Johnny Procell (972) 814-8942 cajunguide@att.net www.johnnyprocell.com TIPS: Black bass have moved just above the thermocline around the rocks on I-30 and on the Power Plant Jetty. This stratiﬁcation will be from 12 to 14 feet depending upon the wind and if we have had any rain. Catch them on trick 4” worms on a shaky head or use deep diving crankbaits in perch pattern. Fish for them with buzz baits and top water lures in the grass above highway 66 early and very late. LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Marina Flats GPS: N 33 21.9376, W 97 4.9271 (33.3656, -97.0821)

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SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: topwaters, slabs CONTACT: Dannie Golden - Get Bit Guide Service 817-228-5999 www.get-bit.com TIPS: “Schooling sand bass will be on the flats South of the Marina. I like a Clear Baby Torpedo from Heddon. When not on top, check your graph for fish hanging on the drop off’s of the flats in 20-25 feet of water. I like a 1oz. chartreuse/white slab, bounced off the bottom to get those fish. Also, look for schooling action around Cates Point and the face of the dam.

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, worms, buzzbaits, jigs CONTACT: Dannie Golden - Get Bit Guide Service 817-228-5999 www.get-bit.com TIPS: August can be a tough time to get the largemouth bass to cooperate. However, with all the new flood cover, you should still be able to go out and consistently catch fish this summer. Main lake shallow willows and grass will be holding some fish. Double willow leaf white spinnerbaits, and Texas rigged Blue Fleck power worms, should work around the willow. Early morning is a good time to work a buzzbait and frog around the willows. Also look for fish to be holding on main lake ridges and pond dams in 12-18 feet of water. I like a 3/4 oz football head jig and Norman DD22 in Chartruese/ Shad. LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Little Crappie Point GPS: N 30 18.4979, W 96 31.758 (30.3083, -96.5293)

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LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Whitney Hump and Hwy 22 Road Bed GPS: N 31 54.612, W 97 20.754 u TAP FOR (31.9102, -97.3459) ONLINE MAP

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SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs light blue or grey CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Fish 1/16 oz jigs, try free falling jig and try lowering jig to crush pile slowly. Minnows under cork ﬁshed right above brush or large rocks is best. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Juniper Point East and the Islands GPS: N 33 51.888, W 96 49.8779 (33.8648, -96.8313)

SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: “Live threadfin shad fished suspended at 11”” to 12’. Chartreuse Horsehead Jigs and chartreuse trailers and swim baits by www.rsrlures.comCONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com www.teamredneck.net TIPS: “Fish early morning using live bait suspended at 12”” drifting along the hump. Watch graph as the fish are changing depths sometimes daily. After the sun comes up we are down rigging the jigs and trailers from 10’ to 12’ down along the old Hwy 22 roadbed, I like incorporating a lot of S turns to keep my baits rising and falling. especially when going through a school of fish. This erratic action will entice a reaction strike. LOCATION: Richland Chambers Res. HOTSPOT: 309 Flats

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Main Lake

76 |

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Top water lures and Sassy Shad jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfish@striperexpress.com www.striperexpress.com TIPS: “The big fish move onto the flats in August. Early mornings cast Pencil Poppers and Chug Bugs on the shallow banks. Mid morning, change your lures to Sassy Shad soft plastics. Concentrate on the flats that run about 24’ in depth. Locate the creek channel and drop offs, these are the routes the fish use to move up from deep water. Later in the month the seagulls arrive. Pay close attention to the birds as they are the best fish finder. Bank Access: West Juniper Point and Mill Creek Flats

T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

7/31/15 9:40 AM

Texas HOTSPOTS GPS: N 31 58.716, W 96 6.87 (31.9786, -96.1145)

you want are in this area this time of year. u TAP FOR ONLINE MAP

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Clear Tiny Torpedo or 1/4 oz. Blue/Chrome Rat-L-Trap CONTACT: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 simmonsroyce@hotmail.com www.goneﬁshin.biz TIPS: “ The White Bass Top Water Feeding Frenzy that began in July will really heat up in August and last all the way through September. Sometimes, the schooling ﬁsh will literally be chasing shad in 5 acre size schools. Head for the Hwy 309 Flats early in the morning! This is a thrill for kids and adults who think like kids!

PANHANDLE

Bee Creek is a PK Honey Hole by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER LOCATION: Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Bee Creek GPS: N 32 50.861, W 98 32.291 (32.8477, -98.5382)

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SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: worms, jigs & pigs, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: You can bass fish by throwing worms and jig & pigs. Since the water’s up now, you can use spinnerbaits from the back of Bee Creek to Rattlesnake Cove and on into Caddo Bay. Bee creek is a sweet spot for me as you can see down the lake in 2 directions for schooling fish while you are already in a Hotspot catching fish. Every species

LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Main Lake Creeks GPS: N 33 2.634, W 101 3.8159 (33.0439, -101.0636)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Jigs, spoons, crank baits, jig heads with spinner blades, and flukes on drop shot rigs. CONTACT: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220 nclayton42@sbcglobal.net www.lakealanhenry.com/norman_clayton.htm TIPS: Fishing in the hot summer months of August will depend on you being able to find the shad because if you find the shad, you will find the bass. You can locate large schools of shad over the main channel of the Brazos River and also up the major creek. Look for the schools up Big Grape, Little Grape, and Ince Creeks. Since the lake is full of water, I would also look for schools of shad up Rocky Creek.

HILL COUNTRY

Bass & Crappie on LBJ Honeymoon by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Honeymoon Hump Area GPS: N 30 34.35, W 98 21.474 (30.5725, -98.3579)

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BIG BEND

Pencil In Some Amistad Bass by DUSTIN WARNCKE

LOCATION: Amistad HOTSPOT: Pencil Point GPS: N29 36.35118, W100 58.4484 (29.605853, -100.974140)

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina-rigged worms, jigs, deepdiving crankbaits CONTACT: Stan Gerzsenyl T E X A S

Almanac-1508-AugDIG.indd 77

u TAP FOR ONLINE MAP

830-768-3648 stan@amistadbass.com amistadbass.com TIPS: Fish the under-water ledges and end of the narrow point with a deep-diving crankbait early, slowly working the lure across the end of the point for feeding ﬁsh. After the sun rises, work the under-water brush and stumps with Carolina-rigged worms.

F I S H

SPECIES: Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Bass: Top water lures, buzzbaits, soft plastics, umbrella rigs, and lipless crankbaits; Crappie: jigs and minnows under slip bobbers. CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide ServiceBarry Dodd 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtofish.net www.teachemtofish.net TIPS: Bass and crappie are settled into their summer patters of holding near the thermocline, along deep water ledges and points. They prefer cover near these areas or around grass edges. For bass, work topwaters, buzzbaits and lipless crankbaits before the sun comes up and just before dark. During the day, go deeper with soft plastics, umbrella rigs and spinnerbaits around grass edges. Find brush piles and you should find crappie. For this Hotspot there is plenty of vegetation in water less than 14’ plus it has fast break lines off the hump. There is also deep water close by to hold some big bass during the hot days. LOCATION: Canyon Lake

G A M E ®

A U G U S T

2 0 1 5

7/31/15 9:40 AM

Texas HOTSPOTS HOTSPOT: Turkey Creek GPS: N 29 53.5439, W 98 16.986 (29.8924, -98.2831)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: “Drop Shot w/ motor oil worm, leader about a foot long, ﬂuorocarbon Line, T-Rig w/ 1/8oz Tungston weightCONTACT: KC’S Bassin’ Guide Service 210-823-2153 kandie@gvtc.com www.kcbassinguide.com TIPS: “Denali Rods makes the perfect Drop Shot rod. It’s their 7’ Spinning Rod in medium weight, Rosewood model. This is a must have in one’s arsenal for ﬁshing Canyon Lake. Good colors for this time of year are Blue Flecks and June Bug, Red Bug and Motor Oil. If the sun is high and bright and Green Pumpkin if overcast. LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Turkey Creek Point GPS: N 29 51.7079, W 98 12.948 (29.8618, -98.2158)

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SPECIES: Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Bass: Drop-shots, Shaky Head jigs, crankbaits, buzz baits, and flukes; Crappie: Minnows and jigs under slip bobbers. CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide ServiceBarry Dodd 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtofish.net www.teachemtofish.net TIPS: Bass and crappie are settled into their summer patters of holding near the thermocline, along deep water ledges, points and cover. For bass, spend most of your time fishing points with deep diving crank baits and soft plastics. For crappie, look for channels bends or points with brush piles. There are some brush piles on this point and some pretty good break lines near deeper water. If you’re on the water right at daylight just before dark, throw a topwater or buzzbait for some fun action and remember to always look for fish breaking the surface in a feeding frenzy. When crappie fishing, start with the brush piles found on the point. Use minnows or jigs under slip bobbers. LOCATION: Lake Austin HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 19.464, W 97 50.316 (30.3244, -97.8386)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Hogie 4” Shad Salt Pepper Color CONTACT: Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230 steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com www.sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Trolling this area with downriggers seems to produce the best catches. Set the downriggers from 20 to 40 feet deep and vary trolling speeds. Tight lines and fish on! LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Jacobs Creek Point Area GPS: N 29 52.788, W 98 13.5299 (29.8798, -98.2255)

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off above 84 degrees or there’s a lot of boat traffic, I’ll go from the topwater bite to throwing Picasso Shake E Football with a Wild Thang or a Pacemaker Jig in 15 feet of water. The keys to August fishing at Lake Austin are to fish top waters at dawn and dusk then deeper water with jigs, T-rig, and C-rig during the day and night. You can get the the V&M and Picasso baits at Fisherman’s Corner by Canyon Lake, Tightlines Premium Fishing Tackle in Killeen, and Marine Outlet in Temple. LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Lower Part of the Main Lake GPS: N 30 47.01, W 98 25.0379 (30.7835, -98.4173)

SPECIES: Striped Bass, White Bass, Crappie BEST BAITS: Shad, jigs, and cut bait CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@yahoo.com www.centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: Striper and White Bass fishing is good just past city water. Fish the ridges, humps and down wind coves. Catfish can be caught on cut bait anywhere water coming in. Crappie are good around trees and rocks using small baits and jigs, LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Lower Part of the Main Lake GPS: N 30 45.924, W 98 24.816 u TAP FOR (30.7654, -98.4136)

ONLINE MAP

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: V&M Wild Thang 8.5, V&M Chopsticks, Picasso Shake E Football, Picasso Shad Walker, V&M Pacemaker Jigs mated with V&M Twin Tail Trailer or Split Tail Beaver CONTACT: Brian Parker - Lake Austin Fishing 817-808-2227 lakeaustinﬁshing@yahoo.com www.LakeAustinFishing.com TIPS: This is the time of year to start working the Picasso Shad Walker and V&M Bayou Frog early in the morning as the ﬁsh are up feeding around the bank edges. Once the top water bite ends, I start working the Chopstick and Wild Thang with a T-rig and C-rig in 10-15 feet. If the water temps start

T E X A S

F I S H

SPECIES: Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Topwater lures, shad, cut bait CONTACT: Ken Miliam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: “In August the stripers will be close to the dam, in the deeper cooler water. Since stripers come from the cooler waters of the Atlantic they can’t take the Texas heat! So work the deeper water of any lake. The Stripers will be RIGHT on the Thermocline!

G A M E ®

7/31/15 9:40 AM

Texas HOTSPOTS White bass will be on the deeper ridges and along the tree lines or on any kind of structure in the lakes. Catﬁsh will be in 15 to 28 feet of water along the incline or decline sides of humps or ridges in the lake. Use cut shad or perch or carp for bait. Largemouth bass will be in the shallow water. Spinner or buzz baits are best. Early morning throw top water lures. Crappie will be on deep structure 15 to 22 feet deep.

DIGITAL EXTRA: Locator Maps link to Google Maps online

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, cut bait CONTACT: Charlie Brown 830-780-2162 TIPS: Expect to find catfish in shallow and in deep water this time of year. Use a float rigged to 3 feet and move to another spot if you don’t get a bite within 10-15 minutes. For deeper water, fish on the bottom.

SOUTH TEXAS

Coleto Bass Take to the Creeks by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Coleto Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Main Lake Creeks GPS: N 28 45.054, W 97 11.5799 (28.7509, -97.1930)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Topwater: Frogs, Flukes, Buzzbaits; Texas rig or Carolina rig lures in watermelon or pumpkin dipped in chartruse. CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-960-0566 www.coletocreekguideﬁshing.com TIPS: Fish shallow early morning and evening with anything top water from frogs to ﬂukes to buzz baits. There is a lot of hydrilla this time of year. I like the outside edges which is usually around 12 feet. Then hang on. LOCATION: Choke Canyon Res. HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 28 29.274, W 98 22.8239 (28.4879, -98.3804)

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T E X A S

Almanac-1508-AugDIG.indd 79

F I S H

G A M E ®

A U G U S T

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7/31/15 9:40 AM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK AUGUST 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

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.

T14

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

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

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 6a

AM/PM Timeline

80 |

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

A U G U S T

Almanac-1508-AugDIG2.indd 80

MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.) Time Moon is Directly Underfoot (at its peak on opposite side of the earth)

2 0 1 5

T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

7/31/15 10:04 AM

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

AUGUST 2015

Tides and Prime Times

TUESDAY

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

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

29 «

FRIDAY

30 «

SATURDAY

Jul 31¡

Aug 1 «

2«

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

AM Minor: 2:15a

PM Minor: 2:41p

AM Minor: 3:02a

PM Minor: 3:29p

AM Minor: 3:51a

PM Minor: 4:19p

AM Minor: 4:44a

PM Minor: 5:12p

AM Minor: 5:39a

PM Minor: 6:08p

AM Minor: 6:38a

PM Minor: 7:06p

AM Minor: 7:38a

PM Minor: 8:06p

AM Major: 8:28a

PM Major: 8:54p

AM Major: 9:15a

PM Major: 9:43p

AM Major: 10:05a

PM Major: 10:34p

AM Major: 10:58a

PM Major: 11:27p

AM Major: 11:54a

PM Major: -----

AM Major: 12:24a

PM Major: 12:52p

AM Major: 1:24a

PM Major: 1:52p

Moon Overhead: 10:20p 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: None

Moon Overhead: 11:15p

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 12:12a

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 2:07a

Moon Overhead: 1:10a

12a

12p

12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 8:14p Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 8:14p Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:13p Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:12p Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:12p Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:11p Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:10p Moonrise: 4:51p Set: 2:58a Moonrise: 5:47p Set: 3:49a Moonrise: 6:41p Set: 4:45a Moonrise: 7:33p Set: 5:46a Moonrise: 8:22p Set: 6:50a Moonrise: 9:08p Set: 7:56a Moonrise: 9:53p Set: 9:02a

Moon Overhead: 3:03a 12a

12p

12a

FEET

+2.0

-1.0

BEST: 4:00 — 6:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 12:41p

BEST: 5:00 — 7:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:38p

BEST: 5:30 — 7:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:35p

BEST: 6:30 — 8:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 3:30p

BEST: 7:30 — 9:30 PM

+2.0

BEST: 8:00 — 10:00 PM

TIDE LEVELS

BEST: 3:00 — 5:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:44a

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 10:48a

Moon Underfoot: 9:54a

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

1.29 ft 1.23 ft 1.24 ft -0.16 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

MONDAY

4:32 AM 8:59 AM 11:52 AM 8:43 PM

1.38 ft 1.26 ft 1.28 ft -0.28 ft

TUESDAY

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

5:04 AM 9:37 AM 1:07 PM 9:27 PM

WEDNESDAY

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

5:35 AM 10:15 AM 2:16 PM 10:11 PM

1.48 ft 1.20 ft 1.33 ft -0.38 ft

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:10p Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 8:09p Sunrise: 6:41a Moonrise: 10:36p Set: 10:07a Moonrise: 11:20p Set: 11:12a Moonrise: None

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

6:07 AM 10:56 AM 3:24 PM 10:56 PM

1.49 ft 1.10 ft 1.33 ft -0.33 ft

FRIDAY

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

6:38 AM 11:40 AM 4:34 PM 11:42 PM

1.46 ft High Tide 7:09 AM 0.97 ft Low Tide 12:30 PM 1.29 ft High Tide 5:48 PM -0.20 ft

SATURDAY

7»

SUNDAY

Set: 8:08p Sunrise: 6:41a Set: 8:07p Sunrise: 6:42a Set: 8:07p Sunrise: 6:42a Set: 8:06p Sunrise: 6:43a Set: 8:05p Set: 12:16p Moonrise: 12:03a Set: 1:19p Moonrise: 12:48a Set: 2:20p Moonrise: 1:35a Set: 3:19p Moonrise: 2:24a Set: 4:15p

PM Minor: 9:06p

AM Minor: 9:40a

PM Minor: 10:07p

AM Minor: 10:39a

PM Minor: 11:06p

AM Minor: 11:36a

PM Minor: -----

AM Minor: 12:06a

PM Minor: 12:30p

AM Minor: 12:54a

PM Minor: 1:21p

AM Minor: 1:43a

PM Minor: 2:09p

AM Major: 2:26a

PM Major: 2:53p

AM Major: 3:26a

PM Major: 3:53p

AM Major: 4:26a

PM Major: 4:52p

AM Major: 5:22a

PM Major: 5:49p

AM Major: 6:16a

PM Major: 6:43p

AM Major: 7:07a

PM Major: 7:34p

AM Major: 7:56a

PM Major: 8:22p

12p

Moon Overhead: 5:45a

Moon Overhead: 4:52a 12a

12p

12a

-1.0

1.42 ft 0.79 ft 1.23 ft

AM Minor: 8:39a

Moon Overhead: 3:58a 12a

1.45 ft 1.25 ft 1.31 ft -0.36 ft

12p

Moon Overhead: 6:39a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 8:26a

Moon Overhead: 7:32a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 9:19a 12a

12p

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 4:25p

+2.0

-1.0

BEST: 9:00 — 11:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 6:12p

Moon Underfoot: 7:06p

BEST: BEST: 10:00P — 12:00A 10:30A — 12:30P

Moon Underfoot: 7:59p

BEST: 11:30A — 1:30P

Moon Underfoot: 8:52p

Moon Underfoot: 9:45p

BEST: BEST: 8:00 — 10:00 PM 7:30 — 9:30 AM

+2.0

BEST: 2:30 — 4:30 PM

TIDE LEVELS

Moon Underfoot: 5:18p

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

4:01 AM 7:40 AM 10:30 AM 8:00 PM

+1.0

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

12:27 AM 7:38 AM 1:23 PM 7:10 PM

0.01 ft 1.36 ft 0.60 ft 1.16 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

1:14 AM 8:07 AM 2:22 PM 8:41 PM

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE

0.26 ft 1.32 ft 0.40 ft 1.10 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

2:02 AM 8:36 AM 3:26 PM 10:25 PM

0.55 ft 1.28 ft 0.21 ft 1.09 ft

Low Tide 2:54 AM High Tide 9:04 AM Low Tide 4:33 PM

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

LOW

KEY

Sabine Bank Lighthouse -1:46

-1:31

Galveston Channel/Bays

Sabine Pass Jetty

-1:26

-1:31

Sabine Pass

-1:00

-1:15

Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass -0:04

-0:25

Galveston Bay, S. Jetty -0:39

Add or subtract the time shown at the rightof the T4 Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine T5 the adjustment from the time shown for GALVES- T6 TON CHANNEL in the calendars.

Port Bolivar

PLACE

0.82 ft 1.26 ft 0.04 ft

HIGH

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

LOW

12:19 AM 4:02 AM 9:34 AM 5:40 PM

1.16 ft 1.05 ft 1.26 ft -0.10 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

HIGH

LOW

2:10 AM 6:39 AM 10:09 AM 6:44 PM

1.27 ft 1.20 ft 1.26 ft -0.20 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

3:28 AM 8:51 AM 10:58 AM 7:42 PM

KEY

PLACE

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

LOW

T12

Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay +5:48 +4:43

T18

San Luis Pass

-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

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

1.38 ft 1.24 ft 1.26 ft -0.25 ft

-1.0

+1:02 -0:42

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION T E X A S

Almanac-1508-AugDIG2.indd 81

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G A M E ®

A U G U S T

2 0 1 5

7/31/15 10:04 AM

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

AUGUST 2015

Tides and Prime Times WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

13 «

SATURDAY

14 l

15 «

16 «

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

AM Minor: 2:30a

PM Minor: 2:56p

AM Minor: 3:16a

PM Minor: 3:41p

AM Minor: 4:01a

PM Minor: 4:26p

AM Minor: 4:47a

PM Minor: 5:10p

AM Minor: 5:32a

PM Minor: 5:55p

AM Minor: 6:18a

PM Minor: 6:40p

AM Minor: 7:05a

PM Minor: 7:26p

AM Major: 8:43a

PM Major: 9:09p

AM Major: 9:29a

PM Major: 9:54p

AM Major: 10:14a

PM Major: 10:38p

AM Major: 10:58a

PM Major: 11:22p

AM Major: 11:44a

PM Major: 12:06p

AM Major: 12:07a

PM Major: 12:29p

AM Major: 12:54a

PM Major: 1:16p

Moon Overhead: 10:11a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:51a

Moon Overhead: 11:02a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 12:39p 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 2:10p

Moon Overhead: 1:25p 12a

12p

12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:44a Set: 8:04p Sunrise: 6:44a Set: 8:03p Sunrise: 6:45a Set: 8:02p Sunrise: 6:45a Set: 8:01p Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 8:01p Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 8:00p Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 7:59p Moonrise: 3:14a Set: 5:07p Moonrise: 4:07a Set: 5:55p Moonrise: 5:00a Set: 6:39p Moonrise: 5:54a Set: 7:20p Moonrise: 6:48a Set: 7:58p Moonrise: 7:40a Set: 8:34p Moonrise: 8:32a Set: 9:09p

Moon Overhead: 2:53p 12a

12p

12a

FEET

BEST: 3:30 — 5:30 PM

BEST: 4:30 — 6:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: None

Moon Underfoot: 12:15a

BEST: 5:00 — 7:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:02a

BEST: 6:00 — 8:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:47a

BEST: 7:00 — 9:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:31a

BEST: 7:30 — 9:30 PM

-1.0

+2.0

BEST: 8:00 — 10:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 11:27p

TIDE LEVELS

+2.0

Moon Underfoot: 10:36p

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

4:17 AM 9:47 AM 12:03 PM 8:33 PM

1.43 ft 1.24 ft 1.27 ft -0.26 ft

MONDAY

17 «

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

4:52 AM 10:18 AM 1:08 PM 9:19 PM

1.44 ft 1.21 ft 1.28 ft -0.23 ft

TUESDAY

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

5:20 AM 10:39 AM 2:09 PM 9:59 PM

1.42 ft 1.17 ft 1.28 ft -0.16 ft

WEDNESDAY

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

5:43 AM 10:56 AM 3:04 PM 10:35 PM

1.39 ft 1.10 ft 1.29 ft -0.06 ft

THURSDAY

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

6:04 AM 11:14 AM 3:56 PM 11:06 PM

1.35 ft 1.02 ft 1.28 ft 0.07 ft

FRIDAY

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

6:24 AM 11:37 AM 4:47 PM 11:35 PM

1.32 ft 0.93 ft 1.25 ft 0.21 ft

High Tide 6:45 AM Low Tide 12:06 PM High Tide 5:39 PM

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

22 º

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

PM Minor: 8:13p

AM Minor: 8:39a

PM Minor: 9:01p

AM Minor: 9:27a

PM Minor: 9:49p

AM Minor: 10:15a

PM Minor: 10:37p

AM Minor: 11:03a

PM Minor: 11:26p

AM Minor: 11:52a

PM Minor: -----

AM Minor: 12:16a

PM Minor: 12:40p

AM Major: 1:41a

PM Major: 2:03p

AM Major: 2:29a

PM Major: 2:50p

AM Major: 3:16a

PM Major: 3:38p

AM Major: 4:04a

PM Major: 4:26p

AM Major: 4:52a

PM Major: 5:15p

AM Major: 5:40a

PM Major: 6:03p

AM Major: 6:28a

PM Major: 6:53p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 5:01p

12a

12p

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 7:18p

Moon Overhead: 6:30p

Moon Overhead: 5:45p 12a

12p

12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

AM Minor: 7:52a

Moon Overhead: 4:18p

Moon Overhead: 8:08p 12a

12p

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 3:14a

+2.0

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 4:39a

BEST: 8:30 — 10:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 5:22a

BEST: 9:30 — 11:30 AM

BEST: 10:30A — 12:30P

Moon Underfoot: 6:07a

Moon Underfoot: 6:54a

BEST: 11:00A — 1:00P

Moon Underfoot: 7:43a

BEST: 12:00 — 2:00 PM

BEST: 12:30 — 2:30 PM

TIDE LEVELS

BEST: 7:30 — 9:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 3:57a

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

-1.0

1.30 ft 0.84 ft 1.22 ft

Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 7:58p Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 7:57p Sunrise: 6:49a Set: 7:56p Sunrise: 6:49a Set: 7:55p Sunrise: 6:50a Set: 7:54p Sunrise: 6:50a Set: 7:53p Sunrise: 6:51a Set: 7:52p Moonrise: 9:24a Set: 9:43p Moonrise: 10:15a Set: 10:17p Moonrise: 11:06a Set: 10:51p Moonrise: 11:58a Set: 11:28p Moonrise: 12:50p Set: None Moonrise: 1:44p Set: 12:07a Moonrise: 2:38p Set: 12:50a

Moon Overhead: 3:35p

+1.0

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

12:03 AM 7:06 AM 12:40 PM 6:35 PM

0.37 ft 1.29 ft 0.75 ft 1.17 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

12:30 AM 7:26 AM 1:18 PM 7:39 PM

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE

0.53 ft 1.27 ft 0.67 ft 1.13 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

12:56 AM 7:44 AM 2:00 PM 8:53 PM

0.69 ft 1.26 ft 0.60 ft 1.10 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

1:22 AM 7:57 AM 2:48 PM 10:24 PM

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

LOW

KEY

Sabine Bank Lighthouse -1:46

-1:31

Galveston Channel/Bays

Sabine Pass Jetty

-1:26

-1:31

Sabine Pass

-1:00

-1:15

Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass -0:04

-0:25

Galveston Bay, S. Jetty -0:39

Add or subtract the time shown at the rightof the T4 Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine T5 the adjustment from the time shown for GALVES- T6 TON CHANNEL in the calendars.

Port Bolivar

PLACE

0.86 ft 1.26 ft 0.52 ft 1.11 ft

HIGH

LOW

Low Tide 1:48 AM High Tide 7:58 AM Low Tide 3:41 PM

1.01 ft 1.27 ft 0.44 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

HIGH

LOW

12:12 AM 2:15 AM 7:38 AM 4:40 PM

1.18 ft 1.16 ft 1.30 ft 0.35 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

2:05 AM 2:56 AM 7:17 AM 5:39 PM

KEY

PLACE

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

LOW

T12

Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay +5:48 +4:43

T18

San Luis Pass

-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

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

1.29 ft 1.29 ft 1.35 ft 0.25 ft

+2.0

+1.0

-1.0

+1:02 -0:42

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION 82 |

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T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

7/31/15 10:04 AM

Almanac-1508-AugDIG2.indd 83

7/31/15 10:04 AM

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

AUGUST 2015

Tides and Prime Times WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

28 «

29 «

30 ¡

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

AM Minor: 1:03a

PM Minor: 1:29p

AM Minor: 1:51a

PM Minor: 2:18p

AM Minor: 2:40a

PM Minor: 3:08p

AM Minor: 3:30a

PM Minor: 3:59p

AM Minor: 4:22a

PM Minor: 4:51p

AM Minor: 5:16a

PM Minor: 5:45p

AM Minor: 6:13a

PM Minor: 6:41p

AM Major: 7:16a

PM Major: 7:42p

AM Major: 8:05a

PM Major: 8:32p

AM Major: 8:54a

PM Major: 9:22p

AM Major: 9:44a

PM Major: 10:13p

AM Major: 10:36a

PM Major: 11:05p

AM Major: 11:31a

PM Major: 11:59p

AM Major: 12:03a

PM Major: 12:27p

Moon Overhead: 9:01p 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 10:52p

Moon Overhead: 9:56p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:49p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 12:46a

Moon Overhead: None

12a

12p

12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:51a Set: 7:51p Sunrise: 6:52a Set: 7:50p Sunrise: 6:53a Set: 7:49p Sunrise: 6:53a Set: 7:47p Sunrise: 6:54a Set: 7:46p Sunrise: 6:54a Set: 7:45p Sunrise: 6:55a Set: 7:44p Moonrise: 3:32p Set: 1:37a Moonrise: 4:26p Set: 2:29a Moonrise: 5:18p Set: 3:27a Moonrise: 6:09p Set: 4:28a Moonrise: 6:57p Set: 5:33a Moonrise: 7:43p Set: 6:40a Moonrise: 8:28p Set: 7:47a

Moon Overhead: 1:43a 12a

12p

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 8:34a

+2.0

BEST: 2:30 — 4:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:21a

BEST: 3:30 — 5:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 12:18p

BEST: 4:30 — 6:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:15p

BEST: 5:30 — 7:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:11p

BEST: 6:30 — 8:30 PM

-1.0

+2.0

BEST: 7:00 — 9:00 PM

TIDE LEVELS

BEST: 1:30 — 3:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:24a

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 9:28a

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

2:56 AM 5:06 AM 7:11 AM 6:35 PM

1.40 ft 1.39 ft 1.39 ft 0.14 ft

High Tide 3:25 AM Low Tide 7:28 PM

MONDAY

1.49 ft 0.03 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

TUESDAY

3:53 AM 8:38 AM 12:02 PM 8:18 PM

1.55 ft 1.37 ft 1.42 ft -0.04 ft

WEDNESDAY

Aug 31 « Sep 1 «

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

4:20 AM 9:05 AM 1:29 PM 9:07 PM

1.58 ft 1.29 ft 1.47 ft -0.06 ft

THURSDAY

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

4:47 AM 9:41 AM 2:43 PM 9:54 PM

FRIDAY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

5:14 AM 10:22 AM 3:53 PM 10:42 PM

1.56 ft 0.99 ft 1.54 ft 0.11 ft

SATURDAY

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

5:41 AM 11:07 AM 5:04 PM 11:28 PM

SUNDAY

6»

Set: 7:38p Sunrise: 6:58a Set: 7:37p Sunrise: 6:58a Set: 7:36p Set: 1:13p Moonrise: 12:20a Set: 2:11p Moonrise: 1:11a Set: 3:04p

PM Minor: 7:41p

AM Minor: 8:14a

PM Minor: 8:42p

AM Minor: 9:16a

PM Minor: 9:44p

AM Minor: 10:17a

PM Minor: 10:45p

AM Minor: 11:16a

PM Minor: 11:44p

AM Minor: -----

PM Minor: 12:12p

AM Minor: 12:38a

PM Minor: 1:04p

AM Major: 12:59a

PM Major: 1:27p

AM Major: 2:00a

PM Major: 2:28p

AM Major: 3:02a

PM Major: 3:30p

AM Major: 4:04a

PM Major: 4:31p

AM Major: 5:03a

PM Major: 5:30p

AM Major: 5:59a

PM Major: 6:26p

AM Major: 6:51a

PM Major: 7:17p

12p

Moon Overhead: 4:30a

Moon Overhead: 3:34a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 5:25a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 7:15a

Moon Overhead: 6:20a 12a

-1.0

1.53 ft 0.78 ft 1.54 ft 0.31 ft

AM Minor: 7:13a

Moon Overhead: 2:39a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 8:08a 12a

12p

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 3:06p

+2.0

-1.0

BEST: 7:30 — 9:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 4:57p

BEST: BEST: 8:30 — 10:30 PM 3:00 — 5:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 5:53p BEST: 4:00 — 6:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 6:48p BEST: 5:00 — 7:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 7:41p

Moon Underfoot: 8:34p

BEST: 6:00 — 8:00 AM

+2.0

BEST: 1:00 — 3:00 PM

TIDE LEVELS

Moon Underfoot: 4:02p

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:55a Set: 7:43p Sunrise: 6:56a Set: 7:42p Sunrise: 6:56a Set: 7:41p Sunrise: 6:57a Set: 7:40p Sunrise: 6:57a Moonrise: 9:13p Set: 8:54a Moonrise: 9:58p Set: 10:01a Moonrise: 10:44p Set: 11:07a Moonrise: 11:31p Set: 12:11p Moonrise: None

12a

1.58 ft 1.16 ft 1.51 ft -0.01 ft

+1.0

High Tide 6:08 AM Low Tide 11:55 AM High Tide 6:16 PM

1.50 ft 0.58 ft 1.52 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

12:15 AM 6:35 AM 12:48 PM 7:34 PM

0.55 ft 1.47 ft 0.39 ft 1.48 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

1:03 AM 7:02 AM 1:44 PM 9:00 PM

0.80 ft 1.45 ft 0.25 ft 1.45 ft

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

1:55 AM 7:29 AM 2:47 PM 10:37 PM

1.05 ft 1.44 ft 0.15 ft 1.45 ft

Low Tide 2:57 AM High Tide 7:57 AM Low Tide 3:56 PM

1.26 ft 1.44 ft 0.10 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

12:24 AM 5:23 AM 8:27 AM 5:09 PM

1.50 ft 1.40 ft 1.43 ft 0.08 ft

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

1:59 AM 8:14 AM 9:17 AM 6:21 PM

1.56 ft 1.40 ft 1.40 ft 0.08 ft

+1.0

-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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T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

7/31/15 10:04 AM

Special SECTION

Pre

Season Hunting FORECAST

lthough official reports are not out on all species, we have been able to gather some fairly detailed information on what hunters can expect in the field in Texas this season. According to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologists wildlife biologists use rainfall as a barometer for gauging hunting season because of the direct correlation between rainfall and impacts to habitat during certain times of the year.

“Rainfall or a lack thereof can significantly impact deer body condition, antler quality and fawn production—the end results are what hunters see each fall.” TPWD whitetail program director Alan Cain said mast crops (acorns, mesquite beans, etc.) provide a good forage resource to help deer meet the demands of raising fawns and growing antlers, and these food sources were in good supply last year. Last year, crops were good for pregnant does to make it through spring in

TFG Staff Reports

T E X A S

Almanac-1508-AugDIG2.indd 85

F I S H

healthy condition. This year, the vast rain that hit Texas did so just in time giving most regions of the state prime fawn raising conditions. Although the mast crop cannot be predicted with great certainty at the time of this writing, it is expected to be a good one. That can make early season hunting challenging, but it is great for the deer themselves. Hunters can expect better overall whitetail racks than last year in most parts of the state. Texas deer population has been

G A M E ®

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HUNTING Forecast

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T E X A S

PHOTO: DPC

between 3.5-4 million over the last decade and that should hold this year. The big difference should be that many hunters will see more young deer in the field this year. At the time of this writing the only parts of the state still considered in severe drought was the northwest corner of the Panhandle and a number of counties in the northern tier of the Hill Country. These will be exceptions to the otherwise rosy conditions. On the waterfowl front, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) officials say duck numbers remain strong. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Populations were estimated at 49.5 million breeding ducks in the traditional survey area, which is 51 percent above

Deer populations in Texas have declined some in the last 20 years but are steady overall.

F I S H

G A M E ÂŽ

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HUNTING Forecast the 1955-2014 long-term average and the highest count on record. Last year’s estimate was 49.2 million birds.” “We are fortunate to see continued high overall duck populations in North

America’s breeding areas this year,” said Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall. “Though conditions were dry in some important habitats,” Hall said. “We had large numbers of birds returning this

This year’s rain should boost the fawn crop in most of the state.

spring and good conditions in the boreal forest and other areas of Canada. “It looks like some typical prairie nesters skipped over the U.S. prairies and took advantage of good conditions farther north,” Hall added. “This is an important reminder about the critical need for maintaining abundant and high-quality habitat across the continent. The boreal forest, especially, can provide important habitat when the prairies are dry. But the boreal is under increasing threat from resource extraction.” FWS officials reported the main deter 88 |

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T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

PHOTO: DPC

7/31/15 10:04 AM

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HUNTING Forecast mining factor for duck breeding success is wetland and upland habitat conditions in the key breeding landscapes of the prairies and the boreal forest. Conditions observed across the U.S. and Canadian survey areas during the 2015 breeding population survey were drier than last year. Total pond counts for the U.S. and Canada combined were 6.3 million, which is 12 percent below the 2014 estimate of 7.2 million and 21 percent above the longterm average. “An early spring balanced with poorer habitat conditions was apparent in this year’s survey,” said DU Chief Conservation Officer Paul Schmidt. “In addition to reduced precipitation over the winter and early spring, we have lost criti-

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Abundant water in East Texas should bode well for reservoir and bottomland duck hunting.

cal nesting habitat with the decrease in Conservation Reserve Program lands and continuing conversion of habitat to agricul-

T E X A S

F I S H

tural production across the U.S. prairies. “Fortunately, these conditions had minimal impacts on this year’s overall breed-

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HUNTING Forecast ing bird numbers,” Schmidt said, “but hunters should be concerned about these trends and what they might mean in future years. We have experienced good moisture in the prairies and liberal bag limits for more than two decades. Continuing

Duck hunters in Texas can expect good ﬁeld conditions in most of the state.

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habitat losses and drier conditions have the potential to change this scenario in the future.” Here are the official species estimates:

above the long-term average. GADWALL: 3.8 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and 100 percent above the long-term average.

MALLARDS: 11.6 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and 51 percent

AMERICAN WIDGEON: 3.0 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and

T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

7/31/15 10:05 AM

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HUNTING Forecast 17 percent above the long-term average.

average.

GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 4.1 million, which is 19 percent above the 2014 estimate and 98 percent above the long-term

BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 8.5 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and 73 percent above the long-term average.

NORTHERN SHOVELERS: 4.4 million, which 17 percent below the 2014 estimate and 75 percent above the long-term average. NORTHERN PINTAILS: 3.0 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimates and 24 percent below the long-term average. REDHEADS: 1.2 million, which is similar to their 2014 estimate and 71 percent above the long-term average. CANVASBACKS: 0.76 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and 30 percent above the long-term average. SCAUP: 4.4 million, which is similar to the 2014 estimate and 13 percent below the long-term average. BLACK DUCKS (EASTERN SURVEY AREA): 541,000, which is 11 percent below the 2014 estimate and 13 percent below the long-term average. These ducks will find a Texas with 94 |

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T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E 速

PHOTO: DPC

7/31/15 10:05 AM

could have much better seasons than last year, depending on cold conditions in the plains of course. Our seasons always hinge on that. And when conditions are good for ducks and deer, they are excellent for feral hogs. We documented that last year when we ran the Texas Agrilife stats. These figures reveal some 750,000 hogs killed in the Lone Star State annually versus 600,000 whitetails. Hunters can expect to see plenty of porkers in the woods this year.

Northern pintails numbers should be about the same as last year.

much more water than last year which could spread them out. There is still time for some areas to dry up but it will still be measurably wetter than last year. That means hunters in East and Central Texas

T E X A S

Almanac-1508-AugDIG2.indd 95

F I S H

Last year some areas of the state had pockets of heavy hog activity (near streams) and others reported little. This year the Hill Country (parts that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in drought) and South Texas should have hogs scattered everywhere. The extra rain and improved range conditions will translate to far more piglets, so those barbecuesized pigs should be abundant around deer feeders starting about bow season.

G A M E ÂŽ

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Texas TASTED by BRYAN SLAVEN :: The Texas Gourmet

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

HIS IS A RECIPE THAT WAS given to me by a neighbor of my sister in Austin. The recipe is his grandfather’s from Gonzalez, Louisiana. This is the Jambalaya capital of the world and they host the Jambalaya Festival there annually. This recipe is truly amazing, but be sure and follow it to the letter or it won’t be quite the same. This recipe will scale with the amount of jambalaya you are trying to fix. The ingredients below are what will be required to make a “one pounder. ” To make more just double, triple, etc, the ingredients below. Also, it is best to cook this recipe in a cast iron pot for even heating and to make sure you get a quality “graton,” otherwise it will probably burn on the bottom.

Ingredients: 1 lb smoked sausage (Andouille if possible, cut in slices) 1 lb pork cutlets (cut into small cubes. Boston butt or pork shoulder is best) 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs (cut into small pieces) 1 lb Uncle Ben’s long grain rice 1 lb onion (diced) 1 bell pepper (diced) 2 tbsp. minced garlic 9 cups chicken stock (8 cups per pound for 4 or 5 pounder) (1 cup = 8 oz, 64 oz per pound of jambalaya) 4 tbsp. (2oz) Louisiana Hot Sauce (the one with the red dot on the label) 96 |

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Perfect summertime meal: Eric’s Chicken and sausage Jambalaya.

4 tbsp. (2oz) Lee & Perrin’s Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp. salt 2 tbsp. black pepper 1/2 tbsp. red pepper (1 tbsp for wild, leave off the red pepper for mild) 2 bay leaves 3 tbsp. oil Fry chicken in oil until brown. Remove from pot. Add pork and cook until brown. Add sliced sausage when pork begins to brown. Cook pork and sausage until it starts giving off a little grease. This will aid in cooking the vegetables. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic and continue to cook until onions are clear. Return browned chicken to pot. Add stock and seasonings. Increase heat to bring mixture to a boil. Liquid should be just a little spicy and salty for a normal palate. The rice will absorb the seasonings and settle this down.

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When boil is reached, add rice and cook on high for 5 minutes, continuously stirring. Next, lower fire to lowest setting, cover and cook for 20 minutes without lifting lid. Cook until done. Stir in green onions and parsley before serving. For recipes larger than 3 pounds, get water boiling, add rice and stir for 2 minutes (or when it begins to stick to spoon). Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes then fold. Let simmer for another 15 minutes and fold again. Turn off heat and check rice every 10 minutes. Vent pot once rice is fully cooked. Email Bryan Slaven at bryan@thetexasgourmet.com

PHOTO: BRYAN SLAVEN

7/31/15 10:05 AM

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REDFISH

SPECKLED TROUT

Galveston

Port Aransas

Crystal Keill caught this redﬁsh near Jamaica Beach on Galveston Island.

Dayton Walters with a four pound speckled trout he caught one morning out of Port Aransas.

REDFISH Clear Lake Brett Houston, with a 22-inch redﬁsh. This was the only thing his party put in the boat all day!

WHITETAIL Hebbronville Tripp Parker, age 10, killed this nine-point buck while hunting in Hebbronville with his dad, Allen.

BASS Aledo CATFISH Caddo Lake Alexander Evans, 13, caught these two beautiful blue catﬁsh at Caddo Lake, using raw shrimp he bought at the local Walmart.

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Darren Pyfer of North Richland Hills caught this eight-pound bass at a private pond near Aledo. He was actually ﬁshing for catﬁsh with a mixture of Wheaties and Strawberry soda!

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REDFISH West Galveston Bay Nicole Mendrop caught her first and second redfish, while kayak fishing in West Galveston Bay.

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WHITETAIL Del Rio

REDFISH San Antonio Bay Landon Davis, 6, of Poth caught this 25-inch redfish on his first wade fishing trip in San Antonio Bay.

Mary Rowlett of Crosby shot her ﬁrst deer, an 8-pointer, while hunting near Del Rio.

FERAL HOG Victoria County Five-year-old Fourdam Matey of Victoria shot his ﬁrst feral hog, with a .223 while hunting with his father in Victoria County.

BASS Katy Eleven-year-old Grady Walters caught this ﬁve-pound largemouth bass in a stock tank near Katy.

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BASS AND CATFISH McKinney Twelve-year-old Christian Pivarnik (right) and brother Joey, 11, had a dynamic duo bass and catﬁsh catch on Summit View Lake in McKinney. Joey’s bass weighed 5.2 pounds and Christian’s cat was 3.5 pounds. Both ﬁsh were released.

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