Texas Fish & Game March 2017 by Texas Fish & Game

VOICE OF THE TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

Air Gun Hogs & Exotics

March 2017 | $3.95

Speckled Trout:

Topwater Temptations Jaws Breakers: Sharks in the Surf

Carpe Diem: Bowhunting Texas Carp

Gun Law:

A Texas Attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Perspective

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SUBSCRIPTIONS

Published by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC. TEXAS FISH & GAME is the largest independent, family-owned outdoor publication in America. Owned by Ron & Stephanie Ward and Roy & Ardia Neves. ROY NEVES PUBLISHER

CHESTER MOORE

1745 GREENS ROAD, HOUSTON, TX 77032 PHONE

(800) 725-1134 MYACCOUNT.FISHGAME.COM

ARDIA NEVES

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 $24.95; 2 years $42.95; 3 years $58.95. 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.

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Table of

MARCH 2017 Volume 33 • NO. 11

Contents FEATURES

JAWS BREAKERS Spring is on the horizon and with the season change comes warmer weather, longer days, and excellent surf fishing. And as the spring tides bring in more baitfish, they also bring a host of larger shark species.

COVER STORY: The Classic Comes to Conroe

by Danielle Sonnier TOPWATER TEMPTATIONS

Bass fishing eyes will be u zeroed in on Texas later this month as the Bassmaster Classic returns to the Lone Star State after an absence of more than four decades.

Story by Matt Williams Cover photo by Chester Moore

FISH GAME DIGITAL

Targeting trophy trout with topwaters requires patience. It also requires a plan, about 90 percent of which occurs before the boat leaves the dock. But the experience of a topwater blowup is worth the effort.

by John N. Felsher

TEXAS GUN LAW Even in a gun-friendly state like Texas, running afoul of the law can be a disarming experience. Commit a simple misdemeanor, and you could lose your gun rights.

by D. Chris Hesse

CARPE DIEM Mobile Editions: u u

iPad u Android Phones

Kindle

Seize the catch of the day using stateof-the-art bowfishing gear now available for hunting carp and other non-game fish species.

FREE to Subscribers. See your Device’s App Store, or visit:

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by Dustin Warncke |

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Inside FISH & GAME

Contents (continued) COLUMNS

by ROY and ARDIA NEVES TF&G Owners

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E MENTIONED A COUPLE OF ISSUES AGO THAT the year 2017 would be The Year of the Bass in Texas. This month, the Year gets a swift kick-off as the entire world of bass fishing will stop and take notice of the Lone Star State. For the first time in four decades, the granddaddy of all fishing tournaments, The Geico Bassmaster Classic, returns to Texas, to be held at Lake Conroe. The competition will take place on this highly regarded Piney Woods fishery while most of the festivities and weigh-in drama will play out in Houston. It is fitting that our proclaimed Year of the Bass and the timing of The Classic’s return to Texas follows shortly on the heels of Houston’s hosting of Super Bowl FiftyOne last month. Since many die-hard bass tournament followers consider the Super Bowl to be the Bassmaster Classic of football games, Houston’s selection as the venue for both of these events in the same year is “classically” appropriate. The Super Bowl, The World Series, The Stanley Cup, The Summer and Winter Olympics, The Boston Marathon, The Indianapolis 500, The Masters, The Bassmaster Classic. It is indeed a short list of sporting events, notably adorned with a capitalized “The,” that generate instant and almost universal recognition. The Classic belongs by virtue of the fact that people who don’t even know the difference between a baitcaster and a crankbait have probably heard of The Bassmaster Classic. Certainly, to anyone who regularly wets a line, in freshwater or salt, it is a household term. From the time we attended our first Classic, we have been awed by the sheer magnitude of the event. That a 20,000 seat arena could be filled by cheering fans, waiting all day as anglers parade through to report their fortunes or misfortunes from the day’s fishing, is by itself an amazing phenomenon. Think about it. They are literally cheering as people weigh fish. Of course, over the years, Bassmaster and a cast of P.R.-savvy anglers have learned to play to the crowd and to milk every ounce of drama and mystery out of the weigh-in presentation, turning it into a true spectator event. The fact that every year the Classic captures worldwide attention and creates a Hall of Fame aura around those anglers who win it, is further testament to the scale that this singular event has attained. Obviously, we publish a magazine, and Bassmaster publishes a magazine, and some people might think it odd for us to spend precious space—here and in the feature article by Matt Williams on page 18, in Matt’s column on page 24, and in the TF&G Report on page 54—essentially promoting a competitor. But because the event they created sparked a movement that has expanded the boundaries of fishing as a sport and as an industry, and because that event has now intersected with the fertile fishing ground we call home, it deserves our notice, and yours. Matt Williams’s feature story goes into a lot more detail, and includes a schedule of events in case you are among the tens of thousands of Texans expected to be a part of the 2017 Classic. So enjoy the show. Check out the action on the lake, head to downtown Houston and enjoy the Expo at George R. Brown Convention Center and catch the weigh in fireworks at Minute Maid Park. It really is a big deal—Major League Baseball stadium big.

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T E X A S

by Doug Pike

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

100 FISH AND

GAME GEAR 102 TEXAS TASTED 103 OUTDOOR DIRECTORY 106 TF&G PHOTOS NEW SECTION

TF&G Freshwater Editor

Texas Saltwater

by Calixto Gonzales

TF&G Saltwater Editor

Texas Boating

by Lenny Rudow

TF&G Boating Editor

Bass University by Pete Robbins

Special Correspondent

Practical Angler by Greg Berlocher

TF&G Contributing Editor

Texas Guns

by Steve LaMascus

TF&G Firearms Editor

104 Bare Bones Hunting

by Lou Marullo

50 AIR GUNS & HOGS 54 TF&G REPORT 54 TEXAS HOT SHOTS

56 TEXAS DEPT. OF DEFENSE

58 TEXAS DEPT. OF CONSERVATION

TF&G Hunting Editor

62 TEXAS COASTAL

105 Open Season

70 TEXAS FISHING

by Reavis Wortham

TF&G Humor Editor

www.FishGame.com F I S H

DEPARTMENTS

Doggett at Large 8 LETTERS by Joe Doggett TF&G Senior Contributing Editor 98 TEXAS TESTED INDUSTRY Pike on the Edge 99 INSIDER TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Email Roy and Ardia Neves at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com |

by Chester Moore

TF&G Editor in Chief

A Texas Classic Rocks the Bass World

Editor’s Notes

FOCUS

HOTSPOTS

84 PRIME TIMES

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LETTERS to the Editor ‘Black Panther’ Question

Aoudad Kudos

Could a remnant population of jaguars have survived that had the dominant melanistic genes? YOUR ARTICLE ON THE AOUDAD That is not a likely answer for the entire “black was interesting to say the least. I had no idea panther” phenomenon, but it is not out of the range of the species was so widespread and could possibility for some of the sightings reported throughpossibly turn up on anyone’s lease in the out the years. Again, jaguars are not even positively Hill Country, Trans Pecos or in parts of the known to still live in Texas in any numbers. Panhandle. Do you really think they are as Melanism is also present, albeit rare, in bobcats. smart as deer? Melanistic bobcats have been killed and mounted in Texas. In fact, one was mounted by Moye TaxiEditor: Thank you. Aoudads fascinate me and are dermy leaping at a quail. It hung in the Gander far smarter than most hunters who have never encounMountain sporting goods store in Beaumont for the tered them would ever consider. One rancher had a better part of a decade. Caption. 640-acre tract in Real County that was high fenced, My experience shows that many people cannot differentiate between a bobcat and a cougar. Many are and it had aoudads on it when he bought it. If you were to take all of the surface acres with canyons, hills surprised that bobcats have tails at all. In fact, some and caves it is probably more like three times that size, have tails as long as eight inches. A black bobcat could at least it feels that way when I have been there. easily be labeled a “black panther” by someone who is Aoudads have rarely been killed there although not aware of melanism in the species and might not be herds as large as 30 have been seen. able to differentiate between a bobcat and a cougar. He came across an aoudad ewe at a game sale Besides not understanding wild feline identificaand had the idea to fit her with a bell around her neck. tion, the biggest problem in misidentifying cougars When she got with the herd, he could hear the area and bobcats is scale. A large bobcat seen at a distance they were in on the ranch. It is often extremely quiet with nothing to compare it to, looks much larger than out there. it really is. The herd completely rejected her. This is why feral house cats are often to blame for “black panther” sightings. Many are shocked to see DEAR CHESTER IS IT POSSIBLE I house cats in the woods but the fact is they are all over saw an aoudad crossing the road near the the place and have established populations in many Sabine Houston National Forest? It sure wild areas of the state. A large black house cat seen at looked like one. a distance has been the cause of many “black panther” sightings this author has investigated. In fact, the bulk Editor: It’s not likely, but it is possible. There are of videos and photos attributed to these mysterious cats ranches and individuals in East Texas who have aouhave turned out to be house cats. dads, and they are masters at escaping. The jaguarundi is a prime candidate for “black panther” sightings. A large jaguarundi in the common dark gray or chocolate brown phases crossing a road in front of a motorist or appearing before an unsuspecting hunter could easily be labeled a “black panther”. Since very few people are aware of jaguarundis, it’s highly unlikely they would report seeing one. The term “black panther” is quick and easy to report to others. Everyone can relate to a “black panther” and virtuTexas Fish & Game ally no one has ever heard of a jaguarundi. This species 1745 Greens Rd is native to Texas, and I believe it is found much farHouston TX 77032 ther north than the accepted range.

DEAR CHESTER, A COUPLE OF years back you wrote about black panthers in Texas and had a theory on what they could be. What you mind sharing that? I think this is an extremely interesting topic.

Walter Marshall Editor: It is definitely one of my favorite topics and one we get a lot of questions about. This is a lengthy answer but the only one that will give the whole story. All of the large black cats you see on television and in zoos are black leopards or black jaguars. Melanism is a condition where a hyper amount of black pigment dominates coloration of an animal. It happens in many animals ranging from squirrels to whitetail deer. Melanism is not uncommon in leopards and jaguars in certain parts of their range. The general assumption with “black panther” sightings in Texas is that these are black or melanistic cougars. The problem is there has never been a melanistic cougar observed by science either in a zoo, captive setting, killed by a hunter, mounted by a taxidermist or otherwise positively identified. There is one grainy black and white photo of a cougar killed in Costa Rica in the 1950s that is very dark but that photo is questionable and on close examination the animal looks chocolate brown instead of purely black. There are dark brown cougars, but no melanistic ones we are aware of. For melanistic cougars to be the answer to Texas’ “panther” question there would have to be many of them, and there is no proof of any of them. Jaguars as previously mentioned however do throw melanistic offering and are native to Texas. They were allegedly wiped out more than 100 years ago, but our investigations show there are still isolated sightings of typical spotted jaguars in Texas. That is an important point because if jaguars were present, there would not only be black specimens sighted. Interestingly, recent research show that melanism is a dominant trait in jaguars. In other words, if a male jaguar for example moves into an area and starts breeding females there is a good chance much of the offering will be melanistic as well. 8

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Send Your Comments to:

editor@ﬁshgame.com

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

What Does Conservation Really Mean?

ONSERVATION IS A TERM thrown around daily in outdoor media whether it be social or traditional outlets such as this maga-

Should money from fish and game departments go elsewhere? Should money from private foundations be better used than in the pursuit of growing bigger bucks? What we have accomplished in the last 30 years of research is the average hunter getting squeezed out of deer hunting opportunities because of insane price increases on every aspect of whitetail hunting. Yes, there are bigger bucks, but we are also paying bigger bucks to hunt them and as far as I can tell it is at least double the rate of inflation. • FISHERIES CONSERVATION IS going to have to shift heavily toward habitat. The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) has seen this and are now involved in several habitat initiatives along the coast. It is hard to get anglers into habitat conservation because we are visual people. Looking out on the bay or reservoir we see water, but it is what is under the water that counts. In my opinion we have done an incredible job with fisheries enhancement through stocking, and it remains vital, but we have probably hit the peak. The next mountain to climb is restoring seagrass beds, monitoring for water quality and waging an even bigger war against threats such as salvinia, water hyacinth and other nonindigenous invaders. Anglers need to get on board. A public hearing on changing trout regulations will pack every room they’re booked in along the coast. However, hold hearings on restoring seagrass, and I would be shocked if you had 1/3 the attendance. Attention anglers! Yes, you and me. We need to get in the habitat conservation game.

zine. Duck conservation. Fisheries conservation. Habitat conservation. We hear about it all the time, but what does it really mean? The general definition of conservation is the wise use of resources. A prime example would be harvesting timber from a tract of land and then replanting that area so it remains forest that someone can harvest again years later. Conservation in the hook and bullet circles would be taking duck stamp money and purchasing land in the prairie pothole region where most of North America’s ducks breed, so the potholes are not drained to turn the natural grassland into corn crops. That translates to more ducks for hunters to pursue when they arrive in Texas and other states during the fall migration. The question we should be asking is are we truly using our resources wisely? With the hundreds of millions of dollars raised in the name of conservation an annual basis throughout the United States, what exactly are we doing to secure a bright future for wildlife and fisheries? Conservation has always been a personal area of interest to me, and recently I came up with a few observations worth considering for hunters and fishermen. Here we go…

• IS SPENDING ANOTHER DIME ON whitetail deer antler growth research “conservation”? It requires age, genetics and nutrition to produce what hunters consider trophies. We have known that for decades. 10

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• IF WE ARE REALLY CONCERNED about land conservation, then we might need |

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to drop some of the traditionally politically conservative ideas about federal land purchases. I used to be dead set against the federal government buying more land to create national wildlife refuges because often hunters get only a fraction of the access, and I am generally for private enterprise. However, creating wildlife refuges is far more conservation-oriented than creating strip malls. I would rather see a refuge sign go up on my favorite chunk of East Texas deer habitat than I would cement. At least it would still be used for wildlife, and if we engage our representatives, we can ensure hunting is allowed as well. The truth is a little more public hunting land in Texas would be nice. We brag about Texas being 97 percent privately owned, and all the hunting access we have. Yet the fact is we pay more than other states and have far less overall access than a lot of states with huge tracts of national forests and other public lands. I know many hunters who use the available national forest in Texas, and they love it. In East Texas during the next 20 years, we are either going to get refuges or reservoirs that destroy hundreds of thousands of acres of native wildlife habitat. Both would be controlled by the federal government (either U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife or in case of reservoirs U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) so why not keep things natural and leave the bottomlands alone? I better quit on that one. That’s worth an entire column or two. With a growing population in Texas who have no clue about hunting, fishing and wildlife, we need to start thinking more seriously about conservation. It’s more than a slogan. It’s a principle that allows us to continue enjoying wildlife and fisheries at a greater level than any other nation. We need to make sure we are doing it as wisely as possible.

Email Chester Moore at cmoore@ﬁshgame.com

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

Crappie Fishing is Cool

a pound. On the Herman Park Trophy Scale that was a seriously large fish. I was stunned. The “white perch” were rumored by Buddy and Butch and the rest of our Junior High B Team to be in the lake, but despite my pittance of small bass and profusion of runty bluegills I never had even seen one. The Cool Kid sat there on the railing and hooked a nice crappie every few minutes. He quit with a stringer of maybe 20 flapping fish, a glorious catch beyond my conceptual limits. I never saw him again. But I remember those green and silver fish with their salt-and-pepper sides—the bristling fins, gaping mouths, big eyes, all of it. They looked aggressive, yet somehow delicate, an intriguing combination. I’ve had an appreciation for crappie ever since that long-ago March afternoon. I don’t target them as much as I should, but I do know this: Early spring is prime time along the shorelines of lakes and ponds, but you seldom catch a lot of white perch—unless you are fishing specifically for white perch. By this, I mean that crappie feed primarily on small minnows. Most 1/2- to 1/4-ounce bass lures are too large for consistent results. Yes, the occasional crappie might snatch a crankbait or safety-pin spinnerbait, but scaleddown jigs and spinners (or live shiner minnows) are much more productive. Minnows aside, crappie tend to suspend, so bottom-bumping with a worm, lizard or crawfish plastic is a poor tactic. No, to catch a “mess” you need to rig correctly and fish appropriately. During the prespawning stage, when fish are moving shallow, a light spinning outfit and a 1/8-ounce payload are an excellent choice. I wouldn’t go too light with the line—maybe 8- or 10-pound test— since you tend to get snagged around the brush and stickups that crappie favor. Or you might try dabbling around the shallow cover by using the simple approach of a long pole and a short line. Either way, you want a thin wire hook with a long shank and a wide gap to hold in the thin tissue of the jaw (or hopefully open with

HE OLD HERMANN PARK Duck Pond adjacent to the entrance to the Houston Zoo covered about three acres. During the late ’50s, the water was murky green and rimmed with mats of coontail moss. It was stocked with largemouth bass and bluegill sunfish, a fine place within reach of pedal power for urban kids. I learned a lot about fishing while walking the banks of the small lake, watching, observing, figuring what might work and what was a waste of time. One of the first really cool fishermen I remember was a kid who radiated confidence. I was 13, pretty rough around the basic points of angling, and he was older, maybe 15 or 16. He was tall and lanky, with fluid motion and dark hair swept back into a totally excellent ducktail. He sat sidesaddle on the wooden railing of one of the old piers and used a light spinning rod fitted with an open-faced reel (a Pflueger Freespeed, I think). Although my prideful, push-button Zebco 33 was functional and reliable, it looked a bit sophomoric alongside. The Cool Kid was rigged with a tiny Fly-Ike plug. I still remember the pattern—orange with black dots. The so-called “Fly Ike” with its twin treble hooks (made by the old Lazy Ike company) would be a dreadful payload on a real fly rod, but worked well enough on the light spinning outfit. I watched as the Cool Kid casually flicked the limber rod sidearm, arching the little plug into an opening in the weed mats. The rod bent, the surface flurried, and he lifted a gleaming slab-sided fish into the air and onto the planks. It was a white crappie—a good one, at least 12

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a steady pull against the inevitable snag). This is a basic guideline but you get the idea. And being opportunistic always helps. Last March I was bass fishing with a friend on a private residential lake south of Houston. As our aluminum boat eased near a cluster of shoreline willows, I put down the bass rod and picked up a spinning stick rigged with a small Blakemore Road Runner jig. I cast to the willows, allowed the fluttering lure to settle, and promptly tightened against a confident tug. Crappie are poor fighters, not much for running and jumping, and I reeled low and lifted the fish aboard. It was about 12 inches in length, typical for a solid keeper. At once, our bass fishing trip turned into a “perch jerking” expedition. In an hour, we strung 15 or 20 fish and released a dozen more. Several of the keepers were in the 14-inch class, a pleasure to hold and a privilege to admire. To repeat, a shining slab has an impressive aura. As a reminder, the statewide limit on public water for the prolific crappie (white and black in the aggregate) is a generous 25 per day with a 10-inch minimum length. It doesn’t take much of a crappie to muster 10 inches, especially when you lawfully pinch the tail, but the small ones can be scaled and gutted and fried whole. And, as everyone south of the Mason-Dixon knows, white perch rolled in yellow corn meal and fried fast and golden in a hot iron skillet are among the finest of all food fish. Regardless of size, there’s no such thing as a bad-eating crappie—`all the more reason to follow the Cool Kid’s lead a few times each spring.

Email Joe Doggett at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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

What’s Better?

N THE WAY TO AND FROM outdoor adventures, my young son and I play a game called “What’s better?” I’m going to play one round of it now, with all of you. What’s better: Customer service, or low prices? (And yes, I know that if you’re smart these days, you know where to find both.) Aside from ham, pumpkin pie and my mother-in-law’s killer prosciutto-cauliflower-heavy cream casserole, the holidays served me four

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memorable customer-service experiences. Two were good, and two were dreadful, stereotypical examples of small-business self-sabotage. None of mine was related to the outdoors, it should be noted, although I’ve heard plenty of gear- and tackle- store nightmares over the years. I asked that “What’s better?” question in hopes that your answers might help me with a question I’ve been throwing at myself. Is it just me, or are we seeing a revival of outdoor-related entrepreneurship in this country? When I was a kid, fishing tackle was available at bait shops, through catalogs and magazines, and down one aisle at Sears. There were a handful of sole-proprietor tackle stores in Houston then, but I couldn’t get to any of them on my bicycle. It wasn’t until I was a grown man with dependable transportation that I discovered nothing-

but- tackle stores. That’s where I went for specific purchases, maybe a hard-to-find plug in a particular color or a premium line that wasn’t available elsewhere. It’s also where all of us who deeply loved fishing went to share time with others who spoke our language. In department and discount stores, even where rubber worms and gold spoons and stinkbait hung from the pegs, the person you asked for help may have wandered your way from the shoe or bedding department. Service matters, and that’s equally true before, during and after the sale. The man or woman behind the name tag should know about the products on the shelves. He or she also should be able to explain store policies (and any nuances attached thereto) —and to make a customer happy even if that means the occasional bend of a store’s rules.

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Know up front that I’m all for big tackle stores. The more and bigger, the better. Houston has three huge stores that only sell fishing tackle and two dozen more that carry legitimate fishing inventories. I’m a fan of the former and plenty familiar with the latter. There also are a few smaller independents in the game, and that’s healthy for competition. All those larger stores started similarly in modest, affordable-lease places. They grew into behemoths because they got to know their customers, and their customers got to know them. I’ve heard favorable and unfavorable customer-service stories on nearly every tackle retailer at every level. The sour ones range in severity from nit-picky to serious. Some are more believable than others, but each of them sent a disgruntled customer away into the fishing community. An issue that haunts some large retailers is its employees’ lack of authority to make right-now concessions that might smooth a wrinkle before it becomes a crease. In an independent shop, the owner is likely to be on site and available to resolve a problem regardless of its size. The flip side is that the desk at which the buck stops in a small store isn’t far from the cash regis-

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ter. If an on-site owner is in a bad mood, there’s nobody else to whom you can plead the case for refund or replacement. In a larger store, there’s a chance that the next manager up the chain of command might listen and, to secure the relationship, offer a solution. I dealt this past fall with an auto repair shop that nicked me pretty good on something for which it claimed no responsibility. I disagreed and asked the store’s general manager to reconsider. He refused and pretty much told me he didn’t care if I ever came back. Good thing, because I’ll never go back, and I’ve shared the name of that place with friends. Customer service is an art, an ability to make customers believe they’re right even when that’s not the case. All it would have taken for that mechanic’s manager to hold my business is to say that although he couldn’t do anything for me this time, he’d take care of me next time. It’s the same in tackle stores. If I show up with a broken whatever that carries a long-term guarantee, I’d like to see it replaced. If there’s disagreement on the cause of the break, then maybe offer to meet me halfway. In the tackle business, that means understand-

ing your products and the people who use them. People who don’t fish, read from the company manual. A fisherman might understand a fishing story that ends with an unexpected snap or crunch. Working against customer service is this: The average young person changes jobs every 18 months or so. Some of them don’t care whether you return to the store, because they don’t expect to be there when you do. I like seeing familiar faces where I buy tackle. They give me a chance to develop working relationships, mutual trust. I work hard for my money. All I ask is that a retailer put a little effort into earning my business. As consumers, we have nearly unlimited choices these days. Online shopping is great for some purchases, but I’m still an old school, brickand-mortar guy when it comes to most fishing tackle. Deep inventories, reasonable return policies, good answers to questions and an occasional smile (which you can’t get on the internet) are what lure me and hook my money.

Email Doug Pike at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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

The Connection Resolution

There is only one thing more dangerous than a coiled rattlesnake within striking distance: Ted Nugent with more confidence. As we wrap-up a diabolical eight year plus run of putrid anti-American politics that test the minds of educated people everywhere, it is reassuring and fortifying witnessing the worldwide celebration of self-evident truth, logic, honesty and commonsense that gushes forth on my website and Facebook by the hour. And we are talking a united celebration by the greatest people in the world—hero warriors of the US Military and their families, law enforcement heroes and their families, and just good old working hard, playing hard

ELL, WELL, WELL, WAS that 2016 thing fun or what? I certainly had a wonderful time in my never ending inexhaustible celebration of life, liberty and my fullthrottle passionate indefatigable pursuit of backstrap spirit happiness. From the bottom of my forever throbbing all American rock-n-roll, venison infested heart and soul, I sincerely thank all those ultimate real soul music lovers across the country that fanned the flames of the greatest tour of my life. And of course, I genuflect at the altar of my entire animal workforce TeamNugeVirtuosos Greg Smith and Jason Hartless, the greatest band in the world, my world-class crew and management, of course my amazing family and the throngs of gung-ho maniac rockers that danced the MotorCity Madhouse Nuge-dance every night. I wrap up a tour like that, performing my 6758th concert on September 3, 2016, in near disbelief that after more than 50 fire breathing years of the most intense rock-n-roll ever unleashed upon mankind that the old 68-yearold Motown guitarslammer can still pull it off. I thank God every day. Must be the clean and sober life fueled by the Great Spirit of the Wild and all those backstraps. Damn straight! As I keep pushing headstrong into the winds of time, I remain humbled yet extremely motivated knowing that millions of people actually care what I have to say. As I hammer away at this, my pre-hunt morning Facebook post reached more than 12 million people worldwide, and the responses can only be described as phenomenal. |

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I remain humbled yet extremely motivated knowing that millions of people actually care what I have to say.

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American families that continue to make sacrifices and take risks, working harder than ever to remain in the asset column for their loved ones, communities, country, fellow man and the good earth. To each and every one of you out there that lives the good life and proudly stands in the asset column of life, I thank you and I salute you all. We are indeed Spirit BloodBrothers. This cherished human spiritual connection represents the ultimate positive in life. To know is to connect. To stand up against the |

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evil forces of political correctness is to deeply connect. To defy the status quo together is to connect. And so, as we buckle in to charge forth into the New Year 2017, let us continue to connect on all these self-evident truth, positive levels that manifested on November 8, 2016. As many North American deerseasons, great fishing and trapping continues through the winter into 2017, let us as dedicated sporters increase our prayers for the wild things. Let us plunge deeper yet into the Spirit of the wild. Let us never forget that the precious life giving gifts of hard earned venison defines a purposeful life well lived. Let our New Year resolution be to connect deeper yet with good people everywhere. Let us increase our communication to fortify the American Dream against further erosion by power abusing political and media hacks. Let us project our proud hunting lifestyle more than ever everywhere we go. Let us push harder for a ten million NRA membership. Let us hammer like we’ve never hammered before to remind our elected employees that they work for us, and that the US Constitution and Bill of Rights will determine their loyalty, accountability and job security. Let us increase our guidance for the youth of America to better understand the reality and joys of God’s tooth, fang and claw nature as the ultimate high and the gratification of the aim small miss small disciplines. Let us resolve to be better Americans and more demanding Americans than ever before in 2017. Let us as hunters resolve to be better, more deadly, more proficient and more reverential reasoning predators. The connection resolution is good for us.

Email Ted Nugent at tnugent@ﬁshgame.com

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

Texas Heritage

HE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR (or, as many of us call it, the ‘War of Northern Aggression’) was fought, mostly, over states’ rights. Southern states wanted to secede from the union, and Northern states objected, causing the deaths of about 620,000 soldiers. To put that number in perspective, roughly 644,000 American soldiers have died in all other U.S. wars combined. Now there’s a group called the Texas Nationalist Movement, comprised of Texans who want the Lone Star State to secede from the union. Honestly, I don’t know whether that’s good or bad. I know the United States needs Texas more than Texas needs the United States, but I’m against secession unless there is no other choice. The move might not start another civil war, but it would definitely cause a lot of trouble. During polarizing times such as these, I think it’s a good idea to pause and remember our heritage, and consider how we got here. And there’s no reason we can’t have fun at the same time. So . . . Texas was colonized by Stephen “Moses” Austin, who put up flyers all over Tennessee, Kentucky, North and South Virginia, and Germany, to advertise the cheap land here. He did this because 1) he was a genuinely good guy who wanted to help his fellow man; and 2) he needed to get enough immigrants down here to fight against Mexico in the battle of the Alamo, the battle of San Jacinto, and the Milagro Bean Field War. He did pretty well, managing to recruit some very good actors, such as John Wayne, Ken Curtis, Denver Pyle, and Richard Widmark. These guys, along with a bunch of extras from Tennessee (the “Shoot Me

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Galveston, where they buried what was left of the national treasury (three dimes and a quarter) on the beach. Their voting machines were all damaged by salt water, so President David G. Burnet decided to send them to Broward County, Florida. They’re still in use today. The Texas army, meanwhile, kept going east, looking over its shoulder once in a while, but seldom slowing down. Gen. University finally called a halt when he got to the San Jacinto River. He consulted his program to find that his men were to be deployed to the north side of the battlefield, but were not yet allowed to bathe. When Santa Anna arrived, he was not happy that the only seats left were on the south side, near the picturesque, mosquito-laden swamp. He complained, and was allowed to bring in some reinforcements as compensation. Partially mollified, he decided to take a nap. Which, of course, was when Gen. University decided to attack. His 910 men ran across the meadow, charged into the 1,265 Mexican soldiers, killed 630 of them, wounded 208, and routed the rest. Nine Texans were killed and 30 wounded. The country of Texas was born. We finally joined the union in 1846, but for ten years Texas was a nation. It could become a nation again, maybe without bloodshed, but not without a lot of pain, problems, and resentment. I think we should stay in the union as long as we can stand it. Besides, with the quality of the actors we could scrape together for a remake, the movie just wouldn’t be the same.

State”) on March 6, 1836, unsuccessfully defended the Alamo. Actually, the Spanish mission’s real name was the Mission de San Antonio de Valero. After the battle, the Texans tried to encourage more people to join their army by shouting, “Remember the Mission de San Antonio de Valero!” but it just didn’t flow. So, they decided to call it the Alamo instead. Though many people don’t realize it, the Alamo changed hands several times during the months leading up to the 13-day siege in late February and early March of 1836, when the movie cameras were finally set up. The Mexican army would take the mission, and the Texans would take it back, and it went back and forth like a ping-pong ball. It got so confusing that, at one point, the Mexican army decided to take a break and spend a couple of weeks on the coast. While they were gone, the Texans took the mission away from themselves three times. But the defenders of the Alamo had bought the Texas army some valuable time, time it needed to prepare to defend itself, time it needed to organize its forces and plan its strategy, time it needed to figure out which way to run from the Mexican army. For the answer, the Texans turned to their colorful and enigmatic leader, General Sam Houston State University. After conferring with his colonels, his lieutenants, and a fairly reliable podiatrist, Gen. University declared that the Texans would run east, because of the Mexican army being to the west, the Gulf of Mexico being to the south, and Comanches being to the north Everyone agreed this was a good choice, since they had to go that way to get to the site of the Battle of San Jacinto anyhow, which was scheduled for 21 April, barring bad weather. The Runaway Scrape was on. Texans abandoned their homes, leaving hot food on their tables, hot coals in their hearths, and hot footprints on the roads. The new Texas government relocated several times, with the army of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (the “Napoleon of the West”) hot on their tail. They ended up in F I S H

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Email Kendal Hemphill at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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2/7/17 2:11 PM

...the Bassmaster Classic Returns to Texas

After an Absence of Forty Years...

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ASS FISHING EYES ALL OVER the planet will be zeroed in on Texas later this month—more specifically Lake Conroe near Houston—as the Bassmaster Classic comes to the Lone Star state for the first time in nearly four decades. Fittingly called pro bass fishing’s “Super Bowl,” the ‘Classic is considered by many to be the sport’s marquee event. That’s because it brings together some of bass fishing’s biggest names and places them in a

PHOTO: GARY TRAMONTANA COURTESY OF B.A.S.S.; INSET, DOUG STAMM:

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championship setting where there is always plenty of electricity in the air. Seldom does a Bassmaster Classic come and go without producing a few fireworks along with some good ol’ Opposite: Texan fashioned drama as pros Keith Combs is a go at it for three days in favorite to win the hope of walking away with Bassmaster Classic. He won two a life-changing pay day and Toyota Texas Bass a title that can solidify a Classics on Conroe. career. G A M E ®

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when compared the bargaining potential a modern-day ‘Classic win brings to a resume it terms of sponsorship deals, endorsement contracts and other gigs that come with the territory. It’s been said that a Classic win can be worth as much as $1 mil-

lion to a guy who plays his cards right. I don’t have a clue how much money Kevin VanDam has banked from his four ‘Classic wins, but my guess is $4 million isn’t even in the ballpark. Not even close. It will be cool see someone strike it rich in Texas off something besides gas, oil or PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

Winning the 2017 Bassmaster Classic will pay a whopping $300,000—$275,000 more than when Hank Parker won the last Texas Classic in 1979 at Lake Texoma in Pottsboro. That’s mucho bucks, indeed. But it’s only a drop in the bucket

PHOTO: SAN JACINTO RIVER AUTHORITY

Lake Conroe, impounded in 1973, is a 20,118-acre reservoir on the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.

Four-time Bassmaster Classic champ Kevin VanDam ﬁshed Conroe for the Toyota Texas Bass Classic and said at the time that the lake was one of the best in the country.

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PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

Trick Worm he was fishing in about two feet of water. Bearden’s fish was one of five Conroe ShareLunkers turned in between Jan. 2008 and Feb. 2009, and it eclipsed the former lake record of 14.91 pounds set in March 1997 by Bill Boyett. Conroe’s most recent ShareLunker, a 13.14 pounder, was caught in April 2015 by David Perciful of Conroe. That fish was reportedly caught out of six feet of water on a Texas rigged lizard. Interestingly, Conroe also holds the state

record for the biggest bass ever collected by fisheries biologists during an electrofishing survey. The bass weighed 14.1 pounds and was taken around a shallow boat dock in 1998. Case in point: There are some giants finning around out there, and my guess is any one of the 52 anglers who will be competing in the upcoming Bassmaster Classic on March 24 to 26 would kill to bring such a fish to the scales at bass fishing’s Big Show. Keith Combs of Huntington is among

Pro angler Gerald Swindle ﬁshes along one of the many bulkheads surrounding Lake Conroe.

real estate. That’s especially true if it’s having fun and catching bass on a lake like Conroe, a 20,000-acre reservoir. The reservoir sits in the shadows of downtown Houston and offers gobs of potential for producing recordshattering sacks. Impounded in 1973 in Walker and Montgomery counties, Conroe isn’t necessarily the best big bass lake in the state, but is certainly among the top contenders. To wit: Only four other Texas lakes have produced more entries for the Toyota ShareLunker program than Conroe has. Fork is undisputed leader with 257, followed by Sam Rayburn (26), Alan Henry (26) and Austin (20.) Conroe has produced 17 ShareLunker entries over the years, including the current lake record 15.93 pounder that was caught on Jan. 30, 2009 by Ricky Bearden of Conroe. Bearden said he caught the big fish at around noon while practicing for an Ignition Bass Club tournament to be held the following day. He was fishing in the back of Weir Creek when the monster bass gobbled up the Texas-rigged black Zoom

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Following the Classic General Information

• The total prize payout for the Classic is more than $1 million.

• The 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic is the 47th world championship of bass fishing. • It is conducted by B.A.S.S. LLC, the world’s largest fishing organization with more than 500,000 members worldwide. • The Bassmaster Classic is considered the “Super Bowl” of Bass Fishing. • A total of 52 anglers will compete at the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic. • The Classic is a no-entry-fee tournament open only to top-ranked anglers who qualify through one of several B.A.S.S. tournament circuits. • First-place prize is $300,000.

Schedule of Events:

them. Combs is a six-time Classic qualifier who has what is arguably the richest history on Conroe of any angler in the field. He won Toyota Texas Bass Classic titles there

in 2011-13 and finished third in the 2012 TTBC. According to Combs, Conroe is the ideal spot for a Classic for several reasons. For

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(All times are local) Friday, March 24: • 7:20 a.m.: Take off • Noon to 8 p.m.: Bassmaster Classic Expo presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods Opens at GRB Convention Center • 3 p.m.: Doors open to general public for weigh-in Saturday, March 25: • 7:20 a.m.: Take off • 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Expo opens at GRB

Convention Center • TBD: Doors open to general public for weigh-in • TBD: Bassmaster High School Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods Sunday, March 26: • 7:20 a.m.: Take off • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Expo opens at GRB Convention Center • TBD: Doors open to general public for weigh-in • TBD: Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops

Venues: • Lake Conroe has never hosted the GEICO Bassmaster Classic. • This will be the first Classic ever to starters, the location is golden. “Pro bass fishing’s fan base is exponential in Texas, so from that standpoint it is going to blow everything else away,” Combs said. “Bass fishing is huge

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be held wholly within the state. The 1979 Classic took place on Lake Texoma on the Texas-Oklahoma border. • Daily weigh-ins will take place each afternoon in Minute Maid Park, home of the Astros, in downtown Houston (501 Crawford St., Houston, TX 77002). • The Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods will be held Friday through Sunday, March 24-26, in the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston (1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston, TX 77010). • The Bassmaster Classic has a huge economic impact on the host city and state. • For the past Classic, total attendance at the Classic venues has averaged more than 100,000. • The economic impact of a Classic is typically between $20 million and $24 million.

• Approximately 5,000 hotel rooms will be utilized by people attending the Classic.

• The full field of 52 anglers competes Friday and Saturday. Field is cut to the Top 25 on Sunday, the final day. • Five Classic competitors call Texas home: Keith Combs of Huntington, Takahiro Omori of Emory, Todd Faircloth of Jasper and father-and-son competitors Alton Jones Sr. and Alton Jones Jr., both of Lorena.

The Competition • Anglers can weigh in up to five black bass per day, 16-inch minimum length limit. • The heaviest cumulative weight over three days wins. • All bass will be released alive back into Lake Conroe.

—Matt Williams

here, especially around the Houston area.” Next comes the fishing. As earlier mentioned, there are plenty of heavyweight bass swimming around in Conroe and those anglers who figure how to unlock the code are sure to bring some big girls to the scales. “That’s the thing that sets Conroe apart from a lot of the other lakes where we’ve fished the Classic,” he said. “It’s got some giants and I’m really looking for it to show out on the big fish side. This will be a tournament where the guy who catches a 10-pounder probably won’t win big bass for the day. I think you’ll see some 10-pound-plus fish at the scales each day, and just about every angler who comes through the arena with a limit will probably have a six or seven pound kicker.” Combs added that he expects to see plenty of 20-plus pound bags caught over the course of the event. The Texas pro also thinks Kevin VanDam’s Classic weight record (69 pounds, 11 ounces) for the five-fish daily limit era will be in serious jeopardy. “I’m really looking for it (the weight record) to fall,” Combs said. “I’m thinking the upper 60s or low 70s will do it, but there is the potential for it to be a whole lot more. There will be a bunch of big fish caught. There could be a new record set for the biggest fish, too. It wouldn’t surprise me to see some fish 11 pounds or better weighed in.”

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

Classic Spectators Should Mind Their Manners

Y NOW I’M SURE THAT JUST about every bass nut in Texas— one million of them—are aware that Bassmaster is bringing what many consider to be pro bass fishing’s premier event—the Bassmaster Classic—to Lake Conroe on March 24 to 26. Good money says it could be one for the books, too. Lake Conroe is located roughly 50 miles from Houston, Texas’s largest city, which has a population of 2.1 million. Conroe is a dead ringer to kick out some monster sacks, quite possibly heavier weights than any Classic before it. In fact, sources close to the game believe Kevin VanDam’s Classic weight record (69 pounds, 11 ounces) for the five-fish daily limit era will be in serious jeopardy when the BASS guys roll into town in a few weeks. That’s largely because 52 of the nation’s top bass pros will be soaking their baits in one of the state’s best fisheries for whopper bass during a time period that typically falls on the heart of the spawn on lakes all across the East Texas region. Big bass are drawn to the shallows during the spawn, where they naturally become more vulnerable to being caught than at any other time of the year. Those factors, combined with the notion that this will be the first Classic held on Texas waters since Hank Parker won it on Lake Texoma in 1979, are sure to generate a ton of excitement in a region where the largemouth bass is king and guys like VanDam, Martens, Clunn, Evers and a host of others have become heroes to many. The mega-hype could easily translate to record-busting attendance at weigh-ins in Minute Maid Park and the Classic Outdoor Expo at the 300,000-square foot George R. Brown Convention Center, both located amid the concrete jungle that is downtown Houston. It’s anybody’s guess as to how many folks will

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show up for morning takeoffs at Lakeview Marina, but I’d like to have a stake in a donut stand near the front gate. The buzz around the Conroe Classic could spell trouble for the tournament field should it lure armies of fishing fans and other spectators onto the water in boats and skiffs of all sizes to witness history in the making. True, flotilla boats and spectator traffic are something that pro anglers are accustomed to dealing with, particularly during high-profile events such as this one. However, if the Texas weather turns out nice around the fourth weekend of the month, the 47th annual Classic could set a new standard by which on-thewater circuses are judged. That holds especially true if spectator and recreational boat drivers don’t use their heads and mind their manners. Conroe is huge on recreational boating, yet it spans only 20,000 surface acres. That’s far cry from a sprawling river system like the Red, an immense swamp like the Atchafalaya Basin or a massive reservoir like Toledo Bend or Sam Rayburn, where an angler can disappear and fish off the radar for hours. Sweet spots divided among the 52 competitors are going to be limited here. Many of them will be shallow, tucked away in the backs of isolated creeks, pockets or cuts, or beneath any number of the ritzy boat docks up and down the lake. Big spectator traffic could have a tremendous impact on the fishing on small water, especially in a springtime event where a lot of the fish are going to be hugging the banks. If you’re inclined to launch a boat to follow your favorite pro at Conroe, you’d do him a favor to stay on the bank and watch the action unfold on Bassmaster Live. You’ll be able to see and learn a whole lot more. For those who are determined to get on the water, it is important that you mind your |

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manners out there. The majority of Classic contenders fish for a living, and the stakes will be particularly high. The guy who puts together the most weight over three days goes home with $300,000. This is Texas, so let’s show the field some Lone Star hospitality. Here are a few things for spectators keep in mind: • Please, Don’t Fish Their Water: True. Conroe is public water, and there is no law that says you can’t wet a hook. Even so, spectators should show the competitors some courtesy and stay off their fishing spots until the tournament is over. One four-pounder caught by a potlicker could cost a Classic contender dearly. • Think Ahead: Don’t block ‘em In. A high percentage of the bass will be shallow in March, and a lot of anglers will be looking in creeks, coves and cuts to find them. A guy with a big flotilla on his tail stands to lose valuable fishing time if an army of spectator boats blocks his way from running out of a creek after he goes in. The time loss multiplies if the same thing happens several times over the course of a fishing day. Spectator boats should always keep their distance, kill their outboards, stay off their trolling motors, turn off their electronics and provide the pro a clear path to run whenever he gets ready. • Dock Traffic: Lakeside homeowners can do the anglers a huge favor by watching from their backyards instead of hosting Classic parties on their boat docks and piers. Lots of fish will be positioned around docks this month, but excessive foot traffic could make them spooky and less willing to bite. • Wakes Mean Mud: When a boat wake laps the bank, it roils the water and muddies up stretches that otherwise might be calm, clear and ideal for sight fishing. Keep that in mind if you venture onto the water during the Classic. Otherwise, the best policy will be to keep the boat on the trailer so the pros can do their thing uninterrupted. It’s only three days.

Email Matt Williams at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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PHOTO: CANSTOCK

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PRING IS ON THE HORIZON, and with the season change comes warmer weather, longer days, and nicer fishing. Anyone with access to a beach and a rod and reel can surf fish, and Marcus Heflin, surf fishing

instructor and founded of Christian Surf Fishing Adventures, has given some of his best advice for surf anglers this spring. High tides and warmer water bring larger sharks and other species closer to shore. Bait fish come into the shallow areas more often during spring, and the game fish follow. “Come March, we will be seeing sharks all up and down the Texas Gulf Coast. Bull and black tips will be more populous than bonnet heads. Spinners will also be in the mix,” Heflin said. “Being the waters are still cool but gradually warming, sharks will range from new-born to young adults 1.5 to 6 feet long. If you’re wanting bigger, then you’ll need to target for bigger. That includes the type of bait used and how far out from the shoreline you go—500 yards plus.” If you’ve been wanting to net a redfish, you’re in luck with all types weather and seas, according to Heflin. “Reds are the most easily targeted fish in all types weather. The beginning of spring is the end of winter fishing, but it is still a good time for slot size reds fishing from the shoreline. Rough tides or smooth, a red can be found,” he said. “They can still be caught. You’ll just have to show more patience and experience.” The state record red measured 54 ¼ inches. “We have reds normally up to 46 inches,” Heflin said. “East coast reds are giants compared to ours. Those can be in the seventies.” When it comes to attracting, reds forget the plastics,” he explained. “It’s just cut mullet or shrimp. They’re not the only go-to bait, but live and cut mullet are usually the best bait.”

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Marcus Heﬂin says that spring shark ﬁshing is underrated.

enabling him to fish the first trough. We were casting into the second trough.” “That man caught a red for every shark we caught,” Heflin said. “He did everything the same as us, except he only went knee-deep to cast while we were wading out 100 yards. The

According to Heflin, you don’t have to get your feet wet on the high tide days. “We had an older man who met us to go surf fishing,” he said. “There were three sandbars where we were wading out with a trough between each one. We had a high tide 28

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only way for anyone to know this would be to wade the waters.” Heflin’s example is a good reason to know your fishing areas and tides. The coast changes almost daily due to tides, erosion and storms. This is important to know if you want PHOTOS: CHESTER MOORE

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Heﬂin cautions that spring surf anglers need to pay special attention to tides and water conditions.

successful surf fishing. “Keeping a log is the best way to keep up with predicting what or how you want to approach your fishing strategy,” Heflin said. “At the peak of high tide during the first hour is best, so keep a close eye to your tide

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worst,” Heflin said. “West winds make chocolate milk out of the water, so fishing is a lot less catching. South and east winds are good with light winds. South winds push the waves toward you and are great if the winds are not too high.”

charts.” Along with tides, wind direction and strength plays a crucial role in your surf fishing success. “North winds are the best for surf fishing conditions, and west winds make it the

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PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

Marcus Heﬂin has caught hundreds of sharks from the surf.

High winds from east or west pull your lines onto the beach and cause havoc, according to Heflin. North winds and high tides call for trout rods and top water baits. The best

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two baits would be shallow diver cranks or plastics on ¼-inch jig heads, he said. “North winds and green or blue water bring in trout,” said Heflin, “So plan on

getting to your site an hour before daylight, and be ready to wade for trout the first two or three hours, then you can go to your surf fishing.”

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straight out from the shoreline facing the water,” he said. “If you feel the water pulling against the back of your knees, then don’t go anywhere deeper until you’ve learned the ropes. First timers should always wear an airinflated life jacket.” Heflin also recommends the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s app for mobile devices. The app, Texas Outdoor Annual, provides instant access to information such as statewide bag and length limits and exceptions to these limits, places to fish nearby, weekly fishing reports, and more. When it comes to a successful fishing trip from start to end, Heflin said trial and error is what will make it happen. “The best thing to do is take this information along with any other and go out and do some trial and error and observe everything that’s happening around you,” he said. “When your real-life experience comes into play, predicting your trips and observing where fish are will become second nature to you.”

PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

Spinners will also be in the works this spring. “Spinners are awesome to hook up with because of the wild breaches and how they got their name,” said Heflin. Spinners breach straight up nose first out of the water in a rocket motion, then land as if doing a belly flop, creating a huge splash, according to Heflin. Aside from experience, age is a factor when determining what weather conditions are desirable, Heflin said. After fishing some forty years, he opts for calmer seas. “When I was younger and more able to fight the tides and rough seas, wading in and out to cast my 12- and 15-foot surf rods was an adventure and got my blood pumping,” he said. “It was me against the elements to get my prey, but it was a lot of work and took all my effort and energy to do so. That was the fun of it. I love it. Now that I’m older, one to three is great for me and is much less undertow to fight.” Heflin has a few pointers for those who are not accustomed to undertows and riptides. “A rule of thumb is to go knee-deep

Heﬂin says to bait your surf rig with live or cut mullet.

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

Stinging the King

HE SOUTH TEXAS COAST, most notably from Aransas Pass at the top to the Coastal Bend, to Brazos Santiago (“The Arms of Saint James”) at the mouth of the Lower Laguna Madre, has long been the haven of the Mosquito Fleet. This is a euphemism for the swarms of small (sub 22-foot) bay and flats boats owners who take advantage of the unique blue water fishery the region offers beginning in spring and on

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until the first major cold front in November. When waters start to warm in spring, they start reappearing. Steady southeasterly breezes and a prevailing current push blue Gulf of Mexico waters very close to shore, often right up to the mouths of passes and into adjoining bays. With the clean, nutrient-rich waters come a plethora of pelagic gamefish, including bonito, Spanish and cero mackerel and, the prize of the small boater, large kingfish. “There are some nice kings out there starting in spring,” says Joe Montemayor, owner/ operator of Joe’s Tackle in Pharr. “You don’t have the big tankers that you find way offshore, but you have plenty of nice, solid 36 to 44-inch class kings, and you will get lots over 48 inches when the water gets into the 80s in the sum-

mer. In a 22 foot BayQuest, with three fishermen and a bunch of rods and tackle, a 42-inch king can be plenty big enough.” Kayak devotees also get involved in the fun, often putting in right off the jetties or a nearby beach and paddling out the short distance where Texas kings lurk. There are times where kingfish will actually roam farther in and actually be caught in the passes themselves (it is not uncommon on the Lower Laguna Madre for an angler chasing trout and redfish near Brazos Santiago to suddenly have their reel burned by a scorching king run before the leader parts) Although there can be several days where flat-calm conditions prevail from dawn to dusk, as the spring and summer days warm along the South Texas Coast, the southeast wind tends to pick up, and by late morning, mid-

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afternoon, the seas around jetties and passes can start to stack up and get a bit sloppy, which makes for tougher fishing conditions. The upward velocity curve of the wind necessitates that Mosquitos make plans for an early trip, usually from gray light to whatever time the wind and waves begin to be more than they can comfortably handle. If Captain Chad Kinney is going to chase kingfish for his clients for a bit, he’ll get to the Mansfield Pass early and troll a few baits on speck. He’ll work farther from the jetties and more toward the one mile buoy, where the water is deeper. “I’ll usually bump troll with plugs or ribbonfish,” says Kinney, “but I’m always scanning for some kind of activity on the water, whether it’s a bird working or fleeing fish. I want clues to where there may be active fish and what they might be doing. I’ll investigate anything that looks out of the ordinary. You never know.” Another favored pattern that Kinney uses on Mosquito Fleet kingfish is casting topwaters. Remarkably, he uses many of the same topwater plugs that he will toss for inshore species such as speckled trout and redfish.

King mackerel can be found temptingly close to shore from the mid-Texas coast south, making them a prime target of the “Mosquito Fleet.”

Kinney has thrown Bomber Badonk-a-Donk minnows, Super Spooks, Spook, Jrs, and a variety of other walk-the-dog topwaters with great success. “It’s pretty exciting when you see a big king just shoot straight up out of the water 10 feet

with your plug in his mouth,” says Kinney. A short wire trace, usually about 12 inches long, prevents bite offs from the snapping jaws of an agitated king (see “Knot a Wire Issue”). If you intend to try your hand at throwing a topwater at a Mosquito king, make sure you’re

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properly equipped. Popping rods should be in the upper range of what you would use for redfish, preferably in medium to medium heavy, and a high capacity reel is also a must for the long runs a belligerent mackerel can make. My typical nearshore top-water rod is a TFO Tactical GISSWC 705-1 with a Calcutta 200 B loaded with 30 pound PowerPro Blue. The outfit can handle a one ounce River2Sea WideGlide (my favorite topwater) and still have the backbone to snub all but the most belligerent kingfish. Farther south, around Brazos Santiago, attorney Oscar Garcia also used live bait a great deal. He prefers to net six to eight-inch mullet, which he believes is the primary forage for jetty kings, and slow troll with them around the points of the jetties and along the

better with a single hook through the nose (floss rigs might work, too, but the jury is still out on how to mitigate the fragile nature of the connection in the presence of sharp teeth). Trolling tackle for nearshore kings is a tad lighter than the bigger stuff that’s popular for the huge smokers. Garcia uses Penn Squall 20LW conventional reels loaded with 25-pound Ande matched to seven-foot Ugly Stik Conventional rods. Kinney prefers spinning reels, usually a Penn Fathom open faced

or a 6500 SS. Line choices on the spinning reels are either 20 pound Ande or 30-pound braid. The braid allows for greater line capacity, but Kinney prefers the monofilament to prevent line burns when a big king takes off for the horizon. They aren’t called smokers for nothing.

Email Cal Gonzales at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

“ If you intend to try your hand at throwing a topwater at a Mosquito king, make sure you’re properly equipped.

“ adjoining beachfront. Rather than the typical multi-hook kingfish rig that most anglers use, Garcia prefers a single 10/0 Eagle Claw 190 Off-set Circle hook. He may miss more fish than other anglers who use the multiple hook rigs, but Garcia believes that the benefits far outweigh the costs. “First, I don’t miss that many fish,” says Garcia. “I may have an occasional fish bite a mullet in half, but if I drop back and give it a chance, he usually comes back around to get the other half. The single hook doesn’t tear up a fish. Finally, the last thing you need in a small boat is three or four treble hooks hanging from fish, even one you’ve whacked a couple of times and are holding with a gaff. It’s a safety issue.” Garcia adds that that the live mullet swim

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VERYONE HEARS STORIES OF NOVICE anglers throwing something ridiculous and landing a trophy fish. Sure, that happens occasionally, but so does winning $100 million in a lottery. Just don’t count on it when targeting speckled trout! Targeting big trout requires patience, understanding and determination. It also requires a plan, about 90 percent of which occurs before the boat leaves the dock. Anglers who fish specifically for trophy specks might spend long hours casting hundreds of times, hoping for one or two bites while ignoring nearby boats that fill ice chests with smaller fish. “Sometimes, fishing for big trout is about as exciting as watching ice melt—until one hits,” said Capt. Kirk Stansel of Hackberry Rod and Gun. Stansel guides on Lake Calcasieu near the Texas-Louisiana border. “When we leave the dock, we have to decide whether to target big fish or a lot of fish. It can be pretty slow when looking for that one big strike.” To catch trophy trout, anglers must first find them. To find big trout, get away from the crowds. Whenever possible, fish odd hours and go during the week or on non-holidays when fewer people head out onto the water.

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Top Waters for Topwater Trout

These waters delivered the Texas state record, a 15.60-pounder caught in May 2002.

BAFFIN BAY/LOWER LAGUNA MADRE—Laguna Madre covers 609 square miles and connects to the Gulf of Mexico near Port Mansfield. An inlet off Laguna Madre, Baffin Bay covers about 100 square miles.

SABINE LAKE, TEXAS/LOUISIANA— On the Sabine River, Sabine Lake stretches about 19 miles along the Louisiana-Texas state line near Orange, Texas. The Neches River enters from the northwest. On the Louisiana side, Sabine National Wildlife Refuge covers 124,500 acres of bait-rich marshes. Sabine Lake connects with the Gulf of Mexico through Sabine Pass.

Moreover, avoid following schooling specks that feed on shrimp and the flotilla of anglers chasing schoolies. Until a trout reaches about two pounds, about 80 percent of its diet consists of shrimp. Although all trout eat shrimp, trout exceeding three pounds generally prefer to eat fish, usually mullet, menhaden, pinfish, croakers and even small trout. Monster trout occasionally hang under trout schools, not to eat the shrimp, but to eat smaller trout. Bigger trout generally prefer bigger baits.

Imagine what a 10-pound trout might gulp! In addition, a big trout doesn’t need to feed nearly as often as a small trout. A giant trout conserves energy by occasionally grabbing one big, easy meal that it can catch without expending too much energy rather than chasing down a bunch of tiny morsels. Find the right bait, and you’ll usually find the trout. “Bait is the key to finding big trout,” Stansel said. “I look for a reef with good tidal movement and a good supply of bait. I like to see bait acting nervous and jumping out of

CALCASIEU LAKE, LOUISIANA— Calcasieu Lake south of Lake Charles produced three of the top 10 trout caught in Louisiana and the state record trout caught on a fly. The lake measures 12 miles long by nine miles wide and covers about 52,700 acres of the Calcasieu River delta. It connects to the Gulf of Mexico through Calcasieu Pass.

—John N. Felsher

Super Specks from Just Over the State Line ABOUT 2-1/2 HOURS FROM Houston and 25 miles east of the TexasLouisiana line, Calcasieu Lake south of Lake Charles, La., attracts many Texans seeking to land giant speckled trout. Most Texans run out of Hackberry down the western shoreline on La. 27. “I’ve fished the lake since the early 1970s and usually bring over about 70 to 100 customers each year,” said J. B. Gibson, a businessman from Spring, Texas. “I’ve caught several trout over 8 pounds. My biggest weighed about 8.5 pounds. On Thanksgiving weekend in 2010, my grandson and I caught 25 trout over 5 pounds.” Calcasieu Lake measures 12 miles long by nine miles wide and covers about 52,700 acres of the Calcasieu River delta. The lake sits adjacent to the Calcasieu Ship Channel, a deeper, wider and straighter version of the old Calcasieu River course. The channel cuts a swath 40 miles long, 400 feet wide and 40

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feet deep from Lake Charles to the Gulf of Mexico. The ship channel hits Calcasieu Lake at Turner’s Bay on the north end. Farther south, several openings including the Washout and Nine-Mile Cut connect the channel to the lake and bring in baitfish and predators with tides from the Gulf. At the southwest corner, West Cove extends across the channel. Reefs near Long Point and Commissary Point hold fish. Trout also hang around old rock jetties in the southern part of the lake. “Probably about 85 percent of our clients come from Texas, mostly from the Houston area,” said Capt. Guy Stansel of Hackberry Rod and Gun (888-762-3391/ www.hackberryrodandgun). “During a north wind, Turner’s Bay is always full of fish. In a south wind, I fish West Cove, which has a lot of big oyster reefs. The south bank of Big Lake is another good area. The reefs off the east

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A healthy Calcasieu Speck.

bank near Commissary Point have been really hot in the past few years.” Known locally as Big Lake, the body of water solidified its reputation for giant trout between May 1997 and May 2004 when it delivered three double-digit specks to the Louisiana state record book. In addition, the lake contributed four trout to the Louisiana fly-fishing book including the 9.31-pounder state fly record caught by Capt. Jeff Poe of Big Lake Guide Service (337-598-3268/ www.biglakeguideservice.com) in December

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O’Connor areas of Texas. “People can occasionally catch a really big trout while fishing around smaller trout, but when I’m looking for a big fish, I like to fish close to a drop off,” he said. “I’ve caught more big trout in areas within 500 yards of a big drop-off than anywhere else. When it’s cooler, I fish over a drop-off and throw deep. During a warming trend, I like to fish shallow, but close to an area with a sharp drop-off.” In clear grassy flats, such as those found on the Middle and Lower Coasts of Texas,

mouth bass. They prefer to settle into cover and wait for morsels to come to them. They hang around sea grass beds, oyster reefs, rock piles, sunken boats, jetties, dropoffs, humps or other hard, irregular structure where they can ambush prey. Go to isolated reefs or channel edges with access to deep, salty water surrounded by abundant large forage. “Big trout are loners,” explained Capt. Chad Peterek with Chad Peterek Guide Service who fishes the Baffin Bay and Port

Bigger trout generally prefer bigger topwater lures.

the water in all directions.” Instead of running down prey in open water, big trout act more like redfish or large1996. Tim Mahoney holds the official lake record with an 11.16-pounder he caught in May 2002. Anglers sometimes catch record book trout, but never submit the paperwork or officially weigh the fish. In May 2000, Stuart Roy caught and released a 32-inch trout with a 17-inch girth that some biologists estimated weighed between 12.5 and 13 pounds. Although the lake hasn’t produced a Top 10 all-tackle fish since 2004, John K. Mayne did add a trout to the Louisiana fly-fishing book in April 2008. When Hurricane Rita devastated southwest Louisiana in September 2005, it shut down fishing for months. The reprieve from fishing pressure helped the system. In addition, the state lowered the daily trout limit on Calcasieu Lake and other southwestern Louisiana waters from 25 to 15 per day and mandated that anglers can keep no more than two speckled trout 25 inches long or longer per day. “The fishing has been some of the best I’ve seen in the more than 30 years that I’ve been guiding,” Stansel

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said. “Calcasieu Lake still produces a lot of big trout, but not like it did during that phenomenal run in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The lake still produces several 8- and 9-pound trout each year and an occasional 10-pounder. One December, my nephew Brett caught about 40 trout, all between 4 and 7 pounds.” Although Calcasieu anglers could land a Louisiana record speckled trout during any month, the spring typically produces the biggest fish. All three trout in the all-tackle list came in May. March produced two top 10 fish on the Fly list, while April added another. “We’ve caught some trout over 8 pounds in the past couple years on my boat,” advised Capt. Erik Rue of Calcasieu Charter Service (337-598-4700, calcasieucharters.com). “May is typically one of the key times to

catch big trout in Calcasieu Lake when the water warms up and the fish get really active. Topwaters are one of the best ways to catch big trout.” Trout three pounds and larger primarily eat fish instead of shrimp and largely feed upon mullets, menhaden, pinfish and croakers. Topwater baits mimic baitfish, particularly mullet. For catching big trout in the spring, look for mullet schools. Watch for any frenzied action on the surface and toss topwaters into the ruckus. “We catch a lot of fish on topwaters in the spring,” Stansel advised. “In the spring, when I’m looking for big trout I fish oyster reefs in West Cove with topwaters. A chrome and black She Dog is my favorite topwater bait. Finding baitfish is the key to catching big fish. In April, I look for mullet because pogies haven’t quite schooled up yet. Also

look for good tidal movement. In the spring, I like an incoming tide, but either incoming or outgoing is good as long as it’s moving.” Anglers also catch trophy trout on live bait. Attach a live croaker or mullet about six inches long to a circle hook and free line it over a good reef. Anglers can also rig it on a Carolina rig with a slip sinker and a long leader or dangle a live baitfish under a cork. For trout numbers, drift the mid-lake reefs and toss 1/4-ounce jigheads tipped with plastic. Let the jighead fall to the bottom and hop it along the bottom. Hot colors for soft plastics include black and chartreuse, purple and chartreuse and glow with a chartreuse tail. For area information, contact the Southwest Louisiana Conventions and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-456-SWLA or visit www.visitlakecharles.org. Anglers who fish

big trout also like to hide in sand pockets. On large sandy flats, lush sea grass doesn’t always grow evenly. Anglers with polarized glasses often spot whitish patches punctuating the dark green

vegetation. Big trout frequently hide in grassy edges next to sand holes to wait for something tempting to swim too close. Place a bait at the edge of the grass, but in the sand where fish can easily see it.

“Bigger trout are structure or cover oriented like largemouth bass,” Peterek explained. “They wait for something to come to them rather than run it down. Big trout use those sand pockets as an ambush point. They

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with a licensed charter captain can buy a three-day non-resident license for $5. For more license information, call 888-765-2602 or you can visit their website at: www.wlf.louisiana.gov/licenses/ fishing.

—John N. Felsher

Steven Felsher shows off a speckled trout he caught on a topwater.

1/4- to a 3/8-ounce leadhead.” Although one female speckled trout may produce millions of offspring, very few live long enough to weigh more than 10 pounds. Don’t keep any extremely large trout and handle each fish as little as possible and with great care. Photograph them and release them to breed and fight again.

pounds in the past, said “When I’m fishing for bigger trout, I predominantly use a bigger bait. I’ve seen big fish eat tiny baits, but bigger fish generally feed on bigger baits. “In topwaters, I like to throw a MirrOLure He Dog,” he explained. “In calm conditions, I throw a She Dog because it’s a little smaller and doesn’t make as much commotion as a He Dog. In soft plastics, I like a six-inch Gambler Flapp’n Shad. When I’m fishing shallow, I rig it with a 1/16- or 1/8-ounce leadhead. When I’m fishing deep, I’ll use a

hide in the grass and ambush anything that appears in the sand pocket.” The old adage “bigger bait equals bigger fish” does apply. Peterek, who caught trout topping 11.25 T E X A S

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COMMIT EVEN A MISDEMEANOR AND YOU COULD LOSE YOUR GUN RIGHTS

UN RIGHTS AND THE CRIMINAL law intersect in a myriad of ways, and it is your duty to know the common pitfalls when you decide to carry a firearm. Failure to know these pitfalls could result in you being charged with a crime. Although this article does not cover every conceivable way in which gun rights can be taken away, it does cover the common areas in which they are taken away and focuses on the misdemeanor accusation. Felony accusations are not addressed.

I. The Misdemeanor Accusation and Conviction: THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF MISDEMEANors in Texas. Class “A” crimes are crimes whereby the accused could face up to one year in jail or six months to two years of probation. Class “B” crimes are crimes whereby the accused could face up to 180 days in jail or six months to two years of probation. Class “C” crimes are fine-only offenses. See Tex. Penal Code Sec. 12.21, 12.22 & 12.23. It is important to note that a person accused of any Class “A,” Class “B” or Disorderly Conduct Class “C” offense will have their License to Carry (LTC) automatically suspended. See Govt. Code Sec. 411.187(a)(1). The suspension lasts until the accusation is disposed of. If the charges are dismissed or the person gets acquitted, then the license will be restored. If the person receives a final conviction or a deferred disposition (no-conviction type probation) then the license is revoked. If the license is revoked, or the person hopes to obtain another license down the road, they will not be eligible for the license for a period of five years. See Tex. Govt. Code Sec. 411.172(a)(8) & 411.171(4).

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Common Class “A” and “B” offenses include: Possession of Marijuana two ounces or less “B;” Possession of Marijuana four ounces or less but more than two ounces “A;” Evading Arrest or Detention on Foot “A;” Resisting Arrest “A;” Terroristic Threat “B;” Theft “A” or “B” depending on amount; and Silent or Abusive Calls to 911 Service “B;” to name a few.

Chris Hess is a criminal defense attorney in Amarillo and former U.S. Marine who served two tours in Iraq.

Disorderly Conduct offenses cover: Profane or abusive language in public that tends to breach the peace, Class “C.” Offensive gestures in public that tends to breach the peace, Class “C.” Creating a noxious odor in public, Class “C”. Abusing or threating a person in public, Class “C.” Making an unreasonable noise in public, Class “C.” Public fighting Class, “C.” Discharging a firearm in public, Class “B.” Displaying a firearm in public to calculate alarm, Class “B.” Discharging a firearm across a public road, Class “C.” Exposing private parts in public, Class “C.” Peeping toms, Class “C.”

Tex. Family Code Sec. 71.0021. People who are family. Family means related by blood within the third degree See Tex. Govt. Code Sec. 573.002 & & 573.022. Family also means spouses and children, and anyone related by blood within the third degree of the spouse (affinity) See Tex. Govt. Code Sec. 573.024 & 573.025, as well as former spouses, parents of the same child, and foster children and foster parents See Tex. Family Code Sec. 71.003. People who live or used to live under one roof, regardless if they are related or not. See Tex. Family Code Sec. 71.005 and 71.006. The reason why “family member” is so broadly defined, is that the legislature defined it that way to prevent any kind of domestic violence. I’ve seen college roommates charged with assault on a family member for allegedly assaulting their roommate. I’ve seen former girlfriends/boyfriends being charged. I’ve seen brother in law accused of assaulting brother in law or father in law. The definition has been applied as broadly as it is defined. Misdemeanor assault on a family member comes in two forms. Class “A” misdemean-

II. The Two Most Common Misdemeanor Accusations Against Law-Abiding Citizens THE TWO MOST COMMON misdemeanor criminal accusations that I see otherwise law-abiding citizens accused of are Assault on a Family Member and Driving While Intoxicated (DWI.) When I inform them that their gun rights are in jeopardy, they get extremely concerned.

A. The Assault on a Family Member Accusation and Conviction: The term “family member” has a very broad definition according to Texas Penal Code Sec. 22.01. “Family member” includes: People who are or have been dating. See 44

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or assault, whereby the alleged victim suffered some sort of pain, however minor, and Class “C” misdemeanor assault, in which the alleged victim is assaulted by an “offensive” contact (without pain.) If the person is convicted of assault on a family member “A,” or “C” then the person is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm that has crossed state lines (which applies to almost every firearm manufactured.) See 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9) & 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(33). Some of my clients have expressed a desire to join the military. Because military service requires a person to be able to lawfully possess a firearm, they are ineligible to join. State law also prohibits a person from possessing a firearm if that person is convicted of assault on a family member “A” within five years of the person’s release from confinement or release from community supervision. See Texas Penal Code Sec. 46.04 entitled “Unlawful Possession of Firearm.” Also, a final conviction for assault on a family member “A” or “C” will forever thereafter render the person ineligible to obtain a LTC pursuant to Texas Govt. Code Sec. 411.172(9).

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B. The DWI Accusation and Conviction: It may surprise you to know that you have a right to carry a pistol in your vehicle, out of sight, without having to have a LTC. Many citizens exercise this right and choose not to obtain a LTC and to simply have a pistol in their vehicles. It is also worth noting that rifles and shotguns need not be concealed while in the vehicle and a LTC does not apply to rifles and shotguns. DWI “A” or “B” is the second most common criminal accusation that I see otherwise law abiding citizens accused of. For the purposes of this article, it is not necessary to differentiate between DWI “A” or “B.” Again, as stated above, if the person is accused of a Class “A” or “B” misdemeanor, their LTC will be suspended. My clients who are charged with DWI and have a pistol in the car most commonly face an additional criminal accusation called “Unlawful Carrying Weapons” (UCW). See Texas Penal Code Sec. 46.02. A person is committing UCW “A” if they are carrying a pistol in their car and the per-

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son is “engaged in criminal activity, other than a Class C misdemeanor that is a violation of a law or ordinance regulating traffic or boating.” Id. Because people accused of DWI “A” or “B” are “engaged in criminal activity,” many counties automatically charge the person with UCW “A” in addition to the DWI. Many of my clients in this situation have stated, “But I have aConcealed Carry License!” To them, I have said that the State can charge someone with UCW “A” regardless of whether they have a LTC or not.

III. The Lesson: NOT EVERYONE ACCUSED OF DWI or Assault on a Family Member is guilty. It is the officer’s subjective opinion on whether a person is “intoxicated” when the officer arrests someone for DWI. Likewise, there are numerous examples of children accusing their parents of assault when no such assault occurred or ex-boyfriends/girlfriends or ex-spouses making an accusation that they were assaulted in order to gain an advantage in a custody battle or divorce.

It is important to know what your gun rights are and to avoid being accused of these two common crimes. If you have any amount of alcohol, try taking an Uber or taxi rather than fall prey to a DWI arrest. If a family member is accusing you of assault, take into consideration the consequences of the assault accusation on your gun rights before you and your attorney develop any sort of defense. Chris Hesse is a criminal defense attorney in Amarillo, Texas. He served two tours of duty in Iraq and achieved the rank of Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps after a 10-year career. He is is admitted to the bar of the State of Texas, and 20 Federal District and Federal Appellate Courts. He represents clients at trial, on direct appeal, and on post-conviction habeas corpus. He can be reached by email at Chris@PanhandleCriminalDefense.Attorney.

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OFTEN MARVEL AT SOME OF the advancements in the outdoor industry over the years, and bowfishing is no exception. Just about everything has improved in the bowfishing realm, from the types of boats we use, to the bows and other hardware we shoot fish with. Bowfishers have been targeting carp for many years now, as they are an invasive species to our river, creeks and lakes. Carp are usually easy to find and never fail to provide a good shooting opportunity when you’re trolling around the shallows in a boat or even walking the shoreline if you are land-bound. To break down the equipment to bowfish for carp and other “rough fish,” we must examine the components that make a bowfishing trip successful. After all, quality gear makes bowfishing more productive and fun. The first thing to look at is the bow. I often advise new bowfishers not to spend $800 or more on outfitting a brand-new bow for this sport. That’s my advice simply because the sport of bowfishing can be hard on the equipment you use. I usually recommend you search out a lowcost, used bowe in the $50-$100 range—or maybe a little more. Most older bows you will find will be old compound bows, but you can also get a recurve or lever bow at a good price. My favorite bowfishing find is a used lever bow. Older Onieda bows such as the Screaming Eagle model combine the power of a compound bow with the design and feel of a recurve bow. These can be found used for around $200-$350. Because most of the shooting done in bowfishing is “snap shooting,” the recurve design allows for cycling quick shots. This is desirable when the action gets heavy on the water. The next item is the bowfishing reel. Lots of advances have been made in this product category over the years. The most basic reel you can find is the hand-spool style, which is not really much of a reel.

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Oneida Screaming Eagle lever bow and one night’s haul.

have a snap back or dry fire when you go to shoot your bow. A Muzzy-style reel is usually lower in cost than the AMS style. Many professional bowfishing guides I know prefer it to an AMS. For bowfishing line, you should use line made for the kind of bowfishing reel you have. Some lines are designed for use with spincast reels and some can be used both in spincast and other designs. I usually choose a 200-pound to 400-pound test bowfishing line, depending on which species you are targeting. For carp, 200-pound test line should do the trick. For bowfishing arrows, there are many to choose from. The brands I prefer are TRUGLO, Muzzy, and Innerloc. The joy we have as bowfishers is that just about every major manufacture on the market today makes a good arrow. Expect to pay $10 or more for a good quality bowfishing arrow and point combo or sometimes just that much for the arrow without a point. The nice thing about modern bowfishing arrows is that they are as strong as an ox and will usually last for a while. Always carry one or more backup arrows because you never know when you might need it. For this reason, most bowfishing kits that include arrows, such as the ones sold in Academy Sports and Outdoors, come with two arrows

With as many shots as you take in bowfishing, you will most likely find that hand-winding your line after every shot is tiring and time consuming. This is a fastpaced game so you want to play it that way. The AMS Retriever Pro bowfishing reel kit was one of the first true bowfishing reels on the market. I have used one of these on my bow for many years. The line stacks loosely into the plastic bottle of this reel system and easily pays out when you shoot. To retrieve, you hold the trigger of the reel, and it brings the line back into the bottle. This kit mounts directly to the mounting setup of many different types of bows with no extra holes to drill. The only issue with this style of reel is that it lacks power when it comes to the retrieve. This especially frustrating when you’re trying to bring in a large fish. Another style of bowfishing reel that has plenty of retrieval power is the Muzzy XD and XD Pro reels. These look just like large spincast reels, and they are designed for powerful retrieves. These reels usually mount on to the stabilizer hole of a bow using a reel set, which is similar to the bottom reel mount area of a fishing rod. The only issue with this style of reel is that you have to push the release button before every single shot or you might 48

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to get you started on a successful bowfishing adventure. For bowfishing points, numerous designs are on the market. The most basic and common one I use for carp is a two-barb design with a trocar tip. A good example of this style is the Muzzy Carp Point or Gar Point. The point is designed to penetrate a fish, and the barbs hold it until you land it in the boat or on the shore. After you connect with a fish, simply unscrew the tip of the point and the barbs easily reverse, allowing you to release the fish from the arrow into your fish bucket. Points are sold separately and can be pricey, so I usually look for a complete arrow with the point included. What ever way you enjoy bowfishing, be sure to concentrate on having fun with this action-filled sport. If you’ve never been bowfishing before, think about hiring a guide such as my friend and professional guide Marty McIntyre from GARQUEST Bowfishing Adventures (www.garquest.com). Most guides will be happy to show you all the gear you need to go out on your very own adventure. Aim low, think big, and have a blast out there on the water.

PHOTO: DUSTIN WARNCKE

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REPORT: NEWS 54 u TF&G OF THE NATION Reported by TF&G Staff

HOT 54 u TEXAS SHOTS Trophy Photos from TF&G Readers

DEPT. OF 56 u TEXAS DEFENSE by Stan Skinner and Dustin Ellermann

60 u TEXAS DEPT. OF CONSERVATION

by Will Leschper and Andi Cooper

62 u TEXAS COASTAL FORECAST

by Eddie Hernandez, Mike Holmes, Mike Price, Chris Martin, Mac Gable and Cal Gonzales

70 u TEXAS FISHING

NE OF my fondest memories growing up was shooting my grandfather’s old Winchester .177 caliber air rifle at empty soda cans on my grandparent’s property. I’ll never forget those days. Many of us grew up using airguns for target practice and to learn the basic fundamentals of shooting. When I started exploring the world of modern air rifles and pistols for today’s hunting, I soon realized things were in a different league than they were back then. Today’s airguns aren’t what your grandpa used to shoot. Sure, spring operated break-open airguns are still on the market (or springers, as we call them in the airgun realm), but a whole new breed of airguns is among us now.

HOTSPOTS

by Tom Behrens, Dustin Warncke and Dean Heffner

84u SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK Tides and SoLunar Data

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PCP (Pre-charged Pneumatic) airguns are lightweight, powerful, and virtually recoil-free. They pack the punch of a “powder burner” gun, but are powered by air. What’s more, airguns are fairly inexpensive to shoot when compared to loaded or even reloaded firearm ammunition. They also shoot cleaner than firearms, leaving less fouling and residue to clean up after you are finished shooting. Although PCP airguns may cost more than their firearm counterparts, ammunition is fairly reasonable, and it is becoming more and more available via online retailers. This is especially true within respect to big-bore airguns, which typically use cast lead ammunition. Also, this new breed is more than capable of handling large game at surprising ranges. Hunting hogs and exotics with today’s revolutionary and innovative big-bore airguns is a different experience, but not far removed from hunting with a firearm. I have hunted many animals in the past

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with archery equipment or firearms but hunting solely with airguns is a newer experience for me. One of my favorite Texas hunting ranches, DB Hunting Ranch (www.dbhunting.com), offers a wide variety of hunting opportunities, and I recently visited DBHR for an airgun hog hunt. I own a few air-powered rifles and pistols and chose the Airforce Texan from Airforce Airguns (www.airforceairguns.com) as my weapon of choice for this hunt. As you can gather from the name, the Texan is manufactured right here in our great state. The Airforce Texan is the most powerful production PCP airgun on the market today. I own a Texan chambered in .45 caliber and love this gun for many reasons. It is powerful, accurate, and an overall incredible hunting weapon, well suited for just about any

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big-game-sized beast in the Lone Star state— or the rest of the nation for that matter. I can typically get eight shots per fill of the air tank on this rifle. Refilling one of these PCP guns is as easy as acquiring a used scuba or carbon fiber air tank and a universal refill assembly. You can even get your air tank refilled at your local dive shop where you would normally go for scuba gear. It’s much easier to refill your rifle with an air tank like this than with a hand pump. Trust me, I’ve done both! Although it’s not yet legal to hunt native wildlife, such as whitetail, deer with an airgun, the entire spectrum of exotic species and wild hogs we have here in Texas are fair game. So, numerous opportunities are available for you to take an airgun afield to fill the freezer and maybe even garner a trophy for your wall. Although many options such as .22 and .25 caliber small bore airguns can do the job on larger wild game if the shot placement is exact,

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Watch video of Dustin’s air gun hog hunts: ﬁshgame.com/2017/02/ air-gun-hogs-exotics/

metered burst of air. If you are new to hunting hogs or exotic big game species with airguns, I would recommend you stay inside 100 yards for your first couple of hunts. Depending on where you live, you might not see a shot farther than that. Nevertheless a modern PCP airgun can reach out well beyond 100 yards. For general airgun hunting, I would keep most shots inside 250 yards if possible, so you can assure a quick and ethical kill. Target shooting and hunting with airguns

in the off season provides hours upon hours of enjoyable fun. To learn more about this sporting tradition, check out our TF&G podcast, The Best of the Outdoors, hosted by yours truly at www.FishGame.com—or download the show on your mobile device. On our podcast, we talk about year-round hunting opportunities and many other topics, including hunting with airguns.

I am a fan of using guns in these smaller calibers for predators such as coyotes, foxes, and bobcats as well as small game such as rabbits and squirrels. For larger game, such as wild hogs and larger exotic game, the minimum size chambering I recommend is .308, which is the beginning of the big bore class of airguns. Many modern big bore airguns are even as big as .50 caliber. As with powder burners (firearms), the smaller the caliber of lead slug going down range, the flatter the trajectory. So, I was delighted to find out that Airforce will chamber the Texan in .308 and .357. Although I love my .45 caliber, the two smaller calibers showcase even flatter shooting trajectories and numerous other bullet options. You can find cast lead airgun bullets from various manufacturers or even cast your own. For hunting big game critters, I highly recommend using only all lead slugs so you get the proper penetration and expansion. Modern day big bore airguns are similar to black powder rifles in that muzzle velocity is slower than a firearm. The Texan, for instance, shoots a lead bullet at about 900 to 1,000 feet per second. As such, it’s slower than many traditional firearms, but it hits like a sledgehammer. It’s like shooting a .45 ACP handgun load out of a long-barreled rifle, except you are shooting a heavy lead bullet powered by a PHOTO: DUSTIN WARNCKE

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The NATIONAL

Q&A with Bassmaster Editor James Hall

News of TEXAS

the Classic to Texas. Lake Conroe is on fire right now, and the timing should be perfect to showcase how impressive that fishery has become. Plus, we expect everything to be bigger in Texas, including the crowds. We feel like we will break every attendance record the sport has seen. Texas is filled with incredible anglers, from high school programs all the way up to Elite Series competitors so putting the Super Bowl of bass fishing within easy driving distance for these fans should be something special to witness.

THE BASSMASTER CLASSIC WILL take place on Lake Conroe March 24 to 26. With weigh-ins at Minute Maid Park, the home of the Houston Astros, this will likely be the most well-attended Classic in history. We recently caught up with Bassmaster Editor James Hall who gave us the rundown on what this particular event means to BASS and how bass fishing fans can access the action.

EDITOR: What ways can our readers/web viewers follow the event from BASS? Hall: The Bassmaster LIVE technology continues to improve. For the Classic, the LIVE coverage will be enhanced and new wrinkles in content will be added. BassTrakk will be firing on all cylinders, and the Live

EDITOR: What does it mean for BASS to hold an event in Texas at a time when the state including Lake Conroe is firing on all cylinders in terms of bass fishing? HALL: We are extremely excited to bring

Blog will bring back stories from the water as they happen. And the weigh-in will be live-streamed. All of this coverage will be on bassmaster.com EDITOR: How has technology such as the aforementioned BASS properties along with things such as drones for overhead views changed how anglers perceive bass fishing? Are you seeing feedback indicating growth in that area? HALL: When we unveiled Bassmaster LIVE, it changed the way fans followed our sport. We have seen incredible growth in online viewership. The 2016 Elite Series events saw up to 145 percent growth over last year. Minutes viewed are in the many millions each event. Views from drones offer a perspective we’ve not had in years past, and anglers

WHITETAIL

DeWitt County

East Texas

Thirteen-year-old Kyle Kotara shot this 10-point buck last November while hunting with his Grandpa, Alvin Warzecha, on the family lease in DeWitt County.

Katie Ellermann downed her ﬁrst buck during the youth hunting weekend last season with a 300BLK SBR, Silencer Co Saker, Aimpoint H1 optic, and 125 Nosler Ballistic Tip at 40 yards.

Visit FishGame.com to upload your own TEXAS HOT SHOTS and Vote for our next Winners 54

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PHOTO COURTESY BASSMASTER

EDITOR: Will there be any special events, for fans to engage with BASS and top pros from past and present?

worked with our Artificial Reef Program to remove all fuel, oil and hazardous materials from the vessel in order to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s best management practices. Over time, this sunken ship will become an artificial reef that attracts fish, coral and other invertebrates as well as divers and anglers. The Kraken’s proximity to the Flower Gardens Marine Sanctuary also makes it a premiere dive location in the Gulf of Mexico. “The entire marine ecosystem benefits from artificial reef projects like the Kraken,” said TPWD Artificial Reef Program Leader J. Dale Shively. “The Gulf of Mexico has only a few naturally occurring reefs so whenever we are able to add a new structure like this, the whole area benefits from the added habitat and species diversity.” As an Artificial Reef Program Ships-toReefs project, the sinking of the Kraken was made possible by donations and Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill natural resource damage settlement funds jointly provided by natural resource trustee agencies in Texas which include the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Commission on

HALL: The expo in Houston is teed up to be the largest in Classic history. (It will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center March 24 to 26 and admission is free.) Hopefully everyone will be able to attend. However, there will be content flowing from the expo. Bassmaster.com will have photo galleries of all the products unveiled at the show, videos will be produced including pros on the show floor, and the Toyota Hooked-Up show will feature pros discussing the Classic as it unfolds, offering predictions and commentary. —by Chester Moore

really get to see what the competitors are fishing, not just the fishermen. And adding GoPros to every boat has ensured that we do not miss the most important moments of the event.

THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE Department’s Artificial Reef Program sank a 371-ft cargo vessel, named The Kraken, on

James Hall

TPWD Releases the Kraken

The Kraken

STRIPED BASS Lake Whitney Young Barrett Turner caught this 12.46 striper while ﬁshing on Lake Whitney, breaking and setting the Lake Whitney junior angler lake record for Striped Bass.

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Environmental Quality and Texas General Land Office. For more information about the Texas Artificial Reef Program, see the artificial reefs website, and its companion interactive mapping application. For video of the sinking, visit the TPWD YouTube page (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ES2yA6ECk-g&feature=youtu.be). Images of the sinking are also found on the TPWD news images page.

Jan. 20, 2017. Dubbed the Kraken after the mythical, squid-like sea monster immortalized on film and in literature, the vessel was sunk 67 miles off the coast of Galveston to create a new artificial reef. The Kraken began its journey in May 2016 when it was towed from Trinidad to Brownsville, Texas to be repurposed for its new life as an artificial reef 140 feet below the surface. Contractors with Cahaba Disaster Recovery LLC F I S H

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TEXAS Dept. of

:: Self Defense :: Tactical :: Training Tips

by DUSTIN ELLERMANN and STAN SKINNER

:: Gear

How Do You Deﬁne Perfection?

’M TALKING ABOUT TECHNOlogical perfection. It would be a mature technology, evolved into a pinnacle of form, function and craftsmanship that despite the passage of time cannot be significantly improved. The term “state of the art” does not apply—that only means “the best we can do today.” Technological perfection describes something that will endure despite the passage of time virtually unchanged because there is no way to make it better than perfect. You might guess that I have something in

Eyes Wide Open ONE OF THE MOST COMMON shooting mistakes I see most shooters make is to close one eye while they shoot. You can see this weakness even if they are wearing darkened shooting glasses because their faces will look uncomfortably distorted as they close or squint their non-dominant eye to get a clear sight picture. Watch any expert marksman while they engage in a course of fire with a pistol, bow, shotgun, or close quarters carbine and you will notice they keep both

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mind here. Obviously, it must be a firearm, but bear with me a moment more. The basic technology received modest interest when it was introduced, but was not really successful. However, over a period of 37 years, it evolved until it was offered to the U.S. Army as the standard military service revolver in 1873. It was accepted and served in this role for 29 years. In the civilian world, it became (along with the Model 1873 Winchester rifle) the “Gun That Won the West.” It is an iconic firearm design that has endured for 144 years. By now, you have figured out that this firearm is the legendary Colt Model 1873 Single Action Army—The Peacemaker. Is this perfection? I think so. Of course, other revolver designs, notably the doubleaction revolver, offer more fire power and utility—but that’s the point. They are other designs. The single-action revolver is in a class by itself. Even competing single-action revolvers

by Ruger, Freedom Arms and a host of other designs mimic the Colt Peacemaker as much as possible. I have been blessed to own quite a few single-action revolvers over the years, and I still own several. They are chambered for cartridges ranging from .357 Magnum to .454 Casull (yes, even .45 Colt). Yet, I have never actually owned an honest-to-God Colt Model 1873 Single Action Army until about five months ago. I have lots of reasons that I’ve never owned one. Being a gun nut, I have many different shooting interests, competitive pistol shooting, high-velocity magnum rifles, M1 Garands, night-vision, silenced firearms for hog-hunting, etc. Mostly, the reason I’ve never owned a genuine Colt .45 Peacemaker is they’re just too doggoned expensive. They’re such a highly prized sidearm that cowboy shooters and collectors have driven prices into the stratosphere. Then a fellow gun nut showed me his unfired, mint-condition, Colt .45 Gen 2

eyes open all the time. The only time they will close one eye is for precision long range shooting through magnified optics. Closing one eye puts you at a tactical disadvantage. If you are half blind you lose a good 70 degrees of situational awareness. In a defensive situation this could be detrimental to your safety. From a hunting and shooting standpoint, shooting with only one eye limits your depth perception which is also vital for shooting when you must estimate ranges. It is also slower to shoot with one

eye as it slows multiple target transitions besides leading to eye fatigue. But how do we train to keep both eyes open? Old school techniques involve months of dry fire training coupled with placing scotch tape or petroleum jelly over the non-dominant lens of your shooting glasses until your eyes learn which sight to use. But Texas-based Advanced Tactical Defense has recently introduced the AimFaster sighting system that optimizes the dominant eye sight picture while eliminating weak eye recognition instantly solving the problem of squinting while shooting. The AimFaster is best described a plastic molded “trough” that mounts up against your front sight preventing your weak eye from picking up the image. Over the past months I have used this

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PHOTO: STAN SKINNER

The Ruger Blackhawk .44 Magnum (top) and the Freedom Arms Model 83 in .454 Casull (bottom) differ only slightly from the Colt Model 1873 Single Action Army chambered for .45 Colt (center).

Peacemaker. It has ivory grips mated to a color case-hardened frame that contrasts nicely with a rich, Colt blue 5 ½-inch barrel and cylinder (which, incidentally, is unmarred by any cylinder drag marks). A four-digit serial number means it probably was made in the first or second year (1956 or 57) of Gen 2 production. It is beautimous! I suddenly discovered an itch I didn’t know I had. Dave and I often do a few gun trades, so we proceeded to haggle. Some of my stuff became some of his stuff, and my itch was soon scratched. I know that some of you might throw rocks at me for what I did next, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to take it to a local firing range and shoot it—not much, but enough to confirm that the sights are dead-on at 10 yards. By the way, there are still no cylinder drag marks, which attests to Colt’s craftsmanship. But the story doesn’t end there. I think there’s a law written somewhere that says a genuine Colt Model 1873 must have a proper western leather holster and gunbelt complete with cartridge loops. As

setup to train several students who had difficulty keeping both eyes open while shooting pistols. One was an experienced shotgun shooter who at first look called the AimFaster attachment an ingenius invention. Before using it, he stated that every time he tried to shoot with both eyes he was always seeing a confusing image of the front sight with both eyes, however with the AimFaster mounted it cleared his sight picture completely. If you are like me, and have already trained your eyes to work with a front sight, there is still an advantage to using the AimFaster. It helps you align the pistol on target faster because CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE u

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port-side version, but that’s no problem with this model. I mated it up with a “Texas” belt (#2) a 2 1/2-inch-wide gun belt with 24 loops sized for .45 Colt cartridges. It’s not a Hollywood “buscadero” two-gun rig. It’s not embellished with fancy leather tooling. It’s just fine quality leather, put together by an equally fine craftsman to create a reliable outfit for a working cowboy. Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t claim

I mentioned before, I have several other single-action six guns. An Uncle Mike’s Cordura holster threaded onto the belt holding my pants up has always been good enough for them, but this is a different matter. I became a man with a mission. I always liked the looks of the sixgun holster worn by John Wayne in The Shootist, the Duke’s last movie. So I wasn’t surprised to find out that a Texas company, El Paso Saddlery, made the John Wayne holster. The company has been in business since 1889 and has built a stellar reputation using only the finest premium quality leather and old-fashioned craftsmanship to make a wide variety of western and modern gun rigs. Fortunately, my bride decided that good gun leather would make an excellent Christmas present. When it comes to gun stuff, she has long since given up on Christmas surprises. So, I got the green light to make it an El Paso Christmas. Looking at the El Paso website, I soon found the Duke’s holster. It’s a standard catalog item (#44). It’s nothing fancy, just a working cowboy’s holster that keeps your six-gun protected from most knocks and scratches while keeping it handy to use if needed. Being a southpaw, I needed the

to be a cowboy, but I have on rare occasions swung a leg over a horse in the high country of the west. If I am so fortunate to do so again, I can assure you that perfect singleaction technology will be riding on my hip, encased in the finest leather to keep it safe and secure just in case I need it. —by Stan Skinner

Eyes Wide Open t CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

you have an entire trough to look down increasing your alignment speed instead of searching for the front sight placement. Although this will also help train your eyes to know which eye is to pick up the front sight, you might want to keep it mounted on your pistol for the speed advantage. The AimFaster installs in seconds onto any flat-top slide with an adhesive 3M strip so it won’t damage the finish on your firearm. It runs $24.95 and comes

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The AimFaster attachment (above, and left) not only increases your sight acquisition, but it is the perfect solution to being able to instantly shoot with both eyes open.

with a money back guarantee, so it’s risk free. Find out more at www.adtacdefense. com —by Dustin Ellerman

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PHOTOS: DUSTIN ELLERMAN

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TEXAS Dept. of :: Edited by WILL LESCHPER

HE CATFISH RANKS ONLY behind the largemouth bass in terms of anglers’ preference, as you would expect, and we’ve got exceptional catfish habitat in Texas. Flatheads, channel cats and blue cats can be found in almost every nook and cranny of the Lone Star State and are more than willing to take a variety of bait offerings all year long. Catfish also are central to Texas’s freshwater conservation efforts. In addition to having a thriving catfish population, fisheries biologists with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department have worked long and hard on a plan designed to expand angling opportunities for Texas’s growing urban population and introduce the next generation of anglers to fishing. That plan “A Vision for Catfish in Texas,”

(bit.ly/CatfishManagementPlan) which debuted last year, describes why catfish are likely to become more important to Lone Star State anglers in the future. The plan also presents goals and strategies designed to make catfish angling better. “Texas has some outstanding catfishing opportunities,” said Dave Terre, chief of research and management for the Inland Fisheries division. “We believe our public waters have great potential for providing quality catfishing in the future, and we have the experience and expertise to maintain and expand the fishery. However, success will depend on having the support of anglers, industry, civic organizations and local governments.” You’ve only got to read a quick TPWD

AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS AND Ducks Unlimited have completed their first Gulf Coast Initiative project Waterfowl and whooping cranes will find improved habitat this winter on the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Anahuac, Texas. Ducks Unlimited and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service completed a wetland res|

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report on one catfish honey hole to understand just how abundant and varied the

Here contractors are building up levee needed to manage water levels for waterfowl and other wildlife on the Anahuac NWR.

Wetland Restoration Project Complete

PHOTO: MATT WILLIAMS

Opportunities for Catﬁsh Anglers Expanding

toration and enhancement project on the 300-acre Middleton Unit. Axalta Coating Systems was the lead corporate sponsor for the project. “The Gulf Coast is one of the most impor|

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tant areas for waterfowl on the continent, and its habitats are in jeopardy from coastal land loss, saltwater intrusion, and land use changes,” said DU CEO Dale Hall. “Axalta’s support for DU’s Gulf Coast Initiative proPHOTO: KEITH WESLEY, DU

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methods are for catching catfish. It’s the ideal species to help introduce a whole new generation to the outdoors. “Channel catfish are taken near the mouths of creeks after a rain, especially in spring and fall,” Terre said. “In late spring and early summer, they are found around rocky shores and areas of rip-rap. Best baits are shrimp, blood bait, cut bait, dough bait and shad gizzards. “In summer, try drift-fishing shrimp across flats. Sunfish and large minnows also pay off here. Blue catfish are caught on many of the same baits. Try juglining with live gizzard shad for bait. A rod and reel baited with live shad on windless winter days works well, too. Flathead catfish are infrequently caught by rod and reel anglers, but most often by trotlining with live sunfish for bait.” Any guesses which lake biologists were discussing? If you said Lake Texoma, on the Texas-Oklahoma border, you’d be correct. It’s safe to say that almost anywhere with water is a possible locale for catfish, but some hot spots do stand out above the rest. In North Texas. The names Texoma and Tawakoni come to mind. In East Texas it’s Fork, Livingston and Richland-Chambers. Central Texas anglers know that Buchanan, Waco and Whitney are their best bets, while South Texans can bank on Braunig, Calaveras and Choke Canyon for producing limits. However, numerous other places are rated at least good by biologists and fisher-

ies experts. TPWD also is in the business of improving fish habitat, something that is vital for a variety of species, including catfish. It’s no secret that if you better the overall landscape of a body of water, you improve the overall fishing, This is precisely why TPWD has partnered with a number of groups including the Brazos River Authority and Army Corps of Engineers, among others, to enhance habitat with artificial structures. These fish attractors include habitat made from recycled plastics and natural structures ranging from recycled bamboo to Christmas trees. The best part is that the coordinates on these lakes across the state are listed online. For information, visit tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/fish_attractors. phtml. It’s well-known that much of Texas often suffers from lingering drought, which can be extremely detrimental to fishing access and fish populations as a whole. However, by providing increased habitat, it’s TPWD’s hope that any negatives are somewhat alleviated. “The Christmas tree piles will eventually break down, but will provide habitat in the shallower areas of the reservoir,” said Michael Homer Jr., Inland Fisheries Division district supervisor in Abilene. “Artificial reef areas will persist much longer and may be crucial refuges for fish when water levels drop. We have taken the necessary steps and have worked with the control-

ling authorities to identify areas in each lake that are not only safe, but will also maximize the benefit to the fisheries.”

vides better habitat for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife, increases coastal resiliency by enhancing coastal wetlands and improves outdoor recreation opportunities for people.” Working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited added water control infrastructure to facilitate better habitat management and promote waterfowl use on this public-access refuge outside of Houston. There are areas on the refuge open to public waterfowl hunting, including part of the Middleton Unit. “Thousands of Axalta employees around the world are deeply passionate about conservation and our Houston employees can see the impact we’re having through this partnership,” said Mike Cash, president of Axalta’s Industrial Coatings business. “All of

us at Axalta are as proud of our ability to support the important work Ducks Unlimited does to sustain and protect the environment as we are of our ability to help sustain and protect the products our customers coat every day.” Axalta Coating Systems, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, and Ducks Unlimited, the world leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation, announced a five-year partnership in 2015. This project is one of the many cooperative ventures supported by Axalta across North America. “With Axalta’s generous support,” Hall said, “we can continue our work to improve habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds and make significant progress toward our Rescue Our Wetlands campaign goals.”. Ducks Unlimited’s Rescue Our Wetlands

campaign is a continental, seven-year, $2 billion effort aimed at changing the face of conservation in North America. Rescue Our Wetlands is the largest wetlands and waterfowl conservation campaign in history. It focuses on the habitat most important to waterfowl, including the coastal prairies and marshes of Texas and Louisiana. Populations of northern pintail and mottled ducks are declining or below long-term averages. Gulf Coast habitats such as those found on Anahuac NWR are critical for both species and the endangered whooping crane. Some of the Middleton project features will promote nesting and brood rearing by mottled ducks.

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Email Will Leschper at WillLeschperOutdoors@gmail.com

Cats in the Bag THE STATEWIDE BAG LIMIT for flathead catfish is five per day with a minimum length of 18 inches and no maximum length. For the channel cats and blue cats, the daily bag is 25 in any combination with a 12-inch minimum and no maximum length. There are some lakes with a “trophy” slot size limit. Blue catfish 30 inches and less or 45 inches and greater may be retained. Among those are Waco and Lewisville. On those lakes only one blue cat 45 inches or greater may be retained daily. Information: tpwd.texas.gov/ regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/freshwater-fishing.

—by Andi Cooper

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2/10/17 10:49 AM

Coastal Focus: SABINE :: by Capt. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

Weather Conditions Dictate Success in March

T IS MARCH AND FOR FISHERmen up and down the coast that means more and more angling opportunities should slowly begin to pop up. Although it’s impossible to predict what type of weather conditions we’re going to have from week to week, you can bet there will be at least a few mild, warm days mixed in with some late winter-type conditions. One thing we can predict with some degree of accuracy, is the wind will probably be howling from one direction or another. If you get the opportunity to take advantage of some of the milder, fishable days, I highly recommend it. For a lot of people, myself included, there is much more to it than just catching fish in March. In fact, catching fish consistently this month is any-

thing but a guarantee. With the exception of those days that spawn lifelong memories of getting bit every cast, the unpredictable weather that accompanies March means you’re probably going to have to work a little harder than you’d like to put a successful pattern together. But this month comes with a promise—a promise of new life, warmth, and good things to come. It reminds us that spring conditions are right around the corner and summer is not far behind. The big tides of March push water deep into places we haven’t been able to reach in a while. New hatches of shrimp and baitfish will ride these tides and begin to rejuvenate the entire system. From the gulf to the back lakes these signs of new life will be obvious.

As the water temperature slowly begins its ascent up the thermometer, more and more young of the year shad, mullet and shrimp will lead anglers to the Big 3 as well as an assortment of other species. The fish’s metabolism will increase with the water temps and they will begin feeding more aggressively and often. Trout and redfish should begin to gang up on the eastern side of the lake as we progress through the month and the water continues to warm. As you work the bank, keep an eye out for birds working over the new recruits of shrimp on the south end of the lake from Blue Buck Point to Pleasure Island Marina. Flounders are also slowly making their way back from the gulf and can be intercepted in ship channels and passes. Fishing points in the Sabine Neches Waterway is an excellent place to start. GULP! Shrimp and Swimming Mullet are great choices for plastics when dragged slowly along the bottom. Live mud minnows and finger mullet should also produce serious results. The mouth and eastern shoreline of East Pass can also be red hot for flounder, especially later in the month.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Logan Park Marina (Pleasure Island) SPECIES: Flounder, black drum, croaker BAITS/LURES: Curl tail grubs, mud minnows, fresh dead shrimp BEST TIMES: Incoming tides

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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2/10/17 10:50 AM

Coastal Focus: GALVESTON :: by Capt. MIKE HOLMES

Blowin’ in the March Winds

HEN MY SON WAS young, I sometimes tried to be creative in my single parenting, just to keep things interesting for him. Quite often when he would make some little kid request I could not comply with, I would tell him the “in the immortal words of that great philosopher, Mic Jagger—‘You can’t always get what you want, but if you try, sometimes you just might find you get what you need.’” March is like that for fishermen on the Texas coast. Spring is close enough that we can see it, although the feel and smell are not quite here. What we want is to catch warm water species. Although some trout, reds, and flounders will be around for inshore anglers, we are much more likely to encounter black drum, croaker, sand trout, and possibly sheepshead. Depending on the specific conditions the year offers, we should maybe be happy with those options. In years gone by, when offshore fishing was my passion, my group was often accused of “jumping the gun”—that is, trying to get our season started before momma nature said it was time. The rush to get the first billfish of the season, or the first king mackerel would sometimes trigger trips before the weather got really “right.” Fortunately for blue water anglers, in the deep water out around and beyond the 100 fathom curve, conditions don’t really change that much with the seasons—only the potential comfort of the fishermen. When sea conditions allow fishing, tuna and billfish can usually be found somewhere, and a very good winter wahoo fishery exists on and around the Flower Gardens system.

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tude, he asked, “Dad, did Mr. Jagger (I raised the boy to be polite to his elders) say any other real smart things?” “Well,” I had to reply after some thought, He did share the feelings of that other sage of song—Otis Redding—in saying you can’t get no satisfaction!” At least, you won’t if you don’t get out and fish!

King mackerel—especially the older, larger fish, do not always migrate in winter, and offshore spots like Stetson Rock and the Claypile Bank can be covered up with them. Bottom species such as snapper and grouper live where conditions rarely change, and if you can fish, there will be fish to be caught. Closer to shore, bluefish and Spanish mackerel are often very plentiful, and the bag limit is very generous for Spanish, non-existent for blues. For fishing from smaller boats, close bottom formations and oil production platforms offer shelter to “gulf” trout and state water snapper, as well as sometimes being visited by kings. When I surf fished to an obsession, I caught bull reds or saw them caught in the surf in every month of the year, although late summer and fall were the peak months. On warm days, an occasional bull shark will take a bit meant for reds, but when you hook a big jack crevalle, warm weather will not be far behind. On one occasion after I had given my young son the rock and roll version of a proper atti-

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THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Deep water off jetties, rock groins and piers. SPECIES: Black drum, pan fish, and an occasional red, trout or flounder. BAIT: Live bait will be hard to come by, unless you catch your own mud minnows, so use fresh dead shrimp, baitfish, or squid. BEST TIME: When you can go is good, but watch the tides.

Email Mike Holmes at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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2/10/17 10:50 AM

Coastal Focus: MATAGORDA :: by Contributing Editor MIKE PRICE

The Visiting Fisherman

N EARLY MARCH LAST YEAR, the wind was coming from the east at 25 mph. An east wind is to be expected in March and usually you just have to fish a leeward shoreline, but this wind was too strong and I should not have decided to go fishing in West Matagorda Bay. However, I was anxious to share our Texas bay fishing with my brother-in-law from Wales, Owen Williams. So we went. Usually an east wind blows water into the bays, but as we motored down the Diversion Channel I saw very little water on the mud flats. At this point I should have turned around, but we proceeded to enter West Matagorda Bay, using the PVC posts as a guide to stay in the trench, which is usually 18 to 24 inches deep. The water was low because of a very low

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Owen Williams with his 26-inch trout.

tide, and the east wind was so strong it had overpowered incoming water and pushed water out of the east end of West Matagorda

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Bay. There was a boat stuck sideways across the running lane, and I thought I might be able to help them. I knew that the water on the flats was even shallower, so I powered down. The water in the trough was only four-inches deep. Neither boat was able to use its engine. The other boat’s V-bottom hull was stuck in the mud, and they had to wait for the wind to calm down and water to rise on the incoming tide. My boat has a flat bottom, so we got out and proceeded to take one mud sucking step at a time, and after 1 ½ hours of pulling, we managed to reach foot-deep water where I could use the engine. The bay was an ugly brown color, but the day wasn’t a total loss because we found green water in a bayou adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway that held redfish and trout. Most of them were undersized, but we went home with two trout, 16 and 23 inches. Owen has taken me on some fine fishing adventures in Wales, and I really wanted to show him a better day. So the next morning I launched in Palacios to avoid the Diversion Channel entrance to West Matagorda Bay, PHOTO: MIKE PRICE

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and headed to the south shore. The wind was reasonable: east south east at 12 mph. We paddled kayaks into a lake that was about five feet deep, whereas the surrounding bayous and flats were from one to three feet deep. The water temperature was 65°F, but in early March a front can rapidly lower water temperatures, so fish like to be near a deep hole where they can find slightly warmer water on the bottom. Owen and I were drifting in kayaks when we both hooked up. My speckled trout was a respectable 18 and ½ inches, but Owen’s trout weighed six pounds and was 26 inches. Most experienced anglers have caught trout over 26 inches, but they will tell you that it is rare. A 26-inch trout is a female because males don’t get that big, and it takes five to six years to grow to that size. We were both realiy pleased with his catch, and the next time he takes me to a cold water lake in the hills of Wales for rainbow trout, we’ll both think back to Owen’s special speckled trout catch in West Matagorda Bay. When I took Owen fishing in early March, trout and redfish were feeding on fin fish that

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had spent the winter in the bay, so we used five-inch soft plastic lures. Feeding options change as bay water temperatures increase from around 60°F at the beginning of the month to a little over 70°F at the end of March. This increase in temperature facilitates spawning, and the tiny fish, crabs, and shrimp move with tide from offshore into the bays to seek shallow water grass beds, oyster reefs, and shorelines for protection. In addition flounders begin to return from offshore and, along with redfish and trout, they feed on this abundance of small bait. If you fish in the bay and you come upon millions and millions of tiny fish and shrimp exploding because predators are attacking from underneath, you cannot help but to stop, gaze and appreciate this marvel of nature. Of course, you should use a small lure and place your bait or lure near the action. One way to do this is to pause before you cast and observe with your arm cocked in a casting position. When you see little critters jumping out of the water in all directions, drop your offering in that area. March is a month of big change in the

bays. At the beginning, look for lone mullets fleeing a predator, or a disturbance in the water; but as the month progresses and water warms, fish the concentrations of bait.

THE BANK BITE MATAGORDA JETTIES: March is the ideal time to fish for black drum from the jetties as this is when these fish gather at the mouth of the Old Colorado River in Matagorda to spawn. Cut mullet, live or fresh dead shrimp, or menhaden are all good bait for black drum. I was walking near the jetties in March when seven young fishermen proudly showed me their full stringer of 35 black drum. They had all the fish on one stringer which they stretched out and held up. The limit is five, between 14 and 30 inches.

Email Mike Price at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

2/10/17 10:50 AM

Coastal Focus: MID COAST :: by Capt. CHRIS MARTIN

A Coastal Evolution

relocate to the flats and become very active as the days continue to get warmer. Wherever the bait goes, so shall the trout and the reds. Over the past months, the water has been cold, and so have the fish, so they are now ready to fulfill what can be a very aggressive appetite. Because the fish will become more active this month, anglers wanting to get in on some hot trout action should always make it a point to focus on locating active bait whenever possible. Spring can mean altering winds and altering tides, which often leaves bay waters disturbed and discolored. When this happens, don’t be discouraged. Learn to look for signs of fish in the immediate area. If you see a mullet jump out of the brown water, stop for a few moments and observe the entire area before you leave to look for cleaner water elsewhere. If you see a lot of mullet jumping, disregard the fact that the color of the water doesn’t look appealing to you. There is bait in the water, and it is being driven to the surface by hungry predators. Drop the power pole and set up a wading session with a top water or plastic bait tail. Success has occurred more times than can I can remember in water that looks terrible. Fishing with top water baits in these conditions will often require a huge amount of persistence, so it may be necessary to prepare mentally, as you’ll most likely need lots of patience. On the other hand, some of your best results in discolored water may come from the use of dark slow-sinkers, twitch-baits, and assorted plastic tails. A few of the more popular slow-sinking baits include ones like the Corky and the Corky FatBoy. As for twitch-baits, the ones that have consistently produced over time come from MirroLure, and include some of the ever-popular models like the 51MR and the 52MR. But when it comes to plastic tails, there are a lot of them to choose from. And with mullet being a primary bait target right now, anglers should strongly consider paddle-tail models with shad or mullet-type bodies. On cooler March mornings, start your day over mud and grass simply because this is where the fish may prefer to be because the water tem-

S THE MARCH WEATHER begins to warm the environment, the trout and the reds will start to move into water that’s nowhere near as deep as they have been in over the past few months. Spring will bring with it more sunlight each day, which means that the shallows along many of our local flats areas should begin to warm a little bit more with each passing day. As this warming trend unfolds on the shallows, area baitfish will

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perature may not be as warm as the fish like, and the mud helps to keep things warm. However, as the sun rises and heats things up a bit, move from above the mud to above hard sand or shell. As a matter of fact, your preferred time for fishing this month might need to be from noon to dark, instead of first thing each morning. Why? because of the warming factor. March shallows are generally going to be warmed substantially by the end of each day. The nights may still be somewhat cool, so the fish will often tend to relocate to deeper water during nighttime hours, only to return to the shallows the next day. A lot of you have only limited amounts of time to fish, and “blowing” the morning may not sound too appealing, but it is something you can certainly think about next time you’re out on the water. With this month being the official start of spring, there will be windy days for us to contend with. However, if you fish on a day absent of much wind, think about the shell pads sprinkled around the San Antonio Bay. The shell serves as a safe haven for many, many members of the marine food chain. Because of this, hot trout action often happens, especially in low wind conditions, with afternoon warming, and greener water. Some of this month’s best-catch days have occurred in these same conditions atop many of the San Antonio Bay oyster reefs. Even though March does signal a time for warming, that doesn’t mean we’re completely safe from another couple of cold days. Stray frontal passages this month could still inject a day or two of cold weather. When this happens, you’ll have to try locate the trout in places other than the shallows. Attempt to locate bait and bird combinations in these instances. On cold days when you see finger-mullet activity where cormorants are operating, there is a good possibility there are trout and reds nearby. All that’s left to do is to pinpoint their exact holding spot. Be safe, be courteous, and have fun fishing!

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

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2/10/17 10:50 AM

Coastal Focus: ROCKPORT :: by Capt. MAC GABLE

Don’t Let the Old Man In

Y MOM TOLD ME ONE DAY that, even as a youngster, I preferred the company of older folks. I suppose for me they were just more interesting and they very seldom led me astray. An old German couple whom I dearly loved (Uncle Hugo and Tante Vinni) often baby sat me. They both mostly spoke German so naturally I picked up some German lingo. God forbid if they told me to do something and I didn’t do it, for they tolerated neither nonsense nor disobedience. Uncle Hugo loved to fish, and he and my Dad often fished together. I recall they had a small boat chained to a tree on Lake Travis near Lago Vista they cat-fished from. During the drought period, back in early 1960, Uncle Hugo called to my Dad across our fence in an alarmed voice “Viel regen kommt!” (Much rain coming!). He claimed his purple martins indicated this by staying perched on the elevated birdhouse he made. They should, he explained later, be soaring high above his pecan trees, so foul weather was close. They should retrieve the boat chained to the tree “so fort!” (immediately!). My Dad, not one for reading tea leaves or being superstitious, said “we can get it in the morning, Hugo”. Hurricane Carla’s remnants hit Austin that night. By the time Dad and Uncle Hugo got to the lake the next morning, the boat and the tree it was chained to were 10 feet underwater. They never recovered the old aluminum boat. Uncle Hugo and Tante Vinni had a fish pond that I spent most of my time playing around. It was mostly just a tiled hole in the ground, but it held much mystery for me, and it had the biggest goldfish I had ever seen. On special occasions, they would tell me to

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boy age is ....”Alter des Geistes” (of the mind).” As I near my 61st birthday I must admit I feel the Old Man at times trying to convince me it’s time to embrace him, and I say to myself “Don’t Let The Old Man In.” I still fish at times by myself, and I often hunt by myself simply because I can. However, there are a few things for those of us who are, shall we say, raging against that old man that can definitely help us as we continue our life journey. First, get moving and fish or hunt if that’s your thing. Don’t sit at home and convince yourself it’s not worth the effort. Effort is what will keep you not just alive, but adds quality to your life. Its benefits far outpace any medicine you can take by as much as 50 percent. That’s right, studies have shown effort—be it exercise, fishing, hunting or any activity that keeps you moving for a sustained amount of time, improves blood chemistry, acting as a natural anti-inflammatory. Studies say this wonderful defense reduces your risk of heart disease (before and after) as well as some cancers by 50 percent, Alzheimer’s by 40 percent. Nothing, nothing in modern medicine even comes close!

catch a big one for them to eat. That was like saying “Sic ‘em!” to a bull dog. I would grab my hand line, dig a big red wiggler from their worm beds (they sold fishing worms) and to my great joy would fish into the mysterious lily pad pond for a golden whopper. I spent many days learning German folklore and remember a saying Uncle Hugo would repeat over and over “Nicht, dass alte Mann einlassen.” (Don’t Let The Old Man In.) I would often look at the gate or door and wonder who he was talking about, but the only/ oldest man I saw was him. Their life was one of self-reliance and sustainability. They raised their own vegetables, rabbits, chickens and goldfish. Tante Vinni made all their bread and any other items they needed, from buttermilk to knackwurst and the best coffee cake I ever tasted—all from a single house lot in the city limits of Austin, Texas. Years later I asked him about the saying and if he was the old man. “Nicht” (No), he replied “I can never be, for that will be the day I give up and begin dying. However, the saying is for ME— to remind me to keep the old man at bay. You see,

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Forecast: ROCKPORT people’s lives in positive ways. Fifth, look in the mirror and take a full inventory. The person you’re looking at is the person you, for the most part, created. If the person you’re looking at pisses you off—Great! Recreate that person. If you see that person as old and broken down or young and broken down, don’t let that ruin the rest of your life. Quality of life is a choice; a life that is a light to others. Rage against the dying of your light. Go fishing on your favorite waters or hunting in your favorite woods and … Don’t Let The Old Man In!

Second, have a purpose. Reach out to other fishermen. Most of us like fishing alone, but love fishing with a buddy. Third, be consistent, for consistency trumps intensity. A support group of like-minded friends is invaluable. If you must do your activities alone, let someone know where you’re gonna be, especially when on the water or in the woods. Set some check-in times. Just do it! With today’s technology check-in can be as simple as a single letter in the alphabet. Texting, for example, a simple “K” can mean all is well whereas an “N” means “No, I need help.” Set some time limits with grace periods and stick to them. I’ve found fishing another hour after say, six hours of fishing, very seldom loads the boat with fish. Besides, there is always tomorrow. You say you’re a bit sore after an active day? Great! Soreness is your body repairing itself, and pain is often weakness leaving the body. A day sight-casting or a good mile hike to a favorite stand can be the activity medicine that adds quality to your life. It has been proved that when you die is 80 percent genetics, but how well you live is 80 percent up to you. Stop being so staid and predictable, it’s boring and can be a major happiness drain. Spur of the moment decisions are the spice of life. My best fishing trips were last-minute decisions where I either had little or no time to fish, or little or no daylight to fish. Fourth, get past yourself. Yes, you were at one time “the man with the plan,” “the number one selection”, “the reflection of perfection,” the CEO, the Mr. or Ms. wonderful, the beauty queen in every one’s dream. Great, but now as you enter your mature years you don’t have to prove a damn thing to anyone. Just get busy doing and stop decaying. That’s right; our body in our mature years gets signals from our activity to grow or from lack of activity, to decay. Oh—and this is the fun part—go ahead and screw up. It’s OK! We’ve been conditioned through our lives that making mistakes is a bad thing, and there is no room for it . Hog wash! Mistakes grow character, teach us and implore us to grow. Friends who don’t allow mistakes aren’t friends, they are naysayers. Leave them on their own island of pessimism and move on. If fishing is your thing, use it to impact other 68

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••• THE FISHING FROM END OF November into January has been unusually good. The trout bite, especially, has been consistent and predictable. This trend more than likely will continue into March if the warmer than average temperatures predicted come to fruition. Live shrimp is a good bet if you can find it. If you can’t you are in luck because March is soft plastics heaven. Even black drum have been caught on soft plastics this time of year. This month also boasts a higher than average tow rate, meaning check your boat thoroughly after the long winter hiatus to avoid this misfortune. COPANO BAY: Cut mullet on a light Carolina rig works well at the mouth of Mission Bay. There are some keeper black drum here as well, with peeled shrimp or cut squid a good bait choice. The egress of Copano Creek is a good spot for reds using finger mullet free-lined with mud minnows. Soft plastics work well here. Berkley mantis shrimp in natural color is a good choice. Fish slow, bouncing the mantis off the bottom.

ST CHARLES BAY: Cavasso Creek is a good spot for flounders and reds on warmer days using free-lined live shrimp. Work the salt grass edges. Small taps can be a flounder, so some finesse is required. The west shoreline close to Salt Creek is good for reds using mud minnows or cut mullet on a medium Carolina rig. Drifts across Meile Dietrich Point are good for some keeper trout using new penny and chartreuse jerk shad on a light jig head. ARANSAS BAY: Little Cut is a good setup for reds using cut menhaden on a light |

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Carolina rig. On high tide, this area can see some boat traffic so be respectful. Wades down Quarantine shoreline have been good for trout using free-lined live shrimp or Berkley gulp shrimp on a light jig head. Some black drum may be found off Traylor Island using peeled shrimp under a silent cork. Be patient. CARLOS BAY: Cedar Dugout is still holding trout on the colder days with live shrimp free-lined or on a very light Carolina rig, depending on the current. The reefs just west of Cape Carlos Dugout are a good spot for reds and trout using soft plastics in pearl white or chartreuse and nuclear chicken colors. MESQUITE BAY: The spoil area off Roddy Island is good for sheepshead using free-lined frozen shrimp or cut squid. The cut into the ICW between Bludworth Island and Roddy Island is a good setup for reds using finger mullet on a light to medium heavy Carolina rig. The area off Ballou Island is a good place for black drum using peeled shrimp on a light fish finder rig. AYERS BAY: The area between Ayers Island and Rattlesnake Island is a good spot for some sheepshead and black drum. Fresh dead shrimp under a silent cork works well here. Second Chain Island is a good spot for reds using free-lined mud minnows. Some big black drums frequent this area and cracked crab on a wide-gapped Kahle hook is a good rig for that. Free-lined is best or a very light fish finder rig.

THE BANK BITE THE AREA BEHIND the airport on Copano Bay is a good bet this time of year. Reds and trout like this area and often seek refuge from strong fronts here. Live bait such as mud minnows or ﬁnger mullet is a hard bait to beat. Work the shoreline slowly, moving every 30 minutes or so, until you ﬁnd an established bite. Light Carolina rigs work well here.

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

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Coastal Focus: LOWER COAST :: by Saltwater Editor CALIXTO GONZALES

Island March

HE ANGLER WHO IS WILLING to live with a little wind and a mildly bumpy ride can really do well in March. Redfish and trout begin to return to springtime patterns as water warms up and southeasterly winds begin to prevail. Coastal fishermen anxious to work out the kinks in their joints and fishing line should look to do a little springtime island hopping along the spoil banks that dot the Lower Laguna Madre between Port Isabel and Arroyo City. The stronger spring tides that begin in March push more water onto the flats, and you’ll find deeper water around Three Islands. Redfish cruise around the grass and algae clumps looking for emerging baitfish, small crustaceans, and larger finfish that survived the long winter. They’re hungry, and they’re aggressive. Redfish-minded anglers should set up a drift near the color change between the deeper sand and mud flats near the Intercoastal Waterway and the clearer water of the grass flats. Redfish cruise on the clear side of the change, but they will use the murkier water both as cover and as an ambush point. Baitfish also tend to hold near to the color change because it will provide cover (unless, of course, there is a hungry redfish lurking in the clouds, then it’s just another place to die). Live shrimp increase in availability during March. This is the bait of choice for anglers who make the long run from Port Isabel or South Padre Island—or the shorter run from the Arroyo Colorado. Most fishermen use a large 4 to 4 ½, brightly colored popping cork with a live shrimp pinned on a No. 4 treble hook suspended 24 to 30 inches below it. The treble hook tends to tear up smaller fish, so more conservation-minded anglers will trade the

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Float well worth the extra effort. If the redfish aren’t in a cooperative mood, move your boat to deeper water near the ICW edge, rig up a fish-finder or split-shot rig, and plumb the depths for black drum. These bruisers cruise the ICW drop-offs through March, and their proletarian image shines through. Wind and chop doesn’t bother them, and a Big Ugly would have to be full to the gill to turn down a live shrimp. No special tackle is required for black drum. The same medium outfit you use for redfish is more than adequate. Cast a shrimpbaited rig out just beyond the Waterway edge, and let your bait tumble along with the current. It won’t take very long before a pod of hungry grunters will come along. The pick-up isn’t a sudden event. Rather, the line slowly comes tight as the fish sucks in your bait and continues his merry way. Lower your rod tip, let the line come tight, then bring up your rod tip, and you’re on. Contrary to popular belief, a drum is a tough fighter. A fish in the 22-30-inch range will offer a stout fight with hard runs. When he isn’t peeling drag, a good-sized drum will sit in the current and sulk, forcing you to try and drag him up and toward the boat. That’s when he’ll make another run. You’d be surprised at the sophisticated fighting tactics that this piscine version of Brock Lesnar can offer. Moreover, the broad, thick fillets fry beautifully and make for a good meal, especially when you sit down to watch the Spurs whip up on the Rockets, or vice-versa. March is the sort of month that (Three) Islanders should enjoy.

treble hook for a No. 1/0 Kahle or Octopus hook. I’ve had some success with a smaller circle hook, which does, in fact, lodge in the corner of a fish’s mouth, but many fishermen would rather avoid the adjustment period it takes to train themselves from trying to set the hook, and the resultant missed hook-ups. If you are going to use a treble hook, roll or mash down the barbs to minimize the trauma to the fish. If you keep the line tight, you won’t lose a fish. Use the brightest cork you can find, by the way. When the wind kicks up a chop, a tall cork in florescent orange or Kelly green is much easier to spot. If you can’t spot it, reel until your line comes tight and set the hook. A red has probably taken the bait and has swum towards you. Lure aficionados will be shelving the top waters for the most part this month. The combination of deeper water and stronger chop makes a Top Dog’s effectiveness an iffy proposition unless you hit a spoil bank shoreline early enough that the wind hasn’t cranked up. Most grinders will fling soft plastics such as the Down South Lures Shad in Limetreuse or Morning Glory. Kelly Wiggler Balltail Shad in Fire Tiger and LSU are also popular choices. The Berkley Gulp! 5-inch Jerk Shad is also an excellent choice. Use a 1/16th ounce jighead to slow their descent and keep them out of the slop. Shrimp imitators are also quite popular. The 3-inch Gulp! Shrimp in New Penny is the standard choice, but Glow has also gained quite a few fans. The ¼ DOA Shrimp in Glow or Glow/pink have started to show up in more and more tackle boxes. The most common method is to fish these baits under a noisy float such as the aforementioned popping corks or a 3 ½-inch Alameda Rattle Float (which is produced by Comal Tackle). The latter float’s squat shape makes it a little harder to see on the water’s surface during a choppy day, but the internal rattles give off a louder, more constant sound as the cork bobs along. It makes the Alameda F I S H

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Email Cal Gonzales at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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FISHING HOTSPOTS Saltwater: n Upper Coast n Mid Coast n Lower Coast Freshwater: n Piney Woods

Freshwater: n Prairies & Lakes n Panhandle n Big Bend n Hill Country n South Texas

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.

Jetty Specks on the South Side by TOM BEHRENS

wind. But, don’t let it scare you off. Think about where you can ﬁnd clear water.” Capt. Ging LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Boiler Bayou GPS: N 28 38.0114, W 95 54.0011 (28.6335, -95.9000)

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usually a big feed up to sundown.” Capt. Brewer LOCATION: Galveston Jetties HOTSPOT: South Jetty GPS: N 29 19.0111, W 94 41.0068 (29.3169, -94.6834)

LOCATION: Chocolate Bay HOTSPOT: North Shoreline GPS: N 29 10.0065, W 95 9 (29.1668, -95.1500)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Mike Williams 713-256-9260 ﬁshing@pdq.net galvestonﬁshinguides.com TIPS: Lures: “The most important thing is not the lure. The important thing is to be at the right place at the right time. If you throw a lure out there and the trout sees it, I think he is going to eat it.” Capt. Williams LOCATION: Bastrop Bay HOTSPOT: Bastrop Bay Shell GPS: N 29 6.0005, W 95 10.0045 (29.1000, -95.1667)

SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Norton Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Greg Brewer 832-435-3020 captgregbrewer@gmail.com brewersguideservice.com TIPS: Brewer likes Trick or Treat and the Red Magic colors. It it’s cold, he uses a paddle tail because it will have action on the retrieve. He uses a 3/8 oz. jig head mainly because he can cast it further. LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Chinquapin Reef GPS: N 28 43.0165, W 95 47.0159 (28.7169, -95.7836)

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Norton Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Greg Brewer 832-435-3020 captgregbrewer@gmail.com brewersguideservice.com TIPS: “A lot of times the redﬁsh will start feeding in the afternoon as the glass minnows start moving in. It’s

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Down South and Norton soft plastics, Super Spook Juniors CONTACT: Capt. Glenn Ging 979-479-1460 glennsguideservice.com TIPS: “In March the biggest issue we have is with the |

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: She Dogs topwaters and Corky Fat Boys CONTACT: Capt. Glenn Ging 979-479-1460 glennsguideservice.com TIPS: “When there is an east wind blowing, it’s just tough. If you have southeast wind you have to ﬁsh that end of the bay where it’s protected and try to ﬁnd some clean water.” Capt. Ging LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: St. Mary’s GPS: N 28 39.0103, W 95 56.0111 (28.6502, -95.9335)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Down South and Norton soft plastics, Super Spook Juniors CONTACT: Capt. Glenn Ging 979-479-1460 glennsguideservice.com TIPS: “It it’s really windy I will ﬁsh up the river if it is salty or in the Intracoastal.” Capt. Ging LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Tripod GPS: N 28 40.0024, W 95 54.0135 (28.6667, -95.9002)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Down South and Norton soft plastics, Super Spook Juniors CONTACT: Capt. Glenn Ging 979-479-1460 glennsguideservice.com TIPS: “I’ll still be doing some wading and some drifting, ﬁshing deep shell, wading a lot down around Chinquapin and Bird Island, wading south shoreline of East Bay, and some of the reefs.” Capt. Ging LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: North Shoreline GPS: N 29 32.0038, W 94 30.0058 (29.5334, -94.5001)

TIPS: Getting away from the wind: “For a north wind, ﬁsh the north shoreline of East Bay, a south wind, south shoreline of West Bay…drains will always be a plus.” Capt. Williams LOCATION: Galveston Jetties HOTSPOT: North Jetty GPS: N 29 21.0045, W 94 43.0015 (29.3501, -94.7167)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Mike Williams 713-256-9260 ﬁshing@pdq.net galvestonﬁshinguides.com TIPS: “Records show March, end of February are prime times for big trout. My point of reference for the best time to catch a big trout is when the pear trees bloom.” Capt. Williams LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Anahuac Wildlife Refuge GPS: N 29 33.0095, W 94 32.0044 (29.5502, -94.5334)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Mike Williams 713-256-9260 ﬁshing@pdq.net galvestonﬁshinguides.com

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FISHING HOTSPOTS BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Mike Williams 713-256-9260 ﬁshing@pdq.net galvestonﬁshinguides.com TIPS: “The last 30 minutes of the day, any day, is the best time because most of the time that’s when the water is going to be the warmest.” Capt. Williams LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Levee Flats GPS: N 29 26.0102, W 94 54.0052 (29.4335, -94.9001)

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LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Greens Bayou GPS: N 28 29.0123, W 96 13.0094 (28.4835, -96.2168) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Mike Williams 713-256-9260 fishing@pdq.net galvestonfishinguides.com TIPS: “You aren’t going to get that close to big trout in a boat. I don’t care what boat you are in; you’ve got to be stealthy. It’s almost like hunting deer on a flat.” Capt. Williams

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LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Oyster Reef GPS: N 29 46.0033, W 93 54.013 (29.7667, -93.9002)

SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Fresh frozen crab or dead or live shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Mike Williams 713-256-9260 ﬁshing@pdq.net galvestonﬁshinguides.com TIPS: Drum run: “Big time of the year, something that kids can catch on spring break.” Capt. Williams LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Anderson Ways GPS: N 29 15.016, W 94 53.0158 (29.2503, -94.8836)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Egret Vudu under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Adam Jaynes 409-988-3901 amjaynes@gmail.com justﬁshsabine.com TIPS: “The Egret shrimp looks a lot more realistic. In my opinion there is no reason to use a scented bait to catch speckled trout. Speckled trout fee more on proﬁle, what it looks like.” Capt. Jaynes

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LOCATION: Texas City HOTSPOT: Texas City Dike GPS: N 29 23.0034, W 94 52.0064 (29.3834, -94.8668)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Mike Williams 713-256-9260 ﬁshing@pdq.net galvestonﬁshinguides.com

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boys CONTACT: Capt. Glenn Ging 979-479-1460 glennsguideservice.com TIPS: “As we get into the spring, the ﬁsh will start moving up on the sand and grass in West Bay, down around Greens Bayou and Cottons Bayou.” Capt. Ging LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Peninsula Shoreline GPS: N 28 28.0133, W 96 15.0125 (28.4669, -96.2502)

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Offats Bayou GPS: N 29 16.0136, W 94 51.0084 (29.2669, -94.8501)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Gulp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Glenn Ging 979-479-1460 glennsguideservice.com TIPS: “I catch a lot of ﬁsh under a popping cork with Gulp on a light jig head, 1/16 oz., 3 to 5 feet under a Coastal Popping Cork. They have a good ‘clack’ sound.” Capt. Ging likes either the pearl or New Penny color in the Gulps. LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Cottons Bayou GPS: N 28 31.0015, W 96 12.0102 (28.5167, -96.2002)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkys or Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Mike Williams 713-256-9260 fishing@pdq.net galvestonfishinguides.com TIPS: “If you are looking for a state record caliber trout, 98 percent of the time, the fish will come when you are wade fishing.” Capt. Williams

TIPS: Lure Colors: “Something with shades of chartreuse and pearl with tons of gold. Pink is going to be my second choice with tons of gold.” Capt. Williams

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout

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FISHING HOTSPOTS BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Glenn Ging 979-479-1460 glennsguideservice.com TIPS: “When fishing soft plastics, we are probably fishing them a little bit deeper, using a quarter ounce jig head, both when wading or fishing the reefs.” Capt. Ging LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Green Island GPS: N 28 29.0134, W 96 14.0044 (28.4836, -96.2334)

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TIPS: Corky Fat Boys: “The ﬁsh are eating mullet. There are not that much shrimp in the bay.” Capt. Ging

MIDDLE COAST

Fire Up Some Mesquite Reds by TOM BEHRENS LOCATION: Mesquite Bay HOTSPOT: Cedar Bayou Flats GPS: N 28 7.0052, W 96 49.0053 (28.1168, -96.8168)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boys CONTACT: Capt. Glenn Ging 979-479-1460 glennsguideservice.com

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SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Garrett Frazier 409-354-3865 info@rockportguideadventures.com rockportguidedadventures.com TIPS: “Cedar Bayou provides a pretty good wade fishing spot. The redfish are starting to migrate back into the bays, and usually we will catch some good limits wading the surf at Cedar Bayou.” Capt. Frazier LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: Copano Reef GPS: N 28 6.0117, W 97 6.0067 (28.1002, -97.1001)

2/16/17 5:53 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS info@rockportguideadventures.com rockportguidedadventures.com TIPS: “Fishing pot holes is okay if you can ﬁnd the pot holes, if you know where to go. Shorelines are always a good bet with cut menhaden and perch head.” Capt. Frazier

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LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Inside Mud Island GPS: N 27 56.006, W 97 1.0041 (27.9334, -97.0167)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Garrett Frazier 409-354-3865 info@rockportguideadventures.com rockportguidedadventures.com TIPS: “With the cut perch head you have a good chance of picking up one or two nice size trout, just casting it along the bank where redﬁsh like to concentrate. Capt. Frazier LOCATION: Mesquite Bay HOTSPOT: Cedar Bayou GPS: N 28 6.0118, W 96 49.0135 (28.1002, -96.8169)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Garrett Frazier 409-354-3865 info@rockportguideadventures.com rockportguidedadventures.com TIPS: “I also like to ﬁsh San Antonio Bay. There are some great reefs in there that if the wind is low you can ﬁnd some really good reefs that will hold good, good numbers of black drum.”

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LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Upper Estes Flats GPS: N 27 57.0009, W 97 5.0055 (27.9500, -97.0834)

SPECIES: Redﬁsh and Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Garrett Frazier 409-354-3865 info@rockportguideadventures.com rockportguidedadventures.com TIPS: “As the water warms I’ll start migrating a little more south toward Copano Bay. It it’s even warmer I’ll start moving to Estes Flat.” Capt. Frazier LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: North Mud Island Shoreline GPS: N 27 56.013, W 97 1.009 (27.9336, -97.0168)

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SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Garrett Frazier 409-354-3865 info@rockportguideadventures.com rockportguidedadventures.com TIPS: For the black drum: “Cast close to the reefs, where the water is breaking, almost where the wave crashes over the reef. Once you get past the action water, that’s where the drum are going to be.” Capt. Frazier

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Garrett Frazier 409-354-3865

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LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Southeast Mud Island Shoreline GPS: N 27 56.006, W 97 1.0041 (27.9334, -97.0167)

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SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Garrett Frazier 409-354-3865 info@rockportguideadventures.com rockportguidedadventures.com TIPS: “If you are looking for a meat haul you can catch a whole lot of black drum off the reefs of San Antonio if the wind is low. You can catch trout also on the reefs.” Capt. Frazier LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Outside Mud Island GPS: N 27 56.0139, W 97 1.0036 (27.9336, -97.0167)

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SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Garrett Frazier 409-354-3865 info@rockportguideadventures.com rockportguidedadventures.com TIPS: Rigging: “a 4/0 offset croaker hook…a drop rig. “If you are ﬁshing with live bait, just hook it in the tail. Perch heads, hook it through the top part of the skull. When using menhaden, make sure it’s fresh…slime on it.” Capt. Frazier LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Panther Reef GPS: N 28 15.041, W 96 42.598 (28.2507, -96.7099)

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp

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FISHING HOTSPOTS CONTACT: Capt. Garrett Frazier 409-354-3865 info@rockportguideadventures.com rockportguidedadventures.com TIPS: “March is for redfish fishing,” says Capt. Frazier. “If it’s a north wind, I will be fishing Matagorda Island, anywhere between Panther Island and Cedar Bayou.” LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline GPS: N 27 29.0022, W 97 21.0018 (27.4834, -97.3500)

Corky…”green belly, clear gold along the sides, and a black back.” LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: North of Arroyo GPS: N 26 22.0107, W 97 20.0005 (26.3668, -97.3333)

CONTACT: Capt. Mitch Richmond 956-944-4000 getawayadventures.com TIPS: “The Catch 2000 and Corkys are suspending baits…just a slow twitch, keep them above the grass. Favorite colors are pink/chartreuse for a Catch 2000 and a pearl/green on the Corky.” Capt. Richmond

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LOCATION: Port Mansﬁeld HOTSPOT: Green Island GPS: N 26 30.0049, W 97 24.0035 (26.5001, -97.4001)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boys CONTACT: Capt. Brett Caron 361-290-8442 brettcaron@rocketmail.com TIPS: “Wading 3 - 3 1/2 feet between sand and mud, waist to ankle deep water. After a cold front, they (ﬁsh) push up on a shoreline in shallow water.” Capt. Caron

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Egret Wedge Tail and Kelly Wiggler CONTACT: Capt. Paul Johnson 979-308-5168 captainpaul1814@yahoo.com TIPS: “If the weather is warm I will start the day with a topwater and use them all day if I have a consistent bite. If the action slows I will go either to a soft plastic or a Corky…a slow twitch bait.” Capt. Johnson LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Kennedy Shoreline GPS: N 27 14.0094, W 97 25.0076 (27.2335, -97.4168)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Spook Junior CONTACT: Capt. Mitch Richmond 956-944-4000 getawayadventures.com TIPS: “Fish it (Spook Jr.) with a slow walk-the-dog, extended pause retrieve, maybe four or ﬁve walks, and then an extended pause, then walk it again. I wouldn’t keep it moving all the time.” Capt. Richmond

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LOCATION: Port Mansﬁeld HOTSPOT: Gladys Hole GPS: N 26 49.0006, W 97 30.0075 (26.8167, -97.5001)

LOWER COAST

Land Cut Specks Like Fat Boys by CALIXTO GONZALES and TOM BEHRENS LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Land Cut GPS: N 26 48.0102, W 97 28.0023 (26.8002, -97.4667)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boys CONTACT: Capt. Brett Caron 361-290-8442 brettcaron@rocketmail.com TIPS: Captain Caron is ﬁshing a custom painted

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boys CONTACT: Capt. Brett Caron 361-290-8442 brettcaron@rocketmail.com TIPS: “This is the time of the year when we catch our biggest fish of the year through April, then it starts going downhill as far as the heavy fish, the big spawners.” Capt. Caron LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Land Cut Spoils GPS: N 26 49.0094, W 97 28.0021 (26.8168, -97.4667)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Egret Zombie Ghost Walker, Super Spook Jr. and One Knocker CONTACT: Capt. Paul Johnson 979-308-5168 captainpaul1814@yahoo.com TIPS: Captain Johnson said in windy conditions the spoils north and south of Port Mansﬁeld are good places to ﬁsh. “You could probably wade for miles on the submerged south spoils.

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Catch 2000 or Corkys T E X A S

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FISHING HOTSPOTS CONTACT: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith 318-455-3437 caddoguide1@att.net caddolakeﬁshing.com TIPS: “Fish the cypress in 2-5 ft. of water with any of the lures listed above. I prefer darker colors this time of the year. A great technique for Caddo this time of the year is to simply cast a weightless Texas rigged senko or ﬂuke right to the base of the cypress trees and just let it slowly sink at least halfway down. I like to then give it a slow pull or two and then reel it in. March through May is when the majority of the trophy bass on Caddo Lake are caught. Whatever technique I use in March it usually involves concentrating on the cypress trees where most of the bass spawn.”

PINEY WOODS

Bass on the Run at Lake Fork by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Running Creek GPS: N 32 54.6659, W 95 31.218 (32.9111, -95.5203)

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LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 24.7379, W 95 34.9259 (30.4123, -95.5821)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: 3/4 oz. spinnerbaits in white, suspending jerk baits, black/blue jigs and square bill crankbaits in shad color and Carolina-rigged lizard in green pumpkin. CONTACT: Doug Shampine 940-902-3855 doug@lakeforktrophybass.com lakeforktrophybass.com TIPS: March is known as the BIG bass month on Lake Fork. This is when several of the ShareLunker bass show up. That is a bass that weights 13 lbs. or better. March is when the pre-spawn starts for the big bass on Lake Fork. To ﬁnd these big bass, look at the deeper ﬂats close to the areas where the bass will end up spawning. Areas protected from a strong north and south wind is where these bass will spawn. Little Caney, Burch, Glade and Running Creek along with Duck Call Cove are all places to look for these big bass to show up. The last 2 weeks of March will be especially productive as the water warms. LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Ames Spring Basin GPS: N 32 42.72, W 94 5.3639 (32.7120, -94.0894)

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LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Harmon Creek GPS: N 30 51.582, W 95 26.2739 (30.8597, -95.4379) SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers BEST BAITS: Live shad or Storm Swim Shad CONTACT: Richard Tatsch 936-291-1277 admin@fishdudetx.com fishdudetx.com TIPS: The hybrid stripers are doing great now and this is the time to catch trophy fish. They will be all around the lake on main lake points and humps. The use of electronics is a necessity! Find the schools of shad and you will find the Hybrids. This time of year, they will range in the water column from 28 foot to 40 feet. Find the depth the bait fish are in and you will find the fish. One mistake a lot of people make in doing this is they don’t constantly watch what depth the fish are in. These fish move up and down in the water column hour to hour and if you don’t follow them you will soon stop catching fish. Live shad will be the bait of choice but the swim shad will work if you can control the depth. LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Main Lake Pockets and Coves GPS: N 32 48.0659, W 95 33.4319 (32.8011, -95.5572)

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Jigs and Rat-L-Traps in chrome and blue CONTACT: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 dave@palmettoguideservice.com palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: “Cast jigs and Rat-L-Traps in the deep holes off sandy points. Troll the deep holes with the same baits. BANK ACCESS: Harmon Creek Marina or Hwy 19 Bridge” LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Wilson Creek (the Polly Farm) GPS: N 31 38.7239, W 93 50.958 (31.6454, -93.8493)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass and White Bass BEST BAITS: “Weightless senkos and ﬂukes, ﬂipping jigs, and chatterbaits”

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: “Grandebass Airtail Pro rigged weightless (black and blue or green pumpkin), Texas-rigged 6.5 Grandebass Rattlesnake and Carolina-rigged 4.75 Grandebass Rattlesnake” CONTACT: Lance Vick 903-312-0609 lance@lakeforkbass.com guideonlakefork.com TIPS: “Big bass are shallow for the spawn. Look for them 1 to 5 feet deep in pockets and coves. The best techniques to catch them include a weightless worm like a Grandebass Airtail pro rigged weightless throw to the shoreline and fish slow next to stumps and grass. You could also fish a Texas-rigged Grandebass 6.5 Rattlesnake. Both of these baits will catch big ones if fished real slow in spawning areas. If there is a cold front throw a Carolina-rigged 4.75 Grandebass Rattlesnake on shallow clay points. Remember, Spring fishing gets better later in the day. Big bass wishes to all! “

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass

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FISHING HOTSPOTS BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, soft plastics, frogs, tubes, jigs, spinnerbaits, top water baits, stick baits and shallow diving crank baits. Just about anything in your tackle box. CONTACT: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages 936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com toledobendguide.com TIPS: Statistics over the last five years have shown that more “lunkers” (bass weighing 10lbs or more) are caught in March than any other month of the year. If you are lucky enough to land a “lunker” and have it weighed and certified at a registered Toledo Bend Lake Association station, the TBLA will give you a mounted replica. what a deal! Visit the TBLA website for more information. The bass are in shallow water moving in and out of the spawning flats. If a cold front moves in, the fish will stay in the same area but will move out to the closest drop into deep water. Start off with a fastmoving bait like a Rat-L-Trap or spinnerbait to cover a lot of water to locate the fish. If you catch one, slow down because there will usually be more fish in the same area. With the increase in boat traffic, please be courteous to your fellow fishermen, especially at the boat ramp!

PRAIRIES & LAKES

Fun in the Eagle Mountain Mud by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake HOTSPOT: Mud Flats east of Church Point GPS: N 32 55.492, W 97 30.051 (32.9249, -97.5009)

Bass will spawn on these slopes and humps. Look on each slope and hump with your electronics until you see what appears to be a series of ﬁre ant mounds. Throw out a marker and anchor over them and jig up and down with a slab and a ﬂy about 12” above it. On many occasions, you will catch two at a time. Another productive method is to cast to the hump with a lure that has a shiny blade on it. LOCATION: Bachman Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 51.1859, W 96 52.014 (32.8531, -96.8669)

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SPECIES: Crappie and Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crappie: jigs and minnows / Bass: 10” red and black worms Carolina rigged CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Bass and crappie prospects are good early and late in the day. Bass are in 1 to 5 feet of water and are gorging in the shallows in the evening and morning. At the time of this report, we pulled 8 crappie out of this lake in a couple of hours. LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Spawning Coves GPS: N 32 19.392, W 96 6.0539 (32.3232, -96.1009)

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Slab with a ﬂy 12 in. above. A spinner with a shiny blade on it CONTACT: Johnny Stevens 817-597-6598 johnnystevens@1scon.net TIPS: This area is composed of many humps and slopes. Water depth is normally 12 to 24 ft. deep. When the water approaches 60 degrees many sand

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and soft plastics CONTACT: Jason Barber 903-603-2047 kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com kingscreekadventures.com TIPS: This month we’re power ﬁshing. Fish all spawning coves as far back as possible. Throw spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and soft plastics around all shoreline cover in 1’ to 3’. LOCATION: Fayette County HOTSPOT: Fite’s Ridge T E X A S

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GPS: N 29 55.5, W 96 44.418 (29.9250, -96.7403)

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FISHING HOTSPOTS SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch Bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 Weldon_edna@hotmail.com ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Water is very deep here-maybe 50 feet. Throw out a marker here and chum around the marker. Either anchor with long rope or use trolling motor to keep you close to marker. Fish straight down with tight line over chum. LOCATION: Gibbons Creek HOTSPOT: Diversion canal GPS: N 30 37.9079, W 96 4.584 (30.6318, -96.0764)

the depth to about 16 inches. Fish these right next to the bank in the thickest cover that you can find. Keep trying different spots and when you find one, there are usually more nearby. The prime time to try this is the day after you have three warm days and nights. Good luck and good fishing. “ LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Tin Top GPS: N 32 34.559, W 97 49.295 (32.5760, -97.8216)

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Rivers, Creeks and Coves GPS: N 30 41.8379, W 97 22.278 (30.6973, -97.3713)

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SPECIES: White Crappie BEST BAITS: White CONTACT: pink/chartreuse jigs and small minnows Michael W. Acosta 817-578-0023 TIPS: Working a long cane pole with a jig or minnow in shallow grassy areas in the backs of creeks and sloughs. When working the shallows, be careful not to spook the ﬁsh. Work shallow areas near structure like docks and bridge pilings. LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Dam Area GPS: N 33 1.9979, W 96 28.278 (33.0333, -96.4713)

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Sunken Highway GPS: N 32 51.8399, W 96 32.2019 (32.8640, -96.5367)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Series 5 KVD Sexy Shad, chartreuse and white spinner and black and blue jig. CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: In March I will keep close to the dam area. Concentrate along the ledges that run parallel along the dam. These ﬁsh could be 3 feet deep or they could be 25 foot. You just have to ﬁnd their pattern. I would either throw a Series 5 KVD Sexy Shad or a chartreuse and white spinnerbait. If it’s super cold I would go to a black and blue jig.

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: 1/16 oz. jigs, either plastic or marabou - Bass Assassin brand preferred CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell 512-365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com gotcrappie.com TIPS: “This is the time of year that the crappie start to move to the shallows. They are looking for the warmest places which are protected coves and sloughs. Look for any shallow places that gets a lot of sunlight and is protected from the wind. Use long crappie rods with a slip bobber set up. Set

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SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Pink/white and yellow/white jigs in 1/16 oz. size and live minnows CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Crappie will be shallow in the 2-5 foot range this time of year. You will find them in the small pockets in the Stone Chimney Creek area down on the East side of the lake near the dam. Crappie will be good in most of the creeks on the lake but Stone Chimney Creek will be one very good one. Rig jigs up with a slip bobber so that you can set the depth that you will want to fish. Minnows will work good as well fished just like the jigs. I like to use an 8-ft. rod so that I can reach out over grass or brush to place my Bait in a hole in the cover I’m fishing. Fish your areas slow giving your fish time to find your bait. I like to look for water temps ranging in low to mid 60’s.”

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SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad / CJ’s punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 Weldon_edna@hotmail.com fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Lily pads grow in this area in the summer but for now you can fish close to the shore. Use only one rod for a better hook up ratio. Use cork set two foot deep.

(32.0867, -95.4070)

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts Lake HOTSPOT: Sand Branch GPS: N 33 22.845, W 96 59.366 (33.3808, -96.9894)

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Stone Chimney Creek GPS: N 32 5.202, W 95 24.4199

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SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut shad or punch bait CONTACT: The Cajun Guide/Johnny Procell 972-814-8942 cajunguide@att.net www.johnnyprocell.com TIPS: Catfish have been on a tear and twenty to thirty pound fish are the norm and forty pound plus cats happen frequently. Locate any sandy point jutting into the main lake and work it in eight to 14 feet of water. If your electronics have the old roadbeds in the unit be sure to fish the sunken highway just south of the Bass Pro Shop.

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FISHING HOTSPOTS u TAP FOR ONLINE MAP

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: jerk baits, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs and square bill crankbaits CONTACT: Jim Walling 940-391-5534 jimwwalling@icloud.com TIPS: Sand Branch has historically been one of the best places on the lake for catching Largemouth Bass at this time of year. It has produced many trophy size fish over the years, especially in March. Fish the flats from where they drop into the feeder creeks up to the bank to locate fish. Use the aforementioned lures in these areas and you will be rewarded. Hopefully with a trophy of a lifetime. LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Yegua creek channel GPS: N 30 18.1499, W 96 39.204 (30.3025, -96.6534)

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SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Shad or CJ’s punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103, Weldon_edna@hotmail.com ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Water is warming and it warms faster in shallow areas here. There is a slight drop off in the middle of this area. Spread chum and cast several lines out with tight lines here. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Paw Paw Creek & Mill Creek Cut GPS: N 33 53.9879, W 96 53.796 u TAP FOR (33.8998, -96.8966)

ONLINE MAP

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Road Runner and Sassy Shad jigs in white or chartreuse

CONTACT: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfish@striperexpress.com striperexpress.com TIPS: In March the white bass have already spawned and the stripers are staging up the main tributaries. Structure like main lake points, ditches and creeks will hold stripers. Fish the creeks in 12’ to 20’ of water with a slow retrieve for fish up to 20 pounds. Pay attention to the seagulls as they can be your fish finder. When you are fishing under the birds keep your lure in the top 15’ of the water. Most activity will be west of the Willis bridge and north of the railroad bridge on the Washita arm of the lake. Bank Access: Slickem Slough or Paw Paw Creek. LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: The Hump GPS: N 31 54.672, W 97 20.868 (31.9112, -97.3478)

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SPECIES: White Bass and Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Chartreuse stripaholic jig heads and swimbaits from RSR Lures and live gizzard shad. CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com teamredneck.net TIPS: Early in the morning we are using swim baits and casting out on the hump and retrieving back with a medium to fast retrieve and catching the stripers as they are moving up on the hump gorging on the spawning shad. After the sun comes up I like backing off the hump and anchoring in 30’ of water and ﬁshing live shad suspended off the bottom. Also, make long casts up on the hump with live shad and free line them on a Carolina rig. The stripers will pick them up and make a long run. This results in long distance ﬁghts and a lot of fun. LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake HOTSPOT: 309 Flats Area GPS: N 31 58.4699, W 96 7.6259 (31.9745, -96.1271)

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SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers and White Bass T E X A S

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BEST BAITS: 1 oz. Silver Glitter RSR Shad Slabs (www.rsrlures.com) CONTACT: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 simmonsroyce@hotmail.com goneﬁshin.biz TIPS: “Watch for the gulls and pelicans dipping down to pick up shad off the surface. Concentrate on drop-offs and Ridges in the

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FISHING HOTSPOTS 309 ﬂats area in water depths ranging from 20’-30’. Bounce the Slab off the bottom and when the strike occurs, HOLD ON! It might be a BIG Ol’ Hybrid! Bank Access: Fisherman’s Point Marina”

nclayton42@sbcglobal.net http://www.lakealanhenry.com/norman_clayton.htm TIPS: “March will find the bass moving into the warmest water that you can find. You will find the warmest water sections up in Big Grape, Gobbler, Rocky, and way up the Brazos River. Fish can still be caught deep out over the channels with spoons, crank baits, and spinner jigs. Try shallow first, and then move into deep water out over the channel. Use your electronics to locate bass, and then fish for them.”

PANHANDLE

Cubbard’s Not Bare on Hubbard

LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Res. HOTSPOT: Lakeshore Cove GPS: N 32 54.41, W 98 28.8 (32.9068, -98.4800)

by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER LOCATION: Hubbard Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Lower Creek Arm GPS: N 32 45.468, W 99 0.6751 (32.7578, -99.0113)

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SPECIES: Striped, white bass BEST BAITS: live & fresh cut shad, crankbaits, jigs & slabs CONTACT: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: Depending on any spring floods, which will send the fish to the mouth and up the Brazos, Lakeshore Cove is one of their first migration stops back into the lake from annual spawns. This time of year, shad is still best but you can still get away with trolling cranks and traps and jigs & slabs. Mainly stripers and white bass, but it will be mixed bags this time of year. If you fish with live and fresh cut shad, you will catch everything in the lake and at the end of a trip have 4 to 5 or more species. Catch stripers on one side of the boat on live bait and catfish on fresh dead on the other side.

SPECIES: White Crappie BEST BAITS: jigs, small spinnerbaits CONTACT: Michael D. Homer Jr., Texas Parks & Wildlife Department 325-692-0921 michael.homer@tpwd.texas.gov TIPS: With Hubbard Creek Reservoir catching full in 2016, the crappie production is expected to be substantial in 2017. Historically, anglers have reported catching great numbers of crappie in the lower creek arm in the southern end of the reservoir. Fishing the submersed brush and vegetation with curly-tailed jigs and small spinners may yield a bite. LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Major Creeks GPS: N 33 1.722, W 101 6.3839 (33.0287, -101.1064)

BIG BEND

Amistad Bass Rough & Ready

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Jigs, plastic worms, crankbaits, soft plastic jerkbaits CONTACT: Stan Gerzsenyl 830-768-3648 stan@amistadbass.com amistadbass.com TIPS: Fish the shallow pockets in the various arms off the river channel. Start at the mouths of the coves and work your way to the back of them slowly. On bright days, make long casts with soft plastic jerkbaits and Carolina-rigged worms. LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Evans Creek GPS: N29 32.14098 W101 3.6096 (29.535683, -101.060160)

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Baybe E swimbaits, spinnerbaits, Senko worms, topwater lures CONTACT: Stan Gerzsenyl 830-768-3648 stan@amistadbass.com amistadbass.com TIPS: Bass are in the back two-thirds of the creeks looking for spawning areas. This creek produces lots of big ﬁsh in March. I prefer slow-rolling a spinnerbait in 10-20 feet of water in shad color. During a cold front, ﬁsh slow with a 1/4-ounce Senko.

by DUSTIN WARNCKE SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Shaky heads, shad colored crankbaits, spinnerbaits, spoons, spinner jigs and swim jigs CONTACT: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220

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LOCATION: Amistad HOTSPOT: Rough Canyon Area GPS: N29 34.20456, W100 58.4892 (29.570076, -100.974820)

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FISHING HOTSPOTS HILL COUNTRY

Buchanan White & Striped Bass by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points and Garret Island Area GPS: N 30 51.054, W 98 25.1879 u TAP FOR (30.8509, -98.4198)

ONLINE MAP

SPECIES: White Bass and Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, Zara Spooks, Pencil Poppers and other good top water plugs. CONTACT: Ken Milam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net striperfever.com.com TIPS: “Stripers will be on the windy points feeding on the bait ﬁsh being blown into the points. Also, work the shallows with top water baits. Watch for bird action., White bass will be on the upper end of the lake around Garret Island. Also, watch for shad spawning in the shallows. Just put your time in on the lake, try different baits. Enjoy the great Texas outdoors!” LOCATION: Lake Austin HOTSPOT: Main Lake Flats and Docks GPS: N 30 20.4, W 97 55.9319 (30.3400, -97.9322)

Texas lakes. I personally do not search out beds on a regular basis but when a client asks to do so, I tie on swim jigs and shakey heads, clean my high clarity Amphibia sunglasses and begin to work the flats, shallows, and docks in shallow water. I typically like to use a bluegill or sunfish pattern swim jig as these are the predominate egg eaters in these situations on Lake Austin. When using the shakey heads, I will use a V&M Thunder Shad as this will resemble a small fish eating the eggs and produced strikes from the males and females. LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake River Channel GPS: N 30 49.284, W 98 22.7459 (30.8214, -98.3791)

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Guadulupe River Area GPS: N 29 54.1679, W 98 19.494 (29.9028, -98.3249)

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SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut shad and stink bait CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@gmail.com centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: Catfish prospects are good on rod and reel with bobbers in 10 to 15 feet of water. Use cut shad or stink bait near brush lines early and late in the day. Jug fishing for catfish is also productive in 20 to 30 feet of water. LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Guadalupe River Area GPS: N 29 53.514, W 98 19.302 (29.8919, -98.3217)

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Guadalupe River Area GPS: N 29 54.348, W 98 18.858 (29.9058, -98.3143)

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SPECIES: Crappie & Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crappie: soft plastic baits 2”-3” long and minnows | Bass: crankbaits, jigs, spinnerbaits and top water lures CONTACT: Barry Dodd - Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide Service 210-771-0123 barrydodd.tetf@gmail.com teachemtoﬁsh.net TIPS: “Water temperature will vary from the mid 50’s to mid 60’s in March and this is the time of year for the bass and crappie to be spawning. Look for prime areas T E X A S

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SPECIES: White Bass and Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Rapala Glass Shad Rap #5 Citrus color CONTACT: Capt. Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230 steve@sanantonioﬁshingguides.com http://www.sanantonioﬁshingguides.com TIPS: The west shoreline seems to produce the best catches. Fishing the Rapala Glass Shad Rap #5 in 15 to 30 feet of water will produce White and Striped Bass.

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Picasso Swim Jig, Picasso Shake E Football, V&M Pulse Swim Jig, V&M Thunder Shad, V&M Super Shakeyhead, Amphibia Sports Eyegear CONTACT: Brian Parker - Lake Austin Fishing 817-808-2227 lakeaustinﬁshing@yahoo.com LakeAustinFishing.com TIPS: March is highly considered “the month” for all anglers because of the size of the spawning bass in

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for spawning in shallow water. This is approaching the best times of the year to fish the back of coves and other shallow water areas. Bass and crappie will hit just about anything during the spawning season. The best fishing occurs just before frontal passage and then a couple days after when the winds return from the west or south. Generally, the best fishing is in the afternoons on north banks protected from the north winds and areas which receive lots of sunshine. There are large trees along the river channel break line and big flats with brush along this section of the river. Throw crank baits, jigs, spinnerbaits and topwaters or use minnows for bass and crappie.”

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Minnows and jigs CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide Service-Barry Dodd 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtoﬁsh.net www.teachemtoﬁsh.net TIPS: This area is protected from the wind and has lots of trees, drop-offs and ledges. Fish about 6’ to 10’ deep in the deeper water above and around the trees. |

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FISHING HOTSPOTS receive lots of sunshine. Try throwing hard plastic jerk baits over grass with longer pauses on the retrieve. Soft plastic jerk baits and slow rolling spinnerbaits in the same areas are also good producers.

LOCATION: Granger HOTSPOT: San Gabriel River GPS: N30 39.84324 W97 23.36502 (30.664054, -97.389417)

LOCATION: Travis HOTSPOT: Arkansas Bend GPS: N30 23.70522 W97 56.9988 (30.395087, -97.949980)

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Deep crankbaits and C-rigs with Watermelon Finesse worms and Baby Brush Hogs in Watermelon Candy color. CONTACT: Bryan Cotter - Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide Service 512-762-0190 texashawgs@gmail.com www.texashawgs.com TIPS: Work the Arkansas Bend area using deep crankbaits and Carolina rigs with Watermelon Finesse worms and Baby Brush Hogs in Watermelon Candy in 15-30 feet. LOCATION: Travis HOTSPOT: Sandy Creek GPS: N30 28.16778, W97 54.56292 (30.469463, -97.909382)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Hard plastic jerk baits, soft plastic jerk baits, slow rolling spinnerbaits CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide Service-Barry Dodd 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtofish.net www.teachemtofish.net TIPS: Water temperature is in the 50’s but the bass and crappie are looking to begin their search for spawning grounds. Most fish are still deeper during the cold nights and days; however, bass seem to never leave the comforts of oxygen rich vegetation and move into shallower water as the sun heats it up. The best fishing occurs just before frontal passage and then a couple days after when the winds return from the south. Generally, the best fishing is in the afternoons on north banks protected from the north winds and areas that

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Take a Spin for Bass on Coleto by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 28 44.5739, W 97 10.638 (28.7429, -97.1773)

SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Jigs, Mr. Twister grubs, in-line spinners CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell 512-365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com gotcrappie.com TIPS: The white bass are moving up the main channels to spawn and will hit just about anything, especially lures with lots of action or spinners. Cast up into the shallow waters and bring the lures back on a slow, steady retrieve. Once you have caught white bass, place them on ice as soon as possible. This will help keep them in good eating condition. LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 34.404, W 98 21.6719 (30.5734, -98.3612)

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SOUTH TEXAS

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Shallow to medium diving crankbaits and Shaky Heads with craw worms. CONTACT: Bryan Cotter - Texas Hawgs Bass Fishing Guide Service 512-762-0190 texashawgs@gmail.com www.texashawgs.com TIPS: The Sandy Creek area is producing nice bass in the backs of pockets but be sure to ﬁsh this area earlier in the day for the best results.

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Rat-LTraps CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-960-0566 TIPS: March is no doubt most ﬁshermen’s favorite month to ﬁsh. Pre-spawn is here and the females are sassy. Big baits will pay off. Big females should be pacing the deeper creeks. Spinner baits are my choice. Or slow roll a big crank bait or large Rat-L-Trap. LOCATION: Lake Falcon HOTSPOT: Little Tiger Creek GPS: N 26 53.112, W 99 15.5099 (26.8852, -99.2585)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: “War eagle spinnerbaits - Screaming Eagle in Gold Shiner color. CONTACT: Jim Behnken 210-414-8048 jimbehnken@hotmail.com www.ﬁshlakefalcon.com TIPS: Place your boat in the creek channel and vary your casts from the center of the channel up onto the edges of the creek channel. Slow roll the spinner making as much contact with underwater bushes and trees as possible. Occasionally ﬂutter the bait to attract bites.

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Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MARCH 2017

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 T17

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY is shown in the lower color boxes of the Calendar pages. Use the SOLUNAR ADJUSTMENT SCALE below to adjust times for points East and West of Galveston Channel.

T15 T16

TIDE PREDICTIONS are shown in graph form, with High and Low tide predictions in text immediately below. SOLUNAR ACTIVITY data is provided to indicate major and minor feeding periods for each day, as the daily phases of the moon have varying degrees of inﬂuence on many wildlife species.

T13 T6

T3 T2 T1

T14

AM & PM MINOR phases occur when the moon rises and sets. These phases last 1 to 2 hours.

T18

AM & PM MAJOR phases occur when the moon reaches its highest point overhead as well as when it is “underfoot” or at its highest point on the exact opposite side of the earth from your positoin (or literally under your feet). Most days have two Major Feeding Phases, each lasting about 2 hours.

T19

T20

PEAK DAYS: The closer the moon is to your location, the stronger the inﬂuence. FULL or NEW MOONS provide the strongest inﬂunce of the month. PEAK TIMES: When a Solunar Period falls within 30 minutes to an hour of sunrise or sunset, anticipate increased action. A moon rise or moon set during one of these periods will cause even greater action. If a FULL or NEW MOON occurs during a Solunar Period, expect the best action of the season.

T21

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE

Add or subtract the time shown at the rightof the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine the adjustment from the time shown for GALVESTON CHANNEL in the calendars.

KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

PLACE Sabine Bank Lighthouse Sabine Pass Jetty Sabine Pass Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass Galveston Bay, S. Jetty Port Bolivar

HIGH -1:46 -1:26 -1:00 -0:04 -0:39 +0:14

LOW -1:31 -1:31 -1:15 -0:25 -1:05 -0:06

KEY PLACE HIGH Galveston Channel/Bays T7 Texas City Turning Basin +0:33 +3:54 T8 Eagle Point +6:05 T9 Clear Lake +10:21 T10 Morgans Point T11 Round Pt, Trinity Bay +10:39

LOW +0:41 +4:15 +6:40 +5:19 +5:15

KEY T12 T13 T14 T15 T16 T17

PLACE Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay Gilchrist, East Bay Jamaica Beach, W. Bay Alligator Point, W. Bay Christmas Pt Galveston Pleasure Pier

HIGH +5:48 +3:16 +2:38 +2:39 +2:32 -1:06

LOW +4:43 +4:18 +3:31 +2:33 +2:31 -1:06

KEY T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23

PLACE HIGH San Luis Pass -0.09 Freeport Harbor -0:44 Pass Cavallo 0:00 Aransas Pass -0:03 Padre Island (So. End) -0:24 Port Isabel +1:02

LOW -0.09 -1:02 -1:20 -1:31 -1:45 -0:42

SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK IS SPONSORED BY:

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION T22 T23

READING THE GRAPH

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

Moon l Moon Overhead l Underfoot

Fishing Score Graph

Day’s Best Day’s 2nd Score Best Score

Best Day Overall

MOON PHASES

l = New Moon l = Full Moon = First Quarter º » = Last Quarter «= Good Day by Moon Phase 84

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MARCH 2017

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

27 «

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: FEET

3:43AM 10:28AM 5:31PM 10:44PM

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Feb 28 « Mar 1

1.04 ft. -0.21 ft. 1.00 ft. 0.39 ft.

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

4:44AM 11:09AM 5:53PM 11:28PM

1.03 ft. -0.05 ft. 0.96 ft. 0.23 ft.

High Tide: 5:53AM 1.01 ft. Low Tide: 11:51AM 0.16 ft. High Tide: 6:14PM 0.94 ft.

THURSDAY

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:17AM 7:12AM 12:35PM 6:34PM

0.06 ft. 0.98 ft. 0.40 ft. 0.92 ft.

FRIDAY

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:12AM 8:43AM 1:24PM 6:51PM

-0.09 ft. 0.96 ft. 0.64 ft. 0.93 ft.

SATURDAY

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

2:16AM 10:26AM 2:25PM 7:05PM

-0.21 ft. 1.00 ft. 0.84 ft. 0.96 ft.

SUNDAY

5º Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

3:27AM 12:11PM 5:25PM 6:47PM

-0.31 ft. 1.07 ft. 0.98 ft. 0.98 ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12:30 — 2:30 PM

1:30 — 3:30 PM

2:00 — 4:00 PM

3:00 — 5:00 PM

4:00 — 6:00 PM

4:30 — 6:30 AM

12:30 — 2:30 PM

Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 6:16p Moonrise: 7:31a Set: 7:38p AM Minor: 5:38a AM Major: 11:21a PM Minor: 6:03p PM Major: ----Moon Overhead: 1:32p Moon Underfoot: 1:07a

Sunrise: 6:45a Set: 6:17p Moonrise: 8:12a Set: 8:40p AM Minor: 6:32a AM Major: 12:19a PM Minor: 6:57p PM Major: 12:45p Moon Overhead: 2:23p Moon Underfoot: 1:57a

Sunrise: 6:44a Set: 6:18p Moonrise: 8:52a Set: 9:42p AM Minor: 7:28a AM Major: 1:16a PM Minor: 7:54p PM Major: 1:41p Moon Overhead: 3:14p Moon Underfoot: 2:49a

Sunrise: 6:43a Set: 6:19p Moonrise: 9:34a Set: 10:46p AM Minor: 8:27a AM Major: 2:14a PM Minor: 8:53p PM Major: 2:40p Moon Overhead: 4:07p Moon Underfoot: 3:41a

Sunrise: 6:41a Set: 6:19p Moonrise: 10:18a Set: 11:49p AM Minor: 9:26a AM Major: 3:12a PM Minor: 9:53p PM Major: 3:40p Moon Overhead: 5:01p Moon Underfoot: 4:34a

Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 6:20p Moonrise: 11:05a Set: None AM Minor: 10:25a AM Major: 4:11a PM Minor: 10:53p PM Major: 4:39p Moon Overhead: 5:57p Moon Underfoot: 5:29a

Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 6:20p Moonrise: 11:57a Set: 12:53a AM Minor: 11:23a AM Major: 5:09a PM Minor: 11:52p PM Major: 5:37p Moon Overhead: 6:54p Moon Underfoot: 6:26a

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Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

Low Tide: 4:43AM High Tide: 1:34PM

TUESDAY

-0.39 ft. 1.15 ft.

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

FEET

5:56AM 2:27PM 8:16PM 10:41PM

-0.44 ft. 1.18 ft. 0.96 ft. 0.99 ft.

WEDNESDAY

Low Tide: 7:01AM High Tide: 3:04PM Low Tide: 8:31PM

-0.45 ft. 1.18 ft. 0.89 ft.

THURSDAY

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

12:09AM 7:57AM 3:34PM 8:51PM

FRIDAY

1.03 ft. -0.42 ft. 1.14 ft. 0.79 ft.

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

1:21AM 8:47AM 4:00PM 9:15PM

SATURDAY

11«

1.07 ft. -0.34 ft. 1.09 ft. 0.67 ft.

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

2:25AM 9:32AM 4:24PM 9:43PM

SUNDAY

12«

1.11 ft. -0.21 ft. 1.04 ft. 0.54 ft.

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

4:23AM 11:12AM 5:46PM 11:14PM

1.13 ft. -0.05 ft. 1.00 ft. 0.41 ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12:00 — 2:00 AM

1:00 — 3:00 AM

2:00 — 4:00 AM

9:30 — 11:30 PM

11:00A — 1:00P

4:30 — 6:30 AM

11:00P — 1:00A

Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 6:21p Moonrise: 12:52p Set: 1:53a AM Minor: ----AM Major: 6:05a PM Minor: 12:19p PM Major: 6:33p Moon Overhead: 7:51p Moon Underfoot: 7:23a

Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 6:22p Moonrise: 1:50p Set: 2:51a AM Minor: 12:44a AM Major: 6:58a PM Minor: 1:12p PM Major: 7:27p Moon Overhead: 8:48p Moon Underfoot: 8:20a

Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 6:22p Moonrise: 2:50p Set: 3:45a AM Minor: 1:35a AM Major: 7:49a PM Minor: 2:03p PM Major: 8:17p Moon Overhead: 9:44p Moon Underfoot: 9:16a

Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 6:23p Moonrise: 3:50p Set: 4:34a AM Minor: 2:24a AM Major: 8:38a PM Minor: 2:51p PM Major: 9:04p Moon Overhead: 10:37p Moon Underfoot: 10:11a

Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 6:24p Moonrise: 4:50p Set: 5:19a AM Minor: 3:12a AM Major: 9:25a PM Minor: 3:38p PM Major: 9:51p Moon Overhead: 11:28p Moon Underfoot: 11:03a

Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 6:24p Moonrise: 5:48p Set: 6:00a AM Minor: 3:59a AM Major: 10:11a PM Minor: 4:24p PM Major: 10:36p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:52a

Sunrise: 7:31a Set: 7:25p Moonrise: 7:45p Set: 7:39a AM Minor: 5:46a AM Major: 11:58a PM Minor: 6:10p PM Major: ----Moon Overhead: 1:16a Moon Underfoot: 1:40p

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS Fishing Score Moon l Overhead l Moon Graph Underfoot

READING THE GRAPH

MONDAY

13 ¡

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: FEET

5:19AM 11:50AM 6:07PM 11:46PM

TUESDAY High Tide: 6:15AM 1.12 ft. Low Tide: 12:24PM 0.32 ft. High Tide: 6:27PM 0.95 ft.

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

14« BEG DST 15«

1.13 ft. 0.13 ft. 0.97 ft. 0.30 ft.

MOON PHASES

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:21AM 7:13AM 12:57PM 6:45PM

0.22 ft. 1.09 ft. 0.50 ft. 0.94 ft.

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:59AM 8:15AM 1:27PM 6:59PM

0.17 ft. 1.06 ft. 0.67 ft. 0.94 ft.

l = New Moon l = Full Moon = First Quarter º » = Last Quarter « = Good Day by Moon Phase

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:40AM 9:25AM 1:57PM 7:03PM

0.14 ft. 1.03 ft. 0.81 ft. 0.95 ft.

SATURDAY

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

2:27AM 10:48AM 2:27PM 6:12PM

0.14 ft. 1.03 ft. 0.94 ft. 0.98 ft.

SUNDAY

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

3:23AM 12:24PM 3:10PM 5:00PM

0.15 ft. 1.06 ft. 1.03 ft. 1.04 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12:30 — 2:30 AM

1:30 — 3:30 AM

2:00 — 4:00 AM

3:00 — 5:00 AM

4:00 — 6:00 AM

9:30 — 11:30 PM

5:30 — 7:30 AM

Sunrise: 7:30a Set: 7:25p Moonrise: 8:40p Set: 8:15a AM Minor: 6:34a AM Major: 12:22a PM Minor: 6:56p PM Major: 12:45p Moon Overhead: 2:03a Moon Underfoot: 2:25p

Sunrise: 7:29a Set: 7:26p Moonrise: 9:34p Set: 8:51a AM Minor: 7:22a AM Major: 1:11a PM Minor: 7:44p PM Major: 1:33p Moon Overhead: 2:48a Moon Underfoot: 3:10p

Sunrise: 7:28a Set: 7:27p Moonrise: 10:27p Set: 9:26a AM Minor: 8:11a AM Major: 2:00a PM Minor: 8:33p PM Major: 2:22p Moon Overhead: 3:32a Moon Underfoot: 3:54p

Sunrise: 7:27a Set: 7:27p Moonrise: 11:20p Set: 10:02a AM Minor: 9:00a AM Major: 2:49a PM Minor: 9:23p PM Major: 3:11p Moon Overhead: 4:16a Moon Underfoot: 4:39p

Sunrise: 7:26a Set: 7:28p Moonrise: None Set: 10:39a AM Minor: 9:50a AM Major: 3:39a PM Minor: 10:13p PM Major: 4:01p Moon Overhead: 5:01a Moon Underfoot: 5:23p

Sunrise: 7:24a Set: 7:28p Moonrise: 12:12a Set: 11:18a AM Minor: 10:40a AM Major: 4:28a PM Minor: 11:03p PM Major: 4:51p Moon Overhead: 5:46a Moon Underfoot: 6:09p

Sunrise: 7:23a Set: 7:29p Moonrise: 1:03a Set: 12:00p AM Minor: 11:29a AM Major: 5:17a PM Minor: 11:52p PM Major: 5:41p Moon Overhead: 6:32a Moon Underfoot: 6:56p

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Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

20»

Low Tide: 4:29AM High Tide: 1:52PM

TUESDAY

Low Tide: 5:39AM High Tide: 2:40PM

0.15 ft. 1.11 ft.

0.14 ft. 1.16 ft.

FEET

WEDNESDAY

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

6:42AM 3:08PM 9:47PM 11:32PM

0.11 ft. 1.19 ft. 1.02 ft. 1.03 ft.

THURSDAY

Low Tide: 7:35AM High Tide: 3:31PM Low Tide: 9:01PM

FRIDAY

0.08 ft. 1.22 ft. 0.98 ft.

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

12:59AM 8:21AM 3:53PM 9:02PM

SATURDAY

25«

1.09 ft. 0.06 ft. 1.23 ft. 0.90 ft.

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

2:05AM 9:04AM 4:15PM 9:25PM

SUNDAY

26«

1.16 ft. 0.07 ft. 1.22 ft. 0.76 ft.

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

3:06AM 9:47AM 4:37PM 9:57PM

1.24 ft. 0.12 ft. 1.21 ft. 0.59 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12:00 — 2:00 AM

12:30 — 2:30 AM

1:30 — 3:30 AM

2:00 — 4:00 AM

3:00 — 5:00 AM

4:00 — 6:00 AM

5:00 — 7:00 AM

Sunrise: 7:22a Set: 7:30p Moonrise: 1:54a Set: 12:45p AM Minor: ----AM Major: 6:05a PM Minor: 12:17p PM Major: 6:29p Moon Overhead: 7:20a Moon Underfoot: 7:44p

Sunrise: 7:21a Set: 7:30p Moonrise: 2:42a Set: 1:34p AM Minor: 12:40a AM Major: 6:53a PM Minor: 1:05p PM Major: 7:17p Moon Overhead: 8:08a Moon Underfoot: 8:32p

Sunrise: 7:20a Set: 7:31p Moonrise: 3:30a Set: 2:26p AM Minor: 1:27a AM Major: 7:39a PM Minor: 1:52p PM Major: 8:04p Moon Overhead: 8:57a Moon Underfoot: 9:22p

Sunrise: 7:19a Set: 7:31p Moonrise: 4:16a Set: 3:22p AM Minor: 2:12a AM Major: 8:25a PM Minor: 2:37p PM Major: 8:50p Moon Overhead: 9:47a Moon Underfoot: 10:13p

Sunrise: 7:17a Set: 7:32p Moonrise: 5:00a Set: 4:20p AM Minor: 2:57a AM Major: 9:10a PM Minor: 3:23p PM Major: 9:35p Moon Overhead: 10:38a Moon Underfoot: 11:04p

Sunrise: 7:16a Set: 7:32p Moonrise: 5:43a Set: 5:20p AM Minor: 3:42a AM Major: 9:55a PM Minor: 4:08p PM Major: 10:21p Moon Overhead: 11:29a Moon Underfoot: 11:55p

Sunrise: 7:15a Set: 7:33p Moonrise: 6:25a Set: 6:21p AM Minor: 4:29a AM Major: 10:42a PM Minor: 4:54p PM Major: 11:07p Moon Overhead: 12:21p Moon Underfoot: None

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T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

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MARCH 2017

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

27l

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: FEET

4:06AM 10:30AM 4:58PM 10:34PM

TUESDAY

28«

1.32 ft. 0.22 ft. 1.19 ft. 0.40 ft.

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

5:07AM 11:14AM 5:20PM 11:15PM

1.38 ft. 0.38 ft. 1.17 ft. 0.21 ft.

WEDNESDAY

29«

High Tide: 6:11AM 1.41 ft. Low Tide: 11:59AM 0.56 ft. High Tide: 5:40PM 1.16 ft.

THURSDAY

30« Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:01AM 7:20AM 12:48PM 6:00PM

0.04 ft. 1.43 ft. 0.77 ft. 1.17 ft.

FRIDAY

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:50AM 8:35AM 1:41PM 6:17PM

-0.10 ft. 1.42 ft. 0.97 ft. 1.18 ft.

SATURDAY

Apr 1 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

1:46AM 9:58AM 2:50PM 6:29PM

-0.17 ft. 1.41 ft. 1.13 ft. 1.20 ft.

SUNDAY

Low Tide: 2:49AM -0.19 ft. High Tide: 11:27AM 1.41 ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

12:00 — 2:00 PM

1:00 — 3:00 PM

2:00 — 4:00 PM

3:00 — 5:00 PM

4:00 — 6:00 PM

4:30 — 6:30 AM

5:00 — 7:00 AM

Sunrise: 7:14a Set: 7:33p Moonrise: 7:06a Set: 7:24p AM Minor: 5:17a AM Major: 11:30a PM Minor: 5:43p PM Major: 11:56p Moon Overhead: 1:12p Moon Underfoot: 12:46a

Sunrise: 7:13a Set: 7:34p Moonrise: 7:47a Set: 8:28p AM Minor: 6:09a AM Major: 11:52a PM Minor: 6:35p PM Major: 12:22p Moon Overhead: 2:05p Moon Underfoot: 1:38a

Sunrise: 7:11a Set: 7:35p Moonrise: 8:29a Set: 9:33p AM Minor: 7:04a AM Major: 12:51a PM Minor: 7:31p PM Major: 1:18p Moon Overhead: 2:58p Moon Underfoot: 2:31a

Sunrise: 7:10a Set: 7:35p Moonrise: 9:14a Set: 10:39p AM Minor: 8:03a AM Major: 1:50a PM Minor: 8:31p PM Major: 2:17p Moon Overhead: 3:54p Moon Underfoot: 3:26a

Sunrise: 7:09a Set: 7:36p Moonrise: 10:01a Set: 11:44p AM Minor: 9:06a AM Major: 2:52a PM Minor: 9:34p PM Major: 3:20p Moon Overhead: 4:50p Moon Underfoot: 4:22a

Sunrise: 7:08a Set: 7:36p Moonrise: 10:52a Set: None AM Minor: 10:09a AM Major: 3:55a PM Minor: 10:38p PM Major: 4:24p Moon Overhead: 5:48p Moon Underfoot: 5:19a

Sunrise: 7:07a Set: 7:37p Moonrise: 11:47a Set: 12:47a AM Minor: 11:12a AM Major: 4:58a PM Minor: 11:42p PM Major: 5:27p Moon Overhead: 6:47p Moon Underfoot: 6:17a

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

Time to Start Thinking About Your Boat Again

S SPRING KICKS INTO gear and we have a new season upon us, it’s time to think about your boat. Well actually, if you’re anything like us you never stopped thinking about your boat in the first place. You might have shifted the emphasis from fishing to hunting, and in some areas of the state you may have been forced to (shudder) winterize your boat and wrap it up for the season. But even if your corner of the world

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stays boat-able all year long, spring is still a good time to do some rejuvenating work on Mom’s Mink. In fact, for those who use their boats through all four seasons, spring is an even more important mile-marker—without a winter “break” it’s all too easy to postpone or even forget about some important yearly check-ups and chores. So wherever you live and however you use your boat, consider this the perfect time to:

T E X A S

F I S H

INITIATE A STEM-TO-STERN WASHDOWN: It’s deep-clean time, people. You need to blast or scrub all that grit and grime out of the seams between fiberglass parts, hatch gutters, and bilges. This is about more than just making your boat look good, it’s about longevity and even safety. The detritus that collects in these areas can get washed into your scuppers, and clog the drains. The grit gets underfoot, and scratches your gel coat. It can get sucked into your bilge pump, and turn the impeller into pulp. The spring wash-down is an important one. FOLLOW THE WASH WITH A WAX JOB: We’re not talking about a quick and easy waxing, either. Leave that liquid or spray wax in the garage, and instead reach for

G A M E ®

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Texas BOATING obvious safety reasons, this is one of the most important spring commissioning jobs. Just flipping a switch to make sure the pump runs is insufficient. You probably have learned through the years that insects, especially in the spring, commonly build nests in the nooks and crannies of your boat. Sometimes, they choose to crawl up the bilge pump outlet. Wasps, especially, are problematic in this regard. Those nests can clog the outlet, and reduce or completely eliminate your bilge pump’s ability to remove water from the boat. The only sure-fire way to test your bilge pump in the spring is to put the drain plug into the transom, jack up the bow, put a hose into the bilge, and physically watch to make sure the pump is actually pushing water out of the outlet.

a thick paste wax. The liquid stuff is great for making your boat shine, but it doesn’t do much in the protection department. Paste wax, on the other hand, will create a UV-inhibiting coat that protects your boat’s gel coat and helps prevent oxidation. IF YOU WINTERIZED, DE-WINTERIZE THE BOAT: This means flushing anti-freeze out of any and all systems, running the fogging fluid out of your engine, re-opening seacocks and through-hull fittings, and recharging the marine sanitation device, if your boat has one. CHARGE AND CHECK THE BATTERIES: Whether your boat’s been sitting for an extended period or not, it’s a good idea to put on a trickle charge and top the batteries off. This is also an ideal time to inspect cables and connections. Look for corrosion, check for tightness, and give them a shot of protection with a product such as 3M Battery Terminal Coat or CRC Battery Terminal Protector. Note: the number-one most common reason why boaters have to abort their first trip of the spring is a dead battery.

CHECK ALL HOSES: While you have plumbing front and center in your mind, also take a few minutes to inspect each and every hose on your boat, particularly where they’re clamped to barbs or fittings. If anything’s going to spring a leak it’s better to find out about it now, instead of after shoving off from the dock.

TEST THE BILGE PUMP(S): For the

TEST EACH AND EVERY ELECTRICAL

ACCESSORY ON THE BOAT: Lights, livewell pumps, windshield wipers—if it has a switch, flip it. Make sure the unit is operative, and the wiring, fuses, and breakers are good to go. PERFORM A FULL-BLOWN TRAILER INSPECTION: Check the lights, the trailer’s structural condition, brakes and brake fluid if applicable, and of course, the bearings. Although disassembling the bearings is fairly time-consuming, you can do a much faster spot-check by simply jacking up one side of the trailer at a time and spinning the wheels by hand. If the bearings are in good shape the wheels will spin freely and smoothly. If you hear any clacking or banging or feel resistance while trying to spin the wheel, then you’ll need to open those bearings up, make a closer inspection, and fix what needs fixing. CHECK ALL YOUR SAFETY GEAR: Whether you know it was all in order at the end of last season or have used your boat right along through the winter, a timely safety gear check is a priority. It’s far too easy to forget about the expiration of flares after they’ve sat onboard for three years. The physical condition of your gear counts, too. Throwable PFDs are a great example of why. Everyone needs at least one aboard. If you get checked by the Coast Guard, they won’t merely look at it, they’ll also grab the straps and pull. If the fabric has dry-rotted or weakened with age and it rips, the coasties won’t consider it a valid PFD, and you could be ticketed. This is also a good time to check your first aid kit— even though it’s not USCG-required gear you do have one aboard, don’t you? Make sure the medications in it aren’t old and expired.

Email Lenny Rudow at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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T E X A S

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The BASS University by PETE ROBBINS :: for TF&G and Bass University

Keys to Early Season Lipless Crank Trophies

IFTEEN-TIME BASSMASTER Classic qualifier Todd Faircloth comes from East Texas, a region chock full of lakes filled with aquatic vegetation and big bass. That’s what makes it Ground Zero for lipless crankbait strategies. Therefore, it should surprise no serious fan of bass fishing that the two biggest bass he’s landed came on a lipless crank—one at Toledo Bend in January, the other at Sam Rayburn in October. For consistent big fish action on this versatile lure, however, there’s consistently no better window than February and March. “A lot of people say it’s a ‘dummy bait,’” he said. “Yes, it is good for the novice, but if you know a few tricks you can make it into something better.” His number one suggestion if you’re chasing bigger than average fish is to upsize your lure. In the years that he successfully fished team tournaments with his father, one of them would throw a ½ ounce lure and the other would throw a ¾ ounce model. “Time and time again, nine times out of 10, the ¾ ounce would catch bigger fish,” Faircloth said. “That’s not a coincidence.” Nevertheless, he’ll usually start with the smaller one when he’s searching, then go bigger when he locates a group of them. Obviously, it’s easier to fish the ½ ounce model shallower, in the two to four foot range, and the ¾ deeper, typically in five to eight feet. However if pressed, he’s established a system to fish the heavier version in shallow water by increasing his line size, often all the way up to 25-pound test fluorocarbon. No matter which size he uses, he prefers Strike King’s Red Eye Shad, which runs true and shimmies on the fall. However, he noted that at times he’ll switch from the standard rattling version to the silent or the new 94

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“Tungsten 2 Tap” models. “It varies from day to day, but a lot of times if they’re really pressured, the silent version will get you a few more bites,” he said. It’ll still move a lot of water and have a large presence in the strike zone, but it won’t offer up the negative cue of sound to discourage reluctant bass. He said that the most important lesson he learned fishing the grass-filled lakes of his home region is that “It’s essential for the bait to stay in touch with the cover. The strikes usually come when you rip the bait free from the grass,” he explained. “It’s a reflex reaction strike.” Attaining the proper cadence and line angle forces the angler to walk a tightrope. Too fast and the often-lethargic fish won’t eat the lure. Too slow, and it’ll get bogged down in the grass and fouled up. Even if you don’t have grass, if

Email Pete Robbins at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

Todd Faircloth |

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you can deflect the lure off of a log or dock piling, it achieves the same effect. Red lipless cranks are of course a Texas staple—actually, they’re deadly anywhere in the south. Faircloth has caught his share of monsters on them, but he doesn’t like to throw the same color as everybody else. Although he tends to stick to crawfish patterns in the early part of the year, he’ll move to models that are more orange or chartreuse. His general rule of thumb is to go bold in dirtier water and more translucent in clearer water. No matter which size or color he uses, Faircloth prefers an EWG or O’Shaughnessy style hook. “The fish have a lot of leverage to them with this style of lure,” he said. “These hooks tend to pin the bait to the fish so they don’t have so much leverage.” Fortunately, fish tend not to jump in colder water, but the second he feels one coming toward the surface he’ll get his rod angle down low, and even kneel on the deck of his boat to keep them from trying any acrobatics. Most of all, if you want to avoid losing these fish, he advises that you “don’t rush it. A lot of people lose big fish because they rush the process.” He fishes his Red Eye Shads on a CastAway Todd Faircloth Signature Series “Big T Shallow Cranker” (Model SKX-TFSC), a 7 foot, 2 inches medium-heavy stick rated for lures up to one ounce. It has a gradual bend that he believes keeps fish buttoned even during a long and arduous fight. Atop the reel seat he mounts a Shimano Curado (7.2:1 gear ratio) spooled up with Sunline Sniper fluorocarbon, most often in 16-pound test, but as noted above he’ll go up to 25-pound test to get a big bait to stay shallow. The line’s thin diameter still allows his lure to wiggle and rattle without restrictions. If you want to learn more of Todd Faircloth’s winning secrets, be sure to check out his full seminar video by subscribing to www.bassu.tv.

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The Practical ANGLER by GREG BERLOCHER | TF&G Contributing Editor

The Adaptable and Affordable Spinnerbait

ACK WHEN I WAS A YONker, I tried my hand at competitive fishing, entering a few tournaments hosted by The Texas Aggie Bass Club. My parents paid for my tuition, as well as room and board, but trips to the Dixie Chicken and fishing tackle were exclusively on my nickel. My financial resources for discretionary purchases were slim, and I eyeballed a new lure long and hard before making the decision to plunk down several hard-earned George Washingtons. Spinnerbaits were one of the most affordable lures you could buy back then; and, more often than not, the lure I bought featured a rubber skirt and dangling silver or gold blades. Spinnerbaits are still one of the most affordable and effective baits. Here are a few tips to help increase your odds of catching more largemouth bass with them: Often called safety pin lures, spinnerbaits come in a wide assortment of weights and colors, and come adorned with a wide variety of dangling blades. It is conceivable to have 100 different spinnerbaits in your tackle box and not have any duplicates. Spinnerbaits can be customized in a myriad of ways. If you fish areas that receive a lot of pressure, go for a new look. Buy 20 different colored replacement skirts, take them apart, and then create new skirts with new blends of colors. Experiment with the size, shape, and color of your blades. I have taken permanent markers and added dots, stripes, and zig zag patterns to my blades. This winter, I bought some doll eyes at the craft store and epoxied them onto the heads of some of my favorite spinnerbaits. The bass will tell you what they like. When you discover that special look the fish like, don’t give away your secret.

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So much has been written about Colorado, Willow, and Indiana blades, I will abbreviate my comments on the subject. Colorado blades are more circular, creating more resistance, thereby slowing your retrieve. Colorado blades also put out more vibration. If visibility is low, anything you can do to advertise—such as maximizing the vibration of your lure or slowing your retrieve down so a bass has time to eyeball your lure—is a good thing. Regardless which blade type you choose, there is a common denominator that can’t be overlooked if you wish to be successful. The blades on your bait must rotate to be effective. A shimmering spinnerbait looks deceptively simple as you pull it to and fro through the water with your rod tip, but the blade(s) will stop turning in certain situations. Each shape has hydrodynamic tendencies, and they spin when the lure is retrieved within a certain speed range. If your lure goes too fast or too slow, or is hauled up from the depths at a certain rate, the blade(s) won’t revolve around the shaft as designed. Keen attention to your lure will help you remedy this problem. Spinnerbaits pulsate as they move through the water, emitting a pleasing vibration that is transmitted all the way to your rod tip. Any change in the rhythmic pulses signals either a strike, a snag, or the blade has stopped rotating. You can choose to be reactive or proactive dealing with this issue. I prefer the former, twitching my rod tip every 10 seconds or so to ensure the blade is free of possible debris, and to encourage it to rotate freely. The split second hitch in the lure’s get-along often provokes a strike. If your lure is getting the cold shoulder, change retrieves before you change lures. Spinnerbaits can be fished at any speed, |

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from dead slow to roadrunner fast. Keeping your bait within eyesight is another of my favorite techniques. It is fun to run the bait up on the surface where it might draw a thunderous strike, but occasionally largemouth bass prefer a more subtle approach. Retrieving your lure six inches to a foot under the surface, improves its visibility against a morning sky. Keeping the lure within eyesight ensures it is running just under the surface. The weedless nature of a spinnerbait allows them to be retrieved through all manner of inhospitable tangles and snags. When targeting a likely looking stump or blowdown, cast a few feet past the spot where you think Mr. Bucketmouth is holding. The extra distance allows the blades to start spinning before the spinnerbait enters the strike zone. My last tip won’t help you find more fish, but it will help you land a few more. Trailer hooks dramatically increase the percentages of a hookup, especially if the fish are “short striking.” If you don’t have all your spinnerbaits rigged with trailers, keep a package of hooks in your tackle box and add them when you hit the water. Hook technology has improved dramatically over the last several decades; however, as good as new hooks are out of the box, banging them into rocks and against logs will take a toll on a needle-sharp point. If you are fishing heavy cover, test the sharpness of your hook periodically and, when needed, touch up the point with a hone. Regardless whether you’re a college student watching your pennies or a titan of business, spinnerbaits are still easy on the wallet and produce great results.

Email Greg Berlocher at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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2/9/17 11:21 AM

Texas GUNS by STEVE LAMASCUS | TF&G Shooting Editor

America’s Favorite Round: the .30 Caliber

MERICA GOT INTO THE .30 caliber game in 1892, when the U.S. Army adopted the .30 U.S. Army, also known as the .30-40 Krag, to replace the old .45-70 black powder round. The .30-40 ushered America and the U.S. military into the bolt-action/smokeless powder era. This was two years before the introduction of the Winchester Model 1894, and three years before the introduction of the .30 WCF, or .30-30. The .30-40 was our Army cartridge for only nine years. In 1903 it was replaced by the 1903 Springfield and the .30-03 cartridge. This released a large number of military .30-40 Krags to the civilian market. For a number of years the .30-40 was a popular hunting cartridge; and the Krag rifle is one of the slickest operating bolt actions ever made. The original load for the .30-40 was a 220grain round-nosed bullet at 2,200 feet per second, much more powerful than the .30-30. This was perfectly capable of handling any game animal in North America if the range was kept short. Other American .30 calibers of the early smokeless era were the .303 Savage and the .30 Remington. Both of these are practically clones of the .30-30. Since the .30-30 has been written about for well over a hundred years. There is nothing I can add to the issue, so let’s just skip it and go on to the next .30 cal., the .300 Savage. The .300 Savage came along in 1920. It was, basically, a .250 Savage necked up to .30 caliber and was chambered in the wonderful Savage Model 99. Actually, it was originally intended to push a 150-grain bullet to the same velocity as the .30-06. Since the .30-06 of that day fired a 150grain bullet at 2,700 fps, the .300 Savage came

very close. Factory loads show a 150-grain bullet at about 2,650 fps and a 180 at 2,350. These velocities can be increased some by careful handloading for a strong, modern bolt-action. With the 150-grain bullet, the .300 Savage makes a very good deer round. I have shot whitetails with the .300 Savage and find it perfectly capable at ranges up to about 250 yards. The heaviest whitetail I have ever killed was taken with a .300 Savage. I have always wished I could have weighed that behemoth. I believe it would have come perilously close to 300 pounds live weight. I know it was considerably larger than another buck I shot that weighed 207 pounds. Loaded with a 180-grain bullet,the .300 Savage is a capable moose round if the range is not more than about 150 yards. It is a very good round for the beginning deer hunter, with its mild recoil, .308 caliber bullet, and good energy. I once had a nice Remington Model 722 in .300 Savage and wish I still had it. Next we step up to the .30-06. As mentioned above, the .30-06 was originally the .3003. The 1903 version used a 220-grain round nosed bullet at 2,300 fps. When the Germans found that a lighter weight spitzer (sharp pointed) bullet had much better ranging qualities, the U.S. made some slight changes to the .30-03 round. Loaded with a 150-grain spitzer at much higher velocity, the great .30-06 was born. Since that day in 1906, the .30-06 has been one of the most popular hunting rounds in America, and possibly, the world. It has undoubtedly taken every species of game in North America, and again, possibly, the world. It is still one of the best all-around calibers ever invented for non-dangerous game. Teddy Roosevelt used it in Africa with perfect satisfaction. With 220-grain solid bullets, T E X A S

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Eleanor O’Connor killed her elephant with a .30-06. One famous hunter said that with 220grain soft points it was superior to the .405 Winchester for charging lions. But, I believe, that is taking it far out of its proper place in the hunting world. When the U.S. military changed from the M1 Garand to the M14, the .308, or 7.62 NATO, was born. It does almost anything the .30-06 will do, but with a shorter cartridge. However, the .30-06 still out-paces the .308 by 100 fps with any bullet weight, and more than that with bullets of 180 grains or more. One thing the .308 has going for it is that it appears to be more inherently accurate than the .3006. This, however, is measured in fractions of an inch and is inconsequential to the hunter. The .308 is a wonderful deer cartridge. With 150-grain bullets at 2,800 fps, or 165grain bullets at 2,700, it has all the power and range needed for about 99 percent of all deer hunting. With a 180-grain bullet, it is also an elk cartridge, if the range is kept to less than 200 yards. Another advantage it has over the .30-06 is that it can be built into a shorter, lighter rifle. This is a consideration if you are intending a long backpack hunt into one of the wilderness areas. The .30 calibers are, except for a couple of Russian rounds, purebred Americans. In my newest reloading manual, I count 12 current beltless, non-magnum, American .30 calibers. In addition to the above. Among them are .30 Carbine, .30 T/C, .300 Whisper, .300 AAC Blackout, .307 Winchester, .30 Remington AR, and .308 Marlin Express. In Europe, the 6.5, 7, and 8mms are more popular, but in America, the .30 caliber is king, and I see nothing on the horizon that threatens its crown. Next month we will look at the .30 caliber magnums.

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Email Steve LaMascus at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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2/9/17 10:34 AM

Texas TESTED Whitetail Hunter Cossbow

The Whitetail Hunter proved to be incredibly accurate.

THE WHITETAIL HUNTER CROSSbow by Barnett is one high quality deadly machine. The camo pattern on the stock of this crossbow adds to the powerful look of this firearm. I found it very easy to assemble and mounting the powerful 4x32 scope was a breeze. After shooting this beast a few times, I realized that it is so accurate that I decided to only shoot one bolt and then retrieve it. When I shot two bolts, they were touching

Assembly and scope mounting were a breeze.

This Barnett Crossbow shoots bolts at 340 feet per second and only weighs just over 6 pounds. It has a draw weight of 160 pounds, making it extremely accurate out to 50 yards! All in all, this is one bad machine…and I

each other! Now THAT is impressive. The Whitetail Hunter has a smooth feel upon firing, unlike some other crossbows and comes with an adjustable shoulder butt. This assures a nice secure fit and will be comfortable for any hunter. 98

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mean that in a good way! I can sum this up in three words…I loved it!

—by LOU MARULLO

PHOTOS: LOU MARULLO

2/8/17 1:32 PM

Industry INSIDER The Shoot for Coop THE SHOOT FOR COOP CLAY Pigeon Fundraiser event is held during the spring in Marble Falls, Texas. It began in 2015 as an attempt to make and endow enough money in the Cooper Ray DeSpain memorial Scholarship fund, to award two Marble Falls High School seniors a $1000

stant void. Each member of our little family grieved very differently, but out of our grief, the Shoot for Coop was born. The first shoot was just six month after our loss. A committee of friends and family was created and these amazing people are still involved and helping today with the event planning. Among our small committee, we had zero experience in fundraising events, however, we researched other events, sold raffle tickets, received donations galore, and it all came together in an enormously successful way. We made enough money in that first year to endow the funds

and $500 for new sponsors who would require a banner to be made. Last year we were able to give scholarships to two Marble Falls High School graduates, two Burnet High School graduates and one Johnson City graduate. The recipients applied and had to meet certain requirements, one of which included a 500 word essay. We also gave four scholarships to Camp Peniel, a week-long Christian Youth camp that Cooper attended and enjoyed each summer of his short life. These were given to incoming sixth graders who otherwise might not be able to have such an

college scholarship each and every year. The first and second year were both abundantly successful. Since that time we have given a total of 11 scholarships to deserving young people in the name of Cooper Ray DeSpain in order to allow his memory to thrive and grow in our small community. On August 8, 2014, our son Cooper lost his life in an ATV accident at the young age of nine. Our family was but a shell of what and who we once were. When a parent loses a child we all seem to share the common fear that our child will be forgotten as the world continues to move forward, leaving only the immediate family to feel the con-

so it would be guaranteed to last our lifetimes. The outpouring of donations was completely overwhelming. We were given rifles, deer feeder, custom made knives, shotguns just to name a few. The shooting event itself was a great time. There were 4 man teams at 13 shooting stations with a shot gun start. The entire round took about 2 hours with a round in the morning and one in the afternoon. Outstanding Texas barbeque is for sale throughout the day as well as raffle drawings and a live band. Mens teams are $500 and women and children are $250. Sponsorships are $250 for repeat sponsors,

amazing camp experience. All of this would not be possible without the outpouring of love from our community. We are truly blessed in our small hill country home. The event this year is set for March 18, 2017 at Hidden Falls Adventure Park, Marble Falls, Texas. If you are interested in participating or sponsoring, please contact us via email at shootforcoopmarblefalls@gmail.com. You can also call David at 830 798-4623 or visit www.shootforcoop.com.

PHOTOS: CRAIG LUSINGER

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â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Pat DeSpain

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2/8/17 1:32 PM

Fish and Game GEAR Flambeau Turns Tail on Turkeys

trolled decoy movement. Here’s the perk: no electronics, no noise, and no batteries means all natural “tomfoolery.” Read and respond after a quick 30-second setup to the body language of an approaching longbeard cam-actuated body rotation and a full range of fantail positions. Pull the string from your position in cover and the fantail slowly rises as the body simultaneously rotates. Release

THE MAD ANSWER TO UPPING THE game against springtime toms. The simple, reliable pull-string operation of the new Spin-N-Strut allows you to now entice a gobbler to come pick a fight through conSpin-N-Strut’s tail raising action is manually (and silently) controlled.

the tension and the decoy resets. It’s one thing to grab the attention of a roaming gobbler with a hen call, but to seal the deal, the Spin-N-Strut motion ramps up the realism of the trap you’re trying to set to a whole different level. The call brings them in close, the Spin-N-Strut coaxes them in for a final bout. The only difference between the Spin-N-Strut and the bird now in your sights is a heartbeat. Includes high-definition synthetic fantail and the option to use your own real fantail. MSRP $169.99.

Fin-Wing is Reshaping the Spoon THERE’S SOMETHING TO BE SAID for reliability, especially when it comes to lure performance. For decades, the casting spoon has been one of the most trustworthy. The wobble and flash will always cause fish to believe they’re on the threshold of an easy baitfish meal. Knowing this, every inshore angler worth a salt carries at least a representative selection. One of the most proven and versatile saltwater casting spoons is the Fin-Wing from Keweenaw Tackle. Because of Fin-Wing’s inimitable scooped shape and wide profile, the patented spoon can fished in multiple ways. For one, the Fin-Wing can be retrieved slowly, imbuing hang-time, keeping the bait in the strike-zone longer, letting fish dial-it-up for a charge, not to mention summoning nearby fish that would have gone completely untapped by a fast moving – and sinking – conventional spoon. This hovering capability is especially in the shallows where a standard spoon of its size would be snared in the oysters in a second. Another Fin-Wing phenom-

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2/8/17 1:33 PM

PHOTO: JASON HALFEN

outdoorsmen. Their innovative new TrackLock ultrastrong locking mechanism (patent pending) was created by FirstEdge to provide fast, safe one-hand opening and closing with ease. The rugged 5-1/8-inch handles are coarse-textured black G10 for a sure grip, and the knife weighs 5.9 oz. Actually, to meet hunters’ preferences, it is available with a choice of manual, assisted opening or fully automatic. The solid 3-1/8-inch drop-point blade is .132” thick and comes with a choice of plain edge or partially serrated. It’s flat-ground and has a black oxide finish. Superior quality ELMAX stainless steel is heat-treated to an ideal Rockwell hardness of 60-61 for reliable service. It has extremely high wearresistance, maximum corrosion-resistance, high compressive strength and dimensional stability that maintains size and form under heavy use. Sharpness obviously is a critical quality, and ELMAX steel provides that two ways. ELMAX blades hold an edge far longer, so there is no need to stop in the middle of a vitally important use to apply a new edge. Retail prices of the FirstEdge TrackLock Tactical Hunter range from $275 to $325.

Fin-Wing is a uniquely shaped spoon.

First Edge TrackLock

enon is its subsurface appeal. As desperately as inshore anglers want to taste a topwater bite, sometimes that just isn’t happening. The typical backup program involves pitching a jig. Retrieved at the right speed, the Fin-Wing flounces just below the surface, throwing flash and vibe like a salsa dancer. So sit on that jig for a while and let the FinWing shake its hips below the surface. A symbol of American ingenuity and hard work, the Fin-Wing design has been catching fish of all stripes since 1948. Today, the lure is the pride of Keweenaw Tackle Company; built in the Copper Country to the same rigid standards as the handmade original, using only the highest-quality materials and superior long-lasting finishes. Find out more and see the lure in action online at www.keweenawtc.com. TrackLock Tactical Hunters

Superior ELMAX Steel, Innovative TrackLock MAKE FIRSTEDGE TACTICAL HUNTer a winner! To be sure all of their knives meet the rugged demands faced by tactical/ survival knives, FirstEdge started with the unmatched quality of ELMAX steel for the blade. This same advantage is now offered in their new TrackLock Tactical Hunters, designed for hunters and other

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Texas TASTED by BRYAN SLAVEN :: The Texas Gourmet

Venison Beef Bourguignon

HIS RECIPE APPEARS DIFficult but is actually fairly easy to make and tastes wonderful. It’s a great way to enjoy back strap with friends and family. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we have. A good Petite Syrah goes well with this dish.

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon good olive oil 8 ounces Applewood smoked bacon, diced 2 1/2 pounds chuck venison back strap (you can substitute with top sirloin)cut into one-inch cubes Texas Gourmet’s Riverbed Steak Seasoning Freshly ground black pepper 1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks 2 yellow onions, sliced 2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves) 1/2 cup Cognac 1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine 1 can (2 cups) beef broth 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried) 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 pound fresh pearl onions 1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced For serving: Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

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Directions: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate. Dry the venison or beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with Texas Gourmet’s Riverbed Steak seasoning (or just salt and pepper if that is all you have). In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside. Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper into the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat

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and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork. Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the onions. Sauté the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste. To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley. Bon Appetit!

Email Bryan Slaven at bryan@thetexasgourmet.com

PHOTO: BRYAN SLAVEN

2/9/17 10:40 AM

Outdoor DIRECTORY Guides & Outfitters

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COMING SOON: NEW TF&G APPAREL SEE WWW.FISHGAME.COM

NOW AVAILABLE www.FishandGameGear.com T E X A S

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

Problem Varmints: a Solution to Cabin Fever

HIS IS MARCH, AND BY NOW deer season is a distant memory or a recurring nightmare! It depends how your season went. For me, it keeps me up at night if that tells you anything. In my neck of the woods, at least for me, the whitetails were pretty elusive. And I was not alone. Most of my friends had the same sad story. The places that produced deer in previous years have not been the same for the past two seasons now. Not only is it time to locate a new place to hunt, but we also need to find out what happened to the deer population. Being both a bow hunter and a hunter safety instructor, I have had many meetings with the conservation officers. During these meetings, I have asked what has happened to the population of deer. I have been given many different answers ranging from bad weather years to just plain old bad luck. However, when I bring up coyotes, they simply shake their head and say there is no coyote problem. I disagree. With more and more coyote sightings and fewer hunters actually hunting these varmints, I personally think there is a real, growing problem and one that needs to be addressed immediately. A good friend of mine, Nathan Jones, who once had his own hunting TV show called Wild Extremes, once filmed a six-point buck running under his stand being followed by a group of coyotes hot on his trail. It was winter, and the lake had frozen over. Nathan explained that he heard a terrible commotion not far from where he was, and he thought the worst. He investigated and discovered that the buck had run out onto the ice and lost his footing. Needless to say, the deer suffered a horrible death. 104 |

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Some television shows let us see a shot taken near dusk. The hunter chooses to let the deer lie, and he will track it in the morning. Sure enough, when morning arrives he finds his nice big buck, and the TV show has a great ending to a fantastic hunt. Unfortunately, that is not the way it works for all of us. I know that if I choose to look for a wounded deer the day after a late evening shot, I will find only a partial deer that has already been dinner for many coyotes. Something needs to be done…and now! After deer season is over, it seems as if varmint hunting is the perfect solution to cabin fever. So how do we hunt these critters? I can tell you this, if you are looking for a hunting challenge, then give coyote hunting a try. These wary beasts are not the easiest animal to hunt. Although they can be seen during the day, the more they are hunted, the more nocturnal they become. Not long ago I had the opportunity to hunt varmints with Ken Swenson on his ranch in South Texas. He explained to me the importance of scent control. Much like during deer season, we used Scent Killer Gold from Wildlife Research Center and sprayed that not only on our clothes, but also on our backpacks and blind and anything else we brought with us. It is imperative that you do everything you can to keep your scent hidden. Always hunt with the wind in your face but sometimes coyotes will circle an area before coming in. That’s the reason for the Scent Killer spray. The most common call used for coyotes is an animal in distress call. A crying rabbit coupled with a moving decoy is perfect to lure in a hungry coyote. That doesn’t mean you will have an easy shot. The action will be quick and you must be ready at all times. It will not take long for |

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these smart animals to figure out your set up and leave faster than they came in. Some of my friends in New York have told me tales of horribly cold and long winters. That means the starving coyotes are searching for food, and they seem to respond to a call quicker. I have to tell you, however, that when you hunt in those harsh conditions, it is difficult at best to sit still with the cold north wind in your face in sub-zero temperatures. No sir… not THIS child. I might have hunted them when I wore a younger man’s clothes, but not anymore, at least not in the extreme cold. Here in Texas, our harsh winters, for the most part, are left for the panhandle. One thing is for sure, if we get any snow, it tends to be more of a powder and coyotes do not like to hunt in those conditions. They will be found in the woodlots and will be a little easier to hunt. Or you might have luck hunting on the edges of a woodlot where the coyotes can see their prey from the darkness of the forest. As I said earlier, once they realize that their dinner is not real, they will be gone in a flash, so be ready. As with any game you hunt, make sure of your target AND WHAT’S BEYOND! Also, you should try to get an animal to stand still for a second to make a humane shot. I am asking all hunters who agree the coyotes are getting out of control, to take some time during the early spring to hunt some varmints and help take care of this problem. Turkey season is fast approaching, and it might be good to note that coyotes like turkeys, too. Just a little “food for thought.” Good luck and I hope the hunting gods are with you this entire year. Have fun and hunt safe out there.

Email Lou Marullo at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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2/7/17 4:42 PM

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

OC SURVEYED THE HUNTing Club members seated at the large round corner table in Doreen’s 24 HR Eat Gas Now Café. “Well Rev, now that you’ve joined us in retirement, what do you want to do?” I held my empty coffee cup aloft. Doreen snorted, stomped across the café and poured refills for everyone. “I’m doing it.” We raised our cups in a toast. Doreen thumped the pot on the table. “You’re all retired. For the past thirty years, you’ve complained that you want to take trips, go fishing, go hunting, but you haven’t had any time. Now you’re all free and you’re sitting around here talking.” We raised our cups in another toast. She stomped back to the counter, muttering under her breath. As a group, we sighed, smiled, and looked out of the window. I sprinkled a few grains of salt into my cup to cut the bitterness. “We could go fishing, I guess.” “Good idea,” Willie said. “Where do you want to go?” “How about Lake Fork?” I suggested. “They should be biting,” Doc said. We thought about Lake Fork for a few minutes. Doc cleared his throat. “We could drive up to Lavon and maybe catch some crappie.” “Sure would taste good,” Jerry Wayne said. We thought about frying crappie for a few minutes. “Didn’t that guy say he wanted to take us fly fishing on the Brazos?” I asked. Willie nodded. “He said to call him when we were ready. He’s giving us a half off price because the water was so bad the last time.” “So there’s another idea,” Woodrow said. “But I’d kinda like to go camping. Why don’t we get the trailers, I’ll pull my boat, and we can go to a state park on a lake somewhere.” We considered state parks. Wrong Willie went out to his truck and returned with a map.

“ “Why don’t we go somewhere farther away?”

“

Decisions

“Why not?” she sighed. Everyone ordered, and we studied the maps until our food arrived. We folded them up and dove in. Half an hour later, Doreen cleared the table and the maps returned. Doc worked a toothpick and leaned back. “I like not having to be in a hurry about this, boys. Gone are the days when we had to leave on a Friday and come back Sunday night. Now we have options.” “Why don’t we go somewhere farther away?” I suggested. “Let’s head up to Colorado for a week. The weather will be cool and the crowds are still about two weeks away.” “Huzzah!” High fives all around. We celebrated with T E X A S

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more coffee, much to Doreen’s consternation. “Wait,” Willie said. “We’ve been wanting to retrace old Route 66. Let’s just pick up the highway west of Oklahoma and head west through New Mexico and Arizona?” “We can do that,” the Cap’n said. “We can take our time and enjoy the trip. No return deadlines.” More maps arrived and we traced dim, long forgotten routes. Phone calls. Schedules were considered. Funds were estimated. “More coffee, please?” I asked Doreen. She complied and we expanded our horizons. Finally, four hours later, we were exhausted. “Let’s pick it up here tomorrow,” Doc suggested. “We have all the time in the world to plan our trips.” With that plan in place, the boys left. I folded up my map as Doreen watched from behind the counter. She frowned. “Is it going to be like this from now on?” “What do you mean?” “You guys can go anywhere you want whenever you’re ready, but y’all spent all afternoon in here trying to make a decision about deciding where to go. Is this what I have to look forward to?” I thought about it for a minute. “Yep. We can take our time, and do what we want, because we’re retired.” “Aren’t you going to do something? Anything?” “Like I said, we’re doing it.” She must have been real happy about the news. Because she teared up as I left with a promise that we’d be back for breakfast, and more planning.

We spread it out on the table, tracing highways and pointing toward various state parks. “We can leave the state if we want,” Doc suggested, thinking out of the box. “How about southeast Oklahoma or Arkansas? We don’t have to be back on Monday. We’re free.” Freedom was a pleasant thought. “We can be gone as long as we want,” Jerry Wayne announced with satisfaction. “The wives won’t care,” Woodrow said. “They’ll probably be glad that we’re going,” the Cap’n said. He isn’t officially retired, yet, but he’s the boss and can do what he wants. We studied the weather for a few minutes. It was perfect weather for fishing or camping. I waved toward Doreen. “I’m getting hungry. Would you bring me a burger and fries?”

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Email Reavis Wortham at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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WHITETAIL Freer Austin Champion shot his ﬁrst deer while hunting with his Grandpa Champion and Uncle Richard near Freer.

CATFISH Stillhouse Hollow Five-year-old Wyatt Sapien and six-year-old Wyatt Lincoln from Florence caught this 15.76-pound channel cat on a trotline at Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir near Belton. Their biggest so far.

BASS McDade Emilie Baratz of Round Rock caught this nice bass while ﬁshing a stock tank on her grand-parents Liz and Robert Nelson’s place in McDade.

WHITETAIL Sabine County Twelve-year-old Justin Womack bagged his ﬁrst deer, this nice nine-pointer, while hunting on private land with his grandpa Doug Womack.

SPECKLED TROUT Redﬁsh Bay

CATFISH Caddo Lake Fourteen-year-old Esau Powell, eleven-year-old Jonathan Holland and four-year-old Grayson Holland started off their annual Caddo Lake Memorial Day Trip pretty well, catching this stringer of catﬁsh.

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Tate Heard caught his first keeper trout in Redfish Bay on a fishing trip with his dad, Neil Heard (pictured with Tate), “Papa” Vincent Heard, and Uncle Allen Heard.

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REDFISH Galveston Clark Groom caught bull redﬁsh off the banks of Texas A&M University at Galveston on Pelican Island. The red was 45 inches in length and weighed 48 pounds. Gig ‘Em!

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2/8/17 4:13 PM

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Twelve-year-od Ayden Womack of Danbury shot this 6-1/2-year old, 8-point at 97 yards while hunting on the TJ Moore Ranch at Del Rio. It was his ﬁrst buck.

Mason Cottingham caught this 41-inch bull red while ﬁshing with his dad and brother at the Galveston Jetties.

BASS Falcon Lake Bobby Clark caught this bass while ﬁshing from a kayak on Falcon Lake. He was using a Lockjaw jig on his 13 Fishing Envy Black rod.

FERAL HOG Bellville Colton Pfeffer made a head shot at 100 yards to take down this big hog while hunting at Bellville.

ALLIGATOR Chambers County Lane Van Deventer is pictured on his ﬁrst alligator hunt. This gator was 7 feet, 11 inches. It was shot in Chambers County during the 2016 Alligator season. Jeremy Watson sent the photo in.

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