Texas Fish & Game June 2017 by Texas Fish & Game

VOICE OF THE TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

Statewide

Hog Sanctuaries?

June 2017 | $3.95

The Long Arm of

Texas Game Wardens The Lure of the

Texas Surf

Quality Specks

Under The Birds

Catching ★ Fish & ★★ in a ★ Roadside

Fun ★★ ★ ★

★

Gully

Texas Tentacles:

Octo-Fest in the Gulf

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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.

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ARDIA NEVES

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VICE PRESIDENT/ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

EDITOR IN CHIEF

C O N T R I B U T O R S

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

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(281) 869-5511 TEXAS FISH & GAME (ISSN 0887-4174) is published monthly by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC., 247 Airtex Dr. Houston, TX 77090. ©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, 247 Airtex Dr. Houston, TX 77090. 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, 247 Airtex Dr. Houston, TX 77090. Address all subscription inquiries to TEXAS FISH & GAME, 247 Airtex Dr. Houston, TX 77090. 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

JUNE 2017 Volume 34 • NO. 2

Contents FEATURES

THE LURE OF THE SURF An open beach of clean sand, and the push of green tide, and the wheel of excited gulls are an undeniable draw. Answering this surf siren call is as easy as throwing a few items in your vehicle and going.

by Joe Doggett COVER STORY: Gully Fishing

GAME COPS

The author’s daughter, u ten-year-old Faith Moore, gets ready to fish a roadside gully near her home, where her father once fished with his own dad. As this story shows, simple beginnings can unleash big dreams in young anglers.

Story and Cover Photo by Chester Moore

Charged with protecting the multitudes of wildlife and other natural resources and policing 3 milllion people who hunt and fish in 254 counties, game wardens are the longest arm in Texas law enforcement.

by Matt Williams

HOG SANCTUARIES? Hog hunting is highly restricted or banned outright on millions of acres of state and federal land in Texas. No wonder we have a hog problem.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

by Chester Moore

Trout Under the Birds The easiest way to catch u speckled trout in Texas bays is to look for gulls diving over the shrimp and shad chased to the surface by feeding specks. Just don’t expect to catch a 30-inch monster. You can, however, target quality trout under the birds.

TEXAS TENTACLES Octopus populations in the Gulf? Absolutely. Studies in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, 115 miles southeast of Galveston, have documented several species of these eight-legged sea creatures.

by Chester Moore

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by Chester Moore |

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Inside FISH & GAME

Contents (continued) COLUMNS

by ROY and ARDIA NEVES TF&G Owners

AST MONTH, IN OBSERVING OUR 33RD ANNIVERSARY, we didn’t really get into the motivation for starting TEXAS FISH & GAME. We did tell its origin story, starting as part of a weekly newspaper that served the outdoors rich area in Central Texas known as The Highland Lakes. While this future monthly magazine was incubating, our day jobs were focused on covering the government and civic institutions, businesses, major and routine events, and the other day-to-day incidents, accidents, accomplishments and embarrassments that define communities and the lives of their citizens. All that, while we worked to fund our efforts by soliciting advertising support from those same community sources. In our case, there were three separate communities and a large swath of unincorporated area filled with resorts, ranches and residential developments in between them, including Lakes Buchanan, Inks, LBJ, Marble Falls and Travis—The Highland Lakes. THE HIGHLANDER—the paper’s name, strategically missing a town designation—was based in Marble Falls, from where it covered news in that city plus the cities of Burnet and Llano—county seats of the two counties that straddled The Highland Lakes—and everything in between. News reporting was accented by a lively, opinionated Editorial Page. Even in that small town setting, politics was a dominant presence and THE HIGHLANDER was right in the thick of it, by a factor of three. There were other newspapers in each of the county seats, and they tended to be of the local booster variety—never rocking the boat. We rocked it continually, always shoving truth in the faces of those in power. As a reward, THE HIGHLANDER had the largest circulation of any weekly newspaper in Texas at the time, even though half our readers were mad at us on any given day. This, not surprisingly, generated constant tension. It got to be a real grind when half of the people we dealt with on a daily basis were hostile. But then, we had this fun little diversion we were cooking up that highlighted the other, brighter, side of our communities: our fishing and hunting publication. When we launched TEXAS FISH & GAME as a statewide magazine in 1984, and then when we sold THE HIGHLANDER and went full time into outdoors publishing, the opportunity promised relief from the grinding hostility fostered by local politics. Or so we thought. Federal red snapper regulations. High fence deer operations and the whole deer breeding industry. Speckled trout limits. Crossbows versus “traditional” bow hunting. “Poisoning” feral hogs. Live versus artificial bait. Gun Control. Any action taken by Texas Parks & Wildlife. Even in The Great Outdoors, there was no escape from politics. But this is our community now, and as before, we’ve chosen to take the “truth to power” route instead of being Kool-Aid drinking boosters. Of course, this has sometimes caused the water around us to boil. At times, our coverage and editorial positions have generated angry, vindictive reactions from those covered or from those whose opinions collided with ours. While the vast majority of readers either agreed with us or have been civil in expressing their opposing views, some have not. It amazes us that such hostilities have been sparked over something that is officially classified as “recreation,” and we’ve had to deal with everything from angry letters and cancelled subscriptions to threats of legal action. We once joked to one of our more opinionated writers that the agent who sold us libel insurance held his breath every time he read that writer’s work—but then he would take a swim in his large new pool, which our premiums helped pay for, and he would relax. It was funny because it was (mostly) true. Good thing we can take a joke.

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T E X A S

Nugent in the Wild 86 by Ted Nugent

Pike on the Edge

by Doug Pike

Commentary

TF&G Political Commentator

TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

DEPARTMENTS

Doggett at Large 8 LETTERS by Joe Doggett 84 TEXAS TF&G Senior Contributing Editor TF&G Editor At Large

by Kendal Hemphill

Texas Freshwater by Matt Williams

TESTED INDUSTRY INSIDER FISH AND GAME GEAR TEXAS TASTED OUTDOOR DIRECTORY TF&G PHOTOS

STATE SECTION

TF&G Freshwater Editor

Bare Bones Hunting

by Lou Marullo

TF&G Hunting Editor

Texas Saltwater

by Calixto Gonzales

TF&G Saltwater Editor

Texas Boating

by Lenny Rudow

TF&G Boating Editor

Practical Angler by Greg Berlocher

TF&G Contributing Editor

Bass University by Pete Robbins

Special Correspondent

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Texas Guns

by Steve LaMascus

44 GULLY FISHING 48 TF&G REPORT 48 TEXAS HOT SHOTS

50 TEXAS DEPT. OF DEFENSE

52 TEXAS DEPT. OF CONSERVATION

TF&G Firearms Editor

54 TEXAS COASTAL

Open Season

64 TEXAS FISHING

by Reavis Wortham

TF&G Humor Editor

FOCUS

HOTSPOTS

72 PRIME TIMES

www.FishGame.com

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

by Chester Moore

TF&G Editor in Chief

Political Animals

Editor’s Notes

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LETTERS to the Editor All About Hog Poisoning

where near being able to control or reduce the feral hog population in Texas. The feral hogs are far too prolific reproducers for hunting or the hog butchering industry to impact the population. I read and hear their side of the feral hog equation, but their ideas of hog control simply is not and will not control or reduce the hog population. For the greater good of mankind, the Kaput Feral Hog Lure may be an effective method to control and reduce our feral hog population. If I read the information in your article mentioned above, the warfarin dosage is very low in the Hog Lure and the low dosage reduces the impact on other wildlife that may consume some of this lure. I am totally familiar with warfarin because I was on the drug last year for health reasons. I had to make weekly tips to the medical lab to ensure that I was at proper dosage. I also believe that very little in life is irreversible. Try the hog lure and track its results to determine if it works as advertised. If it works, leave it in place until such time as the feral hog population is stable, or remove the product from the market if the collateral damage is out of control. This is my opinion and my two cents worth on this subject.

IF LANDOWNERS WOULD ALLOW access to their land to hunt these hogs, then hunters could stop the advance of hogs. Instead, some landowners are using the hogs’ advance to gain wealth from hunters by charging high fees. Why should I pay $300 to $1000.00 just to kill a hog? Heck, I can go to the grocery store and get pork for a lot less money. If landowners really want to get rid of their hog problem, then allow some hunters to hunt hogs for free on their land.

M. Burrell THIS E-MAIL IS IN RESPONSE TO the HOG-ageddon article in the latest issue of your magazine (April 2017). First, I am a longtime outdoors person, fishing, hunting, and conservation. My introduction to feral hogs was being run up a tree in the Trinity River bottoms while squirrel hunting many years ago. Back then we referred to the feral hogs as piney woods rooters, nasty buggers they were and still are. Over my life I have witnessed the constantly growing feral hog population not only in Texas, but also in the majority of US states. If my memory serves me correctly, in the not so distant past feral hogs were responsible for an e-coli contamination in California spinach fields which lead to the death of more than one person. I have read numerous articles and watched numerous TV programs on the attempted control of feral hogs and the many diseases they carry and transmit to the human population. Feral hogs in the United States are out of control and measures so far and the various and sundry methods to control the feral hog population is not working. Hog hunters and the fledgling wild hog butchering industry does not want any type of chemical feral hog control. I do not see either of these two activities coming any8

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Ron Miller AS A LANDOWNER WITH A HOG problem I am interested in anything that can help control the hog population as long as it’s safe and does not have any serious side effects. The article I read in your April issue, while it said that warfarin has been studied since 2008, did not state any side effects or what collateral damage it could cause to the deer population or other wildlife. Without more information with actual statistics and side effects I would not be willing to try it on my property.

article, “Hog-ageddon,” here is my opinion. As a fourth generation Texan and previous landowner, I sympathize with the destruction of property by hogs. As a consumer of what I harvest whether plant or animals, my 70 years of experience leads me to side on the fact that Americans are forced to consume more chemicals than we would voluntarily choose to consume if the choice were given to us. Here again is government intervention as the sole authority, as if big government has all the answers and every program they implement is successful. NOT EVEN CLOSE. Americans have become the largest social experiment in mankind’s history. Whether it is pharmaceutical drugs, food, politics, business, families, religion, immigration etc. You name it, government has screwed it up. Why would this be different? More poisons in the food chain we, as hunters, have depended on as toxin-free and as healthy as we can consume is now going to be contaminated, and where does it end? Do I have the answer? NO, but adding MORE government, chemicals and poisons to the last “pure” food availabile is definitely NOT the answer. Wake up Americans, big government is NOT on your side and is NOT your answer for everything. Leave the last of what is pure and untouched for future generations to choose to consume as a legacy of wiser decisions, like marketing wild meat for consumer consumption, a choice as a healthier option and creating a large market: greater demand = less hogs. Ya think. Keep up your great work TF&G.

Byron Terral

Sam Hopper I AM A DEVOTED FOLLOWER OF your mag. I also share the passion for hunting and fishing. Concerning your April 2017 |

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Email your comments to: editor@ﬁshgame.com

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

The Return of Ursus Americanus to Texas

HE TRACKS WERE SO FRESH I expected to see their maker appear at any second. Nearly as wide as my two hands combined and nearly as long as my foot there was no doubt these were left by a very large black bear. I kept my camera ready, as any encounter would be up close and personal. In a remote area of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in northern California, I was at a stretch of river where huge boulders lined the shores, creating a rugged maze. It was wall-to-wall granite with the ground being a mix of smaller rock and sand. The tracks that ended at a huge flat outcropping led me close to the river. The view was stunning and I took time to savor the moment but my quarry remained elusive. An hour later I found myself a few hundred yards above this location. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught slight movement. Through the binoculars what looked at first like a bush turned out to be a black bear standing as if something had caught its attention too. I am not sure if it was the same bear whose tracks I had followed. Perhaps it had caught scent I left behind but one thing is for sure. The chill that ran down my spine at that moment reminded me of why I pursue wildlife and on this occasion wildlife might have very well been pursuing me. 10

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After all, I was in this majestic animal’s domain. Ursus americanus is the most abundant bear on the planet with an estimated 600,000 scattered throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. They are a true wildlife conservation success story but not all is well. Parts of their historic range are devoid of bear while some others are starting to see the first sign in decades. Texas is a prime example. Ursula americanus eremicus, the Mexican black bear, is protected from harvest in Mexico and over the last two decades they have been spilling into Texas from the Sierra Del Carmen Mountains. Most of the population is centered around Big Bend National Park but there are verified bear sightings and road kills near Alpine and also as far east as Kerr County. In fact, bear sightings in the Texas Hill Country have increased dramatically in recent years. One even paid fisheries biologists at the Heart of the Hills Hatchery near Ingram a visit. A similar yet less documented return is hap-

pening in East Texas where black bears from Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma are crossing the state line. Most of these are subadult males searching out mates and in most cases they are striking out. We did however verify at least one denning mother in Newton County dating back several years. These are Ursus americans luteolus, the Louisiana black bear, an animal designated as a threatened species since 1992 under the Endangered Species Act but recently moved off of that list due to reported population increases. Consider me one. Over the years I have written dozens of articles and broadcast many radio programs promoting bear restoration in Texas. I have found this position slightly controversial at times but by and large most people have been very supportive. You see when people learn to understand bears they respect them and when they respect them they do not mind sharing the woods with them. Bears represent wildness and this writer will never forget the wildness I felt looking over the picturesque landscape in northern California and seeing that huge, stunning bear. That’s the kind of encounter that leads me into the woods and will continue to do so. Let’s hope there are many more opportunities to encounter bears throughout America and even in my home state. Their return has already begun. Let’s do what we can to help them along. We have created a new poster. If you would like a PDF version to print and send out, email cmoore@fishgame.com. We would be glad to provide you with one.

Email Chester Moore at cmoore@ﬁshgame.com

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PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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

Stinger Shock

Several friends were hit while wading near me, including one guy in the surf who stepped on one of the big Gulf stingrays. The barbed spine tore into his calf, knocking him off his feet in waist-deep water. He yelled and thrashed. My first reaction was that a shark had grabbed his stringer. The wound was terrible, requiring a year to properly heal. Now it was my turn for the whip to come down. Or up, as the case may be. I was surfing—bad luck there since I don’t even surf that much anymore. Paddling a 10-foot Malibu shooter with an AARP card in one hand and a Medicare card in the other becomes increasingly difficult. The incident occurred near the Surfside Jetty, near Freeport. The water was green, and the surf was breaking in clean lines about 100 yards off the beach. I caught a nice wave and got a decent ride. I hopped off the board and prepared to go back out. The idea along the shallow sand bottom of the Texas coast is to push the board into, say, waist-deep water before paddling. You walk beside the board, holding it near the tail and pointing the nose straight into the rolling whitewater. As each inshore wave hits, you push the buoyant board up and over the tumbling rubble and more-or-less hop forward. This technique works well at advancing the board, but it is contrary to the defensive stingray shuffle. Each hop brings a bare foot plunging down from nowhere. On the third or fourth hop, my right foot brushed the back of a stingray cozied into the sand. Zap! They don’t call ‘em “stingrays” for nothing. An electric shock exploded through my foot and up the calf. I slid onto the board, unmindful of the rolling whitewater and lifted my leg onto the deck. Blood pumped from a stab wound on the inside of the heel, and it burned like fire. The puncture didn’t look like much, maybe 1/8th of an inch across, but I had no idea how deep it was or whether the serrated spine had broken off inside. I paddled to the beach, grabbed the board and limped toward the Surfside Jetty Park park-

IME AND TIDE FINALLY caught up with me. After more than 50 years of “pushing green water” while wade fishing and surfing, I was hit by a stingray. Over the years I’ve had several near misses with the dreaded “male flounder.” Back when high-topped Converse tennis shoes were standard issue as part of the soggy uniform of the day for Gulf Coast wade fishing, I was working through thigh-deep water near Port O’Connor. I felt the violent flurry and brief bump of a sizeable fish take off from the soft bottom underfoot. Nothing happened; no pain. Back in the boat, I noticed an inchlong slice in the side of the canvas shoe near my arch. A ray’s barbed spine had whipped past, missing the ankle by a fraction. Another time, I was wading across a small cove behind the Chandeleur Islands. The calm water was about knee deep and clear. As I looked ahead, I was horrified to see the sand bottom was littered with stingrays—yes, southern stingrays, not cow rays. I could see six or eight nastylooking saucers within my cone of vision. I have no idea what prompted such a concentration, but I was less interested in the communal patterns of rays and more concerned with the old plight of the fat rat. I didn’t want the cheese anymore; I just wanted my foot out of the trap. I shuffled toward the bank, stirring a righteous mud cloud and sweeping the rod tip back and forth like a mine detector. A ray flushed with a ripple of wings every few yards, but I reached the beach unscathed. 12

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ing lot. As I went, I left a reliable trail of red splotches across the sand and up the granite rocks and across the paved lot. Stinging, pulsing pain radiated up my calf as I loaded the board and fumbled for the vehicle keys. I was alone, not totally unusual on a day trip to the beach, but not a very smart idea. I had no first aid kit in the SUV—a rookie mistake for any beachgoer. The foot was really hurting. I debated calling 911, but that sounded a bit dramatic so I committed to driving the 10 or 12 miles to medical aid in Lake Jackson. A beach towel folded on the floorboard provided a measure of cushion. Twice on Highway 332 I felt dizzy and lightheaded—again, driving was not a wise move. I pulled over each time for several minutes and regrouped. Fortunately, traffic was light, a smooth flow to Lake Jackson and the Brazosport Regional Health System. The emergency room attendant saw my awkward gait, pained face and bloody towel. “Stingray? We’ve seen several this week.” He put me in a chair, and within minutes a nurse brought a pail of hot water in which to soak my foot. The pain stopped. Heat applied directly to the wound is, truly, the best first aid for a stingray hit. It somehow neutralizes the venom. Of course, you don’t know how “dirty” the stab is. A doctor X-rayed my foot and pronounced the wound clean, with no pieces of spine imbedded. All the initial bleeding probably helped flush the channel. With a bandaged heel and an antibiotic prescription for Doxycycline Hyclate, I was on my way. I believe the official report was “Puncture Wound of Foot; Marine Envenomation.” Several days later, the stab stopped draining and healed with no infection. The summer season is underway. Beachgoers and bay/surf waders should pay attention and shuffle whenever possible. I was lucky. But, finally speaking as a blooded veteran, I can say you don’t want any part of even a minor stingray hit.

Email Joe Doggett at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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

Teach the Children Well

I always ask them why they didn’t reach out to the presumed leaders of our sport like the Boone & Crockett Club, Pope & Young Club, Ducks Unlimited, SCI, DSC and so many others. Every time I ask this question I get the same answer- they never heard of any of these organizations. Ever! So much for so called leadership. Here is one of many examples of the tragedy of the scourge of political correctness that has removed nature from the American so-called education system. It is important to note that on some very rare occasions, and I do mean rare, the truth about hunting, fishing, trapping, resource stewardship and conservation is taught to children in a school here and there, and to those brave educators we offer a sincere thank you.

RANT AND RAVE AND RAISE AS much hell as I possibly can all the time here there and everywhere about how critical it is in this crazed culture war against all things America that we who know better dedicate ourselves to always do all we can every day to maximize the good while we hammer away at the bad and the ugly. For more than 40 years now I author numerous pieces each month for various sporting publications, newspapers, magazines and social media blogs around the country and continue to conduct media interviews pretty much every day throughout the year. I consider such action and participation in this sacred experiment in self-government to be my clear and present we the people responsibility. Nothing evil loves more than apathy and its open door to unleash their lies, hate and evil ways. As we prepare for our 27th annual Ted Nugent Kamp for Kids charity events in Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado and South Dakota this summer, there is nothing in this world more exciting than watching young kids across America take their first shot with a rifle, fling their first arrow and learn the real world nature lessons of tooth, fang and claw, sustain yield, wildlife habitat carrying capacity, honest to God conservation. In my never ending crusade to bring this conservation reality to the youth of America, I have always reached out to young people with a full-on unapologetic, dare I say, Gonzo Rock-N-Roll energy and believability that clearly resonates and connects with them. Grade-school kids, high-schoolers and college age young men and women have reached out to me for many years to find out what makes this gung-ho old guitar player click with the Spirit of the Wild outdoor lifestyle.

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This Q and A will shed some light into the otherwise impenetrable darkness: Senior Project by Jaxson Kirkland, age 18 School: Jesuit High School Project Topic: Nature Conservation & Hunting …I have listened to many hours of interviews Mr. Nugent has given. I greatly respect his point of view. Q: Please describe when and why you started hunting and fishing. Who taught you and as you first learned how to hunt/fish, was there an emphasis on hunting conservation?

A: My pure, raw predator instincts were ignited along the banks of the Rouge River in Detroit from my earliest years. Born in 1948 to a father already following in the footsteps of the great Fred Bear, the mystical flight of the arrow took hold of me immediately and expanded each year of my life. Kid’s bow and arrow sets and Whamo slingshots quickly morphed to yew longbows and eventually Wing, Bear and Shakespeare recurves. Hunting adventures and FUN SPORT MEAT TROPHY pure predator lessons on squirrels and river rats along our Detroit neighborhood Rouge River wildlife kingdom expanded to annual family |

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bowhunting safaris “Up North” and the life changing introduction to Fred Bear, and as they say, the rest is history. My extreme fascination with wildlife, wildness, bowhunting and my dedication to the healthiest diet available to mankind today is more exciting than at any time in my 68 year American Dream. Q: There seems to be a point of view that hunting is just the sport of killing; why do you think this is? What is your personal stance on hunting animals just as trophies? (where there is no beneﬁt/use for their meat or fur, such as giraffes).

A: The mere tragedy that a student in an American school is so clueless as to presume we don’t eat giraffes pretty much says it all. I dare you to name an animal that is legally hunted that is wasted. It was we hunters who wrote these laws to demand genuine respect and utility of these sacred renewable resources. It is criminal that the vast majority of media and academia has intentionally spread these vile lies about hunting and hunters and verily soulless that anyone allows themselves to be so gullible and politically correct to allow such antiscience propaganda to sink in. Hunting, fishing and trapping isn’t just the ultimate positive conservation and environmentalism, but truly a timehonored lifestyle for tens of millions of American families. Not only do we demand that our precious wildlife remain in the asset column, but the annual harvest balancing the herds also provides many billions of dollars into the American economy each year. The rewards of course is the healthiest, most nutritious, renewable, organic and delicious protein known to mankind. Sacred venison fuels my life and oh what a spectacular life it is. Write this down- we have more deer, turkey, geese, cougars and bears in North America than ever in recorded history and more moose, elk and grizzly bears than in over 100 years due SOLEY to the game department supporting revenues of hunters, fishers and trappers. Hunting = healthy, thriving wildlife. Know it. CONTINUED ON PAGE

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

Fake Fish News

OTE TO THOSE WHO POST photos with exaggerated and erroneous information attached: Cut it out. A while back a photo was forwarded my way by a friend. The bold subject line read: 40-inch trout. The text beneath alleged that the fish came from Baffin Bay, which is believable. There was no identification of the two young men in the shot, one of whom held that big speckled trout. And it was big. No doubt about it. And getting bigger with every electronic forwarding of the photograph, apparently. Within 48 hours, I’d received the photo several times. As had some friends in the coastal-guiding business. One of them noted with a laugh that the first time he got the email, the fish was claimed to be 38 inches. By the fourth or fifth, it had grown to 42 inches. My friend Mark Nichols, founder of DOA Lures down in Stuart, FL, even called. “Is it true somebody over there caught a 40-inch trout?” Nichols asked. “I got this picture…” “Nope,” I replied. He sounded relieved. The truth of it, I’m confident, is this: Somewhere in Texas, probably Baffin Bay, a young man fishing with at least two buddies caught one heck of a speck-

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A: We as hunters, ﬁshers and trappers truly cherish, demand and intensely manage and ﬁnance a healthy, balanced environment that produces the strongest game populations in recorded history and the resultant quality air, soil and water for all living things that is produced from this sacred habitat we invest immeasurable sweat equity and hard earned private dollars in beyond anyone’s imagination. We pay for the network of wildlife agencies across America.

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tions and even the rare, outdoors-friendly television station – I know of at least one remaining in Texas – and tell my story to anyone who’d listen. And I’d make darned sure that a real photographer showed up to get real photographs back at the dock where I launched…presuming I were too far from the dock for a photographer to meet me right there where I caught the fish. A couple of friends at Clear Channel questioned whether the photograph – latest in a growing string of “monster trout” shots distributed in recent years and all of which were quickly debunked – had been altered to make the fish look larger than it really was. I don’t think so. It’s a huge trout, and I won’t deny it a millimeter of its actual length, whatever that was. But it’s not three feet, four inches of teeth and fins and tail. Not even three feet. That doesn’t diminish the greatness of the fish or the fortune of the man who caught it. The only fault in this and similar cases lies with the first person who “doctored” the accompanying text and tried to turn a great thing into an implausible thing. If I ever meet the young man who caught that fish, I’ll shake his hand and applaud his incredible catch. And unless he volunteers the information, I won’t even ask how long it actually was. He might not even know, exactly. And it doesn’t matter. It’s a great trout, and even a knucklehead jokester can’t make it anything less.

Q: Do the hunting foundations, of which you are a member, emphasize conservation while hunting?

tion, National Wild Turkey Federation, The Mule Deer Foundation, Whitetails Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, Quail Unlimited, The American Grouse Society, Pheasants Forever and so many others have raised billions and billions of dollars from hunters to safeguard, rehabilitate and reclaim precious wildlife habitat for game, nongame and endangered species, all the while perfecting the origins of our air, soil and water quality, unselfishly. This is all unprecedented. Meanwhile, animal rights groups have done nothing to beneﬁt wildlife, while they feebly attempt to end this perfect system of environmental upgrade. Truly a modern curse against nature and mankind.

A: Quality air, soil and water, quality of life itself, comes from healthy wildlife habitat, which is the foundation of the modern hunting lifestyle since we hunters halted the indiscriminate commercial slaughter more than 100 years ago. It has always been ﬁshermen and waterfowl hunters who discovered tainted waterways and wetlands. It is hunters who sound the alarm when sacred wildgrounds are abused and wildlife habitat is compromised. We walk and negotiate this sacred wild ground and we so cherish it all on a physical, pragmatic, utilitarian and spiritual level that we refuse to allow the abuse. Again, hands-on conservation is the ultimate monitoring process by which a healthy ecosystem will be maintained. Hunting organization like Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, North American Wild Sheep Federa-

Q: What are some ways that you contribute to conservation of nature when hunting?

led trout. One fishing partner got to stand behind the extremely fortunate angler, and the other got to snap the picture. The guy who caught the beast had every reason to smile, but he’s not smiling because he caught a 40-inch speckled trout. He and his friend are both grinning because neither of them ever had seen a trout so long – and may never again see one of equal or greater length. Guessing, and that’s all it is, the fish is in excess of 30 inches but short of 34 inches. It’s a pig. A fat pig. And anyone who says otherwise is wrong. But it’s not 40-inches. Here’s how I know. First, nobody’s come forward publicly to claim being either of the fishermen in the photograph and set the record straight. My thought is that they’re a tad embarrassed by it all, but they shouldn’t be. They should, in fact, be congratulated for landing such a magnificent fish. The angler has done, at a fairly early age, what an overwhelming majority of fishermen (who target speckled trout every time they leave the house with rod-and-reel in hand) never will do. I’m increasingly impatient with people who are first to throw something like this onto the Internet and simultaneously frustrated with those who would believe the hoaxes. A 40-inch trout? Really? Second on my “here’s why it’s fake” list is omission of the angler’s name. If I caught a 40-inch trout, I’d write my name in Sharpie across my chest and on the fish, and I’d make sure both scribblings were plainly visible in every photo. I’d call newspapers and magazines and radio sta-

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Q: In your words, when is hunting/ﬁshing not conservation? A: When bureaucrats interfere due to pressure from animal-hating, nature-hating scam artist animal rights gangs and science based hunting

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

Zero Intelligence

HERE HAS TO BE A POINT where we draw the line. A place where we, as a nation, decide we’ve had enough of the bullying, name-calling, and harassment. Sooner or later we have to stand up to the ridiculous insanity that has taken over our schools, and demand that administrators be held accountable for the harm they’re causing our children with their insane ‘zero tolerance’ policies. When I was a sophomore in high school, about 1976, I took my .22 rifle to school one day, to use as a prop in a play. No problem. My principal and several teachers saw the gun, and didn’t complain. If one of my sons had taken the same rifle to the same school he would have been expelled. Granted, taking a gun to school might not be the best idea these days, since attitudes have changed and many parents seem incapable of teaching their children proper behavior. And yes, that problem lies with the parents. It is not the school’s responsibility to teach kids not to shoot one another. A child’s education is the sole responsibility of his or her parents. A school is a tool the parents can use to help educate children. If a kid doesn’t learn, don’t blame the teacher. Blame the parents. Every time.

is compromised forcing tax paid “sharpshooters” to clean up the mess caused every time antihunting freaks get their evil ways. Q: How does hunting play a vital role when it comes to an animal going extinct? A: There were a few dozen California condors when the hippies decided to “protect” them, and only a few thousand wild turkeys when hunters decided to manage them by hunting based on clear sustain yield science. All these years later there are still only a few dozen condors but we now have tens of millions of wild turkeys. You go ahead and pick your favorite management system and I will tell you what kind of person you are. Only a short 30 some years ago the magniﬁcent African White Rhino was on the verge of extinction due to habitat loss for agriculture demands to feed starving people, out of control wanton poaching and the insanity of animal rights goof-

Most of today’s parents, however, have turned the job of educating their kids over to the school. School administrators, in turn, have decided their job is to raise kids, since parents are unable or unwilling to do it. If parents don’t care to raise their own children, and are content to allow the local school to do it for them, they are welcome to do that. The problems arise when good parents try to raise their children as they see fit, and the school interferes. When that happens the school is wrong. Every time. Kristy Jackson and her husband, of Collinsville, Illinois, seem to fall into this category, along with Hunter, their son. With a boy named Hunter, it seems apparent that the Jacksons are probably passing on an outdoor heritage to their child. So it should come as no surprise that Hunter recently showed up at his preschool, ‘A Place 2 Grow’ in Troy, IL with a brass casing from a spent .22 cartridge to show his friends. Hunter had previously been reprimanded, multiple times, for using various toys as “pretend” guns. When a teacher saw the inert, entirely safe .22 casing, Hunter was in trouble. He was sent to the office of Mallory Lengermann, director of the preschool. When his mother arrived at the school to pick up her son she was met by a ‘stone faced teacher,’ according to Kristy Jackson’s Facebook post about the incident. The teacher told Hunter’s mom that he had brought a ‘shotgun bullet’ to school. The administration of A Place 2 Grow is probably typical of people in such positions, since they

claim to advocate education, but refuse to learn even the most basic facts about firearms. There is no such thing as a ‘shotgun bullet.’ Shotguns don’t shoot bullets. In fact, Hunter had not brought a bullet to school, but only part of a cartridge, and not a shotgun cartridge. There was no powder, no primer, nothing dangerous about the casing. I would be willing to bet that, if I were to look in Ms. Lengermann’s purse, I would find several items far more detrimental to health than an empty brass casing. Hunter was suspended from preschool for seven days, and his parents were told that if his unacceptable behavior continued, he would be expelled indefinitely. In other words, Hunter is welcome at A Place 2 Grow, as long as he doesn’t act like a normal, typical 4-year-old boy. Hunter’s case is in no way unique. A 5-year-old girl in North Carolina named Caitlin Miller was recently suspended from school for playing with a stick that resembled a gun. A Denver, Colorado 5-year-old was suspended for bringing a toy bubble blowing gun to kindergarten. We could list many more incidents, but suffice it to say the insanity is epidemic. School administrators will continue to display zero intelligence in regard to firearm rules until parents demand that they grow up and educate themselves. Everyone wants their children to be safe. No one wants their kids to be discriminated against, especially when they’ve done nothing wrong.

balls banning hunting in many areas. When corn and beans are more valuable than rhinos, agriculture wins and rhinos loose. When the self-inﬂicted scourge of political correctness obscures science, logic, reason and truth, denial cultists can claim animals somehow have rights in between the BBQs, feeble people are scammed, hunting is banned, and there are no more revenues to pay for game departments or game wardens, so the poachers have at it.

way to balance life between humans and animals?

Q: What is your explanation on animal rights vs. animal cruelty? A: Animal rights is a money grabbing, soulless, illegal scam. They accomplish nothing to improve the care or condition of wildlife. Animal cruelty is already a crime and should be enforced, prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law.

Q: Do you believe that hunting animals is God’s

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A: When you are forced to upgrade your level of awareness to out maneuver wild game’s miraculous omniscient radar, it doesn’t take long to admit that our sustenance must be earned and revered. These animals that reproduce annually for us to eat, clothe, shelter and heal us represent the miracle of God’s creation that only fools dare deny. One has to gut a deer but one time to realize how amazing this miracle is. Hunters genuﬂect at the altar of God and His miraculous, cherished creation every day. Thanksgiving is celebrated every day by hunting families. “Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the ﬁeld, and take me some venison;” Genesis 27:3.

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Story and photos Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air. —Ralph Waldo Emerson THE SURF BECKONS. IT ALWAYS HAS, SINCE my earliest years in fishing. An open beach of clean sand and the push of green tide and the wheel of excited gulls are an undeniable draw on the salt-scented southeast breeze. This is the essence of wildness. Some of my first angling adventures occurred while wading the beachfront, and the Texas surf remains one of my favorite fishing experiences. A great appeal is the solitude of wading out and facing the moving Gulf. Everything bad in your life is left

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behind, and a rich horizon waits ahead. There’s nothing out there honking or clattering or jamming to compromise the moment. There is a special satisfaction in laying smooth casts across the restless water—and a real thrill when a speckled trout jolts the rod. Fish just seem bigger on the outside bar. This feeling never grows old. I don’t go as often as I once did, but it’s still there. I recently felt the tug of the surf and decided to pull the trigger on a solo afternoon run. This spontaneous quick draw is one of the pleasures of beachfront fishing. No hassles, you just toss a few necessary items in the vehicle and go. Pick an easy drive-to the access point and wade out. With the exception of the occasional wreck or washout,

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by Joe Doggett the open surf of hard sand bottom is all pretty much the same. Schools of predatory fish tend to move laterally, following bait, and any random stretch can produce. The important factor is to coincide your go-out with a moving tide of fishable clarity. I’ve always preferred the mornings, especially during the heat of summer, but you go when the surf is right and the siren calls. So I loaded my “Beach Tahoe” and departed my Houston home at 3 p.m., aiming to coincide with a strong incoming tide. An hour or so later I reached Surfside Beach. The first glimpse across low saltgrass dunes revealed white lines of small breakers foaming on the bars between the green guts. That initial sight of “trout water” always has had a risky impact on my accelerator foot. You want to get out there quick, before the tide gets funky or the

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dreaded southwest cranks up and stirs sandy chops. I turned on one of the scrabbly gravel access roads about halfway to San Luis Pass—no particular reason other than beach traffic usually is sparse along that stretch. One rusted truck was parked here; another two or three far up the way. I drove the hard-packed ruts slowly, looking for birds or bait. Instinct or impatience caused me to stop. Several rafts of finger mullet drifted through the inside swells and scattered birds milled overhead—nothing absolute but positive indicators. I grabbed my time-honored essentials—heavy leather wading belt with pliers and knife, 10-foot cord stringer with float, and a ratty straw hat festooned with “killer baits.” An old Stearns life jacket fitted with pockets to hold extra gear completed the grab-and-go ensemble. &

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A 7 1/2-foot casting rod with a gold spoon is a good start for a surf outing.

the venerable spoon can be fished fast or slow, high or low, and the wobbling flash provides more come-here amid the rolling waves and washing foam. Finally, the proper spoon with its single hook is reasonably safe when hand-grabbing a thrashing fish. Plugs are excellent on big trout but the multiple sets of trebles can be risky against a close-quarters fumble amid crashing, churning breakers. I stepped into the shore wash and pushed through the shallow gut to the second bar. Mullet and minnows scattered like shards of bright shrapnel through the swells. I started toe-hopping to reach the outside bar—bobbling and bouncing, the old “Gulf Coast Two Step.” Recurring whitewater marked the shelving bottom ahead. The gut was chest deep, then shoulder deep before I reached the

I prefer a 7 1/2-foot casting rod in the surf; the extra length is less apt to drift low on a chest-deep backcast and hit the water or, worse, snag the trailing stringer. It also provides a wider strike arc when “raring back” to set the hook amid turbulent conditions. The rod was fitted with an expendable casting reel spooled with 14-pound mono. I say “expendable” because rough-and-tumble surf soaking is no place for a new top-shelf model. Attached to the terminal line was a three-foot length of 30-pound mono shock leader. Finesse is not a big issue in the brawling surf. As is often the case, I elected to start with a 3/4-ounce gold spoon. The compact metal spoon has superior ballistics when punching into the prevailing onshore wind—and the open surf is one venue where covering water is a plus. Also, 20

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relative security of the shallow bar. I checked the reel drag and made several casts to test the free-spool tension, then started shuffling left-to-right to gain a favorable angle across the southeast wind. The glittering spoon arced out, dropping with a clean plop amid the swells. The rhythm was good, the cadence of the casting was positive. You get in a groove and you know it’s going to happen. I fired another shot, then turned sideways to hop a breaking wave, then spun as a firm pull yanked down the rod tip. A fine speckled trout shook at the surface. I screwed my feet into the sand and leaned back against the solid weight. Playing a “keeper” trout on a long line in the surf is a thrill to savor. You don’t want to rush it; you don’t want to horse a green fish too close, too fast. Keep the trout out there PHOTO: JOE DOGGETT

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until it’s manageable. The trout was 22 or 23 inches. It worked in a slow circle around me, as the good ones often do. The high rod eased the fish closer and the silver sides flashed with bold spots and lavender hues. The open maw was tinged with yellow. A solid speckled trout slicing through a green tide is, truly, one of the most gorgeous sport fish. I regretted leaving the awkward landing net. Tangles or no tangles, hassles or no hassles, the mesh is good insurance on fish that matter. The abrupt push of a breaking wave knocked me into a stumble. The trout made a head-shaking flurry against the weight of the metal spoon and the cursed hook pulled free. Well, nothing’s perfect. During the following hour I caught 9 specks, one or two here, then 10 minutes later another farther along, that sort of session. And, of course, several strikes were missed. I strung six fish, none as large as the first, but all between 16 and 19 inches; in fact, all 9 probably could have been kept on the 10-trout upper coastal limit but with no accurate tape handy I was wary of the 15-inch

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minimum. Another wave broke and I turned sideways and leaned into the advance of foam. Several casts later the wading belt felt lighter. The stringer was gone, plucked from the metal belt clip by the passing wave. There! The cork was bobbling about 50 yards closer to the beach. At least the incoming push and prevailing wind were carrying it in the right direction. I reeled up, pinned the spoon to the reel, and started backpedaling to the beach. Now, with the tide approaching full, the inshore gut was overhead—never a reassuring feeling. I held the rod high in the left hand and began sidestroking with the right, giving an occasional kick with the wading boots and trying to keep the straw hat above water. A chop hit my face and the flotation vest rode tight against my shoulders as I bobbled and kicked. An eager toe found the sand after stroking 20 or 30 yards across the lateral current. I scrabbled onto the inshore bar and forged through the foam to retrieve the drifting stringer. I turned and gazed at the open Gulf. The afternoon sun was low and the water was

turning gray and gold, somehow unsettling in the fading light. They were still out there beyond the recurring lines of surf, riding the currents and slashing at the baitfish. But the stringer was secure and the dry beach was close and, yes, I was a bit spooked. The gagging chop didn’t help. A short swim is nothing for even a semicompetent dog paddler, but getting tangled in tackle amid frantic flailing can create problems. Quit while you’re ahead and wade out a winner, old-timer. I shouldered the flapping string and retreated to the vehicle. Pressing solo into the open Gulf maybe isn’t the smartest idea. The “buddy system” certainly is safer but what can I say. Now and then the solitude of the surf beckons. A string of six decent trout perhaps is a minor achievement against a day on a tricked-out guide boat, but there is quiet satisfaction in going alone and wading out and doing it yourself. And the outside bar is, literally and figuratively, as far as you can go.

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ORKING IN ANY BRANCH OF LAW enforcement is a dangerous way to earn a pay check, but for those who don the badge of a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game warden the inherent risks of crossing paths with trouble extend in just about every direction imaginable. That’s not to say a game warden’s job is more dangerous than any other officer who is sworn to protect and to serve. However, it’s a heck of a lot

different because their duties are so large in scope and sometimes lead them down bizarre trails to unthinkable situations. Game wardens are commissioned to protect Texas’ vast wildlife, fisheries and other natural resources. Additionally, they also are responsible for policing about 3 million people who hunt and fish in 254 counties that range in size from 286 to nearly 6,200 square miles.

Game Wardens, the Longest Arm in Texas Law Enforcement story by Matt Williams

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much less the law. The latter can be particularly taxing when the chase leads to an area so remote that it is impossible to communicate via radio or cell phone. Calling for back up isn’t an option when that happens. Like many of Texas’s 500 plus game wardens, Grahame Jones knows those dangerous situations and others that game wardens are sometimes faced with all too well. Jones is a 25-year veteran game warden who began is career in Tyler County in southeast Texas. He now heads up Special Operations for TPWD’s Law Enforcement Division out of the agency’s Austin headquarters. “It makes no difference whether you are dealing with a group of poachers in a remote area at night or working search and rescue or a recovery in swift water, things can get really dicey out there in a hurry,” said Jones. “The geographic location combined with the weather and other elements can certainly complicate things, too. “Game wardens sometimes find themselves alone in a very remote place, sometimes in rough terrain with no ability to communicate by radio to the local sheriff’s office and with

The job title also means enforcing water safety laws on public waters, the Parks and Wildlife Code, all TPWD regulations, the Texas Penal Code and selected statutes and regulations applicable to clean air and water, hazardous materials and human health. On top of all that, game wardens respond to natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes and tornados, perform searches for missing persons and drowning victims. On top of that, game wardens assist other state and federal agencies including the U.S Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Border Patrol with special border security operations. Shifts don’t exist in this business, and there is nothing routine about it. You never know from one day from to the next whether you’ll be in the woods or on the water, or what you’ll be doing while you’re out there. One morning you’re conducting license or boat safety checks on an area reservoir. A few hours later, you’re on the heels of deer poacher, not knowing if you are dealing with a youngster in need of an attitude adjustment or a career crook with a nasty rap sheet, several outstanding warrants and zero respect for life,

TPWD’s Memorial Plaza THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF TEXAS

poacher was apprehended, convicted of murder and executed in the electric chair. • Claude Keller - Was killed in a plane crash in 1956 while patrolling the Laguna Madre for illegal netting activities. • J.D. Murphree - Was murdered by a duck poacher in Jasper County in 1963. The murderer was apprehended, convicted of manslaughter and given a prison term. • Joe Evans - Was killed in a car accident while patrolling in Young County in 1965. • Lloyd Gustin - Drowned on Somerville Lake in 1968 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat he was riding in capsized and sank. • Ronnie Germany - Was murdered by a poacher in San Augustine County in 1973 while patrolling a remote river bottom area. The poacher was caught, convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to prison. • James Daughtrey - Was killed in a head-on collision with suspected night hunters while patrolling near the Nueces

Game Wardens who died in the line of duty, and the circumstances surrounding their deaths, according to TPWD’s website: • Joe Williams and Harry Raymond Both ofﬁcers washed away in a hurricane in 1919 while trying to reach their boat RELIANCE in Aransas Bay to put out more anchors. • Dawson Richard Murchison - While patrolling for poaching activities on the King Ranch in 1938, was murdered by a poacher near the site currently known as Murchison Lake. The lake is near the county line between Kleberg and Jim Wells counties. The murderer ﬂed into Mexico and was never brought to trial. • R.M. Wynne - Was killed in a car accident near Amarillo in 1948. • Gus Engeling - A warden and a biologist, Engeling was murdered by a duck poacher in Anderson County in 1951 near the current site of the Wildlife Management Area which bears his name. The

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very limited cell phone service. A lot the time they are on the water. Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for Texas game wardens, and we take water safety very seriously.” Donnie Puckett of Lufkin agreed with Jones regarding the inherent dangers that game wardens face in the field on daily basis. Puckett is a retired TPWD Captain game warden who spent his 30-year career in Angelina County. He has seen the occupation’s dark side more than once. Two of the wardens he worked with—Barry Decker and Bruce Hill—tragically drowned while patrolling after dark at Lake Murvaul in Panola County on Memorial Day weekend in May 1990. The officers were thrown from their boat when it hit a stump. “We’ve had other game wardens murdered by night hunters, killed in head-on collisions and murdered on the side of the road while trying to help somebody out,” Puckett said. “What’s the most dangerous part of the job? It’s all dangerous. “You’re a one-person unit. Sometimes you’re dealing with people who are carrying firearms, often

River in McMullen County in 1978. • Barry Decker and Bruce Hill - Both ofﬁcers drowned while on patrol on Lake Murvaul in Panola County in 1990. • Mike Pauling - Stopped to offer roadside assistance in Port Arthur in 2001. A driver sped off with Pauling partially inside his vehicle, and the warden was thrown to the roadway and killed. The driver was convicted of aggravated assault on a public servant. He received 55 years in prison and a $10,000 ﬁne. • Wes Wagstaff - Was killed in a headon collision while responding to an Operation Game Thief call in Hardin County on Aug. 5, 2003.

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in isolated places, where back-up is a long way off. Think about getting into a confrontation with a poacher 20 miles up the Neches River. It could turn into one of those deals where whoever has the biggest stick wins.” Puckett recalled one incident from his tenure when a Houston County game warden was called to a rural location on a poaching call. When the warden arrived at the suspect’s house, he found the carcass of a deer hanging in a tree. Puckett said the violator came out of the house and began shooting at the game warden with a .22 caliber rifle. The warden took cover behind his Dodge Ram Charger, and the violator kept on firing at him and his vehicle. The warden returned fire with a 12 gauge and ended the ordeal. “The list of potential dangers goes on and on,” Puckett said. “The elements and environmental hazards game wardens face while doing their jobs just adds to it. One of my wardens got hit on the boot by a timber rattler, another one got sent to the hospital with a copperhead bite, and another one got Rocky Mountain spotted fever from a tick bite.” There was a time not so long ago in deep

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southeast Texas when run-ins between game wardens and deer/dog hunters went down on a fairly regular basis. The altercations—often heated—occurred because many deer/dog hunters were unwilling to hang up their leashes after the practice of using dogs to course deer was outlawed in 1990. Game wardens were verbally threatened. Some had nails placed in their driveways. One Newton County warden even had his home burned to the ground. Thankfully, the squabbling between dog hunters and lawmen has since subsided. However, the tensions between illegal netters and longliners targeting reef fish, red snapper, red drum and sharks along Texas coast, have not. “The vessels are coming from Mexico, and our game wardens are routinely coming in contact with them,” Jones said. “These people will rarely stop when they are approached. It’s a pursuit every single time. These people don’t want to be stopped, and they use every available means they can to escape capture. They run from us 99 percent of the time, and that means we have to come in contact with that vessel.

“We’ve found bales of marijuana along with loads of shark fins and red snapper onboard these boats, all at the same time. Sometimes our wardens have to jump into the vessel to get it stopped. There’s a lot going on when that happens, and it creates a very dangerous situation.” To illustrate, Jones pointed to an altercation that occurred a couple of years ago in California. It involved illegal netters and the U.S. Coast Guard. “One of these vessels actually rammed into a U.S. Coast Guard vessel, and one of the coast guardsmen was killed,” he said. To date, 18 Texas game wardens have paid the ultimate price, losing their lives in the course of duty. Each death occurred under different circumstances and conditions that exemplify the risks they take when they put on their badge and gun belt each day. TPWD maintains a Memorial Plaza in commemoration of game wardens who died while doing their jobs. A Texas Game Warden Memorial Ceremony is held at the plaza each year to honor those wardens and their families (see the sidebar, lower left).

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

A ‘Classic’ Comeback

to make a run at the trophy. Not even Lee himself. It’s not a wonder he was at a loss for words in the wake of being crowned as Classic champ. “Unbelievable,” Lee said, as Bassmaster emcee Dave Mercer declared him the winner before thousands of energetic bass fishing fans. “I don’t even know what to say,” he added in post-tournament press conference. “I’m a little bit in shock. I can’t believe it. I’m at a loss for words. I thought there was no way, no way going out today I had a shot at winning this.” A long shot? Most certainly. But unbelievable— certainly not. That’s because tournament bass fishing is a sport where the tables can turn on a single decision followed by a handful of casts to a sweet spot with a bait the big ones want to eat. Lee’s win, which culminated at the Astros’ Minute Maid Park, just up the road from the site of Brady’s Super Bowl triumph, came on the heels of a magical final-round performance. Lee showed up at the scales on the tournament’s final day with a massive, five-fish limit weighing 27 pounds, 4 ounces. The monster sack—the largest of the entire contest—helped him leapfrog some the league’s best and grab what many consider to be the sport’s most coveted trophy, plus the $300,000 pay day that came with it. Although Lee’s monumental comeback now ranks as the most remarkable in Bassmaster Classic history, it was also among the most dramatic and unexpected of any Classic victory before it. For starters, Lee only managed to catch three keepers that weighed a meager 8 pounds, 6 ounces during a windy opening round that put him in 37th place among the 52 competitors. However, his luck began to change on Day 2. That’s when he motored to a main lake point where he had caught a few keepers while scouting before the tournament. He checked the point on Day 1 with no luck in the windy, cloudy conditions. With no fish in the live well, Lee said he pulled up on the point at around noon and got a bite on the very first cast. It was a big one, too — a thickshouldered, 7 1/2-pound female that brought an army of giants to the boat with her. “When I was landing that fish, a whole school of five and six pounders came with it,” Lee said. “Right then, I knew something was about to happen—and I caught two more that were both big.”

T’S BEEN SAID MANY TIMES THAT a guy can’t win the Bassmaster Classic on the first day, but he can certainly put himself out of contention with a crappy performance in the tournament’s opening round. In hindsight, Jordon Lee’s stunning comeback victory in the 47th annual Classic held March 24-26 on Lake Conroe casts some serious doubts on the time-tested theory. In fact, it sheds an altogether different light on what it takes to win or lose what many consider to be pro bass fishing’s premier event. Lee’s victory shows that pro fishing doesn’t necessarily discriminate against age or experience, that perseverance is always a virtue, and, most of all, that no hole is too deep to get out of when you get the right bites on Lake Conroe—especially when just about every one ahead of you is struggling to catch a few keepers. A victory on the Classic stage can be a career maker for a guy who plays his cards right. Jordon Lee probably made his career on Lake Conroe thanks to some fourth quarter heroics eerily similar to those pulled off by Tom Brady in Super Bowl Ll against the Atlanta Falcons at Houston’s NRG stadium last February. To wit: Brady chipped away at the Falcons’ secondary one pass at a time, Lee spent eight hours hammering away at Lake Conroe bass one lunker at a time, en route to pulling of off what has since been billed the greatest come-from-behind Classic victory of all time. Classic comebacks are gauged by the size of the deficit an angler faces going into the final round, and the mountain before Lee was a tall one with some heavy hitters with way more experience—and weight—standing in his path. Lee, a second year, 25-year-old pro, was sitting in 15th place, nearly 14 pounds behind two-day leader Brent Ehrler going into the final round. In a nutshell, no one considered the young angler from Grant, Alabama, to be a potential threat 26

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Lee ended the day one bass shy of a limit, but they weighed a solid 21 pounds and moved him up 22 places in the standings. More importantly, the experience boosted his confidence and laid the foundation for a Day 3 game plan that would ultimately play out like the final chapter in a fairy tale book. Lee’s initial plan was to camp on the point all day and milk it for everything it was worth. What he didn’t plan for was his outboard engine going kaput just before he arrived there. In hindsight, the breakdown turned out to be a blessing because it erased any notions, or possibilities, of running around elsewhere if the fish weren’t in a cooperative mood. Instead, it forced Lee to put all his eggs in one basket, hunker down on that single point and grind way. Cast after cast, that’s exactly what he did. For hours, Lee plied the underwater point from every angle imaginable using assorted baits including a Strike King 5XD (citrus shad), a football jig and a Bullworm rigged on a magnum shaky head. Lee didn’t catch a lot of fish that day, but when he did get a bite it was usually a pretty good one. His bread and butter turned out to be the football jig dragged slowly over what he believes was a hard bottom littered with gravel or chunk rock. “I never caught any shells or anything, so I think it was a gravel or a rock bottom,” he said. “It was really subtle. There was no brush. It was just kind of a flat point, and I was fishing probably 100 yards offshore.” BassTrakk, an automated system that posts updates on the Bassmaster website, showed the majority of the field hadn’t caught much, including Ehrler, who had apparently stumbled and left the door open with an estimated weight of 11-8. In fact, only seven other anglers inside the Top 25 had managed to catch limits. Lee, who bagged his fish and hitched a ride to the ramp in a spectator boat, ultimately walked through door left open by Ehrler and sealed the deal with a legendary finish capped by a monster limit Jordon Lee, now the third youngest angler in history to win the Classic crown, saved the very best for last. Just goes to show what can happen when you’ve got some serious mojo in your corner.

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ARFARIN. That was not a word the hunting public was familiar with until a couple of months ago when Texas agriculture officials gave the green light for a warfarin-based toxin to kill feral hogs. Since then a firestorm of controversy has erupted as has been covered on these pages at fishgame.com. Check the letters section for this issue to see just how much feedback TF&G has been getting. That’s only a portion of the emails and social media messages received on the issue. The number one issue raised by most, is access. The majority of comments said in effect that if landowners were truly concerned about the feral hog issue, then hog hunting would be far less expensive. “I saw a program about how hogs were such a menace in Texas and then started looking around for a place to hunt. My assumption was that people would allow you just to come hunt hogs to help wipe them out. Boy, was I wrong! I have always known Texas was a pay-to-hunt state, but I figured with hogs the farmers and ranchers would be glad for anyone to come kill them. The cheapest hog hunts I found were around $500 and they went up to $2,000. That told me the problem must not be as bad as they are reporting.” (John Carr/Ohio) Texas’s Jason Carter said landowners complaining about hog problems and then charging huge amounts to hunt hogs is hypocritical.

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THIS MAP shows key public areas in Texas that are part of the State Wildlife Management Area system, National Park system, National Grassland system, or the Wildlife Refuge system. BLACK CIRCLES indicate areas with some, limited hunting of hogs. RED CIRCLES indicate areas offering little or no hog hunting.

The feral hog problem did not begin overnight, and won’t end that way.

Note the clusters of areas with overlapping locations where hunting is banned or restricted.

public land. Millions of acres of public land in Texas offer zero, to marginal hog hunting opportunities. Among these are national parks, national preserves, national grasslands, state wildlife management areas and state parks. All of them could offer some level of pub-

“People have the right to do what they want with their land,” he said. “However, we hear a lot about hog destruction and then see almost no one allowing free access to hog hunt. In fact, I would say there is almost no one allowing affordable access.” Another hot discussion item has been

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lic hog hunting opportunities, and in fact some do. But for the most part that access is severely restricted. For example, hog hunting is greatly restricted on state-ran wildlife management areas (WMA). That includes the Sam Houston National Forest, which is man-

MAP: TF&G STAFF; PHOTOS: CHESTER MOORE

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aged by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD).Areas of the federally-owned National Forest that are managed in partnership with TPWD include Moore Plantation (Sabine), Bannister (Angelina), Alabama Creek (Davy Crockett), Caddo (Caddo National Grassland) and the entirety of the aforementioned Sam Houston National Forest. In terms of hog hunting restrictions, it’s illegal to bait on any federal land. It is also illegal to bait on WMA land unless an exception has been made on a specific piece of property. The following Q&A is directly from a federal handout on hunting national forest land in East Texas on the aforementioned tracts. Is it legal to hunt hogs with dogs on the National Forest at night? Yes. A courtesy call to the local sheriff would be appreciated. Can you hunt feral hogs at night in the WMA? No. Hunting of feral hogs is restricted to daylight hours only. Can you hunt feral hogs with a firearm in the WMA during archery season? Yes, hog season is open year round‐and you can use all legal means and methods within all the WMAs except for the Sam Houston WMA and Caddo WMA. Sam Houston WMA has the archery only area-—no firearms period. The Caddo WMA has a season for feral hogs. You can only use a bow during archery season for feral hogs. What other restrictions are there on hunting with dogs within the WMA? It is illegal to hunt deer, turkey, and feral hogs with dogs. In East Texas that puts hundreds of thousands of acres of land either off access or greatly restricted to hog hunting, thus giving hogs huge areas that are essentially sanctuaries where they can breed and disperse. When you factor in WMAs all across the state you can see a smaller version of this happening in dozens of areas. In addition, there are thousands of acres of National Wildlife Refuge lands off limits to any kind of hog hunting along the coast.

Controlling hog numbers would mean opening up more hunting opportunity.

Aransas offers hogs to be killed during limited archery-only whitetail hunts, but that is the only federal hog hunting opportunity we could find on refuges along the coast. Most of these areas have huge hog populations. This once again creates huge sanctuaries for hogs and no hunting zones for Texas hog hunters. Some of these lands do employ trapping and even aerial hog hunting, but why not allow Texas hunters unfettered access to the hog hunting in these publicly owned lands? And hog hunting is pointless without the ability to bait or use dogs or hunt at night and trapping should be taking place full time. Then you factor in all of the private lands where no real hog hunting opportunities are allowed. Add to that greenbelts in urban areas that are becoming increasingly populated by hogs and you see there are plenty of sanctuaries for these animals. Hogs have a greater propensity to move large distances than whitetail deer for example. TPWD biologist Rick Taylor wrote that hogs usually live in a range of less than 5,000 acres but can move up to 70,000 acres. That is more than 100 square miles. One study conducted in 2004 showed that hogs will travel as much as 15 miles to look for food. That means hogs can easily operate in areas with little or no pressure, move out to feed and come back. Another issue that needs to be examined is hog transport. According to Texas Agrilife the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) regulates the movement of feral hogs, holding facilities, and release on hunting preserves. Those preserves must be licensed by TPWD. “Movement and release of females (sows and gilts) and males (boars and barrows) T E X A S

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are regulated differently. Think of females as the production factory contributing to increased feral hog populations. They may not be transported and released onto another property. They should be removed from the population.” “Female feral hogs may be held for up to seven days in an escapeproof pen or trailer. They can be taken directly to slaughter, or sold to an approved holding facility, who then takes them to slaughter.” Extension officials wrote that male feral hogs may be held for up to seven days in an escape-proof pen or trailer. “They can be sold to an approved holding facility, slaughter facility, or authorized hunting preserve. An approved holding facility can take them to slaughter or sell them to an authorized hunting preserve. Only male feral hogs may be sold to an authorized hunting preserve.” “Fencing of authorized hunting preserves must be inspected by TAHC-led inspectors and determined to be swine-proof. Male feral hogs must be individually identified using a form of identification including ear marks, brands, tattoos, or electronic devices prior to release on the hunting preserve.” Whether or not all landowners abide by this rule when moving hogs is not only questionable. There is no doubt some illegal activity is going on in this regard. In fact both New York and Kansas have banned hog hunting due to research that shows hunters moving hogs into areas have contributed greatly to their spread. They believe they can control the fledgling numbers in their state better if there is not an incentive to move them or stock them on ranches. This is a big, big issue with many angles. As one reader said, “Hogs are a big deal in Texas, and that also means big business. Hopefully, we can figure out a management strategy that recognizes that and allows more hunter access and ends up with fewer hogs.”

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

Hunting Merriams in South Dakota (Part 1) Caption

REQUENT READERS OF THIS column know by now how much of a turkey -hunting fanatic I am. Whenever I have a free morning during turkey season, I am out there hunting these majestic birds. Recently, I was fortunate enough to try my luck in the beautiful state of South Dakota. When I say it is a beautiful state, please believe me; pictures can never give true justice to the incredible beauty of the landscape. I was truly amazed from the moment I walked off the plane in Rapid City and throughout my time spent in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. My host, Katlyn Richter, from the South Dakota Department of Tourism, had just a few weeks to plan a Merriam turkey hunt for myself and two other Texas journalists. With her constant attention to detail, she provided a perfectly planned weekend with the highlight being hunting these beautiful birds. After an uneventful flight, I met Katlyn at the airport. We still had a few hours before the other hunters arrived so she thought it would be nice to do a little sightseeing and decided to take me to Mount Rushmore, which was nearby. I was pleasantly surprised to see my first mountain goat. It was not off in the distance on the side of some mountain. No. Rather it was right there at the airport! As a matter of fact, there were about 10 mountain goats feeding on the grass next to the airport parking! Right away, I knew I was in for a great trip. The drive to this famous monument was an eye-opening experience. The many different rock formations and wildlife that I saw on the way enhanced the beauty of this great State. I was truly amazed at the knowledge my host had as she shared her expertise with me about South Dakota. What an amazing place. Upon reaching our destination, clouds rolled in and out making the experience one 32

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that I will not soon forget. As I viewed the rock carvings of 4 famous American Presidents, I had Katlyn take a few pictures so I could show the folks back home. I had to learn more and asked if we could visit the museum that was right there on the property. To go back in time and imagine what it must have been like to take on such a monumental task of these carvings was just unbelievable. This is surly something that all Americans should see if they ever get the chance. Driving through the black hills region on our way back to the airport took a little longer than expected because of the constant photo opportunities. Once the hunters arrived, we traveled south to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. This place is huge and covers 11,000 square miles of prairie land scattered with pine trees. Our accommodations for two days were made at the comfortable Dakota Prairie Ranch Resort. A restaurant that served a variety of good food was conveniently in the same building. Our host, Katlyn, introduced us to Ivan Sorbel, head of the Pine Ridge area Chamber of Commerce, who made our stay on the reservation both comfortable and educational. Ivan took the time to show us the many Native American displays in the visitor center and answered any questions that we might have. He told us all about what animals were on the reservation and which ones were abundant. Also, he gave us a history lesson of the Oglala Lakota Nation and provided literature for us to read at our convenience. He would meet us later for dinner where we would be introduced to our Native American guides and we could discuss our plans for the morning hunt. My alarm went off at 4:15 the next morning but I think I did not get any sleep at all that night. I was like a kid on Christmas morning. It had been years dreaming about one day hunting a Merriam turkey and finally, that day |

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was here! I jumped out of bed and donned my camo clothes that I laid out the night before. Katlyn previously packed us all a small breakfast to bring in the field, which included extra snacks that she thought we might like to have. This woman thought of everything to make our trip go as smoothly as possible. She even had Winchester supply us with turkey ammunition. All that was needed now was to locate a Merriam turkey and have a great hunt. I was ready early and was outside my hotel room anxiously awaiting my guide, Calvin Ferguson, to arrive, which he did do, and on time. Calvin provided tons of laughs on the way to our hunting ground and I knew that some good times were ahead as I wiped the tears of laughter from my eyes! I have to say, Calvin had scouted the area ahead of time and knew exactly where the turkeys liked to roost. Standing on the top of a hill in the pre dawn hours gave me a few minutes to think about the history of this “hunting ground.” How many Lakota warriors stood here before me? I was captivated by the beauty of this land when all of a sudden the silence of dawn was broken by a loud gobble. Calvin gave me the look of confidence and we headed towards the sound of that gobbler. I followed his every footstep as we headed downhill amongst the scattered pine trees. My guide whispered for me to sit down next to a lone pine on the edge of an open field and he sat next to me. It was not long before the silence of dawn tuned into a frenzy of gobbling. I could not believe my eyes as at least 30 birds flew down in the nearby field 100 yards from our ambush site. It was a sea of turkey fans all strutting around back and forth gobbling every other second! Unfortunately, nature took over and the hens came to the toms as they slowly walked out of sight. We moved to a few other places, but these birds were now “henned up” and were as quiet as a church mouse. Calvin suggested that we try some other spots that he knew about. To be continued, next month…

Email Lou Marullo at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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PHOTO COMPOSITE: TF&G

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A 1972 ROBALO SPORTFISHING BOAT pulled up to an oil platform off the coast of Corpus Christi. As the waves rose and fell around this giant manmade structure, Capt. Bill Sheka lowered a big hunk of cut bait seeking out snapper, grouper and other sport fish common to the area. Suddenly he felt tension on the line, so he set the hook. Something was on the other end, but it was not moving. At all. “There were some deck hands on the rail of the rig, and they were watching me,” Sheka said. “When I got it up, it turned out to be a gallon glass mayonnaise jar, obviously pitched overboard by the rig’s cook.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, “octopuses” is a correct plural of octopus. “Octopi” is an old plural using the Latin plural form, although “octopus” is not from Latin. However, “octopi” is still regarded as okay, but no longer preferred.

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Enter the Wild Gulf

INGDOM ZOO, IN CONJUNCTION WITH CHESTER

Moore’s “The Wildlife Journalist” project, will be hosting a very special summer-long children’s conservation outreach project. “Wild Gulf” will see the Kingdom Zoo team making treks from the Florida Panhandle to Port Isabel to document by photo and video the unique species of the Gulf of Mexico. TEXAS FISH & GAME is a key sponsor of the project and will feature several stories on the project’s biggest outreaches.

“The Gulf of Mexico and its species do not get enough attention in the national and world spotlight,” said Kingdom Zoo’s Lauren Williams. “We are going to do our best to change that and at the same time let kids in our ‘Wild Wishes’ program take part in these adventures.” “Wild Wishes” grants exotic animal encounters for children who have a terminal illness or have lost a parent our sibling.

releasing the creature alive and well. Octopuses in the Gulf? Absolutely. The Flower Gardens Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) is the most observed and studied habitat in the Gulf. According to FGBNMS research coordinator Emma Hickerson, at least four octopus species exist there. These include the Caribbean two-spotted octopus, common octopus, white-spotted octopus and mimic octopus. “I filmed a Caribbean two-spotted octopus quite a few years ago out and about, scooting

around the reef during the day, but otherwise typically they are tucked away in the reef,” she said. “You can sometimes find their ‘middens’ which are piles of shells from their meals. One particular octopus I filmed was big enough to be feasting on large queen conch and slipper lobster at Stetson Bank.” Kristi Oden encountered and caught one while diving from an oil platform off the Gulf Coast. “It was a feisty thing,” she said. “It kept grabbing my dive knife and pulling on it. I got it into my dive bag and took it back up to the boat because I wanted to look at it,” PHOTO: FLOWER GARDENS BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY

PHOTO: HENRY PONGRATZ

The men on the rig laughed at the strange catch and fired off some snide remarks. “Got some bread for that mayonnaise?” “Nice catch bud!” But the jar was not empty. “Inside was an octopus that had taken my bait and scurried back to his ‘home’ in the jar,” Sheka said. “I took my small, wooden billy club and hit the jar breaking it to reveal the wiggling, twisting octopus. Now the crew was silent, and I then asked them if they knew any octopus recipes,” Sheka said. He had a good laugh at his naysayers before

Angler Henry Pongratz caught and released this common octopus at the Port O’Connor Jetties.

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The common octopus is the one most likely to be seen by Texas anglers.

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PHOTO: FLOWER GARDENS BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY

The two spot octopus is found on the Flower Gardens Bank National Marine Sancutary.

she said. “It was really neat. When I got it out of the bag, it changed colors to match the floor of the boat. I looked at it for a little while and then put him back in the water.” Most encounters with octopuses off the Texas coast are around oil rigs and at the

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FGBNMS, but some divers have reported seeing them at the jetties in Port O’Connor, Aransas Pass and Port Mansfield. Finding octopuses along the beach jetties and even in the bays is a fairly common occurrence on the Gulf Coast of Florida, but in the

western Gulf they remain mysterious. The common octopus can grow to impressive size with specimens as large as 4.3 feet and weighing upwards of 20 pounds. Although it is difficult to measure the intelligence of animals, octopuses are, without question, brainiacs of the marine world. Octopuses have the largest brains of any invertebrate. They also have an impressive number of neurons, which are the measuring stick science uses for thinking potential. The common octopus has around 130 million neurons. A human has more than 100 billion, but that number is not bad for something that makes its living in the cracks and crevices of reefs, rigs, jetties and yes, even mayonnaise jars. The more we understand about the Gulf of Mexico, the more we can appreciate it. I can’t imagine someone not being able to appreciate how unique the octopus is and the fact Gulf coastal waters are home to these amazing creatures.

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HE EASIEST WAY TO CATCH speckled trout in Texas bays is to look

get it. It’s not going to happen.

for gulls diving over the shrimp and

However if you would like to seek out some bigger than

shad that specks send to the surface.

average trout, catching them under the birds is possible.

But can anglers specifically target

You just need to approach it with some strategy. The only technical part to fall fishing under the birds is,

large speckled trout under the birds?

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If you’re talking about catching 30-inch behemoths for-

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Diving Gulls... Usually a Good Sign Speckled Trout are Feeding Below... but, BIG Trout? story by CHESTER MOORE don’t run up on the birds (or the fish beneath them) with

rude and may earn you a good look at a middle finger—or

the big motor. Stop at least 50 yards away and use a trolling

maybe the whole fist. These schooling trout will hit just about anything, includ-

motor or the wind to move in close. Also, respect other anglers fishing the schools. It is highly

ing spoons, soft plastics, topwaters, and lipless crankbaits. Something I have noticed over the last few years is some-

disrespectful to fish right next to them. Fishing the same school is fine, but getting close enough to shake hands is

PHOTO: JOHN N. FELSHER

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times the trout want a fast retrieve—and I do mean fast.

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The easiest way to ﬁnd speckled trout is to look for gulls diving for bait chased to the surface by feeding specks.

work wonders, but they are very difficult to catch. Also, I do not know of any bait camps that carry them. A few years ago while fishing with Mike Tennian of L&S Lures, I headed to the banks between Whisky Bayou and the Pines on Sabine Lake and found trout literally stacked against the shore. Most of the time, trout are known for working out from the shorelines, but they were so tight to the bank that my partners and I were getting hits literally inches from the mud line. Small groups of birds (one to three) were diving over these small schools, which were holding much bigger trout than on the main lake. We were fishing with the Mirrolure Catch 5 and a variety of topwaters. We caught the most fish by fishing them with a fast retrieve parallel to the shoreline. Most of the time, you’ll cast toward the shore, but once we figured out the fish were literally hugging the bank, we switched to casting down the shoreline to maximize the fishing action. The areas that held the most trout were where there was a concentration of shad mixed in with shrimp. We found many shad with minimal trout, but when there were some shrimp skipping the top of the water as well, the specks were present. By the time this article hits, most of the shad will be gone so shrimp and mullet will be the primary food source for fall trout. The whole scenario had me scratching my head because my theory has been that trout prefer easy access to doing hard work. On the main body of the bay even I could have swum like a fish and caught shad in my mouth. That is how thick they were. The next week, I returned to do some wade

Most anglers fishing soft plastics hop the bait up and down, but during the fall, sometimes the trout will hit only if you throw it out and reel it in as fast as possible. If you find a flock of birds obviously feeding on trout and cannot get the fish to hit, try this method. It usually works when nothing else does. By nature, the biggest specimens of speckled trout are lazy. They are old, fat, and seem to have lost their vigor for fighting the young ones for shrimp and menhaden. That means when you run into a school of specks feeding in the fall, the biggest specks will be belly-tothe-bottom. Instead of fishing a soft plastic lure on a 1/8- or 1/4-ounce jighead, simply upgrade the head to 1/2-ounce so it sinks to the bottom quickly. I personally prefer fishing with a 1/2-ounce silver spoon or deep-diving crankbait like the Fat Free Shad. I have started catching good numbers of trout on the Shad, which most anglers use for largemouth bass. It and other deep divers work for trout and are great for getting past the smaller surface feeders. Another way to get bigger trout as well as reds is to fish on the outside of the feeding frenzy. If I have had my fill of smallish trout or are simply hungry for some tasty redfish fillets, I pull up about 20 yards farther out than you normally would while trout fishing under the birds. Then, I make pattern casts around the school with a Rat-L-Trap or 1/2-ounce silver spoons. Live baiters can score by free-lining live finger mullet or small blue crab on a circle or Kahle hook. Anglers rarely use live crab in Texas waters, but it is very popular in Florida and it works here, too. Fiddler crabs will also 40

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fishing in that area and noticed something interesting about the bottom in this location. Over a roughly 100-yard stretch between two well-defined points, the bottom dropped off steeply into some big potholes. The bottom went from waist deep to chest deep and then it rose up to my knees. What I realized is that when Hurricane Rita blew through the area a couple of years earlier, it changed the bottom in this spot and made it deeper. Then I got to look at the cuts coming from the marsh. At the time, the tide was coming in strong and was quite high, which was the same situation that Tennian and I encountered before. I noticed a couple of small eddies in relation to the new ridges and potholes formed in the storm. The trout were feeding there because the shrimp and shad gathered in the eddy. At that point, they were probably trapped there by the feeding trout. This made perfect sense. The Louisiana shoreline tends to form eddies on incoming tides around cuts, but they are usually small and filled with flounders. Because this location had several small cuts and major changes in topography, it formed a large eddy that was one giant pot of seafood gumbo for marauding specks. The key was looking for birds (and trout of course) away from the fracas on the main bay and keying in on shorelines. Remember, you are not going to find the trout of a lifetime under the birds, but if you follow these tips, you will improve your chances of bagging quality keepers instead.

PHOTO: JOHN N. FELSHER

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

Playing Well With Others

Many don’t play well with others. Whether it’s fishing the same area as others, buzzing the shoreline behind wade fishermen, or harassing fellow anglers as they go about their business of legally catching fish, there is an ugly miasma of disrespect that collects when the numbers of anglers fishing the coast grows in the summer. Perhaps the best example of this lack of respect and consideration can be seen when one boatload of anglers cuts off another boat’s drift. The scene is familiar. One boat is on plane and roars by too close to another boat or collection of boats fishing an area.

HIS IS A COLUMN THAT I AM occasionally moved to compose, but some other seemingly more pressing subject pops up that demands my attention. Even so, the grist for this piece never dissolves or blows away. It sits there and waits for the time when I can actually sit down and get to writing about it. The inspiration for these words first struck me at a scoping meeting back when Texas Parks and Wildlife was considering reducing the state bag for Lower Laguna Madre speckled trout from 10 to 5. If anyone remembers those meetings, the discussions from those for and against the change were actually quite cordial. Almost everyone present was concerned about the fishery, its status, and how to maintain and improve it far into the future. The key word is “almost.” There was a small faction that was led by a fairly outspoken angler who felt that the most effective way to convey their agenda was by insulting their fellow anglers. Their agenda included reducing the bag to two fish per person, and outlawing the use of finfish for trout bait (mainly, but not only, the ubiquitous croaker). Insults such as “lazy fishermen,” “incompetent morons,” and some terms even less complimentary than that were tossed out and into the record (I listened to the micro cassette of the meeting, and to this day, I can’t help but shake my head). I remember some other members of the meeting just sitting there and stewing at the diatribe and name calling. Over the years, I have come to the conclusion that the events which transpired when this person and his cadre got control of the mike at the scoping meetings is a persistent problem among anglers who share the Texas Coast. |

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Technology has made the bays of the Texas Coast much smaller than they used to be.

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Anglers in the stationary boat will glare and perhaps raise their arms in the universal “What the Hell?” gesture. Then the offending boater either ignores the other boats—or worse, responds with his own gesture. Granted, there are times where cutting off drifting boats is unavoidable, such as in relatively small areas, or where anglers are fishing in high traffic zones. However, often an angler is either not paying attention to his surroundings and who might be there—or worse still— simply doesn’t care. An even more egregious version of this practice is the angler who deliberately cuts off another’s drift to horn in on the spot. This usual sequence of events begins with an angler on Boat A hooking a fish, and Boat B motoring |

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over, getting directly in front of Boat A, and setting its drift on the same line. A permutation of this practice is a boat handler pulling a couple of hundred yards in front of Boat A and depositing a group of wade-fishermen to completely cut off the drift. More often than not, some harsh words are exchanged and the entire episode might end with Boat A departing, but not before they use their motor to blast out of the spot and ruin the fishing for all. Waders have to cope with similar issues. Many a wade fisherman can tell you a story about a boat buzzing the shallows between them and the shoreline or, worse still, running too close to them and almost hitting them or inundating them with a wake. The scary thing is that waders can’t take quick evasive action because of their position in the water. Many a wade fishermen can tell you a story of watching a boat burning hell for leather along the shoreline and missing a wader by mere feet. I once saw an angler in a shiny-new flats boat barrel race through a group of waders that were staggered along a shoreline. I would hate to think the fisherman was doing it for sport. Technology has made the bays of the Texas Coast much smaller than they used to be. Fabled far away spots that used to have little fishing pressure, now look like parking lots on a nice weekend. More anglers are fishing more days than ever before. I, and some other longtime anglers have seen the change. We have seen some entitled loudmouths who have begun to crowd the water. These are the people who think that vulgarity and derision are not only appropriate forms of communication, but the preferred versions. Still, I like to think that most people are more considerate and tolerant of their fellow anglers than these braying asses. The trick is, we need to know how to rein them in.

Email Cal Gonzales at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

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WAS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES DAD did not want to take me fishing. Every day mom and I drove by a little gully on the way to school, and every time we passed it, I wondered what might lurk in its waters. I asked Dad to go there all the time, but he wanted to go elsewhere.

REPORT: NEWS 48 u TF&G OF THE NATION

“The water’s too dirty,” he would say. Now, Dad took me fishing a lot, but he just

Reported by TF&G Staff

didn’t know why it was so important for me to go

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down there. One day he relented.

Trophy Photos from TF&G Readers

We went down to that gully, and I will never

DEPT. OF 50 u TEXAS DEFENSE

forget soaking a piece of dead shrimp with the brand new “Fish Formula” a spray-on attractant

by Stan Skinner and Dustin Ellermann

that claimed to help get fish bites whether you used lures, live or dead bait. We ordered it off of televi-

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sion.

CONSERVATION

I will never forget within a few seconds of putting

by Will Leschper and Andi Cooper

it in the water, seeing my blue, white and red bob-

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ber go under.

FORECAST

It was a big spotted gar, which means it was

by Eddie Hernandez, Mike Holmes, Mike Price, Chris Martin, Mac Gable, Tom Behrens, Sally & Aubrey Black and Cal Gonzales

about two feet long, and I could not have been happier. What Dad did that day by taking me down there,

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was unleash a desire to seek out fishing on my

HOTSPOTS

own. To this day, I have a deep appreciation for all

by Tom Behrens, Dustin Warncke and Dean Heffner

opportunities to fish. Some of my best days fishing were at “The

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Gully.” The stories below were crucial to my childhood,

Tides and SoLunar Data

especially “Big John.” This was an alligator garfish that allegedly lived in a tiny branch of Adams Bayou that crossed under Newton Street. We simply called it the “The Gully.” Big John was very much like Bigfoot as sighting reports traveled quickly, and the eyewitnesses met with a mixture of skepticism and fanfare. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE u

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Catching an alligator gar from the murky water of a neighborhood gully fuled the author’s dreams of ﬁshing adventures to come.

of bonding. I never had an official sighting, but once a kid named Joey was fishing with a hand line from the bridge that crossed the gully. I was on the other side of the road with two big lines set out when I heard frantic splashing in the water. Joey was clinging to his line; and as I rushed over to see what was going on, his line snapped. I could see a large, dark shape move through the water as whatever it was swam off with Joey’s bait. That could have been many things, but of course, we thought Big John had struck again. High school sports and fast cars now dominated the lives of the boys in my part of West Orange. For a while, I would still occasionally fish down there, but when I got a car, it made more sense to drive out to Lake Sabine or the Neches River. The angling prospects were vastly superior there. I still drive by that gully every day. Now, there is a “No Fishing” sign on the bridge, and no kids were there angling for garfish and dreams. No matter what happened in our lives, we always found sanctuary down at the gully fishing for “Big John.” Wealthy, poor and middle class kids got along just fine with our attentions focused on finding our own white whale of sorts in this murky East Texas bayou branch. Those early days were formative in my

Claiming you saw Big John would garner you a following among the dozen or so boys in the neighborhood. It also brought jeers from the girls who thought we were off our rockers for pursuing such a thing if it did, indeed exist. This gully is where I spent much of my after-school time and summer vacation. Although the fishing was rarely outstanding, we did catch our fair share of spotted gar, grinnel, sun perch and mud cats. At times, it was quite the social gathering. Often, at least half a dozen of us would be wetting our lines and talking about whatever the current hot topic was. One day it might be whether Gene Simmons from Kiss really had a cow’s tongue implanted to replace his own so he could look cool wagging it onstage. The next, it could be a heated debate over who was going to win the title at the next Wrestlemania. The conversation, however, would always drift to Big John and his latest exploits. One kid swore to have seen him attack a calf that came to drink on the water’s edge. Another claimed to have had his rod broken by the beast on three occasions. None of these occurrences ever happened when we were together, but no one questioned them aloud. The stories gave us something to talk about. Looking back, it was a unique means 46

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love of the outdoors. The gully provided so many fun experiences and lessons that taught me much about fishing. In my life, I have been blessed to have some amazing fishing encounters. I wrote this story to inspire you to take your kids down to the local “gully.” It might only be a bar ditch loaded with bullheads or a grinnel-infested slough. Yet, I know from personal experience that allowing kids to see adventure close to home will serve them well. Being one who has decided to do my best to live below my means and forego owning a boat, it does not bother me at all to fish from the bank. After all “Big John” might still be out there, lurking in the dingy waters of the Newton Street gully waiting for someone to challenge him again. I hope your children and grandchildren have their own “gully” and “Big John” in their life. I would not recommend allowing them to go down there by themselves at a young age as many of us did. Times have changed, and there are dangerous people out there. However, I can’t think of a better way for you to spend time with them. Hint. Hint.

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The NATIONAL

Mottled Ducks Being Forced into the Open Gulf

News of TEXAS

ous studies one particular tidbit caught my attention. The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge began outfitting mottled ducks with transmitters to track their movements in the mid 2000s. And according to refuge officials there have been some surprising results. “The results indicate that mottled ducks, which normally avoid open water, have begun spending extended time offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists suspect habitat loss and saltwater intrusion, both a result of coastal development, may be forcing the ducks out of their wetland habitats. Coastal research in other regions shows similar trends, indicating the problem may be more than just local.” The idea of a puddle duck like the mottled duck in the open waters of the Gulf seems strange indeed, but the fact is we still have much to learn about this species.

THE MOTTLED DUCK HAS ALWAYS had a soft spot in my heart. They are a native duck of the Gulf Coast and always symbolized the brackish-intermediate wetland I love so much. Growing up on the Gulf Coast of Southeast Texas they were a common sight of my youth and then somewhere in my twenties they started to dwindle. Now there are restrictive bag limits for hunters and much study of this beautiful but under appreciated waterfowl. The waterfowl conservation community has spent much time studying these species in the last 10 years. While I was looking over vari-

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Galveston

Leon County

Nichole Batista Nunes caught this 8-pound redﬁsh while ﬁshing from a canoe in the Galveston Channel.

This study shows why it’s important to learn about wildlife habitat and movements. The mottled duck is often overlooked because it looks like another species, the black duck. And in fact many hunters call it “black mallard.” This info from our friends over at Ducks Unlimited should help clear that up: “The mottled duck can be confused with American black ducks and hen mallards. While both drakes and hens have very similar plumages, the hen is a slightly lighter shade of brown. The mottled duck is a lighter color than the black duck and its blue to green iridescent wing patches (compared to a purple iridescence in black

Gavin Whyte got his ﬁrst kill, and what a kill it was: a big 8-point with bases measuring 4.5 inches. He shot the buck while hunting in Leon County.

Visit FishGame.com to upload your own TEXAS HOT SHOTS and Vote for our next Winners 48

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Mottled ducks are being pushed out of their preferred marshland habitat for extended periods over the open Gulf of Mexico.

ducks) are rimmed with black (sometimes with a narrow band of white) rather than a distinct white edge as on the hen mallard. “The mottled duck is a southern species found all along the entire Gulf Coast and the southern Atlantic Coast. The bill of the drake is solid yellow, while the hen has more of a yellow orangish tint with black spots. The legs and feet can be a dull to bright shade of orange for both sexes.” This is an important species for Texas coastal marshes, and research such as that noted above is key to their survival. With the growing pressure on our wildlife resources, good

BASS Sam Rayburn Randy Hanna sent in this photo of Hallie Hanna, with a nice largemouth bass she caught while ﬁshing at Lake Sam Rayburn. The ﬁsh weighed in at 7.86 pounds.

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also up compared to both 2012 and 2014 survey results, and biologists found the body condition to be good for those legal-length 16-inch and greater sized bass. “There are plenty of bass just under the legal length that will grow into keepers in the near future, so things are looking up,” Mauk said. The blue catfish catch rate was the second highest observed in the reservoir since sampling began, with many over the 12-inch minimum length. Biologists didn’t find any blue catfish over 30-inches as they have in years past, but Mauk said the high numbers of those caught under the legal length is a good indicator of future fishing success. Several other species of sportfish were found to be at their average historical populations and good body weight, including bluegill, white bass and channel catfish. The channel catfish caught ranged from 6 to 23 inches, with those over 20 inches found to be “quite chunky,” Mauk said. Populations of prey fish gizzard shad were found to be near historical averages, with threadfin shad also found in “decent numbers,” according to Mauk. But the gizzard shad overall sizes were smaller than in the past, which should result in bigger predator fish like bass and catfish in coming years since higher numbers of shad are vulnerable to them in the reservoir. For more information about fishing Possum Kingdom Reservoir or to find GPS coordinates for artificial structures, visit http://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/possum_kingdom/.

management is more important than ever. Without such research, managing a species is impossible. —Chester Moore

Striped Bass Population Up at Possum Kingdom BIOLOGISTS FROM THE TEXAS Parks and Wildlife Department Inland Fisheries office in Wichita Falls recently completed fall electrofishing and spring gillnet surveys on Possum Kingdom Reservoir, finding striped bass populations to be at their highest in 14 years. Biologists found the abundance of striped bass in the lake this year to be the highest they’ve observed since the golden alga fish kills of 2001 and 2003, with one year-class found to have naturally reproduced in the reservoir. “We did not stock striped bass in 2016, so it was somewhat of a surprise to find quite a few striped bass belonging to that year-class in our survey work,” said fisheries biologist Robert Mauk. “We’ve seen evidence of natural reproduction in the past – not to the extent we’ve seen it in 2016 – but conditions were right for spawning to occur with a high, unimpeded flowing Brazos River.” Among the striped bass caught in the sampling, biologists found the fish to be in good body condition with lengths ranging from 8 to 30 inches and many of legal length 18-inches and above. The largemouth bass abundance was T E X A S

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—Staff Report

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TEXAS Dept. of

:: Self Defense :: Tactical :: Training Tips

by DUSTIN ELLERMANN and STAN SKINNER

:: Gear

The Scout Riﬂe

Much more notable was his invention of the “scout rifle” concept. Col. Cooper was greatly influenced by the life of Frederick Russell Burnham (look up Scouting on Two Continents by Frederick Burnham, buy it and read it. You will not regret the time spent) and came up with the idea of “. . .a short, light, handy versatile utility rifle,” which he called a “scout rifle.”

THE LATE COLONEL JEFF COOPER, USMC Ret., was, and is, a familiar figure in the art of combat shooting. He founded the American Pistol Institute in Arizona, now called Gunsite Academy. There, he pioneered modern combat shooting for pistol, rifle and shotgun. His combat pistol technique incorporated five parts: using a large-caliber semi-auto pistol; the two-handed Weaver stance; the draw stroke; a “flash” sight picture; and a compressed, surprise break Col.Cooper also conceived the Bren 10, chambered for 10mm Auto, a cartridge considerably more powerful than the 9mm Luger or .45 ACP. That handgun enjoyed a brief popularity, but is now an obscure footnote in firearms history.

To Col. Cooper’s mind, this would be a bolt-action carbine chambered in 7.62 Nato/.308 Winchester, less than one The author’s Ruger Scout and Mossberg MVP Scout.

45ACP AR15 CMMG Guard

tion, until now. The cornerstone of the Guard is the Radial Delayed Blowback system that uses a mostly standard AR15 bolt carrier group. The only purpose of the bolt key is to give the bolt-charging handle something to snag. Everything else works the same way as an AR15 action, except the cartridge blowback pressure itself unlocks the bolt instead of a gas system or piston. This delays the operation just enough to allow the bolt to cycle safely and reli-

AFTER SHOOTING SOME PISTOL caliber carbines in the past, I’ve wanted one in .45ACP because suppressing a PCC is fun, but suppressing a .45 is even better. Granted it’s not always as quiet as a 147-grain subsonic 9mm, but it packs twice the wallop. However, the .45ACP isn’t easy to run in a straight blowbackoperated rifle because of the pressures, so we haven’t seen them in mass produc50

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meter in overall length, weighing less than three kilograms (6.6 pounds), with iron sights and a forward-mounted riflescope. This allpurpose rifle would be capable of bringing down large game—or if used in a military engagement, a human target at relatively long range. This was not a rifle for close quarters battle (CQB) like the M4/M16, nor was it a sniper rifle like the M24 rifle used by the U.S. Army, which is based on the Remington Model 700 bolt-action. Instead,

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ably. In turn, this keeps the bolt and buffer weighing less than 9mm straight blowback systems. In fact, the bolt system weighs so little that you can buy an extra weight kit to tune the rifle for your intended use and loads. For instance, I used the two ounce weight since I was running suppressed. If I was shooting +P loads I might try the 3.5 ounce weight pictured above. The 16-inch rifle itself weighs in at only 5.5 pounds. The Guard accepts Glock 21 magazines. Thirteen rounds of .45ACP carries more than twice as much lead as a 30-round, 55-grain 223 magazine. The Guard has a patent pending, dual-pinned fully-machined bolt catch linkage that keeps the bolt open after the last round is fired. Yet it still uses a standard bolt

PHOTO: TOP PAGE, STAN SKINNER, BOTTOM RIGHT: DUSTIN ELLERMAN

5/10/17 11:24 AM

Cooper envisioned the scout rifle to be used by a single man or in two-man reconnaissance teams on extended missions without support. In 1997, Steyr-Mannlicher in Austria produced a scout rifle with a polymer stock and integral bipod, which Col. Cooper regarded as “perfect.” Unfortunately, it was quite pricey (like most European rifles) and was not a huge success, although it is still available today. At today’s prices, a shooter would have to spend well over $2,000 for one after equipping it with a suitable, good quality scope. Fortunately, America’s gunmakers stepped up to the plate for those of us who want a versatile firearm such as the scout rifle. Ruger’s Gunsite Scout Rifle is about $600 less expensive than the Steyr, and it comes in a left or right-hand version with several additional options. This includes a polymer, laminated or American walnut stock, with blued or stainless steel action and barrel. It is chambered for 7.62mm/.308; 5.56mm/.223 and the recently introduced .450 Bushmaster. My Ruger Scout Rifle started out as a plain vanilla (except that it’s a left-hand version), blued-steel, laminated stock 7.62mm/.308. Because I wanted to use it for night-time hog hunting, I needed to modify it a bit. I replaced the forward-mounted picatinny rail with an extended rail from X-S Sights in Fort Worth.

nient when I shoot it from prone or other rest position. I can easily operate the bolt with my right hand while my left hand remains in position on the pistol grip ready to begin trigger pressure. Also, with the ejection/loading port in front of my eyes, I can readily single-load a round or troubleshoot, if necessary. The Mossberg uses a 10-round, detachable box magazine that is compatible with M1A and AR-10 magazines. Unlike the Ruger, the factory-installed forward picatinny rail extends back over the receiver so you could mount a conventional scope if you wanted. An interesting feature of the polymer stock is a pair of integral picatinny side rails near the fore end tip. This is useful if you wish to mount additional goodies such as a laser or high-intensity flashlight. As I did with the Ruger, I completed the package with a folding Harris bipod. I still need to decide whether to add night vision and a silencer, but I suspect that’s in the cards pretty soon—maybe in time for that Texas hog hunt. On another topic, I expect to have a few notes next month about the 2017 Annual Meeting of the National Rifle Association in Atlanta that took place in May. With a little luck, I’ll have found a few new toys to try out and tell you about. Keep tuned.

This meant removing the Ruger factory rear sight to allow room for the rail. However, the rail has a fixed peep sight for use in a pinch. Also, I replaced the factory flash hider with a SureFire flash hider/silencer adapter to fit my SureFire FA762 silencer. Mated with Cor®Bon 200-gr FMJ-RBT subsonic ammo, this should be an effective combination. To use it for night hunting, I installed a Nite Site WolfTM infrared night vision system. Nite Site is another Fort Worth, Texas company. The Nite Site system attached to my existing riflescope, which is a Leupold VX-III 1½-5X-20mm. A Harris medium height folding bipod completed the set-up. I’m working with TF&G’s Dustin Warncke to set up a Texas hog hunt in the near future, so I’ll keep you posted. Aside from Ruger, both Savage and Mossberg now offer scout rifles. I haven’t had the opportunity to try out the Savage, but my Mossberg MVP® Scout Rifle arrived a few days ago. Despite an even lower MSRP than the Ruger offering, I was impressed with its evident quality. As a bonus, the Mossberg comes equipped with a Vortex 2-7X-32mm Scout long eye relief riflescope. Chambered for 7.62mm/.308, this Mossberg has a right-hand bolt-action, which as a lefty, I like, because I find it more conve-

—by Stan Skinner

one spot about two inches” in size on steel at 100 yards. Granted there was a little drop from 25-100 yards. The Guard could be a direct competitor to a .300BLK rifle, especially when the .45 ACP ammo is naturally subsonic and more affordable than subsonic .300BLK. The Guard retails for $1,300+ and has several options available, even pistol and NFA SBR versions. You can find all the details at CMMGInc.com.

The CMMG Guard is the ﬁrst major production AR15 to be offered in .45ACP along with Glock 21 magazines. This sample features the Titanium Cerekote ﬁnish.

catch. As soon as I had the Guard home, I removed the cool .45-caliber muzzle brake and screwed on my Bowers ASP suppressor. 230-grain rounds are naturally subsonic, so we can make the rifle nearly Hollywood quiet with a can. It’s actually quieter for bystanders than for the shooter since my ear would

pick up the recoil spring twang. The rifle was noticeably quieter than my pistols owing to the extra volume of the barrel. In fact I didn’t even wet the “wet only” ASP suppressor. Pretty neat for just an extra five ounces. Accuracy was impressive as well. I’ve tested a few 9mm PCCs with disappointing results, but the Guard was splattering T E X A S

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—by Dustin Ellerman

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TEXAS Dept. of :: Edited by WILL LESCHPER

Fires Bring Beneﬁts to Wildlife

IRE HAS BEEN A CONSERVAtion and habitat management tool as long as there have been land managers in Texas. However, sometimes blazes get out of hand—especially when it comes to natural wildfires—and there can be significant lasting impact.

Models Help Save Mottled Ducks WHEN DUCKS UNLIMITED TALKS about the science underlying our conservation efforts, that’s frequently all that is said—that it’s there. However, that science is not something to be taken for granted, and the effort and time it takes to produce useable information for guiding conservation programs should be appreciated. Here is one example of the complex path from question to answers. The mottled duck (Anas fulvigula) is a year-round resident of coastal marshes and prairies in the Western Gulf of Mexico Coast (WGC). Population surveys indicate the WGC mottled duck population has experienced a long-term, steep decline in Texas, is stable or slightly increasing in Louisiana and is stable to declining across 52

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One fire and its effects that state biologists continue to monitor is the historic fire in March 2008 that consumed about 95 percent of the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area. In all, the fast-moving blaze torched roughly 50,000 acres of South Texas habitat in the area, including portions of some of the state’s most celebrated trophy whitetail ranches. It should be noted that at the time, TPWD biologists documented only about a few dozen dead animals as a result of the blaze. That massive burn has become an intriguing case study in the effect of largescale fire on native habitats and wildlife, said Stephen Lange, area manager for “The Chap.”

“(In hindsight) that may have been the best thing that ever happened to the property,” Lange said. “In reality, it burned about two-thirds completely to the ground, but what happened was that everything we had as regrowth and re-sprout was at deer level. And it was at deer level for about the first five or six years since the fire. Then we subsequently went into our highest consecutive year of fawn production and productivity that we’ve ever had for white-tailed deer. That led to us reaching our highest deer density since the high fence was put up back in 1983. “Because of that, we had such high numbers of deer and literally needed to shoot back the deer figures for management objec-

the entire WGC range. Declining population trends in portions of its range have made the mottled duck a species of concern among state and federal agencies. Because the loss and degradation of nesting and brood-rearing habitats are believed to be largely responsible for historical declines, conservation and management of habitats for mottled ducks is a priority concern for area conservation partners. But do we know where the best habitats for mottled ducks are and where to focus our conservation efforts? To answer these questions, Ducks Unlimited collaborated with other Gulf Coast conservation partners, including Texas A&M University— Kingsville, the Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative, and the Gulf Coast Joint Venture (GCJV). Working together, the partnership developed a Decision Support Tool (DST) to help target wetland and grassland conservation efforts to benefit nesting and brood-rearing mottled ducks. Decision Support Tools are computerbased or graphical systems that aid stakeholders in making efficient and effective

decisions. In wildlife conservation, DSTs are used to consolidate available biological and ecological knowledge within a spatial framework to identify areas on the landscape where conservation actions are expected to have the greatest benefit. Three output models, or maps, were developed to identify good existing habitat and areas that could benefit most from habitat restoration and enhancement. Each map identifies areas on the Gulf Coast where specific conservation or management activities would be beneficial and ranks them based on their expected relative benefit, or priority. One map depicts priority areas for grassland establishment (nesting habitat). One map depicts priority areas for wetland enhancement (broodrearing habitat). These two maps are used to target restoration and enhancement activities. The final map depicts and prioritizes areas that currently provide mottled duck habitat. This map can be used to target acquisitions, easements or maintenance activities to protect and maintain existing habitat. Project partners tested the accuracy of the maps produced from the DST using

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tives. We had a pretty intensive public hunting program this year to get our numbers back down. We had been at a three-year average of about 17 or 18 acres per deer, so we used our harvest goals to get back to 25 acres per deer. By doing that, we’re able to go back into a drought cycle in better shape and be in a better place to maintain the range.” Lange noted that hunters took the most deer ever on the WMA during this past season, surpassing 200 animals (130 does and 86 bucks). “All the deer that we shoot from this point forward will be deer that were raised on this range in post-fire conditions, so that’s much different than the deer we were carrying over pre-fire,” he said. “Even if we have an average fawn crop this next year, we’ll be able to shoot 140 animals off this

shot by our Big Time Texas Hunts hunter,” he said. “On the Chaparral we have one of the Big Buck Bonanza hunts and that hunter took a buck that scored 147 and change (Boone & Crockett). Now, the previous year we had a great year. We were coming off an 80 percent fawn crop from 2010 and those were our older bucks. We had a 173, a 160, a 157…five deer total that qualified for the TBGA. “We were scratching our heads over that much of a falloff this year, but it’s because we didn’t have the fawns coming up in age. Even this coming season we won’t, but you look to 2018, 2019 and 2020 after the good fawn crops of 2013-15. “Those should be bumper years, an opportunity to truly have some “Booner”level deer. They’ll have the age and they’ll have the food, which is the whole reason we wanted to shoot back our deer densities.”

property, which is actually well above the long-term figure for deer harvest. “It had been about 90 deer per year on average. What happens is when you have too many deer on a native landscape, over time you will see a drop-off in average weight of bucks and does, and you will also see a slight reduction in antler quality. That’s simply because you have so many deer, they’re consuming more resources. We still have some big deer here. We had a 169-pound deer that came in dressed this year.” While The Chap is known for producing quality antlers even in what are down seasons, this past season was a quandary on some levels for biologists and land managers in the wake of good range conditions, Lange noted. “We only had one TBGA (Texas Big Game Awards) deer and that was actually

Email Will Leschper at WillLeschperOutdoors@gmail.com

seven years of mottled duck breeding population survey data. Preliminary results indicate that mottled ducks consistently choose landscapes identified as higher priority nesting habitat by the DST than landscapes around randomly generated points. This means the models work and provide a biologically based framework to guide habitat conservation for mottled ducks throughout the western Gulf Coast. Ducks Unlimited uses the DST models to support proposals for public funding. By following the rigorous science of the DST, we can focus our conservation efforts MAP: DUCKS UNLIMITED

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Parks and Wildlife Department, Ducks Unlimited ensures that at least $100,000 of the funding they provide for the Texas Prairie Wetlands Project goes into habitats identified as high priority by the DST. Much of our conservation work along the Gulf Coast contributes to the habitat and population goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan through the GCJV Chenier Plain Initiative Plan and GCJV Mottled Duck Conservation Plan. “It’s great to see an effort like this where we all, as a partnership, identified the need, took it to fruition, tested the output and are applying it on the ground. We took it all the way from planning to implementation through adaptive management,” said Cynthia Edwards, Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS) Coordinator. Even partnerships that don’t focus on mottled ducks have recognized the importance of a broad partnership identifying a science need, putting the science together and putting it into application.

where they matter most to mottled ducks. The ability to support funding proposals with information derived from DST outputs adds credibility to the proposed efforts and assures potential funders that our conservation programs are truly guided by science and planning. Once the model was validated, conservation partners on the GCJV brought up their desire to link conservation expenditures with the model—to put their money where the science says will provide the most benefit. As part of our agreement with the Texas T E X A S

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—by Andi Cooper

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Coastal Focus: SABINE :: by Capt. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

Summer Choices

bottom or dragging curl tail grubs, live mud minnows or finger mullet in two to five feet of water should work well. One huge advantage of fishing this side of the lake is the number of bayous and cuts you’ll encounter as you make your way down the bank. Fishing the mouths of these can be killer on trout, reds and flounders as the warm water and baitfish move in and out with the tide. Another option is to run the open bay in search of schooling trout and reds. Whether the birds are giving up their coordinates or you just find shrimp skipping along the surface and fish blowing up the calm water, this is an action packed way to spend a hot June day. Topwaters, plastics, spoons, rattletraps and just about anything else you can reach the fish with will get hit. The action is fast and furious while it lasts. Fish that area a little longer after the fish go down, then continue running the lake slowly, watching the surface carefully for any sign of activity until you locate them again.

S SUMMER FINALLY MAKES its way to the Texas Coast, it brings with it an endless array of warm water, fishing patterns, techniques, destinations and opportunities. Just about every inshore species will be biting on these hot June days. Here on Sabine Lake, deciding where we want to go is often the toughest part of the day since the bite should be on from the Neches River to the Gulf of Mexico. If that decision brings you to the lake itself, finding trout, reds and flounder shouldn’t be that difficult. Several different paths will lead you to the fish. The entire eastern side of the lake from Blue Buck Point to East Pass should keep you in the action. Bouncing soft plastics off the

A good binocular will definitely come in handy here. For those who, like me, can’t resist the temptation of the Gulf in the summer months, the action at the close rigs should be just as hot as the temperature. The legs of the rigs as well as other nearby unseen structure are like magnets to baitfish and predator fish alike. Serious numbers of solid trout are caught at the rigs every summe, and June is the month that gets it all started. Closing night, chartreuse, and glow/chartreuse are very good color choices if you’re throwing soft plastics. You can get by with ¼-ounce lead heads most of the time, but make sure you bring some at least up to ½-ounce in case the current is too strong. Throwing the cast net a few times on your way to the rigs is never a bad idea. Lots of times the fish will absolutely annihilate live bait, such as shad, shrimp and finger mullet and not even sniff at artificials. We like to use a fish-finder rig and experiment with different weights to determine whether the fish are belly to the bottom or higher in the water column.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: North Revetment Road (Pleasure Island) SPECIES: Trout, redﬁsh, ﬂounder BAITS/LURES: Live shrimp, topwaters, soft plastics BEST TIMES: Mornings and evenings with moving tides

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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5/12/17 4:03 PM

Coastal Focus: GALVESTON :: by Capt. MIKE HOLMES

Under the Moon of June!

ANY YEARS AGO I HAD the honor of “serving my country” by being a member of the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Advisory Panel to the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council. We dealt with mackerel, mostly, and mainly regulations directed at king mackerel commercial and recreational fishing. Toward the end of my tenure on the panel, not much was happening, as mackerel stocks were in pretty good shape. A recent update verifies that this is still the case, but that NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) and the Gulf Council are announcing some proposed changes. The majority of the changes deal with commercial fishing. There is not much commercial activity for king and Spanish mackerel in the Western Gulf, so ‘ll leave these for you to find on the Gulf Council website, should you have an interest. Most of these are regulation “tweaks” concerning the boundary lines in the Florida Keys between Gulf group and South Atlantic Group king mackerel, but they also allow some retention of kings caught incidentally in shark gill nets. Most important for recreational fishermen in the Texas Gulf is that Gulf Group kings are NOT considered “overfished or undergoing overfishing.” NMFS data estimates that the recreational sector in the Gulf since 2002-2003 through 2013-2014 consistently harvested less than 50 percent of the recreational Annual Catch Limit, while the commercial sector consistently harvested 90 percent or more of their ACL. To put this into perspective, of the total

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but these have been in force since the HMS permit requirement. So, offshore fishermen in the Texas Gulf—a large number of whom fish out of Galveston—will get to keep an extra kingfish per angler per trip when Amendment 26 is final. But you will need to be a bit more careful when shark fishing if the proposed regulations do take effect. Double check all regulations before heading out, guys!

Annual Catch Limit for King mackerel in the Gulf, of 10.8 million pounds, 68 percent is allocated to recreational fishermen, 32 percent to the commercial sector. When finalizing Amendment 26 to the MagnusonStevens Act, the Gulf Council considered— BUT REJECTED—moving some of the “unused” quota from the recreational sector to the commercial side. Instead, it was decided to INCREASE the daily bag limit for recreational anglers from two fish per angler per trip to three. This action was determined to increase the opportunities for recreational anglers to take more of their allotted quota. This seems to be a rare instance of the Federal fisheries rules working in favor of recreational anglers! Another action that will affect recreational fishermen in the Gulf comes with Draft Amendment 5b to the 2006 “Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan.” Basically, measures are being considered to protect dusky sharks, which ARE considered “overfished and experiencing overfishing.” This Amendment could affect “ANY recreational fishermen who catch sharks of ANY species.” These changes were discussed in Public Hearings around the Gulf, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and North Carolina (for some reason) during November and December of 2016. To catch sharks recreationally in federally managed waters beyond the control of the state of Texas—nine nautical miles from shore—requires a Highly Migratory Species Permit issued by NMFS. This amendment would add completion of an online shark identification training course, plus “additional recreational fisheries outreach(?).” Any vessel using natural bait and wire or heavy (over 200 pound test) leaders of monofilament or fluorocarbon is assumed to be fishing for sharks. All HMS permit holders fishing for sharks must use circle hooks. Any shark caught on non-circle hooks must be released. There are also size and bag limits on sharks, according to species, F I S H

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THE BANK BITE LOCATION: In June, the surf heats up in more ways than one! SPECIES: Bull reds and big jacks pull hard, also various sharks and tarpon will be feeding inshore. I’ve caught kingfish in the summer surf, but Spanish mackerel are more common. Speckled trout are a more common goal for wade fishermen, with pan fish like croakers and whiting making up a mixed bag. BAIT: Mullet, mud minnows, shad, and cut bait from just about anything caught in the surf works for larger species, with live shrimp or small baitfish usually better for trout. Artificial lures will also produce. BEST TIME: Moving tides and clear water are favored for June, and a nice night with a big full moon can be ideal if the skeeters stay away.

Email Mike Holmes at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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Coastal Focus: MATAGORDA :: by Contributing Editor MIKE PRICE

The Fish of the Day

These greater amberjacks had no problem with gases expanding in their bodies. They quickly descended and swam off, but we also caught three red snappers that were from 23 to 26 inches, and they were bloated. The red snapper season last year was from June 1 to 9 so we were required to release the fish. Fortunately, we had a Sequalizer (www. seaqualizer.com ), a new, easy-to-use device that enabled us to quickly send the fish back to

F YOU GO OFFSHORE IN JUNE and catch a legal greater amberjack (over 34 inches), fishing regulations require you to release the fish, as the season is closed in June and July. Late last June I was 43 miles offshore fishing in 160 feet of water with Brian Tulloch aboard his 27-foot World Cat, Gold Nugget II. Lain Gay and his 13-year-old son, Garrett, were fishing with us. Garrett and I both caught and released amberjacks that were well over the minimum size. If you bring a fish up from depth quickly, they are sometimes bloated because their gases expand as water pressure becomes lower at shallower depths.

depth, recompress and release them. The 2017 red snapper season will open June 1. To find out when it will close, go to www.gulfcouncil.org. On this trip last June,

the fish story of the day was about a fish that you could keep—ling, also known as Cobia. We saw a big barrel floating, moved over to it and observed two large ling swimming near it. Everyone got their lines in the water and Garrett hooked up with a ling that was about five feet long. According to www.txmarspecies.tamug. edu, a sixty-inch ling should weigh 71 pounds 3 ounces. Brian said, “Play it for about 40 minutes to wear it out and then we will land it, otherwise it will break someone’s leg in the boat.” Garrett went all the way around the boat three times playing the fish. While he was athletically handling his rod and carefully placing his feet I asked Lain, “Did you sign Garrett up for the CCA S.T.A.R. tournament?” “The paperwork is on my desk,” he said, “but I haven’t sent it in.” Finally Brian said, “OK, let’s bring it in.” Garrett started working the fish up to the gunnel while I was standing by with the gaff, but the fish got off and swam away along with its mate that had stayed with it the whole time. You will be able to fish for red snappers and other species at a new site that was recently completed 8.7 nautical miles offshore from Matagorda Beach, BA-439. You can keep up to four red snappers that are at least 15-inches at this location, because it is in Texas waters. To learn more about this near-shore reef, go to www.tpwd.tx.gov and search for near-shore reefs interactive mapping.

Go with the Flow The incoming tide was so strong that I could feel it as I waded on the south shore of West Matagorda Bay. Under these conditions, predator fish like to settle on the bottom in a gut and wait for their prey to 56

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ILLUSTRATION: CANSTOCK

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come by. The gut in this opening between the bay and an extensive series of marsh, lakes, and bayous came out of the back water area. It dropped from three feet to five feet and curved to the west as it went into the bay, and became shallow. I positioned myself on the marsh side of the gut so I could cast into the gut toward the bay. I let the lure drop to the bottom, and then swam the Egret Baits five-inch Wedge Tail Minnow into the marsh with the incoming tide, just off the bottom. The first taker was a 17-inch red. This was followed by an 18-inch flounder. Finally, I caught a 21-inch redfish using this technique in the same spot. On another June day on the south shore of West Matagorda Bay, a strong incoming tide was flowing through a cut between an island and the shoreline. The sides of the cut had oyster reefs and the center was three to four feet deep. I approached the point where the strong current dissipated into open water on the down-current side. Suddenly, one-inch silver menhaden were flying out of the water as if a

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fire hose was turned on underwater spraying little menhaden. I dropped my black and yellow Bass Assassin into the foray several times, but the trout that had caused all the jumping had moved on by the time my lure penetrated the water. Then I threw to the shoreline and felt a fish grab my lure and move. I let it do as it pleased until I felt a definite purchase, and then set the hook. It was a healthy 19-inch trout. Next I cast into the deep section. A large trout took the lure and jumped out of the water. Then it leaped out of the water a second time, flared its gills, and shook its head. The hook came loose, and I lost it. A few casts later I caught another 19-inch trout. Observe the current and position yourself like the predator fish, on the down-current side and fish both the deep and shallow sections of a gut, channel, or bayou.

THE BANK BITE MATAGORDA BEACH: There are days in June when conditions line up for a good day of surf ﬁsh-

ing. For example: look at the tidal movement for Freeport, which has tidal times very close to tides on Matagorda Beach. For June 1, 2017, www.tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov you will see that low tide, is at 3:19 a.m. and high tide is at 10:59 a.m. The predicted water level change will be from 0.40 feet to 1.6 feet, which indicates a strong incoming tide taking place from before sunrise until 11 a.m. This is a major indicator for good surf fishing. A strong tide moving in will push bait and predators toward the beach, and sunrise stimulates the bite. The other factor is the condition of the water. Ideally you want to see calm, blue water up to the beach. For this to happen, winds should have come from the north or very light from the south for three or four days prior to your selected day to fish. Combine this tidal situation with pretty water up to the beach, and wade out with either natural bait or artificial lures. Chances are you will enjoy a good day in the surf.

Email Mike Price at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

5/12/17 4:08 PM

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

That Was Then, This is Now

any place out on the Internet. Also available in abundance is information pertaining to the many different ideas as to what are the best methods anglers can use to catch one of these three popular saltwater species. Generally, one of the first questions asked of me is whether I believe it to be better to wade fish, or is it better to fish out of a boat. Throughout the years, my answer to that one has always been wade fishing. In the early years, my answer was based on the fact that wade fishing is all we had whenever we were able to go fishing. We didn’t always have a boat, so we would walk in wherever we were able to do so. As years went by, my answer remained wade fishing, but my reason had changed. I had learned that water slapping a fiberglass hull in shallow water wasn’t really what you wanted while trout hunting. Stealth is the name of the game while wading. A boat doesn’t play a role other than to get you to where you want to wade, especially when searching for really big trout. Another bit of information folks always seem to be interested in is fishing gear. Again, today’s response is a lot different from my earlier years. Way back in the beginning, I would say they should take with them whatever they could get their hands on. We used to fish with some of those thick, sometimes twopiece, epoxy-glass rods. They were heavy and cumbersome, and they would seem to break quite easily at times. Some of the reels we used as boys didn’t even have a drag brake on them. So, when you’d cast your bait, you needed to pay extra special attention to what your thumb was doing at all times, both during and after the cast. Today, however, things have changed considerably. Once folks discovered there was a great demand for fishing gear back in the 1960s and 1970s, the fishing industry seemed to take off like nobody’s business. Bait companies and “gear” companies began coming out of the woodwork, and the marketing race was on to see who could build

HENEVER YOU HAPPEN upon a discussion here along the coastal region of Texas where game fishing is the topic of the conversation, the folks who are participating in that little chat are most likely talking about the speckled trout, the red fish, or the flounder. Now then, in my opinion, the trout is probably the overall prettiest of the three species of fish. It is probably also the one species that most of the coastal anglers wish they owned bragging rights for catching the biggest one ever caught. However, when the discussion turns to which of these three species offers anglers the greatest fight, I agree with the rest of redfish anglers. I say there is nothing that can rival the feeling you get each time you hook one of these bronze-shouldered brutes. It’s simply magnificent! With that out of the way, there’s really only one more thing to discuss about these three fish. That would be how much we love to eat each them, and how we might rank them accordingly. If fine taste is what you seek, I would highly recommend the southern flounder. Trout and redfish are truly prime table fare, but even with all of the scrumptious and savory trout and redfish dishes I’ve experienced over the years, none of them can hold a candle to a well-prepared flounder. Saltwater fishing in Texas dates back to the 1800s within my family, so I have all sorts of recipes for trout, redfish, and flounder that have been handeddown for decades. Seafood recipes today featuring one, or all, of these three fish can be found just about

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and sell the most overnight. It was a big time for anglers in our country, and even a bigger time for those anglers who liked to fish the saltwater shallows of our inland shores, places like the states surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. Today, when asked about gear, I simply tell folks to take what they have most confidence in. It seems like most everyone is out looking for a trophy trout nowadays. They already are aware of the latest-and-greatest out on the shelves at the huge tackle store outlets. Most of the big trout guys know what they are going to have to do to make things happen before getting into the water on that particular day. Their needs are simple. Their gear needs to be safe, reliable, and durable. Beyond that, the only thing I can add is to emphasize the word confidence. If you are a seasoned veteran of big trophy trout, then you already know the importance of having confidence in yourself. You know your own general fishing talents, the places you select to fish, and the baits you select to present to the fish. You’ll already know, too, that chasing these big spotted beauties is only one aspect of the game. You will need extra motivation and endurance to outlast the fish on those days when it’s too cold or too wet to fish comfortably. You’ll need to fish from before sunrise to beyond sunset for even the slightest inkling of acknowledgement from the fish. Simply put, there will be days when you will need all the confidence you can get.

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

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5/10/17 11:25 AM

Coastal Focus: ROCKPORT :: by Capt. MAC GABLE

Occam’s Razor of Fishing

HE DEFINITION OF OCCAM’S Razor will give most anglers a headache, so in fisherman’s terms it means the simplest explanation is usually the correct course for action. Further, the law of Parsimony supports Occam’s razor philosophically. In principal, explaining things or events are made possible by the fewest and simplest assumptions. If we get any deeper into these definitions most of us might as well be paddling around in a 30-foot boat with just our hands. It would serve little purpose. As is the case with most theories and even laws of relativity, most are being proven to be wrong universally these days. For me at least that’s true for the law of Parsimony and Occam’s razor. Things are NEVER as simple as the simplest. I am not content knowing how to fix a problem, I want to know why the problem occurred in the first place. The answer might have been the easiest/simplest, but I made it complex with my wanderings to know why. For example, if you will indulge me my boat trailer. Failing lights (running, brake, clearance) are always ground wires, that have corroded. It’s Rockport’s own Law, proved over the last 100 years. We are hopeful it will be considered for enrollment in the physics catalogs of our nation’s great Universities. Its name would look like “submersive, corrosive, over indulgence” or something like that. Once I was told it was a bird’s nest that made its home behind my license plate, my rebuttal was “impossible, for my boat is kept inside where birds do to not reside” “Where do you shop?” the guy fixing the

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got bait, and he pulled out right in front of me making me spill some of my much-needed hot tea. “Let it go,” I told myself, wanting to give him a piece of my mind. At the first red light, I noticed a guy stumbling around in the boat that this guy was towing. Against the law and not safe I thought, but hey, that’s a weekend in Rockport, Texas. I decided to give these guys a wide berth. It was comical watching the guy try to stand up. Obviously, he wasn’t in full control of his faculties. Then, to my surprise, he tried to step over the side to exit the boat about the time the light turned green and slid/fell right under the right front trailer tire. Some brain cells were working because he tried to get out of the path of the tires. Luckily he made it except for one ankle, which was promptly run over by the two trailer tires. The first tire he didn’t feel much, but the second one hurt like hell he told me later. I looked up to see whether his buddy had noticed the mishap. I remember seeing him tip his coffee cup up and punch the Dodge, heading “Katie bar the door” for the bait stand. I stopped to help the guy on the ground. After inspecting his ankle, I could tell it was at least badly sprained and probably broken. There was no minor emergency clinic back then and the nearest hospital was Aransas Pass, about a 20- to 30-minute drive, so that’s where I was headed. The guy, however, insisted in pain, that I follow his buddy as he was going to stop just up ahead at the bait stand. I objected, but he kept insisting. I thought to myself, I hope he doesn’t have a gun on him. I might be witnessing a shooting as well as a boat trailer accident. As we drove, I asked what he was doing in the towed boat in the first place. “I wasn’t in a towed boat!” he retorted. “I was in the back seat of the truck, and the lights from the gas station woke me up. I got in the boat to get my wallet. Next thing I know Mario Andretti there was off to the races.” “Well yeah, he was in a hurry.” I’m not sure I should have mentioned it. “That !@#$%^& ran over me!” he shouted through gritted teeth.

short asked. “Where the home of the brave, land of the free shop: HEB” I replied. “Look up” he said, “there are birds in the building.” “Yes, I had one land on my shopping cart.” “Cute” he said, “the repair is 40 dollars.” “Forty dollars??” I yelled. “Yes and I’m being kind, and will save the nest for you.” Then he hung up. How about premature wear on my trailer tires? Obviously, the axles were installed out of alignment; and therefore, my tires were wearing out too fast. After many hours of measuring and unbolting and researching, I finally took it to Craig’s Tires and asked for an explanation. “They are worn out for sure,” I was told. “This I know, but why are they wearing out so soon?” “Soon is a relative term” Craig said. “Captain Mac, they are over ten years old!” God, I’m getting old was my thought! By now most know about my gas gauge/gas station pump/smart gauge calibration problem that created an out-of-gas situation for me. (Well at least the many phone calls I got, tells me it’s now a well-known fact.) Anyway, one guy called and was still laughing so hard, I’m sure he soiled himself. Despite these few contradictions I still submit that we anglers do, in fact, prove the “it’s the simplest explanation” to be in ardent error. Two fellow anglers had driven their boat in tow to Rockport for a quick fishing trip. As it happens more than most will admit, they had tied it on at one of the local hangouts the night before their fishing trip. Saturday dawned early, and the driver remembered his buddy had passed out in the back seat of his four-door Dodge truck. Thoughtfully he had covered his buddy with some old blankets to let him sleep it off. The driver now in much need of coffee, was in a hurry for some reviving caffeine and needed to get bait at the bait stand before they sold out. So after a quick stop at the local gas station/convenience store, he was off to the races, his buddy fast asleep in the back seat. I was on my way to the boat ramp having F I S H

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Forecast: ROCKPORT “You threw me into the street, then ran over me!” Job yelled. “His ankle is injured and possibly broken,” I said. “He needs attention pretty quickly.” “I ran over him with the truck??!!” he whined. “No, with the boat trailer. I saw it happen.” “No way,” he exclaimed. “How??” “OH, @#$%%^b!—What was I thinking?” Again, not the simplest explanation but not much, I thought. “Not to be a jerk, but I need to get going, and he needs a doctor,” I said. We helped Job into the truck, and they both asked how they could repay me. “How about that coffee right there? I don’t think he’s going to be drinking it.” Not the intended application, but the simplest.

“Hell, I thought he was playing. How did he not see me?” The devil is in the details. Of course the simplest analysis is he had to see him but, he hadn’t. At this point the hangover kicked in alongside the ankle pain. He bent over at the waist, and I’m thinking my newly vacuumed carpet is going to get baptized. “You gonna get sick?” I asked. “Maybe.” “I will pull over.” “NO! Catch that @#$%^b first, I will hold it in!” Back at the bait stand, the injured guy saw his “friend” getting bait, having never noticed that he wasn’t in the truck. “Stay put,” I said. “You don’t want to move that foot and make things worse” That was not the main reason I said what I said—an injured angler in a fistfight? well, you get the picture. As I walked by the truck, which had the door open, I couldn’t help but notice that in his truck were two cups of coffee sitting in the center console. “He bought you a cup of coffee,” I told his injured friend, “so he was thinking about you.” “Yeah, just before he ran over me, that @!#$%^&b!!” I’m not helping here, I am thinking. “Sir,” I said as I walked up to the now in trouble driver, “I don’t think you’re gonna need that bait right now What?” he replied. “You lost something.” “I did? Did something blow out? Oh, wow, I forgot to get ice, I bet my ice chest blew out AGAIN.” “No,” the bait stand owner said jokingly of me. “He would have kept that, if that’s what happened.” “No it was ME and I got hurled out!!!!” his injured friend yelled out. The driver’s dots were blurred by imbibing the night before, but it’s amazing how quickly those dots re-connect in a fight or flight situation. “Job??” (We’ll call him Job, the injured one, as he suffered greatly) the now frightened driver squeaked. “You were in the back seat! You were in the back seat!!?” Where in the back seat? is what I thought. Hmm, Occam’s Razor not working here. 60

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• • • THIS IS CROAKER SEASON, BUT ON those balmy, hot windless days, top-waters can be a lot of fun. The goodness here is you can work a top-water in shallow or deep water with equal effectiveness. Rule of thumb: Early morning and late evening fish shallow, mid-day deep-water edges are a good bet.

Bayou is a good spot for reds, using freelined finger mullet. The west shoreline close to Salt Creek is a good spot for reds as well. Cut mullet on a medium Carolina Rig is best here. CARLOS BAY: Some black drum off Spalding Reef may be found using fresh dead shrimp on a light Carolina Rig. The east end of Pelican Reef is a good spot for trout using croaker free-lined. MESQUITE BAY: The spoil area just off Bludworth Island is a good spot for reds using free-lined finger mullet. Wades just off Ballou Island are good for reds and trout using soft plastics in new penny and spicy pumpkin seed colors. This can be a boggy area so exercise caution. AYERS BAY: Second Chain is holding some reds using finger mullet and cut perch on a light Carolina rig. This a shell area so rig as light as you can. Some large black drum may be found just off Rattlesnake shoreline using fresh dead shrimp on a fish finder rig. There are some sheepshead here as well. Cut squid is a good bait choice, free-line is best. Here’s wishing you tigh lines, bent poles and plenty of bait!

THE BANK BITE

COPANO BAY: Copano Reef is a good spot to shake a croaker for some keeper trout. Free-lined is best here. Lone Tree Point is a good spot for trout as well. A free-lined croaker or live shrimp work well farther off the shoreline. Closer to shore is a good place for reds using finger mullet or cut mullet or a Light Carolina rig.

BLACK POINT just off FM 136 is an accessible spot for most. During late evenings, some big reds come into the Aransas River Channel there to feed. Cut mullet here is very productive, especially with tide movement. Free-line is best or a light Carolina rig.

ARANSAS BAY: The mouth of Allyns Bight is a good spot for trout using live shrimp or soft plastics in limetreuse and plum chartreuse colors. The back of the Bight is good for reds on a high tide using cut menhaden and or finger mullet on a medium heavy Carolina rig.

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

ST CHARLES Bay: Some keeper trout at the mouth of Cavasso Creek. Use a rattle cork and live shrimp at low tide. Big Devils |

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5/10/17 11:25 AM

Coastal Focus: ARANSAS/CORPUS :: by Contributing Editor TOM BEHRENS

Head to the King Ranch Gut or East Corpus Shore

ESIDES KNOWING WHERE to fish and what baits to use, the biggest thing to remember when going out in June is be prepared for the heat. June officially starts the summer months, although with the crazy weather we have had this year so far, the hot temperatures associated with summer has started before June. Start early, get off the water by noon, and maybe, try your luck in the late evening hours. Matching tidal flow with either of these time frames, all the better. Choosing good locations for June …Since the water temps are also climbing, it’s good to match up locations where you can wade the prime early hours, but then can move off into deeper water to try your luck picking up a few fish on a drift as the sun begins to slow fry your skin. The fish are also looking for a more acceptable water temps. Guide Paul Braly who fishes the Upper Laguna Madre and Corpus Christi, shares some of his fish-catching wisdom. In the Upper Laguna Madre a good place to localize your efforts is the natural gut off the King Ranch shoreline. If Braly has clients who prefer fishing with live or cut bait, he sets them up for free-lining live croakers on number six Kahle hooks. You don’t need a leader in free-lining. “A lot of people don’t use leader, just tie the hook straight to the line, hook a croaker, and throw it out there,” said Braly. “Bounce, pop the croaker about every 30-40 seconds. You can catch trout and redfish using this method.” Size of croaker doesn’t seem to be that important. Every year it’s different. In April when croaker first start to show up in the bays, Braly may be using a three inch croaker; by June they could be four or five inches in length. “Hook them through the tail so they move around.”

The Natural Cut or Gut Braly gives a description of the Natural Gut …”When you go down the King Ranch Shoreline, there is a gut that runs probably 150 yards off the shoreline, about 500 yards wide. It runs pretty much from Pita Island all the way to Marker 185; Marker 185 kind of marks the pipeline that runs from the actual seashore back to the King Ranch. This area is marked by a whole bunch of pipelines that run through there.” In total the gut is maybe 12 miles long. Along the shoreline you have two to three foot deep grass and sand beds; back off from the shoreline and you move into about six feet of water. If you have made the transition from shallow to deep, anchor up and throw croaker. Keep bumping the live croaker around until you find the fish. “The gut is pretty much where all the trout live in the summer,” said Braly. “In the gut, the redfish will eat the croaker, but you are not going to catch very many redfish in those places,” explained Braly. “Redfish don’t naturally eat croakers because they aren’t cannibals like trout. They (croaker) look like a redfish, but without the spot. This is not saying they won’t eat a croaker if you catch them feeding, but they don’t typically eat a croaker. “Croaker feast on trout eggs. A redfish would rather eat a crab or mullet, a piece of cut bait, shrimp. That’s more on their diet.”

Email Tom Behrens at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

Corpus Christi Bay The east shoreline of Corpus Christi Bay up to about Shamrock Cove is pretty good place to throw croakers for trout. There are a bunch of sand guts that run through there; work those sand guts,” said Braly. “Free-line croaker on a number 7 hook, also live mullet. Use cut bait in the same guts with Carolina T E X A S

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rigs and catch redfish…definitely good fishing through there,” said Braly. “There are a lot of flats you can drift early in the morning or late in the afternoon, throwing gold spoons or any type of soft plastics in various colors, just whatever you have the most confidence in. Color doesn’t really matter. Besides croakers, gold spoons and soft plastics, don’t forget the most important thing. Take lots of water with you…water, not other beverages. Lather down with the highest rating sunscreen you can find to prevent skin cancer that will surface later on in your life. I can vouch for that.

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5/10/17 11:25 AM

Coastal Focus: BAFFIN BAY :: by Capt. SALLY BLACK

Sure Bets on Bafﬁn

As the morning wears on, drop down along sandbars, grass edges and deep potholes to find a nice limit of good-eating speckled trout. Use Saltwater Assassin four-inch Sea Shad paddle tails or straight tailed SW Shad in dark or light colors, depending on the day. Cloudy weather, off-colored water might require a Morning Glory, Chicken on a Chain or a Texas Roach color, Plum (SW), or Rootbeer/ Red Glitter (SW), all dark colored plastics. Bright, nice weather with beautiful clear watercolor try Mighty White, Sugar and Spice, Fried Chicken, all light-colored plastics. The most important part about fishing with soft plastics is a “natural presentation.” The lighter the jig head, the easier it will be to fish any plastic with a natural motion. Try using “Black’s Magic Jig Heads” in the 1/32 ounce, #1 hook size. Anglers are astounded at the increase in fish “catching” with this little piece of fishing dynamite. It has revolutionized many angler’s fishing. Locations that are very reliable for this approach to early summer fishing would include, in Baffin Bay, the Tide Gauge Bar, the North Shoreline of Baffin, any rock pile in Baffin such as Center Reef, White or Black Bluff or any grass flat such as the South Shoreline all the way to Penescal Point. The Upper Laguna Madre has so much to offer as well, such as the King Ranch Shoreline, Emmord’s Hole, The Meadows, Little Grassy, Yarborough, and the “Ditch”. The Landcut has a great and complex flat called the “Summerhouse,” which includes interesting rock formations that meander along the shoreline. Even more complex than that would be Rocky Slough. Big, big rocks infest this area, but are more like a coral reef in that it becomes a system in and of itself. Rocky Slough also is connected to a back lake to wade into. On the right water levels, anglers can do everything right there. Early morning, top waters up shallow, drop off fishing on the edges of the rocks and grass, and super skinny water, sight casting up in the slough. Fish this area with high caution as the rocks are large and plentiful. The 9-Mile Hole is perfect for sight casting

ALK ABOUT A SURE THING! Finally, the early summer pattern has emerged and it’s an easy one to follow. After gambling all spring, bouncing from place to place playing the conditions, June brings high payouts with great early morning top water action along the shorelines for trophy trout. Then, moving out a little, mid-morning limits of quality trout caught with soft plastics along edges, potholes and sand bars. When the sun hits the right angle (around 10:30 a.m. or so), get set for some super skinny fishing and an allafternoon adventure of sight casting to redfish and black drum. As an angler, observe these patterns, and replicate them place after place. It’s surprising sometimes to realize that once a pattern is established, you can use it in Baffin Bay, all along the Upper Laguna and all the way to the Land Cut and the 9-Mile Hole. These locations can really shine all summer long, whether you are a beginner, a trophy trout hunter, or a family looking for a great dinner. This pattern lives all summer long, with the exception of weather interruptions or drastic changes of conditions which may send fish packing, but they will be back as soon as possible. Soft winds, along with sunny, warm conditions give fish the opportunity they’ve been looking for—to settle in to a regular feeding pattern in a reliable location. Get an early start and be on the water at the “change,” from dark to light. Fish love to feed on the “change.” They will be found in the very shallow waters and shorelines, ambushing bait that are confused by the flip from dark conditions to the sunrise and bright conditions. All morning, trout and redfish will stay up shallow eating the easy prey. Watch for trout “slicks” along the shorelines and fish where they originated.

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and fly-fishing. A gigantic, shallow grass flat, the “Hole” takes a little time to crack the code of how to fish it. The 9-Mile Hole fishes more like a lake than a grass flat. The fish there like to hang out in six to eight regular places. Mark those spots, and the pattern of fishing there will emerge on the GPS. If drifting super shallow with clear and productive water is a goal, all anglers will love this spot. Early summer fishing is diverse. After the winds and changeable conditions of the spring, it’s almost like taking a deep breath and a sigh. Fly-fishing is always an option as the sun is high, the winds are low and the fish are shallow. Sight casting is a fun challenge, and walking a long, long shoreline is cathartic and exciting all wrapped into one. Plus, it’s great exercise. The shoreline provides lots of interest with a cadre of birds, deer, quail, turkeys, coyotes and even nilgai gracing anglers with their presence. The lack of any development from Baffin Bay and south into the Upper Laguna Madre, Land Cut and the 9-Mile Hole provides a glimpse into the natural land of the last 100 years. It’s unchanged and will remain so for a long time. Lucky anglers enjoy a wide variety of nature while fishing, and it’s truly a bonus. Life along the shores of the King and the Kenedy Ranches is a cornucopia of all things nature. Most of the time, boat traffic is minimal to non-existent, and the fishing is off the charts. Finding the right combinations for productive fishing in the early summer is easy and fun. Because of the combination of the remoteness of the area and the great year-round fishing, Baffin Bay, the Upper Laguna Madre and places south can truly be called “The Last Best Place on the Texas Coast.” See you on the water!

Contact Capt. Sally Black at 361-205-0624 Email: Sally@CaptainSally.com Web: www.BaffinBayRodandGun.com Facebook: Baffin Bay Rod and Gun Twitter: @CaptainSally Instagram: baffin_bay_rod_and_gun

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5/12/17 4:15 PM

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

Even Prettier in Pink

AST MONTH, I MENTIONED IN my Saltwater column that jetty fishing was beginning to pick up in May and there were techniques to effectively fish the tackle-eating rocks. This column elaborates on fishing the jetties, which are a great and easily accessible hotspot in early summer. Fishing the jetties in early summer isn’t a journey just for dinky whiting and skinny sand trout. Some of the most underrated summer fishing in South Texas takes place along either side of the Brazos Santiago Jetties that bookend the pass by the same name. This pass feeds in and out of Lower Laguna Madre. These jetty systems, which were lengthened and reinforced in late 2012, are accessible from land. You can get to the north jetties from South Padre Island, and the south jetties from Brownsville via SH 4, and then turning left onto Brazos Island (known locally as Boca Chica Beach. These locations offer excellent fishing for everything from the four parts of the “Texas Slam” (trout, redfish, flounder, and snook), mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel, tarpon, and even kingfish for the properly equipped. Certainly, the most sought-after quarries are speckled trout and redfish. Both species can be caught from the jetties on the same trip. However, different techniques are called for. Usually, speckled trout will hold closer to the rocks and patrol up and down the gut that runs parallel to the jetties. This is especially true on the north jetties, where prevailing currents create gentler eddies and currents that, on an outgoing tide, push water and bait against the surf-side of the rocks. Redfish will prowl the surf away from the

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presence of snook in the suds more than makes up for the tougher work. These fish will also attack the same trout and redfish lures with abandon, offering some gill-rattling jumps for your thrills. The question always comes up about the sort of tackle needed for the jetties. Honestly, your traditional inshore 10- to12-pound tackle is enough. However, if you hook into a big red or snook, you are going to be in trouble. Upping slightly to 14- to 17-pound tackle is a safer bet to handle just about anything that swims the suds around the pink granite. It gives you a little more power in reserve if Mr. Big comes calling. If you are feeling a little ambitious, walk all the way to the end of the jetties to take a shot at a kingfish or tarpon. Again, this is a slightly longer walk than before, now that the jetties have been lengthened. Tarpon prowl the currents and eddies on the channel side of the jetties when the tide is running. Mullet-imitators such as a large Rapala, Bomber Long A, or a Live Target Mullet are the best bets to get a poon’s attention. Fly fishermen can use a large Tarpon Bunny or Chicken Feather-type fly on an eight- or nineweight fly rod. Calm days bring blue water right up into the rocks, and kingfish follow bait into casting range. Use a Magnum Rat-L-Trap in Chrome/ blue or a fresh ribbonfish on a classic kingfish rig. Large menhaden (pogies) are best if you can get some that are fresh. Upgrade to a surf rod and high-capacity reel. Back in June of this year, I hooked into something that nailed my Pencil Popper and stripped my Penn 9500 SS of 400 yards of braid just like that. As far as I know, whatever it was is halfway to Yucatan. You never know what may show up and turn your June into a month to remember.

jetties and in the guts that intersect them. Late summer and fall are better times for surf-run redfish, but there are some decent numbers sniffing around in the suds. An incoming tide and soft Southeast breezes, which send clean water in from the Gulf, lay swells down and make early mornings magical off the rocks. A fisherman can do well throwing live bait under a popping cork near the rocks for trout (and mangrove snapper, which almost become a nuisance with their abundance). The problem is that everything loves to eat shrimp, including the countless bait thieves that live in and around the rocks. On a really bad day, these little nibblers can empty your bait bucket and leave you talking to yourself. Fortunately, live bait isn’t necessary. Bring a box filled with chugging topwaters such as the Storm Chug Bug or PRADCO’s Heddon Pop’R, a couple of pink/polka-dot Rat-L-Traps, a ½ ounce silver spoon or two. Add a collection of your favorite plastic tails in red/white, or chartreuse patterns and some 1/8 ounce jigheads (the lighter heads are less apt to snag up). This combination is perfect to keep you mobile. If the wind is straight from the south, you can still fling topwaters parrallel to the rocks. In fact, the trout seem a little more aggressive in the more active water. Start an early morning expedition by casting back toward the corner where the rocks meet the beach and work the lure back along the bottom. Trout should be there, but there may also be a few big flounders waiting in ambush (still another little-know—or long forgotten—feature of the Brazos Santiago jetty system). From those casts, expand out into the guts and cast parallel to the beach to see whether there are any redfish. It doesn’t hurt to put a few wire leaders in your tackle box. This time of year, schools of Spanish mackerel and some small bluefish start to maraud around the surf side of the jetties. They aren’t discriminating and can clean you out of tackle in a hurry. On the south jetties, the surf is a bit rougher, and the rocks are not laid as smoothly, but the 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.

Hail Mary for Mat Specks by TOM BEHRENS

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: St. Mary’s Bayou GPS: N 28 39.786, W 95 57.432 (28.6631, -95.9572)

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

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Shrimp Tails CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.MatagordaFishing.com TIPS: “Sometimes the best method of ﬁshing is to make long drifts.” Capt. Countz LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Shoal GPS: N 28 43.371, W 95 46.228 (28.7229, -95.7705)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Shrimp Tails CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.MatagordaFishing.com TIPS: “If I have clients who like to throw artiﬁcials we will start off at daylight throwing topwaters and switch

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Bird Island GPS: N 28 43.86, W 95 45.617 (28.7310, -95.7603)

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to plastics with no heavier than an 1/8 oz. lead head. Black is always a good color, also Chicken-on-aChain.” Capt. Countz

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Shrimp Tails CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.MatagordaFishing.com TIPS: “Almost a quarter of East Bay is scattered shell on the west end of the bay. The scattered shell holds the bait and the ﬁsh.” Capt. Countz LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Boiler Bayou GPS: N 28 38.685, W 95 54.067 (28.6448, -95.9011)

will make a drift like a half a mile.” Capt. Countz

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Shrimp Tails CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.MatagordaFishing.com TIPS: Drifting -”Don’t get in a hurry. Sometimes we |

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Shrimp Tails CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.MatagordaFishing.com TIPS: “If it’s producing, mark in on your GPS, and come back around and drift the area again.” Capt. Countz LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Sievers Cut GPS: N 29 26.074, W 94 42.692 (29.4346, -94.7115)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Baby Spooks or She Pups CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: “In June water temperatures are probably going to be in the 80s. If you are wading the trout will be in skinny water early.” Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Big Pasture GPS: N 29 30.322, W 94 35.78 (29.5054, -94.5963)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Baby Spooks or She Pups CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com gofishgalveston.com TIPS: “After sunup, the lack of oxygen in the water created by the high temperatures will move the fish out into about 6-8 feet of water.” Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Hanna’s Reef GPS: N 29 28.471, W 94 43.251 (29.4745, -94.7209)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Baby Spooks or She Pups CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: “If you are going to wade, you need to do it early, 4:30 in the morning, before daylight.” Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Marsh Point GPS: N 29 31.834, W 94 34.339 (29.5306, -94.5723)

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LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Fat Rat Pass GPS: N 29 28.462, W 94 38.673 (29.4744, -94.6446)

TIPS: “If the winds are under 15 knots, drifting the wells can pay off with some nice catches.” Capt. Marcaccio uses a 1/4 oz. jig head with a soft plastic tail. u TAP FOR ONLINE MAP

LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Trinity Bay Wells GPS: N 29 41.677, W 94 47.325 (29.6946, -94.7888)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Baby Spooks or She Pups CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: “You might try a MirrOdine by MirrOlure in a chartreuse color.” Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Vin-et-un GPS: N 29 32.29, W 94 46.419 (29.5382, -94.7737)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Gold Spoon CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: A gold spoon, 1/4 or 1/2 oz. works really well around the wells.

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LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Confederate Reef GPS: N 29 15.755, W 94 55.177 (29.2626, -94.9196)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Tails CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com gofishgalveston.com TIPS: When drift fishing while using soft plastic tails, Capt. Marcaccio likes the colors of Limetreuse or pearl. LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Hodges Reef GPS: N 29 34.963, W 94 44.574 (29.5827, -94.7429)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Tails CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com T E X A S

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Tails CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: “The key when drifting reefs is keeping a close look for slicks and small pods of mullet or shad.” Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Carancahua Reef GPS: N 29 12.706, W 94 59.781 (29.2118, -94.9964)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Baby Spooks or She Pups CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: Capt. Marcaccio’s favorite topwater bait colors are chartreuse and black/chrome.

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FISHING HOTSPOTS BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Tails CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: “Sand Island has a hard bottom, just south of the Texas City Dike on the Intracoastal Waterway…. another good place to look for trout.” Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Flats GPS: N 29 56.404, W 93 50.919 (29.9401, -93.8487)

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MIDDLE COAST SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Shrimp Tails CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.MatagordaFishing.com TIPS: “Sand bars and stuff extend way out into the bay, and West Bay is more susceptible to wind than East Bay. Once you fall off the sand bars you drop into 8-10 feet of water with no structure.” Capt. Countz

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LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Greens Bayou GPS: N 28 30.692, W 96 13.611 (28.5115, -96.2269)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez 409-721-5467 www.goldenhookguide.com TIPS: Slow drift the ﬂats casting a slow sinking soft plastic till you locate the trout. Mark the area on your GPS, come around and drift through the area again. LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Matagorda Surf GPS: N 28 36.569, W 95 59.268 (28.6095, -95.9878)

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LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Boat Hole GPS: N 27 41.281, W 97 15.126 (27.6880, -97.2521)

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SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Croaker, gold spoons, and/or soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmailcom fishfinderguideservice.com TIPS: “Color doesn’t really matter. If it goes by a redfish, he will eat it. Get out early, or fish into the evening.” Capt. Braly

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Shrimp Tails CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.MatagordaFishing.com TIPS: “If we have calm enough winds we have what

by TOM BEHRENS

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Mustang Island GPS: N 27 41.755, W 97 11.309 (27.6959, -97.1885)

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Reef GPS: N 28 32.638, W 96 15.362 (28.5440, -96.2560)

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Cottons Bayou GPS: N 28 30.552, W 96 12.453 (28.5092, -96.2076)

A Hole Lot of Corpus Reds

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Shrimp Tails CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.MatagordaFishing.com TIPS: “In West Matagorda Bay the reefs produce because they are structure that draws bait ﬁsh, and they in turn draw predator ﬁsh.” Capt. Countz

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Shrimp Tails CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.MatagordaFishing.com TIPS: “If you can catch the surf ﬂat and green, that’s the place to be.” Capt. Countz

we call Half Moon Reef, just off Palacios Point…lines of rocks that has been paying off like a slot machine ever since they put them in…six feet of water with rocks up about three feet off the bottom.” Capt. Countz

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmailcom ﬁshﬁnderguideservice.com TIPS: “The east shoreline of Corpus Christi Bay from Mustang up to about Shamrock Cove presents some

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FISHING HOTSPOTS fishfinderguideservice.com TIPS: “Freeline croaker on a number 7 hook, also live mullet, and cut bait in the same guts with a Carolina rig and catch redfish and flounder.” Capt. Braly

very, very good ﬁshing.” Capt. Braly LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Pot Holes/Grass GPS: N 27 49.721, W 97 14.338 (27.8287, -97.2390)

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LOCATION: Espiritu Santo Bay HOTSPOT: Pringle Lake GPS: N 26 18.925, W 96 31.151 (26.3154, -96.5192)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmailcom ﬁshﬁnderguideservice.com TIPS: “There are a bunch of sand guts that run through there that will hold trout.” Capt. Braly LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Shamrock Cove GPS: N 27 46.018, W 97 9.239 (27.7670, -97.1540)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmailcom fishfinderguideservice.com TIPS: “Look for slicks or bait fish activity and you can definitely catch some good trout.” Capt. Braly LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Shamrock Island GPS: N 27 45.159, W 97 10.022 (27.7527, -97.1670)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmailcom

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FISHING HOTSPOTS BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Billy Freudensprung 979-997-2264 Billyfreudensprung@gmail.com TIPS: “Check out the back lakes in June. When the hardheads and gaftops start showing up, that’s when we start throwing nothing but croaker.” Capt. Freudensprung LOCATION: Espiritu Santo Bay HOTSPOT: Contee Lake GPS: N 28 17.779, W 96 33.157 (28.2963, -96.5526)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker, live mullet or perch CONTACT: Capt. Jack McParland 361-290-6302 treblecharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: Fish the outer edges of breaks and grass

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LOCATION: Redﬁsh Bay HOTSPOT: Inside Dagger Island GPS: N 27 51.104, W 97 3.352 (27.8517, -97.0559) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Billy Freudensprung 979-997-2264 Billyfreudensprung@gmail.com TIPS: “Pop the croaker every now and then, kind of wait about 10-15 seconds, give the croaker a little pop, make him start moving around. A lot of times little movements like that will get the trout’s attention.” Capt. Freudensprung LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Super Flats GPS: N 27 54.669, W 97 2.196 (27.9112, -97.0366)

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Cut mullet or gold spoons CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblecharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: Capt. McPartland recommends a 4/0 or 5/0 Kahle hook when using cut bait for redﬁsh.

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live croaker CONTACT: Capt. Jack McParland 361-290-6302 treblecharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: “Park and throw live croaker, free lined in a sand/grass pothole.” Capt. McPartland

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Flapp’n Shad soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Brandon Kendrick 936-671-3477 rufﬂingfeathers@yahoo.com www.rfguideservice.com TIPS: Capt. Kendrick likes to use a Flapp’n Shad in plum or Key Lime color with 1/4 oz. jig head. “In June the trout are getting aggressive. With the 1/4 oz. jig head we try to get deep in the water for the deeper ﬁsh.”

LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Stedman’s Reef GPS: N 27 52.982, W 97 7.483 (27.8830, -97.1247)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmailcom ﬁshﬁnderguideservice.com TIPS: “Freeline live croaker on a number six Kahle hook,” says Capt. Braly. Hook the croaker through the tail.” LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline GPS: N 27 29.134, W 97 21.108 (27.4856, -97.3518)

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Chicken Foot Reef GPS: N 28 15.925, W 96 47.346 (28.2654, -96.7891)

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Emmords Hole GPS: N 27 30.186, W 97 19.733 (27.5031, -97.3289)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmailcom ﬁshﬁnderguideservice.com TIPS: Use a leader, or don’t use a leader…”A lot of people don’t use leader, just tie a hook straight to the line, hook a croaker, and throw it out there.” Capt. Braly LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Natural Cut GPS: N 27 35.519, W 97 17.516 (27.5920, -97.2919)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly

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FISHING HOTSPOTS 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmailcom fishfinderguideservice.com TIPS: “Pop the croaker every 30-40 seconds, bounce the it off the bottom. This method works well for redfish as well.” Capt. Braly LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Boat Hole GPS: N 27 40.969, W 97 14.999 (27.6828, -97.2500)

LOWER COAST

Bafﬁn Trout Break Bad by CALIXTO GONZALES and TOM BEHRENS

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LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Badlands South GPS: N 27 17.152, W 97 25.053 (27.2859, -97.4176)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmailcom ﬁshﬁnderguideservice.com TIPS: The size of croaker changes from year to year. “We have had a lot of 3 inch croaker early in the spring; they could be 4 to 5 inches this summer.” Capt. Braly LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: East Flats GPS: N 27 24.958, W 97 20.627 (27.4160, -97.3438)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmailcom fishfinderguideservice.com TIPS: “Anchor up and throw croaker, just keep bumping around until you find the right fish.” Capt. Braly

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Grady Deaton 956-455-2503 www.dosgringosfishing.com TIPS: Drifting….use braid line over monofilament when the bait is a distance from the boat. You don’t want that stretch in the line. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Rocky Slough GPS: N 27 10.639, W 97 26.445 (27.1773, -97.4408)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Kelly Wiggler soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Grady Deaton 956-455-2503 www.dosgringosﬁshing.com TIPS: Wade ﬁshing …”Anything with a chartreuse tail. A bone/diamond works real well. In a Salt Water Assassin, I like the 10W40. Other favorite colors are Root Beer/chartreuse or a red/chartreuse while using a 1/4 oz. jig head.” Capt. Deaton

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FISHING HOTSPOTS CONTACT: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith 318-455-3437 caddoguide1@att.net www.caddolakefishing.com TIPS: In the bayous the bass will bunch up along the grass edges and creek intersections. Fishing your Texas-rigged worms work well here. I like colors like Junebug and black red flake. On the main lake flats watch for bait fish in the grass beds and work these areas with your frogs and flukes. I use the ribbit style frogs fast when the fish are aggressive and fish hollow body popping frogs slower when the bass are sluggish. Keep your senko and flukes close by for missed frog strikes.

PINEY WOODS

Conroe Hybrids in Full Swing by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 22.9799, W 95 34.9259 (30.3830, -95.5821)

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LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Bridges and Brushpiles GPS: N 32 52.9211, W 95 37.7405 (32.8820, -95.6290)

SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers BEST BAITS: Live shad, shad-colored crankbaits and Storm swim shad CONTACT: Richard Tatsch 936-661-7920 admin@fishdudetx.com www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: The hybrid stripers are in full swing now and this is the time to catch trophy fish and possibly lake record hybrids. 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 12 foot to 26 feet. Find the depth the bait are in and you will find the fish. You can catch several limits of fish in an hour’s time right now! They will be bunched up with some really large fish to be caught. Live shad will be the bait of choice but the swim shad or shad colored crankbaits work well also! Good luck and good fishing!

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SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Live minnows and crappie jigs in Blue Ice color CONTACT: Doug Shampine 940-902-3855 doug@lakeforktrophybass.com www.lakeforktrophybass.com TIPS: June is a great month for the family to enjoy crappie fishing on Lake Fork. School will be out for the summer so what a great time to be out on the water. The spawn is over and the crappie have moved back to deeper water and are hungry. Put a minnow or jig in front of them and the bite will be almost immediate. You will be able to find them on the main lake points, brush piles and the bridges. Look for them to be in 14-20 feet of water. The best bridges will be the 2946, 515 West and the 154. As for the brush piles I have put a lot of these in the lake, and we will go park over the piles and tight line into the brush with minnows or jigs. Best color of jig this time of the year is blue ice. So come to Lake Fork crappie fishing and take home a mess of crappie to eat.

LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Alligator Bayou or Bird Island Flats GPS: N 32 41.352, W 94 5.946 u TAP FOR (32.6892, -94.0991)

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LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points, Humps and Road Beds GPS: N 32 49.614, W 95 35.5817 (32.8269, -95.5930) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: “1/8 oz. Texas-rigged 6-8”” worms, hollow and ribbit style frogs and Texas-rigged senkos and ﬂukes”

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Grandebass Airtail Wiggler on a shakey head, Carolina-rig Airtail rattlesnake and, on windy and cloudy days, deep diving crankbaits CONTACT: Lance Vick (903) 312-0609 lance@lakeforkbass.com www.guideonlakefork.com TIPS: It’s getting hot and that means the fishing is hot too. Springtime is not the only time for sight fishing. June is my favorite month. Sight fishing main lake points, humps and roadbeds with my Lowrance will by my plan. Tip of the month: the hottest part of the day is the better time to fish. LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: 190 Road Bed GPS: N 30 45.15, W 95 10.3206 (30.7525, -95.1720)

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Jigging slabs, spoons and troll pet spoon on down rigger CONTACT: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 dave@palmettoguideservice.com www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: “Key in on old bridge rails and road bed in 11 - 15 feet of water. Jig slabs right off the bottom. BANK ACCESS: Kickapoo Marina off 190 on Kickapoo Creek.” LOCATION: Toledo Bend North HOTSPOT: Buzzard Bend, River Bend Sandbar GPS: N 31 40.1418, W 93 49.0229 u TAP FOR (31.6690, -93.8171)

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SPECIES: White Bass

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FISHING HOTSPOTS BEST BAITS: Slab spoons, tail spinners, and RatL-Traps CONTACT: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages 936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: We’re heading into summer and as the water continues to warm, the white bass will be moving further south down the lake following the old river channel, holding and feeding on the inside bend sand bars. Use your electronics to find the baitfish and the Whites will be close by. Schooling activity will be increasing so keep a Rat-L-Trap handy. As the schooling increases, look for the sea gulls feeding on the baitfish. The whites have usually pushed the baitfish to the surface.

PRAIRIES & LAKES

The Dam Rocks for Fayette Cats

humps with deeper water all around them. As the water heats up the hybrids that have come down from Lake Bridgeport during recent ﬂoods hang out in this area. An effective method is to troll a very deep running lure. A hell pet with a bell sinker on the front of the hellbender to make it run deep works well at this time of the year.

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Bass: spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps | Crappie: minnows and jigs CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: For bass, throw spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps along the weed line. Crappie are under the bridge this time of year. Minnows and jigs are your best bet right now. LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points and Humps GPS: N 32 18.738, W 96 10.158 (32.3123, -96.1693)

LOCATION: Gibbons Creek HOTSPOT: Plum Creek Point GPS: N 30 38.7, W 96 3.0299 (30.6450, -96.0505)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut shad and CJ’s punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Fish rocks left of the point. Here you can use tight line or corks, depending on the winds. Spawn should be over and fish are hungry after being on nests all this time.

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by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER LOCATION: Fayette County HOTSPOT: Dam Rocks GPS: N 29 55.068, W 96 44.5859 (29.9178, -96.7431)

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LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake HOTSPOT: Dam GPS: N 32 52.693, W 97 28.006 (32.8782, -97.4668)

LOCATION: Bachman Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 51.1859, W 96 52.014 (32.8531, -96.8669)

SPECIES: White Bass/Hybrids BEST BAITS: Hell Pet or Deep Running Lure CONTACT: Johnny Stevens 817-597-6598 johnnystevens@1scom.net johnnysguideservice.com TIPS: This area, just north of the dam, is a series of

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LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Brush Piles GPS: N 30 42.636, W 97 20.7239 (30.7106, -97.3454)

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Slabs CONTACT: Jason Barber (903) 603-2047 kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com www.kingscreekadventures.com TIPS: Fish all points and humps in the 8 to 16 foot range. Bounce slabs on the bottom.

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Water is 20’ deep with rocks on bottom. Throw out buoy, chum around buoy, fish under cork close to the bottom over the chum. Either anchor or use trolling motor

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SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: 1/32 oz. Marabou jigs and live minnows CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell 512-365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: By now all the crappie have spawned and moved to main lake brush piles. They are from 6 to 15 feet deep and in every corner of the lake. The biggest problem is finding the spots holding big fish. Some of the larger piles will be full of small undersized fish so keep looking. Small inconspicuous places will be holding the big trophy fish. Just move if you are not catching fish. That is the best piece of advice for crappie fishermen. Good luck and good fishing!

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FISHING HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Twin Humps Near Town GPS: N 32 26.404, W 97 46.977 (32.4401, -97.7830)

BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, Carolina rigs and Big Eye Jigs CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com www. rickysguideservice.com TIPS: “Fishing Palestine this time of year is usually very good. Fish points and boat houses with 6 feet or more water in front of them using crankbaits, jigs or Carolina rigs.”

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LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Sand Bass Flats GPS: N 33 25.494, W 97 0.603 (33.4249, -97.0101)

SPECIES: Black and White Crappie BEST BAITS: Small minnows, small crappie jigs in blue ice or electric chicken colors. CONTACT: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 817-578-0023 TIPS: Fish near deeper docks and timber. Look for scattered ﬁsh around structure (bridge pilings) and try a variety of depths to get the bite. LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake Rocky Areas GPS: N 33 2.0519, W 96 28.9679 (33.0342, -96.4828)

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Small topwaters, swimbaits, crankbaits CONTACT: Jim Walling 940-391-5534 jimwwalling@icloud.com TIPS: Look for schools of White Bass to be actively feeding in this area at various times of the day. Gulls diving to the water to make a meal of the Shad that are pushed to the surface by the feeding Whites can be expected. During the feeding frenzies a person can cast about any small lure in your tackle boxes and be successful. My favorite lure to use is a 1/8-ounce jig head with a 2-3 inch swimbait on it. The fish will hit it consistently and you only have a single hook in the fish. Therefore, are you not only less likely to get a hook in you versus a lure with one or two treble hooks, you can get the fish unhooked and make another cast much quicker.

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Shallow and deep diving crankbaits, chartreuse/white spinnerbaits and Zara Spooks CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Run a crankbait around the rocks wherever you see ﬁsh. Use 3-foot divers early and 8-12 foot divers as the sun comes up. Also chartreuse and white spinnerbaits early and late. Topwater Zara Spooks are also good if you like topwater fun. Fish parallel to the rocks and “walk the dog” in 1-4 feet of water off the rocks. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points GPS: N 32 4.998, W 95 24.996 (32.0833, -95.4166)

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Rocky Creek Roadbed GPS: N 30 18.432, W 96 33.492 (30.3072, -96.5582)

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SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Cj’s punch bait and cut shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com

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LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: The North End GPS: N 33 52.072, W 96 41.672 (33.8678, -96.6945)

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SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Top water plugs, slabs and jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfish@striperexpress.com www.striperexpress.com TIPS: “The striped bass have finished their annual spawn. The fish are grouping up in large schools and roaming the lake in a feeding frenzy. Early mornings, cast top water plugs on shallow banks with deep water near-by. There is nothing more exciting than having a big striper explode on your plug. Midmornings, tie on your 1.5-ounce chartreuse or chrome or white slabs. Locate your large schools in the river channels and main lake areas. Drop your slab and let it free-fall to the bottom and reel it up quickly. Stay in contact with your slab as they hit it on the fall. By mid-month, look for the traditional surfacing top water action in the same areas.” LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Big Rocky Ledge GPS: N 32 1.8599, W 97 25.6559 (32.0310, -97.4276)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass

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TIPS: Locate the drop off and use a tight line here. Throw some chum toward the rocks. Big blues as well as channel cats roam this area regularly.

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live gizzard shad and perch CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com www.teamredneck.net TIPS: “Got to love June on Lake Whitney. Big fish in the post-spawn bite! June can be a great time to not only catch a lot of fish but catch some big fish too. Two things are happeningone they are coming off a spawn and are still gorging

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FISHING HOTSPOTS in preparation for the hot summer months ahead when their metabolism will slow down and they don’t want to use as much energy in chasing and foraging for bait ﬁsh. Look along the ledge that runs from the mouth of Big Rocky Creek towards Bird Island and drop fresh live threadﬁn shad or live perch down around 18’ and 22’ to 28’ of water along the ledge. The rock bluffs along the shorelines can be good too, especially on a ledge where the river channel cuts in close to the bluffs.” LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake HOTSPOT: 309 Flats & Fisherman’s Point Marina GPS: N 31 58.788, W 96 8.3405 u TAP FOR (31.9798, -96.1390)

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mouth bass have been quite productive. Many reports have been given of anglers catching nice keeper bass. Soft plastics such as trick worms, Senkos, as well as wacky and Texas rigs may produce a bite. Spinners and weedless jigs may also work well to land a ﬁsh.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, jigs, Mister Twister, poppers CONTACT: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: This is a great spot for binoculars. You can go to both bends and look for schooling or bird activity. Best bait is live shad, but trolling or jigging with a bucktail jig tipped off with the world’s best live-looking tail—the Mister Twister—anywhere from the 3-in. to the 6-in. tails are the best ﬁsh-catching baits in my box. Of course, the Rebel Pop-R (the modern version of a hula popper) works well for topwater but everyone has their own preference on topwaters.

PANHANDLE

Split Spawn on Alan Henry by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Clear Tiny Torpedo or 1/4 oz. blue/ chrome Rat-L-Trap CONTACT: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 simmonsroyce@hotmail.com www.goneﬁshin.biz TIPS: “June is normally the month that the white bass go full force into a topwater feeding frenzy that will last all summer long! Check out the main lake south shoreline from Fisherman’s Point Marina to Ferguson Point, and the Hwy 309 Flats on the north shoreline. Look for the terns and egrets picking up bait over large schools of whites. Sometimes, the schooling ﬁsh will literally be chasing shad in 5 to 10 acre size schools. This is a thrill for kids and adults who think like kids!” LOCATION: Trammel Reservoir HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 21.6796, W 100 26.1483 (32.3613, -100.4358)

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LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Main Lake Major Creeks GPS: N 33 1.6806, W 101 6.6479 (33.0280, -101.1108)

Amistad Bass Point Deeper

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by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Deep Water Points GPS: N 29 29.67126 W 101 8.2884 (29.494521, -101.138140)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Shaky head jigs with blue worms, swim jigs in shad or bluegill color, 10” dark worms and top water lures CONTACT: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220 nclayton42@sbcglobal.net www.lakealanhenry.com/norman_clayton.htm TIPS: “Fishing in June will find bass still on the beds during the first part of month. Also some of the bass will be moving around the banks and some will be moving into deep water. You will have pre-spawn to post-spawn bass. Bass should be in the mouths of all of the creeks as well as on the steep banks. Don’t forget about the night fishing around the full moon. I have caught more large bass in June night fishing than any other time using 10”” dark worms.” LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Res. HOTSPOT: Broadway GPS: N 32 52.724, W 98 31.809 (32.8787, -98.5302)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Soft plastics, Senkos, wacky and Texas Rigs CONTACT: Michael D. Homer 325-692-0921 michael.homer@tpwd.texas.gov TIPS: Trammel caught water in 2016, and the large-

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Crank baits, soft plastic worms, topwater lures CONTACT: Stan Gerzsenyl 830-768-3648 stan@amistadbass.com amistadbass.com TIPS: Fish the major points that drop-off into 20 feet of water. The bass will be feeding on crawﬁsh so crawﬁsh-colored lures will produce the best catches. Try topwaters early in the backs of the coves.

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LOCATION: Amistad HOTSPOT: Highway 90 Area GPS: N 29 28.72116 W101 3.2424 (29.478686, -101.054040)

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BIG BEND

F I S H

G A M E ®

M O N T H

Y E A R

5/22/17 6:04 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS (29.8618, -98.2158)

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina-rigged worms, Texas-rigged worms, Senkos, crankbaits CONTACT: Stan Gerzsenyl 830-768-3648 stan@amistadbass.com amistadbass.com TIPS: Fish the backs of the multiple coves in this area with Texas-rigged plastic worms, Senkos and crawdad-colored crankbaits. If the action is slow, move off the points and ﬁsh the edges of the grass beds with Carolina-rigged soft plastics.

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SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Sassy Shad in pearl color CONTACT: Capt. Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230 capt.steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com http://www.sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Trolling this area with downriggers seems to produce the best catches. Set the downriggers from 40 to 60 feet deep and look for schools of striped bass. When located, vary trolling speeds until the fish strike. Tight lines and fish on! LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points GPS: N 32 4.998, W 95 24.996 (32.0833, -95.4166)

HILL COUNTRY

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See How the Other Half Fishes by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Upper Half of Main Lake GPS: N 30 50.778, W 98 24.402 (30.8463, -98.4067)

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Cheese punch bait and cut shad, carp or perch CONTACT: Ken Milam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: June is the best summer month on Lake Buchanan! Catﬁsh will be shallow in 2 to 4 feet of water on windward points. Use cheese punch bait under a cork for best results in shallower water. If you are targeting deeper water use cut shad, carp or perch.

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SPECIES: Stripers and White Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad and chartreuse jigging slabs CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@gmail.com www.centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: Striper fishing should be excellent this time of year. Tie on a jigging slab for white bass and use live shad for stripers. Fish in 25-35 feed of water on the upper end of the lake.

SOUTH TEXAS

Hydrilla Thickens on Coleto

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: 10” Zoom worm or lizard with 4/0 Owner hook Texas=rigged with 1/2 ounce bullet weight dipped in chartreuse CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-960-0566 TIPS: “The hydrilla is starting to get pretty thick and that’s where the fry will be. I’m usually looking for that one right bite. This means I must be prepared at any given bite. I’m particular about re-tying and keeping a sharp hook. I’ll say all the small ones are entertaining me while I’m waiting! I like main lake points where the hydrilla stops at around 12’ deep. Personally I like a Texas rig with a 10”” Zoom worm or lizard with 4/0 Owner hook with 1/2 ounce bullet weight dipped in chartreuse. I believe the 1/2-ounce weight creates more action kicking up dust on the bottom. I don’t get bit as much but my bites are usually bigger. May your bites be big and your ﬁsh be healthy. Remember to turn the big ones back so we can all experience the fun!” LOCATION: Choke Canyon Res. HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 28 29.274, W 98 22.8239 (28.4879, -98.3804)

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SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Stink bait, cheese bait, or worms. CONTACT: Charlie Brown 830-780-2162 TIPS: Expect to find catfish in shallow water this time of year. Use a float rigged to 3 feet and move to another spot if you don’t get a bite within 10-15 minutes.

by DUSTIN WARNCKE

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Turkey Creek Point GPS: N 29 51.7079, W 98 12.948

(28.7235, -97.1706)

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points GPS: N 28 43.41, W 97 10.2359

T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

5/22/17 6:04 PM

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5/22/17 6:04 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK JUNE 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 76

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T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

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JUNE 2017

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

29 FEET

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

1:13AM 9:38AM 4:22PM 5:21PM

-0.39 ft. 1.64 ft. 1.25 ft. 1.25 ft.

TUESDAY

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

2:11AM 10:31AM 5:37PM 7:12PM

-0.22 ft. 1.56 ft. 1.11 ft. 1.12 ft.

WEDNESDAY

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

3:12AM 11:17AM 6:18PM 9:22PM

-0.01 ft. 1.46 ft. 0.93 ft. 1.01 ft.

THURSDAY

Jun 1 º Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

4:19AM 11:56AM 6:56PM 11:20PM

0.23 ft. 1.37 ft. 0.74 ft. 0.98 ft.

FRIDAY

Low Tide: 5:32AM 0.46 ft. High Tide: 12:28PM 1.29 ft. Low Tide: 7:30PM 0.55 ft.

SATURDAY

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

1:02AM 6:50AM 12:55PM 8:02PM

1.04 ft. 0.66 ft. 1.23 ft. 0.37 ft.

SUNDAY

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

2:28AM 8:05AM 1:17PM 8:32PM

1.14 ft. 0.83 ft. 1.20 ft. 0.21 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

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12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

PRIME TIME

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

4:00 — 6:00 AM

5:00 — 7:00 AM

5:30 — 7:30 AM

6:30 — 8:30 AM

7:00 — 9:00 AM

8:00 — 10:00 AM

4:00 — 6:00 AM

Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:11p Moonrise: 10:25a Set: None AM Minor: 9:37a AM Major: 3:23a PM Minor: 10:07p PM Major: 3:52p Moon Overhead: 5:20p Moon Underfoot: 4:51a

Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:12p Moonrise: 11:28a Set: 12:12a AM Minor: 10:40a AM Major: 4:27a PM Minor: 11:08p PM Major: 4:54p Moon Overhead: 6:16p Moon Underfoot: 5:48a

Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:12p Moonrise: 12:29p Set: 12:59a AM Minor: 11:38a AM Major: 5:25a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 5:51p Moon Overhead: 7:07p Moon Underfoot: 6:42a

Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:13p Moonrise: 1:27p Set: 1:41a AM Minor: 12:05a AM Major: 6:17a PM Minor: 12:29p PM Major: 6:41p Moon Overhead: 7:55p Moon Underfoot: 7:32a

Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:13p Moonrise: 2:23p Set: 2:19a AM Minor: 12:52a AM Major: 7:03a PM Minor: 1:15p PM Major: 7:26p Moon Overhead: 8:41p Moon Underfoot: 8:19a

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:14p Moonrise: 3:17p Set: 2:54a AM Minor: 1:34a AM Major: 7:45a PM Minor: 1:56p PM Major: 8:07p Moon Overhead: 9:25p Moon Underfoot: 9:03a

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:14p Moonrise: 4:10p Set: 3:28a AM Minor: 2:14a AM Major: 8:25a PM Minor: 2:35p PM Major: 8:46p Moon Overhead: 10:08p Moon Underfoot: 9:47a

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Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

5 FEET

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

3:37AM 9:12AM 1:36PM 9:00PM

TUESDAY

1.24 ft. 0.96 ft. 1.18 ft. 0.08 ft.

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

4:33AM 10:11AM 1:53PM 9:27PM

WEDNESDAY

7«

1.34 ft. 1.06 ft. 1.18 ft. -0.01 ft.

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

5:19AM 11:03AM 2:08PM 9:55PM

THURSDAY

8«

1.40 ft. 1.13 ft. 1.20 ft. -0.08 ft.

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

5:59AM 11:47AM 2:20PM 10:24PM

FRIDAY

1.45 ft. 1.19 ft. 1.21 ft. -0.12 ft.

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

6:38AM 12:27PM 2:26PM 10:56PM

SATURDAY

1.47 ft. 1.22 ft. 1.23 ft. -0.13 ft.

10« High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:16AM 1:16PM 2:07PM 11:29PM

1.48 ft. 1.23 ft. 1.23 ft. -0.12 ft.

SUNDAY

11«

High Tide: 7:56AM

1.48 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

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12p

12a

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12p

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PRIME TIME

4:00 — 6:00 PM

5:00 — 7:00 PM

11:30A — 1:30P

12:00 — 2:00 PM

7:00 — 9:00 PM

7:30 — 9:30 PM

8:00 — 10:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:15p Moonrise: 5:02p Set: 4:02a AM Minor: 2:52a AM Major: 9:03a PM Minor: 3:13p PM Major: 9:24p Moon Overhead: 10:52p Moon Underfoot: 10:30a

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:15p Moonrise: 5:54p Set: 4:37a AM Minor: 3:30a AM Major: 9:41a PM Minor: 3:52p PM Major: 10:03p Moon Overhead: 11:35p Moon Underfoot: 11:13a

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:16p Moonrise: 6:46p Set: 5:14a AM Minor: 4:10a AM Major: 10:21a PM Minor: 4:32p PM Major: 10:43p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:58a

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:16p Moonrise: 7:38p Set: 5:52a AM Minor: 4:52a AM Major: 11:03a PM Minor: 5:15p PM Major: 11:26p Moon Overhead: 12:21a Moon Underfoot: 12:44p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:17p Moonrise: 8:28p Set: 6:34a AM Minor: 5:37a AM Major: 11:49a PM Minor: 6:00p PM Major: ----Moon Overhead: 1:07a Moon Underfoot: 1:30p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:17p Moonrise: 9:17p Set: 7:19a AM Minor: 6:25a AM Major: 12:13a PM Minor: 6:49p PM Major: 12:37p Moon Overhead: 1:54a Moon Underfoot: 2:18p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:17p Moonrise: 10:04p Set: 8:07a AM Minor: 7:16a AM Major: 1:04a PM Minor: 7:40p PM Major: 1:28p Moon Overhead: 2:42a Moon Underfoot: 3:06p

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

READING THE GRAPH

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Low Tide: 12:03AM -0.10 ft. High Tide: 8:37AM 1.47 ft.

Low Tide: 12:39AM -0.05 ft. High Tide: 9:17AM 1.45 ft.

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

Low Tide: 1:17AM High Tide: 9:55AM

0.02 ft. 1.43 ft.

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

Low Tide: 1:58AM 0.12 ft. High Tide: 10:30AM 1.39 ft.

FEET

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

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

16» Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

2:43AM 10:59AM 6:08PM 9:31PM

0.26 ft. 1.34 ft. 0.83 ft. 0.87 ft.

SATURDAY

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

3:35AM 11:23AM 6:07PM 11:49PM

0.42 ft. 1.28 ft. 0.62 ft. 0.91 ft.

SUNDAY

Low Tide: 4:37AM 0.61 ft. High Tide: 11:45AM 1.25 ft. Low Tide: 6:37PM 0.37 ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

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PRIME TIME

12a

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PRIME TIME

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

8:30 — 10:30 PM

9:00 — 11:00 PM

9:30 — 11:30 PM

5:00 — 7:00 AM

11:30P — 1:30A

6:30 — 8:30 AM

7:30 — 9:30 AM

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:18p Moonrise: 10:49p Set: 8:57a AM Minor: 8:08a AM Major: 1:56a PM Minor: 8:32p PM Major: 2:20p Moon Overhead: 3:30a Moon Underfoot: 3:54p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:18p Moonrise: 11:31p Set: 9:50a AM Minor: 9:01a AM Major: 2:49a PM Minor: 9:25p PM Major: 3:13p Moon Overhead: 4:18a Moon Underfoot: 4:42p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:18p Moonrise: None Set: 10:44a AM Minor: 9:54a AM Major: 3:42a PM Minor: 10:18p PM Major: 4:06p Moon Overhead: 5:06a Moon Underfoot: 5:30p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:19p Moonrise: 12:11a Set: 11:39a AM Minor: 10:46a AM Major: 4:35a PM Minor: 11:10p PM Major: 4:58p Moon Overhead: 5:53a Moon Underfoot: 6:17p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:19p Moonrise: 12:50a Set: 12:36p AM Minor: 11:37a AM Major: 5:25a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 5:49p Moon Overhead: 6:41a Moon Underfoot: 7:05p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:19p Moonrise: 1:28a Set: 1:34p AM Minor: 12:02a AM Major: 6:14a PM Minor: 12:26p PM Major: 6:38p Moon Overhead: 7:29a Moon Underfoot: 7:53p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:20p Moonrise: 2:06a Set: 2:34p AM Minor: 12:49a AM Major: 7:02a PM Minor: 1:14p PM Major: 7:26p Moon Overhead: 8:17a Moon Underfoot: 8:42p

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T E X A S

F I S H

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Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

19 FEET

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

1:29AM 5:50AM 12:05PM 7:16PM

TUESDAY

1.05 ft. 0.81 ft. 1.23 ft. 0.09 ft.

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

2:49AM 7:12AM 12:26PM 8:00PM

WEDNESDAY

1.23 ft. 0.99 ft. 1.25 ft. -0.19 ft.

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

3:56AM 8:34AM 12:52PM 8:46PM

THURSDAY

22«

1.40 ft. 1.13 ft. 1.29 ft. -0.43 ft.

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

4:56AM 9:47AM 1:25PM 9:35PM

FRIDAY

23«

1.54 ft. 1.22 ft. 1.33 ft. -0.60 ft.

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

5:51AM 10:51AM 2:06PM 10:25PM

SATURDAY

24 l

1.62 ft. 1.27 ft. 1.35 ft. -0.69 ft.

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

6:43AM 11:49AM 2:56PM 11:16PM

1.64 ft. 1.28 ft. 1.35 ft. -0.69 ft.

SUNDAY

25«

High Tide: 7:32AM 1.61 ft. Low Tide: 12:46PM 1.23 ft. High Tide: 3:54PM 1.31 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

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PRIME TIME

12a

12p

12a

PRIME TIME

8:00 — 10:00 AM

9:00 — 11:00 AM

10:00A — 12:00P

11:00A — 1:00P

12:00 — 2:00 PM

1:00 — 3:00 PM

2:00 — 4:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:20p Moonrise: 2:45a Set: 3:37p AM Minor: 1:35a AM Major: 7:48a PM Minor: 2:01p PM Major: 8:14p Moon Overhead: 9:08a Moon Underfoot: 9:34p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:20p Moonrise: 3:27a Set: 4:42p AM Minor: 2:22a AM Major: 8:35a PM Minor: 2:49p PM Major: 9:03p Moon Overhead: 10:02a Moon Underfoot: 10:29p

Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:20p Moonrise: 4:13a Set: 5:49p AM Minor: 3:10a AM Major: 9:25a PM Minor: 3:39p PM Major: 9:53p Moon Overhead: 10:58a Moon Underfoot: 11:28p

Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:20p Moonrise: 5:03a Set: 6:56p AM Minor: 4:02a AM Major: 10:17a PM Minor: 4:33p PM Major: 10:48p Moon Overhead: 11:58a Moon Underfoot: None

Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 5:59a Set: 8:02p AM Minor: 4:59a AM Major: 11:15a PM Minor: 5:30p PM Major: 11:46p Moon Overhead: 1:00p Moon Underfoot: 12:29a

Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 7:00a Set: 9:03p AM Minor: 6:01a AM Major: ----PM Minor: 6:32p PM Major: 12:48p Moon Overhead: 2:02p Moon Underfoot: 1:31a

Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 8:04a Set: 10:00p AM Minor: 7:05a AM Major: 12:50a PM Minor: 7:36p PM Major: 1:21p Moon Overhead: 3:04p Moon Underfoot: 2:33a

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T E X A S

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5/22/17 6:04 PM

JUNE 2017

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

26«

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

12:07AM 8:19AM 1:48PM 5:00PM

TUESDAY

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

-0.60 ft. 1.54 ft. 1.14 ft. 1.22 ft.

12:59AM 9:03AM 2:55PM 6:18PM

-0.43 ft. 1.45 ft. 1.01 ft. 1.09 ft.

WEDNESDAY

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

1:50AM 9:42AM 4:04PM 7:51PM

-0.20 ft. 1.36 ft. 0.84 ft. 0.97 ft.

THURSDAY

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

2:43AM 10:19AM 5:06PM 9:37PM

0.07 ft. 1.27 ft. 0.65 ft. 0.88 ft.

FRIDAY

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

3:38AM 10:51AM 5:58PM 11:28PM

0.34 ft. 1.20 ft. 0.46 ft. 0.87 ft.

SATURDAY

Jul 1 º

Low Tide: 4:41AM 0.59 ft. High Tide: 11:19AM 1.14 ft. Low Tide: 6:44PM 0.28 ft.

SUNDAY

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

1:17AM 6:05AM 11:43AM 7:23PM

0.95 ft. 0.80 ft. 1.11 ft. 0.12 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

8:00 — 10:00 PM

4:00 — 6:00 PM

4:30 — 6:30 AM

5:30 — 7:30 AM

6:00 — 8:00 AM

7:00 — 9:00 AM

8:00 — 10:00 AM

Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 9:10a Set: 10:50p AM Minor: 8:11a AM Major: 1:56a PM Minor: 8:40p PM Major: 2:25p Moon Overhead: 4:02p Moon Underfoot: 3:33a

Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 10:14a Set: 11:36p AM Minor: 9:14a AM Major: 3:00a PM Minor: 9:41p PM Major: 3:28p Moon Overhead: 4:57p Moon Underfoot: 4:30a

Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 11:16a Set: None AM Minor: 10:13a AM Major: 4:01a PM Minor: 10:39p PM Major: 4:26p Moon Overhead: 5:49p Moon Underfoot: 5:24a

Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 12:14p Set: 12:17a AM Minor: 11:08a AM Major: 4:56a PM Minor: 11:32p PM Major: 5:20p Moon Overhead: 6:37p Moon Underfoot: 6:13a

Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 1:10p Set: 12:54a AM Minor: 11:57a AM Major: 5:46a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 6:08p Moon Overhead: 7:22p Moon Underfoot: 7:00a

Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 2:05p Set: 1:29a AM Minor: 12:20a AM Major: 6:31a PM Minor: 12:42p PM Major: 6:53p Moon Overhead: 8:06p Moon Underfoot: 7:45a

Sunrise: 6:23a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 2:57p Set: 2:04a AM Minor: 1:02a AM Major: 7:13a PM Minor: 1:24p PM Major: 7:34p Moon Overhead: 8:50p Moon Underfoot: 8:28a

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5/22/17 6:04 PM

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

Down the Hatch?

majorly smart touches—that speak volumes about a boat-builder’s experience level. The next time you go to look at a boat, will you know what to look for when you swing up that hatch? A few paragraphs from now, the answer will be an unqualified “yes.”

ON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS cover, but do judge a boat by its hatches. Hatches are a very interesting part of a boat, because they offer a ton of insight into how a builder thinks. You can tell at a glance whether they’re most interested in keeping cost down, or whether they spend a lot of time on fit and finish. You can tell how advanced their construction techniques are. You can sometimes spot major flaws—or

COST CUTTING measures begin with the pull-rings and latches. Obviously, if it’s plastic you’ve just spotted a dead give-away that the builder is trying to shave off a few bucks. Latches that dog-down are better and more expensive than those that don’t. Latches that lock will boost cost even more. Now swing the hatch up. Is the underside fully finished with molded gel coat, or is it merely painted? There’s a huge difference in cost. While the hatch is open, check out the

hinges. Full-length piano hinges are best, followed by quality stainless-steel hinges that are properly sized, followed by anything else. But on top of that, do the hinges stick up, or did the builder mold in a recess specifically for them, so they’re flush with the deck? And, are the nuts and bolts securing all of this hardware counter-sunk? Before we go any further, we need to point out the fact that cost-cutting measures are not always a bad thing. That’s particularly true in this day and age, when a 23-foot center console might cost as much as your house. Does it make sense to accept some or all of the abovementioned cost-cutting measures, if the boat costs half as much as some the same size? Heck yes!

“

Cost-Cutting measures are not always a bad thing.

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Not everyone drives a Lamborghini, not everyone can afford one, and not everyone wants one in the first place. So it’s a bit foolish to consider cost-cutting measures a disqualifier unless money truly is no object. CONSTRUCTION QUALITY, on the other hand, is not where we advise trying to save a buck. Test number one is to close the hatch, stand right in the middle of it, and bounce up and down a bit. If you feel it flexing underfoot, that’s bad news. Also listen for creaks and grinds. Creaks are usually just an annoyance, but grinding often means the part doesn’t mate up well with the liner and can lead to problems down the road. Gaps in the seams are another indication that the 82

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Texas BOATING pieces-parts aren’t necessarily fitting together all that well. In the best case scenario, you’ll see one of the fit-and-finish items we talked about earlier: a molded gel coat underside. This isn’t only an indication of cost and detail work, but counts towards construction quality, too. Many builders use either a two-part mold, vacuum-infusion, or vacuum bagging, with vacuum-drawn molding usually being the best. These parts are not only lighter and stronger than hatches molded in an open, one-piece female mold; they’re also more consistent from one to the next. As a result, they usually fit better. TIP: to test just how well a hatch fits, simply open one and then drop it closed without slowing it down or lowering it at all. A poorlyfitted hatch will swing down and close with a slam, while a hatch with an excellent fit will close with a quiet “whoosh” as escaping air brakes its fall.

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SMART TOUCHES you’ll find in hatches vary quite a bit depending on just what it is they’re covering. Well-designed deck hatches, for example, usually have some way of preventing water intrusion in the form of gaskets, gutters, or the combination of the two. Better yet, they’ll have a molded channel that carries water to a deck drain or scupper. Live well hatches, on the other hand, need to seal the water in. Since they often sit flush on a lip, and they’re smaller than a deck hatch, these can depend on compressing a gasket with the latch. Another important thing to look for is how the hatch stays open (or does not). Gas-assist struts are generally best for this job, although they do need to be sized properly or issues will quickly arise. Another common thing you’ll see is the use of a strap, which the hatch leans back against. These work okay, but only until the boat rocks and the hatch slams shut on your arm. Or until someone leans on the hatch while it’s open and

breaks the strap. In the worst-case scenario the hatch rests back against another fiberglass part (sooner or later someone will swing it open without thinking and chip the fiberglass) or on its own hinges (which will likely bend or break if someone steps on the open hatch). NOTE: in the case of relatively small, light hatches, modern “friction hinges” which hold the hatch open work well and are quite convenient. In a way, hatches tell you so much about how a boat is built that they’re a window into the boat-builder’s soul. They’re a window that, if well designed and constructed, will open and close, open and close, for the lifetime of your boat, without ever causing you a moment’s grief.

Email Lenny Rudow at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

5/10/17 11:37 AM

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

Buggy Whip and the Cajun Bait Bucket

HAVE KNOWN BUGGY WHIP FOR over 20 years, but we never had the opportunity to fish together. Nevertheless, here we were sitting behind the console of his trusty Shallow Sport hull, motoring our way across Aransas Bay. Jerry Loring, AKA Buggy Whip, longtime member of the Texas Flyfishers, acquired his nickname from his fly fishing friends several decades ago, and it stuck. Our boat mates that day were the famous fly-fishing Chapas— Lefty Ray and his lovely wife, Isabel. We were all attending Spring Fling, an event for outdoor writers and photographers that is hosted by The Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce. Rockport is a jewel on the Texas coast that welcomes sportsmen with open arms—anglers and hunters, both. Upon arrival, our first official duty was dinner at The Boiling Pot in Fulton. Writers, photographers, fishing guides, and staff from the chamber carried on like the big family reunion that it was. Old acquaintances were renewed and new friendships were forged, over huge piles of boiled crawfish, shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn. Before the night was over, writers and guides were matched up and game plans for the coming morning were agreed upon. Buggy Whip already had his boat in the water when my Tahoe rolled to a stop at the launching ramp at Cove Harbor. Lefty Ray and Isabel were right behind, and we were soon motoring eastward towards St Joseph’s Island. Lefty PHOTO: GREG BERLOCHER

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Buggy Whip had run a section of heavy fluorocarbon leader through the center of the bubble’s “stick, allowing the bubble to slide back and forth. He threaded several plastic beads onto each end of the leader and then knotted on barrel swivels. The rig was about four-inches in length, from one swivel to the other. The sly Loring admitted that he was sight casting to cruising and loitering reds. “The clear plastic bubble doesn’t spook fish like a regular cork does when it lands, “ he explained. “The fish sense the bubble’s presence, but they don’t see it. All I have to do is pop the beads one time. The click gets their attention and they come over to inspect. It’s like ringing a dinner bell.” Loring typically releases most of what he catches and avoids handling fish if he can avoid it. When landing a fish, he simply grabs the bubble and lifts the fish out of the water. A closer inspection of the Cajun bait bucket revealed a series of slits (likely made with a filet knife) in the top-half of the jug. A six-inch lag bolt was threaded into the handle of the milk jug, providing just enough ballast so the handle would ride face down in the water. A six-foot section of cord was tied to the milk jugs handle. “It’s cheap, effective, great when you forget your bait bucket at home,” Loring noted, “and you definitely don’t get upset if you lose it.” A goodbye dinner was held at Charlotte Plumber’s that evening after everyone got off the water. Lots of fishing stories were shared. Some of them were actually true. Another successful Spring Fling was in the books; the communities of Rockport and Fulton showcased why the Coastal Bend is such a great place. As for Lefty Ray, Isabel, and Buggy Whip, more on-the-water excursions are planned in the near future. Sight casting with bait is an effective, but little used strategy on the Texas coast. When the fish give your favorite plug the cold shoulder, give it a try.

Ray and Isabel were going to wade skinny water while I was going to fish a promising looking drop-off from the boat. Buggy Whip announced that he was going to fish the shoreline and go the opposite direction that Lefty Ray and Isabel were fishing. Just before he hopped overboard, Buggy Whip reached way up under the console and pulled out a crumpled up gallon milk jug that had seen better days. “What’s that?” I queried. “It’s a Cajun bait bucket,” Buggy Whip replied causally. Thinking I was being set up for a prank, I mused at his comment for a moment before replying, but then he submerged the winkled and dented plastic jug, filling it halfway with water. Reaching for the five-gallon bucket that held the bait, he fed 20 shrimp through the mouth of the jug, then screwed the cap back on. A dangling cord tied to the handle of the milk jug was quickly tied to his belt and off Buggy Whip went, rod in hand and milk jug in tow behind him. Regardless whether he is casting flies, lures, or bait, I have spent enough time with Buggy Whip to know that he is a skilled angler. When he returned to the boat, the floating fish net he was towing yielded three large redfish. He had caught five reds on twenty casts. Not a bad efficiency rating. Buggy Whip ties his own flies, and as it turns out, makes his own terminal tackle too. His spinning rod was equipped with a clear plastic bubble with a short length of leader and hook dangling underneath.It was nothing really new, but a closer inspection revealed an interesting modification. T E X A S

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5/12/17 4:28 PM

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

Popping with Ott

heavier tends to hinder the side-to-side action. He said that the biggest advantage an angler can gain comes from learning to land it on a dime. “Most people are not target-oriented enough. It’s not always about throwing under an overhanging bush, but even when I’m just going down the bank, I’m not hoping that the fish will come four feet from here to there. I want to put it right in the strike zone, whether that is the corner of a dock or across the tops of stumps.” The Cover Pop is bigger than the popper that most anglers throw, a full three inches, but he said that while it’s especially effective wherever big fish live, it’s his go-to most of the time. He will, however, downsize to a smaller, more subtle popping bait, such as a Rapala Skitter Pop, “if there’s almost no cover, just clean, open, slick bank.” He’s not fussy about color, but he doesn’t believe those who say that only the belly matters. “It rolls when you twitch it, so sometimes bass do kind of come down on it,” he said. “But the majority come from below. I usually use white or chrome, with a green back or a blue back, but I’ve never seen one majorly outfish the other.” Although he’s not always picky about his paint job, he is extremely finicky about his tackle. He uses a six

ENNESSEE PRO OTT DEFOE has been on a roll in Texas this year, with high finishes at the Bassmaster Classic on Conroe, and shortly thereafter at an Elite Series event on Toledo Bend. In both cases, a key tool in his arsenal was the Storm Cover Pop, a larger-than-normal topwater popper that builds on the legacy of the P70 Pop-R. It’s a technique that he uses whenever fish will feed on the surface, but especially in the post-spawn. If you think that the Bass University instructor is blooping the Cover Pop and letting it sit, you’d be wrong. Sure, there are occasional times when he stops to pick out a backlash and a fish swallows it, keying him in that he needs to slow down, but most of the time he’s chugging along at a consistent pace. “I’m pretty steady,” he said. “I usually can’t make myself slow down. Even when I’m just popping it, the pauses are very minimal.” So why doesn’t he use a walking bait or a buzzbait? It’s because he can keep the lure in one place and aggravate them into striking while those others require forward movement to succeed. “I’m actually just snapping the tip,” he explained. “So it creates a lot of disturbance without going anywhere. I tie a loop knot, and it walks in place. I can spin it side to side to side. In one foot of travel it may go back and forth six times. My friend Jamie Horton said that you ‘have to tell it when to come home.’” DeFoe prefers to throw it on 15-pound Bass Pro Shops Excel monofilament, because anything lighter may not handle big fish in heavy cover, and anything 86

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foot-six inch medium-action Bass Pro Shops CarbonLite rod paired with a 6.8:1 Johnny Morris Platinum baitcasting reel. As noted above, mono gets the call over fluorocarbon, which sinks, and braid, which has no stretch. “The rod has to have a short handle,” he explained. “A long handle gets in your way. It’ll get hung up in your jacket or your shirt. You don’t want to overpower the bait when casting and fishing it. I’m six feet tall and six foot-six inches is the longest I’ll use, but someone shorter might want to use a six-foot rod or one that’s six foot-two inches. You don’t ever want to have the rod tip hit the water when you’re twitching it.” The Cover Pop, which will be released at this year’s ICAST trade show, takes decades of pros’ input to build a better mousetrap, so it doesn’t need many modifications, but DeFoe prefers to change out the hooks, switching from #2 short shanks to #2 regular shank trebles. He also ties his own feathers onto the rear treble. “Never fish it without a feather on the back. If you want to pause it and let it sit, it never quits moving.” Although it’s debatable whether this technique was born in DeFoe’s home state of Tennessee, there’s no doubt that a horde of Volunteer State pros like Craig Powers made it their own and perfected it. Nevertheless, until now they’ve been shy about singing its praises in other states, but DeFoe’s Texas success changes that. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, Texas anglers should be studying up on their loop knots and stocking up on heart pills for the topwater pattern of a lifetime.

Email Pete Robbins at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com |

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PHOTO: OTTDEFOE.COM

5/12/17 4:51 PM

Texas GUNS by STEVE LAMASCUS | TF&G Shooting Editor

Deﬁning Power

DON’T KNOW WHETHER I CAN explain this concept in a short magazine article, but nothing ventured nothing confused. Foot pounds (ft lbs) of energy is a fairly simple mathematical concept. The formula is very straightforward and you can look it up more quickly than I can write it down. I will say that in the formula the bullet weight is not nearly so important to the final result as velocity. I will also tell you that the famous footpound is simply one pound of weight acting through one foot of distance, so 3,000 ft lbs is equivalent to 3,000 pounds acting through (or falling) one foot. When we talk about impact energy of a specific cartridge foot-pounds is what we are talking about. In reality it is a very poor description of the possible result on game, particularly since the diameter (or caliber), of the bullet is not figuredin at all. Yet it is, in my opinion, the best way we have to quantify the impact power of a cartridge. Other ways have been postulated, such as pounds feet, which Elmer Keith advocated. Unfortunately, those are not actual scientific, mathematical formulas, whereas foot-pounds is. However, over more than five decades of hunting, I have observed that pure energy is a very poor way to tell what effect a particular cartridge and bullet will have on game. I first observed this phenomenon when I began hunting deer with a .25-06, way back in the early 1970s. I was told that the only way to go was with heavy 117- or 120-grain bullets. For a couple of years, I shot deer with these loads, which should have, according to the ft-lbs formula, flattened every deer I shot. The actual result was much different. In fact, every deer I shot ran at least some distance, and some ran a long way, with a bullet through their lungs. Then I bought a box of 100-grain bullets and

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not tough enough to get to the vital organs. In these cases the bullets exploded after penetrating only a couple of inches, leaving a large, but not quickly fatal, surface wound. This is why I preach choosing the right bullet for the game you are hunting. If you are going after brown bears, you should choose a heavy, tough bullet. If you are shooting varmints you should choose a light, highly frangible bullet. For deer you should choose a bullet heavy and tough enough to get to and through the vitals, but not so tough that it will not open up and fail to destroy the vital organs. This means a bullet that is not meant for varmints or brown bears, but for deer. If you do this, then the kinetic energy packed in that bullet will cause the tissue destruction necessary for a quick kill. By caliber, these are the bullets I generally choose for deer in non-magnum cartridges. I arrived at these choices after a whole lot of hunting:

loaded up a few at high velocity. The impact energy of the heavier bullets was practically identical to that of the lighter bullets, but the result on deer was very different. With the 100-grain bullets I seldom had to track a deer. Then a game warden buddy of mine found some 220-grain .308 caliber solid bullets and loaded up a batch in his .30-06. He figured that if solid bullets were good for shooting elephants and Cape buffalo, they would be great for shooting does without wasting a lot of meat. Strangely enough, the 220-grain solid bullets simply would not put a deer down without hitting the shoulder, neck, or spine. A 90-pound doe shot through the lungs with this heavy bullet would run completely out of sight. If the 220-grain bullets had so much impact energy, why did they perform so poorly on relatively small deer? This led me to do some experimenting, and eventually led me to a conclusion and a phenomenon that I have observed throughout the years. Put as plainly as possible, when shooting game the caliber, structure, and shape of the bullet are more important than the paper ballistics. For instance, if I am shooting deer with my .35 Whelen, a 200- or 225-grain bullet will give more instantaneous kills than 250-grain bullets. The reason is, I believe, that the heavier bullets are much more strongly constructed than the lighter ones. This is because the heavy bullets are intended for use on larger, heavier game and do not begin to open up (mushroom) quickly enough in the small deer to transfer all that energy to the target. Instead of opening up and depositing all that energy in the animal, thus destroying a lot of tissue, they just make a small hole all the way through the deer—just like the 220-grain solids my game warden buddy was using. Tissue destruction is what makes a cartridge effective, as long as the destruction is to vital organs. A bullet can have a million ft-lbs of impact energy, but be a poor killer if it cannot transfer that energy to the vital organs of the deer. On the other hand, I have seen deer, even coyotes and bobcats, that also ran off after being shot with ultra-velocity cartridges such as the .22-250 and .17 Remington. Here, the culprit was not too strongly-constructed bullets, but bullets that were F I S H

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.22 caliber—55- or 60-grain Nosler Partitions or 64-grain Nosler Bonded Performance* .243 caliber—95-*or 100-grain Nosler Partitions .257 caliber—100-grain Hornady or Speer soft points or 110-grain Nosler AccuBond* 6.5 caliber—129-grain Hornady SST, 130grain Nosler AccuBond, or 120-grain Barnes TSX* .270-caliber—130-grain Speer* or Sierra soft points 7mm caliber—130-grain Speer*, 139-grain Hornady, or 145-grain Speer soft points .30 caliber—150-grain Sierra, Hornady, or Speer* soft points or the same bullets in 165 grains. .35 caliber—225-grain Nosler AccuBond* or 225-grain Sierra Game King (In this caliber I loved the Nosler Ballistic Tip, but it is no longer made in the larger calibers. In the smaller calibers it is not tough enough for hunting deer.) *Asterisk denotes current favorite.

Email Steve LaMascus at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com |

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Texas TESTED Coast Beams Up a Winner I DIG FLASHLIGHTS. MAYBE IT’S genetic. My Dad had a massive collection of flashlights and I can’t put my hands on one without thinking of him. This small, lightweight Coast HP7 LED flashlight made me think that if Dad were still here he would probably be taking this out of my hands to add it to his stash. It’s lightweight, highly functional and, most importantly, it is bright. It combines a proprietary Pure Beam Focusing System with a slide focus that provides high, medium, and low output modes to illuminate with either a super wide flood beam or spot mode with transition halo at varying distances and brightness all controllable with one hand. One of my favorite attributes is its antiroll tailcap that actually allows you to set it on uneven surfaces without rolling off. You can also set it up on the cap for vertical lighting scenarios. Super cool. It is also highly impact resistant which is a huge plus for me. I am a bull in China closet and break virtually everything I get. So far this flashlight is still going. It has Coast’s lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.

Coast’s proprietary Pure Beam focus system slides easily from super wide ﬂood to long range spot mode.

Visit

FishGame.com In other words, they stand by their product. This light is perfect to keep in a glove compartment or in the console to use in emergency situations and for use

for video on more Coast products.

around the house if the power goes out. With a low output of 60 lumens and a high of 410 it has enough brightness to pierce any darkness and keep us in the light. Coast has been a leading manufacturer of knives since 1919 and has been a pioneer in designing multi-tools and their newest product line, LED flashlights. For more information about the company and its products, visit their website at www.coastportland.com.

—by CHESTER MOORE Coast HP7 8 84

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PHOTOS: COAST PRODUCTS, INC.

5/10/17 11:45 AM

Flambeau Struts Their Stuff FLAMBEAU HAS DONE IT AGAIN. They now have a new turkey decoy in their arsenal of hunting equipment and it is just in time for turkey season here in Texas! They call this amazing decoy the Spin –N-Strut. And that is exactly what it does. Let me begin by telling you this is a quality decoy is made of a thicker foam than any other turkey decoy I have seen. This is a nice feature because in the wind, it will not spin out of control but will still give you the movement you need to look realistic. And talk about movement… The Spin-N-Strut gives you control to move the decoy yourself up to 90 degrees. Perfect for when that boss tom comes in and sees another tom move in his direction!

The Pack for Hot Pursuits THE PURSUIT X BACKPACK FROM ALPS Outdoorz is the perfect backpack made for hunters by hunters. They really have thought of everything. I tried using this backpack this past hunting season and I loved it. Where it meets your back, it is lined with thick foam that is comfortable no matter how heavy the load is. That same foam is on the inside of the straps that ﬁt securely over your chest and around your waist. Weighing under 4 pounds, this rugged backpack can handle everything you might need, either on a hunting trip or a day hike during the off season. Among the many, and I DO mean many zippered pockets, there is one that will hold a water pack with an easily accessible spot for your water hose. The main compartment is large enough to hold extra clothes or any large items you have with you.

And that is not all! You also have control to move the decoy fan full strut, half strut or down completely from the comfort of your blind by pulling a nylon string that is connected to your Spin-N-Strut. Another feature I loved about this decoy

—by LOU MARULLO

Then there is the small compartment that has a great unique feature. It is large enough to hold any of that smaller gear you always need when you are hunting. What is so cool about this pocket is that it opens up into your own portable shelf. OH MAN….. I love that. No more unzipping and ﬁshing through a pocket for your favorite call or range ﬁnder. This pack also comes with a D ring on the top. Once you hang your Pursuit X on a hook near your stand, you just leave the pocket open and you have your own little shelf.

Adjustable straps are everywhere you would expect them to be and allows for the pack to be compact or to give you more room if you need it. There are also hooks on the side to carry any little extras that will snap on. Not only does the Pursuit X come with a concealed rain cover in case of bad weather, it also comes with a concealed bow holder towards the bottom. This will also hold the butt of a ﬁrearm secure and once the straps that are right there with it are connected, your bow or ﬁrearm is going nowhere until you disconnect it yourself. It is easy to see that a lot of thought has been put into this backpack. And the quality is second to none. Congratulations Alps Outdoorz. You have a winner.

—by LOU MARULLO

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was the fact that you can adjust the size of the turkey beard. If you want it to look more like a boss tom turkey, you can leave it out full length. However, if you decide to make it look more like a jake, then the beard can be pushed in the cavity of the decoy until the desired length. See This new Lou’s SHOT decoy by Show video of the Spin-N-Strut Flambeau at: FishGame.com will fool the wisest old tom turkey in the area. All that is left is some good marksmanship from you and it is “turkey dinner!”

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Industry INSIDER What Comes First, Business or the Outdoors? THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE IN THIS world who have actually made a business out of the outdoors. There are the direct outdoor careers, such as guides and outfitters; the indirect businesses, such as retailing and manufacturing outdoor clothes and gear; and then there is everything in between, such as taxidermists or this magazine. There is no doubt that the great outdoors is big business. But, even though for most of us our job keeps us away from doing what we truly love, there are the occasional

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“business” trips that many executives, professionals, and salesman use to link the two. Connecting your business to the outdoors can be a very successful tool, and Texas has no shortage of these opportunities. As a business professional, I know there are few work days that I look forward to more than these. Most of us would have no problem fighting traffic to that Monday meeting if, instead of the conference room at the office, it took place over a round of sporting clays or out on the water. Not only

is it a more enjoyable work day, but there is a different level of customer engagement and relationship building accomplished when you are sitting with your boots kicked up around the fire with customers and colleagues after an evening hunt. This difference in atmosphere is why I have seen many business deals close in the outdoors. It is encouraging that success in business and success in the outdoors require many of the same qualities: PERSISTENCE – A successful outdoorsman knows that harvesting that big mature buck may take weeks of sitting in the stand. You can increase your odds of success through preparation and scouting, but ultimately persistence pays off.

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well as past experiences to back it up. Being truly knowledgeable about your craft can cover up many flaws.

PHOTO: COURTESY TYLER W. THOMAS

there will always come a point where the great outdoorsmen are separated from the pack. A good guide can put you on a trophy, but ultimately it is of your own independent action that sets the hook or makes the shot.

NEGOTIATION — Negotiation is all about doing the “dance”; knowing when to give and when to take. Whether you’re fighting a big bull redfish on light tackle or trying to call a group of mallards led by an old, wise duck into decoy, there is a true art to negotiating in the outdoors. This skill might be the key to success in business and the outdoors.

LEADERSHIP — It takes a leader to make the decision to stop and fish that slick in the bay instead of running to the usual spot, just as it takes the leader in the duck blind to step up and yell “Take ‘Em!”

“

While these characteristics can lead to great success in business, I believe they can also provide success in the outdoors. If you love the outdoors, you owe it to yourself, to your clients, and ultimately to your business to find ways to combine the two. By working on these skills, you could see results in your career and in your outdoor success. With such a connection, the real question we are faced with is “What really comes first - The business or the outdoors?”

There is no doubt that the great outdoors is big business. Tyler Thomas is a ﬁnancial advisor with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.

“

THICK SKIN — Any fisherman can relate to the statement: “that’s why they call it fishin’ and not catchin’.” You must develop a thick skin and be able to overcome the negativity and challenges of having cast after cast come up empty.

CONFIDENCE — Any outdoorsman can tell you that if you’re not confident in what you’re doing, it can ruin everything you’ve worked for. You have to pull the trigger with confidence just as you must have confidence in your lure and fishing spot. Once you have made the decision, there is no opportunity for second-guessing.

INDEPENDENCE — While many hunting or fishing trips involve a group of people,

KNOWLEDGE — A great outdoorsman has the knowledge of what they are doing, as

—by TYLER W. THOMAS Email Tyler Thomas at Tyler.Thomas@morganstanley.com

HiViz Renews Sponsorship of ‘Babes with Bullets’ HIVIZ SHOOTING SYSTEMS IS PROUD TO announce that it will continue sponsoring the Babes with Bullets Women’s Action Shooting Camps in 2017. This valuable commitment provides sponsorships to worthy females to attend one of the ten training camps held throughout the country by the fantastic Babes with Bullets organization. “HIVIZ is proud to continue our longstanding relationship with Babes with Bullets,” said Leaha Wirth, Vice President

PHOTO: COURTESY LEAHA WIRTH

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of Sales & Marketing for HIVIZ. “This organization is dedicated to helping women become competent and successful shooters in an environment that is safe and most importantly fun. This aligns perfectly with the HIVIZ mission of cultivating successful shooters so they have more fun and keep sending rounds downrange.” To learn more about the Babes with Bullets organization and to ﬁnd a full schedule of training camps and shooting events, visit babeswithbullets.com. To

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learn more about the wide variety of shotgun, handgun and riﬂe sights that HIVIZ offers, visit hivizsights.com.

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Fish and Game GEAR Case IH’s Farmall Tractors Designed to be Tough

formers that feature everything you want in a basic utility tractor — and more: • Heavy-duty construction for a long service life • Standard 3-point hitch with flexible link ends and rear remote for easy hookup of hydraulic tools • Synchronized shuttle shift transmission allows for eight forward and reverse speeds and easy direction changes — plus on-thego shifting during roading and hauling

WHETHER FOR WORK OR SPORT, you need a tractor that’s as reliable as you are. From trailblazing and hauling game to property maintenance and seeding food plots, Farmall tractors are durable, easy to use and most important, versatile. Case-IH Farmall tractor.

Utility Farmall C Series Tractors

No matter what your lifestyle, you’ll find the right fit with one of the value-packed Compact Farmall tractors: • Compact Farmall A series (35-40 hp) tractors give you the easy-to-operate workhorse you need for all types of tasks. • Compact Farmall C series (35-55 hp) tractors feature standard deluxe features for an exceptional operator experience.

If you’re looking for a larger tractor with more power, convenience and deluxe features, turn to the Utility Farmall C Series (64-117 hp) tractors: • Both cab and non-cab models feature superior visibility, while a comfortable operator’s area and easily accessible controls provide exceptional productivity • Large enough for a range of applications including lifting, seeding and tilling, yet small enough to maneuver in tight spaces and fit on a trailer • Four-cylinder, fuel-efficient turbo-

Utility Farmall A Series Tractors Utility Farmall A series (53-70 hp) tractors are economically priced, rugged per|

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Find the Right Farmall Tractor Talk to your local Case IH dealer about factory-ready loaders and attachments, including rotary cutters; front, rear and box blades; backhoes and finish mowers. Visit caseih.com to locate the dealer nearest you or caseih.com/RightRedTractor to identify the best Farmall tractor for your needs.

Daiwa Fuego Reels Keep a Low Proﬁle

Compact Farmall Series Tractors

charged engine is powerful and responsive, but also easy on fuel for lower operating costs

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Daiwa’s new 2017 FUEGO CT line of baitcasters feature an all new lower profile design that is as good looking as it is comfortable to fish. What makes this reel special is the aluminum CT frame that delivers durability and performance, the air rotation which give it a silky-smooth effortless retrieve. Features include: Aluminum Frame; Magforce Z; 6 Bearing System (5BB +1RB); Ultimate Tournament Drag (UTD) with 13.2 lbs. of drag; 90 mm Swept Handle with cutouts for reduced weight; and Right and Left Hand Models. The Magforce breaking system delivers an incredible free-

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spool with an extremely long and manageable cast. Available in both left and right retrieve and three gear ratios to meet your needs without breaking the bank. Daiwa delivers all this for just $99.99.

Boss HOSS Drive BOSS DRIVES, OF SULPHUR, LOUIsiana introduces the biggest advancement in shallow water outboards in the past decade, the High Ouput Series Surface Drive. Powered by a 75HP GM/MarinePower 1.0L Ecotec engine, this liquid cooled, DOHC, variable valve timing BEAST cranks out TWICE the power and torque of the leading competitor factory engines. The HOSS 75 builds on the BOSS reputation of the most reliable backwater motors using the Mercury Bravo Drive transmission, eliminating electric clutches and other components that can leave you stranded in the backwaters. BOSS Exclusive features that others only dream about include Full Power Instant Reverse (FPIR), integrated hydraulic steering cylinder that is 25% stronger than bolt-on cylinders, Bluetooth communication compatibility, and connectivity to NMEA 2000 marine electronic systems such as Lowrance, Hummingbird, Garmin, etc . Other industry leading features include Mercury power trim, Stainless Steel Performance Propellers, stainless exhaust, marine grade Epoxy paint, and a host of other features to help sportsmen easily navigate shallow backwaters where other motors struggle and even dare not go. MSRP starting at $12,995. Visit www.bossdrives.com to locate a dealer near you.

Boss HOSS 75

Blue Water Camo, Pink Scales and more. Visit www.fishmonkeygloves.com for more information.

tackle management. So whether you’re a full-time pro or just an avid weekend angler, Fish Monkey gloves provide the comfort and protection you need. Features include: Exposed fingertips for ultimate fish, boat and tackle management; UPF 50+ sun protection; Synthetic leather palm non-slip grip adds comfort and support; Quick dry breathable fabric for all day comfort; Extended cuff for UV protection; Superior construction for second skin fit. The Half-Finger Guide Glove comes in several different colors and patterns including Redfish, Tarpon, Green Water Camo,

Give This Fish Monkey a Hand PROFESSIONAL FISHING GUIDES spend their days in the blazing sun and so skin damage and even cancer is always a risk. That’s why Fish Monkey introduced the Half-Finger Guide Glove. It has a quick-drying fabric and synthetic leather palm plus SPF 50-plus sun protection for the backs of the hands, always a vulnerable area. The “second skin fit” contours to the natural shape of the hands, while exposed fingertips mean great dexterity for boat and

Fish Monkey Guide Gloves T E X A S

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5/10/17 11:48 AM

Texas TASTED by BRYAN SLAVEN :: The Texas Gourmet

High Flying Quail QUAIL HUNTING IS AN EXCITING sport, but unless you own a ranch with quail or have a friend that does, it tends to be an expensive hobby. Fortunately for those of us who still want to enjoy the awesome delicacy of quail meat, several options are available to purchase them ready to cook. I talked with Jacob Coppedge from Texas Quail Farms and I was impressed with the operation and their love for their product. Texas Quail Farms, Inc., (texquail.com) founded in 2003 with headquarters in Lockhart, is the largest state-inspected quail processing plant in Texas. The company produces a wide variety of protein-based quail products ranging from whole birds to semiboneless birds, including gourmet specialties such as bacon-wrapped breasts and legs. Quail is not as mild and white as chicken meat, but not as dark and musky as, say, squab. The meat is reddish with a delicate texture, and is quite lean. Whole quails are often wrapped in bacon before roasting to maintain moisture. Tender quail is versatile; whether baked, roasted, pan-seared, grilled or braised; they take all types of seasoning and marinades well. Just remember these little birds can dry out if overcooked. It’s best to cook them quickly and leave them medium rare. Texas Prime Quail is a low-fat, lowsodium and healthy alternative to beef, pork and chicken. TQF quail has natural flavoring only and is not soaked or pumped with salt water. The recipe that follows is one I created a few years back when I was cooking a wild game dinner on a large quail and deer hunting ranch in Tilden, Texas. They wanted a spicy, yet flavorful glaze to go on the quail, so I paired up my Habanero Pepper Jelly with some other ingredients and 94

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decided to finish it with a flamed tequila caramelized finish. I hope you all like it, and will also remember that this recipe will work well with chicken, chukar, and pheasant as well. This recipe is for 12 to 18 quail. If you use wild-hunted birds, be sure to pluck, clean, and rinse well. Check for pellets and cut in half length wise.

Glaze 1 dried Ancho or Guajillo pepper- seeded, and coarsely chopped ½ jar Texas Gourmet’s Habanero Pepper Jelly 16 oz. chicken broth 3 T. fresh cilantro 4 T. honey 2 cloves garlic ½ white onion - chopped 1 T. black pepper 1 T. soy sauce 2 T. lime juice 3 oz. Gold Anejo or Reposado tequila 2 tsp olive oil Place the ancho pepper in a sauce pot, with the chicken broth ,onion, garlic, cilantro and bring to a boil for about 7 to 8 minutes or |

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until all ingredients are softened, transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to sauce pot and place on medium heat. Add the Habanero Jelly, honey, lime juice pepper and olive oil. Increase heat to boil and then add the tequila. Carefully and using a long stirring spoon, light the tequila in the pot and stir slowly until flames stop. (The flames can get fairly high so don’t do this without a vent hood running) Remove from heat Rub the quail down with olive oil or spray with olive oil spray, then pat down lightly with a paper towel. Place the quail on a seasoned grill indirectly over the fire, skin side up( clean and wipe the grates with oil first). Mesquite or charcoal is preferred, but gas will work. Baste with the glaze, cover and turn every 3 to 4 minutes reapplying the glaze each time you turn them. Cook for approx... 12 to 14 minutes or until thermometer inserted registers 155 degrees. Remove from grill and cover quail with a loose piece of foil to rest for 8 to 10 minutes. Now, that’s some fine eating Texas quail.

Email Bryan Slaven at bryan@thetexasgourmet.com

PHOTO: BRYAN SLAVEN

5/10/17 11:50 AM

Outdoor DIRECTORY Guides & Outfitters

Lodging

Destinations

Real Estate :: Gear

TEXAS FRESHWATER

TEXAS SALTWATER

LAKE AMISTAD

CEDAR CREEK LAKE

MID TEXAS COAST

LOWER TEXAS COAST

LOUISIANA LAKE TEXOMA

TEXAS SALTWATER UPPER TEXAS COAST

HUNTING SOUTH TEXAS

MID TEXAS COAST DFW METROPLEX NEW TF&G APPAREL IS HERE!

WWW.FISHGAME.COM

Happy Father’s Day! T E X A S

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

Saltwater Gear

“Fighting chairs!” “Yay…hey we don’t need those. We need stuff to use from the shore, or if we hire a guide.”“Guides will provide everything we need,” I said. “But we’ll want to sit on the dock and fish while the girls lie in the sun. Lazy summertime fishing.” “Yay! Then we don’t need surf rods,” I said. “What do we need?” I paused. “Well…I don’t know.” “Let’s look.” “Good idea.” We walked slowly down the aisle. “There’s a lot of freshwater stuff here,” Woodrow said.

OODROW HAD HIS TACKle box open when I escaped the bright sunshine and walked into his cool, dim garage. “Whatcha doing?” He held out a hand full of bright yellow plastic baits, the kind designed to be filled with smelly paste. “Cleaning this thing out before we go to the coast. Look here. Do you think we’ll need to take these refillable catfish baits?” “We won’t be catfishing.” “You know they have those hardheads that look like catfish.” I thought of the slimiest fish in the world. The folks down on the gulf coast despise the fish and don’t touch them because of the nasty slime and their poisonous fins. “I imagine we can leave those home.” He stared downward at the open box. “I just don’t have anything worth taking.” I joined his forlorn look. “Well, we can go buy some gear.” As though an electric jolt shot through his body, he danced a little jig and opened the door into the house. “We’re going to the fishing store!” Cheryl’s disembodied voice was cut off by the slamming door. “Don’t you buy any…” Feeling light and happy, we soon pulled into the sporting goods store parking lot and charged into the refrigerated interior. “What do we need?” I shouted as we rounded the sales rack of clothing, pushing an empty basket. “Everything!” “Rods!” “Yay!” “Steel leaders!” “Yay!” “Giant baits so big they can be used as wall decorations!” “Yay!” |

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‘Giant baits so big they can be used as wall decorations!’

“

“Where’s the salt water section?” “Keep looking.” He threw a few packages of hooks in the basket. “I’ll need these later.” He picked up three boxes of fishing line. “Need to change out the mono on some reels.” “Don’t get distracted. We’re here for saltwater gear.” “I won’t…I need some bullet weights, though.” Several packages thumped into his basket, followed by hooks, bobbers, assorted lures, a new cooler and a brightly colored koozie. Look at these wading boots,” he said. “You’re going to get in trouble. Didn’t you hear what Cheryl said when we left?” “Nope. The door slammed pretty loud. Hey, I need a new bream rod.” |

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“We won’t be fishing for bream.” “We might. You know, I want to get a rod tube so my rods won’t get tangled in the RV’s storage bin.” “That’s the smartest thing you’ve said.” He added a large, gray rod tube. The basket was filling quickly. Woodrow frowned. “They really don’t have much saltwater gear.” “That’s because the nearest ocean is hundreds of miles away.” “But how can people prepare for a trip when we live up here in north Texas?” “Hold on,” I said. “You’re missing the point here, and another great opportunity. We can wait until we get to Rockport and then buy the gear we need there. They’ll have stuff we’re not even thinking about, and the girls won’t say a word because they’ll understand that we can’t use our freshwater gear.” His eyes misted. “You’re a genius.” I picked up a spinning reel. “But I need this.” “How about a medium action rod to go with it?” “Yep, and some Tru-turn hooks and a few of these spinners.” “The girls will be proud that we showed so much restraint in the face of this great merchandise.” “Yep, and then they’ll just smile and nod with understanding when we have to buy new stuff in a few weeks, because they’ll know how good we were today.” “We can buy them their own saltwater rods, too.” “We’re good husbands.” “Yep.”

Email Reavis Wortham at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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REDFISH Undisclosed Madeline Green is excited about catching her first big redfish, a 27-1/2 inch beast she caught while fishing with her dad, J.D.

REDFISH Galveston Addison Boyette of Alvin caught her first fish while fishing with her dad, Matthew, at Galveston Island State Park.

FERAL HOG San Diego Daniel Arispe bagged this big boar while hunting on the Arispe Ranch, near San Diego, Texas.

BASS Fort Hood Bryson Carrasco caught his ﬁrst bass, while ﬁshing near Fort Hood. The bass was 17.5 inches long with a 12-inch girth. Unfortunately, there was no scale to weigh it.

WHITETAIL Irion County Twelve-year-old Rivers McConaughey made a great, clean shot to take her second bow buck, a 6.5 year old, while hunting on her family’s LP Ranch in Irion County.

BLUE CATFISH Lake Somerville Russell Rector caught this 88-pound blue catﬁsh on 12-pound line while drift ﬁshing with cut bait on Lake Somerville.

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SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO photos@FishGame.com For best results, send MED to HIGH quality JPEG digital ﬁles only, please.

Also Enter our PHOTO CONTEST: FishGame.com/texas-hotsots-upload No guarantee can be made as to when, or if, a submitted photo will be published.

CRAPPIE Lake Buchanan Four-year-old Stellina Clements poses with her first fish, a nicesized crappie. She was fishing on Lake Buchanan with her family. She was using a live minnow on her Shakespeare Disney “Frozen” rod.

BASS Rusk County Cason Crow, left, son of Courtney and Alisa Crow, caught this bass in his family’s pond in Rusk County. Cason was so proud he let his best bud Grayson Holland, right, hold it. Both boys are ﬁve years old.

BASS Cypress Fifteen-year-old Preston Kerr caught this 5.6 pound in a private pond in Cypress, Texas.

FERAL HOG Llano County Ty Rangow had never shot anything bigger than a .22 before bagging his ﬁrst hog, on a hunt with his dad, Kyle, in Llano County. The day before, Ty was with his dad when Kyle got the biggest 8-point of his life. The young hunter is now hooked.

BLUEGILL While visiting her grandparents during spring break, Ellie Anne Chambers caught her first fish, using her own rod and reel that her “Papa Joe” bought for her. She was so excited, she wanted to go fishing every night she was there.

GAFFTOPSAIL Galveston Andy Polk of Bolder, Colorado shows off the huge gafftop sail catﬁsh that he caught near the North Jetty in Galveston the day after tropical storm Bill passed through the area.

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