Texas Fish & Game August 2017 by Texas Fish & Game

TEXAS FISH & GAME « AUGUST 2017 • VOL. 34 NO. 4

VOICE OF THE TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

What is Killing the Fawns?

August 2017 | $3.95

Treasures

Flower

Unleaded Dove?

of the

VOICE OF THE TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

Garden Photo Essay: Super Exotics

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Saving Texas Oyster Reefs

Kayaks for Kids

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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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CHESTER MOORE EDITOR IN CHIEF

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

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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. Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX 772679946 and at additional mailing offices. Paid Distribution of over 90,000 Verified by Independent Audit

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Table of

AUGUST 2017 Volume 34 • NO. 4

Contents FEATURES

UNLEADED DOVE Texans will fire 25 million shotgun shells at dove this season. That’s a lot of lead. Is it too much—and will it cause a complete ban on lead shot?

by Matt Williams COVER STORY: Treasures of the Flower Garden A cubera snapper is u photographed at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, about half a day’s boat ride from Galveston.

KAYAKS FOR KIDS Kayak fishing is a great way to introduce kids to the outdoors. Here are a few safe and helpful tips to make the introduction more enjoyable for your family.

Story by Chester Moore Cover photo courtesy NOAA

by Dustin Warncke

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

SUPER EXOTICS This photo essay, like the old 1980s reality TV show “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” invites you into the rarified world of Super Exotics. These extremely rare game animals are available for hunting on Texas ranches (for a price, of course).

by TF&G Staff

License Up! August 31 is not only a gateway to each year’s hunting seasons and great fall fishing patterns in both fresh and saltwater, it’s also the annual renewal date for fishing and hunting licenses. This special section offers details on this year’s license changes, plus some tips for getting the most out of the upcoming seasons.

71u

SAVING TEXAS OYSTERS Anglers and conservationists rally to the defense of Texas oyster reefs—not only the source of the popular seafood, but also critical to the coastal ecosystem and fish habitat.

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A U G U S T

by Shane Bonnot

by TF&G Staff

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Inside FISH & GAME

Contents (continued) COLUMNS

by ROY and ARDIA NEVES TF&G Owners

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by Joe Doggett

T E X A S

Pike on the Edge by Doug Pike

TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

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by Ted Nugent

8 LETTERS 89 INDUSTRY 90

Commentary

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

by Kendal Hemphill

Texas Freshwater

STATE SECTION

TF&G Political Commentator

DEPARTMENTS

Nugent in the Wild 91 TF&G Editor At Large

by Matt Williams

TF&G Freshwater Editor

Bare Bones Hunting

by Lou Marullo

TF&G Hunting Editor

Texas Saltwater

by Calixto Gonzales

TF&G Saltwater Editor

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

34 FAWN MORTALITY 38 TF&G REPORT 38 TEXAS HOT SHOTS

40 TEXAS DEPT. OF DEFENSE

42 TEXAS DEPT. OF CONSERVATION

TF&G Firearms Editor

44 TEXAS COASTAL

Open Season

56 TEXAS FISHING

by Reavis Wortham

TF&G Humor Editor

FOCUS

HOTSPOTS

66 PRIME TIMES

www.FishGame.com

Email Roy and Ardia Neves at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com A U G U S T

Doggett at Large TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

S A MEDIA COMPANY IN THIS BRAVE NEW WORLD of digital everywhereness, TEXAS FISH & GAME is engaged in a constant effort to help the manufacturers of products aimed at people who fish and hunt to reach as many of those Texas anglers and hunters as possible and convince them of the superiority of their particular brands. In the “old days,” this job was a lot simpler. There weren’t many choices to reach these people. Outdoor TV shows, in thirty-second bursts, enabled brands to show a lightning-quick glimpse of a boat, a motor, a rod, reel, lure, line, rifle, scope, ammo, or knife and hope to leave a positive brand impression. Outdoor print media offered the ability to show those same products, but to do so in a way that enabled more information to be conveyed—using multiple pictures and illustrations, descriptive text, and other graphic devices that could be viewed at the discretion, and pace, dictated by the reader. Both forms of media had strengths and weaknesses. TV could showcase motion and sound, but, at just a fraction of a minute, the message was quickly gone. Print allowed the reader to spend as much time as necessary with a message before leaving it, and they could easily return to it anytime they wanted. But, print is a static message, fixed in place and unable show anything in action or with sound (unless you’re ESQUIRE, and glue a sound chip into every copy). There was also radio, which had ONE of the strengths of TV (the sound part) but had ALL of the weaknesses. It was in this environment that Outdoor Media competed, and for the most part, thrived. Of course, as we’ve carped about in previous columns, all that has changed. The Internet and all of the ways it has enabled direct contact between individuals and those making and selling products, has mothered a revolution in the way everything is marketed. Because it is now possible to shop, select, purchase and receive everything from toothbrushes to luxury automobiles with only a few clicks on a keyboard or phone screen, a whole lot of “middle-man” infrastructure, including retail stores, sales people, wholesale distributors, bulk freight operators, and the rest of the old-school chain of commerce, gets cut out of the transaction. You buy direct from a manufacturer or from a major distributor like Amazon and the only middle man is the guy driving the delivery truck—representing UPS, FedEx, or the Post Office as the only connecting link between the original source and the final consumer. The Internet is having a similar effect on the promotional side of marketing. Since so much commerce is happening electronically between source and consumer, there has been a major push to forego the trouble and expense of producing TV, radio, and print ads and then scheduling them in the traditional media that had been the cornerstone of the pre-Internet marketplace. Algorithms have become the new marketing drivers. They have displaced the reliance on creativity to build loyalty to a particular brand by reinforcing its distinguishing features in innovative and memorable campaigns to reach broad groups of potential customers. Some of this makes sense. Amazon knows that when you click to purchase an Ugly Stik rod, you are a sure bet as a prospect for a Shakespeare reel. Just because someone reads FISH & GAME or watches “Big Water Adventures” does not mean their finger is hovering above the One Click Order Button for anything advertised within our pages or Big Water’s air time. But missing in any full-on embrace of this new world of instant source/consumer gratification is the careful attention to brand-building—“branding”—that helped establish so many icons that are burned into the memories of consumers, especially of rods, reels, guns, boats and the countless other items that sportsmen use to enjoy their outdoor pursuits. Without consumer advertising, buyers are left to form buying decisions from the sparse catalog prose they find below the listings of products served up by Internet searches. Loyalty to a brand? Fat chance. This may seem a bit too “Inside Fish & Game” for some, but everybody uses branded products to fish or hunt with. (Those of you throwing sharpened sticks at your prey may be excused). Commercials that start out with “Ask your doctor...” are the best examples of what is wrong with advertising. But ads that inform or inspire you to consider a product that might improve your outdoors experience, those are worth your attention. And since they also keep us in print, and Mark Davis on the air, we feel right about standing up for them.

by Chester Moore

TF&G Editor in Chief

Branding Irony

Editor’s Notes

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LETTERS to the Editor Saving Sea Turtles

tree stand and three deer walked up two were large doe and the third I thought was one of the doe’s fawn but when they came into view the third one had a full eight-point rack. It looked real small but I just thought it was a freak of nature and grew a set of premature horns. It was really a good-looking deer and I still have a memory picture of it.

WHILE AT ARANSAS PASS READER Greg Jackson noticed a sea turtle in trouble. “A boat washed this green sea turtle over the granite blocks along the channel. It wedged between the blocks and was struggling to get out, so I was able to step down and get him out and release him. There were several of these juveniles feeding on the algae on the granite blocks at the county

Robert Seaton

ics. How long can you leave (treated) gas in your gas tank before it needs to be siphoned out and discarded? And I’ve gotten a different answer each time. What in your opinion is the best gas additive to use with your fuel? This might sound silly to you, but why can’t boat manufactures build a boat that has a bilge pump that dispenses water out of your center console that is waist high on your boat so you can flip a switch and have running water (it doesn’t matter if its saltwater) to wash or rinse your hands after grabbing bait, slimy fish, sun screen, taking a pee etc. instead of wiping your hands on your pants or on a towel that eventually blows off the boat when you’re heading back to the dock to clean your fish. It only makes sense. And the best thing is that it’s a cheap fix.

Ray Perez San Antonio, TX

Questions for Rudow

park right next to the ferry,” he said. Here are photos of the turtle before and after it was set free. This summer’s theme is “Wild Gulf” and sea turtles are without a doubt one of those most interesting creatures that dwell in Gulf waters.

MR. RUDOW, I’M SURE YOU’VE written many articles on how to properly maintain your boat. (drain the gas, grease the bearings, change the oil, flush the saltwater out the engine, etc.…) I was hoping you would write an article for the 80% of boat owners who don’t use their boat once a week like the other avid fisherman who are either retired on simply not married lol. I’m talking about the average guy who uses his boat maybe 3 times a year. I’ve asked this question to several boat mechan-

Micro Deer Blog at Fishgame.com WAS IN THE SAM HOUSTON National Forrest in about 2002. I was in a 8

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Hi Raymond your email was forwarded to me by the TFG home office, and I thank you for your comments. Keep your eyes tuned to future editions of Texas Fish and Game, because I believe you have a point. I’ll be sure to address maintenance issues faced by boaters who don’t get to use their boats very often, in the boating column of an early fall edition. Your other questions don’t lend themselves to features, but I promise to address them in detail in future blogs this summer. A new boating blog goes up on FishGame.com each and every week, so keep your eyes peeled. Thanks again - and I hope you get out on your boat some time soon!! Lenny Rudow

Send Your Comments to: Texas Fish & Game 247 Airtex Drive Houston, TX 77090 editor@ﬁshgame.com

PHOTO COURTESY GREG JACKSON

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

Forgotten Sea

The aforementioned lack of media coverage has ensured you have to seek out info on the Gulf from alternative sources to get any. The first step of what we and our Kingdom Zoo Crue (yes, C-R-U-E) took was at the NOAA turtle facility at Galveston. There they rear loggerhead sea turtles from the hatching phase up to two years to release back into the wild and also head up testing of turtle excluder devices (TEDs) for shrimp trawls. My wife Lisa and I took three of our Kingdom Zoo kids—Abby, Rachel and Erin—to shoot some social media clips while I spoke with officials for future stories. What we learned from the awesome volunteers who did the turtle education presentation was how all elements of the Gulf work together. Remember the sargassum at the beginning of the story? That’s where the baby sea turtles go when they hatch. They swim out to the sargassum where they find plenty of food and shelter. Something we anglers often find annoying is actually hugely beneficial for our marine ecosystem. Back when I saw that big bull shark beneath the weed line I knew of the unique creatures that dwelled amongst the sargassum but had no idea about its importance to baby sea turtles. The Gulf still has many things to teach us and to reveal. In the coming weeks, many of us will take to the surf to catch bull reds moving into spawn. Others like myself love that but are even more excited about the flounder migrating out to the Gulf in November. Our entire coastal fishing life is based on what the Gulf provides and it has been an hour and privilege this summer to seek out, dive in and focus on its unique creatures. You see, here at Texas Fish & Game, the Gulf is not the forgotten sea at all. It’s our backyard and we plan on doing our best to keep it good shape.

If you saw one program, it was more than I have seen and I seek out this kind of stuff on a regular basis. The Gulf of Mexico is the place where the redfish and flounder we pursue spawn in the fall and winter. It is the home of red snapper, dorado, king mackerel, amberjack, grouper and so many other offshore fish that thrill anglers. It is home to the gorgeous Flower Gardens Banks National Marine Sanctuary, the nation’s northernmost coral reef. It is home to Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, sperm whales and dozens of other marine mammal species. It is a place of life and life abundant. We who live along its coast need to be appreciative of its beauty and the recreational opportunities it gives us. Do you like to eat shrimp, crabs or oyster?

HE WATER WAS PERFECTLY calm. Occasionally a light breeze would stir up a ripple, but there was no wave action to speak of and the waters were unusually clear. And as we pulled up to a weedline that had built up on a current rip, I was astounded at its size. The sargassum (most just call it seaweed) covered a strip about 25 yards deep for several miles and it was teeming with life. Curiosity got the best of me and I took a dip net to pull up a handful. Amongst the pieces was a little crab that looked exactly like the habitat it was living in. It was a sargassum crab one of nature’s masters of camouflage. We were hoping to catch dorado (Mahi Mahi) that day and cruised the weedline scanning for any signs of the beautiful fish. As our momentum slowed down to The Moores, on the ﬁrst stop of their “Wild a crawl, I noticed movement beneath Gulf” tour, with three girls they have worked the weeds and found myself eye to eye with since the girls were in second grade. with an eight-foot-long bull shark. I was in the boat so it wasn’t as if I was in any danger, so my reaction was one of awe. If you do, then you owe it to the Gulf of Mexico and That day, many years ago, was the first-time its tributaries. conditions were right for me to take in so much of We need to support measures that aid clean the Gulf’s beauty at once. water and innovations that can ensure a more susSince then, I have peered through the lens of tainable future for our aquatic resources. a scuba mask at its majesty, explored its barrier Clean water and abundant wildlife are not a islands, watched giant schools of redfish feed at the “green” issue or a liberal or conservative one. Those surface and seen many beautiful sights within its are issues that all humans should agree on and strive borders but on that day, the real Gulf of Mexico was toward as we learn from mistakes of the past. revealed to me. That is what our “Wild Gulf” series has been One can get a pretty good look at the Pacific, about and the response has been tremendous. Atlantic, Caribbean and even the Arctic and Indian Our June article on octopus in the Gulf has the Oceans through television programs and a variety of best overall response of anything we have published media coverage but little is spoken about the Gulf. in several years with lots of social media chatter and Other than the tragic Deepwater Horizon oil numerous emails. While many have fished the Gulf, spill and its aftermath, when was the last time you not very many have ventured beneath the surface saw anything about the Gulf at a national level? and seen the incredible biodiversity. T E X A S

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Email Chester Moore at cmoore@ﬁshgame.com

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

Know Your Snakes

All can appear menacing. When alarmed and cornered, a swarthy diamondback with swelling girth and flattened head looks like a serious dose of kneebuckling, chest-clutching, heart-stopping trouble. Trust me firsthand that the bite from an innocent water snake is no big drama. As a young snake collector in Houston, I hand-grabbed dozens of them from bayous, ditches and ponds within the city limits. All can furiously bite—as they have every right to when snatched —but the tiny teeth leave only superficial cuts similar to raking a hand or forearm with a clump of briars. And not once during those junior high forays with snake stick and collecting bag did I mistake a poisonous snake for a harmless snake. That’s because I was familiar with the fine-tuning of the different species. As an analogy, the SUV owner can tell at a glance a white Chevrolet Tahoe from a white Ford Expedition. Both vehicles are big and boxy, very similar in shape and color, but the minor differences jump out—no mistake to the experienced driver. So it is with snakes. For what it’s worth, a cottonmouth is marked by a large and blocky head. By comparison, the various water snakes have smaller, slimmer heads. When confronted, water snakes almost always scoot (preferably to water); copperheads and cottonmouths tend to rely on camouflage and hold their ground. The latter might have the white mouth flung open—an alarming sight. When swimming, the cottonmouth floats high in the water while the water snakes seem half-submerged. And, even at the Herpetology 101 level, we know that the cottonmouth, the copperhead and the various rattlesnakes are poisonous pit vipers identified by the twin heat sensing “pits” located between the nostril and eye. And all native pit vipers sport elliptical eye slits. The harmless pit viper lookalikes have round eyes. Of course, you would have to get awfully chummy with a wild snake to confirm such fine-tuning as pits and slits. The catch to this is that the average outdoorsman not versed in the teachings of Ross Allen and Raymond Ditmars and John Werler cannot always make a quick and correct call on a nasty-looking serpent partially obscured by brush. But exercising reasonable judgment should not be asking too much.

URING THIS PAST SPRING I received three emails showing images of dead snakes. Each snake appeared well and truly hammered, limp and broken

and bloody. One was a hognose snake. One was a broadbanded water snake. One was a Texas rat snake. All, of course, are non-poisonous species, harmless to humans. The rat snake had only a ragged stub of neck, the head being blown off by a .410 charge from a Taurus Judge revolver. That excellent defense handgun often is touted as a great “snake killer.” Indeed it is, but I submit that the no-nonsense weapon would be better served when aimed at a poisonous snake—and in a situation where that reptile poses a clear and present danger to people or pets. Blindly pulling a trigger or swinging a stick simply because it’s a “Snake!” is high on my list of sad outdoor behavior. We should be three or four generations removed from such an intolerant stance. The Lone Star State probably is the snakiest state in the country, with dozens of species thriving even within urban environs. Close encounters are not at all unusual—and the huge majority is with harmless species. I must admit that to the untrained eye some of these “counterfeit copperheads” do look threatening. For example, the oft-maligned hognose can more-orless resemble a copperhead (light phase of yellow and brown blotches) or a cottonmouth (dark phase, gray and brown blotches). Regardless of coloration, the innocuous hognose is stubby and thick, given to puffing and hissing when hassled. It projects trouble and puts on a show but it is one of the few snakes that cannot be induced to bite. Several species of non-poisonous water snakes also approximate the dangerous cottonmouths and copperheads. Among the most common are the broad-banded water snake, the yellow-bellied water snake, and the diamond-backed water snake.

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For example, a full-blown western diamondbacked rattlesnake is a no-brainer. The bulbous head and bold diamond pattern and the black-and-white “raccoon tail” –not to mention the string of terminal rattles–are unmistakable. Yet harmless rat snakes and king snakes occasionally are killed as “rattlers.” Vibrating tails aside (a nervous reaction in various species), neither snake is similar to Crotalus atrox. Returning to vehicles, that’s sort of like confusing a Toyota Camry with a Chevrolet Corvette. Take a better look before wailing away with a shovel. And, while snakes of many stripes (not to mention bands and blotches and diamonds) are scattered across our various ecological regions, the concerned individual can make great strides by simply studying field-guide descriptions of the several most common lookalikes. In most areas, water snakes and hognose snakes probably lead the list. Significant to a quick ID program, keep in mind that almost all copperheads are less than three feet in length and most cottonmouths are less than four feet in length. Almost certainly, any native snake longer than an honest four feet and without a tail rattle is something harmless (and probably a beneficial rodent eater). And any native snake of monotone color with no visible pattern of crisscrosses, bands or blotches is safe. So is any snake sporting long stripes. These are quick and easy guidelines to follow when confronting a “Snake!” If any confusion exists and the suspect is well removed from people and dogs, my advice is to go around and just leave it alone. Based on species counts and population densities, the odds overwhelmingly favor a non-poisonous encounter. In fact, if the snake has recently shed, iridescent in the morning light, calm but watchful, you might take a moment to admire the graceful symmetry. All native snakes, regardless of species, have a rightful place in the natural order of things¬–a fact that more Texans going afield should appreciate and respect.

Email Joe Doggett at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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

A Good Checklist is the Procrastinator’s Friend

S A PROCRASTINATOR, I’VE missed a few deadlines in my time, including the one for this column. Please forgive me, Chester Moore. In a concerted effort this past June to change my ways—finally—I created a checklist of things to do weekly before hunting season. Between writing and publication, I will have accomplished at least half of what lies before me by then—the good half, tasks essential to a successful hunting season. Knowing myself all too well, though, I also understand that a few things will have suffered life’s regular lineup of interferences and will have been neglected. Stuff happens. The following thoughts outline what I hope to have accomplished by now and—fingers crossed that I’m wrong—a confession about which boxes will probably remain unchecked even in the bottom of the ninth. A new hunting license will be tucked into the wallet. It will have all the endorsements, fishing and hunting, offered by this state. Plus a federal waterfowl stamp regardless of cost. Odds say that sooner or later over the year, I’ll get in a few licks on most of the wildlife we hunt in Texas. To do so lawfully requires proper documentation. It’s a good investment in conservation, too. Also on the high-confidence side, I’ll presume I’ve retrieved my rifles and shotguns from the safe. Each of them will have undergone thorough inspections and final, “pregame” tightening and cleaning. It’s unwise to store guns dirty, even a little. I won’t do that. They were put to bed clean many months ago, but my philosophy is that any gun can be made a little cleaner by someone willing to exert effort in that direction. I will have inventoried ammo by now, as well, and supplemented where necessary. It’s easier to start the season with all the cartridges

and shotgun shells you think you’ll need to reach closing day than scramble to the gun store every few weeks to resupply. Buying in bulk, as a reminder, also can get you significant discounts through many outlets. (A tip: If you have friends who shoot the same ammo as you and in relatively equal quantities, consider pooling your resources and purchasing large—really large—quantities of ammo. Back when I guided waterfowl hunts, our group routinely ordered as many as 50 to 60 cases of waterfowl ammo before the season. Whether we individually ordered two cases or a dozen, we all bought at “wholesale” prices and saved a bunch of money.) Although I probably will have broken a couple hundred sporting-clays targets by now, odds are low that my rifles will have been redialed to their tightest accuracy. August heat makes it difficult, except perhaps at dawn’s crack, to make confident scope adjustments. Midday and afternoon barrels are overheated after the first shot and can take an eternity to cool. If you really want to shoot through the peak of summer, fire away. Know anyone who has pigs tearing up pastures? That’s a mutually beneficial relationship waiting to be kindled. Burn off old ammo and do a farmer a favor. Or wait until September, maybe even October, when you’ve got better odds for cooler conditions at the range. Hot or cold, when I do shoot the rifles, I’ll fire some rounds in bulky clothing and some in a light jacket. Outerwear doesn’t affect the rifle’s capabilities, but the changes remind me that not every day of deer season is cold and crisp. One suggestion I made this summer in a radio feature I called “Countdown to Hunting Season” was to touch up the paint on our duck decoys. In confession, through 14 seasons as a professional guide and more winters than that T E X A S

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as an avid waterfowl hunter, I rarely picked up a brush or markers. It was easier to just buy a couple dozen new decoys and mix them with the faded ones. That left more time for fishing, which also is important. What you must do to decoys, however, is plug leaks caused by errant pellets. I’m not saying it was you who strafed your own blocks. Blame the holes on kids or guests if you must, but patch them. Even a faded decoy with a dented side looks better than one that’s listing like a galleon on a coral reef at low tide. (I’ll confess also to tossing and replacing a few punctured decoys rather than plugging the holes; those reds and trout weren’t going to catch themselves.) Do as I say about decoy painting and repair, not as I do, and you’ll probably shoot more ducks this season. Arguably the most critical pre-season task is the re-fitting of pants, shirts, belts and insulated underwear to check for “off-season shrinkage.” This phenomenon occurs primarily in the clothes of hunters older than 30 and rarely affects socks, hats or boots. Okay—we gain weight. And the older we get, the greater the difference between a past season’s waistline and a coming season’s waistline. Get over it. Buy and wear the new, larger pants proudly, and pass the old gear to someone who will appreciate it without comment on your expansion. Back when I started my list and wrote this column in June, hunting season seemed distant. Now, it’s at our doorsteps. Make your own list—quickly. Time’s up. September 1 is filling the windshield, ready or not.

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Email Doug Pike at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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

The Lyme Epedimic Clock is Tick-Tick-Ticking

HE TWO BROTHERS LIVED to deer hunt. It was a major annual family ritual like no other. Like most of us deerhunters, they lived it year round, always scouting, planning, strategizing, exploring, looking for that perfect backwoods, outback, way-back swampland ambush stand location in our beloved great outdoors. Their efforts not only paid dividends in

Turns out both brothers discovered embedded ticks on their bodies the next day, but merely removed them and never gave it a second thought. Coincidentally, one of the brothers had a nagging flu-like condition at the time and was prescribed a pretty heavy dose of antibiotics, while his brother did not. Within days, severe headaches and body aches and intense flu-like symptoms rattled the

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brother that was not prescribed antibiotics, but he just plowed through it not knowing anything about this “rare” and nearly universally misdiagnosed Lyme disease that was ravaging his body. Horror of horrors, he became increasingly debilitated, weak and sickly until finally a doctor identified Lyme, but it was too late. Restricted to a wheelchair and basically helpless, his hunting days are over and his condition is irreversible. The brother that was prescribed antibiotics

the fun, sport, meat, trophy sacred backstrap department, but like pretty much all deerhunters, this aboriginal hands-on conservation lifestyle cleansed their souls and fortified their families’ overall quality of life. Serious stuff this deerhunting life. About 20 years ago they celebrated the dream deerhunt when both brothers killed two fine bucks on opening morning. They recall that as they gutted their kills, each deer had more ticks on them than they had seen previously, but they didn’t think much of it. 12

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is just fine. Thank God the medical community has wised up over the years and Lyme is now much better understood, though still very difficult to accurately diagnose since its symptoms mirror those of so many other illnesses and conditions. So last week when I extracted a clinging tick off my ear, I was much more prone to pay attention, and though I have encountered ticks most of my fulltime outdoor life, this time it hit me. Within 24 hours I experienced pounding headaches and body aches like never before and immediately knew my symptoms were lick for lick those of Lyme. Fortunately our doctor friend is a Lyme specialist and my antibiotic regimen began right away. I am up in beautiful Wawa, Ontario bear hunting with Rick Dickson and some buddies right now, and am relieved to say that the symptoms are dissipating incrementally nicely each day. Whew! That was a close one! So I am here to share with my deerhunting BloodBrothers the reality that 2017 is going down on record as the worse tick year and the worse Lyme year across America. In my daily outdoor wanderings in Texas and now in Michigan, I have never seen so many damn ticks! We must be ever vigilant to treat our clothing with bug deterrent and look more carefully for ticks after each day afield. Lyme is real as a heart attack and comin’ to get ya! It can have devastating health effects and prevention and early accurate diagnosis is critical. Communicate this health emergency with family, friends and hunting buddies. Ticks are everywhere this year and the little buggers can wreak havoc on us. The clock is tick-tickticking!

Email Ted Nugent at tnugent@ﬁshgame.com PHOTO: CDC

7/7/17 12:01 PM

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

What Would Wiggie Think?

E WAS A SMALL, DRIED-UPlooking old man with steel gray hair and black-framed glasses thicker than Coke bottle bottoms. I doubt he was over five and a half feet tall, or weighed more than 130 pounds. He handed me something wrapped in foil that he had just taken out of a small ice chest he was carrying around at the Outdoor Writers of America annual conference in Columbia, Missouri. He said, “Heah!” as he gave me the leaking mess, and when I asked him what it was, he barked at me over his shoulder as he was walking away, “Lobstah wrap!” Wiggie Robinson was one of the most unforgettable characters I’ve had the pleasure to meet in my lifetime. His Maine accent was so thick I often had trouble understanding him, but he almost always spoke with exclamation points at the ends of his sentences. He was a beloved member of OWAA, back when OWAA still enthusiastically embraced consumptive outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing. Wiggie was a licensed hunting guide in Maine. He was such a popular figure that the Maine Professional Guide Association and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife chooses an outstanding Maine guide each year, and bestows upon them the Wiggie Robinson Legendary Maine Guide Award. Gone, as they say, but hardly forgotten—and not likely to be anytime soon. My friend, and occasional TF&G contributor, Herman Brune, once visited Wiggie in Maine, and Wiggie took him on a ‘short’ hike of several miles to his favorite fishing spot. Herman, who is as fit a man as I’ve ever

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Humane Society of the U.S., of course, has long been an enemy of hunting and fishing, while passing itself off as being in favor of consumptive outdoor activities. The ploy makes it easier to gain support from those whose rights are being attacked. Katie Hansberry, a HSUS spokesperson, agreed with Coker, saying, “We are concerned that putting a right to hunt in our constitution could amount to an open invitation for poachers to exploit it to their advantage, and could subject longstanding conservation laws to legal challenge from those arguing that this constitutional right exempts them from existing restrictions like bag limits or prohibitions on spotlight or road hunting.” Twenty-one state legislatures disagree, having passed such bills to protect the rights of hunters and fishers in their states. Texas is, thankfully, one of those, but has only guaranteed hunting and fishing rights since November 2015. Poaching continues to be a problem all over the country, but it has not become more prevalent in states that protect citizen rights. Maine’s proposed bill, like all the others, would in no way negate current game laws. Ethical hunters and fishermen have always, in fact, been among the strongest proponents of responsible wildlife conservation practices. This stands to reason, since wildlife conservation is almost entirely funded by sportsmen and women. Our outdoor heritage will always be under attack by the likes of Mr. Glowa, Ms. Coker, Ms. Hansberry, and the rest of the antihunting crowd. Thankfully, it will always have the support of people like Wiggie Robinson. We all need to remember that, if we take our rights for granted, we are likely to lose them.

known, and was about 40 years younger than the octogenarian Wiggie, could hardly keep up. Wiggie walked the same way he talked. Becoming a Master hunting and fishing guide in Maine is no easy task. Applicants have to pass all kinds of tests, and be trained in first aid, map and compass navigation, game laws, wilderness survival, and tidewater rules and safety. Guides are held to strict standards of ethics and competence, and they take their jobs seriously. A Maine guide can be the difference between life and death in the outdoors. I wish Wiggie was still around, so I could ask him what he thinks about the bill currently being considered by the Maine state legislature. This bill proposes to establish the “Right to Hunt and Fish.” Actually, I think I know what Wiggie would say about the bill. What I’d like to ask him is what he thinks of some of the statements made by those who oppose it. Wiggie’s nor’-western accent may have made him difficult for a Texas boy to understand, but he always had something to say, and it was almost always worth listening to. John Glowa, a Maine state rep, called the bill “barbaric.” He said it was “The worst piece of legislation I have seen in more than twenty years,” and “the poison fruit of the paranoia seed planted by the out-of-state gun lobby and by radical extremist consumptive users.” I think we can put Mr. Glowa down as opposed. The anti-hunting crowd, to which Mr. Glowa probably belongs, is obviously going to be against such legislation, but the reasons they give for their opposition vary, depending on how they wish to be perceived. Karen Coker, of WildWatch Maine, an anti-hunting group, claimed that the bill’s intent “is to silence Maine citizens concerned about unethical practices and to prevent citizens from initiating ballot initiatives on wildlife issues.” She thinks the bill will “open the door to inhumane, unethical trapping and hunting practices,” calling the bill “a legal nightmare,” and claiming that “hunting and trapping and fishing are not fundamental rights.” F I S H

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7/7/17 12:11 PM

Texans Will Fire 25 Million Shotgun Shells at Dove this Season. That’s a Lot of Lead. Too Much?

E TEXANS LOVE OUR SCATTERguns. But we may love our dove hunting even more. Dove hunting is a long-lived tradition in Texas. Not just because it is the first domino to fall in a long line of hallowed hunting seasons that pretty much define autumn and winter for hundreds of thousands of men, women and children around this sprawling state.

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Even in bad years, Texas dove hunting can be outstanding. One of the main reasons is the numbers—staggering numbers. In 2015, wildlife experts estimated Texas had a resident mourning dove breeding population of about 33.06 million birds. That is significantly more than any other state and about 12 percent of the nation’s estimated total mourning dove population of 266 million. The numbers mount even higher when figuring in the millions of migrant mourning doves from northern states that pass through Texas each fall, and a rapidly expanding

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story and photos by MATT WILLIAMS white-winged dove population that has exploded to well over 10 million over the last 10-15 years. Not surprisingly, Texas dove hunters shoot a lot of birds, too. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service figures show Texas’ 220,700 dove hunters shot 4.89 million mourning doves in 2015. That’s way more than any other state and more than 37 percent of the national figure of 13.16 million for that same year. What might come as a shock is the number of shot shells that may have been spent to kill those birds. No offense intended, but T E X A S

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as a rule most dove hunters are pretty crappy shots. And it shows. Past surveys have shown dove hunters will shoot five to seven times for every bird they kill. If that’s the case, Texas dove hunters alone fired at least 25 million shot shells playing their game in 2015. National estimates quadruple to 100 million. That’s a lot of shot shells any way you slice it. But it equates to an even more mind-boggling number of lead pellets that are falling to the ground in heavily hunted dove fields under the laws of gravity every year. &

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Texas is home to more than one-third of the U.S. population of mourning dove, with even more of the migratory birds passing through from northern states.

only two pellets can kill a dove within a few weeks, and those that don’t die from the toxin can develop other problems making them vulnerable to predation, starvation and disease, research studies have shown. Scientists know wild doves ingest lead pellets, and there is plenty of research to prove it. Lead ingestion studies performed on doves as far back as the late 1960s have shown varying rates of ingestion ranging from less than one percent to about 6.4 percent. Perhaps the largest of those research projects took place in 1998-2000, when researchers collected and examined nearly 5,000 hunter-shot doves from seven states including Arizona, Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee. “Overall, the frequency of ingested lead pellets in gizzards of doves on hunting areas where the use of lead shot was permitted was 2.5 percent, although we found a high degree of variability among locations,” the study said.

To get a feel for the possibilities, consider that a single shot shell containing 1 1/8 ounces of No. 8 pellets—a common load for dove hunting—will hold somewhere around 460 lead pellets.

Concerns Over Lead While it may not mean much to some hunters, the mounting number of lead pellets littering heavily hunted dove fields is a concern among many wildlife experts and conservationists all across dove country, has been for quite a while. That’s because many believe large numbers of doves—possibly millions—may be dying every year as the result of acute lead toxicosis(lead poisoning). The condition can be caused when foraging doves and other birds mistake one or more lead shot shell pellets for small seeds intended for nourishment or small stones to be used as a digestive aid. Like seeds, the lead pellet is processed by the digestive system and eventually makes it into bird’s bloodstream, which can lead to potentially fatal effects. Several research studies have documented this, including a 2003 Missouri study (Acute Lead Toxicosis in Mourning Doves) that showed the chances of death go up 18 percent with every pellet ingested. Ingesting 16

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Time to Get the Lead Out? Concerns over lead poisoning in doves and the potential harm it could be doing to the population has caused some researchers to suggest that a nontoxic shot only regula|

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tion be implemented for dove hunting. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—the top dog when it comes to managing migratory birds—decades ago implemented a nontoxic shot only regulation for hunting ducks and geese. The ruling came on the heels of multiple studies that indicated North America’s waterfowl population was taking a significant hit each year as the result of lead poisoning from ingesting spent lead shot. The phase-in began in 1987-88 and became nationwide in 1991. The feds haven’t moved on such a decision for doves yet, but it seems likely that it is only a matter of time until they do. Several states have already banned lead shot on their wildlife management areas, and similar rules are in place on National Wildlife Refuge and waterfowl production areas all across the country. In Canada, it is illegal to use any type of shot for hunting migratory birds other than steel, bismuth-tin, iron-tungsten, tungstenbronze and a host of other nontoxic alternatives now available. In 2013, California began phasing in nontoxic shot for hunting any type of wildlife with a firearm. Things are different in Texas. The only places around here where lead shot is currently prohibited for any type of hunting is on wildlife management areas along the coast PHOTOS: MATT WILLIAMS

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Studies have shown that, on average, hunters will take ﬁve to seven shots for every one dove bagged.

and national wildlife refuges. This includes lead shot used to dispatch alligators. Lead shot remains legal on leased properties included in Texas Parks and Wildlife’s public dove hunting program, national forests and privately-owned property across the state, and no plans are in the works for the reg to be amended at the state level, according to Shaun Oldenburger, TPWD migratory shore and upland game bird program manager.

Lead Vs. Nontoxic There was plenty of resistance when water fowlers were forced to make the switch from lead to nontoxic shot decades ago. That’s largely because early steel shot ammo didn’t perform very well and was significantly more expensive than lead. Ammunition makers have since made some serious performance tweaks to nontoxic loads and expanded the list of alternative shot types to more than a dozen, some selling at per box prices comparable to lead. Even so, the perception still exists among many hunters that nontoxic shot doesn’t perform as well as lead. TPWD researchers say that gathering data to help put those ideas to rest was a primary focus of a two-year study conducted in 200809 comparing the lethality of lead shot and

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“There continues to be a spirited national discussion on the use of lead and other types of shot, and these results help inform one aspect of the conversation.” According to TPWD reports, officials believe the research findings may be useful to Texas hunters as they make decisions on the type of loads they choose for dove hunting. “We absolutely believe in hunter choice, and we also want hunters to be as informed as possible on matters affecting their outdoor pursuits,” said Carter Smith, TPWD Executive Director. “Doves are a shared international resource, and the question about whether or not lead shot should be banned for dove hunting is not something Texas is prepared to make independent of other jurisdictions and based solely on the findings of this study. This research offers an important data point in the larger discussion, but there are many other factors to consider.” It’ll be interesting to see what changes time will bring. If there is iron-clad research to indicate lead shot exposure is negatively impacting dove populations, a move to mandate a switch to an alternative shot certainly wouldn’t get any opposition from this corner.

nontoxic shot for hunting doves. TPWD reports say the study—conducted in Brown, Coleman and McCulloch counties—resulted in more than 5,000 shots fired by 53 hunters to take 1,100 mourning dove using three different loads at varied distances. Officials say the results showed no significant difference in killing efficiencies between the loads tested. You can read the study in full at http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/ game_management/dove_summary/. The study wasn’t cheap to carry out. It cost $500,000, paid for by revenue from sales of Migratory Game Bird and Texas Whitewinged Dove stamps. TPWD took some heat over that. Some in opposition contend the money would have been better spent conducting a large scale lead ingestion study on doves and other birds trapped on Texas dove fields that have been heavily hunted for years as opposed to research to determine what everybody already knew—that you can readily kill doves with nontoxic loads. TPWD insists the results of the study answered some questions that needed answering. “Our findings address the efficiency of lead and non-toxic shot on mourning doves,” said Corey Mason, a TPWD wildlife biologist and one of the authors of the report. F I S H

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PHOTOS: NOAA

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The ruby brittle star is one of the most colorful creatures found among the corals.

HE PLACE IS A TRUE WONDER OF nature. Some call it a national treasure. It is certainly a place anyone who desires to learn about the ocean would be intrigued to learn about. The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) is one of 14 federally designated underwater areas protected by NOAAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. It is the only sanctuary site located in the Gulf of Mexico. Situated 70 to 115 miles off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, the Flower Garden

Banks sanctuary includes underwater communities that rise from the depths of the Gulf of Mexico atop underwater mountains called salt domes. According to NOAA the sanctuary actually protects three separate areas: East Flower Garden Bank, West Flower Garden Bank, and Stetson Bank. The reef caps at East and West Flower Garden Banks are about 13 miles apart, while Stetson Bank lies about 30 miles to the northwest of West Flower Garden Bank.

Ten Ray Coral is one of many species present in the sanctuary.

A large ray hovers just below the surface.

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Exploring the Garden

n 1960, Dr. Thomas Pulley, Director Emeritus of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, led the ﬁrst scientiﬁc expedition to the Flower Garden Banks to determine the truth behind the rumors of coral reefs in the northern Gulf of Mexico. In addition to professional researchers, the explorers included Navy divers. Another trip in 1967 was documented by the World Book Science Service and resulted in an article that was published in March 1968.

PHOTO COURTESY ROBERT WOODS

A mysterious sea hare takes a swim.

According to NOAA these banks, created by the uplift of the aforementioned underlying salt domes, rise from depths of over 330 feet to within 56 feet of the surface. They are relatively isolated from other Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico coral reefs. “The nearest reefs are 400 miles away in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tampico, and the coral reefs of the Florida Keys are more than 745 miles away. The complexity of habitats supports a diverse assemblage of organisms including approximately 250 species of fishes, 23 species of coral, and 80 species of algae in addition to large sponge communities.

First scientiﬁc expediton, 1960.

sity and breathtaking beauty of the reefs at East and West Flower Garden Banks led to their designation as a sanctuary under the National Marine Sanctuary Act (NMSA) (160kb pdf) in 1992. The algal-sponge communities of Stetson Bank were added to the sanctuary in 1996. We could find no better way to conclude our summer-long Wild Gulf series than to show images graciously shared with us by NOAA and the staff of the FGBNMS

The miles of open ocean between banks range in depth from 200 to 500 feet (61152 meters). Each bank has its own set of boundaries. The Flower Garden Banks were discovered by snapper and grouper fishermen in the early 1900s. They named the banks after the brightly colored sponges, plants, and other marine life they could see on the colorful reefs below their boats. Continued interest in the biological diver20

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Divers check out a loggerhead sea turtle.

PHOTOS: NOAA

7/14/17 11:44 AM

In the early part of the year (January through March) it’s not unusual to see large schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks. Scientists don’t truly know the reason for this seasonal schooling, but have noted that it’s a regular occurrence in this part of the Gulf of Mexico. They’ve also noted that all of the sharks appear to be male.

The predominant coral species at the East and West Flower Gardens are massive, closely-spaced boulder and brain corals and mountainous star corals. Coral growth is relatively uniform over the entire top of both banks, occupying the bank crests down to about 50 meters. The prevalent species at

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Stetson Bank are smaller encrusting corals, such as fire coral (not a true coral) and green cactus coral.” “The coral reef ecosystem at the FGBNMS has been described as being relatively pristine and thriving, as compared to other Caribbean reef systems, despite its location

in the middle of one of the largest oil and gas fields in the world.” For more information about the site, go to flowergarden.noaa.gov.

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KAYAKS AND OTHER SMALL WATERCRAFT continue to grow in popularity with people of all ages, and they are one of the easiest and most affordable options for getting out on the water as a family. As with many things in the outdoor world, there have been many innovations in the kayak industry. We now have more personal boating options and gear to go with them than ever before. Introducing the sport of kayak fishing to kids is a great way to get them hooked on the outdoors for life. Approaching this in the right manner is important to ensure kids enjoy the best the outdoors has to offer. We will cover a few tips here to help you do just that. First off, plan a trip one-to-one with an experienced kayaker until you know that the child is experienced enough to be independent. Safety is always of paramount concern, so dedicating your attention to the success and safety of the youngster is very importantâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; more on safety later. Ideally, you will want to find calm water and mild current unless you have a very experienced paddler. I live in the Austin area and we have Brushy Creek Lake Park and Lady Bird Lake (formerly known as Town Lake). Both of these examples are perfectly situated for kayaking.

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Even the more sophisticated maneuvering technology available on modern kayaks is relatively easy for kids to master.

Let’s talk about youth fishing gear. Kidsized rod and reel sets are cheap for a reason, because they usually don’t stand the test of time. I recommend young anglers start out with a five-foot-six-inch to six-foot lightweight rod and a spincast or spinning reel. I prefer kids to get proficient with a spinning reel, because it is usually easier to get tangles out than with a close-faced spincast reel. This is important as you want to spend more time fishing than fiddling with tangles. Kids can usually learn how to cast a spinning reel with a little practice in the back yard. Trust me; they will appreciate having adult-sized gear rather than a kiddie rig with cartoon character or fairytale movie themes. As adults fishing on our own or with other adults, we brave the bugs, wind, rain, cold, heat or other outdoor extremes. Kids won’t tolerate these conditions for long. That being said, you should do everything you can to make them comfortable on your trip. Safety should obviously be of paramount concern so making sure your kids have a PFD (life jacket) that fits well is very important. Take along other safety items for the water such as a line and float and know how to use them.

Numerous other small neighborhood lakes in this area also fit the bill, being shallow and not overrun by motored propellers. Saltwater bay systems and other slow moving water is good for inexperienced youngsters to fish in. As paddling and navigating skills improve, the options of where to go will broaden as well. Be conservative in the amount of time you plan for your outing. This is especially important with younger kids with respect to bathroom breaks. You may be able to spend all day out on the water in your kayak, but that will most likely not be ideal for a kid’s first time. Keep your first trips short and, most of all, fun. If you have a very young kayaker, consider a double kayak with the youngster as a passenger instead of in charge of the vessel. Let your kid get the feel of it. Know your boat, its stability and its limits if you are hosting a child. For older kiddos, make sure you select the right-sized kayak and the right-sized paddle. Remember, aside from foot pedals or other means of handpowering a kayak, the paddle is their main connection to the water. It needs to be easily manageable and comfortable for the child to use. 24

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Taking a swimming or kayaking course before you got out on a big adventure is always recommended. After all, you can never be too safe out on the water. When approaching the sport of fishing in a kayak, start with a simple, but fun pursuit. Go after some bluegills or other panfish at first. Concentrate on fast, fun and small reward fishing action before you go after the largemouth bass on the lake or specs and reds on the bay. The key here is to ease kids into the really popular adventures you might be used to. Make it an easy, but fun and rewarding trip at the beginning of this journey. Most kids are happy to catch anything, not necessarily the biggest or best fish. Kids need to understand why kayak fishing is superior to other types of fishing, so they can see how stealthy kayaks can be and how these small vessels can get into areas bigger boats cannot explore. Like most things in the outdoors, if we inspire and educate the next generation, they will get as excited about it as we are. They’ll be motivated to continue the pursuit of this adventure on their own in their later years. Kayak fishing requires a sort of minimalism in the fishing gear selection because of space restrictions. You should keep your selections few and just stick with the basics. Fishing technique and form can always develop and improve in the future. Fish with simple means at first and, especially for younger kids, bring along some snacks and drinks that will keep everyone fed and hydrated throughout the duration of the trip. Other considerations to make sure you note for kids and kayaks include remembering sunscreen, bug spray and sunglasses. Kids sometimes don’t care for wearing sunglasses in the great outdoors but I think they are important for the simple reason that they protect the eyes. After all, when you are slinging hooks in close proximity, especially if on the same kayak, sunglasses do much more to product the eyes than just the obvious protection from the sun. If your kids are enjoying this voyage into the small boat fishing realm, it won’t be long before they start asking you when you can go again. Most of all, have fun, be safe and enjoy all the outdoors has to offer you and your family.

PHOTO: COURTESY HOBIE

7/7/17 11:22 AM

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

Shadow Captains

NE OF MOST DEBATED aspects of night fishing for bass during the summer months is moon phases and the mountain lore around it. Is the fishing best just before, during or right after the full moon? Probably 50 percent of the night stalkers I have quizzed over the years believe moon phase makes a difference their night fishing success. Others aren’t so sure. No doubt, the muted glow of the full to semi-full moon makes it easier to navigate a boat safely at night. Another popular contention is it is easier for bass to silhouette a lure against a starlit sky when the moon shining bright overhead. Some anglers believe too much moon at night can be a bad thing—that it opens the door for bass to cruise open water and school on shad, just as the do in the daylight hours. Others share a conviction that different phases of the moon do weird things to a bass’s behavior and feeding patterns, and even dictate which styles and colors of lures might work better than others. The theories go on and on, sort of like the deep pool of articles you can turn up on the subject with a simple Google search on the Internet. When I ponder thoughts of night fishing, I often think back to what fishing guide Randy Oldfield told me one sultry summer night as we fished for bass under a cloak of darkness at Lake Fork. “Personally, I think big bass are just like me,” Oldfield said. “I’m a big ol’ guy. Whenever I get ready to eat, I’m going to eat. It doesn’t make any difference what the moon phase is.” I’ll second that motion. In my book the best time to go fishing is whenever you can. When it comes to night fishing, if that means fishing from sunset to midnight, midnight to sunrise or anytime in between, then so be it. You can’t catch a big bass unless you’ve got a hook in the water. And you certainly can’t accomplish that from a vertical position on the couch or buried up in a cozy bed. Year-in and year-out, some the biggest bass

caught during the summer months are reeled in at night. Some veteran shadow captains believe summertime bass become more active at night because water temperatures grow progressively cooler after the sun goes down. It’s a feel good thing. Others think it has to do with boat traffic—or a lack of it. Both of those theories hold water in my book, especially the latter. Lakes are almost always more crowded during the daylight hours during summer as recreational boaters and jet skiers are out in force, particularly on weekends. More traffic means more racket, and more racket tends to make fish spooky—especially the fat girls. If a night fishing trip is in your future, it will pay to go prepared and know ahead of time something about what you getting into. Here are a few tips to make your trip more enjoyable and ultimately more productive.

DIM THE SCREEN: If you have a big screen electronics unit on the console, dim the screen or turn it off altogether while running down-lake. Bright screens can rob you of your night vision. Always be cautious of your surroundings when relying on a GPS to navigate. FISH HIGH PERCENTAGE AREAS: Big bass like to feed in places that offer a quick and easy escape route to deeper water. Humps, points, ridges and flats adjacent to channel swings are good places to soak your lures. Aquatic vegetation such as hydrilla that forms a distinctive edge where shallow water meets deep can make a spot all the more productive. Some of the best daytime spots will also be good night fishing spots. If you know of a spot with a history of producing big bites, check it religiously because there is obviously something there that the fish like.

STAY QUIET: Big fish don’t get big by being stupid. If they smell or hear a rat, they more than likely won’t stick around. It’s quiet and peaceful on the water at night. If you want to be successful at catching fish, try to keep it that way. Any sort of disturbance you make, such as crashing the boat into a stump, grinding the trolling motor prop on bottom or in brush, slamming a storage box lid or dropping something in the floor of the boat will likely alarm everything in the area of your presence. It’s also good idea to turn off sonar to eliminate the definitive sounds emitted by transducers

BAITS FOR THE BIG ONES: Big bass are opportunistic feeders that are prone to grab a big meal here and there as opposed to chasing down a bunch of little ones. Many of the biggest summertime bass are caught at night using big, bulky lures such as 10-inch worms and jigs. These baits can be worked slowly and easily around the heavy cover that big bass prefer. Darker colors like black/blue, black/neon and grape are good color choices. Other good baits for night fishing are spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and even large topwaters from time to time. On dark nights some anglers like to insert small rattles into their plastics to give them some sound to make it easier for fish to find the bait. It takes dedication and patience to stay on the water at night. Whether you’re looking to beat the heat or hook a career bass, it can be well worth the trouble.

CARRY A LIGHT: Always keep some type of light handy so you can see to retie hooks, locate baits and other stuff you might need over the course of the evening. Lights that clip onto the bill of a ball cap or on your shirt are ideal. StreamLight makes a great one called the Clipmate. It has a super bright LED powered by a rechargeable lithium polymer battery that can be recharged using a variety of USB power adapters or by inserting the built-in charge tab into a USB power port. When using a light, be sure not to shine it across the water. It could blow your cover because bass could detect the artificial light overhead. USE YOUR HEAD: It is never a good idea to run boat at high rates of speed in the dark, no matter T E X A S

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how well you know a lake. You never know when wave action might wash a log off the bank, or when you might cross paths with another boater whose navigational lights aren’t turned-on or are not functioning properly.

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The markhor is an extremely rare exotic, but a few ranches have them. One advertises hunts for $1,000 plus $450 per inch. Considering their horns can reach 50 inches, you can see why this is an elite exotic. The markhor is a large goat species found in Afghanistan, India and in the Himalayas.

by TF&G Staff REMEMBER “LIFESTYLES OF THE Rich and Famous?” Host Robin Leach would narrate an inside look at the homes and lives of the super rich, super famous and often the super spoiled. Consider this article our version of that program for hunters. Famous and spoiled are not qualifiers, but if you want to hunt any of these species you have to be rich or at least willing to take out a sizable loan. 26

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Our yearlong series on non-indigenous species has taken us on a journey from humble hog hunts to fast-paced axis deer hunts in the exciting rut. Exotic hunting is a big part of what makes Texas unique, so we thought it would be fun to look at some exotics that have a price tag bigger than their horns. Enjoy.

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The red lechwe is about the size of a large whitetail. Hunting one on a Texas ranch would cost about the same as shooting a Boone & Crockettsized buck. They are becoming increasingly common on Texas exotic ranches, but to shoot one costs about ﬁve times as much as a blackbuck.

The eland is the world’s largest antelope. Hailing from Africa, this is a popular species not only among world traveling hunters, but locals who raise them for their meat. Topping out at nearly 2,000 pounds they are a surprisingly graceful animal and are considered a worthy quarry by veteran hunters. PUBLIC DOMAIN PHOTOS

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What exotic would cost you more to shoot than the average four-year college tuition? If you said the bongo, you guessed right. These stunning animals are from the deep-forested regions of Africa in countries such as Cameroon in the Congo’s dangerous forests. T E X A S

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

Words of Wisdom

I am “supposed” to do. Consequently, there are no wild birds in my freezer except for one or two turkeys. I am more of a hog huntin’, varmint killin’, turkey and deer huntin’ kinda guy. I will leave the dove stories to those who know more about it. Instead, I will concentrate on something I know about—preparation for hunting the four- legged critters out there. August, for me, is the month to start scouting for deer. Not everyone likes to get out in the blazing sun and take a hot walk through a scorching field looking for deer sign. Me either! I do spend some precious scouting time in an air-conditioned room with my laptop. It is

IVE EVERY DAY LIKE IT’S your last and one day you will be right!” My Mother used to tell me that all the time, and when I was a young teenager, I just shook my head. Now that I have become (cough) distinguished, I realize just how wise my Mother was. Although she is gone to a better place now, her words of wisdom still ring in my ears louder than any stage I have ever been on. So please, take it from me. You never know how many more times you will be able to enjoy a beautiful sunrise, a nice long look at a deer under your stand or the sound of a big tom turkey gobbling off in the distance. With a new hunting season fast approaching, I spend any free time that I may have going through my gear and getting things all prepared for another successful year in the field. That does not necessarily mean that I will bring home game and fill my freezer, but I sure do plan on having fun trying. And for me, that is a successful year. Dove season begins next month followed by duck and goose. I will admit to all those bird hunters out there that when I go bird hunting, the doves that fly above sunflowers and the ducks and geese that head for open water are safe around me. My friends love to take me bird hunting with them. Not only because of the constant humor that I provide, but also because of the number of shells I carry with me. Believe me, I have enough for many other hunters. I confess that I am not the best shot when it comes to flying birds. I just cannot stop aiming directly at the bird rather than ahead of it. Oh, I know that I am “supposed” to aim ahead of the bird while swinging my gun as I shoot, but when the moment of truth comes, for some reason I never pay attention to what |

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August, for me, is the month to start scouting for deer.

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a great way to check out possible new areas to hunt. If you are not doing well on your lease, and you want to try your luck elsewhere, your computer is a good place to start. A look at a topographical map of a prospective deer lease will give you a great idea as to whether or not it can hold a nice whitetail. Whitetails, like any other mammal out there, need food, water, and shelter to survive. So, if you have located an area that has a food source nearby, a lake or stream on the property and a thick area used for a sanctuary for the deer to feel safe in, then you have located your own little “honey hole” for deer. Take a closer look and see if you can find a bottleneck on the property. A place where |

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the woods gets narrow and then opens up again is an outstanding place to find deer movement. The big boys prefer to stay hidden in the woodlot and rarely show themselves in the open fields once hunting season begins. With luck, you have now secured a new hunting area for this season, and now it is time to really scout the area. I like to start from the comfort of my car in the early mornings and just before sunset. I will drive to the spot and check the area to find out whether I can see any deer in the food plot. Are there any big bucks? Are there enough does in the area? Do the deer enter and exit the food plot in the same spot every morning and every evening? These questions and many more will be soon answered while you sip your coffee in your air-conditioned vehicle. If you plan to hunt out of a tree stand, then time is a-wastin’. It is important to pick your ambush spot and place your tree stands up so that the deer will get used to seeing them. Remember, you are hunting in their living room and any sudden changes could alarm the deer of your presence. It is also very important to remember to clear only the branches or brush absolutely necessary for a clean humane shot. Although it is dove season right now, whitetail season is right around the corner, and time will fly by. Before you know it, it will be time to venture out in the woods with your bow in hand and start a new year in the wild. I really do love this time of year. Unfortunately, my job will keep me busy during most of this hunting season. Still, I will do my best to get out there and enjoy the outdoors as much as I possibly can. Have fun and hunt safe out there.

Email Lou Marullo at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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

Fully Expo’d

HE SPORTSMAN’S LIFE CAN be a difficult one. Logistics can be our ruination. In order to practice our pastime the way we want and need to, we need to be properly outfitted with the best equipment we can afford. The problem is that the different pieces of equipment we desire can be spread out to the winds and a simple shopping trip can turn into a full-blown scavenger hunt. A reel may be at one store, and the sun-proof hat at another. Our favorite soft plastics may be at still a third location, or worse still not available in our area. The truth is, hunters and fishermen don’t have the time or resources to gallivant all over Texas to properly equip a good expedition. Not only that, sometimes, the cost from catalogs and specialty stores can be prohibitive. The solution to the issue is the phenomenon known as the outdoor expo. The expo is a combination gun show and fishing show with a little extra all rolled into one big, multiday event. Outdoor expos are usually held in a large building such as a civic or convention center, In short, everything that the ambitious outdoorsman could desire is housed under one roof. Many companies such as Stiffy Push Poles, Laguna Rods, and various boat companies purchase booths and put up displays at these events to have a more direct contact with customers to answer product questions, listen to consumer suggestions, and meet people. Events such as the Texas Hunter and Sportsman’s Expo in McAllen in McAllen, Texas are also an opportunity for the vendors of esoteric and hard-to-come-by products to display their wares and grow their presence in the marketplace (in some cases, it is the only opportunity they may have). I have yet to meet an outdoorsman who doesn’t look forward to an outdoor expo when

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drive from show to show to sell their products. These are men and women who aren’t able to market their wares in shops and stores or catalogs and rely on these expos and their salesmanship to make a living. Often their products are innovative and unique and are actually the sort of product you look at and say, “Yeah! That’s pretty cool!” You won’t find them at your local big box store, but you will at an outdoor show. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that these outdoor shows are important for organizations such as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The TPWD Enforcement Division takes a trailer to several of these shows to raise awareness of Operation Game Thief, and the results of poaching and law breaking. Hundreds of patrons stop every day at the trailer to see the mounts of record-class fish and wildlife that were taken illegally, as well as displays of illegal harvesting devices such as gillnets and snaglines. Usually the children ask questions about the fish and deer mounts, but there are always parents nearby, listening and asking follow-up questions. Even a little knowledge helps raise awareness, and that can’t be bad. Finally, these expos are just plain fun and family friendly. For a nominal fee--usually between 10 and 15 dollars, you can go, walk around, whistle at all the cool stuff, and eat yourself into a proper stupor. (My wife has been known to eat an entire package of Deer Sticks at one of these shows.) If you walk out with a new rod or knife, or even a boat or truck, well, so much the better, right? I guess I needn’t suggest you go to the next one near you. If you haven’t already gone, you’re thinking about it.

it comes to his town or one nearby. The events usually sport full parking lots from the opening of the doors on the first day, to the moment the doors close on the last day. This is especially true of events astutely scheduled during the summer months, as Chris Curl, owner/promoter of the Texas Hunter and Sportsman’s Expo did with his. It isn’t surprising, in fact, for patrons to visit the same event every day. The greatest asset of an expo is its sheer variety of merchandise and attractions. It is an understatement to say that there is something for everyone at one of these outdoor shows. A visit to the 2012 THSE found displays for tackle companies, hunting and fishing outfitters, game and meat products, tackle shops, gunsmiths, knife-makers, jewelry, toys, farm equipment, storage sheds, trucks, boats, deer blinds, sunglasses, and on and on. There was a portable video arcade for young—and not so young—children who may have found the volume of goodies boring. The show took up the big room in the McAllen Convention Center, an additional smaller room, and the east parking lot. Among the myriad booths and displays, you will usually find products that you may not otherwise find locally. Looking for an extra-long push pole? You got it. Do you prefer a Laguna rod? Yup. How about a special outdoor-showonly deal on that boat or pickup truck you’ve been eyeing all winter? I’m sure there are a couple of sales representatives hanging around those bright shiny vehicles and boats. Meeting members of the consumer public is especially important at these expos. Kelly Moore of Castaway Rods once told me that events such as the Texas Hunter and Sportsman’s Expo gives him the opportunity to meet the people who use Castaways, and learn what they like and don’t like about his product. This sort of feedback is valuable because it serves as an added scaffold in the framework of producing rods that consumers like and buy. Independent vendors and craftsmen make the bulk of their profits by literally wearing out the tires on their trucks and trailers as they F I S H

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7/7/17 11:57 AM

Anglers and Conservationists Rally to the Defense of Oyster Reefs on the Texas Coast story by SHANE BONNOT 30

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EXAS OYSTERS HAVE BEEN THE SUBject of much discussion for many years. The compounding effects of hurricanes, tropical storms, droughts, flood events and unscrupulous actions by some within the commercial oyster industry have resulted in unprecedented destruction and loss of our public oyster reefs. During the 2016-2017 oyster season, there was an observable shift in harvest tactics utilized by the commercial oyster industry. Appalling measures were taken to harvest oysters with little regard for the impact on our fisheries, sensitive habitat, personal property and public resources. Some tactics employed included walking the dredge up to the shoreline to harvest shallow water reefs, dredging under (and hitting) docks and piers, knocking down channel markers, dredging and cutting channels to venture further back into bay systems (St. Charles Bay), hand-picking oysters from shorelines, operating four-wheelers in sensitive areas (spartina marsh and bird rookery islands) to retrieve harvest sacks and harvesting oysters from closed waters (e.g. Swan Lake, Drum Bay and Bastrop Bay). One of the bay systems that suffered the consequences of such actions is Christmas Bay, a shallow waterbody within the West Galveston Bay system measuring approximately 5,700 acres at mean high tide. Until this past March, Christmas Bay had not been negatively influenced by human activity and was generally considered a unique, high quality secondary bay system and —because of its abundance of oyster reef systems and seagrass—one of the most ecologically productive bays of the Galveston complex. Christmas Bay also happens to be one of 24 coastal preserves under the Texas Gulf Ecological Management Site (GEMS) Program. Sites within the GEMS Program are considered high priority for protection, restoration and conservation by both state and federal governments. By March of this past year, with nearly 70 percent of the public harvest areas closed by TPWD, a significant portion of the commercial oyster fishery was deployed to Christmas Bay. Christmas Bay suffered greatly; seagrass was trampled, marsh-edge habitat was destroyed, shoreline reefs were devastated and litter was left behind.

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efforts in the past 10 years, and the notion that we could embark on future efforts with guaranteed protection from commercial harvests is an attractive one. TPWD made significant investments to restore Dollar Reef in Galveston Bay after Hurricane Ike, only to have it devastated by the commercial oyster industry a few years later. Restoration projects funded by public monies should not be vulnerable to commercial harvest, plain and simple.

Protect Shoreline Reefs

Oyster spat (juvenile oysters), attached to a concrete block.

dramatically over the past century, and we do have more sediment washing downstream into our bays and estuaries. The real problem, however, is that we continually work our existing reefs down to the bay bottom, which results in little to no vertical relief. If we would simply allow our reefs to build and increase their 3-D structures, complexity and height, there would be little concern about them becoming covered in silt. Take the Sabine Lake reef complex for example: Measuring nearly four square miles (about 2,500 acres), the oyster reef complex within Sabine Lake is potentially the largest natural reef in the United States, simply because we have not allowed harvest for over the past seven decades. In a bay system that receives substantial runoff and sedimentation, this is a remarkable occurrence. Another claim against this process is that if oysters are not harvested, they will die from predation (crabs, oyster drills, black drum) or become covered in mussels. No successful predator or disease will kill all of its prey, and again, we need to look no farther than Sabine Lake to refute this argument. Sanctuary areas also serve as attractive locations for fishery managers, researchers, biologists and conservationists to conduct restoration projects. CCA Texas has dedicated over $6.2 million dollars in restoration

Christmas Bay has become the rallying cry by concerned anglers, conservationists and even some within the oyster industry for our state to do more to protect this public resource and the ecosystems it supports. The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Texas has been working with state officials for some time now to develop additional protections for our public oyster reefs. Several options are on the table, two of which will be discussed in this article.

Establish Oyster Sanctuaries This simple idea has several key benefits. First, a sanctuary will offer protection for oyster broodstock. The larvae produced by broodstock within these sanctuaries will be carried by currents and tides to surrounding areas, seeding nearby public waters and serving as a source for sustainable oyster harvests in the future. Because these reefs would be off limits from commercial harvest, they would be able to grow in their complexity. One of the main arguments against oyster sanctuaries is, “If you don’t work oyster bottoms with rakes, sleds, tongs and dredges, they quickly will be silted over by sedimentation.” This is a misleading statement. It is true that our landscape has changed 32

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Numerous scientific studies prove that oyster reefs on and adjacent to our coastal shorelines serve a unique function for our bays’ ecology. Researchers in Florida have found that oyster reef habitat supported nearly 4.5 times the aquatic biomass found in seagrass beds and roughly 11.5 times the aquatic biomass found in marsh edge habitat. Dr. Greg Stunz, Director of the Center for Sportfish Science and Conservation at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies in Corpus Christi, and his team of marine biologists have made similar discoveries here in our coastal ecosystems and are worried about the fate of our oysters. “We specifically have become concerned with the recent intensive harvest of very shallow reefs (less than three feet) that have, up until recently, been generally released from commercial harvest,” said Stunz. “Not only are destructive fishing practices used, but these reefs are likely a reserve for oyster spat and are particularly beneficial to our bays and estuaries. We have conducted numerous studies on the importance of shallow sub tidal oyster reefs in Texas over the past several years,” said Stunz. “Our findings have shown that these areas support extraordinarily high densities of ecologically and economically important fisheries. “Moreover, the juxtaposition of these areas within the habitat mosaic—typically surrounded by other habitat types and free of harvest—cause these areas to be unusually productive. These areas are much more productive than deeper open water reefs. Thus, the intensive harvest of these shallow reefs is alarming and raises concerns.” The time has come for the State of Texas to take additional measures to protect this public resource and reverse these current PHOTOS: TPWD

7/7/17 11:20 AM

Oyster cultch material splashes into East Galveston Bay, during oyster reef restoration.

trends. CCA Texas members and other concerned Texans are encouraged to speak up and share their concerns for our oyster reefs. If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t already voiced those concerns with your state representative and senator, do so now.

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You should also have an opportunity to address Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission directly at their next meeting on August 24, 2017. In the meantime, check our blog (www.ccatexas/blog) and your email inboxes for updates and opportunities

to speak up for our oysters. Shane Bonnot is Advocacy Director for Coastal Conservation Association (CCA).

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PHOTO: CANSTOCK

7/20/17 9:02 AM

HITETAIL FAWNS ARE STUNNING. With their burnt orange coat and white spots they not only blend with the forest floor but shine as one of nature’s true beauties. I came upon a fawn that was hidden on the edge of a briar tangle at a Ducks Unlimited waterfowl preserve in North Dakota. As its mother watched from a distance, I snapped a quick photo and then left so neither mom or baby would feel threatened.

REPORT: NEWS 38 u TF&G OF THE NATION

This was in stark contrast to a lifeless fawn I found on the edge of a high line on the southern tip of Newton

Reported by TF&G Staff

County.

HOT 38 u TEXAS SHOTS

It had been dead awhile but there was no broken neck or eaten ribcage typical of coyote or bobcat predation.

Trophy Photos from TF&G Readers

What killed it remains unclear.

DEPT. OF 40 u TEXAS DEFENSE

A much greater mystery is the huge increase in fawn deaths nation-wide.

by Stan Skinner and Dustin Ellermann

According to Kip Adams, wildlife biologist with the

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Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), a sig-

CONSERVATION

nificant decline in fawn survival has occurred in the last 15 years.

by Will Leschper and Andi Cooper

“Overall, fawn recruitment rates have declined from

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an average of 0.81 fawns/doe in the U.S. in 2000 to 0.58

FORECAST

fawns/doe in 2015. That’s significant,” he said.

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

As of 2015, the Northeast U.S. averaged 0.48 fawns/ doe, the Southeast averaged 0.50 fawns/doe, and the Midwest averaged 0.82 fawns/doe.

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In Texas the numbers in 2005 were .55 and in 2010

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the last year QDMA had numbers for were .53. Texas is

by Tom Behrens, Dustin Warncke and Dean Heffner

lumped in with the Southeast Region and is slightly higher than the regional average.

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“I believe the main cause is increased predation on fawns,” Adams said.

Tides and SoLunar Data

“Deer herds with high fawn recruitment rates are very resilient to severe weather, disease outbreaks, and overharvest. This provides a nice buffer in deer management programs. Significantly reduced fawn recruitment rates remove this buffer and make deer herds more vulnerable to the above factors.” There are more than 30 million whitetails in North America. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE u

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Predation is one factor in fawn mortality rates, but it does not explain the mysterious acceleration of fawn deaths nationally over the past 15 years.

This is not an issue where a species is becoming endangered, threatened or even in any kind of major decline. Deer herds are chiefly managed for hunting and it can even be argued that increased predation is a natural response to burgeoning deer herds and should be welcomed. But there is more. Penn State biologists are wrapping up a three-year study that involves fitting fawns with radio collars. Researcher Duane Dieffenbach provided this information on one of Penn State’s study areas. Five of the fawns captured were found dead with no visible cause (even after necropsy). Some lacked milk in the rumen, while others did not but the real reason why a seemingly healthy dead fawn found its way to the necropsy table is unknown. This year when the field crew checked on one fawn whose collar was in mortality mode; they found it alive but unable to move. When they checked on the fawn the next 36

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day it had died. The necropsy found milk in its stomach but no obvious cause of death. PGC vet, Dr. Justin Brown, collected tissue samples for examination but we do not have a confirmed cause of death at this time. Bottom line, lots of fawns (about a third of all mortalities) die from causes other than predation What are these causes? They can run the gamut from pneumonia to screwworms but some are questioning whether the introduction of GMO agriculture has had an impact. An article published in NORTH AMERICAN WHITETAIL digs deep into the potential impact of GMO crops on whitetails. You can read it at www.northamericanwhitetail.com/conservation/whitetailscrossroads-crops-contributing-whitetaildecline/. The takeout of the article for this writer was anecdotes from Judy Hoy of Montana who does wildlife rehabilitation. “As a game warden, my husband retrieved many accident-killed big-game animals, pri|

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marily white-tailed deer, from roadsides and yards, and I examined the carcasses prior to disposal. I also cared for newborn wild ruminants. Thus, we examined hundreds of whitetailed deer prior to and after 1995. “We observed that, beginning in spring of 1995 and continuing through 2014, many individuals of white-tailed deer fawns were born with one or more birth defects consistent with mineral deficiencies and thyroid hormone disruption. In 1996, I began documenting the bite, the size of the deer and the size of the male genitalia with measurements and photos. I also found the sex ratio on the white-tailed deer skewed highly in favor of males at around 60M/40F, especially between 1995 and 2002.” There is much more to the story, which I highly recommend reading but it certainly paints an interesting picture since the 1990s there have been millions of acres planted with GMO seeds and their use only continues to increase. The impact of GMOs on rats and mice in laboratories is truly frightening. Once again whitetail declines are superficial when looked at through the prism of history and the fact that even the states with the lowest whitetail numbers are vastly above what they were 50 years ago. But there is no question something is different out there. Something is changing the dynamic of fawn recruitment and it is happening on a large scale. For now let’s say the fawns in America’s woodlands could be like the proverbial canary in the coal mine. Their disappearance could be a signal of something bigger on the horizon. We have created a continuing dialogue with universities, the QDMA and state agencies to look deeper and will report as we find out. Fawns are starting to hit the ground in parts of the country right now. Making it past spring has always been a challenge due to the harsh nature of life in the woods but now it seems something or some things are making it downright difficult for Bambi to lose his spots.

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7/20/17 9:02 AM

The NATIONAL

News of TEXAS

Mysterious Black Whitetails Roam Texas READER CHARLIE HENNIGAN SENT in these images of a black deer he encountered near Luling, TX. At first glance (on my iPhone) I thought it was a chocolate-phase fallow deer. Texas has many free-ranging exotics and fallow deer are one of the most prolific. But after close examination I have determined this is a black (melanistic) whitetail. Whereas albinism is a lack of pigment, melanism is a hyper blast of black pigment. It is fairly common in some species such as fox squirrels and is evident in jaguars and leopards. “Black panthers” for example are not a separate species, but simply melanistic jaguars and leopards. Luling is located 49 miles south of

Most accounts of these deer come from social media and taxidermists.

Austin. Over the years I have documented a number of melanistic whitetails within

BASS

SPECKLED TROUT

Ray Roberts

Port Aransas

Chuck Woodard caught this 10.27-pound bass while ﬁshing on Lake Ray Roberts. Woodard was ﬂipping a jig in 8-1/2 feet of water. The bass was 26-3/8 inches long and looked like she had already spawned.

about a 50-mile radius of Austin. Several have been northwest of Austin and around San Marcos. Hennigan said the owner of the land where he was hunting reported seeing numerous does this color over the years, but very few bucks. This is probably because

Bill Ferro caught this 29.5-inch speckled trout while ﬁshing with Capt. Keith Mock at Port Aransas.

Visit FishGame.com to upload your own TEXAS HOT SHOTS and Help Pick our next Winners 38

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NEWS PHOTO: MATT OTTEN

7/20/17 9:03 AM

Taxidermist Matt Otten submitted this photo of a buck he mounted for a Texas hunter. It is a very large melanistic whitetail.

that part of the state has what wildlife managers would consider an out-of whack-buck to doe ratio.

TURKEY San Saba I.V. Webb called in this turkey on opening morning of this turkey season, while hunting in San Saba. That same night playing in a baseball game in Austin, he hit a grand slam home run.

A WILLIAMSON COUNTY GAME warden investigated three juveniles who captured and abused an injured bird by tossing it in the air several times, striking it a couple of times with a football, then pouring gasoline on it and setting it on fire. One of the boys had posted the delinquent acts on social media and Cedar Park Police Department intercepted the videos before they were deleted. The game warden determined the bird was a federally-protected migratory whitewinged dove. He made contact with each of the three boys and their parents, obtained their stories and filed cases for taking whitewinged dove by illegal means in closed season. All three boys had just received probation for burglary of a habitation. Cases are pending. —TPWD

—Chester Moore

TPWD Invests in Canadian Duck Breeding Grounds

Zebra Mussels Invade Lake Travis

THE TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE Department recently awarded Ducks Unlimited $600,000 for conservation projects on waterfowl breeding grounds in Prairie Canada. This commitment brings Texas’s cumulative contribution for habitat conservation on Canadian breeding grounds to more than $4 million. Recognizing the migratory nature of waterfowl, state wildlife agencies have been contributing to habitat conservation in Canada since 1965. More than 40 states participated this year, and funding comes primarily through hunting license sales, according to a news release. In Texas, all funding comes from the state Migratory Game Bird Stamp fund. This fund is solely supported by the sale of Migratory Game Bird Stamps, required of all migratory bird hunters in Texas. These funds may be used to support waterfowl habitat conservation in Canada, and Texas has been doing so since 1985.

ZEBRA MUSSELS HAVE BEEN POSItively identified for the first time in Lake Travis in the Colorado River Basin in Central Texas, just weeks after biologists confirmed the aquatic invasive species had also spread to the Guadalupe River Basin. The rapidly reproducing zebra mussels, originally from Eurasia, can have serious economic, environmental and recreational impacts on Texas reservoirs and rivers. Zebra mussels can cover shoreline rocks and litter beaches with treacherously sharp shells, clog public-water intakes, and damage boats and motors left in infested waters. In Texas, it is unlawful to possess or transport zebra mussels, dead or alive. Boaters are required to drain all water from their boat and onboard receptacles before leaving or approaching a body of fresh water in order to prevent the transfer of zebra mussels. The requirement to drain applies to all types and sizes of boats whether powered or not. —TPWD

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Delinquents Charged in Dove Abuse Case

It can run as high as 10 does to one buck on certain tracts of land so it would not be surprising to see far more melanistic does than bucks. Also, hunters are more likely to kill the bucks, and in recent years several melanistic bucks have been reported taken in Texas. It is not illegal to kill color-phase whitetails in Texas, and there is no official count of them among the 600,000 plus deer killed here every year. I have personally never laid eyes on a melanistic whitetail, but I have seen both piebald and leucistic (with blue eyes) whitetails in the wild. I am headed to the Austin area quite a bit this fall, and I plan to checkout some of the areas with historically high proportions of melanism. With luck, I will capture some photos. Whitetails are intriguing animals, and any variation in color, antler or size is always the talk about deer camp.

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TEXAS Dept. of

:: Self Defense :: Tactical :: Training Tips

by DUSTIN ELLERMANN and STAN SKINNER

:: Gear

Inside The AR-15 I HAVE GROWN FOND OF THE AR-15 rifle in the various roles it has come to play for American shooters. It has served America’s military for more than 50 years, but shortly before the end of the old century, it began to emerge as a good deal more than that. Its chief rival, the AK-47, is a formidable military weapon in the hands of a poorly trained conscript army. However, that is pretty much the whole story. It’s a one-trick pony—that’s all the AK-47 is, or will ever be. The AR-15, on the other hand, offers a wide variety of configurations—fixed or collapsible buttstock; dozens of chamberings from .22 Long Rifle to .460 Beowulf; light or heavy barrels from six inches (pistol) to near 30 inches along with standard, match-grade

Holosun Red Dot Optic I’M A RED DOT GUY. Perhaps it’s because of my local terrain and shooting style, but I find a high-speed, red-dot optic to be the best choice for most AR style shooting, close quarters hunting, and defensive situations. Over the years I’ve tested many electronic optics, and I’ve settled on a few personal requirements before I’d even consider running one on any of my defensive rifles. They

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or binary triggers. Picatinny rails reside on the flat-top AR-15 receiver as well as top, sides and bottom of the fore end to mount accessories such as lasers, spot lights and vertical hand grips. Build an AR-15 Lower Receiver I am no gunsmith, so I was a bit apprehensive when I first tried to assemble an AR-15 lower receiver starting with a stripped receiver from Aero Precision. Now, after completing five of them, I firmly believe anyone who can use basic tools can build one. It might take you an afternoon (or two) to do what a skilled factory assembler could probably do in 30 to 45 minutes, but you can take pride in the finished product. More important, your AR-15 is yours—ALL yours—in a way that you’ll never feel from forking over cash (or credit card) to buy a brand-new, factory-built AR-15. I have to admit, I haven’t tackled an upper receiver yet. But give me time. By the way, the BATF considers only the lower receiver to be a firearm that must be transferred by an

FFL dealer on the BATF Form 4473. SIGNIFICANT FACT ALERT!! — An AR-15 upper receiver is legally NOT a firearm even if it is complete with bolt carrier assembly and barrel. You may buy one (or more) over the counter or via the internet WITH NO PAPERWORK. The above fact makes it very easy to obtain several upper receivers chambered for different cartridges with all sorts of barrels (heavy or light, long or short), fore ends, etc.—all of them intended to fit on the same lower receiver. Just attach whichever upper suits your needs today. Pull two takedown pins to remove the old one, put the new one in place, push the two pins back in place and you’re ready to rock. One day, maybe you want to mount a tack-driving, heavy barreled .223 on your lower receiver for a prairie dog shoot. The next day (or night) you want a silenced .300 Whisper/Blackout to bag feral hogs that are tearing up your neighbor’s pasture. If you’re hunting an eland on a game ranch in the hill

need to be rugged, clear, accurate, instinctive, and dependable. Most electronics optics have trouble with the last two requirements. Any budget red dot will have short battery life, You will have to purposefully power it on and off when using it. This isn’t acceptable on a defensive rifle. In a defensive situation you don’t need to be worrying about turning an extra switch or dial in order to shoot straight. This is why I was happy to get my hands on the new Holosun 503CU.

Holosun has been getting a lot of attention lately with the shooting community because of its competitively priced optics. They have a large variety as well, that closely mimics major manufacturer’s sights such as Trijicon, Aimpoint and EOTech. Rumor has it that some of the Sig optics are actually rebranded OEM Holosuns which means that when the FBI approved the Sig Romeo 4 optics for duty use, Holosun 5 series piggybacks that approval as well. One of Holosun’s newest models, the 503CU caught my attention for a few reasons. First and foremost was battery life. It can stay on continuously for 10,000 hours. I refuse to use an optic on a defensive rifle that I have to remember to turn on and off. Murphy’s Law ensures that you will forget to turn it off, and not have time to turn it on in a life-or-death situation.

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PHOTO: DUSTIN ELLERMAN

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So far, you have an investment of as little as $150 unless you choose one of the higher cost options. But you aren’t quite ready to begin yet. As I said earlier, you don’t have to be a gunsmith to assemble an AR-15 lower receiver. Nevertheless, it is not a WHAM-BAMdust-your-hands-off kind of project. You need detailed instructions on how to proceed, preferably illustrated. (It goes without saying that you need to follow those instructions meticulously and completely.) My instruction book has never led me astray and has given me timely warnings about pitfalls to avoid. It is called The AR-15 Complete Assembly Guide by Walt Kuleck with Clint McKee. It is available from Amazon and other book retailers. You will need a few ordinary tools such as a small brass and plastic mallet and a screw driver set or a set of hex wrenches. In addition there are several specialized tools are essential to the project. If you don’t have all of them on hand, you’ll need to spend another $50 to $100. Again, Brownell’s, Midway USA, Cheaper Than Dirt, and other retailers can supply them to you. CAUTION: If you don’t have these tools on hand, get them now. Your sanity depends on it. One last tip—The

names “pivot pin detent,” and “takedown pin detent” sound as if they belong to a fairly substantial piece of the puzzle. Disappearing Detents Despite the nomenclature, they are FAR from substantial, yet they are important. These detents play an important role by ensuring that their respective pins do not fall out to be lost as you’re cleaning your AR-15 or switching to a new upper. The bad news is that these detents are tiny steel cylinders about the size and shape of a grain of rice. You install them into a hole in the receiver under great spring pressure. If you slip—and you will— the tiny tidbit becomes a high-speed projectile that can ruin an eyeball. Otherwise it will zing into an obscure crevice somewhere, never to be seen again. Of course your parts kit will have only two, and you need both of them. To guard against unforeseen consequences, wear safety glasses and order a packet of spares from one of the above suppliers. Now, if you are still game, you have about $200 to $300 invested, and you are finally ready to begin. Next time, we’ll delve into the process of actually assembling your lower receiver. I promise you it will be worth it.

motion-sensitive switch that shuts the optic The Holosun 503CU boasts a robust off after 10 minpackage with several features such as utes of inactiva solar panel, motion sensing switch, ity, then wakes and dual reticles. up as soon as you move the In addition to the long battery life, the rifle. I tested this several times by setting the 503CU also has an integrated solar panel that rifle down where I could look through the optic serves two purposes. The first, of course, is before moving it. Sure enough, it was always off to supply supplemental power to the sight to and woke up right away. increase battery life. If you like either the EOTech 65 MOA In fact, in daylight you can remove the circle reticle or more precise Aimpoint style battery altogether, and the optic won’t miss a 2 MOA dot, you can swap back and forth beat. The solar panel also works in conjuncbetween each on by holding down the “-”buttion with a sensor, so your reticle automatiton for three seconds. Occasionally, I like to cally adjusts to the correct brightness for dim my dots less than ambient light for preambient light. cise shooting. This is also possible by holding Yet another battery-saving feature is the down the “+” button for manual brightness

adjustments. The dot will also warn you by blinking if the battery is low. The Holoson 503CU includes both a high and low mount. I was pleased to discover that it is built to Aimpoint Micro specifications, so my LaRue lever mount worked as well. I also torture-tested the Holosun optic and mount by whacking my sight against a fence post several times while mounted to my rifle. I was pleased to still able to hit four-inch steel without issue at 110 yards. The Holosun 503CU retails for $325 but I was able to find it around $275 in a quick web search. If you want a quality red dot optic full of useful features at half the price of the competition, it’s definitely worth a look.

country, a .450 Beowulf is good medicine at short range. The point is that an AR-15 can do all of these things and do them well—now, back to building an AR-15 lower receiver. What you’ll Need A good quality lower receiver such as an Aero Precision costs about $50 to $70 through Brownell’s and a few other sources. If you go for a fancy name brand receiver such as DPMS, Bushmaster or even Ruger, you might have to pony up $150 to $200. If that gives you more confidence, go for it; but you’ll not regret choosing Aero Precision and saving a few bucks. Besides the lower receiver, you’ll need a lower receiver parts kit. Parts kits are available for around $40 to $50 from several sources, including Midway USA, Brownell’s and Cheaper Than Dirt. A buttstock assembly is also on your list. This includes the buttstock itself, buffer, buffer tube, and buffer spring. Several companies, such as MagPul, UTG and others make excellent collapsible stocks in a bewildering array of choices for $50 to $100. An alternative is a fixed A2-type buttstock, but most users prefer one of the collapsible models.

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—by Stan Skinner

—by Dustin Ellerman

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TEXAS Dept. of :: Edited by WILL LESCHPER

Dove Hunting in Texas Keeps Getting Bigger

EXAS RANKS NO. 1 IN THE entire country for dove hunting, including the overall numbers taken of mourning doves and white-winged doves. In fact, Texas typically has boasted fall populations in excess of 40 million doves, with a long-term estimate of about 300,000 hunters taking part in the annual hunting pastime. All those hunters usually bag about a third of all the doves taken in the country annually. Did you know that TPWD has estimated that dove hunting has at least a $300 million economic impact in Texas each year? Shaun Oldenburger, dove program leader for TPWD, noted that dove hunting conditions often ebb and flow with weather and range conditions and some areas of the state simply have better hunting than others

for a variety of reasons. “Some folks said it was their worst year ever, while some said it was their best year ever last year,” he said. “I do think we’ll probably see a bump-up this year in mourning dove harvest and we’ll see a whitewing harvest on par with what it has been the past few years—1.8 million or 1.9 million. “At some point we’re going to break the 2 million barrier on white-winged dove hunting, which we haven’t done yet in the state of Texas. When you put that in context, they said there were only 150,000 whitewings in Texas 40 years ago, so that’s pretty amazing.” All those birds have opened up many new hunting options for hunters, which means another big change in the regulations

and zone maps, Oldenburger said. “We’re going to expand our Special White-Winged Dove Area to the whole South Zone,” he said. “That means hunters won’t see a whitewing area broken out from the other areas of the state in the Outdoor Annual and the online regulations. That’s going to offer some additional opportunity for hunters in local areas where there has been abundant whitewing populations that are increasing. You think of places like El Campo, Columbus and Sealy, and other areas that have more whitewings flying in, which traditionally haven’t been huntable based on how the seasons fell. “We always seem to have those rains and storms in early to mid-September, which would blow those whitewings out, and hunters in those areas would miss out. Now those hunters will be able to take advantage of those increasing whitewing numbers the first two full weekends in September, with those white-winged dove hunting days expanding. We worked with U.S. Fish & Wildlife to set those whitewing frameworks,

The recently completed structure at Blind Lake in east Texas will enhance 4,000 acres of Texas Chenier Plain wetlands.

DU, Partners Complete Big Water Project DUCKS UNLIMITED RECENTLY FINished construction on a massive watercontrol structure at Blind Lake in the Texas Chenier Plain. The project cost more than $1 million to build, and funding came from a North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant and partners, including Jefferson County Drainage District 6. The structure will 42

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enhance water level management on more than 4,000 acres of freshwater marsh on private property and the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area. This project represents a unique |

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partnership involving DU, private landowners, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Jefferson County DD6. The structure was constructed on the J.D. Murphree WMA at the edge of the Gulf PHOTOS: DUCKS UNLIMITED; CANSTOCK

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which really should simplify the regulations, and that should be a win-win for everyone in Texas when it comes to dove hunting.” Oldenburger noted that much like feral hogs, whitewings have greatly expanded their range across the state in the past couple of decades. “With the overall population expanding, we’re getting pretty close to having every county in Texas on the whitewinged dove map. We’re seeing whitewings in places in the Pineywoods where we traditionally never thought we’d see them,” Oldenburger said. “You go back 30 and 40 years and they were almost solely found in the Rio Grande Valley, then you had them moving into San Antonio in the 1980s. Then about 20 years ago there was a boom and now you see them in the Rolling Plains and Panhandle and everywhere in between. Now, at least 90 percent of our breeding population occurs in urban areas.” Based on preliminary estimates in

already seen a lot of young birds flighted around the state. We should have a very good crop of young mourning doves out there, which we traditionally harvest more proportionally than adult birds, especially earlier in the season.” One welcome addition to dove hunting in recent years has been the rise of Eurasian collared doves, which aren’t regulated as a game bird by TPWD. They’re also larger than the other dove species, too. “We estimated that there were about 600,000 Eurasian collared doves taken by hunters last year,” Oldenburger said. “Those doves represent another opportunity for hunters to get out and hunt what’s near them. Obviously there’s no bag limit and no established hunting season. We do recommend that folks leave a wing on so that they’re identifiable. We’re estimating a breeding population of about 3.5 million around the state now, most of them occurring in the Panhandle and South Texas.”

early summer, as well as man-in-the-field accounts, this should be another good dove season. “Everyone I’ve talked to is seeing more mourning doves and whitewings than they traditionally have, and we should have plenty of The Texas white-winged good habitat,” dove harvest Oldenburger could soon said. “We at break the 2 TPWD are always million barrier. trying to expand private lands access for hunting, too. For mourning doves it looks to be a very positive year, and as of June we’ve

Email Will Leschper at WillLeschperOutdoors@gmail.com

This project represents a unique partnership involving DU, private landowners, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Jefferson County.

tained by Jefferson County DD6 and will provide for marsh enhancement on adjacent private lands. Ultimately, the project will mimic natural wet-dry hydro periods, improve aquatic vegetation production and sustainability, enhance native uplands to improve nesting opportunities for resident mottled ducks and other birds and provide better management capability to an impounded wetland unit. Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW). Prior to project construction, water levels were too deep in the marsh as the bank of the GIWW blocked natural drainage. The structures are set to maintain opti-

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—by Andi Cooper

mal water levels throughout the marsh while excess water will drain out into the GIWW. The structures will also prevent passage of high saline tidal water from the GIWW. It will be managed and mainF I S H

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Coastal Focus: SABINE :: by Capt. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

Fishing Top to Bottom on a Sweltering Sabine

S WE SETTLE INTO WHAT IS typically our hottest month here on Texas’s northernmost stretch of coastline, we are reminded constantly that although the calendar says autumn is within our sights, we’ve still got our fair share of sweltering heat to contend with. That is not a bad thing, and you will hear no complaints from me. It means we can continue to reap the benefits of the hot summer patterns we’ve been so spoiled by for a while, with one of the biggest of those being able to catch fish throughout the entire Sabine ecosystem. From the upper end of the lake, including pretty far up the Neches River to the lower end and beyond, we still have a pretty good

window. We can fish the entire system from top to bottom with a good bit of confidence. Starting at the top, the trout and redfish bite should remain very consistent in the Neches River. Catching the big three in the river and its tributaries is very common, and the Entergy Outfall Canal and Bessie Heights marsh can give up some serious numbers year-round. Just a little farther up river, the National Defense Reserve Fleet should stay red hot for trout, reds and flounders until we begin to get the first wave of cool fronts. Live finger mullet and shad are killer for big numbers and solid trout. top-waters and soft plastics fished under popping corks will also produce good results. Fishing drop offs in 4 to 12 feet of water

should keep you in the zone. The main lake with the super hot temperatures and pretty water on good days can result in some very nice stringers. This month, you can expect mid-day slickoffs. This makes it easy to locate and stay on large schools of fish that have shrimp and shad pushed to the surface in full survival mode. Trout, reds, gaff-top and ladyfish will be binging and purging and will readily accept just about anything you are willing to offer them. If you want to weed out some of the smaller, less desirable fish, try fishing a little deeper and slower on the perimeter of the school or throw big top-waters. On the bottom, the red hot action south of the causeway, should remain steady until those first cool fronts get to just within casting range. With the air and water temperatures still up in the red zone, the bite in the channel, at the jetties and the short rigs should be very good. As long as the conditions are favorable and the green water is pushed in it should be business as usual just like it has been for the past couple of months. Tie those top-waters on early and switch to plastics, spoons Rat-L-Traps and jerk baits once the sun begins to penetrate the water. Autumn will be here soon enough. Until then, let’s keep taking advantage of what the Sabine ecosystem is offering us while it is still hot, and that would be fishing top to bottom.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Fish Pass at Keith Lake (Hwy 87) SPECIES: Trout, Reds, Flounders BAITS/LURES: Live shrimp, Mud minnows, Soft plastics, Top-waters BEST TIMES: Mornings and Evenings with moving tides

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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Coastal Focus: GALVESTON :: by Capt. MIKE HOLMES

The ‘Dog Days’ of August?

ES, AUGUST IS SO HOT IN Texas that the dogs prefer to stay in the shade and not move around a lot. Animals in general, and dogs in particular, are often wiser than we humans, so we would do well to follow their example. Fishermen on the coast are prone to be affected by the heat and sun more than the average coastal resident. Too much time in the sun leads to skin cancer, of course, but the heat itself is often more dangerous. The “cooling” breeze coming off the Gulf can add wind burn to your already painful sunburn. Still some of the best and most pleasant fishing of the year will happen in August if we are prudent about sun exposure and time our efforts to cooler parts of the day. Inshore fishing might be best in the same deeper holes and channels that pay off in winter, and for the same reason. Fish will seek protection there from extremes in temperature—whether cold or heat. In daylight hours, shallow bay flats and reefs and even the surf are best fished very early and late when water temperatures are more tolerable. Tidal movement is even more important, as currents can also cool down the watery environment. Cloudy days offer heat relief, and if the clouds issue forth with rain that is even better. Wet wading is the norm, of course, but the surface of a calm bay or Gulf can be a very efficient mirror to intensify the burning effect of the sun. Although the surf can be comfortable when it’s bathwater temperature, fish will still seek a more invigorating habitat. Night fishing provides the ultimate protection from the sun for both fish and fishermen. Using artificial light at night to attract

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on larger boats, an air-conditioned cabin is the ultimate in cool comfort. In summer as well as winter, water temperatures in deep water do not vary nearly as much as surface temps will. Deep-water snappers and groupers often live in water temperature that’s stable all year. Even surface feeders have the luxury of holding in cooler, deeper water until they can make a fast dash toward the sky to attack schooling prey. Because of these differences, the main changes a fisherman needs to make in hotter months is to wear good sunscreen, a longsleeved shirt of a cool material, and a hat. Although ball caps are undoubtedly the most popular, a hat with a wider, full brim provides more protection—especially for the back of your neck. Don’t forget the body’s natural protections, either. One summer I thought it would be “cool” to shave my head, but my next surf fishing trip resulted in a severe burn to the back of my now unprotected neck. If you

bait, will usually be more productive for speckled trout especially, and to a lesser extent redfish than during the heat of the day. The “green” lights especially designed for fishing are especially good for attracting bait and predator species when employed either above or below the surface of the water. Water clarity, however, will be a factor in just how good they are. When hunting hogs, I found a light that only comes on just before shots are fired is not nearly as successful as one that is “on” every night, in the same place. This also can be true in fishing. Stationary lights on bridges, marina docks, and piers nearly always attract marine life, resulting in better fishing. Fishing during the day, anglers in boats have the option of either trolling or drifting with the wind to help keep a little cooler. This helps as long as the wind and current are not going in the same direction at a similar speed. Boats can also offer shade in the form of canopies—even a small “T-top” helps on a hot day, although the bigger the shaded area, the better. Of course, when fishing offshore

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Coastal Focus: MATAGORDA :: by Contributing Editor MIKE PRICE

Let’s Fish the Beach

HEN THE WATER TEMperature in the bay climbs to near 90°F, fish act like people on hot and humid days; they slow way down and look for a cool spot. So the best time of day to fish on a hot August day is at sunrise. The water has had the night to cool down. If you can be fishing when the sun rises or shortly thereafter, you can take advantage of early morning feeding activity. If the tide is moving, your chances of finding action go up even higher. On August 7 last year, my wife, Janet, and I were kayak fishing in a spot on the south shore of West Matagorda Bay where three channels meet. We were casting chicken-on-a-chain-paddle-tail Bass Assassins on 1/16-ounce jig heads tipped with little pieces of Fishbite. We caught redfish, black drum, and flounders that were moving along the shoreline, and trout in the deeper water in the center where the channels came together. But as the day and the water warmed, the bite cooled off. One reason fish are less active when the water is warm is there is less oxygen in the water. However, if you fish in the surf, the water temperature is a few degrees cooler. The water comes from offshore where cooler water at depth mixes with surface water. Where the water is oxygenated by waves breaking on sandbars and crashing on the beach, you’ll have a good chance of finding very active feeding fish. Fishing the surf is not as simple as driving onto Matagorda’s 23-mile beach, parking, and casting. First, you have to pick the right day. Certain conditions can infuse the surf with baitfish, and thus predators. Look for light and variable winds, blue water up to the beach, and incoming tide. We have a house on Matagorda beach. One day in late August we had these “Let’s Fish the Beach” conditions, so Janet and I walked over the 46

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Jeff Wiley with a ﬁsh on in the surf.

dunes and waded out to the second sand bar. I was using a brown and yellow Norton Sand Eel, and she was using a red and white Bass Assassin. On that day in the clear water, the fish wanted red and white, or perhaps they were attracted to the action of the Bass Assassin. Janet was catching and releasing sand trout, and when I changed to a red and white Bass Assassin, I started catching sand trout as well. Then we got into speckled trout. Janet caught the fish of the day, a fat 22-inch speckled trout. When you drive on the beach looking for a “fishy” place to stop, watch for bait. An incoming tide pushes millions of bait fish and shrimp into the troughs between sandbars. When you see these critters blasting out of the water, fleeing for their lives, it is because a predator such as trout, redfish, ladyfish or another one of the many species that find their food in the surf, is chasing them. Watch for shell concentrations where the water meets the beach. These are places where there is a cut between the sandbars that allows shells to tumble through and settle on the beach. Look for where the waves break, and if you see smooth water in the center, with waves breaking on either side, you have found the cut. |

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Fish on both sides of the cut by casting your lure up onto the sand bar. Then work it into the trough. Predators like to hang out in that spot waiting for a meal. Watch the birds. The three most common birds that eat fish and shrimp in the surf are gulls, terns, and pelicans. Key on the gulls. When they start squawking, diving and coming up with small fish or shrimp, you can bet that predator fish are pushing the bait to the surface. Watch the show until you determine which direction it is going, then cast well ahead of the movement. To identify fish you will catch in the surf, go to txmarspecies.tamug.edu. Texas Parks and Wildlife has an app for Texas saltwater fishing regulations, tpwd.texas.gov. Here are some tips for when you venture into the surf. • Waves will break when they hit a sandbar, so the most comfortable place to stand is on the seaward side of the sandbar a little beyond the breaking waves. • A recommended outfit for wade fishing in the surf includes a hat with a chinstrap or attached to a clip, sunglasses on a holder, along with a long-sleeved shirt and long pants for proPHOTO: MIKE PRICE

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tection from sun, mosquitoes, and jellyfish. • Use a net that is attached to you on a short line and tuck the net in your wading belt, behind your back. • A lifejacket is a necessity when fishing in the surf because your situation can change for the worst in a matter of seconds. I like to use an inflatable lifejacket, but a tight fitting, inherently buoyant life jacket is probably safer as you do not have to inflate it. The best time to fish the bays in warm weather is early morning. If the surf is calm and clear, fish the beach.

THE BANK BITE THE JETTIES: There are three jetties to fish from in Matagorda. Two of these jetties serve as the breakwater for boats going offshore. You can drive up to the jetty on the east side, but to get to the west jetty you have to use a boat or kayak. If you would like to gig or fish for flounder at night, wade the sand near the east jetty. Be careful of the algae on the rocks near the water, walking on it feels like walking on grease. Fresh dead shrimp under a popping cork is a good choice. Determine which way the current is

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must indulge in such foolishness, pick a hat with a “flap” on the back.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: In daylight hours, the surf beyond the third sandbar and deeper channels are best. SPECIES: All warm water species will be abundant—specks, reds and ﬂounders inshore, and an almost limitless variety offshore. BAIT: Live bait may be hard to get, and harder to keep alive. It is not a good idea, however, to put ice in your live well to lower the water temperagoing, cast against it and let your popping cork work its way back to you. The third jetty is a weir jetty that is accessible from the beach on a pier that connects to the jetty. Where the pier connects to the jetty is a good place to take the kids crabbing. If the water is calm, you might want to ﬁsh the east side of this

ture unless it is encased in a plastic bag or bottle so the water stays salty. BEST TIME: Early morning and late evening tides are best for inshore, but night fishing is even better, and also good offshore. Lights help attract both bait and fish. In addition, fishermen on an offshore charter boat with two licensed captains who are out overnight and have a receipt to prove it are allowed two-day limits of fish such as king mackerel, ling, and red snapper. Note that this does not apply to overnight trips in state waters, though.

Email Mike Holmes at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

jetty, especially if you see bait working, but be careful walking on the rocks.

Email Mike Price at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

7/20/17 9:03 AM

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

Red Hot August Action

options for summertime coastal anglers, but the extreme heat can become a definite issue. Sunburn, dehydration, and heat exhaustion are just some of the problems the sun brings to us. Another is that the afternoon sun heats the air rapidly, thereby presenting us with a greater chance for isolated thunderstorms. This is one reason why some of the best opportunities for fishing are early in the day. Another reason is that morning time is the coolest part of the day. Because of this, you should start your trip before dawn and then get off the water before to the heat has a chance to become an issue for you. Because of the heat, the search for nice trout in August often becomes a challenge, so there may be more things to think about to make your time on the water more successful this month. One thing is that many summertime mornings will offer a light or calm water, but as the sun heats the air in late morning and early afternoon, wind speeds will strengthen as a result. A good share of August trout may actually be caught on live baits—shrimp, croaker, piggy perch, and finger mullet. Prized trout catches by lure fishermen might become harder. Anglers throwing artificial baits will probably need to search in deeper water for their trout. There is a bright side to all of this, however. Artificial enthusiasts can still experience a spectacular redfish bite regardless of the hot temperatures. There’s no better way to practice catching trophy trout than by hunting big redfish in summertime shallows. You’ll learn to handle big fish, you’ll sharpen your overall fishing skills, and you will recognize a level of fun that’s probably unequalled by much else in the world of shallow-water fishing. Chunking lures at reds along coastal flats sometimes calls for precise actions that aren’t always practiced by other anglers. One reason for this is the redfish itself. These fish are the absolute best at what they do, which is foraging for food and eluding predators. However, the redfish probably ranks near the top of the list for those species that are

E HAVE BEEN FORTUnate enough these past few months to be able to take advantage of some great trout

action. With the arrival of August, and with the full strength of summer now upon us, things may tend to change a bit. There are lots of

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most commonly affected by their immediate surroundings. The slightest alteration in water temperature, in tide level, in wind, or in bait availability can relocate them without the slightest notice. This suddenly makes them one of the hardest animals to locate on the surface of the earth. You may have been on them for several days in one particular spot during a period absent of much tidal change. Then overnight, the water dropped, or rose, and all of a sudden you can’t find them to save your life. Being able to keep up with consistent redfish action means you must become familiar with the ways the redfish move and eat on a daily basis. Water, bait, and wind all affect redfish movement, but so does sight and distance. Your ability to recognize fish signs in an area is especially important. You should always take special note of even the slightest things when looking for redfish—small baitfish skipping across the surface, or even the tiniest movement of water or grass right against the bank. Small crabs on the surface, jumping shrimp, a sudden spray of small baitfish right against the shoreline, or a wake of water being driven ahead of one of those big red bruisers are all signs of possible redfish activity. These are all signs that you can cast your lure to. But because you’re casting to redfish, you might have to surgically place your lure on a very small target spot. It could be fifteen feet or it might be thirty yards, but you had better be able to place it on the bulls-eye. This might take an ounce of determination and a pound of patience on your part, but the results can be rewarding. You’ll need to acquire a lot of knowledge as you strive to be consistently successful in locating redfish, but all of this knowledge can and will enhance your possibilities for success. Have fun out there, and be safe.

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

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Coastal Focus: ROCKPORT :: by Capt. MAC GABLE

Ten Mistakes Coastal Anglers Often Make

HIS ARTICLE IS IN RESPONSE to the many questions I am asked about fishing on the Texas coast. “Captain Mac, what do you see as some of the biggest mistakes people make in fishing on the coast?” I was asked this by a client who decided to take a break while fishing with me not too long ago. I had a canned speech I rattled off in rapid succession. He laughed. “I gather you’ve been asked this before.” “Well, yeah” I responded. “It almost always finds its way into conversations I have.” Of course, off-shore, bay and bank fishing has many facets, but I have some tips an old salt like me might suggest concerning these mistakes and how to avoid them to improve your fishing game. I hope these suggestions help you. They are tried and proven over many years of hands-on experience and have benefited those who put them into practice.

skill with a rod. Let’s see how these three work together. The rod absorbs the energy; it uses the energy from a hooked fish against the fish and when used properly holds the hook set in place—that is, in the fish. A rod fished at a 90-degree angle from the angler’s body (meaning straight out) CANNOT absorb or expend energy—it’s simply a matter a physics. To fish a rod that way one might as well be fishing with a hand line and no rod. The proper rod angle from the pivot point in the person’s hand is about 45 to 50 degrees. Another way to describe this is about the 10 o’clock position on a face clock. This allows the rod to work for you in setting the hook as well as fighting the fish, expending and absorbing energy the whole time. This technique goes double for fishing here in the Rockport area where so much oyster shell resides. A rod held straight out (at a 90-degree angle or less) is a cut line and lost fish begging to happen. The flex of the rod also allows an angler to maneuver a fish where he or she wants it to go.

rod and reel is an energy-absorbing as well as maneuvering device. Over the years rod and reel has become excellent in catching fish. To watch someone who truly understands this device and the skills it takes to use it properly is truly poetry in motion. The rod has many functions, but for now, I want to focus on three things. If you learn nothing more from this article than these three, it will be worth your while. 1) It (the rod) absorbs energy. It accomplishes this by flexing/bending much like a bow that shoots an arrow. 2) It expends energy. When casting, the flexing/bending increases the energy of an anglers casting efforts. 3) It is a maneuvering device. There is a bit of an art to making the fish go where you want it to go. The accomplished angler masters this

ONE: Fishing too heavy—It’s pretty simple, and it applies to fishing literally all over the world, not just in Texas. Lighter lines and lighter tackle equal more fish. Bi 1 ½-inch diameter rods and bigger, and power-winch-type reels might be good for off shore fishing, but are over-kill and unproductive for bay fishing. I’ve seen some bay anglers use hooks literally larger than two human hands for alligators. It’s easy to get caught in the “bigger is better” game, but 95 percent of an angler’s catch can be handled by medium to medium-heavy tackle. Hint: Show up at a boat ramp frequented by guides and look at the type tackle in use. You’re not gonna see the type reels Quint used in the movie Jaws. TWO: Not keeping your rod-tip up—The T E X A S

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Forecast: ROCKPORT boat fishing and it worked out to about $1,000 per pound of fish taken home, and that didn’t include maintenance. Even an avid recreational angler who fishes say 10-15 times a year is looking at well over $200 per pound (a study of recreational anglers who use their own boats concluded that most after the first two years, fish fewer than five times a year). Just the logistics of storage, launching, lack of parking and breakdowns from lack of use can be reason enough to apply one’s time to bank/pier fishing. I know several avid bank beaters (bank fisher people) whom I will put up against any boat angler as to number of keeper fish caught. You don’t need a boat to take fish home. Yes, it requires skill, planning, perseverance, but it also offers freedom, relaxation and less stress than a boat owner. One lady told me she just dreads going fishing with her husband because of their boat. “I don’t back the trailer well, we must get up too early just to find a place to park, the boat breaks down, and more often than not we seldom catch fish, how does that equal fun?” she asked. To be brutally honest most professional fishing guides see recreational anglers as runabouts, tearing boats up, running over habitat, and many impeding (messing up) the fishing of others, not even realizing it. In their defense, though, some are better all-around anglers and

This is NOT muscling or power pulling the fish, but using the flex of the rod to slowly turn the fish. It’s accomplished by a slight pressure applied horizontally (left or right) and slowly letting the rod turn the fish. Knowing how to do this is an important part of fully using a good rod. Big fish/trophy fish, some swear deliberately, know how to cut a line off on under water structure. My theory is the truly big fish that are hooked seek structure to hide behind, that’s the way they have avoided being fish poop, allowing them to become trophy size. An underwater prop/lower unit, anchor/ rope, power pole is structure that a fish uses. Most large/trophy fish are lost within five feet of the boat. Enter braided line with its no-stretch characteristics and it’s easy to see why it’s replacing mono line (which has a lot of stretch). Now you have a case where rods and their ability to bend make the proper angle used even more important. I kept a log years ago on clients that fished both ways those that didn’t keep the rod tip up and those that did, the 45-degree angle (rod tip up) boated 70 percent more fish. THREE: You need a boat—This is the most expensive type fishing one can engage in, especially here in saltwater. One reader of my articles sent me a breakdown at a price per pound for

more respectful than some guides. The coastal waters are NOT the place to learn how to pilot a boat. Those that do normally pay the price. FOUR: Bait caster for casting live bait (almost an oxymoron). In the hands of an accomplished angler, a bait casting reel is highly effective, but for the angler who doesn’t use a reel every week it can be a recipe for disaster. I have clients who can throw a bait caster almost as well as I can throw a spinning reel. Most will admit though that a spinning reel on the right rod will out-cast a bait caster in distance almost every time. The spinning reel is not as smooth and it tends to be as one client called it “clunky” with all its moving parts, but when it comes to baits being of the natural variety (live and cut bait) the differences in the weight of the baits when re-baiting from cast to cast can create all kinds of time consuming problems for bait casting reels—mostly backlashes and nests which are totally frustrating for most anglers. The reason for this is usually two-fold. One: the bait casting reel has a counter weight setting. Although it works well for one bait, the next one might be a different weight creating too much or not enough to balance out the weighed offset. Two: the angler is not experienced in casting a reel that he or she has just picked up, which is the case when fishing with a guide. Add the windy conditions, and a bait caster in the hands of a novice is a good way to ruin a day’s fishing. Guides who use bait casters almost always do all the casting. If a guide is gonna berate a client, the source is usually a bait cast reel that now looks like a bird’s nest. FIVE: Lack of a license or an expired license. In talking with a game warden I highly trust and think a lot of (Scott McLeod), I asked him what are the biggest reason he experiences for citations here in our area. No license or expired license was the main one. He explained the angler’s excuse for no license is one you can kinda understand— they’ve seldom been checked by a game warden and most only fish for one day, or just play the odds. That’s a mistake, he said. For the expired license, most pertain to the Year to Purchase License which runs for one year from the month / date of purchase (not from August 31st like most licenses). With either type of license, for

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most it’s a matter of just losing track of the expiration date. SIX: Not enough PFD’s / life jackets and no Throwable Type IV flotation devices—Many simply just lose track of how many they have in the boat; most don’t know anything about the Throwable Type IV Flotation. Another biggy is a child under 13 not wearing a PFD. If you wanna see what a citation looks like, this is a for sure way to find out. SEVEN: Keeping Undersized Fish—Bank fishermen tend to be the ones who do this the most. The reasons vary, but most assure they did check the length, and it just shrank. In their defense, the cause may not be an optical brain fog on their part. A fish that is very close to the legal length, then put on ice can shrink, especially if it’s in ice-cold water. The rule of thumb for me is a 15-inch trout can shrink 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch going from warm water to an ice-cold ice chest. I seldom if ever keep fish that are that close to the legal mark. Fish in a live well that are undersized almost never shrink as a matter of fact some studies say they can gain 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Let me add it matters which angle you’re at when measuring. When fish are close to the mark, one should be directly above the scale when viewing the size. EIGHT: No Over-Sized Red Tag—A red fish over the limit (over 20 inches) must be tagged immediately. A tag in the pocket or one lying on the boat console is NOT considered a tagged fish. I have seen many people tag an oversized red fish at the cleaning table. That’s a citation waiting to happen. Also, some get large black drum and reds confused. Enter the hybrids (cross between a red and black drum) that many say do not exist, and it can get confusing. If you’re not sure, turn it loose. NINE: Game wardens are the enemy— Nothing could be farther from the truth. If you fish and hunt, YOU should know the law. In my experience if a game warden sees you really tried to adhere to the regulations, and you’re not being a pain in the butt, some slack is often given. Of course, there are game wardens who are jerks. Welcome to the human race! The lion’s share, however, are passionate men and women who dearly love our natural resources. You try to pull the wool over their eyes and you’re gonna get spanked, plain and simple. Game wardens have bad days too. They are

ARANSAS BAY– Wades down Blackjack Point are good for reds using mud minnows and finger mullet. Free-line is best here. Halfmoon Reef is a good spot for trout using croaker freelined. The potholes on the north side of Mud Island are a good spot for trout and reds using croaker and finger mullet on a light Carolina Rig.

ST. CHARLES BAY– The mouth of Cavasso Creek is still holding some keeper trout, with shrimp under a rattle cork the best choice. Bird Point is a good place for reds and some black drum using free-lined live shrimp.

TEN: Non-aerated bait buckets—an angler buys live shrimp or croaker or mullet, spends his or her hard-earned money, gets to their favorite fishing spot and instead of live bait they now have fresh dead bait. For usually one reason, no aerator in the bait bucket. During the summer bait in a bait bucket can die within 15 minutes. To aerate is to introduce oxygen into a given material, in this case water. The finer the air bubbles the better. Change the water out every hour and CLEAN the bucket with fresh saltwater before getting the live bait. A bait bucket that is all-inclusive with insulated sides, a bubbler and a lid is cheap insurance for a good day’s fishing. Live bait 3/4 of the year is gonna catch more fish. Open the bait bucket lid while fishing for CO2 to outgas properly and remove the batteries from the bubbler if you’re not going to use it for more than a week.

CARLOS BAY– The shoreline adjacent to Cedar Point is a good wade for reds using mud minnows or cut mullet. Free-line is best here if the wind allows. Otherwise, a VERY light Carolina rig you can work slowly across the bottom is a good choice. Third Chain is a good spot for black drum using fresh dead shrimp under a silent cork. MESQUITE BAY– Wades between Ballou Island and Cedar Bayou are good for trout and some reds using free-lined croaker. Some flounders and reds on the east shoreline with free-lined live shrimp as the best choice. AYERS BAY– Some black drum may be found on Second Chain. A silent cork is best here with live shrimp. Use a light Carolina Rig with small Kahle hooks and cut pieces of squid to catch some nice sheepshead off Rattle Snake Island.

••• AUGUST IS STILL LIVE BAIT TERritory, but those who add some soft plastics to their angling arsenal are wise beyond their years. By now the fish have had every live bait known to the Texas coast and some not so known. (One guy uses red wigglers and catches some nice fish on them.) So changing up the game now can be very productive. Morning glory, new penny, pearl white and sapphire shine are good colors to try. If live bait isn’t working, throw some of these soft plastics. You might get your arm broke, they will hit them so hard.

THE BANK BITE THE AIRPORT SHORELINE just off 1781 is a good spot to set up for reds in the late evening. The area has many small reefs and deep edges. Cut mullet on a medium heavy Carolina rig works well here. If you can’t wade, the shoreline is best ﬁshed with a prevailing south wind.

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

COPANO BAY– Early morning, work the northwest shoreline close to the Turtle Pen Area T E X A S

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for reds; finger mullet free-lined is a good choice here. Some keeper trout on Little Lap Reef with free-lined croaker being the best choice.

human. Based on the conversations with several game wardens I know, there are reasons one might be terse with a hunter or angler. These reasons include but are not limited to One: the angler/boater they checked just before you gave them a hard time, and it just carried over to you, again that’s human nature. Two: Their assignment that day may not be their favorite ex: maybe they were assigned safety checks for the day, something they don’t like to do. Three: Assisting in a bad or fatal accident, which they often get called to, can also set a tense tone for the day. Game wardens are not bullet proof; they take an oath to protect our natural resources and apply the laws thereof. If you are hunting or fishing today thank a game warden, for without them it’s doubtful those natural resources would be there for us to enjoy.

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

Redﬁsh + August

It was a good thing they didn’t pull up anchor and move. In about 30 minutes, Mendoza’s line got tight, “kind of pulled,” as he put it. He set the hook and started reeling the fish in. About 30 seconds into the retrieve, the fish decided to go the other direction. “Oh shoot, this is a red!” exclaimed Mendoza. The fight lasted about four to five minutes. “At that point I was basically wade fishing,” he said. “I put my kayak up against the bank, and I’m in the water, reeling the redfish in. I asked my buddy if he had a net.” He didn’t have one.

Who knows, your next fish may have a red tag sticking out of it

S OF THE DEADLINE FOR the August issue, the Upper Laguna Madre/Corpus Christi Bay area and Aransas Pass has given up two CCA Star Tournament-tagged redfish. One angler, Joey Mendoza, is deciding whether to sell his current 2015 truck or the new 2017 Ford F-150 he will receive in October. Both vehicles would pull the new boat package he will also receive. Isaiah Cruz caught his tagged redfish from the Aransas Pass area, but unfortunately he hadn’t entered the S.T.A.R. tournament. Mendoza, a kayak angler, fishes regularly in the Upper Laguna Madre-Corpus Christi Bay area, but it was his first time fishing the spot, the Canals in Corpus Christi, where he caught the tagged redfish. “My buddy has a kayak as well, and he wanted to go out,” said Mendoza. “I told him to pick the spot. He had a drum hole that he goes to that was about a hundred-yard pedal from the launch.” He describes the day as a lot of firsts. “Where I bought the bait fish, I had never stopped there before, first time buying dead shrimp from that bait shop. It was the first time fishing with my buddy. We’re both new to kayaking; it was the first time fishing in that spot.” Mendoza was bottom fishing, about six to seven feet deep, fishing for drum with dead shrimp, using a Carolina rig set-up. He had been fishing for about an hour and a half in the early morning hours, and nothing was nibbling on his dead shrimp offering. “I told my buddy I knew a different drum hole and asked him if he wanted to move. He said ‘no.’” |

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Cruz caught his tagged redﬁsh from the Aransas Pass area. Unfortunately he hadn’t entered the S.T.A.R. tournament.

“

“I can see it’s a decent size fish,” Mendoza said, “and I just kind of swung it into my kayak, which was right next to me. “We were both pumped because it was a redfish, and a keeper size. I remember tossing the fish on its side where the tag was. We didn’t see the tag. I put it on my stringer, tied it to my kayak, threw it into the water, and kept on fishing.” About 10 minutes later, Mendoza checked his stringer to see how the fish was doing. Then he saw the tag. “A tagged redfish; I had never seen one in my life.” This was his sec|

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ond year in the CCA tournament. “My buddy who is a little more experienced in the fishing area than I am, examined the tag and saw it was a 2017 CCA tag. We just went nuts! “About 30 minutes later I made some phone calls to get some information about what to do. We took it to Roy’s to be checked in.” Now he’s just waiting for October to pick up his new truck and boat package, “sitting back anxious and excited for that ceremony, to pick up the keys.” There are other redfish in the Upper Laguna Madre to be caught, maybe not all tagged, but you never know. Besides the dead shrimp, a favorite redfish treat is alive or dead crab. Capt. Cliff Webb says in August, the crabs are molting. A chunk of crab on a hook, or what Webb prefers, a gold spoon, will entice a bite. “The baby crab will hatch out, and we will have a big run of redfish hitting on gold spoons which usually lasts from about the middle of August to the middle of September.” The gold spoon retrieve: Lower the rod tip, straight retrieve over the potholes, in shallow water. “I keep them up on top about a foot under the water,” Webb said. “It’s a pretty quick retrieve, the reason being we have really clear water. In dingy water you get by with a slower retrieve because the fish don’t make out what it is, as easy. “In clear water if you don’t move it real good, it’s too easy for them to see and they won’t hit it. In the clear water I’m getting more of a reaction hit.” The CCA STAR Tournament continues until Labor Day. There’s still time to catch a tagged fish, but don’t forget to enter the contest.

Email Tom Behrens at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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

Summer Bliss on Bafﬁn Bay

Capt Aubrey Black, of Baffin Bay Rod and Gun, caught this beautiful flounder in Baffin Bay with a Saltwater Assassin 4-inch Sea Shad paddle tail in “Sugar and Spice” and a Black’s Magic 1/32-oz. jig head.

T’S THE DARK BEFORE THE dawn of a peaceful summer day on the Texas Coast. Another pick-up truck begins the backward crawl down the ramp to splash a bay boat into the saltwater. The breeze is still cool while the gang of fishermen loading up gear, coolers and breakfast tacos, silently go over the checklists that live in a fisherman’s mind. The draw of sheer freedom leads all fishermen to the ramp at that unbelievably early hour, totally escaping the traffic of the city, the confinement of the cubicle and the call of the landscaping at home that needs to be done. That first push on the throttle is the powerful announcement to everyone that the getaway has been accomplished, and the real game of the day is beginning—fishing. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t close their eyes for just a second to feel that wind in their face and to breath in the salt air as they travel to the first fishing spot of the day. Summertime fishing brings everyone out a little earlier than usual to escape the afternoon heat and sun. Those precious early morning hours can’t be wasted by starting at a place that does not hold fish. It’s all about the bait, and that’s the first thing to look for as you cruise along, deciding where to stop. Frantically jumping mullet usually means that the predators are about, sometimes beneath, waiting to strike an easy target. That target, should be your topwater, corky or soft plastic, depending on the depth of the water and the portion of the water column the fish are feeding in. Give it a try. Toss that She Dog or Super Spook, Jr. just past the mullet and work it

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Almost every day it starts out with a Southeast wind, light early, kicking up later, and this makes it easy to pattern your fishing success for quite a while. Target big, big trout super shallow and really early, then move out and catch your limit on edges, drop-offs or other structure that trout prefer. Re-hydrate, snack up and move to the skinny flats to drift, wade or walk the sand. Sight-cast or fly-fish to reds, black drum and an occasional giant trout. That’s a great pattern for a summertime fisherman. If you follow this pattern, your highly anticipated day will end as an exciting adventure, a couple of great fish stories, dinner and memories you will not forget. Plus, get

through. Get ignored or have a few slaps? Try that paddle tail on a light jig head. Reel it through the line of working bait just below the surface and see what happens. Lift and drop or just reel straight back. If that’s where the fish are feeding, it won’t take long to figure it out. Still feel the love there even though nothing has worked yet? Maybe a Corky is the key (whichever one you like). Move it low and slow on the bottom and see who’s home. Find something that works, then pattern that entire scenario in another place you know that has similar characteristics. This “patterning” works really great in the summer, mostly because the conditions don’t change a lot. F I S H

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Forecast: BAFFIN BAY back to the condo in time for a siesta, a refreshing dip in the pool and a delectable fresh catch dinner with friends and family. Hot spots in the summer in Baffin Bay include the Tide Gauge Bar (inside and outside the sandbar and the shoreline as well), the north shoreline of Baffin, (if it’s not too windy), the sand bars of Alazan, the mid-bay

rock systems, such as Center Reef and the A-Pole, as well as the entire south shoreline and rock systems there (Black Bluff, Corralos and Penescal). Upper Laguna fishermen check out the spoil islands on the east side of the Intracoastal on the way to the Landcut, Rocky Slough, the Landcut grass beds and even the 9-Mile

Hole if you want to use up some gas (and why not?). Because of all of the grass, use a very light jig head, such as “Black’s Magic” 1/32 oz. jig head with a #1 hook to present a soft plastic as naturally as possible. Finesse fish with this presentation, generally reeling straight back, right above the surface of the grass, dropping or lifting the plastic into sand holes along the way. If you’re using this light hook with a straight-tail plastic on a drop-off or a grass line, gently drop the lure to the bottom by raising the rod tip to slow the drop. Mosey the lure along the bottom, bouncing and darting it all the way back. Color choices are all over the map, my personal favorite is a light-colored lure, such as Saltwater Assassin’s “Sugar and Spice” four-inch Sea Shad Paddle tail, or the “Fried Chicken”, or the “White.” Topwaters such as the Skitterwalk (baby or large) in pink/chrome, blue/chrome, white/ red head and bone are producers, as are the Yozuri 3DB’s, One-Knocker Spooks and Super Spook, Jr.’s. The beautiful water in Baffin Bay and beyond this year should make this a pretty easy summer to get on track with a pattern that works in some favorite fishing holes. With acres and acres of grass flats, dynamic shorelines, sand bars and the wide-open spaces and rock piles, all producing fish, Baffin Bay is the least affected by summertime traffic. Baffin Bay Rod and Gun is the perfect place for a family gathering, corporate event, bachelor party or just a bunch of fishing buddies to have an unforgettable event. With the addition of Chef Adam, a highly regarded chef who has relocated from Houston, the food, as well as the atmosphere, the great guides and the unbelievable fishing on Baffin Bay will have you coming back for more. Get out and away from the crowds and spend some time at “Baffin Bay, The Last Best Place on the Texas Coast.”

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

A Bit of Variety

S STRANGE AS IT MAY sound, August can become pretty mundane. Trout and redfish have been in their summer patterns for more than two months, and anglers can pretty much find them moving around among same areas all through summer. You have the usual suspects: the Drum Boat, the Color Change, Holly Beach, south Bay. This column has discussed these same patterns for years. Some anglers have e-mailed me complaining about the parking lots that so many of the popular spots turn into in summer. To these readers—and there are more than a few of them—angling success is important, but so is the opportunity to try something novel and a little exciting. This month is dedicated to these adventurous fishermen. If your desire is a bent rod and a screaming drag, with a cooler full of fillets as a secondary desire, you might want to run your boat through Brazos Santiago Pass on a calm day, swing south and try your hand at trolling the surf line of Boca Chica Beach. There is no telling what you’ll run into. On some days, you might find some streaking kingfish prowling the clean water that a series of calm days pushes close to the beach. Other days, pods of arm-length Spanish mackerel might be blitzing schools of baitfish in the swells. Jackfish are always roaming the shorelines in search of trouble, and anyone seeking a good brawl can appreciate these maulers. Sometimes there are king-sized snook or tarpon out there. Trolling the surf line doesn’t take very specialized equipment. Rod holders are always a benefit, but not a requirement. Other than that, the typical angler can get along quite

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bell sinker in front of a spoon, though. They tend to track high up in the water, even on the slowest of trolls. Another lure with intriguing possibilities is the Shimano Waxwing, which was designed for fast retrieves. Its erratic darting action could prove to be strong medicine in a trolling application. The key to trolling the Boca Chica surf line is going slow. Keep your boat around low no-wake speed as much as you can. Let your offering out from 30 to 50 yards behind the boat and barely pop her into gear. Unless you are fishing more than two anglers on board— including the helmsman—then it may be more practical to have only one or two lines out at any given time to avoid tangles from running fish. Safety should always be a priority. If the seas are too rough, or there is a promise of high winds in the forecast, then it may be smarter to stay inside the pass and look for fish in all the regular spots. Also, be mindful about how far south you troll. The Mexican authorities are nowhere near as diplomatic as Americans, and if you should unintentionally cross into their territorial waters, you might lose your boat. Make sure you fish far enough off the beach that your boat doesn’t get pushed into the surf, and never, NEVER shut your motor off. If your motor has been balky, don’t even consider coming through the pass. Being different shouldn’t be dangerous.

nicely with typical bay tackle. The typical seven-foot bay rod with a 2500sized spinning reel or casting reel is fine. Make sure your reels are fully loaded with quality line. You’d be amazed at how quickly a king or a big jack can spool off 120 yards of line. If you think you might run into kings, smacks, or even bluefish (Those gnarly little speedsters can get thick in the June surf.), then you might want to pack some wire leaders. The coated, black, braided wire leaders available almost everywhere are fine, but I prefer to make a short trace (three to four inches) of coffee-colored wire twisted straight onto my lure or hook. It’s the same rig I use casting from jetties, and I’ve found that it doesn’t seem adversely affect how trout or other leader-shy species hit. If you are fishing for smaller species, you’d be amazed how effective the same lead head jig/plastic tail combination works for trolling. On a very slow troll (no-wake speed), a lead head tracks straight and will sink in the water column. Shad tails, paddle tails, and especially curly tail grubs have a lot of action on the troll. The much-maligned Alabama rig is ideal for this type of fishing, especially since its origins are in the larger umbrella rigs that are popular in offshore trolling. Chartreuse patterns work well, but patterns with silver or gold metal flake or foil in them are especially effective. Fishermen who want to focus on larger species such as kingfish, jacks, and even snook and tarpon, should turn their attention to swimming plugs or even large spoons. Medium and large broken-back plugs such as the Cotton Cordell Jointed Redfish, Jointed Bomber Long A, or Sebile Magic Swimmer are ideal for these applications. I have long preferred the Strike King Shad when trolling or casting around the Brazos Santiago jetties. There is no reason they shouldn’t work slow-trolled along the beach. Large spoons in the ¾ ounce to one-ounce range are also great. They provide tremendous flash and wobble when pulled behind a boat. You may need to use a one-ounce trolling or 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.

Salty Peppers on East Bay by TOM BEHRENS

waiting to come up the Galveston ship channel. LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Peppers Back Cove GPS: N 29 27.784, W94 41.493 (29.4631, -94.6916)

LOCATION: Galveston HOTSPOT: South Jetty GPS: N 29 19.67, W94 41.411 (29.3278, -94.6902)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout & Redfish BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a popping cork or free lined croaker CONTACT: Capt. Epi Garza 832-646-9284 epigarza1@yahoo.com www.bookemandhookem.com TIPS: Capt. Garza emphasizes you need a good popping cork when fishing for redfish. “A really good redfish will destroy a cork.” LOCATION: Galveston HOTSPOT: North Jetty GPS: N 29 21.272, W94 43.091 (29.3545, -94.7182)

SPECIES: Shark, Redﬁsh, and Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Scott Wheat 361-746-8134 speckelTrout15@aol.com TIPS: Wheat uses live shrimp, but also frozen sardines for some ﬁsh. LOCATION: Galveston HOTSPOT: Beachfront GPS: N 29 5.719, W95 5.833 (29.0953, -95.0972)

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SPECIES: Shark, Redfish, and Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Scott Wheat 361-746-8134 speckelTrout15@aol.com TIPS: When the water is clear and calm he fishes sharks, redfish cobia and tripletail

SPECIES: Shark, Redﬁsh, and Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Scott Wheat 361-746-8134 speckelTrout15@aol.com TIPS: One of Capt. Wheat’s favorite summer places to ﬁsh is under the anchored tankers and container ships

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GPS: N 29 27.784, W94 41.493 (29.4631, -94.6916)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout & Redfish BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a popping cork or free lined croaker CONTACT: Capt. Epi Garza 832-646-9284 epigarza1@yahoo.com www.bookemandhookem.com TIPS: Croaker…Capt. Garza is fishing 3 to 8 feet of water. Fish can be caught using artificials, but they need to be worked real slowly. LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Blacks GPS: N 29 31.034, W94 31.753 (29.5172, -94.5292)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout & Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a popping cork or free lined croaker CONTACT: Capt. Epi Garza 832-646-9284 epigarza1@yahoo.com www.bookemandhookem.com TIPS: Working a cork …”always pop it. A lot of guys will pull, and you won’t hear the pop.” Capt. Garza LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Hanna’s Reef GPS: N 27 28.703, W94 45.703 (27.4784, -94.7617)

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Elm Lake |

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LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Richards Reef GPS: N 29 31.429, W94 45.323 (29.5238, -94.7554)

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Green’s Lake GPS: N 29 16.269, W94 59.953 (29.2712, -94.9992)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout & Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a popping cork or free lined croaker CONTACT: Capt. Epi Garza 832-646-9284 epigarza1@yahoo.com www.bookemandhookem.com TIPS: “One hand at the handle, one hand at the bottom of the handle. If you don’t hear the knocking sound, that means you are pulling, not jerking.” Capt. Garza LOCATION: Matagorda Beach Front HOTSPOT: Matagorda Surf GPS: N 28 35.569, W95 59.268 (28.5928, -95.9878)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp under a popping cork or soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Kendal Hersh 979-248-1871 kendallkersh@gmail.com www.puresaltadventures.com TIPS: If August provides a tropical storm, afterwards or before ﬁsh the beachfront shoreline. The big tidal surge scatters ﬁsh all along the banks. LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Drulls Lump GPS: N 28 42.285, W95 50.066 (28.7048, -95.8344)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Down South soft plastics or live shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Kendal Hersh 979-248-1871 kendallkersh@gmail.com www.puresaltadventures.com TIPS: Soft Plastics: Favorite colors are Texas Roach and Chicken on a Chain. LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Long Reef GPS: N 28 40.388, W95 53.09 (28.6731, -95.8848)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Down South soft plastics or live shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Kendal Hersh 979-248-1871 kendallkersh@gmail.com www.puresaltadventures.com TIPS: “If we are not wade ﬁshing, we will drift close to the south shoreline, drifting deep grass beds in ﬁve to six feet of water.” Capt. Hersh LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Raymond Landing Shoal GPS: N 28 40.449, W95 53.898 (28.6742, -95.8983)

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TIPS: “There should be a good topwater bite for anglers who want to wade ﬁsh,” said Capt. Hersh. His favorite color is pink.

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LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Beachfront GPS: N 29 40.506, W93 51.064 (29.6751, -93.8511) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Down South soft plastics or live shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Kendal Hersh 979-248-1871 kendallkersh@gmail.com www.puresaltadventures.com TIPS: “Gulp under a popping cork works well. They’re not prettier than any other soft plastic, it’s the smell, the natural smell they put off.” Capt. Hersh LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Bird Island Reef GPS: N 28 43.728, W95 45.918 (28.7288, -95.7653)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Down South soft plastics or live shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Kendal Hersh 979-248-1871 kendallkersh@gmail.com www.puresaltadventures.com TIPS: “If the wind is blowing hard out of the south, usually we move to West Matagorda Bay.” Capt. Hersh LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: St. Mary’s Bayou GPS: N 28 39.786, W95 57.432 (28.6631, -95.9572)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Skitterwalk Topwater lures CONTACT: Capt. Kendal Hersh 979-248-1871 kendallkersh@gmail.com www.puresaltadventures.com

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FISHING HOTSPOTS BEST BAITS: MirrOLure and Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins 409-673-9211 4097862018@sbcglobal.net www.ﬁshsabinelake.com TIPS: “The Down South is a good cross over bait… kind of crossover between a rat tail and swim tail. It has a little swim tail. If you need a little extra action.” Capt. Watkins LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Near Shore Rigs GPS: N 29 39.236, W93 48.289 (29.6539, -93.8048)

CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmail.com www.FishFinderGuideService.com TIPS: Capt. Braly is looking for black drum in 4 - 5 feet of water, free lining dead shrimp. LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Inttracoastal Canal GPS: N 27 41.388, W97 13.733 (27.6898, -97.2289)

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LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: East Nueces Bay GPS: N 27 52.28, W97 19.998 (27.8713, -97.3333)

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh & Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Piggy Perch CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmail.com www.FishFinderGuideService.com TIPS: Capt. Braly in August ﬁshes around the moth of Corpus Christi Bay.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: MirrOLure and Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins 409-673-9211 4097862018@sbcglobal.net www.fishsabinelake.com TIPS: “Besides trout we will be catching Spanish Mackerel, a Pompano might come through, and probably find some triple tail along the beachfront around floating flotsam.” Capt. Watkins

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Mustang Island/Fish Pass GPS: N 27 41.755, W97 11.309 (27.6959, -97.1885)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout & Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Ryan Bailey 361-215-4617 ryanbaileyguideservice@gmail.com www.ryanbaileyguideservice.com TIPS: He’s looking for bait activity over the reefs… ”keep popping the croaker about every minute-anda-half to keep the croaker from burying in the reef.” Capt. Bailey LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Oso Bay Bridge GPS: N 27 42.575, W97 18.459 (27.7096, -97.3077)

MIDDLE COAST

Gut Punch Some Laguna Drum

SPECIES: Redﬁsh & Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Piggy Perch CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmail.com www.FishFinderGuideService.com TIPS: He freelines the perch on drops, using no weight, on a number 6 Kahle hook.

by TOM BEHRENS LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Natural Gut GPS: N 27 35.519, W97 17.099 (27.5920, -97.2850)

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Nueces Bay GPS: N 27 51.893, W97 21.13 (27.8649, -97.3522)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout & Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Ryan Bailey 361-215-4617 ryanbaileyguideservice@gmail.com www.ryanbaileyguideservice.com TIPS: “Incoming tide is best, but it depends on what reef I’m ﬁshing.” Capt. Bailey LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Portland Shoreline GPS: N 27 51.01, W97 20.927 (27.8502, -97.3488)

SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Dead Shrimp

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LOWER COAST

Padre Specks Step on the Gas SPECIES: Speckled Trout & Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Ryan Bailey 361-215-4617 ryanbaileyguideservice@gmail.com www.ryanbaileyguideservice.com TIPS: “Be patient. When the trout hits the croaker, be patient, let him run 15 yards of line off before you click over and set the hook.” Capt. Bailey

SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Dead Shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly 361-533-0982 captpaul@rocketmail.com www.FishFinderGuideService.com TIPS: Capt. Braly is looking for black drum in 4 - 5 feet of water, free lining dead shrimp.

by CALIXTO GONZALES and TOM BEHRENS LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Gas Wells GPS: N 26 15.079, W97 15.943 (26.2513, -97.2657)

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LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Natural Gut GPS: N 27 35.519, W97 17.099 (27.5920, -97.2850) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Croaker

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FISHING HOTSPOTS CONTACT: Capt. Hector Guerra 956-346-3148 hgg7799@yahoo.com TIPS: “You can free line without a weight, but I prefer the Chatter Weight because it keeps the croaker on the bottom, instead the bait swimming off into the grass.” Capt. Guerra

HOTSPOT: Yarborough GPS: N 27 14.463, W97 23.885 (27.2411, -97.3981)

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LOCATION: Baffin Bay SPECIES: Redfish & Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: She Dog and Super Spook topwaters; soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Cliff Webb 361-215-9906 fishing@cliffwebb.com www.cliffwebb.com TIPS: “I’m throwing a lot of topwaters and plastics. In August we have big schools of redfish in the middle of the bay, we will be targeting redfish.” Capt. Webb LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Spoil Islands of ICW GPS: N 27 15.095, W97 24.761 (27.2516, -97.4127)

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361-215-9906 fishing@cliffwebb.com www.cliffwebb.com TIPS: After the topwater bite slacks off, Capt. Webb moves out into deeper water, 4-5 foot of water, fishing sand potholes and throwing soft plastics. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Yarborough Pass GPS: N 27 12.236, W97 21.966 (27.2039, -97.3661)

SPECIES: Redfish & Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: She Dog and Super Spook topwaters; soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Cliff Webb 361-215-9906 fishing@cliffwebb.com www.cliffwebb.com TIPS: Webb prefers a soft plastic that he can impart action. “I can trick them better.” LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Yarborough Flats GPS: N 27 12.779, W97 23.85 (27.2130, -97.3975)

SPECIES: Redfish & Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: She Dog and Super Spook topwaters; soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Cliff Webb 361-215-9906 fishing@cliffwebb.com www.cliffwebb.com TIPS: Webb like the She Dog…silver with black spots, and the Super Spook Jr. in Bone and silver.” Capt. Webb LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Spoils GPS: N 27 14.665, W97 24.843 (27.2444, -97.4141)

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh & Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: She Dog and Super Spook topwaters; soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Cliff Webb

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SPECIES: Redfish & Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: She Dog and Super Spook topwaters; soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Cliff Webb 361-215-9906 fishing@cliffwebb.com www.cliffwebb.com TIPS: “I like the rat tail best. The swim bait with swim tail is better for sight casting because you can put more action on it when you roll it in front of a redfish or trout.” Capt. Webb LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: North Shoreline of Alazan GPS: N 27 19.686, W97 31.249 (27.3281, -97.5208)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Saltwater Assassin Sea Shad with a 1/32 oz. jig head CONTACT: Capt. Aubrey Black 361-557-0090 captblack@captblack.com www.baffinbayrodandgun.com TIPS: “Hardly anybody goes back into Alazan. It’s very shallow. In all actuality it’s probably the safest place to run in Baffin.” Capt. Black LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Los Corales GPS: N 27 14.503, W97 30.066 (27.2417, -97.5011)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Saltwater Assassin Sea Shad with a 1/32 oz. jig head CONTACT: Capt. Aubrey Black 361-557-0090 captblack@captblack.com www.baffinbayrodandgun.com TIPS: Capt. Black is not a big stickler on color. “I think it’s shape and presentation more than color. It’s creating a commotion on the surface, and the fish don’t care what color it is.” LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Penescal Point Rocks GPS: N 27 16.153, W97 25.387 (27.2692, -97.4231)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: One Knocker Spook, Skitter Walk & Super Spook Jr. CONTACT: Capt. Aubrey Black 361-557-0090 captblack@captblack.com www.baffinbayrodandgun.com TIPS: “By 9:30-10 a.m. we move out to along the south shoreline of Baffin or into the Upper Laguna Madre on the Padre Island side looking for redfish and black drum to sight cast to while wade fishing.” Capt. Black LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Peyton’s Bay GPS: N 26 26.122, W97 22.352 (26.4354, -97.3725)

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FISHING HOTSPOTS TIPS: …”also the noise of the weight attracts ﬁsh.” Capt. Guerra

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PINEY WOODS

Points, Shallows for Fork Bass

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Hector Guerra 956-346-3148 hgg7799@yahoo.com TIPS: Croaker rigging: a Chatter Weight, a number 5 or 7 Kahle hook, tied to about a 2 1/2’ leader, which is tied directly to the line. LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Horse Island GPS: N 26 20.354, W97 20.249 (26.3392, -97.3375)

by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points and Shallow Areas GPS: N 32 51.2879, W95 37.0859 u TAP FOR (32.8548, -95.6181)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: “1/2 oz. Finch Nasty Grass Pumpkin Jigs with a green pumpkin Grandbass Mega Claw in Trophy Hunter color, Zara spooks, Spro Poppin’ Frogs, 1/2 oz. shakey head Grande Bass Airtail Wiggler in Trophy Hunter color, Bama Bugs, deep diving shad colored crankbaits”

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Hector Guerra 956-346-3148 hgg7799@yahoo.com

CONTACT: Lance Vick 903-312-0609 lance@lakeforkbass.com www.guideonlakefork.com TIPS: “August is the hottest month of the year and still one of my favorites. Why? Because it is hot and the hotter the better. A couple of reasons: fewer boats on the water and big bass are eating during the heat of the day. How to catch them? Oxygen levels in the water are depleting in deeper water so look for ﬁsh relating to green grass and shallower hard bottom spots like points and roadbeds. For ﬁshing grass, pitching 1/2 oz. Finch Nasty Grass Pumpkin Jigs with a green pumpkin Grandbass Mega Claw in Trophy Hunter color seems to work well. Try Zara spooks for submerged grass and Spro Poppin’ Frogs for emerging grass. On hard bottom areas use a 1/2 oz. shakey head Grande Bass Airtail Wiggler in Trophy Hunter color and Bama Bug. If it’s windy, throw a deep diving shad colored crankbait. Drink lots of water, cover up and stay with them as they like to bite when it’s the hottest part of the day.” LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Alligator Bayou GPS: N 32 43.1699, W94 5.424 (32.7195, -94.0904)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: 6”-8” plastic worms, ﬂukes and senkos CONTACT: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith 318-455-3437 caddoguide1@att.net www.caddolakeﬁshing.com TIPS: Fish the drop off edges of the hydrilla grass in the creeks. Early in the day is usually best as it is when the water is coolest. Pay special attention to creek bends and creek intersections. LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 28.992, W95 35.064 (30.4832, -95.5844)

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SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Primos Dipping bait

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FISHING HOTSPOTS CONTACT: Richard Tatsch 936-661-7920 admin@fishdudetx.com www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: Locate stumps lining the river channel edge and tie off in 20 to 25 foot of water. Use a bag of cattle cubes to bring the fish to you. I will dump a half bag of cubes on two different locations and come back to the first, tie up and get my boat back in the same position. Using a spinning reel with a treble hook, an 1/8 ounce egg sinker and a piece of cut sponge wrapped around it; dip it in the bait and drop it to the bottom. Stay in contact with the bottom raising the bait up and down slowly until you feel some resistance. Then set the hook. On most days you can catch limits of fish in just a few hours. Bank Access: Stowaway Marina LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Chaney Creek GPS: N 32 47.982, W95 33.4319 (32.7997, -95.5572)

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Dam Area in Deep Water GPS: N 30 37.974, W95 1.5059 (30.6329, -95.0251)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Zara Spook, Rat-L-Trap and Storm swim bait in shad color CONTACT: Doug Shampine 940-902-3855 doug@lakeforktrophybass.com www.lakeforktrophybass.com TIPS: August can mean tough ﬁshing on any lake in Texas but I have found, after guiding on Lake Fork for 17 years, the bass ﬁshing in August can be very productive. Bass will school and feed early in the morning up to around 11am. This normally happens on the lower end of the lake and when it starts, it happens every day about the same time. I start in the mouth of Chaney Creek and start throwing a spook as far as you can throw in any direction. Make sure it has a white belly. Let the light breeze push your boat out of the

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mouth of Chaney into the main lake and the bass will start hitting shad on the surface. When you see this action going on, throw towards the feeding action and hang on. I also keep a chrome Rat-L-Trap and a Storm swim bait in shad color tied on and you will catch bass on any of the three.

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SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, 1 ¼ oz. white slabs, spoons, Tsunami Holographic 4 inch Swim Shad in hot pink/gold CONTACT: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 dave@palmettoguideservice.com

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FISHING HOTSPOTS www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: “Bounce baits off the bottom and look for strikes on falling baits. Troll Tsunami Swim Shad behind a #10 jet diver. BANK ACCESS: Browder’s Marina”

BEST BAITS: Bomber BD7 crankbait CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: “Bass action is good working points on the southern end of the lake. Pull up to the side of the point and work in close early morning. Later in the day, move out and work across the point from the shallow water areas out to the deep. Give your lure a slow retrieve with a stop-n-go action.”

LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Myrick Reach (Green Willow Point) GPS: N 31 45.0359, W93 50.226 u TAP FOR (31.7506, -93.8371)

ONLINE MAP

LOCATION: Bachman Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 51.1859, W96 52.014 (32.8531, -96.8669) SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, tail spinners and slab spoons CONTACT: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages 936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: The white bass will be schooling in the ﬂats, roadbeds and off the main lake points close to deep water. The schooling activity is usually the best early in the morning and late in the evening. Look for the sea gulls feeding on the shad and the Whites are usually close by. Rat-L-Traps, shallow diving crankbaits, tail spinners and slab spoons work best. If the top water action slows down, back out to the ﬁrst drop and throw a tail spinner or slab spoon.

PRAIRIES & LAKES

Palestine Basson-the-Cobb

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass

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SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Hell Pet CONTACT: Johnny Stevens 817-597-6598 johnnystevens@1scom.net johnnysguideservice.com TIPS: This area is the old walnut creek bed. Troll the Hell Pet rig in this area. The Hell Pet rig is a Hell Bender with the hooks removed. Put a 1/2 oz. bell sinker on the front screw. In the back screw put a 2 ft. leader with a hell pet spoon attached to it. White bass love this area as the water reaches summer time temperature.

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.

LOCATION: Fayette County HOTSPOT: Snake Island Point GPS: N 29 55.878, W96 43.368 (29.9313, -96.7228)

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 17.418, W96 7.9499 (32.2903, -96.1325)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: This is a 20 foot deep point close to 30 foot of water. So anchor and fish straight down beside the boat. Pouring chum straight down in this area works even better. There is timber here in deep water.

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by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Cobb Creek GPS: N 32 5.592, W95 27.6299 (32.0932, -95.4605)

GPS: N 32 53.74, W97 29.907 (32.8957, -97.4985)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad, bream or cut bait CONTACT: Jason Barber (903) 603-2047 kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com www.kingscreekadventures.com TIPS: This is a good time of year for jug fishing for catfish. Float jugs set 2’ to 4’ deep over 12’ to 30’ of water using various baits like shad, bream or cut bait to catch suspended fish.

LOCATION: Gibbons Creek HOTSPOT: Intake Channel GPS: N 30 37.02, W96 4.3319 (30.6170, -96.0722)

LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake HOTSPOT: The Old Walnut Creek Bed

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch bait

T E X A S

F I S H

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G A M E ®

7/20/17 9:04 AM

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7/20/17 9:04 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Anchor on west side of the intake. Fish stumps using corks set with bait close to the bottom. LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 42.084, W97 21.042 (30.7014, -97.3507)

cline is around the 20-foot level and all life is in the upper part of the water column. White bass are located near structure and are feeding on shallow flats in 7 to 12 feet of water early and late. Later in the day they will move out deeper. Trolling pet spoons behind a deep diving plug is putting white bass in the boat. Slabs are good choices for Stripers and white bass on or near structure. Crappies are in their summer pattern and are excellent on small minnows and jigs fished near deeper timber and bridge pilings. Catfish action is great on cut shad and hotdogs near deeper docks and at night in the backs of sloughs. Stripers are congregated on the lower ends and are best on live shad fished near drop offs near feeding flats.

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: White slabs in 1/4oz.-1oz., 3”-4” Coho swim baits in White Ice or chartreuse CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Fish all major lake points. Little Ridge point, the island cut and the island tip are good spots this time of the year. Fish early morning along the windblown shorelines. As the sun comes up move out deeper. Look for white bass anywhere from 1 foot to 20 foot but on occasion they will go out to 30 foot. LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Deep Water Brush Pile GPS: N 33 24.005, W97 2.796 (33.4001, -97.0466)

ONLINE MAP

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas Rigged Soft plastics in Red Shad, Blue Fleck and Black CONTACT: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 817-578-0023 TIPS: Granbury water temperatures are generally in the 90’s and it is hot. Summer patterns are in full force. The Texas heat is here and the majority of ﬁshing continues to be reserved for early and late. A thermo-

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ONLINE MAP

LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Decordova Area on the Lower Ends GPS: N 32 25.269, W97 41.402 u TAP FOR (32.4212, -97.6900)

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Little Crappie Point GPS: N 30 18.4979, W96 31.758 (30.3083, -96.5293)

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points and Island Area GPS: N 33 3.0659, W96 28.3739 u TAP FOR (33.0511, -96.4729)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Live minnows CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell (512) 365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Right now the crappie are feeding heavily on shad and the small fish we were catching in May are now keeper-sized. Since the water is very clear this time of year, minnows will produce a little better than jigs. Hook the small minnows through the bottom jaw and out through the brain. This will disable the bait so you can retrieve it when it falls off after catching a fish. Use a small minnow net to retrieve the minnow. The torn up minnows will produce your biggest crappie. Most novice crappie fishermen do not know this and the old timers don’t usually let this information out. Good luck and good fishing.

deep water brush piles located in 40 to 50ft of water. They can be caught on jigs, but minnows are the best choice. The white bass can still be found schooling on top out in the deep water as well. I recommend small swim baits and topwaters, but they can be caught on just about anything ﬂashy or shad colored. Look for them feeding heavy, early morning and late evening but keep an eye out for that “boiling water” at all times of the day.

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SPECIES: Crappie/white bass BEST BAITS: Minnows, Small Swimbaits, Shad colored top waters CONTACT: Justin Wilson 214-538-2780 justinwilson371@yahoo.com TIPS: August’s warm weather has the crappie out in

T E X A S

F I S H

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Chartreuse jigs and minnows CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Sunken trees and rocks can be found here. Fish straight down around brush until you determine the correct depth for the ﬁsh on that day. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Juniper Point East and the Islands GPS: N 33 51.888, W96 49.8779 u TAP FOR (33.8648, -96.8313)

ONLINE MAP

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Top water lures, Sassy Shad jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfish@striperexpress.com www.striperexpress.com TIPS: “The big fish move onto the flats in August. Early mornings, cast Pencil Poppers and Chug Bugs on the shallow banks. Mid-morning, change your lures to sassy soft plastics. Concentrate on the flats that run about 20 feet in depth. Locate the creek channel and drop offs as these are the routes the fish use to move up from deep water. Later in the month the seagulls arrive. Pay close attention to the birds as they are the best fish finder. Bank Access:

G A M E ®

7/20/17 9:04 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS West Juniper Point and Mill Creek Flats” LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: McCowan Flats GPS: N 31 56.886, W97 24.2699 (31.9481, -97.4045)

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TIPS: Summertime crappie ﬁshing on RC gets good in August! Fish are often found on the Hwy 287 bridge columns in 20’-30’ depths and can be caught on small minnows. The early morning low light conditions and night ﬁshing are when most are caught, but often the midday bite during the hottest time of the day can yield some nice catches.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: 10-in. worms, jigs and spoons CONTACT: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220 nclayton42@sbcglobal.net http://www.lakealanhenry.com/norman_clayton.htm TIPS: “August will find the bass on the deep ledges and flats. You can find the bass on your electronics before ever making your first cast. This will increase your odds of bring a bass to the boat. Look for these bass up Big Grape, Little Grape, Rocky, and Ince Creeks. This is also a good time to fish at night with 10”” worms for the fish of a lifetime.”

PANHANDLE

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: 1/2 oz. buck tail jigs with plastic trailers or the Snake Worm from Striper Sniper (www. stripersniper.com) CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The thermocline has set in and the stripers are hanging out on top of it. This time of year turns into a reaction type strike a lot of times. The fish will feed early, late or even at night when it’s cooler. Using down riggers with 1/2 oz. buck tail jigs with plastic trailers, troll the flats and ledges and edges anywhere from 13 to 18 feet down. Keep in mind the thermocline usually sets in at 22 feet on Whitney so keep your baits above it. I ran across a new bait that is producing a lot of fish on the reaction strike and it is the Snake Worm from Striper Sniper (www.stripersniper.com). I’m rigging it behind a 1/2 oz. buck tail jig and pulling them behind my down riggers around 18 to 20’ deep. These supposedly replicate an eel, which is a saltwater stripers favorite food source. I guess it’s in their DNA because they work on fresh water stripers great. I ordered some and the fish have been absolutely wearing them out trolling. Now is the time to come fish Whitney! Hope to see you on the water! LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake HOTSPOT: Highway 287 Bridge Columns GPS: N 32 0.2819, W96 12.624 (32.0047, -96.2104)

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Phantom Bass and Hybrids

LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Res. HOTSPOT: Stump Patch GPS: N 32 52.516, W98 2.427 (32.8753, -98.0405)

by DUSTIN WARNCKE and DEAN HEFFNER LOCATION: Fort Phantom Hill Res. HOTSPOT: Rocky Point GPS: N 32 35.2862, W99 40.8191 (32.5881, -99.6803)

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SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, topwaters, jigs CONTACT: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: This is the hottest month of the year so wear protection from the sun. The best ﬁshing is the ﬁrst two to three hours of daylight, or under cloud cover, or right after the sun falls behind the hills—until about midnight. Live shad is always best, but trolling topwaters or a jig & Mister Twister trailer tail will work great also. The magic number at PK is 24 feet deep, so always have whatever you’re using, drop at least one at that depth. TP&WD has announced that we are one of the only lakes in Texas to have a natural spawn on stripers, so please throw back the 8-pounders and up after a good picture. The smaller ones from 18 to 24 inches are better eaters anyway and the bigger ones lay 250,000 eggs each. The big ones have so much redline in them, you don’t get much more meat than the smalls anyway and the Fish Gods will be good to you each time you come back to PK!

SPECIES: Hybrid striped bass and largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Slabs, crankbaits, soft plastics, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Michael D. Homer Jr., Texas Parks & Wildlife Department 325-692-0921 michael.homer@tpwd.texas.gov TIPS: “Hybrid striped bass ﬁshing has ramped up at the reservoir, and largemouth have been biting as well. Fishing off some of the drop-offs with slabs, deepdiving crank baits, and rattletraps may be the best way to land a hybrid. Fishing along the shoreline, consider throwing Texas-rigged soft plastics, spinnerbaits, or suspending jerk baits for largemouth. See what is happening in the Abilene District on our Facebook page! Check out the TPWD Catﬁsh Management Plan!“ LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Little Grape Creek GPS: N 33 2.6279, W101 3.7439 (33.0438, -101.0624)

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Small minnows CONTACT: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 simmonsroyce@hotmail.com www.goneﬁshin.biz T E X A S

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F I S H

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FISHING HOTSPOTS 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!

BIG BEND

Box Tops for August Bass by DUSTIN WARNCKE

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 44.646, W98 26.148 (30.7441, -98.4358)

LOCATION: Amistad HOTSPOT: Box Canyon GPS: N29 31.4325 W101 10.209 (29.523875, -101.17015)

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SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut Shad CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@gmail.com www.centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: Catfish are good with live bait right now in 30- 40 foot of water on ridge drop offs. Anchor and fish with rod and reel or fish juglines with cut shad in 15-28 foot of water.

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged plastic worms, Senkos, crawdad-colored medium-diving crankbaits CONTACT: Larry Scruggs 210-789-1645 ﬁsherofmenlrs@hotmail.com TIPS: Fish the backs of the pockets with crankbaits and plastic worms early and then move out to the points and edges of hydrilla beds from late-morning until mid-day. Return to the backs of the coves during the late-evening hours for more active ﬁsh.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Lower End of Main Lake GPS: N 30 47.478, W98 26.4239 (30.7913, -98.4404)

HILL COUNTRY

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Canyon Stripers Trot to Turkey SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live perch and shad CONTACT: Ken Milam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: On Lake Buchanan stripers will be on the lower end of the lake towards the dam. Some will be caught downrigging. A few top water ﬁsh as well.

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LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Honeymoon Hump Area GPS: N 30 34.35, W 98 21.474 (30.5725, -98.3579)

SPECIES: Striped Bass

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SOUTH TEXAS

The 90/10 Rule Applies at Coleto by DUSTIN WARNCKE

by DUSTIN WARNCKE LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Turkey Creek Point GPS: N 29 51.7079, W98 12.948 (29.8618, -98.2158)

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

T E X A S

F I S H

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 28 44.3039, W97 10.842 (28.7384, -97.1807)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits and soft plastics, CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-960-0566 TIPS: Our hottest months are August and September.

G A M E ®

7/20/17 9:04 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS This means the water is warmer and the fish have to eat more often. Their metabolism is high. This is what makes South Texas fishing so great. Our waters stay warmer most all year and this means our fish grow most all year, which produces more quality bass. What you have to know is where they like to hang out. Remember 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water. Big bass like big meals. Even the bigger perch and crappie are deeper and, where you find them, the big bass will be close. Usually fishing is best around structure, deep-water drop offs, and bridges or anywhere fry can hide and stay cooler. You’ll usually find the 90% of the fish to be smaller ones. Make a decision what you’re going after and focus on that. I learned long ago that five fish don’t win tournaments but five quality fish win checks. Fish deep for big bass and shallow for small ones. As always God bless us all and take a friend with you. They will enjoy the trip. 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: Punch bait, cut bait CONTACT: Charlie Brown 830-780-2162 TIPS: Expect to find catfish in shallow and in deep water this time of year. Use a float rigged to 3 feet and move to another spot if you don’t get a bite within 10-15 minutes. For deeper water, fish on the bottom. LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Siesta Shores Coves GPS: N26 51.63138 W99 15.6111 (26.860523, -99.260185)

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Plunker-type topwater lures, 11-inch plastic worms, deep-diving crankbaits CONTACT: Robert Amaya 956-765-1442 robertsfishntackle@gmail.com robertsfishntackle.com TIPS: Use topwater lures early near the shoreline and then after mid-morning fish the outside edges of the submerged brush with Texas-rigged plastic worms and deep-diving crankbaits at 12 to 18 feet deep.

7/20/17 9:04 AM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

31 º

PRIME TIME

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

1:27AM 5:06AM 10:25AM 6:35PM

1.04 ft. 1.01 ft. 1.12 ft. 0.12 ft.

7:00 — 9:00 AM

FEET

TUESDAY Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:11p Moonrise: 2:35p Set: 1:13a AM Minor: 12:27a AM Major: 6:38a PM Minor: 12:49p PM Major: 7:00p Moon Overhead: 8:14p Moon Underfoot: 7:52a

Aug 1 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

3:17AM 8:24AM 10:46AM 7:21PM

PRIME TIME 1.16 ft. 1.11 ft. 1.13 ft. 0.04 ft.

10:00P — 12:00A

FEET

Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:10p Moonrise: 3:27p Set: 1:50a AM Minor: 1:08a AM Major: 7:20a PM Minor: 1:31p PM Major: 7:42p Moon Overhead: 8:59p Moon Underfoot: 8:37a

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

12p

12a 12a

WEDNESDAY

PRIME TIME

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

4:11AM 9:59AM 11:09AM 8:02PM

1.26 ft. 1.16 ft. 1.16 ft. -0.02 ft.

3:00 — 5:00 PM

FEET

12p

12a 12a

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:10p Moonrise: 4:18p Set: 2:29a AM Minor: 1:50a AM Major: 8:01a PM Minor: 2:13p PM Major: 8:24p Moon Overhead: 9:46p Moon Underfoot: 9:22a

PRIME TIME

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

4:41AM 10:43AM 11:52AM 8:39PM

1.32 ft. 1.19 ft. 1.19 ft. -0.07 ft.

4:00 — 6:00 PM

FEET

Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:09p Moonrise: 5:08p Set: 3:12a AM Minor: 2:31a AM Major: 8:43a PM Minor: 2:55p PM Major: 9:06p Moon Overhead: 10:33p Moon Underfoot: 10:09a

6« High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

9a A U G U S T

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12p 2 0 1 7

T E X A S

12a 12a

F I S H

12p

12a 12a

G A M E ®

7/20/17 9:04 AM

10p 50a : 7:20a : 7:42p

09p 12a : 8:43a : 9:06p

DIGITAL TIDE BUILDER FRIDAY

PRIME TIME

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

5:04AM 10:52AM 12:47PM 9:13PM

1.36 ft. 1.21 ft. 1.22 ft. -0.09 ft.

5:00 — 7:00 PM

FEET

SATURDAY Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 8:08p Moonrise: 5:57p Set: 3:58a AM Minor: 3:13a AM Major: 9:25a PM Minor: 3:37p PM Major: 9:49p Moon Overhead: 11:22p Moon Underfoot: 10:57a

5« High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12p

5:26AM 10:49AM 1:40PM 9:46PM

1.39 ft. 1.21 ft. 1.25 ft. -0.11 ft.

5:30 — 7:30 PM

FEET

+3.0

12a 12a

Sunrise: 6:41a Set: 8:07p Moonrise: 6:44p Set: 4:47a AM Minor: 3:57a AM Major: 10:09a PM Minor: 4:21p PM Major: 10:34p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:46a

PRIME TIME

12a 12a

12p

12a

SUNDAY

6«

PRIME TIME

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

5:50AM 10:51AM 2:28PM 10:18PM

1.41 ft. 1.18 ft. 1.26 ft. -0.10 ft.

11:00A — 1:00P

FEET

Sunrise: 6:41a Set: 8:07p Moonrise: 7:29p Set: 5:39a AM Minor: 4:42a AM Major: 10:55a PM Minor: 5:07p PM Major: 11:19p Moon Overhead: 12:11a Moon Underfoot: 12:35p

READING THE GRAPH

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

Moon l Moon Overhead l Underfoot

+3.0

+2.0

Fishing Score Graph

+1.0

Day’s Best Score

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Days Overall

MOON PHASES 0

12a 12a

l º 3a

12p

T E X A S

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= New Moon = First Quarter

= Full Moon = Last Quarter

«= Good Day by Moon Phase

12a

F I S H

l »

G A M E ®

A U G U S T

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7/20/17 9:04 AM

MONDAY

PRIME TIME

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

6:14AM 11:09AM 3:15PM 10:50PM

1.42 ft. 1.14 ft. 1.26 ft. -0.07 ft.

12:30 — 2:30 PM

FEET

TUESDAY Sunrise: 6:42a Set: 8:06p Moonrise: 8:12p Set: 6:33a AM Minor: 5:30a AM Major: 11:42a PM Minor: 5:54p PM Major: ----Moon Overhead: 1:00a Moon Underfoot: 1:24p

8«

PRIME TIME

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

6:40AM 11:37AM 4:04PM 11:23PM

1.43 ft. 1.08 ft. 1.24 ft. 0.00 ft.

4:30 — 6:30 PM

FEET

Sunrise: 6:42a Set: 8:05p Moonrise: 8:52p Set: 7:29a AM Minor: 6:19a AM Major: 12:07a PM Minor: 6:43p PM Major: 12:31p Moon Overhead: 1:49a Moon Underfoot: 2:13p

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

12p

12a 12a

WEDNESDAY

9«

PRIME TIME

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

7:06AM 12:11PM 4:59PM 11:57PM

1.41 ft. 0.99 ft. 1.21 ft. 0.11 ft.

5:00 — 7:00 PM

FEET

12p

12a 12a

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 6:43a Set: 8:04p Moonrise: 9:31p Set: 8:26a AM Minor: 7:10a AM Major: 12:58a PM Minor: 7:34p PM Major: 1:22p Moon Overhead: 2:37a Moon Underfoot: 3:01p

PRIME TIME

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

7:31AM 12:50PM 6:02PM

1.38 ft. 0.87 ft. 1.16 ft.

2:30 — 4:30 AM

FEET

Sunrise: 6:44a Set: 8:03p Moonrise: 10:08p Set: 9:23a AM Minor: 8:03a AM Major: 1:51a PM Minor: 8:26p PM Major: 2:14p Moon Overhead: 3:25a Moon Underfoot: 3:48p

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

9a A U G U S T

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12p 2 0 1 7

T E X A S

12a 12a

F I S H

12p

12a 12a

G A M E ®

7/20/17 9:04 AM

FRIDAY

05p 29a : 12:07a : 12:31p

03p 23a : 1:51a : 2:14p

PRIME TIME

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

12:34AM 7:53AM 1:33PM 7:19PM

0.27 ft. 1.34 ft. 0.73 ft. 1.11 ft.

3:00 — 5:00 AM

FEET

SATURDAY Sunrise: 6:44a Set: 8:02p Moonrise: 10:46p Set: 10:21a AM Minor: 8:56a AM Major: 2:44a PM Minor: 9:20p PM Major: 3:08p Moon Overhead: 4:12a Moon Underfoot: 4:36p

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12p

1:12AM 8:13AM 2:23PM 8:53PM

0.47 ft. 1.30 ft. 0.56 ft. 1.09 ft.

4:00 — 6:00 AM

FEET

+3.0

12a 12a

PRIME TIME

12a 12a

Sunrise: 6:45a Set: 8:02p Moonrise: 11:24p Set: 11:20a AM Minor: 9:50a AM Major: 3:37a PM Minor: 10:14p PM Major: 4:02p Moon Overhead: 5:00a Moon Underfoot: 5:24p

12p

12a

SUNDAY

PRIME TIME

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

1:53AM 8:30AM 3:18PM 10:41PM

0.70 ft. 1.28 ft. 0.37 ft. 1.13 ft.

5:00 — 7:00 AM

FEET

READING THE GRAPH

Sunrise: 6:45a Set: 8:01p Moonrise: None Set: 12:20p AM Minor: 10:44a AM Major: 4:31a PM Minor: 11:09p PM Major: 4:56p Moon Overhead: 5:49a Moon Underfoot: 6:15p

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

Moon l Moon Overhead l Underfoot

+3.0

+2.0

Fishing Score Graph

+1.0

Day’s Best Score

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Days Overall

MOON PHASES 0

12a 12a

l º 3a

12p

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= New Moon = First Quarter

= Full Moon = Last Quarter

«= Good Day by Moon Phase

12a

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7/20/17 9:04 AM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

14 »

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

2:40AM 8:43AM 4:19PM

0.94 ft. 1.28 ft. 0.18 ft.

5:30 — 7:30 AM

FEET

TUESDAY Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 8:00p Moonrise: 12:04a Set: 1:22p AM Minor: 11:38a AM Major: 5:25a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 5:51p Moon Overhead: 6:40a Moon Underfoot: 7:07p

PRIME TIME

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

12:33AM 3:39AM 8:53AM 5:24PM

1.24 ft. 1.16 ft. 1.32 ft. -0.01 ft.

1:30 — 3:30 PM

FEET

Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 7:59p Moonrise: 12:48a Set: 2:25p AM Minor: 12:08a AM Major: 6:18a PM Minor: 12:32p PM Major: 6:46p Moon Overhead: 7:34a Moon Underfoot: 8:02p

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

12p

12a 12a

WEDNESDAY

PRIME TIME

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

2:11AM 5:25AM 9:01AM 6:28PM

1.38 ft. 1.33 ft. 1.36 ft. -0.17 ft.

2:00 — 4:00 PM

FEET

12p

12a 12a

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 7:58p Moonrise: 1:36a Set: 3:29p AM Minor: 12:57a AM Major: 7:11a PM Minor: 1:26p PM Major: 7:40p Moon Overhead: 8:31a Moon Underfoot: 9:00p

PRIME TIME

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

3:18AM 9:18AM 9:35AM 7:29PM

1.51 ft. 1.39 ft. 1.39 ft. -0.29 ft.

3:00 — 5:00 PM

FEET

Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 7:57p Moonrise: 2:29a Set: 4:31p AM Minor: 1:50a AM Major: 8:04a PM Minor: 2:19p PM Major: 8:34p Moon Overhead: 9:29a Moon Underfoot: 9:59p

20 « High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

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T E X A S

12a 12a

F I S H

12p

12a 12a

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7/20/17 9:04 AM

59p 25p : 6:18a : 6:46p

57p 31p : 8:04a : 8:34p

FRIDAY

PRIME TIME

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

4:05AM 9:28AM 11:46AM 8:26PM

1.58 ft. 1.38 ft. 1.41 ft. -0.35 ft.

9:30 — 11:30 AM

FEET

SATURDAY Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 7:56p Moonrise: 3:27a Set: 5:30p AM Minor: 2:43a AM Major: 8:58a PM Minor: 3:13p PM Major: 9:27p Moon Overhead: 10:29a Moon Underfoot: 10:59p

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12p

4:43AM 9:50AM 1:15PM 9:19PM

1.60 ft. 1.33 ft. 1.43 ft. -0.35 ft.

10:30A — 12:30P

FEET

+3.0

12a 12a

PRIME TIME

12a 12a

Sunrise: 6:49a Set: 7:55p Moonrise: 4:29a Set: 6:25p AM Minor: 3:36a AM Major: 9:51a PM Minor: 4:06p PM Major: 10:20p Moon Overhead: 11:28a Moon Underfoot: None

12p

12a

SUNDAY

20 « High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

PRIME TIME 5:16AM 10:18AM 2:30PM 10:09PM

1.57 ft. 1.23 ft. 1.44 ft. -0.27 ft.

11:30A — 1:30P

FEET

READING THE GRAPH

Sunrise: 6:49a Set: 7:54p Moonrise: 5:33a Set: 7:15p AM Minor: 4:30a AM Major: 10:44a PM Minor: 4:59p PM Major: 11:13p Moon Overhead: 12:26p Moon Underfoot: None

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

Moon l Moon Overhead l Underfoot

+3.0

+2.0

Fishing Score Graph

+1.0

Day’s Best Score

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Days Overall

MOON PHASES 0

12a 12a

l º 3a

12p

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= New Moon = First Quarter

= Full Moon = Last Quarter

«= Good Day by Moon Phase

12a

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Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

21 «

PRIME TIME

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

5:47AM 10:51AM 3:38PM 10:56PM

1.52 ft. 1.10 ft. 1.44 ft. -0.13 ft.

12:30 — 2:30 PM

FEET

TUESDAY Sunrise: 6:50a Set: 7:53p Moonrise: 6:38a Set: 8:01p AM Minor: 5:24a AM Major: 11:38a PM Minor: 5:52p PM Major: 12:06p Moon Overhead: 1:22p Moon Underfoot: 12:55a

22 l High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

PRIME TIME 6:15AM 11:29AM 4:44PM 11:40PM

1.46 ft. 0.96 ft. 1.41 ft. 0.07 ft.

1:00 — 3:00 PM

FEET

Sunrise: 6:50a Set: 7:52p Moonrise: 7:41a Set: 8:43p AM Minor: 6:19a AM Major: 12:06a PM Minor: 6:45p PM Major: 12:32p Moon Overhead: 2:15p Moon Underfoot: 1:49a

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

12p

12a 12a

WEDNESDAY

23 «

PRIME TIME

High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

6:42AM 12:10PM 5:49PM

1.40 ft. 0.81 ft. 1.36 ft.

2:00 — 4:00 PM

FEET

12p

12a 12a

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 6:51a Set: 7:51p Moonrise: 8:41a Set: 9:22p AM Minor: 7:13a AM Major: 1:01a PM Minor: 7:38p PM Major: 1:26p Moon Overhead: 3:04p Moon Underfoot: 2:40a

24 « Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

PRIME TIME 12:22AM 7:08AM 12:54PM 6:58PM

0.30 ft. 1.35 ft. 0.68 ft. 1.30 ft.

3:00 — 5:00 PM

FEET

Sunrise: 6:51a Set: 7:50p Moonrise: 9:40a Set: 9:58p AM Minor: 8:07a AM Major: 1:55a PM Minor: 8:30p PM Major: 2:19p Moon Overhead: 3:52p Moon Underfoot: 3:28a

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

9a A U G U S T

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12p 2 0 1 7

T E X A S

12a 12a

F I S H

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12a 12a

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7/20/17 9:04 AM

FRIDAY

52p 43p : 12:06a : 12:32p

50p 58p : 1:55a : 2:19p

PRIME TIME

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

1:01AM 7:32AM 1:41PM 8:12PM

0.54 ft. 1.31 ft. 0.57 ft. 1.25 ft.

3:30 — 5:30 PM

FEET

SATURDAY Sunrise: 6:52a Set: 7:49p Moonrise: 10:36a Set: 10:34p AM Minor: 8:59a AM Major: 2:48a PM Minor: 9:22p PM Major: 3:11p Moon Overhead: 4:38p Moon Underfoot: 4:15a

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12p

1:39AM 7:55AM 2:31PM 9:37PM

0.78 ft. 1.28 ft. 0.48 ft. 1.23 ft.

4:30 — 6:30 PM

FEET

+3.0

12a 12a

PRIME TIME

12a 12a

Sunrise: 6:52a Set: 7:48p Moonrise: 11:32a Set: 11:10p AM Minor: 9:50a AM Major: 3:39a PM Minor: 10:13p PM Major: 4:02p Moon Overhead: 5:23p Moon Underfoot: 5:00a

12p

12a

SUNDAY

PRIME TIME

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

2:15AM 8:14AM 3:27PM 11:17PM

0.99 ft. 1.27 ft. 0.42 ft. 1.25 ft.

5:00 — 7:00 AM

FEET

READING THE GRAPH

Sunrise: 6:53a Set: 7:47p Moonrise: 12:25p Set: 11:47p AM Minor: 10:40a AM Major: 4:29a PM Minor: 11:02p PM Major: 4:51p Moon Overhead: 6:08p Moon Underfoot: 5:46a

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

Moon l Moon Overhead l Underfoot

+3.0

+2.0

Fishing Score Graph

+1.0

Day’s Best Score

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Days Overall

MOON PHASES 0

12a 12a

l º 3a

12p

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TexasOutdoorNation-1708-DIG.indd 79

= New Moon = First Quarter

= Full Moon = Last Quarter

«= Good Day by Moon Phase

12a

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7/20/17 9:04 AM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

2:52AM 8:25AM 4:28PM

1.17 ft. 1.27 ft. 0.38 ft.

6:00 — 8:00 PM

FEET

TUESDAY Sunrise: 6:54a Set: 7:45p Moonrise: 1:18p Set: None AM Minor: 11:28a AM Major: 5:16a PM Minor: 11:50p PM Major: 5:39p Moon Overhead: 6:53p Moon Underfoot: 6:31a

29 º

PRIME TIME

High Tide: Low Tide:

1:19AM 5:32PM

1.32 ft. 0.34 ft.

1:00 — 3:00 PM

FEET

Sunrise: 6:54a Set: 7:44p Moonrise: 2:10p Set: 12:26a AM Minor: ----AM Major: 6:03a PM Minor: 12:14p PM Major: 6:26p Moon Overhead: 7:39p Moon Underfoot: 7:16a

Sep 1 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

12p

12a 12a

WEDNESDAY

PRIME TIME

High Tide: Low Tide:

3:06AM 6:31PM

1.41 ft. 0.31 ft.

2:00 — 4:00 PM

FEET

12p

12a 12a

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 6:55a Set: 7:43p Moonrise: 3:01p Set: 1:07a AM Minor: 12:36a AM Major: 6:48a PM Minor: 12:59p PM Major: 7:11p Moon Overhead: 8:26p Moon Underfoot: 8:03a

PRIME TIME

High Tide: Low Tide:

3:37AM 7:22PM

1.47 ft. 0.27 ft.

3:00 — 5:00 PM

FEET

Sunrise: 6:55a Set: 7:42p Moonrise: 3:50p Set: 1:51a AM Minor: 1:20a AM Major: 7:32a PM Minor: 1:44p PM Major: 7:56p Moon Overhead: 9:14p Moon Underfoot: 8:50a

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

9a A U G U S T

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12p 2 0 1 7

T E X A S

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F I S H

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7/20/17 9:04 AM

Special SECTION

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7/7/17 11:40 AM

License UP!

HE FALL HUNTING and fishing season is just around the corner. In Texas the action never really ceases even with hunting as we have year-round exotic and fears hog options. However the peak of the action starts Sept. 1 with dove season and ends in January with the closing of deer and duck season for the most of the state. During that period is arguably the best fishing of the year particularly along the coast where anglers catch bull reds in the surf, flounder leaving the bays and speckled trout and slot-sized reds under the birds. Before anyone does anything in the outdoors it is important to remember to license up so we have information on license requirements from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Generally, fishing and hunting licenses and endorsements are valid from the date of sale through August 31 of the same year. Temporary hunting and fishing licenses and packages, Year-from-Purchase fishing licenses and Lake Texoma fishing licenses have different expiration dates.

entitled to purchase a resident license, but the Texas Resident Active Duty Military “Super Combo” package is available to

August 31 is not just the gateway to hunting seasons, it is also the annual renewal date for hunting and ﬁshing licenses.

Texas residents only. The term “active duty” means full-time duty in active military service, including the National Guard and Reserves of the United States. Such term includes fulltime training duty and attendance while in the active military service at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary of the military department concerned. Non-residents under 17 years of age are designated as residents for hunting license purposes (not valid for Lifetime Licenses). Residency is proven by any three of the following (all

RESIDENT LICENSES A resident is a person who has lived continuously in Texas for more than six months immediately before applying for a license. Members of the United States Armed Forces (and their dependents) on active duty anywhere are

by TF&G Staff

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documents must reflect the applicant’s name and a physical address in Texas). Items marked with an asterix (*) must

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have been issued at least six months prior to license or permit application. Except for a valid drivers license or a state issued identification card, documentation is not required at time of purchases or while hunting or fishing: • a current Texas homestead property tax statement • the most recent six months of utility bills • the most recent six months of paycheck receipts • the person’s most recent tax return from the Internal Revenue Service • a statement from a parole board or probation officer stating that the person PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

7/7/17 11:40 AM

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7/7/17 11:40 AM

License UP! has continuously resided in Texas for the six months immediately preceding the application for a license or permit • a valid Texas driver’s license* • a current Texas voter registration certificate* • a current vehicle registration*

NON RESIDENT A non-resident is any person who does not meet the requirements listed for qualification as a Texas resident. License feeds for non-residents are quite a bit higher than those for resident hunters and fishermen.

ENDORSEMENTS A number of “endorsements,” histori-

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cally called “stamps” are available for purchase with fishing packages and hunting licenses at the time a license is purchased. All fishing and all combination packages include one or more endorsements. Additional endorsements are available for purchase anytime during the effective date of the license/package. Actual stamps with pictures on them are no longer issued with hunting and fishing licenses.

2017-2018 SEASONS In your quest to get ready for the best outdoors opportunities you must plan well and that means knowing the season dates. The following are the verified season dates for wildlife regulated by the state.

7/7/17 11:40 AM

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7/7/17 11:40 AM

License UP! White-tailed Deer

In the case of waterfowl and dove it is based on federal decisions and those frameworks have not been set yet, however we know dove season always begins in most of the state Sept. 1

*General Season North Zone: Nov. 4, 2017 - Jan. 7, 2018 South Zone: Nov. 4, 2017 - Jan. 21,

2018 *Special Late Season North Zone: Jan. 8 - 21, 2018 South Zone: Jan. 22 - Feb. 4, 2018 *Youth-Only Seasons Early Season: Oct. 28 - 29, 2017 Late Season: Jan. 8 - 21, 2018 *Archery Season Sep. 30 - Nov. 3, 2017 *Muzzleloader-Only Season Jan. 8 - 21, 2018

Squirrel *East Texas: Oct. 1, 2017 - Feb. 25, 2018 & May 1 - 31, 2018 *Other Open Counties: Sep. 1, 2017 Aug. 31, 2018 *Special Youth Season: Sep. 23 - 24, 2017

Pheasant *Panhandle: Dec. 2 - 31, 2017

Pronghorn *Sep. 30 - Oct. 8, 2017

Quail *Statewide: Oct. 28, 2017 - Feb. 25, 2018

Javelina *North Zone: Oct. 1, 2017 - Feb. 25, 2018 *South Zone: Sep. 1, 2017 – Aug. 31, 2018 86

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PHOTO:

7/7/17 11:40 AM

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7/7/17 11:40 AM

License UP! Rio Grande Turkey

2018 Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg & Willacy counties: Nov. 4, 2017 - Feb. 25, 2018 *Archery-Only: Sep. 30 - Nov. 3, 2017 *Fall Youth-Only Early: Oct. 28 - 29, 2017

*Fall Season North Zone: Nov. 4, 2017 - Jan. 7, 2018 South Zone: Nov. 4, 2017 - Jan. 21,

Late: Jan. 8 - 21, 2018 *Spring Season North Zone: Mar. 31 - May 13, 2018 South Zone: Mar. 17 - Apr. 29, 2018 One-turkey counties: April 1 - April 30, 2018 *Spring Youth-Only North Zone: Mar. 24 - 25, 2018 & May 19 - 20, 2018 South Zone: Mar. 10 - 11, 2018 & May 5 - 6, 2018 *Eastern Turkey Spring Season East Texas: Apr. 15 May 14, 2018

PREPARING FOR ARCHERY ONLY DEER The following are some tips that will help bowhunters in the upcoming season from accessing land to staying safe. • There is plenty of public land for bowhunters in the eastern third of the state for those purchasing a $48 Annual Public Hunting Permit available through all license vendors. Most of these areas receive very little pressure in bow season and have great potential for deer hunting. • The archery-only season runs through Nov. 1 but that was not always the case. In fact, until 2007 it ended several days before the general season began. “There was no real reason for the break and it’s nice to see that change,” said TF&G Editor-at-Large Ted Nugent. Nugent who now resides outside of Waco said the sheer amount of archery hunting opportunity in Texas is astounding. “There are several reasons I live in 88

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License UP! Texas now and a big part of it is the amount of opportunity for bowhunting. There isn’t a region in the state without a strong deer population,” Nugent said.

TF&G Hunting Editor and master bowhunter education instructor Lou Marullo said the number one mistake he sees young hunters making in regards to shooting is not practicing with broad-

heads. “It is extremely rare to find a bow that shoots with field points exactly like it would with broadheads of the same grain. All you have to do is look at the physical differences and see that there are some serious aerodynamic differences,” he said. A number of broadhead makers claim their products match up to field points, but there are simply too many variables. “It’s an absolute must to get out there and shoot with broadheads before going hunting. Even if you are just off an inch or two that could mean the difference between taking a big buck and suffering the heartache of losing an animal,” Marullo said. When it comes to shooting broadheads at a target, there are many options on the market nowadays. “When it comes to shooting broadheads, I have found 3-D targets with the removable core or vitals to be the best option although there are some good ones out there that are specific for broadheads as well,” Marullo said. Snakes are out in force during Octo90

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PHOTOS: CHESTER MOORE

7/14/17 9:32 AM

and use extreme caution while blood trailing deer at night. Copperhead, cottonmouths and rattlesnakes tend to be more active after hours. In addition to snakes, beware of ticks since they carry Lyme disease. Make sure and apply repellent that has Deet and check for ticks as soon as you get back to camp.

FALL FISHING TIPS

Snakes are out in full force in October, as hunters begin venturing into the ﬁeld.

ber and in fact can be found in areas like South Texas in particular throughout the entire deer season. Be cautious while walking over deadfall

1708-Spec Section.indd 81

largemouth bass or big sow speck can be the most impressive or underwhelming thing an angler can witness. Sometimes they strike with such vigor they force the lure into the air causing the heart to skip a few beats. Many times, the signature of abig fish will be a simple “slurp” and the disappear-

Savvy coastal anglers should look for emerging slicks, the small round spots of fish oil spilled when trout feed on shad and other prey items. The smaller the slick the better because it means the fish are still nearby. Avoid fishing slicks around crab traps. Those usually come from the bait inside. Witnessing the blowup of a

7/14/17 11:18 AM

License UP! ance of the plug. The challenge in both scenarios is in the hands of the angler. Do not let a blowup fool you. Fish, even huge ones, can miss a plug and anglers probably miss most of them by

attempting to set the hook before the fish has its mouth on it. Big predators push up a lot of water when they are hitting at something on the surface. It is best to get hit, count to two and then set the hook.

Big ﬁsh, whether a bass or a speckled trout, create an impressive blow-up but might miss hooking up on a surface plug.

And if you miss the fish, it can pay to let the plug sit there and then gently twitch it. Fishing under schooling gulls is a great way to catch speckled trout, striped bass and occasionally largemouths. If you want to catch bigger trout than most anglers do under the birds try this. Search out the smaller schools of trout that hang closer to the shorelines and slow down. Using a drift stock enables you to drift over these areas and fish a soft plastic slowly along the bottom or throw a popping cork rigged with a Gulp. This also works good on the main lake with the bigger groups of birds, especially when you have the flock to yourself. Drift slowly through the feeding action or simply around baitfish you have located and fish with lures that stay close to the bottom like a Gulp or soft plastic on a jighead fished on a ¼-ounce jighead or a silver spoon. A drift sock can be an invaluable tool by enabling you to drift far slower than you would under normal circumstances. 92

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PHOTO: JOHN N. FELSHER

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anglers who know the importance of slowing down to catch big specks.

ÂŤ

They were first used by walleye fishermen up north but are in the boats of Texas

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7/7/17 11:41 AM

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

Three Safety Blunders Many Boaters Make

OATING SAFETY IS, OF course, paramount to all of us who head out onto the water. Truth be told, statistically speaking, boating is a rather shockingly safe activity. Still, as captain of your boat you’re responsible for every angler, hunter, and crewmember aboard. So it’s incumbent on you to watch out for these three safety blunders that many boaters make.

the backcountry, add an emergency signaling device to your list. Satellite messengers (like the SPOT or the DeLorme InReach) give you the ability to signal for help regardless of how remote your location may be. If you venture far offshore you should have an EPIRB, which gives you a direct SOS link to the Coast Guard, as well. What other missing safety gear belongs on your boat? To a great extent, that depends on where and how you do your boating. The smart safety move might be as extreme as getting a hydrostatically released life raft, or as simple as stuffing a blanket and a bottle of drinking water into your gear bag. This is a judgment call—your judgment call—and it’s one that shouldn’t be made lightly.

The Missing Links The vast majority of the boaters out there get the minimum legally required safety gear, and consider that sufficient. But it’s not, by a long shot. The most glaring example is that you’re not required to carry even the most basic first-aid kit. Going strictly by the regulations, you won’t have what you need to deal with common injuries such as a fish hook stuck in a body part, an accidental slice with the bait knife, or a hatch-slam on a delicate body part such as a finger or toe. The need for a first-aid kit is the most example in which regulations don’t cover all the bases, but by no means is it the only one. Communications devices are another area in which many boats lack sufficient coverage. On boats that go out into coastal bays, for example, it can be tempting to rely upon cell phone communications in case you need a tow, have a medical emergency onboard, or some other difficulty arises. If you’ve never experienced a dropped call or a mysterious inability to obtain cell service, please speak up. Anybody? Anyone? We didn’t think so. Cellular simply can’t be relied upon as your sole communications device away from the dock. A DSC-active VHF radio is absolutely necessary, and is the bare minimum. If you venture far from shore or deep into 94

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Maintenance Mishaps Yes, boat maintenance and particularly engine maintenance is a safety issue. It’s pretty obvious that if you fail to maintain your engine, there’s a pretty good chance that sooner or later you’ll break down. Obviously, if you’re miles and miles from civilization, this is a problem. But even if you’re in an area where it’s easy to get a tow, engine breakdowns are still a major threat to your safety because they often serve as a contributor to catastrophic events. Remember, most of the time a boat gets into serious trouble—such as swamping or sinking—the cause is often multifaceted. A boat doesn’t become swamped just because of big waves, but because it unexpectedly lost power in those big waves—maybe because of lack of maintenance. Then, the bow could no longer be kept toward the waves, which soon over-washed the transom. On a boat, propulsion not only means speed, it also means control. Without it, you’re at the mercy of the seas. Another maintenance factor that’s a regular |

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contributor to danger on a boat is lack of attentiveness to the bilge. A dirty bilge is filled with the yicky stuff that somehow always seems to make its way below decks, ranging from leaves to sand to unidentifiable detritus. If you don’t regularly clean this stuff out, it can clog your bilge pump or cause the float switch to stick. Imagine the scenario we mentioned a moment ago—the boat is in big waves, owing to a lack of maintenance. There’s a loss of power, the boat swamps, and now you can add an inoperative bilge pump to the list. The people in this boat were in danger the moment they left the dock, all because of a lack of maintenance.

Ignoring the Weather Man Hey, I love to hate the weatherman just as much as anyone. Yes, he’s dead wrong so often you have to wonder why we even bother to tune in. But tune in we boaters must, because at least on the grand scale, the weatherman has a pretty good record. He may not be able to tell you whether the rain will hit your neck of the woods or pass you by, but when NOAA posts small craft warnings with winds over 20 knots, nine times out of 10 you’ll be glad you stayed at home. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fish whenever there’s a puff of wind or a 10-percent chance of thunderstorms. Naturally, the size and type of your boat and the capability of your crew also play a huge role in making the go/no-go decisions. But it’s simply foolish to leave the dock without ever having checked the weather forecast. It’s just as foolish to see one of those small craft warnings, and dismiss it out of hand because the weatherman is so unreliable. Once again, your judgment as captain comes into play. With regularity, a lack of judgment regarding these three blunders is what leads to a lack of safety on a boat.

Email Lenny Rudow at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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7/7/17 12:12 PM

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7/7/17 12:12 PM

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

Late Anglers Can Find Shallow Summer Bass

HE EQUATORIAL HEAT OF August drives water temperatures to their highest readings of the year and drives legions of bass anglers to soak soft plastics over deep-water humps and rock piles. While it is true that bass seek out cooler water temperatures in deep water, the savvy angler doesn’t abandon the shallows just because conventional wisdom says to. During a recent phone conversation, professional bass angler Cody Ryan Greaney referenced several recent shallow water successes and suggested that, counter to traditional ideas about catching Micropterus salmoides during the late summer, anglers shouldn’t discount fishing shallow water. During the heat of August, Greaney often becomes nocturnal and fishes the shallows at night. “I really like fishing in the wee hours of the morning,” Greaney counseled. “It’s a great way to beat the heat and avoid the summer crowds. The hours just before sunrise are a great time to fish.” “Summer bass can be lethargic during the day and are often more active at night,” Greaney continued. “The closer to dawn you get, the cooler the water temperature.” Most fishermen, myself included, have a hard time believing that night fishing can be as productive since humans don’t see well in the dark. However, nothing changes false perceptions like success. Greaney explained that you don’t need to change lure color to fish at night. “Fishermen think that they need to change the color schemes of the lures they are fishing just because it’s nighttime,” said Greaney. “You don’t need to change a thing.” In a human eye, there are two types of photoreceptors in the retina, called rods and cones, each contributing valuable information to the brain. One of the functions of rod cells

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is providing low-light input. The eyes of a largemouth bass have a larger percentage of rod cells than do human eyes, thereby making the largemouth bass a much more efficient low-light predator. In addition to their superior low-light eyesight, Greaney pointed to the largemouth’s secret weapon—their lateral line. “A bass’s lateral line gives it extra sensory perception,” Greaney explained. “They can sense a lure’s presence long before they can see it. Largemouth bass don’t have problems finding meals at night. “The biggest difficulty to fishing at night is seeing your target,” Greaney said. “Scouting an area and knowing it well will increase your chances of success. Having a general sense of where your targets are, really helps.” Greaney then shifted gears, “Conventional wisdom suggests that fishermen abandon the shallows during the heat of the summer.” “Everyone is seeking that huge school of bass suspended over some deep structure—the type of school where you can catch 40 or 50, up to 100 bass. Those days can happen, and the fish can be really solid, but don’t be scared to fish shallow.” Greaney doesn’t hesitate to fish shallow water, but he highlighted the importance of shade. “You need to find some shaded area where the fish can hang out. Aquatic grass, or other floating vegetation, provides a lot of shade, and bass will hang out in these areas. Also, look for shorelines with trees and boat docks, as these create patches of shade where bass will hang out.” Greaney then stressed, “Cast to the dark areas and probe every shady spot. Even a small patch of leaves floating on the surface will cast a shadow.” Greaney explained the draw of shallow water, explaining that perch (sunfish) and |

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shad spawn throughout the summer. “In late summer, you will often see perch beds in the shallows,” he said. “Keep an eye out for bedding perch and work these areas thoroughly. Big bass will roam the shallows, gorging themselves on spawning perch. “Black bass are funny fish,” Greaney continued. “If he has one eye behind a stick, and he thinks he is hidden, he will live his whole life behind that stick. Bass don’t have massive brains. There are resident fish that never leave the shallows. “During the heat of the summer, large numbers of bass seek out deeper water, but not all of them,” Greaney explained. “Some stay put no matter what the calendar says. If there is plenty of food, the resident bass can get very large.” During a recent tournament, Greaney bucked conventional wisdom, opting to fish shallow rather than deep. “My best five fish went nineteen-pounds, and I culled another limit that were all solid three-pounders.” One of the benefits of going against conventional wisdom is solitude. “It was pretty hot that day, but there were plenty of fish in the shallows. There wasn’t a single boat in the area and I had the whole bank to myself,” Greaney concluded. If you like solitude, or simply like working topwaters and spinner baits instead of inching soft plastic along the bottom, consider a foray into the shallows this month. If you strike out completely, there won’t be anyone watching, but chances are you will catch some nice resident bass.

Email Greg Berlocher at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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7/7/17 11:57 AM

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

Bertrand Goes ‘Old School’ in Late Summer

RIZONA PRO JOSH BERtrand is a self-described “fishing nerd.” He has mastered multiple niche techniques and seems to know even the most obscure offerings of the tackle trade, but when it comes to the late summer transition into fall in Texas, he’s decidedly old-school. The dropshot and swimbaits may be in the rod locker, or even on the deck of his boat. However, most of the time he’ll rely on items that Lone Star State anglers have had for decades—and he often beats the local sticks at their own game. “The biggest thing in Texas is that there are a lot of big fish, so you can comfortably use techniques from the ‘Bubba School,’” he said. “That means slightly bigger baits, bigger lines and slightly dingier water. You’re often not worried about super finesse or super high tech. It can get tough, then you have to do it, but much of the time you don’t have to.” When true fall conditions are fast approaching on most Texas lakes, “the best stuff will still be offshore at that time of year—rock, brush piles, creek channel bends and humps,” he said. “The fish may be starting to think about transitioning to shallower areas, but most often they’ll still be out in the depths.” Bertrand will sometimes begin his day without making a cast, instead looking intently at his Garmin 7612 electronics until he finds what he likes. “Shad are a big deal at that time of year,” he said. “You want bait present, and they’ll often be super schooled up.” He relies heavily on traditional two-dimensional sonar. Although bait is critical, what he really wants to find is the bass that are chasing them. “I don’t stop unless I see actual fish, preferably close to the bottom,” he said. Just finding the school doesn’t mean they’re catchable, so he typically tries to have multiple PHOTO: BASS UNIVERSITY

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are two categories of lures that no self-respecting Texan basser could live without.They’ll certainly already have them in their boats. The crankbait is best down to about 22 feet. Although several popular models have been catching bass since before the 29-yearold Bertrand was born, he has recently become enamored of the Berkley Dredger series. These baits were designed with substantial input from cranking legend David Fritts. In particular, he likes the Dredger 20.5. It has a narrower wobble than many other baits in its class, which means that it can “fool fish even when they’re not active.” Furthermore, with its small profile and heavy weight, it casts a country mile but remains easy to wind all day. His second key presentation, especially when the bass are deeper than the crankbait will dive, is a plum colored 10-inch Berkley Power Worm, which is good in all water depths. “It’s simply the best summertime bait you can use in Texas,” he said. Even though all sorts of lizards, creature baits and other multiappendaged soft plastics have become popular since the worm was introduced, Bertrand believes there are still times when it will outproduce any other offering. The bass are keying on shad much of the time. Although the worm doesn’t directly represent that type of forage, it does have “more of a swimming action than a creature or a craw.” He hails from the clear, deep waters of Arizona, but the two-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier has achieved some of his greatest tour-level success in Texas. In fact, three of his seven top ten finishes have come in disparate Texas waters—a second on Lewisville, a fourth on Falcon and a seventh on the Sabine, plus a 19th at Rayburn. Those four waterways represent vastly different fisheries. The “bass nerd” knows he’s better off keeping it simple, finding the best groups of fish, and sticking with proven winners at the end of his line.

groups in close proximity. “If I locate a school of fish, I’ll usually fish them multiple times during the day,” he said. “They don’t always bite all day long. It’s all about timing, and you only need one spot to fire up in order to have a great day.” If the school is active and then dies down, but he knows or suspects that they’re still pres-

Josh Bertrand

ent, Bertrand will often wind a deep diving crankbait directly through them as fast as he can to reinvigorate the bite. It’s often all about finding the fish and then letting loose on them. Bertrand said he relies upon two categories of lures to get the job done most frequently. Specifically, he likes a big worm and a deep diving crankbait— not a glide bait, a Neko Rig or flutter spoon. These T E X A S

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Email Bass University at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com |

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7/7/17 12:13 PM

Texas GUNS by STEVE LAMASCUS | TF&G Shooting Editor

My New ‘Custom’ Riﬂe

fitting it to the gun. I actually expected to have some trouble fitting the stock. It was made for a Model 700, but the Brownells rep. said it would fit the 721 and it did. The only problem turned out to be with the new bottom furniture. The Remington 700s and 721s have a pressed metal box inside the magazine well that fits between the gun and the floor plate. The box in the 721 was much too long from top to bottom to work with the new floor plate. Some judicious grinding was indicated. I pulled my big bench grinder down and started working on the box. I ground and ground, trying it every few tenths of an inch. Eventually I got it close and started to take off hundredths of an inch at a time. Finally it fit, and I put the screws in the gun and got everything settled into place. At this point I began a serious load work up. I would load three rounds, fire them, and check the cases for excess pressure signs. After a while I was finally up to my old maximum of 62-grains

I kept the gun around for a couple of years, but never took it hunting. The stock made the gun too heavy, and I just didn’t want to lug it around. Then one day I had an epiphany. Why not put a new stock on the old gun; something that would make it look modern and would drop a pound or two off the weight? I called Brownell’s and asked the media rep what he recommended. He told me to sit tight and he would do some research to see what they had that would fit the 60-year old gun. In a very short time we decided on a Hogue over-molded stock with pillar bedding, and a new floor plate and trigger guard to replace the old, cheap, stamped-metal job that came on the gun. In less than two weeks the stock and bottom metal showed up, and I began the job of

of H-4831 with a 130grain Speer soft point. This was the load that Jack O’Connor originated many decades ago. It is still one of the best. Not all .270s will take a load this heavy, but most will. If you’re going to try it in your gun, start with 58 grains and work your way up just like I did—slowly —a grain at a time, until you get to 60. then a half-grain at a time until you get to the absolute maximum of 62. Do not exceed 62 grains of Hodgdon’s #4831 under any circumstances. I am not being politically correct or safety conscious when I say that is maximum—and only with 130-grain Speer bullets. For other bullets, check your loading manuals. Do not substitute IMR 4831. It is

OME TIME AGO I PURchased an old, but extremely well kept Remington Model 721 (The forerunner of the Model 700), in .270 Winchester. I bought the gun because it appeared to have almost never been fired. The 24-inch barrel was pristine; the trigger was sweet and crisp, breaking at about three pounds. It had been fitted with an aftermarket stock, probably a Bishop. The stock was overly long and heavy, but fitted the gun very well. I took the gun home, loaded a few rounds for it, and shot it for group. I was very happy then; the groups ran right at one inch.

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a faster powder and 62 grains is a tremendous overload. Be safe. Use only Hodgdon’s H4831. When I had everything like I wanted it, I took the “new” gun to my range for some testing. The first three-shot group went into right at 1/2-inch. I thought at first that it was just a lucky group. Nope, no luck involved. After several more groups the average was still about 3/4 of an inch, including a couple of shots that I pulled slightly. This gun will shoot! Now consider this: My Model 721 is over 50 years old. At that time, a three-shot group of two inches was considered okay. If your gun would shoot into one inch, you had a rare and wonderful rifle that should be petted and loved and made a family heirloom. A gun that would shoot a half-inch was usually a figment of the owner’s imagination. Halfinch groups were cut out and carried in the owner’s wallet as proof. Most 1/2-inch groups fired from hunting rifles were accidental, onetime affairs. Most still are. The reason for this level of accuracy from a old gun is the pillar bedding. This is nothing new to us, but was unheard of 50 years ago. We have learned a lot about building rifles in the last 50 years. It was an unusually accurate rifle from the beginning, but with the addition of modern technology, it is great. Now I am not saying that putting a pillarbedded stock on your old gun will make it shoot half-inch groups. That probably won’t happen. However, it may make the old gun shoot considerably better. It will almost certainly make it into a better looking, more durable, weather resistant rig. Note: The loading data mentioned here is safe only in the author’s gun. Neither the author nor Texas Fish and Game magazine are responsible for use of this data. Always consult your loading manuals for loading data.

Email Steve LaMascus at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

PHOTO: STEVE LAMASCUS

7/7/17 12:07 PM

Industry INSIDER NWTF Banquet Set for August 24 in Conroe THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY TEXAS Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will host their first Annual NWTF Banquet on August 24, 2017 in Conroe, Texas. Mark your calendar and get your tickets now for this fun-filled family event. Festivities begin at 5 p.m., at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, Exhibit Hall 2, 9333 Airport Road The event will raise money for projects to conserve wildlife and preserve the hunting heritage in our great state of Texas. “This is the chapter’s first year hosting our banquet, and we’re really excited about getting it going and making it a tradition for years to come,” said Lee Zimmerman, Chapter President. “It’s a great opportunity to meet other people who care about conservation while enjoying good food, comradery and good fun.” “Families can play games and enter raffles to win a ton of items, including many, many, guns,” says Zimmerman, “There will also be silent and live auctions for exclusive framed art, guns, collectibles, sculptures, home furnishings, hunting items, fishing items and so much more. Come out, eat great food, play some games, try your luck and bid on some treasures.” Corporate sponsor tables are available and include a corporate sponsor gift. Couple’s tickets and single tickets are available. All ticket prices include admission, dinner and a single one-year NWTF membership. For more information, contact Lee

at montconwtf@outlook.com for our sponsorship guide or visit https://events.nwtf. org/432170-2017/tickets for tickets and sponsorship prices. Local and state NWTF chapters host thousands of similar events nationwide each year to raise funds that help conserve wildlife and habitat, and introduce new people to the outdoors. Many families enjoy hunt-

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ing together and pass traditions on from one generation to another. Hunting also is important for the health of our nation’s wildlife and habitat because hunters fund conservation. For information about the Montgomery County Chapter’s Banquet, contact Lee Zimmerman at montconwtf@outlook.com. The NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt initiative mobilizes science, fundraising and devoted volunteers to give the NWTF more energy and purpose than ever. Through this national initiative, NWTF has committed to raising $1.2 billion to conserve or enhance more than 4 million acres of essential upland wildlife habitat, create at least 1.5 million hunters and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting, shooting and outdoor enjoyment. Without hunters, there will be no wildlife or habitat. The NWTF is determined to Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. The NWTF is a national, non-profit, educational, conservation organization comprised of state and local affiliates working for the restoration and wise management of the American wild turkey. The primary goal of the NWTF is to promote public awareness of, and support for, wild turkey conservation programs on public, private, and corporate lands. Federation members help fund wild turkey research and management; work to improve and protect wild turkey habitat; and promote safe, ethical turkey hunting. The NWTF was incorporated in 1973, and operates exclusively for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes as defined in the United States Internal Revenue Code.

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7/7/17 11:55 AM

Fish and Game GEAR Scent-Safe 45L & 90L Duffel Bags

• For the ultimate in scent suppression, store clothes with Hunters Specialties Scent Wafers (sold separately) to add cover scents • 90L Duffel’s integrated Boot bin keeps dirty boots and gear separate from clean clothing • 45L size - 22 x 12 x 10 • 90L size - 28 x 14 x 14

BEING SCENT-FREE WILL INCREASE the success of every hunt. That’s why the folks at Hunters Specialties developed Scent-Safe bags as part of the Scent-A-Way system to keep unwanted odors out and cover scents in. The Scent-Safe 45L Duffel Bag is the perfect size to keep a weekend’s worth of hunting clothes and gear free from odors that can

Trophy Tree by Skull Hooker SKULL HOOKER’S NEWEST creation is the Trophy Tree. This sturdy and sleek floor display allows for complete customization of your trophy display. The trophy tree will take advantage of unused areas within an office or living room. The Trophy Tree is designed for variety of small to medium sized heads from around the world. Align heads vertically or stagger them from top to bottom. Complete your tree with one species type or display a variety. The customization options Trophy Tree are nearly endless! The Trophy Tree’s pole stands nearly 6 feet high (five poles included) and each of its of its sections allows for 360 degree viewing angles with varied heights. Constructed of strong powder coated steel. The Trophy tree is sold with 5 arm/prong attachments. Additional poles (for additional height) and prong attachments (for both European mounts and skull capped trophies) are sold separately. Available in summer 2017. For more information about Skull Hooker, visit www.skullhooker.com.

Scent-Safe 45L

ruin a hunt, and the 90L Duffel Bag is great for a full week’s worth of clothes. A key feature of the Scent-Safe 90L Duffel Bag is its unique Boot Bin, which allows for storage of muddy boots inside separately without getting the rest of your gear dirty. Features include: • Large, removable, airtight Scent-Safe liner keeps hunting clothes and gear free of unwanted odors - a key element to any big game hunt • Variety of internal and external pockets provide multiple storage options for hunting clothing & gear • Integrated molle straps on the outside provide easy attachment of additional gear and accessories • Rip stop shell fabric construction is designed to take abuse • Durable grip handles and padded shoulder strap for strong and comfortable carry 100

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Wiley X Bosses the Climate THE CLIMATE CONTROL SERIES WX Boss Model # CCBOS12 features a sleek, wraparound style frame outfitted with Polarized Venice Gold Mirror lenses. The advanced glare-cutting capability and amber tint of these lenses make them a versatile choice for a wide range of outdoor activities, especially those near water, snow and other reflective environments. Like all sunglasses in the Wiley X’s Climate Control family, this new model features a soft, removable Facial Cavity Seal that blocks out wind, airborne debris and reflected light and creates a comfortable, climate-controlled environment for the eyes. This WX Boss frame is completely dressed in Kryptek Highlander camouflage, developed for those whose adventures take them into a wide range of elevations and mixed terrain. This pairing is not only functional; it provides a matched appearance with Wiley X’s Venice Gold Mirror lenses. These styling WX Boss sunglasses also meet stringent ANSI Z87.1 High Velocity and High Mass Impact Safety standards, providing OSHA-grade protection for every type of outdoor activity.

WX Boss

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7/7/17 11:48 AM

Texas TASTED by BRYAN SLAVEN :: The Texas Gourmet

Redﬁsh Throat Salad WHENEVER WE GO BAY FISHING, catching redfish is always a good time. They filet well, and are great on the half- shell. But on a good-sized redfish, there is a delicacy that is often overlooked, the throats. They can be harvested from snapper, and other firm flesh fish as well but the redfish throats are readily available and taste great. This is a recipe from my longtime friend and fishing buddy Chuck Glass. He brought this recipe up from Port Mansfield, I hope you fish lovers will give it a try when you catch a few nice reds.

Delicious Redﬁsh Throat Salad is a refreshing meal for hot summer days!

Ingredients: 1 ½ cups - Redfish throat meat ½ cup - Chopped celery 1/3 cup - Finely chopped white or red onion ½ Teaspoon - Lemon juice 1 Tablespoon - Whole grain mustard 1 Cup – Mayonnaise Lightly Season to taste with either dill or curry (Remember to use either of these to add to the taste and not overpower the fish flavor.) Parsley for garnish and color. Cooking the fish: Once I have the throats prepped with the skin off, I boil them in water seasoned with lemon juice, lemon quarters, salt, pepper, celery stalks, onions, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and boil for about 8 minutes. I then, remove the pot from the heat; hit the boiled mix with ice to stop the cooking and to allow the flavor to set in. Once cooled I refrigerate it for about 30 minutes. Once chilled remove the meat PHOTO: BRYAN SLAVEN

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from the bones and mix the above ingredients. You will notice some fat that is congealed around the throats, which I add to mine. The salad can then be served on toast points or crackers for an appetizer or on sandwich bread similar to a tuna fish salad.

and is co-owner of Nueces Canyon Lodge in Uvalde, Texas which is known for white wing dove hunting. Through his travels he has experienced many different foods from different cultures and destinations and we will be show casing some of these recipes in the future. Chuck can be reached directly at 713-882-6272 and their website is www. nuecesoutfitting.com.

Background: Chuck was introduced to Redfish Throat Salad by Mrs. Darlene Bullock, who managed The Mansfield Club and gave him the recipe some 20 years ago. In addition to redfish throats, larger trout, red snapper and grouper throats can be used in the same recipe and can be grilled or deep fry as well.

Email Bryan Slaven at bryan@thetexasgourmet.com

Chuck Glass through his travel company Nueces Outfitting has been sending clients to destinations throughout Mexico, Central America and South America for 20 years T E X A S

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7/7/17 11:32 AM

Outdoor DIRECTORY Guides & Outfitters

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

WWW.FISHGAME.COM

DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS 102 |

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7/7/17 12:24 PM

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

PORTSMEN ARE BEING TARgeted. It’s probably fitting, somehow, that those who spend valuable time squinting through scopes are in turn, in the crosshairs ourselves. Like the game fish that cruise slowly along structure in creeks and rivers, anglers slowly move along aisles carefully and artfully stocked with just the right lures to catch us. It’s creepy, really, to realize that we’re attracted to the lures that will ultimately attract fish. Lordy, that means Marketing Experts are doing their best to catch fishermen. In an unfamiliar town not too long ago, I dropped by the sports section to pick up a few lures, since most of the offerings in my tackle box have an annoying habit of hanging on everything within a thirty yard radius of the boat except for fish. My mental list was extensive: rubber worms. When I passed the automotive section, the scent of new tires and antifreeze in my nostrils, I found myself on an aisle that looked to be a hundred feet long. As I trolled down the right side, I found the selection almost staggering. All I wanted was a red worm with a white tail. I found the grape worms first, and they smelled like grapes. It made me hungry for a sno-cone, or a grape soda. The worm bar stretching into the distance was almost daunting. Open bins full of tangled rubber were almost an invitation for the kids gathered around to bury their hands into the mass with squeals of delight. I was afraid one little kid was going to climb on top and jump in like those ball pits they have at Chuck E. Cheese. As I stood there, pondering the selection, I realized the Marketing Experts had done their homework. The grape smell held me in a trance; and like a bass, I followed the scent, and

“ It’s creepy, really, to realize that we’re attracted to the lures that will ultimately attract ﬁsh.

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Targeting Sportsmen

threading one onto my line. So truthfully, for me, the cost was three for $2.89. Then I was sure to break off at least one before the end of the day. Now we’re at three for the same price. I’ll loan one to someone in the boat, and the other two will disappear into my tackle box until the following spring. So there you have it, one bullet sinker for nearly $3. No wonder they can afford to hire expensive Market Experts to design the displays. Remember when you could simply buy a box of fish hooks? I was twenty before I knew hooks came in different sizes for a selection of T E X A S

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applications. I just thought all hooks came in a box of 500, and they were all the same size. That’s probably why we caught such big bream when they finally gave up and decided to be hooked by something as large, to them, as an anchor. It’s all about the packaging anyway. The packaging hooks the shopper. Face it, the first thing you see is the color and design of the advertisement on that little piece of cardboard fused for all eternity to a bubble of concretehard clear plastic. It’s just like a fishing trip. Presentation of the lure; the most colorful items are at eye level. You can always tell the outdoorsman who is shopping on the lower shelves, because their eyes are turned downward, like sand bass. The Prey, that’s us, walks slowly, foraging. The Prey occasionally picks up a package (nibbles) and puts it back. Another package, another potential bite, but then the Prey moves on. Hiding nearby, dressed in camouflage appropriate to the environment, lurks the Marketing Expert. Breathlessly, clipboard in hand, he waits and watches. The Prey stands before a counter. Eyes roam. Palms itch. Interest. A blue package. Pick it up (another nibble). Ah, this one might actually catch a fish. Strike! Set! Hook! The Marketing Expert checks off the appropriate box on the paper affixed to the clipboard. He sends a text. Note: Today customers are hitting aqua blue advertisements containing a number ten crawfish design presented at eye level on a wire display hanger, approximately five feet from the bottom. Interior air temp is 70º at four in the afternoon, exterior temp is 101º. It’s a vicious cycle, with the prey becoming the Prey.

the colors, slowly cruising the structure. I quickly realized the store was stocked in just the same way they stock grocery stores. The higher priced, glitzy lures were at eye level. The cheaper workhorse gear was either high or low on the shelves. Consider the lowly sinker, or lead weight. When I was a kid the Old Man bought them by the handful, or maybe in a clear plastic box with a dozen or so weights of the same size and shape. Today, a full five feet of low counter space was devoted to extravagantly priced tiny plastic baggies. Six for a dollar $2.89. I usually drop at least one or two bullet sinkers before finally

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REDFISH Port Aransas Nine-year-old Miller DeLorenzo caught this 31.5-inch bull red while on a father/son ﬁshing trip with his dad Matt in Port Aransas.

BASS Brazos County Andrew Ling caught this bass on an artiﬁcial lure while ﬁshing in a private pond in Brazos County.

TURKEY WHITE BASS

Williamson County Wayne Womack shot his ﬁrst turkey while hunting with his friend Cody Miller. He shot the turkey with his 20 gauge at 25 yards. The beard measured nine inches.

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Richland-Chambers Seven-year-old Elliote Kelton caught this white bass while “ﬁshing with her “Papa” on RichlandChambers Reservoir.

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CATFISH Lake Somerville

REDFISH

James Conway caught this sixpound channel cat while ﬁshing with guide Weldon Kirk on Lake Somerville last February.

West Galveston Bay Eleven-year-old Anna Baden caught her ﬁrst keeper redﬁsh the day before Father’s Day, 2016 in West Galveston Bay. Notice the heart shaped spot on the tail.

TURKEY Eastland County Six-year-old Hatcher Railsback shot his ﬁrst turkey while hunting with his great uncle in Eastland County. Hatcher bagged the bird with a 20 gauge.

SPECKLED TROUT Trinity Bay Twelve-year-old Matthew De Luna caught this 19.5inch speckled trout in Trinity Bay while ﬁshing in the Third Annual JX NCTI company tournament out of Pasadena.

BLACK DRUM Port Isabel Debanhy Alanis was ﬁshing at Port Isabel when she caught this 55-inch black drum using dead shrimp.

BASS Lake Amistad Madison Dominguez caught the biggest bass of the day, this 3-pounder, while ﬁshing with her family on Lake Amistad in May.

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