Texas Fish & Game March 2018 by Texas Fish & Game

March 2018 | $3.95

Finding Spring Flounder Carp in a Kayak Why Should I Bowfish? Public Land Hogs Spinning an Inshore Slam 1803-Mar-Cover.indd 1

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

by ROY and ARDIA NEVES TF&G Owners

ROY NEVES

Archival Footage

PUBLISHER

CHESTER MOORE EDITOR IN CHIEF

HEN WE MADE THE MOVE LAST YEAR TO OUR NEW OFFICE, WE BROUGHT with us more than 1,200 cubic feet of archives. These were mainly old issues of TEXAS FISH & GAME and TEXAS LAKES & BAYS that dated back into the Nineteen-Eighties, plus archive copies of the old TEXAS FISHERMAN, which we had acquired in 1991. Anyone who has cleaned out an attic will be able to relate to what this entailed. Our old office building had an eccentric loft with a ceiling just over six feet high. Not of much use as a work area, the space was adequate for storing old files. When we moved into the building, in 2004, we had about twenty years’ worth of back issues. By the time we prepared to move to our current location, this storage area had been crammed, wall to wall, floor to headache-high ceiling, with all the archives we had originally put there and then added to in the ensuing thirteen years. Compiling these archives had been loosely delegated over the years to our subscription service staff, and the process was never a major priority. We did want to preserve as much evidence of our work as possible, so the staff had a more or less standing order to archive ten copies of each issue. Low priority work being what it is, our standing order was not managed under strict scrutiny. A times, it was more convenient to save a whole carton of office copies (50 to 60 to a carton) than to break out the requested ten. This, among other organizational liberties and shortcuts, resulted in a bloated pile of storage boxes in a wild variety of shapes and sizes. Unloaded in our new warehouse—almost all of which was needed for our large book inventory—this mess took up way too much space. And, so, we began a cathartic process of re-cataloging the library of our past. This meant going through every single box, sorting through issues and separating the many instances where issues from different months, even years, had been jumbled together. Then we saved the desired ten copies of each issue and put them in new, uniform-sized archive containers that were easy to store on larger, sturdier shelves. Tons of old paper went to recycling and the huge, disorderly mountain of archives that had filled a mid-size U-Haul truck was reduced to a single row of easily accessible shelves. The work was also a journey. Every issue held memories. We had been there, and had worked on every one of them. It was hard not to stop and leaf through issue after issue, reliving the times, the people and the creative process we experienced when we produced them.

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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Sadly, in the early years—especially those in Marble Falls and San Antonio— Golden little thought was given to historical preservation. Heck, our concern in those oldies from start-up years was literal preservation. So there were issues from the early days that the TF&G Archives. did not survive. Fortunately, most issues did and we now have decades of history to look back on. In fact, if any of you have saved your own copies of TF&G, especially from the years 1984 to 1989, we’d love to hear from you. If we could temporarily borrow them, we could digitize them to create a virtual library of the missing issues. Of course, we would return them, in tact. If you have any such copies and want to participate in this digital recovery effort, just shoot us an email at one of our addresses below. We would be grateful for the assistance. Culling and reorganizing our archives has made one thing clear: There is a ﬁne line between acting as the curator of your own history, and being a hoarder.

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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 77267-9946 and at additional mailing offices.

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Contents March 2018 | Vol. 33 • No. 11

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COVER STORY

CARP IN A KAYAK Kayaks help hardcore carp anglers find success.

Ever wonder, “Why should I bowfish?” Here is why.

by Lou Marullo

by Dustin Warncke

by CHESTER MOORE

Doggett at Large

Nugent in the Wild

Texas Saltwater

Texas Freshwater

by JOE DOGGETT

by Ted Nugent

by CALIXTO GONZALES

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by MATT WILLIAMS

Texas Whitetails

Texas Guns

by LARRY WEISHUHN

by STEVE LAMASCUS M A R C H

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SPINNING AN INSHORE SLAM Five spinning rig strategies for catching reds, specks and flounder.

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PUBLIC HOG HUNTS Where and how to bag some pork on public land.

by TF&G Staff

by Chester Moore

Editor’s Notes

The month of March is prime time for spawning slabs.

COLUMNS

The best locations and the best bait for seeking flatfish in springtime.

BOWFISHING 101

CRAPPIE ON THE MARCH

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

FINDING SPRING FLOUNDER

by Chester Moore

story by Matt Williams

FEATURE ARTICLES

TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

Coastal Focus Columns

by TF&G Staff

Texas Hotspots

News of the Nation + Texas HotShots

Sportsman’s Daybook

WHITE TURKEYS & WEIRD DEER Some of the stranger creatures in the game world.

Tides & Prime Fishing Times

DEPARTMENTS Outdoor Directory

Letters

by TFG Readers

Industry Insider by TFG Staff

Texas Tested by Lou Marullo

75 76 78

Texas Tasted by Bryan Slaven

Fish & Game Photos by TFG Readers

Fish & Game Gear by TFG Staff

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LETTERS to the Editor Confusing Subscription Cancellation

is that the deer belong to the state of Texas. No they don’t. That is a political piece of crap. They first and foremost belong to God. After that, they belong to the landowner when they are on the land. They only belong to Texas first when they are on State owned land. I do honor the laws as written, but I do not have to otherwise support them, the politicians that support them, nor the outdoor magazines that support them. I know, I, as an individual don’t mean crap to you or politicians and certainly not to game fence operators but I don’t have to support you either.

I RESPECTFULLY DECLINE THE renewal of your magazine. I have come to realize that you have endorsed the antler measurement of 13-inch or greater judged by alert ears! Ha! Alert ears means they have detected something that is not right and before you can make a judgment, they are gone. TF&G has covered the 13-inch rule objectively since 2010.

ion piece in my column AGAINST it. However as a magazine we take no stance for or against this law. It is what it is. We are not a governmental agency. We are a privately owned magazine that writes about fishing, hunting, shooting and wildlife. We make no decisions on any regulations whatsoever. You say that you as an individual “don’t mean crap to you (meaning us) or politicians”. Again, I am not sure who you think we are. And we do care about our readers to the extent we go to great expense of time, money and energy to bring an honest to goodness quality product. I do salute you for not hunting for “horns.” I have never hunted for them either. It was always about the meat but I never minded shooting a buck with a nice set of antlers. If we knew why we offended you we might have a reason to apologize but for now we hope you enjoy your time in the field and don’t stay as frustrated as you seem in the letter.

Fish Kills WHY DON’T WE SEE FISH KILLS ON freshwater like we do in saltwater? It seems freezes or red tides kill fish all the time on the coasts?

John Anderson

This has nothing more to do than big money buying TPWD and you guys out. I do not hunt for horns. If horns happen, that is a plus. It takes three deer for meat for my family a year. Two can be stretched but three is ideal. So, if I am restricted to the point that I have several six point bucks that their horns grow straight up-the case in Jack/Clay county then I am forced to shoot a couple of doe whether young or old. That deletes (sic) the overall deer herd. One of the doe might be carrying a 12-point in the future! Size of deer should be between the landowner and the hunting lease. Your argument 6

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By the way, I am a lifetime license holder. I do believe in conservation. I do believe that animals should be hunted only if they are destructive-hogs, armadillos, etc., or for food only. People, who do not respect the meat and the animal, are no better than a predator.

Jackie Miller Editor: We have no problem accepting your cancellation but are completely confused by your letter. For starters, we have never “endorsed” the 13-inch antler regulation. In fact, when it was first proposed I wrote an opin|

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Editor: There are kills in freshwater. The biggest killer is golden algae outbreaks that have taken millions of fish at a time on lakes such as Possum Kingdom. There are also freeze related kills in small ponds and freshwater marshes that are rarely reported. The big reservoirs in Texas—like the Gulf of Mexico—have deep enough water that fish can easily get into a safe zone of sorts. Saltwater freeze kills are based on fish being trapped in shallows, often after a warming trend, and then being exposed to quickly falling temperatures.

« Email your comments to: editor@ﬁshgame.com

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

Killing Manatees

a fishing arrow, a dolphin that was disoriented after wandering into freshwater. That killing probably made some of the people happy ,whom I dealt with in the Texas flounder regulation debate back in 2008. This is an actual regulatory suggestion I got from someone and my reply: “They are always out there in the passes flipping those flounders out of the water and eating them. The dolphins are getting more populous and they eat more flounders than we ever kill, so we should enact some dolphin population control.” “So, you’re saying we should shoot Flipper to save the flounder?” I asked. “Yes, pretty much.” Somehow the idea of setting up dolphin sharpshooters in our bays and passes did not seem like it would fly with, not only the public, but wildlife managers. “Come to the Texas coast where we blew away 500 dolphins last year!” Not exactly good Chamber of Commerce material, is it? Soon however, the tide turned away from dolphin eradication to redfish annihilation “There are just too many redfish. They are eating all of the baby flounders. That is why flounder numbers are down.” This is reminiscent of the late 1990s when commercial fishermen in Louisiana tried to get gill and strike nets legalized for redfish once again because the reds were “wiping out the crabs.” A decline in blue crab numbers could not possibly have been related to the insane number of crab traps set in Bayou State waters, but had to have been redfish, which as far as we know have been co-existing with crabs forever. At the end of the day those who kill protected animals (or fantasize about doing so) do it because they want to. But I wonder what contributing factors are at play. Is it a rural version of the mall fights and other random violence we have seen in larger cities or some kind of other pent up anger? Is it the hardened stance against anything labeled “green” or “environmental” or “endangered” that is pervasive in sectors of the hunting community?

HE HUNTING INDUSTRY doesn’t have the guts to face the deep and serious poaching problem in the United States. At least I haven’t seen anything of the sort. Last year we spoke of the dark trend in Texas of youth poaching endangered and protected species such as bald eagles, whooping cranes and dolphins. And it’s not just in Texas. It’s a national trend. Groups such as Operation Game Thief do a great job of helping as do our brave game wardens, park rangers and biologists in the field. We have a real problem with how millennials view wildlife and the wise use of our resources. It can best be summed up with a statement made during news coverage of Hurricane Irma as it hit Florida. “I’ve always wanted to kill a manatee.” That statement was among the first comments on the photo of a manatee stranded in Tampa Bay as Hurricane Irma sucked water out of that vast ecosystem. Oh yes, this was just after teens in Florida smuggled endangered key deer out of that island chain in their car. It would be easy to pass that off as a typical Internet idiot stirring trouble. However, when you look at the profile and see it was an adult male who made the comment, followed up with other disturbing quotes you see something is very wrong here. This was not a non-indigenous feral hog that displaces native wildlife. Or a game animal such as a whitetail deer or wild turkey that are hunted and eaten by licensed hunters. It was a manatee-a gentle giant of the seagrass flats. It was a manatee— a highly protected species. The “kill the manatee” comments (and others like it circulating on the Web) are reminiscent of the dolphin shooting referenced earlier in this story and covered in on these pages in 2015. Two teenage boys actually shot a dolphin with 8

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I can’t tell you how many people have told me jokes about spotted owl and whooping crane gumbo I have been told over the years. There is probably no way to tell, but it needs to stop and a true respect for all wildlife needs to be front and center. We need as a community of outdoor lovers to rebuild the platform by which we teach conservation to the young and instill pride in the fact that we have incredible wildlife resources here and that taking beyond what the law offers depletes them. We need to use these shameful moments as teachable moments and talk about consequences. I have swum with manatees in the Crystal River in Florida three times, and these experiences were some of the most amazing of my life. I also grew up deer, duck and hog hunting. Yet somehow I have never wanted to kill a manatee or a bald eagle or a dolphin. It is because I was brought up to respect the resource and only take what I could eat. The idea of someone chuckling at the plight of a manatee sickens me. Part of it is because I love these great animals. However, I am even more troubled over a public where comments like that end up turning to actions like the aforementioned dolphin shot by Texas teens. We have to move forward with conservation and a deep respect for wildlife, and shame those who want to destroy it. Wise stewardship should be celebrated whether it’s enacted by Ducks Unlimited or the Save the Manatee group. Yes, all of you who are so “right wing” you can’t respect good stewardship action if the person is not a hunter—need to get with it. The keyboard warrior who wanted to kill a manatee was probably too busy surfing the Web in his mother’s basement, living the kind of pathetic life trolls live. Wildlife needs our help. I am thankful the stranded manatee got it. In this case, the manatee won. Thank God. Now we need to find a way to address this youth poaching thing.

Email Chester Moore at cmoore@ﬁshgame.com

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

A Winter’s Wade

through frozen precipitation. “Only a moron would be out fishing in weather like this” I thought— probably a remarkably astute observation. Such brutal conditions teach lessons in proper clothing. Keeping in mind that it’s far better to have too much than too little, here is a guideline for a really bitter session: Neoprene chest waders are inherently warmer than the popular breathable models, but the neoprene material is heavier and stiffer and bulkier. This might be an issue for older pluggers, especially those of us with bad lower backs. Regardless of material, integrated boot-foot waders are cozier than the stocking foot models that utilize separate lace-up boots that cinch tight around the ankles. The roomy one-piece wader boots trap more body heat. Yes, the tight-fitting lace-ups provide more ankle support, but this is seldom a major issue over the firm and reliable bottom typical of our primary bays. The boots should be one size larger than your standard shoes to accommodate heavy wool socks. Some manufacturers take this into account when sizing boots, but the wise wader tries the gear before buying. Lightweight liner socks worn under the heavy socks give extra warmth while wicking away any sweat. They definitely are worth using. Note “wool” cotton is a bad idea in cold water. We all know the benefits of layering, and a pair of “poly pro” long johns goes first. If conditions are really raw, there’s no law against donning two sets. Next is fleece wading pants and a heavy flannel shirt or synthetic pullover. I’m partial to an old-fashioned wool sweater over the shirt, but that’s just me. A no-nonsense wading parka is a must for the outer layer. My strong recommendation is to get a good one from a big-name company. This is no place to scrimp. The garment will last for years of normal use and does a superior job of turning spray, rain, and wind. A proper parka has a large easy-to-grab front zipper and an integrated hood that covers the lower face when zipped tight. The wrists

S ANY COASTAL WADER who knows a 51M MirrOlure from a Corky Fat Boy will tell you, late winter is a great time for catching mondo-giant speckled trout. The subjective trophy scale starts around seven or eight pounds, fueled with the burning fever of landing a legitimate double-digit sow. This specialized winter fishing is best as the big trout move over sand and mud to feed on baitfish drawn to warming shallows. The action is seldom fast, and the determined wader needs the mindset to chunk all day for one or two big hits. Statistics compiled over the years favor mullet-imitation plugs for these big trout. As important as a killer bait is the uniform of the day. Remember that “warming” is a relative term during winter. An increase of a few degrees of water temperature, say from the mid 50s to upper 50s, might pull the trigger, but the tides are still awfully cold for the ill-prepared combatant. Add cloud cover and wet wind, and a session can get miserable in a hurry. True, some winter days can be surprisingly mild, but the first thing for the relative newcomer to understand is that the back bay is almost always colder than the back yard. The second thing is to pack at least one more layer than you think you’ll need. I had a hard-core refresher in cold-water wading during a fly-fishing trip last October for steelhead in a northern British Columbia river. Most mornings were in the teens and the water readings during our six days of fishing were 36 to 38 degrees. Two days we fished amid snow and sleet, with ice on the banks and the wet rod guides repeatedly icing over. The payoff was the occasional 10- or 15(maybe 20) pounder, but several times I found myself braced in waist-deep flow and peering 10

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can be cinched snug to minimize scooping icy water when reaching for that 30-inch speckled beauty. The standard-issue ball cap will suffice on a mild day, but it’s a poor choice when the weather forecaster points to the north and turns a cold shoulder. A heavy cap or hat with earflaps is superior. Remember that considerable body heat is lost from the head. This is especially true for those of us who reluctantly answer to names such as “Chrome Dome.” A pullover face mask of the type favored by experienced liquor store robbers is a fine addition for blocking wind or rain, if not during the wade then for sure in the running boat. The stretchable material covers the entire head for extra insulation and can be adjusted to protect the nose and mouth—everything but the eyes and sunglasses. When you don’t need the mask, you can pull it down and it serves as a comfortable neck warmer. So-called fingerless fishing gloves are a comfort. The thumb and fingers are cut off just above the lower joints, leaving the tips exposed for serious casting duty. Even when wet, the synthetic material does a remarkably good job of keeping the hands functional. Even better is a pair of fingerless gloves with detachable mittens. While running, the mitten protects the entire hand. While fishing, you fold the mitten over, snapping it to the back of the glove. The rig sounds awkward, but the good ones almost never interfere with performance. Another option for an icy wade is a pair of neoprene wetsuit gloves, the snug, trim type used by surfers. This was my basic dress code during the B.C. trip, and I was tolerably comfortable. Not once was a session cut short due to hypothermia or frostbite. If it worked up there it should allow the determined winter wader to keep chunking down here.

« Email Joe Doggett at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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

Another Year of the Deer

of America’s unprecedented wildlife success story. To kill them and grill them is to love them, and respectful, hands-on value wise use conservation drives our relationship with the beasts. Those of us so very fortunate to grow up in hunting families may tend to take this pure, primal urge for granted, but being blessed and privileged to introduce, guide and hunt with many hunters that came to this greatest sport later in life have shown their immediate grasp and celebration of this perfect tooth, fang and claw nature lifestyle. I have witnessed so many times where citified individuals that have been hammered by

EER. THOSE, BEAUTIFUL, spectacular, always fascinating deer. I have a funny feeling that if you’re reading this here Uncle Ted deer celebration in Texas Fish & Game magazine, that you and I share this quality of life stimulating relationship and admiration for our brother the deer. I love deer. And though the role they play in our lives is powerful and moving, just to keep things in perspective and avoid anything that could be misinterpreted as psycho-obsession, be it known that God, family, country and freedom (and rock-n-roll) do indeed eclipse our love affair with deer. But these wonderful critters do rank right up there just behind those primo priorities, that’s for sure. I doubt there is any other organism this side of cancer cells that has been more exhaustively investigated, analyzed, studied or probed more than the deer of North America. We could talk all day long about their beauty, habits, mysticism and scientific significance, but ultimately I think we can all agree that our brother the deer could very well be our canary in the coal-mine of happiness and life. Surely, as goes deer goes our environment, and as we hunters dedicate ourselves to the welfare of deer and all wildlife, the condition of our world can be thoroughly monitored and accurately evaluated as we walk the wild ground as one with God’s creatures. As reasoning predators always honing and upgrading our level of situational awareness, our conscience and hearts dictate a conservation ethic and responsibility that is at the core |

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To kill them and grill them is to love them.

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the tsunami of animal rights and anti-hunting fake news their entire life have come to grips and sincerely embraced the perfection of the hunting, sustain yield wildlife conservation science and logic within minutes of sharing a campfire with me. As hunters, our radar is better tuned and our eyes pick up the image of distant critters whether we are on the hunt or just driving to the store for milk and bread with the family. Even on those rare days when bad weather shuts down my hunt, I still find myself sipping coffee staring out the window of our farm or ranch looking for deer. Cruising down the HI ways and byways of America I am constantly reminding myself to keep my eyes on the road and do my best |

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to ignore the surrounding landscape for deer sightings. I simply love deer! Genuinely, passionately, sincerely love them! I love to know they are around even when I don’t see them. I love to witness their beauty and grace and miraculous sense of elusiveness. I love to watch them stand, to walk, to feed, to groom, to stare, to frolic, to run and jump, to fight and breed. I actually love to watch them figure out my best attempt at ambushing them and mysteriously evade me. I love to occasionally outwit them, though it is usually more a result of dumb luck than any real killer skill. I love to kill them; track them, gut, skin, hang, butcher and I love to eat them. I love to stroke their beautiful hide, look into their eyes and fondle their amazing antlers as I accept the gift from the Great Spirit for a job well done. I love to share their life sustaining protein with family, friends, soup kitchens and homeless shelters. I love to share sacred ground with them and I love doing everything in my power to ensure their healthy, thriving condition. I am able to spread these self-evident truths and wildlife love, fascination and logic far and wide with the incredible advantage of social media technology, and the good word gets out there on my Facebook on a daily basis to many millions of non-hunters and die-hard rock-nrollers worldwide. And they like it! So as we plunge spirit first into 2018, thank God every day that we are deerhunters. I like so many of you will still be out there with the deer as we jettison into another year of the deer. I wish you well, good hunting and good luck, and may your deer dreams glow forever.

« Email Ted Nugent at tnugent@ﬁshgame.com

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PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

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story by CHESTER MOORE HROW RIGHT THERE.” That’s what I told my wife Lisa as we trolled up toward a point of the northern shoreline of Willow Bayou. She quickly flipped a smoke-colored Gulp! Swimming Mullet into the fracas and after dragging it a few feet, the line instantly went from stiff to slack. A few seconds later, she was battling a big southern flounder, and I was already hooked after flipping a Swimming Mullet under the tiny ripples. Those ripples were made by tens of thousands of juvenile menhaden, the baitfish I call the flounder’s “Achille’s heel.” Although shrimp, croakers and other baitfish are all important components of a flounder’s diet, menhaden, often called pogies or shad in Texas, are the prey source where I focus most of my flounder fishing efforts. At times the results are stunning. Three years ago, my father, Chester Moore, Sr., and I watched flounder literally jumping out of the water feeding on menhaden as millions congregated in a Sabine Lake cut during the storm tides spawned by Hurricane Alex. Another time I caught more than a dozen flounder in a spot the size of my desk because it was inundated with menhaden. T E X A S

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PHOTOS: LEFT, OURTESY LSU AG CENTER; RIGHT, TF&G

Why are these fish so desired by flounder? It all boils down to opportunity. Of all of Texasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bay-dwelling sport fish, flounder are the most opportunistic. Because of their flat design, these fish are best suited as ambush predators and menhaden are easy to ambush. Menhaden spawn numerous times from late fall through spring, producing numerous classes of juveniles, which gather in schools that sometimes number in the millions. These tiny fish often cannot swim well, so they are blown against leeward shorelines, which was the case with the example at the beginning of this story. Anyone who has attended my flounder seminars, or one of my Flatfish University events has heard me talk about the importance of finding eddies (areas of slack water) in the bayous winding into our bays and along ship channels. The reason is the tiny menhaden we most frequently encounter in the spring cannot negotiate strong tides well and will often congregate in eddies. Flounder, being the consummate ambush predator, gather there as well and feed

A Roseau cane shoreline will likely hold ďŹ&#x201A;ounder.

aggressively. The first spots I target are bayous, sloughs and other drains where I find concentrations of menhaden, and the first thing I look for is eddies. When these tides are running extra high, I seek flounder along the main shorelines of bay systems. Attacking vast shorelines would be a waste of time and end up in dogged frustration so you have got to have a strategy. Instead of looking over eight miles of shoreline, narrow your search down to an eighth of a mile. You must eliminate water to bag spring flounder. The first step I take

while eliminating, is to once again look for a shoreline that has stands of Roseau cane. Roseau cane has an intricate system somewhat like a smaller version of mangrove, and it gives menhaden a place to linger, hide and dodge larger predators. It is best to fish these areas during the first couple of hours of a falling tide. As the water recedes, the menhaden are removed from their cover and the predator/prey dynamic begins. There is something menhaden cannot resist, and the angler that learns this will usually catch the most flounder.

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While fishing in the Sabine River near the DuPont Outfall Canal north of Sabine Lake I noticed a big alligator with half of its body out of the water, inches from the rocks and facing the bank. It would strike at the water every once in a while and then move on. At the same time, there were millions (and I do mean millions) of tiny shad that covered the Sabine’s shorelines from the outfall basically to Sabine Lake and then north up the Intracoastal Canal. In the past, other anglers and I have noticed when gators act this way and there are fish busting on the tiny shad right on the rocks, flounder are on the move. Egrets and herons are another indicator, especially when they are feeding just a few feet away from alligators with seemingly no fear—and the big lizards are paying them no attention. I call this “communal feeding.” In other words, a variety of predators are all focused on a very particular source of food without bothering each other. In this case it is tiny shad. The problem for anglers in these situations is flounder will sometimes only hit tiny shad floated under a cork, or very small

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curl-tailed grubs tipped with a little piece of shrimp. I was not rigged for either as the target was redfish that day, but I did manage to get one to hit a Gulp Swimming Mullet in smoke color and got lots of bumps that felt like a small flounder. There are many riprap and bulkhead structures along the Texas Coast, and they can be thick with flounder. This is especially true when the shad are holding along the shorelines. Be prepared to match Menhaden are the a favored prey of opportunistic ﬂounder.

about salinity levels. Unlike speckled trout, which can tolerate only moderate levels of freshwater, flounder can live with super low salinity and can be caught right alongside crappie and largemouth bass. These flounder receive very little pressure, so they have the chance to grow very large. The very biggest flounder tend to hang out in close proximity to deep water. Target a large percentage of your effort toward deep water access points in ship channels and in areas where passes and channels intersect with bays—no matter where you fish.

hatch and keep an eye on the alligators. Don’t worry

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PINNING REELS AND rods are popular on the Texas Coast for rank and file anglers seeking to soak live or dead bait in pursuit of specks, reds and flounder. However, did you know spinning gear makes possible some high-end and in some cases seriously technical techniques? Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never look at spinning gear the same again, if you keep on reading. Things are about to change.

1| Drop-Shotting Jetty Specks

I caught a nice flounder in a deep hole while fishing a drop-shot rig, a setup popular with bass anglers fishing deeper water. Baitfish were holding on a ledge in 14 feet of water, and I lowered down the drop shot to see what I might be able to catch. It

ended up being a flounder. This was not the only flounder we caught in the same area in two days of fishing. Flounder will feed in deep water, but tend to concentrate around depth changes, so look for drop-offs and try the dropshot rig. I think this is even more effective for finding trout at the jetties in the late winter and early spring when few anglers are looking for them. You might want to consider using a drop shot rig for some exploratory fishing to target trout at the jetties between now and full on spring. T E X A S

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SPINNING GEAR SPOTLIGHT

Ballistic LT Reels & Procyon Inshore Rods THE BALLISTIC LT SERIES OF SPINNING REELS WERE DESIGNED

lighter and stronger in a more compact package. The strength of the Zaion housing is an example of the LT design concept of Light but Tough. At the heart of the reel is a machined A7075 Aircraft Grade Aluminum DIGIGEAR designed for smoothness, strength and durability. The main shaft utilizes the Magseal which prevents water and debris intrusion. The reel is long-casting and extremely smooth employing a seven bearing system. With models ranging from 1000 to 6000 size the Ballistic LT line of spinning

reels are designed for a wide range of gameﬁsh, incorporating many different techniques. The Daiwa Procyson series of eight spinning rods will suit the needs of the shallow water ﬁsherman on both coasts. The blanks are constructed from 24-ton standard modulus carbon with split-grip cork handles and wrapped with tough titanium oxide guides. They come in sizes ranging from six-foot to seven foot, six inches.

Daiwa’s Ballistic spinning reel and Procyon inshore spinning rod.

as aggressively, so the fluorocarbon allows more of a subtle approach. Additionally, if the water is running clear, which it often does. the fish can’t see it. Fluorocarbon is virtually invisible in the water, and flounder are very visual fish. I have seen them totally avoid offerings on braid in clear water. The same fish will take fluorocarbon-attached offerings.

Spinning gear is perfect for vertical fishing. Using a drop shot over some of the suspended rocks at the edge of the jetties and around boat cuts is a great way to find trout. A great setup would be a Daiwa Ballistic reel rigged on one of their medium-light 7-foot 6-inch Procyon rods. I would fish it with 30-pound braided line, which with most brands is about 10-pound diameter. Just lower the lure and move it up and down slowly—very slowly. Keep your finger on the line to help you feel any bite. Vertical fishing for trout is difficult and sometimes they will barely tap a lure. If you have good quality electronics to set up and mark fish, try to get that lure going right in the middle of the fish. Then work it over and over. Sometimes you have to keep at it to get a bite started.

3| Slowing the

Approach for Shallow Reds

opportunity to eat. Sometimes that means lots of tiny baitfish. The biggest flounder I’ve caught in the last decade have been on tiny curl-tailed grubs. Spinning gear is much better suited to fishing with tiny lures. This is why bass fishermen switch to spinning gear when the barometric pressure gets high, and the fish get finicky. Sometimes you have to use small lures to catch fish, and nothing is better for that than spinning reels. I use fluorocarbon, which has less stretch than mono and is also more abrasion resistant. I usually spool up 10-pound flourocarbon for late fall flounder. Although I catch more big ones in the early part of the spring run, they don’t bite

2| Finessing Flounder Speaking of flounder, I discovered something late in my flounder fishing life. During the latter part of the fall run and in the early part of spring, little lures can make a big difference. Although speckled trout will shift to eating a couple of big fish a day versus dozens of smaller ones after they hit maturity, flounder are opportunists. They will eat whatever they have the 20

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Redfish in shallow water can be really spooky. And burning a lure past them can freak them out. Spinning reels typically come with about a 5:1 gear ratio. That means it retrieves the line more slowly than say a 7:1 casting reel. Throwing a soft plastic topwater such as a frog on a spinning reel that forces you to fish slower is a great way to get something to those reds at a pace that does not make them nervous.

4| Against the Wind Perhaps the most advantageous reason to fish spinning reels is they rarely backlash. Even when you cast into or across PHOTOS: SIDEBAR, DAIWA; ABOVE RIGHT, TF&G

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Spinning rigs are highly effective options for inshore ﬁshing.

the wind (sometimes you have to), they almost never fail. This alone makes them invaluable when brutal winds are bearing down on the Texas Coast. Throwing a heavy, lipless crankbait down the jetty wall or a spoon cast into an emerging slick on the bay can be a difference maker. When it’s super windy I almost always fish spinning gear out on open water.

5| Chunking the Cold Shad

I could not cover spinning gear without talking about live bait applications. After all that’s what is chiefly used along the Texas coast.

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Shad are the key to successful summer fishing on the Upper Texas Coast and overlooked on the Middle and Lower Coast. During the summer, the shad “ball up” in the bay, and the trout and reds get under them really thick. What we call “shad” most of the time, are actually menhaden, which eventually migrate into the Gulf of Mexico and serve a similarly important role out there. The best rig is a live shad under a popping cork on spinning gear. You can tie on a big rig and throw with ease—and the aforementioned rarity of backlashing. The live part is easy to figure out. A live shad moves around a lot, emits oil, and has a reflective shine that makes it irresistible for predators. Unless you have an oxygen diffu-

sion unit for your livewell, however, it is difficult to keep shad alive during summer months. The good news is another option is available, the cold shad. At some point anglers figured out that by laying shad on top of ice and keeping them dry, the fish retain a hookable texture and work just as well as the live version. Most anglers keep the drain plugs in their ice chest pulled so the water goes out instead of immersing the shad, which makes them mushy once dead. As you can see, spinning gear is versatile and can give you an opportunity to score on reds, specks and flounder in many different ways. Consider spinning gear if you have not before and expand your strategies with these technical tips.

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

Our Best Defense

even received a ticket from a warden. I left my boat registration card in—you guessed it—my truck. As much as I hated to pay it, I can’t dispute the writing of it. Honestly, I believe that we all need to ease up on the job that game wardens do. Plenty of people seem to fail to appreciate what they do. These same men and women who catch heat for writing tickets for everything from short trout to missing floatation cushions are charged to enforce not just the game laws of the State of Texas, but ALL the laws of the Lone Star State.

N MY 20 YEARS AS AN OUTDOOR writer, one of my great pleasures has been meeting and getting to know the men and women who serve as the wardens of the Enforcement Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard fellow anglers complain and rail about their experiences with wardens. The talk of woe usually revolves around a spot check that a game warden conducts. More often than not, it results in a ticket. “That trout was 15 inches when I put it in the cooler. He didn’t have to give me a ticket over a lousy ¼ inch.” “I didn’t know the kids had gotten at my fire extinguisher and used it up. He didn’t have to give me a ticket over an empty fire extinguisher.” “I don’t know how that extra red got in the cooler.” “My fishing license was in my wallet. I just left it in the truck.”” The refrains are different, but the song is usually the same. Too many times, the recollection of the experience is not positive, and ends with a ticket. On a handful of occasions, an angler says a few positive things about game wardens, some even shake hands when the boarding is over. More often than not, however, the storyteller closes with something along the lines of, “don’t they have better things to do than bother fishermen.” Humph. You’d think what they were doing was pretty important. The funny thing is, there is always a reason for the ticket, never a trumped-up charge. However, one wag told me a game warden took a perfectly legal redfish out of the cooler and flexed and stretched it until it was an untagged 28 ½ inches long. I have never heard of an unjustified ticket. I |

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Honestly, I believe that we all need to ease up on the job that game wardens do.

“

If they stumble on a meth lab while inspecting a deer lease, they make an arrest. If they stumble upon some fugitive with a felony warrant while conducting a safety check, they make an arrest. If they happen upon some lowlife smuggling drugs along the Rio Grande, they make an arrest. They have all the same duties of any other law enforcement officers, but they don’t seem to get the credit. Instead, all too often they get disrespect, criticism, and derision. Even so, they do their jobs with professionalism, aplomb, and tact. They behave just like every other officer of the law. They also bleed just like other officers. Since 1919, more than 20 Texas Parks and Wildlife agents have died in the line of duty. By anyone’s tally, that’s still too many. These men had families and friends who mourned their loss. To those around them, these weren’t nit|

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picking snoops who were looking for any reason to write a ticket. These were mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, best friends and confidants who paid the ultimate price while serving on the front of the shield. Like all others who dedicate their lives to public duty, their service can’t be measured, and no amount of gratitude is enough. If the cold numbers don’t drive the point home, let me share a story relayed to me by a retired agent. He had been patrolling the back roads north of La Joya, Texas when he came upon a pickup truck parked on the side of the road. As he shined the light on the vehicle, he could see the driver moving around in the truck. That little buzz in the back of his head that every law enforcement officer has, began to ring, and he drew his weapon and ordered the driver to stay in his vehicle with his hands out the window until backup arrived. A Hidalgo County Deputy Sheriff finally arrived, and the warden and the deputy proceeded to order the driver out of the truck and to eat caliche. When the driver stepped out, a .45 automatic fell out of his lap. When the deputy searched the vehicle, he found an AK-47 with an extended magazine—a “Cuerno de Chivo”—in the passenger’s seat. Both the warden and the deputy surmised that he was waiting to pick up a load of narcotics when they happened upon him. The scary part, the warden said, was that the guy had him dead to rights. No windshield of a TPW vehicle is going to stop a .45 slug or a .308 fired from an AK. When he asked the suspect why he didn’t try and shoot it out, the man simply said that he was under orders not to shoot an American LEO. It would be a shame to have to read a news story of a game warden being shot on some lonely ranch road or drowning while coming to the aid of anglers in distress before we stop to consider what these men and women mean to us all. It’s a real shame.

Email Cal Gonzales at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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

TPWD’s ShareLunker is Getting a Facelift

UST IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T heard, the Toyota ShareLunker program run by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is now operating under a brand new format. ShareLunker now offers several new ways to participate and a passel of attractive incentives to reel anglers in. First, a little History: Lake Fork guide Mark Stevenson turned over the program’s very first entry in November 1986. In hindsight, Stevenson’s 17.67-pound former state record provided a pivotal jump-start for the spawning and genetics research program, which is founded on giant Texas bass and the anglers who catch them. Roughly 31 years down the road ShareLunker has taken 569 additional entries weighing upwards of 13 pounds from more than 60 public reservoirs scattered around the state. The ShareLunker format rewarded participating anglers with cool prizes and widespread recognition through press releases and social media. TPWD scientists pair the big female bass with handpicked males in hatchery raceways for spawning. The idea is to produce armies of baby

bass with shared big bass DNA. The ShareLunker progenies are stocked back into Texas lakes or used for research. A year ago TPWD announced plans to revamp its entire Florida bass hatchery program using ShareLunker offspring. Often billed as one of the most successful public relations programs ever launched by the state agency, ShareLunker has generated a wealth of interest in Texas bass fishing while spurring some really neat findings in fish science along the way. Not surprisingly, the program has undergone a passel of policy changes over time, both good and bad. It has also met with a few bumps in the road in recent years that have caused angler support and participation to wane. FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, NEW leaders within TPWD’s inland fisheries division have been looking for ways to rekindle public interest, restore angler trust and boost participation. They are hopeful the new format launched January 1 will breathe new life into the program and ultimately bring it out of the slump. ShareLunker has always centered on anglers donating big Texas-caught bass for spawning purposes. Since day one, the minimum size required for entry has been 13 pounds. Those fish are still considered the heart and soul of the January 1-March 31 spawning phase of the program under the revised structure. However, TPWD is expanding the format to allow anglers to receive recognition by entering bass as small as eight pounds in other categories year-round. The idea behind adding more levels of achievement is to drum up more entries while providing researchers with data that will help them get a better grip on trophy bass distribution across the state. TPWD is putting plenty of bait on the table to reel in more participation, too. Among the

New Lunker Levels LUNKER LEGACY CLASS: Bass 13 pounds or larger entered from Jan 1—Mar 31 LUNKER LEGEND CLASS: Bass 13 pounds or larger entered from Jan 1—Dec 31 LUNKER ELITE CLASS: Bass 10 to 12.99 pounds entered from Jan 1—Dec 31 LUNKER CLASS: Bass 8 to 9.99 pounds or 24 inches entered from Jan 1—Dec 31

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incentives are automatic chances to win $5,000 shopping sprees to an outdoor retailer, fishing licenses, ShareLunker branded merchandise, fishing tackle packages, etc. The expanded format also includes simplified ways to enter fish electronically outside the spawning window using details outlined on the program’s new website, texassharelunker.com. Entries must be accompanied by digital photos of the fish being weighed on a digital scale or measured on a rigid measuring board. Fish caught during a tournament must be accompanied by a weigh-in slip or website links for documentation, if photos are not available. Another noteworthy change gives anglers the opportunity to become citizen scientists by submitting scale samples from their fish for DNA testing. Testing will be performed at TPWD’s genetics lab in San Marcos at no cost to the angler. “We’ll be able to run the scales to determine the genetics of individual fish at our lab,” said Craig Bonds. TPWD Inland Fisheries Director. “This will not only satisfy the curiosity of the angler, but it will also provide us with valuable data about the genetics of our wild populations of large bass around the state. “As we move from stocking ten of thousands of selectively-bred offspring to tens of millions in the future, then hopefully we’ll start seeing some of these fish show up in scale samples that are submitted to us by the anglers,” Bonds added. “It’s a citizen-science partnership we hope to establish with anglers that will allow them to contribute to the management of largemouth bass in Texas and make it bigger and better.” Cool as it all sounds; TPWD isn’t exploring unchartered territory with its expanded ShareLunker format. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has run a similar catch and release program called TrophyCatch since 2012. More than 6,000 entries have been submitted to that program over the years.

Email Matt Williams at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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March is Prime Time for Spawning Slabs

HE BLACK BASS MAY BE king in Texas, but you’d never know it by striking up a conversation with “Stoney” York of Mt. Enterprise. York is among the many crappie

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mongers who gather beneath the

the silver-sided fish with paper-thin chop-

FM 1971 bridge at Lake Murvaul

pers, and they are quick to defend their

this time of year. Like most Texas crappie buffs, York and his friends are partial to

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turf. The bridge is a known sweet spot for

PHOTO: GRADY ALLEN

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guishable by the irregular dark speckles and splotches on their sides, are native to day. They eat one hell of a lot better.” No argument, here. inter-

waters in parts of central Texas. However, they are most prevalent in the acidic, more alkaline waters across eastern Texas. White crappie are more whitish in

When it comes to table fare, crappie is the

color, and the dark markings are arranged

flounder of the freshwater scene. “Slab” is

in vertical bars. They also have more elon-

crappie

a slang term often used to describe a crap-

gated bodies and larger mouths. White

and bass as

pie that weigh upwards of 1 1/2 pounds.

crappie can be found statewide.

cepting

they follow

That name, along with other popular

the old Murvaul

monikers like “barn door” and “saddle

grows bigger in Texas, and crappie are

blanket” stem from the crappie’s broad

certainly no exception. The Texas state

physique and the succulent slice of pearly

record black crappie stands at 3.92

white meat to be gleaned from both sides

pounds. The 18.50-inch fish was caught

using a sharp filet knife.

on the night of April 27, 2003, by George

Creek channel toward the spawning flats at the lake’s upper reaches “We call those bass trash fish

There’s an old saying that everything

Both of the two primary subspecies of

Ward of Garland. He was using a live

around here,” said Harold “Stoney” York

crappie—black and white—are found in

shiner for bait while fishing from the

of Mt. Enterprise. “I’ll take a 25 fish limit

Texas waters.

Minnow Bucket Marina fishing pier at the

of big slabs over an eight-pound bass, any

Black crappie, which are easily distin-

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27,000-acre Lake Fork.

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The biggest white crappie ever reeled in from Texas waters is a 4.56 pounder. That state record was caught by G.G. Wooderson way back in February of 1968 from the 5,000-acre Navarro Mills Reservoir between Corsicana and Waco. By comparison, the world record white crappie stands at 5 pounds, 3 ounces. That fish was caught in July 1957 from Enid Dam in Mississippi. The world record black crappie as recognized by the International Game Fish Association is a five pounder caught in April 2006 from a private lake in Missouri. Opinions vary about which of the two subspecies gets bigger. But one thing paper mouth junkies will agree on is this tenacious-yetoften-finicky sport fish can be a blast to catch. This holds especially true during the spring of the year, when the prolific panfish crowd the shallows on lakes across Texas to spawn. If there is one thing you can always count on about springtime crappie fishing, it’s that the fish will only be where you find them. Harum-scarum by nature, the popular panfish can be tough to pattern this time of year because they are rambling the shallows here and there, looking for a place to do their thing.

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Once located, however, the action can be hot and limits easy. Like bass, crappie fan out nests for spawning, and they usually do it in colonies that may have more than two-dozen nests. The fish like to spawn in shallow water ranging from one to six feet deep. They’ll locate their nests in close proximity to some form of cover such as bushes, fallen trees, lily pad stems, and stumps. Often times they’ll build their beds right in the thickest junk they can find before carrying out the courtship that creates the next generation of crappie for anglers to catch. Although spawning can occur as early as February, it’s generally March to early April before the meat of the ritual takes place. Curtain time can happen just anywhere on a lake. As a rule the fish like to follow creeks, ditches, guts to the backs of major and secondary coves before dispersing onto adjacent flats to seek out a good spot to set up house. High water can certainly make things more difficult, sniffing out fish typically boils down to a process of elimination. Ease down a shoreline and dabble live shiners around fishy looking cover. Fan casting with small jigs,

spinners or Roadrunners using ultra gear and small diameter line also works. Because crappie spawn in loose groups, where you find one there will likely be others.

Top Lakes For Big Texas Crappie Texas crappie junkies are blessed with dozens of good crappie lakes. However, some are naturally better than others when it comes to producing big numbers of bragging size slabs. What follows is a synopsis of some lakes that pack plenty of potential during the spring of the year: • Fork: Located 90 miles east of Dallas, Fork is a springtime haven for spring fishing with its many creeks, brush-cluttered shorelines and plentiful boat docks. The lake routinely kicks out fish slabs upwards of 1 1/2 pounds and two-pounders aren’t uncommon. The lake record black is 3.92 pounds; white crappie, 3.34 pounds. • Sam Rayburn: The massive 114,000acre reservoir has an equally large crappie population. This is the result of excellent habitat provided by abundant brush, submerged

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timber and hydrilla beds. Terrestrial shoreline cover such as willows and buck brush, add to the great spawning habitat when water levels are sufficient. The lake has produced lake record white and black crappie weighing 2.94 and 2.15 pounds, respectively. • Toledo Bend: This sprawling Sabine River reservoir along the Texas/Louisiana border has been ranked one of the top crappie fishing lakes in the South since opening in the late 1960s. It’s not showing any signs of slowing down, with dozens of brush-filled creeks and plenty of fishy looking shoreline cover provided by willows, brush and cypress trees. Toledo Bend has produced a Texas record black crappie weighing 3.69 pounds and record white crappie weighing 3.44 pounds. When water levels are stable, the fishing can be particularly good along backwater creeks at the lake’s upper reaches where flooded cypress trees are abundant. • Cedar Creek: The Post Oak reservoir near Athens doesn’t have an abundance of shoreline cover, but it’s lined with boat docks, piers and other artificial structures that are heavily utilized by crappie during the spawning season. This is one lake well worth a visit.

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Lake records for black and white crappie are 3.10 and 3.14 pounds. • Richland Chambers: RC is a big pond fed by numerous creeks and branches that offer gobs of cover for spawning and fishermen plenty of places to dunk their shiners and jigs. Locals in the know often head up the creeks at night this time of year to sack up big limits of white and black crappie, alike. The lake record white stands at 3.77 pounds and 2.47 poundsfor black crappie. • Granger: At 4,000 acres, Granger isn’t a huge lake, but it’s big on crappie. It ranks among the top lakes in Central Texas for sacking up a limit of slabs. Shallow and turbid, the lake has plenty of flooded brush and willows found along shorelines and flats bordering creeks at the lake’s upper reaches. It kicked out a lake record white crappie in February 2016, weighing 3.50 pounds. • Lake O’ the Pines: This 19,000-acre reservoir near Longview is a springtime favorite in northeast Texas with an abundance of shallow vegetation and terrestrial growth up and down the lake. Flooded backwaters in creeks such as Alley, Johnson, Hurricane and Brushy as well as shallow flats off the Big

Cypress channel will produce good numbers of crappie upwards of 1 1/2 pounds throughout March and April. ‘Pines gave up a lake record 3.45-pound white crappie last February and a 2.78-pound lake record black crappie in April 2010. • Lavon: This 21,000-acre Collin County reservoir near Wylie has always been an area hotspot for crappie, but it got a big shot in the arm a few years ago when it refilled after an extended period of low water. This allowed an abundance of terrestrial shore cover to sprout up and down the lake. If water levels are sufficient this spring, dabbling around willows and other vegetation should pay off big time. The lake record black crappie is 1.94 pounds and 2.91 pounds for white crappie. The list of good places to catch slab-size spring crappie in Texas doesn’t end there. Other lakes that deserve mention include Ray Roberts, Lewisville, Buchanan, Coffee Mill, Conroe, Livingston and Wright Patman. Look toward the shallows now on just about any lake, and you might find them in big numbers.

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T FEELS LIKE YOU’RE HOOKED TO a freight train with an attitude when you set the hook on a incredibly hard fighting carp. That has always captivated me about this humble species. Many fishermen have said the striped bass gives the hardest battle in the freshwater realm. I disagree. In other words, carp don’t play the game 30

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to lose. Nor do they come quietly to the boat or on the shore after being hooked. Add a kayak to the fishing equation, and you will have the action-filled ride of your life, one that can’t be reproduced many other places. Kayaks have come a very long way since the days I first started using them. They are more durable, stable and overall more enjoyable to fish from than ever before. Take for example the Diablo Adios kay|

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aks. They are thinner and wider than many other brands, making them more stable and very comfortable to fish out of all day, whether you want to stand up to fish or slide down to paddle, or vice versa. Using a kayak puts more fish-catching action in your favor. My rule for catching monster carp, or even smaller carp that fight like monsters, is this: Go where other fishermen do not. PHOTO COURTESY DIABLO KAYAKS

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PHOTO COURTESY DIABLO KAYAKS

Nate Wilson with a big carp that he caught from his kayak.

Using the kayak to get to a remote area is your key to success. Kayaks are also great for traveling to super shallow areas this time of year, as carp like to sun themselves during the daytime hours. Stalking up on them with

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a yak is a great way to ambush a school of sunning carp and sight cast until you connect with one. Even if you use your kayak to get to a spot and wade-fish from there, it is still an effec-

tive strategy. You can use traditional fishing gear, as you would for catfish—or even break out a fly rod and go for a more challenging adventure. The Power-Pole Micro Anchor System is a good choice to anchor in a shallow area with your kayak. Power-Pole’s other larger, shallow water anchors are known for keeping bigger boats on the fish when the action heats up. The Micro model does the same for smaller boats, such as a kayak. I like to fish stationary in calm water and leave the drag loose on my spinning reel. When a carp picks up the line and makes a run for it with your bait in its mouth, be ready! He will try to pull the rod right out of your hands. Another tactic I use is to “chum” your potential fishing hotspots with range cubes. You will find this livestock feed at your local farm and ranch feed supply store. Range cubes dissolve slowly in water, meaning it will extend your potential fishing time, and the fish will feed on them as they dissolve. You don’t have to fit the whole 50-pound bag of cubes on your yak. Just bag some up and chum around points, flats and

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other areas where carp like to roam in the shallows. When many Texas fishermen think of carp fishing, they approach the pursuit much like fishing for catfish, using dough bait, punch bait or homemade concoctions. This is fine, but there is a whole ‘nother level to the sport. I have always loved the European style of fishing for carp, as it is very effective and efficient. Build a “hair rig” using the new Mustad BBS Carp Hooks. The Mustad hooks make this an easy rig to fish as they have a wire that comes off the hook where you can tie your bait so it’s presented separate from the hook. Fish approach a hard ball (also known as a “boilie”) that looks the size and shape of a round hard candy. Even sweet corn can be rigged this way. The reason this is so effective is that carp are a very smart fish and can many times even detect the weight of a hook with bait on it. Having the hook separate from the bait usually increases the chance of a carp taking your offering. This rig has proved successful in my fishing adventures time and time again.

Kayaks can get to remote spots, a key factor in successful carp angling.

Regardless how you choose to fish for carp, the kayak is a great tool to increase your fishing success. You’ll cover more water, while you chum and locate more and bigger fish.

Remember carp are harder to outsmart than many fish, so be sure to bring your “A-Game!”

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CAN’T GET ENOUGH bowhunting, and I can’t get enough different types of bowhunting. That’s why years ago, I turned to the waters for a different kind of action. I am talking about bowfishing of course. Trying one’s luck fishing with a bow and arrow will humble the best fisherman you know. The most common problem you have when trying to bag a fish with an arrow is shooting over the target. You have to allow for refraction of the light when looking at a target in the water from an angle. Even knowing this undeniable fact, archers instinctively aim directly at the target. It takes a lot of practice, and I can attest to the fact that you will miss many more fish than you get. So…the laughter begins I once was asked to accompany a friend of mine who hosted a hunting television show. Nathan Jones of Wild Extremes called me out of the blue and just told me he was in my neck of the woods. He wanted to know whether I wanted to try my luck at bowfishing. I had never been before and I thought it would be fun so I accepted. To my surprise, when I arrived, there were Sallie Haynes two boats, bowﬁshes in the decked bayous feeding with lights Sabine Lake. and three

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cameramen. I had no idea he was about to film a television segment on bowfishing. My wife had no idea I would be out until sunrise, and I was extremely nervous about doing a TV show on something I knew nothing about. I do remember I was sweating so much I was sure I made the lake rise three inches with all the extra water my sweat glands provided. It did not take long at all before we were spotting fish everywhere. I would pull the bowstring back

many hours (it seemed like that anyway), I pulled my bowstring back on a nice carp and let loose. Yeah! My first bow-kill fish, and it was on camera, too! The host of the show had to congratulate me on scoring before him. Of course now I looked boldly at the camera and started explaining how one has to aim very low at these fish. By the time I finished my two minutes of fame as a bowfishing guru, I even convinced myself I knew what I was

and aim at an object in the water that looked like it might have been no more than 15 yards. I smiled for the camera as I released the arrow at what was to be a sure hit. Wrong! It was a clean miss. As a matter of fact, I kept missing over and over again. I absolutely knew you had to aim low, but I had no idea how low. My only consolation was the fact that Nathan, who is an expert marksman with a bow, was missing left and right as well. We both laughed hard for the cameras, but deep down we knew we had better score soon or he would have no show. I recall I thought to myself “if I hear one more time you need to aim lower, I might just throw the bow down and jump in the lake myself!” However, I kept my cool and was more determined than ever to master this sport. Finally, after many tries and

talking about. Since that long night, I have gone bowfishing as much as I possibly could. I love it. You can have a conversation with your fellow bow-fisherman, you don’t have to stay completely still to get a shot unlike any other species I have hunted with a bow. What really is good is the fact you never lose an arrow. Simply reel it back in and use it over and over again! Talk about a challenge!. Imagine you are aiming (very low) at a moving target. While you are on a boat constantly moving forward and rocking back and forth. I love it and so will you. So, go do some fishing this summer, but bring your bow instead of a rod and reel. Most of all remember to be safe and have fun out there.

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OG HUNTING is done chiefly on private land in

Texas. Millions of acres of public land in Texas offer zero to marginal hog hunting opportunities. National parks, national preserves, national grasslands, state wildlife management areas and state parks could offer some level of public hog hunting opportunities, and in fact, some do. Yet, for the most part that access is severely restricted. For example, hog hunting is greatly restricted on state-run wildlife management areas (WMA). That includes the Sam Houston National Forest, which is managed by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD). Areas of the federallyowned National Forest that are managed in partnership with TPWD include Moore Plantation (Sabine), Bannister (Angelina), Alabama

Creek (Davy Crockett), Caddo (Caddo National Grassland) and the entirety of the aforementioned Sam Houston National Forest. In terms of hog hunting restrictions, it is illegal to bait on any federal land. It is also illegal to bait on WMA land unless an exception has been made on a specific piece of property. The following Q&A is directly from a federal handout on hunting national forest land in East Texas on the aforementioned tracts. Is it legal to hunt hogs with dogs on the National Forest at night? Yes. A courtesy call to the local sheriff would be appreciated. Can you hunt feral hogs at night in the WMA? No. Hunting of feral hogs is restricted to daylight hours only. Can you hunt feral hogs with a firearm in the WMA during archery season? Yes, hog season

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is open year-round, and you can use all legal means and methods within all the WMAs except for the Sam Houston WMA and Caddo WMA. Sam Houston WMA has the archery only area—no firearms period. Caddo WMA has a season for feral hogs, and you can only use a bow during archery season for feral hogs. What other restrictions are there on hunting with dogs within the WMA? It is illegal to hunt deer, turkey, and feral hogs with dogs. In East Texas that puts hundreds of thousands of acres either off access or greatly restricted to hog hunting. This gives hogs huge areas that are essentially sanctuaries where they can breed and disperse. When you factor in WMAs all across the state, you can see a smaller version of this happening in dozens of areas. In addition, thousands

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of acres of National Wildlife Refuge lands are off limits to any kind of hog hunting along the coast. Aransas offers hogs to be killed during limited archery-only whitetail hunts. However, that is the only federal hog hunting opportunity we could find on refuges along the coast. Most of these areas have huge hog populations. This once again creates huge sanctuaries for hogs and no hunting zones for Texas hog hunters as we reported last summer. For hunters who would like to get in on public hog hunting, the best option is to buy an Annual Public Hunting Permit for $48. You will receive a map booklet detailing all of the state sponsored public hunting opportunities. You can find it at https:// tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/ hunt/public/annual_public_hunting/.

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TEXAS WHITETAILS by LARRY WEISHUHN :: TF&G Contributing Editor

The Whitetail Acre

two-year bucks which had been almost legal— a buck with at least four points on one side and a minimum inside spread of 13-inches. The one thing I wanted to be certain of, is to provide sufficient quality and quantity of forage for the deer to develop to their full potential. Fertilized food plots is one of our ways of doing so. We are fortunate we have decent top soil, and for the most part sufficient

IGHT WANT TO GRAB your fly rods!” I told Josh and Jake. “Bluegill should be biting. Put them behind the seat with mine. The back of the truck is loaded with “T” posts and barbed wire.” Two of my grandsons, Josh and Jake, had volunteered to help out at “The Whitetail Acre,” my little place in northern Colorado County, part of the old Zimmerscheidt Community. They were in town, and I wanted to take advantage of their help putting fences around what would soon be a spring, and later, a fall food plot. I also had plans for them helping me pile some dead cedars on brush piles to provide cover for various oak, mulberry and persimmon trees I had recently planted. This would also create a couple of “wind rows” made of dead cedar to protect honeysuckle we would plant before piling the limbs on top of the new plants. This would provide both cover and support for what I hoped would be a natural food plot once the vines started growing. “Big plans!” I heard Josh say as he loaded the chainsaw on the truck. “Reckon we’ll have time to look for sheds?” asked Jake. I nodded an affirmative before getting into the pickup for the 30-minute drive to the property “I’d love for us to find the sheds from that big eight-point that kept giving you the slip,” he said. So did I. During the latter part of December, I had seen the buck numerous times, but only briefly as if to tease me. Thankfully, I had seen him the last evening of the season. I knew he had made the season and would, I hope, be bigger next year. We had left numerous, likely

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Calling in predators is part of deer management, too.

precipitation to grow forage. I bought fertilizer from a local feed/fertilizer store. In early March it will be used to fertilize some of the oak trees on the property by digging a narrow ditch just along the edge of the drip-line; the reach of the outer most branches where many of the trees’ “feeder roots” are found. I will also fertilize some of the yaupon, a prevalent evergreen in our area, and then also patches of dewberry and smilax, also known as greenbrier. These native plants respond well to fertilization. Then too, I will apply fertilizer to my existing food plots based on a soil analysis. By weekend’s end Jake, Josh and I had built |

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fences around three new food plots, amounting to about two acres each (4,850 square yards per acre). A bit later in the spring I will plant these plots in a variety of seeds including some of Tecomate’s mixtures and blends, but also so corn, sunflowers, okra and milo. The latter not only for food, but also for cover; planting six rows of the taller plants, then 12 rows of Tecomate’s blends, then repeating this alternating pattern across the field. I wish I could tell you we found the sheds of the big eight-point, but we did not. We did find a couple of small antlers. By comparing the size of where the antlers attached to the skull to the main beam just above the burr, I confirmed what I thought. The pedicel and the main beam were about the same size, indicating their age. Had they been older the main beam circumference should have been larger then the pedicel attachment area. We did catch a mess of bluegills between building fences and piling up dead cedar. Sunday evening I fried them up along with a sack of potatoes. Habitat management and creation is hungry work! Two days after the boys left, I grabbed my Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter .44 Mag revolver loaded with Hornady’s 240-grain XTP (I think I heard my Ruger No. 1 in .405 Win topped with a TrackingPoint scope whimper about being left behind), grabbed my Convergent Hunting Solutions mouth-blown calls and headed back to the place in hope of calling in and removing a bobcat or coyote to help save some fawns. Totally uncharacteristic of bobcats, no sooner did I start blowing than a big tom appeared out of the briars about 75 yards away. When he stopped broadside, I squeezed the trigger on the Ruger revolver, and the cat fell dead. Late winter and early spring predator control, too, is a part of deer management.

« Email Larry Weishuhn at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com PHOTO: LARRY WEISHUHN

2/8/18 12:31 PM

Texas GUNS by STEVE LAMASCUS | TF&G Shooting Editor

A Look at Varmint Calibers

HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT PREDAtor rifles herein a couple of times, but never about rifles and calibers intended for extended shooting over prairie dog towns, or for woodchucks, rockchucks, or any of the other rodentia that are available to the hunter. Because this is one of the fastest growCalling in and many ing aspects of the shooting sports, predators is of this Texans travel far and wide to partake of deer sport, I think it’s time to part broach that subject. management, The first cartridge intended from the onset too. to be a varmint cartridge was the diminutive .22 Hornet. It was and is a wonderfully mild, reasonably accurate little cartridge, but is short on range and power. It fires a 45-grain bullet at about 2,600 feet per second and is good for about 150 yards on creatures the size of prairie dogs and ground squirrels. Almost identical to the Hornet is the .218 Bee, but the Bee was primarily found in lever actions, which caused accuracy to be less than stellar as compared to a good bolt action, and I know of no varmint rifles currently chambered for the Bee. Now we step up the next level. This group of cartridges are so similar in performance that you can just flip a coin or roll dice. The .221 Remington Fireball, .222 Remington, .223 Remington, and the discontinued, but still great .222 Remington Magnum, are all cut pretty much from the same cloth. The eldest of the group, the .222, was the brainchild of Remington’s Mike Walker. It was intended from the beginning to fire a 50-grain bullet at 3,200 feet per second. This it will do. The .223 will push that same bullet to about 3,400, and the .222 Remington Magnum will manage about 3,450 without exceeding cur-

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hunters even use the .25-06 with 120-grain bullets for elk, but that is pushing it a bit much for my tastes. Also very good, but often overlooked these days, is the .257 Roberts. There are no flies on the old .250-3000 Savage, and the 6mm Remington is one heck of a cartridge. Also falling into the small varmint category are cartridges of .17 and .204 caliber. I put them last because that is how I think of them. The .17s are the .17 Remington Fireball (.17-221), .17 Remington, and several wildcats such as the .17/222. These are speed demons of the first order, but shoot bullets of 20- or 25-grains, which are not suitable either for long range or windy conditions. Their biggest plus is their almost negligible recoil. The .17 Remington will fire a 25-grain bullet at more than 4,000 fps, but drifts very badly in the wind. Also, these tiny hotrods require cleaning after about 20 shots or accuracy falls off pretty drastically. The .204 Ruger is the only .20 caliber on the market today and it deserves special attention. With a 40-grain bullet at 3,850 fps, or a 45-grain at 3,600, it is fast and flat. I used one on a Wyoming prairie dog hunt a few years ago and was amazed at how flat it shot. In fact, most of my misses were caused by over-shooting. When I hit a prairie dog, the only thing left was scraps. There you have it. Your choice depends on what you want to accomplish. You can have a rifle specifically for extended bouts with rodents, or a big game rifle for some off-season practice. Pick one that suits your needs and have fun. That is, after all, the ultimate reason for being there.

rent loading data. The .221 Fireball is the weak sister of the group, pushing that same 50-grain bullet to 3,100. These are all solid, mild cartridges with little recoil and mild muzzle blast. You could shoot any of them all day on a prairie dog town without being worn down by recoil. The range they are good for pretty much depends on the ability of the shooter. However, I would place the .221 and .222 in the 225-yard area, and the .223/.222 Magnum at about 300. The .222 Magnum is no longer chambered in factory rifles, but should not be overlooked in a used rifle or if rebarreling or building a custom rifle. Reloading components are still available. One of my pets is a .222 Remington Magnum Ackley Improved. The real hotrods of the .22 calibers are the .22-250, .220 Swift, and the .223 Winchester Super Short Magnum. The .22-250 will spit a 55-grain bullet to above 3,650 fps, the .220 Swift will manage 3,800 with a 55-grain bullet, and the .223 WSSM will push 3,900. That is fast! If wind isn’t a problem, any of them are capable of making shots to the far side of 400 yards. However, they have more recoil and a lot more muzzle blast than their milder brethren. Because both recoil and muzzle blast are cumulative, they are not as pleasant for an allday shoot on a big prairie dog town. The top end of this group is the .243s and .25s. These are the heavyweights of the varmint group. They are certainly capable of much greater range and buck the wind better. They also kick more and have more muzzle blast. The .243 Winchester is the largest I would recommend for a day on a dog town, and then only with a heavy-barreled varmint rifle to attenuate the recoil. However, for the hunter who is looking to make a few very long shots, the .25-06 is pretty much unbeatable. The .243 Winchester will kick a 65-grain bullet out at 3,600 feet per second, or an 80-grain at 3,300. The .25-06 will send a 75-grain bullet off at 3,700 fps, or an 87-grain at 3,500. This group is where, with the proper bullets, you step up to cartridges that are good combinations for varmints deer, or antelope. Some F I S H

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HAT IS THE GREATEST TROPHY A turkey hunter can bag in the United States? Is it the Grand Slam with all varieties in the U.S.? Or is it simply a giant, bearded, heavyspurred bird of one’s favorite subspecies? A Merriam’s, perhaps, TF&G Hunting Editor Lou Marullo’s favorite? In my opinion, it would be one of the super rare color variants that occasionally creep into the gene pool. According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, individual differences in feather coloration are probably the most reported oddities. “The late James Kazmierski and his son, Steven, compiled a detailed article titled, “Turkey Plumage: Color and Composition,” in which they state that the genetics responsible for these variations have not been well documented.” They noted the Kazmierskis have listed eight plumage types found in domestic turkeys. They go on to speculate that because domestic turkeys originated from wild stock, the genes responsible for such plumage types are probably found in wild populations as well. “One of the most common color variations is the “smoky gray” color phase,” the Kazmierskis wrote. “Turkeys with this variation appear white from a distance. Upon closer examination, however, it is obvious that these birds’ appearance is due to a loss of brown or bronze pigments, while the black areas of the feathers remain.” “Every year, the NWTF receives reports of turkeys in a smoky gray color phase, and many turkey hunters have seen at least one during their time in their field. This recessive trait seems to occur more frequently among hens, but is still occasionally seen in gobblers.” NWTF officials said this trait is probably detrimental to survival—it makes the turkey more visible. However, some smoky gray wild turkeys may survive for several years. One smoky gray hen in Georgia was observed with a normal brood of poults each spring for five years. They added that melanistic (black) and erythristic (red) color variations also are reported each year, but are not as common as the smoky gray phase. Albinism is also reported.

REPORT: NEWS 44u TF&G OF THE NATION Reported by TF&G Staff

HOT 44u TEXAS SHOTS Trophy Photos from TF&G Readers

46u TEXAS COASTAL FORECAST

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

56u TEXAS FISHING HOTSPOTS

by Tom Behrens, Dustin Warncke and Dean Heffner

66u SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK Tides and SoLunar Data

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Have you ever seen a turkey with one of these color phases? If so, email me at cmoore@fishgame.com and share your story or photo/video if you have one. OFF-COLORED WHITETAILS ARE A more common but still striking sighting. On rare occasions, an albino whitetail will make it to adulthood in the wild—a remarkable sight. They are striking animals. Over the last five years, I have had the pleasure of being around one at my friend Ken Swenson’s Swenson Whitetail Ranch. Their buck “Rusty” is becoming quite an impressive specimen. Think of a piebald as an animal with partial albinism, or simply a lack of pigment in certain areas instead of all over the body. Over the years, there have been a number of piebald whitetails taken. My father, my wife Lisa and I saw a piebald doe while hunting aoudads on a beau-

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tiful spread called the Greenwood Valley Ranch in 1993. She had big blotches on her side and several along the neck. Piebalds are also called “calico deer” and seem to be most commonly killed in the Pineywoods region of the state but they could turn up anywhere. When I was a kid, my father and I put together scrapbooks of wildlife, and I had a small clipping of a leucistic (white) whitetail from the Seneca Army Depot in New York. Ten years ago, TF&G Bowhunting Editor Lou Marullo took me there, and we got to see some behind their security fence as well as one free-ranging a few miles from the post. According to Senecawhitedeer.org, “The white deer found at Seneca Army Depot are a natural variation of the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), which normally

have brown coloring.” “The Seneca white deer are leucistic, meaning they lack all pigmentation in the hair, but have the normal brown-colored eyes. Albino deer, which lack only the pigment melanin, have pink eyes and are extremely rare. The Seneca white deer interbreed freely with the brown deer in the former depot and appear to share the habitat equally.” They go on to say the genetics of these deer have not been studied extensively, but a recessive gene for lack of pigmentation apparently prevents normal (i.e. brown) coloration of the hair. “Management of the white deer within the former depot increases the proportion of deer exhibiting the trait.” New York is not the only place leucistic deer have been found, and this is another potential source for “ghost deer” in the Lone Star State. Last year reader Charlie Hennigan sent

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PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Leucistic deer have white hair and blue eyes.

images of a black deer he encountered near Luling, Texas. It was 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

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fox squirrels and is evident in jaguars and leopards. “Black panthers” are not a separate species but simply melanistic jaguars and leopards. Luling is located 49 miles south of Austin, and over the years I have documented a

number of melanistic whitetails within about a 50-mile radius of Austin. Several have been northwest of Austin 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 that part of the state has what wildlife managers would consider an out of whack buck to doe ratio. 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. In recent years several melanistic bucks have been reported taken in Texas. It’s 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. Whitetails and turkeys are intriguing animals, so encountering a rare color phase is a reminder of the excitement that comes with venturing into the great outdoors.

2/12/18 11:52 AM

The NATIONAL

News of TEXAS

Hurricane Harvey Cleanup Begins on Coastal WMAs HURRICANE HARVEY DEPOSITED record-breaking amounts of rain on Texas, displacing people and wildlife while damaging homes, businesses and other infrastructure. To help environmental recovery efforts, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) established a special fund to support immediate and rapid assessments of the ecological impacts. This will also assist with urgent wildlife and habitat restoration projects and comes from NFWF’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. It focuses on areas along the Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts that incurred extensive damage from the storm. Rainfall amounts from the storm recorded near J. D. Murphree Wildlife

Large rafts of wetland plants ﬂoated loose during Hurricane Harvey ﬂoods.

Management Area (WMA) ranged from 47.52 inches at Jack Brooks Regional Airport to 60.58 inches near Nederland,

Texas, according to the National Weather Service. This extreme rainfall caused flooding of the coastal marshes within the WMA, with water depths exceeding seven feet at the height of the flooding. Water levels did not consistently

SPECKLED TROUT

WHITETAIL

Texas City

Loma Alta

Sean Hagans caught this speckled trout while kayak ﬁshing at the Texas City Dike.

Ten-year-old Hunter Votaw showe that he was aptly named when he shot this eight-point buck while hunting in Loma Alta with his grandpa, Buggs Shipman.

Visit FishGame.com to upload your own TEXAS HOT SHOTS and Vote for our next Winners 44

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return to typical levels until September 20, 2017. This flooding caused large rafts of cattail, bulrush, and other emergent wetland plants to float loose from the soils within managed compartments, such as the Big Hill Unit. Rafts of vegetation settled within interior ditches as floodwaters receded, nearly or completely blocking approximately 4,600 linear feet of ditches. These ditches are necessary to move water from the interior of the Big Hill Unit wetland compartments to Big Hill Bayou for water level and habitat management. Without them, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) cannot control water levels in the units, potentially increasing the time the marsh is flooded. Extended flooding can alter the plant communities and create floating marsh, which is more susceptible to future storm damage. TPWD and Ducks Unlimited are tackling the problem at J.D. Murphree WMA by cleaning out the wetland compartment ditches in the Big Hill Unit. NFWF will provide $82,000 for the project, which is scheduled to be completed by end of March. Ducks Unlimited will prepare and administer the construction contract and complete the project closeout.

RAINBOW TROUT Guadalupe River Alex Garza caught this 23 ½-inch Rainbow Trout last December while ﬁshing on the Guadalupe River. He caught it with a chartreuse rooster tail.

Game Wardens Get a Drone TEXAS GAME WARDENS ARE ADDing a new set of eyes in the sky — an Unmanned Aircraft System or UAS — they say will enhance their ability to quickly and safely surveil hard to access areas during natural disasters and search and rescue operations. The new drone, a DJI Inspire 2, was donated through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation’s Gear Up for Game Wardens program, which has generated over $100,000 in private donations thus far to fund purchases of specialized equipment for

TPWD Law Enforcement now has a drone for search and rescue work.

the ability to identify dangers such as swift water, downed powerlines, and hazardous materials. Identifying these threats allows for greater safety of victims as well as wardens.” Campbell went on to add, “The UAS will enhance our ability to quickly locate and guide rescuers to victim locations, and we also see the potential of the UAS as a training tool, as well as helping with reconstructing boat accident scenes.” The UAS will be based out of Texas Game Warden Region 7 in Temple, but available for deployment statewide. Wardens are hoping to obtain additional unmanned aircraft in the future armed with thermal imaging systems for deployment throughout their eight law enforcement regions.

state game wardens. “It will definitely be deployed during disaster events and search operations,” said Game Warden Pilot Lt. Brandon Rose. “We’re limited from using our helicopter and airplane if weather is bad. With this drone we may be able to search for missing persons in situations where we can’t use the manned aircraft. During those down times, this craft could be the difference maker in getting help and saving lives.” The new game warden UAS can attain a maximum speed of 58 mph and can go from 0 to 50 in 5 seconds with a range of about 4 miles. The unit’s camera payload allows for realtime broadcast, which provides the same live HD video feed to a large HD TV screen or monitor. This feature can give rescuers and command staff a live view enabling them to make immediate and appropriate decisions T E X A S

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that save lives. The craft has a distinctive custom paint job and vinyl wrap similar to that on the Texas game warden helicopter, and is easily identifiable by markings on the unit’s arms that read: “Game Warden Search and Rescue.” “This much-anticipated piece of equipment comes in the wake of the Wimberly floods, and after wardens affected 12,000 rescues and evacuations during Hurricane Harvey,” offered Waco-based Game Warden Capt. Jason Campbell. “Many of the rescues in both of these events were highly technical and presented an above average danger to the victims and wardens involved. The UAS will equip our warden first responders with

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2/12/18 11:53 AM

Coastal Focus: SABINE :: by Capt. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

The Potential of March

Although Mother Nature sometimes seems confused as to which season it is, you can bet there will be some days this month when everything seems to come together. Warm temperatures, light winds, good tides, and plentiful baitfish usually amount to some serious rod bending action on Sabine. If you’re lucky enough to have the right moon phase and barometric pressure thrown into the mix, you’ve got all the ingredients for some of the best fishing days of your life. Unfortunately, that same logbook is quick to remind me that catching fish in March can be very tough. The conditions can be downright nasty. Brutal, relentless winds that seemingly never end and off-colored water are some of the challenges we have to contend with. The bite can be just as tough, as it can be good when the wind decides it wants to blow 30 mph. Although big winds from the south and east are much better than from the north and west, you’ll still have to earn every bite you get. It’s never easy when you’ve got white-

T IS MARCH. THE WINDY MONTH with all the potential. There’s no doubt that some of the most memorable days we’ve ever spent on Sabine Lake were during this month. Whether it be speckled trout, redfish or flounder, when the stars line up just right, the fishing can be better than good. Checking my logbook helps jog my memory and brings me back to days when I was totally convinced that fishing just couldn’t possibly get any better. Those days date back to the 1970s when dad would take us fishing, all the way up to March 2017. I’m certain this year will be no different.

caps in the bayou. If you can catch a break from the wind, you should have little problem finding fish from Blue Buck Point to Coffee Ground Cove. Bouncing soft plastics on ¼- or 1/8ounce lead heads off the bottom in one to five feet of water should get good results. Color choices that have worked well for us are margarita, limetreuse, glow and smoke with chartreuse. Flounders making their way back from the gulf, find it very hard to resist the wobble of a curl tail grub such as GULP Swimming Mullet. Green, pink, and pearl work very well especially when tipped with fresh shrimp and dragged on the bottom. When you hit a couple of fish in a spot, ease the anchor overboard or stick the Power Pole and work that area over real good. Keep in mind trout and reds should also be ganging up this month in the bay under working gulls. The south end from the Causeway to Pleasure Island Marina should provide the most action. Rat-L-Traps, spoons, topwaters and soft plastics will all get the job done. Hopefully the stars will line up just right and you can come join us here on Sabine in the month with all the potential.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: North Levy Road (Pleasure Island). SPECIES: flounder, trout, redfish, black drum, croaker. BAITS/LURES: finger mullet, shad, fresh dead shrimp, GULP Swimming Mullet. BEST TIMES: Incoming tides.

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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Coastal Focus: GALVESTON :: by Capt. MIKE HOLMES

Good Things Appear on The Horizon! the upper Texas coast dealt with in Late December. Some fish kill could be expected. Not many fishermen ventured out in weather hitting well below freezing. Normally, nature reacts to such conditions by kicking into a “higher gear” when warmer

“ Because March is not a ‘hot’ month for coastal ﬁshing, it should be a good time for the Gulf to drain.

LOCATION: If temperatures are still on the cool side, deeper water will be more productive, but on warmer days bay reefs and sandbars in the surf will begin to hold fish. The immediate area of passes and river mouths should be productive. SPECIES: Trout, reds, and flounders will return with warm tides, and should be hungry. BAIT: Cold weather encourages the use of natural baits that leave a scent trail in the water, but plastic jig tails and flashing spoons will draw strikes as well. BEST TIME: Early is not as important as letting some warmth get into the water. Sunny days will be good, and more comfortable for fishermen.

weather—and water—returns in the spring. However, this is something we’ll just need some time to determine. Of course, cold weather should be gone by now, and we hope any damages it may have caused are being understood and addressed. Folks in other areas who routinely deal with much colder weather probably think we Texans over-react to the temperatures we sometimes get, but we do deal with it. We just don’t much like it. Events such as the black drum “run” might be delayed into March, and warmer weather flounder will also be later than in more normal years. The deeper water of the Gulf protects many species from such weather damT E X A S

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THE BANK BITE

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N BRAZORIA COUNTY, WHERE I live, our County Judge says the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey will take several years to “undo.” That’s somewhat sobering, since Harvey was not a real strong storm in the way of wind and tidal surge. However, heavy rains associated with it caused flooding from Houston to Galveston and throughout out coastal Brazoria County. Some of the flooding was because the mouth of the San Bernard River was again “sanded” shut. My hunting property in Brazoria County is a couple of miles from a bend in the river. Water that could not easily drain to the Gulf backed up to flood my land and cover the county road in front of it for some time. Following that event, funds collected after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill are expected to be used in a $10.7 million project. The project will re-open the river mouth and work on a couple of other coastal projects, including the Quintana Beach Fishing Pier. The river mouth opening needed to be considered for a lot of reasons. It’s too bad it took Hurricane flooding to get it done. Because March is not a “hot” month for coastal fishing, it should be a good time for the Gulf to drain. This will flush all the freshwater and get saltwater nursery areas ready to produce this spring. Heavy flooding always “cleans” the bays and coastal streams, so conditions for coastal fish species should be improved. Salinities should be good enough for speckled trout and redfish, with flounders beginning to show in deeper spots. The cold weather black drum fishing should be better in the cleaner areas, also. The other factor concerning weather and coastal fishing comes with the hard freeze

ages, and provides a rebounding population very quickly—almost a restocking. So we should see an even more productive spring. Most of March should be spent in getting boats, tackle, and other equipment in good shape for the coming active fishing season. You should also follow closely the local fishing and environmental reports. Even if we have to make adjustments to our techniques and areas of efforts, this is just part of the sport. By the end of March, most questions about fishing conditions should be at least partially answered, and our watery lives will be getting back to “normal”

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Email Mike Holmes at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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2/12/18 11:53 AM

Coastal Focus: MATAGORDA :: by Contributing Editor MIKE PRICE

Planning a Fishing Trip

OU AND YOUR FISHING friend have been getting your tackle and boat ready and looking forward to a day on the water for

weeks. Let’s take a look at what other pre-planning you have control over, so you’ll go fishing on a day that has the most promise.

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Sportsman’s Daybook in Texas Fish and Game will help you select a day that combines the most fish biting factors. The following is not about a specific day in March 2018, it is simply an example. Looking in the Daybook, you see that in the middle of March a day with a predicted low tide of -0.03 feet at 12:55 a.m. and a high tide of 1.08 feet at 8:25 a.m. More than a foot of tidal change causes a lot of water to move into and out of East and West Matagorda Bays, and current is what you want. Water movement pushes bait fish, shrimp, and crabs into areas where trout, redfish, and flounders can feed on them. Depending on where you decide to fish, your actual high tide time will vary, but you know that the tide will move in with force

when you start fishing in the morning. If you fish until, say 1 p.m., you’ll experience a change from incoming to outgoing tide, which I have found, can also stimulate the bite. You also learn from Sportsman’s Daybook that on the day you are looking at, a minor feeding period will occur at 8:49 a.m. This is a time when the phase of the moon should stimulate feeding activity. Another factor is water temperature. NOAA’s Coastal Water Temperature Guide at https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/cwtg/ will show you historical water temperatures. Let’s say you find that the historical average water temperature for West Matagorda Bay on the day you want is 63°F. In March you can have a cool, cloudy day,

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which will leave the water temperature on the low side. This means the fish will move slower, so you should move your lure slower, and the trout bites will probably be faint. On a warm sunny day, the water temperature, especially over shallow areas, will go up by about 5°F. This produces more active fish movement and a more pronounced bite. Of course you cannot plan for the variance in water temperature. However, if you understand how the weather affects the water temperature and the bite, you can adjust your fishing approach accordingly. Finally the day you have selected arrives, and you and your fishing buddy meet at Matagorda Harbor at 6:45 a.m. You selected this meeting time because the sun rises at 7:30 a.m., and you know that first light is about 30 minutes prior to the sunrise. Another bite-creating factor is to fish when the sun comes up or goes down. The problem on this day is, that the wind is stronger than you would like, 15 to 20 mph out of the southeast. A wind this strong is close to small craft warnings, so you have to be very careful running your boat. However, you decide you are able to go safely.

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The strong wind also means that the incoming tide will be higher and stronger, because the wind is pushing water from the Gulf of Mexico into the bays. Otherwise it is an okay weather day—no rain, partly cloudy and air temperatures starting at 65°F. You talk it over and decide not to drift fish in the open bay, because the winds would move your boat too fast, and the waves will be uncomfortable. You figure that going to the south shore of either East or West Matagorda Bays and wade fishing will work. The barrier islands will block the strong southeast wind, and you should still have relatively clear shorelines, back lakes, and bayous. When you arrive, you know the tide will be incoming, so you decide to wade fish the shoreline and entrances to the bayous. You position yourself about 20 yards from the shoreline. Then you cast to the shoreline, bayou entrances, and into the bay. You are constantly on the lookout for the welcome site of springtime baitfish getting blown up by predators. Long before you actually go bay fishing, you can do some pre-trip planning that will pay off. Pick a day with strong tidal move-

ment, a minor or major feeding period, and study the average water temperatures for that day and location. Now, make adjustments for the actual wind and weather and enjoy your carefully planned day of fishing.

THE BANK BITE UNDER THE BRIDGE: In the village of Matagorda, a bridge goes over the Intracoastal Waterway carrying vehicles to the beach. Under this bridge, on both sides, you will ﬁnd places to bank ﬁsh. Most of the time, water is moving swiftly so use a ½ ounce weight or more to keep your bait from moving with the current. Live bait is best, but fresh, dead shrimp will attract a bite as well.

« Email Mike Price at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

2/12/18 11:53 AM

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

Caution... The Water May Be Slick

T’S MARCH, AND IT’S TIME TO fish the slicks! In past discussions regarding fish slicks, we have talked about the fact that small slicks can sometimes mean larger trout, and huge, drifting slicks often tend to produce smaller school trout. Small slicks along area shorelines will typically point you to larger feeding trout. This is a key point to make. On some of the cooler March mornings you may often see small,

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saucer-size slicks suddenly appearing along a shoreline where you have noticed a congregation of baitfish. When this happens, you’ll want to move into position slowly, drop the power pole, and bail out over the side of the boat with your favorite surface plug or most-trusted suspending lure. You may have already driven past this particular location earlier in the day, or several times in the past weeks. However, you just now witnessed small slicks suddenly forming out of nowhere, tight against the grassy bank. Now is the time for you to slowly and meticulously scour the area for what just might turn out to be a couple of big, elusive cold-water speckled trophies. Typically, you’ll also find your fair share of redfish this month as you fine-tune the practice of chasing slicks. However, the heart-stopping grand prize comes when you happen upon a career-best trout while examining the underside of one of these slicks with your favorite lure. When you cast to a slick, try throwing to the opposite side of the slick. This enables your bait to travel across the upwind end of the slick itself as you make your retrieve. Whenever possible, you should cast across the wind, or quartering into the wind to make a more natural presentation and appearance. Natural baitfish will most commonly be seen swimming at an angle to the wind, so give it a shot and see what happens. Never be afraid to change things up a little bit if you’re not getting desired results. If you’ve noticed a fresh slick, stopped the boat and waded the entire area with no results, you may wish to give the area time to recover. Head back to the boat and idle slowly and quietly out of the area. On the way, scan the water’s surface in search of any fresh slicks you can take advantage of. The fish that caused the formation of |

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the slick originally might remain in the area because there is an active food source in the there. Never shy away from trying to locate other slicks somewhere else for a little while. Then return to your original spot at the end of the day. If the bait appears to still be there upon your return, the trout and the redfish are probably still there, too. You might even notice new slicks on your second visit because you left the area uninterrupted for a period of time. This revisiting technique is a tried practice that has produced a number of large, coolweather trout over the years for many coastal anglers. Who knows, trying this just might enable you to end your day with a limit of big trout, and maybe even a story to go along with them. Don’t forget that March generally is a time of change in the year. The daylight hours will begin to slowly increase each day, and area bay waters will typically begin to warm slowly as a direct result. This will force anglers to make slight and continuous adjustments throughout the springtime months. Fish will focus on gradual changes, as well. Fish, such as speckled trout, that are typically more finicky about water temperatures will usually make a gradual move from mud to sand, as warmer temperatures prevail in flats along protected shorelines. This marks a great opportunity to experiment with tapering and undulating shorelines. Tapering shorelines allow you to cover a lot of ground by wading in a zigzag pattern as you walk from the shallows out to deeper water, and then back to the shallows. Undulating shorelines allow you to wade the guts in chest-deep water, or to wade in waist-deep water along the sandbars separating the guts. Either way offers you the benefit of exploring different depths of the water column as you search for an active bite.

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

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Coastal Focus: ROCKPORT :: by Capt. MAC GABLE

Against the Wind

HE NORTHER HIT MY HOUSE at 3 a.m. It was what we Texans call a “Blue Norther.” The temperature dropped 40 degrees in under an hour. My clients were hard-core fishermen/anglers and had driven 300 miles to fish this one day. I pulled out my Stanley thermos and started up my drip coffee maker. It was the makings of a long cold day and a warm cup of joe would sure be nice. The forecast was for temperatures around 30 degrees. On the water it would be about 25 degrees with a wind chill of 17. As I reached for the coffee, a tin with Baileys Irish Cream beckoned my name. I’m not a drinking man, mostly because it no longer agrees with me. However, on this day a shot of the spirited cream in their coffee might be appreciated by my clients. Besides, Jesus turned the water into wine, so no foul done—even though I knew that was about as weak a reason as is heavenly possible. These are the days that guide wannabe’s seldom hear about or consider. Even my wife said she didn’t envy my job today. The water was rapidly leaving our bays, so what would be shallow running normally would be high and dry ground in a few hours. These conditions are game changers, so any bite pattern I had noticed over the past several weeks was out the door. My wife said, “Maybe they will call and cancel.” “Yeah, they will call all right, and they will want to know where the hell I am if I don’t get a move on.” I could see even from two blocks away what looked like two HUGE marshmallows that were milling about at the dock. No one else was crazy enough to be there, so I knew it was my guys. When I tell you, they looked like the Michelin men it is no stretch of the truth. Visions of them getting too cold and wanting to cut the trip short or cut it all together were blown away in the 30-knot wind that was now freezing my bald head. The suits they had on were made to hunt

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a fish hit it, but at this point that seemed wishful thinking, so I abstained. “Fellas” I said, “we need to move - this is wasted effort.” “Okay Capt. Mac. Umm, Capt. Mac, do you have any spirits aboard? “Spirits?” I queried. “You guys ghost hunters or something? There are, according to legend, deer here with human heads on these islands, but I think that’s more whiskey legend than anything else.” “The spirit of whiskey is what we are asking about,” the twins said. “No whiskey,” I told them. “But I do have a bottle of Baileys Cream that tastes good in hot coffee, which I just happen to have as well.” “That’ll do.” they both said. “Can we wait a bit here and get a cup?” “Absolutely,” I said. With two good shots per cup, we had some SPIRITED coffee. Even though it is scientifically proven that alcohol actually works the opposite of warming a person up, it just feels like does, especially with the hot coffee. On this day, ANY feeling of warmth was needed. I’m not sure whether it was the coffee or the time

in Saskatchewan Canada so somebody was gonna be cold today, and it looked like it was me, not them. Spirits were high and it did indeed help my attitude a bit. After checking my fuel separator for frozen water, I launched my boat. The water was lower than I expected and there was to be little or no tide movement. This day, the wind was the tide, and it was all heading rapidly in one direction, due south. The water temperature had dropped 20 degrees from the day before and looked to go steadily down. The two 65-year old guys whom I dubbed the “Michelin Twins” wore thick gloves on their hands, faces were fully covered and they were now ready for action. I said to myself—cold or not, you just gotta love ‘em. My plan now was clear. After seeing the falling water temperature, we headed to the black mud bottoms that hold the heat. With the front just arriving it was really too soon to expect the reds or trout to have already reacted. More than likely they were still in transition, which is called lockjaw. The Michelin Twins were almost comical trying to work my reels with their thick gloves. I wanted to caution them about dropping/losing the rod should

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Forecast: ROCKPORT above his head, on his back one minute then, on his side the next. At one point, he rolled to his stomach, and I saw the flash of the fish as it fought furiously against the line. It was now headed to the back of the boat, and Twin #2 hollered “You gotta get to the back or he’s gonna cut you off.” We ducked as the line went over our heads and hit the railing around my windshield. Luckily, it rubbed right over the smooth railing (Thank God for braided line) and was now on the opposite side of the boat. Time seemed to go in slow motion, when all of a sudden, the line went slack. Twin #1 about started crying believing the fish had gotten off. “REEL IN. ” I hollered. “As fast as you can, he’s coming at the boat.” The action of the rod and reel in the gloved hands of this horizontal Twin #1 was like watching someone cranking an eccentric scissor car jack. Net in hand, I had to put an end to this, one way or the other. The bull red was heading straight for the side of the boat. I could see the swivel. As he started to pass under the boat (a cut off for sure), I made a stab with my net and he swam right into it. I hefted for all I was worth, and the handle of the net broke. The fish, now in the hoop of the net, landed perfectly in Twin #1’s lap. He was now a very happy man with the 42 ½ inch red, net and line now lying on his knees. After some practice and plenty of Baileys, the Twins became quite adept at sail casting. Reds and trout were all hanging within feet of the shoreline. Everything this day was the opposite of protocol. Normally the wind pushes bait onto waiting shorelines, which is typically where the fish are. However, in the event of a strong cold front, the shoreline stops the warmer water from the previous day or hours from being blown into the bay. This is best wade-fished, but for those that can master sail casting (much like throwing a curve ball), boat fishing in these spots can be phenomenal. My advice, though, is to stay on your feet.

to collect myself, but suddenly my mind switched to my youth and the days wading all over these waters. I remembered three places I waded on very cold days that held fish. The shoreline was directly in the face of the wind and all but impossible to cast into, but I could tell the water temperature was warmer mostly because the near shoreline protected the water from the wind. My gut told me there would be fish there. I jumped up and said “Guys, rig for running we’re going ‘sail fishing.’” “Capt. Mac, we’re with you on almost anything,” they replied, horrified, “but we ain’t going into the Gulf of Mexico which is where the sail fish are right?” “Right” I said, “a more accurate term is ‘sail casting.’” I eased the Haynie within three or four feet of the frozen salt grass on the north shoreline. The guys grabbed their rods, mud minnows attached, and positioned themselves to cast. “Not that way,” I said. “But you always have the wind at our backs when we cast.” “Not now” I said. “The fish are not out there. If they are here they’re gonna be within 10 to 15 feet of the shore line.” I took the rod, turned my back to the bay and was now facing the shoreline. I cast at a slight angle but almost directly into the shore. The wind caught the heavy Carolina rig, mud minnows attached, and like a kite it sailed it back toward the open water, landing about five feet just off the salt grass shoreline. I handed the rod to one of the Michelin Twins and told him that the wind would cause the barrel weight to roll across the bottom. Once it got past 30 to 40 feet offshore, he would reel in and re-cast. I grabbed the other rod and went for bait. I heard a loud noise and turned to see my Quantum reel and rod being pulled off the front of the boat. Michelin Man #1 made a drive for it, and I almost wet my pants laughing as he bounced off the front deck from all the padding in his Saskatchewan suit. Fortunately, he did snag the rod and reel, but he was so billowy he couldn’t stand up. I ran to his aid as he was rolling and at the same time fighting the fish. I reached to help him, and he groaned “You touch me, and I swear I’ll throw you overboard. This is my fish and it’s gonna be me or him. ” Picture a marshmallow the size of a 55-gallon drum lying on its round side, and that’s what we were seeing. He was rolling around with the rod 52

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WE HAVE MADE MUCH PROGRESS after Harvey. Although some hotels are open, make sure you call ahead. More bait stands are rebuilding, but bait can be hard to come by. Lower water depths this time of year can raise real havoc for lower units, especially with all the debris that is still raising its ugly head. Be ever watchful if you’re boating, and go slow. T E X A S

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ARANSAS BAY: Hog Island is a good spot for reds using free-lined finger mullet. On high tide, fish the near shore pockets. On low tide, stay off-shore about 30 yards. The wells in the middle of the bay are a good spot for trout using Berkley Gulp shad in morning glory and anchovy colors.

ST. CHARLES BAY: The cut between St Charles and Aransas Bay is a good spot for drum and trout using free lined live shrimp. Twins Creek is holding some black drum; use a light Carolina rig and peeled shrimp. CARLOS BAY: Carlos Dugout is a good place for trout using Berkley Gulp shad and saltwater assassins such as the Die Dapper or the Elite Shiner. The mouth of Beldon’s Dugout is a good spot for reds on high tide using finger mullet or mud minnows free-lined. MESQUITE BAY: Brays Cove is a good spot for flounder using jig head grubs tipped with squid. Bounce this along the bottom and set the hook at the slightest tap. The east shoreline is a good place for reds, using finger mullet or cut mullet on a medium to heavy Carolina rig. AYERS BAY: The east shoreline is good place for reds and trout using mud minnows free-lined. The shoreline just off Rattlesnake Island is a good spot for drum and sheepshead using a silent cork and peeled shrimp with a small hook, such as a #2 kahle.

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COPANO BAY: Some black drum on the north shoreline near Turtle Pen. Peeled shrimp on a Carolina rig is best. The deep edges of Lap Reef are holding some keeper trout using freelined shrimp. The pilings of the LBJ causeway are still a good place for sheepshead. The trick here is heaving main lines with a light mono leader and the smallest kahle hook you can find, tipped with cut squid.

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

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

March…Time for Trophy Speckled Trout

T’S THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN the quest for big speckled trout is here again in the Upper Laguna and Baffin Bay areas. It all depends on the water temperature. If it warms up, Yarborough, the Badlands, Green 9, Tide Gauge Bar, Carrallos Shoreline and Black Bluff Barr in Baffin Bay could produce possible trophy trout. If the weather turns cool, try bumping a soft plastic around the Land Cut. “It’s tedious work, but if conditions dictate it, that’s what you have to do,” says fishing guide Javi Castillo. He and his clients have caught their share of Baffin and Upper Laguna Madre wall hangers. Probably 90 percent of Castillo’s trout trips are wade fishing. In early spring trout are looking for warm muddy bottoms. Trophysized trout are rarely caught drifting open water, unless it’s over an area heavy with scattered shell pads throughout. Pay attention to detail when you do hook a couple of good fish. Castillo emphasizes that big trout don’t get big by being dumb. If it’s a full moon, he and his clients are in the water probably about an hour-and-a-half before sunrise. “When I park my boat I generally put my clients out in a line. We wade down 80 to 100 yards away from the boat before we start casting.” The sound of wave action against the hull of the boat can spook the fish. He tells the anglers to stay behind him and follow his lead. “We start the wade by throwing topwaters, topwaters, and more topwaters…fan casting,” he added. “If you’re getting no takers, take it off and tie on a Corky, fan cast. Switch over and go to the bottom, fan cast, take 10 steps up, and start over again until you find the fish.” Castillo targets anywhere from one to

three feet of water “If I’m past my waist in water, I’m fishing too deep for big trout. They can be caught off the sides of the Intracoastal if it’s cold, fishing a soft plastic slowly, bumping it along the bottom. But if the conditions are right, 75 percent of the time I’m wading knee to waist deep. “I will be throwing topwaters until the sun comes up and then switch over to the super models of floating Corkies, and then switching to soft plastics,” “Super” refers to the larger baits. His prime, main two topwater colors are pink/chrome and Halloween, a gold/ orange/black combination. If he is throwing Skitter Walk Jr. or One Knockers he prefers a bone or white color. If the wind is howling, he ties on a black/ chartreuse or a red/chrome She Dog, or She Pup. “They make more noise to draw the fish to them. The trout can see the chrome better in the dirtier water. Even though the clarity is bad, if the sun’s up it will glare off the bait. The fish will come up and get it.” According to Castillo big trout tend to prefer pink color at the beginning of the big trout season. As the season progresses, they tend to go more for a purple bait. Then late in the season color isn’t that important. On soft plastics, if the water’s clean, he likes natural colors. “The Gambler Grass Hopper is good; white is always good. If you don’t have white in your tackle bag, you’re doing something wrong.” In the soft plastics he starts with a white, switching to Morning Glory…” something black or chartreuse, and then work any color in the middle.” “Sometimes I don’t have to switch. I’ll have the right color or lure right from the getgo. Chicken-on-a-Chain is good. Gambler makes one called Lunker Candy, a brownish T E X A S

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blue with a purple glitter. Purple Rain without the chartreuse is probably my go-to as far as soft plastics.” He isn’t just catching big trout, but he will go after redfish if the trout bite slows and big schools of reds show up. “I’m not going to frown on a school of redfish. “First thing in the morning I always look for trout unless we just roll up on a big school of redfish. “I will work trout until 10 in the morning. If the trout bite slows down, I’ll try to find a grass flat and work for redfish until around 2 p.m. As the sun starts coming down we will switch back into trout for the afternoon bite.” Use some of the tips garnered from Castillo for catching big trout and apply them to areas where you think the chances are good for a trophy. Concentrate your efforts on a specific area that meets the requirements for holding fish. Does it have a hard or soft bottom, grass, etc? Mornings in March can be really cold; schedule a trip in late afternoon after the sun has warmed the water. Fish until dark; some really nice fish have been caught right before sunset.

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THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Packery Channel GPS: N 27 37.007, W 97 12.749 SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAIT: Mud minnows TIPS: Fish the channel south of Hwy 361, near the edge. And ﬁsh slowly.

« Email Tom Behrens at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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

Top Time for Trout

simply had the forethought to put his fish on the record books. After that, the race was on. It still is the most sought-after record on the Texas Coast. The numbers to beat are burned into the brains of those anglers who chase it, and Baffin Bay is the place for anglers to stalk it. Odds are, Baffin Bay, with its long history of producing this quality of fish, will cough up another speckled trout for the record books. The pertinent questions, always, are “what, when, where, why and how.” These standard questions are still in play to solve the mystery of why Baffin Bay is the place to bring forth the next record. “What,” is almost self explanatory, given the past three record fish, two of which came from Baffin Bay. “When” can be debated, as, almost any month can produce a big, giant trout. However, the spawning activity of the speckled trout in Baffin Bay always leads to a “feed up” in the spring. This adds tremendous poundage to those “big girls” who spend their lives giving life to more and more of their kind on Baffin, which answers the “Where.” “Why” Baffin? No tides, no changes, land-locked, hyper-saline conditions just keep these “big girls” hanging out in Baffin Bay. They’re not really interested in moving much, just eating and procreating. It’s called, “homeostasis” which means, they are not moving around much to find their best salinity environment. The trout in Baffin Bay have adapted to this hyper-saline environment and enjoy their lives without much change. Trout in areas where there is constant water flow in and out of the Gulf of Mexico spend lots of time swimming back and forth, trying to locate the waters of their choice. Baffin Bay trout hang around in waters that almost never change, thereby reserving their energies and their body mass, growing bigger and bigger. This is the answer to the question, “How” do Baffin Bay trout just keep getting bigger and bigger? It’s because they are happy

HAT ARE THE TWO months that historically produce the longest and heaviest pre-spawn trout that, this year, may go head-to-head with the Texas State Speckled Trout Record? It’s March and April that is absolutely prime-time on Baffin Bay. This is the time of year that anglers strategize, think about, and hang on every word of other anglers on Facebook. They realize that, if it’s not now, it’s never. Trophy trout fever takes over. Those who seek the ultimate Big Girl put together the arsenal and the unstoppable spirit that they hope will bring that long-sought record home. Bud Rowland, who recorded a whopping 15.6-pound trout on a fly in 2004, is one record to beat (recognized as a catch and release fish by the IGFA and ultimately the State of Texas record speckled trout). However, Jim Wallace’s 13.69-pound trout was legitimately weighed- in at an official weigh station in 1996. If either one of these numbers is bested, the day will never be forgotten. Any angler tossing a lure in Baffin Bay during the months of March or April is truly trying to best these records. The Coast of Texas offers up so many great fishing opportunities. However, this one record, the State of Texas Record Speckled Trout, is, without a doubt, the most sought-after record. For many reasons, the speckled trout brings with it a long history of mystery and magic. Before the first state record was posted by Mike Blackwood on Baffin Bay (33.75 inches long, 13.5 pounds back in 1975), there was little doubt that many anglers brought in some behemoth trout. Mike Blackwood 54

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where they are and they don’t have to move around much. They just eat, grow and procreate, thereby creating the cycle of trophy trout life on Baffin Bay. Trophy Trout seekers continue to be drawn to Baffin Bay because of these simple realities. The highest probabilities indicate that the next Texas State Trophy Trout Record will come from this bay. No other bay system in Texas can consistently offer the same conditions. The answers point to one bay system, and that is simply, Baffin Bay. Two out of the last three Texas State Trophy Trout records have come from Baffin Bay. There is no reason to believe that any other bay system is in the running to produce a longer, heavier or bigger trout than the fish that Blackwood or Wallace brought to scale. That’s why almost all of the trophy trout seekers spend all of their time stalking the waters of Baffin Bay. Since Baffin Bay Rod and Gun is the ONLY Orvis-Endorsed Lodge on the Texas Coast and the ONLY dual-endorsed lodge in Texas, you can expect a high quality experience, not just fishing, but with lodging and cuisine as well. Everything is taken care of, and the private, tropical atmosphere is inviting and warm. A fire ring, outdoor bar, covered entertaining area with a television, swimming pool, top-quality chef and a fantastic staff will make your group of up to 20 cherished people connected like never before. See you soon and experience the awesome opportunities available to fishermen at Baffin Bay Rod and Gun.

« 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

Bar Talk

ARCH MAY BE A TRICKY month. With a colder than normal winter finally winding down, more moderate weather begins to settle over the Lower Laguna Madre. Gamefish begin to become more and more active as they strap on the feed bag. However, a colder than normal winter may also mean that waters warm more slowly than in typical years. Still, trout and redfish will notice even a slight up-tick in water temperatures and get to eating. One of the most popular bank-accessible wading spots on the Lower Laguna Madre, for example, is the Community Bar in Port Mansfield. Wade fishermen can gain access to the area via Fred Stone Park, which is adjacent to the King Ranch. There is a pedestrian entrance set up on the ranch fence line that allows for fishermen to walk along the shoreline for the ¾ of a mile to the Bar’s general area (that’s just a good stretch of the legs for the average Texan). Over the years, rainfall and floods have created a muddy, boggy ditch that separates the access point from the parking lot. Some resourceful fishermen place pallets and boards across the ditch, but it may be easier to wade in and around the end of the fence line and back onto shore. Then you can hoof the rest of the way on dry land. Regardless of how you reach Community Bar (boaters can also anchor-up on top of the shallow bar and disembark to fish the edges), you can wade out toward the bar and start fishing. Don’t head straight out into deeper water immediately. It doesn’t hurt to work parallel to the shoreline in knee-deep water, especially on a high tide. Redfish and trout will cruise close in during low-light conditions. Work the area with smaller topwaters such as a Spook. One Knocker or the MirrO-Lure Mirrodine are also excellent choices

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If the fish are ignoring artificials, then natural bait is an excellent choice. The usual suspects such as live shrimp, mullet, pinfish, or cut ballyhoo all work. The most unique bait I’ve used with great success has been cut skipjack. The bloody, oily flesh seems to drive trout and redfish crazy. If you latch onto one of those slimy critters, stick him in the cooler and cut him up when fishing slows. It could pay off handsomely. Some adventurous fishermen are willing to negotiate the deeper water to cross the gut and reach the actual Community Bar. Then they will either fish on top of the grassy top for redfish (with gold spoons being the #1 choice), or they turn around and fish the edge of the depth break. The latter method is quite popular because it allows you to fish the deeper water with the wind at your back—and there will almost always be a stiff breeze pushing off the Gulf of Mexico by the middle of the day. Boaters need to keep a close eye if they are passing by the Bar en route to other part of LLM. Wade fishermen aren’t very mobile. Most boaters are savvy enough to give the shallows a wide berth in this area, but there is always an angler ignorant of the area’s popularity among waders. Don’t let those boaters deter you though. The fishing around Community Bar can be quite good. Keep a sharp eye, and you’ll be fine.

for working the early morning shallows. Soft plastic aficionados can work weightless jerkbaits such as the Gulp! 5” Jerk Shad. After you’ve worked the area thoroughly, then turn your attention to deeper water. There’s plenty of deeper water. Between the shoreline and Community Bar is a deep gut that speckled trout use as a migration route up and down Laguna Madre. The wide gut deepens until you are in neck-deep water, which can make a fisherman pretty nervous. It’s easy to spot where the really deep stuff is, though, because local commercial crabbers set their traps at the bottom of the gut, and the white buoys mark where the really deep water is. They also make great fish attractors, so it never hurts to make a number of casts to them. Set up in waist-deep water and fan cast into the gut to prospect for trout. The classic shrimp/popping cork rig is the top fish producer in the area, but many fishermen who would rather avoid lugging a bait bucket, switch over the either a Gulp! Shrimp in Nuclear Chicken or Glow. Both are very effective under a popping cork or Mansfield Mauler. You can also use a ¼ ounce Gulp! Shrimp or Mullet in Root Beer or Red, or any of the classic patterns produced by Norton Lures or Down South, or Kelly Wigglers. Make sure your leader is 18-24 inches long, and that your rod is long enough (7 to 7 ½ feet) to facilitate long casts into the gut. If you prefer to eschew the floats, shad tails such as the classic H&H Queen Cocahoe Norton Bull Minnow are good choices to fish the gut. The latter, especially the classic strawberry/white pattern, has literally caught millions of trout in LLM. The throbbing shad tail puts off plenty of vibration that can get a trout’s attention from a long way away. Lipless crankbaits such as the Rat-L-Trap in gold/black are also excellent options for the gut, and they help you cover a lot of water quickly. Fan cast an area, and if you don’t find any fish, move a few feet to your left or right, and keep working the deeper water until you hit paydirt. F I S H

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THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Isla Blanca Park Surf GPS: N26 8.250, W97 10.090 SPECIES: Speckled Trout, Redﬁsh TIPS: Fish shell areas with live bait or soft plastics.

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

Reef Madness on East Bay

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

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.

by Tom Behrens

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Hanna’s Reef GPS: N 29 28.471, W 94 43.251 (29.4745, -94.7209)

HOTSPOT: North Shoreline GPS: N 29 33.144, W 94 37.785 (29.5524, -94.6298)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: MirrOlure Lil John and Paul Brown Soft Dog CONTACT: Capt. Mike Losoya 409-939-8311 captainmike@getbitgalveston.com getbitgalveson.com TIPS: For the redﬁsh I work the shoreline, grasslines throwing the Paul Brown Soft Dog topwater.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: MirrOlure Lil John CONTACT: Capt. Mike Losoya 409-939-8311 captainmike@getbitgalveston.com getbitgalveson.com TIPS: Captain Losoya will be ﬁshing over shallow dark mud close to deeper shell pads, reefs, and the north shore line if the wind comes up. They are usually holding up on mud early in the morning. Look for bait action. LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Deep Reef GPS: N 29 30.802, W 94 40.581 (29.5134, -94.6764)

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Anahuac Shoreline GPS: N 29 33.573, W 94 32.266 (29.5596, -94.5378)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: MirrOlure Lil John and Paul Brown Soft Dog CONTACT: Capt. Mike Losoya 409-939-8311 captainmike@getbitgalveston.com getbitgalveson.com TIPS: I usually just bump a soft plastic along the bottom. They are still pretty lethargic in March.

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: MirrOdine XL soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captainpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com www.goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: Favorite colors in soft plastics are Texas Chicken… any of the natural colors. LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Tire and Tong Reef GPS: N 29 32.232, W 94 30.351 (29.5372, -94.5059)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: MirrOdine XL soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captainpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: Capt. Marcaccio likes a larger soft plastic when fishing for big trout. His choice is the Big Minnow XL by Texas Tackle Factory. LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Frozen Point GPS: N 29 32.42, W 94 31.361 (29.5403, -94.5227)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwater baits CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge GPS: N 29 28.179, W 94 41.941

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: MirrOlure Lil John CONTACT: Capt. Mike Losoya 409-939-8311 captainmike@getbitgalveston.com getbitgalveson.com TIPS: Favorite baits: 3- 3 1/2 inch, MirrOlure Lil John in Golden Bream and Water Melon Red Sparkle with 1/8 oz. jig head…They make an XL that is four or ﬁve inches, but I usually have problems with short strikes.

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(29.4697, -94.6990)

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FISHING HOTSPOTS captainpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: I always downside my topwater baits in March, but in rougher water conditions I would suggest a bigger bait, such as a Super Spook…a little bigger rattle which might help the trout find the bait. LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Starvation Cove GPS: N 29 14.221, W 94 56.409 (29.2370, -94.9402)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: MirrOdine XL soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captainpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: Capt. Marcaccio advises to fish any of the coves in West Bay. Fish drains, north or south shoreline, where ever you see bait movement. LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Snake Island Cove GPS: N 29 9.565, W 95 2.215 (29.1594, -95.0369)

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LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Raymond Landing Shoals GPS: N 28 40.449, W 95 53.21 (28.6742, -95.8868)

LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Colorado River at Selkirk Island GPS: N 28 45.333, W 95 59.381 (28.7556, -95.9897)

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LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Tripod GPS: N 28 40.147, W 95 54.813 (28.6691, -95.9136)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp or Gulp under a popping cork, or Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Stan Sloan 832-693-4292 sloan529@gmail.com fishfcc.com TIPS: You catch the little trout up on the top, but if you get past them you will find big redfish hanging out under them.

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LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: Twin Island Reef GPS: N 28 38.828, W 96 2.425 (28.6471, -96.0404)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live shrimp or Gulp under a popping cork, or Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Stan Sloan 832-693-4292 sloan529@gmail.com ﬁshfcc.com

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live shrimp or Gulp under a popping cork,

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live shrimp or Gulp under a popping cork, or Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Stan Sloan 832-693-4292 sloan529@gmail.com ﬁshfcc.com TIPS: Sometimes in March the spring migration of shrimp is taking place, and the birds will be working over the shrimp. He then switches to a 3/8 oz. jig head.

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live shrimp or Gulp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Stan Sloan 832-693-4292 sloan529@gmail.com ﬁshfcc.com TIPS: Capt. Sloan uses either live shrimp or Gulp under a popping cork, Down South soft plastic shrimp tails. Favorite colors on the shrimp tails are Texas Roach and plum/chartreuse. White for some reason works really well at any time of the year. LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Old Gulf Cut GPS: N 28 42.919, W 95 53.21 (28.7153, -95.8868)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: MirrOdine XL soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captainpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: Capt. Marcaccio will be wade fishing targeting big trout. In drift fishing you tend to drift over the fish instead of staying on them.

LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Boiler Bayou GPS: N 28 38.685, W 95 54.067 (28.6448, -95.9011)

or Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Stan Sloan 832-693-4292 sloan529@gmail.com fishfcc.com TIPS: During March, if we get some cold weather, the trout and redfish will move up the Colorado River, said Capt. Sloan. Around Selkirk Island is a popular spot on the river to find fish.

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FISHING HOTSPOTS TIPS: Whenever we get a big ﬂooding rain it will push all the bait ﬁsh out of the river into West Matagorda Bay. LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: Shell Island Reef GPS: N 28 37.788, W 96 3.903 (28.6298, -96.0651)

TIPS: Capt. Watkins starts his day with a topwater bait and then switches off to soft plastics as the sun comes up. He says colors is that important on the soft plastics. More important is the action of the bait.

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Up Your Game for Port A Redﬁsh

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp or Gulp under a popping cork, or Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Stan Sloan 832-693-4292 sloan529@gmail.com fishfcc.com TIPS: Wherever the freshwater ends and saltwater starts is where all the bait will be and the trout and redfish. LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: Culver’s Cut GPS: N 28 39.349, W 96 0.509 (28.6558, -96.0085)

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LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Dagger Flats GPS: N 27 49.754, W 97 10.61 (27.8292, -97.1768)

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live or dead cut bait CONTACT: Capt. Len Jones 361-779-9144 lenjonesguideservice.com TIPS: Capt. Jones is ﬁshing on the bottom. He doesn’t use any weight with live bait…let them swim around. LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Mustang Point/Ship Channel GPS: N 27 51.007, W 97 3.772 (27.8501, -97.0629)

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SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Live or dead cut bait CONTACT: Capt. Len Jones 361-779-9144 lenjonesguideservice.com TIPS: Capt. Jones is ﬁshing for redﬁsh off the point and then black drum in the Ship Channel

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SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live or dead cut bait CONTACT: Capt. Len Jones 361-779-9144 lenjonesguideservice.com TIPS: Estes Flats, Dagger Island, South Bay … any of the flats will usually produce redfish.

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LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: South Bay GPS: N 27 53.459, W 97 5.789 (27.8910, -97.0965)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters and soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins 409-673-9211 9782018@sbcglobal.net www.ﬁshsabinelake.net

by Tom Behrens

SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live or dead cut bait CONTACT: Capt. Len Jones 361-779-9144 lenjonesguideservice.com TIPS: Some kind of dead bait, live or dead shrimp is usually pretty good in March.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp or Gulp under a popping cork, or Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Stan Sloan 832-693-4292 sloan529@gmail.com fishfcc.com TIPS: If that happens, I will be fishing the south shoreline, drifting instead of wade fishing. LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: East Pass 29 GPS: N 29 59.027, W 93 46.582 (29.9838, -93.7764)

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LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Upper Estes Flats GPS: N 27 57.058, W 97 5.331 (27.9510, -97.0889)

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Peyton’s the Place for Arroyo Specks

by Tom Behrens

LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Peyton’s Bay GPS: N 26 25.948, W 97 22.269 (26.4325, -97.3712)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Skitter Walk topwater CONTACT: Capt. Joseph Prado 956-357-1301 jossephpradoprado@yahoo.com

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FISHING HOTSPOTS TIPS: I like to throw a white or pink Skitter Walk because they make good noise. Tequila Gold in a Norton Bull Minnow is a good color for trout. LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Rattlesnake Bay GPS: N 26 19.199, W 97 20.400 (26.3199, -97.3399)

LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Green Island GPS: N 26 23.212, W 97 19.305 (26.3869, -97.3218)

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LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Caballo Island GPS: N 26 17.162, W 97 18.308 (26.2860, -97.3051)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Norton Bull Minnow CONTACT: Capt. Joseph Prado 956-357-1301 jossephpradoprado@yahoo.com TIPS: Throw a Norton Bull Minnow, weedless, and work the lure real slow through the grass.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Norton Bull Minnow CONTACT: Capt. Joseph Prado 956-357-1301 jossephpradoprado@yahoo.com TIPS: Capt. Prado said he likes to wade shorelines with muddy bottoms because the ﬁsh are trying to warm up.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Saltwater Assassin soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Joseph Prado 956-357-1301 jossephpradoprado@yahoo.com TIPS: The size of the lure changes from January through March…they get bigger, said Capt. Prado. He likes the Big Minnow XL. LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Bird Island GPS: N 26 21.494, W 97 19.233 (26.3582, -97.3206)

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SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Berkley Gulp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Joseph Prado 956-357-1301 jossephpradoprado@yahoo.com TIPS: If the trout action is slow, try using Gulp under a popping cork in deeper green water. Capt. Prado says they have caught a lot of good redfish this way. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: The Badlands GPS: N 27 18.228, W 97 24.338 (27.3038, -97.4056)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Corkies, soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Javi Castillo 361-815-4865 captainjavicastillo@yahoo.com TIPS: March is big trophy trout time along the Texas coast. Baffin Bay has always been a rewarder for the angler willing to get out of the boat and wade fish. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: The Badlands South

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FISHING HOTSPOTS GPS: N 27 17.152, W 97 25.053 (27.2859, -97.4176)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Corkies, soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Javi Castillo 361-815-4865 captainjavicastillo@yahoo.com TIPS: Capt. Castillo number one spot is anywhere around the Badlands, although he says he might venture over to Yarborough, Lost Slough and the Land Cut. LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Green 9 GPS: N 27 15.942, W 97 27.401 (27.2657, -97.4567)

BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Corkies, soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Javi Castillo 361-815-4865 captainjavicastillo@yahoo.com TIPS: He starts his day off by throwing topwaters, then shifting to Corkies as the sun comes up, and ﬁnishes with soft plastics. LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: N. of Carrallos Shoreline

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Corkies, soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Javi Castillo 361-815-4865 captainjavicastillo@yahoo.com TIPS: Big trout don’t get big by being dumb. I generally get my clients out in a line, and we walk down 80-100 yards away from the boat before we start casting. LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge Bar GPS: N 27 18.388, W 97 27.54 (27.3065, -97.4590)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Corkies, soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Javi Castillo 361-815-4865 captainjavicastillo@yahoo.com TIPS: Capt. Castillo and his clients are wading water between a foot to three feet deep. If I’m past my waist in water I’m ﬁshing too deep. LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Rocks at 4 GPS: N 27 16.599, W 97 25.003 (27.2767, -97.4167)

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FISHING HOTSPOTS GPS: N 27 15.162, W 97 29.177 (27.2527, -97.4863)

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Get in the Running for Fork Bass

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Corkies, soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Javi Castillo 361-815-4865 captainjavicastillo@yahoo.com TIPS: His favorite colors for topwaters are pink/chrome, Halloween and bone. LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Black Bluff Barr GPS: N 27 14.166, W 97 31.067 (27.2361, -97.5178)

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by Dustin Warncke

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Running Creek GPS: N 32 54.354, W 95 30.8939 (32.9059, -95.5149)

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LOCATION: Cayo del Grullo HOTSPOT: Neubauer Point Rock GPS: N 27 18.134, W 97 39.07 (27.3022, -97.6512)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Light Carolina rig with a green pumpkin or watermelon red baby brush hog or lizard, square bill crankbait in shad color, 3/4 oz. white spinnerbait, black/ blue bass jig and trailer. CONTACT: Doug Shampine 940-902-3855 doug@lakeforktrophybass.com www.lakeforktrophybass.com TIPS: March is the month you really want to come to Lake Fork and ﬁsh for big bass! The big females will be on the move looking for the areas they will spawn in. Early in the month, look in the 8-10-foot range close to a creek or ditch which moves towards the spawning ﬂats or areas. Mid-month look in the 5-6-foot range as the big females will be feeding as they head to shallow water. By the last part of March, they will be in the 1-3-foot range especially at the north end of the lake. The north end will warm faster than the south so the spawn will start north and move south in April. Areas to check out will be Burch Creek, Little Caney Creek, Running Creek and Glade Creek. This is the time to get your trophy bass of a lifetime!

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SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers BEST BAITS: Live shad, Storm Swim shad CONTACT: Richard Tatsch 936-661-7920 admin@fishdudetx.com www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: The hybrid stripers are doing great now and this is the time to catch trophy fish. They will be all around the lake on main lake points and humps. The use of electronics is a necessity! Find the schools of shad and you will find the hybrids. This time of year, they will range in the water column from 28 feet to 40 feet. Find the depth the bait are in and you will find the fish. Live shad will be the bait of choice but the Swim Shad will work if you can control the depth. Good luck and good fishing! Bank Access: Stowaway Marina. LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 53.262, W 95 39.4139 (32.8877, -95.6569)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Weightless senkos, swim jigs, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith 318-455-3437 caddoguide1@att.net M A R C H

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LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Turtle Shell, Hog Wallow or Red Belly Areas GPS: N 32 42.726, W 94 6.6239 u TAP FOR (32.7121, -94.1104)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Corkies, soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Javi Castillo 361-815-4865 captainjavicastillo@yahoo.com TIPS: If you don’t have a white color bait in your tackle bag, then you’re doing something wrong.

LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 22.5299, W 95 34.368 (30.3755, -95.5728)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Corkies, soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Javi Castillo 361-815-4865 captainjavicastillo@yahoo.com TIPS: Fan cast … starting at your right and moving to your left, take 10 steps, and start over again.

www.caddolakeﬁshing.com TIPS: March on Caddo Lake is when the bass begin to make a big push up into the shallow cypress trees to begin the spring spawning process. Once the water temperatures get to the 57 degrees and higher range, the big push starts. In stained water, I like to work a bream colored chatterbait or spinnerbait around the trees in 1-3 ft. of water. If the water is a clear I will throw a dark colored swim jig with a small plastic craw trailer. Watermelon/red or black/ blue weightless senkos thrown to the base of the cypress using a slow sink and stop retrieve works well throughout the spawn on this lake as well.

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Pro Model Thumper from Finch Nasty Jigs with a Grandebass Kickback Swim’r, weightless Grandebass 6.5-inch Rattlesnake CONTACT: Lance Vick (903) 312-0609 lance@lakeforkbass.com www.guideonlakefork.com TIPS: Lake Fork during March! What more is there to say? The biggest bass lake in Texas during the height of spawn season? Count me in! How and where? Shallow spawners

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FISHING HOTSPOTS of grass. Remember, you are blind casting for breeding ﬁsh so move lures slow. If you’re moving too fast you will pull your bait thru beds too fast and you’re not going to catch them. Slow down and catch the lunker of your dreams! Good ﬁshin’ to all!

are the deal. Most of my fishing is done in 5 feet of water or less. You can sight fish or blind cast for lunker bass. Three techniques during this time frame are on my deck: a weightless Grandebass Air Tail Pro or 6.5 rattlesnake on 17 lb. fluorocarbon with a 4/0or 5/0 hook. a light Texas rig with the same lures or a Kickback SwimR swimbait. I really fish areas slow when using the Texas rig and weightless rig, casting to sides of stumps and edges

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LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Harmon Creek GPS: N 30 51.7019, W 95 26.586 (30.8617, -95.4431)

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: White Sassy Shad rigged on 1/8 oz. red ball jig head, 1/4 oz. White Tsunami Cocktail spinners, 1/4 oz. Chrome-Blue Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 dave@palmettoguideservice.com www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: March white bass fishing can be very volatile as spring conditions can change quickly. Mid-March is the peak of the spawn with egg-laden females stacking up the northern creeks on Livingston. Harmon Creek is known as the white bass fishing capital of the world. Try to key in on getting up the creek after a recent rain and fish tea colored moving water. Cast in the deep holes off sandy points. BANK ACCESS: Harmon Creek Marina or Hwy 19 Bridge LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Anderson Island Area (Car Body Hole) GPS: N 31 42.543, W 93 46.3019 u TAP FOR (31.7091, -93.7717)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, soft plastics, frogs, tubes, jigs, spinnerbaits, top water baits, stick baits, shallow diving crank baits, just about anything in your tackle box CONTACT: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages 936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: Statistics show that more lunker bass weighing ten pounds or more are caught in March than any other month of the year. If you are lucky enough to land a lunker and have it weighed and certified at a registered Toledo Bend lake Association station, the TBLA will give you a mounted replica! What a deal! Visit the TBLA website for more information. The bass are in shallow water moving in and out of the spawning flats. If a cold front moves in, the fish will stay in the same area but will move out to the closest

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drop-off into deep water. Start off with a fast-moving bait like a Rat-L-Trap or spinnerbait to cover a lot of water to locate the fish. If you catch one, slow down because there will usually be more fish in the same area. With the increase in boat traffic, please be courteous to your fellow fishermen!

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Branch Out for Crappie & Whites

by Dustin Warncke & Dean Heffner

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Sand Branch Point GPS: N 33 23.729, W 97 0.78 (33.3955, -97.0130)

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SPECIES: Crappie/White BEST BAITS: Minnows, White/chartreuse spinners, white/ shad colored crankbaits CONTACT: Justin Wilson 214-538-2780 TIPS: March is one of my favorite times of the year to catch white bass on this lake. The fish are loading up getting ready for spawn and are feeding heavy. Look for schools of fish stacking up on points and humps close to creek channels in 20-30 feet of water. Keep an eye out for gulls working. Slabs and just about anything bright colored will catch them but I like tying on a bigger deep diving crank bait and catch good quality fish. Hold onto your rod too because there could be a largemouth or two feeding beneath the whites. The crappie bite is getting better and starting to see more keepers. Crappie have been on brush piles and bridge pillars in 15-25 foot of water. Jigs are working well but the quality of fish seem to be better on minnows. LOCATION: Bachman Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 51.1859, W 96 52.014 (32.8531, -96.8669)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Bass: spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps | Crappie: minnows and jigs

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FISHING HOTSPOTS CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: For bass, throw spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps along the weed lines. Bass ﬁshing is especially good at the dam, by the banks and near the timber under the bridge. Crappie are under the bridge at night this time of year. Minnows and jigs are your best bet right now. LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Mid to Upper Lake GPS: N 32 21.2442, W 96 11.616 (32.3541, -96.1936)

SPECIES: White Bass and other Species BEST BAITS: Fresh shad, shrimp, crawﬁsh CONTACT: Jason Barber (903) 603-2047 kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com www.kingscreekadventures.com

LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake HOTSPOT: Mud Flats East of Church Point GPS: N 32 55.492, W 97 30.051 (32.9249, -97.5009)

LOCATION: Fayette County HOTSPOT: Joe’s Jigging Hole GPS: N 29 55.572, W 96 43.3739 (29.9262, -96.7229)

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Slab with a ﬂy 12 above. A spinner with shiny blade. CONTACT: Johnny Stevens 817-597-6598 johnnystevens@1scom.net johnnysguideseverice.com TIPS: This area is composed of many slopes and humps. Water depth is normally 12 to 24 foot deep. When the water approaches 60 degrees, many sand bass will spawn

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on these slopes and humps. Look on each slope and hump with your electronics until you see a series of small humps on the bottom. Throw out a marker and anchor over them and jig up and down with a slab and a ﬂy 12 above it. On many occasions, you will catch two at a time. Another productive is to cast to the hump with a lure that has a lot of ﬂash to it.

TIPS: Try ﬁshing very shallow areas near points in the mid to upper end of the lake this time of year. Fish with a small Carolina rig and focus on wind-blown points and shorelines in 2’ to 10’. Use a tight line. In doing this, you should ﬁnd cats, sandies, hybrids and yellow bass.

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SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: CJ’s Punch Bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Put out a marker buoy here. Water is 40’-50’ deep here and there is sunken timber and a sunken bridge.

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FISHING HOTSPOTS Chum around the buoy, then ﬁsh tight line straight down close to the buoy. LOCATION: Gibbons Creek HOTSPOT: Crappie Hole GPS: N 30 36.7079, W 96 4.0019 (30.6118, -96.0667)

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Road Runners, plastic grubs, Marabou jigs, Rooster Tails CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell (512) 365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Now is the time to catch the spawning white bass. They are up the creek and river in large numbers. Look for eddy areas where the current swirls as the fish are holding in these spots. Late evening, during the last hour of daylight, is a prime time for them to turn on. Just cast out and use a slow retrieve keeping the bait just off the bottom. This is the one time of year that you do not need a boat to fill the freezer. Good luck and good fishing.

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows, grey crappie jigs CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: The crappie spawn is close. The power plant is not running. Use a cork and cast around the rocks and work the cork slowly back to the boat. Stop the cork a minute at a time.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: River near Tin Top GPS: N 32 34.559, W 97 49.295 (32.5760, -97.8216)

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: San Gabriel River and Willis Creek GPS: N 30 39.2759, W 97 24.3119 (30.6546, -97.4052)

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SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Small jigs with soft plastics in Electric Chicken and Chartreuse colors worked near structure near banks/docks CONTACT: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 817-578-0023 TIPS: Swim or bounce your jigs across the bottom. Work the bends in the river and look for ﬁsh either in the deeper holes and when active on top of ﬂats adjacent to the deeper water. Crappie will be spawning most creeks and sloughs all over the lake and in the river. LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 33 2.124, W 96 29.0459 (33.0354, -96.4841)

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SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Crappie jigs CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Crappie are spawning shallow in 1-10 feet of water this time of year. Look for them on wood, gravel, sand, and rocks. If the lake is up at full, look in the submerged willows and standing timber. You can also try ﬁshing a jig and bobber the rocks. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Kickapoo Creek and Cades Lake GPS: N 32 18.0119, W 95 26.9639 (32.3002, -95.4494)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: shimmy shakers, Big Eye Jigs trailed with Mister Twister Pocket Craws Black? Blue and on Texas Rig the Mister Twister Swim Station water melon Red Shimmy Shakers, Big Eye Jigs trailed with Mister Twister Pocket Craws in black/blue, Texas Rigged Mister Twister Swim Station in Watermelon Red, Mister Twister 5-inch Pocket Raiser black/blue CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Bass ﬁshing is really good right now in both of these areas. The best depth 2-5 feet. Fish as slow as you can and use as little of weight on your worms as you are

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FISHING HOTSPOTS able to use and still ﬁsh effectively. LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Apache Cove Island GPS: N 30 20.412, W 96 34.4399 (30.3402, -96.5740)

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SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: CJ’s Punch Bait/Crawdad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Deep water comes close to this island point. Fish the windy side of this island. Use a slip cork and drift your bait in towards the island. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Paw Paw Creek & Mill Creek Cut GPS: N 33 53.9879, W 96 53.796 (33.8998, -96.8966)

LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Whitney Creek GPS: N 31 55.2, W 97 20.6939 (31.9200, -97.3449)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Road Runner jigs, Sassy Shad jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfish@striperexpress.com www.striperexpress.com TIPS: In March the white bass have already spawned and the stripers are staging up the main tributaries. Structure like main lake points, ditches and creeks will hold stripers. 1oz. Road Runner and Sassy Shad jigs in white or chartreuse will work best. Fish the creeks in 12’ to 20’ of water with slow retrieve for the fish up to 20lbs. Pay attention to the seagulls as they can be your best fish finder. When you are fishing under the birds keep your lure in the top 15’ of water. Most activity will be west of the Willis Bridge and north of the railroad bridge on the Washita arm of the lake. Bank Access: Slickem Slough, Paw Paw creek

SPECIES: Striped Bass & White Bass BEST BAITS: Wild-eyed Shad, Flutter Jigs from RSR Lures.com, 1/2 oz. jigs and 7 Snake Trailers from Stripersniper.com, Stripaholic Jigs and sassy shads RSR Lures. CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Look for stripers in the mouths of creeks. We’re using 3 baits to target these ﬁsh. The wild-eyed shad swim bait in Chartreuse, the 1 oz. Stripaholic lead head with swim baits from RSR Lures and last but not least the buck tail jigs with 7 snake trailers from Striper Sniper Tackle throwing them up along the shoreline in the grass making

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FISHING HOTSPOTS 940-329-0036 fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: The spawn is on, so either fish are running upstream or coming back into the lake from spawning. Of course, all of this depends on rainwater coming in and temperatures. But the mighty Brazos is the main tributary. Some fish spawn up Cedar and other creeks coming into the lake, but most are staged up to go up the Brazos. The lake is full of shad and now is the time to be fishing live shad. Also, downrigging, trolling and various artificials are working this time of year. We are tipping our jigs with Mister Twister curly tails and also trolling RatLTraps and crankbaits. Live shad for multiple species and fresh dead cut shad for catfish.

a medium to fast retrieve. Also, we’re backing off later in the morning and strolling these lures behind the boat. We’re making long cast out behind the boat and using the trolling motor to drag these baits through big schools of ﬁsh. You can also anchor up on these schools and use the 1oz Flutter Jigs from RSR Lures and catch these ﬁsh. Of course, you can use live shad as well. I just like fooling them over feeding them. Be sure and carry a set of binoculars and look for herons and cranes chasing bait on the shoreline. A good top water bait can also be handy this time of year up shallow. Good luck and may God bless you and I hope someday soon to see ya on the water! LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake HOTSPOT: Highway 309 Flats GPS: N 31 59.106, W 96 7.944 (31.9851, -96.1324)

LOCATION: Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Bonitaville GPS: N 32 58.067, W 98 29.032 (32.9678, -98.4839)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits-RatLTraps CONTACT: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: Black bass will be moving up on the rocks most anywhere the water temp is right-but I see a lot of beds in coves on the South and North banks. South is best in the morning and North best evenings. TPWD and bass clubs have put out a lot of bushpiles (see the TPWD website for a map). PK has a lot of Hogs. After a 25-year ﬂood rebound from drought conditions PK has come back with a vengeance—so quit wishin’ and go ﬁshin’!

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Plump Pickins on Possum Kingdom

LOCATION: Hubbard Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Brushy Creek Arm GPS: N 32 46.65, W 99 0.006 (32.7775, -99.0001)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass & White Crappie BEST BAITS: Jigs, crankbaits, spoons CONTACT: Michael Homer, TPWD 325-692-0921 TIPS: March should be a great month to rack up on your daily limits for largemouth bass and crappie. Consider ﬁshing with deeper water lures such as jigs, deep diving crankbaits, spoons, and football jigs off of the submersed timber given surface temperatures may still be considerably cool.

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SPECIES: All species BEST BAITS: Jigs, RatLTraps, crankbaits, live shad CONTACT: Dean Heffner

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by Dustin Warncke

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

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

LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry

Amistad Bass are Rough Riders

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by Dustin Warncke & Dean Heffner

LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Res. HOTSPOT: Pickwick Bridge GPS: N 32 54.780, W 98 27.942 (32.913, -98.4657)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, jigs, and jerk baits CONTACT: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220 nclayton42@sbcglobal.net www.lakealanhenry.com/norman_clayton.htm TIPS: In March the water will began to warm. Look for the warmest water in the lake. This will usually be found way up the Brazos River, and up the creeks. Look also up Ince, Big Grape, Gobbler, and Rocky Creeks. If you don’t ﬁnd bass up the creeks, go to any steep bank that the direct sunlight is hitting, and try crankbaits, jigs, and jerkbaits. Up the creeks, try the same lures as on the steep banks. Fish fun - ﬁsh safe!

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SPECIES: White Bass and Hybrid Striper BEST BAITS: 1 oz. Silver Glitter RSR Shad Slabs (www. rsrlures.com) CONTACT: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 simmonsroyce@hotmail.com www.goneﬁshin.biz TIPS: Watch for the gulls and pelicans dipping down to pick up shad off the surface. Concentrate on drop-offs and ridges in the 309 Flats Area in water depths ranging from 20’-30’. Bounce the slab off the bottom and when the strike occurs, HOLD ON! It might be a BIG Ol’ Hybrid! BANK ACCESS: Fisherman’s Point Marina (903-389-5218)

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HOTSPOT: Rocky Creek GPS: N 33 1.0619, W 101 6.888 (33.0177, -101.1148)

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FISHING HOTSPOTS GPS: N29 30.54078, W101 18.0942 (29.509013, -101.301570)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Picasso Swim Jig-Picasso Shake E Football-V&M Pulse Swim Jig-V&M Thunder Shad-V&M Super Shakeyhead-Amphibia Sports Eyegear CONTACT: Brian Parker - Lake Austin Fishing 817-808-2227 lakeaustinfishing@yahoo.com www.LakeAustinFishing.com TIPS: March is highly considered “the month” for all anglers because of the size of the spawning bass in Texas lakes. I personally do not search out beds on a regular basis but when a client ask to do so-I tie on swim jigs and shakeyheads-clean my high clarity Amphibia sunglasses and begin to work the flats-shallows-and docks in shallow water. I typically like to use a bluegill or sunfish pattern swim jig as these are the predominate egg eaters in these situations on Lake Austin. When using the shakeyheads, I will use a V&M Thunder Shad as this will resemble a small fish eating the eggs and has produced strikes from the males and females.

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Deep-diving Bombers, Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Larry Scruggs Amistad Lodge fisherofmenlrs@hotmail.com 210-789-1645 TIPS: Search for water in 20-30 feet near spawning areas. It is imperative anglers buy a Mexico fishing license when fishing south of the international river markers. Fisherman’s Headquarters in Del Rio at Highways 277 South and 90 West has them.

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Canyon Stripers, Whites & Crappie

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LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Upper Half of Main Lake GPS: N 30 52.5606, W 98 26.874 (30.8760, -98.4479)

by Dustin Warncke

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Guadalupe River GPS: N 29 54.468, W 98 17.3759 (29.9078, -98.2896)

SPECIES: Striped Bass and White Bass BEST BAITS: Striper: live shad | White Bass: white or chartreuse jigs CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@gmail.com www.centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: Striper fishing prospects are excellent in upper half of the main lake. Find 30-40 foot of water and fish live bait 25 -30 foot down. Fish drifting or anchored and early or late in the day are the best fishing times. White bass can also be found in this same water fishing with white and chartreuse jigs.

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SPECIES: Striped Bass & Hybrid Striper BEST BAITS: Live shad CONTACT: Ken Milam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: March is a great month for catching fish on Lake Buchanan! Stripers will be on windy points where the threadfin shad are running. Find the baitfish and you will find the stripers! LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Rocky Point/Garret Island Area GPS: N 30 50.22, W 98 25.74 (30.8370, -98.4290)

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SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut bait CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@yahoo.com www.centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: Catfish prospects are good. Use cut bait on rod reel or jug lines and fish in 15 to 20 ft. of water. Concentrate on fishing at the upper half of lake from Rocky Point to Garret Island. LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Guadalupe River Mouth Area GPS: N 29 53.58, W 98 18.42 (29.8930, -98.3070)

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SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, minnows and jigs CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide Service-Barry Dodd 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtoﬁsh.net www.teachemtoﬁsh.net TIPS: Water temperature will vary from the mid 50’s

LOCATION: Lake Austin HOTSPOT: Main Lake Flats-Shallows and Docks GPS: N 30 20.484, W 97 50.7719 (30.3414, -97.8462)

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SPECIES: Striped Bass, White Bass, Crappie BEST BAITS: Luhr-Jensen Radar 10 in chrome blue or chartreuse CONTACT: Capt. Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230 capt.steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com www.sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Troll the Luhr-Jensen Radar 10 in the main river channel from the rapids of the river to the mouth of the lake until you locate the fish and then fish the area of the river you find them in. This is one of my favorite times of year on Canyon Lake! On any cast you may catch a white bass, striped bass, largemouth bass, crappie or even catfish.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 52.5239, W 98 27.588 (30.8754, -98.4598)

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G A M E ®

2/13/18 12:06 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS to mid 60’s in March and this is the time of year for the bass and crappie to be spawning. Look for prime areas for spawning in shallow water. This is approaching the best times of the year to fish the back of coves and other shallow water areas. Bass and crappie will hit just about anything during the spawning season. Use soft plastic baits and minnows in the 2” to 3” range. The best fishing occurs just before frontal passage and then a couple days after when the winds return from the west or south. Generally, the best fishing is in the afternoons on north banks protected from the north winds and areas that receive lots of sunshine.

••

•••

Spring has Sprung on Coleto Creek

by Dustin Warncke

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 28 43.806, W 97 10.2899

TexasOutdoorNation-1803DIG.indd 71

(28.7301, -97.1715)

u TAP FOR ONLINE MAP

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Bass jigs, spinnerbaits, 10 inch or bigger soft plastics, Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-960-0566 TIPS: Spring is here and the water is getting more active. Depending on weather, we can have early spawns. The big females will be feeding hard this time of year. Bigger baits mean bigger fish. Big bass like big baits. You might not get as many bites but you will get better quality bites. If you’re looking for numbers, spinnerbaits cover more water along with Rat-L-Traps. For big bass, focus on spawning flats with deeper water near. Early in the morning, fish deeper and, as the water warms during the afternoon, go shallower. Spinnerbaits are good locators. I prefer white with maybe a little chartreuse. The Eagle Nest area is a good spawning area. May your bites be big and your fish be healthy!

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Creeks and Shallow Flats GPS: N 28 44.964, W 97 10.152 (28.7494, -97.1692)

u TAP FOR ONLINE MAP

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Buzzbaits, White spinnerbaits-large worms and jigs. CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361, -960-0566 TIPS: Winter is about over for us and fish are heading to spawn. Usually pre-spawn is starting up now. Big females are moving up shallow during the day and trying to eat as much as possible. Big baits are on the menu. Buzz baits can be productive this time of year as well as spinners (white)-large worms and jigs. Record bass have been caught this time of year. Concentrate on the back of creeks or shallow flats close to deep water. Where you find one fish, there will be others. Usually places protected from the wind are your best bet.

2/13/18 12:06 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

MONDAY

Feb 26 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

PRIME TIME

6:58 AM 3:23 PM 8:27 PM 11:42 PM

-0.67 ft. 1.19 ft. 0.96 ft. 1.03 ft.

2:00 — 4:00 AM

FEET

TUESDAY

Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 6:16p Moonrise: 2:57p Set: 4:01a AM Minor: 1:43a AM Major: 7:59a PM Minor: 2:14p PM Major: 8:29p Moon Overhead: 9:59p Moon Underfoot: 9:28a

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:56 AM 3:57 PM 8:48 PM

-0.71 ft. 1.17 ft. 0.87 ft.

10:00P — 12:00A

FEET

Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 6:16p Moonrise: 4:03p Set: 4:57a AM Minor: 2:38a AM Major: 8:53a PM Minor: 3:08p PM Major: 9:23p Moon Overhead: 10:58p Moon Underfoot: 10:29a

Mar High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

12p

12a 12a

WEDNESDAY

28 «

PRIME TIME

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

1:06 AM 8:50 AM 4:27 PM 9:20 PM

1.08 ft. -0.67 ft. 1.12 ft. 0.73 ft.

4:30 — 6:30 AM

FEET

12p

12a 12a

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 6:45a Set: 6:17p Moonrise: 5:10p Set: 5:49a AM Minor: 3:32a AM Major: 9:46a PM Minor: 4:01p PM Major: 10:15p Moon Overhead: 11:56p Moon Underfoot: 11:27a

Mar 1 « High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

2:18 AM 9:40 AM 4:55 PM 9:57 PM

PRIME TIME 1.11 ft. -0.55 ft. 1.06 ft. 0.56 ft.

11:00P — 1:00A

FEET

Sunrise: 6:44a Set: 6:18p Moonrise: 6:15p Set: 6:36a AM Minor: 4:26a AM Major: 10:40a PM Minor: 4:53p PM Major: 11:07p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 12:23p

4« Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

9a M A R C H

TexasOutdoorNation-1803DIG.indd 72

12p 2 0 1 8

T E X A S

12a 12a

F I S H

12p

12a 12a

G A M E ®

2/13/18 12:06 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

FRIDAY

16p 57a : 8:53a : 9:23p

Mar 2 l High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

4:05 AM 11:25 AM 6:50 PM

PRIME TIME 0.93 ft. -0.69 ft. 0.92 ft.

12:00 — 2:00 AM

FEET

SATURDAY

Sunrise: 6:43a Set: 6:18p Moonrise: 7:19p Set: 7:19a AM Minor: 5:20a AM Major: 11:33a PM Minor: 5:46p PM Major: ----Moon Overhead: 12:50a Moon Underfoot: 1:16p

3« Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12p

12:02 AM 5:16 AM 12:12 PM 7:21 PM

0.42 ft. 0.83 ft. -0.44 ft. 0.85 ft.

12:30 — 2:30 AM

FEET

+3.0

12a 12a

Sunrise: 6:42a Set: 6:19p Moonrise: 8:20p Set: 7:58a AM Minor: 6:14a AM Major: 12:02a PM Minor: 6:39p PM Major: 12:27p Moon Overhead: 1:41a Moon Underfoot: 2:06p

PRIME TIME

12a 12a

12p

12a

SUNDAY

18p 36a : 10:40a : 11:07p

4«

PRIME TIME

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

12:58 AM 6:34 AM 12:57 PM 7:49 PM

0.26 ft. 0.73 ft. -0.15 ft. 0.78 ft.

1:30 — 3:30 AM

Sunrise: 6:41a Set: 6:20p Moonrise: 9:19p Set: 8:36a AM Minor: 7:08a AM Major: 12:56a PM Minor: 7:32p PM Major: 1:20p Moon Overhead: 2:31a Moon Underfoot: 2:55p

FEET

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

READING THE GRAPH

Moon Overhead

+3.0

Moon Underfoot

+2.0

Day’s Best Score

Fishing Score Graph

+1.0

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Days Overall

MOON PHASES

l = New Moon

= First Quarter

l = Full Moon » = Last Quarter

«= Good Day by Moon Phase 12a 12a

12p

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-1803DIG.indd 73

12a

F I S H

G A M E ®

M A R C H

2 0 1 8

2/13/18 12:06 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

MONDAY

Mar 5 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

PRIME TIME

12:08 AM 6:50 AM 12:37 PM 6:32 PM

0.11 ft. 0.99 ft. 0.36 ft. 0.87 ft.

2:30 — 4:30 AM

FEET

TUESDAY

Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 6:20p Moonrise: 10:16p Set: 9:13a AM Minor: 8:02a AM Major: 1:50a PM Minor: 8:25p PM Major: 2:14p Moon Overhead: 3:18a Moon Underfoot: 3:42p

PRIME TIME

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

12:57 AM 8:08 AM 1:20 PM 6:51 PM

0.02 ft. 0.94 ft. 0.58 ft. 0.86 ft.

3:00 — 5:00 AM

FEET

Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 6:21p Moonrise: 11:12p Set: 9:50a AM Minor: 8:54a AM Major: 2:43a PM Minor: 9:18p PM Major: 3:06p Moon Overhead: 4:05a Moon Underfoot: 4:29p

Mar Low Tide: High Tide: FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

12p

12a 12a

WEDNESDAY

PRIME TIME

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

1:50 AM 9:39 AM 2:09 PM 7:02 PM

-0.02 ft. 0.93 ft. 0.77 ft. 0.86 ft.

4:00 — 6:00 AM

FEET

12p

12a 12a

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 6:22p Moonrise: None Set: 10:28a AM Minor: 9:46a AM Major: 3:34a PM Minor: 10:09p PM Major: 3:57p Moon Overhead: 4:52a Moon Underfoot: 5:15p

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: High Tide:

2:52 AM 11:29 AM

-0.04 ft. 0.96 ft.

5:00 — 7:00 AM

FEET

Sunrise: 6:36a Set: 6:22p Moonrise: 12:07a Set: 11:08a AM Minor: 10:36a AM Major: 4:24a PM Minor: 10:59p PM Major: 4:47p Moon Overhead: 5:39a Moon Underfoot: 6:02p

11 B Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

9a M A R C H

TexasOutdoorNation-1803DIG.indd 74

12p 2 0 1 8

T E X A S

12a 12a

F I S H

12p

12a 12a

G A M E ®

2/13/18 12:06 PM

21p 50a : 2:43a : 3:06p

22p 1:08a : 4:24a : 4:47p

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

FRIDAY

Mar 9 » Low Tide: High Tide:

4:02 AM 1:34 PM

PRIME TIME -0.05 ft. 1.02 ft.

12:00 — 2:00 AM

FEET

SATURDAY

Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 6:23p Moonrise: 1:00a Set: 11:51a AM Minor: 11:24a AM Major: 5:12a PM Minor: 11:47p PM Major: 5:36p Moon Overhead: 6:26a Moon Underfoot: 6:50p

Low Tide: High Tide:

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12p

5:13 AM 2:33 PM

-0.06 ft. 1.07 ft.

12:30 — 2:30 AM

FEET

+3.0

12a 12a

Sunrise: 6:34a Set: 6:23p Moonrise: 1:51a Set: 12:36p AM Minor: ----AM Major: 5:58a PM Minor: 12:10p PM Major: 6:22p Moon Overhead: 7:14a Moon Underfoot: 7:38p

PRIME TIME

12a 12a

12p

12a

SUNDAY

11 Beg. DST Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

7:16 AM 3:58 PM 10:08 PM 11:36 PM

PRIME TIME -0.07 ft. 1.09 ft. 0.93 ft. 0.94 ft.

1:30 — 3:30 AM

Sunrise: 7:33a Set: 7:24p Moonrise: 3:39a Set: 2:24p AM Minor: 1:31a AM Major: 7:43a PM Minor: 1:55p PM Major: 8:07p Moon Overhead: 9:02a Moon Underfoot: 9:26p

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

READING THE GRAPH

FEET

Moon Overhead

+3.0

Moon Underfoot

+2.0

Day’s Best Score

Fishing Score Graph

+1.0

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Days Overall

MOON PHASES

l = New Moon

= First Quarter

l = Full Moon » = Last Quarter

«= Good Day by Moon Phase 12a 12a

12p

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-1803DIG.indd 75

12a

F I S H

G A M E ®

M A R C H

2 0 1 8

2/13/18 12:06 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

MONDAY

Mar 12 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

PRIME TIME

8:06 AM 4:15 PM 9:52 PM

-0.09 ft. 1.10 ft. 0.93 ft.

2:00 — 4:00 AM

FEET

TUESDAY

Sunrise: 7:32a Set: 7:25p Moonrise: 4:26a Set: 3:15p AM Minor: 2:15a AM Major: 8:27a PM Minor: 2:39p PM Major: 8:51p Moon Overhead: 9:50a Moon Underfoot: 10:14p

PRIME TIME

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

12:55 AM 8:48 AM 4:30 PM 9:42 PM

0.99 ft. -0.09 ft. 1.10 ft. 0.90 ft.

10:30A — 12:30P

FEET

Sunrise: 7:31a Set: 7:25p Moonrise: 5:10a Set: 4:08p AM Minor: 2:58a AM Major: 9:10a PM Minor: 3:22p PM Major: 9:34p Moon Overhead: 10:38a Moon Underfoot: 11:01p

Mar 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:

1:55 AM 9:23 AM 4:47 PM 9:45 PM

1.05 ft. -0.07 ft. 1.10 ft. 0.83 ft.

11:00A — 1:00P

FEET

12p

12a 12a

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 7:29a Set: 7:26p Moonrise: 5:51a Set: 5:02p AM Minor: 3:41a AM Major: 9:52a PM Minor: 4:04p PM Major: 10:16p Moon Overhead: 11:25a Moon Underfoot: 11:49p

15 « High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

PRIME TIME 2:47 AM 9:55 AM 5:06 PM 10:04 PM

1.10 ft. -0.03 ft. 1.10 ft. 0.73 ft.

4:30 — 6:30 AM

FEET

Sunrise: 7:28a Set: 7:26p Moonrise: 6:31a Set: 5:58p AM Minor: 4:23a AM Major: 10:35a PM Minor: 4:47p PM Major: 10:59p Moon Overhead: 12:12p Moon Underfoot: None

18 « High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

9a M A R C H

TexasOutdoorNation-1803DIG.indd 76

12p 2 0 1 8

T E X A S

12a 12a

F I S H

12p

12a 12a

G A M E ®

2/13/18 12:06 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

FRIDAY

25p 08p : 9:10a : 9:34p

Mar 16 l High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

3:38 AM 10:27 AM 5:25 PM 10:31 PM

PRIME TIME 1.14 ft. 0.03 ft. 1.10 ft. 0.62 ft.

5:00 — 7:00 AM

FEET

SATURDAY

Sunrise: 7:27a Set: 7:27p Moonrise: 7:08a Set: 6:54p AM Minor: 5:07a AM Major: 11:19a PM Minor: 5:30p PM Major: 11:42p Moon Overhead: 12:59p Moon Underfoot: 12:36a

17 « High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12p

4:28 AM 11:00 AM 5:44 PM 11:03 PM

1.17 ft. 0.12 ft. 1.08 ft. 0.49 ft.

12:30 — 2:30 PM

FEET

+3.0

12a 12a

Sunrise: 7:26a Set: 7:28p Moonrise: 7:45a Set: 7:51p AM Minor: 5:52a AM Major: ----PM Minor: 6:15p PM Major: 12:27p Moon Overhead: 1:45p Moon Underfoot: 1:22a

PRIME TIME

12a 12a

12p

12a

SUNDAY

26p 58p : 10:35a : 10:59p

18 « High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

PRIME TIME 5:21 AM 11:35 AM 6:02 PM 11:39 PM

1.19 ft. 0.26 ft. 1.06 ft. 0.35 ft.

1:30 — 3:30 PM

Sunrise: 7:25a Set: 7:28p Moonrise: 8:21a Set: 8:48p AM Minor: 6:40a AM Major: 12:28a PM Minor: 7:03p PM Major: 12:51p Moon Overhead: 2:32p Moon Underfoot: 2:08a

FEET

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

READING THE GRAPH

Moon Overhead

+3.0

Moon Underfoot

+2.0

Day’s Best Score

Fishing Score Graph

+1.0

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Days Overall

MOON PHASES

l = New Moon

= First Quarter

l = Full Moon » = Last Quarter

«= Good Day by Moon Phase 12a 12a

12p

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-1803DIG.indd 77

12a

F I S H

G A M E ®

M A R C H

2 0 1 8

2/13/18 12:06 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

MONDAY

Mar 19 « High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

6:19 AM 12:12 PM 6:17 PM

PRIME TIME 1.20 ft. 0.42 ft. 1.04 ft.

2:30 — 4:30 PM

FEET

TUESDAY

Sunrise: 7:24a Set: 7:29p Moonrise: 8:57a Set: 9:47p AM Minor: 7:30a AM Major: 1:18a PM Minor: 7:54p PM Major: 1:42p Moon Overhead: 3:19p Moon Underfoot: 2:55a

PRIME TIME

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

12:18 AM 7:25 AM 12:52 PM 6:27 PM

0.20 ft. 1.21 ft. 0.62 ft. 1.04 ft.

3:00 — 5:00 PM

FEET

Sunrise: 7:22a Set: 7:29p Moonrise: 9:35a Set: 10:48p AM Minor: 8:23a AM Major: 2:11a PM Minor: 8:48p PM Major: 2:36p Moon Overhead: 4:08p Moon Underfoot: 3:44a

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

12p

12a 12a

WEDNESDAY

PRIME TIME

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

1:03 AM 8:40 AM 1:36 PM 6:30 PM

0.06 ft. 1.21 ft. 0.82 ft. 1.06 ft.

4:00 — 6:00 PM

FEET

12p

12a 12a

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 7:21a Set: 7:30p Moonrise: 10:16a Set: 11:49p AM Minor: 9:20a AM Major: 3:07a PM Minor: 9:46p PM Major: 3:33p Moon Overhead: 5:00p Moon Underfoot: 4:34a

PRIME TIME

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

1:54 AM 10:08 AM 2:27 PM 6:20 PM

-0.05 ft. 1.23 ft. 1.01 ft. 1.11 ft.

10:00P — 12:00A

FEET

Sunrise: 7:20a Set: 7:30p Moonrise: 11:01a Set: None AM Minor: 10:18a AM Major: 4:05a PM Minor: 10:46p PM Major: 4:32p Moon Overhead: 5:54p Moon Underfoot: 5:27a

Low Tide: High Tide:

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

9a M A R C H

TexasOutdoorNation-1803DIG.indd 78

12p 2 0 1 8

T E X A S

12a 12a

F I S H

12p

12a 12a

G A M E ®

2/13/18 12:06 PM

29p 0:48p : 2:11a : 2:36p

30p one : 4:05a : 4:32p

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

FRIDAY

Mar 23 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

2:55 AM 11:45 AM 3:47 PM 5:38 PM

PRIME TIME -0.14 ft. 1.28 ft. 1.16 ft. 1.17 ft.

5:30 — 7:30 AM

FEET

SATURDAY

Sunrise: 7:19a Set: 7:31p Moonrise: 11:51a Set: 12:52a AM Minor: 11:18a AM Major: 5:04a PM Minor: 11:47p PM Major: 5:33p Moon Overhead: 6:51p Moon Underfoot: 6:23a

24 º Low Tide: High Tide:

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12p

4:05 AM 1:17 PM

-0.20 ft. 1.34 ft.

12:00 — 2:00 AM

FEET

+3.0

12a 12a

Sunrise: 7:18a Set: 7:32p Moonrise: 12:46p Set: 1:54a AM Minor: ----AM Major: 6:03a PM Minor: 12:18p PM Major: 6:33p Moon Overhead: 7:50p Moon Underfoot: 7:20a

PRIME TIME

12a 12a

12p

12a

SUNDAY

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: High Tide:

5:21 AM 2:22 PM

-0.23 ft. 1.38 ft.

1:00 — 3:00 AM

Sunrise: 7:16a Set: 7:32p Moonrise: 1:46p Set: 2:53a AM Minor: 12:46a AM Major: 7:01a PM Minor: 1:16p PM Major: 7:31p Moon Overhead: 8:49p Moon Underfoot: 8:19a

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

READING THE GRAPH

FEET

Moon Overhead

+3.0

Moon Underfoot

+2.0

Day’s Best Score

Fishing Score Graph

+1.0

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Days Overall

MOON PHASES

l = New Moon

= First Quarter

l = Full Moon » = Last Quarter

«= Good Day by Moon Phase 12a 12a

12p

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-1803DIG.indd 79

12a

F I S H

G A M E ®

M A R C H

2 0 1 8

2/13/18 12:06 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

MONDAY

Mar 26 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

PRIME TIME

6:38 AM 3:05 PM 9:10 PM 11:41 PM

-0.25 ft. 1.37 ft. 1.09 ft. 1.13 ft.

2:00 — 4:00 AM

FEET

TUESDAY

Sunrise: 7:15a Set: 7:33p Moonrise: 2:49p Set: 3:50a AM Minor: 1:42a AM Major: 7:57a PM Minor: 2:11p PM Major: 8:26p Moon Overhead: 9:47p Moon Underfoot: 9:18a

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:46 AM 3:38 PM 9:09 PM

-0.23 ft. 1.34 ft. 0.97 ft.

9:30 — 11:30 PM

FEET

Sunrise: 7:14a Set: 7:33p Moonrise: 3:54p Set: 4:42a AM Minor: 2:35a AM Major: 8:49a PM Minor: 3:03p PM Major: 9:18p Moon Overhead: 10:44p Moon Underfoot: 10:16a

Mar 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:

1:22 AM 8:47 AM 4:05 PM 9:30 PM

1.18 ft. -0.16 ft. 1.28 ft. 0.80 ft.

12:00 — 2:00 PM

FEET

12p

12a 12a

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 7:13a Set: 7:34p Moonrise: 4:58p Set: 5:29a AM Minor: 3:25a AM Major: 9:39a PM Minor: 3:52p PM Major: 10:06p Moon Overhead: 11:38p Moon Underfoot: 11:11a

PRIME TIME

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

2:40 AM 9:41 AM 4:29 PM 10:00 PM

1.25 ft. -0.03 ft. 1.22 ft. 0.61 ft.

5:00 — 7:00 AM

FEET

Sunrise: 7:12a Set: 7:34p Moonrise: 6:02p Set: 6:12a AM Minor: 4:14a AM Major: 10:27a PM Minor: 4:40p PM Major: 10:53p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 12:04p

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

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12a

9a M A R C H

TexasOutdoorNation-1803DIG.indd 80

12p 2 0 1 8

T E X A S

12a 12a

F I S H

12p

12a 12a

G A M E ®

2/13/18 12:06 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK

FRIDAY

33p 42a : 8:49a : 9:18p

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

3:48 AM 10:30 AM 4:52 PM 10:33 PM

PRIME TIME 1.31 ft. 0.13 ft. 1.17 ft. 0.42 ft.

11:30P — 1:30A

FEET

SATURDAY

Sunrise: 7:11a Set: 7:35p Moonrise: 7:03p Set: 6:52a AM Minor: 5:01a AM Major: 11:14a PM Minor: 5:26p PM Major: 11:39p Moon Overhead: 12:30a Moon Underfoot: 12:55p

31 « High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

12p

4:52 AM 11:16 AM 5:13 PM 11:10 PM

1.35 ft. 0.33 ft. 1.13 ft. 0.26 ft.

12:30 — 2:30 AM

FEET

+3.0

12a 12a

Sunrise: 7:09a Set: 7:36p Moonrise: 8:03p Set: 7:30a AM Minor: 5:50a AM Major: ----PM Minor: 6:14p PM Major: 12:02p Moon Overhead: 1:20a Moon Underfoot: 1:44p

PRIME TIME

12a 12a

12p

12a

SUNDAY

34p 12a : 10:27a : 10:53p

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

5:54 AM 12:00 PM 5:34 PM 11:48 PM

PRIME TIME 1.37 ft. 0.54 ft. 1.11 ft. 0.14 ft.

1:00 — 3:00 AM

Sunrise: 7:08a Set: 7:36p Moonrise: 9:01p Set: 8:07a AM Minor: 6:39a AM Major: 12:27a PM Minor: 7:03p PM Major: 12:51p Moon Overhead: 2:08a Moon Underfoot: 2:32p

FEET

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

READING THE GRAPH

Moon Overhead

+3.0

Moon Underfoot

+2.0

Day’s Best Score

Fishing Score Graph

+1.0

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Days Overall

MOON PHASES

l = New Moon

= First Quarter

l = Full Moon » = Last Quarter

«= Good Day by Moon Phase 12a 12a

12p

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2/13/18 12:06 PM

Industry INSIDER South West International Boat Show Gears Up for Spring Show

Show attendees, offered hourly across all four days of the Show. These seminars are hosted by industry experts, radio hosts and world travelers and cover a wide variety of topics. All event information and registration details can be found at: www.southwestinternationalboatshow.com

THE REGION’S LARGEST IN-WATER boat show allows buyers to see boats in their element. The South West International Boat Show, the largest in-water boat show in the Southwest, and the premier sail and power show for new and pre-owned vessels, returns April 12-15, 2018, to the South Shore Harbour Marina on Clear Lake, League City, Texas. This annual Spring show, will feature boats ranging in size from 10ft. to 100ft, both freshwater and saltwater, ready for boarding and viewing, with pre-season specials and dealer incentive programs available on many models. “This is a perfect venue to see these incredible vessels up close and in their element,” President of the South West International Boat Show, Peter Bryant, says. “Being able to see how a yacht or sailboat performs in water allows interested buyers to learn so much more about the vessel. Onshore, live music will provide entertainment and more than 200 vendors will offer a variety of services and products for the boating and outdoor lifestyle, including fishing gear, apparel and outdoor equipment, in addition to a full range of marine electronics, accessories and hardware from top industry names. Dealers and manufacturers will also be on hand to provide valuable information and answer any questions. Show highlights include: • “Take the Helm” on-water boat handling lessons for all experience levels, taught by US Coast Guard licensed captains and hosted by Carefree Boat Club. • A comprehensive program of entertaining and educational seminars, free for Boat 82

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Yamaha Outboards Boosts the Juice with New F25, F90 Outboards WHEN IT COMES TO NEW OUTboard engines the high horsepower ranges usually get headlines, but in some cases smaller models make big advancements. This is the what you’ll see with Yamaha’s newly announced F25 and F90 four-stroke outboards.

F90 THE F90 (AND ITS SISTER MOTOR, the 75, which is essentially identical but detuned) is an all-new design rolled out this year to shave both weight and overall size from the 90 HP package—yet increase performance, while retaining Yamaha’s trademark reliability. To accomplish this, Yamaha moved from a 1.6L powerhead to a 1.8L version. The additional displacement means more torque, which will help you jump on plane faster and handle heavier loads on your boat without suffering from a lack of performance. But, how do you make a bigger engine lighter? They shifted from a dual overhead cam design to a single overhead cam, which helped knock 13 pounds off of last year’s F90. It also slims down the powerhead by about a third of an inch, so the entire package is slightly more compact. Another improvement found in the F90 is increased charging ability. The new version puts out 28 amps at just 1000 RPM, and tops |

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out at 35 amps. Older versions of the F90 produced 25 peak amps. This means you can run multiple livewells, lots of electronics, and pretty much whatever other accessories you need, without tapping out your battery.

F25 WHILE THE F90 CERTAINLY REPREsents a step forward, though smaller, the F25 is an even bigger leap. This engine has battery-less EFI, which has a number of significant advantages. Eliminating the need for a battery means you can get rid of 50 or so pounds in a small boat that doesn’t have any need for electricity; the closed EFI system has zero problem dealing with ethanol fuel since there’s no carb to clog up and less exposure to air; fuel efficiency is improved; and on top of all that, the engine is a whopping 25-percent lighter than last year’s model (126 pounds). Yamaha also says the battery-less EFI gets you one-pull starting, and when we tested the engine we found that to be mostly true. If you pull the entire length of the cord, about four feet, the engine cranks up every time. But if you get a bit lazy when you yank and don’t get that cord all the way out, it starts on the initial tug about half the time and on the second tug the rest of the time. The F25 now also offers variable trolling speed control with a button on the tiller handle that lets you adjust low-end RPM by increments of 50, so you can dial in the exact trolling speed you want. Alternator output gets a slight increase to 16 amps, and overall the engine is more compact than last year’s F25. For more information on the F90, the F25, and other Yamaha outboards, visit yamahaoutboards.com.

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2/8/18 12:02 PM

Texas TESTED Ozonics Scent Eliminator

Ozone from the Ozonics HR 300 makes human odor undetectable.

I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT SCENT control is imperative when you are hunting whitetail deer. That being said, I am in the habit of using scent free products that claim they work. One product I know for a fact works is an Ozonics scent eliminator unit. I tested the Ozonics HR 300 product just yesterday and purposely chose a tree stand that was horrible for wind direction. The wind carried my scent directly down a field where the deer usually approach from. I turned the Ozonics HR 300 on and waited. Throughout the morning hunt, 5 different deer were in the field and all headed towards me without the slightest sense of

my presence. I was amazed! One actually walked right under my stand! I sat there and could not believe that anything could take away 100% of human scent. I was wrong.

The Ozonics HR 300, simply put, is an absolute must for any hunter. This is one product that works and works well! This unit creates a layer of ozone that makes your human odor undetectable. The rechargeable standard battery will run for 5 hours on standard mode while the boost mode, which is recommended for tree stand hunting, will run for 4 hours. A larger battery is available if you plan on hunting longer. There is also a mode for their Driwash bag. The Ozonics HR 300 is very light and easily fits in your backpack. This unit also comes with a tree stand mount and a ground blind mount. I have only tried it in a tree stand but after seeing the results. I cannot wait to hunt out of a ground blind as well. I cannot convey to you how much the Ozonics HR 300 has affected me. A unit that really does remove 100% of human odor is a dream come true for any hunter out there

—by LOU MARULLO

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2/8/18 12:13 PM

Fish and Game GEAR The New Hammered Kastmaster Simply Hammers Big Fish

performance edge over time. CZB technology allows the Concept Z to maintain its peak casting performance because the material experiences no corrosion. CZB technology is extremely quiet while casting, offering the angler a completely new experience.

ALREADY AN ICON IN THE FISHING world for catching fresh and saltwater species of nearly all varieties, the Kastmaster offers a new hammered finish for the 2017/2018 season. The new treatment

Outdoor Tech Wear ESTABLISHED JANUARY 20, 2017, Outdoor Tech Wear provides premium custom and branded outdoor male and female apparel with moisture wicking, +50 UV protection and anti-microbial fabric.

puts dozens of dimples on the side of each lure that all reflect light. These dimples provide increased reflection in all clarity levels of water, and also give added vibration. The Hammered Kastmaster series is made in the U.S.A. and are available in 1/24 to 3/8 ounce sizes in both gold and nickel.

Their line is 100% made in the USA including the fabric, the permanent graphic imprint process and the sewing process. OT apparel is made with durable advanced technology fabrics providing superior moisture wicking and mesh paneling for cool and dry comfort. Their fabrics are also anti-microbial promoting a fresh a clean scent even when handling the daily catch. Every item is personally double stitched for durable seams that are both stylish and rugged. They offer a large selection of superior graphics which can be printed in unlimited eye-catching colors. The permanent graphic imprint process (dye sublimation) guarantees our graphics will never fade or crack. Custom fishing jerseys are offered in front zipper style or round neck with long sleeves or short sleeves. Both light weight sun hoodies and

Concept Z THE CONCEPT Z IS THE WORLD’S first high-performance reel with zero ball bearings. While reels with “no bearings” have been produced in the past, none are able to deliver high performance casting and accu-

racy like the Concept Z. This level of performance is due to 13 Fishing’s high-tech polymer Concept Zero Bearings (CZB) which are engineered and manufactured in the USA. Traditional bearings have moving parts that corrode, break down, and lose their 84

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heavier weight hoodies are available. College, High School, Clubs/Organizations and Corporate jerseys and hoodies are offered with logos and custom background using the same care and quality fabric and processes as our custom jerseys. Their technologically superior apparel are used and recommended by the top Pro Anglers in the U.S. including Jimmy Houston, Scott Martin and Peter Miller. Ordering online is easy. 30 day delivery, ordering assistant from their caring and knowledgeable OT staff. Rush delivery options available. They provide marketing professional assistance to our corporate customers to help them use our jerseys as a successful marketing tool for their businesses. They assist college and high school fishing teams with fundraising projects utilizing our tee-shirts and baseball caps. Learn more at: www.outdoortechwear. com

G A M E ®

2/12/18 10:00 AM

Outdoor DIRECTORY Guides & Outfitters

Lodging

Destinations

Real Estate :: Gear

TEXAS FRESHWATER

TEXAS SALTWATER

LAKE AMISTAD

LOWER TEXAS COAST

LOUISIANA

LAKE TEXOMA

TEXAS SALTWATER UPPER TEXAS COAST

HUNTING SOUTH TEXAS

DFW METROPLEX MID TEXAS COAST

NEW 2018 EDITION LAKE LIVINGSTON

DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS

www.FishandGameGear.com T E X A S

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2/8/18 12:03 PM

Texas TASTED by BRYAN SLAVEN :: The Texas Gourmet

Mandarin & Sherry Glazed Pork Tenderloin

ORK TENDERLOIN IS A DELIcate cut of meat that pairs well with the bold taste of our Mandarin Orange Serrano Jelly along with a flavorful sherry then grilled over apple or cherry wood. The brining really helps keep the meat moist and allows the flavors of the marinade to permeate throughout the entire tenderloin. Brine pork before preparation—2 tablespoons of sea salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar, add to 2 cups of cold water, stir until all has dissolved. Brine for no more than 1 hour.

1/2 jar Texas Gourmet Mandarin Orange Serrano Jelly 1 Tbsp. sherry 1 Tsp. soy sauce 1 tsp. coarse ground mustard 1 Tsp. olive oil 1 Tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped 1/4 Tsp. black pepper

Preparation Place the tenderloins in a glass baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients together in a bowl, then pour over the tenderloins. Allow to marinate for 2-4 hours. Preheat charcoal or gas grill to medium high heat. Sear the tenderloins directly over

Ingredients 2 pork tenderloins

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the fire for about 1-2 minutes per side. Then, move them away from the direct heat and turn every 5-7 minutes basting with the marinade when turning. Grill for about 12-14 minutes or until your meat thermometer registers approx. 152 degrees. Do not overcook! Remove from fire and cover with a foil tent, resting for 5-10 minutes. Place the remaining marinade in a skillet over high heat, bring to a boil until slightly thickened then pour over the tenderloin and serve hot. Serve with Hunter’s Quick Dirty rice and Pineapple Mango Pico de Gallo. Bon Appétit!

« See more recipies at thetexasgourmet.com Email Bryan Slaven at bryan@thetexasgourmet.com

PHOTO: BRYAN SLAVEN

2/8/18 12:13 PM

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2/8/18 12:13 PM

WHITETAIL Balcones Canyonlands NWR

WHITETAIL

Gideon Perez took his ﬁrst deer, a tenpoint buck he shot last season on a TPWD Youth Hunt at Balcones Canyonlands NWR. He used a 6.5 Creedmoor at 125 yards when the buck responded to rattling horns.

Bend Tameka Davis killed this old cull buck while hunting on the Vale Ranch at Bend, Texas last December.

FERAL HOG Bexar County Douglas Smith got this 337-pound hog while hunting in Bexar County.

FLOUNDER Lower Laguna Madre Robert Shary caught this 25-inch, 7.5-pound flounder while fishing in the Lower Laguna. He was entered in the CCA S.T.A.R. tournament, but caught the big flatfish 8 days after the tournament ended!

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2/10/18 12:33 PM

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

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

SPECKLED TROUT Aransas Pass Five-year-old Karter Michelle McGary caught this impressive 26 ½-inch, five-pound fatty, her new personal, best while fishing with her dad in Aransas Pass. She also landed several other nice trout and keeper redfish that day. Her dad was one proud parent.

WHITETAIL

REDFISH

Panola County

San Bernard River

Thirteen-year-old Aubree Hall shot her ﬁrst deer, a 6-point buck, while hunting with her Dad, Dan Hall in Panola County.

Remi Emmott caught this sixteenspotted redﬁsh while ﬁshing with her Mom and Dad on the San Bernard River.

FLOUNDER Sargent Lindy Bingham caught this 23-3/4inch ﬂounder while ﬁshing the Intracoastal Waterway at Sargent.

COYOTE & HOGS

REDFISH Arroyo City

Grapeland

Sam Chavez shattered his own personal best record with this catch, a 34-inch redﬁsh he caught on cut mullet while ﬁshing at Arroyo City.

Jerrud Horton and Luke Moody bagged 21 hogs and one coyote in one night while hunting at Grapeland. They were hunting with Smokin’ Gun Outﬁtters.

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2/8/18 12:15 PM

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