August 2008 by Texas Fish & Game

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

ROY NEVES PUBLISHER

DON ZAIDLE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CHESTER

MOORE

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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

MATT WILLIAMS • BOB HOOD • TED NUGENT • LOU MARULLO • REAVIS WORTHAM • JOE DOGGETT • KENDAL HEMPHILL • DOUG PIKE • CAPT. MIKE HOLMES • LENNY RUDOW • GREG BERLOCHER • STEVE LAMASCUS • PATRICK LEMIRE • PAUL BRADSHAW • HERMAN BRUNE • WAYNE C. WATSON • WALLY MARSHALL • BARRY ST. CLAIR • JIMMY D. MOORE • CALIXTO GONZALES • MARI HENRY • TOM BEHRENS •

FRESHWATER EDITOR HUNTING EDITOR BOWHUNTING EDITOR ASSOC. BOWHUNTING EDITOR HUMOR EDITOR SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR SENIOR OFFSHORE EDITOR ASSOC. OFFSHORE EDITOR BOATING EDITOR KAYAKING EDITOR FIREARMS EDITOR SALTWATER RIGS EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR LEGAL AFFAIRS EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR NORTH HOTSPOTS EDITOR SALTWATER EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR TROPHY QUEST COORDINATOR

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MICHELLE WARD ADMINISTRATOR TEXAS FISH & GAME (ISSN 0887-4174) is published monthly by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC., 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. ©Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission. The publication assumes no responsibility for unsolicited photographs and manuscripts. Subscription rates: 1 year $19.00: 2 years $34.75; 3 years $48.50. Address all subscription inquiries to Texas Fish & Game, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for response. Give old and new address and enclose latest mailing address label when writing about your subscription. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Address all subscription inquiries to TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Email change of address to: dhruzek@fishgame.com Email new orders to: dhruzek@fishgame.com Email subscription questions to: dhruzek@fishgame.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX 77267-9946 and at additional mailing offices.

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AUGUST 2008 • Volume XXIV • NO.4

TEXANS ON THE TOUR The Women’s Bassmaster Tour presented by Academy Sports & Outdoors has breathed new life into women’s competitive bass fishing. Five Texas women lead the field competing for a historic slot in the male dominated Bassmaster Classic next year.

by Matt Williams

PUBLIC DOVE HUNTING For an annual price tag of $48, Texas dove hunters have access to more than 55,000 acres of prime hunting land, much of it close by the state’s major urban centers.

by Bob Hood

TABOO SEAFOOD Our fearless Executive Editor has gone swimming with great white sharks and 120 pound catfish. He’s stranded himself overnight in a swamp. Now he takes on another daunting challenge: eating some really weird seafood.

by Chester Moore

SUMMER CRAPPIE STRATEGIES When crappie are active, getting a limit is hardly a challenge. But in the summer heat when they become less active, they can try the patience of even the most skilled angler. Wouldn’t it be great to know how to reactivate inactive crappie? Read on.

by Matt Williams

HUNTING GEAR ACCESSORIES & APPAREL FOR WOMEN & MEN The dog days of August are perfect for spending a little time indoors shopping for the gear you’ll need for hunting this fall and winter.

by Don Ziadle 4

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ON THE COVER: A Toledo Bend bass puts up a hearty fight for professional angler Judy Wong. Judy has fished professionally for over 30 years and has had a winning career despite the many hardships that have plagued the women’s sport. Unlike the men’s circuit, which has captured a huge following and national media attention, women’s tournaments have continually struggled for survival. In Matt Williams’ cover story ( see profile, upper left ), we look at the all new Women’s Bassmaster Tour, in which Judy and several other veteran Texas lady pros are now competing. Judy won this year’s Women’s Bassmaster Tour Championship, and was honored along with her male counterpart Alton Jones, winner of the 2008 Bassmaster Classic, with an invitation to the Oval Office and a personal visit with president George W. Bush. Judy and her sister anglers are hopeful that more such honors, and a measure of the success that the men’s sport has enjoyed, await them as they take their place in this new, brighter spotlight.

Photo by Matt Williams

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AUGUST 2008 • Volume XXIV • NO.4

COLUMNS 12 Editor’s Notes

42 Texas Bowhunter

Youth Essay Contest Winners

NRA Freedom Celebration

by DON ZAIDLE TF&G Editor-in-Chief

by TED NUGENT TF&G Bowhunting Editor

18 Chester’s Notes

Contract For Conservation, Part II Of a Series

48 Texas Deer Hunting New Rules & Regulations

by CHESTER MOORE TF&G Executive Editor

DEPARTMENTS 8

YOUR LETTERS

BIG BAGS &

by PAUL BRADSHAW TF&G Contributing Editor

20 Commentary

50 Texas Offshore

The Religion Of Intolerance

Beating the Heat

by KENDAL HEMPHILL TF&G Commentator

CATCHES

TF&G REPORT

TROPHY QUEST

TFG ON

by DOUG PIKE TF&G Offshore Editor

22 Doggett at Large Bass vs. SpecksWhich Is Best?

by JOE DOGGETT TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

32 Texas Saltwater

CAMPUS

Ups and Downs

by CALIXTO GONZALES TF&G Saltwater Editor

33 Texas Freshwater

K9 Captains & Midnight Boat Wrecks

62 Open Season

Reavis Screwdriver, Outdoor Detective

by MATT WILLIAMS TF&G Freshwater Editor 6

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by REAVIS WORTHAM TF&G Humor Editor F i s h

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WINGS OVER TEXAS

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CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE OTHER GUY First of all, let me say that I love this magazine. I am like the kid at Christmas anxiously waiting for the next edition. I hunt with every rifle I own–six of them. I fish Lower Laguna Madre on my boat almost every weekend. I guess you could say I am true outdoorsman. I read Mr. Hemphill’s political commentary, “Chicken Soup for the Other Guy,” in the June issue and was reminded why guys like me get a bad reputation. Mr. Hemphill’s diatribe did very little to enhance the image of the typical outdoorsman. He belittles the park ranger, calling him “stupid” for assuming that he knows what is best for the Kaktovik folks. Then Mr. Hemphill goes on to argue that since he is a “thinking man,” he can determine what it is these people really want. By reading this ridiculous article, I can surmise that the Kaktovik people would allow the oil industry to tear up their land for the price of a nice porcelain toilet. Very smart. Feeling a sense of unselfishness, Mr. Hemphill went on to tell us about his views on gun control. Anybody who would suggests that an AK-47 is not necessary to hunt any animal would be labeled a terrorist according to Mr. Hemphill. Gun control is about keeping bad guns from bad people. Gun control is not about stripping hunting rifles from Mr. Heston’s cold dead hands. Mr. Hemphill, the root of the world’s problems is not what you suggested. The root of the world’s problem is that people who lack erudition are usually the ones selected to speak for the masses.

LOG ON TO THE ALL NEW TF&G WEBSITE www.FishGame.com BLOGS by Editor Don Zaidle, Exec. Editor Chester Moore, Gun Editor Steve LaMascus, and Fishing Editor Paul Bradshaw. ZAIDLE

MOORE

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BRADSHAW

ARTICLE ARCHIVES The Current Issue — every word published with additional material and photos. Plus 7 years-worth of back issues (with MORE ISSUES added every week).

EMAG ARCHIVES Digital versions of the CURRENT ISSUE , with special features not possible in the printed version. Plus, 3 years of back issues (with MORE ISSUES added every week).

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AND COMING SOON: VIDEO HOW-TO’S AND LIVEACTION VIDEO FEATURES. PLUS: UPLOAD YOUR OWN OUTDOOR VIDEOS.

Julio Huerta Via email 8

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The truth can chase a lie around the world 10 times and never catch it. Our government is slowly but surely exposing themselves for what they really are. It is our evolution to go thru this energy debacle. Out of it will come the brilliant ingenuity of the freedom and entrepreneurship of Americans and other free people around the world. One example is the website www.carbonacquisitionsinc.com. Click on “What Others Are Doing” then click on “What the Federal Government is Doing.” The CBO report will highlight inefficient and footdragging lack of direction and inevitably of another tax. I am so thankful for your magazine and your staff. Excellent articles. Bill Lyon Via email I just read Kendal Hemphill’s column in the June 2008 issue, “Chicken Soup for the Other Guy.” I believe he expressed the essence of the issue that many of your readers face. There are those in our country who are arrogant enough to believe that they

know what is best for all, and they are quite happy to force their will upon everyone else. I submit that history is replete with instances of this type of behavior and mindset. While their intentions are usually veiled in paternal-like concern, their goal is to control others. I have experienced some of this sentiment in working with people in Southern California. Many present ideas and opinions on hunting, fishing, and Second Amendment rights that are fundamentally unsound and based in ignorance—often profound ignorance. However, they generally do listen to rational, factual rebuttal. (I do not hold myself out as an effective advocate of the interests of America’s sportsmen and sportswomen.) I share Mr. Hemphill’s frustration. Knowledge is our best defense. Keep up your good work. John Bannon Houston, TX

WAYS TO SKIN A CAT I enjoyed your article on cleaning catfish in the March issue. I picked up a few pointers that made the job faster and easier. How about one every month—flounder, sea trout, snapper, crappie, king mackerel? I also enjoy the “Bait and Rigs” columns. Not all new fishermen know what a Carolina rig is. Thanks for your magazine. Scott Chamberlain Granbury, TX

TROTLINE VS. THROWLINE Paul Bradshaw’s Freshwater Baits & Rigs column on “Rod-free Cats” was informative, but if you follow his directions on your throwlines, you may end up with a ticket. According to the game book, all hooks have to be 3 feet apart. They don’t list throwline, but actually it is a short trotline. I have been jugging for years and raised my two sons on it and we love it. Matt Curry Via email I consulted my 2007-2008 TPWD Outdoor Annual to make sure I didn’t miss something. On page 35, throwlines and trotlines are both listed as separate methods of taking catfish. The trotline lists restrictions of a maximum length of 600 feet with no more than 50 hooks spaced no closer than 3 feet. The only restriction listed for throwlines is that they must have five hooks or less. To confirm I was reading that correctly, I sent the question to the local game warden and received the following response: “A jug-line in freshwater has five or less hooks, no hook spacing requirements. A throw-line in freshwater has five or less hooks, no hook spacing requirements. A trotline in freshwater has no more than 50 hooks which must be spaced at least 3 feet apart, main line no longer than 600 feet.

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“Each, indeed, has a separate section in the Outdoor Annual and is a distinct, but similar device. “If a line set out as a jug-line or throw-line contained more than five hooks, either device would be treated under the rules of a trotline because it had more than five hooks.” So, hook spacing on throwlines doesn’t become an issue until you put more than five hooks on it, and then if falls under the classification of a trotline. —Paul Bradshaw

THANKS TO TF&G & DU I just wanted to say thanks to your magazine and Ducks Unlimited for the free subscription that I received. I have been saying that I was going to subscribe and kept putting it off, but now I don’t have to worry. I have always enjoyed your magazine, and when I received the first issue, I sat down and read it cover to cover. Keep up the good work. Randy Gresham Via email

PUT CONSERVATION BACK IN CONSERVATIVE Chester Moore hit so many nails on the head with his “Put Conservation Back in Conservative” Chester’s Notes column in the July issue—he must have a very big hammer. I have had my struggles with politicians and have had to make choices I don’t like. I was a member of a national organization aimed at getting Republicans back on the conservation track, but had to quit over misplaced priorities that focused on global warming as an anthropogenic-caused phenomenon and ignoring issues that I really care about, like a sound energy policy, water and air pollution, and reforming mining laws so we don’t have to foot the bill when mining companies take the money and run. We really need to be adamant when it comes to protecting our national treasures like the national parks. At the same time, we also need to increase our use of alternative energy sources like wind and biofuels derived from waste, and increase our domes-

tic oil supply with offshore drilling. We need to do this in an environmentally friendly way; for example, don’t put wind generators on the coast where the slaughter of migrating birds would make the cost too high, but put them where it makes sense, like the huge wind farm off I-40 west of Amarillo. This is out of the major flyways, and the wind generation industry is working on the problem of reducing the wing tip

speed to below super-sonic to reduce bird mortality. I am very keen to see Part II of “Put Conservation Back in Conservative.” Go get ‘em, Chester! I am with you! William J. (Bill) Hobson College Station, TX

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Youth Essay Contest Winners

E ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE winners of our first Texas Fish & Game/Outdoor Texas Camp Youth Essay Contest. The entries ran the gamut from inspiring to insightful and downright perplexing. Our panel of judges struggled to select the “best,” even though we used a five-element scoring system based on the criteria Originality, Creativity, Writing, Message, and Overall Impression. But, we did it, winnowing the entries down to five place-winners. First Place went to appropriatelynamed Buck Hunter “Bucky” Starling, age 13, for “What the Outdoors Means to Me and Why.” His prize of a week in “fishing camp” at Stoney Creek Ranch, in Columbus, Texas; valued at $1000. When I called to tell him the news, Bucky was out doing whatever a kid named “Buck Hunter” does when not in school. I later received a note from him that said in part: “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to TF&G for sponsoring the contest and for the opportunity to attend camp at Stoney Creek. “My Mom told me that you called and I hope to get to thank you in person in the near future. I love your magazine and always rush to get to it before my Dad does. Before I read any articles, I scan for photos submitted by Grady Allen, since I have had the opportunity to meet and work with him.” Second Place went to 14-year-old Evan Davis for “Whitetail Pond,” which won him a prize package of Remington Model 770 Youth Rifle with scope, a Johnny Stewart Attractor game call from Hunter’s Specialties, and a Plano Pro Max 12

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rifle case valued at $516.98. Evan submitted his entry with a cover note that said: “Here is my best essay about how much I love nature. Someday, I hope to be a professional nature writer and wilderness guide. Thanks for the opportunity to possibly win a scholarship to this awesome camp!” When I telephoned Evan to tell him he had won Second Place, he was so “jazzed” I had a hard time telling him about the prize package between all the war whoops and “Hey, Mom! Guess what!” He later wrote me that: “Just so you know, this is probably one of the best days of my entire life! Thank you all so much. I will be sure to be responsible with [the rifle].” Evan’s mom told me that he had wanted a rifle for some time, but it just had not happened—until the contest came along. It was truly a wish come true for Evan, and we are thankful that Remington, Hunter’s Specialties, Plano, and Texas Fish & Game were privileged to make it happen. Third Place went to 15-year-old Michael Newman for “A Passion for the Outdoors.” His prize package was a Fenwick Techna AV casting rod and Abu Garcia Ambassadeur Revo STX bait-casting reel from Pure Fishing valued at $409.94. Michael, too, was a bit excited at the news of his win. He sent me a note declaring: “Thanks for the prize! I’m so pumped!” Through some sort of shipping mishap, Michael’s one-piece rod arrived in three pieces. After he notified us, we contacted the shipper and Pure Fishing, and he had a replacement rod—in one piece—within 24 hours. Fourth Place went to Nathan Matusek for “Remembering the Texas Hill Country.” He received a prize package of a Fenwick Elite Tech spinning rod and Abu Garcia Cardinal 801 reel valued at $349.94 Fifth Place went to Joe Gabriel Guerra for “A Day in My Sanctuary.” He received a prize package of a Berkley Tec 100-pound digital fish scale and Berkley Tec Pistol Trigger Grip fish gripper from Pure Fishing valued at $149.99. Sixth Place fell to Rebecca Boyer for F i s h

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her untitled essay about fishing with her father. She received a prize package of a pair of Alpen Model 267 Binoculars and a Plano Guide Series 3336 tackle box valued at $113.32. All prize values are based on Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price at the time of award. Collectively, our essay winners received more than $2500 in prizes, thanks to the generosity of the contest sponsors and their enthusiasm for youth involvement in the outdoors. We look forward to next year’s contest, which opens to entries in February 2009 for youths age 11-17. Persons employed by Texas Fish & Game, its vendors, and advertisers or family members thereof are not eligible. Entries sent via email must be received no later than midnight May 1, 2000; entries sent via U.S. Postal Service mail must be postmarked no later than midnight May 1, 2009. Entries submitted electronically (via email or a postal mailed CD) must be in MS Word or plain text (ASCII) format. Hard copy entries must be neatly typed, doublespaced, on 20-pound or better bond paper. Send email entries to essaycontest@fishgame.com; CD or hard copy submissions to Essay Contest, Texas Fish & Game, 1745 Greens Rd; Houston, TX 77032. Meanwhile, we will publish the winning first through third place 2008 entries in upcoming issues. We think you will find them much to your liking. We asked the winners to photograph and write the story of their first catches or kills made with the awarded prizes, which we will also publish in future issues. We cannot state enough the pure joy and honor we feel at this opportunity to reach out to young outdoors enthusiasts through this contest, and to allow them to reach out to others with their stories, their message, and to touch all of us with their enthusiasm for and unique perspectives on the places and things we all hold so dear.

E-mail Don Zaidle at editor@fishgame.com

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Hog Dog Trainers Indicted W

ILLIAM HARRISON MOORE, 42, OF HUNT, Texas, and Joshua Allen Henderson, 27, of Ingram, were indicted on animal cruelty charges May 18, 2008 in relation to a training session for some of Moore’s hog dog pups. The session in question occurred on March 16 and was videotaped by an “interested party” whose identity remains unknown. According to an article in the Kerrville Daily Times, Kerr County Deputy Sheriff Carol Twiss reported the men engaged in “unacceptable training procedures.” “They continually allowed the dogs to tear into the hogs,” said Twiss. The deputy also said the treatment of the hogs was inhu-

mane and that the sheriff ’s department collected evidence to gain the indictment. Twiss stated there would be no further comment until the case came to a hearing. The Times article did not mention the defendants’ response and said only that the men were in jail when the story went to print. On May 23, Joshua Henderson’s mother, Winnie Henderson, reached out to the hunting community for help. Her initial fears are for her son, who is a government trapper, and the harm that an unjust felony conviction could have on his life. She claimed that the Times story was one-sided and untrue. On May 29, William Moore talked to

TF&G: “We purchased a couple of 100pound hogs from a trapper and took them to Crider’s Arena. The oldest pup was a oneyear old blue tick. We also had a red tick pup and a black-mouth cur/pit mix. These are bay dogs, and the pups were spending a lot of time running. So, I turned an old blue leopard female in with them to help. Finally, I roped a hog by the neck and one front leg. I know I wasn’t choking the hog, and having it on the end of a rope let the dogs bay up. They never did more than nip at the hogs. However, the hogs ran at us several times and we had to kick them away. “When we were done, we turned the

BIG BAGS & CATCHES

KINGFISH—Port O’ Connor

DRUM—Texas City Dike

MARLIN—East Breaks Texas Coast

L-R Eric, Brooks, and Ken Schaefer of Austin, Texas, with a 51-pound kingfish caught by Ken on an oil rig 35 miles offshore from Port O’Connor. The king almost spooled a reel of over 400 yards of line before he could be chased down.

Ken Wahl caught his first drum, along with several more, near the Texas City Dike. All of his catches were released.

Ben Anderson, Keith Sanborn, Chris George and Jeff Bratton caught and released this blue marlin, the first of two released within two hours, at the East Breaks off the coast of Texas from the Bad Habit.

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hogs into a pen where they had a wallow and grass. I had full intentions of butchering those hogs in a few days and giving the meat away. But the first thing we know, Kerr County Animal Control confiscated the hogs. The man that we bought the hogs from will testify that they had previous wounds that weren’t incurred on the day in question.

“After that, my attorney sent papers to the court saying that he would represent me if necessary. But the court said that no representation was necessary. Then we found out that we’d been indicted and that there were arrest warrants for us. So, we turned ourselves in. This completely blind-sided us. Nobody expected anything like this.”

An undercurrent to the story is that the defendant’s believe there might be personal vendettas involved that have nothing to do with training dogs. The bottom line will be how a judge or jury interprets the video. —Herman Brune

Louisiana Liberalizes Crossbow Regulations In June, Louisiana Governor, Bobby Jindal approved Senate Bill 165, amending the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) regulation on crossbow use. This bill allows the LDWF commission to “establish the following special deer hunting seasons: (1) a bow and arrow only season, and (2) a bow and arrow and crossbow season.” The commission will also have the responsibility for regulating the length of the special seasons and determining the areas for approved hunting. Prior to this bill, only hunters who qualified for a handicap permit or hunters age 60 and older could use crossbows. In Texas, crossbows are currently legal for harvesting big game, except during the fall archery season. A bill introduced in the 80th Texas Legislature in 2007 that would have made crossbows legal during archery season narrowly missed passage because the session closed before the bill cleared the Senate Natural Resources Committee. The bill passed the House. Legislation to legalize crossbows during archery season is expected to be introduced in the 81st Texas Legislature, which convenes at noon January 13, 2009.

Wildebeest Virus in Texas Earlier in the spring of 2008, disaster struck the Camp Cooley Ranch in Franklin, Texas, after the discovery of an exotic “wildebeest virus” infection. In June, Camp Cooley Ranch held a full female dispersal sale of more than 2350 head of registered Angus, Brangus, and Charolais cattle. On March 28, 130 heifers were sold and distributed to Illinois, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and throughout Texas. One of the heifers died in Louisiana, and the USDA National Veterinary Services confirmed the presence of the wildebeest type of 16

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malignant catarrhal fever (MCF). Camp Cooley Ranch also produces exotic animals for stocking high-fence hunting operations. Prior to this incident, that included wildebeest and native white-tailed deer. According to the USDA, MCF poses no threat to human health. It is a herpes virus and there are two such known viruses in the U.S.—a sheep virus and a wildebeest virus. Both types can cause high fatality rates in cattle. However, according to the USDA, it is not a contagious disease in cattle, and because cattle do not transmit the disease, the interstate movement of cattle does not pose a risk for dissemination of the disease. USDA explained that the disease appears to have spread to the cattle on the mixed-use operation in Texas from exposure to captive wildebeests on the same property. The USDA says MCF can infect deer and elk. The disease has been found in domestic pigs, giraffes, and some species of antelope. Isolated incidents of MCF have occurred in zoos during the 1970s, and one case involving a domestic cow in 1994. According to the Merck Manual, MCF is a worldwide problem common where the primary carriers (domestic sheep and wildebeest) are prevalent. It is a major problem

for deer farms, and recently emerged as a severe threat to the commercial bison industry. In 2003, 800 head of bison (American buffalo) died in the U.S. after exposure to large numbers of adolescent sheep. An epidemiological investigation by the USDA and Texas Animal Health Commission found 589 cows exposed and were placed “on hold.” —HB

$1 Million for Hog Control The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) recently awarded Texas AgriLife Extension Service $1 million for the agency’s new Texas Feral Hog Control Program: Moving Towards A Long-Term Abatement Strategy. “The feral hog population has exploded in Texas over the past 20 years. This invasive species will destroy anything in its path, from sorghum fields in the rolling plains to pastures in East Texas and plants in a suburban San Antonio landscape,” Commissioner Staples said. “Eliminating these animals also means safer driving conditions for Texans and for our many visitors. This grant will test the critical strategies we

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have developed to control this pest.” Texas is home to more than 2 million feral hogs, the largest feral hog population in the U.S., and the numbers continue to rise due to high fecundity and lack of natural predators. Feral hogs wreak havoc on property, livestock, crops, and pastures across the state and frustrate landowners with their destructive but elusive natures. The Extension Service estimates the statewide annual economic damage caused by feral hogs is close to $52 million. The 80th Legislature directed the $1 million in funding following a $500,000 pilot project funded by the 79th Legislature. The pilot program was administered by Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Tech University through a TDA grant in 2006-2007. It provided technical assistance to landowners at three sites, and promoted educational events for other landowners statewide. The pilot project succeeded in removing more than 3000 feral hogs, saving landowners and agricultural producers nearly $3 million in losses.

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Contract For Conservation Part Two

S MEMBERS OF THE HUNTING, FISHING, AND trapping communities, we are often asked to compromise our values at the polls to elect officials who espouse conservative values but ignore conservation. The following 10 principles would, if adopted by office holders or a political party, redefine the nature of conservatism as it relates to conservation, and allow the voter to trust they made the right choice for supporting conservation and the lifestyle we passionately pursue. 1. Second Amendment Absolutism: The Second Amendment of the United Stations Constitution (Article II of the Bill of Rights) has nothing to do with hunting or sport shooting. For a politician to say he or she supports “hunting” or “sporting arms” while voting for limits on ownership of certain kinds of firearms is offensive and contrary to what the founding fathers intended. We should hold the right to keep and bear arms no less sacred than the rights to free speech and peaceable assembly. Never confuse it with a hunting related issue. It is much, much more than that. 2. Clean Water for All: Allowing corporations and municipalities to get away with polluting rivers and streams is simply wrong. No one wants to eat fish that have cancer-causing chemicals in their flesh, or swim in waters ripe with raw sewage. A big part of true conservatism is using and enjoying natural resources as long as said use does not hurt others. Pollution hurts others. Case closed. 3. Bottomlands and Grasslands Conservation Act: Hardwood bottomlands and native grasslands are the most endangered habitats in America, and are in huge trouble in Texas. These areas are highly important for wildlife, and to those who hunt, trap, and camp. Hardwood bottomlands and grasslands serve key environmental roles. Legislation to conserve these cru18

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cial habitats and protect them from commercial or even government exploitation is crucial to the future. Part of such legislation should include using duck stamp funds to protect grasslands where the ducks nest, and water conservation measures should be closely examined before reservoir projects receive the green light. 4. No Land Grabs for Development: Since the U.S. Supreme Court recently made a very anti-American decision in support of “imminent domain,” which allows local governments to seize lands for development when deemed necessary for “progress,” we need to keep out an eye for land grabbers. Projects like the Trans-Texas Corridor are ripe for “imminent domain” abuses and could not only force private landowners to give up their property for “fair market value,” but also completely change the landscape of our state and cause the loss of millions of acres of wildlife habitat. If the private market dictates development, fine, but the government should not be in the business of setting it up. Imminent domain is not conservative. It is much more akin to another ideology that starts with a “C” and was very popular in Eastern Europe during the 20th Century. 5. End Illegal Immigration: Besides the obvious national security risks posed by millions of people entering our country illegally through Mexico and Canada, it is a huge drain on our resources, including natural resources—billions of gallons of water, millions of acres of wildlife habitat for housing, and the daily pollution produced by an estimated minimum 12 million currently within our borders. It must end. 6. Transparency in Government: Currently, so-called “public” hearings involving wildlife and conservation issues are hidden from the public in many cases. Legally required public notices, particularly on the federal side, are hidden in the back pages of newspapers. Any issue involving public comment on a conservation issue should be highF i s h

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lighted and presented in a way that focuses on those people who stand to gain or lose from any proposal. 7. Public Land Hunting and Fishing: An Executive Order by President Bush calls for increased hunting opportunity on public lands. We should expand this to allow hunting on all public lands where biologically feasible. In other words, there is no reason waterfowl hunting should not be allowed on the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge at some level, as conditions currently stand. Areas closed for waterfowl hunting should be rotated annually. Ditto for fishing. 8. User Pay, User Benefit: This has been the long-standing tenet of fishing and hunting licenses and duck stamps for years. Government officials should not divert funding from conservation projects to fund parks or any other pork barrel project. If a citizen buys a fishing license thinking it will support fisheries, it should do just that. 9. Expand Tax Breaks for Habitat Conservation: Landowners who are keeping wildlife habitat intact and striving to make habitat upgrades should receive tax incentives beyond those currently offered. This should be expanded to leaseholders with management rights on large land holdings and on smaller acreage. 10. Science over Emotion: Science, not emotion, should be the driving force for decisions on wildlife and habitat management. This is an overriding factor that should govern decisions, from polar bear hunts in the Arctic to fisheries issues in the Gulf of Mexico. If wildlife managers deem a species ripe for harvest, the protests of people with no real stake in the issue should have no bearing. (This is why the founding fathers gave us a representative republic, not a democracy; true democracy is simply mob rule.) In addition, major decisions like the red snapper debacle should involve independent scientific review so the government is not the only one holding the books.

E-mail Chester Moore at cmoore@fishgame.com

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The Religion Of Intolerance TF&G FIRST

HE TOWN OF RANDOLPH, IOWA, HAD A SERIous feral cat problem, so the city council placed a $5 bounty on the wild felines to encourage residents to trap them. The bounty was rescinded after animal rights groups protested. Three boys in Delaware County, Indiana, were arrested for animal abuse. The squirrel they allegedly mistreated was already dead at the time. The boys did not kill it. Gray wolves have become so abundant in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming they have been taken off the Endangered Species list. When state fish and game agencies planned limited hunts to control the wolves, Earthjustice, along with 12 other local and national environmental groups, filed suit against the federal government in protest. Coyotes have become so abundant and fearless in southern California they are attacking children in parks and backyards. The reason for this, according to animal “experts,” scientists, and wildlife officials, is either urban sprawl or pet food left outside. Skyrocketing coyote populations due to lack of hunting pressure has not been considered—or at least it is not mentioned publicly by the “experts.” The list could go on and on. Today’s newspapers are full of similar stories. Common sense has been beaten to death with the caustic whip of political correctness. We have become a society held prisoner by the opin20

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ions of a minority. The concept that civilization precludes predator control is relegating our children to a lower link on the food chain. What is wrong with catching feral cats in live traps and euthanizing them? How is kicking a roadkill squirrel animal abuse? Why do coyotes have the “right” to kill and eat pets and children, while parents are prohibited to intervene? When are we going to wake up and load the shotgun? Part of the problem is that, for many misinformed Americans, the issue of animal rights has become a religion. A religion is not something people want, it is something they need, or believe they do. The goal of the animal religionists, that of stopping the killing of any animal, anywhere, anytime, is not something they think would be nice, it’s something they feel is absolutely necessary. When something is not optional but necessary, all other considerations are put aside. The coyote problem in California is a good example. Since the animal rights advocates think coyotes absolutely need protection, even the fact they are attacking children will not change their minds. The attacks are blamed on humans, who have left dog food on the back porch, encroached on the coyotes’ territory, or left their children unattended outside the home. Anything except the real problem—there are too many coyotes. Granted, urban sprawl spills into wildlife habitat. The solution is for the coyotes to move, and if their new home is already full of coyotes, the population should be thinned to a realistic, sustainable level. If nature doesn’t handle the scale, people with guns should. End of problem. Stopping urban sprawl is not a logical answer. Americans have the right to buy property, build a house on it, and live there, regardless of the animals already in residence. And human rights should always take precedence over animals—always. The position that the critters were there first is a valid one, and easily dealt with. Anyone who feels that we should not encroach where someone or something was F i s h

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already there should go back where his or her ancestors came from. Even so-called “native Americans” are not native to America; they reportedly got here via a land bridge from Siberia. Our nation was founded on the principal that all men are created equal, free to worship the Creator—or not— in any way we choose that does not infringe on the legitimate rights of another (human sacrifice is out of the question). Intolerance of any stripe is not to be condoned. We are all, theoretically, free from denigration by our fellowman. This concept works fine as long as all parties observe it equally. Major problems would arise, for instance, if the Baptists decided the Lutherans and Methodists must all become Baptists. Americans would not tolerate such an assertion. Why, then, do we tolerate the claim by animal rights and anti-hunting religionists that none of us should hunt? Why do we allow them to attempt to indoctrinate our children in the schools with their brand of religion? What we are allowing is intolerance. The environmentalists and animal rights followers are relentless in their efforts to control us. Their claim is that we should bow to their wishes on the grounds that our sacrifice would benefit everyone. This is a lie, but if it were true, it would negate their opposition to one of the basic principals of conservation. Hunting, while fatal to certain individual animals, is beneficial to the rest of the hunted population. You can’t have your cake and not eat venison, too. If we continue to allow these deviates to propagate their self-invented religion of intolerance, we will have only ourselves to blame when America’s favorite sports, hunting and fishing, are legally declared un-American. Most of the votes on that bill will probably be cast by coyotes.

E-mail Kendal Hemphill at commentary@fishgame.com

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Bass vs. Specks–Which Is Best?

OMPARISONS BETWEEN THE LARGEMOUTH bass and the speckled trout are obvious and inevitable among Texas anglers.

Micropterus is the major freshwater sport fish and Cynoscion is the saltwater champion. They average approximately the same size, with brag-sized fish in the 6- to 8-pound class, and double-digit fish being career catches. The twin billing is the foundation for the huge and flourishing sport fishing industry in Texas. Strong camps exist for both, but which is better, bass or trout? Despite various similarities, each has strong suits. The No. 1 title is up for grabs. Both are good-looking fish. They are killers, predators, with lines that reflect superior stations. The trout usually is longer for its weight, and the slim profile perhaps is more graceful. But the thick and robust image of a bass cannot be denied. The delicate hues of a gleaming, spotted trout are drop-dead gorgeous in the early sun, but so also are the greens and golds and silvers of a bass chin-lifted from clear water (where the colors are most pronounced). The bold, black lateral line, alone, is a great statement. Maybe it’s worth note that more bass than trout are displayed on den walls—and you don’t show off something that lacks eye appeal. Call it a draw on the style meter, a matter of personal preference. For widespread availability, the bass tops the chart. It thrives in every county and in virtually all types of water not curdling from pollution. Legitimate bass fishing is within easy casting distance of every Lone Star angler. I once caught a bass from a bathtub. The bass also gets the nod for reliable numbers, if for no other reason than the species can be readily stocked in the confined waters of reservoirs and ponds. The bass is a hardy fish, able to withstand withering freezes and sizzling summers. Trout are more vulnerable to harsh weather and, despite marine hatchery successes, hardly can com22

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pete with the longstanding fry/fingering production of bass. Bass are abundant on demand but, as a counterpoint, the purist should point out that most speckled trout are wild fish in wild water—and that does mean something in a world increasingly encased in plastic. Both bass and trout strike surface lures (a major plus in defining an A-Team sport species) but the bass probably is most reliable at popping the top. This especially is true early and late in the day, the most beautiful times to be on the water. The weed-scattering, fin-bristling, spray-flying blast of a bass against a hushed bank is one of the finest moments in fishing, and many strikes occur near defined targets of promise. You are casting to a “fishy” spot and, bang! This pinpoint casting to specific targets is a great reward that sometimes gets overlooked when evaluating the merits of shoreline bass fishing. Topwater trout are more random and the strikes in open water often are less dramatic. This takes nothing from the thrill of working a surface lure across a green tide, but a major bass blowup seems larger than life. Remember, the “largemouth” is just that: a fish with a big maw in which to glom the capering counterfeit. Both species are capable of jumping when hooked—another strong suit in ranking light-tackle game fish. The broadside image of a full-bodied leap is the stuff of magazine covers, and you just know the miserable hook will fly free each time the fish flails into the air. The bass is more prone to leap than the trout. Bass often jump repeatedly and with head-shaking, gill-flaring style; in fact, the bass that fails to show at least once is the exception. Conversely, many trout fail to jump. They might boil and swirl, fighting near the surface, but without vaulting clear. In my experience, the trout most apt to leap is the one with a hook down its throat, and this fish often jumps numerous times in violent efforts F i s h

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to dislodge the clogging interference. The ability to run when hooked is another strong measure, and trout usually make the best showing. The open water of bays and beachfronts encourages the sweeping dashes for freedom, while thick sub-surface cover in lakes invites ambush-oriented bass to dive and tangle. Tackle tactics also play a roll; the trout angler usually works with a light drag while the bass plugger uses more heat. Seldom will you see a bass even in open water pull more than a few yards from a casting reel. And the slam-bang tug-of-war over the bent rod seldom lasts even a minute. Most bass are boated within seconds. A big trout might take 20 or 30 yards, forcing the cautious angler to play the fish in a wide circle—exciting stuff that might require several minutes of give and take. The lingering fight across open water is a pleasing encounter with a light rod, assuming the trout doesn’t shake free during the prolonged and nerve-wracking detail. Edibility is the final factor. Despite sentiments for catch-and-release, the fillet knife must be considered. After all, the traditional goal of going fishing is to fill the pan. Both bass and trout have firm, white, flaky meat, but most palates prefer trout. In fact, the popularity of trout on the commercial market got them in serious trouble during the 1960s and 70s. Bass taken from mucky water during hot weather can be marginal, while trout on any tide are superior. As with all fish, smaller specks are best—reason enough to release the big ones. Just pretend you don’t see the worms. The bass is our best native fish in freshwater and the trout is king of the coast. Each in its element can be a peak angling experience, and Texans are fortunate to have yearround angling for both. But which is best...bass or trout? Hmmm... E-mail Joe Doggett at doggett@fishgame.com

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by Matt Williams T E X A S

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lmost three years have passed since BASS and the big brass at ESPN elected to expand their professional tournament fishing umbrella to include a tour open exclusively to women anglers. Not surprisingly, the cheering section continues to grow louder in anticipation that one of the world’s largest and most powerful tournament organizers might one day make it possible for lady bass anglers to have a shot at earning a respectable living casting for cash. BASS isn’t the first to embark on such a venture, but loyal followers are hopeful that the Florida-based organization’s Women’s Bassmaster Tour will be the workhorse that finally drags them over what has thus far been an insurmountable hump. Competitive women’s bass fishing circuits have a deep history of slow starts and disappointing finishes over time; no one can deny that. From the outside looking in, it seems apparent that women anglers have for years been casting from the rear deck, fishing in used water, and gaining very little recognition in comparison to their hairy-legged counterparts. Perhaps no one knows that better than Sugar Ferris, a name legendary in women’s professional bass fishing. Some consider her the godmother of the sport because she started the first women’s tournament circuit back in 1976. Fittingly, she named the tour “Bass’N Gal.” The trail consisted of a series of regular season events leading up to an annual Classic open to the top qualifiers. Ferris and her late husband, Bob, ran the circuit for more than two decades. Together, they drummed up a loyal membership base before tough times forced them to pull the plug in 1998. According to Ferris, the main reasons the wheels came off parallel those that caused two other women’s fishing tours (Lady Bass and the Women’s Bass Fishing Association) to go defunct in the years following Bass’N Gal’s demise. Tournament organizers constantly struggled to keep their ships afloat, mainly because of limited support from industry sponsors that chose to sink their money into male-dominated tours with inherently larger fan bases and more avenues for national exposure to showcase their products. “We fought it hard for 22 years and I finally got tired,” Ferris said. “But I don’t 26

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Judy Wong, a bass pro since 1977, won the Women’s Bassmaster Tour last year, and was invited to the White House to meet President George W. Bush. have any regrets all. Bass’N Gal was a great organization and it was a rewarding experience. I am proud to have had helped in laying the framework for the women, and I pray that the WBT will be able keep things going. The women anglers deserve it.” Poor payout structures were common in the early women’s tours, which made it difficult for lady pros to cover their entry fees and travel expenses unless they finished at the top in the standings. Even then, the women usually found themselves fishing for peanuts in comparison to more lucrative payouts available to men. Formed in 2006, the Women’s Bassmaster Tour seems destined to change all that; at least, that is what WBT pro anglers like Kathy Magers are hoping for. Magers is a veteran angler from Waxahachie. She fished professionally for 18 years before retiring in 2000, but rejoined the sport this year after working closely with BASS as a consultant during the first two seasons to help get the tour off the ground. “The fact that the WBT is under the BASS/ESPN umbrella has created a ton of potential to grow this sport,” said Magers. “There are lots of neat things happening right now to illustrate that potential, and BASS’ commitment to take women’s fishing to an unprecedented level.” Last October, BASS announced a new WBT format that will reserve one of the 51 slots at the 2009 Bassmaster Classic for the 2008 WBT Angler of the Year. The AOY race works under a points system that weighs heavily on consistency over the course of a four-tournament format, which concludes next month on Clarks Hill Lake in Evans, Georgia. The Classic berth was big news because it will mark the first time in the history of the sport that a woman has competed in what many consider the Super Bowl of professional bass fishing. First place is $500,000, but a Classic victory could be worth much more to a woman. “That’s one of the main reasons I came out of retirement this year,” Magers said. “I’m 62 now and I know I don’t have a lot of years left to do this. The miles are just as long and the marine batteries are just as heavy as they ever were. Fishing for that shot to make the Classic was something I had to F i s h

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do. It’s in my blood.” The WBT got another big boost this year when Academy Sports and Outdoors signed on as the circuit’s title sponsor ahead of the 2008 season. The retail sporting goods giant is sponsoring a team of 13 lady pros, including five familiar names from Texas. Magers is the Academy Sports and Outdoors team captain. Other Texans wearing the company logo are Debra Hengst of San Antonio, Robin Babb of Livingston, Juanita Robinson of Highlands, and Judy Wong, who recently relocated from Houston to the Louisiana side of Toledo Bend near Many. Wong is a 56-year old pro who has nailed down a number of titles during a successful fishing career dating back to 1977. Perhaps the sweetest win of all came last February when she topped a field of 12 qualifiers and won the WBT Championship on Lake Keowee in Seneca, South Carolina. The Ranger pro earned $10,000 in cash plus a fully rigged Triton bass boat valued at $50,000. The win also earned her an invite to the White House last March, where she spent more than an hour visiting with President George W. Bush. The WBT Championship final day weigh-in was held in unison with the 2008 Bassmasters Classic in Greenville, South Carolina. Camera crews captured all the drama as the tournament outcome unfolded. Surprisingly, only a small fragment of the footage made it to television screens the following weekend during the popular ESPN2 television show, The Bassmasters. PHOTO BY MATT WILLIAMS

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Granted, some television coverage is better than none at all, but women anglers would understandably love to have more. “We are all very appreciative of what BASS and ESPN have done for us thus far,” Wong said. “They have made some tremendous strides over the last three years, but the key to recruiting more anglers and growing this sport is television coverage. The more television coverage we are able to get, the better the opportunity we’ll have to land more of those non-endemic sponsorship deals and get more money in the tournament purses to upgrade the payout structures. That’s what it is going to take to really make this thing fly.” In bass fishing arenas, non-endemic sponsors are those not directly associated with the fishing or outdoors industries. The WalMart FLW Tour was the first to crack the code with non-fishing industry sponsors in the late 1990s. The popular tournament organization has since bridled relationships with a long list of heavy hitters such as Kellogg’s, Folgers, National Guard, M&M’s, and Snickers to name a few. The organization paid out $1 million to the winner of the 2007 Forrest Wood Cup, the

largest single tournament prize in history. “The sky is the limit out there, especially for the ladies,” said Hengst. “That’s not to say we don’t need the fishing industry sponsors, because we do. But the possibilities for attracting non-endemic sponsors to this game are huge. It is pretty much untapped. One of the big keys is knocking on the right doors until you find the right person who can pull the right strings to get it done.” Prime non-fishing related candidates for the women’s tour might include cosmetic giants like Mary Kay, Maybelline, Dove, or Revlon. “I’d love to have a pink-wrapped boat with the Mary Kay logo running down the side,” Magers said. “There are all sorts of other possibilities out there—hair care products, moisturizers, nail polish. These are all products that women use. But unless the sponsors get television exposure to give them a return for their dollars, a lot of bigger ones tend to lose interest.” Hengst has been particularly successful at rounding up a nucleus of gold star sponsors to help with tournament expenses as well as product. After establishing a multi-year relationship with Skeeter Boats, Strike King

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Lures, and Yamaha Outboards, she recently inked a contract with Foxfire Alarm Systems, a Florida-based company that manufactures state-of-the-art theft deterrent systems for boats. The company wrapped Hengst’s boat and tow vehicle as part of the deal. “I have girls come up to me all the time and ask for advice on how to acquire sponsors,” Hengst said. “My response is always the same: You have to believe in the products you promote and your enthusiasm has to shine through. This is a business and you have to approach it that way. You have to be a well-groomed, well-polished person. Plus, you must conduct yourself in a professional manner, knowing that everything and everybody you touch out there is like a fingerprint. It leaves a trail for you.” Where the WBT trail will lead for Hengst and the rest of the lady pros remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain: The fate of women’s professional fishing has never been in more capable hands. If BASS and ESPN can’t make it fly, it likely never will.

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exas dove hunters do not have to look far to find a place to hunt, thanks to a public dove hunting program that is geared mainly toward urban hunters, with an annual price tag of only $48. That’s the cost of an Annual Public Hunting Permit, which gives the holder not only access to 55,000 acres of land specifically leased by the state for dove and small game, but also a total of more than 1 million acres for deer, turkey, quail, waterfowl, and other wildlife. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department public dove-hunting program has grown from only 10 sites (units) when it was initiated as a pilot program in 1994, to 154 units in 50 counties last year. “The public hunting program really has kicked off in the last few years since we added small game hunting to it,” said Kelly 30

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Edmiston, a TPWD public hunting specialist. “But the dove hunting program alone has been one of the most successful programs we ever have done. We annually sell around 31,000 public hunting permits, and the surveys we have done indicate that 30 percent of the people who buy the permits say they bought them to primarily hunt doves.” Considering that dove leases under the program account for only about 4 percent of all public hunting lands in Texas (the others include wildlife management areas, state parks, and other areas), the large number of permit hunters who target dove shows the tremendous popularity of the sport itself. Edmiston said the 31,000 figure for the number of permit holders might be somewhat misleading about how many people actually hunt: “Persons under age 17 are not required to have the permit to hunt, so they are not included in that figure. Persons under age 17 can hunt for free as long as they are with a permitted adult.” Edmiston said he believes there are two things the public dove hunting program F i s h

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offers that has helped elevate it in the eyes of hunters: “For one thing, we try to cluster the leases close to major cities like Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, and others so that the urban hunter only has to drive an hour or less from home to get in a morning or evening hunt. “The program is basically tailored for the urban person who can either get in a morning hunt before he goes to work or who can come home after work and make an evening hunt only a short distance from his home. “Also, when we lease properties, we try to lease several that are relatively close together. That way, if a hunter goes to one site and doesn’t see much activity, he can drive to another one close by where the hunting might be better. Last year in Denton County, for example, we had five sites that were close to one another. We had hunters who went to one place and didn’t see many birds, but drove only a short distance to another field where the hunting was better. It is that kind of flexibility that most hunters talk about when we ask them what they think of the program.” Each unit leased for dove hunting has been recommended by a TPWD biologist, who chooses the site based on the availability of food, water, cover, and roosting areas. Money derived from the sale of the public hunting permits is used to lease the private properties, with the actual amount paid by the state determined by “current market prices.” Thee amount is based on per-acre lease prices for that area, and that might be more in some parts of the state than it is in another. “Our biologists do a very good job in recommending a place to be leased for dove hunting,” Edmiston said. “They know what makes a good dove hunting area, and that’s what they are looking for when trying to find new units.” Last year, 22 of the counties under the dove program were in the Central Zone and included some traditional hotspots such as Hamilton, Bosque, McCulloch, Navarro, and Ellis Counties. The North Zone had 19 counties under the program with Denton, Wise, Clay, and Collin among some of the PHOTO BY RUSSELL GRAVES

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more popular counties. The nine South Zone counties a year ago included Matagorda, Wilson, DeWitt, Duval, Jim Wells, Brooks, Kleberg, Zavala, and Frio. Most of the properties leased in the North Zone are for the entire dove season, while some in the Central and South Zones are open for only the first split of the seasons. That’s because many landowners in the Central and South Zones are ready to plow their fields or rotate cattle by the time the first split is over. The $48 permit is available wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold, and are good for one year (September 1-August 31). Maps of all hunting areas are available if the permit is purchased at a TPWD regional or district office. The maps are also available over the internet at www.tpwd.state.tx.us. The department also will mail the maps to you, but it usually takes about two weeks to receive them. The booklet containing the maps also contains information about the numbers of people who hunted the units the previous season, as well as telephone numbers of

TPWD division offices in the North, Central, and South Zones. Edmiston said all public hunting permit holders will be mailed questionnaires that help show the previous year’s level of usage on each area. As with any type of hunting, pre-season scouting excursions will help you decide where the best areas are located. Plan a scouting trip with three or four hunting buddies so you can share the rising cost for gasoline to lessen the financial cost of each trip. A telephone call to any of the TPWD field biologists or game wardens helps you narrow your selections to those that promise the best hunting. You also might want to check out various chat forums on the internet to learn more about what to expect in various areas. Leased properties with agricultural lands should be your top priority, especially those with sunflower fields or milo crops. Stock tanks and gravel pits close to agricultural lands also provide some good hunting opportunities. Edmiston said he feels very optimistic about the future of the program. Many units

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under the program today have been leased for 10 years or more. Also, some units are being leased from family members of landowners who were under the program but have since become deceased: “We are getting new units each year, but it is encouraging to still be leasing some of those properties from the children or wives of people we formerly leased from.” Even with the department continuing its efforts to lease more properties for dove hunters, much of the program’s future lays literally in the hands of the hunters. “We always have encouraged hunters to pick up their trash, including shotgun shells, and to clean their dove in the fields away from the parking areas,” Edmiston said. “We have had a few problems, but most of the hunters have been very courteous about that. I think most hunters realize that this is someone’s farm or ranch or field, and that if they want it to be kept in the program, it is their responsibility to take care of it.”

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Ups and Downs L

AGUNA MADRE FISHERMEN SEEM TO HAVE A great deal to be happy about. Two of their favorite fishes, speckled trout and southern flounder, have been showing up in greater numbers than in years, and that is cause to dance. Lower Laguna Madre flounder landings, which were reduced to a trickle past two years, have shown a substantial up-tick. The Willacy County Young Farmer’s Tournament, for example, had only two flounder weighed in at the 2007 event in Port Mansfield. The 2008 tourney bore no less than 26 flounder between 14 and 19 inches. This does not include fishermen who reported catching multiple flounder and weighing in only their best fish. (One fisherman brought three flounder to the scales and had me weigh each one to determine the biggest fish; ironically, all three flounder weighed within an ounce of each other.) Marina owners and dock walkers report that more flounder are showing up on the cleaning tables. So, are flounder experiencing a renaissance after a long absence? Maybe not. According to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Lower Laguna Madre ecosystem leader Mark Lingo, the current up-tick in flounder numbers don’t hint at a recovery of the fishery from an extended decline. “We haven’t seen any evidence that long term trends have turned around,” Lingo said, referring to the steady flounder population decrease of the past 15 years. In fact, the sudden return of flounder in Lower Laguna is so recent that Lingo and his team have not had a chance to study the situation. Creel and net surveys need to be 32

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collected and the numbers collated and interpreted. Until then, TPWD simply doesn’t know what is going on. What they do know is that past surveys indicate flounder numbers have been dropping for over a decade, evidencing fewer flounder every year. Lingo and other fisheries biologists have a working theory to explain the decline: “We have data that shows that water temperatures along the Texas Coast have increased since the trend began,” Lingo said. “Lower Laguna Madre is essentially the southernmost point of the southern flounder’s range. They simply can’t live in warmer water. We are beginning to see if the increase in water temperatures is what is causing their numbers to drop.” Coincidentally, it is these warmer waters that might be stretching the northernmost point of snook and mangrove snapper traditional ranges. Lingo pointed out that both species have been caught farther north than their regular haunts. On the flipside of the coin, Lingo said there is an increase in the number of speckled trout in Lower Laguna Madre. Back when the current five-trout bag limit was being proposed (read “argued”), Lingo and other biologists had said LLM fishermen would see the greatest difference in fish numbers within the first year, when a greater number of the short trout that stacked up just under the 15-inch minimum length limit would be recruited—and retained—in the fishery. It seems they called it right. More fishermen are catching more fish than in past years. Schools of trout are chasing shrimp and baitfish schools under birds around the Queen Isabella Causeway, an event that hadn’t been seen in quite some time. The quality of the fish is also exceptional. Most of the trout are fat and clean looking, as if they are surf-run fish. Trout have benefited from the bag limit change, and as a result, so have fishermen. “Now, if Mother Nature can do us a favor and give us some more rain, we’d be in great shape,” said Lingo. F i s h

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An Honest Day’s Work An argument can be made that one of the most maligned jobs in the outdoor industry is television show host. To many viewers, a fishing show host is little more than a bubba in a boat talking about how to fish while plugging his sponsors’ products and casting to some starved and naive fish that would strike at a strip of tee-shirt, let along Ed’s Lures latest creation, the Flying Whatsis. If the fish are not cooperating, that’s no problem because your scuba diver will take one off his stringer, pin it on the Flying Whatsis, and give the line a yank. The reality couldn’t be further from the truth. I had the pleasure of spending some time fishing with Fred Rodriguez, host of The South Texas Sportsman, an outdoors show broadcast in South Texas on Fox XRIO. I can safely say that I would never want to trade the security of outdoor writing and teaching high school for his gig. That dude works too hard. The old adage is that time is money, and when you are on a tight shooting schedule, it is especially true. Rodriguez and Eli, his stalwart cameraman, had to get a show in the can the Saturday we were fishing. Unfortunately, the conditions were far from optimal. There was a standing low tide all morning, and the fish were tough to find. The tide came in that afternoon, but so did a 40-mph south wind that turned the entire Laguna Madre into a bowl of chocolate milk. When you are on deadline, you have to work with what you’ve got. Somehow, some way, Eli was able to turn seven trout into a very entertaining and informative show. Rodriguez is an excellent and principled outdoorsman, as are Keith and Alan Warren, Wade Middleton, and all the other Texans who work themselves ragged to bring the outdoors to the viewing audience. All of them take time away from family and home to put together the best possible presentation that they can. They deserve all the credit they get.

E-mail Calixto Gonzales cgonzales@fishgame.com

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K9 Captains & Midnight Boat Wrecks

into the trough of a king-size roller. The next thing I knew, I was swimming 75 yards from shore, my boat was capsized, and all my gear was at the bottom of the lake. Luckily, the bench seats were filled with Styrofoam, so the boat didn’t sink. I called for Cody, but he was nowhere to be found. I yelled for Herring, but he was unable to hear me over the rumble of his 4x4 Chevy. In fact, my friend had

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS ARMSTRONG

HE WHITE BASS WERE ON A TEAR AND OLD Joe was anxious to get on the water. So excited, in fact, that he unlatched the bow strap on his 17-foot Cajun and backed the trailer so far down the ramp that the boat floated off the bunk and drifted away in the slow-moving current of the Trinity River before he could reach it. It wasn’t a pretty scene, but Fred didn’t seem very worried about it. Fred was Joe’s four-year old black Labrador retriever. The two were nearly inseparable. The dog loved riding in the boat and always made a point to load up before Joe dumped it into the water. As Joe paced the ramp and pondered a plan, Fred manned the front deck and wagged his tail as the current carried the boat south toward Lake Livingston. It was risky with no lifejacket, but Joe dealt with the dilemma the best way he knew how. He removed his shoes, jumped in the river, and swam like hell to catch up with his runaway boat and dog. That’s when the youngster came out in Fred. Rather than backing off and allowing Joe to board the boat, Fred barked and licked him on the mouth as he struggled to clear the gunwale. The more Joe cursed the dog, the more intense the kisses became. “That damned dog...I liked to have never got back in that boat,” Joe said. “I finally threw water in his face and he backed off long enough that I could pull myself in.” A fellow journalist recently shared that story, and it stirred some memories of doggy tales from my own past. One of the wildest dates back to 1985. I was a junior at

Stephen F. Austin State University who spent more hours in the woods and on the water than in the classroom. My GPA transcripts will prove it. I owned a 10foot aluminum V-hull in those days. It was a multi-species junker that also doubled nicely as a bow-fishing rig. Dave Herring of Dallas and I were on Sam Rayburn one August night when the wind got up and made it too choppy to see beneath the surface. We elected to call it quits and headed to the boat ramp shortly after midnight. While Herring retrieved the truck, I idled out into the dark bay and secured my bow and other gear for the trip back to Nacogdoches. Cody, a Lab/pit bull mix, lay fast asleep at my feet. The jet-black pup was about 12 weeks old at the time. As Herring backed the trailer down ramp, I made a bonehead mistake. I cut the little boat hard to the right and fell sideways T E X A S

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n o idea what had happened until I swam to shore and approached the truck, sopping wet. “Where’s Cody?” Herring asked. “Dunno,” I replied. We found out once we dragged the boat into water shallow enough for us to stand up and roll it upright. Amazingly, the pup had been trapped in an air pocket beneath the boat and managed to bump around for at least five minutes until we came to his rescue. Like Fred, Cody had a thing about boats. Sadly, his was all negative. From that night forward, he never went fishing with me again. Can’t say I blame him.

E-mail Matt Williams at freshwater@fishgame.com G a m e ® / A U G U S T

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JELLYFISH INSET COURTESY OF NOAA

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ditor-in-chief Don Zaidle and I talk several times a week, the conversations always beginning with business. Discussions range from what photo will adorn a given issue’s cover to how much attention to give to particular news items. By the end, however, these talks always seem to end with a brief chat on some kind of crazy outdoors interest of ours. There was the time at an editorial meeting at the Houston office we compared scars, with him displaying his wolf hybrid arm damage and me showing off the shark bite on my calf. Yes, at times we can be like a couple of schoolboys. Last year, while talking story ideas for 2008, I brought up the idea of an article on various edible fish and game species most consider unpalatable, and by the end of the conversation, I had agreed to eat jellyfish. “Chet, I don’t think you’ve got the stomach for it. I dare you!” Zaidle challenged. I replied, “Dares don’t work with me— but now you have me curious about what jellyfish taste like.” It must be the Cajun in me. Anything that contains a certain amount of protein piques my culinary curiosity. The following are my experiences trying the most bizarre seafood offerings the Texas Gulf Coast has to offer, along with some recipes for those daring enough to give them a try.

Stingray The first time I brought home a stingray to eat, I thought my neighbor was going to have cardiac arrest. Of course, the ray in question was one my dad caught that weighed over 200 pounds. Sprawled across a sheet of plywood in the front yard, it looked sort of sea monsterish. Even at such a large size, it tasted great. Ten years later, I don’t think I could talk my neighbor into trying it. Stingrays have been rumored for years as the source of many “scallops” sold along the Texas coast, and after talking to a few commercial fishermen, I believe that to be true. It makes sense; ray meat has a slightly shellfishlike texture—firm and pearly white. 36

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While cleaning most other specimens on the list is pretty obvious, rays raise lots of questions. The proper way to clean a ray is to keep it whole and cut down the hard cartilage (there is no bone) in the mid section of the body. Press down on your knife until you feel the hard cartilage layer in the middle, and cut all the way down the length of the wing. Then cut the meat away from the cartilage layer in the middle, as you would fillet any other fish. Skin the top of the ray. At this point, you should have meat that though stringy in appearance is quite tasty. Eat it fresh. Enjoy this recipe from Australia:

Barbecue Stingray 2 lbs stingray wing fillets cut in four portions 2 tbs vegetable oil 4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped 1 onion, minced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup molasses 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce 1 tbs grated ginger 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp Tabasco sauce Heat the oil in a large skillet; add the tomatoes, onion and garlic, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent (about five minutes). Add the molasses, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, and Tabasco sauce. Lower the heat to medium and cook uncovered until the vegetables are thoroughly softened and the sauce is thick (30 to 40 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice, and let cool. Just before serving, cut away any membrane from the stingray wings. Preheat the grill or broiler. Brush the stingray wings on both sides with some of the cooled barbecue sauce and let sit while the grill heats. Lightly oil the grill top and place the stingray wings. Cook until the flesh is nicely browned and somewhat firm (3 to 4 minutes). Brush the top with more barbecue sauce, turn the fillets, and continue cooking until the flesh is opaque through (about 4 more minutes). Transfer the fillets to individF i s h

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ual plates, brush with more sauce, and serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Mullet In Texas, mullet is bait. But from Mississippi through Florida, it is a table delicacy. I have eaten mullet on several occasions and found it quite tasty, but I don’t see what the big deal is. In Florida, they treat mullet as if it was the best tasting fish in the world; it doesn’t taste special in my opinion. Then again, it is not bad. Here’s a recipe I found from the official website of the Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival in Niceville, Florida. Yes, there is a mullet festival. 2 pounds mullet fillets corn meal salt and pepper Wash cleaned fish, which should be butterflied or filleted. Salt and pepper generously. Roll in corn meal. Deep fry in hot peanut oil (350 degrees) for 3 to 5 minutes, turning if necessary or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Fish will be golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper. The authors recommended using a large, deep pan to avoid crowding fish. Turn fish once when crisp and golden. For fillets, brown skin side last. After frying, drain fish immediately on paper towels to remove fat.

Hardhead Catfish Hardheads are no doubt the most hated fish on the Gulf coast due to their ability to inflict seriously painful wounds with their spines, and skill as bait stealers. However, their meat is actually pretty tasty and comparable to freshwater catfish. Here’s a cool recipe I found at sea-ex.com. I have tried this recipe and regular fried hardhead, and enjoyed both.

Hardhead Catfish with Dipping Sauce catfish fillets, cut into 1-inch wide strips 2 cups finely ground white cornmeal 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1-1/2 quarts peanut oil

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Dipping Sauce 3/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste 1 shallot, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 scallions, thinly sliced (white portion and 2 inches of green) 1 tbs finely chopped parsley Sprinkle catfish strips carefully with salt and pepper then set aside. Combine cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Dredge catfish strips in cornm e a l mix-

a comfort. While studying these creatures, I found the keys are to order them dried from a commercial dealer, or cut and prepare them while they are still alive. They decompose quickly, so I would not advise running out to the beach and dicing up some jellies. In fact, if you do decide to eat them, do what I did and order it dried and safely prepared. How did it taste? Prepared with the recipe below, it was actually all right. I will admit the appearance of the jellyfish cooking was pretty disgusting and it emitted a pretty

ture and fry in two inches of peanut oil heated to 375 Hardhead catfish are good for something besides cursing degrees. Fry until golden brown, practice—you can actually eat them. about five minutes. Drain catfish strips on crumpled paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt. strong odor, but once cooked, it was edible. Prepare dipping sauce simply combine It tasted like leftover calamari. I can usually the ingredients and keep covered until ready get past the mental image of eating weird to serve. stuff, but somehow I could not do it with the jellyfish. The image of hundreds of them dead on the beach made every bite a challenge. I dreaded this one. The following recipe from recipezaar.com Believe it or not, cabbage head (cannon- is what I recommend if you want to try jellyball) jellyfish are actually edible and consid- fish yourself. The neat thing is that is you ered a delicacy in many parts of the world; can throw away the jelly and eat the chicken but so are cobra hearts, cockroaches, and after the first taste if so inclined—which poisonous puffer fish, so that is not much of might not be a bad idea.

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Stir-Fried Chicken and Jellyfish 9 ounces dried jellyfish 3 cups vegetable oil 1/4 tsp ginger, chopped 1/4 tsp scallion, shredded 7 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast 1 tsp rice wine 1 tbs egg white, lightly beaten 1/4 tsp salt 2 tbs cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tbs water 2 tsp sesame oil 1/2 tsp MSG Soak dried jellyfish in cold water for three hours. Wash and cut into 1-inch pieces. Plunge into boiling w a t e r , r e m o v e immediately, drain, and set aside. Remove all tendons and fat from chicken breast. Cut horizontally into slices about 1 inch wide and then stack the slices and cut along grain to shred. Mix shreds with egg white and cornstarch. Set wok over high heat, pour in oil, heat to 150 degrees (barely warm), and add chicken immediately. Stir gently until the shreds separate, then remove quickly, drain, and set aside. Pour oil out of wok, leaving only enough to cover the bottom. Heat wok until oil surface ripples; add scallions and stir. Add jellyfish, chicken, rice wine, salt, MSG, and ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Sprinkle with sesame oil and serve.

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Jigs, crappie, and brush piles go together like watermelon, ice cream, and the shade of a liveoak in summer. lan Spruiell likes to remember that sultry summer afternoon back in July of 2003 when he took his brother bass fishing on 520-acre Lake Pinkston. The reason he remembers the outing so well is because the day ended with an ice chest so full of thick, barn doorsize crappie that they could barely close the lid! Spruiell said he was guiding his 18-foot Raycraft bass boat slowly along the edge of an underwater breakline, when his brother picked up a rod rigged with a 3/4-ounce white spinnerbait. He hurled the lure into a nearby stump field, hoping to entice a Pinkston lunker. The rod tip danced frantically as the tandem willow-leaf blades spun tight circles in unison around the skirted head and hook— but not for long. The rod suddenly loaded up under mushy pressure. Moments later, Spruiell’s brother hauled in a pearly-sided white crappie that measured close to two hand-widths from the top of its back to the bottom of its belly. It was close to 16 inches long. “It had a mouth like a bass and weighed two pounds if it weighed one,” Spruiell said. “At first I thought it was some sort of fluke, then he caught another one. Then another one.” Curious as to how many crappie might be finning around out there, Spruiell reached for his spinning rod and tied on a 1/8-ounce jighead tipped with a curly tail grub. He fancast through the stump field and reeled in several more thick-shouldered slabs of equal size before the fish finally quit biting. “I had no idea Lake Pinkston had crappie that size in it,” Spruiell said. “Once I figured it out, I started sinking brush piles around the lake to concentrate the fish.” The fact that Spruiell’s brush tops have since paid off with more impressive limits of 40

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crappie will come as no surprise to anyone who spends much time chasing the popular sport fish. Anglers have for years been erecting underwater fish hotels made with willow, cedar, sweet gum, oak, and even artificial plastic trees to improve their chances of success from one fishing trip to the next. The tactic will work in just about any lake with a decent crappie population, but really shines on older reservoirs where much of the natural brush and timber has deteriorated over time. Highly prized as table fare, crappie gravitate to brush piles during the summer months in much the same way that cowboys are lured to honky-tonks on Saturday nights. The cowboys go for the girls, spirits, and good times; crappie go for the cover, food, shade, and cooler water, often in big numbers. The fish are genetically programmed to run in groups. Find one, and likely others are nearby. Tasty as they are, crappie are not always so easy to get to the grease. In fact, there might not be a freshwater game fish with a more finicky disposition than the papermouth. There are times when icing a limit of crappie can be so easy that it hardly seems like a challenge. Conversely, fishing for inactive crappie can at times be so frustrating that it taxes the patience of the most skilled angler. This is especially true when you know for a fact the fish are stacked like cord wood beneath the boat, yet refuse to bite any bait, live or artificial, that you dangle in front of their noses. Spruiell has experienced both sides of the coin. At one point, he became so intrigued by the crappie’s strange ways that he bought an Aqua View underwater camera. When one of his brush piles is not producing, he drops the camera overboard to see if he is fishing in dead water. Most often, he is not. “I have sat on a spot for as long as 30 minutes without a bite on jigs or minnows, then dropped that camera down and seen as F i s h

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many as 30 or 40 big ol’ crappie just sitting there,” Spruiell said. “It’ll drive you crazy if you let it. Crappie are some of the weirdest critters around.”

Activating Inactive Crappie: A Pro’s Guide Wally Marshall knows a thing or two about activating inactive crappie. Marshall is a Garland crappie pro who has built a successful career exclusively around catching the succulent panfish. He is better known as “Mr. Crappie,” and writes a column of the same name for this magazine. In addition to winning 27 national tournaments, including a series of Classic titles, the 51-year old angler endorses a full line of crappie fishing products for Bass Pro Shops, produces how-to videos, and hosts his own series of crappie fishing tournaments. Asked about his secrets for dealing the lockjaw crappie, Marshall said: “It can be tricky. When they shut down, about all you can do is size down to a very small lure, pray for the best and hope you can entice them to bite.” One of Marshall’s favorite go-to artificials for brush-top crappie is a 1/8-ounce Pro Series Road Runner by Blakemore. If he can’t get bit on a 1/8-ounce bait, he scales down to a 1/16- or 1/32-ounce. “It might even be necessary to switch to a tiny hair jig at times,” Marshall said. “The idea is to show them something they haven’t seen.” The crappie guru offered a couple of other good tricks to fire up reluctant hot weather slabs. His ace in the hole is a pinchhead minnow. The bait consists of a headless shiner rigged on a 1/32-ounce jighead. He mounts the headless minnow on the hook just like a plastic grub. “I’ve seen the pinch head work magic at times,” Marshall said. “I don’t really know why, but it does. They can smell it.” If all else fails, Marshall cranks up his

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outboard and runs idle right over the top of the brush pile he is fishing. He contends that crappie are accustomed to the sounds of boats, so the hum of the outboard isn’t likely to spook them. “But it just might stir them up enough that they go into a feeding frenzy,” Marshall said. “I’ve seen it work more than once.”

Got Stumps? Take a Dip Many of the best crappie lakes are mostly devoid of standing timber, with the exception of an occasional widow maker. But there are still plenty of stumps down there in certain areas, and summer crappie relate to them when conditions are right. Sam Rayburn, Fork, Toledo Bend, Ray Roberts, Lake O’ The Pines, Tawakoni, Lavon, and Ray Hubbard are among the lakes where stumps are abundant. Marshall takes an aggressive approach to stump-fishing during the heat of the summer. He calls it “dippin’.” The mechanics of dippin’ for crappie are similar to those bass anglers use for flipping jigs and soft plastics around wood targets. The major difference is the tackle. Marshall does his dippin’ with one of his 10-foot sig-

nature Pro Series jigging pole and reel setups. He matches the rig with 8-pound-test Mr. Crappie Hi-Vis line and a 1/8- or 1/16ounce Crappie Thunder Road Runner. His favorite color is white with a chartreuse tail. Marshall looks for stumps in water 15-25 feet deep. Stumps that line old hedgerows, fencerows, roadbeds, creek channels, and other structure have tons of potential. “This isn’t your sit-down-and-tie-off style of fishing,” Marshall explained. “I stand up and stay on the move with the trolling motor, dippin’ that bait around as many stumps as I can. At times you might catch four or five fish off one stump, but most often you’ll just pluck one here and one there.” Marshall said performing the dippin’ technique is simple. The first step is to let out about 10 feet of line, about the same length as the pole. When he approaches a stump, Marshall stays back about a pole length (10 feet) so the fish will not detect his presence. He drops the jig next to the stump and feels for the strike as the bait descends through the water column. Most bites occur on the initial fall. “The crappie will almost always be suspended this time of year, but the best depth can change throughout the day,” Marshall

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explained. “Early in the morning, the fish might suspend as shallow as six feet below the surface, but they will usually go deeper as the sun gets higher in the sky. Once you determine the depth at which the fish are holding in one area, you can usually go to other areas and find them at that depth.”

Sweetening a Sweet Spot A good alternative to sinking a large brush pile on the bottom is to suspend a small one on a small snag or “jack.” Willow tops measuring about 4 feet across and 6 feet tall are ideal. Marshall uses trotline string to snug the top of the willow against the jack, usually 23 feet below the surface. He weights the base of the brush top using a brick so that it hangs vertical in the water. “Most fishermen will pass right by those little jacks and key on the bigger stumps,” Marshall said. “But the smaller snags will hold a lot of fish, too. Putting that brush down there makes them all the more attractive.”

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NRA Freedom Celebration

S A GUNG-HO LOVER OF LIFE, I AM A RATHER gregarious chap, and though I have and crave my extended private periods for reflection, or to just get away for solitude and peacefulness in my tree stands all fall and winter, most always you will find me hanging out on a regular basis with a gaggle of buoyant, friendly, workin’ hard, playin’ hard Americans of every imaginable description and walk of life. There is always uplifting laugher and glowing barbecue fun going on where the Nugent family gathers with friends. And so it was recently in Louisville, Kentucky, at what can best be described as the ultimate Ted Nugent party, where more than 67,000 of my closest friends gathered around the quintessential “we the people” grassroots American campfire of freedom at our 137th Annual National Rifle Association family meetings—herds and herds of the world’s best people as far as the eye could see. BloodBrothers everywhere—it was beautiful. Good Lord Almighty, I thought I would burst with pride and happiness to be so blessed to be a part of such an ongoing, unstoppable glowing celebration of individual God-given rights, the likes of which the world has never known anywhere or anytime else, ever. Only in America, maximized in the NRA! God bless our founding fathers for having the vision to write down such selfevident truths for future reference, just in case some evil punk got the itch to pursue his despotic inclinations. We always have the U.S. Constitution and the mighty Bill of Rights to swat them down like the bugs that they are. Bug season is always open and there is no bag limit. Swat on. That is really what the more than 4 million members of the NRA believe in, stand for, and insist on. Pretty simple stuff. We 42

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know in our hearts and souls that God gave each of us a precious, equal, miraculous gift of life. And we also know that if not for the formation and growth of this fundamental grassroots organization, individual American citizens would no longer have that Constitutionally guaranteed God given right to keep and bear arms for the protection of this gift. Thank God for the NRA. Beyond this wonderful, upbeat gathering of member families from around the world, we also were able to visit and shop at a plethora of sporting goods and firearm industry related displays and exhibits. Rifles, shotguns, handguns, machineguns, ammunition, optics, clothing, gear, and accessories of every imaginable description were on display. There were also fascinating military and law enforcement presentations by the world’s most respected heroes and authorities. Radio and TV talk show host Glenn Beck was the featured speaker at our record setting banquet, and he truly connected with the logic and reason of NRA members far and wide. He was brilliant, and I believe the best speaker at NRA since the legendary Charlton Heston. An emotional, yet fortifying tribute to our beloved, now-deceased former NRA President Heston brought the crowd to its feet with heartfelt respect for one of mankind’s greatest, most courageous civil right’s warriors ever. Mr. Heston embodied the heart and soul of the NRA membership with class, dignity, and “we the people” activism. This great man will be with us forever for inspiration and guidance. In the wind, he’s alive. Experts from the hunting and outdoor sports world put on fascinating seminars covering everything from African and North American safaris to firearms competition, self-defense training, youth training, safety, and organized shooting events. U.S. military heroes from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the ongoing War on Terror shared their soulful take on why they volunteered to serve this great nation, putting their lives on the line, and how critical they believe the Second AmendF i s h

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ment to be to this amazing life of liberty in America. A grand spirit of die-hard patriotism permeated the entire three-day event. As an outspoken Second Amendment absolutist, lifelong member, and proud director on the NRA Board, I both attend and participate in this wonderful event each year, and I am extremely proud to celebrate how my charity fund-raising autograph sessions and speaking presentations once again set attendance records at the NRA convention. We debuted the ultimate soundtrack for freedom lovers everywhere with my new song, “I Am the NRA,” to thunderous applause and spontaneous dancing in the aisles. Real honest to God Motor City rock-n-roll goes perfectly with the spirit of gun lovers everywhere. I signed many autographs for fellow Americans and fellow freedom-lovers from all over the world. Good, decent people from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and all across Europe, Asia, Mexico, Central and South America dream and pray to God that someday they might get a Bill of Rights, that they might someday be allowed to keep and bear arms, and become truly free citizens instead of the “subjects” that they currently feel like. People who dream of freedom also dream and fight diligently to belong to an NRA in their home country. Meanwhile, thank God for the National Rifle Association. I am the NRA. There are Americans who do not believe in “individual” rights, and the NRA is fighting constantly to educate them—but also to always keep them from gutting the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It is a never-ending battle against a strange, anti-American lunatic fringe. The best way to overpower them and keep America free is to not only be a member of the NRA, but also sign up everybody you know. The NRA represents the frontline for freedom in America and the world.

E-mail Ted Nugent at bowhunting@fishgame.com

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New Rules & Regulations

HANGE IS INEVITABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT comes to Texas deer hunting regulations. It seems like that just when we get used to the last set of regulations, something new comes along. I bet there are still some of you who forget to write the location and date of harvest on the back of your license—not the tag, the actual license—and that one has been around for a few years now. For the 2008-2009 hunting season, there are a few new regulations that will have very little effect on us old codgers, but will definitely impact young and small framed hunters. Those of you who hunt in counties without antler restrictions, you’re safe for another year. In spite of the rumors floating around earlier this year, no new counties were added to the antler restriction list. However, I’ve been told that for the 2009-2010 season, counties will be added unless something changes. So, those that hunt in eastern counties currently without restrictions need to make your opinion known—for or against. I’m do not mean complaining to your buddy, or praising the regulation on internet forums as the greatest thing since indoor plumbing. Make the folks who make the decisions aware so that educated decisions can be made. I’m not saying the right decision will be made, but at least it won’t be because of a lack of knowledge about the wishes of the landowners and hunters in the area. Now, on to items that did change: In the past, young hunters had to be 12 years old before gaining hunter education certification. If you were under the age of 12 and wanted to hunt in Texas, you had to be accompanied by a licensed hunter over the age of 17 that had successfully completed a hunter educa-

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tion course or was exempt due to being born prior to or on September 2, 1971. This year, the age limit for hunter education certification was reduced from 12 to 9 years old. So, anyone 9 years old or older can pass a hunter education course and then legally tote a firearm into the woods all by themselves. I have mixed emotions about this new regulation for two main reasons. First, anytime a change is made to increase hunter participation, opening a window to individuals that at one time were restricted, it is good thing. Also, encouraging kids to take hunter education courses at a younger age has the poten-

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Encouraging kids to take hunter education at a younger age has potential to increase hunter recruitment.

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tial to increase hunter recruitment. By the time a kid reaches 12 years old, they have been playing organized sports for half their life, but had limited interaction with hunting or fishing. Guess which one they will select if given a choice. Now, you can start them earlier and hopefully make a life-long hunter out of them On the other hand, I have a 9-year-old and there is no way, even with a piece of paper from the state, that I’m sending into the woods to hunt on her own. At 9, many children are not mature enough to make the hard choices required of them once they start hunting alone, and realistically they shouldn’t be asked too. Remember that most of these kids are still under the impression that F i s h

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something might be living in their closets, so venturing into the woods alone is a daunting task. Hopefully, most of the parents reading this will go ahead and take their youngster to the hunter education course (taking it alongside them even if it isn’t needed), then hunt with them until they determine the child is capable of hunting on their own. The other change for the upcoming season is the elimination of a minimum peak draw weight for bows used to hunt deer. Your bow no longer has to have a peak draw weight of 40 pounds to be legal. The reasoning behind this is to increase participation of youth and women in bow season, and you can’t really fault TPWD for wanting to get more hunters in the field. However, this might be a case where TPWD is throwing out the baby with the bathwater. In TPWD’s eyes, the only solution to increasing participation was to make it so that any bow that has to be drawn manually can be used on deer. This equates to making it possible to use a .22 rimfire to hunt deer simply because youth and women can shoot them better. Heck, I can shoot them better, too, but that rule has never changed for one simple reason—they’re not powerful enough to make a quick, clean kill. The same goes for underpowered bows. How about we try something logical to increase hunter participation in bow season, like allowing hunters to use crossbows in archery season, as our neighbor state Louisiana recently did. That makes more sense than letting hunters carry bows with a draw weight of 20 pounds, shooting arrows at roughly the speed of smell. Only time will tell if the elimination of a peak draw weight will cause issues, but in my opinion, bowhunting is difficult enough as it is. Why handicap new hunters with underpowered bows that can lead to the frustration of missed or wounded animals. There are better ways to increase and sustain hunting participation. E-mail Paul Bradshaw at deerhunting@fishgame.com

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And other ways to fish a gold spoon

HE SHALLOW FLAT WAS FULL OF LANGUID fish. Two weeks earlier, bronze torpedoes streaked through the seagrass, detonating on anything resembling a wounded baitfish. Now the same fish swiped at our gold spoons, half-hearted attempts at best. Time, tides, and temperatures had changed over a fortnight and the fish had gone from assured to apprehensive. The bail of my spinning reel snapped shut before the little spoon touched down and I danced the Johnson Sprite over the thick shoal grass. The convex surface of the lure slid across the surface for a few feet, like a trolled marlin bait. Moments later, a large fish closed in on the spoon, but this fish wasn’t blue, white, or striped; it was red, and humped up an impressive wake as it chased the faux baitfish. With an impressive swish of its tail, the red bolted straight for the spoon, giving it a slight tap just as it turned away. A slack jaw quickly followed slack line. Nothing deflates an angler’s spirits quite PHOTO BY CHESTER MOORE

like a whiff, especially in close quarters. Watching your quarry attack your lure heightens expectations, but when the fish swims away without eating, the disappointment is devastating. While I stewed in my juices, I heard my brother, Bill, who was fishing to my right, exclaiming, “Eat it! Eat it!” A casual glance revealed he was fast to solid red. His rod arched and the monofilament connection to

Bill has always had an endless supply of patience when rod and reel are in hand. This day, he experimented and found that allowing his spoon to flutter to a halt and sit on the bottom, where it remained motionless, would entice the short-striking redfish to eat, albeit slowly. All of the fish pondered the shiny offering for a while before eating, like a midnight dieter staring at a piece of cheesecake in the glow of a refrigerator light. Of course, had I not caught Bill making his spoon “play dead,” he would have conveniently forgotten to tell me about his new retrieve. Ah, brotherly love. Spoons are extremely versatile lures, yet often passed over by many coastal anglers in favor of jigheads and soft plastics. Spoons provide a nice silhouette and give off a metallic flash that a plastic lure simply cannot mimic. Johnson and Tony Acetta are two legendary brands of spoons. Johnson makes the Sprite, which sports a dangling treble hook, and the Silver Minnow, which features a fixed, weedless single hook. The latter is great for snaking through lush beds of seagrass. Gold, copper, and silver are the dominant finishes.

by Greg Berlocher the retreating fish resembled a clothesline, with gloppy wads of sea grass dangling in the air. This scene repeated several times over the next half hour, with Bill uttering the same chant as before, encouraging the fish to eat the spoon. The aroma of skunk hovered around my other brother, Stewart, and me. I happened to catch a glimpse of Bill and noticed he was statue-still, like a German shorthair on point. His hand gripping the reel handle wasn’t moving. “Eat it,” he commanded the fish. Seconds passed, and then he exclaimed, “Gotcha!” as he set the hook against his fourth red of the day. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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In This Issue C1

COVER STORY • Play Dead | BY GREG BERLOCHER

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots | BY CALIXTO GONZALES & JD MOORE

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: UPPER COAST • Doggone Dog Days | BY CAPT. SKIP JAMES

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: MATAGORDA & MID COAST • The August Surf | BY BINK GRIMES

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: ROCKPORT TO PORT ARANSAS • Beating the Heat | BY CAPT. MAC GABLE

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: CORPUS TO BAFFIN BAYS • Topwaters in the Night | BY CAPT. JIM ONDERDONK

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: LOWER COAST • Short Runs to Big Catches | BY CALIXTO GONZALES

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SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides, Solunar Table, Best Hunting/Fishing Times | BY TF&G STAFF

HOTSPOTS FOCUS: GALVESTON COMPLEX • Offshore Problems Lead to Crowded Bays | BY CAPT. MIKE HOLMES

GEARING UP SECTION

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TEXAS TESTED • Costa Del Mar; Pre-Vent; and more | BY TF&G STAFF

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NEW PRODUCTS • What’s New From Top Outdoor Manufacturers | BY TF&G STAFF

The biggest mistake saltwater anglers make is selecting the wrong size spoon for the task. Spoons for inshore duty range in size from 1/8- to 3/4-ounce. Heavier spoons provide plenty of ballast to punch long casts into gusting coastal breezes, and are good choices for deeper bays and surf. However,

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INDUSTRY INSIDER • Anchor Marine; Advantage Marine; and more | BY TF&G STAFF

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SHOOT THIS • CZ 550 American Loaded with 6.5x55 Swedish | BY STEVE LAMASCUS

HOW-TO SECTION

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TEXAS BOATING • Survivor Guy-Boating Edition | BY LENNY RUDOW TEXAS KAYAKING • Kayaks-1, Gas Price$Outrageous | BY GREG BERLOCHER SALTWATER BAITS & RIGS • Glide, Twitch, and Roll | BY PATRICK LEMIRE FRESHWATER BAITS & RIGS • Blading a Swim Bait | BY PAUL BRADSHAW REDFISH TRAILS • Reds on the Rocks | BY DR. TOMMY LOMONTE MISTER CRAPPIE • Slow Trolling with Jigs | BY WALLY MARSHALL HUNT TEXAS • Predators and Bird Noses | BY BOB HOOD TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • The 16-Gauge | BY STEVE LAMASCUS WOO’S CORNER • Dock Fishing | BY WOO DAVES MY PLACE OUTDOORS • Full Circle | BY RYAN VICK WILDERNESS TRAILS • Steer Hunting | BY HERMAN W. BRUNE

they sink rapidly, making it difficult to retrieve them at a leisurely pace in skinny water. Light spoons are hard to cast into a strong wind, and take longer to sink. In addition, a strong current will cause them to ride high in the water, thereby preventing them from getting down into the strike zone.

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OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE

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SPECIAL HUNTING SECTION • Trophy Fever | BY TF&G STAFF TOURNAMENT INSIDER • Yankees in Bassland | BY MATT WILLIAMS SPORTING TALES • Deer Camp Pranks | BY PAUL BRADSHAW NEWS FROM THE COAST • A&M: Gulf Dead Zone Spans 23 Years | BY CHESTER MOORE CHESTER IN THE FIELD • Life & Death in the Wild | BY CHESTER MOORE INSIDE CCA TEXAS • National Parks in the Oceans? | BY MATTHEW PAXTON GURLZ PAGE • The Shakes | BY MARI HENRY AFIELD WITH BARRY • Bugging Bluegills | BY BARRY ST. CLAIR TEXAS TASTED • Texas Brisket & Potato Salad | BY BRYAN SLAVEN DISCOVER THE OUTDOORS • Classifieds | BY TF&G STAFF PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos | BY TF&G STAFF

Bait-casting reels are the entrenched standard on the Texas coast, but launching a light payload into the wind is difficult with a levelwind and requires a vigilant thumb to prevent a “professional over-run.” Light spinning tackle is the superior choice for casting small spoons, such as the 1/8-ounce Sprite. Spooling your reel with 8- or 10pound-test makes it easier to cast greater distances. Spoons fresh from the package work fine, but a little tuning helps. Adding a split ring to the nose provides a much better line-tie. The split ring also allows the spoon’s metal body to rock back and forth during the retrieve. Snap swivels might be tempting, but mutinous snaps can open against the pull of a substantial fish. Adding a 12- to 14-inch section of 20pound-test leader is always prudent if there is oyster shell in the vicinity. If your spoon doesn’t have a split ring on its nose, attach the spoon with a loop knot. If you aren’t skilled at tying a blood or Uni knot, join the leader to your line with a small barrel swivel. The swivel reduces line twist, but it is annoying when it bangs into your rod tip when retrieved too far. Spoons are a great alternative to soft plastic baits when toothy predators show up.

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Spanish mackerel shred plastic tails, robbing anglers of precious fishing time spent threading new tails onto jigheads. Adding a 4-inch wire trace to the split ring on the nose of your spoon is good insurance against drive-by cut-offs. Spoons have a built-in, fish-pleasing wobble and are easy for beginners to master; simply chuck and wind. If you are fishing over grass, high-sticking will help keep the spoon dancing near the film. Game fishes tend to strike a lure while it is falling. A periodic twitch of the rod tip during a straight-in retrieve often provokes reaction strikes from fish that are eyeballing your metallic offering. Small twitches put just enough hitch-in-the-git-along to temp trout and redfish. Bass, too. I generally add a subtle twitch every 5-10 seconds, with many strikes occurring as the spoon is fluttering downward. There are several ways to work a spoon

over clean, sandy bottom. The first is to hop the spoon along, making little puffs of sand every time it touches the bottom. There is no prescribed formula for this retrieve, so vary the length and frequency of hops until you attract the attention of a predator. Flounder love sand and mud bottoms, and often rise to strike a fluttering spoon. Dragging a spoon across the bottom also fools flatties. Dredging the edges of a channel or gut with a shiny offering is often productive. Factory spoons come equipped with small plastic “teaser tabs” that provide a tiny dot of contrasting color, but bucktails add a large swatch of color. Red, yellow, black, and natural brown are my favorites. Bucktails have a small eye that threads onto the hook split ring. In addition to adding some color, bucktails provide other benefits. They add bulk, allowing you to slow down your retrieve in

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shallow water, and create a pleasing sashay to spoon action. Bucktails come in different lengths and bushiness; you might have to experiment with different size spoons and bucktails to find the best combination. My dad firmly believed that a spoon adorned with a bucktail caught more fish. I agree. Years of fishing side-by-side with friends and family have verified this. On one particularly memorable trip with my two brothers, we were drift-fishing the Brown & Root flats near Port Aransas. All three of us were casting identical gold spoons. The exception was my spoon featured a bright yellow bucktail. I caught quite a few more redfish and trout than their combined tally. Of course, I didn’t tell them that I was using a bucktail until we got back to the launch ramp.

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by Calixto Gonzales, South Zone Fishing Editor & JD Moore, North Zone Fishing Editor

Snook to Snapper LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Brownsville Ship Channel GPS: N26 2.124, W97 13.108

SPECIES: snook, mangrove snapper BEST BAITS: live shrimp, topwaters CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: Cast toward dock pilings and rip wrap to find both snook and some large (35 pounds) mangrove snapper. Anchor or drift about 30-50 feet off the shoreline to give yourself some casting room. If fish aren’t rising to your topwater, fish along the drop-off with large live shrimp on a split shot rig. With all the snags in the area, a fluorocarbon leader is a very good idea. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Highway 100 Shoreline (shore access) GPS: N26 4.953, W97 14.414 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp, live finger mullet; shad tails in red/white, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Luke Bonura, 956457-2101 TIPS: The shoreline that parallels Highway 100 from Bayview to Port Isabel is a popular traditional hotspot for locals. There is a significant drop-off 200 yards from shore, just beyond a sandbar. Live shrimp or finger mullet under a popping cork are both productive techniques. Wade-fishermen who don’t wish to lug a bait bucket can always do well with classic soft plastics such as the Queen Cocahoe or Norton Bull Minnow on C4

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a 1/4-ounce jighead. These tails can also be fished under the same cork rigs that work with mullet and shrimp. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Railbed (bank access via Boca Chica Beach) GPS: N26 3.830, W97 9.920 SPECIES: speckled trout, flounder BEST BAITS: live shrimp/popping cork; topwaters; soft plastics in chartreuse patterns CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: The best time to fish this area is during an early morning high tide. Fish both live shrimp and soft plastics under a popping cork. If you want to try and tempt any flatties in the area, then fish Gulp! Shrimp on a 1/4-ounce jighead and bounce it along the bottom. A classic lure for this area is a two-hook worm distributed by D&L Hooks available at local tackle shops. It looks a little funky, but believe me, flounder kill them. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Laguna Vista Cove GPS: N26 6.808, W97 17.633 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live bait; topwaters; soft plastics in red/white, New Penny; gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Luke Bonura, 956457-2101 TIPS: Watch for tailing reds and nervous bait near the shoreline. Set yourself up on an intercept to the prowling reds and pitch a weightless tail or a 1/4-ounce gold spoon across their paths. If you can’t spot any working fish, back off into deeper water and fish a live shrimp or mullet under a popping cork, or start prospecting with a bone colored topwater such as a SkitterWalk or Top Dog. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Stover Point GPS: N26 12.252, W97 17.653 F i s h

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SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp; topwaters, Gulp! Shrimp in Nuclear Chicken, Lime Tiger; soft plastics in chartreuse patterns; gold spinnerbaits CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Fish around the lookout tower with live shrimp or Gulp! Shrimp underneath a popping cork. If the morning is calm enough with a high tide, then you can try your hand with a bone Top Dog. Back off the shoreline and fish with either live bait or gold spinnerbaits with a chartreuse/red shad tail LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: The Saucer GPS: N26 28.134, W97 23.667 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp; Gulp! Shrimp in Nuclear Chicken, Lime Tiger; soft plastics in chartreuse patterns; gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Fish the deeper water near the shacks during high tide with smaller jigheads or live shrimp. There will be trout hanging around just off the shacks early in the morning and then they’ll spread out over the flat as the day progresses. On hotter days (hard to believe in August, no?), trout will retreat into the ICW for more comfortable temperatures. Use your electronics to find concentrations of fish, usually near channel markers. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Dunkin House GPS: N26 18.198, W97 18.000 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp; soft plastics in clear/red, red/white, Pearl/red CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Drift the long flat with live bait

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under a popping cork. If you have the boat outfitted with platforms, this is a good area to practice your sight-fishing skills. Watch for mud boils and disturbed water as tip-offs to fish locations. Once you spot these clues, cast a lightly weighted (1/8-ounce) soft plastic or a 1/4-ounce gold spoon in the area and hang on. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Cullens GPS: N26 13.421, W97 16.773 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp; cut mullet or ballyhoo; soft plastics in clear/red, red/white, Pearl/red; gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Luke Bonura, 956457-2101 TIPS: Keep a sharp eye out for potholes on the flat. redfish will sit in these sand pockets during low tide. Once the tide starts moving, they start roaming the flats again. Finesse fishermen can stalk these spot-tailed beasts when they’re sitting tight. A gold spoon is perfect for this application. When the fish spread out, fan-casting with bait or soft plastics is a better option. LOCATION: Padre Island Shoreline HOTSPOT: South Beach (bank access via SPI) GPS: N26 32.614, W97 15.914

SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: live bait; 51 MR in Texas Chicken, pink/chrome; soft plastics in red/white, Sour Apple Green CONTACT: Quick Stop, 956-943-1159 TIPS: Clear water is a cue for fishermen to roam the beaches for surf-running predators. Speckled trout will be in the first and second guts early in the morning, and redfish will be roaming just beyond the first bar. Live shrimp are lethal, but live mullet are easier to get with a cast net. Grinders don’t need more than a couple of Mir-O-Lures in classic patterns, and some soft plastics. Keep some wire leaders handy. You never know when a school of Spanish mackerel will crash the party.

Chattering Croaker Dupe Trout LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Badlands GPS: N27 18.744, W97 27 24.903 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker/chatterweight; topwaters in Bone, red/white CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-985-

6089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: You can wade the shallow rocks early in the morning and throw large topwaters such as a Top Dog or a Super Spook to draw reaction strikes from aggressive trout. As the day grows longer, fish around the deeper rocks with live croaker underneath a Texas Rattlin’ Rigs Chatterweight and 18to 24-inch leader. A combination of the croaker’s grunting and the rattle of the weight should get something’s attention. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: East Kleberg Point GPS: N27 16.413, W97 30.479 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: live croaker or pinfish; soft plastics CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: As summer stretches on, fish begin to gravitate to the deeper rocks for the more moderate water temperatures. Eel-style soft plastics should work early in the morning, but you’d be best served with live bait as the sun gets higher. If croaker become harder to come by (which they do during the summer), don’t fret; pinfish serve just as well, and sometimes are more effective. Use the same Chatterweight rig that you’d use with croaker, and you should do fine. If the redfish are around, you should do better than fine. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Black’s Bluff GPS: N27 14.000, W97 31.723 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live pinfish/chatterweight CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Focus on the edges formed where grasslines meet up with sand bottom and work inside and outside the edges. Later in the morning, focus on the deeper rocks in the area. Any live bait will work, but redfish seem to prefer a noisy pinfish above all else. Hook the bait above the anal fin or just behind the second dorsal fin.

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LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline GPS: N27 25.402, W97 2.075 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: live pinfish; gold spoons; Gulp! bait/Old Bayside float CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Trout and redfish are spread out all over the King Ranch shoreline. Watch for grass edges and depth breaks and fish them early with either gold spoons or a 3-inch Gulp! tail under an Old Bayside Paradise Popper. Use a live pinfish/Chatterweight combo if you are fishing the deeper grasslines and potholes. Wherever you fish, work the area slowly and thoroughly. LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Emmord’s Hole GPS: N27 30.057, W97 19.546 SPECIES: redfish, speckled trout BEST BAITS: live pinfish; gold spoons; Gulp!/Old Bayside Paradise Popper float; soft plastics in Tequila Gold CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Focus on the grasslines in where the depth breaks are for lurking trout and prowling redfish. Fish along the edge of the grassline with noisy rigs. Later in the afternoon, keep an eye for tailing redfish in the shallow water. Once you sight them, throw a 1/4-ounce weedless spoon (the hammered pattern is most effective) and work it back across their noses. Norton tails in Tequila Gold are also very effective. LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Bird Island GPS: N27 28.413, W97 18.570 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: gold spoons; Gulp!/Old Bayside Paradise Popper float; soft plastics in Tequila Gold. CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Focus on the drop-offs and holes around the spoil islands and fish with soft plastics in Tequila Gold, or gold spoons. You can fish a Gulp! tail or soft plastic under a Paradise Popper, which will compel you to fish more slowly and deliberately and give the fish a better chance to zero in on your offering.

Smoke Up a Red

Night, Closing Night CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: The gas wells that dot the beachfront are loaded with trout in late summer. Anchor around a wellhead and fish around the legs and current eddies of the wells with soft plastics for steady to spectacular action. Some wells will have specks, others will have some of the largest Gulf trout (silver trout) you’ve ever seen, and others will have a mix of the two. (Gulf trout strongly resemble sand trout. The only way to distinguish between them is to count the rays of the anal fin; sand trout have 8-9 rays, while Gulf trout have 8-11.) Use a minimum of 12pound-test line with some abrasion resistance, or you’re going to end up retying a lot.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Madame Johnson Bayou GPS: N21 50.51, W93 47.22

SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters in white/silver; plastics in Pearl/chartreuse, Glow/chartreuse, Smoke/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: Plenty of baitfish get pushed out of Madame Johnson’s on the outgoing tide, and predators are there to feed on them. Topwaters are the ticket in the morning. Watch for birds collecting and diving on bait that gets pushed up by a feeding school. Soft plastics worked around the edges will find bigger fish that don’t want to compete with the young ‘uns that are tearing up bait. Don’t be surprised if you latch onto a big gafftop; snot sharks love to school up on bait, too.

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N29 21.352, W94 43.150 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: live croaker; soft plastics in Opening Night, Cheyenne Gold; Gulp! baits CONTACT: Captain Shane Chesson, 409284-8616, www.thedrakeplantation.com TIPS: There is a reason that the jetties are a classic area to fish in the summer. Watch for bait schooling near the rocks. Fish live croaker or soft plastics around them. Fish a deeper than the schools are holding to trigger fish that are keying on wounded or straying baitfish.

LOCATION: Sabine Pass HOTSPOT: East Jetties GPS: N29 40.287, W93 49.720. SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: soft plastics in Glow/chartreuse, Pearl/chartreuse, Green Tomato, Strawberry/white CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: The jetties remain productive all the way until October. The only difference is that the size of the fish seem to increase later in the year. Most of the trout you catch will not need to be measured, and redfish will usually be in the upper end of the slot, or beyond the slot limit. Fish the holes closest to the rocks with soft plastics. Fish will be holding near the bottom, so a 1/4- to 3/8ounce jighead is the best choice. Hop your lures along the bottom, or allow the current to carry it to the end of the hole.

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: North Shoreline GPS: N29 33.137, W94 37.199 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters; soft plastics in Opening Night, Cheyenne Gold; Gulp! baits CONTACT: Captain Shane Chesson, 409284-8616, www.thedrakeplantation.com TIPS: Mild fronts start trickling down in August and helps clear up the water. That makes for some great topwater action close to the shoreline early in the morning. If the fronts don’t come down, then the hot weather will drive fish into deeper water, where you can locate them with soft plastics on 1/4-ounce jigheads. LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Robinson Bayou GPS: N29 34.232, W94 34.182

LOCATION: Sabine Pass HOTSPOT: Louisiana Beachfront GPS: N29 41.482, W93 42.325 SPECIES: speckled trout, Gulf trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics in Opening A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters; soft plastics in Opening Night, Cheyenne Gold; Gulp! baits CONTACT: Captain Shane Chesson, 409284-8616, www.thedrakeplantation.com TIPS: Marsh action starts picking up in August, with trout and redfish attacking schools of mullet and shad that start collecting around grasslines and along the shoreline. Again, this is a good time to fish with topwaters around the schools. Watch for nervous bait and swirls, and key in on them as targets. If the bait goes down, start fishing with soft plastics closer to the grasslines and near deeper water.

Catfish Summer LOCATION: Coleto Creek HOTSPOT: Coletoville Road Bridge (bank access)

GPS: N28 45.813, W98 9.882. SPECIES: catfish

BEST BAITS: shrimp, chicken liver, cut bait CONTACT: Coleto Creek Park, 361-5756366 TIPS: Cats are moving up the creek, and the bridge pilings and hardwoods are holding areas. Fish chicken livers or cut baits on Carolina rigs near the pilings or brush to locate them. Most run 1-2 pounds, but some larger cats up to 10 pounds are caught every year. Easy access from the bank means that this is a good place to kill an afternoon without having to spring for boat gas. LOCATION: LBJ HOTSPOT: Lighthouse Point GPS: N30 33.788, W98 21.717 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAIT: white unweighted stick baits; Texas-rigged plastic worms CONTACT: Jim Files, 830-833-5688 TIPS: look for bass chasing bait, throw a weightless Slug-O or Assassin at them, and vary the retrieve. The fish will tell you what they want. If fish aren’t active, work a Texasrigged worm or creature along the brush piles to coax them into striking. LOCATION: Delta Lake HOTSPOT: FM 88 Bridge GPS: N26 24.55 W97 57.290 SPECIES: catfish

BEST BAITS: live or cut shad; shrimp, beef liver, prepared baits CONTACT: Delta Lake Tackle, 956-262-3385 TIPS: As the local farmers irrigate, the lake draws down and concentrates fish in deeper areas. Use fresh cut gizzard shad for best results. Don’t be surprised if you also latch into some very large freshwater drum, or even a large crappie. All these fish congregate together in the deeper water. LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Big Tiger GPS: N26 44.326, W99 8.750 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: prepared baits, cut bait, night crawlers CONTACT: Falcon Lake Tackle, 956-7654866 TIPS: Falcon has so many catfish that you can forget that bass are what the lake is best known for. Summer really seems to trigger a catfish jamboree. Any bait seems to work, whether it is mackerel, shad, dip baits, or night crawlers. These fish aren’t picky. Fish under a float to hold your bait above submerged timber and to serve as an exciting strike detector. If you see a boat dead in the water out there, that’s my friend and fishing partner Robert Garcia. Give him a tow. He probably scrimped on gas again.

Sandy Bubbles LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Bubbler GPS: N31 54.871, W97 11.656 SPECIES: white (sand) bass

BEST BAITS: Tail Hummer, Little George, Kastmaster spoon CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539, teamrednecko1@hotmail.com TIPS: After sunrise the bubbler will hold fish all day. Use Little Georges or Kastmaster spoons and cast into bubbles, let fall for a count of three, and make medium retrieve. C8

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BANK ACCESS: Tailrace Fishing Pier, white bass on jigs, Kastmaster spoons

Fork Over the Bass LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Mustang Point GPS: N32 51.300, W95 36.923 SPECIES: largemouth bass

BEST BAITS: DD22 in shad pattern; Carolina rigs, Pop R’s, Ribbit Frogs, buzzbaits CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5617299, ricky@rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Early and late bass can be caught on the above-mentioned topwaters. Night fishing will be very good on the same baits and a Gene Larew Hawg Craw in black/blue color. BANK ACCESS: Fishing pier at the Minnow Bucket; or off the bank at Oakridge Marina LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Tire reef off SRA Point GPS: N32 50.070, W95 32.028 SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: 1/32- to 1/8-ounce jigs; small minnows CONTACT: Michael Rogge, 903-3833406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Most times, colors do not make much difference, but if you are not getting bit, change jig color. When fishing minnows, try a slip cork, working the cork up and down the line until you establish the depth that the crappie bite best. BANK ACCESS: Fishing pier at the Minnow Bucket; or off the bank at Oakridge Marina

Cranky Bass LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point GPS: N30 48.332, W98 23.868

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: white crankbaits; Shaky Head

Crème Green Pumpkin worms CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: The water will be lightly stained. Working the above baits in 8 to 15 feet of water on secondary and main lake points will be your best bet. BANK ACCESS: Jacker’s Cove off Camp Road 690, stripers, largemouth bass

Buzz Up a Largemouth LOCATION: Lake Brownwood HOTSPOT: Rocky Creek GPS: N31 49.701, W99 03.877 SPECIES: largemouth bass

BEST BAITS: white buzzbaits, small swimbaits; Texas-rigged Green Pumpkin Speedcraws CONTACT: Wendell Ramsey, 325-2274931, bram4@suddenlink.net TIPS: Start early with the buzzbait on either bank and work toward the back of the creek. As the sun rises, work the swimbait next to the many docks. Flip the gator weed in the back of the creek. Fish will move in and out of the weed all day long even on the hottest days. BANK ACCESS: Lighted fishing pier, crappie, largemouth, freshwater drum Contact South Regional Fishing Editor Calixto Gonzales by email at hotspotssouth@fishgame.com Contact North Regional Fishing Editor JD Moore by email at hotspotsnorth@fishgame.com

For MORE HOTSPOT listings, go to our website and click CURRENT ISSUE ARTICLES

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Doggone Dog Days

’M SURE YOU’VE HEARD THE PHRASE, “THE DOG days of summer.” That might be the case in some lakes and bays in August, but it certainly does not apply to the Sabine Bay System. The hot, calm days make ideal conditions fishing for reds and specks now. Probably the biggest factor in success is the ability to see fish surfacing as they chase pogy, menhaden, and shrimp. It sure makes for some great topwater action. Following are the areas you’ll want to work on your summer outing this year on Sabine. Our No. 1 choice for specks and reds is the jetties. The water is generally clear and calm enough to work. Over the years, the

best approach for finding fish at the jetties has been simple: Tie on a Rat-L-Trap and a topwater (such as the She Dog) and work the granite until you contact hot, suicidal fish. After you have caught the fish chasing near the surface, drop a 1/4-ounce jighead rigged with an Old BaySide 5-inch Shadlyn down to the bottom, right where the rock meets the sand. Jig it four or five times, then reel in as fast as you can. Many times, as you are burning the bait back to the boat, a fish will trigger on the speed of the bait and the fight is on. After you’ve picked up six or eight fish with this approach, keep moving down the rocks. More than likely, you’ll run across another pod of feeding fish. This system works great early in the morning, but I have seen it produce all day. You are going to get cut off a few times by the Spanish mackerel and sharks. It’s worth losing a few baits for a box of 3- to 7-pound trout and a few bonus reds. The biggest mistake I see anglers making each summer at the rocks is not covering enough water to discover the

THE BANK BITE HOTSPOT: Docks with lights LOCATION: Toward the end of Pleasure Island SPECIES: speckle trout LURE/BAITS: Mr. Twister 2-1/2-inch Fantail Exude Shrimp BEST TIMES: Nighttime active schools. If you want to kick back and fish some dead bait on the bottom for reds, here’s what you do: Go to the end of the Texas jetty and anchor about four boat lengths west of the very end of the rocks. Last year, I had Chester Moore out doing the redfish thing. He baited up, threw his bait out in the water, and put his rod in the holder. Next thing we knew, he lost that rod and reel. These are big bull reds. Rig with a heavy action pole and at least 30-pound-test line. Most of the fish are too big to keep, although one tagged red makes a great meal. Make sure you check the short rigs. Short-rig fishing can be a real blast in August. It’s mostly specks, but each year we land a few reds when we worked the rigs. There is no big trick to working the rigs. Just start hopping from rig to rig, throwing plastic on the bottom until you find a hot school. Here again, you’ll lose fish to the sharks, but it’s worth it. August is a little early to start hunting flounder. In fact, we are so busy at the rigs and rocks, we don’t even begin to try to find them. The flounder run on Sabine usually starts around the first week in September.

Contact: Skip James 409-886-5341, jjames@gt.rr.com.

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Offshore Problems Lead To Crowded Bays

ED SNAPPER SEASON IN FEDERAL WATERS of the Gulf of Mexico will close August 5 this year—unless there is a miraculous intervention from a power higher than NOAA Fisheries or the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council. Because several factors over the past couple of decades have morphed the snapper into the most popular offshore species for both small boat operators and good-sized charter boats, a lot of anglers will be looking elsewhere for their angling enjoyment. Some will hunt snapper in state waters, where the season will still be open and the bag limit is a more liberal four fish per angler per day, but the plain fact is that there just isn’t enough snapper habitat near shore, (nor enough legal sized fish) to support heavy fishing pressure. Combined with the horrifying price of fuel, expect to see boats suitable for both bay and Gulf to spend a lot more time in the bays, and larger vessels might be stopping just outside the jetties more often than ever.

Regardless of the state of enlightenment, Gulf coast anglers traditionally want to catch something good to eat, so alternative species like jack crevalle and bonito (little tunny), while two of the best light tackle sportfish in the world, do not constitute viable primary targets for most of us. There is always a danger when fishing is restricted for a popular species, because interest generally refocuses somewhere else.

Many of us are old enough to remember when head boats and commercial fishermen mostly targeted red snapper, because snapper, while excellent table fare, are not very exciting as a sport fish. Two things contributed most to catapulting red snapper to the top of the list of “sport” fish in the Gulf: The first was a set of tight restrictions on king mackerel, which had been the darling of the “mosquito fleet” for decades. A firstever closed season was enacted on kings, then eased back to the two fish daily limit we have been under for a long time. (Any of this sound familiar?). Just as anglers were looking for another fish to spend their money chasing, along

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THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Gulf surf From High Island to San Luis Pass ALTERNATE SPOT: Inside Rollover Pass, San Luis Pass SPECIES: speckled trout, jack crevalle, king mackerel BAITS: silver spoons, soft plastics, topwaters for trout; live or cut bait for late summer inshore visitors like jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel, even a stray king mackerel BEST TIMES: Early and late, also in the cool of the nighttime hours. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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The August Surf

HERE ARE FEW BETTER FEELINGS IN LIFE TO a coastal wader than to exit the asphalt and hear silence as your vehicle’s headlights illuminate a placid surf; no roaring waves crashing on the second bar, and no gale whipping the lid from your head. When meteorologists forecast a light southeast or northeast wind, fishermen begin sweet-talking their brides and bosses for a morning pass. Put off heading to the foam for one more day, and it might be too late. Rarely does the trout-laden ocean generously give us two consecutive days of pleasure—and when she does, it is never better on the second sunrise. Currents play a key role in finding tiderunners. I fondly remember a summer morning six years ago, just a few days after my daughter was born. The low tide that morning was in the wee hours and the high tide was early afternoon. My early-morning fish were caught on long casts past the second bar. Yet, as the tide crawled closer to the

beach, the fish followed the line of mullet. My late-morning fish were caught standing in ankle-deep water, casting to the waistdeep first gut. Hence, knowing the tide schedule before you hit the beach doubles your odds of catching fish. Pack light when wading the Gulf. Utilize the pockets in your shirts by stuffing them with your favorite plastics or spoons. Keep a plug or two on you hat or affix them to the floating buoy on your stringer. Cumbersome tackle totes on the shoulder or in a wading belt pocket litter the sea if a rogue wave pounds your head. I learned that lesson the hard way a long time ago when the Gulf gobbled up $50 worth of tackle. Leave the 15-foot bay stringers at the house. Go with a 25-footer or a donutshaped floating fish bag. The extra 10 feet is like 10,000 if a hungry shark decides to dine on your fish-ka-bob. Work guts and bars thoroughly. Guts are identified by a greener tint of water, while the bars have a sandier hue. Sometimes the fish stage on top of the bars and wait for shrimp and mullet to travel past; other times, specks hang on the edge of the guts and ambush prey as the tide pushes into the deep holes. Be aware of strong currents in the ocean. A strong falling tide roughs the Gulf and increases the chance of waders falling victim

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Miles of beach from San Luis Pass to Matagorda. SPECIES: speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, gafftop, sand trout BAITS: live shrimp, croaker, Gulp! baits, topwaters to riptides. If the ocean currents are so strong you have to work to stay afloat, get out quickly. No fish is worth risking your life. The safest remedy is to wear a life jacket. As far as baits go, toss whatever gives you confidence. I rarely throw anything but a topwater, namely the She Dog, She Pup, and Super Spook Jr. I have friends who rarely throw anything but broken-backs, while others jig only Bass Assassins, Norton Sand Eels, or Texas Trout Killers. Livebaiters swear by a croaker in the surf, and live shrimp might get eaten by almost anything. That’s the beauty of fishing the ocean. As soon as the word “light winds” issue from the weatherman, lube your tackle, fill up the truck, send your wife flowers, and set an early alarm. Contact: Bink Grimes, www.binkgrimesoutdoors.com

HOTSPOTS FOCUS: GALVESTON COMPLEX Continued from Page C11 came new and relatively affordable GPS systems and much better bottom reading electronics. With these tools, even smallboat fishermen could find obscure fishingholding spots, and evaluate the bottom when they got there. More snapper were caught, and more of those were the larger “sows” of breeding age that put up a better tussle. The two-fish limit on kings is still there, so snapper fishermen can’t just reverse course, and except for Spanish C12

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mackerel and dolphin, there are no other species with liberal bag limits commonly found within the reach of smaller boats. When more anglers decide to concentrate their fishing in the bays instead of offshore—especially in traditionally calm weather months like August, when the platforms from 12 to 20 miles look like a drive-in restaurant parking lot—the increased fishing pressure is going to have negative results on populations of speckled trout and redfish fairly quickly. Just a large increase in boats on the bays will impact F i s h

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water conditions, pollution, and the general enjoyment of a day on the water for most of us.

Capt. Mike Holmes runs tarpon, shark, and bluewater trips on a classic 31 Bertram. To book a trip, call 979-415-0535. Email him at mholmes@fishgame.com.

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Beating the Heat

WISH I HAD A DOLLAR FOR THE TIMES I HAVE been asked how to fish the doldrums of August. The heat and wind of mid to late summer can be relentless, and at times down right unbearable. For those that have their own boat, the answer is multifaceted: Early morning (and by that I mean be in your fishing spot before the sun peeks over the horizon) and late afternoon (which means fishing until dark). Fishing into the evening requires a lot of knowledge of the area you are fishing and a good GPS. Fishing at high noon is usually the slowest time for mid-summer. The exception to this is during rare weather changes like summer rainstorms with barometric changes and cooler temperatures (15 degree change or more).

I use a Casio Pathfinder watch to monitor barometric changes, and pay close attention to water temperatures on my boat’s depth sounder. Another exception is fishing in the surf via a boat. Many times, the majority of keeper fish are caught between 11 a.m. and high noon while working the surf. This is the time of year to search for sheltered havens from the wind—an area with windbreaks (which can be small shell reefs or islands) and good tidal movement characteristics (stagnant water is a waste of time this time of year). That said, a sheltered area is an excellent place to throw a chum bag over the side, attracting all sorts of predator fish to your protected haven. St. Charles Bay: With the bull tides having inundated the bays, navigating this bay is easier. Early morning throwing a topwater like a She Dog and a Rat-L-Trap has put a lot of trout and reds on ice in this spot. A tip from a good friend and excellent guide, Danny Goyen (361-564-7471), involves throwing a bubble cork dragging a Berkley Gulp! crab. Captain Goyen spanks the fish using this technique.

THE BANK BITE The south end of the LBJ causeway is great for wading this time of year, and is short of boat traffic. A long wade from the base of the causeway to the first fishing pier has produced some really good trout and a few keeper reds. This bank is sheltered from the south wind until you approach the first pier. Use gold and silver slabs and spoons, and use a loop knot. The bottom is sand, so shuffle your feet, as rays are common in this area. I love the shoreline behind the Rockport/Fulton airport this time of year for reds. Use cut menhaden and mud minnows on a Carolina rig. This shoreline can be fished right from the bank. There are a few alligators in this area around the creek mouths, so be alert.

Copano Bay: The croaker bite is still a good bet here, and the mid-bay reefs should be worked with patience using mid-sized to smaller baits with a free-line or fish-finder rig. Early morning, the sand and shell reefs off of Holiday Beach Point will hold reds; use cut bait or a Giant Chubby Darter. Aransas Bay: Fish the south shoreline of Blackjack with live shrimp on a free-line or popping cork. Stay about 30-40 yards from the water’s edge, as this is where the transition to an old ship channel is located. Carlos Bay: Wade the southeast shoreline, staying at least casting distance off of the bank’s edge, then wade parallel to the bank casting a Super Spook in Bone, or Sand Eels in Pumpkinseed or Limetreuse. Mesquite: With a good south wind, work the shell reefs on the south side of the fish huts. This area holds several horseshoeshaped reefs with small back lakes that transition to deeper water. Live mullet free-lined is the right approach. Keep the bait swimming and off of the bottom, as this area is full of sharp oyster shell. Ayres Bay: Mid-bay, there are some deeper water reefs that hold trout in the early morning. This is a good spot for croaker or free-lined live shrimp. A gold and red spoon has been productive here mid-day for reds. Contact: Capt. Mac Gable, Mac Attack Guide Service, 512-809-2681, 361-790-9601

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Topwaters in the Night

ELL, WE ALWAYS HEAR THE summertime complaint in August, “It’s getting too hot to fish.” Most anglers want to get off of the water before lunch. Well, I am going to give you an alternative: wade-fishing Laguna Madre at night. This is one of the best-kept secrets. The water temperatures are cooler and the Baffin Big Girls have turned into heartless preda-

tors. There is nothing more exciting about hearing a massive blow-up while fishing a topwater at night. Never go out alone. Many things can happen while navigating waterways after dark and while wade-fishing. Make sure you or your fishing partner is very familiar with the area and that all your nighttime navigational equipment is fully functional. Leave a float plan with a buddy. Plan your wade— where you want to start your first wade, to your second or third; you might not ever have to leave your first spot. Once you have arrived at your first location safely, make sure your anchor light stays on. This will also give you some bearing and help getting back to the boat. Strap on an LED headlamp; they are a must. LED

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Kaufer-Hubert Memorial Park, FM 629, Loyola Beach. SPECIES: Black drum, speckled trout. BAITS: For drum, dead shrimp and crab. For trout, soft plastic shrimp imitation and topwaters. BEST TIME: Mornings and evenings. headlamps are readily available and provide hands-free light. Also grab a chemstick (glow stick); they activate and emit light when the internal ampoule is broken and then shaken. Take a piece of mono leader

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Short Runs to Big Catches

OST FISHERMEN WHO MAKE THE TREK TO Port Isabel and South Padre Island to fish usually have their bows pointed north. Their focus is usually on far away destinations such as Gaswell Flats, Dunkin House, Cullen Bay, or Three Islands. These are classic areas that produce coolers of trout and redfish for the anglers who make the 20- to 30-minute runs to get there. In this day of $4 a gallon gas, many fishermen would be very happy to find spots that don’t require burning up several gallons to run there and back. The truth is, two of the better fishing areas in Lower Laguna Madre are very short runs from any marina or boat ramp in the area. And, to answer the

all-important question, yes, they do hold fish. In fact, both areas hold excellent fish during late summer. Nestled between the Old Queen Isabella Causeway and the Brownsville Ship Channel portion of the Intracoastal Waterway, Mexequita Flats (N26 3.624, W97 11.532) is a long flat that gets less attention than nearby South Bay. The thing is, Mexequita can be as productive as more popular South Bay. Like many of the other productive regions in Lower Laguna Madre, Mexequita is a broad grass flat pockmarked by sand pockets, or potholes. Trout will lurk around these potholes, especially early in the morning. Live shrimp or soft plastics such as a DOA Shrimp or Gulp! Shrimp are very productive when fished under a popping cork or Alameda float. If redfish are your preference, a red head/white body or Bonepatterned topwater such as a Top Dog Jr. or Saltwater Chug Bug are good choices early in the morning. As the day grows longer, switch to a 1/4-ounce gold or bronze spoon and swim it slowly. A chartreuse or red bucktail seems to enhance the attractiveness of the spoon. Because Mexequita is literally within

sight of the Brazos-Santiago Pass, it is affected by tides more than most of the other popular fishing areas. The most effective time to fish is during an incoming tide, when the flats are flooded by water directly from the Gulf. Trout and redfish become very active and start prowling the flats. Once the flood tide is reached, then they will settle around the potholes and ambush any hapless prey that swims by. Conversely, have a care not to be caught on Mexequita during an outgoing tide. The place becomes a parking lot at low tide, and it isn’t uncommon to see some tunnel-vees and even scooters trapped in the flats until flood tide. The aforementioned Old Queen Isabella Causeway (N26 4.197, 97 11.305) is another short run, and it also doesn’t get as much attention as other areas. Part of that might be the general belief that the area is strictly a bait-fisherman’s paradise full of mangrove snapper, sheepshead, and other panfishes. That, in fact, is very true, and it is thus a great spot to bring big and small kids who are more concerned with just getting their line stretched than catching the state record trout. Both the mangrove snapper and

HOTSPOTS FOCUS: CORPUS TO BAFFIN BAYS Continued from Page C15 material, tie it to the chemstick, and hang it around your neck, behind you. This does is allows your fishing buddy to see you when your back is turned to him. This also makes a great backup light if you should loose you battery power. Light sticks last long enough (6-8 hours) to get you back to the boat. Don’t stray too far from each other. Stay within talking or yelling distance. You need topwaters that will silhouette against the night sky (dark colors). I like throwing a MirrOlure She Pup or She Dog in black with a chartreuse head. C16

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I have had my best luck around a full moon. The moonlight helps silhouette your baits, thus making them easy targets for a hungry trout out on the prowl. Try tying a 10- to 12-inch leader to the first snap ring next to the treble hook, then attach a 1/16-ounce jighead with a Plum or Morning Glory colored plastic to the leader. Work it the same way you would the topwater alone. The fish will hit the soft plastic every time. I like to fish with braided line (Power Pro). It allows you to feel what you can’t see. You will know when you have a hookup. Also check the Solunar Tables in this magazine. I use what I call the “five-hour F i s h

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window” as a guide—two hours before a major feeding time, the hour of major feeding, and the two hours after a major feeding period. Solunar tables are never a forsure thing, but they have worked for me more often than not. Emmord’s Hole, Knight Hawk Bay, White Bluff, Black Bluff, East Kleberg Point, and the Tide Gage have produced numerous nighttime wall hangers. This method has been very effective for me, as I am sure it will be for you. Contact: Capt. Jim “Donk” Onderdonk, 361-774-7710, www.pocolocolodge.com

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sheepshead that hang around the pilings are tough fish, and a 13-inch mangrove or 15inch sheepshead can be quite a handful on light tackle. A standard free-shrimp rig (18to 24-inch leader, No. 1 short-shank hook and No. 3 split shot) with a lively shrimp pinned on it is perfect to entice these structure-lurking battlers. You will find plenty of fish around the crumbling pilings, but don’t hesitate to cast in between the pilings. Pieces of the causeway have fallen into the water, and some of the larger fish hold around these isolated concrete chunks. Don’t be surprised if you latch onto a good-sized trout or flounder around the Old Causeway. The pilings create current eddies that both fish hold around and wait for the tide to push bait past them. Fish parallel to the current eddies, cast your bait into it, and let it drift with the current. Keep a finger on your line. If you feel a tap, drop your rod tip and let the line come tight, then set the hook. If you prefer fishing with hardware, the DOA Shrimp or similar “lifelike” plastic bait is perfect for fishing eddies around the Old Causeway. The do-nothing action of these lures makes them look like an actual shrimp being taken where the current will. Let the bait drift on a semi-slack line and give it a twitch every five seconds or so. No predator will let that sucker drift by its nose. Another very good part of the Old Causeway is the curve where the bridge joins the mainland (or Long Island, as the case might be). Speckled trout, redfish, and flounder congregate around the drop-off formed by the roadbed. You can use live bait, including finger mullet, on a 1/4-ounce fish-finder rig, or you can bounce a soft plastic on a 1/4-ounce jighead off the drop-off and into the deeper water. Either technique is very effective for putting fish in the box. Contact: Calixto Gonzales by email at hotspotssouth@fishgame.com

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Isla Blanca Park Surf (N26 8.250, W97 10.090) SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish TIPS: Fish shell areas with live bait or soft plastics. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008 USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

The following pages contain TIDE and SOLUNAR predictions for Galveston Channel (29.3166° N, 94.88° W).

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TIDE PREDICTIONS are located in the upper white boxes on the Calendar Pages. Use the Correction Table below, which is keyed to 23 other tide stations, to adjust low and high tide times.

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

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SOLUNAR ACTIVITY data is provided to indicate major and minor feeding periods for each day, as the daily phases of the moon have varying degrees of influence on a wide variety of wildlife species.

AM & PM MAJOR phases occur when the moon reaches its highest point overhead as well as when it is “underfoot” or at its highest point on the exact opposite side of the earth from your positoin (or literally under your feet). Most days have two Major Feeding Phases, each lasting about 2 hours. PEAK DAYS: The closer the moon is to your location, the stronger the influence. FULL or NEW MOONS provide the strongest influnce of the month.

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PEAK TIMES: When a Solunar Period falls within 30 minutes to an hour of sunrise or sunset, anticipate increased action. A moon rise or moon set during one of these periods will cause even greater action. If a FULL or NEW MOON occurs during a Solunar Period, expect the best action of the season.

T21

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE Add or subtract the time shown at the right

of the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine the adjustment from the time shown for GALVESTON CHANNEL in the calendars.

KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

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

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

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

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

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

T22 T23

View TIDE PREDICTIONS for all Texas Coastal Tide Stations and DATES at...

2 0 0 8 /

T E X A S

KEY PLACE T12 Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay T13 Gilchrist, East Bay T14 Jamaica Beach, W. Bay T15 Alligator Point, W. Bay T16 Christmas Pt T17 Galveston Pleasure Pier

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

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

KEY T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23

PLACE San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor Pass Cavallo Aransas Pass Padre Island (So. End) Port Isabel

SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK IS SPONSORED BY:

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

• A U G U S T

TIDE PREDICTIONS are shown in graph form, with High and Low tide predictions in text immediately below.

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

T14 T18

T19

C18

T3 T2 T1

F i s h

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

HIGH -0.09 -0:44 0:00 -0:03 -0:24 +1:02

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

ALMANAC C.qxd

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Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

TUESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

3 1

SATURDAY

z Aug 1

SUNDAY

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 2:12a

Set: 8:10p Set: 5:02p

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 3:13a

Set: 8:09p Set: 6:06p

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 4:21a

Set: 8:08p Set: 7:02p

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 5:32a

Set: 8:08p Set: 7:50p

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 6:43a

Set: 8:07p Set: 8:31p

Sunrise: 6:36a Moonrise: 7:51a

Set: 8:06p Set: 9:06p

Sunrise: 6:36a Moonrise: 8:54a

Set: 8:06p Set: 9:38p

AM Minor: 1:53a

PM Minor: 2:25p

AM Minor: 2:50a

PM Minor: 3:22p

AM Minor: 3:48a

PM Minor: 4:19p

AM Minor: 4:46a

PM Minor: 5:16p

AM Minor: 5:43a

PM Minor: 6:11p

AM Minor: 6:39a

PM Minor: 7:04p

AM Minor: 7:32a

PM Minor: 7:56p

AM Major: 8:09a

PM Major: 8:41p

AM Major: 9:06a

PM Major: 9:38p

AM Major: 10:04a

PM Major: 10:35p

AM Major: 11:01a

PM Major: 11:31p

AM Major: 11:57a

PM Major: ——-

AM Major: 12:26a

PM Major: 12:51p

AM Major: 1:20a

PM Major: 1:44p

Moon Overhead: 9:36a

12a

WEDNESDAY

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:44a

Moon Overhead: 10:40a

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 12:45p 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 2:33p

Moon Overhead: 1:41p

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 3:20p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

12a

FEET

+2.0

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 10:08p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 11:12p BEST:

8:00-9:50 AM

Moon Underfoot: None BEST:

8:55-11:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 12:15a

Moon Underfoot: 1:13a

BEST:

9:50AM-12:10PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:07a

BEST:

10:50AM-1:05PM

BEST:

11:45AM-2:00PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:57a BEST:

12:35-2:50 PM

+1.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

-1.0

+2.0

1:30-3:45 PM

High Tide: 5:06 am Low Tide: 7:38 pm

1.60 ft High Tide: 5:28 am -0.65 ft Low Tide: 8:37 pm

1.66 ft High Tide: 5:55 am -0.74 ft Low Tide: 9:33 pm

1.65 ft High Tide: -0.74 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:19 am 10:52 am 1:38 pm 10:25 pm

1.59 ft 1.42 ft 1.46 ft -0.65 ft

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

6:40 am 11:11 am 3:10 pm 11:12 pm

1.49 ft 1.26 ft 1.41 ft -0.47 ft

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

7:00 am 11:48 am 4:29 pm 11:57 pm

1.39 ft High Tide: 7:19 am 1.30 ft 1.05 ft Low Tide: 12:31 pm 0.83 ft 1.34 ft High Tide: 5:47 pm 1.24 ft -0.22 ft

KEYS TO USING THE TIDE AND SOLUNAR GRAPHS TIDE LE VEL GRAPH: Yellow: Daylight Tab: Peak Fishing Period Green: Falling Tide Blue: Rising Tide Red Graph: Fishing Score

12a

BEST:

7:05-9:40 PM

12p

SOLUNAR AC TIVIT Y: 12a

AM/PM Timeline Light Blue: Nighttime

MINOR Feeding Periods (+/- 1.5 Hrs.)

AM Minor: 1:20a

PM Minor: 1:45p

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Major: 7:57p

Time Moon is at its Highest Point in the 12a Sky

Moon Overhead: 8:50a

Gold Fish: Best Time Blue Fish: Good Time

AM/PM Timeline

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

12p

MOON PHASE SYMBOLS

MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)

12a

A L M A N A C / T E X A S

Time Moon is Directly Underfoot (at its peak on opposite side of the earth)

F i s h

z {

= New Moon = Fi rst Quarter = Full Moon = L a s t Q u a r te r = Best Da y

G a m e ® / A U G U S T

2 0 0 8

•

C19

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z z

BEST:

= Peak Fishing 7:45-9:40 AM Period = FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

MONDAY

TUESDAY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Set: 8:05p Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:03p Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:04p Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:03p Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 10:08p Moonrise: 10:53a Set: 10:38p Moonrise: 11:50a Set: 11:08p Moonrise: 12:47p Set: 11:41p Moonrise: 1:45p

Set: 8:02p Set: None

Sunrise: 6:40a Moonrise: 2:42p

AM Minor: 8:24a

PM Minor: 8:46p

AM Minor: 9:14a

PM Minor: 9:36p

AM Minor: 10:03a

PM Minor: 10:24p

AM Minor: 10:50a

PM Minor: 11:13p

AM Minor: 11:38a

PM Minor: ——-

AM Major: 2:13a

PM Major: 2:35p

AM Major: 3:03a

PM Major: 3:25p

AM Major: 3:52a

PM Major: 4:13p

AM Major: 4:39a

PM Major: 5:02p

AM Major: 5:26a

PM Major: 5:49p

Moon Overhead: 4:05p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 5:32p

Moon Overhead: 4:48p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 6:17p 12a

12p

12a

Set: 8:01p Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 12:17a Moonrise: 3:37p

Set: 8:00p Set: 12:57a

AM Minor: 12:00a

PM Minor: 12:24p

AM Minor: 12:46a

PM Minor: 1:11p

AM Major: 6:12a

PM Major: 6:36p

AM Major: 6:58a

PM Major: 7:23p

Moon Overhead: 7:51p

Moon Overhead: 7:03p 12a

SUNDAY

12p

Moon Overhead: 8:41p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:37a Moonrise: 9:54a

Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

= New Moon = Fi r s t Q u a r t e r = Fu l l M o o n = Last Quarte r = B es t Da y

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 3:43a +2.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 4:27a BEST:

230-4:20 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:10a BEST:

3:20-4:05 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:54a BEST:

3:45-5:20 AM

Moon Underfoot: 6:40a BEST:

4:55-8:50 PM

Moon Underfoot: 7:27a BEST:

11:30AM-2:05PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:16a +2.0

BEST:

12:15-1:30 PM

7:15-8:50 PM

+1.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

-1.0

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

C20

12:37 am 7:35 am 1:18 pm 7:08 pm

0.08 ft 1.23 ft 0.61 ft 1.15 ft

• A U G U S T

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

1:15 am 7:50 am 2:07 pm 8:38 pm

2 0 0 8 /

0.40 ft 1.18 ft 0.42 ft 1.09 ft

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

T E X A S

1:48 am 7:59 am 2:58 pm 10:25 pm

F i s h

0.70 ft 1.16 ft 0.27 ft 1.08 ft

Low Tide: 2:11 am High Tide: 7:58 am Low Tide: 3:54 pm

0.97 ft 1.17 ft 0.15 ft

High Tide: 6:46 am Low Tide: 4:53 pm

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

1.22 ft 0.07 ft

High Tide: 5:03 am Low Tide: 5:55 pm

1.35 ft 0.01 ft

High Tide: 5:13 am Low Tide: 6:54 pm

1.44 ft -0.03 ft

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

7:45-9:40 AM

= Peak Fishing Period

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

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

1 5

SUNDAY

1 6

{ 17

Sunrise: 6:41a Moonrise: 4:30p

Set: 7:59p Set: 1:42a

Sunrise: 6:42a Moonrise: 5:19p

Set: 7:58p Set: 2:33a

Sunrise: 6:42a Moonrise: 6:04p

Set: 7:57p Set: 3:27a

Sunrise: 6:43a Moonrise: 6:45p

Set: 7:56p Set: 4:26a

Sunrise: 6:43a Moonrise: 7:21p

Set: 7:55p Set: 5:25a

Sunrise: 6:44a Moonrise: 7:54p

Set: 7:55p Set: 6:26a

Sunrise: 6:44a Moonrise: 8:26p

Set: 7:54p Set: 7:25a

AM Minor: 1:32a

PM Minor: 1:57p

AM Minor: 2:18a

PM Minor: 2:43p

AM Minor: 3:03a

PM Minor: 3:29p

AM Minor: 3:49a

PM Minor: 4:14p

AM Minor: 4:35a

PM Minor: 4:59p

AM Minor: 5:21a

PM Minor: 5:44p

AM Minor: 6:07a

PM Minor: 6:30p

AM Major: 7:44a

PM Major: 8:10p

AM Major: 8:30a

PM Major: 8:56p

AM Major: 9:16a

PM Major: 9:41p

AM Major: 10:02a

PM Major: 10:26p

AM Major: 10:47a

PM Major: 11:11p

AM Major: 11:32a

PM Major: 11:56p

AM Major: ——-

PM Major: 12:18p

Moon Overhead: 9:31p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:13p

Moon Overhead: 10:22p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: None 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 12:50a

Moon Overhead: 12:03a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 1:37a 12a

12p

FEET

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 9:06a +2.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 9:57a BEST:

8:00-9:45 PM

2:40-5:15 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:48a BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 11:38a BEST:

3:20-6:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 12:27p BEST:

9:55-11:50 AM

Moon Underfoot: 1:14p BEST:

10:40AM-12:45PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:59p +2.0

BEST:

11:25AM-11:20PM

12:15P-2:05 PM

+1.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

-1.0

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

High Tide: 5:35 am Low Tide: 7:46 pm

C22

1.49 ft High Tide: 5:49 am -0.08 ft Low Tide: 8:31 pm

• A U G U S T

2 0 0 8 /

1.50 ft High Tide: 5:48 am -0.11 ft Low Tide: 9:08 pm

1.49 ft High Tide: -0.13 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

T E X A S

F i s h

5:48 am 11:03 am 12:56 pm 9:42 pm

1.48 ft 1.36 ft 1.37 ft -0.12 ft

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

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

5:55 am 10:36 am 2:12 pm 10:13 pm

1.47 ft 1.29 ft 1.37 ft -0.08 ft

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

6:06 am 10:50 am 3:16 pm 10:44 pm

1.46 ft 1.18 ft 1.35 ft 0.01 ft

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

6:20 am 11:17 am 4:19 pm 11:17 pm

1.43 ft 1.03 ft 1.33 ft 0.16 ft

-1.0

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z z

Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008 MONDAY

TUESDAY

1 9

12a

Sunrise: 6:45a Moonrise: 8:56p

Set: 7:53p Set: 8:24a

Sunrise: 6:46a Moonrise: 9:26p

Set: 7:52p Set: 9:23a

Sunrise: 6:46a Moonrise: 9:59p

AM Minor: 6:55a

PM Minor: 7:17p

AM Minor: 7:44a

PM Minor: 8:06p

AM Major: 12:43a

PM Major: 1:06p

AM Major: 1:32a

PM Major: 1:55p

Moon Overhead: 2:21a 6a

12p

12a

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Set: 7:51p Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 7:49p Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 7:50p Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 10:24a Moonrise: 10:36p Set: 11:29a Moonrise: 11:18p Set: 12:36p Moonrise: None

Set: 7:47p Set: 1:44p

AM Minor: 8:35a

PM Minor: 8:59p

AM Minor: 9:30a

PM Minor: 9:55p

AM Minor: 10:26a

PM Minor: 10:54p

AM Minor: 11:25a

PM Minor: 11:54p

AM Minor: 12:01a

PM Minor: 12:25p

AM Major: 2:24a

PM Major: 2:47p

AM Major: 3:17a

PM Major: 3:42p

AM Major: 4:13a

PM Major: 4:40p

AM Major: 5:11a

PM Major: 5:40p

AM Major: 6:10a

PM Major: 6:40p

Moon Overhead: 3:52a

Moon Overhead: 3:06a 12a

THURSDAY

12p

Moon Overhead: 4:40a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 6:28a

Moon Overhead: 5:32a 12a

12p

Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 7:46p Moonrise: 12:07a Set: 2:52p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 7:27a 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

1 8

WEDNESDAY

= New Moon = Fi r s t Q u a r t e r = Fu l l M o o n = Last Quarte r = B es t Da y

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 2:44p +2.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 3:28p BEST:

12:40-3:55 AM

1:30-4:05 AM

Moon Underfoot: 4:15p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 5:05p BEST:

2:20-5:10

Moon Underfoot: 5:59p BEST:

3:10-5:20 AM

Moon Underfoot: 6:57p BEST:

4:10-6:15 AM

Moon Underfoot: 7:58p +2.0

BEST:

5:30-8:55 PM

6:35-9:10 PM

+1.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

-1.0

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

6:33 am 11:50 am 5:27 pm 11:50 pm

1.40 ft 0.85 ft 1.30 ft 0.36 ft

High Tide: 6:43 am 1.35 ft Low Tide: 12:27 pm 0.64 ft High Tide: 6:44 pm 1.28 ft

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

12:25 am 6:49 am 1:09 pm 8:12 pm

0.62 ft 1.33 ft 0.42 ft 1.28 ft

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

1:00 am 6:47 am 1:58 pm 9:57 pm

0.90 ft 1.34 ft 0.20 ft 1.32 ft

A L M A N A C / T E X A S

Low Tide: 1:33 am High Tide: 6:31 am Low Tide: 2:55 pm

F i s h

1.18 ft 1.41 ft 0.01 ft

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

12:19 am 1:46 am 6:00 am 4:01 pm

1.43 ft High Tide: 5:27 am 1.43 ft Low Tide: 5:14 pm 1.52 ft -0.14 ft

G a m e ® / A U G U S T

2 0 0 8

1.65 ft -0.25 ft

•

C23

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

z z

BEST:

= Peak Fishing 7:45-9:40 AM Period = FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

2 9

SUNDAY

Sunrise: 6:49a Moonrise: 1:04a

Set: 7:45p Set: 3:55p

Sunrise: 6:49a Moonrise: 2:07a

Set: 7:44p Set: 4:52p

Sunrise: 6:50a Moonrise: 3:15a

Set: 7:43p Set: 5:42p

Sunrise: 6:50a Moonrise: 4:25a

Set: 7:42p Set: 6:25p

Sunrise: 6:51a Moonrise: 5:32a

Set: 7:41p Set: 7:02p

Sunrise: 6:52a Moonrise: 6:37a

Set: 7:40p Set: 7:35p

Sunrise: 6:52a Moonrise: 7:38a

Set: 7:39p Set: 8:05p

AM Minor: 12:53a

PM Minor: 1:24p

AM Minor: 1:50a

PM Minor: 2:21p

AM Minor: 2:45a

PM Minor: 3:15p

AM Minor: 3:38a

PM Minor: 4:06p

AM Minor: 4:28a

PM Minor: 4:54p

AM Minor: 5:16a

PM Minor: 5:40p

AM Minor: 6:03a

PM Minor: 6:26p

AM Major: 7:08a

PM Major: 7:40p

AM Major: 8:06a

PM Major: 8:36p

AM Major: 9:00a

PM Major: 9:30p

AM Major: 9:52a

PM Major: 10:19p

AM Major: 10:41a

PM Major: 11:06p

AM Major: 11:28a

PM Major: 11:52p

AM Major: ——-

PM Major: 12:15p

Moon Overhead: 8:29a 6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 10:32a

Moon Overhead: 9:31a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:29a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 1:10p

Moon Overhead: 12:21p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 1:56p 12a

12p

FEET

+2.0

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 9:00p BEST:

7:05-9:05 AM

Moon Underfoot: 10:02p BEST:

8:00-9:50 AM

Moon Underfoot: 11:01p BEST:

3:10-5:10 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:55p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: None BEST:

9:45-11:45 AM

Moon Underfoot: 12:46a BEST:

10:50AM-1:10PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:33a BEST:

11:20AM-1:55PM

+2.0

12:10-3:15PM

+1.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

-1.0

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

12a

Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

= New Moon = Fi r s t Q u a r t e r = Fu l l M o o n = Last Quarte r = B es t Da y

High Tide: 4:49 am Low Tide: 6:27 pm

1.75 ft High Tide: 4:43 am -0.34 ft Low Tide: 7:35 pm

1.78 ft High Tide: 4:54 am -0.37 ft Low Tide: 8:34 pm

1.74 ft High Tide: -0.35 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

5:07 am 10:01 am 1:10 pm 9:28 pm

1.66 ft 1.46 ft 1.54 ft -0.24 ft

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

5:20 am 10:10 am 2:40 pm 10:15 pm

1.56 ft 1.27 ft 1.53 ft -0.07 ft

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

5:33 am 10:37 am 3:55 pm 10:57 pm

1.48 ft 1.05 ft 1.52 ft 0.17 ft

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

5:46 am 11:12 am 5:06 pm 11:37 pm

1.41 ft 0.82 ft 1.49 ft 0.44 ft

-1.0

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7/2/08

11:12 AM

Page C26

Costa Lenses Cut the Mustard—and the Smoke

PHOTO BY DON ZAIDLE

HEN SELECTING A NEW PAIR OF COSTA Del Mar sunglasses a while back, I noted in the description of the 580 lens option something interesting: “sharper contrast, better definition and enhanced colors in any environment” and of the Copper lens color, “cuts glare and enhances contrast and color, providing eye comfort in any conditions.” The “any environment” and “any conditions” bits were especially intriguing, and I

fiendishly machinated a real-world test of the claims—a test of fire. Well, not so much fire as smoke. As a volunteer firefighter in rural Texas (read “out in the boondocks”), I often work in conditions of smoke so thick visibility is in single-digit feet when fighting wildland fires. The need to see hazards and obstacles in such conditions is obvious. Would these “any environment, any conditions” lenses cut the mustard—or smoke, as it were— under such extreme conditions? The short answer is “yes.” The first opportunity to test was at a relatively small brush fire burning on both sides of a deep, narrow gully. Terrain and C26

• A U G U S T

2 0 0 8 /

T E X A S

heavy brush barred taking fire apparatus across the gully, so we set up high-pressure monitors and applied water across the chasm. I noted the water was not hitting the hotspots, and directed the streams by calling instructions to the firefighters manning the monitors: “A little left, now up a hair...that’s it! Pour it on!” I was at first a bit perplexed by the inaccurate aim of the water cannoneers. Can’t they see the same thing I am seeing? I thought. We are only a few feet apart. Then it dawned on me: They can’t see what I am seeing—it’s the Costas! The smoke between us and the active portion of the fire was almost palpable, restricting visibility to about 10 feet across the 50-foot gully. Looking through the Costa 580 lenses, I could see active flame, ground embers, and unburned fuel across the expanse. Without the glasses (experimentally removed), I could not see spit. I handed the glasses to another firefighter, Lt. Darr Spencer, and said, “Here, try these.” “Damn! That’s amazing!” he said. “Where’d you get these?” I just smiled sardonically and said, “Gimme back my glasses.” I need not tell you how well these glasses work under “ordinary” conditions. They passed the smoke test (electronic techs and engineers will get the hidden joke)—what more could one ask. Contact: Costa Del Mar, 800-4473700, www.costadelmar.com —Don Zaidle

Pre-Vent Tool Prevents Bladder Bloat Mishaps A “venting tool” for relieving distended swim bladders of fish brought up from deep water is mandated when fishing for reef fish in Federal waters (effective 1 June 2008). A giant step forward in the safe process of venting a fish’s bladder comes from Team F i s h

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Marine USA’s Pre-Vent venting tool. The tool features a retractable, spring-seated stainless-steel venting needle, and is the safest I have ever seen or used. It works like a dream. Team Marine USA info on the tool states: “The Pre-Vent was invented, designed and developed to humanely, quickly, and easily deflate the abdominal cavities of all reef fish.” It certainly achieves those goals. The needle has two exposure lengths, 1-1/4 and 2-5/16 inches. Length used depends on the fish size: start short, and use max length only if needed. With the needle fully retracted, accidental punctures to the fisherman wielding it are a thing of the past. The 7-inch long Pre-Vent tool is available in two models: The Pro Series PV-1, with an aluminum body, stainless steel spring, and needle retails for $39.95. The Pre Vent Angler Series PV-2 has a UV stabilized polymer body and the same internal components as the PV-1 and retails at $23.95. Both have lifetime warranties. A third version, the Pro Mini Series PV3, will be available in the very near future. Contact: Team Marine USA, 888-4646423, www.teammarineusa.us —Patrick Lemire

Falcon Rods Cara T7 You want a medium-light spinning rod designed specifically for low-diameter braid? Check out the Falcon Cara T7. I tested a 6-foot, 6-inch, CS-4-166M-T7 (rated for 1/8- to 3/8-ounce lures) with a

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spinning reel loaded with 10-pound-test Power Pro braid, and discovered it can toss a jig a country mile. The Cara T7 is built on a graphite blank, has cork grips, Fuji ACS graphite reel seats, and Fuji Alconite Concept guides, which won’t become grooved by braid and allow it to pass smoothly through the eyes. The finish is matte black, with glossy epoxy over the wraps. This construction is tough enough that Falcon offers a limited lifetime warranty against defects in workmanship and material for as long as you own it. Patriotic Angler Bonus: Falcon is one of the few rods around that bears the “Made in the USA” label. Tossing 1/4-ounce jigs to a submerged rubble pile, the combination of high sensitivity and Power Pro braid line transmitted every movement, impact, and strike. The fast-action tip and strong mid-section helped me cross the eyes of stripers when I set the hook—even from long distances—and it had enough lifting power to pull a 30-incher clear of the water. Falcon designed the Cara Reaction rods in this series to deliver the perfect action when fishing baits such as crankbaits that trigger a reaction bite. The slower actions of this series of rods help land fish caught on treble hooks, which often pull out at boatside when there is no line-stretch to absorb sudden movements or surges. Other models in the Cara series include spinning and casting models from mediumlight to extra-heavy; four to 10-weight fly rods; and even a line of dedicated peacock bass rods designed to work large prop baits. Contact: Falcon Rods, 918-251-0020, www.falconrods.com —Lenny Rudow

arm and a leg, which is why Old Harbor Outfitters has come out with a new line of knives made of steel with titanium in it, called “titanium-bonded steel.” Titanium is fused with the steel through a heat treatment process. Since the actual volume of titanium is far lower than were the entire blade was made of it, price stays reasonable. Most sell for between $20 and $25. (Snippers and several different types of knives are also available.) Although the plastic handles are nothing fancy, they should last for eons, as will that titanium-fused blade. The two are brought together with full tang construction, which means the metal extends all the way from the tip of the blade to the base of the handle, providing maximum durability and control. Old Harbor Outfitters guarantees the blades to be three times stronger than stainless-steel alone. Of course, we didn’t believe it until we tried it. To test the claim, I put a fillet knife in the holder on my open center console (note this one downside—they don’t come with a sheath) and made sure they got a salt-spray soaking each and every

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fishing trip. I didn’t rinse them off one single time, mercilessly ground the blade against fish backbones and scales, and even pried with the tip. The knife survived the ordeal without damage. I didn’t think that was sufficient abuse, so I used the knife for the worst possible task any blade can face—opening an oyster. Again, it came through with flying colors, earning the Old Harbor Outfitters knife a respected place in my boat’s knife holder. Contact: Old Harbor Outfitters, 203540-5150, www.oldharboroutfitters.com — LR

Old Harbor Outfitters Knives— A Choice Cut Whether you are cutting fillets from your catch or chunks for bait, you need a sharp blade—one that is strong, too. That’s not a problem in the kitchen, but on the boat, steel knives corrode or go dull in short order. Even if they don’t, it always seems like the tips get bent or broken when you are trying to get through a backbone or fish head. What could be better than steel? Titanium. Unfortunately, that material costs an A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Improve the Way You Fish

Are you frustrated with the dreaded “helicopter” flight of a conventional cork that renders short casts and tangled leaders? If so, try the latest in extreme popping cork designs from Midcoast Products and experience tangle free fishing today! Whether you are a beginner or a pro, these corks are a must have for anyone’s tackle box. We offer a full line of corks that are sure to meet the demands of any angler. If you wade, drift, kayak or fish from the shore, we have the right cork for you! Our weighted models: the OUTCAST, INTICER, MOJO and Lil’ Moe and our un-weighted models: the RAGE and the Lil’ Bit are the most innovative and effective popping corks available on the Gulf Coast. Once you fish with Midcoast Products corks, you won’t settle for anything less! Our products can be found at

Timberline Binoculars Tough, Useful, Affordable

Lazer Sharp Out-Swims the Competition

Midcoast redefines the fishing cork. numerous retail locations across Texas. The next time you visit your local tackle store ask for the corks in the fluorescent pink packages. Use them today and see how we are “Improving the way you fish” Visit Micoast online @ www.midcoastproducts.com. pact and stylish. Full metal body construction and textured rubber armor provide toughness. And no matter the conditions, these waterproof, nitrogen-filled binoculars won’t fog. Binoculars are sold with a protective, molded case and a moisture-wicking CoolNeck strap. Timberline binoculars are part of a

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Introducing the new L111 hook, specifically designed for today’s most effective swimbaits. Available in 1/8, 3/16, and ? oz. weights and sizes 3/0 - 7/0. When designing the L111, Lazer Sharp consulted with dozens of tournament anglers, Pro Staff and some of the most popular swimbait manufacturers to engineer a hook that would help anglers fish swimbaits more effectively. The L111 was designed with an especially wide gap and a unique barbed spear to keep baits in place. This barbed spear makes centering the bait much easier, allowing for a truer and more effective swimming action. The spear, ideal in length and concomplete optics collection introduced this year by Columbia Sportswear Co. The company’s optics line was developed by licensee Kruger Optical, LLC, a fullservice optics provider. Headquartered in Sisters, OR, and Walnut, CA, Kruger Optical supplies innovative binoculars, spotting scopes, riflescopes and other optical products, as well as engineering services. Information about the company is available from its website, www.krugeroptical.com.

Columbia Sportswear’s new Timberline 10x42 binoculars combine toughness, performance and value.

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nected to the eye of the 60° leg, contains 3 strategically placed barbs to Lazer Sharp hooks. give the maximum amount of holding power while also allowing the angler to reuse or re-position baits without damaging them. Available in a silky Platinum Black fin-

Cocoon Eyewear Cocoons are the ideal sunwear for anyone who wears prescription glasses. The Cocoons collection features the Polaré Lens System with 100% polarization to block out UV A&B light, while eliminating harsh glare. The Polaré lenses meet strict ANSI Z80.3 eyewear standards for impact resistance, are exceptionally durable, and scratch resistant. The full wrap frames are made of virtually unbreakable lightweight nylon, and include a brow bar, under scoop, and polycarbonate side shields for 360? of protection. The frames also feature Flex2Fit® adjustable temples for an exact fit and a soft touch finish for ultimate comfort. Available in six sizes with amber, gray, copper or yellow lenses, there is a pair of Cocoons to fit over any prescription frame. MSRP of $44.95. All Live Eyewear sunglasses are designed to isolate the eyes from a number of harsh outdoor elements, such as damaging UV light, harsh glare, wind and other airborne irritants. The patented styles protect the eyes from the top, sides and bottom, providing 40% more protection from damaging UV rays than standard sunglasses. Each frame is backed by a limited lifetime warranty and includes a custom case and lens cloth. Available at all Bass Pro Shops and Cabelas stores or visit www.liveeyewear.com or call (800) 8342563.

ish and Lazer Sharp’s exclusive sharpening and tempering processes, it provides anglers with effortless hook-sets and consistent results. These new hooks have a suggested retail of $3.48 per pack of 3. For more information about Lazer Sharp products, contact us at 720941-8700 or visit www.fishlazer.com or www.eagleclaw.com.

Cast Nets Offer Lead Alternative The new Outfitter Series Cast Nets is Ahi USA’s answer to the ever so increasing cost of lead. These nets feature a revolutionary new lead substitute that rivals the performance of lead and comes in at a price that’s easy on the wallet. A technological breakthrough in chip resistant vinyl coating protects the

Digital Hunter riflescope functions in all light conditions of objects at night. Ranges of up to 100 yards or more can be obtained depending on the power and power density of the nearinfrared (NIR) illuminator used. NIR illuminators - also called IR Flashlights - emit light essentially invisible to mammals but visible to DigitalHunter DayNight. DigitalHunter DayNight is a lower-cost, goodresolution alternative to image intensifier or thermal riflescopes. And since DigitalHunter DayNight is a digital riflescope, it has advantages not found in conventional hunting scopes such as: electronic ballistic compensation, automatic video and still image capture and replay, field selectable, video out and customizable color reticles. To learn more or to order online, visit their website: www.elcansportingoptics.com. steel core from the elements. Ahi USA Outfitter Series cast nets are available in 3ft, 4ft, 5ft, and 6ft and come in 3/8” monofilament. Each and every Ahi USA cast net is packed with quality and value! All models feature double selvage net panels, heavy braille lines, long hand lines, premium UBE chip composite nylon and monofilament netting, and premium treated nylon assembly line. Nets come packed in a convenient hardened plastic container. For more information on Ahi USA cast nets you can contact them toll free 866-2641562. Or visit them on the web at AhiUSA.com. AHI USA 14020 S. Western Ave Gardena, CA. 90249

Outfitter Series cast nets use a revolutionary lead substitute.

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Stratos Expands XT Line of Boats When the Stratos 176XT hit the market in late summer 2006, it exploded onto the fishing scene by giving anglers everywhere a less expensive, more stable and longer-lasting alternative to aluminum boats. Now, the XT line has been expanded with the 2008 Stratos 186XT, giving anglers even more space and power for under $17,000. New for 2008, the Stratos 186XT is an 18-foot, 9-inch boat that feels and fishes like

Stratos adds bigger models to its popular line of affordable alternatives to aluminum boats. a 20-footer. The additional 15 inches of space is added to the front deck of the boat, giving it the same fishing space of most 20foot bass boats, plus the added convenience of features like recessed trolling motor foot pedals and a 7-foot, 6-inch center rod locker. Completely rigged with 90-horsepower outboard, 40-pound Minn Kota trolling motor, Humminbird electronics and Road Armor Equipped® trailer, this is the most accessible - and roomiest - 18-foot boat in its class, meaning anglers don’t have to sacrifice big money for big fishing space. The all-new 186XT’s combination of features, value and fishability has been a long time coming for serious bass anglers and local tournament competitors who want a new rig without sacrificing quality or breaking the bank. Visit www.stratosboats.com, or call toll free: 1-877-9STRATOS.

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Plano 600 Series Gun Cases The 600 Series Cases are the Premium products offered in the Gun Guard line. Each boasts a quilted cotton interior lining as well as strategically positioned PVC detail on the bottom, nose and butt of the case providing additional protection. Featuring internal tie down straps, full length zippers w, multiple interior pockets for shooting accessories and exterior pockets for additional chokes or licenses, a removable padded shoulder strap these cases have it all for today’s hunter or recreational shooter. Shotgun cases are 54” long and rifle cases are 48” long. The 600 Series cases retail for $29.99-$39.99. For more information visit www.planomolding.com.

XPert Steel New for Targets, Birds Whether you’re busting clay targets or hunting dove, Winchester® Ammunition recognizes the need for an affordable, nontoxic alternative to lead. In 2008, four new loads are being added to the Xpert® Game and Target Steel Shot line. The new Winchester Xpert loads include a one ounce 12-gauge load and a 3/4 ounce 20-gauge load. Both are 2-3/4 inch-

Winchester Xpert Steel for target and upland bird shooting. F i s h

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es and achieve a muzzle velocity of 1,325 feet per second (fps). Xpert steel loads are ideal for use in states with non-toxic shot upland game regulations and are a great alternative to lead

Plano 600 gun case throughout the country at an excellent value. Xpert steel shot has a higher velocity and more pellets per ounce than equivalent weight lead loads. This economically priced steel load is a high quality product that provides excellent patterning for upland game and clay targets. It is available in 25-round cartons with eyecatching graphics. The new 12-gauge Xpert Steel Shot, product symbol: WE12GT, features: • Muzzle velocity of 1,325 fps • One ounce load in both #6 and #7 steel shot • 2 3/4 inches The new 20-gauge Xpert Steel Shot, product symbol: WE20GT, features: • Muzzle velocity of 1,325 fps • 3/4 ounce load in both #6 and #7 steel shot • 2 3/4 inches For more information about Winchester Ammunition and its complete line of products visit www.winchester.com.

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Dock Box Rocks Dock Boxes are built with a smooth UV gelcoat exterior finish, smooth fiberglass interior finish, stainless steel lockable latch, reinforced fiberglass lid, aluminum piano

contents are emptied by the game consuming the feed. This allows for a long-range visual assessment of how much feed remains in the feeder. Without the need for approaching or handling the feeder to check the feed level, the problem of unnecessary scent contami-

hinge and gas shock. nation around your feed site is a Dillon’s Dock Box Waterproof storage for Lifething of the past. jackets, Hunting Equipment, With the Flat-Out Feeder, it’s Duck Decoys & Fishing Equipment. possible to feed mature bucks along with the It can be used for boat dock, deer camp rest of the herd, since you’re less likely to or home storage or it is lightweight and can have your scent spook those older deer onto be easily placed in the back of a truck or your neighbor’s land. SUV The feeder’s design is compact for easy Available in 48” 72” and 54” triangle. mobility (25” x 25” x 14”) and weighs a Call 903-677-3141 or e mail janice@dil- mere 28 pounds. Set-up couldn’t be any lonmanuf.com for a dealer near you. simpler for one person. Yet, it doesn’t compromise on capacity with a 250 pound feed capacity. With a waist-high filling height, there’s no need for carrying heavy feed bags up a ladder. Its aluminum and steel construction is built to last and with no motors or batteries, there’s nothing to fail. The Flat-Out Feeder is compact without compromise. Day VI Outdoors brings scent-control to For more information, contact Rich supplemental game feeding with its intro- Milliner at 706.256.2578 or by e-mail at duction of the first truly innovative feeder, rich@day6outdoors.com. the Flat-Out Feeder. Or visit the Day 6 Outdoors website at The Flat-Out Feeder collapses as its www.day6outdoors.com.

Day 6 Outdoors Introduces the Flat-Out Feeder

The Flat-Out Feeder is shown here as the feed level decreases.

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A Quick Clean & Lube for Shotguns The Stinger Bore Cleaner is a fast, convenient and effective method of cleaning your shotgun and was designed specifically for today’s shotgun enthusiasts who want to insure the best care for their shotguns every time they get used or exposed to moisture.

A pull cord shoots out of the bore, then you pull the clean & lube unit (left) through! Many shotgun enthusiasts often put their shotguns away without properly cleaning and protecting them, all for a variety of legitimate reasons. The Stinger Bore Cleaner was created for them, with their input, to meet their needs. Using the most advanced cleaning, conditioning and lubricating chemical technology available, the Stinger Bore Cleaner uses 360° of cleaning pressure in 5 separate stages of cleaning. In one pass it cleans, lubricates and protects. No preparation, use it anytime… anywhere! To use it, simply chamber the Stinger and in a safe direction… pull the trigger. The primer ejects a cord attached to the cleaning unit. Slowly pull the cord bringing the 5 stages of cleaning through the bore. In one pass the Stinger will clean, lubricate and protect. The Stinger Bore Cleaner can be used to clean several bores before disposal. Goes anywhere to be used anytime! For more information, including a video demonstration, visit www.rhoseinc.com.

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New Owner at Anchor Marine

NCHOR MARINE IN SAN ANTONIO HAS changed ownership. The new owners, Tony Alvarez, Sr., and Tony Alvarez, Jr., said their goal is to take the lessons they have learned in the medical service field and apply them to servicing and selling boats. Tony, Sr., spent many years in the medical imaging industry, where keeping customers and getting new ones requires top-notch service or the account is lost. “I have been around boats and have had the opportunity to experience and rate the service in this city,” said Tony, Sr. “I found there was a tremendous opportunity for someone with a servant’s heart to come in and provide something this community so well deserves.” Tony, Sr., who will be in charge of the daily operations of the company, plans to be creative in Anchor Marine’s approach to servicevery much proactive instead of reactive. “We are going to have better follow-up with our customers and a better working environment for my service technicians so that they take pride in servicing our customers.” The most important item on his list of service changes is better customer communication, which he said in the past, has been zilch. People have been waiting for a long time for repairs on their boats without knowing the status of the repair, why it was taking so long. “We have a new service manager, Ed Gates, who provides me with information so that I can personally call customers, thank them for their business and give them the status in regards to the condition of the repair, give them continuous updates as to what we are doing,” said Tony, Sr. “Then I plan to folC32

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low up where the cus“We are going to be The Anchor Marine staff—ready to serve. tomer grades our servery aggressive in our vice department and pricing packages,” allows me to see in said Tony, Sr.. what direction the quality of service is moving Anchor Marine, by his estimation, probably and what I need to do to improve it.” carries the largest line of saltwater boats in Extended warranties and maintenance San Antonio: Skeeter, Pathfinder, BlackJack, packages are just part of Anchor Marine’s Frontier, Maverick, Haynie, Hewes, Skeeter, new service delivery system. Lightspeed, a and Xpress. In the bass boat line, Anchor computer software program allows Alvarez to sells Skeeter and Xpress. In pontoon boats, better follow up in service, and by the same Anchor carries Crownline and Bennington. token analyze productivity of the company’s All boats are powered by Yamaha outboard staff. engines. “It provides me with a vehicle to be able to “We are going to make sure that customers follow up properly with a customer, make sure understand since they are buying a high-end the customer is satisfied,” Tony, Sr. “I am boat they are going to be treated like high-end going to do that personally to determine the customers,” Tony, Sr., said. focal point of our service needs in the commuHe said it is kind of like when a buyer purnity, what’s important to the customer and chases a Mercedes; they expect to be providwhat is not.” ed with top-notch service before and after the Another new plan to provide top-notch sale. service is the sale of Anchor Marine Care “Real personal care and better personal Packages where a customer’s boat can be relationships-the way you greet customers, the totally evaluated, from pumps to lights, to way you walk customers through the dealerfuses. ship, making sure that customer who buys a “It’s a preventive maintenance package Skeeter, who buys the Crownline, or any of that you can purchase that allows a customer our high end boats is treated like a high-end to have a thorough evaluation of the condition customer. of their boat. “I have always been a fanatic of boats, F i s h

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water sports, and fishing. My son had the opportunity to get into this venture together with me, so we decided it was time to go sell fishing boats. The decision to get into the boating business was not a long, hard decision. I decided there were better things in life than the health care industry. It’s a pleasure for my son and me to achieve dreams that we have had for a long time. “It will be a lot of work, but we will get it done.” Tony, Sr., estimated that planned changes would take about three months. Contact: Anchor Marine, 5560 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio; 210-5991415, www.anchormarineoftexas.com —Tom Behrens

Advantage Marine Offers Specialty Crappie Boats Bass anglers have boats built and designed for their fishing needs. Now crappie anglers have boats that are built for their favorite type of fishing—the Lund 1825 Explorer SS Crappie Edition and the Crestliner 1850 Fish Hawk Crappie Edition. Both boats have been developed from the input of a crappie fishing professional and by the crappie boat experts at Advantage Marine Services in Sachse, Texas. “We developed a crappie boat that gives what a crappie angler wants in their boat,” said Joe Ham, owner of Advantage Marine Services, referring to his staff and crappie guide and professional crappie tournament angler, Jerry Hancock. The Lund and Crestline Crappie Edition boat models are both Brunswick products. Lund boats have been available for about four years. The Crestliner edition has only been available for a few months. The Lund Explorer is a little bit more expensive than the Crestliner Fish Hawk crappie boat. “Crappie fishermen, tournament fishermen, and guides are buying our boats because of the setup and design that we have put together,” said Ham. “The crappie fisherman is a guy that is probably from the age of about C34

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50 and up. That’s them to get them to Advantage Marine’s special crappie rigs our demographics, bite. include Crestliner and Lund brands. that baby boomer “The way we group of people that designed the boat, are not wanting to go out there and throw a everything is right there in that cockpit area— thousand times to catch a couple of bass. the fish-finder, the minnows, the livewell, They are going out there to catch crappie, or whatever—so you don’t ever have to go to the fish with their grandkids, or take their wives back of the boat.” out fishing.” Both the Lund and the Crestliner are aluThe boats have three seat bases up front. If minum boats featuring a deep-V bottom. The there is only one angler, you use the seat base V bottom boat, the number one selling boat up north, fits in very well on Texas lakes because Texas lakes can get rough. They have lots of room in them. “You can fish four people out of these boats without any problem at all,” said Ham. The Lund 1825 Explorer Crappie Edition is 18 feet, 4 inches long and has a beam of 96 inches. It has a 32-gallon built-in fuel tank, with a 12/24-volt bow trolling motor plug-in. It is rated up to 150 hp. The Crestliner 1850 Fish Hawk Crappie Edition’s overall length is 18 feet, 6 inches and has a beam of 95.5 inches. Fuel capacity Advantage Marine’s crappie boats is 31 gallons with a maximum outboard rating feature side-by-side seating. of 150 hp and 12-volt plug-in outlet for a trolling motor. in the middle. If you are fishing in teams, you Although the boats are rated up to 150 hp, use the pedestal bases on either side. In addi- Ham outfits both boats with Mercury 115 hp tion to multiple up-front seating, there is a bait four-stroke outboards. tank and livewell within easy reach. “With gas prices going up, the great thing “When the guys are tournament fishing in about the aluminum boat is it takes less motor the wintertime or summertime, they need to to push it; you can get away with a smaller work out of the front of the boat,” said Ham. motor on a bigger boat.” “They do a lot of what they call ‘spider rigCrappie Editions are available in different ging’ where they run eight poles, 16 minnows sizes, from 16 to 18 feet. The best sellers are out of the front of the boat. It’s a very produc- the Fish Hawks and Explorers. tive way to catch crappie in the wintertime. “We developed the boat as the ultimate Crappie go very deep. You have to reach boat for the crappie fisherman. In the past, down and really put a lot of food in front of you had to deal with whatever makeshift boat F i s h

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PHOTO COURTESY OF NUECES CANYON LODGE

you could find. The Crappie Edition boats are designed by a crappie fisherman, and the top brass in the industry are fishing out of our boats. Like bass fishing was associated with Ranger boats, crappie fishing is associated with Lund and Crestliner.” Contact: Advantage Marine Services, 6702 Hwy. 78, Sachse, Texas; 972-4955343, www.advantagemarineus.com —Tom Behrens

Nueces Canyon Lodge Ready for Dove Season “Fix bayonets!” That was the cry of a hunter across the field from me as an absolutely huge flight of white-winged dove appeared just above the tree line in a large field near Uvalde. While the volley of spent rounds might have sounded like the battle of the Alamo, bayonets weren’t quite necessary, although there were certainly more birds than there were rounds in our guns—all 30 of us. “That’s the kind of hunting you can get into when you have the ability to change locations at the drop of a hat,” said Chuck Glass of Nueces Canyon Lodge. “The flight patterns of the dove change with hunting pressure and food availability, and we pride ourselves on being able to respond to that by working with many landowners and always having areas that have birds.” Glass said Nueces Canyon Lodge was developed to take advantage of the tremendous whitewing and mourning dove concentrations that Central Texas offers: “The areas around Uvalde are the best counties in the state for dove hunting. And Nueces Canyon Lodge is ideally situated to take advantage of those opportunities.” Located north of Uvalde on the Nueces River, they have access to prime hunting properties, offering more than 18,000 acres of sunflowers, sesame seed, and milo fields. Other properties offer afternoon tank- and passshooting. Whitewings, which are a specialty in this area, often fly out of urban areas to feed in the C36

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surrounding wild flying at what times, The Nueces Canyon staff. lands. That is not to and can put hunters say they do not dwell on fields at peak flight in purely wild areas, time. This is very as they do, but in much of the state, particu- important because a lot of places have only larly around Uvalde, the dove you will shoot very small tracts of land to pick from, whereas around the populated areas will be most heav- we have a lot of land all over the area,” Glass ily whitewings. Whitewings will eat a variety said. of food, from small seeds to acorns and cactus The facilities at the lodge itself are immacfruit. ulate and offer a pristine Hill Country setting. Mourning dove are the most common The meals are expertly prepared and served, statewide, and they are also abundant here, featuring a variety of cuisine. preferring a mix of wild and agricultural set“It’s not just about the hunt, but about the tings. In most of the state, their preferred quality of the experience. People can come out foods are milo, wheat, and corn. They also and sit outside of the cabins in the afternoons feed heavily on wild plants such as dove weed and see deer, or go swimming or fly-fishing on (croton) and ragweed. They are big the river frontage,” Glass said. seedeaters, and researchers have found indiSome first-time visitors to the area are surviduals with as many as 6400 seeds in their prised at the crystal-clear water and beauty of crop. the surrounding limestone hills and rolling terIn most regards, the whitewings and rain. mourning dove, which are by far the most “This area is as beautiful as any place in important to hunters, are alike accept in one the country, and as an outfitter, we can offer a crucial aspect: flight time. Mourning dove are chance to hunt all kinds of game, not just notorious for flying before legal shooting light, dove,” Glass said. “We offer everything from whereas whitewings get moving later in the exotics to whitetails and hogs. This part of morning. In addition, whitewings, especially Texas is unique and so are its diverse opporthose in South Texas, fly in larger groups than tunities. You won’t find this diversity of huntmourning dove. ing in combination with the kind of service we You can be sitting on your bucket bored offer just anywhere. We are very proud to offer out of your mind, and in comes more dove something special.” than you can shoot at. Whitewing hunting Contact: Nueces Canyon Lodge, 713tends to be a little more intense than the typi- 882-6272, 830-279-1679, chac2@aol.com cal mourning dove shoot. —Chester Moore “Again, we keep an eye on which birds are F i s h

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CZ 550 American Loaded with 6.5x55 Swedish

DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS AS MUCH AS TEST OF A gun as of a classic cartridge. The CZ 550 American is a wonderful gun. I have come to love the slick Mauser-type action, and to tolerate the single set trigger. Since I have written of a couple of other tests

by Steve LaMascus of CZ bolt actions in this column, I ordered this gun from CZ more for an opportunity to see if the 6.5x55 Swedish cartridge is really as good as its propaganda. As for the rifle, this is the best-looking CZ rifle I have ever had my hands on. The wood is very good, with distinct, highly patterned grain. The checkering is far above what I am accustomed to seeing on guns of European manufacture. As to the operation, well, it is faultless. I have shot it quite a lot in the last couple of months and it just gets better with age. The trigger is okay—good enough to

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shoot without using the set feature, if you are in a real hurry, but for real precision, I use the set trigger. I mounted a 2x7 Leupold on the gun because that is about what I consider optimum for a gun of this power and trajectory. With Federal factory ammunition, it grouped into 1-1/2 inches, which is plenty

CZ 550 American good for just about any hunting application to which a gun of this caliber would be put. Then I ordered a set of Redding dies, Winchester brass, and Nosler, Speer, and Hornady bullets in various weights, and began working up handloads. With carefully prepared handloads using almost any of the bullets mentioned above, the gun still grouped into about 1.5 inches,

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which is all any hunter should expect from an untuned factory rifle. Then I loaded a few rounds with 130-grain Nosler AccuBond bullets over a maximum charge of Reloader 19 powder. The first three-shot group went into one elongated hole measuring 3/4-inch. Further shooting proved this was of those rare magic loads that will outshoot any other by significant margins. This load in this rifle shot much better than I would have thought possible, averaging three-shot groups of considerably less than 1 inch. I was astounded, but delighted. The 6.5x55 Swedish is one of those ancient (1892) cartridges that were ages ahead of their time. Ballistically, it is similar to the .260 Remington. With factory loads,

it is sufficient for deer, antelope, caribou, black bear, sheep, and other game of similar size. Federal shows its 140-grain Powershok loads produce 2650 feet per second, as against the .260 Remington, which pushes the same bullet to 2700 feet per second. Basically, they are identical in factory ammunition. However, the 6.5x55 can be heated up quite nicely by careful handloading. Velocities approaching or slightly exceeding 2800 feet per second are possible with the 130-grain Nosler AccuBond. That is pretty peppy for a cartridge over a hundred years old. By and large, the combination of the CZ 550 American, 6.5x55 Swedish cartridge, and 2x7 Leupold scope is an incredibly efficient and well-balanced rig for the whitetail hunter. I heartily recommend it for the beginner, the lady, or the man who is willing to admit he doesn’t like getting kicked crosseyed. I like it a lot and intend to use it to shoot a number of critters large and small in the coming year. To paraphrase a popular TV commercial, “It just don’t get much better than this!”

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Bows, Boars, & Tusks

OWHUNTING WILD BOAR IS ONE OF MY favorite things to do. When you put an arrow through one of these bad boys, they want to hurt you for hurting them. I hunt all over the world, but these wild

critters drive me nuts. I hunt them in the winter, fall, and summer. (In the summer, it gets pretty rough with the big ugly mosquitoes and red wasps.) What is it about these big ugly creatures that makes me crawl through mud and wade through swamps? I was hunting in Northeast Texas on a place where the hogs were tearing up the fields on one place, and getting in

the crops of a nearby farmer on another. I got out there early in the afternoon to do a

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE RAY

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Mike Ray’s boar weighed 225 pounds and had 3-inch tusks.

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Special Hunting Section little scouting and check wind direction. Hogs might not see as well as whitetails, but they sure can smell you. I have had big boars come in downwind and take off, grunting with each running stride. Hogs are smarter than people give them credit for. I found a lot of signs and decided to set up along a narrow trail through the woods close to a briar thicket. I sprayed myself with scent killer, put on my facemask and gloves, sat back, and waited. As the evening went on, I sat there enjoying it all, soaking up the aromas of the woods. An hour before dark, I had a small group of pigs come by, but they were small and not what I was looking for, so I waited a while longer. Just before dark, I could hear some grunting going on and I could see some really nice hogs coming down the trail like before. I was getting excited because I knew some of them were “shooters.” I got my bow ready to draw and—wouldn’t you know it—the wind had changed directions and the hogs stopped short instead of coming on by. After what seem like forever, the hogs bolted off and it was over. I returned to my truck and headed home,

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Trophy Fever thinking about what had just happened to a perfect setup. I guess it wasn’t the hogs’ time just yet. I returned the next afternoon and decided to hunt a little deeper in the woods, thinking I might be able to get a shot before they get to the field, and maybe the wind would work out better. I sat there waiting for something to happen, and before I knew it, the skies were dark and I hadn’t seen a single thing. I was pretty disappointed, thinking maybe I messed things up the evening before when the big boars winded me. I was driving home empty handed again, outsmarted by some “dumb” pigs. The next day, I got busy building some custom arrows for a customer and wasn’t able to go hunting. I planned on going the following evening if I didn’t get too busy again. The next day rolled around, and I was able to take off early and get out there and get set up in the woods like before. I waited and waited, and just like before, I heard grunting and could see something black coming through the woods. As it got closer, I could see it was a big boar hog. I got my bow ready as it drew closer into range. I drew my bow, took aim, and let fly. Thwack!

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Right on target behind the shoulder. The big boar was very upset. It saw me moving and here it came. I got up off my knees and out of the brush pile. The boar was still coming and I tried to get another arrow nocked. By the time I did, the big boar fell to the ground, kicking and squealing. The arrow had blown all the way through, the Steel Force head carving a channel of quick death. I was celebrating the moment and so happy the big boar went down so fast. I got the boar loaded up and back to my shop, where I could put it on the scales—225 pounds and 3-inch tusks. What a trophy with a bow! I was so glad those tusks didn’t find me! If you have never been pig hunting, you are missing out on a lot of fun and excitement—trust me, I know. —Mike Ray, TF&G reader

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Texas Trophy Envy on the Internet

OMPASSIONATE PEOPLE FEEL SORRY FOR other states that are not Texas. It is easy to understand why those less fortunate would try to mimic the Lone Star State, but sometimes they go too far and compas-

NOVEMBER 2005 sion has its limits—especially when it involves attempted usurpation of bragging rights to one of our trophies. Our November 2005 issue TF&G Report carried a story, “Record Gar

Arrowed at Rayburn,” about a gargantuan alligator gar taken by bowfishermen Keith Riehn and Robin Parks at, well, obviously, Sam Rayburn Reservoir. The 244.5pound, 8-foot, 2-inch leviathan was certainly an impressive trophy, as you can see in the photo. Perhaps too impressive. As recently as March 2008, some miscreant with a bad case of trophy envy began circulating an email containing an altered version of the photograph, into which someone added a label declaring the monster fish came from Broken Bow Lake, Oklahoma. The offending email fraudster even went so far as to embellish the proportions as 8 feet, 10 inches, and 327 pounds. Of course, any Texan knows Oklahoma never grew anything to compete with anything in Texas, but credu-

If you have received such an email, please hit “Reply to All” and inform all recipients and senders that the fish and photo are real, but it never saw Oklahoma or any other state outside Texas. Further, if any of you fellows living in other states want a Texas-class trophy, don’t cheat; just come on over. We have plenty to spare and are willing to share. Texas is like that.

lous recipients of the fraudulent email living in other states swallowed the story and unrightly gave the Sooner State credit that it was not due. (For verification, see internet fraud-buster website Snopes.com and search for “gar.”) PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROBIN PARKS

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Pre-Season Scouting is Worth the Effort

UGUST MEANS IT IS TIME TO SCOUT; IT ALSO means time to sweat. I know the temperature and discomfort gauges can rise to the occasion at this time of year, but to scout is to be successful. By now you have been practicing and feel confident that this is the year you get that big one. To accomplish your dream, you need to know where it hangs out. The best way to initially scout is to stay as far away from the deer’s territory as you can and glass your prey from available roads. If you hunt in East Texas on timberland, cruising the logging roads in the evenings is a good way to get a glimpse of deer. Ditto for the senderos in South Texas. The topography in much of the Hill Country will let you scout from the comfort of county roads. Of course, some leases and public hunting lands do not accommodate this type of scouting, so you have to turn to other options. The internet tool Google Earth is a great scouting device. By typing in a location near your hunting grounds, you can use your computer to get a satellite picture of the entire area. Zoom in, and you can see any bottlenecks and hidden water supplies that might be there. You will also be able to see the bedding area and feeding areas, thus allowing you to pick a great ambush spot without ever setting foot in the woods. C42

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Think of it as your “spy in the sky.” Once you choose locations to set up stands, pay close attention to the prevailing wind direction. The wind can be friend or foe. One thing is for sure: you have to respect deer noses. The slightest breeze will carry your scent right to them and tell them to stay away from that location. I like to wear rubber boots to keep my scent down as much as possible when scouting. Remember to watch what your hands are touching, too. Wearing light gloves helps prevent your scent getting on any foliage that you need to move. Those big boys do not need much to keep them away from an area if they consider it a danger zone—that is how they get big. When hunting over a food plot, pay particular attention to the inside corners of the field. For some reason, deer like to use these corners for entering and exiting a field; not all the time, but often enough to make corners a great place to start your search for deer sign. Just inside the corners is also a favorite place for deer to have a staging area. They like to hang back under the blanket of the woods canopy and wait in the cool shade for the sun to get a little closer to the horizon. F i s h

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Look for a fence line and follow it until you see a break in the fence or a ditch that the deer might use to go under the fence. Look closely for deer hair on or near the fence. That is a sure sign that the deer are funneling through that spot. Set up a tree stand downwind of this location. Streams are also tools for locating deer. Whitetails always use the path of least resistance if they can. Look for ripples, which indicate it gets shallow there. The deer would rather cross here rather than swim deeper water. Check out the banks and look for tracks. You might find a major deer crossing and therefore another good spot for a stand. The week before I penned this article, I was in the woods walking around and came upon an area loaded with droppings. (I call them “smart pills” because if you eat one, you are smart enough not to have any more.) After further inspection of the spot, I found a great place for a stand and feel confident I will bring home some venison from there. Rubs (where bucks rub their antlers on trees and saplings) and scrapes (where bucks scrape and urinate on the ground to leave a scent marker) are also good stand locations—but not always. If you find a deer scrape in a field, it might be just a boundary scrape. This is just a buck’s way of letting others know that this is his area. A scrape in the woods is a much better stand site. I try to never step in a scrape to avoid leaving human scent. Hunters have argued about this for years, likely will continue. I just try to do everything I can to keep human scent to a minimum. To be successful in the field takes preparation, practice, and patience. Having a little bit of luck doesn’t hurt. By doing your pre-season scouting, you might find a new area that you never knew was there, and it might end up being your best spot. E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com. PHOTOS COURTESY OF LOU MARULLO

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BUCK—SAN SABA COUNTY, TEXAS

BUCK—LLANO COUNTY, TEXAS

EZ Vonasek, age 14, of Lorena, Texas, killed an 8-point buck in San Saba County at 75 yards with his .270 Mossberg SSI. The buck scored 120.5 B&C, was 5-1/2 years old and weighed 110 pounds field dressed.

Caleb Reed shot his first buck in Llano County, using a .223 Remington Youth Model 7.

BUCK—PAPALOTE, TEXAS

BUCK—LAREDO, TEXAS

BUCK—MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TEXAS

Tanner Smith, age 16, of Frisco, Texas, shot this 8- Lorene Prause, 80, of Weimar, Texas, took this 8- Chase Campbell, age 10, shot this 9-point buck in point buck with a .220 Swift at Rocking A Ranch in point, 175-pound, 4-year-old deer using a Brown- Montgomery County with a single shot from a Papalote, Texas. ing .243. Her son Alvin took her hunting near Lare- .243. do to repay her for the hunts that she took him on as a child. This hunt brought memories and good cooking!

GOT BUCKS? GOT HOGS? GOT TURKEYS? GOT BANDED DUCKS?

If so, we need photos and hunting stories for our new TROPHY FEVER SPECIAL SECTION. Send pics and hunting tales to : TROPHY FEVER SPECIAL SECTION 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032 or by email: photos@fishgame.com.

PLEASE INCLUDE PHOTO CAPTION: NAME HOMETOWN WHEN & WHERE TAKEN SIZE AND WEIGHT

(Please include “Trophy Fever” in the subject.) A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Survivor Guy—Boating Edition S

O, YOU KNOW YOUR PORT FROM STARBOARD, your bow from stern, and your deep-V from your semi. Great. But when emergencies strike during a day of boating, will you know what to do? Let’s find out with the Texas Fish & Game Survivor Guy: Boating Edition Captain’s Test.

1. You are about to pull away from the boat ramp for a day of boating along the coast, but first, you want to check the marine weather. Hmm...that’s strange—the VHF isn’t working. Fortunately, a park ranger pulls into the lot. You ask him what the wind report is, and he tells you they are calling for a five on the Beaufort scale. Sea dog that you are, you know that five on the Beaufort is: a. 10-15 mph b. 17-25 mph c. 19-24 mph d. 20-25 mph 2. As you motor along, you see a small boat with its gunwales low to the water. In fact, it looks to you like the boat is dangerously overloaded. To find out, you do some estimating and some quick math. Which formula is correct? a. Acceptable number of people = (LOA x beam) / 15 b. Acceptable number of people = (LOA x freeboard) / 15 c. Acceptable number of people = (Beam x freeboard) / 15 d. Acceptable number of people = (LOA x freeboard amidships x 1.45) / 22 3. Before you can shout a warning, the boat capsizes and sinks! There are a halfdozen people flailing in the water. You run over and start tossing lifejackets to them. You’re two life jackets short, so you’ll take off your: a. Own life jacket. C44

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b. Shoes and socks c. T-shirt d. Pants

5. No matter what you try next, the motor won’t start. The wind is blowing you steadily farther from shore, the VHF is out of commission, you have no food, seven gallons of water aboard, and a total of seven people. Things are looking pretty harsh; one gallon of water can be expected to maintain a person’s hydration for how many day(s)? a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4 6. You might have some backup water. One of the people in the group has pointed out that your compass is full of water. If your supply runs out, he thinks that as a last ditch option, you can break it open and get a drink. He is: a. dead wrong; the fluid in a compass is mineral spirits. b. dead wrong; the water in a compass is treated with deadly chemicals to prevent algae growth. c. correct; the distilled water in a compass is drinkable. F i s h

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d. correct; the regular tap water in a compass is drinkable. 7. The water problem is no problem, you announce, because you have ______________ on your boat and can get plenty of clean drinking water. a. wood dowels, some rope, and a plastic garbage can b. cotton fiber, an anchor, and some charcoal c. a plastic garbage bag, a bucket, and duct tape d. fishing line, fishing rods, and a Styrofoam cup 8. You drift through the night and, near daybreak, feel the boat hit something. You have reached a small island! The island is tiny and there is no edible food, but there are some palm trees. Three people start gathering fronds to construct shelter, three others try to catch fish, and you grab an old soda can, duct tape, and some polishing compound out of the boat. You are going to: a. build a fire b. fashion a knife c. make a ghost crab trap d. clean the boat 9. While fishing, you manage to catch a horseshoe crab. Everyone tells you to throw it away, but you know the _________ of a horseshoe crab is edible, contrary to popular belief. a. leg meat b. back meat c. blood d. it’s a trick question—they are not edible 10. The first night on the island is tough; it is chilly and you do not have any blankets. In the morning, one of the crew suggests

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moving the shelter from its present location in a gully among the palm trees to a higher spot on the island, because he thinks cool air is gathering in the low-laying area. You tell him to: a. leave the shelter alone b. move the shelter to higher ground c. take a vote d. build a second shelter on higher ground 11. The next day, you have trouble catching fish. Then, under a rock, you discover a bunch of big, icky-looking, six-legged bugs. You decide to: a. use them for bait b. collect them for dinner c. kill them, because they are icky bugs d. stay away from them because most sixlegged insects are poisonous 12. Omygod! You can’t imagine how you didn’t see it before, but there is a bear on the island! It has sneaked up on you and now is standing up on its hind legs, looking at you menacingly, from 10 feet away. You will:

a. run away from the bear b. run at the bear c. stand in place and wave your arms d. sing because music calms the savage beast 13. Whew, that was close—but now you hear a scream from the beach. You run over to discover that one of your compatriots has just been stung on the foot by a scorpion. Unfortunately, there is only one thing you can do for him: a. cut off his foot b. put a tourniquet around his ankle c. put a cool compress on the wound d. suck the poison out with your mouth 14. Is that the chop-chop-chop of a Coast Guard helicopter you hear? Yes! Quickly now, you had better make a signal. You have a fire burning, but in order for the pilot to recognize it as an SOS, you need it to be: a. three separate fires, in a triangle b. three separate fires, in a straight line c. four separate fires in a square d. a circle of fire

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15. The helicopter is circling overhead! It looks like you are saved! A ladder drops from the helicopter, but as it comes down, a voice over a loudspeaker says, “Do not grab the ladder until you are told to do so.” Naturally, you already know that this is because: a. they don’t want to hit you with the ladder b. they don’t want you to upset the copter’s balance before the pilot is ready c. they don’t want you fighting with the others over who goes first d. they don’t want to fry you like a biscuit BONUS QUESTION: In the movie “Castaway,” star Tom Hanks removes his own tooth with: a. a pair of crab tongs b. a pair of pliers c. a pair of socks d. a pair of ice skates

Answers

1. c. 2. a. This formula gives you an approxi-

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Kayaks-1, Gas Price$-Outrageous

enough to land a single speckled trout, each spot would be worth about $5. Filling up is becoming as costly as Charles Barkley’s trips to the Las Vegas strip. Had I not been entertaining a group of people that weekend, I would have been fishing from my kayak. The financial shock of that fill-up made we think about the total cost of kayak ownership. Let’s look at the investment required to become a member of the “plastic navy.” There are plenty of choices when it comes to hulls. The length, style, carrying capacity, and brand influence the paddle-out price of a kayak. Longer hulls are more efficient that shorter ones, but not everyone needs to paddle miles at a time. An Old Towne Otter can be

purchased in the $250 range. These sit-inside boats are light and relatively easy to store and transport. Larger sit-on-top hulls, such as an Ocean Kayak Big Game Prowler, go in the $800 range. Higher end boats come equipped with rod holders and other accessories, making it quick and easy to hit the water. Paddles are worth every penny you spend on them. Avoid cheap paddles; they are miserable to use and have no resale value. Midrange paddles, featuring carbon or aluminum shafts and fiberglass blades, run in the $150175 range. Paddles made of carbon fiber are light as a butterfly and a joy to paddle with, but prices start around $350; however, if you dream of paddling several miles, they make the voyage much more pleasant.

TEXAS BOATING Continued from Page C45 mate number for relatively calm conditions. 3. d. Yup, take off your pants. By trapping air in them and knotting the ends of the legs and waist, you can fashion a makeshift floatation device that will keep someone afloat for a short while. Shirts work, too, but have four holes you need to knot shut instead of three, so go for the pants first. 4. a. You can push it up into the telltale and spin it around to dislodge anything stuck in the tube. 5. b. The absolute minimum is two quarts per person per day to maintain hydration. Since there are four quarts in a gallon, each person is good for two days. 6. a. 7. c. Use the garbage bag to line the bucket. Use the duct tape to tension it into a cone shape. Cut off the bottom of the cone, so it is open to the bucket. Let it sit overnight, and when dew forms on the plasC46

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tic, give it a shake. The water droplets will run down the cone and into the bucket. 8. a. Using the polishing compound, you scour the concave bottom of the can until it shines like a mirror. You set the can so the sun shines directly into the polished bottom, and use duct tape to center a thin splinter of wood across its middle where the sun’s reflected rays will focus, creating enough heat to light the wood on fire in a matter of hours. 9. a. We are not promising it tastes good, but it is edible. 10. a. While it seems scientifically sound at first, this myth doesn’t take wind chill into account; low-lying areas sheltered from the wind will be a lot more comfortable than high areas exposed to it. 11. b. If a bug has six legs, it is usually safe to eat. 12. c. Standing bears are usually curious, not aggressive. Hold your ground and it will probably walk away. Run, and it will F i s h

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chase you out of instinct. Since bears have been clocked at over 30 mph, you won’t stand a chance. 13. c. Lowering the temperature helps break down the poison. 14. a. This is recognized as a signal for help. 15. d. Static electricity build-up can be significant as the ladder is lowered, and will not be discharged until the ladder hits the ground (or water.) Touch it first, and you could fry. Bonus Question: d. Well, okay, he only used one ice skate (along with a rock) to bang it out. 15+ correct: You are due for a time slot on the Reality Channel 11-14: You are an asset to the group. Less than 10: We will tell your wife how much you loved her. E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com

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Once equipped with kayak and paddle, start thinking safety. Personal flotation devices (PFDs) are often referred to as “life vests.” The paddling community avoids this moniker as it gives the false impression that a vest will save your life; it might, but it isn’t a guarantee because if you are injured or unconscious, your might wind up facedown in the water. There are PFDs made specifically for kayakers. They feature large armholes, which allow free movement for paddling without chaffing. The large openings allow better airflow, keeping you cooler and thereby reducing the nuisance of wearing a PDF in the heat. Remember, a PFD is of zero value if you don’t wear it. Quality PFDs come in the $50100 range. MTI, Extrasport, and Lotus are well known brands. Make sure the PFD you buy has a Coast Guard approved booklet attached. Sitting in a kayak for long periods is brutal on your lower lumbar, and a quality backrest provides welcome support. Many manufacturers include a small backrest as a selling point, but with the exception of a few, they are virtually worthless. Invest in a quality backrest with double sewn or welded seams, and brass hardware. Pockets and rod holders are nice options. Good backrests start in the $80-100 range. Sit-inside kayaks come with a backrest and don’t require any additional investment for a happy lumbar. Transporting your kayak to the lake or bay is always a concern. Kayaks are easy to haul on top of your car or in the bed of a pickup truck. Use care or your boat can take flight at highway speeds—a potentially deadly event. Thule and Yakima make a wide assortment of kayak racks. Investing in a rack will save lots of wear and tear on your vehicle finish. A rack for a single kayak runs in the $75 range. A few accessories like a folding anchor ($12), drift anchor ($15), paddle leash ($12), and butt pad ($15) round out your new boat. The best investment a kayaker can make is attending an American Canoe Association (ACA) approved training course. Beginning paddlers learn how to paddle, stop, and turn their new kayak. In addition, you learn how to get back in a capsized boat—a lesson that might save your life. Let’s review the investment for a typical fishing kayak: Kayak $600 Paddle $150 PFD $75 Backrest $75

Kayak rack Accessories Kayak Class Total

$75 $50 $75 $1100

For a hair over $1000, the average angler can purchase a new kayak and associated gear. With gas at $4 per gallon and expected to rise, the break-even point in this example is just 300 gallons of gasoline—not a huge amount if you are used to fueling a six-cylinder outboard.

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Many boat owners, including me, seem to enjoy adding to our personal fleet. Including my kayak, I am now up to three boats. Consider building your own personal navy this summer by adding a kayak to your personal fleet. You will find that a kayak helps break your bondage to the gas pump. Email Greg Berlocher at kayak@fishgame.com

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Glide, Twitch, & Roll

LIDE, TWITCH, AND ROLL ARE THE MOTIONS the family of hard-bodied lures called “glide baits.” Gliders are slow-sinking, near-surface swimmers that glide and roll where topwaters fear to go, about 26 feet down. They mimic a frantic baitfish with a lifelike, injured look. Most have rattle chambers. Glide baits are from various manufacturers such as Savage Lures by Prologic (www.savage-gear.com) with their Deviator and Freestyler models. Strike Pro (www.strikeproamerica.com) offers Big Bandit and Buster Jerk versions in 2-1/2and 3-1/2-ounce versions. They all feature through-wire construction and heavy-duty stainless steel split rings, along with equally heavy treble hooks. Those in my tackle bag include several of the Big Bandit and Buster Jerk varieties. As of this writing, I’ve taken blackfin tuna on my Buster Jerks, and am after ling, wahoo, kingfish, and dolphin. When using a mono leader or main line, a loop knot allows more motion in the lure. Short mono or wire leaders of around 10 inches work well. To fish any of these glide baits, the first things to consider is to have your polarized sunglasses and dark underbill hat. It’s simply hard to sight-fish when you can’t see them. As I’ve mentioned before, try to cast across the predator’s swim path, about 1520 feet in front of it; slightly behind is okay, C48

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too. Another standard approach is to slow your cast just before entry into the water. This straightens out everything, making it immediately ready to go to work. Stops and starts might have to be made to trigger a strike. This is very important if your presentation is coming at your target head-on; this isn’t natural. A stop, slow sink, and twitch has a better chance of not spooking your quarry. The sound of your glide bait’s entry into the water alone might sound like feeding is going on; the rattles, flash, and vibration then come into play. After a short sink, begin your retrieve with rod tip twitches combined with a slow to medium retrieve speed. Speed changes cause your glide bait not only to glide from

Another tried and proven true detail of making just about any bait presentation work better for you is to give your retrieve a look near the boat. This visual gives you the confidence that your glide bait is working as designed. These glide baits can also be effectively trolled at 5-6 knots or less; let them hunt while you’re looking. Also, don’t forget to try a figure-eight motion with a glide bait at boatside for a follower-looker that could be turned into a biter. These glide baits are famous for inducing strikes from giant muskies that fall for the figure-eight maneuver, and I personally know that ling do, too. These glide baits are definitely something new for our Texas offshore predators

side to side, but also to roll almost completely over. This rolling motion shows multiple colors and shapes, signaling the predator that it’s injured and needs to be eaten quickly. That belly flash is truly a strike generator; an exposed underbelly is a sure sign of distress and vulnerability, see the illustration.

to see and eat. You can read about them, see them work on a video, but there’s no substitute for the thrill of using a glide bait in motion.

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E-mail Patrick Lemire at saltrigs@fishgame.com

ILLUSTRATION BY PATRICK LEMIRE

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Blading a Swim Bait

ECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION, and the need to catch more or bigger fish has been giving birth to lure innovations for decades. It’s the reason we have baits that come in colors like chartreuse and Electric Chicken (no, I did not make that up), and swim baits the size of personal watercraft. However, even with virtually an endless line of lures to choose from, there are still anglers out there coming up with their own, or modifying standard ones, to create a lure that consistently catches fish. Earlier this year on Falcon Reservoir, professional anglers were melting worms together to create massive plastic creatures that no self respecting lure company would sell, but they were catching huge bass on them. Recently, Ron Peterson, a recreational angler and owner of Gotcha Distributing (gotchadistributing.com, 903-577-9625), showed me a modification he has made to an off-the-shelf lure that turns an already effective bait into a bass magnet. He knew he had found the right fish catching combination when he went down to a local lake and caught six bass with just nine casts. Since Ron is a bait distributor and has the ear of many lure manufacturers, this might be a production bait by the time you read this, but in the mean time, I will let you in on a little known modification that works. Bass anglers are all just big kids that like to take stuff apart, and while sitting in his fishing room one day, Ron looked at a Sebile Magic Swimmer swim bait, and than at a chatter bait, and had a thought: What would happen if I combined the two? Could the combination of parts of each make a fishable lure that was more effective than either? ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW

It turned out the answer was yes. The first step to making this bait is the remove the blade from a 1/4-ounce chatter bait by cutting the eye on the bait at the jighead where the blade is connected. The goal is to remove the blade in one piece without altering it in any way. Next, take a 125 SK slow sinking Magic Swimmer and twist the line tie eye, bending it 90 degrees. The 125 weighs 3/4-ounce and is 125 millimeters long (yeah, I know you don’t do metric—it is just under 5 inches). It works best with the blade from the 1/4ounce chatter bait, which is connected via a split ring. That’s it. The modification is complete and now you have a bait that has the best of both worlds. The blade accentuates the already erratic movement of the Magic Swimmer, and the swim bait adds a larger profile and looks more like a baitfish than the blade does alone. In the water, the new bait looks like a small school of shad darting back and forth in unison, just like they do naturally. Now, if you want to fish this modified bait (and I know you do), there are a few more tips that Ron passed along about how to work it and what type of line to fish it on. First, you can try a steady retrieve. If that doesn’t work, you need to move to something

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a little more enticing. Instead of a traditional steady retrieve, Ron suggested using one that is more erratic. On a long cast, he twitches the bait twice and then makes one hard jerk before pausing. The hard jerk makes the bait shoot to one side about a foot, and when you pause, the bait it will roll onto its side and flutter down like a dying shad. The blade gives off more reflection while the bait wiggles like a struggling fish. Be prepared to have the bait hammered as it falls. If the fish are aggressive, you might be able to eliminate the pause all together. Second, fish the bait on fluorocarbon. Since fluorocarbon is denser than water, it sinks easily along with the bait. If you don’t have fluorocarbon, use braid since it stretches less and will keep you in contact with the bait as it sinks. The bad part about this bait is that you ruin a few perfectly good chatter baits to make them. The good part is that you will catch a lot of bass. It’s a trade I think most are willing to make. E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

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Reds on the Rocks

HE SECOND STOP ON THE REDFISH CUP WAS in Port Arthur. The weather was great and made for easy pickings at the jetties. This time of year, the big redfish are beginning to leave the marshes. These bigger fish start schooling in the middle of the bays, preparing to exit to the Gulf. Water temp and freshwater runoff have a big effect on the timing of this occurrence. While pre-fishing for the tournament this year, it was difficult for us to catch good numbers of tournament quality fish (28-inch, 8-plus-pounders) in the marsh ponds. There seemed to be fair numbers of 24- to 25-inch, 6- to 6-1/2-pounders, so with the conditions favorable (light winds, good tides), there was a race to the rocks. The jetties, whether it is Galveston, Sabine, or Calcasieu, always hold redfish, and if you are living right, you can catch 8- to 9-pound slot reds. During the Redfish Cup stop in Sabine, Texas provided some great fishing action for the tournament anglers. I had many of the Florida pros tell me how impressed they were with the number of redfish and trout they caught while fishing here. The team of Manny Perez and Paul Jueckstock from Florida won the event fishing at the Sabine jetties. Manny and Paul are a couple of great guys and had a lot of complimentary things to say about the tour and the help of other anglers on the circuit. Manny told me that last year, he fished the jetties and could catch only 4- to 5-pound redfish, and felt like he got C50

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burned at the jetties. But this year, he said, while pre-fishing, they had only 4- to 5pounders in the marshes, and he felt that the opportunity he had to catch the big weights was to go to the rocks. Manny and Paul, who are normally sightfisherman in the shallow waters of Florida, were a little nervous on the first day with their decision to go to the jetties, after being burned last year. When they got there, they had two good fish after only 10-15 minutes of fishing.

Some competitors in the Port Arthur leg of the Redfish Cup had great success fishing the jetties. This is what we all are looking for on tournament day. When you have two good fish in the livewell after only 10 minutes of fishing, the pressure is off and good things happen. Even though they had their sack in the live well, it wasn’t quite enough weight to win. They had about 15-1/2 pounds and felt like they needed at least one more pound or so to take the trophy, and in fact, they did. Close on their heels was the father-son team of Cajun Phil and Kevin Broussard from Lake Charles, who ran back to their home Louisiana waters. Phil and Kevin actually had the biggest stringer of the tournament on the first day (two fish weighing 18.14 pounds). So, relaxing with 15-1/2 pounds was not an option for Paul and Manny. This is where the drama started. Manny told me that for some reason, the fish that F i s h

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they had in the livewell seemed to be stressed, so they were running their livewell pumps full throttle; lo and behold, after about three hours, their batteries were dead. They could not crank the engine to move to another spot or, more importantly, to get back to the weighin. Manny called the tournament director on his cell and the ruling was, if they got out of their boat and used another boat to bring their fish to the weigh-in, they were required to quit fishing at that point. With only 15-1/2 pounds, this would not have been enough to win. That is when Mike Frenette came to the rescue. Frenette, an accomplished jetty fisherman as well as previous winner of the Kemah event (also won on the rocks), did not make the final day cut and was working a Pro-Am event that was going on during the last day of the Cup tournament. Mike saw Manny and Paul with boat problems and was able to give them another battery to get up and running. They were able to have the precious extra few minutes to fish and landed two huge fish tipping the scales at 16.90 pounds. This would be the charge they needed to push them over the top and take home the title. Cajun Phil and Kevin took second with 16.6 pounds; that is how close it can get. Manny and Paul feel like the stars and rocks lined up for them in Port Arthur. Great job and congratulations! Special thanks to all the supporters that came out in the heat at Pleasure Island for the weigh-in. Also, to Glen Van and his crew from Custom Marine Concepts all the way from Tomball, Texas, and Nathan Beck and Keith Fields from Check-It Stik, who brought the anglers chicken wings and cold drinks, thanks again to you all. E-mail Tommy Lomonte at tlomonte@fishgame.com. Visit his website, www.DrRedfish.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TOMMY LOMONTE

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Slow Trolling with Jigs

Rig Your Boat to Slow Troll

The way I like to slow troll is mounting two sets of Mr. Crappie Pro series rod holders in the front of my boat on each side next to the gunnels in front of the seat. This allows two anglers to sit side by side and fish with eight rods at a time. That is four rods out on each side aiming forward, with a good spread between the rods to get the most coverage possible. When slow trolling, I like to use Wally Marshall signature series rods, or if the bite is little off and the crappie are just barely striking, I like the Might Lite series for this technique. I like to use rods ranging from 10 to 14 feet in length. If there are lots of trees, I troll with 10-foot rods. If just stumps, 12-foot rods. Slow trolling over brush piles I use 18-footers—

the longest rod I make, so I can’t go any longer.

reaching 59 to 65 degrees is the perfect time for this technique.

How to Rig Your Lines

Best Lure Colors

I love to use my new Wally Marshall baitcast reels loaded up with 8- or 10-pound Mr. Crappie Hi-Vis line, depending on how heavy the structure is and how big the crappie will be. You can rig up two ways: run one lure per line, or two lures in tandem, one on top of the other about 12 inches apart. To run your baits in tandem, you will have to use loop knots. When you rig to run tandem or doubles, slide your top lure on the line first, then tie the bottom lure on. About 12 inches up the line, tie the second lure on with just a simple loop knot. When trolling artificial bait, I like to use the Pro Series Road Runner in 1/16- and 1/8-ounce sizes with the willow leaf gold blades. This lure also has a No. 2 Code Red hook. The bigger hooks help more with hook-ups while slow trolling in shallow water. You always want to make sure you are not trolling too fast, you always want your lines to be straight down or back just a hair so that when a crappie strikes, you are right there to set the hook.

I have been fishing for crappie so long that I can just look at the water clarity and tell what color will be best for that day. If it is overcast, I like a lot of chartreuse. On sunny days, I like Road Runners with pearl or white tails. The bodies can be white, blue, yellow, black, or red. My all-time favorites are blue/white and lime/chartreuse in the Crappie Thunder lures by Blakemore. E-mail Wally Marshall at mrcrappie@fishgame.com. Visit his website at www.mrcrappie.com

Working Structure

The key to being a good crappie fisherman is being able to read your depthfinder and determine the difference between fish and brush. A lot of people don’t pay any attention to the depthfinder when they are catching crappie to determine what is actually down there holding crappie in the area. A lot of times, there is some kind of structure you might not notice right away, such as a log laying on the bottom. A log under the water or lying at an angle off the bank or over a creek channel has produced some of the best stringers of crappie I have ever caught. Slow trolling Road Runners over submerged brush or timber can be very deadly, especially in the spring during the spawn and pre-spawn. When water temps start A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Yankees in Bassland

HE BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES WINDS DOWN its 2008 season this month on New York’s Oneida Lake. That’s a far cry from Texas, which is probably a good thing when you consider the physical beating some of the nation’s top bass pros took here last spring. The Elite Series began its swing through Texas in early April on Lake Falcon near Zapata, where ESPN camera crews introduced the world to what might be the very best bass lake on the planet right now. As predicted, the tournament turned into a virtual slugfest that saw Steve Kennedy’s BASS four-day weight record of 122 pounds, 14 ounces, crushed multiple times. Some anglers caught so many big fish over the course of the tournament that their hands looked at as if they had been run through a meat grinder. The numbers tell the story. Veteran pro Paul Elias of Laurel, Mississippi, won the tournament, but not by much. Elias amassed 132.8 pounds, followed by Alabama’s Terry Scroggins who rode the event’s heaviest five-fish limit of 44.4 pounds on the final day to charge from 12th place all the way to second with 132.4. Third place went to Del Rio’s Byron Velvick, 131.15, who was trailed by Martens, 129.7; Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Arkansas, 128.15; and Scott Rook of Little Rock, Arkansas, 125.10. Hemphill’s Ben Matsubu, the only Texan to qualify for the finals, finished ninth with 114.13. After Falcon, the pros drove 200 miles up the road to another South Texas jewel, Lake Amistad. No one cracked 100 pounds at Amistad, but it wasn’t because they weren’t on a century-mark pace. The fourC52

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day tournament was cut to three days after a high wind advisory forced the cancellation of the opening round. Jasper’s Todd Faircloth won it on the heels of a brilliant, come-from-behind performance that saw him leap from ninth place to first with 76 pounds, 15 ounces. The personable pro took home $102,000 for his second Elite Series win in three seasons. “It is pretty sweet anytime you can win one of these deals,” Faircloth said. “But this one was totally unexpected, because I began the day more than 8 pounds behind. I went out that last day just hoping to catch enough to make the top five. It never crossed my mind that I could win it.” Del Rio’s Billy Fillmon won the coangler division with six bass over two days that totaled 33 pounds, 1 ounce. BASS reduced the co-angler daily limit from five fish to three in an attempt to reduce livewell crowding and reduce the potential for fish mortality.

TPWD “Wins” at Toyota Tournament

Some Elite Series competitors headed home to heal up after the punishing doubleheader on Falcon and Amistad. Others stuck around for another big bass bonanza at the 2nd Annual Toyota Texas Bass Classic held April 18-20 on Lake Fork, where local knowledge paid off big time for bass pros Kelly Jordon, Lance Vick, David Smith, and David Walker. Jordon and Vick are Mineola residents who have a combined 21 years of experience guiding on the 27,000-acre reservoir near Quitman. Somehow, the local experts wound up on the same four-man team at the TTBC. The unique tournament format grouped 104 professional anglers into 26 teams. Teams split into pairs and fished morning and afternoon sessions based on shared information and planned strategies. Tough fishing conditions played right into the hands of Team 20, which Jordon captained. The four anglers combined for a F i s h

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three-day total of 54 bass weighing 228 pounds, besting by 8 pounds, 4 ounces, the second place team captained by Florida’s Bobby Lane. The win earned Jordon’s team $250,000. Lane’s team split $80,000. Additionally, Lane was awarded a new Toyota Tundra, a $6500 Stetson cowboy hat, and a pair of custom made $6000 boots for catching the heaviest bass of the event, an 11-pound, 12-ounce, giant. “Ya’ll definitely have it going on in Texas from a fisheries management standpoint,” Lane said. “The fishing here is outstanding, some of the best in country. But I have to tell you, I was pretty glad to get out of Texas and get back to reality.” The anglers were not the only winners at the TTBC. The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department received a $250,000 donation from Toyota. The money is earmarked for urban fishing programs.

Campbell Notches Second In WBT Event

Waxahachie’s Patti Campbell topped the list of Texas pros who earned checks in the Women’s Bassmaster Tour event held April 10-12 on Lake Lewisville near Dallas. Campbell finished second just 3 ounces behind Alabama’s Kim Bain, who won the tournament with 27 pounds, 11 ounces. Other Texas pros who earned checks at Lewisville: Juanita Robinson, Highlands, 10th; Laura Elkins, Amarillo, 11th; Debra Petrowski, 19th; and Bonnie Johnson, Weatherford, 20th.

Little Man, Big Fish

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LAKECASTER

As hefty as Muncrief ’s bass was, it did not surpass either of the top five heaviest fish weighed over the course of the three-day event. Jacob Afeman of Rosenberg nailed down the tournament’s grand prize with an 11.30-pounder he caught early on Day 2 while throwing a Senko in 4 feet of water. Afeman’s catch earned him a new Dodge truck, Triton bass boat, and Bad Boy Buggy valued at $123,000. Scott Jordon of Vidor took second place

overall with a 10.25-pounder caught on a Carolina-rigged lizard. In addition to a Dodge truck, Jordon won a fully rigged Triton boat that boosted the value of his earnings to more than $60,000. Third place went to Danny Massey of Jasper, who reeled in a 9.99-pounder on Day 1 using a Zoom Z-Nail in 9-12 feet of water. Massey won a 19-foot Hornet Travel Trailer valued at $14,000.

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Seven-year-old Hunter Muncrief with his 9.02-lb. catch at the McDonalds Sam Rayburn Big Bass Splash Muncrief in position to run away with the Little Anglers bass division of the tournament and established a new all-time record for the youth division. A first-grader at West Sabine Elementary in Pineland, Muncrief was fishing with his dad, William, when he cast his Zoom Mag 2 worm into 3 feet of water. The bite came shortly before daylight, just after the Junebug-colored worm settled to bottom. Using a Zebco 33 outfit, Muncrief tangled with the fish for a minute or two before his dad was able to get a net under it and haul it into the boat. “It got under the outboard motor once, and it kind of scared us because we were afraid it was going to wrap in the prop and break the line,” William Muncrief said. “Luckily, Hunter was able to work it away from the motor so I could net it.” Because he was not entered in the open division of the popular big bass derby, Muncrief did not qualify to win any of the cash passed out to hourly winners. However, he was awarded a $50 gift certificate from Academy for taking the top spot in the youth division. Tournament director Bob Sealy pledged to have a replica of the fish made for the youngster. Sealy also kicked in a rod/reel combo Muncrief will put to good use honing his casting skills before the 25th anniversary event rolls around next April. “His grandfather has already told me he is going to enter him in the tournament next year if I don’t,” William Muncrief said. “I thought seriously about it this year. In fact, some friends and I were talking about it the night before he caught this fish. They said that, sure as I didn’t enter him in the tournament, he would go out there and catch a big one. I’ll be danged if it didn’t happen.” A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Predators & Bird Noses

In the experiment headed by a biologist at the Spanish National Research Council’s Natural History Museum in the Sierra de Guadarrama Mountains in Madrid province, the scent of ferrets was placed inside nest boxes of blue tits with when the chicks were eight days old. When I read the headline of the news release, “Birds Can Detect Predators Using Smell,” I immediately thought about turkeys. Can those three-toed little rascals actually smell the presence of a hunter? After all, the human scent is perhaps the most alarming “presence of threat” to deer, feral hogs, elk, and just about all other animals on Earth. My mind didn’t dwell on the matter very long because I, like anyone who has spent

some time in the woods calling turkey, know that the human scent has absolutely no effect upon turkey. But what about the scent of coyotes, bobcats, and other predators? Again, I would have to count out the turkey’s ability to smell them. Now, eyesight is a different matter. In fact, I would much rather read about a study into the turkey’s incredible ability to detect movement at great distances. Or how about a hawk’s ability to see a tiny mouse on the ground while flying high in the sky? But back to the Madrid experiment. By monitoring the adult blue tits after the scent of ferrets was placed in their nest boxes, the researchers reported that the birds not only are capable of discerning their enemies through scent, but that the birds alter their behavior depending on the perceived level of risk of predation. According to the report released by the researchers, the adult blue tits took longer to enter their next boxes to feed their chicks after the ferret scent had been added to the boxes. Also, the birds approached the boxes more often without going inside.

TOURNAMENT INSIDER Continued from Page C53 Mark Jones of Vidor caught the fourth place bass, 9.65 pounds. Jones won a Bad Boy Buggy valued at $9500. Danny Abbott of Huntington also won an $8500 ATV for fifth with a 9.48-pounder. According to Sealy Outdoors’ Jan Fondren, the event attracted 3800 competitors looking to cash in on more than $560,000 in guaranteed cash and prizes. Anglers weighed in 982 bass totaling nearly 4400 pounds. On average, it took a bass weighing more than 5 pounds to earn an hourly check. —Matt Williams

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PHOTO BY BOB HOOD

Although new research suggests turkey might have a sense of smell, it apparently is not good enough for them to “wind” humans.

The biologists then added the scent of quail to other nest boxes to see how that would affect the blue tits’ behavior. The result was that once the blue tits detected the

unknown smell of quail, their natural behavior did not change. In other words, they didn’t hesitate entering their boxes, and the time they spent feeding their chicks was not reduced. So, what does this have to do with turkeys, quail, ducks, geese, and other ground-nesting birds? Very little, I surmise. In fact, I am not sure it is any Earth-shattering news about birds that nest in trees or anywhere else. I certainly will agree that birds do have some sense of smell, but I am not convinced the smell of humans, ferrets, hawks, owls, raccoons, and a host of other predators alters the birds’ behavior or has any effect upon how well they take care of their chicks. After all, even the blue tit researchers admitted that the ferret scent had no effect on the growth of the chicks, even though their parents had spent less time inside the boxes. Maybe the adult birds did not have to spend as much time feeding their chicks

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because the young birds were growing more rapidly, as most chicks do, as the per-feeding amounts and nutrition in their diets began to increase. Also, I’m not convinced the researchers’ presence while monitoring the adult blue tits (as well as the presence of the cameras they set up to help record the birds) didn’t have something to do with any hesitation the birds exhibited at the next box sites. We likely will hear more about similar experiments with other species of birds, because the results of the Madrid research project appears to have brought some new excitement to bird researchers. Some species of birds might be able to detect the presence of predators by scent, at least to some degree, but for some reason, I have a problem believing what they smell is translated into a perceived threat. What they see, or at least how they react when they see certain movements or forms, is by far their best self-defense. E-mail Bob Hood at hunting@fishgame.com.

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The 16Gauge

Y FIRST SHOTGUN WAS A 16-GAUGE single shot. I don’t remember the manufacturer, but I do remember that it was very light, choked like a rifle, and kicked hard enough to loosen teeth and cause mild concussions. I was about 12 or so at the time, and I couldn’t hit an obese gentleman bovine in the nevermind with that gun. I tried quail and dove, and they were as safe as if in their mamma’s nest. It wasn’t the fault of the gun, exactly. The faults were manifold: the stock was too long for me, the full choke was much too tight for upland game, the vicious recoil of the featherweight gun made me flinch, and I had no idea of the intricacies of wing-shooting. I finally managed to kill a quail with my shotgun, but it wasn’t on the wing. In fact, it was sitting on the ground about a foot in front of the nose of my dad’s English pointer. Luckily, I didn’t hit the dog, but old Jocko was hard of hearing for a few days. It was more than 40 years until I bought a second 16gauge. In the first half of the Twentieth Century, the well-equipped quail hunter in the Deep South carried a Parker, Ithaca Flues, L.C. Smith, one of the English best guns such as a Boss or Purdy, or another of the classic side-by-side doubles in 16-gauge. This was before the 20-gauge became the darling of the quail hunting set. Those old hunters knew something that we have forgotten: the 16-gauge, firing 1 ounce of shot from a 21/2- or 2-3/4- inch shell, is the epitome of upland game shotguns. A 16-gauge can be made on a smaller frame than a 12. Also, one of the best 12gauge game loads I have ever used consists of 1 ounce of No. 7 shot. One ounce is the

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standard load for the 16-gauge. While the 20 is a wonderful gauge (standard shot payload is 7/8-ounce), and I have used it a lot over the years, the 16 will handle larger charges of shot more easily and, I believe, pattern a 1-ounce load better than a 20gauge because the shot column is shorter— what is known as a “square load”, meaning it is exactly as wide as it is tall. That is, supposedly, a minor ballistic advantage. All things being equal, the shorter a shot string is, the better the pattern you can expect.

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The 16-gauge was nearly dead a few years ago, but is experiencing a renaissance.

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MEC makes reloaders for the 16-gauge, and there are several sources for components. In addition, there are reloading components available for the 16 that allow it to use shot charges of up to 1-1/4 ounces. Federal Cartridge Company also makes a wide range of different loads for the 16-gauge, from 1-ounce game loads, to 1-1/4-ounce pheasant loads, and steel shot waterfowl loads. This makes it suitable for waterfowl and late season pheasant hunting. One lady waterfowl guide I know uses an old Browning A-5 in 16-gauge and is absolutely deadly on ducks. However, where the 16-gauge really shines is in the upland game fields. I recently purchased a nice old Winchester Model 12 in 16-gauge. I took the gun dove hunting and liked it so much that I shot it almost exclusively for the entire dove season. Then I called CZ-USA and ordered for testing one of their Ringneck side-byside shotguns in 16-gauge. Federal sent me F i s h

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some 16-gauge test loads and I bought a case of Federal No. 7-1/2 game loads from my buddy Lynn Walker at that wonderful place my wife loves to hate, JW Pawn and Sporting Goods in Uvalde. I never did shoot any of my 12-gauges for dove or quail, and I never found any faults with the 16gauge. The 16-gauge was nearly dead a few years ago, but it is now experiencing a renaissance. I think it is well deserved. Browning, CZ, DeHaan, Bill Hanus, and several other companies are now making 16gauge guns. One drawback, however, is that many of the 16-gauges do not come with screw-in chokes. Still, fixed chokes of modified and improved cylinder are really no hindrance. Most of us, if the truth were told, usually leave those chokes in our bird guns anyway, so what difference does it make? I am perfectly satisfied with modified and improved, and the lines of the barrels are much cleaner without the bulges usually caused by the screw-in choke tubes. If I decide to keep the CZ Ringneck, I might opt to have the improved barrel opened up to skeet, but, then again, I might not. If you have never hunted with a 16gauge, you have missed a great experience. It is a wonderfully efficient gauge, and comes in a smaller, lighter package than the 12. Some 16-gauges are made on 20-gauge frames and are incredibly light, quick, and responsive. For dove and quail, the 16gauge is every bit as effective as the 12gauge; I can see no difference in the way it kills or the range it provides. I just wish my first experience had been more positive, then I would not have wasted all those years on other gauges. Furthermore, those little lavender-colored Federal shells look marvelously stylish in my game bag. E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com

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Dock Fishing

NE OF MY FAVORITE FISHING PATTERNS IS dock fishing, Just about any river or lake in the country from Florida to New York or California will have docks. They will hold fish all year long. Docks are the perfect place to hold bass as they offer cover, shade, ambush points, and baitfish love to hang around them. One other great thing about docks is that a lot of owners will put brush around them for crappie fishing and this makes another great place for bass to hide. When there are a lot of docks, how do you determine which one to fish? You want to try and establish a pattern to dock fishing. One key is to pay close attention to the depth of water of the docks. I always watch on my Raymarine depth finder when I’m moving around a dock not only looking for brush piles but I want to know if the dock is in shallow, midrange or deep water. Here are key questions I am asking myself when I am boating along: Is the dock on a point? Is the dock on a bluff bank? Is the dock next to a river or creek channel? Is it in shallow water? Is it on a flat? Does it have grass around it? Does the owner feed ducks or fish around it? Does it have a light? Does it have rod holders? Does it have a fish cleaning station? Does it have a boat ramp next to it? Is it wooden? Does it have Styrofoam floats? Next things I will think about when I catch the first bass are what, when, and where. What did I catch him on? When did I catch him (early, midday or late)? Where was he on the dock (shallow, mid-dock, on the deep end, in the shade, or in the sun)? Any of these questions could start you on a successful pattern to catching a sack full of bass.

Say you are fishing a lake with a lot of grass. If the dock has a lot of shade, the grass won’t grow under it, leaving a perfect ambush place for bass. Locate these docks and make your pinpoint cast to the open areas. I like to use a 6-1/2-foot medium/heavy Woo Daves Extreme Bass Pro Shops spinning rod and reel, 10pound-test Bass Pro Shops Excel line, 1/8-

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ounce weight, 2/0 Mustad straight shank hook, and Zoom worm or lizard. Look at the dock before you cast and try to make the best cast, first thinking not only about getting the bait under the dock, but if you hook

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the bass, can you get him out. I have seen a lot of people just aimlessly cast under a dock without giving it any thought and end up losing a big bass. Other lures to use are jigs and spinnerbaits. Flipping docks with a jig is always a big fish technique anywhere you go. I use a 7-foot medium/heavy rod with 20-poundtest Fluorocarbon line, and a 3/8- or 1/2ounce Stinger jig with a Zoom Super Chunk, which 95 percent of the time will be black/blue. Also, try to alternate the weight of your jigs until you determine if the fish want a slow- or fast-falling jig. Another key to dock fishing is to finesse fish with small plastics like the Zoom finesse worm. I use a 6-foot medium action rod, 6to 8-pound mono, Lindy’s No-Snagg rattling’ 1/16-ounce weight, and a 1/0 Mustad hook. In tough conditions, this technique can usually get you a few bass when nothing else works. You might even try drop-shotting around docks.

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Deer Camp Pranks

by Paul Bradshaw thing about going to deer camp that makes everything seem right with the world. It is not only a place to hunt, it is a sanctuary where the phone doesn’t ring, the leaves don’t need raking, and work doesn’t exist. Nothing compares to sitting around the campfire, telling stories about the buck that

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got away last year, listening to a Big VII football game on the radio, and waiting for someone—anyone—to find the coiled up rubber snake you left in the outhouse. As long as there have been deer camps, there have been deer camp pranks. Some are relatively minor (like the rubber snake in the outhouse) while others are monumental, taking years to plan and orchestrate. Some even become annual traditions passed down from one generation to the next. On occasion, some

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become so legendary that they are spoken about with a hushed reverence in other deer camps around the state. The first rule in most deer camps around the state is: Don’t be the first person to go to bed. Nothing good can happen when one hunter falls asleep and the rest are left to scheme. Oddly enough, most of these afterhours shenanigans involve a clock—or rather, multiple clocks. Bobby Beasley learned this lesson at a very young age at the hands of a few of his hunting buddies. “There were eight of us that hunted together all the time, and out of the eight, four were brothers,” Bobby said. “Their dad had some property in Union Parish, and there was an old two-room house where he was born that was still standing, and this was what we used as a deer camp. “A couple of other guys had come with us on opening weekend, and three of them were old enough to drink beer. They sat around and drank about two apiece, and I guess were feeling good because they wanted to stay up and play cards while the rest of us wanted to sleep.” Remember that first rule of deer camp? “We finally got to sleep and it seemed like only a couple of hours later when the Big Ben [alarm clock] started ringing. We all started climbing out of the sack and getting dressed and putting boots on, and tried to get the three guys up but they said they were sleeping in and would hunt in the afternoon. ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS ARMSTRONG

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“Well, we all got out and started to pile into the trucks. I made the comment that the moon was awful big and bright, while one of the other guys was yelling at another to hurry up because we were ‘burning daylight.’ Of course, something just didn’t seem right, but it was opening morning and we were all excited. “We had gotten down the road a couple of miles and got to the spot where we would be walking in to the stands. It was about this time that we turned the radio on in hopes of catching the temperature before stepping into the woods, and this was when the deejay was giving the time. It was 2:15 a.m. Of course, we weren’t too happy and piled back into the truck, drove back to camp, and found our three buddies laughing up a storm. They had changed all the clocks in the camp, and even went so far as to change a couple of watches that were not on our arms. “We got one of them back the next night, though, when he went to bed. We put Fritos on his sleeping bag, leading up to his chest. He awoke to a mouse sitting on his chest eating chips; he screamed like a little girl.” Every deer camp has at least one hunter who has an irrational fear of snakes, to the

point that they check their sleeping bag and have a pistol on their hip at all times just in case they cross paths with a rouge rattler. These guys are always the butt of a snake joke, and one of the best also involves a clock: Find an old wind-up clock with the two bells and an arm on top. Remove the bells and attach a genuine diamondback rattle on the arm. When the alarm goes, off the arm shakes the rattle, sounding just like a snake. If you try this one, don’t be between the resident snake weenie and the door. Sometimes it’s not the clocks in the bunkhouse you have to be worried about, but the ones in the woods. A hunter who requested anonymity also had the misfortune of being the first hunter on his lease to go to bed. The next morning (yes, it really was morning), he woke up early and went to sit in his stand. Right at daylight, he heard the unmistakable sound of a wind-up alarm clock, the kind with the two bells on top, ringing in the grass near his stand. Climbing down, he located the clock and had to smile at the inventiveness of his buddies. He then climbed back in the stand to see what might still come wandering by after the early

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morning wake-up call. A few minutes later, he heard another alarm clock going off in the grass on the other side of his stand. After few minutes of searching, he had it shut off as well. This time the smile wasn’t as big. Six alarm clocks later, the smile was gone for good. On most deer leases there is no shortage of ATVs, UTVs, or old jeeps used for everything from setting up feeders to carrying game back to camp. While these deer camp tools are useful, they are also another source of entertainment for the local prankster. Kevin Kramer was on the receiving end of a prank where some of his buddies decided to add a few accessories to his ATV that would make any Honda Civic owner envious. “Scott, a ‘friend’ of mine, pimped my 4x4 ride by replacing my tires’ valve stems with motion-activated light caps that would flash beams of blue and red lights with the movement of my tires,” Kevin told me. “He made this exchange during the day so that the lights would not attract my attention as I rode out to my deer stand in full sunlight. Starting my ATV and hitting the trail after sunset, the lights produced a totally different effect.

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“As I continued to ride, I noticed flashes of red and blue light coming from under my front wheel wells, which made me think that my ATV was on fire; so I jumped off. My ATV, of course, kept rolling, bounced over a few rocks, and came to rest on top of a large yucca plant, by which time the lights had ceased

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flashing, leaving me clueless to where the source of the fire actually was. “Other than a few new scratches, my ATV appeared to be okay. I climbed back on and proceeded slowly back to the trail, and once again what appeared to be the illumination of fire began from the front and now even the rear wheel wells. “I stopped and the lights stopped, I started again and the lights did the same. This went on for about 100 yards until I decided to get off my ATV and inspect it with my flashlight, but I found nothing. I was puzzled to say the least. “After another half-mile series of starts and stops, I finally located the source of the lights, but felt the true sting of this prank only when I pulled into camp and witnessed a half-dozen members and Scott standing in the yard in full appreciation of the light show.” There’s a saying in show business that you should never perform with kids or animals because they’ll upstage you every time. That goes for deer camp pranks, too, because one of the best I’ve ever heard of involved an animal. It seems our unsuspecting victim was once again one of the first to hit the bunk, giving his so-called friends plenty of time to come up with this prank. After he was sound asleep, the rest of the crew snuck out to the barn, got an old billy goat, and tied a set of whitetail antlers to its head, but not for the reason you’re probably thinking. Instead of tying the goat up near his stand so that in the morning he’d see it and bag a trophy billy, they actually stuck it inside his stand. Returning to the

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lodge, the pranksters snuck back in and went to bed, but not before removing the victim’s flashlight from his backpack. Walking to his blind the next morning in the dark, the hunter wondered what he had done with his flashlight, but in the excitement didn’t worry much about it. He knew exactly where his stand was, so getting lost wasn’t a problem. Just as he had done countless times, he opened the window to his blind and slid his rifle inside. That’s when he heard the first sounds from the blind. That’s never a good feeling: Complete darkness, unarmed, and something (or someone) has decided to take up residence in your deer stand. Regaining his composure enough to think halfway straight, the hunter reached through the open window to grab his rifle, and about the time, the goat goes crazy, kicking so hard it knocks out one side of the blind. Backpedaling, trying to get away from whatever is trying to kill him, the victim tried to load his rifle, but discovered his buddies had removed all of his bullets. Stricken with panic and imagining what his eulogy might sound like, he hears the blood-curdling cry of the savage beast. Ba-aa-aa! A few hundred yards away, the roar of laughter echoed through the pre-dawn darkness. Revenge came a few days later when our victim duct-taped an alarm clock to the bottom of one of his buddies’ tripod stand, and set it to go off at 5:30 that afternoon. He wasn’t invited back to camp for quite a while after that, but I suspect it was worth it.

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A&M: Gulf Dead Zone Spans 23 Years

ESEARCHERS AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY have confirmed for the first time that a “dead zone” has existed off the Texas coast for at least the past 23 years and will likely remain there, causing potentially harmful effects to marine life in the area.

Such low levels of oxygen are believed to be caused by pollution from farm fertilizers as they empty into rivers and eventually the Gulf, by soil erosion, or discharge from sewage treatment plants. “Not all of the area from the

by Chester Moore Steve DiMarco, associate professor in Texas A&M’s College of Geosciences, who has studied dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico for more than 15 years, believes the dead zone area off the Texas coast extends from the Texas-Louisiana border area to Brownsville. A dead zone occurs when there is hypoxia, or oxygen-depleted water.

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TF&G FIRST Texas-Louisiana coast to Brownsville is a dead zone area, but very much of it is,” DiMarco said. “The Texas dead zone appears to be more patchy and not as continuous as the Louisiana dead zone to the east, but much of the region there has very low oxygen levels, some extremely low.” DiMarco recently presented his findings

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to the 2008 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Orlando, Florida. DiMarco examined water samples provided by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and other agencies and conservation groups taken since 1985. He found that, with few exceptions, dead zone areas have occurred almost every year since that time. Key areas sampled included Sabine Pass, Matagorda Ship Channel, Galveston-Bolivar Pass, Aransas Pass, and Brazos-Santiago (Brownsville) Pass. Water samples contained low oxygen levels—in some years, alarmingly low, DiMarco said. When a dead zone occurs, marine life can be severely threatened, especially commercial fishing areas. “The low oxygen levels since 1985 are frequent and persistent,” he said. “It proves that a dead zone occurrence is not a one-year or two-year event, but it has happened just about every year for at least the last 23 years.” Previous dead zones have been recorded off the Louisiana coast for years near the Mississippi Delta region, and a dead zone there has been measured at more than 7900 square miles, or about the size of Delaware and Connecticut combined. DiMarco was the first to discover a Texascreated dead zone area off the Texas coast last summer, a result of unusually heavy rains that poured water into the Brazos River. Where the water emptied into the Gulf off the Texas coast, it created the first proven dead zone area that originated from Texas rivers. “The new results show that another ‘fingerprint’ from Texas is the cause of dead zones since 1985,” he said. “Hypoxia, oxygen-depleted water, occurs when the oxygen levels fall below 2 milligrams per liter, but we found numerous samples that were even half of that, meaning severe hypoxia has occurred.” DiMarco said a comparison would be standing on top of a mountain: “You know

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the air is going to be thin up there because of the altitude. The thin air has low oxygen levels, making it uncomfortable and sometimes deadly to humans. That’s similar to what happens to marine organisms along the Texas coast.” He noted the dead zone is believed to extend about 20 miles off the coast in these areas, but could be larger: “That’s one big question we need to find out—how large an area is being affected by this dead zone.” DiMarco plans to go to the affected areas off the Texas coast in July for more samples and to test the levels of hypoxia from several sites.

ranging from $15 to $25 would kick in starting in 2011. Anglers below age 16 would be exempt, and fees would be waived for indigenous peoples, such as members of federally recognized Indian tribes. Anglers who fish only on licensed party, charter, or guide boats would also be exempt, since these vessels are surveyed separately. NOAA officials said the agency needs better data on recreational anglers to ensure it protects fish stocks without imposing unnecessary limits.

The proposed rule is open for public comment until August 11. Comments can be mailed to: John Boreman, Director, Office of Science and Technology NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attn.: Gordon Colvin. Comments can also be submitted electronically over the internet at www.regulations.gov. For further information, see www.countmyfish.noaa.gov.

Feds Closer to Angler Registry

HE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS) branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is moving forward its proposal to create a national saltwater “angler registry,” which would require all recreational saltwater anglers to annually register with the federal government in order to legally fish in federal waters (in Texas, 9 to 200 miles offshore). Under the proposal, recreational anglers and spearfishermen would be required to be registered, starting next year. NOAA officials say they want the registry in order to collect accurate data on recreational fish catches. Commercial fishermen already need licenses or permits and thus would not have to register again. The registry is required under a change in the law and would cover recreational fishing in federal waters as well as fishing anywhere for anadromous species, such as striped bass, salmon, and shad, that spawn in rivers and streams and spend their adult lives in estuaries and the ocean. Registrations will include an angler’s name, address, telephone number, and the regions fished. NOAA said this information would not be made public but used only to conduct surveys. States that issue their own saltwater fishing licenses, such as Texas, could apply for an exemption if their records provide sufficient information for the federal database. NOAA said registration would be free the first two years, and then an annual fee A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Coastal Mottled Duck Study Partners of the Gulf Coast Joint Venture (GCJV) have announced they are conducting research on mottled duck survival and habitat use along the Texas and Louisiana coasts. “Ducks Unlimited and other conservation partners of the GCJV will use information from the study to refine habitat conservation and management strategies for enhancing the growth of mottled duck populations,” DU reported. “Our success at managing for sustainable and harvestable populations of waterfowl depends greatly on the availability of scientific information to fully inform and support conservation efforts,” said Mike Brasher the GCJV biological team leader. “Unfortunate-

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ly, we currently lack important information about mottled duck. This study is designed to fill in some of those knowledge gaps.” The three-year study of mottled duck seasonal survival, habitat use, and movements began in July 2007. The study is a collaborative effort among GCJV partners led by researchers at Louisiana State University (LSU) Agricultural Center (AgCenter) and Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The scope of the project includes the entire mottled duck range of coastal Texas and Louisiana. GCJV believes because they are nonmigratory and must satisfy their annual resource needs from a small geographic range, mottled duck are unique waterfowl. They are the primary breeding waterfowl of the Western Gulf Coast, and their range and habitats overlap an imperiled coastal ecosystem. “Without knowing precisely which habitats are critical to mottled duck and how their survival rates vary throughout the year, it is difficult to make sound management decisions. Hence the need for this study,” Brasher said. They also noted loss of critical habitat likely contributes to recent observed population declines, but the relative importance of different habitats for mottled duck remains uncertain. Researchers will gather data to determine specific habitat needs and use patterns. Managers will then use the data to effectively prioritize conservation of habitats. “Reproduction and molt are stressful periods for waterfowl, and we suspect females

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experience greater mortality during these times. However, we lack reliable estimates of mottled duck mortality during different periods of the annual cycle. Ideally, this study will provide those estimates,” Brasher said.

New Oyster Reef for Copano Bay As part of a pilot project to restore ecologically important oyster beds that are in decline in the Gulf of Mexico, The Nature Conservancy deposited 200 cubic yards of oyster shell into the shallow waters of Copano Bay. This was part of an effort to create new shelter for oysters and other marine animals, including juvenile sport fishes that depend on shell reefs. The mound of shells was carried into the bay on a 30-foot barge and blown into shallow water with a fire hose within a 1acre patch where an oyster bed previously existed. “Oysters have been in serious decline since the 1980s in Texas, in part due to pressure from commercial fishing, but also because of shell dredging for use as roadbed material and in making concrete,” said Rafael Calderon, director of The Nature Conservancy’s Gulf of Mexico Program. Calderon said oyster beds provide important habitat for many species, from invertebrates to juvenile fishes, including many sport fishes vital to the state’s recreation revenues. Oysters are filter feeders, each of the mollusks filtering up to 6 gallons of saltwater per hour.

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They consume plankton (microscopic marine plants and animals) and play an important role in maintaining good water quality in bays and estuaries. Local fishing guide James Fox was on hand to watch the oyster shells deposited in the water. A native of Rockport, he operates James Fox Guide Services from San Antonio Bay to Estes Flats in Redfish Bay. “Any kind of restoration project like this helps both commercial and recreational fishing,” he said. “Whenever you create new habitat, it helps in the long run. I’d like to see more projects like this that enhance the habitat, including oyster bed restoration and seagrass restoration.” In 2006, the oyster harvest in Texas was 4.9 million pounds that generated $17 million in sales, according to data compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Texas Department of Agriculture estimates that the annual oyster harvest infuses $50 million into the state economy through packers, shippers, and related industries. Texas produces the second-largest oyster catch in the United States, and accounts for 13 percent of the nation’s total production.

West Bay Project Benefits Birds Three priority bird species—the endangered brown pelican, threatened reddish egret, and white-faced ibis—have been con-

served thanks to an erosion-protection project on North Deer Island in West Galveston Bay. Project partners protected the highly populated bird-nesting habitat by armoring approximately 1.7 miles of shoreline. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) officials said North Deer is the most productive bird-nesting island on the Texas Gulf coast and has experienced up to 10 feet of erosion per year. This project protects bird nesting habitat for these 3 and 16 other bird species. “This island has been extremely important to the recovery of the brown pelican in Galveston Bay. Based on a strong and healthy population, our agency has proposed removal of the brown pelican from the endangered species list,” said Benjamin Tuggle, Ph.D., Regional Director for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Erosion destroyed highly productive habitat for up to 30,000 nesting pairs of birds using the island, as well as nursery areas for commercially and recreationally important finfishes and shellfishes. Partners barged in 24,100 tons of rock from a quarry in Missouri (using the Mississippi River and the Intracoastal Waterway as a route) to create 6450 feet of stone breakwater and armored shoreline. The planning, engineering, and construction costs for the eight-year endeavor totaled more than $3.2 million.

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Full Circle

HE WHOLE FAMILY WENT FISHING THIS weekend at a catch-and-release lake called Purtis Creek. We went there after Dad took us to a really cool place called the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. The first thing we did was go through the center and look at all the exhibits. They have all kinds of stuff like a giant aquarium, a fishing museum and hall of fame, a wetlands area, and even a small fishing pond. Seeing how they raise fish and watching the big fish in the aquarium was great, but what I really liked was seeing the little kids fishing in Lake Zebco. Mom and Dad were still inside looking at the museum when Sis and I went outside. We walked down to the water and a lady was there with her two little boys. I was getting interested in fishing myself when I overheard her talking to another lady with a little girl. The first lady said she was divorced and no one had ever taken her boys fishing. They were about five and six years old. The other lady’s girl was about eight. I couldn’t believe the kids had never been fishing. Dad took us fishing when we were about three, so we have always had rods in our hands. Dad always says that kids need to fish and hunt and camp out. He says it lets everyone know where food really comes from. We watched them for a few minutes before I realized the lady with the boys didn’t have any idea how to cast, or even bait a hook. While the boys watched, she tried to tie a hook onto the line and didn’t realize she had to thread the line through the guides first. Then she finished by putting the hook through each eye from the bottom to the top. By that time, one of the boys was digging through a box of worms they had brought. He opened the lid and spilled the worms all C66

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over the bank. The other boy was busy running up and down the bank. Sis and I went down to help the lady. I asked her if I could help, and she looked up at me from where she was kneeling on the ground. “I’d appreciate any help you can give me,” she said. While I showed her how to thread the line and tie on a hook with an improved clinch knot, she told me there was no dad at their house, so she didn’t have any experience in the outdoors. “I just thought my boys needed to go fishing,” she said. Sis kept the boys busy with the other rod after they raked all the worms back into the container. She showed them how to cast. One of the rods was a spinning reel and one a spin-cast. The spinning reel is hard to cast for little kids, so she showed them how to use the spin-cast. They kind of got the hang of it while I finished showing the mom about weights and bobbers. Then I showed her how to thread a worm on the hook. The boys were there by that F i s h

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time and they really had a good time with the worms. By then, the lady and her daughter were right beside us and I showed them the same thing. Sis and one of the boys started to throw with the spin-cast outfit, and they did pretty good with it. The mom watched while I cast the spinning rig and then I handed it to her. She held the rod with the reel on top, and I had to show her how to hold it the right way. It didn’t take but a minute for the bobber on the spin-cast rig to go under. Sis took the boy’s hand and showed him how to set the hook. Then she backed off and let him reel. At the same time, the other bobber went under, and in seconds, we had two fish fighting. There were kids yelling, and moms yelling, and everyone was jumping up and down. Both kids had hooked bream; some people call them “sunfish.” ILLUSTRATION BY RACHEL WATSON

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“Those little guys are the fightingest little fish in Texas,” Dad says. “You’d need a surf rod to get them in if they could grow to 5 or 10 pounds.” The bream were pretty big, and they were giving the boys a run for their money. The thing about sunfish is that they will turn sideways and use the water as leverage against your rod and reel. The boys cranked and pulled while the fish bent their rods. One of the boys tried to run away from the water to drag the fish out, but I caught him and turned him around. “That’s what the reel is for,” I told him. I could see his mama standing there, listening. The other lady with the little girl was telling her daughter what we said. Then Sis left both boys with me and went to the other lady. In just a

second, the little girl had a fish on and Sis was coaching her, too. When we had the fish on the bank, I showed the boys how to get hold of the fish without being finned, and they held them up together so their mom could take a picture. Then we put the fish back in the pond and I watched the mom re-bait their hooks. After that, they seemed to take turns catching bream, and their mom moved from one to the other. It reminded me of how Dad taught us to fish. It was just about that time when I looked over my shoulder to see Mom and Dad watching us. I don’t know how long they had been standing there, but Dad just nodded when he saw me look in his direction. We stayed down there a few minutes more

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and then I told the women we had to leave. Really, I was ready to go fishing myself over at Purtis Creek. Both of the ladies tried to give us money for helping out, but we wouldn’t take it. We waved bye to the little ones, but they were too busy catching fish. I didn’t mind. When we walked up to Mom and Dad, he kind of grinned at us. “Seems to come in a full circle, doesn’t it?” he asked. “What?” I asked. He and Mom just turned around and started toward the car and he said: “One of these days, you’ll see.” Sis didn’t know what he meant, either. I sure wish adults would talk in a way we can understand. —Ryan

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Life & Death in the Wild

PHOTO BY TODD DRISCOLL

NYONE WHO HAS READ MY WORK OVER THE years knows I am very goal oriented, and that extends even into my fishing, hunting, and conservation projects. I have realized a dream of seeing the Sabine River near my home in Orange stocked with Florida largemouth bass. That stretch of river has always had lots of bass, but no big ones, so we worked to get the state to stock it with fingerlings. Then we got a big bonus: They gave us some of their full-sized hatchery broodstock, and I had the extreme honor of going along and helping to release the fish. It was a dream come true.

Chester releases a 5-pound Florida bass into Adams Bayou near his home. Since TPWD has taken an interest in this section of river by putting in Florida bass fingerlings and the one shipment of leftover spawners, the size of bass has increased. Thanks to Todd Driscoll, John Parker, and everyone at TPWD A

Anyone wondering why varmint numbers need trimming needs to look no farther than this picture. This is a fawn carcass found in an area of low deer density. Coyote tracks were all around, and the predators obviously broke the neck.

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PHOTO BY CHESTER MOORE

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National Parks in the Oceans?

ORE THAN A CENTURY AGO, ON June 8, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt signed into law the Antiquities Act (16 USC 431-433). The impetus for the law was to protect Indian artifacts and prehistoric ruins from the plunder

by Matthew Paxton, CCA Federal Lobbyist and destruction in the American Southwest that took place over the second half of the 19th century. It was the first law to recognize the importance of historical sites and structures on public lands and preserve these areas for future archeological study. So why should concerned recreational anglers care about a 100-year-old law that pertains to archeological digs and securing permits for the examination of ruins on public lands? Because the Antiquities Act also allows the President, at his discretion, to proclaim historic landmarks, structures, and other objects to be national monuments. Over the past century, the Act has been used to proclaim 123 national monuments on land. However, in 2006 the law was used to create the largest marine protected area in the world when President Bush proclaimed the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument. There is a similar proposal now being discussed within the Bush Administration to designate a chain of marine monuments forming a ring around the entire Gulf of Mexico to permanently lock up the

ocean as a national park – the proposal is being called “Islands in the Stream.” The problem is the Antiquities Act is sparse on process. In fact, it has none. The law in its entirety is roughly a page long and has four sections, one of which provides absolute discretion for the President to establish national monuments and, most recently, marine national monuments. There is no Congressional oversight, no opportunity for public comment or for review of the proposed monument designation. Once the monument has been established it is extremely rare for it to ever be overturned. Indeed, the Supreme Court has determined that public process or judicial review does not apply to Presidential proclamations under the Antiquities Act because the President is not an “agency” for purposes of the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) or for purposes of review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). A speedy process in establishing needed conservation and management measures is a laudable goal, but this is tantamount to creating law by the stroke of a pen! Contrast the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to the Antiquities Act. The Sanctuaries law is 22 pages long, has 18 different sections, numerous provisions providing marine designation standards and procedures, there is onerous Congressional review, the Act itself has been reauthorized (reviewed and improved) eight different times since its enactment in 1972, and the Act has nearly 100 pages of implementing regulations providing a clear process for public input, comment, and thorough review of any proposed marine restricted area. The Sanctuaries Act is far from perfect. However, it highlights the importance of receiving critical input from all user groups and providing a comprehensive evaluation of alternatives before any marine restricted area can be put in place. The comparison of these two laws illustrates that the Antiquities Act was intended to protect historical terrestrial sites and was never A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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intended to apply to the marine environment. The Sanctuaries Program and the legal authorities provided under the Act are complex, but so is the marine environment. Simply applying land-based management laws to the oceans does not work. The Antiquities Act is a convenient and expeditious way to lock up the marine environment, but the problem is you cannot fence off the oceans and create marine parks. This is a much more fluid system – literally. The Islands in the Stream proposal would utilize the authority under the Antiquities Act to permanently lock up large areas of the Gulf of Mexico including, the South Texas Banks, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, North Texas-Louisiana Banks, Mississippi-Alabama Shelf Pinnacles, Madison Swanson, Florida Middle Grounds, Steamboat Lumps, Pulley Ridge, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary/Tortugas Ecological Reserve. The Antiquities Act can only create “monuments” and the national monuments created on land and in the marine environment around Hawaii have always resulted in permanent restrictions to access without process. If this chain of marine monuments is established in the Gulf of Mexico, whatever access (limited or otherwise) recreational fishermen previously had to these areas and other prime fishing grounds, could be forever prohibited with no opportunity for review. Coastal Conservation Association is the leading advocate for conserving the marine environment and ensuring sustainable fishery resources for generations of anglers to come. Walter Fondren, chairman of CCA National, recently wrote the chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the agency within the Bush Administration that is actively pushing the Islands in the Stream proposal. The letter pointed out that the Antiquities Act will not provide the opportunity for public comment before marine monuments are established in the Gulf of Mexico and advised the chairman of CEQ to follow the law that

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The Shakes

HAKES. NOT A MILKSHAKE, NOT A handshake, not a shakedown, not an earthquake. It is something that takes hold of you, throws your bodily functions into more than a tremble, more than a quiver, bigger than a wobble, and definitely more than a vibration. It is distressing and disturbing, a physical manifestation of emotional trauma. Some might “shudder” at the thought of the Shakes; those who do not, have never experienced it—but it could happen to you! Getting the Shakes is not life-threatening, but it sure is humbling. The Shakes can come at any time, any place. Just when you think you are in complete control, it will hit. Of course, you need to be in the field and trying to shoot something. Nonetheless, there is no predicting the Shakes; it comes and it leaves when it darn well pleases. Age doesn’t matter, nor does race, gender, weight, or experience. The Shakes have been known to paralyze grown men the size of buffalo—although, said grown men will never admit it, even when there are witnesses. There has been much speculation on the Shakes, copious conjecture, and, Lord knows, more discussion over a beer than you can “shake” a stick at. To date, there is no scientific explanation for these Shakes. It remains mysterious but nonetheless deadly and woefully humiliating. For me, the Shakes are one of the most thwarting influences of my life. There you are with gun in hand, target in sight, poised to kill, and all of sudden, the Shakes strike. Your hands get sweaty, your heart beats like a winded racehorse’s, your mouth goes dry, and the red dot between the two green dots on the sights blurs; you think you are going blind. As you try to hold your gun steady, C70

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you hands tremble. You try to no avail to hide your condition. Is this a hot flash? The conversation begins in your head: Stop it, you big baby! Hold firm! What the heck is wrong with you, you wimpette. Keep your eye on the target. What? You can’t see the bird? Well, you could, you moron, if you would hold the gun steady! Okay, take a deep breath, calm yourself. You need to shoot that bird. Get control of yourself—you hot-flashing loser! Okay, so don’t listen to me. Go ahead, make a complete fool of yourself. You attempt to take a shot, but it is useless. Where the heck is that red dot? For the love of Pete…Oh, great, now what? There is a big drop of sweat running down my chest, right between…them. I am feeling queasy. Pete can’t help you now—you had better appeal to a higher power. Okay, let’s look for the red dot. I can’t even see the green dots, let alone put the red dot. You have it! Just admit it, you premenopausal hunting loser! Admit it—you have the Shakes! No, I am not a loser. I can do it! I can make the shot! Hold your breath, maybe that will help. Yes, that is a good idea. Hold your breath, it will steady the gun. One, Mississippi; two, Mississippi; three Mississippi…Oh, great! Who turned off the oxygen? I am getting lightheaded. No, it’s a seizure! No! A brain tumor! It is all happening so fast. My bodily functions are beginning to fail. They will find me dead in the field and the cause of death will be inconclusive. Hardly a noble death. With sweat on my bosom. Or worse, you will be denounced as a victim of the Shakes, a hunter who succumbed—a much worse living death. No! No, I won’t! I will steady this darn gun and take the shot! No one is going to call me a Shakes afflicted hunter. Okay, then do it! Steady the gun unless you want to be a statistic. I will not be one of them. I do not F i s h

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want to be part of that club of Shakers—a hunting leper. Once a marked Shaker, people look at you funny. They wait for you to freeze, all eyes on you as you stand helpless, shaking, unable to execute. Dig deep. I am going to take the shot! Grace be with me…here goes. Boom! Really, I am not alone. The best of the best get the Shakes. It is not a disease of only the novice. The avid hunter, the wild man, the burly man, and the one that wants it so bad that they can taste it, are also susceptible. So, really, I am part of a very exclusive club—members so passionate about hunting that it invades the psyche. Zealous, primal hunters, so fervent that they feel it down deep in their guts. It becomes part of them. A badge of passion, really. Jeez! What a bunch of crapola! Who are you fooling? That is the most deplorable gurl raison d’être I have ever heard. Let’s call a Shake a Shake—pure and simple Buck Fever! E-mail Mari Henry at gurlz@fishgame.com. ILLUSTRATION BY RACHEL WATSON

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Bugging Bluegill

UGNACIOUS, PERSISTENT, AND SOMETIMES persnickety perfectly describe the bluegill sunfish. Bluegill are the tiny Tyrannosaurs of the panfish world. They never meet a bug they don’t like, and will eat anything they can get inside their mouths. It is a very good thing they do not grow to the size of largemouth bass (rarely do they get much larger than an anglers hand); otherwise, nothing in the water would be safe. What bluegill lack in size they more than make up for with their feisty, scrappy nature when hooked. They are colorful, abundant in most water bodies, easy to catch, and one of the finest eating freshwater fishes—reasons enough to “bug” them into biting. Bluegill are not listed as game fish in Texas, and that is almost a shame because they share many of the best characteristics of the so-called “sporting” species when caught on light tackle. Yet, their main importance might be two fold. First, they are usually the first fish caught by young anglers. This is an all-important event in establishing a foundation for a lifetime of angling interest. Ask adults what was the most significant event in their fledgling angler development, and most will reply catching bluegill got them started.

Ask my teenage daughter, who is 19 going on 25, what she best remembers about fishing with dad when she was a tot; her reply will be that the most fun she ever had was on Sunday afternoons in a small pond belonging to my parents. We spent warm, lazy hours sitting in the shade of a giant willow tree, fishing for bluegill. Using tiny pieces of worms we dug from the rich, black earth nearby, she usually managed to nearly fill a 5-gallon bucket with the large colorful panfish. I can still hear her squeals of delight as the bobber went under and she would reel in another of the feisty little rascals. My daughter has had opportunities to fish in many places and for many species, yet those bluegill expeditions stand out from all the rest. Bluegill are also an important forage species for game fishes, most notably largemouth bass. Ever notice how many bass lures are designed to look like bluegill? Check out stocking recommendations for establishing populations of bass in a pond or lake, and the first item on the list is to provide is adequate forage; the forage most often recommended by biologists is bluegill. Bluegill get no respect from most anglers, but they should. Without them, fishing would not be nearly as productive or as much fun. Catching bluegill is relatively easy and part of their appeal. Small worms and crickets are ideal baits for introducing youngsters to the fun of catching bluegill, but the little fighters also hit small lures. One of the leaders in producing hardbody lures that will catch bluegill is the

Crème Lure Company (www.cremelure.com) located in Tyler, Texas. This is the same company founded in 1951 by Nick Crème, the inventor of the original plastic worm. The Crème Company has developed a series of tiny crankbaits called Pond Favorites that are just the ticket to catching a mess of broad-shouldered bluegill. They are available in two models and five different colors. The holographic paint schemes are amazingly realistic in mimicking small forage species. The lipless crankbait measures a little over an inch long and is negatively buoyant so it will sink. This feature should make it ideal for tempting summertime bluegill that seek the comfort of cooler water in the 10- to 15-foot range. Find a brush pile in that depth of water, cast one of these tiny tempters, and let it sink. Work the lure slowly just over the tops of the brush and it will not make it very far before a big bluegill pounces on it. The floating/diving model is only 3/4-inch long and should be murder on bluegill that are hanging around shorelines or boat docks. And don’t be surprised if something bigger than a bull bluegill grabs one of these lures. Bugging bluegill is a good method to incite a riot among the local largemouth population, so expect the unexpected when getting one of these amazing little lures wet. E-mail Barry St. Clair at bstclair@fishgame.com.

INSIDE CCA TEXAS Continued from Page C69 was enacted under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 that requires an ongoing review and a public process for the establishment of any marine restricted areas. Following CCA’s lead, Sen. David Vit-

ter (R-LA), Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) jointly wrote a letter to the chairman of CEQ expressing strong objections to any proposal to create a network of marine monuments in the Gulf of Mexico. The overall goal is to conserve the marine environment, but maintain access to a sustainable and productive fishery resource for A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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recreational enjoyment. For the Islands in the Stream initiative, CCA is working towards creating a process that will allow the recreational angling community to have a voice in how these waters will ultimately be managed.

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Steer Hunting

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crawled in, and picked up on the door as I slammed it shut. Harry cranked the starter, stepped in the clutch, stuck the shifter in gear, and pulled out of his yard. It was a surprise to me every time the short bed Chevy tugged the cumbersome trailer from a standing start. Likewise, it was surprising that Harry’s truck never suffered major engine blowups or mechanical failures. The whole truck-trailer ensemble was a rusted blue-green rattling bucket of maybe-we’ll-make-it-maybe-wewon’t, but one thing was certain—it was a typical Gulf Coast cowboy rig. Times might have been hard, but I was too dumb to know the difference. All I knew was hay hauling, fencing, and cow work. A man had to know when to put out fertilizer and have some wherewithal about the weather. Then feeding and doctoring cow critters filled any spare time on an aspiring stockman’s ticket. Each cattleman’s individual “Indian tricks” separated the old hands from the younger generation. Life was simple.

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Mama patched my jeans until they were too rotten to patch, and I wore my dad’s shirts with the sleeves cut out. We lived all year on grass-fed beef and deer meat, and Dad milked a range cow every morning that made a living eating bitter weeds and feeder cubes. It wasn’t that we were broke (Dad worked in a bank for 40 years), but there was no sense in buying milk when you had a pasture full of cows. Being tight with money was just the way things were, especially in the German/Czech community. There was still a lot of pre-WWII isolationist mentality, and a general liking for “the way things were when we grew up” by the old folks. “Brune, what is that horse you’re riding?” Harry asked. He jolted me from my trance. I had been staring down the highway dozing, following the headlights, and about to fall asleep. “Are you breaking that horse for somebody or is that yours?” The normal conversation was welcome. For some reason, Harry never called me by my first name, and usually he put a cuss word in front of my last name. Later in the day, all talk would resemble oil field hollering. Most of the shouting would be because of the immediacy of the situation or because I screwed up. “That’s my horse,” I answered. “He’s a coming four-year-old that I bought from Bruno Burris as a yearling. He’s got racing blood, but he’s levelheaded and will do whatever I ask. The first time I got on him was to work cows, and we’ve never looked back. I call him, ‘Dusty’.” “Well, he looks like a good colt. We should have an easy day. These cattle we’re going to are in the San Bernard River bottom, and easy to pen. If we have time, there’s a couple of head that have gotten away before, and we might spend time going after them. There’s a steer that got away from us last year. Can you rope off your colt?” “Sure,” I chimed. The thought of roping a big wild river bottom steer thrilled and chilled me. My roping skills were barely

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adequate, and my antique slick-fork saddle had the high skinny saddle horn that was fashionable at the turn of the century. Nevertheless, roping was in my job description. We pulled up to the ranch shortly after daylight and met the landowner. Luck was with us. The bulk of the herd was within sight, and when we turned the dogs loose, the cattle milled into a bellowing cluster to be driven to the corrals. Harry and I rode a fast circle to get around them. We dipped into some lower brushy ground and Harry came up behind the swirling muster before they noticed him. Then he pushed them against a fence while I rode the flank staying

“

When we turned the dogs loose, the cattle milled into a bellowing cluster to be driven to the corrals.

“

near the edge of the brush. The bunch of black Brangus and Braford mamas didn’t need much persuasion, and they lined out to the pens. Then we sorted the cows from the calves and began the groundwork. The cows were wormed, the bull calves castrated, and all the calves got their vaccinations. By noon, we had done a day’s work. “There’s a cow and a calf that didn’t come in, and that steer wasn’t with the bunch,” Harry said. “The pasture spreads across a wide bottom that goes to the river. Let’s go see if we can find them.” We turned the dogs loose again and longtrotted our ponies in pursuit. Harry took the first trail over the bank and into the live oak thicket. I skirted down a couple of hundred yards and found a cow trail that led into the wooded bottom. There, I stopped, tied the end of my rope around my saddle horn, and listened. The leopard dogs had yelped a couple of times then quit. Dusty raised his head and pricked his ears, looking back in the direction that we had come. Then, without my prodding, the horse walked forward.

The other edge of the woods was visible, and in the center of the thicket was a crossing trail. The earth was damp and there was a single set of fresh cow tracks on the trail. I almost giggled. The other cattle had come out of the bottom by a different route. This had to be one of the lone renegades that we hunted, and I realized as I sat listening for the dogs this was real hunting. Then I heard something, and in a moment one of the pups ran by me with its nose on the trail, not making a sound except for its snuffling. Then another dog ran headlong through the underbrush 20 yards beyond us, and Dusty dropped his head and loped along the new trail. As I reached the edge of the next opening, the leopard dogs connected with the steer. The opening wasn’t really open, but had scattered mesquite trees and shoulderhigh bunch grass. The steer was racing away with its head up and a 9 thrown in its tail. I feared the runaway would reach the river. So, turning Dusty to make a wide circle, I asked for the afterburners. The steer kicked and hooked with its horns in a running battle with the dogs, never noticing the heat-seeker that was zeroing in. Dusty rounded the arch, and as we cut the outlaw off from its escape, it swung around 180 degrees and headed back to the brush. I shook out my loop and Dusty blazed me into range. Then I said a cowboy’s prayer, swung three times, and threw. The loop flared, settled around the steer’s horns, and I slid Dusty on his hind end. The rope jerked tight and popped off the saddle horn. Just as quick, I caught the knot and leapt from the saddle. There was no way in hell this deserting bastard was getting away. I landed on my feet, took three or four 10-foot running jumps, then ran sideways and got a wrap on a mesquite tree. Then I fell down, clung to the rope, scurried around the tree one more time, and lay there gasping. The next thing I heard was Harry laughing. He sat on his horse shaking his head and slapping his leg. “That’s the @%*damnest thing I ever seen! You done good Brune! All I could see was that steer running and you popping up out of the grass every 10 or 12 feet. Hang on to that steer and I’ll figure out how to get a truck and trailer back here.” Now, 20-something years later, Harry still likes to tell that story whenever cowboys A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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gather to relax and share tales. And when he does, it makes me think about all the trails and tracks that I followed to find elk, deer, wild hogs, or outlaw cattle, because it was all good times, and it was all hunting. Meanwhile, Dusty is grazing with a new batch of colts, teaching them manners, enjoying retirement, and always ready to go when I call. E-mail Herman W. Brune at wilderness@fishgame.com

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Texas Brisket & Potato Salad

RISKET IS A TEXAS TRADITION. PEOPLE have been cooking briskets for many years in a variety of ways, including boiling, oven cooking, and barbecuing. My favorite is barbecuing, with a braising technique added as well. Brisket Facts: Brisket is a tough meat to begin with, unless it is fully cooked. Brisket is loaded with a waxy looking connective tissue called collagen, which makes the meat tough and chewy. Only when the collagen has been transformed into gelatin will the meat be tender. It begins to convert to gelatin at 140 degrees internal, but the process occurs most rapidly at temperatures over 180 degrees internally. A meat thermometer is recommended for serious barbecuing. An internal temperature of 210 degrees must be achieved to fully cook the brisket. The juices are normally long gone after cooking, which is why most of the time it is served with barbecue sauce. Cooking the meat with moist heat in foil (braising) is preferred because it will conduct the heat better than just cooking on the pit. For those who love brisket but think it is “bad” for them, good news: Texas A&M researchers have found that brisket is actually good for you. Aggie graduate student Stacey Turk’s master’s thesis shows that fat from brisket contains significant amounts of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that

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can promote good cholesterol in people. So, pick your brisket, fire up the barbecue or smoker, and have at it—guilt free.

I. Picking the brisket When picking a brisket I like to look at a couple of things: a. Make sure briskets are thawed to inspect. b. Pick up a brisket and fold it in half. It should be able to touch end to end after trying a couple of times.

II. Prepping the brisket a. Fork the brisket. Use a large serving or turning fork and pierce the brisket all over. b. Dry rub. The Texas Gourmet Sweet Chipotle Season All is a great rub that will work great on brisket. Here is a typical dry rub you can make at home. You can adjust the proportions of spices in this all-purpose rub, or add or subtract a spice as you wish. For instance, if you don’t like spicy foods, reduce or eliminate the cayenne. Also, if you are using hot chili powder, you may want to eliminate the cayenne. This rub works well with ribs, brisket, or Boston butt if you want to make pulled pork. F i s h

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4 Tbs sweet paprika 1 Tbs chili powder 2 Tbs ground cumin 2 Tbs dark brown sugar 2 Tbs salt 1 Tbs dried oregano 1 Tbs granulated sugar 1 Tbs ground black pepper 1 Tbs ground white pepper 1 to 2 tsp cayenne pepper Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. (The rub can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature away from light for several weeks). Apply the rub liberally to all sides of the meat. Make sure and cover well. Cover with plastic wrap for the refrigerator or tie up in a plastic bag and place in a cooler with ice. Refrigerate from 4 hours to overnight (to allow flavors to permeate the meat). One hour before cooking, remove the brisket from the refrigerator or cooler, uncover, and allow it to sit and become room temperature.

III. Cooking the brisket a. Smoke covered for 3-1/2 to 4 hours at approx. 275-300 degrees with fat side up, without opening the pit. (This is enough time to impart a good smoked flavor into the meat.) PHOTO BY BILL OLIVE

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b. Place brisket on a large sheet of heavyduty foil. Spread a thinly sliced onion under brisket and pour 1/2 a can beer into the foil before sealing up. Make sure to seal the foil well. c. Place into an oven or on a pit at 250 to 275 degrees and cook for 4 to 5 more hours (depending on size) until fork tender. d. Remove from the pit or oven, loosen foil at one end to release steam, and allow the brisket to rest for 45 minutes. e. After this, you can drain the juices into a bowl and place in freezer for 10 minutes to de-fat. Separate the fat from the juices and discard the fat, then pour up to 1 cup of the remaining juices into a saucepot with your favorite barbecue sauce, bring to a boil to combine for a great flavored sauce.

IV. Slicing and Serving a. Separate the top and bottom of brisket and trim excess fat. b. Slice across grain on the diagonal into long, thin slices approximately 1/4-inch thick.

Bryan’s Red Potato Salad

S P O N S O R E D BY:

3 lbs small red potatoes (washed) 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 1/2 cup sour cream 1 Tbs Dijon mustard 1/2 cup red onion, chopped 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and diced fine (optional) 1/2 cup celery, chopped 1 tsp dill weed 3 eggs, hard-boiled, chopped fine 1/2 lb bacon, fried crisp, drained, crushed into small pieces 2/3 cup Colby jack cheese, grated salt and pepper to taste Place potatoes and 2 Tbs salt in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain in a colander, then place colander over empty pot and cover with a clean dry dishtowel. Allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

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Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, mustard, dill weed, 1 tsp each salt and pepper. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch dices. Combine with dressing, and then add eggs, celery, bell pepper, onion, bacon, and cheese. Toss lightly, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold. Contact Bryan Slaven, "The Texas Gourmet," at 888-234-7883, www.thetexasgourmet.com; or by email at texas-tasted@fishgame.com.

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TEXAS SALTWATER

Capt. Matt of Akins S Forshee a Guide Serv ltwater Limit of S ice peckled Trout

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ROCKPORT liver Chelcie O sh fi d Re harters Redfish C

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Jackie W 27-inch R est edfish Coastal B end Outdoors

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For Classified Rates and Information call Dennise at 1-800-750-4678, ext. 5579.

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ds; Trout Dan Watson & frien rvice Hugo Ford Guide Se

TEXAS FRESHWATER

Blake, Steve, & Da vid 30 Trout 2 Redfish Hillman Guide Service

Capt. David Best Speckled Trout Best Guide Service

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SPOTLIGHT: WHITE OAK OUTFITTERS, INC. LAKE AMISTAD

White Oak Outfitters, Inc. was formed in 1993. They originally hunted on 160 acres, but have now grown to right at 3000 acres of hunting land. They maintain 34 timered feeders year-round and spent the first week of September planting food plots for deer. White Oak Outfitters, Inc. is a family operation headquartered in the barn at their home. The price includes lodging and they have room enough for fourteen. Hog hunting is available year-round and deer season opens up the first weekend in November and runs to early January. Over the years, they have established many fond friendships and have a high rate of repeat customers. — White Oak Outfitters, Inc. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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SEND YOUR PHOTOS!

MAIL: EMAIL:

1745 Greens Rd, Houston TX 77032 photos@fighgame.com

SPECKLED TROUT—PORT O’CONNOR, TEXAS

BLACK DRUM—PORT O’CONNOR, TEXAS

Captains Kenneth and Keith Gregory of Port O’Connor with a catch of 17 speckled trout while enjoying a “guides’ day off.” Photo submitted by uncle, Steve Gregory.

James Tomey of Hondo, Texas, took a crew of young men, ages 14 to 15, to Port O’Connor for the black drum run. They caught and released drum from 33 to 42 pounds. Pictured are TJ Willman with the fish, and L-R in back are Luke, Justin and Chance.

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Note: All non-digital photos submitted become the property of Texas Fish & Game and will not be returned. TF&G makes no guarantee when or if any submitted photo will be published.

REDFISH—BURNETT BAY, TEXAS

HYBRID STRIPER—LAKE TRAVIS, TEXAS

TROUT—BAFFIN BAY, TEXAS

Mia Arcangeli, age 8, of La Porte, Texas, caught her Nineteen-year-old Josh Rodriquez caught this first redfish in Burnett Bay. It was 15 inches long 20-pound hybrid striper at the Hollows Marina on and weighed 1.5 pounds. She caught it on a 1/4- Lake Travis. ounce Road Runner jig and only had help with netting it. The red was released to fight another day.

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Noe Morales of Bishop, Texas, caught this 10pound, 31-1/2 -inch trout on Baffin Bay. He was using a Norton Bull Minnow on a Waterloo rod with a Curado 101 reel.

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EER CAMPS ARE A TIME HONORED tradition in Texas. Whether your camp consists of 20,000 sprawling cedar and mesquite filled acres in South Texas with an old farm house in the middle for lodging, or 200 acres of pines in East Texas with an old mobile home or tent, there’s just something about going to deer camp that makes everything seem right with the world. It is not only a place to hunt, it is a sanctuary where the phone doesn’t ring, the leaves don’t need raking, and work doesn’t exist. Nothing compares to sitting around the campfire, telling stories about the buck that got away last year, listening to a Big VII football game on the radio, and waiting for someone—anyone—to find the coiled up rubber snake you left in the outhouse. As long as there have been deer camps, there have been deer camp pranks. Some are relatively minor (like the rubber snake in the outhouse) while others are monumental, taking years to plan and orchestrate. Some even become annual traditions passed down from one generation to the next. On occasion, some become so legendary that they are spoILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS ARMSTRONG

ken about with a hushed reverence in other deer camps around the state. The first rule in most deer camps around the state is: Don’t be the first person to go to bed. Nothing good can happen when one hunter falls asleep and the rest are left to scheme. Oddly enough, most of these after-

and play cards while the rest of us wanted to sleep.” Remember that first rule of deer camp? “We finally got to sleep and it seemed like only a couple of hours later when the Big Ben [alarm clock] started ringing. We all started climbing out of the sack and getting dressed and putting boots on, and tried to get the three guys up but they said they were sleeping in and would hunt in the afternoon. “Well, we all got out and started to pile into the trucks. I made the comment that the moon was awful big and bright, while one of the other guys was yelling at another to hurry up because we were ‘burning daylight.’ Of course, something just didn’t seem right, but it was opening morning and we were all excited. “We had gotten down the road a couple of miles and got to the spot where we would be walking in to the stands. It was about this time that we turned the radio on in hopes of catching the temperature before stepping into the woods, and this was when the deejay was giving the time. It was 2:15 a.m. Of course, we weren’t too happy and piled back into the truck, drove back to camp, and found our

by Paul Bradshaw hours shenanigans involve a clock—or rather, multiple clocks. Bobby Beasley learned this lesson at a very young age at the hands of a few of his hunting buddies. “There were eight of us that hunted together all the time, and out of the eight, four were brothers,” Bobby said. “Their dad had some property in Union Parish, and there was an old two-room house where he was born that was still standing, and this was what we used as a deer camp. “A couple of other guys had come with us on opening weekend, and three of them were old enough to drink beer. They sat around and drank about two apiece, and I guess were feeling good because they wanted to stay up A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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In This Issue

I24 I28

NEW PRODUCTS • What’s New From Top Outdoor Manufacturers | BY TF&G STAFF INDUSTRY INSIDER • Anchor Marine; Nueces Canyon Lodge; and more | BY TF&G STAFF

HOW-TO SECTION

COVER STORY • Deer Camp Pranks | BY PAUL BRADSHAW

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots | BY CALIXTO GONZALES & JD MOORE

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SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides, Solunar Table, Best Hunting/Fishing Times | BY TF&G STAFF

GEARING UP SECTION

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TEXAS TESTED • Costa Del Mar; Pre-Vent; and more | BY TF&G STAFF

I36 I38 I40

TEXAS BOATING • Survivor Guy-Boating Edition | BY LENNY RUDOW

I41 I42 I46 I48 I52

FRESHWATER BAITS & RIGS • Blading a Swim Bait | BY PAUL BRADSHAW

TEXAS KAYAKING • Kayaks-1, Gas Price$Outrageous | BY GREG BERLOCHER SALTWATER BAITS & RIGS • Glide, Twitch, and Roll | BY PATRICK LEMIRE

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

I31 I44 I49 I50 I56

SPECIAL HUNTING SECTION • Trophy Fever | BY TF&G STAFF

I58 I60 I62

TEXAS TASTED • Texas Brisket | BY BRYAN SLAVEN

TOURNAMENT INSIDER • Yankees in Bassland | BY MATT WILLIAMS MY PLACE OUTDOORS • Full Circle | BY RYAN VICK AFIELD WITH BARRY • Bugging Bluegills | BY BARRY ST. CLAIR GURLZ PAGE • The Shakes | BY MARI HENRY

MISTER CRAPPIE • Slow Trolling with Jigs | BY WALLY MARSHALL HUNT TEXAS • Predators and Bird Noses | BY BOB HOOD TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • The 16-Gauge | BY STEVE LAMASCUS WILDERNESS TRAILS • Steer Hunting | BY HERMAN W. BRUNE

DISCOVER THE OUTDOORS • Classifieds | BY TF&G STAFF PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos | BY TF&G STAFF

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three buddies laughing up a storm. They had changed all the clocks in the camp, and even went so far as to change a couple of watches that were not on our arms. “We got one of them back the next night, though, when he went to bed. We put Fritos on his sleeping bag, leading up to his chest. He awoke to a mouse sitting on his chest eating chips; he screamed like a little girl.” Every deer camp has at least one hunter who has an irrational fear of snakes, to the point that they check their sleeping bag and have a pistol on their hip at all times just in case they cross paths with a rouge rattler. These guys are always the butt of a snake joke, and one of the best also involves a clock: Find an old wind-up clock with the two bells and an arm on top. Remove the bells and attach a genuine diamondback rattle on the arm. When the alarm goes, off the arm shakes the rattle, sounding just like a snake. If you try this one, don’t be between the resident snake weenie and the door. Sometimes it’s not the clocks in the bunkhouse you have to be worried about, but the ones in the woods. A hunter who requested anonymity also had the misfortune of being the first hunter on his lease to go to bed. The next morning (yes, it really was morning), he woke up early and went to sit in his stand. Right at daylight, he heard the unmistakable sound of a wind-up alarm clock, the kind with the two bells on top, ringing in the grass near his stand. Climbing down, he located the clock and had to smile at the inventiveness of his buddies. He then climbed back in the stand to see what might still come wandering by after the early morning wake-up call. A few minutes later, he heard another alarm clock going off in the grass on the other side of his stand. After few minutes of searching, he had it shut off as well. This time the smile wasn’t as big. Six alarm clocks later, the smile was gone for good. On most deer leases there is no shortage of ATVs, UTVs, or old jeeps used for everything from setting up feeders to carrying game back to camp. While these deer camp tools are useful, they are also another source of entertainment for the local prankster. Kevin Kramer was on the receiving end of a prank where some of his buddies decided to

add a few accessories to his ATV that would make any Honda Civic owner envious. “Scott, a ‘friend’ of mine, pimped my 4x4 ride by replacing my tires’ valve stems with motion-activated light caps that would flash beams of blue and red lights with the movement of my tires,” Kevin told me.

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“He made this exchange during the day so that the lights would not attract my attention as I rode out to my deer stand in full sunlight. Starting my ATV and hitting the trail after sunset, the lights produced a totally different effect. “As I continued to ride, I noticed flashes

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of red and blue light coming from under my front wheel wells, which made me think that my ATV was on fire; so I jumped off. My ATV, of course, kept rolling, bounced over a few rocks, and came to rest on top of a large yucca plant, by which time the lights had ceased flashing, leaving me clueless to where the source of the fire actually was. “Other than a few new scratches, my ATV appeared to be okay. I climbed back on and proceeded slowly back to the trail, and once again what appeared to be the illumination of fire began from the front and now even the rear wheel wells.

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“I stopped and the lights stopped, I started again and the lights did the same. This went on for about 100 yards until I decided to get off my ATV and inspect it with my flashlight, but I found nothing. I was puzzled to say the least. “After another half-mile series of starts and stops, I finally located the source of the lights, but felt the true sting of this prank only when I pulled into camp and witnessed a half-dozen members and Scott standing in the yard in full appreciation of the light show.” There’s a saying in show business that you

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should never perform with kids or animals because they’ll upstage you every time. That goes for deer camp pranks, too, because one of the best I’ve ever heard of involved an animal. It seems our unsuspecting victim was once again one of the first to hit the bunk, giving his so-called friends plenty of time to come up with this prank. After he was sound asleep, the rest of the crew snuck out to the barn, got an old billy goat, and tied a set of whitetail antlers to its head, but not for the reason you’re probably thinking. Instead of tying the goat up near his stand so that in the morning he’d see it and bag a trophy billy, they actually stuck it inside his stand. Returning to the lodge, the pranksters snuck back in and went to bed, but not before removing the victim’s flashlight from his backpack. Walking to his blind the next morning in the dark, the hunter wondered what he had done with his flashlight, but in the excitement didn’t worry much about it. He knew exactly where his stand was, so getting lost wasn’t a problem. Just as he had done countless times, he opened the window to his blind and slid his rifle inside. That’s when he heard the first sounds from the blind. That’s never a good feeling: Complete darkness, unarmed, and something (or someone) has decided to take up residence in your deer stand. Regaining his composure enough to think halfway straight, the hunter reached through the open window to grab his rifle, and about the time, the goat goes crazy, kicking so hard it knocks out one side of the blind. Backpedaling, trying to get away from whatever is trying to kill him, the victim tried to load his rifle, but discovered his buddies had removed all of his bullets. Stricken with panic and imagining what his eulogy might sound like, he hears the blood-curdling cry of the savage beast. Ba-aa-aa! A few hundred yards away, the roar of laughter echoed through the pre-dawn darkness. Revenge came a few days later when our victim duct-taped an alarm clock to the bottom of one of his buddies’ tripod stand, and set it to go off at 5:30 that afternoon. He wasn’t invited back to camp for quite a while after that, but I suspect it was worth it.

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by Calixto Gonzales, South Zone Fishing Editor & JD Moore, North Zone Fishing Editor

Snook to Snapper LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Brownsville Ship Channel GPS: N26 2.124, W97 13.108

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beasts when they’re sitting tight. A gold spoon is perfect for this application. When the fish spread out, fan-casting with bait or soft plastics is a better option.

Chattering Croaker Dupe Trout LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Badlands

GPS: N27 18.744, W97 27 24.903 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker/chatterweight; topwaters in Bone, red/white CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-985-

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BEST BAITS: live pinfish; gold spoons; Gulp! bait/Old Bayside float CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Trout and redfish are spread out all over the King Ranch shoreline. Watch for grass edges and depth breaks and fish them early with either gold spoons or a 3-inch Gulp! tail under an Old Bayside Paradise Popper. Use a live pinfish/Chatterweight combo if you are fishing the deeper grasslines and potholes. Wherever you fish, work the area slowly and thoroughly. LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Emmord’s Hole GPS: N27 30.057, W97 19.546 SPECIES: redfish, speckled trout BEST BAITS: live pinfish; gold spoons; Gulp!/Old Bayside Paradise Popper float; soft plastics in Tequila Gold CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Focus on the grasslines in where the depth breaks are for lurking trout and prowling redfish. Fish along the edge of the grassline with noisy rigs. Later in the afternoon, keep an eye for tailing redfish in the shallow water. Once you sight them, throw a 1/4-ounce weedless spoon (the hammered pattern is most effective) and work it back across their noses. Norton tails in Tequila Gold are also very effective.

Smoke Up a Red LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Madame Johnson Bayou

GPS: N21 50.51, W93 47.22 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters in white/silver; plastics in Pearl/chartreuse, Glow/chartreuse, Smoke/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: Plenty of baitfish get pushed out of Madame Johnson’s on the outgoing tide, and predators are there to feed on them. Topwaters are the ticket in the morning. Watch for birds collecting and diving on bait that gets pushed up by a feeding school. Soft plastics worked around the edges will

find bigger fish that don’t want to compete with the young ‘uns that are tearing up bait. Don’t be surprised if you latch onto a big gafftop; snot sharks love to school up on bait, too.

Opening Night, Cheyenne Gold; Gulp! baits CONTACT: Captain Shane Chesson, 409284-8616, www.thedrakeplantation.com TIPS: There is a reason that the jetties are a classic area to fish in the summer. Watch for bait schooling near the rocks. Fish live croaker or soft plastics around them. Fish a deeper than the schools are holding to trigger fish that are keying on wounded or straying baitfish.

LOCATION: Sabine Pass HOTSPOT: Louisiana Beachfront GPS: N29 41.482, W93 42.325 SPECIES: speckled trout, Gulf trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics in Opening Night, Closing Night CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: The gas wells that dot the beachfront are loaded with trout in late summer. Anchor around a wellhead and fish around the legs and current eddies of the wells with soft plastics for steady to spectacular action. Some wells will have specks, others will have some of the largest Gulf trout (silver trout) you’ve ever seen, and others will have a mix of the two. (Gulf trout strongly resemble sand trout. The only way to distinguish between them is to count the rays of the anal fin; sand trout have 8-9 rays, while Gulf trout have 8-11.) Use a minimum of 12pound-test line with some abrasion resistance, or you’re going to end up retying a lot.

Catfish Summer LOCATION: Coleto Creek HOTSPOT: Coletoville Road Bridge (bank access) GPS: N28 45.813, W98 9.882.

SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: shrimp, chicken liver, cut bait CONTACT: Coleto Creek Park, 361-5756366 TIPS: Cats are moving up the creek, and the bridge pilings and hardwoods are holding areas. Fish chicken livers or cut baits on Carolina rigs near the pilings or brush to locate them. Most run 1-2 pounds, but some larger cats up to 10 pounds are caught every year. Easy access from the bank means that this is a good place to kill an afternoon without having to spring for boat gas.

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N29 21.352, W94 43.150 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: live croaker; soft plastics in A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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LOCATION: Delta Lake HOTSPOT: FM 88 Bridge GPS: N26 24.55 W97 57.290 &

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SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: live or cut shad; shrimp, beef liver, prepared baits CONTACT: Delta Lake Tackle, 956-2623385 TIPS: As the local farmers irrigate, the lake draws down and concentrates fish in deeper areas. Use fresh cut gizzard shad for best results. Don’t be surprised if you also latch into some very large freshwater drum, or even a large crappie. All these fish congregate together in the deeper water. LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Big Tiger GPS: N26 44.326, W99 8.750 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: prepared baits, cut bait, night crawlers CONTACT: Falcon Lake Tackle, 956-7654866 TIPS: Falcon has so many catfish that you can forget that bass are what the lake is best known for. Summer really seems to trigger a catfish jamboree. Any bait seems to work, whether it is mackerel, shad, dip baits, or night crawlers. These fish aren’t picky. Fish under a float to hold your bait above submerged timber and to serve as an exciting strike detector. If you see a boat dead in the water out there, that’s my friend and fishing partner Robert Garcia. Give him a tow. He probably scrimped on gas again.

Sandy Bubbles LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Bubbler GPS: N31 54.871, W97 11.656

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BANK ACCESS: Tailrace Fishing Pier, white bass on jigs, Kastmaster spoons LOCATION: Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir HOTSPOT: Timbered Shoreline GPS: N31 02.116, W97 34.723 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: topwater early; jigworm or Texas rig CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, 254-368-7411, Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com TIPS: If you haven’t been to Stillhouse in a while, please know we lost 100 percent of our hydrilla to flooding last year, so it is a whole new ballgame now as compared to the last decade of quality grass fishing. Look for topwater during stable weather conditions up through 9 a.m. Bass Assassin-style soft plastics and Zara Spook-style hard baits to match the forage size will do well. After topwater dies, go with Watermelon Seed or Smoke with blue/red fleck soft plastics in and around emergent and submerged timber. BANK ACCESS: Marina Ramp, bream on worms/bobber LOCATION: Belton Lake HOTSPOT: Back of Cedar Creek GPS: N31 09.881, W97 27.484 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: deep-diving cranks and Carolina Rigs CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, 254-368 7411, Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com TIPS: This creek has abundant shad typically holding over the shoulders of the submerged creek channel. In the upper end, a deep-diving crankbait on light line can scrape these shoulders. Once fish are located, fish a Carolina rig to thoroughly cover the area. BANK ACCESS: Temple Lake Park LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point GPS: N33 03.343, W96 30.384 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Trap, Bandit crankbait, spinnerbait, Texas and Carolina rigs CONTACT: Jeff Kirkwood, 800-965-0350, jeff@jeffkirkwood.com TIPS: During the day, white and shad colors are going to be the better choices. Work any riprap you can find. Work main lake points. This is the key to finding fish. Behind the big F i s h

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island on the main body of the lake is also an excellent place to throw a Carolina rig in Watermelon Seed or Green Pumpkin. You can also fish at night using dark-colored spinnerbaits, worms, buzzbaits, the Bandit crankbait, and even jigs, all in dark colors. BANK ACCESS: Ticky Creek Park, largemouth bass on crankbaits, spinnerbaits LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Old Flat Creek Roadbed GPS: N32 11.818 W95 30.666 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina rig with creature bait, lizards, French Fries, flukes; crankbaits in perch and shad colors CONTACT: Don Mattern, 903-724-1203, donmat@earthlink.net TIPS: Bass will seek out cover near the deeper water in the hot months of summer. Deeper cover that holds shad concentration will be good. Crankbaits bounced along the old roadbed has produced some really big bass. Drop-shot the creek channels with a 4inch worm. Good colors for the Carolina rig and drop-shot is Watermelon. BANK ACCESS: Dam Park, bass, catfish, crappie on Rat-L-Traps; pockets and rock wall LOCATION: Lake Richland Chambers HOTSPOTS: Light House Point and Light House Flat GPS: N31 56.400, W96 08.240 / N31 56.420, W96 08.130 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina and Texas rigs in Watermelon Red and Red Shad CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, 817-929-0675Cell, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: You can catch fish at two locations at the Lighthouse, one on both main lake points and the other the flat just to the left of the last boathouse. Target the shady side of boat docks and walkways. Fish a Carolina rig with a 2- to 4-foot leader with a 3/0 hook, and a 3/4-ounce or 1/2 ounce Tru-Tungsten and (2) 8mm force beads. I use Kicker Fish Kicker Kraw (creature bait) in Watermelon Red or Red Shad. Drag a C-rig across main lake points, targeting water from 10 to 15 feet deep. If you fish a drop-shot these on these two areas it can be productive also. BANK ACCESS: Midway Landing, catfish, crappie, largemouth; either side of the ramp

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LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Yankee Creek GPS: N32 49.837, W96 30.049 SPECIES: hybrid stripers, white bass BEST BAITS: live shad, jigging spoons, Xcite swim baits CONTACT: Jeff Kirkwood, 800-965-0350, jeff@jeffkirkwood.com TIPS: The above species are abundant this time of year. The mouths of other major creeks will also produce. Slowly work live shad at or near bottom in 18 to 30 feet of water. You can also try Xcite swim baits near the power plant and the dam. BANK ACCESS: Bay View Marina, crappie on minnows, bass on Brush Hogs LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Washita and Mill Creek Flats GPS: N32 51.849, W96 48.761 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Rip Tide Curltailers; topwaters CONTACT: Bill Carey, 903-647-4022, bigfish@striperexpress.com TIPS: The big fish move onto the flats in August. Early mornings cast pencil poppers and chug bugs on the shallow banks. Midmorning change your lures to Rip Tide Curltailers and Sassy Shad soft plastics. Concentrate on the flats that run about 20 feet in depth. Locate the creek channels and dropoffs; these are the routes that the fish use to move up from deep water to feed. Later in the month, the seagulls arrive. Pay close attention to the birds, as they are your best fish-finders. BANK ACCESS: East Juniper Point and Washita Point, watch for stripers chasing shad along bank LOCATION: Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Mid Dam Hole GPS: N31 33.540, W96 58.466 SPECIES: red drum BEST BAITS: deep-running crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, 254-7442104, rayado@earthlink.net TIPS: Tradinghouse is a power plant lake. The deep water out from the center of the dam is some of the coolest water in the lake during the summer months. Crank the lure deep, then retrieve, letting crankbait float up a little before cranking again. Repeat until the lure is on the surface. Also try trolling a medium running crankbait about 30 feet out from the riprap along the dam. BANK ACCESS: Park adjacent to South Levee, Texas rig for largemouth, stinkbait for catfish, crankbaits for reds

LOCATION: Lake Waco HOTSPOT: Dam Riprap GPS: N31 34.961, W97 12.038 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas rig with Watermelon Red worm; chrome/blue crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, 254-7442104, rayado@earthlink.net TIPS: Position your boat about 30 feet off the dam and pitch a Texas rig onto concrete face of dam, drag back slowly, bumping bottom. Work back and forth along the dam. Alternate with deep diving crankbaits. The deep water off the dam is some of the coldest water in Lake Waco this time of year. BANK ACCESS: Reynold’s Creek Park fishing area, largemouth on spinnerbaits and plastics, white bass on shallow crankbaits LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Sand Point GPS: N31 55.236, W97 20.855 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Tail Hummers, chrome Rat-LTraps, 3/4-ounce slabs CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539, teamrednecko1@hotmail.com TIPS: There will be early and late schooling action on the above mentioned baits. After the sun rises, back off the area and look for stacked schools of white bass on ledges. Use 3/4-ounce chartreuse slabs and bounce off bottom, keeping a tight line on the fall. The fish will hit on the fall. BANK ACCESS: Loafer Bend Shore, stripers and whites on topwaters; watch for stripers chasing shad along shore

Fork Over the Bass LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Mustang Point GPS: N32 51.300, W95 36.923 SPECIES: largemouth bass

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ALL GPS COORDINATES VERIFIED BY

Gene Larew Hawg Craw in black/blue color. BANK ACCESS: Fishing pier at the Minnow Bucket; or off the bank at Oakridge Marina LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Tire reef off SRA Point GPS: N32 50.070, W95 32.028 SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: 1/32- to 1/8-ounce jigs; small minnows CONTACT: Michael Rogge, 903-383-3406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Most times, colors do not make much difference, but if you are not getting bit, change jig color. When fishing minnows, try a slip cork, working the cork up and down the line until you establish the depth that the crappie bite best. BANK ACCESS: Fishing pier at the Minnow Bucket; or off the bank at Oakridge Marina LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn - South HOTSPOT: 414 Roadbed near Easley Flats GPS: N31 10.855, W93 59.272 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina rigs with creature baits, lizards, French Fries, flukes in Watermelon; shad colored crankbaits CONTACT: Don Mattern, 903-724-1203Cell, donmat@earthlink.net TIPS: August is one of the hottest months of the year and largemouth bass will look for cover near deeper waters that hold shad concentrations. Roadbeds hold cover and the concentration of shad will hold bass near. The old 414 roadbed located near Easley flats was a two-lane hard bottom road that runs all the way across the Little Creek Sandy across the Easley Flat area. Work the sides of the roadbed. Crankbaits that run just off the bottom or a-foot above will produce quality bass. BANK ACCESS: Powell Park Marina Fishing Pier LOCATION: Lake Toledo Bend South HOTSPOT: Housing Bay GPS: N31 17.683, W93 44.927 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: chrome/blue back or chrome/black back Chug Bug; Carolina rig CONTACT: Jim Morris, 409-579-3485, cypresscreekmarina@valornet.com TIPS: Work the Chug Bug early and late I12

• A U G U S T

2 0 0 8 /

T E X A S

around the surface grass. During the mid-day, look for submerged grass in 12 to 15 feet of water. Fish a Carolina rig, using a Watermelon Red or Strawberry metal flake worm. BANK ACCESS: Ragtown Recreation Area, catfish on live bait fished slowly

Cranky Bass LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point

GPS: N30 48.332, W98 23.868 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: white crankbaits; Shaky Head Crème Green Pumpkin worms CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: The water will be lightly stained. Working the above baits in 8 to 15 feet of water on secondary and main lake points will be your best bet. BANK ACCESS: Jacker’s Cove off Camp Road 690, stripers, largemouth bass LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Colorado River GPS: N30 40.212, W98 26.482 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: JDC Skip-N-Poop; wacky rigged Watermelon Red Crème Whacky Sticks in dark colors CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: The above baits will be good from first light until around 8 a.m. Your target area should be 8 to 12 feet of water near laydowns and other wood covered areas. BANK ACCESS: Hwy 1431 Bridge, crappie, largemouth, catfish LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Turkey Cove GPS: N29 51.529, W98 13.116 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: drop-shot rig with Watermelon Red Crème Whacky Sticks and JDC Tomatoes; red grubs in Rootbeer, Watermelon F i s h

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: The water will be clear to slightly offcolor in some areas. The largemouth bite will be good in early morning hours until around 8 a.m. along main lake points and bluffs. Drop-shotting points near Turkey cove have produced well for both smallmouth and largemouth. BANK ACCESS: Potter’s Creek, spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps for largemouth bass

Buzz Up a Bass LOCATION: Lake Brownwood HOTSPOT: Rocky Creek GPS: N31 49.701, W99 03.877

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: white buzzbaits, small swimbaits; Texas-rigged Green Pumpkin Speedcraws CONTACT: Wendell Ramsey, 325-2274931, bram4@suddenlink.net TIPS: Start early with the buzzbait on either bank and work toward the back of the creek. As the sun rises, work the swimbait next to the many docks. Flip the gator weed in the back of the creek. Fish will move in and out of the weed all day long even on the hottest days. BANK ACCESS: Lighted fishing pier, crappie, largemouth, freshwater drum Contact South Regional Fishing Editor Calixto Gonzales by email at hotspotssouth@fishgame.com Contact North Regional Fishing Editor JD Moore by email at hotspotsnorth@fishgame.com

For MORE HOTSPOT listings, go to our website and click CURRENT ISSUE ARTICLES

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Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008 USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

The following pages contain TIDE and SOLUNAR predictions for Galveston Channel (29.3166° N, 94.88° W).

T12

T11

T10

TIDE PREDICTIONS are located in the upper white boxes on the Calendar Pages. Use the Correction Table below, which is keyed to 23 other tide stations, to adjust low and high tide times.

T9 T8

T13 T7

T6 T17

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

T15 T16

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY data is provided to indicate major and minor feeding periods for each day, as the daily phases of the moon have varying degrees of influence on a wide variety of wildlife species.

T20

T21

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE Add or subtract the time shown at the right

of the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine the adjustment from the time shown for GALVESTON CHANNEL in the calendars.

KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

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

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

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

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

T22 T23

View TIDE PREDICTIONS for all Texas Coastal Tide Stations and DATES at...

www.FishGame.com 2 0 0 8 /

T E X A S

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

KEY PLACE T12 Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay T13 Gilchrist, East Bay T14 Jamaica Beach, W. Bay T15 Alligator Point, W. Bay T16 Christmas Pt T17 Galveston Pleasure Pier

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

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

KEY T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23

PLACE San Luis Pass Freeport Harbor Pass Cavallo Aransas Pass Padre Island (So. End) Port Isabel

SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK IS SPONSORED BY:

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

• A U G U S T

TIDE PREDICTIONS are shown in graph form, with High and Low tide predictions in text immediately below.

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

T14 T18

T19

I14

T3 T2 T1

F i s h

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

HIGH -0.09 -0:44 0:00 -0:03 -0:24 +1:02

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

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Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

TUESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

3 1

SATURDAY

z Aug 1

SUNDAY

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 2:12a

Set: 8:10p Set: 5:02p

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 3:13a

Set: 8:09p Set: 6:06p

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 4:21a

Set: 8:08p Set: 7:02p

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 5:32a

Set: 8:08p Set: 7:50p

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 6:43a

Set: 8:07p Set: 8:31p

Sunrise: 6:36a Moonrise: 7:51a

Set: 8:06p Set: 9:06p

Sunrise: 6:36a Moonrise: 8:54a

Set: 8:06p Set: 9:38p

AM Minor: 1:53a

PM Minor: 2:25p

AM Minor: 2:50a

PM Minor: 3:22p

AM Minor: 3:48a

PM Minor: 4:19p

AM Minor: 4:46a

PM Minor: 5:16p

AM Minor: 5:43a

PM Minor: 6:11p

AM Minor: 6:39a

PM Minor: 7:04p

AM Minor: 7:32a

PM Minor: 7:56p

AM Major: 8:09a

PM Major: 8:41p

AM Major: 9:06a

PM Major: 9:38p

AM Major: 10:04a

PM Major: 10:35p

AM Major: 11:01a

PM Major: 11:31p

AM Major: 11:57a

PM Major: ——-

AM Major: 12:26a

PM Major: 12:51p

AM Major: 1:20a

PM Major: 1:44p

Moon Overhead: 9:36a

12a

WEDNESDAY

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:44a

Moon Overhead: 10:40a

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 12:45p 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 2:33p

Moon Overhead: 1:41p

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 3:20p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

12a

FEET

+2.0

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 10:08p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 11:12p BEST:

8:00-9:50 AM

Moon Underfoot: None BEST:

8:55-11:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 12:15a

Moon Underfoot: 1:13a

BEST:

9:50AM-12:10PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:07a

BEST:

10:50AM-1:05PM

BEST:

11:45AM-2:00PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:57a BEST:

12:35-2:50 PM

+1.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

-1.0

+2.0

1:30-3:45 PM

High Tide: 5:06 am Low Tide: 7:38 pm

1.60 ft High Tide: 5:28 am -0.65 ft Low Tide: 8:37 pm

1.66 ft High Tide: 5:55 am -0.74 ft Low Tide: 9:33 pm

1.65 ft High Tide: -0.74 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:19 am 10:52 am 1:38 pm 10:25 pm

1.59 ft 1.42 ft 1.46 ft -0.65 ft

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

6:40 am 11:11 am 3:10 pm 11:12 pm

1.49 ft 1.26 ft 1.41 ft -0.47 ft

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

7:00 am 11:48 am 4:29 pm 11:57 pm

1.39 ft High Tide: 7:19 am 1.30 ft 1.05 ft Low Tide: 12:31 pm 0.83 ft 1.34 ft High Tide: 5:47 pm 1.24 ft -0.22 ft

KEYS TO USING THE TIDE AND SOLUNAR GRAPHS TIDE LE VEL GRAPH: Yellow: Daylight Tab: Peak Fishing Period Green: Falling Tide Blue: Rising Tide Red Graph: Fishing Score

12a

BEST:

7:05-9:40 PM

12p

SOLUNAR AC TIVIT Y: 12a

AM/PM Timeline Light Blue: Nighttime

MINOR Feeding Periods (+/- 1.5 Hrs.)

AM Minor: 1:20a

PM Minor: 1:45p

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Major: 7:57p

Time Moon is at its Highest Point in the 12a Sky

Moon Overhead: 8:50a

Gold Fish: Best Time Blue Fish: Good Time

AM/PM Timeline

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

12p

MOON PHASE SYMBOLS

MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)

12a

A L M A N A C / T E X A S

Time Moon is Directly Underfoot (at its peak on opposite side of the earth)

F i s h

z {

= New Moon = Fi rst Quarter = Full Moon = L a s t Q u a r te r = Best Da y

G a m e ® / A U G U S T

2 0 0 8

•

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-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

z z

BEST:

= Peak Fishing 7:45-9:40 AM Period = FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

MONDAY

TUESDAY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Set: 8:02p Set: None

Sunrise: 6:40a Moonrise: 2:42p

AM Minor: 8:24a

PM Minor: 8:46p

AM Minor: 9:14a

PM Minor: 9:36p

AM Minor: 10:03a

PM Minor: 10:24p

AM Minor: 10:50a

PM Minor: 11:13p

AM Minor: 11:38a

PM Minor: ——-

AM Major: 2:13a

PM Major: 2:35p

AM Major: 3:03a

PM Major: 3:25p

AM Major: 3:52a

PM Major: 4:13p

AM Major: 4:39a

PM Major: 5:02p

AM Major: 5:26a

PM Major: 5:49p

Moon Overhead: 4:05p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 5:32p

Moon Overhead: 4:48p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 6:17p

12a

12p

12a

Set: 8:01p Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 12:17a Moonrise: 3:37p

Set: 8:00p Set: 12:57a

AM Minor: 12:00a

PM Minor: 12:24p

AM Minor: 12:46a

PM Minor: 1:11p

AM Major: 6:12a

PM Major: 6:36p

AM Major: 6:58a

PM Major: 7:23p

Moon Overhead: 7:51p

Moon Overhead: 7:03p 12a

SUNDAY

12p

Moon Overhead: 8:41p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:37a Moonrise: 9:54a

Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

= New Moon = Fi r s t Q u a r t e r = Fu l l M o o n = Last Quarte r = B es t Da y

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 3:43a +2.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 4:27a BEST:

230-4:20 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:10a

Moon Underfoot: 5:54a

BEST:

3:20-4:05 PM

BEST:

3:45-5:20 AM

Moon Underfoot: 6:40a BEST:

4:55-8:50 PM

Moon Underfoot: 7:27a BEST:

11:30AM-2:05PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:16a +2.0

BEST:

12:15-1:30 PM

7:15-8:50 PM

+1.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

-1.0

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

I16

12:37 am 7:35 am 1:18 pm 7:08 pm

0.08 ft 1.23 ft 0.61 ft 1.15 ft

• A U G U S T

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

1:15 am 7:50 am 2:07 pm 8:38 pm

2 0 0 8 /

0.40 ft 1.18 ft 0.42 ft 1.09 ft

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

T E X A S

1:48 am 7:59 am 2:58 pm 10:25 pm

F i s h

0.70 ft 1.16 ft 0.27 ft 1.08 ft

Low Tide: 2:11 am High Tide: 7:58 am Low Tide: 3:54 pm

0.97 ft 1.17 ft 0.15 ft

High Tide: 6:46 am Low Tide: 4:53 pm

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

1.22 ft 0.07 ft

High Tide: 5:03 am Low Tide: 5:55 pm

1.35 ft 0.01 ft

High Tide: 5:13 am Low Tide: 6:54 pm

1.44 ft -0.03 ft

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

7:45-9:40 AM

= Peak Fishing Period

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

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

1 5

SUNDAY

1 6

{ 17

Sunrise: 6:41a Moonrise: 4:30p

Set: 7:59p Set: 1:42a

Sunrise: 6:42a Moonrise: 5:19p

Set: 7:58p Set: 2:33a

Sunrise: 6:42a Moonrise: 6:04p

Set: 7:57p Set: 3:27a

Sunrise: 6:43a Moonrise: 6:45p

Set: 7:56p Set: 4:26a

Sunrise: 6:43a Moonrise: 7:21p

Set: 7:55p Set: 5:25a

Sunrise: 6:44a Moonrise: 7:54p

Set: 7:55p Set: 6:26a

Sunrise: 6:44a Moonrise: 8:26p

Set: 7:54p Set: 7:25a

AM Minor: 1:32a

PM Minor: 1:57p

AM Minor: 2:18a

PM Minor: 2:43p

AM Minor: 3:03a

PM Minor: 3:29p

AM Minor: 3:49a

PM Minor: 4:14p

AM Minor: 4:35a

PM Minor: 4:59p

AM Minor: 5:21a

PM Minor: 5:44p

AM Minor: 6:07a

PM Minor: 6:30p

AM Major: 7:44a

PM Major: 8:10p

AM Major: 8:30a

PM Major: 8:56p

AM Major: 9:16a

PM Major: 9:41p

AM Major: 10:02a

PM Major: 10:26p

AM Major: 10:47a

PM Major: 11:11p

AM Major: 11:32a

PM Major: 11:56p

AM Major: ——-

PM Major: 12:18p

Moon Overhead: 9:31p 6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:13p

Moon Overhead: 10:22p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: None 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 12:50a

Moon Overhead: 12:03a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 1:37a 12a

12p

FEET

BEST:

8:00-9:45 PM

Moon Underfoot: 9:57a BEST:

2:40-5:15 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:48a BEST:

3:20-6:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:38a BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 12:27p BEST:

9:55-11:50 AM

Moon Underfoot: 1:14p BEST:

10:40AM-12:45PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:59p +2.0

BEST:

11:25AM-11:20PM

12:15P-2:05 PM

+1.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

-1.0

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 9:06a +2.0

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

12a

Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

High Tide: 5:35 am Low Tide: 7:46 pm

1.49 ft High Tide: 5:49 am -0.08 ft Low Tide: 8:31 pm

1.50 ft High Tide: 5:48 am -0.11 ft Low Tide: 9:08 pm

1.49 ft High Tide: -0.13 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

5:48 am 11:03 am 12:56 pm 9:42 pm

1.48 ft 1.36 ft 1.37 ft -0.12 ft

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

5:55 am 10:36 am 2:12 pm 10:13 pm

1.47 ft 1.29 ft 1.37 ft -0.08 ft

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

6:06 am 10:50 am 3:16 pm 10:44 pm

1.46 ft 1.18 ft 1.35 ft 0.01 ft

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

6:20 am 11:17 am 4:19 pm 11:17 pm

1.43 ft 1.03 ft 1.33 ft 0.16 ft

-1.0

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z z

Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008 MONDAY

TUESDAY

1 9

12a

Sunrise: 6:45a Moonrise: 8:56p

Set: 7:53p Set: 8:24a

Sunrise: 6:46a Moonrise: 9:26p

Set: 7:52p Set: 9:23a

Sunrise: 6:46a Moonrise: 9:59p

AM Minor: 6:55a

PM Minor: 7:17p

AM Minor: 7:44a

PM Minor: 8:06p

AM Major: 12:43a

PM Major: 1:06p

AM Major: 1:32a

PM Major: 1:55p

Moon Overhead: 2:21a 6a

12p

12a

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Set: 7:51p Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 7:49p Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 7:50p Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 10:24a Moonrise: 10:36p Set: 11:29a Moonrise: 11:18p Set: 12:36p Moonrise: None

Set: 7:47p Set: 1:44p

AM Minor: 8:35a

PM Minor: 8:59p

AM Minor: 9:30a

PM Minor: 9:55p

AM Minor: 10:26a

PM Minor: 10:54p

AM Minor: 11:25a

PM Minor: 11:54p

AM Minor: 12:01a

PM Minor: 12:25p

AM Major: 2:24a

PM Major: 2:47p

AM Major: 3:17a

PM Major: 3:42p

AM Major: 4:13a

PM Major: 4:40p

AM Major: 5:11a

PM Major: 5:40p

AM Major: 6:10a

PM Major: 6:40p

Moon Overhead: 3:52a

Moon Overhead: 3:06a 12a

THURSDAY

12p

Moon Overhead: 4:40a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 6:28a

Moon Overhead: 5:32a 12a

12p

Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 7:46p Moonrise: 12:07a Set: 2:52p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 7:27a 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

1 8

WEDNESDAY

= New Moon = Fi r s t Q u a r t e r = Fu l l M o o n = Last Quarte r = B es t Da y

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 2:44p +2.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 3:28p BEST:

12:40-3:55 AM

1:30-4:05 AM

Moon Underfoot: 4:15p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 5:05p BEST:

2:20-5:10

Moon Underfoot: 5:59p BEST:

3:10-5:20 AM

Moon Underfoot: 6:57p BEST:

4:10-6:15 AM

Moon Underfoot: 7:58p +2.0

BEST:

5:30-8:55 PM

6:35-9:10 PM

+1.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

-1.0

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

6:33 am 11:50 am 5:27 pm 11:50 pm

1.40 ft 0.85 ft 1.30 ft 0.36 ft

High Tide: 6:43 am 1.35 ft Low Tide: 12:27 pm 0.64 ft High Tide: 6:44 pm 1.28 ft

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

12:25 am 6:49 am 1:09 pm 8:12 pm

0.62 ft 1.33 ft 0.42 ft 1.28 ft

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

1:00 am 6:47 am 1:58 pm 9:57 pm

0.90 ft 1.34 ft 0.20 ft 1.32 ft

A L M A N A C / T E X A S

Low Tide: 1:33 am High Tide: 6:31 am Low Tide: 2:55 pm

F i s h

1.18 ft 1.41 ft 0.01 ft

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

12:19 am 1:46 am 6:00 am 4:01 pm

1.43 ft High Tide: 5:27 am 1.43 ft Low Tide: 5:14 pm 1.52 ft -0.14 ft

G a m e ® / A U G U S T

2 0 0 8

1.65 ft -0.25 ft

•

I19

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

z z

BEST:

= Peak Fishing 7:45-9:40 AM Period = FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

2 9

SUNDAY

Sunrise: 6:49a Moonrise: 1:04a

Set: 7:45p Set: 3:55p

Sunrise: 6:49a Moonrise: 2:07a

Set: 7:44p Set: 4:52p

Sunrise: 6:50a Moonrise: 3:15a

Set: 7:43p Set: 5:42p

Sunrise: 6:50a Moonrise: 4:25a

Set: 7:42p Set: 6:25p

Sunrise: 6:51a Moonrise: 5:32a

Set: 7:41p Set: 7:02p

Sunrise: 6:52a Moonrise: 6:37a

Set: 7:40p Set: 7:35p

Sunrise: 6:52a Moonrise: 7:38a

Set: 7:39p Set: 8:05p

AM Minor: 12:53a

PM Minor: 1:24p

AM Minor: 1:50a

PM Minor: 2:21p

AM Minor: 2:45a

PM Minor: 3:15p

AM Minor: 3:38a

PM Minor: 4:06p

AM Minor: 4:28a

PM Minor: 4:54p

AM Minor: 5:16a

PM Minor: 5:40p

AM Minor: 6:03a

PM Minor: 6:26p

AM Major: 7:08a

PM Major: 7:40p

AM Major: 8:06a

PM Major: 8:36p

AM Major: 9:00a

PM Major: 9:30p

AM Major: 9:52a

PM Major: 10:19p

AM Major: 10:41a

PM Major: 11:06p

AM Major: 11:28a

PM Major: 11:52p

AM Major: ——-

PM Major: 12:15p

Moon Overhead: 8:29a 6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 10:32a

Moon Overhead: 9:31a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:29a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 1:10p

Moon Overhead: 12:21p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 1:56p 12a

12p

FEET

+2.0

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 9:00p BEST:

7:05-9:05 AM

Moon Underfoot: 10:02p BEST:

8:00-9:50 AM

Moon Underfoot: 11:01p BEST:

3:10-5:10 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:55p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: None BEST:

9:45-11:45 AM

Moon Underfoot: 12:46a BEST:

10:50AM-1:10PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:33a BEST:

11:20AM-1:55PM

+2.0

12:10-3:15PM

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TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

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SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

12a

Tides and Prime Times for AUGUST 2008

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

= New Moon = Fi r s t Q u a r t e r = Fu l l M o o n = Last Quarte r = B es t Da y

High Tide: 4:49 am Low Tide: 6:27 pm

1.75 ft High Tide: 4:43 am -0.34 ft Low Tide: 7:35 pm

1.78 ft High Tide: 4:54 am -0.37 ft Low Tide: 8:34 pm

1.74 ft High Tide: -0.35 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

5:07 am 10:01 am 1:10 pm 9:28 pm

1.66 ft 1.46 ft 1.54 ft -0.24 ft

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

5:20 am 10:10 am 2:40 pm 10:15 pm

1.56 ft 1.27 ft 1.53 ft -0.07 ft

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

5:33 am 10:37 am 3:55 pm 10:57 pm

1.48 ft 1.05 ft 1.52 ft 0.17 ft

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

5:46 am 11:12 am 5:06 pm 11:37 pm

1.41 ft 0.82 ft 1.49 ft 0.44 ft

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Costa Lenses Cut the Smoke

PHOTO BY DON ZAIDLE

When selecting a new pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses a while back, I noted in the description of the 580 lens option something interesting: “sharper contrast, better defini-

tion and enhanced colors in any environment” and of the Copper lens color, “cuts glare and enhances contrast and color, providing eye comfort in any conditions.” The “any environment” and “any conditions” bits were especially intriguing, and I fiendishly machinated a real-world test of the claims—a test of fire. Well, not so much fire as smoke. As a volunteer firefighter in rural Texas (read “out in the boondocks”), I often work in conditions of smoke so thick visibility is in single-digit feet when fighting wildland fires. The need to see hazards and obstacles in such conditions is obvious. Would these “any environment, any conditions” lenses cut the mustard—or smoke, as it were—under such extreme conditions? The short answer is “yes.” The first opportunity to test was at a relatively small brush fire burning on both sides of a deep, narrow gully. Terrain and heavy brush barred taking fire apparatus across the gully, so we set up high-pressure monitors and applied water across the chasm. I noted the I22

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water was not hitting the hotspots, and directed the streams by calling instructions to the firefighters manning the monitors: “A little left, now up a hair...that’s it! Pour it on!” I was at first a bit perplexed by the inaccurate aim of the water cannoneers. Can’t they see the same thing I am seeing? I thought. We are only a few feet apart. Then it dawned on me: They can’t see what I am seeing—it’s the Costas! The smoke between us and the active portion of the fire was almost palpable, restricting visibility to about 10 feet across the 50-foot gully. Looking through the Costa 580 lenses, I could see active flame, ground embers, and unburned fuel across the expanse. Without the glasses (experimentally removed), I could not see spit. I handed the glasses to another firefighter, Lt. Darr Spencer, and said, “Here, try these.” “Damn! That’s amazing!” he said. “Where’d you get these? ” I just smiled sardonically and said, “Gimme back my glasses.” I need not tell you how well these glasses work under “ordinary” conditions. They passed the smoke test (electronic techs and engineers will get the hidden joke)—what more could one ask. Contact: Costa Del Mar, 800-447-3700, www.costadelmar.com —Don Zaidle

Prevent Bladder Bloat Mishaps

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ed stainless-steel venting needle, and is the safest I have ever seen or used. It works like a dream. Team Marine USA info on the tool states: “The Pre-Vent was invented, designed and developed to humanely, quickly, and easily deflate the abdominal cavities of all reef fish.” It certainly achieves those goals. The needle has two exposure lengths, 11/4 and 2-5/16 inches. Length used depends on the fish size: start short, and use max length only if needed. With the needle fully retracted, accidental punctures to the fisherman wielding it are a thing of the past. The 7-inch long Pre-Vent tool is available in two models: The Pro Series PV-1, with an aluminum body, stainless steel spring, and needle retails for $39.95. The Pre Vent Angler Series PV-2 has a UV stabilized polymer body and the same internal components as the PV-1 and retails at $23.95. Both have lifetime warranties. A third version, the Pro Mini Series PV3, will be available in the very near future. Contact: Team Marine USA, 888-4646423, www.teammarineusa.us —Patrick Lemire

A Choice Cut

Whether you are cutting fillets from your catch or chunks for bait, you need a sharp blade—one that is strong, too. That’s not a problem in the kitchen, but on the boat, steel knives corrode or go dull in short order. Even if they don’t, it always seems like the tips get bent or broken when you are trying to get through a backbone or fish head. What could be better than steel? Titanium. Unfortunately, that material costs an arm and a leg, which is why Old Harbor Outfitters has come out with a new line of knives made of steel with titanium in it, called “titanium-bonded steel.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF PRE-VENT

PHOTO COURTESY OF OLD HARBOR OUTFITTERS

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Titanium is fused with the steel through a heat treatment process. Since the actual volume of titanium is far lower than were the entire blade was made of it, price stays reasonable. Most sell for between $20 and $25. (Snippers and several different types of knives are also available.)

Although the plastic handles are nothing fancy, they should last for eons, as will that titanium-fused blade. The two are brought together with full tang construction, which means the metal extends all the way from the tip of the blade to the base of the handle, providing maximum durability and control. Old Harbor Outfitters guarantees the blades to be three times stronger than stainless-steel alone. Of course, we didn’t believe it until we tried it. To test the claim, I put a fillet knife in the holder on my open center console (note this one downside—they don’t come with a sheath) and made sure they got a salt-spray soaking each and every fishing trip. I didn’t rinse them off one single time, mercilessly ground the blade against fish backbones and scales, and even pried with the tip. The

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knife survived the ordeal without damage. I didn’t think that was sufficient abuse, so I used the knife for the worst possible task any blade can face—opening an oyster. Again, it came through with flying colors, earning the Old Harbor Outfitters knife a respected place in my boat’s knife holder. Contact: Old Harbor Outfitters, 203540-5150, www.oldharboroutfitters.com — LR

Falcon Cara T7 You want a medium-light spinning rod designed specifically for low-diameter braid? Check out the Falcon Cara T7. I tested a 6foot, 6-inch, CS-4-166M-T7 (rated for 1/8-

Continued on Page I-24

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Improve the Way You Fish

Midcoast redefines the fishing cork. Visit Micoast online at www.midcoastproducts.com.

es meet strict ANSI Z80.3 eyewear standards for impact resistance, are exceptionally durable, and scratch resistant. The full wrap frames are made of virtually unbreakable lightweight nylon, and include a brow bar, under scoop, and polycarbonate side shields for 360? of protection. The frames also feature Flex2Fit® adjustable temples for an exact fit and a soft touch finish for ultimate comfort. Available in six sizes with amber, gray, copper or yellow lenses, there is a pair of Cocoons to fit over any prescription frame. MSRP of $44.95. All Live Eyewear sunglasses are designed to isolate the eyes from a number of harsh outdoor elements, such as damaging UV light, harsh glare, wind and other airborne irritants. The patented styles protect the eyes from the top, sides and bottom, providing 40% more protection from damaging UV rays than standard sunglasses. Each frame is backed by a limited lifetime warranty and includes a custom case and

Cocoons

TEXAS TESTED Continued from Page I-23 to 3/8-ounce lures) with a spinning reel loaded with 10-pound-test Power Pro braid, and discovered it can toss a jig a country mile. The Cara T7 is built on a graphite blank, has cork grips, Fuji ACS graphite reel seats, and Fuji Alconite Concept guides, which won’t become grooved by braid and allow it to pass smoothly through the eyes. The finish is matte black, with glossy epoxy over the wraps. This construction is tough enough that Falcon offers a limited lifetime warranty against defects in workmanship and material for as long as you I24

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own it. Patriotic Angler Bonus: Falcon is one of the few rods around that bears the “Made in the USA” label. Tossing 1/4-ounce jigs to a submerged rubble pile, the combination of high sensitivity and Power Pro braid line transmitted every movement, impact, and strike. The fast-action tip and strong mid-section helped me cross the eyes of stripers when I set the hook—even from long distances—and it had enough lifting power to pull a 30-incher clear of the water. Falcon designed the Cara Reaction rods in this series to deliver the perfect action when fishing baits such as crankbaits that trigger a reaction bite. The slower actions of F i s h

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this series of rods help land fish caught on treble hooks, which often pull out at boatside when there is no line-stretch to absorb sudden movements or surges. Other models in the Cara series include spinning and casting models from mediumlight to extra-heavy; four to 10-weight fly rods; and even a line of dedicated peacock bass rods designed to work large prop baits. Contact: Falcon Rods, 918-251-0020, www.falconrods.com —Lenny Rudow

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lens cloth. Available at all Bass Pro Shops and Cabelas stores or visit www.liveeyewear.com or call (800) 8342563.

Timberlines are Tough, Useful, Affordable

Developed for outdoor enthusiasts who appreciate great value, Columbia Sportswear Company’s new 10x42 binoculars are tough enough for anything Mother Nature can dish out. U.S. engineered for hunters and adventurers, these binoculars offer high-end features at a moderate price. A high-performance optical system with fully multi-coated lenses and Bak-4 prisms ensures excellent image quality. Close focus is 1.2 meters. The sleek, roof prism design is compact and stylish. Full metal body construction and textured rubber armor provide toughness. And no matter the conditions, these waterproof, nitrogen-filled binoculars won’t fog. Binoculars are sold with a protective, molded case and a moisture-wicking CoolNeck strap. Timberline binoculars are part of a complete optics collection introduced this year

Timberline 10x42 binoculars

Digital Hunter Shines in Light and Dark DigitalHunter DayNight is a digital riflescope functional during the day, twilight, and night. The DAYLIGHT mode provides the same excellent features, performance and operation during the day as DigitalHunter. The new LOW LIGHT mode provides dramatic low light performance during twilight. And when used with a commonly available near-infrared illuminator (purchased separately), DigitalHunter DayNight displays black and white imagery of objects at night. Ranges of up to 100 yards or more can be obtained depending on the power and power density of the nearinfrared (NIR) illuminator used. NIR illuminators - also called IR Flashlights - emit light essentially invisible to mammals but visible to DigitalHunter DayNight. DigitalHunter DayNight is a lower-cost, goodresolution alternative to image intensifier or thermal riflescopes. And since DigitalHunter DayNight is a digital riflescope, it has advantages not found in conventional

Cast Nets Offer Lead Alternative

Digital Hunter riflescope functions in all light conditions hunting scopes such as: electronic ballistic compensation, automatic video and still image capture and replay, field selectable, video out and customizable color reticles. To learn more or to order online, visit their website: www.elcansportingoptics.com.

Lazer Sharp Out-Swims the Competition Introducing the new L111 hook, specifically designed for today’s most effective swimbaits. Available in 1/8, 3/16, and ? oz. weights and sizes 3/0 - 7/0. steel core from the elements. Ahi USA Outfitter Series cast nets are available in 3ft, 4ft, 5ft, and 6ft and come in 3/8” monofilament. Each and every Ahi USA cast net is packed with quality and value! All models feature double selvage net panels, heavy braille lines, long hand lines, premium UBE chip composite nylon and monofilament netting, and premium treated nylon assembly line. Nets come packed in a convenient hardened plastic container. For more information on Ahi USA cast nets you can contact them toll free 866-2641562. Or visit them on the web at AhiUSA.com. AHI USA 14020 S. Western Ave Gardena, CA. 90249

The new Outfitter Series Cast Nets is Ahi USA’s answer to the ever so increasing cost of lead. These nets feature a revolutionary new lead substitute that rivals the performance of lead and comes in at a price that’s easy on the wallet. A technological breakthrough in chip resistant vinyl coating protects the

by Columbia Sportswear Co. The company’s optics line was developed by licensee Kruger Optical, LLC, a full-service optics provider. Headquartered in Sisters, OR, and Walnut, CA, Kruger Optical supplies innovative binoculars, spotting scopes, riflescopes and other optical products, as well as engineering services. Information about the company is available from its website, www.krugeroptical.com.

Outfitter Series cast nets use a revolutionary lead substitute.

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When designing the L111, Lazer Sharp consulted with dozens of tournament anglers, Pro Staff and some of the most popular swimbait manufacturers to engi- Lazer Sharp hooks. neer a hook that would help anglers fish swimbaits more effectively. The L111 was designed with an especially wide gap and a unique barbed spear to keep baits in place. This barbed spear makes centering the bait much easier, allowing for a truer and more effective swimming action. The spear, ideal in length and connected to the eye of the 60° leg, contains 3 strategically placed barbs to give the maximum amount of holding power while also allowing the angler to re-use or re-position baits without damaging them. Available in a silky Platinum Black finish and Lazer Sharp’s exclusive sharpening and tempering processes, it provides anglers with effortless hook-sets and consistent results. These new hooks have a suggested retail of $3.48 per pack of 3. For more information about Lazer Sharp products, contact us at 720-9418700 or visit www.fishlazer.com or www.eagleclaw.com.

Stratos XT

Stratos 186XT, giving anglers even more space and power for under $17,000. New for 2008, the Stratos 186XT is an 18-foot, 9-inch boat that feels and fishes like a 20-footer. The additional 15 inches of space is added to the front deck of the boat, giving it the same fishing space of most 20-foot bass boats, plus the added convenience of features like recessed trolling motor foot pedals and a 7-foot, 6-inch center rod locker. Completely rigged with 90-horsepower outboard, 40-pound Minn Kota trolling motor, Humminbird electronics and Road Armor Equipped® trailer, this is the most accessible - and roomiest - 18-foot boat in its class, meaning anglers don’t have to sacrifice big money for big fishing space. The all-new 186XT’s combination of features, value and fishability has been a long time coming for serious bass anglers and local tournament competitors who want a new rig without sacrificing quality or breaking the bank. Visit www.stratosboats.com, or call toll free: 1-877-9STRATOS.

padded shoulder strap these cases have it all for today’s hunter or recreational shooter. Shotgun cases are 54” long and rifle cases are 48” long. The 600 Series cases retail for $29.99-$39.99. For more information visit www.planomolding.com.

Winchester Xpert Steel

loads are being added to the Xpert® Game and Target Steel Shot line. The new Winchester Xpert loads include a one ounce 12-gauge load and a 3/4 ounce 20-gauge load. Both are 2-3/4 inches and achieve a muzzle velocity of 1,325 feet per second (fps). Xpert steel loads are ideal for use in states with non-toxic shot upland game regulations and are a great alternative to lead throughout the country at an excellent value. Xpert steel shot has a higher velocity and more pellets per ounce than equivalent weight lead loads. This economically priced steel load is a high quality product that provides excellent patterning for upland game and clay targets. It is available in 25round cartons with eye-catching graphics. The new 12-gauge Xpert Steel Shot, product symbol: WE12GT, features: • Muzzle velocity of 1,325 fps • One ounce load in both #6 and #7 steel shot

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• 2 3/4 inches The new 20-gauge Xpert Steel Shot, product symbol: WE20GT, features: • Muzzle velocity of 1,325 fps • 3/4 ounce load in both #6 and #7 steel shot • 2 3/4 inches For more information about Winchester Ammunition and its complete line of products visit www.winchester.com.

With the Flat-Out Feeder, it’s possible to feed mature bucks along with the rest of the herd, since you’re less likely to have your scent spook those older deer onto your neighbor’s land. The feeder’s design is compact for easy mobility (25” x 25” x 14”) and weighs a mere 28 pounds. Set-up couldn’t be any simpler for one person. Yet, it doesn’t compromise on capacity with a 250 pound feed capacity. With a waist-high filling height, there’s no need for carrying heavy feed bags up a ladder. Its aluminum and steel conDock Boxes are built with a smooth UV struction is built to last and with no motors or batteries, there’s gelcoat exterior finnothing to fail. The ish, smooth fiberglass Flat-Out Feeder is interior finish, staincompact without less steel lockable compromise. latch, reinforced For more informafiberglass lid, alution, contact Rich minum piano hinge Milliner at and gas shock. Dillon’s Dock Box 706.256.2578 or by e-mail at Waterproof storage for Liferich@day6outdoors.com. jackets, Hunting Equipment, Or visit the Day 6 Outdoors website at Duck Decoys & Fishing Equipment. It can be used for boat dock, deer camp www.day6outdoors.com. or home storage or it is lightweight and can be easily placed in the back of a truck or SUV Available in 48” 72” and 54” triangle. Call 903-677-3141 or e mail janice@dilThe Stinger Bore Cleaner is a fast, conlonmanuf.com for a dealer near you. venient and effective method of cleaning your shotgun and was designed specifically for today’s shotgun enthusiasts who want to insure the best care for their shotguns every time they get used or exposed to moisture. Many shotgun enthusiasts often put their shotguns away without properly cleaning and protecting them, all for a variety of legitDay VI Outdoors brings scent-control to imate reasons. The Stinger Bore Cleaner was created for them, with their input, to supplemental game feeding with its introduction of the first truly innovative feeder, the Flat-Out Feeder. The Flat-Out Feeder collapses as its contents are emptied by the game consuming the feed. This allows for a long-range visual assessment of how much feed remains in the feeder. Without the need for approaching or handling the feeder to check the feed level, the problem of unnecessary scent contamination around your feed site is a thing of the past.

Dock Box Rocks

A Quick Clean & Lube for Shotguns

Day 6 Outdoors Introduces the Flat-Out Feeder

A pull cord shoots out of the bore, then you pull the clean & lube unit (left) through! meet their needs. Using the most advanced cleaning, conditioning and lubricating chemical technology available, the Stinger Bore Cleaner uses 360° of cleaning pressure in 5 separate stages of cleaning. In one pass it cleans, lubricates and protects. No preparation, use it anytime… anywhere! To use it, simply chamber the Stinger and in a safe direction… pull the trigger. The primer ejects a cord attached to the cleaning unit. Slowly pull the cord bringing the 5 stages of cleaning through the bore. In one pass the Stinger will clean, lubricate and protect. The Stinger Bore Cleaner can be used to clean several bores before disposal. Goes anywhere to be used anytime! For more information, including a video demonstration, visit www.rhoseinc.com.

The Flat-Out Feeder is pictured at right as the feed level decreases. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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New Owner at Anchor Marine

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TFG PHOTO

computer software understand since they The Anchor Marine staff—ready to serve. program allows are buying a high-end Alvarez to better folboat they are going to low up in service, be treated like highand by the same token analyze productivity of end customers,” Tony, Sr., said. the company’s staff. He said it is kind of like when a buyer pur“It provides me with a vehicle to be able to chases a Mercedes; they expect to be providfollow up properly with a customer, make sure ed with top-notch service before and after the the customer is satisfied,” Tony, Sr. “I am sale. going to do that personally to determine the “Real personal care and better personal focal point of our service needs in the commu- relationships-the way you greet customers, the nity, what’s important to the customer and way you walk customers through the dealerwhat is not.” ship, making sure that customer who buys a Another new plan to provide top-notch Skeeter, who buys the Crownline, or any of service is the sale of Anchor Marine Care our high end boats is treated like a high-end Packages where a customer’s boat can be customer. totally evaluated, from pumps to lights, to “I have always been a fanatic of boats, fuses. water sports, and fishing. My son had the “It’s a preventive maintenance package opportunity to get into this venture together that you can purchase that allows a customer with me, so we decided it was time to go sell to have a thorough evaluation of the condition fishing boats. The decision to get into the of their boat. boating business was not a long, hard deci“We are going to be very aggressive in our sion. I decided there were better things in life pricing packages,” said Tony, Sr.. Anchor than the health care industry. It’s a pleasure Marine, by his estimation, probably carries for my son and me to achieve dreams that we the largest line of saltwater boats in San Anto- have had for a long time. nio: Skeeter, Pathfinder, BlackJack, Frontier, “It will be a lot of work, but we will get it Maverick, Haynie, Hewes, Skeeter, and done.” Xpress. In the bass boat line, Anchor sells Tony, Sr., estimated that planned changes Skeeter and Xpress. In pontoon boats, would take about three months. Anchor carries Crownline and Bennington. Contact: Anchor Marine, 5560 North All boats are powered by Yamaha outboard Loop 1604 East, San Antonio; 210-599engines. 1415, www.anchormarineoftexas.com “We are going to make sure that customers —Tom Behrens F i s h

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“Fix bayonets!” That was the cry of a hunter across the field from me as an absolutely huge flight of white-winged dove appeared just above the tree line in a large field near Uvalde. While the volley of spent rounds might have sounded like the battle of the Alamo, bayonets weren’t quite necessary, although there were certainly more birds than there were rounds in our guns—all 30 of us. “That’s the kind of hunting you can get into when you have the ability to change locations at the drop of a hat,” said Chuck Glass of Nueces Canyon Lodge. “The flight patterns of the dove change with hunting pressure and food availability, and we pride ourselves on being able to respond to that by working with many landowners and always having areas that have birds.” Glass said Nueces Canyon Lodge was developed to take advantage of the tremendous whitewing and mourning dove concentrations that Central Texas offers: “The areas around Uvalde are the best counties in the state for dove hunting. And Nueces Canyon Lodge is ideally situated to take advantage of those opportunities.” Located north of Uvalde on the Nueces River, they have access to prime hunting properties, offering more than 18,000 acres of sunflowers, sesame seed, and milo fields. Other properties offer afternoon tank- and passshooting. Whitewings, which are a specialty in this area, often fly out of urban areas to feed in the surrounding wild lands. That is not to say they do not dwell in purely wild areas, as they do, but in much of the state, particularly around Uvalde, the dove you will shoot around the populated areas will be most heavily whitewings. Whitewings will eat a variety of food, from small seeds to acorns and cactus fruit. Mourning dove are the most common statewide, and they are also abundant here, preferring a mix of wild and agricultural settings. In most of the state, their preferred foods are milo, wheat, and corn. They also feed heavily on wild plants such as dove weed (croton) and ragweed. They are big

PHOTO COURTESY OF NUECES CANYON LODGE

Nueces Canyon Lodge Ready for Dove Season

seedeaters, and “This area is as beauThe Nueces Canyon staff. researchers have tiful as any place in found individuals the country, and as an with as many as outfitter, we can offer 6400 seeds in their crop. a chance to hunt all kinds of game, not just In most regards, the whitewings and dove,” Glass said. “We offer everything from mourning dove, which are by far the most exotics to whitetails and hogs. This part of important to hunters, are alike accept in one Texas is unique and so are its diverse opporcrucial aspect: flight time. Mourning dove are tunities. You won’t find this diversity of huntnotorious for flying before legal shooting light, whereas whitewings get moving later in the morning. In addition, whitewings, especially those in South Texas, fly in larger groups than mourning dove. You can be sitting on your bucket bored out of your mind, and in comes more dove than you can shoot at. Whitewing hunting tends to be a little more intense than the typical mourning dove shoot. “Again, we keep an eye on which birds are flying at what times, and can put hunters on fields at peak flight time. This is very important because a lot of places have only very small tracts of land to pick from, whereas we have a lot of land all over the area,” Glass said. The facilities at the lodge itself are immaculate and offer a pristine Hill Country setting. The meals are expertly prepared and served, featuring a variety of cuisine. “It’s not just about the hunt, but about the quality of the experience. People can come out and sit outside of the cabins in the afternoons and see deer, or go swimming or fly-fishing on the river frontage,” Glass said. Some first-time visitors to the area are surprised at the crystal-clear water and beauty of the surrounding limestone hills and rolling terrain. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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ing in combination with the kind of service we offer just anywhere. We are very proud to offer something special.” Contact: Nueces Canyon Lodge, 713882-6272, 830-279-1679, chac2@aol.com —Chester Moore

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The Lund and Crestline Crappie Edition boat models are both Brunswick products. Lund boats have been available for about four years. The Crestliner edition has only been available for a few months. The Lund Explorer is a little bit more expensive than the Crestliner Fish Hawk crappie boat. “Crappie fishermen, tournament fishermen, and guides are buying our boats because of the setup and design that we have put together,” said Ham. “The crappie fisherman is a guy that is probably from the age of about 50 and up. That’s our demographics, that baby boomer group of people that are not wanting to go out there and throw a thousand times to catch a couple of bass. They are going out there to catch crappie, or fish with their grandkids, or take their wives out fishing.” The boats have three seat bases up front. If there is only one angler, you use the seat base in the middle. If you are fishing in teams, you use the pedestal bases on either side. In addition to multiple up-front seating, there is a bait tank and livewell within easy reach. “When the guys are tournament fishing in the wintertime or summertime, they need to work out of the front of the boat,” said Ham. “They do a lot of what they call ‘spider rigging’ where they run eight poles, 16 minnows

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out of the front of the boat. It’s a very productive way to catch crappie in the wintertime. Crappie go very deep. You have to reach down and really put a lot of food in front of them to get them to bite. “The way we designed the boat, everything is right there in that cockpit area—the fish-finder, the minnows, the livewell, whatever—so you don’t ever have to go to the back of the boat.” Both the Lund and the Crestliner are aluminum boats featuring a deep-V bottom. The V bottom boat, the number one selling boat up north, fits in very well on Texas lakes because Texas lakes can get rough. They have lots of room in them. “You can fish four people out of these boats without any problem at all,” said Ham. The Lund 1825 Explorer Crappie Edition is 18 feet, 4 inches long and has a beam of 96 inches. It has a 32-gallon built-in fuel tank, with a 12/24-volt bow trolling motor plug-in. It is rated up to 150 hp. The Crestliner 1850 Fish Hawk Crappie Edition’s overall length is 18 feet, 6 inches and has a beam of 95.5 inches. Fuel capacity is 31 gallons with a maximum outboard rating of 150 hp and 12-volt plug-in outlet for a trolling motor. Although the boats are rated up to 150 hp, Ham outfits both boats with Mercury 115 hp four-stroke outboards. “With gas prices going up, the great thing about the aluminum boat is it takes less motor to push it; you can get away with a smaller motor on a bigger boat.” Crappie Editions are available in different sizes, from 16 to 18 feet. The best sellers are the Fish Hawks and Explorers. “We developed the boat as the ultimate boat for the crappie fisherman. In the past, you had to deal with whatever makeshift boat you could find. The Crappie Edition boats are designed by a crappie fisherman, and the top brass in the industry are fishing out of our boats. Like bass fishing was associated with Ranger boats, crappie fishing is associated with Lund and Crestliner.” Contact: Advantage Marine Services, 6702 Hwy. 78, Sachse, Texas; 972-4955343, www.advantagemarineus.com —Tom Behrens

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Bows, Boars, & Tusks

OWHUNTING WILD BOAR IS ONE OF MY favorite things to do. When you put an arrow through one of these bad boys, they want to hurt you for hurting them. I hunt all over the world, but these wild

the crops of a nearby farmer on another. I got out there early in the afternoon to do a

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE RAY

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Texas Trophy Envy on the Internet

OMPASSIONATE PEOPLE FEEL SORRY FOR other states that are not Texas. It is easy to understand why those less fortunate would try to mimic the Lone Star State, but sometimes they go too far and compas-

NOVEMBER 2005 sion has its limits—especially when it involves attempted usurpation of bragging rights to one of our trophies. Our November 2005 issue TF&G Report carried a story, “Record Gar

Arrowed at Rayburn,” about a gargantuan alligator gar taken by bowfishermen Keith Riehn and Robin Parks at, well, obviously, Sam Rayburn Reservoir. The 244.5-pound, 8-foot, 2-inch leviathan was certainly an impressive trophy, as you can see in the photo. Perhaps too impressive. As recently as March 2008, some miscreant with a bad case of trophy envy began circulating an email containing an altered version of the photograph, into which someone added a label declaring the monster fish came from Broken Bow Lake, Oklahoma. The offending email fraudster even went so far as to

embellish the proportions as 8 feet, 10 inches, and 327 pounds. Of course, any Texan knows Oklahoma never grew anything to compete with anything in Texas, but credulous recipients of the fraudulent email living in other states PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROBIN PARKS

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swallowed the story and unrightly gave the Sooner State credit that it was not due. (For verification, see internet fraud-buster website Snopes.com and search for “gar.”) If you have received such an email, please hit “Reply to All” and inform all recipients and senders that the fish and photo are real, but it never saw Oklahoma or any other state outside Texas. Further, if any of you fellows living in other states want a Texas-class trophy, don’t cheat; just come on over. We have plenty to spare and are willing to share. Texas is like that.

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Pre-Season Scouting

area. Zoom in, and you can see any bottlenecks and hidden water supplies that might be there. You will also be able to see the bedding area and feeding areas, thus allowing you to pick a great ambush spot without ever setting foot in the woods. Think of it as your “spy in the sky.” Once you choose locations to set up stands, pay close attention to the prevailing wind direction. The wind can be friend or foe. One thing is for sure: you have to respect deer noses. The slightest breeze will carry your scent right to them and tell them to stay away from that location. I like to wear rubber boots to keep my scent down as much as possible when scouting. Remember to watch what your hands are touching, too. Wearing light gloves helps prevent your scent getting on any foliage that you need to move. Those big boys do not need much to keep them away from an area if they consider it a danger zone—that is how they get big. When hunting over a food plot, pay particular attention to the inside corners of the field. For some reason, deer like to use these corners for entering and exiting a field; not all the time, but often enough to make corners a great place to start your search for deer sign. Just inside the corners is also a favorite place for deer to have a staging area. They like to hang back under the blanket of the woods canopy and wait in the cool shade for the sun

to get a little closer to the horizon. Look for a fence line and follow it until you see a break in the fence or a ditch that the deer might use to go under the fence. Look closely for deer hair on or near the fence. That is a sure sign that the deer are funneling through that spot. Set up a tree stand downwind of this location. Streams are also tools for locating deer. Whitetails always use the path of least resistance if they can. Look for ripples, which indicate it gets shallow there. The deer would rather cross here rather than swim deeper water. Check out the banks and look for tracks. You might find a major deer crossing and therefore another good spot for a stand. The week before I penned this article, I was in the woods walking around and came upon an area loaded with droppings. (I call them “smart pills” because if you eat one, you are smart enough not to have any more.) After further inspection of the spot, I found a great place for a stand and feel confident I will bring home some venison from there. Rubs (where bucks rub their antlers on trees and saplings) and scrapes (where bucks scrape and urinate on the ground to leave a scent marker) are also good stand locations— but not always. If you find a deer scrape in a field, it might be just a boundary scrape. This is just a buck’s way of letting others know that this is his area. A scrape in the woods is a much better stand site. I try to never step in a scrape to avoid leaving human scent. Hunters have argued about this for years, likely will continue. I just try to do everything I can to keep human scent to a minimum. To be successful in the field takes preparation, practice, and patience. Having a little bit of luck doesn’t hurt. By doing your pre-season scouting, you might find a new area that you never knew was there, and it might end up being your best spot. E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com.

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BUCK—SAN SABA COUNTY, TEXAS

BUCK—LLANO COUNTY, TEXAS

EZ Vonasek, age 14, of Lorena, Texas, killed an 8-point buck in SAN Saba County at 75 yards with his .270 Mossberg SSI. The buck scored 120.5 B&C, was 5-1/2 years old and weighed 110 pounds field dressed.

Caleb Reed shot his first buck in Llano County, using a .223 Remington Youth Model 7.

BUCK—PAPALOTE, TEXAS

BUCK—LAREDO, TEXAS

BUCK—MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TEXAS

GOT BUCKS? GOT HOGS? GOT TURKEYS? GOT BANDED DUCKS?

PLEASE INCLUDE PHOTO CAPTION: NAME HOMETOWN WHEN & WHERE TAKEN SIZE AND WEIGHT

(Please include “Trophy Fever” in the subject.) A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Survivor Guy—Boating Edition S O, YOU KNOW YOUR PORT FROM STARBOARD, your bow from stern, and your deep-V from your semi. Great. But when emergencies strike during a day of boating, will you know what to do? Let’s find out with the Texas Fish & Game Survivor Guy: Boating Edition Captain’s Test.

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a. Own life jacket. b. Shoes and socks c. T-shirt d. Pants

4. Eventually, you have everyone on board. Whew! But when you start running back to shore, the engine alarm goes off and the engine shuts itself down. The temperature gauge is pinned. After letting it cool for a while, you re-start the motor and there is no water coming out of the telltale. You immediately reach for: a. 50-pound-test fishing line b. a crescent wrench c. the bilge pump d. a bait knife 5. No matter what you try next, the motor won’t start. The wind is blowing you steadily farther from shore, the VHF is out of commission, you have no food, seven gallons of water aboard, and a total of seven people. Things are looking pretty harsh; one gallon of water can be expected to maintain a person’s hydration for how many day(s)? a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4 6. You might have some backup water. One of the people in the group has pointed out that your compass is full of water. If your supply runs out, he thinks that as a last ditch option, you can break it open and get a drink. He is: a. dead wrong; the fluid in a compass is mineral spirits. b. dead wrong; the water in a compass is treated with deadly chemicals to prevent algae growth. c. correct; the distilled water in a compass is drinkable. F i s h

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gully among the palm trees to a higher spot on the island, because he thinks cool air is gathering in the low-laying area. You tell him to: a. leave the shelter alone b. move the shelter to higher ground c. take a vote d. build a second shelter on higher ground 11. The next day, you have trouble catching fish. Then, under a rock, you discover a bunch of big, icky-looking, six-legged bugs. You decide to: a. use them for bait b. collect them for dinner c. kill them, because they are icky bugs d. stay away from them because most sixlegged insects are poisonous 12. Omygod! You can’t imagine how you didn’t see it before, but there is a bear on the island! It has sneaked up on you and now is standing up on its hind legs, looking at you menacingly, from 10 feet away. You will: a. run away from the bear b. run at the bear c. stand in place and wave your arms

d. sing because music calms the savage beast 13. Whew, that was close—but now you hear a scream from the beach. You run over to discover that one of your compatriots has just been stung on the foot by a scorpion. Unfortunately, there is only one thing you can do for him: a. cut off his foot b. put a tourniquet around his ankle c. put a cool compress on the wound d. suck the poison out with your mouth 14. Is that the chop-chop-chop of a Coast Guard helicopter you hear? Yes! Quickly now, you had better make a signal. You have a fire burning, but in order for the pilot to recognize it as an SOS, you need it to be: a. three separate fires, in a triangle b. three separate fires, in a straight line c. four separate fires in a square d. a circle of fire 15. The helicopter is circling overhead! It looks like you are saved! A ladder drops from the helicopter, but as it comes down, a voice

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over a loudspeaker says, “Do not grab the ladder until you are told to do so.” Naturally, you already know that this is because: a. they don’t want to hit you with the ladder b. they don’t want you to upset the copter’s balance before the pilot is ready c. they don’t want you fighting with the others over who goes first d. they don’t want to fry you like a biscuit BONUS QUESTION: In the movie “Castaway,” star Tom Hanks removes his own tooth with: a. a pair of crab tongs b. a pair of pliers c. a pair of socks d. a pair of ice skates

Answers

1. c. 2. a. This formula gives you an approximate number for relatively calm conditions. 3. d. Yup, take off your pants. By trapping air in them and knotting the ends of the legs

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Kayaks-1, Gas Price$-Outrageous

TEXAS BOATING Continued from Page I-37 and waist, you can fashion a makeshift floatation device that will keep someone afloat for a short while. Shirts work, too, but have four holes you need to knot shut instead of three, so go for the pants first. 4. a. You can push it up into the telltale and spin it around to dislodge anything stuck in the tube. 5. b. The absolute minimum is two quarts per person per day to maintain hydration. Since there are four quarts in a gallon, each person is good for two days. 6. a. 7. c. Use the garbage bag to line the bucket. Use the duct tape to tension it into a cone shape. Cut off the bottom of the cone, so it is open to the bucket. Let it sit overnight, and when dew forms on the plastic, give it a shake. The water droplets will run down the cone and into the bucket. 8. a. Using the polishing compound, you I38

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scour the concave bottom of the can until it shines like a mirror. You set the can so the sun shines directly into the polished bottom, and use duct tape to center a thin splinter of wood across its middle where the sun’s reflected rays will focus, creating enough heat to light the wood on fire in a matter of hours. 9. a. We are not promising it tastes good, but it is edible. 10. a. While it seems scientifically sound at first, this myth doesn’t take wind chill into account; low-lying areas sheltered from the wind will be a lot more comfortable than high areas exposed to it. 11. b. If a bug has six legs, it is usually safe to eat. 12. c. Standing bears are usually curious, not aggressive. Hold your ground and it will probably walk away. Run, and it will chase you out of instinct. Since bears have been clocked at over 30 mph, you won’t stand a chance. F i s h

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13. c. Lowering the temperature helps break down the poison. 14. a. This is recognized as a signal for help. 15. d. Static electricity build-up can be significant as the ladder is lowered, and will not be discharged until the ladder hits the ground (or water.) Touch it first, and you could fry. Bonus Question: d. Well, okay, he only used one ice skate (along with a rock) to bang it out. 15+ correct: You are due for a time slot on the Reality Channel 11-14: You are an asset to the group. Less than 10: We will tell your wife how much you loved her. E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com

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Kayak rack Accessories Kayak Class Total

$75 $50 $75 $1100

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Glide, Twitch, and Roll

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include several of the Big Bandit and Buster Jerk varieties. As of this writing, I’ve taken blackfin tuna on my Buster Jerks, and am after ling, wahoo, kingfish, and dolphin. When using a mono leader or main line, a loop knot allows more motion in the lure. Short mono or wire leaders of around 10 inches work well. To fish any of these glide baits, the first things to consider is to have your polarized sunglasses and dark underbill hat. It’s simply hard to sight-fish when you can’t see them. As I’ve mentioned before, try to cast across the predator’s swim path, about 1520 feet in front of it; slightly behind is okay, too. Another standard approach is to slow your cast just before entry into the water. This straightens out everything, making it immediately ready to go to work. Stops and starts might have to be made to trigger a strike. This is very important if your presentation is coming at your target head-on; this isn’t natural. A stop, slow

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sink, and twitch has a better chance of not spooking your quarry. The sound of your glide bait’s entry into the water alone might sound like feeding is going on; the rattles, flash, and vibration then come into play. After a short sink, begin your retrieve with rod tip twitches combined with a slow to medium retrieve speed. Speed changes cause your glide bait not only to glide from side to side, but also to roll almost completely over. This rolling motion shows multiple colors and shapes, signaling the predator that it’s injured and needs to be eaten quickly. That belly flash is truly a strike generator; an exposed underbelly is a sure sign of distress and vulnerability, see the illustration. Another tried and proven true detail of making just about any bait presentation work better for you is to give your retrieve a look near the boat. This visual gives you the confidence that your glide bait is working as designed. These glide baits can also be effectively trolled at 5-6 knots or less; let them hunt while you’re looking. Also, don’t forget to try a figure-eight motion with a glide bait at boatside for a follower-looker that could be turned into a biter. These glide baits are famous for inducing strikes from giant muskies that fall for the figure-eight maneuver, and I personally know that ling do, too. These glide baits are definitely something new for our Texas offshore predators to see and eat. You can read about them, see them work on a video, but there’s no substitute for the thrill of using a glide bait in motion. E-mail Patrick Lemire at saltrigs@fishgame.com ILLUSTRATION BY PATRICK LEMIRE

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Blading a Swim Bait

ECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION, AND the need to catch more or bigger fish has been giving birth to lure innovations for decades. It’s the reason we have baits that come in colors like chartreuse and Electric Chicken (no, I did not make that up), and swim baits the size of personal watercraft. However, even with virtually an endless line of lures to choose from, there are still anglers out there coming up with their own, or modifying standard ones, to create a lure that consistently catches fish. Earlier this year on Falcon Reservoir, professional anglers were melting worms together to create massive plastic creatures that no self respecting lure company would sell, but they were catching huge bass on them. Recently, Ron Peterson, a recreational angler and owner of Gotcha Distributing (gotchadistributing.com, 903-577-9625), showed me a modification he has made to an off-the-shelf lure that turns an already effective bait into a bass magnet. He knew he had found the right fish catching combination when he went down to a local lake and caught six bass with just nine casts. Since Ron is a bait distributor and has the ear of many lure manufacturers, this might be a production bait by the time you read this, but in the mean time, I will let you in on a little known modification that works. Bass anglers are all just big kids that like to take stuff apart, and while sitting in his fishing room one day, Ron looked at a Sebile Magic Swimmer swim bait, and than at a chatter bait, and had a thought: What would happen if I combined the two? Could the combination of parts of each make a fishable lure that was more effective than either? It turned out the answer was yes. The first step to making this bait is the ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW

remove the blade from a 1/4-ounce chatter bait by cutting the eye on the bait at the jighead where the blade is connected. The goal is to remove the blade in one piece without altering it in any way. Next, take a 125 SK slow sinking Magic Swimmer and twist the line tie eye, bending it 90 degrees. The 125 weighs 3/4-ounce and is 125 millimeters long (yeah, I know you don’t do metric—it is just under 5 inches). It works best with the blade from the 1/4-ounce chatter bait, which is connected via a split ring. That’s it. The modification is complete and now you have a bait that has the best of both worlds. The blade accentuates the already erratic movement of the Magic Swimmer, and the swim bait adds a larger profile and looks more like a baitfish than the blade does alone. In the water, the new bait looks like a small school of shad darting back and forth in unison, just like they do naturally. Now, if you want to fish this modified bait (and I know you do), there are a few more tips that Ron passed along about how to work it and what type of line to fish it on. First, you can try a steady retrieve. If that

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doesn’t work, you need to move to something a little more enticing. Instead of a traditional steady retrieve, Ron suggested using one that is more erratic. On a long cast, he twitches the bait twice and then makes one hard jerk before pausing. The hard jerk makes the bait shoot to one side about a foot, and when you pause, the bait it will roll onto its side and flutter down like a dying shad. The blade gives off more reflection while the bait wiggles like a struggling fish. Be prepared to have the bait hammered as it falls. If the fish are aggressive, you might be able to eliminate the pause all together. Second, fish the bait on fluorocarbon. Since fluorocarbon is denser than water, it sinks easily along with the bait. If you don’t have fluorocarbon, use braid since it stretches less and will keep you in contact with the bait as it sinks. The bad part about this bait is that you ruin a few perfectly good chatter baits to make them. The good part is that you will catch a lot of bass. It’s a trade I think most are willing to make. E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

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Slow Trolling with Jigs

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color year around. Don’t tell anyone, but that kind water produces monster crappie. Over the last 20 years, I have had my share of tournament wins on lake Eufaula from vertically fishing brush piles, but never trolling Road Runners in shallow water. Have you ever been catching fish when you were out by yourself and you knew someone was watching? When I was trolling those Road Runners, I had that feeling, but no one was around to see the show. Won the tournament slow trolling Road Runners.

How to Rig Your Boat to Slow Troll

The way I like to slow troll is mounting two sets of Mr. Crappie Pro series rod hold-

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ers in the front of my boat on each side next to the gunnels in front of the seat. This allows two anglers to sit side by side and fish with eight rods at a time. That is four rods out on each side aiming forward, with a good spread between the rods to get the most coverage possible. When slow trolling, I like to use Wally Marshall signature series rods, or if the bite is little off and the crappie are just barely striking, I like the Might Lite series for this technique. I like to use rods ranging from 10 to 14 feet in length. If there are lots of trees, I troll with 10-foot rods. If just stumps, 12-foot rods. Slow trolling over brush piles I use 18-footers— the longest rod I make, so I can’t go any longer.

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How to Rig Your Lines

Working Structure

A lot of times, there is some kind of structure you might not notice right away, such as a log laying on the bottom. A log under the water or lying at an angle off the bank or over a creek channel has produced some of the best stringers of crappie I have ever caught. Slow trolling Road Runners over submerged brush or timber can be very deadly, especially in the spring during the spawn and pre-spawn. When water temps start reaching 59 to 65 degrees is the perfect time for this technique.

Best Lure Colors

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TPWD “Wins” at Toyota Tournament

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Campbell Notches Second In WBT Event

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LAKECASTER

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Seven-year-old Hunter Muncrief with his 9.02lb. catch at the McDonalds Sam Rayburn Big Bass Splash Muncrief in position to run away with the Little Anglers bass division of the tournament and established a new all-time record for the youth division. A first-grader at West Sabine Elementary in Pineland, Muncrief was fishing with his dad, William, when he cast his Zoom Mag 2 worm into 3 feet of water. The bite came shortly before daylight, just after the Junebug-colored worm settled to bottom. Using a Zebco 33 outfit, Muncrief tangled with the fish for a minute or two before his dad was able to get a net under it and haul it into the boat. “It got under the outboard motor once, and it kind of scared us because we were afraid it was going to wrap in the prop and break the line,” William Muncrief said. “Luckily, Hunter was able to work it away from the motor so I could net it.” Because he was not entered in the open division of the popular big bass derby, Muncrief did not qualify to win any of the cash passed out to hourly winners. However, he was awarded a $50 gift certificate from Academy for taking the top spot in the youth division. Tournament director Bob Sealy pledged to have a replica of the fish made for the youngster. Sealy also kicked in a rod/reel combo Muncrief will put to good use honing his casting skills before the 25th anniversary event rolls around next April. “His grandfather has already told me he is going to enter him in the tournament next year if I don’t,” William Muncrief said. “I thought seriously about it this year. In fact, some friends and I were talking about it the night before he caught this fish. They said that, sure as I didn’t enter him in the tournament, he would go out there and catch a big one. I’ll be danged if it didn’t happen.” A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Predators & Bird Noses

TOURNAMENT INSIDER Continued from Page I-45 Mark Jones of Vidor caught the fourth place bass, 9.65 pounds. Jones won a Bad Boy Buggy valued at $9500. Danny Abbott of Huntington also won an $8500 ATV for fifth with a 9.48-pounder. According to Sealy Outdoors’ Jan Fondren, the event attracted 3800 competitors looking to cash in on more than $560,000 in guaranteed cash and prizes. Anglers weighed in 982 bass totaling nearly 4400 pounds. On average, it took a bass weighing more than 5 pounds to earn an hourly check.

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PHOTO BY BOB HOOD

Although new research suggests turkey might have a sense of smell, it apparently is not good enough for them to “wind” humans.

The biologists then added the scent of quail to other nest boxes to see how that would affect the blue tits’ behavior. The result was that once the blue tits detected the

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The 16Gauge

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The 16-gauge was nearly dead a few years ago, but is experiencing a renaissance.

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Full Circle

Sis and I went down to help the lady. I asked her if I could help, and she looked up at me from where she was kneeling on the ground. “I’d appreciate any help you can give me,” she said. While I showed her how to thread the line and tie on a hook with an improved clinch knot, she told me there was no dad at their house, so she didn’t have any experience in the outdoors. “I just thought my boys needed to go fishing,” she said. Sis kept the boys busy with the other rod after they raked all the worms back into the container. She showed them how to cast. One of the rods was a spinning reel and one a spincast. The spinning reel is hard to cast for little kids, so she showed them how to use the spincast. They kind of got the hang of it while I finished showing the mom about weights and bobbers. Then I showed her how to thread a worm on the hook. The boys were there by that time and they really had a good time with the worms. By then, the lady and her daughter were right beside us and I showed them the same thing. Sis and one of the boys started to throw with the spin-cast outfit, and they did pretty good with it. The mom watched while I cast the spinning rig and then I handed it to her. She held the rod with the reel on top, and I had to show her how to hold it the right way. It didn’t take but a minute for the bobber on the spin-cast rig to go under. Sis took the boy’s hand and showed him how to set the hook. Then she backed off and let him reel. At the same time, the other bobber went under, and in seconds, we had two fish fighting. There were kids yelling, and moms yelling, and everyone was jumping up and down. Both kids had hooked bream; some people call them “sunfish.” “Those little guys are the fightingest little fish in Texas,” Dad says. “You’d need a surf rod to get them in if they could grow to 5 or 10 pounds.” The bream were pretty big, and they were A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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giving the boys a run for their money. The thing about sunfish is that they will turn sideways and use the water as leverage against your rod and reel. The boys cranked and pulled while the fish bent their rods. One of the boys tried to run away from the water to drag the fish out, but I caught him and turned him around. “That’s what the reel is for,” I told him. I could see his mama standing there, listening. The other lady with the little girl was telling her daughter what we said. Then Sis left both boys with me and went to the other lady. In just a second, the little girl had a fish on and Sis was coaching her, too. When we had the fish on the bank, I showed the boys how to get hold of the fish without being finned, and they held them up together so their mom could take a picture. Then we put the fish back in the pond and I watched the mom re-bait their hooks. After that, they seemed to take turns catching bream, and their mom moved from one to the other. It reminded me of how Dad taught us to fish. It was just about that time when I looked over my shoulder to see Mom and Dad watching us. I don’t know how long they had been standing there, but Dad just nodded when he saw me look in his direction. We stayed down there a few minutes more and

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Bugging Bluegill P

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do they get much larger than an anglers hand); otherwise, nothing in the water would be safe. What bluegill lack in size they more than make up for with their feisty, scrappy nature when hooked. They are colorful, abundant in most water bodies, easy to catch, and one of the finest eating freshwater fishes—reasons enough to “bug” them into biting. Bluegill are not listed as game fish in Texas, and that is almost a shame because they share many of the best characteristics of the so-called “sporting” species when caught on light tackle. Yet, their main importance might be two fold. First, they are usually the first fish caught by young anglers. This is an all-important event in establishing a foundation for a lifetime of angling interest. Ask

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adults what was the most significant event in their fledgling angler development, and most will reply catching bluegill got them started. Ask my teenage daughter, who is 19 going on 25, what she best remembers about fishing with dad when she was a tot; her reply will be that the most fun she ever had was on Sunday afternoons in a small pond belonging to my parents. We spent warm, lazy hours sitting in the shade of a giant willow tree, fishing for bluegill. Using tiny pieces of worms we dug from the rich, black earth nearby, she usually managed to nearly fill a 5-gallon bucket with the large colorful panfish. I can still hear her squeals of delight as the bobber went under and she would reel in another of the feisty little rascals. My daughter has had opportunities to fish in

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MY PLACE OUTDOORS then I told the women we had to leave. Really, I was ready to go fishing myself over at Purtis Creek. Both of the ladies tried to give us money for helping out, but we wouldn’t take it. We

waved bye to the little ones, but they were too busy catching fish. I didn’t mind. When we walked up to Mom and Dad, he kind of grinned at us. “Seems to come in a full circle, doesn’t it?” he asked. “What?” I asked. He and Mom just turned around and

started toward the car and he said: “One of these days, you’ll see.” Sis didn’t know what he meant, either. I sure wish adults would talk in a way we can understand. —Ryan

many places and for many species, yet those bluegill expeditions stand out from all the rest. Bluegill are also an important forage species for game fishes, most notably largemouth bass. Ever notice how many bass lures are designed to look like bluegill? Check out stocking recommendations for establishing populations of bass in a pond or lake, and the first item on the list is to provide is adequate forage; the forage most often recommended by biologists is bluegill. Bluegill get no respect from most anglers, but they should. Without them, fishing would not be nearly as productive or as much fun. Catching bluegill is relatively easy and part of their appeal. Small worms and crickets are ideal baits for introducing youngsters to the fun of catching bluegill, but the little fighters also hit small lures. One of the leaders in producing hardbody lures that will catch bluegill is the Crème Lure Company (www.cremelure.com) located in Tyler, Texas. This is the same company founded in 1951 by Nick Crème, the inventor of the

original plastic worm. The Crème Company has developed a series of tiny crankbaits called Pond Favorites that are just the ticket to catching a mess of broad-shouldered bluegill. They are available in two models and five different colors. The holographic paint schemes are amazingly realistic in mimicking small forage species. The lipless crankbait measures a little over an inch long and is negatively buoyant so it will sink. This feature should make it ideal for tempting summertime bluegill that seek the comfort of cooler water in the 10- to 15-foot range. Find a brush pile in that depth of water, cast one of these tiny tempters, and let it sink. Work the lure slowly just over the tops of the brush and it will not make it very far before a big bluegill pounces on it. The floating/diving model is only 3/4inch long and should be murder on bluegill that are hanging around shorelines or boat docks. And don’t be surprised if something bigger than a bull bluegill grabs one of these lures. Bugging bluegill is a good method to incite a riot among the local largemouth population, so expect the unexpected when

getting one of these amazing little lures wet.

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E-mail Barry St. Clair at bstclair@fishgame.com.

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Steer Hunting

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“Brune, you ready to go?” Harry said. “Yeah,” I answered. My last inspection to check the trailer gate was secure, the horses were standing right, and the dogs were okay was done on the fly. I trotted to the truck, put my chaps on the floorboard, crawled in, and picked up on the door as I slammed it shut. Harry cranked the starter, stepped in the clutch, stuck the shifter in gear, and pulled out of his yard. It was a surprise to me every time the short bed Chevy tugged the cumbersome trailer from a standing start. Likewise, it was surprising that Harry’s truck never suffered major engine blowups or mechanical failures. The whole truck-trailer ensemble was a rusted blue-green rattling bucket of maybe-we’ll-make-it-maybe-wewon’t, but one thing was certain—it was a

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typical Gulf Coast cowboy rig. Times might have been hard, but I was too dumb to know the difference. All I knew was hay hauling, fencing, and cow work. A man had to know when to put out fertilizer and have some wherewithal about the weather. Then feeding and doctoring cow critters filled any spare time on an aspiring stockman’s ticket. Each cattleman’s individual “Indian tricks” separated the old hands from the younger generation. Life was simple. Mama patched my jeans until they were too rotten to patch, and I wore my dad’s shirts with the sleeves cut out. We lived all year on grass-fed beef and deer meat, and Dad milked a range cow every morning that made a living eating bitter weeds and feeder cubes. It wasn’t that we were broke (Dad

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worked in a bank for 40 years), but there was no sense in buying milk when you had a pasture full of cows. Being tight with money was just the way things were, especially in the German/Czech community. There was still a lot of pre-WWII isolationist mentality, and a general liking for “the way things were when we grew up” by the old folks. “Brune, what is that horse you’re riding? ” Harry asked. He jolted me from my trance. I had been staring down the highway dozing, following the headlights, and about to fall asleep. “Are you breaking that horse for somebody or is that yours?” The normal conversation was welcome. For some reason, Harry never called me by my first name, and usually he put a cuss word in front of my last name. Later in the day, all talk would resemble oil field hollering. Most of the shouting would be because of the immediacy of the situation or because I screwed up. “That’s my horse,” I answered. “He’s a coming four-year-old that I bought from Bruno Burris as a yearling. He’s got racing blood, but he’s levelheaded and will do whatever I ask. The first time I got on him was to work cows, and we’ve never looked back. I call him, ‘Dusty’.” “Well, he looks like a good colt. We should have an easy day. These cattle we’re going to are in the San Bernard River bottom, and easy to pen. If we have time, there’s a couple of head that have gotten away before, and we might spend time going after them. There’s a steer that got away from us last year. Can you rope off your colt?” “Sure,” I chimed. The thought of roping a big wild river bottom steer thrilled and chilled me. My roping skills were barely adequate, and my antique slick-fork saddle had the high skinny saddle horn that was fashionable at the turn of the century. Nevertheless, roping was in my job description. We pulled up to the ranch shortly after daylight and met the landowner. Luck was with us. The bulk of the herd was within sight, and when we turned the dogs loose, the cattle milled into a bellowing cluster to be driven to the corrals. Harry and I rode a fast circle to get around them. We dipped into some lower brushy ground and Harry came up behind the swirling muster before they noticed him. Then he pushed them against a fence while I rode the flank staying near the edge of the brush. The bunch of black Brangus and Braford mamas didn’t need much

persuasion, and they lined out to the pens. Then we sorted the cows from the calves and began the groundwork. The cows were wormed, the bull calves castrated, and all the calves got their vaccinations. By noon, we had done a day’s work. “There’s a cow and a calf that didn’t come in, and that steer wasn’t with the bunch,” Harry said. “The pasture spreads across a wide bottom that goes to the river. Let’s go see if we can find them.” We turned the dogs loose again and long-

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trotted our ponies in pursuit. Harry took the first trail over the bank and into the live oak thicket. I skirted down a couple of hundred yards and found a cow trail that led into the wooded bottom. There, I stopped, tied the end of my rope around my saddle horn, and listened. The leopard dogs had yelped a couple of times then quit. Dusty raised his head and pricked his ears, looking back in the direction that we had come. Then, without my prodding, the horse walked forward. The other edge of the woods was visible, and in

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the center of the thicket was a crossing trail. The earth was damp and there was a single set of fresh cow tracks on the trail. I almost giggled. The other cattle had come out of the bottom by a different route. This had to be one of the lone renegades that we hunted, and I realized as I sat listening for the dogs

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this was real hunting. Then I heard something, and in a moment one of the pups ran by me with its nose on the trail, not making a sound except for its snuffling. Then another dog ran headlong through the underbrush 20 yards beyond us, and Dusty dropped his head and loped along the new trail. As I reached the edge of the next opening, the leopard dogs connected with the steer. The opening wasn’t really open, but had scattered mesquite trees and shoulderhigh bunch grass. The steer was racing away with its head up and a 9 thrown in its tail. I feared the runaway would reach the river. So, turning Dusty to make a wide circle, I asked for the afterburners. The steer kicked and hooked with its horns in a running battle with the dogs, never noticing the heat-seeker that was zeroing in. Dusty rounded the arch, and as we cut the outlaw off from its escape, it swung around 180 degrees and headed back to the brush. I shook out my loop and Dusty blazed me into range. Then I said a cowboy’s prayer, swung three times, and threw. The loop flared, settled around the steer’s horns, and I slid Dusty on his hind end. The rope jerked tight and popped off the saddle horn. Just as quick, I caught the knot and leapt from the saddle. There was no way in

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hell this deserting bastard was getting away. I landed on my feet, took three or four 10foot running jumps, then ran sideways and got a wrap on a mesquite tree. Then I fell down, clung to the rope, scurried around the tree one more time, and lay there gasping. The next thing I heard was Harry laughing. He sat on his horse shaking his head and slapping his leg. “That’s the @%*damnest thing I ever seen! You done good Brune! All I could see was that steer running and you popping up out of the grass every 10 or 12 feet. Hang on to that steer and I’ll figure out how to get a truck and trailer back here.” Now, 20-something years later, Harry still likes to tell that story whenever cowboys gather to relax and share tales. And when he does, it makes me think about all the trails and tracks that I followed to find elk, deer, wild hogs, or outlaw cattle, because it was all good times, and it was all hunting. Meanwhile, Dusty is grazing with a new batch of colts, teaching them manners, enjoying retirement, and always ready to go when I call. E-mail Herman W. Brune at wilderness@fishgame.com

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The Shakes

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Texas Brisket

cuing. An internal temperature of 210 degrees must be achieved to fully cook the brisket. The juices are normally long gone after cooking, which is why most of the time it is served with barbecue sauce. Cooking the meat with moist heat in foil (braising) is preferred because it will conduct the heat better than just cooking on the pit. For those who love brisket but think it is “bad” for them, good news: Texas A&M researchers have found that brisket is actually good for you. Aggie graduate student Stacey Turk’s master’s thesis shows that fat from brisket contains significant amounts of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that can promote good cholesterol in people. So, pick your brisket, fire up the barbecue or smoker, and have at it—guilt free.

I. Picking the Brisket

When picking a brisket I like to look at a couple of things: a. Make sure briskets are thawed to inspect.

b. Pick up a brisket and fold it in half. It should be able to touch end to end after trying a couple of times.

II. Prepping the Brisket

a. Fork the brisket. Use a large serving or turning fork and pierce the brisket all over. b. Dry rub. The Texas Gourmet Sweet Chipotle Season All is a great rub that will work great on brisket. Here is a typical dry rub you can make at home. You can adjust the proportions of spices in this all-purpose rub, or add or subtract a spice as you wish. For instance, if you don’t like spicy foods, reduce or eliminate the cayenne. Also, if you are using hot chili powder, you may want to eliminate the cayenne. This rub works well with ribs, brisket, or Boston butt if you want to make pulled pork. 4 Tbs sweet paprika 1 Tbs chili powder 2 Tbs ground cumin 2 Tbs dark brown sugar 2 Tbs salt 1 Tbs dried oregano 1 Tbs granulated sugar 1 Tbs ground black pepper 1 Tbs ground white pepper 1 to 2 tsp cayenne pepper Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. (The rub can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature away from light for several weeks). Apply the rub liberally to all sides of the meat. Make sure and cover well. Cover with plastic wrap for the refrigerator or tie up in a plastic bag and place in a cooler with ice. Refrigerate from 4 hours to overnight (to S P O N S O R E D BY:

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allow flavors to permeate the meat). One hour before cooking, remove the brisket from the refrigerator or cooler, uncover, and allow it to sit and become room temperature.

your favorite barbecue sauce, bring to a boil to combine for a great flavored sauce.

III. Cooking the Brisket

a. Separate the top and bottom of brisket and trim excess fat. b. Slice across grain on the diagonal into long, thin slices approximately 1/4-inch thick.

a. Smoke covered for 3-1/2 to 4 hours at approx. 275-300 degrees with fat side up, without opening the pit. (This is enough time to impart a good smoked flavor into the meat.) b. Place brisket on a large sheet of heavyduty foil. Spread a thinly sliced onion under brisket and pour 1/2 a can beer into the foil before sealing up. Make sure to seal the foil well. c. Place into an oven or on a pit at 250 to 275 degrees and cook for 4 to 5 more hours (depending on size) until fork tender. d. Remove from the pit or oven, loosen foil at one end to release steam, and allow the brisket to rest for 45 minutes. e. After this, you can drain the juices into a bowl and place in freezer for 10 minutes to de-fat. Separate the fat from the juices and discard the fat, then pour up to 1 cup of the remaining juices into a saucepot with

PHOTO BY BILL OLIVE

IV. Slicing and Serving

Bryan’s Red Potato Salad

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pot of water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain in a colander, then place colander over empty pot and cover with a clean dry dishtowel. Allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, mustard, dill weed, 1 tsp each salt and pepper. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch dices. Combine with dressing, and then add eggs, celery, bell pepper, onion, bacon, and cheese. Toss lightly, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold. Contact Bryan Slaven, "The Texas Gourmet," at 888-234-7883, www.thetexasgourmet.com; or by email at texas-tasted@fishgame.com.

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TEXAS SALTWATER

Capt. Matt of Akins S Forshee a Guide Serv ltwater Limit of S ice peckled Trout

CORPUS CHRISTI

GALVESTON

FREEPORT

ROCKPORT liver Chelcie O sh fi d Re harters Redfish C

PORT ARANSAS

Jackie W 27-inch R est edfish Coastal B end Outdoors

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For Classified Rates and Information call Dennise at 1-800-750-4678, ext. 5579.

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ds; Trout Dan Watson & frien rvice Hugo Ford Guide Se

TEXAS FRESHWATER

Blake, Steve, & Da vid 30 Trout 2 Redfish Hillman Guide Service

Capt. David Best Speckled Trout Best Guide Service

OUTDOOR SHOPPER

TEXAS HUNTING

LAKE TEXOMA

BAFFIN BAY

ADVERTISERS, MAIL IN YOUR PHOTOS TODAY!

COLORADO

For Classified Rates and Information call Dennise at 1-800-750-4678, ext. 5579.

SPOTLIGHT: WHITE OAK OUTFITTERS, INC. LAKE AMISTAD

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SPECKLED TROUT—PORT O’CONNOR, TEXAS

BLACK DRUM—PORT O’CONNOR, TEXAS

Captains Kenneth and Keith Gregory of Port O’Connor with a catch of 17 speckled trout while enjoying a “guides’ day off.” Photo submitted by uncle, Steve Gregory.

REDFISH—BURNETT BAY, TEXAS

HYBRID STRIPER—LAKE TRAVIS, TEXAS

SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO: I62

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TF&G PHOTO ALBUM 1745 Greens Road Houston, Texas 77032 OR BY EMAIL: photos@fishgame.com

TROUT—BAFFIN BAY, TEXAS Noe Morales of Bishop, Texas, caught this 10pound, 31-1/2 -inch trout on Baffin Bay. He was using a Norton Bull Minnow on a Waterloo rod with a Curado 101 reel.

PLEASE INCLUDE NAME, HOMETOWN, WHEN & WHERE CAUGHT, SIZE AND WEIGHT

Note: All non-digital photos submitted become the property of Texas Fish & Game and will not be returned. TF&G makes no guarantee when or if any submitted photo will be published. F i s h

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Deer Camp Pranks

moon was awful big and bright, while one of the other guys was yelling at another to hurry up because we were ‘burning daylight.’ Of course, something just didn’t seem right, but it was opening morning and we were all excited. “We had gotten down the road a couple of miles and got to the spot where we would be walking in to the stands. It was about this time that we turned the radio on in hopes of catching the temperature before stepping into the woods, and this was when the deejay was giving the time. It was 2:15 a.m. Of course, we weren’t too happy and piled back into the truck, drove back to camp, and found our three buddies laughing up a storm. They had changed all the clocks in the camp, and even went so far as to change a couple of watches that were not on our arms. “We got one of them back the next night, though, when he went to bed. We put Fritos on his sleeping bag, leading up to his chest. He awoke to a mouse sitting on his chest eating chips; he screamed like a little girl.” Every deer camp has at least one hunter who has an irrational fear of snakes, to the point that they check their sleeping bag and have a pistol on their hip at all times just in case they cross paths with a rouge rattler. These guys are always the butt of a snake joke, and one of the best also involves a clock: Find an old wind-up clock with the two bells and an arm on top. Remove the bells and attach a genuine diamondback rattle on the arm. When the alarm goes, off the arm shakes the rattle, sounding just like a snake. If you try this one, don’t be between the resident snake weenie and the door. Sometimes it’s not the clocks in the

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS ARMSTRONG

young age at the hands of a few of his hunting buddies. “There were eight of us that hunted together all the time, and out of the eight, four were brothers,” Bobby said. “Their dad had some property in Union Parish, and there was an old two-room house where he was born that was still standing, and this was what we used as a deer camp. “A couple of other guys had come with us on opening weekend, and three of them were old enough to drink beer. They sat around

by Paul Bradshaw and drank about two apiece, and I guess were feeling good because they wanted to stay up and play cards while the rest of us wanted to sleep.” Remember that first rule of deer camp? “We finally got to sleep and it seemed like only a couple of hours later when the Big Ben [alarm clock] started ringing. We all started climbing out of the sack and getting dressed and putting boots on, and tried to get the three guys up but they said they were sleeping in and would hunt in the afternoon. “Well, we all got out and started to pile into the trucks. I made the comment that the A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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In This Issue GEARING UP SECTION

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

N12 N13 N15

N17 N30 N34

SPECIAL HUNTING SECTION • Trophy Fever | BY TF&G STAFF

N36 N38 N39

DISCOVER THE OUTDOORS • Classifieds | BY TF&G STAFF

TEXAS TESTED • Costa Del Mar; Pre-Vent; and more | BY TF&G STAFF NEW PRODUCTS • What’s New From Top Outdoor Manufacturers | BY TF&G STAFF INDUSTRY INSIDER • Crappie Boats at Advantage Marine | BY TF&G STAFF

TOURNAMENT INSIDER • Yankees in Bassland | BY MATT WILLIAMS GURLZ PAGE • The Shakes | BY MARI HENRY

HOW-TO SECTION

COVER STORY • Deer Camp Pranks | BY PAUL BRADSHAW

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

N4 N6

SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides, Solunar Table, Best Hunting/Fishing Times | BY TF&G STAFF TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots | BY CALIXTO GONZALES & JD MOORE

bunkhouse you have to be worried about, but the ones in the woods. A hunter who requested anonymity also had the misfortune of being the first hunter on his lease to go to bed. The next morning (yes, it really was morning), he woke up early and went to sit in his stand. Right at daylight, he

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N22 N24 N25 N26 N27 N28 N29 N32

TEXAS BOATING • Survivor Guy-Boating Edition | BY LENNY RUDOW SALTWATER BAITS & RIGS • Glide, Twitch, & Roll | BY PATRICK LEMIRE FRESHWATER BAITS & RIGS • Blading a Swim Bait | BY PAUL BRADSHAW HUNT TEXAS • Predators & Bird Noses | BY BOB HOOD TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • The 16-Gauge | BY STEVE LAMASCUS TEXAS KAYAKING • Kayaks-1, Gas Price$Outrageous | BY GREG BERLOCHER MISTER CRAPPIE • Slow Jigs | BY WALLY MARSHALL WILDERNESS TRAILS • Steer Hunting | BY HERMAN W. BRUNE

heard the unmistakable sound of a wind-up alarm clock, the kind with the two bells on top, ringing in the grass near his stand. Climbing down, he located the clock and had to smile at the inventiveness of his buddies. He then climbed back in the stand to see what might still come wandering by after the early

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TEXAS TASTED • Texas Brisket | BY BRYAN SLAVEN PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos | BY TF&G STAFF

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ATV was on fire; so I jumped off. My ATV, of course, kept rolling, bounced over a few rocks, and came to rest on top of a large yucca plant, by which time the lights had ceased flashing, leaving me clueless to where the source of the fire actually was. “Other than a few new scratches, my ATV appeared to be okay. I climbed back on and proceeded slowly back to the trail, and once again what appeared to be the illumination of fire began from the front and now even the rear wheel wells. “I stopped and the lights stopped, I started again and the lights did the same. This went on for about 100 yards until I decided to get off my ATV and inspect it with my flashlight, but I found nothing. I was puzzled to say the least. “After another half-mile series of starts and stops, I finally located the source of the lights, but felt the true sting of this prank only when I pulled into camp and witnessed a half-dozen members and Scott standing in the yard in full appreciation of the light show.” There’s a saying in show business that you should never perform with kids or animals because they’ll upstage you every time. That

goes for deer camp pranks, too, because one of the best I’ve ever heard of involved an animal. It seems our unsuspecting victim was once again one of the first to hit the bunk, giving his so-called friends plenty of time to come up with this prank. After he was sound asleep, the rest of the crew snuck out to the barn, got an old billy goat, and tied a set of whitetail antlers to its head, but not for the reason you’re probably thinking. Instead of tying the goat up near his stand so that in the morning he’d see it and bag a trophy billy, they actually stuck it inside his stand. Returning to the lodge, the pranksters snuck back in and went to bed, but not before removing the victim’s flashlight from his backpack. Walking to his blind the next morning in the dark, the hunter wondered what he had done with his flashlight, but in the excitement didn’t worry much about it. He knew exactly where his stand was, so getting lost wasn’t a problem. Just as he had done countless times, he opened the window to his blind and slid his rifle inside. That’s when he heard the first sounds from the blind. That’s never a good feeling: Complete

darkness, unarmed, and something (or someone) has decided to take up residence in your deer stand. Regaining his composure enough to think halfway straight, the hunter reached through the open window to grab his rifle, and about the time, the goat goes crazy, kicking so hard it knocks out one side of the blind. Backpedaling, trying to get away from whatever is trying to kill him, the victim tried to load his rifle, but discovered his buddies had removed all of his bullets. Stricken with panic and imagining what his eulogy might sound like, he hears the blood-curdling cry of the savage beast. Ba-aa-aa! A few hundred yards away, the roar of laughter echoed through the pre-dawn darkness. Revenge came a few days later when our victim duct-taped an alarm clock to the bottom of one of his buddies’ tripod stand, and set it to go off at 5:30 that afternoon. He wasn’t invited back to camp for quite a while after that, but I suspect it was worth it.

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Tides and Solunar Table for AUGUST 2008 MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

SYMBOL KEY

First Quarter

New Moon

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

12:37 am 7:35 am 1:18 pm 7:08 pm

Sunrise: 6:58a Moonrise: 10:20a AM Minor: 8:48a PM Minor: 9:10p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

0.08 ft 1.23 ft 0.61 ft 1.15 ft

6:00am – 7:20am

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

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 5:35 am Low Tide: 7:46 pm

Sunrise: 7:02a Moonrise: 5:01p AM Minor: 1:56a PM Minor: 2:21p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.49 ft -0.08 ft

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

6:33 am 11:50 am 5:27 pm 11:50 pm

Sunrise: 7:07a Moonrise: 9:20p AM Minor: 7:19a PM Minor: 7:41p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

3:30am – 4:40am

Set: 8:26p Set: 2:02a AM Major: 8:08a PM Major: 8:34p 9:56p 9:31a

18 1.40 ft 0.85 ft 1.30 ft 0.36 ft

Sunrise: 7:11a Moonrise: 1:23a AM Minor: 1:17a PM Minor: 1:48p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

Sunrise: 6:58a Moonrise: 11:19a AM Minor: 9:38a PM Minor: 10:00p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.50 ft -0.11 ft

Sunrise: 7:03a Moonrise: 5:50p AM Minor: 2:42a PM Minor: 3:07p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

2 0 0 8 /

Sunrise: 7:07a Moonrise: 9:50p AM Minor: 8:08a PM Minor: 8:30p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

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

3:35am – 4:50am

1.78 ft -0.37 ft

Sunrise: 7:12a Moonrise: 2:27a AM Minor: 2:14a PM Minor: 2:45p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

F i s h

Set: 8:10p Set: 5:22p AM Major: 8:30a PM Major: 9:00p 9:57a 10:27p

Sunrise: 7:03a Moonrise: 6:34p AM Minor: 3:27a PM Minor: 3:53p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1:40am – 2:55am

4:40am – 4:55am

1:48 am 7:59 am 2:58 pm 10:25 pm

High Tide: 5:48 am Low Tide: 9:08 pm

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

PRIME TIME

Good Day

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 4:43 am Low Tide: 7:35 pm

Sunrise: 6:59a Moonrise: 12:17p AM Minor: 10:27a PM Minor: 10:48p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

PRIME TIME

Set: 8:18p Set: 9:49a AM Major: 1:56a PM Major: 2:19p 3:31a 3:53p

T E X A S

6:15am – 7:40am

Set: 8:25p Set: 2:52a AM Major: 8:54a PM Major: 9:20p 10:47p 10:22a

1:30am – 2:40am

4:25am – 5:45am*

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 5:49 am Low Tide: 8:31 pm

Last Quarter

Set: 8:31p Set: 11:00p AM Major: 3:27a PM Major: 3:49p 5:13p 4:51a

High Tide: 6:43 am 1.35 ft Low Tide: 12:27 pm 0.64 ft High Tide: 6:44 pm 1.28 ft

Set: 8:11p Set: 4:26p AM Major: 7:32a PM Major: 8:04p 8:54a 9:25p

• A U G U S T

0.40 ft 1.18 ft 0.42 ft 1.09 ft

Set: 8:19p Set: 8:48a AM Major: 1:07a PM Major: 1:30p 2:46a 3:08p 1.75 ft -0.34 ft

1:15 am 7:50 am 2:07 pm 8:38 pm

Full Moon

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 4:49 am Low Tide: 6:27 pm

PRIME TIME

Set: 8:32p Set: 10:32p AM Major: 2:37a PM Major: 2:59p 4:30p 4:07a

{

12:25 am 6:49 am 1:09 pm 8:12 pm

Sunrise: 7:08a Moonrise: 10:21p AM Minor: 8:59a PM Minor: 9:23p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

High Tide: 4:54 am Low Tide: 8:34 pm

Sunrise: 7:12a Moonrise: 3:35a AM Minor: 3:09a PM Minor: 3:39p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

BEST DAYS

0.70 ft 1.16 ft 0.27 ft 1.08 ft

PRIME TIME

6:30am – 7:55am

Low Tide: 2:11 am High Tide: 7:58 am Low Tide: 3:54 pm

Set: 8:30p Set: 11:30p AM Major: 4:16a PM Major: 4:37p 5:57p 5:35a 1.49 ft -0.13 ft

0.62 ft 1.33 ft 0.42 ft 1.28 ft

3:45am – 5:00am

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

1:50am – 3:10am

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

4:45am – 5:55am

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

Set: 8:09p Set: 6:11p AM Major: 9:24a PM Major: 9:54p 10:57a 11:26p

Set: 8:29p Set: None AM Major: 5:03a PM Major: 5:26p 6:42p 6:19a 1.48 ft 1.36 ft 1.37 ft -0.12 ft

3:50am – 5:20am

Set: 8:23p Set: 4:46a AM Major: 10:26a PM Major: 10:50p None 12:03p

PRIME TIME 1:00 am 6:47 am 1:58 pm 9:57 pm

Sunrise: 7:08a Moonrise: 10:57p AM Minor: 9:54a PM Minor: 10:19p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

PRIME TIME

6:35am – 7:45am

PRIME TIME 5:48 am 11:03 am 12:56 pm 9:42 pm

Sunrise: 7:04a Moonrise: 7:14p AM Minor: 4:13a PM Minor: 4:38p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

PRIME TIME

Set: 8:17p Set: 10:51a AM Major: 2:48a PM Major: 3:11p 4:16a 4:40p 1.74 ft -0.35 ft

Sunrise: 7:00a Moonrise: 1:16p AM Minor: 11:14a PM Minor: 11:37p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

PRIME TIME

Set: 8:24p Set: 3:47a AM Major: 9:40a PM Major: 10:05p 11:38p 11:13a

PRIME TIME 0.97 ft 1.17 ft 0.15 ft

0.90 ft 1.34 ft 0.20 ft 1.32 ft

2:10am – 3:25am

Set: 8:16p Set: 11:57a AM Major: 3:41a PM Major: 4:06p 5:05a 5:30p

PRIME TIME 5:07 am 10:01 am 1:10 pm 9:28 pm

Sunrise: 7:13a Moonrise: 4:46a AM Minor: 4:02a PM Minor: 4:30p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.66 ft 1.46 ft 1.54 ft -0.24 ft

5:00am – 6:15am

Set: 8:08p Set: 6:53p AM Major: 10:16a PM Major: 10:44p 11:53a None

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Tides and Solunar Table for AUGUST 2008 FRIDAY

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

6:40 am 11:11 am 3:10 pm 11:12 pm

Sunrise: 6:56a Moonrise: 7:05a AM Minor: 6:07a PM Minor: 6:35p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.49 ft 1.26 ft 1.41 ft -0.47 ft

Sunrise: 7:00a Moonrise: 2:14p AM Minor: ----PM Minor: 12:02p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

5:40am – 6:55am

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

Set: 8:34p Set: 8:58p AM Major: ----PM Major: 12:21p 2:06p 1:38a 1.22 ft 0.07 ft

5:55 am 10:36 am 2:12 pm 10:13 pm

Sunrise: 7:05a Moonrise: 7:49p AM Minor: 4:59a PM Minor: 5:23p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

Low Tide: 1:33 am High Tide: 6:31 am Low Tide: 2:55 pm

Sunrise: 7:09a Moonrise: 11:38p AM Minor: 10:50a PM Minor: 11:18p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.47 ft 1.29 ft 1.37 ft -0.08 ft

1.18 ft 1.41 ft 0.01 ft

Sunrise: 7:13a Moonrise: 5:55a AM Minor: 4:52a PM Minor: 5:18p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

Sunrise: 6:56a Moonrise: 8:13a AM Minor: 7:03a PM Minor: 7:28p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

Sunrise: 7:01a Moonrise: 3:12p AM Minor: 12:24a PM Minor: 12:48p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

4:00am – 5:25am

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

6:06 am 10:50 am 3:16 pm 10:44 pm

Sunrise: 7:05a Moonrise: 8:21p AM Minor: 5:45a PM Minor: 6:08p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

PRIME TIME

2:30am – 3:40am

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

PRIME TIME

5:45am – 7:10am

High Tide: 7:19 am 1.30 ft Low Tide: 12:31 pm 0.83 ft High Tide: 5:47 pm 1.24 ft

5:50am – 7:20am*

Set: 8:34p Set: 9:32p AM Major: 12:50a PM Major: 1:15p 2:57p 2:32a 1.35 ft 0.01 ft

6:15am – 7:30am*

Set: 8:28p Set: 12:37a AM Major: 6:36a PM Major: 7:00p 8:16p 7:52a 1.46 ft 1.18 ft 1.35 ft 0.01 ft

12:19 am 1:46 am 6:00 am 4:01 pm

Sunrise: 7:10a Moonrise: None AM Minor: 11:49a PM Minor: ----Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

5:50am – 6:55am

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

5:33 am 10:37 am 3:55 pm 10:57 pm

Sunrise: 7:14a Moonrise: 7:00a AM Minor: 5:40a PM Minor: 6:04p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

Sunrise: 7:02a Moonrise: 4:08p AM Minor: 1:10a PM Minor: 1:35p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

4:05am – 5:15am

3:05am – 4:15am

Sunrise: 7:10a Moonrise: 12:26a AM Minor: 12:25a PM Minor: 12:49p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

6:10am – 7:25am

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

Set: 8:05p Set: 8:00p AM Major: 11:52a PM Major: ----1:35p 1:11a

6:00am – 7:10am

Set: 8:27p Set: 1:17a AM Major: 7:22a PM Major: 7:47p 9:05p 8:40a 1.43 ft 1.03 ft 1.33 ft 0.16 ft

1:10am – 2:30am

Set: 8:20p Set: 7:48a AM Major: 12:20a PM Major: 12:42p 2:01a 2:24p

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 5:27 am Low Tide: 5:14 pm

z 31

1.44 ft -0.03 ft

PRIME TIME 6:20 am 11:17 am 4:19 pm 11:17 pm

Sunrise: 7:06a Moonrise: 8:51p AM Minor: 6:31a PM Minor: 6:54p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

PRIME TIME

Set: 8:33p Set: 10:03p AM Major: 1:44a PM Major: 2:08p 3:45p 3:22a

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 5:13 am Low Tide: 6:54 pm

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

Set: 8:13p Set: 2:14p AM Major: 5:35a PM Major: 6:04p 6:53a 7:22p 1.48 ft 1.05 ft 1.52 ft 0.17 ft

{ 17

Set: 8:21p Set: 6:48a AM Major: 11:56a PM Major: ----1:15a 1:38p 1.43 ft 1.43 ft 1.52 ft -0.14 ft

Sunrise: 6:57a Moonrise: 9:18a AM Minor: 7:56a PM Minor: 8:20p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

PRIME TIME

Set: 8:07p Set: 7:28p AM Major: 11:05a PM Major: 11:30p 12:46p 12:20a

1.39 ft 1.05 ft 1.34 ft -0.22 ft

SUNDAY

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 5:03 am Low Tide: 5:55 pm

Set: 8:15p Set: 1:05p AM Major: 4:37a PM Major: 5:04p 5:57a 6:24p 1.56 ft 1.27 ft 1.53 ft -0.07 ft

7:00 am 11:48 am 4:29 pm 11:57 pm

PRIME TIME

Set: 8:22p Set: 5:46a AM Major: 11:11a PM Major: 11:35p 12:27a 12:52p

29 5:20 am 10:10 am 2:40 pm 10:15 pm

6:30am – 7:40am

Set: 8:29p Set: 12:02a AM Major: 5:50a PM Major: 6:13p 7:28p 7:04a

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

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 6:46 am Low Tide: 4:53 pm

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

SATURDAY

1.65 ft -0.25 ft

4:00am – 5:05am*

Set: 8:12p Set: 3:22p AM Major: 6:34a PM Major: 7:04p 7:52a 8:23p

PRIME TIME 5:46 am 11:12 am 5:06 pm 11:37 pm

Sunrise: 7:14a Moonrise: 8:03a AM Minor: 6:27a PM Minor: 6:50p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

A L M A N A C / T E X A S

1.41 ft 0.82 ft 1.49 ft 0.44 ft

6:10am – 7:40am

Set: 8:04p Set: 8:30p AM Major: 12:16a PM Major: 12:39p 2:20p 1:58a

F i s h

TIDE STATION CORRECTION TABLE (Adjust High & Low Tide times listed in the Calendar by the amounts below for each keyed location)

NOT FOR NAVIGATION

PLACE SABINE BANK LIGHTHOUSE (29.47° N, 93.72° W) SABINE PASS JETTY (29.65° N, 93.83° W) SABINE PASS (29.73° N, 93.87°W) MESQUITE PT, SABINE PASS (29.77° N, 93.9° W) GALV. BAY, SO. JETTY (29.34° N, 94.7° W) PORT BOLIVAR (29.36° N, 94.77° W) TX CITY TURNING BASIN (29.38° N, 94.88° W) EAGLE POINT (29.5° N, 94.91° W) CLEAR LAKE (29.56° N, 95.06° W) MORGANS POINT (29.68° N, 94.98° W) ROUND PT, TRINITY BAY (29.71° N, 94.69° W) PT. BARROW, TRIN. BAY (29.74° N, 94.83° W) GILCHRIST, E. BAY (29.52° N, 94.48° W) JAMAICA BCH., W. BAY (29.2° N, 94.98° W) ALLIGATOR PT., W. BAY (29.17° N, 94.13° W) CHRISTMAS PT, CHR. BAY (29.08° N, 94.17° W) GALV. PLEASURE PIER (29.29° N, 94.79° W) SAN LUIS PASS (29.08° N, 95.12° W) FREEPORT HARBOR (28.95° N, 95.31° W) PASS CAVALLO (28.37° N, 96.4° W) ARANSAS PASS (27.84° N, 97.05° W) PADRE ISL.(SO. END) (26.07° N, 97.16° W) PORT ISABEL (26.06° N, 97.22° W)

G a m e ® / A U G U S T

HIGH

LOW

-1:46

-1:31

-1:26

-1:31

-1:00

-1:15

-0:04

-0:25

-0:39

-1:05

+0:14

-0:06

+0:33

+0:41

+3:54

+4:15

+6:05

+6:40

+10:21

+5:19

+10:39

+5:15

+5:48

+4:43

+3:16

+4:18

+2:38

+3:31

+2:39

+2:33

+2:32

+2:31

-1:06

-0.09

-0:44

-1:02

0:00

-1:20

-0:03

-1:31

-0:24

-1:45

+1:02

-0:42

2 0 0 8

•

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by JD Moore, North Zone Fishing Editor & Calixto Gonzales, South Zone Fishing Editor

Sandy Bubbles LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Bubbler GPS: N31 54.871, W97 11.656

SPECIES: white (sand) bass BEST BAITS: Tail Hummer, Little George, Kastmaster spoon CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539, teamrednecko1@hotmail.com TIPS: After sunrise the bubbler will hold fish all day. Use Little Georges or Kastmaster spoons and cast into bubbles, let fall for a count of three, and make medium retrieve. BANK ACCESS: Tailrace Fishing Pier, white bass on jigs, Kastmaster spoons LOCATION: Lake Fairfield HOTSPOT: TXU Park Point GPS: N31 48.604, W96 03.394 SPECIES: red drum BEST BAITS: deep divers, spoons CONTACT: Lex Hayes, 903-641-9609, www.lexsguideservice.com TIPS: Troll live shad or bottom rigs on downriggers to get the deep divers and spoons down into the cooler water. You can also use cut shad, shrimp, or perch. BANK ACCESS: Rock Point Picnic Area, bass, catfish, bream, redfish, on live bait LOCATION: Lake Fayette County HOTSPOT: Hump GPS: N29 55.920, W96 44.842 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina rigs, in Watermelon Seed; shad imitation crankbaits CONTACT: Bob Green, 281-460-9200, bobgreen@cvtv.net TIPS: Deep holes in the 15- to 20-foot N6

• A U G U S T

2 0 0 8 /

T E X A S

range will hold fish. This is also the time of year that the bass will begin chasing shad out in the deeper water. Carolina rigs will work well on the humps. Shad colored shallow running crankbaits will catch schooling shad. BANK ACCESS: Oak Thicket Ramp, most species LOCATION: Lake Fayette County HOTSPOT: Snake Island Point GPS: N29 55.877, W96 43.366 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: stinkbait, worms CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: This is a 20-foot deep point off Snake Island, close to 30-foot water, with some timber on bottom. Anchor and fish straight down, using a 1/2 to 3/4 ounce egg sinker and a 12- to 14-inch leader. Lower the sinker all the way to the bottom, reel your rod tip to the water, sinker still on bottom. Raise your rod tip 6 to 8 inches. This gets the sinker off the bottom but leaves the hook on the bottom. Bite might be a sideways movement of rod or rod will lift as fish lifts sinker. Set the hook. BANK ACCESS: Oak Thicket Ramp, most species LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Intake Channel GPS: N30 37.021, W96 04.331 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: shad, chicken liver, stinkbait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: In late summer the water is very warm and short on oxygen. Current from the intake creates water movement that catfish like. As always, chumming in the warm months helps, using either soured grain or range cubes. Allow chum about fifteen minutes to start attracting fish. Anchor near stumps/trees left side of the intake in 4 to 12 feet of water. Carolina rig tight line, 3/4- to 1-ounce egg sinker, using a 1/0 Kahle hook for shad, No. 4 treble for other baits. F i s h

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

JD MOORE

CALIXTO GONZALES

BANK ACCESS: Boat Ramp Pier, bream, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Dam Brush Piles GPS: N30 41.954, W97 19.962 SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: 1/32-ounce chartreuse marabou jig; white slab spoons CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, 512-365-7761, crappie1@hotmail.com TIPS: Use your electronics to locate brush piles that are at least 8 feet deep in 15 feet of water. Hold jig just over the top of the brush pile, using very little action. Berkley Crappie Nibbles will give scent to the jig and usually produces more action. BANK ACCESS: Wilson Fox Fishing Dock, crappie on live minnows LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool HOTSPOT: Community Point GPS: N32 37.647, W97 00.958 BEST BAITS: Carolina rig Fry; Rat-L-Trap; DR Chomper CONTACT: Randy Maxwell, 817-313-2878, r.maxwell@tx.rr.com TIPS: Work all the way around this point, then sit back in deeper water and throw over the point and up and down the point, working thoroughly. BANK ACCESS: Lynn Creek Fishing Dock, bass, crappie, bream LOCATION: Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir HOTSPOT: Timbered Shoreline GPS: N31 02.116, W97 34.723 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: topwater early; jigworm or Texas rig CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, 254-368-7411, Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com TIPS: If you haven’t been to Stillhouse in a while, please know we lost 100 percent of our hydrilla to flooding last year, so it is a whole new ballgame now as compared to the last decade of quality grass fishing. Look for top-

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ALL GPS COORDINATES VERIFIED BY

water during stable weather conditions up through 9 a.m. Bass Assassin-style soft plastics and Zara Spook-style hard baits to match the forage size will do well. After topwater dies, go with Watermelon Seed or Smoke with blue/red fleck soft plastics in and around emergent and submerged timber. BANK ACCESS: Marina Ramp, bream on worms/bobber

7299, ricky@rickysguideservice.com TIPS: The hybrids and sand bass will still be hanging around main lake points. Because of the hotter water, you may have to go deeper to find them. If no luck here, try down by the dam. BANK ACCESS: North end of Kickapoo Creek Bridge, catfish, white bass; fish the channel with a chrome/blue Rat-L-Trap.

LOCATION: Belton Lake HOTSPOT: Back of Cedar Creek GPS: N31 09.881, W97 27.484 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: deep-diving cranks and Carolina Rigs CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, 254-368 7411, Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com TIPS: This creek has abundant shad typically holding over the shoulders of the submerged creek channel. In the upper end, a deep-diving crankbait on light line can scrape these shoulders. Once fish are located, fish a Carolina rig to thoroughly cover the area. BANK ACCESS: Temple Lake Park

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Old Flat Creek Roadbed GPS: N32 11.818 W95 30.666 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina rig with creature bait, lizards, French Fries, flukes; crankbaits in perch and shad colors CONTACT: Don Mattern, 903-724-1203, donmat@earthlink.net TIPS: Bass will seek out cover near the deeper water in the hot months of summer. Deeper cover that holds shad concentration will be good. Crankbaits bounced along the old roadbed has produced some really big bass. Drop-shot the creek channels with a 4inch worm. Good colors for the Carolina rig and drop-shot is Watermelon. BANK ACCESS: Dam Park, bass, catfish, crappie on Rat-L-Traps; pockets and rock wall

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point GPS: N33 03.343, W96 30.384 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Trap, Bandit crankbait, spinnerbait, Texas and Carolina rigs CONTACT: Jeff Kirkwood, 800-965-0350, jeff@jeffkirkwood.com TIPS: During the day, white and shad colors are going to be the better choices. Work any riprap you can find. Work main lake points. This is the key to finding fish. Behind the big island on the main body of the lake is also an excellent place to throw a Carolina rig in Watermelon Seed or Green Pumpkin. You can also fish at night using dark-colored spinnerbaits, worms, buzzbaits, the Bandit crankbait, and even jigs, all in dark colors. BANK ACCESS: Ticky Creek Park, largemouth bass on crankbaits, spinnerbaits LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points GPS: N32 07.410, W95 29.070 SPECIES: hybrid stripers, white bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, 1/2-ounce Dimple Spoon CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-561N8

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LOCATION: Lake Richland Chambers HOTSPOT: Fisherman’s Point Marina, (timbered area just west of marina) GPS: N31 56.297, W96 07.472 SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: crappie jigs; minnows on slip cork CONTACT: Royce Simmons, 903-389-4117, www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: Crappie will be in the timbered area of the cove just west of the marina. They will often be suspended at 10 to 15 feet in 25 feet of water. Small minnows work best, but you can also catch them on jigs. It’s unusual, but you often will catch your best fish in the middle of the day. BANK ACCESS: Midway Landing, catfish, crappie, largemouth, shoreline on either side of the ramp LOCATION: Lake Richland Chambers HOTSPOTS: Light House Point and Light House Flat GPS: N31 56.400, W96 08.240 / N31 F i s h

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56.420, W96 08.130 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina and Texas rigs in Watermelon Red and Red Shad CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, 817-929-0675Cell, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: You can catch fish at two locations at the Lighthouse, one on both main lake points and the other the flat just to the left of the last boathouse. Target the shady side of boat docks and walkways. Fish a Carolina rig with a 2- to 4-foot leader with a 3/0 hook, and a 3/4-ounce or 1/2 ounce Tru-Tungsten and (2) 8mm force beads. I use Kicker Fish Kicker Kraw (creature bait) in Watermelon Red or Red Shad. Drag a C-rig across main lake points, targeting water from 10 to 15 feet deep. If you fish a drop-shot these on these two areas it can be productive also. BANK ACCESS: Midway Landing, catfish, crappie, largemouth; either side of the ramp LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Yankee Creek GPS: N32 49.837, W96 30.049 SPECIES: hybrid stripers, white bass BEST BAITS: live shad, jigging spoons, Xcite swim baits CONTACT: Jeff Kirkwood, 800-965-0350, jeff@jeffkirkwood.com TIPS: The above species are abundant this time of year. The mouths of other major creeks will also produce. Slowly work live shad at or near bottom in 18 to 30 feet of water. You can also try Xcite swim baits near the power plant and the dam. BANK ACCESS: Bay View Marina, crappie on minnows, bass on Brush Hogs LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Little Crappie Point GPS: N30 18.500, W96 31.760 SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: minnows; jigs in pink/white, Chartreuse/black CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Use 1/16- or 1/32-ounce curly tail jigs. Jig straight down below the boat around the rocks or sunken Christmas trees that are at this location. If using minnows, slip cork set to fish just above the rocks or trees, adjusting depth by one-foot until you find the depth where they are biting. Vary jigging speed, let-

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ting jig free fall a-foot at the time. With minnows under cork, move cork a-foot, then let it sit a minute, then move another foot and repeat to keep the bait moving. BANK ACCESS: Rocky Creek Park, most species LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Washita and Mill Creek Flats GPS: N32 51.849, W96 48.761 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Rip Tide Curltailers; topwaters CONTACT: Bill Carey, 903-647-4022, bigfish@striperexpress.com TIPS: The big fish move onto the flats in August. Early mornings cast pencil poppers and chug bugs on the shallow banks. Midmorning change your lures to Rip Tide Curltailers and Sassy Shad soft plastics. Concentrate on the flats that run about 20 feet in depth. Locate the creek channels and dropoffs; these are the routes that the fish use to move up from deep water to feed. Later in the month, the seagulls arrive. Pay close attention to the birds, as they are your best fish-finders. BANK ACCESS: East Juniper Point and Washita Point, watch for stripers chasing shad along bank LOCATION: Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Mid Dam Hole GPS: N31 33.540, W96 58.466 SPECIES: red drum BEST BAITS: deep-running crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, 254-7442104, rayado@earthlink.net TIPS: Tradinghouse is a power plant lake. The deep water out from the center of the dam is some of the coolest water in the lake during the summer months. Crank the lure deep, then retrieve, letting crankbait float up a little before cranking again. Repeat until the lure is on the surface. Also try trolling a medium running crankbait about 30 feet out from the riprap along the dam. BANK ACCESS: Park adjacent to South Levee, Texas rig for largemouth, stinkbait for catfish, crankbaits for reds LOCATION: Lake Waco HOTSPOT: Dam Riprap GPS: N31 34.961, W97 12.038 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas rig with Watermelon Red worm; chrome/blue crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, 254-7442104, rayado@earthlink.net TIPS: Position your boat about 30 feet off the dam and pitch a Texas rig onto concrete

face of dam, drag back slowly, bumping bottom. Work back and forth along the dam. Alternate with deep diving crankbaits. The deep water off the dam is some of the coldest water in Lake Waco this time of year. BANK ACCESS: Reynold’s Creek Park fishing area, largemouth on spinnerbaits and plastics, white bass on shallow crankbaits

TIPS: Most times, colors do not make much difference, but if you are not getting bit, change jig color. When fishing minnows, try a slip cork, working the cork up and down the line until you establish the depth that the crappie bite best. BANK ACCESS: Fishing pier at the Minnow Bucket; or off the bank at Oakridge Marina

LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Sand Point GPS: N31 55.236, W97 20.855 SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Tail Hummers, chrome Rat-LTraps, 3/4-ounce slabs CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539, teamrednecko1@hotmail.com TIPS: There will be early and late schooling action on the above mentioned baits. After the sun rises, back off the area and look for stacked schools of white bass on ledges. Use 3/4-ounce chartreuse slabs and bounce off bottom, keeping a tight line on the fall. The fish will hit on the fall. BANK ACCESS: Loafer Bend Shore, stripers and whites on topwaters; watch for stripers chasing shad along shore

LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn - South HOTSPOT: 414 Roadbed near Easley Flats GPS: N31 10.855, W93 59.272 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina rigs with creature baits, lizards, French Fries, flukes in Watermelon; shad colored crankbaits CONTACT: Don Mattern, 903-724-1203Cell, donmat@earthlink.net TIPS: August is one of the hottest months of the year and largemouth bass will look for cover near deeper waters that hold shad concentrations. Roadbeds hold cover and the concentration of shad will hold bass near. The old 414 roadbed located near Easley flats was a two-lane hard bottom road that runs all the way across the Little Creek Sandy across the Easley Flat area. Work the sides of the roadbed. Crankbaits that run just off the bottom or a-foot above will produce quality bass. BANK ACCESS: Powell Park Marina Fishing Pier

Lake Fork Large LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Mustang Point GPS: N32 51.300, W95 36.923

LOCATION: Lake Toledo Bend South HOTSPOT: Housing Bay GPS: N31 17.683, W93 44.927 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: chrome/blue back or chrome/black back Chug Bug; Carolina rig CONTACT: Jim Morris, 409-579-3485, cypresscreekmarina@valornet.com TIPS: Work the Chug Bug early and late around the surface grass. During the mid-day, look for submerged grass in 12 to 15 feet of water. Fish a Carolina rig, using a Watermelon Red or Strawberry metal flake worm. BANK ACCESS: Ragtown Recreation Area, catfish on live bait fished slowly

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: DD22 in shad pattern; Carolina rigs, Pop R’s, Ribbit Frogs, buzzbaits CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5617299, ricky@rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Early and late bass can be caught on the above-mentioned topwaters. Night fishing will be very good on the same baits and a Gene Larew Hawg Craw in black/blue color. BANK ACCESS: Fishing pier at the Minnow Bucket; or off the bank at Oakridge Marina

Cranky Bass

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Tire reef off SRA Point GPS: N32 50.070, W95 32.028 SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: 1/32- to 1/8-ounce jigs; small minnows CONTACT: Michael Rogge, 903-383-3406, www.lake-fork-guides.com A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point GPS: N30 48.332, W98 23.868

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: white crankbaits; Shaky Head Crème Green Pumpkin worms CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: The water will be lightly stained. Working the above baits in 8 to 15 feet of water on secondary and main lake points will be your best bet. BANK ACCESS: Jacker’s Cove off Camp Road 690, stripers, largemouth bass LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Colorado River GPS: N30 40.212, W98 26.482 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: JDC Skip-N-Poop; wacky rigged Watermelon Red Crème Whacky Sticks in dark colors CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: The above baits will be good from first light until around 8 a.m. Your target area should be 8 to 12 feet of water near laydowns and other wood covered areas. BANK ACCESS: Hwy 1431 Bridge, crappie, largemouth, catfish LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Turkey Cove GPS: N29 51.529, W98 13.116 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: drop-shot rig with Watermelon Red Crème Whacky Sticks and JDC Tomatoes; red grubs in Rootbeer, Watermelon CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: The water will be clear to slightly offcolor in some areas. The largemouth bite will be good in early morning hours until around 8 a.m. along main lake points and bluffs. Drop-shotting points near Turkey cove have produced well for both smallmouth and largemouth. BANK ACCESS: Potter’s Creek, spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps for largemouth bass

Buzz Up a Bass LOCATION: Lake Brownwood HOTSPOT: Rocky Creek GPS: N31 49.701, W99 03.877 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: white buzzbaits, small swimN10

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baits; Texas-rigged Green Pumpkin Speedcraws CONTACT: Wendell Ramsey, 325-2274931, bram4@suddenlink.net TIPS: Start early with the buzzbait on either bank and work toward the back of the creek. As the sun rises, work the swimbait next to the many docks. Flip the gator weed in the back of the creek. Fish will move in and out of the weed all day long even on the hottest days. BANK ACCESS: Lighted fishing pier, crappie, largemouth, freshwater drum LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Dam Area GPS: N32 52.068, W98 25.881 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: crankbaits on downriggers CONTACT: Dean Heffner, 940-779-2597, fav7734@ispwest.com TIPS: Downrigging is the name of the game during these dog days of summer. It will be especially effective on hot, no wind days. Keep your boat moving, you will cover a lot of ground and have a breeze to keep you a little cooler. The morning bite will not last as long as it did earlier in the year so it’s doubly important not to be late in getting on the water. The bite will shut down around 10 a.m. BANK ACCESS: Willow Beach RV Park, ask operator for permission to fish

Snook to Snapper LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Brownsville Ship Channel GPS: N26 2.124, W97 13.108

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pounds) mangrove snapper. Anchor or drift about 30-50 feet off the shoreline to give yourself some casting room. If fish aren’t rising to your topwater, fish along the drop-off with large live shrimp on a split shot rig. With all the snags in the area, a fluorocarbon leader is a very good idea. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Badlands GPS: N27 18.744, W97 27 24.903 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker/chatterweight; topwaters in Bone, red/white CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: You can wade the shallow rocks early in the morning and throw large topwaters such as a Top Dog or a Super Spook to draw reaction strikes from aggressive trout. As the day grows longer, fish around the deeper rocks with live croaker underneath a Texas Rattlin’ Rigs Chatterweight and 18- to 24-inch leader. A combination of the croaker’s grunting and the rattle of the weight should get something’s attention. LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Madame Johnson Bayou GPS: N21 50.51, W93 47.22 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters in white/silver; plastics in Pearl/chartreuse, Glow/chartreuse, Smoke/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: Plenty of baitfish get pushed out of Madame Johnson’s on the outgoing tide, and predators are there to feed on them. Topwaters are the ticket in the morning. Watch for birds collecting and diving on bait that gets pushed up by a feeding school. Soft plastics worked around the edges will find bigger fish that don’t want to compete with the young ‘uns that are tearing up bait. Don’t be surprised if you latch onto a big gafftop; snot sharks love to school up on bait, too. Contact North Regional Fishing Editor JD Moore by email at hotspotsnorth@fishgame.com Contact South Regional Fishing Editor Calixto Gonzales by email at hotspotssouth@fishgame.com

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Costa Del Mar When selecting a new pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses a while back, I noted in the description of the 580 lens option something interesting: “sharper contrast, better definition and enhanced colors in any environment” and of the Copper lens color, “cuts glare and enhances contrast and color, providing eye comfort in any conditions.” The “any environment” and “any conditions” bits were especially intriguing, and I fiendishly machinated a real-world test of the claims—a test of fire. Well, not so much fire as smoke. As a volunteer firefighter in rural Texas (read “out in the boondocks”), I often work in conditions of smoke so thick visibility is in single-digit feet when fighting wildland fires. The need to see hazards and obstacles in such conditions is obvious. Would these “any environment, any conditions” lenses cut the mustard—or smoke, as it were—under such extreme conditions? The short answer is “yes.” The first opportunity to test was at a relatively small brush fire burning on both sides of a deep, narrow gully. Terrain and heavy brush barred taking fire apparatus across the gully, so we set up high-pressure monitors and applied water across the chasm. I noted the water was not hitting the hotspots, and directed the streams by calling instructions to the firefighters manning the monitors: “A little left, now up a hair...that’s it! Pour it on!” I was at first a bit perplexed by the inaccurate aim of the water cannoneers. Can’t they see the same thing I am seeing? I thought. We are only a few feet apart. Then it dawned on me: They can’t see what I am seeing—it’s the Costas! The smoke between us and the active portion of the fire was almost palpable, restricting visibility to about 10 feet across the 50-foot gully. Looking through the Costa 580 lenses, I could see active flame, ground embers, and unburned fuel across the expanse. Without the glasses (experimentally removed), I could not see spit. I handed the glasses to another N12

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firefighter, Lt. Darr Spencer, and said, “Here, try these.” “Damn! That’s amazing!” he said. “Where’d you get these?” I just smiled and said, “Gimme back my glasses.” I need not tell you how well these glasses work under “ordinary” conditions. They passed the smoke test (electronic techs and engineers will get the hidden joke)—what more could one ask. Contact: Costa Del Mar, 800-447-3700, www.costadelmar.com —Don Zaidle

Pre-Vent

A “venting tool” for relieving distended swim bladders of fish brought up from deep water is mandated when fishing for reef fish in Federal waters (effective 1 June 2008). A giant step forward in the safe process of venting a fish’s bladder comes from Team Marine USA’s Pre-Vent venting tool. The tool features a retractable, spring-seated stainless-steel venting needle, and is the safest I have ever used. It works like a dream. Team Marine USA info on the tool states: “The Pre-Vent was invented, designed and developed to humanely, quickly, and easily deflate the abdominal cavities of all reef fish.” It certainly achieves those goals. The needle has two exposure lengths, 11/4 and 2-5/16 inches. Length used depends on the fish size: start short, and use max length only if needed. With the needle fully retracted, accidental punctures to the fisherman wielding it are a thing of the past. The 7-inch long Pre-Vent tool is available in two models: The Pro Series PV-1, with an aluminum body, stainless steel spring, and needle retails for $39.95. The Pre Vent Angler Series PV-2 has a UV stabilized polymer body and the same internal components as the PV-1 and retails at $23.95. Both have lifetime warranties. A third version, the Pro Mini Series PV3, will be available in the very near future. Contact: Team Marine USA, 888-4646423, www.teammarineusa.us —Patrick Lemire

Falcon Rods Cara T7 You want a medium-light spinning rod designed specifically for low-diameter braid? Check out the Falcon Cara T7. I tested a 6foot, 6-inch, CS-4-166M-T7 (rated for 1/8to 3/8-ounce lures) with a spinning reel loaded with 10-pound-test Power Pro braid, and discovered it can toss a jig a country mile. The Cara T7 is built on a graphite blank, has cork grips, Fuji ACS graphite reel seats, and Fuji Alconite Concept guides, which won’t become grooved by braid and allow it to pass smoothly through the eyes. The finish is matte black, with glossy epoxy over the wraps. This construction is tough enough that Falcon offers a limited lifetime warranty against defects in workmanship and material for as long as you own it. Patriotic Angler Bonus: Falcon is one of the few rods around that bears the “Made in the USA” label. Tossing 1/4-ounce jigs to a submerged rubble pile, the combination of high sensitivity and Power Pro braid line transmitted every movement, impact, and strike. The fast-action tip and strong mid-section helped me cross the eyes of stripers when I set the hook and it had enough lifting power to pull a 30-incher clear of the water. Falcon designed the Cara Reaction rods in this series to deliver the perfect action when fishing baits such as crankbaits that trigger a reaction bite. The slower actions of this series of rods help land fish caught on treble hooks, which often pull out at boat-side when there is no line-stretch to absorb sudden movements or surges. Other models in the Cara series include spinning and casting models from mediumlight to extra-heavy; four to 10-weight fly rods; and even a line of dedicated peacock bass rods designed to work large prop baits. Contact: Falcon Rods, 918-251-0020, www.falconrods.com —Lenny Rudow

A Choice Cut

Whether you are cutting fillets from your

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Midcoast Products

Lazer Sharp Hooks

Introducing the new L111 hook, specifically designed for today’s most effective swimbaits. Available in 1/8, 3/16, and ? oz. weights and sizes 3/0 - 7/0. When designing the L111, Lazer Sharp consulted with dozens of tournament anglers, Pro Staff and popular swimbait manufacturers to engineer a hook that would help anglers fish swimbaits more effectively. The L111 was designed with an especially wide gap and a unique barbed spear to keep baits in place. This barbed spear makes centering the bait much easier, allowing for a truer and more effective swimming action. The spear, ideal in length and connected to the eye of the 60° leg, contains 3 strategically placed barbs to give the maximum amount of holding power while also allowing the angler to re-use or re-position baits without damage.

Available in a silky Platinum Black finish and Lazer Sharp’s exclusive sharpening and tempering processes, it provides anglers with effortless hook-sets and consistent results. These new hooks have a suggested retail of $3.48 per pack of 3. Contact: 720-941-8700 or visit www.fishlazer.com or www.eagleclaw.com.

Digital Hunter

DigitalHunter DayNight is a digital riflescope functional during the day, twilight, and night. The DAYLIGHT mode provides the same excellent features, performance and operation during the day as DigitalHunter. The new LOW LIGHT mode provides dramatic low light performance during twilight. And when used with a commonly available near-infrared illuminator (purchased separately), DigitalHunter DayNight displays black and white imagery of objects at night. Ranges of up to 100 yards or more can be obtained depending on the power and power density of the nearinfrared (NIR) illuminator used. NIR illuminators - also called IR Flashlights - emit light essentially invisible to mammals but visible to DigitalHunter DayNight. DigitalHunter DayNight is a lower-cost, goodresolution alternative to image intensifier or thermal riflescopes. And since DigitalHunter DayNight is a digital riflescope, it has advantages not found in conventional hunting scopes such as: electronic ballistic compensation, automatic video and still image capture and replay, field selectable, video out and customizable color reticles. To learn more or to order online, visit their website: www.elcansportingoptics.com.

Stratos XT Line

When the Stratos 176XT hit the market in late summer 2006, it exploded onto the fishing scene by giving anglers everywhere a less expensive, more stable and longer-lasting alternative to aluminum boats. Now, the XT line has been expanded with the 2008 Stratos 186XT, giving anglers even more space and power for under $17,000. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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New for 2008, the Stratos 186XT is an 18-foot, 9-inch boat that feels and fishes like a 20-footer. The additional 15 inches of space is added to the front deck of the boat, giving it the same fishing space of most 20foot bass boats, plus the added convenience of features like recessed trolling motor foot pedals and a 7-foot, 6-inch center rod locker. Completely rigged with 90-horsepower outboard, 40-pound Minn Kota trolling motor, Humminbird electronics and Road Armor Equipped® trailer, this is the most accessible - and roomiest - 18-foot boat in its class, meaning anglers don’t have to sacrifice big money for big fishing space. The all-new 186XT’s combination of features, value and fishability has been a long time coming for serious bass anglers and local tournament competitors who want a new rig without sacrificing quality or breaking the bank. Visit www.stratosboats.com, or call toll free: 1-877-9STRATOS.

Plano 600 Series

The 600 Series Cases are the Premium products offered in the Gun Guard line. Each boasts a quilted cotton interior lining as well as strategically positioned PVC detail on the bottom, nose and butt of the case providing additional protection. Featuring internal tie down straps, full length zippers w, multiple interior pockets for shooting accessories and exterior pockets for additional chokes or licenses, a removable padded shoulder strap these cases have it all for today’s hunter or recreational shooter. Shotgun cases are 54” long and rifle cases are 48” long. The 600 Series cases retail for $29.99-$39.99. For more information visit www.planomolding.com.

XPert Steel

Whether you’re busting clay targets or hunting dove, Winchester® Ammunition recognizes the need for an affordable, nontoxic alternative to lead. In 2008, four new loads are being added to the Xpert® Game and Target Steel Shot line. G a m e ® / A U G U S T

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The new Winchester Xpert loads include a one ounce 12-gauge load and a 3/4 ounce 20-gauge load. Both are 2-3/4 inches and achieve a muzzle velocity of 1,325 feet per second (fps). Xpert steel loads are ideal for use in states with non-toxic shot upland game regulations and are a great alternative to lead throughout the country at an excellent value. Xpert steel shot has a higher velocity and more pellets per ounce than equivalent weight lead loads. This economically priced steel load is a high quality product that provides excellent patterning for upland game and clay targets. It is available in 25-round cartons with eyecatching graphics. The new 12-gauge Xpert Steel Shot, product symbol: WE12GT, features: • Muzzle velocity of 1,325 fps • One ounce load in both #6 and #7 steel shot • 2 3/4 inches The new 20-gauge Xpert Steel Shot, product symbol: WE20GT, features: • Muzzle velocity of 1,325 fps • 3/4 ounce load in both #6 and #7 steel shot • 2 3/4 inches For more information about Winchester Ammunition and its complete line of products visit www.winchester.com.

Dock Box Rocks Dock Boxes are built with a smooth UV gelcoat exterior finish, smooth fiberglass interior finish, stainless steel lockable latch, reinforced fiberglass lid, aluminum piano hinge and gas shock. Waterproof storage for Lifejackets, Hunting Equipment, Duck Decoys & Fishing Equipment. It can be used for boat dock, deer camp or home storage or it is lightweight and can be easily placed in the back of a truck or SUV Available in 48” 72” and 54” triangle. Call 903-677-3141 or e mail janice@dillonmanuf.com for a dealer near you.

Flat-Out Feeder Day VI Outdoors brings scent-control to supplemental game feeding with its introduction of the first truly innovative feeder, the Flat-Out Feeder. The Flat-Out Feeder collapses as its contents are emptied by the game consuming the feed. This allows for a long-range visual assessment of how much feed remains in the feeder. Without the need for approaching or handling the feeder to check the feed level,

the problem of unnecessary scent contamination around your feed site is a thing of the past. With the Flat-Out Feeder, it’s possible to feed mature bucks along with the rest of the herd, since you’re less likely to have your scent spook those older deer onto your neighbor’s land. The feeder’s design is compact for easy mobility (25” x 25” x 14”) and weighs a mere 28 pounds. Set-up couldn’t be any simpler for one person. Yet, it doesn’t compromise on capacity with a 250 pound feed capacity. With a waist-high filling height, there’s no need for carrying heavy feed bags up a ladder. Its aluminum and steel construction is built to last and with no motors or batteries, there’s nothing to fail. The Flat-Out Feeder is compact without compromise. For more information, contact Rich Milliner at 706.256.2578 or by e-mail at rich@day6outdoors.com. Or visit the Day 6 Outdoors website at www.day6outdoors.com.

Stinger

The Stinger Bore Cleaner is a fast, convenient and effective method of cleaning your shotgun and was designed specifically for today’s shotgun enthusiasts who want to insure the best care for their shotguns every

TEXAS TESTED Continued from Page N12 catch or chunks for bait, you need a sharp blade—one that is strong, too. That’s not a problem in the kitchen, but on the boat, steel knives corrode or go dull in short order. Even if they don’t, it always seems like the tips get bent or broken when you are trying to get through a backbone or fish head. What could be better than steel? Titanium. Unfortunately, that material costs an arm and a leg, which is why Old Harbor Outfitters has come out with a new line of knives made of steel with titanium in it, called “titanium-bonded steel.” Titanium is fused with the steel through a heat treatment process. Since the actual volume of titanium is far lower than were the N14

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entire blade was made of it, price stays reasonable. Most sell for between $20 and $25. (Snippers and several different types of knives are also available.) Although the plastic handles are nothing fancy, they should last for eons, as will that titanium-fused blade. The two are brought together with full tang construction, which means the metal extends all the way from the tip of the blade to the base of the handle, providing maximum durability and control. Old Harbor Outfitters guarantees the blades to be three times stronger than stainless-steel alone. Of course, we didn’t believe it until we tried it. To test the claim, I put a fillet knife in the holder on my open center console (note this one downside—they don’t come with a sheath) and made sure they got F i s h

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a salt-spray soaking each and every fishing trip. I didn’t rinse them off one single time, mercilessly ground the blade against fish backbones and scales, and even pried with the tip. The knife survived the ordeal without damage. I didn’t think that was sufficient abuse, so I used the knife for the worst possible task any blade can face—opening an oyster. Again, it came through with flying colors, earning the Old Harbor Outfitters knife a respected place in my boat’s knife holder. Contact: Old Harbor Outfitters, 203540-5150, www.oldharboroutfitters.com — LR

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time they get used or exposed to moisture. Many shotgun enthusiasts often put their shotguns away without properly cleaning and protecting them, all for a variety of legitimate reasons. The Stinger Bore Cleaner was created for them, with their input, to meet their needs. Using the most advanced cleaning, conditioning and lubricating chemical technology available, the Stinger Bore Cleaner uses 360° of cleaning pressure in 5 separate stages of cleaning. In one pass it cleans, lubricates and protects. No preparation, use it anytime… anywhere! To use it, simply chamber the Stinger and in a safe direction… pull the trigger. The primer ejects a cord attached to the cleaning unit. Slowly pull the cord bringing the 5 stages of cleaning through the bore. In one pass the Stinger will clean, lubricate and protect. The Stinger Bore Cleaner can be used to clean several bores before disposal. Goes anywhere to be used anytime! For more information, including a video demonstration, visit www.rhoseinc.com.

Cocoon Eyewear

Cocoons are the ideal sunwear for anyone who wears prescription glasses. The Cocoons collection features the Polaré Lens System with 100% polarization to block out UV A&B light, while eliminating harsh glare. The Polaré lenses meet strict ANSI Z80.3 eyewear standards for impact resistance, are exceptionally durable, and scratch resistant. The full wrap frames are made of virtually unbreakable lightweight nylon, and include a brow bar, under scoop, and polycarbonate side shields for 360? of protection. The frames also feature Flex2Fit® adjustable temples for an exact fit and a soft touch finish for ultimate comfort. Available in six sizes with amber, gray, copper or yellow lenses, there is a pair of Cocoons to fit over any prescription frame. MSRP of $44.95. All Live Eyewear sunglasses are designed to isolate the eyes from a number of harsh outdoor elements, such as damaging UV light, harsh glare, wind and other airborne irritants. The patented styles protect the eyes from the top, sides and bottom, providing 40% more protection from damaging UV rays than standard sunglasses. Each frame is backed by a limited lifetime warranty and includes a custom case and lens cloth. Available at all Bass Pro Shops and Cabelas stores or visit

TFG PHOTO

Crappie Boats at Advantage Marine

ASS ANGLERS HAVE BOATS BUILT AND designed for their fishing needs. Now crappie anglers have boats that are built for their favorite type of fishing— the Lund 1825 Explorer SS Crappie Edition and the Crestliner 1850 Fish Hawk Crappie Edition. Both boats were developed from the input of a crappie fishing professional and by the crappie boat experts at Advantage Marine Services in Sachse, Texas. “We developed a crappie boat that gives what a crappie angler wants in their boat,” said Joe Ham, owner of Advantage Marine Services, referring to his staff and crappie guide and professional crappie tournament angler, Jerry Hancock. The Lund and Crestliner Crappie Edition boat models are both Brunswick products. Lund boats have been available for about four years. The Crestliner edition has only been available for a few months. “Crappie fishermen, tournament fishermen, and guides are buying our boats because of the setup and design that we have put together,” said Ham. “The crappie fisherman is a guy age 50 and up. That’s our demographics, baby boomers who don’t want to go out and throw a thousand times to catch a couple of bass. They are going out there to catch crappie, or fish with their grandkids, or take their wives out fishing.” The boats have three seat bases up front. If there is only one angler, use the seat base in the middle. Fshing in teams, use the pedestal bases on either side. And a bait tank and livewell are within easy reach. “When the guys are tournament fishing in the wintertime or summertime, they need to work out of the front of the boat,” said Ham. “They do a lot of what they call ‘spider rigging’ where they run eight poles, 16 minnows out of the front of the boat. It’s a very productive way to catch crappie in the winter. Crappie go very deep. You have to reach down put a lot of food in front of them. “The way we designed the boat, everything is right there in that cockpit area—the fish-finder, the minnows, the livewell, whatA L M A N A C / T E X A S

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ever—so you don’t ever have to go to the back of the boat.” Both the Lund and the Crestliner are aluminum boats featuring a deep-V bottom. The V bottom boat, the number one selling boat up north, fits in very well on Texas lakes because Texas lakes can get rough. They have lots of room in them. “You can fish four people out of these boats without any problem at all,” said Ham. The Lund 1825 Explorer Crappie Edition is 18 feet, 4 inches long and has a beam of 96 inches. It has a 32-gallon built-in fuel tank, with a 12/24-volt bow trolling motor plug-in. It is rated up to 150 hp. The Crestliner 1850 Fish Hawk Crappie Edition’s overall length is 18 feet, 6 inches and has a beam of 95.5 inches. Fuel capacity is 31 gallons with a maximum outboard rating of 150 hp and 12-volt plug-in outlet for a trolling motor. Although the boats are rated up to 150 hp, Ham outfits both boats with Mercury 115 hp four-stroke outboards. “With gas prices going up, the great thing about the aluminum boat is it takes less motor to push it; you can get away with a smaller motor on a bigger boat.” Crappie Editions are available in different sizes, from 16 to 18 feet. The best sellers are the Fish Hawks and Explorers. “We developed the boat as the ultimate boat for the crappie fisherman. In the past, you had to deal with whatever makeshift boat you could find. The Crappie Edition boats are designed by a crappie fisherman, and the top brass in the industry are fishing out of our boats. Like bass fishing was associated with Ranger boats, crappie fishing is associated with Lund and Crestliner.” Contact: Advantage Marine Services, 6702 Hwy. 78, Sachse, Texas; 972-4955343, www.advantagemarineus.com —Tom Behrens G a m e ® / A U G U S T

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www.liveeyewear.com or call (800) 8342563.

Timberline Optics

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molded case and a moisture-wicking CoolNeck strap. Timberline binoculars are part of a complete optics collection introduced this year by Columbia Sportswear Co. The company’s optics line was developed by licensee Kruger Optical, LLC, a full-service optics provider. Headquartered in Sisters, OR, and Walnut, CA, Kruger Optical supplies innovative binoculars, spotting scopes, riflescopes and other optical products, as well as engineering services. Information about the company is available from its website, www.krugeroptical.com.

Ahi USA Cast Nets

The new Outfitter Series Cast Nets is Ahi USA’s answer to the ever so increasing cost of lead. These nets feature a revolutionary new lead substitute that rivals the

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performance of lead and comes in at a price that’s easy on the wallet. A technological breakthrough in chip resistant vinyl coating protects the steel core from the elements. Ahi USA Outfitter Series cast nets are available in 3ft, 4ft, 5ft, and 6ft and come in 3/8” monofilament. Each and every Ahi USA cast net is packed with quality and value! All models feature double selvage net panels, heavy braille lines, long hand lines, premium UBE chip composite nylon and monofilament netting, and premium treated nylon assembly line. Nets come packed in a convenient hardened plastic container. For more information on Ahi USA cast nets you can contact them toll free 866-2641562. Or visit them on the web at AhiUSA.com.

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Bows, Boars, & Tusks

OWHUNTING WILD BOAR IS ONE OF MY favorite things to do. When you put an arrow through one of these bad boys, they want to hurt you for hurting them. I hunt all over the world, but these wild

the crops of a nearby farmer on another. I got out there early in the afternoon to do a

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE RAY

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Mike Ray’s boar weighed 225 pounds and had 3-inch tusks.

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Trophy Fever aromas of the woods. An hour before dark, I had a small group of pigs come by, but they were small and not what I was looking for, so I waited a while longer. Just before dark, I could hear some grunting going on and I could see some really nice hogs coming down the trail like before. I was getting excited because I knew some of them were “shooters.” I got my bow ready to draw and—wouldn’t you know it—the wind had changed directions and the hogs stopped short instead of coming on by. After what

seem like forever, the hogs bolted off and it was over. I returned to my truck and headed home, thinking about what had just happened to a perfect setup. I guess it wasn’t the hogs’ time just yet. I returned the next afternoon and decided to hunt a little deeper in the woods, thinking I might be able to get a shot before they get to the field, and maybe the wind would work out better. I sat there waiting for something to happen, and before I knew it, the skies were dark and I hadn’t seen a single thing. I was pretty disappointed, thinking maybe I messed things up the evening before when the big boars winded me. I was driving home empty handed again, outsmarted by some “dumb” pigs. The next day, I got busy building some custom arrows for a customer and wasn’t able to go hunting. I planned on going the following evening if I didn’t get too busy again. The next day rolled around, and I was able to take off early and get out there and get set up in the woods like before. I waited and waited, and just like before, I heard grunting and could see something black coming through the woods. As it got closer, I could see it was a big boar hog. I got my bow ready as it drew closer into range. I drew my bow, took aim, and let fly. Thwack! Right on target behind the shoulder. The big boar was very upset. It saw me moving and here it came. I got up off my knees and out of the brush pile. The boar was still coming and I tried to get another arrow nocked. By the time I did, the big boar fell to the ground, kicking and squealing. The arrow had blown all the way through, the Steel Force head carving a channel of quick death. I was celebrating the moment and so happy the big boar went down so fast. I got the boar loaded up and back to my shop, where I could put it on the scales—225 pounds and 3-inch tusks. What a trophy with a bow! I was so glad those tusks didn’t find me! If you have never been pig hunting, you are missing out on a lot of fun and excitement—trust me, I know. —Mike Ray, TF&G reader

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Texas Trophy Envy on the Internet

OMPASSIONATE PEOPLE FEEL SORRY FOR other states that are not Texas. It is easy to understand why those less fortunate would try to mimic the Lone Star State, but sometimes they go too far and compassion has its limits—especially when it involves attempted usurpation of bragging rights to one of our trophies.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROBIN PARKS

Our November 2005 issue TF&G Report carried a story, “Record Gar Arrowed at Rayburn,” about a gargantuan alligator gar taken by bowfishermen Keith Riehn and Robin Parks at, well, obviously, Sam Ray-

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Pre-Season Scouting

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BUCK—SAN SABA COUNTY, TEXAS

BUCK—LLANO COUNTY, TEXAS

Caleb Reed shot his first buck in Llano County, using a .223 Remington Youth Model 7.

BUCK—PAPALOTE, TEXAS

BUCK—LAREDO, TEXAS

BUCK—MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TEXAS

TROPHY NEWS Continued from Page N19 burn Reservoir. The 244.5-pound, 8-foot, 2-inch leviathan was certainly an impressive trophy, as you can see in the photo. Perhaps too impressive. As recently as March 2008, some miscreant with a bad case of trophy envy began circulating an email containing an altered version of the photograph, into which someone added a label declaring the monster fish

came from Broken Bow Lake, Oklahoma. The offending email fraudster even went so far as to embellish the proportions as 8 feet, 10 inches, and 327 pounds. Of course, any Texan knows Oklahoma never grew anything to compete with anything in Texas, but credulous recipients of the fraudulent email living in other states swallowed the story and unrightly gave the Sooner State credit that it was not due. (For verification, see internet fraud-buster website A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Snopes.com and search for “gar.”) If you have received such an email, please hit “Reply to All” and inform all recipients and senders that the fish and photo are real, but it never saw Oklahoma or any other state outside Texas. Further, if any of you fellows living in other states want a Texas-class trophy, don’t cheat; just come on over. We have plenty to spare and are willing to share. Texas is like that. G a m e ® / A U G U S T

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Survivor Guy—Boating Edition

engine shuts itself down. The temperature gauge is pinned. After letting it cool for a while, you re-start the motor and there is no water coming out of the telltale. You immediately reach for: a. 50-pound-test fishing line b. a crescent wrench c. the bilge pump d. a bait knife

2. As you motor along, you see a small boat with its gunwales low to the water. In fact, it looks to you like the boat is dangerously overloaded. To find out, you do some estimating and some quick math. Which formula is correct? a. Acceptable number of people = (LOA x beam) / 15 b. Acceptable number of people = (LOA x freeboard) / 15 c. Acceptable number of people = (Beam x freeboard) / 15 d. Acceptable number of people = (LOA x freeboard amidships x 1.45) / 22

6. You might have some backup water. One of the people in the group has pointed out that your compass is full of water. If your supply runs out, he thinks that as a last ditch option, you can break it open and get a drink. He is: a. dead wrong; the fluid in a compass is mineral spirits. b. dead wrong; the water in a compass is treated with deadly chemicals to prevent algae growth. c. correct; the distilled water in a compass is drinkable. d. correct; the regular tap water in a compass is drinkable.

3. Before you can shout a warning, the boat capsizes and sinks! There are a halfdozen people flailing in the water. You run over and start tossing lifejackets to them. You’re two life jackets short, so you’ll take off your: a. Own life jacket. b. Shoes and socks c. T-shirt d. Pants

7. The water problem is no problem, you announce, because you have ______________ on your boat and can get plenty of clean drinking water. a. wood dowels, some rope, and a plastic garbage can b. cotton fiber, an anchor, and some charcoal c. a plastic garbage bag, a bucket, and duct tape d. fishing line, fishing rods, and a Styrofoam cup

4. Eventually, you have everyone on board. Whew! But when you start running back to shore, the engine alarm goes off and the

8. You drift through the night and, near daybreak, feel the boat hit something. You have reached a small island! The island is tiny

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and there is no edible food, but there are some palm trees. Three people start gathering fronds to construct shelter, three others try to catch fish, and you grab an old soda can, duct tape, and some polishing compound out of the boat. You are going to: a. build a fire b. fashion a knife c. make a ghost crab trap d. clean the boat 9. While fishing, you manage to catch a horseshoe crab. Everyone tells you to throw it away, but you know the _________ of a horseshoe crab is edible, contrary to popular belief. a. leg meat b. back meat c. blood d. it’s a trick question—they are not edible 10. The first night on the island is tough; it is chilly and you do not have any blankets. In the morning, one of the crew suggests moving the shelter from its present location in a gully among the palm trees to a higher spot on the island, because he thinks cool air is gathering in the low-laying area. You tell him to: a. leave the shelter alone b. move the shelter to higher ground c. take a vote d. build a second shelter on higher ground 11. The next day, you have trouble catching fish. Then, under a rock, you discover a bunch of big, icky-looking, six-legged bugs. You decide to: a. use them for bait b. collect them for dinner c. kill them, because they are icky bugs d. stay away from them because most sixlegged insects are poisonous 12. Omygod! You can’t imagine how you didn’t see it before, but there is a bear on the island! It has sneaked up on you and now is standing up on its hind legs, looking at you menacingly, from 10 feet away. You will: a. run away from the bear b. run at the bear c. stand in place and wave your arms d. sing because music calms the savage beast

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ANSWERS (NO PEEKING) 1. c. 2. a. This formula gives you an approximate number for relatively calm conditions. 3. d. Yup, take off your pants. By trapping air in them and knotting the ends of the legs and waist, you can fashion a makeshift floatation device that will keep someone afloat for a short while. Shirts work, too, but have four holes you need to knot shut instead of three, so go for the pants first. 4. a. You can push it up into the telltale and spin it around to dislodge anything stuck in the tube. 5. b. The absolute minimum is two quarts per person per day to maintain hydration. Since there are four quarts in a gallon, each person is good for two days. 6. a. 7. c. Use the garbage bag to line the bucket. Use the duct tape to ten-

13. Whew, that was close—but now you hear a scream from the beach. You run over to discover that one of your compatriots has just been stung on the foot by a scorpion. Unfortunately, there is only one thing you can do for him: a. cut off his foot b. put a tourniquet around his ankle c. put a cool compress on the wound d. suck the poison out with your mouth 14. Is that the chop-chop-chop of a Coast Guard helicopter you hear? Yes! Quickly now, you had better make a signal. You have

sion it into a cone shape. Cut off the bottom of the cone, so it is open to the bucket. Let it sit overnight, and when dew forms on the plastic, give it a shake. The water droplets will run down the cone and into the bucket. 8. a. Using the polishing compound, you scour the concave bottom of the can until it shines like a mirror. You set the can so the sun shines directly into the polished bottom, and use duct tape to center a thin splinter of wood across its middle where the sun’s reflected rays will focus, creating enough heat to light the wood on fire in a matter of hours. 9. a. We are not promising it tastes good, but it is edible. 10. a. While it seems scientifically sound at first, this myth doesn’t take wind chill into account; low-lying areas sheltered from the wind will be a lot more comfortable than high areas exposed to it. 11. b. If a bug has six legs, it is usually safe to eat.

a fire burning, but in order for the pilot to recognize it as an SOS, you need it to be: a. three separate fires, in a triangle b. three separate fires, in a straight line c. four separate fires in a square d. a circle of fire 15. The helicopter is circling overhead! It looks like you are saved! A ladder drops from the helicopter, but as it comes down, a voice over a loudspeaker says, “Do not grab the ladder until you are told to do so.” Naturally, you already know that this is because: a. they don’t want to hit you with the ladder b. they don’t want you to upset the

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12 . c. Standing bears are usually curious, not aggressive. Hold your ground and it will probably walk away. Run, and it will chase you out of instinct. Since bears have been clocked at over 30 mph, you won’t stand a chance. 13. c. Lowering the temperature helps break down the poison. 14. a. This is recognized as a signal for help. 15. d. Static electricity build-up can be significant as the ladder is lowered, and will not be discharged until the ladder hits the ground (or water.) Touch it first, and you could fry. Bonus Question: d. Well, okay, he only used one ice skate (along with a rock) to bang it out. 15+ correct: You are due for a time slot on the Reality Channel 11-14: You are an asset to the group. Less than 10: We will tell your wife how much you loved her.

copter’s balance before the pilot is ready c. they don’t want you fighting with the others over who goes first d. they don’t want to fry you like a biscuit BONUS QUESTION: In the movie “Castaway,” star Tom Hanks removes his own tooth with: a. a pair of crab tongs b. a pair of pliers c. a pair of socks d. a pair of ice skates E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com

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Glide, Twitch, and Roll

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Blading a Swim Bait

if I combined the two? Could the combination of parts of each make a fishable lure that was more effective than either? It turned out the answer was yes. The first step to making this bait is the remove the blade from a 1/4-ounce chatter bait by cutting the eye on the bait at the jighead where the blade is connected. The goal is to remove the blade in one piece without altering it in any way. Next, take a 125 SK slow sinking Magic Swimmer and twist the line tie eye, bending it 90 degrees. The 125 weighs 3/4-ounce and is 125 millimeters long (yeah, I know you don’t do metric—it is just under 5 inches). It works best with the blade from the 1/4-ounce chatter bait, which is connected via a split ring. That’s it. The modification is complete and now you have a bait that has the best of both worlds. The blade accentuates the already erratic movement of the Magic Swimmer, and the swim bait adds a larger profile and looks more like a baitfish than the blade does alone. In the water, the new bait looks like a small school of shad darting back and forth in unison, just like they do naturally. Now, if you want to fish this modified bait (and I know you do), there are a few more tips that Ron passed along about how to work it and what type of line to fish it on. First, you can try a steady retrieve. If that doesn’t work, you need to move to something a little more enticing. Instead of a traditional steady retrieve, Ron suggested using one that is more erratic. On a long cast, he twitches the bait twice and then makes one hard jerk before pausing. The hard jerk makes the bait shoot to one side about a foot, and when you pause, the bait it will roll onto its side and flutter down like a dying shad. The blade gives off more reflection while the bait wiggles like a struggling fish. Be prepared to have the bait hammered as it falls. If the fish are aggressive, you might be able to eliminate the pause all together. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Second, fish the bait on fluorocarbon. Since fluorocarbon is denser than water, it

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Predators & Bird Noses

Although new research suggests turkey might have a sense of smell, it apparently is not good enough for them to “wind” humans.

F YOU ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT BIRDS’ SENSE OF smell is so minute that it really has little to do with their behavior, you might be in for a surprise. At least, that is what some researchers would like you to believe. I read with some interest a few months ago a news release about the results of an experiment with a population of small birds regarding their ability to detect the presence of predators through their senses of smell. In the experiment headed by a biologist at the Spanish National Research Council’s Natural History Museum in the Sierra de Guadarrama Mountains in Madrid province, the scent of ferrets was placed inside nest boxes of blue tits with when the chicks were eight days old. When I read the headline of the news release, “Birds Can Detect Predators Using Smell,” I immediately thought about turkeys. Can those three-toed little rascals actually smell the presence of a hunter? After all, the human scent is perhaps the most alarming “presence of threat” to deer, feral hogs, elk, and just about all other animals on Earth. My mind didn’t dwell on the matter very long because I, like anyone who has spent some time in the woods calling turkey, know that the human scent has absolutely no effect upon turkey. But what about the scent of coyotes, bobcats, and other predators? Again, I would have to count out the turkey’s ability to smell them. Now, eyesight is a different matter. In fact, I would much rather read about a study into the turkey’s incredible ability to detect movement at great distances. Or how about a hawk’s ability to see a tiny mouse on the ground while flying high in the sky?

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But back to the Madrid experiment. By monitoring the adult blue tits after the scent of ferrets was placed in their nest boxes, the researchers reported that the birds not only are capable of discerning their enemies through scent, but that the birds alter their behavior depending on the perceived level of risk of predation. According to the report released by the researchers, the adult blue tits took longer to enter their next boxes to feed their chicks after the ferret scent had been added to the boxes. Also, the birds approached the boxes more often without going inside. The biologists then added the scent of quail to other nest boxes to see how that would affect the blue tits’ behavior. The result was that once the blue tits detected the unknown smell of quail, their natural behavior did not change. In other words, they didn’t hesitate entering their boxes, and the time they spent feeding their chicks was not reduced. So, what does this have to do with turkeys, quail, ducks, geese, and other ground-nesting birds? Very little, I surmise. F i s h

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In fact, I am not sure it is any Earth-shattering news about birds that nest in trees or anywhere else. I certainly will agree that birds do have some sense of smell, but I am not convinced the smell of humans, ferrets, hawks, owls, raccoons, and a host of other predators alters the birds’ behavior or has any effect upon how well they take care of their chicks. After all, even the blue tit researchers admitted that the ferret scent had no effect on the growth of the chicks, even though their parents had spent less time inside the boxes. Maybe the adult birds did not have to spend as much time feeding their chicks because the young birds were growing more rapidly, as most chicks do, as the per-feeding amounts and nutrition in their diets began to increase. Also, I’m not convinced the researchers’ presence while monitoring the adult blue tits (as well as the presence of the cameras they set up to help record the birds) didn’t have something to do with any hesitation the birds exhibited at the next box sites. We likely will hear more about similar experiments with other species of birds, because the results of the Madrid research project appears to have brought some new excitement to bird researchers. Some species of birds might be able to detect the presence of predators by scent, at least to some degree, but for some reason, I have a problem believing what they smell is translated into a perceived threat. What they see, or at least how they react when they see certain movements or forms, is by far their best self-defense. E-mail Bob Hood at hunting@fishgame.com.

PHOTO BY BOB HOOD

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The 16Gauge

Y FIRST SHOTGUN WAS A 16-GAUGE single shot. I don’t remember the manufacturer, but I do remember that it was very light, choked like a rifle, and kicked hard enough to loosen teeth and cause mild concussions. I was about 12 or so at the time, and I couldn’t hit an obese gentleman bovine in the nevermind with that gun. I tried quail and dove, and they were as safe as if in their mamma’s nest. It wasn’t the fault of the gun, exactly. The faults were manifold: the stock was too long for me, the full choke was much too tight for upland game, the vicious recoil of the featherweight gun made me flinch, and I had no idea of the intricacies of wing-shooting. I finally managed to kill a quail with my shotgun, but it wasn’t on the wing. In fact, it was sitting on the ground about a foot in front of the nose of my dad’s English pointer. Luckily, I didn’t hit the dog, but old Jocko was hard of hearing for a few days. It was more than 40 years until I bought a second 16-gauge. In the first half of the Twentieth Century, the well-equipped quail hunter in the Deep South carried a Parker, Ithaca Flues, L.C. Smith, one of the English best guns such as a Boss or Purdy, or another of the classic sideby-side doubles in 16-gauge. This was before the 20-gauge became the darling of the quail hunting set. Those old hunters knew something that we have forgotten: the 16-gauge, firing 1 ounce of shot from a 2-1/2- or 2-3/4inch shell, is the epitome of upland game shotguns. A 16-gauge can be made on a smaller frame than a 12. Also, one of the best 12gauge game loads I have ever used consists of 1 ounce of No. 7 shot. One ounce is the standard load for the 16-gauge. While the 20 is a

wonderful gauge (standard shot payload is 7/8-ounce), and I have used it a lot over the years, the 16 will handle larger charges of shot more easily and, I believe, pattern a 1-ounce load better than a 20-gauge because the shot column is shorter—what is known as a “square load”, meaning it is exactly as wide as it is tall. That is, supposedly, a minor ballistic advantage. All things being equal, the shorter a shot string is, the better the pattern you can expect. MEC makes reloaders for the 16-gauge, and there are several sources for components. In addition, there are reloading components available for the 16 that allow it to use shot charges of up to 1-1/4 ounces. Federal Cartridge Company also makes a wide range of different loads for the 16-gauge, from 1-ounce game loads, to 1-1/4-ounce pheasant loads, and steel shot waterfowl loads. This makes it suitable for waterfowl and late season pheasant hunting. One lady waterfowl guide I know uses an old Browning A-5 in 16-gauge and is absolutely deadly on ducks. However, where the 16-gauge really shines is in the upland game fields. I recently purchased a nice old Winchester Model 12 in 16-gauge. I took the gun dove hunting and liked it so much that I shot it almost exclusively for the entire dove season. Then I called CZ-USA and ordered for testing one of their Ringneck side-by-side shotguns in 16-gauge. Federal sent me some 16gauge test loads and I bought a case of Federal No. 7-1/2 game loads from my buddy Lynn Walker at that wonderful place my wife loves to hate, JW Pawn and Sporting Goods in Uvalde. I never did shoot any of my 12-

gauges for dove or quail, and I never found any faults with the 16-gauge. The 16-gauge was nearly dead a few years ago, but it is now experiencing a renaissance. I think it is well deserved. Browning, CZ, DeHaan, Bill Hanus, and several other companies are now making 16-gauge guns. One drawback, however, is that many of the 16gauges do not come with screw-in chokes. Still, fixed chokes of modified and improved cylinder are really no hindrance. Most of us, if the truth were told, usually leave those chokes in our bird guns anyway, so what difference does it make? I am perfectly satisfied with modified and improved, and the lines of the barrels are much cleaner without the bulges usually caused by the screw-in choke tubes. If I decide to keep the CZ Ringneck, I might opt to have the improved barrel opened up to skeet, but, then again, I might not. If you have never hunted with a 16-gauge, you have missed a great experience. It is a wonderfully efficient gauge, and comes in a smaller, lighter package than the 12. Some 16-gauges are made on 20-gauge frames and are incredibly light, quick, and responsive. For dove and quail, the 16-gauge is every bit as effective as the 12-gauge; I can see no difference in the way it kills or the range it provides. I just wish my first experience had been more positive, then I would not have wasted all those years on other gauges. Furthermore, those little lavender-colored Federal shells look marvelously stylish in my game bag. E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com

FRESHWATER BAITS & RIGS Continued from Page N25 sinks easily along with the bait. If you don’t have fluorocarbon, use braid since it stretches less and will keep you in contact with the bait as it sinks. The bad part about this bait is that you A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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ruin a few perfectly good chatter baits to make them. The good part is that you will catch a lot of bass. It’s a trade I think most are willing to make. E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com G a m e ® / A U G U S T

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Kayaks-1, Gas Price$-Outrageous

HE REALITY REALLY HIT HOME WHEN THE spinning wheels on the gas pump hit $100 and the tank on my Suburban was only 3/4 full. It took two credit card transactions just to fill up my vehicle. A short 25-foot drive later, it was time to fill up the boat. A third credit car transaction (that fortunately didn’t flag security auditors) allowed me to purchase a partial tank of fuel for my center console. Smarting from the huge hole in my wallet, I wondered how many Texas anglers were going to stow their boats this summer and do their fishing on ESPN. In a matter of minutes, I dropped close to $200 on gasoline for my vehicle and boat. If I landed one redfish, each spot on it would be worth roughly $100 each. If I were lucky enough to land a single speckled trout, each spot would be worth about $5. Filling up is becoming as costly as Charles Barkley’s trips to the Las Vegas strip. Had I not been entertaining a group of people that weekend, I would have been fishing from my kayak. The financial shock of that fill-up made we think about the total cost of kayak ownership. Let’s look at the investment required to become a member of the “plastic navy.” There are plenty of choices when it comes to hulls. The length, style, carrying capacity, and brand influence the paddle-out price of a kayak. Longer hulls are more efficient that shorter ones, but not everyone needs to paddle miles at a time. An Old Towne Otter can be purchased in the $250 range. These sitinside boats are light and relatively easy to store and transport. Larger sit-on-top hulls, such as an Ocean Kayak Big Game Prowler, go in the $800 range. Higher end boats come equipped with rod holders and other accessories, making it quick and easy to hit the water. Paddles are worth every penny you spend on them. Avoid cheap paddles; they are mis-

erable to use and have no resale value. Midrange paddles, featuring carbon or aluminum shafts and fiberglass blades, run in the $150175 range. Paddles made of carbon fiber are light as a butterfly and a joy to paddle with, but prices start around $350; however, if you dream of paddling several miles, they make the voyage much more pleasant. Once equipped with kayak and paddle, start thinking safety. Personal flotation devices (PFDs) are often referred to as “life vests.” The paddling community avoids this moniker as it gives the false impression that a vest will save your life; it might, but it isn’t a guarantee because if you are injured or unconscious, your might wind up facedown in the water. There are PFDs made specifically for kayakers. They feature large armholes, which allow free movement for paddling without chaffing. The large openings allow better airflow, keeping you cooler and thereby reducing the nuisance of wearing a PDF in the heat. Remember, a PFD is of zero value if you don’t wear it. Quality PFDs come in the $50-100 range. MTI, Extrasport, and Lotus are well known brands. Make sure the PFD you buy has a Coast Guard approved booklet attached. Sitting in a kayak for long periods is brutal on your lower lumbar, and a quality backrest provides welcome support. Many manufacturers include a small backrest as a selling point, but with the exception of a few, they are virtually worthless. Invest in a quality backrest with double sewn or welded seams, and brass hardware. Pockets and rod holders are nice options. Good backrests start in the $80-100 range. Sit-inside kayaks come with a backrest and don’t require any additional investment for a happy lumbar. Transporting your kayak to the lake or bay is always a concern. Kayaks are easy to haul on top of your car or in the bed of a pickup truck. Use care or your boat can take flight at

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highway speeds—a potentially deadly event. Thule and Yakima make a wide assortment of kayak racks. Investing in a rack will save lots of wear and tear on your vehicle finish. A rack for a single kayak runs in the $75 range. A few accessories like a folding anchor ($12), drift anchor ($15), paddle leash ($12), and butt pad ($15) round out your new boat. The best investment a kayaker can make is attending an American Canoe Association (ACA) approved training course. Beginning paddlers learn how to paddle, stop, and turn their new kayak. In addition, you learn how to get back in a capsized boat—a lesson that might save your life. Let’s review the investment for a typical fishing kayak: Kayak $600 Paddle $150 PFD $75 Backrest $75 Kayak rack $75 Accessories $50 Kayak Class $75 Total $1100 For a hair over $1000, the average angler can purchase a new kayak and associated gear. With gas at $4 per gallon and expected to rise, the break-even point in this example is just 300 gallons of gasoline—not a huge amount if you are used to fueling a six-cylinder outboard. Many boat owners, including me, seem to enjoy adding to our personal fleet. Including my kayak, I am now up to three boats. Consider building your own personal navy this summer by adding a kayak to your personal fleet. You will find that a kayak helps break your bondage to the gas pump. Email Greg Berlocher at kayak@fishgame.com

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Slow Jigs

LOW TROLLING IS REALLY HOW I FIRST learned how to troll with artificial lures. Several years ago, I was fishing a crappie tournament up in Oklahoma on Lake Eufaula. It is a very large body of water that stays pretty muddy or reddish in color year around. Don’t tell anyone, but that kind water produces monster crappie. Over the last 20 years, I have had my share of tournament wins on lake Eufaula from vertically fishing brush piles, but never trolling Road Runners in shallow water. Have you ever been catching fish when you were out by yourself and you knew someone was watching? When I was trolling those Road Runners, I had that feeling, but no one was around to see the show. Won the tournament slow trolling Road Runners. Rig Your Boat to Slow Troll; The way I like to slow troll is mounting two sets of Mr. Crappie Pro series rod holders in the front of my boat on each side next to the gunnels in front of the seat. This allows two anglers to sit side by side and fish with eight rods at a time. That is four rods out on each side aiming forward, with a good spread between the rods to get the most coverage possible. When slow trolling, I like to use Wally Marshall signature series rods, or if the bite is little off and the crappie are just barely striking, I like the Might Lite series for this technique. I like to use rods ranging from 10 to 14 feet in length. If there are lots of trees, I troll with 10-foot rods. If just stumps, 12-foot rods. Slow trolling over brush piles I use 18-footers—the longest rod I make, so I can’t go any longer. How to Rig Your Lines: I love to use my new Wally Marshall bait-cast reels loaded up with 8- or 10-pound Mr. Crappie Hi-Vis line, depending on how heavy the structure is and how big the crappie will be. You can rig up two ways: run one lure per line, or two

lures in tandem, one on top of the other about 12 inches apart. To run your baits in tandem, you will have to use loop knots. When you rig to run tandem or doubles, slide your top lure on the line first, then tie the bottom lure on. About 12 inches up the line, tie the second lure on with just a simple loop knot. When trolling artificial bait, I like to use the Pro Series Road Runner in 1/16- and 1/8-ounce sizes with the willow leaf gold blades. This lure also has a No. 2 Code Red hook. The bigger hooks help more with hookups while slow trolling in shallow water. You always want to make sure you are not trolling too fast, you always want your lines to be straight down or back just a hair so that when a crappie strikes, you are right there to set the hook. Working Structure: The key to being a good crappie fisherman is being able to read your depthfinder and determine the difference between fish and brush. A lot of people don’t pay any attention to the depthfinder when they are catching crappie to determine what is actually down there holding crappie in the area. A lot of times, there is some kind of structure you might not notice right away, such as a log laying on the bottom. A log under the water or lying at an angle off the bank or over a creek channel has produced some of the best stringers of crappie I have ever caught. Slow trolling Road Runners over submerged brush or timber can be very deadly, especially in the spring during the spawn and pre-spawn. When water temps start reaching 59 to 65 degrees is the perfect time for this technique. Best Lure Colors: I have been fishing for crappie so long that I can just look at the water clarity and tell what color will be best for that day. If it is overcast, I like a lot of chartreuse. On sunny days, I like Road Runners with pearl or white tails. The bodies can be white, blue, yellow, black, or red. My all-time favorites are blue/white and lime/chartreuse in the Crappie Thunder lures by Blakemore. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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E-mail Wally Marshall at mrcrappie@fishgame.com. Visit his website at www.mrcrappie.com

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Yankees in Bassland

HE BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES WINDS DOWN its 2008 season this month on New York’s Oneida Lake. That’s a far cry from Texas, which is probably a good thing when you consider the physical beating some of the nation’s top bass pros took here last spring. The Elite Series began its swing through Texas in early April on Lake Falcon near Zapata, where ESPN camera crews introduced the world to what might be the very best bass lake on the planet right now. As predicted, the tournament turned into a virtual slugfest that saw Steve Kennedy’s BASS four-day weight record of 122 pounds, 14 ounces, crushed multiple times. Some anglers caught so many big fish over the course of the tournament that their hands looked at as if they had been run through a meat grinder. The numbers tell the story. Veteran pro Paul Elias of Laurel, Mississippi, won the tournament, but not by much. Elias amassed 132.8 pounds, followed by Alabama’s Terry Scroggins who rode the event’s heaviest fivefish limit of 44.4 pounds on the final day to charge from 12th place all the way to second with 132.4. Third place went to Del Rio’s Byron Velvick, 131.15, who was trailed by Martens, 129.7; Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Arkansas, 128.15; and Scott Rook of Little Rock, Arkansas, 125.10. Hemphill’s Ben Matsubu, the only Texan to qualify for the finals, finished ninth with 114.13. After Falcon, the pros drove 200 miles up the road to another South Texas jewel, Lake Amistad. No one cracked 100 pounds at Amistad, but it wasn’t because they weren’t on a century-mark pace. The four-day tourN30

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nament was cut to three days after a high wind advisory forced the cancellation of the opening round. Jasper’s Todd Faircloth won it on the heels of a brilliant, come-from-behind performance that saw him leap from ninth place to first with 76 pounds, 15 ounces. The personable pro took home $102,000 for his second Elite Series win in three seasons. Del Rio’s Billy Fillmon won the co-angler division with six bass over two days that totaled 33 pounds, 1 ounce. BASS reduced the co-angler daily limit from five fish to three in an attempt to reduce livewell crowding and reduce the potential for fish mortality.

Little Man, Big Fish

Hunter Muncrief of Brookeland, Texas, had a whale of a fish story to tell his buddies when he returned to school after a weekend excursion. Muncrief, 7, hooked and landed a mansize bass all by himself on Day 2 of the 24th Annual McDonald’s Big Bass Splash event held April 18-20 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Weighing 9.02 pounds, the fish put Muncrief in position to run away with the Little Anglers bass division of the tournament and established a new all-time record for the youth division. A first-grader at West Sabine Elementary in Pineland, Muncrief was fishing with his dad, William, when he cast his Zoom Mag 2 worm into 3 feet of water. The bite came shortly before daylight, just after the Junebugcolored worm settled to bottom. Using a Zebco 33 outfit, Muncrief tangled with the fish for a minute or two before his dad was able to get a net under it and haul it into the boat. “It got under the outboard motor once, and it kind of scared us because we were afraid it was going to wrap in the prop and break the line,” William Muncrief said. “Luckily, Hunter was able to work it away from the motor so I could net it.” Because he was not entered in the open division of the popular big bass derby, F i s h

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Muncrief did not qualify to win any of the cash passed out to hourly winners. However, he was awarded a $50 gift certificate from Academy for taking the top spot in the youth division. Tournament director Bob Sealy pledged to have a replica of the fish made for the youngster. Sealy also kicked in a rod/reel combo Muncrief will put to good use honing his casting skills before the 25th anniversary event rolls around next April. “His grandfather has already told me he is going to enter him in the tournament next year if I don’t,” William Muncrief said. “I thought

Hunter Muncrief

seriously about it this year. In fact, some friends and I were talking about it the night before he caught this fish. They said that, sure as I didn’t enter him in the tournament, he would go out there and catch a big one. I’ll be danged if it didn’t happen.” As hefty as Muncrief’s bass was, it did not surpass either of the top five heaviest fish weighed over the course of the three-day event. Jacob Afeman of Rosenberg nailed down the tournament’s grand prize with an 11.30pounder he caught early on Day 2 while throwing a Senko in 4 feet of water. Afeman’s catch earned him a new Dodge truck, Triton bass boat, and Bad Boy Buggy valued at $123,000. Scott Jordon of Vidor took second place overall with a 10.25-pounder caught on a Carolina-rigged lizard. In addition to a Dodge truck, Jordon won a fully rigged Triton

Continued on Page N32 PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LAKECASTER

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Steer Hunting

ANKY HARRY CORLISS MOSEYED TOWARD THE driver’s side of the truck. His arms swung easy, and as he reached for the door handle with one hand, he wiped the sleep from his eyes with the other and yawned. It was still dark, but we had been up for more than an hour preparing to leave. Harry’s leopard dogs were loaded in the front of the gooseneck trailer and our horses were saddled and loaded next. “Brune, you ready to go?” Harry said. “Yeah,” I answered. My last inspection to check the trailer gate was secure, the horses were standing right, and the dogs were okay was done on the fly. I trotted to the truck, put my chaps on the floorboard, crawled in, and picked up on the door as I slammed it shut. Harry cranked the starter, stepped in the clutch, stuck the shifter in gear, and pulled out of his yard. It was a surprise to me every time the short bed Chevy tugged the cumbersome trailer from a standing start. Likewise, it was surprising that Harry’s truck never suffered major engine blowups or mechanical failures. The whole truck-trailer ensemble was a rusted blue-green rattling bucket of maybe-we’llmake-it-maybe-we-won’t, but one thing was

certain—it was a typical Gulf Coast cowboy rig. Times might have been hard, but I was too dumb to know the difference. All I knew was hay hauling, fencing, and cow work. A man had to know when to put out fertilizer and have some wherewithal about the weather. Then feeding and doctoring cow critters filled any spare time on an aspiring stockman’s ticket. Each cattleman’s individual “Indian tricks” separated the old hands from the younger generation. Life was simple. Mama patched my jeans until they were too rotten to patch, and I wore my dad’s shirts with the sleeves cut out. We lived all year on grass-fed beef and deer meat, and Dad milked a range cow every morning that made a living eating bitter weeds and feeder cubes. It wasn’t that we were broke (Dad worked in a bank for 40 years), but there was no sense in buying milk when you had a pasture full of cows. Being tight with money was just the way things were, especially in the German/Czech community. There was still a lot of pre-WWII isolationist mentality, and a general liking for “the way things were when we grew up” by the old folks. “Brune, what is that horse you’re riding?” Harry asked. He jolted me from my trance. I had been staring down the highway dozing, following the headlights, and about to fall asleep. “Are you breaking that horse for somebody or is that yours?” The normal conversation was welcome. For some reason, Harry never called me by

TOURNAMENT INSIDER Continued from Page N30 boat that boosted the value of his earnings to more than $60,000. Third place went to Danny Massey of Jasper, who reeled in a 9.99-pounder on Day 1 using a Zoom Z-Nail in 9-12 feet of water. Massey won a 19-foot Hornet Travel Trailer valued at $14,000. Mark Jones of Vidor caught the fourth N32

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place bass, 9.65 pounds. Danny Abbott of Huntington was fifth with a 9.48-pounder. Sealy Outdoors’ Jan Fondren said the event attracted 3800 competitors looking to cash in on more than $560,000 in guaranteed cash and prizes. Anglers weighed in 982 bass totaling nearly 4400 pounds. On average, it took a bass weighing more than 5 pounds to earn an hourly check.

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my first name, and usually he put a cuss word in front of my last name. Later in the day, all talk would resemble oil field hollering. Most of the shouting would be because of the immediacy of the situation or because I screwed up. “That’s my horse,” I answered. “He’s a coming four-year-old that I bought from Bruno Burris as a yearling. He’s got racing blood, but he’s levelheaded and will do whatever I ask. The first time I got on him was to work cows, and we’ve never looked back. I call him, ‘Dusty’.” “Well, he looks like a good colt. We should have an easy day. These cattle we’re going to are in the San Bernard River bottom, and easy to pen. If we have time, there’s a couple of head that have gotten away before, and we might spend time going after them. There’s a steer that got away from us last year. Can you rope off your colt?” “Sure,” I chimed. The thought of roping a big wild river bottom steer thrilled and chilled me. My roping skills were barely adequate, and my antique slick-fork saddle had the high skinny saddle horn that was fashionable at the turn of the century. Nevertheless, roping was in my job description. We pulled up to the ranch shortly after daylight and met the landowner. Luck was with us. The bulk of the herd was within sight, and when we turned the dogs loose, the cattle milled into a bellowing cluster to be driven to the corrals. Harry and I rode a fast circle to get around them. We dipped into some lower brushy ground and Harry came up behind the swirling muster before they noticed him. Then he pushed them against a fence while I rode the flank staying near the edge of the brush. The bunch of black Brangus and Braford mamas didn’t need much persuasion, and they lined out to the pens. Then we sorted the cows from the calves and began the groundwork. The cows were wormed, the bull calves castrated, and all the calves got their vaccinations. By noon, we had done a day’s work. “There’s a cow and a calf that didn’t come in, and that steer wasn’t with the bunch,”

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Harry said. “The pasture spreads across a wide bottom that goes to the river. Let’s go see if we can find them.” We turned the dogs loose again and longtrotted our ponies in pursuit. Harry took the first trail over the bank and into the live oak thicket. I skirted down a couple of hundred yards and found a cow trail that led into the wooded bottom. There, I stopped, tied the end of my rope around my saddle horn, and listened. The leopard dogs had yelped a couple of times then quit. Dusty raised his head and pricked his ears, looking back in the direction that we had come. Then, without my prodding, the horse walked forward. The other edge of the woods was visible, and in the center of the thicket was a crossing trail. The earth was damp and there was a single set of fresh cow tracks on the trail. I almost giggled. The other cattle had come out of the bottom by a different route. This had to be one of the lone renegades that we hunted, and I realized as I sat listening for the dogs this was real hunting. Then I heard something, and in a moment one of the pups ran by me with its nose on the trail, not making a sound except for its snuffling. Then another dog ran headlong through the underbrush 20 yards beyond us, and Dusty dropped his head and loped along the new trail. As I reached the edge of the next opening, the leopard dogs connected with the steer. The opening wasn’t really open, but had scattered mesquite trees and shoulder-high bunch grass. The steer was racing away with its head up and a 9 thrown in its tail. I feared the runaway would reach the river. So, turning Dusty to make a wide circle, I asked for the afterburners. The steer kicked and hooked with its horns in a running battle with the dogs, never noticing the heat-seeker that was zeroing in. Dusty rounded the arch, and as we cut the outlaw off from its escape, it swung around 180 degrees and headed back to the brush. I shook out my loop and Dusty blazed me into range. Then I said a cowboy’s prayer, swung three times, and threw. The loop flared, settled around the steer’s horns, and I slid Dusty on his hind end. The rope jerked tight and popped off the saddle horn. Just as quick, I caught the knot and leapt from the saddle. There was no way in hell this deserting bastard was getting away. I landed on my feet, took three or four 10-foot running jumps, then ran sideways and got a wrap on a mesquite tree. Then I fell down, clung to the

rope, scurried around the tree one more time, and lay there gasping. The next thing I heard was Harry laughing. He sat on his horse shaking his head and slapping his leg. “That’s the @%*damnest thing I ever seen! You done good Brune! All I could see was that steer running and you popping up out of the grass every 10 or 12 feet. Hang on to that steer and I’ll figure out how to get a truck and trailer back here.” Now, 20-something years later, Harry still likes to tell that story whenever cowboys gath-

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er to relax and share tales. And when he does, it makes me think about all the trails and tracks that I followed to find elk, deer, wild hogs, or outlaw cattle, because it was all good times, and it was all hunting. Meanwhile, Dusty is grazing with a new batch of colts, teaching them manners, enjoying retirement, and always ready to go when I call. E-mail Herman W. Brune at wilderness@fishgame.com

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The Shakes

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Texas Brisket

allow flavors to permeate the meat). One hour before cooking, remove the brisket from the refrigerator or cooler, uncover, and allow it to sit and become room temperature.

III. Cooking the brisket

RISKET IS A TEXAS TRADITION. PEOPLE HAVE been cooking briskets for many years in a variety of ways, including boiling, oven cooking, and barbecuing. My favorite is barbecuing, with a braising technique added as well. Brisket Facts: Brisket is a tough meat to begin with, unless it is fully cooked. Brisket is loaded with a waxy looking connective tissue called collagen, which makes the meat tough and chewy. Only when the collagen has been transformed into gelatin will the meat be tender. It begins to convert to gelatin at 140 degrees internal, but the process occurs most rapidly at temperatures over 180 degrees internally. A meat thermometer is recommended for serious barbecuing. An internal temperature of 210 degrees must be achieved to fully cook the brisket. The juices are normally long gone after cooking, which is why most of the time it is served with barbecue sauce. Cooking the meat with moist heat in foil (braising) is preferred because it will conduct the heat better than just cooking on the pit. For those who love brisket but think it is “bad” for them, good news: Texas A&M researchers have found that brisket is actually good for you. Aggie graduate student Stacey Turk’s master’s thesis shows that fat from brisket contains significant amounts of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that can promote good cholesterol in people. So, pick your brisket, fire up the barbecue or smoker, and have at it—guilt free.

I. Picking the brisket

When picking a brisket I like to look at a couple of things: a. Make sure briskets are thawed to inspect. N38

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b. Pick up a brisket and fold it in half. It should be able to touch end to end after trying a couple of times.

II. Prepping the brisket

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IV. Slicing and Serving

a. Separate the top and bottom of brisket and trim excess fat. b. Slice across grain on the diagonal into long, thin slices approximately 1/4-inch thick. Contact Bryan Slaven, "The Texas Gourmet," at 888-234-7883, www.thetexasgourmet.com; or by email at texas-tasted@fishgame.com. S P O N S O R E D BY:

PHOTO BY BILL OLIVE

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SPECKLED TROUT—PORT O’CONNOR, TEXAS

BLACK DRUM—PORT O’CONNOR, TEXAS

Captains Kenneth and Keith Gregory of Port O’Connor with a catch of 17 speckled trout while enjoying a “guides’ day off.” Photo submitted by uncle, Steve Gregory.

REDFISH—BURNETT BAY, TEXAS

HYBRID STRIPER—LAKE TRAVIS, TEXAS

TROUT—BAFFIN BAY, TEXAS

SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO:

TF&G PHOTO ALBUM

Noe Morales of Bishop, Texas, caught this 10pound, 31-1/2 -inch trout on Baffin Bay. He was using a Norton Bull Minnow on a Waterloo rod with a Curado 101 reel.

PLEASE INCLUDE NAME, HOMETOWN, WHEN & WHERE CAUGHT, SIZE AND WEIGHT

1745 Greens Road Houston, Texas 77032 OR BY EMAIL: photos@fishgame.com

Note: All non-digital photos submitted become the property of Texas Fish & Game and will not be returned. TF&G makes no guarantee when or if any submitted photo will be published. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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A Good Day at Sabine

HEN A COUPLE OF ANGLERS FROM north Texas get a chance to sample the bounty of the Texas Gulf, they packed the truck. Bob Nix and his son, Ronnie, were the May Trophy Quest winners, receiving a free fishing trip with Capt. Bill Watkins in the Sabine Lake area. Nix’s home water is Lake Lavon, where crappie fishing is his forte. “When we first went out, we fished a couple of reefs in the lake, looking for birds working, and none of that really happened,” said Watkins. “We picked up a couple of fish off a reef, but everything else was pretty slow.”

by Tom Behrens The water was calm and Watkins knew there were some willing fish at the jetties on the Louisiana side of Sabine Pass. “We pulled up on the jetties and immediately were catching fish,” Watkins said. “About the second cast, we were in it, catching specks, reds, and black drum. We threw back probably 20 black drum. Everything was eating shrimp.” The trio was using Reaction Lures U99 baits that mimicked shrimp, but as Bob

HOW YOU CAN WIN! TEXAS FISH & GAME HAS GIVEN AWAY OVER 200 TROPHY QUEST TRIPS. TROPHY QUEST is free guided hunting or fishing trips within the state of PHOTO BY BOX NIX

Bob Nix and his son, Ronnie, with the fruits of a day’s labor at Sabine. recalled, it didn’t make any difference what you used—the speckled trout and redfish were ready to provide the action. Bob and Ronnie caught their Louisiana limits of redfish and speckled trout. They threw back a lot of reds and about 20 black drum. “We had six 1-gallon bags of filets,” said Watkins. “The fish were really large. The average size of the reds was about four pounds. We had trout that measured 24 inches.” Bob said he just might have to make

Texas. The package includes a guided trip for two people, one night's lodging and all food and beverage (non-alcohol). Winners are responsible for all travel expenses getting to and from the destination point. HERE'S HOW YOU WIN! If you are a TF&G subscriber, your name is automatically entered on our monthly Trophy Quest Trip drawing. If you are a subscriber and would like

another trip down to the sunny Gulf coast later this year. “The fishing trip was wonderful; you couldn’t want any better,” he said. “The wind was down and there was just a little breeze. The temperature was pretty good and the fishing was great.” SPECIES: redfish, speckled trout, black drum LOCATION: Sabine Pass GUIDE: Capt Bill Watkins,

your name entered 15 more times in our next monthly drawing, simply send us an email with your name, address and phone number* to trophyquest@fishgame.com. You can still win even if you are NOT a subscriber. Simply email us with your name, address, and phone number* to trophyquest@fishgame.com and you're entered in our next drawing. One winner is chosen at random each

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month. The winner must be available to go on one of two previously scheduled dates. If the winner is unable to attend on either dates scheduled for the TROPHY QUEST TRIP, the winner's name will be returned to the pool for future drawings and another winner will be drawn. *Phone numbers will ONLY be used to contact the winners and will not be used for any other purpose.

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Beating the Heat

LAT CALM. NOT A BREATH OF WIND. HEAT SO oppressive it threatens to suck your last heartbeat right through your throat.

Welcome to the mid-summer Gulf of Mexico. Surface temperatures boil into the high 80s and occasionally toy with 90 degrees, potentially fueling a tropical whirlwind, but more often just creating a hot,

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heavy mitt that slaps incessantly at the backs of fishermen’s necks. Summer is no time to stay in one place for long. Even as fuel prices approach those of bottled water and designer coffee, it’s tough not to turn the key, push forward the throttle, and make a breeze. Staying comfortable under the full force of summer is, of course, impossible. Bearing its brunt, on the other hand, can be done with some imagination and preparation. First order of business—and this has to do with staying healthy—is hydration. Start flooding your system with water a couple of days before an offshore trip, and remind yourself while on the water to keep the tap open. It is entirely reasonable to carry a full gallon of drinking water for each person on

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board this time of year. Keep that water cool but not necessarily ice-cold. A friend who trains professional athletes and follows me on the radio each Saturday morning, Danny Arnold, explained that when you drink extremely cold liquids, the body has to warm them before it can absorb whatever good is available from them. He also taught me a lesson about sports drinks and their heavy doses of electrolytes. If you knock back a straight bottle (or two) of a typical sports drink, your body suddenly is inundated with beneficial electrolytes. Their concentration is such that your own system reads the infusion as an overload and, to counter, temporarily shuts down its natural production of the same important ingredient.

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Don’t allow yourself to get parched before replenishing fluids, and when you do reach for a sports drink, mix it about 50/50 with water. Doctors I have interviewed on this subject in the past recommend about 12 ounces of water— not beer—for every half hour of summertime outdoor activity. Fishing, done right, is activity. Amberjack on diamond jigs? Activity. King mackerel on topwaters? Activity. Tarpon and shark on whatever they eat? Activity. Two-pound red snapper on chunks of squid? Not activity. Popcorn dolphin on trout rods? Even less activity than 2-pound snapper. The harder you crank the reel handle, the more you are likely to sweat. Perspiration is a good thing. It means your body has moisture to spare, and that wetness on the skin helps to wick away excess heat. If it is

95 degrees, you are trying to keep a grouper out of the rocks, and you realize there is no sweat in your eyes, cut the line, sit down, and get someone to bring you a jug of water. Don’t underestimate the value of shade offshore. The ability to shield yourself from direct, intense sunlight, even temporarily, gives your body a much-needed break from the heat. The standard T-top on most offshore day boats casts a shadow large enough to accommodate two, maybe three fishermen, depending on their size. A less expensive but equally effective means of hiding from the sun is to plant a full-sized patio umbrella in a rod holder. Jim Leavelle, who once guided tarpon trips off Galveston Island, used to stow one of those giant umbrellas beneath the gunwale of his boat and, once he reached the fishing grounds, would hoist and deploy it. The thing cast a generous shadow and could be

easily dropped and stashed when it came time to quit drifting and cast to rolling fish. Sunscreen. Well, if you don’t recognize the importance of sunscreen, I will let your dermatologist explain it to you the next time he is slicing something off your nose, ear, hand, back, or face that just might be cancerous. Between hurricanes, summer is the Gulf ’s calmest season, but those smooth rides on slick water are not free rides. Chop and heat work together to make offshore fishing unpleasant. If one can’t get you, the other will try. Stay hydrated and shaded, and you will enjoy summertime offshore fishing all the more.

E-mail Doug Pike at offshore@fishgame.com

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HUNTING GUIDE 08-new

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Attention, Hunt-Mart Shoppers!

ing gear, gadgets, and germane gallimaufry. We like thumbing catalogs and ogling the latest camo clothing, optics, boots, hats, slings, belts, holsters, gun cases, flashlights,

ET’S CUT THROUGH ALL THE POLITICALLYcorrect, gender-neutral nonsense and get down to brass tacks: Most hunters are men, and most men hate shopping. The only thing worse than having to hang out in Ladies Wear is when your wife pops out of the dressing room wearing something that makes her aft end look like she is towing a wide-load trailer, and she asks, “Does this make my butt look big?” There is no good answer. On the other hand, most hunters enjoy window shopping—as long as it is for hunt-

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spotlights, knives, sharpeners, decoys, game calls, targets, reloading stuff, ammo, blinds, game feeders, bows, boats, and guns. Savvy retailers figured out that men who

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hunt harbor a shopping gene, which is why they petitioned God to make things like Academy, Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mountain, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Cabela’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Carter’s Country. They are the Wal-Marts of hunting, the Bloomingdale’s of gear and gadgetry, the trendy boutiques of camouflage. Now, my conscience (a.k.a. “the girls in the office” and G u r l z Page columnist Mary Henry) informs me that I am woefully uninformed and that many women are, in fact, hunters, and likewise enjoy exercising their shopping muscles. Alas, it is not my first time to endure the appellation “chauvinist male pig.” Gender notwithstanding, hunters like to

shop because hunters like to hunt, and the stuff we buy when we shop helps us hunt more, hunt better, hunt more efficiently, or have more fun. If “getting there is half the

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fun,” then gearing up is the other half and actually hunting is the third half (do not try to tell a hardcore hunter that you cannot have three halves).

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With our shopping proclivities established, something must be said about shopping techniques and tactics

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(yeah, they have those even for shopping.) One does not simply blunder into the marketplace firing credit card numbers willy-nilly; it simply isn’t done, old boy. You must plan your hunt and shop your plan, or something like that. Big Ticket Items: When shopping for

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a major appliance such as a blind, gun, feeder, or pricy electronic game call, never buy sight-unseen. Touch, fondle, and try at public trade shows, in retail showrooms, or at a hunting lease near you where friends or enemies already have the item. I own a very nice Weatherby Mark V chambered in .300 Weatherby Magnum that my wife and daughter bought for me one Christmas. They got a steal of a deal on the gun, quality scope and mounts, sling, hard case, and a box of ammo missing only three rounds, paying less for the package than the usual price of the gun alone. Although the gun was new, it was “used” because the original purchaser fired three rounds though it— the same three rounds missing from the box of ammo that came with it. After firing said three rounds, he loaded up the gun and accouterments, drove straight back to the gun store, handed the package to the salesman, and said, “Take back this mule-kicking son-of-a-nevermind and give me a .270!” The hapless and now-deformed purchaser bought the big magnum after hearing how efficacious it was for deflating things of impressive size at impressive ranges and leaving impressive holes in things thus deflated. Unfortunately, no one told him about the equally impressive recoil. He can now applaud with his shoulder blades. Try before you buy. Once you know what you want, keep an eye on local, mail order, and on-line retailers for special sales and promotional discounts. It helps to know the going price in order to distinguish a bona fide “on sale” price from a “for sale” price. The money you save might be your own. Know Your Product: Remember those cheesy companies that advertised Xray glasses, fake dog vomit, “Sea Monkeys,” and sneeze powder on the back pages comic books? Well, when I was a kid, a company of similar reputation and marketing tactics advertised hunting and fishing gear in the backs of hunting and fishing magazines. Even though the stuff pictured in the hyperbole-ridden advertisements looked like the real thing, the one much-regretted order I placed delivered the equivalent of plastic toy hammers and papier-mache nails. A line from an old Bill Anderson song (recorded by Lynn Anderson and Jean Shepard—and if you know who any of these

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people are, welcome to the older-than-yourteeth club) that goes, “If you’ve never had a T-bone steak, saltine crackers taste just fine.” In other words, if you are not familiar with quality,

a fifth-rate product seems just fine. In the worst case, an inferior product poisons one’s perception of all similar products—even good ones that work as advertised. It there-

fore behooves more than beeves for a sportsman to know what distinguishes a good product from an also-ran. On the other side of that rock, neither

price nor name are guaranteed-accurate gauges of quality. I am privileged to own a number of moderately-priced products, from binoculars to ballerina shoes, that stack up

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favorably against the most prestigious brands and impressive price tags in their respective categories. Again, knowing the quality attributes of a product is crucial to correctly assaying quality and value against

price. Between military demands and ridiculous crude oil prices (thank you, commodity speculators), ammo has become scarce and expensive. Frequent shooters now bargain shop more than ever for cuprous lead fodder, often “taking a chance” on obscure brands based on price and/or availability. Be cautions of non-brass cases (aluminum or steel), load standards (usually from foreign manufacturers or foreign military surplus), corrosive powder or primers, and—if you reload—Berdan rather than Boxer primers (yes, they still make those). Notes on Blinds: Anyone who has ever built a deer blind from scratch know that, with the price of nails, lumber, hardware, and other materials, you do not save a lot of money over purchasing a commercial blind; wood deteriorates and needs frequent maintenance; wood is heavy, which makes relocation a pain in the back; and at least one hammer-smashed finger is in the offing. A quality ground blind, tripod, or elevated box blind resists deterioration (exceptions are plastic models made from materials that degrade under UV-spectrum sunlight), is sturdy, lightweight, and almost maintenance free. Compare costs, quality, materials, and features between manufacturers and models, juxtapose your pick alongside construction time, cost, and maintenance of a DIY version, and go from there. Notes on Feeders: A few years ago, a hunting buddy and I got on this DIY deer feeder kick. We made feeders from 5-gallon buckets, 55-gallon barrels, reworked cattle feeders, and our wives’ old pantyhose. Some of them worked, some didn’t, and some probably scared off more deer than they attracted. Nonetheless, we designed each feeder with a specific application in mind: 5gallon size for humping into deep woods clearings accessible only by foot on twisty game trails; 55-gallon size for vehicle-accessible locations; rebuilt cattle feeders for large pastures; we will not discuss the pantyhose. All of them were “on demand” jobs because economical, practical electronic timers simply were not available. A dearth of suitable commercial products fueled our private industry. These days, it makes more sense to purchase a field-ready

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feeder than to expend all the sweat and money on building one. They come in pretty much the same variety of sizes that my buddy and I built, and deployment options range from on-demand to intricately timed electronic dispensers. If so inclined, one can split the difference and purchase a feeder kit that includes the electronic dispenser mechanism and a tripod mounting system for a 55-gallon barrel. You supply the tools, the barrel, and the sweat.

“Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark.” So, take consistent advertising as a sign of a manufacturer’s confidence in its products, and use it as

one criterion when deciding where to shop, what to buy, and how much fun you can expect to have with it. —Don Zaidle

Advertising Means Confidence: As self-serving as this might seem, it is a trustworthy truism: Successful manufacturers usually make quality products, but having the greatest product in the world is mostly irrelevant if few know it exists. That is why quality manufacturers advertise their products and the virtues thereof in quality magazines such as this one. Advertising is not a crapshoot, but an affirmation of the manufacturer’s confidence in its products, manifested as willingness to put their money where the hype is by investing advertising dollars. As Mark Twain said,

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Ennis Jr. High Archery Team Scores Big

AST MAY, JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS from Ennis, Texas, competing in the National Archery in the Schools Program(www.nasparcher y.com) national tournament in Louisville, Kentucky, did Texas proud with high scores and a twentieth place finish. Winning even “twentieth place” is no mean accomplishment—remember, the competition was the entire nation at “the largest archery tournament in U.S. history.” We asked one of the competitors, 8thgrader Chelsea Raburn, the NASP Texas State Middle School Champion, for a synopsis. Here is her report: Wow! I couldn’t believe it. We were the state champions in the Texas Archery Tournament. We were super excited, but we had a huge problem on our hands—getting to nationals. On March 28, about 50 students, a few parents, and one archery instructor from the little bitty town of Ennis, Texas, walked into the Convention Center in Temple. We had been practicing a lot and were pretty confident we would do well, but we had no idea! We watched other archers for a while, and when it was our time to shoot, we stepped up to the line and shot just as we had been taught. All 50 of us shot extremely well. When our coach, Mr. Brietz, informed us that we were staying for the awards, we knew we had done great. The announcer started with the youngest students, so while we listened to their scores, we all sat in extreme anticipation. Finally, they got to middle school results. Individual accomplishments came first. Wesley Nash, a 7th-grader, who placed

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fourth in the middle school division, was the only boy at our school to win first through fifth. Two girls from Ennis, Brooke Watson and me, placed first and second in the middle school division. Three out of the four high school competitors from Ennis placed in the top five: Hunter Dlabaj, Matthew Matous, and Justin Taylor. All of us were extremely happy about placing so high, and we were only halfway through the awards. They announced the third place team in middle school, and it wasn’t us, nor were we second. At that time, we didn’t really think we could have placed first, but there was a glimmer of hope that the championship could still be ours—and we were right—the first place middle school team was Ennis Junior High! We all jumped up and screamed and yelled with excitement. It was the greatest feeling to know that we had shot really high numbers and beaten everyone else. We all had huge smiles on our faces that wouldn’t come off. Then we went to work to get to nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. The biggest issue was having enough money to get 50 people there and back. People from around town donated items for a raffle, so we sold tons of tickets. We also had a car wash and earned quite a bit from that. In the end, we raised over $6000, and that was enough to get us to nationals. Everyone we met was willing to help us out. Our only other major problem was that we had to shoot 15 meters away from the target at nationals. At the state competition, we shot from only 10 meters. We stayed after school every day and practiced, practiced, practiced at 15 meters until it was time to F i s h

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load the bus for the long trip. When we arrived on Friday night, we went to the exposition center and shot a couple of practice rounds to get us ready for the following day. When we were through practicing, we went to our hotel, and everybody crashed. We were full of energy when we woke up in the morning because we knew it was going to be a fun day. When we first walked into the expo center on Saturday, we were overwhelmed. People were everywhere, and the place was huge. It was the biggest archery tournament that has ever been held in the United States, with over 3000 archers participating. Luckily, we had been assigned lanes and were directed to them. Before our designated time slot, we had a tailgate party with Texas style barbeque brisket. It didn’t take long before it was our turn to shoot, and we were completely ready. We took the same steps as we did at state and prepared to do our best. It took quite a while to get all of our rounds completed. After grabbing a quick bite to eat again, we headed back to the expo center to find out the results. Mr. Brietz told us that we had shot higher than he had expected and was very proud. We had placed twentieth out of over 50 teams in our age group, and that was a huge accomplishment. Since our school had shot from 15 meters for only a few weeks, we thought our standings were great. Plus, all shooters from Ennis had been shooting for only one or two years, whereas the contestants from Kentucky and Ohio had been shooting for six or seven. Our archers from a little bitty town in Texas had shot at state, won first place, moved on to nationals, and done exceptionally well. We all worked hard, gained new skills, and had a lot of fun in the process. This year, Ennis Junior High School placed twentieth in the national competition, but our aim is set even higher for next year. Kentucky, here we come! —Chelsea Raburn

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Invasive Plants Besiege Caddo Lake

HE CYPRESS VALLEY NAVIGATION DISTRICT (CVND) held a celebration recently on Caddo Lake to thank partners for their aid in controlling non-native vegetation on the lake. Ducks Unlimited (DU), through a partnership with Syngenta, has provided $20,000 of aquatic herbicide to assist in the campaign against giant salvinia and water hyacinth. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) was recognized for their donation of an airboat for use in herbicide treatments as well. “We are in a continuous battle with giant salvinia and water hyacinth out here on the lake,” remarked Kevin Herriman, Northeast Texas Ecosystem Project Leader for TPWD. “Being able to deal with this challenge takes a team effort with both public and private organizations, such as DU and Syngenta. We hope to continue to work together to combat invasive plants on Caddo Lake and elsewhere. More than anything else, today we want to say ‘thank you’ to all those who are united in this effort.”

Judge Richard Anderson recognized State Senator Kevin Eltiffe, along with State Representatives Bryan Hughes and Stephen Frost, for continued support of conservation efforts at Caddo Lake. Eltiffe noted that his ability to gain support in Austin for efforts such as this one is greatly enhanced with such a diverse and vibrant partnership of local, regional, private and public interests. “The herbicides donated by Syngenta to spray infestations of giant salvinia and water hyacinth will go a long way toward helping the partnership be successful,” said DU Regional Biologist Keith McKnight. “Caddo Lake is a designated Wetland of International Importance that provides vital habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife in east Texas. We are glad that DU can be a part of this effort.” Giant salvinia is a non-native, invasive aquatic fern from South America. The plant has had catastrophic impacts on aquatic ecosystems on several continents and reached Caddo Lake in 2006. It spreads by vegetative growth, and small pieces of the plant rapidly produce more plants. With the ability to double its numbers in 2-10 days and the habit of producing mats of up to 2 feet thick, giant salvinia can completely cover waterways and prevent the passage of sunlight and oxygen that native plants, fish, insects, and other species require. “It can essentially kill a body of water,” McKnight explained. “It makes lakes and streams look more like putting greens, and it eliminates or greatly impairs lake-related opportunities including boating, fishing, and hunting.” In order to effectively combat giant T E X A S

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salvinia infestations on Caddo Lake, managers must also treat water hyacinth. The water hyacinth serves as a very effective hiding spot for the fern. Because the effective herbicides for water hyacinth are ineffective on giant salvinia, combinations of herbicides must be used.

DU Reappointed to Wetlands Council In a first of its kind, a senior Cabinet official addressed the Ducks Unlimited National Convention in Baltimore, Maryland. “Everything Ducks Unlimited does is world-class,” said Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, addressing more than 900 Ducks Unlimited members, volunteers, and staff. Kempthorne specifically praised DU members’ and staffs’ commitment to conservation, saying “conservation is not simply writing a check once a year...conservation is a way of life.” He also complimented DU for being a committed partner in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, a plan now used as a model for conservation and management of many other species of wildlife. The visit from Secretary Kempthorne was not the only brush with the federal government that convention-goers experienced. A large group of volunteers and staff, including DU President Bruce Lewis, Chairman of the Board Dr. James Hulbert, First Vice-President John Pope, and Executive Vice President Don Young, toured Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress. The tour brought 150 people from around the nation to a luncheon meeting with more than a dozen members of Congress and a senior official from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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The Return Of Reavis Hammer Screwdriver, Outdoor Detective

T HAS BEEN NEARLY 10 YEARS SINCE I LAST opened for businesses. The last time I did that some dentist gave me the business. It must have been a pretty good business because it cost me a fortune, so I haven’t opened for anything like that since. It was five years ago last May that I opened my office for business. I swiveled in my chair to look out the office window. It felt so good to swivel, that I did it again, and then spun several times, just as a reminder to what is was like being a kid. I never liked being a kid because I was dizzy half the time from spinning around in chairs, on merry-go-rounds, and in the yard. Nauseous, I stopped spinning and stared outside at the heat shimming off the sidewalks. The heat shimmered because it was summertime. I know that because I’m an Outdoor Detective—Reavis Screwdriver. I used to be Reavis Hammer, but some copyright lawyers sent me a nasty letter. I hate nasty letters, what with all that sewage and other stuff I won’t mention making the envelope all squishy. Outdoor Detectiving isn’t a permanent job, but there are times when those in the outdoor world call for my skills. A quick knock on my door, and Doc burst through. “You’re gonna have to fix that,” I said, looking at my busted door. “I will,” he answered. “But right now, I’m here to hire the Outdoor Detective.” I leaned back in the chair and grasped the desk to make the world stop spinning. “I’d love to work for you, but I have one important question. Do you have a record?” He shook his head, sadly. “No. But you know me, Rev. You know I don’t have a record.” With a heavy sigh, I turned and pulled a 62

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record out of my stack of LPs. “This is a soundtrack for an inner cinema of the mind, depicting a plunge into those darker elements of Los Angeles nightlife, a recurring theme of the film noir of the 1940s and 50s. It shows a brutal and corrupt society at odds with itself in all facets of life.” “Huh? ” Doc asked, obviously not following my train of thought. The train almost derailed, but I pulled it back on track with a mighty mental tug. Mellow saxophone music soon filled the office. “This is little changed from those days of Robert Mitchum, Robert Taylor, or Humphrey Bogart.” “ I don’t want those guys. I

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just want to find my lost shotgun.” Nodding, I opened the right bottom drawer of my desk, removed a bottle, and thumped it beside two highball glasses. “You want some?” I asked. “Nope. I don’t like Diet Coke.” I returned the bottle with a smile. “Just testing you. I don’t like diet drinks, either.” We nodded pleasantly, each alone with our thoughts. I finally got too lonely and posed a question. “Where did you see the shotgun last? ” I adjusted the small fan on my desk so that it would give us some relief. “You look silly waving at yourself with that folding Japanese fan,” Doc said. “The last time I saw my shotgun was when you were using it during quail season.”

ILLUSTRATION BY RACHEL WATSON

Humor

7/3/08

4:45 PM

Page 63

Humor

7/3/08

4:45 PM

Page 64

“Hmmm,” I murmured, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. “It isn’t up there,” Doc said. “Can you describe this shotgun?” “It’s kind of long, with a metal barrel and a wooden stock,” he answered. I thought about that description then

shifted tactics. “Just why do you need a shotgun this time of the year? There aren’t any hunting seasons open in July.” “You’re right. I want to shoot skeet.” Startled, I jerked upright. “Why? What did our friend Skeet do to you?” Startled, Doc jerked upright. “I don’t

know. What did Skeet do to me? Maybe he has my shotgun.” “Nope,” I said, relaxing. “I gave the shotgun back to you when I finished with it.” “Do you have witnesses that you did? ” Doc asked. “Do you have witnesses that I didn’t?” I shot back. Doc ducked, the shot just missing him. Then he straightened up. “Good point.” “It was a good point, but I missed,” I said, blowing into the barrel of my finger and winking at Doc. He winked back and it startled me. His cell phone rang and he answered it, bellowing into the receiver. “Bellow!” he shouted. “Bellow!” I stared hard at him until he hung up because I hate cell phones. “Look, there’s one thing that is successful in this business,” I said. “What’s that?” “Someone who knows everything. Hey, Snookums!” I shouted through the busted door. Seconds later, a somewhat irritated War Department answered. “What?!” “Where’s Doc’s shotgun?” “It’s in your gun case, right next to Wrong Willie’s rifle you borrowed last year.” “There’s your answer,” I answered. Doc stood up and offered his hand. “No, thanks,” I said. “I have two of my own.” He turned to leave, and then stopped and turned. “I just need to know one thing, kid: Are you just acting like an Outdoor Detective?” I turned my back to look out the window again. “No, acting is regurgitating words that someone else has written for you and then you pretend they’re your own. This is just make-believe.” “I should have known,” Doc said and slipped downstairs to get his shotgun and— I soon found out—mine. “I should have known he’d do that,” I said quietly to myself. “Because I’m Reavis Screwdriver, Outdoor Detective.” E-mail Reavis Wortham at humor@fishgame.com

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