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www.fishgame.com Published by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC. TEXAS FISH & GAME is the largest independent, family-owned outdoor publication in America.

Owned by Ron 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 • JIMMY D. MOORE • CALIXTO GONZALES • TOM BEHRENS •

FRESHWATER EDITOR HUNTING EDITOR EDITOR AT LARGE 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 NORTH HOTSPOTS EDITOR SALTWATER EDITOR TROPHY QUEST COORDINATOR

P R O D U C T I O N

JIMMY BORNE ART DIRECTOR

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A D V E R T I S I N G

ARDIA NEVES VICE PRESIDENT/ADVERTISING DIRECTOR NICOLE MCKIBBIN • NATIONAL MARKETING REP. DENISE (RONQUILLE) BELL • NATIONAL MARKETING REP. 1745 GREENS ROAD, HOUSTON, TX 77032 PHONE 281/227-3001 • FAX 281/227-3002

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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.

MEMBER AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS

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FEATURES JUNE 2009 • Volume XXV • NO.2

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2009 TRUCK ROUNDUP The irony of the current automotive economic melt-down is that the Big 3 U.S. auto makers produced spectacular truck models for 2009.

Times may be tough, but truck buyers have never had a better selection.

by Dan Murphy ON THE COVERS:

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FEELING THE HEAT The political debate over Global Warming aside, there is little contention of the fact that water temps in the Gulf of Mexico are rising. As a result, increased catches of snook, mangrove snapper, and even bonefish are seen up and down the entire Texas coast.

COASTAL: Every angler knows you can’t pull a Texas-sized boat without a sturdy truck. But, even beach and bank anglers like to have a rigged-out pickup or S.U.V. from which to pursue their particular fishing passion.

Photo by: Gerald Burleigh

by Calixto Gonzalez

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MY JACK CREVALLE COULD WHIP YOUR SPECKLED TROUT Any trout angler who has had his tackle destroyed by a jack, or has spent most of a morning battling one instead of casting for trout, knows which is the stonger fish.

by Capt. Mike Holmes

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TEXAS STRIPER ROUNDUP From our 25th Anniversary Archives comes this 1989 Oldie — but definitely still relevant — cover feature on Texas Striper hotspots.

by Morris Gresham

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WHITETAIL BUCKS FROM BIRTH TO TROPHY Our YEAR OF THE DEER coverage continues with this photo essay chronicling the life of a trophy buck, from fawn to rutting monster.

by Chester Moore 4

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INLAND/NORTH: Texas sportsmen aren’t just truck-dependent.

Millions of acres of hunting land, hundreds of miles of beach and bay front, and thousands of miles of lake and river front across Texas make ATVs more of a tool than a toy for Texans.

Photo by: Gerald Burleigh

ALSO IN JUNE:

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ATV ROUNDUP Mid-size ATVs.

by Bruce W. Smith

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COLUMNS and DEPARTMENTS JUNE 2009 • Volume XXV • NO.2

COLUMNS 10 Editor’s Notes

58 Texas Freshwater

Flounder Changes Highlight New Regs

All Dressed Up For Frog Fishing

by CHESTER MOORE TF&G Executive Editor

DEPARTMENTS

by MATT WILLIAMS TF&G Freshwater Editor

16 Chester’s Notes

59 Texas Saltwater

“T” Is For Texans and For Tiger?

Thinking Small, Winning Big

by CHESTER MOORE TF&G Executive Editor

by CALIXTO GONZALES TF&G Saltwater Editor

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YOUR LETTERS

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TF&G REPORT

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BIG BAGS & CATCHES

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TRUE GREEN

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TROPHY QUEST

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TF&G ON CAMPUS

18 Commentary Suburban Blues

by KENDAL HEMPHILL TF&G Commentator

20 Doggett at Large

The Restorative Powers Of the Great Outdoors

by JOE DOGGETT TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

60 Texas Offshore

22 TexasWild

Pair Of Dueces

The Kings Of Sunday

by TED NUGENT TF&G Editor-at-Large

by CAPT. MIKE HOLMES TF&G Associate Offshore Editor

53 Hunt Texas

62 Open Season

A Retriever’s Legacy

Turkey Tale

by BOB HOOD TF&G Hunting Editor

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by REAVIS WORTHAM TF&G Humor Editor

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Letters LOVE FOR THE NUGE

ESSENTIAL FACTS

Thanks so much for running Ted Nugent’s column every month. It is always a breath of fresh air to see a celebrity of his magnitude speak out on such important issues and not be ashamed to be a hunter.

Keep up the good work, Ted, and keep the Nugent articles coming.

• Swine Flu: State says no known feral hog link The swine flu dominated headlines around the world at the time of this issue’s publication. In response to emails from readers concerned over a feral hog link to the flu, we have the following information.

Bobby Short Via email When I pick up a copy of your magazine I always turn to two articles first: Ted Nugent and Chester Moore. I am not a bowhunter but I love Ted’s take on hunting and I love Chester’s take on all of the outdoors. It is great to have someone like Ted representing hunting and taking such a serious stand on drugs. Every day in the headlines it seems like you hear of another celebrity overdose so it is nice to see a wild rock and roller find his wildness in the woods not from chemicals.

Officials with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said there is no known feral hog-flu connection and to continue using common sense when handling feral hogs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the following: 1. People cannot get swine flu from eating pork or pork products. Most influenza viruses, including the swine flu virus, are not spread by food.

Lacey Williams Via email

2. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

A MESSAGE TO STATE OFFICIALS ON FLOUNDER

3. Preliminary investigations have determined that none of the people infected with the flu had contact with hogs.

The new regulations affecting recreational fishermen will proscribe a daily bag limit of five fish and a closure of the fishery during the month of November. The new regulations would also call for a reduction in commercial fishermen’s limit from 60 a day to 30, assuming also a November closure.

Two things seem to point to a different solution to the undeniable issue of the decrease in the local flounder population.

The first is historical. When in the 1980s it was determined that the redfish and speckled trout populations were in decline, there was a very different solution implemented to remedy the problem. If I recall correctly, the 8

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4. The virus is spreading by humanto-human transmission.

For up to date information on swine flu and how it relates to the outdoors community check fishgame.com.

–From staff reports

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commercial fishery was completely closed for both species along with a reduction of the recreational fishermen’s daily bag limit on trout form 25 to 10. I do not recall the reduction on recreational limits of redfish.

The rebound of both species has been great.

Thanks!

The fact is the commercial fishermen are better than the recreational person. How much more often do they “limit out” than the recreational angler?

It is astounding to learn that 100 commercial fishermen account for 50 percent of the total annual flounder harvest. They are having a huge impact on the fishery, given their numbers. If the regulation changes were considered on this alone, it suggests closing the commercial fishery would impact a very small group, while closing the season in November and reducing the bag limit for recreational folks to five will affect thousands of people. I recommend you close the season for the commercial people for a year and see what impact it has.

The second is related to the first, but purely economical. I fish the Galveston bay system regularly during the season, as do many others. Ever been to Sea Wolf Park on a weekend?

I estimate my expenses in fuel, food, tackle, and bait to be near $100 per trip. If you change the regulations as described, I will make the choice to do other things with my time and money, before I make the trip to catch five fish. You all are experts at calculating these things on a large basis. How much tax revenue is lost? How many bait sellers will be affected? Launch fees? Park fees?

The guys I buy from in Galveston need the business.

Lastly, two observations…

Recreational anglers limit out rarely.

Leave the season and limits as they are, and give me a chance to have a great day once in a while.

The few commercial anglers taking so many fish are encouraged to target and take the very fish you seek to protect. The restaurants they serve desire “plate size” flounder.

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If you reduce them to 30 a day (that is still a lot of fish everyday), they have an incentive to throw back the bigger fish. The very ones we recreational guys take pride in catching.

Tommy Coughlin Via email

“NO DAUGHTER” STRIKES A CHORD I am writing this email to you thanking you for your article titled “No Daughter Left Behind”. I myself have a one-year-old daughter that my wife and I are so blessed to have. She stole my heart the first time I saw her, and now it is to the point she has got me wrapped around her finger. The ideas that you talked about in your article really emphasized the importance of me presenting the outdoor opportunity to her. I have many friends who have daughters and some are not doing enough, if anything, to give them their outdoor opportunities. I am requesting, if it is allowed, an electronic copy of your

article. I have many people who I would like to email this too, so that they can think about their situations and hopefully make better decisions. I mainly wanted to let you know that my wife and I appreciated your article.

Eric Collins Via Email (Editor’s note: An electronic version of the story was sent to Mr. Collins so he can share the story with others in hopes no daughters are left behind.)

Loved your article, “No Daughter Left Behind” in the May 2009 issue. Children are our pride and joy in life. I have a nephew who was has muscular dystrophy and we fish every chance we get. We live on the coast so it is perfect. When were out doors he loves it. He is so happy it is as if the breeze of the bay and the sound of the waves crashing against the shorelines take all his pain away when he is fishing. The excitement in his eyes when he catches a fish is priceless.

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Marina Armola Flores Via email I have two daughters age 14 and 12 and they love the outdoors. I just read your article and I can fully relate to this article from my daughters learning how to swim at the age of two not in a swimming pool but in area rivers and lakes, from crabbing and fishing in Sabine lake or area marshes, to hunting deer in the Pineywoods, which I have taken a deer in four years because I have given the deer on my lease to them. These are times that my wife and I would not trade for anything and I praise God for giving us the opportunity and means to be able to go and spend time in the outdoors as a family.

Thanks for the article and I will try get my girls to read this.

F i s h

Spikes Sturdivant Via email

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Editor’s Notes

by Chester Moore, Jr. | TF&G Executive Editor

Flounder Changes Highlight New Fishing Regs Note: Editor-in-Chief Don Zaidle is currently on leave and will return in July.

HE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTment (TPWD) Commission has adopted a large series of fishing and hunting regulations that go into effect Sept. 1.

Due to the wide-reaching and complex nature of these changes we are dedicating this page to the key fisheries modifications and covering those dealing with deer in our TF&G report.

Flounder regulations were a super hot issue with TF&G readers over the last year, so let us start there.

TPWD Commissioners voted to reduce the recreational bag limit from 10 to 5 fish, and the commercial bag limit from 60 to 30 fish. Hook and line anglers will be permitted a two flounder daily bag limit during the month of November, with take by all other gear prohibited (namely gigging).

TPWD biologists said modeling suggests the new regulations will result in an increase of spawning stock biomass of slightly more than 80 percent over six years, with the majority of that recovery taking place in the first several years.

“Public comments on the flounder regulations ran about 95 percent in favor of bag reductions and 90 percent against a November closure,” said TPWD Coastal Fisheries Division Science and Policy Director Robin Riechers.

He noted that many persons opposing the November closure said they wanted a longer closure that applied only to the gig fishery including the months of October through December.

Previous actions specifically impacting the flounder fishery have included establishing a 60 fish bag limit for the commercial fishery, a 10 fish bag limit and 20 fish possession limit and the establishment of the 14-inch minimum size limit in 1996. In 1999 the Texas Legislature established a limited entry program for

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finfish licenses which includes license holders who predominantly fish for either flounder or black drum. In 2006 the Commission approved a change in the regulations that made the possession limit equal to the bag limit of 10 for recreational anglers.

Shark regulations also changed. Now the minimum length limit for those species allowed from 24 inches total length (TL) to 64 inches TL, except for Atlantic sharpnose, blacktip, and bonnethead sharks which will retain the current 24 inch TL minimum length limit. For the allowable shark species the bag limit will remain one fish per person per day and a two fish possession limit.

In addition a prohibited list (zero bag limit) will be established for the following shark species: Atlantic angel, basking, bigeye sand tiger, bigeye sixgill, bigeye thresher, bignose, Caribbean reef, Caribbean sharpnose, dusky, Galapagos, longfin mako, narrowtooth, night, sandbar, sand tiger, sevengill, silky, sixgill, smalltail, whale, white.

TPWD also changed regulations for greater amberjack from 32 inches to 34 inches TL, and establishing minimum size limits of 16 inches total length for gray triggerfish and 22 inches total length for gag. The bag limit for gray triggerfish would be 20 per person and for gag grouper it would be set at 2 per person with the possession limits being twice the daily bag limit, they reported.

The statewide regulations on alligator gar will also change Sept. 1 to a one fish per day bag limit. The bag will apply to both recreational and commercial fishing.

TPWD Inland Fisheries Division Director Phil Durocher told commissioners that Texas has the best remaining alligator gar populations in the country.

“We have a window of opportunity to sustain populations by limiting harvest to one alligator gar per day. It’s a good first step toward managing gar into the future,” Durocher said.

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which can grow to more than 250 pounds, is still in its early stages in Texas, biologists know that alligator gar are very long-lived animals and take a long time to reach sexual maturity, with females attaining an age of 12 years and a length of about 60 inches before spawning for the first time.

Commissioners also approved a change that would allow paddle craft operators to receive a saltwater guide license by demonstrating certification or proof of completion of a TPWD boater safety course and CPR/First Aid training, and completion of the American Canoe Association (ACA) Coastal Kayak Day Trip Leading Assessment or British Canoe Union (BCU) Four Star Leader Sea Kayak Certification.

Water body specific regulations were put in place for the following species and destinations.

Blue Catfish at Lake Lewisville (Denton County), Lake Richland Chambers (Navarro and Freestone Counties), and Lake Waco (McLennan County).

Changes approved by the commission consist of a 25 fish daily bag limit with a 30 to 45inch slot length limit, and harvest of only one blue catfish over 45 inches would be allowed.

No harvest of blue catfish between 30 and 45 inches will be allowed.

Largemouth Bass at Lake Ray Roberts (Cooke, Denton, and Grayson Counties) The commission approved changes will make Lake Ray Roberts consistent with the statewide limits for largemouth bass of a 14-inch minimum length limit and five fish daily bag limit.

Lake Texoma (Cooke and Grayson Counties) For alligator gar, the commission approved a harvest closure in May to protect spawning adults in a portion of the lake that is within the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge and a portion of the lake upstream of the U.S. Highway 377 bridge to the Interstate Highway 35 bridge. For blue and channel catfish the commission changed harvest regulations for blue channel catfish from a 15 per day bag limit to a 15 per day bag limit of which only one blue catfish 30 inches or greater may be harvested per day.

Email Chester Moore at cmoore@fishgame.com.

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Big Changes Coming To Texas Deer Hunting HE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE Department (TPWD) Commission adopted a series of regulations that expand special buck antler restrictions and liberalize antlerless harvest opportunities in dozens of counties.

One of the biggest changes involves further expansion of the department’s antler restriction regulations into 52 additional counties. These include new antler restrictions that define a legal buck deer as having a hardened antler

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protruding through the skin and at least one unbranched antler or an inside spread measurement between main beams of 13 inches or greater; or six points or more on one antler.

New counties under the antler restriction rule this fall include: Anderson, Angelina, Archer, Atascosa, Brazos, Brown, Chambers, Clay, Cooke, Denton, Ellis, Falls, Freestone, Grayson, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Henderson, Hill, Hood, Hunt, Jack, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Kaufman, Liberty,

Limestone, Madison, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Montague, Montgomery, Navarro, Newton, Orange, Palo Pinto, Parker, Polk, Robertson, San Jacinto, Smith, Stephens, Tarrant, Trinity, Tyler, Van Zandt, Walker, Wichita, Wise, and Young.

The department is increasing the bag limit in most Cross Timbers and Prairies and eastern Rolling Plains counties from three deer (no more than one buck, no more than two antlerless) or four deer (no more than two bucks and no more than two antlerless) to five deer (no more than 2 bucks).

In addition, the department is increasing the bag limit from four deer to five deer in Pecos, Terrell, and Upton counties.

Another change increases the bag limit from three deer to five deer (no more than one buck) in selected counties in the western Rolling Plains.

BIG BAGS & CATCHES

BLACK DRUM—ROCKPORT

REDFISH—PORT O’CONNOR

SNAPPER—FREEPORT

Wally Chapa of Sugar Land, Texas, caught and released this 42-inch black drum in Rockport.

He was fishing with live shrimp.

Mike Marek caught this 44-inch redfish, along with 6 others, in Port O’Connor, Texas, while fishing with “Wild Bill” and Team Merlot.

Nicholas Shepherd, age 7, of Arlington, Texas, caught his first red snapper while deep sea fishing with his dad and Captain Elliots of the Big E out of Freeport.

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They also extended whitetail hunting from 16 days to the full general open season in Dawson, Deaf Smith, and Martin counties (three deer, no more than one buck, no more than two antlerless).

Areas of the state having sufficient antlerless deer populations to warrant additional hunting opportunity will be getting more doe days this fall. The department is increasing antlerless deer hunting in the following areas: #from 16 days to full-season either-sex in Dallam, Denton, Hartley, Moore, Oldham, Potter, Sherman and Tarrant counties; #from 30 days to full-season either-sex in Cooke, Hardeman, Hill, Johnson, Wichita, and Wilbarger counties; #from four days to16 days in Bowie and Rusk counties; #from four days to 30 days in Cherokee and Houston counties; #from no doe days to four doe days in Anderson, Henderson, Hunt, Leon, Rains, Smith, and Van Zandt counties.

The department is also expanding the late antlerless and spike season into additional counties. Counties affected include: Archer, Armstrong, Baylor, Bell (West of IH35), Bosque, Briscoe, Callahan, Carson, Childress, Clay, Collingsworth, Comanche, Cooke, Coryell, Cottle, Crosby, Denton, Dickens, Donley, Eastland, Erath, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Garza, Gray, Hall, Hamilton, Hardeman, Haskell, Hemphill, Hill, Hood, Hutchinson, Jack, Johnson, Jones, Kent, King, Knox, Lampasas, Lipscomb, McLennan, Montague, Motley, Ochiltree, Palo Pinto, Parker, Pecos, Roberts, Scurry, Shackelford, Somervell, Stephens, Stonewall, Tarrant, Taylor, Terrell, Throckmorton, Upton, Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Williamson (West of IH35), Wise, and Young. In Pecos, Terrell, and Upton counties, the season would replace the current muzzleloader-only open season.

In East Texas, the department is establishing a muzzleloader season in additional counties, lengthening the existing muzzleloader season by five days to be equivalent in length with the special antlerless and spike buck seasons in other counties, and altering the muzzleloader bag to allow the harvest of bucks and antlerless deer without permits if the county has “doe days” during the general season.

New counties affected include: Austin, Bastrop, Bowie, Brazoria, Caldwell, Camp,

Cass, Cherokee, Colorado, De Witt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Goliad (North of HWY 59), Goliad (South of HWY 59), Gonzales, Gregg, Guadalupe, Harrison, Houston, Jackson (North of HWY 59), Jackson (South of HWY 59), Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Marion, Matagorda, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Upshur, Victoria (North of HWY 59), Victoria (South of HWY 59), Waller, Washington, Wharton (North of HWY 59),

Wharton (South of HWY 59), and Wilson.

The department is also adding one additional weekend and 10 additional weekdays in January to the current youth-only season.

The department also established a one buck only, antlerless by permit, nine-day mule deer season for Parmer County, the first ever deer season for that county.

—Staff Report

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Chester’s Notes

by Chester Moore, Jr. | TF&G Executive Editor

“T” Is For Texas and For Tiger?

There is no animal on Earth more beautiful than a tiger.

HE STRIKING ORANGE/BLACK PATTERN, sleek muscular build and wild, glaring eyes reflect unbridled wildness highlighting a masterpiece of Creation and one that has become a rare commodity.

They are extremely rare in fact.

Wildlife experts estimate there are less than 1,500 wild tigers left in India, the great cat’s former stronghold with only remnant populations scattered throughout China, Indonesia, Russia and a few other countries.

The last great hope for the species might not be in those distant lands but instead right here in Texas.

It is centered on a unique and well-planned big cat refuge near Tyler known as Tiger Creek.

You might know it from the 2002 Animal Planet show, “Growing Up Tiger” which documented the first year of life of two Tiger Creek cubs, Lily and Sarge.

Tiger Creek takes in big cats people have had to give up due to ownership regulation changes, those confiscated by law enforcement, some retired from circuses and even one formerly owned by Michael Jackson.

Last March I visited the facility and spent time with park director Terri Werner who shows an obvious passion for tigers and their welfare both in captivity and the wild.

“These cats have a lot stacked against them and it is important to take action to conserve what we do have to ensure our children’s chil-

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to ensure the species survival,” Werner said.

The fact this is happening in Texas should come as no surprise. Hunting ranches imported blackbuck antelope more than 50 years ago which resulted in more of them living here than in their native India. Ditto for axis deer and nilgai antelope. In fact, the Indian government has imported Texas-bred blackbuck to repopulate their own wild lands.

It is interesting that many of the Indian subcontinent’s great animals have been conserved by Tigers are headed for extinction in the wild, which is why the actions of people right here. founders of Tiger Creek believe studying the genetics of cap- Tiger Creek is now stepping up to tive specimens is crucial. the plate to take a stand for their most famous wild resident and helping to ensure there is a future dren inherit a world with tigers,” Werner said. for these iconic animals.

She said an important part of Tiger Understanding that predators such as tigers Creek’s mission is to educate the public about exist makes the wild a little wilder and the these iconic cats. world seem just a tad bigger. What a sad lega“There is a lot of misinformation out there cy we would leave our children if these magand just a general lack of understanding about nificent creatures slipped into extinction wildlife. We have people that come in and because people were either apathetic or think the tigers are female lions and others who adhered to an ideology that put agendas over just cannot tell a lion from a tiger. Education is true conservation. the key to building the next generation of It is a good thing there are people like those wildlife stewards and we love to have people at Tiger Creek taking action and I must admit come out and see these big cats in a safe setting it makes me happy it is happening in Texas. where we will gladly take their questions and Texans have always led the way in wildlife give them honest answers,” Werner said. conservation and we have healthy populations Tiger Creek is owned by the Tiger Missing of game and fish to prove it. Now it is tigers Link Foundation. Its overall mission is to manreaping the benefits of this ecological ingenuity. age captive tiger populations by genetic testing Whodda thunk? and inclusion in the American Tiger Registry.

For information on visiting Tiger Creek, to Zoo tigers represent only three percent of the go http://www.tigercreek.org captive tiger genome while the other 97 percent is in private holdings.

The goal is to bring these together to strengthen genetic diversity in captive cats and create a figurative ark to ensure a future for tigers.

(To contact Chester Moore, e-mail him at “Unfortunately many people look at captive held tigers outside of zoos as genetic junk cmoore@fishgame.com. You can hear him on the radio Fridays from 6-7 p.m. on Newstalk and that is just not always true. We need to take a much closer look at what is in captivity AM 560 KLVI or online at www.klvi.com.) &

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PHOTO BY CHESTER MOORE, JR.

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Commentary

by Kendal Hemphill | TF&G Commentator

Suburban Blues TARTING OUT AS A BRAND NEW GMC, Suburban it is hard not to get your hopes up. I mean, we have been at the top of the SUV food chain for half a century, hauling the loads, packing the mail and looking great doing them. Plus, it is not uncommon for very important people to ride in Suburbans. Quite a few American presidents have parked their rumps in one.

Well, a guy can dream.

Even if the presidential detail does not work out, lots of Suburbans do great things.

Some of us get armored and go to exotic places to carry diplomats around, and sometimes we end up saving American bacon when things go bad somewhere in the world.

You never know what you will end up doing, as a Suburban.

So when I rolled off the line I had big plans, even though I knew the odds were against me. Most of us end up doing the soccer thing, or spending our careers cramped on city streets, wishing we weren’t the tallest vehicles around, so the pigeons would roost somewhere else. I wanted more. I wanted wide-open spaces. I wanted to breathe fresh mountain air. I wanted to splash through rivers and streams, and maybe wade in salt water.

But mileage is what happens while you’re making other plans. My first post was with a businessman and his wife and kids in San Angelo, Texas. It was not a bad job, per se.

Most of the time I stayed in a garage at night, and spent my days in a parking lot behind a bank or something. The soccer detail was boring, but the kids weren’t allowed to eat in me, so it could have been worse.

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That lasted about four years, and then I was traded in on a newer model. I sat at a San Angelo dealership for a few weeks, pampered and lonely, wondering where I would end up next. And then, one fall day in 2001, I was sold to the Hemphills.

The small, Central Texas town of Mason was not so bad, and for a while things were not much different than they had been before. Of course, life in the country is better then in the city, and it is always nice to be needed.

I took the Hemphill family on all their trips, but most importantly, I brought them back, every time. There were the usual weekend trips to San Antonio or Austin just for fun, but more than anything I enjoyed the times we went to the coast to fish, or to the Llano River, so the family could go canoeing or kayaking.

There were plenty of long trips, too, over the years. I took the family to Sipapu, New Mexico, for the Hemphill boys’ first skiing trip. I hauled them all to Colorado and back several times, and once even took them to Washington, D.C., which was not easy, let me tell you. That town was built for Yugos and Hyundais, not big guys like me.

The trouble started when the boys got old enough to learn to drive. Whoa. I figured, hey, I have seniority, but did that matter? It did not. The boys all learned to drive behind my wheel, mostly on country roads where there were no other cars to run into, but still.

I never complained, though, and taught all three boys to drive.

Overall, it was a good job, and I felt appreciated. Then disaster struck. Mom ran me into a deer one evening about four years ago, and things started going south. They bought a newer vehicle, but kept me for the dirty jobs. I have been basically a hunting and fishing rig for a while now, but I cannot complain.

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deer hunting near the coast, dove hunting around Uvalde, and camping all over Texas.

No telling how many times they have slept in me, and I have pulled trailers ‘till my bumper was sore. The most exciting trips, though, are the blue quail hunts at Black Gap WMA. The boys do most of the driving there, and spend more time looking for quail than watching the road, so I never know if I will make it out of there alive.

The battle scars are adding up and, as they say, it is not the years, it is the mileage.

I have been hailed on a few times, and Dad whacked a deer in me besides the one Mom hit. One of the boys backed me into a mesquite tree, and another one backed me into a lawyer. Some of my knobs and switches are missing, and my windows don’t all roll down anymore. I have to work harder than the other family vehicles, and get less maintenance.

This past March, for example, I took the family to Big Bend National Park for a kayaking trip through Santa Elena Canyon on the Rio Grande, even though I was low on transmission fluid. I got as far as Alpine on the way home before I had to complain.

Even then I did not give up, and brought the Hemphills home safely from what was bound to be the last trip I will make.

OK, so I didn’t get chosen for the presidential detail, or to haul an ambassador around Buenos Aires, but I’ve had a good run. Being a hunting and fishing rig is the best job a Suburban can have. It is what I was made for. It has not been an easy life but, looking back, I would have to say I have enjoyed every minute of it.

Especially hitting that lawyer.

E-mail Kendal Hemphill at commentary@fishgame.com

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Doggett at Large

by Joe Doggett | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

The Restorative Powers Of the Great Outdoors S THIS IS BEING WRITTEN, SEVERAL LONG-TIME friends are departing on a fishing trip to the Seychelles. The world-class fly-fishing expedition on a mother ship to a remote island 1000 miles off the east coast of Africa is the stuff of dreams for any angling adventurer.

Last summer, I was one of the recruits.

But now I am not going. I cannot afford the ticket.

My grand scheme when I retired as a fulltime outdoor writer from the Houston Chronicle two years ago was to travel more with rods, guns, and surfboards. Being single, with no major financial obligations, presumably opened the door (as well as the passport) to this vagabond lifestyle.

A graying and balding visage notwithstanding, I was all over the program until the sub-prime meltdown rocked the boat or mother ship, in this case. A re-evaluation of priorities was in order and the prospects of spending 12k on a single fishing trip seemed a bit rash.

Vaya con dios, compares; catch one for me.

The economic downturn during the past six months continues to send ripples, if not tsunami-class waves, through the outdoor industry. No one knows when the recession or depression or whatever it is will bottom out, and no one has a clue where the economy is headed. I have figured that much out by reading and watching the various news sources.

Texas Fish and Game demands copy a couple of months in advance of publication, so hopefully as you read this issue we are pulling out of the horrific slump. But I would not bet your 401K on it. It is entirely possible the situation will be worse, not better, by summer.

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But one thing we, you and I, have for respite and solace in these troubled times is our great outdoors. And we do not have to go halfway around the world to reap that reward.

For example, this should be a great year for saltwater fishing along the Texas coast.

The bays survived without a major freeze kill, adding to the tally of consecutive mild winters and allowing shallow-water stocks of finfish and baitfish to flourish.

Warm-water species such as snook, especially, benefit from the on-going pattern, and speckled trout and redfish continue to look good in all major bay complexes. Last summer’s storms, even with all the havoc wrought, and helped supercharge the bays and estuaries. Marine biologists agree that the flushing of storm tides is beneficial in the long haul for inshore fisheries (look at the excellent redfish returns from post-Katrina marshes in Louisiana).

As another incentive, fuel prices are expected to remain reasonable. Even if hikes occur, it is unlikely they will threaten the $4per-gallon numbers of last summer. Affordable gas opens tremendous fishing potential for budget-minded anglers.

And fishing is here to stay. Angling is going nowhere but up. Drive-to destinations provides inexpensive recreation and, done correctly, the opportunity to reap several meals. And there are worse things to eat than fresh fish.

When cost is an issue, do not forget the buddy system. Three or four anglers can charter a guide and split the cost. This is a very “doable” concept on the Texas coast. The large center-console boats used by many bay guides easily can handle three or four rods when drifting (or anchored over a reef or on a jetty).

If the same guide-boat party wades, it’s a no-brainer. You hop over the side and fan out, plenty of room for all hands; in fact, having several rods at work improves the chances of locating fish. Worth note, wading for trout and reds is the king thrill for many seasoned pluggers, far more satisfying than chunking from a boat. Many guides offer specialized wading trips and I suspect that if times remain tight, &

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the concept of taking four-to-a-charter will become more attractive.

But remember to shuffle; a stingray hit you do not need. The excruciating pain throbbing up your leg only adds to the misery of watching the latest Wall Street numbers.

For the budget with wiggle room for an exotic trip, some great deals for lodges, guide services and air travel can be available during these hard times. The industry increasingly is being forced to discount prices. For example, air fares during the past two or three months were cut almost in half to some prime fishing destinations. The logical reasoning is, better a low fare than no fare. Empty seats, both on the planes and in the boats, are deal-killers.

I predict that the angler who pays attention and shops around can come up with some amazing bargains during the remainder of 2009. And, most likely, well into 2010; remember, many major trips are booked months in advance and once the pre-collapse bookings play out, the services will be scrambling to fill cancellations and open weeks.

One trump is having a flexible schedule to be able to take advantage of last-minute dropouts. Perhaps the abundance of spare time is a silver lining to being laid off (assuming your “golden handkerchief ” can justify the luxury).

Most important, near or far, fishing is a balm for troubled times. It puts you on sparkling water and takes you at least for a while from the depressing graphs and somber images that we all are sick to death of seeing on CNN. Incidentally, the restorative powers of fishing are not a particularly new discovery: No life so happy and so pleasant as the life of a well-governed angler; for when the lawyer is swallowed up in business, and the statesman is preventing or contriving plots, then we sit on cowslip banks, hear the birds sing, and possess ourselves in as much quietness as these silent silver streams which glide by us.

Izaak Walton: The Compleat Angler, 1653 E-mail Joe Doggett at doggett@fishgame.com

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Ted Nugent’s TexasWild

by Ted Nugent | TF&G Editor-at-Large

Pair Of Deuces Y EYES FELT LIKE LEAD GARAGE DOORS; very heavy and wanting desperately to close on their own from sheer gravity. My last soul crunching concert was way back on August 31, and other than two blitzkrieging ultra-rockouts in Reno to wrap up the spirit cleansing Nugent Rolling Thunder Tour 08, and my defiant 6000th live performance (Good Lord in heaven!), I had hunted every morning and every afternoon for forty-one days straight.

And I was pooped. Plum tuckered out.

Schnackered. Schnookered. Whacked.

Whooped. Beat. Dead. Tired. Wore out.

Bedraggled. Wounded. Zombied. Out of gas. Running on empty. Frazzled. Gutshot.

Sore. Gone country.

But alas: here I was, back up in a tree stand yet again, ready to rock, bow and arrow in hand, spirit aglow with backstrap dreams overwhelming any fatigue I may otherwise be experiencing. Adrenalin is my drug of choice, and like the other purely organic ingredients in my effervescent American bowhunting Dream, fortifying for the mind, heart, body and soul, red hot adrenalin poured forth and coursed through my body like a surge of white water rapids animal energy. My predator spirit has a life of its own, and if it’s September, October, November, December or January, baby, this dog is hunting. Period. Case closed. End of story. Next.

I blinked like a long haul trucker after a cross-country hammer down, shook my head, forced my eyes wide open and told myself to stay awake. The hunt is on! Thank God almighty and live every wonderful minute of that charging SpiritWild!

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The bulk of the game harvested by our Editor-At-Large goes to charities like local soup kitchens, homeless shelters and Hunters for the Hungry. forest of live oaks, and three very handsome whitetail bucks skulked along a grassy trail at the edge of the rise on which I was perched, heading my way. Cool! Now my eyes were rocking like a twenty year old judging a cheerleader competition, dedicated to not missing a lick. My Martin Firecat bow rose slowly and my Scott release snicked onto the string loop. And on the trio ambled. Bring it.

The lead buck was a beauty, as was the twin buck number two. Both were mature ten pointers, and prime examples of the Knowlton’s Laguna Vista Ranch’s professional management discipline. I wanted one. But buckaroo number three was even more impressive, sporting a tall, somewhat heavy eight point rack with a handsome kicker off a tine. This one also looked like he may be a year older than his buddies, and as an invited guest of the Knowlton’s on a wonderful charity hunt they had donated, I figured I would try for the management benefits of buck number three. What a guy.

With the golden South Texas sun shimmering through the mesquite onto the shiny grey hide of the deer, I came to full draw as the &

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dominant eight-pointer entered a small opening at twenty yards. I let out a faint doe bleat with my mouth, he stopped, and my 425-grain GoldTip deathray sliced clean through his ribs right where the good Dr. Backstrap ordered. I could not have been more awake and alive!

I live for pretty arrows, and this mystical projectile was a beauty. Master SpiritWild VidCamDude Bobby Bohanon captured the joy as we watched the buck tumble fifty yards out, and the ceremonious recovery was spirit celebration personified. This stuff never gets predictable or old, and we gushed love and respect at the side of the beast.

As I turned over the stunning buck for photos, we both saw the discoloration on the left shoulder just one inch from the point of my arrow entry. It turns out that Mrs. Kim Knowlton had put a hit on this buck eleven months ago, hitting the impenetrable ball joint of the shoulder, missing a perfect hit by less than an inch. Boy do I know that hit all too well!

The beauty of it is proof that a non-vital hit by arrow does not harm or injure an animal.

This buck exercised his healthy dominance over the other two bucks, showed no limp

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whatsoever and was obviously in perfect health.

After quick photos, we hustled back to our stand for the last forty-five minutes of shooting light, fingers crossed for another crack. And lo and behold, fifteen minutes later a pair of does cautiously tiptoed along the same trail as the bucks, and when the biggest she deer hit my opening, I sent every bowhunter’s dream arrow into the vitals of my second Laguna Vista Ranch whitetail for the day. Another lucky arrow put my doe down within sight as well, and we were able to recover this prize in full daylight, an Outdoor Channel TV show producer’s dream!

A bowhunting double! Ain’t it grand!

The thrilling fall season throttled on with many exciting hunts and many pretty arrows captured on SpiritWild video, and eventually we found ourselves back in my old stomping grounds of Michigan. Settling in a tall ladderstand overlooking an eternal sawgrass marsh, Michiganiac VidCamBabe Jenny Olsen fired up the vidcam to capture the stunning spectacle that is the Midwest October colorstorm before us.

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Occasional deer could be seen far out in the distance here and there, and then tawny hide parted golden reeds thirty yards off my left shoulder. A trio of big bodied swamp donkey does slowly snaked their way into the thick line of grey dogwood scrub, and when the first and largest cleared the tangle, my arrow was gone with a lovely THWACK, glowing Lumenok disappearing clean through her ribcage. She bounded, tail flying for sixty yards where the dense understory gobbled her up. A smiling guitar player rejoiced on an ambush well planned and an arrow well placed.

With more than an hour of shooting light remaining, giddy as we were, we stayed put, I nocked another arrow and we hoped for the magical double.

Only a half hour went by and here we go again. A very handsome pearl horned fork horn buck moseyed down a swath straight for us, and we readied ourselves for deuces wild.

At twenty-two paces the little butterball buck turned to his left and gave me a predator’s arrow view of his vital triangle, and for the second time this evening, my prayer for

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the wildthings was answered. A bloody arrow stuck in the much beyond where he had just stood, and we watched the punctured backstrapper race to the apple ridge and crash his last.

A double-double! Hallelujah and pass the extra garlic and butter.

Across the whitetail’s range, most game departments are scrambling to reduce deer numbers. I have always looked at myself as a game department, and I am well on my way to reducing deer numbers where I hunt.

If we chose our ambush setup wisely for wind, cover and optimal shooting opportunities, doubles, even triples are possible for all the right reasons. Some might say that the kill in anti-climatic to the hunt. I disagree. To kill game consistently with the bow and arrow is without question rather climatic.

The climax of a job well done and a whole lot of luck. Double that for doubles.

E-mail Ted Nugent at bowhunting@fishgame.com

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by Dan Murphy

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1500 DODGE RAM

t is tough having a discussion of American pick-ups this year.

There is that big elephant parked in the middle of the room we are all trying to ignore, mostly because we have no idea how to deal with it.

Gearhead types can figure out the most complicated injection systems, but economics do not rely on real world rules, so we are stymied.

Nevertheless, we will ignore the elephant for now.

The irony is that Chrysler and Ford came out with spectacular half-tons this year. For traditional Chevy/GM guys, you could say they stepped up to the bar set by the Silverado/Sierra over the last couple of years.

The best news for truck guys, whether you want to stay connected with all the latest gadgets and sit in a cab that resembles a “gentle26

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60 in 7.6 seconds and 15.6 seconds in the quarter-mile, topping out at 87.7 mph.

Even with the increased performance, the fuel economy is still within reason in the ½ton class, thanks to both engine efficiencies and the Multi-Displacement System (MDS) that cuts back to four-cylinder operation at cruising 2009 GMC SIERRA men’s club” speeds. The most noticeable differor you are ence with the ’09 Ram is in ride looking for a big hauling, big towing, solid quality. Dodge replaced the traditional rear American pick-up, you’ve got the ultimate of leaf springs with a multilink coil system that both options to choose from. absorbs bumps and reduces friction in the We will start with the Ram 1500. Dodge system. The result is an honest-to-God designers did a complete re-do, but it’s still sedan-like ride. What you gain in ride comimmediately recognizable as a Ram, which for fort you lose in payload and towing capabilthose of us who fell in love with its no-non- ity. Top payload on the Ram is 1,910, but sense, big-rig front end, is a relief. The major that is on the smaller V-6 with a regular changes are in comfort, styling and ride-quali- cab/long bed configuration. The number ty, plus a performance boost. The top-of-the- drops to 1,620 on the more versatile Crew line engine, the new 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi, deliv- Cabs. Towing capacity tops out at 9,100 ers 390 horsepower with its revamped cylinder lbs., though lower than the competition, is heads featuring high-flow ports, larger valves still enough to tow most boats or toy haulers. and an increased compression ratio.

Bottom line: Dodge is to be congratulatVariable valve timing and Dodge’s short ed on one fine pick-up that updates the tried runner valve active intake manifold help boost and true Ram without seriously diminishing engine efficiency and torque to 407 lb/ft., up its utility and rugged looks. from 375. Performance tests rated the Ram at Ford’s F-150 is pure truck. While it is com&

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2009 TOYOTA TUNDRA

fortable and Ford upgraded the interior finishes, there is no confusing it with a sports car. The company focused on its tradition of solid, functional performance. The halfton falls short of the competition in numbers with a 320 horsepower rating and 390 lb./ft of torque on the 5.4-liter V-8.

Admittedly, you do not get that G-force sensation the new Ram delivers, but sluggish is not part of the of Ford’s vocabulary.

That whole “built Ford tough” thing comes in with the fully boxed, ladder-style frame with hydroformed components and throughwelded, fully boxed crossmembers plus high-strength steel, bottom line; it is the toughest frame in town. Great news for hunting and fishing transportation that does double duty as a work truck, not so much a weekday commuter.

Payload starts low (1,390 lbs. for the Supercrew 4x4 with 145-inch wheelbase and smaller engine) but tops out at a best in class 3,030 lbs. Towing capacity is 11,300 lbs., compliments of an upgraded tow/haul mode.

Other towing assists include a new integrated trailer brake controller that balances the performance of the truck and trailer brakes and a Trailer Sway Control.

The ride and handling on the new Ford

FORD F-150

half-ton are trucklike, which is good since it is a truck. We did a test drive in a heavy wind, the kind that bends trees nearly sideways which was the only way you could tell you were driving in wind.

We acknowledged the introduction of Toyota’s entry into the honest-to-God half-ton market a few years ago and the Tundra has done nothing but amaze ever since. The 2009, basically the same as the ’08 with a few extra package options thrown in, deserves the ultimate compliment for a real full-sized truck: It looks and acts like an American truck. I do not think it is too much of a stretch to assume that the development of the Tundra lit a fire under the asses of the Big Three.

The top of the line Tundra, equipped with a 5.7-liter V-8 records a horsepower rating just a hair below the new Ram at 381 but still in the general neighborhood of the T E X A S

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best in class Silverado. In the all-important torque rating, the Tundra hits 401 lb. /ft.

All four of our half-tons are within striking distance in that category. Toyota offers a more sophisticated Variable Valve Timing system, 32-valve head and Acoustically Controlled Induction system, dual stage intake manifold and exhaust headers. The result is a very quick engine, hitting 60 mph in 5.68 seconds. We had a chance to take the Tundra into the Eastern Sierra, which unlike the western approach is pretty much straight up. Our ride took us from 4,000 to 8,500 in roughly 15 miles. We were cruising at 65 mph, hit the throttle on one of the steepest sections of the road and there was a scary amount of power still available. Some of the credit for the performance has to go to the 6-speed tranny.

The Tundra’s brakes are bigger, the payload just under a ton (1,905) and the tow &

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Trucks are an important component of the otudoors lifestyle in Texas. They allow hunters and anglers to reach wild, remote areas and haul valuable cargo ranging from tackle boxes to retrievers.

rating at 10,800 lbs., lags behind the new Ford by 500 lbs. With a fully reinforced ladder frame, the Tundra does not offer the heady “work truck� credentials of the Ford, but the Toyota is lighter weight. This is one of those considerations that depend entirely on how you intend to use the vehicle. The same applies to ride and handling. The Tundra rides like a truck (as opposed to the Ram), but a nicely stiff (when unloaded) responsive truck with a reassuring feel of the road.

Again, all four of these half-tons provide all the interior toys you can imagine and more than I would ever want to bother with, especially when heading out of town. Who wants to realize the real world is just a tweak of a button away on a fishing trip?

Truck watchers have predicted that the traditional half-ton will become the tow-vehicle of choice, bridging the gap between the current consumer half-tons and commercial heavy-duty work trucks. The numbers on the Ford and Tundra as well as the Ram, but to a lesser degree, seem to live up to that prediction. But, then there is the 2009 Silverado/Sierra half-ton and its new 6.2 V8 with 403 horsepower and 417 lb./ft of torque, mated with a six-speed tranny. This package delivers best in class performance, easily.

While Ford and Ram successfully reached the bar set by the GM half-ton back in 06 (and the Toyota Tundra which put a

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real scare into the domestic truck industry), GM had no choice but to move that bar even higher. With a maximum towing capacity of 10,600 lbs., it lags a bit behind the Ford. The 6.2-liter engine, though the heftiest of the options, with a 3.42 rear axle delivers a tow rating of 9,300 lbs. Go figure.

Like Dodge, GM looked at its half-ton interiors and found them lacking. The company has successfully addressed the issue with the latest redesign, providing a higher level of comfort and easy to reach (and figure out) controls. Like the Ford, however, the concentration is on functionality and comfort without going overboard. Muddy boots and salivating dogs will be right at home in the cab.

I am going out on a limb here, especially in light of my professed ignorance of economics. My guess is that the American Big Three are realizing that trucks are not commuter vehicles, they are not Soccer Mom vehicles (the new crossovers are absorbing that segment of the market), they are trucks.

They are meant to be seen on construction sites, hauling boats and campers into the country or to the shore, doing ranch work and heading out into rough terrain. For that, I am grateful.

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The boon and bane of a warmer coast •

by Calixto Gonzalez

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TPWD biologists said bonefish have been reported in Lower Laguna Madre due to warming trends. The flipside is some common species like flounder are actually restricting their range due to warmer water.

ene Arredondo’s mornings off from work start pretty much the same way each time. He rolls out of bed 10 minutes before his alarm clock goes off at 4:30 a.m.

He brushes his teeth, washes his face and combs his hair, slides into a grubby pair of shorts of an old pair of khakis, pulls one of his estimated 50 Guy Harvey T-shirt and slips into the Birkenstocks a hippie ex-girlfriend gave him.

Before hitching-his boat, Arredondo sits at his computer, logs on, and checks the current conditions on Lower Laguna Madre.

He is most interested in the water temperature.

“If the water is 70 degrees or better, I’m on the road in five minutes,” he said. “If it gets too far below say, 65, then I go back to bed.”

“I’ve been on the road a lot the last few years,” Arredondo added, “The water doesn’t get below 70 very often any more.”

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there is little doubt that Texas coastal water temperatures have increased over the last several years. Fair weather waders who have usually waited until late April or early May for waters to hit the magic number of 70 degrees have seen their inaugural trips to their favorite spots scheduled earlier and earlier on the calendar.

“I fish the The Targets, Community Bar in Port Mansfield, or I’ll hit the High School Shoreline, Laguna Vista, or north of the Convention Center in Port Isabel and South Padre,” Arredondo said.

“I’m too old to go wading in cold water, even with waders. I used to wait until spring to get out there because the water was warming up. Last year, I was making trips in March. I was already out there in February this year.”

Ocean temperatures in general have inched upward 2-3 degrees worldwide over the past decade. In habitats such as Upper and Lower Laguna Madre, Matagorda Bay, Sabine Lake these warmer water temperatures are felt more acutely because fresh tidal flows from the Gulf of Mexico flush the bays with warm water. This is especially true with Lower Laguna Madre, where the famed Mansfield Pass was recently dredged open, thus increasing the flow of Gulf water onto the grassy flats.

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Heating Things Up “Warmer waters can be a big advantage to some species of fish,” said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Lower Laguna Madre Ecosystem Leader Mark Lingo.

“The increase in temperature has led to an expansion of the northernmost range for grey (mangrove) snapper and the three species of snook we have in Texas.”

The expansion of the natural range of both fish means that the reproductive viability of both species increases, which means that both fisheries will stabilize and grow (some wags will quip that mangroves don’t need any help with reproductive viability since they seem to be everywhere).

“We’ve evenly started to hear reports of bonefish landings in the Lower Laguna Madre,” Lingo said. “Those are warm water fish, so that tells you that temperatures have increased some.”

Warmer water also means that there is an extended growing season for game fish, which means that they will grow bigger faster. Lingo said that allows more fish to

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reach sexual maturity sooner and increases the spawning biomass of a species such as spotted sea trout and redfish, as well as the afore-mentioned snook.

Warmer coastal temperatures also enhance fishing opportunities for anglers, especially shore-bound ones. As popular species follow warmer water closer to shore, they become more accessible from popular bank spots and fishing piers earlier in the season. Last year, jetty anglers up and down the coast experience a Spanish mackerel bite as early as the first week in March due to the moderate weather and water temperatures.

Usually, March is drum and sheepshead season around the rocks. The smack blitz was an added bonus that rock hoppers welcomed with open arms and coolers.

Be Cool Warmer coastal waters are not a panacea, however. Balance dictates that there is always an inverse to any situation. In this case, the price is a bit steep.

“An increased growth rate means a shorter lifespan,” Lingo said.

“Fish take longer to grow and mature in cooler waters, but they also live longer. In warm water temperatures, they can ‘burn out’ sooner.”

Moreover, some fish’s biorhythms are more sensitive to water temperature, most notably flounder.

“Flounder are the opposite of snook and grey snapper,” Lingo said. “We’ve seen that as the northernmost range of those two has expanded, the southernmost range of flounder has retreated.”

Flounder reproduction is adversely affected by increased water temperature, according to Tonya Wiley, TPWD’s Coastal Fisheries Division Outreach Specialist for the Upper Texas Coast. Flatties need the cooler temperatures of winter for viable and effective reproduction, and the recent moderate winters and resultant warmer water temperatures have served as hindrances.

“Warmer water temperature decreases egg hatching success and increases predation on larvae and early juveniles,” Wiley said.

Moreover, warm water adversely affects the flounder spawning population by skewing numbers male.

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“Temperature also has an effect on the sex determination. Warmer water temperatures create more males than females,” Wiley said.

It is easy to see how that can undermine the reproductive viability of any species.

Fewer females means fewer eggs, which means fewer flounder eventually recruited into the fishery. Stack that over a period of years, and you have a fishery in a downward trend.

TPWD is able to take some actions to reverse the trends that are caused by warmer water temperatures. Management of size and bag limits can provide relief to fisheries stressed by both environment and increased fishing pressure. Aggressive restocking programs help these same fisheries recover more quickly.

If it all works out, then the only downside to warmer water temperatures could be increased traffic at the boat ramp or your favorite bank spot.

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any years ago, I was returning from a successful solo shark fishing trip a few miles out of San Luis Pass, and decided to do a little trolling down the surf line.

Dropping a pair of gold King Getter metal plugs fished off 30-pound tackle behind me, I set a course to the east while looking for

by Capt. Mike Holmes

bait schools.

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Anglers throwing soft plastics and topwaters for speckled trout often find themselves engaged in a long battle with a jack crevalle.

PHOTO BY CHESTER MOORE, JR.

Almost instantly I had a hard hit, and found myself in a wrestling match with something strong and determined. After clearing the second line as best I could, I fought the fish for what seemed like a very long time. It was so strong I was thinking maybe tarpon and hoping to see a silver missile clear the water. When no jump came, I began to suspect another shark and a good one. Finally, I could see “color” beneath the surface, and was able to gaff my prize one handed and hoist it aboard.

It was a jack crevalle that later weighed in at a whopping 17 pounds, foul hooked just 36

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above the tail. A jack hooked anywhere fights harder than most fish, to give one the advantage of being always headed away from the angler, with no chance to turn its head, is to sign on for punishment.

I have caught many other jack crevalles, most larger, but this 17 pounder went on my wall. Many coastal fishermen consider jacks a waste of time, but I consider them a fine sportfish, always worthy of pursuing and a true light tackle trophy. It does not take a lot of expensive gear to catch them, or a lot of fuel. They can be caught from the beach, off piers and jetties, in river mouths and passes, and around near shore oil rigs and shrimp boats.

Any fish in the jack family will be a fight&

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er and the crevalle just happens to be an inshore species that is not picky about what it hits.

The stigma against fishing on purpose for jacks in Texas comes from the fact that they are pretty much inedible and Texans like to catch something to “stink up the grease”.

On the east coast, in Florida, however, crevalle are thought of as a sporting species.

Probably their most commonly known close relative is the brutal amberjack, which reaches much larger sizes and is quite good on the table. Other, more celebrated “cousins” of the crevalle include permit, African pompano, and rainbow runners.

Having weighed a lot of jackfish, in my opinion the average specimen caught by

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Texas anglers will run 23 to 25 pounds. The largest I have personally seen on the scales was a hulking 27 pounder. The reason so many larger are reported is because they fight so damn hard the angler cannot believe the fish could be under 30 pounds and does not consider weighing something he was not fishing for in the first place.

With this said the long standing state record for Texas is listed at over 50 pounds, and the current world record was caught off Southwest Pass, Louisiana, in 1997 by Leon Richard and weighed a staggering 57 pounds, 14 ounces.

In springtime, schools of marauding jacks can be spotted working shoals of mullet in clear surf. The jacks don’t actually show themselves, but they run through the mullet like a mowing machine through tall grass, spraying mullet high above the water’s surface. When an angler can reach them with a long cast or from a boat, either live mullet or a big bloody chunk of cut mullet will entice hard strikes. Some of the bigger jacks will be found a bit further offshore, mixed with kings and sharks behind a culling shrimp boat. We catch jacks trolling in state waters,

but they will not be found very far offshore.

While any lure of the Russell King Getter type seems particularly attractive to them, gold is one of my favorite colors.

It is almost impossible to pull a gold Russell Lure past a jack without getting a violent strike. Big jacks will also hit various trolling jigs and large lipped plugs.

Chumming can attract jacks, which will then take a variety of live baitfish or fresh cut bait.

In the surf or from a pier, the same heavy tackle used for bull reds and smaller sharks is what we need for jacks. I am talking about a 10 to 14 foot, heavy action fiberglass rod, mounting a good reel of whatever type you prefer holding as close to 300 yards of 30pound test line.

From a boat, tackle and line strength can be lighter, but a proper 20-pound outfit works best. It is possible to catch fairly large jacks on “trout” tackle, especially from a boat in shallow water, but it will take a some time. Jacks are flat sided and blunt nosed, they turn their bodies sideways as they fight against a tight line to increase the water resistance. They normally make a strong first “run” and then settle down to slug it out. An

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experienced surf angler will not feel the head shakes of a bull red, just throbbing power. I am an advocate of using tackle strong enough to put pressure on the fish, and not prolong the fight. This makes a live release a better possibility. Jacks, however, almost never come in until they have literally fought their hearts out, and unfortunately, few will survive a release.

Although they cannot be eaten due to the strong red meat, cut bait from jacks is excellent bait for snapper and grouper, and a larger piece is one of the best baits for big sharks.

Any speckled trout angler who has had his tackle destroyed by a jack in the surf or inside a pass, or who has spent most of a morning battling a jack on light tackle instead of casting for trout, will have no doubt which is the stronger fish.

Instead of treating jacks as “trash” fish, we should be looking at them as a premier game fish, one with no bag limits or seasons.

For myself, I am very proud of my “little” jack on the wall.

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MAY 1989

by Morris Gresham

lthough boating anglers catch a majority of the striped bass from large reservoirs, in Texas, bank anglers do have a chance at these fish. The following are some popular locations for catching these hard-fighting saltwater imports.

Texoma Tailrace The tailrace pool below the dam at Lake Texoma probably provides the most famous fresh water bank fishing in Texas. During prime fishing periods, anglers line the shorelines, shoulder to shoulder, for a chance at trophy stripers. Many successful anglers become addicted. That’s what happened to

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Big fish is the enticement of many Texas anglers to striped bass fishing.

Johnnie Prestridge, a Dallas angler whose addiction to the sport now draws him toward Texoma on every free day.

Most of the people just starting out get frustrated because they just CANNOT make the long casts with standard tackle,” Prestridge said. “I use a 13-foot surfcasting rod, a Diawa400ARL spinning reel, two to four ounces of weight and 12- to 15-pound test line. I use the light line because it is easier to throw. You have to make casts of 100

to 125 yards, trying to hit an area about 20 by 40 feet in size.”

Why does Prestridge fish in crowds where he must rely on cooperation from many individuals to land any fish he hooks?

Probably because he almost always catches

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his five fish limit and he releases anything smaller than ten pounds! His largest fish was a 28-pound striped bass, but his regular fishing partner, Bob Daniels, took a monstrous 32-pounder.

“The style of fishing is different from anything else I’ve ever done,” Prestridge said. “The amount of people, the small

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space, the amount of fish caught and the size of fish caught. I have seen five or six people fighting fish at the same time and when you hook one of any size, you’d better be ready to spend 20 to 30 minutes fighting it. You’ve got the current, the rocks and the other fishermen’s rods and lines to dodge.”

The best times are early morning and late afternoon, but many anglers fish all night when conditions are right. Usual lures include two-ounce Pencil Poppers, weighted corks above 114-ounce jigs and live bait.

“We use the weighted cork and jig a lot when the tailrace is on or the generators are running,” Prestridge stated. “You can shoot it out into the fast water and drift it down through the fast water. We look for the backwashes that you can cast into and float the lure around in a circle.”

“The Pencil Popper is real good when they first turn the water off and the current slows down,” he claimed. “A big flat spot will form that is perfect for top waters and they’re the most exciting! A striper will hit the lure to stun it and knock it way out of the water. Then they hit it a second time when it hits the water again. The hardest thing to do is make you wait until the fish hits it a second time. Your natural instincts tell you to jerk, but you’ll miss the fish if you don’t wait.”

Texas anglers should note that the special Lake Texoma fishing license does not extend to the river below the dam. Anglers on the Texas side of the river must have a valid Texas fishing license. Anglers on the Oklahoma bank must possess an Oklahoma license.

Possum Kingdom Tailrace The pool below Morris Sheppard Dam on the Brazos River also affords excellent bank fishing. Although the scenery is quite different from that at Texoma, the methods and results are similar. A restricted area that keeps anglers 500 feet from the dam necessitates long casts, but the strong-of-arm can expect big stripers. Roger Huddleston, a Mineral Wells angler who has been fighting Possum Kingdom tailrace stripers for several years, also releases fish below the 10-pound mark.

“It takes a good cast to get up there where the fish are,” Huddleston claimed. “Usually 300 to 350 feet will work. In “the lower hole, about a quarter mile below the dam, fishermen can use standard bass rods to reach the fish good enough. If the water is not moving, on calmer mornings the Pencil Poppers or big Boy Howdys work well. If 40

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When the stripers are actively feeding the action can be unbelievable big fish right and left; but, when inactive, it can be a long day on the water with no fish.

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the tailrace is running, jigs or stick baits will produce. However, I like to top water fish more than anything. I’ve caught a 19pounder and a 20 lb., 5 oz. fish and my brother Mack caught one that weighed 38 pounds three years ago on a Pencil Popper.”

Lake Lewisville Beaches “Quite a few people are catching hybrids off the beaches at Lake Lewisville,” McCabe noted. “Similar to the striper fishery off Whitney beaches.”

“During the month of March, hybrids start coming around the banks,” lake resident James B. Phillips concurred. “A lot of fellows seine ghost minnows, put three or four on a hook, and wade out to catch a lot of nice hybrids. They’re out just about as far as you can throw with a spinning outfit- 150 to 200 feet out. The good action usually ends here about the end of March.”

Lake Whitney Beaches “There is excellent bank fishing off the sandy beaches at Lake Whitney in the spring,” says Roger McCabe, striped bass &

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program leader for TPWD. “If you can catch An incoming wind with good wave action into the swimming beaches, there is excellent striped bass action. The bait that is most popular is native ghost minnows, what people call silver sides. You can seine those things up in the same area at that time of the year. They don’t have to be live bait. You can wad them on the hook like you would to fish for catfish. Throw out there, tight line and wait for them to hit. It’s very popular and very productive. I’ve done it myself for a number of years.”

“When we used to fish all night long,” McCabe continued, “the white bass would sometimes move in and start pestering us.

We’d go to cut bait, like cut shad, and the white bass would leave us alone. Sometimes we’d pick up the largest stripers of the night on cut bait.”

If two lakes 100 miles apart have action from the banks, what about the other striper and hybrid lakes between the two? Hmmm.

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PHOTO BY CHESTER MOORE, JR.

The use of retrievers greatly reduces the loss of wounded waterfowl and contributes to conservation. When hunters lose birds they often shoot more resulting in more birds taken.

TF&G FIRST

PHOTO BY GERALD BURLEIGH

This Month Is For the Ducks RIGHT NOW, NATURE, WATERFOWL MANAGERS, We are in the middle of the nesting season and CONSERVATION GROUPS AND THOSE WHO ARE at a time when biologists are getting a good idea of what the fall flight will look like. This DESTROYING OUR HUNTING HERITAGE THROUGH is an extremely crucial time for the birds.

DEVELOPMENT AND POLITICS ARE DECIDING THE The crucial nature of this time is more than just the season but also changes happening in FUTURE OF WATERFOWL HUNING. the prairie pothole region of the Midwest and the wintering grounds of Texas.

There is more stacked against waterfowl than ever from biofuel to saltwater intrusion of marshes but there are dedicated people ready to stand up for the birds right now.

One of Texas Fish & Game’s key conservation partners, Ducks Unlimited (DU) will hold its state convention in League City June 26-28 at South Shore Harbor.

The author is a passion advocate for waterfowl conser- In honor of this important DU event, we vation and believes the future can be bright for ducks are dedicating this edition of True Green if all those who pursue them pull together to make a to the ducks. All of these stories feature decisive stand on important issues. the very latest in waterfowl conservation information. We are the leaders in waterfowl coverage in this great state and fully know the importance of saving habitat.

I will be at the DU convention and look forward to meeting many of you who share my passion for waterfowl. Next month, True Green goes back to covering a wide variety of subjects but this month it is for the ducks only and we feel you will enjoy this in-depth look at crucial issues facing our hunting heritage. —by Chester Moore, Jr. TG 42

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Service Seeks To Reduce Wounding Loss HE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM IS teaching visitors to hunt and to hunt well, especially by reducing wounding loss. Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) support a goal of reducing wounding loss to 10 percent or less.

“I want birds to go home in the bag or to keep flying. Wounding is wasting a resource,” said Tom Reed, National hunting and fishing coordinator.

Wounding is a problem for several reasons, according to Reed. People might only hunt a few times each year rather than many times as in years past and they might not be taking time to hone their skills.

He has put together clinics that teach hunters how to improve their odds in the field and that give retriever demonstrations to show how important dogs are in reducing wounding loss.

“We want to focus on a quality hunt that respects wildlife. Pulling the trigger should not be the most important part of the experience.” —Staff Report TG

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Predator Control Can Boost Nest Success ESEARCH CONDUCTED BY DELTA WATERfowl shows predator control can have a huge effect on the nesting success of ducks.

According to a Delta study, in 2004, they had eight 36-square-mile predator blocks covering 184,320 acres scattered across the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North Dakota. Each site had a professional trapper who removed nest predators like raccoons and skunks during the breeding season.”

“Five of the eight sites were monitored for nest success and two of those were paired with untrapped (control) sites which contained similar habitat and densities of breeding ducks,” Delta reported.

“The Cando site in the drift prairie of northeastern North Dakota reported a remarkable 86 percent nest success, the highest in the 10 years Delta has conducted large-scale trapping. Overall the trapped blocks averaged 57 percent nest success.”

Delta pointed out that scientists say ducks must achieve “15 to 20 percent nest success in order to maintain the existing population, but scientific research showed that across much of the PPR, nest success had slipped below that level by 1990.”

—Staff Report TG

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Filling nest boxes with cedar and other aromatic wood chips can help to reduce nest predation by maxing the scent of the birds.

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DU Teams With Bayer For Winter Wheat AYER CROP SCIENCE (BCS) AND Ducks Unlimited (DU) believe winter wheat has an important role to play in sustainable agriculture on the prairies and have joined forces to launch a North American project called “Winter Cereals: Sustainability in Action.”

“By working with Ducks Unlimited, we want to expand the practice of growing winter cereals across the prairies in Canada and the United States,” said Bill Buckner, head of North America and President and CEO of BCS. “We recognize winter wheat is an excellent crop that provides economic advantages to growers when included in cropping rotations while also enhancing waterfowl and other wildlife habitats.”

The prairies of Canada and the United States provide Texas with the vast majority of its annual duck migration.

Collaborating with Ducks Unlimited under the “Winter Cereals: Sustainability in Action” program, BCS will make a commitment of $20 million over five years to: Enable significant research to develop new winter wheat varieties adapted to prairie climatic conditions while pro-

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viding grower incentives, technical support and education programs; Promote improvements and research in agronomic practices; and Conduct waterfowl and environmental research to ensure a sustainable habitat and production system.

“As leaders in the agriculture industry we see this initiative as an important and tangible part of delivering on our commitment to sustainable agriculture,” Buckner said.

Winter wheat has gained a foothold on North American’s prairies with growers. New varieties, improved marketing options and the agronomic advantages provided by winter wheat have made it an attractive choice for many growers.

“The goal of DU and BCS in this initiative is to support this trend by investing in innovations and grower programs,” he said.

From a waterfowl conservation standpoint, one of the key limiting factors for continental waterfowl populations is a lack of nesting cover on the prairies. DU Canada’s research has shown that the density of hatched nests in winter wheat fields is 24 times greater Continued on page 44 &

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than in spring wheat.

Nest boxing important for wood ducks

By Chester Moore, Jr. Nest boxes for wood ducks have been a crucial part of waterfowl conservation since the early 20th century when they were used to boost populations of the beautiful bird reduced due by market hunting.

Although wood ducks are abundant today, nest predation is still a problem, showing that nest box programs which when done properly reduce predation can aid local populations.

A study on wood duck and hooded merganser nesting success conducted by the University of Georgia showed that rat snakes alone destroyed four percent of all wood duck nests in the study area. And that included the hens.

“The death of an incubating hen has a greater potential impact on the population than the loss of a clutch or the loss of individual hatchlings because that hen can make no further contribution to the population. Black rat snake (close cousin to our

Texas rat snake) predation on incubating Wood Duck and Hooded Merganser hens and nests could have a significant impact on the reproductive success of populations using natural cavities in southeastern river swamp ecosystems.”

A later study conducted by the University of Georgia showed the black rat snake, “…readily circumvented predator shields and was the only known nest predator during the five years of observation.”

“This species destroyed 24 of 76 nests (32 percent) initiated from 1973-1975.”

Texas Fish & Game photographer Gerald Burleigh has been building and putting out nest boxes for many years and said he has had few problems with snakes and other predators due to the use of cedar.

“I use cedar chips in the nest boxes which help mask the scent of the ducks and reduce the temptation of snakes. Snakes will get them every once in awhile but it is not as prevalent as it was before I started using cedar.”

—Staff Report TG

PHOTO BY CHESTER MOORE, JR.

DU Continued from page 43

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Duck Commander Calls For Duck Factory Refuges

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Loss Of Rice, Hunting Pressure Key In Duck Abundance ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO OUR LACKOF WATERFOWL SUCCESS AND THE LACK OF ON THE TEXAS COAST HAS BEEN RICE PRODUCTION.

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Statewide production has dropped 62 percent over the last 30 years, but in Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, Liberty, Galveston and Brazoria Counties, it has dropped 73 percent and much of that been in the last 12 to 15 years.

In 2002, the combined rice acreage of those counties was only 57, 336 acres.

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HIL ROBERTSON, KNOWN TO MILLIONS OF waterfowlers as the “Duck Commander”, believes federal refuges are a big problem in waterfowl management.

A big part of the problem according to Robertson is that most of the refuges are in the flyways and wintering areas, not in the prairie pothole or “duck factory” region where they nest.

“They are putting refuges in the wrong places,” Robert said.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “Most of the more than 520 National Wildlife Refuges and additional Waterfowl Production Areas managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service are located along the migratory flyways, serving as breeding and wintering grounds and as ‘rest stops’ for these birds.”

“For example, in the ‘duck factory’ of the upper Midwest, the National Wildlife Refuge System manages just two percent of the landscape, yet 23 percent of the region’s waterfowl breed there.”

“It doesn’t make sense to have all of this refuge land in areas where the ducks winter if you’re trying to do something about duck production. They keep telling us we are losing crucial breeding grounds but they keep buying refuge land down in the wintering areas,” Robertson said.

—Chester Moore, Jr. TG

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DU Promotes Conservation Easements UCKS UNLIMITED (DU) BELIEVES THE prairie pothole region of the Great Plains should be among the top priorities for conservation efforts.

“That area really is the most crucial zone and pretty much is the duck factory of the country. The issues that affect ducks there end up affecting hunters in Texas,” said Jim Ringelman, Director of Conservation Programs for DU DU has been working on what they call “conservation easements” where they work out an agreement with landowners to pay them a fee for what the farmed area of wetlands on the property would be worth.

In exchange, the landowners must not develop the wetlands.

“Easements are a great way for us to keep some of these wetlands intact and try to preserve what we have,” Ringelman said.

—Chester Moore, Jr. TG

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Banding ducks is an important part of their management. It gives wildlife agencies an important look into their migration and harvest rates.

Audubon Was First Bird Bander THE FIRST PERSON TO BAND BIRDS IN THE UNTIED STATES WAS JOHN JAMES AUDUBON, WHO MARKED SONGBIRDS WITH SILVER THREAD IN 1803 ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS IWTH DUCKS UNLIMITED (DU).

Today waterfowl represent just a third of the bird species banded each year but roughly 87 percent of all reported recoveries are of waterfowl, taking Audubon’s tradition into the 21st century.

This reflects the important contributions of waterfowl hunters in harvesting and reporting banded birds. Most waterfowl banding studies are conducted through cooperative ventures involving state, provincial and federal wildlife agencies. More than 200,000 ducks, 100,000 geese and 1,000

Rice production near Wharton, Bay City and Matagorda has also declined but not as much as in our area and the hunting has corresponded.

You will often hear duck and goose reports referred to as “east of Houston” and “west of Houston”. That is because Houston is a real dividing line in terms of waterfowl habitat and the general rule has been better hunting on the west side.

Last year, however, rice production was up on the east side and the hunting particularly for geese was better than it has been in years, even after Hurricane Ike ravaged much of the marsh.

Another major factor in waterfowl success along the entire coast has been hunting pressure and that is something we hunters in South-

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swans are banded each year in North America, primarily on breeding areas.

Banding crews generally target a particular species but will band other waterfowl that might be caught at the same time. For example, most prairie banding crews target mallards but also band significant numbers of other dabbling ducks.

Since 1914, the mallard has been the most commonly banded species. Through 2004, more than 6.2 million mallards had been banded. The Canada goose is second on the list, with more than 2.8 million birds banded. Surprisingly, the blue-winged teal is third at 1.4 million birds banded. Large numbers of blue-winged teal are captured along with mallards on the prairies —Staff Report TG

east Texas put on ducks in a big way.

In 1990, there were 60,000 duck hunters in Texas and by the year 2000 there were 120,000. This put great pressure on public lands in particular and moved ducks toward areas with little pressure.

Take the High Plains region of Texas for example. They have less than two percent of the duck hunting pressure in the state, yet midwinter surveys have shown them holding as many as 450,000 ducks. The Rolling Plains region just west of Dallas in 2004 held 700,000 ducks and the Oak/Blackland Prairie Region from Fort Worth east to the Pineywoods held some 600,000 birds.

For comparison, in the year 2000, the High Plains only held about 125,000 ducks and the Continued on page 48 Rolling Plains held around

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An aerial view of the prairie pothole region shows the importance of these plains to conservation.

Ducks prefer nesting on small wetlands and the region in question is filled with them.

Ducks, A Hot Topic On Earth Day DUCKS UNLIMITED EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT DON YOUG MET WITH SENIOR SENATE LEADERS ON CAPITOL HIL ON EARTH DAY TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEED TO INCORPORATE WILDLIFE CONCERNS INTO CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION, ESPECIALLY IN THE ENDANGERED PRAIRIE ECOSYSTEM..

“Waterfowl and wildlife are canaries in the coal mine for climate change. Protecting our endangered habitats is critical to ensure future success not just for wildlife, but people too,” Young said.

“The prairies are one of the most diverse habitats in the country and are one of the best habitats to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide.”

Young addressed Senate leadership, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), Senate Majority Whip Sen. Richard Durbin (Ill.), Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee chair Sen. Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Sen. Blanche Lin-

coln (Ark.), Sen. Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Sen. Tom Harkin (Iowa) and Sen. Russ Feingold (Wisc.), as well as other senators.

Approximately 22 million acres of native grassland prairie remain in the United States, and 3.3 million acres are likely to be lost to development over the next few years.

Protection of the prairies has been identified as one solution to combating climate change.

Each acre of prairie that is protected stores approximately 30-50 metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to the emissions of 6-10 cars.

“Native grasslands contain thousands of species of plants and animals, including millions of waterfowl,” Young said.

“These grasslands also store millions of tons of carbon dioxide, and restoring grassland habitat would continue to capture more.”

—Staff Report TG

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CONSERVATION PARTNERS

DU Manages 750 Texas Wetland Projects SINCE ITS INCEPTION, OVER 35,000 ACRES OF SHALLOW, SEASONAL WETLANDS HAVE BEEN RESTORED OR ENHANCED AS A PART OF DUCKS UNLIMITED’S (DU) TEXAS PRAIRIE WETLANDS PROJECT (TPWD).

The TPWP cost-shared $4.6 million of the total and the remaining $2.7 million was contributed by the landowners.

Landowners have completed over 445 projects with 750 individually managed wetland units signed under a 10-15 year Wetland Development Agreement with DU and TPWP. Currently, approximately 35 percent of the enrolled acreage in the 400,000. That shows a huge Loss of Rice Continued from 46 buildup of ducks in a few years in that region and a decline in certain areas of the coast fit perfectly.

“There is simply a lack of pressure in much of the state. I take a group up to the Panhandle every year now and have learned no one hunts ducks up there. You cannot find steel shot west of Forth Worth, 48

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TPWP is in a rice rotation, 37 percent is managed for moist-soil vegetation (i.e., rushes, millets, smartweeds, etc.) and the remaining 28 percent is managed as emergent marsh. This mosaic of habitat types is compatible with the diverse dietary needs (i.e., crops, natural seeds, invertebrates, submerged aquatics) of waterfowl, which is an important aspect of the program when you consider that our ultimate objective is to send the ducks back to the breeding grounds in excellent physical condition.

—Staff Report TG

so if you go bring your own shot because they’re not going to have it,” said guide Roger Bacon.

“It just makes sense, where there is food, water and the least pressure, there are going to be ducks,” he added.

—by Chester Moore, Jr. TG

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Cannibal Coast: The Karankawa Indians ID YOU KNOW SOME OF TEXAS’ FIRST hunters and fishermen were seven feet tall and believed to be cannibals?

I am talking, of course, about the legendary Karankawa Indians.

Arriving in Texas around 1400, proficient use of the long bow and dugout canoes assisted the Karankawa in harnessing the coast’s rich natural resources. Most well known for their cannibalistic tendencies, their culture included resourceful survival techniques, seasonal migrations, freakish looks, and a deep found respect for the deceased.

This tribe was composed of five groups, the Carancaguases, Cocos, Cujanes, Guapites, and Copanes, scattered along Texas’ coast between the Brazos River and South Padre Island.

According to the book, The Karankawa Indians, The Coast People of Texas, one of their main haunts was the Matagorda Bay system, including Tres Palacios and Lavaca Bays.

They traveled all along the coast and would move as far as 70 miles inland.

Early explorers reported being shocked by the physically intimidating and downright frightening appearance of the Karankawa. After living with the Indians following a shipwreck, Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca wrote in his diary that the men were “tall, naked, well-formed men” that reached heights unusual of other Indians. Sections of cane dangled from their lips through pierced holes, giving the illusion of “perpetual grinning.”

Due to a head flattening practice, the foreheads of Karankawa were low and broad. Most distinctive were circular blue tattoos on their cheeks with lines above the chin and between the ears and eyes. If looks were

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ILLUSTRATION BY DANI LOSANINO

Karankawa men were described by early explorers as being very impressive and intimidating.

Often standing at more than seven feet tall, they were giants among men. not enough to send early settlers west, the smell certainly would. The tribe fashioned their own mosquito repellant using a rancid brew extracted from the livers of sharks and alligators.

Asphaltum, a black gooey substance that is common to wash up on Texas beaches, had

by Kyle Tomek a number of uses. Aside from use as a liner for pottery, the black tar served as body paint and a form of chaw. Karankawa people were said to frequently sit cross-legged on grass mats and chew balls of asphaltum. Surprisingly, the material did not have a negative effect on their teeth which were said to be staggeringly white.

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men with the bow and arrow. Two inches wide, over six-feet long, well-oiled, and composed of red cedar, the bow was a major staple in the survival of the Indians. Arrows were threefeet long and a half-inch thick, with piercing heads from the scales of gar, stones, and flint. When shot into the water, the long length of the arrows would hang out of the water assisting in the recovery of fish. Such shots into fish were not difficult for the Karankawa warriors, who were said to occasionally split arrows in two at eighty yards.

Movement was very important to these people. Being nomadic and in constant pursuit of food, the people never remained in one location for long. Vast and open, the salt grass peninsulas and lush river bottoms of the Texas coast rotated as homes.

In cold months, when fish would school most, the Karankawas made a living on the bay shore. Fish commonly known to feed shallow and provide an easy target for the precision of the marksmen included speckled trout, redfish, black drum, and sheepshead.

Fish alongside mounds of oysters and piles of carbohydrate-rich cattails would serve as a fruitful harvest. In warm months, the upland areas and especially the river bottoms were the desired location of the natives. A shift from fish and oysters to prickly pear cactus, fruits, berries, deer, and buffalo took place.

With such a lifestyle, a camp and means of travel that were low maintenance and easy to transport were necessities. The Karankawas would hollow out a tree to construct a narrow dugout around twenty-feet in length. The dwellings created by the tribe were tent-like, lined in fur skins, and could hold around seven people. These huts could have been easi&

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In This Issue

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: CORPUS TO BAFFIN • Go Deep for Summer Flounder |

BY CHESTER MOORE

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: LOWER COAST • Convention Wisdom |

BY CALIXTO GONZALES

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SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides, Solunar Table, Best Hunting/Fishing Times |

BY TF&G STAFF

HOW-TO SECTION

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COVER STORY • The Cannibal Coast: The Karankawa Indians | BY KYLE TOMEK

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

BOWHUNTING TECH • Time to Get in Shape | BY LOU MARULLO TEXAS BOATING • A Friend in Need | BY LENNY RUDOW

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

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: UPPER COAST • Top Tactics for the Big 3 |

BY CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

C50

SALTWATER BAITS & RIGS • Diamond King Stinger |

BY PATRICK LEMIRE

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: GALVESTON COMPLEX • “Go East, Young Man” |

BY CAPT. MIKE HOLMES

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FRESHWATER BAITS & RIGS • Jig with a Frog Trailer |

BY PAUL BRADSHAW

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: MATAGORDA • Free Pass | BY BINK GRIMES

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TEXAS KAYAKING • Low River Crossings | BY GREG BERLOCHER

HOTSPOTS FOCUS: ROCKPORT • This Month Focus on Tides, Temperatures |

BY CAPT. MAC GABLE

The Karanakwa were very adept at creating weapons and would use alligator gar scales as arrowheads. ly taken down qickly by the women.

The term Karankawa originates from the Indian language meaning “dog lover” or “dog raiser.” The tribe received the name from early explorers who witnessed the Indians traveling with barkless dogs that were small and similar to coyotes.

The tribe was also viewed as antisocial when compared to many Indians in the surrounding areas. In the book, Galveston: A History of the Island, the authors wrote, “They were one of the few coastal tribes that refused to take part in the ‘Truce of the Tunas’, an annual spring mingling of otherwise hostile tribes in South Texas.”

Archaeological recoveries of campfire remains and historical accounts confidently place the Karankawa Indians as a cannibalistic tribe. Nevertheless, some consider the tribe merely as ritual cannibals while some say they simply favored the taste.

If it were not for their ritual mourning and honoring of the passing of others, history could C2

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TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • Reloading on the Rise |

BY STEVE LAMASCUS

WILDERNESS TRAILS • The Old Ways | BY HERMAN W. BRUNE

have easily branded the Karankawas as ruthless savages.

“When a child died, the entire village indulged in ritual wailing that lasted a full year. Day after day, month after month, the parents woke before sunrise and started crying. They cried again at midday and once more at dusk.”

When Cabeza de Vaca first arrived at Galveston Island, the Karankawas traded and provided food every sunrise and sunset for days.

When he mustered enough strength to try and leave the Texas coast and continue his journey to Panuco, his barge was flipped by a wave and three men drowned before washing up to shore. According to De Vaca, all of their possessions were lost and the men were starving.

As usual, the Karankawas arrived at sunset with food but initially failed to realize the Spaniards’ failed attempt to flee the island.

When the Indians saw the drowned men rolling in the waves of the surf, they learned what had occurred and began to weep.

Recorded history of the Karankawa spans from about 1527 with the first accounts of Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca, to the first epidemics of smallpox in 1685 at Fort St. Louis, and to the final accounts of Karankawas in 1848. Undoubtedly, Old World diseases, &

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GEARING UP SECTION

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SPECIAL SECTION • Pimp Your Ride |

BY CHESTER MOORE NEW PRODUCTS • What’s New from Top Outdoor Manufacturers | BY TF&G STAFF INDUSTRY INSIDER • Dawson Marine; PRADCO; Yamaha | BY TF&G STAFF TEXAS TESTED • Lumitec; Fugawi |

BY TF&G STAFF SHOOT THIS • Shotgun Slugs |

BY STEVE LAMASCUS TROPHY FEVER • The Changing Prairie, Part 1 | BY MICHAEL LANIER FISH THIS • The Fisherman’s Analyst from Third Stone | BY GREG BERLOCHER

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE

C54

NEWS FROM THE COAST • No Fishing Zones Created in the South Atlantic |

BY TF&G STAFF

THE OUTDOORS • C60 DISCOVER Classifieds | TF&G S TASTED • Mahi-Mahi, Shrimp, and C62 TEXAS Scallop Ceviche | B S ALBUM • Your Action Photos | C64 PHOTO TF&G S BY

TAFF

BY

BY

RYAN LAVEN

TAFF

for which aboriginal groups had no immunity, decimated Karankawa populations.

Colonization efforts and disputes between Spanish and Anglo-Americans took another toll on them. The last battle that forever shut the door on the history of the tribe took place on the same grounds where the tribe once maintained its biggest presence, the shore of Matagorda Bay. After the Karankawas had massacred the inhabitants and destroyed the town of Matagorda in 1827, Capt. Aylett Buckner found them three miles east of Matagorda. He surprised them at daybreak killing about thirty.

The remaining tribe members scattered into northern Mexico and disappeared into obscurity.

Works Cited: 1. Gatschet, Albert S. The Karankawa Indians, The Coast People of Texas 2. Cartwright, Gary. Galveston: A History of the Island 3. De Shields, James T., Bradley, Matt.

Border Wars of Texas 4. Ricklis, Robert. The Karankawa Indians of Texas: An Ecological Study of Cultural Tradition and Change 5. Schaedel, Richard P. The Karankawa of the Texas Gulf Coast PHOTO BY WELLFORD TILLER

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GPS: N26 3.904, W97 8.738 SPECIES: Snook

Hot Chica Snook LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Boca Chica Jetties (bank access)

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BEST BAITS: Live bait, topwaters early in the morning, DOA shrimp later in the day CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: Warm, balmy weather means snook anglers will notice the channel side and the point of the Boca Chica Jetties. Large live shrimp or mullet are the best baits to get these linesiders (pinfish is underrated bait).

Topwaters such as the Saltwater Chug Bug and the Pop-R are also good options in lowlight conditions. If the snook are staying down deep, switch over to ½-ounce DOA shrimp and fish them lower in the water column. Fly fishermen should try throwing large white streamers.

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

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: North Brazos-Santiago Jetties (bank access) GPS: N26 4.080, N97 8.738 SPECIES: King mackerel BEST BAITS: Whole ribbonfish, 1-ounce Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: White Sand Marina, 956-943943-6161 TIPS: A series of calm days means that clean Gulf water moves all the way up to the jetties tip. Kingfish will prowl around within reach of the Mosquito fleet and rock hoppers. Boaters can drift or slow troll with whole ribbonfish. Jetty-bound anglers can float a ribbon underneath a balloon, or make long casts with large, noisy lipless crank baits. This is not a situation to be underpowered. A surf rod and high-capacity reel loaded with fresh mono or braid is mandatory when shore casting for pelagics.

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LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Long Bar GPS: N26 6.500, W97 12.500 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, soft plastics, Gulp! Shrimp in glow, new penny CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Fish the edges around grasslines with live shrimp under a popping cork, or with Gulp! Shrimp. Trout will move around the grass and the potholes that are spread over the Long Bar. Watch for slack current that mark where grassbeds are just under the surface.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Convention Center (shore access) GPS: N26 6.150, W97 10.350 SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Live bait, Gulp! Shrimp in new penny, DOA shrimp in glow, topwaters CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: The broad grass flats around the Convention Center shoreline are trout central in late spring and early summer. Topwaters are good early in the morning, especially at grey light, when trout are chasing bait. As the sun gets higher, live shrimp or pinfish under a popping cork, or Gulp! and DOA Shrimp if you prefer artificials work well, too.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Cullen Bay GPS: N26 15.455, W97 19.029 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live bait, cut ballyhoo, gold spoons, topwaters, in smoke and pinfish patterns, soft plastics in red/white, bone-chartreuse, gold or chrome spoons

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: Redfish spread out over Cullen Bay when summer tides flood the flats. Live bait and skipped ballyhoo are tough to beat. Do not discount the old Number 1: the ¼ounce gold weedless spoon with a red curly tail trailer. Topwaters are very effective along the shoreline early in the morning.

Watch for tailing fish and nervous bait in the shallows.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Three Islands GPS: N26 16.684, W97 15.106 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, Gulp! Shrimp in new penny, soft plastics in red/white, new penny, root beer CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Three Islands stays a hot spot through June. Trout are in the color change between the islands and the ICW. Drift the length of the flat with live bait or soft plastics. Topwaters are good along the shallows and shorelines early in the morning.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Pipeline GPS: N26 32.063, W97 23.969 SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, Gulp! Shrimp in new penny, soft plastics in red/white, root beer.

CONTACT: Capt. Terry Neal, 956-6427357 TIPS: Capt. Neal predicts a banner year for speckled trout in the Port Mansfield area. The five-fish bag limit has begun to pay off with both great numbers of trout, and quality with the fish. Use top waters early in the morning, and Gulp! Jerk Shads on 1/8-ounce jigheads later in the day. Live shrimp, as always is tough to beat. A rising tide and southeast breeze could mean that a good day can turn into a memorable one.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: West Shoreline GPS: N26 45.941, W97 28.374 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp Gulp! Shad,

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shrimp or jerkbaits, gold spoons, topwaters.

CONTACT: Capt. Terry Neal, 956-6427357 TIPS: The West Shoreline is a popular redfish spot in summer. The shallows just inside of the depth break are loaded with patrolling redfish. Live bait and gold spoons are standards, but jerkbaits and topwaters have carved out niches as favorites for anglers who are chasing redfish up and down the shoreline.

Baffin Badlands LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: The Badlands

GPS: N27 18.744, W97 24.9023 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live croaker, topwaters early, soft plastics in dark patterns CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Redfish will be striking bait along the shallow grassbeds and rocks. Look for nervous bait early in the morning and work topwaters in the area. As the day progresses, fish deeper water with either live croaker or soft plastics. Drifting covers more water, but wading where the bottom is harder can allow for stealthier presentation.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge GPS: N27 18.284, W97 27.593 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters early, soft plastics in limetreuse, pumpkinseed/chartreuse, and live croaker CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Fish on top of the bar with topwaters early in the morning. When the sun gets higher, you will locate trout holding in deeper water. Soft plastics work, but live bait becomes more effective as the month progresses. Try either croaker or pinfish.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Emmord’s Hole GPS: N27 29.754, W97 19.970 SPECIES: Speckled trout

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BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in strawberry/black back plum/chartreuse, rootbeer/red flake, morning glory, pumpkinseed/chartreuse and live croaker CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: This area has a combination of grasslines and edges along deeper water, which is ideal fish habitat. Fish the 3- to 4foot breakline with live croaker or 4- to 5inch soft plastics. Trout will normally be

holding in the deeper holes when the weather heats up.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Crash Channels GPS: N27 37.563, W97 17.903 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in strawberry/black back plum/chartreuse, rootbeer/red flake, morning glory, pumpkinseed/chartreuse and live croaker

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50 2STROKE .........................................$4,449 90 2STROKE .........................................$6,245 115 2STROKE .......................................$7,528 200 HPDI VMAX...................................$13,125 225 HPDI VMAX...................................$14,210 300 HPDI VMAX...................................$16,210 115 4STROKE .......................................$8,345 150 4STROKE .......................................$10,945 225 4STROKE .......................................$15,610 350 4STROKE .......................................$20,945

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50 2STROKE .........................................$4,537 90 2STROKE .........................................$6,360 115 EFI.................................................$8,555 75 OPTIMAX.........................................$6,845 90 OPTIMAX.........................................$7,345 115 OPTIMAX.......................................$7,645 150 OPTIMAX.......................................$9,800 175 PRO XS ..........................................$11,950 200 OPTIMAX.......................................$12,550 225 OPTIMAX.......................................$13,445 250 PRO XS ..........................................$16,145

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DF60 ....................................................$6,245 DF70 ....................................................$6,845 DF90 ....................................................$7,545 DF115 ..................................................$8,445 07 DF140 .............................................$8,645 07 DF150 .............................................$9,745 DF175 ..................................................$11,345 DF200 ..................................................$13,345 DF225 ..................................................$14,545 DF250 ..................................................$16,245 DF300 ..................................................$15,610 250SS 20” SHAFT .................................$15,945

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CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: A trolling motor is a big advantage for fishing the crash channels. You can putter along the shoreline and cast along edges and cuts. Sometimes you may actually spot nervous bait where redfish are working. Fish with large, noisy topwaters early. If you locate a concentration of fish working a limited area, anchor up and use live bait.

LOCATION: Redfish Bay HOTSPOT: Estes Flats GPS: N28 11430, W96 92.50 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live bait, gold weedless spoons CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly, 361-5330982 TIPS: Fish the flats midday for redfish that are patrolling the breadth of the flats. The ¼- ounce weedless spoon is the standard for this area, but live bait is an excellent choice.

This is especially true if the wind picks up a bit.

LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Traylor Island GPS: N27 55.995, W96 4.494 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live croaker, topwaters, soft plastics in avocado/chartreuse, motor oil/chartreuse, pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly, 361-5330982 TIPS: Fishing behind Traylor can be very, very productive in June. Free line a live croaker along the grassline edges to coax them into biting. If croaker is tough to come by, try a topwater early in the morning, or a Bass Assassin on a small (1/8-ounce) jighead along the edges. Keep a soft touch on your line. These fish can strike very subtly.

Then again, they might give you a real jolt.

LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Super Flats GPS: N27 57.058, W96 5.331 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live croaker, topwaters, soft plastics in Avocado/chartreuse, Motor Oil/chartreuse, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse C10

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CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly, 361-5330982 TIPS: Set up a slow drift through the area (a drift anchor is a real asset here). Sharp shoot potholes with free-lined croaker or pinfish hooked onto a 3/0 kahle hook. If the trout are actively feeding and chasing bait, then you might want to try using a topwater such as a Top Dog. A technique that is starting to become popular on Lower Laguna Madre and might work up here is a weightless eel-style soft plastic trailing a topwater. Trout will usually zap the plastic.

Sabine Specks LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: East Pass

GPS: N29 58.920, W93 47.135 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in chartreuse, glow/chartreuse, pearl/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: Use your depth finder to locate deeper water holes where trout hold when weather starts to heat up. Choose soft plastics with throbbing tails that create a maximum amount of vibration. Swim lures in the current, or cast it around and under nervous bait. Use larger (1/4 ounce) jighead for better control in the current. As always, be sure to get a Louisiana license if you are going to cross into Cajun territory.

LOCATION: Sabine Pass HOTSPOT: Boat Cut GPS: 40.398, W93 49.516 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: Just like in East Pass, you will find some nice trout lurking in the deeper holes, especially around the boat cut. Watch for current breaks and eddies. Fish with oft &

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plastics on larger (1/4- to 3/8-ounce) jigheads.

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Drull’s Lump GPS: N28 42.231, W95 49.652 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters in white or pink and soft plastics in dark patterns CONTACT: Capt. Mark Talasek, 979-4791397, www.talasekguideservice.com TIPS: Drull’s is a good summer spot.

Trout hold around the shell bottom all summer. Start with white or pink topwaters early in the morning (the pink/silver Top Dog is a typical choice). Switch to soft plastics in patterns such as morning glory and Baffin Magic.

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Three Beacons GPS: N28 40.518, W95 53.054

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in dark colors CONTACT: Capt. Mark Talasek, 979-4791397, www.talasekguideservice.com TIPS: Trout just love the deep shell reefs in the area. Drift with the wind and work soft plastics in patterns such as roach, morning glory, and Baffin Magic near the bottom.

Fish steadily and thoroughly. This is fishing.

There is no need to rush things.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Matagorda Jetties GPS: N28 35.666, W95 59.000 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, topwaters early, soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Mark Talasek, 979-4791397, www.talasekguideservice.com TIPS: The fishing can be crazy good on a calm day with friendly winds. Fish the guts with topwaters early in the morning and around the rocks with soft plastics and tops.

When you find a concentration of fish, thoroughly work the area. A depth finder can come in handy.

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LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Matagorda surf GPS: N28 59.25, W95 98.74453 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, soft plastics CONTACT: Captain Mark Talasek, 979244-0044, 979-479-1397 TIPS: Soft southeast winds and green water to the beach create “cupcake” conditions for anglers seeking surf-running trout.

Experienced anglers anchor beyond the third bar and fish the guts for the fat dimesilver specks that roam the beachfront.

Watch for diving birds or flitting bait to tip you off to the presence of fish. As with the jetties, be smart and pick a mild day. Keep your weather radio on, too. You never know when a summer squall may pop up and you need to head for cover.

Salty Largemouth LOCATION: Choke Canyon

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HOTSPOT: Salt Creek GPS: N28 28.600, W96 21.545 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: White spinnerbaits, jigs in a variety of watermelon colors, frogs and chrome black back Pop R’s are the go baits for fishing in this area.

CONTACT: Robin McFarlane, Double “R” Guide Service, 210-416-4563 TIPS: Start your day by throwing spinnerbaits and topwaters to pick up those mossbacks that are roaming the banks and grass in the early morning looking for a quick meal. As the sun comes up, go to flipping a jig in the holes of the grass to hook up with the larger bass.

LOCATION: Choke Canyon HOTSPOT: Four Fingers GPS: N28 30.011, W98 16.725 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: White spinnerbaits or chatterbaits, soft plastic jerkbaits, along with the usual top water baits, such as buzz baits in white or white/chartreuse CONTACT: Robin McFarlane, Double “R” Guide Service, 210-416-4563

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TIPS: Fish the numerous flats and grass with spinnerbaits or chatterbaits with an erratic retrieve early morning. Soft plastic jerkbaits in watermelon/red or watermelon/candy will also produce with that same erratic retrieve. When throwing buzz baits, throw as far up to the bank as you can, and slow roll the bait for that hook up.

LOCATION: Braunig HOTSPOT: Spillway GPS: N29 14.664, W98 22.048 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut bait, dough balls, chicken liver CONTACT: Jeff Snyder, 210-649-2435 TIPS: Fish deeper water (20 to 25 feet) for best results. Watch your depth locator to find the thermocline and focus on fish holding around it. Fresh cut bait such as shad and sunfish are tough to beat, but prepared baits and chicken liver are also very effective.

LOCATION: Braunig HOTSPOT: Dam area GPS: N29 14.740, W98 22.366 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut bait, dough balls, chicken liver

CONTACT: Jeff Snyder, 210-649-2435 TIPS: Fish start moving to deeper water as the water temperatures near shore start to shoot upward. Deep water is cooler and more comfortable. Fish along the bottom with either cut shad or sunfish, or with blood or crawfish-flavored dough on spring hooks.

Do not be surprised if you happen into a hybrid bass or two. They like cool water and cut bait, too.

Aquilla Points for White Bass LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point/ Triplett Point

GPS: N31 54.533, W97 12.375 SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Li’l Georges, Tail Hummers, Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Look for early morning schooling activity along the dam riprap. Throw Li’l

Georges, Tail Hummers and Rat-L-Traps to get your limit. After the schooling action stops, move around Triplett Point and watch your graph for white bass stacking up along ledges and edges. Back off shore and cast a one-ounce Hopkins Spoon; white or chartreuse slab and let flutter up and down through the school.

BANK ACCESS: Tail Race Fishing Pier, white bass on jigs LOCATION: Lake Belton HOTSPOT: McGregor Park Area GPS: N31 12.434, W97 29.224 SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Roadrunners, Li’l Georges, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, 254-3687411,Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideServic e.com TIPS: Check in and around the hotspot thoroughly with your electronics. Use a small buoy to mark suspected game fish schools. Back off and fish with horizontal retrieve. Early and late are best.

BANK ACCESS: Temple Lake Park, largemouth, catfish, white bass LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Grass Beds at Crane Lake GPS: N32 56.257, W85 28.788 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, light Carolina rigs, weightless Flukes, Tiki Sticks CONTACT: Michael Rogge, 903-3833406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Move to the outer edges of the grass beds. Throw crankbaits and Carolina rigs in early morning and late afternoon. There is usually a good topwater bite on poppers, spooks and buzzbaits early and late.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing Pier at Minnow Bucket Bait Stand, crappie, largemouth bass LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Dam Hump GPS: N32 48.733, W95 32.025 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Deep-diving crankbaits, jigs CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5302201, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: The bass have finished their spawn

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and have headed out to deeper water. I take a good map of the lake and look for humps along the bottom, checking out every detail with my depth finder. Then using marker buoys, I mark the bends and drops along any ridges I find. Next, I tie on a big crankbait on one rod and a jig on a second rod and fish this ridge or hump from one end to the other and back. When you find the big bass, note the time of day. Around this time each day you will find the bass feeding in the same spot. These spots hold some of Lake Fork’s biggest bass and you can catch good numbers using this pattern.

When you catch these big bass, treat them with care because they are the fish that make our lakes what they are today.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing Pier at Minnow Bucket Bait Stand, crappie, largemouth bass LOCATION: Fayette County Reservoir HOTSPOT: Hog Pond Dam GPS: N29 55.260, W96 43.420 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad or punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103,

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www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Fish can be found shallow and deep this time of year. This area offers an old submerged pond dam in 16- to 20-foot water.

The pond is also where the creek channel ran before the lake was built. Anchor here and chum straight down, then fish tight line within a foot of the bottom all around the boat. I recommend sour grain versus range cubes. Range cubes have sweet in them and sweet attracts carp and buffalo.

BANK ACCESS: Junkyard Cove, largemouth bass LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Main Lake Brush Piles GPS: N30 41.738, W97 21.460 SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: 1/32-ounce Marabou jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, 512-3657761, www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Find brush piles in 7 to 15 feet of water and fish the crappie jig very slowly over the brush. Use Berkley Crappie Nibbles to increase catch rate. Jig color makes no difference.

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BANK ACCESS: Wilson Fox Fishing Dock, crappie on live minnows fished straight down off dock.

LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool HOTSPOT: Dam Grass GPS: N32 38.816, W96 59.245 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina rigs, drop shot rigs, DD-22’s, Tail Hummer CONTACT: Randy Maxwell, 817-3132878, www.getagripguide.com TIPS: I start the day off shallow and early on any grass and rocks I can find. The left and right side of the dam is beginning to grow some grass and there are plenty of rocks in the area. Pull out your favorite topwater and spinnerbait and work them until the sun gets up. Later, drop off to the deep edges of points, humps and creek channels and start dragging plastics in just about any color. Brushpiles and bridge pilings at key depths will work as well. Just find the depth the bass are holding in and keep fishing it.

Keep a Tail Hummer rigged at all times to load up on sand bass if you run across their path.

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BANK ACCESS: Crappie Dock, crappie with live minnows LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: C W Ridge GPS: N30 38.630, W96 02.969 SPECIES: Catfish

BEST BAITS: Shad or punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Water here runs 1 to 5 feet deep.

An old road bed comes off the point and runs East across the other bank of Cedar Creek. Fish shallow from this point out to midway across the mouth of Cedar Creek.

South winds will be blowing on the point and the mouth of the creek, putting plenty of food there to attract shad and for the fish to feed on. With the wind blowing into the bank and creek you can use a slip cork above a #4 treble hook for Punch bait or a #1 kahle hook for shad. Good sized blues frequent this area when the shad are passing through in schools.

BANK ACCESS: Hwy 175 Bridge east; cast lures for bass, minnows for crappie LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Island Point GPS: N33 03.034, W96 28.313 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: White/chartreuse buzzbaits and spinnerbaits, shad-colored Bandits, Tornado F4 or F5 in watermelon red or green pumpkin CONTACT: Jeff Kirkwood, 972-853-0949, www.fishinwithjeff.com TIPS: Buzzbaits and spinnerbaits are the early baits of choice. Finding bait fish should be easy on main lake points and secondary points. The little nuances these areas provide will be your main focus. After the early bite is over shad patterned Bandits will be a great way to find active fish. After covering the area, go back over it with a Tornado F4 or F5.

BANK ACCESS: Clear Lake Pier, largemouth bass LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Creek Channel GPS: N32 03.517, W95 26,689 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Carolina-rigged plastics, ½-ounce Diamond Head Jig CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5302201, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Using my depth finder, I look for creek channels and using marker buoys, mark off the bends. Then I fish the bends

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with my jig, crankbaits and Carolina rig. I find these places by using my electronics and map. Largemouth bass travel in the channels and feed in the bends, so I work them very hard covering as much of them as possible. If you want to catch good numbers of bass then get off the trolling motor and slow down. Many good fish are missed by fishing too fast.

BANK ACCESS: Dam Park, largemouth, crappie, fish pockets and rock wall LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Hwy 66 Rip Rap GPS: N32 55.033, W96 30.112 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Scum Frog, weightless Tornado F5 CONTACT: Jeff Kirkwood, 972-853-0949, www.fishinwithjeff.com TIPS: This is the time to have a blast with Scum Frogs fished up against the reeds and over hydrilla beds. As always, main lake points and the riprap around the lake will be the staple for fishing. A weightless F5 Tornado fished in any area of the lake will be the way to go. Just make sure you do not over fish the bait. Take your time and thoroughly cover each area you fish.

BANK ACCESS: Bayview Marina, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Richland Chambers Reservoir HOTSPOT: Hickey Island GPS: N32 02.245, W96 13.267 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Buzz baits, frogs and Pop-Rs CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, 682, 518-8252, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: The Northeast side of Hickey Island, (North 287 Bridge), can be very productive. There are roadbeds and points that are holding fish. The points and tank dams down around the lighthouse, southeast of the lake also hold fish. The tanks and road bed by the Tarrant County water intake have also been very productive.

BANK ACCESS: Midway Landing, fish the shoreline on either side of the boat ramp, largemouth, crappie, white bass LOCATION: Richland Chambers Reservoir HOTSPOT: Ferguson Point

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GPS: N31 57.667, W96 09.234 SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Clear Tiny Torpedoes or other small silver or clear topwaters CONTACT: Royce Simmons, 903-3894117, www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: Look for early morning schooling action on the main lake from Fisherman’s Point Marina all the way back to the Hwy 287 Bridge. The South shoreline from Fisherman’s Point Marina to Ferguson Point is a great place to start the morning.

With a light breeze and some cloud cover, the topwater action can last several hours.

BANK ACCESS: Midway Landing, fish shoreline on either side of boat ramp, largemouth, crappie, catfish

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Platter Flats GPS: N33 54.923, W96 33.777 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Topwaters, jigs, live bait CONTACT: Bill Carey, 877-786-4477, bigfish@striperexpress.com TIPS: Early mornings cast topwater lures on shallow banks. As the day wears on I change to 1-ounce Sassy Shad jigs in Whiteglo or Chartreuse. Fish the flats, creek ditches, and river edges. Live shad is also a good way to catch stripers; anchor or drift the river and creek ledges around Platter Flats.

BANK ACCESS: Rock Creek; cast topwaters early and switch to live or cut shad

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Welch Park Dam Area GPS: N30 19.900, W96 32.150 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Stink bait or shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: May and June are spawning months. Look for fish on structure where they might put their nests. This area offers a rocky shore, good for spawning. Use a slip cork to drift through the rocks. Using a split shot and a small hook will let the bait drift right into the docks without hanging up as much. You might hang up some, but remember if you are not in the nesting area you are not on the fish. Hanging up is part of fishing when fishing structure. Fish nest in holes between the rocks, not away from them.

BANK ACCESS: Big Creek Marina, most species

LOCATION: Lake Waco HOTSPOT: Reynolds Creek GPS: 31 35.390, W97 14.776 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, topwaters, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, deep-diving crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, 254-7442104, rayado@earthlink.net TIPS: Fish and change as needed, the above baits in the standing timber at the south side of the entrance to Reynolds Creek, working the edges and back into the flooded timber. When done here move back out of the timber and continue on into the creek. When you cross the point on the left side, the depth quickly drops off to around 25 feet. Largemouth bass frequent this area in the summer because the deep water is always cool. When hungry, they swim up and over the point and head to edges and the timber to feed. Watch for the drop off on your graph. Don’t be surprised if you see a number of larger bass stacked up from the bottom up to around 10 feet. This is the time to rip a big deep diving crankbait such as Bomber’s BD7 Fat Free Shad or Norman DD22 through them.

BANK ACCESS: Reynolds Creek Special Shore Fishing Area; inquire at gate for directions; largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, catfish

LOCATION: Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir HOTSPOT: Dam Bluffs GPS: N31 01.699, W97 31.849 SPECIES: Smallmouth bass BEST BAITS: Blue and silver Rat-L-Trap, Texas rigged worm CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, 254-368-7411, Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com TIPS: Thirty minutes prior to sunrise through two hours after will be your best shot at shallow fish in this clear, deep water.

Run the Rat-L-Trap parallel to the rip rap early, use Texas rigged worm deeper any other time. Fish out to 14 feet deep.

BANK ACCESS: Stillhouse Park, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, smallmouth bass

LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Deep Hump GPS: N31 53.804, W97 21.923 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Live shad

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CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Anchoring in 32 feet of water, just off Whitney Hump/Point, drop bait with just enough weight to get it to the bottom.

Then reel about 4-5 turns off the bottom.

The fish are running the edge of the hump to and from deep water chasing shad.

BANK ACCESS: Loafer’s Bend shoreline, stripers, white and largemouth bass

Flag Down a Buchanan Striper LOCATION: Lake Buchanan

HOTSPOT: Flag Island GPS: N30 48.571, W98 26.440 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Live bait, or striper jigs, Pirk Minnows CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Water temperature around 80 to 84 degrees. Work the stripers by trolling a

striper jig and vertically jigging a ½-ounce Pirk Minnow from Flag Island to the dam in 28 to 40 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Thunderbird Resort, catfish, largemouth, crappie, white bass LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Turkey Creek GPS: N29 51.846, W98 13.152 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Small Zara Spooks, Secret Weapon buzzbaits, watermelon red Wacky Sticks, rigged Texas style, with a 1/8-ounce tungsten weight.

CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Zara Spooks early and silver bladed white Secret Weapon buzzbaits at daylight and dusk in 3 to 6 feet of water. Mid day switch to Watermelon Red Wacky Sticks rigged Texas style with 1/8-ounce Tungsten weights and fish along bluffs near Turkey Creek in 10 to 20 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Potters Creek Park, largemouth bass, stripers, catfish LOCATION: Lake Lyndon B. Johnson HOTSPOT: Lighthouse Point GPS: N30 33.788, W98 21.717 SPECIES: Largemouth bass

BEST BAITS: Black Secret Weapon buzzbaits, Zara Spooks, Berkley Craws, Rat-L-Traps, Li’l Fishies Shad CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Fish the black Secret Weapon buzz bait early in the morning, along with topwaters like the Zara Spook. Work Berkley Craws rigged Texas style with 1/8-ounce Tungsten weight along the edge of riprap at night and around docks and points near the Kingsland area.

BANK ACCESS: Robin Hood Park, catfish, largemouth bass

Bass Huddled on Hubbard Hump LOCATION: Hubbard Creek Reservoir

HOTSPOT: Hump near Creek Channel GPS: N32 47.156, W99 00.293 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: 10-inch Power Worms, 8-inch lizard Carolina rigged both in red shad or junebug CONTACT: Wendell Ramsey, 325-2274931, bram4@suddenlink.net TIPS: This hump has good water all around it with the river channel near the east side. Throw your Texas rigged 10-inch worm or drag a Carolina rigged eight-inch lizard along the bottom and feel for the chunk rock isolated at around 12 to 15 feet.

When all else fails, change your color from red to any shade of green.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing piers are located near most of the boat ramps. Largemouth bass, white crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, white bass, freshwater drum LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Lake HOTSPOT: Bourbon Street at Costello Island (main river channel) GPS: N32 53.632, W98 28.260 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Live shad

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CONTACT: Dean Heffner, 940-779-2597, fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: Look for the stripers off the main river channel from Costello Island back south all the way to the Bee Creek end of Broadway. Stick with the live shad as best bet. Slabs and jigs are still working as are topwaters. Pay close attention to Blue Heron activity. They are still feeding their young on shad and bugs. Working Blue Herons are your best shad indicator.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing piers are located near most of the boat ramps; largemouth bass, white crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, white bass, freshwater drum

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watermelon red or a Football Jig in black/blue CONTACT: Don Mattern, Sr., 903-4782633, www.matternguideservice.fghp.com TIPS: This road bed is next to a 25-foot channel. The roadbed is about five feet deep on top. Sit in the channel and throw the Carolina rigged fluke or football head jig on top of the road bed and drag it back.

BANK ACCESS: Powell Park Marina, largemouth bass, catfish, white and striped bass

Contact South Regional Fishing Editor Calixto Gonzales by email at cgonzales@fishgame.com Contact North Regional Fishing Editor JD Moore by email at hotspotsnorth@fishgame.com

Head for Hydrilla on Amistad LOCATION: Lake Amistad

HOTSPOT: Hydrilla on Flats and Drains GPS: N29 29.685, W101 00.521 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Zara Spooks, Vixens, Senkos, soft plastics CONTACT: Wendell Ramsey, 325-2274931, bram4@suddenlink.net TIPS: Work the Zara Spook and other favorite topwaters early even if the winds are blowing on the flats in this area. As the sun comes up, throw a Senko rigged Texas style with a 3/16-ounce weight into the many drainage areas holding brush in 10 to 20 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Facilities available, fishing allowed from gravel bank below the bridge.

Sam Rayburn Road Bass LOCATION: Sam Rayburn Reservoir

HOTSPOT: Farmer’s Cove Road Bed GPS: N31 06.690, W94 05.430 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina-rigged fluke in A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Top Tactics for the Big 3 HE MONTH OF JUNE BRINGS WITH IT MOSTLY good weather, hot days, pretty water and lots of fish. Catching fish on Sabine Lake in June is really pretty easy. Let us look at the top tactics for the Big 3 on the Texas Coast’s northernmost estuary.

For trout, I spend a lot of time at the Louisiana short rigs. Light winds and sandy green water usually equal nice boxes of trout. On calm days when the current is not too strong, the trolling motor is all you will need to stay on the fish. When it is choppy,

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however, a rig hook or anchor (with plenty of rope) is necessary. Light-colored soft plastics like glow and chartreuse are the ticket in the pretty water. Most of the time you can get by with a ¼-ounce lead head but depending on the current and wind, you may need to go heavier. I carry everything from 1/8- to 5/8-ounce green Mirrolure 51MR and chrome with blue back Rat-LTraps can also be real trout killers.

It is not a bad idea to fill your live well with finger mullet or shad because sometimes the trout get lockjaw when it comes to plastic baits especially in the later summer months. Keep an eye on your sonar because a lot of times the trout tend to be in tight groups for protection. They also like to hang out around unseen structure that could be several yards from the legs of the platform.

Try different retrieves to determine if they are belly to the bottom or suspended.

For redfish, try topwaters early from Blue Buck Point down the Louisiana shoreline to the mouth of Madame Johnson Bayou.

When the sun gets up, switch to soft plastics

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Lake Road (Bailey Road) Bridge City SPECIES: Redfish, flounder and croaker BAITS: Mud minnows and fresh dead shrimp like Old Bayside 4-inch Shadlyn or cocahoe minnows. Glow and Pumpkin with a chartreuse tail work really well. Rig them on 1/8- or ¼-ounce lead heads.

Also have someone throwing one under a popping cork with about 18 inches of leader.

Key in on areas where you see mullet cruising the shoreline. Have your binoculars handy and keep an eye out for gulls or terns working behind you and fish the perimeters and go a little deeper and slower for these brutes.

For flounder, work the mouths of the bayous on the Louisiana shoreline.

From there, move down the bank. Key on areas where there is Roseau cane, especially those areas where the cane meets salt grass. Also, work any small cuts or points thoroughly. Throw glow or chartreuse curltailed jigs tipped with fresh shrimp. Another good bet for flatties is the Causeway Bridge on the extreme south end of Pleasure Island. Both the Texas and Louisiana sides hold lots of nice flounder in June. Anchor on either side near the boat ramp and drag mud minnows or curl-tail jigs tipped with fresh shrimp. You should be able to top off your ice chest with some nice flat fish.

Contact: Eddie Hernandez, ehernandez@fishgame.com

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“Go East, Young Man” UNE BLENDS SPRING WITH SUMMER. DAYS are long and warm, winds are steady, but not that bad inside the protected water of the bays. During June, birds work over fish in open water, and big trout hunt mullet in the shallows. Anglers looking for a place to score in June could do worse than to head toward East Bay. This small section of the Galveston Bay system is located wholly behind the Bolivar Peninsula, and offers shallow water wade fishing, deeper water shell pads, and a large reef (Hannah’s) roughly in the center. East Bay also has water exchange with the Gulf through Rollover Pass.

Bolivar is still in very bad shape after the hurricane, many homes and businesses might not be rebuilt, and there is talk of closing the bridge over Rollover, but fishermen

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THE BANK BITE LOCATION: The Rollover Pass

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ALTERNATE SPOT: Rollover Pass itself SPECIES: Trout, flounder, and the occasional red, as well as panfish, especially croaker in the Pass BEST BAITS: Live shrimp or artificials, live finger mullet and/or mud minnows for flounder BEST TIMES: Early and late, but watch the tides around the Pass. Fishing either spot is best in moving water. Just do not be a part of what is moving.

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who respect the losses of the residents might still find good fishing here. Much of the shoreline is only accessible by boat, even for wade fishing on the south side due to the Intracoastal Waterway running down the north edge of the peninsula, except for right behind Rollover.

This is a shallow area easily waded, as long as the angler watches for the currents of a strong outgoing tide. The north side of the bay is boat territory, as is Hannah’s Reef, and shallow draft vessels will work the best.

The shell pads and platforms near the juncture with the main body of Galveston Bay can provide excellent fishing with live shrimp or soft plastics, and the water runs four to five feet on the average.

Along the shorelines of East Bay, depths are much shallower. There are some guides still available here, including Jim West. Hiring an experienced guide can help one avoid the debris still lurking under some of the water here.

When the heat of August rolls around, and bay salinities are higher, offshore fish such as jack crevalle and tarpon have been reported in East Bay. When either of these are around, hefty sharks are sure to follow, so wading anglers should use longer stringers and alert eyes to avoid problems.

East Bay is not as badly and quickly affected by heavy rains on the Trinity watershed as is Trinity Bay, and recovers faster due to a daily exchange of saltwater through the pass.

At the moment, Bolivar can be accessed by car from either Galveston via the ferry, or from the High Island area via Hwy 87. Bait might still be limited, so either pick some up on the way, bring a good cast net, or use artificials. Facilities are coming back slowly, so figure on bringing the things you will need, including lunch and beverages.

on a classic 31 Bertram.

To book a trip, call 979-415-0535.

Email him at mholmes@fishgame.com.

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Free Pass Passes and Inlets are Thoroughfares for June Fish T IS A ROUTINE I ROUTINELY PRACTICE ABOUT 25 mornings in June. Arrive at Matagorda Harbor about 4:30 a.m., ice my boat, check tackle, and then head to the dock to pick up my charter by 5:30.

Yeah, the way-too-early alarm clock gets old, but it is necessary to stay on fish and give my charter the best possible opportunity to bend a rod.

June is my favorite month to wadefish as tides are warm and ardent, baitfish are plentiful and speckled trout gobble up She Dogs, Super Spooks and Skitter Walks.

“I am going to be hanging somewhere

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close to the pass (Cavallo),” said guide Lynn Smith of Port O’Connor. “The strongest tides occur around the passes and our trout flow in and out from the Gulf.”

The grass flats of West Matagorda and Espiritu Santo bay are Smith’s hangouts, but knowing which grass bed to fish is determined by the tide.

“The J-Hook, Community Bar, City Slickers and the Cedars are best at the beginning of the incoming tide,” he said. “It takes longer for all that water to get down to Green’s and Cotton’s bayous, so it is best to fish them a couple of hours later.”

Smith begins the morning with a topwater, but keeps Gulp! and Bass Assassins ready in his wading box.

“Sometimes I catch them all day on top, and other days they just slap at it. Usually when the fish are just playing with the topwater, I can follow with a plastic tail and catch them,” he said.

Freeport and Surfside anglers hang close to San Luis Pass, arguably the most fished locale in all of Texas. San Luis feeds West

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Beachfront from San Luis Pass to the mouth of the Colorado River SPECIES: Trout, redfish, whiting, sand trout, sharks BAITS: Live shrimp, finger mullet, soft plastics, topwaters BEST TIME: Fish the first gut on the incoming tide and the outer bars on the outgoing tide.

Galveston and Christmas Bay and is a magnet for trout, redfish, black drum, flounder, croaker, sand trout, whiting and just about any other inshore species that swims.

Most anglers choose natural baits like live shrimp or finger mullet, but pluggers tossing topwaters and 51M MirrOlures score heavy stringers as well.

Passes are thoroughfares for bull redfish, too. Many think the opportune time to catch the bulls is during the autumn spawning run to the Gulf, and they are right. However, plenty of bronze bulls hang around the passes and jetties in June as well, especially with the present of pogies.

Pogey is slang term for gregarious schooling baitfish like menhaden, shad and threadfin herring that show when Gulf waters warm in the 80s. Floridians often call them “greenies.” Whatever the moniker, they are candy to trout, redfish and snook.

“Carolina-rig one (pogey) against the jetty rocks and you better hold on,” said retired Matagorda guide Melvin Talasek.

“That’s all we used to fish with back in the 70s and we caught some monster trout during the summer.”

Contact: Bink Grimes, www.binkgrimesoutdoors.com.

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This Month Focus on Tides, Temperatures T IS PLENTY HOT AND VACATION FAMILIES HAVE migrated to our beloved bays as evidenced at the boat ramps around Rockport and other coastal towns.

Living across from the St. Charles Bay boat ramp, I have seen some interesting scenes play out where would-be boat launchers are concerned. The thing that never ceases to amaze me is a phenomenon I call HP (hyper-drive psychosis). This is the undeniable craving once at a boat ramp to get a vessel in the water faster than humanly possible.

I am as guilty as the next in getting in a hurry in life; fortunately, I have launched enough boats in my life that I realized many years ago that putting someone new into a launching situation then pressing them to hurry up is a formula for disaster. There are a few things you can do to help stop the spread of this phenomenon at the ramp.

If you are the boat owner, assign tasks before you get to the ramp and be certain that those that own the task have the skills and know how you want it done. Have your boat ready to launch when you get there, and if it’s

I

not ready simply pull out of the way so others can launch.

Two people working together launching a boat can be poetry in motion and saves time and energy, in spite of the HP factor. Also if you’re an old hand at launching, help others out, for the one you show how today will likely NOT be the one slowing you down tomorrow. Did someone teach you how to fish?

Why are boat ramp skills any different? So take the time to learn, teach and support each other and boat ramps will become just another step in a very good fishing day.

Now onto the fishing…

This month ambient temperatures and tides are everything, most fish will be caught early morning on a fillers (slightest phase) moon and late afternoon on a full moon, in the hottest part of the day look for deeper pockets with shell not mud.

COPANO BAY: If you can get croakers, fish them about 20 yards out from the Turtle Pen Point. For trout, Little Lap Reef is a good place for reds using mud minnows on a Carolina rig, throw right on top of the shell.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: South end of the LBJ causeway next to the new ramp SPECIES: Redfish BAITS: Root beer-colored soft plastics and Gulp! molting crabs fished against the grass.

BEST TIMES: Early morning ARANSAS BAY: For black drum and reds use cut menhaden on a fish finder rig around Deadman Island, the shell reefs southeast of the Intracoastal Waterway is a good bet for trout using soft plastics in morning glory and electric chicken colors.

ST. CHARLES BAY: East pocket will be holding reds and free-lined finger mullet is the ticket.

Little Sharp Point is a good area for drifting using a popping cork and shrimp for trout and reds. The grass around Egg Point early morning is a good bet for trout using top waters in red/white and bone colors.

CARLOS BAY: Cedar Point is a good wade area for reds using free-lined live shrimp. The south side of Cedar Reef with its shell is a good place for trout and reds using free-lined finger mullet and mud minnows. Cut bait in Cedar Dugout is productive during slack tide for reds and black drum.

MESQUITE BAY: The shoreline of Roddy Island early morning is good for reds using Berkley Gulp jerk shad in watermelon and blood red colors. Rattle Snake Reef during high tide using Sea Lice or large shrimp on a light Carolina rig is good for slot reds and black drum.

AYRES BAY: Wading the east shoreline of Rattlesnake Island is good for big sheepshead and trout using a popping cork and shrimp. The east shoreline of Second Chain is good for trout using croakers and live shrimp.

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

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Go Deep for Summer Flounder LOUNDER FISHING HEATS UP IN THE SUMMER for anglers along the Middle Coast who do not mind going deep and targeting spots often ignored by other anglers.

To consistently bag good numbers of quality-sized flounder during summer, concentrate on the deeper parts of the bay system, such as around the causeway where anglers fishing with live mud minnows on fish-finder rigs can score on flounder up to 5 pounds.

Most of the really big fish come from the shallow flats along the Intracoastal Canal along the edges of the deep. Targeting these deep-water flatfish requires electronics.

There are, after all, no openly visible markers to go by. Underwater, however, there are plenty of signs that point to possible flounder “holds” or areas in which the fish congregate.

The ideal flounder hold is a small spot or shelf on the edge of a steep drop-off. This hold might be a 20-square-foot area in 15 feet of water that borders a 30-foot drop-off.

In most situations, the 15-foot zone will

F

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gradually get shallower as you move toward the bank, but then drop off suddenly into the main channel.

Such shallow-to-deep topography provides a specific zone in which flounder can feed on baitfishes that might also be attracted to this spot. Furthermore, such an area provides the flatfish a place in which to trade between the deeper main channel and the shallower shoreline.

After locating such a spot, fishing it is the second challenge. Position the boat so the anchor is right on the edge of the hold and you can fish straight up and down.

Tackle-wise, I usually recommend a good spinning combo for flounder fishing, but in this situation, a stout casting rod and troutcaliber bait-casting reel spooled to the brim

with a “superline” like Berkley Fireline, Fusion, or Spiderwire braid.

The terminal rig is simple: a 1-1/2- or 2ounce jighead. Finding such specialized jigheads might require visiting a top-end tackle store like Roy’s Bait and Tackle, but the trip is well worth the effort.

On this jighead, I use live mullet up to 8 inches long or some of the larger croaker you can buy from bait camps. There are very few small flounder in these spots, so don’t be afraid to use a big bait. Big flounder have a big mouth that can swallow big bait.

Email Chester Moore at cmoore@fishgame.com

THE BANK BITE HOTSPOT: JFK Causeway LOCATION: At Humble Channel SPECIES: Black drum BEST BAITS: Dead shrimp, sea lice BEST TIMES: Moving tides A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Convention Wisdom S SUMMER BEGINS ITS LONG STAY OVER THE Texas Coast, the biggest selling point of the Lower Laguna Madre is the vast expanse of grassy flats that stretch from South Bay to the Land Cut. An added benefit is that these knee-to-thighdeep angling playgrounds are not exclusive to outboard crowd. There are plenty of excellent wade- and kayak-fishing opportunities available to the shore-bound angler.

A

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The grassy flats north of the Convention Center (N26 10.713, W97 11.107) are accessible to waders and yakkers via the nearby shoreline. Anglers then can wade across the hard sand bottom to the grassline 100-200 yards from shore. Anglers in kayaks can paddle even further out to where the water dips to 3-4 feet. The sand/grass boundary is a good early morning spot to work for speckled trout that use the change in bottom to ambush baitfish.

Wade parallel to the grassline and cast perpendicular into the grass. Topwaters always work well until the sun is high, with the most popular patterns ranging from chrome/blue back to bone. I have also had success fishing the grassline with swimbaits such as Storm’s WildEye Shad in pearl/red

tail. Reel the swimbait so that it runs just underneath the surface so that the large boot tail creates a wake. That, combined with the wobbling of the bait’s action will cast off a ton of vibration that will draw a trout’s attention. You can also hop a faux shrimp along the grassline or the channel that runs parallel to the shoreline. Best colors are chartreuse, glow, glow/orange, and pink.

Kayakers who scull past the grassline will find potholes of sand scattered throughout the flats. Fish around these holes with gold spoons, soft plastics, and topwaters. Keep a keen eye for redfish tailing throughout the area, because they will be forming pods and foraging through the area. Of course, live shrimp fished under a popping cork or Mansfield Mauler is the traditional go-to rig

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“

“

Boaters can also find success fishing the flats near the Convention Center.

for waders without boats.

If shrimp are hard to come by, bring a cast net with you. There are scads and scads of small pinfish and mullet in the shallows and grasslines of the Convention Center Shoreline, and you should get a ready supply in short order (unless you are as adept as I am, in which case it may take a while).

Pinfish up to three inches can be hooked just under the dorsal fin and fished under a pop-

Page C25

ping cork, as can finger mullet. If you catch pinfish that are four to six inches long, do not despair. Tossing them in the potholes on a free line is a fine way to maximize your chances at catching a pig of a trout.

Boaters can also find success fishing the flats near the Convention Center. Color changes form due west and towards the Intra-Coastal Waterway. The first one is usually 500 yards off the shoreline, where the water depth drops to 3-4 feet. The water goes from clear to “trout green,” and trout and redfish both use the color change as cover for both protection and feeding. Start just inside the color change and fish with the same baits and lures, only focusing on chartreuse and pumpkinseed (motor oil) patterns (firetiger is also an excellent choice).

While wading the Convention Center Shoreline, be aware of the boat channel that runs some 15 yards into the grass, and sometimes into the sand bottom. The channel is 6-7 feet deep in points, and you can get an unwelcomed soaking if you are not careful. Also, do not forget to shuffle your feet. Stingrays love to hide out in the sandy bottom, and it does not take a very large one

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

F i s h

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Padre Island Shoreline, north side of Causeway GPS: N26 5.137b W97 9.993 SPECIES: Speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp or soft plastics under a Mauler or Popping Cork, topwaters BEST TIMES: Early in the morning to end your day with a barb in your heel or ankle. Finally, watch for the occasional shark fin. Small sharks prowl these areas, especially later in the month.

Contact: Calixto Gonzales by email at cgonzales@fishgame.com.

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Tides and Prime Times

JUNE 2009 USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

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

T12

T4

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.

T13 T7

T6 T5 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

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

T14 T18

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

T19

SOLAR & LUNAR ACTIVITY: Sunrise: 6:34a Sunset: 7:51p

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.

T20

AM Minor: 9:11a AM Major: 2:57a PM Minor: 9:40p PM Major: 3:25p

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.

Moonrise:9:27a Moon Set: None Moon Overhead:

T21

4:55p

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

KEYS TO USING THE TIDE AND SOLUNAR GRAPHS TIDE LE VEL GRAPH: 12a

Tab: Peak Fishing Period

6a

12p

6p

12a

Green: Falling Tide

AM/PM Timeline Light Blue: Nighttime

BEST:

7:05-9:40 PM

Gold Fish: Best Time

Blue: Rising Tide Red Graph: Fishing Score

Blue Fish: Good Time

SOLUNAR AC TIVIT Y: MINOR Feeding Periods (+/- 1.5 Hrs.) Time Moon is at its Highest Point in the Sky

AM Minor: 1:20a

PM Minor: 1:45p

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Major: 7:57p

12a

AM/PM Timeline

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MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)

Moon Overhead: 8:50a 6a

12p

6p

12a

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

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

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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

Yellow: Daylight

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

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

T9 T8

T3 T2 T1

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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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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

= Peak Fishing Period

7:45-9:40 AM

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

2

THURSDAY

3

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

4

5

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 2:52p

Set: 8:13p Set: 2:12a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 3:50p

Set: 8:13p Set: 2:43a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 4:49p

Set: 8:14p Set: 3:15a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 5:49p

Set: 8:14p Set: 3:49a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 6:47p

Set: 8:15p Set: 4:27a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 7:44p

AM Minor: 1:01a

PM Minor: 7:13p

AM Minor: 1:42a

PM Minor: 7:53p

AM Minor: 2:22a

PM Minor: 8:33p

AM Minor: 3:02a

PM Minor: 9:14p

AM Minor: 3:45a

PM Minor: 9:58p

AM Major: 7:13a

PM Major: 7:35p

AM Major: 7:53a

PM Major: 8:16p

AM Major: 8:33a

PM Major: 8:56p

AM Major: 9:14a

PM Major: 9:38p

AM Major: 9:58a

PM Major: 10:22p

Moon Overhead: 8:51p 6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 10:22p

Moon Overhead: 9:36p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:10p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

6a

12p

6p

12a

7

Set: 8:15p Set: 5:09a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 8:38p

Set: 8:16p Set: 5:56a

AM Minor: 4:31a

PM Minor: 10:44p

AM Minor: 5:21a

PM Minor: 11:34p

AM Major: 10:44a

PM Major: 11:10p

AM Major: 11:34a

PM Major: 11:59p

Moon Overhead: None

Moon Overhead: None 12a

6

SUNDAY

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2009

TUESDAY

JUN 1

12a

= New Moon = First Quarter = Full Moon = Last Quarter = Best Day

Moon Overhead: 12:51a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 8:29a

0

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 10:46a

Moon Underfoot: 11:35a

Moon Underfoot: 12:25p

Moon Underfoot: 1:16p

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

7:00-9:10 PM

3:00-4:30 PM

3:50-5:00 PM

4:45-6:10 PM

4:10-6:50 PM

5:10-7:50 PM

5:45-8:00 PM

+2.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 9:59a

TIDE LEVELS

+2.0

Moon Underfoot: 9:13a

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

12:18 AM 5:47 AM 11:57 AM 7:09 PM

1.07 ft 0.71 ft 1.25 ft 0.26 ft

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

2:09 AM 7:20 AM 12:11 PM 7:47 PM

1.20 ft 0.96 ft 1.22 ft 0.02 ft

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

3:39 AM 9:03 AM 12:19 PM 8:24 PM

1.36 ft 1.15 ft 1.23 ft -0.17 ft

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

4:49 AM 10:54 AM 12:11 PM 9:01 PM

1.49 ft High Tide: 5:43 AM 1.26 ft Low Tide: 9:38 PM 1.26 ft -0.29 ft

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

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1.57 ft High Tide: 6:29 AM 1.59 ft High Tide: 7:09 AM 1.57 ft -0.34 ft Low Tide: 10:15 PM -0.36 ft Low Tide: 10:52 PM -0.33 ft

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+1.0

0

-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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

8 Set: 8:16p Set: 6:47a

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:17p Moonrise: 10:11p Set: 7:40a

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:17p Moonrise: 10:50p Set: 8:36a

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:17p Moonrise: 11:25p Set: 9:32a

9

10

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

11

12

SUNDAY

13

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:18p Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 11:57p Set: 10:27a Moonrise: None

14

Set: 8:18p Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:18p Set: 11:22a Moonrise: 12:26a Set: 12:16p

AM Minor: 6:12a

PM Minor: 12:00p

AM Minor: 7:06a

PM Minor: 12:53p

AM Minor: 7:59a

PM Minor: 1:47p

AM Minor: 8:51a

PM Minor: 2:39p

AM Minor: 9:41a

PM Minor: 3:30p

AM Minor: 10:28a

PM Minor: 4:18p

AM Minor: 11:13a

PM Minor: 5:03p

AM Major: 12:00a

PM Major: 12:25p

AM Major: 12:53a

PM Major: 1:18p

AM Major: 1:47a

PM Major: 2:11p

AM Major: 2:39a

PM Major: 3:02p

AM Major: 3:30a

PM Major: 3:52p

AM Major: 4:18a

PM Major: 4:39p

AM Major: 5:03a

PM Major: 5:24p

Moon Overhead: 1:42a

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 3:22a

Moon Overhead: 2:33a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 4:09a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:36a

Moon Overhead: 4:54a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:18a 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 9:27p

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2009

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 2:07p +2.0

BEST:

0

-1.0

BEST:

7:50-10:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 4:32p BEST:

8:00-10:30 PM

8:40-11:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:15p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 5:57p BEST:

9:20-11:40 PM

10:20pm-12:10am

Moon Underfoot: 6:38p +2.0

BEST:

12:20-2:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 3:46p

TIDE LEVELS

7:00-8:50 PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:57p

High Tide: 7:47 AM 1.54 ft High Tide: 8:23 AM Low Tide: 11:29 PM -0.28 ft

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T E X A S

Low Tide: 12:06 AM -0.21 ft Low Tide: 12:42 AM -0.11 ft Low Tide: 1:17 AM High Tide: 8:57 AM 1.45 ft High Tide: 9:27 AM 1.40 ft High Tide: 9:54 AM

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0.01 ft 1.36 ft

Low Tide: 1:51 AM 0.16 ft High Tide: 10:16 AM 1.31 ft

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

2:25 AM 10:33 AM 5:29 PM 9:22 PM

0.33 ft 1.26 ft 0.82 ft 0.88 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

= Peak Fishing Period

7:45-9:40 AM

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

15

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

16

THURSDAY

17

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

18

19

SUNDAY

20

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 1:23a

Set: 8:19p Set: 2:06p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 1:54a

Set: 8:19p Set: 3:06p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 2:28a

Set: 8:20p Set: 4:10p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 3:07a

Set: 8:20p Set: 5:18p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 3:54a

Set: 8:20p Set: 6:27p

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 4:50a

21 Set: 8:20p Set: 7:36p

AM Minor: 11:57a

PM Minor: 5:46p

AM Minor: 12:15a

PM Minor: 6:28p

AM Minor: 12:58a

PM Minor: 7:10p

AM Minor: 1:40a

PM Minor: 7:53p

AM Minor: 2:26a

PM Minor: 8:40p

AM Minor: 3:16a

PM Minor: 9:32p

AM Minor: 4:13a

PM Minor: 10:29p

AM Major: 5:46a

PM Major: 6:07p

AM Major: 6:28a

PM Major: 6:50p

AM Major: 7:10a

PM Major: 7:33p

AM Major: 7:53a

PM Major: 8:18p

AM Major: 8:40a

PM Major: 9:08p

AM Major: 9:32a

PM Major: 10:02p

AM Major: 10:29a

PM Major: 11:01p

Moon Overhead: 6:59a

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 8:26a

Moon Overhead: 7:41a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:15a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:08a

Moon Overhead: 10:09a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 12:12p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:19p Moonrise: 12:54a Set: 1:10p

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2009

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 7:20p +2.0

BEST:

0

Moon Underfoot: 9:41p

Moon Underfoot: 10:38p

Moon Underfoot: 11:39p

Moon Underfoot: None

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

1:00-2:40 PM

1:50-3:10 PM

2:20-3:40 PM

3:10-4:20 PM

4:00-6:00 PM

4:40-6:20 PM

+2.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 8:50p

TIDE LEVELS

12:30-2:10 PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:03p

-1.0 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

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3:02 AM 10:44 AM 5:33 PM 11:42 PM

0.53 ft 1.21 ft 0.61 ft 0.91 ft

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Low Tide: 3:46 AM 0.75 ft High Tide: 10:47 AM 1.18 ft Low Tide: 6:00 PM 0.37 ft

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

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1:34 AM 4:46 AM 10:40 AM 6:35 PM

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1.06 ft 0.98 ft 1.19 ft 0.10 ft

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

3:01 AM 6:14 AM 10:18 AM 7:17 PM

1.25 ft 1.19 ft 1.25 ft -0.17 ft

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

4:07 AM 8:31 AM 9:29 AM 8:03 PM

1.45 ft High Tide: 5:02 AM 1.35 ft Low Tide: 8:53 PM 1.35 ft -0.42 ft

1.60 ft High Tide: 5:53 AM -0.63 ft Low Tide: 9:45 PM

+1.0

0

-1.0 1.70 ft -0.77 ft

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= New Moon = First Quarter = Full Moon = Last Quarter = Best Day

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2009 MONDAY SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

22 Set: 8:20p Set: 8:39p

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 7:05a

AM Minor: 5:15a

PM Minor: 11:31p

AM Major: 11:31a

PM Major: 12:04p

Moon Overhead: 1:18p

12a

6a

12p

6p

23

WEDNESDAY

24

25

SATURDAY

26

SUNDAY

27

AM Minor: 6:21a

PM Minor: 12:04p

AM Minor: 7:27a

PM Minor: 1:12p

AM Minor: 8:33a

PM Minor: 2:19p

AM Minor: 9:34a

PM Minor: 3:21p

AM Minor: 10:30a

PM Minor: 4:18p

AM Minor: 11:22a

PM Minor: 5:10p

AM Major: 12:04a

PM Major: 12:37p

AM Major: 1:12a

PM Major: 1:43p

AM Major: 2:19a

PM Major: 2:47p

AM Major: 3:21a

PM Major: 3:47p

AM Major: 4:18a

PM Major: 4:43p

AM Major: 5:10a

PM Major: 5:33p

Moon Overhead: 3:24p

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Set: 11:04p Moonrise: 10:39a Set: 11:41p Moonrise: 11:43a Set: None

28

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 8:18a

6a

Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 10:23p Moonrise: 9:30a

FRIDAY

Set: 8:21p Set: 9:35p

Moon Overhead: 2:23p 12a

THURSDAY

Moon Overhead: 4:21p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:02p

Moon Overhead: 5:14p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 12:45p Set: 12:14a

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:49p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 5:54a

TUESDAY

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 12:45a

0

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

6:00-7:20 PM

6:50-8:10 PM

7:40-9:20 PM

Moon Underfoot: 3:54a BEST:

8:10-10:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 4:48a

Moon Underfoot: 5:38a

Moon Underfoot: 6:26a +2.0

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

3:00-5:10 AM

4:00-5:50 AM

4:50-6:00 AM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 2:54a

TIDE LEVELS

+2.0

Moon Underfoot: 1:50a

-1.0 High Tide: 6:41 AM 1.73 ft High Tide: Low Tide: 10:38 PM -0.82 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:26 AM 12:15 PM 1:59 PM 11:30 PM

1.70 ft High Tide: 8:06 AM 1.63 ft 1.49 ft Low Tide: 12:52 PM 1.37 ft 1.50 ft High Tide: 3:34 PM 1.41 ft -0.78 ft

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

12:22 AM 8:40 AM 1:45 PM 5:10 PM

-0.62 ft 1.52 ft 1.19 ft 1.27 ft

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

1:14 AM 9:10 AM 2:46 PM 6:55 PM

-0.37 ft 1.40 ft 0.94 ft 1.11 ft

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

2:05 AM 9:35 AM 3:47 PM 8:49 PM

-0.05 ft 1.30 ft 0.66 ft 0.98 ft

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

2:56 AM 9:56 AM 4:46 PM 10:53 PM

0.30 ft 1.22 ft 0.37 ft 0.95 ft

+1.0

0

-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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

TUESDAY

29

WEDNESDAY

30

THURSDAY

Jul 1

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

2

3

SUNDAY

4

5

Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 12:46a Moonrise: 2:44p

Set: 8:21p Set: 1:18a

Sunrise: 6:22a Moonrise: 3:44p

Set: 8:21p Set: 1:51a

Sunrise: 6:23a Moonrise: 4:42p

Set: 8:21p Set: 2:28a

Sunrise: 6:23a Moonrise: 5:39p

Set: 8:21p Set: 3:08a

Sunrise: 6:24a Moonrise: 6:33p

Set: 8:21p Set: 3:53a

Sunrise: 6:24a Moonrise: 7:23p

Set: 8:21p Set: 4:42a

AM Minor: ——-

PM Minor: 5:58p

AM Minor: 12:31a

PM Minor: 6:42p

AM Minor: 1:14a

PM Minor: 7:25p

AM Minor: 1:56a

PM Minor: 8:08p

AM Minor: 2:40a

PM Minor: 8:52p

AM Minor: 3:25a

PM Minor: 9:37p

AM Minor: 4:11a

PM Minor: 10:24p

AM Major: 5:58a

PM Major: 6:21p

AM Major: 6:42a

PM Major: 7:05p

AM Major: 7:25a

PM Major: 7:49p

AM Major: 8:08a

PM Major: 8:33p

AM Major: 8:52a

PM Major: 9:17p

AM Major: 9:37a

PM Major: 10:03p

AM Major: 10:24a

PM Major: 10:49p

Moon Overhead: 7:34p

12a

6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 9:08p

Moon Overhead: 8:21p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:57p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:38p

Moon Overhead: 10:47p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: None 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:22a Moonrise: 1:45p

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2009

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 7:12a +2.0

BEST:

8:00-9:40 PM

BEST:

9:00-11:20 PM

Moon Underfoot: 9:32a

Moon Underfoot: 10:22a

Moon Underfoot: 11:12a

Moon Underfoot: 12:03p

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

2:20-4:10 PM

3:10-4:40 PM

4:00-5:30 PM

4:50-6:40 PM

TIDE LEVELS

0

BEST:

7:20-9:10 PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:44a

+2.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 7:57a

-1.0 Low Tide: 3:51 AM 0.65 ft High Tide: 10:14 AM 1.17 ft Low Tide: 5:40 PM 0.11 ft

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

1:06 AM 5:07 AM 10:26 AM 6:31 PM

2 0 0 9 /

1.05 ft 0.96 ft 1.16 ft -0.11 ft

T E X A S

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

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3:19 AM 8:06 AM 10:22 AM 7:19 PM

&

1.22 ft High Tide: 4:43 AM 1.16 ft Low Tide: 8:04 PM 1.18 ft -0.27 ft

1.37 ft High Tide: 5:34 AM -0.37 ft Low Tide: 8:47 PM

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1.46 ft High Tide: 6:13 AM -0.42 ft Low Tide: 9:28 PM

1.48 ft High Tide: 6:43 AM 1.46 ft -0.43 ft Low Tide: 10:06 PM -0.41 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

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Texas ATVs

Truck Covers USA

Brazos Cycles & ATVs

The Buddy Bag

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Trucks Open Doors to Outdoor Adventures RUCKS. WITHOUT THEM, MANY OF THE TASKS we seek to accomplish in the great outdoors would quite simply be impossible. Of course, those of us who are

T

blessed to live in Texas know this better than anyone.

I make this point because trucks are truly part of our outdoors heritage and a crucial compo-

nent of the lifestyles we live. Some folks however just do not get it.

Take for example, a journalist from New York City who interviewed me a few years ago about

by Chester Moore, Jr. a conservation project. She snidely asked if I, “…drove around in a big ozone layer depleting truck that endangered everyone on the road like everyone else in Texas.”

Being a Texan, I remained polite but told her, “Lady, just because I am blessed enough to live in Texas and smart enough to drive something bigger than the wild hogs we have down here, don’t hold that against me. Plus, it is kind of hard to throw a deer carcass in the back of a Volkswagen Beetle.”

For some reason, that ended the conversation.

It did however bring to mind the many instances in my life when trucks made the difficult bearable and the seemingly impossible plausible. As a youngster, I clearly remember wanting a truck so I could use it for fishing and not only to get me to a destination but to actually fish.

Back when I was in fourth grade, all of the neighborhood kids were convinced a giant alligator gar nicknamed “Big John” lived in the gully down the street. We all tried to catch it but to no avail. One weekend some high school boys came up with the idea of tying a nylon rope to the end of a truck, baiting it with a whole chicken attached to a shark hook and floating it out under a jug.

When the jug went under, they would crank up the truck and pull the behemoth ashore.

All of the elementary school boys thought that was the greatest idea anyone had ever concocted.

The only problem was they were going to do it at the big pond on the high school agriculture department’s property where only Ag students could tread without getting in serious trouble.

This pond connected to our gully and the consensus was that Big John hung out there most of the time and left when the tides got high. We would have to watch from the road and hope they could fit the creature in the bed of their truck C34

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so we could get a glimpse.

Half a dozen or so of gathered at the gully that day to do some fishing and of course see if Big John was going to take the bait. We just did not see how he could resist a whole chicken.

After a couple of hours, we heard the truck crank up and drive forward. Our hearts raced as we wondered if they really had captured the fish that had captured our imagination for so long.

We could see that the small crowd of Ag students that gathered to see the capture of Big John were scattering like ants. They were running all over the place. Was our fabled fish so humongous they would run from it? Did it attack one of the bystanders? Our imaginations ran wild.

It turned out, they had pulled in a nine-foot long alligator that was not very happy at being hooked and pulled from the water by truck.

Nowadays I have no delusions of catching gar by truck, but back then trucks were a central theme in my outdoor dreams.

One of my most harrowing truck encounters came back in 1998, when I guided my Dad, Chester Moore, Sr., on a hunt for red deer out in Kerr County. After bagging a big 8-point-

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er, we hoisted it into a strong oak and began to skin it. Suddenly, thousands of bees moved in, started buzzing all around us, and began to cover the animal. Dad backed his truck up under the deer, I cut the hoist down, and we moved more than a mile away. The amazing part is we had to drive over rocks, through ravines and brush to get away and there is no way that could be done in some European micro car. No sir, that requires good old-fashioned truck power.

Sometimes we Texans however overdo things a bit. This should come as no surprise in the land of the 10-gallon hat and 10,000acre ranch. A prime example involving trucks are some of things we try to get them through.

Many times, we assume because we are driving a truck we can go through anything.

My Dad is a perfect example. He has a thing for being stuck when we are working with a film crew. While filming specials with Animal Planet, The Travel Channel and an independent film company he was stuck because he was determined his truck would make it through stuff it was simply not designed for, especially since it is not a four-wheel drive.

The most extreme example is when he drove into soft red clay so deep we almost could not

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

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open our doors. I remember telling him that we should walk the last 200 yards of our journey but he said, “Oh, this is a tough truck. We can make it!”

Three hours later a friend of ours with a bigger four-wheel drive truck and a winch pulled us out. Did I mention it was 3 a.m., 25 degrees and in the middle of the Sabine River bottoms in Louisiana?

A more humorous encountered involved me getting stuck because of my cousin Frank Moore’s questionable judgment. We were on a Type II property in East Texas and had drive down a narrow dirt road scouting for deer season. He was in the back of my truck and when I asked him if the ground behind me was hard enough to back up on he replied, “It’s the hardest ground I have ever seen.”

Nearly 20 years later we still have a good laugh about that one because it took us five hours to get someone there who could pull us out. If you are like me, you probably have a great appreciation for trucks and the things they allow us to do in God’s great outdoors.

If you think about it, we owe them a debt of gratitude along with the occasional washing and tune-up.

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Dress Your Bait THE NAKED BAIT CO SKIRT MAKING KIT ALLOWS you to easily make your own skirts. This kit features the exclusive Naked Bait Co Skirt Expander. This compact and unique expander eases use by utilizing Naked Bait’s a 3 wire sysSkirt-maktem which ing kit allows for a l a r g e r opening to pass skirting material

through. Designed with a locking cam to help eliminate the inconvenience of performing additional steps! Use independently or simply mount to any hard surface.

Contact: Naked Bait Co Inc., 2738 Montego Bay, Evans, CO USA 806203630; Phone, 970-506-1656.

Web: www.nakedbaitco.com

New Legacy Shotguns LEGACY SPORTS INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES A new line of shotguns for 2009. New to Legacy Sports, but an old favorite to the shotgunning crowd is the Verona. We’re bringing back a classic name, and adding semi-autos to the line! Verona semi-auto shotguns will be available in 12 and 20 gauge, with either wood or synthetic stocks.

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Legacy Shotguns Wood versions will be available in three receiver finishes: Blued, Nickel and Grey. All are inertia operated. Wood models come with 3” chambers; synthetic models come in either 3” or 3.5” chambers (12 ga., only).

Verona Semi-Auto Shotgun Features: • Aluminum Alloy Receivers with Matte Nickel or Black Anodized Finish • Chrome Lined Barrel Internally Choked for Steel Shot; Blued Finish • Brass Sight on Standard Model; Fiber Optic on Deluxe Model • Pivoted head Bolt with Integral Double Charging Lever and Sleeve • Walnut Stock with Oiled Finish; Black Nylon Recoil Pad • Patented Locking Forend; Walnut with Oil Finish • 4 + 1 Magazine Capacity • Inertia Operated Action Call 775-828-0555 or e-mail: info@legacysports.com for more information. See all of Legacy Sports’ products at: www.legacysports.com.

Randolph Sets the Eyewear Standard SINCE 1972 RANDOLPH ENGINEERING INC., HAS set the standard on function and style in the eye wear frame category with their extreme durability and classic American styles. The company brings this same level of technological performance to their line of shooting frames and lenses.

The Ranger XLW is one of the leading frame &

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styles in their shooting/ hunting category and is the first wrap frame style designed for the unique demands of the discriminating shooter who wants to combine appearance with unequaled performance. The Ranger XLW features a full wrap top bar with an adjustable nosepiece to properly locate the shooter’s eyes relative the lens optical center. Combined with the RE 8-base, decentered, polycarbonate, interchangeable lens system shooting enthusiasts have the option of choosing from 6 custom lens tints as well as ColorMag™ Technology - a lens technology which amplifies the energy available to the eye in the orange region of the light spectrum, increasing the contrast between the target and its background.

For shooters who compete in varying conditions, RE offers their ALLSport Polarized Lens Series. The new ALLSport Polarized Lens Series includes the following lenses: Copper Polarized – This lens blocks undesirable blue light while improving contrast in other colors.

Moss Yellow Polarized – This is an excellent lens for overcast conditions. Not recommended for bright conditions.

Gray Polarized - This general purpose lens works well in a variety of conditions and situations. It offers absolute true color reception without distortion. It can be worn all day with minimum eye fatigue. It’s ideal for maximum glare reduction in intense sunlight.

Now, thanks to the RE Ranger series, there are no conditions where poor visibility will interfere with your performance.

For more information visit www.randolphusa.com or call 800-541-1405.

Ranger XLW fro Randolph Engineering

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Flawless Boat Deck Repair SAY GOODBYE TO THE PATCH JOB LOOK THE next time a non-skid fiberglass deck needs to be repaired. The Flex-Mold Non-Skid Repair System from MAS Products matches most original non-skid patterns for a nearperfect repair every time.

No more sanding out smooth areas or trying to cover up repairs with carpet. For boat builders, Flex-Mold offers the opportunity to add non-skid patterns to plugs or molds – and to neatly repair damage during construction.

The seven-step repair process: 1) match your non-skid deck pattern; 2) wax the surface; 3) sand; 4) apply matching MAS gelcote; 5) lay down Flex-Mold; 6) let set; 7) remove Flex-Mold.

Watch the “how-to” video at www.masepoxies.com//Videos/NON_SKI D_REPAIR.html.

Anywhere Brew THE BRUNTON BREWFIRE IS THE WORLD'S first portable, duel-fuel coffee maker that brings home brewed coffee anywhere. It’s just like your coffee maker at home, but this one is fueled by propane or butane fuel so it can be taken anywhere. Just put your coffee grounds of choice in the included #4 conical reusable filter, add water, BrewFire turn the knob and flip a switch. In ten to twelve minutes you have eight cups of steaming hot java.

The doublewalled, vacuumsealed stainless steel carafe keeps your coffee hot for 2.5 hours. Great for the campsite, the tailgate, picnics and anywhere else coffee is required.

The BrewFire features easy-push button ignition, tilt and wind protection shut-off and auto shut-off when reservoir is dry.

Gripped feet add stability in the field. The BrewFire weighs just 6.5 pounds. Available at www.brunton.com, Brunton, 2255

Page C37

weights and sizes 3/0, Lazer Sharp 4/0, 5/0, 6/0 and Swimbait 7/0.

Hook Seeing the popularity of swimbaits in market, YETI, MAKERS OF ULTRA-DURABLE PREMIUM today’s coolers, introduces a new 105 quart model Lazer Sharp decided to its popular Tundra Series. The new 105 to improve the process. Lazer Sharp conquart Yeti Tundra is a bit different from sulted with dozens of tournament anglers, other Tundra models in that it has a Pro Staff, and a handful of the deeper, taller design as opposed most popular swimbait to the more traditional, longer manufacturers to engineer a design. Because the 105 quart hook that would help Tundra is deeper, you can pile anglers to use swimbaits more ice on its contents to keep more effectively. them colder longer than in The L111 was designed a long cooler. The deep with an especially wide gap, cooler also has a smaller for fishing larger swimbaits. “footprint,” so it takes up Coupled with the range of less valuable deck space. It weights, the L111 offers a is ideal for under leaning combination for every situaposts or in front of center tion. The L111 comes comYeti 105-Qt. consoles and it fits better in the back plete with a screw-lock spring, Cooler of an SUV for those extended weekwhich enables the angler to easily end camping or hunting trips. center and attach soft baits.

Like every Yeti cooler, the 105 quart The L111 features a Platinum Black Tundra is one-piece roto-molded, not injec- finish and uses Lazer Sharps exclusive tion and/or blow molded like ordinary cool- sharpening and tempering processes to proers. Roto-molding is the same process used vide consistent results. to make whitewater kayaks and results in an These new hooks are available in conextremely durable cooler with uniform wall sumer friendly packs and retail for $3.49 thickness and far more durable corners. per pack of 3.

And, like every Yeti cooler, thicker walls, For more information about Lazer added insulation (especially in the lid) and Sharp products, contact us at 720-941a full-frame gasket mean this cooler will far 8700 or visit the Eagle Claw web site at out-insulate other coolers. www.eagleclaw.com Additional features include a durable full-length roto-molded hinge system, heavyduty latches, unbreakable handles, a lockable lid (which certifies it as bear resistant), OLD HARBOR OUTFITTERS RECENTLY LAUNCHED non-slip rubber feet and a dry goods rack. a new line of premium graphic t-shirts called The new Yeti Tundra 105 quart cooler The Legend Series. The line pays homage measures 30 1/4”L x 18 7/8” W and 19 to some of the greatest offshore anglers of all 1/2”H. It’s available in white or tan and time. carries an MSRP of $399.99. For more Included in the series are Ernest Heminformation on the entire line of Yeti Coolingway, Zane Grey, Ted Williams, and ers visit www.yeticoolers.com.

Frank Mundus. The shirts feature photographs of the legends next to some of their greatest big game catches. The shirts feature premium, ultra comfort cotton, a front pocket, and tagless labels. For more information, visit their website at LAZER SHARP SWIMBAIT HOOKS, THE L111 www.OldHarborOutfitters.com or call 203hooks were specifically designed for today’s 540-5150.” hottest and most effective swimbaits. Available in 1/8 oz., 3/16 oz., and 1/4 oz.

Brunton Court, Riverton, WY 82501, 307-857-4700. Or through retailers across the country. MSRP $119.

Yeti 105-Qt. Cooler

Legendary Tees

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Dawson Marine: A Passion for the Business ES DAWSON JOINED HIS DAD, DOYLE, IN the auto business when Wes was in his late 20s. Wes’s father had a lifetime involvement in cars, working with new car dealerships serving in the roll of General Manager. Eventually he owned his own independent car lot. Business was good and they continued in the car sales for about 10 years together.

However, Wes had a passion for bass fishing, deep enough that he fished in some of the BASS and FLW Stren tournaments. He describes himself as not a professional angler, but pretty close. Naturally at this level of fishing, and angler gets to know some boat and motor manufacturers on a first name basis.

What about if they added some shiny new fishing boats on the car lot along side the shiny cars? Fishing was Wes’s passion so he chose to do something he really enjoyed. He approached his dad on adding some boats and motors to their product mix and the deal was done.

“I started out with Skeeter Bass Boats in 1995 to add to our car sales location. The boat business started right there,” Dawson said.

At this point in the growth of Dawson Marine, the car and boat business was located in Beaumont, still is, but the there are no more cars.

Early indications were that the boat business was a natural fit.

“It pretty well exploded on us the next two or three years. We were out of the car business by 1998, exclusive marine sales from that point forward, adding and subtracting product lines as we went.”

In 1998 Dawson Marine was the top Skeeter dealer for the nation and has been one of the top five Skeeter dealers in the United

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States ever since. “We have never been out of the top five dealers in the nation,” Dawson said.

Dawson Marine sells more than just Skeeter Bass Boats. They also sell the Skeeter saltwater and runabout line.

“We do everything that Skeeter offers,” Dawson said.

Through the years the dealership has developed a close relationship with Skeeter’s sister company, G3 aluminum boats, including Jon boats all the way through pontoon boats up to 26-foot.

Dawson Marine is an exclusive Yamaha outboard motor dealer, a key dealer, and has been since 1998. Every year the dealership has been one of the top 20 Yamaha dealers in the country. Last year Dawson Marine ranked as one of the top 10 in the United States.

He has his “ear to the ground” knowing what the angler wants in a boat.

“Sometimes people are just getting started in fishing and they want to know they can go someplace where people will help them get in the right boat/motor and with the right equipment “Their service issues are very, very critical. They are tournament fishing, putting up their dollars. If they have breakdowns or issues with their equipment, they want to feel comfortable, knowing that they can get service in a fair time range, working with people who know the equipment.

Dawson uses the example of today’s electronics on both GPS/Sonar equipment and outboards engines. “You have to diagnose the problem and get them back out on the water.”

From the original store in Beaumont, the company opened a store in Jasper in 2001 and in November of 2008 opened a location in &

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Houston. The Jasper store is big enough to display 40 boats. Ann’s Tackle Shop, a very well known tackle retailer in Jasper is located adjacent to the showroom. The Houston location, located on I-45 South is located next to Fishing Tackle Unlimited, another well know emporium of fishing tackle and supplies for the angler.

You might say the Jasper and Houston locations are truly one stop shopping for the serious angler. Find a boat motor package that is tailored made for your fishing needs and get some tips on the right fishing equipment to use while shopping for your boat.

In addition to Skeeter and G3, Dawson Marine carries Alweld, BlackJack, Frontier, Hurricane, Parti Kraft, Polar, Regal and Sea Hunt boats.

Check out www.fishingworld.com/vDealers/TX/Dawson Marine for a complete list of all the boating products and services offered by Dawson. Location addresses and phone numbers are Beaumont—4230 College St, Beaumont, 409-840-9488; Jasper—4200 North Wheeler, Jasper, 409-489-9600; and Houston— 12812 I-45 South, 281-484-7200.

—Tom Behrens

PRADCO Outdoor Brands’ Family of Fishing Companies REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT WAS ON A NORTH Texas tank or on the shore south of Houston, or anywhere in between, chances are that you have made a special memory with a lure manufactured by one of PRADCO Outdoor Brands fishing companies. Just look at some of the classic tackle box staples from its companies: Arbogast Hula Popper and Jitterbug, Bomber Fat Free Shads and Model A, Cotton Cordell Big O, Heddon Spook, Bayou Boogie and Hellbender, Rebel Wee Craw and

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Pop-R, Smithwick Rogues and many more.

Add to that the newer introductions that have become today’s memory makers, such as the YUM Dinger and Money Minnows, XCalibur One Knockers and Zell Pops, Bomber Saltwater Grade Long A and

Wa l k i e Talkie and the jigs that Texan Alton Jones used to win the 2008 Classic, the Ajig and Pigskin Jig, along with BOOYAH spinnerbaits, and Texans would be hard pressed to tie on an “old reliable” that’s not manufactured by one of these companies.

PRADCO Outdoor Brands began with Rebel Lures, “America’s Favorite Fishing Lures,” making the original Rebel Minnow and expanded to encompass many lines of lures including the Pop-R and Wee-R, which won countless regional and national bass fishing tournaments.

Who hasn’t watched the rings dissipate around a Hula Popper in the still of dusk, then gave it a twitch and experienced the excitement of an explosive topwater strike, or slowly cranked a Jitterbug across calm water? These Arbogast fishing lures earned their place in anglers’ memories and tackle boxes, and still see plenty of bass.

East Texas anglers refined the technique of ripping lipless crankbaits through the submerged weeds, and this technique began with the original Cordell Super Spot, and spawned special color patterns such as Rayburn Red and Texas Red. It’s a staple, as much a part of fishing as twitching a Smithwick Rogue in early spring. Anglers across Texas know the effectiveness of a Cordell Big O on massive bass in lakes and tanks.

But this parent company isn’t relying on memories. Newer companies added to the mix include BOOYAH, YUM and XCalibur, with new classics designed with cutting-edge technology and top-quality research. Take one look at the YUM Money Minnow line and you’ll see a lure that will be around for a long time for fresh and saltwater anglers. The Fat Money Minnow, just released in 2008, has already become a staple for in-shore anglers after reds and trout.

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BOOYAH’s spinnerbait and jig line include new offerings such as the VibraFlx spinnerbaits and the Ajig and Pigskin Jig with design input from Alton Jones. Buzzbaits, hairdressed jigs and spinnerbaits and the Boogee

Bait are go-to lures for the most sucThe Super Rogue is a diverse cessful anglers. plug that is a standard in X C a l i b u r many Texas anglers tackle leads the industr y trend boxes. providing different “sound” with the new One Knocker lipless crankbaits. The One Knocker line features a single rattle instead of several, creating a unique and distinct “thunk!” instead of the normal rattle you get with other lures of this type.

Expansion is common with every successful company, and Bomber Saltwater Grade is not only making inroads, it’s paving them with memories. The Saltwater Grade Long A takes this effective freshwater lure and upgrades it with saltwater grade components, making it a redfish and trout killa, and the Walkie Talkie and A-Salt Popper are two of the hottest topwaters for inshore anglers. www.lurenet.com.

—Staff Reports

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Yamaha’s New Fuel-Efficient Generator YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, U.S.A., HAS launched the lightweight, fuel-efficient EF2000iS generator. The latest model in Yamaha’s inverter generator lineup and the result of three years of research and development, the EF2000iS provides a practical, versatile machine that can go anywhere with ease.

The EF2000iS is a quiet, long-running device with a new retro-modern design and like all Yamaha generators has the most advanced Yamaha technology and performance. Weighing in at only 44 pounds, this mighty mouse has enough power to run a microwave oven or a television, making your campsite a much more comfortable place to be.

“The EF2000iS is a perfect generator for RV owners, whether they have a built-in generator or not,” said Colin Iwasa, power equipment sales manager at Yamaha.

“Onboard generators in motorized RVs are used to run air conditioners about 20 percent of the time during a campout; the other 80 percent of the time you need much less power to run the TV, satellite system, lights, other small appliances or to charge the battery. No need to power up the big onboard generator. You

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can run the little EF2000iS all night long on less than a gallon of gas.”

Using a smaller, portable generator saves gas, pollutes less and eliminates the uncomfortable vibration created by larger generators in the motor home. And you, as well as your neighbors, will appreciate how quiet it is.

The EF2000iS is also equipped with a parallel-use function, making it compatible with Yamaha’s TwinTech or Reliance Control’s Sidewinder Parallel Kit to double generator power. This is especially helpful when additional power is needed to accommodate a wider range of uses, such as running air conditioners and larger appliances in a towable travel trailer.

Its small size, ease of use and versatile handling make the EF2000iS a perfect appliance away from the campsite as well. It can be used at home as a standby gener-

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You can run the EF2000iS all night on less than a gallon of gas.

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ator to run your refrigerator, TV, lights or microwave oven, or provide power for anywhere from construction sites to flea markets to running outdoor sound systems.

Yamaha, always conscious of eco-friendly practices, designed the EF2000iS to meet the strictest California CARB Tier III emissions standards. Additionally, 90 percent of the parts on this generator can be recycled into other materials.

“Our top quality engineering gives the generators outstanding durability. The new EF2000iS has a longer engine life rating than all competitors in its class.”

The EF2000iS will be available for purchase in early June at local Yamaha generator dealers at a retail price is $1,099.00.

—Staff Reports

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C&S Outboard — Aluminum Boat Superstore C&S OUTBOARD IN CROSBY IS AN ALUMINUM BOAT superstore that can handle any purchase or service requirement an angler or boater could need for their metal boat. The dealership has been doing business at the same location, same ownership, since 16 June 1973. In today’s economy, the longevity of company said a whole lot—good products, good prices, and the service to back up what they sell.

“We will be working with aluminum boats when the economy is booming and gas is 50 cents a gallon. When everybody has gone back to selling 200-horsepower outboards, we will still be here selling 50-, 75-, and 100-horsepower,” said Bill Sterling, owner of C&S. Many boat dealers carry aluminum boats along with other lines of fiberglass boats as an alternate choice for less money.

“They don’t carry the aluminum because it is a good product to sell; it is just to fill in a price point at the bottom end of the range,” Sterling said.

“We are dedicated to aluminum boats, selling aluminum because we feel like it is a very advantageous way to spend your money.

“We can take a bare hull and fabricate a custom interior for it. We also have our own in-house sheet metal shop where we have the ability to do some pretty serious repairs. We have our own EPA certified paint spray booth to paint boats after we do repairs.”

C&S sells exclusively Yamaha Outboard engines. Its aluminum boat line includes Alumacraft and G3 fishing boats, and Alumacraft and Beachcomber pontoon boats.

C&S also provides custom aluminum boats for commercial accounts like the Port of Houston, Shell, and Dow Chemical.

“A lot of the boats that are used in heavy industry are not heavy boats, but little bitty johnboats that can get under docks and maneuver around,” Sterling said.

About half the fishing boats sold, saltwater and freshwater, are custom built. “We have packages we put together, packaged at our location rather than at the factory.”

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The biggest seller in the fishing boat line is a series of saltwater aluminum, shallow-water, tunnel hull and center console boats that will float in 12 inches of water; and once on top, cruise in 6 inches of water.

“You ride in boats and hear the tales, but then you get out there and actually see what happens. There are a whole lot of boats that make claims to that, but very few that can actually do it,” Sterling said.

Customizing begins with a G3 or Alumacraft hull and then adding wiring, flooring, and rib covers. If it is a fishing boat, a center console is an option. Exact size storage boxes and livewells can be placed in the precise location the prospective buyer wants. Boats can be modified or constructed to anything a customer wants, as long as it is safe and legal.

BASS BOATS: Sterling said the same type of changes can be done for bass boats, but because of the popularity of these boats, the manufacturers have just about any custom configuration that an angler could want already prepackaged: “The bass boats are a tremendous seller for the factories. They have all kinds of shapes and configurations; it is hard for us to improve on what they are already doing. We sometimes do an occasional custom rigging for a catfish or crappie boat, but usually it is someone who had a special boat 20 years ago that they thought was great. It finally wears out and they want a boat something like it, but changed a little bit.”

CUSTOM FLOOR PLANS: C&S can also order custom floor plans on pontoon boats: “Beachcomber will change floor plans to fit the customer’s needs. For example, they are one of the few companies where you can order a boat that is wheelchair friendly. You can put a boat together where two or three people in wheelchairs can go out boat riding, fishing, and spend a day on the water in safety and security.”

Sterling said boat buyers should shop the market for the best price and boat, but if you are in the market for a quality aluminum boat, set up the way you want it, call or stop by C&S Outboard.

Contact: C&S Outboard, 800-444-3517, 281-328-2557, www.csoutboard.com.

—Tom Behrens

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High Intensity Floodlight PREADER LIGHTS ARE INVALUABLE TO anglers who night fish, leave the dock before dark, or spend any time on the water after sunset. Unfortunately, they’re also riddled with problems: they rip through your battery power, pop breakers left and right, and many models fill up with water and corrode away to useless within a season or two. Thankfully, new LED lights use up a whole lot less electricity and some are even watertight.

Most boaters have discovered LED superiority on trailers, since they end the problem of water intrusion and tend to last 10 times as long as bulb lights. To find out if they can replace deck illumination as well, I tested Lumitec’s High Intensity Floodlight (www.lumiteclighting.com), an LED spreader designed to do the duty of a pair of old-fashioned deck lights.

On a 22-foot boat a single Lumitec proved more then sufficient, bathing everything from the leaning post aft in a bright yet soft white light.

The LED’s definitely don’t cause as much glare as halogens, and they disburse the light better over a large area. The Lumitec is sealed so water intrusion won’t be a problem, and focusing a washdown hose on it for 15 minutes had zero effect. The biggest surprise, however, is its size; this is a very small package. In fact, the light is half the size of a traditional spreader.

I liked the mount it came with because a sin-

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gle bolt meant I only had to drill one hole in the mounting plate. At first I was a bit worried about depending on a single bolt, but because of the light’s reduced size and weight, that’s all it takes to secure the Lumitec.

That mount allows you to adjust the angle of the light up and down, but not from side to side (as is the case with most spreader lights.)

Another surprising benefit of the Lumitec became apparent when I was rigging the power wires to the light, through the T-top pipe work.

This job can be very problematic and time consuming, but it turned out to be a lot easier then expected thanks to the low power draw of LEDs. That meant I could use .14-gauge wire instead of the much thicker .8 or .10-gauge that would normally be required, so the wires were much easier to fish through. At $220 these lights are not exactly cheap, but remember that a single High Intensity Floodlight will take the place of two halogens, which go for $50 to $75 each.

Each time you buy them, that is, because you will almost always end up replacing one or the other after a season or two, unlike the Lumitec.

—Lenny Rudow

Fugawi Marine ENC 4.5.2 Charting PUTTING YOUR CHARTS UP ON A PC IS GREAT FOR planning but it can also be a serious pain in the butt—most charting programs are incredibly complex, take hours to install, and days to figure out. But when I tested Fugawi’s latest Marine ENC version (4.5.2), I found it to be among the easiest of the software packages out there.

I’ve spent a lot of time (weeks, if you add it all up) fighting with marine navigation software in the past. Some programs are complex enough to run a battleship, some have “security” features that bewilder valid users, and others seem like the programming was designed by androids. So I was a bit worried when I plugged the Fugawi installation disk into my computer.

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ure out basic functions and features. That’s pretty darn low on the frustration scale, for a computo-phobic mariner like me. But part of the Fugawi’s strength—its simplicity—is also part of its weakness. In most chartography programs, for example, 3-D views give a realistic look at what’s below the surface. But the 3-D view in this program is only the “folded map” type, which essentially bends a picture of a chart over the landscape. Otherwise, the program’s functions are more or less on par with its competition: route planning and navigation, feature/nav aid data, waypoint, route, and track storage and transfer, multiple chartography compatibility, night vision mode, GPS auto-detect, and chart printing functions are all part of the program. Marine ENC doesn’t include the shipboard-management sections that you’ll find on some programs, which is a real blessing because cramming all that stuff into a nav program makes it so complex and cluttered it’s nearly impossible to use.

Where Fugawi really shines, however, is that it’s the first (and at least for the time being, the only), program of its type that’s compatible with Navionic’s new Platinum+ chart cards. The program comes with a card reader, and using it is as simple as pulling the chip out of your GPS, plugging it into the reader, and attaching the reader’s USB to your computer. That means the exact same charts you see at the helm are the ones you get on-screen on your computer.

System requirements are Microsoft Windows XP or Vista, 512 MB RAM, 250 MB hard drive space, a DVD drive, and graphics accelerator. The list of GPS compatibility is long and includes most major brands, and Marine ENC will also support real-time navigation with any GPS with NMEA V2.1 or better. The program comes with nautical planning (lowdata) charts for the country, details over 25,000 marine service locations and searchable place names, and elevation/bathymetrics data of the US. Plus, it also includes Fugawi Street Overlay road mapping, so you can use this program for landlocked navigation as well

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Shotgun Slugs HOTGUN SLUGS ARE SOMETHING WE TEXANS generally do not know much about. We do not think of them in relation to deer hunting, but we accept that cops like them for shooting through car doors to get to the bad guys inside. In contrast, in the more densely populated Northeast and Midwest it is common for the deer hunter to harvest his buck each season with a shotgun using either slug or buckshot.

Slugs come in all the gauges, but for this discussion you can be assured that I am talking about 12-gauge. The 20-gauge slug is the smallest that I could with good conscience recommend for hunting, and the 28-gauge and .410-bore slugs are simply too small for any serious application.

For reference, a 12-guage bore measures .729”, a 16-gauge is .663”, and a 20-gauge is .615”. As you can see, a 12-gauge slug can be nearly ¾- inch in diameter. It will weigh in the vicinity of one ounce or 1/16th of a pound.

A 12-gauge slug will have a muzzle velocity of from about 1600 feet per second to 2000 feet per second, will carry well over 2500 ft pounds of striking force, and has more frontal area than any modern sporting rifle.

To quote from a James Bond movie, “It has a delivery like a brick through a plate glass window.”

It does not, however, have the blasting, tissue destroying effect of a high velocity, expanding rifle bullet, because energy is

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increased exponentially by higher velocity, and only relatively by greater bullet weight.

There are basically two kinds of shotgun slugs, though there are many variations. First is the standard hollow-base, soft lead slug that is the same size as the bore diameter of the shotgun. This type is the most common and it is in some shotguns, especially those equipped with rifle sights or a scope, quite accurate.

The hollow-base is intended to expand upon firing so that no gas from the combustion of the powder escapes by the slug. This type of slug has been around for a very long time. It

by Steve LaMascus is easy and cheap to make and is relatively efficient in a shotgun.

The other is the sabot (pronounced saybow) slug. This uses a bullet that is smaller than bore diameter, which is encased in a special sabot or sleeve that fits the bore, but which falls away upon firing, leaving the slug to travel to the target unimpeded. This is a newer development than the former lead slug and is generally thought to be more accurate and more efficient.

The hollow-base lead slug flies through the air like a sock with sand in the toe; the rounded forward end is heavier than the hollow rear end and thus leads the charge. This ancient technology, which can trace its ancestry back to the Minie bullet of 1849, is surprisingly accurate. Some shotguns will shoot these slugs into very small groups at 50 yards, and some will do well out to around a hundred. A hundred yards, however, is the ultimate limit at which I would attempt to use a lead shotgun slug on game.

The second type of slug, the saboted bullet, is a more efficient and generally more

accurate projectile. It is built to be more aerodynamic; the sabot, or sleeve, tends to limit deformation of the slug by contact with the barrel; a more aerodynamic projectile that is not deformed, shoots better. Simple.

Shoot this more efficient projectile in a rifled barrel and you have a pretty good rig for hunting deer. Good examples of this type of slug are the Federal Sabot Slug HP, the Barnes Expander HP, and Barnes Expander Tipped slugs, as loaded in the Federal VitalShok line. However, the difference in price is pretty dramatic. Standard lead slugs sell for about $5 for a box of five, whereas the going price for the sabot-type slugs is from $12 up for a box of five.

With the huge increase in the number of deer hunters and the equivalent increase in popularity of the sport, there have also been introductions of technology to make it easier for the hunter to take his buck. One of these advances in technology was the introduction of barrels made especially for shooting slugs.

At first these barrels consisted of nothing more than a standard open-choke shotgun barrel with a set of open-sights attached. Then came the advent of scopes on shotguns. Now we have special rifled barrels intended strictly for shooting slugs.

If you want to go the bargain basement route, find an after-market barrel with sights and stick it on your old Remington 870. If you want to go for the full catastrophe, buy a specially built slug gun. The truth, however, is that no matter how much technology you throw at the problem, you cannot turn a shotgun into a high-velocity deer rifle. On the other hand, a man armed with a shotgun full of slugs is not someone to be toyed with, at any range.

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might not be hard-wired like mine, and just because I find Fugawi easy to use doesn’t mean you will. Good thing you can go to their website, www.fugawi.com, and download a 10&

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day temporary demo version. Take it for a free spin, and find out if it’s what you’re looking for. —LR

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The Changing Prairie Part 1 HE “DOG DAYS OF SUMMER” MAY SEEM LIKE an odd time to think about cold overcast mornings and wings whistling through an early morning sky, but preparations are well underway here on the Texas Coastal Prairie for the 2008 waterfowl season. Blinds need to be repaired and new ones built, decoys need to be touched up from the previous season, retrievers need to be conditioned, and ponds need to be prepared to be filled. Before we know it the special September teal season will be upon us igniting an inner flame that only hunters, and in my case duck and goose hunters, can understand. The predawn wait for shooting time always gives me a chance to reflect on all the great hunts and most importantly the good friends that I have been privileged to share a blind or rice stubble field with on a duck or goose hunt. From the moment the first jet-like blue winged teal falls cleanly to a load of steel six shot my entire being begins to anticipate the opening of the regular season in November.

As a kid of the late 60’s and 70’s growing up in a region of Texas known as the “Goose Hunting Capital of the World,” I was privileged to experience world-class waterfowling virtually in my backyard. In the pre “pay to play” world of waterfowling, the prairie of Garwood, Texas, held an endless list of opportunities for the adventurous young hunter with family and acquaintances in the rice farming industry. Unfortunately, those same opportunities do not exist for the youth of today.

A chance to bag a limit of geese or ducks as a kid was little more than a short ride from our home “in town” to the open prairie

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down FM 333 or 1693. Many a morning and sometimes afternoons were spent with friends outfitted in our best waterfowling attire. Our hunting clothes amounted to an embarrassing assembly, by today’s standards, of dingy, somewhat water-repellant clothing, either tan or brown in color (camouflage was for the privileged), completed by a pair of hip boots (most

by Michael Lanier sporting numerous tire patches) for those lucky enough to have a pair. Our hunts involved pursuing the snows, blues, specklebellies, Canadas, and puddle ducks that called our prairie home during the winter.

Rice farming was a huge industry in our region of Texas during the 60’s, 70’s, and most of the 80’s. The farming industry supported our community with few able to say that their livelihood was not directly or indirectly tied to farming. Fields only lay idle during their off year in the farming rotation (2 or 3 year rotations were the norm).

Those fields that did not support a cash crop supported cattle left to graze on the vegetation that followed a wet winter. The ducks and geese that migrated from their nesting grounds far to the north found the relatively mild winters on our prairie with its abundant food sources to be a welcome respite from the harsh winters of the northern Central Flyway.

Agriculture practices and the equipment used during those decades were not as efficient as those utilized by the remaining farmers today. Waste grain was plentiful for the birds arriving on their wintering grounds.

Once it spoiled or was consumed, the vegetation that sprang up following the harvesting of the crops created a smorgasbord for the hundreds of thousands of birds that funneled down the flyway. The fields were terraced by levies, as they are today, but the inefficiency of the equipment left the ponds intact and numerous low spots that would hold water following a rain. Those ponds and low spots attracted waterfowl. Most of those natural ponds are gone now, falling victim to bigger A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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and more efficient equipment. Farmers are now able to produce a “cut” (smaller part of a large field separated by levies) that will hold a level of water 2 inches to 3 inches deep across its entirety but equally as capable of being drained completely dry. Farming efficiency was accelerated by the falling prices for grain driven by a poor world market, and the escalating price of inputs (equipment, fuel, fertilizer, water, etc.).

Ponds and low spots are susceptible to the young rice plant drowning and not producing a “stand” of rice as healthy and prosperous as

The reduction in rice along the coast has had a negative impact on wintering snow geese.

Arkansas to the north has much more rice and far less goose hunting pressure. plants that grow where the water level can be better regulated. They had to be eliminated as the need to become efficient grew. Survival in the industry meant becoming as efficient as possible. Many did not survive despite their best efforts and succumbed to the economics of the industry resulting in fewer and fewer acres being farmed which resulted in fewer acres of viable winter habitat for the birds.

(Part 2 will run in the July edition of Trophy Fever.)

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Time to Get in Shape HEN ASKING ARCHERS WHY THEY want to hunt, I get an array of interesting answers. The challenge, the camaraderie, and the fact they get a longer season are just a few of the many reasons for bow hunting. No matter your motivating factor, staying in shape is necessary to optimize your time in the field. I can guarantee if you are not in shape while chasing that elusive whitetail, every muscle in your body will remind you of this month’s column.

Too many hunters tell themselves that they will start tomorrow and then tomorrow never comes and all of a sudden, it is opening day.

First off, consult a doctor and make sure the fitness plan you choose works for you.

I recommend you start slow, but start. You

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Bowhunters do not have to be as well-built as this guy, but keeping fit by strength training will give them a huge advantage in the field. do not have to run a marathon so a little every day is the right way to begin. Work your whole body, but concentrate on the muscles you use while bow hunting.

One of our loyal readers who is almost 60 years old, wrote me a few months ago and assured me that had he not been working out prior to last season, he would not have been able to harvest his deer alone.

He was able to track the deer and then drag it to his vehicle and is a prouder man for his efforts.

There are many different exercises for the muscles needed to bow hunt in shape. Some of these muscle groups involve the back. Bentover rows are perfect to start to get these muscles in shape.

Using a dumbbell or just a gallon of water, place your knee on a chair; bend over the side of the chair to grab the weight and simply lift it up to your upper torso. Remember to keep your elbow straight back similar to the way you would pull a bowstring. Do three sets of 10 each and feel comfortable with this weight before increasing the weight.

Depending on which bow you own, yours might be heavier than others. If you ever had to hold your bow arm out for any length of time, then you know how hard that can be on your front shoulders. A good exercise to help build this muscle is a shoulder lift.

Starting with a lightweight, with the dumbbells in front of you, lift them straight up until they are just below your neck. Do this a few times and believe me, you will soon feel that burn that is supposed to feel good!

A variation of this is to take the weight and starting from the same position as the previous exercise, try lifting the dumbbells directly in front of you with your arms straight.

A gallon of water works well for this too. It

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AOUDAD—FORT DAVIS, TEXAS

BUCK—MASON COUNTY, TEXAS

Bobby A. Garcia of Pharr, Texas, and ranch guide, William Baize of Fort Davis, Texas, display this aoudad, killed at 250 yards with a .308 rifle at the Barrel Springs Ranch. Bobby said that hunting the aoudad was “like a chess game.”

Zachary Harden, age 12, of Lake Jackson, Texas, shot this 8-point deer at 8 yards with a bow while hunting with his dad and papa in Mason County.

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A Friend in Need F SOMEONE NEEDS ASSISTANCE ON THE WATER, you are obligated to provide it. Quite often, that means towing someone who’s broken down. Maybe the towboat is occupied, maybe they have shut down for the day, or maybe they simply don’t cover the area.

For whatever reason, sooner or later you will find yourself floating next to someone who needs a tow home or you will need that tow yourself, and the powered boat is going to have to render assistance. It’s the law of the sea. But this law can be a real problem when you are the one who needs help, and the guy providing it doesn’t know squat about how to tow someone.

The best example of this that I have seen occurred when the guys rendering assistance were allegedly professionals. A 32-foot Albemarle (an inboard boat that had little to no control with one engine down) had lost his

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starboard screw after hitting some causeway rocks lining the marina’s entrance, and called the marina office to ask for a hand. They sent a boat out to help the Albemarle maneuver between the docks and into the lift but the guy in charge made a tragic mistake, by sending out a 16-foot barge powered by a 15-hp outboard. Reaching and tying to the Albemarle beam-to-beam (on the hip, in tugboat parlance) was easy enough, but when they tried driving in-between the two docks they quickly discovered how much influence a 15-hp Johnson spinning a 10-inch diameter prop has on nine tons of fiberglass: none.

The captain of the Albemarle gave a shot of power from his one good side to get the boat moving more or less in the right direction, and naturally, the boat pulled hard to starboard. The barge operator cut the little outboard all the way to port to correct the direction of travel, opened up the throttle, and the little outboard roared and roared, and roared, while the Albemarle continued drifting to starboard. It did not stop until it reached the bow pulpit of Pro-Line sitting in its slip.

The captain of the Albemarle, still at the wheel but unable to do anything to prevent contact, cringed as bits of his gel coat went

flying through the air like confetti. Several boaters on the dock came running full-tilt, and arrived just in time to fend off the next boat in line to be smashed. Unfortunately they pushed a bit too hard and the crippled boat slowly but surely drifted towards another set of bow pulpits across the way. Again, the barge’s outboard had zero effect.

The Albemarle bounced down between the docks like it was the ball in a gigantic surreal slow-motion game of Pong, saved from further damage only by people on the docks who were defending their own boats from being smashed. The marine operator surely should have known better.

If you need to lend assistance to a disabled boat, will you have the know-how to tow them home safely? And if someone’s towing you, will you recognize if they make a serious mistake that could endanger you or your boat?

Brush up on your towing techniques, to prevent a disaster like this from happening to you.

Open water towing should be done with as long a length of line as is possible. Attach the line to the towed boat’s fore cleat. Do not, however, make the rookie mistake of attaching the powered boat by the stern cleats. This restricts the stern’s ability to swing to either

BOWHUNTING TECH Continued from Page C44 makes a good lightweight to start with.

Lift what you can. Do not over do it. A shoulder injury is something you do not get over easily. A steady light weight to build your muscle is better than trying to be Superman the first time you try this.

If you cannot find the time to lift weights to help get yourself in shape, then at the very least, you should walk. You would be surprised to see how much more your endurance will be if you just walk everyday.

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treadmill, or longer if you can spare the time.

I am sure those who wear younger men’s clothes might feel like you really do not need exercise. And you might be right. However, for those of us that wore a younger man’s clothes long ago… longer than we wish to remember, this read is really going to help.

We practice hard to be proficient. We are careful about our scent control. We scout well before the season and place our tree stands where we think are the very best location. We do everything we can to have a successful hunt that includes harvesting a nice whitetail.

Shouldn’t we take care of our bodies too? &

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If one of the reasons we are out there is to have fun, then having sore muscles or not having the ability to pull back our bowstrings is not an option.

The bow season is fast approaching, so start now to get ready for it. Include a workout schedule designed for your specific needs that will help you feel fit this season.

Remember, hunt safe and have some fun out there.

E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com.

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side, and greatly reduces the boat’s maneuverability.

Instruct everyone on both boats to stay clear of the line; tow ropes are under enormous strain and if they break, can snap back like a very big, very destructive rubber band.

Because of this danger, twisted nylon is the worst towing rope since it stretches so much; braid-on-braid nylon works much better. If the boat that is being towed is an outboard or stern drive, check to make sure the drive unit is tilted all the way up to reduce drag. Do not worry about keeping the drive in the water to have some control. Without prop thrust, you will not have control, anyway. If the boat has inboards, ensure that the wheel is centered.

Once all the ropes are in place, the powered boat should shift in and out of gear to slowly creep forward until the line is tensioned as gently as possible. Then come up to speed slowly, and have a crewmember observe how the two boats are riding. If possible, particularly in rough seas, you will want to adjust the tow rope’s length so that the two boats ride the crests and troughs of the waves more or less together. Otherwise, if one boat surfs down a wave as the other climbs the back of another and vice-versa, it will multiply the load on the tow rope.

When you have gotten the tow set and underway, it will be tempting to move the throttle up. Resist temptation. Six to eight knots is plenty of towing speed, regardless of the situation. Any faster multiplies the risk of doing damage, and when a large boat tows a significantly smaller one, it’s easy to misjudge the effect of the seas and the taunt tow line on the bow of the towed boat—until that bow digs into a wave, and swamps.

Approaches to inlets, marinas, and other areas that may require close-quarters maneuvering should be taken with the boat “on the hip.”

If the tow boat is too small to control the disabled boat in this fashion, as was clearly the case with that barge and the Albemarle, then the disabled boat needs to drop anchor and wait for assistance from a larger, more capable vessel. Towing on the hip will give the tow much greater maneuverability, however, since the boats are now in close proximity as they move, the chances of damaging one or both of them go up astronomically.

Before tying the boats together, obviously, deploy as many fenders you can. Secure the powered boat slightly farther aft, so its bow is positioned about amidships against the boat being towed. Run lines from the bow cleat of

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the powered boat to the spring (amidships) cleat on the un-powered boat, from the bow of the powered boat to the stern of the unpowered boat, and from the stern of the powered boat to the far transom corner of the unpowered boat. Before attempting to move, tighten down each of these lines as much as possible. Allow the two boats to float together for a minute, then re-tighten them all. It is best to constantly maintain contact with the fenders between the fiberglass, as opposed to bouncing on and off of each other repeatedly.

When maneuvering in very tight quarters, turn the wheel in the direction you want to go with the throttles in neutral, then apply a short burst of power. Remember, short bursts: keep it in gear while applying sufficient power to make a turn and you will probably start going faster then is safe.

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And as you approach solid objects you will want to keep the boats very, very s-l-o-w.

In the second-worst towing incident I have observed the towboat cast free his tow about 50’ from the dock while moving at five or six knots, and while that may not sound like a lot of speed, it was enough that the crew could not stop the boat as it T-boned a classic wooden schooner. Crunch.

Who was responsible? Was it the tower or the towee? The law was not very clear on this point. But one thing you can count on: sooner or later, the law of the sea will call on you to break out a tow line. Good thing you will know how to get the job done.

E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com

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The Fisherman’s Analyst from Third Stone HEN YOU GRAVITATED TO THE SERIOUS side of fishing you tend to spend as much time thinking about fish as you actually do wetting your line.

Reading, preparing for trips, and tackle maintenance all take on an important new perspective.

The scientific angler keeps a journal, noting such things as wind direction and speed, water temperature, tide information, and other variables.

When enough journal entries have been collected, the fisherman can go back and seek out patterns. Once a pattern has been established, the serious fisherman can then make

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Main screen from The Fisherman’s Analyst. informed decisions as to when and where to fish.

The Fisherman’s Analyst is a comprehensive computer program which provides an integrated tide prediction table, journaling section, and charting capabilities. The software is sold by Third Stone Software (www.thirdstonesoft.com). When I first heard about the program I had mixed feelings. I have too many gizmos and other “cool stuff” that I never use.

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Still, I was compelled to invest some time evaluating the new program. Perhaps my reluctance to evaluate a software program stems from my dislike of all things which are Windows-based. I do not know why but my

by Greg Berlocher computers are not as reliable as my Calcutta reels, even though they get doused with saltwater routinely. Go figure.

The CD tray on my laptop closed and within minutes the software was loaded. The main screen features a tide chart which can be easily adjusted to display a day at a glance, a week, or even longer. My personal preference is to check out tides a week at a time. Bingo. It was done.

The bright colors on the tide chart are configurable, allowing you to pick your favorite colors for high tides, low tide, and periods of major feeding activity.

Many tide charts provide high and low tide information but not much granularity on tide strength. The Fisherman’s Analyst takes this to a whole new level.

“I started looking for journaling software that I could use to chronicle my fishing trips on and discovered there weren’t any. I developed my own and then incorporated a tide prediction table into it,” said Gary Easterwood, the angler/mad programmer, who created the program.

“Because entire bay systems are quite large bodies of water you won’t see a lot of height change during a tidal change but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of tide strength. There is

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a strong horizontal movement of water but it takes a while to affect the height. The horizontal movement of water is what triggers fish to feed.”

The Fisherman’s Analyst allows anglers to see these strong horizontal movements of water and target fishing trips around water movement. Keep in mind that on some tidal changes, the horizontal movement of water is 15-20 minutes. Then the fishing shuts down.

Easterwood, a 25-year veteran of the information technology field, knew what he wanted and ended up developing a program that incorporates the tide prediction table, along with database capabilities which allow you to store a wide range of inputs of data about every trip, including photos. You can then sort the data in endless combinations.

One of Easterwood’s favorite tricks is to snap a digital image of his catches and he then stores the images as part of the trip report.

Each image has a unique time stamp which allows Easterwood to analyze what was going on with the tide when he caught the fish. Very smart!

I found the software easy to manipulate and extremely affordable: $39.95 MSRP. It is available online from Third Stone Software’s website and you can also find it on Amazon.com. Several deals with major retailers are in the works but none had been finalized at press time.

On a recent cross-country airline trip I cranked up my laptop and started tinkering with fishing data and before I knew it, we were ready to land. I even solicited several queries from people walking down the aisle regarding the “hero photos” I had stored in some of my trip reports. It was much more entertaining than a spy novel.

I would recommend The Fisherman’s Analyst to any serious coastal angler. Besides helping you catch more fish, it is a great teaching aid. The software would make a great Father’s Day gift if your dad likes to cast bait and lures in the salt.

Email Greg Berlocher at fishthis@fishgame.com PHOTO COURTESY FISHERMAN’S ANALYST

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Reloading on the Rise OR A COUPLE OF DECADES, FROM ABOUT THE 1970s to the late 1990s, the number of shooters who were also reloaders seemed to be dropping. The high quality and wide selection of factory ammunition, combined with the large amount of expendable income most citizens had, made it seem unnecessary to reload, so the number of shooters who reloaded their own ammunition declined each year.

Now, however, reloading is again on the rise. There are good reasons for this, not the least of which is the increasing cost of factory ammunition. The price of a box of highpower rifle ammunition has tripled, quadrupled, or even worse, in the last 20 years.

When I was working for a large discount store in the mid-70s, a box of cartridges for a 7mm Remington Magnum cost about $7.50. That same box of ammunition today will cost as much as much as $54.00. I’m sorry if I seem shocked, but that is obscene.

It is also a darned good reason to become a reloader.

If you are a shooter, especially a handgunner, you can cast your own bullets and save immense amounts of money. With the economy as it is today, that seems the only wise route to take. I can use tire weights that I have shagged from local tire shops and make bullets for my handguns for almost nothing. Using my home cast bullets and once-fired brass, a box of 50 rounds of .44 Magnums costs – assuming my math is right — around $2.75. Compare that to $46.49 for a box of 50 240-grain jacketed Black Hills brand rounds as listed on the Midway USA website; which was “out of stock,” by the way.

A great many of the reloaders I knew as

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a youngster got started during the depression when, as Elmer Keith said, “A dollar looked as big as my hat.” Elmer wore a very large hat, by the way. They wanted to shoot and couldn’t afford to buy ammunition, so they cast their own bullets and reloaded.

Then during WWII, there simply wasn’t any ammunition, so even more shooters became reloaders, and most of them swore they would always have a good stock of primers, powder, brass, and bullets, so that if there were ever again a shortage or a depression, they would still be able to shoot and hunt. Well, here we are again, at war, short of ammo, and in a depression. Again ammunition is too expensive

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Well, here we are again, at war, short of ammo and in a depression.

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for most of us to buy, and almost absent from many dealers shelves, anyway. However, we reloaders are still in business. If you shop around a bit you can usually find quality rifle bullets at affordable prices, primers are still relatively inexpensive, there is a wider range of superior powders now than ever before, and you can reuse your brass many times. And no matter what you read on the Internet, once-fired brass is just fine. If you find some once-fired commercial brass in the trash at the range, keep it. Run it through a properly adjusted full-length resizing die and it will shoot perfectly in anything, even your AR-15. Just make sure that it is brass and not steel or aluminum. A lot of the very cheap foreign ammo, such as the A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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7.62x39mm that is commonly used in the AK-47s and SKS, has cases made of steel, which are not reloadable. Also, make certain that it is Boxer and not Berdan primed.

Boxer primed cases have a single flash hole in the center of the primer cup that allows the primer to be punched out and replaced.

Berdan primed cartridge cases have multiple off-center holes and cannot be reloaded by normal American processes.

I just spent the afternoon making a batch of cast lead bullets for my .308. It shoots them very well, although I can only push them to about 1400 feet per second with good accuracy. Still, how fast do I need to shoot a bullet to plink, practice, or shoot varmints? My buddy Wyman Meinzer recently killed a big wild hog at 165 yards with his .280 Remington shooting 165grain cast bullets at 1200 feet per second.

A couple of days ago I cast up a bunch of bullets for my .45 Colt. They were 250grain Keith bullets, and I cast them out of reclaimed tire weights, loaded some of them in brass I have already shot several times, with a light charge of powder. Total expense was about 3 bucks and a couple of hours of my time. A box of the least expensive factory ammo would cost a minimum of $30.00 and would be inferior to what I loaded.

If you are a shooter and not a reloader, I strongly suggest you consider making the step. A reloader can almost always find something to shoot, but if this depression (yes, I said depression, not recession) gets worse, or, God forbid, our government decides to take some drastic, stupid, and unconstitutional action, those who do not reload might just be out of luck. In addition to those obvious reasons, it is still true that a careful reloader can handload ammunition that is superior to most factory ammunition.

So, fellow hunters and shooters, I really see no downside here.

E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com &

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Diamond King Stinger Y DIAMOND KING STINGER RIG IS BASED on a lure that has seemingly been around forever: the chrome diamond jig. A few variations from their standard configuration, as well as how they are used, are the keys to their successful use on big kings.

There are numerous brands of chrome diamond-type jigs out there, in four to six ounce sizes, which are excellent for use with a high speed retrieve, giving a tight, quick, side to side swim motion.

To make up one of these rigs, besides the diamond jig itself, I use 14 inches of Malin No. 8, 93-pound hard wire; 11 inches of Malin 12 180 pound hard wire, a size 4 SPRO Power Swivel and an Owner ST66 3/0-5/0 treble hook.

These components are all readily available at most of the larger tackle or outdoor stores, as well as in numerous saltwater catalogs. The wire lengths each allow three inches for a haywire on either end of the jig’s body, plus an extra two inches for the forming of the stiff hook wire connection. You will end up with a 93-pound leader of about eight inches and a 180-pound stinger wire around three inches long.

The sequence for making the haywire twists goes like this: 93-pound wire to the swivel, then to the diamond jig body; 180 to the stiff rigged treble and then to the diamond jig body. To form the stiff hook connection, closely bend the wire 180 degrees, four inches from one end. Pass the long wire end through the hook eye, then the short end wire through the hook eye from the opposite

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side of the first.

Now, carefully pull on both wire strands to seat the wire loop that has been formed against the base of one of the treble’s hook bends. Complete the haywire twist outside the hook’s eye and the stiff hook connection is complete. See the illustration. Stiff rigged gives a bit quicker and more solid hookset, another tilt of the odds in your favor.

With the jig assembled, it is time to apply the camo blue or green to everything except the jig body. The purpose is to isolate the bright jig body as the target. When a predator can see the wire and hook, that length is seen as the total length of the target. Isolating the diamond jig body helps the stinger do its job of hooking short-strikers. Rust-OLeum spray can paints of the following descriptions are those I found to give the best camouflage treatment.

Those colors and numbers are #7727 Royal Blue for blue water use and #7435 John Deere Green for green. Either color is topped with #7902830 Matte Clear. The color coat blends with the water when viewed from the side or toward the back, to a depth of about eight to 10 feet; the matte clear kills the shine coming off the camo color paint’s slick surface. In combination, &

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the color matched to the water lets the hardware virtually disappear.

To fish this rig, flip it out as far as practical, slowing the cast just before your Diamond King Stinger enters the water. Immediately start a fast retrieve, rod tip pointed at the line’s entry into the water. The higher speed reel the better, winding as fast as you can. You cannot possibly retrieve a diamond jig too fast with any casting reel. You can use a fast and shallow retrieve or a fast, surface-skipping retrieve if you raise the rod tip.

When using either of these two, remember that you must feel the weight of the fish before doing a hookset. That is if you do not, your diamond jig is coming through the air fast, toward the boat, you and your fellow anglers.

Skyrocketing kingfish are an exciting and expected sight. Twist up and camo paint some of these rigs and you will be as excited as I have been on many occasions over the 15 or so years since I came up with the basics of this rig. Fish them on your next trip into our Gulf waters and join the club of diamond king stingers!

E-mail Patrick Lemire at saltrigs@fishgame.com ILLUSTRATION BY PATRICK LEMIRE

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Jig with a Frog Trailer OMETIMES BEING A WRITER HAS ITS benefits. Not only do I get to go hunting or fishing while telling the wife it is for work purposes but much of the time I get to speak with outdoor professionals who are the best in their field and learn from them. That is just what happened a few months back when I had the opportunity to attend the Bass-

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master Classic in Shreveport, La., and rub elbows with some of the best bass anglers in the world.

If you hang out in a room full of auto mechanics chances are you will pick up a tip or two about car maintenance. If you spend three days with 51 professional bass anglers you cannot help but pick up a few of the hottest techniques on the water today and I would be remiss not to pass one along that was used by quite a few anglers at the Classic. Jig fishing is not new and not really limited to chasing bass. If I had to pick one lure that I had to use to catch any kind of fish anywhere it would be a jig due to its versatility.

While most bass anglers limit a jig to just being used to probe deep-water structure, many of the anglers at the Classic were swimming them to put some big limits in the boat. Jami Fralick, the leader at the end of the second day was swimming a jig around hyacinth to put around 38 pounds of bass in the boat over those first two days. Brian ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW

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Snowden also put himself in the top six at the end of day two, finishing the tournament in third overall, by swimming a jig. Professional anglers have been swimming jigs for years but it never really has caught on with the recreational crowd because we are ingrained with the thought that a jig is to be cast out, allowed to sink, and then bounced along the bottom.

There is a lot of water, presumably with fish swimming in it, between the surface and bott o m that isn’t being explored with the traditional jig fishing method.

Swimming a jig is fairly simple, and is actually easier than the traditional method of fishing one. Cast the jig out; let it sink slightly, then start reeling in. That is it.

For a little more action pump the rod tip slightly, making the jig dart

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Hang out with 51 pro anglers and you cannot help but pick up a few techniques.

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swimming but don’t feel obliged be a oneman economic stimulus package by purchasing hundreds of them in every color and design imaginable. Just about any jig you currently have in your tackle box will suffice but keep in mind that a jig is not flashy or will not put off a lot of vibration like a spinner bait so to maximize its attractiveness, use one with a large skirt and put on a big trailer (more on this later).

Another thing to remember is that swimming a jig appeals to a bass in a visual nature. Meaning, it will work in murky water, just not as well as it does in clear water where the fish can see it bouncing off limbs and jerking around like wounded prey.

Lakes with much aquatic vegetation tend to run on the clear side and swimming a jig around this vegetation is an outstanding way to catch bass. More important than the type of jig used for swimming is the type of trailer that is put on the back end. When rummaging through the plastics on the bottom of your boat looking for a trailer, think two words, big and bulky.

Do not go for some dainty pork frog or slim craw. Instead, use something with a lot of legs and tentacles that displaces a lot of water and can slow the decent of the jig.

One of my favorite jig trailers is a Hoodaddy by Gene Larew, but from what I learned from the big boys is that one of the hottest trailers being used today is a topwater frog. That is right. These anglers are combining a soft plastic that is typically used on top with a jig that is usually dragged along the bottom to catch fish somewhere in between the two. I had one of those forehead slapping moments of insight when they passed that tip along.

Sometimes it is the most obvious combinations that turn out to be the most productive.

through the water. The erratic motion seems to trigger more strikes in suspending fish.

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E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com &

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Low River Crossings OR THREE WONDERFUL SUMMERS DURING college I served as a counselor at Camp Chrysalis just outside of Kerrville. Turtle Creek ran through the camp’s 54 acres and during the 24 hours I had off every week during summer months, I tempted bass with a variety of lures.

Soft plastics fished early and late seemed to tempt to bedevil bass hiding amidst a tangle of cypress knees or under large boulders, which had sheared off from the cliff above. Unfortunately, I was enthralled with the piscatorial theater unfolding before me, typically setting the hook prematurely as the river bass attacked my lure in the clear water.

During a memorable week (I refuse to admit the decade), Pastor Wayne approached

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me and inquired about my river experience. I quickly read off my paddling resume: Eagle Scout with canoeing merit badge, and multiple overnight canoe trips on the Brazos, Colorado, and Guadalupe Rivers to my credit.

Although I was a failure driving the camp’s school bus in the hills (don’t ask me about the granny gear and double clutching), I was lucky enough to pass Pastor Wayne’s scrutiny and I had the good fortune to discover the beautiful stretch of Guadalupe between Kerrville and Comfort.

Each trip was unique and wonderful. We alternated launch spots between the dam at Kerrville and a low water crossing, roughly halfway between Kerrville and Comfort.

What a blessing the opportunity to be parttime canoe guide turned out to be. The Texas Hill Country is full of beautiful rivers with plenty of low water bridges that provide easy and free access to the rivers.

We launched our canoes near Kerrville every morning and I rendezvoused with members of the camp staff at the low water crossing around noon. The camp bus dropped off a

cheese sandwich for me and another load of campers for the afternoon paddle to Comfort, and returned the first load of paddlers to camp. The low water crossing acted as a dam and created the most beautiful pool immediately upstream. Rimmed with lily pads, and edges punctuated with large cypress trees, most featuring scores of knobby knees around their bases, it was a fisherman’s paradise.

Unfortunately, I was officially on company time and could not fish, but the memory burned into my mind.

A few years later, I convinced my bride and newly acquired in-laws to spend a weekend paddling the Guadalupe and doing a little

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The Hill Country is full of beautiful rivers.

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fishing. It was the perfect set-up, except I had forgotten to ask if my in-laws had ever been in a kayak or canoe before. My mistake.

Realizing their inadequate experience afloat, I suggested they spend some time getting acclimated to their canoe before conquering the “mighty rapids” that waited for us downstream. As my brother-in-law and sisterin-law paddled their canoe in erratic patterns, I pulled out an ultralight spinning rod and fired a small white spinnerbait into an opening in the lily pads.

“Paddle!”

“I am paddling!”

“No, the other way!”

The noise didn’t seem to affect the bass.

Their canoe meandered about the small pool, Lady Luck as their pilot. Two bass were fooled by my spinnerbait as the shrieks of protest continued. About the third bass, my beloved in-laws settled down and inquired if C52

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they could catch some fish too. Thirty minutes later and a half-dozen more bass, we set off on our grand adventure that waited downstream.

To this day, I love the living waters tumbling down the edges of the Balcones Escarpment. Anglers in search of new excitement need only go as far as the Guadalupe, Llano, Sabinal, and San Marcos Rivers. Check out a road atlas and you will find a plethora of low water crossings bridging Hill Country streams. There is usually room to park one or two cars on either side of allow water crossing,

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making them ideal launch areas, but beware of private property signs. Landowners post these signs because they mean business.

Anglers fishing the clear water streams of the Texas Hill Country should think light.

Scale down the line on your reel to four- to eight-pound test and pack an assortment of small spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and spinners.

Fly tackle is extremely productive, with small beadhead nymphs, streamers, and poppers good options.

The clear water and the cool breezes com-

ing off Hill Country streams are certainly a refreshing change from crowded reservoirs and bays. The fish you catch are likely to be small, but extremely feisty when fought on light tackle. You will likely be the only fisherman in sight, which is the most refreshing change of all.

Email Greg Berlocher at kayak@fishgame.com.

Academy Partners with Inshore Fishing University ACADEMY SPORTS & OUTDOORS, INSHORE Fishing University, and Capt. Charlie Thomason are pleased to announce their new promotion designed to bring the best and most current inshore fishing information directly to the public.

The promotion will be conducted along the Gulf Coast and generally will follow the schedule of the 2009 Redfish Cup. There are two primary components to the promotion. First, Thomason, Cup Pro Angler and Top Instructor of the Inshore Fishing University, will be providing free informational seminars at participating stores.

Also at participating stores, there will be a reserved display at the end of one of the aisles in the fishing department where Thomason’s monthly special picks of baits and fishing equipment will be on display.

He will be utilizing his knowledge and expertise to pick just the right baits and equipment for that particular month and store location.

Upon finalizing the details of the promotion, Jerry DeBin, Director of Outdoor Marketing for Academy said he is extremely excited to be able to offer our customers the opportunity to get timely advice from one of the most respected tournament professionals and guides in the sport of inshore fishing.

“Capt. Charlie is one of those rare larger than life individuals who not only possess an immense knowledge of how to catch more and bigger inshore fish, but also has a unique talent for effectively communicating that to others, even those with limited fishing experience. His passion for life and fishing is contagious to everyone he meets,” DeBin said. —Staff Reports A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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No Fishing Zones Created in the South Atlantic OAA HAS ESTABLISHED EIGHT SEPARATE marine protected areas encompassing a total of 529 square nautical miles in south Atlantic federal waters to shield deep-water fish species and their habitats from fishing.

All fishing for snappers, groupers, tilefishes, grunts, porgies, and sea basses is prohibited throughout the protected areas, which are located off the coast from North Carolina

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south to Florida.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council proposed the action to NOAA’s Fisheries Service as part of a larger management plan to protect these South Atlantic fish populations.

“I applaud the hard work of the council and the strong spirit of cooperative conservation among commercial and recreational fisherman to take decisive action to conserve

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habitat in order to sustain healthy fisheries for generations to come,” said James L. Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

“Marine protected areas are designed to provide long-term protection for our nation’s natural resources,” said Jim Balsiger, acting NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service.

“These areas of the South Atlantic were chosen because they feature known spawning grounds and nursery habitats for deep-water fish – especially for snappers and groupers.”

The marine protected areas are critical to the survival of over 70 species of deep-water fish susceptible to fishing pressure. These fish are not good candidates for catch-and-release fishing because they suffer trauma when cap-

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PHOTO COURTESY NOAA

A longline is essentially a gigantic trotline that is set for many miles in the ocean. They are highly destructive and one of the key problems related to overfishing around the world.

tured and reeled up from great depths.

In addition, some species, such as snowy grouper, can live longer than 50 years and are the most productive spawners. It is important to protect the larger fish so they can spawn to their maximum potential, and equally important to protect the younger fish so they reach maturity.

The new protected areas range in size from 21 to 150 square nautical miles. There is one area off North Carolina, three off South Carolina, one off Georgia, and three protected areas off Florida.

Commercial shark bottom longline gear is also prohibited in these areas because the deep-water fish species are likely to be

caught incidentally with this gear. All other types of legal fishing, such as trolling for tunas and marlins, are allowed because those gear types are not likely to incidentally catch the species warranting protection. — Staff Reports

Coral Smugglers Busted by Feds GUNTHER WENZEK, A GERMAN NATIONAL, appeared today in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., on a nine-count indictment charging him with three felony counts of

smuggling protected coral into the United States port of Portland, Ore., three felony counts of violating the Lacey Act and three misdemeanor charges of violating the Endangered Species Act, the Justice Department announced.

Wenzek appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge T. Rawles Jones, Jr. of the Eastern District of Virginia.

A grand jury in Portland, Ore. indicted Wenzek in July 2008. The indictment had been sealed pending Wenzek’s scheduled appearance at the Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Fla., this week. Law enforcement officials arrested Wenzek Wednesday night as he entered the United States at Dulles airport outside of Washington, D.C., en route to the pet exposition.

According to the indictment, Wenzek owns a company named CoraPet, based in Essen, Germany, and has sold various coral products to retailers in the United States. An investigation was launched in 2007 after Wenzek tried to ship a container loaded with fragments of endangered coral from reefs off the Philippine coast to Portland. After this initial shipment, agents subsequently seized

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two full containers of endangered coral shipped by Wenzek to a customer in Portland. These two shipments made up a total of over 40 tons of coral.

The corals seized have been identified as corals from the scientific order Scleractinia, genera Porites, Acropora, and Pocillopora,

common to Philippine reefs. Due to the threat of extinction, stony corals, such as those seized in this case are protected by international law.

Philippine law specifically forbids exports of all coral. Moreover, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

(CITES) bars importation of the coral Wenzek tried to import to customers in the United States, absent a permit.

“Protection of coral reefs continues to play an important role in the Department of Justice’s environmental enforcement efforts both domestically and internationally, said John C. Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.

—Staff Reports

NOAA Issues Sonar Testing Regs NOAA’S FISHERIES SERVICE HAS ISSUED regulations and a letter of authorization to the U.S. Navy that includes measures to protect marine mammals while conducting Atlantic fleet active sonar training off the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.

The regulations require the Navy to implement measures designed to protect and minimize effects to marine mammals.

Along with issuing these regulations, NOAA will undertake a comprehensive review of all mitigation measures applicable to the use of sonar and will report to the Council on Environmental Quality regarding the results of this review within 120 days.

These regulations, in effect for five years, govern the incidental take of marine mammals during the Navy’s training activities, include required mitigation and monitoring measures, and require annual letters of authorization.

The letters of authorization, which are required for the Navy to legally conduct their activities, provide the Navy with the terms and conditions of the marine mammal mitigation measures, and requires annual reports, and Navy review of their activities to show they do not result in more numerous effects or more severe harm to marine mammals than were originally analyzed or authorized.

The Navy requested authorization under the Marine Mammal Protection Act because the mid-frequency sound generated by tactical active sonar might affect the behavior of some marine mammals or cause a temporary loss of their hearing.

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The conflict between humans and whales is highly controversial at the federal level. New laws are further restricting human impact and even address military actions.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service does not expect the exercises to result in serious injury or death to marine mammals and is requiring the Navy to use mitigation measures intended to avoid injury or death. However, in a small number of cases, exposure to sonar in certain circumstances has been associated with the stranding of some marine mammals, and some injury or death potentially could occur despite the best efforts of the Navy. Therefore, the regulations and the letter allow for a small number of incidental injuries to marine mammals.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has determined that these effects would have a negligible impact on the species or stocks involved.

Under the regulations and the letter, the Navy must follow mitigation measures to minimize effects on marine mammals, including: – establishing marine mammal safety zones around each vessel using sonar, and using Navy observers to shut down sonar operations if marine mammals are seen within these designated safety zones; – implementing a stranding response plan that includes a training shutdown provision in certain circumstances (with special circumstances for North Atlantic right whales) and a memorandum of agreement to allow the Navy to contribute in-kind services to NOAA’s Fisheries Service if the agency has to conduct a stranding response and investigation; – minimizing helicopter dipping sonar and object detection exercises in the North Atlantic right whale critical habitat in the southeast Atlantic Ocean from December through March – using several cautionary measures to minimize impacts from torpedo exercises PHOTO COURTESY U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

– using designated planning awareness areas to raise awareness of Navy personnel and lessen impacts in designated productive marine mammal habitat These measures should minimize the potential for injury or death and significantly reduce the number of marine mammals exposed to levels of sound likely to cause temporary loss of hearing.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service and the Navy worked to develop a robust monitoring plan to use independent, trained and experienced aerial and vessel-based marine mammal observers (as well as Navy watch standers) and passive acoustic monitoring to help better understand how marine mammals respond to various levels of sound and to assess the effectiveness of mitigation measures. The implementation of this monitoring plan is included as a requirement of the regulations and the letter.

The Navy has been conducting training exercises, including the use of mid-frequency sonar, in the Atlantic Ocean for more than 40 years.

Exercises range from large, three weeklong strike group training exercises using multiple submarines, ships and aircraft to two-tothree-day unit level training, consisting of several multi-hour exercises designed to target specific skills or weapons systems, such as object detection or helicopter dipping sonar.

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.

—Staff Reports

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The Old Ways LLEN STOOPED AND PEERED INTO MY FACE. He was taller than most folks and ducking to talk to people was his natural habit.

Now, his eyes searched me and his statements blurted out in prophesizing confessions.

“If I’m ever going to the hills it’s got to be now,” he said. “I want to see the mountains.

I want to live in the wilderness camps. You tell stories about mule packing and guiding in the wild high country. This is my last chance to go with you!”

My figuring was that we were too young to be having last chances. Optimistic thinking said we had a passel of years ahead of us. But, it was no use second-guessing my pard. He appeared to have a notion that I could not budge.

“Well, we need a cook. I am going up early for the summer season. You meet me in Choteau the last week of August before we start packing in elk camp. That’ll give you time to cipher the Montana ways of doing things. We’ll be in the Middle Fork of the Flathead for four hunts. Then we’ll load up and come back to Texas together.”

Allen nodded, we shook hands, and the deal was done. And Allen squinted and showed me his top teeth in a big grin.

Allen Hammack was a pure Texas cowboy and a bareback bronco rider. He was stretched too long for the chore but somebody forgot to tell him. He was also the type of man that the clichéd storytellers would claim was born 100 years too late. The truth is he managed a brand of wisdom that I always lacked. He could fit into any time whether it meant being a mountain man, one of Teddy’s Rough Riders, or where he sat right now. Allen knew his place in the world and what his heart desired. And, Allen’s heart had a few desires. We had both had our wagonloads of Brandis, Bambis, and

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Candis. Then accordingly, with those sweethearts we had learned that drinking and fighting was supposed to be kept as fun amongst the boys. Women fight dirty. Now, there seemed to be something else on his mind. My compadre had a plan and his beseeching demeanor told me that joking would have been wrong.

The country we were headed into is the wildest chunk of backcountry left in the lower 48 states. It is unfair to say that this land has been tamed but fences and the frivolities of human personalities have spoiled much of it. The advancement of civilization casts its shadow against the two million acres of Bob Marshal Wilderness.

Forest Service signs litter the countryside pointing out sites like “The Old North Trail,” where once nomads and Indians traveled with only the sky and earth as indicators of direction. The Teton River that once fed the mighty Missouri is piddled into countless irrigation canals, and the home on the range where the buffalo roamed is now farmland on the Fairfield Bench.

This is the land of the Blackfoot Indians, one of the most ruthless tribes of warriors that ever lifted a white man’s scalp. Later it became the cow country depicted in many Charlie Russell paintings, and it was home to Pulitzer Prize winning author A.B. Guthrie for his The Way West series. Modern day readers may also remember that Jurassic Park and The Horse Whisperer originated in this locale. Simply put, the Eastern Front of the Rocky Mountains has always been hard on its inhabitants.

Then you must ride your pony west past the National Forest Service signs, cross the first mountain pass, and you can almost step back in time. The trails are more worn and there are no Blackfoot war parties to dodge.

However, the grizzlies and the hazards of a horseback society are real. The frontier history murmurs with every sunrise taunting a man with the want to be free. It is instinctive for a couple of Texas hands to wander 2,000 miles searching for the lost lifestyle.

The summer season went smooth with the &

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usual mixture of guests. There were families, retired folks, and the occasional tree-hugger seeking to commune with nature. We observed and cared for the latter with the same curiosity and worry reserved for tending a handicapped child. When the summer was over one of the crew saw a truck in town with Texas license plates.

“Hey Herman, your friend from Texas is here and he’s got a woman with him,” he said.

My immediate elation sank into a knot in my gut.

“Oh, damn!” There is no place for hangers-on in the wilderness.

Upon our meeting, Allen explained and his apologetic words colored me as insensitive to his female.

“She rode up here with me and tomorrow we’re going to the Sweet Grass Hills and take a peek at Canada. Then I’m putting her on an airplane and sending her home.”

But the next day they put forces into play that only a couple in love can muster, and, they married on the courthouse lawn with County Judge Pete Howard presiding. Afterwards, true to his word, Allen sent his new wife back to Texas.

During hunting season, we savored every minute. Allen whooped, hollered, and had his last hurrah as a bronco-stomping tail-wringing authentic Texas twister. Then he went home and became a respectable member of the community. In nine months, he had a son and named the boy “Montana.” That was more than 10 years ago.

My misfortune is not comprehending the desire for such respectability. Tiptoeing the hunting trails is my calling. An elk bugle is my ballad, and a chorus of Blackfoot war whoops would be my swan song.

But recently a celebrity followed Allen’s footsteps. David Letterman married on the courthouse lawn with County Judge Pete Howard presiding. Something about this lonesome country appeals to a man, and makes him free.

E-mail Herman W. Brune at wilderness@fishgame.com.

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TEXAS SALTWATER

Mark, Tre y, Matagord & Ed a Specks an Hillman G uide Serv d Reds ice

PALACIOS

GALVESTON

ROCKPORT

Kendall & her PaPa try The Koun Hideaway ins Guest Cab

CORPUS CHRISTI Mike Wis hm Hybrid Str eyer ip Striper Ex er press Guide Serv ice

UPPER COAST (SABINE LAKE)

ADVERTISERS, MAIL IN YOUR PHOTOS TODAY!

LOWER LAGUNA MADRE

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

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Capt. Matt Danysh Grouper ors Coastal Bend Outdo

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Carla Patschke & so ns 9 Reds, 3 Drum Redfish Charters

Bubba Green Gar ide Service Striper Express Gu

TEXAS HUNTING

OUTDOOR SHOPPER

LAKE TEXOMA

BAFFIN BAY

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

VACATION RENTAL

FAYETTE COUNTY

TEXAS HUNTING

SPOTLIGHT: THE KOUNTRY HIDEAWAY Tired, stressed out, just want a relaxing getaway? The Kountry Hideaway offers onsite fishing and guest houses set on a peaceful farm in the heart of South Central Texas. It’s a great place to bring your buddies or the entire family. We are conveniently located near the Fayette Power Plant Lake, the Colorado River, Nails Creek and Lake Somerville, all of which boast excellent fishing.

You’ll enjoy onsite fishing for Florida bass, catfish, crappy, perch and native bass in a mid-sized stock pond with a relaxing deck over the water. There is also a small catfish pond and a 3-acre stocked lake (hybrid blue gills in addition to all fish listed above) in which you can fish from the pier or a rowboat in the water.

We are located within a short drive from Austin, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. All of the guest houses have most comforts of home.

Whether you and yours decide to spend the day fishing the area, shopping the local antique stores or just sitting on the front porch taking in the tranquility of the water while the birds sing in the background, the canvas is yours to paint! There are numerous neighboring communities that offer a wide variety of unique amenities for all ages to enjoy! It truly is a perfect year-round getaway spot for all.

Please call 979-249-5625 or email us at kountryhideaway@yahoo.com for additional information including nightly, weekend, weekly and group rates. We look forward to hosting you for your next weekend getaway or reasonably priced funfilled family vacation!

—The Kountry Hideaway A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Mahi-Mahi, Shrimp, and Scallop Ceviche HAT’S GREEN AND GOLD AND SPOTTED blue? If you are an offshore fisherman, you know it is dorado, mahi-mahi, or as we old timers call it, dolphin. This flashy acrobat is a coveted catch for many offshore anglers. It is coveted for its aerial antics, speedy runs, and great beauty at boatside. After the dolphin has been caught and placed on ice to chill, its vibrant colors quickly fade. Howev-

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er, as a culinary treat, it continues to shine!

The next time you experience a hot dolphin bite, bring a few home and prepare them Texas Gourmet style!

Almost every Pacific and Gulf coast state has its own version of this raw fish cocktail, which naturally cooks itself in limejuice. I learned this recipe from an old native of Acapulco while dining beachside listening to the waves roll in. This recipe combines

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elements from this Acapulco style version while adding a touch of Texas flair.

Ingredients: 2 lbs mahi-mahi filets (you may substitute redfish or other firm-fleshed fish) 1/2 lb bay scallops 1 lb shrimp, 21-25 count, peeled but raw 2 cups limejuice, fresh squeezed 4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 6 roma tomatoes, cored and diced 1 cup purple onion, chopped 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, rinsed well and chopped 3 Tbs serrano peppers, seeded and chopped 2 avocadoes, ripe, peeled and diced

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PHOTO BY JIM OLIVE

to be firm and opaque; marinating it over night will achieve this.) After marinating, pour seafood into a colander and rinse under cold water briefly, discarding the used limejuice. Meanwhile, rinse the glass bowl then pour in the reserved 1/3-cup limejuice and tomato sauce. Add onion, cilantro, chopped serrano peppers, olives, capers, oregano, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped tomatoes, white and black pepper, and Sidewinder Searing Spice. Stir gently to combine. Add seafood to the tomato mixture. Salt to taste. Chill for 2 hours. Before serving, garnish with diced avocadoes and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, saltine crackers, or tortilla chips.

2/3 cup green olives with pimentos, sliced thin 1/3 cup capers 1 Tbs oregano, dried 1-cup tomato sauce 1 tsp black pepper, fresh cracked 1 tsp white pepper 2 tsp Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice

Place the fish, scallops, and shrimp in a large glass bowl and cover with limejuice, reserving 1/3 cup for later use. Cover with plastic wrap, and in the refrigerator, and allow marinating for 8-10 hours or overnight. Take the plastic off once while marinating and stir the seafood to allow the limejuice to get to every piece, then recover for the remainder of the time. (I like the fish

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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GRAND SLAM—CHOCOLATE BAY

FLOUNDER—CORPUS CHRISTI

REDFISH—ARROYO CITY CANAL

Stacey Gonzales of Keystone, Colorado, caught this grand slam, consisting of a 21-inch redfish, a 21inch flounder and an 18-inch trout, in the Narrows at Halls Lake in Chocolate Bay.

Acie Carr of San Antonio, Texas, caught his personal best flounder near the Kennedy Causeway in Corpus Christi, using live piggy perch. The fish was 21 inches and weighed 5 pounds. Photo submitted by wife Sharon.

Doc Jones caught this 27-inch redfish while fishing with a group of Septuagenarians, all from Montgomery, Texas, hosted by Mike Landes at his home on the Arroyo City Canal, near South Padre Island.

The 4 men caught 3 reds, 5 specks and 2 flounder.

SAILFISH—GULF OF MEXICO

BASS—CHOKE CANYON

Andrea DeLeon caught and released this sailfish with the help of Grace Ting while on a guided trip with Captain Mike Lowe 50 miles offshore of Sargent, Texas.

Sonia Noyes of San Antonio, Texas, shows off an 8-pound bass, caught in Choke Canyon while fishing in a new Blue Wave boat, just bought from Master Marine.

ALLIGATOR GAR—WHARTON

BLUEGILL—KEMPNER

This 6-foot alligator gar was foul hooked by 4- Karli Schuetzle of Deer Park, Texas, caught this year-old Chase Allison from a bar ditch during a bluegill in her grandpa’s pond in Kempner, Texas. recent flood near Wharton, Texas. His dad, David She was fishing with a spincaster reel and worms.

Allison, assisted in landing it.

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SHARK—GULF OF MEXICO Chris Sessions caught this live silky shark 40 miles offshore of the Texas coast. He brought the live shark into the boat for a photo before releasing it, but will not do this again because it was a hard fight!

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HIS TIME OF THE YEAR RECALLS MY LARVAL stages. I spent most of my school days wishing for summer freedom at my grandparents’ farm in Chicota. Within literal shouting distance of the Red River, it was my escape from the concrete and boredom of Dallas.

School usually ended during the first full week of June, and with the cessation of classes, I was freed along with millions of other urchins. I could not wait to get into the outdoors, armed with a loaded BB gun and pocket full of ammo.

Within the first week of freedom I had eaten my weight in dewberries and little wild Texas sand plums (Mexican plum) from the thicket beside the stock tank we called a pool.

Anywhere the petite native trees hung heavy with pale yellow fruit, I was the kid with a salt shaker in my pocket. I still love the half-ripe plums, reveling in the fresh burst of crunchy, sweet, slightly tart fruits.

One odd plum tree grew in the thicket where the air was redolent of ripe and rotting fruit, with a slight, subtle undertone of fresh cow flop. It produced fat, dark fruits the size of golf balls. I always figured it was a tree borne of an exotic seed cast aside by a picnicker in the dim past.

Dewberries, a species closely relating to blackberries, were the first sweet berries to ripen

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in the spring, about six weeks after the last freeze. In sunny locations the vines, or brambles, grow in a thick carpet covering the ground.

To me they were always more flavorful than blackberries.

In that same period of time I had also acquired a fairly respectable crop of ticks and chiggers.

My grandmother was forever canning something in her fragrant kitchen, like pears when they were making preserves, or black-

by Reavis Wortham berries, plums and dewberries destined to become jelly. Sliced peaches, pears or apricots disappeared by the handful before she pushed her grand-boys out the door, cheeks bulging.

I was thinking about those itchy old days and hot blackberry cobbler last weekend when I pulled my truck up beside the stock tank at the Ranch. An early summer cool front hung off to the northeast, thunder rumbling in the distance.

Not fifty yards away, a line of limber Texas persimmon trees grew along an old fence row.

The buds had just swollen, and I knew the crop would be inedible until the first frost of the year finished the ripening process. Anyone who has tasted the astringent, bitter bite of a green persimmon will never forget the experience.

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Blackberries and dewberries are some of the tastiest treats in nature, especially when mixed with ice cream.

Ripe persimmons are fleshy, deep blueblack in color. Full of large seeds, persimmons seem to be an acquired taste. They are the last wild fruits in November, just before winter put the leaves to sleep for the season.

Based on my extensive experiences as a kid, I used half a can of bug spray on my legs before grabbing a bucket and wading through the tall grass surrounding the blackberries growing on piles of brush and stumps. The previous landowner had piled the branches with the intention of burning them, but had gotten sidetracked until they were a chia-pet morass of fruit, vines and stickers.

Sweat dripped off my nose before the first handful of berries plunked into the empty container. I picked in the sultry heat, eating every other one. Sluggish bees buzzed the vines. At times I had to wave them away with my hat, lest I grab a bee instead of a blackberry.

I lost several minutes of picking time when I ate one that had just been vacated by a stinkbug. I tell myself that, because I don’t want to think I had actually eaten a stinkbug hors d’oeuvre.

It took about fifty more berries to get the taste out of my mouth. &

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In This Issue

I35 I36 I42

TEXAS TESTED • Lumitec; Fugawi |

BY TF&G STAFF

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

SHOOT THIS • Shotgun Slugs |

BY STEVE LAMASCUS

I27 I37 I48

FISH THIS • Fisherman’s Analyst |

BY GREG BERLOCHER

HOW-TO SECTION

I1

COVER STORY • The Fruit of the Vine |

BY REAVIS WORTHAM

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

I4

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

I20

SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides, Solunar Table, Best Hunting/Fishing Times |

BY TF&G STAFF

GEARING UP SECTION

I30 I32

NEW PRODUCTS • What’s New from Top Outdoor Manufacturers | BY TF&G STAFF INDUSTRY INSIDER • Dawson Marine; PRADCO; Yamaha | BY TF&G STAFF

I38

BOWHUNTING TECH • Time to Get in Shape |

BY LOU MARULLO

I40 I43

TEXAS BOATING • A Friend in Need | BY LENNY RUDOW

I44

SALTWATER BAITS & RIGS • Diamond King Stinger |

BY PATRICK LEMIRE

I45

FRESHWATER BAITS & RIGS • Jig with a Frog Trailer |

BY PAUL BRADSHAW

I46 I50

TEXAS KAYAKING • Low River Crossings | BY GREG BERLOCHER WILDERNESS TRAILS • The Old Ways | BY HERMAN W. BRUNE

tasting the blackberry cobbler the War Department had promised to bake.

The rain finally arrived in a cool rush. I saw it coming across the pasture and headed for the truck, barely beating the first heavy drops.

The brief downpour lashed two pear trees growing on an old house place I could see through the rivulets running down my windshield.

Pears ripen best when they are picked early. I made a mental note to keep a watchful eye as the fruit swelled in September or October, and to pick them before they could mature on the tree. If harvested late, they become mealy and gnarly.

Not long after I learned to drive in the late 1960s, my cousin Roger and I found a similar tree near another old house place in Lamar County that was literally loaded to the ground with enormous pears. We filled the bed of Dad’s old 1956 Ford truck and were the most popular youngsters in the little community as farm women came from near and far to accept the free fruit. I bet there were more jars of pear preserves made that week than at any other time since the Great Depression.

I started thinking about peaches while the rain fell. Fruit trees often stand abandoned and forgotten around the state where old farm houses once bustled with activity. These trees

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TROPHY FEVER • The Changing Prairie, Part 1 | BY MICHAEL LANIER NEWS FROM THE COAST • No Fishing Zones Established in the South Atlantic |

BY TF&G STAFF

I52 I54

DISCOVER THE OUTDOORS • Classifieds | BY TF&G STAFF

I56

PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos |

BY TF&G STAFF

TEXAS TASTED • Mahi-Mahi, Shrimp, and Scallop Ceviche | BY BRYAN SLAVEN

TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • Reloading on the Rise |

BY STEVE LAMASCUS

I had a similar experience last summer at McKinney Falls State Park, in Austin. While taking a short hike with my wife and daughters to see the falls and a restored historic structure, the trail led us through an airy forest hanging thick with wild grapes known as muscadines (also known as scuppernogs).

I picked several and offered them to the girls, describing the tough skin and seed-filled refreshing pulp. I bit a hole in the skin and demonstrated the appropriate method of sucking out the juicy pulp. They showed interest until I also inhaled a bug that grabbed everything grabble on the way down my gullet. I hacked up bug parts and seeds for half an hour, causing the girls to flee in a barely controlled panic.

“But muscadines taste good!” I shouted at their fleeing forms.

The freshened breeze made picking blackberries tolerable and I kept one eye on the clouds, trying to gauge when the rain might start. I picked faster, wanting to fill the bucket before the rain. Bees strafed my head and hands. I reached higher and higher for the biggest berries, forsaking those scrawny specimens down low that would be picked by less selective individuals than me.

It is a natural fact that the biggest berries are just out of reach. I worked faster, almost • J U N E

SPECIAL SECTION • Pimp Your Ride |

BY CHESTER MOORE

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whether they bear peaches, apples, walnuts, hickory nuts, pecans, apricots, (once I even came across a pomegranate) are always a pleasant surprise when outdoor enthusiasts find them on hikes, hunting or fishing trips.

The rain finally passed. With a bucket of blackberries on the floorboard and the memory of still another good summer day behind me, I headed for the gate and home. Two hours later, I found I must have collected half a hundred chiggers on my lower legs, despite the bug spray. The shower didn’t wash them all away. While the cobbler baked, the War Department dabbed fingernail polish on the bumps to kill the little red critters and stop the itch.

Only she did not have the required clear polish, so I have dozens of hot pink dots on my legs. They look odd, but I think the color compliments my natural skin tone.

I am glad I did not try that when I was a kid. That kind of trauma would turn a guy away from cobbler in a hurry, and we can’t have that, can we?

Recipes While I’m not a cook by any means, the lovely lady I married cooks just like my

Continued on Page I-6

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Calixto JD

Hot Chica Snook LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Boca Chica Jetties (bank access)

GPS: N26 3.904, W97 8.738 SPECIES: Snook BEST BAITS: Live bait, topwaters early in the morning, DOA shrimp later in the day

CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: Warm, balmy weather means snook anglers will notice the channel side and the point of the Boca Chica Jetties. Large live shrimp or mullet are the best baits to get these linesiders (pinfish is underrated bait).

Topwaters such as the Saltwater Chug Bug and the Pop-R are also good options in lowlight conditions. If the snook are staying down deep, switch over to ½-ounce DOA shrimp and fish them lower in the water column. Fly fishermen should try throwing large white streamers.

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

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: North Brazos-Santiago Jetties (bank access) GPS: N26 4.080, N97 8.738 SPECIES: King mackerel BEST BAITS: Whole ribbonfish, 1-ounce Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: White Sand Marina, 956-943943-6161 TIPS: A series of calm days means that clean Gulf water moves all the way up to the jetties tip. Kingfish will prowl around within reach of the Mosquito fleet and rock hoppers. Boaters can drift or slow troll with whole ribbonfish. Jetty-bound anglers can float a ribbon underneath a balloon, or make long casts with large, noisy lipless crank baits. This is not a situation to be underpowered. A surf rod and high-capacity reel loaded with fresh mono or braid is mandatory when shore casting for pelagics.

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LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Long Bar GPS: N26 6.500, W97 12.500 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, soft plastics, Gulp! Shrimp in glow, new penny CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Fish the edges around grasslines with live shrimp under a popping cork, or with Gulp! Shrimp. Trout will move around the grass and the potholes that are spread over the Long Bar. Watch for slack current that mark where grassbeds are just under the surface.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Convention Center (shore access) GPS: N26 6.150, W97 10.350 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, Gulp! Shrimp in new penny, DOA shrimp in glow, topwaters CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581

TIPS: The broad grass flats around the Convention Center shoreline are trout central in late spring and early summer. Topwaters are good early in the morning, especially at grey light, when trout are chasing bait. As the sun gets higher, live shrimp or pinfish under a popping cork, or Gulp! and DOA Shrimp if you prefer artificials work well, too.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Cullen Bay GPS: N26 15.455, W97 19.029 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live bait, cut ballyhoo, gold spoons, topwaters, in smoke and pinfish patterns, soft plastics in red/white, bone-chartreuse, gold or chrome spoons CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: Redfish spread out over Cullen Bay when summer tides flood the flats. Live bait and skipped ballyhoo are tough to beat. Do not discount the old Number 1: the ¼ounce gold weedless spoon with a red curly

tail trailer. Topwaters are very effective along the shoreline early in the morning.

Watch for tailing fish and nervous bait in the shallows.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Three Islands GPS: N26 16.684, W97 15.106 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, Gulp! Shrimp in new penny, soft plastics in red/white, new penny, root beer CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Three Islands stays a hot spot through June. Trout are in the color change between the islands and the ICW. Drift the length of the flat with live bait or soft plastics. Topwaters are good along the shallows and shorelines early in the morning.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Pipeline GPS: N26 32.063, W97 23.969 SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, Gulp! Shrimp in

COVER STORY Continued from Page I-2 grandmother. According to her, the major component of a good pie or cobbler is the crust. Below are two tried and true recipes for outstanding fresh fruit desserts.

Pie Crust 2 cup of flour 1 teaspoon of salt 2/3 cup of Crisco 6 tablespoons of cold water

Blackberry Cobbler

Mix the flour and salt, then blend Crisco.

(The dough will not be smooth.) Sprinkle water in one tablespoon at a time. Stir lightly until dough is moist. Divide the dough, roll out on a floured surface.

9-inch fresh Peach Pie

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Double the pie crust recipe as describe above.

8 cups of fresh, washed blackberries 2 cups of sugar ½ cup of all purpose flour Combine the berries, sugar and flour. Half the prepared dough, roll out and cut into strips. Lay in the bottom of a rectangular pan and pour in the berry mixture. Create a lattice of the remaining dough strips on top. Dot

5 cups of fresh, peeled peaches 2 teaspoons of lemon juice ¾ cup of sugar ¼ cup of flour I6

¼ tablespoon of cinnamon 2 tablespoons of margarine or butter Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry. In a large bowl, combine the fruit and lemon juice. Add sugar, flour and cinnamon and toss lightly to mix. Turn into pastry-lined pie pan. Dot with margarine. Cover top crust and cut slits for the steam to escape. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until juice begins to bubble through the top.

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with butter and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350. Bake about one hour or longer, until bubbly. Cool completely.

Ice Cream It is June and with it, the need for something cool and sweet.

1 can of evaporated milk 1 can of sweetened condensed milk 3 cups of sugar 3 tablespoons of flour 5 eggs Sweet milk Fruit Add the top five ingredients together and blend. Add fruit of your choice to the mix (the amount is up to you) and pour into the ice cream container. Fill within two inches of the top of the container with milk. Freeze.

Eat.

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new penny, soft plastics in red/white, root beer.

CONTACT: Capt. Terry Neal, 956-6427357 TIPS: Capt. Neal predicts a banner year for speckled trout in the Port Mansfield area. The five-fish bag limit has begun to pay off with both great numbers of trout, and quality with the fish. Use top waters early in the morning, and Gulp! Jerk Shads on 1/8-ounce jigheads later in the day. Live shrimp, as always is tough to beat. A rising tide and southeast breeze could mean that a good day can turn into a memorable one.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: West Shoreline GPS: N26 45.941, W97 28.374 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp Gulp! Shad, shrimp or jerkbaits, gold spoons, topwaters.

CONTACT: Capt. Terry Neal, 956-6427357 TIPS: The West Shoreline is a popular redfish spot in summer. The shallows just inside of the depth break are loaded with patrolling redfish. Live bait and gold spoons are standards, but jerkbaits and topwaters have carved out niches as favorites for anglers who are chasing redfish up and down the shoreline.

Baffin Badlands LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: The Badlands GPS: N27 18.744, W97 24.9023

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live croaker, topwaters early, soft plastics in dark patterns CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Redfish will be striking bait along the shallow grassbeds and rocks. Look for nervous bait early in the morning and work topwaters in the area. As the day progresses, fish deeper water with either live croaker

or soft plastics. Drifting covers more water, but wading where the bottom is harder can allow for stealthier presentation.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge GPS: N27 18.284, W97 27.593 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters early, soft plastics in limetreuse, pumpkinseed/chartreuse, and live croaker CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Fish on top of the bar with topwaters early in the morning. When the sun gets higher, you will locate trout holding in deeper water. Soft plastics work, but live bait becomes more effective as the month progresses. Try either croaker or pinfish.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Emmord’s Hole GPS: N27 29.754, W97 19.970 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in strawberry/black back plum/chartreuse, rootbeer/red flake, morning glory, pumpkinseed/chartreuse and live croaker CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: This area has a combination of grasslines and edges along deeper water, which is ideal fish habitat. Fish the 3- to 4foot breakline with live croaker or 4- to 5inch soft plastics. Trout will normally be holding in the deeper holes when the weather heats up.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Crash Channels GPS: N27 37.563, W97 17.903 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in strawberry/black back plum/chartreuse, rootbeer/red flake, morning glory, pumpkinseed/chartreuse and live croaker CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: A trolling motor is a big advantage for fishing the crash channels. You can put-

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ter along the shoreline and cast along edges and cuts. Sometimes you may actually spot nervous bait where redfish are working. Fish with large, noisy topwaters early. If you locate a concentration of fish working a limited area, anchor up and use live bait.

LOCATION: Redfish Bay HOTSPOT: Estes Flats GPS: N28 11430, W96 92.50 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live bait, gold weedless spoons CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly, 361-5330982 TIPS: Fish the flats midday for redfish that are patrolling the breadth of the flats. The ¼- ounce weedless spoon is the standard for this area, but live bait is an excellent choice.

This is especially true if the wind picks up a bit.

LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Traylor Island GPS: N27 55.995, W96 4.494 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live croaker, topwaters, soft

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plastics in avocado/chartreuse, motor oil/chartreuse, pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly, 361-5330982 TIPS: Fishing behind Traylor can be very, very productive in June. Free line a live croaker along the grassline edges to coax them into biting. If croaker is tough to come by, try a topwater early in the morning, or a Bass Assassin on a small (1/8-ounce) jighead along the edges. Keep a soft touch on your line. These fish can strike very subtly.

Then again, they might give you a real jolt.

LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Super Flats GPS: N27 57.058, W96 5.331 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live croaker, topwaters, soft plastics in Avocado/chartreuse, Motor Oil/chartreuse, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Capt. Paul Braly, 361-5330982 TIPS: Set up a slow drift through the area (a drift anchor is a real asset here). Sharp shoot potholes with free-lined croaker or pinfish hooked onto a 3/0 kahle hook. If the

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trout are actively feeding and chasing bait, then you might want to try using a topwater such as a Top Dog. A technique that is starting to become popular on Lower Laguna Madre and might work up here is a weightless eel-style soft plastic trailing a topwater. Trout will usually zap the plastic.

Sabine Specks LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: East Pass GPS: N29 58.920, W93 47.135

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in chartreuse, glow/chartreuse, pearl/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: Use your depth finder to locate deeper water holes where trout hold when weather starts to heat up. Choose soft plastics with throbbing tails that create a maximum amount of vibration. Swim lures in the

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current, or cast it around and under nervous bait. Use larger (1/4 ounce) jighead for better control in the current. As always, be sure to get a Louisiana license if you are going to cross into Cajun territory.

LOCATION: Sabine Pass HOTSPOT: Boat Cut GPS: 40.398, W93 49.516 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: Just like in East Pass, you will find some nice trout lurking in the deeper holes, especially around the boat cut. Watch for current breaks and eddies. Fish with oft plastics on larger (1/4- to 3/8-ounce) jigheads.

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Drull’s Lump GPS: N28 42.231, W95 49.652 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters in white or pink and soft plastics in dark patterns CONTACT: Capt. Mark Talasek, 979-4791397, www.talasekguideservice.com TIPS: Drull’s is a good summer spot.

Trout hold around the shell bottom all summer. Start with white or pink topwaters early in the morning (the pink/silver Top Dog is a typical choice). Switch to soft plastics in patterns such as morning glory and Baffin Magic.

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Three Beacons GPS: N28 40.518, W95 53.054 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in dark colors CONTACT: Capt. Mark Talasek, 979-4791397, www.talasekguideservice.com TIPS: Trout just love the deep shell reefs in the area. Drift with the wind and work soft plastics in patterns such as roach, morning glory, and Baffin Magic near the bottom.

Fish steadily and thoroughly. This is fishing.

There is no need to rush things.

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HOTSPOT: Matagorda Jetties GPS: N28 35.666, W95 59.000 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, topwaters early, soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Mark Talasek, 979-4791397, www.talasekguideservice.com TIPS: The fishing can be crazy good on a calm day with friendly winds. Fish the guts with topwaters early in the morning and around the rocks with soft plastics and tops.

When you find a concentration of fish, thoroughly work the area. A depth finder can come in handy.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Matagorda surf GPS: N28 59.25, W95 98.74453 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, soft plastics CONTACT: Captain Mark Talasek, 979244-0044, 979-479-1397 TIPS: Soft southeast winds and green water to the beach create “cupcake” conditions for anglers seeking surf-running trout.

Experienced anglers anchor beyond the third bar and fish the guts for the fat dimesilver specks that roam the beachfront.

Watch for diving birds or flitting bait to tip you off to the presence of fish. As with the jetties, be smart and pick a mild day. Keep your weather radio on, too. You never know when a summer squall may pop up and you need to head for cover.

Salty Largemouth LOCATION: Choke Canyon HOTSPOT: Salt Creek GPS: N28 28.600, W96 21.545

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: White spinnerbaits, jigs in a variety of watermelon colors, frogs and chrome black back Pop R’s are the go baits for fishing in this area.

CONTACT: Robin McFarlane, Double “R” Guide Service, 210-416-4563 TIPS: Start your day by throw&

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ing spinnerbaits and topwaters to pick up those mossbacks that are roaming the banks and grass in the early morning looking for a quick meal. As the sun comes up, go to flipping a jig in the holes of the grass to hook up with the larger bass.

LOCATION: Choke Canyon HOTSPOT: Four Fingers GPS: N28 30.011, W98 16.725 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: White spinnerbaits or chatterbaits, soft plastic jerkbaits, along with the usual top water baits, such as buzz baits in white or white/chartreuse CONTACT: Robin McFarlane, Double “R” Guide Service, 210-416-4563 TIPS: Fish the numerous flats and grass with spinnerbaits or chatterbaits with an erratic retrieve early morning. Soft plastic jerkbaits in watermelon/red or watermelon/candy will also produce with that

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same erratic retrieve. When throwing buzz baits, throw as far up to the bank as you can, and slow roll the bait for that hook up.

LOCATION: Braunig HOTSPOT: Spillway GPS: N29 14.664, W98 22.048 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut bait, dough balls, chicken liver CONTACT: Jeff Snyder, 210-649-2435 TIPS: Fish deeper water (20 to 25 feet) for best results. Watch your depth locator to find the thermocline and focus on fish holding around it. Fresh cut bait such as shad and sunfish are tough to beat, but prepared baits and chicken liver are also very effective.

LOCATION: Braunig HOTSPOT: Dam area GPS: N29 14.740, W98 22.366 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut bait, dough balls, chicken liver CONTACT: Jeff Snyder, 210-649-2435 TIPS: Fish start moving to deeper water as

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the water temperatures near shore start to shoot upward. Deep water is cooler and more comfortable. Fish along the bottom with either cut shad or sunfish, or with blood or crawfish-flavored dough on spring hooks.

Do not be surprised if you happen into a hybrid bass or two. They like cool water and cut bait, too.

Aquilla Points for White Bass LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point/ Triplett Point GPS: N31 54.533, W97 12.375

SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Li’l Georges, Tail Hummers, Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Look for early morning schooling activity along the dam riprap. Throw Li’l

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Georges, Tail Hummers and Rat-L-Traps to get your limit. After the schooling action stops, move around Triplett Point and watch your graph for white bass stacking up along ledges and edges. Back off shore and cast a one-ounce Hopkins Spoon; white or chartreuse slab and let flutter up and down through the school.

BANK ACCESS: Tail Race Fishing Pier, white bass on jigs LOCATION: Lake Belton HOTSPOT: McGregor Park Area GPS: N31 12.434, W97 29.224 SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Roadrunners, Li’l Georges, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, 254-3687411,Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideServic e.com TIPS: Check in and around the hotspot thoroughly with your electronics. Use a small buoy to mark suspected game fish schools. Back off and fish with horizontal retrieve. Early and late are best.

BANK ACCESS: Temple Lake Park, largemouth, catfish, white bass

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50 2STROKE .........................................$4,449 90 2STROKE .........................................$6,245 115 2STROKE .......................................$7,528 200 HPDI VMAX...................................$13,125 225 HPDI VMAX...................................$14,210 300 HPDI VMAX...................................$16,210 115 4STROKE .......................................$8,345 150 4STROKE .......................................$10,945 225 4STROKE .......................................$15,610 350 4STROKE .......................................$20,945

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50 2STROKE .........................................$4,537 90 2STROKE .........................................$6,360 115 EFI.................................................$8,555 75 OPTIMAX.........................................$6,845 90 OPTIMAX.........................................$7,345 115 OPTIMAX.......................................$7,645 150 OPTIMAX.......................................$9,800 175 PRO XS ..........................................$11,950 200 OPTIMAX.......................................$12,550 225 OPTIMAX.......................................$13,445 250 PRO XS ..........................................$16,145

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DF60 ....................................................$6,245 DF70 ....................................................$6,845 DF90 ....................................................$7,545 DF115 ..................................................$8,445 07 DF140 .............................................$8,645 07 DF150 .............................................$9,745 DF175 ..................................................$11,345 DF200 ..................................................$13,345 DF225 ..................................................$14,545 DF250 ..................................................$16,245 DF300 ..................................................$15,610 250SS 20” SHAFT .................................$15,945

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LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Grass Beds at Crane Lake GPS: N32 56.257, W85 28.788 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, light Carolina rigs, weightless Flukes, Tiki Sticks

CONTACT: Michael Rogge, 903-3833406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Move to the outer edges of the grass beds. Throw crankbaits and Carolina rigs in early morning and late afternoon. There is usually a good topwater bite on poppers, spooks and buzzbaits early and late.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing Pier at Minnow Bucket Bait Stand, crappie, largemouth bass LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Dam Hump GPS: N32 48.733, W95 32.025 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Deep-diving crankbaits, jigs CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5302201, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: The bass have finished their spawn and have headed out to deeper water. I take a good map of the lake and look for humps along the bottom, checking out every detail with my depth finder. Then using marker buoys, I mark the bends and drops along any ridges I find. Next, I tie on a big crankbait on one rod and a jig on a second rod and fish this ridge or hump from one end to the other and back. When you find the big bass, note the time of day. Around this time each day you will find the bass feeding in the same spot. These spots hold some of Lake Fork’s biggest bass and you can catch good numbers using this pattern.

When you catch these big bass, treat them with care because they are the fish that make our lakes what they are today.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing Pier at Minnow Bucket Bait Stand, crappie, largemouth bass LOCATION: Fayette County Reservoir HOTSPOT: Hog Pond Dam GPS: N29 55.260, W96 43.420 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad or punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Fish can be found shallow and deep this time of year. This area offers an old submerged pond dam in 16- to 20-foot water.

The pond is also where the creek channel ran before the lake was built. Anchor here and chum straight down, then fish tight line

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within a foot of the bottom all around the boat. I recommend sour grain versus range cubes. Range cubes have sweet in them and sweet attracts carp and buffalo.

BANK ACCESS: Junkyard Cove, largemouth bass LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Main Lake Brush Piles GPS: N30 41.738, W97 21.460 SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: 1/32-ounce Marabou jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, 512-3657761, www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Find brush piles in 7 to 15 feet of water and fish the crappie jig very slowly over the brush. Use Berkley Crappie Nibbles to increase catch rate. Jig color makes no difference.

BANK ACCESS: Wilson Fox Fishing Dock, crappie on live minnows fished straight down off dock.

LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool HOTSPOT: Dam Grass GPS: N32 38.816, W96 59.245 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina rigs, drop shot rigs, DD-22’s, Tail Hummer CONTACT: Randy Maxwell, 817-3132878, www.getagripguide.com TIPS: I start the day off shallow and early on any grass and rocks I can find. The left and right side of the dam is beginning to grow some grass and there are plenty of rocks in the area. Pull out your favorite topwater and spinnerbait and work them until the sun gets up. Later, drop off to the deep edges of points, humps and creek channels and start dragging plastics in just about any color. Brushpiles and bridge pilings at key depths will work as well. Just find the depth the bass are holding in and keep fishing it.

Keep a Tail Hummer rigged at all times to load up on sand bass if you run across their path.

BANK ACCESS: Crappie Dock, crappie with live minnows LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: C W Ridge GPS: N30 38.630, W96 02.969 SPECIES: Catfish

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BEST BAITS: Shad or punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Water here runs 1 to 5 feet deep.

An old road bed comes off the point and runs East across the other bank of Cedar Creek. Fish shallow from this point out to midway across the mouth of Cedar Creek.

South winds will be blowing on the point and the mouth of the creek, putting plenty of food there to attract shad and for the fish to feed on. With the wind blowing into the bank and creek you can use a slip cork above a #4 treble hook for Punch bait or a #1 kahle hook for shad. Good sized blues frequent this area when the shad are passing through in schools.

BANK ACCESS: Hwy 175 Bridge east; cast lures for bass, minnows for crappie

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very hard covering as much of them as possible. If you want to catch good numbers of bass then get off the trolling motor and slow down. Many good fish are missed by fishing too fast.

BANK ACCESS: Dam Park, largemouth, crappie, fish pockets and rock wall LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Highsaw Creek / Hwy 155 Bridge GPS: N32 07.300, W95 29.00

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Drop shot rigs with green pumpkin or watermelon-colored worms CONTACT: Don Mattern, Sr., 903-4782633, www.matternguideservice.fghp.com TIPS: Bass like old underwater bridges in the summer months. The old bridge located in the center of Highsaw Creek in front of the Hwy 155 Bridge can be loaded with bass in June. It is located in front of the main bridge on the main lake side. Surrounded by 18 feet of water, this roadbed and bridge

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Island Point GPS: N33 03.034, W96 28.313 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: White/chartreuse buzzbaits and spinnerbaits, shad-colored Bandits, Tornado F4 or F5 in watermelon red or green pumpkin CONTACT: Jeff Kirkwood, 972-853-0949, www.fishinwithjeff.com TIPS: Buzzbaits and spinnerbaits are the early baits of choice. Finding bait fish should be easy on main lake points and secondary points. The little nuances these areas provide will be your main focus. After the early bite is over shad patterned Bandits will be a great way to find active fish. After covering the area, go back over it with a Tornado F4 or F5.

BANK ACCESS: Clear Lake Pier, largemouth bass LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Creek Channel GPS: N32 03.517, W95 26,689 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Carolina-rigged plastics, ½-ounce Diamond Head Jig CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5302201, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Using my depth finder, I look for creek channels and using marker buoys, mark off the bends. Then I fish the bends with my jig, crankbaits and Carolina rig. I find these places by using my electronics and map. Largemouth bass travel in the channels and feed in the bends, so I work them A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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comes up to about 8-10 feet on top. It runs all the way to the old bridge of Ledbetter Creek.

BANK ACCESS: Dam Park, largemouth, crappie, fish pockets and rock wall LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Hwy 66 Rip Rap GPS: N32 55.033, W96 30.112 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Scum Frog, weightless Tornado F5 CONTACT: Jeff Kirkwood, 972-853-0949, www.fishinwithjeff.com TIPS: This is the time to have a blast with Scum Frogs fished up against the reeds and over hydrilla beds. As always, main lake points and the riprap around the lake will be the staple for fishing. A weightless F5 Tornado fished in any area of the lake will be the way to go. Just make sure you don’t over fish the bait. Take your time and thoroughly cover each area you fish.

BANK ACCESS: Bayview Marina, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish

LOCATION: Richland Chambers Reservoir HOTSPOT: Hickey Island GPS: N32 02.245, W96 13.267 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Buzz baits, frogs and Pop-Rs CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, 682, 518-8252, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: The Northeast side of Hickey Island, (North 287 Bridge), can be very productive. There are roadbeds and points that are holding fish. The points and tank dams down around the lighthouse, southeast of the lake also hold fish. The tanks and road bed by the Tarrant County water intake have also been very productive.

BANK ACCESS: Midway Landing, fish the shoreline on either side of the boat ramp, largemouth, crappie, white bass LOCATION: Richland Chambers Reservoir HOTSPOT: Ferguson Point GPS: N31 57.667, W96 09.234 SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Clear Tiny Torpedoes or other small silver or clear topwaters

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CONTACT: Royce Simmons, 903-3894117, www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: Look for early morning schooling action on the main lake from Fisherman’s Point Marina all the way back to the Hwy 287 Bridge. The South shoreline from Fisherman’s Point Marina to Ferguson Point is a great place to start the morning.

With a light breeze and some cloud cover, the topwater action can last several hours.

BANK ACCESS: Midway Landing, fish shoreline on either side of boat ramp, largemouth, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Welch Park Dam Area GPS: N30 19.900, W96 32.150 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Stink bait or shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: May and June are spawning months. Look for fish on structure where they might put their nests. This area offers a rocky shore, good for spawning. Use a slip cork to drift through the rocks. Using a split shot and a small hook will let the bait drift right into the docks without hanging up as much. You might hang up some, but remember if you are not in the nesting area you are not on the fish. Hanging up is part of fishing when fishing structure. Fish nest in holes between the rocks, not away from them.

BANK ACCESS: Big Creek Marina, most species LOCATION: Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir HOTSPOT: Dam Bluffs GPS: N31 01.699, W97 31.849 SPECIES: Smallmouth bass BEST BAITS: Blue and silver Rat-L-Trap, Texas rigged worm CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, 254-368-7411, Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com TIPS: Thirty minutes prior to sunrise through two hours after will be your best shot at shallow fish in this clear, deep water.

Run the Rat-L-Trap parallel to the rip rap early, use Texas rigged worm deeper any other time. Fish out to 14 feet deep.

BANK ACCESS: Stillhouse Park, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, smallmouth bass

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LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Platter Flats GPS: N33 54.923, W96 33.777 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Topwaters, jigs, live bait CONTACT: Bill Carey, 877-786-4477, bigfish@striperexpress.com TIPS: Early mornings cast topwater lures on shallow banks. As the day wears on I change to 1-ounce Sassy Shad jigs in Whiteglo or Chartreuse. Fish the flats, creek ditches, and river edges. Live shad is also a good way to catch stripers; anchor or drift the river and creek ledges around Platter Flats.

BANK ACCESS: Rock Creek; cast topwaters early and switch to live or cut shad

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CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Anchoring in 32 feet of water, just off Whitney Hump/Point, drop bait with just enough weight to get it to the bottom.

Then reel about 4-5 turns off the bottom.

The fish are running the edge of the hump to and from deep water chasing shad.

BANK ACCESS: Loafer’s Bend shoreline, stripers, white and largemouth bass.

Flag Down a Buchanan Striper LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Flag Island GPS: N30 48.571, W98 26.440

LOCATION: Lake Waco HOTSPOT: Reynolds Creek GPS: 31 35.390, W97 14.776 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, topwaters, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, deep-diving crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, 254-7442104, rayado@earthlink.net TIPS: Fish and change as needed, the above baits in the standing timber at the south side of the entrance to Reynolds Creek, working the edges and back into the flooded timber. When done here move back out of the timber and continue on into the creek. When you cross the point on the left side, the depth quickly drops off to around 25 feet. Largemouth bass frequent this area in the summer because the deep water is always cool. When hungry, they swim up and over the point and head to edges and the timber to feed. Watch for the drop off on your graph. Don’t be surprised if you see a number of larger bass stacked up from the bottom up to around 10 feet. This is the time to rip a big deep diving crankbait such as Bomber’s BD7 Fat Free Shad or Norman DD22 through them.

BANK ACCESS: Reynolds Creek Special Shore Fishing Area; inquire at gate for directions; largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Deep Hump GPS: N31 53.804, W97 21.923 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Live shad A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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ALL GPS COORDINATES VERIFIED BY

SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Live bait, or striper jigs, Pirk Minnows CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Water temperature around 80 to 84 degrees. Work the stripers by trolling a striper jig and vertically jigging a ½-ounce Pirk Minnow from Flag Island to the dam in 28 to 40 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Thunderbird Resort, catfish, largemouth, crappie, white bass LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Turkey Creek GPS: N29 51.846, W98 13.152 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Small Zara Spooks, Secret Weapon buzzbaits, watermelon red Wacky Sticks, rigged Texas style, with a 1/8-ounce tungsten weight.

TF&G Wildlife Quiz • This animal is native to Texas but rarely seen except along the Rio Grande corridor.

• They are in the same family as raccoons but unlike the common cousins roam chiefly during daylight hours.

• In South and Central America where these animals are most common, people often keep them as pets. In fact, it is possible to potty train them.

• Most specimens have a long tail with rings on it?

CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Zara Spooks early and silver bladed white Secret Weapon buzzbaits at daylight and dusk in 3 to 6 feet of water. Mid day switch to Watermelon Red Wacky Sticks rigged Texas style with 1/8-ounce Tungsten weights and fish along bluffs near Turkey Creek in 10 to 20 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Potters Creek Park, largemouth bass, stripers, catfish

Bass Huddled on Hubbard Hump

LOCATION: Lake Lyndon B. Johnson HOTSPOT: Lighthouse Point GPS: N30 33.788, W98 21.717 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Black Secret Weapon buzzbaits, Zara Spooks, Berkley Craws, Rat-L-Traps, Li’l Fishies Shad CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Fish the black Secret Weapon buzz bait early in the morning, along with topwaters like the Zara Spook. Work Berkley Craws rigged Texas style with 1/8-ounce Tungsten weight along the edge of riprap at night and around docks and points near the Kingsland area.

BANK ACCESS: Robin Hood Park, catfish, largemouth bass

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: 10-inch Power Worms, 8-inch lizard Carolina rigged both in red shad or junebug CONTACT: Wendell Ramsey, 325-2274931, bram4@suddenlink.net TIPS: This hump has good water all around it with the river channel near the east side. Throw your Texas rigged 10-inch worm or drag a Carolina rigged eight-inch lizard along the bottom and feel for the chunk rock isolated at around 12 to 15 feet. When all else fails, change your color from red to any shade of green.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing piers are located near most of the boat ramps. Largemouth bass, white crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, white bass, freshwater drum

What is it?

• This fish is present in many Texas water bodies but is not native to the United States.

• It is a member of the cichlid family.

• It is the third most important fish for aquaculture only behind carp and salmonoids.

• They are very common in Mexican bass fishing lakes where it is often the chief forage species for largemouths.

Send your answers to cmoore@fishgame.com to find out if you passed the quiz.

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LOCATION: Hubbard Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Hump near Creek Channel GPS: N32 47.156, W99 00.293

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LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Lake HOTSPOT: Bourbon Street at Costello Island (main river channel) GPS: N32 53.632, W98 28.260 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Live shad CONTACT: Dean Heffner, 940-779-2597, fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: Look for the stripers off the main river channel from Costello Island back south all the way to the Bee Creek end of Broadway. Stick with the live shad as best bet. Slabs and jigs are still working as are topwaters. Pay close attention to Blue Heron activity. They are still feeding their young on shad and bugs. Working Blue Herons are your best shad indicator.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing piers are located near most of the boat ramps; largemouth bass, white crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, white bass, freshwater drum

Head for Hydrilla on Amistad LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Hydrilla on Flats and Drains GPS: N29 29.685, W101 00.521 SPECIES: Largemouth bass

BEST BAITS: Zara Spooks, Vixens, Senkos, soft plastics CONTACT: Wendell Ramsey, 325-2274931, bram4@suddenlink.net TIPS: Work the Zara Spook and other favorite topwaters early even if the winds are blowing on the flats in this area. As the sun comes up, throw a Senko rigged Texas style with a 3/16-ounce weight into the many drainage areas holding brush in 10 to 20 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Facilities available, fishing allowed from gravel bank below the bridge.

Road Bass LOCATION: Sam Rayburn Reservoir HOTSPOT: Farmer’s Cove Road Bed GPS: N31 06.690, W94 05.430 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina-rigged fluke in

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BANK ACCESS: Powell Park Marina, largemouth bass, catfish, white and striped bass watermelon red or a Football Jig in black/blue CONTACT: Don Mattern, Sr., 903-4782633, www.matternguideservice.fghp.com TIPS: This road bed is next to a 25-foot channel. The roadbed is about five feet deep on top. Sit in the channel and throw the Carolina rigged fluke or football head jig on top of the road bed and drag it back.

Contact South Regional Fishing Editor Calixto Gonzales by email at cgonzales@fishgame.com Contact North Regional Fishing Editor JD Moore by email at hotspotsnorth@fishgame.com

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Tides and Prime Times

JUNE 2009 USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

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

T12

T4

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.

T13 T7

T6 T5 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

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

T14 T18

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

T19

SOLAR & LUNAR ACTIVITY: Sunrise: 6:34a Sunset: 7:51p

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.

T20

AM Minor: 9:11a AM Major: 2:57a PM Minor: 9:40p PM Major: 3:25p

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.

Moonrise:9:27a Moon Set: None Moon Overhead:

T21

4:55p

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

KEYS TO USING THE TIDE AND SOLUNAR GRAPHS TIDE LE VEL GRAPH: 12a

Tab: Peak Fishing Period

6a

12p

6p

12a

Green: Falling Tide

AM/PM Timeline Light Blue: Nighttime

BEST:

7:05-9:40 PM

Gold Fish: Best Time

Blue: Rising Tide Red Graph: Fishing Score

Blue Fish: Good Time

SOLUNAR AC TIVIT Y: MINOR Feeding Periods (+/- 1.5 Hrs.) Time Moon is at its Highest Point in the Sky

AM Minor: 1:20a

PM Minor: 1:45p

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Major: 7:57p

12a

AM/PM Timeline

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MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)

Moon Overhead: 8:50a 6a

12p

6p

12a

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

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

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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

Yellow: Daylight

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

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

T9 T8

T3 T2 T1

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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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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

= Peak Fishing Period

7:45-9:40 AM

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

2

THURSDAY

3

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

4

5

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 2:52p

Set: 8:13p Set: 2:12a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 3:50p

Set: 8:13p Set: 2:43a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 4:49p

Set: 8:14p Set: 3:15a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 5:49p

Set: 8:14p Set: 3:49a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 6:47p

Set: 8:15p Set: 4:27a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 7:44p

AM Minor: 1:01a

PM Minor: 7:13p

AM Minor: 1:42a

PM Minor: 7:53p

AM Minor: 2:22a

PM Minor: 8:33p

AM Minor: 3:02a

PM Minor: 9:14p

AM Minor: 3:45a

PM Minor: 9:58p

AM Major: 7:13a

PM Major: 7:35p

AM Major: 7:53a

PM Major: 8:16p

AM Major: 8:33a

PM Major: 8:56p

AM Major: 9:14a

PM Major: 9:38p

AM Major: 9:58a

PM Major: 10:22p

Moon Overhead: 8:51p 6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 10:22p

Moon Overhead: 9:36p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:10p 12a

6a

12p

6p

6a

12p

6p

12a

7

Set: 8:15p Set: 5:09a

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 8:38p

Set: 8:16p Set: 5:56a

AM Minor: 4:31a

PM Minor: 10:44p

AM Minor: 5:21a

PM Minor: 11:34p

AM Major: 10:44a

PM Major: 11:10p

AM Major: 11:34a

PM Major: 11:59p

Moon Overhead: None

Moon Overhead: None 12a

6

SUNDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 12:51a 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2009

TUESDAY

JUN 1

12a

= New Moon = First Quarter = Full Moon = Last Quarter = Best Day

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 8:29a

0

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 10:46a

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

7:00-9:10 PM

3:00-4:30 PM

3:50-5:00 PM

4:45-6:10 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:35a BEST:

4:10-6:50

Moon Underfoot: 12:25p BEST:

5:10-7:50

Moon Underfoot: 1:16p +2.0

BEST:

5:45-8:00 TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 9:59a

TIDE LEVELS

+2.0

Moon Underfoot: 9:13a

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

12:18 AM 5:47 AM 11:57 AM 7:09 PM

1.07 ft 0.71 ft 1.25 ft 0.26 ft

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

2:09 AM 7:20 AM 12:11 PM 7:47 PM

1.20 ft 0.96 ft 1.22 ft 0.02 ft

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

3:39 AM 9:03 AM 12:19 PM 8:24 PM

1.36 ft 1.15 ft 1.23 ft -0.17 ft

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

4:49 AM 10:54 AM 12:11 PM 9:01 PM

1.49 ft High Tide: 5:43 AM 1.26 ft Low Tide: 9:38 PM 1.26 ft -0.29 ft

1.57 ft High Tide: 6:29 AM 1.59 ft High Tide: 7:09 AM 1.57 ft -0.34 ft Low Tide: 10:15 PM -0.36 ft Low Tide: 10:52 PM -0.33 ft

+1.0

0

-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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

8 Set: 8:16p Set: 6:47a

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:17p Moonrise: 10:11p Set: 7:40a

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:17p Moonrise: 10:50p Set: 8:36a

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:17p Moonrise: 11:25p Set: 9:32a

10

SATURDAY

11

12

SUNDAY

13

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:18p Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 11:57p Set: 10:27a Moonrise: None

14

Set: 8:18p Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:18p Set: 11:22a Moonrise: 12:26a Set: 12:16p

AM Minor: 6:12a

PM Minor: 12:00p

AM Minor: 7:06a

PM Minor: 12:53p

AM Minor: 7:59a

PM Minor: 1:47p

AM Minor: 8:51a

PM Minor: 2:39p

AM Minor: 9:41a

PM Minor: 3:30p

AM Minor: 10:28a

PM Minor: 4:18p

AM Minor: 11:13a

PM Minor: 5:03p

AM Major: 12:00a

PM Major: 12:25p

AM Major: 12:53a

PM Major: 1:18p

AM Major: 1:47a

PM Major: 2:11p

AM Major: 2:39a

PM Major: 3:02p

AM Major: 3:30a

PM Major: 3:52p

AM Major: 4:18a

PM Major: 4:39p

AM Major: 5:03a

PM Major: 5:24p

Moon Overhead: 1:42a

12a

9

FRIDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 3:22a

Moon Overhead: 2:33a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 4:09a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:36a

Moon Overhead: 4:54a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:18a 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 9:27p

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2009

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 2:07p +2.0

BEST:

0

-1.0

BEST:

7:50-10:00 PM

8:00-10:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 4:32p BEST:

8:40-11:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:15p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 5:57p BEST:

9:20-11:40 PM

10:20pm-12:10am

Moon Underfoot: 6:38p +2.0

BEST:

12:20-2:00 PM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 3:46p

TIDE LEVELS

7:00-8:50 PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:57p

High Tide: 7:47 AM 1.54 ft High Tide: 8:23 AM Low Tide: 11:29 PM -0.28 ft

1.49 ft

Low Tide: 12:06 AM -0.21 ft Low Tide: 12:42 AM -0.11 ft Low Tide: 1:17 AM High Tide: 8:57 AM 1.45 ft High Tide: 9:27 AM 1.40 ft High Tide: 9:54 AM

0.01 ft 1.36 ft

Low Tide: 1:51 AM 0.16 ft High Tide: 10:16 AM 1.31 ft

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

2:25 AM 10:33 AM 5:29 PM 9:22 PM

0.33 ft 1.26 ft 0.82 ft 0.88 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

= Peak Fishing Period

7:45-9:40 AM

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

15

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

16

THURSDAY

17

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

18

19

SUNDAY

20

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 1:23a

Set: 8:19p Set: 2:06p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 1:54a

Set: 8:19p Set: 3:06p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 2:28a

Set: 8:20p Set: 4:10p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 3:07a

Set: 8:20p Set: 5:18p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: 3:54a

Set: 8:20p Set: 6:27p

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 4:50a

21 Set: 8:20p Set: 7:36p

AM Minor: 11:57a

PM Minor: 5:46p

AM Minor: 12:15a

PM Minor: 6:28p

AM Minor: 12:58a

PM Minor: 7:10p

AM Minor: 1:40a

PM Minor: 7:53p

AM Minor: 2:26a

PM Minor: 8:40p

AM Minor: 3:16a

PM Minor: 9:32p

AM Minor: 4:13a

PM Minor: 10:29p

AM Major: 5:46a

PM Major: 6:07p

AM Major: 6:28a

PM Major: 6:50p

AM Major: 7:10a

PM Major: 7:33p

AM Major: 7:53a

PM Major: 8:18p

AM Major: 8:40a

PM Major: 9:08p

AM Major: 9:32a

PM Major: 10:02p

AM Major: 10:29a

PM Major: 11:01p

Moon Overhead: 6:59a

12a

6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 8:26a

Moon Overhead: 7:41a

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:15a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:08a

Moon Overhead: 10:09a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 12:12p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:19p Moonrise: 12:54a Set: 1:10p

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2009

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 7:20p +2.0

Moon Underfoot: 8:03p

BEST:

0

Moon Underfoot: 10:38p

Moon Underfoot: 11:39p

Moon Underfoot: None

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

1:00-2:40 PM

1:50-3:10 PM

2:20-3:40 PM

3:10-4:20 PM

4:00-6:00 PM

4:40-6:20 PM

+2.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 9:41p

TIDE LEVELS

12:30-2:10 PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:50p

-1.0 Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

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3:02 AM 10:44 AM 5:33 PM 11:42 PM

0.53 ft 1.21 ft 0.61 ft 0.91 ft

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Low Tide: 3:46 AM 0.75 ft High Tide: 10:47 AM 1.18 ft Low Tide: 6:00 PM 0.37 ft

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T E X A S

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

F i s h

1:34 AM 4:46 AM 10:40 AM 6:35 PM

&

1.06 ft 0.98 ft 1.19 ft 0.10 ft

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

3:01 AM 6:14 AM 10:18 AM 7:17 PM

1.25 ft 1.19 ft 1.25 ft -0.17 ft

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

4:07 AM 8:31 AM 9:29 AM 8:03 PM

1.45 ft High Tide: 5:02 AM 1.35 ft Low Tide: 8:53 PM 1.35 ft -0.42 ft

1.60 ft High Tide: 5:53 AM -0.63 ft Low Tide: 9:45 PM

+1.0

0

-1.0 1.70 ft -0.77 ft

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= New Moon = First Quarter = Full Moon = Last Quarter = Best Day

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2009 MONDAY SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

22 Set: 8:20p Set: 8:39p

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 7:05a

AM Minor: 5:15a

PM Minor: 11:31p

AM Major: 11:31a

PM Major: 12:04p

Moon Overhead: 1:18p

12a

6a

12p

6p

23

WEDNESDAY

24

25

SATURDAY

26

SUNDAY

27

AM Minor: 6:21a

PM Minor: 12:04p

AM Minor: 7:27a

PM Minor: 1:12p

AM Minor: 8:33a

PM Minor: 2:19p

AM Minor: 9:34a

PM Minor: 3:21p

AM Minor: 10:30a

PM Minor: 4:18p

AM Minor: 11:22a

PM Minor: 5:10p

AM Major: 12:04a

PM Major: 12:37p

AM Major: 1:12a

PM Major: 1:43p

AM Major: 2:19a

PM Major: 2:47p

AM Major: 3:21a

PM Major: 3:47p

AM Major: 4:18a

PM Major: 4:43p

AM Major: 5:10a

PM Major: 5:33p

Moon Overhead: 3:24p

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Set: 11:04p Moonrise: 10:39a Set: 11:41p Moonrise: 11:43a Set: None

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Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 8:18a

6a

Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 10:23p Moonrise: 9:30a

FRIDAY

Set: 8:21p Set: 9:35p

Moon Overhead: 2:23p 12a

THURSDAY

Moon Overhead: 4:21p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:02p

Moon Overhead: 5:14p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Sunrise: 6:21a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 12:45p Set: 12:14a

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 5:54a

TUESDAY

Moon Overhead: 6:49p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 12:45a

0

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

6:00-7:20 PM

6:50-8:10 PM

7:40-9:20 PM

Moon Underfoot: 3:54a BEST:

8:10-10:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 4:48a

Moon Underfoot: 5:38a

Moon Underfoot: 6:26a +2.0

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

3:00-5:10 AM

4:00-5:50 AM

4:50-6:00 AM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 2:54a

TIDE LEVELS

+2.0

Moon Underfoot: 1:50a

-1.0 High Tide: 6:41 AM 1.73 ft High Tide: Low Tide: 10:38 PM -0.82 ft Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:26 AM 12:15 PM 1:59 PM 11:30 PM

1.70 ft High Tide: 8:06 AM 1.63 ft 1.49 ft Low Tide: 12:52 PM 1.37 ft 1.50 ft High Tide: 3:34 PM 1.41 ft -0.78 ft

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

12:22 AM 8:40 AM 1:45 PM 5:10 PM

-0.62 ft 1.52 ft 1.19 ft 1.27 ft

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

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

1:14 AM 9:10 AM 2:46 PM 6:55 PM

-0.37 ft 1.40 ft 0.94 ft 1.11 ft

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

2:05 AM 9:35 AM 3:47 PM 8:49 PM

-0.05 ft 1.30 ft 0.66 ft 0.98 ft

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

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2:56 AM 9:56 AM 4:46 PM 10:53 PM

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0.30 ft 1.22 ft 0.37 ft 0.95 ft

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+1.0

0

-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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

TUESDAY

29

30

THURSDAY

Jul 1

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

2

3

SUNDAY

4

5

Set: 8:21p Sunrise: 6:22a Set: 12:46a Moonrise: 2:44p

Set: 8:21p Set: 1:18a

Sunrise: 6:22a Moonrise: 3:44p

Set: 8:21p Set: 1:51a

Sunrise: 6:23a Moonrise: 4:42p

Set: 8:21p Set: 2:28a

Sunrise: 6:23a Moonrise: 5:39p

Set: 8:21p Set: 3:08a

Sunrise: 6:24a Moonrise: 6:33p

Set: 8:21p Set: 3:53a

Sunrise: 6:24a Moonrise: 7:23p

Set: 8:21p Set: 4:42a

AM Minor: ——-

PM Minor: 5:58p

AM Minor: 12:31a

PM Minor: 6:42p

AM Minor: 1:14a

PM Minor: 7:25p

AM Minor: 1:56a

PM Minor: 8:08p

AM Minor: 2:40a

PM Minor: 8:52p

AM Minor: 3:25a

PM Minor: 9:37p

AM Minor: 4:11a

PM Minor: 10:24p

AM Major: 5:58a

PM Major: 6:21p

AM Major: 6:42a

PM Major: 7:05p

AM Major: 7:25a

PM Major: 7:49p

AM Major: 8:08a

PM Major: 8:33p

AM Major: 8:52a

PM Major: 9:17p

AM Major: 9:37a

PM Major: 10:03p

AM Major: 10:24a

PM Major: 10:49p

Moon Overhead: 7:34p

12a

WEDNESDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:08p

Moon Overhead: 8:21p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:57p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:38p

Moon Overhead: 10:47p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: None 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:22a Moonrise: 1:45p

Tides and Prime Times for JUNE 2009

12a

FEET

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 7:12a

0

BEST:

8:00-9:40 PM

BEST:

9:00-11:20 PM

Moon Underfoot: 9:32a

Moon Underfoot: 10:22a

Moon Underfoot: 11:12a

Moon Underfoot: 12:03p

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

BEST:

2:20-4:10 PM

3:10-4:40 PM

4:00-5:30 PM

4:50-6:40 PM

+2.0

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

7:20-9:10 PM

Moon Underfoot: 8:44a

TIDE LEVELS

+2.0

Moon Underfoot: 7:57a

-1.0 Low Tide: 3:51 AM 0.65 ft High Tide: 10:14 AM 1.17 ft Low Tide: 5:40 PM 0.11 ft

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

1:06 AM 5:07 AM 10:26 AM 6:31 PM

1.05 ft 0.96 ft 1.16 ft -0.11 ft

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

3:19 AM 8:06 AM 10:22 AM 7:19 PM

1.22 ft High Tide: 4:43 AM 1.16 ft Low Tide: 8:04 PM 1.18 ft -0.27 ft

1.37 ft High Tide: 5:34 AM -0.37 ft Low Tide: 8:47 PM

1.46 ft High Tide: 6:13 AM -0.42 ft Low Tide: 9:28 PM

1.48 ft High Tide: 6:43 AM 1.46 ft -0.43 ft Low Tide: 10:06 PM -0.41 ft

+1.0

0

-1.0

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Texas ATVs

Truck Covers USA

Brazos Cycles & ATVs

The Buddy Bag

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Trucks Open Doors to Outdoor Adventures RUCKS. WITHOUT THEM, MANY OF THE TASKS we seek to accomplish in the great outdoors would quite simply be impossible. Of course, those of us who are

T

blessed to live in Texas know this better than anyone.

I make this point because trucks are truly part of our outdoors heritage and a crucial compo-

nent of the lifestyles we live. Some folks however just do not get it.

Take for example, a journalist from New York City who interviewed me a few years ago about

by Chester Moore, Jr. a conservation project. She snidely asked if I, “…drove around in a big ozone layer depleting truck that endangered everyone on the road like everyone else in Texas.”

Being a Texan, I remained polite but told her, “Lady, just because I am blessed enough to live in Texas and smart enough to drive something bigger than the wild hogs we have down here, don’t hold that against me. Plus, it is kind of hard to throw a deer carcass in the back of a Volkswagen Beetle.”

For some reason, that ended the conversation.

It did however bring to mind the many instances in my life when trucks made the difficult bearable and the seemingly impossible plausible. As a youngster, I clearly remember wanting a truck so I could use it for fishing and not only to get me to a destination but to actually fish.

Back when I was in fourth grade, all of the neighborhood kids were convinced a giant alligator gar nicknamed “Big John” lived in the gully down the street. We all tried to catch it but to no avail. One weekend some high school boys came up with the idea of tying a nylon rope to the end of a truck, baiting it with a whole chicken attached to a shark hook and floating it out under a jug.

When the jug went under, they would crank up the truck and pull the behemoth ashore.

All of the elementary school boys thought that was the greatest idea anyone had ever concocted.

The only problem was they were going to do it at the big pond on the high school agriculture department’s property where only Ag students could tread without getting in serious trouble.

This pond connected to our gully and the consensus was that Big John hung out there most of the time and left when the tides got high. We would have to watch from the road and hope they could fit the creature in the bed of their truck I28

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so we could get a glimpse.

Half a dozen or so of gathered at the gully that day to do some fishing and of course see if Big John was going to take the bait. We just did not see how he could resist a whole chicken.

After a couple of hours, we heard the truck crank up and drive forward. Our hearts raced as we wondered if they really had captured the fish that had captured our imagination for so long.

We could see that the small crowd of Ag students that gathered to see the capture of Big John were scattering like ants. They were running all over the place. Was our fabled fish so humongous they would run from it? Did it attack one of the bystanders? Our imaginations ran wild.

It turned out, they had pulled in a nine-foot long alligator that was not very happy at being hooked and pulled from the water by truck.

Nowadays I have no delusions of catching gar by truck, but back then trucks were a central theme in my outdoor dreams.

One of my most harrowing truck encounters came back in 1998, when I guided my Dad, Chester Moore, Sr., on a hunt for red deer out in Kerr County. After bagging a big 8-point-

Page I29

er, we hoisted it into a strong oak and began to skin it. Suddenly, thousands of bees moved in, started buzzing all around us, and began to cover the animal. Dad backed his truck up under the deer, I cut the hoist down, and we moved more than a mile away. The amazing part is we had to drive over rocks, through ravines and brush to get away and there is no way that could be done in some European micro car. No sir, that requires good old-fashioned truck power.

Sometimes we Texans however overdo things a bit. This should come as no surprise in the land of the 10-gallon hat and 10,000acre ranch. A prime example involving trucks are some of things we try to get them through.

Many times, we assume because we are driving a truck we can go through anything.

My Dad is a perfect example. He has a thing for being stuck when we are working with a film crew. While filming specials with Animal Planet, The Travel Channel and an independent film company he was stuck because he was determined his truck would make it through stuff it was simply not designed for, especially since it is not a four-wheel drive.

The most extreme example is when he drove into soft red clay so deep we almost could not

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

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open our doors. I remember telling him that we should walk the last 200 yards of our journey but he said, “Oh, this is a tough truck. We can make it!”

Three hours later a friend of ours with a bigger four-wheel drive truck and a winch pulled us out. Did I mention it was 3 a.m., 25 degrees and in the middle of the Sabine River bottoms in Louisiana?

A more humorous encountered involved me getting stuck because of my cousin Frank Moore’s questionable judgment. We were on a Type II property in East Texas and had drive down a narrow dirt road scouting for deer season. He was in the back of my truck and when I asked him if the ground behind me was hard enough to back up on he replied, “It’s the hardest ground I have ever seen.”

Nearly 20 years later we still have a good laugh about that one because it took us five hours to get someone there who could pull us out. If you are like me, you probably have a great appreciation for trucks and the things they allow us to do in God’s great outdoors.

If you think about it, we owe them a debt of gratitude along with the occasional washing and tune-up.

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Dress Your Bait THE NAKED BAIT CO SKIRT MAKING KIT ALLOWS you to easily make your own skirts. This kit features the exclusive Naked Bait Co Skirt Expander. This compact and unique expander eases use by utilizing Naked Bait’s a 3 wire sysSkirt-maktem which ing kit allows for a l a r g e r opening to pass skirting material

through. Designed with a locking cam to help eliminate the inconvenience of performing additional steps! Use independently or simply mount to any hard surface.

Contact: Naked Bait Co Inc., 2738 Montego Bay, Evans, CO USA 806203630; Phone, 970-506-1656.

Web: www.nakedbaitco.com

New Legacy Shotguns LEGACY SPORTS INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES A new line of shotguns for 2009. New to Legacy Sports, but an old favorite to the shotgunning crowd is the Verona. We’re bringing back a classic name, and adding semi-autos to the line! Verona semi-auto shotguns will be available in 12 and 20 gauge, with either wood or synthetic stocks.

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Legacy Shotguns Wood versions will be available in three receiver finishes: Blued, Nickel and Grey. All are inertia operated. Wood models come with 3” chambers; synthetic models come in either 3” or 3.5” chambers (12 ga., only).

Verona Semi-Auto Shotgun Features: • Aluminum Alloy Receivers with Matte Nickel or Black Anodized Finish • Chrome Lined Barrel Internally Choked for Steel Shot; Blued Finish • Brass Sight on Standard Model; Fiber Optic on Deluxe Model • Pivoted head Bolt with Integral Double Charging Lever and Sleeve • Walnut Stock with Oiled Finish; Black Nylon Recoil Pad • Patented Locking Forend; Walnut with Oil Finish • 4 + 1 Magazine Capacity • Inertia Operated Action Call 775-828-0555 or e-mail: info@legacysports.com for more information. See all of Legacy Sports’ products at: www.legacysports.com.

Randolph Sets the Eyewear Standard SINCE 1972 RANDOLPH ENGINEERING INC., HAS set the standard on function and style in the eye wear frame category with their extreme durability and classic American styles. The company brings this same level of technological performance to their line of shooting frames and lenses.

The Ranger XLW is one of the leading frame &

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

styles in their shooting/ hunting category and is the first wrap frame style designed for the unique demands of the discriminating shooter who wants to combine appearance with unequaled performance. The Ranger XLW features a full wrap top bar with an adjustable nosepiece to properly locate the shooter’s eyes relative the lens optical center. Combined with the RE 8-base, decentered, polycarbonate, interchangeable lens system shooting enthusiasts have the option of choosing from 6 custom lens tints as well as ColorMag™ Technology - a lens technology which amplifies the energy available to the eye in the orange region of the light spectrum, increasing the contrast between the target and its background.

For shooters who compete in varying conditions, RE offers their ALLSport Polarized Lens Series. The new ALLSport Polarized Lens Series includes the following lenses: Copper Polarized – This lens blocks undesirable blue light while improving contrast in other colors.

Moss Yellow Polarized – This is an excellent lens for overcast conditions. Not recommended for bright conditions.

Gray Polarized - This general purpose lens works well in a variety of conditions and situations. It offers absolute true color reception without distortion. It can be worn all day with minimum eye fatigue. It’s ideal for maximum glare reduction in intense sunlight.

Now, thanks to the RE Ranger series, there are no conditions where poor visibility will interfere with your performance.

For more information visit www.randolphusa.com or call 800-541-1405.

Ranger XLW fro Randolph Engineering

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Flawless Boat Deck Repair SAY GOODBYE TO THE PATCH JOB LOOK THE next time a non-skid fiberglass deck needs to be repaired. The Flex-Mold Non-Skid Repair System from MAS Products matches most original non-skid patterns for a nearperfect repair every time.

No more sanding out smooth areas or trying to cover up repairs with carpet. For boat builders, Flex-Mold offers the opportunity to add non-skid patterns to plugs or molds – and to neatly repair damage during construction.

The seven-step repair process: 1) match your non-skid deck pattern; 2) wax the surface; 3) sand; 4) apply matching MAS gelcote; 5) lay down Flex-Mold; 6) let set; 7) remove Flex-Mold.

Watch the “how-to” video at www.masepoxies.com//Videos/NON_SKI D_REPAIR.html.

Anywhere Brew THE BRUNTON BREWFIRE IS THE WORLD'S first portable, duel-fuel coffee maker that brings home brewed coffee anywhere. It’s just like your coffee maker at home, but this one is fueled by propane or butane fuel so it can be taken anywhere. Just put your coffee grounds of choice in the included #4 conical reusable filter, add water, BrewFire turn the knob and flip a switch. In ten to twelve minutes you have eight cups of steaming hot java.

The doublewalled, vacuumsealed stainless steel carafe keeps your coffee hot for 2.5 hours. Great for the campsite, the tailgate, picnics and anywhere else coffee is required.

The BrewFire features easy-push button ignition, tilt and wind protection shut-off and auto shut-off when reservoir is dry.

Gripped feet add stability in the field. The BrewFire weighs just 6.5 pounds. Available at www.brunton.com, Brunton, 2255

Page I31

weights and sizes 3/0, Lazer Sharp 4/0, 5/0, 6/0 and Swimbait 7/0.

Hook Seeing the popularity of swimbaits in market, YETI, MAKERS OF ULTRA-DURABLE PREMIUM today’s coolers, introduces a new 105 quart model Lazer Sharp decided to its popular Tundra Series. The new 105 to improve the process. Lazer Sharp conquart Yeti Tundra is a bit different from sulted with dozens of tournament anglers, other Tundra models in that it has a Pro Staff, and a handful of the deeper, taller design as opposed most popular swimbait to the more traditional, longer manufacturers to engineer a design. Because the 105 quart hook that would help Tundra is deeper, you can pile anglers to use swimbaits more ice on its contents to keep more effectively. them colder longer than in The L111 was designed a long cooler. The deep with an especially wide gap, cooler also has a smaller for fishing larger swimbaits. “footprint,” so it takes up Coupled with the range of less valuable deck space. It weights, the L111 offers a is ideal for under leaning combination for every situaposts or in front of center tion. The L111 comes comYeti 105-Qt. consoles and it fits better in the back plete with a screw-lock spring, Cooler of an SUV for those extended weekwhich enables the angler to easily end camping or hunting trips. center and attach soft baits.

Like every Yeti cooler, the 105 quart The L111 features a Platinum Black Tundra is one-piece roto-molded, not injec- finish and uses Lazer Sharps exclusive tion and/or blow molded like ordinary cool- sharpening and tempering processes to proers. Roto-molding is the same process used vide consistent results. to make whitewater kayaks and results in an These new hooks are available in conextremely durable cooler with uniform wall sumer friendly packs and retail for $3.49 thickness and far more durable corners. per pack of 3.

And, like every Yeti cooler, thicker walls, For more information about Lazer added insulation (especially in the lid) and Sharp products, contact us at 720-941a full-frame gasket mean this cooler will far 8700 or visit the Eagle Claw web site at out-insulate other coolers. www.eagleclaw.com Additional features include a durable full-length roto-molded hinge system, heavyduty latches, unbreakable handles, a lockable lid (which certifies it as bear resistant), OLD HARBOR OUTFITTERS RECENTLY LAUNCHED non-slip rubber feet and a dry goods rack. a new line of premium graphic t-shirts called The new Yeti Tundra 105 quart cooler The Legend Series. The line pays homage measures 30 1/4”L x 18 7/8” W and 19 to some of the greatest offshore anglers of all 1/2”H. It’s available in white or tan and time. carries an MSRP of $399.99. For more Included in the series are Ernest Heminformation on the entire line of Yeti Coolingway, Zane Grey, Ted Williams, and ers visit www.yeticoolers.com.

Frank Mundus. The shirts feature photographs of the legends next to some of their greatest big game catches. The shirts feature premium, ultra comfort cotton, a front pocket, and tagless labels. For more information, visit their website at LAZER SHARP SWIMBAIT HOOKS, THE L111 www.OldHarborOutfitters.com or call 203hooks were specifically designed for today’s 540-5150.” hottest and most effective swimbaits. Available in 1/8 oz., 3/16 oz., and 1/4 oz.

Brunton Court, Riverton, WY 82501, 307-857-4700. Or through retailers across the country. MSRP $119.

Yeti 105-Qt. Cooler

Legendary Tees

Lazer Sharp Hooks Make a Splash A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Dawson Marine: A Passion for the Business ES DAWSON JOINED HIS DAD, DOYLE, IN the auto business when Wes was in his late 20s. Wes’s father had a lifetime involvement in cars, working with new car dealerships serving in the roll of General Manager. Eventually he owned his own independent car lot. Business was good and they continued in the car sales for about 10 years together.

However, Wes had a passion for bass fishing, deep enough that he fished in some of the BASS and FLW Stren tournaments. He describes himself as not a professional angler, but pretty close. Naturally at this level of fishing, and angler gets to know some boat and motor manufacturers on a first name basis.

What about if they added some shiny new fishing boats on the car lot along side the shiny cars? Fishing was Wes’s passion so he chose to do something he really enjoyed. He approached his dad on adding some boats and motors to their product mix and the deal was done.

“I started out with Skeeter Bass Boats in 1995 to add to our car sales location. The boat business started right there,” Dawson said.

At this point in the growth of Dawson Marine, the car and boat business was located in Beaumont, still is, but the there are no more cars.

Early indications were that the boat business was a natural fit.

“It pretty well exploded on us the next two or three years. We were out of the car business by 1998, exclusive marine sales from that point forward, adding and subtracting product lines as we went.”

In 1998 Dawson Marine was the top Skeeter dealer for the nation and has been one of the top five Skeeter dealers in the United

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States ever since. “We have never been out of the top five dealers in the nation,” Dawson said.

Dawson Marine sells more than just Skeeter Bass Boats. They also sell the Skeeter saltwater and runabout line.

“We do everything that Skeeter offers,” Dawson said.

Through the years the dealership has developed a close relationship with Skeeter’s sister company, G3 aluminum boats, including Jon boats all the way through pontoon boats up to 26-foot.

Dawson Marine is an exclusive Yamaha outboard motor dealer, a key dealer, and has been since 1998. Every year the dealership has been one of the top 20 Yamaha dealers in the country. Last year Dawson Marine ranked as one of the top 10 in the United States.

He has his “ear to the ground” knowing what the angler wants in a boat.

“Sometimes people are just getting started in fishing and they want to know they can go someplace where people will help them get in the right boat/motor and with the right equipment “Their service issues are very, very critical. They are tournament fishing, putting up their dollars. If they have breakdowns or issues with their equipment, they want to feel comfortable, knowing that they can get service in a fair time range, working with people who know the equipment.

Dawson uses the example of today’s electronics on both GPS/Sonar equipment and outboards engines. “You have to diagnose the problem and get them back out on the water.”

From the original store in Beaumont, the company opened a store in Jasper in 2001 and in November of 2008 opened a location in &

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Houston. The Jasper store is big enough to display 40 boats. Ann’s Tackle Shop, a very well known tackle retailer in Jasper is located adjacent to the showroom. The Houston location, located on I-45 South is located next to Fishing Tackle Unlimited, another well know emporium of fishing tackle and supplies for the angler.

You might say the Jasper and Houston locations are truly one stop shopping for the serious angler. Find a boat motor package that is tailored made for your fishing needs and get some tips on the right fishing equipment to use while shopping for your boat.

In addition to Skeeter and G3, Dawson Marine carries Alweld, BlackJack, Frontier, Hurricane, Parti Kraft, Polar, Regal and Sea Hunt boats.

Check out www.fishingworld.com/vDealers/TX/Dawson Marine for a complete list of all the boating products and services offered by Dawson. Location addresses and phone numbers are Beaumont—4230 College St, Beaumont, 409-840-9488; Jasper—4200 North Wheeler, Jasper, 409-489-9600; and Houston— 12812 I-45 South, 281-484-7200.

—Tom Behrens

PRADCO Outdoor Brands’ Family of Fishing Companies REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT WAS ON A NORTH Texas tank or on the shore south of Houston, or anywhere in between, chances are that you have made a special memory with a lure manufactured by one of PRADCO Outdoor Brands fishing companies. Just look at some of the classic tackle box staples from its companies: Arbogast Hula Popper and Jitterbug, Bomber Fat Free Shads and Model A, Cotton Cordell Big O, Heddon Spook, Bayou Boogie and Hellbender, Rebel Wee Craw and

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Pop-R, Smithwick Rogues and many more.

Add to that the newer introductions that have become today’s memory makers, such as the YUM Dinger and Money Minnows, XCalibur One Knockers and Zell Pops, Bomber Saltwater Grade Long A and

Walkie Talkie and the jigs that Texan Alton Jones used to win the 2008 Classic, the Ajig and Pigskin Jig, along with BOOYAH spinnerbaits, and Texans would be hard pressed to tie on an “old reliable” that’s not manufactured by one of these companies.

PRADCO Outdoor Brands began with Rebel Lures, “America’s Favorite Fishing Lures,” making the original Rebel Minnow and expanded to encompass many lines of lures including the Pop-R and Wee-R, which won countless regional and national bass fishing tournaments.

Who hasn’t watched the rings dissipate around a Hula Popper in the still of dusk, then gave it a twitch and experienced the excitement of an explosive topwater strike, or slowly cranked a Jitterbug across calm water? These Arbogast fishing lures earned their place in anglers’ memories and tackle boxes, and still see plenty of bass.

East Texas anglers refined the technique of ripping lipless crankbaits through the submerged weeds, and this technique began with the original Cordell Super Spot, and spawned special color patterns such as Rayburn Red and Texas Red. It’s a staple, as much a part of fishing as twitching a Smithwick Rogue in early spring. Anglers across Texas know the effectiveness of a Cordell Big O on massive bass in lakes and tanks.

But this parent company isn’t relying on memories. Newer companies added to the mix include BOOYAH, YUM and XCalibur, with new classics designed with cutting-edge technology and top-quality research. Take one look at the YUM Money Minnow line and you’ll see a lure that will be around for a long time for fresh and saltwater anglers. The Fat Money Minnow, just released in 2008, has already become a staple for in-shore anglers after reds and trout.

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BOOYAH’s spinnerbait and jig line include new offerings such as the VibraFlx spinnerbaits and the Ajig and Pigskin Jig with design input from Alton Jones. Buzzbaits, hairdressed jigs and spinnerbaits and the Boogee

Bait are go-to lures for the most successful anglers.

The Super Rogue is a diverse X C a l i b u r plug that is a standard in many leads the inTexas anglers tackle boxes. dustry trend providing different “sound” with the new One Knocker lipless crankbaits. The One Knocker line features a single rattle instead of several, creating a unique and distinct “thunk!” instead of the normal rattle you get with other lures of this type.

Expansion is common with every successful company, and Bomber Saltwater Grade is not only making inroads, it’s paving them with memories. The Saltwater Grade Long A takes this effective freshwater lure and upgrades it with saltwater grade components, making it a redfish and trout killa, and the Walkie Talkie and A-Salt Popper are two of the hottest topwaters for inshore anglers. www.lurenet.com.

—Staff Reports

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Yamaha’s New Fuel-Efficient Generator YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, U.S.A., HAS launched the lightweight, fuel-efficient EF2000iS generator. The latest model in Yamaha’s inverter generator lineup and the result of three years of research and development, the EF2000iS provides a practical, versatile machine that can go anywhere with ease.

The EF2000iS is a quiet, long-running device with a new retro-modern design and like all Yamaha generators has the most advanced Yamaha technology and performance. Weighing in at only 44 pounds, this mighty mouse has enough power to run a microwave oven or a television, making your campsite a much more comfortable place to be.

“The EF2000iS is a perfect generator for RV owners, whether they have a built-in generator or not,” said Colin Iwasa, power equipment sales manager at Yamaha.

“Onboard generators in motorized RVs are used to run air conditioners about 20 percent of the time during a campout; the other 80 percent of the time you need much less power to run the TV, satellite system, lights, other small appliances or to charge the battery. No need to power up the big onboard generator. You

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can run the little EF2000iS all night long on less than a gallon of gas.”

Using a smaller, portable generator saves gas, pollutes less and eliminates the uncomfortable vibration created by larger generators in the motor home. And you, as well as your neighbors, will appreciate how quiet it is.

The EF2000iS is also equipped with a parallel-use function, making it compatible with Yamaha’s TwinTech or Reliance Control’s Sidewinder Parallel Kit to double generator power. This is especially helpful when additional power is needed to accommodate a wider range of uses, such as running air conditioners and larger appliances in a

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You can run the EF2000iS all night on less than a gallon of gas.

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towable travel trailer.

Its small size, ease of use and versatile handling make the EF2000iS a perfect appliance away from the campsite as well. It can be used at home as a standby generator to run your refrigerator, TV, lights or microwave oven, or provide power for anywhere from construction sites to flea markets to running outdoor sound systems.

Yamaha, always conscious of eco-friendly practices, designed the EF2000iS to meet the strictest California CARB Tier III emissions standards. Additionally, 90 percent of the parts on this generator can be recycled into other materials.

“Our top quality engineering gives the generators outstanding durability. The new EF2000iS has a longer engine life rating than all competitors in its class.”

The EF2000iS will be available for purchase in early June at local Yamaha generator dealers at a retail price is $1,099.00.

—Staff Reports

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C&S Outboard — Aluminum Boat Superstore C&S OUTBOARD IN CROSBY IS AN ALUMINUM BOAT superstore that can handle any purchase or service requirement an angler or boater could need for their metal boat. The dealership has been doing business at the same location, same ownership, since 16 June 1973. In today’s economy, the longevity of company said a whole lot—good products, good prices, and the service to back up what they sell.

“We will be working with aluminum boats when the economy is booming and gas is 50 cents a gallon. When everybody has gone back to selling 200-horsepower outboards, we will still be here selling 50-, 75-, and 100-horsepower,” said Bill Sterling, owner of C&S. Many boat dealers carry aluminum boats along with other lines of fiberglass boats as an alternate choice for less money.

“They don’t carry the aluminum because it is a good product to sell; it is just to fill in a price point at the bottom end of the range,” Sterling said.

“We are dedicated to aluminum boats, selling aluminum because we feel like it is a very advantageous way to spend your money.

“We can take a bare hull and fabricate a custom interior for it. We also have our own in-house sheet metal shop where we have the ability to do some pretty serious repairs. We have our own EPA certified paint spray booth to paint boats after we do repairs.”

C&S sells exclusively Yamaha Outboard engines. Its aluminum boat line includes Alumacraft and G3 fishing boats, and Alumacraft and Beachcomber pontoon boats.

C&S also provides custom aluminum boats for commercial accounts like the Port of Houston, Shell, and Dow Chemical.

“A lot of the boats that are used in heavy industry are not heavy boats, but little bitty johnboats that can get under docks and maneuver around,” Sterling said.

About half the fishing boats sold, saltwater and freshwater, are custom built. “We have packages we put together, packaged at our location rather than at the factory.” &

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The biggest seller in the fishing boat line is a series of saltwater aluminum, shallow-water, tunnel hull and center console boats that will float in 12 inches of water; and once on top, cruise in 6 inches of water.

“You ride in boats and hear the tales, but then you get out there and actually see what happens. There are a whole lot of boats that make claims to that, but very few that can actually do it,” Sterling said.

Customizing begins with a G3 or Alumacraft hull and then adding wiring, flooring, and rib covers. If it is a fishing boat, a center console is an option. Exact size storage boxes and livewells can be placed in the precise location the prospective buyer wants. Boats can be modified or constructed to anything a customer wants, as long as it is safe and legal.

BASS BOATS: Sterling said the same type of changes can be done for bass boats, but because of the popularity of these boats, the manufacturers have just about any custom configuration that an angler could want already prepackaged: “The bass boats are a tremendous seller for the factories. They have all kinds of shapes and configurations; it is hard for us to improve on what they are already doing. We sometimes do an occasional custom rigging for a catfish or crappie boat, but usually it is someone who had a special boat 20 years ago that they thought was great. It finally wears out and they want a boat something like it, but changed a little bit.”

CUSTOM FLOOR PLANS: C&S can also order custom floor plans on pontoon boats: “Beachcomber will change floor plans to fit the customer’s needs. For example, they are one of the few companies where you can order a boat that is wheelchair friendly. You can put a boat together where two or three people in wheelchairs can go out boat riding, fishing, and spend a day on the water in safety and security.”

Sterling said boat buyers should shop the market for the best price and boat, but if you are in the market for a quality aluminum boat, set up the way you want it, call or stop by C&S Outboard.

Contact: C&S Outboard, 800-444-3517, 281-328-2557, www.csoutboard.com.

—Tom Behrens

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High Intensity Floodlight PREADER LIGHTS ARE INVALUABLE TO anglers who night fish, leave the dock before dark, or spend any time on the water after sunset. Unfortunately, they’re also riddled with problems: they rip through your battery power, pop breakers left and right, and many models fill up with water and corrode away to useless within a season or two. Thankfully, new LED lights use up a whole lot less electricity and some are even watertight.

Most boaters have discovered LED superiority on trailers, since they end the problem of water intrusion and tend to last 10 times as long as bulb lights. To find out if they can replace deck illumination as well, I tested Lumitec’s High Intensity Floodlight (www.lumiteclighting.com), an LED spreader designed to do the duty of a pair of old-fashioned deck lights.

On a 22-foot boat a single Lumitec proved more then sufficient, bathing everything from the leaning post aft in a bright yet soft white light.

The LED’s definitely don’t cause as much glare as halogens, and they disburse the light better over a large area. The Lumitec is sealed so water intrusion won’t be a problem, and focusing a washdown hose on it for 15 minutes had zero effect. The biggest surprise, however, is its size; this is a very small package. In fact, the light is half the size of a traditional spreader.

I liked the mount it came with because a sin-

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gle bolt meant I only had to drill one hole in the mounting plate. At first I was a bit worried about depending on a single bolt, but because of the light’s reduced size and weight, that’s all it takes to secure the Lumitec.

That mount allows you to adjust the angle of the light up and down, but not from side to side (as is the case with most spreader lights.)

Another surprising benefit of the Lumitec became apparent when I was rigging the power wires to the light, through the T-top pipe work.

This job can be very problematic and time consuming, but it turned out to be a lot easier then expected thanks to the low power draw of LEDs. That meant I could use .14-gauge wire instead of the much thicker .8 or .10-gauge that would normally be required, so the wires were much easier to fish through. At $220 these lights are not exactly cheap, but remember that a single High Intensity Floodlight will take the place of two halogens, which go for $50 to $75 each.

Each time you buy them, that is, because you will almost always end up replacing one or the other after a season or two, unlike the Lumitec.

—Lenny Rudow

Fugawi Marine ENC 4.5.2 Charting PUTTING YOUR CHARTS UP ON A PC IS GREAT FOR planning but it can also be a serious pain in the butt—most charting programs are incredibly complex, take hours to install, and days to figure out. But when I tested Fugawi’s latest Marine ENC version (4.5.2), I found it to be among the easiest of the software packages out there.

I’ve spent a lot of time (weeks, if you add it all up) fighting with marine navigation software in the past. Some programs are complex enough to run a battleship, some have “security” features that bewilder valid users, and others seem like the programming was designed by androids. So I was a bit worried when I plugged the Fugawi installation disk into my computer.

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ure out basic functions and features. That’s pretty darn low on the frustration scale, for a computo-phobic mariner like me. But part of the Fugawi’s strength—its simplicity—is also part of its weakness. In most chartography programs, for example, 3-D views give a realistic look at what’s below the surface. But the 3-D view in this program is only the “folded map” type, which essentially bends a picture of a chart over the landscape. Otherwise, the program’s functions are more or less on par with its competition: route planning and navigation, feature/nav aid data, waypoint, route, and track storage and transfer, multiple chartography compatibility, night vision mode, GPS auto-detect, and chart printing functions are all part of the program. Marine ENC doesn’t include the shipboard-management sections that you’ll find on some programs, which is a real blessing because cramming all that stuff into a nav program makes it so complex and cluttered it’s nearly impossible to use.

Where Fugawi really shines, however, is that it’s the first (and at least for the time being, the only), program of its type that’s compatible with Navionic’s new Platinum+ chart cards. The program comes with a card reader, and using it is as simple as pulling the chip out of your GPS, plugging it into the reader, and attaching the reader’s USB to your computer. That means the exact same charts you see at the helm are the ones you get on-screen on your computer.

System requirements are Microsoft Windows XP or Vista, 512 MB RAM, 250 MB hard drive space, a DVD drive, and graphics accelerator. The list of GPS compatibility is long and includes most major brands, and Marine ENC will also support real-time navigation with any GPS with NMEA V2.1 or better. The program comes with nautical planning (lowdata) charts for the country, details over 25,000 marine service locations and searchable place names, and elevation/bathymetrics data of the US. Plus, it also includes Fugawi Street Overlay road mapping, so you can use this program for landlocked navigation as well

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Shotgun Slugs HOTGUN SLUGS ARE SOMETHING WE TEXANS generally do not know much about. We do not think of them in relation to deer hunting, but we accept that cops like them for shooting through car doors to get to the bad guys inside. In contrast, in the more densely populated Northeast and Midwest it is common for the deer hunter to harvest his buck each season with a shotgun using either slug or buckshot.

Slugs come in all the gauges, but for this discussion you can be assured that I am talking about 12-gauge. The 20-gauge slug is the smallest that I could with good conscience recommend for hunting, and the 28-gauge and .410-bore slugs are simply too small for any serious application.

For reference, a 12-guage bore measures .729”, a 16-gauge is .663”, and a 20-gauge is .615”. As you can see, a 12-gauge slug can be nearly ¾- inch in diameter. It will weigh in the vicinity of one ounce or 1/16th of a pound.

A 12-gauge slug will have a muzzle velocity of from about 1600 feet per second to 2000 feet per second, will carry well over 2500 ft pounds of striking force, and has more frontal area than any modern sporting rifle.

To quote from a James Bond movie, “It has a delivery like a brick through a plate glass window.”

It does not, however, have the blasting, tissue destroying effect of a high velocity, expanding rifle bullet, because energy is

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increased exponentially by higher velocity, and only relatively by greater bullet weight.

There are basically two kinds of shotgun slugs, though there are many variations. First is the standard hollow-base, soft lead slug that is the same size as the bore diameter of the shotgun. This type is the most common and it is in some shotguns, especially those equipped with rifle sights or a scope, quite accurate.

The hollow-base is intended to expand upon firing so that no gas from the combustion of the powder escapes by the slug. This type of slug has been around for a very long time. It

by Steve LaMascus is easy and cheap to make and is relatively efficient in a shotgun.

The other is the sabot (pronounced saybow) slug. This uses a bullet that is smaller than bore diameter, which is encased in a special sabot or sleeve that fits the bore, but which falls away upon firing, leaving the slug to travel to the target unimpeded. This is a newer development than the former lead slug and is generally thought to be more accurate and more efficient.

The hollow-base lead slug flies through the air like a sock with sand in the toe; the rounded forward end is heavier than the hollow rear end and thus leads the charge. This ancient technology, which can trace its ancestry back to the Minie bullet of 1849, is surprisingly accurate. Some shotguns will shoot these slugs into very small groups at 50 yards, and some will do well out to around a hundred. A hundred yards, however, is the ultimate limit at which I would attempt to use a lead shotgun slug on game.

The second type of slug, the saboted bullet, is a more efficient and generally more

accurate projectile. It is built to be more aerodynamic; the sabot, or sleeve, tends to limit deformation of the slug by contact with the barrel; a more aerodynamic projectile that is not deformed, shoots better. Simple.

Shoot this more efficient projectile in a rifled barrel and you have a pretty good rig for hunting deer. Good examples of this type of slug are the Federal Sabot Slug HP, the Barnes Expander HP, and Barnes Expander Tipped slugs, as loaded in the Federal VitalShok line. However, the difference in price is pretty dramatic. Standard lead slugs sell for about $5 for a box of five, whereas the going price for the sabot-type slugs is from $12 up for a box of five.

With the huge increase in the number of deer hunters and the equivalent increase in popularity of the sport, there have also been introductions of technology to make it easier for the hunter to take his buck. One of these advances in technology was the introduction of barrels made especially for shooting slugs.

At first these barrels consisted of nothing more than a standard open-choke shotgun barrel with a set of open-sights attached. Then came the advent of scopes on shotguns. Now we have special rifled barrels intended strictly for shooting slugs.

If you want to go the bargain basement route, find an after-market barrel with sights and stick it on your old Remington 870. If you want to go for the full catastrophe, buy a specially built slug gun. The truth, however, is that no matter how much technology you throw at the problem, you cannot turn a shotgun into a high-velocity deer rifle. On the other hand, a man armed with a shotgun full of slugs is not someone to be toyed with, at any range.

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might not be hard-wired like mine, and just because I find Fugawi easy to use doesn’t mean you will. Good thing you can go to their website, www.fugawi.com, and download a 10&

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day temporary demo version. Take it for a free spin, and find out if it’s what you’re looking for. —LR

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The Changing Prairie Part 1 HE “DOG DAYS OF SUMMER” MAY SEEM LIKE an odd time to think about cold overcast mornings and wings whistling through an early morning sky, but preparations are well underway here on the Texas Coastal Prairie for the 2008 waterfowl season. Blinds need to be repaired and new ones built, decoys need to be touched up from the previous season, retrievers need to be conditioned, and ponds need to be prepared to be filled. Before we know it the special September teal season will be upon us igniting an inner flame that only hunters, and in my case duck and goose hunters, can understand. The predawn wait for shooting time always gives me a chance to reflect on all the great hunts and most importantly the good friends that I have been privileged to share a blind or rice stubble field with on a duck or goose hunt. From the moment the first jet-like blue winged teal falls cleanly to a load of steel six shot my entire being begins to anticipate the opening of the regular season in November.

As a kid of the late 60’s and 70’s growing up in a region of Texas known as the “Goose Hunting Capital of the World,” I was privileged to experience world-class waterfowling virtually in my backyard. In the pre “pay to play” world of waterfowling, the prairie of Garwood, Texas, held an endless list of opportunities for the adventurous young hunter with family and acquaintances in the rice farming industry. Unfortunately, those same opportunities do not exist for the youth of today.

A chance to bag a limit of geese or ducks as a kid was little more than a short ride from our home “in town” to the open prairie

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down FM 333 or 1693. Many a morning and sometimes afternoons were spent with friends outfitted in our best waterfowling attire. Our hunting clothes amounted to an embarrassing assembly, by today’s standards, of dingy, somewhat water-repellant clothing, either tan or brown in color (camouflage was for the privileged), completed by a pair of hip boots (most

by Michael Lanier sporting numerous tire patches) for those lucky enough to have a pair. Our hunts involved pursuing the snows, blues, specklebellies, Canadas, and puddle ducks that called our prairie home during the winter.

Rice farming was a huge industry in our region of Texas during the 60’s, 70’s, and most of the 80’s. The farming industry supported our community with few able to say that their livelihood was not directly or indirectly tied to farming. Fields only lay idle during their off year in the farming rotation (2 or 3 year rotations were the norm).

Those fields that did not support a cash crop supported cattle left to graze on the vegetation that followed a wet winter. The ducks and geese that migrated from their nesting grounds far to the north found the relatively mild winters on our prairie with its abundant food sources to be a welcome respite from the harsh winters of the northern Central Flyway.

Agriculture practices and the equipment used during those decades were not as efficient as those utilized by the remaining farmers today. Waste grain was plentiful for the birds arriving on their wintering grounds.

Once it spoiled or was consumed, the vegetation that sprang up following the harvesting of the crops created a smorgasbord for the hundreds of thousands of birds that funneled down the flyway. The fields were terraced by levies, as they are today, but the inefficiency of the equipment left the ponds intact and numerous low spots that would hold water following a rain. Those ponds and low spots attracted waterfowl. Most of those natural ponds are gone now, falling victim to bigger A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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and more efficient equipment. Farmers are now able to produce a “cut” (smaller part of a large field separated by levies) that will hold a level of water 2 inches to 3 inches deep across its entirety but equally as capable of being drained completely dry. Farming efficiency was accelerated by the falling prices for grain driven by a poor world market, and the escalating price of inputs (equipment, fuel, fertilizer, water, etc.).

Ponds and low spots are susceptible to the young rice plant drowning and not producing a “stand” of rice as healthy and prosperous as

The reduction in rice along the coast has had a negative impact on wintering snow geese.

Arkansas to the north has much more rice and far less goose hunting pressure. plants that grow where the water level can be better regulated. They had to be eliminated as the need to become efficient grew. Survival in the industry meant becoming as efficient as possible. Many did not survive despite their best efforts and succumbed to the economics of the industry resulting in fewer and fewer acres being farmed which resulted in fewer acres of viable winter habitat for the birds.

(Part 2 will run in the July edition of Trophy Fever.)

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One of our loyal readers who is almost 60 years old, wrote me a few months ago and assured me that had he not been working out prior to last season, he would not have been able to harvest his deer alone. He was able to track the deer and then drag it to his vehicle and is a

Time to Get in Shape HEN ASKING ARCHERS WHY THEY want to hunt, I get an array of interesting answers. The challenge, the camaraderie, and the fact they get a longer season are just a few of the many reasons for bow hunting. No matter your motivating factor, staying in shape is necessary to optimize your time in the field. I can guarantee if you are not in shape while chasing that elusive whitetail, every muscle in your body will remind you of this month’s column.

Too many hunters tell themselves that they will start tomorrow and then tomorrow never comes and all of a sudden, it is opening day.

First off, consult a doctor and make sure the fitness plan you choose works for you.

I recommend you start slow, but start. You

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Bowhunters do not have to be as well-built as this guy, but keeping fit by strength training will give them a huge advantage in the field. do not have to run a marathon so a little every day is the right way to begin. Work your whole body, but concentrate on the muscles you use while bow hunting.

prouder man for his efforts.

There are many different exercises for the muscles needed to bow hunt in shape. Some of these muscle groups involve the back. Bentover rows are perfect to start to get these muscles in shape.

Using a dumbbell or just a gallon of water, place your knee on a chair; bend over the side of the chair to grab the weight and simply lift it up to your upper torso. Remember to keep your elbow straight back similar to the way you would pull a bowstring. Do three sets of 10 each and feel comfortable with this weight before increasing the weight.

Depending on which bow you own, yours might be heavier than others. If you ever had to hold your bow arm out for any length of time, then you know how hard that can be on your front shoulders. A good exercise to help build this muscle is a shoulder lift.

Starting with a lightweight, with the dumbbells in front of you, lift them straight up until they are just below your neck. Do this a few times and believe me, you will soon feel that burn that is supposed to feel good!

A variation of this is to take the weight and starting from the same position as the previous exercise, try lifting the dumbbells directly in front of you with your arms straight.

A gallon of water works well for this too. It

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AOUDAD—FORT DAVIS, TEXAS

BUCK—MASON COUNTY, TEXAS

Bobby A. Garcia of Pharr, Texas, and ranch guide, William Baize of Fort Davis, Texas, display this aoudad, killed at 250 yards with a .308 rifle at the Barrel Springs Ranch. Bobby said that hunting the aoudad was “like a chess game.”

Zachary Harden, age 12, of Lake Jackson, Texas, shot this 8-point deer at 8 yards with a bow while hunting with his dad and papa in Mason County.

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A Friend in Need F SOMEONE NEEDS ASSISTANCE ON THE WATER, you are obligated to provide it. Quite often, that means towing someone who’s broken down. Maybe the towboat is occupied, maybe they have shut down for the day, or maybe they simply don’t cover the area.

For whatever reason, sooner or later you will find yourself floating next to someone who needs a tow home or you will need that tow yourself, and the powered boat is going to have to render assistance. It’s the law of the sea. But this law can be a real problem when you are the one who needs help, and the guy providing it doesn’t know squat about how to tow someone.

The best example of this that I have seen occurred when the guys rendering assistance were allegedly professionals. A 32-foot Albemarle (an inboard boat that had little to no control with one engine down) had lost his

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starboard screw after hitting some causeway rocks lining the marina’s entrance, and called the marina office to ask for a hand. They sent a boat out to help the Albemarle maneuver between the docks and into the lift but the guy in charge made a tragic mistake, by sending out a 16-foot barge powered by a 15-hp outboard. Reaching and tying to the Albemarle beam-to-beam (on the hip, in tugboat parlance) was easy enough, but when they tried driving in-between the two docks they quickly discovered how much influence a 15-hp Johnson spinning a 10-inch diameter prop has on nine tons of fiberglass: none.

The captain of the Albemarle gave a shot of power from his one good side to get the boat moving more or less in the right direction, and naturally, the boat pulled hard to starboard. The barge operator cut the little outboard all the way to port to correct the direction of travel, opened up the throttle, and the little outboard roared and roared, and roared, while the Albemarle continued drifting to starboard. It did not stop until it reached the bow pulpit of Pro-Line sitting in its slip.

The captain of the Albemarle, still at the wheel but unable to do anything to prevent contact, cringed as bits of his gel coat went

flying through the air like confetti. Several boaters on the dock came running full-tilt, and arrived just in time to fend off the next boat in line to be smashed. Unfortunately they pushed a bit too hard and the crippled boat slowly but surely drifted towards another set of bow pulpits across the way. Again, the barge’s outboard had zero effect.

The Albemarle bounced down between the docks like it was the ball in a gigantic surreal slow-motion game of Pong, saved from further damage only by people on the docks who were defending their own boats from being smashed. The marine operator surely should have known better.

If you need to lend assistance to a disabled boat, will you have the know-how to tow them home safely? And if someone’s towing you, will you recognize if they make a serious mistake that could endanger you or your boat?

Brush up on your towing techniques, to prevent a disaster like this from happening to you.

Open water towing should be done with as long a length of line as is possible. Attach the line to the towed boat’s fore cleat. Do not, however, make the rookie mistake of attaching the powered boat by the stern cleats. This restricts the stern’s ability to swing to either

BOWHUNTING TECH Continued from Page I-38 makes a good lightweight to start with.

Lift what you can. Do not over do it. A shoulder injury is something you do not get over easily. A steady light weight to build your muscle is better than trying to be Superman the first time you try this.

If you cannot find the time to lift weights to help get yourself in shape, then at the very least, you should walk. You would be surprised to see how much more your endurance will be if you just walk everyday.

Spend at least 30 minutes a day on the I40

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treadmill, or longer if you can spare the time.

I am sure those who wear younger men’s clothes might feel like you really do not need exercise. And you might be right. However, for those of us that wore a younger man’s clothes long ago… longer than we wish to remember, this read is really going to help.

We practice hard to be proficient. We are careful about our scent control. We scout well before the season and place our tree stands where we think are the very best location. We do everything we can to have a successful hunt that includes harvesting a nice whitetail.

Shouldn’t we take care of our bodies too? &

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If one of the reasons we are out there is to have fun, then having sore muscles or not having the ability to pull back our bowstrings is not an option.

The bow season is fast approaching, so start now to get ready for it. Include a workout schedule designed for your specific needs that will help you feel fit this season.

Remember, hunt safe and have some fun out there.

E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com.

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side, and greatly reduces the boat’s maneuverability.

Instruct everyone on both boats to stay clear of the line; tow ropes are under enormous strain and if they break, can snap back like a very big, very destructive rubber band.

Because of this danger, twisted nylon is the worst towing rope since it stretches so much; braid-on-braid nylon works much better. If the boat that is being towed is an outboard or stern drive, check to make sure the drive unit is tilted all the way up to reduce drag. Do not worry about keeping the drive in the water to have some control. Without prop thrust, you will not have control, anyway. If the boat has inboards, ensure that the wheel is centered.

Once all the ropes are in place, the powered boat should shift in and out of gear to slowly creep forward until the line is tensioned as gently as possible. Then come up to speed slowly, and have a crewmember observe how the two boats are riding. If possible, particularly in rough seas, you will want to adjust the tow rope’s length so that the two boats ride the crests and troughs of the waves more or less together. Otherwise, if one boat surfs down a wave as the other climbs the back of another and vice-versa, it will multiply the load on the tow rope.

When you have gotten the tow set and underway, it will be tempting to move the throttle up. Resist temptation. Six to eight knots is plenty of towing speed, regardless of the situation. Any faster multiplies the risk of doing damage, and when a large boat tows a significantly smaller one, it’s easy to misjudge the effect of the seas and the taunt tow line on the bow of the towed boat—until that bow digs into a wave, and swamps.

Approaches to inlets, marinas, and other areas that may require close-quarters maneuvering should be taken with the boat “on the hip.”

If the tow boat is too small to control the disabled boat in this fashion, as was clearly the case with that barge and the Albemarle, then the disabled boat needs to drop anchor and wait for assistance from a larger, more capable vessel. Towing on the hip will give the tow much greater maneuverability, however, since the boats are now in close proximity as they move, the chances of damaging one or both of them go up astronomically.

Before tying the boats together, obviously, deploy as many fenders you can. Secure the powered boat slightly farther aft, so its bow is positioned about amidships against the boat

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being towed. Run lines from the bow cleat of the powered boat to the spring (amidships) cleat on the un-powered boat, from the bow of the powered boat to the stern of the unpowered boat, and from the stern of the powered boat to the far transom corner of the unpowered boat. Before attempting to move, tighten down each of these lines as much as possible. Allow the two boats to float together for a minute, then re-tighten them all. It is best to constantly maintain contact with the fenders between the fiberglass, as opposed to bouncing on and off of each other repeatedly.

When maneuvering in very tight quarters, turn the wheel in the direction you want to go with the throttles in neutral, then apply a short burst of power. Remember, short bursts: keep it in gear while applying sufficient power to make a turn and you will prob-

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ably start going faster then is safe.

And as you approach solid objects you will want to keep the boats very, very s-l-o-w.

In the second-worst towing incident I have observed the towboat cast free his tow about 50’ from the dock while moving at five or six knots, and while that may not sound like a lot of speed, it was enough that the crew could not stop the boat as it T-boned a classic wooden schooner. Crunch.

Who was responsible? Was it the tower or the towee? The law was not very clear on this point. But one thing you can count on: sooner or later, the law of the sea will call on you to break out a tow line. Good thing you will know how to get the job done.

E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com

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Fisherman’s Analyst HEN YOU GRAVITATED TO THE SERIOUS side of fishing you tend to spend as much time thinking about fish as you actually do wetting your line.

Reading, preparing for trips, and tackle maintenance all take on an important new perspective.

The scientific angler keeps a journal, noting such things as wind direction and speed, water temperature, tide information, and other variables.

When enough journal entries have been collected, the fisherman can go back and seek out patterns. Once a pattern has been established, the serious fisherman can then make informed decisions as to when and where to fish.

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The Fisherman’s Analyst is a comprehensive computer program which provides an integrated tide prediction table, journaling section, and charting capabilities. The software is sold by Third Stone Software, www.thirdstonesoft.com.

I was compelled to invest some time evaluating the new program. Perhaps my reluctance to evaluate a software program stems from my dislike of all things which are Windows-based.

I do not know why but my computers are not

by Greg Berlocher as reliable as my Calcutta reels, even though they get doused with saltwater routinely. Go figure.

The CD tray on my laptop closed and within minutes the software was loaded. The main screen features a tide chart which can be easily adjusted to display a day at a glance, a week, or even longer. My personal preference is to check out tides a week at a time. Bingo. It was done. The bright colors on the tide chart are configurable, allowing you to pick your

favorite colors for high tides, low tide, and periods of major feeding activity.

Many tide charts provide high and low tide information but not much granularity on tide strength. The Fisherman’s Analyst takes this to a whole new level.

“I started looking for journaling software that I could use to chronicle my fishing trips on and discovered there weren’t any. I developed my own and then incorporated a tide prediction table into it,” said Gary Easterwood, the angler/mad programmer, who created the program.

“Because entire bay systems are quite large bodies of water you won’t see a lot of height change during a tidal change but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of tide strength. There is a strong horizontal movement of water but it takes a while to affect the height. The horizontal movement of water is what triggers fish to feed.”

The Fisherman’s Analyst allows anglers to see these strong horizontal movements of water and target fishing trips around water movement. Keep in mind that on some tidal changes, the horizontal movement of water is 15-20 minutes. Then the fishing shuts down.

Easterwood, a 25-year veteran of the information technology field, knew what he wanted and ended up developing a program that incorporates the tide prediction table, along with database capabilities which allow you to store a wide range of inputs of data about every trip, including photos. You can then sort the data in endless combinations.

One of Easterwood’s favorite tricks is to snap a digital image of his catches and he then stores the images as part of the trip report.

Each image has a unique time stamp which allows Easterwood to analyze what was going on with the tide when he caught the fish. Very smart!

I found the software easy to manipulate and extremely affordable: $39.95 MSRP. It is available online from Third Stone Software’s website and you can also find it on Amazon.com. Several deals with major retailers are

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Reloading on the Rise OR A COUPLE OF DECADES, FROM ABOUT THE 1970s to the late 1990s, the number of shooters who were also reloaders seemed to be dropping. The high quality and wide selection of factory ammunition, combined with the large amount of expendable income most citizens had, made it seem unnecessary to reload, so the number of shooters who reloaded their own ammunition declined each year.

Now, however, reloading is again on the rise. There are good reasons for this, not the least of which is the increasing cost of factory ammunition. The price of a box of highpower rifle ammunition has tripled, quadrupled, or even worse, in the last 20 years.

When I was working for a large discount store in the mid-70s, a box of cartridges for a 7mm Remington Magnum cost about $7.50. That same box of ammunition today will cost as much as much as $54.00. I’m sorry if I seem shocked, but that is obscene.

It is also a darned good reason to become a reloader.

If you are a shooter, especially a handgunner, you can cast your own bullets and save immense amounts of money. With the economy as it is today, that seems the only wise route to take. I can use tire weights that I have shagged from local tire shops and make bullets for my handguns for almost nothing. Using my home cast bullets and once-fired brass, a box of 50 rounds of .44 Magnums costs – assuming my math is right — around $2.75. Compare that to $46.49 for a box of 50 240-grain jacketed Black Hills brand rounds as listed on the Midway USA website; which was “out of stock,” by the way.

A great many of the reloaders I knew as

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a youngster got started during the depression when, as Elmer Keith said, “A dollar looked as big as my hat.” Elmer wore a very large hat, by the way. They wanted to shoot and couldn’t afford to buy ammunition, so they cast their own bullets and reloaded.

Then during WWII, there simply wasn’t any ammunition, so even more shooters became reloaders, and most of them swore they would always have a good stock of primers, powder, brass, and bullets, so that if there were ever again a shortage or a depression, they would still be able to shoot and hunt. Well, here we are again, at war, short of ammo, and in a depression. Again ammunition is too expensive

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Well, here we are again, at war, short of ammo and in a depression.

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for most of us to buy, and almost absent from many dealers shelves, anyway. However, we reloaders are still in business. If you shop around a bit you can usually find quality rifle bullets at affordable prices, primers are still relatively inexpensive, there is a wider range of superior powders now than ever before, and you can reuse your brass many times. And no matter what you read on the Internet, once-fired brass is just fine. If you find some once-fired commercial brass in the trash at the range, keep it. Run it through a properly adjusted full-length resizing die and it will shoot perfectly in anything, even your AR-15. Just make sure that it is brass and not steel or aluminum. A lot of the very cheap foreign ammo, such as the A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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7.62x39mm that is commonly used in the AK-47s and SKS, has cases made of steel, which are not reloadable. Also, make certain that it is Boxer and not Berdan primed.

Boxer primed cases have a single flash hole in the center of the primer cup that allows the primer to be punched out and replaced.

Berdan primed cartridge cases have multiple off-center holes and cannot be reloaded by normal American processes.

I just spent the afternoon making a batch of cast lead bullets for my .308. It shoots them very well, although I can only push them to about 1400 feet per second with good accuracy. Still, how fast do I need to shoot a bullet to plink, practice, or shoot varmints? My buddy Wyman Meinzer recently killed a big wild hog at 165 yards with his .280 Remington shooting 165grain cast bullets at 1200 feet per second.

A couple of days ago I cast up a bunch of bullets for my .45 Colt. They were 250grain Keith bullets, and I cast them out of reclaimed tire weights, loaded some of them in brass I have already shot several times, with a light charge of powder. Total expense was about 3 bucks and a couple of hours of my time. A box of the least expensive factory ammo would cost a minimum of $30.00 and would be inferior to what I loaded.

If you are a shooter and not a reloader, I strongly suggest you consider making the step. A reloader can almost always find something to shoot, but if this depression (yes, I said depression, not recession) gets worse, or, God forbid, our government decides to take some drastic, stupid, and unconstitutional action, those who do not reload might just be out of luck. In addition to those obvious reasons, it is still true that a careful reloader can handload ammunition that is superior to most factory ammunition.

So, fellow hunters and shooters, I really see no downside here.

E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com &

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Diamond King Stinger Y DIAMOND KING STINGER RIG IS BASED on a lure that has seemingly been around forever: the chrome diamond jig. A few variations from their standard configuration, as well as how they are used, are the keys to their successful use on big kings.

There are numerous brands of chrome diamond-type jigs out there, in four to six ounce sizes, which are excellent for use with a high speed retrieve, giving a tight, quick, side to side swim motion.

To make up one of these rigs, besides the diamond jig itself, I use 14 inches of Malin No. 8, 93-pound hard wire; 11 inches of Malin 12 180 pound hard wire, a size 4 SPRO Power Swivel and an Owner ST-66 3/0-5/0 treble hook.

These components are all readily available at most of the larger tackle or outdoor stores, as well as in numerous saltwater catalogs. The wire lengths each allow three inches for a haywire on either end of the jig’s body, plus an extra two inches for the forming of the stiff hook wire connection. You will end up with a 93-pound leader of about eight inches and a 180-pound stinger wire around three inches long.

The sequence for making the haywire twists goes like this: 93-pound wire to the swivel, then to the diamond jig body; 180 to the stiff rigged treble and then to the diamond jig body. To form the stiff hook connection, closely bend the wire 180 degrees, four inches from one end. Pass the long wire end through the hook eye, then the short end wire through the hook eye from the opposite side of the first.

Now, carefully pull on both wire strands to seat the wire loop that has been formed against the base of one of the treble’s hook

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bends. Complete the haywire twist outside the hook’s eye and the stiff hook connection is complete. See the illustration. Stiff rigged gives a bit quicker and more solid hookset, another tilt of the odds in your favor.

With the jig assembled, it is time to apply the camo blue or green to everything except the jig body. The purpose is to isolate the bright jig body as the target. When a predator can see the wire and hook, that length is seen as the total length of the target. Isolating the diamond jig body helps the stinger do its job of hooking short-strikers. Rust-O-Leum spray can paints of the following descriptions are those I found to give the best camouflage treatment.

Those colors and numbers are #7727 Royal Blue for blue water use and #7435 John Deere Green for green. Either color is topped with #7902830 Matte Clear. The color coat blends with the water when viewed from the side or toward the back, to a depth of about eight to 10 feet; the matte clear kills the shine coming off the camo color paint’s slick surface. In combination, the color matched to the water lets the hardware virtually disappear.

To fish this rig, flip it out as far as practical, slowing the cast just before your Diamond &

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King Stinger enters the water. Immediately start a fast retrieve, rod tip pointed at the line’s entry into the water. The higher speed reel the better, winding as fast as you can. You cannot possibly retrieve a diamond jig too fast with any casting reel. You can use a fast and shallow retrieve or a fast, surface-skipping retrieve if you raise the rod tip. When using either of these two, remember that you must feel the weight of the fish before doing a hookset. That is if you do not, your diamond jig is coming through the air fast, toward the boat, you and your fellow anglers.

Skyrocketing kingfish are an exciting and expected sight. Twist up and camo paint some of these rigs and you will be as excited as I have been on many occasions over the 15 or so years since I came up with the basics of this rig. Fish them on your next trip into our Gulf waters and join the club of diamond king stingers!

E-mail Patrick Lemire at saltrigs@fishgame.com

ILLUSTRATION BY PATRICK LEMIRE

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Jig with a Frog Trailer OMETIMES BEING A WRITER HAS ITS benefits. Not only do I get to go hunting or fishing while telling the wife it is for work purposes but much of the time I get to speak with outdoor professionals who are the best in their field and learn from them. That is just what happened a few months back when I had the opportunity to attend the Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport, La., and rub elbows with some of the best bass anglers in the world.

If you hang out in a room full of auto mechanics chances are you will pick up a tip or two about car maintenance. If you spend three days with 51 professional bass anglers you cannot help but pick up a few of the hottest techniques on the water today and I would be remiss not to pass one along that was used by quite a few anglers at the Classic. Jig fishing is not new and not really limited to chasing bass. If I had to pick one lure that I had to use to catch any kind of fish anywhere it would be a jig due to its versatility.

While most bass anglers limit a jig to just being used to probe deep-water structure, many of the anglers at the Classic were swimming them to put some big limits in the boat. Jami Fralick, the leader at the end of the second day was swimming a jig around

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hyacinth to put around 38 pounds of bass in the boat over those first two days. Brian Snowden also put himself in the top six at the end of day two, finishing the tournament in third overall, by swimming a jig. Professional anglers have been swimming jigs for years but it never really has caught on with the recreational crowd because we are ingrained with the thought that a jig is to be cast out, allowed to sink, and then bounced along the bottom.

There is a lot of water, presumably with fish swimming in it, between the surface and bottom that isn’t being explored with the traditional jig fishing method.

Swimming a jig is fairly simple, and is actually easier than the traditional method of fishing one. Cast the jig out; let it sink slightly, then start reeling in. That is it.

For a little more action pump the rod tip slightly, making the jig dart through the water. The erratic motion seems to trigger more strikes in suspending fish.

There are jigs specifically designed for swimming but don’t feel obliged be a oneman economic stimulus package by purchasing hundreds of them in every color and design imaginable. Just about any jig you currently have in your tackle box will suffice but keep in mind that a jig is not flashy or will not put off a lot of vibration like a spinner bait so to maximize its attractiveness, use one with a large skirt and put on a big trailer (more on this later).

Another thing to remember is that swimming a jig appeals to a bass in a visual nature. Meaning, it will work in murky

water, just not as well as it does in clear water where the fish can see it bouncing off limbs and jerking around like wounded prey.

Lakes with much aquatic vegetation tend to run on the clear side and swimming a jig around this vegetation is an outstanding way to catch bass. More important than the type of jig used for swimming is the type of trailer that is put on the back end. When rummaging through the plastics on the bottom of your boat looking for a trailer, think two words, big and bulky.

Do not go for some dainty pork frog or slim craw. Instead, use something with a lot of legs and tentacles that displaces a lot of water and can slow the decent of the jig.

One of my favorite jig trailers is a Hoodaddy by Gene Larew, but from what I learned from the big boys is that one of the hottest trailers being used today is a topwater frog. That is right. These anglers are combining a soft plastic that is typically used on top with a jig that is usually dragged along the bottom to catch fish somewhere in between the two. I had one of those forehead slapping moments of insight when they passed that tip along.

Sometimes it is the most obvious combinations that turn out to be the most productive.

E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

FISH THIS! Continued from Page I-42 in the works but none had been finalized at press time.

On a recent cross-country airline trip I cranked up my laptop and started tinkering with fishing data and before I knew it, we ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW

were ready to land. I even solicited several queries from people walking down the aisle regarding the “hero photos” I had stored in some of my trip reports. It was much more entertaining than a spy novel.

I would recommend The Fisherman’s Analyst to any serious coastal angler.

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Besides helping you catch more fish, it is a great teaching aid. The software would make a great Father’s Day gift if your dad likes to cast bait and lures in the salt.

Email Greg Berlocher at fishthis@fishgame.com &

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Low River Crossings OR THREE WONDERFUL SUMMERS DURING college I served as a counselor at Camp Chrysalis just outside of Kerrville. Turtle Creek ran through the camp’s 54 acres and during the 24 hours I had off every week during summer months, I tempted bass with a variety of lures.

Soft plastics fished early and late seemed to tempt to bedevil bass hiding amidst a tangle of cypress knees or under large boulders, which had sheared off from the cliff above. Unfortunately, I was enthralled with the piscatorial theater unfolding before me, typically setting the hook prematurely as the river bass attacked my lure in the clear water.

During a memorable week (I refuse to

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admit the decade), Pastor Wayne approached me and inquired about my river experience. I quickly read off my paddling resume: Eagle Scout with canoeing merit badge, and multiple overnight canoe trips on the Brazos, Colorado, and Guadalupe Rivers to my credit. Although I was a failure driving the camp’s school bus in the hills (don’t ask me about the granny gear and double clutching), I was lucky enough to pass Pastor Wayne’s scrutiny and I had the good fortune to discover the beautiful stretch of Guadalupe between Kerrville and Comfort.

Each trip was unique and wonderful.

We alternated launch spots between the dam at Kerrville and a low water crossing, roughly halfway between Kerrville and Comfort. What a blessing the opportunity to be part-time canoe guide turned out to be. The Texas Hill Country is full of beautiful rivers with plenty of low water bridges that provide easy and free access to the rivers.

We launched our canoes near Kerrville

every morning and I rendezvoused with members of the camp staff at the low water crossing around noon. The camp bus dropped off a cheese sandwich for me and another load of campers for the afternoon paddle to Comfort, and returned the first load of paddlers to camp. The low water crossing acted as a dam and created the most beautiful pool immediately upstream.

Rimmed with lily pads, and edges punctuated with large cypress trees, most featuring scores of knobby knees around their bases, it was a fisherman’s paradise.

Unfortunately, I was officially on company time and could not fish, but the memory

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The Hill Country is full of Beautiful Rivers with plenty of low water bridges.

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burned into my mind.

A few years later, I convinced my bride and newly acquired in-laws to spend a weekend paddling the Guadalupe and doing a little fishing. It was the perfect setup, except I had forgotten to ask if my inlaws had ever been in a kayak or canoe before. My mistake.

Realizing their inadequate experience afloat, I suggested they spend some time getting acclimated to their canoe before conquering the “mighty rapids” that waited for us downstream. As my brother-inlaw and sister-in-law paddled their canoe in erratic patterns, I pulled out an ultraI46

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light spinning rod and fired a small white spinnerbait into an opening in the lily pads.

“Paddle!”

“I am paddling!”

“No, the other way!”

The noise didn’t seem to affect the bass.

Their canoe meandered about the small pool, Lady Luck as their pilot. Two bass were fooled by my spinnerbait as the shrieks of protest continued. About the third bass, my beloved in-laws settled down and inquired if they could catch some fish too. Thirty minutes later and a half-dozen more bass, we set off on our grand adventure that waited downstream.

To this day, I love the living waters tum-

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bling down the edges of the Balcones Escarpment. Anglers in search of new excitement need only go as far as the Guadalupe, Llano, Sabinal, and San Marcos Rivers. Check out a road atlas and you will find a plethora of low water crossings bridging Hill Country streams.

There is usually room to park one or two cars on either side of allow water crossing, making them ideal launch areas, but beware of private property signs.

Landowners post these signs because they mean business.

Anglers fishing the clear water streams of the Texas Hill Country should think light. Scale down the line on your reel to four- to eight-pound test and pack an assortment of small spinnerbaits,

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crankbaits, and spinners. Fly tackle is extremely productive, with small beadhead nymphs, streamers, and poppers good options.

The clear water and the cool breezes coming off Hill Country streams are certainly a refreshing change from crowded reservoirs and bays. The fish you catch are likely to be small, but extremely feisty when fought on light tackle. You will likely be the only fisherman in sight, which is the most refreshing change of all.

Email Greg Berlocher at kayak@fishgame.com.

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No Fishing Zones Established in the South Atlantic OAA HAS ESTABLISHED EIGHT SEPARATE marine protected areas encompassing a total of 529 square nautical miles in south Atlantic federal waters to shield deep-water fish species and their habitats from fishing.

All fishing for snappers, groupers, tilefishes, grunts, porgies, and sea basses is prohibited throughout the protected areas, which are located off the coast from North Carolina south to Florida.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council proposed the action to NOAA’s Fisheries Service as part of a larger management plan to protect these South Atlantic fish populations.

“I applaud the hard work of the council and the strong spirit of cooperative conservation among commercial and recreational fisherman to take decisive action to conserve habitat in order to sustain healthy fisheries for generations to come,” said James L. Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

“Marine protected areas are designed to provide long-term protection for our nation’s natural resources,” said Jim Balsiger, acting NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service.

“These areas of the South Atlantic were chosen because they feature known spawning grounds and nursery habitats for deepwater fish – especially for snappers and groupers.”

The marine protected areas are critical to the survival of over 70 species of deep-water fish susceptible to fishing pressure. These fish are not good candidates for catch-andrelease fishing because they suffer trauma when captured and reeled up from great

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A longline is essentially a gigantic trotline that is set for many miles in the ocean. They are highly destructive and one of the key problems related to overfishing around the world.

depths.

In addition, some species, such as snowy grouper, can live longer than 50 years and are the most productive spawners. It is important to protect the larger fish so they can spawn to their maximum potential, and equally important to protect the younger fish so they reach maturity.

The new protected areas range in size from 21 to 150 square nautical miles. There is one area off North Carolina, three off South Carolina, one off Georgia, and three protected areas off Florida.

Commercial shark bottom longline gear is also prohibited in these areas because the deep-water fish species are likely to be caught incidentally with this gear. All other &

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types of legal fishing, such as trolling for tunas and marlins, are allowed because those gear types are not likely to incidentally catch the species warranting protection. — Staff Reports

Coral Smugglers Busted by Feds GUNTHER WENZEK, A GERMAN NATIONAL, appeared today in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., on a nine-count indictment charging him with three felony counts of smuggling protected coral into the United States port of Portland, Ore., three felony PHOTO COURTESY NOAA

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counts of violating the Lacey Act and three misdemeanor charges of violating the Endangered Species Act, the Justice Department announced.

Wenzek appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge T. Rawles Jones, Jr. of the Eastern District of Virginia.

A grand jury in Portland, Ore. indicted Wenzek in July 2008. The indictment had been sealed pending Wenzek’s scheduled appearance at the Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Fla., this week. Law enforcement officials arrested Wenzek Wednesday night as he entered the United States at Dulles airport outside of Washington, D.C., en route to the pet exposition.

According to the indictment, Wenzek owns a company named CoraPet, based in Essen, Germany, and has sold various coral products to retailers in the United States.

An investigation was launched in 2007 after Wenzek tried to ship a container loaded with fragments of endangered coral from reefs off the Philippine coast to Portland. After this initial shipment, agents subsequently seized two full containers of endangered coral shipped by Wenzek to a customer in Portland. These two shipments made up a total of over 40 tons of coral.

The corals seized have been identified as corals from the scientific order Scleractinia, genera Porites, Acropora, and Pocillopora, common to Philippine reefs. Due to the threat of extinction, stony corals, such as

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those seized in this case are protected by international law.

Philippine law specifically forbids exports of all coral. Moreover, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) bars importation of the coral Wenzek tried to import to customers in the United States, absent a permit.

“Protection of coral reefs continues to play an important role in the Department of Justice’s environmental enforcement efforts both domestically and internationally, said John C. Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.

“Preventing the further decline of coral reefs is of paramount importance in preserving our marine environment and fisheries.”

Andrew Bruckner, a biologist from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement said, “The removal of dead coral and live rock is of major concern for coral reefs, including those reefs protecting coastal communities from storms. These corals are the fundamental building blocks of the coral reef ecosystem. Unsustainable collection of coral frequently results in the loss of important nursery areas, feeding grounds, refuge for fish and invertebrates, and increased erosion of reef systems.” —Staff Reports

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The Old Ways LLEN STOOPED AND PEERED INTO MY FACE. He was taller than most folks and ducking to talk to people was his natural habit. Now, his eyes searched me and his statements blurted out in prophesizing confessions.

“If I’m ever going to the hills it’s got to be now,” he said. “I want to see the mountains. I want to live in the wilderness camps. You tell stories about mule packing and guiding in the wild high country. This is my last chance to go with you!”

My figuring was that we were too young to be having last chances. Optimistic thinking said we had a passel of years ahead of us. But, it was no use secondguessing my pard. He appeared to have a notion that I could not budge.

“Well, we need a cook. I am going up early for the summer season. You meet me in Choteau the last week of August before we start packing in elk camp. That’ll give you time to cipher the Montana ways of doing things. We’ll be in the Middle Fork of the Flathead for four hunts. Then we’ll load up and come back to Texas together.”

Allen nodded, we shook hands, and the deal was done. And Allen squinted and showed me his top teeth in a big grin.

Allen Hammack was a pure Texas cowboy and a bareback bronco rider. He was stretched too long for the chore but somebody forgot to tell him. He was also the type of man that the clichéd storytellers would claim was born 100 years too late.

The truth is he managed a brand of wisdom that I always lacked. He could fit into any time whether it meant being a mountain man, one of Teddy’s Rough Riders, or where he sat right now. Allen knew his

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place in the world and what his heart desired. And, Allen’s heart had a few desires. We had both had our wagonloads of Brandis, Bambis, and Candis. Then accordingly, with those sweethearts we had learned that drinking and fighting was supposed to be kept as fun amongst the boys. Women fight dirty. Now, there seemed to be something else on his mind.

My compadre had a plan and his beseeching demeanor told me that joking would have been wrong.

“

My figuring was that we were too young to be having last chances.

“

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The country we were headed into is the wildest chunk of backcountry left in the lower 48 states. It is unfair to say that this land has been tamed but fences and the frivolities of human personalities have spoiled much of it. The advancement of civilization casts its shadow against the two million acres of Bob Marshal Wilderness.

Forest Service signs litter the countryside pointing out sites like “The Old North Trail,” where once nomads and Indians traveled with only the sky and earth as indicators of direction. The Teton River that once fed the mighty Missouri is piddled into countless irrigation canals, and the home on the range where the buffalo roamed is now farmland on the Fairfield Bench. &

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This is the land of the Blackfoot Indians, one of the most ruthless tribes of warriors that ever lifted a white man’s scalp.

Later it became the cow country depicted in many Charlie Russell paintings, and it was home to Pulitzer Prize winning author A.B. Guthrie for his The Way West series. Modern day readers may also remember that Jurassic Park and The Horse Whisperer originated in this locale.

Simply put, the Eastern Front of the Rocky Mountains has always been hard on its inhabitants.

Then you must ride your pony west past the National Forest Service signs, cross the first mountain pass, and you can almost step back in time. The trails are more worn and there are no Blackfoot war parties to dodge. However, the grizzlies and the hazards of a horseback society are real. The frontier history murmurs with every sunrise taunting a man with the want to be free. It is instinctive for a couple of Texas hands to wander 2,000 miles searching for the lost lifestyle.

The summer season went smooth with the usual mixture of guests. There were families, retired folks, and the occasional tree-hugger seeking to commune with nature. We observed and cared for the latter with the same curiosity and worry reserved for tending a handicapped child.

When the summer was over one of the crew saw a truck in town with Texas license plates.

“Hey Herman, your friend from Texas is here and he’s got a woman with him,” he said.

My immediate elation sank into a knot in my gut.

“Oh, damn!” There is no place for hangers-on in the wilderness.

Upon our meeting, Allen explained and his apologetic words colored me as insensitive to his female.

“She rode up here with me and tomorrow we’re going to the Sweet Grass Hills and take a peek at Canada. Then I’m

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putting her on an airplane and sending her home.”

But the next day they put forces into play that only a couple in love can muster, and, they married on the courthouse lawn with County Judge Pete Howard presiding. Afterwards, true to his word, Allen sent his new wife back to Texas.

During hunting season, we savored every minute. Allen whooped, hollered, and had his last hurrah as a bronco-stomping tail-wringing authentic Texas twister.

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Then he went home and became a respectable member of the community. In nine months, he had a son and named the boy “Montana.” That was more than 10 years ago.

My misfortune is not comprehending the desire for such respectability. Tiptoeing the hunting trails is my calling. An elk bugle is my ballad, and a chorus of Blackfoot war whoops would be my swan song.

But recently a celebrity followed Allen’s footsteps. David Letterman mar-

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ried on the courthouse lawn with County Judge Pete Howard presiding. Something about this lonesome country appeals to a man, and makes him free.

E-mail Herman W. Brune at wilderness@fishgame.com.

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TEXAS SALTWATER

Mark, Tre y, Matagord & Ed a Specks an Hillman G uide Serv d Reds ice

PALACIOS

GALVESTON

ROCKPORT

Kendall & her PaPa try The Koun Hideaway ins Guest Cab

CORPUS CHRISTI Mike Wis hm Hybrid Str eyer ip Striper Ex er press Guide Serv ice

UPPER COAST (SABINE LAKE)

ADVERTISERS, MAIL IN YOUR PHOTOS TODAY!

LOWER LAGUNA MADRE

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

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Capt. Matt Danysh Grouper ors Coastal Bend Outdo

TEXAS FRESHWATER

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Carla Patschke & so ns 9 Reds, 3 Drum Redfish Charters

Bubba Green Gar ide Service Striper Express Gu

TEXAS HUNTING

OUTDOOR SHOPPER

LAKE TEXOMA

BAFFIN BAY

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

VACATION RENTAL

FAYETTE COUNTY

TEXAS HUNTING

SPOTLIGHT: THE KOUNTRY HIDEAWAY Tired, stressed out, just want a relaxing getaway? The Kountry Hideaway offers onsite fishing and guest houses set on a peaceful farm in the heart of South Central Texas. It’s a great place to bring your buddies or the entire family. We are conveniently located near the Fayette Power Plant Lake, the Colorado River, Nails Creek and Lake Somerville, all of which boast excellent fishing.

You’ll enjoy onsite fishing for Florida bass, catfish, crappy, perch and native bass in a mid-sized stock pond with a relaxing deck over the water. There is also a small catfish pond and a 3-acre stocked lake (hybrid blue gills in addition to all fish listed above) in which you can fish from the pier or a rowboat in the water.

We are located within a short drive from Austin, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. All of the guest houses have most comforts of home.

Whether you and yours decide to spend the day fishing the area, shopping the local antique stores or just sitting on the front porch taking in the tranquility of the water while the birds sing in the background, the canvas is yours to paint! There are numerous neighboring communities that offer a wide variety of unique amenities for all ages to enjoy! It truly is a perfect year-round getaway spot for all.

Please call 979-249-5625 or email us at kountryhideaway@yahoo.com for additional information including nightly, weekend, weekly and group rates. We look forward to hosting you for your next weekend getaway or reasonably priced funfilled family vacation!

—The Kountry Hideaway A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Mahi-Mahi, Shrimp, and Scallop Ceviche HAT’S GREEN AND GOLD AND SPOTTED blue? If you are an offshore fisherman, you know it is dorado, mahi-mahi, or as we old timers call it, dolphin. This flashy acrobat is a coveted catch for many offshore anglers. It is coveted for its aerial antics, speedy runs, and great beauty at boatside. After the dolphin has been caught and placed on ice to chill, its vibrant colors quickly fade. Howev-

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er, as a culinary treat, it continues to shine!

The next time you experience a hot dolphin bite, bring a few home and prepare them Texas Gourmet style!

Almost every Pacific and Gulf coast state has its own version of this raw fish cocktail, which naturally cooks itself in limejuice. I learned this recipe from an old native of Acapulco while dining beachside listening to the waves roll in. This recipe combines

elements from this Acapulco style version while adding a touch of Texas flair.

Ingredients: 2 lbs mahi-mahi filets (you may substitute redfish or other firm-fleshed fish) 1/2 lb bay scallops 1 lb shrimp, 21-25 count, peeled but raw 2 cups limejuice, fresh squeezed 4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 6 roma tomatoes, cored and diced 1 cup purple onion, chopped 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, rinsed well and chopped 3 Tbs serrano peppers, seeded and chopped 2 avocadoes, ripe, peeled and diced

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2/3 cup green olives with pimentos, sliced thin 1/3 cup capers 1 Tbs oregano, dried 1-cup tomato sauce 1 tsp black pepper, fresh cracked 1 tsp white pepper 2 tsp Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice Place the fish, scallops, and shrimp in a large glass bowl and cover with limejuice, reserving 1/3 cup for later use. Cover with plastic wrap, and in the refrigerator, and allow marinating for 8-10 hours or overnight. Take the plastic off once while marinating and stir the seafood to allow the limejuice to get to every piece, then recover for the remainder of the time. (I like the fish

PHOTO BY JIM OLIVE

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to be firm and opaque; marinating it over night will achieve this.) After marinating, pour seafood into a colander and rinse under cold water briefly, discarding the used limejuice. Meanwhile, rinse the glass bowl then pour in the reserved 1/3-cup limejuice and tomato sauce. Add onion, cilantro, chopped serrano peppers, olives, capers, oregano, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped tomatoes, white and black pepper, and Sidewinder Searing Spice. Stir gently to combine. Add seafood to the tomato mix-

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ture. Salt to taste. Chill for 2 hours. Before serving, garnish with diced avocadoes and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, saltine crackers, or tortilla chips.

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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GRAND SLAM—CHOCOLATE BAY

FLOUNDER—CORPUS CHRISTI

REDFISH—ARROYO CITY CANAL

Stacey Gonzales of Keystone, Colorado, caught this grand slam, consisting of a 21-inch redfish, a 21inch flounder and an 18-inch trout, in the Narrows at Halls Lake in Chocolate Bay.

Acie Carr of San Antonio, Texas, caught his personal best flounder near the Kennedy Causeway in Corpus Christi, using live piggy perch. The fish was 21 inches and weighed 5 pounds. Photo submitted by wife Sharon.

Doc Jones caught this 27-inch redfish while fishing with a group of Septuagenarians, all from Montgomery, Texas, hosted by Mike Landes at his home on the Arroyo City Canal, near South Padre Island.

The 4 men caught 3 reds, 5 specks and 2 flounder.

SAILFISH—GULF OF MEXICO

BASS—CHOKE CANYON

Andrea DeLeon caught and released this sailfish with the help of Grace Ting while on a guided trip with Captain Mike Lowe 50 miles offshore of Sargent, Texas.

Sonia Noyes of San Antonio, Texas, shows off an 8-pound bass, caught in Choke Canyon while fishing in a new Blue Wave boat, just bought from Master Marine.

ALLIGATOR GAR—WHARTON

BLUEGILL—KEMPNER

This 6-foot alligator gar was foul hooked by 4- Karli Schuetzle of Deer Park, Texas, caught this year-old Chase Allison from a bar ditch during a bluegill in her grandpa’s pond in Kempner, Texas. recent flood near Wharton, Texas. His dad, David She was fishing with a spincaster reel and worms.

Allison, assisted in landing it.

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SHARK—GULF OF MEXICO Chris Sessions caught this live silky shark 40 miles offshore of the Texas coast. He brought the live shark into the boat for a photo before releasing it, but will not do this again because it was a hard fight!

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HIS TIME OF THE YEAR RECALLS MY LARVAL stages. I spent most of my school days wishing for summer freedom at my grandparents’ farm in Chicota. Within literal shouting distance of the Red River, it was my escape from the concrete and boredom of Dallas.

School usually ended during the first full week of June, and with the cessation of classes, I was freed along with millions of other urchins. I could not wait to get into the outdoors, armed with a loaded BB gun and pocket full of ammo.

Within the first week of freedom I had eaten my weight in dewberries and little wild Texas sand plums (Mexican plum) from the thicket beside the stock tank we called a pool.

Anywhere the petite native trees hung heavy with pale yellow fruit, I was the kid with a salt shaker in my pocket. I still love the half-ripe plums, reveling in the fresh burst of crunchy, sweet, slightly tart fruits.

One odd plum tree grew in the thicket where the air was redolent of ripe and rotting fruit, with a slight, subtle undertone of fresh cow flop. It produced fat, dark fruits the size of golf balls. I always figured it was a tree borne of an exotic seed cast aside by a picnicker in the dim past.

Dewberries, a species closely relating to blackberries, were the first sweet berries to ripen

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in the spring, about six weeks after the last freeze. In sunny locations the vines, or brambles, grow in a thick carpet covering the ground.

To me they were always more flavorful than blackberries.

In that same period of time I had also acquired a fairly respectable crop of ticks and chiggers.

by Reavis Wortham My grandmother was forever canning something in her fragrant kitchen, like pears when they were making preserves, or blackberries, plums and dewberries destined to become jelly. Sliced peaches, pears or apricots disappeared by the handful before she pushed her grand-boys out the door, cheeks bulging.

I was thinking about those itchy old days and hot blackberry cobbler last weekend when I pulled my truck up beside the stock tank at the Ranch. An early summer cool front hung off to the northeast, thunder rumbling in the distance.

Not fifty yards away, a line of limber Texas persimmon trees grew along an old fence row.

The buds had just swollen, and I knew the crop would be inedible until the first frost of the year finished the ripening process. Anyone who has tasted the astringent, bitter bite of a green persimmon will never forget the experience.

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Blackberries and dewberries are some of the tastiest treats in nature, especially when mixed with ice cream.

Ripe persimmons are fleshy, deep blueblack in color. Full of large seeds, persimmons seem to be an acquired taste. They are the last wild fruits in November, just before winter put the leaves to sleep for the season.

Based on my extensive experiences as a kid, I used half a can of bug spray on my legs before grabbing a bucket and wading through the tall grass surrounding the blackberries growing on piles of brush and stumps. The previous landowner had piled the branches with the intention of burning them, but had gotten sidetracked until they were a chia-pet morass of fruit, vines and stickers.

Sweat dripped off my nose before the first handful of berries plunked into the empty container. I picked in the sultry heat, eating every other one. Sluggish bees buzzed the vines. At times I had to wave them away with my hat, lest I grab a bee instead of a blackberry.

I lost several minutes of picking time when I ate one that had just been vacated by a stinkbug. I tell myself that, because I don’t want to think I had actually eaten a stinkbug hors d’oeuvre.

It took about fifty more berries to get the taste out of my mouth. &

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In This Issue HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

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SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides, Solunar Table, Best Hunting/Fishing Times |

BY TF&G STAFF

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TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots |

BY CALIXTO GONZALES & JD MOORE

HOW-TO SECTION

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COVER STORY • The Fruit of the Vine |

BY REAVIS WORTHAM

I had a similar experience last summer at McKinney Falls State Park, in Austin. While taking a short hike with my wife and daughters to see the falls and a restored historic structure, the trail led us through an airy forest hanging thick with wild grapes known as muscadines (also known as scuppernogs).

I picked several and offered them to the girls, describing the tough skin and seed-filled refreshing pulp. I bit a hole in the skin and demonstrated the appropriate method of sucking out the juicy pulp. They showed interest until I also inhaled a bug that grabbed everything grabble on the way down my gullet. I hacked up bug parts and seeds for half an hour, causing the girls to flee in a barely controlled panic.

“But muscadines taste good!” I shouted at their fleeing forms.

The freshened breeze made picking blackberries tolerable and I kept one eye on the clouds, trying to gauge when the rain might start. I picked faster, wanting to fill the bucket before the rain. Bees strafed my head and hands. I reached higher and higher for the biggest berries, forsaking those scrawny specimens down low that would be picked by less selective individuals than me.

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BOWHUNTING TECH • Time to Get in Shape |

BY LOU MARULLO

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TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • Reloading on the Rise |

BY STEVE LAMASCUS

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TEXAS BOATING • A Friend in Need |

BY LENNY RUDOW

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FRESHWATER BAITS & RIGS • Jig with a Frog Trailer |

BY PAUL BRADSHAW

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WILDERNESS TRAILS • The Old Ways |

BY HERMAN W. BRUNE

tasting the blackberry cobbler the War Department had promised to bake.

The rain finally arrived in a cool rush. I saw it coming across the pasture and headed for the truck, barely beating the first heavy drops.

The brief downpour lashed two pear trees growing on an old house place I could see through the rivulets running down my windshield.

Pears ripen best when they are picked early. I made a mental note to keep a watchful eye as the fruit swelled in September or October, and to pick them before they could mature on the tree. If harvested late, they become mealy and gnarly.

Not long after I learned to drive in the late 1960s, my cousin Roger and I found a similar tree near another old house place in Lamar County that was literally loaded to the ground with enormous pears. We filled the bed of Dad’s old 1956 Ford truck and were the most popular youngsters in the little community as farm women came from near and far to accept the free fruit. I bet there were more jars of pear preserves made that week than at any other time since the Great Depression.

I started thinking about peaches while the rain fell. Fruit trees often stand abandoned and forgotten around the state where old farm houses once bustled with activity. These trees &

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GEARING UP SECTION

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INDUSTRY INSIDER • Dawson Marine; PRADCO; Yamaha |

BY TF&G STAFF

N21

TEXAS TESTED • Lumitec; Fugawi |

BY TF&G STAFF

N22

SHOOT THIS • Shotgun Slugs |

BY STEVE LAMASCUS

N23

SPECIAL SECTION • Pimp Your Ride |

BY CHESTER MOORE

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FISH THIS • The Fisherman’s Analyst from Third Stone |

BY GREG BERLOCHER

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

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DISCOVER THE OUTDOORS • Classifieds |

BY TF&G STAFF

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TEXAS TASTED • Mahi-Mahi, Shrimp, and Scallop Ceviche |

BY BRYAN SLAVEN

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PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos |

BY TF&G STAFF

whether they bear peaches, apples, walnuts, hickory nuts, pecans, apricots, (once I even came across a pomegranate) are always a pleasant surprise when outdoor enthusiasts find them on hikes, hunting or fishing trips.

The rain finally passed. With a bucket of blackberries on the floorboard and the memory of still another good summer day behind me, I headed for the gate and home. Two hours later, I found I must have collected half a hundred chiggers on my lower legs, despite the bug spray. The shower didn’t wash them all away. While the cobbler baked, the War Department dabbed fingernail polish on the bumps to kill the little red critters and stop the itch.

Only she did not have the required clear polish, so I have dozens of hot pink dots on my legs. They look odd, but I think the color compliments my natural skin tone.

I am glad I did not try that when I was a kid. That kind of trauma would turn a guy away from cobbler in a hurry, and we can’t have that, can we?

Recipes While I’m not a cook by any means, the lovely lady I married cooks just like my

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Tides and Prime Times

JUNE 2009

MONDAY

1

PRIME TIME

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

12:18 AM 5:47 AM 11:57 AM 7:09 PM

1.07 ft 0.71 ft 1.25 ft 0.26 ft

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 3:12p AM Minor: 1:20a PM Minor: 1:42p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 7:47 AM 1.54 ft Low Tide: 11:29 PM -0.28 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 9:51p AM Minor: 6:31a PM Minor: 6:56p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

7:00 — 8:50 PM

Set: 8:39p Set: 7:00a AM Major: 12:18a PM Major: 12:44p 2:01a 2:26p

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

7:00 — 9:10 PM

Set: 8:35p Set: 2:31a AM Major: 7:31a PM Major: 7:53p 9:10p 8:47a

8

PRIME TIME 3:02 AM 10:44 AM 5:33 PM 11:42 PM

0.53 ft 1.21 ft 0.61 ft 0.91 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 1:14a AM Minor: ——PM Minor: 12:15p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 6:41 AM 1.73 ft Low Tide: 10:38 PM -0.82 ft

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 6:08a AM Minor: 5:33a PM Minor: 6:06p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 3:51 AM 0.65 ft High Tide: 10:14 AM 1.17 ft Low Tide: 5:40 PM 0.11 ft

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6:00 — 7:20 PM

Set: 8:43p Set: 9:03p AM Major: 11:50a PM Major: 12:23p 1:37p 1:04a

29 Sunrise: 6:36a Moonrise: 2:06p AM Minor: 12:04a PM Minor: 12:28p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

12:30 — 2:10 PM

Set: 8:41p Set: 1:29p AM Major: 6:05a PM Major: 6:25p 7:18a 7:39p

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TUESDAY

7:20 — 9:10 PM

Set: 8:44p Set: 1:03a AM Major: 6:16a PM Major: 6:39p 7:53p 7:31a

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2

PRIME TIME

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

2:09 AM 7:20 AM 12:11 PM 7:47 PM

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 4:12p AM Minor: 2:00a PM Minor: 2:23p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

9

1.20 ft 0.96 ft 1.22 ft 0.02 ft

3:00 — 4:30 PM

Set: 8:36p Set: 3:01a AM Major: 8:12a PM Major: 8:34p 9:55p 9:32a

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 8:23 AM

1.49 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 10:34p AM Minor: 7:24a PM Minor: 7:49p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

7:50 — 10:00 PM

Set: 8:39p Set: 7:54a AM Major: 1:12a PM Major: 1:36p 2:52a 3:17p

16

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 3:46 AM 0.75 ft High Tide: 10:47 AM 1.18 ft Low Tide: 6:00 PM 0.37 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 1:41a AM Minor: 12:33a PM Minor: 12:57p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

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

Set: 8:42p Set: 2:26p AM Major: 6:46a PM Major: 7:08p 8:00a 8:22p

1.70 ft 1.49 ft 1.50 ft -0.78 ft

1:06 AM 5:07 AM 10:26 AM 6:31 PM

1.05 ft 0.96 ft 1.16 ft -0.11 ft

Sunrise: 6:36a Moonrise: 3:06p AM Minor: 12:49a PM Minor: 1:12p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

F i s h

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6:50 — 8:10 PM

Set: 8:43p Set: 9:58p AM Major: 12:23a PM Major: 12:55p 2:42p 2:10a

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

1:00 — 2:40 PM

PRIME TIME

7:26 AM 12:15 PM 1:59 PM 11:30 PM

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 7:19a AM Minor: 6:39a PM Minor: 7:11p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

T E X A S

WEDNESDAY

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

PRIME TIME 3:39 AM 9:03 AM 12:19 PM 8:24 PM

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 5:12p AM Minor: 2:40a PM Minor: 3:03p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.36 ft 1.15 ft 1.23 ft -0.17 ft

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 12:06 AM -0.21 ft High Tide: 8:57 AM 1.45 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 11:13p AM Minor: 8:17a PM Minor: 8:41p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

3:50 — 5:00 PM

Set: 8:36p Set: 3:32a AM Major: 8:52a PM Major: 9:15p 10:41p 10:18a

10

8:00 — 10:30 PM

Set: 8:40p Set: 8:51a AM Major: 2:05a PM Major: 2:29p 3:41a 4:05p

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

THURSDAY

PRIME TIME 1:34 AM 4:46 AM 10:40 AM 6:35 PM

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 2:11a AM Minor: 1:16a PM Minor: 1:40p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

24

1.06 ft 0.98 ft 1.19 ft 0.10 ft

Set: 8:42p Set: 3:27p AM Major: 7:28a PM Major: 7:51p 8:45a 9:09p

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 8:06 AM 1.63 ft Low Tide: 12:52 PM 1.37 ft High Tide: 3:34 PM 1.41 ft

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 8:33a AM Minor: 7:46a PM Minor: 8:16p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1:50 — 3:10 PM

7:40 — 9:20 PM

Set: 8:43p Set: 10:45p AM Major: 1:31a PM Major: 2:01p 3:43p 3:13a

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

PRIME TIME 4:49 AM 10:54 AM 12:11 PM 9:01 PM

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 6:12p AM Minor: 3:21a PM Minor: 3:44p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.49 ft 1.26 ft 1.26 ft -0.29 ft

Set: 8:37p Set: 4:05a AM Major: 9:33a PM Major: 9:56p 11:29p 11:05a

11

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 12:42 AM -0.11 ft High Tide: 9:27 AM 1.40 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 11:47p AM Minor: 9:09a PM Minor: 9:32p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

PRIME TIME 3:01 AM 6:14 AM 10:18 AM 7:17 PM

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 2:44a AM Minor: 1:59a PM Minor: 2:24p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

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

8:40 — 11:00 PM

Set: 8:40p Set: 9:47a AM Major: 2:58a PM Major: 3:21p 4:28a 4:51p

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

4:45 — 6:10 PM

12:22 AM 8:40 AM 1:45 PM 5:10 PM

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 9:46a AM Minor: 8:51a PM Minor: 9:19p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.25 ft 1.19 ft 1.25 ft -0.17 ft

2:20 — 3:40 PM

Set: 8:42p Set: 4:32p AM Major: 8:11a PM Major: 8:37p 9:34a 10:00p

PRIME TIME -0.62 ft 1.52 ft 1.19 ft 1.27 ft

8:10 — 10:00 PM

Set: 8:44p Set: 11:25p AM Major: 2:37a PM Major: 3:05p 4:40p 4:13a

PRIME TIME

PRIME TIME

PRIME TIME

8:00 — 9:40 PM

9:00 — 11:20 PM

2:20 — 4:10 PM

Set: 8:44p Set: 1:34a AM Major: 7:01a PM Major: 7:24p 8:40p 8:16a

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Tides and Prime Times

JUNE 2009

FRIDAY

5 1.57 ft -0.34 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 7:11p AM Minor: 4:04a PM Minor: 4:28p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 8:08p AM Minor: 4:50a PM Minor: 5:15p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

0.01 ft 1.36 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: None AM Minor: 9:59a PM Minor: 10:21p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 12:18a AM Minor: 10:47a PM Minor: 11:08p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

Set: 8:40p Set: 10:44a AM Major: 3:48a PM Major: 4:10p 5:13a 5:34p

19 1.45 ft 1.35 ft 1.35 ft -0.42 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 3:22a AM Minor: 2:44a PM Minor: 3:12p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

-0.37 ft 1.40 ft 0.94 ft 1.11 ft

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 10:56a AM Minor: 9:52a PM Minor: 10:18p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

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

3:00 — 5:10 AM

PRIME TIME 2:05 AM 9:35 AM 3:47 PM 8:49 PM

-0.05 ft 1.30 ft 0.66 ft 0.98 ft

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 12:02p AM Minor: 10:49a PM Minor: 11:13p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

Set: 8:44p Set: None AM Major: 3:40a PM Major: 4:05p 5:33p 5:07a

PRIME TIME 3:10 — 4:40 PM

New Moon

First Quarter

4:00 — 6:00 PM

Set: 8:43p Set: 6:52p AM Major: 9:50a PM Major: 10:20p 11:27a None

27

PRIME TIME 1:14 AM 9:10 AM 2:46 PM 6:55 PM

1.60 ft -0.63 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 4:08a AM Minor: 3:35a PM Minor: 4:05p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

Set: 8:42p Set: 5:41p AM Major: 8:58a PM Major: 9:26p 10:28a 10:57p

26

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 5:02 AM Low Tide: 8:53 PM

3:10 — 4:20 PM

10:20PM — 12:10AM

Set: 8:41p Set: 11:39a AM Major: 4:36a PM Major: 4:57p 5:55a 6:16p

20

PRIME TIME 4:07 AM 8:31 AM 9:29 AM 8:03 PM

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 1:51 AM 0.16 ft High Tide: 10:16 AM 1.31 ft

9:20 — 11:40 PM

5:10 — 7:50 PM

Set: 8:38p Set: 5:23a AM Major: 11:03a PM Major: 11:28p 12:19a 12:44p

13

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 1:17 AM High Tide: 9:54 AM

SUNDAY PRIME TIME

High Tide: 6:29 AM 1.59 ft Low Tide: 10:15 PM -0.36 ft

4:10 — 6:50 PM

Set: 8:37p Set: 4:42a AM Major: 10:16a PM Major: 10:41p None 11:54a

12

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

6

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 5:43 AM Low Tide: 9:38 PM

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

SATURDAY

Full Moon

4:00 — 5:50 AM

Set: 8:44p Set: None AM Major: 4:37a PM Major: 5:01p 6:21p 5:57a

PRIME TIME SYMBOL KEY 4:00 — 5:30 PM

Last Quarter

7

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 7:09 AM 1.57 ft Low Tide: 10:52 PM -0.33 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 9:02p AM Minor: 5:39a PM Minor: 6:05p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

Set: 8:38p Set: 6:10a AM Major: 11:52a PM Major: ——1:10a 1:35p

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

PRIME TIME 2:25 AM 10:33 AM 5:29 PM 9:22 PM

0.33 ft 1.26 ft 0.82 ft 0.88 ft

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 12:46a AM Minor: 11:32a PM Minor: 11:52p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

21

High Tide: 5:53 AM Low Tide: 9:45 PM

PRIME TIME 1.70 ft -0.77 ft

4:40 — 6:20 PM

Set: 8:43p Set: 8:00p AM Major: 10:47a PM Major: 11:20p 12:31p None

28

PRIME TIME 2:56 AM 9:56 AM 4:46 PM 10:53 PM

0.30 ft 1.22 ft 0.37 ft 0.95 ft

Sunrise: 6:35a Moonrise: 1:04p AM Minor: 11:40a PM Minor: ——Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

12:20 — 2:00 PM

Set: 8:41p Set: 12:34p AM Major: 5:22a PM Major: 5:42p 6:37a 6:57p

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 5:04a AM Minor: 4:31a PM Minor: 5:03p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

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

5:45 — 8:00 PM

4:50 — 6:00 AM

Set: 8:44p Set: 12:33a AM Major: 5:29a PM Major: 5:52p 7:08p 6:45a

PRIME TIME 4:50 — 6:40 PM PRIME TIME

Good Day

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

BEST DAYS

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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)

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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

-1:06

-0.09

-0.09

-0:44

-1:02

0:00

-1:20

-0:03

-1:31

-0:24

-1:45

+1:02

-0:42

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Calixto

JD

by Calixto Gonzales and JD Moore

Aquilla Points for White Bass LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point/ Triplett Point GPS: N31 54.533, W97 12.375

SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Li’l Georges, Tail Hummers, Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Look for early morning schooling activity along the dam riprap. Throw Li’l Georges, Tail Hummers and Rat-L-Traps to get your limit. After the schooling action stops, move around Triplett Point and watch

your graph for white bass stacking up along ledges and edges. Back off shore and cast a one-ounce Hopkins Spoon; white or chartreuse slab and let flutter up and down through the school.

BANK ACCESS: Tail Race Fishing Pier, white bass on jigs LOCATION: Lake Belton HOTSPOT: McGregor Park Area GPS: N31 12.434, W97 29.224 SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Roadrunners, Li’l Georges, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, 254-3687411,Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideServic e.com TIPS: Check in and around the hotspot thoroughly with your electronics. Use a small buoy to mark suspected game fish schools. Back off and fish with horizontal retrieve. Early and late are best.

BANK ACCESS: Temple Lake Park, largemouth, catfish, white bass LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Grass Beds at Crane Lake GPS: N32 56.257, W85 28.788 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, light Carolina rigs, weightless Flukes, Tiki Sticks CONTACT: Michael Rogge, 903-3833406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Move to the outer edges of the grass beds. Throw crankbaits and Carolina rigs in early morning and late afternoon. There is usually a good topwater bite on poppers, spooks and buzzbaits early and late.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing Pier at Minnow Bucket Bait Stand, crappie, largemouth bass LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Dam Hump

COVER STORY Continued from Page N2 grandmother. According to her, the major component of a good pie or cobbler is the crust. Below are two tried and true recipes for outstanding fresh fruit desserts.

Pie Crust 2 cup of flour 1 teaspoon of salt 2/3 cup of Crisco 6 tablespoons of cold water

Blackberry Cobbler

Mix the flour and salt, then blend Crisco.

(The dough will not be smooth.) Sprinkle water in one tablespoon at a time. Stir lightly until dough is moist. Divide the dough, roll out on a floured surface.

9-inch fresh Peach Pie

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Double the pie crust recipe as describe above.

8 cups of fresh, washed blackberries 2 cups of sugar ½ cup of all purpose flour Combine the berries, sugar and flour. Half the prepared dough, roll out and cut into strips. Lay in the bottom of a rectangular pan and pour in the berry mixture. Create a lattice of the remaining dough strips on top. Dot

5 cups of fresh, peeled peaches 2 teaspoons of lemon juice ¾ cup of sugar ¼ cup of flour N6

¼ tablespoon of cinnamon 2 tablespoons of margarine or butter Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry. In a large bowl, combine the fruit and lemon juice. Add sugar, flour and cinnamon and toss lightly to mix. Turn into pastry-lined pie pan. Dot with margarine. Cover top crust and cut slits for the steam to escape. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until juice begins to bubble through the top.

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G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

with butter and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350. Bake about one hour or longer, until bubbly. Cool completely.

Ice Cream It is June and with it, the need for something cool and sweet.

1 can of evaporated milk 1 can of sweetened condensed milk 3 cups of sugar 3 tablespoons of flour 5 eggs Sweet milk Fruit Add the top five ingredients together and blend. Add fruit of your choice to the mix (the amount is up to you) and pour into the ice cream container. Fill within two inches of the top of the container with milk. Freeze.

Eat.

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GPS: N32 48.733, W95 32.025 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Deep-diving crankbaits, jigs CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5302201, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: The bass have finished their spawn and have headed out to deeper water. I take a good map of the lake and look for humps along the bottom, checking out every detail with my depth finder. Then using marker buoys, I mark the bends and drops along any ridges I find. Next, I tie on a big crankbait on one rod and a jig on a second rod and fish this ridge or hump from one end to the other and back. When you find the big bass, note the time of day. Around this time each day you will find the bass feeding in the same spot. These spots hold some of Lake Fork’s biggest bass and you can catch good numbers using this pattern.

When you catch these big bass, treat them with care because they are the fish that make our lakes what they are today.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing Pier at Minnow Bucket Bait Stand, crappie, largemouth bass LOCATION: Fayette County Reservoir HOTSPOT: Hog Pond Dam GPS: N29 55.260, W96 43.420 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad or punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Fish can be found shallow and deep this time of year. This area offers an old submerged pond dam in 16- to 20-foot water.

The pond is also where the creek channel ran before the lake was built. Anchor here and chum straight down, then fish tight line within a foot of the bottom all around the boat. I recommend sour grain versus range cubes. Range cubes have sweet in them and sweet attracts carp and buffalo.

BANK ACCESS: Junkyard Cove, largemouth bass

LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Main Lake Brush Piles GPS: N30 41.738, W97 21.460 SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: 1/32-ounce Marabou jigs

CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, 512-3657761, www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Find brush piles in 7 to 15 feet of water and fish the crappie jig very slowly over the brush. Use Berkley Crappie Nibbles to increase catch rate. Jig color makes no difference.

BANK ACCESS: Wilson Fox Fishing Dock, crappie on live minnows fished straight down off dock.

LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool HOTSPOT: Dam Grass GPS: N32 38.816, W96 59.245 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina rigs, drop shot rigs, DD-22’s, Tail Hummer CONTACT: Randy Maxwell, 817-3132878, www.getagripguide.com TIPS: I start the day off shallow and early on any grass and rocks I can find. The left and right side of the dam is beginning to grow some grass and there are plenty of rocks in the area. Pull out your favorite topwater and spinnerbait and work them until the sun gets up. Later, drop off to the deep edges of points, humps and creek channels and start dragging plastics in just about any color. Brushpiles and bridge pilings at key depths will work as well. Just find the depth the bass are holding in and keep fishing it.

Keep a Tail Hummer rigged at all times to load up on sand bass if you run across their path.

BANK ACCESS: Crappie Dock, crappie with live minnows LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: C W Ridge GPS: N30 38.630, W96 02.969 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad or punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Water here runs 1 to 5 feet deep.

An old road bed comes off the point and runs East across the other bank of Cedar Creek. Fish shallow from this point out to midway across the mouth of Cedar Creek.

South winds will be blowing on the point and the mouth of the creek, putting plenty of food there to attract shad and for the fish to feed on. With the wind blowing into the

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ALL GPS COORDINATES VERIFIED BY

bank and creek you can use a slip cork above a #4 treble hook for Punch bait or a #1 kahle hook for shad. Good sized blues frequent this area when the shad are passing through in schools.

BANK ACCESS: Hwy 175 Bridge east; cast lures for bass, minnows for crappie LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Island Point GPS: N33 03.034, W96 28.313 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: White/chartreuse buzzbaits and spinnerbaits, shad-colored Bandits, Tornado F4 or F5 in watermelon red or green pumpkin CONTACT: Jeff Kirkwood, 972-853-0949, www.fishinwithjeff.com TIPS: Buzzbaits and spinnerbaits are the early baits of choice. Finding bait fish should be easy on main lake points and secondary points. The little nuances these areas provide will be your main focus. After the early bite is over shad patterned Bandits will be a great way to find active fish. After covering the area, go back over it with a Tornado F4 or F5.

BANK ACCESS: Clear Lake Pier, largemouth bass

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Creek Channel GPS: N32 03.517, W95 26,689 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Carolina-rigged plastics, ½-ounce Diamond Head Jig CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5302201, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Using my depth finder, I look for creek channels and using marker buoys, mark off the bends. Then I fish the bends with my jig, crankbaits and Carolina rig. I find these places by using my electronics and map. Largemouth bass travel in the channels and feed in the bends, so I work them very hard covering as much of them as possible. If you want to catch good numbers of bass then get off the trolling motor and slow down. Many good fish are missed by fishing too fast.

BANK ACCESS: Dam Park, largemouth, crappie, fish pockets and rock wall LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Highsaw Creek / Hwy 155 Bridge GPS: N32 07.300, W95 29.00 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Drop shot rigs with green pumpkin or watermelon-colored worms

CONTACT: Don Mattern, Sr., 903-4782633, www.matternguideservice.fghp.com TIPS: Bass like old underwater bridges in the summer months. The old bridge located in the center of Highsaw Creek in front of the Hwy 155 Bridge can be loaded with bass in June. It is located in front of the main bridge on the main lake side. Surrounded by 18 feet of water, this roadbed and bridge comes up to about 8-10 feet on top. It runs all the way to the old bridge of Ledbetter Creek.

BANK ACCESS: Dam Park, largemouth, crappie, fish pockets and rock wall LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Hwy 66 Rip Rap GPS: N32 55.033, W96 30.112 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Scum Frog, weightless Tornado F5 CONTACT: Jeff Kirkwood, 972-853-0949, www.fishinwithjeff.com TIPS: This is the time to have a blast with Scum Frogs fished up against the reeds and over hydrilla beds. As always, main lake points and the riprap around the lake will be the staple for fishing. A weightless F5 Tornado fished in any area of the lake will be the way to go. Just make sure you don’t over fish the bait. Take your time and thoroughly cover each area you fish.

BANK ACCESS: Bayview Marina, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Richland Chambers Reservoir HOTSPOT: Hickey Island GPS: N32 02.245, W96 13.267 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Buzz baits, frogs and Pop-Rs CONTACT: Steve Schmidt, 682, 518-8252, www.schmidtsbigbass.com TIPS: The Northeast side of Hickey Island, (North 287 Bridge), can be very productive. There are roadbeds and points that are holding fish. The points and tank dams down around the lighthouse, southeast of the lake also hold fish. The tanks and road bed by the Tarrant County water intake have also been very productive.

BANK ACCESS: Midway Landing, fish the shoreline on either side of the boat ramp, largemouth, crappie, white bass

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LOCATION: Richland Chambers Reservoir HOTSPOT: Ferguson Point GPS: N31 57.667, W96 09.234 SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Clear Tiny Torpedoes or other small silver or clear topwaters CONTACT: Royce Simmons, 903-3894117, www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: Look for early morning schooling action on the main lake from Fisherman’s Point Marina all the way back to the Hwy 287 Bridge. The South shoreline from Fisherman’s Point Marina to Ferguson Point is a great place to start the morning.

With a light breeze and some cloud cover, the topwater action can last several hours.

BANK ACCESS: Midway Landing, fish shoreline on either side of boat ramp, largemouth, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Welch Park Dam Area GPS: N30 19.900, W96 32.150 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Stink bait or shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103, www.FishTales-GuideService.com

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TIPS: May and June are spawning months. Look for fish on structure where they might put their nests. This area offers a rocky shore, good for spawning. Use a slip cork to drift through the rocks. Using a split shot and a small hook will let the bait drift right into the docks without hanging up as much. You might hang up some, but remember if you are not in the nesting area you are not on the fish. Hanging up is part of fishing when fishing structure. Fish nest in holes between the rocks, not away from them.

BANK ACCESS: Big Creek Marina, most species LOCATION: Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir HOTSPOT: Dam Bluffs GPS: N31 01.699, W97 31.849 SPECIES: Smallmouth bass BEST BAITS: Blue and silver Rat-L-Trap, Texas rigged worm CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, 254-368-7411, Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com TIPS: Thirty minutes prior to sunrise through two hours after will be your best shot at shallow fish in this clear, deep water.

Run the Rat-L-Trap parallel to the rip rap

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early, use Texas rigged worm deeper any other time. Fish out to 14 feet deep.

BANK ACCESS: Stillhouse Park, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, smallmouth bass LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Platter Flats GPS: N33 54.923, W96 33.777 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Topwaters, jigs, live bait CONTACT: Bill Carey, 877-786-4477, bigfish@striperexpress.com TIPS: Early mornings cast topwater lures on shallow banks. As the day wears on I change to 1-ounce Sassy Shad jigs in Whiteglo or Chartreuse. Fish the flats, creek ditches, and river edges. Live shad is also a good way to catch stripers; anchor or drift the river and creek ledges around Platter Flats.

BANK ACCESS: Rock Creek; cast topwaters early and switch to live or cut shad LOCATION: Lake Waco HOTSPOT: Reynolds Creek GPS: 31 35.390, W97 14.776 SPECIES: Largemouth bass

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50 2STROKE .........................................$4,449 90 2STROKE .........................................$6,245 115 2STROKE .......................................$7,528 200 HPDI VMAX...................................$13,125 225 HPDI VMAX...................................$14,210 300 HPDI VMAX...................................$16,210 115 4STROKE .......................................$8,345 150 4STROKE .......................................$10,945 225 4STROKE .......................................$15,610 350 4STROKE .......................................$20,945

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50 2STROKE .........................................$4,537 90 2STROKE .........................................$6,360 115 EFI.................................................$8,555 75 OPTIMAX.........................................$6,845 90 OPTIMAX.........................................$7,345 115 OPTIMAX.......................................$7,645 150 OPTIMAX.......................................$9,800 175 PRO XS ..........................................$11,950 200 OPTIMAX.......................................$12,550 225 OPTIMAX.......................................$13,445 250 PRO XS ..........................................$16,145

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DF60 ....................................................$6,245 DF70 ....................................................$6,845 DF90 ....................................................$7,545 DF115 ..................................................$8,445 07 DF140 .............................................$8,645 07 DF150 .............................................$9,745 DF175 ..................................................$11,345 DF200 ..................................................$13,345 DF225 ..................................................$14,545 DF250 ..................................................$16,245 DF300 ..................................................$15,610 250SS 20” SHAFT .................................$15,945

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ALL GPS COORDINATES VERIFIED BY

BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, topwaters, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, deep-diving crankbaits CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, 254-7442104, rayado@earthlink.net TIPS: Fish and change as needed, the above baits in the standing timber at the south side of the entrance to Reynolds Creek, working the edges and back into the flooded timber. When done here move back out of the timber and continue on into the creek. When you cross the point on the left side, the depth quickly drops off to around 25 feet. Largemouth bass frequent this area in the summer because the deep water is always cool. When hungry, they swim up and over the point and head to edges and the timber to feed. Watch for the drop off on your graph. Don’t be surprised if you see a number of larger bass stacked up from the bottom up to around 10 feet. This is the time to rip a big deep diving crankbait such as Bomber’s BD7 Fat Free Shad or Norman DD22 through them.

BANK ACCESS: Reynolds Creek Special Shore Fishing Area; inquire at gate for directions; largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Deep Hump GPS: N31 53.804, W97 21.923 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Live shad CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Anchoring in 32 feet of water, just off Whitney Hump/Point, drop bait with just enough weight to get it to the bottom.

Then reel about 4-5 turns off the bottom.

The fish are running the edge of the hump to and from deep water chasing shad.

BANK ACCESS: Loafer’s Bend shoreline, stripers, white and largemouth bass

Flag Down a Buchanan Striper LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Flag Island N14

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GPS: N30 48.571, W98 26.440 SPECIES: Striped bass

BEST BAITS: Live bait, or striper jigs, Pirk Minnows CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Water temperature around 80 to 84 degrees. Work the stripers by trolling a striper jig and vertically jigging a ½-ounce Pirk Minnow from Flag Island to the dam in 28 to 40 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Thunderbird Resort, catfish, largemouth, crappie, white bass LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Turkey Creek GPS: N29 51.846, W98 13.152 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Small Zara Spooks, Secret Weapon buzzbaits, watermelon red Wacky Sticks, rigged Texas style, with a 1/8-ounce tungsten weight.

CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Zara Spooks early and silver bladed white Secret Weapon buzzbaits at daylight and dusk in 3 to 6 feet of water. Mid day switch to Watermelon Red Wacky Sticks rigged Texas style with 1/8-ounce Tungsten weights and fish along bluffs near Turkey Creek in 10 to 20 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Potters Creek Park, largemouth bass, stripers, catfish LOCATION: Lake Lyndon B. Johnson HOTSPOT: Lighthouse Point GPS: N30 33.788, W98 21.717 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Black Secret Weapon buzzbaits, Zara Spooks, Berkley Craws, Rat-L-Traps, Li’l Fishies Shad CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Fish the black Secret Weapon buzz bait early in the morning, along with topwaters like the Zara Spook. Work Berkley Craws rigged Texas style with 1/8-ounce Tungsten weight along the edge of riprap at night and around docks and points near the Kingsland area. &

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BANK ACCESS: Robin Hood Park, catfish, largemouth bass

Hubbard Hump LOCATION: Hubbard Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Hump near Creek Channel GPS: N32 47.156, W99 00.293

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: 10-inch Power Worms, 8-inch lizard Carolina rigged both in red shad or junebug CONTACT: Wendell Ramsey, 325-2274931, bram4@suddenlink.net TIPS: This hump has good water all around it with the river channel near the east side. Throw your Texas rigged 10-inch worm or drag a Carolina rigged eight-inch lizard along the bottom and feel for the chunk rock isolated at around 12 to 15 feet.

When all else fails, change your color from red to any shade of green.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing piers are located near most of the boat ramps. Largemouth bass, white crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, white bass, freshwater drum LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Lake HOTSPOT: Bourbon Street at Costello Island (main river channel) GPS: N32 53.632, W98 28.260 SPECIES: Striped bass BEST BAITS: Live shad CONTACT: Dean Heffner, 940-779-2597, fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: Look for the stripers off the main river channel from Costello Island back south all the way to the Bee Creek end of Broadway. Stick with the live shad as best bet. Slabs and jigs are still working as are topwaters. Pay close attention to Blue Heron activity. They are still feeding their young on shad and bugs. Working Blue Herons are your best shad indicator.

BANK ACCESS: Fishing piers are located near most of the boat ramps; largemouth bass, white crappie, channel catfish, flat-

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head catfish, blue catfish, white bass, freshwater drum

Hot Chica Snook

Head for Hydrilla on Amistad

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Boca Chica Jetties (bank access) GPS: N26 3.904, W97 8.738

LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Hydrilla on Flats and Drains GPS: N29 29.685, W101 00.521 SPECIES: Largemouth bass

BEST BAITS: Zara Spooks, Vixens, Senkos, soft plastics CONTACT: Wendell Ramsey, 325-2274931, bram4@suddenlink.net TIPS: Work the Zara Spook and other favorite topwaters early even if the winds are blowing on the flats in this area. As the sun comes up, throw a Senko rigged Texas style with a 3/16-ounce weight into the many drainage areas holding brush in 10 to 20 feet of water.

BANK ACCESS: Facilities available, fishing allowed from gravel bank below the bridge.

Sam Rayburn Road Bass LOCATION: Sam Rayburn Reservoir HOTSPOT: Farmer’s Cove Road Bed GPS: N31 06.690, W94 05.430

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina-rigged fluke in watermelon red or a Football Jig in black/blue CONTACT: Don Mattern, Sr., 903-4782633, www.matternguideservice.fghp.com TIPS: This road bed is next to a 25-foot channel. The roadbed is about five feet deep on top. Sit in the channel and throw the Carolina rigged fluke or football head jig on top of the road bed and drag it back.

BANK ACCESS: Powell Park Marina, largemouth bass, catfish, white and striped bass

SPECIES: Snook BEST BAITS: Live bait, topwaters early in the morning, DOA shrimp later in the day CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: Warm, balmy weather means snook anglers will notice the channel side and the point of the Boca Chica Jetties. Large live shrimp or mullet are the best baits to get these linesiders (pinfish is underrated bait).

Topwaters such as the Saltwater Chug Bug and the Pop-R are also good options in lowlight conditions. If the snook are staying down deep, switch over to ½-ounce DOA shrimp and fish them lower in the water column. Fly fishermen should try throwing large white streamers.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: North Brazos-Santiago Jetties (bank access) GPS: N26 4.080, N97 8.738 SPECIES: King mackerel BEST BAITS: Whole ribbonfish, 1-ounce Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: White Sand Marina, 956-943943-6161 TIPS: A series of calm days means that clean Gulf water moves all the way up to the jetties tip. Kingfish will prowl around within reach of the Mosquito fleet and rock hoppers. Boaters can drift or slow troll with whole ribbonfish. Jetty-bound anglers can float a ribbon underneath a balloon, or make long casts with large, noisy lipless crank baits. This is not a situation to be underpowered. A surf rod and high-capacity reel loaded with fresh mono or braid is mandatory when shore casting for pelagics.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Long Bar GPS: N26 6.500, W97 12.500 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, soft plastics, Gulp! Shrimp in glow, new penny

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ALL GPS COORDINATES VERIFIED BY

CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Fish the edges around grasslines with live shrimp under a popping cork, or with Gulp! Shrimp. Trout will move around the grass and the potholes that are spread over the Long Bar. Watch for slack current that mark where grassbeds are just under the surface.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Convention Center (shore access) GPS: N26 6.150, W97 10.350 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, Gulp! Shrimp in new penny, DOA shrimp in glow, topwaters CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: The broad grass flats around the Convention Center shoreline are trout central in late spring and early summer. Topwaters are good early in the morning, especially at grey light, when trout are chasing bait. As the sun gets higher, live shrimp or pinfish under a popping cork, or Gulp! and DOA Shrimp if you prefer artificials work well, too.

Redfish on the Baffin Badlands LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: The Badlands

GPS: N27 18.744, W97 24.9023 SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live croaker, topwaters early, soft plastics in dark patterns CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Redfish will be striking bait along the shallow grassbeds and rocks. Look for nervous bait early in the morning and work topwaters in the area. As the day progresses, fish deeper water with either live croaker or soft plastics. Drifting covers more water, N16

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but wading where the bottom is harder can allow for stealthier presentation.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge GPS: N27 18.284, W97 27.593 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters early, soft plastics in limetreuse, pumpkinseed/chartreuse, and live croaker CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Fish on top of the bar with topwaters early in the morning. When the sun gets higher, you will locate trout holding in deeper water. Soft plastics work, but live bait becomes more effective as the month progresses. Try either croaker or pinfish.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Emmord’s Hole GPS: N27 29.754, W97 19.970 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in strawberry/black back plum/chartreuse, rootbeer/red flake, morning glory, pumpkinseed/chartreuse and live croaker CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441, brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: This area has a combination of grasslines and edges along deeper water, which is ideal fish habitat. Fish the 3- to 4foot breakline with live croaker or 4- to 5inch soft plastics. Trout will normally be holding in the deeper holes when the weather heats up.

Sabine Pass Specks LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: East Pass

GPS: N29 58.920, W93 47.135 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in chartreuse, &

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glow/chartreuse, pearl/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: Use your depth finder to locate deeper water holes where trout hold when weather starts to heat up. Choose soft plastics with throbbing tails that create a maximum amount of vibration. Swim lures in the current, or cast it around and under nervous bait. Use larger (1/4 ounce) jighead for better control in the current. As always, be sure to get a Louisiana license if you are going to cross into Cajun territory.

LOCATION: Sabine Pass HOTSPOT: Boat Cut GPS: 40.398, W93 49.516 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: Just like in East Pass, you will find some nice trout lurking in the deeper holes, especially around the boat cut. Watch for current breaks and eddies. Fish with oft plastics on larger (1/4- to 3/8-ounce) jigheads.

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Drull’s Lump GPS: N28 42.231, W95 49.652 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters in white or pink and soft plastics in dark patterns CONTACT: Capt. Mark Talasek, 979-4791397, www.talasekguideservice.com TIPS: Drull’s is a good summer spot.

Trout hold around the shell bottom all summer. Start with white or pink topwaters early in the morning (the pink/silver Top Dog is a typical choice). Switch to soft plastics in patterns such as morning glory and Baffin Magic.

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Three Beacons GPS: N28 40.518, W95 53.054 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in dark colors CONTACT: Capt. Mark Talasek, 979-4791397, www.talasekguideservice.com

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TIPS: Trout just love the deep shell reefs in the area. Drift with the wind and work soft plastics in patterns such as roach, morning glory, and Baffin Magic near the bottom.

Fish steadily and thoroughly. This is fishing.

There is no need to rush things.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Matagorda Jetties GPS: N28 35.666, W95 59.000 SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live bait, topwaters early, soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Mark Talasek, 979-4791397, www.talasekguideservice.com TIPS: The fishing can be crazy good on a calm day with friendly winds. Fish the guts with topwaters early in the morning and around the rocks with soft plastics and tops.

When you find a concentration of fish, thoroughly work the area. A depth finder can come in handy.

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usual top water baits, such as buzz baits in white or white/chartreuse CONTACT: Robin McFarlane, Double “R” Guide Service, 210-416-4563 TIPS: Fish the numerous flats and grass with spinnerbaits or chatterbaits with an erratic retrieve early morning. Soft plastic jerkbaits in watermelon/red or watermelon/candy will also produce with that same erratic retrieve. When throwing buzz baits, throw as far up to the bank as you can, and slow roll the bait for that hook up.

LOCATION: Braunig HOTSPOT: Spillway GPS: N29 14.664, W98 22.048 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut bait, dough balls, chicken liver CONTACT: Jeff Snyder, 210-649-2435 TIPS: Fish deeper water (20 to 25 feet) for best results. Watch your depth locator to find the thermocline and focus on fish holding around it. Fresh cut bait such as shad and sunfish are tough to beat, but prepared baits and chicken liver are also very effective.

LOCATION: Braunig HOTSPOT: Dam area GPS: N29 14.740, W98 22.366 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut bait, dough balls, chicken liver CONTACT: Jeff Snyder, 210-649-2435 TIPS: Fish start moving to deeper water as the water temperatures near shore start to shoot upward. Deep water is cooler and more comfortable. Fish along the bottom with either cut shad or sunfish, or with blood or crawfish-flavored dough on spring hooks.

Do not be surprised if you happen into a hybrid bass or two. They like cool water and cut 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 cgonzales@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Choke Canyon HOTSPOT: Salt Creek

GPS: N28 28.600, W96 21.545 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: White spinnerbaits, jigs in a variety of watermelon colors, frogs and chrome black back Pop R’s are the go baits for fishing in this area.

CONTACT: Robin McFarlane, Double “R” Guide Service, 210-416-4563 TIPS: Start your day by throwing spinnerbaits and topwaters to pick up those mossbacks that are roaming the banks and grass in the early morning looking for a quick meal. As the sun comes up, go to flipping a jig in the holes of the grass to hook up with the larger bass.

LOCATION: Choke Canyon HOTSPOT: Four Fingers GPS: N28 30.011, W98 16.725 SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: White spinnerbaits or chatterbaits, soft plastic jerkbaits, along with the A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Dawson Marine: A Passion for the Business ES DAWSON JOINED HIS DAD, DOYLE, IN the auto business when Wes was in his late 20s. Wes’s father had a lifetime involvement in cars, working with new car dealerships serving in the roll of General Manager. Eventually he owned his own independent car lot. Business was good and they continued in the car sales for about 10 years together.

However, Wes had a passion for bass fishing, deep enough that he fished in some of the BASS and FLW Stren tournaments. He describes himself as not a professional angler, but pretty close. Naturally at this level of fishing, and angler gets to know some boat and motor manufacturers on a first name basis.

What about if they added some shiny new fishing boats on the car lot along side the shiny cars? Fishing was Wes’s passion so he chose to do something he really enjoyed. He approached his dad on adding some boats and motors to their product mix and the deal was done.

“I started out with Skeeter Bass Boats in 1995 to add to our car sales location. The boat business started right there,” Dawson said.

At this point in the growth of Dawson Marine, the car and boat business was located in Beaumont, still is, but the there are no more cars.

Early indications were that the boat business was a natural fit.

“It pretty well exploded on us the next two or three years. We were out of the car business by 1998, exclusive marine sales from that point forward, adding and subtracting product lines as we went.”

In 1998 Dawson Marine was the top Skeeter dealer for the nation and has been one of the top five Skeeter dealers in the United

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States ever since. “We have never been out of the top five dealers in the nation,” Dawson said.

Dawson Marine sells more than just Skeeter Bass Boats. They also sell the Skeeter saltwater and runabout line.

“We do everything that Skeeter offers,” Dawson said.

Through the years the dealership has developed a close relationship with Skeeter’s sister company, G3 aluminum boats, including Jon boats all the way through pontoon boats up to 26-foot.

Dawson Marine is an exclusive Yamaha outboard motor dealer, a key dealer, and has been since 1998. Every year the dealership has been one of the top 20 Yamaha dealers in the country. Last year Dawson Marine ranked as one of the top 10 in the United States.

He has his “ear to the ground” knowing what the angler wants in a boat.

“Sometimes people are just getting started in fishing and they want to know they can go someplace where people will help them get in the right boat/motor and with the right equipment “Their service issues are very, very critical. They are tournament fishing, putting up their dollars. If they have breakdowns or issues with their equipment, they want to feel comfortable, knowing that they can get service in a fair time range, working with people who know the equipment.

Dawson uses the example of today’s electronics on both GPS/Sonar equipment and outboards engines. “You have to diagnose the problem and get them back out on the water.”

From the original store in Beaumont, the company opened a store in Jasper in 2001 and in November of 2008 opened a location in &

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Houston. The Jasper store is big enough to display 40 boats. Ann’s Tackle Shop, a very well known tackle retailer in Jasper is located adjacent to the showroom. The Houston location, located on I-45 South is located next to Fishing Tackle Unlimited, another well know emporium of fishing tackle and supplies for the angler.

You might say the Jasper and Houston locations are truly one stop shopping for the serious angler. Find a boat motor package that is tailored made for your fishing needs and get some tips on the right fishing equipment to use while shopping for your boat.

In addition to Skeeter and G3, Dawson Marine carries Alweld, BlackJack, Frontier, Hurricane, Parti Kraft, Polar, Regal and Sea Hunt boats.

Check out www.fishingworld.com/vDealers/TX/Dawson Marine for a complete list of all the boating products and services offered by Dawson. Location addresses and phone numbers are Beaumont—4230 College St, Beaumont, 409-840-9488; Jasper—4200 North Wheeler, Jasper, 409-489-9600; and Houston— 12812 I-45 South, 281-484-7200.

—Tom Behrens

PRADCO Outdoor Brands’ Family of Fishing Companies REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT WAS ON A NORTH Texas tank or on the shore south of Houston, or anywhere in between, chances are that you have made a special memory with a lure manufactured by one of PRADCO Outdoor Brands fishing companies. Just look at some of the classic tackle box staples from its companies: Arbogast Hula Popper and Jitterbug, Bomber Fat Free Shads and Model A, Cotton Cordell Big O, Heddon Spook, Bayou Boogie and Hellbender, Rebel Wee Craw and

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Pop-R, Smithwick Rogues and many more.

Add to that the newer introductions that have become today’s memory makers, such as the YUM Dinger and Money Minnows, XCalibur One Knockers and Zell Pops, Bomber Saltwater Grade Long A and

Wa l k i e Talkie and the jigs that Texan Alton Jones used to win the 2008 Classic, the Ajig and Pigskin Jig, along with BOOYAH spinnerbaits, and Texans would be hard pressed to tie on an “old reliable” that’s not manufactured by one of these companies.

PRADCO Outdoor Brands began with Rebel Lures, “America’s Favorite Fishing Lures,” making the original Rebel Minnow and expanded to encompass many lines of lures including the Pop-R and Wee-R, which won countless regional and national bass fishing tournaments.

Who hasn’t watched the rings dissipate around a Hula Popper in the still of dusk, then gave it a twitch and experienced the excitement of an explosive topwater strike, or slowly cranked a Jitterbug across calm water? These Arbogast fishing lures earned their place in anglers’ memories and tackle boxes, and still see plenty of bass.

East Texas anglers refined the technique of ripping lipless crankbaits through the submerged weeds, and this technique began with the original Cordell Super Spot, and spawned special color patterns such as Rayburn Red and Texas Red. It’s a staple, as much a part of fishing as twitching a Smithwick Rogue in early spring. Anglers across Texas know the effectiveness of a Cordell Big O on massive bass in lakes and tanks.

But this parent company isn’t relying on memories. Newer companies added to the mix include BOOYAH, YUM and XCalibur, with new classics designed with cutting-edge technology and top-quality research. Take one look at the YUM Money Minnow line and you’ll see a lure that will be around for a long time for fresh and saltwater anglers. The Fat Money Minnow, just released in 2008, has already become a staple for in-shore anglers after reds and trout.

PHOTO COURTESY PRADCO

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BOOYAH’s spinnerbait and jig line include new offerings such as the VibraFlx spinnerbaits and the Ajig and Pigskin Jig with design input from Alton Jones. Buzzbaits, hairdressed jigs and spinnerbaits and the Boogee

Yamaha’s New Fuel-Efficient Generator

Bait are go-to lures for the The Super Rogue is a diverse most successplug that is a standard in ful anglers. many Texas anglers tackle X C a l i b u r boxes. leads the industry trend providing different “sound” with the new One Knocker lipless crankbaits. The One Knocker line features a single rattle instead of several, creating a unique and distinct “thunk!” instead of the normal rattle you get with other lures of this type.

Expansion is common with every successful company, and Bomber Saltwater Grade is not only making inroads, it’s paving them with memories. The Saltwater Grade Long A takes this effective freshwater lure and upgrades it with saltwater grade components, making it a redfish and trout killa, and the Walkie Talkie and A-Salt Popper are two of the hottest topwaters for inshore anglers. www.lurenet.com.

—Staff Reports

YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, U.S.A., HAS launched the lightweight, fuel-efficient EF2000iS generator. The latest model in Yamaha’s inverter generator lineup and the result of three years of research and development, the EF2000iS provides a practical, versatile machine that can go anywhere with ease.

The EF2000iS is a quiet, long-running device with a new retro-modern design and like all Yamaha generators has the most advanced Yamaha technology and performance. Weighing in at only 44 pounds, this mighty mouse has enough power to run a microwave oven or a television, making your campsite a much more comfortable place to be.

“The EF2000iS is a perfect generator for RV owners, whether they have a built-in generator or not,” said Colin Iwasa, power equipment sales manager at Yamaha.

“Onboard generators in motorized RVs are used to run air conditioners about 20 percent of the time during a campout; the other 80 percent of the time you need much less power to run the TV, satellite system, lights, other small appliances or to charge the battery. No need to power up the big onboard generator. You can run the little EF2000iS all night long on

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less than a gallon of gas.”

Using a smaller, portable generator saves gas, pollutes less and eliminates the uncomfortable vibration created by larger generators in the motor home. And you, as well as your neighbors, will appreciate how quiet it is.

The EF2000iS is also equipped with a parallel-use function, making it compatible with Yamaha’s TwinTech or Reliance Control’s Sidewinder Parallel Kit to double generator power. This is especially helpful when additional power is needed to accommodate a wider range of uses, such as running air conditioners and larger appliances in a towable travel trailer.

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You can run the EF2000iS all night on less than a gallon of gas.

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Its small size, ease of use and versatile handling make the EF2000iS a perfect appliance away from the campsite as well. It can be used at home as a standby generator to run your refrigerator, TV, lights or microwave oven, or provide power for anywhere from construction sites to flea markets to running outdoor sound systems.

Yamaha, always conscious of eco-friendly practices, designed the EF2000iS to meet the strictest California CARB Tier III emissions standards. Additionally, 90 percent of the parts on this generator can be recycled into other materials.

“Our top quality engineering gives the generators outstanding durability. The new EF2000iS has a longer engine life rating than all competitors in its class.”

The EF2000iS will be available for purchase in early June at local Yamaha generator dealers at a retail price is $1,099.00.

—Staff Reports

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C&S Outboard — Aluminum Boat Superstore C&S OUTBOARD IN CROSBY IS AN ALUMINUM BOAT superstore that can handle any purchase or service requirement an angler or boater could need for their metal boat. The dealership has been doing business at the same location, same ownership, since 16 June 1973. In today’s economy, the longevity of company said a whole lot—good products, good prices, and the service to back up what they sell.

“We will be working with aluminum boats when the economy is booming and gas is 50 cents a gallon. When everybody has gone back to selling 200-horsepower outboards, we will still be here selling 50-, 75-, and 100-horsepower,” said Bill Sterling, owner of C&S. Many boat dealers carry aluminum boats along with other lines of fiberglass boats as an alternate choice for less money.

“They don’t carry the aluminum because it is a good product to sell; it is just to fill in a price point at the bottom end of the range,” Sterling said.

“We are dedicated to aluminum boats, selling aluminum because we feel like it is a very advantageous way to spend your money.

“We can take a bare hull and fabricate a custom interior for it. We also have our own in-house sheet metal shop where we have the ability to do some pretty serious repairs. We have our own EPA certified paint spray booth to paint boats after we do repairs.”

C&S sells exclusively Yamaha Outboard engines. Its aluminum boat line includes Alumacraft and G3 fishing boats, and Alumacraft and Beachcomber pontoon boats.

C&S also provides custom aluminum boats for commercial accounts like the Port of Houston, Shell, and Dow Chemical.

“A lot of the boats that are used in heavy industry are not heavy boats, but little bitty johnboats that can get under docks and maneuver around,” Sterling said.

About half the fishing boats sold, saltwater and freshwater, are custom built. “We have packages we put together, packaged at our location rather than at the factory.”

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The biggest seller in the fishing boat line is a series of saltwater aluminum, shallow-water, tunnel hull and center console boats that will float in 12 inches of water; and once on top, cruise in 6 inches of water.

“You ride in boats and hear the tales, but then you get out there and actually see what happens. There are a whole lot of boats that make claims to that, but very few that can actually do it,” Sterling said.

Customizing begins with a G3 or Alumacraft hull and then adding wiring, flooring, and rib covers. If it is a fishing boat, a center console is an option. Exact size storage boxes and livewells can be placed in the precise location the prospective buyer wants. Boats can be modified or constructed to anything a customer wants, as long as it is safe and legal.

BASS BOATS: Sterling said the same type of changes can be done for bass boats, but because of the popularity of these boats, the manufacturers have just about any custom configuration that an angler could want already prepackaged: “The bass boats are a tremendous seller for the factories. They have all kinds of shapes and configurations; it is hard for us to improve on what they are already doing. We sometimes do an occasional custom rigging for a catfish or crappie boat, but usually it is someone who had a special boat 20 years ago that they thought was great. It finally wears out and they want a boat something like it, but changed a little bit.”

CUSTOM FLOOR PLANS: C&S can also order custom floor plans on pontoon boats: “Beachcomber will change floor plans to fit the customer’s needs. For example, they are one of the few companies where you can order a boat that is wheelchair friendly. You can put a boat together where two or three people in wheelchairs can go out boat riding, fishing, and spend a day on the water in safety and security.”

Sterling said boat buyers should shop the market for the best price and boat, but if you are in the market for a quality aluminum boat, set up the way you want it, call or stop by C&S Outboard.

Contact: C&S Outboard, 800-444-3517, 281-328-2557, www.csoutboard.com.

—Tom Behrens

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High Intensity Floodlight PREADER LIGHTS ARE INVALUABLE TO anglers who night fish, leave the dock before dark, or spend any time on the water after sunset. Unfortunately, they’re also riddled with problems: they rip through your battery power, pop breakers left and right, and many models fill up with water and corrode away to useless within a season or t w o .

Thankfully, new LED lights use up a whole lot less electricity and some are even watertight. Most boaters have discovered LED superiority on trailers, since they end the problem of water intrusion and tend to last 10 times as long as bulb lights.

To find out if they can replace deck illumination as well, I tested Lumitec’s High Intensity Floodlight (www.lumiteclighting.com), an LED spreader designed to do the duty of a pair of old-fashioned deck lights.

On a 22-foot boat a single Lumitec proved more then sufficient, bathing everything from the leaning post aft in a bright yet soft white light.

The LED’s definitely don’t cause as much glare as halogens, and they disburse the light better over a large area. The Lumitec is sealed so water intrusion won’t be a problem, and focusing a washdown hose on it for 15 minutes had zero effect. The biggest surprise, however, is its size; this is a very small package. In fact, the light is half the size of a traditional spreader.

I liked the mount it came with because a sin-

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gle bolt meant I only had to drill one hole in the mounting plate. At first I was a bit worried about depending on a single bolt, but because of the light’s reduced size and weight, that’s all it takes to secure the Lumitec.

That mount allows you to adjust the angle of the light up and down, but not from side to side (as is the case with most spreader lights.)

Another surprising benefit of the Lumitec became apparent when I was rigging the power wires to the light, through the T-top pipe work.

This job can be very problematic and time consuming, but it turned out to be a lot easier then expected thanks to the low power draw of LEDs. That meant I could use .14-gauge wire instead of the much thicker .8 or .10-gauge that would normally be required, so the wires were much easier to fish through. At $220 these lights are not exactly cheap, but remember that a single High Intensity Floodlight will take the place of two halogens, which go for $50 to $75 each.

Each time you buy them, that is, because you will almost always end up replacing one or the other after a season or two, unlike the Lumitec.

—Lenny Rudow

Fugawi Marine ENC 4.5.2 Charting PUTTING YOUR CHARTS UP ON A PC IS GREAT FOR planning but it can also be a serious pain in the butt—most charting programs are incredibly complex, take hours to install, and days to figure out. But when I tested Fugawi’s latest Marine ENC version (4.5.2), I found it to be among the easiest of the software packages out there.

I’ve spent a lot of time (weeks, if you add it all up) fighting with marine navigation software in the past. Some programs are complex enough to run a battleship, some have “security” features that bewilder valid users, and others seem like the programming was designed by androids. So I was a bit worried when I plugged the Fugawi installation disk into my computer.

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ure out basic functions and features. That’s pretty darn low on the frustration scale, for a computo-phobic mariner like me. But part of the Fugawi’s strength—its simplicity—is also part of its weakness. In most chartography programs, for example, 3-D views give a realistic look at what’s below the surface. But the 3-D view in this program is only the “folded map” type, which essentially bends a picture of a chart over the landscape. Otherwise, the program’s functions are more or less on par with its competition: route planning and navigation, feature/nav aid data, waypoint, route, and track storage and transfer, multiple chartography compatibility, night vision mode, GPS auto-detect, and chart printing functions are all part of the program. Marine ENC doesn’t include the shipboard-management sections that you’ll find on some programs, which is a real blessing because cramming all that stuff into a nav program makes it so complex and cluttered it’s nearly impossible to use.

Where Fugawi really shines, however, is that it’s the first (and at least for the time being, the only), program of its type that’s compatible with Navionic’s new Platinum+ chart cards. The program comes with a card reader, and using it is as simple as pulling the chip out of your GPS, plugging it into the reader, and attaching the reader’s USB to your computer. That means the exact same charts you see at the helm are the ones you get on-screen on your computer.

System requirements are Microsoft Windows XP or Vista, 512 MB RAM, 250 MB hard drive space, a DVD drive, and graphics accelerator. The list of GPS compatibility is long and includes most major brands, and Marine ENC will also support real-time navigation with any GPS with NMEA V2.1 or better. The program comes with nautical planning (lowdata) charts for the country, details over 25,000 marine service locations and searchable place names, and elevation/bathymetrics data of the US. Plus, it also includes Fugawi Street Overlay road mapping, so you can use this program for landlocked navigation as well

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Shotgun Slugs HOTGUN SLUGS ARE SOMETHING WE TEXANS generally do not know much about. We do not think of them in relation to deer hunting, but we accept that cops like them for shooting through car doors to get to the bad guys inside. In contrast, in the more densely populated Northeast and Midwest it is common for the deer hunter to harvest his buck each season with a shotgun using either slug or buckshot.

Slugs come in all the gauges, but for this discussion you can be assured that I am talking about 12-gauge. The 20-gauge slug is the smallest that I could with good conscience recommend for hunting, and the 28-gauge and .410-bore slugs are simply too small for any serious application.

For reference, a 12-guage bore measures .729”, a 16-gauge is .663”, and a 20-gauge is .615”. As you can see, a 12-gauge slug can be nearly ¾- inch in diameter. It will weigh in the vicinity of one ounce or 1/16th of a pound.

A 12-gauge slug will have a muzzle velocity of from about 1600 feet per second to 2000 feet per second, will carry well over 2500 ft pounds of striking force, and has more frontal area than any modern sporting rifle.

To quote from a James Bond movie, “It has a delivery like a brick through a plate glass window.”

It does not, however, have the blasting, tissue destroying effect of a high velocity, expanding rifle bullet, because energy is

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increased exponentially by higher velocity, and only relatively by greater bullet weight.

There are basically two kinds of shotgun slugs, though there are many variations. First is the standard hollow-base, soft lead slug that is the same size as the bore diameter of the shotgun. This type is the most common and it is in some shotguns, especially those equipped with rifle sights or a scope, quite accurate.

The hollow-base is intended to expand upon firing so that no gas from the combustion of the powder escapes by the slug. This type of slug has been around for a very long time. It

by Steve LaMascus is easy and cheap to make and is relatively efficient in a shotgun.

The other is the sabot (pronounced saybow) slug. This uses a bullet that is smaller than bore diameter, which is encased in a special sabot or sleeve that fits the bore, but which falls away upon firing, leaving the slug to travel to the target unimpeded. This is a newer development than the former lead slug and is generally thought to be more accurate and more efficient.

The hollow-base lead slug flies through the air like a sock with sand in the toe; the rounded forward end is heavier than the hollow rear end and thus leads the charge. This ancient technology, which can trace its ancestry back to the Minie bullet of 1849, is surprisingly accurate. Some shotguns will shoot these slugs into very small groups at 50 yards, and some will do well out to around a hundred. A hundred yards, however, is the ultimate limit at which I would attempt to use a lead shotgun slug on game.

The second type of slug, the saboted bullet, is a more efficient and generally more

accurate projectile. It is built to be more aerodynamic; the sabot, or sleeve, tends to limit deformation of the slug by contact with the barrel; a more aerodynamic projectile that is not deformed, shoots better. Simple.

Shoot this more efficient projectile in a rifled barrel and you have a pretty good rig for hunting deer. Good examples of this type of slug are the Federal Sabot Slug HP, the Barnes Expander HP, and Barnes Expander Tipped slugs, as loaded in the Federal VitalShok line. However, the difference in price is pretty dramatic. Standard lead slugs sell for about $5 for a box of five, whereas the going price for the sabot-type slugs is from $12 up for a box of five.

With the huge increase in the number of deer hunters and the equivalent increase in popularity of the sport, there have also been introductions of technology to make it easier for the hunter to take his buck. One of these advances in technology was the introduction of barrels made especially for shooting slugs.

At first these barrels consisted of nothing more than a standard open-choke shotgun barrel with a set of open-sights attached. Then came the advent of scopes on shotguns. Now we have special rifled barrels intended strictly for shooting slugs.

If you want to go the bargain basement route, find an after-market barrel with sights and stick it on your old Remington 870. If you want to go for the full catastrophe, buy a specially built slug gun. The truth, however, is that no matter how much technology you throw at the problem, you cannot turn a shotgun into a high-velocity deer rifle. On the other hand, a man armed with a shotgun full of slugs is not someone to be toyed with, at any range.

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might not be hard-wired like mine, and just because I find Fugawi easy to use doesn’t mean you will. Good thing you can go to their website, www.fugawi.com, and download a 10&

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day temporary demo version. Take it for a free spin, and find out if it’s what you’re looking for. —LR

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Texas ATVs

Truck Covers USA

Brazos Cycles & ATVs

The Buddy Bag

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Trucks Open Doors to Outdoor Adventures RUCKS. WITHOUT THEM, MANY OF THE TASKS we seek to accomplish in the great outdoors would quite simply be impossible. Of course, those of us who are

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blessed to live in Texas know this better than anyone.

I make this point because trucks are truly part of our outdoors heritage and a crucial compo-

nent of the lifestyles we live. Some folks however just do not get it.

Take for example, a journalist from New York City who interviewed me a few years ago about

by Chester Moore, Jr. a conservation project. She snidely asked if I, “…drove around in a big ozone layer depleting truck that endangered everyone on the road like everyone else in Texas.”

Being a Texan, I remained polite but told her, “Lady, just because I am blessed enough to live in Texas and smart enough to drive something bigger than the wild hogs we have down here, don’t hold that against me. Plus, it is kind of hard to throw a deer carcass in the back of a Volkswagen Beetle.”

For some reason, that ended the conversation.

It did however bring to mind the many instances in my life when trucks made the difficult bearable and the seemingly impossible plausible. As a youngster, I clearly remember wanting a truck so I could use it for fishing and not only to get me to a destination but to actually fish.

Back when I was in fourth grade, all of the neighborhood kids were convinced a giant alligator gar nicknamed “Big John” lived in the gully down the street. We all tried to catch it but to no avail. One weekend some high school boys came up with the idea of tying a nylon rope to the end of a truck, baiting it with a whole chicken attached to a shark hook and floating it out under a jug.

When the jug went under, they would crank up the truck and pull the behemoth ashore.

All of the elementary school boys thought that was the greatest idea anyone had ever concocted.

The only problem was they were going to do it at the big pond on the high school agriculture department’s property where only Ag students could tread without getting in serious trouble.

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so we could get a glimpse.

Half a dozen or so of gathered at the gully that day to do some fishing and of course see if Big John was going to take the bait. We just did not see how he could resist a whole chicken.

After a couple of hours, we heard the truck crank up and drive forward. Our hearts raced as we wondered if they really had captured the fish that had captured our imagination for so long.

We could see that the small crowd of Ag students that gathered to see the capture of Big John were scattering like ants. They were running all over the place. Was our fabled fish so humongous they would run from it? Did it attack one of the bystanders? Our imaginations ran wild.

It turned out, they had pulled in a nine-foot long alligator that was not very happy at being hooked and pulled from the water by truck.

Nowadays I have no delusions of catching gar by truck, but back then trucks were a central theme in my outdoor dreams.

One of my most harrowing truck encounters came back in 1998, when I guided my Dad, Chester Moore, Sr., on a hunt for red deer out in Kerr County. After bagging a big 8-point-

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er, we hoisted it into a strong oak and began to skin it. Suddenly, thousands of bees moved in, started buzzing all around us, and began to cover the animal. Dad backed his truck up under the deer, I cut the hoist down, and we moved more than a mile away. The amazing part is we had to drive over rocks, through ravines and brush to get away and there is no way that could be done in some European micro car. No sir, that requires good old-fashioned truck power.

Sometimes we Texans however overdo things a bit. This should come as no surprise in the land of the 10-gallon hat and 10,000acre ranch. A prime example involving trucks are some of things we try to get them through.

Many times, we assume because we are driving a truck we can go through anything.

My Dad is a perfect example. He has a thing for being stuck when we are working with a film crew. While filming specials with Animal Planet, The Travel Channel and an independent film company he was stuck because he was determined his truck would make it through stuff it was simply not designed for, especially since it is not a four-wheel drive.

The most extreme example is when he drove into soft red clay so deep we almost could not

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open our doors. I remember telling him that we should walk the last 200 yards of our journey but he said, “Oh, this is a tough truck. We can make it!”

Three hours later a friend of ours with a bigger four-wheel drive truck and a winch pulled us out. Did I mention it was 3 a.m., 25 degrees and in the middle of the Sabine River bottoms in Louisiana?

A more humorous encountered involved me getting stuck because of my cousin Frank Moore’s questionable judgment. We were on a Type II property in East Texas and had drive down a narrow dirt road scouting for deer season. He was in the back of my truck and when I asked him if the ground behind me was hard enough to back up on he replied, “It’s the hardest ground I have ever seen.”

Nearly 20 years later we still have a good laugh about that one because it took us five hours to get someone there who could pull us out. If you are like me, you probably have a great appreciation for trucks and the things they allow us to do in God’s great outdoors.

If you think about it, we owe them a debt of gratitude along with the occasional washing and tune-up.

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Time to Get in Shape HEN ASKING ARCHERS WHY THEY want to hunt, I get an array of interesting answers. The challenge, the camaraderie, and the fact they get a longer season are just a few of the many reasons for bow hunting. No matter your motivating factor, staying in shape is necessary to optimize your time in the field. I can guarantee if you are not in shape while chasing that elusive whitetail, every muscle in your body will remind you of this month’s column.

Too many hunters tell themselves that they will start tomorrow and then tomorrow never comes and all of a sudden, it is opening day.

First off, consult a doctor and make sure the fitness plan you choose works for you.

I recommend you start slow, but start. You do not have to run a marathon so a little every day is the right way to begin.

Work your whole body, but concentrate on the muscles you use while bow hunting.

One of our loyal readers who is almost 60 years old, wrote me a few months ago and assured me that had he not been working out prior to last season, he would not have been able to harvest his deer alone. He was able to track the deer and then drag it to his vehicle and is a prouder man for his efforts.

There are many different exercises for the muscles needed to bow hunt in shape. Some of these muscle groups involve the back.

Bent-over rows are perfect to start to get these muscles in shape.

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Using a dumbbell or just a gallon of water, place your knee on a chair; bend over the side of the chair to grab the weight and simply lift it up to your upper torso.

Remember to keep your elbow straight back similar to the way you would pull a bowstring. Do three sets of 10 each and feel comfortable with this weight before increasing the weight.

Depending on which bow you own, yours might be heavier than others. If you ever had to hold your bow arm out for any length of time, then you know how hard that

Bowhunters do not have to be as well-built as this guy, but keeping fit by strength training will give them a huge advantage in the field. can be on your front shoulders. A good exercise to help build this muscle is a shoulder lift.

Starting with a lightweight, with the dumbbells in front of you, lift them straight up until they are just below your neck. Do this a few times and believe me, you will soon feel that burn that is supposed to feel good!

A variation of this is to take the weight and starting from the same position as the previous exercise, try lifting the dumbbells directly in front of you with your arms straight.

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A gallon of water works well for this too.

It makes a good lightweight to start with.

Lift what you can. Do not over do it. A shoulder injury is something you do not get over easily. A steady light weight to build your muscle is better than trying to be Superman the first time you try this.

If you cannot find the time to lift weights to help get yourself in shape, then at the very least, you should walk. You would be surprised to see how much more your endurance will be if you just walk everyday.

Spend at least 30 minutes a day on the treadmill, or longer if you can spare the time.

I am sure those who wear younger men’s clothes might feel like you really do not need exercise. And you might be right. However, for those of us that wore a younger man’s clothes long ago… longer than we wish to remember, this read is really going to help.

We practice hard to be proficient. We are careful about our scent control. We scout well before the season and place our tree stands where we think are the very best location. We do everything we can to have a successful hunt that includes harvesting a nice whitetail.

Shouldn’t we take care of our bodies too?

If one of the reasons we are out there is to have fun, then having sore muscles or not having the ability to pull back our bowstrings is not an option.

The bow season is fast approaching, so start now to get ready for it. Include a workout schedule designed for your specific needs that will help you feel fit this season.

Remember, hunt safe and have some fun out there.

E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com.

PHOTO BY LOU MARULLO

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Reloading on the Rise OR A COUPLE OF DECADES, FROM ABOUT THE 1970s to the late 1990s, the number of shooters who were also reloaders seemed to be dropping. The high quality and wide selection of factory ammunition, combined with the large amount of expendable income most citizens had, made it seem unnecessary to reload, so the number of shooters who reloaded their own ammunition declined each year.

Now, however, reloading is again on the rise. There are good reasons for this, not the least of which is the increasing cost of factory ammunition. The price of a box of highpower rifle ammunition has tripled, quadrupled, or even worse, in the last 20 years.

When I was working for a large discount store in the mid-70s, a box of cartridges for a 7mm Remington Magnum cost about $7.50. That same box of ammunition today will cost as much as much as $54.00. I’m sorry if I seem shocked, but that is obscene.

It is also a darned good reason to become a reloader.

If you are a shooter, especially a handgunner, you can cast your own bullets and save immense amounts of money. With the economy as it is today, that seems the only wise route to take. I can use tire weights that I have shagged from local tire shops and make bullets for my handguns for almost nothing. Using my home cast bullets and once-fired brass, a box of 50 rounds of .44 Magnums costs – assuming my math is right — around $2.75. Compare that to $46.49 for a box of 50 240-grain jacketed Black Hills brand rounds as listed on the Midway USA website; which was “out of stock,” by the way.

A great many of the reloaders I knew as

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a youngster got started during the depression when, as Elmer Keith said, “A dollar looked as big as my hat.” Elmer wore a very large hat, by the way. They wanted to shoot and couldn’t afford to buy ammunition, so they cast their own bullets and reloaded.

Then during WWII, there simply wasn’t any ammunition, so even more shooters became reloaders, and most of them swore they would always have a good stock of primers, powder, brass, and bullets, so that if there were ever again a shortage or a depression, they would still be able to shoot and hunt.

Well, here we are again, at war, short of ammo, and in a depression.

Again ammunition is too expensive for most of us to buy, and almost absent from many dealers shelves, anyway. However, we reloaders are still in business. If you shop around a bit you can usually find quality rifle bullets at affordable prices, primers are still relatively inexpensive, there is a wider range of superior powders now than ever before, and you can reuse your brass many times. And no matter what you read on the Internet, once-fired brass is just fine. If you find some once-fired commercial brass in the trash at the range, keep it. Run it through a properly adjusted full-length resizing die and it will shoot perfectly in anything, even your AR-15. Just make sure that it is brass and not steel or aluminum. A lot of the very cheap foreign ammo, such as the 7.62x39mm that is commonly used in the AK-47s and SKS, has cases made of steel, which are not reloadable. Also, make certain that it is Boxer and not Berdan primed.

Boxer primed cases have a single flash hole in the center of the primer cup that allows the primer to be punched out and replaced.

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Berdan primed cartridge cases have multiple off-center holes and cannot be reloaded by normal American processes.

I just spent the afternoon making a batch of cast lead bullets for my .308. It shoots them very well, although I can only push them to about 1400 feet per second with good accuracy. Still, how fast do I need to shoot a bullet to plink, practice, or shoot varmints? My buddy Wyman Meinzer recently killed a big wild hog at 165 yards with his .280 Remington shooting 165grain cast bullets at 1200 feet per second.

A couple of days ago I cast up a bunch of bullets for my .45 Colt.

They were 250-grain Keith bullets, and I cast them out of reclaimed tire weights, loaded some of them in brass I have already shot several times, with a light charge of powder. Total expense was about 3 bucks and a couple of hours of my time. A box of the least expensive factory ammo would cost a minimum of $30.00 and would be inferior to what I loaded.

If you are a shooter and not a reloader, I strongly suggest you consider making the step. A reloader can almost always find something to shoot, but if this depression (yes, I said depression, not recession) gets worse, or, God forbid, our government decides to take some drastic, stupid, and unconstitutional action, those who do not reload might just be out of luck. In addition to those obvious reasons, it is still true that a careful reloader can handload ammunition that is superior to most factory ammunition.

So, fellow hunters and shooters, I really see no downside here.

E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com

Well, here we are again, at war, short of ammo and in a depression.

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The Fisherman’s Analyst from Third Stone HEN YOU GRAVITATED TO THE SERIOUS side of fishing you tend to spend as much time thinking about fish as you actually do wetting your line. Reading, preparing for trips, and tackle maintenance all take on an important new perspective.

The scientific angler keeps a journal, noting such things as wind direction and speed, water temperature, tide information, and other variables.

When enough journal entries have been collected, the fisherman can go back and seek out patterns. Once a pattern has been established, the serious fisherman can then make informed decisions as to when and where to fish.

The Fisherman’s Analyst is a comprehensive computer program which provides an integrated tide prediction table, journaling section, and charting capabilities. The software is sold by Third Stone Software (www.thirdstonesoft.com). When I first heard about the program I had mixed feelings. I have too many gizmos and other “cool

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stuff ” that I never use.

Still, I was compelled to invest some time evaluating the new program. Perhaps my reluctance to evaluate a software program stems from my dislike of all things which are

by Greg Berlocher Windows-based. I do not know why but my computers are not as reliable as my Calcutta reels, even though they get doused with saltwater routinely. Go figure.

The CD tray on my laptop closed and within minutes the software was loaded. The main screen features a tide chart which can be easily adjusted to display a day at a glance, a week, or even longer. My personal preference is to check out tides a week at a time. Bingo. It was done. The bright colors on the tide chart are configurable, allowing you to pick your favorite colors for high tides, low tide, and periods of major feeding activity.

Many tide charts provide high and low tide information but not much granularity on

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tide strength. The Fisherman’s Analyst takes this to a whole new level.

“I started looking for journaling software that I could use to chronicle my fishing trips on and discovered there weren’t any. I developed my own and then incorporated a tide prediction table into it,” said Gary Easterwood, the angler/mad programmer, who created the program.

“Because entire bay systems are quite large bodies of water you won’t see a lot of height change during a tidal change but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of tide strength.

There is a strong horizontal movement of water but it takes a while to affect the height.

The horizontal movement of water is what triggers fish to feed.”

The Fisherman’s Analyst allows anglers

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to see these strong horizontal movements of water and target fishing trips around water movement. Keep in mind that on some tidal changes, the horizontal movement of water is 15-20 minutes. Then the fishing shuts down.

Easterwood, a 25-year veteran of the information technology field, knew what he wanted and ended up developing a program that incorporates the tide prediction table, along with database capabilities which allow you to store a wide range of inputs of data about every trip, including photos. You can then sort the data in endless combinations.

One of Easterwood’s favorite tricks is to snap a digital image of his catches and he then stores the images as part of the trip report. Each image has a unique time stamp

PHOTO COURTESY FISHERMAN’S ANALYST

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Main screen from The Fisherman’s Analyst. which allows Easterwood to analyze what was going on with the tide when he caught the fish. Very smart!

I found the software easy to manipulate and extremely affordable: $39.95 MSRP. It is available online from Third Stone Software’s website and you can also find it on Amazon.com. Several deals with major retailers are in the works but none had been

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finalized at press time.

On a recent crosscountry airline trip I cranked up my laptop and started tinkering with fishing data and before I knew it, we were ready to land. I even solicited several queries from people walking down the aisle regarding the “hero photos” I had stored in some of my trip reports. It was much more entertaining than a spy novel.

I would recommend The Fisherman’s Analyst to any serious coastal angler.

Besides helping you catch more fish, it is a great teaching aid. The software would make a great Father’s Day gift if your dad likes to cast bait and lures in the salt.

Email Greg Berlocher at fishthis@fishgame.com

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A Friend in Need F SOMEONE NEEDS ASSISTANCE ON THE WATER, you are obligated to provide it. Quite often, that means towing someone who’s broken down. Maybe the towboat is occupied, maybe they have shut down for the day, or maybe they simply don’t cover the area. For whatever reason, sooner or later you will find yourself floating next to someone who needs a tow home or you will need that tow yourself, and the powered boat is going to have to ren-

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der assistance. It’s the law of the sea. But this law can be a real problem when you are the one who needs help, and the guy providing it doesn’t know squat about how to tow someone.

The best example of this that I have seen occurred when the guys rendering assistance were allegedly professionals. A 32-foot Albemarle (an inboard boat that had little to no control with one engine down) had lost his starboard screw after hitting some causeway rocks lining the marina’s entrance, and called the marina office to ask for a hand. They sent a boat out to help the Albemarle maneuver between the docks and into the lift but the guy in charge made a tragic mistake, by sending out a 16-foot barge powered by a 15-hp outboard. Reaching and tying to the Albemarle

beam-to-beam (on the hip, in tugboat parlance) was easy enough, but when they tried driving in-between the two docks they quickly discovered how much influence a 15-hp Johnson spinning a 10-inch diameter prop has on nine tons of fiberglass: none.

The captain of the Albemarle gave a shot of power from his one good side to get the boat moving more or less in the right direction, and naturally, the boat pulled hard to starboard. The barge operator cut the little outboard all the way to port to correct the direction of travel, opened up the throttle, and the little outboard roared and roared, and roared, while the Albemarle continued drifting to starboard. It did not stop until it reached the bow pulpit of Pro-Line sitting in its slip.

The captain of the Albemarle, still at the

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wheel but unable to do anything to prevent contact, cringed as bits of his gel coat went flying through the air like confetti. Several boaters on the dock came running full-tilt, and arrived just in time to fend off the next boat in line to be smashed. Unfortunately they pushed a bit too hard and the crippled boat slowly but surely drifted towards another set of bow pulpits across the way. Again, the barge’s outboard had zero effect.

The Albemarle bounced down between the docks like it was the ball in a gigantic surreal slow-motion game of Pong, saved from further damage only by people on the docks who were defending their own boats from being smashed. The marine operator surely should have known better.

If you need to lend assistance to a disabled boat, will you have the know-how to tow them home safely? And if someone’s towing you, will you recognize if they make a serious mistake that could endanger you or your boat?

Brush up on your towing techniques, to prevent a disaster like this from happening to you.

Open water towing should be done with as long a length of line as is possible. Attach the line to the towed boat’s fore cleat. Do not, however, make the rookie mistake of attaching the powered boat by the stern cleats. This restricts the stern’s ability to swing to either side, and greatly reduces the boat’s maneuverability.

Instruct everyone on both boats to stay clear of the line; tow ropes are under enormous strain and if they break, can snap back like a very big, very destructive rubber band.

Because of this danger, twisted nylon is the worst towing rope since it stretches so much; braid-on-braid nylon works much better. If the boat that is being towed is an outboard or stern drive, check to make sure the drive unit is tilted all the way up to reduce drag. Do not worry about keeping the drive in the water to have some control. Without prop thrust, you will not have control, anyway. If the boat has inboards, ensure that the wheel is centered.

Once all the ropes are in place, the powered boat should shift in and out of gear to slowly creep forward until the line is tensioned as gently as possible. Then come up to speed slowly, and have a crewmember observe how the two boats are riding. If possible, particularly in rough seas, you will want to adjust the tow rope’s length so that the two boats ride the crests and troughs of the waves more or less together. Otherwise, if one boat surfs down a wave as the other climbs the back of another

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and vice-versa, it will multiply the load on the tow rope.

When you have gotten the tow set and underway, it will be tempting to move the throttle up. Resist temptation. Six to eight knots is plenty of towing speed, regardless of the situation. Any faster multiplies the risk of doing damage, and when a large boat tows a significantly smaller one, it’s easy to misjudge the effect of the seas and the taunt tow line on the bow of the towed boat—until that bow digs into a wave, and swamps.

Approaches to inlets, marinas, and other areas that may require close-quarters maneuvering should be taken with the boat “on the hip.”

If the tow boat is too small to control the disabled boat in this fashion, as was clearly the case with that barge and the Albemarle, then the disabled boat needs to drop anchor and wait for assistance from a larger, more capable vessel. Towing on the hip will give the tow much greater maneuverability, however, since the boats are now in close proximity as they move, the chances of damaging one or both of them go up astronomically.

Before tying the boats together, obviously, deploy as many fenders you can. Secure the powered boat slightly farther aft, so its bow is positioned about amidships against the boat being towed. Run lines from the bow cleat of the powered boat to the spring (amidships) cleat on the un-powered boat, from the bow of the powered boat to the stern of the un-powered boat, and from the stern of the powered boat to the far transom corner of the un-powered boat. Before attempting to move, tighten down each of these lines as much as possible.

Allow the two boats to float together for a minute, then re-tighten them all. It is best to constantly maintain contact with the fenders between the fiberglass, as opposed to bouncing on and off of each other repeatedly.

When maneuvering in very tight quarters, turn the wheel in the direction you want to go with the throttles in neutral, then apply a short burst of power. Remember, short bursts: keep it in gear while applying sufficient power to make a turn and you will probably start going faster then is safe.

And as you approach solid objects you will want to keep the boats very, very s-l-o-w. In the second-worst towing incident I have observed the towboat cast free his tow about 50’ from the dock while moving at five or six knots, and while that may not sound like a lot of speed, it was enough that the crew could A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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not stop the boat as it T-boned a classic wooden schooner. Crunch.

Who was responsible? Was it the tower or the towee? The law was not very clear on this point. But one thing you can count on: sooner or later, the law of the sea will call on you to break out a tow line. Good thing you will know how to get the job done.

E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com

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Jig with a Frog Trailer OMETIMES BEING A WRITER HAS ITS benefits. Not only do I get to go hunting or fishing while telling the wife it is for work purposes but much of the time I get to speak with outdoor professionals who are the best in their field and learn from them. That is just what happened a few months back when I had the opportunity to attend the Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport, La., and rub elbows with some of the best bass anglers in the world.

If you hang out in a room full of auto mechanics chances are you will pick up a tip or two about car maintenance. If you spend three days with 51 professional bass anglers you cannot help but pick up a few of the hottest techniques on the water today and I

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would be remiss not to pass one along that was used by quite a few anglers at the Classic. Jig fishing is not new and not really limited to chasing bass. If I had to pick one lure that I had to use to catch any kind of fish anywhere it would be a jig due to its versatility.

While most bass anglers limit a jig to just being used to probe deep-water structure, many of the anglers at the Classic were swimming them to put some big limits in the boat. Jami Fralick, the leader at the end of the second day was swimming a jig around hyacinth to put around 38 pounds of bass in the boat over those first two days.

Brian Snowden also put himself in the top six at the end of day two, finishing the tournament in third overall, by swimming a jig.

Professional anglers have been swimming jigs for years but it never really has caught

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on with the recreational crowd because we are ingrained with the thought that a jig is to be cast out, allowed to sink, and then bounced along the bottom.

There is a lot of water, presumably with fish swimming in it, between the surface and bottom that isn’t being explored with the traditional jig fishing method.

Swimming a jig is fairly simple, and is actually easier than the traditional method of fishing one. Cast the jig out; let it sink slightly, then start reeling in. That is it.

For a little more action pump the rod tip slightly, making the jig dart through the water. The erratic motion seems to trigger more strikes in suspending fish.

There are jigs specifically designed for swimming but don’t feel obliged be a oneman economic stimulus package by purchasing hundreds of them in every color and design imaginable. Just about any jig you currently have in your tackle box will suffice but keep in mind that a jig is not flashy or will not put off a lot of vibration like a spinner bait so to maximize its attractiveness, use one with a large skirt and put on a big trailer (more on this later).

Another thing to remember is that swimming a jig appeals to a bass in a visual nature. Meaning, it will work in murky water, just not as well as it does in clear water where the fish can see it bouncing off limbs and jerking around like wounded prey.

Lakes with much aquatic vegetation tend to run on the clear side and swimming a jig around this vegetation is an outstanding way to catch bass. More important than the type of jig used for swimming is the type of trailer that is put on the back end. When rummaging through the plastics on the bottom of ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW

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your boat looking for a trailer, think two words, big and bulky.

Do not go for some dainty pork frog or slim craw. Instead, use something with a lot of legs and tentacles that displaces a lot of water and can slow the decent of the jig.

One of my favorite jig trailers is a Hoodaddy by Gene Larew, but from what I learned from the big boys is that one of the hottest trailers being used today is a topwater frog. That is right. These anglers are combining a soft plastic that is typically used

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on top with a jig that is usually dragged along the bottom to catch fish somewhere in between the two. I had one of those forehead slapping moments of insight when they passed that tip along.

Sometimes it is the most obvious combinations that turn out to be the most productive.

E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

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and come back to Texas together.”

Allen nodded, we shook hands, and the deal was done. And Allen squinted and showed me his top teeth in a big grin.

Allen Hammack was a pure Texas cowboy and a bareback bronco rider. He was stretched too long for the chore but somebody

The Old Ways LLEN STOOPED AND PEERED INTO MY FACE. He was taller than most folks and ducking to talk to people was his natural habit. Now, his eyes searched me and his statements blurted out in prophesizing confessions.

“If I’m ever going to the hills it’s got to be now,” he said. “I want to see the mountains.

I want to live in the wilderness camps. You tell stories about mule packing and guiding in the wild high country. This is my last chance to go with you!”

My figuring was that we were too young to be having last chances. Optimistic thinking said we had a passel of years ahead of us.

But, it was no use second-guessing my pard.

He appeared to have a notion that I could not budge.

“Well, we need a cook. I am going up early for the summer season. You meet me in Choteau the last week of August before we start packing in elk camp. That’ll give you time to cipher the Montana ways of doing things. We’ll be in the Middle Fork of the Flathead for four hunts. Then we’ll load up

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My figuring was that we were too young to be having last chances.

forgot to tell him. He was also the type of man that the clichéd storytellers would claim was born 100 years too late.

The truth is he managed a brand of wisdom that I always lacked. He could fit into any time whether it meant being a mountain man, one of Teddy’s Rough Riders, or where he sat right now. Allen knew his place in the world and what his heart desired. And,

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Allen’s heart had a few desires. We had both had our wagonloads of Brandis, Bambis, and Candis. Then accordingly, with those sweethearts we had learned that drinking and fighting was supposed to be kept as fun amongst the boys. Women fight dirty. Now, there seemed to be something else on his mind. My compadre had a plan and his beseeching demeanor told me that joking would have been wrong.

The country we were headed into is the wildest chunk of backcountry left in the lower 48 states. It is unfair to say that this land has been tamed but fences and the frivolities of human personalities have spoiled much of it.

The advancement of civilization casts its shadow against the two million acres of Bob Marshal Wilderness.

Forest Service signs litter the countryside pointing out sites like “The Old North Trail,” where once nomads and Indians traveled with only the sky and earth as indicators of direction. The Teton River that once fed the mighty Missouri is piddled into countless irrigation canals, and the home on the range where the buffalo roamed is now farmland on the Fairfield Bench.

This is the land of the Blackfoot Indians, one of the most ruthless tribes of warriors that ever lifted a white man’s scalp. Later it became the cow country depicted in many Charlie Russell paintings, and it was home to Pulitzer Prize winning author A.B. Guthrie for his The Way West series. Modern day readers may also remember that Jurassic Park and The Horse Whisperer originated in this locale. Simply put, the Eastern Front of the Rocky Mountains has always been hard on its inhabitants.

Then you must ride your pony west past the National Forest Service signs, cross the first mountain pass, and you can almost step back in time. The trails are more worn and there are no Blackfoot war parties to dodge.

However, the grizzlies and the hazards of a horseback society are real. The frontier history murmurs with every sunrise taunting a man with the want to be free. It is instinctive

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for a couple of Texas hands to wander 2,000 miles searching for the lost lifestyle.

The summer season went smooth with the usual mixture of guests. There were families, retired folks, and the occasional tree-hugger seeking to commune with nature. We observed and cared for the latter with the same curiosity and worry reserved for tending a handicapped child. When the summer was over one of the crew saw a truck in town with Texas license plates.

“Hey Herman, your friend from Texas is here and he’s got a woman with him,” he said.

My immediate elation sank into a knot in my gut.

“Oh, damn!” There is no place for hangers-on in the wilderness.

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Upon our meeting, Allen explained and his apologetic words colored me as insensitive to his female.

“She rode up here with me and tomorrow we’re going to the Sweet Grass Hills and take a peek at Canada. Then I’m putting her on an airplane and sending her home.”

But the next day they put forces into play that only a couple in love can muster, and, they married on the courthouse lawn with County Judge Pete Howard presiding. Afterwards, true to his word, Allen sent his new wife back to Texas.

During hunting season, we savored every minute. Allen whooped, hollered, and had his last hurrah as a bronco-stomping tailwringing authentic Texas twister. Then he went home and became a respectable mem-

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ber of the community. In nine months, he had a son and named the boy “Montana.” That was more than 10 years ago.

My misfortune is not comprehending the desire for such respectability. Tiptoeing the hunting trails is my calling. An elk bugle is my ballad, and a chorus of Blackfoot war whoops would be my swan song.

But recently a celebrity followed Allen’s footsteps. David Letterman married on the courthouse lawn with County Judge Pete Howard presiding. Something about this lonesome country appeals to a man, and makes him free.

E-mail Herman W. Brune at wilderness@fishgame.com.

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TEXAS SALTWATER

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ADVERTISERS, MAIL IN YOUR PHOTOS TODAY!

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

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Capt. Matt Danysh Grouper ors Coastal Bend Outdo

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

VACATION RENTAL

FAYETTE COUNTY

TEXAS HUNTING

SPOTLIGHT: THE KOUNTRY HIDEAWAY Tired, stressed out, just want a relaxing getaway? The Kountry Hideaway offers onsite fishing and guest houses set on a peaceful farm in the heart of South Central Texas. It’s a great place to bring your buddies or the entire family. We are conveniently located near the Fayette Power Plant Lake, the Colorado River, Nails Creek and Lake Somerville, all of which boast excellent fishing.

You’ll enjoy onsite fishing for Florida bass, catfish, crappy, perch and native bass in a mid-sized stock pond with a relaxing deck over the water. There is also a small catfish pond and a 3-acre stocked lake (hybrid blue gills in addition to all fish listed above) in which you can fish from the pier or a rowboat in the water.

We are located within a short drive from Austin, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. All of the guest houses have most comforts of home.

Whether you and yours decide to spend the day fishing the area, shopping the local antique stores or just sitting on the front porch taking in the tranquility of the water while the birds sing in the background, the canvas is yours to paint! There are numerous neighboring communities that offer a wide variety of unique amenities for all ages to enjoy! It truly is a perfect year-round getaway spot for all.

Please call 979-249-5625 or email us at kountryhideaway@yahoo.com for additional information including nightly, weekend, weekly and group rates. We look forward to hosting you for your next weekend getaway or reasonably priced funfilled family vacation!

—The Kountry Hideaway A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Mahi-Mahi, Shrimp, and Scallop Ceviche HAT’S GREEN AND GOLD AND SPOTTED blue? If you are an offshore fisherman, you know it is dorado, mahi-mahi, or as we old timers call it, dolphin. This flashy acrobat is a coveted catch for many offshore anglers. It is coveted for its aerial antics, speedy runs, and great beauty at boatside. After the dolphin has been caught and placed on ice to chill, its vibrant colors quickly fade. Howev-

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er, as a culinary treat, it continues to shine!

The next time you experience a hot dolphin bite, bring a few home and prepare them Texas Gourmet style!

Almost every Pacific and Gulf coast state has its own version of this raw fish cocktail, which naturally cooks itself in limejuice. I learned this recipe from an old native of Acapulco while dining beachside listening to the waves roll in. This recipe combines

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elements from this Acapulco style version while adding a touch of Texas flair.

Ingredients: 2 lbs mahi-mahi filets (you may substitute redfish or other firm-fleshed fish) 1/2 lb bay scallops 1 lb shrimp, 21-25 count, peeled but raw 2 cups limejuice, fresh squeezed 4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 6 roma tomatoes, cored and diced 1 cup purple onion, chopped 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, rinsed well and chopped 3 Tbs serrano peppers, seeded and chopped 2 avocadoes, ripe, peeled and diced

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2/3 cup green olives with pimentos, sliced thin 1/3 cup capers 1 Tbs oregano, dried 1-cup tomato sauce 1 tsp black pepper, fresh cracked 1 tsp white pepper 2 tsp Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice Place the fish, scallops, and shrimp in a large glass bowl and cover with limejuice, reserving 1/3 cup for later use. Cover with plastic wrap, and in the refrigerator, and allow marinating for 8-10 hours or overnight. Take the plastic off once while marinating and stir the seafood to allow the limejuice to get to every piece, then recover

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for the remainder of the time. (I like the fish to be firm and opaque; marinating it over night will achieve this.) After marinating, pour seafood into a colander and rinse under cold water briefly, discarding the used limejuice. Meanwhile, rinse the glass bowl then pour in the reserved 1/3-cup limejuice and tomato sauce. Add onion, cilantro, chopped serrano peppers, olives, capers, oregano, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped tomatoes, white and black pepper, and Sidewinder Searing Spice. Stir gently to

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combine. Add seafood to the tomato mixture. Salt to taste. Chill for 2 hours. Before serving, garnish with diced avocadoes and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, saltine crackers, or tortilla chips.

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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GRAND SLAM—CHOCOLATE BAY

FLOUNDER—CORPUS CHRISTI

REDFISH—ARROYO CITY CANAL

Stacey Gonzales of Keystone, Colorado, caught this grand slam, consisting of a 21-inch redfish, a 21inch flounder and an 18-inch trout, in the Narrows at Halls Lake in Chocolate Bay.

Acie Carr of San Antonio, Texas, caught his personal best flounder near the Kennedy Causeway in Corpus Christi, using live piggy perch. The fish was 21 inches and weighed 5 pounds. Photo submitted by wife Sharon.

Doc Jones caught this 27-inch redfish while fishing with a group of Septuagenarians, all from Montgomery, Texas, hosted by Mike Landes at his home on the Arroyo City Canal, near South Padre Island.

The 4 men caught 3 reds, 5 specks and 2 flounder.

SAILFISH—GULF OF MEXICO

BASS—CHOKE CANYON

Andrea DeLeon caught and released this sailfish with the help of Grace Ting while on a guided trip with Captain Mike Lowe 50 miles offshore of Sargent, Texas.

Sonia Noyes of San Antonio, Texas, shows off an 8-pound bass, caught in Choke Canyon while fishing in a new Blue Wave boat, just bought from Master Marine.

ALLIGATOR GAR—WHARTON

BLUEGILL—KEMPNER

Karli Schuetzle of Deer Park, Texas, caught this This 6-foot alligator gar was foul hooked by 4bluegill in her grandpa’s pond in Kempner, Texas. year-old Chase Allison from a bar ditch during a She was fishing with a spincaster reel and worms. recent flood near Wharton, Texas. His dad, David Allison, assisted in landing it.

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SHARK—GULF OF MEXICO Chris Sessions caught this live silky shark 40 miles offshore of the Texas coast. He brought the live shark into the boat for a photo before releasing it, but will not do this again because it was a hard fight!

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Trophy Quest

Lake Palestine Pre-Spawn Largemouth FTER SEVERAL DAYS OF REALLY GOOD weather, a cold front hit and our Trophy Quest anglers faced conditions so cold, ice was freezing on their line.

“I offered to cancel the trip,” said Lake Palestine guide Ricky Vandergriff.

“I told Doran we would be doing good if we just caught some fish. He replied he was game no matter what the weather conditions were like.”

Doran Lemke of Brownwood was the Trophy Quest winner for February and he invited his son-in-law, David Markham as a guest. Trophy Quest winners might invite one guest to accompany them.

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by Tom Behrens Both Lemke and Markham are seasoned bass anglers and had put in some cold days on the water in search of bass before..

The outside temperature was 25 F degrees when they launched Vandergriff ’s boat.

“I thought I had an eye loose on my rod but it was just ice building up on my line,” Lemke said.

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 COURTESY DAVID MARKHAM

The half-day trip ended up with nine healthy Palestine bass weighing between three to four pounds each.

Even though it was cold, Lemke and Markham said they had a great time.

“We had a great room at Lake Palestine Resort. We arrived early enough on Saturday evening to partake in the all you can eat catfish and shrimp dinner at the restaurant. They just kept on bringing out the catfish and David Markham holds one of the bass caught on a frigid shrimp as much as we wanted.” morning on Lake Palestine. Bass do hit when it’s cold.

This trip proves that bass will spawn when they want to Vandergriff had located some spawning areas on the north end of the lake. Fortu- spawn. In this case, even icy weather did not nately they had only to idle to the areas that deter them from their annual ritual. he had located, cutting out a cold, windy ride TRIP INFORMATION: across the lake.

WHAT: Largemouth bass “We worked a spawning area where I was WHERE: Lake Palestine catching fish. I had a guide trip in there GUIDE: Ricky Vandergriff, recently and caught 60 bass,” Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-220 said. www.rickysguideservice.com The trio was working the beds with Mr. ACCOMMODATIONS: Lake Palestine Resort, Twister, black/blue Comidas.

888-398-5253 or 903-876-2253 “We could see the beds, with fish on some www.lakepalestineresort.com of them,” Vandergriff said.

FOOD & DRINK: Lake Palestine Resort, Besides guiding, Vandergriff also makes 888-398-5253 or 903-876-2253 and sells fishing lures. Markham, who likes www.lakepalestineresort.com fishing spinning lures, had the chance to try a couple of Vandergriff ’s spinner baits.

Lemke said the fish were hitting much better than he thought would be the case.

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

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 T E X A S

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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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The beauty of a whitetail fawn is breathtaking. They are born scentless to give them an edge in a predator-filled world but that soon wears off. People often find fawns alone and assume their mother “abandoned” them. That is rarely true. Whitetail mothers hide their fawns in good cover and return several times a day to feed and check on them. The relationship between a fawn and its mother is a strong one. Whitetails never know their fathers but will stay with their mothers often through the first winter. Young (button) bucks might be the most curious and easiest duped animals in the Texas wild and are usually the first to a game feeder.

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As a buck begins developing it not only goes through physical changes but also changes in behavior. Leaving their mother they strike out on their own and during summer months start hanging with other bucks in what some hunters call bachelor groups.

This buck is starting to reach its potential but its not there yet. While some spoiled hunters would look down at such a buck others would call it a trophy. It all depends on where you hunt, what your goals are and in many cases income. Whitetails are unique animals in the fact that most hunters will pursue them every year but only take one of other game like moose or elk in a lifetime. There is just something about a whitetail buck that captivates hunters.

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For a buck to reach its maximum potential, it has to not only survive hunting season but cunning predators like this cougar (aka mountain lion, panther, puma). Cougar numbers are on the rise in Texas and are having an impact on both mule deer and desert bighorn sheep numbers in the Trans Pecos. Some scientists estimate cougars kill a deer a week and take more mule deer in Colorado than hunters do.

This wild, free-ranging buck is one any hunter would be glad to take. When bucks are allowed to age and are given proper nutrition, magic happens.

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Hunt Texas

by Bob Hood | TF&G Hunting Editor

A Retriever’s Legacy ENNY WAS THE SECOND ENGLISH SETTER I ever owned but she knew she was first in my heart. Jack, my first setter, was in his prime when I picked Jenny from a litter of five and placed her in the kennel on my small Hood County ranch.

Jenny was the kind of bird dog that loved people, especially if they wore old boots, carried shotguns and praised her when she made a retrieve. I thought the world of Jack, too, but he was hard-headed and lacked the domesticity that causes dogs like Jenny to cuddle up in your lap and gently lick your hand after a good head-patting. Jenny has been gone for three decades but I miss her as if she had passed away yesterday. She started out as a pup with great retrieving instincts, developed into a good pointing dog, but most of all she was a hunting companion that always was the first to load up for a quail hunt. Fond memories are like spring plants.

They can be brought to the surface by just a little moisture, whether it comes from a soft rain or from gently-falling tears. My memories of Jenny were rekindled earlier this year as I watched a little Boykin spaniel named Dixie while hunting for quail and chukar on the Richards Ranch near Jacksboro. With native quail populations at an all-time low in North Texas, released bird hunting operations like the one Brent Hackley operates in Jack County helps fill a void felt by bird hunters yearning for wing-shooting opportunities but, more importantly, it provides hunters and bird dogs a way to continue to share great times afield. To me, it is more about watching good dog work and fellowship with friends as it is in the number of birds to be cleaned at the end of the day.

Todd Lucas, Dixie’s owner, said his dog’s natural instincts have surfaced only recently.

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The Boykin Spaniel is a well-loved breed with a reputation for hard work.

“I trained my Labradors and worked with Dixie a little as a pup but nothing serious.

She just has that natural desire to please and be included.”

In case you are not familiar with the Boykin spaniel, it is an American breed of dog that got its name from Whit Boykin, a South Carolina trainer who provided retrievers for northern hunters who ventured south after the Civil War to hunt the swamp areas of the Carolinas in “section boats.” A small spaniel-like dog with a brown coat was found outside a Spartainburg, S.C., church about 1905-1910 and given to Boykin to train as a retriever. The small size of the little dog worked well because it did not “rock the boat.”

Boykin later obtained a similar-looking female spaniel for breeding and thus the Boykin Spaniel breed was created. Dixie reminded me of Jenny. Her retrieving instincts grew every time a bird was downed.

Although the chukar’s larger size proved to be a mouth-full for a dog with such a small mouth, Dixie never failed to gain a grip on one and bring it to Lucas.

She even caught one crippled bird in the air on a leap and surprised us all when, as we watched a chukar sailing away untouched after being shot at three times, Dixie returned with a chukar that had been lost earlier in high weeds.

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The proud look on Dixie’s face reminded me of the time Jenny retrieved a quail at Rising Star but stopped abruptly with the bird in her mouth to point a single that had stayed crouched in the weeds in front of us after the covey flush.

I attempted to breed Jenny twice but it never took. Nevertheless, she had a hidden motherly instinct that surfaced one day when a one-month-old goat I had attempted to bottle-feed died. I laid the dead goat in a wheelbarrow and went to the barn to fetch a shovel. When I returned to the wheelbarrow, Jenny was in it, curled up around the dead baby goat as if to comfort it. Hopefully, Lucas will have more days afield with Dixie, and vice versa. After all, nothing is onesided between a hunter and his dog.

Memories between the two of them are just waiting to be built. As for Jenny, one of my favorite memories came when she retrieved six quail that I bagged literally without the use of a gun. Jenny was two years old when I went behind my barn one day to feed a half-dozen pen-raised quail I kept in a cage. The cage’s door somehow had become opened and the quail were gone. I ran to my bass boat to grab my fish-landing net, grabbed a feed sack from the barn and then let Jenny out of her kennel. Minutes later, Jenny was on point in a one-acre grassy field next to the barn yard.

My plan worked perfectly. As soon as Jenny pointed a pen-raised quail, I slipped in front of her, spotted the bird in the grass, threw the net over it and then placed the quail in the feed bag. About the time I had five quail in the bag I sensed someone was watching me. I glanced toward the county road that ran beside my barnyard and saw a man standing beside his pickup truck with his hands on his hips.

“I’ve never seen anyone hunt quail like that,” he hollered. “Do you want to sell that bird dog?”

“No sir,” I said, “but thanks for asking.”

And then I broadened the scope of what hunters and their dogs are all about, whether present or in the past, by exclaiming proudly, “She really is something special, isn’t she?’’

E-mail Bob Hood at hunting@fishgame.com. &

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hether hunting antelope, Aoudads, or mulies in the TransPecos, or driving through the muck on an East Texas duck hunt, sitting astride the right four-wheeldrive ATV is just as important as having the right gun or bow for the hunt. And with ATVs, like the tools we use for taking game, there’s no lack of fine choices.

Texas outdoorsmen looking for machines with plenty of power, capacity for gear, and good game hauling characteristics need look no further than the mid-sized 2009 quads.

Although here are ATVs pushing a 1,000cc, it’s the mid-size (500650cc) rides that still get the job done quite well.

Yamaha Grizzly 550 In fact, several of the newest features that have been debuting on the big-bores are now available in the mid-sized quads. Electronic fuel injection (EFI), power steering, disk brakes, advanced digital gauges, navigational equipment, and refined suspensions have migrated south from the flagship ATVs to many of these very capable mid-sizers.

When you start reviewing the specs, these machines are remarkably similar to each other on paper. That’s because ATV manufacturers watch industry trends very closely and make sure their machines are keeping pace with their competitors. For those who like to

Outlander 500 EFI have the choices made clear, this may pose a problem.

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stay with the big names.

Hunters should also look for machines sporting EFI and front differential lock. The former makes for easy starts regardless of temperatures or climate changes, and the latter ensures maximum traction when it’s necessary. Power steering may be a good idea, depending the terrain you ride in and how long you are in the saddle.

Important to some will be the drive train design, clutching and how it effects engine braking. I tend to favor the sprag clutch technology of Yamaha and Arctic Cat, which keeps the belt from slipping and provides engine braking at all speeds.

Another consideration is the ability to safely, and in some riding areas, legally transport two riders. The “two-up” offerings are designed for this purpose and deliver great stability and rider comfort. My hunting partners and I often leave a vehicle on the upwind end of an area and double up to get to the downwind side of the hunting grounds so we can stillhunt into the wind and have transportation back when we’re done.

T w o - u p machines usually feature an easily-removed passenger seat that can be replaced with more rack space for hauling game and gear when riding alone.

When riding alone you can also use the alternative foot rests for river crossings and the foot wells provide more room for maneuvering and balance when the terrain gets dicey.

The Grizzly 550 features torque and speed sensitive electric power steering, excellent suspension set-up and disc&

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brakes-around. The fuel injection system provides excellent cold starts and adjusts for humidity, temperature and elevation up to 15,000 feet. A centrifugal clutch system keeps

Artic Cat 550 belt tension constant so there is no slipping at idle or slow speed, which means you can leave it in high range all the time without damaging components. Ground clearance is 11.8”, fuel capacity 5.3 gallons and the 550 Griz can haul 286 lbs on the racks and tow 1,322 lbs.

Powered by the Rotax 500 EFI engine, the Outlander 500 EFI features TTI independent suspension in the rear and MacPherson front suspension. Auto-locking front differential, CVT, center skid plate and 300 lb [136 kg] capacity steel racks all make this a hunter-friendly machine.

Like the 650, the 500 has a very useful D.E.S.S. electronic anti-theft system for worry free hunting while away from the machine.

25-inch radial tires with painted steel wheels and 300-pound [136 kg] capacity steel racks are standard equipment. www.canam.brp.com Yeah, it’s a got a hemi, a 545cc, SOHC, singlecylinder, liquidcooled engine, designed for a wide torque curve (the 550 H1 motor has a 10% increase of

Honda Four Trax Rubicon GPScape power at a lower RPM versus the 500) powers this all new model from Arctic Cat. Developments in their race machines have influenced the 550 H1’s suspension design with additional “ride-in” which means a lower ride height for improved cornering. Ground clearance is still a respectable 11 inches and suspension travel measures 10 inches.

The 550 H1 can be started in gear and going from 2WD to 4WD is a push button operation. You can also lock the front diff by pushing an all-new electronic rocker switch on

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the instrument panel. Speaking of instrument panels, the digital pod gives you MPH, odometer, dual trip meters, hour meter, clock and fuel level.

Polaris Sportsman 550 XP with EPS The FourTrax Foreman Rubicon is now available with electric power steering.

Standard equipment includes Honda’s version of a CVT, which is quite different from most sled-inspired CVTs. The 499cc engine power drives a hydraulic pump, which drives a hydraulic motor with variable fluid capacity.

The system varies the hydraulic capacity and pressure to produce continuously variable output speed. Using Honda’s exclusive Electric Shift Program, riders can select D1 (performance) and D2 (torque) modes, which provide continuously variable transmission output; ESP allows the rider to “shift” the Hondamatic with the touch of a thumb using

two push-buttons mounted on the left handlebar.

A swingarm rear suspension limits the ground clearance to 7.5 inches. Towing capacity is rated at 850lbs.

New to Suzuki’s line-up is the KingQuad 500 AXi with electric power steering. Based on the popular KingQuad 450AXi, the new 493cc fuel injected KingQuad 500 features a new cylinder and piston, plus fuel injection, advanced engine braking and a QuadMatic CVTtype automatic transmission. Disc brakes front and rear and independent, double-wishbone suspension at all four corners are among the features of this mid-size offering.

Polaris says the new Sportsman 550

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XP is built for “Xtreme Performance.” It has a new 549cc, single EFI engine with 40 horsepower. An upgraded suspension including Dual A-Arm front suspension and Rolled IRS in the rear makes the new Sportsman XP’s ride smoother and more controlled. This new model features better clutching, bigger racks and more pulling capacity. The 550 XP is available with Polaris’ power steering system, which features variable assist for the least steering effort at slow speeds and more positive feedback and more resistance at high speeds. The new

Suzuki King Quad 500 AXi Power Steering Sportsman XP also boasts an updated look that includes better ergonomics, new wheels and a better fit and finish.

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Texas Freshwater

by Matt Williams| TF&G Freshwater Editor

All Dressed Up For Frog Fishing T IS JUNE IN TEXAS AND TIME FOR ALL YOU energetic bass junkies out there to man those weapons and get ready for war.

The time is ripe to take Kermit for a stroll. Kermit is a generic name given to an army of new wave toads that began storming the freshwater market in 2006. Buzz frogs and hollow body frogs have been on fire ever since, fueling one of the most definitive crazes in bass fishing since the Rat-L-Trap.

There is good reason for all the hoopla over toads. Frogs catch bass. Big ones.

Ask any seasoned frogger and he or she will tell you: Getting bit on Kermit is one thing, but closing the deal is another. That is why good equipment is so important.

Like other bass fishing tactics such as flipping, finesse fishing or throwing swim baits, frog fishing demands specialty gear in order to be the most effective. What follows is crash course in getting all dressed to take Kermit for stroll on your favorite bass lake.

Rod: Think of the rod like a leverage bar.

The ideal frog rod should be a broom stick and a rocket launcher wrapped into the same package. To find that combination look for a heavy-action stick at least seven feet in length with a fast tip action.

The main body should be stiff enough to drive the hook deep into the bass’ jaw and provide the necessary leverage to horse large fish out of thick muck such as lily pads or hydrilla before they wrap you up.

Meanwhile, the tip should be light enough that it will load up and launch the bait when cast. This promotes longer casts and allows you to reach isolated pockets and other targets without moving so close that it spooks the fish. Two more attributes to look

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Frogs are a largemouth delicacy and using frog imitating lures is exciting and gaining popularity among anglers.

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for in a good frog rod are high quality line guides that can take the punishment dished out by braided line, and well-balanced, lightweight construction that lends itself to all day use with minimal fatigue.

Line: Think of the line like a winch cable.

Many a war has been lost in the shallows because Kermit was tossed out there on too light of a leash. When it comes to frog fishing, premium braided line with a breaking strength of at least 65-pound test is the only way go. Braided line is strong and resistant to abrasion. Plus, it casts extremely well, has no memory or stretch, and cuts through grass and lily pad stems almost like a knife.

There are varieties of good braids the market. One that gets high marks for ease in casting and durability is Spiderwire Ultracast. A couple of other brands with good track records on froggy’s court are Sufix and Power Pro. Reel: Think of the reel like a winch.

Wimpy spinning reels and spincast outfits have no place in frog country. You need a high quality bait caster built with some guts to withstand the shock of hard hooksets on large fish in heavy cover with braided line. It also helps to have a reel with a relatively high gear ratio. The higher the gear ratio, the more line that is retrieved with each revolu&

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tion of the reel handle.

A gear ratio of 6.4:1 or higher is a good choice for fishing with buzz frogs or hollow bodies. The high gear ratio makes it easy to get the buzz frog up and running. Plus, it gathers line quickly so you can make fast work of a big bass should one come calling.

Hook: Think of the hook as the critical link between you and the fish. While hollow body frogs are sold individually with hooks pre-rigged, most buzz frogs are not. But it only takes a few seconds to get one ready to rumble. There are a number of good frog hooks on the market. The best ones have a wide gap (4/0-6/0) to provide plenty of bite to pierce the thick meat of the frog.

Other key attributes to look for in a frog hook are a built-in weighting system to make the frog sit upright and run true, and some sort of keeper system to hold the head of the bait against the hook eye and reduce slippage. Two of my favorites are the Stanley Wedge V Lock and the Mr. Blitz Toad Toter. Though fishing with toads is not rocket science, it does pay to be prepared. In froggy’s court, the best dressed angler is the one who usually wins the most battles.

E-mail Matt Williams at freshwater@fishgame.com PHOTO BY BRUCE MACQUEEN

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Texas Saltwater

by Calixto Gonzales | TF&G Saltwater Editor

REG AND I HAD MADE THE LONG WADE TO A grassline just east of the Targets in Port Mansfield. We saw trout busting bait along the break formed by a sandbar that dropped off at the border of the salad. We both positioned ourselves upwind of the grassline (which meant that we added to our wade by circling the bar and approaching it from the other side) and started casting topwaters. Greg and I both had blow-ups on every cast. I was hooking most of my fish, however, and Greg was missing most of his.

We were both using topwaters, and they were the same pattern: chrome/and blue. We both were walking the dog, albeit Greg was (and still is) more adept at it than I. The only difference was that Greg was using a Super Spook. I was tossing a Super Spook, Jr. I was not doing it by design, honestly.

What happened was that I had grabbed the wrong tackle box in the dark and discovered I had packed my jetties lures, which consisted of smaller plugs and tails than I normally fish in Laguna Madre.

Sometimes, we tend to stumble into greatness.

The trout we were fishing were all solid 16- to 19-inch fish, and they were obviously keying in on mullet, but it was also obvious that they were missing or slapping at the bigger plug and smashing the cruiserweightsized version that I was offering. The fish were coming up under my plug and inhaling it (I eventually mashed down the barbs on the two treble hooks so I wouldn’t tear up the fish I intended to release). The three fish Greg strung were all hooked in the gill plate, eye, or side of the head, which is a sign that the fish weren’t trying to eat the plug. My good friend is nothing if not persistent, however. He was going to keep fishing that floating Macanudo until the trout realized that’s

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“That’s another one!” shouted Greg Samaniego.

“This is getting ridiculous.”

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what they wanted after all.

After I put the last trout of my limit on my stringer and started releasing trout after trout, Greg shuffled over to me. “Do you have another one of those?”

The lesson we learned that day falls under a truism I once heard: “Elephants eat peanuts.”

There are times, whether dictated by weather, time of the year, available forage, or simply the whims of a living organism, where fish (sometimes really big fish) prefer smaller meals. The eight-inch mullet may provide more protein for a nine-pound trout, but sometimes Ol’ Mustardmouth will zap a three-inch pogy instead. An angler can work a five-inch Power Jerk Shad like a champ, but the kid at the back of the boat soaking a twoinch shrimp ends up catching the fish after

fish. These are the sorts of reality that can drive most usually even-keeled fishermen to drinking Gulp! Juice.

Fish sometimes just prefer morsels over entrees. In spring, for example, the vast bulk of available forage consists of young-of-theyear baitfish that measure between two and three inches.

Pogies, mud minnows, finger mullet, pinfish, and white bait (scaled sardines and pilchards) in that size range are prevalent in bay systems in spring and straight into June. I remember a night during last June’s full moon where I was spot casting around dock and pier lights around South Padre Island. There were good-sized trout rolling and feeding, but I couldn’t get them to strike any of my offerings.

I finally cajoled a single nice trout into striking a Pop-R. When I cleaned the fish, I discovered that he was filled with tiny ballyhoo, none more than two inches long.

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Sometimes elephants want peanuts.

For years the tackle industry has known what a lot of fishermen ignore and created smaller versions of their more popular lures.

Berkley has been producing junior-sized versions of their Gulp! Shrimp and Crab for two years now (the 2” Shrimp in glow is poison on trout feeding under the lights). The Super Spook, Jr. has been around for years.

The Top Dog, Jr. and Top Pup have killed thousands of keeper trout and reds. Nichol’s Lures C.A.L. tail is only three inches long, but it is a good bait. My favorite flounder tail is a 4-inch Gambler Baby Flapping Shad in bubblegum or limetreuse.

One lure I have been experimenting with and have had excellent success with is the Mirrolure Mirrodine. This 3 ½ inch, slowsinking plug is an excellent replica of a Spanish sardine or pilchard. Work it with a slow twitch-pause retrieve and it flashes and darts like one, too. I had some pretty good success with snook and trout while rock-hopping the Brazos-Santiago Jetties last year…that is until a four-foot tarpon grabbed it, went on a rampage and parted my 15-pound braid as if it were dental floss.

Sometimes elephants want peanuts.

It should come as no surprise that smaller lures work exceptionally well when fish are chasing bait on the surface. Most of the forage that are getting strafed in these schools are shrimp and smaller-sized finfishes (remember what we learned on The Blue Planet: smaller fish school up for security).

Pop-R’s, Chug-Bugs, Mirrodines, and smaller tails. Topwaters are pure-dee fun when fishing them around a school of busting trout, but they are going to mostly catch smallish schooling trout (which is not necessarily a bad thing if you are not discriminating about the size of the fish you catch).

A slow-sinking Mirrodine, soft plastic, or even a #08 Rapala X-Rap Slashbait fished around the perimeter and beneath the primary school can locate some of the bigger, lazier fish that wait for wounded prey to descend. I have seen some truly memorable trout caught with this technique. All on smaller baits.

Sometimes, elephants want peanuts.

E-mail Calixto Gonzales cgonzales@fishgame.com &

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Texas Offshore

by Capt. Mike Holmes | TF&G Associate Offshore Editor

The Kings Of Sunday HERE ARE ALWAYS THOSE SUNDAY AFTERnoons when it is just too nice to leave the boat and head home to get ready for a long and boring week at work.

Most of the other weekend warriors at the marina had done just that when Curtis Bohler asked my son, Michael, and me to make one last run offshore, to see if the fish had finally decided to shift into a feeding mood. We would be helping out aboard the well-kept old 39 Post, “Rascal”, owned by Curtis and his wife, June. Curtis was hoping we could help find fishing action for their daughter and future son-in-law. I was just happy to head out again and feel some salt spray in the air.

Within our limited time frame, the Rutherford field on the Middle Banks was a logical destination, and when we saw a line of boats of all sizes circling one of the two big “Yella Rigs” it seemed wise to join the action. As I was designated to run “the pit”, I was trying to find a decent feather jig and a cigar minnow that wasn’t too mushy to begin a troll when Curtis tossed me a lure package and asked me to tie it on.

A sales guy at Fishing Tacle Unlimited had assured him it was the hottest new lure going. I figured he got sold a package, all right. I am keen on using locally designed lures for local fish whenever possible, like picking a King Getter over a Russel Lure (made in California). This thing was made in Australia, by Halco, and was labeled as a “Giant Trembler”. It was roughly shaped like a flat section cut from a bowling pin,

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with the broad end as the head. It had a hollow portion with BB’s inside for rattles, and it was black with gold sprinkles. Overall, I could see nothing to recommend this creation as a fishing lure for the Gulf of Mexico. I was politely trying to hint to Curtis that he had been had as I let line off the first reel to position the lure, when it was hit, hard and we had our first king of the day on the line.

For the next several fish, it went that way.

I not only couldn’t get more than one lure in the water, but I couldn’t get the black monster more than a few yards behind the boat before it was hit. When it seemed the really dumb fish had been weeded out enough to let me set two lines, using, I think, a gold Trembler on the other, both would get hit about the same time. There was no fancy boat handling involved, just circling wide around that old rig with the Cummins diesels barely idling. These Sunday evening kings just couldn’t get enough of imported plastic and BB’s, it seemed.

On one of those doubles, I let the prospective son-in-law gaff the second fish while I pulled the hooks from the one already in the box. I should mention another thing here I did not like about the Tremblers. They carried three sets of large treble hooks. Ever since one of my best customers got a King Getter in the face while pulling the lure in at trolling speed, I had pretty much banned trebles from my boat as not being worth the trouble. As the kid held up a fish gaffed in the middle and thrashing wildly, I could see it in slow motion sliding off the hook with a mouthful of sharp steel as well as razor honed teeth. Like the soldier in the WWI and II movies who falls on a grenade to save his fellows, I sort of covered the king to keep the others from danger.

This noble effort resulted in one of those dreaded trebles going through the skin of my right leg, just above the knee. As I grabbed to keep the very active 20 pound class king

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from yanking harder and doing more damage, the other treble that was not busy with me or the fish went into my hand above the knuckle. I was now firmly attached to the fish with two hooks, and its gaping mouth was inches from my nose.

“It all comes down to this”, I thought, “My life ends by having my face bitten off by a king with an Australian hook in its mouth.”

Of course, since I am still around to tell the tale, we know that did not happen. The hook in the hand sort of came out during the wrestling match that followed. Curtis turned the controls over to Michael, who at the age of 12 had handled more twin engine inboard boats than many seasoned skippers, and came to my aid. Lacking proper cutting tools to snip off the hook, he had to use a very dull knife to saw through the portion of my anatomy that had captured the hook. It hurt less than the thrashing king pulling against my skin did, I can tell you that. After treating the wound with the only alcohol on board and a dose taken internally, for good measure, I insisted we continue fishing, just to show I was a real man, I guess. During the lull, the kings had apparently decided they agreed with me about those damn Tremblers, but I was able to dig up a homemade jig of mine and rig it with a cigar minnow trailer to complete an evening’s catch of 12 nice king mackerel.

Just to be honest, I went to Fishing Tackle Unlimited the next week and bought maybe a dozen Tremblers, in all colors but with double hooks, not trebles.

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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Fish & Game On Campus

College Tourneys Could Overtake the Pros There is something pure about college sports competition.

ND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DIFFERences in finance, sponsorship or tradition. It is all about enthusiasm.

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Young people participating in competitive sports are naturally more passionate about their endeavors and have not yet had to deal with as many tense business deals and the overall grand of the road like the pros. The advantage is indeed in youth.

That is exactly why the college fishing circuit led by the various collegiate bass fishing organizations could very well eclipse pro fishing in the arena of popularity. Enthusiasm sells and anyone who has ever gone to a college sports game of any kind know they ooze with enthusiasm.

The Association of Collegiate Anglers (ACA) and The Bass Federation (TBF) are well aware of this and are tapping into this growing movement to create a new generation of angling competition brought to the public by the youth but for the viewing enjoyment of everyone.

“While we’re excited to see all the interest in college bass fishing, this program differs by having a student membership organization, the ACA, serving as its presenting sponsor and governing body,” said Wade Middleton, Careco Multi Media general manager .

“Student anglers must have a role in where college fishing goes.”

Middleton said teams can advance through qualifying regional events to a championship where they compete head-to-head on a level playing field for top bragging rights.

“There’s nothing like college rivalries PHOTO COURTESY CARECO MULTI-MEDIA

The pure competition of the college bass circuit driven by school pride is garnering an extremely loyal following that will likely grow at a rapid pace. and partnering with VERSUS now gives the teams a stage to showcase their skills on national television.”

Teams can earn their way into the new series’ championship through top finishes in official qualifying events. The events are open to active members of school-recognized fishing clubs and who are taking at least 12 credit hours while maintaining a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Event participants are not required to be ACA members, but for a school club to host a sanctioned qualifying event, it must belong to ACA. Middleton said it is anticipated more than 600 college anglers, representing approximately 120 college fishing programs, competed in the 2009 CBFS qualifiers to vie for the 40 two-person-team spots available in the CBFS Championship taking T E X A S

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place at Lake Lewisville this month.

Among the total prizes is $35,000 in scholarships, to be distributed among the top five teams. As a rule, college fishing events have either no entry fees or ones that are minimal. Teams consist of two anglers fishing from the same boat, and they are responsible for full operation of the boat.

“These college anglers are competing because they love to fish and they want to get to the championship to represent their school,” said Robert Cartlidge, TBF President.

“Sure, they like to win prizes, but their ultimate goal is to have a shot at the national title, plus some of the scholarships…”

I am sure many of you reading this are like me and were burnt out on many pro sports because it all became about the dollar.

I have nothing against these people making money but things like team loyalty and pride were thrown out the window long ago in favor of doing whatever is best for the individual. By virtue of its structure pro fishing has not been as subject to these kinds of things and has really upgraded its overall competition, television production and outreach to the public. I in fact love watching pro fishing tournaments.

However, there is something special about these college tournaments. The concept of young people out winning a title for their school and competing for the sake of competing has captured my heart and it seems to be doing the same with many other people.

Perhaps even more importantly, it is counteracting the “graying” effect of an aging angler base in and will undoubtedly send some new blood to the pros and make fishing cool on campus. I never dreamed in 2009 there would be a movement on college campuses that involved the hook and bullet crowd in not only a positive light but in an undeniably successful manner. While the jury is still out on whether the college circuit will eclipse the pros with the public, it has already done so with me.

—By Steve Schaffer

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Open Season

by Reavis Wortham| TF&G Humor Editor

Turkey Tale ERRY WAYNE SAID, POINTING ACROSS THE DRY gully between the Hunting Club and a flock of about thirty large birds. “Look at all the turkeys!” Several toms with long beards strutted their stuff in front of the hens, who ignored their antics as women usually do.

Wrong Willie almost could not contain himself “I bet they come through here every day.”

Doc sighed.

“I wish I didn’t have that wedding tomorrow. I’d love to be here tomorrow when spring season opens.”

“It’s your son’s wedding,” I reminded him.

“Do you think they’d miss me?”

“Probably,” Woodrow answered.

“I wonder if they’d notice if I left a little early.”

“By early I assume you mean sometime toward the end of the reception,” the Cap’n confirmed.

Doc looked crestfallen.

The birds grazed their way across the meadow, without seeing us. Like characters in a James Fenimore Cooper novel, we faded back into the woods so as not to spook the turkeys.

Back in the truck, we compared notes.

Doc could not make the hunt, because of the wedding, though we knew he would try to bolt at some point. To prevent just such a disastrous mistake, the Cap’n volunteered to attend the wedding and see if he could help Doc affect an escape without enraging any of the female attendees such as his wife, daughter or new daughter-in-law.

That left me with Jerry Wayne, and Wrong Willie. Woodrow was out on crutches, which is another story entirely.

On the way back to civilization, Jerry Wayne remembered that he had a physical scheduled after the doctor found that his blood

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pressure had many zeroes.

That left Willie and me to make opening day of turkey season a success.

We slipped through the dark woods at five on Saturday morning. Completely dressed in camo, we could barely see each other when we stopped at our pre-selected places near the gully.

“Do you have everything you need?” I whispered.

Willie patted

his pockets. One emitted a soft chirp. “Yep, I even have my new box call right here,” he whispered back.

“I have everything I need, too,” a loud voice said in the darkness behind us.

Willie said a few unprintable words while I silently ran in the air, about four feet off the ground.

“I’ve never seen anyone do that,” said Delbert P. Axelrod. “How do just hang in the air like that?”

I came back to earth.

“It’s easy when someone scares the pee-waddlin’ out of me. Lower your voice. Where did you come from?” I whispered.

Delbert made a rustling noise, which I took to be a shrug. “I just heard you guys at the café last talking about it about turkey season opening today and wanted to join you.”

I felt tears well. “All right, but you go over there and don’t make any noise,” I ordered. “Nobody calls but Willie. Three turkeys calling from the same place will scare the birds.”

They agreed. We scattered along the tree line and settled in for the morning hunt. The sun rose over the mesquites and we waited for the birds.

Moments later, the first turkey gobbled from across the gully and Willie answered.

We waited. Quietly. &

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ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS ARMSTRONG

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Open Season Another gobble, and then I heard a chirp from Delbert. Very slowly so as not to give myself away, I turned my head and saw Delbert with his hand beside his mouth. He chirped again with a mouth call.

Any other time I would have gone over and beaten him senseless, but his call was surprisingly good. In fact, hearing the quality of the call, Willie put his own box call on the ground at sat still.

More gobbles floated through the still air.

Delbert was frugal and waited. Fifteen minutes later, we could tell the toms were closer. I was proud of Delbert. He waited and waited, and when one of the turkeys gobbled again, Delbert just chirped once.

I saw a flicker of movement through the mesquites.

Chirp. A call of love.

Gobble. The male response.

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Shriek! A call of terror.

Delbert blasted into movement when a large bobcat leaped from the rock behind him and sank his claws into what he thought was a turkey. Delbert’s camouflaged figure stood and he threw himself into the gully, flailing and rolling to the bottom to dislodge the bobcat.

As he rolled, Delbert nearly choked on the mouth call and strange turkey noises erupted from his throat.

Stunned at the explosion of activity, Willie stood up to look and a large tom that had crept up behind him leaped from the ground like a giant flushed quail. Willie quickly turned, shot, and the bird fell.

Seeing that he would attack something that was definitely not a butterball breakfast, the bobcat shot across the gully and ran full tilt into the flock of birds that had been coming to the call.

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They scattered. The largest bird saw me and headed straight for my position like a launched rocket. Angered at losing the new love of his life, and somewhat impassioned, the large tom wanted to whip something…and that something was me. In selfdefense, I hit the fifteen-pound bird with a load of shot and he fell in his tracks.

Delbert stopped and coughed up the call. It made a chirp and landed on the ground at his feet.

“Now that’s what turkey hunting is all about,” he said, wiping blood from his forehead.

Holding our large birds, we agreed.

E-mail Reavis Wortham at humor@fishgame.com

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