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Texas Fish & Game®

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MAY 2008 • VOL. XXIV NO. 1

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Texas Fish & Game®

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MAY 2008 • VOL. XXIV NO. 1

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INLAND EDITION

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

ROY NEVES PUBLISHER

DON ZAIDLE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CHESTER

MOORE

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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

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

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

P R O D U C T I O N

JIMMY BORNE ART DIRECTOR

LINDSAY WHITMAN

• GRAPHIC ARTIST

A D V E R T I S I N G

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COORDINATOR

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

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MAY 2008 • Volume XXIV • NO.1

CAN YOU HEAR ME KNOW? Listen Up: you can boost your catch rate immediately if you just pay as much attention to what a fish hears as to what it sees.

by Lenny Rudow

SUMMER OF THE TROUT The summer months mean more opportunity (a.k.a. vacation time), more consistent weather patterns, and enough of a bait smorgasborg to stupify hungry specks into attacking anything that swims.

by Calixto Gonzalas

ON THE COVERS: COASTAL: The Coastal Conservation Association story is now 30 years old. Luke Giles recounts the group’s humble yet monumental beginnings with The Legacy of the Redfish Wars (Page C1 Coastal Almanac; I60 Inland Almanac; and N36 North Almanac)

Photo by Chester Moore

BOWLING FOR CRAPPIE Natural crappie cover can be hard to find. Man-made cover can be tricky and/or expensive to make. But here’s a novel idea that is simple and cheap, using an old bowling ball and half-inch PVC.

by Paul Bradshaw

CATFISH MYTHS As popular as they are to Lone Star anglers, catfish might be the most misunderstood fish around. To that end, we try to unravel some of the mysteries and dispel a few common myths associated with whiskered fishes.

INLAND/NORTH: Art Director Jimmy Borne, the guy responsible for the killer layouts on all of our feature articles, outdid himself in this issue. One of his layouts, the “fish with ears” lead illustration for the Can You Hear Me Now? feature (detailed upper left) was so good we couldn’t resist putting it on the cover.

Photo by Grady Allen

ALSO IN MAY:

FATHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

by Matt Williams

THE SALT FIVE One of the most challenging things about spring saltwater fishing is narrowing the lure selection. Here, we offer five classes of lures that you should make a part of your spring arsenal.

by Chester Moore 4

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82 SAY WHAT?

Do you suffer from “hunter’s notch?”

b y Reavis Wortham

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MAY 2008 • Volume XXIV • NO.1

COLUMNS 14 Editor’s Notes

52 Texas Freshwater

Shakeup at NWTF

DEPARTMENTS

Storm Sense

by DON ZAIDLE TF&G Editor-in-Chief

by MATT WILLIAMS TF&G Freshwater Editor

20 Chester’s Notes

74 TF&G Test Pilot

Living the American Dream

Ranger Z520 Robalo R260

by CHESTER MOORE TF&G Executive Editor

YOUR LETTERS

BIG BAGS & CATCHES

by LENNY RUDOW TF&G Boating Editor

22 Commentary

80 Texas Deer Hunting 16 What’s In Your

Shooting the Groundhog

Backpack?

by KENDAL HEMPHILL TF&G Commentator

by PAUL BRADSHAW TF&G Contributing Editor

24 Doggett at Large

90 Texas Offshore

Tarpon Travels

TROPHY QUEST

TFG ON

Tackle Matching

by JOE DOGGETT TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

by CAPT. MIKE HOLMES TF&G Associate Offshore Editor

32 Texas Saltwater

CAMPUS

Believing a Fish Story

by CALIXTO GONZALES TF&G Saltwater Editor

40 Texas Bowhunter 94 Open Season

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The Swamp Gift

Youthful Game & Life Lessons

by TED NUGENT TF&G Bowhunting Editor

by REAVIS WORTHAM TF&G Humor Editor

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WINGS OVER TEXAS

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you have more focus on hunting. The story about the kid in Africa was wonderful. I also enjoy the new column by Lou Marullo on bowhunting. I got into the sport two years ago and have not had much success, so I will enjoy the help on that. Please keep the hunting stories coming in Trophy Fever. A lot of us can’t wait to read them.

FEVERED OVER TROPHY FEVER I just wanted to say I enjoy Lou Marullo’s Bowhunting Tech column in the new Trophy Fever section. I just saw the February issue and appreciated the tips on maintaining equipment. I am new to the bowhunting world and that is the kind of information I need. I look forward to reading it every month.

Robin Springfield Conroe, TX I love the new Trophy Fever part of the magazine. I am mainly a hunter and it is the hunting stuff that gets me to pick it up every month. And with the new bow column and other hunting information, it is well worth

Blake Hannon Via email I love the new Trophy Fever section. I read it in the February issue and am glad

my while. Please keep the hunting stories coming! Jason Whitaker Via email It was great talking with Chester Moore at the Houston boat show. I am a big fan and am very happy he was promoted to executive editor. I just picked up the March issue and could not help but notice the extra hunting content in the new Trophy Fever section with more focus on hunting. I fish more than I hunt, but prefer hunting, so it is nice to see enhanced hunting content. Please keep up the good work and know your work is appreciated. Jess Walker Via email

THE MEASURE OF A TROPHY I just read Chester’s Notes, “When is a Trout a Trophy?”, in the March issue, and I could not agree more. I am sick and tired of the way people with money are trying to control everything. I would rather catch a limit of good trout than one big fish. Fishing is about fun and getting outdoors. Most of the people that act like a trophy is the only real thing probably didn’t grow up outdoors. All they know is out-doing their buddy. It’s the same way with deer hunting; those people that go after the “trophy” have no idea what they are doing to the workingman who hunts for the thrill of just being out there, not so much the kill. The price of a deer lease is ludicrous. Edward Hartman Friendswood, TX It was ironic when I came across Chester Moore’s “When is a Trout a Trophy?” column. The irony was that, at the time, I was eating what I consider my trophy trout. I had caught a 28-inch 8-pounder in 8

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Trinity Bay 5 days prior. I had told myself that if I ever caught a 30-inch 10-pounder, I would mount it. However, after boating this 28-incher (15 inches around the girth), I was stoked and a replica mount was called for. I had been fishing for the last 20 years for this fish, even if it was 2 inches and 2 pounds smaller than planned. I agree with you that, ultimately, it was not the measuring tape that held the reward, but the memory—and if it ends up being the biggest trout in my fishing experience, so be it. Hector L. Ramirez Via email Paul Bradshaw’s Texas Deer column, “What Does It Score?”, in the March issue really hit home with me—it was dead-on. I have been hunting with my father since I was seven, which is now 31 years ago. I have been very blessed over the years and have harvested several deer. My first deer was a small seven-point, but it was huge to me. My father was hunting about 50 yards away and got to witness the entire thing, from me taking the shot, to walking up to the downed buck, and taking pictures. This buck would not have qualified in the restricted counties. I cannot imagine not being able to share memories like the one my father and I shared that day. That was a true trophy animal, and always will be to me—not because of the antler size, but because of the great memory that my father and I share. Texas hunting has changed a lot over the years, some good, and some bad. First the good: When I first began hunting, you were able to take one buck, and maybe a doe if you were lucky and the landowner had doe permits. Today, I hunt in a four-deer county with few restrictions because Texas has such a large deer population. I was blessed this year and took my first deer with more than eight points, a great 11-point. The best part was that less than 10 minutes after I shot, my father took a great 8-point. We had filled two tags on opening morning less than 10 minutes apart. Now for the bad: The really sad part is that we are going to lose the lease we had because the price of land has skyrocketed,

and the owner is going to sell. Family hunting in Texas has all but been wiped out because of the high prices companies and wealthy New Yorkers, Californians, etc. are willing to pay to take one 200-inch monster buck. Instead of landowners leasing properties to families like mine for $1500 a year, they are putting up high fences and selling one animal for over $7500. I really fear that we are becoming so “trophy” oriented in Texas that we are losing the true hunting heritage. Instead of being a pastime that is handed down from one generation to the next, “hunting” has become merely symbolic, a “trophy” stuck on a wall in some corner office. Hunting is, and should be, the memories of friends and family spending time together in the field—spending time around deer camp the night before opening day, telling stories and dreaming of the possibilities yet to be enjoyed. This change is why recruitment of new hunters is declining. We are selling the soul of hunting in the name of “deer management,” and that is the true shame of today’s hunting situation in Texas. Troy J. Bickerstaff Via email I really enjoy reading Paul Bradshaw’s column each month. I especially enjoyed the March 2008 column. I totally agree about the lost art of deer hunting. On our place in Perryville, we have hunted hard for 10-plus years, and the last 2-3 under the antler restriction riles. It has totally changed me. For instance, I hunted really hard during the Thanksgiving weekend. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, I was in a stand for an evening hunt. It was cold all weekend. That evening, I saw two small bucks sparring, when all of sudden, I saw Mr. Right. As I put my scope on him and was about to pull the trigger, doubts starting flooding my mind about whether he was legal or not (13-inch minimum spread). In the past, I would have never thought twice. We give special thanks in that we have 150 acres in Wood County that has been in our family for more than a hundred of years. I have been extremely fortunate to take two

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10-pointers in the last six years that are between 120 and 130 B&C—which are great deer around this area. Any deer we take out there—spike, doe, or monster—holds special meaning to us, in that we didn’t have to pay $2500 a gun to hunt there. Duncan McAdoo Winnsboro, TX

ELITISM IS KILLING US Kendal Hemphill’s Commentary column in the March Issue, “Elitism Is Killing Us,” was a good read. I’m 58 years old and have hunted most of those years. Like it or not, the cost of hunting these days is a major cause of the decline in our numbers. I lease land for hunting and get 40 calls from potential hunters every year. Most of the callers say I’m too high, but I always get my asking price. I’m not even close to the highest in my part of the state. So, if my price is too high (and I’m sure I could get more), where do these people hunt? Because hunting is a pastime for most people, it will follow the economy. There are just so many recreation dollars in the pocket, and the competition for those dollars is at an all time high. Tommy Smithson Via email Regarding Kendal Hemphill’s “Elitism is Killing Us” in the March issue: From the standpoint of assuring the future of fishing and hunting, the goal of regulations should be to permit the highest level of success for children and youth consistent with conservation of the species. For most kids, being able to keep what you catch is an important element of success. This goal might lead to a different direction for regulations. For example, it might produce a lower minimum length limit for trout. With croaker, the question might be what regulation would produce more keepersize fish for rod and reel rather than focusing on the bait issue.

Of course, increasing participation in fishing and hunting requires maximizing access to the outdoors at reasonable cost. James Bray Via email

GUIDES & HEALTH INSURANCE Regarding Calixto Gonzales’ March Texas Saltwater column, “The High Cost of Distrust”: Association group health insurance does not cost less. Insurance costs the same for everybody, all things being equal (sex, age, illness, bad habits, etc.). Group insurance is thought to be cheaper only because it is common for employers to pay part of the cost. Association group health insurance can be more expensive than an individual policy if the group is older and is not very large so that the “experience rating” (the costs of last year’s claims) is spread among few policyholders. This happened to me some years ago in the group health plan for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Based on Gonzales’ column, I think a guide’s only alternative is a very high deductible, low premium, individual medical policy. At least he will only be in debt the deductible and out-of-pocket maximum, say, $12-15,000 after a major illness or injury costing $50-250,000. In the case he mentioned, this gives his friends, family, and community a reasonable, attainable fundraising goal. Texas has an assigned risk pool for those who are declined due to a pre-existing medical condition. I almost used it because I was declined by one company because of high blood pressure, but then I actually got a little better deal from another company if my blood pressure was kept normal using drugs for a year. Jay Bute Seabrook, TX

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N MARCH, THE HUNTING AND CONSERVATION communities reacted with shock and awe to the ouster of two top officials at the National Wild Turkey Federation, and the subsequent resignation of its top official, CEO Rob Keck. The NWTF board of directors forced the resignations of chief operating officer Carl Brown and senior vice president of sales and marketing Dick Rosenlieb, but Keck left of his own accord, citing health and family reasons. Sources close to the situation said the Brown and Rosenlieb matter surfaced last October during an NWTF board meeting, when the board first attempted to remove the executives. According to an article in Southern Sporting Journal, sources said Keck threatened to resign if the board went through with the move. The effort failed and the leadership team proceeded intact until March. The “what” of the matter is clear, but the big question of “why” is about as clear as mud, since NWTF and its board have so far remained mum. Different sources cite a litany of reasons for the top-tier topplings, but one reason cited by all is the notion that the men’s salaries and benefit packages had become too top-heavy. According to NWTF’s IRS Form 990 filing for fiscal year 2005, Brown received a combined annual salary, benefits, and expense account package of $ 317,145; Rosenlieb’s package totaled $193,361. Compensation totaling more than half a million dollars does seem a bit much for two executives of a non-profit conservation organization. And although the NWTF board said in a press statement that it accepted Keck’s resignation “reluctantly,” one cannot ignore that his annual compensation totaled $417,921, making the cost to NWTF for the three men $928,427 per year. Nearly a million dollars for three executives ain’t exactly chump change, but the NWTF

board (whose members are not paid) might have considered the cost justifiable, particularly for Keck, during the organizations growth years. In the mid-1970s, Keck, a high school art teacher, began doing volunteer work for the then-new NWTF, and became a paid employee in 1978. He advanced rapidly, eventually landing the CEO slot and occupying it for 27 years. On his watch, NWTF grew to more than 550,000 in 50 states, Canada, Mexico, and 14 foreign countries. It supports scientific wildlife management on public, private, and corporate lands, as well as wild turkey hunting as a traditional North American sport. At its founding in 1973, NWTF took on a dire conservation situation—1.3 million wild turkey and 1.5 million turkey hunters in the U.S. Shortly after its founding, NWTF moved from Virginia to Edgefield, South Carolina, where it is headquartered today. Thanks to the work of federal, state, and provincial wildlife agencies and many NWTF volunteers and partners, there are now more than 7 million wild turkey and nearly 3 million turkey hunters. Turkey hunting has become the fastest growing form of hunting and has the second-highest number of participants. Since 1985, NWTF has spent more than $258 million toward upholding hunting traditions and conserving more than 13.1 million acres of wildlife habitat. Hunters have benefited as NWTF worked to support the hunting heritage and promote laws that increase hunting opportunity and safety. In fact, NWTF performed so well that it has achieved its conservation mission to restore the wild turkey to all its habitat ranges in the U.S. Perhaps this is the reason for the board’s stated intent to steer the organization in a “new direction,” and why the executives’ salaries are no longer justified. NWTF executive salaries are not too far out of line with other non-profit conservation and sportsmen organizations. Don A. Young, executive vice president of Ducks unlimited, receives an annual compensation package of $351,112; and Doug Painter, president and CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, receives $248,548. At the two extremes of the spectrum of paid executives at sportsmen non-profit organiza-

The NWTF Shakeup

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tions, Delta Waterfowl president Rob Olson receives $88,896; executive vice president Jonathan Scarth, $88,932. National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre is the 799-pound gorilla, pulling down $953,110 in combined annual salary and benefits. Top executive compensation packages salaries of for-profit and non-profits companies and organizations usually reflect the entities’ annual revenues. NWTF revenues as reported for fiscal year 2005 totaled $48,125,688; Ducks Unlimited, $141,863,793; NRA, $164,048,679; NSSF, $31, 413,781; and Delta Waterfowl, $4,455,152. The question in my mind is whether any top executive at a sportsmen’s interests nonprofit organization is worth more than $150,000 or so per year. Honestly, I cannot decide. The good these organizations do is of inestimable value, but how important is toptier management in achieving that good. I wonder if organizational performance would be just as good with a lower-paid executive at the helm, one motivated more by zeal for the cause than salary. Zeal is infectious, so is money, but the spread of one is far more efficient—and likely—than the other. As for NWTF as an organization, with its mission fulfilled, its value and importance to conservation and sportsmen is questionable, depending on the nature of the “new direction” its board of directors envisions. Meanwhile, the organization might take a financial hit as corporate partners, existing dues-paying individual members, and potential members sit back to see what happens. My belief is that the NWTF board might forestall such speculative procrastination by adopting former USSR bigwig Mikhail Gorbachev’s perestroika or “openness” policy and telling the whole story behind the management shakeup. Of course, depending on what the story is, the board must tread lightly in this litigious age to avoid potentially libelous revelations. We might never know the whole truth, but a good dose of transparency goes far toward engendering trust.

E-mail Don Zaidle at editor@fishgame.com

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Anti-hunting Textbook Raises Eyebrows OME PARENTS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE content of a textbook being used in certain Texas public schools. The book, The Five W’s, Reading Level Grade 2, is a primer that uses, according to the explanation on its back, “high-interest factual newspaper articles” to teach reading comprehension to second grade children. Each page in the reader consists of a newspaper story, written on a second grade level, followed by questions designed to teach children to glean the “five W’s” (who, what, where, when, and why) from the text.

Story subjects range from the devastation of Pompeii in A.D. 79 to current events. Page 9 of the book has caused some parents to oppose the book in the classroom. The news story depicted on that page, “Animals in Danger of Dying Out,” has a dateline that reads, “ACROSS THE U.S.A., January, 1989.” The text lists certain animal considered endangered,

threatened, or otherwise protected in America. The article asserts, “...people must help the animals. If they PHOTO BY JOCELYNN HEMPHILL

TF&G Report

don’t, many will die.” “The reader exercise contains very lit-

BIG BAGS & CATCHES

JACK CREVALLE—Port Mansfield

ELK—Northwest Colorado

REDFISH—Freeport Beach

David R. Silva of Harlingen, Texas, caught this Jack Crevalle on the north shoreline of Port Mansfield. It took 55 minutes to land this 18pound, 10-ounce, 32-inch jack at least a mile from the original hook site.

Les Compton of Amarillo, Texas, shot this 6x6 bull elk, scoring 351 in Northwest Colorado, Unit 201. The elk weighed approximately 750 pounds and was shot using two shots at 217 yards with a 375 H&H Magnum.

David Moore of Austin, Texas, caught and released this bull redfish off of Freeport Beach. The bull red was 48 inches and weighed 45 pounds.

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tle truthful information,” said Rick Story, senior vice president of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance. “Parents who encounter such politically based and biased information in their child’s curriculum must protest and protest soon. As our nation moves toward an overwhelmingly urban population base, it will not be long before there will be few of us who know the difference between a fanciful notion of animals and the truth.” The book is published by Remedia Publications of Scottsdale, Arizona, and has been in circulation since 1989. “In almost 20 years, this is the first time anyone has complained about this,” said Brad Scharf, one of Remedia’s owners. “Our only goal is to teach kids to read. I never considered the content of that article to be offensive to anyone.” The main complaint concerns a paragraph in the text, which states that, although a certain kind of panther in Florida is pro-

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tected, “...hunters still find them and shoot them.” Scharf agreed that the wording could be construed as damaging to law-abiding hunters. “Poachers would certainly be a better word to use there,” he said. “Since the book is 20 years old, the article needs to be rewritten anyway,” stated Scharf. “We can rewrite it or replace it with something else in future reprints.” Scharf estimated that Remedia, a small, family-owned business, has distributed approximately 15,000 copies of The Five W’s, Reading Level Grade 2 since its introduction. —Kendal Hemphill

TOWA Honors Texas Fish & Game Magazine, Staff Texas Fish & Game (TF&G) magazine and its writers made a very strong showing at the 50th annual Texas Outdoor Writers Association (TOWA) banquet in March.

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In the TOWA craft competition, TF&G editors, writers, and photographers took home 10 awards, more than any other publication. “It shows that we have the best staff of professionals in outdoor media out there,” said TF&G Editor-In-Chief Don Zaidle. “Our people are not only skilled at their craft, but truly passionate about the subject matter, which makes a huge difference.” Executive editor Chester Moore picked up seven awards for TF&G, including a first place in Special Outdoors Projects for “Operation: Broodstock,” a joint conservation effort with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA). “We are very proud of our conservation work because it is actual participation in conservation, not just lip service,” Moore said. “Operation: Broodstock involves catching southern flounder and speckled trout broodstock for TPWD/CCA hatcheries, to help

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with stocking programs. It is a true honor to be recognized for something we love doing and feel is so important.” Moore also placed in the wildlife photography, nature photography, news reportingmagazine (for the October 2007 Coastal edition of TF&G), opinion writing, and book (Texas Waterfowl). He also picked up two awards for newspaper and internet work. He was the top winning-writer of the evening with nine awards. TF&G Columnist Mari Henry took first place in the very challenging humor division with the “Is Hawg Hunting a Saturday Night Date?” installment of her regular Gurlz Page column. Longtime TF&G humor editor Reavis Wortham took second place with “Scary Gauges” from his Open Season column in the June 2007 issue. Duane Hruzek took second place for outdoors publication under 25,000 circulation for Texas Lakes & Bays, which TOWA judges called, “Simply superb.”

TF&G also participated in the awards ceremony by funding this year’s first TF&G/TOWA Outdoor Futures Scholarship, a $1500 annual award for graduating high school seniors seeking to work in the outdoors field. This year’s recipient was Wayne DeCesaris of Austin, who will be attending Texas A&M University to study wildlife management and civil engineering. Since the age of 15, he has served as a mentor at youth hunting and fishing camps and wants to help set up camps around the state. “For a 17-year-old to already be involved in mentoring is amazing,” Moore said. “This shows true leadership, and we could not be prouder to help him along in his quest for an education and continued motivation of young people. Wayne is a winner and a natural leader.” Also noteworthy is the TOWA Dan Klepper Scholarship winner, Kyle Tomek, a 19-year-old outdoor writer and fishing guide

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who is attending Texas State University. Tomek already writes for a variety of publications, and had some of his writing on the subject of how he got started published in the April edition of TF&G, and will work more with TF&G in the future. “We want to help these scholarship winners by giving them a chance to show their talents, and also give them hands-on education in the field of outdoors communication,” Moore said. “Kyle Tomek has the most promise of any Dan Klepper scholarship winner I have seen over the last few years.” TOWA is an organization for professional writers, photographers, broadcasters, videographers, and communications specialists working in the hunting, fishing, trapping, and conservation fields. —Staff Report

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Living the American Dream BELIEVE IN THE AMERICAN DREAM—TO LIVE your aspirations, whatever they might be. I suspect that for many reading this column, the Dream involves fin, fowl, fur, and amazing landscapes. The fact that we live in this unique country is a huge advantage in the quest to attain our goals in life, whether they are outdoors or within the confines our spirits. I challenge you to refrain from reflecting on your past mistakes or glories, but to instead look to the future with serious focus and determination to make your outdoors dreams a reality. It is impossible to realize dreams without knowing you have them. Sit down with a pen and paper and think about the outdoors experiences you would like to have, and write them down. They might be as simple as catching a crappie you deem big enough to mount on the wall, or to hunt red stag in New Zealand. Never limit yourself because of what others might think, or cut yourself short of dreaming big. Yes, certain situations might limit what we can do in some ways, but the scope of our dreams and what we can attain is mainly confined by our own ambitions, focus, and discipline. Moreover, not all outdoors dreams are the same.

train hard enough to be certified for diving in caves. Still others might have conservation related goals. One of my lifelong dreams is to see flounder populations restored to their former glory, and to see continued preservation of waterfowl nesting grounds. I have taken a number of actions toward seeing those dreams become reality, and over the coming year will be out campaigning in a variety of venues for those causes. Another dream of mine is to work with Asiatic elephants, which are severely depleted in the wild, and to see their conservation put more in the forefront of wildlife discussion. I have been fortunate over the past year

“

I suspect that for many reading this column, the Dream involves fin, fowl, fur, and amazing landscapes.

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Chester's Notes

For a birder, it might be to get a glimpse at an elusive brown jay or hook-billed kite. For an angler, it might be to catch a giant blue marlin. For a scuba diver, it could be to

to step into that world and have been able to not only be around these amazing creatures and learn a lot about them, but also find a way to work on their behalf. I share these examples not to thump my chest, but to provide examples of how varied outdoors dreams and goals can be in relation to conservation. There are no limits. Attaining these dreams can be healthy for spirit and body. If you have unhealthy habits such as smoking, consider the financial cost. If you smoke a pack a day at $4 a pack, at the end of the year, that is $1460. That is equivalent to three guided fishing trips for three people at a time in saltwater, and about four trips for most freshwater guides. Put toward hunting, that is seven guided duck or goose hunts, about the average cost of a nice deer lease in

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the Hill Country, about a third the cost for a “beginners” safari in Africa, or a caribou hunt in Alaska. If you put down a bad habit (which could literally save your life in the end), you could pay for your outdoors dreams and do so with money you are already spending. It does not have to be smoking. This goes for those who drink a bit too much or simply spend too much on junk—and pretty much all of us do that. While our country offers the awesome freedom of expression and self-actualization, society often makes fun of those who dream big. I fear we are becoming a country of cynics and critics who like to tear things down. There are people who will tell you can’t make your dreams come true, and that your lifelong outdoors quest is “too big” for you. Honestly, that is a good sign. When the critics come out (no matter how close you might think you are to them), it means you are stirring something in people. Those who tell you that you cannot live your dreams usually have not lived theirs. Their sneers are based on jealously and not on a reflection of your abilities. If you put your mind to it and your heart is in the right place, there is every reason to believe your outdoors dreams will come true. Again, we live in the United States of America, and brave young men and women are risking their lives to make sure we keep the freedom to realize our dreams. Honor them by living life to the fullest in the great outdoors. Note: This column is dedicated to Jarred from Pineville, Louisiana, who wants me to take him duck hunting when he gets back from his tour of duty in Baghdad, Iraq. I have the decoys, calls, dog, and a marsh full of pintail and teal. And to John Brown, a new Marine from my hometown of Orange, for stepping up and being one of the few and proud.

E-mail Chester Moore at cmoore@fishgame.com

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Shooting the Groundhog HEN MY OLDEST SON WAS FIVE YEARS old, he asked me about Groundhog Day. I explained the tradition to him, and telling him what was supposed to happen if the ground hog saw its shadow, and what happened if it didn’t. Courtland looked thoughtful for a moment and asked, “What happens if you shoot him?” My son wasn’t out to bag Punxsutawney Phil, necessarily, but he realized a groundhog was an animal, and he knew animals are sometimes shot. If Phil’s demise happened to occur

on Groundhog Day, how would winter know whether it was done? Three years later, my wife took the boys fishing. They caught minnows in a net to use as bait, and when she started to put one of them on a hook, Courtland started screaming, “No! Don’t hurt the minnow!” What happened between the casual question about the groundhog’s precarious existence as a target and the fishing trip to cause my son to suddenly take the opposite view of animal welfare? One possible answer is that he was exposed to the Dark Side at school. Not that the local ISD promotes such nonsense, but the school board can’t read every page of every textbook before it hits the classroom. Sometimes, authors and publishers surreptitiously slip their biases into the books our kids learn the three Rs from. This seems to be the case with a second

grade primer offered by Remedia Publications, of Scottsdale, Arizona. The book is titled, The Five W’s, Reading Level Grade 2. A Texas reader recently alerted us to this book when his seven-year-old daughter brought it home from school. (Also see The TF&G Report, page 16.) The book is designed to teach reading comprehension, and uses paraphrased newspaper articles covering various subjects. Students read the stories and then answer questions aimed at forcing them to pay attention to what they read. Most of the articles are basic news items, but one caused our reader to complain to his school administrators. On page 9 of The Five W’s is a story called “Animals in Danger of Dying Out.” It was supposedly an article in a real newspaper in 1989, although the actual origin has been lost. The content is full of anti-hunting rhetoric,

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purposefully targeting impressionable children. The first paragraph contains two sentences so full of lies and misconceptions it is difficult to believe they are only sixteen words long: “This is the year when people must help the animals. If they don’t, many will die.” “This is the year” implies that last year no one did anything, and next year will be too late. “People must help the animals.” Human intervention is evidently not only necessary, but mandatory. No specific animals are named here, so the idea is that all animals are in danger. Plus, there are implications that people can help the animals (not true in most cases), animals cannot help themselves (often they do), and that we should help them (you save the rattlesnakes, I’ll take the bunnies). Ignored completely is the question of whether saving the golden cheeked warbler will be cost effective, put people out of their homes, or ruin someone’s livelihood. “If they don’t, many will die.” Many animals die every year, regardless of what we do. Life invariably ends in death. Four specific species are mentioned in the article: bald eagles, manatees, protected Florida panthers, and condors. Some facts are

used as a foundation, such as that the panther lives only in Florida, and the bald eagle is the symbol of our country. In each case, the story takes a swan dive from fact into assumption, misrepresentation, and outright lies. The most heinous passage is the paragraph on panthers. It says that, although protected, “hunters still find them and shoot them.” Not poachers. Not “some” hunters. Not criminals. “Hunters” evidently are bad people who disregard laws to satisfy their bloodlusts. The message is clear that if you hunt, you are guilty. I called Remedia and spoke with one of the owners of the company, a cordial man named Brad Scharf. He seemed genuinely surprised when I pointed out the apparent goal of the story. Mine was the first complaint he had received since the reader was first published in 1989. Scharf assured me that Remedia had no intention of targeting children with such propaganda. Their aim is to teach kids to read, not create lifelong activists. I asked him if he would make sure the offending article was replaced, and he said he would. The reader who went to his school administration received the same reaction. He was promised the page would be removed and no

longer used. Education is the key to solving most of our problems, and this case is a good example. Once people are shown, nicely, the error of their ways, they are generally grateful, but they can’t fix something they don’t know is broken. Ted Nugent offered an alternative attitude that would probably be welcome at most Texas schools: “For all my children’s grade school years, I inserted myself as ‘room father,’ bringing in exciting, downright mesmerizing show-and-tell presentations with guns, ammo, bows, arrows, animal mounts, skins, backstraps, and hibachis. Every administrator, teacher, student, and parent was equally enthusiastic and supportive.” This “preemptive strike,” according to Nuge, “effectively destroyed any chance animal rights wackos might have had to introduce their ‘feel good’ nonsensical propaganda.” You and I aren’t Uncle Ted, but that doesn’t mean we have less of a duty to protect our children, or less of an obligation to educate those around us. Oh, incidentally, if you shoot the groundhog, you get six more weeks of winter.

E-mail Kendal Hemphill at commentary@fishgame.com

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BIG BENEFIT OF BEING A FULL-TIME fishing writer for 35 years at the Houston Chronicle was the opportunity to travel. A big benefit from taking early retirement from that desk is the opportunity to travel even more. In the considerable world of angling, I have been from here to way over there many times. I have cast across celebrated waters on various continents and have caught virtually every significant fresh and saltwater sport species—some many times over. I therefore feel well qualified to talk about fishing travel, and my strong advice is to gather several proven friends and plan an angling expedition. Texans are in excellent position to implement this plan, with major airports in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio providing daily access to many prime destinations. Continental Airlines, especially, has the Latin America market covered. My recommendation for the average angler seeking a rewarding trip for a reasonable price is this: Go tarpon fishing in Costa Rica. A weeklong full-service package to one of the fishing lodges on the Caribbean rivers is within reach of many angling budgets, with most trips running in the $2500-$3000 range (double occupancy). Shorter, less expensive trips offering three or four days of fishing are available. You fly non-stop in less than four hours from Texas to the capital of San Jose and overnight in a quality hotel for an earlymorning charter flight. San Jose, situated in the central mountains, is a cosmopolitan city with scenic boulevards and many fine restaurants. Numerous casinos and clubs (the Key Largo and the Blue Marlin being standouts) invite angling tourists, but be advised that the young lady smiling over a mojito at the

end of the bar almost certainly is not a Pi Phi from Sophie Newcombe. The dawn charter to Rio Parismina or Rio Colorado takes approximately 45 minutes, allowing a full day of fishing. Tarpon fishing in Costa Rica is potentially outstanding year-round, although spring and fall provide the most stable weather patterns. Catch a string of reasonably calm days and the fishing for 5- to 6-foot tarpon in the ocean off the river mouths is the most consistent in the world—at least, it’s the most reliable that I have found. This is a great destination for the angler armed with heavy casting tackle. Assuming the surf is small enough to allow boats to reach the ocean, hookups by casting plugs or drifting natural baits virtually are guaranteed. It is not unusual for two anglers sharing a boat and guide to jump 10-12 fish a day. I first fished the region during the early 1980s, making five or six trips to Rio Parismina and Rio Colorado before moving on to other things. You can’t do it all, and I got sidetracked for about 20 years before returning in October of 2004 to spend a week at Judy Heidt’s Rio Parismina Lodge (www.riop.com). Our group of Houstonarea anglers organized by Link Smith and booked by Ward Michaels of Michaels’ Hunting and Fishing (407-851-1909) has retuned each year. On average, our eight-man group has jumped at least 400 fish per week. I cannot claim that such returns always happen— rough weather can be factor and tarpon, like most fish, have fins. They can move. But those are our returns, and some groups do even better. My honest opinion is that the catch-andrelease tarpon fishing in Costa Rica is better now than it was 20 or 25 years ago. The numbers of fish might not be as great, but the equipment and techniques are better. At least they are at Rio Parismina Lodge. Heidt and long-time manager Fernando Gonzales run an excellent operation. The clean, comfortable camp utilizes 21-foot center consoles backed by 125- to 150-horse outboards. The reliable rigs give anglers a better chance at running the river mouth,

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and the open-water speed allows boats to run north or south to hunt for fish along the beachfront. By contrast, the old camps used 16-foot aluminum skiffs. The guides, all handpicked veterans from the nearby Parismina village, stay in radio contact to monitor the action. And, most important on slow days, the boats drift natural sardines on large circle hooks—an unheard-of method 25 years ago. Lures also draw strikes, especially amid rolling, splashing schools. Top producers are fast-sinkers such as Coast Hawks and bucktail jigs (the 2-ounce SPRO with a Gamakatsu hook is excellent), and slow sinkers such as large MirrOlures and YoZuris. With plug or bait, two-handed 20- to 30pound casting rods fitted with wide-framed reels such as Penn International 975s, Shimano 700s, and Ambassadeur 7500s (or the smaller 965s and 400s and 6500s for casting) are proven choices. With these rigs, our crew has boated and released many tarpon weighing more than 100 pounds. In fact, several fish in the 140- to 150-pound class are caught on each trip. A 150 might be more tarpon than you want, especially in the 60- to 90-foot water within a mile of the beach. Deep water can result in a brutal tug-of-war under tropic sun, but the payback might be an insane jump. A “green” tarpon coming straight up might fly 15 or 20 feet into the air—a phenomenal display of power and grace lost on the shallow flats. The sight of a “skying” 6-footer shining above distant palms and mountains is an image you never will forget. A rash of rotten weather can impact any fishing trip, but catch it right (or even semiright), and Costa Rica can provide a worldclass, must-do adventure within reach of many angling budgets. And that is not just my endorsement; it is the opinion of most veteran anglers who have fished the “Rich Coast.”

E-mail Joe Doggett at doggett@fishgame.com

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PHOTO BY GRADY ALLEN

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More importantly, can the fish hear you?

• by Lenny Rudow

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ou might be reading these words with your eyes, but you are hearing them inside your head. Listen up: You can boost your catch rate immediately if you just pay as much attention to the sounds a fish hears as you do to the sights it sees. We put a heck of a lot of thought into what a fish sees when we are trying to catch it. We choose lure color and profile carefully, and try to give it a perfect presentation. Savvy anglers might consider other visual impacts. They know, for example, that shadows falling across the water can spook fish, thanks to an inherent fear of airborne predators. The same goes for visible fishing line in some situations. Good anglers also consider what the fish smells; scented baits and applicants are all the rage these days. The best fish-hunters among us even pay attention to what gets on their hands, and therefore their baits and lures, just in case the fish catch a whiff and are repelled by it. But it is rare that we consider what a fish hears—and that could be costing you, big-time.

things. The better question to ask is: Do fish hear you? To find out just what a fish hears under sundry conditions, I tried listening to the sounds below the water’s surface, both inshore in relatively shallow water, and offshore in deep water. In both cases, I interfaced a dB-A (sound level) meter with a hydrophone (underwater microphone) to take objective measurement.

Scream & Shout

What a fish hears...does a fish even have ears? Yes, no, and sort of. They do not have the kind of ears we are used to seeing, but they can sense the vibrations that our ears detect as sound. Fish have a clearly visible lateral line, running down the flanks of most species, which is filled with vibration-sensing cells. The lateral line is full of cells called “neuromasts.” In un-scientific terms, these are bundles of sensory cells with hairs encased in a gelatinous substance. The neuromasts continuously send out nerve impulses to the fish’s brain. When pressure waves cause the gelatinous material of the neuromasts to move, bending the enclosed hairs, the frequency of the nerve impulses is either increased or decreased, depending on the direction of bending. Since sound travels through the water in waves, it has an impact on these neuromasts and fishes “hear”

A stay at Shoal Grass Lodge in Port Aransas gave me a chance to do some inshore fieldwork, and listen to sounds below the surface in 5 feet of water at the lodge’s lighted pier. Why should you care if the pier is lighted? Because one of the first things I heard when I dropped down the hydrophone was the grunting and croaking of speckled trout, which were thick in the area, competing for the shrimp, crab, and minnows swarming under the lights. There was another strange noise, too, almost like distorted music, or the singing of whales. The sound was the dominant background noise for several minutes, then it abruptly ended. Later, we discovered the source—a natural gas plant near the lodge. After listening to the background noises for a while and setting the dB-A meter accordingly, it was time to start making some noise of my own. First, I started up a 250hp two-stroke outboard. Underwater, the sound levels spiked by 3 dB-A. Note that the dB-A meter is logarithmic scale, and 3 dB is an approximate doubling of sound level. Interestingly, the motor made a lot less noise in gear than at idle. That makes sense, though, when one considers how two-strokes sound rough at idle, yet run more smoothly in gear. Most of the noise it made in neutral was clanging and rapping in nature, yet in gear, prop whine was the main sound. When I fired up a four-stroke, however, the sound in neutral was almost non-existent. Until the boat was shifted into gear (the clunk created 2 dB,) and the prop started whining at 1 dB, the motor was very stealthy. Next came the 24-volt electric motor test. As you might expect, it was extremely quiet,

Say Again?

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with prop noise accounting for most of the sound. It created only about 1 dB of noise. That was the same created when one of those speckled trout busted the surface, chasing bait. Allowing a fiberglass hatch to slam shut produced 5 dB of racket. Dragging a tacklebox across the deck was not much better (4 dB), and just walking down the pier created 2 dB. Weird, wild sounds abound beneath the surface of the water, and something as unlikely as a natural gas plant half a mile away, could affect your success as an angler. While there is no direct action you can take to use this knowledge to catch more fish, it should remind you to always continue trying new things and changing tactics when the fishing seems off; you never know what could be ruining your bite, or what could turn it on. When you are approaching a hotspot in a two-stroke-powered boat, approach at slow idle then turn off the motor before shifting it back into neutral; this minimizes noise. If you fish the shallows often, you really do need that electric motor. If you are already running on electric power, remember that it is not completely silent, and most of the sound it makes underwater is generated by the prop. Also remember that the level of that sound is directly related to RPM. In other words, the slower you go, the stealthier you are; the faster you go, the noisier you are. The sounds created by those power plants were overshadowed by two things that sounded like firecrackers underwater: slamming hatches, and dragging hard items across the deck. The sound of fiberglass-onfiberglass made by allowing a hatch to freely drop shut literally made me jump when I was wearing the hydrophone headphones. It will do the same thing to a fish. So, before you even approach a hotspot, warn everyone aboard to shut hatches gently and be aware that impact noises on fiberglass will be transmitted right through the hull. If you do not think this matters much, the next time you see a redfish tailing a few yards away, try a little experiment and slam a hatch. Dollars to doughnuts says you will see that tail make a swirl as the fish darts away.

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Picture this: It is your long-time fantasy to do battle with a billfish, so you spent the time and money to organize an offshore fishing adventure. You have been trolling for marlin for hours now without a single bite. Suddenly, you spot it—a stick-like appendage swatting at the plastic squid on your spreader bar. You jump to your feet and yell, “Marlin in the spread! Marlin in the spread!” You reach for a pitch bait and try to tease the marlin into taking it, but after batting around a few more squid, it turns away from the boat and disappears from view. “Guess it was just window-shopping,” someone says. “Must not have been a very aggressive fish.” This is a common response to a common problem: Marlin seem interested at first, then decide not to eat. The last time I checked, a billfish batting at bait is by definition “aggressive.” So, why do we all see window-shoppers from time to time? Why do so

many marlin rise to a spread, appear to begin an attack, then retreat shortly after we see them? Could it be because we spook the fish without even knowing it? I tried weighting the hydrophone and trolling it a few feet under the surface 50 feet behind the transom, in the spread of a 55foot twin-engine sportfisherman. I had hoped to discover if there was excessive engine noise or some other racket created by generators, appliances, or other items aboard, but what I discovered had nothing to do with the power plants, props, or even the boat: Through the hydrophone, the loudest noises I heard were people on the boat talking. Words were not distinguishable (the voices sounded like the adults on those old Charlie Brown TV specials—wa-waah-wawa-waah), but they were completely audible. When someone shouted, it was loud enough to drown out the underwater sounds made by the boat. Remember that we are intentionally speaking loudly so that other people can hear us over the boat’s noise, so doesn’t it

Deep Soundings

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make sense that the fish hear us over it, too? Are those marlin just “window-shopping,” or are they hearing us yell and scream? Are they un-aggressive, or freaked out by those strange, loud sounds? No one can provide evidence one way or the other because we are not fish, and the fish are not talking. But one thing is for sure—those fish can, in fact, hear you. Note, too, that although our tests were conducted in saltwater (which is denser and therefore transmits sound more efficiently than freshwater), the same principles apply at your favorite bass lake or crappie hole. Silence is golden, venue be damned. So, the next time you see a bill in the spread, a bass alongside a laydown, a tail on the flats, fish symbols in the brush pile on the LCD, or a speck under the lights, whisper instead of shouting.

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T HAD BEEN A VERY LONG NIGHT WITH VERY little sleep. My poor wife, Sandie, had been up and down until 3 a.m. with food poisoning from a questionable holiday ham, and I was dozing on the couch in front of the television. Around 8:15, my phone roused me with that loud, obnoxious ringing it makes only when you have slept poorly. I looked at the Caller ID: Roberto Cantu Had it been “Unknown,” I would have stuck the phone under a sofa cushion and gone back to sleep. Instead, I answered to find out what this Roberto Cantu wanted. “Is this Calixto Gonzales?” an unfamiliar voice asked. “It is,” I answered. “Forgive me for asking, but are you the one who writes for Texas Fish & Game magazine?” “I’m the saltwater editor, yes,” I said. I was a little suspicious, because when a caller opens a phone call like that, usually I am about to get a story suggestion that I can’t use, hear that I am a complete and total idiot who is contributing to the ruination of Texas saltwater fishing, or receive a business offer I can’t refuse. “Mr. Gonzales, I’m Robert Cantu,” the man continued. “I hope that you’ll excuse me for calling you at home on a Saturday morning, but I read your writing every month, and I get the feeling that you’re a person I can share this with. May I tell you what happened to me yesterday?” I was intrigued by the man’s phone etiquette if nothing else, so I encouraged him to continue. I broke out my recorder, donned the earpiece, and got ready. What unfolded was a story that, in my opinion, was truly remarkable.

Mr. Cantu had decided to go fishing on a blustery Friday because he was suffering from a case of cabin fever. He couldn’t find anyone to go with him, so he took off alone on his 16-foot Scooter. “Alone?” I asked, remembering the north wind that had gusted to 25 the day before. “I know it wasn’t very smart, and my wife wasn’t happy, but I needed to get out on the water,” he said, sounding as sheepish as I do when I pull such a stunt. “I was going crazy at home.” He told me that he had followed one of the recommendations from the monthly Hotspots section of the magazine, and fished the spoil islands near Long Bar with a topwater lure. “How’d you do?” I asked. “I hooked only one fish,” he said. “But let me tell you about that fish.” He made three casts with a Bone-colored Super Spook, and on the third cast, a trout inhaled his lure. It didn’t splash on the lure, “but sucked it in from underneath, the way only a big fish can.” I knew that strike. I’ve hooked some big trout on topwaters, and that is exactly how they strike. “I didn’t see the fish for a long time,” Cantu continued. “But he pulled line off my reel four times in big spurts. [I didn’t bother explaining that most big trout are females]. When I finally got him next to the boat, he was exactly as you described: a baseball bat in the water. He was the biggest trout I’ve ever seen.” This is where I stopped being a journalist and became a fisherman. He had my attention. “I was alone, so I was handling both the net and the fish. I tried scooping it once, and missed. Then it made a big shake, and the whole lure came flying at me, and the trout was gone.” With an almost breathless voice, I asked, “How big was the fish?” “That’s the thing,” Cantu said. “I’m a retired architect, so I’m pretty good at judg-

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ing size. I had the lure for scale, so I had something to judge the fish by. Mr. Gonzales, I swear to you that trout was all of 36 inches long. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Bud Rowland’s TPWD-sanctioned record was reported a little over 35 inches, and allegedly weighed 15 pounds. All I could say was a slow, long, “Wow.” “After I lost him, I sat in my boat for about 20 minutes,” Cantu said. “My hands were shaking so bad that I couldn’t make another cast. I finally packed it in and headed home. “My problem is, I was alone on the boat, so I don’t have any witnesses. I can’t tell my wife, and I can’t tell my compadres because they’ll all think it’s a fish story.” I suddenly remembered the story about the man who hit a hole in one, but nobody witnessed it. It was the same predicament. Whatever the circumstances, I believed him. Everyone should. We’ve all hooked a gorilla-sized fish, whether bass, trout, redfish, or bluegill, and lost it. We also know how frustrating it is to tell a friend or spouse (well, at least our friends, because spouses are usually unimpressed either way) and have them give us that look and say, “Feh! You didn’t hook a big fish! It was probably a 14-incher that fell off when you were flipping it in.” For that reason, I give Robert Cantu the benefit of the doubt. I’ve hooked a big fish like that, and so have you. We know that there are giant trout along the Texas Coast, and they get that big by being survivors. I don’t question his story for a moment. Mr. Cantu, you can tell your story to everyone, and if they start to laugh, tell them that I believe you. And if they want to know why, give them my number and tell them to call. After all, you went through the trouble of looking me up.

E-mail Calixto Gonzales cgonzales@fishgame.com

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Where to go & what to do when you get there

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BACKGROUND PHOTO BY DON ZAIDLE

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alas Gonz lixto by Ca

DLE

INSET TROUT PHOTOS BY GRADY ALLEN

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he July morning is gentle southeast breeze had picked up into a fullblown wind around lunchtime, and the steady 15-20 mph gusts started to chop up the waters of Lower Laguna Madre enough for thick foam streaks to materialize. The few boats that went out headed to all points north to look for calmer, cleaner water that might make sight-fishing possible. Captain Luke Bonura and I didn’t make so long a run. We put in at the TPWD ramp in Port Isabel, then ran Bonura’s Shallow Sport across the choppy bay waters toward the Padre Island Convention Center. (I happily discovered that the boat, designed for that skinniest of water, handled the beamto-slop with a minimum of bounce and spray.) He eased the boat off plane 1/2 mile from the shoreline and, with the deployment of a drift sock, set up a drift that paralleled a marked color change from semi-clear to sandy green water. “We’re going to fish just inside the sandy water,” Bonura instructed. “If you can, cast

into the cloudy water and work it back into the clear stuff.” I whipped the Gulp! Shrimp/Cajun Thunder combo toward the murky water. The wind carried it farther into the color change than I wanted, but it didn’t matter. The bright green cork never seemed to stop on the surface, and disappeared. A short while later, a solid 16-inch trout was flopping in the cooler. Bonura and I made five more casts, and two more keeper trout went into the box with their littermate before we turned the boat around for another drift.

Summer School Trout Next month officially kicks off the summer season, and June, July, and August are synonymous with speckled trout fishing for the majority of Texans within driving distance of the coast. More leisure time in the forms of vacation days and better weather mean that fishermen no longer have to pick their days. Rather, chances are that the weather and conditions will be optimal whenever hopeful anglers go after summer mustardmouths.

“The weather finally stabilizes in the summer,” said Bonura. “The water is in the upper seventies, tidal flow is more consistent, and you almost never see a north wind.” Bonura added that summer also means a greater variety of bait is available for hungry trout to prey on. Shrimp, pinfish, croaker, finger mullet, ballyhoo, small needlefish, and even juvenile trout are available in great numbers, and medium and large speckled trout belly up to this forage buffet to pack on the bulk. The broader dinner spread also means that fish become “stupid.” In other words, trout become aggressive enough to attack bait and lures with abandon, which makes them easier for part-time anglers and novices to hook them (although there are some hardcore trout aficionados that would have you believe that the only reason a speckled trout hasn’t developed warp technology is because they lack thumbs). Though summer speck fishing is as good as it gets, it doesn’t mean that the fish are going to simply wave little white flags in surrender. The smart fisherman needs to apply some simple effort to maximize their efforts.

Local Color High gas prices means fishing trip costs have spiked higher than at any time in recent memory. It behooves summer trout fishermen to develop strategies to minimize fuel burned and time spent tracking down the quarry. Bonura recommended looking for differences in the water that might point to the presence of fish. An excellent-and very obvious example is color change. A color change is the boundary in variances in water clarity. In summer, they usually form when a southeast wind agitates a sand bottom along the edge of a weedline. Speckled trout use these color changes as cover and ambush points, especially later in the day when the wind is up and makes the color line even more pronounced. The best strategy along color lines is to set up drifts perpendicular to the boundary. Usually, because of wind direction, a parallel drift is problematic, although a trolling motor (which should be standard equipment on a saltwater boat) makes the job a snap. Setting a drift anchor on a rear-quarter cleat sets the boat at a 45-degree angle to the color change, allowing fishermen to work it for a longer stretch than a straight 90-degree drift. 36

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In Baffin and Nueces bays, color changes also form where a deeper channel holds cleaner water than the surrounding wind-whipped flats do. These color changes show up as a strip of greenish water and are always worth some casts. Trout love to back into these ditches to wait for some hapless baitfish to happen by. Waders are especially fond of these areas because they can line up just of fthe edge of the channel and work the edges with fan casts. When I am fishing color changes, my favorite rig is live bait or soft plastics beneath an Alameda float. They make a huge racket when popped, and the rattles continue to emit sound as the float bobs along in the current—very effective for attracting a trout’s attention. Suspending plugs and stickbaits are also effective when working color changes. Worked slowly, the lures hang in the water column, which makes them easy marks for trout to find and nail. Use a twitch-twitchpause cadence, with at least a four to five second pause. Trout usually hit during the pause.

Plentiful specks combine with bluebird skies and warm weather to make summertime the “summer of the trout.”

Current Events

Deep Thoughts Later in the summer, when the sultry heat of the Dog Days set in, speckled trout start backing off into deeper water during the teeth of the day. It is a natural response to the immoderate temperatures that the flats reach (usually the low-to-mid 80s) when the late July/August sun hammers them like an anvil. Even a drop of a few degrees makes a difference to cold-blooded trout, which are unable to regulate their own body temperatures. The same ditches that form color changes on windy days are effective during the heat of the day. Trout will hold closer to the bottom, where water remains the coolest through the teeth of the day. A great mid-to-late summer spot to find trout runs the entire stretch of the Texas Coast: the Intracoastal Waterway. The ICW’s average depth of 12 feet not only provides a shipping lane for barge traffic, but also a great summer home for speckled trout.

The fish hold along the edge of the “Big Ditch” and cruise up along the spoil banks that dot its length. Fishermen from Sabine to South Padre have their own favorite honey holes that produce good numbers of fish when the flats do not. Most fishermen fish the edges of the ICW

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with free-lined live shrimp. Simply cast your offering parallel to the channel edge and let it fall back toward you. Trout usually take the bait on the drop. Medium-light to light action rods are good in this application because of the need for sensitivity. There is no need to worry about not having enough power to land a large trout. Snags are not much of a problem. Lure selection trends toward leadhead jigs. A 1/4-ounce head with a curly tail is a proven favorite, but any tail with plenty of action is ideal. Gulp! baits are also very popular, especially because they rig and fish just like live bait. The DOA 1/4ounce shrimp is another excellent choice, especially due to its “do nothing” style that makes it easy to work.

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A third area that is an excellent spot for summer trout is any structure that creates a current eddy that trout use as another form of structure. Trout hold on the downcurrent side of structure, where hydraulic forces funnel bait past them. They hold at the tail of an eddy and wait for prey to come tumbling along, then move into the current, snatch the meal, and drift back into place. Fish these spots on when the tide is moving. The best bet is to anchor up along side the eddy or at its head and drift a bait or lure with it. Use as light a lure or as little weight as possible to allow for the most natural presentation. The D.O.A. Shrimp or Tsunami Holo-shrimp are the most effective soft plastics you can use in this situation. Their natural profiles and unique sinking styles mimic a live bug as few other lures can. I have caught scads of trout with both baits while fishing the old Queen Isabella Causeway when the tide pushes through the pilings. I don’t doubt for one moment that they will be effective when fished around the gas wells in Corpus Christi Bay or the well heads off the beachfront around Sabine. The trout are waiting. Go get ‘em.

PHOTO BY GRADY ALLEN

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The Swamp Gift Y SPIRIT WALKED ALONGSIDE ME AGAIN today. The big, oversized buck pole at CampNuge was borderline buckling under the weight of suspended herbivore protein as I strolled past it in the gray afternoon haze. Leaving my sporting goods emporium/hunting barn Tedquarters for hunt day No. 48 for the 07 season, I chuckled out loud at the good fortune that my hunters and I had experienced so far this fall. Backstraps ‘R us! Beautiful bucks and gorgeous she-deer hung from the 16-foot-high beams, and their stunning presence added to the positive spirit of another perfect October day. I constantly thank God that I am an American hunter, for every breath I take is a gift of yet another fascinating, stimulating day afield, flexing my pure predator muscles in the timeless pursuit of happiness and backstraps. This life-giving self-evident truth resonates like so many howling wolves in the wilderness, and I howl right along with them, for we are American hunting BloodBrothers. It is, indeed, perfect. With my 10-arrow assault quiver loaded to the max with handsome zebra-pattern deathray projectiles, I quietly left the gravel two-track and began to carefully ascend the ancient hogback ridgeline separating tillable high ground and the mystical damp fen to the north. Towering white oaks created a cathedral under which I stalked to my ageold peninsula ambush zone. A tall Old Man tree stand hid within a scattering of colorful oak leaves, perfectly concealing an old gutpile-hungry bowhunters perch. Settling in and nocking my arrow, I was forced to

remind myself to Nugent with but one of many “swamp gifts.” With a fall tag in my calm the hell down, wallet, I slowly spun relax, take it easy, that-a-way for a and breathe gently— developing shot. As ya old numbnut! If you don’t control yourself a longbeard poked its blue head above the now, how in the hell can you possibly expect marshy vegetation, I drew and canted my to make a good shot when the beast arrives? Martin Rytera bow and envisioned the flight Indeed. of my mystical arrow dead center into the iriGod’s party was already underway as descent thunderchicken, and let one fly. The skeins of giant Canadian geese soared just razor sharp Magnus BuzzCut broadhead above the treetops. The gushing of their sliced clean through the old gobbler’s wing huge wings was nearly as loud as their love- butt as the flock erupted, and the old tom ly, gaudy honking. I always tell myself I flopped amidst the deadheads and puckershould bring my scattergun along on tree brush. Cool! stand bowhunts, for never have I had such A fall turkey with bow and arrow! Thank close encounters with the big, delicious you, Lord! This is every bowhunters’ waterfowl as I do 20 feet off the ground at dream, and I was living it. swamps edge. Wild. Even though the late afternoon witching Every imaginable songbird indigenous to hour was upon me, I just couldn’t resist getMichigan joined in the autumn feeding orgy ting down and retrieving my prize. Capturwith the bushytailed fox squirrels and ram- ing the magic moments on film for Spirit of bunctious pine squirrels all around me. It the Wild TV, I picked up the handsome trowas amidst this cacophony that the clucks phy and decided to take a chance and head and yelps of wild turkey caught my ear, and to a different, undisturbed hunt zone for the off to my left, emerging from the colorful last 1-1/2 hours of daylight. reedgrass golds and hay marsh yellows that a The Bad Boy motored silently up the flock of Eastern turkeys bobbed into view. ridge and to the far west farm grounds,

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PHOTO BY TED NUGENT

Nugent

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where I quickly climbed high into my son Toby’s favorite tree stand overlooking the big swamp a mile from the turkey kill. It was a little crazy changing position this late in the day, and though I am not always correct in my hunches, I get lucky often enough to go ahead and try a risky, improvisational setup now and then. And this “now and then” was about to pay off, big time. Wind perfectly crossing to us from the swamp, we had a bird’s-eye view of a vast piece of magical wildlife habitat, and it wasn’t long before the Bushnell binos zeroed in on a trio of whitetails a few hundred yards

tle old me. Surely, bowhunting is the ultimate recreation, for each and every encounter with the critters intensely “re-creates” me and cleanses my soul. And he came. It appeared that he was coming directly down the trail to my stand, when at about 60 yards, he veered east and headed toward the old stand. This is good, for my belief in changing stand locations occasionally, even ever so slightly, can provide a killer diversionary tactic, drawing animals’ attention to locations of past disruptions while I have the advantage of a new, hidden ambush.

My head dropped in awe, my eyes closed in reverential disbelief. Sure, I had bowkilled more than a thousand big game animals over the last 50-odd years, but each and every one is more intense than the pervious, humbling me in the shadows of my dad and Fred Bear and all my bowhunting heroes. I was dumbfounded with glee. The exciting recovery of this amazing deer on film said it all. Sheer exuberant happiness and deeply spiritual celebration and muck-dancing were captured for all to enjoy at the fallen monarch. He was a big, heavy, handsome 5-1/2-year-old 5x5, not huge in

out. With only their heads showing above the sea of marsh grasses, a big doe and two bucks chased each other around a small island of aspens and tamaracks, when all of a sudden, an enormous-racked beast lifted its head. Instantly, it disappeared and was replaced with another dandy buck that was looking straight in our direction. VidCamDude Josh rolled tape as the monarch began to slowly walk our way, and I readied myself for the moment of truth. It came on and I prayed. I was out-of-body. There was no cameraman, no TV show, no war, no taxes, no nothing—just this spellbinding beast and lit-

The skinning pole at CampNuge straining under the weight of a day’s hunt—but not all of it Ted’s.

the antler department, scoring maybe 135 Pope & Young inches, but he was appreciated more by this old bowhunter than any world record ever was. Pulling his long tines out from the greasy swamp vegetation and adjusting his 250-plus-pound carcass for photos was a true labor of love, for I dearly love bowhunting and I truly love the beast. The beast is dead—long live the mighty gift-beasts of the swamp!

PHOTO BY TED NUGENT

Nugent

This fine buck stepped out very cautiously, looking up at the old stand tree as I drew my Rytera for the second time today. He stood broadside at a longish 40 yards when my arrow flashed across the expanse and buried deep into his lower shoulder with a resounding thwack! Oh, how lovely! He bucked head-down and scrambled helplessly for 50 yards, then tipped upside down in the golden swamp. Still. Silent. Perfect. T E X A S

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E-mail Ted Nugent at bowhunting@fishgame.com

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BACKGROUND, BOWLER & CRAPPIE BY GRADY ALLEN

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ny crappie angler worth his lightaction spinning rod knows that the key to consistently catching crappie is locating fish-holding cover. Sometimes the only difference between a world-class crappie angler and the rest of us is that they have cover located at varying depths so they can find fish year-round. To move into this elite crappie-catching status, you could use a lake map and depthfinder to locate natural cover or cover planted by another angler, but this is an arduous process equivalent to locating a liquid-colored needle in a massive liquid haystack. The better way to locate where crappie cover is to plant it yourself. It takes all the guesswork out of the equation and allows you to put it exactly where you want it in relation to natural structure to maximize its effectiveness. Material for building crappie cover is easy to come by around the first of the year, since most everyone is willing to donate their old Christmas tree to the cause. This past January 1, I watched a crappie angler pull up to the boat ramp in a dump truck with the bed full of discarded Christmas trees. The rest of the year, crappie anglers aren’t so lucky. Purchasing pre-fabricated crappie condominiums is easy, but the expense can get out of hand in a hurry. Making your own by cutting and sinking trees is cheaper, but after a while, you run out of trees. The cheaper alternative is to build your own, and while there are tons of designs that work, I recently saw one that beats most others hands down for simplicity of construction and minimal expense. This idea is not my own, but was passed along to me by Bill Friday, a local crappie angler who spends more time fishing than he cares to admit to his wife. Even though he showed me how to build it, I couldn’t coax out of him the locations of the pieces he had already sunk. Some things are too sacred to share.

Most anglers will look at the pile of parts required to build this structure and have one of two reactions. The first is, “What the heck am I going to do with this pile of junk?” The second is, “Why didn’t I think of that?” The main components of this simple cover consists of two items that are fairly easy to locate, and when done correctly, can be had for next to nothing. The body of the cover is a simple bowling ball, and the rest is halfinch PVC pipe. The first step to building any cover is obtaining the material. I hate to tell you this, but the Professional Bowlers Association isn’t going to call you to join them on tour anytime soon. So, go in the back of your closet, behind the white sports coat and sequined jacket with “Disco Dan” on the back, and pull out your old bowling ball that hasn’t seen the light of day since mullets (business in the front, party in the back) were in style. If you don’t have a few extra balls sitting around, don’t worry—there is another way to obtain them. Bill has a stockpile of old bowling balls he purchased for a song from a local bowling alley. As long as you’re not picky about color or weight, old bowling balls can be had for less than $5, and often you can haggle the price down to just a couple of bucks each. A word to the wise: Take a box when you go to buy bowling balls. You don’t want a hundred pounds of ballast rolling around the bed of your truck or back of your SUV as you drive down the highway. You can go buy new PVC pipe at the local big-box hardware store, and that is a simple way to do it, but since each piece of cover takes at least 30 feet of pipe, it can get a little expensive, especially if you intend to build a few dozen to set in various places around the lake. The cheaper alternative is to find a buddy in the irrigation business and scrounge his scrap. The pipe won’t be as clean and you have to take what you get, but in the long run, you will be able to make a lot more cover for very little money. Bill just happened to come upon a man who was replacing his sprinkler system and had the old busted pipe just lying around. He gladly

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took it off his hands, and the only cost was the gas money to go pick it up. The next step in making the crappie cover is drilling holes in the bowling ball. Mark a line around the middle of the ball with tape. Drill on only one side of the line. Also, the ball will roll if not secured, so nail a few pieces of 2x4 together to make a small box to hold the ball while drilling. With a 3/4-inch high-speed bit in a drill press, randomly drill holes around 2 inches deep in one side of the ball. Don’t ask me what bowling balls are made of, but it is some tough stuff. A cheap drill bit will wear out quickly and lead to frustration after about two balls, so don’t skimp when buying a bit. Get the best you can afford or prepare to buy a lot of cheap ones. If you buy new PVC pipe, now is the time to cut it into various lengths of 1-5 feet. Any length shorter than five feet and the crappie balls become difficult to handle. If you are using old broken PVC, then just find some sturdy pieces 5 feet long or short-

er and set them aside for later use. Half-inch PVC pipe has an outside diameter of roughly .84 inches. You will note the drill bit we used was only .75 inches, so I bet you are wondering how that is going to work. Very simply—sand down the last few inches of one end of each pipe with a belt sander to get the diameter down to around 3/4-inch. It is not an exact science, and “close enough” counts. With the bowling ball still sitting on the 2x4 frame, the drilled holes facing up, fill one of the holes with contact cement, hot glue, or whatever you have handy that will stick to plastic. (We used hot glue because it was available.) Then push the sanded end of a PVC pipe into the hole. Use more glue around the outside to ensure the ball and pipe bond together. Repeat until all the holes have a piece of pipe sticking out of them. The result should have the top of the ball with pipes radiating from it, looking a bit like the receptacle for a disembodied brain on Star Trek.

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In building these pieces of cover, I learned a lot of good information the hard way. The first few pieces of structure we built were with bowling balls that were cut in half. Cutting the balls in half was an unnecessary and time consuming step that I later eliminated. It seemed like a good idea at first, but quickly turned into work. The tip about getting a high-grade drill bit was also learned the hard way, since a few less expensive ones were ruined in the early phases of the project. Sinking the crappie balls is easy. Take them out to a creek channel, point, or anywhere you want to catch fish, and drop them over the side of the boat. They sink like, well, bowling balls. For less than $5 in materials and a little time, it is hard to come up with a longer-lasting, man-made piece of cover that holds fish while minimizing lost hooks.

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DIVER PHOTO BY GRADY ALLEN, CATFISH INSET BY CHESTER MOORE

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by Matt Williams

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y good friend T o m m y Bartholomew of Mesquite has earned a distinctive title among some of his bass fishing peers. They call him “Mr. Catfish.” It is not that “Tommy B” prefers catching catfish more than bass. The nickname stems from his uncanny ability to catch heavyweight whiskered fish when he his trying to catch bass. Twice in the last few years, Tommy B has showed up at club tournament weigh-ins with stories to tell about fat cats. Shift to Lake Ray Hubbard near Dallas: It was mid-July and the Gar-Tex Bass Club out of Garland was hosting a night tournament on the 22,000-acre reservoir. Tommy B and his partner, Richard Cole, set up camp near the Dalrock boat ramp, where they caught quality fish before. Tommy B cast a Texas-rigged blue fleck Berkley Power Worm to the riprap when he felt the distinctive thump of a bite. He reeled up the slack and set the hook. To hear him tell it, the recoil was brutal. It was almost as if he had tied onto one of the 18-wheelers racing up and down nearby Interstate 30. “I knew right away that it wasn’t a bass,” he recalled. “That fish just took off ripping drag, then it started pulling my boat around. At first I thought it might be a big striper.” Tommy B solved the mystery roughly 10 minutes later when the piscatorial giant finally surrendered. Much to his surprise, the fish had long whiskers, a broad head, and olive colored skin spattered with dark dapples. The flathead catfish weighed a whopping 45 pounds. My friend’s catfishing prowess surfaced again last fall, when he and Kerry Karlix entered a team bass tournament at Lake Texoma near Denison. The anglers were casting topwaters over a shallow flat where the bass were schooling. Tommy B was watching his bait dance when it suddenly disappeared in a violent explosion of white water. “I thought I had a big smallmouth for sure,” Tommy B recalled. “Then I saw those thick silver sides, a big head, and long whiskers up next to the boat. I couldn’t 50

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believe it—a 12-pound channel cat on a Zara Spook. What the hell was that fish thinking?” I’ll tell you what it was thinking: That catfish was doing exactly what it was genetically programmed to do—being a predator. It might surprise you how many people believe the catfish is strictly a bottom feeder, a bona fide scavenger that earns 100 percent of its living scrounging around with its nose in the mud. True to a point. Channel and blue catfish will eat just about anything except the kitchen sink. Worms, mollusks, and other bottom dwellers are never safe when catfish are around and the dinner bell rings. But cats also like some fresh meat on the menu, and they don’t mind exerting a little energy to chase down a meal. That explains why

“Shively said the majority of the big flatheads brought to his camp are caught on live perch.” bass anglers sometimes catch catfish on spinnerbaits, topwaters, crankbaits, and other artificial lures that mimic shad, baby bass, crawfish, and other natural forage. What about those flatheads (a.k.a. op, opelousas, shovelhead, and yellow cat)? Their diet consists only of live fish, right? Most anglers think so, but it is not necessarily true. Tommy B dismantled the theory with the Ray Hubbard giant that gobbled up his plastic worm. Others have been caught on artificial and prepared baits. I once interviewed a couple of elderly gents who wrestled a 96-pound flathead into their pontoon boat after one of them hooked the fish on a 1/2-ounce jigging spoon. Interestingly, the men were fishing for white bass on Toledo Bend when the giant cat came calling. Charlie Shively of Strong, Texas, has &

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seen his share of heavyweight flatheads brought to the scales over the years. Shively and his wife, Rhonda, own Bill’s Landing on Toledo Bend’s upper end. The lakeside fishing camp caters heavily to catfishermen, mostly trotliners. Shively said the majority of the big flatheads brought to his camp are caught on live perch. Surprisingly, however, he also sees quite a few op caught on cut bait. “A lot of people think you have to use live bait to catch op—I used to believe it myself,” Shively said. “But that is not always true. The stump-hookers wore them out last fall and winter using bream and shad heads for bait. I think they see those eyes on the head and it is more than they can resist. They have to eat it.” Americans appear to have a similar affinity for catfish filets fried golden brown in hot grease. In fact, when it comes to table fare, catfish find their way on to more dinner plates in this country than any other freshwater sport fish. Catfish have quite a following in the Lone Star State. Good as they are to eat, however, food is hardly the only reason we chase them. Catfish pose a unique angling challenge that continues to lure new followers into the sport every year. As popular as they are, catfishes might be the most misunderstood fish around. In the following segments, we will attempt to unravel some of the mysteries and dispel a few other common myths and misconceptions associated with whiskered fishes: MYTH: Catfish as large as a Volkswagen TRUTH: Catfish grow large, indeed, but do they grow large as a Volkswagen bus or big enough to swallow man whole? Certainly not. Not in this neck of the woods, anyway. Still, the popular urban legend continues to live just about anywhere there is a major reservoir to feed it. The tale typically involves scuba divers seeing giant catfish while performing routine inspections around floodgates and dam walls. Texas Fish & Game executive editor Chester Moore was so intrigued by the notion that there might be truck-size cats swimming around that he donned scuba gear and made a few dives to find out. What he learned didn’t come as a surprise. “My conclusion after making a couple of

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reservoir dives and actually diving with the former world record blue cat, Splash, at Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, is that there are some really big catfish out there,” Moore said. “However, they are not the size of cars, but maybe the size of a man. The rest of the legend got the fisherman’s treatment—it kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger.” MYTH: Catfish spend most of their time in deep water and feed mostly at night. TRUTH: Catfish inhabit all ranges of the water column. Well-known catfish pro Larry Spillers of Quinland has caught numerous blue cats upward of 40 pounds on rod and reel. Most came from water shallow enough to wade in. “Catfish go where the food is,” Spillers said. “I rarely fish deeper than four feet, regardless of the season or what time of the day it is. It might surprise you what is cruising around in water as shallow as eight to twelve inches smack in the middle of the day.” Cats in the shallows, especially channel cats, are quite common during the spawn from late May through early August. MYTH: Catfish pay no attention to colors. TRUTH: Spillers and his fishing partner, Danny King, have proved this one wrong time and again. The men do most of their fishing using a Carolina rig in combination with Danny King’s Punch Bait or shad. A tiny Comal cork about 2-3 inches ahead of the hook floats the bait off bottom. The corks come in assorted colors. “The color of the cork can make a big difference in the number of bites you get from one day to the next,” Spillers said. “I’ve seen days when a line with a pink cork would outfish one with a chartreuse cork ten to one, and vice versa.” MYTH: Catfish are slow and lazy. TRUTH: Catfish are not known for aerial acrobatics after the hookset, but they are much more agile than they look. This is especially true of the blue cat. Once hooked, the blue is prone to turn, twist, and roll violently as it tries to tear free. Catfish are strong swimmers capable of making quick bursts and homing in on prey with pinpoint precision. MYTH: Regular stockings are required to maintain a good catfish population in a pub-

lic reservoir. TRUTH: Once a catfish population is established, the fish are amazingly self sufficient if the habitat and forage are suitable. The fish are prone to spawn in places where they find concealment from the outside world: inside logs, and beneath tree roots, rock crevices, or washouts. Perhaps this is part of the reason lakes filled with timber, stumps, brush, or rocks sustain excellent catfish populations. The most prolific spawners are large

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females. Studies have shown channel cats in the 3- to 5-pound range might drop 800015,000 eggs in a single spawn, while blues and flatheads in the 25- to 40-pound range are capable of producing upward of 80,000 eggs. How many of the little cats survive to become big cats is strictly up to Mother Nature. It is big bad world out there when you are only 1-1/2 inches long.

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Storm Sense OME FRIENDS AND I WERE PUNCHING JIGS through hydrilla beds in the 1215 area of Toledo Bend Reservoir last summer when the weather took a sudden turn for the worst. By the time we heard the first clap of thunder, it was almost too late. The storm cloud was approaching fast and didn’t look very inviting. It was dark blue with funky swirls of grey and white that glowed bright as streaks of lightning raced across the western horizon. It was plain to see the storm wall was packing some heavy artillery. Even more concerning was it had us trapped with only one way out. We had to make a run for it— pronto. There were two options: Idle for a mile through a stump field and beach the boat along the Louisiana shoreline, or head for the main boat lane and try to use our speed to get out of the storm’s path. Neither of us liked the idea of poking along ahead of a storm we knew we couldn’t out-poke. I headed for the boat lane, pointed my Ranger 521VX south and let the 250 horses run wild until we reached an eastbound cut, which led to a small marina tucked away in a wind-protected pocket along the Louisiana shoreline. The marina was nothing fancy, but it had covered boat stalls with solid roofs. Better yet, one of the stalls was vacant. It was a good thing, too; the bottom fell out just as we inched beneath the shelter. A driving rain pelted the metal roof so hard we could barely hear to talk. High winds turned the adjacent bay into a sea of whitecaps. My wife, Jan, and I found ourselves in a similar situation last May. We were fishing for bream from a flatbottom boat at the upper end of Lake Nacogdoches. The fish

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were biting especially good when a nasty storm cloud packing thunder, lightning, and rain barreled in on us with no warning at all. Pinned to the bank with no safe place to go, we exited the boat and waited out the storm on the bank. It is never a good idea to stand beneath a tree during a lightning storm, particularly if the tree is situated on a hilltop. But given the choice, I would rather take my chances in the woods than on a flat body of water in an open boat. Lightning kills. In the years spanning 1997-2006, 25 people were killed by lightning in Texas. Texas ranks third behind Colorado (30) and Florida (71) in lightning related deaths.

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It is never a good idea to stand beneath a tree during a lightning storm. Particularly if the tree is on a hilltop.

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Freshwater

Probably the best way for boaters to avoid becoming a statistic is to stay off the water when there is a possibility of rain in the forecast. Listen to the weather forecast before you go. If nasty weather is coming, stay home. When it rains, there is always the chance that dangerous lightning could be in the mix. If you can hear thunder, there is lightning. If you can see lightning, the storm cloud producing it is likely within 15-20 miles of your location. The flash-bang method is a good way to calculate the distance between you and an approaching storm. When you see a flash of &

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lightning, count the seconds until you hear the thunder. If it takes 15 seconds to hear the thunder, the storm is approximately three miles away. Three miles seems like a safe distance, but it is not. Lightning can strike objects many miles from the epicenter of a storm. What is the best plan of action for boaters to take in the event that foul weather blocks the quickest route to safety? Find the clearest path to the bank and take it, immediately. Get out of the boat and take shelter beneath the lowest trees in the forest. Squat close to the ground on the balls of your feet. Trees situated on hilltops or rises should be avoided; lightning is usually attracted to the highest objects around. Lightning is not the only danger boaters are likely to encounter when nasty weather passes through. High winds can whip big water into an ugly frenzy of whitecaps and relentless rollers in minutes. Driving a boat in rough water is an entirely different ballgame from navigating when the surface is merely choppy. It requires more skill and, above all, patience. One of the worst mistakes you can make when navigating in rough water is to panic. Another biggie is attempting to navigate large waves head-on. By steering the boat directly into a roller, you run the risk of having the next one come over the bow and possibly swamp the boat. It’s called “stuffing” a wave. It is best to zigzag or run diagonally back and forth across large waves, as opposed driving directly into them. Proper timing of turns is essential to avoid taking oncoming waves into the boat. Texas weather can change go from good to bad in an instant this time of year. It is best not to be on the water in foul weather, particularly when lightning or high wind is in the mix. If you do get caught out in rank conditions, the best advice is to stay calm and seek shelter as quickly as possible. E-mail Matt Williams at freshwater@fishgame.com

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PHOTO BY GERALD BURLEIGH

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by Chester Moore

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ne of the most challenging things about spring saltwater fishing is narrowing down one’s lure selection. With so many options available during this crucial period, it is easy to lose focus and end up spending more time changing lures than actually fishing. A good way to cure this is to narrow your options to five kinds of lures that serve in any situation. The following are the five classes of lures I always bring, and that I recommend making a permanent part of your arsenal.

Topwaters I usually start with topwaters when fishing for reds and specks during spring. On most mornings, you can bet I will spend the first 30 minutes fishing a walking or chugger. There are lots of great ones out there, but right now, I like the Skitter Walk, Super Spook, and the new Pop Dog from MirrOlure. Chuggers don’t get much play these days, but they can be very effective and are super easy to fish. You can fish a topwater virtually anytime,

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but the ideal setup is when you see signs of fish feeding; actually seeing “nervous water” or mullet near the surface is a good place to start. My first choice for fishing “nervous water” lately has been a chugger. I don’t know why, but I have more success using chuggers when fish are actively feeding, and using walker lures to find fish. Make pattern casts parallel to the shoreline, as schools of bait typically stretch out along the shore. Any area near a cut or that has some kind of water flow into a marsh or lake is definitely worth trying. The exchange of water from shallow to deep makes a prime spot for predators to catch prey items. It also pays to give special attention to points. If there is a major point coming off an island in the canal or extending from the shoreline toward the middle of the channel, it will hold baitfishes, and that gives it the potential to attract trout.

Eel Imitations Sand eels are one of the most important forage species for speckled trout and redfish during the spring. They inhabit oyster reefs all along the coast, so I believe it is crucial to have a good eel imitator in my tackle box. There are lots of good ones on the market

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from the Kicker Shad Stick to the popular Norton Sand Eel. As noted in my book, Texas Trout Tactics, the most important thing to keep in mind about any of these lures is to fish them on the right size jighead. Fishing with 1/8- and 1/4-ounce jigheads might give a lure a more life-like appearance and is great for shallow reefs with light currents, but you need something heavier that will get down to the bottom and be able to fight heavy spring currents on big bays like Galveston. Drift with the current and let the lure bounce, bump, and crash into the oyster reef. Water conditions during spring usually range from off-colored to murky to just plain nasty, so anything that might grab the attention of a trout is worth trying. Make sure you have enough line out so you are not vertically fishing. The lure will not be able to work properly that way. In addition, it is important to keep contact with the lure. Springtime trout are not overly aggressive and often lightly hit soft plastic lures. Use a super sensitive monofilament or braided line for best results. When I use this method, I slowly raise and lower my rod tip to give the rig a hopping action. Little-Lindy Joe, Inc. has a product

that could be very beneficial for such applications— the No-Snagg Slip Sinker. The manufacturer designed it to aid anglers in working through “unfishable” waters.

Faux Shrimp While shrimp are a more important part of the diet of a game fish in late summer and fall, shrimp imitators work year-round and are always in use by Yours Truly. My cousin, Frank Moore, and I catch many schooling trout with a lifelike shrimp imitator such as the Killer Dill by Crème, or a Tsunami shrimp simply pulled across the surface. If we find feeding fish near the surface, we throw the lure and reel it in along the surface. Schooling trout will literally jump out of the water striking at the lure. “We started using the shrimp on the surface thing with the bass we catch in brackish water,” Frank said. “You’ll see these bass chasing shrimp all over the bayous. There is shad everywhere that they feed on, but when there are shrimp around, they find themselves the focus of largemouth fury.” He noted when he first started taking the technique to trout, he made the mistake of fishing the lure too slowly: “With the bass,

they like a medium retrieve; but with the trout, the faster the better. You don’t want to burn it in, but it needs to move fast enough to get the trout’s attention. It’s almost like when they see a shrimp they go crazy.” For less adventuresome anglers, a Gulp! Shrimp rigged under a Paradise Popper cork rig is hard to beat.

Curl-Tail Grubs You can catch anything that swims in Texas inland coastal waters on curl-tail grubs. I started using them for flounder, but have caught specks, reds, gafftops, black drum, and jack crevalle using them. The beautiful thing about grubs is they are simple to fish. Rig them on a 1/16-ounce jighead if you are fishing over mud, or a 1/8- to 1/4-ounce if you are targeting a sandy bottom. Work the lure in small hops. When targeting flounder, start with the hop method and if they are not biting or striking short, just start slowing dragging it. Conversely, if you are fishing for specks and reds and have active feeding fish, you can fish the grub by chunking it out and reeling with a fast retrieve. The curly tail has great action and will draw aggressive strikes in many situations.

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There are lots of curl-tails out there, including a great one produced by Yum, and another by Old Bayside, the Speck Grub.

Slow Sinkers Slow-sinking lures are not commonly used in late spring, but they can be very effective. When I have an area that I know trout should be in but they just will not cooperate, I switch over to a Tsunami Big Boy in Glow/chartreuse, chartreuse/silver, or Pumpkin/chartreuse. A fish does not have to be in cold water to be lure shy, and many times something that moves slowly will get their attention. A lot of times when using slow-sinkers, I start fishing parallel to the shore, but then gradually move back so I can fish the plug from the shallows out past the drop-off. These spots typically hold some fish, especially if there is some flow entering the channel. Trout like to feed right along the edge of the deep, where they ambush baitfishes. Work the shallows first, and then fall over the edge of the drop-off. Do not think that these drop-offs have to be impressive. Some of the most productive

are simply where you have 3 feet of water dropping off to 6. For us, that might not seem like much; but for a fish, that is a significant change, even in the context of an area near deep water like the Intracoastal Canal. Points are another crucial area to target. An ideal situation would be to find the point of an island adjacent a marsh that flows into the channel. Pay attention to the point itself, but more importantly the â&#x20AC;&#x153;secondary point,â&#x20AC;? which will be visible only on your graph.

The main point might extend out to 10 feet of water, whereas the point below it might be sitting out in 15 feet of water on a shelf. Baitfishes will gather around these points, and so will specks that use them as transition zones from shallow to deep. These five baits when properly applied will meet all of your springtime fishing needs. By limiting yourself to these five, you up your odds of success and are not burdened with a bunch of unnecessary tackle.

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Central Flyway Outfitters

Argentinean hunting at “Los dos Hermanos” ensures our guests the opportunity to spend time actually hunting instead of traveling many hours a day to and from the various hunting grounds. Central Flyway Outfitters Phone: 832-472-5273 Web: www.argentinahuntinglosdoshermanos.com

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5J Hunting Ranches Ultra Outdoor Cabinets

Outdoor Cabinets by Ultra Cabinets are built to last a lifetime. They wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t warp or rot and are manufactured from WeatherBoard, a lifetime guaranteed synthetic wood. ULTRA CABINETS Phone: 361-403-4217 Web: www.ultracabinet.com

5j Hunting Ranches five day trophy whitetail hunt during the 2007 hunting season; 17 trophy whitetail harvested in less than one week! 5J HUNTING RANCHES Phone: (512) 922-3764 Web: www.5jhuntingranches.com

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Swift Hitch TF&G Publishing

Designed to assist anyone who has ever struggled with hitching a trailer. SWIFT HITCH is totally portable. Includes wireless, hi-resolution color display unit and night vision camera with magnetic mount, selectable reverse (default) or normal image. 12-volt socket charge cable also included. Once charged – runs continuous for up to 4 hours. Step 1: Mount magnetic camera on your tailgate. Step 2: View your hitch angle while backing up using the handheld color display. Step 3: Hitch up and Go! SWIFT HITCH Phone: (888) 809-5183 Web: www.swifthitch.com

TEXAS LAKES & BAYS—All New 2008 Edition. Over 70 LAKE and BAY maps, with GPS data on 2500 fishing spots & more. $9.95 TEXAS FISH & GAME PUBLISHING Phone: (800) 750-4678 Web: www.FishGame.com

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American Rodsmiths Sabine County Chamber of Commerce

The Mag Strike series of rods from American Rodsmiths were designed for today’s power fishing techniques. Precision balanced, these rods feature our NEW Tour Grip XLT handle system, with Comfort Touch locking fore grips and Comfort Set rear grips. Each rod is equipped with Titanium guides, patented ARS1 reel seat, and each blank is constructed of a blended 58 million modulus graphite and IM10 graphite. Mag Strike rods are LIGHT, TOUGH, & POWERFUL. AMERICAN RODSMITHS Phone: 713-466-7849 Web: americanrodsmiths.com

Texas’ two largest man-made lakes make Sabine County one of the leading recreational areas in east Texas. Toledo Bend Lake offers 181,600 acres and Lake Sam Rayburn offers 114,500 acres of fishing, swimming, boating, camping, hunting and sightseeing. SABINE COUNTY Phone: 409-787-2732 Web: www.sabinecountytexas.com FATHER’S DAY GG 66

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Husky Liners Back Country

Nerf Bars from Back Country are a stylish and functional addition to your pickup truck or SUV. Available in polished stainless steel or black powder-coat finishes.

Husky GearBox has a custom fit design to specifically fit your pickups area underneath the rear seat. Large capacity, removable dividers help keep you organized, store all those items you just can’t keep contained.

Husky Shield® “Paint Protection Film” is practically invisible and protects your paint from flying road debris. Our easy to install pre-cut kits are custom fit for most SUV’s and trucks.

HUSKY LINERS/WINFIELD CONSUMER PRODUCTS Phone: (800) 344-8759 Web: www.huskyliners.com

BACK COUNTRY Phone: (847) 358-3700 Web: www.backcountryaccy.com

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American Rodsmiths Edson Powerknob

The “NEW” H3 TITANIUM ULTRA® from American Rodsmiths is the ULTIMATE FISHING ROD. This rod features American Rodsmiths “NEW”, Patented, 92 Million Modulus / Hybrid TITANIUM Blank, with TITANIUM RECOIL® Guides. This new Super light weight Rod, also features a new Exposed Blank handle system and COMFORT SET™ rear grip. Add the new COMFORT TOUCH™ Locking Fore Grip and you have the best fishing rod money can buy. It is truly the lightest, strongest, most sensitive, and now the most beautiful fishing rod ever developed. AMERICAN RODSMITHS Phone: 713-466-7849 Web: americanrodsmiths.com

The Edson PowerKnob Straps or bolts to the wheel of any off-road vehicle or boat and allows you to turn quickly and easily with one hand. Super tough marine-grade with ball bearings allow it to spin with ease. Installs in minutes tools are included! EDSON POWERKNOB Phone: 1-800-450-8405 Web: www.edsonmarine.com FATHER’S DAY GG 68

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Dillon Manufacturing Old Harbor Outfitters

5 1/2 X 5 1/2 CLASSIC FIBERGLASS DEER BLIND: Durable fiberglass Interior and exterior with dark green latex paint or camo pattern. Available with vertical windows for bow hunters.

1/2 HEX FIBERGLASS BLIND: Sizes available 4’x6’ or 5’x6’, durable fiberglass interior and exterior. Optional aluminum door. Dark green latex paint or camo pattern.

DILLON MANUFACTURING Phone: (903) 667-3141 Web: www.dillonmanuf.com

THE CAPTAIN’S BAG: A must have for the Captain that needs the best in offshore gear. Its exceptional design is ideal for organizing all of your electronics and gear. Phone: 203-540-5150 OLD HARBOR Phone: (203) 540-5150 Web: www.OldHarborOutfitters.com

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Stanley Jigs TF&G Publishing

SALTWATER STRATEGIES: Pat Murray’s No Nonsense Guide to Coastal Fishing.—Our best selling saltwater book. Just $14.95

TEXAS FISH & GAME PUBLISHING Phone: (800) 750-4678 Web: www.FishGame.com

Lonnie STANLEY has been known for his innovative jig designs for bass fishing. The new Stanley BUGEYE FOOTBALL Jig features the new accent skirts, fiber weed guard and uniquely placed eyes.

The new HOT FEET RIBBIT creates a realistic kicking and flash that looks and sounds like a frog jumping across the water. Rigged with a 4/0 wide gap hook inserted into the body, the STANLEY “HOT FEET” RIBBIT cuts across the thickest grass where the biggest bass hunt. STANLEY JIGS Phone: 936-876-5713 Web: www.fishstanely.com FATHER’S DAY GG 70

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Waterloo Rods Scentote

Capt. Cody

Waterloo Rods: the highest quality rods on the market and this level of quality stems from understanding the needs of our customers. All rod blanks are manufactured in the USA and individually assembled by dedicated anglers. We supply you with the perfect rod, for the perfect fishing experience.

ScenTote scent eliminating storage products include their patented Carbon-Web® absorber. It is an air-tight environment with activated carbon released particles which creates a revolutionary scent-free system to store all your hunting clothes and gear.

WATERLOO RODS Phone: 361-573-0300 Web: www.waterloorods.com

SCENTOTE Phone: (616) 437-7013 Web: www.scentote.com

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Howard Leight by Sperian TF&G Publishing TEXAS WATERFOWL by TF&G Executive Editor Chester Moore. The most authoratative book on Texas waterfowl available. $14.95 TEXAS FISH & GAME PUBLISHING Phone: (800) 750-4678 Web: www.FishGame.com

Howard Leight Genesis XC® Combo kit. New eyewear combo with 3 interchangable lenses; clear lens, amber for low light and gray. All three lenses all meet Military V0 Ballistic Test for Impact.

Impact® Sport Electronic Earmuffs by Howard Leight. Impact Sport’s directionally placed stereo microphones electronically amplify lowlevel ambient sounds, including normal conversation but protect damaging sound. Automatic 4-hour shutoff. Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) 22. HOWARD LEIGHT by SPERIAN Phone: (866) 786-2353 Web: www.howardleightshootingsports.com FATHER’S DAY GG 72

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Cover Your Bass

No Need To Hold It With a Bassroom On Board. Great For: *Boating *Camping *Hunting *Tailgating *Kid’s Sporting Events *Traveling “Don’t Leave Home Without Your Bassroom” COVER YOUR BASS Phone: 972-849-4868 Web: www.coveryourbass.com

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Ranger Z520 Comanche OU WANT A BASS BOAT THAT GIVES YOU A competitive edge? One you’ll ride right up to the winning weigh-in? Ranger’s new Z520 Comanche will give you the boost you’re looking for. We tested the Z520 with a Yamaha VMAX 250 HPDI on the transom, and came out of the hole like an angry rattler on

Ranger built this boat by starting with the existing 520’s tournament-proven hull, and examining how to improve it. As a result, the Z520 carries its weight slightly differently; the seats, console, and fuel were moved about six inches aft to improve the boat’s balance. The hull was tweaked as well, and was widened from 92.5 to 95 inches. Net result: instant acceleration and a level attitude. One big surprise-even with all that speed and power, this boat chews up a chop. I ran the Z520 after a nasty front pushed through the area, causing an overnight temperature drop of 40-degrees and a wind of 20 to 30 knots. The lake was like a washing machine, with 1-1/2- to 2-foot waves, but that didn’t slow the Z520 one bit. Much to my surprise, I stayed completely dry, and the comfort level was high thanks to Ranger’s spring-suspension seats. More about those seats: you want

or, too, thanks to features like huge foredeck rod boxes (with capacity up to 16 rigs) with tackle organizer, a divided livewell in the aft deck, standard Humminbird or Lowrance fish-finders, rod strap-downs, a 24-volt Minn Kota trolling motor, and an onboard battery charger. And like all Rangers, the Z520 comes with a custom-fitted trailer with molded fiberglass fenders, Road Armor finish, oil-bath hubs, a swing-away tongue, and a full-sized spare. Bottom line: if you take your bassing seriously, the Z520 is a package that boosts you right onto a professional level.

Robalo R260 EADY TO RUN FOR DOZENS OF MILES, FISH hard, and come back to the dock looking more like a class act than a canyon commando? Then Robalo’s R260 is your kind of fishing machine. This boat not only performs like a thoroughbred, it looks like one, too. When Josh Christopher of Texas Marine brought an R260 to the boat ramp for me to test, the first thing that struck me was just how good looking a boat it was. Touches like a recessed bow grab rail, lighted rocker switches, and a polished stainless-steel strike plate at the bow are sharp, but they also show just how smartly the boat is put together. Take that strike plate, for example. Unlike those found on less intelligent boats, this one is removable. If it ever gets dinged or scuffed, you can take it off, order a new one, and swap it out so the boat looks pristine once again. Don’t think for a moment that the R260’s smarts are only skin deep. Check out that

PHOTO COURTESY OF RANGER

RANGER Z520 COMANCHE Category: BassBoat Length:

20 ft. 9 In.

Hull:

Modified V — Fiberglass

Max HP:

250

Capacity:

1650 lbs.

Beam: 7 ft. 11 in. Draft: N/A

to climb up to the aft mescaline. Time to website: www.rangerboats.com deck? Just kick down plane was so quick, I couldn’t even read the second hand on my the center seat back, and there’s a step pad, stopwatch—you’ll be blasting towards that so you don’t have to get footprints on the honey hole at speeds in excess of 70 mph upholstery. Of course, getting to the hotspot first is before your rivals even wind up the motor to just half the battle-now you’ve got to catch 5000 rpm. Why does the Z520 perform so well? the fish. This boat will assist in that endeav74

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBALO

TF&G Test Pilot

ROBALO R260 Category: Center Console

livewell located in the transom: it’s baby-blue inside, so your baits remain calm and don’t beat themselves up. The hatch seals tightly on a gasket, so water doesn’t slosh out in rough seas. Red LED lighting makes it possible to scoop out baits in the dark, without blasting your night vision. And the dedicated pump is backed up by the washdown pump; if one pump ever fails you can flip a

Length:

26 ft. 5 in.

Hull:

Deep V — Fiberglass

Max HP:

500

Capacity:

12 Passengers

website:

www.robalo.com

Beam: 9 ft. 0 in. Draft: 1 ft. 8 in.

lever to use the other pump for whichever purpose serves you best at the moment. Anyone who’s familiar with Robalo’s noholds-barred reputation won’t be surprised by such top-end equipment and detail work.

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But we learned one thing on test day that was a totally unexpected eye-opener: we shut down one of the twin Yamaha F 250 power plants, and tilted it up in a simulated engine failure. Running on the single outboard only, we reached and maintained a 36.2mph cruise. Most twin-screw boats of this size are lucky to even plane on one power plant, much less run that fast. Ready to kill some fish? All of the foredeck boxes are insulated and can be used to ice down the catch, but the deep box in the boat’s belly is big enough to swallow up a 100-pound tuna, and is fitted with a diaphragm pump that can evacuate scales, slime, or whatever is necessary, without burning up like lesser pumps tend to do when challenged. Just remember to rinse away all that fish blood before you hit the dock, to preserve that classy appearance.

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What’s In Your Backpack? HERE WAS A TIME NOT TOO LONG AGO THAT all I ever took with me to the deer woods was a rifle, a pocket full of shells, and whatever clothes I had on my back. Times have changed. Modern deer hunters require more accessories than a 16-year-old girl. So, a few years back, I bought a small fanny pack to carry the extra items that I suddenly had to have in order to kill a deer. It was a nice little bag with room for everything—at first. Each year afterward, I found one more thing that I had to take along, and pretty soon, the overstuffed camouflage pack wasn’t big enough for all the junk I lugged with me. Naturally I progressed to a backpack with three compartments, extra straps on the outside for tethering even more gear, and two pockets big enough for water bottles. This past year, I found myself struggling to fit all my junk into this pack, but I refuse to carry anything larger. I am hunting less than half a mile from civilization, for crying out loud. I should be able to make a complete day in the woods without carrying everything I own with me. When I went through my backpack, trying to save space and weight, I made a mental list of what must stay and what was just taking up space that could be used for something else. The first item to go was the extra box of cartridges. I don’t know why I had it in there since my rifle holds four, plus I had another dozen in a carrier on the stock. Carrying almost two boxes of ammo into the field is a little bit of overkill. That second box now

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resides in the truck. I also removed the third flashlight that had somehow found its way into the bottom of the backpack. Now I carry just a headlamp and Carnivore tracking flashlight made by Gerber. The one item that absolutely must go in my backpack every time is my multi-tool. Mine happens to be made by Gerber, but just about any major brand will work. Over the past few years, I have used mine for everything from skinning a deer to jumpstarting my truck (there are burn marks on it to prove it), so now I don’t go anywhere without it.

“

The one item that absolutely must go in my backpack every time is my multi-tool.

“

TrophyQuest

In the front pouch, multiple other small items stay in the pack all the time. The first is a zipper-seal bag containing one candle and a waterproof match container. So far, I’ve been fortunate enough to not have to use these in an emergency, but they are there if I need them. There is also a pen, knife sharpener, two extra knives, about 50 feet of parachute cord, a compass (I had two but removed one), and spare AA batteries that can be used in my flashlight or digital camera. A few years back, I didn’t even own a camera. Now I have two with me at all times. They take up most of the room in the middle compartment of my backpack, along with extra lenses and a tripod. This might not be a necessity for most, but in my line of work, &

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it is a necessity. That old saying of a picture being worth 10 thousand words is especially true in this profession. The last large compartment in my backpack is a hodgepodge of miscellaneous equipment that sees frequent use. Hanging out at the bottom of the pocket, with orphaned .22 cartridges and the reed from a broken grunt-tube, are a folded poncho and roll-up wide-brimmed hat. The poncho is for those sporadic downfalls that occasionally pop up, and the hat is a spare just in case I forget one, which happens from time to time. On top of that rests a pair of binoculars, an extra pair of gloves, a set of rattling antlers, and a predator call. When the kids go with me, the big compartment also holds coloring books, drinks, snacks, an extra set of binoculars, and various items to keep them interested and quiet. If you think that’s all, just wait. On the outside of the backpack, I have my GPS tied to one of the shoulder straps for easy access. I would like to say that I carry it to mark rub lines and scrapes and to chart new territory, but realistically, I use it to see how far away I am from my house and to tell me what time sunrise is. On the other shoulder strap, I have a grunt tube, and under the straps on the back of the pack is a vest. The last thing on my backpack is a glow stick just in case I get lost at night, the batteries run out on both flashlights, and I need to signal someone. It doubles as a cheap toy for the kids when we are walking home after dark. I know that I can go deer hunting and return home with far less equipment, but I bet some of you look like an army surplus store on two legs. The bad part is that no matter what we carry, there will come a time when we need that one item we left on the counter at home.

E-mail Paul Bradshaw at deerhunting@fishgame.com

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Legacy of the “Redfish Wars” I

T’S A WELL-KNOWN STORY HERE IN TEXAS: Fourteen recreational anglers got together in 1976 at a small tackle store in Houston to talk about what to do to save disappearing stocks of redfish and speckled trout and created a group that went on to become a legacy in marine conservation— the Coastal Conservation Association. It is hard to imagine today the scale of what those early CCA members were able to accomplish. It is hard to even imagine today that redfish and trout were in real danger back then. Rampant overfishing and killer freezes could easily have combined to essentially remove those fish from our waters. Opposing early conservation efforts were not only commercial fishermen who claimed they needed every fish they could net, but also recreational fishermen who couldn’t abide the idea of catch limits or the concept of catchand-release. Too many people were focused on getting the biggest slice of the pie to realize that the pie was rapidly disappearing altogether. No one was pausing to realize that the biggest piece of nothing was still...nothing. PHOTO BY GRADY ALLEN

What early CCA members were proposing for reds and trout was likely considered radical for the times, and all they had was the courage of their convictions and the faith that they were doing what had to be done to save those resources for future generations.

by Luke Giles, CCA Texas, Communications Director The opening chapters of the CCA story are so well known because they tell an extraordinary tale of what can be accomplished with the right people, the right resources and the right vision. Those initial CCA Texas members changed the landscape and won some impressive victories. They secured gamefish status for trout and redfish and pushed through legislation to ban gillnets and stop purse seining for bull redfish in the Gulf of Mexico. The CCA story is 30 years old now, and Texas conservationists have never stopped striving for and achieving forward-reaching victories. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

A Vision for Conservation

This path has not been easy. Vision-driven campaigns rarely are, but CCA’s unique structure leverages unprecedented grassroots involvement through dozens and dozens of local chapters, layers of volunteer committees and a Board of hundreds of concerned recreational anglers. It has created a depth and breadth that is unmatched. Remarkably, even after more than 30 years of conservation battles, CCA continues to ground itself in the core principles that framed its foundation. “CCA’s success in marine conservation advocacy is directly tied to its success in fundraising, membership recruitment and communication,” said David Cummins, CCA president. “From the very beginning, these key points have been the roadmap to success. What has always set CCA apart from so many well-meaning but ineffectual conservation movements is the people who are involved. The volunteers who drive CCA have always understood the basic principles of getting things done. Additionally, CCA

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COVER STORY • Legacy of the “Redfish Wars” | BY LUKE GILES

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

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

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: UPPER COAST • Everything Biting on Sabine | BY CAPT. SKIP JAMES

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: GALVESTON COMPLEX • Surf’s Up | BY CAPT. MIKE HOLMES

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: MATAGORDA & MID COAST • Warm Tides Improve Fishing | BY BINK GRIMES

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: ROCKPORT TO PORT ARANSAS • Share with Part-Timers | BY CAPT. MAC GABLE

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: CORPUS TO BAFFIN BAYS • May Offers Plenty of Angling Options | BY CAPT. JIM ONDERDONK

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HOTSPOTS FOCUS: LOWER COAST • Community Relations | BY CALIXTO GONZALES SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides, Solunar Table, Best Hunting/Fishing Times | BY TF&G STAFF

GEARING UP SECTION

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TEXAS TESTED • Midland; American Hunter Pro Feeder; Shimano | BY TF&G STAFF

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

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INDUSTRY INSIDER • Tracker; The Buck Bomb | BY TF&G STAFF

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SHOOT THIS • Mossberg Model 835 Ulti-Mag Tactical Turkey Shotgun | BY STEVE LAMASCUS

HOW-TO SECTION

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TEXAS BOATING • Gizmos, Gadgets, & Goodies | BY LENNY RUDOW SALTWATER BAITS & RIGS • It’s Alive! | BY PATRICK LEMIRE FRESHWATER BAITS & RIGS • Rod-Free Cats | BY PAUL BRADSHAW TEXAS KAYAKING • Scratching Bottom | BY GREG BERLOCHER MISTER CRAPPIE • The House That Mr. Crappie Built | BY WALLY MARSHALL REDFISH TRAILS • The Tournament Buzz | BY DR. TOMMY LOMONTE TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • The Beauty of Accuracy | BY STEVE LAMASCUS HUNT TEXAS • Lessons from the Season | BY BOB HOOD WILDERNESS TRAILS • The Lostrider, Part II | BY HERMAN W. BRUNE

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE

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SPECIAL HUNTING SECTION • Trophy Fever | BY TF&G STAFF WOO’S CORNER • Adjusting Your Game for Hot-Weather Fishing | BY WOO DAVES TOURNAMENT INSIDER • Record-Setting FLW-Falcon Event | BY MATT WILLIAMS GURLZ PAGE • Please Pass the Bass Boat | BY MARI HENRY SPORTING TALES • Lake Conroe Cats | BY REAVIS Z. WORTHAM CHESTER IN THE FIELD • “Creatures” of All Kinds | BY CHESTER MOORE NEWS FROM THE COAST • Beach Ramp Funding | BY TF&G STAFF TEXAS TASTED • Fried Catfish | BY BRYAN SLAVEN AFIELD WITH BARRY • Trashy Bass Fishing | BY BARRY ST. CLAIR DISCOVER THE OUTDOORS • Classifieds | BY TF&G STAFF PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos | BY TF&G STAFF

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CCA

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never makes snap decisions; every policy decision and advocacy position is based on broad input, pragmatic strategy and leveraging the vast experience base within the organization.” Clearly, CCA’s legend sprouts from its early work in redfish and trout conservation, funding the creation of two of the world’s largest saltwater hatcheries, and impacting the fishery management systems on all levels, but what distinguishes CCA is that it has never stopped evolving and seeking new and

innovative ways to facilitate sound marine conservation. “It would have been easy to rest on our early victories,” said Mark Ray, CCA Texas chairman. “But CCA has never rested. The drive to do what is right for the marine resource and to look beyond today or tomorrow when working for the conservation of coastal resources is what makes CCA so unique and effective.” With almost 100,000 members, 17 state chapters, a professional advocacy team, and

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an army of active volunteers, it would be easy to believe that CCA has grown beyond the wildest dreams of its founders, but the reality is that CCA’s current growth and continued accomplishments are a direct reflection of the unflappable spirit of CCA’s early framers. One of the early mottos for CCA was “First, let’s save the redfish...” Although seemingly simple, this conservation mantra reflects the vision of CCA’s founders. Clearly, they saw that CCA would never lose its relevance. Even as they embarked on their first battle, they saw there would be a much larger war for proper marine conservation, and CCA was going to be the key for success.

A New Era in Texas Conservation “It is an exciting time in the history of CCA,” said Robby Byers, CCA Texas exec-

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utive director. “In the past two years alone CCA Texas’ Board has funded more than $1.3 million in conservation programs and projects that range from ongoing scholarships to innovative habitat restoration programs.” CCA Texas recently concluded an initiative with University of Texas Marine Science Institute that created an $800,000 larviculture lab in Port Aransas that will focus on enhancing and expanding the critical science necessary for current and future stocking programs. “This lab is the future of our hatcheries,” said Byers. “There is work being done on flounder, snook, ling and even snapper are a possibility in the future. Can you imagine how bright the future is with this type of innovative work?” CCA has always pushed for the best science possible and has actively funded scientific studies and the equipment needed to conduct this vital research. “CCA Texas has funded studies to explore catch-and-release mortality in speckled trout and recently initiated one for red snapper,” said Byers. “Sound science has never been more important than right now in a number of key fisheries, and CCA is rising to that challenge funding studies involving flounder, tripletail, snook and tarpon.”

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The Long Arm of Conservation Since its creation, CCA has put significant focus and funds to support law enforcement efforts. It is one thing to successfully push for management measures, but without properly equipped warden, those regulations can be rendered feckless. CCA Texas created a volunteer committee to help specifically target funds to the needs of the wardens. Through this work, CCA Texas has funded hundreds of thousands of dollars to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wardens for such key equipment needs as night vision, electronics, high-tech binoculars and vessels for accessing remote areas. “CCA’s contributions have made a real difference in our enforcement efforts in everything from crab management to red snapper,” said TPWD Captain Rex Mayes. “CCA Texas’ historic help continues to increase the effectiveness of coastal wardens.”

Buying Back the Bays One of the most heralded conservation programs to reduce the harmful impact of commercial shrimp trawls was created in Texas more than a decade ago. This buyback

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program take contributions from a surcharge that is attached to recreational saltwater fishing licenses and combines it with private donations to purchase and retire commercial shrimping licenses. The Texas shrimp license buyback program is entering its final rounds and stands as a clear conservation success. Since inception, CCA Texas has supported this program in dollars and in the state legislature. To date, CCA Texas is the single largest financial supporter with $275,000 in contributions. “The proof is in the pudding,” said Robin Riechers, TPWD director of science and policy. “We have purchased so many licenses and the positive results are clearly evident throughout the bay ecosystem. The reduction in shrimping effort has helped build the forage base, protected bay habitat, conserved gamefish species, and even helped the economics of bay shrimping. All the early work on this program has clearly paid off.”

Resource First The list of CCA’s funding and advocacy accomplishments on a state and national are impressive and important, but the sustaining value in CCA’s work and presence is really found in its core principle - “resource first.” Even though it does not always lead to the easiest or most popular path for fishermen, CCA has adamantly adhered to this tenet throughout its history. When conservation management plans prescribe regulations that encompass recreational anglers, CCA is often the first angler-related group to support the conservative approach. “CCA has always been willing to set the example,” said Cummins. “Even in our earliest conservation battles in redfish and trout, our Board supported putting restrictions on recreational anglers for the betterment of the resource. It’s really quite simple, if you steadfastly put the resource first, you always end up in the right place for today and for the future.” It is that unyielding conservation vision that has defined CCA. Thirty years after the first chapters of the CCA story were written in Texas, it has become apparent that the most exciting chapters are yet to come.

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

Half-a-Hoo Reds LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Airport Cove GPS: N26 10.425, W97 17.894

CONTACT: Captain Luke Bonura, 956-4572101 TIPS: Redfish spread out all over Airport on a high tide. The fish become more aggressive with the warmer water. Skip half a ‘hoo or a live finger mullet under a popping cork. As the sun gets higher, sight casters can start using 1/4-ounce weedless gold spoons with a plastic trailer. Reds seem to prefer the flash given off by a dimpled spoon. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Convention Center GPS: N26 8.198, W97 10.843 SPECIES: speckled trout

SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live mullet, ballyhoo; gold spoons

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BEST BAITS: finger mullet; soft plastics in chartreuse; Gulp! tails in Nuclear Chicken, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Luke Bonura, 956-4572101 TIPS: A long drift inside the grass flats is a good option for the area. Watch for sand holes in the grass, and cast around them. Live finger mullet under a mauler is great early-morning or windy day bait. Lure fishermen will do well to throw chartreuse plastics, or Limetreuse or Nuclear Chicken Gulp! tails. Use a 1/8-ounce head to keep you above the grass. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Bay GPS: N26 8.891, W97 10.476 SPECIES: speckled trout, snook BEST BAITS: live bait; topwaters; soft plastics in red/white, New Penny CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: There are some big trout and snook lurking around the oyster beds in South Bay. Calm day topwater fishing draws some crashing strikes. If the fish are being finicky, then drift fishing with live bait under a mauler or Alameda float is a good alternative. Don’t ignore the soft plastics. Some big snook have been caught on 3-inch tails. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Gaswell Flats GPS: N26 16.309, W97 16.222 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp; Gulp! Shrimp in Nuclear Chicken, Lime Tiger; soft plastics in chartreuse patterns; gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Redfish settle into the deeper hole that is formed just southwest of Gaswell (look for the first Drum Boat when heading north; the area is just to the left). The 2-1/2- to 3 foot depths provide ideal opportunities for sight-fishing with live bait or chartreuse tails.

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Start your drift as far ahead of the flat as you can. Setting down right in the middle of it will burn the hole for everyone. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Green Island GPS: N26 23.310, W97 19.876 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp/popping cork; gold spoons; red spinnerbaits; soft plastics in clear/red, red/white, Pearl/red CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Begin a drift just north of the island on a parallel with the spoil islands. If you look for it, you’ll spot a slight color change where the vegetation changes from turtle grass to algae clumps. Spot cast to potholes around the vegetation clumps with either live bait or soft plastics. Spoons cover a lot of water, and redfish will hit them with gusto. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Cullen Bay GPS: N26 13.209, W97 17.260 SPECIES: redfish, trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp/popping cork; top-

waters early; red spinnerbaits; soft plastics in clear/red, red/white, Pearl/red CONTACT: Captain Luke Bonura, 956-4572101 TIPS: Drift-fish along the shoreline for both redfish and speckled trout. Watch for deeper holes in the shoreline where fish might be lurking at low tide. Swim gold spoon into the deeper holes, or fish them with live bait or soft plastics under a popping cork. When the tide is high, fish will move around, so live bait is a good prospecting tool. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: North of East Cut GPS: N26 34.365, W97 22.377 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: Gulp! Shrimp in Pearl; soft plastics in Pearl/red, Strawberry/white; topwaters in Bone, chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Terry Neal, 956-9442559, www.terrynealcharters.com TIPS: Both speckled trout and redfish collect along the edges of deeper water around here when warm water is flowing in from the Gulf of Mexico. The warming temperatures get their blood flowing and their appetites

grow. Topwaters are good early in the day, and even later on if the conditions remain calm. Otherwise, swim or hop plastics and Gulp! tails along the bottom as the day progresses. If the fish want a slower presentation, use a Mauler to force you to slow down. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: East Cut Spoils GPS: N26 33.685, W97 22.377 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: topwaters early; soft plastics in red/white, Limetreuse, Pearl/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Terry Neal, 956-9442559, www.terrynealcharters.com TIPS: Fish the cuts and drop-offs along the spoil islands that line the East Cut. When the tide floods the edges of the spoils, you can get some good action with topwaters. Later in the day, back up and fish the edges. Trout will still hit a topwater at high noon, but you’ll maximize your opportunities with soft baits fished along the edges. LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Mansfield Jetties GPS: N26 33.450, W97 16.080

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SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live bait CONTACT: Quick Stop, 956-943-1159 TIPS: May means that the surf around the jetties will begin to clear up, but there will be sargassum to contend with. When the weeds aren’t too thick, you can fish live mullet or shrimp on a fish-finder rig in the first two guts. An even better rig would be the classic Gapen Baitwalker, which will allow the sinker to bounce of the jetty granite and not get snagged up. Use 15- to 20-pound test mono or 30- to 40-pound braid. Some of these reds are pretty nice-sized.

EnGauging Specks LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge GPS: N27 18.248, W97 27.593

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: topwaters early; soft plastics in strawberry/black back Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory,

Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Work up near the shoreline early in the morning with topwaters. Trout will be cruising in the shallows hunting. Work deeper water along the gut as the day progresses. Trout will respond to long plastics with lots of tail action that are fished down in the greener water of the gut. Use darker patterns. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Center Reef GPS: N27 16.206, W97 34.362 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker; soft plastics in Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441 TIPS: Springtime is trout time in Baffin Bay. Live croaker become the bait of choice around the worm mounds. Fish them either free-lined or with a light (1/4-ounce) weight near the rocks. Speckled trout will hit a finfish before they do even live shrimp. The live bait is also a great way to get fish feeding with abandon, at which time you can start chucking your favorite soft plastic at them. Any pattern with chartreuse will work well.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Penescal Point Rocks GPS: N27 15.672, W97 25.290 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker; soft plastics in Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441 TIPS: Reefs, rocks, and mounds offer the best opportunity for Baffin fishermen to latch into a big trout in the spring. Work live croaker on a 3/0 Kahle hook with little or no weight near the rocks, just like on Center Reef. Give the fish slack by dropping your rod tip on the pick-up. Big fish love big baits, but they need time to swallow them. Use soft plastics in the 4- to 5-inch range if you prefer artificials. LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Emmord’s Hole GPS: N27 29.754, W97 19.970 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse. CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441 TIPS: Fishermen should work the edges of grasslines and drop-offs to locate prowling trout. Soft plastics under a mauler or Alameda float are effective. Work the baits on a 1/8ounce jighead without the float if trout are spooky. LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Beacroft’s Hole GPS: N27 33.261, W97 19.226 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: You can fish Beacroft’s much like Emmord’s: work grassline edges near deeper water. You can also fish the nearby spoil islands with bait or soft plastics with good results. Fishermen can also work near the Pure Oil Channel along the edges for good results. Soft plastics are the best bet, especially when traveling light (as some who wade will do).

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LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Nighthawk Shoreline GPS: N27 34.312, W97 15.595 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters early; shad tails in purple/chartreuse, Tequila Gold; gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Yes, you can catch redfish in May. Pods of the bronze belligerents will be cruising the shallows above the grasslines along Nighthawk, and the entire King Ranch for that matter. When you intercept a few of them, work a topwater past them. If the fish don’t seem very interested, switch over to a Norton’s Bull Minnow, or a Tequila Gold Texas Trout Killer. If all else fails, switch to the indefatigable 1/4-ounce gold spoon. That oughtta get them. LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: JFK Causeway Crash Channels GPS: N27 38.052, W97 14.773 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: live bait; soft plastics in Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: The crash channels still provide good fishing opportunities for trout and redfish in May. The astute fisherman works the edges of the channel with live bait or a soft plastic on a 1/4-ounce jighead. Fish the downcurrent side when the tide is running. Fish wait in ambush for prey to be disoriented by the current.

Sandy-Green for Speck Speculation LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Boat Cut GPS: N29 40.398, W93 49.516

Glow/chartreuse, Pearl/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: The sandy-green water that filters into Sabine from the Gulf of Mexico creates prime speckled trout conditions. The big fish use the “trout green” water to lurk and roam the deeper holes along the jetties. Try vertically fishing jigs near the bottom while slowly drift trolling (or strolling, much like crappie fishermen do) through the holes. You can also anchor upcurrent and let the tides tell you where your bait should go. LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Stewt’s Island GPS: N29 57.899, W93 50.900 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters early; soft plastics in Glow/chartreuse, Pearl/chartreuse, Green Tomato CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: Birds are the big tip-off. If you see a flock of birds working over bait, then you know where to fish. The bigger trout and redfish will be hanging off to the sides to pick up escaping bait, or near the bottom to slurp up dead and dying forage. It’s hard to get past the smaller surface busters, so use a heavier (1/4- or even 3/8-ounce) jigheads. LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Fat Rat Pass GPS: N29 28.758, W94 38.809 SPECIES: trout, redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters; soft plastics in Limetreuse, Plum; Gulp! Shrimp, shad tails. CONTACT: Captain Steve Hillman, 281910-4398 TIPS: Wade the shoreline and fish from deep to shallow to find stalking speckled trout and redfish. Large, noisy topwaters are best for the morning work (a Bone Top Dog is the best bait, but don’t be timid about using a Big Bug popper). Fish the depth breaks with soft plastics on a 1/8-ounce jighead as the day wears on. Fish back off into deeper water when the shallows brighten up. LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Little Hannah Reef GPS: N29 28.783, W94 43.784

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in chartreuse, C10

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SPECIES: trout BEST BAITS: topwaters early; soft plastics in chartreuse, Plum/chartreuse; Gulp! baits CONTACT: Captain Steve Hillman, 281910-4398 TIPS: Find the shoal and drift between it and the shoreline. Fish aggressively for reaction strikes. Plastics or Gulp! baits can be fished under a Mansfield Mauler-type setup or a rattling float to call the fish to dinner. Trout are in an aggressive, hungry state and hit a bait with abandon.

Spook Up a Bass LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Caballo Creek GPS: N29 29.753, W101 18.564 SPECIES: largemouth bass

BEST BAITS: Bone or blue chrome Zara Spooks or Chug Bugs CONTACT: Mike Hawkes, 210-275-1309 TIPS: Bass are in their post-spawn doldrums. An aggressively worked topwater over weedbeds and long sloping points should get them out of their funk. Don’t limit yourself to the weedlines. Work over the weeds themselves. Bass will come up out of the grass to bust a noisy topwater. LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Cow Creek GPS: N29 32.435, W101 12.654 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: 3/4- to 1-ounce football jigs; drop-shotted plastics in purple patterns CONTACT: Mike Hawkes, 210-275-1309 TIPS: Bass are going to be hugging tight to ledges and along breaklines in 25-40’ of water. Find the drop-offs and ledges with your electronics, then work up against it with dropshot rigs and large football jigs. The latter can be dragged off the ledge and allowed to fall along the drop-off. Use a trailer with plenty of tail action with either the jig or the drop-shot. LOCATION: Falcon Lake

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ALL GPS COORDINATES VERIFIED BY

HOTSPOT: Rio Salado GPS: N26 49.831, W99 18.947. SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: 3/4- to 1-ounce jigs/trailers; Sweet Beavers in black, purple patterns CONTACT: Mike Hawkes, 210-275-1309 TIPS: Bass have broken out of their postspawn mode, and are moving into creek and riverbeds and are feeding. Fish rock ledges and breaklines along the main river channel with heavy jigs and tight compact trailers such as Reaction Luresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sweet Beaver. Use stouter tackle and braided line to fish among the submerged hardwood. LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Little Tigers GPS: N26 41.285, W99 8.912 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina-rigged 10-inch flipping worms in grape or black with 1-ounce sinkers CONTACT: Mike Hawkes, 210-275-1309 TIPS: Hardwood such as huisache, retama, or mesquite are bass magnets in late spring. Use heavy line and flipping rods to work up against the trees. Fifty to 65 pound braid should be standard in this situation to horse the fish out of the wood. Even then, it might be difficult. Some BIG bass have been yanked out this area over the last couple of years.

Raising a Stink with Fayette Cats LOCATION: Lake Fayette County HOTSPOT: Main Point Flat GPS: N29 56.618, W96 44.692

over transom. If not catching fish, move 100 yards parallel to the bank either way and continue fishing. BANK ACCESS: Oak Thicket Ramp. All species can be had.

Cranky Palestine LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Henderson Point GPS: N32 11.860, W95 29.979

Spinnerbaits Fork Over Bass LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Wolf Creek GPS: N32 50.889, W95 34.951

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: spinnerbait, crankbait CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5302201 TIPS: Fish shallow, along the drop-offs in Wolf Creek. Later in the month, you will find the bass bunching up on deep-water humps on the main lake. To catch these fish, use Carolina Rig, and large deep-diving crankbait. BANK ACCESS: Lake Fork Public Park, largemouth, crappie, catfish Contact South Regional Fishing Editor Calixto Gonzales by email at hotspotssouth@fishgame.com Contact North Regional Fishing Editor JD Moore by email at hotspotsnorth@fishgame.com

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Everything Biting on Sabine AY IS ONE OF THE VERY BEST MONTHS FOR fishing on Sabine Lake. The weather has finally stabilized and the fish are easy to pattern on a daily basis. Everything is biting. Here’s some important information you’ll need to successfully find and catch specks, reds, and flounder, during late spring. For speckled trout, focus your efforts on the southeastern banks. The best shoreline to work is between Bridge Bayou and Garrison Ridge. Early in the morning, open up with a topwater plug such as a MirrOlure

She Dog. If the water is choppy, chunk the big model. Best colors seem to be chartreuse with gold sides or black with a chartreuse head. Vary your retrieve. The fish will tell you how they want it. If the water is calm, throw the Top Dog Jr. These baits have an uncanny ability to draw strikes. They actually act as a fish locator. Many times we have had lots of “blow ups” along a 50-yard stretch of bank, but only landed a couple of fish. If that happens, switch over to a soft plastic with a quarter ounce or eighth ounce head. We like an Old Bayside 4-inch Speck Grub with a Glow body and chartreuse tail. Work the same bank where you got the blow ups and hang on. For reds, work the shorelines in Coffee Ground Cove and Old River Cove. Use a popping cork such as an Old Bayside Xtreme Paradise Popper. Rig a straight tail plastic about 16 inches under the cork and hang on. We find the reds many days by simply finding slicks the size of washtubs.

They usually run in packs, so if you hit one, quietly drop the anchor and work the area thoroughly. Chances are there are more fish. According to Jerry Mambreti, our biologist for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department on Sabine, the redfish populations have never been higher. For flounder, focus on the mouths of the cuts on the Louisiana side of the bay. Try to work these cuts the first two hours of high tide in the morning. On the outgoing tide, work the main bay points adjacent to or near the cuts. This is a proven tactic and simple approach to finding and catching limits of flounder on Sabine. Over the years, our most productive bait has been a 4-inch white twister tail rigged on a 1/4-ounce jighead. We always tip the bait with a fresh piece of shrimp. If the wind completely blows you off the eastern side of the bay, you’ll need a plan B. Simply motor down to the famous Causeway Reef area and drift-fish. Depending on the speed of the tide and the wind, try a 1/4or 3/8-ounce jighead rigged with an Old Bayside 3.75 mud minnow. Again, Glow with chartreuse tail works best.

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

THE BANK BITE HOTSPOT: Walter Humphrey Fishing Pier LOCATION: Very southern end of Pleasure Island on Hwy 82 SPECIES: flounder, reds LURE/BAITS: Old Bayside 4-inch Speck Grub tipped with fresh, dead shrimp or mullet BEST TIMES: high tides in the morning C12

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HERE WAS A TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN I DID precious little except surf fish on the Galveston side of San Luis Pass, actually a mile or so back towards Galveston. This was long rod surf fishing, a “waiting game” as opposed to the wading game of anglers armed with popping rods and seeking speckled trout. Because the maximum length limit for redfish had not yet been established, our main targets were big reds, but we were happy with anything heavy that would take a bait and stretch a line. This included jack crevalle, sharks,

stingrays, and the occasional tarpon. The big fish season on the beach seemed to begin in a serious way with the transition into springtime that came with May; in fact, for many years I seemed to always get my best fish of the season on the first weekend of that month. One May 2, in particular, is still recorded in the overworked recesses of my mind as one of my best fishing weekends of all time, even though it occurred a couple of decades ago (or longer). This particular Saturday was all Texas beachfront springtime—almost no wind, flat calm surf, clear water, and mild temperatures of both air and surf. The only thing working against us was that the tide was unusually low all weekend, and falling even lower as we prepared to set our baits out for

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THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Galveston beachfront, towards San Luis Pass ALTERNATE SPOTS: Gulf piers, jetties, or rock groins SPECIES: bull reds, shark of all sizes, stingray BAITS: Live or fresh dead mullet, from finger size on up. BEST TIMES: The nighttime is the right time, and don’t rule out a falling tide. the night a couple of hours before dark. Because the water depth on the nearshore sandbars was very low, my fishing partner,

Continued on Page C16

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Warm Tides Improve Fishing PLACID COVE GREETED US AS THE BIG outboard grinded to a halt in the muddy shell shallows of West Matagorda Bay. Captain Jesse Arsola’s electronics read 78 degrees in the water column. Finally, after a cooler than normal spring, warm, wet wading conditions were here to stay. As we began our escapade across the soft mire and oyster, large shrimp worthy of batter and grease began to dance on the surface while menhaden and large mullet scurried for their lives. There was plenty of life in two feet of water as far as the eye could see; and, plenty of speckled trout, redfish, flounder and black drum to be caught. Such is the case across Texas coastal waters as warming southeast winds pump fresh recruits of brine to bay estuaries. Passes and inlets leading to the Gulf are the first primer signaling summer fishing is near. When the magic number hits 72 degrees on the surface, these locales breathe new life. San Luis Pass is a prime wading locale; however, be aware of its currents, especially on a falling tide. As the water warms, pelagic species like kingfish and ling creep close to the pass; however, trout is the fish most targeted. If seas calm, work the beachfront, combing the first and second guts. Live shrimp under a popping cork is most promising, though soft plastics and plugs garner plenty of attacks, too. Those choosing to fish along the bottom coax countless strikes from whiting, redfish, and black drum on fresh shrimp, squid, or mullet.

While in the area, never overlook Christmas Bay, especially on a swollen tide. Drifters work the mud and shell with live shrimp for redfish and trout, while pluggers toss She Dogs, Super Spooks, and SkitterWalks. Those on foot walk the jetty rocks of the Surfside and Quintana jetties. Whether you go fake or natural, the user-friendly jetties give up a bounty of just about anything that swims in salt. In East Matagorda Bay, waders work the reefs on the north shoreline. The nearby Intracoastal Waterway pushes water to the bay, and these reefs are the first sign of structure fish see when entering the bay. Bass Assassins, Norton Sand Eels, Trout Killers, and Berkley Gulps are good plastics while Catch 5s and topwaters are solid hard baits. Flounder action flourishes on the south shoreline; rising tides push flatfish to the shallow to dine on small forage and giggers and rod-and-reelers seize the opportunity. Trout begin to consistently stage and feed on grassy shorelines with sand humps in

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THE BANK BITE HOTSPOT: San Luis Pass SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish, black drum BEST BAITS: live shrimp, 51M MirrOlure BEST TIME: hard irising or falling tide West Matagorda Bay. Drop-offs adjacent to oyster reefs pay dividends, while redfish, many pushing past the 28-inch slot, have a tough time turning down a gold spoon or Gulp. Both the Matagorda and Port O’Connor jetties give up tons of redfish for those freelining live shrimp. Some pluggers walk the jetty, toss topwaters, and catch plenty of large trout. Prospects and possibilities are endless the warmer it gets, the better it gets. Contact: Bink Grimes, www.binkgrimesoutdoors.com

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Share with Part-Timers OR EXPERIENCED SALTWATER ANGLERS, May is the month to be on the water. A windy month with strong tidal movement and consistent water temperatures coupled with shrimp migration into the bays makes this time of year an excellent ambush opportunity for both trout and reds. On the select few calm days, even the topwater action is hook-set heaven. This is the time to begin summer fishing strategies. School is out and many moms and dads do their best to enjoy quality time with their kids, and some are not as familiar as us old salts with the rules of the water. Nonetheless, I applaud them for circling the family wagon around the great sport of fishing. So, be patient at boat ramps, bait shops, and your fishing honey holes. St. Charles: Take advantage of the wind and drift this bay. Many of its reefs run north and south and drifting parallel has put many fish in the box. Use soft plastics in

Pearl/chartreuse and Morning Glory. Cast up close to the shell then migrate your casts into deeper water. The depth of water you find action in will be the same the length of the reef for the drift. Egg Point Cove is a great drift spot early in the morning with subtle noise making topwaters. The opening into Cavasso is great for trout with a popping cork and live shrimp. Copano Bay: Turtle Pen with free-lined croaker in the early morning is a good bet. The grass line on the northeast shoreline is a great place for trout and reds using Electric Grape Kelly shrimp tails; rig weedless and bump off the bottom with a medium to slow retrieve. Aransas Bay: With the trout finishing the migration to summer patterns, fish Mack Reef and Thompson’s Tow Head Reef with a rattling cork and Gulp! Shrimp (dark green). The pocket of Half Moon reef will yield reds using cut menhaden on a Carolina rig. Carlos Bay: As the wind dictates, drift between Cedar Reef and the Third Chain, using Bass Assassins and sand eels in Motor Oil and pink/chartreuse. Fish will still be in the deep water of Cedar Dugout, and it’s wise to work the top 1/3 of the water column with free-lined piggies or shrimp.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: LBJ Causeway, area piers SPECIES: gafftop catfish, speckled trout TIPS: Wade-fish the north end of the LBJ Causeway throwing silver slabs and gold/red spoons. Mesquite Bay: On calm days, quietly work back into Little Brundrett Lake, throwing Super Spooks in red/white and Bone colors for trout and reds. The deep portions of Rattlesnake Reef will produce good trout action on a Carolina rig with live shrimp or croaker. The red action is good at Bray Cove Point using free-lined finger mullet and cut menhaden. Ayres Bay: Wade-fishing the northwest shoreline using soft plastics in Morning Glory and Limetreuse produces steady trout action and an occasional red. On a north wind, fish into Ayres Reef using peeled shrimp and small chunks of cut menhaden for black drum. Contact: Capt. Mac Gable, Mac Attack Guide Service, 512-809-2681, 361-790-9601

HOTSPOTS FOCUS: GALVESTON COMPLEX Continued from Page C14 Dave Shaefer, and I decided to dispense with casting and try for more water over the baits. I swam them out on an army surplus life raft, hanging my feet over the back and propelling myself with swim fins. Some of the old Penn Squidders barely held enough 40-pound mono to have any reserve on the spools, but that was something to worry about later. Dave drew first blood, just after dark, with a 30-pound red. A short time later, his heavy shark rig (a custom rod mounting a 10/0 Penn Senator) bowed under C16

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with the weight of a 46-pound blacktip shark that was quickly overpowered. His turn not over, Dave hooked a heavy fish on a long rod and 4/0 Penn that threatened to strip him a couple of times - we were both waist deep when I sunk the gaff into something that starting flapping like a giant bird, and was revealed to be a 105-pound stingray when pulled up on the sand. After a nervous false start when the drag clicker on the 12/0 Penn on my own shark rod clattered it’s way through several revolutions of the big spool, then stopped, my turn finally came when my oldest and most worn Squidder hummed &

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like a demon of the night, then locked up completely with the fish still well out in the breakers. I was behind the dunes, still backing up, when Dave gaffed a 41-pound red, still my largest of that species. We bragged, we took pictures, Stan Slaton wrote about us in the Houston Post; we were heroes in our own minds. I still love May on the beach, always will. 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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May Offers Plenty of Angling Options AY IS HERE AND THIS MEANS DECISIONS, decisions, decisions. What are we going to fish for today? Will it be the drag squealing redfish, monster trout, or just whatever is on the line? Laguna Madre is hopping with explosive fishing action right now. You will be catching mixed bags of trout, redfish, and few flounder mixed in. Of course, the month of May also brings croaker fishing to the fore—as in using the noisy things for bait and not necessarily an object to catch. With fuel cost being so high, expect to pay premium prices.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Packery Channel Jetty SPECIES: redfish, trout BEST BAITS: free-lined shrimp or finger mullet

structure, deep-water access—it’s like a restaurant for fish. Points of rocks hold reds and trout. Try drifting the deeper rocks at Penescal Point. There is some good topwater action here early in the morning. If you are looking to wade-fish, try the south shoreline between Los Corrales and Penescal Point. Remember there will be more boaters

BEST TIMES: during any tidal movement and fishermen on the water in May. Please be courteous to others, and check all your safety gear before you leave the dock.

Contact: Capt. Jim “Donk” Onderdonk, 361-774-7710, www.pocolocolodge.com

My arsenal for this month will include a Shimano Cumera Rod equipped with a Shimano Core 100mg reel, spooled with 40-pound Power Pro (12-pound diameter) line. I will have plenty of 1/16-ounce screw lock jigheads on hand. I will also have a good handful of plastic Brown Devil Eyes in colors Plum and Rootbeer. Of course, a few She Dog topwaters and the old trusty gold spoons. From Corpus down, try the flats around Beecrofts. While the waters are cooler early in the morning, fish shallow. As the water warms up, fish the deeper grass line and guts. The Pita Island area should be good for a few reds. Don’t forget about the King Ranch shoreline. I have seen some good numbers of trout here. Try wade-fishing or drifting Emmord’s hole. Cut in behind Compuerta Pass and drift-fish behind the Twin Palms area. Down Baffin way, drift the badlands. This is a great spot this time of year—good A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Community Relations RBAN SPRAWL HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL ON coastal fishing. The value of waterfront property has made it immune to the ravages of a softened real estate market, and housing developments have popped up all over the Texas coast with the speed and regularity of melanoma. In its wake, the housing boom has closed off access to one shore-accessible wade fishing spot after another. There are still a few spots that the landlocked wader can get to, however, and they do provide some excellent fishing. One of the most popular bank accessible wading spots on the Lower Laguna Madre, for example, is the Community Bar in Port Mansfield. Wade fishermen can gain access

to the area via Fred Stone Park, which is adjacent to the King Ranch. There is a pedestrian entrance set up on the ranch fence line that allows fishermen to walk along the shoreline for the 3/4 of a mile to the Bar’s general area (that’s just a good

“

There are still a few spots the landlocked wader can get to.

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stretch of the legs for the average Texan). Over the years, rainfall and floods have created a muddy, boggy ditch that separates the access point from the parking lot. Some resourceful fishermen place pallets and boards across the ditch, but it may be easier to wade in and around the end of the fence line and back onto shore. Then you can

hoof the rest of the way on dry land. Regardless of how you reach Community Bar (boaters can also anchor up on top of the shallow bar and disembark to fish the edges), you can wade out towards the bar and start fishing. Don’t head straight out into deeper water immediately. It doesn’t hurt to work parallel to the shoreline in knee-deep water, especially on a high tide. Redfish and trout will cruise close in during low-light conditions. Work the area with smaller topwaters such as a Spook, Jr., Top Pup, or Rattlin’ Chug Bug. Gold spoons such as 1/4-ounce Johnson Sprite or a No. 14 Tony Acetta Krocodile are also excellent choices for working the early morning shallows. After you’ve worked the area thoroughly, then you turn you attention to deeper water. And there is plenty of deeper water. Between the shoreline and Community Bar is a deep gut that speckled trout use as a migration route up and down Laguna Madre. The wide gut deepens until you are in neck-deep water, which can make a fisherman pretty nervous. It’s easy to spot where the really deep stuff is, though, because local commercial crabbers set their traps at the bottom of the gut, and the white buoys make excellent channel markers. Set up in waist-deep water and fan cast into the gut to prospect for trout. The classic shrimp/popping cork rig is the top fish producer in the area, but many fishermen who would rather avoid lugging a bait bucket switch over the either a Gulp! Shrimp in Nuclear Chicken or Glow. Both are very effective under a popping cork or Mansfield Mauler. You can also use a 1/4-ounce

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Isla Blanca Park Surf (N26 8.250, W97 10.090) SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish TIPS: Fish shell areas with live bait or soft plastics. C18

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DOA Shrimp, a Tsunami Holo-Shrimp, or any of the classic patterns produced by Norton Lures or Riptide. Make sure your leader is 18-24 inches long, and that your rod is long enough (7 to 7-1/2 feet) to facilitate long casts into the gut. If you prefer eschewing the floats, shad tails such as the Storm Wildeye Shad or H&H Queen Cocahoe are good choices to fish the gut (the latter, especially the classic Strawberry/white pattern, has literally caught millions of trout in LLM). The throbbing shad tail puts off plenty of vibration that can get a trout’s attention from a long way away. Lipless crankbaits such as the Rat-L-Trap in gold/black are also excellent options for the gut, and they help you cover a lot of water quickly. Fan cast an area, and if you don’t find any fish, move a few feet to your left or right, and keep working the deeper water until you hit pay dirt. Some adventurous fishermen are willing to negotiate the deeper water to cross the gut and reach the actual Community Bar. Then they will either fish on top of the grassy top for redfish (with gold spoons being the No. 1 choice), or they turn around and fish the edge of the depth break. The latter method is quite popular because it allows you to fish the deeper water with the wind at your backand there will usually be a stiff breeze pushing off the Gulf of Mexico by the middle of the day. A word of caution: Community Bar’s proximity to Port Mansfield means that it experiences heavy boat traffic, especially on the weekends. For the most part, boaters are considerate enough to give the area wide berth. There are a few slobs that will run close to the shoreline, regardless of the number of waders in the area. They should pay attention to their surroundings, but some don’t. It never hurts to be proactive and dress in bright colors in order to stand out, especially if you’re in chest-deep water. Depending on some of these idiots to do the right thing is an exercise in futility. Don’t let those boaters deter you though. The fishing around Community Bar can be quite good. Keep a sharp eye, and you’ll be fine. You might have a hard time walking back out though, if the fish are there…

Contact: Calixto Gonzales by email at hotspotssouth@fishgame.com A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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

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

T12

T11

T10

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

T13 T7

T6 T17

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

T15 T16

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

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

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

T21

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE Add or subtract the time shown at the right of the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine the adjustment from the time shown for GALVESTON CHANNEL in the calendars.

KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

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

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

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

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

T22 T23

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

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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

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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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Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2008

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

MONDAY

TUESDAY

28 SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

May 1

SUNDAY

Set: 7:49p Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 12:56p Moonrise: 2:45a

Set: 7:50p Set: 1:57p

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 3:18a

Set: 7:50p Set: 2:58p

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 3:50a

Set: 7:51p Set: 4:00p

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 4:22a

Set: 7:52p Set: 5:04p

Sunrise: 6:32a Moonrise: 4:55a

Set: 7:52p Set: 6:11p

Sunrise: 6:31a Moonrise: 5:33a

Set: 7:53p Set: 7:23p

AM Minor: 12:04a

PM Minor: 12:28p

AM Minor: 12:51a

PM Minor: 1:15p

AM Minor: 1:35a

PM Minor: 1:58p

AM Minor: 2:17a

PM Minor: 2:40p

AM Minor: 2:57a

PM Minor: 3:21p

AM Minor: 3:40a

PM Minor: 4:06p

AM Minor: 4:28a

PM Minor: 4:56p

AM Major: 6:16a

PM Major: 6:40p

AM Major: 7:03a

PM Major: 7:27p

AM Major: 7:47a

PM Major: 8:10p

AM Major: 8:28a

PM Major: 8:52p

AM Major: 9:09a

PM Major: 9:34p

AM Major: 9:53a

PM Major: 10:19p

AM Major: 10:42a

PM Major: 11:10p

Moon Overhead: 7:30a

12a

THURSDAY

12p

Moon Overhead: 9:05a

Moon Overhead: 8:18a

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 9:51a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:29a

Moon Overhead: 10:39a

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 12:23p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:36a Moonrise: 2:10a

WEDNESDAY

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 7:54p

+2.0

Moon Underfoot: 8:41p

BEST:

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 11:03p

BEST:

7:45-9:40 AM

BEST:

8:25-10:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 11:55p BEST:

9:05-11:15 AM

Moon Underfoot: None

+2.0

BEST:

9:50AM-12:10PM

10:40AM-1:00PM TIDE LEVELS

BEST:

7:20-9:10 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:14p

TIDE LEVELS

6:35-8:40 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 9:28p

Low Tide: 4:14 am High Tide: 1:23 pm

0.26 ft 1.45 ft

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

5:15 am 1:35 pm 8:10 pm 11:21 pm

0.35 ft 1.40 ft 1.10 ft 1.14 ft

Low Tide: 6:17 am High Tide: 1:45 pm Low Tide: 7:37 pm

0.47 ft 1.34 ft 0.88 ft

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

1:15 am 7:19 am 1:53 pm 7:57 pm

1.23 ft 0.62 ft 1.29 ft 0.59 ft

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

2:39 am 8:22 am 2:01 pm 8:30 pm

1.39 ft 0.81 ft 1.27 ft 0.26 ft

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

3:52 am 9:24 am 2:07 pm 9:10 pm

1.56 ft 1.01 ft 1.29 ft -0.05 ft

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

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

12a

BEST:

7:05-9:40 PM

12p

SOLUNAR AC TIVIT Y: 12a

AM/PM Timeline Light Blue: Nighttime

MINOR Feeding Periods (+/- 1.5 Hrs.)

AM Minor: 1:20a

PM Minor: 1:45p

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Major: 7:57p

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

Moon Overhead: 8:50a

Gold Fish: Best Time Blue Fish: Good Time

AM/PM Timeline

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

12p

MOON PHASE SYMBOLS MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)

12a

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

z {

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

5:00 am 10:26 am 2:13 pm 9:54 pm

1.72 ft 1.21 ft 1.35 ft -0.32 ft

+1.0

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

z z

BEST:

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

6 6

Sunrise: 6:30a Moonrise: 6:15a

Set: 7:54p Set: 8:38p

Sunrise: 6:29a Moonrise: 7:06a

Set: 7:54p Set: 9:51p

Sunrise: 6:29a Moonrise: 8:05a

AM Minor: 5:23a

PM Minor: 5:53p

AM Minor: 6:26a

PM Minor: 6:58p

AM Major: 11:38a

PM Major: ——-

AM Major: 12:10a

PM Major: 12:42p

Moon Overhead: 1:23p

12a

12p

12a

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Set: 7:56p Set: None

AM Minor: 7:35a

PM Minor: 8:08p

AM Minor: 8:46a

PM Minor: 9:19p

AM Minor: 9:56a

PM Minor: 10:27p

AM Minor: 11:00a

PM Minor: 11:29p

AM Minor: 11:58a

PM Minor: ——-

AM Major: 1:18a

PM Major: 1:51p

AM Major: 2:30a

PM Major: 3:02p

AM Major: 3:41a

PM Major: 4:11p

AM Major: 4:46a

PM Major: 5:15p

AM Major: 5:45a

PM Major: 6:10p

12p

Sunrise: 6:27a Set: 7:56p Moonrise: 10:19a Set: None

SUNDAY

Set: 7:55p Sunrise: 6:28a Set: 11:00p Moonrise: 9:10a

Moon Overhead: 3:32p

Moon Overhead: 2:26p 12a

THURSDAY

Moon Overhead: 4:37p 12a

12p

Sunrise: 6:27a Set: 7:57p Sunrise: 6:26a Set: 7:57p Moonrise: 11:28a Set: 12:51a Moonrise: 12:34p Set: 1:33a

Moon Overhead: 6:35p

Moon Overhead: 5:38p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 7:26p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2008

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

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 12:52a +2.0

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

12:40-2:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 4:05a BEST:

3:30-8:45 PM

4:30-9:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:08a BEST:

3:40-5:20 AM

Moon Underfoot: 6:07a BEST:

4:40-6:20 AM

Moon Underfoot: 7:01a +2.0

BEST:

6:05-7:30 PM TIDE LEVELS

Moon Underfoot: 2:59a

TIDE LEVELS

11;30AM-1:45PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 1:54a

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

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6:07 am 11:30 am 2:17 pm 10:42 pm

• M A Y

1.83 ft 1.39 ft 1.45 ft -0.51 ft

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

2 0 0 8 /

7:14 am 12:39 pm 2:15 pm 11:35 pm

1.88 ft High Tide: 8:23 am 1.53 ft 1.54 ft -0.60 ft

T E X A S

F i s h

1.88 ft

Low Tide: 12:31 am -0.58 ft Low Tide: 1:31 am -0.47 ft Low Tide: 2:36 am -0.29 ft Low Tide: High Tide: 9:34 am 1.82 ft High Tide: 10:43 am 1.74 ft High Tide: 11:40 am 1.63 ft High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

3:45 am 12:19 pm 7:24 pm 8:43 pm

-0.07 ft 1.52 ft 1.17 ft 1.18 ft

+1.0

-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

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

1 8

Sunrise: 6:25a Moonrise: 1:36p

Set: 7:58p Set: 2:10a

Sunrise: 6:25a Moonrise: 2:34p

Set: 7:59p Set: 2:41a

Sunrise: 6:24a Moonrise: 3:29p

Set: 7:59p Set: 3:10a

Sunrise: 6:23a Moonrise: 4:24p

Set: 8:00p Set: 3:37a

Sunrise: 6:23a Moonrise: 5:18p

Set: 8:01p Set: 4:05a

Sunrise: 6:22a Moonrise: 6:14p

Set: 8:01p Set: 4:34a

Sunrise: 6:22a Moonrise: 7:11p

Set: 8:02p Set: 5:06a

AM Minor: 12:24a

PM Minor: 12:47p

AM Minor: 1:08a

PM Minor: 1:30p

AM Minor: 1:47a

PM Minor: 2:08p

AM Minor: 2:23a

PM Minor: 2:44p

AM Minor: 2:59a

PM Minor: 3:19p

AM Minor: 3:36a

PM Minor: 3:57p

AM Minor: 4:15a

PM Minor: 4:38p

AM Major: 6:35a

PM Major: 6:59p

AM Major: 7:19a

PM Major: 7:40p

AM Major: 7:57a

PM Major: 8:18p

AM Major: 8:33a

PM Major: 8:54p

AM Major: 9:09a

PM Major: 9:30p

AM Major: 9:46a

PM Major: 10:08p

AM Major: 10:27a

PM Major: 10:49p

Moon Overhead: 8:12p 6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 9:37p

Moon Overhead: 8:55p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 10:17p 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:42p

Moon Overhead: 10:59p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: None 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

12a

Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2008

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 7:50a +2.0

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

7:30-9:15 PM

Moon Underfoot: 9:57a BEST:

8:15-9:50 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:38a BEST:

8:45-10:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:20a BEST:

9:25-11:15 PM

Moon Underfoot: 12:05p +2.0

BEST:

9:40-11:45 AM

10:20AM-12:30PM TIDE LEVELS

Moon Underfoot: 9:16a

TIDE LEVELS

6:50-9:00 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 8:34a

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

4:57 am 12:46 pm 7:19 pm 11:18 pm

0.18 ft 1.41 ft 0.95 ft 1.12 ft

Low Tide: 6:11 am High Tide: 1:05 pm Low Tide: 7:42 pm

0.43 ft 1.31 ft 0.70 ft

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

1:10 am 7:24 am 1:19 pm 8:08 pm

1.17 ft 0.67 ft 1.24 ft 0.47 ft

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

2:41 am 8:36 am 1:29 pm 8:34 pm

1.28 ft 0.88 ft 1.21 ft 0.26 ft

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

3:54 am 9:45 am 1:35 pm 9:01 pm

1.40 ft 1.06 ft 1.21 ft 0.09 ft

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

4:53 am 10:55 am 1:35 pm 9:29 pm

1.50 ft 1.19 ft 1.24 ft -0.03 ft

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

5:43 am 12:22 pm 1:11 pm 9:59 pm

1.57 ft 1.28 ft 1.29 ft -0.11 ft

+1.0

-1.0

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z z

Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2008 MONDAY

TUESDAY

{ 20

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:04p Moonrise: 10:45p Set: 7:58a

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:05p Moonrise: 11:30p Set: 8:52a

22 1

22 2

Sunrise: 6:21a Moonrise: 8:08p

Set: 8:02p Set: 5:42a

Sunrise: 6:21a Moonrise: 9:04p

Set: 8:03p Set: 6:22a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 9:56p

Set: 8:04p Set: 7:07a

AM Minor: 4:59a

PM Minor: 5:23p

AM Minor: 5:47a

PM Minor: 6:12p

AM Minor: 6:38a

PM Minor: 7:04p

AM Minor: 7:33a

PM Minor: 7:58p

AM Minor: 8:28a

AM Major: 11:11a

PM Major: 11:35p

AM Major: 11:59a

PM Major: ——-

AM Major: 12:26a

PM Major: 12:51p

AM Major: 1:20a

PM Major: 1:45p

AM Major: 2:15a

Moon Overhead: 12:28a 6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 2:06a

Moon Overhead: 1:16a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 2:57a 12a

12p

SATURDAY

12p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: None

Set: 8:05p Set: 9:49a

PM Minor: 8:53p

AM Minor: 9:23a

PM Minor: 9:48p

AM Minor: 10:17a

PM Minor: 10:40p

PM Major: 2:41p

AM Major: 3:11a

PM Major: 3:35p

AM Major: 4:05a

PM Major: 4:28p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:06p Moonrise: 12:09a Set: 10:48a

Moon Overhead: 4:38a

Moon Overhead: 3:48a 12a

SUNDAY

12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

119

12a

WEDNESDAY

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

Moon Overhead: 5:26a 12a

12p

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 12:52p +2.0

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

8:45PM-2:45AM

Moon Underfoot: 3:22p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 4:13p

Moon Underfoot: 5:02p

BEST:

9:00PM-3:50AM

BEST:

4:10-9:15 PM

3:10-5:10 AM

Moon Underfoot: 5:50p +2.0

BEST:

3:55-5:40 AM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

8:10PM-1:45AM

Moon Underfoot: 2:32p

TIDE LEVELS

7:45-10:45 PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:41p

High Tide: 6:28 am 1.60 ft High Tide: 7:11 am 1.61 ft High Tide: 7:56 am 1.59 ft High Tide: 8:44 am Low Tide: 10:31 pm -0.14 ft Low Tide: 11:06 pm -0.15 ft Low Tide: 11:43 pm -0.12 ft

1.57 ft

Low Tide: 12:22 am -0.09 ft Low Tide: 1:02 am -0.04 ft Low Tide: 1:44 am 0.04 ft High Tide: 9:33 am 1.55 ft High Tide: 10:20 am 1.53 ft High Tide: 10:57 am 1.50 ft

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

F i s h

G a m e ® / M A Y

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+1.0

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

z z

BEST:

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Jun 1

Set: 8:07p Sunrise: 6:18a Set: 12:46p Moonrise: 1:48a

Set: 8:08p Set: 1:45p

Sunrise: 6:17a Moonrise: 2:19a

Set: 8:08p Set: 2:46p

Sunrise: 6:17a Moonrise: 2:50a

Set: 8:09p Set: 3:49p

Sunrise: 6:17a Moonrise: 3:25a

Set: 8:09p Set: 4:57p

Sunrise: 6:17a Moonrise: 4:04a

Set: 8:10p Set: 6:10p

AM Minor: 11:08a

PM Minor: 11:31p

AM Minor: 11:56a

PM Minor: ——-

AM Minor: 12:18a

PM Minor: 12:41p

AM Minor: 1:01a

PM Minor: 1:24p

AM Minor: 1:43a

PM Minor: 2:07p

AM Minor: 2:26a

PM Minor: 2:52p

AM Minor: 3:13a

PM Minor: 3:42p

AM Major: 4:56a

PM Major: 5:19p

AM Major: 5:44a

PM Major: 6:07p

AM Major: 6:30a

PM Major: 6:52p

AM Major: 7:13a

PM Major: 7:36p

AM Major: 7:55a

PM Major: 8:19p

AM Major: 8:39a

PM Major: 9:06p

AM Major: 9:27a

PM Major: 9:56p

Moon Overhead: 6:13a

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 7:43a

Moon Overhead: 6:58a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 8:28a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 10:07a

Moon Overhead: 9:16a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:03a 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:18a Set: 8:07p Sunrise: 6:18a Moonrise: 12:45a Set: 11:47a Moonrise: 1:18a

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2008

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

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 6:36p

+2.0

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

5:35-7:20 AM

Moon Underfoot: 8:52p BEST:

6:25-7:55 AM

Moon Underfoot: 9:41p BEST:

7:30-9:20 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:34p BEST:

7:45-9:50 AM

Moon Underfoot: 11:33p

+2.0

BEST:

8:30-10:45 AM

9:20-11:15 AM TIDE LEVELS

Moon Underfoot: 8:06p

TIDE LEVELS

4:50-6:30 AM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 7:21p

Low Tide: 2:28 am 0.14 ft High Tide: 11:25 am 1.45 ft

C26

• M A Y

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

2 0 0 8 /

3:15 am 11:43 am 7:27 pm 9:11 pm

0.29 ft 1.39 ft 0.99 ft 1.00 ft

T E X A S

Low Tide: 4:08 am 0.48 ft High Tide: 11:54 am 1.32 ft Low Tide: 6:22 pm 0.75 ft

F i s h

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

12:04 am 5:12 am 12:01 pm 6:44 pm

1.04 ft 0.71 ft 1.26 ft 0.44 ft

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

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

1:50 am 6:27 am 12:04 pm 7:20 pm

1.21 ft 0.95 ft 1.25 ft 0.10 ft

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

3:14 am 7:54 am 12:03 pm 8:03 pm

1.42 ft 1.18 ft 1.30 ft -0.22 ft

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

4:25 am 9:30 am 11:56 am 8:50 pm

1.62 ft 1.36 ft 1.38 ft -0.50 ft

+1.0

-1.0

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Midland’s New Generation Walkie Talkies

Midland2Way Radio Set

RD225 Pro Feeder Stands Up to Hurricane Winds

I love walkie-talkies—or as everyone calls them now, two-way radios. For many outdoors situations, they come

in extremely handy and, as evidenced by the new Midland Two-Ways, they have come a long way. The first thing you notice is they advertise an “up to 26-mile range.” That is possible apparently on flat, open ground, but none of these devices operates to maximum range in the thick forests of East Texas or the rocky canyons of the Hill Country. They tell you on the back of the package that range is for open ground with no obstructions, but in reality, does anyone need a 26mile range? For those of us communicating with hunting and fishing buddies, getting 5-6 miles of range is great. I was able to test them at five miles out in the marsh with a clear signal. One of the features I really liked was the NOAA Weather Radio. When Hurricane Humberto struck my home (literally) and we lost power, I did not have a weather radio on hand. Then I realized I had these C28

• M A Y

2 0 0 8 /

T E X A S

F i s h

look forward to more in the future. Contact: Midland Radio, 816-2418500 ext. 261, www.midlandradio.com. —Chester Moore

and was able to get valuable information. One of the coolest things about this particular set is the animal call alerts that let your hunting buddy signal you with a natural sound instead of an obtrusive beep. In addition, it allows direct calling, which comes in handy if you want to reach only one member of your party, perhaps the one in the best shape who can help you drag that big boar out of the woods. These radios also feature 22 channels, 142 privacy codes that give up to 3124 channel options to help block other conversations, and they are waterproof. The set comes with a dual desk charger, rechargeable battery packs, a pair of headsets, and AC/DC adapters. I have enjoyed my use of these great walkie-talkies and &

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

Feeders are simply a matter of fact when it comes to hunting in Texas. I use them for deer and hogs and have probably fed better than 10,000 pounds of corn over the years. Much of that feeding has been in the humid Pineywoods of East Texas, and there always seems to problems with the feeders. From timers that simply die after a short time in the field to other issues, I always seem to be having a problem. One that has been working steadily for me is an American Hunter hanging feeder with the analog time setting. It has worked through all kinds of weather c o n d i tions— including a hurricane— with no problems and I never had a problem of any sort. A month before t h e

RD225 Pro Feeder

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archery-only season, I put out the American Hunter RD 225 Pro Tripod and found it another quality product. It is easy to assemble and even has a toll-free number on the feed dispenser if you have assembly problems. The only problem I came across was that the feeder should have had pre-tapped holes to hold up the timer. My dad and I had to spend some time using ratchets to make the holes, but other than that, no complaints. At the time of this writing, the feeder was still dispensing corn on time and drawing in game. One of the great accessories you can get for this is a varmint zapper that sends a jolt of electricity to raccoons and other feed stealers that climb on feeders. There is also a solar panel to extend battery life. Contact: American Hunter Feeders, 888-304-6125, www.americanhunterfeeders.com — CM

Shimano Core Reel Engineered for Smooth Casting Testing the effectiveness of a casting reel is difficult once you get into companies like Shimano, that work extremely hard to put quality into everything. It simply takes s o m e time to fish and see how i t handles under different circumstances. That is exactly what I did with the new Shimano Core lightweight casting reel. I cast super light lures with some of my least favorite

monofilament fishing line, and had very little problem with backlash. I caught some hefty redfish in Corpus Christi Bay and found the drag system more than adequate. The reasons behind the smooth action of this reel are many, including the “Magnumlite Spool” that uses lightweight aluminum alloys and unique design to move the mass of the spool outward. This light spool requires less braking force, allowing anglers to cast small baits father and more accurately than ever before. It also features an oversized drive gear that gives the angles more torque with less effort. This also allows for a larger drag washer, providing higher total drag pressure and more range. There are also shielded anti-rust bearings in place, which give extreme durability and far more corrosion resistance than standard steel bearings. Shimano is not in the business of making low-end fishing gear. What they make is good equipment, and although more expensive than a lot of the stuff on the market, it also lasts through years of punishment in the most extreme conditions. I imagine the Core will be part of my repertoire for many years to come. Contact: Shimano, 877-577-0600, www.shimano.com —CM

Shimano Core Reel

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

F i s h

G a m e ® / M A Y

2 0 0 8

•

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For Wide Utility Vehicle Selection, Join the Club Club Car’s XRT Series continues to offer the broadest portfolio of utility vehicles on the market. With nine models to choose

XRT series offers a 4x2 lineup of lightweight, compact models. For heavy-duty adventures, the XRT1550 4x4 series vehicles are equipped with powerful engines, on-demand allwheel-drive capability and a host of industry-exclusive features. The vehicles are constructed with rustproof, non-corrosive, lightweight, aircraftgrade 6061 aluminum – the same grade aluminum used in F-16’s and racecars. They

Club Car’s XRT Series of Utility Vehicles

the option of selecting bucket seats or standard bench seating. A 4-passenger version is available in the XRT1550 SE and the XRT1550 LE offers special paint colors, larger tires, highpolish aluminum wheels, custom seats and more. The XRT1550 IntelliTach is six vehicles in one: a forklift, bucket, blade, broom, lawn tractor and 4x4, thus eliminating the need for multiple vehicles. For more information, consumers can visit their local Club Car XRT Dealer. To locate a dealer and learn more about the XRT Series, call 1-800-CLUBCAR or visit www.clubcar.com.

Prime Stake from - there’s a rugged, stylish XRT for every agricultural, residential and recreational adventure. For light-duty adventures or chores, the

boast a fully independent front suspension, automotive-style 4-wheel hydraulic disc brakes, optional all-terrain tires and

360-Degree Hunting Chair is Turning Heads

While the Mobile Rest 360 chair is getting a lot interests from var mint

C30

• M A Y

2 0 0 8 /

T E X A S

F i s h

The Mobile Rest 360 hunting chair &

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

hunters, there is growing interest among turkey and deer hunters. The chair features exclusive Realtree Hardwoods Green HD camo and fully adjustable legs and at a mere 17 pounds easily transported. The MSRP for the chair is only $119.99. Landmark Outdoors is a leading marketer and distributor of fine, high quality outdoors brands that provide consumers with an exceptional value and enhance the enjoyment of the great outdoors. To learn about all of Landmark Outdoors product offerings, please refer to www.landmarkoutdoors.com or phone (877) 431-3579.

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New Gun Oil from Royal Purple

The Stake-out Stik allows easy anchoring in shallow water. toughest conditions any angler could withstand. The small shaft diameter and pointed tip makes staking out a breeze and retracting the Stik even easier. What makes the Stake-out Stiks so valuable is its capability to turn the boat to any position depending on how it’s tied off to boat. Anchor your boat bow first into the wind, from the stern or anywhere in between. You can even use two Stake-out Stiks to hold the boat parallel to a structure, giving more anglers room to cast. There will

be no loud anchors spooking the fish away with the Stake-out Stik aboard. There are Stiks designed to hold boats ranging from kayaks to large bay boats. To learn more, visit their website, www.stakeoutstick.com or ask your local boat/tackle dealer. Contact: L and L Manufacturing, P.O. Box 1974, Nederland, TX 77627 Phone: (409) 718-7694 Email: sales@stakeoutstick.com Website: www.stakeoutstick.com

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

F i s h

Royal Purple has developed a new high performance synthetic gun oil. The new gun oil is specifically formulated to provide exceptional wear protection as well as protection against rust and saltwater corrosion. It also prevents fouling. Royal Purple’s synthetic gun oil works well in a variety of temperatures and will not thicken in cold weather. Its performance advantages come from Synerlec, Royal Purple’s propriety chemical technology that strengthens the oil for unmatched per-

G a m e ® / M A Y

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World’s First Double Hook Jig Snag Proof introduces The Bass Grabber Jig. This new jig sports a premium Gamakatsu Extra Wide Gap DOUBLE hook. No matter how the fish strikes, one of the hooks will be positioned for easy hook-set at all times. No more missed fish. Best known for Frogs, Snag Proof has made use of the double-hook advantage for jig fishing. The double hooks give the lure added stability and better balance. It falls straight on the drop and tracks true without tilting or rolling to one side. This patented design formance and protection. No other gun oil is available with Synerlec technology. In addition to gun applications, Royal Purple’s synthetic gun oil can also be used for other applications such as fishing tackle, locks hinges and more. It’s available in 4 ounce aerosol cans. MSRP is $5.59. Royal Purple‚ makes a variety of synthetic products including engine oils, transmission fluids, gear oils, coolant additives, power steering fluids, chain lubricants, industrial lubricants and more. For more information on Royal Purple and its products, contact Royal Purple Ltd., One Royal Purple Lane, Porter, TX 77365, 281-354-8600, www.royalpurple.com.

Accuracy In Trolling

features a split weedguard to protect both hooks and allows the lure to crawl through heavy cover with ease. A wire keeper added between the hooks to hold a trailer, makes this a versatile go-to lure. The Bass Grabber will grab the attention of fish and anglers everywhere. The Bass Grabber Jig is available in 3/8 oz. and 1/2 oz.

Bass Grabber Jig

depth of 51 ft with 150 ft of line out. The CD 30 will run at 30 ft with 65 ft of line out and run at a depth of 63 ft with a 150 ft of line out. Proprietary innovations allowed our lure engineers to utilize polycarbonate to design a trolling lure that runs true and precise right out of the box. Because of the polycarbonate material, which is more than twice the strength of the ABS, the CD25 and CD30 will handle the toughest saltwater fish. Adding even more toughness, every CD series lure comes equipped with saltwatergrade hardware and VMC Perma Steel hooks attached to a throughway hanger system.

Have you ever trolled a lure and found yourself wondering what depth your bait was really running? Bomber Saltwater Grade is changing the face of trolling by taking away all guessing with its new Bomber A-Salt CD25 and CD30 trolling lures. The CD25 will run at 25 ft with 65 ft of 20lb mono. It will reach a

Bomber A-Salt

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sizes in 6 proven fish-catching colors: Black/Blue; Black/Red; White; Orange/Brown; Watermelon or Green/Pumpkin. Suggested retail is $8.75. Founded in 1961 by Harry Ehlers, Snag Proof continues as a family business selling American made lures all over the world. Look for the Bass Grabber Jig and other Snag Proof lures at your favorite sporting goods retailer or online at www.snagproof.com For more information, call 1-800-762-SNAGPRF (4773) or 513-489-6483. Email snagproof@fuse.net Snag Proof 11387 Deerfield Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242.

The Bomber Saltwater Grade CD25 and CD30 are available in ten proven saltwater colors. Bomber Lures, 3601 Jenny Lind Road, Fort Smith, AR 72901, (800) 531-1201, www.lurenet.com.

Buck’s Redpoint Opens with Ease Knives that open with one hand are convenient, but if you’re wearing gloves it can be a challenge. Not so with the innovative new Model

Redpoint

750 Redpoint folder introduced by Buck Knives. Thanks to Buck’s SafeSpinTM blade rotator (built into the end of the blade) you can open it with one finger, never touching the blade. Just pull back on the over-sized button on the handle to disengage the lock and open the blade. The button lock on the handle functions as a safety feature, locking and unlocking the blade, in both the open and closed positions. The 2-3/4” blade, made of Buck’s pre-

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ferred 420HC stainless steel, is a partially serrated drop-point. The All-Weather Grip handle is thermoplastic with a rubber overmold for comfort and control. At the buttend of the handle there’s a Utility ArchTM that is large enough for a carabiner, and also serves as a handy bottle opener. The handle offers a removable stainless steel pocket/belt clip for carrying options. The Redpoint comes in four colors – black, platinum, blue and yellow. MSRP for the Model 750 is $34. As with all Buck knives, the blade is finished with Buck’s advanced Edge2xTM technology, making it sharper out of the box, hold an edge longer and easier to re-sharpen. And, of course, the Redpoint is backed by Buck’s unconditional lifetime warranty. Contact: Buck Knives, Inc., 660 S. Lochsa Street, Post Falls, ID 83854. Phone: (800) 326-2825. Website: www.buckknives.com

ultimate portable line winding station… is a place to sit. The world’s best superline just got easier. For more information log onto www.powerpro.com Innovative Textiles 559 Sandhill Lane, Grand Junction, CO 81506. 1-800-6508003.

Scout 350 Abaco Worth the Wait Scout’s 350 Abaco Series, four years in the making, was designed in conjunction with world renowned naval architect Michael Peters. Once again, Scout has created a fuel efficient hull design without sacrificing the high performance characteristics of the model. Showcasing a top speed of over 50 mph / 45+ knots and a cruising range of 450 miles due in part to its dual

Spooling is a Breeze with New EZ Spool PowerPro’s new EZ Spool is the most revolutionary development in fishing line since the introduction of braided superlines 15 years ago. Its all-in-one cartridge pack allows for easy spooling directly from the box, protects remaining line and includes a built-in cutter. The self containing EZ Spool package can be held between the knees. As PowerPro line is spooled directly from box to reel, the angler can apply the desired amount of tension with his knees, allowing line to be spooled tightly and even-

PowerPro EZ Spool ly. When finished spooling, the built-in cutter severs the line and holds it neatly in place. The only thing not included in this

tank 330 gallon fuel capacity and twin Yamaha 350 hp engines, the flagship vessel is also extremely agile. Scout’s newest creation houses a unique, one-of-a-kind fully-finished systems room that rivals engine rooms on multi-million dollar sportfishers. One can step down in the systems room with ease, taking advantage of an uncluttered working area and ample lighting to service every major systems component within easy reach. The 350 features a stepped hull; an unobstructed engine/dive teak platform; integrated teaser reels; yacht grade transom door with flush bolster; hideaway anchor/windlass with fresh water wash; strategically-mounted windshield wipers/washers; custom cherry interior; standard cockpit freezer; dedicated shower enclosure; smartly designed skylights/hatches; integrated safety locker; and an integral engine flush system. Scout Boats, Inc. 2531 Hwy 78 West, Summerville SC 29483. 843-821-0068 www.scoutboats.com. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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New Rods Grab Angler Attention There is new rod company taking a foot hold on market – Hendrix Rods. The company was created by custom rod maker Michael Hendrix in Fort Worth, Texas. For over 20 years Hendrix has been building custom fishing rods but when he saw these new blanks he envisioned more. “These blanks are incredible” exclaimed Hendrix. The reviews from recreational and tournament anglers alike echo the same sentiment. Offered in either split grip or solid handle, Hendrix Rods are built with quality Fuji components. The rod blanks are constructed with IM6 or IM8 materials making them extremely light and sensitive yet strong enough to handle those lunkers. Guides are hand placed following the scientifically proven Fuji Concept System to insure maximum casting distance and strike detection. The Concept System reduces Scout 350 Abaco friction when casting for improved casting distance and accuracy. Hendrix hand turns and bores every cork for a precise fit for maximum vibration transfer to the angler – feel every detail. With quality blank construction, quality materials, and guide placement based on

Texas-based Hendrix Rods scientific research, this is one fishing rod you will not want to put down. Contact: Hendrix Rods 817-2299341. Web: www.hendrixrods.com.

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Tracker Launches Smaller Boat for Small Waters electric trolling motor if so desired. Rod holders mounted on the starboard side keep rods organized and out from under foot. Drink holders both fore and aft keep a cool one close by. A non-aerated livewell is located under the aft seat for keeping bait or your catch. A galvanized trailer with EZ Lube hubs and full bunks for full hull support completes the Fisherman 16 package. The boat is excellent for bodies of water that have horsepower restrictions or are too small for the practical use of a full size bass boat. The Fisherman 16 boating package is lightweight, easy and economical to tow with any size vehicle. It makes a great boat for getting around small streams and back into those secluded fishing spots that you can’t get into with a full size rig. “We expect big things out of it; we have showed it at one of our stores and have received very good response,” Mason said. It should be in all Bass Pro Shops in time for the spring and summer fishing seasons. Suggested retail price is $2495, plus dealer prep and destination charges.

RACKER MARINE, ALWAYS WITH AN EAR tuned to what anglers want in fishing boats, has come out with a boat that’s ideal for small water fishing: the Fisherman 16. The 16-foot, 2-inch aluminum boat can carry two anglers with space left over. The boat is powered by a 46-pound thrust, foot controlled MotorGuide trolling motor. “It’s set up for the angler who wants to do small lake or pond fishing, maybe even some small creeks that you can drift,” said Steve Mason with Tracker Marine. “It’s almost like a double ended boat.” The double-end hull allows the boat to get into tight fish-holding structure and easily maneuver into the best fishing position with either trolling motor or paddle. The Fisherman 16 has all the quality and reliability built into it that Tracker is famous for. It has three pressed-in keels for strength and straight tracking; two pressedin hull side stiffeners for additional strength; and transverse rib construction for strength and durability. Pressure treated flat floorboards provides sure footing. It has a raised, carpeted front deck with a padded, swivel fishing chair. There is plenty of floor space for casting and mounting electronics. One Interstate heavy-duty battery and wiring harness are stowed below the front deck. A second folding seat is located about three feet from the back of the boat. “The rear is basically a bench seat across the back,” said Mason. “A lot of guys like to take a cushion and sit back there fishing, maybe even do a little trolling if they want to troll with a paddle.” The aft end is capable of handling the

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—Tom Behrens

The Buck Bomb

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of many products on the market. Other similar complaints included: Was it best to use wicks? Drag lines? Cover scents? Was it okay to trudge all over the vicinity of our stand to put out scent, or was that detrimental to our success? This frustration and confusion set them on a mission to take the guesswork out of scent use. The result is an incredibly easy to use line of scents that are extremely effective in all areas of North America. Today, Buck Bomb makes products for deer, hogs, elk, bear, moose, and predators. Each “bomb” contains 3 ounces of scent that can be dispensed in short bursts or locked down for total release. What makes Buck Bomb products more effective than others? Buck Bomb’s fogging technology essentially turns the scent into a gas cloud that can travel in excess of 1/4 mile in a 3 mph breeze. This fine mist attaches to leaves, trees, and brush making a natural scent “cone” leading right back to the can. Buck Bomb scents also provide the best cover scent available by creating a scent barrier between the hunter and animals approaching from downwind. Buck Bomb’s incredibly effective scent dispersal system provides tremendous broadcast range that cannot be duplicated with liquid, solid, or gel scents. It can be used while stand hunting or stalking to check the wind, attracting game, and covering human scent. One simple-to-use product truly can do it all for the hunter. Buck Bomb has produced tremendous results for novice hunters by expanding their opportunity to see game. For veteran hunters, they have eliminated the need to tread deep into a mature bucks home turf, where one mistake can turn the buck into a nocturnal ghost. As hunters, the folks at Buck Bomb like to slip into the woods with as little hassle and equipment as possible to complete the job. Fumbling around for wicks, cotton balls, drags, bottles of scent, etc. wastes time and makes noise. A can of Buck Bomb can be carried in your pocket and has a 180-

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degree valve that can be sprayed upside down to hit the bottom of your boots for cover or to lay down a scent line to your stand. When you are ready, the locking tab is depressed for the “bomb effect” that provides incredible dispersion. The company advises hunters to keep a spare Buck Bomb in your hunting stand to periodically refresh the scent when the winds shift or thermals change. Share your success stories with the makers of Buck Bomb. They always enjoy hear-

ing Buck Bomb success stories from their customers in the field. Feel free to contact them by going to the company website. Remember to include the Buck Bomb can in the photos of your trophy so they can post them on their webpage for all of your friends to admire. Their products are available at both large and small hunting retailers across the U.S. and Canada. Products and apparel can also be ordered directly from their website: www.buckbomb.com. Buck Bomb offices

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are located in Stevensville, MD on the Chesapeake Bay’s eastern shore. Please feel free to contact them at any time with questions at 866-850-6653 or via email at staff@buckbomb.com.

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Mossberg Model 835 Ulti-Mag Tactical Turkey Shotgun A by Steve LaMascus

T FIRST GLANCE, THE MOSSBERG TACTICAL Turkey looks like a camouflaged M16 on steroids. Then you notice the forearm of the slide action, fiber optic sights, large ejection port, and huge 5-round cartridge carrier on the side of the buttstock. I was intrigued with the gun, but I am not a wannabe SWAT type. I had my turn in that barrel 20 years ago and found out it

wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t nearly as fun and romantic as it looks on television. I am, however, a truly addicted predator hunter, and the Tactical Turkey

looked like it was made-to-order for nighttime predator calling. I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to try it out.

It was a few weeks before I could find the time to go, but eventually the shotgun and I made it to the pastures. Joe Robinette, my buddy and a fellow predator calling addict, and I piled into his truck and headed out to do battle with some of the foxes and bobcats that had infiltrated his place and mine, which are separated by only a goat-wire fence.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MOSSBERG

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Mossberg’s 835 UltiMag: like a camo M-16 on steroids.

The first stand produced a gray fox that thought the Fox Pro electronic caller sounded good enough to eat. Joe was working the light and I was shooting. When the fox was about 30 yards away, Joe hit it with the red beam of the spotlight. It stopped and stood, looking around in confusion. I hefted the 835, put the fiber optic front sight on the fox, and pressed the trigger. The recoil from the 3-inch Magnum Winchester Extended Range load of B shot was substantial, but I was expecting it. The fox was not. The shot charge hit it and it hit the ground. I let it have a second charge, just to be certain, but the first was undoubtedly sufficient. Now for the brass tacks. To me, a former skeet addict and upland bird gunner, the collapsible stock felt odd. Also, the 835 does not point as naturally for me as a standard shotgun, and the sights are too low for me. My Indian cheekbones will not let me get low enough on the stock to line up the sights without going into some uncomfortable contortions. I had to use just the front sight and hold low. Some kind of lift or riser under the sights to get them another 1/2-inch off the barrel would be a tremendous help. The collapsible stock, like every other such stock I have ever used, does not allow a comfortable face meld, so shooting the gun with face planted solidly where the comb would be on a standard stock is a bit painful, especially with powerful Magnum rounds. To me, the safety position seemed unwieldy. This gun is made to feel at home in the hands of an AR-15 shooter, with the trigger hand firmly on the pistol grip. However, Mossberg did not relocate the safety from the top tang position to something easily accessible for a gun so built. With the gun held normally by the pistol grip, the safety is absolutely inaccessible. The hand must be removed from the grip to push the safety off or on. On the plus side, the gun is well balanced and solidly built. The sights seem to

be properly aligned for about 50 yards. I did not try it with slugs, but it did center buckshot charges quite well. Someone who is accustomed to an AR-

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15 with a collapsible stock and not a devoted shotgunner and wingshooter would find the 835 as comfortable as an old pair of shoes. And that’s just fine, because this gun was never intended for the wingshooter.

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Cliff Smallwood bagged this impressive nine-pointer in McCullough County. Oh, and it was a doe.

A 130-Class B&C Doe? LIFF SMALLWOOD OF WHITE OAK, TEXAS, took a business trip to McCullogh County shortly after Thanksgiving. It is a convenient place for Smallwood to work. He has a 550-acre deer lease just outside of Brady and keeps a travel trailer at a nearby RV park. Small took off work early on the afternoon of November 30 so he could do a little deer hunting. He and Jeff Cox, a Texas

by Matt Williams and Tom Behrens Parks & Wildlife Department game warden, were approaching Cox’s box blind when they heard a grunting noise coming from some brush beneath the ridge. Initially, the men thought the noise might be a feral hog. They scanned the brush and eventually spotted a buck moving through the mesquites about 30 yards away. The deer appeared to have a respectable rack with tall tines. “I actually thought it was the same buck I’d passed on opening morning of the season,” said Smallwood. “I killed a real nice buck out there last year and I didn’t want to shoot another one unless it was better than that one, especially during the first hour of opening day. So, I let it walk.” Not knowing whether he would have another chance to hunt this season, Smallwood elected to shoot the deer if he got the opportunity. He slipped quietly through the brush hoping to see the buck again. He did, this time at 50 yards. Smallwood said he made a mew call and the buck stopped in a small clearing long

enough for him to take the shot. He dropped the deer in its tracks. Closer evaluation told Smallwood the buck he had shot was not the same one seen earlier in the season. Still, it was respectable. It was a seven-pointer that would have been a nine-pointer if not for two broken tines. Closer inspection told the men the deer was a warrior. “It’s neck was swollen and had cuts on it,” Smallwood said. “It also had dried blood and hair on the tips of its antlers. It was pretty obvious the deer had been fighting with another buck and inflicted some injury, probably within the last 24-48 hours.”

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Then the men noticed something strange that led to an even more bizarre discovery: The tarsal glands inside the deer’s hind legs were snow white, not urine stained as is normal with many rutting bucks. “We thought that was kind of weird,” Smallwood said. “Then I lifted a rear leg G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

and saw it had no male genitals. Instead, it had female genitalia and teats. It was a doe with antlers—the strangest thing I have ever seen.” Unusual, no doubt. Unheard of, no. Mitch Lockwood, whitetail deer program leader for TPWD, said he hears reports of up to three antlered does shot in Texas each season. “It’s pretty unusual, but we do hear about them from time to time,” Lockwood said. “I have actually seen two myself. What is interesting is that most of some of them are pretty nice deer, 9 or 10 points that will score around 130 B&C.” In 1990, Chad Lanier shot a 10-point doe with an unofficial score of 140 B&C in Anderson County that TPWD biologists at nearby Engeling Wildlife Management Area aged at 6-1/2 years. Lanier had the cross-gendered deer full-body mounted to preserve its sexual non-identity. “I get reports and pictures, pretty good evidence, probably every season of similar deer,“ Lockwood said. “It’s a female with a lot of testosterone. Some have polished antlers; some never shed their velvet. Of 430,000 deer kills a year, half being females, it’s pretty uncommon.” Jim Heffelfinger, a Regional Game Specialist with Arizona Game and Fish, and an expert on white-tailed and mule deer, has researched this abnormality. His book, Deer of the Southwest, is a go-to resource among deer management biologists across the United States. He has a masters degree from Texas A&M-Kingsville, and has worked with deer since 1986 in Texas, Wisconsin, North Dakota, New Mexico, Mississippi, and Arizona. “I seem to be the collector of information on odd deer,” said Heffelfinger. “People PHOTO COURTESY OF CLIFF SMALLWOOD

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Special Hunting Section

Trophy Fever

send me emails of strange antler things. They say, ‘I saw this freak and I thought about forwarding the information to you’. I think the antler abnormalities among whitetail, mule, and deer hybrids are the most interesting [anomalies]. Real females can grow antlers. There are a three different situations that we know of that might cause this situation: a tumor on the ovaries disrupts the hormones; a bad injury to the skull bone can sometimes initiate antler growth at the source of the injury when it happens at the right time; and other diseases or ailments that disrupt hormone balance, suppresses estrogen, might cause antler growth in a real female. “There is always a little bit of testosterone in females. Females produce some in the adrenal glands and other areas. If something depresses the production of estrogen, testosterone can take over.” Probably much more common is when something happens during a male’s development and the testicles do not descend into

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLIFF SMALLWOOD

This photo clearly shows the gender of Cliff Smallwood’s nine-pointer.

the scrotum. The buck gets older and has natural antler cycles, then a hunter shoots it and discovers no external male genitals. “The deer still has all the male parts,” said Heffelfinger. “It’s just that the testicles are up in the stomach cavity and the penis up kind of in the fold. Anybody who is not a reproductive physiologist looking at the

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deer would say it’s a female. It’s really just a malformed male in that case.” Skipper Duncan said a similar situation occurred on the property where he guides. Upon examination, a biologist pronounced the deer a “false antlered female,” which was a misnomer because the animal was a male. The deer had no apparent male

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PHOTO BY DON ZAIDLE

Chad Lanier killed the full-body mount deer pictured here in 1990 in Anderson County. It, too, was an antlered doe.

plumbing. The biologist cut open the deer and found two testicles embedded up in the deer’s flanks. Heffelfinger said there is a much rarer instance where a deer really does have male and female reproductive organs, an occurrence called “hermaphroditism.” They might have an ovary on one side and a testi-

cle on the other. The deer looks like a female, but also has antlers because a testicle is producing the male hormone. A Florida hunter on November 12 dropped two deer. Senior Wildlife Technician Tim Farley with the Florida Wildlife Commission discovered that one deer, a hermaphrodite, had both male and female

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reproductive organs. He had logged another hermaphrodite deer the day before. “I’ve been doing this for 27 years and I’ve only come across three deer that were ‘true’ hermaphrodites,” said Farley. Another abnormality in deer is when whitetail and mule deer might crossbreed, producing a hybrid. “The offspring are generally more specific to the larger mule deer species,” said Heffelfinger. “It sometimes creates antlers that are intermediate between the two species, and the behavior sometimes is strange. Mule deer and whitetails get away from predators in different ways. Whitetails run fast; mule deer kind of hop, like a pogo stick. They sometimes seem to be confused on which way to go.” Cliff Smallwood did not tally a Boone & Crockett score of his deer, but said it was a trophy to him and he was having it mounted—but didn’t say which end.

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Ensign Sets Freshwater Redfish Record

tory medium heavy Bass Killer Rod. The braking system on the Ardent allowed me to cast without having to constantly worry about backlashes. The zero stretch of the braid ensured a good hookset, and after about a 15 minute fight, I landed the red, measured him, took pictures, and released him to fight another day.” Redfish are stocked in several Texas, lakes including Fairfield, Calaveras, and

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARDENT REELS

Jason Ensign shows off his record freshwater redfish. Braunig. They grow to large sizes in freshwater, but cannot spawn. In March, Ensign was recognized for catching the new lake record yellow bass out of Lake Benbrook.—Chester Moore

Mystery of “The Rub Buck” Some trophy deer never see a den wall— dying of old age or accident after avoiding an appointment with a hunter’s bullet for years. Such is the story of “the Rub Buck.” David Anderson found the 9-pointer on his Four A Ranch in February 2006 with one of its antlers lodged in the fork of a tree, dead of probable starvation or exhaustion. “We called it ‘the Rub Buck’,” Anderson told me. “ To get it out, I had to get two of my buddies to pull the branches apart while I pulled on the deer. It was a 3-1/2year-old buck that I had pictures of on a game camera. I sent the photos of this deer with its antlers caught to some ranching friends. I wanted them to see that whenever C42

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF FOUR A RANCH

The “Rub Buck” met its demise when its anglers got stuck between two trees.

you think you’re going to give a buck another year, there’s always a way to lose them.” Anderson concluded the buck became trapped while rubbing its antlers on the tree. He laments that in another few weeks, the animal would have probably shed its antlers and been safe from mishap. He said that he wasn’t sure whether coyotes visited the site, but that the buzzards in his area are particularly aggressive. The photos Anderson sent to other ranchers soon leaked onto the internet and

thence around the world via email. “The power of the web is incredible and I was amazed at the responses,” he said. “I even got an email from a PETA person asking how I could let something like this happen. I thought it was just best not to answer that one.” The four “A’s” in Four A Ranch stands for Anderson’s wife, Samantha, two grown children, and David Anderson; he said all of them are good Aggies. “Southwest Airlines made me retire from

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being a pilot in 2005,” Anderson said. “We bought the ranch in 1998 and decided to give this business seven years to become established. Samantha and I run the place, and it provides us with something for retirement.” Anderson operates the ranch as a hunting ranch. He said he has cleared cedar and trimmed hackberry trees to improve natural habitat, plants a 60-acre food plot in a creek bottom, feeds supplemental protein, and coordinates these efforts with a biologist that helps him oversee his Level III Managed Lands program. “The deer on this place are native,” he said. “We take 12 bucks off this property every year, and we’re thinking that maybe next year we’ll be able to take 15. It would be nice, and our ultimate goal is to get to 20 bucks a year.” —Herman W. Brune

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Going Fishing? Take a Bow! WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD RECENTLY AND saw a bumper sticker that read, “I’d rather be fishing.” So would I, I thought, but with my bow. When people think of fishing, most imagine longer days, shorter nights, and many relaxing hours spent by a favorite fishing hole with rod and reel. If you want a new and exciting challenge, go bowfishing instead. Bowfishing has become increasingly popular every year. Not only is it a good way to keep your bow muscles in tune, it also promises to bring a ton of fun and laughs for you and your bowfishing partners. Even the most experienced bowhunter finds himself missing more than not when bowfishing; it is not as easy as you might think. Bowfishing requires a very modest setup. You need only a bow equipped with a line of string and a reel, a special fiberglass fishingarrow, and a fishing license. Bowfishing kits are available from just about any sporting goods store. Nighttime is the right time according to the pros, but you can have plenty of action during the day, too. When the carp are spawning is one of the best times for bowfishing. I have seen years when it seemed like the lake had been transformed into a sea of carp breaking the surface. Carp are not the only game in town. All

fresh- and saltwater non-protected nongame fishes are fair game. This includes all species of gar and carp, bream, freshwater drum (gaspergou), buffalo fish, suckers, and saltwater flounder. Although classed as game fish, freshwater catfishes are also legal game. Bowfishing can be found in places like Lavon, Cedar Creek, the Trinity River, and Choke Canyon reservoir, as well as just about any other place that holds a river, lake, or any other body of water. There are times when I think you could find fish in your own backyard after one of our spring storms. The bow can be anything from a compound to a crossbow. Most people forgo release aids and use their fingers for a faster draw and release time. The water can be murky at times, allowing the fish to be visible only a short time, so you need to think fast and be accurate. The arrow used is heavier than a hunting setup, and is equipped with a special fishing head that has two barbs that open up after the arrow has passed through the fish. This allows the bowfisherman to reel in his prize without the fear of losing it. You can bowfish without a boat, but many prefer a boat of some kind; there are

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even boats specially rigged for bowfishing, often with bow-mounted lights for nighttime forays. The object is to slowly steer the boat to where you think your quarry is and silently get close enough to harvest the fish you are after. It is not as easy as it seems. Remember, you are balancing yourself on a wet platform in the front of a rocking boat. With bowfishing, as in any kind of hunting with a bow, estimating distance is important to success. The difference in fishing with a bow is that the distance is constantly changing. Not only is the boat closing the distance, but your target is moving either from side to side or darting in front of you, which partially explains why misses are more common than not in this sport. If that is not enough, the target is not actually where it appears to be. Refraction makes the target appear lower than it actually is, so you must aim blow the target instead of dead-on. That is why many bow hunters tend to shoot high when bowfishing. Figuring out how low to aim comes with experience and practice. It is exciting enough when you hook into a nice big fish while you have a rod in your hand, but to catch a fish such as a gargantuan alligator gar with a bow is really a thrill. The State record for grass carp is 69 pounds, which is a respectable fish. If you shoot an alligator gar, you will need to beat an unbelievable weight of 290 pounds to make the record books. Enjoy the spring and summer and bring your bow with you on your next fishing trip. You will not regret it. E-mail Lou Marullo at lmarullo@fishgame.com. PHOTO BY GRADY ALLEN

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SANDHILL CRANE—SEMINOLE, TEXAS

BUCK—SONORA, TEXAS

Fourteen-year-old John Knelsen and his 15-year-old cousin David Knelsen of Seminole, Texas, shot these 5 sandhill crane on their oat field with 12-gauge shotguns using 2-3/4-inch 4-shot and the help of their dog Kiara, who caught the wounded crane.

Christopher Trimble, age 12, of Spring, Texas, collected this buck near Sonora, Texas. Photo submitted by grandfather, Ray Pickett.

HOG—BERCLAIR, TEXAS

DEER—HARPER, TEXAS

WHITETAIL DEER— SONORA, TEXAS

Proud hunter Dustin Witzsche, age 10, of Corpus Six-year-old Coy Campbell of Mont Belvieu, Texas, Christi, Texas, took a hog at the family lease near shot his first deer while hunting with his parents Berclair. He shot the sow with a 22-.250. in Harper, Texas. The eight-pointer weighed 147 pounds.

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

Holly Trimble, age 11, of Spring, Texas, took this 61/2-year-old whitetail at 90 yards with one shot from her youth model .243, in a bid to outdo her big brother.

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

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

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

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NE OF MY FAVORITE YEARLY GIGS IS THE Miami boat show. Though it might not have the charm or accessibility of the Corpus or Houston shows, it is the country’s biggest boat show and has one thing others can’t claim: the National Marine Manufacturer Association’s Innovation Awards. These awards are given to the coolest new boating products of the year, and yours truly is one of the seven judges on the panel. Why should you care? Because that means we get a glimpse of the hottest new gear before it ever hits the market. Most of the items we gave awards to aren’t even available on the market

yet. But they will be. And when you see them, remember you read about it first here. Electronics: The consumer marine electronics category was full of good stuff this year. Some of it, like the waterproof SPOT satellite messenger system (which puts your location on Google Earth), HX850S floating GPS-enabled DSC floating VHF from Standard Horizon (overboard? they’ll find you quick, if you have one of these,) and Raymarine’s 12-kW hi-definition radar (is that a gnat I see on the radar screen?) can make your day on the water notably safer. But as important as this stuff is, it all paled in comparison to the hands-down winner, Furuno’s new Navnet 3-D. Essentially, Furuno has folded the NavSea program directly into its Navnet system. 3-D bathymetric generation, navigational tools, and navigation planning, chartography, and all the other benefits of a full-blown computer navigational suite are built right into the black box sitting behind your boat’s bulkhead. Available in multi-screen systems with 8.4-inch or 12-inch 800x640 pixel display units, the new Navnet system features

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“Timezero” functionality. In other words, screen re-draws and function changes happen just as fast as you can press the buttons. The fish-finder module pumps out 600 or 1000 watts in dual 50/200khz, and the system can handle different plug-and-play antennae ranging from a 2-kW, 5.2-degree beam width dome to a 25-kW, 1.4-degree beam width open array. What about real-time satellite weather, and weather faxes? Naturally, these are part of the system. What is super-cool does not have to be super-complex! Sit down with the Navnet 3D system and start pushing buttons, and you’ll get the hang of it in minutes. In fact, the entire judging staff had no problem figuring out the basics without any instruction manual or computerized tutorial. The downside to the new Navnet 3-D? Yup, you guessed it: this stuff isn’t cheap. You’re going to have to lay out at $10,000 just to get started, and multi-display systems could easily cost as much as some hot new bass boats fully-equipped with an outboard and a trailer. Consumer Gear: In the Consumer Personal Gear category, the Innovation Award was given to the Coastal Compact Life Raft from Revere Survival Products. The smallest rafts made by most life raft manufacturers are four-man models, but this little lifesaver is meant for two. That mans it’s compact— barely the size of a regular businessman’s briefcase-and easily stowed on small boats. It’s also relatively cheap, coming in just under $1000. Note: This raft isn’t SOLAS approved, as most built for oceanic use are. And, it isn’t intended for saving your butt when you’re 100 miles offshore. It’s rated for near-coastal use, and doesn’t have a sunshade. But with built-in ballast pockets and multiple air chambers, if your boat ever sunk out from under you, there’s no doubt you’d want a Coastal Compact to bail you out of trouble. Docking & Fendering: The Innovation Award for the Consumer Installed Docking and Fendering Equipment category is usually a big yawn for boaters like you and I, but not this year. This category was won by the H2 LED Dock, by TouchStone Accent Light-

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ing. The H2 LED cleat light is a simple, well-engineered 12-volt (also available in solar-power versions) light that mounts under a standard 10-inch cleat. These lights are surprisingly heavy-duty and throw a bright glow both out to the sides and down towards the water. Two distinct advantages come along with the H2 LED: it’ll be really, really easy to find the cleats when you moor up in the dark; and more light on your pier equals more fish swimming around it once the sun goes down. Inflatables & Tenders: This is another category you’d think would be unimportant to boaters in Texan waters, but again, it’s surprisingly relevant-especially if you’re a yakangler. Walker Bay Boats Airis High-Pressure Inflatable Kayak was judged the winner in this category, and this nifty new yak will be of interest to anglers who like to travel. Constructed using patent-pending AirWeb technology, this kayak can be inflated to more than six psi. Most inflatable kayaks reach a whopping one or one and a half psi, and if you’ve ever paddled one of these, you’ve probably noticed they have flexible sides, floppy floors, and absolutely zero tracking ability. But with six psi, the result is a rigid, stable platform. It

even has a mini-keel, so it tracks straight. Inflation time is just a few minutes and incorporates only two parts, and, the Airis is lightweight and compact enough to be carried as a backpack. Ready to fish? Rodholders can be added to the aft mount. PWC, Jets, & Pontoons: While Yamaha Motor Corp. took home the Innovation Award in the PWC, Jet Boats and Pontoon Boats category for its Wave Runner SHO, with a nano-engineered hull that decreases the craft’s weight by 25 percent, a No-Wake mode that automatically sets engine RPM at optimal no-wake speed, and cruise control, I’m guessing you’ll be more interested in a product that took Honorable Mention in this category: The RPT (Revolutionary Planning Technology) pontoon tube, design by Sylvan Marine. Sylvan claims that this extruded-aluminum pontoon boat is the first full planning, V-bottom pontoon. That should mean more speed for the same amount of power, and the design does deliver: a 22-foot Sylvan Signature pontoon boat powered by a single Yamaha F-150 breaks 42 mph. Runabouts & Fish Boats: This is, naturally, one of my personal favorites, and I’ll

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bet you’re wondering who won in this category, too. Well, let’s cut right to the chase. The judges presented this Innovation Award to Boston Whaler for its 230 Dauntless. Great engineering, flawless execution and clever ideas combine to create a new level of comfort and maximum use of space in this boat, but what really set it apart was the bow seating. If you’ve ever tried to sit facing forward while sitting sideways in a bow cockpit, you know how uncomfortable (read “impossible”) it can be. But on the Whaler, the aft end of the seat rises up on a strut, creating a forward-facing seat back on each side. Now, you really can sit facing forward. Added bonus: by engineering the strut into the hatch below it, you don’t lose the stowage space commonly found under the seats on a bowrider. In fact, the hatch is only an inch or two wider than the norm. No Category: Sure, these hot new goodies were all deserving of their awards. But there’s always a product or two that we wish had made the cut. One that had all the attributes of a cool new gadget that deserves some

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It’s Alive! HEY ARE NOT BAITENSTEINS, BUT nonetheless many species’ worst nightmares. The family of hard plastic, multi-jointed lures might not feel alive, but they sure look it on the retrieve. These are not your standard two-piece jointed lures; the jointed body segments number from four to 11, a configuration that gives a much more “alive” look. Most have rattles in the head section. That, and the clicking of the body segments, provides added attraction. All that body motion also sends out a vibration signal. The main attraction, though, is an unbelievably realistic swimming motion. Multiple color combinations go hand-in-hand with the various shapes and sizes offered. One even has a profile that’s long and slim enough to have an eel-like look and should be a ling’s dream, er, nightmare. I first saw this type of lure several years ago, the “Kick Tail” by NGC Sports. The 4inch version has five segments. The literature says the technology that activates the tail sections on the retrieve is based on a principle called “Aeronautical Flutter,” which causes the tail to wag left and right as if the lure were propelling itself with its tail while the head remains stationary. Manufacturers such as Spro, Strike-Pro, Lucky Craft, and Strike King have excellent examples out there, sized from 3 to 8 inches and weighing from 1 to 8 ounces. Coming in floating, diving, and slow sinking models, they

suit a wide range of applications. Several body joint connecting methods, such as Lucky Craft’s double-reinforced stainless steel wire and Strike Pro’s patented “bike chain” joint system, are what gives these lures that “alive” look in the water. These multijointed, hard-bodied swim baits should be inshore and bay safe as-rigged for the majority of what’s out there. To be on the safe side with the smaller ones offshore, a change to stronger split rings and larger treble hooks is recommended. Concerning the strength of these body joint connectors, my assumption is always that the split rings are the likely weakest link in every lure that uses them. With that consideration in mind, I did a backyard load test on one of my 4-3/4-inch, 3/4-ounce Flex-X baits by Strike Pro. I started by hanging it by its nose split ring on a 200-pound snap swivel, and progressed from 20 through 35 pounds over an hour period without a failure on the tail. With 45 pounds, it took 5 minutes for the split ring on the trailer to open up. Going to 90-pound Spro Power split rings had these results: 45 pounds at 30 minutes, 50 pounds at 15 minutes. At 55 pounds, 6 ounces, and 8 minutes, the link on the tail body piece parted. For this lure in particular, “off the rack” it will take over 45 pounds of pull; going to those 90pound split rings increased the load tolerance

Multi-jointed, hard-bodied swimbaits, a family of imposters supreme. to more than 55 pounds for several minutes. This is one tough lure in its group’s smaller size. The standard offshore retrieves work best most of the time—fast for kingf i s h , wahoo, dolphin, tuna, etc.; slower for ling, snapper, grouper, etc. Slow retrieves produce slow, sinuous swim rates, and a faster retrieve produces faster tail beats and body flexes, just like a live bait without the hassles of catching and maintaining live baits. These baits have taken blackfin tuna, yellowfin tuna, ling, kingfish, wahoo, and dolphin, and from catches I’ve seen, these lures are also killers for speckled trout and redfish. Freshwater targets would include largemouth and striped bass. No amount of electrical charge can make any of these multi-jointed, hard-bodied lures come alive, but they do bring their own form of lightning to your fishing. E-mail Patrick Lemire at saltrigs@fishgame.com

TEXAS BOATING Continued from Page C47 recognition, but got beat out by an incredibly strong contender. This year, that happened to Old Harbor Outfitter’s Titanium-bonded knives. Unlike most knives with titanium on the blade, the material is actually mixed C48

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and fused with stainless steel to create sharpen-able blades that are three times stronger than the norm. Added bonus: their cost is beyond reasonable, at about $20 for a bait knife and $25 for a fillet knife. The Titanium-bonded knives weren’t on the market quite yet when we played with &

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them at the show, but you should be seeing them is stores right about the time this edition of Texas Fish & Game prints. Like I said— you read it here first! E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com ILLUSTRATION BY PATRICK LEMIRE

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Rod-Free Cats OMETIMES FISHING GETS ENTIRELY TOO complicated. When you run out of room in your boat for all your rods, reels, tackle, electronics, rain gear, GPS, and the occasional fishing partner, then you know it’s time to take a step back and get back to the basics of fishing. When I mention basics, I really mean the bare essentials required to catch a fish. This doesn’t mean that you pare down your equipment to just six rod and reel combo’s and one tackle bag. No sir, I mean get it down to just the absolute minimum amount of equipment needed to catch a fish, which is just a hook and line. Many experienced anglers (read “older”) have spent countless hours pulling in catfish on trotlines, jugs, and throwlines, but it was more of a necessity rather than for the recreational opportunities. Once upon a time, if you didn’t catch something, you didn’t eat, so using a highly inefficient rod and reel wasn’t practical. Today, we fish more for entertainment than sustenance, but there are still occasions where catching a cooler full of catfish is the purpose of the trip and if you know how to rig a throwline you can fill the cooler much quicker. A throwline is the epitome of simplicity. It consists of a braided nylon line, just like a trotline, which has a weight on one end, a few hooks along the line, and the other end is tied to a solid anchoring point on land. Fishing a throwline is fairly easy. Just bait the hooks, tie the un-weighted end to a tree, rock, or man-made anchor on the bank, and toss the weighted end as far into the water as

ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW

you can. Go tend to the campfire, set a few more lines, check your throwline every now and then, and catch catfish. Before getting too deep into this I must point out that Texas Parks and Wildlife has set a few restrictions on throwlines regarding what they can be used for, where they can be used, and how many hooks each line can have. First, a throwline cannot have more than five hooks. Realistically, if you have more

than two or t h r e e hooks on it you’re just begging to catch one in your flesh when you throw the line out. Second, throwlines cannot be used to catch any game fish other than catfish so if you hook a bass or crappie you have to release them. Last, they can be used in freshwater only so those of you living near the coast need to know where the freshwater/saltwater boundary is in your area. Rigging a throwline starts by selecting the proper weight to tie onto the end. The weight can be anything from a brick or rock to a homemade weight made of concrete and an eyebolt. In areas with little current, the purpose of the weight is just to help carry the line into the water so just about any type of weight will do. In rivers with substantial current, you’ll need to use either a heavier A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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weight or a weight with legs to grip the bottom. An 8-ounce spider weight more commonly used in surf fishing applications works well for this. After you select and tie on a weight the next step is to put the hooks on the line. The easiest way to do this is to double the line and tie an overhand knot in it about 18 inches above the weight leaving a loop of the doubled line hanging out of the knot. For additional hooks, tie more knots in 12-inch increments above the first knot. Take the loop left by each overhand knot and run it through the eye of a hook and then slip the loop around the hook connecting it to the line. That’s it. Bait it and throw it out in the water. For a slightly different rigging, you still need to tie two overhand knots on the main line, but instead of connecting them directly to hooks, leave them open. Take a circle hook and tie on an 18-inch leader made from heavy monofilament. On the other end of the leader, tie on a snap swivel. The swivel will clip onto the loop on the main line. These short leaders let the bait rest slightly off the bottom and the snap swivels let the cats thrash and spin without twisting the line. To throw the line, most anglers choose to grab the main line above the last hook while letting the weight hang down. Swing the weight back and forth in a pendulum manor, gaining momentum before releasing it. Do not swing it over your head unless you like circle hook jewelry. E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

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oyster shells, and other irritants cause hull rash; the rough stubble is reminiscence of five

Scratching Bottom

“

We get our word ‘plastic’ from the Greek ‘plastikos,’ which means ‘to shape or form.’

Y BOTTOM IS RED AND SCRATCHED. HOW about yours? Every kayaker I know scratches his bottom at some point— usually in the company of friends— but their deeds aren’t fodder for Dead Abbey columns. Of course, the bottom I am referring to is the underside of my kayak hull. Hulls leave factories shiny bright and smooth to the touch, but as kayaks see action, things begin to change. Sand, gravel, rocks,

o’clock shadow. Rueben Garza, resident kayak meister at

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Fishing Tackle Unlimited in Houston, said: “There isn’t a way to prevent scratches when you are dealing with a plastic hull. Sooner or later, it happens. It is the nature of the beast.” Scratches run the gamut from tiny nicks, to curlicues, to long Frankenstein-like gashes. Kayaks travel around three miles per hour, and the bottom stubble doesn’t adversely affect performance. Garza noted: “Light scratches on your hull are really a cosmetic problem. They don’t add any significant drag. Most people just accept the fact that they are going to happen but they can be fixed if you want to go to the trouble.” We get our word “plastic” from the Greek word “plastikos,” which means “to shape” or “to form.” Plastics are materials that can be

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heated and shaped, and when cooled, the shape is retained. The term thermoplastic refers to a class of materials that can be remelted and reshaped. Polyethylene is one such material and is used in the construction of 90 percent of all the recreational boats on the market. Like chocolate, polyethylene comes in different grades. Hulls crafted from super linear polyethylene are stiffer and more abrasion resistant; the latter is especially important if you intend to use your kayak around oyster shell or rocks. As you probably guessed, super linear plastic costs more than low-density plastic, therefore bumping up the price of a hull. Since polyethylene can be re-melted, scratches and gashes, even holes, in your hull are easy to repair. Fishing Tackle Unlimited repairs and overhauls a number of hulls in their shop every year. Garza explained that a heat source is applied to the plastic making it soft and pliable. High-end hair dryers can be used in a pinch but Garza recommended a heat gun that can pump out a large number of BTUs. To fix minor scratches and to tame misbehaving plastic cowlicks, warm the scratch with the heat gun, making sure you don’t concentrate the heat on any one area for too long, which will cause a burn through. Once the plastic is soft, smooth out the scratches and curly cues with a hot butter knife. Always wear eye protection when using a heat gun and test the temperature of the warmed plastic with the back of your hand. Pressing fingertips to a hot boat is a great way to immortalize your fingerprints in plastic. Don’t ask me how I know this. Most kayak accessories require mounting holes to be drilled in the hull; some, like the opening for a flush mount rod holder, are rather large. The castoff shards of plastic can be melted and be used to fill in deep gashes or beefing up worn sections. Keels, especially the bow and stern sections, get a lot of abuse as people drag their kayaks over rocks, sand and shell, even concrete. Dragging a boat instead of carrying it quickly abrades the hull. The best way to prevent wear is to use the buddy system and help each other shuttle boats to the water instead of dragging them. If you are by yourself, consider making a new friend. I have never been turned down when I politely asked someone if they could lend a hand. Kayak carts are a good option for the solo angler, allowing you to trundle your boat around on a set of wheels.

Garza noted that they rebuild damaged keels all the time. “We had one in the shop recently that had two full inches of plastic worn away,” he explained. “In situations like that you have to add plastic in layers and build up the area. Once you smooth out the new layer of plastic, cool it down with water and dry it off. Also, you don’t want the whole hull to get hot, so put some water on the areas around the patch to keep them cool. When the new plastic has been added, lightly sand it, and repeat as necessary.”

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Although scratches come with the territory, they are easy to repair. Holes are too. A good heat sources and some plastic chips will help you fix just about any problem. If you are reluctant to aim a heat gun at your hull, a full service kayak shop in can do the job for you. If your bottom is scratched and unsightly, don’t fret about it. You are in good company. Email Greg Berlocher at kayak@fishgame.com

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Buckets, concrete, and tomato stakes make excellent crappie condos—as do bowling balls and PVC pipe. See “Bowling for Crappie” elsewhere in this issue for details.

The House That Mr. Crappie Built ERE IN TEXAS, MOST OF OUR LAKES WERE built back in the 1960s, and most of them had thousands of green trees and a lot of structure for crappie to gather around. It’s been about 44 years now, and most of our Texas lakes have lost all their standing timber, and some no longer have bushes or trees around the shores; it was cleared out by most of the landowners when the lakes would get low. It is high time we crappie anglers take the bull by the horns and create our own crappie houses or structure to help improve our lakes. These crappie houses will provide shade and protection of little fry, and make a great home for crappie, bass, bluegill, and catfish. There are many different types of struc-

ture you can put into a lake. Most crappie anglers love it after Christmas because they can collect all the Christmas trees around their town to put out for crappie cover. For everyone that doesn’t have a boat dock or own a boat slip at a marina to set out brush, we have to fight the elements out in the lake to catch our fish. Personally, I don’t own a boat dock or a marina boat slip, so I have to find structure out in the lakes to catch my crappie, or build my own. Yep Old Wally never leaves home with out a bow saw and some trotline cord, just in case I need to salt a place on the lake with a little brush. When I put brush in the lake, I don’t pick out just any tree or bush. It has to be

some type of hardwood, or button willows that grow around the shore and back up in the creeks. Button willow makes great cover, and it is hard so lasts a long time. Another way to build crappie condos is to use 5- or 3-gallon buckets and fill them about half way with concrete, then I put in 5-foot tomato stakes (that’s too-may-toe, not toemotto). Tomato stakes are made of oak and other types of hard woods. The ones I have been getting are out of Arkansas from some of the sawmills up there. (If you did not know, most of our tomatoes come from southeastern Arkansas in Bradley County.) I put about 10 tomato stakes in one bucket, standing out in all directions. Crappie love this vertical structure, especially when the moss starts growing on the stakes. (See Paul Bradshaw’s “Bowling for Crappie” feature elsewhere in this issue for more info on building crappie cover.) I like to place crappie cover in the winter, so when the spring comes and the water starts to warm up, the wood starts to collect moss and algae. I place them on a break, drop-off, or ledge where crappie travel. I also put out my crappie houses when no one is looking. If you need someone to help you, make sure the guy is trustworthy, has a bad memory, or doesn’t like to fish.

E-mail Wally Marshall at mrcrappie@fishgame.com. Visit his website at www.mrcrappie.com

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PHOTO COURTESY OF WALLY MARSHALL

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The Tournament Buzz HE SEASON IS FINALLY HERE—TOURNAMENT season, that is. The Bassmaster Classic just ended, and the boat shows and fishing shows are coming to an end. The last cold front finally pushes its way through the coast, and the mesquite trees are starting to bloom. This is a sure sign that winter is over and the real fishing season is beginning. Captain Jim and I have been working in the off season getting all our ducks in a row— and I mean that literally, since Jim has spent most of the winter running guided duck hunts in the marsh around Galveston Bay. I spent some time prior to the season remodeling my office (even though things are looking good there, I am sure glad it is over), and now I cannot wait to hit the tournament trail. Jim and I are beginning our sixth season with the Redfish Cup Tournament Series. This year, the Redfish Cup has changed its format a bit and now the field will be made up of approximately 50 elite two-man teams competing in four events. (See more at www.redfishcup.com.) The top 20 teams will qualify for the Championship. We will be fishing the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas. The venue for the Championship has not been announced, but as in the past, it could be anywhere; we have been from South Padre Island, Texas, to North Carolina. Our first event will be held in Punta Gorda, Florida, which is about 100 miles south of Tampa. Texas teams in the past haven’t performed that well in the clear, shallow waters of Florida. Capt. West and I felt pretty good two years ago when we finished 13th in a field of 120 or so, and were the first

PHOTO BY DR. TOMMY LOMONTE

Texas team to get a Capt. Jim West (l) and Dr. Tommy Lomonte pre- scouting new spots, check at the Punta pare to launch the 2008 tournament season. checking old ones, Gorda event. Jim has and exploring new made it a personal challenge this season for us ones. We are getting the boat ready with all to win a Florida event. the tackle tuned up, and making sure we have Jim and I started fishing tournaments all the hatches battened down because, during together about 12 years ago. We are proud to tournament time, we run wide open. be the only team that has not split up or First stop, Punta Gorda, where the water changed partners out of the whole field of is clear and the fish can see you from a mile anglers that is still fishing the Redfish Cup— away. I am not sure, but I think I saw a redand not related to each other. In fact, there are fish wearing my Maui Jim shades that went only three teams that still have the same part- overboard the year before. Second stop, Port ners and are still fishing together: the Watts Arthur, Texas, May 30-June 1, where we will Brothers, Terry Lacoss and his son, and Jim have the luxury of the hometown crowd. and me. This continuity and teamwork gives Hope to see you there. us a little extra edge and confidence to bring home the cup once again. E-mail Tommy Lomonte at We are making travel arrangements and tlomonte@fishgame.com. marking up the calendar; planning the season, Visit his website, www.DrRedfish.com. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Adjusting Your Game for Hot-Weather Fishing N A COUPLE OF MONTHS, IT WILL BE HOT enough to fry an egg on my head, but there will still be big bass to be caught. A lot of fishermen don’t like to fish in hot weather. I believe you can learn more in the summertime that will help your overall fishing than any other time. Two very important things that you can learn are to slow down and how to read a bottom with your electronics. This is also

a prime time to find schools of bass. Fishing can be slow and then all of a sudden you are catching one every cast. That is where the fun comes in from the hard work you have done. In the early morning, I like to fish out over long tapering points or channel bends with top water such as the XPS Slim Dog or Bagley’s Super Stinger 5. I like to run a milk run on as many places as possible before the sun gets up. I only make five or six fan cast over an area. If I don’t have any luck, move on until I find fish feeding. This is a good time to have a Zoom double fluke rig, to back up any missed top water bites. One key thing to remember is if you catch fish feeding on these shallow places, work that area over later in the day with your Raymarine electronics to see if you can figure out where they are holding. If there is a hump or ledge close by, or a channel swing, those are good places to concentrate on after the sun gets to shining. Now, I am usually down to three rigs. A crankbait, big worm, and a Carolina rig will do the trick. But first, you want to just take your time and idle around the area or structure looking for baitfish and sweet spots. Once I find an area, I will take even more time just trolling around with my MotorGuide, never taking my eyes off my Raymarine electronics. Get a good visual of the bottom looking for brush, stumps, rocks, little changes or depressions and subtle points. If it looks good, be sure to mark it on your GPS, even if you don’t catch fish. The more of these places you have the more of a milk run you can have later on. When you go

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back to the lake and there will be times when these places do produce. If you find a place you like, add a little brush to it. I won’t tell anyone. Once I find a spot to fish I will work it over real well with a Carolina rigged Zoom worm or lizard first, sprayed with crawfish scent Jack’s Juice. This is a second way to learn the area and bottom letting the egg sinker be your underwater eyes. You can find a lot of hidden pieces of structure and now you are dialing in the area. Now I can use my Bagley ODB2 or ODB3 depending on the depth to cover the area. The 04 and 09 are my favorite colors. Try to bump the structure if possible. I’m going to toss a Zoom Ole Monster redbug or green pumpkin in there on a Texas rig, even if I don’t catch a fish. One other secret is if you do catch fish on a technique and they quit biting be sure and try all three techniques before leaving, because a lot of times you can get the fish started again with something new. Make sure you have marker buoys in your Nitro and use them because it is hard to stay on an off shore spot. A few feet can make a lot of difference in catching or not catching. A lot of times I will put out five or six buoys on a spot. When you back off, you look at the picture of the bottom or area you are trying to fish. Always look for shad movement or birds feeding. Blue herons can be your best buddies. I was fortunate enough to finish 10th in the last FLW Series tournament and the last practice day I saw herrings feeding on four consecutive points in the morning and there were fish on each point. Put plenty of suntan lotion on and drink plenty of fluids. Be sure to wear your Woo Shoes by Pro Line and Woo Daves sunglasses, enjoy a slow day on the water, and find yourself some honey holes.

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pounder on day two. John Bowen of League City, Texas (41st place), was the first pro out of the check cut with 15 bass weighing 62 pounds, 5 ounces. More than 50 pro anglers averaged catching 20-plus pounds before cut day. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Stren Series tournament director, Ron Lappin. “It was truly unbelievable.”

The top 10 finishers in the pro and coangler divisions were: Pro: Jeremy Guidry, Opelousas, LA, 110-02, $65,000; Tim Reneau, Del Rio, TX, 107-12, $13,082; Nicky McNeely, Natchitoches, LA, $12,274; Charlie Haralson, Laredo, TX, 102-12, $6466; David Truax, Beaumont, TX, 98-01, $5657; Andy Gaia, Tomball, TX, $4849; Peter Daniels, Shreveport, LA, 90-14, $4446; Stephen Johnston, Hemphill, TX, 90-13, $4041; Toby Hartsell, Livingston, TX. 8801, $3637; Russell Cecil, Willis, TX, 8703, $3234. Co-Angler: Bill Rogers, Jasper, TX, 96-08, $35,000; Ray Peace, Arlington,

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by Matt Williams Jeremy Guidry and Bill Rogers set the records straight in decisive fashion. Guidry, an Opelousas, Louisiana, pro, won the tournament and a $65,000 payday after putting together a four-day total of 20 bass weighing a whopping 110 pounds, 2 ounces. His catch topped the FLW Outdoors all-time weight record by more than 4 pounds. Rogers, a salty veteran co-angler with 21 top 10 finishes under his belt, notched his first Stren Series win with a four-day total of 96 pounds, 8 ounces—also a new all-time FLW Outdoors weight record—from the back of the boat. Not surprisingly, Guidry and Rogers were not the only ones. Just as the pre-tournament hype had forecast, the event turned into a big bass parade that might have seen more heavyweight largemouths hauled to the scales than any other before it. Three pros other than Guidry cracked the century mark, and five more co-anglers weighed more than 80 pounds over four days of competition. It took a bass weighing upward of 12 pounds to earn big bass honors on days one and three, and an 11A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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are indispensable. It might surprise you to know that many shooters carry small pieces of paper with holes in them—and therein lies a story. Back about 1972, I had a .25-06 Remington Model 700 ADL. It was a marvelously accurate rifle, averaging groups down around an inch or less. It was so accurate that I shot it for group every chance I got. I spent a lot of time at the bench, testing new loads, or just shooting tiny groups for my own pleasure. In those days, it was rare for a hunting rifle to group less than 11/2 inches at 100 yards. Then one day, I shot a group of three at

100 yards that went into one hole. It was beautiful! I pulled the target down, laid it on the bench beside the gun, and just admired it. Everyone else at the range came over and admired it. Then, thinking that I should allow everyone else I knew to admire it, I cut out the portion of the target with the holes in it and placed it in my wallet. I showed that little group around for years, even after I had shot the barrel out of the rifle and traded it for something else, a K-38 Smith & Wesson revolver, I think. Finally, having almost worn out the paper, I took the group and taped it in a book where I kept my loading data. I haven’t seen it for years, but suppose it is still there, unless the old ledger has

TOURNAMENT INSIDER TX, 92-03, $3391; Bo Middleton, Elgin, Okla., 87-03, $2756; David Tierney, Fayetteville, Ark., 86-00, $2120; Eddie Stagg, Jasper, TX, 81-00, $1696; Duke Gunnell, Mexia, TX, 80-14, $1611; Robert Arnold, Little Rock, Ark., 72-06, $1525; Mannie Lackey, Kerrville, TX, 67-03, $1442; Mark Oakley, Davis, Okla., 65-10, $1355; and J.R. Howard, Sterling City, TX, 64-15, $1273.

the Bass Champs eastern division opened its season at Big Sam, January 19. The top three teams, including tournament winners Dusty Birchfield and Christopher Ponder, reported that lipless cranks played a key role in their success. Birchfield/Ponder weighed in a fivebass limit of 29.04 pounds that earned them a $25,000 payday. Second place went to Pete and Alan Shivers, 24.66; John Lynch and Bill Rogers, 3rd, 24.36. All totaled, there were 20 limits weighed that busted the 20-pound mark.

‘Traps Rock Rayburn Bass Champs Eastern Opener

Yamaha, Skeeter Ink with BASS

Perhaps legendary Texas bass pro Tommy Martin summarized it best: “Some guys call the Rat-L-Trap an ‘idiot bait.’ one that anyone can catch bass on regardless of skill. If there is a tournament on Sam Rayburn in early spring and the bass are on Rat-L-Traps, you had better have one tied on or run the risk of being made look like a fool by someone who does.” The ‘Trap bite was going strong when

BASS recently announced that Skeeter Boats and Yamaha Outboards have signed on as the official boat and motor sponsors of the popular tournament organization. Based in Kennesaw, Georgia, Yamaha owns Kilgore, Texas-based Skeeter. Rumors that the two companies were lining up to support BASS began to circulate last fall, so the January announcement made just ahead of the 2008 Bassmaster Classic really came as no surprise.

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“By becoming a sponsor of BASS, Yamaha promotes its brand and supports boating and fishing, which are activities we truly believe in,” said Ben Speciale, vice president of operations and planning for Yamaha Marine Group. “Reliability and innovation are at the core of the Yamaha brand and the demands of competition have taught us how to make our outboards even better.” BASS’ affiliation with Skeeter comes at a time when both companies are celebrating milestone anniversaries. BASS, which popularized tournament fishing in the late 1960s, turns 40 this year. Skeeter, a pioneer in the bass boat industry, turns 60. “This is a great way for Skeeter to kick off its 60th anniversary as both Skeeter and BASS share a rich heritage in the bass fishing industry,” said Jeff Stone, senior vice president and general manager of Skeeter. “It is only fitting that we combine our passion for the sport to embrace and further enhance the success and growth of tournament fishing.”

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been lost in a move sometime over the last 25 years. This is not unique to my warped mind. It is sufficiently common that a tiny group with all the holes touching is sometimes called a “wallet group.” Now, the moral of this story is that, to a shooter, such a small group is a thing of beauty worthy of admiration—and showing to all your friends. It is closely akin to good art and comes in one step above photos of ex-girlfriends or an acrylic-on-velvet portrait of Elvis. This leads us to the discussion of accuracy and why we are so intense when it comes to the pursuit of it. We all want to be Billy Dixon or Carlos Hathcock. We want to own the most accurate rifle on the block. It is a natural thing to want to be the best and to possess the best. Most of us, whether or not we admit it, want to be recognized as the best at something— anything. To a hunter, superior accuracy means that placement of the bullet on game is more precise. It gives us confidence in our equipment, which in turn gives us greater confidence in ourselves and makes us better hunters. If you are shooting a gun that will not place all its shots on a 5-gallon bucket at a hundred yards, you are going to have a problem when the deer is standing at 200 yards. The majority of us do not have the self-control to refrain from shooting, so accuracy is a necessity for a hunter. If we are pure shooters, like some of the benchrest crowd who never fire a shot at game, then accuracy becomes a reward in itself. The current record for benchrest in the International Benchrest Shooters association light varmint category is a five-shot group that measured 0.091 inches at 200 yards. That is nine one-hundredths of an

inch from center to center for five shots. And take my word for it; it will be broken before long. Famed gun writer Townsend Whelen once wrote, “Only accurate rifles are interesting.” He was exactly correct. I once had a rifle so beautiful that it would bring tears to the eyes of a gun loony. However, its accuracy was only mediocre. I kept it a few years, never used it, and finally sold it to a man who appreciated beauty more than accuracy. I now have another gun that falls into that category. I bought it because it was so pretty. If I can’t get it to shoot better, I will probably trade it for something uglier but more accurate. Now the warning: In our pursuit of accuracy, we sometimes forget important details. First, not all hunting bullets are as accurate as target bullets. When we start using match bullets on game simply because they are more accurate, we are making a mistake. Match bullets are made to punch holes in paper and are not intended for shooting game animals. You must choose a bullet made for the purpose to which you will put it. I will give up some accuracy to get a bul-

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let that penetrates deeply and performs properly when it strikes meat. Second, most forms of hunting do not require a rifle that will compete with the benchrest beasts. A rifle that shoots a 2-inch group is more than sufficient for hunting elk and deer. If you find one more accurate than that, great—but don’t throw away a good elk gun because it won’t shoot bug-hole groups. Most rifles light enough to carry all day in rough country and that shoot powerful rounds are not going to be as accurate as heavy, cumbersome, small caliber rifles. Last, most of us cannot shoot as well as our rifles. We are made of quivering muscle, creaky joints, tingling nerves, faulty eyes, and subject to debilitating fits of buck fever. Except from a solid benchrest, we would not know if a rifle shot 1/4-inch groups or 4-inch groups. So, determine your own limitations before you decide what to demand from a rifle. You don’t have to accept poor accuracy, but you have no reason to expect perfection. E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com

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ITH THE WARM BREATH OF SUMMER ON its way, May is a good time to reflect on past hunting experiences and some of the things we have learned from them. You might be surprised with the similarities that can be found

in a duck hunt, deer hunt, and an antelope hunt. I was reminded of that recently while moving some of my hunting gear from my garage to a storage building, and literally stumbling over an Avery Finisher waterfowl hunting blind. For those not familiar with the blind, it is shaped somewhat like a sleeping bag with pole ribs. You lay in it with your head on a foam headrest and peer through a folding mesh top. When the ducks come within range, you simply push back the two-piece top, sit up, and fire away. The Finisher is a good piece of equipment and particularly great for hunting ducks when drought conditions have left brushy cover too far away from the water to

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set up in. It enabled me to bag several limits and near limits of ducks last season on the little Stephens County stock tank. When you stop to think about it, concealment from ducks, deer, antelope, and other animals does not have to be from a box blind, tripod stand, or something similar. Anything that breaks up your silhouette will work providing you remain motionless and are well camouflaged. I will say that again— remain motionless and wear clothing that blends with your surroundings. Some might argue but if so I simply point to the turkey hunter. Anyone who has worn camouflage clothing and a face mask and has sat down with their back to a tree trunk and called a gobbler within shotgun range knows you don’t have to be in a blind to bag

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a gobbler at 20 yards or closer. You sit motionless and use a tree trunk to break up your silhouette. I remember a mule deer hunt I made in the 1970s in New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness where the situation was much like that of last season’s duck hunts in Stephens County. Only in New Mexico, I didn’t have a Finisher blind. I had the real thing: a huge log that was in a small meadow about 60 yards from a little pond. I lay down beside the log and literally attempted to become a part of it. I hunted from beside that log three days in a row and watched the same doe and two yearlings come to water in the mornings and a forkhorned buck wander by twice within 20 yards of me in the afternoons. I shot a 4x4 on the third afternoon at the water’s edge. If I had had a pop-up blind, tree stand or any of today’s other fine hunting blinds there is no doubt I would have been able to bag that mulie under much more comfortable conditions, but they were not available then. I simply had to use what was at hand and to stay as motionless as possible. A decade later, I was in a similar situa-

tion while hunting antelope near Clayton, N.M., only there were no log or any type of hunting blind there-just a grassy hilltop with sparse rocks no larger than a hubcap.

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As I drove into the ranch, I saw several herds of antelope racing across the tops of ridges 300 to 500 or more yards away. It didn’t take me long to realize the animals

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were wary of pickup trucks and my chances of bagging one of them was going to take some time. I decided my best chances might be to set up near a water hole at a windmill or maybe at a small wooden corral not far away. Then something changed my mind. That “something” was the fact that I had seen several herds of antelope race across one particular ridge after being spooked at great distances by either my pickup truck or by another truck I had seen in the distance. That ridge, I decided, was my best bet. I parked the truck and walked about one mile to the top of the ridge. I lay down on my side with my head resting on a smooth rock shaped like an oversized dinner dish. That may not seem like a very comfortable position to some people, but when you are as determined as I was to out-fox an antelope, it was okay. I started the vigil at 9 a.m. Several small

groups of antelope came within 300 yards, each moving briskly. Finally, at about 3 p.m., I spotted a group of 18 antelope about 350 yards away and coming in my direction. When they got to within 200 yards, I realized the last animal in the pack was a nice buck. Soon, it was evident the antelope were going to skirt the end of my ridge. I raised my head slightly two or three times and thought about trying to nail the buck at about 200 yards but he disappeared behind the slope before I could get on him. The last thing I saw before he disappeared was his staring in my direction. Minutes passed. I lay motionless with my head on the rock. Did he see me? I wondered. Three times, I started to rise up to see if he was anywhere to be seen, but I talked myself out of moving each time. All of a sudden, the big antelope appeared on a trot right in front of me. He

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evidently had seen my head movement when I had attempted to move my rifle into position earlier and came on a run to investigate as many antelope do when they are not sure of something they have seen. He loped to within about 40 yards of me and threw on the breaks. I never raised my head off the rock. The .243 bullet struck him in the neck and he went down immediately. Given a choice, I would have been much more comfortable if I had been seated in a chair or on a stool inside a roomy hunting blind while hunting those ducks, the mulie or the antelope, and I’m sure many of you would, too. But if you find yourself without that choice, just remember that you still can make it happen if you will break up your silhouette and remain as motionless as possible. Just ask any avid turkey hunter. E-mail Bob Hood at hunting@fishgame.com.

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The Lostrider Part Two OM BAYNE’S SHOULDERS SAGGED AND HIS face looked haggard. His steps dragged as he wandered through the campsite to peer at the river. Then he stood on the high bank, bow-legged and stooped, staring at the rolling stream. He blinked and his mouth hung slack. He was dirty and tired. His legs cramped, his arms hurt, his back ached, he was hungry, and he longed for his wife. She was his foundation. Tom wobbled on his riding heels, sad, and lonesome. He dressed the part of a wild buckaroo, but professed that packing mules and living in the high mountains all summer was more than his cowboy dreams required. Sleeping in a bedroll under the open night sky and using packsaddle pads for a mat-

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tress was okay for a while; but sooner or later, he wanted a warm bed. He wanted clean sheets and he wanted his wife between them. He missed her steady hand that stabilized his days. He missed the human elements that the wilderness, me, and Lazy H Outfitters were not offering. Tom wanted to go home. But part of me didn’t care. Tom hired on for the season to do a job and I expected him to follow through with no complaints. Then there was part of me that did care. If my best help quit, then the work would double on

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He wanted clean sheets and his wife between them.

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me for the remainder of the summer trips. Plus, I hated to see a guy get soured on something he loved to do. “Tom, why don’t you get your pole and

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take the dudes fishing? Y’all can walk down to that first pool and probably get some nibbles. The horses and mules are grazing quiet and I’ll finish putting up camp. You go ahead and take a break, soak your feet, rest up.” It was a generous offer that I couldn’t afford. My own good sense was frayed from tearing down camp, packing mules, and riding 20-something miles along the Continental Divide. Now, there was the realization that my crew was about done in and more of the burden would shift to me. I was volunteering to unpack the mule loads, raise the kitchen fly, put the cook stove together, cut wood, haul water, construct a latrine, and finish the wrangling chores—before sunset. Tom had helped the dudes dismount and walk the circulation back into their running gears while I unsaddled the stock. The prospect of going fishing transformed his blank frown into a sly smile and he loped off like a crippled frog to fetch his fly rod. “C’mon guys, last one to the crick is a rotten egg!” he hollered to the guests. And I cussed under my breath while turning to interpret that mind’s-eye-view of how camp should look upon completion. The outfit-

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ter’s daughter, Annie, who was also the chief guide and cook helped untie the loads. The first step was erecting the kitchen fly. The hard part was finding it amongst the camp gear and getting it unfolded in the right direction. After that, it was simple enough to climb a tree and tie one end of the ridge-rope around the trunk, then 20 feet away tie the crotch poles together, stand them up, stake the whole works down, and you’ve got a kitchen fly. Putting the cook stove together is almost just as simple, but there’s no way to dodge the soot. By the end of this chore, everybody is filthy and the cook needs to wash up. So, hauling water is next. Then a quick turn with an axe and saw knocks together enough firewood for supper and tomorrow’s breakfast. It all sounds quick and easy but it’s time consuming and laborious. By the end, there were fresh bloody spots on my knuckles and a yellow moon was rising. The last thing on the itinerary is to gather the livestock and tie them in our rope corral for the night. Throughout the late afternoon, the horse and mule herd grazed at the end of the camp opening. With my duties completed and camp looking good, I glanced smugly in the direction of the remuda—but they weren’t there. My nerves tensed. This was new country to me. We’d left my stomping grounds on the North Fork of the Sun River and followed the Chinese Wall to our destination on the West Fork of the Sun River. Our camp was at Indian Point in a small meadow. Previously, the outfitter warned me that some of the horses were communists and may head for home pastures. However, for over a month they behaved and my mistake was to start trusting them. This was the furthest place that we’d ever been from our normal haunts. There was no feasible reason for the critters to quit us now. Maybe they were nearby. Several of the herd wore bells, and I walked to the back end of the field where the opening came to a point and a trail led into the timber. Then I trotted back to my tied wrangle pony and stepped into the saddle, then rode to where the cook was preparing supper. “Annie, did you see the horses leave?” “No, they were standing right there a few minutes ago.” The situation was no great deal. The ponies were probably somewhere close. Part of wrangling in the mountains is reading tracks, but for some reason my skin was

crawling and there was bad feeling welling up deep inside me. Then I rode back to the end of the meadow and followed the trail into the timber. It was getting too dark to see but the path followed the river and then crossed. From there, it ran along the opposing hillside, for about a mile, where it split. One way went to a bridge crossing back to the other side and ultimately to the Benchmark trailhead, and the other fork went to a place known as Pretty Prairie. At this point, there were

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grassy meadows along the river and I decided that the horses were looking for better forage. My fatigue showed and there was no use continuing in the dark in unknown country. So, I headed back to camp. The gnawing in my gut wouldn’t let me enjoy supper and it was a fretful night sleeping under the stars. ...continued next issue. E-mail Herman W. Brune at wilderness@fishgame.com

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Please Pass the Bass Boat

“The size of the garage is good, but if it were just a little bigger, it would be better. I really don’t think it would add that much to the cost of the whole project.” David was on a roll. “Actually, when you think about it, it is not that big of a deal. It really would be a bigger deal if we did it later, but if we do it now, then we won’t have to contend with a mess later. And it will make a heck of mess later. Probably have to tear up some landscaping; could have some damage to the pool. Sure would hate to see that happen. I know how much you hate a mess. And really, Baby, I am just thinking of you. That bass boat might block you in cuz we would have to park it behind your spot. Just think— i f

OT A SINGLE DAY GOES BY WHEN THE phrase “bass boat” does not get mentioned in our household. It used to be just my husband, but now our son has learned the language of bass boat whining. I am getting double teamed now. I have to be strong. Over dinner, as we begin to take a bite of a scrumptious veal ragu over fettuccine, I hear, “Pass the bass boat, please.” It is my warning. Here it comes again—the relentless reference, reminder, mention of the desired bass boat. “Hey, Baby, do you want to go out to Bass Pro tomorrow?” Hubby David inquired. “Why? Do you want to buy me a new over-and-under shotgun?” “Ah, well, sure we can look and see what they have. But… I was thinking we would check out the new Nitro Z-9.” “Sweetie, where are we going to put it? Don’t you think we should wait until the house is complete and we have a garage?” “Garage! That reminds me—I have been meaning to talk to you about the garage.” Bass me silly! I bet he is going to want to increase the garage by another 500 square feet.

we do it now, we have it all done, all cleaned up, all ready. And for what? Maybe an extra three or four grand? Which, in the scheme of things, is not that much.” “So, let me get this straight: Increase the garage for the yet-to-be-purchased bass

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boat. Probably need only an extra 500 square feet and a mere $3-4 thousand. Is that what you are saying?” “Cor-rect! See? Makes a lot of sense, don’t ya think? You know you always say that we should plan ahead.” Please pass the bass boat. Driving down the street, spied 10 miles ahead of us. “Oh, man! Look at that bass boat! She is a jewel. See that one? He did it right. A single console, gives you more room. Yep, that is the way to go. That is what we need right there.” Please pass the bass boat. Saturday morning cartoons, a.k.a. the Fishing Channel, are tuned in before I have opened my eyes or had my first cup of coffee. “Now, look at that sweetheart of a bass boat, Baby. We need to get one of those. Look how smooth it rides and how fast they get where they need to go. You know, when you are at a tournament, time is money.” Yeah, well, Buster— never mind that the guy fishing in that expensive boat has his own fishing show and has won over $1 million this year. Please pass the b a s s boat Flipping through the pages of Boating Life Buyers Guide and drooling over the glossy pictures. “Yes-siree! Honey, look at this one. What do you think of that color? What color do you think you would want? I think you should pick the color. Yep, really think we ILLUSTRATION BY RACHEL WATSON

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are going to need one these bass catchers pretty darn soon. You know, it just isn’t practical to fish these bass tournaments in a flats boat. And, Baby, I want you and only you to pick out the color.” “Yeah, Mom, come on! What color do you like?” Yeah, listen you two. I know what you are doing. Trying to lure me in, make me think I picked it out. Make it all my idea. I can hear it now: “Well, Mom, you picked it out! But, Mom, that was the color that you wanted.” Sly, very sly! They are trying to invade my subconscious. No, no, I won’t let them; I won’t listen. I bet they have a recording plugged into my ears in the middle of the night, playing that message over and over. “You want a bass boat, you must have a bass boat.” Over and over, until my subconscious melts into bass boatdom. I must fight them off. “Okay, Sweetie, time to hit the hay. Ready to go to bed?” “No! I mean, no, I think I am going to stay up for a bit and read. You go ahead.” No way. Just as I doze off, they will rig me up with that recording and I will be theirs. No bass boat Twilight Zone for this gurl! What is it with men and their boats? Don’t they know there is always something breaking down? Veritable money pits, they are. And other fishermen always have newer, faster, sleeker boats, and most importantly, the guy with a certain make and model that always catches more fish. But they don’t care. “Please pass the boat” is their mantra. They are obsessed, consumed, driven, and won’t quit until they possess their beloved bass boat. Okay, so it has many sparkly colors; bucket seats that conform to your derriere; comfy carpet that rubs between your toes as you quietly walk from bow to stern; that regal way it gets up on plane as you nail the throttle until she glides across the water, peaking at 73 mph. Oh, and those nifty gunwale lockers to stow away rods, bait, and—yes— an ample livewell to stow those lovely bass once aboard. Gosh, I am getting sleepy. Um, maybe a beautiful shade of aquamarine… I must keep my eyes open. But, if it were aquamarine, it would complement the water… become one with the water… be the water…

Maybe I will just shut my eyes for a little catnap. I am safe. Think of all those bass that could be mine, all mine! The tape plays: “Tomorrow, you will go to the store and buy a bass boat.” “Yes, sir! We will take an Aquamarine Nitro Z-9 CDC, 21-foot, powered by a 250 Mercury Pro XS; a large aerated, timed livewell with pump-out and flushmounted measuring stick; two separate Guardian livewells in the rear, all three fea-

turing oxygen-generation systems; state-ofthe art instrumentation gauges; and don’t forget the fold down boarding ladder, stainless pop-up cleats, and a three-bank built-in battery charger. And, of course, a Lowrance LCX-27 combo unit at the helm. “And charge it!” Please pass the bass boat. What have I done? E-mail Mari Henry at gurlz@fishgame.com.

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The first thing to do at Conroe is forget about fishing typical structure like natural brush and grass lines, as the lake has very little of that. Most of the structure is manmade and placed strategically to benefit anglers. This is the result of the introduction of grass carp many years ago, which wiped out native vegetation. However, it has ultimately benefited anglers seeking catfish by keeping them concentrated in specific areas. Lake Conroe is almost purely open water in the lower two-thirds of the reservoir, with some standing timber still present along the river channel in the upper reaches. According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) official profile of the lake: “Most of the standing timber is slightly submerged when the lake is at conservation pool, making navigation hazardous in these areas. Bulkheads with boat docks dominate the shore in the lower reservoir; the upper reservoir (the portion lying within the Sam Houston National Forest) is primarily fea-

tureless shoreline. Substrates range from sandy to silty. “A few aquatic plants dot shoreline areas, primarily in areas being planted by TPWD and the US Army Corps of Engineers as part of an ongoing Aquatic Habitat Enhancement Initiative. The lake has had past heavy infestations of hydrilla, but vegetation is not currently present in quantities that would be considered a nuisance. The only fish-attracting structures in the reservoir are riprap along bridge approaches and the dam, as well as submersed Christmas tree reefs.” “If you want to catch a limit of cats for the frying pan, you have to be willing to chum,” Richardson said. Chumming, for those not familiar with the term, simply means putting out food parts attractive to fish to bring them into an area. With channel cats, which have very sensitive olfactory organs, all kinds of stuff will work. In East Texas, cottonseed cake cattle feed is a popular chum. Anglers put these “cakes” (actually finger-sized sticks) in a burlap sack weighted with rocks, tie it off to a tree standing in the water or sink it beneath a buoy, and leave it to work overnight. By morning, the chum has usually drawn in enough cats to justify fishing. Crappie anglers first popularized this method, but reports of catfish caught in the same areas prompted catmen to try it. Soured milo grain is another effective chum. Most of the time, it is spread out over a flat, ledge, or around boat docks where shore-bound anglers can get in on the

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by Chester Moore over legal size to about 2 pounds, there can be some nice ones caught here as well. Numbers, though, is the name of the game,” said angler Michael Richardson of Houston.

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action. Many anglers simply throw a coffee can of chum overboard and begin fishing. If there is no action within 20 or 30 minutes, they move on and try somewhere else. “You don’t want to limit yourself to one spot,” Richardson said. “Catfish usually show up quickly when you put out chum. Some anglers like to leave holes baited, but I prefer putting out chum while I am fishing. That way, you don’t get everyone in the world fishing your spot.” As far as bait goes, Conroe regulars use a wide variety. Earthworms, cut shad, cheese bait, and locally popular concoctions consisting of everything from cattle brains to chicken livers will get the job done. “These fish aren’t too picky. I usually catch mine on cheese bait or worms, but anglers here catch them on all kinds of stuff,” Richardson said. He uses a drop-shot rig fished near the bottom, and a floating rig to target fish moving up and down the water column: “I probably catch more fish right near the bottom, but get some of the bigger ones a few feet up.” This month, the manmade brush piles on the northern end of the lake should hold some of the larger fish. If you are looking for bigger fish, resist the urge to chum the area or you will be battling more pan-size channel cats than you can handle. The big fish lurk around the brush piles. To get their attention, down a line baited with a strip of carp or a live crawfish. Crawfish are not typically thought of as catfish bait, but in East Texas, it has a dedicated following and will catch some nice cats as well as bonus bass. PHOTO BY CHESTER MOORE

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Another good area for catfish is near Loch Ness. The drop-offs along the shallow flats are good for night fishing, especially for anglers fishing cut bait or large live shiners under a floating rig. You should not expect to catch a lake monster, but you have a good shot a cat a bit bigger than the average for these waters. “I have caught some of my best catfish in that area. Cut bait and shiners are probably the best, but a big glob of earthworms on a treble hook can draw some big ones as well,” Richardson said. As spring fades to summer, much of the action is in deer water along the river channel and in the open water near the spillway. Big cats suspend around the thermocline and inhabit water not many anglers fishing with rod and reels target. Around the river channel, be mindful of any humps or ridges that rise out of the depths or break up the topography of the bottom. Take a map and mark five or six areas that look good, cruise them while watching your graph, and mark the spots where you see rising structure or large, suspended fish.

Drift these spots with fresh-dead perch or cut carp on a circle hook rigged on a modified free-line. This simply consists of a hook with a 1/4-ounce split shot attached a foot above it. Use the wind to drift over the structure, and if the wind is not cooperating, put down the trolling motor and slowly troll. Many of us grew up fishing catfish holes for long periods until something bit, but this is not the way to fish open water. Hit a spot for a few minutes and then move to another. If you make it down as far as the spillway, rig up a drop-shot rig and fish the same kind of baits vertically along the riprap, trolling slowly. This is a great way to cover a lot of water and fish an otherwise difficult area. These methods might seem a big unorthodox for Conroe, but they can pay some impressive dividends with larger than average channel cats. Land-bound anglers might not have as much good access to catfish hotspot as those with boats do, but plenty places provide fish for the frying pan—boat docks, piers, and along publicly accessible shorelines. The main thing is to bring the fish to you with chum.

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When fishing from the bank for cats, I use a 35mm film canister, in which I poke holes all around the side and one on the top and bottom. I rig this between my swivel and weight on a Carolina rig and fill it with chum. You will not only be chumming the area you fish, but also bringing fish directly to your bait. Any kind of chum will work, but a mixture I have had some success with was menhaden oil mixed with soured milo. The oil creates a huge chum slick, and when it mixes with the milo, the smell is almost unbearable—which means catfish love it. The best part is that a little bit goes a long way. You might also try using this under a large popping cork like an Old Bayside Paradise Popper. Even if your bait is on the bottom, you can rig a popping cork above it and attach a baited film canister below. This will allow you to do some extra chumming and use the cork to “pop” out more chum as needed. Lake Conroe has many opportunities for anglers to pursue, and on these waters, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

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“Creatures” of All Kinds

VER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, Chester has encountered all kinds of wild creatures on his travels.

Here is Chester with “Big Al,” the 13-foot, six-inch star of Gator Country near Beaumont. Al is the largest alligator in captivity in Texas. This photo was taken under supervision when it was cool outside and cold-blooded Al wasn’t very active. Do not try this with wild gators! Coyotes eat fawns, therefore coyotes B on Chester’s deer lease don’t fare too well when they cross paths with our executive editor. This huge coyote weighed just

PHOTO BY LISA MOORE

over 50 pounds. This is Chester with custom knifemakC er Paul Ehlers. Ehlers starred in the cult classic horror movie “Madman” in the

PHOTO BY LISA MOORE

1980s as the axe-wielding slasher. Chester is a big fan of the movie and owns a couple of Ehler’s cool knives.

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WO COASTAL BOAT RAMP PROJECTS recently got the green light from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission (TPWC) for expansion and construction. According to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) reports, the City of Port Aransas is receiving $112,000 to renovate two lanes of boat ramps; add a fish cleaning station, shade structure, security

lighting, and signs at the Municipal Harbor ramp. The facility provides public boating access to the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Additionally, the Village of Surfside Beach is receiving $125,174 for construction of a new restroom, security lighting, fish cleaning station, and expanded parking area at a newly constructed boat ramp. The facility will provide public boating access to the Gulf of Mexico and the Intracoastal Waterway via the Freeport Ship Channel. According to TPWD officials, the Texas Legislature authorized the State Boating Access Program in 1975. The program provides funds for the purchase, construction, renovation, and maintenance of boat ramps, access roads and other related facili-

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Beach Ramp Funding

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ties to improve recreational boating access to public waters. Construction for approved projects is supported on a 75 percent (federal), 25 percent (local) basis. —Chester Moore

Common Salvinia Problems in Southeast Texas The discovery of giant salvinia on lakes Sam Rayburn and B.A. Steinhagen (Dam B) made big headlines earlier this spring. An exotic form of aquatic vegetation hailing from Brazil, giant salvinia forms large mats and prevents sunlight from reaching sub-

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mergent plants. During peak growing conditions, it can double in size in a few days. State officials are dealing with this latest discovery, but the huge presence of common salvinia, which for all practical purposes does the same thing as the giant variety, is virtually being ignored in Southeast Texas, possibly overshadowed by extensive media coverage of the “giant” variety makes the latter seem more threatening. During the 2007-2008 duck season, hunters were not able to access the walk-in areas of the Tony Houseman State Park and Blue Elbow Wildlife Management Area off the Sabine River due to common salvinia infestation. It covers just about every inch of water off Pine Bluff Road and many of the ponds on the big islands on the main river. Large salvinia mats choke nearby Adams Bayou, and over the last few years, it has been a consistent problem in some of the small tributaries in Cow Bayou and on private ponds in the region. Common salvinia can be every bit as problematic as the giant variety. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, in Lacassine Bayou in southwestern Louisiana, these plants completely blanket a waterway measuring 19.3 kilometers (12 miles) long and 110 meters (120 yards) wide. It is illegal to possess or transport salvinia of any kind. Possession or transport of salvinia or other prohibited aquatic vegetation in Texas is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 per plant. Information on how to identify giant salvinia can be found at http://salvinia.er.usgs.gov/. Anyone finding suspected salvinia in a public water body should contact Howard Elder at 409-384-9965, or Rick Ott at 903-566-2161. —CM

Go Outdoors with Katy Bass Pro in May Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Katy wants people to “Go Outdoors!” and is hosting two fun-filled weekends of events to arm participants with the right information and equipment. The special event is geared toward getting ready for a summer of fun while saving on the cost of tents, coolers, sleeping bags, camping gear, water toys, tubes, skis, marine electronics, motorboats, kayaks, and canoes.

“There are so many things to do in the outdoors this time of year, from fishing in the many lakes and bays to camping and hiking in the national forest,” said Gayle Coulam, Katy Bass Pro promotions manager. “We are celebrating all of these opportunities and providing educational opportunities on several subjects important to the outdoors.” Elements of the event include learning how to cook in a Dutch oven from the experts at the Lone Star Dutch Oven Society, or camp grilling hosted by Masterbuilt. Both will be on hand to provide demonstrations May 17-18. That weekend will also see a sand sculpting competition held in the parking lot sponsored by Landscape Depot, beginning at 10 a.m. A fun game of “Pin the Fin on the Bass” offers the chance to win a Napier Sports III Truck Tent for participants age 18 and older. The May 24-26 event features free fishing, camping quizzes, and metal detector fun among other activities. Manufacturer reps will be on hand both weekends to introduce their 2008 lines and to share their knowledge with consumers. Conservation groups will be present to provide information and guidance on helping preserve our wild lands. Texans have many options for outdoors activities this time of year. There are literally thousands of lakes, rivers, streams, and bays to enjoy, not to mention more than 600 miles of beachfront angling access. There is nearly a million acres of national forest land in East Texas that provides camping and hiking opportunities, plus national park lands such as Big Bend in the Trans Pecos region. Camping seems to be one on the rise in popularity in Texas and around the nation. According to the National Sporting Goods Association, camping participation rose 5.6 percent to 48 million participants nationwide in 2006, proving one of the largest growth areas in the outdoors just under power boating, which grew 6.2 percent. Hours for the Bass Pro events on Saturdays are 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Sundays. Take I10 to Katy and exit at Pin Oak. For full details, sales items, seminar schedules, and times of activities, visit www.basspro.com or call 281-644-2200. —CM

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Fried Catfish W

HETHER YOU ARE FISHING A POND, A stock tank, or your favorite fishing hole at Lake Conroe, fresh catfish is always welcome at the dinner table. This is how we fix it at home.

KITCHEN SAFETY TIP Be sure to keep fresh-caught fish alive or on plenty of ice until you get back to the cleaning table. If transporting for several hours, pack ice between individual fish to ensure a safe, cold temperature. Always prepare fresh fish within 1-2 days or freeze until ready to prepare. Remember the rule: If it smells strong, throw it away! C72

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PHOTO BY BILL OLIVE

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platter and chill until ready to fry. Carefully place fish pieces into a basket and lower into hot peanut oil at 375. Don’t over-fill the fryer—never more than a third full. Fry until desired brownness is reached (approximately 4-5 minutes). Don’t overcook. Remove from oil and transfer to a large folded newspaper covered with a couple layers of paper towels.

Sides Bacon/Jalapeno Wrapped Shrimp 6 jalapenos, seeded and sliced in half 12 shrimp, deveined and peeled 12 bacon slices (separate and allow to sit 20 minutes to soften) Place a shrimp in each jalapeno half, wrap with bacon, then stake in place with a toothpick. Place in hot peanut oil at 375 for

3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and strain on paper towels.

Sweet Potato Fries 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin cinnamon sugar sea salt Place a handful of slices into hot vegetable or peanut oil at 375 for 5-6 minutes or until slices float, or turn a golden color. Remove to a platter with paper towels to drain. Season with cinnamon sugar and sea salt.

Jalacado Tartar Sauce 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise 1/2 lemon, juiced 1/2 ripe avocado 1 Tbs Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice 3 Tbs purple onion, finely chopped

1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine salt and pepper to taste Combine mayonnaise and lemon juice in a bowl, then add avocado. Smash until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir until combined, then chill until ready to serve.

Contact Bryan Slaven, "The Texas Gourmet," at 888-234-7883, www.thetexasgourmet.com; or by email at texas-tasted@fishgame.com. S P O N S O R E D BY:

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OW THAT IT APPEARS SUMMER HAS suddenly replaced winter, with a few days of spring tossed in to mark the change, aquatic plants will be growing rapidly. And that is good news for bass anglers. Bass and grass (an insider phrase that applies to all aquatic vegetation) go together like Mom and apple pie. Finding good populations of bass in lakes devoid of vegetation is a much more difficult task for

anglers. Find the grass and find the bass is a mantra in the bass world that is an accurate representation of a general locating technique. While largemouth bass can be found around flooded trees and under boat docks and along rocky areas, the best place to find the majority of fish willing to strike a lure is usually a site that is ripe with vegetation; a place just a little bit on the trashy side. Bass are attracted to vegetated areas for multiple reasons. Food supply is one of them. Aquatic plants are attractive places for insects and other invertebrates to live and feed. These organisms represent a food supply for forage fish. And forage fish make up a large amount of a largemouth bass’s diet. The food chain is in constant force in the wild and the relationship between plant and predator

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Trashy Bass Fishing

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exists at many levels. This primary rule of eat to be eaten is a blessing for bass fisherman who target the top level on the food pyramid of prey and predator species. This relationship is so strong that if a bass angler does nothing more than fish in vegetated areas, sooner or later they will catch fish. Another reason bass are attracted to vegetation is the process of photosynthesis. Plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and give off oxygen. Higher oxygen levels are particularly important when water temperatures climb. As summer progresses and water warms, the less oxygen it can hold in suspension. While surface agitation from the wind helps add oxygen, plants are responsible for producing most of it. So, areas that have a higher concentration of dissolved oxygen from

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plant respiration will attract greater numbers of living organisms and that includes largemouth bass. Concealment or cover is also one of the dominant forces that attract largemouth bass. Their genetic nature is that of an ambush predator. Vegetation provides excellent hiding places for them to fulfill their destiny. Once hidden from general view, they can remain immobile until an unwary food item wanders past, and then whoosh!, dinner is served. Shade is part of the draw too. Shallow water heats up rapidly. Plants help block the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s penetrating rays and can lower water temperatures by several degrees. Just because an area might have vegetation does not necessarily mean that it will harbor a good bass population. And that fact sums up one of the difficulties of deciding which areas hold fish and which do not. A whole cove or creek channel covered with vegetation can appear to be an overwhelming puzzle. But understanding bass behavior can quickly rule out most of the unproductive habitat. Bass prefer to live very near or in some form of structure. Good examples are boat docks, flooded timber, brush piles, the sides of a submerged hump or point, and especially the edges of creek channels. These places will hold bass in the absence of vegetation, but add aquatic plants to those areas, and their attractiveness increases exponentially. Sometimes a lack of solid structure in a particular area makes the process more diffi-

cult. The key to finding bass in those situations is to look for contrasts in vegetation. One type of water plant giving way to another is a good indication of a change in depth or soil type. These seemingly small or subtle changes can be all it takes to concentrate fish. Recognizing these small clues can make all the difference in finding catch-able bass or not. There are basically three ways to fish vegetated areas: over the top, underneath, or along the edges. Weedless plastic frog or worm lures fished un-weighted will provoke active bass into memorable strikes on the surface. Weighted jigs will punch through the vegetation and can be hopped or twitched on the bottom below the overhead canopy. Just about any type of crankbait or spinnerbait can be used along the edges to entice an ambush. All are very successful techniques for getting bigmouths to blowup. Fishing the grass for bass is exciting stuff. The water is usually fairly shallow allowing the strike and resulting battle to be a visual as well as tactile experience. And that is what makes bass fishing in the grass so much fun. You just never know when a salad shooter with a great big mouth will come barreling out of the thick stuff all green and glorious. Bass fishing on the trashy side is what I am raving about. E-mail Barry St. Clair at bstclair@fishgame.com.

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TEXAS SALTWATER

GALVESTON

PORT ARANSAS

GALVESTON

Jess Mow ery Stringer o f Trout Hugo Ford Guide Service

CORPUS CHRISTI

For Classified Rates and Information call Dennise at 1-800-750-4670, ext. 5579. t Will Avan d Ling n u o p + 30 end Coastal B ors o td u O

ROCKPORT

LAKE AMISTAD

PORT ARANSAS Ricky Best & friend Striper Striper Ex pre Guide Serv ss ice

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Clint O’Neil & Joey Austin Limits of Trout Hillman Guide Service

Beverly Trout Striper and Speckled Service ide Gu r ate ltw Sa Akins

TEXAS FRESHWATER

Kneifel Twins with on Capt. Charles Newt ds Re d ize ers Ov ing Match Redfish Charters

TEXAS HUNTING

COLORADO

LAKE TEXOMA

For Classified Rates and Information call Dennise at 1-800-750-4670, ext. 5579.

BAFFIN BAY

SPOTLIGHT: REDFISH CHARTERS ADVERTISERS, MAIL IN YOUR PHOTOS TODAY!

OUTDOOR SHOPPER

When I first started out charter fishing, a man in Rockport Harbor asked me if I could run a bigger boat, referring to my little 14-foot aluminum puttputt. It was obvious that I could find and catch fish by the catches I brought in frequently. I told him I could run any kind of boat and began running his boats. After awhile, he asked to see my Captain’s License, and I told him I didn't know I had to have one. He said I had better get one or I couldn’t run his boats anymore. I went back to captain's school and got my license. This is what started Redfish Charters, as everyone knows it today. I have been fishing since I was 6 years old, and I'm now 68. When I began taking people fishing, I took Bill and Wanda Hodges out, and they asked me for a business card. At that time, my wife had printed some cards that just read, “Charter Boat,” with our phone number on them. When they returned home to their printing company in Fort Worth, they mailed me 1000 business cards that said, “Redfish Charters,” Captain Charles Newton, and our phone number. They are actually the people who named my business. I have been a licensed Charter Captain for 23 years now and enjoy every day of it. I come in twice as exhausted on a day when I catch fewer fish as opposed to a day when everyone limits out. I think the mental strain of not out-smarting the redfish is hard on me. People call me the “Old Redfish Man of the Flats,” and I guess I get my name honestly since I do catch my share of redfish. I began taking people fishing for Captain Wayne Lindsey in his boats. Over the years, I have had various types of boats, from a 14-foot aluminum skiff to my current 24-foot DLX Carolina Skiff, powered by a 4-stroke 115 Suzuki, customized with a fiberglass T-top, sponsored by Master Marine of San Antonio, Texas. I love to take kids fishing. By “ruining” them, I figure they will grow up to love fishing instead of getting into trouble. I fish Aransas Bay, Estes Flats, Redfish Bay, California Hole and Copano Bay in the Rockport area. I enjoy fishing with young and old alike. I welcome the most experienced, or I will teach the inexperienced. If you think you can put up with a captain full of tales, jokes and nonsense, then come on down to Rockport and fish with me. People say that I think like a redfish. Log on to my website at www.redfishcharters.com, or give my wife, BJ, a call at 361-729-8220 and let’s go fishing. Good catching to you! – Captain Charlie Newton, Redfish Charters A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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DOLPHIN—PORT ARANSAS, TEXAS

STRIPER—LAKE TEXOMA, TEXAS

L-R Carter, Kristin Witbeck, Brent Witbeck, Anthony Esch, Marshall Leithead, Brad Esch and Shanee caught these dolphin 15 miles out of Port Aransas on a weedline using hardtails as bait.

Sandee Schwickerath of Waterloo, Iowa, caught this 36-inch, 18-pound striper on Lake Texoma on a Sassy Shad lure. She was fishing with Chris Carey of Striper Express, and released the fish to fight another day.

BUCK—KIMBLE COUNTY, TEXAS

CATFISH—DICKINSON, TEXAS

Jacob Darbonne, age 14, of Nederland, Texas, took Sherry Bastien of Dickinson, Texas, caught this 5this 7-point buck in Kimble County. pound, 15-inch catfish in Dickinson Bayou.

SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO:

TF&G PHOTO ALBUM 1745 Greens Road Houston, Texas 77032 OR BY EMAIL: photos@fishgame.com PLEASE INCLUDE NAME, HOMETOWN, WHEN & WHERE CAUGHT, SIZE AND WEIGHT

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

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FLOUNDER—GALVESTON, TEXAS Benjamin Fougere caught this 19-inch, 2.14-pound flounder under the Galveston Causeway Bridge while fishing with Phil Ortiz from Flounder Pounder Lures. This flounder was the new State & Water Body Record for the Junior Div. for Galveston Bay, the 3rd state record fish caught by Benjamin. S P O N S O R E D BY:

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DEER—GONZALES COUNTY, TEXAS

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CATFISH—GUY, TEXAS

TROUT—BAFFIN BAY, TEXAS

Logan Kuenstler of Austin, Texas, took his first deer, Five-year-old Brayden Pawlak of Guy, Texas, a doe, shot at his family’s lease in Gonzales County. caught his first big fish, a 4-pound catfish, while fishing with his grandpa Ben at a private pond. He used his favorite red rod/reel combo and catfish bait.

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Ken “Bubba” Judice, Jr. of New Braunfels, Texas, enjoyed 3 days of fishing with Capt. Aubrey Black in Baffin Bay. During his trip, they caught 400 trout between 19 and 27 inches, as well as several reds.

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Lake Conroe Cats AKE CONROE JUST NORTH OF HOUSTON HAS A reputation as a resort for the rich and famous. While that might be true, that does not stop it from being one of East Texas’ most consistent channel catfish hotspots. “Conroe can be extremely good for channel cats, and while the fish range from just over legal size to about 2 pounds, there can be some nice ones caught here as well. Numbers, though, is the name of the game,” said angler Michael Richardson of Houston. The first thing to do at Conroe is forget about fishing typical structure like natural brush and grass lines, as the lake has very little of that. Most of the structure is manmade and placed strategically to benefit anglers. This is the result of the introduction of grass carp many years ago, which wiped out native vegetation. However, it has ultimately benefited anglers seeking catfish by keeping them concentrated in specific areas. Lake Conroe is almost purely open water in the lower two-thirds of the reservoir, with

PHOTO BY CHESTER MOORE

some standing timber still present along the river channel in the upper reaches. According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) official profile of the lake: “Most of the standing timber is slightly submerged when the lake is at conservation pool, making navigation hazardous in these

by Chester Moore areas. Bulkheads with boat docks dominate the shore in the lower reservoir; the upper reservoir (the portion lying within the Sam Houston National Forest) is primarily featureless shoreline. Substrates range from sandy to silty. “A few aquatic plants dot shoreline areas, primarily in areas being planted by TPWD and the US Army Corps of Engineers as part of an ongoing Aquatic Habitat Enhancement Initiative. The lake has had past heavy infestations of hydrilla, but vegetation is not currently present in quantities that would be considered a nuisance. The only fish-attracting structures in the reservoir A L M A N A C / T E X A S

are riprap along bridge approaches and the dam, as well as submersed Christmas tree reefs.” “If you want to catch a limit of cats for the frying pan, you have to be willing to chum,” Richardson said. Chumming, for those not familiar with the term, simply means putting out food parts attractive to fish to bring them into an area. With channel cats, which have very sensitive olfactory organs, all kinds of stuff will work. In East Texas, cottonseed cake cattle feed is a popular chum. Anglers put these “cakes” (actually finger-sized sticks) in a burlap sack weighted with rocks, tie it off to a tree standing in the water or sink it beneath a buoy, and leave it to work overnight. By morning, the chum has usually drawn in enough cats to justify fishing. Crappie anglers first popularized this method, but reports of catfish caught in the same areas prompted catmen to try it. Soured milo grain is another effective chum. Most of the time, it is spread out over

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In This Issue

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INDUSTRY INSIDER • Tracker; The Buck Bomb | BY TF&G STAFF

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

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SHOOT THIS • Mossberg Model 835 Ulti-Mag Tactical Turkey Shotgun | BY STEVE LAMASCUS

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

I60 I65 I66 I68 I70

SPORTING TALES • Legacy of the “Redfish Wars” | BY LUKE GILES

HOW-TO SECTION

I42 I44 I45 I47 I48 I52 I54 I56

COVER STORY • Lake Conroe Cats | BY CHESTER MOORE

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

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

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

GEARING UP SECTION

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TEXAS TESTED • Midland; American Hunter; Shimano | BY TF&G STAFF

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

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TEXAS BOATING • Gizmos, Gadgets, & Goodies | BY LENNY RUDOW

WOO’S CORNER • Fishing in the Heat | BY WOO DAVES TOURNAMENT INSIDER • FLW-Falcon Event Sets Record | BY MATT WILLIAMS GURLZ PAGE • Please Pass the Bass Boat | BY MARI HENRY

SALTWATER BAITS & RIGS • It’s Alive! | BY PATRICK LEMIRE FRESHWATER BAITS & RIGS • Rod-Free Cats | BY PAUL BRADSHAW MISTER CRAPPIE • The House That Mr. Crappie Built | BY WALLY MARSHALL TEXAS KAYAKING • Scratching Bottom | BY GREG BERLOCHER TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • The Beauty of Accuracy | BY STEVE LAMASCUS HUNT TEXAS • Lessons from the Season | BY BOB HOOD WILDERNESS TRAILS • The Lostrider, Part II | BY HERMAN W. BRUNE

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AFIELD WITH BARRY • Trashy Bass Fishing | BY BARRY ST. CLAIR TEXAS TASTED • Fried Catfish | BY BRYAN SLAVEN DISCOVER THE OUTDOORS • Classifieds | BY TF&G STAFF PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos | BY TF&G STAFF

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a flat, ledge, or around boat docks where shore-bound anglers can get in on the action. Many anglers simply throw a coffee can of chum overboard and begin fishing. If there is no action within 20 or 30 minutes, they move on and try somewhere else. “You don’t want to limit yourself to one spot,” Richardson said. “Catfish usually show up quickly when you put out chum. Some anglers like to leave holes baited, but I prefer putting out chum while I am fishing. That way, you don’t get everyone in the world fishing your spot.” As far as bait goes, Conroe regulars use a wide variety. Earthworms, cut shad, cheese bait, and locally popular concoctions consisting of everything from cattle brains to chicken livers will get the job done. “These fish aren’t too picky. I usually catch mine on cheese bait or worms, but anglers here catch them on all kinds of stuff,” Richardson said. He uses a drop-shot rig fished near the bottom, and a floating rig to target fish moving up and down the water column: “I probably catch more fish right near the bottom, but get some of the bigger ones a few feet up.” This month, the manmade brush piles on the northern end of the lake should hold some of the larger fish. If you are looking for bigger fish, resist the urge to chum the area or you will be battling more pan-size channel cats than you can handle. The big fish lurk around the brush piles. To get their attention, down a line baited with a strip of carp or a live crawfish. Crawfish are not typically thought of as catfish bait, but in East Texas, it has a dedicated following and will catch some nice cats as well as bonus bass. Another good area for catfish is near Loch Ness. The drop-offs along the shallow flats are good for night fishing, especially for anglers fishing cut bait or large live shiners under a floating rig. You should not expect to catch a lake monster, but you have a good shot a cat a bit bigger than the average for these waters. “I have caught some of my best catfish in that area. Cut bait and shiners are probably the best, but a big glob of earthworms on a treble hook can draw some big ones as well,” Richardson said.

As spring fades to summer, much of the action is in deer water along the river channel and in the open water near the spillway. Big cats suspend around the thermocline and inhabit water not many anglers fishing with rod and reels target. Around the river channel, be mindful of

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with boats do, but plenty places provide fish for the frying pan—boat docks, piers, and along publicly accessible shorelines. The main thing is to bring the fish to you with chum.

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On these waters, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

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area you fish, but also bringing fish directly to your bait. Any kind of chum will work, but a mixture I have had some success with was menhaden oil mixed with soured milo. The oil creates a huge chum slick, and when it mixes with the milo, the smell is almost unbearable—which means catfish love it. The best part is that a little bit goes a long way. You might also try using this under a large popping cork like an Old Bayside Paradise Popper. Even if your bait is on the bottom, you can rig a popping cork above it and attach a baited film canister below. This will allow you to do some extra chumming and use the cork to “pop” out more chum as needed. Lake Conroe has many opportunities for anglers to pursue, and on these waters, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

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

HOTSPOT: South Bay GPS: N26 8.891, W97 10.476 SPECIES: speckled trout, snook BEST BAITS: live bait; topwaters; soft plastics in red/white, New Penny CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956551-9581 TIPS: There are some big trout and snook lurking around the oyster beds in South Bay. Calm day topwater fishing draws some crashing strikes. If the fish are being finicky, then drift fishing with live bait under a mauler or Alameda float is a good alternative. Don’t ignore the soft plastics. Some big snook have been caught on 3-inch tails.

Half-a-Hoo Reds LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Airport Cove GPS: N26 10.425, W97 17.894

SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live mullet, ballyhoo; gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Luke Bonura, 956457-2101 TIPS: Redfish spread out all over Airport on a high tide. The fish become more aggressive with the warmer water. Skip half a ‘hoo or a live finger mullet under a popping cork. As the sun gets higher, sight casters can start using 1/4-ounce weedless gold spoons with a plastic trailer. Reds seem to prefer the flash given off by a dimpled spoon.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Gaswell Flats GPS: N26 16.309, W97 16.222 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp; Gulp! Shrimp in Nuclear Chicken, Lime Tiger; soft plastics in chartreuse patterns; gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Redfish settle into the deeper hole that is formed just southwest of Gaswell (look for the first Drum Boat when heading north; the area is just to the left). The 2-1/2to 3 foot depths provide ideal opportunities for sight-fishing with live bait or chartreuse tails. Start your drift as far ahead of the flat as you can. Setting down right in the middle of it will burn the hole for everyone.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Convention Center GPS: N26 8.198, W97 10.843 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: finger mullet; soft plastics in chartreuse; Gulp! tails in Nuclear Chicken, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Luke Bonura, 956457-2101 TIPS: A long drift inside the grass flats is a good option for the area. Watch for sand holes in the grass, and cast around them. Live finger mullet under a mauler is great early-morning or windy day bait. Lure fishermen will do well to throw chartreuse plastics, or Limetreuse or Nuclear Chicken Gulp! tails. Use a 1/8-ounce head to keep you above the grass.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Green Island GPS: N26 23.310, W97 19.876 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp/popping cork; gold spoons; red spinnerbaits; soft plastics in clear/red, red/white, Pearl/red CONTACT: Captain Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Begin a drift just north of the island

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on a parallel with the spoil islands. If you look for it, you’ll spot a slight color change where the vegetation changes from turtle grass to algae clumps. Spot cast to potholes around the vegetation clumps with either live bait or soft plastics. Spoons cover a lot of water, and redfish will hit them with gusto. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Cullen Bay GPS: N26 13.209, W97 17.260 SPECIES: redfish, trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp/popping cork; topwaters early; red spinnerbaits; soft plastics in clear/red, red/white, Pearl/red CONTACT: Captain Luke Bonura, 956457-2101 TIPS: Drift-fish along the shoreline for both redfish and speckled trout. Watch for deeper holes in the shoreline where fish might be lurking at low tide. Swim gold spoon into the deeper holes, or fish them with live bait or soft plastics under a popping cork. When the tide is high, fish will move around, so live bait is a good prospecting tool. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: North of East Cut GPS: N26 34.365, W97 22.377 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: Gulp! Shrimp in Pearl; soft plastics in Pearl/red, Strawberry/white; topwaters in Bone, chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Terry Neal, 956-9442559, www.terrynealcharters.com TIPS: Both speckled trout and redfish collect along the edges of deeper water around here when warm water is flowing in from the Gulf of Mexico. The warming temperatures get their blood flowing and their appetites grow. Topwaters are good early in the day, and even later on if the conditions remain calm. Otherwise, swim or hop plastics and Gulp! tails along the bottom as the day progresses. If the fish want a slower presenta-

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tion, use a Mauler to force you to slow down.

GPS: N26 33.450, W97 16.080 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live bait CONTACT: Quick Stop, 956-943-1159 TIPS: May means that the surf around the jetties will begin to clear up, but there will be sargassum to contend with. When the weeds aren’t too thick, you can fish live mullet or shrimp on a fish-finder rig in the first two guts. An even better rig would be the classic Gapen Baitwalker, which will allow the sinker to bounce of the jetty granite and not get snagged up. Use 15- to 20-pound test mono or 30- to 40-pound braid. Some of these reds are pretty nice-sized.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: East Cut Spoils GPS: N26 33.685, W97 22.377 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: topwaters early; soft plastics in red/white, Limetreuse, Pearl/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Terry Neal, 956-9442559, www.terrynealcharters.com TIPS: Fish the cuts and drop-offs along the spoil islands that line the East Cut. When the tide floods the edges of the spoils, you can get some good action with topwaters. Later in the day, back up and fish the edges. Trout will still hit a topwater at high noon, but you’ll maximize your opportunities with soft baits fished along the edges.

EnGauging Specks LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge GPS: N27 18.248, W97 27.593

LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Mansfield Jetties

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SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: topwaters early; soft plastics in strawberry/black back Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Work up near the shoreline early in the morning with topwaters. Trout will be cruising in the shallows hunting. Work deeper water along the gut as the day progresses. Trout will respond to long plastics with lots of tail action that are fished down in the greener water of the gut. Use darker patterns. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Center Reef

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GPS: N27 16.206, W97 34.362 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker; soft plastics in Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441 TIPS: Springtime is trout time in Baffin Bay. Live croaker become the bait of choice around the worm mounds. Fish them either free-lined or with a light (1/4-ounce) weight near the rocks. Speckled trout will hit a finfish before they do even live shrimp. The live bait is also a great way to get fish feeding with abandon, at which time you can start chucking your favorite soft plastic at them. Any pattern with chartreuse will work well. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Penescal Point Rocks GPS: N27 15.672, W97 25.290 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker; soft plastics in Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart,

361-985-6089. 361-449-7441 TIPS: Reefs, rocks, and mounds offer the best opportunity for Baffin fishermen to latch into a big trout in the spring. Work live croaker on a 3/0 Kahle hook with little or no weight near the rocks, just like on Center Reef. Give the fish slack by dropping your rod tip on the pick-up. Big fish love big baits, but they need time to swallow them. Use soft plastics in the 4- to 5-inch range if you prefer artificials. LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Emmord’s Hole GPS: N27 29.754, W97 19.970 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse. CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089. 361-449-7441 TIPS: Fishermen should work the edges of grasslines and drop-offs to locate prowling trout. Soft plastics under a mauler or Alameda float are effective. Work the baits on a 1/8-ounce jighead without the float if trout are spooky.

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LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Beacroft’s Hole GPS: N27 33.261, W97 19.226 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: You can fish Beacroft’s much like Emmord’s: work grassline edges near deeper water. You can also fish the nearby spoil islands with bait or soft plastics with good results. Fishermen can also work near the Pure Oil Channel along the edges for good results. Soft plastics are the best bet, especially when traveling light (as some who wade will do). LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Nighthawk Shoreline GPS: N27 34.312, W97 15.595 SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters early; shad tails in purple/chartreuse, Tequila Gold; gold spoons

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CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Yes, you can catch redfish in May. Pods of the bronze belligerents will be cruising the shallows above the grasslines along Nighthawk, and the entire King Ranch for that matter. When you intercept a few of

them, work a topwater past them. If the fish don’t seem very interested, switch over to a Norton’s Bull Minnow, or a Tequila Gold Texas Trout Killer. If all else fails, switch to the indefatigable 1/4-ounce gold spoon. That oughtta get them.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: JFK Causeway Crash Channels GPS: N27 38.052, W97 14.773 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: live bait; soft plastics in Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: The crash channels still provide good fishing opportunities for trout and redfish in May. The astute fisherman works the edges of the channel with live bait or a soft plastic on a 1/4-ounce jighead. Fish the downcurrent side when the tide is running. Fish wait in ambush for prey to be disoriented by the current.

Sandy-Green for Speck Speculation LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Boat Cut GPS: N29 40.398, W93 49.516

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in chartreuse, Glow/chartreuse, Pearl/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: The sandy-green water that filters into Sabine from the Gulf of Mexico creates prime speckled trout conditions. The big fish use the “trout green” water to lurk and roam the deeper holes along the jetties. Try vertically fishing jigs near the bottom while slowly drift trolling (or strolling, much like crappie fishermen do) through the holes. You can also anchor upcurrent and let the tides tell you where your bait should go. LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Stewt’s Island GPS: N29 57.899, W93 50.900 SPECIES: speckled trout, redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters early; soft plastics in Glow/chartreuse, Pearl/chartreuse, Green Tomato I10

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CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-7862018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: Birds are the big tip-off. If you see a flock of birds working over bait, then you know where to fish. The bigger trout and redfish will be hanging off to the sides to pick up escaping bait, or near the bottom to slurp up dead and dying forage. It’s hard to get past the smaller surface busters, so use a heavier (1/4- or even 3/8-ounce) jigheads.

limit yourself to the weedlines. Work over the weeds themselves. Bass will come up out of the grass to bust a noisy topwater. BEST BAITS: Bone or blue chrome Zara Spooks or Chug Bugs CONTACT: Mike Hawkes, 210-275-1309 TIPS: Bass are in their post-spawn doldrums. An aggressively worked topwater over weedbeds and long sloping points should get them out of their funk. Don’t

LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Cow Creek GPS: N29 32.435, W101 12.654 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: 3/4- to 1-ounce football jigs; drop-shotted plastics in purple patterns CONTACT: Mike Hawkes, 210-275-1309 TIPS: Bass are going to be hugging tight to

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Fat Rat Pass GPS: N29 28.758, W94 38.809 SPECIES: trout, redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters; soft plastics in Limetreuse, Plum; Gulp! Shrimp, shad tails CONTACT: Captain Steve Hillman, 281910-4398 TIPS: Wade the shoreline and fish from deep to shallow to find stalking speckled trout and redfish. Large, noisy topwaters are best for the morning work (a Bone Top Dog is the best bait, but don’t be timid about using a Big Bug popper). Fish the depth breaks with soft plastics on a 1/8-ounce jighead as the day wears on. Fish back off into deeper water when the shallows brighten up. LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Little Hannah Reef GPS: N29 28.783, W94 43.784 SPECIES: trout BEST BAITS: topwaters early; soft plastics in chartreuse, Plum/chartreuse; Gulp! baits CONTACT: Captain Steve Hillman, 281910-4398 TIPS: Find the shoal and drift between it and the shoreline. Fish aggressively for reaction strikes. Plastics or Gulp! baits can be fished under a Mansfield Mauler-type setup or a rattling float to call the fish to dinner. Trout are in an aggressive, hungry state and hit a bait with abandon.

Spook Up a Largemouth LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Caballo Creek GPS: N29 29.753, W101 18.564 SPECIES: largemouth bass A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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ledges and along breaklines in 25-40’ of water. Find the drop-offs and ledges with your electronics, then work up against it with drop-shot rigs and large football jigs. The latter can be dragged off the ledge and allowed to fall along the drop-off. Use a trailer with plenty of tail action with either the jig or the drop-shot. LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Rio Salado GPS: N26 49.831, W99 18.947. SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: 3/4- to 1-ounce jigs/trailers; Sweet Beavers in black, purple patterns CONTACT: Mike Hawkes, 210-275-1309 TIPS: Bass have broken out of their postspawn mode, and are moving into creek and riverbeds and are feeding. Fish rock ledges and breaklines along the main river channel with heavy jigs and tight compact trailers such as Reaction Lures’ Sweet Beaver. Use

stouter tackle and braided line to fish among the submerged hardwood. LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Little Tigers GPS: N26 41.285, W99 8.912 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina-rigged 10-inch flipping worms in grape or black with 1-ounce sinkers CONTACT: Mike Hawkes, 210-275-1309 TIPS: Hardwood such as huisache, retama, or mesquite are bass magnets in late spring. Use heavy line and flipping rods to work up against the trees. Fifty to 65 pound braid should be standard in this situation to horse the fish out of the wood. Even then, it might be difficult. Some BIG bass have been yanked out this area over the last couple of years.

Raising a Stink with Fayette Cats LOCATION: Lake Fayette County HOTSPOT: Main Point Flat GPS: N29 56.618, W96 44.692

SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: stinkbait, worms, shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103 TIPS: A lot of fish have spawned already. Southerly winds are blowing food onto the flat and south-facing bank of this point. Anchor in about four feet of water and fish toward the shore, not on the shoreline. Use a tight line with 1-ounce weight and # 4 treble hook. Use stink baits or chum to attract fish to your area. This is open water, anchor front of boat into the wind to prevent waves from coming over transom. If not catching fish, move 100 yards parallel to the bank either way and continue fishing. BANK ACCESS: Oak Thicket Ramp. All species can be had. LOCATION: Lake Fayette County HOTSPOT: Points & Humps GPS: N29 55.920, W96 44.842 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: crankbaits; Carolina-rigged soft plastics CONTACT: Bob Green, 281-460-9200 TIPS: Work points and humps for post spawn fish BANK ACCESS: Park Prairie Pier. All species can be had, live bait best. LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Blackrock Park GPS: N30 46.777, W98 26.878 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: crankbaits, Rat-L-Trap, plastic swimbait and drop-shot CONTACT: Jim Files, 830- 385-9579 TIPS: Work coves and pockets around Blackrock Park. Work mouth of Colorado

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River on the right side flats. Fish boat docks 5 to 15 feet deep in Silver and Morgan Creeks; flats from Cedar Point to Highline. BANK ACCESS: Highline Resort, catfish, bass, crappie LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Garrett Island GPS: N30 50.488, W98 24.573 SPECIES: striped/white bass BEST BAITS: live shad, striper jigs CONTACT: Jim Files, 830-385-9579 TIPS: For stripers fish live sad. Drift 25 to 40 feet deep or troll striper jigs. For white bass, troll mouths of major creeks and along river channel from Paradise Point to Canyon of the Eagles. BANK ACCESS: Jacob’s Creek Park, largemouth and smallmouth bass LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Robin Hood to Beaver Island GPS: N30 34.679, W98 23.159 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Firetiger spinnerbait, chartreuse/purple back crankbait, Green Pumpkin jig, red flake Brush Hog, Watermelon JDC drop-shot worm CONTACT: Jim Files, 830-385-9579 TIPS: Work the above baits from Robin Hood to Beaver Island, Sandy Creek, pockets above Sunrise Beach, and the Llano River from 1431 bridge to second bridge. BANK ACCESS: Robin Hood Park, catfish, largemouth bass LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Jacob’s Creek GPS: N29 53.748, W98 12.807 SPECIES: largemouth/spotted bass BEST BAITS: Texas rigged weightless plastic stickbait; Zara Spook, 1/4th - ounce buzzbait, Texas rigged Green Pumpkin Scoundrel worm, Rootbeer/green flake Brush Hog, Green Pumpkin jig and dropshot worm CONTACT: Jim Files, 830- 385-9579 TIPS: Work the Guadalupe River from the mouth up to 2 miles above Rebecca Creek; brush piles at the dam, Potter’s Creek points, Jacobs Creek Recreational Area Point and Tom’s Creek. BANK ACCESS: Jacob’s Creek Park, largemouth and smallmouth bass LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Comal Island Bluff GPS: N29 52.216, W98 14.295 SPECIES: smallmouth bass

BEST BAITS: Green Pumpkin tube, curly tail grub, plastic stickbaits, crankbaits, topwaters CONTACT: Jim Files, 830- 385-9579 TIPS: Work dam, Overlook, the bluffs, and pockets from boat ramp to Overlook. BANK ACCESS: Jacob’s Creek Park. Largemouth bass LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Loafer Bend Shoreline GPS: N31 53.464, W97 21.425 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Zara Spook, Pop R CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539 TIPS: Threadfin shad will be spawning along these shores as stripers move in to gorge. Make long casts toward shoreline and wait until you feel the fish before setting hook. Use this tactic early and late. BANK ACCESS: Bear Creek shoreline, white bass, catfish LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Whitney Point GPS: N31 54.672, W97 21.425 SPECIES: white/sand bass BEST BAITS: white or Chartreuse Slabs, 3/4th to 1- ounce CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539 TIPS: Bounce Slabs off bottom. Watch for birds/gulls diving on shad. They will lead you to the fish. Also work Island flats and Sand Point. BANK ACCESS: Loafer Bend Park shore, white bass, stripers LOCATION: Lake Waco HOTSPOT: Entrance to Waco Marina, South Jetty GPS: N31 33.301, W97 14.072 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: plastic worms, in Tequila Sunrise, purple, Watermelon CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, 254-7442104 TIPS: Toss a Texas rigged worm onto rocks and drag off into water. Retrieve very slowly, raising and lowering rod, while bumping bottom. Work South Jetty first, and then move to North Jetty. You can also work a Carolina Rig 8 to 10 feet out from rock banks with slow retrieve, again bumping bottom. BANK ACCESS: Fish off the top of the same jetties, pitching plastic worms and shallow crank baits just outside and along the rocks that line the two jetties. Parking is available along levee of South Jetty. Parking for North

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Jetty is available in parking lot at Waco Marina. LOCATION: Trading House Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Scout Camp Shore GPS: N31 34.030, W96 56.579

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: plastic worms, medium running crankbaits, spinnerbaits; Tequila Sunrise for plastics, chrome & blue for crankbaits; Chartreuse spinnerbaits / white skirt CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, 254-744-2104

TIPS: Work channel as it meanders along Scout camp shoreline. Also cast spinnerbaits and crankbaits along the edge of the reeds and flip the pockets. For flipping, use Texas-rigged plastic worms. Use Carolina Rig when working the channel. BANK ACCESS: South Levee; drive across levee, turn left and park in South Shore Parking area at top of hill LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Fox Point and Park shoreline GPS: N30 41.290, W97 20.680 SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: jig, minnow CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, 512-3657761 TIPS: Fish main lake brush piles all along the shoreline bordering Fox Park, from Fox Point westward to the boat ramp. BANK ACCESS: Wilson Fox Park Fishing Dock, crappie on minnows

Cranky Palestine Bass LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Henderson Point GPS: N32 11.860, W95 29.979 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: small crankbaits, such as the Bomber 6A, in shad color CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5302201

TIPS: Work the points, old roadways, and brush along the shoreline. BANK ACCESS: Dam Park for bass, catfish, crappie LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Large Dam Island GPS: N30 18.663, W96 31.405 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: shad, stinkbait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, www.FishTalesGuideService.com 979-229-3103 I14

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TIPS: Fish are spawning this time of year. Look for them around the rocks. Anchor away from shore, cast toward the rocks using slip corks to prevent hang-ups. Use shad with a $1 Kahle hook or stink bait with # 4 treble hook. Move up and down the shoreline to cover more areas where fish are nesting. BANK ACCESS: Overlook Point. Largemouth on live shad or red soft plastics on Crig LOCATION: Lake Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: Pelican Island GPS: N31 56.297, W96 12.828 SPECIES: white bass and hybrid stripers BEST BAITS: chrome slab, chrome and blue Rat-L-Trap CONTACT: Royce Simmons, 903-3894117 TIPS: Watch for surface feeding fish off Pelican Island early morning and late afternoon. Chrome/blue Rat-L-Traps are deadly when the fish are on top. A 1-ounce silver or chartreuse slab bumped off the bottom works when the fish are deep. BANK ACCESS: Hwy 309 Park. Catfish, chum area first, use cut shad or perch. LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Water Discharge, South Shoreline GPS: N30 38.257, W96 03.174 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: punch bait, shad, crawfish CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103 TIPS: A lot of fish have spawned and are looking for food after being on the nest. Anchor in this area, set out 2 to 3 rods, and wait. Fish will be passing through this area to and from their nesting places. Remember, bigger bait, bigger, but less fish and smaller baits, smaller, but more fish. For large fish use large shad or cut bait. For smaller fish use small shad or stink bait. Carolina Rig works well with a 3/4th - ounce weight on a # 4 treble hook for stink bait and # 2 Kahle hook for other bait. BANK ACCESS: 250 Foot Fishing Pier, all species LOCATION: Toledo Bend North HOTSPOT: Huxley Bay area GPS: N31 45.824, W93 50.305 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Rogue, lizard, jig and pig CONTACT: Mark Robinson, 936-3682211

TIPS: Work bushes, laydowns, stumps, brush, and any shallow cover for spawning bass. BANK ACCESS: San Miguel Park & Fishing Pier, shallow crankbait, Rat-L-Trap LOCATION: Toledo Bend North HOTSPOT: Deer Camp Flats GPS: N31 49.419, W93 53.650 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: jig and pig, plastic lizard, jerkbait, big plastic worm, spinnerbait CONTACT: Mark Robinson, 936-3682211 TIPS: Pitch jig and pig around button willows. Plastic lizards fished slowly Texas or Carolina rigged on top of shallow flats, ridges and humps will produce some of the best catches this time of year. Fish jerkbait or 12 inch worm shallow around laydowns and stumps. Spinnerbait thrown shallow will produce some scrappy medium sized bass. A tip to remember is the larger the spinnerbait and the slower it is worked, the larger the bass it will produce. BANK ACCESS: San Miguel Park & Fishing Pier.

Spinnerbaits Fork Over Bass LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Wolf Creek GPS: N32 50.889, W95 34.951 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: spinnerbait, crankbait CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5302201 TIPS: Fish shallow, along the drop-offs in

Wolf Creek. Later in the month, you will find the bass bunching up on deep-water humps on the main lake. To catch these fish, use Carolina Rig, and large deep-diving crankbait. BANK ACCESS: Lake Fork Public Park, largemouth, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Duck Call Cove GPS: N32 54.284, W95 38.464 A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: medium running crankbait, spinnerbait, Carolina Rig, Baby Brush Hog CONTACT: Mike Rogge, 903-383-3406 TIPS: In addition to Duck Call Cove, hit the mouths of Rodgers Creek, Long Branch in Big Caney; Boardtree Branch, Elm Creek, and Double Branch BANK ACCESS: Lake Fork Public Park, largemouth, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Chaney Point GPS: N32 48.307, W95 33.452 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: punch bait CONTACT: Mike Rogge, 903-383-3406 TIPS: Tight line punch bait over points, drop-offs, and timber. BANK ACCESS: Lake Fork Public Park, largemouth, crappie, catfish

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Buncombe Creek GPS: N33 52.869, W96 47.830 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: topwaters, live shad CONTACT: Bill Carey, 877-786-4477 TIPS: Stripers will be on two patterns: topwaters and live shad. Blind cast Pencil Poppers and Chug-Bugs early, to banks. Best colors are chrome and blue. Later in the day, fish live shad on a Carolina Rig. Anchor on ledges and mouths of creeks. Stripers are biting all around mid-lake areas. Extra tip: Tie a balloon on a 5-foot leader and free line an 8-inch gizzard shad behind the boat for big fish. BANK ACCESS: Shepherd AFB Recreation Area, striped bass, catfish, crappie LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool HOTSPOT: Grass along Dam and long points

GPS: N32 38.816, W96 59.245 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: spinnerbait, Rat-L-Trap, Carolina Rigged Fluke CONTACT: Randy Maxwell, 817-3132878 TIPS: The fish are regaining their strength from the spawn and topwaters should be your starting choice. Fishing the above baits in and through the grass and along points should produce good numbers of bass. Watch the wind direction to figure out where the baitfishes are. When you find them, the bass will be close by. BANK ACCESS: Lynn Creek Fishing Dock, largemouth bass, crappie; bream on worms or crickets. LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Costello Island GPS: N32 54.142, W98 28.068 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: chrome/blue crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps; slabs; small shad CONTACT: Dean Heffner, 940-779-2597 TIPS: You can fish live shad if you have a cast net and aerated livewell to keep them in. Depending on depth and cover, work slabs, free-swimming shad, shallow, medium, and deep running crankbaits, along with Rat-LTraps. The fish will be scattered from Costello Island south toward Broadway, (mid-lake). Pick up larger stripers and hybrids by downrigging crankbaits in the old river channel, along the main lake. Also, keep an eye out for the birds. If you see them and “jumpy” water, the shad are being chased by the stripers. Here you can catch them on most topwaters. BANK ACCESS: Sky Camp, fishing camp with fishing dock, all species

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

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

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

T12

T11

T10

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

T13 T7

T6 T17

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

T15 T16

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

T14 T18

T19

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

T21

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE Add or subtract the time shown at the right of the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine the adjustment from the time shown for GALVESTON CHANNEL in the calendars.

KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

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

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

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

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

T22 T23

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

www.FishGame.com • M A Y

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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

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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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Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2008

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

MONDAY

TUESDAY

28 SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

May 1

SUNDAY

Set: 7:49p Sunrise: 6:35a Set: 12:56p Moonrise: 2:45a

Set: 7:50p Set: 1:57p

Sunrise: 6:34a Moonrise: 3:18a

Set: 7:50p Set: 2:58p

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 3:50a

Set: 7:51p Set: 4:00p

Sunrise: 6:33a Moonrise: 4:22a

Set: 7:52p Set: 5:04p

Sunrise: 6:32a Moonrise: 4:55a

Set: 7:52p Set: 6:11p

Sunrise: 6:31a Moonrise: 5:33a

Set: 7:53p Set: 7:23p

AM Minor: 12:04a

PM Minor: 12:28p

AM Minor: 12:51a

PM Minor: 1:15p

AM Minor: 1:35a

PM Minor: 1:58p

AM Minor: 2:17a

PM Minor: 2:40p

AM Minor: 2:57a

PM Minor: 3:21p

AM Minor: 3:40a

PM Minor: 4:06p

AM Minor: 4:28a

PM Minor: 4:56p

AM Major: 6:16a

PM Major: 6:40p

AM Major: 7:03a

PM Major: 7:27p

AM Major: 7:47a

PM Major: 8:10p

AM Major: 8:28a

PM Major: 8:52p

AM Major: 9:09a

PM Major: 9:34p

AM Major: 9:53a

PM Major: 10:19p

AM Major: 10:42a

PM Major: 11:10p

Moon Overhead: 7:30a

12a

THURSDAY

12p

Moon Overhead: 9:05a

Moon Overhead: 8:18a

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 9:51a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:29a

Moon Overhead: 10:39a

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 12:23p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:36a Moonrise: 2:10a

WEDNESDAY

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 7:54p

+2.0

Moon Underfoot: 8:41p

BEST:

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 11:03p

BEST:

7:45-9:40 AM

BEST:

8:25-10:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 11:55p BEST:

9:05-11:15 AM

Moon Underfoot: None

+2.0

BEST:

9:50AM-12:10PM

10:40AM-1:00PM TIDE LEVELS

BEST:

7:20-9:10 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:14p

TIDE LEVELS

6:35-8:40 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 9:28p

Low Tide: 4:14 am High Tide: 1:23 pm

0.26 ft 1.45 ft

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

5:15 am 1:35 pm 8:10 pm 11:21 pm

0.35 ft 1.40 ft 1.10 ft 1.14 ft

Low Tide: 6:17 am High Tide: 1:45 pm Low Tide: 7:37 pm

0.47 ft 1.34 ft 0.88 ft

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

1:15 am 7:19 am 1:53 pm 7:57 pm

1.23 ft 0.62 ft 1.29 ft 0.59 ft

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

2:39 am 8:22 am 2:01 pm 8:30 pm

1.39 ft 0.81 ft 1.27 ft 0.26 ft

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

3:52 am 9:24 am 2:07 pm 9:10 pm

1.56 ft 1.01 ft 1.29 ft -0.05 ft

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

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

12a

BEST:

7:05-9:40 PM

12p

SOLUNAR AC TIVIT Y: 12a

AM/PM Timeline Light Blue: Nighttime

MINOR Feeding Periods (+/- 1.5 Hrs.)

AM Minor: 1:20a

PM Minor: 1:45p

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Major: 7:57p

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

Moon Overhead: 8:50a

Gold Fish: Best Time Blue Fish: Good Time

AM/PM Timeline

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

12p

MOON PHASE SYMBOLS MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)

12a

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

z {

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

5:00 am 10:26 am 2:13 pm 9:54 pm

1.72 ft 1.21 ft 1.35 ft -0.32 ft

+1.0

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

z z

BEST:

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

6 6

Sunrise: 6:30a Moonrise: 6:15a

Set: 7:54p Set: 8:38p

Sunrise: 6:29a Moonrise: 7:06a

Set: 7:54p Set: 9:51p

Sunrise: 6:29a Moonrise: 8:05a

AM Minor: 5:23a

PM Minor: 5:53p

AM Minor: 6:26a

PM Minor: 6:58p

AM Major: 11:38a

PM Major: ——-

AM Major: 12:10a

PM Major: 12:42p

Moon Overhead: 1:23p 6a

12p

12a

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Set: 7:56p Set: None

AM Minor: 7:35a

PM Minor: 8:08p

AM Minor: 8:46a

PM Minor: 9:19p

AM Minor: 9:56a

PM Minor: 10:27p

AM Minor: 11:00a

PM Minor: 11:29p

AM Minor: 11:58a

PM Minor: ——-

AM Major: 1:18a

PM Major: 1:51p

AM Major: 2:30a

PM Major: 3:02p

AM Major: 3:41a

PM Major: 4:11p

AM Major: 4:46a

PM Major: 5:15p

AM Major: 5:45a

PM Major: 6:10p

12p

Sunrise: 6:27a Set: 7:56p Moonrise: 10:19a Set: None

SUNDAY

Set: 7:55p Sunrise: 6:28a Set: 11:00p Moonrise: 9:10a

Moon Overhead: 3:32p

Moon Overhead: 2:26p 12a

THURSDAY

Moon Overhead: 4:37p 12a

12p

Sunrise: 6:27a Set: 7:57p Sunrise: 6:26a Set: 7:57p Moonrise: 11:28a Set: 12:51a Moonrise: 12:34p Set: 1:33a

Moon Overhead: 6:35p

Moon Overhead: 5:38p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 7:26p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

12a

Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2008

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

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 12:52a +2.0

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 4:05a BEST:

3:30-8:45 PM

4:30-9:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:08a BEST:

3:40-5:20 AM

Moon Underfoot: 6:07a BEST:

4:40-6:20 AM

Moon Underfoot: 7:01a +2.0

BEST:

6:05-7:30 PM TIDE LEVELS

12:40-2:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 2:59a

TIDE LEVELS

11;30AM-1:45PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 1:54a

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

6:07 am 11:30 am 2:17 pm 10:42 pm

1.83 ft 1.39 ft 1.45 ft -0.51 ft

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

7:14 am 12:39 pm 2:15 pm 11:35 pm

1.88 ft High Tide: 8:23 am 1.53 ft 1.54 ft -0.60 ft

1.88 ft

3:45 am 12:19 pm 7:24 pm 8:43 pm

-0.07 ft 1.52 ft 1.17 ft 1.18 ft

+1.0

-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

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

1 8

Sunrise: 6:25a Moonrise: 1:36p

Set: 7:58p Set: 2:10a

Sunrise: 6:25a Moonrise: 2:34p

Set: 7:59p Set: 2:41a

Sunrise: 6:24a Moonrise: 3:29p

Set: 7:59p Set: 3:10a

Sunrise: 6:23a Moonrise: 4:24p

Set: 8:00p Set: 3:37a

Sunrise: 6:23a Moonrise: 5:18p

Set: 8:01p Set: 4:05a

Sunrise: 6:22a Moonrise: 6:14p

Set: 8:01p Set: 4:34a

Sunrise: 6:22a Moonrise: 7:11p

Set: 8:02p Set: 5:06a

AM Minor: 12:24a

PM Minor: 12:47p

AM Minor: 1:08a

PM Minor: 1:30p

AM Minor: 1:47a

PM Minor: 2:08p

AM Minor: 2:23a

PM Minor: 2:44p

AM Minor: 2:59a

PM Minor: 3:19p

AM Minor: 3:36a

PM Minor: 3:57p

AM Minor: 4:15a

PM Minor: 4:38p

AM Major: 6:35a

PM Major: 6:59p

AM Major: 7:19a

PM Major: 7:40p

AM Major: 7:57a

PM Major: 8:18p

AM Major: 8:33a

PM Major: 8:54p

AM Major: 9:09a

PM Major: 9:30p

AM Major: 9:46a

PM Major: 10:08p

AM Major: 10:27a

PM Major: 10:49p

Moon Overhead: 8:12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 9:37p

Moon Overhead: 8:55p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 10:17p 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:42p

Moon Overhead: 10:59p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: None 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2008

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 7:50a +2.0

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

7:30-9:15 PM

Moon Underfoot: 9:57a BEST:

8:15-9:50 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:38a BEST:

8:45-10:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:20a BEST:

9:25-11:15 PM

Moon Underfoot: 12:05p +2.0

BEST:

9:40-11:45 AM

10:20AM-12:30PM TIDE LEVELS

Moon Underfoot: 9:16a

TIDE LEVELS

6:50-9:00 PM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 8:34a

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

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• M A Y

0.18 ft 1.41 ft 0.95 ft 1.12 ft

Low Tide: 6:11 am High Tide: 1:05 pm Low Tide: 7:42 pm

2 0 0 8 /

0.43 ft 1.31 ft 0.70 ft

T E X A S

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

F i s h

1:10 am 7:24 am 1:19 pm 8:08 pm

1.17 ft 0.67 ft 1.24 ft 0.47 ft

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

2:41 am 8:36 am 1:29 pm 8:34 pm

1.28 ft 0.88 ft 1.21 ft 0.26 ft

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

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

3:54 am 9:45 am 1:35 pm 9:01 pm

1.40 ft 1.06 ft 1.21 ft 0.09 ft

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

4:53 am 10:55 am 1:35 pm 9:29 pm

1.50 ft 1.19 ft 1.24 ft -0.03 ft

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

5:43 am 12:22 pm 1:11 pm 9:59 pm

1.57 ft 1.28 ft 1.29 ft -0.11 ft

+1.0

-1.0

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z z

Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2008 MONDAY

TUESDAY

{ 20

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Sunrise: 6:20a Set: 8:04p Moonrise: 10:45p Set: 7:58a

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:05p Moonrise: 11:30p Set: 8:52a

22 1

22 2

Sunrise: 6:21a Moonrise: 8:08p

Set: 8:02p Set: 5:42a

Sunrise: 6:21a Moonrise: 9:04p

Set: 8:03p Set: 6:22a

Sunrise: 6:20a Moonrise: 9:56p

Set: 8:04p Set: 7:07a

AM Minor: 4:59a

PM Minor: 5:23p

AM Minor: 5:47a

PM Minor: 6:12p

AM Minor: 6:38a

PM Minor: 7:04p

AM Minor: 7:33a

PM Minor: 7:58p

AM Minor: 8:28a

AM Major: 11:11a

PM Major: 11:35p

AM Major: 11:59a

PM Major: ——-

AM Major: 12:26a

PM Major: 12:51p

AM Major: 1:20a

PM Major: 1:45p

AM Major: 2:15a

Moon Overhead: 12:28a 6a

12p

Moon Overhead: 2:06a

Moon Overhead: 1:16a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 2:57a 12a

12p

SATURDAY

12p

Sunrise: 6:19a Moonrise: None

Set: 8:05p Set: 9:49a

PM Minor: 8:53p

AM Minor: 9:23a

PM Minor: 9:48p

AM Minor: 10:17a

PM Minor: 10:40p

PM Major: 2:41p

AM Major: 3:11a

PM Major: 3:35p

AM Major: 4:05a

PM Major: 4:28p

Sunrise: 6:19a Set: 8:06p Moonrise: 12:09a Set: 10:48a

Moon Overhead: 4:38a

Moon Overhead: 3:48a 12a

SUNDAY

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 5:26a 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

119

12a

WEDNESDAY

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

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 12:52p +2.0

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

8:45PM-2:45AM

Moon Underfoot: 3:22p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 4:13p BEST:

9:00PM-3:50AM

4:10-9:15 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:02p BEST:

3:10-5:10 AM

Moon Underfoot: 5:50p +2.0

BEST:

3:55-5:40 AM TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

8:10PM-1:45AM

Moon Underfoot: 2:32p

TIDE LEVELS

7:45-10:45 PM

Moon Underfoot: 1:41p

High Tide: 6:28 am 1.60 ft High Tide: 7:11 am 1.61 ft High Tide: 7:56 am 1.59 ft High Tide: 8:44 am Low Tide: 10:31 pm -0.14 ft Low Tide: 11:06 pm -0.15 ft Low Tide: 11:43 pm -0.12 ft

1.57 ft

Low Tide: 12:22 am -0.09 ft Low Tide: 1:02 am -0.04 ft Low Tide: 1:44 am 0.04 ft High Tide: 9:33 am 1.55 ft High Tide: 10:20 am 1.53 ft High Tide: 10:57 am 1.50 ft

+1.0

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

z z

BEST:

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Jun 1

Set: 8:07p Sunrise: 6:18a Set: 12:46p Moonrise: 1:48a

Set: 8:08p Set: 1:45p

Sunrise: 6:17a Moonrise: 2:19a

Set: 8:08p Set: 2:46p

Sunrise: 6:17a Moonrise: 2:50a

Set: 8:09p Set: 3:49p

Sunrise: 6:17a Moonrise: 3:25a

Set: 8:09p Set: 4:57p

Sunrise: 6:17a Moonrise: 4:04a

Set: 8:10p Set: 6:10p

AM Minor: 11:08a

PM Minor: 11:31p

AM Minor: 11:56a

PM Minor: ——-

AM Minor: 12:18a

PM Minor: 12:41p

AM Minor: 1:01a

PM Minor: 1:24p

AM Minor: 1:43a

PM Minor: 2:07p

AM Minor: 2:26a

PM Minor: 2:52p

AM Minor: 3:13a

PM Minor: 3:42p

AM Major: 4:56a

PM Major: 5:19p

AM Major: 5:44a

PM Major: 6:07p

AM Major: 6:30a

PM Major: 6:52p

AM Major: 7:13a

PM Major: 7:36p

AM Major: 7:55a

PM Major: 8:19p

AM Major: 8:39a

PM Major: 9:06p

AM Major: 9:27a

PM Major: 9:56p

Moon Overhead: 6:13a

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 7:43a

Moon Overhead: 6:58a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 8:28a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 10:07a

Moon Overhead: 9:16a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:03a 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Sunrise: 6:18a Set: 8:07p Sunrise: 6:18a Moonrise: 12:45a Set: 11:47a Moonrise: 1:18a

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Tides and Prime Times for MAY 2008

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

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 6:36p

+2.0

BEST:

-1.0

BEST:

5:35-7:20 AM

Moon Underfoot: 8:52p BEST:

6:25-7:55 AM

Moon Underfoot: 9:41p BEST:

7:30-9:20 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:34p BEST:

7:45-9:50 AM

Moon Underfoot: 11:33p

+2.0

BEST:

8:30-10:45 AM

9:20-11:15 AM TIDE LEVELS

Moon Underfoot: 8:06p

TIDE LEVELS

4:50-6:30 AM

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 7:21p

Low Tide: 2:28 am 0.14 ft High Tide: 11:25 am 1.45 ft

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

2 0 0 8 /

3:15 am 11:43 am 7:27 pm 9:11 pm

0.29 ft 1.39 ft 0.99 ft 1.00 ft

T E X A S

Low Tide: 4:08 am 0.48 ft High Tide: 11:54 am 1.32 ft Low Tide: 6:22 pm 0.75 ft

F i s h

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

12:04 am 5:12 am 12:01 pm 6:44 pm

1.04 ft 0.71 ft 1.26 ft 0.44 ft

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

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

1:50 am 6:27 am 12:04 pm 7:20 pm

1.21 ft 0.95 ft 1.25 ft 0.10 ft

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

3:14 am 7:54 am 12:03 pm 8:03 pm

1.42 ft 1.18 ft 1.30 ft -0.22 ft

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

4:25 am 9:30 am 11:56 am 8:50 pm

1.62 ft 1.36 ft 1.38 ft -0.50 ft

+1.0

-1.0

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Midland’s New Generation Walkie Talkies I love walkie-talkies—or as everyone calls them now, two-way radios. For many outdoors situations, they come in extremely handy and, as evidenced by the new Midland Two-Ways, they have come a long way. The first thing you notice is they advertise an “up to 26mile range.” That is possible apparently on flat, open ground, but none of these devices operates to maximum range in the thick forests of East Texas or the rocky canyons of the Hill Country. They tell you on the back of the package that range is for open ground with

no obstructions, but in reality, does anyone need a 26-mile range? For those of us communicating with hunting and fishing buddies, getting

Midland2-Way Radio Set

5-6 miles of range is great. I was able to test them at five miles out in the marsh with a clear signal. One of the features I really liked was the NOAA Weather Radio. When Hurricane

Humberto struck my home (literally) and we lost power, I did not have a weather radio on hand. Then I realized I had these and was able to get valuable information. One of the coolest things about this particular set is the animal call alerts that let your hunting buddy signal you with a natural sound instead of an obtrusive beep. In addition, it allows direct calling, which comes in handy if you want to reach only one member of your party, perhaps the one in the best shape who can help you drag that big boar out of the woods. These radios also feature 22 channels, 142 privacy codes that give up to 3124 channel options to help block other conversations, and they are waterproof. The set comes with a dual desk charger, rechargeable battery packs, a pair of headsets, and AC/DC adapters. I have enjoyed my use of these great walkie-talkies and look forward to more in the future. Contact: Midland Radio, 816-2418500 ext. 261, www.midlandradio.com. —Chester Moore

Hurricane Tested RD225 Pro Feeder Feeders are simply a matter of fact when it comes to hunting in Texas. I use them for deer and hogs and have probably fed better than 10,000 pounds of corn over the years. Much of that feeding has been in the humid Pineywoods of East Texas, and there always seems to problems with the feeders. From timers that simply die after a short time in the field to other issues, I always seem to be having a problem. One that has been working steadily for me is an American Hunter hanging feeder I26

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with the analog time setting. It has worked through all kinds of weather conditions— including a hurricane—with no problems and I never had a problem of any sort. A month before the archer yonly season, I RD225 Pro put out Feeder the Americ a n Hunter RD 225 Pro Tripod and found it another quality product. It is easy to assemble and even has a toll-free number on the feed dispenser if you have assembly problems. The only problem I came across was that the feeder should have had pre-tapped holes to hold up the timer. My dad and I had to spend some time using ratchets to make the holes, but other than that, no complaints. At the time of this writing, the feeder was still dispensing corn on time and drawing in game. One of the great accessories you can get for this is a varmint zapper that sends a jolt of electricity to raccoons and other feed stealers that climb on feeders. There is also a solar panel to extend battery life. Contact: American Hunter Feeders, 888-304-6125, www.americanhunterfeeders.com — CM

different circumstances. That is exactly what I did with the new Shimano Core lightweight casting reel. I cast super light lures with some of my least favorite monofilament fishing line, and had very little problem with backlash. I caught some hefty redfish in Corpus Christi Bay and found the drag system more than adequate. The reasons behind the smooth action of this reel are many, including the “Magnumlite Spool” that uses lightweight aluminum alloys and unique design to move the mass of the spool outward. This light spool requires less braking force, allowing anglers to cast small baits father and more accurately than ever before. It also features an oversized drive gear that gives the angles more torque with less effort. This also allows for a larger drag washer, providing higher total drag pressure and more range. There are also shielded anti-rust bearings in place, which give extreme durability and far more corrosion resistance than standard steel bearings. Shimano is not in the business of making low-end fishing gear. What they make is good equipment, and

Shimano Core Reel Engineered for Smooth Casting

although more expensive than a lot of the stuff on the market, it also lasts through years of punishment in the most extreme conditions. I imagine the Core will be part of my repertoire for many years to come. Contact: Shimano, 877-577-0600, www.shimano.com —CM

Testing the effectiveness of a casting reel is difficult once you get into companies like Shimano, that work extremely hard to put quality into everything. It simply takes some time to fish and see how it handles under

Shimano Core Reel

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For Wide Utility Vehicle Selection, Join the Club Club Car’s XRT Series continues to offer the broadest portfolio of utility vehicles on the market. With nine models to choose

Club Car’s XRT Series of Utility Vehicles

Prime Stake from - there’s a rugged, stylish XRT for every agricultural, residential and recreational adventure. For light-duty adventures or chores, the

boast a fully independent front suspension, automotive-style 4-wheel hydraulic disc brakes, optional all-terrain tires and

360-Degree Hunting Chair is Turning Heads

While the Mobile Rest 360 chair is getting a lot interests from varmint

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The Mobile Rest 360 hunting chair &

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

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New Gun Oil from Royal Purple

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

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Accuracy In Trolling

Bass Grabber Jig

Bomber A-Salt

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The Bomber Saltwater Grade CD25 and CD30 are available in ten proven saltwater colors. Bomber Lures, 3601 Jenny Lind Road, Fort Smith, AR 72901, (800) 531-1201, www.lurenet.com.

Buck’s Redpoint Opens with Ease Knives that open with one hand are convenient, but if you’re wearing gloves it can be a challenge. Not so with the innovative new Model

Redpoint

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PowerPro EZ Spool ly. When finished spooling, the built-in cutter severs the line and holds it neatly in place. The only thing not included in this

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

New Rods Grab Angler Attention There is new rod company taking a foot hold on market – Hendrix Rods. The company was created by custom rod maker Michael Hendrix in Fort Worth, Texas. For over 20 years Hendrix has been building custom fishing rods but when he saw these new blanks he envisioned more. “These blanks are incredible” exclaimed Hendrix. The reviews from recreational and tournament anglers alike echo the same sentiment. Offered in either split grip or solid handle, Hendrix Rods are built with quality Fuji components. The rod blanks are constructed with IM6 or IM8 materials making them extremely light and sensitive yet strong enough to handle those lunkers. Guides are hand placed following the scientifically proven Fuji Concept System to insure maximum casting distance and strike detection. The Concept System reduces friction when Scout 350 Abaco casting for improved casting distance and accuracy. Hendrix hand turns and bores every cork for a precise fit for maximum vibration transfer to the angler – feel every detail. With quality blank construction, quality materials, and guide placement based on

Texas-based Hendrix Rods scientific research, this is one fishing rod you will not want to put down. Contact: Hendrix Rods 817-2299341. Web: www.hendrixrods.com.

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Tracker Launches Smaller Boat for Small Waters RACKER MARINE, ALWAYS WITH AN EAR tuned to what anglers want in fishing boats, has come out with a boat that’s ideal for small water fishing: the Fisherman 16. The 16-foot, 2-inch aluminum boat can carry two anglers with space left over. The boat is powered by a 46-pound thrust, foot controlled MotorGuide trolling motor. “It’s set up for the angler who wants to do small lake or pond fishing, maybe even some small creeks that you can drift,” said Steve Mason with Tracker Marine. “It’s almost like a double ended boat.” The double-end hull allows the boat to get into tight fish-holding structure and easily maneuver into the best fishing position with either trolling motor or paddle. The Fisherman 16 has all the quality and reliability built into it that Tracker is famous for. It has three pressed-in keels for strength and straight tracking; two pressed-in hull side stiffeners for additional strength; and transverse rib construction for strength and dura-

bility. Pressure treated flat floorboards provides sure footing. It has a raised, carpeted front deck with a padded, swivel fishing chair. There is plenty of floor space for casting and mounting electronics. One Interstate heavy-duty battery and wiring harness are stowed below the front deck. A second folding seat is located about three feet from the back of the boat. “The rear is basically a bench seat across the back,” said Mason. “A lot of guys like to take a cushion and sit back there fishing, maybe even do a little trolling if they want to troll with a paddle.”

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The aft end is capable of handling the electric trolling motor if so desired. Rod holders mounted on the starboard side keep rods organized and out from under foot. Drink holders both fore and aft keep a cool one close by. A non-aerated livewell is located under the aft seat for keeping bait or your catch. A galvanized trailer with EZ Lube hubs and full bunks for full hull support completes the Fisherman 16 package. The boat is excellent for bodies of water that have horsepower restrictions or are too small for the practical use of a full size bass boat. The Fisherman 16 boating package is lightweight, easy and economical to tow with any size vehicle. It makes a great boat for getting around small streams and back into those secluded fishing spots that you can’t get into with a full size rig. “We expect big things out of it; we have showed it at one of our stores and have received very good response,” Mason said. It should be in all Bass Pro Shops in time for the spring and summer fishing seasons. G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

Suggested retail price is $2495, plus dealer prep and destination charges. —Tom Behrens

The Buck Bomb

The Buck Bomb was founded by a small group of friends in 2004. They used many scent products with varying degrees of success and lots of difficulties over 70-plus combined years of hunting. Everyone complained about the prices, mess, spoilage, and mostly the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of many products on the market. Other similar complaints included: Was it best to use wicks? Drag lines? Cover scents? Was it okay to trudge all over the vicinity of our stand to put out scent, or was that detrimental to our success? This frustration and confusion set them on a mission to take the guesswork out of scent use. The result is an incredibly easy to use line of scents that are extremely effective in all areas of North America. Today, Buck Bomb makes products for deer, hogs, elk, bear, moose, and predators. Each “bomb” contains 3 ounces of scent that can be dispensed in short bursts or locked down for total release. What makes Buck Bomb products more effective is the fogging technology that essentially turns the scent into a gas cloud that can travel in excess of 1/4 mile in a 3 mph breeze. This fine mist attaches to leaves, trees, and brush making a natural scent “cone” leading right back to the can. Buck Bomb scents also provide the best cover scent available by creating a scent barrier between the hunter and animals approaching from downwind. Buck Bomb’s scent dispersal system provides tremendous broadcast range that cannot be duplicated with liquid, solid, or gel scents. It can be used while stand hunting or stalking to check the wind, attracting game, and covering human scent. Buck Bomb has produced tremendous results for novice hunters by expanding their opportunity to see game. For veteran hunters, it has eliminated the need to tread deep into a mature buck’s home turf, where one mistake can turn the buck into a nocturnal ghost.

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As hunters, the folks at Buck Bomb like to slip into the woods with as little hassle and equipment as possible to complete the job. Fumbling around for wicks, cotton balls, drags, bottles of scent, etc. wastes time and makes noise. A can of Buck Bomb can be carried in your pocket and has a 180-degree valve that can be sprayed upside down to hit the bottom of your boots for cover or to lay down a scent line to your stand. When you are ready, the locking tab is depressed for the “bomb effect” that provides incredible disper-

sion. The company advises hunters to keep a spare Buck Bomb in your hunting stand to periodically refresh the scent when the winds shift or thermals change. Share your success stories with the makers of Buck Bomb. They always enjoy hearing Buck Bomb success stories from their customers in the field. Feel free to contact them by going to the company website. Remember to include the Buck Bomb can in the photos of your trophy so they can post them on their webpage for all of your friends to admire.

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

Their products are available at both large and small hunting retailers across the U.S. and Canada. Products and apparel can also be ordered directly from their website: www.buckbomb.com. Buck Bomb offices are located in Stevensville, MD on the Chesapeake Bay’s eastern shore. Please feel free to contact them at any time with questions at 866-850-6653 or via email at staff@buckbomb.com.

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Mossberg Model 835 Ulti-Mag Tactical Turkey Shotgun A

beam of the spotlight. It stopped and stood, looking around in confusion. I hefted the 835, put the fiber optic front sight on the fox, and pressed the trigger.

by Steve LaMascus The recoil from the 3-inch Magnum Winchester Extended Range load of B shot was substantial, but I was expecting it. The fox was not. The shot

Mossberg’s 835 Ulti-Mag: like a camo M-16 on steroids. tical Turkey looked like it was made-to-order for nighttime predator calling. I couldn’t wait to try it out. It was a few weeks before I could find the time to go, but eventually the shotgun and I made it to the pastures. Joe Robinette, my buddy and a fellow predator calling addict, and I piled into his truck and headed out to do battle with some of the foxes and bobcats that had infiltrated his place and mine, which are separated by only a goat-wire fence. The first stand produced a gray fox that thought the Fox Pro electronic caller sounded good enough to eat. Joe was working the light and I was shooting. When the fox was about 30 yards away, Joe hit it with the red

charge hit it and it hit the ground. I let it have a second charge, just to be certain, but the first was undoubtedly sufficient. Now for the brass tacks. To me, a former skeet addict and upland bird gunner, the collapsible stock felt odd. Also, the 835 does not point as naturally for me as a standard shotgun, and the sights are too low for me. My Indian cheekbones will not let me get low enough on the stock to line up the sights without going into some uncomfortable contortions. I had to use just the front sight and hold low. Some kind of lift or riser under the sights to get them another 1/2-inch off the barrel would be a tremendous help. The collapsible stock, like every other

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such stock I have ever used, does not allow a comfortable face meld, so shooting the gun with face planted solidly where the comb would be on a standard stock is a bit painful, especially with powerful Magnum rounds. To me, the safety position seemed unwieldy. This gun is made to feel at home in the hands of an AR-15 shooter, with the trigger hand firmly on the pistol grip. However, Mossberg did not relocate the safety

from the top tang position to something easily accessible for a gun so built. With the gun held normally by the pistol grip, the safety is absolutely inaccessible. The hand must be removed from the grip to push the safety off or on. On the plus side, the gun is well balanced and solidly built. The sights seem to be properly aligned for about 50 yards. I did not try it with slugs, but it did center buckshot charges quite well. Someone who is accustomed to an AR15 with a collapsible stock and not a devoted shotgunner and wingshooter would find the 835 as comfortable as an old pair of shoes. And that’s just fine, because this gun was never intended for the wingshooter.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOSSBERG

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Cliff Smallwood bagged this impressive ninepointer in McCullough County. Oh, and it was a doe.

A 130-Class B&C Doe?

side of Brady and keeps a travel trailer at a nearby RV park. Small took off work early on the afternoon of November 30 so he could do a little deer hunting. He and Jeff Cox, a Texas Parks & Wildlife Department game warden, were approaching Cox’s box blind when they heard a grunting noise coming from some brush beneath the ridge. Initially, the men thought the noise might be a feral hog. They scanned the brush and eventually spotted a buck moving through the mesquites about 30 yards away. The deer appeared to have a respectable rack with tall tines.

LIFF SMALLWOOD OF WHITE OAK, TEXAS, took a business trip to McCullogh County shortly after Thanksgiving. It is a convenient place for Smallwood to work. He has a 550-acre deer lease just out-

by Matt Williams & Tom Behrens

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLIFF SMALLWOOD

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Special Hunting Section

Trophy Fever

PHOTO BY DON ZAIDLE

Chad Lanier killed the full-body mount deer pictured here in 1990 in Anderson County. It, too, was an antlered doe.

“I actually thought it was the same buck I’d passed on opening morning of the season,” said Smallwood. “I killed a real nice buck out there last year and I didn’t want to shoot another one unless it was better than that one, especially during the first hour of opening day. So, I let it walk.” Not knowing whether he would have another chance to hunt this season, Smallwood elected to shoot the deer if he got the opportunity. He slipped quietly through the brush hoping to see the buck again. He did, this time at 50 yards. Smallwood said he made a mew call and the buck stopped in a small clearing long enough for him to take the shot. He dropped the deer in its tracks. Closer evaluation told Smallwood the buck he had shot was not the same one seen earlier in the season. Still, it was respectable. It was a seven-pointer that would have been a nine-pointer if not for two broken tines. Closer inspection told the men the deer was a warrior. “It’s neck was swollen and had cuts on it,” Smallwood said. “It also had dried blood and hair on the tips of its antlers. It was pretty obvious the deer had been fighting with another buck and inflicted some injury, probably within the last 24-48 hours.” Then the men noticed something strange that led to an even more bizarre discovery:

The tarsal glands inside the deer’s hind legs were snow white, not urine stained as is normal with many rutting bucks. “We thought that was kind of weird,” Smallwood said. “Then I lifted a rear leg and saw it had no male genitals. Instead, it had female genitalia and teats. It was a doe with antlers—the strangest thing I have ever seen.” Unusual, no doubt. Unheard of, no. Mitch Lockwood, whitetail deer program leader for TPWD, said he hears reports of up to three antlered does shot in Texas each season. “It’s pretty unusual, but we do hear

about them from time to time,” Lockwood said. “I have actually seen two myself. What is interesting is that most of some of them are pretty nice deer, 9 or 10 points that will score around 130 B&C.” In 1990, Chad Lanier shot a 10-point doe with an unofficial score of 140 B&C in Anderson County that TPWD biologists at nearby Engeling Wildlife Management Area aged at 6-1/2 years. Lanier had the cross-gendered deer full-body mounted to preserve its sexual non-identity. “I get reports and pictures, pretty good evidence, probably every season of similar deer,“ Lockwood said. “It’s a female with a lot of testosterone. Some have polished antlers; some never shed their velvet. Of 430,000 deer kills a year, half being females, it’s pretty uncommon.” Jim Heffelfinger, a Regional Game Specialist with Arizona Game and Fish, and an expert on white-tailed and mule deer, has researched this abnormality. His book, Deer of the Southwest, is a go-to resource among deer management biologists across the United States. He has a masters degree from Texas A&M-Kingsville, and has worked with deer since 1986 in Texas, Wisconsin, North Dakota, New Mexico, Mississippi, and Arizona.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CLIFF SMALLWOOD

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Special Hunting Section “I seem to be the collector of information on odd deer,” said Heffelfinger. “People send me emails of strange antler things. They say, ‘I saw this freak and I thought about forwarding the information to you’. I think the antler abnormalities among whitetail, mule, and deer hybrids are the most interesting [anomalies]. Real females can grow antlers. There are a three different situations that we know of that might cause this situation: a tumor on the ovaries disrupts the hormones; a bad injury to the skull bone can sometimes initiate antler growth at the source of the injury when it happens at the right time; and other diseases or ailments that disrupt hormone balance, suppresses estrogen, might cause antler growth in a real female. “There is always a little bit of testosterone in females. Females produce some in the adrenal glands and other areas. If something depresses the production of estrogen, testosterone can take over.” Probably much more common is when something happens during a male’s development and the testicles do not descend into the scrotum. The buck gets older and has

Trophy Fever natural antler cycles, then a hunter shoots it and discovers no external male genitals. “The deer still has all the male parts,” said Heffelfinger. “It’s just that the testicles are up in the stomach cavity and the penis up kind of in the fold. Anybody who is not a reproductive physiologist looking at the deer would say it’s a female. It’s really just a malformed male in that case.” Skipper Duncan said a similar situation occurred on the property where he guides. Upon examination, a biologist pronounced the deer a “false antlered female,” which was a misnomer because the animal was a male. The deer had no apparent male plumbing. The biologist cut open the deer and found two testicles embedded up in the deer’s flanks. Heffelfinger said there is a much rarer instance where a deer really does have male and female reproductive organs, an occurrence called “hermaphroditism.” They might have an ovary on one side and a testicle on the other. The deer looks like a female, but also has antlers because a testicle is producing the male hormone. A Florida hunter on November 12

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dropped two deer. Senior Wildlife Technician Tim Farley with the Florida Wildlife Commission discovered that one deer, a hermaphrodite, had both male and female reproductive organs. He had logged another hermaphrodite deer the day before. “I’ve been doing this for 27 years and I’ve only come across three deer that were ‘true’ hermaphrodites,” said Farley. Another abnormality in deer is when whitetail and mule deer might crossbreed, producing a hybrid. “The offspring are generally more specific to the larger mule deer species,” said Heffelfinger. “It sometimes creates antlers that are intermediate between the two species, and the behavior sometimes is strange. Mule deer and whitetails get away from predators in different ways. Whitetails run fast; mule deer kind of hop, like a pogo stick. They sometimes seem to be confused on which way to go.” Cliff Smallwood did not tally a Boone & Crockett score of his deer, but said it was a trophy to him and he was having it mounted—but didn’t say which end.

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Ensign Sets Freshwater Redfish Record

about a 15 minute fight, I landed the red, measured him, took pictures, and released him to fight another day.” Redfish are stocked in several Texas, lakes including Fairfield, Calaveras, and Braunig. They grow to large sizes in freshwater, but cannot spawn. In March, Ensign was recognized for catching the new lake record yellow bass out of Lake Benbrook.—Chester Moore

ASON ENSIGN OF FORT WORTH CAUGHT A 40.50-inch redfish January 5 on Lake Fairfield to set the new Texas Parks & Wildlife Department catch-and-release freshwater redfish record. “I caught the red on a Rat-L-Trap Super-Trap just outside the discharge area using my Ardent reel spooled with 20pound Sufix Performance braid,” Ensign said. “I was also using a Texas Tackle Factory medium heavy Bass Killer Rod. The braking system on the Ardent allowed me to cast without having to constantly worry about backlashes. The zero stretch of the braid ensured a good hookset, and after

Jason Ensign shows off his record freshwater redfish.

Some trophy deer never see a den wall— dying of old age or accident after avoiding an appointment with a hunter’s bullet for years. Such is the story of “the Rub Buck.” David Anderson found the 9-pointer on his Four A Ranch in February 2006 with one of its antlers lodged in the fork of a tree, dead of probable starvation or exhaustion. “We called it ‘the Rub Buck’,” Anderson told me. “ To get it out, I had to get two of my buddies to pull the branches apart while I pulled on the deer. It was a 3-1/2year-old buck that I had pictures of on a game camera. I sent the photos of this deer with its antlers caught to some ranching friends. I wanted them to see that whenever you think you’re going to give a buck another year, there’s always a way to lose them.” Anderson concluded the buck became trapped while rubbing its antlers on the tree. He laments that in another few weeks, the animal would have probably shed its antlers and been safe from mishap. He said that he wasn’t sure whether coyotes visited the site, but that the buzzards in his area are particularly aggressive. The photos Anderson sent to other ranchers soon leaked onto the internet and thence around the world via email. “The power of the web is incredible and I was amazed at the responses,” he said. “I even got an email from a PETA person asking how I could let something like this hap-

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The “Rub Buck” met its demise when its anglers got stuck between two trees. pen. I thought it was just best not to answer that one.” The four “A’s” in Four A Ranch stands for Anderson’s wife, Samantha, two grown children, and David Anderson; he said all of them are good Aggies. “Southwest Airlines made me retire from being a pilot in 2005,” Anderson said. “We bought the ranch in 1998 and decided to give this business seven years to become established. Samantha and I run the place, and it provides us with something for retirement.” Anderson operates the ranch as a hunting ranch. He said he has cleared cedar and trimmed hackberry trees to improve natural habitat, plants a 60-acre food plot in a creek bottom, feeds supplemental protein, and coordinates these efforts with a biologist that helps him oversee his Level III Managed Lands program. “The deer on this place are native,” he said. “We take 12 bucks off this property every year, and we’re thinking that maybe next year we’ll be able to take 15. It would be nice, and our ultimate goal is to get to 20 bucks a year.” —Herman W. Brune

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SANDHILL CRANE—SEMINOLE, TEXAS

BUCK—SONORA, TEXAS

Christopher Trimble, age 12, of Spring, Texas, collected this buck near Sonora, Texas. Photo submitted by grandfather, Ray Pickett.

HOG—BERCLAIR, TEXAS

DEER—HARPER, TEXAS

WHITETAIL DEER— SONORA, TEXAS

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

Holly Trimble, age 11, of Spring, Texas, took this 61/2-year-old whitetail at 90 yards with one shot from her youth model .243, in a bid to outdo her big brother.

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

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

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Gizmos, Gadgets, & Goodies

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TEXAS BOATING Continued from Page I-43 recognition, but got beat out by an incredibly strong contender. This year, that happened to Old Harbor Outfitter’s Titanium-bonded knives. Unlike most knives with titanium on the blade, the material is actually mixed I44

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ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW

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E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

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N A COUPLE OF MONTHS, IT WILL BE HOT enough to fry an egg on my head, but there will still be big bass to be caught. A lot of fishermen don’t like to fish in hot weather. I believe you can learn more in the summertime that will help your overall fishing than any other time. Two very important things that you can learn are to slow down and how to read a bottom with your electronics. This is also a prime time to find schools of bass. Fishing can be slow and then all of a sudden you are catching one every cast. That is where the fun comes in from the hard work you have done. In the early morning, I like to fish out over long tapering points or channel bends with top water such as the XPS Slim Dog or

Bagley’s Super Stinger 5. I like to run a milk run on as many places as possible before the sun gets up. I only make five or six fan cast over an area. If I don’t have any luck, move on until I find fish feeding. This is a good time to have a Zoom double fluke rig, to back up any missed top water bites. One key thing to remember is if you catch fish feeding on these shallow places, work that area over later in the day with your Raymarine electronics to see if you can figure out where they are holding. If there is a hump or ledge close by, or a channel swing, those are good places to concentrate on after the sun gets to shining. Now, I am usually down to three rigs. A crankbait, big worm, and a Carolina rig will do the trick. But first, you want to just take your time and idle around the area or structure looking for baitfish and sweet spots. Once I find an area, I will take even more time just trolling around with my MotorGuide, never taking my eyes off my Raymarine electronics. Get a good visual of the bottom looking for brush, stumps, rocks,

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little changes or depressions and subtle points. If it looks good, be sure to mark it on your GPS, even if you don’t catch fish. The more of these places you have the more of a milk run you can have later on. When you go back to the lake and there will be times when these places do produce. If you find a place you like, add a little brush to it. I won’t tell anyone. Once I find a spot to fish I will work it over real well with a Carolina rigged Zoom worm or lizard first, sprayed with crawfish scent Jack’s Juice. This is a second way to learn the area and bottom letting the egg sinker be your underwater eyes. You can find a lot of hidden pieces of structure and now you are dialing in the area. Now I can use my Bagley ODB2 or ODB3 depending on the depth to cover the area. The 04 and 09 are my favorite colors. Try to bump the structure if possible. I’m going to toss a Zoom Ole Monster redbug or green pumpkin in there on a Texas rig, even if I don’t catch a fish. One other secret is if you do catch fish on a technique and they quit biting be sure and try all three techniques before leaving, because a lot of times you can get the fish started again with something new. Make sure you have marker buoys in your Nitro and use them because it is hard to stay on an off shore spot. A few feet can make a lot of difference in catching or not catching. A lot of times I will put out five or six buoys on a spot. When you back off, you look at the picture of the bottom or area you are trying to fish. Always look for shad movement or birds feeding. Blue herons can be your best buddies. I was fortunate enough to finish 10th in the last FLW Series tournament and the last practice day I saw herrings feeding on four consecutive points in the morning and there were fish on each point. Put plenty of suntan lotion on and drink plenty of fluids. Be sure to wear your Woo Shoes by Pro Line and Woo Daves sunglasses, enjoy a slow day on the water, and find yourself some honey holes.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF WALLY MARSHALL

Buckets, concrete, and tomato stakes make excellent crappie condos—as do bowling balls and PVC pipe. See “Bowling for Crappie” elsewhere in this issue for details.

pie houses or structure to help improve our lakes. These crappie houses will provide shade and protection of little fry, and make a great home for crappie, bass, bluegill, and catfish. There are many different types of structure you can put into a lake. Most crappie anglers love it after Christmas because they can collect all the Christmas trees around their town to put out for crappie cover. For everyone that doesn’t have a boat dock or own a boat slip at a marina to set out brush, we have to fight the elements out in the lake to catch our fish. Personally, I

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don’t own a boat dock or a marina boat slip, so I have to find structure out in the lakes to catch my crappie, or build my own. Yep Old Wally never leaves home with out a bow saw and some trotline cord, just in case I need to salt a place on the lake with a little brush. When I put brush in the lake, I don’t pick out just any tree or bush. It has to be some type of hardwood, or button willows that grow around the shore and back up in the creeks. Button willow makes great cover, and it is hard so lasts a long time. Another way to build crappie condos is to use 5- or 3-gallon buckets and fill them about half way with concrete, then I put in 5-foot tomato stakes (that’s too-may-toe, not

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Scratching Bottom Y BOTTOM IS RED AND SCRATCHED. HOW about yours? Every kayaker I know scratches his bottom at some point—usually in the company of friends—but their deeds aren’t fodder for Dead Abbey columns. Of course, the bottom I am referring to is the underside of my kayak hull. Hulls leave factories shiny bright and smooth to the touch, but as kayaks see action, things begin to change. Sand, gravel, rocks, oyster shells, and other irritants cause hull rash; the rough stubble is reminiscence of five o’clock shadow. Rueben Garza, resident kayak meister at Fishing Tackle Unlimited in Houston, said: “There isn’t a way to prevent scratches when you are dealing with a plastic hull. Sooner or later, it happens. It is the nature of the beast.” Scratches run the gamut from tiny nicks, to curlicues, to long Frankensteinlike gashes. Kayaks travel around three miles per hour, and the bottom stubble doesn’t adversely affect performance.

Garza noted: “Light scratches on your hull are really a cosmetic problem. They don’t add any significant drag. Most people just accept the fact that they are going to happen but they can be fixed if you want to go to the trouble.” We get our word “plastic” from the Greek word “plastikos,” which means “to shape” or “to form.” Plastics are

“

We get our word ‘plastic’ from the Greek ‘plastikos,’ which means ‘to shape or form.’

“

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materials that can be heated and shaped, and when cooled, the shape is retained. The term thermoplastic refers to a class of materials that can be re-melted and reshaped. Polyethylene is one such material and is used in the construction of 90 percent of all the recreational boats on the market. Like chocolate, polyethylene comes in different grades. Hulls crafted from super linear poly-

ethylene are stiffer and more abrasion resistant; the latter is especially important if you intend to use your kayak around oyster shell or rocks. As you probably guessed, super linear plastic costs more than low-density plastic, therefore bumping up the price of a hull. Since polyethylene can be re-melted, scratches and gashes, even holes, in your hull are easy to repair. Fishing Tackle Unlimited repairs and overhauls a number of hulls in their shop every year. Garza explained that a heat source is applied to the plastic making it soft and pliable. High-end hair dryers can be used in a pinch but Garza recommended a heat gun that can pump out a large number of BTUs. To fix minor scratches and to tame misbehaving plastic cowlicks, warm the scratch with the heat gun, making sure you don’t concentrate the heat on any one area for too long, which will cause a burn through. Once the plastic is soft, smooth out the scratches and curly cues with a hot butter knife. Always wear eye protection when using a heat gun and test the temperature of the warmed plastic with the back of your hand. Pressing fingertips to a hot boat is a great way to immortalize your fingerprints in plastic. Don’t ask me how I know this. Most kayak accessories require mounting holes to be drilled in the hull;

MISTER CRAPPIE Continued from Page I-47 toe-motto). Tomato stakes are made of oak and other types of hard woods. The ones I have been getting are out of Arkansas from some of the sawmills up there. (If you did not know, most of our tomatoes come from southeastern Arkansas in Bradley County.) I put about 10 tomato stakes in one bucket, standing out in all directions. Crappie love this vertical structure, espeI48

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cially when the moss starts growing on the stakes. (See Paul Bradshaw’s “Bowling for Crappie” feature elsewhere in this issue for more info on building crappie cover.) I like to place crappie cover in the winter, so when the spring comes and the water starts to warm up, the wood starts to collect moss and algae. I place them on a break, drop-off, or ledge where crappie travel. I also put out my crappie houses when &

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no one is looking. If you need someone to help you, make sure the guy is trustworthy, has a bad memory, or doesn’t like to fish.

E-mail Wally Marshall at mrcrappie@fishgame.com. Visit his website at www.mrcrappie.com

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some, like the opening for a flush mount rod holder, are rather large. The castoff shards of plastic can be melted and be used to fill in deep gashes or beefing up worn sections. Keels, especially the bow and stern sections, get a lot of abuse as people drag their kayaks over rocks, sand and shell, even concrete. Dragging a boat instead of carrying it quickly abrades the hull. The best way to prevent wear is to use the buddy system and help each other shuttle boats to the water instead of dragging them. If you are by yourself, consider making a new friend. I have never been turned down when I politely asked someone if they could lend a hand. Kayak carts are a good option for the

solo angler, allowing you to trundle your boat around on a set of wheels. Garza noted that they rebuild damaged keels all the time. “We had one in the shop recently that had two full inches of plastic worn away,” he explained. “In situations like that you have to add plastic in layers and build up the area. Once you smooth out the new layer of plastic, cool it down with water and dry it off. Also, you don’t want the whole hull to get hot, so put some water on the areas around the patch to keep them cool. When the new plastic has been added, lightly sand it, and repeat as necessary.” Although scratches come with the territory, they are easy to repair. Holes are

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too. A good heat sources and some plastic chips will help you fix just about any problem. If you are reluctant to aim a heat gun at your hull, a full service kayak shop in can do the job for you. If your bottom is scratched and unsightly, don’t fret about it. You are in good company.

Email Greg Berlocher at kayak@fishgame.com

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FLW-Falcon Event Sets Records VERYONE KNEW THE 2008 FLW OUTDOORS Texas Division Stren Series season opener held at Lake Falcon January 912 would be a slugfest, quite possibly one that would produce record-setting results to put the 84,000-acre Texas-Mexico

by Matt Williams

weighed more than 80 pounds over four days of competition. It took a bass weighing upward of 12 pounds to earn big bass honors on days one and three, and an 11pounder on day two. John Bowen of League City, Texas (41st place), was the first pro out of the check cut with 15 bass weighing 62 pounds, 5 ounces. More than 50 pro anglers averaged catching 20-plus pounds before cut day. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Stren Series tournament director, Ron Lappin. “It was truly unbelievable.” The top 10 finishers in the pro and coangler divisions were: Pro: Jeremy Guidry, Opelousas, LA, 110-02, $65,000; Tim Reneau, Del Rio, TX, 107-12, $13,082; Nicky McNeely, Natchitoches, LA, $12,274; Charlie Haralson, Laredo, TX, 102-12, $6466; David Truax, Beaumont, TX, 98-01, $5657; Andy Gaia, Tomball, TX, $4849; Peter Daniels, Shreveport, LA, 90-14, $4446; Stephen Johnston, Hemphill, TX, 90-13, $4041; Toby Hartsell, Livingston, TX. 8801, $3637; Russell Cecil, Willis, TX, 8703, $3234. Co-Angler: Bill Rogers, Jasper, TX, 96-08, $35,000; Ray Peace, Arlington, TX, 92-03, $3391; Bo Middleton, Elgin, Okla., 87-03, $2756; David Tierney, Fayetteville, Ark., 86-00, $2120; Eddie Stagg, Jasper, TX, 81-00, $1696; Duke Gunnell, Mexia, TX, 80-14, $1611; Robert Arnold, Little Rock, Ark., 72-06, $1525; Mannie Lackey, Kerrville, TX, 67-03, $1442; Mark Oakley, Davis, Okla., 65-10, $1355; and J.R. Howard, Sterling City, TX, 64-15, $1273.

border reservoir at the top of the hit list for bass anglers nationwide. The main mystery going in was who would deliver the knockout punch. Jeremy Guidry and Bill Rogers set the records straight in decisive fashion. Guidry, an Opelousas, Louisiana, pro, won the tournament and a $65,000 payday after putting together a four-day total of 20 bass weighing a whopping 110 pounds, 2 ounces. His catch topped the FLW Outdoors all-time weight record by more than 4 pounds. Rogers, a salty veteran co-angler with 21 top 10 finishes under his belt, notched his first Stren Series win with a four-day total of 96 pounds, 8 ounces—also a new all-time FLW Outdoors weight record—from the back of the boat. Not surprisingly, Guidry and Rogers were not the only ones. Just as the pre-tournament hype had forecast, the event turned into a big bass parade that might have seen more heavyweight largemouths hauled to the scales than any other before it. Three pros other than Guidry cracked the century mark, and five more co-anglers

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‘Traps Rock Rayburn Bass Champs Eastern Opener

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burn in early spring and the bass are on Rat-L-Traps, you had better have one tied on or run the risk of being made look like a fool by someone who does.” The ‘Trap bite was going strong when the Bass Champs eastern division opened its season at Big Sam, January 19. The top three teams, including tournament winners Dusty Birchfield and Christopher Ponder, reported that lipless cranks played a key role in their success. Birchfield/Ponder weighed in a five-bass limit of 29.04 pounds that earned them a $25,000 payday. Second place went to Pete and Alan Shivers, 24.66; John Lynch and Bill Rogers, 3rd, 24.36. All totaled, there were 20 limits weighed that busted the 20pound mark.

Yamaha, Skeeter Ink with BASS BASS recently announced that Skeeter Boats and Yamaha Outboards have signed on as the official boat and motor sponsors of the popular tournament organization. Based in Kennesaw, Georgia, Yamaha owns Kilgore, Texas-based Skeeter. Rumors that the two companies were lining up to support BASS began to circulate last fall, so the January announcement made just ahead of the 2008 Bassmaster Classic really came as no surprise. “By becoming a sponsor of BASS, Yamaha promotes its brand and supports boating and fishing, which are activities we truly believe in,” said Ben Speciale, vice president of operations and planning for Yamaha Marine Group. “Reliability and innovation are at the core of the Yamaha brand and the demands of competition have taught us how to make our outboards even better.” BASS’ affiliation with Skeeter comes at a time when both companies are celebrating milestone anniversaries. BASS, which popularized tournament fishing in the late

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HAT’S IN YOUR WALLET? Okay, I plagiarized that from a commercial. Most of us carry in our wallets photos of our loved ones, credit cards, ID cards, drivers license, hunting license, membership cards for the Texas Outdoor Writers Association, and such other things we feel are indispensable. It might surprise you to know that many shooters carry small pieces

of paper with holes in them—and therein lies a story. Back about 1972, I had a .25-06 Remington Model 700 ADL. It was a marvelously accurate rifle, averaging groups down around an inch or less. It was so accurate that I shot it for group every chance I got. I spent a lot of time at the bench, testing new loads, or just shooting tiny groups for my own pleasure. In those days, it was rare for a hunting rifle to group less than 11/2 inches at 100 yards. Then one day, I shot a group of three at 100 yards that went into one hole. It was beautiful! I pulled the target down, laid it on the bench beside the gun, and just admired it. Everyone else at the range came over and admired it. Then, thinking that I should

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allow everyone else I knew to admire it, I cut out the portion of the target with the holes in it and placed it in my wallet. I showed that little group around for years, even after I had shot the barrel out of the rifle and traded it for something else, a K-38 Smith & Wesson revolver, I think. Finally, having almost worn out the paper, I took the group and taped it in a book where I kept my loading data. I haven’t seen it for years, but suppose it is still there, unless the old ledger has been lost in a move sometime over the last 25 years. This is not unique to my warped mind. It is sufficiently common that a tiny group with all the holes touching is sometimes called a “wallet group.” Now, the moral of this story is that, to a shooter, such a small group is a thing of beauty worthy of admiration—and showing to all your friends. It is closely akin to good art and comes in one step above photos of ex-girlfriends or an acrylic-on-velvet portrait of Elvis. This leads us to the discussion of accuracy and why we are so intense when it comes to the pursuit of it. We all want to be Billy Dixon or Carlos Hathcock. We want to own the most accurate rifle on the block. It is a natural thing to want to be the best and to possess the best. Most of us, whether or not we admit it, want to be recognized as the best at something— anything. To a hunter, superior accuracy means that placement of the bullet on game is more precise. It gives us confidence in our equipment, which in turn gives us greater confidence in ourselves and makes us better hunters. If you are shooting a gun that will not place all its shots on a 5-gallon bucket at a hundred yards, you are going to have a problem when the deer is standing at 200 yards. The majority of us do not have the self-control to refrain from shooting, so accuracy is a necessity for a hunter. If we are pure shooters, like some of the benchrest crowd who never fire a shot at game, then accuracy becomes a reward in

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itself. The current record for benchrest in the International Benchrest Shooters association light varmint category is a five-shot group that measured 0.091 inches at 200 yards. That is nine one-hundredths of an inch from center to center for five shots. And take my word for it; it will be broken before long. Famed gun writer Townsend Whelen once wrote, “Only accurate rifles are interesting.” He was exactly correct. I once had a rifle so beautiful that it would bring tears to the eyes of a gun loony. However, its accuracy was only mediocre. I kept it a few years, never used it, and finally sold it to a man who appreciated beauty more than accuracy. I now have another gun that falls into that category. I bought it because it was so pretty. If I can’t get it to shoot better, I will probably trade it for something uglier but more accurate. Now the warning: In our pursuit of accuracy, we sometimes forget important details. First, not all hunting bullets are as accurate as target bullets. When we start using match bullets on game simply because they are more accurate, we are making a mistake.

TOURNAMENT INSIDER Continued from Page I-50 1960s, turns 40 this year. Skeeter, a pioneer in the bass boat industry, turns 60. “This is a great way for Skeeter to kick off its 60th anniversary as both Skeeter and BASS share a rich heritage in the bass fishing industry,” said Jeff Stone, Match bullets are made to punch holes in paper and are not intended for shooting game animals. You must choose a bullet made for the purpose to which you will put it. I will give up some accuracy to get a bullet that penetrates deeply and performs properly when it strikes meat. Second, most forms of hunting do not require a rifle that will compete with the benchrest beasts. A rifle that shoots a 2-inch group is more than sufficient for hunting elk and deer. If you find one more accurate than that, great—but don’t throw away a good elk gun because it won’t shoot bug-hole groups. Most rifles light enough to carry all day in rough country and that shoot power-

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senior vice president and general manager of Skeeter. “It is only fitting that we combine our passion for the sport to embrace and further enhance the success and growth of tournament fishing.”

ful rounds are not going to be as accurate as heavy, cumbersome, small caliber rifles. Last, most of us cannot shoot as well as our rifles. We are made of quivering muscle, creaky joints, tingling nerves, faulty eyes, and subject to debilitating fits of buck fever. Except from a solid benchrest, we would not know if a rifle shot 1/4-inch groups or 4-inch groups. So, determine your own limitations before you decide what to demand from a rifle. You don’t have to accept poor accuracy, but you have no reason to expect perfection.

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E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com

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in a duck hunt, a deer hunt, and an antelope hunt. I was reminded of that recently while moving some of my hunting gear from my garage to a storage building, and literally stumbling over an Avery Finisher waterfowl hunting blind. For those not familiar with the blind, it is shaped somewhat like a sleeping bag with pole ribs. You lay in it with your head on a foam headrest and peer through a folding mesh top. When the ducks come within range, you simply push back the two-piece top, sit up, and fire away. The Finisher is a good piece of equipment and particularly great for hunting ducks when drought conditions have left brushy cover too far away from the water to

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tion while hunting antelope near Clayton, N.M., only there were no log or any type of hunting blind there-just a grassy hilltop with sparse rocks no larger than a hubcap. As I drove into the ranch, I saw several herds of antelope racing across the tops of ridges 300 to 500 or more yards away. It didn’t take me long to realize the animals were wary of pickup trucks and my chances of bagging one of them was going to take some time. I decided my best chances might be to set up near a water hole at a windmill or maybe at a small wooden corral not far away. Then something changed my mind. That “something” was the fact that I had seen several herds of antelope race across one particular ridge after being spooked at great distances by either my pickup truck or by another truck I had seen in the distance. That ridge, I decided, was my best bet. I parked the truck and walked about one mile to the top of the ridge. I lay down on my side with my head resting on a smooth rock shaped like an oversized dinner dish. That may not seem like a very comfortable position to some people, but when you are

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as determined as I was to out-fox an antelope, it was okay. I started the vigil at 9 a.m. Several small groups of antelope came within 300 yards, each moving briskly. Finally, at about 3 p.m., I spotted a group of 18 antelope about 350 yards away and coming in my direction. When they got to within 200 yards, I realized the last animal in the pack was a nice buck. Soon, it was evident the antelope were going to skirt the end of my ridge. I raised my head slightly two or three times and thought about trying to nail the buck at about 200 yards but he disappeared behind the slope before I could get on him. The last thing I saw before he disappeared was his staring in my direction. Minutes passed. I lay motionless with my head on the rock. Did he see me? I wondered. Three times, I started to rise up to see if he was anywhere to be seen, but I talked myself out of moving each time. All of a sudden, the big antelope appeared on a trot right in front of me. He

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But part of me didn’t care. Tom hired on for the season to do a job and I expected him to follow through with no complaints. Then there was part of me that did care. If my best help quit, then the work would double on me for the remainder of the summer trips. Plus, I hated to see a guy get soured on something he loved to do. “Tom, why don’t you get your pole and take the dudes fishing? Y’all can walk down to that first pool and probably get some nibbles. The horses and mules are grazing quiet and I’ll finish putting up camp. You go ahead and take a break, soak your feet, rest up.” It was a generous offer that I couldn’t afford. My own good sense was frayed from tearing down camp, packing mules, and riding 20-something miles along the Continental Divide. Now, there was the realization that my crew was about done in and more of the burden would shift to me. I was volunteering to unpack the mule loads, raise the kitchen fly, put the cook stove together, cut wood, haul water, construct a latrine, and finish the wrangling chores—before sunset. Tom had helped the dudes dismount and walk the circulation back into their running gears while I unsaddled the stock. The prospect of going fishing transformed his blank frown into a sly smile and he loped off like a crippled frog to fetch his fly rod. “C’mon guys, last one to the crick is a rotten egg!” he hollered to the guests. And I cussed under my breath while turning to interpret that mind’s-eye-view of how camp

should look upon completion. The outfitter’s daughter, Annie, who was also the chief guide and cook helped untie the loads. The first step was erecting the kitchen fly. The hard part was finding it amongst the camp gear and getting it unfolded in the right direction. After that, it was simple enough to climb a tree and tie one end of the ridge-rope around the trunk, then 20 feet away tie the crotch poles together, stand them up, stake the whole works down, and you’ve got a kitchen fly. Putting the cook stove together is almost just as simple, but there’s no way to dodge the soot. By the end of this chore, everybody is filthy and the cook needs to wash up. So, hauling water is next. Then a quick turn with an axe and saw knocks together enough firewood for supper and tomorrow’s breakfast. It all sounds quick and easy but it’s time consuming and laborious. By the end, there were fresh bloody spots on my knuckles and a yellow moon was rising. The last thing on the itinerary is to gather the livestock and tie them in our rope corral for the night. Throughout the late afternoon, the horse and mule herd grazed at the end of the camp opening. With my duties completed and camp looking good, I glanced smugly in the direction of the remuda—but they weren’t there. My nerves tensed. This was new country to me. We’d left my stomping grounds on the North Fork of the Sun River and followed the Chinese Wall to our destination on the West Fork of the Sun River. Our camp was at Indian Point in a small meadow. Previ-

HUNT TEXAS Continued from Page I-55 evidently had seen my head movement when I had attempted to move my rifle into position earlier and came on a run to investigate as many antelope do when they are not sure of something they have seen. He loped to within about 40 yards of me and threw on the breaks. I never raised my I56

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head off the rock. The .243 bullet struck him in the neck and he went down immediately. Given a choice, I would have been much more comfortable if I had been seated in a chair or on a stool inside a roomy hunting blind while hunting those ducks, the mulie or the antelope, and I’m sure many of you would, too. But if you find &

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yourself without that choice, just remember that you still can make it happen if you will break up your silhouette and remain as motionless as possible. Just ask any avid turkey hunter.

E-mail Bob Hood at hunting@fishgame.com.

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ously, the outfitter warned me that some of the horses were communists and may head for home pastures. However, for over a month they behaved and my mistake was to start trusting them. This was the furthest place that we’d ever been from our normal haunts. There was no feasible reason for the critters to quit us now. Maybe they were nearby. Several of the herd wore bells, and I walked to the back end of the field where the opening came to a point and a trail led into the timber. Then I trotted back to my tied wrangle pony and stepped into the saddle, then rode to where the cook was preparing supper. “Annie, did you see the horses leave?” “No, they were standing right there a few minutes ago.” The situation was no great deal. The ponies were probably somewhere close. Part of wrangling in the mountains is reading tracks, but for some reason my skin was crawling and there was bad feeling welling up deep inside me. Then I rode back to the end of the meadow and followed the trail into the timber. It was getting too dark to see but the path fol-

lowed the river and then crossed. From there, it ran along the opposing hillside, for about a mile, where it split. One way went to a bridge crossing back to the other side and ultimately to the Benchmark trailhead, and the other fork went to a place known as Pretty Prairie. At this point, there were grassy meadows along the river and I decided that the horses were looking for better forage. My fatigue showed and there was no use continuing in the dark in unknown country. So, I headed back to camp. The gnawing in my

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gut wouldn’t let me enjoy supper and it was a fretful night sleeping under the stars.

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...continued next issue.

E-mail Herman W. Brune at wilderness@fishgame.com

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“Sweetie, where are we going to put it? Don’t you think we should wait until the house is complete and we have a garage?” “Garage! That reminds me—I have been meaning to talk to you about the garage.” Bass me silly! I bet he is going to want to increase the garage by another 500 square feet. “The size of the garage is good, but if it were just a little bigger, it would be better. I really don’t think it would add that much to the cost of the whole project.” David was on a roll. “Actually, when you think about it, it is not that big of a deal. It really would be a bigger deal if we did it later, but if we do it now, then we won’t have to contend with a mess later. And it will make a heck of mess later. Probably have to tear up some landscaping; could have some damage to the pool. Sure would hate to see that happen. I know how much you hate a mess. And really, Baby, I am just thinking of you. That bass boat might block you in cuz we would have to park it behind your

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spot. Just think—if we do it now, we have it all done, all cleaned

up, all ready. And for what? Maybe an extra three or four grand? Which, in the scheme of things, is not that much.” “So, let me get this straight: Increase the garage for the yet-to-be-purchased bass boat. Probably need only an extra 500 square feet and a mere $3-4 thousand. Is that what you are saying?” “Cor-rect! See? Makes a lot of sense, don’t ya think? You know you always say that we should plan ahead.” Please pass the bass boat. Driving down the street, spied 10 miles ahead of us. “Oh, man! Look at that bass boat! She is a jewel. See that one? He did it right. A single console, gives you more room. Yep, that is the way to go. That is what we need right there.” Please pass the bass boat. Saturday morning cartoons, a.k.a. the Fishing Channel, are tuned in before I have opened my eyes or had my first cup of coffee. “Now, look at that sweetheart of a bass boat, Baby. We need to get one of those. Look how smooth it rides and how fast they get where they need to go. You know, when you are at a tournament, time is money.” Yeah, well, Buster—never mind that the guy fishing in that expensive boat has his own fishing show and has won over $1 million this year. Please pass the bass boat Flipping through the pages of Boating Life ILLUSTRATION BY RACHEL WATSON

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Buyers Guide and drooling over the glossy pictures. “Yes-siree! Honey, look at this one. What do you think of that color? What color do you think you would want? I think you should pick the color. Yep, really think we are going to need one these bass catchers pretty darn soon. You know, it just isn’t practical to fish these bass tournaments in a flats boat. And, Baby, I want you and only you to pick out the color.” “Yeah, Mom, come on! What color do you like?” Yeah, listen you two. I know what you are doing. Trying to lure me in, make me think I picked it out. Make it all my idea. I can hear it now: “Well, Mom, you picked it out! But, Mom, that was the color that you wanted.” Sly, very sly! They are trying to invade my subconscious. No, no, I won’t let them; I won’t listen. I bet they have a recording plugged into my ears in the middle of the night, playing that message over and over. “You want a bass boat, you must have a bass boat.” Over and over, until my subconscious melts into bass boatdom. I must fight them off. “Okay, Sweetie, time to hit the hay. Ready to go to bed?”

“No! I mean, no, I think I am going to stay up for a bit and read. You go ahead.” No way. Just as I doze off, they will rig me up with that recording and I will be theirs. No bass boat Twilight Zone for this gurl! What is it with men and their boats? Don’t they know there is always something breaking down? Veritable money pits, they are. And other fishermen always have newer, faster, sleeker boats, and most importantly, the guy with a certain make and model that always catches more fish. But they don’t care. “Please pass the boat” is their mantra. They are obsessed, consumed, driven, and won’t quit until they possess their beloved bass boat. Okay, so it has many sparkly colors; bucket seats that conform to your derriere; comfy carpet that rubs between your toes as you quietly walk from bow to stern; that regal way it gets up on plane as you nail the throttle until she glides across the water, peaking at 73 mph. Oh, and those nifty gunwale lockers to stow away rods, bait, and—yes—an ample livewell to stow those lovely bass once aboard. Gosh, I am getting sleepy. Um, maybe a beautiful shade of aquamarine…

I must keep my eyes open. But, if it were aquamarine, it would complement the water… become one with the water… be the water… Maybe I will just shut my eyes for a little catnap. I am safe. Think of all those bass that could be mine, all mine! The tape plays: “Tomorrow, you will go to the store and buy a bass boat.” “Yes, sir! We will take an Aquamarine Nitro Z-9 CDC, 21-foot, powered by a 250 Mercury Pro XS; a large aerated, timed livewell with pump-out and flush-mounted measuring stick; two separate Guardian livewells in the rear, all three featuring oxygengeneration systems; state-of-the art instrumentation gauges; and don’t forget the fold down boarding ladder, stainless pop-up cleats, and a three-bank built-in battery charger. And, of course, a Lowrance LCX-27 combo unit at the helm. “And charge it!” Please pass the bass boat. What have I done? E-mail Mari Henry at gurlz@fishgame.com.

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Legacy of the “Redfish Wars” I by Luke Giles, CCA Texas,

freezes could easily have combined to essentially remove those fish from our waters. Opposing early conservation efforts were not

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Communications Director only commercial fishermen who claimed they needed every fish they could net, but also recreational fishermen who couldn’t abide the idea of catch limits or the concept of catchand-release. Too many people were focused

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on getting the biggest slice of the pie to realize that the pie was rapidly disappearing altogether. No one was pausing to realize that the biggest piece of nothing was still...nothing. What early CCA members were proposing for reds and trout was likely considered radical for the times, and all they had was the courage of their convictions and the faith that they were doing what had to be done to save those resources for future generations. The opening chapters of the CCA story are so well known because they tell an extraordinary tale of what can be accomplished

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PHOTO BY GRADY ALLEN

with the right people, the right resources and the right vision. Those initial CCA Texas members changed the landscape and won some impressive victories. They secured gamefish status for trout and redfish and pushed through legislation to ban gillnets and stop purse seining for bull redfish in the Gulf of Mexico. The CCA story is 30 years old now,

and Texas conservationists have never stopped striving for and achieving forwardreaching victories.

A Vision for Conservation This path has not been easy. Vision-driven campaigns rarely are, but CCA’s unique structure leverages unprecedented grassroots involvement through dozens and dozens of local chapters, layers of volunteer committees and a Board of hundreds of concerned recreational anglers. It has created a depth and breadth that is unmatched. Remarkably, even after more than 30 years of conservation battles, CCA continues to ground itself in the core principles that framed its foundation. “CCA’s success in marine conservation advocacy is directly tied to its success in fundraising, membership recruitment and communication,” said David Cummins, CCA president. “From the very beginning, these key points have been the roadmap to success. What has always set CCA apart from so many well-meaning but ineffectual

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conservation movements is the people who are involved. The volunteers who drive CCA have always understood the basic principles of getting things done. Additionally, CCA never makes snap decisions; every policy decision and advocacy position is based on broad input, pragmatic strategy and leveraging the vast experience base within the organization.” Clearly, CCA’s legend sprouts from its early work in redfish and trout conservation, funding the creation of two of the world’s largest saltwater hatcheries, and impacting the fishery management systems on all levels, but what distinguishes CCA is that it has never stopped evolving and seeking new and innovative ways to facilitate sound marine conservation. “It would have been easy to rest on our early victories,” said Mark Ray, CCA Texas chairman. “But CCA has never rested. The drive to do what is right for the marine

resource and to look beyond today or tomorrow when working for the conservation of coastal resources is what makes CCA so unique and effective.”

A New Era in Texas Conservation

With almost 100,000 members, 17 state chapters, a professional advocacy team, and an army of active volunteers, it would be easy to believe that CCA has grown beyond the wildest dreams of its founders, but the reality is that CCA’s current growth and continued accomplishments are a direct reflection of the unflappable spirit of CCA’s early framers. One of the early mottos for CCA was “First, let’s save the redfish...” Although seemingly simple, this conservation mantra reflects the vision of CCA’s founders. Clearly, they saw that CCA would never lose its relevance. Even as they embarked on their first battle, they saw there would be a much larger war for proper marine conservation, and CCA was going to be the key for success.

“It is an exciting time in the history of CCA,” said Robby Byers, CCA Texas executive director. “In the past two years alone CCA Texas’ Board has funded more than $1.3 million in conservation programs and projects that range from ongoing scholarships to innovative habitat restoration programs.” CCA Texas recently concluded an initiative with University of Texas Marine Science Institute that created an $800,000 larviculture lab in Port Aransas that will focus on enhancing and expanding the critical science necessary for current and future stocking programs. “This lab is the future of our hatcheries,” said Byers. “There is work being done on flounder, snook, ling and even snapper are a possibility in the future. Can you imagine

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how bright the future is with this type of innovative work?” CCA has always pushed for the best science possible and has actively funded scientific studies and the equipment needed to conduct this vital research. “CCA Texas has funded studies to explore catch-and-release mortality in speckled trout and recently initiated one for red snapper,” said Byers. “Sound science has never been more important than right now in a number of key fisheries, and CCA is rising to that challenge funding studies involving flounder, tripletail, snook and tarpon.”

The Long Arm of Conservation

can be rendered feckless. CCA Texas created a volunteer committee to help specifically target funds to the needs of the wardens. Through this work, CCA Texas has funded hundreds of thousands of dollars to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wardens for such key equipment needs as night vision, electronics, high-tech binoculars and vessels for accessing remote areas. “CCA’s contributions have made a real difference in our enforcement efforts in everything from crab management to red snapper,” said TPWD Captain Rex Mayes. “CCA Texas’ historic help continues to increase the effectiveness of coastal wardens.”

Buying Back the Bays

Since its creation, CCA has put significant focus and funds to support law enforcement efforts. It is one thing to successfully push for management measures, but without properly equipped warden, those regulations

One of the most heralded conservation programs to reduce the harmful impact of commercial shrimp trawls was created in Texas more than a decade ago. This buyback program take contributions from a surcharge

that is attached to recreational saltwater fishing licenses and combines it with private donations to purchase and retire commercial shrimping licenses. The Texas shrimp license buyback program is entering its final rounds and stands as a clear conservation success. Since inception, CCA Texas has supported this program in dollars and in the state legislature. To date, CCA Texas is the single largest financial supporter with $275,000 in contributions. “The proof is in the pudding,” said Robin Riechers, TPWD director of science and policy. “We have purchased so many licenses and the positive results are clearly evident throughout the bay ecosystem. The reduction in shrimping effort has helped build the forage base, protected bay habitat, conserved gamefish species, and even helped the economics of bay shrimping. All the early work on this program has clearly paid off.”

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Bass are attracted to vegetated areas for multiple reasons. Food supply is one of them. Aquatic plants are attractive places for insects and other invertebrates to live and feed. These organisms represent a food supply for forage fish. And forage fish make up a large amount of a largemouth bass’s diet. The food chain is in constant force in the wild and the relationship between plant and predator exists at many levels. This primary rule of eat to be eaten is a blessing for bass fisherman who target the top level on the food pyramid of prey and predator species. This relationship is so strong that if a bass angler does nothing more than fish in vegetated areas, sooner or later they will catch fish. Another reason bass are attracted to vegetation is the process of photosynthesis.

Plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and give off oxygen. Higher oxygen levels are particularly important when water temperatures climb. As summer progresses and water warms, the less oxygen it can hold in suspension. While surface agitation from the wind helps add oxygen, plants are responsible for producing most of it. So, areas that have a higher concentration of dissolved oxygen from plant respiration will attract greater numbers of living organisms and that includes largemouth bass. Concealment or cover is also one of the dominant forces that attract largemouth bass. Their genetic nature is that of an ambush predator. Vegetation provides excellent hiding places for them to fulfill their destiny. Once hidden from general view, they can remain immobile until an unwary food item wanders past, and then whoosh!, dinner is served. Shade is part of the draw too. Shallow water heats up rapidly. Plants help block the sun’s penetrating rays and can lower water temperatures by several degrees. Just because an area might have vegetation does not necessarily mean that it will harbor a good bass population. And that fact sums up one of the difficulties of deciding which areas hold fish and which do not. A whole cove or creek channel covered with vegetation can appear to be an overwhelming puzzle. But understanding bass behavior

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can quickly rule out most of the unproductive habitat. Bass prefer to live very near or in some form of structure. Good examples are boat docks, flooded timber, brush piles, the sides of a submerged hump or point, and especially the edges of creek channels. These places will hold bass in the absence of vegetation, but add aquatic plants to those areas, and their attractiveness increases exponentially. Sometimes a lack of solid structure in a particular area makes the process more difficult. The key to finding bass in those situations is to look for contrasts in vegetation. One type of water plant giving way to another is a good indication of a change in depth or soil type. These seemingly small or subtle changes can be all it takes to concentrate fish. Recognizing these small clues can make all the difference in finding catch-able bass or not. There are basically three ways to fish vegetated areas: over the top, underneath, or along the edges. Weedless plastic frog or worm lures fished un-weighted will provoke active bass into memorable strikes on the surface. Weighted jigs will punch through the vegetation and can be hopped or twitched on the bottom below the overhead canopy. Just about any type of crankbait or

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Fried Catfish HETHER YOU ARE FISHING A POND, A stock tank, or your favorite fishing hole at Lake Conroe, fresh catfish is always welcome at the dinner table. This is how we fix it at home.

Catfish Fillets 1 box Zataran’s Fish Fry with Lemon 1/2 cup corn meal Mix Zataran’s and corn meal in a large bowl. Rinse filets and check for any bones; trim if necessary. Cut filets into 1-1/2-inch squares or chunks, then season lightly with Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice. Place several filet pieces into the bowl with frying mix. Toss lightly, but be sure to coat all sides of the fish. Transfer filets to a platter and chill until ready to fry. Carefully place fish pieces into a basket and lower into hot peanut oil at 375. Don’t over-fill the fryer—never more than a third full. Fry until desired brownness is reached (approximately 4-5 minutes). Don’t overcook. Remove from oil and transfer to a large folded newspaper covered with a couple layers of paper towels.

AFIELD WITH BARRY Continued from Page I-65 spinnerbait can be used along the edges to entice an ambush. All are very successful techniques for getting bigmouths to blowup. Fishing the grass for bass is exciting I66

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stuff. The water is usually fairly shallow allowing the strike and resulting battle to be a visual as well as tactile experience. And that is what makes bass fishing in the grass so much fun. You just never know when a salad shooter with a great big mouth will come barreling out of the thick &

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stuff all green and glorious. Bass fishing on the trashy side is what I am raving about. E-mail Barry St. Clair at bstclair@fishgame.com.

PHOTO BY BILL OLIVE

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Sides

smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir until combined, then chill until ready to serve.

S P O N S O R E D BY:

Bacon/Jalapeno Wrapped Shrimp 6 jalapenos, seeded and sliced in half 12 shrimp, deveined and peeled 12 bacon slices (separate and allow to sit 20 minutes to soften) Place a shrimp in each jalapeno half, wrap with bacon, then stake in place with a toothpick. Place in hot peanut oil at 375 for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and strain on paper towels.

Contact Bryan Slaven, "The Texas Gourmet," at 888-234-7883, www.thetexasgourmet.com; or by email at texas-tasted@fishgame.com. Remove to a platter with paper towels to drain. Season with cinnamon sugar and sea salt.

Jalacado Tartar Sauce 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise 1/2 lemon, juiced 1/2 ripe avocado 1 Tbs Texas Gourmet’s Sidewinder Searing Spice 3 Tbs purple onion, finely chopped 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine salt and pepper to taste Combine mayonnaise and lemon juice in a bowl, then add avocado. Smash until

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TEXAS SALTWATER

GALVESTON

PORT ARANSAS

GALVESTON

Jess Mow ery Stringer o f Trout Hugo Ford Guide Service

CORPUS CHRISTI

For Classified Rates and Information call Dennise at 1-800-750-4670, ext. 5579. t Will Avan d Ling n u o p + 30 end Coastal B ors o td u O

ROCKPORT

LAKE AMISTAD

PORT ARANSAS Ricky Best & friend Striper Striper Ex pre Guide Serv ss ice

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Clint O’Neil & Joey Austin Limits of Trout Hillman Guide Service

Beverly Trout Striper and Speckled Service ide Gu r ate ltw Sa Akins

TEXAS FRESHWATER

Kneifel Twins with on Capt. Charles Newt ds Re d ize ers Ov ing Match Redfish Charters

TEXAS HUNTING

COLORADO

LAKE TEXOMA

For Classified Rates and Information call Dennise at 1-800-750-4670, ext. 5579.

BAFFIN BAY

SPOTLIGHT: REDFISH CHARTERS ADVERTISERS, MAIL IN YOUR PHOTOS TODAY!

OUTDOOR SHOPPER

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DOLPHIN—PORT ARANSAS, TEXAS

STRIPER—LAKE TEXOMA, TEXAS

L-R Carter, Kristin Witbeck, Brent Witbeck, Anthony Esch, Marshall Leithead, Brad Esch and Shanee caught these dolphin 15 miles out of Port Aransas on a weedline using hardtails as bait.

BUCK—KIMBLE COUNTY, TEXAS

CATFISH—DICKINSON, TEXAS

Jacob Darbonne, age 14, of Nederland, Texas, took Sherry Bastien of Dickinson, Texas, caught this 5this 7-point buck in Kimble County. pound, 15-inch catfish in Dickinson Bayou.

SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO:

TF&G PHOTO ALBUM 1745 Greens Road Houston, Texas 77032 OR BY EMAIL: photos@fishgame.com PLEASE INCLUDE NAME, HOMETOWN, WHEN & WHERE CAUGHT, SIZE AND WEIGHT

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

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DEER—GONZALES COUNTY, TEXAS

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CATFISH—GUY, TEXAS

TROUT—BAFFIN BAY, TEXAS Ken “Bubba” Judice, Jr. of New Braunfels, Texas, enjoyed 3 days of fishing with Capt. Aubrey Black in Baffin Bay. During his trip, they caught 400 trout between 19 and 27 inches, as well as several reds.

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PHOTO BY CHESTER MOORE

by Chester Moore the shore in the lower reservoir; the upper reservoir (the portion lying within the Sam Houston National Forest) is primarily featureless shoreline. Substrates range from sandy to silty. “A few aquatic plants dot shoreline areas, primarily in areas being planted by TPWD and the US Army Corps of Engineers as part of an ongoing Aquatic Habitat Enhancement Initiative. The lake has had past heavy infestations of hydrilla, but vegetation is not currently present in quantities that would be considered a nuisance. The only fish-attracting structures in the reservoir A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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In This Issue N14 N23

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

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

SHOOT THIS • Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag Tactical Turkey Shotgun | BY STEVE LAMASCUS

N16 N32 N36 N38

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

N41 N42 N44 N46

AFIELD WITH BARRY • Trashy Bass Fishing | BY BARRY ST. CLAIR

HOW-TO SECTION

N24 N26 N27 N28 N30 N33 N34 N35 N40

COVER STORY • Lake Conroe Cats | BY CHESTER MOORE

HOTSPOTS & TIDES SECTION

N4 N10

TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots | BY CALIXTO GONZALES & JD MOORE SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK • Tides, Solunar Table, Best Hunting/Fishing Times | BY TF&G STAFF

GEARING UP SECTION

N12

TEXAS TESTED • Midland; American Hunter; Shimano | BY TF&G STAFF

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TEXAS BOATING • Gizmos, Gadgets, & Goodies | BY LENNY RUDOW SALTWATER BAITS & RIGS • It’s Alive! | BY PATRICK LEMIRE

SPORTING TALES • CCA and the Legacy of the “Redfish Wars” | BY LUKE GILES GURLZ PAGE • Please Pass the Bass Boat | BY MARI HENRY

FRESHWATER BAITS & RIGS • Rod-Free Cats | BY PAUL BRADSHAW TEXAS KAYAKING • Scratching Bottom | BY GREG BERLOCHER HUNT TEXAS • Lessons from the Season | BY BOB HOOD TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • The Beauty of Accuracy | BY STEVE LAMASCUS MISTER CRAPPIE • The House That Mr. Crappie Built | BY WALLY MARSHALL WOO’S CORNER • Hot Weather Fishing | BY WOO DAVES WILDERNESS TRAILS • The Lostrider, Part II | BY HERMAN W. BRUNE

cheese bait, and locally popular concoctions consisting of everything from cattle brains to chicken livers will get the job done. “These fish aren’t too picky. I usually catch mine on cheese bait or worms, but anglers here catch them on all kinds of stuff,” Richardson said. He uses a drop-shot rig fished near the bottom, and a floating rig to target fish moving up and down the water column: “I probably catch more fish right near the bottom, but get some of the bigger ones a few feet up.” This month, the manmade brush piles on the northern end of the lake should hold

TOURNAMENT INSIDER • Record-Setting FLW-Falcon Event | BY MATT WILLIAMS

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TEXAS TASTED • Fried Catfish | BY BRYAN SLAVEN DISCOVER THE OUTDOORS • Classifieds | BY TF&G STAFF PHOTO ALBUM • Your Action Photos | BY TF&G STAFF

some of the larger fish. If you are looking for bigger fish, resist the urge to chum the area or you will be battling more pan-size channel cats than you can handle. The big fish lurk around the brush piles. To get their attention, down a line baited with a strip of carp or a live crawfish. Crawfish are not typically thought of as catfish bait, but in East Texas, it has a dedicated following and will catch some nice cats as well as bonus bass. Another good area for catfish is near Loch Ness. The drop-offs along the shallow flats are good for night fishing, especially for anglers fishing cut bait or large live shiners under a floating rig. You should not expect to catch a lake monster, but you have a good shot a cat a bit bigger than the average for these waters. “I have caught some of my best catfish in that area. Cut bait and shiners are probably the best, but a big glob of earthworms on a treble hook can draw some big ones as well,” Richardson said. As spring fades to summer, much of the action is in deer water along the river channel and in the open water near the spillway. Big cats suspend around the thermocline and inhabit water not many anglers fishing with rod and reels target. Around the river channel, be mindful of

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any humps or ridges that rise out of the depths or break up the topography of the bottom. Take a map and mark five or six areas that look good, cruise them while watching your graph, and mark the spots where you see rising structure or large, suspended fish. Drift these spots with fresh-dead perch or cut carp on a circle hook rigged on a modified free-line. This simply consists of a hook with a 1/4-ounce split shot attached a foot above it. Use the wind to drift over the structure, and if the wind is not cooperating, put down the trolling motor and slowly troll. Many of us grew up fishing catfish holes for long periods until something bit, but this is not the way to fish open water. Hit a spot for a few minutes and then move to another. If you make it down as far as the spillway, rig up a drop-shot rig and fish the same kind of baits vertically along the riprap, trolling slowly. This is a great way to cover a lot of

water and fish an otherwise difficult area. These methods might seem a big unorthodox for Conroe, but they can pay some impressive dividends with larger than average channel cats. Land-bound anglers might not have as much good access to catfish hotspot as those with boats do, but plenty places provide fish for the frying pan—boat docks, piers, and along publicly accessible shorelines. The main thing is to bring the fish to you with chum. When fishing from the bank for cats, I use a 35mm film canister, in which I poke holes all around the side and one on the top and bottom. I rig this between my swivel and weight on a Carolina rig and fill it with chum. You will not only be chumming the area you fish, but also bringing fish directly to your bait. Any kind of chum will work, but a mixture I have had some success with was men-

haden oil mixed with soured milo. The oil creates a huge chum slick, and when it mixes with the milo, the smell is almost unbearable—which means catfish love it. The best part is that a little bit goes a long way. You might also try using this under a large popping cork like an Old Bayside Paradise Popper. Even if your bait is on the bottom, you can rig a popping cork above it and attach a baited film canister below. This will allow you to do some extra chumming and use the cork to “pop” out more chum as needed. Lake Conroe has many opportunities for anglers to pursue, and on these waters, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

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

Raising a Stink with Fayette Cats LOCATION: Lake Fayette County HOTSPOT: Main Point Flat

GPS: N29 56.618, W96 44.692 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: stinkbait, worms, shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103 TIPS: A lot of fish have spawned already. Southerly winds are blowing food onto the flat and south-facing bank of this point. Anchor in about four feet of water and fish toward the shore, not on the shoreline. Use a tight line with 1-ounce weight and # 4 treble hook. Use stink baits or chum to attract fish to your area. This is open water, anchor front of boat into the wind to prevent waves from coming over transom. If not catching fish, move 100 yards parallel to the bank either way and continue fishing. BANK ACCESS: Oak Thicket Ramp. All species can be had. LOCATION: Lake Fayette County HOTSPOT: Points & Humps GPS: N29 55.920, W96 44.842 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: crankbaits; Carolina-rigged soft plastics CONTACT: Bob Green, 281-460-9200 TIPS: Work points and humps for post spawn fish BANK ACCESS: Park Prairie Pier. All species can be had, live bait best. LOCATION: Lake Buchanan N4

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HOTSPOT: Blackrock Park GPS: N30 46.777, W98 26.878 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: crankbaits, Rat-L-Trap, plastic swimbait and drop-shot CONTACT: Jim Files, 830- 385-9579 TIPS: Work coves and pockets around Blackrock Park. Work mouth of Colorado River on the right side flats. Fish boat docks 5 to 15 feet deep in Silver and Morgan Creeks; flats from Cedar Point to Highline. BANK ACCESS: Highline Resort, catfish, bass, crappie LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Garrett Island GPS: N30 50.488, W98 24.573 SPECIES: striped/white bass BEST BAITS: live shad, striper jigs CONTACT: Jim Files, 830-385-9579 TIPS: For stripers fish live sad. Drift 25 to 40 feet deep or troll striper jigs. For white bass, troll mouths of major creeks and along river channel from Paradise Point to Canyon of the Eagles. BANK ACCESS: Jacob’s Creek Park, largemouth and smallmouth bass LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Robin Hood to Beaver Island GPS: N30 34.679, W98 23.159 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Firetiger spinnerbait, chartreuse/purple back crankbait, Green Pumpkin jig, red flake Brush Hog, Watermelon JDC drop-shot worm CONTACT: Jim Files, 830-385-9579 TIPS: Work the above baits from Robin Hood to Beaver Island, Sandy Creek, pockets above Sunrise Beach, and the Llano River from 1431 bridge to second bridge. BANK ACCESS: Robin Hood Park, catfish, largemouth bass LOCATION: Canyon Lake &

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JD MOORE

CALIXTO GONZALES

HOTSPOT: Jacob’s Creek GPS: N29 53.748, W98 12.807 SPECIES: largemouth/spotted bass BEST BAITS: Texas rigged weightless plastic stickbait; Zara Spook, 1/4th - ounce buzzbait, Texas rigged Green Pumpkin Scoundrel worm, Rootbeer/green flake Brush Hog, Green Pumpkin jig and dropshot worm CONTACT: Jim Files, 830- 385-9579 TIPS: Work the Guadalupe River from the mouth up to 2 miles above Rebecca Creek; brush piles at the dam, Potter’s Creek points, Jacobs Creek Recreational Area Point and Tom’s Creek. BANK ACCESS: Jacob’s Creek Park, largemouth and smallmouth bass LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Comal Island Bluff GPS: N29 52.216, W98 14.295 SPECIES: smallmouth bass BEST BAITS: Green Pumpkin tube, curly tail grub, plastic stickbaits, crankbaits, topwaters CONTACT: Jim Files, 830- 385-9579 TIPS: Work dam, Overlook, the bluffs, and pockets from boat ramp to Overlook. BANK ACCESS: Jacob’s Creek Park. Largemouth bass LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Loafer Bend Shoreline GPS: N31 53.464, W97 21.425 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Zara Spook, Pop R CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539 TIPS: Threadfin shad will be spawning along these shores as stripers move in to gorge. Make long casts toward shoreline and wait until you feel the fish before setting hook. Use this tactic early and late. BANK ACCESS: Bear Creek shoreline, white bass, catfish LOCATION: Lake Whitney

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HOTSPOT: Whitney Point GPS: N31 54.672, W97 21.425 SPECIES: white/sand bass BEST BAITS: white or Chartreuse Slabs, 3/4th to 1- ounce CONTACT: Randy Routh, 817-822-5539 TIPS: Bounce Slabs off bottom. Watch for birds/gulls diving on shad. They will lead you to the fish. Also work Island flats and Sand Point. BANK ACCESS: Loafer Bend Park shore, white bass, stripers LOCATION: Lake Waco HOTSPOT: Entrance to Waco Marina, South Jetty GPS: N31 33.301, W97 14.072 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: plastic worms, in Tequila Sunrise, purple, Watermelon CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, 254-7442104 TIPS: Toss a Texas rigged worm onto rocks and drag off into water. Retrieve very slowly, raising and lowering rod, while bumping bottom. Work South Jetty first, and then move to North Jetty. You can also work a Carolina Rig 8 to 10 feet out from rock banks with slow retrieve, again bumping bottom.

BANK ACCESS: Fish off the top of the same jetties, pitching plastic worms and shallow crank baits just outside and along the rocks that line the two jetties. Parking is available along levee of South Jetty. Parking for North Jetty is available in parking lot at Waco Marina. LOCATION: Trading House Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Scout Camp Shore GPS: N31 34.030, W96 56.579 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: plastic worms, medium running crankbaits, spinnerbaits; Tequila Sunrise for plastics, chrome & blue for crankbaits; Chartreuse spinnerbaits / white skirt CONTACT: Jimmy D. Moore, 254-7442104 TIPS: Work channel as it meanders along Scout camp shoreline. Also cast spinnerbaits and crankbaits along the edge of the reeds and flip the pockets. For flipping, use Texas-rigged plastic worms. Use Carolina Rig when working the channel. BANK ACCESS: South Levee; drive across levee, turn left and park in South Shore Parking area at top of hill LOCATION: Granger Lake

HOTSPOT: Fox Point and Park shoreline GPS: N30 41.290, W97 20.680 SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: jig, minnow CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, 512-3657761 TIPS: Fish main lake brush piles all along the shoreline bordering Fox Park, from Fox Point westward to the boat ramp. BANK ACCESS: Wilson Fox Park Fishing Dock, crappie on minnows

Cranky Palestine Bass LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Henderson Point GPS: N32 11.860, W95 29.979

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: small crankbaits, such as the Bomber 6A, in shad color CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5302201 TIPS: Work the points, old roadways, and brush along the shoreline. BANK ACCESS: Dam Park for bass, catfish, crappie LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Large Dam Island GPS: N30 18.663, W96 31.405 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: shad, stinkbait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, www.FishTalesGuideService.com 979-229-3103 TIPS: Fish are spawning this time of year. Look for them around the rocks. Anchor away from shore, cast toward the rocks using slip corks to prevent hang-ups. Use shad with a $1 Kahle hook or stink bait with # 4 treble hook. Move up and down the shoreline to cover more areas where fish are nesting. BANK ACCESS: Overlook Point. Largemouth on live shad or red soft plastics on C-rig

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LOCATION: Lake Richland-Chambers HOTSPOT: Pelican Island GPS: N31 56.297, W96 12.828 SPECIES: white bass and hybrid stripers BEST BAITS: chrome slab, chrome and blue Rat-L-Trap CONTACT: Royce Simmons, 903-3894117 TIPS: Watch for surface feeding fish off Pelican Island early morning and late afternoon. Chrome/blue Rat-L-Traps are deadly when the fish are on top. A 1ounce silver or chartreuse slab bumped off the bottom works when the fish are deep. BANK ACCESS: Hwy 309 Park. Catfish, chum area first, use cut shad or perch. LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Water Discharge, South Shoreline GPS: N30 38.257, W96 03.174 SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: punch bait, shad, crawfish CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, 979-229-3103 TIPS: A lot of fish have spawned and are looking for food after being on the nest. Anchor in this area, set out 2 to 3 rods, and wait. Fish will be passing through this area to and from their nesting places. Remember, bigger bait, bigger, but less fish and smaller baits, smaller, but more fish. For large fish use large shad or cut bait. For smaller fish use small shad or stink bait. Carolina Rig works well with a 3/4th - ounce weight on a # 4 treble hook for stink bait and # 2 Kahle hook for other bait. BANK ACCESS: 250 Foot Fishing Pier, all species

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: jig and pig, plastic lizard, jerkbait, big plastic worm, spinnerbait CONTACT: Mark Robinson, 936-3682211 TIPS: Pitch jig and pig around button willows. Plastic lizards fished slowly Texas or Carolina rigged on top of shallow flats, ridges and humps will produce some of the best catches this time of year. Fish jerkbait or 12 inch worm shallow around laydowns and stumps. Spinnerbait thrown shallow will produce some scrappy medium sized bass. A tip to remember is the larger the spinnerbait and the slower it is worked, the larger the bass it will produce. BANK ACCESS: San Miguel Park & Fishing Pier.

Spinnerbaits Fork Over Bass LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Wolf Creek

GPS: N32 50.889, W95 34.951 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: spinnerbait, crankbait CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, 903-5302201 TIPS: Fish shallow, along the drop-offs in Wolf Creek. Later in the month, you will find the bass bunching up on deepwater humps on the main lake. To catch these fish, use Carolina Rig, and large deep-diving crankbait. BANK ACCESS: Lake Fork Public Park, largemouth, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Duck Call Cove GPS: N32 54.284, W95 38.464 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: medium running crankbait, spinnerbait, Carolina Rig, Baby Brush Hog CONTACT: Mike Rogge, 903-383-3406 TIPS: In addition to Duck Call Cove, hit

LOCATION: Toledo Bend North HOTSPOT: Huxley Bay area GPS: N31 45.824, W93 50.305 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Rogue, lizard, jig and pig CONTACT: Mark Robinson, 936-3682211 TIPS: Work bushes, laydowns, stumps, brush, and any shallow cover for spawning bass. BANK ACCESS: San Miguel Park & Fishing Pier, shallow crankbait, Rat-L-Trap LOCATION: Toledo Bend North HOTSPOT: Deer Camp Flats GPS: N31 49.419, W93 53.650 A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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the mouths of Rodgers Creek, Long Branch in Big Caney; Boardtree Branch, Elm Creek, and Double Branch BANK ACCESS: Lake Fork Public Park, largemouth, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Chaney Point GPS: N32 48.307, W95 33.452 SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: punch bait CONTACT: Mike Rogge, 903-383-3406 TIPS: Tight line punch bait over points, drop-offs, and timber. BANK ACCESS: Lake Fork Public Park, largemouth, crappie, catfish LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Buncombe Creek GPS: N33 52.869, W96 47.830 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: topwaters, live shad CONTACT: Bill Carey, 877-786-4477 TIPS: Stripers will be on two patterns: topwaters and live shad. Blind cast Pencil Poppers and Chug-Bugs early, to banks. Best colors are chrome and blue. Later in the day, fish live shad on a Carolina Rig. Anchor on ledges and mouths of creeks. Stripers are biting all around mid-lake areas. Extra tip: Tie a balloon on a 5-foot leader and free line an 8-inch gizzard shad behind the boat for big fish. BANK ACCESS: Shepherd AFB Recreation Area, striped bass, catfish, crappie LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool HOTSPOT: Grass along Dam and long points GPS: N32 38.816, W96 59.245 SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: spinnerbait, Rat-L-Trap, Carolina Rigged Fluke CONTACT: Randy Maxwell, 817-3132878 TIPS: The fish are regaining their strength from the spawn and topwaters should be your starting choice. Fishing the above baits in and through the grass and along points should produce good numbers of bass. Watch the wind direction to figure out where the baitfishes are. When you find them, the bass will be close by. N8

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BANK ACCESS: Lynn Creek Fishing Dock, largemouth bass, crappie; bream on worms or crickets. LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Costello Island GPS: N32 54.142, W98 28.068 SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: chrome/blue crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps; slabs; small shad CONTACT: Dean Heffner, 940-779-2597 TIPS: You can fish live shad if you have a cast net and aerated livewell to keep them in. Depending on depth and cover, work slabs, free-swimming shad, shallow, medium, and deep running crankbaits, along with Rat-L-Traps. The fish will be scattered from Costello Island south toward Broadway, (mid-lake). Pick up larger stripers and hybrids by downrigging crankbaits in the old river channel, along the main lake. Also, keep an eye out for the birds. If you see them and “jumpy” water, the shad are being chased by the stripers. Here you can catch them on most topwaters. BANK ACCESS: Sky Camp, fishing camp with fishing dock, all species

Half-a-Hoo Reds LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Airport Cove GPS: N26 10.425, W97 17.894

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seem to prefer the flash given off by a dimpled spoon.

EnGauging Specks LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge GPS: N27 18.248, W97 27.593 SPECIES: speckled trout

BEST BAITS: topwaters early; soft plastics in strawberry/black back Plum/chartreuse, Rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-9856089, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Work up near the shoreline early in the morning with topwaters. Trout will be cruising in the shallows hunting. Work deeper water along the gut as the day progresses. Trout will respond to long plastics with lots of tail action that are fished down in the greener water of the gut. Use darker patterns.

Sandy-Green for Speck Speculation LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Boat Cut GPS: N29 40.398, W93 49.516 SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: soft plastics in chartreuse, Glow/chartreuse, Pearl/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Bill Watkins, 409-

786-2018, 409-673-2018 TIPS: The sandy-green water that filters

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into Sabine from the Gulf of Mexico creates prime speckled trout conditions. The big fish use the “trout green” water to lurk and roam the deeper holes along the jetties. Try vertically fishing jigs near the bottom while slowly drift trolling (or strolling, much like crappie fishermen do) through the holes. You can also anchor upcurrent and let the tides tell you where your bait should go.

Spook Up a Largemouth LOCATION: Lake Amistad

out of the grass to bust a noisy topwater.

HOTSPOT: Caballo Creek GPS: N29 29.753, W101 18.564

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

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Bone or blue chrome Zara Spooks or Chug Bugs CONTACT: Mike Hawkes, 210-275-1309 TIPS: Bass are in their post-spawn doldrums. An aggressively worked topwater over weedbeds and long sloping points should get them out of their funk. Don’t limit yourself to the weedlines. Work over the weeds themselves. Bass will come up

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Tides and Solunar Table for MAY 2008 MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

May 1

SYMBOL KEY

NEW MOON

l5 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:07 am 11:30 am 2:17 pm 10:42 pm

1.83 ft 1.39 ft 1.45 ft -0.51 ft

PRIME TIME

5:25am – 6:50am

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

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

4:57 am 12:46 pm 7:19 pm 11:18 pm

0.18 ft 1.41 ft 0.95 ft 1.12 ft

Low Tide: 2:28 am 0.14 ft High Tide: 11:25 am 1.45 ft

• M A Y

5:40am – 7:00am

BEST DAYS

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 8:23 am

1.88 ft

6:00am – 7:10am

1:00pm – 2:10pm

Sunrise: 6:55a Set: 8:18p Moonrise: 4:15a Set: 4:25p AM Minor: 2:41a AM Major: 8:52a PM Minor: 3:04p PM Major: 9:16p Moon Overhead: 10:16a Moon Underfoot: 10:39p

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 12:31 am -0.58 ft High Tide: 9:34 am 1.82 ft

6:10am – 7:40am

PRIME TIME

7:10am – 8:20am

Low Tide: 6:11 am High Tide: 1:05 pm Low Tide: 7:42 pm

7:45am – 8:55am

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

8:05am – 9:20am

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

3:45am – 5:00am

0.43 ft 1.31 ft 0.70 ft

1:10 am 7:24 am 1:19 pm 8:08 pm

1.17 ft 0.67 ft 1.24 ft 0.47 ft

PRIME TIME 2:41 am 8:36 am 1:29 pm 8:34 pm

1.28 ft 0.88 ft 1.21 ft 0.26 ft

8:40am – 9:55am

Sunrise: 6:45a Set: 8:26p Moonrise: 2:58p Set: 3:07a AM Minor: 1:32a AM Major: 7:43a PM Minor: 1:54p PM Major: 8:04p Moon Overhead: 9:20p Moon Underfoot: 8:59a

Sunrise: 6:44a Set: 8:27p Moonrise: 3:54p Set: 3:34a AM Minor: 2:11a AM Major: 8:21a PM Minor: 2:32p PM Major: 8:42p Moon Overhead: 10:01p Moon Underfoot: 9:41a

Sunrise: 6:44a Set: 8:27p Moonrise: 4:50p Set: 4:01a AM Minor: 2:47a AM Major: 8:57a PM Minor: 3:08p PM Major: 9:18p Moon Overhead: 10:42p Moon Underfoot: 10:22a

´22

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 7:11 am 1.61 ft Low Tide: 11:06 pm -0.15 ft

4:40am – 6:10am

High Tide: 7:56 am 1.59 ft Low Tide: 11:43 pm -0.12 ft

PRIME TIME 4:50am – 6:10am

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 8:44 am

1.57 ft

5:45am – 7:05am

Sunrise: 6:41a Set: 8:31p Moonrise: 9:34p Set: 6:41a AM Minor: 6:11a AM Major: ——PM Minor: 6:36p PM Major: 12:23p Moon Overhead: 1:41a Moon Underfoot: 2:06p

Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 8:31p Moonrise: 10:27p Set: 7:26a AM Minor: 7:02a AM Major: 12:50a PM Minor: 7:28p PM Major: 1:15p Moon Overhead: 2:31a Moon Underfoot: 2:56p

Sunrise: 6:40a Set: 8:32p Moonrise: 11:16p Set: 8:17a AM Minor: 7:57a AM Major: 1:44a PM Minor: 8:22p PM Major: 2:09p Moon Overhead: 3:22a Moon Underfoot: 3:47p

PRIME TIME

6:50am – 8:10am

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

7:00am – 8:20am

Low Tide: 4:08 am 0.48 ft High Tide: 11:54 am 1.32 ft Low Tide: 6:22 pm 0.75 ft

7:10am – 8:25am

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

Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:35p Moonrise: 1:13a Set: 12:09p AM Minor: 11:32a AM Major: 5:20a PM Minor: 11:55p PM Major: 5:43p Moon Overhead: 6:38a Moon Underfoot: 7:01p

N10

1.88 ft 1.53 ft 1.54 ft -0.60 ft

PRIME TIME

Sunrise: 6:41a Set: 8:30p Moonrise: 8:38p Set: 6:02a AM Minor: 5:23a AM Major: 11:35a PM Minor: 5:47p PM Major: 11:59p Moon Overhead: 12:53a Moon Underfoot: 1:17p

PRIME TIME 7:14 am 12:39 pm 2:15 pm 11:35 pm

GOOD DAYS

Sunrise: 6:49a Set: 8:23p Moonrise: 9:29a Set: None AM Minor: 9:10a AM Major: 2:54a PM Minor: 9:43p PM Major: 3:26p Moon Overhead: 5:02p Moon Underfoot: 4:30a

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 6:28 am 1.60 ft Low Tide: 10:31 pm -0.14 ft

FULL MOON

PRIME TIME 1.23 ft 0.62 ft 1.29 ft 0.59 ft

Sunrise: 6:49a Set: 8:22p Moonrise: 8:24a Set: 11:31p AM Minor: 7:59a AM Major: 1:42a PM Minor: 8:32p PM Major: 2:15p Moon Overhead: 3:57p Moon Underfoot: 3:24a

Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 8:25p Moonrise: 1:59p Set: 2:37a AM Minor: 12:48a AM Major: 6:59a PM Minor: 1:11p PM Major: 7:23p Moon Overhead: 8:37p Moon Underfoot: 8:15a

LAST QTR

1:15 am 7:19 am 1:53 pm 7:57 pm

Sunrise: 6:50a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 7:26a Set: 10:22p AM Minor: 6:50a AM Major: 12:34a PM Minor: 7:22p PM Major: 1:06p Moon Overhead: 2:51p Moon Underfoot: 2:19a

Sunrise: 6:51a Set: 8:21p Moonrise: 6:36a Set: 9:08p AM Minor: 5:47a AM Major: ——PM Minor: 6:17p PM Major: 12:02p Moon Overhead: 1:48p Moon Underfoot: 1:17a

FIRST QTR

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

2 0 0 8 /

3:15 am 11:43 am 7:27 pm 9:11 pm

0.29 ft 1.39 ft 0.99 ft 1.00 ft

Sunrise: 6:38a Set: 8:35p Moonrise: 1:44a Set: 1:09p AM Minor: ——AM Major: 6:08a PM Minor: 12:20p PM Major: 6:31p Moon Overhead: 7:23a Moon Underfoot: 7:46p

T E X A S

F i s h

Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:36p Moonrise: 2:14a Set: 2:09p AM Minor: 12:42a AM Major: 6:54a PM Minor: 1:05p PM Major: 7:16p Moon Overhead: 8:08a Moon Underfoot: 8:30p

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

PRIME TIME 12:04 am 5:12 am 12:01 pm 6:44 pm

1.04 ft 0.71 ft 1.26 ft 0.44 ft

7:35am – 8:45am

Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:36p Moonrise: 2:43a Set: 3:11p AM Minor: 1:25a AM Major: 7:37a PM Minor: 1:48p PM Major: 8:00p Moon Overhead: 8:53a Moon Underfoot: 9:16p

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Tides and Solunar Table for MAY 2008 FRIDAY

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

2:39 am 8:22 am 2:01 pm 8:30 pm

1.39 ft 0.81 ft 1.27 ft 0.26 ft

SATURDAY PRIME TIME

1:20pm – 2:40pm

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

Sunrise: 6:54a Set: 8:18p Moonrise: 4:46a Set: 5:30p AM Minor: 3:21a AM Major: 9:33a PM Minor: 3:45p PM Major: 9:58p Moon Overhead: 11:03a Moon Underfoot: 11:28p

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 1:31 am -0.47 ft High Tide: 10:43 am 1.74 ft

6:30am – 8:00am

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

3:54 am 9:45 am 1:35 pm 9:01 pm

1.40 ft 1.06 ft 1.21 ft 0.09 ft

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

1:50 am 6:27 am 12:04 pm 7:20 pm

1.21 ft 0.95 ft 1.25 ft 0.10 ft

2:20pm – 3:55pm*

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

PRIME TIME 5:00 am 10:26 am 2:13 pm 9:54 pm

1.72 ft 1.21 ft 1.35 ft -0.32 ft

5:10am – 6:30am

Sunrise: 6:52a Set: 8:20p Moonrise: 5:54a Set: 7:52p AM Minor: 4:52a AM Major: 11:06a PM Minor: 5:20p PM Major: 11:34p Moon Overhead: 12:48p Moon Underfoot: 12:20a

PRIME TIME

6:45am – 8:00am

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

Low Tide: 2:36 am -0.29 ft High Tide: 11:40 am 1.63 ft

PRIME TIME 3:45 am 12:19 pm 7:24 pm 8:43 pm

-0.07 ft 1.52 ft 1.17 ft 1.18 ft

6:45am – 8:10am*

PRIME TIME

8:40am – 10:10am

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

3:00am – 4:10am

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

6:10am – 7:25am

4:53 am 10:55 am 1:35 pm 9:29 pm

1.50 ft 1.19 ft 1.24 ft -0.03 ft

PRIME TIME 5:43 am 12:22 pm 1:11 pm 9:59 pm

1.57 ft 1.28 ft 1.29 ft -0.11 ft

3:10am – 4:25am

Sunrise: 6:43a Set: 8:29p Moonrise: 6:42p Set: 4:56a AM Minor: 4:00a AM Major: 10:10a PM Minor: 4:21p PM Major: 10:32p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:45a

Sunrise: 6:42a Set: 8:29p Moonrise: 7:40p Set: 5:27a AM Minor: 4:39a AM Major: 10:51a PM Minor: 5:02p PM Major: 11:13p Moon Overhead: 12:07a Moon Underfoot: 12:30p

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 1:02 am -0.04 ft High Tide: 10:20 am 1.53 ft

6:15am – 7:40am*

Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:33p Moonrise: None Set: 10:09a AM Minor: 9:47a AM Major: 3:35a PM Minor: 10:12p PM Major: 3:59p Moon Overhead: 5:02a Moon Underfoot: 5:27p

PRIME TIME

7:45am – 8:55am

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

Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:37p Moonrise: 3:14a Set: 4:16p AM Minor: 2:07a AM Major: 8:19a PM Minor: 2:31p PM Major: 8:43p Moon Overhead: 9:40a Moon Underfoot: 10:05p

NOT FOR NAVIGATION

Sunrise: 6:53a Set: 8:19p Moonrise: 5:18a Set: 6:39p AM Minor: 4:04a AM Major: 10:17a PM Minor: 4:30p PM Major: 10:43p Moon Overhead: 11:54a Moon Underfoot: None

Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:33p Moonrise: None Set: 9:11a AM Minor: 8:52a AM Major: 2:39a PM Minor: 9:17p PM Major: 3:05p Moon Overhead: 4:13a Moon Underfoot: 4:38p

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 12:22 am -0.09 ft High Tide: 9:33 am 1.55 ft

PRIME TIME

Sunrise: 6:46a Set: 8:25p Moonrise: 12:56p Set: 2:02a AM Minor: ——AM Major: 6:09a PM Minor: 12:22p PM Major: 6:34p Moon Overhead: 7:51p Moon Underfoot: 7:26a

Sunrise: 6:43a Set: 8:28p Moonrise: 5:45p Set: 4:28a AM Minor: 3:23a AM Major: 9:33a PM Minor: 3:43p PM Major: 9:54p Moon Overhead: 11:24p Moon Underfoot: 11:03a

1.56 ft 1.01 ft 1.29 ft -0.05 ft

Sunrise: 6:47a Set: 8:24p Moonrise: 11:49a Set: 1:20a AM Minor: 11:24a AM Major: 5:10a PM Minor: 11:53p PM Major: 5:39p Moon Overhead: 7:00p Moon Underfoot: 6:32a

Sunrise: 6:48a Set: 8:23p Moonrise: 10:39a Set: 12:30a AM Minor: 10:20a AM Major: 4:05a PM Minor: 10:51p PM Major: 4:35p Moon Overhead: 6:03p Moon Underfoot: 5:33a

3:52 am 9:24 am 2:07 pm 9:10 pm

TIDE STATION CORRECTION TABLE (Adjust High & Low Tide times listed in the Calendar by the amounts below for each keyed location)

SUNDAY

Low Tide: 1:44 am 0.04 ft High Tide: 10:57 am 1.50 ft

1.42 ft 1.18 ft 1.30 ft -0.22 ft

6:30am – 7:45am*

Sunrise: 6:39a Set: 8:34p Moonrise: 12:38a Set: 11:09a AM Minor: 10:41a AM Major: 4:29a PM Minor: 11:04p PM Major: 4:52p Moon Overhead: 5:51a Moon Underfoot: 6:15p

PRIME TIME 3:14 am 7:54 am 12:03 pm 8:03 pm

PRIME TIME

7:55am – 9:05am

Sunrise: 6:37a Set: 8:37p Moonrise: 3:47a Set: 5:26p AM Minor: 2:50a AM Major: 9:03a PM Minor: 3:16p PM Major: 9:30p Moon Overhead: 10:32a Moon Underfoot: 10:59p

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

F i s h

PLACE SABINE BANK LIGHTHOUSE (29.47° N, 93.72° W) SABINE PASS JETTY (29.65° N, 93.83° W) SABINE PASS (29.73° N, 93.87°W) MESQUITE PT, SABINE PASS (29.77° N, 93.9° W) GALV. BAY, SO. JETTY (29.34° N, 94.7° W) PORT BOLIVAR (29.36° N, 94.77° W) TX CITY TURNING BASIN (29.38° N, 94.88° W) EAGLE POINT (29.5° N, 94.91° W) CLEAR LAKE (29.56° N, 95.06° W) MORGANS POINT (29.68° N, 94.98° W) ROUND PT, TRINITY BAY (29.71° N, 94.69° W) PT. BARROW, TRIN. BAY (29.74° N, 94.83° W) GILCHRIST, E. BAY (29.52° N, 94.48° W) JAMAICA BCH., W. BAY (29.2° N, 94.98° W) ALLIGATOR PT., W. BAY (29.17° N, 94.13° W) CHRISTMAS PT, CHR. BAY (29.08° N, 94.17° W) GALV. PLEASURE PIER (29.29° N, 94.79° W) SAN LUIS PASS (29.08° N, 95.12° W) FREEPORT HARBOR (28.95° N, 95.31° W) PASS CAVALLO (28.37° N, 96.4° W) ARANSAS PASS (27.84° N, 97.05° W) PADRE ISL.(SO. END) (26.07° N, 97.16° W) PORT ISABEL (26.06° N, 97.22° W)

G a m e ® / M A Y

HIGH

LOW

-1:46

-1:31

-1:26

-1:31

-1:00

-1:15

-0:04

-0:25

-0:39

-1:05

+0:14

-0:06

+0:33

+0:41

+3:54

+4:15

+6:05

+6:40

+10:21

+5:19

+10:39

+5:15

+5:48

+4:43

+3:16

+4:18

+2:38

+3:31

+2:39

+2:33

+2:32

+2:31

-1:06

-0.09

-0:44

-1:02

0:00

-1:20

-0:03

-1:31

-0:24

-1:45

+1:02

-0:42

2 0 0 8

•

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Midland’s New Generation Walkie Talkies I love walkie-talkies—or as everyone calls them now, two-way radios. For many outdoors situations, they come in extremely handy and, as evidenced by the new Midland Two-Ways, they have come a long way. The first thing you notice is they advertise an “up to 26-mile range.” That is possible apparently on flat, open ground, but none of these devices operates to maximum range in the thick forests of East Texas or the rocky canyons of the Hill Country. They tell you on the back of the package that range is for

open ground with no obstructions, but in reality, does anyone need a 26-mile

Midland2-Way Radio Set

range? For those of us communicating with hunting and fishing buddies, getting 5-6 miles of range is great. I was able to test them at five miles out in the marsh with a clear signal. One of the features I really liked was the

NOAA Weather Radio. When Hurricane Humberto struck my home (literally) and we lost power, I did not have a weather radio on hand. Then I realized I had these and was able to get valuable information. One of the coolest things about this particular set is the animal call alerts that let your hunting buddy signal you with a natural sound instead of an obtrusive beep. In addition, it allows direct calling, which comes in handy if you want to reach only one member of your party, perhaps the one in the best shape who can help you drag that big boar out of the woods. These radios also feature 22 channels, 142 privacy codes that give up to 3124 channel options to help block other conversations, and they are waterproof. The set comes with a dual desk charger, rechargeable battery packs, a pair of headsets, and AC/DC adapters. I have enjoyed my use of these great walkie-talkies and look forward to more in the future. Contact: Midland Radio, 816-2418500 ext. 261, www.midlandradio.com. —Chester Moore

• M A Y

2 0 0 8 /

T E X A S

F i s h

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

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with the analog time setting. It has worked through all kinds of weather conditions—including a hurricane— with no problems and I never had a problem of any sort. A month before the archery-only season, I put out the AmerRD225 i c a n Pro Feeder Hunter RD 225 Pro Tripod and found it another quality product. It is easy to assemble and even has a toll-free number on the feed dispenser if you have assembly problems. The only problem I came across was that the feeder should have had pre-tapped holes to hold up the timer. My dad and I had to spend some time using ratchets to make the holes, but other than that, no complaints. At the time of this writing, the feeder was still dispensing corn on time and drawing in game. One of the great accessories you can get for this is a varmint zapper that sends a jolt of electricity to raccoons and other feed stealers that climb on feeders. There is also a solar panel to extend battery life. Contact: American Hunter Feeders, 888-304-6125, www.americanhunterfeeders.com — CM

cast super light lures with some of my least favorite monofilament fishing line, and had very little problem with backlash. I caught some hefty redfish in Corpus Christi Bay and found the drag system more than adequate. The reasons behind the smooth action of this reel are many, including the “Magnumlite Spool” that uses lightweight aluminum alloys and unique design to move the mass of the spool outward. This light spool requires less braking force, allowing anglers to cast small baits father and more accurately than ever before. It also features an oversized drive gear that gives the angles more torque with less effort. This also allows for a larger drag washer, providing higher total drag pressure and more range. There are also shielded antirust bearings in place, which give extreme durability and far more corrosion resistance than standard steel bearings. Shimano is not in the business of making low-end fishing gear. What they make is good equipment, and although more expen-

sive than a lot of the stuff on the market, it also lasts through years of punishment in the most extreme

Shimano Core Reel conditions. I imagine the Core will be part of my repertoire for many years to come. Contact: Shimano, 877-577-0600, www.shimano.com —CM

Shimano Core Reel Engineered for Smooth Casting Testing the effectiveness of a casting reel is difficult once you get into companies like Shimano, that work extremely hard to put quality into everything. It simply takes some time to fish and see how it handles under different circumstances. That is exactly what I did with the new Shimano Core lightweight casting reel. I A L M A N A C / T E X A S

F i s h

G a m e ® / M A Y

2 0 0 8

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Club Car XRT Series Club Car’s XRT Series continues to offer the broadest portfolio of utility vehicles on the market. With nine models to choose from there’s a rugged, stylish XRT for every agricultural and recreational adventure. For light-duty adventures or chores, the XRT series offers a 4x2 lineup of lightweight, compact models. For heavy-duty adventures, the XRT1550 4x4 series vehicles are equipped with powerful engines, on-demand all-wheeldrive capability and many exclusive features. The vehicles are constructed with rustproof, non-corrosive, lightweight, aircraftgrade 6061 aluminum – the same grade aluminum used in F-16’s and racecars. They boast a fully independent front suspension, automotive-style 4-wheel hydraulic disc brakes, optional all-terrain tires and the option of bucket seats or standard bench seating. A 4-passenger version is available in the XRT1550 SE and the XRT1550 LE offers special paint colors, larger tires, high-polish aluminum wheels, custom seats and more. The XRT1550 IntelliTach is six vehicles in one: a forklift, bucket, blade, broom, lawn tractor and 4x4, thus eliminating the need for multiple vehicles. For more information, consumers can visit their local Club Car XRT Dealer. To locate a dealer and learn more about the XRT Series, call 1-800-CLUBCAR or visit www.clubcar.com.

hunters. The chair features exclusive Realtree Hardwoods Green HD camo and fully adjustable legs and at a mere 17 pounds easily transported. The MSRP for the chair is only $119.99. Landmark Outdoors is a leading marketer and distributor of fine, high quality outdoors brands that provide consumers with an exceptional value and enhance the enjoyment of the great outdoors. To learn about all of Landmark Outdoors product offerings, please refer to www.landmarkoutdoors.com or phone (877) 4313579.

Prime Stake

There is nothing worse than to be sitting in an uncomfortable chair while hunting or shooting. The Mobile Rest 360 hunting chair has a high level of comfort featuring an adjustable backrest, adjustable elbow rest and can even be arranged to accommodate left handed shooters as well. While the Mobile Rest 360 chair is getting a lot interests from varmint hunters, there is growing interest among turkey and deer

Every angler must overcome wind speed, wind direction and tidal movement on every fishing excursion on the Texas Gulf Coast. These problems can easily be solved with the Stake-out Stik. The Stake-out Stik is a simple, user friendly shallow water anchor every angler should have onboard. The flexible composite shaft makes the Stiks durable and able to handle some of the toughest conditions any angler could withstand. The small shaft diameter and pointed tip makes staking out a breeze and retracting the Stik even easier. What makes the Stake-out Stiks so valuable is its capability to turn the boat to any position depending on how it’s tied off to boat. Anchor your boat bow first into the wind, from the stern or anywhere in between. You can even use two Stake-out Stiks to hold the boat parallel to a structure, giving more anglers room to cast. There will be no loud anchors spooking the fish away with the Stake-out Stik aboard. There are Stiks designed to hold boats ranging from kayaks to large bay boats. To learn more, visit their website, www.stakeoutstick.com or ask your local boat/tackle dealer. Contact: L and L Manufacturing, P.O. Box 1974, Nederland, TX 77627 Phone: (409) 718-7694 Email: sales@stakeoutstick.com Website: www.stakeoutstick.com

N14

360° Hunt Chair

• M A Y

2 0 0 8 /

T E X A S

F i s h

G a m e ® / A L M A N A C

New Gun Oil Royal Purple has developed a new high performance synthetic gun oil. The new gun oil is specifically formulated to provide exceptional wear protection as well as protection against rust and saltwater corrosion. It also prevents fouling. Royal Purple’s synthetic gun oil works well in a variety of temperatures and will not thicken in cold weather. Its performance advantages come from Synerlec, Royal Purple’s propriety chemical technology that strengthens the oil for unmatched performance and protection. No other gun oil is available with Synerlec technology. In addition to gun applications, Royal Purple’s synthetic gun oil can also be used for other applications such as fishing tackle, locks hinges and more. It’s available in 4 ounce aerosol cans. MSRP is $5.59. Royal Purple‚ makes a variety of synthetic products including engine oils, transmission fluids, gear oils, coolant additives, power steering fluids, chain lubricants, industrial lubricants and more. For more information on Royal Purple and its products, contact Royal Purple Ltd., One Royal Purple Lane, Porter, TX 77365, 281-354-8600, www.royalpurple.com.

Accuracy In Trolling Have you ever trolled a lure and found yourself wondering what depth your bait was really running? Bomber Saltwater Grade is changing the face of trolling by taking away all guessing with its new Bomber A-Salt CD25 and CD30 trolling lures. The CD25 will run at 25 ft with 65 ft of 20lb mono. It will reach a depth of 51 ft with 150 ft of line out. The CD 30 will run at 30 ft with 65 ft of line out and a depth of 63 ft with a 150 ft of line out. Proprietary innovations allowed our lure engineers to utilize polycarbonate to design a trolling lure that runs true and precise right out of the box. Because of the polycarbonate material, which is more than twice the strength

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of the ABS, the CD25 and CD30 will handle the toughest saltwater fish. Adding even more toughness, every CD series lure comes equipped with saltwater-grade hardware and VMC Perma Steel hooks attached to a throughway hanger system. The Bomber Saltwater Grade CD25 and CD30 are available in ten proven saltwater colors. Bomber Lures, 3601 Jenny Lind Road, Fort Smith, AR 72901, (800) 5311201, www.lurenet.com.

Buck Redpoint Knives that open with one hand are convenient, but if you’re wearing gloves it can be a challenge. Not so with the innovative new Model 750 Redpoint folder introduced by Buck Knives. Thanks to Buck’s SafeSpinTM blade rotator (built into the end of the blade) you can open it with one finger, never touching the blade. Just pull back on the over-sized button on the handle to disengage the lock and open the blade. The button lock on the handle functions as a safety feature, locking and unlocking the blade, in both the open and closed positions. The 2-3/4” blade, made of Buck’s preferred 420HC stainless steel, is a partially serrated drop-point. The All-Weather Grip handle is thermoplastic with a rubber overmold for comfort and control. At the butt-end of the handle there’s a Utility ArchTM that is large enough for a carabiner, and also serves as a handy bottle opener. The handle offers a removable stainless steel pocket/belt clip for carrying options. The Redpoint comes in four colors – black, platinum, blue and yellow. MSRP for the Model 750 is $34. As with all Buck knives, the blade is finished with Buck’s advanced Edge2xTM technology, making it sharper out of the box, hold an edge longer and easier to re-sharpen. And, of course, the Redpoint is backed by Buck’s unconditional lifetime warranty. Contact: Buck Knives, Inc., 660 S. Lochsa Street, Post Falls, ID 83854. Phone: (800) 326-2825. Website: www.buckknives.com

New EZ Spool PowerPro’s new EZ Spool is the most revolutionary development in fishing line since the introduction of braided superlines 15 years ago. Its all-in-one cartridge pack allows for easy spooling directly from the box, pro-

tects remaining line and includes a built-in cutter. The self containing EZ Spool package can be held between the knees. As PowerPro line is spooled directly from box to reel, the angler can apply the desired amount of tension with his knees, allowing line to be spooled tightly and evenly. When finished spooling, the built-in cutter severs the line and holds it neatly in place. The only thing not included in this ultimate portable line winding station… is a place to sit. The world’s best superline just got easier. For more information log onto www.powerpro.com

Scout 350 Abaco Scout’s 350 Abaco Series, four years in the making, was designed in conjunction with world renowned naval architect Michael Peters. Once again, Scout has created a fuel efficient hull design without sacrificing the high performance characteristics of the model. Showcasing a top speed of over 50 mph / 45+ knots and a cruising range of 450 miles due in part to its dual tank 330 gallon fuel capacity and twin Yamaha 350 hp engines, the flagship vessel is also extremely agile. Scout’s newest creation houses a unique, one-of-a-kind fully-finished systems room that rivals engine rooms on multi-million dollar sportfishers. One can step down in the systems room with ease, taking advantage of an uncluttered working area and ample lighting to service every major systems component within easy reach. The 350 features a stepped hull; an unobstructed engine/dive teak platform; integrated teaser reels; yacht grade transom door with flush bolster; hideaway anchor/windlass with fresh water wash; strategically-mounted windshield wipers/washers; custom cherry interior; standard cockpit freezer; dedicated shower enclosure; smartly designed skylights/hatches; integrated safety locker; and an integral engine flush system. Scout Boats, Inc. 2531 Hwy 78 West, Summerville SC 29483. 843821-0068 www.scoutboats.com.

Hendrix Rods There is new rod company taking a foot hold on market – Hendrix Rods. The company was created by custom rod maker Michael Hendrix in Fort Worth, Texas. For over 20 years Hendrix has been building custom fishing rods but when he saw these new blanks he envisioned more. “These blanks are incredible” exclaimed Hendrix. The A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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reviews from recreational and tournament anglers alike echo the same sentiment. Offered in either split grip or solid handle, Hendrix Rods are built with quality Fuji components. The rod blanks are constructed with IM6 or IM8 materials making them extremely light and sensitive yet strong enough to handle those lunkers. Guides are hand placed following the scientifically proven Fuji Concept System to insure maximum casting distance and strike detection. The Concept System reduces friction when casting for improved casting distance and accuracy. Hendrix hand turns and bores every cork for a precise fit for maximum vibration transfer to the angler – feel every detail. With quality blank construction, quality materials, and guide placement based on scientific research, this is one fishing rod you will not want to put down. Contact: Hendrix Rods 817-229-9341. Web: www.hendrixrods.com.

Double Hook Jig Snag Proof introduces The Bass Grabber Jig. This new jig sports a premium Gamakatsu Extra Wide Gap DOUBLE hook. No matter how the fish strikes, one of the hooks will be positioned for easy hook-set at all times. No more missed fish. Best known for Frogs, Snag Proof has made use of the double-hook advantage for jig fishing. The double hooks give the lure added stability and better balance. It falls straight on the drop and tracks true without tilting or rolling to one side. This patented design features a split weedguard to protect both hooks and allows the lure to crawl through heavy cover with ease. A wire keeper added between the hooks to hold a trailer, makes this a versatile go-to lure. The Bass Grabber will grab the attention of fish and anglers everywhere. The Bass Grabber Jig is available in 3/8 oz. and 1/2 oz. sizes in 6 proven fish-catching colors: Black/Blue; Black/Red; White; Orange/Brown; Watermelon or Green/Pumpkin. Suggested retail is $8.75. Founded in 1961 by Harry Ehlers, Snag Proof continues as a family business selling American made lures all over the world. Look for the Bass Grabber Jig and other Snag Proof lures at your favorite sporting goods retailer or online at www.snagproof.com Contact: 1-800-762-SNAGPRF (4773) or 513-489-6483. Email snagproof@fuse.net

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by Matt Williams & Tom Behrens

Chad Lanier killed the full-body mount deer pictured here in 1990 in Anderson County. It, too, was an antlered doe.

Parks & Wildlife Department game warden, were approaching Cox’s box blind when they heard a grunting noise coming from some brush beneath the ridge. Initially, the men thought the noise might be a feral hog. They scanned the brush and eventually spotted a buck moving through the mesquites about 30 yards away. The deer appeared to have a respectable rack with tall tines. “I actually thought it was the same buck I’d passed on opening morning of the season,” said Smallwood. “I killed a real nice buck out there last year and I didn’t want to shoot another one unless it was better than that one, especially during the first hour of opening day. So, I let it walk.” Not knowing whether he would have another chance to hunt this season, Smallwood elected to shoot the deer if he got the opportunity. He slipped quietly through the brush hoping to see the buck again. He did, this time at 50 yards. Smallwood said he made a mew call and the buck stopped in a small clearing long N16

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“It’s neck was swollen and had cuts on it,” Smallwood said. “It also had dried blood and hair on the tips of its antlers. It was pretty obvious the deer had been fighting with another buck and inflicted some injury, probably within the last 24-48 hours.” Then the men noticed something strange that led to an even more bizarre discovery: The tarsal glands inside the deer’s hind legs were snow white, not urine stained as is normal with many rutting bucks. “We thought that was kind of weird,” Smallwood said. “Then I lifted a rear leg and saw it had no male genitals. Instead, it had female genitalia and teats. It was a doe with antlers—the strangest thing I have ever seen.” Unusual, no doubt. Unheard of, no.

Cliff Smallwood bagged this impressive ninepointer in McCullough County. Oh, and it was a doe. &

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Special Hunting Section Mitch Lockwood, whitetail deer program leader for TPWD, said he hears reports of up to three antlered does shot in Texas each season. “It’s pretty unusual, but we do hear about them from time to time,” Lockwood said. “I have actually seen two myself. What is interesting is that most of some of them are pretty nice deer, 9 or 10 points that will score around 130 B&C.” In 1990, Chad Lanier shot a 10-point doe with an unofficial score of 140 B&C in Anderson County that TPWD biologists at nearby Engeling Wildlife Management Area aged at 6-1/2 years. Lanier had the cross-gendered deer full-body mounted to preserve its sexual non-identity. “I get reports and pictures, pretty good evidence, probably every season of similar deer,“ Lockwood said. “It’s a female with a lot of testosterone. Some have polished antlers; some never shed their velvet. Of 430,000 deer kills a year, half being females, it’s pretty uncommon.” Jim Heffelfinger, a Regional Game Specialist with Arizona Game and Fish, and an expert on white-tailed and mule deer, has

Trophy Fever researched this abnormality. His book, Deer of the Southwest, is a go-to resource among deer management biologists across the United States. He has a masters degree from Texas A&M-Kingsville, and has worked with deer since 1986 in Texas, Wisconsin, North Dakota, New Mexico, Mississippi, and Arizona. “I seem to be the collector of information on odd deer,” said Heffelfinger. “People send me emails of strange antler things. They say, ‘I saw this freak and I thought about forwarding the information to you’. I think the antler abnormalities among whitetail, mule, and deer hybrids are the most interesting [anomalies]. Real females can grow antlers. There are a three different situations that we know of that might cause this situation: a tumor on the ovaries disrupts the hormones; a bad injury to the skull bone can sometimes initiate antler growth at the source of the injury when it happens at the right time; and other diseases or ailments that disrupt hormone balance, suppresses estrogen, might cause antler growth in a real female. “There is always a little bit of testos-

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terone in females. Females produce some in the adrenal glands and other areas. If something depresses the production of estrogen, testosterone can take over.” Probably much more common is when something happens during a male’s development and the testicles do not descend into the scrotum. The buck gets older and has natural antler cycles, then a hunter shoots it and discovers no external male genitals. “The deer still has all the male parts,” said Heffelfinger. “It’s just that the testicles are up in the stomach cavity and the penis up kind of in the fold. Anybody who is not a reproductive physiologist looking at the deer would say it’s a female. It’s really just a malformed male in that case.” Skipper Duncan said a similar situation occurred on the property where he guides. Upon examination, a biologist pronounced the deer a “false antlered female,” which was a misnomer because the animal was a male. The deer had no apparent male plumbing. The biologist cut open the deer and found two testicles embedded up in the deer’s flanks. Heffelfinger said there is a much rarer

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Special Hunting Section

Trophy Fever

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLIFF SMALLWOOD

This photo clearly shows the gender of Cliff Smallwood’s nine-pointer.

instance where a deer really does have male and female reproductive organs, an occurrence called “hermaphroditism.” They might have an ovary on one side and a testicle on the other. The deer looks like a female, but also has antlers because a testi-

cle is producing the male hormone. A Florida hunter on November 12 dropped two deer. Senior Wildlife Technician Tim Farley with the Florida Wildlife Commission discovered that one deer, a hermaphrodite, had both male and female

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Ensign Sets Freshwater Redfish Record

Jason Ensign shows off his record freshwater redfish.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF FOUR A RANCH

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Mystery of “The Rub Buck”

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SANDHILL CRANE—SEMINOLE, TEXAS

BUCK—SONORA, TEXAS

Christopher Trimble, age 12, of Spring, Texas, collected this buck near Sonora, Texas. Photo submitted by grandfather, Ray Pickett.

HOG—BERCLAIR, TEXAS

DEER—HARPER, TEXAS

WHITETAIL DEER— SONORA, TEXAS

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

Holly Trimble, age 11, of Spring, Texas, took this 61/2-year-old whitetail at 90 yards with one shot from her youth model .243, in a bid to outdo her big brother.

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

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

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Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag Tactical Turkey Shotgun T FIRST GLANCE, THE MOSSBERG TACTICAL Turkey looks like a camouflaged M-16 on steroids. Then you notice the forearm of the slide action, fiber optic sights, large ejection port, and huge 5-round cartridge carrier on the side of the buttstock. I was intrigued with the gun, but I am not a wannabe SWAT type. I had my turn in that barrel 20 years ago and found out it wasn’t nearly as fun and romantic as it looks on television. I am, however, a truly addicted predator hunter, and the Tactical Turkey looked like it was made-to-order for nighttime predator calling. I couldn’t wait to try it out. It was a few weeks before I could find the time to go, but eventually the shotgun and I made it to the pastures. Joe Robinette, my buddy and a fellow predator calling addict, and I piled into his truck and headed out to do battle with some of the foxes and bobcats that had infiltrated his place and mine, which are separated by only a goat-wire fence. The first stand produced a gray fox that thought the Fox Pro electronic caller sounded good enough to eat. Joe was working the light and I was shooting. When the fox was about 30 yards away, Joe hit it with the red beam of the spotlight. It stopped and stood, looking around in confusion. I hefted the 835, put the fiber optic front sight on the fox, and pressed the trigger. The recoil from the 3-inch Magnum Winchester Extended Range load of B shot was substantial, but I was expecting it. The fox was not. The shot charge hit it and it hit the ground. I let it have a second charge, just to be certain, but the first was undoubtedly sufficient. Now for the brass tacks. To me, a former skeet addict and upland

bird gunner, the collapsible stock felt odd. Also, the 835 does not point as naturally for me as a standard shotgun, and the sights are too low for me. My Indian cheekbones will not let me get low enough on the stock to line up the sights without going into some uncomfortable contortions. I had to use just the front sight and hold low. Some kind of lift or riser under the sights to get them another 1/2-inch off the barrel would be a tremendous help. The collapsible stock, like every other such stock I have ever used, does not allow a comfortable face meld, so shooting the gun with face planted solidly where the comb would be on a standard stock is a bit painful, especially with powerful Magnum rounds.

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To me, the safety position seemed unwieldy. This gun is made to feel at home in the hands of an AR-15 shooter, with the trigger hand firmly on the pistol grip. However, Mossberg did not relocate the safety from the top tang position to something easily accessible for a gun so built. With the gun held normally by the pistol grip, the safety is absolutely inaccessible. The hand must be removed from the grip to push the safety off or on. On the plus side, the gun is well balanced and solidly built. The sights seem to be properly aligned for about 50 yards. I did not try it with slugs, but it did center buckshot charges quite well. Someone who is accustomed to an AR15 with a collapsible stock and not a devoted shotgunner and wingshooter would find the 835 as comfortable as an old pair of shoes. And that’s just fine, because this gun was never intended for the wingshooter. —by Steve LaMascus

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Gizmos, Gadgets, & Goodies NE OF MY FAVORITE YEARLY GIGS IS THE Miami boat show. Though it might not have the charm or accessibility of the Corpus or Houston shows, it is the biggest boat show in the country and has one thing others can’t claim: the National Marine Manufacturer Association’s Innovation Awards. These awards are given to the coolest new boating products of the year, and yours truly is one of the seven judges on the panel. Why should you care? Because that means we get a glimpse of the hottest new gear before it ever hits the market. Most of the items we gave awards to aren’t even available on the market yet. But they will be. And when you see them, remember you read about it first here.

Electronics: The consumer marine electronics category was full of good stuff this year. Some of it, like the waterproof SPOT satellite messenger system (which puts your location on Google Earth), HX850S floating GPS-enabled DSC floating VHF from Standard Horizon (overboard? they’ll find you quick, if you have one of these,) and Raymarine’s 12kW hi-definition radar (is that a gnat I see on the radar screen?) can make your day on the water notably safer. But as important as this stuff is, it all paled in comparison to the hands-down winner, Furuno’s new Navnet 3-D. Essentially, Furuno has folded the NavSea program directly into its Navnet system. 3-D bathymetric generation, navigational tools, and navigation N24

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planning, chartography, and all the other benefits of a full-blown computer navigational suite are built right into the black box sitting behind your boat’s bulkhead. Available in multi-screen systems with 8.4inch or 12-inch 800x640 pixel display units, the new Navnet system features “Timezero” functionality. In other words, screen re-draws and function changes happen just as fast as you can press the buttons. The fish-finder module pumps out 600 or 1000 watts in dual 50/200khz, and the system can handle different plugand-play antennae ranging from a 2-kW, 5.2-degree beam width dome to a 25-kW, 1.4-degree beam width open array. What about real-time satellite weather, and weather faxes? Naturally, these are part of the system. What is super-cool does not have to be super-complex! Sit down with the Navnet 3-D system and start pushing buttons, and you’ll get the hang of it in minutes. In fact, the entire judging staff had no problem figuring out the basics without any instruction manual or computerized tutorial. The downside to the new Navnet 3-D? Yup, you guessed it: this stuff isn’t cheap. You’re going to have to lay out at $10,000 just to get started, and multi-display systems could easily cost as much as some hot new bass boats fully-equipped with an outboard and a trailer. Consumer Gear: In the Consumer Personal Gear category, the Innovation Award was given to the Coastal Compact Life Raft from Revere Survival Products. The smallest rafts made by most life raft manufacturers are four-man models, but this little lifesaver is meant for two. That mans it’s compact—barely the size of a regular businessman’s briefcase-and easily stowed on small boats. It’s also relatively cheap, coming in just under $1000. Note: This raft isn’t SOLAS approved, as most built for oceanic use are. And, it isn’t intended for saving your butt when you’re 100 miles offshore. It’s rated for near&

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coastal use, and doesn’t have a sunshade. But with built-in ballast pockets and multiple air chambers, if your boat ever sunk out from under you, there’s no doubt you’d want a Coastal Compact to bail you out of trouble. Docking & Fendering: The Innovation Award for the Consumer Installed Docking and Fendering Equipment category is usually a big yawn for boaters like you and I, but not this year. This category was won by the H2 LED Dock, by TouchStone Accent Lighting. The H2 LED cleat light is a simple, well-engineered 12-volt (also available in solarpower versions) light that mounts under a standard 10-inch cleat. These lights are surprisingly heavy-duty and throw a bright glow both out to the sides and down towards the water. Two distinct advantages come along with the H2 LED: it’ll be really, really easy to find the cleats when you moor up in the dark; and more light on your pier equals more fish swimming around it once the sun goes down. Inflatables & Tenders: This is another category you’d think would be unimportant to boaters in Texan waters, but again, it’s surprisingly relevant-especially if you’re a yak-angler. Walker Bay Boats Airis High-Pressure Inflatable Kayak was judged the winner in this category, and this nifty new yak will be of interest to anglers who like to travel. Constructed using patent-pending AirWeb technology, this kayak can be inflated to more than six psi. Most inflatable kayaks reach a whopping one or one and a half psi, and if you’ve ever paddled one of these, you’ve probably noticed they have flexible sides, floppy floors, and absolutely zero tracking ability. But with six psi, the result is a rigid, stable platform. It even has a mini-keel, so it tracks straight. Inflation time is just a few minutes and incorporates only two parts, and, the Airis is lightweight and compact enough to be car-

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ried as a backpack. Ready to fish? Rodholders can be added to the aft mount. PWC, Jets, & Pontoons: While Yamaha Motor Corp. took home the Innovation Award in the PWC, Jet Boats and Pontoon Boats category for its Wave Runner SHO, with a nano-engineered hull that decreases the craft’s weight by 25 percent, a No-Wake mode that automatically sets engine RPM at optimal no-wake speed, and cruise control, I’m guessing you’ll be more interested in a product that took Honorable Mention in this category: The RPT (Revolutionary Planning Technology) pontoon tube, design by Sylvan Marine. Sylvan claims that this extrudedaluminum pontoon boat is the first full planning, V-bottom pontoon. That should mean more speed for the same amount of power, and the design does deliver: a 22foot Sylvan Signature pontoon boat powered by a single Yamaha F-150 breaks 42 mph. Runabouts & Fish Boats: This is, naturally, one of my personal favorites,

and I’ll bet you’re wondering who won in this category, too. Well, let’s cut right to the chase. The judges presented this Innovation Award to Boston Whaler for its 230 Dauntless. Great engineering, flawless execution and clever ideas combine to create a new level of comfort and maximum use of space in this boat, but what really set it apart was the bow seating. If you’ve ever tried to sit facing forward while sitting sideways in a bow cockpit, you know how uncomfortable (read “impossible”) it can be. But on the Whaler, the aft end of the seat rises up on a strut, creating a forwardfacing seat back on each side. Now, you really can sit facing forward. Added bonus: by engineering the strut into the hatch below it, you don’t lose the stowage space commonly found under the seats on a bowrider. In fact, the hatch is only an inch or two wider than the norm.

all the attributes of a cool new gadget that deserves some recognition, but got beat out by an incredibly strong contender. This year, that happened to Old Harbor Outfitter’s Titanium-bonded knives. Unlike most knives with titanium on the blade, the material is actually mixed and fused with stainless steel to create sharpenable blades that are three times stronger than the norm. Added bonus: their cost is beyond reasonable, at about $20 for a bait knife and $25 for a fillet knife. The Titanium-bonded knives weren’t on the market quite yet when we played with them at the show, but you should be seeing them is stores right about the time this edition of Texas Fish & Game prints. Like I said— you read it here first!

E-mail Lenny Rudow at boating@fishgame.com

No Category: Sure, these hot new goodies were all deserving of their awards. But there’s always a product or two that we wish had made the cut. One that had

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It’s Alive! HEY ARE NOT BAITENSTEINS, BUT nonetheless many species’ worst nightmares. The family of hard plastic, multi-jointed lures might not feel alive, but they sure look it on the retrieve. These are not your standard two-piece jointed lures; the jointed body segments number from four to 11, a configuration that gives a much more “alive” look. Most have rattles in the head section. That, and the clicking of the body segments, provides added attraction. All that body motion also sends out a vibration signal. The main attraction, though, is an unbelievably realistic swimming motion. Multiple color combinations go hand-in-hand with the various shapes and sizes offered. One even has a profile that’s long and slim enough to have an eel-like look and should be a ling’s dream, er, nightmare. I first saw this type of lure several years ago, the “Kick Tail” by NGC Sports. The 4-inch version has five segments. The literature says the technology that activates the tail sections on the retrieve is based on a principle called “Aeronautical Flutter,” which causes the tail to wag left and right as if the lure were propelling itself with its tail while the head remains stationary. Manufacturers such as Spro, Strike-Pro, Lucky Craft, and Strike King have excellent examples out there, sized from 3 to 8 inches and weighing from 1 to 8 ounces. Coming

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in floating, diving, and slow sinking models, they suit a wide range of applications. Several body joint connecting methods, such as Lucky Craft’s double-reinforced stainless steel wire and Strike Pro’s patented “bike chain” joint system, are what gives these lures that “alive” look in the water. These multi-jointed, hard-bodied swim

baits should be inshore and bay safe asrigged for the majority of what’s out there. To be on the safe side with the smaller ones offshore, a change to stronger split rings and larger treble hooks is recommended. Concerning the strength of these body joint connectors, my assumption is always that the split rings are the likely weakest link in every lure that uses them. With that consideration in mind, I did a backyard load test on one of my 4-3/4-inch, 3/4-ounce &

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Flex-X baits by Strike Pro. I started by hanging it by its nose split ring on a 200pound snap swivel, and progressed from 20 through 35 pounds over an hour period without a failure on the tail. With 45 pounds, it took 5 minutes for the split ring on the trailer to open up. Going to 90pound Spro Power split rings had these results: 45 pounds at 30 minutes, 50 pounds at 15 minutes. At 55 pounds, 6 ounces, and 8 minutes, the link on the tail body piece parted. For this lure in particular, “off the rack” it will take over 45 pounds of pull; going to those 90-pound split rings increased the load tolerance to more than 55 pounds for several minutes. This is one tough lure in its group’s smaller size. The standard offshore retrieves work best most of the time—fast for kingfish, wahoo, dolphin, tuna, etc.; slower for ling, snapper, grouper, etc. Slow retrieves produce slow, sinuous swim rates, and a faster retrieve produces faster tail beats and body flexes, just like a live bait without the hassles of catching and maintaining live baits. These baits have taken blackfin tuna, yellowfin tuna, ling, kingfish, wahoo, and dolphin, and from catches I’ve seen, these lures are also killers for speckled trout and redfish. Freshwater targets would include largemouth and striped bass. No amount of electrical charge can make any of these multi-jointed, hard-bodied lures come alive, but they do bring their own form of lightning to your fishing.

E-mail Patrick Lemire at saltrigs@fishgame.com ILLUSTRATION BY PATRICK LEMIRE

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ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BRADSHAW

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Y BOTTOM IS RED AND SCRATCHED. HOW about yours? Every kayaker I know scratches his bottom at some point—usually in the company of friends—but their deeds aren’t fodder for Dead Abbey columns. Of course, the bottom I am referring to is the underside of my kayak hull. Hulls leave factories shiny bright and smooth to the touch, but as kayaks see

action, things begin to change. Sand, gravel, rocks, oyster shells, and other irritants cause hull rash; the rough stubble is reminiscence of five o’clock shadow. Rueben Garza, resident kayak meister at Fishing Tackle Unlimited in Houston, said: “There isn’t a way to prevent scratches when you are dealing with a plastic hull. Sooner or later, it happens. It is the nature of the beast.” Scratches run the gamut from tiny nicks, to curlicues, to long Frankenstein-like gashes. Kayaks travel around three miles per hour, and the bottom stubble doesn’t adversely affect performance. Garza noted: “Light scratches on your hull are really a cosmetic problem. They don’t add any significant drag. Most people

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We get our word ‘plastic’ from the Greek ‘plastikos,’ which means ‘to shape or form.’

“

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Greek word “plastikos,” which means “to shape” or “to form.” Plastics are materials that can be heated and shaped, and when cooled, the shape is retained. The term thermoplastic refers to a class of materials that can be re-melted and reshaped. Polyethylene is one such material and is used in the construction of 90 percent of all the recreational boats on the market. Like chocolate, polyethylene comes in different grades. Hulls crafted from super linear polyethylene are stiffer and more abrasion resistant;

the latter is especially important if you intend to use your kayak around oyster shell or rocks. As you probably guessed, super linear plastic costs more than low-density plastic, therefore bumping up the price of a hull. Since polyethylene can be re-melted, scratches and gashes, even holes, in your hull are easy to repair. Fishing Tackle Unlimited repairs and overhauls a number of hulls in their shop every year. Garza explained that a heat source is applied to the

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plastic making it soft and pliable. High-end hair dryers can be used in a pinch but Garza recommended a heat gun that can pump out a large number of BTUs. To fix minor scratches and to tame misbehaving plastic cowlicks, warm the scratch with the heat gun, making sure you don’t concentrate the heat on any one area for too long, which will cause a burn through. Once the plastic is soft, smooth out the scratches

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Lessons from the Season ITH THE WARM BREATH OF SUMMER ON its way, May is a good time to reflect on past hunting experiences and some of the things we have learned from them. You might be surprised with the similarities that can be found in a duck hunt, a deer hunt, and an antelope hunt. I was reminded of that recently while moving some of my hunting gear from my garage to a storage building, and literally stumbling over an Avery Finisher waterfowl hunting blind.

For those not familiar with the blind, it is shaped somewhat like a sleeping bag with pole ribs. You lay in it with your head on a foam headrest and peer through a folding mesh top. When the ducks come within range, you simply push back the two-piece top, sit up, and fire away. The Finisher is a good piece of equipment and particularly great for hunting ducks when drought conditions have left brushy cover too far away from the water to set up in. It enabled me to bag several limits and near limits of ducks last season on the little Stephens County stock tank. When you stop to think about it, concealment from ducks, deer, antelope, and other animals does not have to be from a box blind, tripod stand, or something similar. Anything that breaks up your silhouette will work providing you remain motionless and are well camouflaged. I will say that again— remain motionless and wear clothing that blends with your surroundings. Some might argue but if so I simply point to the turkey hunter. Anyone who has worn

camouflage clothing and a face mask and has sat down with their back to a tree trunk and called a gobbler within shotgun range knows you don’t have to be in a blind to bag a gobbler at 20 yards or closer. You sit motionless and use a tree trunk to break up your silhouette. I remember a mule deer hunt I made in the 1970s in New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness where the situation was much like that of last season’s duck hunts in Stephens County. Only in New Mexico, I didn’t have a Finisher blind. I had the real thing: a huge log that was in a small meadow about 60 yards from a little pond. I lay down beside the log and literally attempted to become a part of it. I hunted from beside that log three days in a row and watched the same doe and two yearlings come to water in the mornings and a forkhorned buck wander by twice within 20 yards of me in the afternoons. I shot a 4x4 on the third afternoon at the water’s edge. If I had had a pop-up blind, tree stand or any of today’s other fine hunting blinds

TEXAS KAYAKING Continued from Page N29 and curly cues with a hot butter knife. Always wear eye protection when using a heat gun and test the temperature of the warmed plastic with the back of your hand. Pressing fingertips to a hot boat is a great way to immortalize your fingerprints in plastic. Don’t ask me how I know this. Most kayak accessories require mounting holes to be drilled in the hull; some, like the opening for a flush mount rod holder, are rather large. The castoff shards of plastic can be melted and be used to fill in deep gashes or beefing up worn sections. Keels, especially the bow and stern sections, get a lot of abuse as people drag their kayaks over rocks, sand and shell, even concrete. Dragging a boat instead of N30

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carrying it quickly abrades the hull. The best way to prevent wear is to use the buddy system and help each other shuttle boats to the water instead of dragging them. If you are by yourself, consider making a new friend. I have never been turned down when I politely asked someone if they could lend a hand. Kayak carts are a good option for the solo angler, allowing you to trundle your boat around on a set of wheels. Garza noted that they rebuild damaged keels all the time. “We had one in the shop recently that had two full inches of plastic worn away,” he explained. “In situations like that you have to add plastic in layers and build up the area. Once you smooth out the new layer of plastic, cool it down with water and dry it off. Also, you don’t

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want the whole hull to get hot, so put some water on the areas around the patch to keep them cool. When the new plastic has been added, lightly sand it, and repeat as necessary.” Although scratches come with the territory, they are easy to repair. Holes are too. A good heat sources and some plastic chips will help you fix just about any problem. If you are reluctant to aim a heat gun at your hull, a full service kayak shop in can do the job for you. If your bottom is scratched and unsightly, don’t fret about it. You are in good company.

Email Greg Berlocher at kayak@fishgame.com

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there is no doubt I would have been able to bag that mulie under much more comfortable conditions, but they were not available then. I simply had to use what was at hand and to stay as motionless as possible. A decade later, I was in a similar situation while hunting antelope near Clayton, N.M., only there were no log or any type of hunting blind there-just a grassy hilltop with sparse rocks no larger than a hubcap. As I drove into the ranch, I saw several herds of antelope racing across the tops of ridges 300 to 500 or more yards away. It didn’t take me long to realize the animals were wary of pickup trucks and my chances of bagging one of them was going to take some time. I decided my best chances might be to set up near a water hole at a windmill or maybe at a small wooden corral not far away. Then something changed my mind. That “something” was the fact that I had seen several herds of antelope race across one particular ridge after being spooked at great distances by either my pickup truck or by another truck I had seen in the distance. That ridge, I decided, was my best bet.

I parked the truck and walked about one mile to the top of the ridge. I lay down on my side with my head resting on a smooth rock shaped like an oversized dinner dish. That may not seem like a very comfortable position to some people, but when you are as determined as I was to out-fox an antelope, it was okay. I started the vigil at 9 a.m. Several small groups of antelope came within 300 yards, each moving briskly. Finally, at about 3 p.m., I spotted a group of 18 antelope about 350 yards away and coming in my direction. When they got to within 200 yards, I realized the last animal in the pack was a nice buck. Soon, it was evident the antelope were going to skirt the end of my ridge. I raised my head slightly two or three times and thought about trying to nail the buck at about 200 yards but he disappeared behind the slope before I could get on him. The last thing I saw before he disappeared was his staring in my direction. Minutes passed. I lay motionless with my head on the rock. Did he see me? I wondered. Three times, I started to rise up to see if he was anywhere

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to be seen, but I talked myself out of moving each time. All of a sudden, the big antelope appeared on a trot right in front of me. He evidently had seen my head movement when I had attempted to move my rifle into position earlier and came on a run to investigate as many antelope do when they are not sure of something they have seen. He loped to within about 40 yards of me and threw on the breaks. I never raised my head off the rock. The .243 bullet struck him in the neck and he went down immediately. Given a choice, I would have been much more comfortable if I had been seated in a chair or on a stool inside a roomy hunting blind while hunting those ducks, the mulie or the antelope, and I’m sure many of you would, too. But if you find yourself without that choice, just remember that you still can make it happen if you will break up your silhouette and remain as motionless as possible. Just ask any avid turkey hunter.

E-mail Bob Hood at hunting@fishgame.com.

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Record-Setting FLW-Falcon Event VERYONE KNEW THE 2008 FLW OUTDOORS Texas Division Stren Series season opener held at Lake Falcon January 912 would be a slugfest, quite possibly one that would produce record-setting results to put the 84,000-acre Texas-Mexico border reservoir at the top of the hit list for bass anglers nationwide. The main mystery going in was who would deliver the knockout punch. Jeremy Guidry and Bill Rogers set the records straight in decisive fashion. Guidry, an Opelousas, Louisiana, pro, won the tournament and a $65,000 payday after putting together a four-day total of 20 bass weighing a whopping 110 pounds, 2 ounces. His catch topped the FLW Outdoors all-time weight record by more than 4 pounds. Rogers, a salty veteran co-angler with 21 top 10 finishes under his belt, notched his first Stren Series win with a four-day total of 96 pounds, 8 ounces—also a new all-time FLW Outdoors weight record—from the back of the boat. Not surprisingly, Guidry and Rogers were not the only ones. Just as the pre-tournament hype had forecast, the event turned into a big bass parade that might have seen more heavyweight largemouths hauled to the scales than any other before it. Three pros other than Guidry cracked the century mark, and five more co-anglers weighed more than 80 pounds over four days of competition. It took a bass weighing upward of 12 pounds to earn big bass honors on days one and three, and an 11pounder on day two. John Bowen of League City, Texas (41st place), was the first pro out of the check cut with 15 bass weighing

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62 pounds, 5 ounces. More than 50 pro anglers averaged catching 20-plus pounds before cut day.

by Matt Williams “I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Stren Series tournament director, Ron Lappin. “It was truly unbelievable.” The top 10 finishers in the pro and coangler divisions were: Pro: Jeremy Guidry, Opelousas, LA, 110-02, $65,000; Tim Reneau, Del Rio, TX, 107-12, $13,082; Nicky McNeely, Natchitoches, LA, $12,274; Charlie Haralson, Laredo, TX, 102-12, $6466; David Truax, Beaumont, TX, 98-01, $5657; Andy Gaia, Tomball, TX, $4849; Peter Daniels, Shreveport, LA, 90-14, $4446; Stephen Johnston, Hemphill, TX, 90-13, $4041; Toby Hartsell, Livingston, TX. 8801, $3637; Russell Cecil, Willis, TX, 8703, $3234. Co-Angler: Bill Rogers, Jasper, TX, 96-08, $35,000; Ray Peace, Arlington, TX, 92-03, $3391; Bo Middleton, Elgin, Okla., 87-03, $2756; David Tierney, Fayetteville, Ark., 86-00, $2120; Eddie Stagg, Jasper, TX, 81-00, $1696; Duke Gunnell, Mexia, TX, 80-14, $1611; Robert Arnold, Little Rock, Ark., 72-06, $1525; Mannie Lackey, Kerrville, TX, 67-03, $1442; Mark Oakley, Davis, Okla., 65-10, $1355; and J.R. Howard, Sterling City, TX, 64-15, $1273.

‘Traps Rock Rayburn Bass Champs Eastern Opener Perhaps legendary Texas bass pro Tommy Martin summarized it best: “Some &

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guys call the Rat-L-Trap an ‘idiot bait.’ one that anyone can catch bass on regardless of skill. If there is a tournament on Sam Rayburn in early spring and the bass are on Rat-L-Traps, you had better have one tied on or run the risk of being made look like a fool by someone who does.” The ‘Trap bite was going strong when the Bass Champs eastern division opened its season at Big Sam, January 19. The top three teams, including tournament winners Dusty Birchfield and Christopher Ponder, reported that lipless cranks played a key role in their success. Birchfield/Ponder weighed in a five-bass limit of 29.04 pounds that earned them a $25,000 payday. Second place went to Pete and Alan Shivers, 24.66; John Lynch and Bill Rogers, 3rd, 24.36. All totaled, there were 20 limits weighed that busted the 20pound mark.

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The Beauty of Accuracy HAT’S IN YOUR WALLET? Okay, I plagiarized that from a commercial. Most of us carry in our wallets photos of our loved ones, credit cards, ID cards, drivers license, hunting license, membership cards for the Texas Outdoor Writers Association, and such other things we feel are indispensable. It might surprise you to know that many shooters carry small pieces of paper with holes in them—and therein lies a story. Back about 1972, I had a .25-06 Remington Model 700 ADL. It was a marvelously accurate rifle, averaging groups down around an inch or less. It was so accurate that I shot it for group every chance I got. I spent a lot of time at the bench, testing new loads, or just shooting tiny groups for my own pleasure. In those days, it was rare for a hunting rifle to group less than 1-1/2 inches at 100 yards. Then one day, I shot a group of three at 100 yards that went into one hole. It was beautiful! I pulled the target down, laid it on the bench beside the gun, and just admired it. Everyone else at the range came over and admired it. Then, thinking that I should allow everyone else I knew to admire it, I cut out the portion of the target with the holes in it and placed it in my wallet. I showed that little group around for years, even after I had shot the barrel out of the rifle and traded it for something else, a K-38 Smith & Wesson revolver, I think. Finally, having almost worn out the paper, I took the group and taped it in a book where I kept my loading data. I haven’t seen it for years, but suppose it is still there, unless the old ledger has been lost in a move sometime over the last 25 years.

This is not unique to my warped mind. It is sufficiently common that a tiny group with all the holes touching is sometimes called a “wallet group.” Now, the moral of this story is that, to a shooter, such a small group is a thing of beauty worthy of admiration—and showing to all your friends. It is closely akin to good art and comes in one step above photos of ex-girlfriends or an acrylic-on-velvet portrait of Elvis. This leads us to the discussion of accuracy and why we are so intense when it comes to the pursuit of it. We all want to be Billy Dixon or Carlos Hathcock. We want to own the most accurate rifle on the block. It is a natural thing to want to be the best and to possess the best. Most of us, whether or not we admit it, want to be recognized as the best at something— anything. To a hunter, superior accuracy means that placement of the bullet on game is more precise. It gives us confidence in our equipment, which in turn gives us greater confidence in ourselves and makes us better hunters. If you are shooting a gun that will not place all its shots on a 5-gallon bucket at a hundred yards, you are going to have a problem when the deer is standing at 200 yards. The majority of us do not have the self-control to refrain from shooting, so accuracy is a necessity for a hunter. If we are pure shooters, like some of the benchrest crowd who never fire a shot at game, then accuracy becomes a reward in itself. The current record for benchrest in the International Benchrest Shooters association light varmint category is a five-shot group that measured 0.091 inches at 200 yards. That is nine one-hundredths of an inch from center to center for five shots. And take my word for it; it will be broken before long. Famed gun writer Townsend Whelen once wrote, “Only accurate rifles are interesting.” He was exactly correct. I once had a rifle so beautiful that it would bring tears to the eyes of a gun loony. However, its accuracy was only mediocre. I kept it a few years, A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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never used it, and finally sold it to a man who appreciated beauty more than accuracy. I now have another gun that falls into that category. I bought it because it was so pretty. If I can’t get it to shoot better, I will probably trade it for something uglier but more accurate. Now the warning: In our pursuit of accuracy, we sometimes forget important details. First, not all hunting bullets are as accurate as target bullets. When we start using match bullets on game simply because they are more accurate, we are making a mistake. Match bullets are made to punch holes in paper and are not intended for shooting game animals. You must choose a bullet made for the purpose to which you will put it. I will give up some accuracy to get a bullet that penetrates deeply and performs properly when it strikes meat. Second, most forms of hunting do not require a rifle that will compete with the benchrest beasts. A rifle that shoots a 2-inch group is more than sufficient for hunting elk and deer. If you find one more accurate than that, great—but don’t throw away a good elk gun because it won’t shoot bug-hole groups. Most rifles light enough to carry all day in rough country and that shoot powerful rounds are not going to be as accurate as heavy, cumbersome, small caliber rifles. Last, most of us cannot shoot as well as our rifles. We are made of quivering muscle, creaky joints, tingling nerves, faulty eyes, and subject to debilitating fits of buck fever. Except from a solid benchrest, we would not know if a rifle shot 1/4-inch groups or 4-inch groups. So, determine your own limitations before you decide what to demand from a rifle. You don’t have to accept poor accuracy, but you have no reason to expect perfection.

E-mail Steve LaMascus at guns@fishgame.com

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Buckets, concrete, and tomato stakes make excellent crappie condos—as do bowling balls and PVC pipe. See “Bowling for Crappie” elsewhere in this issue for details.

out brush, we have to fight the elements out in the lake to catch our fish. Personally, I don’t own a boat dock or a marina boat slip, so I have to find structure out in the lakes to catch my crappie, or build my own. Yep Old Wally never leaves home with out a bow saw and some trotline cord, just in case I need to salt a place on the lake with a little brush. When I put brush in the lake, I don’t pick out just any tree or bush. It has to be some type of hardwood, or button willows that grow around the shore and back up in the creeks. Button willow makes great cover, and it is hard so lasts a long time. Another way to build crappie condos is to use 5- or 3-gallon buckets and fill them about half way with concrete, then I put in 5-foot tomato stakes (that’s too-may-toe, not toe-motto). Tomato stakes are made of oak

and other types of hard woods. The ones I have been getting are out of Arkansas from some of the sawmills up there. (If you did not know, most of our tomatoes come from southeastern Arkansas in Bradley County.) I put about 10 tomato stakes in one bucket, standing out in all directions. Crappie love this vertical structure, especially when the moss starts growing on the stakes. (See Paul Bradshaw’s “Bowling for Crappie” feature elsewhere in this issue for more info on building crappie cover.) I like to place crappie cover in the winter, so when the spring comes and the water starts to warm up, the wood starts to collect moss and algae. I place them on a break, drop-off, or ledge where crappie travel. I also put out my crappie houses when no one is looking. If you need someone to help you, make sure the guy is trustworthy, has a bad memory, or doesn’t like to fish.

E-mail Wally Marshall at mrcrappie@fishgame.com. Visit his website at www.mrcrappie.com

TOURNAMENT INSIDER Continued from Page N32 a time when both companies are celebrating milestone anniversaries. BASS, which popularized tournament fishing in the late 1960s, turns 40 this year. Skeeter, a pioN34

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neer in the bass boat industry, turns 60. “This is a great way for Skeeter to kick off its 60th anniversary as both Skeeter and BASS share a rich heritage in the bass fishing industry,” said Jeff Stone, senior vice president and general manager &

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of Skeeter. “It is only fitting that we combine our passion for the sport to embrace and further enhance the success and growth of tournament fishing.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF WALLY MARSHALL

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Hot Weather Fishing N A COUPLE OF MONTHS, IT WILL BE HOT enough to fry an egg on my head, but there will still be big bass to be caught. A lot of fishermen don’t like to fish in hot weather. I believe you can learn more in the summertime that will help your overall fishing than any other time. Two very important things that you can learn are to slow down and how to read a bottom with your electronics. This is also a prime time to find schools of bass. Fishing can be slow and then all of a sudden you are catching one every cast. That is where the fun comes in from the hard work you have done. In the early morning, I like to fish out over long tapering points or channel bends with top water such as the XPS Slim Dog or Bagley’s Super Stinger 5. I like to run a milk run on as many places as possible before the sun gets up. I only make five or

six fan cast over an area. If I don’t have any luck, move on until I find fish feeding. This is a good time to have a Zoom double fluke rig, to back up any missed top water bites. One key thing to remember is if you catch fish feeding on these shallow places, work that area over later in the day with your Raymarine electronics to see if you can figure out where they are holding. If there is a hump or ledge close by, or a channel swing, those are good places to concentrate on after the sun gets to shining. Now, I am usually down to three rigs. A crankbait, big worm, and a Carolina rig will do the trick. But first, you want to just take your time and idle around the area or structure looking for baitfish and sweet spots. Once I find an area, I will take even more time just trolling around with my MotorGuide, never taking my eyes off my Raymarine electronics. Get a good visual of the bottom looking for brush, stumps, rocks, little changes or depressions and subtle points. If it looks good, be sure to mark it on your GPS, even if you don’t catch fish. The more of these places you have the more of a milk run you can have later on. When you go back to the lake and there will be times

when these places do produce. If you find a place you like, add a little brush to it. I won’t tell anyone. Once I find a spot to fish I will work it over real well with a Carolina rigged Zoom worm or lizard first, sprayed with crawfish scent Jack’s Juice. This is a second way to learn the area and bottom letting the egg sinker be your underwater eyes. You can find a lot of hidden pieces of structure and now you are dialing in the area. Now I can use my Bagley ODB2 or ODB3 depending on the depth to cover the area. The 04 and 09 are my favorite colors. Try to bump the structure if possible. I’m going to toss a Zoom Ole Monster redbug or green pumpkin in there on a Texas rig, even if I don’t catch a fish. One other secret is if you do catch fish on a technique and they quit biting be sure and try all three techniques before leaving, because a lot of times you can get the fish started again with something new. Make sure you have marker buoys in your Nitro and use them because it is hard to stay on an off shore spot. A few feet can

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CCA and the Legacy of the “Redfish Wars” T’S A WELL-KNOWN STORY HERE IN TEXAS: Fourteen recreational anglers got together in 1976 at a small tackle store in Houston to talk about what to do to save disappearing stocks of redfish and speckled trout and created a group that went on to become a legacy in marine conservation—the Coastal Conservation Association. It is hard to imagine today the scale of what those early CCA members were able to accomplish. It is hard to even imagine today that redfish and trout were in real danger back then. Rampant overfishing and killer freezes could easily have combined to essentially remove those fish from our waters. Opposing early conservation efforts were not only commercial fishermen who claimed they

by Luke Giles needed every fish they could net, but also recreational fishermen who couldn’t abide the idea of catch limits or the concept of catchand-release. Too many people were focused on getting the biggest slice of the pie to realize that the pie was rapidly disappearing altogether. No one was pausing to realize that the biggest piece of nothing was still...nothing. What early CCA members were proposing for reds and trout was likely considered

radical for the times, and all they had was the courage of their convictions and the faith that they were doing what had to be done to save those resources for future generations. The opening chapters of the CCA story are so well known because they tell an extraordinary tale of what can be accomplished with the right people, the right resources and the right vision. Those initial CCA Texas members changed the landscape and won some impressive victories. They secured gamefish status for trout and redfish and pushed through legislation to ban gillnets and stop purse seining for bull redfish in the Gulf of Mexico. The CCA story is 30 years old now, and Texas conservationists have never stopped striving for and achieving forward-reaching victories.

A Vision for Conservation This path has not been easy. Vision-driven campaigns rarely are, but CCA’s unique

structure leverages unprecedented grassroots involvement through dozens and dozens of local chapters, layers of volunteer committees and a Board of hundreds of concerned recreational anglers. It has created a depth and breadth that is unmatched. Remarkably, even after more than 30 years of conservation battles, CCA continues to ground itself in the core principles that framed its foundation. “CCA’s success in marine conservation advocacy is directly tied to its success in fundraising, membership recruitment and

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communication,” said David Cummins, CCA president. “From the very beginning, these key points have been the roadmap to success. What has always set CCA apart from so many well-meaning but ineffectual conservation movements is the people who are involved. The volunteers who drive CCA have always understood the basic principles of getting things done. Additionally, CCA never makes snap decisions; every policy

WOO’S CORNER Continued from Page N35 make a lot of difference in catching or not catching. A lot of times I will put out five or six buoys on a spot. When you back off, you look at the picture of the bottom or area you are trying to fish. Always look for N36

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shad movement or birds feeding. Blue herons can be your best buddies. I was fortunate enough to finish 10th in the last FLW Series tournament and the last practice day I saw herrings feeding on four consecutive points in the morning and there were fish on each point. &

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Put plenty of suntan lotion on and drink plenty of fluids. Be sure to wear your Woo Shoes by Pro Line and Woo Daves sunglasses, enjoy a slow day on the water, and find yourself some honey holes.

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decision and advocacy position is based on broad input, pragmatic strategy and leveraging the vast experience base within the organization.” Clearly, CCA’s legend sprouts from its early work in redfish and trout conservation, funding the creation of two of the world’s largest saltwater hatcheries, and impacting the fishery management systems on all levels, but what distinguishes CCA is that it has never stopped evolving and seeking new and innovative ways to facilitate sound marine conservation. “It would have been easy to rest on our early victories,” said Mark Ray, CCA Texas chairman. “But CCA has never rested. The drive to do what is right for the marine resource and to look beyond today or tomorrow when working for the conservation of coastal resources is what makes CCA so unique and effective.” With almost 100,000 members, 17 state chapters, a professional advocacy team, and an army of active volunteers, it would be easy to believe that CCA has grown beyond the wildest dreams of its founders, but the reality is that CCA’s current growth and continued accomplishments are a direct reflection of the unflappable spirit of CCA’s early framers. One of the early mottos for CCA was “First, let’s save the redfish...” Although seemingly simple, this conservation mantra reflects the vision of CCA’s founders. Clearly, they saw that CCA would never lose its relevance. Even as they embarked on their first battle, they saw there would be a much larger war for proper marine conservation, and CCA was going to be the key for success.

A New Era in Texas Conservation “It is an exciting time in the history of CCA,” said Robby Byers, CCA Texas executive director. “In the past two years alone CCA Texas’ Board has funded more than $1.3 million in conservation programs and projects that range from ongoing scholarships to innovative habitat restoration programs.” CCA Texas recently concluded an initiative with University of Texas Marine Science Institute that created an $800,000 larviculture lab in Port Aransas that will focus on enhancing and expanding the critical science necessary for current and future stocking programs. “This lab is the future of our hatcheries,” said Byers. “There is work being done on

flounder, snook, ling and even snapper are a possibility in the future. Can you imagine how bright the future is with this type of innovative work?” CCA has always pushed for the best science possible and has actively funded scientific studies and the equipment needed to conduct this vital research. “CCA Texas has funded studies to explore catch-and-release mortality in speckled trout and recently initiated one for red snapper,” said Byers. “Sound science has never been more important than right now in a number of key fisheries, and CCA is rising to that challenge funding studies involving flounder, tripletail, snook and tarpon.”

“The proof is in the pudding,” said Robin Riechers, TPWD director of science and policy. “We have purchased so many licenses and the positive results are clearly evident throughout the bay ecosystem. The reduction in shrimping effort has helped build the forage base, protected bay habitat, conserved gamefish species, and even helped the economics of bay shrimping. All the early work on this program has clearly paid off.”

Buying Back the Bays One of the most heralded conservation programs to reduce the harmful impact of commercial shrimp trawls was created in Texas more than a decade ago. This buyback program take contributions from a surcharge that is attached to recreational saltwater fishing licenses and combines it with private donations to purchase and retire commercial shrimping licenses. The Texas shrimp license buyback program is entering its final rounds and stands as a clear conservation success. Since inception, CCA Texas has supported this program in dollars and in the state legislature. To date, CCA Texas is the single largest financial supporter with $275,000 in contributions. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Please Pass the Bass Boat

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No bass boat Twilight Zone for this gurl! What is it with men and their boats? Don’t they know there is always something breaking down? Veritable money pits, they are. And other fishermen always have newer, faster, sleeker boats, and most importantly, the guy with a certain make and model that always catches more fish. But they don’t care. “Please pass the boat” is their mantra. They are obsessed, consumed, driven, and won’t quit until they possess their beloved bass boat. Okay, so it has many sparkly colors; bucket seats that conform to your derriere; comfy carpet that rubs between your toes as you quietly walk from bow to stern; that regal way it gets up on plane as you nail the throttle until she glides across the water, peaking at 73 mph. Oh, and those nifty gunwale lockers to stow away rods, bait, and—yes— an ample livewell to stow those lovely bass once aboard. Gosh, I am getting sleepy. Um, maybe a beautiful shade of aquamarine… I must keep my eyes open. But, if it were aquamarine, it would com-

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plement the water… become one with the water… be the water… Maybe I will just shut my eyes for a little catnap. I am safe. Think of all those bass that could be mine, all mine! The tape plays: “Tomorrow, you will go to the store and buy a bass boat.” “Yes, sir! We will take an Aquamarine Nitro Z-9 CDC, 21-foot, powered by a 250 Mercury Pro XS; a large aerated, timed livewell with pump-out and flushmounted measuring stick; two separate Guardian livewells in the rear, all three featuring oxygen-generation systems; state-ofthe art instrumentation gauges; and don’t forget the fold down boarding ladder, stainless pop-up cleats, and a three-bank built-in battery charger. And, of course, a Lowrance LCX-27 combo unit at the helm. “And charge it!” Please pass the bass boat. What have I done?

E-mail Mari Henry at gurlz@fishgame.com.

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The Lostrider, Part II OM BAYNE’S SHOULDERS SAGGED AND HIS face looked haggard. His steps dragged as he wandered through the campsite to peer at the river. Then he stood on the high bank, bow-legged and stooped, staring at the rolling stream. He blinked and his mouth hung slack. He was dirty and tired. His legs cramped, his arms hurt, his back ached, he was hungry, and he longed for his wife. She was his foundation. Tom wobbled on his riding heels, sad, and lonesome. He dressed the part of a wild buckaroo, but professed that packing mules and living in the high mountains all summer was more than his cowboy dreams required. Sleeping in a bedroll under the open night sky and using packsaddle pads for a mattress was okay for a while; but sooner or later, he wanted a warm bed. He wanted clean sheets and he wanted his wife between them. He missed her steady hand that stabilized his days. He missed the human elements that the wilderness, me, and Lazy H Outfitters were not offering. Tom wanted to go home. But part of me didn’t care. Tom hired on for the season to do a job and I expected him to follow through with no complaints. Then there was part of me that did care. If my best help quit, then the work would double on me for the remainder of the summer trips. Plus, I hated to see a guy get soured on something he loved to do. “Tom, why don’t you get your pole and take the dudes fishing? Y’all can walk down to that first pool and probably get some nibbles. The horses and mules are grazing quiet and I’ll finish putting up camp. You go ahead

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and take a break, soak your feet, rest up.” It was a generous offer that I couldn’t afford. My own good sense was frayed from tearing down camp, packing mules, and riding 20-something miles along the Continental Divide. Now, there was the realization that my crew was about done in and more of the burden would shift to me. I was volunteering to unpack the mule loads, raise the kitchen fly, put the cook stove together, cut wood, haul water, construct a latrine, and finish the wrangling chores—before sunset. Tom had helped the dudes dismount and walk the circulation back into their running

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gears while I unsaddled the stock. The prospect of going fishing transformed his blank frown into a sly smile and he loped off like a crippled frog to fetch his fly rod. “C’mon guys, last one to the crick is a rotten egg!” he hollered to the guests. And I cussed under my breath while turning to interpret that mind’s-eye-view of how camp should look upon completion. The outfitter’s daughter, Annie, who was also the chief guide and cook helped untie the loads. The first step was erecting the kitchen fly. The hard part was finding it amongst the camp gear and getting it unfolded in the right direction. After that, it was simple enough to climb a tree and tie one end of the ridge-rope around the trunk, then 20 feet away tie the crotch poles together, stand them up, stake the whole works down, and you’ve got a kitchen fly. Putting the cook stove together is almost just as simple, but there’s no way to dodge the soot. By the end of this chore, everybody is filthy and the cook needs to &

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wash up. So, hauling water is next. Then a quick turn with an axe and saw knocks together enough firewood for supper and tomorrow’s breakfast. It all sounds quick and easy but it’s time consuming and laborious. By the end, there were fresh bloody spots on my knuckles and a yellow moon was rising. The last thing on the itinerary is to gather the livestock and tie them in our rope corral for the night. Throughout the late afternoon, the horse and mule herd grazed at the end of the camp opening. With my duties completed and camp looking good, I glanced smugly in the direction of the remuda—but they weren’t there. My nerves tensed. This was new country to me. We’d left my stomping grounds on the North Fork of the Sun River and followed the Chinese Wall to our destination on the West Fork of the Sun River. Our camp was at Indian Point in a small meadow. Previously, the outfitter warned me that some of the horses were communists and may head for home pastures. However, for over a month they behaved and my mistake was to start trusting them. This was the furthest place that we’d ever been from our normal haunts. There was no feasible reason for the critters to quit us now. Maybe they were nearby. Several of the herd wore bells, and I walked to the back end of the field where the opening came to a point and a trail led into the timber. Then I trotted back to my tied wrangle pony and stepped into the saddle, then rode to where the cook was preparing supper. “Annie, did you see the horses leave?” “No, they were standing right there a few minutes ago.” The situation was no great deal. The ponies were probably somewhere close. Part of wrangling in the mountains is reading tracks, but for some reason my skin was crawling and there was bad feeling welling up deep inside me. Then I rode back to the end of the meadow and followed the trail into the timber. It was getting too dark to see but the path fol-

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Trashy Bass Fishing OW THAT IT APPEARS SUMMER HAS suddenly replaced winter, with a few days of spring tossed in to mark the change, aquatic plants will be growing rapidly. And that is good news for bass anglers. Bass and grass (an insider phrase that applies to all aquatic vegetation) go together like Mom and apple pie. Finding good populations of bass in lakes devoid of vegetation is a much more difficult task for anglers. Find the grass and find the bass is a mantra in the bass world that is an accurate representation of a general locating technique. While largemouth bass can be found around flooded trees and under boat docks and along rocky areas, the best place to find the majority of fish willing to strike a lure is usually a site that is ripe with vegetation; a place just a little bit on the trashy side. Bass are attracted to vegetated areas for multiple reasons. Food supply is one of them. Aquatic plants are attractive places for insects and other invertebrates to live and feed. These organisms represent a food supply for forage fish. And forage fish make up a large amount of a largemouth bass’s diet. The food chain is in constant force in the wild and the relationship between plant and predator exists at many levels. This primary rule of eat to be eaten is a blessing for bass fisherman who target the top level on the food pyramid of prey and predator species. This relationship is so strong that if a bass angler does nothing more than fish in vegetated areas, sooner or later they will catch fish. Another reason bass are attracted to vegetation is the process of photosynthesis. Plants remove carbon dioxide from the

atmosphere and give off oxygen. Higher oxygen levels are particularly important when water temperatures climb. As summer progresses and water warms, the less oxygen it can hold in suspension. While surface agitation from the wind helps add oxygen, plants are responsible for producing most of it. So, areas that have a higher concentration of dissolved oxygen from plant respiration will attract greater numbers of living organisms and that includes largemouth bass. Concealment or cover is also one of the dominant forces that attract largemouth bass. Their genetic nature is that of an

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Another reason bass are attracted to vegetation is the process of photosynthesis.

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ambush predator. Vegetation provides excellent hiding places for them to fulfill their destiny. Once hidden from general view, they can remain immobile until an unwary food item wanders past, and then whoosh!, dinner is served. Shade is part of the draw too. Shallow water heats up rapidly. Plants help block the sun’s penetrating rays and can lower water temperatures by several degrees. Just because an area might have vegetation does not necessarily mean that it will harbor a good bass population. And that fact sums up one of the difficulties of deciding which areas hold fish and which do not. A whole cove or creek channel covered with vegetation can appear to be an overwhelming puzzle. But understanding bass behavior can quickly rule out most of the unproductive habitat. A L M A N A C / T E X A S

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Bass prefer to live very near or in some form of structure. Good examples are boat docks, flooded timber, brush piles, the sides of a submerged hump or point, and especially the edges of creek channels. These places will hold bass in the absence of vegetation, but add aquatic plants to those areas, and their attractiveness increases exponentially. Sometimes a lack of solid structure in a particular area makes the process more difficult. The key to finding bass in those situations is to look for contrasts in vegetation. One type of water plant giving way to another is a good indication of a change in depth or soil type. These seemingly small or subtle changes can be all it takes to concentrate fish. Recognizing these small clues can make all the difference in finding catch-able bass or not. There are basically three ways to fish vegetated areas: over the top, underneath, or along the edges. Weedless plastic frog or worm lures fished un-weighted will provoke active bass into memorable strikes on the surface. Weighted jigs will punch through the vegetation and can be hopped or twitched on the bottom below the overhead canopy. Just about any type of crankbait or spinnerbait can be used along the edges to entice an ambush. All are very successful techniques for getting bigmouths to blowup. Fishing the grass for bass is exciting stuff. The water is usually fairly shallow allowing the strike and resulting battle to be a visual as well as tactile experience. And that is what makes bass fishing in the grass so much fun. You just never know when a salad shooter with a great big mouth will come barreling out of the thick stuff all green and glorious. Bass fishing on the trashy side is what I am raving about. E-mail Barry St. Clair at bstclair@fishgame.com.

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Fried Catfish HETHER YOU ARE FISHING A POND, A stock tank, or your favorite fishing hole at Lake Conroe, fresh catfish is always welcome at the dinner table. This is how we fix it at home.

WILDERNESS TRAILS Continued from Page N40 lowed the river and then crossed. From there, it ran along the opposing hillside, for about a mile, where it split. One way went to a bridge crossing back to the other side and ultimately to the Benchmark trailhead, N42

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and the other fork went to a place known as Pretty Prairie. At this point, there were grassy meadows along the river and I decided that the horses were looking for better forage. My fatigue showed and there was no use continuing in the dark in unknown country. So, I headed back to camp. The &

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gnawing in my gut wouldn’t let me enjoy supper and it was a fretful night sleeping under the stars. ...continued next issue. E-mail Herman W. Brune at wilderness@fishgame.com PHOTO BY BILL OLIVE

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Sides

smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir until combined, then chill until ready to serve.

S P O N S O R E D BY:

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TEXAS SALTWATER

GALVESTON

PORT ARANSAS

GALVESTON

Jess Mow ery Stringer o f Trout Hugo Ford Guide Service

CORPUS CHRISTI

For Classified Rates and Information call Dennise at 1-800-750-4670, ext. 5579. t Will Avan d Ling n u o p + 30 end Coastal B ors o td u O

ROCKPORT

LAKE AMISTAD

PORT ARANSAS Ricky Best & friend Striper Striper Ex pre Guide Serv ss ice

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Clint O’Neil & Joey Austin Limits of Trout Hillman Guide Service

Beverly Trout Striper and Speckled Service ide Gu r ate ltw Sa Akins

TEXAS FRESHWATER

Kneifel Twins with on Capt. Charles Newt ds Re d ize ers Ov ing Match Redfish Charters

TEXAS HUNTING

COLORADO

LAKE TEXOMA

For Classified Rates and Information call Dennise at 1-800-750-4670, ext. 5579.

BAFFIN BAY

SPOTLIGHT: REDFISH CHARTERS ADVERTISERS, MAIL IN YOUR PHOTOS TODAY!

OUTDOOR SHOPPER

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DOLPHIN—PORT ARANSAS, TEXAS

STRIPER—LAKE TEXOMA, TEXAS

L-R Carter, Kristin Witbeck, Brent Witbeck, Anthony Esch, Marshall Leithead, Brad Esch and Shanee caught these dolphin 15 miles out of Port Aransas on a weedline using hardtails as bait.

BUCK—KIMBLE COUNTY, TEXAS

CATFISH—DICKINSON, TEXAS

Jacob Darbonne, age 14, of Nederland, Texas, took Sherry Bastien of Dickinson, Texas, caught this 5this 7-point buck in Kimble County. pound, 15-inch catfish in Dickinson Bayou.

SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO:

TF&G PHOTO ALBUM 1745 Greens Road Houston, Texas 77032 OR BY EMAIL: photos@fishgame.com PLEASE INCLUDE NAME, HOMETOWN, WHEN & WHERE CAUGHT, SIZE AND WEIGHT

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

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DEER—GONZALES COUNTY, TEXAS

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CATFISH—GUY, TEXAS

TROUT—BAFFIN BAY, TEXAS

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Galveston Trout Quest UFF AND PUFF AS IT MIGHT, THE WIND was not strong enough to keep Mark and Melissa Armentor from catching a limit of speckled trout from Galveston Bay. The Armentors were the May 2007 Trophy Quest winners, fishing with Capt. Steve Hillman of Hillman Guide Service. The Winnie, TX couple fish for specks and redfish in East Bay and largemouth bass in different freshwater locations within an hour and a half of their home. They were using Berkley Gulp as bait, fishing it under popping corks or retrieving it like a lure. “We were catching fish both

by Tom Behrens ways,” said Mark. “In the middle of the fishing trip I told Steve we could cancel the trip if he wanted, but he said, ‘Nah, I’m going to get y’all limits.’“ At 3:30 p.m., the Armentors had their limits in speckled trout. “It took us pretty much all day, but my wife and I caught our limits.” Who caught the biggest fish is a debatable question. Mark boated the biggest trout at 23 inches, but Melissa said the trout that she lost at the boat was bigger. “He made me

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

TF&G PHOTO

Mark and Melissa Armentor with a nice pair of Galveston Bay specks. loose it,” Melissa laughed. “It was all his fault.” She lost the fish as it swam under the boat, but she hinted there was some line tangling that helped intensify the fish’s escape. “Despite the wind Captain Steve found fish for us to catch,” said Mark. “We had some great conversation and enjoyed the entire experience. We spent the whole day catching fish.” He estimates, in total, they caught about fifty fish. “We took home a twenty fish limit of trout and overall the trip was exceptional. Thanks to Texas Fish and Game for the experience. It was great.”

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

SPECIES: speckled trout LOCATION: Galveston Bay GUIDE: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409-256-7937, www.hillmanguideservice.com LODGING: Harbor House at Pier 21, 409-763-3321, www.harborhousepier21.com MEALS: Willie G’s, 409-762-3030

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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by Reavis Wortham standard joke at gatherings of outdoor writer is that you can always tell who the gun writers are by the technical jargon of their conversations. It consists mostly of the phrases “Huh?”, “Wazzat?”, “What did you say?”, and the simple but always descriptive and eloquent, “What?” Gestures such as hands cupped to ears and squintyeyed facial contortions that editor Zaidle calls “the constipated face” punctuate the conversations. To illustrate how this comes about, rewind to a soon-to-be-submerged bridge in the late 1970s, over a disremembered river in what would eventually become Lake Fork. My college buddy, Landon, and I spent several hours in a sincere but unintentional effort to destroy our hearing. “This is a Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum revolver,” Landon sneered, paraphrasing Dirty Harry’s monologue, “the most powerful handgun in the world, and it’ll make your head throb each time I pull the trigger.” He aimed at a floating soda can in the water below and pulled the trigger. He’s a big guy, but the Magnum rocked his entire frame. The bullet struck the water and a geyser shot the can upward. Taking my turn, I then tried to hit the rising can with my own Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum, the little brother to his big .44. “You missed,” he said. At least that’s what I thought he said. The concussion from the two hand-cannons made my head feel full of cotton, unnaturally large, and somewhat dented. Instead of answering, I thumb-cocked my revolver and pulled the trigger again and again until it ran dry. Landon emptied his pistol at another floating piece of debris and, ears ringing, we gleefully reloaded. Two years later, I bent to pick up a wounded dove. With one last burst of energy, it launched skyward. Inches from my head, Landon leveled his 12-gauge and cut down on the bird. It fell, but my muchabused melon felt like I had just been at an AC/DC rock concert all day. Flash forward 10 years: The Hunting T E X A S

Club members scattered along a wide pasture near Stamford, Texas. A covey of quail rose from underneath a scraggly mesquite with a thunder of wings, and the Club members poured it on them. The dogs rushed to retrieve, and scattered still another covey. Shotguns boomed again and again. “Rev! You didn’t fire one shot at that covey. They came up right behind you,” Doc said. “Didn’t you hear them?” “Huh? What covey?” Five years later, I sat in the examination chair of a well-known Dallas Ear Nose and Throat specialist. He peered into my ears with his bright little light and I waited to hear the old joke about seeing all the way through. “I don’t see any obvious problems,” he said. “What are you here for?” “Huh? Oh, my ears ring all the time. It’s a constant high-pitched ringing in both of them. It drives me crazy when I try to sleep. What could be the problem?” “Tinnitus,” the doc said. “You probably need to see an audiologist, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I suggest you get a loud fan for the bedroom, or one of those new clock radios that make white noise. You’ll hear that instead of the ringing and you’ll probably sleep better. Pay the receptionist on the way out.” Another five years later: “You have Hunter’s Notch,” the audiologist reported after examining the readout. I had spent nearly an hour raising and lowering my hands in response to tones coming through the headset covering both ears. “There’s nothing I can do. Buy a loud fan to help you sleep.” I thought she made up the phrase “hunter’s notch” (which sounded like an ailment not discussed in polite company) until nearly a year ago, when I mentioned the term to my boss, the Cap’n, and an RN who has an office adjacent to mine. “I’m surprised you can hear anything after all the years of gunfire,” she told me. “Huh?” “I bet you have Hunter’s Notch,” the Cap’n surmised. The RN and I exchanged glances. “How do you know the term?” I asked him.

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“I had a hearing test done last year and I thought I had aced it,” he said. “My hand was going up and down like one of those Whack-a-Mole games when I heard sounds in one ear or the other. But then when I came out of the soundproof booth, the nurse frowned at me. She asked if I ever hunted, and I told her I have all my life. She said I scored lower than I did on my high school final biology exam. Said I missed half the tones. Then she suggested I buy ear plugs to preserve what hearing I have left.” “You seem to hear me pretty good,” I said very, very quietly. “I’m a good lip reader,” he said, taking the fun out of my evil little game. “Rats.” “Another thing I learned, though, is that my left ear is worse than the right. I explained that I am right handed and she said that makes sense. My right ear beside the rifle or shotgun is slightly protected by the stock and my shoulder, while the sound causes the most damage to the left side.” This is the part of the article where I get to explain this type of hearing loss, also called “Shooter’s Notch,” “Shooter’s Ear,” “Ear Shadow,” or more technically, “Noise Induced Hearing Loss.” I won’t try to use fancy medical terms, because I don’t understand them, anyway. I spoke with two experienced audiologists and asked them to explain this hearing problem in terms even I could understand. They explained that sound waves travel through the ear canal, which acts like a funnel to concentrate audio impulses. As sound rushes through this canal, they collide with the eardrum, which our parents always warned us not to puncture with a pencil. This drumtight membrane vibrates, and that motion in turn causes three small bones called the “auditory ossicles” to vibrate. You might recall from high school biology class the tiny bones as the “hammer, anvil, and stirrup.” If you don’t, cheat like I did and refer to one of those colorful posters on your doctor’s examination room wall. The third ossicle (choose one, I don’t remember or care) is attached to something called the “oval window,” which moves back and forth, setting in motion waves in a fluid within something called the “cochlea,” a wondrous little gizmo reminiscent of a snail shell. The cochlea is the most important organ in hearing. Tiny hair cells in the shelllike organ respond to the sound-induced pressure wave and generate nerve impulses

to the brain. The brain translates those impulses into something it recognizes as sound. As the sound waves initially slam into your ear, it strikes the first, largest curve of the Snail Shell Organ (a name I just made up). The auditory impact damages the hair cells, which causes hearing loss. Those two above mentioned audiologists, Dr. Sherry Magnus and Kevin Johnson, said that the little hair cells, about as thick as a cobweb, get hammered by the initial shock. “The tiny cells either break off, or they bend like reeds,” Mr. Johnson said, bending his fingers in illustration. “Once they’re bent or broken, they can’t be repaired.” (See Editor’s Note.) I envisioned a sea of tiny hairs in my ears, laid over as if a Brahman bull had been laying on them. Dr. Magnus and Mr. Johnson have screened more than 300,000 patients, so I figured they knew what they were talking about. “That kind of intense sound causes damage in the 4-6 thousand Hertz frequency range,” Dr. Magnus said. “For most hunters, the initial damage is in the 4000 Hertz range. But it doesn’t stop there. Over time, it can, and often does, get progressively worse.” The term “Hunter’s Notch” comes from a visual evaluation of a hearing screen result. The Place Theory of hearing states that high tones register more strongly at the largest part of the Snail Shell Organ. The lower tones move the hair cells near the outer smallest tip of the shell. Place Theory explains why hunters sometimes lose their hearing at the narrow pitch range, which on an audiologists readout looks like a long, horizontal line that makes a sharp drop near the 4000-6000 Hz range, creating the “Hunter’s Notch.” Picture a line running along the top of the magazine you are holding. Now imagine that halfway across the page on your left, the line curves down partway on the page until it reaches the seam. From there, it rises again across and up the right hand page until it is back to the top, halfway along the page. That’s what a Hunter’s Notch readout looks like. It gets worse. The damaged cochlear nerve, which is a direct highway to the brain, doesn’t know what to do with the carnage the hair cells are screaming about, so the results translate to the brain, which knows no

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better, as a constant, high-pitch ringing in the s ears. Over time, the notch deepens and widens. Now you’re inside my head. “It isn’t just in adults, either,” said Dr. Magnus. “I’m seeing more and more children with that same auditory drop on the readout. When it is there, I always ask them if they’ve been listening to loud music; if there has been some intense, loud noise; or if they’ve been hunting with Dad or Grandpa. Usually they say they’ve been hunting.” Children are more sensitive to higher tones and frequencies that most adults simply can’t hear, so they are more susceptible to sudden loud noises. One prime example came very clear recently when my youngest daughter downloaded a new ring tone for her cell phone called the “Mosquito Ring Tone.” It is inaudible to older adults, but at 16,000 Hz, young people can easily hear it. Some hear it so well they can’t stand the piercing noise. (Shop owners in Britain blast the sound over loudspeakers to discourage teenage loitering.) Teenagers use the sound as a cell phone ring tone so they can hear it during class without alerting the teacher. Ain’t technology grand? Losing the ability to hear these high frequency tones comes naturally with age, but as damage continues thought a lifetime of auditory bombardment, our hearing range can decline at an alarming rate. Susceptibility to Hunter’s Notch depends on the individual. And unfortunately, this type of hearing loss doesn’t require prolonged sessions of gunfire. “One example of permanent damage I’ve seen was when a woman fired only 10 shots from a magnum revolver without hearing protection,” Mr. Johnson said. “She now suffers from Hunter’s Notch.” “It isn’t only from gunfire,” Dr. Magnus said. “I know of one child who had some minor hearing loss when we tested him earlier in the year, and not long afterward, a balloon exploded near him. When we tested him again, his chart showed the same type of hearing damage as someone who’d been near gunfire.” Obviously, it is not only possible but quite easy to prevent Hunter’s Notch if you do not have it, and prevent further deterioration if you do: hearing protection. Normal conversation registers in the range of 45-60 decibels (dB). The average gun blast can range in excess of 140 dB, close to the noise level of a jet engine. Custom ear plugs and electronic

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earmuff/headphone-style protection devices allow the wearer to hear normal conversation, but at the sudden explosion of gunfire will in a matter of milliseconds dampen the sudden surge of sound waves. Some devices offer not only hearing protection along with the ability to hear normal conversation, but allow custom “tuning” to enhance low-level sounds or hard-to-hear frequencies—a bonus to those already afflicted with Hunter’s Notch. Devices in this category include Walker’s Game Ear headphone and custom in-the-ear devices (see sidebar). Many have valve system technology, which block high level sound impulses (some advertise these impulses as greater than 120 dB). Even hunters and shooters who use economical foam, rubber, or malleable wax plugs receive at least some protection from high impulse sound waves. Bystanders at the range; in a deer stand; or on a duck, goose, or quail hunt should also use some type of hearing protection. Hearing protection is underused by 38 percent of target shooters, said researchers G.D., Taylor and E. Williams in an article

for Laryngoscope magazine on acoustic trauma in the sport hunters. The same article reported 95 percent of hunters never wore hearing protection while shooting during researched year. Over the course of a lifetime, if hearing protection is not utilized, the simple ability to discern the human voice can continue to decline. At 250-500 Hz, the ability to hear vowel sounds begins to deteriorate. At 4000-6000 Hz, sounds such as “t,” “th,” “s,” and “f ” are impaired. With the loss at either end of the hearing range, the ability to effectively communicate worsens. My own hearing loss today impacts me most profoundly in crowded rooms and restaurants. I now have to simply smile and try to read lips. Sometimes, it costs me a round of drinks when I misunderstand what someone is asking. When my wife is near, I wait until a break in the conversation and turn to her with the question of, “Huh? What did they say?” Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic conditions affecting older adults in the United States. Noise induced hearing loss is 100 percent preventable. Know which

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noises can cause damage and use hearing protection whenever necessary. Avoid “the Notch” like the plague that it is. Editor’s Note: According to the website hearinglosshelp.com, medical researchers are working on ways to restore lost and damaged hair cells: “Research into hair cell regeneration has made tremendous strides in the past few years. However, researchers still face enormous challenges before hair cell regeneration becomes a reality in the lives of hard of hearing people. “Work on hair cell regeneration began in earnest in 1986 when researchers discovered that after being exposed to loud sounds, birds have the remarkable ability to regenerate and replace dead hair cells and return their hearing to near normal levels in just 28 days. However, this is not true for mammals, including human beings. The question scientists are scrambling to answer is: Why can’t humans also regenerate damaged hair cells? —Don Zaidle

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PROTECTION OPTIONS Protecting your hearing is crucial in all types of shooting—including hunting. A single muzzle blast from a high-powered rifle can irreparably damage delicate hearing organs. Hunters are often reluctant to wear hearing protection because muff-style devices are uncomfortable and sometimes

impede correct cheek-to-stock mating, and squelch desirable sounds such shouts of “Bird!” from companions or the crunch of leaves beneath a deer hoof. Inside-the-ear plugs eliminate shooting form problems, but likewise muffle con86

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versation and game sounds. Time was, you lived with the drawbacks or exposed your hearing to damage while hunting, but thanks to modern technology, you can protect your hearing and simultaneously enjoy improved auditory ability afield. Hearing protection comes in two basic flavors: passive and active. Old-style muffs and earplugs fall in the former category, and modern equivalents in the latter. Passive devices muffle all sound, whereas active devices electronically attenuate only sharp, loud sound impulses while allowing normal sounds to pass to the ear. Some models amplify normal sounds, which is a great boon for shooters whose hearing is already compromised. 1. Many hunters are familiar with the Walker’s Game Ear brand of electronic hearing protection. In addition to traditional attenuate/amplify muff-styles, the company also offers unobtrusive insidethe-ear devices. For hunters that find in-

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ear devices uncomfortable, Walkers provides a custom fitting service that makes the devices virtually unnoticeable. On the web: www.walkersgameear.com 2. Howard Leight Shooting Sports manufacturers a line of quality active and passive hearing protection devices. Muffs feature a slimline ear cup design with cutouts for full clearance of a firearm stock. On the web: www.howardleightshootingsports.com 3. Howard Leight passive protection includes ultra-comfortable soft earplugs that conform to the ear canal to reduce pressure points.

PHOTOS 1 & 3 BY DON ZAIDLE PHOTO 2 PRODUCT SHOT COURTESY OF HOWARD LEIGHT

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29 Teams Fish First Lone Star Spring Breakout The one-day tournament was scheduled to coincide with spring break for most Texas universities, but the fact that it also attracted teams from Kentucky, Louisiana, and Missouri once again served as proof that collegiate bass fishing is becoming an institution

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PHOTO COURTESY OF NCBFC

HE INAUGURAL LONE STAR COLLEGIATE Spring Breakout bass tournament presented by BoatUS Angler held on Lake Belton in March had its start delayed nearly two hours due to early morning fog, but neither the wait nor the blanket of cover curbed the enthusiasm of the 29 teams representing 12 schools that were there to participate. By day’s end, it was the Texas A&M (College Station) team of Justin Rackley and Kenny Stewart that won the event with a five bass limit weighing 13.40 pounds. Their weight was 1/2-pound better than the Texas Tech (Lubbock) team of Jacob Szot and Dustin Cotton, who finished second with 12.90 pounds. Rackley was also on the Texas A&M team that won the BoatUS National Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship last fall on Lake Lewisville. “We concentrated on finding pockets of warmer water and found some in the 62- to 64-degree range,” said Rackley about his team’s strategy. “That’s where we’d find the shad, and we caught our fish on baits in shad colors. Some came on Lake Fork Tackle’s Magic Shad swimbait and a Bomber 5A crankbait, but we also caught some quality keepers on spinnerbaits and Mizmo Big Boy white tubes that we flipped around timber and laydowns up in the Cowhouse Creek area. We had a fun day of fishing.” Rounding out the top five places were: 3rd, Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches), Kyle Turner and Greg Fletcher, 12.56 pounds; 4th, Tarleton State University (Stephenville), Cole Koenig and Kyle Barfield, 12.15 pounds; 5th, Texas A&M, Arthur Potts and Scott Edmonds, 11.80 pounds.

Among the Lake Belton participants were four teams from Texas A&M; one from Texas A&M-Kingsville; four from Stephen F. Austin; six from Tarleton State; three from Texas Tech; three from the University of Texas-Austin; one from the University of Texas-Arlington; one from North Central Texas College-Corinth; two from Baylor University-Waco; one from Drury University-Springfield, Missouri; two from the University of Kentucky-Lexington, Kentucky; and one from Northwestern State University-Natchitoches, Louisiana. A “team” consists of two persons fishing from the same boat, but in certain cases, one

of its own. The tourangler is allowed to Justin Rackley (L) and Kenny Stewart won the nament is one of sevfish upon approval inaugural Lone Star Collegiate Spring Breakout eral regional college by the tournament tournament with a 13.40-pound five-bass limit. bass events being director due to extenheld around the uating circumstances country in 2008, and this one was filmed for affecting a partner’s participation. television by Careco Multimedia to be aired Most of the teams found the fishing on starting in September on FOX College Lake Belton to be extremely good, with 16 Sports. teams catching their five-fish limits. G a m e ®

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Although the lake is relatively small, it offers a diversity of structure and cover, allowing anglers to fish a wide variety of techniques and baits. Big bass honors for the tournament—a 4.14-pound fish—went to the Stephen F. Austin team of Kendell Wleczyk and Ben Newsom, earning each an American Rodsmith rod and Abu Garcia Revo bait-casting reel. While catching fish and beating rival schools are the main objectives of most college bass fishing teams in competitions such as this, often there are prize rewards for many of the top finishers. In the Texas Spring Breakout event, the top five places received Cabela’s gift cards. Teams that finished in fifth through ninth places were awarded Sperry sport shoes. Tenth place was awarded a Sebile gift pack of quality fishing lures, and the fifteenth place team received two Aviva Fishin’ Buddy remote controlled fishing boats. Several of the teams reported they were taking full advantage of spring break to get some other fishing in, too, especially on two popular Texas-Mexico border lakes. The Kentucky teams said they had been on Lake Falcon prior to this tournament, while many of the Texas teams said they were headed straight to Lake Amistad following the Belton weigh-in. “No doubt about it, these kids love to fish,” said collegiate tournament director Wade Middleton. “I can’t say enough about how refreshing it is to see the high level of passion these college students have for the sport. With what I’m seeing from these young anglers, I’m thinking bass fishing and the outdoor industry is going to be in good hands for a long time.” The Lone Star Spring Breakout event was sponsored by BoatUS, BoatUS Angler, Cabela’s, Ranger Boats, Yamaha, Garmin, Costa Del Mar, Pioneer Beef Jerky, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Fenwick, Sperry TopSider, Stearns, EGO Nets, Sebile, American Rodsmiths, Aviva Fishin’ Buddy, Biosonix, Bill Lewis Lures, Gene Larew Lures, Nemire Lures, Power Pole, Gary’s Marine, and the Belton Chamber of Commerce. For more information about college bass fishing and other upcoming regional tournaments, visit www.collegiatebasschampionship.com. —Gary Dollahon

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LL KINDS OF TACKLE IS USED FOR OFFSHORE fishing. As is the case with hunting rifles, some fishermen will gravitate towards heavier tackle than they really need, others will trend in the opposite direction, and perhaps find themselves not being able to handle the fish they hooked. Light tackle fishing is fun, but when the fish eventually wins it may be only a temporary escape, as the toll of a long fight and related hook injuries may prove fatal. Tackle that is too heavy can actually reduce the chances to catch wary species, and certainly reduces the sport involved. Even before so many species were given restrictive bag limits, a small selection of rod and reel tackle, teamed with proper terminal gear, can be used for the majority of fishing without giving up too much in the direction of light or heavy. For 90 percent of the fishing on my boat I rig the guest with a 30-pound outfit. Knowledgeable anglers understand this doesn’t mean a rig that weighs 30 pounds, but one designed and balanced to work best with 30-pound line. The rod should load up with 30-pound with enough flex and backbone to wear down a fish, but not so much power that it will easily break the line. Although I use roller guides on many of the rods I build, I think good ceramics are probably the best choice. Reels for such gear should hold 300 yards of mono. This capacity can be reached without having to go to a very thin “super braid” line, and normally such small diameter string isn’t needed. I prefer “conventional” tackle (a star drag reel with no level-wind is traditional and works very well), but I carry more sophisticated level-wind reels for those not experienced with offshore gear. This tackle will handle the largest red

snapper or king mackerel that ever swam, yet provides decent sport with smaller fish. Personally, I like to “slug it out” with kings instead of letting them run everywhere and tire themselves out, and 30-pound allows this. When fishing for “fun” for these same fish, I often drop to 20-pound gear for my own use, without losing much. Again, this is a balanced 20-pound offshore rig, not a bay popping rod and a small reel. For ling, I carry a dedicated rod and reel spooled with 50-pound mono. This is mainly so I can tie a hook or lure directly to the line without a heavier leader. Ling don’t have razor teeth like a king, and can often be leader-shy. A 50-pound rig is also a good idea for amberjack, along with a stout, standup style rod. Jacks, however, demand a heavy mono leader if you plan to fish in their neighborhood. Grouper in water depths of 150 feet or less fall into this category, too. Deeper water and bigger fish can lead to an electric reel fixation. A 50-pound bottom fishing rig is the land where lever-drag, two-speed reels can make a big grouper or jack see things your way much sooner. Tarpon are also 30-pound fish, because their frantic jumps wear them down. Ultra high-capacity reels are not that important, as tarpon are found in relatively shallow water. A smooth lever drag, however, is very helpful. Sharks range in size from blacktips of 4050 pounds to tigers and hammerheads pushing past 1000. For the average sized bull shark, which should top 100 but could go 400 pounds, 50- to 80-pound tackle is appropriate. For the big boys, 130 pounds and a fighting chair are the best medicine. In blue-water trolling, 30-pound is again the standard, but on reels of larger capacity and rods with a bit more backbone, preferably with good roller guides. Bull dolphin, wahoo, sailfish, and blackfin tuna are 30pound fish, maximum; an experienced angler can handle them with 20. For this type of trolling, I prefer lever drags reels in gold

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anodized aluminum or graphite frame models. Two-speed reels work fine, but the more cost effective single speeds suffice. A 30pound blue-water trolling reel will hold at least 500 yards of line. Actually, any IGFA “class” outfit will generally hold from 500 to 700 yards of its rated line test in mono, more in Dacron, and much more in ultra-thin braid. In a summer of heavy marlin fishing along the 100-fathom curve way back in 1979, our boat fished with 50-pound single-speed Penn Internationals for billfishes, wahoo, and tuna—big, hairy yellowfin tuna. We took at least one yellowfin over 200 pounds, and several from 100 to 150. Although I have friends who are serious marlin anglers and use nothing less than 80-pound gear, the late trend is more to beefed-up 50-poundclass reels, often packed with 80-pound braid for more line strength and capacity. This is especially true with stand-up gear. Two-speed reels have become almost the standard for this type of fishing, although a single-speed and some arm strength will still get the job done. Not every offshore angler fishes regularly in blue-water, for tarpon, or for monster sharks. The average weekend angler after ling, kings, and dolphin will grow fat and happy with a 30-pound rig. For those whose adventures occasionally overlap into bigger fish or deeper waters, making that 30-pound outfit a two-speed lever-drag with “super braid” backing under 30-pound mono on a rod with top quality ceramic guides will give you a very practical all-around offshore arsenal that can be pushed on fish over 100 pounds, without the expense of carrying a whole battery of tackle.

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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Texas DU Conservation Message to Congress OUSTON, TEXAS RESIDENT and senior Ducks Unlimited volunteer Sam Smolik traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with representatives, senators, and other policymakers to discuss the organization’s conservation priorities. Smolik met personally with Rep. John Culberson and individually with staff from the offices of Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison. Smolik, Shell Oil Vice President for Global Downstream Health, Safety, Security, and Environment, is an active volunteer on Ducks Unlimited’s Conservation Program Committee, a volunteer group that helps to guide the conservation organization’s direction in achieving its waterfowl and wetlands conservation mission. Smolik encouraged Congress to support strong conservation measures in the farm bill and appropriations for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). CPC members were also joined by members of the House and Senate at a Capitol Hill reception to celebrate the beginning of the waterfowl nesting season. The reception also gave members of Congress from around the country a chance to interact with the volunteers. “I made this trip to Capitol Hill so our members of Congress could hear firsthand about the importance of wetlands conservation in my area,” said Smolik. “I am passionate about waterfowl and wetlands conservation, and I want to share that passion with my members of Congress.”

“Letting our representatives in Washington know that their constituents are informed and concerned about the future of the farm bill is one of the best ways to ensure its reauthorization,” said Ross Melinchuk director of public policy for Ducks Unlimited’s Southern Regional Office. As part of the CPC, Smolik understands the need for continental conservation of wetlands and associated uplands for waterfowl. In Texas, especially along the coast, wetlands not only provide habitat for waterfowl and other waterbirds but also protect residents from catastrophic flooding. “Federal conservation policies help Ducks Unlimited accomplish its mission and are critical to protecting our natural resources for the future,” Smolik said. The farm bill, which is being debated in conference between the House and the Senate, has several conservation provisions that are farmer-friendly and needed for waterfowl and wetlands habitat conservation. CPC members reminded their senators and representatives that farm bill programs are critical to protecting millions of acres of breeding and wintering habitat for waterfowl. CPC members also talked to their members of Congress about appropriations for NAWCA, a popular matching grants program that has conserved more than 23 million acres of habitat across North America. One of the most cost-effective conservation

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programs in history, NAWCA projects usually leverage $2 to $3 in partner contributions for every $1 from the federal government. With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization with almost 12 million acres conserved. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands—nature’s most productive ecosystem—and continues to lose more than 80,000 wetland acres each year.

QU Honors T. Boone Pickens Park Cities, Texas, Quail Unlimited honored legendary oil entrepreneur, conservationist, and avid sportsman T. Boone Pickens as its 2008 Lifetime Sportsman Award winner before 900 guests in the Frontiers of Flight Museum near Dallas Love Field Airport. The local chapter, founded in 2005 to develop, preserve, restore, and maintain upland game habitat throughout this region and to improve hunting opportunities for area sportsmen, lauds Mr. Pickens’ lifelong love of the outdoors, respect for natural resources, and his extraordinary contributions to restoring quail habitat in Roberts Country. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor than T. Boone Pickens,” said Joe Crafton, chairman of Park Cities Quail Unlimited. “He has an enduring passion for the outdoors, and has made considerable contributions to the restoration of quail habitat in West Texas.” Pickens is an excellent environmental steward, Crafton said, noting that his 68,000-acre Mesa Vista Ranch is a model for wildlife resource management. His business ventures include an alternative energy provider, the largest supplier of vehicular natural gas in North America, and plans for the world’s largest wind farm. Pickens also has

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stepped to the forefront of national water resource development issues with a proposal to market surplus and stranded groundwater in the Texas Panhandle to urban areas in the state facing severe water supply shortages. Prior to Pickens’ first Roberts County land purchase in 1971, the county’s rolling hills, bluffs, and creek beds suffered from consistent overgrazing. The legendary entrepreneur immediately began a multistep program to help the land recover, over time investing about $25 million in overall wildlife management strategies and facilities, installing substantial water sources, food plots and native grass replanting, and power infrastructure. Those initiatives, along with efforts to market stranded and surplus water in the region elsewhere in the state, have led to a tremendous increase in local land values. In the process, Pickens has increased the size and breadth of Mesa Vista. Today, Dallas Morning News outdoors writer Ray Sasser calls Mesa Vista “the Wild West equivalent of a southern gentleman’s hunting

plantation, arguably the finest quail-hunting spot in the known universe.” Mesa Vista is the manifestation of one of Pickens’ first and longest-held loves. “Quail hunting is a life-long passion tracking back to my father, who always kept two bird dogs in a pen out back of our home in Holdenville, Oklahoma,” the 2006 Horatio Alger award winner explains. “That was big, open, country - pretty good quail territory. I shot my first quail when I was about 13 years old. “Today, I am driven by a desire to conserve and reclaim over-grazed land for quail habitat, and to develop long-term wildlife management plans that can be used to improve land values through an expansion of recreational opportunities.” That passion, fueled by more than three decades of extraordinary business success, has helped transform Mesa Vista into a model of conservation and habitat management for the bobwhite quail, a species under serious threat from changing agricultural

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practices and urban encroachment. Exclusive hunts and trips such as one to the Mesa Vista helped PCQU set a new record for Quail Unlimited banquets. In one night, the chapter raised $654,679. This amount shatters the previous record by over $400,000. The primary beneficiary of this fundraising will be the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch, which is operating a 4,700-acre West Texas ranch as a research and demonstration facility to foster the understanding and management of bobwhite and scaled quail in West Texas. The ranch’s vision is to sustain Texas’ wild quail hunting heritage for this and future generations. The Lifetime Sportsman Award is a specially commissioned one-of-a-kind bronze sculpture of three flushing bobwhite quail by noted sculptor Walter Matia, a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society, whose works have been selected for several national exhibitions and have toured to dozens of museums both in the United States and abroad. The group’s first Lifetime Sportsman Award recipient was Walter Kellogg.

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Youthful Games & Life Lessons UR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS A GREAT PLACE for a kid to grow up. Mostly built in the late 1940s, the small, white frame houses were pure Americana. By the time my little brother and I reached elementary age, large trees shaded the carefully manicured lawns. Norman Rockwell could have used our world as a model for some of his paintings. We didn’t stay inside very much. The Old Man didn’t get an air conditioner until the late 1960s, so unless there was a good breeze, inside wasn’t much cooler than outside. I liked early spring evenings the best. Mornings were cool and we could do a few things outside without working up too much of a sweat. The refreshing morning air seemed to hold a promise of something good to come during the day. The evenings, though, were when the neighborhood kids seemed to come out of nowhere. Our house was the third from the corner with a large pecan tree in the front yard. My friends seemed to migrate to our house once the sun settled at the end of the street. As darkness gathered, you could always find us gathering under the street light. After the supper dishes were washed, dried, and put away, our parents came out onto the porches and into the yard to visit. Wanting to avoid adult entanglements, we moved off onto the next block to play a game that had no real origin. We called it “Run and Hide,” modifying Hide and Seek to fit the terrain, the time of day, and our own athletic abilities.

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As it grew dark and the adults returned to our black-and-white televisions to watch Ed Sullivan or Highway Patrol, we divided into two teams. There was no formal selection process. We just milled around until the sides were even, because the game itself rested upon the shoulders of the individual players. The Hiding Team left first while the Chasers turned their backs. Surprisingly, the Chasers didn’t cheat by peeking. Chasers waited a full five minutes while the Hiding Team thundered away on P.F. Flyers to hide anywhere they wanted within a one-block area. You might think that’s a lot of territory to cover, but the block wasn’t long; there were only nine houses along the street. An alley separated them from three houses on the opposite side,

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and a large Presbyterian church took up the remainder of the block. The elementary school soccer and baseball fields were just across the eastern end of the block. The rules were simple: The Hiding Team could secrete themselves in any yard (front and side only) of any house on either side of the block, and could hide in the shrubbery around the church. The church also had a water-cooled air conditioning system out back that we used—if someone was brave enough to climb down into the wooden tower. Rule Two said we could not cross any street. When the Chasers found the Hiders (we searched independently because they

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hid on their own), the Hiders could leap from cover and try to outrun the Chasers, who could then be aided by the other team members. Tagged, you were out and had to sit under the streetlight and smush junebugs until everyone was caught.

Only Mr. Huntley, who lived in the last house at the school-end of the block, was a problem. None of the other neighbors seemed to mind that we ran across their yards and hid in the shrubs. Huntley and his wife had a “Keep off the Grass” sign in their yard. One corner of the grass was worn

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to the dirt by kids who just had to step there. You could always count on finding someone hiding in the Huntley shrubbery. As mentioned, the game occurred in full darkness, so it was hard to find each other in the shadows, and sometimes the Chasers had to literally beat the bushes to find the last kid or two. I have provided this rather long description of a kid’s game to lay the groundwork for explaining what I learned from the game. Those skills assisted me throughout my life, in the outdoors as a hunter and fisherman, and as a productive member of society. I learned to wear clothing to match the terrain, and I kept my face hidden so it wouldn’t reflect light. I learned to be incredibly still while the Chasers looked for me. I was seldom found because I blended in with the shadows and the shrubs. Sometimes I would climb a tree (no one said you couldn’t) or even lie in the shadowed grass between the two concrete strips that were our driveways. No one ever looked in the open. The skill of being absolutely still has assisted my deer, turkey, and squirrel hunting efforts, and kept me from being singled out in adult meetings when people were looking for volunteers to head a meeting or a committee. No one ever sees me. When they’re choosing committees, I look intently at the pad in front of me and am usually passed over—except when the Chairperson hunts or fishes, and therefore retains the skills probably learned as a child. Then they might suddenly see me sitting at the table, as if I had just materialized. On the other side of the coin, I look past the obvious and examine the shadows very carefully to find what others have missed. Okay, I admit, too, that I learned to think outside the box and sometimes hide in the darkness by lying on the grass in the soccer field across the street. I know, you might think that’s cheating. I prefer to think of it as stretching the rules. Ah, the things we learn as children. And we learned it all without computer games by getting outside. Who’d a thunk it? E-mail Reavis Wortham at humor@fishgame.com

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