October 2011 by Texas Fish & Game

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

JOE DOGGETT DOUG PIKE TED NUGENT BOB HOOD MATT WILLIAMS CALIXTO GONZALES LENNY RUDOW STEVE LAMASCUS LOU MARULLO KENDAL HEMPHILL REAVIS WORTHAM GREG BERLOCHER PAUL BRADSHAW CAPT. MIKE HOLMES LISA MOORE JOHN GISEL

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR EDITOR AT LARGE HUNTING EDITOR FRESHWATER EDITOR SALTWATER EDITOR BOATING EDITOR FIREARMS EDITOR BOWHUNTING EDITOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR HUMOR EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR WEBSITE CONTENT MANAGER

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DENNISE CHAVEZ ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR 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. Content is not to be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission. The publication assumes no responsibility for unsolicited photographs and manuscripts. Subscription rates: 1 year $19.00: 2 years $34.75; 3 years $48.50. Address all subscription inquiries to Texas Fish & Game, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for response. Give old and new address and enclose latest mailing address label when writing about your subscription. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Address all subscription inquiries to TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Email change of address to: dhruzek@fishgame.com Email new orders to: dhruzek@fishgame.com Email subscription questions to: dhruzek@fishgame.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX 77267-9946 and at additional mailing offices.

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ME S FISH & GA OSITE: TEXA PHOTO COMP

FEATURES OCTOBER 2011 • Volume XXVII • NO. 6

THE WINGS OF AUTUMN Quail numbers are in decline again, but fortunately, Texas wingshooters have plenty of other opportunities from plentiful waterfowl to sandhill cranes.

ON THE COVERS:

by Bob Hood

Floats for Flounder Popping corks and other new-tech float rigs can help you fish the unfishable — but prime — flatfish feeding grounds. STORY:

STRING JUMPERS Just how good are whitetails at sensing the subtle noises a bow — or a bowhunter — makes at the moment of the shot?

by Chester Moore

GOING DEEPER BUT KEEPING IT WACKY With a jighead designed especially for “wacky-style” fishing, the Flick Shake technique gives bass an action they’ve never seen in deep water.

by John N. Felsher

TF&G BOWHUNTING QUIZ Bowhunting has evolved since the dawn of civilization. Technology and methods have improved, but success still requires knowledge and skill. Here’s a little quiz to see how far your bowhunting has evolved.

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The Rut Interrupted A new study by whitetail researchers has uncovered a number of factors that can put the brakes on a region’s rut after it has started. Their findings offer both obvious conclusions (weather) and a few interesting insights. STORY:

by Paul Bradshaw

www.FishGame.com

by Lou Marullo 4 |

OTO, BRM1949 N STOCK PH PHOTO: © CA

by Ted Nugent

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COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS

OCTOBER 2011 • Volume XXVII • NO. 6

COLUMNS 10 Editor’s Notes

33 Texas Bow Hunting

The Hunt for Red October

The Bow-Tech Assassin

by DON ZAIDLE TF&G Editor-in-Chief

by LOU MARULLO TF&G Bow Hunting Editor

12 TF&G REPORT

by CHESTER MOORE TF&G Executive Editor

16 Doggett at Large

38 Hunt Texas

Then, Now & Tomorrow

Ghosts of Goose Hunts Past

by JOE DOGGETT TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

by BOB HOOD TF&G Hunting Editor

Pike On the Edge

43 Texas Freshwater

The Case of Client v. Guide

Wild Bill

by DOUG PIKE TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

by MATT WILLIAMS TF&G Freshwater Editor

19 TexasWild

Our Trojan Horse

by TED NUGENT TF&G Editor At Large

by RICHARD SANCHEZ Guest Contributor

Adult Toys

by KENDAL HEMPHILL TF&G Politcal Commentator

by REAVIS WORTHAM TF&G Humor Editor

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34 NEW! TEXAS

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

44 TRUE GREEN

56 Open Season

Runnin’ and Gunnin’

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12 BIG BAGS &

49 Texas Saltwater

Deer Baiting 101

22 Commentary

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8 LETTERS

Chester’s Notes Hard Questions Await Hunters

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www.FishGame.com

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Letters to the Editor Waterfowl Expo I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME OF MY EXPEriences at the Gulf Coast Waterfowl Expo held at the Pasadena Convention Center recently. That was the best money I have spent in a long time. There were knowledgeable seminars that covered duck hunting, dog training, what is being done to benefit the ducks’ nesting areas, and how to handle your wild game after harvesting. I was so impressed, my wife and I joined the local Ducks Unlimited chapter. While at the Expo, I had the opportunity to meet Chester Moore and talk about fishing. I have been reading his articles for years and some of his books, but this was the first time meeting him. And, I’m telling you, you want to meet him if you love fishing. He will talk fishing with you. He was happy to answer any questions about fishing and shared information as long as you were willing to listen. He was quick to shake your hand and talked to you as if he had known you for years. Hats off to you, Chester, for being a first-class representative for us who fish and hunt. Then, there was the Texas Gourmet, Bryan Slaven, who was willing to share his recipes. I was even able to get my wife an autograph from Gator Queen Liz, from Swamp People. It was a very enjoyable and informative expo. Remember everyone—Buy Local, Buy American, Buy Union. Because the one job you save may be your own. Richard Holcomb Texas City

How to Carry STEVE, THANKS FOR YOUR ARTICLE IN THE September 2011 issue. I just finished reading “How to Carry a Concealed Weapon.” I am an “older” woman who currently carries my gun in a purse. I completely agree with you about that being an invitation to have my purse/gun snatched. I have looked 8 |

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at and considered every possible type of holster. I even went as far as buying a couple, including a “soft” IWB holster which I tried to modify to fit my gun. Needless to say, I’m not happy with the result. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be writing to you. When is the piece dedicated entirely to holsters going to be published? Please hurry!!! I want some more input before I continue my search for the “perfect” method of concealed carry. Gail Mullinax via www.FishGame.com

Dixie Jet Spoon RE: YOUR 2010 ARTICLE “5 LURES NOT Fished Anymore,” concerning the Dixie Jet Spoon. This lure is now back in full production through American Legend Tackle, located in Richland, Missouri, 573-7740631. This is a fish catching machine. Recommend you check them out.

Tom Murphy via www.FishGame.com

Gail, Finding the perfect holster is, sad to say, a life-long quest for most of us. After nearly 40 years of searching I still buy the occasional holster because I think it has some quality that will make it better. Since you took the time to write, I will tell you a couple of secrets. I suggest that you try two different types of holsters. I had a lady friend in the Border Patrol who seemed to love her Pancake holster. That is a holster that has ears on each side that the belt fits through. This allows the holster to lay flatter against the side than one with the belt loop on the back. Several makers produce such a holsters, both with and without retention devices, but I think you will find High Noon Holsters makes as good a holster as any. The Slide Guard and Sky High are two examples of what I am talking about. These are both standard waist and strong-side waist holsters. If you like an inside the waistband holster, something that fits inside the waistband of your clothing, I recommend the Milt Sparks Versa Max 2, or one of its clones. This is the most comfortable such holster I have ever carried. I carried mine, filled with my Kimber Pro Carry .45, all over Kerrville yesterday, covered only by a square-tailed nylon fishing shirt. Thanks for reading, thanks for writing, and good luck. And remember that the more

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you practice with that handgun, the luckier you get. —Steve LaMascus

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Politically Disappointed I AM RESPONDING TO THE LETTER, “Politically Disappointed”, by Gene Brake of San Antonio. Hello, Kendal Hemphill is the “political editor,” so one should expect to find a political opinion expressed! Texas Fish & Game is honest enough to state it is a political editorial. I have read articles in other hunting and fishing magazines which promote “global warming,” but state it as a fact, not opinion. I would suggest Mr. Brake just skip political commentary if he is not open minded enough to see what other opinions might be. Keep up the good work, Kendal Hemphill!

Keith Garner Abilene

Send Comments and Letters to: Editor, Texas Fish & Game 1745 Greens RD Houston, Texas 77032 Email: Editor@fishgame.com

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Editor’s Notes by Don Zaidle | TF&G Editor-in-Chief

The Hunt for Red October ECHNO-THRILLER BOOK ENTHUSIASTS (mea culpa) and movie buffs connect “Red October” with the book and subsequent movie of the same name. Historians and political pundits think of the Bolshevik Revolution led by Vladimir Lenin October 25, 1917—notwithstanding that the backward Russians still used the Julian calendar and the actual date was November 7 by the Gregorian calendar, “Red October” stuck nonetheless. To the hunter, “Red October” means some-

thing quite different, although the sanguine connotations of “red” remain consistent—whether shed in anger, revolution, or predatory conquest, blood’s color doesn’t change. The world changed in Russia’s Red October, which seems wholly fitting. October has marked a time of change ever since Man named the months and seasons. It is the time of the Harvest Moon—the first full moon nearest the autumn equinox, when waning days give way to longer nights—followed by the Hunter’s Moon—the first full moon after the Harvest Moon. Harvest and hunt are the essence of Man’s very existence, the bread and meat of body and soul. To reap the herbaceous bounty of Earth satisfies hunger, but leaves wanting a deeper need untended by seed and scythe. The hunt slakes a primordial thirst common to

all men—an imperative to kill, taste flesh, and smell the sweet warmth of blood, a need driven by genetic, saber-toothed memories of prey and triumph. In October, autumn woods turn the color of blood and bone, a rich mix of crimson and ochre that reminds the hunter of his predatory ancestry. The air smells different, a burnt umber scent of ancient campfires and roasted flesh of hard-won prey. The world feels different, a subtle inner throb that drives a man to he knows not what—unless he is a hunter. For many, the October primordial drive finds relief in dove and other avian weight in the game bag. But to some—those still sufficiently “uncivilized” to embrace their roots— it is a time of blooding in earnest, a reconnection to the surrogate fang and claw of ancient ancestors, a time to take up the simple instru-

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ments that propelled Man to the top of the food chain—the time of the bow. The name (if he had one) of our ancient, hairy ancestor that discovered the utility of wood held bent into a bow by sinew to launch a stick tipped with chiseled flint is lost to antiquity. Nonetheless, his nameless legacy endures, personified in Saxton Pope, Arthur Young, Howard Hill, Fred Bear, et al—men who understood what it means to be a predator, equipped not with fang and claw, but intellect sharper than any corporeal weapon in Nature. And it was those men, their ancestors and progeny, that secured the future of the modern hunter, and more—the very survival and continued ascendance of Homo sapiens. The bowman’s art figures prominently in Man’s history, reaching beyond mere sustenance to the fortunes and defilement of political pretenders. Britain’s War of the Roses reached resolution with the Act of Accord that recognized York as King Henry’s successor to the throne, disinheriting Henry’s six-year-old son Prince Edward (largely due to the efficacy of bowmen) in October of 1460. Bows in the hands of American Indians wrought crush-

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ing defeat against Kentucky and Pennsylvania militiamen in two separate engagements on October 18 and 22, 1790. October saw Columbus discover America; the birth of King Henry III of England, and Commander James Lawrence, who uttered the famous last words, “Don’t give up the ship!”; Alexander the Great defeat the Persian army; and Spain cede Louisiana to France in a secret treaty. The magic of October drives men to great things in field, fiefdom, and boardroom. It stirs an inner cauldron long dormant in some, that conjures ambitions and machinations beyond normal reach; awakening the primordial hunter that sleeps in our psyches, restoring life to dreams undreamt for perhaps millennia to hunt, stalk, and kill creatures vulnerable to our schemes—prey and predator-foe alike. The ancient hunter-gatherer with his bow of wood, medieval British archer with his longbow, and French soldat with his crossbow are all the same—torch-bearers of an ancient art that gave rise to tribal leaders, kings, and despots with equal utility. For the same strength of arm and shrewdness of eye that

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wielded the bow that brought meat to hearth, also made kings, dethroned cruel overlords, and changed the fortunes of nations. Without the bow, the world as we know it would not exist—perhaps Man would not rule Creation. The hunt itself might lay dead beneath the detritus of antiquity, but because of the bois de arc—the “bow of wood”—Man rules the known cosmos, civilization exists, and the hunter is the bulwark of culture. Maybe, someday, the hunter and his bow will go the way of the dodo and Clovis point. Meanwhile, the hunter and his instincts rule the corporate boardroom, the headship of nations, and the suburban bedroom. The hunter’s instinct and baser drives cleave the way of progress, innovation, and triumph. And the man who draws the bow holds in his fingers the history and fate of the world at large, and Mankind in particular. It could not rest in better hands than of the man who hunts and yearns for Red October—the season of blood.

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E-mail Don Zaidle at DZaidle@fishgame.com.

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The TF&G Report

12 More Charged in Kansas Poaching Probe THE KANSAS DEER POACHING SAGA CARries on, with charges filed recently against 12 more men—including several from East Texas—who prosecutors say broke federal game laws by taking deer illegally and transporting them across state lines. More than two years have passed since dozens of federal agents and Texas game wardens swarmed the small East Texas town of Center, Texas, and surrounding towns and communities in Texas and Louisiana, to begin cleaning up what some are now calling one of the dirtiest deer poaching cases in U.S. history. Authorities seized dozens of mounted deer heads and antlers, many of them

believed to have been taken illegally in connection with a deer hunting operation based from a hunting camp called “Camp Lone Star” near Coldwater, Kan., between 2005 and 2008. There, and on other leased property in Kansas, prosecutors say the camp’s owner, James Bobby Butler, and his brother, Marlin Jackson Butler, encouraged, directed and allowed some clients to kill deer illegally without proper licenses and permits, and by using illegal means and methods such as spotlighting and rifles during archery season. In May 2010, a federal grand jury handed down a 23-count felony indictment charging the Butler brothers with a long list of hunting violations, including multiple violations of the Lacey Act. The Lacey Act is a federal law that prohibits the transport of illegally taken game across state lines. The law has razor teeth, carrying a maximum penalty of five years in

prison and a $250,000 fine per count. Last June, U.S. Senior District Judge Wesley Brown of Wichita, Kan., sentenced the Butler brothers to jail time and slapped them with healthy fines following months of legal wrangling that ended in plea deals. James Butler was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison and fined $50,000. Marlin Butler was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and fined $20,000. Both men are appealing their sentences. Court records indicate the U.S. government at one time targeted as many as 60 Camp Lone Star hunters suspected of illegally killing more than 100 deer—many of them trophy bucks—during hunting seasons spanning 2005-08. Judging from recent developments in the case, not everyone in that group is out of the woods just yet. In July, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom of Wichita announced that two more East

B IG B AGS&CATCHES

WHITETAIL BUCK

SHARK

REDFISH

Ft. Bend County

Crystal Beach

Galveston

Hannah Shelby Booth, age 10, of Booth, Texas got her first deer, this 8 point buck, on the Booth Ranch in Ft. Bend County. Hannah’s buck scored green at 130 5/8 B&C and weighed 155lbs. Hannah’s mom, Sarah Booth, assisted her on the hunt.

Charles Gonzalez and his son John were fishing the surf at Crystal with the family when they caught this bull shark, estimated to weigh 50 pounds. They caught several more sharks and some bull reds too.

8-year-old George Torreros III of Dickinson caught his first bull red while fishing with his dad George Jr and grandfather George Sr at the Galveston jetty.

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Texas men had been indicted on federal poaching charges related to the Butler case. According to court records, Justin Klein of Center was indicted on three counts of transporting deer across state lines that were taken illegally in Kansas between Nov. 1, 2006 and Nov. 1, 2007. Meanwhile, Johnny Risinger of Mt. Enterprise was indicted on one count of transporting a deer across state lines after the deer was taken illegally in Kansas on Dec. 1, 2005. If convicted on the felony charges, Klein and Risinger face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and up to $20,000 in fines, according to Jim Cross, public affairs officer for the U.S. Attorney in Kansas. On Aug. 11, federal prosecutors filed misdemeanor Lacey Act charges against 12 more men from Texas and Louisiana in connection with illegal hunting activity in Kansas. What follows is a list of the defendants and a description of the federal charges filed against each one: • Charles B. Sapp, 32 of Center, Tx: Charged with taking deer unlawfully without valid license and tags, and in excess of the bag limit. • Michael Herne, 37, of Monroe, La.: Charged with unlawfully taking deer without valid license and tags, and in the improper Deer Management Unit. • Arthur Clemons, 67, of Cushing, Tx.: Unlawfully taking deer without valid license and tags. • Michael Scarber, 31, of Center, Tx.: Unlawfully taking deer with illegal equipment. • Harry Wells, 53, of Denham Springs, La.: Unlawfully taking deer without valid license and tags, and in the improper Deer Management Unit. • James Jacobs, 41, of Shelbyville, Tx.: Unlawfully taking deer without valid license and tags, in the wrong Deer Management Unit, and in excess of the annual bag limit. • James Donnan, 57, of Center, Tx.: Unlawfully taking deer with illegal equipment and failing to tag the deer upon kill. • Jerry Deville, 39, of Denham Springs, La.: Unlawfully taking deer without valid license, and failing to tag the deer. • Kyle Bush, 39, of Timpson, Tx.: Unlawfully taking deer without valid license and tags, in excess of the bag limit, with illegal equipment, and failing to tag the deer upon kill. • Zach Belrose, 21, of Center Tx.:

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Unlawfully taking deer without valid license or tags, and in excess of the annual bag limit. • Douglas Baker, 52, of Palestine, Tx.: Unlawfully taking deer without a valid license. • Bazil Moore, no age or hometown available: Unlawfully taking deer without valid license or tags. According to Cross, the charges against the 12 men are categorized as misdemeanor Lacey Act violations based on “the value of

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the game they crossed state lines with.” Cross said the the maximum penalty facing each hunter is one year in prison and a fine up to $10,000, if convicted. Cross held his cards close to the vest when asked if charges against more hunters might be forthcoming. “This case is still open,” he said.

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—by Matt Willams

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Chester’s Notes by Chester Moore | TF&G Executive Editor ing pressure caused by the legalization of crossbows in the archery-only season? For decades, many in the so-called leadership in bowhunting in Texas said it was going to be a disaster to make them legal. The facts show their resistance had more to do with cliquish attitudes (hey, I’m better than you because I shoot a real bow) than any concerns for deer or safety.

Hard Questions Await Hunters S A HUNTER I HAVE BEEN ON GUARD FOR things that could steal this important part of my lifestyle. For years we have looked at anti-hunting groups as bogeymen, but are there other factors out there far more detrimental to the sport? These are a list of questions I recently asked myself along with some of my opinions. I hope you will take the time to answer and perhaps share your opinions with me via email at cmoore@fishgame.com.

Here we go… 1. WHAT HAS BEEN MORE DETRIMENTAL TO hunters in Texas, anti-hunting groups or the federal government? There are hundreds of thousands of acres off limits to hunting and fishing. Let’s take the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge for example. Sure, they allow very limited deer and hog hunts but the entire 100,000 plus acre refuge located on the coast is off limits to waterfowl hunting. And, it was purchased by duck stamp money! Think about that. Who has given us more restrictions? Is it the antis with their pathetic signs and slogans or bureaucrats with real authority and no publicly stated agenda? 2. WHERE ARE ALL OF THE MORTALLY wounded hunters, deer and immense hunt-

3. HAS THE TROPHY WHITETAIL CRAZE OF the last 30 years benefitted or hurt you? Has deer hunting outpaced your other living expenses in great fashion or has it stayed the same? How much longer can you afford to deer hunt? 4. IS IT ME OR IS THE FEAR OF CHRONIC Wasting Disease (CWD) way out of line with reality? Sure, it is a real thing but it has undoubtedly been around forever and with all of the deer in Texas along with exotics imported from everywhere you would think Texas would have deer dropping left and right if it CWD were such a huge threat. 5. SHOULD TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE Commissioners be elected instead of appointed? On one hand it would give them more accountability if they wanted to seek reelection but I remember reading a brilliant article by Ron Henry Strait once that floated the idea that we have done a good job of keeping the antis out with appointed candidates. With growing urban populations who have no clue about hunting, he might be right. What do you think? 6. I WATCH VERY LITTLE OUTDOORS TELEVIsion but occasionally find myself at a hunting camp when one of the myriad deer hunting programs is on. Doesn’t it get a little old to have a hunter get a shot the very “last day” of the hunt on a huge buck that is supposed to be ultra wary, yet while they are talking

Fish with Me & Jimmy Houston WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN A FISHING trip with me and the legendary Jimmy Houston? If so, go to page 17 to find out 14 |

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the details and sign up. This contest is being brought to you by Texas Fish & Game and U.S. Reels and not only

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about the buck, they have tons of full frame footage of the deer looking right at the camera? Sometimes clichés need to be dumped in the trash bin of history. 7. IF FERAL HOGS ARE SUCH A DIRE THREAT then why are the most effective methods (trapping, hunting at night and hunting with dogs) prohibited on most state and federal lands? Oh, I almost forgot baiting is also illegal so add that to the mix. 8. WHY IS TEXAS NOT THE TOP BOWHUNTing state in the nation? We have by far the most abundant game and are always among the top in overall license sales, so why do we consistently rank below the top 10 in bowhunting? Some say it is because Midwestern states either have no rifle season (shotgun only) or very short ones and that could be a contributing factor for them. What is the reason for Texas? 9. IF I HAVE TO VISUALLY MEASURE THE spread distance of a whitetail in about 1/3 of the state before shooting, does that mean I can throw a speckled trout in the ice chest and measure it when I get back to the dock? The possibilities of walking up to the deer and measuring it before shooting are about one in a million after all. It is really the same thing isn’t it? You can’t shoot and release a deer, nor freeze and release a fish. So how are antler spread restrictions supposed to be anywhere in the neighborhood of just? 10. WHAT HAVE YOU AND I DONE TO MENTOR someone with an interest in hunting? Taking someone once is fine but as my friend T.J. Greaney has found with his Kids Outdoors Zone project, mentoring is key.

E-mail Chester Moore at CMoore@fishgame.com. includes winning a trip but also a shot of you with Houston on our cover in a future edition. Why are you waiting? Go sign up now. —CM

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Doggett at Large by Joe Doggett | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Then, Now & Tomorrow COPY OF THE 1972/73 TEXAS HUNTING & Fishing Guide was stashed in the bottom drawer of my work desk. I’m a bit of a pack rat. I almost tossed it, then decided to take a look. The yellowed brochure defined the hunting and fishing regulations during the year I was hired as an outdoor writer for the Houston Chronicle. The slim booklet has 48 pages. By contrast, the 2010/11Texas Parks and Wildlife Hunting and Fishing Regulations is 104 pages. But that’s not the remarkable difference. The shocker is the woeful lack of attention devoted to saltwater angling. Fishing regulations began on page 30 of the old booklet. The only requirement under the “Texas Sportfishing Guide” was an annual $2.15 fishing license. That was good for freshwater or saltwater, resident or non-resident. An additional $1.00 saltwater tag was required for “sport” anglers using trotlines. The following 14 pages were devoted to convoluted freshwater sport fishing regulations. But at least the lakes and rivers had size and bag limits on most sport species. The final 3 1/2 pages of the1972/73 booklet were devoted to saltwater fishing. But three of those pages dealt with various aspects of commercial fishing for finfish and shellfish. A total of four sentences concerned regulations pertaining to the huge and growing industry of sport fishing for speckled trout, red drum and flounder in the coastal waters of Texas. And they were short, incomplete sentences, at that. Here, take a look: Minimum Size Limits: In all counties: Redfish — 14 inches. In Cameron, Kenedy and Willacy Counties: Flounder and Speckled Trout — 12 inches. All other species — No size limits. That’s it. No elaboration, no fine tuning — and no bag limits on any saltwater species.

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And, with the exception of three South Texas counties, no size limits on trout or flounder. Frankly, I suspect the 14-inch minimum on reds was imposed to prevent rod-and-reel fishermen from retaining them before they were large enough to be caught in gill nets. Younger anglers who have known nothing but realistic limits might have trouble accepting the fact that Texas was so lax in protecting such a valuable resource/industry. This especially is true considering that, during the past 30 years, the Lone Star State led the way in coastal finfish conservation and restoration. The turnaround was achieved by sport fishermen who recognized the serious decline of redfish and speckled trout, and a growing commitment by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to protect the resource. Commercial trotlines, gill nets and beach seines took heavy tolls. And, let’s be honest, unregulated rod-and-reel pressure was a factor. Balding, graying old salts remember all this — the “Redfish Wars” — but some young lions might benefit from a refresher course in why our inshore fishing flourishes today. Space does not permit a blow-by-blow, but here are some of the highlights: 1977 — The Gulf Coast Conservation Association was founded in Houston by approximately 40 anglers determined to fight the powerful commercial fishing industry. Talk about the proverbial acorn growing into the mighty oak — GCCA made it happen. 1979 — The first significant limits on sport fishing (supported by GCCA) were enacted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. A rod-and-reel fisherman could keep 20 trout and 10 reds per day. The minimum length on trout was 12 inches. While that daily bounty might seem remarkably liberal now, it was a big start in the right direction. 1981 — House Bill 1000, the “Redfish Bill,” was signed into law by Gov. Bill Clements. The law established red drum and speckled trout as “gamefish,” effectively protecting them from commercial harvest in state waters. This was huge; it established the value of these species as a sport resource. 1982 — The John Wilson Marine Hatchery run by TPWD and funded by

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GCCA was opened near Corpus Christi. 1983 — The first batch of 2.3 million hatchery spawned redfish fingerlings was released in the bays near Port O’Connor. Other coastal states were in awe of the can-do attitude of Texas. 1984 — TPWD cut the daily speckled trout limit from 20 to 10. The minimum length was increased to 14 inches (to improve spawning recruitment). The redfish limit was cut to five fish, 18-inch minimum length. The drastic reductions were in response to the killer freeze during the winter of 1982/83. 1985 — TPWD approved the $5 Texas Saltwater Stamp, required in addition to a valid fishing license. Funds raised were used specifically for conservation projects. 1989 — The limits again were tightened. Another killer freeze played a part but so, also, did the growing acceptance of catch-andrelease. The concept works. Three reds per day, with a 20-to-28-inch slot limit, were allowed (plus one annual tag for an over-sized fish). The trout daily limit remained 10 but the minimum length was upped to 15 inches. 2002 — TPWD acknowledged the fact that large speckled trout are special. The big fish deserve recognition and protection, and the commission adopted the current rule allowing only one trout measuring 25 inches or more per day. In addition, licensed guides were not permitted to retain trout, reds or flounder while fishing with clients. 2007 — TPWD cut the daily limit for speckled trout to five per day in the lower Laguna Madre system south of Marker 21 in the Land Cut. The move was made in response to dwindling returns of mature trout in the shallow South Texas bays. Two years later, based on creel survey returns, both numbers and sizes were up. The future for saltwater sport fishing in Texas looks positive, mostly because of a legacy of commitment along the coast and in Austin. I think I’ll keep the old brochure. In many ways, 1972 was a long, long time ago.

E-mail Joe Doggett at JDoggett@fishgame.com

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Pike on the Edge by Doug Pike | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

The Case of Client v. Guide UIDED FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS don’t always end successfully, even when they do. If you think that doesn’t make sense, try sorting out the details of a hunting trip this past season that led to disappointment and, ultimately, a lawsuit. Sometimes I’ll name names in columns, and sometimes I will not. In this case, it’s the latter, because there isn’t yet resolution of the case. Generally, a couple of hunters signed on for what they thought would go one way, and it went another in a big way. They paid for a good time and didn’t get it. Most such disappointments end with promise of a free trip, which seems at face value a fair exchange if best-laid plans lay an egg. In this case, however, the plaintiffs hope to recover actual costs, plus damages and attorneys’ fees. A judge or jury will sort it all out, or the sides will square up before trial. That’s how our system works. If you’re angry or feel wronged, whatever the circumstances that got you that way, you can get a day in court. Good system, mostly. As much as I’d like to pick a side and beat its tambourine until everyone tapped toes in agreement, that would only alienate folks. Instead, I’d rather offer thoughts on how any guided trip could go better and how both guide and client can ensure that it does. We begin with the hunter or fisherman who searched the Web and found what seemed a reputable, respected guide service. Its site featured photo galleries of successful sportsmen and their kills or catches, all smiles and not a one of them looking disappointed. Secondary pages detail how and

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where the service hunts or fishes, then wrap with pricing and other services. Standard stuff. Online or on the phone, a reservation is made, and that’s where both parties tend to miss the opportunity to avoid problems; neither asks the other enough questions. The more information is exchanged beforehand, the fewer potential surprises. Clients should express wants and needs, and guides should explain the realities of pursuing wild game. Do you still run the boat in the photos? Can you provide a rifle? Do you always hunt from blinds? Does everybody catch fish or get close shots at trophy bucks? And on the flip side... How much experience do you have? What would you consider a successful trip? Do you prefer lots of little fish or a few big fish? Do you mind walking, or would you prefer to ride to a blind? Lots of people can cast plugs or blow duck calls and stumble into the business, but only a few last more than a season. They’re magicians, in a way, only they can never be certain that all their assistants will show up for work. Nobody who paid full freight wants to be in the hands of an unseasoned guide, either, but no great guide ever earned that reputation hunting by himself. Hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars change hands on a dock or in some sleepy pancake joint before dawn, often between people who would be total strangers but for a single call or email. Everyone hopes it goes well. But when it doesn’t, even when they were told in advance about “worst case” outcomes, clients don’t want to believe it could happen to them. It can, and it does. That’s when you ponder whether the guide did everything in his or her power to provide opportunity to get clean shots or catch fish. Did the guy work? And make no mistake that guiding, on 90 percent of trips, is work. The crazy-good trips are well earned bonuses for anyone who

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puts in the daily effort of a professional hunter or fisherman. The highest hurdle for guides is that none of them can make fish eat or ducks fly or deer stand still. When a chef promises a great meal, he’s got a kitchen full of food behind him. When the Astros promise a majorleague ballgame…well, maybe that’s not the best example. If something goes wrong, a guide should do all in his or her power to overcome that situation. And if that person’s equipment was in good shape, skills were to par, and full effort was made to meet client expectations, then as a guide, the test was met. As a client, you must cover your end by being on time and following the guide’s instructions – so long as they are within preset boundaries. Of course, even when both sides do everything absolutely right, straps and stringers can hang empty at day’s end. That’s the exception more than the rule, but such are hunting and fishing. In all its forms, the service industry is burdened with customer expectations that sometimes are vague and impossible to meet. A “good” hunting or fishing trip has hundreds of definitions. Some of my best hunts, as noted by the hunters themselves, only put a handful of birds on the strap. Value was in the experience, not the meat. To make clients smile when wildlife doesn’t cooperate, however, the experience itself has to have genuine value. A guide has to know his or her craft and execute it as well as or better than the people with whom he’s sharing a boat or blind. If there’s a valid reason why animals weren’t where they should have been, it should be explained in highdollar detail. I can’t say how this particular case will be resolved, but it will spark more first-contact discussion between guides and their clients, and both sides ultimately will benefit.

E-mail Doug Pike at DPike@fishgame.com

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Ted’s TexasWild by Ted Nugent | TF&G Editor at Large

Deer Baiting 101 HAT THERE IS A SO CALLED DEBATE about the sensible, effective practice and proven hunting strategy of baiting deer is rather laughable, except for the very tragic reality that such buffoonery and denial has manifested themselves in the most egregious and offensive of ways. One has to look no further than the infestation of a gang of America hating, power abusing, corrupt gangsters in the White House and throughout much of the government of the United States of America for definitive proof that way too many Americans have lost their minds. We can only pray such ignorance is corrected soon, very, very soon. For the record, those clowns who frown on, or worse, would ban the baiting of deer, are the very same clowns who would bait up a leopard, bait up a bear, a hog, plant an ambush friendly foodplot, make a mock scrape, put out some doe in heat pee, sit at a waterhole to ambush the creature of their choice, or maybe hunker down in a government or hunt club flooded corn field to whack an incoming mallard. Really. Think about that for moment. Ugly ain’t it. Being that as it may, this old backstrap addicted predator would like to state right here and now that without question, my absolute favorite hunting joys come from picking the perfect tree in a perfect gamey area, where there are either falling acorns, or scattered kernels of golden corn, or maybe a few small piles of commercial deer attractants or feed so as to optimize my close encounter dreams with the delicious herbivore of my choice. I simply love hunting a spot where it is

most likely to get a shot, instead of less likely to kill a deer. Ya think! So let us examine the lessons learned of the hunting'est bowhunting fool the world has ever known, for I, your loving Uncle Ted, The Nuge, Strap Assassin1, the humble WhackMaster, through much trial and error, (heavy on the error) have discovered better than average baiting techniques to bring 'em in. Usually. Of course, in some areas, one has to only whip out a bag of shell corn and climb a tree to get a crack at a deer, but on my outrageously heavily hunted grounds, a bit more thought must go into baiting to get a strapper to show up. First and foremost is stand location. Repeat after me; wind, sun, cover. Say it again; WIND, SUN, COVER. It is always best to play the wind in our favor, and we never want the sun shining on us. Of equal importance is our silhouette breaking hideout. We must have the advantage, and the disappearance of the human form is paramount. Do it all and do it all completely. The clowns who poo-poo baiting always ignorantly beller that a real hunter scouts the wild grounds, and learns all about the animals, and that baiting eliminates these basic dues of hunting. Bull dung. I doubt there is a human being alive that scouts more than I do. I refuse to believe that any hunter anywhere walks, explores, probes or examines more deer ground in many seasons that I do every season. Searching for a baiting location is the same thing as scouting for any and all deer ambushing endeavors. Who doesn’t know this? I hear these guys squawk this nonsense and actually feel sorry for them. Once we have determined the ultimate travel routes, bedding, feeding and staging zones, the proper treestand or groundblind spot must be chosen for optimal wind, sun and hiding cover. I like funnels and edge, where there is plenty of ground cover to provide a sense of security for approaching deer or hogs. We hear a lot about “bait piles.” Don’t T E X A S

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put your bait in piles. Deer are on red alert when they approach a pile of feed, but are more relaxed when they encounter small amounts spread far and wide, especially a few kernels in dense ground cover. Deer seem to gain confidence when they get a little taste and nothing happens, and then more readily move around looking for more, eventually moving in for a shot where more bait has been placed for the ultimate shot. Shell corn works darn good almost always, but with so many commercial baits on the market, you would be wise to try them all and see what brings em in the best. I have found Primos Swamp Donkey to be killer. So too the various WildGame Innovations products. The 30-06 blend of grains out of Ohio works like gold on both my MI and TX sacred deer grounds. Whatever your choice, a little extra effort in finding and setting up that ultimate location, and the sensible spreading of assorted baits in optimal shot spots is as legitimate a hunting strategy as any, anywhere, anytime. I for one hunt as hard as possible to encounter as much game as I possibly can. Deer need to be killed, we insist on backstraps aplenty, and I love being around wildlife. I never bother fishing without a worm on my hook, and baiting deer, bear, hogs, turkey, where legal, gives me a thrill that cleanses my soul.

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E-mail Ted Nugent at TNugent@fishgame.com.

On the Web For more gung-ho hunting celebration, visit www.tednugent.com

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Commentary by Kendal Hemphill | TF&G Political Commentator

Runnin’ and Gunnin’ F YOU, LIKE MANY AMERICANS, BREATHE, you have no doubt heard about the gun running debacle held recently by America’s premier gun control organization, the BATF&E, which has become a government acronym for Officers Who Can’t Find Their Ammo With Both Hands. In case you’re wondering why the letters don’t correspond, so is everyone else, but nobody has had the guts to ask yet. My editor, Don Zaidle, asked me to do a news story about this fiasco when it first

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started, but so far I haven’t done one. The problem is that it’s not easy to get new information from people who belong to a government organization so arrogant the employees don’t even talk to each other. It’s also difficult to get new information from people who have been so terrorized by that agency, and forced by that agency to commit heinous crimes, that they check with their lawyers before they tie their shoes. Basically, in case you’ve been living in a cardboard box on Jupiter for the past several months, the BATF&E had an operation going in which they told gun dealers to knowingly and illegally sell guns to people who were supplying the arms for the bad guys in Mexico. Instead of then arresting these people, the BATF&E allowed them to take the guns south. And we’re not talking

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about ten or fifteen rifles, here. We’re talking about over a thousand, minimum. One of these guns later turned up at a shootout in which an American law enforcement officer was killed. According to America’s litigious standards, if the transgressor in this case were the tobacco industry or a gun company instead of the BATF&E, they would have already been sued for billions of dollars. And they would have lost. Eric Holder, our AG (a government acronym for Boss Who’s Probably Lying), is in charge of the BATF&E. Holder claims he didn’t know any of this was happening. If Holder really didn’t know what was going on he’s incompetent, and if he did he’s a criminal. Either way he doesn’t belong in charge of a kiddie train at Fiesta Texas, much less a large agency that plays with

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guns. All this comes on top of the recent claims of the Mexican government that their gun problem is our fault. They can’t control their citizens because the Mexican government has taken away their rights, so somehow the U.S. is the culprit. Blaming us for Mexico’s illegal gun problem is like replacing your spare tire because your gas tank is empty. Some in our government also claim that 90 percent of the guns going into Mexico illegally are coming from the U.S. This has turned out to be less than accurate, inasmuch as it is a bald-faced lie. No one knows exactly how many of Mexico’s illegal guns come from the U.S., but the 90 percent figure cannot be supported by any evidence whatever. That number was invented because a small fraction of guns confiscated in Mexico during a given period were thought to have come from the U.S., and when that fraction was checked, 90 percent of the guns in that fraction were found to have originated in America. Politicians hate to let a little thing like facts ruin a good story.

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The most dependable estimates I have found that can be supported by factual evidence indicate the number of Mexico’s illegal guns that came from the U.S. is about 17 percent. Many will find that number unacceptable, of course, but the laws of supply and demand will be met, from one source or another. The question is, if Mexico can blame the U.S. for its illegal guns, can the U.S. blame Mexico for its illegal drugs? The data I’ve turned up indicates that at least 80 percent of America’s illegal drugs come from Mexico. This is obviously the fault of the Mexican government. Also coming to light recently is the fact that many of Mexico’s illegal guns were sold legally, by U.S. companies, under U.S. government oversight, to the Mexican military. They were issued to Mexican troops, who became unhappy and left the army, taking their M16s with them when they joined the Mexican drug cartels, where they were paid more, treated better, and were far more popular. So a lot of the guns our government is complaining about going to Mexico from the

U.S. were sent there by the people complaining about them. This is known as ‘spin.’ Mexico most definitely does have a gun problem. The problem is that Mexican citizens are denied the right to keep and bear arms. The way to solve the problem is to issue a military-style rifle and several magazines of ammo to each Mexican head of household, so those good people can defend themselves against the bad guys. No, I don’t expect that to happen. Once you give up rights, you rarely get them back. What I do expect is for Americans to be smart enough to refuse to accept the blame for Mexico’s gun problems. I also expect Americans to recognize the BATF&E for what it is, a government agency that has become so powerful, corrupt, and lawless it must be disbanded. American lives are at stake, but more importantly, so is American freedom.

E-mail Kendal Hemphill at KHemphill@fishgame.com.

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PHOTOS: JAY CRIHFIELD); INSET, THOMAS BURLISON; LEAVES, MAKSIM SHMELJOV), BIGSTOCK

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by Bob Hood THE WHISTLE OF A BOBWHITE QUAIL on a ranch near Nix in Central Texas at daybreak one morning recently may not be regarded as front-page news to some people but it was like a choir of hope for me. After all, wild quail numbers have been declining all across the south and west and the voices of the prince of all game birds from anywhere brings me to attention.

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Yes, this was a male bob white quail assembling his assembly on the Lampasas County ranch, an area that normally does not host large quail populations. Three double-syllable notes in a row was music to my ears as I sat in front of a hunting cabin watching two whitetail deer feeding nearby just after the crack of dawn.

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Mother Nature has stepped in to provide more wingshooting opportunities.

ing areas for any of these upland and waterfowl birds? It’s where the water and food sources are the most plentiful. Some commercial hunting operations such as the WS Sherrill Waterfowl Resort near Wharton go several steps beyond just hoping the weather and natural water sources attract the ducks and geese from their northern wintering grounds. Bill Sherrill annually pumps water into 40 pounds ranging from 10 to 100 acres in size to attract ducks and geese and hunts them sparingly so not to over-pressure them with

NORMAN BATEMAN; TOM YOUNG; BOB HOOD

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Fortunately for Texas wing-shooters, quail aren’t the only birds available, both seasonally and almost year-round. Doves, quail, ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, and pheasants provide a large variety of wing-shooting opportunities all across the state. Mother Nature also has stepped in to provide many of us with even more wingshooting opportunities. She has expanded white-winged doves populations all the way from South and West Texas and Mexico into many northern communities in recent years, providing additional hunting opportunities

Wild quail numbers have been declining all over Texas. Fortunately, Texas wingshooters have plenty of other available opportunities, including...

Sandhill crane offer great hunting opportunities in the Texas Panhandle region that stretches from Floydada and Muleshoe.

for dove hunters. Sandhill crane hunting is excellent in the Texas Panhandle, especially from Floydada to Muleshoe, and goose hunting is a yearly attractant to hunters from the Texas Panhandle grain and cotton fields all the way to the rice fields of the South Texas coastal plains. Even resident Canada geese 26 |

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in East Texas are now fair game to hunters at the same time the special teal duck-only season is under way in September. Other species of migrating ducks and geese also offer great hunting throughout the state in private ponds and lakes, public reservoirs, rivers and coastal bays. So, just where are your best wing-shoot-

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Waterfowl hunting is strong throughout the Lone Star State, from the grain fields of the Panhandle, through to the rice fields of the coastal plains.

hunting. Sherrill’s conservation efforts have worked to produce some of the greatest wing-shooting of waterfowl in the state. Elsewhere, many outfitters rely on Mother Nature to provide food and water on their hunting properties. In Knox and sur-

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of native bobwhites by improving the habitat. Billy Bunett, owner of Hidden Lakes Resort at Yantis near Lake Fork, does the same. Burnett releases pheasants, chucker and quail, has a good brace of bird dogs and takes care of hunters’ needs in lodging, meals and bird cleaning. Burnet’s tiny Jack Russell wirehaired retriever, Huckleberry, has become a celebrity among Burnett’s wing-shooting customers. Mourning and white-winged dove hunt-

ing may not be as good as usual in many areas of the state this year due to recent drought conditions and wildfires which affected nesting activity of native birds, but there likely will be hot spot areas of migrating doves from the north that target the best available food plots. Some of the best places to find doves will be around stock tanks, gravel pits and irrigated fields that surpassed drought conditions to produce adequate sources of foods.

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rounding counties, Jeff Stanfield of Stanfield Outfitters moves his hunters from field to field to follow Canada and specklebelly geese feeding patterns while his father, Ron, provides released pheasant and quail hunting on nearby grassy fields when he isn’t helping guide goose hunting groups. With the exception of some blue quail populations in far West Texas, bob whites have continued on the down-slide, but that doesn’t mean Texas hunters are out of the game for bagging the prized upland game bird. Good populations of wild bob white quail still exist in South and Central Texas as well as portions of North Texas where adequate rainfalls have helped them survive. Also, a number of operations that provide released bird hunting have improved their selections of quail to provide birds that are as flighty, and sometimes more flighty, than native quail.

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The key to successful wingshooting in these times of challenging conditions is to find where food and water sources are plentiful.

One such operation is the S.M. Brown Game Bird Ranch north of Nocona near Spanish Fort bordering the Red River on the Texas-Oklahoma border. Ranch owner, Matt Brown is not only consistently looking for the best quail for his released-bird operation but he tailors his land to accommodate and propagate already existing populations T E X A S

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PHOTO: NATUREGUY, CANSTOCK PHOTO

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What Factors Can Disrupt the Generations-Old Timing of a Region’s Rutting Season? BY PAUL BRADSHAW T E X A S

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SITTING ON THE GROUND UNDER a centuries old oak tree, I was trying to stay warm and dry in the cold November drizzle. I love hunting on days like this and my early morning vigil was soon rewarded as a doe sprinted by almost within arms reach. Hot on her tail was a young buck that was probably wearing his first set of antlers. As that duo disappeared into the underbrush another buck trotted down the same trail with its neck out and nose down. A few minutes later a third young buck came running down the trail looking for love. Without a doubt, the rut was on and why shouldn’t it be. The date was November 12th, right on schedule for the peak rut in my hunting area but is this always the case? Can you look at the rut charts for your section of the state and put in for vacation on the peak and be assured that there will love struck bucks running around like ants or are there other factors that lead to an interrupted rutting period? “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” I’m quoting Ecclesiastes, not The Byrds. Every activity in nature has a very specific time, including white-tail rutting activity. The purpose behind the rut is simply to make more little deer so that one day some of them can grow up to be big deer and start the process over again. It is theorized that this timing is all based on a culmination of factors including the amount of available daylight (photo period) and phase of the moon. I say it is theorized and not confirmed because as of yet we have not discovered a way for the deer to talk and tell us why they rut when they do. We can only observe the behavior and make educated guesses. Realistically, the rut happens around the same time every year in a general area in order to maximize survival rates of the fawns produced in a specific area. In optimum conditions 200 days after the doe is bred (200 days is the gestation period for white-tails) the fawn will hit the ground at a time when there is a lot of food and cover around. In areas where there are multiple factors affecting fawn survival, the rut is sometimes timed so that fawns are born during a period when there is the least likelihood of a natural disaster occurring. For example, deer born in the Mississippi River Delta would have low survival rates if they were born in late spring (even though the weather conditions are ideal and there is 32 |

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plenty of forage for the does to turn into milk), when the region is susceptible to flooding. Looking at the peak rut charts for this area we see that the majority of the breeding is done later in surrounding areas to allow the potential for floods to pass before fawns are born. Since this area is less likely to receive harsh winter weather than North Dakota, the weather is not the main determining factor for when the rut occurs. This isn’t something the deer learn, but rather a hereditary trait passed down by the generations upon generations of deer that have called the region home. So overall, the main driving force behind deer breeding when they do is the fawn survival rate but around here that just puts the rut into about a two month period. Are there other short-term factors that even further define when the rut will occur and can it actually be interrupted? I’m glad you asked and the answer is yes. White-tail expert Charles Alsheimer and Vermont Biologist Wayne Laroche are working on a study to determine the effects of the moon on rutting activity; but other interesting information has come from the study, most notably being the affect of weather and human disruption have on rutting activity. You can read more about the study at charlesalsheimer.com but here’s the part that I believe will have the most impact on how you hunt during the rut. First, air temperature plays a large roll in the intensity of rutting. More accurately, when it gets hot the rutting activity stops all together. During the study, when the temperature rose above 45 degrees (this is up north) the rut stopped. The animals were unable to chase without overheating due to their heavier winter coats. Around here that rut stopping temperature will probably be close to 75 but as long as it is unseasonably hot don’t expect the see any bucks chasing

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even when temperatures fall during the night. Second, the more you move around in your hunting area, the less the deer do during the day, even during the peak of the rut. I know that most hunters think that the rut is a magical period when they can run around the woods doing whatever they please and the deer won’t pay them any attention, but that’s simply not true. In Alsheimer’s study the deer in areas with a large human presence traveled less than 30% of the time during the day, even during the rut. So one of the quickest ways to interrupt the rut is to let your guard down and tip the deer off that you are hunting them. The third thing that can mess up the rut in your area is an abnormally high doe to buck ratio. When there are a lot more does than bucks on your hunting grounds then the bucks have little motivation to chase for does because they know there is another one around the corner. Sure, the young bucks will chase anything that passes by, but mature bucks with a few seasons behind them know better. An over abundance of does leads to a long drawn out breeding period, with very little chasing, making many hunters wonder if they missed the rut when they are right in the middle of it. This should be motivation enough to take a few does out of your heard every year. We all know that at some point this hunting season the deer in our respective areas will be breeding. Exactly when they do this is still somewhat of a guess but it most certainly can be affected by the heat, how much they are disturbed, and the doe to buck ratio. Keep an eye on, and work around, these three factors and you’ll have a better chance and taking a rutting buck.

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Texas Bowhunting by Lou Marullo | TF&G Bowhunting Editor

The BowTech Assassin CTOBER TO ME MEANS DEER SEASON. Bow hunting whitetails is my passion. After reading some of my columns, you might have figured that out already. Although I, along with most of you, feel that we are fully prepared to enjoy success this season, we still need to remember to grab a bow and shoot some arrows to stay in “hunting” shape. I make sure that I still practice often during the season so I can make a clean, humane shot when the time comes. This year, I decided to add a new bow to my arsenal. Although I already shoot a BowTech and have for years, I decided it was time for a new one. I am glad I made that decision. I have been shooting the Justice and it has been good to me. I try to keep up with the many changes that companies like BowTech are making, changes for the better I might add. Enter the new 2011 BowTech Assassin. From the minute I picked this up and felt the familiar BowTech grip, I knew this was a bow I could love, and I was not disappointed. You may be asking yourself “Why is he talking about practicing and then bring up the new bow?” Well, I just came in from the shooting range and had to tell you how impressed I am with this bow. The very first group of arrows I shot at 20 yards were all touching each other, 30 yards brought the same result. I was totally impressed. I have not tried my 40 and 50-yard pins yet, but I do not expect any big problems. Not only does this bow have a super smooth draw, but it also comes with the speed of 333 fps. BowTech has been famous for having a very fast bow since Day 1. They do mean it when they say, “We take the arc

PHOTO: COURTESY BOWTECH ARCHERY

out of archery.” They even brought back the “smooth draw” cams for those who want a smoother draw. For those who prefer the smoother cams, BowTech claims that you will lose about 5 fps. Personally, I think that would go unnoticed. One thing I loved about the Assassin was that I had the option to order it with the new RAK system. Simply put, RAK means ready, aim, kill. The knowledgeable techs at BowTech take each bow and will set it up for you at the factory. Mine came ready to hunt. It was already equipped with a peep sight, arrow rest, sights, wrist strap, stabilizer and a quiver. It even came equipped with a string

hunting world. Combine all of this with a very generous 7 inch brace height and this Assassin is not only very forgiving for a fast bow, but with a weight of only 3.8 pounds, it is a pleasure to hunt with. Although the bow already came with all the silencers included and installed, I still could not believe how quiet this bow was. I must have shot 30 or 40 arrows before I even realized that fact. I was mesmerized at how smooth the draw was and just took the fact that the bow was so quiet for granted. For those interested in the specs of this bow, here they are: Speed: 333 FPS Let-Off: 65-80% Draw Length: 26-30” Draw Weights: 50, 60, 70 Brace Height: 7” Weight: 3.8 lbs. Axle to Axle Length: 30 5/8”

The Assassin

loop. I only needed to slightly adjust the sights and I was ready to go. The whole process took me less than 10 minutes. I prefer a drop away rest, but that was the only change I made. I love the fact that with the Assassin, I have the option to change my draw length without the use of a bow press. I am not sure yet if I want to shorten my draw length, but I might. The bow just feels so good and is shooting so well right out of the box that I just might leave things as they are. I must admit that it sure is nice to have that option. BowTech is not only famous for producing fast and accurate bows, but their Binary Cam system is also legendary in the bow T E X A S

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I have saved the best for last. With other quality bows running up towards $800 or higher, BowTech has kept this price at around $600. That is not the price of a bare bow like the other companies. That price includes everything you need to hunt with. I joked with my friends and said, “The only thing they forgot is the tree stand.” I realize that bow season has already started for us in Texas. I am not suggesting you get a new bow mid-stream here, but for those of you who are thinking about a new bow, The BowTech Assassin would be an excellent choice, particularly with the RAK system. The price is right, and the bow is a high quality bow from a company that embraces quality technology. BowTech has been around for years and after personally trying out this new Assassin bow, I can understand why. The sun just came out again and I want to get out and do a little shooting with my new bow. Good luck this season. Have fun and be safe out there.

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E-mail Lou Marullo at Lmarullo@fishgame.com |

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Texas Department of Defense Concealed Carry Revolvers OR THE FIRST HALF OF MY CAREER IN LAW enforcement I carried revolvers almost exclusively. In all those years I never had a complaint about the revolver as a self-defense weapon. In fact, today, admitting the ascendency of the semi-auto as king of personal defense handguns, I still carry a revolver on regular occasions, especially while prowling around in the brush or back country. Nothing in handguns beats a big magnum revolver as a bear dissuader. For concealed carry the revolver does

have a couple of deficiencies. For a revolver to hold several rounds of powerful ammunition it must have a cylinder that is rather large in diameter. This is not the case with semi-autos, as the cartridges for them are carried in a magazine that can be only slightly wider than the cartridge itself. Still, even though there are admitted drawbacks to revolvers, they are minor and I believe that their strengths far outweigh their weaknesses. One of the advantages of a

revolver over an auto is obvious when a dud cartridge is encountered. One of the loudest sounds in the world is a click

Ammunition for Self Defense Revolvers AMMUNITION IS ALWAYS AN ISSUE in self-defense. There are a number of things you must consider when buying ammunition your life may depend on. First is, how good a manstopper is it? It is silly to buy ammunition that is not the best there is for stopping a threat. Second is, is it too powerful for you to shoot well? Even if it is the best in 34 |

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when you are expecting a bang. One game warden who had to shoot a bear in selfdefense said he did not remember hearing a single one of the very loud .357 Magnum cartridges that he fired, but that he distinctly heard the click when he ran out of ammo and the hammer struck an already fired round. With a revolver, should you have a dud, all that is required is to pull the trigger again. The gun, which is double-action (a better

term is trigger cocking-action) does all the work for you

would be wonderful, but it has several disadvantages that prevent it from being a viable candidate for that purpose. It is so powerful Continued on page 40

the world at stopping an assailant in his tracks, it is worthless if you can't put it where it needs to be. A great example of this would be the massively powerful .454 Casull. Ruger makes a snub-nosed handgun in .454 Casull. It is intended as a carry weapon for those who want a handgun for stopping big bears. As a manstopper it

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PHOTO CAN STOCK PHOTO, GARY518

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except pulling the trigger. When the trigger is pulled the cylinder rotates and brings a fresh round in line with the bore, the trigger also brings back the hammer and when the round is in battery, releases the hammer to strike the primer, firing the round. If you have a dud in an auto, you must then go into the various drills that will clear the gun, chamber a fresh round, and fire the gun. This takes an eternity when you are in a life and death situation. The only danger with the revolver in such a situation is if the primer fired but failed to ignite the powder charge. If this happens it is probable that the bullet has been forced into the barrel or forcing cone by the pressure of the primer, but that it did not exit the barrel. If this is the case, firing the gun before the obstruction is cleared can and probably will destroy the handgun and may injure the shooter. I choose not to worry about such

The primary weakness of a concealed revolver — namely its bulk — is outweighed by the reliability of the revolving chamber.

things when my life is being threatened. Revolvers are simpler to learn to use than autos. My wife, Kandace, simply cannot pull back the slide of the smaller semi-autos. She can, however, shoot small-frame revolvers like the S&W J Frames very well. I recently bought her a little Smith & Wesson Model 632 in .327 Federal Magnum. It is lightweight and easy to shoot, with very little recoil. It took her about 10 minutes to be shooting it well enough to keep the shots on a standard bullseye target at 10 yards. As I sit at this computer I am wearing an old Smith & Wesson Model 38 Bodyguard with aluminum frame. It is so light I sometimes forget I am wearing it, but should I need it, it is there, comfortable in the old handmade pancake holster I use for it. As a friend of mine says, in regard to the little JFrame revolvers – “five for sure.” They hold 5 rounds and unlike a semi-auto, cannot have a magazine-caused failure. If I am prowling around the place here, or someplace else out in the brush, I will often be wearing one of a pair of Smith & Wesson revolvers – a 4-inch Model 629 .44

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Texas Department of Defense try of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, or wherever bears are common. I also carry the .45 Colt, in the same Street Combat holster, around town here sometimes as my concealed carry gun. Six 250grain .45 caliber hollow points are pretty much all the persuasion anything short of a

â&#x20AC;&#x153; Six 250-grain .45 caliber hollow points are all the persuasion anything short of a main battle tank will need

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Magnum, or a 4-inch Model 625 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt. I carry them in an El Paso Saddlery Street Combat, on my pants belt, or a Tom Three Persons holster, also by El Paso Saddlery, carried on a thick leather belt. One of these two are my bear protection when I am fly-fishing in the back coun-

main battle tank will need. For bear protection I simply replace the hollow points with hard-cast Keith bullets. Another advantage of a revolver is that it can handle much more powerful cartridges than the standard semi-auto. The .44

Ammo Continued from page 34 that it is almost impossible to shoot well in rapid fire; and it is so powerful that a human body would hardly slow down the big bullets, which would continue on to pass through walls, cars, school buses, and many other obstacles. Therefore, if you have a .454 Casull that you like and would like to use for self-defense, you can opt to carry .45 Colt ammo in it. A 250-grain or 225-grain hollow point .45 caliber bullet is right at the top of the heap as a manstopper. Smith and Wesson makes several super-lightweight models in .44 Magnum, such as the Model 329 PD. If you want to carry one of these marvelous handguns as your primary self-defense weapon, I sug-

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Magnum, .454 Casull, and the massive .500 Smith & Wesson are good examples of this. These days there are three main manufacturers of handguns suitable for concealed carry, Smith & Wesson, Taurus, and Charter Arms. Smith & Wesson is the preference of most knowledgeable handgunners, but Taurus makes a fine gun and is generally considerably less expensive than S&W. The most accurate revolver I have ever owned was a 6-inch Taurus Model 44 in .44 Magnum. Charter Arms makes a good revolver, and their little 5-shot 3-inch Bulldog in .44 Special is a fine choice for concealed carry. The best choices for revolvers for concealed carry are obviously the small-frame .38 Specials and .357 Magnums. These can be made very small, very lightweight, and are easily concealed under very light clothing. There are, however, some larger guns that can be carried should the shooter desire them and be prepared to deal with the larger frames and cylinders, and heavier weight. Smith & Wesson makes a number of fine choices, including revolvers in .45 ACP and .40 S&W, so if you prefer the semi-auto-

gest that you use .44 Special ammunition in it. Then it would be a great manstopper and a great carry gun. In the smaller calibers such as the .357 Magnum and .38 Special, the best loads are generally midweight bullets pushed to high velocities. The best load ever developed in the .357 is the 125-grain hollow point at around 1250 feet per second. It is powerful and controllable. In the .38 Special the current crop of +P and +P+ loads using a 125grain (or thereabout) bullet are as good as it gets in that caliber. Important note: Be certain to check your firearm before shooting any modern high pressure ammunition. Some of the older guns are not intended for such ammunition and might blow up or be wrecked by it. Be safe and not sorry. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Steve LaMascus

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type cartridges, but like revolvers, you can have your cake and eat it too. In addition, Smith & Wesson still makes a full line of small frame revolvers for concealed carry. Taurus also offers a large line of fine revolvers. Boiled down to the most basic concept, I guess I would put it this way: If you shoot a lot and are experienced with handguns, buy what you prefer -- you know better what you need than I do.

If you are a novice, shoot very little, and do not have much experience with a handgun, buy a revolver; at least until you are confident enough in your ability to graduate to an auto, if you ever do. Even some of the most experienced handgunners out there still prefer the wheel guns to the semi-autos. Me? I haven't fully decided yet.

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Hunt Texas by Bob Hood | TF&G Hunting Editor

Ghosts of Goose Hunts Past AYBREAK CREPT SLOWLY ACROSS THE large, sandy Knox County field marked with peanuts, stubble and goose tracks. I raised myself from the coffin-shaped hole I had dug into the sandy ground moments earlier, scanned my surroundings and amused myself with the thoughts of how goose hunting has changed in Texas in just a few decades. The first time I hunted geese was almost 42 years ago when I joined some friends to hunt with a goose hunting guide in the rice fields south of Columbus, Texas. It was a wet morning where some hunters bogged down in the ankle-deep mud while trying to walk a few hundred yards into the harvested field, spent more than an hour draping white diaper-sized cloths over foot-high stubble and then donned white parkas before lying down on their backs on shallow levees. The cloth “decoys” were intended to replicate snow geese feeding on the spent rice. A few years later they were replaced by white sheets of plastic because the hunting guides had learned they held up better than cloth even though they had to be washed after each hunting trip. A few years later, I was fortunate to hunt with another guide whose answer to staying out of the mud or having to lie on your back was to use pit blinds which actually were barrels placed below the ground with small stools to sit on. He added a few sheets of gray plastic to his otherwise white spread to simulate specklebelly geese feeding with the snows. Although it took a lot of work spreading 200 or more rags, the system worked and we shot a lot of geese both lying on or backs and from the sunken barrels. One hunting guide

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who moved to Muleshoe in West Texas to work as a crop duster took the rag spread idea with him and used gray rags only to work as decoys near water or grain stubble to hunt sandhill cranes. As I laid there that morning in the Knox City peanut field waiting for action, the more I thought about the past the more I appreciated the present. The spread still numbered around 200 or more decoys as in the old days but they were a combination of Canada and snow photo imprinted silhouettes along with half and full bodied geese.

feeding in and then setting up there before daybreak the following day. The fresh goose tracks and other signs in this spread told me this likely was going to be a good day. The honking of a single Canada goose sent each hunter sliding deeper into their individual dugouts. It soon was followed by the calls of doubles, triples and groups of six or more as the geese began entering the field from their roosting areas not far away. A lone specklebelly saw the spread and decoyed to it as if on a string. A hunter on

Preparing for a goose hunt in a Knox City, Texas, peanut field.

Instead of lying on our backs in parkas to blend in with the decoy spread, each of the nine hunters near me lay in a reclined position in individual coffin-shaped holes that were covered on top first with sheets of particle boards and then layered with peanut stubble gathered from the field. Camouflaged ammunition bags were within arm’s reach. Shovels for digging the holes as well as the particle boards and decoys had been driven into the field before daybreak by Tony Stanfield of Stanfield Hunting Outfitters of Knox City and each hunter joined in digging the holes and setting out the decoys under the headlights of their vehicles. Choosing a place to set up to hunt geese isn’t just guess work. It requires pre-hunt scouting to find which fields the geese are

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the opposite end of the line of fire downed it as it cupped its wings and began to descend. Soon, the roar of hundreds of Canada and specklebelly geese could be heard. The sight of so many geese in the air with many flocks of 25 to 100 flying toward you at the same time is awesome. At times, as many as six to eight geese fell to the ground from a flock under the No.2, BB and larger shotshells. And then, as with any type of waterfowl hunting, there were times when everyone was left scratching their heads and wondering how they could have missed. But that’s goose hunting, and it’s one thing that makes the hunter want to go back.

E-mail Bob Hood at BHood@fishgame.com. PHOTO: BOB HOOD

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Just How Good are Whitetails at Sensing the Subtle Noises a Bow — or Bowhunter — Makes at the Moment of the Shot? by Ted Nugent 40 |

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THIS IS IT. THIS BUCK IS AS GOOD AS gut, hung and strapped as far as I was concerned. With the steady breeze caressing my face, a setting sun behind my back, invisible in my little leafy oak ambush pocket, a carpet of white oak acorns blanketing the ground before me, this suicidal whitetail was literally asking for it, T E X A S

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broadside, angling slightly away, leg stretched forward, head down facing away, chowing down, and oblivious to the venison addicted predator fifteen feet up just fifteen yards away. Sixty gungho years of proven bowhunting trial and error preparation had come to fruition as I anchored my arrow into the corner of my mouth for the gimme shot of a lifetime. I could taste his flesh. My cocky meter was pegged. I could already see the killer video on Spirit of the Wild TV. Case closed. Game over. No problem. Sharpen your knives and fire up the camera for some celebratory photos of the perfect deer hunt. Whip out the garlic and butter and mesquite charcoal baby. This is a done deal. 42 |

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With all the time in the world to calm down, focus, review my time-tested killer shot sequence mantra, say a little prayer for the wildthings, take a deep breath, relax, zero in on the pumpstation window, aim small miss small, I could already envision my lovely arrow vanishing into the vitals of this dream shot of a lifetime. So I let ‘er rip for the easiest dump shot of my life. Woops! Never mind. As my highly visible black and white zebra Gold Tip arrow with the big white feathers sailed just over the buck’s back, I was speechless, aghast. Spellbound. Flabbergasted. Befuddled. Shocked. Dismayed. Bewildered. In total disbelief. Getting angry. Questioning life itself. Was I being punked by God? What in tarnation? With a deeply furrowed brow and the look of abject confusion, I glanced back at ace vidcamdude Bobby Bohannon and asked “What the heck?!” He looked as astonished as I felt. Our brains couldn’t accept the information that our eyes were attempting to convey. Bobby immediately rewound the tape and we gazed into the vid screen to inspect the video evidence of what had just taken place. The tape doesn’t lie, and in stop-frame slow motion, we watched as the big deer buckled at the shot, dropped his body twenty plus inches as he gathered himself for the instantaneous spring loaded initial leap away from the sound of danger. Bobby hears much better than I do, and he and the video tape proved that this buck didn’t jump the sound of my bow going off, but rather the noisy “whoosh” of wind against the high profile helical feathers I was using at the time. Since switching to silent plastic vanes, it is the rare deer that has leaped out of the way of my arrows. And remember, I shoot a lightweight, 48-53 pound draw bow, attaining moderate velocities of around 200-225 feet per second, much slower than the average speed demon archer today. But all my bows are set up at their maximum draw weight so that my limbs are as tight as they can be, making my bows very

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quiet. I add on all the sound and vibration dampening goodies I can to create the quietest rig possible. A quiet bow, quiet clothing and silent arrow rest are critically essential to minimize the chance of alerting the target animal at the shot. Of equal importance is tactical preparation. A bowhunter must become one with his bow so that the drawing sequence is graceful, smooth, and virtually unobtrusive. If you are still one of these blundering archers that insists on heavy draw weights that force you to lift your bow awkwardly into the air and strain to pull it back, you will do what all such archers end up doing; quitting or alerting every animal to your position and blowing the shot, then eventually quitting. Rule #1 for efficient archery predatorship is stealthy grace. And beyond a bow

we can draw gracefully, that includes intelligent ambush setups where wind, sun and background cover are proper. An alert deer that is aware of your presence is so instinctually high strung that your arrow will never get there in time to defeat its miraculous dodging ability. Know that. The prime bowhunting goal is to get to full draw on an animal virtually unaware that you are there. With this in mind, a quiet bow and a quiet arrow provide the final advantage to make that accurate hit we all dream of and dedicate ourselves to. Deer don’t jump the string; they dodge the hunter and our projectile. The name of the game is to get it in his vitals before his amazing defense mechanisms go to DefCom1.

Visit tednugent.com to learn more about the gungho hunting celebration. PHOTO: TED NUGENT

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Texas Freshwater by Matt Williams | TF&G Freshwater Editor

Wild Bill HIS AIN'T YOUR TYPICAL TEXAS Freshwater piece. Rather, it is a fresh look at an old warrior with a rich taste of adventure and a heart the size of Texas. One who has influenced the lives of some, touched the souls of many and been a mentor to the select few who were smart enough to listen. Casual acquaintances call him Bill. But those familiar with his history know him as "Wild Bill." He earned that distinctive nickname, but nearly killed himself in the process. At 87, he doesn't get around near as well as he once did. Even so, Wild Bill is still as tough as boot leather. Just ask and he'll tell you. I've been thinking about Wild Bill a lot lately. His days are numbered, and he knows it. Perhaps that's why I felt the urge to reflect on a man who is largely responsible for who I am today. Someone who I will always look up to while he's here, and dearly miss once he is finally gone. He's the guy who took me fishing and hunting as a kid. The same one who taught me how to twitch a topwater, trim horse's hoof and shoot a shotgun. He's the guy who constantly warned me about keeping the empty beer cans swept out of my pick-up bed at a time in my life when I honestly believed I was bulletproof. The same one who cautioned me to steer clear of girls who wore too much make-up, and always told me to treat every woman with respect. He's the guy with a passionate love for flying who claims to have spun a 450 Stearman 10,000 feet before pulling it out just above my grandparent's front yard, all for the mere hell of it. The same one who landed a plane in a wheat field between Dallas and Sweetwater after a strong headwind drained his fuel reserves prematurely, then finished the leg on tractor gas. He's the guy who once owned a black stud

PHOTO: MATT WILLIAMS

horse named "Bullet" that would rear and stand on its haunches on command. The same one who grew up during the Great Depression, working fields with his siblings to raise cotton that sold for four cents a pound. He's the guy who enlisted in the Navy in 1942, one year after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The same one who spent 3 1/2

“Wild” Bill Williams

years working as an electrician aboard the USS Fogg, a 306-foot Naval destroyer escort that carried him on six trips across the Atlantic and Mediterranean oceans. He's the guy who raced home on military leave in 1944, just so he could marry the woman he once relied on to shuffle love notes to another girl while he was in high school. The same one who has been calling my mother his wife for going on 68 years now. He's the guy who once owned a herd of cows so crazy and mean that they wouldn't load without chasing him through the trailer and out the emergency hatch. The same one who sped his '68 Ford down the highway so fast that my Uncle Glenn couldn't catch up to warn him that the load of hay stacked high in his pick-up bed was ablaze. I could go on and on with stories about "Wild Bill," but not all of them would be good. He has lived through heart attacks, prostate cancer and multiple bouts with pneumonia T E X A S

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and other respiratory problems. His rugged face bears at least a dozen scars from skin cancer removal. In 1980, he twisted the throttle too hard on my dirt bike and flipped it on solid white rock. The blow to his tail bone was so hard it crushed two vertebrae in his spinal column. The doctors told him he may never walk again. Obviously, they didn't know "Wild Bill" very well. "Wild Bill" nearly met his match in 1986 when he was thrown from a horse in the New Mexico high country. His friends found him unconscious with blood trickling from his ear. Two hoof scars in the trail indicated the horse had stopped hard, throwing him into a headon collision with a fir tree. It was a rough time for Wild Bill. His brain swelled, demanding surgery to relieve the pressure. Some doctors believed he might not make it. And if he did, the long term prognosis was forecast as rocky. And rocky it was. "Wild Bill" spent three months in an intensive care unit in Santa Fe and another two tied in hospital bed at Dallas Baylor, haunting nurses and anyone else who crossed his path. Doctors there said his brain injuries were likely terminal and that he would probably never make a full recovery. I was standing in the room the morning a physician told my mother he would never drive again, but I refused to accept it. So did Wild Bill. It took several years, but he gradually bounced back to a level nobody ever expected. Except him. Wild Bill is a fighter who doesn't know the meaning of the word "quit." True. All the beatings have taken their toll. Though he walks with a sidewards swagger and speaks in a muffled tone at times, his wit is genuine as ever and his handshake is like a vice. Best of all, his heart still beats to a solid rhythm that is Texas to the bone. I'm proud to call him my Dad.

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E-mail Matt Williams at MWilliams@fishgame.com. |

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GREEN ‘Pork Choppers’ Take Flight AS OF SEPT. 1, QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS CAN NOW PAY TO HUNT FERAL HOGS OR COYOTES FROM A HELICOPTER.

TPWD Budget Cut 21.5% THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION HAS APPROVED A 2012 BUDGET THAT REFLECTS A 21.5 PERCENT CUT IN FUNDING OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. The 2012 operating and capital budget approved by the commission totals $332.31 million, down from $423.2 million in 2011 and $468.8 million in 2010. TPWD had requested $700 million for the 2012-2013 biennium in its Legislative Appropriations Request and received $550 million, a reduction of 21.5 percent. The state budget bill also reduced TPWD’s employee count. After accounting for vacancies, 111 people were laid off across the agency, which employs about 3,100 people statewide. “These are challenging times for all state agencies, but if those who love wildlife and parks feel moved to help, there is an easy way to do so,” said Carter Smith, TPWD executive director. “It’s this simple: go fishing and hunting, and visit your state parks,” Smith said. 44 |

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“Regardless of how often you go, when you buy a license or a state park pass, it’s an investment in the user-pay, user-benefit model of North American conservation. We will need healthy license sales and park attendance to get us through the next two years.” About a quarter of the agency budget goes to State Parks Division, where 23 of the 93 Texas state parks will see some reduction in staff, operations or both, though no parks are currently expected to close. Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine will move to 10 printed issues per year in 2012, and will offer digital fishing and hunting guides in the off months. Fewer fish will be produced in Inland Fisheries Division hatcheries for statewide stockings. Also, TPWD lost $1.5 million for the biennium to treat noxious aquatic vegetation, meaning a drop in control of dangerous water weeds like giant salvinia. The budget also cut $2 million from the Coastal Fisheries Division’s commercial license buyback program. This means an estimated 244 licenses (122 per year) will not be purchased and retired in the shrimp, finfish and crab fisheries. —Staff Report TG

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In August, Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. commissioners approved permit requirements for HB-716 passed by the 82nd Texas Legislature. The new law supports control of feral hogs or coyotes by allowing qualified landowners or their agents to participate in feral hog or coyote hunts from a helicopter. Previously, a person was prohibited from paying, bartering or exchanging anything of value to participate in aircraft hunts. About 130 helicopter operations are currently permitted by the TPWD to conduct aerial management of depredating feral hogs or coyotes. The new rules permit qualified landowners or their qualified agents to pay these helicopter operators to participate in aerial hunts. To qualify, landowners or landowner agents must have on file with TPWD a completed Landowner’s Authorization to Manage Wildlife or Exotic Animals by Aircraft (LOA) form. There is no application fee to become qualified, but the LOA does not take effect until TPWD issues an authorization number. Feral hog populations in Texas are estimated at 2 million. According to a Texas Dept. of Agriculture study, each hog is responsible for $50-500 in damage to agriculture and wildlife habitat annually. —Staff Report TG

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Port Mansfield Reef Expansion Underway RECREATIONAL FISHERMEN IN THE NEARSHORE WATERS OFF THE COAST OF PORT MANSFIELD WILL HAVE ALMOST FIVE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF HABITAT TO FISH WITHIN EIGHT MILES OF THE PORT MANSFIELD JETTIES AFTER A MAJOR INFUSION OF HARD STRUCTURE. to do our part to bring this project to completion and we look forward to tackling many more.” CCA Texas contributed $50,000 toward the total cost of about $537,000 to expand the existing reef, which already held an old tug boat and about 800 culverts. The expanded reef will provide additional

PHOTO: COURTESY CCA

CCA Texas’s habitat program, Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) teamed up with Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Artificial Reef Program and Alamo Concrete Products to further enhance the existing Port Mansfield nearshore reef with more than 4,000 concrete culverts.

More than 4,000 concrete culverts are being used to expand the reef at Port Mansfield.

“This is a huge project for Texas anglers. It will take 10 days of work around the clock to move 4,000 culverts so we are talking about creating a significant amount of new habitat out there that will be within easy reach of recreational anglers,” commented HTFT Committee chairman Jay Gardner. “You can’t just snap your fingers and pull together a habitat effort on a scale like this – it takes time, money and commitment. We can’t give enough credit to our partners at TPWD and Alamo Concrete Products. CCA Texas is proud to be able

site off the coast of Freeport, and a new reefing project is planned for a third site off the coast between Matagorda and Sargent. To date, CCA Texas has committed more than $200,000 to nearshore reefing in Texas waters. The state’s Artificial Reefing Program’s nearshore and public reefing portion has been in existence since 2006 and aims to establish a 160-acre site at each major port in Texas. Sites currently exist at Port Isabel, Port Mansfield, Packery Channel, Port Aransas (2), Matagorda and Freeport. These nearshore sites, located in Texas state waters, allow the general public to place reefing materials within those areas, as long as those efforts conform to the guidelines of the program and have prior approval from the state. “Port Mansfield is a popular destination for many Texas anglers and for our ‘winter Texans’ who come down every year to enjoy our warm weather. Our economy benefits a great deal from the quality fisheries that we have to offer, and projects like this help ensure that we will have them in the future,” said Matt Klostermann, president of the CCA Texas Rio Grande Valley Chapter. “Anglers are the driving force behind our efforts as a chapter to raise funds for these kinds of habitat projects that ultimately benefit conservation. We find tremendous satisfaction from being a proactive part of the solution.” To find the acres of new fishing opportunity, plug the following coordinates into your GPS: N 26 31.535, W 97 09.215

habitat for many species of fish and marine life, including red snapper. The Port Mansfield reef is the second major reefing project undertaken by HTFT. In August 2010, more than 250 tons of concrete and granite splashed down on the Vancouver reef

—Staff Report TG MAP: BING

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OVER THE DROP-OFF, the shoreline shelf of this South Texas lake plunged rapidly into water approaching 20 feet deep. Finicky bass looking for subtle baits hovered just over the edge. Terry Scroggins, a Florida bass pro, rigged a jighead with a weight ball attached to the shank of a short wideT E X A S

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gap hook instead of at the eye. On the jighead, he hooked a straight worm wacky style and tossed it toward the shoreline. As he dragged the bait over the drop-off edge, a bass grabbed it. “A flick shake uses a jighead designed specifically for wacky-style fishing, but deeper,” Scroggins explained as he set the hook on a 5-pound largemouth that slurped the temptation dropping through the water. “With the weight in the center, the action is unbelievable on a straight fall.” Developed in eastern Texas, a wacky worm rig employs a hook inserted through the center or its bulbous “egg sack” instead of through the worm head like with a Texas rig. Rigged with no weight, wacky worms shake and undulate as they slowly sink. However, since a wacky worm descends so slowly, anglers can’t fish it in water much deeper than five feet – until now! Using as little weight as possible, typically 1/16 to 1/4 ounces depending upon water depth, a flick shake rig allows anglers to make subtle presentations at deeper depths without forfeiting A flick shake rig consists of a that scintillating weighted jighead natural wacky worm action. designed for fishing with a straight Also called a worm, rigged wacky wacky jighead or style. flip shake technique, this sight bait works best in clear water such as that found in Lake Amistad. As the weight drags the bait down, the worm ends fold upward and quiver. “A flick shake offers great action even when the angler doesn’t do anything,” Scroggins said. “Where this technique really excels is in deep, clear water, down to about 20 feet. In stained water, I like to leave the bait on the bottom and shake to give it more action. A flick shake works very well when fishing vertical structure like bulkheads or steep ledges with vertical drops.” For fishing bulkheads, bridge or dock pilings, bluffs, standing timber, ledges or similar vertical cover, toss a flick shake as close to the edge as possible. Let it sink on a semislack line without adding any artificial movement. Most strikes occur on the fall, making it a killer presentation for targeting suspended bass. Watch the line for any adverse 48 |

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movement that could indicate a strike. Anglers could also fish it around deep rock piles or other bottom structure. On the bottom, the worm ends stand up and vibrate. Pull the bait up a few feet and the worm opens up to fold again on the fall. Hop it up and down off the bottom a few times. “A flick shake gives bass an action they’ve never seen before in deeper water,” advised Mike Iaconelli, the 2003 Bassmaster Classic champion from New Jersey. “I use it around woody cover, trees, docks or anything with vertical edges. It’s a great bait to work the edges of deep grass beds.”

On grassy lakes like Sam Rayburn or Toledo Bend, anglers can drop a flick shake next to thick mats, but not into entangling vegetation. To make it a bit more weedless, use hooks with wire weed guards, but even “weedless” jigheads won’t keep baits out of the salad entirely. “I’ve caught fish with it around rocky bluffs, sandy banks, standing wood, grassy edges, everything but matted grass,” recalled Ish Monroe, a California bass pro. “It’s more aggressive than a wacky worm, but not as aggressive as a spinnerbait or crankbait. I use a flick shake when I want to fish a worm wacky style, but deeper and faster to get that reaction bite. On the bottom, I just shake the rod tip.”

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Although designed primarily to fish water about 10 to 25 feet deep, a flick shake can also provoke strikes in extremely shallow water. When fishing sloping banks or long points, toss it beyond a good spot and bounce it across the bottom until it falls over the drop-off edge. A flick shake works great for tempting spawning fish. Toss it into the bed and let it sit on the bottom twitching with natural water movements. This rig also works well on schooling bass. The falling bait mimics a dying shad. Keep fishing it through the same area even after schoolies go deep. Although bass sometimes grab a flick shake worm and run, anglers usually only feel a slight thump on the line or perhaps just a little extra weight as if the bait snagged a weed clump. The line may simply move the wrong way, straighten or just feel mushy. Since the soft bait feels lifelike, a bass might hold it in its mouth or swallow it quickly. Reel down all the slack to feel for the fish on the line. “Fish don’t really thump it,” Monroe advised. “I just feel weight and the fish is there. Don’t set the hook. Just start reeling. It’s more of a reel pressure set.” Most anglers prefer to throw a light flick shake When it on a 6.5- to 7.5-foot sinks, the worm ends light- to medium-action undulate in spinning rod. For line, the water. stick with the lightest practical fluorocarbon, especially when fishing very clear water. Most anglers use 4- to 12-pound test. Denser and more difficult for a fish to see in the water, fluorocarbon sinks quicker than monofilament. “Line is very important,” Iaconelli said. “Monofilament tends to float, so fluorocarbon line enhances the fall of the bait. I use 100 percent fluorocarbon, usually 6- to 10pound test. After the bait hits the water, flip open the bail on the spinning reel and feather the line by hand so it falls smoothly on a semi-slack line.” Since fishing this finesse bait requires considerable patience, most anglers probably wouldn’t reach for a flick shake as their first option, but it can put more bass in the boat under certain conditions. When lunkers hunker down near deep cover and refuse other offerings, trying tickling their noses with undulating worm tips!

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Texas Saltwater by Richard Sanchez | Guest Columnist

HE MORNING SUN HAD NOT YET touched the horizon and at 10 years old, I was not keen on wading into the cold dark water. Mostly I was afraid I’d step on something icky and risk sinking in the smelly muck. We had to try fishing somewhere else. We had not been to the south side of Port Mansfield. My sixteen year old brother had heard from a school friend that the fishing was pretty good there. Henry was older than I was, he could drive and make decisions. On this trip, we invited my cousins David and Steven to share our adventure. My cousins and I ranged in age from eight to twelve. Days before, Henry put us to work. He had us help him build a contraption out of salvaged lumber. We had two large “A” frames and three long boards. He would not tell us what our project was. “Fishing surprise.” He said. Friday afternoon, we drove to Port Mansfield. At the bridge we caught some shiner for bait. Henry’s net spiraled into the air and landed in the murky brine. In just a few casts, we had more than plenty. Our fishing trip was already looking good. About a half mile outside of the port, Henry turned right onto a rough dirt road and we bumped our way past the dunes and tall grasses. The place was remote, primitive. We parked next to the fence and eagerly unloaded our stuff. With a hammer and some nails we set out to work. Before long we had a large “A” frame, a carpenter’s horse. The side boards gave the structure stability and the top board gave us a place to sit. We built a fishing platform. We set our Trojan horse in waist deep water and waited for night fall. By the light from a lantern we caught a number of nice speckled trout. We laughed at our success.

“

With a whoosh and splash, the Trojan horse fell over.

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Our Trojan Horse

Soon the disadvantages of our Trojan horse became apparent. Whenever someone brought in a fish, the other person had to get into the water to remove the hook. Another problem was the structure itself. We were eight, ten and twelve, but we were by no means lightweight. Every time we moved, the structure moved. About 4 a.m., Steven went to unhook a fish. On the way up, he wiggled just a tad too much. One second, David told Steven not to move so much and the next we headed south. With a whoosh and splash the Trojan horse fell over. We sank into the cold Laguna Madre. We must have been a sight. When we hit the water, the lantern went dark. We came

up gasping for air. Wet, cold and a little miffed, we waded in the dark and made our way to the car. That next morning, we slept in. We laughed at the ordeal and gathered what was left of our project. We still had all of Saturday and since we had bait left over, we decided to go to the north side of the port. We fished at the public pier. The fishing slowed and we caught mostly saltwater cats and other bottom dwellers. I don’t know what possessed David, but after he unhooked a good sized catfish, he decided to kick it over the side. He gave it a good field goal-type kick and, wouldn’t you know it, he was barefooted. The catfish did not go flying off into the distance. It was stuck, pectoral fin embedded deep into David’s big toe. He yelled out something about a devil fish and fell sitting on the planks. I could not believe the sight. T E X A S

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Henry grabbed the fin with some pliers and Steven and I grabbed David. We pulled in different directions. It looked painful. Fishing was over for David. He hobbled off the long pier and slept in the car. Henry, Steven and I went wade fishing just beyond the fence. They say that disasters come in sets of threes. It seemed that we were fulfilling some ancient prophecy. I cast my line to the far right and moments later felt a strong strike. I set the hook. The fish battled, refusing to give up the fight. At long last, it swam in my direction and I saw it come up to the surface. It was a stingray. I had to wade to shore to remove the hook. Henry saw my dilemma and came to my rescue. He grabbed the line above the swivel and with his other hand grabbed the hook. At that moment, the stingray brought its tail up and pushed its barb into the backside of Henry’s right hand. Henry screamed in pain and pulled the barb out. Blood oozed from the puncture wound and Henry stuck his hand in the water to rinse off the blood. It was a long drive home. Henry was in great pain and David looked like he was a combat survivor. By the time we got to Raymondville, Henry was turning green around the gills and passing out. We stopped at the hospital where Henry was treated, sedated and released. David, Steven and I looked at each other and wondered how we’d get home. In his stupor, Henry lifted his head and mumbled something about David being the oldest and assigned him to drive. We looked at David and offered a quick prayer. Slowly, the ’66 Chevy rolled onto FM 186. Aside from the cold water dunking, Steven and I survived unscathed. David went on to play high school football, but not as a kicker. Henry survived the killer stingray and gained a new respect for the slimy flat critters. As for the Trojan horse, we never did build another one; instead, we built a pontoon raft out of 55 gallon drums, but that is a story for another day.

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Popping Corks Can Help You Fish the Unfishable — but Prime — Flatfish Feeding Grounds BY CHESTER MOORE 50 |

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IF YOU WANT A LESSON IN FRUSTRATION management try dragging a Carolina rig over riprap in the ship channel or over an old, virgin oyster reef where the shells can be a foot long. Ditto for fishing soft plastics rigged on standard jigheads. The fact is you will spend more time retying than you will fishing, which is of course no way to spend your limited time on the water. I mention fishing these kinds of habitats because some of the best flounder fishing can be found there. Call it the Moore Theory if you will, but the fact is flounder are territorial and fish that stay within certain zones are most likely to receive heavy fishing pressure. With flounder, that translates into getting thrown in the ice chest. The fact is the only people I am aware of who catch-and-release legal-sized flounder are those participating in my Flounder Revolution program sponsored by the Coastal Conservation Association. Thus, for anglers seeking big flounder, the best shot they have for catching a trophy flounder is either during the fall or spring migrations when the vast majority of the population are funneling through a few passes or by targeting unpressured zones. And that is exactly why we are talking about using floats for flounder. Riprap, bulkheads and oyster reefs are thick with flounder but as we have already mentioned, they are super hard to fish with bottom rigs. Floats however allow anglers to fish just out of reach of snags and entice the big flounder that dwell there. I have one spot that has light, mixed shell that is conducive to bottom fishing but there is a small drop-off that is covered with oysters and is often covered up with flounder. You can see them swirling at the surface on high, rising tides, yet any efforts at bottom fishing equal getting snagged. The first time I tried a float there, it was the typical white and red weighted cork slip float designed to sit kind of low in the water and to be cast a good distance. Rigged with a live finger mullet it did not take long to see something was paying attention to it as the float bobbed up and down. After a few minutes, I reeled in to see the mullet had tradePHOTO: COURTESY PRADCO FISHING

mark flounder tooth marks and was scaled, but the fish did not want to commit. The same thing happened several times that day. The next day we returned and I tried the same thing and got the same results. However, I began to suspect these flounder, which were feeding but not in an aggressive pattern were not fond of pulling something down, so I rigged up a light slip float with no weight. Instead I put a 1/16-ounce split shot about a foot above the mullet to give it a bit of load so it would not move around too much. Within five minutes we had a fish on. That pattern repeated a couple of times that day. Since then this rig has proven very effective at fishing for flounder over shell and rock. One of the best methods is to find riprap in the ship channel that is covered with menhaden, position the boat parallel to the rocks, adjust the float to be six inches to a foot over the rocks and make as long a cast as possible. Slowly reel in and pop the cork every once in awhile. The fish tend to hit fairly aggressively if they do not feel much pressure and are fairly easy to hook. For these situations I am using 30-pound Spider Wire Ultracast and attaching a swivel to rig a 40-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader finished off with an Eagle Claw kahle hook. Live mullet or mud minnows are perfect but a Gulp! Swimming Mullet is effective as well. For bank fishermen using this same rig and walking along bulkheads can be extremely effective. Simply walking slowly, giving the float a little slack and popping it. Give it some extra time if you fish an eddy or washout of some sort because these spots are more likely to hold flounder. This fall I will be experimenting with T E X A S

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some clear plastic floats in pristine South Texas waters over seagrass beds. Flounder in those areas love to hang right on the edge of the seagrass and working a standard rig through it can be difficult. In addition, flounder are very shy of brightly colored things in super clear water so the idea of catching them in 2-3 feet of water using a neon float is not exactly appealing. I have located some clear floats called Rainbow Tough Bubbles that I have tested on super lure, line and color shy bass in some private ponds and it has been effective. We will see what happens with the flatfish. Over the summer of 2011 my father and I came across a very unique example of flounder feeding that played perfectly into using popping corks. While trout fishing we saw menhaden getting slammed on the edge of a big drop off in the ship channel near Sabine Lake. I threw my favorite trout popping cork, the Bomber Saltwater Grade Paradise Popper XTreme, and used a “pop-poppop-sit five seconds” cadence. On the first cast I caught a flounder. That seemed to be a fluke (pun intended) but after three flounder in a row, we saw there was something very interesting going on. The flounder were coming out of 20 feet of water in the channel, a flat that was 8-10 feet deep and pushing the menhaden against the steep bank. They were rolling on the surface and hitting a lot like trout but bottom rigs were not working. These flounder were feeding in the middle to upper reaches of the water column and because of the aggressive nature of the phenomenon they took the heavier float like they normally would a small one. This gave us an advantage because we were able to watch fish surface and make long casts to catch them. We repeated this performance twice in the next two weeks but I have not been able to do it enough to say I have it all figured out. It does however show that using floats can give you an advantage when seeking flounder, even in locations that seem totally inappropriate.

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BY TF&G BOWHUNTING EDITOR

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BOWHUNTING IS A METHOD that has proven effective in harvesting game since the dawn of civilization. Throughout the centuries, the bow itself has gone through many changes. Arrows have improved and the methods we use today to hunt game with a bow are also a little different from years gone by. The bowhunter of today simply has to know the game he is pursuing and try to use a little common sense (that is not so common) and he or she will be successful. Think you could pass a little quiz on bowhunting? Go ahead…give it a shot!

2. What is the spine of an arrow?

4. A beginner bowhunter should purchase his equipment… A) At an all-purpose department store to keep the cost down B) Find a deal at a garage sale C) Online or mail order D) An archery pro shop 5. Which is the most ideal shot for a bowhunter?

A) About 30 minutes B) 4 to 6 hours to let the deer expire

17. ANSWER: B) Even if your broadheads never left your quiver, oxidation could set in. You should change them every bow season to make sure you have a razor sharp blade. 16. ANSWER: B) Gotta respect that nose!

BONUS… 20. ANSWER: D) Check for everything you can before looking for the deer. It will give you clues as to where your shot placement was. sometimes, take it slow. 2 0 1 1

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looks at you, you moved!

I AM NOT GOING to answer that one…just in case my wife is reading this right now! O C T O B E R

9. What is the best way to practice? A) In the morning to simulate hunting times B) From known distances to group your

18. ANSWER: D) Branches behind you will help hide you and break up your outline. You might just get away with a little movement.

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8. How does an arrow harvest game? A) Severe hemorrhaging B) Shock impact C) Causing the animals lungs to collapse D) All of the above

14. ANSWER: A) 4 to 6 hours! Read a whole bunch of Texas Fish and Game mags!

A) Equipment issues (limbs snapping back and possible breaking) B) Self inflicted C) Other careless bowhunters in the field

6. After making a good humane shot, how long should a bowhunter wait before going after the animal?

A) Camo clothes B) Razor sharp broadheads C) A high tree stand D) A super fast bow

19. ANSWER: B) and it is difficult to see

3. Injuries to a bowhunter are mostly

A) Walking directly towards you B) Quartering away from you C) A broadside shot D) Quartering towards you

7. Assuming you have tuned and matched equipment, what is the most important item to have for success?

15. ANSWER: FALSE whitetails see shades. If you are wearing orange and a deer

A) Just another name for the shaft B) How light the material is C) How stiff an arrow is D) How much penetrating power the arrow carries

C) Immediately, as long as the shot was good D) Best to leave it until morning if it was an evening shot

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12. ANSWER: FALSE Hypothermia can happen if you are wet with sweat and a breeze picks up. The first sign of hypothermia is a shiver.

A) The absence of wearing good camo B) A slight movement made by the hunter C) Human scent that is carried by a very small breeze D) The color of your feathers or fletching

D) Pig Attacks

13. ANSWER: D) although the others are important, the most important is the safety harness.

1. If you are bowhunting, which is most likely to give your presence away to that elusive whitetail?

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A) True B) False

D) Only after they get rusty 18. The best place for a tree stand is…

13. When bowhunting from a tree stand, which is the most important piece of equipment you would need? A) Razor sharp broadheads B) A fast bow C) Good binoculars D) A safety harness 14. On a gut shot deer, how long should a bowhunter wait before looking for the deer?

11. On a whitetail, what is the vomeronasal organ mainly used for? A) Causes a buck to chase doe B) Causes the buck to curl his lip also called flehmen C) Helps a buck to smell if a doe is in estrous D) All of the above 12) A Texas bowhunter never has to worry about hypothermia.

16. What is the best defense of a deer? A) Sight B) Smell C) Hearing D) The ability to blend into their surroundings 17. If a bowhunter uses replaceable blades on their broadhead, how often should they be changed?

20. After the shot and you have waited the appropriate time, what is the first thing you should look for once you are out of your tree stand? A) Your arrow B) Any signs of blood C) Any hair, which might give you a clue as to where the shot placement was D) All of the above. Bonus Question… What will your wife be doing to keep busy while you are out there hunting? A) Shopping B) Shopping C) Shopping D) All of the above! 1. ANSWER: C) gotta respect a nose of a

A) After they have been shot B) Before every bow season C) Every few years

Flip the Page for the Correct Answers

11. ANSWER: D) located on the roof of a deer’s mouth. It is black and triangular in shape. Also called the secondary nose of a whitetail!

7. ANSWER: B) A bowhunter should take pride in a clean humane harvest and that can be accomplished with razor sharp broadheads.

10. ANSWER: C) interdigital, metatarsal, tarsal, Pre-orbital, forehead, nasal and preputial.

6. ANSWER: A) good time to read Texas Fish and Game! 5. ANSWER: B) that’s the most lethal. A well placed arrow on a deer that is quartering away will penetrate the lungs, liver, spleen, and might even catch a piece of the heart. 4. ANSWER: D) Let the professionals do it right for you the first time. T E X A S

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deer!

A) 5 B) 6 C) 7 D) 4

15. True or False…whitetails can see colors A) True B) False

A) Bright red B) Dark and almost brown C) Bright with bubbles D) Red with green particles

2. ANSWER: C) depending on your set up, you may need a stiffer arrow to fly straight. A pro shop can set you up correctly.

10. How many glands does a whitetail have?

A) 4 to 6 hours B) As soon as he loses sight of the animal C) 30 minutes D) 1 hour

19. With an arrow wound, what is the blood color is a liver shot?

3. ANSWER: B) that may be the reason not too many injuries are ever reported! “Hello ..yes I was stupid and grabbed the wrong end of the arrow!”

arrows C) From unknown distances and elevations D) With field tips

A) Next to a deer path B) On the edge of a waterhole or noisy stream C) On a tree with no branches to get in the way D) In a tree with branches behind you

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9. ANSWER: C) always helps to put yourself to the test and guess the distance so you can be more proficient with the bow. 8. ANSWER: A) A bullet from a rifle will cause impact shock, but an arrow will cause severe hemorrhaging to harvest the deer.

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Open Season by Reavis Wortham | TF&G Humor Editor

Adult Toys OREEN’S 24 HR EAT GAS NOW CAFÉ was full when Delbert P. Axelrod, my personal albatross, and I stepped out of the twilight and into the café. Squirrel season was on as of that morning and the members of the Hunting Club were in full camo regalia after a hard day in the woods. Squirrel tails were in abundance. I placed my new toy on the counter in front of Doc, Wrong Willie, and Patrick. Jerry Wayne dozed peacefully in a booth, across the table from two little old bluehaired ladies who whispered quietly to each other, lest they wake him up. I started to ask why Jerry Wayne was sleeping in a booth, but Doc picked up the rifle and took my attention away from our sleeping partner. “This is the fanciest airgun I’ve ever seen. Look here, Willie, it even has a scope on it.” “Just got it the other day,” I answered. “It’s an RWS Model 48 Magnum air rifle. It’s made in Germany. The muzzle velocity is over eleven hundred feet per second, which makes it darn close to a .22 caliber rifle. The members of the Hunting Club were impressed. A crowd gathered, nodding in the appreciation that men share over soupedup BB guns. “What have you been shooting with it, squirrels?” Wrong Willie asked. “Me and Delbert have been down at that field not far from the dump. We settled in under the shade and picked off rats for a couple of hours to sight it in. We’ll shoot some squirrels with it tomorrow. “I love to do that,” Jerry Wayne mumbled from under his tilted gimme cap. We looked over at the booth. Jerry Wayne was already asleep again. The little ladies nervously huddled together over their coffee, making tinking sounds with their spoons while they watched Jerry Wayne snore. Doreen came out of the kitchen. “Why do I have firearms on my counter?”

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“We were just out shooting and came in for supper, Doreen. Give us whatever you have on special today,” Delbert answered. She’s sweet on him, so she forgave our little firearm transgression and plopped a glass of tea on the counter. “Get anything?” Doreen asked. “Shot about 15 of the little rodents,” I answered, and reached for the sugar. “Where are the tails? You know, you have to have proof,” she stated and then handed me a teaspoon so I wouldn’t have to stir with my finger. Her question kinda shocked me. I thought about it for a minute and said, “Well, we didn’t cut their tails off.” She snorted. “I hope you guys cleaned them as soon as you got back to the truck. My daddy used to say that they tasted better if they were cleaned as soon as possible.” Conversation in the restaurant came to an abrupt halt. We stared at Doreen for a full minute, waiting for a punch line. Delbert gulped. “Your daddy ate them?” “Sure. We were raised so far back in the woods that we ate whatever Daddy would shoot. If it wasn’t for them, we’d eat quail, or possum, ducks, or any varmint he shot and brought in. The two little old blue-haired ladies rushed from their seats and headed at a totter for the ladies room. “Urp,” said Delbert and virtually threw himself off the counter stool. His headlong rush carried him between the two little nauseated ladies like a seven-ten split in bowling. They whirled around in place for a moment and then resumed their rush as if it had been nothing more than a windstorm. “Maybe that’s why she looks like she does,” Jerry Wayne mumbled from under his cap. He reached out and pulled one of the abandoned coffee cups toward him. “Doreen, I know times are hard for us all from time to time,” I said, “but I’m not sure I’d go around telling that story if I were you.” “Why not?” she asked. “My lands, we’ve served them enough times in here and you guys didn’t say anything. What do you think

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that stew you were eating was made out of? Remember guys, this café serves a lot of wild game.” Doc mopped his whiteface. No one moved throughout the café. “Is that rifle loaded?” Willie asked. “I need to shoot myself.” “You classify this as wild game?” I asked and pointed at my untasted bowl with a spoon. “I sure didn’t trap them in the kitchen, bub.” More patrons hit the door. “What’s wrong with everyone?” Doreen complained. “Y’all act like you’ve never eaten squirrel stew before.” The rush immediately stopped. “Squirrel.” Willie stated. “What did you think I was talking about?” Doreen looked at the four of us. “You guys feeling all right?” “We’re fine now,” Doc answered and took a long drink of iced tea. Doreen threw open the kitchen door and stormed off shouting at James Albert who was looking in from outside the back door. “You’d think those boys were eating rats out there the way they were carrying on about a little squirrel head stew.” Delbert had just resumed his place at the counter and was mopping his brow with a shaky hand. “She puts squirrel heads in her rat stew, too?” He asked with a wavering voice. Dock shook his head and handed me the rifle. “Take this outside and come in again.” I just took it and went on home. This is an excerpt from Reavis Wortham’s book, Doreen’s 24 HR Eat Gas Now Café. The book is available in print from Texas Fish & Game Publishing Company, LLC and can be ordered online at www.FishandGameGear.com or by calling 1-800-750-4678.

E-mail Reavis Wortham at RWortham@fishgame.com.

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Paddling to the Ducks IF THE DUCKS WON’T COME TO THE BLIND, TAKE THE BLIND TO THE DUCKS BY JOHN N. FELSHER

PHOTO: JOHN N. FELSHER

WATERFOWLERS TRADITIONALLY hunt from blinds surrounded by decoys, but even in Texas, ducks don’t always respond. When birds don’t come to the blind, go to them. A canoe, kayak or even a skiff or johnboat may put more birds within range of sportsmen willing to do a little extra work. “Paddling is an effective way to hunt ducks, although it’s not as common as it once was,” said Kevin Kraai, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department waterfowl program leader in Amarillo. “It’s almost a lost art by people who still do it. It’s a particularly good way to hunt wood ducks on rivers and backwaters.” Federal laws prohibit shooting at ducks from boats under

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power or sail. Before anyone may shoot at a duck from a boat, the motor must stop and all forward momentum cease. However, sportsmen can shoot at migratory birds from boats propelled by human power. In Texas, navigable waters belong to the public, but local laws might prohibit shooting in certain places. Adjacent lands or backwaters might remain private.

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TF&G ALMANAC Table of Contents GEARING UP SECTION

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INDUSTRY INSIDER TF&G STAFF

• Polaris | BY

FISH AND GAME GEAR • Hot New Outdoor Gear | BY TF&G STAFF

74 75 COVER STORY • Paddling to the Ducks | BY JOHN N. FLESHER

HOW-TO SECTION

60 64 65 68

TEXAS BOATING • Corrosion, 101 | BY LENNY RUDOW TEXAS KAYAKING • Good News & Bad News | BY GREG BERLOCHER PAUL’S TIPS • Don’t Think, Shoot | BY PAUL BRADSHAW TEXAS GUNS & GEAR • Real Muzzleloaders | BY STEVE LAMAS-

TEXAS TESTED • Fishkid, Midland Radio | BY TF&G STAFF SPECIAL SECTION • Hunting Gear Innovations | BY BOB HOOD

HOTSPOTS FOCUS: UPPER COAST • Sabine Octoberfest | BY CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

HOTSPOTS FOCUS: GALVESTON • Is Change Good for the Gulf? | BY CAPT. MIKE HOLMES

HOTSPOTS FOCUS: MATAGORDA • Target Reds Until the Birds Work | BY BINK GRIMES

HOTSPOTS FOCUS: ROCKPORT • Fish or Hunt? | BY CAPT. MAC

PHOTO: JOHN N. FELSHER

Daniel Felsher shows off a hen merganser he bagged while jump shooting from a canoe.

remaining unseen by anything approaching from the other direction. When coming around bends, stick as close to the inside shoreline as possible. Masters of concealment, ducks may explode from high reeds 58 |

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DAYBOOK • 104 SPORTSMAN’S Tides & Prime Times | TF&G BY

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION

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HUNTING TALES • Hungry for Hogs | BY CHESTER MOORE TEXAS TASTED • An Out-of-theWay Treasure | BY BRYAN SLAVEN OUTDOOR CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY • Guides, Gear and More | BY TF&G STAFF TF&G PHOTOS • Your Action Photos | BY TF&G READERS

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Skilled paddlers can often approach fairly close to ducks and may target birds few others try to hunt. Winding sloughs or bayous with broken vegetated shorelines provide outstanding places to jump ducks. Birds often hide around bends where they can see anything coming from one direction while

TEXAS HOTSPOTS • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots | BY TOM BEHRENS, CALIXTO GONZALES, & BOB HOOD AND CAPT. CHARLES NEWTON

STAFF

FISHING FORECAST SECTION

HOTSPOTS FOCUS: LOWER COAST • 7 Keys to Lower Coast Fall Success | BY CHESTER MOORE

just yards from the boat. Many paddlers work in teams. Designate a shooter to sit in the bow at ready for anything erupting from cover while another person in the stern paddles and acts as spotter. For safety reasons, only the designated shooter should hold a loaded gun, but sportsmen can take turns shooting. This method provides an excellent way to introduce hunting to young sportsmen who may grow bored sitting in cold blinds for long hours. When hunting solo, paddlers put shotguns across their laps or in some other convenient, but safe, place to wait for flushing birds. Ease the paddles into the water and glide along as silently as possible. In very shallow, hard-bottomed areas, use long paddles almost like push poles. Scull along without lifting them from the water. Sound travels extraordinarily well over water so a dripping paddle can alert wary ducks. Periodically, stop paddling to listen for quacking, splashing or other sounds that could indicate duck activity. Scan ahead for movement, telltale wakes or anything unusual. Floating feathers might mark good hiding places. Sometimes, flushed birds won’t fly far, especially in areas with little other water. Sportsmen might note where the ducks land

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www.FishGame.com and make another sneak on them. In Texas, coastal marshes generally provide the best paddling action. Jumping may offer the most effective method for bagging illusive mottled ducks that habitually avoid blinds. In the Sabine-Neches River delta, Texans might hunt the 7,998-acre Lower Neches Wildlife Management Area near Bridge City. The 7,411-acre Guadalupe Delta WMA near San Antonio Bay provides another good area. “All the bay systems along the coast hold good duck populations,” Kraai advised. “Some better places to hunt from a canoe or kayak include Matagorda Bay, Laguna Madre or Corpus Christi Bay. In remote estuaries, people could take a powerboat into the hunting area, anchor it and launch a canoe or kayak to paddle up ducks.” Most Texans don’t live near the coast, but the Lone Star State also provides many inland places to hunt. Rivers and winding swampy creeks make excellent places to jump wood ducks, mallards and hooded mergansers. Birds often hide on the downstream side of fallen trees, logjams or current breaks. Birds might also explode from flooded shoreline timber. CONTINUED ON PAGE 60 T F & G

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Corrosion, 101 F YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING at night you could try popping a Lunesta and chugging a bottle of red wine, or you could read an average article on some technical marine subject. The effects are usually about the same. Prop specs, gear ratios, and laminate schedules are nearly guaranteed to numb your gray matter into submission. So when you realize that this article is about corrosion, how it works, and what you can do about it, you’ll probably either keep flipping pages or position yourself on the couch in case you keel over from an abrupt onset of REM cycles. Wait! Though it may be a bit on the dry side this is important stuff, and a better understanding of corrosion will help you

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keep your boat and its systems in tip-top shape. And I promise—it won’t be boring. There are several types of corrosion, all of which have the same final result, your precious metal equipment turns into a chunk of useless crud. If you immerse yourself in an exhaustive in-depth scientific study of the topic (as I did), by typing “corrosion” into the search box on Wikipedia, you’ll learn that corrosion is “the disintegration of an engineered material into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings.” According to prevailing theory, this occurs because the constituent atoms have as much animosity towards each other as current American partisan constituents; in other words, Eric Cantor atoms and Michelle Bachmann atoms gang up against Nancy Pelosi atoms and Barak Obama atoms, and they smash each other to smithereens. As a result, your boat sinks… or something like that. Another leading school of thought—to which I lend far less

credence to—is that the metal object loses mass as its molecules are transformed into oxides. Take your pick as to which theory you subscribe to. UNIFORM corrosion is the most common form of corrosion, and causes a slow degradation of the metal’s surface. This form of corrosion is also called “general” corrosion, because it occurs whenever metal is exposed to the general environment. Though all boaters will be faced with uniform corrosion, fortunately, it’s a slow process which is easily combated. Regularly coating metals every month or two with a barrier spray, such as CorrosionX, Boeshield T-9, or Boat Saver, will do the trick indefinitely. But be careful when you apply this stuff, since some formulations can stain fiberglass. A good method is to spray the coating onto a rag, then wipe down your rails, hardware, and all metal objects from stem to stern. GALVANIC corrosion is the bane of all mariners who leave their boats in saltwater.

COVER STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 58 “One of the best public places in Texas to paddle up ducks is White Oak Creek WMA,” Kraai said. “The creek is a small, narrow stream that provides excellent cover for jumping ducks from a boat. It holds a lot of mallards and wood ducks. Another excellent place for paddling is Old Sabine Bottom WMA off the Sabine River. The Sabine and Neches rivers hold ducks. Cypress Creek in east Texas attracts a lot of wood ducks. The Sulphur River in northeast Texas is a good place to drift for ducks.” White Oak Creek WMA covers about 25,777 acres of hardwood bottomlands near the Arkansas and Oklahoma lines at the confluence of the Sulphur River and White Oak Creek. The Sulphur River flows about 60 |

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175 miles through northeast Texas and Arkansas. Old Sabine Bottom WMA includes 5,158 acres of bottomlands and streams north of Tyler. On swift streams where paddling back upstream might pose a problem, use two vehicles to drift through property few others ever see. Position one vehicle downstream at a take-out point and drive a second vehicle to the launch spot. Sportsmen can even use motorboats to retrieve game or head upstream as long as they don’t shoot while the motor runs. “Several Texas rivers provide good drift hunting,” Kraai said. “People can hunt the Trinity, but it’s a large river without as many twists and turns to provide cover. In central Texas, people could hunt the Brazos River. In west Texas, the Colorado River would be the best bet for paddling up ducks.”

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Not everyone can afford a lease or a huge decoys spread, but waterfowlers on a budget can jump ducks without even buying fuel! Sportsmen can purchase many good canoe or kayak models plus accessories for less than $1,000. After obtaining a suitable boat, sportsmen can start paddling up ducks for very little additional investment. They just need a gun and ammunition to hunt most public waters. In the days before motors, sportsmen primarily hunted from canoes or rowboats. Today, a dozen mallards erupting from behind a logjam in a river bend only yards away stills makes the heart pump faster. Paddling can put a few extra birds in the bag, especially for those sportsmen who cannot afford private leases or expensive equipment.

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The water acts as an electrolyte; different metals have different electrical potentials, and when placed in an electrolyte, the metal with a more “active” potential becomes an anode and corrodes more quickly than if it were alone in the environment. The more noble (less active) metal in the electrolyte becomes the cathode, since it has more positive potential. Electrical current flows between the metals until their potentials are equal. This not only results in the rapid destruction of the anode (yawn), it also quenches the electrical field’s thirst for equality much in the same way as common electrolyte drinks like Gatorade and Powerade quench our own thirst. Sort of. Most of you already know that the best way to fight galvanic corrosion is to equip a boat with a sacrificial anode—commonly zinc—which is meant purely to corrode quickly, saving more important metals from the same fate. But you should also make sure your boat isn’t leaking electricity into the water, a common occurrence which speeds galvanic corrosion and can overcome the effects of a sacrificial anode. A simple “leak check” can be performed with a voltmeter. You’ll also need to mount a square of copper flashing, about seven by seven inches, on the end of a wooden pole or

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an old broomstick. Run a wire down the pole and connect it to the copper, and connect the positive lead of your voltmeter to the wire’s end. Next, connect the negative lead to a negative battery terminal or another reliable ground. Then submerge the copper plate next to your boat, set the multimeter to read zero to one volt, and move the copper around the vessel's parameter as you look for a change in voltage. The voltmeter should always show a natural reading of around 0.6 to 0.9 volts, depending on salinity and temperature. If it doesn’t, you know you have a problem. Next, turn on every electrical item on the boat, one by one. Does the voltage change? If so, you’ve identified a leaky accessory. Usually you’ll discover this accessory has a bunch of green crud on a connection or two. To eliminate the leak you need to eliminate the green crud which, in partisan constituent terms, is known as campaign funds; it pollutes the system horribly. Clean it away, to plug the leaks and bring down your electrical budget deficit, or something. EROSION corrosion is one you might not have heard about in the past. This is a mechanical rather than electro-chemical process, but it’s no less deadly to metals on your boat. Erosion corrosion is exactly what

it sounds like: the erosion of a metal surface resulting from constant physical contact with something other than water. Commonly this is going to be an issue for props and possibly through-hull fittings. It’s usually caused by ventilation, cavitation, or regularly running aground. In the case of ventilation or cavitation, unusual sounds or over-revving props might give away the problem. But just as commonly, you won’t notice the damage until an inspection of the metal in question exposes pitting and wear. In all likelihood, you’ll need to take the boat to a pro to have the problem resolved. When running aground is the culprit, solving the problem is simple: stop driving over sandbars and through mud, before you wear your prop down to a nub. You’d be surprised at how quickly this can happen. After two years of hunting out of a duck blind that’s surrounded by nearly exposed mud flats, my 11” x 16” prop is a 10” x 14”. PITTING corrosion is the last type most boaters need to be concerned about, and this form of metallic mayhem usually occurs on aluminum rails, pipework and framing. It forms when corrosion attacks a limited amount of surface area, usually where an anodized surface has been scratched or dinged. The pits that result in the surface are deeper than they are wide, and can eventually thin the metal until it’s substantially weakened. The best way to fight pitting is to prevent it in the first place, by regularly washing and waxing the aluminum on your boat. If it does form, you can strip away impurities with a rag soaked in vinegar, then re-seal the surface—temporarily of course—with more wax. Unfortunately, there’s no effective way to fill the pits once they’ve formed. There now. That wasn’t so bad, was it? You made it through an entire article about corrosion. Hopefully learned a thing or two, and… Hey. Hey! WAKE UP!!!

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Treble hooks represent a threat to anyone trying to bare-hand a protesting fish.

HAVE GOOD NEWS AND BAD news,” I announced to the collection of relatives gathered in our hotel room at the family reunion. “The good news,” I continued, “is that I caught something. The bad news is that it is me,” lifting my cap to reveal a gold spoon impaled in my scalp. Questions were plentiful and rapid fire as I recounted the morning wade fishing trip with my brother Stewart. We were probing a shallow flat that was littered with oyster shell. The tide was right and bait was all around us. The set up looked perfect. A long arching cast touched down and my spoon came to an immediate halt. My rod arched as I drove the hook home; unfortunately it was into a large clump of oyster shell. Rather than shuffle over and jiggle the shiny lure free, I tried tugging it free, gently at first, then with gusto. With a violent sweep of the rod, the Johnson Sprite came free. Monofilament line has roughly 22% stretch and the glistening spoon came hurdling out of the water, straight toward the bridge of my nose. Sensing I was going to take a direct hit I began tilting my head downward. A fraction of a second later, the spoon struck my hair line, made its way under my baseball cap, the treble hook skewering the top of my noggin. During a phone call last week, my brother Bill recalled my good news, bad news proclamation as he told a somewhat similar story. He and his wife had invited friends 64 |

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from Kansas City down to fish the Coastal Bend and he was serving the role of guide, netting fish and unhooking all of them. As the trip was winding down, one of his guests hooked one final trout. Bill was busy with the anchor and his friend waved him off, saying, “It’s OK. I will get this one.” You can guess what happened. The thrashing trout drove one of the treble hooks on the plug well into the man’s finger. Dangling treble hooks are dangerous and represent a threat to anyone trying to “bare-hand” a protesting fish. Treble hooks are especially dangerous to kayakers. Thrashing fish are more likely drive hooks into hands and arms, but exposed legs can easily become pin cushions if a slippery fish wiggles free from your grasp. Double bladed paddles require two good hands to operate. While technically possible to paddle with one hand, it isn’t really an option when you are paddling in a breeze or against a tide. A hand incapacitated by a hook wound simply isn’t as functional as a healthy one, more often than not stranding the angler. There are several things you can do to mitigate the risk associated with treble hooks. The most obvious thing is to simply get rid of them. Many coastal sharpshooters replace trebles with circle hooks without any loss of hook ups. The more time you spend

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unhooking plugs from fish’s mouths, the greater the chance that you will get impaled. These elite anglers know this and have taken steps to reduce the odds. You should too. If you have a phobia about single hooks and insist on using trebles, use some sort of landing aid instead of bare-handing fish. A small landing net or Boga Grips should be on everyone’s yak, making sure either option is equipped with flotation aids. Landing nets are a pain as hooks get tangled in webbing, but consider that the hooks could be impaled in your flesh is you don’t use a net. In addition to a landing device, good tools, such as hemostats or fishing pliers, allow you to get a firm grip on hooks and help keep fingers out of harm’s way. I prefer long handled hemostats and lock them onto a shirt pocket so they are always within reach when I need them. Even though I prefer hemostats for unhooking duties, I also pack a set of needle nose pliers that have side cutters. Should someone get hooked, I can prune the offending lure off the hooked person, leaving only the embedded hook to deal with on the trip back to shore. You never really appreciate the buddy system until you get into trouble, but once you do you will never paddle alone. Always paddle with a partner. Should you get hooked and can’t use your paddle, your fishing partner can tie a rope or stringer to your bow and tow you home. Kayakers that get accidentally hooked don’t have the luxury of limping home with the aid of a 150 horsepower outboard. Even if you aren’t hooked in the hand, the pain can be debilitating. The best game plan is to take the necessary precautions to avoid getting hooked. Then you won’t have to announce to friends and loved ones that you have good news and bad news.

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Don’t Think, Shoot F YOU HUNT WHITETAILS LONG ENOUGH you will eventually shoot a deer and not be able to find it. It happens to all of us and it is probably one of the most gut wrenching experiences in any hunter’s life. I speak from experience. I also speak from experience when I say that the majority of the time the responsibility for the shanked shot lies with the shooter and not the firearm. Sure, there are cases where the scope get’s knocked around or the gun doesn’t like a particular brand of ammunition so it sends the occasional flyer but 99% of the time it’s our fault. The reason for this is very simple, we’re human. We are made of flesh and bone and muscles that never stop moving (or make the exact same movement twice in a row) but rather make a series of little moves in order to give a sense of stability. To prove my point, take a yard stick and hold one end of it in your dominant hand. Now take it and point it straight out in front of you pointing the end you are not holding towards something in the distance. It is impossible to hold the far end of the yard stick completely still due to the minute movements your hand constantly makes. Now imagine that stick is 100 yards long and you can see how these little involuntary movements you are continually making can lead to a missed deer. The good news is there is a way to overcome these involuntary movements and that is to replace them with voluntary ones. If

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you are telling your muscles what to do, making deliberate movements, then you can increase you accuracy and put more deer down on the first shot. These deliberate movements also give you something to concentrate on other than the antlers. Thinking too much about the rack leads to buck fever and missed shots. What you need to understand up front is that the point behind this technique is to move, but on your own terms, so get beyond the mindset of trying to get the rifle to sit rock solid.

We’re not trying to shoot a five shot group that you can cover with a quarter. The purpose here is place one shot precisely where you want instead of wobbling all around the spot and then jerking the trigger out of desperation praying that the crosshairs are in the right location. Here’s what I do, and you can modify this technique to suit your shooting style. You have no doubt read thousands of times that if you own a variable power scope that you need to keep it cranked down to around four power for most hunting situaT E X A S

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tions. Well for this I like to turn mine up to around eight. It may be a personal preference but I feel it helps me place the shot more precisely. If you are more comfortable moving your rifle on a horizontal plain then start out with your scope’s crosshairs on the back hip of the deer you intend to shoot. No, you’re not shooting it here; this is just the starting point. Now move the crosshairs slowly towards the shoulder of the deer along a line about six inches below, and parallel with, the deer’s back. When you get to the shoulder, pause for a half second and squeeze the trigger. This isn’t one of those times when you want to take a breath and let it out slowly, that should be done while you are moving the crosshairs. You should be ready to shoot when the crosshairs touch the shoulder and if you’re not then just start over. Some shooters are more stable moving the crosshairs vertically and if that’s you then instead of starting on the deer’s hip, start on the front foot. Move the crosshairs slowly up the leg until you get to the upper third of the shoulder, pause for half a second and squeeze the trigger. It really is that simple. This year while sighting in at the range, take a few practice shots using this method and you’ll be surprised how accurate you can be by moving on purpose.

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E-mail Paul Bradshaw at freshrigs@fishgame.com

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Real Muzzleloaders HE TREND IN MOST SPORTS TODAY IS to get the best and most modern equipment that money can buy, in the hope that it will give us some kind of edge over our competition or our game. That includes what we euphemistically call primitive weapons; generally that is archery

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gear and muzzleloaders. With archery there is only so much you can do, apparently. You still have to have a stick and a string, even if the stick is made of space age carbon fiber and the bow looks like something out of Star Wars. Muzzleloaders, on the other hand, offer a much wider field for experimentation. Some people get carried away with “primitive” weapons. Hunting wild hogs— the 4-legged kind, not leather-clad weekend motorcyclists—with Bowie knives comes to mind. But I am a gun guy. I'm too old to run, and like my hunting tools to go bang, so when discussing primitive weapons, that pretty much means some kind of muzzleloader or black powder cartridge rifle. With muzzleloaders, more than with

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archery, we have lost the original intent, which was to have fun shooting and hunting with the antiquated weapons, taking us back to the romantic days—they really weren't, but we seem to need to think so—of Kit Carson, Jim Bridger, Joe Walker, Jed Smith, and others of what used to be called “The Buckskin Brigade.” When the current muzzleloader trend began back in the 1960s, the idea was to find a good Hawken or Pennsylvania long rifle replica and go hunting. Thompson Center (T/C) was the most common, and was made to shoot either patched round balls or what T/C calls Maxi-balls. Pretty soon the market was glutted with all grades and types of muzzleloaders, and there were all kinds of big city suit-types wandering around in the woods, wearing flannel and buckskins, smoking corncob pipes, chewing tobacco, and acting like they had never slept under a roof. I loved the idea and joined in with glee. Today we have decided—at least many of us seem to have—that muzzleloading is not a way to enjoy a different and more archaic form of shooting and hunting, but is a way to cheat the system by going hunting during special seasons and on muzzleloaderonly hunts with weapons that are muzzleloaders-only by way of having to be loaded from the front. Instead of putting more zing into our hunts by accepting intentional, selfimposed limitations, we have tried to equip ourselves right back into modern guns, thereby cheating the regulations and ourselves, by missing out on something really special. Naturally, the manufacturers are more than happy to help, since that means profit. Modern muzzleloaders shoot bullets, wear high-power scopes, shoot modern black powder substitutes, are fired by modern shotgun primers, are accurate to several hundred yards, are impervious to the elements, such as rain, and have almost no resemblance to the muzzleloaders carried by Kit Carson, Daniel Boone, or Jim Bridger. T F & G

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One manufacturer says of their muzzleloaders: “This .50 caliber rifle, with 209 primer [standard shotgun primers] ignition, can deliver 1 1/2” groups at 100 yards with velocities exceeding 2300 fps with more than 3,000 ft lbs of knock down energy.” Doesn't sound very primitive to me. Another says: “Our [deleted] rifles are like no other Muzzleloaders on earth, featuring the patent pending Electronic [deleted] ignition is completely sealed from the elements. (Not even a flash hole). No parts other than the barrel have to be cleaned of fouling. Ever! Ignition is absolutely instantaneous. The trigger pull is incredibly cleanbecause the trigger is really an electronic switch. And since there is no pressure explosion, as there is with primer ignitions, there is no accuracy robbing displacement of the charge allowing full and constant burn of the power charge at the bottom of the barrel.” Now explain to me, if you can, why that is considered a “primitive weapon.” These guns have no business being called primitive. So they load from the muzzle with individual components rather than from the breech with a self-contained cartridge. Big deal. If you go to the lease and shoot a deer with either of these modern rifles, don't try bragging to me about how you did it with your muzzleloader. 'cause I ain't buyin' it! On the other hand there are still some fine old-fashioned guns out there. I have an old .54 caliber Lyman Great Plains Rifle that is a real peach. It looks enough like an original caplock Hawken that Jim Bridger himself couldn't tell the difference. It has a slow-twist barrel intended for shooting round balls. In fact, I tried to shoot some bullets in it and it did not shoot them well at all. With patched round balls it will keep its shots in about 4 or 5 inches at 100 yards. It runs out of steam at about 125 yards, due to the ballistically inferior round ball. Up to its maximum range it will pole-ax a deer. It will not handle Pyrodex and hangs fire almost every time I try to use some black powder substitute, but shoots great when stoked with regular old FFg black powder. It does not use 209 primers, but is sparked with #11 caps. I clean it using soap and boiling hot water, and then oil it thoroughly with a moisture displacing lubricant. Like most muzzleloaders, when using genuine black powder, if the barrel is not swabbed out after every 5 shots it gets T F & G

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almost impossible to load. And if it is not cleaned immediately after a range session it will rust like an old tin can. That I have had it for 25 years and it is rust free is an indication of the loving care it is given after each use. I did make one concession to modern technology. It now wears a Lyman microadjustable rear aperture sight rather than the original buckhorn that came on the gun.

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This is because I never could get the buckhorn to shoot exactly center, and because my eyes are not what they once were. I will not, however, stoop to mounting a scope on it; that would be undisguised sacrilege. I don't care if you hunt with a modern muzzleloader. If it gets you into the field and out of the office, I'm all for it. What ruffles

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New Limited Editions from Polaris POLARIS INDUSTRIES RECENTLY announced the company’s new limited edition ATV and Side-by-Side offerings. The new ATV models include: 2012 Sportsman 500 H.O.— Polaris Pursuit Camo. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Photo-realistic Polaris Pursuit Camo; Engine Braking System (EBS). It comes with Kenda K590 25-inch tires. This model was available as of July 2011. 2012 Sportsman XP 850 H.O./550 EPS—Orange Madness. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Orange Madness automotive-style paint; Black Carbon; Fiber pattern side panels ; Custom cut & sew Orange and Black seat ; Color-matched painted front and rear suspension springs ; Electronic Power Steering (EPS) ; Lock & Ride front storage box. It will also feature 14-inch machined black cast aluminum wheels with Carlisle AT 489 II tires. This limited edition will be available in October 2011. 2012 Sportsman XP 850 H.O./550 EPS—Browning Polaris Pursuit Camo. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Photo-

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realistic Polaris Pursuit Camo; Electronic Power Steering (EPS); Rear work lights; and Rear rack extender. It has a 2500 lb. winch and is equipped with Lock & Ride gun scabbard. It has 14-inch Polaris Pursuit Camo steel wheels with Carlisle AT 489 II tires. It even features Hand/thumb warmers. This model was also available as of July 2011 2012 Sportsman Touring 850 H.O EPS—Bronze Mist. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Bronze Mist automotive-style paint; Driver handguards; Driver; hand and thumb warmers; Passenger hand warmers; Mirrors; a Polaris 2500 lb winch; Rear storage box; and 14-inch machined black cast aluminum

The Side-by-Side models include: 2012 Ranger 500 EFI—Sunset Red. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Sunset Red painted hood with custom-matched side decals; Custom decal accent package; Turbo Silver painted front and rear suspension springs; Custom cut & sew stitched Black and Sunset Red deluxe seats; and 12-inch Black Crusher rims with Carlisle 489 tires. This limited edition side-by-side model was available as of August 2011. 2012 Ranger XP 800—Magnetic Metallic. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Magnetic Metallic painted hood, dash and glove box with custom matched side decals; Custom decal accent package; Turbo Silver painted front and rear suspension springs; Custom cut & sew stitched Black and Magnetic Metallic deluxe seats; 12-inch black Crusher rims with PXT tires. It has been available since July 2011. 2012 Ranger XP 800—Boardwalk Blue. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Boardwalk Blue painted hood, dash and glove box with custom matched side decals; Custom decal accent package; Turbo Silver painted front and rear suspension springs; Custom cut & sew Sportsman 500 H.O. Polaris Pursuit wheels Camo Limited Edition ATV. stitched Black and Boardwalk with Blue deluxe seats; and 12-inch Carlisle AT 489 II tires. This limited ediblack Crusher rims with PXT tires. It was tion was available as of August 2011 available in July 2011. 2012 Ranger XP 800—Pearl

TEXAS GUNS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 69 my feathers is the idea that we can somehow cheat the rules by using such guns in primitive weapons seasons. If you want to hunt with a muzzleloader that shoots bullets, 70 |

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wears a 3-9X scope, has electronic ignition, and is accurate to 300 yards, use it during the regular rifle season. Leave the primitive seasons to the real primitive weapons, as they were intended. Better yet, buy a replica muzzleloader and use it. They really are a

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lot of fun and hunting with one gives you a very real sense of sharing in the past of Kit and Jim. E-mail Steve LaMascus at SLamascus@fishgame.com T F & G

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White. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Pearl White painted hood, dash and glove box with custom matched side decals Custom decal accent package; Bright White painted front and rear suspension springs; Custom cut & sew stitched Black and Pearl White deluxe seats; and 12-inch black Crusher rims with PXT tires. It was available in July 2011. 2012 Ranger XP 800—Walker Evans. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Premium Walker Evans shock package; Black Metallic and Indy Red painted hood, dash and glove box with custom matched side decals; Custom Walker Evans graphic package; Indy Red painted front and rear suspension springs; Custom cut & sew stitched Black and Indy Red deluxe seats; and 12-inch black Crusher rims with PXT tires. It was available in August 2011. 2012 Ranger XP 800 XP EPS— Sunset Red. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Electronic Power Steering (EPS); Sunset Red painted hood, dash and glove box with custom matched side decals; Custom decal accent package; Turbo Silver painted front and rear suspension springs; Custom cut & sew stitched Black and Sunset Red deluxe seats; and 12" black Crusher rims with PXT tires. Available August 2011. 2012 Ranger XP 800 EPS— Browning Edition with Pursuit Camo. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Electronic Power Steering (EPS); Exclusive Browning Edition Ranger with Pursuit camo hood, dash and glove box with custom-matched side decals; Factory Installed Polaris 4500 lb. winch; Dual Lock & Ride black gun scabbards, positioned above bed; Custom cut & sew Browning seat with Buck Mark decal; Matte Black steel rims with Polaris PXT tires. It has been available since July 2011. 2012 Ranger CREW 500—Turbo Silver. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Turbo Silver painted hood with custom matched side decals; Custom decal accent package; Turbo Silver painted front and rear suspension springs; Custom cut & sew stitched Black and Turbo Silver deluxe seats; and 12" Black Crusher rims with Carlise 489 tires. It was available August 2011. 2012 Ranger CREW 800 EPS— T F & G

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Sandstone. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Electronic Power Steering (EPS); Sandstone painted hood, dash and glove box with custom matched side decals; Custom Matte Black decal accent package; Turbo Silver painted front and rear suspension springs; Custom cut & sew stitched Black and Sandstone deluxe seats; and 12" Black Crusher rims with PXT tires. It was available July 2011. 2012 Ranger RZR 800—White Lightning/Red. Additional features on the limited edition model include: White Lightning painted dash and rear panels with Indy Red painted hood; Custom Rally graphics package; Color-matched painted front and rear suspension springs; Custom cut & sew stitched Black and Indy Red seats with RZR emblem; with Maxxis tires on 12" Black Crusher rims. It was available as of July 2011. 2012 Ranger RZR 800—Magnetic Metallic. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Magnetic Metallic painted dash and rear panels with Liquid Silver painted hood; Custom Rally graphics package; Custom cut & sew stitched Black and Liquid Silver seats with RZR emblem; Color-matched front and rear suspension springs; and Maxxis tires on 12" Black Crusher rims. It was available in July 2011. 2012 Ranger RZR 800 EPSBoardwalk Blue. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Electronic Power Steering (EPS); Boardwalk Blue painted dash and rear panels with White Lightning painted hood; Custom Rally graphics package; Custom cut & sew threecolor stitched Black, Blue and White seats with RZR emblem; Color-matched front and rear suspension springs; Premium Walker Evans Shock Package; and Maxxis tires on 12" Black Crusher rims. Available since July 2011. 2012 Ranger RZR S 800— White/Orange Madness. Additional features on the limited edition model include: White Lightning painted dash with Gloss Black painted hood and rear panels; Custom three-color cut & sew stitched Black, Orange and White seats with RZR emblem; Color-matched painted front and rear suspension springs; White Lightning painted control arms; Premium Fox Podium X shocks; and it has T E X A S

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Maxxis Bighorn tires on 12" black Crusher rims. This model was available in August 2011. 2012 Ranger RZR S 800—Liquid Silver/Red. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Liquid Silver painted dash and rear panels with Indy Red painted hood; Custom graphics package; Custom cut & sew stitched Black and Indy Red seats with Red RZR emblem; Color-matched front and rear suspension springs; Premium Fox Podium X shocks; and Maxxis Bighorn tires on 12” Black Crusher rims. It was available August 2011. 2012 Ranger RZR 4 800 EPS— White/Orange Madness Robby Gordon. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Electronic Power Steering (EPS); White Lightning painted dash with Gloss Black painted hood and rear panels; Custom three-color cut & sew stitched Black, Orange and White seats with RZR emblem; Color-matched painted front and rear suspension springs; White Lightning painted control arms; and with ITP 900 XCT tires on 12” Black Bruiser rims. It was available August 2011 2012 Ranger RZR XP 900— White Lightning. Additional features on the limited edition model include: White Lightning dash and Black painted hood; Custom Xtreme graphics package; Custom two-color cut & sew White and Black seats with RZR emblem; with Maxxis Bighorn tires on 12" black Bruiser rims. It has been available since July 2011. 2012 Ranger RZR XP 900— Black/Orange Madness. Additional features on the limited edition model include: Metallic Black dash and Orange Madness painted hood; Custom graphics package; Custom three-color cut & sew White, Orange and Black seats with RZR emblem; White Lightning painted control and trailing arms; Color-matched Orange Madness front and rear fenders; and Maxxis Bighorn tires on 12" black Bruiser Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories is available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime from the Polaris homepage at www.polarisindustries.com.

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A. G. Russell Cowboy & Rancher Pocket Knives FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE, A. G. RUSSELL has admired the Sodbuster style of knife, with his favorites being made by the now defunct Eye Brand of Solingen, Germany. Recognizing that many others share his interest and that he could produce and offer it at a price that is affordable to nearly every American, A. G. has designed his own variation, which he has named the Cowboy and the Rancher. Both have blades of 8Cr13MoV steel at 57-58 Rc. hardness, very properly flat ground to a fine cutting edge. Both models have been cycle tested in A. G.’s own shop to more than 300,000 cycles of opening and closing. Measuring 4-3/8 inches closed, the Cowboy, is big enough to trim a hoof, skin

A.G. Russell’s Cowboy and Rancher models revive the Sodbuster style of pocket knives.

a deer or perform any of the jobs a cowboy or hunter might perform. Model RUSCX12YD is priced at $29.95. At 3 inches closed, the Rancher is a perfect size for everyday use by the rancher or foreman and carries comfortable in work pants or your Saturday night jeans. The Rancher, model RUS-CX13-ER sells for

$24.95. Order at agrussell.com/cowboyrancher or call 800-2559034.

Cool Off in the Outdoors COOL OFF IS SURE TO BE YOUR NEW constant companion, a pocket-sized, natural cooling towelette is literally the “coolest” product to have on-hand for outdoor enthusiasts. The invigorating, cooling musthaves are the latest product to help you stay refreshed and energized all day long. Featuring the latest in cooling technology, the multi-purpose cloths are one of the hottest items to emerge in the fitness and outdoor recreation categories, especially in warm weather! Infused with cooling herbs, plant botanicals and essential oils that sooth the skin, the convenient towelettes offer relief for any active, hot weather activity; so that you can feel your best whether you’re hiking the Appalachian, fishing in the deep blue, camping in the wilderness, or simply tending to your garden. Whatever the reason is to renew, refresh and re-energize, Cool Off is there to guarantee your personal comfort, so that you can keep trekking!

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So get cooled off with “Don’t let the inexpensive Cool Off price fool you, this is a high (www.thequickchill.com), quality Copolymer line the new convenient pockextruded with the best raw et-sized, natural, personal materials available.” cooling towelette, availC21 will be available in able online at 300 yard spools of Crystal www.CVS.com, Clear in sizes ranging from www.Amazon.com, 4 to 30 pound test and will and begin shipping in November Cool Off natural cooling www.drugstore.com of 2011. The suggested retail of towlettes. in packs of 4, boxes C21 will be $4.99-$5.99 with the of 12 and 24 towentire size run family priced. elettes. For more information visit www.pline.com

PHOTO: P-LINE

Great Line for Less Rifle Shoots a than a Lincoln .50 Caliber Hole C21 IS THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE P-Line family, and is sure to raise the bar through Red Tape of what anglers can expect from an economically priced line. “This copolymer line is made with Japanese raw materials and technology. The ultimate goal of our engineers’ was to create a line that bridged the gap between two of our most popular lines, CX-Premium and CXX-Xtra Strong, while maintaining a great price point” stated Don Newman of P-Line. Castability is the most important attribute for an angler, and C21 delivers with a soft construction which literally flies off the reel with virtually no memory. A copolymer line made with two types on nylon, C21 synergistically creates the ultimate line for spinning or bait casting reels, without putting a big dent in your wallet! “We field tested this line in harsh winter conditions in Alaska, and warm water fisheries like Clear Lake and the California Delta and were impressed with the fishability and castability of P-Line C21... high perC21” stated formance for less than Newman. 5 bucks.

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DRAGON CLAW .50 CALIBER RIFLE. NO paper. It’s an airgun. Big bore airguns have been around for over 500 years. Besides the lack of government red tape, airguns have other advantages over firearms. Ammo is clean and easy—a lead bullet… no powder, no primer, no case. It also has a quieter report than a .50caliber firearm, yet the Dragon Claw delivers pounding power that quickly and humanely takes hogs, javelina, coyotes and other pests. The rifle features fine workmanship, which is evident in the beautifully executed checkered wood stock and the deep, rich bluing. Two versions of the pneumatic rifle are available. One has dual air reservoirs and the other has a single reservoir. The version with dual reservoirs will deliver

Warrensville Heights, OH 44128.

Say ‘Nighty Night’ to Flounder YOUR FISHING PAL INTRODUCES THE New Lighted Flounder Unit for your night time fishing enjoyment. This unit has many features with adjustable angles and depth for the 20” LED light. It will run on a single 12 volt gel cell 7.2 amps battery, for 4-6 hours (depending on battery charge and condition). This Fish Light is made to withstand the rigors of salt water fishing as well as fresh water. The bulbs are factory rated for 20,000 hours use to provide years of great fishing enjoyment. The light can be removed from the Flounder Unit and used to hang from the boat or dock for night time fishing, comes complete ready to use with 18 ft. of electrical cord. The introductory price is $194.99, (battery not included). See their website, PHOTO: COOL OFF

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Your Fishing Pal’s Lighted Flounder Unit

www.yourfishingpal.com for more great fishing products or call (979) 871-8700.

more shots before needing to fill up with high-pressure air. This bolt-action rifle is available as a prepackaged deal at a discounted price. Dragon Claw .50 caliber air gun. Three deal sizes are available, with the large one including ammo, rifle case, scope, rings and bipod. Order from www.PyramydAir.com, 877-309-4867, 18370 S. Miles Rd., T E X A S

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Fish Kid IS YOUR KID A FISHING FANATIC? OR, do you want to make sure you impress upon him or her the awesome nature of fish and fishing at an early age? Then dress up your kid as a Fish Kid. Fish Kid clothing, sunglasses, and hats are designed to fit the youngest fish fans among us, from newborns (seriously!) to preteens. Hats and sunglasses (which meet ANSI Z80.3 UV requirements for general purpose sun protection, and block out 99-percent of AVA and AVB sunlight) are sized for kids, and come in multiple styles and colors. The T-shirts, however, are what most kids are going to really like—few cool fishing shirts are available in kid’s sizes, and these come in toddler, youth, youth L, and youth XL. Some sport the Fish Kid logo (a youngster wrestling with a bent pole), while others are available with a variety of sport fish prints or “cool” fish, like the Metallic Monster Fish and the wild-looking Angler Fish. Styles include T-shirts, hoodies, and tanktops, in both boy’s and girl’s cuts and colors. Slide your newborn into one of

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My 11 year old boys thought the coolest catch in this line-up was the Surf Shirt. This form-fitting nylon/spandex blend comes in short and long sleeves, carries a Solar Guard SPF factor of 50, and prevented the rashes and burns that usually come with boogie-boarding and surf-riding at the beach during our family vacation. When it came to hoodies and T’s, one son decided Fish Kid’s camo print was the best, while another liked the Hawaiian flare of the Aloha print. Performance fishing shirts with vented sleeves and foul weather gear are all in the works, so your kids can don Fish Kid gear in all kinds of weather. Check out the styles and pricing, at www.fishkid.com.

Midland Xtra Talk ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM A COMMUNIcations breakdown, while you’re fishing or hunting? A pair of FRS radios will help you stay in touch with your friends and family members, but the quality of different models varies radically. I had a chance to try out Midland’s Xtra Talk radios while on a cross-country trip this summer, and we put them to the test as we drove down the highway, hiked up a mountain, and fished along a river. The LXT 380VP3 was the perfect Xtra Talk package for us, since it includes two radios, a charger/base station, rechargeable batteries, and an AC adaptor. Midland says these radios have a range of up to 24 miles; on the road we never lost touch with each other, including up to a distance of about five miles when I took the wrong exit ramp. When hiking, range was definitely shorter and when there was a mountain in the way, although communications were still possible the transmissions were a

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bit broken up. For close-quarters communications there’s a low-power option which lets you conserve battery life, but we used these radios extensively between charges— at one stretch of driving for about 20 hours—and never tapped the power supply out, so they get a big thumbs-up for charge longevity. As with most FRS radios, there was some bleed-over from other people’s conversations. Particularly on a crowded highway near major cities, we had to change channels often. Luckily, the Xtra Talk has 22 channels to choose from so we were always able to switch them until we had clear airwaves to talk over. And during a full week in campgrounds, bleed-over was surprisingly rare. Now: ready for the big surprise? The LXT 380 VP costs a mere $40. You can also opt for behind-the-ear mics ($40) and headsets ($20). Hunters will be most interested in the LXT 385VP version, which comes in a camo pattern but costs $10 more. And if you want the best Midland has to offer in outdoors FRS radios, check out the GXT 1050VP4 models; these cost significantly more at $100 for Midland GXT the package, but they’re camo, waterproofed, and have a long list of features including NOAA weather radio, an SOS siren, an additional 28 channels to choose from, and 14 miles more maximum range. Take your pick at www.midlandradio.com

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COMPOSITE LAYOUT: TEXAS FISH & GAME; DEER MOUNT, DEEPSPACE DAVE, FOTOLIA

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BY BOB HOOD SOME ARE CALLED GADGETS, some are called items of necessity and some are called “equalizer items” to even things with those new shoes your wife just bought or that new shotgun your husband recently purchased. Whatever name you give it, the world

Major firearms manufacturers, ammuni-

and presenting some of most useful hunting

still is turning rapidly in the realm of innov-

tion producers, 4-wheeler companies, and

gear for both the average hunter and the

ative hunting equipment, a fact that is evi-

even the major auto industry and others

veteran hunter.

dent at hunting shows, retail outlets, on the

constantly are working to compete in the

internet and in hunters’ vehicles, packs and

hunting market, but it is the smaller, often

cabins.

individual, businesses that are inventing

New Camo Flavors One of the most interesting pushes

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among these new items for the hunter is the

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Even though camouflage patterns have

items, the newest patterns are impressive,

latest advent of new camouflage clothing

evolved with the presentations of clothes,

indeed, and they are coming from individ-

patterns. A half century ago, most camou-

shirts, caps, hats, jackets, sweaters, waders

ual or small businesses, not the major pro-

flage patterns were the same--simply patch-

and other items with leaf-like prints or

ducers.

es of green, brown, black and gray. Not so

those with prints simulating tree limbs, tree

today.

trunks, sea grass and other natural-looking

One of the newest is a pattern that blends in with sunflowers and comes in “breathable” as well as other materials. PHOTO: FRANK BACH, BIGSTOCK:

Another pattern being offered sinks a

Sunflowers make an ideal camo pattern for Texas, in dove season and beyond.

hunter’s identity into cedars and shade with its dark green pattern. Although these new patterns are being used on hunter’s clothing items, you can expect to see them elsewhere such as on hunting blinds, 4-wheelers, and maybe even firearms and archery equipment in the future, just as you have seen the trend in other camouflage patterns being used on various items.

Clothing Non-Scents The hunter clothing industry also has seen a change not only in camouflage patterns but also in “scent-control” products

PHOTO: ALEX ABIGOSIS, DREAMSTIME

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Cedar is such a prevalent cover, expecially in the Hill Country and Central Texas, that it is a natural for a Texas camo pattern.

such as several shirts, pants, jackets and coveralls that have been treated with technology to permanently control human odor caused by bacteria. Among them are those that use silver or silver-based components and nylon threads rather than sprayed-on or dyed or dipped silver to control human odor.

Nice Racks Until recently, gun and bow racks have changed little. Most are designed to hold a bow, rifle or shotgun securely on a 4-wheeler or similar vehicle, in a Jeep, pickup truck or other vehicle while strapped down. One new gun and bow rack designed recently holds the weapons securely without

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PHOTO: MILAN SURKALA, BIGSTOCK

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the use of a strap. It can be expanded by

Glamour Game Shots

hand to accommodate any size rifle or archery equipment and even holds those

Many hunters today rely upon trail

weapons securely when upside down such

cameras to help do the scouting for them.

as from overhead on a 4-wheeler or other

In the early years of trail cameras, most

vehicle.

simply took black and white photos of any-

Modern trail cameras shoot and store thousands of high-definition color photos and even video.

thing that triggered movement in front of the camera. Modern technologies have resulted in trail cameras that not only have bulb-type flash units for night-time photos but infrared night photos that do not alert animals that their photo has been taken other than a simple small red infrared light on the unit itself. Also, many of the new trail cameras not only take still photos but short videos, run on battery packs as well as a series of C and D cell batteries and provide additional information. One new trail camera is designed to provide exceptionally longer battery life than any other time-lapse camera on the market. It records up to 1,000,000 images on a single set of batteries with a full day using approximately 80 |

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an HD video. You can take the SD card

your computer, then the software manages

out of the unit and load the content on

and loads the files by the dates recorded.

Game cameras can shoot wildlife in all light conditions, without spooking them.

7,500 images. This particular camera also records high-definition images while taking pictures every 5 or 10 seconds and saves them as

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You can review all of the recorded images in minutes. Other cameras require manual organization and time to see the images.

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PHHOTO: COURTESY EASTON

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Archery Achievement The designs of archery broadheads may even surpass the new innovations in trail cameras. There are many new mechanical broadheads that expand upon impact as

New designs in broadheads have vastly improved the sport of bowhunting.

well as fixed broadheads of two and three blades that do all the work without expanding. Among the newest in this field is a fixed broadhead whose “point” is hollow with three very sharp spears up front. The purpose of the “hollow point” broadhead is for the sharp spears to open up an area of hair, bone and/or meat to provide better

PHOTO: DAVE WILLMAN, BIGSTOCK

cutting by the blades of the broadhead that

Archery hunting has continued to be a fast-growing sport, especially among younger hunters.

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is behind the point. The result is a quicker

shelves every day. One of the newest

low point” on the tip but which has three

cutting of the broadhead as it passes into

broadheads is one that appears as a “hol-

very sharp spear-like parts to that “hollow

and/or through the animal’s body cavity. Perhaps one of the fastest growing fields for manufacturers of hunting equipment is that involving archery and crossbow hunters. Archery hunting, like spring turkey hunting, has continued to be a fastgrowing sport, especially among young hunters, so it isn’t surprising that small companies are rapidly competing with larger well-known brand name companies not only for a piece of the pie but because they truly are made up of archery hunters who are developing better and more reliable equipment for themselves and fellow archery hunters. New broadheads, arrows and bolts are being developed every day. Lighted nocks, mechanical and stationary cutting edges, new fletching, and more are hitting the

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point” that cuts into bone, meat and other areas of the animal to open up a broader path for the blades to cut through when they reach that point.

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Modern Antiques Proponents of antique rifles for hunting during muzzle-loading and “primitive” firearms seasons are seeing their methods of hunting improved annually. Other than

Modern-day replicas of cap-andball firearms and flintlocks have redefined “primitive” hunting.

using actual antique muzzleloaders, the sport of hunting with these firearms has been expanded drastically by the production of modern-day replicas of cap-and-ball firearms and flintlocks. The advent of disc charging systems using basically shotgun primers for muzzleloaders as well as lighter and stronger flintlock rifles with specially-designed flints likely would have been accepted very well with the likes of Davey Crockett, Daniel Boone and other early adventures and hunters.

Waterfowl When you drop away from big game hunting, you will find a large number of new items and gear for waterfowlers, dove hunters, upland game hunters, predator hunters and small game hunters. They range from motion decoys, silhouette decoys, magnum shotguns and magnum shotshell, improved waders, coveralls, chests, boots, flashlights, caplights, gear bags, calls and much more. Waterfowl hunters, for example, are seeing a growing array of motion decoys for ducks and geese which also has expanded into the dove and predator hunting fields. 84 |

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to simulate ducks in flight to land on water.

include doves and even deer and other ani-

That technology was later expanded to

mals.

Technology continues to advance in the service of waterfowl and other bird hunters.

The “motion” waterfowl decoy presentations began more than a decade ago with the presentations of duck decoys on stakes whose wings were rotated by battery supply

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actual sound of the caller.

On the predator calling avenue, there

Remote-controlled predator calling

are numerous motorized attractants that simulate injured rabbits, rodents, birds and even feathers of prey to distract a coyote,

PHOTO: (JOHN PITCHER, BIGSTOCK

bobcat, fox or other predator away from the

Predator

devices have revolutionized the predator calling industry, replacing the old 45 rpm

Digital callers and innovations in hand-blown calls have revolutionized predator hunting.

record portable callers as well as the cassette callers that were introduced in the 1970s and 1980s, but the traditional mouth-blown calls have not fallen short on innovations. Both historically-proven predator calls as well as modern-day manual calls have been upgraded and remain the favorites among many serious predator callers.

Deer Hunters Deer attractants began with corn feeders, spread to protein feeders and now

PHOTO: TONY CAMPBELL, CANSTOCK

involves an array of mineral or â&#x20AC;&#x153;deer

Supplement, scent, and feeder manufacturers have made a science of attracting deer.

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blocksâ&#x20AC;? and attractants that truly work to

abuse without showing signs of wear and

vides consistent readings of up to 1,300

bring deer in to specific spots. Among the

corrosion.

yards. That overall distance capability may not be important to some archery hunters

newest deer attractants is one mineral bag that is hung from a tree or other above-

Rangefinders

but the fact is that the rangefinder is accu-

ground support, wet with water and then

Another big plus for both rifle and

left to attract deer. The mineral bag pro-

archery hunters is a race among manufac-

vides nourishment that provides nutrients

turers to improve their range finders. One

for fawns, buck antler growth and overall

company now has a rangefinder that pro-

rate at very close ranges as well as those far-out shots for rifle hunters.

health. Its other advantages is that is hog proof because it can not be rooted and rolled away and will withstand years of

On the Web A.G. Russell Knives: www.AGRussell.com AccuSharp Knife Sharpeners: www.AccuSharp.com Ammunition To Go: www.AmmunitionToGo.com BA Products: www.RemingtonFeeders.com Black Hills Ammunition: www.Black-Hills.com Country Home Products: www.DRPower.com DeSantis Holsters: www.DeSantisHolster.com Hitch N Hunt: www.HitchnHunt.com KT Coolers: www.KTCoolers.com Larson Electronics: www.Magnalight.com Lumenok/Burt Coyote Co. www.lumenok.net Puma Knives www.PumaKnifeCompanyUSA.com Pyramyd Air www.PyramydAir.com RAW Ranch Hunting www.Worsham-RealEstate.com Springfield Armory www.Springfield-Armory.com Sunflower Camo www.SunflowerCamo.net Sure Grip www.SureGripRacks.com The Great Texas Gun Company www.TXGunco.com Trophy Tools www.TrophyTools.com T F & G

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Sabine Octoberfest HAT CAN I SAY ABOUT OCTOBER? You want big numbers? You want action? How about excitement, opportunity and endless options? You want specks, reds and flounder? Sand trout? Bull reds? If the word “yes” entered your brain to any of these questions, you owe it to yourself to get down here and join us in a Sabinestyle Octoberfest. Many people are convinced that no other month rivals October when it comes to sheer numbers and the overall quality of the Big 3. I’d have to agree because if I had to pick one month out of the year to fish, this would be it. The marsh and bayous are constantly being purged as shrimp and batifish contin-

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ue to pour out into the bay with every cold front. As a result, the mouths of the bayous, shorelines and open bay are all excellent places to locate fish.

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Flounder will set up ambush points in the bayous at S curves and points near the mouth on outgoing tides. Trout and redfish

will also take advantage of these areas as the tide leads their next meal towards deeper water. Fishing the mouths of any bayou or cut on the eastern bank of Sabine Lake can lead to success. If you’ve got tidal movement and bait present, the odds of you catching fish increase greatly. The mouths of Willow and Bridge Bayous are excellent places to start. These areas hold bait year round and seem to step it up a notch in October. Throwing topwaters early and plastics once the sun gets up should keep you on the fish. It’s hard for flounder to resist the wobble of a curl-tailed grub tipped with fresh shrimp dragged slowly along the bottom. Trout and redfish will like it worked a little faster. Use an 1/8 oz. or 1/4 oz. lead head and bounce it off the bottom or swim it back to the boat. The open bay should be wide open with big flocks of birds leading anglers to schools of trout and reds. Shrimp are making their way out of the marsh and the fish have them corralled and pushed to the surface where the gulls, and hopefully you, will be waiting. The big bulls have also invaded the beachfront and jetties as they come in close to spawn future generations. Break out the big rods and catch some mullet and you shouldn’t have to wait too long for the reels to start singing. Make sure your drag is set if you answered “yes” earlier and come be a part of the Sabine Octoberfest!

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: McFaddin Beach SPECIES: Bull Redfish BAITS/LURES: Live or cut mullet BEST TIMES: All day or night

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Is Change Good For The Gulf? Y LAST TRIP TO GALVESTON before writing this column was on a very lovely summer day – just about as good as it gets. Although it was hot, maybe record hot, there was a cooling breeze off the water; the surf was green to the beach with just a smallish scattering of whitecaps coming in. There was a heavy load of seaweed on the beach that was making it rough on surf fishermen. The weed gets on the lines of long rod anglers and weights them down, pulling even the best sand sinkers free, and harbors mosquitoes and biting flies on land just as it attracts small baitfish and crustaceans when in the water. Those who love the Gulf see the trade-off, however, and will take this as an omen of good offshore fishing over the horizon – especially for dolphin. Coming up on the seawall from the direction of San Luis Pass, it was sad to see that the old Gulf Coast (90th Street) Pier is still an island chain after Ike, with three unconnected sections leading from Seawall Blvd to the “T” – head. Again taking a positive attitude, my thoughts were that a surf-launched boat on a calm day might find some excellent opportunities around those pilings. The 61st Street Pier seemed to be open for business, and it looked as thought the store/restaurant area was being remodeled. My reasons for coming to the Island that day were not directly aimed at fishing, but rather at the future of fishing, which we need to face with a hopeful and positive attitude. I was attending the Galveston segment of a Gulf of Mexico Listening Session concern-

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The old 90th Street Pier is still an island chain after Ike.

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ing the Obama Administration’s National Ocean Policy. Moderated by Dr. Larry McKinney, former Coastal Fisheries Director for TPWD and now Executive Director of the HARTE Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, this meeting followed a gathering of the Gulf of Mexico Restoration Task Force, and was attended by the major players in the administration’s Ocean Policy group, a couple of whom admitted this was their first opportunity to see the Gulf in per-

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son. There are nine objectives of the Ocean Policy, which positively stresses communication between all the “stakeholders” and users of the oceans, Gulf and Great Lakes, while at the same time putting importance in climate change, ocean acidification, and changes in the Arctic that I think have debatable importance. There are other positives, like concern over water from its source to its final destination. The main thing to watch for, however, is called Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning. My favorite deckhand, Jack “Six-Pack” Pierce, thought they were saying “Special” planning, and his thoughts were that “Hell, yes, the marinas on the coast are special!” The UN defines Spatial Planning, however, as “A public process of analyzing and allocating the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic, and social objectives that usually have been specified through a

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Target Reds Until the Birds Work

CTOBER IN MATAGORDA IS NOT what it used to be. I remember chilly earlobes, calm afternoons and world-class light tackle fishing.

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Ten years ago it was nothing to pop countless 4-5 pound trout on topwaters during an evening session working birds. Back then, it was crowded to see three boats on an October weekday afternoon in East Matagorda Bay. People were more concerned with getting deer camp ready and duck blinds brushed. Indeed, times have changed. Sure, the birds still work in October, but the last few fall campaigns have been more of a November thing. That doesn’t mean fishing stinks in October, it just means if warmweather patterns persist, keep your September plan in your back pocket. “It (bird action) has definitely been later and later every year,” said guide Bill Puste-

jovsky. “We just keep plugging the reefs until the shrimp leave the marsh and the birds start working.” The tell-tale spark that gets birds working is the amount of water in the marsh. When tides are high, which is normally the case in early autumn, shrimp retreat to the backwater areas and nurseries. Then, as tides recede, often after the first cold front of the year, the marsh dumps those bloated tides and shrimp ride the current to the bays. “It seems to be later and later every year,” said guide Tommy Alexander. “But there are plenty of fish to catch until the birds get really going.” Swelling fall tides are a boon for redfishers. Like shrimp, when tides are high, redfish wander to the back lakes and marshes. It might be cruising the grass line in Oyster Lake, staging on shell pads in Crab Lake or circling the reefs and drop-offs at Shell

GALVESTON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 89 political process. To me, this means dividing the waters of our nation among users groups, and the divisions will be determined by the same people who cannot accurately and fairly manage red snapper. To obtain more information, or to register your own comments online, go to www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/05/26/sh are-your-ideas-national-ocean-council-listening-session-near-you.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: October should be a fine month for fishing any part of the Galveston area. Try the 61st Pier I mentioned earlier on a green tide for a variety of species. ALTERNATE SPOT: “Wet” wading the 90 |

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Island. Live shrimp under a popping cork is the best course of action. “We Power Pole down and work the grass line, then pull up and drift down the shoreline and do it again,” said Alexander. With all the shrimp in the back lakes, on calm days schools of trout and redfish follow the pods of crustaceans, and sea gulls usually follow. “Birds will work in the back lakes in October,” said Pustejovsky. “Other times of the year the trout are usually small in the lakes, but in October they all seem to be keepers.” Larger reds hang out in the surf and at the jetty. Large table shrimp, finger mullet and cracked crabs are the best offerings for the big spawners. If you plan to target bull redfish, the Gulf is the spot, but don’t be surprised if you run in to a 40-incher in the bay. “There are always big redfish in West Bay,” said guide and redfish specialist Jimmy Riddle. “We will be on a spot with lots of slot-sized redfish and then a big bull shows up and gives us a good time.” As always, the scattered shell and mud in East Bay is a player for trout with light winds and green tides. Live shrimp under a popping cork is normally the best bet for bites, but as is the case every autumn, soft

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plastics like Bass Assassins, Norton Sand Eels and Bull Minnows, TTF Flats Minnows and Gulps become consistent players.

BAITS: Table shrimp, cracked blue crabs, finger mullet

THE BANK BITE

Capt. Bink Grimes is a licensed fishing guide and lodge proprietor (www.matagordasunriselodge.com). Email him at bgrimes@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Matagorda jetty SPECIES: Bull Redfish

FOCUS surf or bays is a very pleasant way to pass your fishing time, and Galveston offers many areas to try both, on either side of the Island. SPECIES: Speckled trout and redfish, flounder, and various panfish species will be most common, but this is also prime bull red season, and there will still be big jacks in the surf. BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, mullet, or croaker when available, dead bait when they are not. Artificials will be good on early tide changes for specks. BEST TIMES: Early morning tide changes are the best, but moving water at any time will stir fish to feeding activity.

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. T F & G

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Fish or Hunt? S THE FIRST TRUE COLD FRONTS make their way onto our beloved bays, the refreshing chill can put energy back in one’s step after a summer of a record drought and so many days of triple digit temperatures that I lost count. Maybe it was just me, but this summer seemed unmercifully hot with most of my clients giving me the “take me back to the dock where I can soak up some A/C” look by mid-day. Most outdoors men/women seem to shift from the first gear of fishing to the four wheel drive of hunting as the cooler, lighter air triggers some inherited evolutionary switch that only a true outdoors person experiences. While I love to fish, I must

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admit that I, too, can hear the calling of my old Mathews Drenalin bow to the pursuit of critters of the 4 legged persuasion. If I may, though, before you hang up your favorite fishing rod and cover the boat and treat the gas with Stabil for old man winter’s visit, let me make a case for the pivotal month of October. As I go back in my records over the years I am amazed at the quality of fish I’ve caught at this time of year. My biggest trout have been caught in October; my biggest flounder as well as biggest reds all caught in this magical month. If you have followed my writings, you know that the few hours just before a significant cold front exacts some pretty good fishing for those who keep rod, reel and boat ready. Much has been written about this feeding time and much debated. Some say it’s barometric change, others heatedly debate that fish cannot sense or feel anything but the most drastic atmospheric changes (barometric pressure is simply atmospheric pressure as measured or indi-

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cated by a barometer). Others say it’s the sudden drop in water temperature that triggers a survival feeding cycle. Still others insist it’s the change in light with wet cold fronts and their refractive effects on fish at certain depths. Then we have the wind gurus who swear the northerly winds push bait from north to south, in the opposite direction from which it has been driven for most of the preceding 5 to 6 months, thus causing a stirring effect to elicit the bite. Let’s add into the equation the moon and tidal effects have and we fishermen/women have much to ponder. Such is the puzzled mysteries that an angler gets to piece together. Before we dive too deep into this pool of theories and get totally confused, let us remember we are talking about catching fish in the month of October and why this month merits a postponement of our cool-weather fishing hiatus. Over the years I have noted conditions that correlate to this wonder bite and when these conditions present themselves it will make me stop whatever I am doing and put my boat in the water for excellent opportunities at some rod bending action. First I think all the conditions previously mentioned have merit and can, and do, factor into the equation; some more than others. If you try to factor all these conditions in the effort to arrive at the ultimate angler answer, let me save you the time for there is no such thing. Instead let me tell you what I look for. A cold front that promises to drop ambient temps by more than 30 degrees which in turn will drop water temps by 10 degrees or more in rapid fashion. A crescent moon (new moon). Frontal winds that promise to be around 20 knots (anything more and you will be fishing in chocolate milk-muddy water); winds less than that won’t likely move bait. A wet front that drags a nice barometric change with it and a light rain that follows. T F & G

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When these conditions line up, my boat is either in the water or on the way to the water and, yes, you do need to keep an eye on the horizon; these fronts can bring much mischief with them. This is not all-day fishing, but rather a select few hours of some of the best fish action one can have on our bays. Seems the big trout and reds and flounder, after a summer of warmer water, switch to overdrive for these select few hours. Note: For stronger fronts with colder temperatures I wait for two to three days after the front passes. Now, so the hunter in you won’t think that I’m trying to steer anyone away from this special time of year, I found this writing and it touched the hunter in me in a very special way. So, for those that have already mothballed their fishing gear and just can’t scratch the itch enough for this coming hunting season, here’s a treat that most hunters soulfully will understand. It was written by a good friend, Dr. Dan McBride, an excellent veterinarian in Marble Falls (the birthplace of Texas Fish & Game) and a consummate outdoorsman/conservationist who has dedicated his life to the animals we love, those we pursue and those we dream about. Enjoy and God Bless!

Memories Of Hunting May the days of August find me Far away from home, Atop the Canadian Cathedrals Hunting the sheep of stone

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COPANO BAY—On low tide the mouth of Mission Bay is good for reds using cut perch and/or cut menhaden on a light Carolina rig. Medium sized trout are in good numbers on Little Lap Reef and the grass line just west of the reef. A popping cork and shrimp work well here. ARANSAS BAY—Good trout action on the grass lines just east of the LBJ causeway just off the north shoreline using free lined piggies. The south end of Long Reef is good for reds using mud minnows or cut mullet and a light Carolina rig with early morning high tide preferred. The spoil area at the mouth of Dunham Bay is holding some sheep head and medium sized black drum using peeled shrimp and small 2/0 kale hooks. CARLOS BAY—As fronts push in between tides Carlos Dugout is the place to be for red and trout that seek shelter of deeper water using soft plastics in pumpkin and new penny colors. Corkies work well here also; cast up to the shell and the work into deeper water.

MESQUITE BAY—Rattle Snake Point is good for reds with a light north wind. Cut perch or finger mullet is the ticket here. The east shoreline close to the fish huts is good for trout using free lined shrimp or Berkley Jerk shad in watermelon color. The key here is to fish 50 to 75 yards off the bank working the baits or lures across the shell piles. AYERS BAY—With a north wind Ayres Reef is good for trout and reds using piggies. On high tides throw on top of the reef with strong leader material as this is oyster shell country and try not to move the bait until you get a hit. The east shoreline is a good wade for keeper reds using soft plastics, in morning glory and strawberry/white colors.

THE BANK BITE THE SHORELINE OFF OF LAMAR BEACH Road is good for reds and some trout. The key here is to wade out into waist deep water getting bait just off the edge into deeper water. Live bait works best here with live piggies and finger mullet best choices.

ST. CHARLES BAY—Egg Point is good for reds using mud minnows on colder days. Cow Chip is a good drift for reds using a bubble cork and Berkley gulp crab during high tide.

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

But all hunting is not killing. For those who don’t, I must explain, More are the memories of Gods majesty And creatures living, They are etched in one’s brain. The feeling exalted when, I peer over the next mountain top My rifle I will stowe, Shall that feeling ever go. And the trophies that grace the wall That I strived hard to find Serve as only cues to memories of Splendor Carved indelibly in my mind. Written by Dr. Dan on some distant mountain top in Canada while sheep hunting. T F & G

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ALL IS THE PEAK FISHING TIME ALONG the Texas Coast. And with the Lower Coast experiencing some of its best-ever fishing, there are incredible opportunities awaiting anglers this year. Here are seven keys to helping you unlock those opportunities and maximize your time in the field.

1. AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL: As cold fronts arrive and push baitfish and shrimp out of back bays and out toward the Gulf it is easy to get caught up in the vast amount of feeding action going on. Trout and reds will sometimes school in vast numbers under huge ponds of shrimp and baitfish. Much of the best action—for trout in particular—can be found on small pods of shrimp. If you see a few shrimp skipping across the surface perhaps with little surface action, try these areas by throwing a Gulp! under a popping cork or a topwater and you stand a great chance of getting it slurped under. 2. FLATFISH FUNNELS: With new regulations for flounder in effect for two years now, numbers of flatfish are increasing in the region in a huge way. Anglers and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologists are reporting greatly increased counts of flatfish in the area. After the first big cold front blows through which should happen between the middle and end of the month, focus on small and large passes linking the Laguna and the Gulf and bays and the O C T O B E R

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Laguna. Flounder will be migrating out toward spawning grounds and providing you with a great opportunity to catch them on soft plastic curtltail grubs tipped with shrimp or live finger mullet.

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3. NATURAL COLORS: As water temperatures begin to cool, anglers should consider using more natural lure colors. Moving into water this is important as the water can clear dramatically. As a rule of thumb, the murkier the water, the brighter the lures (chartreuse, pinks, etc.) and in clearer water shad, shrimp and clear colored lures tend to work better. 4. LIVE CROAKER: While the use of live croaker for trout is controversial in the region, there is no doubt of its effectiveness. Here, however, I am talking about using it for bull redfish. As the bull redfish hit the nearshore Gulf, surf and jetty areas tie on a large live croaker and throw it out on a Carolina rig. Croaker is by far the best bull red bait as the distressed, hooked croaker give the bulls an audible target as well as something that smells appetizing. Use circle hooks to reduce deep hooking and considering releasing the big bulls to fight another day. Despite the term “bull,” many of the biggest fish are females who can produce lost of offspring. Plus, their meat is tough anyway. 5. FULL FRONTAL ASSAULT: Early cold fronts can be great fishing opportunities but they can also mislead anglers. When a front approach the barometric pressure drops and the fish feed very aggressively. This usually means big winds which can in turn discolor the water. Finding protected areas to fish before a front arrives can lead to incredible fishing. The day after a front however can be tough because the pressure rises and the fish get lethargic. If this is the only day you can fish use more of a finesse strategy, employing smaller lures and a slower approach. Many times, it takes two days for

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the pressure to drop a little and get the fish feeding again and at this point baitfish and shrimp from backwaters are exposed in open water and opportunities abound. 6. CHUMMING REDS: Anglers in smaller boats who like to anchor up and fish over shell or around small passes can benefit from chumming. Redfish will follow a chum line right in, especially one consisting of mashed up crab and shrimp. Take any old frozen shrimp and mix with a few nice blue crabs (legal size of course) and put them in a chum or lingerie washing bag on the side of the boat. As the tide moves, your chum slick will spread out and sound the dinner ball for roving reds. 7. LONG CASTERS: Always have a rod rigged up you can cast a long distance with a lure that compliments it. I always have a silver or gold spoon rigged up during the fall because sometimes the redfish in particular are moving so far it is a real challenge to keep up with a trolling motor. A ½ or ¾-oz spoon rigged on a 7.5-8 foot long medium heavy spinning rod spooled with 30-50 pound braid is ideal as it will let you make those casts on fast moving fall reds and also allow you to horse the fish in so you don’t lose the school.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Padre Island National Seashore SPECIES: Redfish LURE/BAITS: Live croaker, blue crab BEST TIMES: High tides, particularly in periods of low or falling pressure.

Email Chester Moore at cmoore@fishgame.com

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UPPER GULF COAST GPS COORDINATES are provided in two formats: “Decimal Degrees” (degrees.degrees) and “Degrees and Minutes” sometimes called “GPS Format” (degrees minutes.minutes). Examples (for Downtown Austin): Decimal Degrees: N30.2777, W97.7379; Degrees and Minutes: N30 16.6662, W97 44.2739. Consult your manual for information specific to your GPS device.

Catchall the Reds on E. Matagorda by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Catchall Basin GPS: N28 42.19698, W95 46.61202 (28.703283, -95.776867) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: 1/4 - 3/8-ounce; leadhead with soft plastic CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Drift letting your lure sink to the bottom.

HOTSPOT: Hanna’s Reef GPS: N29 28.70298, W94 45.70302 (29.478383, -94.761717) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastic Bass Assassins in Lime/Chartreuse, Red Shad, and plum colors CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Choose a Limetreuse or chartreuse color if there is a lot of sunlight.

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Deep Reef GPS: N29 31.062, W94 41.20602 (29.517700, -94.686767) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Chop on the water ñ throw Mirolure She Dogs in chartreuse/Pearl color pattern. If the sun's up and the water is green, throw a chrome/blue colored She Dog. LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: St. Mary’s Bayou GPS: N28 39.56802, W95 56.54298 (28.659467, -95.942383) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: 1/4-ounce leadhead with a Norton Sand Eel Jr; in Margarita or Limetreuse colors CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: On a good falling tide, the fish start dumping out into the flats. LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Blue Buck Point GPS: N29 47.77998, W93 54.43902 (29.796333, -93.907317) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in bright colors with a 1/4-ounce; leadhead CONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez, 409-721-5467, 409-673-3100 TIPS: Let the lure drop down a couple of feet and pop it. LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Coffee Ground Cove GPS: N29 57.75702, W93 46.33098 (29.962617, -93.772183) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in bright colors with a 1/4-ounce; leadhead CONTACT: Capt. Edie Hernandez, 409721-5467, 409-673-3100

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TIPS: Look for the birds working bait. LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Willow Bayou GPS: N29 51.72702, W93 46.90698 (29.862117, -93.781783) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in bright colors with a 1/4-ounce; leadhead CONTACT: Capt. Eddie Hernandez, 409-721-5467, or 409-673-3100 TIPS: Let the lure drop to the bottom and retrieve slowly. LOCATION: Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Fischers Reef GPS: N29 39.91398, W94 50.55198 (29.665233, -94.842533) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Bass Assassin soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: Choose a Limetreuse or chartreuse color if there is a lot of sunlight. LOCATION: Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Dow Reef GPS: N29 39.20202, W94 53.889 (29.653367, -94.898150) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastic Bass Assassins in Lime/Chartreuse, Red Shad, or plum colors CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman, 409256-7937 TIPS: If you’re drifting throw a 1/4ounce. leadhead; if anchored and there is current, throw a 3/8-ounce lead head.

MIDDLE GULF COAST

Get in the Spirit for Specks by TOM BEHRENS tbehrens@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Espiritu Santo Bay HOTSPOT: Grass Island GPS: N28 6.19998, W97 0.3 (28.103333, -97.005000) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkys and soft plastic lures T F & G

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CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361785-2686 TIPS: Locating bait activity is the secret to success. LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Packery Channel GPS: N27 37.48602, W97 12.88302 (27.624767, -97.214717) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters; brown/chartreuse curly tail soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Jon Fails, 361-9490133 TIPS: Redfish should be out of the grass by October; cover the flats with soft plastics.

(27.586667, -97.299967) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Brown/chartreuse curly tail soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Jon Fails, 361-9490133 TIPS: Fails likes a bait that he can fish slow and still have a lot of movement.

LOWER GULF COAST

Oh Boy, Oh Boy Arroyo Action by CALIXTO GONZALES cgonzales@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: JFK Causeway GPS: N27 38.07102, W97 14.46102 (27.634517, -97.241017) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters; brown/chartreuse curly tail soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Jon Fails, 361-9490133 TIPS: October should have schools of redfish roaming in the Causeway area; high water should have the fish moving.

LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Colorado Island Hole GPS: N26 22.25502, W97 19.857 (26.370917, -97.330950) SPECIES: flounder BEST BAITS: live shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Free line shrimp with a small split shot weight above the leader, hook on the end of leader.

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Refuge Reef GPS: N28 18.63, W96 45.96996 (28.310500, -96.766166) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkys and soft plastic lures CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361785-2686 TIPS: Fish early, late, or stay at home.

LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: South Cullen Bay GPS: N26 13.42098, W97 16.773 (26.223683, -97.279550) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Cut mullet or live shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Fish along the channel; look for sand holes.

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Cedar Lake GPS: N28 13.92996, W96 40.26996 (28.232166, -96.671166) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwater lures CONTACT: Capt. Chris Martin, 361785-2686 TIPS: Walk the north shoreline from north to south, while casting back to the southwest.

LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Gas Well Flats GPS: N26 13.73298, W97 15.25602 (26.228883, -97.254267) SPECIES: black drum BEST BAITS: live shrimp under a popping cork CONTACT: Capt. Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Soft plastics will sometime work for the drum.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline GPS: N27 35.20002, W97 17.99802

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Kenedy Ranch Shoreline GPS: N27 15.55002, W97 25.15398

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(27.259167, -97.419233) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in strawberry/white, black back, plum/chartreuse, root beer/red flake, Morning Glory CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361449-7441 TIPS: Watch for trout sitting in sand pockets among the greasslines and sight fish to them. Live bait is always effective, but weightless plastics or Gulp! tails will suspend in front of the gators. LOCATION: Brazos-Santiago Pass HOTSPOT: South Jetty Tip GPS: N26 3.8802, W97 8.71002 (26.064670, -97.145167) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Logic Baits Tandems in Tequila Gold, Mullet; live mullet or shrimp, cut bait CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956561-4535 TIPS: Big redfish begin staging in the deep hole at the end of the jetties. Fish 5inch plastics, finger mullet, or large live shrimp for best results. Keep your motor on and in neutral for safety’s sake. Jetty walkers can really do well with cut mullet. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Green Island GPS: N26 23.46798, W97 19.725 (26.391133, -97.328750) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live bait under a popping cork; soft plastics in strawberry/white tail,

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chartreuse, or Nuclear Chicken using an 1/16-ounce jighead CONTACT: Capt. Ruben Garcia, 956459-3286 TIPS: Fish along the spoil banks. LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Holly Beach GPS: N26 8.83002, W97 17.75502 (26.147167, -97.295917) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp, cut mullet and ballyhoo, soft plastics in red/white, Smoke/glitter, root beer CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956-551-9581 TIPS: The pvc pipes will mark the path into the Texaco channel, which always holds trout. There will be green water, even on a windy day. Live shrimp or cut bait under a popping cork, or soft plastics, are top choices for these mustardmouths. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: East Cut GPS: N26 33.68502, W97 22.23402 (26.561417, -97.370567) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Mullet CONTACT: Capt. Richard Lopez, 956207-4715 TIPS: Lopez is fishing for bull redfish. Anchor off the channel and cast up on the flats; He likes to use a 80-pound test leader in case he really gets something big. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Saucer Center GPS: N26 27.651, W97 21.708 (26.460850, -97.361800) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Gold spoons CONTACT: Capt. Richard Lopez, 956207-4715 TIPS: Water depth varies from 7í to 2í. Lopez likes to cruise the area looking for redfish. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: The Saucer GPS: N26 27.64002, W97 22.24992 (26.460667, -97.370832) SPECIES: redfish

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BEST BAITS: Cut crab CONTACT: Capt. Richard Lopez, 956207-4715 TIPS: Slice the crab in half, using one half for the hook; leader length is 3í long, tie 1/2-ounce sinker on end of line with hook in the middle; looking for fish in 2-4 feet of water. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: South Side of East Cut GPS: N26 32.814, W97 23.08902 (26.546900, -97.384817) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Berkley Gulp CONTACT: Capt. Richard Lopez, 956207-4715 TIPS: Fish in the mornings with a popping cork and Gulp. LOCATION: South Bay HOTSPOT: South Center South Bay GPS: N26 1.45398, W97 12.195 (26.024233, -97.203250) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in Pearl with a chartreuse tail CONTACT: Capt. Luke Bonura, 956457-2101 TIPS: Sight cast for redfish on the flats after frontal passages. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Fifteen Fathom Rocks GPS: N26 48.52998, W97 11.28 (26.808833, -97.188000) SPECIES: mangrove snapper BEST BAITS: Baitfish, squid, bonito chunks; snapper slappers, jigs CONTACT: Captain Richard Bailey, 956369-5090 TIPS: Larger snapper hang out on little deeper rocks. these fish won’t hold on the bottom, but suspend in the mid depths. Large fish prefer large baits, so a larger baitfish like a sand trout is in order. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: East Cut GPS: N26 33.93, W97 16.30302 (26.565500, -97.271717) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live croaker, live bait, soft T F & G

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plastics in Smoke, Pearly/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Richard Bailey, 956369-5090 TIPS: Look for some nice speckled trout in the deeper holes along the jetties and around the point on calmer days. use 1/4ounce jigheads to get your baits down into the strike zone. Use a freeline rig with live bait. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Nine Fathom Rocks GPS: N26 58.06998, W97 18.21 (26.967833, -97.303500) SPECIES: mangrove snapper BEST BAITS: Baitfish, squid, bonito chunks; snapper slappers, jigs CONTACT: Captain Richard Bailey, 956369-5090 TIPS: Red snapper, actually. The state snapper fishery is burgeoning, and the action gets better as the year rolls along. Bottom fishing is typical, but it isn’t hard to chum up a strawberry field and fish freelined baits. LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: South Bay Channels GPS: N26 2.961, W97 9.993 (26.049350, -97.166550) SPECIES: flounder BEST BAITS: Wiggly-jiggly/grub combos in Smoke, chartreuse, Logic Tandems in chartreuse combos; live shrimp, dead shrimp CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956561-4535 TIPS: Flounder sit in the edges of the channel on the windward sides and let baitfish get pushed towards them. Swim a Wiggly/curlytail grub combo or a tandem along the edges. Let the wind push your offering off the flats. Don't ignore live bait.

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aggressive and will strike any fast retrieved lures. Live shrimp or mullet under a popping cork are tough to beat, as well. Any color combo with gold works great.

PINEY WOODS

Pick Livingston’s Pocket for Bass by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: The Pocket GPS: N30 55.662, W95 15.054 (30.927700, -95.250900) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Soft plastic lizards, jigs CONTACT: David S. Cox, dave@palmettoguideservice.com, 936291-9602, palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Fish Texas-rigged June bug or Watermelon-jelly jigs with black neon crawfish trailers. Flip the docks, lay downs, boathouses and rocks. Bank access and launching is available at the Hwy. 19 bridge and Bethy Creek Resort.

HOTSPOT: Main Lake Flats GPS: N32 40.5363, W94 4.50768 (32.675605, -94.075128) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Flukes, swimbaits, Rat-LTraps, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Paul Keith, caddoguide@att.net, 318-455-3437, caddolakefishing.com TIPS: October and November are my favorite months of the year. The bass are feeding heavy, schooling and the weather is pleasant. Look for shad activity close to the main channel and creeks that run past the flats. LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake Ripraps GPS: N30 23.58078, W95 35.36784 (30.393013, -95.589464) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, Pop Rs, Bass Assassins CONTACT: Richard Tatsch, admin@fishdudetx.com, 936-291-1277, fishdudetx.com TIPS: During early mornings and on cloudy days, cast a small single-blade spinnerbait close to rock ripraps and retrieve at a very fast rate with the bait waking the surface or try a buzzbait. Alternate with a Pop R to see which bait the fish hit best.

LOCATION: Caddo Lake

LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Gaswell Flats GPS: N26 13.81098, W97 15.42198 (26.230183, -97.257033) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp, cut bait, topwaters, gold spoons, Logic tandem rigs in black/glow, Tequila Gold, chartreuse/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Allen Salinas, 956561-4535 TIPS: Watch for redfish to start aggregating for their fall migration. These fish are T F & G

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LOCATION: Fayette County Res. HOTSPOT: Dam Rocks GPS: N29 54.9021, W96 43.88226 (29.915035, -96.731371) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, shrimp, cut shad, perch CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-2293103, FishTales-GuideService.com TIPS: Water is 20 feet deep with rocks on the bottom. Use slip corks or straight line with 4-0 Kahle or No.4 treble hooks for perch and cut bait. Mark area with buoy marker and chum around it. Large fish hang around these rocks.

PRAIRIES & LAKES

Punch a Cat on Somervile by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Pelican Island GPS: N30 18.13548, W96 34.42548 (30.302258, -96.573758) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, fresh shad, shrimp CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_edna@hotmail.com, 979-2293103, FishTales-Guide Service.com TIPS: Early-mornings and late-evenings are best. Fish steep drop-offs on the northwest side of the island. The lake is low and the island larger. Watch for underwater rocks. Use Carolina rigs with No. 4 treble or 2-0 Kahle hooks. Big blues hang out here.

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603-2047, www.kingcreekadventures.com TIPS: Fish at night around the lighted boat docks here and elsewhere around the lake. The fish will be in the upper third of the water column. Cast beyond the light and use a medium retrieve. Use a 7-foot medium rod, low profile reel with 15-20pound line.

LOCATION: Toledo Bend Res. HOTSPOT: Huxley River Channel, Ledges GPS: N31 44.43198, W93 49.67796 (31.740533, -93.827966) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Shiners, jigs CONTACT: Greg Crafts, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, 936-368-7151, toledobendguide.com TIPS: Now is the time to start dropping brush along the old river channel ledges to make crappie holes. Drop brush in a variety of places and let them rest periodically so they aren’t over-fished. The baitfish will move deeper as the water gets colder.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Twin Creeks Boat Docks GPS: N32 17.5188, W96 7.57812 (32.291980, -96.126302) SPECIES: hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Jason Barber, kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com, 903-

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LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Dam Riprap GPS: N31 53.98632, W97 12.2922 (31.899772, -97.204870) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, Tail Hummers CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck@hotmail.com, 817-8225539, teamredneck.net TIPS: The white bass are schooling early along the riprap and chasing threadfin shad. Position your boat along the side of the dam and make long casts. Use a fast retrieve. A good pair of binoculars is handy for locating the schooling activity. LOCATION: Lake Belton HOTSPOT: Temple’s Lake Park GPS: N31 7.33632, W97 29.2746 (31.122272, -97.487910) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: topwater lures, slabs, live shad CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com, 254-368-7411,

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ounce weight, 36-inch leader and circle hook before the lake turns over. Once the lake turns over, look for fish in deeper water. Expect to catch lots of eating-size blue cats. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Main Lake Boat Houses GPS: N32 6.21504, W95 26.5029 (32.103584, -95.441715) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Shimmy Shakers, Bomber 6As, topwaters CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Bass will be working the shallows as well as deep water. Use Carolina-rigged Shimmy Shakers, small Bomber 6A crankbaits in shad color and topwaters in the deeper water. Fish all boathouses you can find with six feet of water in front of them. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Hwy.155 Bridge Brushpiles GPS: N32 8.64876, W95 28.49268 (32.144146, -95.474878) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Jigs and live minnows CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Crappie are gathering underneath the Highway 155 bridge as well as the FM 315 bridge over Flat Creek. Use a sonar unit to locate brush piles under the bridges. Work the water column from the brush piles upwards to locate where the fish are gathered.

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LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: North Island and Tabletop GPS: N33 52.07202, W96 41.67198 (33.867867, -96.694533) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Topwater lures, Sassy Shad jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey, bigfish@striperexpress.com, 877-7864477, striperexpress.com TIPS: Look for stripers feeding in this area, especially during early-morning hours. Cast topwater lures and Sassy Shad jigs and keep an eye out for surfacing action.

LOCATION: Richland-Chambers Res. HOTSPOT: 309 Flats GPS: N31 58.37718, W96 7.04508 (31.972953, -96.117418) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, RSR Slabs CONTACT: Royce and Adam Simmons, royce@gonefishing.biz, 903-389-4117, www.gonefishing.biz TIPS: Fall is my favorite season for white bass. Look for surfacing fish in the 309 Flats with sea gulls and herons working over them. Fish blue-silver Rat-L-Traps early and then silver glitter one-ounce RSR Slabs when the fish go deep.

LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Whitney Hump GPS: N31 54.67194, W97 20.87298 (31.911199, -97.347883) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Cut bait, live shad CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck@hotmail.com, 817-8225539, teamredneck.net TIPS: I am using cut gizzard shad and making long casts up onto the hump and leaving slack in the line. Leave the reel open and the clicker on. The big stripers are moving onto the hump very early. Let them run until they stop and then set the hook.

LOCATION: Stillhouse Hollow Lake HOTSPOT: Red Roof Cove GPS: N31 1.995, W97 34.20798 (31.033250, -97.570133) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: topwaters, crankbaits, slabs CONTACT: Bob Maindelle, Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com, 254-368-7411, HoldingTheLineGuideService.com TIPS: Low water has revealed lots of standing timber making structure easy to find. Shad tend to congregate in the cove in early fall. Check the area with a sonar unit to determine where shad are in the water column and choose lures accordingly.

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Saline Bay Point GPS: N32 10.24446, W95 26.52864 (32.170741, -95.442144) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Jigging spoons, Rat-LTraps CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@rickysguideservice.com, 903-5617299, www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Fish this point as well as the Henderson Point area with chrome-blue Rat-LTraps and chrome jigging spoons during the early-morning hours for the best action. White bass also will be feeding off the points during the late-evening hours. T F & G

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LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Res. HOTSPOT: Costello Island GPS: N32 54.07266, W98 28.12458 (32.901211, -98.468743) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: live shad, jigs, slabs CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: The fish are transitioning from deep clear water to shallower stained water on the north end of the lake. Concentrate on the break-lines at 20-30 feet deep off edges of sand flats near deeper water. Live shad will produce the most action.

Panhandling for Bass and Cats by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: OH Ivie Res. HOTSPOT: Main Lake Grassbeds GPS: N31 32.62308, W99 39.82548 (31.543718, -99.663758) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: topwaters, finesse worms CONTACT: Dave Caudle, fishinwithdave@aol.com, 325-365-1020, fishinwithdave.com TIPS: Target the edges of the grass beds close to deep water. Fish topwater lures during the early-morning hours and then switch to finesse worms once the fish have moved into deeper waters under a rising sun. LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Big Grape Creek and Ence Cove GPS: N31 01.902, W101 02.446; N33 03.352, W101` 04.853 SPECIES: largemouth, spotted bass BEST BAITS: Senko, buzzbaits, jigs, blue speed craw CONTACT: Phillip Pool, 806-792-5587, www.lakealanhenry.com TIPS: Work in 10-25 feet of water, keeping in mind that topwaters will still produce. LOCATION: OH Ivie Res. HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points GPS: N31 33.04002, W99 41.01 (31.550667, -99.683500) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: topwater lures, Rat-LTraps, Slabs CONTACT: Dave Caudle, fishinwithdave@aol.com, 325-365-1020, fishinwithdave.com TIPS: Expect to find white bass schooling in the main-lake area, especially off points and edges of flats during the morning hours with limits possible almost every O C T O B E R

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LOCATION: Possum Kingdom Res. HOTSPOT: Costello Island Area GPS: N32 54.54828, W98 27.77946 (32.909138, -98.462991) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: live shad, cut shad, punch bait CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@aceweb.com, 940-329-0036, heffnerguideortourpossumkingdomlake.services.officelive.com TIPS: The catfish are undergoing their annual fall migration to the north end of the lake. Several yellow and blue catfish up to 50-pounds are caught at this time of the year along the edges of the river channel from Costello Island northward.

HILL COUNTRY

Stripers in the Canyon by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Jacob’s Creek Point GPS: N29 52.6947, W98 13.38294 (29.878245, -98.223049) SPECIES: striped bass BEST BAITS: Zara Spooks CONTACT: Steve Nixon, steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com, 210T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

573-1230, sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Striped bass will be pushing shad up onto the lake’s numerous points. When you see surfacing action, move upwind from the school and drift back to it. Some schools are as large as two acres. Best action is early mornings and on cloudy days. LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Turkey Creek Points GPS: N29 51.60954, W98 13.24392 (29.860159, -98.220732) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Plastic worm on drop shot rig CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, kandie@gvtc.com, 210-823-2153 TIPS: Fish a June bug, motor oil or red bug soft plastic on a drop-shot rig off the points and edges of the creek channels. The bass will be close to the bank during early morning hours and then move out to the drop-offs near the channel during the day. LOCATION: Lake Granger HOTSPOT: Main Lake Open Waters GPS: N30 41.80056, W97 21.88722 (30.696676, -97.364787) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: 1/16-ounce Stanley Wedge Tail Minnow Jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: The crappie are actively feeding in water as shallow as four feet and around man-made or natural brush piles in 6-15 feet of water. Standing timber and stumps lining the river channel also are good options at this time of the year. LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Sandy Creek Rock Wall GPS: N30 34.752, W98 26.440 BEST BAITS: Crankbaits & soft plastics. CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, 210-8232153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Work the cement wall and riprap, secondary breaklines with laydowns and stumps. Don’t be afraid to change baits.

T F & G

A L M A N A C

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BIG BEND

Crank â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em Deep for Amistad Bass by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Deep Water Points GPS: N29 29.67126, W101 8.2884 (29.494521, -101.138140) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: topwater lures, Texas-rigged soft plastics, crankbaits CONTACT: Larry Scruggs, Amistad Lodge and Adventures, fisherofmenlrs@hotmail.com, 210-7891645 TIPS: Move close to the steep banks early with topwater lures. As the sun rises, back off 10-15 yards and fish shallow-diving crankbaits or Texas-rigged plastic worms off the sloping banks. Fish Carolina rigs over deep hydrilla beds at mid-day.

SOUTH TEXAS PLAINS

Falcon Bass and Calaveras Reds by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Veleno Creek Tributaries GPS: N26 53.72604, W99 14.6481 (26.895434, -99.244135) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: topwater lures, plastic lizards, crankbaits CONTACT: Robert Amaya, robertsfishntackle@gmail.com, 956-7651442, robertsfishntackle.com TIPS: Start with popping topwater lures and spinnerbaits early, targeting any rocks and shallow cover in the area. Use Texasrigged soft plastic worms and lizards and flip the trees on the west side of the creek and points during mid-day. LOCATION: Lake Calaveras

2:37 PM

Page 103

HOTSPOT: The Dam GPS: N29 16.84686, W98 18.13878 (29.280781, -98.302313) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, topwaters CONTACT: Steve Nixon, steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com, 210573-1230, sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Troll or cast topwaters and Rat-LTraps early along the riprap on the dam. If

trolling, keep lures at 10-20 feet, especially at the east end of the dam, which usually produces most catches.

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OCTOBER 2011

Tides and Prime Times

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 T9

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.

T8 T6 T5 T17

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

T15 T16

T14

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

T18

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

T19

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

T20

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.

AM Minor: 9:11a AM Major: 2:57a PM Minor: 9:40p PM Major: 3:25p Moonrise:9:27a Moon Set: None Moon Overhead:

T21

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 many wildlife species.

T13 T7

T3 T2 T1

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.

4:55p

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

KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

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

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

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

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

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

KEY T12 T13 T14 T15 T16 T17

PLACE Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay Gilchrist, East Bay Jamaica Beach, W. Bay Alligator Point, W. Bay Christmas Pt 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 T22 T23

KEYS TO USING THE TIDE AND SOLUNAR GRAPHS TIDE GRAPH: Yellow: Daylight

12a

Tab: Peak Fishing Period

12p

12a

Light Blue: Nighttime

BEST:

7:05-9:40 PM

Green: Falling Tide

AM/PM Timeline

Gold Fish: Best Time

Blue: Rising Tide Red Graph: Fishing Score

Blue Fish: Good Time

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY: MINOR Feeding Periods (+/- 1.5 Hrs.) Time Moon is at its Highest Point in the Sky 12a

AM/PM Timeline

104 |

AM Minor: 1:20a

PM Minor: 1:45p

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Major: 7:57p

MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.)

Moon Overhead: 8:50a 6a

12p

12a

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

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p O C T O B E R

2 0 1 1

T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

T F & G

A L M A N A C

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

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

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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

Tides and Prime Times for OCTOBER 2011

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Sunrise: 7:08a Moonrise: 6:09a

Set: 7:11p Set: 6:27p

Sunrise: 7:08a Moonrise: 7:17a

Set: 7:10p Set: 7:08p

Sunrise: 7:09a Moonrise: 8:26a

Set: 7:09p Set: 7:51p

Sunrise: 7:09a Moonrise: 9:37a

Set: 7:08p Set: 8:39p

AM Minor: 4:27a

PM Minor: 4:54p

AM Minor: 5:19a

PM Minor: 5:46p

AM Minor: 6:15a

PM Minor: 6:43p

AM Minor: 7:17a

PM Minor: 7:46p

AM Minor: 8:22a

PM Minor: 8:53p

AM Minor: 9:29a

PM Minor: 10:00p

AM Minor: 10:35a

PM Minor: 11:05p

AM Major: 10:41a

PM Major: 11:07p

AM Major: 11:32a

PM Major: 11:59p

AM Major: 12:01p

PM Major: 12:29p

AM Major: 1:02a

PM Major: 1:31p

AM Major: 2:07a

PM Major: 2:37p

AM Major: 3:14a

PM Major: 3:45p

AM Major: 4:20a

PM Major: 4:50p

Moon Overhead: 12:22p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 2:12p

Moon Overhead: 1:16p

12a

12p

12a

12p

Sunrise: 7:10a Set: 7:07p Moonrise: 10:46a Set: 9:32p

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

Moon Overhead: 3:10p 12a

12p

Sunrise: 7:10a Set: 7:05p Sunrise: 7:11a Set: 7:04p Moonrise: 11:53a Set: 10:29p Moonrise: 12:54p Set: 11:29p

Moon Overhead: 5:11p

Moon Overhead: 4:11p

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 6:11p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: None +2.0

-1.0

BEST:

6:30 — 8:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 3:40a

BEST:

7:30 — 9:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 4:41a

BEST:

8:30 — 10:30 AM

BEST:

3:30 — 5:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 5:41a +2.0

BEST:

4:30 — 6:30 PM 10:00A — 12:00P

T I D E

L E V E L S

BEST:

5:30 — 7:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 2:41a

L E V E L S

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 1:43a

T I D E

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 12:48a

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

3:51 am 9:35 am 4:04 pm 10:08 pm

1.60ft. 0.76ft. 1.76ft. 0.78ft.

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

T F & G

4:08 am 10:17 am 5:15 pm 10:56 pm

1.59ft. 0.47ft. 1.83ft. 1.01ft.

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

A L M A N A C

4:25 am 11:03 am 6:27 pm 11:44 pm

1.61ft. 0.22ft. 1.87ft. 1.25ft.

High Tide: 4:42 am 1.65ft. Low Tide: 11:53 am 0.04ft. High Tide: 7:43 pm 1.87ft.

T E X A S

F I S H

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

12:32 am 4:59 am 12:47 pm 9:05 pm

1.47ft. 1.69ft. -0.05ft. 1.86ft.

G A M E ®

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

1:24 am 5:10 am 1:47 pm 10:39 pm

1.64ft. Low Tide: 2:44 am 1.73ft. High Tide: 4:43 am -0.06ft. Low Tide: 2:54 pm 1.84ft.

O C T O B E R

2 0 1 1

1.74ft. 1.75ft. 0.00ft.

105

+1.0

-1.0

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

7:45-9:40 AM

= Peak Fishing Period

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

TUESDAY

3 Sunrise: 7:11a Moonrise: 1:48p

Set: 7:03p Set: None

Sunrise: 7:12a Moonrise: 2:36p

AM Minor: 11:36a

PM Minor: -----

AM Major: 5:22a

PM Major: 5:50p

Moon Overhead: 7:07p

12a

12p

WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Set: 7:02p Sunrise: 7:12a Set: 12:29a Moonrise: 3:17p

Set: 7:01p Set: 1:29a

Sunrise: 7:13a Moonrise: 3:53p

Set: 6:59p Set: 2:27a

Sunrise: 7:14a Moonrise: 4:27p

Set: 6:58p Set: 3:22a

Sunrise: 7:14a Moonrise: 4:57p

Set: 6:57p Set: 4:16a

Sunrise: 7:15a Moonrise: 5:28p

Set: 6:56p Set: 5:08a

AM Minor: 12:07p

PM Minor: 12:31p

AM Minor: 12:56p

PM Minor: 1:21p

AM Minor: 1:41a

PM Minor: 2:04p

AM Minor: 2:22a

PM Minor: 2:44p

AM Minor: 3:00a

PM Minor: 3:21p

AM Minor: 3:36a

PM Minor: 3:57p

AM Major: 6:18a

PM Major: 6:45p

AM Major: 7:08a

PM Major: 7:33p

AM Major: 7:53a

PM Major: 8:16p

AM Major: 8:33a

PM Major: 8:54p

AM Major: 9:10a

PM Major: 9:31p

AM Major: 9:47a

PM Major: 10:07p

Moon Overhead: 8:50p

Moon Overhead: 8:00p 12a

THURSDAY

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 9:35p 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:00p

Moon Overhead: 10:19p

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 11:41p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

Tides and Prime Times for OCTOBER 2011

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 6:40a +2.0

-1.0

BEST:

12:00 — 2:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 9:57a

BEST:

2:00 — 4:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:39a

BEST:

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 11:21a

BEST:

3:30 — 5:30 PM

+2.0

BEST:

4:00 — 6:00 PM

5:00 — 7:00 PM

T I D E

L E V E L S

BEST:

11:00A — 1:00P

Moon Underfoot: 9:13a

L E V E L S

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 8:25a

T I D E

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 7:34a

High Tide: 12:20 am 1.83ft. Low Tide: 4:08 pm 0.10ft.

106 |

High Tide: 1:35 am Low Tide: 5:26 pm

O C T O B E R

1.81ft. 0.22ft.

2 0 1 1

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

2:15 am 8:46 am 9:57 am 6:38 pm

1.76ft. 1.49ft. 1.50ft. 0.34ft.

T E X A S

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

2:40 am 8:39 am 12:02 pm 7:40 pm

F I S H

1.69ft. 1.36ft. 1.48ft. 0.47ft.

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

2:57 am 8:54 am 1:28 pm 8:32 pm

G A M E ®

1.62ft. 1.21ft. 1.51ft. 0.62ft.

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

T F & G

3:10 am 9:11 am 2:38 pm 9:16 pm

1.56ft. 1.05ft. 1.55ft. 0.78ft.

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

A L M A N A C

3:22 am 9:30 am 3:37 pm 9:52 pm

1.52ft. 0.88ft. 1.61ft. 0.94ft.

+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

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Sunrise: 7:15a Moonrise: 5:58p

Set: 6:55p Set: 6:00a

Sunrise: 7:16a Moonrise: 6:29p

Set: 6:54p Set: 6:52a

Sunrise: 7:17a Moonrise: 7:03p

Set: 6:53p Set: 7:45a

Sunrise: 7:17a Moonrise: 7:40p

Set: 6:52p Set: 8:39a

Sunrise: 7:18a Moonrise: 8:20p

Set: 6:50p Set: 9:33a

Sunrise: 7:18a Moonrise: 9:05p

AM Minor: 4:14a

PM Minor: 4:34p

AM Minor: 4:53a

PM Minor: 5:14p

AM Minor: 5:35a

PM Minor: 5:57p

AM Minor: 6:21a

PM Minor: 6:43p

AM Minor: 7:10a

PM Minor: 7:34p

AM Major: 10:24a

PM Major: 10:44p

AM Major: 11:03a

PM Major: 11:24p

AM Major: 11:46a

PM Major: -----

AM Major: 12:10p

PM Major: 12:32p

AM Major: 12:58p

PM Major: 1:22p

Moon Overhead: None

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 1:05a

Moon Overhead: 12:22a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 1:49a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Set: 6:49p Sunrise: 7:19a Set: 10:27a Moonrise: 9:53p

Set: 6:48p Set: 11:19a

AM Minor: 8:02a

PM Minor: 8:27p

AM Minor: 8:57a

PM Minor: 9:22p

AM Major: 1:50a

PM Major: 2:15p

AM Major: 2:44a

PM Major: 3:09p

Moon Overhead: 3:22a

Moon Overhead: 2:34a

SUNDAY

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 4:11a 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

Tides and Prime Times for OCTOBER 2011

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 12:02p +2.0

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 2:58p

BEST:

6:30 — 8:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 3:47p

BEST:

7:30 — 9:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 4:36p

BEST:

7:30 — 9:30 AM

+2.0

BEST:

8:30 — 10:30 AM

9:00 — 11:00 AM

T I D E

L E V E L S

BEST:

5:30 — 7:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 2:11p

L E V E L S

BEST:

5:00 — 7:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 1:26p

T I D E

+1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 12:43p

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

3:33 am 9:50 am 4:31 pm 10:23 pm

108 |

1.51ft. 0.73ft. 1.65ft. 1.09ft.

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

3:45 am 10:14 am 5:21 pm 10:50 pm

O C T O B E R

1.52ft. 0.61ft. 1.69ft. 1.23ft.

2 0 1 1

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

3:56 am 10:42 am 6:10 pm 11:15 pm

1.53ft. 0.51ft. 1.71ft. 1.34ft.

T E X A S

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

4:04 am 11:12 am 7:02 pm 11:38 pm

F I S H

1.56ft. 0.44ft. 1.71ft. 1.44ft.

High Tide: 4:06 am 1.58ft. Low Tide: 11:46 am 0.40ft. High Tide: 7:57 pm 1.71ft.

G A M E ®

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

T F & G

12:03 am 3:55 am 12:23 pm 9:01 pm

1.53ft. 1.62ft. 0.38ft. 1.71ft.

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

A L M A N A C

12:28 am 3:42 am 1:05 pm 10:17 pm

1.61ft. 1.66ft. 0.37ft. 1.71ft.

+1.0

-1.0

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Tides and Prime Times for OCTOBER 2011 TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Sunrise: 7:20a Set: 6:47p Sunrise: 7:20a Set: 6:46p Sunrise: 7:21a Moonrise: 10:46p Set: 12:10p Moonrise: 11:42p Set: 12:57p Moonrise: None

Set: 6:45p Set: 1:42p

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

20 Sunrise: 7:22a Set: 6:44p Moonrise: 12:41a Set: 2:24p

SUNDAY

Sunrise: 7:22a Moonrise: 1:42a

Set: 6:43p Set: 3:04p

Sunrise: 7:23a Moonrise: 2:44a

Set: 6:42p Set: 3:42p

Sunrise: 7:24a Moonrise: 3:48a

Set: 6:41p Set: 4:19p

AM Minor: 9:52a

PM Minor: 10:18p

AM Minor: 10:47a

PM Minor: 11:13p

AM Minor: 11:41a

PM Minor: -----

AM Minor: 12:09p

PM Minor: 12:33p

AM Minor: 12:56p

PM Minor: 1:21p

AM Minor: 1:42a

PM Minor: 2:08p

AM Minor: 2:27a

PM Minor: 2:53p

AM Major: 3:40a

PM Major: 4:05p

AM Major: 4:35a

PM Major: 5:00p

AM Major: 5:28a

PM Major: 5:54p

AM Major: 6:20a

PM Major: 6:45p

AM Major: 7:09a

PM Major: 7:34p

AM Major: 7:55a

PM Major: 8:20p

AM Major: 8:40a

PM Major: 9:05p

Moon Overhead: 5:02a

12a

THURSDAY

12p

Moon Overhead: 6:44a

Moon Overhead: 5:53a

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 7:35a 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 9:16a

Moon Overhead: 8:26a

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 10:07a 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

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

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 5:27p +2.0

-1.0

BEST:

10:00A — 12:00P

Moon Underfoot: 8:51p

BEST:

11:00A — 1:00P

Moon Underfoot: 9:42p

BEST:

12:00 — 2:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:33p

BEST:

1:30 — 3:30 PM

+2.0

BEST:

2:30 — 4:30 PM

3:30 — 5:30 PM

T I D E

L E V E L S

BEST:

9:00 — 10:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 8:01p

L E V E L S

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 7:10p

T I D E

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 6:18p

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

12:58 am 3:39 am 1:52 pm 11:39 pm

1.67ft. 1.70ft. 0.38ft. 1.74ft.

Low Tide: 1:48 am High Tide: 3:38 am Low Tide: 2:46 pm

T F & G

1.72ft. 1.73ft. 0.39ft.

High Tide: 12:37 am 1.75ft. Low Tide: 3:46 pm 0.42ft.

A L M A N A C

High Tide: 1:07 am Low Tide: 4:51 pm

T E X A S

F I S H

1.75ft. 0.48ft.

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

1:27 am 8:50 am 9:56 am 5:56 pm

1.71ft. 1.42ft. 1.43ft. 0.57ft.

G A M E ®

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

1:43 am 7:34 am 12:34 pm 7:01 pm

1.66ft. 1.22ft. 1.47ft. 0.69ft.

O C T O B E R

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

1:59 am 7:55 am 2:05 pm 8:01 pm

1.62ft. 0.93ft. 1.58ft. 0.86ft.

2 0 1 1

109

+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

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Sunrise: 7:24a Moonrise: 4:54a

Set: 6:40p Set: 4:58p

Sunrise: 7:25a Moonrise: 6:01a

Set: 6:39p Set: 5:40p

Sunrise: 7:26a Moonrise: 7:11a

Set: 6:38p Set: 6:26p

Sunrise: 7:26a Moonrise: 8:22a

Set: 6:37p Set: 7:17p

Sunrise: 7:27a Moonrise: 9:32a

Set: 6:37p Set: 8:13p

AM Minor: 3:12a

PM Minor: 3:38p

AM Minor: 4:00a

PM Minor: 4:27p

AM Minor: 4:52a

PM Minor: 5:22p

AM Minor: 5:52a

PM Minor: 6:22p

AM Minor: 6:56a

PM Minor: 7:27p

AM Minor: 8:04a

PM Minor: 8:35p

AM Minor: 9:12a

PM Minor: 9:42p

AM Major: 9:25a

PM Major: 9:51p

AM Major: 10:13a

PM Major: 10:41p

AM Major: 11:07a

PM Major: 11:36p

AM Major: -----

PM Major: 12:37p

AM Major: 12:41p

PM Major: 1:12p

AM Major: 1:49a

PM Major: 2:20p

AM Major: 2:57a

PM Major: 3:27p

Moon Overhead: 10:59a

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 12:51p

Moon Overhead: 11:54a 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 1:51p 12a

12p

Sunrise: 7:28a Set: 6:36p Moonrise: 10:38a Set: 9:14p

Moon Overhead: 3:56p

Moon Overhead: 2:54p 12a

12p

Sunrise: 7:29a Set: 6:35p Moonrise: 11:37a Set: 10:16p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 4:56p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

Tides and Prime Times for OCTOBER 2011

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 11:26p +2.0

-1.0

Moon Underfoot: 2:23a

BEST:

6:00 — 8:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 3:25a

BEST:

7:30 — 9:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 4:26a

BEST:

2:30 — 4:30 PM

+2.0

BEST:

3:30 — 5:30 PM 9:00 — 11:00 AM

T I D E

L E V E L S

BEST:

5:00 — 7:00 AM

Moon Underfoot: 1:21a

L E V E L S

BEST:

3:30 — 5:30 AM

Moon Underfoot: 12:22a

T I D E

+1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: None

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

2:14 am 8:31 am 3:22 pm 8:59 pm

110 |

1.59ft. 0.60ft. 1.72ft. 1.05ft.

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

2:31 am 9:12 am 4:33 pm 9:55 pm

O C T O B E R

1.59ft. 0.29ft. 1.85ft. 1.25ft.

2 0 1 1

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

2:49 am 9:56 am 5:41 pm 10:48 pm

1.63ft. 0.01ft. 1.93ft. 1.43ft.

T E X A S

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

3:09 am 10:44 am 6:48 pm 11:40 pm

F I S H

1.68ft. High Tide: 3:30 am 1.73ft. -0.18ft. Low Tide: 11:35 am -0.27ft. 1.97ft. High Tide: 7:57 pm 1.95ft. 1.58ft.

G A M E ®

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

T F & G

12:33 am 3:52 am 12:29 pm 9:09 pm

1.68ft. 1.76ft. -0.27ft. 1.90ft.

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

A L M A N A C

1:41 am 4:06 am 1:27 pm 10:22 pm

1.72ft. 1.74ft. -0.18ft. 1.83ft.

+1.0

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Tides and Prime Times for OCTOBER 2011 TUESDAY

NOV 1

Sunrise: 7:29a Set: 6:34p Sunrise: 7:30a Moonrise: 12:29p Set: 11:18p Moonrise: 1:14p

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 7:31a Moonrise: 1:54p

SATURDAY

Set: 6:33p Set: None

FRIDAY

SUNDAY END DST 6

Set: 6:32p Sunrise: 7:32a Set: 12:19a Moonrise: 2:28p

Set: 6:32p Set: 1:16a

Sunrise: 7:32a Moonrise: 3:00p

Set: 6:31p Set: 2:11a

Sunrise: 7:33a Moonrise: 3:31p

Set: 6:30p Set: 3:04a

Sunrise: 7:34a Moonrise: 4:01p

Set: 6:29p Set: 3:56a

AM Minor: 10:16a

PM Minor: 10:44p

AM Minor: 11:14a

PM Minor: 11:40p

AM Minor: -----

PM Minor: 12:06p

AM Minor: 12:30p

PM Minor: 12:52p

AM Minor: 1:12a

PM Minor: 1:33p

AM Minor: 1:50a

PM Minor: 2:10p

AM Minor: 2:26a

PM Minor: 2:46p

AM Major: 4:02a

PM Major: 4:30p

AM Major: 5:01a

PM Major: 5:27p

AM Major: 5:54a

PM Major: 6:18p

AM Major: 6:41a

PM Major: 7:03p

AM Major: 7:22a

PM Major: 7:43p

AM Major: 8:00a

PM Major: 8:20p

AM Major: 8:36a

PM Major: 8:56p

Moon Overhead: 5:52p

12a

WEDNESDAY

12p

Moon Overhead: 7:33p

Moon Overhead: 6:45p 12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 8:17p 12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 9:41p

Moon Overhead: 9:00p

12a

12p

12a

12p

Moon Overhead: 10:21p 12a

12p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

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

12a

FEET

Moon Underfoot: 5:25a +2.0

-1.0

BEST:

11:30A — 1:30P

Moon Underfoot: 8:39a

BEST:

12:30 — 2:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 9:20a

BEST:

2:00 — 4:00 PM

Moon Underfoot: 10:01a

BEST:

3:00 — 5:00 PM

+2.0

BEST:

4:00 — 6:00 PM

5:00 — 6:00 PM

T I D E

L E V E L S

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 7:55a

L E V E L S

Moon Underfoot: 7:09a

T I D E

+1.0

BEST:

7:30 — 9:30 PM

Moon Underfoot: 6:19a

Low Tide: 2:29 pm -0.03ft. Low Tide: 3:36 pm High Tide: 11:29 pm 1.76ft. Nov

0.16ft.

High Tide: 12:19 am 1.68ft. Low Tide: 4:46 pm 0.35ft.

A L M A N A C

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

T E X A S

12:52 am 7:33 am 10:36 am 5:58 pm

F I S H

1.60ft. 1.22ft. 1.30ft. 0.54ft.

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

1:15 am 7:52 am 12:25 pm 7:04 pm

1.52ft. 1.03ft. 1.30ft. 0.73ft.

G A M E ®

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

1:33 am 8:14 am 1:52 pm 8:03 pm

1.46ft. 0.84ft. 1.36ft. 0.89ft.

O C T O B E R

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

1:48 am 7:36 am 2:03 pm 7:54 pm

1.42ft. 0.66ft. 1.44ft. 1.05ft.

2 0 1 1

111

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OCTOBER 2011

Tides and Prime Times

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

SYMBOL KEY

New Moon

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 12:20 am 1.83ft. Low Tide: 4:08 pm 0.10ft.

Sunrise: 7:30a Moonrise: 2:11p AM Minor: 11:55a PM Minor: ----Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

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

Set: 7:21p Set: None AM Major: 5:40a PM Major: 6:09p 7:27p 6:59a

1.51ft. 0.73ft. 1.65ft. 1.09ft.

5:00 — 7:00 AM

PRIME TIME 12:58 am 3:39 am 1:52 pm 11:39 pm

1.67ft. 1.70ft. 0.38ft. 1.74ft.

Sunrise: 7:39a Moonrise: 11:01p AM Minor: 10:11a PM Minor: 10:36p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

9:00 — 10:00 AM

Set: 7:04p Set: 12:33p AM Major: 3:58a PM Major: 4:23p 5:21a 5:46p

PRIME TIME 2:14 am 8:31 am 3:22 pm 8:59 pm

1.59ft. 0.60ft. 1.72ft. 1.05ft.

Sunrise: 7:45a Moonrise: 5:13a AM Minor: 3:30a PM Minor: 3:57p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

112 |

Set: 6:57p Set: 5:16p AM Major: 9:43a PM Major: 10:10p 11:18a 11:45p

O C T O B E R

Sunrise: 7:31a Moonrise: 2:58p AM Minor: 12:26a PM Minor: 12:50p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

3:45 am 10:14 am 5:21 pm 10:50 pm

Sunrise: 7:35a Moonrise: 6:46p AM Minor: 5:11a PM Minor: 5:32p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.81ft. 0.22ft.

PRIME TIME 1.52ft. 0.61ft. 1.69ft. 1.23ft.

5:30 — 7:30 AM

Set: 7:11p Set: 7:13a AM Major: 11:22a PM Major: 11:43p 12:41a 1:02p

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 1:48 am High Tide: 3:38 am Low Tide: 2:46 pm

Sunrise: 7:40a Moonrise: None AM Minor: 11:06a PM Minor: 11:31p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

2:31 am 9:12 am 4:33 pm 9:55 pm

Sunrise: 7:45a Moonrise: 6:22a AM Minor: 4:18a PM Minor: 4:46p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

2 0 1 1

12:00 — 2:00 PM

Set: 7:19p Set: 12:44a AM Major: 6:37a PM Major: 7:03p 8:19p 7:54a

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

3:30 — 5:30 AM

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 1:35 am Low Tide: 5:26 pm

PRIME TIME

Last Quarter Good Day

Full Moon

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

Set: 7:12p Set: 6:20a AM Major: 10:42a PM Major: 11:03p None 12:20p

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

11:00A — 1:00P

PRIME TIME

3:33 am 9:50 am 4:31 pm 10:23 pm

Sunrise: 7:35a Moonrise: 6:16p AM Minor: 4:32a PM Minor: 4:53p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

First Quarter

1.72ft. 1.73ft. 0.39ft.

10:00A — 12:00P

Set: 7:03p Set: 1:20p AM Major: 4:53a PM Major: 5:19p 6:12a 6:37p

PRIME TIME 1.59ft. 0.29ft. 1.85ft. 1.25ft.

5:00 — 7:00 AM

Set: 6:56p Set: 5:57p AM Major: 10:32a PM Major: 11:00p 12:13p None

T E X A S

F I S H

BEST DAYS

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

PRIME TIME 2:15 am 8:46 am 9:57 am 6:38 pm

Sunrise: 7:32a Moonrise: 3:39p AM Minor: 1:14a PM Minor: 1:39p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

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

3:56 am 10:42 am 6:10 pm 11:15 pm

Sunrise: 7:36a Moonrise: 7:19p AM Minor: 5:53a PM Minor: 6:15p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.76ft. 1.49ft. 1.50ft. 0.34ft.

Set: 7:18p Set: 1:44a AM Major: 7:27a PM Major: 7:51p 9:09p 8:45a

PRIME TIME 1.53ft. 0.51ft. 1.71ft. 1.34ft.

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

2:49 am 9:56 am 5:41 pm 10:48 pm

Sunrise: 7:46a Moonrise: 7:33a AM Minor: 5:11a PM Minor: 5:40p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

6:30 — 8:30 AM

Set: 7:10p Set: 8:07a AM Major: ----PM Major: 12:04p 1:24a 1:45p

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 12:37 am 1.75ft. Low Tide: 3:46 pm 0.42ft.

Sunrise: 7:41a Moonrise: None AM Minor: ----PM Minor: 12:00p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

2:00 — 4:00 PM

11:00A — 1:00P

Set: 7:02p Set: 2:05p AM Major: 5:47a PM Major: 6:12p 7:03a 7:29p

PRIME TIME 1.63ft. 0.01ft. 1.93ft. 1.43ft.

6:00 — 8:00 AM

Set: 6:55p Set: 6:42p AM Major: 11:25a PM Major: 11:55p 1:10p 12:41a

G A M E ®

T F & G

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

PRIME TIME 2:40 am 8:39 am 12:02 pm 7:40 pm

1.69ft. 1.36ft. 1.48ft. 0.47ft.

Sunrise: 7:32a Moonrise: 4:14p AM Minor: 2:00a PM Minor: 2:23p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

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

4:04 am 11:12 am 7:02 pm 11:38 pm

Set: 7:17p Set: 2:43a AM Major: 8:11a PM Major: 8:34p 9:54p 9:32a

PRIME TIME 1.56ft. 0.44ft. 1.71ft. 1.44ft.

Sunrise: 7:37a Moonrise: 7:56p AM Minor: 6:39a PM Minor: 7:02p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

7:30 — 9:30 AM

Set: 7:09p Set: 9:01a AM Major: 12:28a PM Major: 12:51p 2:08a 2:30p

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 1:07 am Low Tide: 4:51 pm

1.75ft. 0.48ft.

Sunrise: 7:42a Moonrise: 12:57a AM Minor: 12:27a PM Minor: 12:51p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

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

3:00 — 5:00 PM

3:09 am 10:44 am 6:48 pm 11:40 pm

12:00 — 2:00 PM

Set: 7:01p Set: 2:46p AM Major: 6:38a PM Major: 7:04p 7:54a 8:20p

PRIME TIME 1.68ft. -0.18ft. 1.97ft. 1.58ft.

Sunrise: 7:47a Moonrise: 8:45a AM Minor: 6:10a PM Minor: 6:40p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

A L M A N A C

7:30 — 9:30 AM

Set: 6:54p Set: 7:32p AM Major: ----PM Major: 12:56p 2:11p 1:40a

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OCTOBER 2011

Tides and Prime Times

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

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

PRIME TIME 1:24 am 5:10 am 1:47 pm 10:39 pm

1.64ft. 1.73ft. -0.06ft. 1.84ft.

Sunrise: 7:29a Moonrise: 12:16p AM Minor: 9:48a PM Minor: 10:18p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

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

PRIME TIME 2:57 am 8:54 am 1:28 pm 8:32 pm

Sunrise: 7:33a Moonrise: 4:47p AM Minor: 2:40a PM Minor: 3:02p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.62ft. 1.21ft. 1.51ft. 0.62ft.

Set: 7:16p Set: 3:39a AM Major: 8:51a PM Major: 9:13p 10:37p 10:16a

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 4:06 am 1.58ft. Low Tide: 11:46 am 0.40ft. High Tide: 7:57 pm 1.71ft.

Sunrise: 7:37a Moonrise: 8:35p AM Minor: 7:29a PM Minor: 7:52p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

7:30 — 9:30 AM

Set: 7:07p Set: 9:56a AM Major: 1:17a PM Major: 1:40p 2:53a 3:17p

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

3:30 — 5:30 PM

PRIME TIME 1:27 am 8:50 am 9:56 am 5:56 pm

Sunrise: 7:42a Moonrise: 1:59a AM Minor: 1:14a PM Minor: 1:40p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.71ft. 1.42ft. 1.43ft. 0.57ft.

Set: 7:00p Set: 3:24p AM Major: 7:27a PM Major: 7:52p 8:45a 9:10p

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 3:30 am 1.73ft. Low Tide: 11:35 am -0.27ft. High Tide: 7:57 pm 1.95ft.

Sunrise: 7:48a Moonrise: 9:55a AM Minor: 7:15a PM Minor: 7:46p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1:30 — 3:30 PM

2:30 — 4:30 PM

Set: 6:53p Set: 8:28p AM Major: 12:59a PM Major: 1:30p 3:13p 2:42a

PRIME TIME 3:10 am 9:11 am 2:38 pm 9:16 pm

1.56ft. 1.05ft. 1.55ft. 0.78ft.

Sunrise: 7:33a Moonrise: 5:17p AM Minor: 3:18a PM Minor: 3:39p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot: 12:03 am 3:55 am 12:23 pm 9:01 pm

1.53ft. 1.62ft. 0.38ft. 1.71ft.

Sunrise: 7:38a Moonrise: 9:20p AM Minor: 8:21a PM Minor: 8:45p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.66ft. 1.22ft. 1.47ft. 0.69ft.

Sunrise: 7:43a Moonrise: 3:02a AM Minor: 2:01a PM Minor: 2:26p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

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

1.68ft. 1.76ft. -0.27ft. 1.90ft.

Sunrise: 7:49a Moonrise: 11:01a AM Minor: 8:22a PM Minor: 8:53p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

A L M A N A C

Set: 6:59p Set: 4:01p AM Major: 8:13a PM Major: 8:39p 9:35a 10:01p

3:30 — 5:30 PM

Set: 6:52p Set: 9:29p AM Major: 2:07a PM Major: 2:38p 4:15p 3:44a

T E X A S

1.74ft. 1.75ft. 0.00ft.

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

PRIME TIME 3:22 am 9:30 am 3:37 pm 9:52 pm

Sunrise: 7:34a Moonrise: 5:46p AM Minor: 3:55a PM Minor: 4:15p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.52ft. 0.88ft. 1.61ft. 0.94ft.

Set: 7:13p Set: 5:27a AM Major: 10:05a PM Major: 10:26p None 11:40a

12:28 am 3:42 am 1:05 pm 10:17 pm

1.61ft. 1.66ft. 0.37ft. 1.71ft.

PRIME TIME 1:59 am 7:55 am 2:05 pm 8:01 pm

Sunrise: 7:44a Moonrise: 4:07a AM Minor: 2:45a PM Minor: 3:11p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

1.62ft. 0.93ft. 1.58ft. 0.86ft.

1:41 am 4:06 am 1:27 pm 10:22 pm

Sunrise: 7:49a Moonrise: 12:00p AM Minor: 9:30a PM Minor: 10:00p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

3:30 — 5:30 PM

Set: 6:58p Set: 4:38p AM Major: 8:58a PM Major: 9:24p 10:26a 10:52p

F I S H

9:00 — 11:00 AM

Set: 7:05p Set: 11:43a AM Major: 3:03a PM Major: 3:28p 4:30a 4:55p

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

5:00 — 7:00 PM

PRIME TIME

Sunrise: 7:39a Moonrise: 10:08p AM Minor: 9:15a PM Minor: 9:40p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

10:00A — 12:00P

Set: 7:22p Set: 11:43p AM Major: 4:39a PM Major: 5:08p 6:30p 6:01a

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

PRIME TIME

12:33 am 3:52 am 12:29 pm 9:09 pm

Sunrise: 7:30a Moonrise: 1:17p AM Minor: 10:53a PM Minor: 11:23p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

8:30 — 10:30 AM

2:30 — 4:30 PM

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 2:44 am High Tide: 4:43 am Low Tide: 2:54 pm

PRIME TIME 1:43 am 7:34 am 12:34 pm 7:01 pm

PRIME TIME

Set: 7:06p Set: 10:50a AM Major: 2:09a PM Major: 2:33p 3:41a 4:06p

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

4:00 — 6:00 PM

Set: 7:15p Set: 4:34a AM Major: 9:29a PM Major: 9:49p 11:19p 10:58a

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

4:30 — 6:30 PM

Set: 7:23p Set: 10:44p AM Major: 3:33a PM Major: 4:03p 5:31p 5:00a

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

SUNDAY

1.72ft. 1.74ft. -0.18ft. 1.83ft.

TIDE STATION CORRECTION TABLE (Adjust High & Low Tide times listed in the Calendar by the amounts below for each keyed location)

NOT FOR NAVIGATION PLACE SABINE BANK LIGHTHOUSE (29.47° N, 93.72° W) SABINE PASS JETTY (29.65° N, 93.83° W) SABINE PASS (29.73° N, 93.87°W) MESQUITE PT, SABINE PASS (29.77° N, 93.9° W) GALV. BAY, SO. JETTY (29.34° N, 94.7° W) PORT BOLIVAR (29.36° N, 94.77° W) TX CITY TURNING BASIN (29.38° N, 94.88° W) EAGLE POINT (29.5° N, 94.91° W) CLEAR LAKE (29.56° N, 95.06° W) MORGANS POINT (29.68° N, 94.98° W) ROUND PT, TRINITY BAY (29.71° N, 94.69° W) PT. BARROW, TRIN. BAY (29.74° N, 94.83° W) GILCHRIST, E. BAY (29.52° N, 94.48° W) JAMAICA BCH., W. BAY (29.2° N, 94.98° W) ALLIGATOR PT., W. BAY (29.17° N, 94.13° W) CHRISTMAS PT, CHR. BAY (29.08° N, 94.17° W) GALV. PLEASURE PIER (29.29° N, 94.79° W) SAN LUIS PASS (29.08° N, 95.12° W) FREEPORT HARBOR (28.95° N, 95.31° W) PASS CAVALLO (28.37° N, 96.4° W) ARANSAS PASS (27.84° N, 97.05° W) PADRE ISL.(SO. END) (26.07° N, 97.16° W) PORT ISABEL (26.06° N, 97.22° W)

PRIME TIME

9:00 — 11:00 AM

Low Tide: 2:29 pm -0.03ft. High Tide: 11:29 pm 1.76ft.

Set: 6:51p Set: 10:31p AM Major: 3:15a PM Major: 3:45p 5:15p 4:45a

G A M E ®

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

PRIME TIME

Sunrise: 7:50a Moonrise: 12:52p AM Minor: 10:34a PM Minor: 11:02p Moon Overhead: Moon Underfoot:

O C T O B E R

HIGH

7:30 — 9:30 PM

Set: 6:50p Set: 11:34p AM Major: 4:20a PM Major: 4:48p 6:11p 5:44a

2 0 1 1

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PHOTO: CABMAN237, CAN STOCK PHOTO

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Hungry for Hogs BY CHESTER MOORE SOME CALL THEM A NUISANCE, others call them dangerous, yet others consider them their favorite quarry. Bobby Standifer and Rich Schultz of the American Hog Hunting Association (AHHA) call them an “opportunity.” “There are all kinds of reports in the media about hogs and some talk about the need to ‘eliminate’ them but the fact is that is not going to happen. I had one rancher tell me that would be like trying to eliminate all the mesquite in Texas. It’s not going to happen,” Standifer said. “We can however manage their numbers and do a lot of good in the process which is why we developed the Texas Feral Hog Roundup.” The first event kicks off Oct. 1-Dec. 31 2011 with a second one taking place Jan. 1April 30, 2012 and it is unlike anything you have ever heard of for hog hunting. 114 |

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Hunters will compete in a firearms and archery division to tally up their five heaviest hogs. “We were originally going to make it a big hog event but one of our sponsors told us there is more ammunition sold in Texas by far for hog hunting than anything else, so we decided to make it a ‘stringer’ type tournament and make it more about consistency than lucking out and getting a big one,” Standifer said.

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“In other words if you fish a tournament you might weigh in your five biggest bass. Here you weigh in your hogs and the five biggest you have at the end will be what competes with the other hunters out there.” There will be weigh-in stations throughout the state where hunters can have their hogs officially tallied. The tournament itself will be broken into four regions with one from Interstate 10 to 190 east to the Louisiana border. Another will go from 1-35 T F & G

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TF&G Hunting Editor Bob Hood (right) interviews Bobby Standifer of the American Hog Hunting Association. See the video interview at www.FishGame.com/video.

South from the Oklahoma border, another 1-35 West through Fort Worth and the final 1-35 South to Laredo. Prizes will include pickup trucks, ATVs, rifles, bows, hunting blinds and much more. Plus every full season contestant gets a $30 to $50 gift card.

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Prizes include trucks, ATVs, rifles, bows, and more. Plus every full season contestant gets a $30 to $50 gift card.

“There are hogs just about everywhere in the state and we believe there will be a lot of participation from all over.” While this tournament’s concept sounds like good business it also translates to good deeds. “The original idea was to do something about helping trim hog numbers in areas and stop some of the waste of meat. You have landowners and others having to shoot them out of helicopters and just leave them laying and I won’t argue with that but we wanted to make sure we could do something that could help feed people in need,” Standifer said.

Tournament officials will promote hunters donating the meat to facilities that will process them or to help out families they know need the extra help in these tough economic times. Wild pork is nutritious with lean cuts of the meat having fat and cholesterol levels much lower than the domestic fare. In addition it tastes great and is considered a delicacy in high-dollar restaurants all over the country. “Why not make a positive out of what can be a negative out there?” asked AHHA CEO Rich Schultz. “Hunters can spend more time in the field, have a direct hand in helping manage our wild grounds and agriculture and help people in need. Plus, they can win lots of great prizes and enjoy the thrill of competition.” Are you up for the challenge of the Texas Feral Hog Roundup? If so, go to www.americanhoghunting.com or call Bobby Standifer at (817) 366-1664 to learn how to participate.

On the Web www.americanhoghunting.com

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Firearms contestants can get a $50 gift card good at the retailer where they choose to sign up and Archery contestants get a $30 gift card. Sign up online at www.americanhoghunting.com using the Academy Sports + Outdoors link and get an Academy Gift Card. There will be 100 prizes for the firearms division with 20 winners for 5 heaviest hogs overall and 20 winners in each geographical region. For archery there will be 20 winners for overall heaviest hogs and 10 in each region. T F & G

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PHOTOS COURTESY BRYAN SLAVEN

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An Out-ofthe-Way Treasure VERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU RUN across one of those restaurants that becomes one of your favorite spots. Gilhooly’s just made the list. Located in San Leon just down the road from Kemah, this out of the way place at first looks like a beer joint. But don’t let the rustic appearance fool you, Gilhooly’s is a great restaurant serving only fresh local seafood. Oysters are a house specialty roasted on an open wood burning pit. The Oysters Gilhooly are amazing, grilled on the halfshell in a garlic butter sauce with parmesan cheese, and the Oysters Picante comes topped with zesty salsa and melted Colby jack cheese. They serve great gumbo, oyster stew, seafood cakes, and even have breakfast on the weekend with some killer seafood omelettes stuffed with shrimp, crab, and oysters. The restaurant’s name came from the John Wayne movie Donavan’s Reef. The servings are generous, and the all female waitstaff will make you feel at home, but kids under 18 are not allowed. They accept only cash, no credit cards. BYOB is okay too!

Oysters Gilhooly 12 – oysters on the halfshell Spoon a little garlic butter sauce over the

Chuck Glass, and Brandon Slaven enjoying some Oysters Gilhooly and South of the Border grilled Oysters.

Bryan Slaven, The Texas Gourmet, with the friendly wait staff from Gilhooly’s

oyster, then top with about a teaspoon of grated parmesan cheese , then carefully place the oysters on the grill with some wood chips to add some smoky flavor.

JOIN THE TEXAS GOURMET FANCLUB on Facebook, at http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=152165096156. Come and share your favorite recipes, restaurants, and hangouts. The Texas Gourmet is waiting on you! 116 |

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Cook with the lid open for 3 to 4 minutes, then close the lid or cover with foil and cook until the cheese is melted, approx. another 4 minutes. Remove to a platter and serve with crackers, red sauce and horseradish!

Email Bryan Slaven, “The Texas Gourmet,” at texas-tasted@fishgame.com T F & G

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The Swedesh Gang / Hook and Ladder

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TEXAS SALTWATER

GALVESTON

ROCKPORT

TEXAS SALTWATER

WWW.FISHGAME.COM

MIDDLE COAST

TEXAS HUNTING

Jack and Jeff Lee Happy 40th Anniversary Rockport Redrunner

NORTH EAST TEXAS

TEXAS SALTWATER BAFFIN BAY

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White Oak Outfitters

TF&G’s Saltwater Fishing Trip Winner!!!

David Trove Trout Kighten’s Guide Service

Aerich and Allycia Redfish Charters

COLORADO HUNTING

TEXAS FRESHWATER

LAKE AMISTAD

LAKE TEXOMA

EAST TEXAS

SOUTH TEXAS

White Oak Outfitters

SPOTLIGHT: WHITE OAK OUTFITTERS White Oak Outfitters is an owner-operated outfitting service offering deer, boar and bear hunts since 1993. They provide fair-chase hunts for hunters of all ages on 3000 acres in beautiful East Texas. Bear hunts take place in August and September in cooperation with Nolalu outfitters in Ontario Canada and carried out on 4 Bear Management Areas. Texas hog hunts have a two-day minimum and are conducted year around. Deer hunts run from October through December. Hunters can hunt as long as they want for the flat daily rate. White Oak Outfitters processes all game by quartering, wrapping and freezing all the meat. There are no trophy fees or any other hidden costs. Living quarters are provided along with cooking facilities at no extra charge. “We try to treat people the way we would like to be treated if we were hunting with them,” said Bruce Hunnicut, owner. “We feel we have one of the premier hunting areas in the country. We would be glad to book a hunt for anyone who wants to experience a hunt of a lifetime.” Call Bruce to schedule your next hunt @ (903) 537-2651 or visit www.whiteoakoutfittersinc.com T F & G

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REDFISH

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LARGEMOUTH BASS

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High Island Twelve-year-old Meaghan Bryan of Clear Lake with her first bull red, a 25 pounder, taken on cut mullet in the surf near High Island. Submitted by John Bryan (Meaghan's father).

Private Pond

Highland Village Garrett Gibson, age 8, from Highland Village with a 20-pound blue catfish he reeled in all by himself.

Haidyn Pyfer, 16, of North Richland Hills with the Sand Trout that she caught while fishing on the Gulf side of the North Jetty in Galveston.

➤ REDFISH | Port Aransas

Don Bouchard caught this 40-1/2-inch bull redfish at Port Aransas. He and his wife, Linda, were at Woody’s Sports Center. Linda also had a good day (see next photo).

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REDFISH | Port Aransas Linda Bouchard caught this 38-1/2-inch bull red on her birthday. She and her husband, Don (see previous photo) were at Woody’s Sport Center in Port Aransas.

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SAND TROUT | Galveston

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Cori Chandler, age 12, of Corsicana caught this 7-pound largemouth on his grandfather’s pond (Frank and Betty Crawford’s ranch) in Streetman. He caught the bass on a 7-inch lizard.

CATFISH

WHITETAIL DEER

CATFISH | Lake O’ the Pines Haley & Kenzie Pyle of Bullard caught these catfish while fishing with their dad Shane and grandfather Jimmy on Lake O' the Pines. They caught 59 fish weighing up to 3 pounds.

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Stephens County

REDFISH | Baffin Bay

Colton Olson, 8, of Arlington, shot his first deer near Strawn in Stephens County, opening morning of the Special Youth Season, with one shot from a .243 at 100 yards. Submitted by Colton’s Papa, Jim Withaeger.

Michaela Ayers and family friend Danny Adams of Rockport hold a 50-inch, 40-pound bull red Michaela caught while fishing with live croaker in Baffin Bay. The fish was revived and released.

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MAIL TO: TFG PHOTOS 1745 Greens Rd, Houston TX 77032

No guarantee can be made as to when, or if, a submitted photo will be published.

NOTE: Print photos can not be returned.

EMAIL: photos@FishGame.com

BLACK DRUM

West Galveston Bay Gilbert Moreno of Pasadena caught this black drum while kayaking the West Bay area in Galveston. Gilbert released the fish.

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For best results, send MED to HIGH quality JPEG digital files only, please.

WHITETAIL BUCK | Kinney County Jaye Widner, age 11, shot this 5-point buck during youth weekend at the TDW Ranch in Kinney County. Dad Wray says it took a couple of years to convince Jaye that hunting was more fun than dolls. The gleam in her eyes says he succeeded.

REDFISH | Crystal Beach Joseph Gonzalez caught this bull red in the surf at Crystal Beach while fishing with Joseph’s brother and other family members. They caught and released 12 reds in the surf and 11 more out in a kayak. They also caught a few sharks.

REDFISH | Rockport Logan Kuenstler of Austin caught his first redfish – plus two more –in Rockport. He was fishing with his dad, uncle, cousin and Capt. Terry Coufal.

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JACK CREVALLE | Galveston

CATFISH | Village Mills

Jon Shipley of Bayou Vista caught this 26-inch jack crevalle at the tip of the Galveston North jetty, using live fingerling mullet on bottom. He fought the jack for almost an hour.

Seven-year-old Logan Fant, Daryl Fant and fouryear-old McClain Fant show off a nice yellow cat they caught at Lake Kimble in Wildwood near Village Mills, Texas.

WAHOO | Port Aransas Edward Martin, his son-in-law David Munk and grandson Logan Munk caught a 66-inch, 42pound wahoo with Capt. Butch Finley out of Port Aransas. It was Logan's 17th birthday.

SAND TROUT

REDFISH

Crystal Beach

Ingleside Kristin Heider of Pleasanton landed this 25-inch redfish to limit out for her first time. It was a beautiful day on Ingleside Bay where Bob Cameron could only watch and remove all the perfectly set hooks.

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Logan Ng of Cypress caught these two sand trout, at the same time, while fishing with his Papa in East Bay near Crystal Beach.

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