October 2012

Digital Edition

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BASICS

OCTOBER 2012 | VOL. XXIX • NO. 6 | $3.95

Fall Guys

WHY ANGLERS LOVE AUTUMN

Rules of the Game:

You Gonna Eat That?

NUTRITIONAL VALUES OF YOUR FAVORITE FISH

Whitetail

Deer Bubba Gump

TROUT FISHING

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OUTWITTING WILY TEXAS

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Digital Edition

www.FishGame.com Bow Hunting

BASICS

OCTOBER 2012 | VOL. XXIX • NO. 6 | $3.95

RULES OF THE GAME:

Whitetail Deer

Bubba Gump

Trout Fishing

imp • Topwater Shrimp • Carolina-Rigged Shrimp • Drop-Shot Shrimp •

Fall Guys

WHY ANGLERS LOVE AUTUMN OUTWITTING WILY TEXAS

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You Gonna Eat That?

NUTRITIONAL VALUES OF FISH

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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

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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 Dustin Ellermann 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 EDITOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR WEB CONTENT MANAGER

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CONTENTS OCTOBER 2012 • Volume XXIX • NO. 6

STORY: STORY:

OCK y Reid, BIGST Photo: Dust

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TF&G Comp osite

ON THE COVERS: Rules of the Game: Whitetails xxx

Graphic

FEATURES

The laws andxxxxxxxxxx regulationsxxxxxxxxxx governing the xxxxxxxxxx hunting of whitetail deer in Texas. Part 9 of xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx our year-longxxxxxxxxxx series. xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx by Bob Hood xxxxxxxxxx

xxx Bubba Gump Trout Fishing xxxxxxxxxx A classic storyline xxxxxxxxxx in thexxxxxxxxxx film “Forrest STORY: xxxxxxxxxx Gump” recounted xxxxxxxxxx the endless xxxxxxxxxx ways shrimp STORY: xxxxxxxxxx can be served. xxxxxxxxxx There are xxxxxxxxxx just as many xxxxxxxxxx ways to fish them. by Chester Moore

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OUTWITTING WILY & TASTY SPECKLEBELLIES

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Hunting white-fronted “specklebelly” geese is more like hunting ducks. Unlike snows or other geese, they can be effectively decoyed with the right gear and placement.

by John N. Felsher

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FISH NUTRITION

As long as you heed the health advisories for certain waterbodies, consumption of fresh-caught fish remains one of the best sources of vital nutrients in a healthy diet.

by Greg Berlocher

Autumn’s shortened days and cooling water temperatures breathe new life into fishing pattterns on Texas lakes and rivers, giving the season a special appeal for many anglers.

FishGame.com Follow us on:

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iPad iPhone Android Kindle Fire

FREE to Subscribers. See your Device App Store, or visit our website:

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CONTENTS COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS

october 2012 • Volume XXIX • NO. 6

COLUMNS 10 Editor’s Notes 12

X The Possum Who Mocks XNo More

27 Texas Saltwater

No Pressure

DEPARTMENTS

by Calixto Gonzales TF&G Saltwater Editor

by DON ZAIDLE TF&G Editor-in-Chief

8 letters

14 Chester’s Wild 16 NotesLife 21 Texas Bow Hunting

X It Started with a Boy XWho Called ‘Wolf’

X X

by CHESTER MOORE TF&G Executive Editor

by Lou Marullo TF&G Bow Hunting Editor

16 Doggett at Large 18

29 43 Hunt Texas

X For the Dove of XIt All

14 big bags & catches

by JOE DOGGETT TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

by bob hood TF&G Hunting Editor

18 Pike On the Edge 20

33 Hunting 47 Texas Bow Saltwater

department of defense

by Doug Pike TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

by Lou Marullo Calixto Gonzales TF&G Bow Hunting Editor Saltwater Editor

42 True green

20 TexasWild 22

43 51 Texas Freshwater

by Ted nugent TF&G Editor At Large

by matt Williams TF&G Freshwater Editor

21 Commentary 23

48 56 Open Season

by Kendal Hemphill TF&G Politcal Commentator

by reavis wortham TF&G Humor Editor

X No More XApologies

X Conservation Science, XNot Rocket Science

X October, Season of XTransition

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XJavelina, the Hard X Way

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Hunt X Safe and Have Fun X

XLake Austin Grass XCarp Response

34 NEW! texas

Follow us on:

XKids X

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Letters to the Editor White Lightning

almost impossible to even think of any large trout now in the surf.

I thoroughly enjoyed Lenny Rudow’s recent article on lightning protection for small boats (June, 2012).

I have spent a lifetime racing offshore sailboats in the Gulf and thought I would mention a method I always used in severe weather: Buy 15 feet of galvanized chain, tie one end to a metal tube around the console (or mast), and toss the other end overboard.

Problem solved.

Many sailboats have copper grounding plates in or around the keel and I have often wondered why powerboats cannot do something similar. Lightning is scary stuff and is almost never mentioned in articles about safety at sea. And I must admit I had never heard about using the microwave as he described.

I look forward to his writing every month.

Garry Dossey, DDS Via email

5 Reasons You Don’t Catch Big Trout I enjoyed reading the article, “5 Reasons You Don’t Catch Big Trout” by Chester Moore (September, 2012). Great to point out and very, very true to the fact of fishing Texas.

I do feel that the trout fishing has not been any good for me in the past 10-12 years in the surf. I have fished the National Seashore Littleshell/Bigshell for more than 30 years. In that time, trout were always something to talk about on every trip.

I have fished in the middle of winter; Fourth of July; before, during and after a storm. Fishing days were low tide, high tide, red tide, and, at times, where you could swim out past the third gut in 40 feet of water like glass and find all kinds of fish.

Now the trout are numbered on the surf.

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Gilbert Hernandez Via email

Thanks for the Flounder I am a regular subscriber to TF&G and a 22-year Rockport fishing fanatic. This year on our annual summer trip in early August, we caught more, larger flounder than we have caught in the prior 21 years combined—without targeting them!

There is no question that your efforts (ram-rodded by Chester Moore) resulted in TPWD changes to the flounder fishing regulations. Thank you!

After this year’s trip, I am now convinced that a 5-fish trout limit is the right decision.

We have not had a “great year” (catching large numbers of trout) in 5-plus years, even though most of the bay looks great. Because we only make the trip once per year, I previously wanted to keep the limit to 10, so that we could maximize our “take home” fish we enjoy so much. The flounder experience has made me realize it is time to change that view.

James S. Cornelius Dallas

Fie on the Feds The draconian and opaque details of federal migratory bird hunting regulations, promulgated by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, that Chester Moore writes about in TF&G, Sep. 2012, have been proof positive to me, for decades, that the USFWS is run by left wing, anti-hunting bureaucrats. There is no rational purpose for many of the regulations other than to harass sport hunters.

“Baiting” rules are the great Catch-22 of

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them all. It is illegal, no question about it, to hunt dove near a deer feeder, and that means almost all ranches in Texas are off limits for dove hunting. The federal game wardens do, to my personal knowledge, write tickets for hunting hundreds of yards from deer feeders and advise hunters to “tell it to the judge.”

The judge, of course, is a federal judge in a city far away. Figure on $5000-$20,000 in legal fees if you want to fight it.

It is worth repeating: Anti baiting regulations are invented by the USFWS bureaucrats; they are not “laws.” All the law says is that baiting is illegal and that USFWS has the power to develop regulations to enforce the law.

I would add that I have never been cited for a game or fishing law violation. I have been questioned by Texas game wardens many times and all were polite and professional even when citing others in the area for bag limit and license violations.

On the three occasions that I have been questioned by federal game wardens they were, to a man, rude, arrogant, and combative. One fed near Anahuac (dove hunt) was so abusive and aggressive it was obvious he was trying to entice an assault.

Jay Bute El Lago, TX

Department of Family Defense I enjoyed the August issue Dept. of Defense article on emergency preparedness by Steve LaMascus. I hope to see more articles on personal and family SHTF preparedness.

Larry Loessin Via email

Send your Comments to:

Editor, Texas Fish & Game 1745 Greens Rd Houston TX 77032 Email: editor@fishgame.com

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Editor’s Notes

by Don Zaidle | TF&G Editor-in-Chief

The Possum Who Mocks No More Heard Around the House, Part 4

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hat was me; I shot a possum.” (granddaughter-in-law on phone following gunfire in the night) The call came around 2:30 a.m., just seconds after gunfire from the direction of my grandson and his wife’s house.

I was up working late (as usual) when I heard the shot. Nothing unusual about that around the Zaidle place, but you never know. I grabbed a 1911 and couple of extra

mags, and was headed out to investigate when the phone rang.

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or one of the other mayhem-disposed grandsons.

“Yes. I have been after it for weeks,” she said. “Every time I came home at night, there it was, mocking me up in a tree in the front yard. By the time I could get in the house for a gun, it would be gone.”

Then, with no small amount of pride, she declared: “But this time I got it! No more scattering the garbage—and no more mocking me!”

Probably inspired by her 12-gauge possum-dispatching prowess, she then declared: “It has friends—and they’re next. I’m going to be a possum vigilante.”

I congratulated her and commented posi-

tively on her self-reliance. She signed off the phone call with: “And the icing on the cake—the shot didn’t even wake up the kids!”

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If anyone has any doubts, you may rest assured I have the coolest granddaughter-inlaw on Earth.

The incident was the most recent snippet of conversation heard around my house that, if taken out of context—or even in context— come out sounding unusual, to say the least.

As expressed in the inaugural “Heard Around the House” installment of November 2009: Some might label it “redneck”— even though I cannot recall ever saying, “I’ve told you boys to flush that toilet; the dog’s gotta drink out of there,” and never carried a fishing rod into Sea World—on reflection, I can see how the banter around the

Zaidle household (usually animated with assorted grandchildren up to adult and old-enough-to-know-better ages) might give pause to the uninitiated.

More recent utterances and attendant Illustration: John Takai

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circumstance from the Zaidle Place include: — “Take the ‘coon out first!” (to grandson taking a live trap upstairs to his room) — “I don’t know where you boys are going or what you plan to do when you get there—and don’t want to know—but, stay behind cover and maintain the element of surprise.” (only half-jokingly to grandsons upon seeing the contents of their vehicle) — “Dammit, Jimmy! Did you use the last of the butter painting another gun?” (granddaughter-in-law to my grandson who uses butter for paint masking) — “You mean like that standing in the pasture over there, and the 400 pounds in my freezers?” (to traveling meat peddler that knocked on my door) — “Why did you bring that in the house?” (to grandson standing by my desk holding a dead chicken) — “Train track.” (grandson when asked what happened to his Android phone) — “Shake that skull on the shelf over there and see if it rattles.” (don’t ask) — “Who the hell loads a shotgun with slugs in snake season!” (grandson using my “driveway defense” shotgun to dispatch a copperhead in the front yard) — “I didn’t have any choice, Pop. There were bees were swarming at the shooting range.” (grandson when asked why he shot up my pasture gate after hanging a B27 target on it)

— Loaded your own “rubber bullet” shotgun rounds using high-bounce balls from a vending machine.

— Used a shotgun to remove a fallen tree from a high-voltage electric transmission line.

— Fired shotgun slugs at a once-burning oil storage tank to drain the reminder of the contents into the retention dike.

— Purposely released a ratsnake inside

your vehicle to take care of a rodent problem.

— Declared your granddaughter-in-law the best on Earth for shooting a possum in her front yard with a 12-gauge.

Email Don Zaidle at DZaidle@fishgame.com

From the ‘If... / You Might be...’

Department — Have “north” and “south” freezers on your back porch.

— Anyone has ever handed you a deactivated fragmentation grenade and said, “I found this in my car—is it yours?”

— Have ever asked anyone, “Did you lose a frag grenade?”

— Had to explain the blood on your boots to a DPS trooper.

— Got weird looks from other EMS personnel and a sheriff’s deputy because you had a crow feather stuck in your headlamp band at an accident scene.

— Shot a spider with a 12-gauge.

— Assisted in a search of your home for a lost TASER.

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The TF&G Report TPWD Sets 2012-13 Waterfowl Seasons

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission finalized this year’s waterfowl seasons at its Aug. 30 public hearing as hunters make ready to welcome record numbers of ducks.

According to this year’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “Trends in Duck Breeding Populations,” estimated waterfowl production in North America’s “duck factory” are at a record high, eclipsing a record set last year. The total duck population is estimated at 48.6 million birds. This represents a 7 percent increase over last year and is 43 percent higher than the long-term average since 1955.

Add water and hunt. Much needed rainfall this year has helped rejuvenate drought stricken wetland plant communities across

much of the Texas coast, setting the stage for better than usual hunting this fall.

Following is a summary of the Texas late season migratory framework for 2012-13.

An early season for teal statewide, and for Canada geese in the eastern goose zone, runs Sept. 15-30 with a daily bag limit of four teal and three geese.

Ducks High Plains Mallard Management Unit All species other than “dusky ducks:” Oct. 27-28, 2012 and Nov.2, 2012 – Jan. 27, 2013; “Dusky ducks”: Nov. 5, 2012 – Jan. 27, 2013; Youth-only Season: Oct. 20 — 21, 2012 North and South Zones All species other than “dusky ducks:” Nov. 3 – 25, 2012 and Dec. 8, 2012 — Jan. 27, 2013; “Dusky ducks”: Nov. 8 – 25, 2012 and

Dec. 8, 2012 – Jan. 27, 2013; Youth-only Season: Oct. 27-28, 2012 The daily bag limit for ducks is six, to include no more than five mallards of which only 2 may be hens; three wood ducks; two redheads; two pintails; one canvasback; and one “dusky” duck. Dusky ducks include: mottled ducks, Mexican-like duck, black duck and their hybrids. For all other species not listed, the bag limit is six. The daily bag limit for coots is 15. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, which may include no more than two hooded mergansers.

Shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Geese Western Zone Light geese: Nov. 3, 2012 – Feb. 3, 2013, daily bag limit is 20 and no possession limit.

Dark geese: Nov. 3, 2012 – Feb. 3,

Big Bags&Catches

Mahi Mahi

Corsican Ram

Bass

Port O’Connor

Abilene

Coleto Creek

Jason Frank with his first bull dolphin (mahi mahi), weighing 39 pounds. He caught it offshore from Port O’Connor on the “Stay C Bound” boat with captain Kenny Fuller.

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Kennedy Martin, 10, of Altus, OK, made a perfect 80-yard shot after a long stalk in taking her first Corsican ram. She was hunting with her dad, Kevin, and their pastor, Dave Player, on the Dos Plumas Hunting Ranch near Abilene.

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Greg Dalton of Freeport caught this 9.8pound, 26 1/8-inch largemouth bass at Coleto Creek Reservoir while on an annual camping trip.

Photo credit

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2013, daily bag limit is five in the aggregate to include no more than one white-fronted goose.

Eastern Zone Light geese: Nov. 3, 2012 – Jan. 27, 2013, the daily bag limit for light geese is 20 and no possession limit.

White-fronted geese: Nov. 3, 2012 – Jan. 13, 2013, daily bag limit is two; Canada geese: Sept. 15-30, 2012 and Nov. 3, 2012 – Jan. 27, 2013, daily bag limit is three.

U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, WI, where initial necropsy findings revealed no conclusive cause of death, according to Dr. LeAnn White, a wildlife disease specialist.

Although there are no known human or animal risks associated with the mortality events at this time, Dr. White recommends precautions should be taken. One Midland resident reported his dog died shortly after consuming several dead doves, but no autop-

sy was performed and cause of death was not determined. Conversely, several residents have reported dogs and cats consuming dead doves with no ill effects.

Reports of dead doves and sparrows first surfaced in late July and have been sporadic but ongoing, although the total number of birds impacted so far is believed to be less than 250, mostly Eurasian collared dove and white-winged dove.

Light Goose Conservation Order Eastern Zone Jan. 28 — Mar. 24, 2013, no bag or possession limits.

Western Zone Feb. 4 — Mar. 24, 2013, no bag or possession limits.

Sandhill Crane Zone A Nov. 3, 2012 — Feb. 3, 2013, daily bag limit is three and possession limit is six.

Zone B Nov. 23, 2012 — Feb. 3, 2013, daily bag limit is three and possession limit is six.

Zone C Dec. 22, 2012 — Jan. 27, 2013, daily bag limit is two and possession limit is four.

Extended Falconry Season Dove: Nov. 15 — Dec. 21, 2012 Rail, gallinule, & woodcock: Jan. 28 — Feb. 11, 2013 Ducks, coots, and mergansers: High Plains Mallard Management Unit: no extended season.

North and South Duck Zones Jan. 28 — Feb. 11, 2013 For all zones the daily bag limit is three and possession limit is six.

Dove Deaths in West Texas

State and federal wildlife officials are investigating a series of active dove mortality events in and around the West Texas communities of Midland, Odessa and Big Spring. The cause has yet to be determined, but poisoning has not been ruled out.

Dove samples have been submitted to the

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Chester’s Wild Life

by Chester Moore | TF&G Executive Editor

It All Started with a Boy Who Called ‘Wolf’

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t was like an episode of Mutual of Omaha’s “Wild Kingdom”.

Two beautiful red wolves ran and played in a meadow for more than half an hour as my father, Chester Moore, Sr., friend Chris Villadsen and I watched from across a canal.

We were fishing for alligator gar and, to be honest, I have no idea if we caught any that day. After all that was 1991.

I will, however, never forget the sighting and the path it revealed.

Wolves were already important to me due to several encounters as a youngster but I was 17 years old and considering a career in writing. Communicating via the written word came natural and writing about wildlife seemed even more intriguing now.

I wrote a letter to the Texas Parks &

Wildlife Department (TPWD) reporting the sighting and expressing amazement that an animal declared extinct in 1980 was alive and well in front of me a decade later.

A very kind biologist named Lee Ann Linam wrote a detailed letter describing that status of red wolves and said the animals I saw were most likely hybrids between wolves and coyotes. She did not belittle me or dispute the sighting but gave me a bit of education that fueled what has become a lifelong pursuit of wolves. Current research shows we may have both been right but that is for another column.

A year later, I entered an essay contest on hunting sponsored by TPWD and won a lifetime combo license and got to take part in the first ever Wildlife Expo banquet in Austin. There I met my now good friend

This is the first-ever published photo by Chester Moore, Jr. It appeared with his first ever article in Oct. 1992.

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Ted Nugent for the first time and was presented my award by hall of fame pitcher Nolan Ryan. For an Astros fan that was mind-blowing!

The next week I set up a meeting with the editor of the Orange Leader newspaper and asked if it might be possible to write a column. A deal was made to write for their weekly called The Opportunity Valley News and a week later in Oct. 1992, my first published article hit newsstands.

The subject? Wolves of course.

Since then, I have published more than 5,000 articles, 10,000 photographs, numerous books and done something like 800 radio broadcasts. On top of that, I have given hundreds of lectures and traveled the world in pursuit of fish and game. It has been a monumental blessing I thank the Lord for every day.

My passion for flounder fishing has often been at the forefront and helped lead to changes in the fishery and an extremely positive enthusiasm for flounder conservation in our great state.

Much of this has been possible due to the support and belief of TF&G’s Roy and Ardia Neves and my cohort in all things editorial Don Zaidle. TF&G has been a career highlight and I feel honored to be part of the team.

Just before column deadline, I found myself again amongst wolves.

As I held a friendly 15-week-old gray wolf cub, memories from early wolf encounters came rushing back. From mournful howls to the sighting described above to game camera photos, the journey had perpetual forward motion.

Interaction with wildlife has always been the primary goal and although this beautiful pup was not wild but an ambassador animal at Exotic Animal Park and Snake Farm in New Braunfels, the experience was no less motivating.

Growing up one of my greatest fears was losing enthusiasm for life and as so many adults tend to do. The feelings I had during this and other amazing wildlife encounters this year shows my enthusiasm has not only Photo Chester Moore

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sions: Christ, Children and Wildlife. The pilot debuts Oct. 1 at www.Godsoutdoors. com.

There are many exciting things on the horizon and we at TF&G are excited to still be viable and bringing new and exciting things to you not only every month in the magazine but every day through our website and newsletter.

Henry David Thoreau wrote that, “In wildness is the preservation of the world.”

I quoted that in the essay that kick-started my career and 20 years later it is just as relevant.

Without it, we would have no deer to hunt, crappie to catch or coyotes to hear yipping away in the distance. Wildness has come to TF&G at an entirely new level.

Read it here monthly and follow me through a lifelong journey to the wild side.

The author in Aug. 2012 with “Anna” a beautiful and friendly gray wolf pup.

remained but also actually increased.

In addition, interest in our articles and videos on wildlife has increased as well. It seems as if the further asphalt and concrete expand, the more people want to know about the creatures that dwell beyond the pavement.

The author with a bunch of flounder he and his father caught and donated to Sea Center Texas for broodstock.

That is why beginning this column will henceforth be called “Chester’s Wild Life”.

It will feature in-depth information about the animals we hunt, fish for and photograph in Texas and beyond. And it will chronicle the many wild and sometimes crazy situations I find myself in capturing photos and videos on behalf of this publication.

My commentary on all things fishing and hunting will be exclusive to the Chester’s Notes blog at fishgame.com, which is updated three times weekly. I will also continue my “how-to” fishing blog called Real World Angler, which is updated Tuesdays and Thursdays along with myriad feature stories in the magazine.

Wildlife is what drives me to move forward in this business and as the 20th anniversary of my career arrives, it is with nearly unnatural levels of excitement I begin this new chapter with TF&G. In addition, “God’s Outdoors with Chester Moore” has been launched.

It is a cutting edge faith-based WebTV program that brings together my three greatest pasT e x a S

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Doggett at Large

by Joe Doggett | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

For the Dove of It All

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lone mourning dove coasted across the goatweed field. The incoming silhouette against the lateafternoon sun was unmistakable, even to a junior-high rookie on his first wingshooting adventure.

I was crouched against the fence on a small farm about 30 minutes south of Houston. Major drama, this!

The dove was 20 yards high and aiming right at me. I huddled lower against the rough post and thumbed back the hammer

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of the 12-gauge single-shot Stevens.

The incomer was right out front. I rose and shouldered the Stevens. The long barrel swung through the bird and I pulled the trigger. The gun went “Bang!” And, amazingly, the dove folded cleanly.

It fell with a puff-bounce maybe 10 feet from my position. Several feathers drifted against the clear September sky. I broke open the action and the sweet smell of smokeless powder wafted around the paperhulled Peters shell.

The dove was mature, with a long tail and cream and pink plumage on the plump breast. A single red spot marked the lucky pellet. The incomer must have been clipped on the fringe of the close pattern—just as well, since a clean kill is a clean kill, and the centered bird at close range probably would have been mangled.

No matter, I was a legitimate wingshooter and a natural talent, at that. One chance, one shot , one bird. Nothing to this program, I thought.

Naturally, that smug attitude was quickly dashed.

But, glowing like that long-ago sunset, is the true image of that first shot. That experience instilled a passion for dove hunting that only seems to grow.

Thousands and thousands of Texans “cut their teeth” on doves and many of those ranks remain avid. Dove hunting is second only to deer hunting, with somewhere north of 350,000 participants per season. There is a reason for this: Dove hunting probably is the finest overall wingshooting available.

Birds are plentiful (especially with the expansion and proliferation of whitewing doves across much of the state), the limits are generous (15 in the aggregate, not to mention the non-game, no-limit Eurasian doves), and the hunting is accessible and affordable (day-hunt operators charge perhaps $50 to $150, depending on location).

But, more than that, dove hunting is supremely enjoyable. And the little scuppers are excellent on the grill.

I’ve always been partial to the traditional afternoon hunt, and I prefer the South Zone

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opener during late September (Sept. 21 this year). I don’t care for the dawn patrol, when low-flying birds look like jumbo mosquitoes buzzing across the fields, and I don’t like the Central/North Zone Sept. 1 opener, which almost always is too bloody hot. It’s still in the dregs of summer.

No, the best of it is during early fall under a bluebird sky and promise of a fireball sunset with a hint of cool weather in the long shadows. Also a plus, most of the doves are fully mature; conversely, borderline fledglings often are fluttering about during early September.

But that’s just my opinion.

Dove hunting in Texas, whenever you engage, is a quality experience. And, significantly, there’s no such thing as a typical hunt. Or, for that matter, a typical shot. Or even the typical gun. Think about it.

North, south, east or west, the situations afield are diverse. You have grain-

field shoots with flocks and singles flying randomly to feed. You have pass shooting opportunities, when high flocks are trading overhead and the shots are long.

You have jump-shooting chances, when you flush ground-feeding doves springing and corkscrewing from low stubble. Or, you have roost shoots, with flocks returning to high trees (legally, ahead of sunset).

Best in my estimation is the water-hole hunt. The classic South Texas “tank shoot,” with mourners swirling from all quadrants, dropping from on high above frilly mesquite tops, rivals any wingshooting experience in the world. It’s enough to say that every Texas-based sporting artist of note has labored to replicate the mood and the setPhotOs: Joe Doggett

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ting.

Jack Cowan’s “Hot Tank”—well, enough said.

And, regardless of setting, the shots at doves are diverse. The first chance might be a creampuff floater into the breeze at 25 yards but, if you “take ‘em as they come,” the next might be a downwind scorcher at an honest 45 or 50 yards, taxing the limits of choke and lead.

You must deal with incoming shots, crossing shots, passing shots, and goingaway shots—most likely, all during a given hunt.

Truly, the sum of a season will demand all of wingshooting’s disciplines and the really exceptional dove shot can pretty much hold ground under any circumstance. I don’t care where you’re hunting or what you’re hunting—you aren’t showing the dove master a shot he hasn’t seen before.

You want a dove gun? Take your pick anywhere this side of a magnum goose or turkey boomer.

A double (over/under or side-by-side) is a pleasure to use, offering trim fit and quick

choke selection, but you can make a good case under a strong flight for having the third shot in a pump-action or autoloader (doves, unlike quail, are classified as “migratory,” so the three-shot plug must be used).

If flocks are plentiful and many chances are close, you can equip with a 20- or 28-gauge quail gun. Conversely, if doves are scarce or long, and each reasonable opportunity must count, a 12-gauge gun is the realistic choice.

Don’t let anyone ever tell you that a proper 12 is “too much gun” for diminutive doves—not when they are blasting past in a 20-knot wind. While we’re at it, a longer 28- to 30-inch barrel helps smooth things out on the deliberate swings.

As another plus, the dove field is an excellent venue for an old hammer gun or a high-dollar game gun. The uplands are dry and the conditions are controlled. And light loads will handle most shots.

Without getting too technical, it’s hard to pick the wrong gun for the dove season. It’s pretty much whatever you like; however, I’m not a fan of the tiny .410— especially in the

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hands of a small kid getting started.

The little gauge is great for teaching field safety, or when potting cans or the occasional squirrel or rabbit, but the pattern is too sketchy on a small flying target. A 20 with light loads is a much better confidencebuilder.

Regardless of gun or gauge, keep the choke reasonably open for all-around use (opposed to the specialized tight choke for long-range pass shooting or jump shooting).

An improved cylinder or modified choke is the percentage choice inside an honest 30 or 35 yards—and that arena covers the effective “comfort zone” for most shooters. At least, it does for me.

The double gun offers quick choke selection but, if a single choice must be made, pick “Imp. Cyl.” and fill your shell pouch with quality 7 1/2’s and go enjoy the best wingshooting we’ve got.

G a m e ®

Email Joe Doggett at JDoggett@fishgame.com

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Pike on the Edge

by Doug Pike | TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

No More Apologies

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e have nothing for which to be sorry.

A friend who hosts a highly successful radio show on one of the biggest stations in a major market said something on air this past summer that made me wince. I doubt he even realized what he’d said or the significance of the phrase, because it’s something most of us wind up saying once or twice a week or month or year.

During a monologue on something irrelevant to the outdoors, he outlined a scenario and the way he’d likely react to it. Some folks, he continued, might disagree with that reaction. And when he’d finished making his point – which was a good one – he wrapped with, “And if that makes me a bad person, I’m sorry.”

Any time any of us even thinks about saying something the least bit controversial, we’ve been conditioned now to pause and run a laundry list of reasons not to say it: two people on the planet might be offended; the remark might seem insensitive; maybe it would turn a weak stomach or, Heaven forbid, cause an eyebrow to raise. If it doesn’t pass the “nobody on Earth could possibly be offended” test, we either clam up or qualify the statement with one of those preemptory apologies.

Often as not, if we cut through the baloney, we might find that we’re apologizing for exercising common sense or declaring open support for something we know in our hearts is absolutely, positively right.

Truth is, what the radio host said didn’t make him a bad person. At all. To the contrary, it made him a wise person. It made him human and honest, unafraid to share his opinion. And in this country, at least back when it was founded, wisdom and honesty and courage made you a good person.

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Now for the part where I turn the corner and bring this column back to the outdoors.

The subjects of hunting and fishing and all outdoors things “consumptive” come up often in social settings. That’s especially true in Texas, of course, although the discussions aren’t always positive.

I’ve been caught in the green crosshairs of tree squeezers and bunny snugglers many times over the years, and there’s always one of them who thinks that being loud and insulting is synonymous with being right.

(Note to those ear-piercing jackasses: It is not.)

Rather than get into shouting matches with professional shouters, my strategy is to let them make fools of themselves. They always do.

Hunters are not all blood-thirsty poachers any more than politicians are all dishonest or professional athletes are all on steroids. If I’m sorry for anything, it’s that we haven’t the resources to catch all the poachers.

I’m not sorry that I hunt and fish and eat meat. I’m not sorry that I’m capable of doing my own killing. Actually, I’m pretty good at it, and I’ve fed a lot of people over the years with fish I caught and animals I shot or arrowed.

For a time, there was talk that hunting and fishing were in irreversible decline, that increasingly fewer people cared about making such deep connections with or commitments to the outdoors. For a time, opponents to the activities I find so revitalizing and exciting called me a vanishing breed.

Turns out – surprise – I’m not. We’re not.

The most recent 5-year study of hunters and fishermen, results of which were released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this past summer, showed an increase in the numbers of both during the past half-decade.

One was up 9 percent and the other 11 percent. I can’t recall which was which, and it doesn’t matter. What matters is that more of us are ignoring political correctness and whiny environmental extremists and reconnecting with the outdoors heritage and history.

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I believe that to flourish, to be content, our souls need some sort of tangible bond with the outdoors, and the more the merrier.

As a kid, I could sit and watch insects crawl on the sidewalk for hours. But for work and other adult obligations, I probably still could.

Fish, bugs, small animals, large animals, edible animals, venomous animals, flying animals, burrowing animals. The whole lot of them do amazing things every day. And the plants. And mud, and dew and sunshine and cold and wind and rain. And lightning and hurricanes and tornadoes and even earthquakes, if you live where they occur.

They’re all parts of us, although so many of us wouldn’t know where to find those parts now.

To witness wild animals in the wild, doing whatever they’re doing in the moment, is a gift. You can share it with as many people as you like, and yet you still get to keep the whole thing.

And while you’re out there unapologetically enjoying our natural resources, take a moment to squeeze some soil between your fingers. Feel it. Smell it. Look closely at it.

You’ll feel better. Really.

From a separate study, also released this past summer, comes scientific evidence that physical contact with standard-issue dirt, whether through gardening or digging up worms or making mud pies, encourages learning and reduces anxiety. (Eating mud pies is indicative of something entirely different and for another page…maybe another magazine.)

Hunting and fishing aren’t for everyone, and that’s probably better since there are so many people now. The few of us who genuinely love the outdoors, a little or a lot, have nothing for which to apologize.

Email Doug Pike at DPike@fishgame.com

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9/7/12 1:54 PM

Ted’s TexasWild

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

It’s Conservation Science, Not Rocket Science

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ribe Nuge pulled into the little clearing on the banks of the mighty Titabawasee River in the spectacular wilds of Northern Michigan. Our 1958 Ford station wagon was loaded down with all the basic camping gear and archery equipment. We all eagerly pitched in to set up the old log cabin with iron skillets, camping supplies, sleeping bags, bows, arrows and all the basics for my favorite thing in life—rough and tumble bowhunting the old fashioned way.

With no electricity or running water, even young Ted at the tender age of 9 had a full regimen of chores to fulfill, so I started by gathering firewood and hauling water from the eddy below camp. Mom organized the cooking utensils over the wood burning stove, and my brother Jeff rolled out sleeping bags and hung the bows and arrows on the porch nails. Dad cut some deadwood for the cold night’s fires, and the wilderness was abuzz with what I considered the happiest family on planet earth.

Quality of life guiding lessons were driven home on these soul-cleansing expeditions of my youth, teaching me the ultimate handson conservation ethic a person could ever understand without ever uttering or hearing the word conservation.

I clearly understood the concept of wise use before I ever heard the actual words, for my father wouldn’t allow us to waste anything. The thought of throwing out food or water was virtually unheard of, and no one would dare fail to consume every scrap of precious game meat, sucking each delectable sliver of sacred flesh from every bone.

So now these many years later, one need only watch any one of my family, children or grandchildren to see the same attitude and attentiveness to accountability. To caring people, there is no Plan B. It is a tragedy

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to witness Plan B in action when you see people, especially young people, leave half consumed bottles of $4 a gallon water discarded everywhere and the horror of obesity and a disposable society gone mad.

The good news is that real world handson conservation is alive and well and catching on across the America I travel. Not a day goes by where I am not stopped by people of every imaginable description and walk of life in any given city to chat about my Spirit of the Wild TV show on Outdoor Channel or discuss my books, media interviews or various public celebrations about my exciting hunting lifestyle. There is no question, that but for a sizable lunatic fringe, the majority of people are aware of the incredible success story of wildlife conservation in North America and elsewhere.

The far reaching and irrefutable evidence of more deer, turkey, cougars, black bears, elk, wild geese and other game species flourishing today than in recorded history is hard to hide from. Though the scam of animal right’s is still a scourge to reckon with, we all know that these are the good old days for big game hunting.

The trick of course is for all of us to celebrate and promote this truth every day to everybody in order educate more people to this wonderful wildlife reality in order to someday stop the Humane Society of the United States and other rip-off artists and scammers from their dirty deeds and money laundering misinformation crimes.

Only an ignorant, uneducated society will fall for such scams like California banning mountain lion hunting and now turning a thriving black bear population from an asset into an instant liability by banning the use of hounds. Watch the media for reports of increased out of control bear-nuisance hysteria now that bait and hounds are no

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longer allowed to adequately harvest the annual surplus of California’s amazing bear population. More and more mountains of wasted tax dollars will be spent further compensating more ranchers and landowners for destroyed livestock, multiple relocations and ultimately the killing of bears and burying these precious resources by government hired killers for a guarantee lose-lose insanity. Such abuse is anathema to anyone’s definition of conservation, and quite honestly, California, especially the professional wildlife biologists of California, should be ashamed of themselves.

Did you know that a good man, Dan Richards, the president of the CA Game Commission, was fired for legally hunting a mountain lion in Idaho, based on the irrelevant fact that lion hunting is illegal in California? We have reached a new low in abandoning logic in the name of some bizarre crazy world of political correctness gone mad. The lunatic fringe is winning in California and should be a wake-up call to all concerned conservationists, that when allowed, logic will be tossed to the wind, and conservation will go out the window with it.

Fight to not let that happen where you live.

So, as I write this, I wrap up the greatest rock-n-roll tour of my life, gearing up for the greatest hunting season of my life. But I assure you, I will force myself to earn each and every day afield, participating in the purest form of conservation known to mankind, by fighting diligently for this God given right to feed my family the most nutritious, organic protein on earth, while “re-creating” my mind, body, spirit and soul via the soul cleansing perfection of our beloved hunting lifestyle.

Use your lives wisely my friends, and conserve these precious freedoms for future generations. Then reward yourself as I do, with backstraps and grilled game.

Email Ted Nugent at TNugent@fishgame.com

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9/4/12 10:50 AM

Commentary

by Kendal Hemphill | TF&G Political Commentator

October, Season of Transitions a bowhunter I became involved with them, almost to the point of developing a personal relationship. It was the equivalent of leaving the bleachers at a football game to play quarterback on the field.

But the transition from rifle hunter to

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The beginning of hunting season was the highlight of my year.

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ost of us can probably identify with the little boy who, when asked by his teacher to name the seasons, replied, “Dove season, deer season, duck season, varmint season, turkey season, and summer.”

Growing up in Central Texas, I didn’t so much identify with that boy, I was that boy.

The end of deer hunting season, particularly, brought a melancholy far more traumatic than the beginning of the school year. More than once I considered writing to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept., asking for special permission to hunt deer through January. I fantasized receiving a Mission Impossiblelike tape recording from the executive director, which would say, “Go ahead, just don’t tell anyone,” before self-destructing.

Conversely, of course, the beginning of the hunting seasons was the highlight of my year. The dove opener was the warmup, and the general deer season the main attraction. The anticipation of my daily after-school hunts on our 30 acre place, my Remington model 788 .222 in hand, was usually so intoxicating I had no idea what I was supposed to be learning in school.

Until I graduated from high school, my deer hunting season lasted about two months, which was about eight months short, as far as I was concerned. When a friend suggested bow hunting, I remember wondering why I had never thought of it before. Having another whole month to hunt deer was like having Christmas twice every year.

Previously filled with nothing but preparation and hope, my Octobers became a magical gateway to a different world, where sound, scent, and movement were amplified to a new level. As a rifle hunter I had pursued deer since I was nine years old. As

bowhunter is much more complex than just buying a bow and some arrows. The required preparation increases exponentially, but more important is the change in mindset. Being still and quiet is good enough for a rifle hunter. A bowhunter must be as immobile as a statue, and not just quiet but silent. The rifle hunter can hide; the bowhunter must disappear.

As with most worthwhile pursuits, the process of learning to be a bowhunter is freckled with unexpected rewards. A new awareness of nature and its inhabitants is the beginning of an education no classroom can provide. The only way to really learn about that environment is to become part of it.

Sitting rigid in an oak tree one evening, I watched a squirrel make his way toward me in fits and starts. He came up the bole of the tree in a spiral of short, quick spurts, stopping suddenly every few feet to scan for danger. He scampered onto the limb T e x a S

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where I sat watching, my backside resting on a conveniently lumpy knothole, which I finally realized must be his home. When he stepped onto my foot he realized something was wrong and froze. We were eye to eye for a few tense moments before he fled to a far limb, where he sat and scolded me for the rest of the evening.

Another time a squirrel jumped onto my head from above and sat for half a minute before moving on, evidently without ever realizing I wasn’t part of the tree.

The most rewarding part of the process, though, is being almost within arm’s reach of deer, without them realizing it. Many times I have sat within ten yards of several deer without being detected, the pounding of my heart so loud I was sure they must hear.

Such experiences, without question, are their own reward.

The educational process took me about five years. That’s how many seasons I hunted before I finally managed to arrow a deer.

When I heard the broadhead connect, when I saw the doe fall, when I realized I had finally, after countless hours of practice and scouting, actually shot a deer with a bow, I was shocked. I became aware that I had never really believed I would ever succeed, that the time I spent bowhunting had been an enjoyable deception that had suddenly, unexpectedly, paid off.

No doubt you’ve read hundreds of hunting stories about first deer. So had I. But that first deer with a bow was many times as exciting, and rewarding, as my first deer with a gun. I think I finally understood what Dr. Saxton Pope meant when he said, “It is not the killing that brings satisfaction; it is the contest of skill and cunning. The true hunter counts his achievement in proportion to the effort involved and the fairness of the sport.”

I had killed many deer with a gun, but I had never before earned one.

Enjoy your October. It’s the best season of the year.

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Email Kendal Hemphill at KHemphill@fishgame.com |

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9/4/12 11:33 AM

Bubba Gump

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Images: Trout, bink Grimes; Shrimp, Canstock; silhouette, tf&G; Forrest Gump and bubba gump, © paramount pictures

9/5/12 10:30 AM

BUBBA BLUE. WHO CAN forget the lovable shrimp-loving character from the 1994 classic “Forrest Gump?”

His diatribe on fried shrimp, boiled shrimp, shrimp sandwiches, shrimp gumbo, shrimp creole, etc. inspired Tom Hanks’ iconic character to found the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. While we humans love shrimp, speckled trout are even more appreciative of the delectable crustaceans. Here are different shrimp presentations that would make ol’ Bubba proud and might just help you ice down a limit of specks.

Skipping Shrimp

This rarely utilized technique involves taking a soft plastic shrimp and essentially skipping it across the surface. Throw it out amongst feeding under birds or where you see nervous shrimp, reel it in quickly so it does not sink and give it a hop here and there. It will drive the trout crazy.

Carolina-Rigged Shrimp

Here is another one for soft plastics that will catch good trout, especially when you need to get down deep. Rig with a ½-oz egg weight above a swivel, attach an 18-24 inch long fluorocarbon leader with something like a DOA Shrimp.

This can be great under the birds if you want to see

by Chester Moore

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out the big fish below the surface fracas or if you find big trout in deeper water in a channel.

Free-Lined Shrimp

Hook a live shrimp just behind black area on the head on a wide-gapped hook, put a split shot 6-12 inches above it and pitch this against rocky cover like jetties or rip rap. The only drawback (if you call it one) is sheepshead love it too.

Tandem Shrimp

Simply lure the shrimp down and gently move it up and down to draw a predatory reaction.

Bassmaster Elite Series and Berkley pro gives the advice for putting together the drop shot that is the easiest way I have seen it explained.

“Generally I like to suspend the bait about 14-inches or so off the bottom and the drop shot rig makes it easy. Simply tie the hook on leaving at least a foot and a half from the tag end. Use a Palomar knot.

You always want the point of the hook up so it will stick the fish better and won’t get hung up as much,” Reese said.

“To make sure it’s up run the tag line back through the top of the eye of

Remember the old “Speck Rigs” that had two lures attached to one lead? Well, you can easily make a tandem shrimp rig with either a soft plastic or live shrimp and drive the fish crazy. You might even catch two at a time. Texas-based Logic Lures has an awesome scented tandem rig that while not exactly a shrimp imitation mimics their shape and movements close enough to make it part of my shrimp buffet arsenal this fall.

The drop-shot rig is super popular in bass fishing circles but it is gaining popularity along the coast for anglers fishing vertically. The drop shot can be killer for trout fishermen utilizing piers and live bait.

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Retired guide Capt. Skip James would throw out a shrimp imitation in the fall and reel it in as fast as he could.

At first I was hesitant to follow his instructions since I was so used to working the lure with up and down movements, however once he started putting far more fish in the boat than me, that changed.

This is a great method a few days after fronts when trout are feeding super aggressively. The best part is it is easy and a great way to introduce kids or other inexperienced anglers to using lures.

Very few Texas anglers use live shrimp on a jighead but it is a great way to get some casting distance and work the shrimp efficiently. For best results hook the shrimp under the chin and up through the head avoiding the organs.

Over the years there have been a handful of topwater plugs on the market designed to imitate surface popping shrimp.

Currently the Bomber Saltwater Grade Pop-N-Shrimp fits the bill. The best thing about these lures is you can throw them farther than most shrimp imitations and cover more water.

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Speedy Shrimp

Jig Shrimp

Topwater Shrimp

Drop-Shot Shrimp

state. It has proven effective in saltwater but mainly fishing small mullet mimicking swimbaits. Why not rig it with shrimp and fish it amongst schools in the fall? Many soft plastic shrimp are essentially swimbaits anyway.

I have seen trout caught on Alabama rigs right here in Texas and will be trying one rigged with faux shrimp as soon as the first big cold front blows through.

the hook. Drop shot weights are available everywhere now. I only use 3/16-ounce tungsten most of the time. If the water is deeper than 30 feet, I will use a 3/8-ounce just because I get tired of waiting for it to sink. These drop shot weights just clip to the line. Run the line’s tag end through the eye of the weight and wedge it in place at whatever depth you want.”

Alabama Rig Shrimp

Popping Cork Shrimp

Last but not least, there is the popping cork rig. No rig is more exciting and perhaps as effective as this classic. Using a live shrimp, Gulp or soft plastic, a proper popping cork mimics the sound of a feeding trout on the surface and draws the competitive fish in for a kill. For live bait fans, the Texas Rattlin’ Rig produced by Texan Steve Walko works amazingly well and even has a cool tweak designed to agitate the shrimp and get maximum action.

The Alabama Rig took the bass fishing world by storm last year when angler Paul Elias won big with it in the rig’s namesake

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Graphic illustration: TF&G

9/5/12 10:31 AM

Texas Saltwater

by Calixto Gonzales | TF&G Saltwater Editor

No Pressure

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ishing can be a high-pressure endeavor. Tournament anglers don’t fish just to have fun. They must catch fish— usually the largest of the targeted species—in order to have a chance of winning, or at least finishing in the money. Guides and charter captains have to produce fish to keep the paying clients on their boats happy.

Television show hosts know that their viewers don’t want to watch 22 minutes of a man talking about the exercise “being called ‘fishing,’ not ‘catching’ for a reason.” They want to see him catch fish, sometimes big ones. Writers are under pressure to catch

fish because we otherwise look pretty silly.

Husbands are under pressure to catch fish so they can justify to their wives why they fish.

Dads are under pressure because…Female anglers are under pressure because…

Well, you get the idea. Whether the reasons are intrinsic or extrinsic, plenty of us put a ton of pressure on ourselves when we go fishing. It’s the sort of pressure that made Santiago row out further than the other fishermen (imagine the pressure that Hemmingway’s protagonist felt after going 84 days without a fish). How many of us have gone a full day of hard, unrewarded fishing, swear, “one more cast,” only to finish the retrieve and swear, “okay, THIS is really the last cast!” Many captains will stay on the water a little longer when the action is slow to try and put fish in the boat. I know television personalities who have gone out on the water when conditions were less than

ideal to get the shot and the fish. I’ve lost sleep worrying about catching fish the next morning. Heaven forbid, but sometimes the pressure takes the fun out of fishing.

The truth is, however, it is called “fishing” and not “catching.” We are not going to catch fish every time we go out on the water. As much as we promise our buddies—and, more, ourselves—that we’re gonna whack ‘em, we don’t. Sometimes the weather goes bad, or the boat spins a prop, or we have the wrong bait, or the fish just simply don’t bite. Sometimes, there is no joy in Mudville.

I don’t need to state the obvious: this is supposed to be fun. It was fun when each of us first dipped a hook baited with bacon, or salami, or bread and caught our first perch.

Long before the expensive rods and reels, the footlockers full of lures, the big center console boats with the four stroke engines,

Dean Corbisier, a representative of Suzuki Marine, caught this beautiful speck while fishing with the author and Mark Davis of TV’s “Big Water Adventures” on the Upper Laguna Madre.

Photo: Calixto Gonzales

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Texas Saltwater and the expensive fishing apparel, we fished and we enjoyed ourselves. Whether we caught trout, bass catfish, or even a hoary carp, we were happy. The catching was important, but not urgent. Hell, we were fishing!

I was reminded of that during recent trip. I was a guest on Mark Davis’ 24-foot Blue Wave Pure Bay alongside longtime Upper Laguna Madre guide Captain Mike Singletary, Davis himself, and Dean Corbisier and Brandon Cerka who represent Suzuki Marine. We hit the Upper Laguna Madre for the summertime trout bite. So…there I was, a writer who has written literally thousands of words about catching summertime trout, on a boat with the host of the popular fishing show “Big Water Adventures,” a respected guide, and two men who were actually new to fishing Laguna Madre, my home base. No pressure, right?

Actually, I didn’t feel any. Perhaps it was the company. Mark is an absolute scream to fish with (although I have a feeling if I fish with him again he’s going to want me to do the Spanish Announcer intro to BWA for anyone on the boat), Brandon and dean

were great guys, and Captain Singletary is not just a true pro but a person who has never met a stranger in his life. Maybe it was the delirium brought on by exhaustion from getting up at 3 a.m. to be on the water by 4:30. Perhaps it was the excitement of fishing a part of the Laguna I hadn’t been on in two years. Whatever the reason, there was no pressure. More importantly, we had a blast.

We saw a lot of pretty country, cussed some seagulls, and laughed a lot (including almost losing Mark when he almost fell off the boat during the aforementioned Spanish Announcer bit). We even caught some nice trout, although we were in the classic “you shoulda been here yesterday,” scenario. The fish, though, were secondary to the overall experience of spending a day on the water with great friends and new friends.

Vince Lombardi once admitted his regret for coining the phrase “winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.” Lost in the quote which is considered the epitome of competition was Lombardi’s belief that there is glory in the effort, that we should also applaud the competitor who walks off the field or the court or out of the ring having given his

most earnest effort, even if it was a losing one. Winning is important, but Lombardi believed that the effort to win, to grow, to persevere, was more important.

Catching fish is important, otherwise fishing becomes the embodiment of the definition of insanity (some would say it still is).

However, most of the people who fish are past the point where they have to catch fish for sustenance (and then, it is actually more economical to go to HEB and buy some tilapia). The experience is pretty important, too. Especially, if you are sharing it with friends, strangers, or a part of yourself you don’t meet except when you’re on the water.

More importantly, it is the experience that we want to pass on, not the pressure.

Leave the pressure for less entertaining endeavors such as golf.

(If you’re ever are on the Coastal Bend and looking for a top notch captain, give Mike a call at 1-361-949-9455 or 1-361537-4623) Email Cal Gonzales at cgonzales@fishgame.com

De-Pressurized Tournament Fishing The Occasion at which TF&G Saltwater Editor Cal Gonzales found himself fishing with Davis, Singleterry, and the two Suzuki honchos was the 15th Annual Blue Wave Boats Owners Tournament. The event is held every summer in Port Aransas and is one of the largest—if not the largest—boat own-

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ers tournaments in the country.

This year’s event welcomed more than 600 anglers who took part in a friendly contest that was more about the shared experience than cut-throat competition.

Winners of individual Kids, Mens, and Womens divisions took home trophies and prizes such as rods, reels, tackleboxes, and boating accessories.

The highlight of the awards ceremony was the the annual “Pimp My Wave” drawing.

Each registered team captain was included in a series of elimination round drawings for the chance to win a complete makeover of their Blue Wave.

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“I don’t think the contestants would have been this excited if we were giving away a brand new boat,” said Roger Parks. Parks, his wife Pam, and sons Richard and Steven are the manufacturers of Blue Wave Boats.

This year’s winner, Gary Moore, will send his boat back to the factory in Seminole, Oklahoma, where it will be completely overhauled and returned to him with a surprise package of new features. Based on his personal boating needs and with list, the new features will be individualized for Gary and his family.

To see more about Blue Wave’s owners tournament and the “Pimp My Wave” contest, visit their website, www.bluewaveboats.com —TF&G Staff Photo: Parks Manufacturing

9/12/12 8:38 AM

Hunt Texas

by Bob Hood | TF&G Hunting Editor

Javelina, the Hard Way While going through some old newspaper clippings recently, I came across an article I wrote 25 years ago about a veteran javelina hunter recalling the good old days. His name was Dooley Elkhart and the period he talked about was from 1965 through the early 1970s. It was a time when feral hogs were located in more isolated regions of Texas and when javelina were more likely to be seen on many West and South Texas ranches, especially near Hondo where Elkhart lived.

Elkhart was a stoutly built man who always wore a big smile. His sidekick, Tommy Timmerman, always was at his side with their brace of crossbred hunting dogs.

Their playing field was the rugged hills near Hondo and Sabinal. Their game plan was simple: Get a group of hunters together, turn the dogs loose to find javelina, and hope the hunters were in good enough shape physically and mentally to follow the dogs up and down the rugged hills to the bayed area­—usually a small cave or similar cavity in the bottom of a draw.

Many hunters wanted to take a javelina only to have its head mounted. To bag one, they had to crawl into the cave with a flashlight and shoot the animal at 5-8 feet with a .22 handgun or, occasionally, bow and arrow. That might sound simple until you factor in the possibility of a group of cornered javelina deciding to rush the hunter with their extremely sharp tusks popping in defense.

I first met Elkhart when I joined a hunting party arranged by Bob Grisham, a Fort Worth taxidermist whose intent was to mount the heads for each hunter. I went along for the fun of the chase and to collect Photo: Canstock

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whatever meat the hunters did not want. I already had gained a likeness for javelina meat from hunting them with various methods, including handgun, bow, and rifle.

“That was a type of hunting that is no more,” I recorded Elkhart saying in October 1984. “It didn’t take a special breed of dog to make a javelina dog. Most were crossbreeds, but we did use some blueticks and red Walkers. They usually were easy to train. You just had to hunt them a lot, put them into enough javelina, and they usually would know what to do. Of course, we always had to break them from chasing deer, but that usually didn’t take very long. It was a lot like breaking a bird dog from chasing rabbits.”

At times, Elkhart and Timmerman led as many as eight hunters up and down the rugged Hill Country terrain after their dogs had struck javelina. The javelina were in groups of 6 to 15, and the herd often would split before finally baying in the brush or inside a cave. If only one javelina split from the group, it was not uncommon for one dog to go after the rest of the herd and the other five or six dogs to chase after the lone javelina that had split. In that case, there was a good chance the group of javelina would bay in front of the lone dog, surround it, and eventually make charges at the dog, crippling it with their sharp tusks.

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ing after the dogs. We had to run as fast as possible up the hills to be able to hear the dogs’ barking. At times, we had to stop at the highest peaks and try to hear the dogs before they crossed over another steep hill, but we always managed to find them with javelina bayed inside a small cave. After using ropes to tie the dogs away from the cave, it was a matter of waiting for the other hunters to find us and convince themselves they wanted a javelina bad enough to crawl into the cave with a flashlight and handgun and take one at point-blank range. Javelina are not aggressive animals toward dogs or Man, but they will protect themselves and other javelina when cornered or threatened.

Even a tiny mouse will do that.

One day, while chasing after the sounds of the barking dogs, I found a female dog owned by Elkhart that had been severely injured by four or five javelina at the top of a mountain during one of the chases. The dog had several puncture wounds and was unable to stand. I carried the dog off the mountain and back to our trucks.

“I thought that was going to be the first dog I ever lost,” Elkhart said. “But we took her to a vet, he sewed her up, and she lived.

She never was able to hunt again, but she didn’t die.”

No, the dog didn’t die, but Elkhart’s way of hunting javelina in the Hill Country did.

Although a few hunting outfitters still hunt javelina with dogs, it just isn’t the same.

Elkhart usually hunted about 16 weeks out of the year, handling approximately 200 hunters. In the 1960s, Elkhart could hunt javelina year-round, but waited until the deer season was over because ranchers were more likely to allow him on their lands once the deer hunters were through. A few years later, TPWD put a season on javelina that coincided with deer season, which just about wiped out Elkhart’s way of hunting.

Elkhart is gone now, and so is the chase.

I miss them both.

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9/12/12 8:17 AM

Chuck Sellers fires on geese from a pit blind dug into a field after Sam Bordelon called them into range.

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BITING NORTH WINDS CARRIED muffled rumbles of distant shots as duck hunters opened up on mallards, gadwalls and teal while we crouched in the chilly pit buried into this soggy rice field levee. Across the field, the unmistakable yelps and clucks of specklebelly geese grew louder as we waited for them to fly within range.

Hunting specklebellies more closely resembles hunting ducks than snow goose.

In fact, more specklebellies probably fall to duck hunters than people intentionally targeting geese. Unlike snow geese, specks or white-fronted geese, typically cluster in pairs or small flocks and respond well to decoys and calling.

“We often get specklebellies as bonus birds when we’re duck hunting,” said Lance Stancik with Backwater Waterfowl in Garwood (979-966-7732, backwaterwaterfowl.com). “Specklebelly hunting is the one form of goose hunting where sportsmen can really enjoy working birds into the decoys.

It’s a lot more like hunting mallards than snow geese. I usually put out a few speck decoys when hunting ducks.”

Since specks don’t like to associate with ducks, hunters should place a couple speck decoys on mudflats, levees or other soggy patches adjacent to their duck ponds. Even when specifically targeting specks, use fewer, but more realistic, decoys. Specks usually travel in small numbers, so most speck hunters only use two or three decoys, perhaps up to a dozen.

“Early in the year, we see big flocks of PHOTOS: MAIN, JOHN N. FELSHER; INSET, CANSTOCK

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specklebellies until they start breaking up into smaller groups,” Stancik advised. “We hunt with full-bodied decoys, but also use sillosocks. Sillosocks have full body appearance with motion like a windsock plus the portability of a silhouette.”

While many companies make extremely realistic decoys, nothing looks more genuine to a goose than something with feathers.

With outstanding eyesight, geese can easily spot feathers rippling in the breeze, something that doesn’t happen with plastic imitations. Some sportsmen prop up dead geese to use as decoys. Others cut the wings off dead geese and tie them to decoys to add movement to the spread.

Mounted geese make the best decoys.

While stuffed decoys may not look as artistic as trophy mounts, they cost much less. A good taxidermist can mount geese decoys in many poses. One or two mounted decoys add incredible realism to any spread.

Sometimes, sportsmen need to make their own movement. Some flap dark objects that resemble wings to simulate landing geese.

Other goose hunters wave plastic flags on sticks. Others fly kites that resemble geese from their blinds. When geese approach, T e x a S

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Clay Lemaire retrieves a specklebelly goose from a soggy field.

pull the kite down to simulate a goose landing. From great distances, geese spot the movement and may come closer to investigate.

“I like to flag specklebellies,” Stancik explained. “Most hunters in Texas don’t do that. Motion is the key. Even with full-body decoys, there’s no motion. When geese are at a distance, 500 to 1,000 yards, we can pull them in with motion. Just stick the flag out of the blind really quick to make it look like a goose hopping around or stretching its wings.”

To make geese look toward a spread requires good calling. Unlike calling boisterous snows, where sportsmen need to sound like an entire flock, speck hunters call less and “talk” to only one goose in a small flock.

Convince the lead specklebelly to land and the rest should follow.

Will Murray shows off a specklebelly goose he shot.

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“Being where specks want to be anyway and good calling is the key to bagging birds,” Stancik advised. “Even on leased land, don’t hunt the same place every day.

Keep moving. Find the roosts and go early in the morning to watch where they fly.”

Finding where geese want to go on any given day requires extensive scouting. The coastal Texas rice fields historically attract 150,000 to 200,000 specks each winter. On any winter day, motorists driving through the area often spot geese feeding in fields adjacent to roads, but geese may visit another field miles away the next day.

“The mid-Texas coastal area from Corpus Christi to Houston is the traditional area to hunt specklebellies, particularly areas associated with the rice industry,” said Kevin Kraai, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department waterfowl program leader in Canyon. “On all public properties, bagging specklebellies is largely in conjunction with duck hunting.”

Unfortunately, most geese feed on private property, but since geese cause so much crop damage, many farmers welcome hunters onto their property. Mad Island and Justin Hurst Wildlife Management Areas, plus Anahuac, Brazoria and McFadden National Wildlife Refuges provide some public opportunities to bag specks while duck hunting.

Mad Island WMA includes about 7,200 acres of coastal wetlands near Bay City. Justin Hurst WMA covers about 12,000 acres west of Freeport near Jones Creek

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in Brazoria County.

On the federal side, Anahuac NWR covers 34,000 acres of marshes and coastal prairie near Galveston Bay. About 10 miles east of Lake Jackson, Brazoria NWR offers hunting on about 5,500 acres. McFaddin NWR covers 55,000 acres of freshwater to brackish marsh about 15 miles south of Port Arthur. The neighboring Texas Point NWR encompasses another 8,900 acres of marsh with some wooded uplands and prairie ridges.

“North of Abilene, Knox and Haskell counties also hold a lot of birds,” Kraai said. “That area has some small freshwater wetlands and a significant peanut industry.”

In some years, about 50,000 specklebellies and up to a million Canada geese gather near Haskell. In flight, dark specks and Canadas may look similar, but sound completely different. In that part of Texas, sportsmen may only bag one speck per day.

“Hunting Canadas and specklebellies is very similar,” said Roger Roewe of Webfoot Connection in Rochester (888-326-3248 or 940-743-3493, www.webfootconnection.com). “Both decoy well and often fly together. Specks are always the first birds to come in each morning. After we get our daily speck, we have to be very careful what we shoot after that.”

During the 2011-12 season, a major drought affected goose hunting across Texas, but many sportsmen with good access to water found success. Good breeding conditions up north and improved habitat in Texas could lead to great shooting this fall in most traditional goose hunting areas.

Photos: John N. Felsher

9/14/12 10:10 AM

Texas Bowhunting

by Lou Marullo | TF&G Bowhunting Editor

Hunt Safe and Have Fun

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any of my columns usually end up with the phrase… “hunt safe and have fun out there.” It is something I like to leave my readers with and something that I take to heart whenever I go in the field either with a friend or when it is just myself and my bow. I firmly believe that if you are not having fun, then what is the use of bow hunting at all. In my hunting classes, my students always list having fun as being one of the main reasons they want to hunt. I suspect it may be high on your list as well.

A successful hunt does not necessarily mean that you bring home the venison. A successful hunt is when you come home safe with a smile on your face ready to face the world and look forward to another day in the field. Filling your freezer is a bonus as far as I am concerned.

Oh, I can already hear the sneers and jeers from some readers blaring through the speakers of my computer. Think about it for a minute, if you will. Bow hunting means you have to have the ability to completely fool the animal you are hunting. You need to convince the animal that it is safe from any predators while you come to a silent full draw with your bow and all this has to be done at very close quarters. THAT is the hunt. Once you have the unaware animal in your sights and in your known accuracy range, the hunt is over. You KNOW that you can harvest the critter you are aiming at. You know that all those hours practicing have paid off and your confidence level is high. The HUNT is over. Most hunters agree that the peak of your “fun” hunt is just before you release the arrow.

If you decide to loose the arrow, then the

fun turns into work and it is a whole new ballgame. That is a decision that every bow hunter has to make at the appropriate time.

Being safe is probably the most important attribute a bow hunter can have. I really do not care if you could carry three tree stands at once. I could not care less if you had the ability to field dress a deer in 3 minutes. It does not matter to me if you can shoot an arrow 50 yards and hit an aspirin (81mg).

If you are not a safe hunter, then you will not be hunting with me. Period!

What does it mean to be a safe hunter?

There are a host of answers to that question and I will talk about just a few.

Does your hunting buddy ever walk with an arrow knocked on the string? It happens and it happens a lot. Strange as it may seem, there are some bow hunters that think that if they jump a deer, they will still be able to get a nice clean shot on the animal. It is even worse if he is behind you with that knocked arrow out of the quiver, even if he is just walking with his bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. The razor sharp broadhead makes for a dangerous situation if not stowed away properly.

Does everyone in your hunting party have and USE a safety harness? I am simply amazed at how many veteran hunters out there who do not bother with a safety harness. Every year, we read about a few people that fall out of tree stands and die. There are other stories of hunters who have fallen from their stands and now will spend the rest of their days in a wheelchair. It is true, the free safety harness that comes with your tree stand, can be extremely cumbersome and difficult to put on with only moonlight to guide you. It is hard enough to figure out how they go on in the light of day. For those people I can only recommend that they purchase a Hunter Safety System vest and USE it! It will cost you anywhere from $60.00 up to $150.00, but they are worth it at twice the price. It is your life we are talking about.

Do you know about any health issues that could be serious for your fellow hunters? Does anybody have a heart condition?

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Where are their meds? It might be an issue of a hunter being overweight and out of breath when he reaches his stand. WE make it a habit to always carry two way radios and extra batteries. You need to keep in contact with your fellow hunters periodically. Call them on the radio every 30 minutes or so and make sure they are all right. Hey! If the hunting is slow where you are, you might get a good two-way radio report of deer activity near your buddies stand. We also carry our phones in the woods with us as a backup plan.

Speaking of back-up plans, if you are hunting alone, are you in the habit of leaving a note for a family member to see. It could be as simple as, “Hi Mom, I’m out in our woodlot today hunting for deer in the stand near the soy bean field. Be home a little after sunset.” It is always a great idea to let someone know where you will be, just in case.

Bring them out to your tree stands before the season so they know which ones you are talking about. I used to just name my stands 1,2,3 and so on.

Safety is paramount if you want to be able to enjoy many more bow hunting experiences for years to come. Remember, there are many deer in the woods, but only one of you. Stay alert while hunting. Accidents will happen when you get a little lazy or when you convince yourself that nothing like that will ever happen to me. Make sure it doesn’t.

So, I will leave you with this last sentence once again.

Hunt safe and have fun out there.

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Email Lou Marullo at LMarullo@fishgame.com

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9/11/12 5:35 PM

Texas Department of Defense Wielding a Wheel Gun

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evolvers have fallen out of favor as self-defense weapons, especially for concealed carry. At first blush this is not a bad thing. Semi-autos have become so dependable that they are no longer a detriment. Also, they are slimmer, generally hold more rounds, and are faster to reload. So, how can the old wheel gun compete?

Well, there are several ways. First is in the case of an ammunition failure. If you have a dud round in an auto you must know how to clear it and get your gun back into action as quickly as possible. In all the self-defense courses I know of, these drills are taught. However, if you have a dud in a revolver, all that is required is for the shooter

to pull the trigger again. The cylinder rotates and brings a fresh round under the hammer.

Also, a revolver is much easier for the novice shooter to learn to shoot well. That is the primary reason that in the Texas CHL course the shooter who qualifies with a revolver can only carry a revolver, while those who qualify with a semi-auto can carry either a revolver or the auto.

I often carry an old Smith & Wesson Model 38 Bodyguard in .38 Special. This is the gun I carry in situations where I want a gun but must appear to be unarmed.

The little Bodyguard is almost unnoticeable

| Self Defense | | Concealed Carry | | Tactical |

by Steve LaMascus & Dustin Ellermann when carried under my belt and covered with my shirttail. And should I need a gun I have five +P hollow points at my command.

I also carry six extras in a small leather pouch in my pocket, and I have a couple of speed loaders that I sometimes carry in urban environments.

There are a number of revolvers on the market that are suitable for concealed carry.

I am, as I write this, testing a Smith & Wesson Model 325 in .45 ACP. It holds six rounds in a “clip” that looks like a star.

It has a 2 1/2-inch barrel and is made of a super-lightweight alloy. The sights are

Ruger SR 22 RUGER PISTOLS HAVE been my rimfire personal choice for several years.

I especially enjoy my Mark II and 22/45 pistols. These are great guns for target shooting, hunting and competition. Yet they leave something to be desired if wishing to strap one on your hip for a while due to their heftiness and because they lack the modern ergonomics.

To fill this niche Ruger introduced the SR22. The SR22 pistol more closely resembles modern semi auto pistols with a sleek black polymer frame. With a 3.5” barrel it is less than 6.5” overall length and weighs just 17.5 oz. I might compare it to Walther’s uber cool look34 |

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Ruger’s SR 22 semi-auto pistol.

ing P22, but I believe the SR22 prove to be much more durable that the disposable Walther (I had first hand experience with a broken frame and slide on a P22).

First thing I noticed about the Ruger was the beefy stainless steel barrel that

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should have no problem delivering accuracy for several thousand rounds. The SR22 boasts of an ambidextrous magazine release, adjustable 3-dot sights, and a double action trigger along with ambiContinued on page 36 u PHOTO: Hannah Photo credit Royer

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Photo STEVE LAMASCUS

not adjustable (a point I find disappointing), but it is a very accurate gun and the clips make for the fastest reload I have ever seen in a revolver. Jerry Miculek, the fastest man, ever, with a revolver, uses a similarly equipped revolver for his shooting demonstrations and you have to watch very closely to see him reload. Of course, he has fired a million or so rounds to become that proficient.

The best rounds for the concealed carry revolver are, in order of power, the .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .45 ACP, .44 Special, and .45 Colt. The .44 and .38 Specials can be fired in .44 and .357 Magnum guns, thereby reducing muzzle blast and recoil and increasing control and, generally, accuracy. However, there is an equal loss in power when the specials are used in place of the magnums.

I recently tested a Smith & Wesson Model 329 Night Guard. It is a .44 Magnum in the ultra-light Scandium alloy used by S&W. The recoil with a full-house .44 Magnum is pretty grim, but when used with 200-grain Winchester .44 Special

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Texas Department of Defense Silver Tip hollow points it is much tamer and more controllable. Since the .44 Special is one of the finest manstoppers ever developed, this makes a dynamite combination.

A new addition to the self-defense lineup is the .327 Federal Magnum. It is said to have more manstopping power than a +P .38 Special, but I am doubtful. Still, for someone who is recoil sensitive it is a valid choice, and it does have considerable power behind the little bullets.

I have given this advice before, but here it is again: If you are new to shooting, have no great love of guns, only want a gun that is well-suited for personal defense, buy a revolver. You simply cannot beat a revolver for that first 5 or 6 shots. Since the average gunfight is over in 3 shots, you should have

enough firepower in that cylinder to get the job done. If not, well, the fat is surely in the fire and you had better have a Plan B. As for which revolver to buy, I won’t presume to advise you to purchase a specific gun, because there are many good choices, but I will give you a couple of hints.

It needs to be as powerful as you are capable of handling in rapid fire. If that is a .32, then get a .32 Magnum. If it is a .38 Special, get either a .38 or a .357 Magnum.

The .357 Magnum is one of the best manstoppers you can buy, but it loses some of its wallop in the short barrels of concealed carry

Ruger SR22 t Continued from page 34 dextrous safety lever and decocker.

The designers made ergonomics a priority with the SR22. The grip angle was easy to adapt to and the interchangeable rubber grips guarantee fit to any shooters hand. The grips change out surprisingly easy, yet stay in place without any slippage while shooting. To switch you simply clear the action, drop the magazine, grab the slide with one hand, pinch the grip with the other and pull. The surrounding rubber grip will slide right off for replacement.

Test firing time was mostly spent loading the magazines. Not that the magazines were slow to load, for they come with the standard spring relief knob. But this was because the SR22 was very fun to shoot fast. I could shoot through all my 8” steel targets at 15 yards in less than 10 seconds with split times as fast as .17 of a second. I found the ergonomics to be a major advantage here, as it seemed I mostly began to point shoot ignoring the sights. For my accuracy test I backed up to 100 yards, yes, that’s 300 feet, to zero in on my LaRue FAST silhouette target. I was able to ring steel easily enough and keep on target at this extended range. Not 36 |

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Ergonomics are a plus, with quick-switching interchangeable grips to fit any shooter’s hand.

Dustin found the SR22 “very fun to shoot fast.”

bad for a compact 3.5” barrel.

The pistol also showed great reliability as I fed it any mixture of ammunition I had on hand, even subsonic loads.

Speaking of subsonic loads, Ruger would be very wise to offer a factory-

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threaded version. Silencer sales are soaring and this would be a perfect host.

Fieldstripping was so easy that it wasn’t even necessary to consult the owner’s manual. You simply pull the lever on the bottom of the frame, pull the slide back, Photos: Hannah Royer

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guns. The best reason to buy one is that you can carry .357s in the gun and buy or reload .38 Special wadcutters for practice. Or, if you so desire, you can carry .38 Special +P or +P+ loads. The point is that the .357 Magnum is very versatile.

Also, if you like the bigger calibers, as I said above, the .45 and .44 caliber guns are available and pack a huge punch. I am growing quite fond of the M325 Night Guard in .45 ACP that I have been carrying for the last week or so. It uses the standard star or “moon” clips, which aid in a rapid reload.

I don’t think it will take the place of my Model 25 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt, but it is a very pleasant gun to carry and it shoots very well. If you want a gun in the renowned .45 ACP, but prefer a revolver over a semiauto, the M325 is a wonderful solution to the problem.

Final verdict: If I could only have one handgun for self-defense and field carry, if

would undoubtedly be a big bore revolver.

For everyday concealed carry, I would opt for one of the smaller guns, like my old Smith and Wesson Bodyguard .38 Special, the Taurus Model 650 .357 Magnum, or the Charter Arms Bulldog .44 Special or Pug .357 Magnum. Taurus also makes some great guns for the ladies in .327 Magnum and .38 Special.

Just because the old wheel gun has fallen out of favor does not mean that it is not

still capable of doing the job. A 1911 in .45 ACP may be a better choice as an allaround carry gun than a Smith and Wesson Chief’s Special, but then again, maybe it isn’t. It really depends on what you require of your gun, not the gun itself. ­—Steve LaMascus

lift and remove.

The SR22 does have some more unique action controls than the Mark series. Located right below the slide the safety/decocker switch will strike traditional 1911 shooters as completely backwards. Decocking seems normal, for down is decock, but it is also safety. To fire, you must roll your thumb upwards like Ruger’s “P” series. This takes a while to get used to for shooters who use a “thumbs forward” technique. Switching the safety also disengages the trigger and leaves it limp, but it will come back to life once placed on fire. The pistol also has a magazine disconnect safety which leaves the trigger even limper then the safety switch does, but there will be no mistake that something is amiss if you start to press the trigger with the magazine not fully seated.

The Ruger SR22 is going to be a great seller. Retailing at $399 it combines Ruger’s legendary reliability with a lightweight and fun package. This will be an excellent choice for plinking, training or a solid trail gun.

Find out more at www.ruger.com and take a look at the test fire video at www.fishgame.com.

—Dustin Ellermann T e x a S

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EVERY YEAR, TEXAS HUNTERS take to the woods to hunt whitetail deer with the confidence they understand the hunting regulations, license requirements and bag limits. Or do they?

Unfortunately, many hunters don’t closely examine the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Outdoor Annual of hunting and fishing regulations. The annual is published not only so hunters can understand long-time hunting regulations but also to alert them of changes that may have occurred since last season.

It’s all spelled out in black and white.

Things like who is required to take a hunter safety course, legal hunting hours, proper procedures for recording the harvest of a deer and much more.

Here is a quick course in what is legal, what is not, why laws are in the books and the consequences of not obeying them.

Because regulations may differ on lands under the Managed Lands Deer Permit program or the Landowner Assisted Management Permitting System, the following is for general whitetail deer hunting on private properties, wildlife management areas, state parks and most other areas. It is important to read the Outdoor Annual for information applying to the area you plan to hunt. hunting seasons: These vary throughout the state but generally run from around October 1 through early November with an archery-only season followed by the general firearms season running from the first Saturday in November through the first Sunday in January. Also, counties with a general firearms season have special two-day early and late youth-only seasons.

Some also have a two-week late-season for antlerless and spike deer, generally beginning the day after the regular season closes.

A few counties also have a mid-January muzzleloader-only season. The special seasons are meant to provide more hunting opportunities and/or to allow a higher harvest in heavily-populated deer areas. where you may hunt: Most hunting in Texas is done on private land, mostly through lease agreements with a landowner or with outfitters. Although state laws must be obeyed at all times, some landowners and outfitters establish indiPhoto: Canstock

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vidual guidelines for antler size and numbers and methods that may be used to take deer on their properties. Understanding state laws and individual rules are very important. legal deer: A legal buck is any male whitetail deer with a hardened antler protruding through the skin or, as the case in 52 counties, a legal buck is one with at least a 13-inch or greater inside spread or one with at least one un-branched antler.

The 13-inch antler restriction has been met with both favoritism and disapproval by many hunters but it is the law in those counties. A male deer without a hardened antler protruding through the skin must be tagged as an “antlerless” deer.

Definition of an Antler Point: A projection that extends at least one inch from the edge of the main beam of another tine.

The tip of the main beam also is a point. hunting hours: During open seasons, legal hunting hours for deer begin one half hour before sunrise and end one half hour after sunset. legal firearms: No firearms using rimfire ammunition may be used for taking deer in Texas. Only centerfire firearms, archery equipment, including crossbows, and muzzleloaders are legal. Note: During the archery-only season, crossbows may not be used to take deer in Grayson County. harvest regulations: s: A hunter who kills a deer must immediately attach the appropriate deer tag from his or her hunting license to the deer. The name of the ranch and county where the deer was shot must be filled out in ink on the tag and the date of the kill must be cut out or notched and not simply marked in ink.

The information about the kill, such as the date, location of the kill and whether it was a buck or antlerless deer also must be recorded on the person’s hunting license.

If the buck deer was taken in a county with antler restrictions, that must be noted on the license as well. whitetail deer tags: There are five whitetail deer tags on a hunting license.

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Two are to be used on antlerless deer only.

Three tags are for buck or antlerless deer.

If a buck with an inside antler spread of 13 inches or greater is taken in a county with a 13-inch antler restriction, a box with an astric on it located on a buck-antlerless tag must be checked in addition to a box on that tag noting the deer is a buck. proof of Sex: You may not possess a deer with proof of sex removed unless the deer has reached its final destination and has been quartered. Proof of sex is the head of buck deer with antlers attached, or the head of an antlerless deer. transporting harvested deer:

You may transport a deer to a final destination (a residence or cold storage processing facility) providing it is accompanied by proof of sex. You may quarter the deer no further than six parts (two front quarters, two hind quarters, and two backstraps), before transporting it along with proof of sex and appropriate tag. licenses and certificates:

Check the Outdoor Annual to see which license you need buy to fill your requirements. Persons born after Sept. 2, 1971 are required to complete a Hunter Education Training Course and carry proof of certification while hunting. The minimum age for certification is nine. Hunters under age nine must be accompanied by a licensed hunter age 17 or older who has taken the course or is exempt. Persons age 9-16 must complete the course or be accompanied by a licensed hunter 17 or older who has completed the course or is exempt. cost of being illegal: Class C misdemeanors with fines of $25-$500 include waste of game, failure to take a required hunter safety course, hunting without a hunting license, and failure to properly tag a harvested deer. More serious penalties including some as high as $10,000 and including up to two years in jail can be imposed on persons caught hunting and/or shooting a deer on lands without the landowner’s consent and discharging a firearm across a fence or other boundary of land without the consent of that neighboring land’s owner.

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9/5/12 10:33 AM

by greg berlocher

FISH IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF A healthy diet. Nutritionists consider the protein in fish to be very high quality, which is essential for good health. Fish are low is saturated fats and contain many beneficial nutrients, such as Vitamins A and D. Fillets of marine species also include valuable minerals, such as phosphorous, magnesium, and iodine.

It turns out that fish are important for the young and also the young at heart. Nutritionists note that fish are important in the development of healthy young bodies, so in addition to getting rods and reels in their hand at an early age, it is important to introduce children to fish at the dinner table.

Certain types of oily fish, such as tuna, mackerel, sardines, and salmon contain beneficial fats, known as Omega-3 fatty acids. Our bodies need these types of fatty acids to function properly and since our bodies don’t produce these acids, we need to include them in our diet.

Unlike the saturated fat found in beef, Omega-3s are good fats which lower triglycerides – sometimes significantly - in our bloodstream, thereby reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish, preferably those high in Omega3s, at least twice a week.

In addition to good heart health, Omega-3 acids are important to brain functions and scientists are putting an increasing focus on the link between diets rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and cognitive health.

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Fish appear to be a wonder food but there are a few potential health risks associated with its consumption. Fish, as well as mollusks and crustaceans, can accumulate toxic chemicals in their flesh by eating other tainted organisms or through direct exposure to contaminants. This process is known as bioaccumulation. Perhaps the most publicized example of bioaccumulation is the mercury found in apex ocean predators, such as tuna and sharks.

While mercury gets the lion’s share of the attention when it comes to bioaccumulation in our seafood, it is important to note that pesticides, dioxins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are long lived chemical compounds that are problematic as well. Everything we dump into our water ultimately makes its way into our food sources.

While the vast majority of seafood we catch, or buy at the store, is perfectly safe to eat, there can be risks, particularly if the contaminants have reached specific levels.

Fortunately for seafood fans, the Seafood and Aquatic Group, Texas Department of State Health Services (TDHS) studies these issues and informs the public on safety issues relating to the consumption of seafood through consumption advisories.

TDHS’ insightful Guide to Eating Texas Fish and Crabs states: “Consumption advisories are not intended to discourage people from eating fish or crab; they are intended to help people make informed decisions on whether they or their families should eat fish or crabs from specific water bodies. Fish and crab consumption advisories recommend consumption guidelines for people based on potential health risks. People should also use these guidelines to choose fish and crab species and water bodies that contain lower levels of contaminations.”

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trout.

Even cooking your catch can impact its healthfulness. The department recommends baking or grilling your catch. With the exception of mercury, which accumulates in the muscle tissue, other contaminants accumulate in fatty areas.

The juices from a cooking piece of fish are basically liquefied fat; bake or grill the fish and the juices run off the fish while it cooks. Deep frying, my all time favorite, tends to seal in contaminants, under delectable, crispy coating, not allowing the bad stuff to be purged.

Which Texas fish is the healthiest? Well, it’s complicated. You must weigh calories, protein, total fat versus saturated fat content, and plat that against the cholesterol content of the fish. If you want to see how your favorite species stacks up other species, as well as crab, shrimp, and oysters, check out the nutrition chart from the United States Department of Agriculture. (See below) Fish is an essential part of a healthy diet but many people don’t get enough. Many folks don’t have access to fresh fish and simply can’t afford to buy fish at the store. If you have some extras fillets, share them with a friend or loved one.

Striped bass are 30 mg higher in cholesterol than flounder, per 3-oz. serving (see table below).

The guide gives a number of good sug- build up mercury include; bass (largemouth, gestions regarding the consumption of fish white, and striped), freshwater drum, from state waters. They include eating gar, walleye, flathead catfish, and bowfin. smaller, younger fish as they will generally Freshwater species less likely to build up contain lower levels of contaminants than mercury in their flesh include; channel catolder, larger fish. fish, sunfish, and crappie.

Cleaning your catch a specific way can Likewise, saltwater species more inclined also minimize the potential ingestion of to mercury buildup include; sharks, tunas, contaminants. The department suggests ling, and kingfish (king mackerel). Saltwater removing skin, dark muscle tissue and fat fish less likely to build up mercury include; from fish. Fat tends to accumulate around redfish, black drum, founder, and speckled the belly and along the back in many fish. Pesticides, dioxins, and PCBs tend to accumulate in fatty Nutrition Facts areas and trimming fatty tissue Fish or Seafood Calories Protein Total Fat Saturated Fat Cholesterol during cleaning minimizes the risk (3 oz. Cooked) (kcal) (g) (g) (g) (mg) of exposure.

TDHS also suggested that you 87 17 2 0.2 85 Blue crab avoid eating the internal organs of Channel Catfish 89 16 2 0.6 61 your catch. While I first chuckled Flounder 99 21 1 0.3 58 at the thought of a big pile of fried speckled trout spleens, I realized Freshwater Bass (mixed species) 124 21 4 0.9 74 that serious cooks use leftover fish Freshwater Drum 130 19 5 1 70 carcasses to make stock, which is Oysters (fried) 167 7 11 2.7 69 a building block for many other dishes. If you want to make stock, Shrimp (fried) 206 18 10 2 150 eviscerate the carcasses and wash Snapper (mixed species) 109 22 1 0.3 40 them well before dropping them Spotted Seatrout (mixed species) 113 18 4 1 90 into the stock pot.

Mercury bioaccumulation Striped Bass 105 19 3 0.6 88 is not just a concern for fans of Sunfish “Perch“ 97 21 1 0.2 73 marine fishes; mercury accumuTilapia 82 17 1 0.5 42 lates in freshwater species as well.

According to TDHS’s guide, the SOURCE: National Agricultural Library, US Department of Agriculture freshwater species more like to 42 |

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9/10/12 12:50 PM

Texas Freshwater

by Matt Williams | TF&G Freshwater Editor

Lake Austin Grass Carp Response Editor’s Note: In the Sept. 2012 issue of Texas Fish & Game, Freshwater Editor Matt Williams wrote about an apparent plan by the City of Austin to stock as many as 15,000 triploid grass carp into Lake Austin to combat the growth of hydrilla in the 1,600 acre lake. These fish may only be introduced to a public lake with the blessing of TPWD through the issuance of permits.

Not everyone is happy about the grass carp release. Area bass fishermen are especially concerned, mainly over fears that the carp will totally eradicate what many consider to be a key link in a chain of ingredients that has made Lake Austin one of the “best little big bass lakes” in the state.

Williams believes the worries about Lake Austin’s habitat are justified, and he let the department know it with a letter (also published last month) to inland fisheries director, Gary Saul. Dave Terre, chief of fisheries management and research, answered promptly with the following response:

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riploid grass carp have been stocked in Lake Austin for the past nine years. We’ve been successful in keeping a serious hydrilla problem in check, while still maintaining other species of aquatic vegetation to benefit anglers. Every decision we make to stock grass carp into Lake Austin considers the preservation of non-hydrilla vegetation and this great fishery. Since these stockings began in 2003, thirteen ShareLunkers have been caught in Lake Austin and abundant stands of aquatic plants remain. We view this stocking strategy as a success and plan to continue the effort into the future.

Hydrilla can provide good fish habitat

and can result in better fishing for anglers.

Unfortunately, hydrilla grows rapidly and can cause problems for many reservoir users.

In some cases, we can just leave it alone if its growth is not creating problems for the fishery, boat access, or operations of the lake.

Anglers must realize that fishing is just one of many uses of our public reservoirs and most were not built to provide fishing as a primary use. However, rest assured that enhancing fishing quality remains TPWD’s top priority anytime vegetation control becomes necessary.

In the past, excessive hydrilla growth in Lake Austin has created significant and expensive problems for the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), including repairs and lost power generation. It also caused flooding into homes and restricted lake access to property owners and boaters.

TPWD represented the anglers and engaged itself in a collaborative process with the City of Austin, the LCRA, and interested user groups to explore treatment options. Chemical and mechanical removal options were not considered feasible. The City of Austin did not want to use herbicides because Lake Austin is a drinking water supply lake. Mechanical controls were expensive and might spread hydrilla through plant fragmentation (cutting). The only feasible and affordable option was triploid grass carp in conjunction with periodic drawdowns.

TPWD was comfortable with this decision because Eurasian watermifoil, which was abundant in the lake, was not a preferred food item for grass carp. TPWD knew it could tightly control the number of fish that would be stocked through our permit process. For the past nine years, hydrilla growth has been under control, Eurasian watermilfoil remains a dominant habitat type, and fishing is great.

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the number of grass carp needed to control hydrilla, while still maintaining viable stands of other plants to provide habitat.

While still not a perfect or exact science, we’ve shortened native plant recovery time by stocking less grass carp and by planting native aquatic vegetation. Far less grass carp were stocked in Lake Conroe this last go-around, as compared to the legislativelymandated stockings that occurred in the 1980’s. We also consider our past native planting projects a success because they helped create 1,500 acres of vegetated habitat necessary for the production of most of Lake Conroe’s ShareLunkers.

Recent vegetation plantings since the last introduction of grass carp (late 2000’s) are responding quicker now than before, based on our surveys. Recently, TPWD began working with partners to reduce excess numbers of grass carp in some lakes though organized fishing tournaments. Our efforts to remove excess grass carp, albeit limited in scale, are designed to get a faster turnaround time on rebuilding native aquatic plant communities. Lake Austin has not seen the challenges faced at Lake Conroe. We think the presence of Eurasian watermilfoil, cooler water temperatures, and the fact that Lake Austin is a constant water level reservoir, have led to more stable amounts of vegetative habitat under this grass carp stocking plan.

We understand the value and importance of aquatic vegetation habitat, especially for largemouth bass. Where hydrilla needs to be controlled, we do it carefully using a well thought out management strategy that considers all reservoir users. Our goal is always to provide quality fishing and retain vegetation habitat. Where hydrilla is not in conflict (or a threat) to other uses, we generally leave it alone. We invite all anglers to become involved in our reservoir habitat improvement projects. We have numerous on-going projects statewide.

—Dave Terre

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9/5/12 10:39 AM

TRUE GREEN Deer Movement Restrictions Considered

Cedar Bayou Restoration Moves Ahead Work continues on the restoration of Cedar Bayou as a series of recent significant steps clears the way for sand to fly at the earliest possible moment.

Aransas County has approved funding to complete final engineering and surveys for initial restoration of the pass and has also announced that it will annually allocate at least $50,000 to a Cedar Bayou Maintenance Fund, a critical component to keeping the pass open in the future.

“The County is clearly committed to doing the project right and making sure that it succeeds over the long term,” said Robby Byers, executive director of CCA Texas. “This has not been an easy road, but the pieces are really starting to fall into place. It is a major undertaking, but we have faith that the partnership between the County, CCA Texas and the recreational angling community will get it done.”

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CCA Texas has pledged an additional $500,000. The County and CCA Texas have partnered to hire a professional fundraiser to secure the remaining $5.5 million and applications to several federal grant programs have already been made. Additionally, a website dedicated to the project has been launched to provide up-to-date information about the project as well as an opportunity for individuals to make contributions at www.restorecedarbayou.org.

“We have been very pleased with the pace of progress,” said Aransas County Judge C.H. “Burt” Mills. “There is a considerable amount of momentum building towards the successful conclusion of this project, and it is good to be able to say that after so many years of frustration with the permit application and approval process.

The private/public partnership has worked beautifully so far and it has been the key to moving this project to reality so quickly.”

Coastal Harbor Engineering has been tasked with proceeding with final engineering and surveys for the project, which are expected to take four to five months to complete. When those plans are complete and full funding is in place, the project could start to move sand as early as April 2013.

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State wildlife officials say more deliberation is needed before new rules are adopted governing Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s regulatory response to the detection of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Texas. Consideration of proposed rules restricting deer movement in the CWD affected area of far West Texas will be delayed until the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission’s November meeting.

Proposed rules being considered would limit permitted deer movement into or from areas in which CWD has been discovered as well as areas for which there is a moderate to high probability that the disease exists undetected.

Officials will be collecting samples from hunter harvested mule deer for CWD testing. All mule deer harvested in the CWD Containment Zone of El Paso, Hudspeth, and Culberson counties during the upcoming mule deer season, Nov. 23-Dec. 9 will be inspected by officials at mandatory hunter check stations and tested for CWD. Mandatory check stations will be set up at the Van Horn Convention Center and at Mae’s Café in Cornudas.

Hunters in the surrounding High Risk Zone are encouraged to submit harvested deer for CWD testing at voluntary check stations in Bakersfield, Midland, Alpine and Sanderson, scheduled to be open during all three weekends of the general mule deer season.

—Staff Report «TG

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TRUE GREEN Hurricane Isaac Provided Natural Nutria Control The surge of water Hurricane Isaac along the Mississippi coast flushed out and drowned thousands of nutria--giant rodents originally from South America that are eating away at coastal marshlands all along the Gulf Coast.

Most of the dead nutria washed up on beaches in Mississippi’s Hancock and Harrison counties.

“Estimates are there will be over 20,000 carcasses,” said Robbie Wilbur, spokesman for the state’s department of environmental quality.

Fur trappers looking for new stock released nutria in Louisiana and Mississippi back in the 1930s. Fur demand kept populations in check, but a collapse fueled

by animal-rights campaigns in the 1980s led to reduced trapping and a population now estimated at several million.

Consequently, nutria are “one of the Gulf South’s most notorious invasive species, wreaking ecological havoc on native wetland vegetation and contributing to coastal erosion problems,” Mississippi’s Department of Environmental Quality said in its plan for dealing with invasives.

Nutria cause erosion by nutria digging into thin soils and eating roots of marsh vegetation. As the vegetation dies, the fine-grained, denuded soils become more vulnerable to erosion, eventually forming expanding holes in the marsh called “eatouts.”

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The bloated carcasses of dead nutria litter a Mississippi shoreline.

The species is also a prolific breeder, reaching sexual maturity at just four months old, and females are able to breed again within 48 hours of giving birth to a litter.

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9/7/12 3:12 PM

AUTUMN ALWAYS BRINGS shorter days, longer nights and cooler weather to the Lone Star State.

According to fishing guide Tony Parker, it’s a “feel good” thing that chills water temperatures on Texas lakes and rivers and breathes new life into fishing patterns of many different kinds.

“Everything gets more active when the weather starts cooling off after a long, hot Texas summer,” says Parker. “It’s only natural.”

Parker is a multi-species guide from Sulphur Springs who does business on several northeast Texas reservoirs. During October, he will spend a high percentage of his time on lakes Cooper and Tawakoni going after mixed bags of hybrids, stripers and white bass.

Anglers can expect to witness lots of surface schooling activity during fall as the fish make life miserable on roving bands of shad.

On many lakes, locating the best areas can be as simple as watching for groups gulls.

The gulls will suspend just above the surface and pick off wounded or dead shad left behind by the finny eating machines.

Parker will target schooling fish using assorted baits. One of his favorites is a Sassy Shad threaded on a 3/4 ounce jig head. It’s a chunk-and-wind approach that be carried out from a considerable distance using the heavy jig head. You can also catch them on 46 |

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slabs, spoons, Rat-L-Traps and topwaters.

Just be careful when removing the trebles to avoid hooking yourself.

“Something else to remember is to avoid getting too close to the school, and never approach the fish with the big motor,” Parker said. “Otherwise you will spook them.”

Like their striped cousins, largemouth bass become increasingly active as water temperatures begin a gradual cool down on lakes across Texas. The bass’ biological ticker signals it that winter is just around the corner, which at times will perk their appetite to the point that they will kill for the mere hell of it.

Some of the better action will be found along creeks channels and drainage ditches that connect deep water to shallow. Shad will use the channels as highways as they gravitate towards the shallows, where food becomes more readily available with the changing seasons.

“Fall is one of my favorite seasons to fish for bass, especially when water levels

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are low like they normally are,” says legendary Texas bass pro Tommy Martin of Hemphill. “To me, low water in the fall spells fish. The main problem you face is finding them. That’s a lot easier when water levels are low, because it confines the bass to a smaller area.”

Martin takes a slow, methodical approach when dissecting a creek. He begins about one half to three fourths of the way into the a channel and works his way towards the back. Keeping the boat centered over channel, he casts to any available cover using spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and maybe even a buzz bait or frog lure.

The bass won’t be everywhere. They are prone to gang up in isolated locations, often in relation to a defined channel swing that offers some sort of cover such as brush, stumps or aquatic vegetation.

Another reliable option during fall are school bass. Schoolies shadow roving clouds of shad throughout the day, occasionally driving the succulent bait fish to the surface where they will feed on them at will.

Topwater baits and chrome Rat-L-Traps are deadly medicine when the fish are actively schooling on or just below the surface. Another rig worth trying on suspended schools of bass is the Alabama rig or umbrella rig. The A-rig is designed for throwing multiple swim baits or grubs simultaneously. Used correctly, it simulates a small school of bait fish fleeing for their lives. At times it causes bass to react so aggressively that you can catch them two and three at a time. composite graphic: Tf&G

9/4/12 11:43 AM

autumn has a special appeal for anglers by matt williams

Toledo Bend fishing guide Stephen Johnston of Hemphill likes to catch bass just as much as the next guy, but he will spend a high percentage of his time during early fall bird dogging schools of crappie in deep water.

Johnston concentrates the fish by building brush piles at varied depths to coincide with the season of the year. Brush piles planted in 15-22 feet of water seem to be most effective on his home lake during early fall. Once water temps nudge 60 degrees, he says the bait fish and crappie leave the brush and move to deeper water.

When fishing brush piles, Johnston noted the importance of having good electronics to show you the exact depth at which the fish are suspended off the bottom. Soak a shiner or jig below or too far above the school and you probably won’t get bit.

Crappie also like to congregate around bridge pilings during the fall months on some lakes. The pattern is especially pronounced at Lake Fork at the Highway 154 East and West crossings.

The fish like to suspend around cross members that connect the support pilings,

usually about 12-15 feet down. Savvy jig fishermen will fish parallel with the cross members using ultra-light rigs matched with light line. The trick is to cast the jig 20-30 feet from the boat, count it down to the proper depth and retrieve it slowly through the strike zone.

Just be sure to hang on tight if you get a bite. Lake Fork lunker largemouths will make fast work of a plump crappie in distress. They take them away from crappie fishermen around the bridges all the time.

Charlie Shively is a fall guy, too. Just not the type you will find huddled up in a deer blind or trailing a rangy retriever through dense underbrush with a double barrel on his shoulder.

Shively is more at home on the water, in a flatbottom boat, with a flippin’ stick in his hand and a dozen live perch finning around in the bait box. Matched with heavy duty monofilament and a stout 4/0 hook, the rig makes a deadly combination for sniffing out big flathead catfish on Toledo Bend Reservoir when the conditions are right.

The key, explains Shively, is the low water level that typically exists on the big reservoir at the end of a long, hot summer.

“It is at its best when the water is low and clear,” Shively said. “When the water gets low, it confines the fish to the creeks and you can really work on them dabbling those live perch around the old cypress stumps.”

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of lakes, streams and rivers statewide, and there are passel of ways to catch them using trotlines, noodles and rod and reel.

Going after channel cat over a spot that has been baited with soured grain such as milo or chicken scratch is probably the most reliable rod and reel tactic of all. Catfish are one big olfactory gland, and the stench from the sour grain brings them in like flies to honey.

Done correctly, the tactic works well in standing timber, along channel breaks and, at times, around boat docks. The thing to remember is to not overdo it. One or two small coffee cans is usually all it takes to a attract catfish to a spot so you can catch them on night crawlers, punch bait or liver.

Drifting cut shad or shrimp around creek channels and main lake structure is a good way to hook some quality size blues during fall, as is soaking punch bait or cut shad beneath cormorant roosts.

Cormorants are migratory, fish-eating birds that show up on numerous Texas lakes each fall. The birds disperse from their roosts to feed on shad at first light. Once full, they return their roosts, where they will relieve themselves periodically.

Catfish like to gather beneath the roosts to gobble up the poop the second it hits the water. Anglers who learn to simulate the “splat” of cormorant crap using a chicken gizzard or glob of punch bait are in for some hard hits and fast action.

I call it the poop pattern. At times, it stinks. At others, it works like magic.

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9/4/12 11:43 AM

Open Season

by Reavis Wortham | TF&G Humor Editor

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oodrow and I loaded up a couple of kids to fish his pond in east Texas last weekend. Zoey and Zack, not related, were excited to do something beside burn sticks in the campfire.

I didn’t understand that, because I’ve always been a confirmed fire poker. I love to nudge burning logs with the toe of my boot, and use a stick to worry the coals. But late in the afternoon, I told Woodrow it was time to go fishing and the kids jumped at the chance.

He and I piled into the cab of his truck, while the younguns, their parents and the War Department loaded up in the back.

After a fifteen minute ride through the pines, we all de-trucked at the pond. The kids boiled out and did the Happy Dance, waiting on the adults to rig up rods and reels.

Since the youngsters weren’t mine, I took the opportunity to assemble a fly rod. I’d been in the mood to catch a catfish on the thin wand, and it seemed like the perfect time. The kids ran frenetically around the truck, burning off energy until their own spinning gear was ready.

Zoey knocked over my rod while I was threading the line through nine feet of guides. “Hey, there’s about two thousand acres of open space behind me,” I said.

“Exactly why did you have to squeeze between me and the tailgate?”

Her response was a blank look, as if the question were faulty.

I ignored her, tied on a fly, and suddenly found thirty feet of monofilament and a worm hook tangled around my rod. A fresh worm dangled inches from my eyes. I followed the line back to Zack, who looked annoyed that I’d been in the way of his backcast, twenty yards from the pond.

“That’s my worm.”

“Understood.”

“I’m tangled around your fly rod.”

“Sure enough.”

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He waited expectantly for a quick resolution. I thought about taking his rod and pitching the whole thing into the pond, but instead I untangled the line and nudged him toward the water with the toe of my ashy boot.

Soon they were standing ankle-deep in the mud, but their bobbers sitting quietly in the stained water. I prudently walked to the other side of the pond to get away from runaway casts and dropped a wooly booger beside a lily pad.

Nothing.

I made a backcast and hooked up with a pine tree. While I was untangling the leader, Zoey caught a fat bream, dark and rich from the stained water. The crowd on shore applauded and Zack’s mom marked a big number one on the side of Woodrow’s white truck with mud.

“Kids one, Outdoor Writer zero!” she called.

I ignored the Peanut Gallery and finally made another fruitless cast.

Zack caught a fish.

Applause.

I changed lures.

Zoey caught one of the biggest red ears I’ve ever seen.

The score changed on the truck.

Jeers and catcalls.

Those were from the kids.

In response, I stuck my tongue out at them and cast again, after I untangled the leader from weeds growing thick on the shore.

My next cast finally resulted in a fish, not much bigger than the Wooly Booger on the end of my leader. Instead of announcing my catch, I quietly released it back into the water as the score added up on the other side.

“This is not a contest!” I called, just so they’d understand.

“Kids six, Outdoor Writer point zero five!”

They’d seen my fish.

It seemed like every time one of the kids made a cast, a fish splashed to the surface.

They were getting so good at removing them from the hooks, the remaining adults

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retreated to the truck’s tailgate to watch. It felt like I was on some sports program.

I glanced up and noticed the kids watching.

Zack spoke up. “Hey, you should put that rod down and come over here and catch fish with us.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

“Because it’s more productive,” he said.

“You don’t know that word.”

“I just looked it up on my Iphone.”

“Did I ever tell any of y’all that I hate kids?”

“No you don’t,” the War Department said. “Hurry up. There’s a baby back at camp we need to hold.”

In the truck, on the way back, I posed a question to Woodrow. “What happened to our lives? We were once young, carefree fishermen that lied about what we pulled out of the water. We were footloose and just the two of us traveled this entire state together, creating legends and having experiences that we can’t write about.”

He looked across the cab at me. “Life happened. And don’t write about the things we used to do. We’ll get arrested, or at least sued.”

I glanced over my shoulder at the assemblage in the truck bed. “I remember when we used to haul partygoers.”

“It’s our new party.”

“We’re old.”

“That’s life its ownself.”

“So this is where we need to be?”

“Yep. It’s perfect.”

“All right,” I said, settling back. “Let’s take these kids back to camp. Zack’s dad wants to show us how to make an explosive device with toilet bowl cleaner, a piece of aluminum foil and one of those two thousand empty water bottles back there.”

Woodrow smiled wide. “Now you’re talking.”

Email Reavis Wortham at rwortham@fishgame.com

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Digital Edition

Photo Composite: TF&G

CHOOSING A BOW AND ARROW as your weapon of choice may not result in the easiest hunt you have ever had, but I can guarantee that it will give you memories of great hunts and good times that you will not soon forget.

What do I need to know if I choose to hunt with a bow?

Do I need camouflage clothing? How do I choose what arrows I might need? What about broadheads? Which is the best one for me? You can see that there will be tons of questions that you will need answers to.

I will try to cover most of them in this read. Call it a bowhunting basics cookbook, if you will. If all of the ingredients are used properly, you should have a tasty meal to enjoy and a “there I was” story to go along with your dinner fare as well.

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TF&G Almanac Table of Contents GEARING UP SECTION

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COVER STORY • Bow Hunting Basics | by lou marullo

HOW-TO SECTION

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texas boating • Boating with Big Brother at the Helm | by lenny

56 58 60

texas kayaking • Blow Me Away! | by greg berlocher

rudow

paul’s tips • Early Season Hunting Tips | by paul bradshaw texas guns & gear • The 20-Gauge | by steve lamascus

texas tested • Daiwa, Pathfinder | by TF&G staff industry insider • Work Sharp | by TF&G staff fish and game gear• Hot New Outdoor Gear | by TF&G staff special section • Hunting: Survival and Texas Tradition | by chester moore, jr.

FISHING FORECAST SECTION

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hotspots focus: upper coast • Sabine Shrimp Fest | by capt. eddie hernandez

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hotspots focus: galveston • Another Red October? | by capt. mike holmes

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hotspots focus: matagorda • Fall Fish are Stirring on Matagorda Bays | by mike price

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hotspots focus: rockport • When is a Catch Not a Catch? | by capt. mac gable

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hotspots focus: lower coast • Black and Silver Attack | by calixto gonzales

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Texas Hotspots • Texas’ Hottest Fishing Spots | by calixto gonzales, bob hood & george knighten

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sportsman’s daybook • Tides & Prime Times | by TF&G staff

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE SECTION tales• The Cost of 104 sporting Deer Hunting | texas tasted • Mesquite 107 Grilled Dove Wraps |

by paul bradshaw

by bryan

slaven

CLASSIFIED 108 OUTDOOR DIRECTORY • Guides, Gear and More | TF&G by

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tf&g Photos • Your Action Photos | by TF&G readers

www.FishGame.com So what do you need to go bowhunting?

A bow is a good place to start. Arrows with broadheads adequate for the game you are pursuing are also a necessity. You need your tags, obviously.

Camo clothing, although a nice thing to have, just is not necessary if you are after whitetails. Remember deer are mostly color blind. They can see only shades and cannot distinguish if you have on a camo shirt or a checkered shirt. Either way, your form is broken up into different shades and will not be detected by a whitetails eye. Camo is nice to blend into your surroundings and I wear it myself, but not really something you need to hunt.

What bow do I need? The answer is one that fits you, feels good in your hands, and has enough draw weight to get the job done.

There are many different bow companies out there and finding a good bow to start with is not very hard. A pro shop will be able to set you up with the right bow for you in no time at all.

Broadheads come in many different sizes and shapes. The one for you is the one that flies well with your bow set-up. Try many, choose one. The most important thing to remember here is that the arrows you use are tuned and matched with your bow. It is

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tions as you in order to shoot the bow with any accuracy. It is probably not a good idea to give your buddy the bow in the first place. That way, you know that your bow is properly cared for at all times.

Ninety percent of bowhunters will be hunting their prey from an elevated position. There are many different types of tree stands to choose from and the manufacturers have made sure that they are safe as long as you read the directions and then follow

them. Whichever one you choose make sure that you use a safety harness. I have heard of many veteran hunters who decided against using a harness for some unknown reason and their families wish they had.

Hunting from a tree stand may not be your cup of tea. Although it may be the most popular way to bowhunt, you can still bring home the venison from other methods.

A ground blind works well. I prefer a natural ground blind for whitetails. The

Camo clothing helps a bowhunter blend into his surroundings, but is not necessary for hunting whitetails.

paramount that you are using an arrow that is spined correctly for your particular bow.

Whoa, what do you mean here? Each arrow made today has a corresponding number that goes along with it. These numbers will tell you if it is the right arrow (or correct spine) for the amount of draw weight of your bow. Sound a little confusing? Once again, a pro shop will be happy to set you up with tuned and matched equipment for your personal set-up. That means if your buddy wants to borrow your bow some afternoon, he will need to possess the exact specifica-

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Cover Story commercial pop-up blinds work extremely well for turkey hunters, but it has been my experience that deer notice the blind immediately. If you can, try setting up the portable ground blind well in advance of the day you plan on hunting from it. The deer would then get used to seeing it and it would pose as no threat to them. Unfortunately, not all of us have the option of leaving an expensive blind out there for days. That is exactly why I prefer the natural ground blind.

Once you get to know the habits of the whitetails on your lease, then you can go there before the season and use downed limbs and blow-down brush to create your deer stand. Find out where the deer like to travel everyday and set up accordingly.

Move the twisted tree limbs and brush all around you so that they help hide any movement you may make.

Bring along an old chair or something to sit on that you can leave in the blind for the next time you hunt. You will want to give yourself plenty of room in the center of your blind so you can draw your bow back without bumping into any of the brush.

Remember to ALWAYS keep the wind in your face and away from the direction you

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expect the deer to come from.

You may find a nice dark spot where the morning or afternoon shadows conceal you even more. Build your stand about 20 yards or so from the main trail. You just need to clear out three or four shots and wait for the deer to move to those particular openings. If the wind is in your favor and you have the patience of Job, you should be able to get a nice clear 20-yard shot at the unsuspecting animal. Voila! Dinner is served.

Like anything else, learning the basics of your hobby are exactly that, the basics.

You will learn more each and every time you walk into your hunting area. Try whatever method that works for you and then stick to it, at least until you are successful with it, then move on to something else. The most important thing to remember is to have fun.

Leave your cares and troubles behind and step away from the pavement, at least for a while. Your cares and troubles will still be there after sunset. Enjoy the hunt.

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f John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi were sharing a leaky boat, they’d argue over what to plug the holes with as the water swirled in around them. While yelling at each other they’d probably be stamping their feet and pounding their fists, creating a few new leaks as well. At some point there would be too many holes to pack them all closed, and the ship would seem lost until someone jumped in and saved the day by filling all those holes with Super Pacs. Safe once again, John and Nancy would be free to Moveon, and Occupy themselves with niceties like Tea Parties.

WHEW – aren’t you glad these folks don’t get involved in boating laws?

Before the relief becomes palpable, I have some bad news for you: Congress actually does have quite a bit on influence on what you can and cannot do while on your own boat. Pushing ethanol, increasing engine emission standards, and keeping GPS satellites in orbit are just a few examples of how their “work” affects us, both positively and negatively, in either direct or roundabout ways. What about those federal regulations aimed squarely at boaters? These come courtesy of the US Coast Guard. Dim-witted and ill-mannered as our elected officials sometimes appear to be, evidently, they do have enough common sense to leave the boat decisions to the boat guys. Or, maybe they just passed the buck when it came to boats because it was time for a recess and no one wanted to cut into their water-skiing time. Whatever. Either way, we can be relieved it’s the Coast Guard that usually pushes the boating laws agenda.

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groups right now, most of which are completely sensible. But one is not. Big brother could be coming out with you for a boat ride, if the NBSAC (National Boating Safety Advisory Council, a Coast Guard advisory group) has its way. Last year, they drafted a resolution asking the Coast Guard to initiate requirements for mandatory life jacket use. And—surprise—mandatory life jacket use has sprung up in the National Recreational Boating Safety Program’s 2012 – 2016 Strategic Plan (which you can find on the Coast Guard’s boating safety resource center web site: http://www.uscgboating.org/).

To be perfectly clear, their idea isn’t to force everyone to wear life jackets on all

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boats at all times. At least, not yet. Their initial recommendation was to expand mandatory PFD use to people on boats 18’ and under. As you already know, of course, in most states you have to wear a PFD if you’re riding a waterbike, are younger than a certain age (13, in Texas), or are being towed. And these are all sensible rules, for sure. But I have two problems with expanding the requirements to boats up to 18’. First off, there are plenty of times when wearing a lifejacket in an 18’ boat is completely unnecessary and even problematic.

When I’m idling out from my duck blind to pick up a bird the dog missed, for example, I sure as heck don’t want to try to clip a life jacket over my hunting jacket and waders.

Secondly, there’s this ominous little problem we have called “regulatory creep.” You know how it works—this year they make life jackets mandatory on boats 18’ and under, then next year, someone comes up with the bright idea of making it mandatory on boats 20’ and under. Before you know it, you’ll

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have to wear a full survival suit and scuba gear to go cane-poling for sunfish.

In all fairness, there are also plenty of laudable goals included in the 2012 – 2016 Strategic Plan. Improving life jacket testing and approval standards, reducing boating

under the influence of alcohol, and targeting tests of boats that have a high probability of failure for level and upright floatation, are all examples of good ideas. And while I express my disdain for expanding mandatory life jacket wear to boats up to 18 feet,

I’d like to note that I always ask everyone onboard to wear one (and wear one myself) when running offshore, in rough seas, or in cold waters, even though the law doesn’t require it. But every time I hear the word “mandatory” I feel a little more freedom slipping away.

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Every time I hear the word ‘mandatory’ I feel a little more freedom slipping away.

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Here’s one more little tidbit of info that most of you probably haven’t heard, even if you’re familiar with the NRBSP strategic plan: two of its signatories happen to be employed by companies that manufacture PFDs, and a third is the president of a PFD manufacturers’ association. Now, I might not be the sharpest hook in the tacklebox, but that seems like a slight conflict of interest to me. It reminds me of when John Boehner invested between $10,000 and $50,000 in seven companies that stood to profit from Keystone XL, shortly before pushing to approve the pipeline. Or when Nancy Pelosi pushed for the NATGAS Act while owning shares of a company called Clean Energy Fuels, which stood to benefit. We already have to put up with this stuff in politics—do we really want it in our boats, too?

E-mail Lenny Rudow at LRudow@fishgame.com Get more boating tips in LENNY RUDOW’s Texas Boating Blog at www.Fishgame.com/blogs 54 |

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pend enough time traversing big fetches of water and, sooner or later, you will have to negotiate a healthy breeze. Kayak anglers are sensitive to both the wind’s velocity and direction, never taking a gusting breeze for granted. The first strong cold fronts of the year start calling on the Lone Star in October and the pace between fronts shortens with each passing month. Kayakers need to keep a close eye on weather forecasts.

Wind can make paddling a challenge but there are ways to harness it and use it to your advantage. Outfitting your hull with a small sail allows you to hijack the wind and lessen your load as you travel from Point A to Point B. It is hard for me to pass a kayak on a roof rack without doing a bit of spying. I am always quick to observe how others rig their hulls. This old dog is quick to pick up new tricks but I have yet to see a hull in a car-top carrier with a sail lashed down beside it.

Kayaks equipped with sails are relatively scarce but the concept is sound. Kayak hulls are lighter than fiberglass sailboats and a gentle wind is all that is needed to push the craft along briskly. Regardless, whether you use the sail to get to your favorite honey hole or back to your launching spot, it can cut your workload in half. If the fish have lockjaw, stow your rod and have a little wind-driven fun.

Who knows more about kayak sailing than Hobie, the inventor of the Hobie Cat? The ultrafast catamarans are synonymous with recreational sailing around the world.

When Hobie expanded their recreational boating line to include kayaks, sails were wisely included as one of their propulsion options. Hobie’s popular Mirage Drive gets

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the lion’s share of the press, allowing kayakers to peddle their hulls instead of paddling them, but Hobie also offers a sail kit that can easily be added to their hulls.

Hobie’s sail kit weighs a modest 4-pounds and the multi-sectional mast stretches a tad beyond 10-feet. Once assembled, the mast slips into a receptacle that is molded into the cockpit of every Hobie kayak. The brightly colored sails offer 20.25 square feet of coverage, allowing you to zip along on even the lightest breeze.

Should you not own a Hobie hull and want to get blown away, you may want to consider an aftermarket sail made by WindPaddle Sails. Unlike conventional sails, which rely on masts, the WindPaddle sail resembles a rib-less umbrella, made entirely of fabric. You harness the sail to your hull and control it with hand lines. You can fine-tune your direction with your rudder or paddle. The dome-shaped sails come in several different sizes; the larger the diameter, the more wind you can capture and the faster you can go.

Sails aren’t perfect as they create clutter and restrict movement inside your cockpit.

Traditional sails aren’t something you set up and take down while you are on the water but the WindPaddle is different. A cleverly designed plastic hoop is sewn into the sail which helps keep it open to catch passing breezes. Using twisting motion with your wrists, the hoop curls down into three smaller concentric circles. Once the WindPaddle has been “folded” down, an elastic strap is slipped around the sail keeping the whole assembly compressed. The coiled sail packs down into a 14-inch diameter platter, about an inch thick. Best of all, you can deploy or take down your sail while you are on the water; simply pull off the elastic strap and the sail springs into shape. WindPaddle Sails cautions kayakers to practice setting up and taking down their sails before you get on the water.

Sailing is a lot of fun and a sail converts a serious fishing hull into a water toy in min-

Hobie sail kit

utes. Let’s say you really wanted to spend some time on Galveston Bay over the weekend but a mutinous west wind muddied your favorite shoreline. Rather than sulk about the house doing honey dos, head to the bay and log some time sailing your plastic hull.

From a fisherman’s perspective, sails can add versatility. Trolling immediately comes to mind, be it in fresh or saltwater. Trolling while paddling is a popular option but you are lucky to exceed 3 mph if your power plant has double blades. Wind-driven boats, on the other hand, can easily eclipse 10 mph, making a kayak a viable trolling platform for kingfish and other fish that prefer artificial baits that dash rather than dawdle.

Sails easily extend a kayaker’s normal range but make sure you don’t go too far that you can’t paddle yourself back, especially into a headwind. With a little practice, you can learn to tack and zigzag your way back into an oncoming wind. These skills are best developed when the fish aren’t biting.

Best of all, kayak sails are affordable to the weekend angler. Prices range, depending on the manufacturer from $129.00 to $349.00.

Consider adding a sail to your kayak as a fun and versatile power option. You will find that sailing is a breeze.

E-mail Greg Berlocher at GBerlocher@fishgame.com.

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It’s that time of year again. No, not my birthday (but I’ll still take gifts). It’s deer season. Archery deer season to be specific and since the decision a few years ago to allow hunters to use crossbows during archery season there are more hunters in the woods during this time of year than ever before. With that many new archery hunters out there that means there are a lot of hunters who don’t know how to hunt this early in the season, and believe me it is a different experience.

So let’s cover a few quick tips for early season hunting.

These aren’t tips about where to hunt, how to position a stand, or what patterns the deer are in. These tips are about the little things that you need to do to stay comfortable in the deer stand in October since, if you’re comfortable on the stand, you’ll spend more time in it which ups the odds of taking a deer.

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As far as other annoying bugs, such as ticks and chiggers, the best defense is pants that tie at the bottom. Synch them up tight to avoid getting too many of them on you while walking to your stand. It doesn’t hurt to do a check for ticks after the hunt also.

Most hunters don’t think about it, but you’re going to get very thirsty while sitting in your deer stand in October, especially on afternoon hunts. If you get thirsty you stop thinking about deer and start thinking about going home, so carry some water with you on these early season hunts. Bottled water is good but can get noisy when empty, plus you have to find something to do with the bottles when you’re done with them. The better choice is to get a backpack with a water bladder (like hikers use) and fill it up.

Using one of these means that you’ll always

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have at least a liter of water with you and can drink silently since you won’t have to mess with unscrewing bottle caps or squeezing squirt bottles.

I lied a little bit earlier when I said this wouldn’t be about stand placement because we’re going to discuss it just a little, with a twist. I’m not going to get into where you should place a stand, but where you should not. I’ve learned the hard way that early season stands need to be placed in the shade.

If you hunt out of ground blinds you’ll end up sitting in a puddle of sweat if you put the pop-up blind out in the sun. The sun turns the blind into an oversized camouflage toaster oven. On that same note, tree stands also need to be placed in the shade to keep you cool and to keep you hidden.

If you have the sun beating down on you all day you’ll be sunburned, sweaty, and fidgety. You’ll also be brighter than the surrounding area meaning you’re very visible. It wouldn’t hurt to sit in your stand for a full day before the season to see if there are any times when the sun will sneak through the trees and hit you like a spotlight. It would also be a good idea to set up multiple stands in one location to adjust for the sun.

Early season hunting is one of my favorite times to be out since the deer aren’t pressured yet. It just takes a few minor adjustments to make sure you can take the heat so you don’t have the get out of the deer stand.

illistration by paul bradshaw

Early Season Hunting Tips

and nighttime lows might get into the 50’s if we’re lucky.

The biggest heat related issue, or the one that annoys me the most, is the fact that there are still a lot of blood sucking bugs out.

You see them during general gun season too but nothing like what is out in October.

It usually takes couple nights of freezing weather to kill most of them and that’s not going to happen until at least the middle of November. To avoid getting eaten alive by mosquitoes get a ThermaCELL. I bought one a few years back and it was the best $20 I’ve ever spent, really. The chemical used to keep the mosquitoes away doesn’t affect the deer at all. I’ve had deer within 10 yards of me while the ThermaCELL was going full blast. Get one and you can thank me later.

E-mail Paul Bradshaw at PBradshaw@fishgame.com

Get more tips from PAUL BRADSHAW’s Outdoor Blog at www.Fishgame.com/blogs A l m a n ac

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The 20-Gauge

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hen I was a kid I struggled with learning to shoot birds on the wing. The first gun I used was my grandfather’s singleshot 12-gauge. It had a yard-long barrel, weighed less than 7 pounds, and kicked like a fiend. Next my father bought me a singleshot 16-gauge. It had a full choke, weighed about 6 pounds, and kicked as much as my grandpa’s 12-gauge. Neither was overly

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conducive to helping a 12 year-old learn to wing-shoot.

Then one day Dad borrowed a little 20-gauge Remington Model 870 Wingmaster for me from a friend. Suddenly I started to hit a few birds. Pretty soon I was bringing in a “mess of doves” rather than a bird or two. The reasons were obvious. The Wingmaster was a bit heavier than the single shot guns, shot a bit less powerful shell and therefore kicked less, and it had a very forgiving improved-cylinder (IC) choke.

It isn’t commonly known outside the confines of the skeet-shooting fraternity (ladies included herein), but the difference in the shooting averages (the scores, measured in decimal places, or percentages) of the 20-

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and 12-gauges are practically non-existent.

Another little known fact is that some of the top competitors in NSSA skeet, during the course of a year of competition, do not fire a single 12-gauge shell. They have found that they do just as well if they shoot 20-gauge in the 12-gauge competitions, and suffer less from recoil. I just checked one of my old score cards and found that for 1998 my 12-gauge average was .9652 and my 20-gauge average was .9720. That’s right.

My 20-gauge average was higher than my 12-gauge. Just to top it off, my 28-gauge average was .9460 and .410 was .9040.

I think this demonstrates two things.

One, that for targets up to about 30 yards, the 20-gauge is as good as the 12-gauge; two, that the little .410 is a lot harder to shoot well than the other gauges.

Up until I actually looked up these scores a few minutes ago, I did not remember that my 20-gauge average was higher than my 12. I did know that my longest run was with the 12-gauge – 397 out of 400, breaking 375 in a row and then falling apart in the last box. However, even that run was fired with a lighter than normal 12-gauge load using 1-ounce of shot at 1150 feet per second.

For the hunter, one of the best places to take advantage of something like a quickpointing 20-gauge is when hunting around a hot dove tank surrounded by brush. In such situations the 20-gauge has plenty of range, and the 7/8-ounce load of 7s, 7-1/2s, or even 8s will really clobber a dodging dove.

I seldom use a 12-gauge in such situations and sometimes, when I’m feeling really frisky, I will trot out my little Browning Citori in 67-gauge (that’s a .410, in case you were wondering). My pets for such scenarios are a beautiful Browning Citori 20-gauge and an old but well maintained Browning Sweet 16.

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A 20-gauge shoots just as accurately as a 12-gauge at ranges of 30 to 35 yards.

are more open (wider) chokes, but they cut the range down until they are useful only for very specific hunting situations. The IC is one of the best for all around upland hunting.) In any good gun the IC will throw smooth patterns that are even and well distributed all the way to the edge. This means that a bird that is hit with the edge of the pattern will still be killed and not just “feathered,” so you do not have to “center” a bird with the pattern.

These days the 20-gauge is loaded with a wide range of shot charges at different velocities. I don’t believe velocity has much to do with anything in a shotgun, so I’ll just say it comes in the standard 7/8-ounce load (which is the most useful for most hunting scenarios), a 1-ounce load; and in the 3-inch magnum, both 1-1/8- and 1-1/4ounce loads.

The 3-inch magnum loads bring the 20-gauge up into the realm of the 12-gauge.

If you have a 20-gauge with a 3-inch chamber and don’t have the funds or the desire to buy another gun for ducks and geese, you can simply buy a couple of boxes of the magnum loads with the appropriate charge of large steel or lead-free shot and go hunting.

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mean that it is not good. It is good. Its shot strings will generally be longer, the patterns a bit more spotty, but so what? How much difference there is depends completely on the gun in question. Each gun will pattern differently. Still, if you end up in a duck blind with a 3-inch magnum 20-gauge, you need not feel like a second class citizen. And around a dove tank or when hunting quail behind a good pointer, you may be certain that your 20-gauge is second to none.

I could give you shot counts and velocity quotes and other somewhat relevant measurements, but at the end of the day it is the number of birds in the bag that really counts. And as I showed you above with my old skeet scorecard, the 20-gauge holds its own very well in that respect. The 20-gauge is extremely popular and rightly so. It is one of the best possible choices for doves and quail, and will serve admirably for almost anything else. If you want a smooth-shooting, light-kicking shotgun, try a 20-gauge.

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It can be tough to find an inshore casting reel which is light and comfortable to cast all day, but has the power to take on larger gamefish. This is where the new Lexa comes in. With a muscle-flexing maximum drag of 22 pounds and a line capacity of 240 yards of 40-pound braid, this reel has the oomph to take on the most bullish reds and the choicest cobia. You like casting even heavier line? No problem.

Spool up with up to 180 yards of 55 pound braid.

The Lexa Daiwa Lexa series also 300 has 100size models (which can put out 11 pounds of drag) for more average sized fish, but when you’re on the hunt for the big boys, the 300 is the way to go. This is an all-new design, with over-sized counter-balanced handles that are cut out to reduce weight; an aluminum frame, spool, and sideplate; seven bearings; “Magforce” cast control (with magnetic breaking, to reduce backlash); infinite antireverse; and a super light, super strong spool.

Power is good, but speed is also a must-have—and the Lexa has it. Gear ratios of 6.3:1 (which brings in 28.8” of line per crank) and 7.1:1 (which brings in 32.4”) are available, in both right-hand and left-hand versions. The low-profile design fits the hand well, and has a comfortable low thumb rest. More on comfort: weighing between 10 and 12 ounces, these reels won’t wear your wrist out during a 62 |

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long day of casting and retrieving. You’ll also feel comfortable with the price of a Lexa 300, which is under $200—that makes it about 25-percent less expensive than some competing reels of similar size and ability. Find out more about the Lexa, at www.daiwa.com.

—Lenny Rudow

Pathfinder 2400 You like light tackle shallow water fishing and want a boat that’s designed to do it right, but you also want access to bigger waters? Then a boat like Pathfinder’s 2400 TRS is what you should be casting for. The 2400 TRS is Pathfinder’s largest offering, and in addition to all that LOA, it boasts a deeper cockpit, wider gunwales, and higher sides than most shallow water oriented fishing boats. In fact, this model has three inches more freeboard than previous models of the same size.

With a 15-degree transom deadrise and weighing in at a hair under 3,000 pounds with a Yamaha F225 on the transom, the 2400 TRS has plenty of V and plenty of beef to take on waves.

And if you want to maximize performance, you can opt for up to 300 horses. With that sort of juice, you’ll hit speeds close to 60-mph. And if fuel efficiency is the an important attribute to you, just dial back the cruising speed to the mid 30’s—still plenty fast, for most folks—and you’ll get around four miles to the gallon.

Like all Pathfinders, this boat is designed to fish and fish hard. A 48-qt. cooler seat, raw water washdown, locking rod stowage, two gunwale rodhold-

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ers, rodracks for eight rigs, an integrated fishbox, 40 gallon aft and 15 gallon bow livewells, and a leaning post with five rodholders all come standard. Trolling motor batteries (up to four of them) stow beneath the deck, so the console is left open for stowing gear, plus there’s an onboard tackle stowage system. And getting through the shoals to reach your favorite hotspots will be a breeze, considering the boat’s one-foot hull draft, standard blinker-style hydraulic jackplate, and trim tabs.

Although I’m a utility-minded guy, one of the things I can’t help but notice about the 2400 TRS is its red-hot looks.

Or, maybe we should say cool blue—blue LEDs light up the boat’s interior, and the switch panel is back-lighted in blue. You can option-up to powder-coating and twotone cushions to really set off the boat’s look, and can even get the hull in a wide range of colors including ice blue, sapphire, and pastel green. You want a two-tone hull? Again, that’s no problem. And as for the finishing touches, this boat comes

Photos: Daiwa; Pathfinder Boats

Daiwa Lexa 300

Pathfinder 2400 TRS

through in spades: fit and finish is excellent, hatches are supported by gas-assist struts, and grab rings and hinges sit flush.

Want to put an eyeball on just how cool the 2400 TRS is? Check it out, at www. pathfinderboats.com.

—LR

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Dad always said “There is nothing more dangerous than a dull knife.” You push or pull too hard and then it happens, the knife slips and you cut yourself. I’ve been a knife collector for years. I started my collection with a Kershaw Folding knife more than 40 years ago. I still have it. Today, I have dozens of knives from small pocket folding knives to large bowie knives. Not to mention my entire kitchen cutlery collection. I use all of my knives every day. I’ve struggled with keeping them all sharp. I’ve tried everything from Diamond encrusted hand held sharpeners to Arkansas whetstones, all with varying degrees of success. But when I really wanted a sharp knife, I loaded up my car and drove up to see my good friend and custom knife maker, Chuck Stapel. Using a professional motorized belt driven knife grinder/sharpener, Chuck gets them razor sharp, every time.

Recently I picked up a new sharpener made by the folks at Darex called the Work Sharp KTS (Knife and Tool Sharpener). It’s a compact hand held electronic belt sharpener that takes care of the knife sharpening duties with little effort.

I was skeptical at first but after using the Work Sharp KTS to sharpen my German 12” chef’s knife, I was hooked. After dealing with the chef’s knife, I proceeded to sharpen everything in the kitchen knife drawer …in about 7 minutes. This devise is amazing. It really does the job, and on all kinds of knives, big and small. Serrated knives too! It’s so easy to use. It comes complete with sharpening guides that ensure the knife you are about to sharpen, is held at the correct angle. And it takes charge for the sharpening of other types of cutting devises. I tried it on an old pair of my grandmother’s scissors. It brought them back to life in a matter of moment.

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Work Sharp

The Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener (KTS) is an electronic belt sharperner that works on any blade.

in the garage or work shop. I tried it on my machete, garden pruners, axes, picks and even the post-hole digger. It’s perfect for the Texas outdoorsman who needs to keep his skinning and fillet knives sharp. It works on any tool that requires an edge.

The Work Sharp KTS comes with 3 different flexible belt grits to exact perfect sharpening on all your knives and tools so that you’re sure to get the best edge possible. It also arrives with a handy DVD instructional disk, which I highly recommend you review before pressing the Work Sharp KTS into service. Once you try it, you’ll be hooked and you won’t be able

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to stop. Everything in your home or work space is going to get a new sharp edge.

Just arriving in stores and online October 2012 is the new Work Sharp Field Kit, the complete sharpening package for home and the field. The Field Kit includes a power Knife & Tool Sharpener, Honing Rod, Tote and Abrasive kit.

For more information on the Work Sharp KTS or any of their other fine sharpening products, visit their website, www.worksharptools.com.

—TF&G Staff

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Serious anglers and outdoors enthusiasts know with fishing, time of day can be everything. Costa Sunglasses introduces its high contrast specialty 580P™ sunrise lens – a lightweight, impact resistant lens that allows maximum light transmission and enhanced depth perception to cut glare and allow anglers to see through the water more clearly in the early morning or late afternoon prime fishing hours, when outside light is low.

Costa’s 100 percent polarized 580 lenses block yellow light from entering the eye, creating razor sharp color enhancement and superior visual acuity. In addition to the new sunrise lens option, other 580 lens color options include gray, copper, amber, blue mirror, green mirror and silver mirror.

“Just like different flies work to catch different fish, different lens colors work best when suited to the appropriate light conditions,” said Chas MacDonald, president of Costa Sunglasses. “The sunrise lens gives anglers who are up before the dawn and out at dusk an edge to spot the fish more clearly when the light levels are lower.”

Different lens colors vary the amount of light allowed into the eye. Costa’s 580 gray lens, for example, blocks the most light, so it’s suitable for bright, sunny conditions such as during offshore fishing. Copper or amber-based lenses allow slightly more light in, ideal for making out shapes and contrasts below murky lake or river water. The new 580P sunrise lens lets in the most light possible for anglers to spot fish more clearly during early morning or dusk 64 |

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Aimpoint Hunter Series The Aimpoint H34S is a lightweight, non-magnified sight for use on rifles and shotguns, which allows hunters to get on target faster and more accurately than with magnified optics or iron sights. This product offers a 34mm tube diameter with a 47mm objective lens to provide enhanced optical performance, and utilizes a single 2 MOA red-dot reticule that makes fast shots in any weather or lighting conditions easier to manage. The H34S weighs only 9oz, is fully waterproof, offers twelve manual brightness settings, and provides up to 50,000 hours (over 5 years) of battery life using a single battery.

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more information on Aimpoint products, visit www.aimpoint.com.

LensPen It has been 20 years since The LensPen Group introduced the original LensPen, and for a generation photographers and outdoor enthusiasts have counted on LensPen to keep their cameras, scopes, binoculars and other fine optics clean and images sharp.

As digital replaced film, models specifically designed to clean LCD screens, compact camera lenses, viewfinders and filters were added to the product line. And now these five LensPen models – Original™, DigiKlear, MiniPro,MicroPro and FilterKlear – feature a stylish new design and state-of-the-art packaging. A completely new look, but with the same unmatched features that have made LensPen an optics necessity, not just an accessory.

They’re completely safe for all lens, filter and screen surfaces. The secret to LensPen’s unique cleaning ability and amazing long life – more than 500 cleanings – is found in its special carbon compound. Carbon’s grease-cutting properties remove fingerprints from optics safely and effectively. The carbon compound found in LensPen products is similar to the one used in printer’s ink; the reason why newspapers have long been an effective way to clean windows and mirrors.

Before putting the carbon to

Photos: Costa del Mar; Aimpoint; LENSPEN; LaserLyte; Winchester; Bear & Sons

Costa 580P Sunrise

hours when sunlight wanes.

The 580P sunrise lens is available in some of Costa’s most popular performance sunglasses, including Corbina, Fisch, Fathom, Hammerhead, Jose, Zane and others. Frame color options include black or tortoise. Costa styles with the new 580P sunrise lens start at $159.

For more information, contact 1-800447-3700 or visit the company’s web site at www.costadelmar.com.

Aimpoint H34S sight for rifles and shotguns.

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work, use the retractable natural brush to remove any loose dust from the lens surface.

“There are never any messy liquids to spray on and then wipe off, and there’s no need for dirty optical tissues or microfiber cloths, that often do nothing more than smear the fingerprint oil around,” said Peter Meurrens, Vice President of Operations at the LensPen Group.

“Try it once and join the millions of already satisfied LensPen customers who know that nothing cleans like a LensPen,” Meurrens said. “Not really so surprising for those that know us because at LensPen we focus all our energy on one little problem that everyone else seems to ignore: how to clean fingerprints!”

LensPen products are available on Amazon, Best Buy and other fine retailers. For more information on LensPen products, go to www.lenspen.com.

To see a demonstration, watch “The LensPen System 2012” video at www.youtube.com/lenspennews.

LaserLyte LaserLyte, the leader in laser technology for the shooting sports market for 25 years, brings down the price and ups the performance with the LaserLyte RTBXD. LaserLyte returns to basics with the patented RTB-XD rear sight laser that fits the Springfield XD/XDM firearms. The high performance laser built into a rear sight specifically designed for Springfield XD/XDM pistols features a simple, ambidextrous “press and go” activation. The laser is easily programmable to either constant on or pulse mode.

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unit off after 6-minutes.

Made from heavy-duty, high carbon steel for added durability, the LaserLyte RTB-XD rear sight laser has a black chrome finish for corrosion prevention. A great benefit of the LaserLyte RTB-XD rear sight laser is that the customer will not have to replace grips, internal stock parts or holsters. The LaserLyte RTB-XD rear sight laser is compatible with all Level 1 and Level 2 holsters including the BLACKHAWK! SERPA holster system. MSRP on the LaserLyte RTBXD rear sight laser for all Springfield XD/ XDM’s is only $139.95.

Visit www.laserlyte.com and check them out on Facebook.

Winchester Goes Hog Wild New for 2012, Winchester Ammunition is creating excitement among hog hunters from the California coast to the swamps of Florida with the launch of Razorback XT – the world’s first specialized cartridge specifically designed for wild hog hunting.

“Razorback XT is our response to the rising popularity of hog hunting and the necessity to control wild hogs where they are a nuisance,” said Brett Flaugher, Winchester Ammunition vice president of marketing and sales. “Hunters need a cartridge that can drive through thick hide and bone for quick, ethical harvest shots on the toughest wild boars and Razorback XT will get the job done, shot after shot.”

The Razorback XT lead-free bullet has a beveled profile and is made of solid gilding metal with a hollow point for delayed expansion on extremely tough wild hogs. Flash suppressed powders make Razorback XT perfect for use in low light or after dark with night vision technology.

Initially, Razorback XT will be produced in two of the most popular hog hunting calibers – .223 Rem and .308 Win. Razorback XT is designed for use in

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bolt-action rifles as well as modern sporting rifles like the AR-10 and AR-15.

For more, visit Winchester.com.

Bear Upswept Skinner When a successful hunter is ready to field- dress game, he wants to know he has a skinning knife he can count on. The 753 Upswept Skinner from Bear & Son Cutlery fills that vital role perfectly.

Ideally shaped for efficient skinning, the 3-1/4-inch hollowground blade is made of high carbon 440A stainless steel.

It’s heat treated to a Rockwell hardness of 57-58 for superior edge retention and corrosion resistance.

The comfortable handle is a new Stag Delrin Bear & Sons material, and an extraUpswept deep choil serves as Skinner. an effective guard when working the blade.

Overall length of the 753 Upswept Skinner, which comes with a quality leather sheath, is 7-1/4” and it weighs 4.0 ounces. It has a very affordable MSRP of $42.99.

Like all Bear & Son knives, it’s made in their state-of-the-art Jacksonville, Alabama plant, where they do all their own tooling, pressing, heat-treating, grinding, hafting, finishing and assembly.

ONLINE STORE Shop for innovative, new and hard-to-find outdoor gear at

www.FishandGameGear.com

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Sabine Shrimp Fest

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fter much anticipation, October has finally rolled into town. We can now kick our transition mode into high gear and start focusing on the fall fishing techniques and patterns that go hand in hand with the more frequent and intense cool fronts that this month brings.

Based on the amount of shrimp that have been stacked in the marsh, with a little help from some big high tides this summer, we should be in for a stellar fall on Sabine Lake.

Once these fronts, especially the ones with a little oomph to ‘em, begin to push

their way to Texas’ upper coast, and the north wind begins to pull water from the marsh and bayous, the lake should come alive.

The shrimp will finally have the all clear to begin riding the current out of the marsh and go explore the open waters of the bay, where trout, redfish and flounder will be waiting to greet them.

Picking and diving seagulls and terns over hungry schools of predator fish will be tell tale signs that some of the shrimp have indeed decided to leave the marsh and set their bearings on the bay. Although running the birds is not the only option when it comes to having success in October, it is by far the most popular.

For the past several years here on Sabine, we’ve been fortunate enough to fish working birds basically year round. With the exception of January and February it has been pretty consistent and we have definitely taken advantage of it. However, the real fronts that typically begin to show up some-

time in October tend to raise bird chasing up a few notches in the pecking order.

It’s all about the amount of bait in the bay that allows predators like the Big 3 to display their dominance in the food chain.

We have shrimp in the lake during the spring and summer months and have been blessed lately with an influx of ribbonfish.

However, it pales in comparison with the numbers of shrimp and baitfish that pour out of the marsh and bayous as a result of the low tides that come with the stronger cold fronts.

The amount of shrimp available in the fall is what sets fishing the birds apart from the rest of the year. In the summer there is not nearly as much shrimp concentrated in a particular area, and sometimes we’re lucky just to catch one or two fish in a group of birds before they go down. In the fall, however, it’s not uncommon to stay with the birds for over an hour, getting bit on almost every cast. There are usually several different groups to choose from so there is plenty of room for everyone.

It’s not necessary to worry too much about what baits to throw either because when you find yourself within casting distance of gulls picking, shrimp skipping and fish busting the surface, you’re going to get bit no matter what you’ve got tied on. Fish with your favorite go-to baits or experiment with something new and come see me on Sabine Lake in October. I’ll be in the birds.

the bank bite Location: McFaddin Beach Species: Bull Reds Best Baits: Live or cut mullet Best Times: Strong incoming tides Tips: Cast past the 2nd or 3rd sandbar. Place rods in a secure holder. Grab something refreshing and wait for the reels to sing!

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Another Red October? n October, fall has officially fell!

This means at least somewhat cooler temperatures, normally rather calm waters with good tidal movement and decent clarity – and redfish! Whether you prefer wading a bay reef, drifting the jetties, or long rod casting from the surf or a beachfront pier, reds of all legal sizes should be abundant and hungry. Although taking bay redfish on top water plugs is possible and very exciting, a red’s mouth is actually better constructed for bottom feeding, which means they eat a lot of crabs, sea lice, and bottom hugging baitfish. For a red, it helps if that baitfish is either dead or injured, so fresh cut bait can be almost as effective as live bait. Almost, because a live finger mullet tethered to a hook appears crippled to a predator, yet it can still move enough to send out tantalizing vibrations. If that small mullet was to have his tail cut off – which I would never do for fear of angering “animal rights” groups and possibly being sued by a different sort of mullet than I am accustomed to facing in court – the scent attraction is amplified greatly and it no longer has to pretend to be wounded.

I have mentioned before in this column the extra attraction of dead shrimp at times over live shrimp. Many years ago I hosted a friend who had coached my high school football team in an afternoon of fishing on Chocolate Bayou, appropriately enough, in October. Since time was limited, I took him to a small cove on the east bank of the bayou, not far from the then Monsanto Chemical Company docks. Quite by accident, we found that reds seemed to be stagT F & G

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Reds of all sizes should be abundant and hungry.

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ing on a small gravel point, in very shallow water. A dead shrimp – which was the only kind we had by then – cast on top of the point, would almost immediately be dragged off by a decent red. Casting anywhere but exactly on top of the gravel would find the bait completely ignored. We were able to get quick limits of nice reds and be back at the dock well within our allotted time, with

my ex-coach convinced I was some sort of hotshot redfish guide. That spot never paid off quite as well on other trips, but I could just about always pick up a good fish or two

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there on trips when a good fish or two made for a much happier day.

It would be logical to assume there are many spots like this one in the various brackish bayous feeding the Galveston Bay system, as fall is a prime time for reds in these transition waters.

In the surf, bull reds are more abundant now than possibly any other time of year. Common folklore has it that these breeder fish come to rough surf to spawn, but my own theory is that they spawn in deep water offshore, and come to the surf to feed instead. I base this partly on never having caught a “bull” containing eggs in the surf, and I have caught quite a few over the years. The near shore Gulf doesn’t have a lot of structure to shelter bait – except for the sandbars and breakers just off the beach. The surf doesn’t have to be off-color, either, as I have taken my largest reds in clear, green surf. Live mullet has been my

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Fall Fish are Stirring on Matagorda Bays

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he average high air temperature on the southeast coast of Texas in October is 83.2 degrees and the average low is 58.4 degrees. Add this beautiful weather to hungry fish, and you have the makings of enjoyable days of fishing the Matagorda area in October. Typically the wind is light, but there are days when the wind blows from the northeast at around 20 mph. When that happens, you might as well stay home because the water is rough and brown, and the fish are turned off. About ten days of the month of October, fog forms on East and West Matagorda Bays. Hearing a boat coming in your direction at full speed, but not being able to see it is scary. It is best to let the

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fog lift, which usually happens by 11 a.m., before venturing out. But when the tide is moving and the weather is pleasant, it is not hard to find action.

Many fishermen believe that when water temperatures are between 70 and 80 degrees fish are stimulated to feed. My records show water temperatures in East and West Matagorda Bays are between 63 degrees and 81 degrees in October. Many mornings in October have strong outgoing tides. When current is moving out, and you position yourself at the mouth of a bayou that drains a considerable amount of marsh, chances are you will catch trout, flounder, or redfish. In October, the possibility of coming home with bragging rights after catching

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a Texas Triple (flounder, trout, redfish) are the highest of any month.

Cool weather triggers fish to feed up for the coming winter. In October, flounder are very aggressive feeders. They tend to move along the shorelines of the bays in schools; so if you catch one, go right back to the same place and slowly hop your lure over the bottom. I was fishing with a red and white Bass Assassin soft plastic on a 1/6 ounce jig head tipped with a little piece of Gulp for scent in West Matagorda Bay. The wind protected, grassy shoreline was about a foot deep. A flounder hit my lure like it was furious at it. I put the 19-inch flounder on my stringer and went right back to the same spot and repeated the process three more times. However, flounder don’t always put the whole lure in their mouths on the initial hit. If you reel in a soft plastic lure with the tail bitten off, try another hook setting tactic: let the flounder hit the lure and allow the line to go slack and wait, the flounder will swim with it and when you think the fish has committed to eating the lure, set the hook.

October is when white shrimp move out of the bays and into the Gulf of Mexico.

Gulls, terns, pelicans, and fish are all tuned into this cycle. Trout and redfish chase shrimp from below and the birds pick them off from above. Fishermen in East Matagorda Bay look for loud, boisterous birds diving into the water and then set up a drift that will place them in a position to cast to the fish, without disturbing them. It is best to shut down your engine well before reaching the action and use a drift anchor or a trolling motor to get close to the feeding activity.

West Matagorda Bay has this phenomenon also, but the trout in East Matagorda Bay tend to be bigger. Fish in these feeding frenzies will hit anything, but the action does not last long, so get the fish off quickly and get your lure back out there right away. Artificial lures are preferable in this circumstance, because if the lure is not destroyed, you can get the fish off and cast faster.

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Galveston focus East or West Matagorda bays is a great time to find redfish working the shorelines.

Just look for fleeing shrimp and fish as schools of reds feed parallel to the shoreline and listen, they splash and bash as they attack prey.

Add ideal water temperatures to pleasant weather, and fish that are aggressively feeding, and you have the conditions for a great a great day on the water in October in East and West Matagorda Bays.

the bank bite Location: West Mooring Site Park on the ICW, Sargent Species: croaker, sand trout, drum, flounder, reds Best Baits: fresh dead shrimp, live shrimp, live finger mullet, mud minnows, Best Time: strong incoming or outgoing tidal flows, daily solunar periods.

Contact Mike Price at MPrice@fishgame.com

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t CONTINUED FROM PAGE 67 preferred bull red bait, although I have caught some on skipjacks, and have seen them taken by others on large shad and even squid. Wire leaders keep sharks and other toothy critters from escaping, or a red from cutting the leader on a sharp piece of shell. Wire pronged “spider weights” keep the bait from moving along the bottom, yet pull free easily under the pressure of a heavy fish. Long rods are necessary to cast into good water, and reels with a minimum of 300 yards of 30# mono have served me best.

A bait offered to redfish might be picked up by a shark, stingray, tarpon, or kingfish – I’ve seen it happen with all of these species. I also remember the day that my fishing buddy and I were napping after a night of fruitlessly watching the rod tips of our bull red gear when his wife woke us to show off a 17 pound red she took on a closed face spinning rig wading the first shallow bar – and dunking dead shrimp!

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the bank bite Location: The surf, jetties, piers and rock groins plus wade able bay reefs. San Luis Pass can be good, but please watch the currents.

Species: Trout, pan fish and flounder are around, and will help pass the time while prospecting for reds.

Best Baits: Smaller reds will jump on gold spoons and sometimes top water lures.

They also hit just about any jig, from large soft plastics down to tandem-rigged, nylon skirted “Spec Rigs”. Bull reds want natural bait, from finger mullet to big “horse” mullet.

Best Times: Early and late in the day, or at night – depending largely on the tides.

Capt. Mike Holmes runs charters on a classic 31 Bertram. To book a trip, call 979-415-0535. Email him at MHolmes@fishgame.com.

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he clients I had on my boat was one that I had never taken out before and had come to me after what they described as a “not what they expected” day with another guide.

The man and his wife had quizzed me pretty well about my style of guiding, and as they arrived early that morning to meet me, the woman asked in a very serious manner: “Now, Capt. Mac, will my husband and I catch fish?”

The fishing had been slow with a full moon and water levels were so low one would think that it was January and February, not June. My response was, “Well, yes, ma’am. I believe we will, but we are going to work for our fish today, probably moving a lot and casting ‘til your arms are sore.”

“I see,” she said. “So we are going to fish and we are going to catch fish.”

I was a little confused but thought I understood her point and said: “We are not going to sink the boat with fish, but you will put some keepers in the ice chest and should have enough to fix for supper, and hopefully maybe a few more. Some days it’s fishing and catching and some days more just fishing, but in either case, I will work hard to put you on fish.”

“Well, let me say right up front that I know you can out-fish us, so my husband and I concede that and would like the opportunity to fish and catch ourselves,” she said.

I had missed her point completely, but was catching up quickly.

“Ma’am, I don’t really fish that much with you, for I stay busy baiting hooks,

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“ As the day progressed, I learned they had been on a guided trip where the guide did most of the catching.

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When Is a Catch Not a Catch?

netting fish, and focusing on keeping us on feeding fish. If you and your husband want, I can cast some for you until you get the hang of it. I’m one that you might say encourages my clients to participate as much as possible in their fishing trip.”

That changed her whole mood at the dock, and as her husband toted their ice chest to my boat, she proclaimed in a very cheerful voice: “Bill! We actually get to fish today!”

As the day progressed, I learned they had been on a guided trip where the guide did most of the catching, and while the guide seemed to have a good time, the

clients were disappointed in the trip. Of the 15 fish they brought back and cleaned, 12 were caught by the guide. Our trip that day was a success with limits of trout, a few reds, and a few black drum, and the clients happily did the catching and me the netting and cleaning. At the end of the day, the wife told me: “Now, Capt. Mac, that’s a fun day of fishing!”

Over the years, I have heard this story way too often, where the guide does the catching and the clients get to watch, espe-

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cially on artificial-only guided trips.

Of course a guide is going to out-fish most of his clients, for the waters are tilted in the guide’s favor: his boat, his rods, his baits, and he’s playing in his home waters-not to mention he’s probably on the water fishing over 150 days a year compared to most clients that might get to fish 3-4 days a year.

The real question is: what in your opinion is a guide’s primary role? Only the paying client knows.

I believe my job is to teach clients how to catch fish on that particular day using techniques that work for me, and in all honesty, some are more teachable that others.

The point is, they are learning a new skill, and though they might not limit out in an hour, at the end of the day the fish in the box are ones that they caught and most find a deep sense of satisfaction that carries them right up to the dinner table when the delicious filets are eaten. “Fish just tastes better if you catch it,” I had one lady tell me.

If people want to watch a catching clinic, they can turn on the outdoor channel and watch any number of fishing shows that take 200 or so hours of fishing film and condense it into a 30-minute catching frenzy. When they pay me money to take them fishing, they want to catch fish, not watch my testosterone flow all over my 23-foot boat as I load the ice chest with fish.

Can anyone really think that’s a fun day for a paying client? A good fisherman does not always make a good guide. The motivation for a guide to be catching the fish is mostly self-serving, though some do have the interest of the client in mind.

Unfortunately, they miss the mark for a lot of paying clients. The guide will catch fish so the client goes back with fish to eat, so they look good when they get to the fish cleaning station, so they can put pictures on their websites, and--here’s the big one-because it’s just flat fun.

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and some have told me they would seriously consider not guiding if they didn’t get to fish. Truth is, I seldom get to fish, and my wife Lisa knows my style of guiding is not usually fishing for my clients. So, when she asks if I want to go fishing with her, I jump at the chance.

On my days off, you can usually see me at the boat ramp launching my boat, where more than once I have been asked, “You going out by yourself? Don’t you ever get tired of fishing?” I seldom get to fish, and when I do get to fish, I cherish it.

There are times when I know my clients are not catching fish and I ask if they want me to help. Some say, “Yes! Please help!” while others say, “No, we want to catch our own.”

The point is, I leave that up to the client: it’s their trip, their water time, their money, and I strongly believe they have a say in it.

On the other side of the coin, some clients couldn’t care less, just see the guide catching fish as a normal guided day, and appreciate the guide’s efforts to get them more fish. Some want the guide to hook the fish and hand them the rod; some will just sit back, drink a beer, and be as happy as a feral hog in a sour mash mud hole while the guide loads the box with fish.

Legally, you might be surprised what the TPWD has to say about whose fish the guide just put into the box. Suffice to say, if I’m asked to help, it’s usually just hooking the fish and passing the rod to the client to reel it in. There truly is no right and wrong here (with the exception of the letter of the law), just guide style differences.

You, the client, need to ask questions of your potential guide and select one that fits your particular style. If you don’t ask, then don’t complain. The catch is, you decide when a catch is a Catch and when it’s not.

trout.

St. Charles Bay – Drifts across Big Sharp Point using sand eels in pumpkin/ chartreuse and red shad is good for reds and some keeper trout. Red action is good at the mouth of Big Devil Bayou using cut mullet or mud minnows on a fish finder rig.

Aransas Bay – Hamilton Reef is good for trout using free lined croaker and some reds frequent this area early morning and late evening. The deeper transitions off of Live Oak Point are good for trout using soft plastics in new penny and electric grape colors. On colder days target the deep water off of Nine Mile Point for reds using cut mullet or finger mullet on a light Carolina rig.

Carlos Bay – Cedar Reef is still good for reds on high tide using finger mullet free lined. The deep-water transition off of Cedar Point is good for trout using croaker.

Free line the croaker and let it swim from shallow to the deep edge as most bites happen in this area.

Ayers Bay – Keeper black drum are good on the west shoreline close to Rattlesnake Island using peeled shrimp on a light Carolina rig. As I have said before a patient hook set is required here so slow down and give a three count before setting the hook.

Gaff top are plentiful on the mid-bay shell using cut squid or dead shrimp under a cork.

the bank bite The cut between St Charles and Aransas Bay is the best place to be as the first cold front makes its way into the coastal bend. Fish the whole area from shallow to deep using free lined shrimp for red trout and some flounder. If the current is strong through the cut use a medium weighted Carolina rig to let the bait down into the water column. Access to this area is through Goose Island State Park.

Here’s wishing you tight lines, bent poles, and plenty of bait.

Mesquite Bay – Rattlesnake Reef is good for reds using mud minnows on a light Carolina rig, high tide early morning is best.

Wade fish the south shore line of San Jose close to Cedar Bayou using free line croaker for trout and reds.

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

••• Copano Bay – As cold fronts hit target the deeper water of Smiths Channel especially if the water temperature drops more that ten degrees. Cut mullet, or menhaden work well here for reds, and flounder and trout will hit cut bait more often than you might think. Live shrimp on the hot days towards the first of the month under a cork just off the shallow shell of Lap Reef works well for trout and reds. Shell Bank Reef is a good wade using medium size croaker for T F & G

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Black and Silver Attack

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or years I’ve written almost exclusively about the different Hot Spots in Lower Laguna Madre and the remarkable variety of species the visiting angler finds there, and with good reason. The Western Hemisphere’s only hypersaline lagoon has fishing as unique as the venue itself. However, the speckled trout, redfish, snook, flounder, mangrove snapper and sharks of Lower Laguna Madre are not the only quarry fisherman can go after. The South Texas Coast has some of the best nearshore and offshore angling in the state. It’s a colorful fishery, often in shades of black and silver.

October brings large numbers of blackfin tuna into range of most offshore anglers with a taste for fresh sashimi. Charter captains such as Richard Bailey (956-369-5090) and Chad Kinney (Bam Bam Fishing Charters (956-802-2269) have had great success finding anchored shrimp boats that are culling their catch early in the morning.

Among the feeding bonita, mahi, and jacks are schools of “footballs” (blackfins in the 10 to 15 pound range) darting in and out and indulging in the floating smorgasbord.

A few chunks of bait tossed out on the water will get the tuna’s attention, and when they start schooling around the boat, they hide a small hook tied to a 30 pound conventional or spinning rig in a chunk of bait and toss it over the side. It isn’t long before the reel begins screaming. The key is to use no weight and a big enough chunk to offset the weight of the hook so that it floats naturally among the other chunks. The tuna may be ravenous, but they aren’t too gullible.

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Trolling is also effective for technique for larger blackfins. The larger tuna hang further away from the shrimp boats and avoid the crowd around the main boat. Trolling with rigged ballyhoo, mullet, or jetheads or bubblers draw their attention and, often, strikes. Again, 20-30 pound tackle is ideal for blackfins and should have enough moxie to handle a big kingfish if it should come streaking through the spread.

October is also known for large mullet schools migrating up the coast and baitballs of small baitfish (known as “rain minnows”) aggregating along the Gulf shoreline. A variety of predators begin to ravage the schools of baitfish and gorge themselves in the process. Among the predators making their presence spectacularly felt are tarpon.

These spectacular piscine acrobats cruise up and down the surf line of Andy Bowie Park looking for the easy meals offered by baitballs. On an incoming tide, they’ll often cross over the first bar and hunt in the 3’ wade gut, where the clouds of hapless baitfish are trapped between the beach and the deep blue sea.

Bailey and other captains will cruise up and down the beachfront and keep a watchful eye for the darker water that hints at bait aggregate, and begin watching for tarpon blasting into the school or rolling around the perimeter. Then they’ll make a variety of casts at the school with baits varying from pearl colored soft plastics to bone topwaters such as a Skitterwalk or Top Dog. Fly fishermen have a great time tossing Clousers and Chicken Feathers in solid white or similar shad-imitating patterns.

A great lure choice for beach bum tarpon is a Gulp! Jerk Shad in mullet or glow.

The bait’s non-mechanical darting action is very attractive to poons. Thread the Jerk Shad onto a 5/0 Sproat-style worm hook (no need for Texas-Riggin’ out here) and cast it around the edges of the school. If no tarpon are spotted rolling, put a #3 split shot on the leader and fish a little deeper in the water column. If you get no takers move

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on to another school.

The great thing about tarpon cruising the beach is that a stalwart angler can reach them via the shoreline. A truck or SUV with four wheel drive will get you up and down the beach, although, at this time of year, the beach near the surf line is hard packed enough that you might get away driving a regular 2wd vehicle. Limited slip differential, though, is a must, as is a shovel in case you hit a soft patch of sand and need to do a little digging.

Choose a calm, sunny day for best spotting conditions, and keep a sharp eye.

Diving or hovering birds are a hint that a large predator is working the area, and it’s always worth a cast or two. Jumping baitfish is another giveaway to be on the watch for.

The venerable MirrOlure 51M in green sardine (green back/silver sides). This twitch bait has caught thousands of tarpon over the years, and they still work after all these years. Not only that, these lures have enough heft to make long casts to get to the tarpon if the bait balls are a bit farther out.

The color and smaller size of the plug best mimics the primary forage that these tarpon are feeding on; small mullet and scaled sardines. If you don’t want to take the retro approach to fishing, then a Catch 5, Catch 2000, or Bagley Mullet in similar patterns should fit the bill quite well.

Handle these fish with care. If you’re lucky enough to land one of these great fish, leave it in the water or at least on wet sand if possible. If you are going to lift the fish for pictures, cradle it in both arms rather than lifting it by the jaw (which could cause the internal organs to drop into the lower abdomen and cause membranes and connective tissue to tear). Use gloves to handle the fish.

October is known for the harvest moon and fall colors. For the South Texas Coastal angler, those colors will include black and— on a good day—silver.

Contact Calixto Gonzales at CGonzales@fishgame.com A l m a n ac

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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.

Follow the Birds to East Mat Trout

by GEORGE KNIGHTEN gtkphoto@yahoo.com

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: South Shoreline GPS: N28 40.04364, W95 52.47048 (28.667394, -95.874508) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Bass Assassins, Mirro-lures 5\” soft mullet CONTACT: Capt. Bill Pustejovsky 979-863-7353 captbill@goldtipguideservice.com TIPS: Great bird action for both trout and redfish in this area.

LOCATION: East Galveston HOTSPOT: Deep Reef GPS: N29 31.65108, W94 40.57422 (29.527518, -94.676237) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastic lures, MirroLures soft shad, 5” soft mullet, bass assassins CONTACT: Capt. George Knighten 832-310-9146, gtkphoto@yahoo.com TIPS: Drift the reef keying on bait and slicks. Use 1/4-1/8-ounce leadheads and work the water column.

LOCATION: East Galveston HOTSPOT: Stephenson Reef GPS: N29 32.29182, W94 41.1819 (29.538197, -94.686365) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Top Dogs, She Dogs, Bass Assassins, Mirro-lure 5\”Provoker CONTACT: Capt. George Knighten 832-310-9146, gtkphoto@yahoo.com TIPS: Good wading spot, work topwa74 |

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ters early then switch to soft plastics.

LOCATION: East Galveston HOTSPOT: Little Pasture Cove GPS: N29 31.11894, W94 32.02488 (29.518649, -94.533748) SPECIES: flounder BEST BAITS: soft plastic swim baits, mud minnows CONTACT: Capt. Thomas Barlow, 281827-6815, texxan2000@yahoo.com TIPS: Work the shoreline and edge of the grass. Flounder migrate down this shoreline heading for Rollover Pass.

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Cleveland Bayou GPS: N28 39.5823, W95 51.5289 (28.659705, -95.858815) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: He Dogs, She Dogs, Super Spooks & Norton sand eels CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Wade the shorelines. Topwater lures and soft plastics. Fish coves with active bait, watch for slicks and signs of feeding fish.

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: East Tripod GPS: N28 44.01144, W95 43.86324 (28.733524, -95.731054) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: shrimp Tails Under a Midcoast Popping Cork, Topwaters, and

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Broken Backs CONTACT: Capt. Mike Kubecka 979)240-9490 TIPS: Look for bait shrimp jumping or birds working.

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Boggy Drain GPS: N28 44.23548, W95 49.60722 (28.737258, -95.826787) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Shrimp Tails Under a Mid Coast Popping cork or live bait.

CONTACT: Capt. Mike Kubecka(979)-240-9490 TIPS: Fish all along the shorelines falling tide is the best. The Intracoastal holds a lot of fish this time of year. Fish the shelves.

LOCATION: Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Jacks Pocket GPS: N29 45.69276, W94 45.37326 (29.761546, -94.756221) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Top dogs, Corkys, MirroLures, Bass Assassins CONTACT: Capt. George Knighten 832310-9146 gtkphoto@yahoo.com TIPS: Shorelines great for wading, key on baitfish. Also good time for bird action.

LOCATION: Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Van-Ta-Un Reefs GPS: N29 33.15318, W94 46.49598 (29.552553, -94.774933) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: He Dogs, Top dogs, Bass Assassins, 5\” Soft Mullet CONTACT: Capt. Thomas Barlow - 281827-6815 texxan2000@yahoo.com TIPS: Great wade-fishing, sand and shell bottom. start early with topwaters then go down with soft plastics.

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LOCATION: West Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Chocolate Bay GPS: N29 9.91668, W95 8.20764 (29.165278, -95.136794) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastic lures, Bass Assassins CONTACT: Capt. Greg Francis, 409039-1684 TIPS: Drift the shell reefs and watch for birds, Great bird action this month.

LOCATION: West Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Campbell’s Bayou GPS: N29 19.4697, W94 53.40696 (29.324495, -94.890116) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastic lures, Bass Assassins CONTACT: Capt. Greg Francis, 409039-1684 TIPS: Wade shallow or drift the out side tips of the reefs. Great on any west wind.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Cotton’s Bayou GPS: N28 30.56574, W96 12.60552 (28.509429, -96.210092) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: topwaters and soft plastic CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz, 281450-4037 TIPS: Work the grass on the shorelines and mouths of the drains, watch for active bait.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Lake Austin GPS: N28 32.32686, W96 10.2993 (28.538781, -96.171655) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp Under a Midcoast Popping Cork, shrimp Tails Under a Cork, topwaters Super Spook Juniors CONTACT: Capt. Mike Kubecka 979)240-9490 TIPS: Fish on a high tide, Make sure to have a slim boat, Birds may be working, Look for tailing reds and bait activity by mud boils.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Lake Austin (Correct) GPS: N28 47.15298, W95 47.44944 (28.785883, -95.790824) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp Under a MidT F & G

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coast Popping Cork, shrimp Tails Under a Cork, topwaters Super Spook Juniors CONTACT: Capt. Mike Kubecka 979)240-9490 TIPS: Fish on a high tide, Make sure to have a slim boat, Birds may be working, Look for tailing reds and bait activity by mud boils.

MIDDLE GULF COAST

Fall Out for Rockport Reds

LOWER GULF COAST

by GEORGE KNIGHTEN gtkphoto@yahoo.com

LOCATION: Rockport HOTSPOT: Second Outfall GPS: N27 57.93414, W97 4.83468 (27.965569, -97.080578) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Cut mullet and dead shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Charlie Newton 361)729-8220 TIPS: Anchor and throw baits into the sand holes. Wait on them to take the bait.

LOCATION: Mesquite Bay HOTSPOT: Cedar Bayou Flats GPS: N28 6.72486, W96 50.4936 (28.112081, -96.841560) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: topwater lures or weedless spoons CONTACT: Capt. Ben Wells 361-790-8107 TIPS: Wade the grass flats, watch for slicks and nervous bait.

LOCATION: Rockport HOTSPOT: No Name Area GPS: N27 53.86194, W97 6.60618 (27.897699, -97.110103) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Cut mullet and dead shrimp CONTACT: Charles Newton 361-7298220 TIPS: In October this area is good for drifting or anchoring up. Cast into the sand spots with cut mullet or dead shrimp.

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LOCATION: Rockport HOTSPOT: Trout Bayou GPS: N27 57.80448, W97 4.6338 (27.963408, -97.077230) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Cut Mullet and dead shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Charlie Newton 361729-8220 TIPS: There are several areas in this bayou and you can drift across or anchor and throw baits into the sand holes. Wait on them to take the bait.

Tarpon Hit the Beach at Mansfield

by CALIXTO GONZALES cgonzales@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Beachfront GPS: N26 42.43674, W97 19.31232 (26.707279, -97.321872) SPECIES: tarpon BEST BAITS: soft plastics in Bone, Pearl; topwaters in bone CONTACT: Captain Richard Bailey, 956-369-5090 TIPS: Cruise up and down the beachfront on calm days and watch for baitballs.

Tarpon and other predators will crash these schools all autumn long. Match the hatch with plastics and topwaters for best results. Han on! You might latch onto a 150-pounder.

LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Arroyo Mouth GPS: N26 21.14496, W97 19.7106 (26.352416, -97.328510) SPECIES: flounder BEST BAITS: live finger mullet, live shrimp; Gulp! shrimp in rootbeer/gold CONTACT: Captain Cesar Anguiano, 956-456-1363 TIPS: Fish edges and depth breaks for flounder that are holding and feeding. Use a split-shot or a 1/4-ounce jighead dressed with a Gulp! shrimp. Hop the bait slowly for best results.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay

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HOTSPOT: East Kleberg Point GPS: N27 16.161, W97 30.28398 (27.269350, -97.504733) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters in dark patterns, chartreus; Catch 2000 in mullet, dark purple; Bass assasins in Baffin Magic, Morning Glory, or other dark patterns CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361449-7441 TIPS: Watch for tailing redfish feeding shallow Cast topwaters shallow early in the morning. Fish deeper water with jigs and bait on warmer days.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Black’s Bluff GPS: N27 13.97202, W97 31.11198 (27.232867, -97.518533) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters; Soft plastics in plum/chartreuse, rootbeer/red flake, Morning Glory, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361985-6089. 361-449-7441. brushcountrycharters.com TIPS: Watch for fleeing bait near the shoreline. Topwaters will elicit crashing strikes. Subwalkers such as the Mirrodine and Catch 2000 will also draw attention and facilitate better hookups.

LOCATION: Brazos-Santiago Pass HOTSPOT: South Jetty Tip GPS: N26 3.85674, W97 8.67192 (26.064279, -97.144532) SPECIES: snook BEST BAITS: live shrimp, mullet; soft plastic swimbaits in Pearly, Smoke, red head/white body CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish the rocks off the point of the jetties, around scattered submerged boulders. Freeline live bait near rocks Throw swimbaits directly into breaking water and bring back deep. Use heavier line LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Mansfield Jetties GPS: N26 33.70698, W97 16.18038 (26.561783, -97.269673) SPECIES: redfish 76 |

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BEST BAITS: live bait, cut bait, soft plastics in red/white, gold spoons, Mirrolures CONTACT: Captain Richard Bailey, 956-369-5090 TIPS: Big redfish cruise up and down the jetties early in the morning. Anchor halfway between the tip and the beach, about 100 feet off the rocks and fish use cut bait or live bait. Use a short wire trace.

Spanish Mackerel are also prowling.

LOCATION: South Bay HOTSPOT: South Bay Channels GPS: N26 2.69202, W97 10.974 (26.044867, -97.182900) SPECIES: black drum BEST BAITS: live shrimp, Gulp! shrimp in Rootbeer, new Penny CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez, 956-551-9581 TIPS: Fish the channels during moving tide. Cast along the drop-offs with live shrimp rigged with a #3 or 4 split shot 18-inches above the hook. You can also use Gulp! shrimp rigged on a 1/4-ounce jig or a 1/8th ounce Flutter hook.

LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Old Causeway Tip GPS: N26 4.46778, W97 10.83936 (26.074463, -97.180656) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp, cut ballyhoo or mullet, live shrimp or pinfish, Gulp! shrimp under popping cork CONTACT: Captain Richard Cadengo, 956-434-2521 TIPS: Fish down current side on moving tide. Free line live bait with a #3 split shot to take the bait down in the water column.

A weightless Gulp! Shrimp in New Penny or Rootbeer/glow works too. Fish near the pilings during midday. Trout like shade.

LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: North Cullen Bay GPS: N26 13.85916, W97 19.3707 (26.230986, -97.322845) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: live shrimp, cut ballyhoo, soft plastics in red/white, Pearl/glow, gold spoons CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez,

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956-551-9581 TIPS: Watch for tailing redfish near the shoreline and along mangrove edges. Skip a ballyhoo when fish are actively feeding. If no signs of feeding fish, drift with cut ballyhoo or live shrimp under a cork, or use soft plastics. A gold spoon works, too LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: West of Gaswell Flats GPS: N26 10.70796, W97 13.0776 (26.178466, -97.217960) SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: live shrimp, cut bait, soft plastics in red/white, Gulp! shrimp in Rootbeer/Gold, New Penny CONTACT: Captain Richard Cadengo, 956-434-2521 TIPS: Fish the first color change just west of Gaswell Flats. Live shrimp/popping cork rigs are standard fare; larger trout will strike ballyhoo. Watch for working birds.

LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: West of Green Island GPS: N26 23.54418, W97 18.91752 (26.392403, -97.315292) SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters, soft plastics in red/white, Pearl/glow CONTACT: Captain Sergio Anguiano 956.456.4415 TIPS: Keep an eye for the disturbed water that is caused by large schools of redfish. Cast topwaters and soft plastics on smaller jigheads. Position your boat on intercept courses of the schools.

LOCATION: Offshore HOTSPOT: 30 Fathom Bank GPS: N26 46.78002, W96 42.10002 (26.779667, -96.701667) SPECIES: snapper BEST BAITS: Cut fish, butterfly and leadhead jigs CONTACT: Captain Richard Bailey, 956-369-5090 TIPS: Locate fish on the bank with electronics and anchor or drift over the spot.

Drop down Large baits or Butterfly-style jigs to entice grouper.

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ter lures and crankbaits early. Fish slowly.

Once the sun is up, move out and fish 12 to 18 feet with Carolina-rigged worms.

PINEY WOODS

Crappie on the Feed at Toledo

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Huxley River Channel Ledges GPS: N31 45.76554, W93 50.20554 (31.762759, -93.836759) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Shiners, jigs CONTACT: Greg Crafts, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, 936-368-7151, toledobendguide.com TIPS: The crappie will be feeding heavy in anticipation of the coming season. The fish will start moving to the ledges and drops along the river channel. Use your electronics to locate natural and man-made cover holding baitfish that attract the crappie.

LOCATION: Caddo HOTSPOT: Amess Basin GPS: N32 42.99354, W94 6.26364 (32.716559, -94.104394) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Swimbaits, swim jigs, Senkos CONTACT: Paul Keith, caddoguide1@ att.net, 318-455-3437, caddolakefishing.com TIPS: The bass are beginning to gang up with the arrival of cooler weather. The bass will be feeding on shad before the winter and will continue through December. Fish close to the creeks and keep an eye out for schooling fish.

LOCATION: Conroe HOTSPOT: Old Montgomery Road GPS: N30 23.57064, W95 32.51778 (30.392844, -95.541963) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Pop Rs, jerkbaits, crankbaits, plastic worms CONTACT: Richard Tatsch, admin@fishdudetx.com, 936-2911277, fishdudetx.com TIPS: Look for bass feeding on the points and in the backs of the creeks and coves here with soft plastic jerkbaits, topwaT F & G

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LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Public Hump GPS: N32 51.174, W95 31.811 (32.8529, -95.530183) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: spoons, Carolina rigs CONTACT: Michael’s Guide Service, 903-383-3406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Use large jigging spoons on large schools of fish when you have found them using your depthfinder. If yellow bass are biting, stick around because largemouth bass are usually eating them.

Tsunami Holographic Swim Shad CONTACT: David S. Cox, dave@palmettoguideservice.com, 936291-9602, palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Look for striped bass in deep water chasing shad toward the main lake points. Fish live shad or chrome or white Slabs just off the bottom and keep an eye out for any surfacing action. Most of the fish will be deep but they will move shallow at times.

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Bell Ridge GPS: N32.52.539, W95.31.367 (32.87565, -95.522783) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: spinnerbaits, football-head jigs in black/blue CONTACT: Michael’s Guide Service, 903-383-3406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: If yellow bass are biting, stick around because largemouth bass are usually eating them. Use your depthfinder to find schools of fish and use larger jigs and spinners to catch them.

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Highway 515 E. Bridge (East Side) GPS: N32.53.713, W95.31.224 (32.895217, -95.5204) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: 1/32- to 1/8-ounce jigs in gray/blue; live minnows CONTACT: Michael’s Guide Service, 903-383-3406, www.lake-fork-guides.com TIPS: Keep your line moving up and down in the water column until you find where the fish are located. Count how long it takes your bait to reach that level and fish it there every cast. Don’t sit around at one piling for too long if they are not biting; just move to the next piling.

LOCATION: Livingston HOTSPOT: State Park GPS: N30 39.27852, W95 0.72102 (30.654642, -95.012017) SPECIES: striper BEST BAITS: live shad, Slabs, spoons,

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LOCATION: Lake O the Pines HOTSPOT: Johnson Creek GPS: N32 46.50726, W94 32.42142 (32.775121, -94.540357) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Topwaters, jigs, Chatter Baits CONTACT: Sonny Kopech, 903-5928221, Marion.Kopech@HDSupply.com TIPS: October is a great month to find schooling action on the main lake points at Johnson, Alley and Brushy creeks. When the sun gets up try punching the grass with a jig and throwing a Chatter Bait along the grasslines in Johnson and Alley creeks.

PRAIRIES & LAKES

Lavon Crappie Stick to Tickey

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Lavon HOTSPOT: Tickey Creek GPS: N33 5.95386, W96 29.175 (33.099231, -96.486250) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Black-blue, black-chartreuse jigs, small minnows CONTACT: Billy Kilpatrick, straightlineguide@yahoo.com, 214-232-7847,

straightlineguide.com TIPS: Fish are moving back to 6-12 feet of water and are very aggressive at 1-2 feet off the bottom. Tickey Creek, the cove by Baptist Encampment, Mallard Park and the timber standing between Pebble Beach and Lakeland all hold lots of fish.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek HOTSPOT: Lighted Docks GPS: N32 17.74938, W96 10.87902 (32.295823, -96.181317) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, Roadrunners, jigs, swimbaits CONTACT: Jason Barber, kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com, 903603-2047, www.kingcreekadventures.com TIPS: October is a good month to catch bass at night. Cast Rat-L-Traps, Roadrunners, bucktails and swimbaits into the many lighted areas around the boat docks.

Bring the lures back with a slow to medium retrieve.

LOCATION: Fayette County HOTSPOT: Northwest Side Main Point GPS: N29 56.568, W96 43.67394 (29.942800, -96.727899) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: stinkbait, worms CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_ edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTalesGuideService.com TIPS: Timber here along with dying moss attract predator and bait fish. The timber offers both shallow and deep structure out to about 12 feet. Chum the shallow areas and cast to it. Chum the deeper water and fish straight down. Expect light bites.

LOCATION: Gibbons Creek.

HOTSPOT: Employee Dock Area GPS: N30 37.79208, W96 4.76352 (30.629868, -96.079392) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, worms, shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_ edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTalesGuideService.com TIPS: Gibbons Creek is scheduled to close Nov. 1 through February. It also is

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scheduled to be open only on Fridays and Saturdays in October. Use a slip cork and fish the edges of the lily pads here. The railroad dam also offers some wind protection.

LOCATION: Aquilla HOTSPOT: Riprap at the Dam GPS: N31 53.99172, W97 12.40578 (31.899862, -97.206763) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, Tail Hummers CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck01@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, teamredneck.net TIPS: The white bass will be chasing threadfin shad along the riprap early and late. Position your boat along the side of the dam and make long casts. Use a fast to medium retrieve. Carry binoculars and watch for schooling activity.

LOCATION: Cooper HOTSPOT: Main Lake Flats GPS: N33 19.09782, W95 43.24998 (33.318297, -95.720833) SPECIES: hybrid striper BEST BAITS: 4-inch Sassy Shad, Strike King Sexy Spoon CONTACT: Tony Parker, tawakonifishing@yahoo.com, 903-348-1619, tawakonifishing.com TIPS: Fish the flats around the islands.

Both hybrid striped bass and white bass feed on shad in these areas. Keep an eye out for an occasional large gizzard shad leaping out of the water trying to escape the feeding fish. Use chrome and chartreuse lures.

LOCATION: Palestine HOTSPOT: Main Lake Pockets GPS: N32 4.48716, W95 26.47374 (32.074786, -95.441229) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Football Shakers, Yellow Magic topwaters, Hawg Frogs CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@ rickysguideservice.com, 903-561-7299, rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Start early with Football Shakers, Hawg Frogs and Yellow Magic topwater A l m a n ac

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lures. Fish the backs of the main lake pockets and around all boat docks that you can.

During mid-day, fish the main lake points with Carolina-rigged soft plastics.

LOCATION: Palestine HOTSPOT: Hwy.155 Bridge Brushpiles GPS: N32 8.88852, W95 28.14756 (32.148142, -95.469126) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Mr. Twister crappie jigs CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@ rickysguideservice.com, 903-561-7299, rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Concentrate on the bridge pilings with white Mr. Twister jigs. There are some brushpiles around some of the pilings. The action usually is best during the early-morning hours.

LOCATION: Palestine HOTSPOT: Chimney Point GPS: N32 4.86246, W95 25.4283 (32.081041, -95.423805) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Spoons, Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff, ricky@ rickysguideservice.com, 903-561-7299, rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Look for sand bass feeding on shad off the points on the lower end of the lake. Work the lures across the points until you locate fish and then fish the area thoroughly. Silver, blue and chrome are the best colors.

BEST BAITS: Cut bait, live shad CONTACT: Randy Routh, teamredneck@hotmail.com, 817-822-5539, teamredneck.net TIPS: Use gizzard shad and make long casts, leaving slack in your line. Leave the reel open and the clicker on. Big stripers will move onto the hump early. Let the fish run and set the hook when they stop. After the sun rises, move out to the ledge.

LOCATION: Richland Chambers HOTSPOT: 309 Flats Area GPS: N31 58.56936, W96 8.11104 (31.976156, -96.135184) 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: The gulls are arriving and the shad are very active. Check out the Highway 309 Flats for early-morning action.

Fish silver-blue Rat-L-Traps when the fish are schooling and a silver glitter RSR Slab when they go deep.

BIG BEND

PK White Bass for Peanuts

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Peanut Patch GPS: N32 53.55348, W98 30.68886 (32.892558, -98.511481) SPECIES: white bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, jigs, slabs CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@ aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: The fish are migrating to the north end of the lake feeding on shad in the deeper water from the Peanut Patch to Costello Island. Downrigging horsehair jigs also will catch a lot of hybrids and white bass.

LOCATION: Whitney HOTSPOT: Whitney Hump GPS: N31 54.67194, W97 20.87298 (31.911199, -97.347883) SPECIES: striper

LOCATION: Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Costello Point GPS: N32 53.80866, W98 28.26846 (32.896811, -98.471141) SPECIES: catfish

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LOCATION: Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Bug Beach GPS: N32 52.2387, W98 30.46218 (32.870645, -98.507703) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: crankbaits, plastic worms, jigs, spoons CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@ aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: The bass will be in a major feeding spree, especially in front of a cold front.

Look for coves with stained water and shad in the backs of them and then fish the mouth of the coves. Boat docks also will hold lots of bass at this time of the year.

PANHANDLE

LOCATION: Somerville HOTSPOT: Brushy Creek GPS: N30 20.55672, W96 33.2463 (30.342612, -96.554105) SPECIES: catfish BEST BAITS: Punch bait, cut shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk, weldon_ edna@hotmail.com, 979-229-3103, FishTales-Guide Service.com TIPS: Anchor in this area. Tight line using cut shad or punch bait. If there are any lily pads fish the edges of them near the center of the creek. Use small line with as small a weight as you can cast. Use strong line in the pads

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BEST BAITS: Fresh dead shad, shrimp, chicken liver CONTACT: Dean Heffner, fav7734@ aceweb.com, 940-329-0036 TIPS: This is a great time to catch humpback blue catfish on fresh dead shad in deep water near drop-offs and off humps with some fish weighing up to 40-pounds.

Baiting a hole for channel cats off the points also will produce a lot of smaller fish.

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Grassy Island Bass at Amistad

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Amistad HOTSPOT: Grassbeds and Islands GPS: N29 30.97134, W100 57.9492 (29.516189, -100.965820) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Zara Spooks, Pop Rs, Ribbit Frogs, soft plastics CONTACT: Stan Gerzsenyl, stan@amistadbass.com, 830-768-3648, amistadbass. com TIPS: Target the grassbeds and small islands in this area with Ribbit Frogs and Zara Spooks early, occasionally switching to a Pop R or similar lure. If the topwater bite slows move out to the deeper lines of grass and fish Carolina-rigged soft plastics.

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HILL COUNTRY

Canyon Bass have Mystic Properties

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Mystic Shores Area GPS: N29 54.46698, W98 17.361 (29.907783, -98.289350) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Shakey Head, Bass Kandie worms, Senkos CONTACT: Kandie Candelaria, kandie@ gvtc.com, 210-823-2153 TIPS: Be sure to fish the main lake point up river from the pipeline near the river channel drop-off. Fish shallow early, then move to deeper water. I use Castaway’s Camo 7-foot rod for Carolina rigging.

Watermelon red and green pumpkin are the best colors.

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Jacob’s Creek GPS: N29 53.24148, W98 13.56036

(29.887358, -98.226006) SPECIES: striper BEST BAITS: Zara Spooks CONTACT: Steve Nixon, steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com, 210-573-1230, sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Look for striped bass to be surfacing while chasing schools of shad in this arm of the lake. Fish chrome and bone-colored Zara Spooks in the surfacing schools. This is one of the best months to catch stripers on Canyon Lake.

LOCATION: Granger HOTSPOT: Dam Brushpiles GPS: N30 42.13692, W97 19.91142 (30.702282, -97.331857) SPECIES: crappie BEST BAITS: Stanley Wedge Tail Minnow 1/32-ounce Maribou Jigs CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell, crappie1@ hotmail.com, 512-365-7761, www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Position the boat over the brushpiles and fish a jig vertically. The fish are from 4-15 feet deep. Don’t move the jig much. I often put a Berkley Crappie Nibble on the jig hook. The big stumps along the upper river channel also hold fish at 6 feet.

LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Light Tower Point GPS: N30 33.450, W98 21.830 SPECIES: largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: white or black topwater buzzbaits and poppers; black or Watermelon/red plastic worms fished on Texas and Carolina rigs; white or chartreuse crankbaits; white spinnerbaits; Shad or white soft plastic jerkbaits CONTACT: Kandie Candeleria, 210823-2153, kandie@gvtc.com TIPS: Some of the best action now is at night around lighted docks. Fish the black and white baits, as they silhouette best in the dark. During the day, fish the grass beds and points in 2-10 feet of water, using chartreuse and Watermelon/red colors. Mid-day, grass beds can be strong producers as they provide good oxygen and food sources for bass. If the bite there is slow, fish main points with Carolina-rigged worms and crankbaits.

SOUTH TEXAS PLAINS

Bass Caballeros Ride the Ranchito

by BOB HOOD bhood@fishgame.com

LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Ranchito Area GPS: N26 56.11524, W99 19.24668 (26.935254, -99.320778) SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Jigs, plastic worms, crankbaits CONTACT: Robert Amaya, robertsfishntackle@gmail.com, 956-765-1442, robertsfishntackle.com TIPS: Fish the edges of the stickups along banks where you see rocks along their edges with plastic worms and jigs.

Work crankbaits off the points. Some coves may have washed-up brush and sticks in the backs of them. Fish those areas with plastic worms.

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Tides and Prime Times

MONDAY

Oct 1 ¡ High Tide: 4:38 am Low Tide: 11:20 am High Tide: 6:44 pm Low Tide: 11:51 pm

12:30 — 2:30 AM

Sunrise: 7:29a Set: 7:23p Moonrise: 12:16p Set: 10:44p AM Minor: 9:48a AM Major: 3:33a PM Minor: 10:18p PM Major: 4:03p Moon Overhead: 5:31p Moon Underfoot: 5:00a

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PRIME TIME

High Tide: 1:36 am Low Tide: 4:57 pm

1.67 ft.

0.58 ft.

TUESDAY PRIME TIME

1.52 ft.

0.46 ft.

1.67 ft.

1.28 ft.

1:30 — 3:30 PM

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WEDNESDAY PRIME TIME

High Tide: 4:50 am 1.53 ft.

Low Tide: 11:54 am 0.42 ft.

High Tide: 7:41 pm 1.66 ft.

1:30 — 3:30 AM

Set: 7:22p Sunrise: 7:30a Moonrise: 1:17p Set: 11:43p AM Minor: 10:53a AM Major: 4:39a PM Minor: 11:23p PM Major: 5:08p Moon Overhead: 6:30p Moon Underfoot: 6:01a

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PRIME TIME

High Tide: 1:53 am Low Tide: 5:57 pm

1.68 ft.

0.62 ft.

october 2012

2:00 — 4:00 PM

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Low Tide: 12:15 am High Tide: 4:56 am Low Tide: 12:32 pm High Tide: 8:43 pm

THURSDAY

PRIME TIME 1.40 ft.

1.55 ft.

0.41 ft.

1.64 ft.

2:00 — 4:00 AM

Set: 7:21p Sunrise: 7:30a Moonrise: 2:11p Set: None AM Minor: 11:55a AM Major: 5:40a PM Minor: ----- PM Major: 6:09p Moon Overhead: 7:27p Moon Underfoot: 6:59a

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High Tide: 2:09 am Low Tide: 8:40 am High Tide: 11:43 am Low Tide: 6:51 pm

PRIME TIME 1.67 ft.

1.39 ft.

1.44 ft.

0.66 ft.

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Sunrise: 7:33a Set: 7:15p Moonrise: 5:17p Set: 4:34a AM Minor: 3:18a AM Major: 9:29a PM Minor: 3:39p PM Major: 9:49p Moon Overhead: 11:19p Moon Underfoot: 10:58a

Sunrise: 7:34a Set: 7:13p Moonrise: 5:46p Set: 5:27a AM Minor: 3:55a AM Major: 10:05a PM Minor: 4:15p PM Major: 10:26p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:40a

Sunrise: 7:35a Set: 7:12p Moonrise: 6:16p Set: 6:20a AM Minor: 4:32a AM Major: 10:42a PM Minor: 4:53p PM Major: 11:03p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 12:20p

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PRIME TIME

High Tide: 3:28 am Low Tide: 10:13 am High Tide: 5:42 pm Low Tide: 10:53 pm

1.64 ft.

0.27 ft.

1.89 ft.

1.32 ft.

6:30 — 8:30 AM

Sunrise: 7:38a Set: 7:06p Moonrise: 9:20p Set: 10:50a AM Minor: 8:21a AM Major: 2:09a PM Minor: 8:45p PM Major: 2:33p Moon Overhead: 3:41a Moon Underfoot: 4:06p

22 º

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 12:36 am Low Tide: 7:47 am High Tide: 8:34 am Low Tide: 5:13 pm

1.76 ft.

1.47 ft.

1.47 ft.

0.33 ft.

1:00 — 3:00 PM

High Tide: 3:46 am Low Tide: 10:59 am High Tide: 6:48 pm Low Tide: 11:40 pm

PRIME TIME 1.68 ft.

0.07 ft.

1.93 ft.

1.49 ft.

7:30 — 9:30 AM

Sunrise: 7:39a Set: 7:05p Moonrise: 10:08p Set: 11:43a AM Minor: 9:15a AM Major: 3:03a PM Minor: 9:40p PM Major: 3:28p Moon Overhead: 4:30a Moon Underfoot: 4:55p

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High Tide: 1:13 am Low Tide: 7:40 am High Tide: 11:09 am Low Tide: 6:27 pm

PRIME TIME 1.69 ft.

1.28 ft.

1.40 ft.

0.51 ft.

1:30 — 3:30 PM

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 4:04 am 1.72 ft.

Low Tide: 11:48 am -0.06 ft.

High Tide: 7:58 pm 1.93 ft.

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Sunrise: 7:39a Set: 7:04p Moonrise: 11:01p Set: 12:33p AM Minor: 10:11a AM Major: 3:58a PM Minor: 10:36p PM Major: 4:23p Moon Overhead: 5:21a Moon Underfoot: 5:46p

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High Tide: 1:41 am Low Tide: 8:04 am High Tide: 12:53 pm Low Tide: 7:34 pm

PRIME TIME 1.62 ft.

1.07 ft.

1.42 ft.

0.68 ft.

2:30 — 4:30 PM

Sunrise: 7:43a Set: 6:59p Moonrise: 3:02a Set: 4:01p AM Minor: 2:01a AM Major: 8:13a PM Minor: 2:26p PM Major: 8:39p Moon Overhead: 9:35a Moon Underfoot: 10:01p

Sunrise: 7:44a Set: 6:58p Moonrise: 4:07a Set: 4:38p AM Minor: 2:45a AM Major: 8:58a PM Minor: 3:11p PM Major: 9:24p Moon Overhead: 10:26a Moon Underfoot: 10:52p

Sunrise: 7:45a Set: 6:57p Moonrise: 5:13a Set: 5:16p AM Minor: 3:30a AM Major: 9:43a PM Minor: 3:57p PM Major: 10:10p Moon Overhead: 11:18a Moon Underfoot: 11:45p

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30 ¡

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High Tide: 3:09 am Low Tide: 10:23 am High Tide: 6:04 pm Low Tide: 11:14 pm

PRIME TIME 1.50 ft.

0.28 ft.

1.70 ft.

1.39 ft.

6:00 — 8:00 AM

Sunrise: 7:49a Set: 6:52p Moonrise: 11:01a Set: 9:29p AM Minor: 8:22a AM Major: 2:07a PM Minor: 8:53p PM Major: 2:38p Moon Overhead: 4:15p Moon Underfoot: 3:44a

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High Tide: 3:22 am Low Tide: 10:53 am High Tide: 6:52 pm Low Tide: 11:37 pm

PRIME TIME 1.52 ft.

0.23 ft.

1.70 ft.

1.46 ft.

6:30 — 8:30 AM

Sunrise: 7:49a Set: 6:51p Moonrise: 12:00p Set: 10:31p AM Minor: 9:30a AM Major: 3:15a PM Minor: 10:00p PM Major: 3:45p Moon Overhead: 5:15p Moon Underfoot: 4:45a

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High Tide: 3:31 am Low Tide: 11:27 am High Tide: 7:40 pm Low Tide: 11:59 pm

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Low Tide: 12:36 am High Tide: 4:46 am Low Tide: 1:13 pm High Tide: 9:56 pm

9:00 — 11:00 AM

Set: 7:19p Sunrise: 7:31a Moonrise: 2:58p Set: 12:44a AM Minor: 12:26a AM Major: 6:37a PM Minor: 12:50p PM Major: 7:03p Moon Overhead: 8:19p Moon Underfoot: 7:54a

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High Tide: 2:24 am Low Tide: 8:12 am High Tide: 1:15 pm Low Tide: 7:42 pm

PRIME TIME 1.65 ft.

1.24 ft.

1.50 ft.

0.74 ft.

3:30 — 5:30 PM

Sunrise: 7:35a Set: 7:11p Moonrise: 6:46p Set: 7:13a AM Minor: 5:11a AM Major: 11:22a PM Minor: 5:32p PM Major: 11:43p Moon Overhead: 12:41a Moon Underfoot: 1:02p

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Low Tide: 12:30 am High Tide: 4:23 am Low Tide: 12:42 pm High Tide: 9:13 pm

PRIME TIME 1.62 ft.

1.76 ft.

-0.11 ft.

1.91 ft.

3:30 — 5:30 PM

Sunrise: 7:40a Set: 7:03p Moonrise: None Set: 1:20p AM Minor: 11:06a AM Major: 4:53a PM Minor: 11:31p PM Major: 5:19p Moon Overhead: 6:12a Moon Underfoot: 6:37p

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High Tide: 2:03 am Low Tide: 8:31 am High Tide: 2:16 pm Low Tide: 8:32 pm

PRIME TIME 1.55 ft.

0.86 ft.

1.49 ft.

0.86 ft.

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Sunrise: 7:45a Set: 6:56p Moonrise: 6:22a Set: 5:57p AM Minor: 4:18a AM Major: 10:32a PM Minor: 4:46p PM Major: 11:00p Moon Overhead: 12:13p Moon Underfoot: None

PRIME TIME 1.54 ft.

0.21 ft.

1.68 ft.

1.51 ft.

PRIME TIME 1.50 ft.

1.58 ft.

0.43 ft.

1.62 ft.

PRIME TIME

1:00 — 3:00 AM

Sunrise: 7:50a Set: 6:50p Moonrise: 12:52p Set: 11:34p AM Minor: 10:34a AM Major: 4:20a PM Minor: 11:02p PM Major: 4:48p Moon Overhead: 6:11p Moon Underfoot: 5:44a

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Tides and Prime Times

FRIDAY

5

Low Tide: 12:55 am High Tide: 4:19 am Low Tide: 2:00 pm High Tide: 11:27 pm

9:30 — 11:30 AM

Sunrise: 7:32a Set: 7:18p Moonrise: 3:39p Set: 1:44a AM Minor: 1:14a AM Major: 7:27a PM Minor: 1:39p PM Major: 7:51p Moon Overhead: 9:09p Moon Underfoot: 8:45a

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High Tide: 2:39 am Low Tide: 8:26 am High Tide: 2:28 pm Low Tide: 8:31 pm

PRIME TIME 1.63 ft.

1.03 ft.

1.60 ft.

0.84 ft.

4:30 — 6:30 PM

Sunrise: 7:36a Set: 7:10p Moonrise: 7:19p Set: 8:07a AM Minor: 5:53a AM Major: ----PM Minor: 6:15p PM Major: 12:04p Moon Overhead: 1:24a Moon Underfoot: 1:45p

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Low Tide: 1:28 am High Tide: 4:39 am Low Tide: 1:41 pm High Tide: 10:31 pm

PRIME TIME 1.71 ft.

1.77 ft.

-0.07 ft.

1.87 ft.

9:00 — 11:00 AM

Sunrise: 7:41a Set: 7:02p Moonrise: None Set: 2:05p AM Minor: ----- AM Major: 5:47a PM Minor: 12:00p PM Major: 6:12p Moon Overhead: 7:03a Moon Underfoot: 7:29p

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High Tide: 2:22 am Low Tide: 8:59 am High Tide: 3:24 pm Low Tide: 9:23 pm

PRIME TIME 1.51 ft.

0.67 ft.

1.56 ft.

1.02 ft.

SATURDAY PRIME TIME

1.57 ft.

1.62 ft.

0.47 ft.

1.63 ft.

3:30 — 5:30 AM

6

7»

10:30A — 12:30P

1.62 ft.

1.65 ft.

0.51 ft.

october 2012

PRIME TIME

Tide Station Correction Table (Adjust High & Low Tide times listed in the Calendar by the amounts below for each keyed location)

SUNDAY

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 1:14 am High Tide: 4:06 am Low Tide: 2:54 pm

High Tide: 1:06 am Low Tide: 2:00 am High Tide: 3:51 am Low Tide: 3:54 pm

1.65 ft.

1.65 ft.

1.66 ft.

0.55 ft.

11:30 A— 1:30P

Set: 7:17p Sunrise: 7:32a Moonrise: 4:14p Set: 2:43a AM Minor: 2:00a AM Major: 8:11a PM Minor: 2:23p PM Major: 8:34p Moon Overhead: 9:54p Moon Underfoot: 9:32a

Set: 7:16p Sunrise: 7:33a Moonrise: 4:47p Set: 3:39a AM Minor: 2:40a AM Major: 8:51a PM Minor: 3:02p PM Major: 9:13p Moon Overhead: 10:37p Moon Underfoot: 10:16a

13 «

14 «

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 2:55 am Low Tide: 8:56 am High Tide: 3:34 pm Low Tide: 9:18 pm

4L00 — 6:00 AM

1.62 ft.

0.78 ft.

1.71 ft.

0.98 ft.

21

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 3:43 am High Tide: 3:52 am Low Tide: 2:46 pm High Tide: 11:43 pm

1.73 ft.

1.73 ft.

0.03 ft.

1.83 ft.

1.49 ft.

0.50 ft.

1.63 ft.

1.17 ft.

0.17 ft.

11:00A — 1:00P

Sunrise: 7:42a Set: 7:00p Moonrise: 1:59a Set: 3:24p AM Minor: 1:14a AM Major: 7:27a PM Minor: 1:40p PM Major: 7:52p Moon Overhead: 8:45a Moon Underfoot: 9:10p

28 «

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 2:39 am Low Tide: 9:26 am High Tide: 4:23 pm Low Tide: 10:07 pm

5:00 — 7:00 AM

PRIME TIME

Low Tide: 3:57 pm

10:30A — 12:30P

Sunrise: 7:42a Set: 7:01p Moonrise: 12:57a Set: 2:46p AM Minor: 12:27a AM Major: 6:38a PM Minor: 12:51p PM Major: 7:04p Moon Overhead: 7:54a Moon Underfoot: 8:20p

27

1.62 ft.

0.52 ft.

1.81 ft.

1.15 ft.

Sunrise: 7:37a Set: 7:07p Moonrise: 8:35p Set: 9:56a AM Minor: 7:29a AM Major: 1:17a PM Minor: 7:52p PM Major: 1:40p Moon Overhead: 2:53a Moon Underfoot: 3:17p

Sunrise: 7:37a Set: 7:09p Moonrise: 7:56p Set: 9:01a AM Minor: 6:39a AM Major: 12:28a PM Minor: 7:02p PM Major: 12:51p Moon Overhead: 2:08a Moon Underfoot: 2:30p

20

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 3:11 am Low Tide: 9:32 am High Tide: 4:38 pm Low Tide: 10:06 pm

4:00 — 6:00 AM

PRIME TIME

High Tide: 2:55 am Low Tide: 9:54 am High Tide: 5:16 pm Low Tide: 10:44 pm

1.49 ft.

0.37 ft.

1.67 ft.

1.29 ft.

5:00 — 7:00 AM

Sunrise: 7:46a Set: 6:55p Moonrise: 7:33a Set: 6:42p AM Minor: 5:11a AM Major: 11:25a PM Minor: 5:40p PM Major: 11:55p Moon Overhead: 1:10p Moon Underfoot: 12:41a

Sunrise: 7:47a Set: 6:54p Moonrise: 8:45a Set: 7:32p AM Minor: 6:10a AM Major: ----PM Minor: 6:40p PM Major: 12:56p Moon Overhead: 2:11p Moon Underfoot: 1:40a

Sunrise: 7:48a Set: 6:53p Moonrise: 9:55a Set: 8:28p AM Minor: 7:15a AM Major: 12:59a PM Minor: 7:46p PM Major: 1:30p Moon Overhead: 3:13p Moon Underfoot: 2:42a

PRIME TIME

PRIME TIME

PRIME TIME

SYMBOL KEY

l

New Moon

º

First Quarter

T F & G

ALMANAC Digital.indd 83

¡

Full Moon

»

«

PRIME TIME

Last Quarter Good Day

A l m a n a c

T e x a S

F i s h

best days

&

G a m e ®

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)

O C T O B E R

HIGH LOW -1:46

-1:31

-1:26

-1:31

-1:00

-1:15

-0:04

-0:25

-0:39

-1:05

+0:14

-0:06

+0:33

+0:41

+3:54

+4:15

+6:05

+6:40

+10:21

+5:19

+10:39

+5:15

+5:48

+4:43

+3:16

+4:18

+2:38

+3:31

+2:39

+2:33

+2:32

+2:31

-1:06

-1:06

-0.09

-0.09

-0:44

-1:02

0:00

-1:20

-0:03

-1:31

-0:24

-1:45

+1:02

-0:42

2 0 1 2

|

83

9/14/12 10:15 AM

Tides and Prime Times

OCTOBER 2012

USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

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

T12

T4

T11

T10

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

T9 T8 T7

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.

T17

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 T5

T14

T15 T16

T6

T3 T2 T1

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

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.

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

T21

Tide Correction Table

Add or subtract the time shown at the rightof the Tide Stations on this table (and map) to determine the adjustment from the time shown for Galveston Channel in the calendars.

KEY PLACE T1 Sabine Bank Lighthouse T2 Sabine Pass Jetty T3 Sabine Pass T4 Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass T5 Galveston Bay, S. Jetty T6 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 Round Pt, Trinity Bay +10:39 T11

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

KEY PLACE

Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay T12

Gilchrist, East Bay T13 Jamaica Beach, W. Bay T14

Alligator Point, W. Bay T15

Christmas Pt T16

Galveston Pleasure Pier T17

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 PLACE

San Luis Pass T18

Freeport Harbor T19

Pass Cavallo T20

Aransas Pass T21

Padre Island (So. End) T22

Port Isabel T23

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

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

6a

12p

6p

12a

Light Blue: Nighttime

BEST:

5:30 — 7:30 AM

Green: Falling Tide

Gold Fish: Best Time

Blue: Rising Tide Red Graph: Fishing Score

Blue Fish: Good Time

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

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY:

12a

AM/PM Timeline

84 |

AM/PM Timeline

AM Minor: 1:20a

PM Minor: 1:45p

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Major: 7:57p

Moon Overhead: 8:50a 6a

12p

12a

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

O C T O B E R

ALMANAC Digital.indd 84

6p

2 0 1 2

MAJOR Feeding Periods (+/- 2 Hrs.) Time Moon is Directly Underfoot (at its peak on opposite side of the earth)

T e x a S

F i s h

&

G a m e ®

T F & G

A l m a n ac

9/14/12 10:15 AM

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

l = New Moon º = First Quarter l = Full Moon » = Last Quarter « = Best Day SUNDAY

= Peak Fishing 7:45-9:40 AM Period BEST:

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

«2

«3

Sunrise: 7:11a Set: 7:05p Sunrise: 7:12a Set: 7:04p Sunrise: 7:12a Set: 7:02p Moonrise: 7:53p Set: 10:29p Moonrise: 8:32p Set: 11:29p Moonrise: 9:13p Set: None

FRIDAY

4

5

Sunrise: 7:13a Set: 7:01p Sunrise: 7:13a Set: 7:00p Moonrise: 9:57p Set: 12:29a Moonrise: 10:44p Set: 1:29a

SATURDAY

6

Sunrise: 7:14a Set: 6:59p Moonrise: None Set: 2:27a

»7

Sunrise: 7:14a Set: 6:58p Moonrise: 11:44p Set: 3:22a

AM Minor: 6:23a

PM Minor: 6:46p

AM Minor: 7:13a

PM Minor: 7:36p

AM Minor: 8:04a

PM Minor: 8:28p

AM Minor: 8:57a

PM Minor: 9:21p

AM Minor: 9:50a

PM Minor: 10:14p

AM Minor: 10:42a

PM Minor: ——-

AM Minor: 11:09a

PM Minor: 11:33a

AM Major: 12:12a

PM Major: 12:35p

AM Major: 1:01a

PM Major: 1:24p

AM Major: 1:52a

PM Major: 2:16p

AM Major: 2:45a

PM Major: 3:09p

AM Major: 3:38a

PM Major: 4:02p

AM Major: 4:30a

PM Major: 4:54p

AM Major: 5:21a

PM Major: 5:45p

Moon Overhead: 1:51a

12a

THURSDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 3:24a

Moon Overhead: 2:37a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 4:11a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:47a

Moon Overhead: 4:59a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

¡ Oct 1

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Tides and Prime Times for OCTOBER 2012

Moon Overhead: 6:36a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

feet

feet

Moon Underfoot: 2:14p

+2.0

-1.0

TIDE LEVELS

0

BEST:

12:30 — 2:30 AM

High Tide: 4:38 am Low Tide: 11:20 am High Tide: 6:44 pm Low Tide: 11:51 pm

BEST:

1:30 — 3:30 AM

1.52 ft.

0.46 ft.

1.67 ft.

1.28 ft.

High Tide: 4:50 am 1.53 ft. Low Tide: 12:15 am Low Tide: 11:54 am 0.42 ft. High Tide: 4:56 am High Tide: 7:41 pm 1.66 ft. Low Tide: 12:32 pm High Tide: 8:43 pm

A l m a n a c

Moon Underfoot: 4:35p BEST:

2:00 — 4:00 AM

T F & G

ALMANAC Digital.indd 85

Moon Underfoot: 3:47p

BEST:

9:00 — 11:00 AM

1.40 ft.

1.55 ft.

0.41 ft.

1.64 ft.

Low Tide: 12:36 am High Tide: 4:46 am Low Tide: 1:13 pm High Tide: 9:56 pm

T e x a S

Moon Underfoot: 5:23p

&

1.57 ft. Low Tide: 1:14 am 1.62 ft. High Tide: 4:06 am 0.47 ft. Low Tide: 2:54 pm 1.63 ft.

G a m e ®

11:30 A— 1:30P

1.62 ft. High Tide: 1:06 am 1.65 ft. Low Tide: 2:00 am 0.51 ft. High Tide: 3:51 am Low Tide: 3:54 pm

O C T O B E R

+2.0

BEST:

10:30A — 12:30P

Low Tide: 12:55 am High Tide: 4:19 am Low Tide: 2:00 pm High Tide: 11:27 pm

F i s h

Moon Underfoot: 7:00p

BEST:

9:30 — 11:30 AM

1.50 ft.

1.58 ft.

0.43 ft.

1.62 ft.

Moon Underfoot: 6:12p

2 0 1 2

|

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 3:00p

1.65 ft.

1.65 ft.

1.66 ft.

0.55 ft.

+1.0 0 -1.0

85

9/14/12 10:15 AM

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

Sunrise: 7:15a Set: 6:57p Moonrise: 12:26a Set: 4:16a

Sunrise: 7:16a Set: 6:56p Moonrise: 1:21a Set: 5:08a

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

»8

THURSDAY

Sunrise: 7:16a Set: 6:54p Moonrise: 2:17a Set: 6:00a

Sunrise: 7:17a Set: 6:53p Moonrise: 3:15a Set: 6:52a

10

11

FRIDAY

12

Sunrise: 7:17a Set: 6:52p Moonrise: 4:14a Set: 7:45a

SATURDAY

« 13

Sunrise: 7:18a Set: 6:51p Moonrise: 5:16a Set: 8:39a

SUNDAY

« 14

Sunrise: 7:19a Set: 6:50p Moonrise: 6:19a Set: 9:33a

AM Minor: 11:57a

PM Minor: 12:21p

AM Minor: 12:44a

PM Minor: 1:08p

AM Minor: 1:28a

PM Minor: 1:52p

AM Minor: 2:11a

PM Minor: 2:35p

AM Minor: 2:53a

PM Minor: 3:18p

AM Minor: 3:36a

PM Minor: 4:02p

AM Minor: 4:23a

PM Minor: 4:49p

AM Major: 6:09a

PM Major: 6:33p

AM Major: 6:56a

PM Major: 7:20p

AM Major: 7:40a

PM Major: 8:04p

AM Major: 8:23a

PM Major: 8:47p

AM Major: 9:05a

PM Major: 9:30p

AM Major: 9:49a

PM Major: 10:14p

AM Major: 10:36a

PM Major: 11:02a

Moon Overhead: 7:24a

12a

9

WEDNESDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 8:59a

Moon Overhead: 8:12a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:47a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:25a

Moon Overhead: 10:35a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 12:17p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

MONDAY

Tides and Prime Times for OCTOBER 2012

12a

feet

feet

Moon Underfoot: 7:48p

+2.0

-1.0

BEST:

1:30 — 3:30 PM

TIDE LEVELS

0

BEST:

High Tide: 1:36 am Low Tide: 4:57 pm

86 |

1.67 ft.

0.58 ft.

2:00 — 4:00 PM

High Tide: 1:53 am Low Tide: 5:57 pm

O C T O B E R

ALMANAC Digital.indd 86

Moon Underfoot: 9:23p

2 0 1 2

BEST:

BEST:

3:00 — 5:00 PM

1.68 ft. High Tide: 2:09 am 0.62 ft. Low Tide: 8:40 am High Tide: 11:43 am Low Tide: 6:51 pm

T e x a S

Moon Underfoot: 10:11p

1.67 ft.

1.39 ft.

1.44 ft.

0.66 ft.

3:30 — 5:30 PM

High Tide: 2:24 am Low Tide: 8:12 am High Tide: 1:15 pm Low Tide: 7:42 pm

F i s h

&

1.65 ft.

1.24 ft.

1.50 ft.

0.74 ft.

G a m e ®

Moon Underfoot: 11:09p BEST:

Moon Underfoot: None BEST:

T F & G

1.63 ft.

1.03 ft.

1.60 ft.

0.84 ft.

High Tide: 2:55 am Low Tide: 8:56 am High Tide: 3:34 pm Low Tide: 9:18 pm

+2.0

BEST:

4:30 — 6:30 PM 4L00 — 6:00 AM

High Tide: 2:39 am Low Tide: 8:26 am High Tide: 2:28 pm Low Tide: 8:31 pm

Moon Underfoot: None 5:00 — 7:00 AM

1.62 ft.

0.78 ft.

1.71 ft.

0.98 ft.

High Tide: 3:11 am Low Tide: 9:32 am High Tide: 4:38 pm Low Tide: 10:06 pm

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

Moon Underfoot: 8:36p

1.62 ft.

0.52 ft.

1.81 ft.

1.15 ft.

+1.0 0 -1.0

A l m a n ac

9/14/12 10:15 AM

ALMANAC Digital.indd 87

9/14/12 10:15 AM

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

7:45-9:40 AM

= Peak Fishing Period

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

« 16

WEDNESDAY

« 17

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

18

19

Sunrise: 7:19a Set: 6:49p Sunrise: 7:20a Set: 6:48p Sunrise: 7:20a Set: 6:47p Sunrise: 7:21a Set: 6:46p Sunrise: 7:22a Set: 6:45p Moonrise: 7:26a Set: 10:27a Moonrise: 8:34a Set: 11:19a Moonrise: 9:43a Set: 12:10p Moonrise: 10:49a Set: 12:57p Moonrise: 11:52a Set: 1:42p

20

Sunrise: 7:22a Set: 6:44p Moonrise: 12:48p Set: 2:24p

SUNDAY

21

Sunrise: 7:23a Set: 6:43p Moonrise: 1:38p Set: 3:04p

AM Minor: 5:14a

PM Minor: 5:42p

AM Minor: 6:12a

PM Minor: 6:42p

AM Minor: 7:16a

PM Minor: 7:46p

AM Minor: 8:23a

PM Minor: 8:54p

AM Minor: 9:32a

PM Minor: 10:02p

AM Minor: 10:38a

PM Minor: ——-

AM Minor: 11:14a

PM Minor: 11:38a

AM Major: ——-

PM Major: 11:56a

AM Major: 11:57a

PM Major: 12:27p

AM Major: 1:01a

PM Major: 1:31p

AM Major: 2:08a

PM Major: 2:39p

AM Major: 3:16a

PM Major: 3:47p

AM Major: 4:23a

PM Major: 4:52p

AM Major: 5:24a

PM Major: 5:52p

Moon Overhead: 1:12p

12a

SATURDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 3:11p

Moon Overhead: 2:10p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 4:13p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 6:14p

Moon Overhead: 5:14p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 7:09p 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

l 15

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Tides and Prime Times for OCTOBER 2012

12a

feet

feet

Moon Underfoot: 12:44a

+2.0

-1.0

TIDE LEVELS

0

BEST:

6:30 — 8:30 AM

1.64 ft.

0.27 ft.

1.89 ft.

1.32 ft.

High Tide: 3:46 am Low Tide: 10:59 am High Tide: 6:48 pm Low Tide: 11:40 pm

O C T O B E R

ALMANAC Digital.indd 88

2 0 1 2

Moon Underfoot: 3:42a

BEST:

7:30 — 9:30 AM

High Tide: 3:28 am Low Tide: 10:13 am High Tide: 5:42 pm Low Tide: 10:53 pm

88 |

Moon Underfoot: 2:40a

BEST:

3:00 — 5:00 PM

F i s h

BEST:

&

1.62 ft.

1.76 ft.

-0.11 ft.

1.91 ft.

G a m e ®

Low Tide: 1:28 am High Tide: 4:39 am Low Tide: 1:41 pm High Tide: 10:31 pm

T F & G

Moon Underfoot: 5:44a BEST:

3:30 — 5:30 PM 9:00 — 11:00 AM

1.68 ft. High Tide: 4:04 am 1.72 ft. Low Tide: 12:30 am 0.07 ft. Low Tide: 11:48 am -0.06 ft. High Tide: 4:23 am 1.93 ft. High Tide: 7:58 pm 1.93 ft. Low Tide: 12:42 pm High Tide: 9:13 pm 1.49 ft.

T e x a S

Moon Underfoot: 4:44a

10:30A — 12:30P

1.71 ft.

1.77 ft.

-0.07 ft.

1.87 ft.

Low Tide: 3:43 am High Tide: 3:52 am Low Tide: 2:46 pm High Tide: 11:43 pm

Moon Underfoot: 6:42a

+2.0

BEST:

11:00A — 1:00P

1.73 ft. Low Tide: 3:57 pm 1.73 ft.

0.03 ft.

1.83 ft.

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 1:41a

0.17 ft.

+1.0 0 -1.0

A l m a n ac

9/14/12 10:15 AM

l = New Moon º = First Quarter l = Full Moon » = Last Quarter « = Best Day SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Sunrise: 7:24a Set: 6:42p Moonrise: 2:22p Set: 3:42p

Sunrise: 7:24a Set: 6:41p Moonrise: 3:01p Set: 4:19p

º 22

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Sunrise: 7:25a Set: 6:40p Moonrise: 3:37p Set: 4:58p

Sunrise: 7:26a Set: 6:39p Moonrise: 4:11p Set: 5:40p

Sunrise: 7:27a Set: 6:38p Moonrise: 4:44p Set: 6:26p

24

25

26

SATURDAY

27

Sunrise: 7:27a Set: 6:37p Moonrise: 5:18p Set: 7:17p

« 28

Sunrise: 7:28a Set: 6:36p Moonrise: 5:53p Set: 8:13p

AM Minor: 12:09a

PM Minor: 12:33p

AM Minor: 12:57a

PM Minor: 1:21p

AM Minor: 1:41a

PM Minor: 2:04p

AM Minor: 2:22a

PM Minor: 2:44p

AM Minor: 3:01a

PM Minor: 3:23p

AM Minor: 3:40a

PM Minor: 4:02p

AM Minor: 4:20a

PM Minor: 4:43p

AM Major: 6:20a

PM Major: 6:46p

AM Major: 7:09a

PM Major: 7:33p

AM Major: 7:53a

PM Major: 8:16p

AM Major: 8:33a

PM Major: 8:55p

AM Major: 9:12a

PM Major: 9:34p

AM Major: 9:51a

PM Major: 10:13p

AM Major: 10:31a

PM Major: 10:54p

Moon Overhead: 8:01p

12a

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WEDNESDAY

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 9:36p

Moon Overhead: 8:50p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 10:20p 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 11:52p

Moon Overhead: 11:06p 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

Tides and Prime Times for OCTOBER 2012

Moon Overhead: None 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

feet

feet

Moon Underfoot: 7:36a

+2.0

-1.0

TIDE LEVELS

0

High Tide: 12:36 am Low Tide: 7:47 am High Tide: 8:34 am Low Tide: 5:13 pm

1.76 ft.

1.47 ft.

1.47 ft.

0.33 ft.

BEST:

1:30 — 3:30 PM

High Tide: 1:13 am Low Tide: 7:40 am High Tide: 11:09 am Low Tide: 6:27 pm

1.69 ft.

1.28 ft.

1.40 ft.

0.51 ft.

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Moon Underfoot: 9:13a

Moon Underfoot: 9:58a

BEST:

BEST:

2:30 — 4:30 PM

High Tide: 1:41 am Low Tide: 8:04 am High Tide: 12:53 pm Low Tide: 7:34 pm

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1.62 ft.

1.07 ft.

1.42 ft.

0.68 ft.

Moon Underfoot: 10:42a BEST:

BEST:

3:00 — 5:00 PM 3:30 — 5:30 AM

High Tide: 2:03 am Low Tide: 8:31 am High Tide: 2:16 pm Low Tide: 8:32 pm

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1.55 ft.

0.86 ft.

1.49 ft.

0.86 ft.

&

1.51 ft.

0.67 ft.

1.56 ft.

1.02 ft.

High Tide: 2:39 am Low Tide: 9:26 am High Tide: 4:23 pm Low Tide: 10:07 pm

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+2.0

BEST:

4:00 — 6:00 AM

High Tide: 2:22 am Low Tide: 8:59 am High Tide: 3:24 pm Low Tide: 9:23 pm

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Moon Underfoot: 11:26a

5:00 — 7:00 AM

1.49 ft.

0.50 ft.

1.63 ft.

1.17 ft.

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+1.0

BEST:

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Moon Underfoot: 8:26a

High Tide: 2:55 am Low Tide: 9:54 am High Tide: 5:16 pm Low Tide: 10:44 pm

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0.37 ft.

1.67 ft.

1.29 ft.

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NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION BEST:

7:45-9:40 AM

= Peak Fishing Period

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

Fishing Day’s Best Good Score Graph Score Score

MONDAY

TUESDAY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

WEDNESDAY

¡ 30

THURSDAY

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FRIDAY

« Nov 1

Sunrise: 7:30a Set: 6:35p Sunrise: 7:30a Set: 6:34p Sunrise: 7:31a Set: 6:33p Moonrise: 7:11p Set: 10:16p Moonrise: 7:54p Set: 11:18p Moonrise: 8:40p Set: None

SATURDAY

2

3

Sunrise: 7:32a Set: 6:32p Sunrise: 7:33a Set: 6:31p Moonrise: 9:29p Set: 12:19a Moonrise: 10:20p Set: 1:16a

SUNDAY

4

Sunrise: 7:33a Set: 6:31p Moonrise: None Set: 2:11a

AM Minor: 5:03a

PM Minor: 5:26p

AM Minor: 5:50a

PM Minor: 6:13p

AM Minor: 6:39a

PM Minor: 7:03p

AM Minor: 7:31a

PM Minor: 7:55p

AM Minor: 8:24a

PM Minor: 8:48p

AM Minor: 9:18a

PM Minor: 9:42p

AM Minor: 10:10a

PM Minor: 10:34p

AM Major: ——-

PM Major: 11:15a

AM Major: 11:38a

PM Major: 12:02p

AM Major: 12:27a

PM Major: 12:51p

AM Major: 1:19a

PM Major: 1:43p

AM Major: 2:12a

PM Major: 2:36p

AM Major: 3:06a

PM Major: 3:30p

AM Major: 3:58a

PM Major: 4:22p

Moon Overhead: 12:33a 6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 2:06a

Moon Overhead: 1:19a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 2:54a 12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 4:31a

Moon Overhead: 3:43a 12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

12p

6p

Moon Overhead: 5:19a 12a

6a

12p

6p

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY

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Sunrise: 7:29a Set: 6:35p Moonrise: 6:31p Set: 9:14p

12a

Tides and Prime Times for OCTOBER 2012

12a

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feet

Moon Underfoot: 12:56p

+2.0

-1.0

TIDE LEVELS

0

BEST:

6:00 — 8:00 AM

BEST:

6:30 — 8:30 AM

High Tide: 3:09 am Low Tide: 10:23 am High Tide: 6:04 pm Low Tide: 11:14 pm

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1.50 ft.

0.28 ft.

1.70 ft.

1.39 ft.

High Tide: 3:22 am Low Tide: 10:53 am High Tide: 6:52 pm Low Tide: 11:37 pm

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1.52 ft.

0.23 ft.

1.70 ft.

1.46 ft.

8:00 — 10:00 AM

High Tide: 3:31 am Low Tide: 11:27 am High Tide: 7:40 pm Low Tide: 11:59 pm

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Moon Underfoot: 3:19p

Moon Underfoot: 4:07p BEST:

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BEST:

8:30 — 10:30 AM

1.54 ft. High Tide: 3:31 am 1.56 ft. Low Tide: 12:23 am 0.21 ft. Low Tide: 12:02 pm 0.22 ft. High Tide: 3:20 am 1.68 ft. High Tide: 8:33 pm 1.66 ft. Low Tide: 12:40 pm High Tide: 9:30 pm 1.51 ft.

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Moon Underfoot: 4:55p

Low Tide: 12:59 am High Tide: 3:11 am Low Tide: 1:21 pm High Tide: 10:29 pm

+2.0

BEST:

9:00 — 11:00 AM

1.54 ft.

1.57 ft.

0.26 ft.

1.64 ft.

Moon Underfoot: 5:42p 10:00A — 12:00P

1.56 ft.

1.58 ft.

0.30 ft.

1.63 ft.

Low Tide: 1:08 am High Tide: 1:53 am Low Tide: 1:05 pm High Tide: 10:19 pm

TIDE LEVELS

+1.0

BEST:

Moon Underfoot: 1:43p

1.56 ft.

1.57 ft.

0.36 ft.

1.62 ft.

+1.0 0 -1.0

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Photo: NATUREGUY, CANSTOCK

Hunting: Survival and Texas Tradition

by Chester Moore T F & G

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Photo: Chester Moore, Sr.

The author took this huge six point “cull buck” on his friend Robert Scherer’s ranch last fall and could not have been happier.

It

was a familiar feeling.

A mix of emotions overcame me as I grasp the antlers in my hand and looked at the beauti-

ful buck I had taken.

Last December I ventured down to

Inez, Texas to hunt with Diamond M Whitetails and was able to take a gorgeous, tall, wide nine-pointer on their low fence acreage in the middle of beautiful scrub brush and live oak country.

It was not one of those, “Wow, I did it!” feelings though.

This was something deeper and more profound than outsiders might think could arise during a deer hunt.

You see this buck was now part of a lin92 |

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eage of nice bucks taken by members of my family namely my father Chester Moore, Sr., my late Uncle Jackie Moore and his son Frank along with myself.

This huge set of antlers came from the Diamond M Ranch. This is the kind of thing that keeps hunters awake at night.

PHOTO: Kenneth Holder

Special Hunting Section

Over the years when we gathered, the conversation often ended up centered on deer and growing up Frank and I loved to hear the stories about their biggest bucks as well as their misadventures.

My Dad tells the story of shooting a big nine pointer while listening to the Dallas Cowboys play the Detroit Lions on a Thanksgiving Day. He was sitting on a big rock overlooking a hill listening to the game and out walked a big buck paying him virtually no attention. That was its last mistake.

My Uncle Jackie admitted to missing

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Special Hunting Section As time went on we took bucks of our

buck he said had a “Christmas tree rack,�

own and then our interest in deer waned

running out of bullets and the having it run

a bit. Frank found a true passion for hog

several hundred yards directly toward him

hunting and I jumped head first into duck

and stand less than 50 yards away.

hunting although we both still sought deer

Frank and I used to love that one.

Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

some distant shots on an absolutely monster

just about every season.

Hunters who pursue predators must have a whole other level of senses.

Their noses, ears and eyes are super in tune with their surroundings.

Interestingly we both got back into it in a big way last year and both took ninepointers. Our conversation a few days later led to an interesting revelation. As we got to looking at the products we used to pursue game, we realized virtually all of it has to do with overcoming the incredible senses of these great animals. In fact, a huge portion of our communication over the years has been how to get around these super senses.

Camouflage is the most obvious.

While it is a widespread fashion statement these days, camouflage is a practical application against the eyes of the game we pursue. Here are a few interesting facts about the eyes of Texas game animals.

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Photo: Lisa Moore:

The author feeds a huge tame fallow back on Swenson Ranch in Orange County.

Non-hunters get the idea this is what hunting is like but when you are actually pursuing game.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. This buck is practically a member of the Swenson family whereas the deer, hogs and ducks we pursue are wild and wary.

According to the Quality Deer Manage-

tects our eye, much like a pair of sunglasses.

spectrum.

Wild turkeys have a field of vision of

ment association UV light can be a factor in

It also allows us to focus more sharply on

deer hunting. The human eye is protected by

fine detail. The trade-off for having this filter

about 270 degrees, which allows them to

a filter that blocks about 99 percent of UV

is a severe loss of sensitivity to short wave-

pick up movement, and notice things that are

light from entering the eye. This filter pro-

length colors, especially those in the UV

out of place more easily than most animals.

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Special Hunting Section Photo: Chester Moore

Mallard ducks have even more impres-

field of approximately uniform width

sive visual abilities. According to research-

(approximately equal to 20 degrees)

ers, the mallard has a retinal visual field

extending through 220 degrees from the

giving 360 degrees visual coverage in the

bill to directly behind the head.

horizontal plane and a narrow binocular

That is why you should remain still in

The nose of a whitetail deer is super sensitive. Does get little credit but mature ones can be just as wary as bucks.

the duck blind until it is time to shoot.

Over the years numerous products have developed to help us hear game better and bowhunters are constantly using a variety of gadgets to help silence their bows because of the deer’s sense of hearing.

Here is an interesting tidbit on deer hearing from the University of Georgia via Tink’s: “A couple of years ago, David Osborn and Larry Marchinton here at the University of Georgia discovered an unpublished study by Mr. Arthur Stattelman who researched the hearing capability of deer confined to a sound-proof room. They compiled the data from this research and reported some interesting results.”

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than either the deer tested or humans across

ary. There are hundreds of products on

“The deer was conditioned to seek and

a wide range of frequencies. Deer probably

the market and homegrown remedies for

accept food whenever it heard a sound. A

detect high frequency sounds slightly better

eliminating human scent and appealing

than humans. These findings may shock

to hunger and sexual urges through smell.

many hunters who have formed opinions

Did you know however deer actually have

about the hearing ability of deer based on

two noses?

“They described the study as follows:

personal experiences.”

According to a fascinating article put

out by Dr. Karl V. Miller from the Uni-

The sense of smell of deer is legend-

versity of Georgia, few hunters realize that

machine called an audiometer was used to create a wide range of sounds varying in intensity (loudness as measured in Decibels) and frequency (tone as measured in Hertz). The intensity at each frequency was increased until it produced a positive response from the deer. When repeated over time this procedure provided some understanding of what sound the deer was able to hear.”

“The results of the experiment are presented (in the accompanying graph) and are compared to some common sounds and the minimum hearing capability of humans and the domestic cat. Deer and humans apparently can detect sounds of low-to-moderate frequency at approximately the same intensity. A cat can hear much fainter sounds T F & G

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Special Hunting Section Photos: Chester Moore

mouth you will see a diamond shaped

a deer actually has two ‘noses’.

structure with a small passage leading into the palate. This additional nose, called the

“The second nose is technically not a nose, but it serves some of the same pur-

vomeronasal organ (VNO), is similar to the

pose. If you look on the roof of the deer’s

Jacobson’s organ that snakes use to ‘taste’ the air. Deer use the VNO exclusively to

Feral hogs have an acute sense of smell and an underrated ability to see.

analyze urine. When a buck sees a doe urinate, he will often take some of this urine into his mouth and perform a behavior called flehmen, or lip-curl.” ”This flehmen helps to introduce urine into the VNO. It is interesting that this organ is not connected to the same part of the brain that the nose is connected to.

Instead it is connected to the part of the brain that controls the reproductive condition of the deer. What type of information the deer is getting is unknown, but it is likely that odors analyzed in the VNO help get the hormones pumping in the buck and bring him into rutting condition.”

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shot my big buck down at the Diamond

It is the way many parents spend the

dren into the great outdoors and who had

M Ranch last year. He has been working

greatest quality time with their children and

very serious deer hunting traditions that

super hard to ensure he gets a buck with

how valuable life lessons are taught. We

while never verbalized have been passed

his bow this year and has done everything.

are at a point in Texas deer hunting where

down.

He put out three stands around his feeder

some ending those traditions and some

so he can hunt it effectively with virtually

never begin them due to economic, regula-

have similar stories and deeply held beliefs

any wind to investing in 3-D camouflage

tory and social factors.

and traditions regarding deer hunting that

to taking soil from beneath his stand and

I am blessed to have been born into a

putting his hunting clothes in it thanks to

hunting family that gladly took their chil-

Hundreds of thousands of other Texans

have helped make Texas the number one deer hunting state in the nation.

a tip from TF&G Bowhunting Editor Lou Marullo.

The answer? “Great! I was worried enough about the first nose and the eyes and ears now I have to worry about appealing to or avoiding a second one. Yikes! LOL.�

Those are the kinds of things that make hunting so appealing. For the game we pursue it is an issue of survival but in reality without something to challenge us, the tradition of hunting would not continue.

You see deer hunting is a very important tradition in our great state. It is a source of everything from family bonding to wildlife management and is the economic backbone of many communities.

Camouflage is super important to waterfowlers who must often deal with many sets of eyes at once.

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Special Hunting Section I have always loved the pursuit of white-

I am no giant whitetail specialist nor

yours truly. I however am grate-

tails and stand with all hunters who hit the

am I any kind of deer purist. My lease is a

ful for that opportunity because it helps

field happy to simply collect some venison

$400 a year East Texas hunting club with

keep alive a long-standing tradition. For

but are always pursuing that big, heavy

lots of members and super skittish deer.

that I love my lease.

antlered buck.

That often translates to no tags filled for

Occasionally there are chances to hunt other properties and regions with higher deer densities. That is a privilege that I will never take for granted and it reminds me of the first time I rode out to hunt with Dad and Uncle Jackie on the Winkle Ranch

The author took his super nice buck hunting last fall with Dr. Jerry MacShane’s Diamond M Whitetails on low fence property. For more information go to http://www.diamondmwhitetails.com.

in Llano County back in 1986. That is exactly what I felt like last year as Dr. Jerry MacShane showed me his amazing Diamond M Whitetails operation. I could not help but feel like a kid again. Actually I feel like a kid all the time but it was almost as if I was transported back to that first 104 |

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Photos: Opposite, Kenneth Holder; Right, Chester Moore

The author’s father, Chester Moore, Sr., took this huge buck—his best ever—on their friend Robert Scherer’s ranch last December. It had three main beams.

Hill Country.

Back then it was so exciting to see all of the deer alongside the road and to get to take my first-ever deer, a doe or “slick head” as my uncle called them. That is the feeling that hit me while looking at the beautiful buck last weekend. There are certainly far bigger bucks taken every day of the season in Texas but for me this deer meant something special.

Another nice Moore family buck photo will go into the photo album that will hopefully be passed down to coming generations. Taking that buck was a reminder of the responsibility to help keep it alive.

And that has a value that unlike antlers cannot be measured.

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Sporting Tales

PHOTO:

The COST of

Photo: NATUREGUY, CANSTOCK

DEER HUNTING* by paul bradshaw

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FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE MARRIED, I’m going to warn you up front that this article is going to throw out some dollar figures related to your hobby of deer hunting, so you may want to either hide this issue or read it somewhere other than the house so that you stay out of trouble. I’ll give you a second to find a safe place to read.

Let’s go ahead and get to the heart of this article, deer hunting can be expensive. Real expensive. Between leases, firearms, archery equipment, feeders, stands, clothes… it can cost a small fortune to just see a deer. Add a few family members to the mix and expenses double or triple instantly. However, there are ways to decrease these expenses if you do some research and legwork.

Lease Options Since one of the largest expenses most hunters incur is a lease, let’s start there. Just for grins, how much do you pay for your current lease? Since I can’t hear you I did some highly scientific research on the subject, I checked craigslist. Don’t laugh. You can get anything on craigslist (from miniature milking goats to electric dryers to a radio knob for a 1974 Chevy Nova) including deer leases.

What I found on craigslist is about what I expected. Of the leases I looked at the average price was just over $2000 per gun with the lowest priced being $1000. I stopped looking when I got to leases that were around $5000 per gun. I know there are some priced much higher but I don’t want to know about them since those are well out of the reach of the average hunter.

Just like everything else, the price of leases has crept up over the past few years.

It wasn’t unheard of to find a decent lease in East Texas for around $750 per gun (with guest or family access) just a few years ago. A lucky hunter might even find one for under $500. Today, East Texas leases start at $1000 and expect prices to get higher the further south and west you go.

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While land is a prerequisite for deer hunting, don’t feel like you are obligated to drop thousands on a lease (no I’m not advocating trespassing) just to put some venison in the freezer. I’m talking about hunting on the thousands of acres of public land throughout the state. Don’t look at me like that, I’m not crazy. While public hunting in Texas isn’t most hunters’ first choice it is a viable option to reduce the cost of hunting.

For $48 you get access to thousands of acres of land that hold some big deer but you have to be willing to put in some work to get to them.

There is no baiting on public land and you will have some competition but if you put in some miles scouting you can find secluded spots that hold deer. Speaking from my own experience, I’ve kicked up plenty of deer while hunting public land.

The one drawback is that many of the wildlife management areas (WMA) only allow deer hunting with archery equipment, but this should not be a major deterrent.

Archery hunting is far from easy, but due to advancements in bows it is much easier than it was just a decade ago. If you don’t want to learn to shoot a vertical bow, then look into the option of a draw hunt using a crossbow.

It’s too late this year to apply (so keep this in mind next year) but many of the wildlife management areas have draw hunts for both firearm and crossbow hunters. For a $3 application fee you get to throw your name in for a hunt on land that rarely sees hunters, and for crossbow hunters the odds of getting drawn are fairly good (if drawn you pay $130 to hunt which is still a lot cheaper than a deer lease). For example, in 2010 on the Big Lake Bottom WMA, there were 31

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applicants for 31 crossbow permits so the chance of being drawn was 100%. Also, the success rate for these hunters was 14%.

For reference, the national average for bow hunter success is somewhere between 10% and 15%. Keep in mind that the national average is for a season and the success rate at Big Lake was just for a few days so you have just as good a chance to kill a deer in a few days as the average bow hunter does all season. For firearms hunters there is more competition for the permits but there is also a better success rate.

Weapon of Choice Let’s say you lucked into a lease for next to nothing, what’s the next biggest expense in hunting? For most it’s your weapon of choice, either a bow or firearm, which at times can cost as much or more than a lease itself but it doesn’t have to.

I’m not too proud to admit that over the past few seasons my wife has kicked my rear during bow season, and she’s done it with a rig that costs a lot less than you might think.

Since crossbows have become legal to use during archery season she has taken to the woods with a crossbow we purchased for around $150 from Sportsman’s Guide (the same bow can even be found on Amazon, yes Amazon). We added a few carbon bolts mated to some standard Muzzy broadheads and for around $200 total she was taking deer (three in two seasons). That price is hard to beat.

For firearms hunters, don’t fret, you can find good deals too. You just need to get

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Sporting Tales Photo: BIGSTOCK

away from the mindset that you must have a stainless steel, synthetic stocked (gold plated diamond studded) 7mm magnum to hunt Texas deer.

Have you shopped around for a rifle lately? If you have then you noticed that firearms manufacturers have flooded the market with what would be considered introductory rifles. While these firearms might not have all the bells and whistles of their higher priced cousins they are still more than capable of taking a deer in most hunting situations. I’m a fan of Savage firearms for their accuracy and their bolt action Axis rifle can be found at Academy for under $300. If that is out of your budget then look into the single shot market. A brand new, already scoped Remington H&R .243 single shot can be had for $300. It’s not top of the line but well worth the price. If you look around a little bit you can find a used one for a lot less. In case you’re keeping count, you can

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get a crossbow and rifle for less than $500.

Blind Abandon One of the other parts of deer hunting that drives up the cost substantially are stands, but you can get around this one easily too. Just don’t hunt out of one. I know, it’s a foreign concept around here but you don’t have to sit in a box blind or tree stand to kill a deer. I keep a set of pruning shears in my backpack so that I can make an impromptu ground blind anywhere at anytime. Some of the biggest bucks I’ve taken have been while sitting on the ground nowhere near a stand.

Making a makeshift blind against a tree has become one of my daughter’s favorite ways to hunt. Just wear full camo, sit still, and you will see some deer.

Deer hunting can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. If you adjust your thinking and perception about how hunting

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One way to save money on a deer stand is to simply NOT use one.

should be in Texas you can take a lot of deer for minimal expense.

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PHOTO: BRYAN SLAVEN

Mesquite Grilled Dove Wraps

W

ith dove season still flying in all three zones, most wingshooters should have the makings of dove dinner in the bag.

Try this recipe for a new taste experience and relive the hunt with each satisfying bite.

Mequite grilled dove wraps

Serves 12-16 You will need: 24 dove breasts 24 Jalapenos (halved and seeded to make 48 halves) 2 purple onions peeled and cut into 1” thick wedges 2 cakes of cream cheese (allow to sit out to soften for 1-2 hours) 24 slices of center cut bacon, thin sliced, allow bacon to sit out for 20 to 30 minutes prior to wrapping as it will make it easier to stretch and keep a tight wrap (very important)

The Brine Fillet the breast meat from the breastplate. Place the fillet halves into a large bowl of ice water. They should be fully submersed. Add 1/2 cup sea salt to 1/2 gallon of ice water. Allow meat to sit for 1-2 hours.

Pour off water and rinse the meat again with

cold water. Preparation In a mixing bowl add the following to the cream cheese: 1 tablespoon each of black pepper, garlic salt and basil leaves Stuff a Jalapeno half with 3/4 tsp cream cheese mixture- place the breast on top of the cream cheese and place the purple onion on top of the breast. Wrap the pepper and breast with a half slice of bacon. Hold the bacon in place with a moist round toothpick.

(Be sure to wrap tightly to hold in cheese)

1 T Dijon Mustard 3 tsp. Beef Bullion 1 T Butter 1 T Black Pepper 2 T Rosemary leaves-chopped coarsely 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic Place all of above ingredients in a sauce pan, over medium heat and reduce by 1/2 of volume. Remove from heat.

The Baste

Because they are small, delicate, and prone to flare ups on the fire, place the dove wraps indirectly over medium high heat on the grill, and keep it covered when not basting them. Turn the wraps every 4-5 minutes and baste them every time you turn them until bacon is browned. Remove from the grill to a platter, and cover loosely with a piece of foil for approx. 7-8 minutes to rest the meat. Then remove the toothpicks and enjoy.

(The baste will help to cook the bacon faster and keep the meat from overcooking and drying out.)

1 whole bottle of Syrah or Merlot wine 3/4 jar Jalapeno Kiwi Jelly 3 T Soy Sauce 3 T Olive Oil

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SPOTLIGHT: ROCKPORT RED RUNNER

Rockport RedRunner

- where we are making memories for a lifetime every day.

I realized at a young age a true love for fishing. I remember catching thousands of trout while fishing with my grandpa and my dad under working birds or wading the shorelines throwing shrimp tails or gold spoons for reds. This is why I love my job. It’s about building memories and teaching the skills I was taught along my thirty years of fishing the Texas Gulf Coast.

Its about seeing the excitement of the young and old as they reel their first redfish or trout to the boat with the rod doubled over almost touching the water. I also love to hear from young customers that choose to go fishing with me for their birthday gift from parents above any other gift year after year after year. I have made not only customers but many, many friends with my full time charter business and give thanks each and everyday that I’m able to do what I truly love and share this love with others.

Although I am familiar and fish other areas - Rockport, Port A, and Corpus are the areas I specialize in but have a true passion for chasing trophy fish in Baffin as well. Give me a call at (361) 463-6545 or visit rockportredrunner.com to make memories for your family they will never forget!!!

- USCG Licensed Captain Chad Verburgt Rockport RedRunnerT F & G

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Whitetail Real County

Red Snapper

Peyton Garza, 9, with his first deer, a 6-point buck that weighed 155 pounds. He shot the buck in Real County. A taxidermist aged it between 11 and 14 years, by its teeth.

Ling Freeport Jared Suomela of Cypress caught his first Ling fishing out of Freeport with his family. The Ling measured 37 inches and weighed 17 pounds.

Gulf of Mexico Marina Armola Flores of Port Lavaca caught these beautiful Red Snapper out in the Gulf of Mexico using squid for bait.

Snow Geese East Bernard Brad Brown and his friends Craig and David shot 122 snow geese near East Bernard. They used about 300 SilloSock decoys and shot 2 banded ross, one “really old” ross goose, and many mature birds.

Mixed Stringer Gulf of Mexico From left: Cassidy Cavanaugh, 14, with her mahi mahi, Savannah Cavanaugh, 15, with her Bonito, and Delaney Cavanaugh, 12, with her Black Snapper. They also caught Grouper, Red Snapper and a few rocks… all on cigar minnows.

Redfish Aransas Pass

Whitetail

Danny Moore, 7, of San Antonio caught his first redfish while fishing with his dad off of Hog Island near Aransas Pass. Danny was using live shrimp under a popping cork. The redfish was released.

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black Drum

Cherokee County William Evans of Friendswood, 9, shot his first deer, a whitetail spike, hunting with his Dad, Troy, his uncle and cousins in Cherokee County.

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Chinquapin Cole Mcknight age 13 (center) caught this 42in black drum fishing of his dock at Chinquapin.

It was the largest fish he had ever caught.

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Redfish

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Hill Country

Eight-year-old Corbin Hale from Spring caught this redfish at Lake Anahuac on his first fishing trip.

Eleven-year-old Mitch Robinson shot his first axis in the Texas Hill Country.

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

Galveston Bay Garrett Arnett, 8, with his first grand slam, a 25-inch red, 15-inch trout, and 19-inch flounder caught in Galveston Bay

Feral HOg Encino Rene Loredo of Rio Hondo, shot his first hog with bow at 30 yards while hunting with his brother in Encino.

Speckled Trout Trinity Bay Turkey Rock Springs Esau Powell, 9, went hunting with his “Pop,” David Powell, to Rock Springs and shot 2 turkeys. Their guide was Bardy Helwig.

Six-year-old Joseph Woodall caught his first two speckled trout while fishing with his dad, Doug Woodall, in Trinity Bay.

Catfish

Speckled trout

Huntsville Mary Lubojacky of Brazoria caught this 27-pound blue cat in a private pond in Huntsville, fishing fresh shrimp. Also pictured is her grandson, Brian.

Midland County Huston Holt, age 6, of Midland shot his first deer, this 8-point buck, while hunting with his father, Rusty Holt, in Midland County.

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South Padre Island

Whitetail

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Aaron I. Ochoa, 5, caught his first speck, 19 inches long, at South Padre Island. His brother, Franky Ochoa, III had to help him reel it in while dad grabbed the net and sister, Rosalie Ochoa took the picture. It was the first and largest catch of the day.

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