Texas Fish & Game July 2019 Issue by Texas Fish & Game

July 2019 | $3.95

Going Up River for Redfish Without a Life Vest, Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re S.O.S. The Best Electronics for Saltwater Fishing Tactical & Practical Concealed Carry Tips 1907-July-CoverDIG.indd 1

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Inside FISH & GAME 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.

by ROY and ARDIA NEVES TF&G Owners

ROY AND ARDIA NEVES PUBLISHERS

Tending the Fire of Liberty

CHESTER MOORE EDITOR IN CHIEF

WO HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE YEARS AGO THIS MONTH, A DIVERSE BUT unified band of rowdy individuals issued a brash declaration. That Declaration of Independence ultimately produced a continent-spanning nation that became the greatest beacon of liberty and freedom the world had ever seen. As any C+ or better middle school student knows, the birth of this nation we celebrate every July was not an easy labor. July 4, 1776 was just the jumping off point of a long-gestating struggle and the formal start of a seven-year global war against the greatest military force on Earth. The American Patriots not only had to battle a far superior British enemy, but also faced political resistance from Loyalist Torries in their own towns and neighborhoods. It was by no means a universally popular war. And yet, the Americans prevailed. But their stunning upset victory paled in comparison with what the leaders of the rebellion accomplished after winning their freedom. The foundation they laid in the form of the United States Constitution has proven to be so solid that the nation was able to expand across an entire continent within just a few short decades of its founding, survive a horrific civil war, face its own injustices and find ways to remedy them, and grow to become the most prosperous, most powerful nation in history. While there may have been examples throughout our nation’s history where its founding principles have been contradicted—Slavery, the treatment of Indians, the hundred-year civil rights struggle—it is still the best example mankind has ever had of the championship of individual freedom and liberty. The U.S.A. is far from perfect, but that is part of its nature: freedom, by definition, can get messy. Thankfully, our founders realized that and drew us a road map that, remarkably, is still quite accurate and reliable. As long as Freedom remains the guiding force, this nation will find its way ahead. But, let us not forget... The spirit of independence that fired our Revolution had a lot to do with the vast, natural wonder of the wild North American Continent. Breathtaking mountain vistas. Endless miles of forest, teaming with game. Rivers, lakes, bays and sea shores, swimming with fish. Freedom just freaking beckoned. That spirit remains, almost two and a half centuries later, but if it is going to survive in generations to come, the fire behind it must be carried forward by those of us committed to the outdoors. America has long been defined by open spaces, abundant wildlife, clean air and sparkling water. But, as real world hunters and anglers, we know that this is an idealized vision. Those open spaces are under constant attack by encroaching development. Here in Texas, especially, where more than 90 percent of the land is under private control, maintaining enough habitat and natural resource will be a never ending challenge as the state’s population explosion continues. Meanwhile, the abundance of wildlife requires perpetual effort by conservation groups and national and state wildlife agencies such as our own Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. These efforts have proven they can be effective: There are more whitetail deer in the U.S. now than there were in 1900. But all wildlife and their habitats are continually threatened by ever-advancing civilization. Fortunately, with organizations such as Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and others, game and other species have a fighting chance. And clean air and sparkling water can never be taken for granted, as the progress of technology marches relentlessly forward. If not for avid fishermen and their supporting organizations such as our own Texas-based Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), the water we fish, swim in, and drink would probably be a lot dirtier—and deadlier. Recent fish consumption advisories in Galveston Bay underscore the need for an aggressive conservation watch on all fronts, especially close to home. For America to hold onto its unique spirit of liberty, it needs to cherish its outdoor heritage. It must nurture its wildlife and resources, and it must cultivate future generations of hunters and anglers that will use and protect their heritage. You want to Keep America Great? Save the Great American Outdoors.

E-mail Roy at rneves@ﬁshgame.com and Ardia at aneves@ﬁshgame.com 2

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C O N T R I B U T O R S DUSTIN WARNCKE JOE DOGGETT DOUG PIKE TED NUGENT LOU MARULLO MATT WILLIAMS CALIXTO GONZALES LENNY RUDOW STEVE LAMASCUS DUSTIN ELLERMANN REAVIS WORTHAM KENDAL HEMPHILL TOM BEHRENS GREG BERLOCHER RAZOR DOBBS CAPT. MIKE HOLMES STAN SKINNER SHANNON MCBRIDE NICOLE BECKA LISA MOORE

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ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR EDITOR AT LARGE HUNTING EDITOR FRESHWATER EDITOR SALTWATER EDITOR BOATING EDITOR FIREARMS EDITOR SHOOTING EDITOR HUMOR EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR DIGITAL CONTRIBUTOR DIGITAL CONTRIBUTOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR

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TEXAS FISH & GAME (ISSN 0887-4174) is published monthly by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC., 247 Airtex Dr. Houston, TX 77090. ©Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC. All rights reserved. Content is not to be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission. The publication assumes no responsibility for unsolicited photographs and manuscripts. Subscription rates: 1 year $24.95; 2 years $42.95; 3 years $58.95. Address all subscription inquiries to Texas Fish & Game, 247 Airtex Dr. Houston, TX 77090. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for response. Give old and new address and enclose latest mailing address label when writing about your subscription. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: TEXAS FISH & GAME, 247 Airtex Dr. Houston, TX 77090. Address all subscription inquiries to TEXAS FISH & GAME, 247 Airtex Dr. Houston, TX 77090. Email change of address to: subscriptions@fishgame.com. Email new orders to: subscriptions@fishgame.com. Email subscription questions to: subscriptions@fishgame.com. Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX 77267-9946 and at additional mailing offices.

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Contents July 2019 | Vol. 36 • No. 3

FEATURE ARTICLES

HOW A BOATING SCARE PUT SAFETY IN FOCUS Getting thrown in the drink made a boat dealer think twice about safety on board.

by TF&G Staff

RED RIVERS Heading up river from the bays to target redfish.

by Chester Moore

COVER STORY IT’S TIME FOR CHICKEN DOLPHIN

story and cover photo by Lenny Rudow

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Editor’s Notes

by CHESTER MOORE

ROCKIN’ REDS

Nugent in the Wild

by Ralph Winningham

by JOE DOGGETT

by Ted Nugent

TF&G Report • 34 The News of the Nation

Texas Saltwater by STEVE LAMASCUS

Texas Whitetails by LARRY WEISHUHN

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Hotshots 34 Texas Action Photos Focus 36 Coastal Columns 46 Texas Hotspots 54 Sportsman’s Daybook Tides & Prime Fishing Times

DEPARTMENTS

by CALIXTO GONZALES

Texas Guns

Fish finders, sonar and other high-tech gear that can stand up to saltwater conditions.

TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION A young Rockport fishing guide is targeting unusual spots to put his clients on big reds.

by MATT WILLIAMS

ELECTRONICS FOR SALTWATER by Lenny Rudow

Doggett at Large

Texas Freshwater

Tactical and practical tips for concealed carry training.

by TF&G Staff

Texas offshore anglers are in for a fast, furious, and messy treat if a mob of chicken dolphin invades the bite when they are targeting other Gulf gamefish.

COLUMNS

CONCEALED CARRY DONE RIGHT

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Letters

by TFG Readers

Texas Tasted by Bryan Slaven

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Outdoor Directory Fish & Game Photos by TFG Readers

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LETTERS to the Editor Sand Trout Fan I ENJOYED READING YOUR ARTIcle on Sand Trout. For years I have been told that they do not freeze very well, tend to be mushy when thawed. I have not had that problem. Like you said put on ice right off the hook. I take one fish at a time out of the ice chest to fillet. The fillet goes in ice water until frozen. If you like Tuna Salad? Try this, place fillets on cookie sheet and bake at 350 until it flakes. Squeeze all liquid out of the meat. Prepare just like you do your Tuna.

Magazine. The title caught my eye. As you can see from the pictures attached we have had the same experience. Neither of these fish were hooked; they were spotted at the surface of the water. My friend slowly trolled over to see what exactly was happening and found these two fish. He was able to capture and separate them. The larger fish was a 6 pounder and the smaller was 4lbs. Both were successfully released back into the lake. These pictures are from 2015 in a private club lake near Athens Texas.

Ron Burrow

Mike Leamon

Bass Eats Bass

.45 ACP

JUST READ YOUR ARTICLE IN THE May 2019 issue of Texas Fish and Game

STEVE I READ YOUR 1911 ARTICLE. I have been a subscriber for many years. I

have a 1911 story for you, my Grandfather, a Major, 36th ID, WWl carried a 1911, he also fought Pancho Villa on the Border, my Dad, a Col., Ret. WWll, 36th ID and Korea, KMAG, carried the same gun and upon his death I got the pistol as I was a CPT INF 36th ID as they all were Infantry Officers. I Gave the pistol to my son - CPT INF 36th ID - Iraq and 2 trips to Afghanistan. How’s that for a story? I still remember the serial number. Enjoy the Magazine.

Carlyle Stakes Mr. Stakes: Thanks for sending your note on your .45 and its history in your family. I think such things are more special than words can possibly express. I have two weapons that I carried on duty with the Border Patrol. I will leave them to my daughters. I pray they have the opportunity to pass them on down the line. I would also like to offer my own sincere thanks to you and your family for the patriotic duty you performed. I wish that more people had such fervor in their hearts. Thankfully we have over a million young men and women who still have such love for their country that they are currently serving in the greatest armed force the world has ever seen. Steve LaMascus

« Send Your Comments to: Writer captured this shot in 2015 at a private lake, both released successfully.

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Texas Fish & Game 247 Airtex Drive Houston, TX 77090 editor@ﬁshgame.com

PHOTO: MIKE LEAMON

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EDITOR’S Notes by CHESTER MOORE :: TF&G Editor-in-Chief

The Legacy Of HunterConservationists

HE ENDANGERED SPECIES Act (ESA) of 1973 brought protected status to dozens of thendwindling North American animals. Among the first listings were the red wolf, black-footed ferret and ivory-billed woodpecker. Had the ESA been established in 1900, the American bison would have been listed along with the wild turkey and pronghorn. All of these are game animals with thriving populations that are now hunted across multiple states. “It is unprecedented to have so many species come back in such a big way, and it has everything to do with the value put on those species and their habitat by hunter-conservationists like our founder Teddy Roosevelt,” said Keith Balfourd with the Boone & Crockett Club. Since 1900 bison have bounced back from 1,000 to 300,000 and wild turkeys went from 30,000 to nearly seven million. Pronghorns which fell below 20,000 animals now number more than a million. And it doesn’t stop there. Whitetails would not have been listed as “endangered” but their population stood at only 500,000 throughout the continent. Now it’s 15,000,000. Elk were down to 40,000 and now there are

more than a million. Contrast that with the ivory-billed woodpecker which is functionally extinct and the red wolf that exists only through a very small captive-bred introduced population in North Carolina and in various zoos and wildlife centers. Some ESA-listed animals such as the bald eagle have had huge success stories, but the rise of game populations managed for hunting rarely gets mentioned in the corporate wildlife media. One of the first actions of dedicated hunter Roosevelt and the Boone & Crockett Club was to push for the creation of Yellowstone National Park as it was one of the last intact ecosystems with abundant game. “Roosevelt and the early proponents of Yellowstone faced many obstacles including mining, timber and railroad interests. But they prevailed and Yellowstone’s preservation made it possible to restore dwindling species to other areas,” Balfourd said. Elk from Yellowstone were transplanted to areas where they had been eliminated and so were bison. As newly-enacted game laws created protection for these animals, their numbers began to multiply where they had been stocked. This quickly became the template for wildlife restoration in America. The key reason for the wild turkey’s monumental increase was bringing excess birds from areas of abundance and releasing into zones with no birds. This practice continues today and has also been a cornerstone for the restoration of everyThe American Bison is one of the greatest examples of thing from bighorn sheep to hunter-based conservation saving a species. gray wolves.

PHOTOS: PUBLIC DOMAIN & US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

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A young Teddy Roosevelt getting ready for a hunt. Without his actions and the formation of the Boone & Crockett Club much of America’s wildlife would have been lost.

What Roosevelt, the early members of the Boone & Crockett Club and other early conservationists tapped into was that wildlife needed areas of sanctuary. And once you establish this, excess animals can be taken from there to areas of need. To some it might seem ironic. Hunters pushed for huge areas to be shut down to hunting and then helped create licensing systems that ensured hunting as restricted and managed by the government. On top of that they added licenses and excise taxes on sporting goods to fund conservation projects. But these hunters knew that without making sacrifices, the animals they pursued would have been gone forever. They were visionaries. The pioneering work they did gave hope that wildlife could continue to thrive in the face of growing human population and industrialization. It is not a perfect system but it works better than anything else on the planet thus far. Many have had a hand in wildlife conservation in North America but few have had the impact of early hunter-conservationists such as Roosevelt and the Boone & Crockett Club. Their legacy lives on in the woods, on the mountains and across the fruited plain.

Email Chester Moore at CMoore@ﬁshgame.com |

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DOGGETT at Large by JOE DOGGETT :: TF&G Contributing Editor

Double Dipping

tion was a groggy reflex to beat the competition. Black bass normally are not that dumb. In fact, fisheries biologists maintain that Micropterus is a relatively intelligent fish. I concur. The average specimen in good health amid high-visibility conditions probably could pass the TASC examination. Well, that’s an exaggeration but bass can be very aware, very alert. They learn things. Six or eight years ago, I hosted an eight-inch bass for several months in a home aquarium. I named the little fish Hermann, since I caught it from the Hermann Park Duck Pond in Houston. The aerated tank was near a window in my den. The bass lived solo amid a few rocks and clusters of native coontail moss. Occasionally, with the den door open, I would attempt to creep through the hallway without Hermann sensing the movement. The distance from the tank to the den door was about 30 feet, and the gap across the hallway was about six feet. During each stealth mission, Hermann would turn to face me, fins slowly stirring to mark time. He seemed to be giving me a severe dose of the stink eye: Why, you’re the SOB that put me in here! But Hermann quickly realized where the bread was buttered—or the chum was scattered. If I held a jar in a certain way and approached the tank, he would rise to the surface, anticipating a fresh batch of minnows. He would slash and boil, savaging the bait as I watched from several feet away. Perhaps this reveals a character flaw, but I tempted poor little Hermann several times with trout flies and tiny spoons. Each jigging, jiving ruse was met with magnificent disregard. Not to mention the same cold stink eye. We played these games until Hermann started outgrowing the tank, then he was released back into the namesake duck pond. This interaction confirmed that bass can really get dialed in. The average fish probably is somewhere between Hermann and that longago suicidal schoolie. If a bass along a given shoreline sees the

ONCE CAUGHT THE SAME BASS on two consecutive casts. The bizarre double dip occurred during the early ’70s on Mexico’s Lake Guerrero. Jack Segall and I were jigging spoons over a hump of flooded mesquite on the southern end of the lake. Segall was a Lake Livingston guide who was temporarily operating out of the rough launch ramp at Villa de Casas. Back then, newly discovered Guerrero blew everything off the bass fishing map, and the claims of “100 fish per day” were absolutely true. Our mesquite hump was a fine example. A big school of two- to three-pound bass was stacked near bottom. Segall was well-versed in jigging spoons (many sessions on Livingston’s old Highway 190 roadbed). Catching a fish was a simple matter of dropping a Bomber Slab, lifting the rod tip once or twice, then setting the hook. I hooked a healthy two pounder, fought it in strong circles to the surface, then flipped it splashing and flapping over the side of the Falcon Tiger Grande bass boat. The hook was stuck in the right hinge of the jaw. I gripped the lower lip with my raw “Guerrero Thumb” and popped the hook and dropped the bass back into the lake. A quick free-spool on the red Ambassadeur 5000 allowed the heavy Slab to sink and a smart lift of the 5 1/2-foot fiberglass Fenwick LunkerStik bent the tip with another strike. A two-pound bass slanted limply to the surface, not struggling or resisting. The jaw showed a fresh red hook stab on the right side of the jaw—same fish, no doubt. The absence of fight confirmed that fact. During a lifetime of bass fishing, that’s only happened once. Presumably, the spoon fluttered right in the face of the released fish. A swarm of bass was down there, and the reac6

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same lure repeatedly within a short period of time, it can become standoffish to that particular offering. Of course, the concept of catch and release is based on the fact that a game fish handled with reasonable care will survive and thrive when returned to the water (assuming the fish was not deep-hooked). The memory of a hooked fish is impossible to gauge—a span of several days sounds reasonable. However, many variables may factor into triggering the next strike. Bass get into repeated trouble maybe faster than they should because they are aggressive ambush-oriented predators. They are fond of lunging from screening cover (weeds, brush, logs, etc.) to snatch passing prey. The murky water in many ponds only encourages this reflexive strike. But, to repeat, bass can get pretty savvy. This is especially true on hard-fished water. Bass in small ponds and stock tanks are an excellent example. They are, essentially, a captive audience. The same banks get flogged regularly and often by the same lures. Many anglers tend to get into a rut, chunking what’s worked before—so-called confidence baits. Pounding the same water with the same lure might pluck the occasional “village idiot” from the shoreline weed beds. However, most bass with fresh hook scars are wary. As a general rule, regardless of technique, go smaller and faster under high-visibility conditions of bright sun and clear water. Go bigger and slower under low-visibility conditions. Or try going old. Progress is great. Some genuine advances have evolved, but a top-tray lure of decades past can be an effective changeup pitch. A great way to draw a strike from a recently educated bass is to show it something new. Never mind that “new” might be 50 years old. The nearest bass doesn’t know that. If it caught fish then, it will catch fish now.

Email Joe Doggett at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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NUGENT in the Wild by TED NUGENT :: TF&G Editor-at-Large

Bowhunting the Great Texas Thunderchicken As the Texas turkey season was coming to a close on the last afternoon, I was perched way up high in an ancient Live Oak tree hoping to get an arrow in one of the prolific exotic critters or maybe a hog that thrive on our home SpiritWild Ranch.

“ If you can get to full draw on a wild turkey, you are conﬁrmed to be the ultimate stealthy predator.

“

ROWING UP AND HUNTING in Michigan throughout the 50s 60s and 70s, there were no wild turkeys to be had. My first encounter with the mighty Thunderchicken was in the Manistee National Forest up in the northeast area of the Lower Peninsula around 1975. Trekking mile after mile of wonderful rugged wild ground habitat pursuing the elusive Ruff Grouse and Timberdoodles with my amazing Irish Setter birdmasters, we stumbled upon a flock of about twelve Eastern turkey hens one afternoon, and I was rather surprised and delighted to say the least. A few years after that we could apply for a spring gobbler permit, and my exciting hunting for this magnificent big game bird was off and running. I killed a few with my shotgun, then went deep into the dark side of bowhunting this most elusive and challenging of quarry, and the thrills have just kept on coming. I have been extremely fortunate to arrow many Easterns in Michigan, Merriams in South Dakota, Rio Grandes in Texas and Osceolas in Florida. If you can get to full draw on a wild turkey, you are confirmed to be the ultimate stealthy predator. I’ve also killed Rios and an Osceola with my Glock 10mm handgun and that adds a whole new fun factor challenge altogether. The absolute predator stealth needed to get past the wild turkey’s omniscient radar is the most demanding in all of the hunting world. Total camouflage, total stillness and perfect timing for the shot are all critical. I have found that turkey hunting with the bow and arrow is the ultimate lesson for success on all other game.

Mesmerized as always by the comings and goings of beautiful whitetail deer, Fallow and Sika deer and a parade of fidgety blackbuck antelope, I was contemplating whacking a female blackbuck when all the animals in sight jerked their heads up and stared due east. Covered up pretty good in the dark shadows of my little leafy cubbyhole perch, I wasn’t able to see the incoming newcomer, but was ready for anything. Much to my surprise, having failed to even see a single longbeard all spring, a handsome, shimmering Rio Grand gobbler was pecking T E X A S

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his way towards me, and I was as excited as I’ve ever been on any hunt. Concealed well in my tree, I was eventually able to get to full draw undetected as the trophy Thunderchicken entered my primeshooting lane at thirty yards. Envisioning the square of glowing dayglow orange tape on my full body 3-D turkey target at the range that I religiously shoot every day, I went into killmode autopilot and the sight pin on my new 50# Mathews Vertix settled in nice and low behind the drumstick, and lo and behold; thar she blows! The lighted nock told no lie as the mortally whacked big bird flip-flopped about 20 yards and lay still, dead within a very quick few seconds. I was dazed! Stunned! Very, very happy to say the least. Last day, last chance, last hour, bingo! I hear from so many very happy fellow hunting friends from pretty much all-50 states about their turkey hunting successes this spring 2019. That is certainly a cause for grand celebration and we can thank American hunting families and the great National Wild Turkey Federation for restoring this fantastic big game bird to numbers unprecedented in the history of our country. Truth be told, if you want a wildlife species to thrive in abundance and be managed and conserved forever, open a regulated hunting season on them and they will never be endangered. Meanwhile, the Nugent family will have a little extra mid-year Thanksgiving celebration with a hard earned, organic, wild butterball of our own.

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Email Ted Nugent at tnugent@ﬁshgame.com

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RUTH: NOTHING GETS A FISHing boat messier than a fast-paced bite on chicken dolphin. But it’s a good mess – a great one, actually – with fish flip-flopping uncontrollably, blood spraying every which way, and slime splattering across the deck. As anyone who’s experienced the chaos of landing multiple mahi-mahis at the same time can attest, it makes just the kind of a mess we anglers live for. Second truth: a cooler full of chicken dolphin also makes the kind of meal we live for.

Schoolish Behavior One of the reasons dolphin fishing often leads to utter bedlam is that you’ll have a shot at multiple hook-ups at once more often than hooking individual fish. Loners of this species are rarely encountered, and it’s much more common to come across pods of a half-dozen or so fish, or larger schools of dozens of fish. And those dolphin stick together – reel one up to the boat, and in most cases the entire horde will follow. Play your cards right, and you can often catch most or all of the school. T E X A S

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The real secret to turning one fish into a free-for-all is preparation. You may spot mahi-mahi hovering beneath flotsam or you may get a fish on the line while trolling through open water, but either way, from the first moment you know there’s a dolphin around, you need to be ready to react to the entire school. Whenever dolphin are a possibility you should have a bucket of chopped fish or squid pre-prepped and in an easily accessible cooler or fishbox. The moment you realize the fish are there, someone should be assigned the job of tossing a small handful of bait chunks over the side of the boat. The school will usually rush in to feed, and the rest of the crew can then commence bailing the fish by threading a couple of those chopped baits onto a 6/0 to 8/0 circle hook tied to a 40-pound fluorocarbon leader. Flip those bait into the frenzy (with either spinning or conventional gear in the 20- to 30-pound class) and it usually won’t be long before everyone aboard is knee-deep in fish gore. If slinging lures is more your style than slinging bait, don’t hesitate to try ripping a four- to six-inch spoon through the water. Soft plastics can be effective at times, too. Just remember that mahi-mahi have excellent eyesight and usually follow and then reject a slow-moving lure; &

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Catching chicken dolphin can get a boat messy in a hurry.

sharp eye out for flotsam is the usual method. Remember that mahi can be found hiding under just about anything: a weedline, buoys, a tree limb, or even an old pizza box floating around out there can harbor fish. So as you troll someone should always be positioned as high on the boat as possible and in a tower if applicable, with a pair of binoculars. He or she can then call out directions for a new course to the captain, as flotsam is spotted. Much of the time dolphin are encountered by trollers targeting other species, so no matter what you’re after, if there’s a shot at mahi make sure you have at least a couple of offerings in the water which they’re inclined to hit. Small rigged ballyhoo are certainly a top pick. Small (four- to six-inch) soft plastic squid are another good bet. When choosing colors, remember that these fish love to strike at blues and greens, but pink-colored lures often seem to be their preference. A word to the wise when you have chicken dolphin on your radar: make sure your raw water wash-down is working, keep a scrub brush handy, and when the bite slows sluice away the slime and blood before it has a

ripping it at full-tilt usually leads to more hook-ups with artificials. To make sure the action doesn’t stop prematurely, the crewmember tossing chunks should watch the fish as they eat. When all the chunks in the water have been consumed, don’t let more than a minute or two go by before sending another handful of bait over the side. If you’re short-handed or running out of chunks, keep one fish on the line and in the water. As long as it’s swimming next to the boat, the rest of the school usually hangs around. This tactic is less reliable than feeding the fish, but it does work most of the time for at least a few minutes. Then you can set up a chain; when a second fish gets hooked the first can be landed, then the angler keeps fish number-two in the water. Then when a third gets hooked the second fish can be swung aboard, and so on.

On A Mahi-Mahi Mission How will you locate a school of chickens in the first place? Trolling while keeping a 10

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chance to bake on in the hot sun. Otherwise it’ll be a serious chore to clean up the boat, after that hot chicken dolphin action has created the sort of mess an angler’s dreams are made of. Bonus Tip: Occasionally you’ll spot a big bull among the chickens, which out-classes the relatively light rigs you’re using to bail the chickens. Always have a 30-pound class or heavier rod rigged up with a 60-pound leader and a 10/0 or 12/0 hook ready for action, for this specific fish. When you spot it, inform the crew to get the light lines out of the water, because a 30- or 40-pound bull will usually shred 20-pound spinning gear or chew through 40-pound leader in short order. Bait up the big rod with a whole fish that’s too large for the chickens to eat (a horse ballyhoo is excellent for this purpose) and cast it as close to the big fish as possible. Double-Bonus Tip: Sharpies also keep a rod ready and rigged with an eight to 10 ounce fast-sinking speed jig at the ready. When a school is located, this spoon gets dropped deep beneath the fish then cranked PHOTOS: LENNY RUDOW

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Chicken dolphin often show up in the midst of another species bite.

back to the surface at full-tilt. While it rarely gets hit, this spoon does on occasion get followed to the surface by a monster mahi. Those bigger ones sometimes sit down deep

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and shadow a school of smaller chickens, and while they usually donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t strike the spoon it does get them curious. They follow it to the surface, and when they see the bait bits

hitting the water, they get fired up and start chomping.

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ARK KUCHERA SEES BOATING SAFETY in a new light. Having worked in a managerial position in the boating industry for years he has always put an emphasis on safety both in his own ventures and in on the water boat testings. But a recent incident on Lake Conroe showed him that anyone can get complacent. “A customer expressed interest in one of our boats. It was a Sportsman 214-an extremely well performing boat and one of the things I tell my customers when they are looking at our boats is that we need to get out on the water because everybody’s boat rides good when it’s smooth,” Kuchera said. “They need to be able to see how the boat they want to get really performs.” The customer took him up on the offer and said he had a 10-year-old 19-foot boat with a 90 horsepower motor on it. “We picked a day and met out on Lake Conroe. It was really windy with south winds probably at 25 miles an hour,” Kuchera said. “There were two foot whitecaps but that doesn’t scare me in that boat because it handles very well,” he added. Kuchera put on his inflatable and asked the customer if he wanted to do the same before launching. He declined. “We get off and we start going and are riding with the waves at that point. The boat is handling wonderfully. And we are going at around 50 miles per hour,” he said.

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Again, this was a rough day with continually declining weather. “The customer turned and started going horizontal with the waves,” Kuchera said. One of the waves pushed the boat hard to the right and when it did, the customer overcorrected to the left and then the bow went down and the boat was instantly pushed over. “I held on as long as I could and then I was in the water, and my customer was in the water. The water was cool and the waves were pounding and was pretty scary there for a minute,” Kuchera said. The customer who did not choose to wear a life jacket also did not attach the lanyard that kills the boat if an incident such as this were to occur. The boat kept on going as they huddled together realizing that even with one inflatable stuck in the middle of Lake Conroe they would be alright. Eventually some anglers were coming in due to the weather conditions and picked them up and brought them over to the boat which was essentially unharmed on a bank with the motor running. “I got in the boat and we were able to get it

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back to the dock with no issues,” Kuchera said. At the time he didn’t know his shoulder was hurt, but after visiting three different specialists it was determined he had rotator cuff damage. It, however, could have been much worse. Kuchera now says all points of safety are not only considered but enforced during boat demonstrations and he tells everyone within earshot to wear their life jacket and to attach the kill chord. “Boaters should never assume because they have experience with one kind of boat that they can safely operate another. We should all slow down a little and focus on safety first and enjoy the amazing times that boats can help provide.” Life jackets must meet United States Coast Guard (USCG) compliance for each wearer. With few exceptions, all children under 13 must wear a USCG-approved personal flotation device (PFD) all the time while aboard a boat. In states that have their own child PFD-wear requirements, each state’s requirement is to be followed. Child life jacket requirements for all 50 states can be found on the Life Jacket

Advisor website: LifeJacketAdvisor.com. Children’s life jackets are sized according to a child’s weight (not by chest size as they are for adults). As a general rule for PFD designations, “Infant” is for 8 to 30 pounds; “Child” is for 30 to 50 pounds; and “Youth” is for 50 to 90 pounds. However, “fit” is the ultimate criteria. Lake patrol officials say a life jacket must fit for it to do its job right, so just having a life jacket on doesn’t necessarily mean someone is in compliance with the law. Mary Snyder of Absolute Outdoor said it’s important to ‘think safety’ if you’re headed to the water. “At the top of the list is to make sure all life jackets are in good condition and still fit properly, especially in the case of youth. Young bodies change quickly and a goodfitting life jacket is not only essential for safety - it’s also the law.” It has to be snug, with all straps and closures fastened, and that’s one of the things they check on boaters. PFDs for infants and small children should have a padded head support to help keep the head above water, a leg strap to help

6/11/19 12:31 PM

PHOTOS: ABSOLUTE OUTDOOR

“PFD designs and materials keep the flotation device from PFDs come in a have come a long way in form riding up, and a grab handle to variety of types, and function, but they still only assist in retrieving a wearer out including standard work when worn. Adults serve as of the water. vests, inﬂatables, the best example to youngsters Look for a life jacket’s size and even ﬂotation by always wearing theirs, too,” designation on label information garments. Snyder added. located on the inside area of its Design engineers at Absolute Outdoor, back. “A good fitting life jacket is also more makers of Onyx and Full Throttle life jackets, comfortable to wear. Complement the right say it only takes a few minutes to inspect fit with a stylish design and/or one that looks life jackets, so first check for rips, tears, and similar to mom and dad’s, and most kids are holes, and then make sure seams, fabric straps, and hardware are in good condition. good for spending the entire day in them.

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Waterlogging, mildew odor, or shrinkage of the flotation foam are signs of performance concerns. Lastly, try the life jacket on. If it no longer fits, replace it. Fishing and boating are loads of fun but let the Kuchera’s story be a reminder that can turn into extreme danger. Be prepared and survive to hit the water another day.

6/11/19 12:31 PM

Texas FRESHWATER by MATT WILLIAMS :: TF&G Freshwater Editor

Busted! Sam Rayburn Crappie Guides Nabbed

NE OF THE MOST FLAgrant game fish poaching cases ever filed by Texas game wardens came to a close in a Jasper County court last May. Three licensed Sam Rayburn fishing guides were ordered to pay $2,700 each in fines and court costs for their involvement in illegal fishing activity on the 114,000-acre reservoir east of Lufkin. Depending on who you talk to, the guides may have gotten off too light. On May 7, state game wardens nabbed the guides and 12 clients with more than 200 crappie over the limit, including 40 fish shorter than the 10-inch minimum allowed by law. The guides were in the company of their out-of-state clients at a fishing camp in the vicinity of Tiger Creek when multiple citations were issued. According to Capt. Game Warden Heath Bragg, game wardens discovered several large coolers at the camp containing 808 crappies—208 fish over legal two-day limit for 12 fishermen. Bragg said the guide clients were not ticketed. Nor were the fishing guides cited for every illegal fish. “We don’t file a charge for every single case,” Bragg said. “Yes, each fish over the limit is a separate violation, but we have to draw the line somewhere on the number of cases we file. In this one we filed one case for every five fish. That’s the way we’ve always operated. It allows us to do our job while still being fair.” The guides, Regina Myers of Brookeland, Bill Rogers of Jasper and Ron Wallace of Brookeland, were each charged on 14 cases of over the daily limit on crappies and four cases of undersized crappies. The guides appeared before Jasper County Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Brett Holloway on May 17. Myers and Rogers pleaded no contest to the 18 charges and Wallace entered

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a guilty plea, according to court records. Crappie fishermen on Sam Rayburn are required to follow the statewide limit, which is 25 fish per day with a 10-inch minimum size limit. Keeping fish over the limit and undersize fish are Class C misdemeanor violations, which carry a maximum penalty of $500 per charge. Holloway assessed a $150 fine on each charge to all three guides. “There is a maximum or minimum fine, and deciding on the amount was left up to me,” Holloway said. “I decided to go with the minimum amount instead of the maximum. It was their first offense. A lot of different things figure into it. You’re not trying to ruin somebody. These were Class C misdemeanor charges. “I’m not saying I take that lightly, but $2,700 is a pretty good fine. It’s the highest fine I’ve assessed since I’ve been a judge. I’m sure if it were to happen again it would be different story.” Bragg called the case one of the most blatant examples of natural resource abuse he’s witnessed in nearly 20 years as a game warden. “It’s one of the most flagrant cases we’ve ever seen in East Texas, for sure,” he said. “I’ve seen some cases where we’ve seized lots of catfish and bass, but I’ve never seen one where the limits were exceeded by such a large number.” Bragg said the case was built around surveillance efforts carried out by Jasper County game wardens Justin Eddins, Morgan Inman and Roy Chad Eddins. “We had wardens on the water watching them and one lying in the woods watching them take out at the public ramp,” Bragg said. “I’m very proud of what our wardens did and the amount of work they put in on this case. They worked really hard to make it.” Bragg said the three guides also must pay |

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civil restitution fees to the state on the 208 crappies over the limit. The dollar amount per fish will be decided by the TPWD. The restitution fees will be divided between the three guides, equaling roughly 70 fish per guide, according to the warden. Bragg added that there is currently no law on the books that allows for guide license revocation based on Class C misdemeanor cases. “But this case could set a precedent to entertain looking into that in the future,” he said. Not surprisingly, word of the crappie poaching case spread like wildfire via social media and various Internet fishing forums. A Texas Fishing Forum post about the incident drew more than 6,700 views and nearly 100 replies.

It didn’t sit well with Sam Rayburn locals and other fishing guides, either. Roy Sanford, a veteran Sam Rayburn guide since 1982, says he was appalled when he learned about the case and is equally disappointed by the outcome. “They got off really light as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “Stuff like this reflects bad on other guides who are out there doing the right thing.” Fishing guide Randy Dearman agreed. “It’s a complete lack of respect for the fishery and the other fishermen,” Dearman said. “We’ve got laws for a reason, and we as fishermen need to obey them. It’s a simple as that.”

Email Matt Williams at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com COMPOSITE IMAGE: TF&G

6/11/19 12:11 PM

Texas SALTWATER by CALIXTO GONZALES :: TF&G Saltwater Editor

Different Musings

NYONE WHO HAS BEEN reading my material for more than a couple of issues is aware of the health battles I’ve been fighting. In June of 2018, I underwent a surgical weightloss procedure to not only drop weight, but to regain some of my health (and stabilize my body for an eventual kidney transplant). I’ve since lost 100 pounds, my diabetes, though not in remission, is in better control, and I’m in better overall health. Not only that, I can wear pleated pants and not look weird. You learn a lot of things when you get better after a long illness. Think about how shocked you are at some of the things you were unaware of when you’re laid up with a stomach flu for two days, and you finally crawl out of bed. Now, multiply that by four years (the length of time where I was VERY sick), and you can begin to understand. To go a bit further into depth, I offer you a return of my long-absent Random Ramblings. YOU DON’T REALIZE how much you surrender when you start getting sick. First, I gave up running my own boat, mainly because I seldom had the energy required to put any effort into preparing, launching, running, towing, washing, and stowing the Teacher’s Pet. First, I began to rely on the generosity of others to let me hop onto their boat (and I’ve tried to display my gratitude as much as possible in those situations). Eventually, when even casting for more than an hour at a stretch became too much, I fished less and less, and relied on the vast library of notes I’ve compiled in 20 years of outdoor journalism. I hit rock bottom in 2017, when I went fishing twice. I’m back on the water now. For that alone, the surgery was worth it. SPEAKING OF GIVING up more and more as you get sick, I finally started organizing my fishing room recently. I almost broke

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friends underscores that I am very blessed. The crowd of supporters, that includes longtime friends such as Anibal Gorena, Gator Dave Rutledge, Blake and Monique Hensler, Sandra Lisa Martinez, Yajaira Lara-Sanchez, Letty Gomez, Linda Davila-Macal and Jen Brewster, along with more others than I have space to name, have propped me up when I needed it most. I love them all. DOCTORS SUCH AS Rolando Yarritu, Michael Jellinek, Noe Oliveira, and Ben Garza held me together when I was crumbling. Never, never take your doctors for granted. YOU COULD MARK the exact day I became a wrestling fan on a calendar. I was eight years old. I was watching the Atlanta Braves play my beloved Cincy Reds when a major storm caused a long delay. To fill up the time, WTBS started airing a re-run of Georgia Championship Wrestling. The first match featured this huge blond Texan who roared into the ring, destroyed the poor schlub opposite him, let out a war whoop, and left the ring. That was Stan “The Bad Man from Borger, Texas” Hansen, and I was a fan from then on. He was always my favorite. So much so I learned he was a huge star in Japan, where he was called “The Unsinkable Battleship.” I was a sickly child whose physical frailties would’ve been enough to leave him homebound (for crying out loud, I got the mumps in 8th grade—8th GRADE!!!). The physical toughness Hansen exuded inspired me to adopt the attitude spiritually if not physically. I was an Unsinkable Battleship, and you couldn’t stop me. You still can’t. Thanks, Mr. Hansen. I’ve made it through a longer, darker night than anything Jon Snow or Denarius Targaryan can imagine. If any of you reading this are going through something similar, don’t stop fighting. Be an Unsinkable Battleship and get stronger. Then, let’s go fishing.

down during the task. It dawned on me how much I really did love it when I retreated into the dark tunnel that was my illness. Thanks to Larry Dahlberg of The Hunt for Big Fish and Mike Fappel at Alumilite, I had begun to teach myself how to design and create my own lures. I was up to my elbows in the practice of what Larry would call “goopology” making masters, throwing molds, and pouring soft plastics and plugs, and loving every minute of it. Somewhere along the line, however, I started to lack the energy to even do that. The end result was a complete neglect of my newfound hobby. Two brand new gallon jugs of Alumisol raw plastic had separated, congealed, and become useless. MY FISHING ROOM itself was no longer my room. It was full of baskets of laundry, my wife’s long-abandoned sewing machine, boxes of knick-knacks from my late uncle’s house, and just general clutter. It turned my once-majestic, longhorn-festooned man room into an oversized version of the typical hallway closet. The more I look at the general chaos scattered in there, I realize it’s time for a yard sale. Maybe if I let my wife keep the proceeds, she’ll be amenable to the idea. I CAN’T GO any further without telling you about my wife, Sandie. When she vowed, “Through sickness and health,” I really don’t think she bargained for what she got. I’ve been diabetic for 18 years; the last four years were the worst because it attacked my kidneys (whereas it attacked my older brother’s heart, and one of my best friend’s feet). I’ve been in and out of medical facilities for surgical procedures, dialysis, scans, check-ups, and doctor visits. She has been unable to spend as much time with her horse as she’d like. She focused a lot of time on me, and worried more than any good woman should have to. She’s been by my side the entire time with nary a complaint. She has slept on hospital room couches, lost money from being out too many days from school, and loved me the entire time. She, along with my son, Calito, saved my life. Am I blessed? Oh yes. Sandie is proof that I over-married. MEANWHILE, MY CIRCLE of F I S H

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IVERS NORTH OF BAY SYSTEMS ON THE TEXAS coast are loaded with redfish during summer. These reds tend to roam in small “wolf packs” and feed along riprap, docks and drop-offs. These reds will not always feed aggressively on the surface, which is why it is important to wear polarized shades and watch for reds pushing wakes or simply sitting around key pieces of cover. For sub-surface feeding schools, I use the Super Pogy High Pitch. It mimics the red’s primary prey species and can be fished by ripping through the water or letting it sink and over structure and reeling it quickly to the surface. In these river zones, there is frequently coastal marsh pouring into the rivers and intersected by large manmade canals. Reds use these canals as travel corridors and find feeding easy as tides dump from the marsh to the bays. Target the areas where these canals empty large marsh ponds or dump into a bay on outgoing tides. Reds gather in the deepest holes and absolutely hammer the menhaden, shrimp and crabs coming out of the marsh. These canals typically range from 3-6 feet deep and where you have adjoining canals or the edge of a pond, tidal flow creates potholes. They can be as shallow as six inches or as deep as two feet and they are like magnets for reds.

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The author has used techniques suggested by bass pro Rick Clunn to catch redﬁsh.

These are great places to fish square-billed crankbaits, which are perfect for shallow water and can cover lots of water, which is

key in these kinds of ecosystems. Simply throw them out and reel them in as fast as possible. Most are designed to “walk” most

Redﬁsh upriver tend to feed around riprap and drop offs.

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efficiently at a high rate of speed. Anglers should keep in mind that reds have what can best be described as a “cone of vision”; a term that was first coined by late outdoor writer/redfish guru Ed Holder. Reds can see about 180 degrees and the most likely strikes will be found in front of the red and perhaps just off to the side. If you have a visual on the reds, remember precision casting is important because they will rarely turn around to strike at something they only hear. Throw just ahead of them or right behind and reel past for best results. Anglers can fish crankbaits on virtually any kind of medium-heavy rod, even on spinning gear although that is not recommended. The true secret however I learned by fishing with 4-time Bassmaster Classic champion and my all-time fishing hero Rick Clunn. “Super sensitive rods will actually work against you when fishing with crankbaits. A fish will actually ‘push’ the lure as they pursue it and if you are fishing a super sensitive (graphite/composite) rod you will set the PHOTOS: CHESTER MOORE

6/12/19 10:01 AM

Kayaks and other small craft are ideal for chasing reds upriver.

hook before the fish actually has the lure,â&#x20AC;? Clunn said. Clunn was speaking of bass when he gave me this information but I immediately trans-

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ferred the concept to redfish and it works. Redfish are far from dumb fish that will hit anything. Anyone who has truly pursued them for any length of time knows they can

be quite challenging which is why crankbaits are crucial for the coastal angler.

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ARRYING A FIREarm is a personal and serious issue. Where legal, being able to conceal a handgun for defense is one of those privileges that no one should take lightly. It could very well be the barrier between life and death. Although relatively few people who carry ever have to draw their weapon in defense, myriad factors go into this issue that everyone should think about. They range from the very practical to the tactical.

Size Matters Good advice for choosing a defensive handgun according to CZ-USA is to get the most powerful handgun you can handle that you will actually have with you. “When we want a handgun for concealed carry, light weight and compact size become desirable features,” a CZ spokesman said. “The CZ P-01 is compact, lightweight and very easy to shoot and with 14 rounds of 9mm it carries an impressive payload of firepower. The subcompact CZ 75 RAMI is even smaller and lighter, easier to conceal and carry, still delivers 11 rounds of 9mm or eight

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of .40, but the tradeoff is that it is more difficult to master than the larger models.” A newer model, the CZ P10S (Optics Ready) sports a 3.5-inch barrel and carries 12 rounds, which should make it a popular choice with those who choose to carry. The spokesman noted that even uniformed law enforcement officers carry lighter weight guns on their duty belts these days. Does this mean that the full size, heavy defensive pistol is obsolete? According to CZ the best defensive handgun for the house or car is the most powerful one you can handle. “Even the .45 ACP CZ 97 or Dan Wesson Valor 1911 will easily fit in the drawer of your bedside table or the glove box of your car,” according to CZ. “The diminutive Smart Car, while too small for just about everything, is still big enough to hold a full-sized handgun.”

Hands On Shopping Experience TF&G Shooting Columnist Dustin Ellermann said you should always get hands on experience with your pistol before purchasing. “Make sure you can adequately rack the slide, reach the slide stop lever, decocking button, safety,

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Rugged, Optics-Ready Handgun AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF HARD WORK, PRODUCTION OF CZ pistols is in full swing at their Kansas City headquarters. The CZ-USA P-10 Optics-Ready is available in the full-size F, compact C and subcompact S. For sights, US-made P-10s feature a single tritium lamp in the front with a large orange surround and a serrated black rear. The Optics-Ready version of the P-10 ships with a blank ﬁller plate. Additional plates for both the Trijicon RMR and Leupold DeltaPoint Pro are currently developed, with other styles possible down the road. Also available are matching sights that allow the user to co-witness their optic dot with the irons.

and magazine release without losing your firing grip. And better yet: try the trigger. If the shop you are buying from doesn’t allow you to dry fire the pistol (with the exception of some rimfires that would actually damage the gun), set it down and go give someone else your business,” he said. There are many different trigger actions to choose from and you need one that fits your preference. “Some folks like a double action only with a long steady pull, others prefer single action 1911 style with an external safety while I personally I like a crisp striker fired pistol. You can’t go wrong with any type as long as you train proficiently, but decide this before purchasing,” he said.

• Wear your typical outfit when you go to the range. Don’t bring your load bearing vest, four extra magazines and other “TactiCool” stuff. Put on your regular clothes you wear every day to train in. Then you will know where your weapon is and what is involved in weapon acquisition, target acquisition and shot placement. (Small insert ear plugs are ok—Not large over the head style).

TF&G shooting blogger Shane Smith said he doubts there is a person alive that has never heard the old saying of “practice makes perfect”. “The sad fact of the matter is that it is a very untrue and slanted statement. If you practice wrong, you have done anything but make perfect. You have set your body and mind up for failure. We are practicing to retain the muscle memory needed to act in |

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an instant when we are required to do so,” he said. Smith offers some real world shooting practices to make you get that practice as perfect as possible for self-defense shooting.

Practice Makes Perfect?

One change that happens on both the US-made and Czechmade P-10s is the switch to a swappable magazine release. With a change in geometry, the goal was to eliminate the stiffness some customers experienced as the magazine release broke in, even though it became smooth after some use. This new reversible release just requires a few minutes to swap, allowing the P-10 to remain lefty-friendly. These US-made P-10s retain all the features that have made them a resounding success — the crisp trigger, superior ergonomics and rugged reliability that set it apart from many in the striker-ﬁred crowd.

• Don’t shoot from the low/high ready. If you get in the habit of already having your weapon out and at the low/high ready, you are missing one of the most critical steps in self-defense—Weapon Acquisition. You need to train your muscles to instinctively draw your weapon without looking at it while keeping your eyes down range on the threat.

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• Get your heart beating. When the time comes and you need to draw your weapon to protect yourself, you can bet your heart will be racing and every beat will feel like it is in your throat. I like to do some jumping jacks, burpees or push ups to simply get my heart beat elevated to make me train more realistically. (NOTE: Do these before you put on your gun). Smith said since range time is less and less as we get older, it is paramount we spend our practice time as tactically as possible to train as perfect as we can, when we can. “And don’t forget that fortune favors the prepared,” he said. In the realm of concealed carry preparation comes at many levels. Whether it is picking the exact gun for the situation you find yourself in on a day to day basis or practicing in an educated, challenging fashion there is much to concealed carry. It’s an option we have in Texas and one that those who are serious about self defense should never take for granted.

« PHOTO: CZ-USA

6/11/19 12:32 PM

Texas GUNS by STEVE LAMASCUS | TF&G Shooting Editor

The Tale of the Buffalo Gun

N THE NEOLITHIC AGE, AMERIcan bison (Bison bison) stretched from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Canadian prairies to Northern Mexico. As much as 8,000 to 12,000 years ago, the Folsom people were hunting an ancient form of bison (Bison antiquus) in what is now northeastern New Mexico. So the buffalo had been an important item to the Native American peoples for a very long time. In the early 1800s, beginning with the Louisiana Purchase and the exploration of Lewis and Clark, white (and some black) Americans began to cross the Great Plains to hunt and trap in the Rocky Mountains. They soon found that the small bore Kentucky and Pennsylvania long rifles that had served them so well for the black bears and deer in the East, were ineffective against the buffaloes and grizzly bears of the western plains and mountains. This brought about the big bore plains rifles made famous by such gun makers as the Hawken brothers in St. Louis. These weapons served the mountain men and settlers well. Then came the Civil War. While the Civil War was fought mostly with rifled, muzzle-loading muskets such as the Springfield, it also saw the introduction of the breech-loading Sharps rifle, firing a paper cartridge, which gave rise to the term sharpshooter, and some cartridge-fed repeaters such as the Henry and Spencer, “That damned Yankee gun that you load on Sunday and shoot all week.” Although white traders had long been trading with the Indians for buffalo hides, this was mostly for fine robe hides, soft and downy as tanned by Indian women. After the Civil War,

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using them on other runners…” (Professional buffalo hunters called themselves “buffalo runners.”) In early 1876, the Sharps Company dropped all their other calibers in favor of a series of .45 calibers. These were .45-70 (the Army cartridge since 1873), called by Sharps the .45-75 Sharps Straight, .45-90, .45-100. 45-110, and later the .45-120. It was generally conceded—even by the .50-90 lovers—that the largest of these, the .45-110 and.45-120, were better at longer ranges, with their big, long, 500- to 550-grain bullets. John R. Cook, buffalo hunter and author of The Border and The Buffalo, started out with a .44 caliber Sharps, but bought a .45 caliber Sharps Creedmoor in 1876, and said that most of the professional hunters working the Texas or “Southern Herd” were going to that caliber. It was probably a .45-110, as the .45-120 did not appear until 1878 or ‘79. Sharps eventually brought out a monstrous .50-140, but by then the buffalo were all but gone and only a few of these cannons were produced, probably only by special order or by rechambering a .50-90. To list all the various black powder, large bore cartridges of this era would take more room than we have here, but there were other manufacturers of guns and ammunition that were found on the buffalo ranges. Among them were such names as Ballard, Winchester, Peabody, and Maynard. You can read about these and more in Cartridges of the World. The great slaughter of the buffalo on the southern plains lasted from its beginning in Kansas to its finish in Texas, from about 1867 to 1878. This ended the Indian wars and forced the Indians onto reservations. The northern herd, around the Yellowstone and other northern rivers, lasted longer. It was hunted after the southern herd was exterminated. With the brutal Montana winter temperatures of 30 below and more, it too was gone by 1885. In the end only about 600 buffaloes survived to propagate the species.

large caliber, cartridge fed, single-shot, breech loaders such as the Remington Rolling Block and the Sharps 1874 falling block were introduced in the late 1860s and early 1870s. Soon the British Army found that pliable buffalo hide made better leather for the gear their soldiers carried, and the industrial world found that buffalo hide was superior to cow hide for the belts of their machinery With railroads to transport the hides, suddenly hunting buffalo became a highly profitable business, and the Big Hunt was on. No one knows for certain how many buffalo there were in America prior to the coming of the white man. Guesses run from 35 million to a hundred million. What is fact is that there were, literally, millions of buffalo on the Great Plains, and that at the end of the Big Hunt, which lasted from about 1867 to 1884, there was little left but memories and bones. At first, the majority of the hunters used .40 and .44 caliber rifles, or old military .5070s. However, some found they were short on power for buffalo bulls that weighed a ton or more. To better serve the buffalo hunters, Sharps brought out the .50-90 Sharps. This new cartridge was almost universally referred to as the “Big Fifty,” but Indians called it “the rifle that shoots today and kills tomorrow.” This was Billy Dixon’s favorite cartridge, the one he used for his miracle shot at Adobe Walls. It was not the most common chambering on the buffalo range—that title probably goes to the .45-70 because of cheap or free military ammo— but it was the most revered. At first, a lot of old military rifles were used. But by 1876, most of the professional hunters appear to have used a Big Fifty in the 1874 Model Sharps, although some preferred a Sharps or Remington in .44 caliber. Renowned buffalo runner, Frank H. Mayer, in the book The Buffalo Harvest, says, “…I listened intently to the arguments that went on over the campfires about the respective merits of the Remington and the Sharps. Both had fierce partisans and often during the arguments it would seem these runners would start proving the superiority of their choice by F I S H

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TEXAS WHITETAILS by LARRY WEISHUHN :: TF&G Contributing Editor

Deer Summer Doldrums?

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F IT GETS ANY HOTTER, the lead bullets in my Ruger Wrangler pistol may just melt out the end of the barrel!” said my son-in-law Lance Tigrett, as he dragged another cedar limb onto a pile. I laughed as I wiped sweat from my brow and walked toward the shade of an ancient live oak. For the past hour, I had been sawing limbs from cedar trees that had died during a severe drought a few years ago. Lance had been making numerous piles about eight feet in diameter and three or so feet tall. We had earlier that morning selected each site based on the presence of green briar, Japanese honeysuckle, mustang grape, as well as persimmon, white oak and pecan saplings from seeds we had planted. Before creating our “limb piles” we also scattered a small cup of 13-13-13 fertilizer. We dropped a few okra, native and domestic sunflower seeds on the site; then piled cedar limbs on top.

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I grew up on the rolling plains of northwest Texas on the banks of the Salt Fork of the Brazos River, the heart of the Texas buffalo range. It was still possible to see some of the old buffalo wallows in places that had not been plowed. We would occasionally find an old cartridge or a bullet from a buffalo rifle. A friend of mine once found a buffalo skeleton in the side of a creek bank. Among the 26

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“Kind of like sinking Christmas trees into a pond to create fish habitat, isn’t it,” commented Lance. “We used to do that to create protection or habitat for bait fish, but also a place for crappie and bass, creating food and cover.” He was exactly right. The limb pile would create cover for the growing browse- and mast-producing trees. This helped protect them from over-use by wildlife and livestock. It would also create nesting and roosting areas for birds. My goal for the morning was to create ten more wildlife brush piles. Once those were completed,I had other things on our to-do list on the small property I own, and the adjoining property I lease for hunting. Our morning chore completed, we headed to “the deer pasture” after lunch. A little over a year ago, I had fenced off approximately ten acres along our usually dry creek. This would keep cattle out, except those days when I allowed grazing access to my brother’s cows and calves. We graze it only a couple of days per season. This helps reduces the grass cover. Because the pasture is only 10 acres, the day prior to grazing it with usually 35 to 50 head of cattle, I hand-sow the pasture with a mixture of Tecomate food plot seeds mixed with native wild flower seeds. I gather these seeds during late spring when wild flowers seed out. Hoof action from the cattle helps “plant” the seeds.

The results of these simple techniques have been dramatic. This helps create habitat for all wildlife, not just targeted whitetail deer. Since we started on our whitetail deer habitat improvement program I have seen a huge increase in butterflies, song birds, game birds, squirrels, and rabbits. I am certain a variety of wildlife the remains unseen most of the time also benefits. We have greatly increased the quality, quantity and variety of forage and browse for whitetail deer. But in fact all wildlife species as well as the habitat itself have benefited. Because of this, the vegetation has gotten “thicker” and taller. I mention this because deer—like people—tend to take the path of least resistance. Because of this, I have created “meandering” trails through the pasture using a regular lawn mower. These paths are predetermined to route deer by specific places such as a ground blind I built using lumber and tin from my grandfather’s barn. We can see them from there during hunting season, or, earlier. Lance’s trail camera can record them and see their rapidly developing antlers for next fall. Doldrums of summer…. I don’t think so.

bones of the buffalo was a .50 caliber lead bullet. I knew many of the locations that were mentioned in the books and journals of the buffalo hunters. Places such as Kiowa Peak and the Double Mountain, so the lure of the buffalo hunt speaks strongly to me. Some of us think of the buffalo hunters as a romantic part of the Old West, but the truth is that hunting buffalo was a hard, brutal, dirty, stinking, dangerous job. Still, I sometimes think I would like to have been a part of it.

To see a buffalo herd covering thousands and thousands of acres, a solid mass from horizon to horizon, must have been a sight to behold.

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« Email Larry Weishuhn at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

« Email Steve LaMascus at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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PHOTO: COURTESY HUMMINBIRD

PHOTO: COURTESY GARMIN

DID YOU JUST BLINK? OKAY, then—all the electronics on your boat have just become obsolete. At least, it certainly seems that way sometimes, doesn’t it? New marine electronics come out at such a rapid-fire pace these days that you can buy the latest, greatest unit one spring, and when the next season rolls around it already seems sub-par. Just in case you missed any of the recent advancements, here’s the latest low-down. • Virtually all units from the lower mid-range up, now incorporate one level of CHIRP or another. A decade ago the use of multi-frequency pings was limited to units costing big bucks, but today you’ll find it in fishfinders that cost just a few hundred dollars. • Same goes for scanner/imagers, which use high-frequency sonar to paint an incredibly detailed picture of what lies beneath your boat. This is now found even on the least-expensive units, including those that cost just $150 to $200, usually bundled with a transducer that can pick up both scanner/imager frequencies and traditional frequencies. • Side-finders are now also available in much less expensive packages. Everybody’s got ‘em, though each brand’s system tends to have its own list of advantages and drawbacks. • 3-D fishfinders are now offered by most of the major players. A couple of

“Live-style” scopes offer the ability to distinguish between ﬁsh species.

years ago, the choices were very limited, but now you have a number of brands to choose from. • “Live-style” scopes that offer videolike imagery are the newest rage. The marketing hype suggests that these show you the fish in “real time.” However, if you think about if for a second, that’s more or less what all fishfinders do and the lack of a history is in some ways a drawback. That said, the detail level these units provide is pretty spectacular—you can actually make out the individual fins on a fish. This means this genre of fishfinder is the first to offer the ability to distinguish between different species of fish. Range is limited and some unusual transducer rigging is required in many cases, but it’s still pretty cool stuff. So, should you run right out and buy a new fishfinder? —yes, no, maybe. We’ve learned two important lessons through the recent rush of technical advances. First, if you harness the latest and greatest fishfinder tech you absolutely, positively will become a more effective angler. Second, if you upgrade as rapidly as this stuff comes out you may have a tough time learning how to harness it before it’s time to upgrade again. Awww, shucks – we guess that means you’ll just have to go fishing more often.

Humminbird’s 360-degree sonar offers full circle underwater views. T E X A S

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VERY ROCKPORT AREA GUIDE HAS A favorite honey hole or two where they can count on hooking into redfish, but one of the youngest guides on the coast has a trick up his sleeve for catching big reds in places often bypassed by other anglers. Capt. Aerich Oliver, a mere babe in the woods compared to the numerous veterans who ply their trade along the Texas Gulf Coast, just turned 21 this year and already has earned a reputation as a go-to guide based in Rockport. The tricks of his trade have been gleaned from the time he was 3 when he started learning the ropes of saltwater angling from his grandfather, Capt. Charlie Newton of Redfish Charters. Oliver is kind of like the saltwater version of Davy Crockett — the legendary woodsman who was “Raised in the woods so’s he knew every tree. Killed him a bear when he was only three,” according to the folk song. Instead of traveling the woods of frontier Tennessee like Crockett, the young saltwater guide has spent most of his life on the waters of Aransas Bay, Redfish Bay and South Bay; including areas like Estes Flats, Corpus Christi Bayou, Big Bayou, California Hole, Traylor Island, Mud Island, Allyn’s Bight, Harbor Island, Talley Island, Lydia Ann Channel and the Intracoastal Canal.

REPORT: NEWS 34 u TF&G OF THE NATION Reported by TF&G Staff

HOT 34 u TEXAS SHOTS Trophy Photos from TF&G Readers

36 u TEXAS COASTAL FORECAST

by Capt. Eddie Hernandez, Capt. Mike Holmes, Mike Price, Capt. Chris Martin, Capt. Mac Gable, Tom Behrens, Capt. Sally Black and Calixto Gonzales

46 u TEXAS FISHING HOTSPOTS

by Tom Behrens, Dustin Warncke and Dean Heffner

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Tides and SoLunar Data

One of Oliver’s satisﬁed clients shows off a trophy red from Hidden Cove.

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Rockport guide Aeric Oliver puts the ruler to one of the smaller reds caught on a recent trip.

He exudes a level of professionalism well beyond his years and recently showcased his skills to a couple of outdoor writers participating in the 34th annual Spring Fling conducted by the Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce. 32

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After spending a couple of hours of hit or miss fishing for keeper redfish at the usual places where the big underwater predators cruise looking for a free meal, Oliver cranked up the boat motor and seemed to be heading back toward the dock. |

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“These spots have been good for reds this year and we are also hooking up with some nice trout earlier than normal,’’ he said as he left the barrier island points, shorelines and oyster beds that typically produce some fine angling action. PHOTOS: RALPH WINNINGHAM

6/11/19 1:05 PM

Casting into an inconspicuous cove off the Intracoastal that produced limits in 45 minutes.

“Just yesterday we hit a Texas Slam (a keeper redfish, speckled trout and flounder all on the same trip). That is always a lot of fun. “We’ve had some good high tides recently and I want to check out a place that I have never fished before,’’ he said as he made his way between brushy islands in the shallow bays. At a spot just off the Intracoastal Canal that is like an angler’s interstate with dozens of boats passing by each day, Oliver carefully guided his craft through a narrow and shallow pass-way that opened up into a tiny shallow cove not 50-yards across. “I’ve fished some oyster beds near here and always thought this place might hold a big fish or two,’’ he said. As other anglers passed along the nearby Intercoastal without giving Oliver and his fishing crew a second glance, the young guide rigged up several rods with one of his favorite redfish baits — half a menhaden shad hooked through the eyes and fished on bottom held down by a sliding egg sinker. The tails of the menhaden, also known as pogies, are tossed overboard to create a chum line of pieces of bait and a smelly oil slick that is like a dinner bell to hungry reds. Over the next 45 minutes, a limit of redfish, including several undersized rat reds that were returned to fight another day, provided some top-notch saltwater action. The surprise of the day, however, was when

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a hefty fish snatched up a bait and bent one fishing rod over double. A battle royal lasting about 15 minutes

took place between angler and obviously the biggest fish of the day. The big bruiser made numerous runs back and forth across the tiny cove, scattering other smaller reds across the shallow waters like a flushing covey of quail. Finally giving up the tussle, the redfish was skillfully netted by Oliver who then measured the trophy at 30 3/4 inches. “This is a really big fish from such a small cove, but I thought there might be a good red or two in here,’’ Oliver said. The last and biggest fish of the day was tagged and joined a limit of redfish — several others measuring just over 24 inches long — in the cooler headed for the dock. “I’ll remember this spot, but I probably won’t share the location with anybody for awhile,’’ Oliver said as he beamed a smile of a youngster who won the day over some old salts. For further information about Capt. Aerich Oliver and Redfish Charters, visit www.redfishcharters.com or call (361) 7298220.

6/11/19 1:05 PM

The NATIONAL

Four New Texas Lakes Invaded By Zebra Mussels

News of TEXAS

“The best way to help keep Texas lakes fun for everyone and prevent the spread of destructive invasive species is to clean, drain and dry your boats and equipment—every time.” As of May 2019, 18 Texas lakes are currently infested with invasive giant salvinia, and 15 Texas lakes are infested with an established, reproducing population of zebra mussels. The newest additions to the list of nine positive lakes where zebra mussels have been detected on more than one occasion include Lake Walter E. Long, Lake Granger and Lake Dunlap. The newest addition to the list of six suspect lakes where zebra mussels or their larvae have been found only once in recent history is Lake Placid. “Most of the lakes that received upgraded classifications are downstream of infested

WITH FOUR CENTRAL TEXAS LAKES receiving upgraded zebra mussel classifications this spring the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is urging the thousands of boaters and paddlers expected to hit the water this summer to clean, drain and dry their watercraft and equipment to help avoid spreading invasive species to new locations. “Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kick-off to boating season in Texas, and while we want everyone to have a great time we also want them to avoid giving free rides to invasive species when they travel to new lakes,” said Brian Van Zee, TPWD Inland Fisheries Regional Director.

reservoirs, so the likelihood that zebra mussel larvae would disperse and invade them was high,” Van Zee said. “But boaters still need to be extremely diligent about cleaning, draining and drying, because only boats, barges, and other equipment can transport zebra mussels upstream or to new river basins.” Invasive species can harm the recreational experience at lakes and damage aquatic ecosystems. While zebra mussels and giant salvinia remain some of the biggest threats to Texas lakes, other highly invasive species can also be spread or introduced by in-state and out-of-state lake users, including water hyacinth and quagga mussels. In Texas, transporting prohibited invasive species is punishable by a fine of up to $500 per violation. Boaters are required to drain all water

CATFISH

WHITETAIL

Brazos County

Columbus

Three-and-a-half-year-old fisherman Riley Mills caught this 34-inch blue catfish while fishing with his dad, Ryan Mills, in Brazos County.

John Anselmo shot this nice buck, his personal best, near Columbus on the second weekend of the 2018 riﬂe season.

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from their boat and onboard receptacles— including bait buckets—before leaving or approaching a body of fresh water in order to prevent the transfer of aquatic invasive species. Additionally, boaters should remove all plant material from boats, trailers and tow vehicles and place it in a trash receptacle before leaving the lake. Those using kayaks, stand up paddleboards, wet suits and any other equipment that comes into contact with the water should also take care to clean, drain and dry their gear, as microscopic zebra mussel larvae can survive on wet surfaces for up to three weeks. While day-use boaters and paddlers can spread invasive species in just one trip, boats that have been stored on a lake that has zebra mussels pose the highest risk of spreading them to new lakes. Zebra mussels colonize hulls, propellers, water systems, and other parts of boats, including some spots where they are difficult to detect. TPWD has created a new website geared toward providing marinas and boat owners with guidance on decontamination and inspection procedures that must be performed before moving boats that have been stored in the water with zebra mussels to a new location. TPWD and partners

SPECKLED TROUT Undisclosed Bailey Presswood with her first 30-inch trout. She caught the 9.2-pound speck while fishing with her fiancé, Capt. Pat Tabor.

continually monitor for invasive species in Texas lakes, but anyone who finds them in lakes where they haven’t been found before or who spots them on boats, trailers or equipment that is being moved is encouraged to help prevent new introductions by reporting the sighting to TPWD immediately at (512) 389-4848 or by emailing photos and location to aquaticinvasives@tpwd.texas.gov. To learn more about giant salvinia, zebra mussels and other invasive species, visit https://tpwd.texas.gov/StopInvasives.

••• Bass Fishing Hall Of Fame Reschedules 2019 Inductions TO MINIMIZE SCHEDULING CONflicts for 2019 inductees, sponsors and guests, the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors announced this week that they have rescheduled this year’s induction ceremonies to Thursday, October 3, 2019, to account for the postponement of a Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on Oklahoma’s Fort Gibson Lake. The annual induction banquet was originally scheduled for Thursday, September 19, which falls within the ‘make-up week’ B.A.S.S. had earlier set aside for competition should n Elie event have to be postponed. “The Board has always been in full agreement that we must constantly balance our day-to-day responsibilities and our efforts on behalf of the Hall of Fame,” said BFHOF Board President Donald Howell. “This decision makes it possible for the majority of our Board members to once again volunteer their time behind the scenes while also ensuring that the living subset of this year’s five honorees will be able to attend.” The banquet is still being held at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum and T E X A S

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Aquarium in Springfield, where the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame mission of ‘celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing’ is on display. Honorees include three stars of professional bass fishing—Mark Davis of Mt. Ida, Ark., David Fritts of Lexington, N.C., and Davy Hite of Ninety Six, S.C.—along with noted artist/ illustrator, the late Chris Armstrong, and the founder of Zoom Bait Company, the late Ed Chambers. “Our goal is to honor the legends of the sport and it would be a tremendous shame for many of our members to miss this gathering of greats due to circumstances outside of their control,” said John Mazurkiewicz, vice president of the Hall of Fame Board and Nominations Committee Chair. “While we apologize to anyone this might inconvenience, we made the best situation out of what we were dealt. Our Board completely understands B.A.S.S.’s decision to postpone and reschedule their Elite event due to flooding conditions and safety concerns.” “The five honorees will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame museum, which opened in November 2017 within the Wonders of Wildlife complex at the flagship Bass Pro Shops store in Springfield. On display in the museum are artifacts, photos and biographical information about 71 members of the Hall of Fame who have been inducted since 2001. “We are proud that in a few short years the annual Bass Fishing Hall of Fame enshrinement dinner has become a mustattend event for anyone interested in bass fishing,” Howell notes. “This was not an easy decision to make, but we look forward to seeing as many industry insiders, legends and fans as possible on October 3, and we assure you that there will be many opportunities to celebrate in the future.” Information on event and table sponsorships, dinner seats and tickets for a special VIP unveiling reception, along with details about the Hall and its mission are available at BassFishingHOF.com, or by contacting BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at bfhof.barbara@gmail. com.

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Coastal Focus: SABINE :: by Capt. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

Break The Mold

above. The jetties hold tremendous numbers of trout and reds as well as numerous other rod-bending species. Light colored soft plastics fished fairly deep with a ¼-ounce lead head, or live baits such as finger mullet, shad, and live shrimp should produce the best results. If the winds are favorable, and your heart is not set on limits of trout only, try breaking away from the jetties and venturing out into the open gulf waters. On most good days you shouldn’t have to run very far to find a nice weed line. When you do, ease up to it with the trolling motor and start looking. Most of the time it’s just a matter of seconds before you see a tripletail relaxing in the shade, or even sunning on top of the grass. Flip whatever color plastic you’ve got tied on in front of his nose and see what kind of mood he’s in. Many times he will inhale it as soon as it hits the water just so none of his buddies get the chance. Other times he will sniff and follow it for a while as others come out of the shadows to see what the fuss is all

HE PRETTY GREEN WATER that seems to overtake the Sabine ecosystem in the summer months is what gets me the most excited about fishing in July. The southerly winds help push the pretty water with the incoming tides, and it seems to just keep on coming. With the green water comes a smorgasbord of species with large appetites. Trout, redfish, flounders, lings, sharks, tripletail, jacks, croakers, drum, snappers, king mackerels, Spanish mackerels, stingrays, sheepsheads, hardheads, and gafftops (some obviously less desirable) can all be caught within minutes of the boat ramp. If you decide to hit the jetties on or near gulf waters you should have little problem locating most of the species mentioned

about. More often than not you will hook up quickly and continue catching as long as they hang around. Be ready for some serious tug of war, and do your best to turn it away from the weedline as quickly as possible. Some of these brutes can be pushing 20 pounds and have a knack for getting your line tangled in the grass. Don’t be surprised if other big, dark, torpedo-shaped silhouettes suddenly appear from the shadows. It’s not uncommon to see big ling or sharks while fishing weed lines. You’ll obviously need heavier gear to land one of these, so if you’ve got a big rod handy, use it. If not, it’s still worth a shot with light tackle. Another very exciting option is to fish the giant schools of pogies that come in close to the jetties. Big jack crevalle, ling, sharks, mackerel, and reds will hit just about anything shiny that you can rip quickly through the water. Rattletraps and MirrOlures are good choices. Like everyone else, I love chasing the Big Three, but when the hot, green water makes its way to Sabine in the summer, it’s nice to break the mold and do something just a little different.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: McFaddin Beach SPECIES: Speckled Trout, Redﬁsh. BEST BAITS: Topwaters, soft plastics, rattletraps. BEST TIMES: Mornings & evenings with calm winds.

« Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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Coastal Focus: GALVESTON :: by Capt. MIKE HOLMES

July Is A Good Time To Fish The Upper Coast

ULY BEGINS WITH THE CELebration of our great country’s origin, and the fireworks and hoopla that mark this joyous time also usher in some of the “hottest” saltwater fishing of the year on the upper Texas coast. There is magic in the Gulf waters this month. Probing the shallow back bay waters and feeder streams or working the mostly calm surf beyond the fabled third sandbar brings happiness to just about any angler. It’s also true for those exploring the deeper waters beyond for fish species of all sizes and types. We should plan our trips for early and late in the day to avoid the worst of the summer sun and find feeding speckled trout and redfish—either from a drifting shallowdraft boat or wade fishing. Live bait or fresh dead natural bait under popping corks will bring action from either species. Shallow bay waters over oyster reefs and the expansive sandbars behind inlets such as San Luis Pass will be productive. Closer to the pass will occasionally bring a big jack or a school of mackerel into the mix. Sand trout and croakers will usually add fun on very light tackle and support a tasty fish fry. The summer surf is a wonderful location for sport fishermen, with these same fish being targets for larger species as well as for fishermen. This is not the prime time for “bull” reds, but they’ll still be among the catches, along with hard fighting jack crevalle. Tarpons will often be seen jumping in the surf. They’ll sometimes take a big live mullet, or even a fresh chunk of cut mullet. For those who seek the pull of a big fish that might be more commonly encountered, sharks of various sizes work the summer surf— some of them reaching “monster” size. Less glamorous, but just as sporting, are stingrays, which can be a strong challenge to fight even

on stout tackle. In calm summer seas, even fairly small boats can be used to reach out a bit farther from the beach as long as the operators are safe and careful. For those who would rather keep their feet dry, fishing from one of the beachfront piers is a good bet—or even a rock groin or jetty rocks at times. Boats a bit larger and better equipped can be the entry into a wonderful offshore fishing world, beginning just past the beachfront sandbars. Underwater rocks and other formations hold all sorts of fish. Oil rigs of various sizes are always home to many species from snapper on the bottom to kingfish and ling nearer the surface. At times, schools of dolphins will roam close to shore. When the water is clear and

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calm the possibilities for sportfish are very, very good. Of course, folks on private boats as well as commercial charter and party boats ply the further offshore waters for kings, ling, snapper, tuna, wahoo—even billfish. The Texas coast is a wonderful world for fishermen, regardless of their preference in fish size and species.

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THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Summer surf on the upper coast SPECIES: Specks, redfish, jack crevalle, mackerel, various panfish BAIT: Shrimp and baitfish, live or “fresh dead”, cut squid BEST TIME: Early or late in the day to beat the heat or night fishing with or without lights.

Email Mike Holmes at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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Coastal Focus: MATAGORDA :: by Contributing Editor MIKE PRICE

Look for Signs of Feeding in the Bays

N JULY IT IS BEST TO GO fishing early in the morning because that’s when the fish will most likely be searching for prey—and you will not get too hot. Early in the morning the water temperature in East and West Matagorda Bays will be about 83°F. By 4 pm the water temperature will have increased to 88°F. Consequently the fish move to deeper water and stop feeding. Shortly after first morning light, you may find redfish feeding off the shorelines. You may also find flounders, but redfish feeding signs are different from flounder. Redfish trap bait fish or shrimp against the bank and create a big commotion when attacking.

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When you see this, watch which way the reds are going, be very quiet, even though they are being very noisy. Position your soft plastic or gold spoon in front of the redfish. If your lure lands over shell, you will have to reel immediately.Keep your rod tip high to prevent it from getting hung up on oyster shell, and hope it is a perfect cast. If your lure lands on sand or mud, you can leave it until just before the redfish gets there, and then start moving it. Flounders usually feed right next to the shoreline. When they attack prey, you see a burst of little baitfish or small shrimp. When that happens, watch that spot and be ready to drop your lure right on it when the burst happens againYou know that’s a flounder, so

be prepared to play the strike as a flounder. When fishing a soft plastic, after you feel a hit, wait until you feel the flounder swim, then set the hook. Many times, a flounder will strike the back of a soft plastic lure, missing the hook. They do this to stun their prey. Then they turn the “fish” so it goes down headfirst. If you’re using a spoon, set the hook when you feel the bite. In contrast to reds and flounders, although trout sometimes work the shorelines, they are usually found in the guts or in the open water of the bay.

Best Time to Fish the Surf

If you intend to fish the surf, try to time it so that you’re fishing at first light on an incoming tide. If the incoming tide is later in the day, you may find that the fish are still biting. Fishing an incoming tide yields more action. Baitfish are being pushed into the guts along the shoreline by the water movement, and predator fish follow the bait. If the surf is calm and the tide on the beach is incoming, you will probably fare better fishing the surf than in the bay. Wave action in the Gulf of Mexico and cooler water coming up from depth mixes with warm surface water oxygenates the water, whereas water in the bays on a hot, calm day is oxygen deprived. If the surf is too rough to wade-fish, you can either fish the surf from the beach using live or fresh dead David Biggs, owner of Biggs shrimp, or you can fish Marine Service in Matagorda, the bay very early in the with a red snapper. morning.

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PHOTO: MIKE PRICE

6/11/19 1:06 PM

Shark Bite in the Surf

Offshore in July

Jeff Wiley and I were catching trout, hardheads, whiting, and small sharks in the surf shortly after first light. He caught a small hammerhead and netted and released it with no problem. But when I hooked and then watched a three-foot blacktip shark jump high out of the water, my desire to net the shark did not work out. With the net deep in the water at the ready, I worked the shark up to it, but the blacktip shark avoided the net and darted past my right side and came around my back to my left side where my leg and butt meet and clamped down. I felt the searing pain and reached down and grabbed the shark on its underside, just below its mouth, which was not letting go, and tore it off. Then I removed the hook and turned the little blacktip loose. What did I learn from that experience? I am not going to try to net a shark; instead, I will cut the line. I was glad I had a first aid kit in my truck. An open wound in warm salt water should be treated immediately.

In the Gulf of Mexico in July you may see a concentration of diving birds and jumping fish over a large area. This is most likely Spanish mackerels rounding up a huge school of sardines. I was offshore in late July and witnessed this, sardines jumping as Spanish mackerels and bottleneck dolphins attacked them. We tried to catch Spanish mackerel by using light tackle and running a silver spoon through the melee quickly, but we could not get the boat in a position to make continuous casts before the whole business moved. However, if you see king mackerels jumping among baitfish and birds attacking, there is a good chance that you will land some of those kings. We had that situation and positioned the boat to troll near the action and caught several kings that were acrobatic jumpers. Red snappers will be in season in federal waters throughout the month of July. Usually snappers will be found below the thermocline, which can be seen on the boat’s fish-finder. I like to drop my bait to a depth which is a little below the thermocline and wait about

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a minute. If no bite, I’ll drop another 10 feet. I’ll continue to lower the bait until I feel a bite or until I feel the weight hit the bottom. Then I’ll bring the weight up a little and wait for the bite. Be sure to bring a device to deflate the expanded bladders of red snappers that you return to the water and use circle hooks. Circle hooks catch in the side of the fish’s mouth and are easily removed leaving the fish undamaged, whereas J hooks sometimes hook deep inside the fish and kill it.

THE BANK BITE THE SURF If you have a calm day give the surf a try. You can fish from the beach if you don’t want to wade-fish. In July, the surf is loaded with baitfish and predators. A surefire way to attract the bite in the surf is to use live shrimp under a popping cork.

« Email Mike Price at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

6/12/19 9:45 AM

Coastal Focus: MID COAST :: by Capt. CHRIS MARTIN

Trout vs. Man: A Hot Topic

fish will be doing things similarly each day while the air and the water remain so warm. This also means their behavioral and feeding patterns will also be somewhat the same each day for the next few months. Just like people, when certain environmental patterns set in, trout behavior can often become fairly predictable. Just like humans, the trout prefer to be comfortable (naturally). So, when their surrounding environment becomes too hot, the trout tend to seek cool, just like people do when they happen to be working outside in the heat of the summer. We’ll often opt to do our summertime outdoor chores during the coolest part of the day, typically being the early morning or late evening hours of the day. We do this because these are the coolest times of the day during the summer season. If there’s an opportunity to work in a shaded area, or if working in the comfort of air conditioning becomes a possibility, we’re going to choose those opportunities. The same holds true for speckled trout in July—they’ll look for comfort and relief from the heat wherever, and whenever, possible. When it comes to eating patterns, people in our society have made it an obvious practice of taking the path of least resistance. Anyone who has spent any amount of time studying America’s health statistics knows that to be a fact. We tend eat the fastest, most convenient way possible. The speckled trout is not much different in this respect. They don’t wish to make their feeding process any harder than it absolutely has to be. Granted, they are natural hunters, but they’re not going to expend energy unnecessarily if they don’t have to - the easier the meal, the better! It’s these hot summertime months when coastal anglers will notice a definite subsidence in the trout bite each day. This occurs when late morning and early afternoon temperatures rise as a result of the hot daylight hours. This is why we typically try to be in the water at our first wading spot of the day well before sunrise.

HE SUMMER SUN HAS REALly heated things up around here. Anglers are finding that the speckled trout are doing things right now that can only be attributed to the fact that we’re currently entering one of the hotter months of the year. Aside from any unanticipated tropical weather event this month, the

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Baitfish and trout can often be found in the shallows atop sand and grass flats first thing each morning. They’ll be in places where the water has cooled under the cover of the night’s darkness. As soon as the morning sun hits the flat, however, all of the fish begin a slow retreat back into deeper water, as they once again begin their search for comfort. As a summer day progresses and gets hotter, look for the bite to become hit or miss later in the day. If you do spend the midday hours fishing for an effective trout bite, look in areas of deeper water that may supply the fish with some kind of shade. Such a place might be a deep gut running parallel along the bank of the shoreline where tall marsh grass casts a shadow upon the water up tight against the bank. Some of the back lakes out on Matagorda Island offer this scenario, but don’t limit your search to shaded areas located against a shoreline. Also look for any underwater shade situations that may be created by natural structure. A great example of this is in the form of jetties made of massive pieces of rock, some of which stack atop each other beneath the surface. This offers shade from the sun in deep water. If you want to become an effective speckled trout angler during these summertime months, start thinking like a trout. If you were a trout, you’d be hanging out in the shallows first thing each morning looking for an easy meal. After that, you’re going to head for a choice comfort spot that’s much cooler situated in a bit deeper water. Unless the day happens to be extremely overcast, you’ll also be seeking shelter from the afternoon high temperatures in any shade that might be available to you. Remember, the more you can learn about the particular fish you’re going after, will help you in the end. Good luck this month, wear lots of sunscreen, drink plenty of water—and be careful out there.

Contact Capt. Chris Martin at bayﬂatslodge@gmail.com or visit bayﬂatslodge.com

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6/11/19 1:06 PM

Coastal Focus: ROCKPORT :: by Capt. MAC GABLE

A Salty Dialogue on Water

ECENTLY ON THREE different occasions I was asked to give my opinion on a proposed desalinization plant, which was in the “seeking permit approval” process. The proposed site was an area near Harbor Island on the Aransas channel. Some

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usage. Global climate change and deforestation is not helping either. The two types of desalinization, RO (reverse osmosis) and Thermal (heat), at best yield about a 50 percent return. 100 gallons of salt water pumped in, 50 gallons of fresh water pumped out. Not very efficient or appetizing, right?— until you are thirsty. If you’re thirsty enough, you’ll drink your own urine. Disgusting! Our smartest and brightest have been doing it for years in space. Filtered urine is probably better for you than bottled water because we know what needs to be filtered out. What happens to the other 50 percent, or rather the salt effluent left over after

flows. It always has, it always will, right? What happens when wells run dry, when the reservoir is empty, and no rain is falling, our tongues stuck to the roof of our mouth from thirst. Three things are basic to life ... 1) to breathe, 2) to drink, 3) to eat. Water is number two on the basic-to-life list. Some say they will not drink a single drop of water that comes from desalinization. There’s a 90 percent chance they already have. An even higher percentage will within the next 10 years. Been on a cruise ship or island vacation spot? Then you’ve been desalinized. Between 15,000 to 20,000 plants are in operation today and more are coming—many more if we don’t get a handle on our fresh water

Three things are basic to life... to breathe ... to drink ... to eat.

“ data says this is only one of five sites under consideration, but who do you believe? Fortunately, or unfortunately, I knew more about the subject than I really wanted to let on. Everyone from the CCA to the CBGA, as well as local citizens, are unanimously against the site for the plant, or the plant itself. Being well acquainted with a few folks who are intimately involved in this process, I by default have some knowledge that many do not. Why a desalinization plant? Because we (mankind) are horrible conservationists with our limited fresh water. Turn the faucet, flush the commode, water the grass, the water T E X A S

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Forecast: ROCKPORT impact on sport fishing and can be harmful to human health. Super saturated saltwater negatively affects plankton and phytoplankton, which form the building blocks for all aquatic life. Desalinization is coming, not because there is no other option; but rather, like pollution and over-population, we (mankind) can’t seem to help ourselves. The key to desalination is plant placement, intake and outflow studies and identifying environmentally sensitive areas. This is not a stand for or against desalination, but to stand informed.

desalinization? Here lies the real issue with the process. It’s not just salt brine, it’s effluent that can have a wide range of chemicals in it. Some are from saltwater taken in and some from the cleaning processes required to maintain the filters. This includes chemicals such as detergents, scale inhibitors, biocides, de-chlorinators and hydrochloric acid, to name some. Think of a filter as a concentrator. What goes in is widely dispersed and less harmful; what exits is highly concentrated and has been shown to be harmful to humans and aquatic life. If the outflow occurs in a bay system, then it’s a slam-dunk that it will affect the salinity level and even temperature level in that bay system. This does affect almost every form of aquatic life. It changes reproductive cycles and migratory habits. Some aquatic life might benefit, others suffer. This is not mere conjecture. It has been studied extensively. The cost of outflow channel/piping is always a factor. For example, it’s cheaper to extract salt water from the Gulf of Mexico and outflow it into the bay—less construction cost. For anglers the data and independent feedback show these plants usually have a negative

• • • This time of year, I like the early morning and late evening hours. With a moving tide these hours can be very productive. Be careful of live bait, as the heat can devastate a bait bucket or live well. Change water often. COPANO BAY: Early morning, the grass lines just off Newcomb Point are a good place for free-lined croakers or live shrimp. Trout hang here as well as reds. Redfish Point is a good place for a few flounders. Use fresh dead shrimp worked across the bottom. Black drums frequent this area as well.

ARANSAS BAY: The shoreline of Goose Island is a good spot for reds using mud minnows on a light Carolina rig. Drifts down Traylor Island are good for trout using freelined croakers. Slow drifts are best; set your anchor once the bite turns on.

ST CHARLES BAY: The backwaters near Twin Creeks are a good spot for reds in early morning. Finger mullet work well here, free-lined. The east shoreline near McHugh Bayou is a good spot for gaff top and reds. Use finger mullet for the reds and fresh dead shrimp for gaff tops. CARLOS BAY: Wades down Cedar Reef are a good spot for trout, using a popping cork and shrimp. Black drum hang in this area as well. The west shoreline near Cedar Point is a good spot for reds and trout using free lined-croaker. MESQUITE BAY: The shoreline near Ballou Island is a good spot for reds using mud minnows on a light Carolina rig. Topwaters in bone and red colors work well here on calmer days. Unfortunately, Cedar Bayou is stopped up post Harvey, but trout still frequent the mouth of the bayou. Wades in this area can produce some nice trout using croaker free-lined. AYERS BAY: Second Chain is a good spot for trout and reds using morning glory and nuclear chicken colored soft plastics, like sand eels.

THE BANK BITE GOOSE ISLAND SHORELINE is a good spot to a throw rattle cork and live shrimp. Trout, black drum and reds frequent this area. Wading this time of year is best. Find the transition to deeper water about 30 to 50 yards off shore and work the edge.

« Contact Capt. Mac Gable at Mac Attack Guide Service, 512-809-2681, 361-790-9601 captmac@macattackguideservice.com

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6/11/19 1:06 PM

Coastal Focus: ARANSAS/CORPUS :: by Contributing Editor TOM BEHRENS

Easy To Give Up, a Little Tougher to Keep Going

NE OF CAPT. TOMMY Countz clients asked once, “When I take my buddy and we go fishing in my boat, we don’t catch anything; but when I go with you, we always catch fish. What are we not doing? Countz replied. “If I’m taking you fishing, I’m going to keep you working trying to find fish. We don’t stop, drink a couple of beers, shoot the breeze, and finally say, ‘let’s go in; we haven’t caught anything.’ It’s easy to give up. It’s a little tougher to keep on going.” Don’t give up; keep looking and casting. Part of Tommy’s background includes playing football for Rice University. “We didn’t have a very good team when I was there,” he said. “The one thing I learned was you don’t quit until the last click of the clock. Same thing in fishing, keep going and keep looking. Sometimes in the last hour of your day on the water you start catching fish.” Keep looking. If you don’t catch any in one spot, move on to another. If you’re not catching with topwaters, switch off to soft plastics. Switch jig-head-size weights 1/8 to 1/16 ounce, and fish REALLY slow. Keep your tackle bag or box open to try any of your baits or techniques. “I’m not saying that all recreational fishermen fishing in their own boats, don’t do that, but very few of them do,” said Countz.

Remember Past Fishing Hot Spots “Another thing I will do is go back to the spots and techniques I used six to ten years ago,” continues Capt. Tommy. “Maybe the tide was falling, maybe it was rising. I try to recall what we did in this same area and some of the things we did. Maybe it was a different color.

“Sometimes you need to reach so far down, so far back in your memories, figuratively speaking, you think your fingertips are just about touching the fish. But if you don’t reach down and try to grab him, you aren’t going to grab him at all.”

Work Your Bait Slow If we are not moving around real frisky, the fish are feeling the same way. Fish slower, feel the bite. Use braided line. “It’s (braided line) kind of like closing the gap…you can feel almost everything. There’s no stretch. You can feel their teeth just touching the lead head. If you don’t tune you’re going to think you had no action at all. “Many times, if you are throwing soft plastics and lead heads, you don’t feel the aggressive bite. It just feels like you’re hung on something. Tighten down and hold it. Watch for a little movement in the line, or maybe the line tightens. When you feel the fish, pop it. That little sharp prick in their mouth gets them excited.” Okay, I’ve got all that, but guides share a lot of information with each other. It’s easier for them find and catch fish because they network with each other. “Sure, some of us do, but sharing locations is not a common thing,” said Countz. “Occasionally I get to fish with a couple of buddies who are guides. That’s when we talk about how we fish, what we look for. Not so much sharing secret hot spots. I have been guiding over 30 years, and I still learn things about areas and about fishing. Once you think you have it figured out, those fish are going to show you really don’t.” Capt. Paul Marcaccio, another coast guide with lots of years of fishing experience on the Texas coast, shares some things most T E X A S

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coastal anglers know, but they “don’t dig deep enough to grab the fish.” “Shallow shorelines can still produce fish in the summer,” shares Capt. Paul, “but you had better be out there before the sun comes up. Rising temperatures deplete the water of oxygen, and the fish are gone. Then it’s time to move out deeper and start fishing reefs. “Switch from soft plastics or topwaters to live croaker, free-lined on the edges of the reefs. If there’s a lot of fishing pressure on the bigger and popular reefs, dig out your maps or Hot Spots Atlas, and look for smaller reefs that are not drawing all the attention.” One thing you don’t want to do is motor right in on the reef; you might learn some new caustic words that you didn’t know before. Fish the edges; be courteous to other anglers who are already fishing. So, what’s our takeaway from all this? If you want to fish the shorelines, set your alarm clock for an earlier wake-up call; rising temperatures with the rising sun zaps the oxygen out of the water for the fish. Fish slow, slow, and slow. You don’t move around real fast when it’s hot; the fish don’t want to move around fast either. Move out to the deeper reefs after 10 a.m. Don’t forget angler/fishing courtesy to other anglers. Don’t forget to keep hydrated with water or Gatorade-type drinks and keep that sunscreen on any exposed skin. Don’t stay out long enough to flirt with sunstroke, but don’t give up. “Sometimes in the last hour of your day on the water you start catching fish.”

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« Email Tom Behrens at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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6/11/19 1:06 PM

Coastal Focus: BAFFIN BAY :: by Capt. SALLY BLACK

Bafﬁn’s Best Year Yet

presentation and fish it until the bite changes. That kind of excitement is really hard to beat. Although wade fishing using artificial lures is really the most effective approach to catching a lot of fish, we offer drift fishing as well. Changing the subject, the summer months are prime time for fly-fishing. Sight casting to redfish, black drum, trout and flounders while walking in ankle-deep water with a fly rod is more than addictive. Baffin Bay Rod and Gun now has a flycasting practice pond. If you’re a beginner or someone who just needs a tune up, we can get out there and get a little practice in before the on-the-job training begins on the

AFFIN BAY HAS BEEN HOT all year and this summer is no exception. Beautiful grass beds, grass lines, sand bars, drop offs, and clear water have created so much beauty in this mysterious bay system. The plethora of bait in the bay is overwhelming and so is the population of all the big predators. It’s been fun to watch the development of one of the best years of fishing that Baffin Bay has so generously offered. Large concentrations of baitfish have always been the key to finding good feeding fish, but this year, there have been large “rivers of mullet” that follow the shorelines. Below these “rivers” you will find trout and redfish feeding along the currents, which carry not only mullet along, but shrimp, crabs and other bait fish like shad and menhaden. Find this bait, catch fish. Soft plastics are good, such as Saltwater Assassin Die-Dappers in “Snowstorm”; four-inch Sea Shad Paddle Tails in “Fried Chicken”; “Sugar and Spice”; and other natural colors. These lures, used with the famous “Black’s Magic” 1/32nd ounce jig head, have been magical. Other great lures include the Kelly Wiggler Willowtail in light and natural colors, and the Gambler Flappin’ Shad in “Key Lime Pie” along with the Little EZ paddle tail in the same color. These have all worked fantastically in the clear waters of Baffin Bay, catching lots of good-sized and trophy sized speckled trout. Top water lures and even slow-sinking twitch baits are still catching big fish, especially really early in the morning when the big girls are up super shallow. Find the right |

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The plethora of bait in the bay is overwhelming and so is the population of all the big predators.

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water. With all the grass, sand strips and clear water this year, we’ll have fly fishing daily, all summer. Not sure you’re ready to toss the fly? Spinning and casting anglers can sight cast using curly-tailed Gulp “Swimming Mullet” to these same fish with the same results. They work especially great on black drum, which is the most underrated game fish on the Texas Coast (plus, they are delicious to eat). An eight or a nine-weight fly rod is the |

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best gear to bring, along with matching weight-forward floating line, attached to a seven-foot tapered leader. Twelve pound tippet is sufficient. Any light colored clouser, crab or other small, furry creature tied with bead-chain eyes on a #4 or #2 hook will bring the bacon home. Since there is no shoreline pressure on Baffin Bay, the fish that hang out there are feeding, and they are easy to catch. Come and give this a try if it’s on your list of angling adventures. We even have two guides with poling skiffs now at the lodge (Capt. William Townsend and Capt. Hector Lopez). If you’d rather be poled around on a boat instead of wade, that option exists. We are an Orvis Endorsed Lodge for fly fishing, so we offer their quality gear for you to use or purchase right here at the lodge. Whether you’re drift fishing the rocks, the expansive grass flats, wade fishing with artificials or being poled through super skinny water holding a fly rod, this summer on Baffin Bay will be one of its best. The conditions this year could not be better and the ensemble of guides and staff at Baffin Bay Rod and Gun will make it even more fun and relaxing. This team of people is devoted to your happiness and your fishing goals. All of this, plus a refreshing swimming pool in a very private setting makes bringing your friends, family or business guests here for a full day adventure. We call Baffin Bay Rod and Gun “The Last Best Place on the Texas Coast” for a great reason. It is.. Take a trip to the back of Baffin Bay to relax, catch fish and have a Five-Star adventure and experience. Hope to see you this summer.

Contact Capt. Sally Black at 361-205-0624 Email: Sally@CaptainSally.com Web: www.BaffinBayRodandGun.com Facebook: Baffin Bay Rod and Gun Twitter: @CaptainSally Instagram: baffin_bay_rod_and_gun

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6/11/19 1:06 PM

Coastal Focus: LOWER COAST :: by Saltwater Editor CALIXTO GONZALES

Summer Atlanticus

ULY BAY WATERS CRAWL into the 80s during the teeth of the day. Days can be brutally hot with little wind and monstrous humidity. The bite is usually early in the morning or late in the afternoon, unless of course, it’s during the full moon when everything bites at night. Almost everyone plans their vacation for the middle of summer, so Laguna Madre’s classic spots resemble parking lots. July can be a feast or famine month on Lower Laguna Madre. After a long stretch of blazing hot weather, the fishing might tail off. The flats become too warm for even redfish, and everything backs into deeper water by midmorning. You can catch fish, but my goodness, you’ll have to work for it. Some fishermen in the know, however, take the opportunity to head out to the Brazos Santiago Pass. There they’ll have a go at the tarpon that seem to be rolling everywhere this time of year. For years, tarpon were one of the mainstay sportfish of LLM. They were ingrained into the cultural identity of South Padre Island. The Texas International Fishing Tournament and the annual Tarpon Rodeo focused more on industrial-sized poons and less on “food fish” such as trout and redfish. Their numbers dropped off precipitously up and down the coast after World War II. However, the silvery fish have been so successful in coming back over the past two decades that Jeremy Ebert of Deer Park, Texas broke the state tarpon record in 2006 with a 210 pound, 11 ounce behemoth. He hooked and landed the huge tarpon while soaking menhaden for redfish in the Galveston surf. Several years ago, Port Isabel tarpon aficionado Larry Haines hooked into a tarpon he estimated at 220 pounds. He fought the monster

from the Boca Chica jetties and from Captain Randy Rodger’s skiff for more than eight hours before succumbing to heat prostration. Had Captain Rodgers not broken the fish off to get Haines back to Jim’s Pier on Padre Island for immediate attention, the story would’ve ended badly. There are some big fish rolling out there, waiting for the stalwart angler to have a go at them. A properly equipped fisherman has a shot at latching onto one of the tarpon that cruise the Brazos Santiago Pass. Early in the morning, you can actually see pods rolling along the Boca Chica side of the Brazos Santiago Jetties. These tarpon are not necessarily feeding, but they will take a swipe at a topwater or a ¾-ounce gold or chrome Rat-L-Trap. A soft plastic like DOA’s Airhead or Baitbuster swimbaits are just as effective. A great feature of the latter is that, once a tarpon eats it and begins fighting, the body will slide up your line, so the tarpon can’t use it for leverage to throw the hook. Live baiters can try an oversized shrimp, six-inch finger mullet, or palmsized pinfish fished under a balloon. If you’re shorebound, you might be welladvised to equip yourself with a large-capacity spinning or casting reel and a 7½- to 8-foot medium/medium heavy rod. These fish can wreak havoc on lesser tackle. As the day progresses, fishermen who are still working the area should focus on the deeper hole at the end of the jetty. Some tarpon—and a few snook—will still be holding in the cooler depths, waiting for the current to push something edible by their noses. Again, a live shrimp or baitfish fished deeper in the water column will not last long. Lure fishermen should look to an oldie but goodie, the Mirrolure Series 65M switchbait in red head/white body. The 65M features the same action as the more popular 51MR, but the heavier weight allows the lure to fish deeper in the water column. Rock walkers can also make longer casts with the 1.25-ounce plug. Fly casters should not shy away from trying for these kings of the granite. A 9 to 10 weight fly rod with plenty of backing should work well in most applications. The most popular fly is a white T E X A S

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monster called the Tarpon Bunny, which seems to be stiff mojo for tarpon of all sizes. For more information on how to properly equip yourself for jetties tarpon, contact Larry Haines at the Shop (956-943-1775). Schools of smaller tarpon are always roaming the surf beginning in July. When southeasterly winds push clear water all the way up to the beach, you can actually see the pods of tarpon cruising through the waves or in the guts during high tide. The great thing about these fish is that they are perfect opponents for the typically-equipped surf fisherman who is chasing trout and redfish. A 40-pound tarpon is great fun on a 7 to 7½ foot trout rod and a reel loaded with 12- to 15-pound line. You can fight him from the shore, and if the fish starts a greyhound run parallel to the beach, you can hoof it keep up with him. To some anglers, a loaded reel is a relative term. You will want to have a 400-sized casting reel or 4000-sized spinning reel at the minimum. The increased line capacity of either reel not only prepares you for a big tarpon, but also for a couple of other fish. Kngfish and 20+ pound-class jackfish lurk around the jetties and in a summer surf. A 25-pound jack can peel 120 yards of line in a flash. These beach-combing tarpon will strike the same lures and flies that trout and redfish strike. If you target them specifically, patterns that include white or red seem to work best, and noisy plugs are very effective. Don’t be surprised if one of these junior thugs sucks down a shrimp under a popping cork, either. These fish aren’t very discriminating. Jeremy Ebert’s fish showed they’ll even take cut bait. It may not seem appropriate behavior for so cosmopolitan a fish as the tarpon to slurp down a chunk of cut mullet, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a fisherman who will complain.

« Email Cal Gonzales at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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FISHING HOTSPOTS Saltwater: n Upper Coast n Mid Coast n Lower Coast Freshwater: n Piney Woods

Freshwater: n Prairies & Lakes n Panhandle n Big Bend n Hill Country n South Texas

SALTWATER Sabine Specks Come Up Short

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.

by Tom Behrens

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Short Rigs GPS: N 29 39.236, W 93 48.289 (29.6539, -93.8048)

goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: “If you plan to wade ﬁsh, plan on doing it before the sun comes up. Oxygen in the water is depleted on the shoreline almost before daylight.” Capt. Marcaccio

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: 1/4 oz. Gold Spoons CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com gofishgalveston.com TIPS: “The wells in Trinity 14nd mid bay reefs in East Bay should be holding fish. SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: 1/8 ounce jig head with soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com gofishgalveston.com TIPS: Soft plastics colors: plum/chartreuse, Fire Tiger in clear water; Motor Oil and Red Shad

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LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Hanna’s Reef GPS: N 29 28.703, W 94 45.703 (29.4784, -94.7617)

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LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Beach Front GPS: N 28 35.569, W 95 59.268 (28.5928, -95.9878)

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Richards Reef GPS: N 29 31.429, W 94 45.323 (29.5238, -94.7554) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Gold or Silver Spoons CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordaﬁshing.com TIPS: “In light winds, try you luck in the surf.” Capt. Countz

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: 1/8 ounce jig head with soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com |

LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Exxon C Lease GPS: N 29 40.446, W 94 45.579 (29.6741, -94.7597)

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Deep Reef GPS: N 29 30.802, W 94 40.581 (29.5134, -94.6764)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Lil John soft plastic CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins 409-673-9211 97862018@sbcglobal.net www.ﬁshsabinelake.com TIPS: “Trout ﬁshing at the Short Rigs and beachfront should be good…anywhere in the Ship Channel.” Capt. Watkins

281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com gofishgalveston.com TIPS: “Mud balls, bait flipping on water, and big balls of shad are true signs of fish close by.” Capt. Marcaccio

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: 1/8 ounce jig head with soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio |

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LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Cottons Bayou

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FISHING HOTSPOTS GPS: N 28 30.552, W 96 12.453 (28.5092, -96.2076)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics and Topwaters early CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordaﬁshing.com TIPS: I prefer to wade ﬁsh, normally along the shoreline of West Matagorda Bay in the summertime. I look for the deeper guts, maybe 4-5 feet deep. Fish the edges of the gut or into the gut itself.” Capt. Countz LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Middle Ground GPS: N 28 30.692, W 96 13.611 (28.5115, -96.2269)

tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordaﬁshing.com TIPS: “Fish the guts on incoming tides throwing a Lil John soft plastic. You can keep it up out of the grass a little better, and you can throw it like a bullet.” Capt. Countz

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Green Reef GPS: N 28 29.805, W 96 14.265 (28.4968, -96.2378)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com treblejcharters.com TIPS: “If I’m fishing around the wells, I will probably be fishing 12-15 feet of water….searching for the cooler water that fish want.” Capt. McPartland

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a Popping Cork CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordaﬁshing.com TIPS: “Begin your day ﬁshing the edges of the reefs early in the morning and then moving out to deeper water as the sun comes up.” Capt. Tommy Countz.

Allyn’s Drum Hard to Beat

LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: North Mud Island GPS: N 27 56.78, W 97 1.54 (27.9463, -97.0257)

•••

by Tom Behrens SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com treblejcharters.com TIPS: “The outside of the islands, the Aransas Bay side, 4 feet of water at sunup. Slowly work your way a little deeper as the sun comes up.” Capt. McPartland

• • • SPOTLIGHT • • • LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Allyn’s Lake GPS: N 27 58.961, W 96 59.015 (27.9827, -96.9836)

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Corpus Christi Bay Wells GPS: N 27 44.764, W 97 11.141 (27.7461, -97.1857)

SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Piggy Perch or Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com treblejcharters.com

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LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Bay Oil Wells and Pads GPS: N 28 2.058, W 97 1.056 (28.0343, -97.0176)

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Reef GPS: N 28 32.638, W 96 15.362 (28.5440, -96.2560)

••

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a Popping Cork CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net www.matagordaﬁshing.com TIPS: Capt. Countz shared that Middle Ground can have some bit trout hanging around when the temperature get hot.

TIPS: “Fishing probably more for black drum than redﬁsh in July,” said Capt. McPartland. “There ought to be schools of black drum showing up as mud balls on the water surface.”

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FISHING HOTSPOTS (26.0611, -97.1902)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com treblejcharters.com TIPS: Capt. McPartland will be throwing soft plastics on the deep side of the islands, 4-6 feet deep. Topwaters will work early morning.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics with a 1/16 oz jig head CONTACT: Capt. Ismail Yamez 956-202-5550 TIPS: His favorite colors in soft plastics are Clear, Tequila or purple/chartreuse. “If you can find fish anytime during the day, you are going catch fish.

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LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Neubaurer Rocks GPS: N 27 18.134, W 97 39.07 (27.3022, -97.6512)

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Demit Island GPS: N 27 41.473, W 97 14.166 (27.6912, -97.2361)

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LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Mesquite Flats GPS: N 26 3.668, W 97 11.409 |

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SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Down South soft plastics with a 1/16 oz jig head CONTACT: Capt. Ismail Yamez 956-202-5550 TIPS: “As the water heats up move back to about 2 feet of water.” Capt. Yamez LOCATION: South Bay HOTSPOT: South Bay East Table Top GPS: N 26 1.431, W 97 11.089 (26.0239, -97.1848)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Croaker CONTACT: Capt. Gilbert Esquivel 361-522-8496 TIPS: “If the bite is really active, I will work the lure faster or slower…slower to annoy them a little more to make the ﬁsh strike. July is the best time to use croaker in these locations.” Capt. Esquivel

by Tom Behrens

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: High School Shoreline GPS: N 26 4.83, W 97 14.87 (26.0805, -97.2478) |

LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Sloughs Rocks GPS: N 27 18.651, W 97 33.465 (27.3109, -97.5578)

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Speck Reunion at Laguna High

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Side Island GPS: N 26 9.132, W 97 11.34 (26.1522, -97.1890)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Gilbert Esquivel 361-522-8496 TIPS: Fish rock structures in mid-morning and shorelines early mornings, wading in 2-3 feet of water.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com treblejcharters.com TIPS: Capt. McPartland freelines the piggy perch or croaker on a 6/0 Khale hook. “I freeline everything when it comes to live bait.”

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics with a 1/16 oz jig head CONTACT: Capt. Ismail Yamez 956-202-5550 TIPS: Capt. Yamez is ﬁshing shallow water, 1 1/2 feet deep anywhere along the Lower Laguna Madre, sight casting for speckled trout and redﬁsh.”

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Down South soft plastics with a 1/16 oz jig head CONTACT: Capt. Ismail Yamez 956-202-5550 TIPS: “Look for fish sitting there in pockets, or fish swimming by you. Cast past the fish and bring the bait back to the fish.” Capt. Yamez

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6/24/19 1:54 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS FRESHWATER Toledo Bass are in the Clear

318-455-3437 caddoguide1@att.net www.caddolakeﬁshing.com TIPS: Fish this bayou by concentrating on creek bends and intersections. The edges of the bayou where you have grass and lily pads are the key. I like to work the edges in the bends with the worm. The 1 oz. punch rig is for pitching into the grass in 2-4 feet of water in these same are-as. Keep a topwater or weightless ﬂuke

handy this time of the year for schooling bass in these areas. Frogs over the pads can be a good choice also. LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 29.3099, W 95 35.22 (30.4885, -95.5870)

by Dustin Warncke

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Toledo Bend Lake HOTSPOT: Clear Creek GPS: N 31 11.616, W 93 39.762 (31.1936, -93.6627)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Bass: Dropshot rigs, Carolina rigs, deep crankbaits | Crappie: minnows, jigs CONTACT: Mike Knight 936-635-2427 notechmike@hotmail.com www.easttxfishingguide.com TIPS: “The bass fishing should be great this time of year but T-Bend in the summer is a deep, deep water fishery. Look for bass in 25 to 35 feet on river ledges, humps or channel conflu-ences. Crappie will be bunched up on man-made brush piles in 20 to 25 feet.”

•••

LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Alligator Bayou GPS: N 32 43.176, W 94 5.4419 (32.7196, -94.0907)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: 6-8-inch 1/8 oz. Texas rigged trick worms in colors of June bug or redbug, 1 oz. Tex-as rigged beavers or creature baits in colors of June bug or watermelon/chartreuse, top water lures, weightless ﬂukes, frogs CONTACT: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith

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FISHING HOTSPOTS side of the humps. You can ﬁnd some of the best GPS coordinates in the 2019 Texas Lakes and Bays ﬁshing atlas, also published by Texas Fish & Game. Lake Livingston consists of 90,000 surface acres of water and 450 miles of shoreline making it a fantastic lake. BANK ACCESS: Harmon Creek Marina

(32.9162, -95.6462)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Primos dipping bait CONTACT: Richard Tatsch 936-661-7920 admin@fishdudetx.com www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: Locate stumps lining the river channel edge and tie off in 20 to 25 foot of water. Use a bag of cattle cubes to bring the fish to you. I will dump a half bag of cubes in two different lo-cations and come back to the first, tie up and get my boat back in the same position. Using a spinning reel with a treble hook, an 1/8 ounce egg sinker and a piece of cut sponge wrapped around it; dip it in the dipping bait and drop it to the bottom. Stay in contact with the line on the bottom, raising the bait up and down slowly, until you feel some resistance. Then set the hook! On most days you can catch limits of fish in just a few hours. Bank Access: Stowaway Marina

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Finch Nasty 5/8 oz. bass jig rigged with a Grandebass Airtail Wiggler or a 1/2 oz. football Shakey Head rigged with an Airtail Wiggler CONTACT: Lance Vick 903-312-0609 lance@lakeforkbass.com www.guideonlakefork.com TIPS: “July is the month to catch deep fish on offshore structure and the hotter it gets, the bet-ter the bite is this time of year. Timing is key as the bite gets better later in the day. The sun starts the Algae bloom which gets the plankton moving which gets the shad moving and posi-tions the fish on the bottom . Hard bottom high spots like points, ridges and humps will have fish. When the sun starts cooking and the bass get on the bottom position your boat where you can throw past the fish and bring jig to them the fish will be pointed into the wind, so it is best to bring the lure to their face. Lots of cold water and patience and the dog days of summer can produce some of the year’s best fishing. Good fishin all!”

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: 515 East & West Bridges GPS: N 32 53.784, W 95 31.656 (32.8964, -95.5276)

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: 190 Road Bed GPS: N 30 46.932, W 95 5.94 (30.7822, -95.0990)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Live minnows or crappie jigs in chartreuse pepper or June bug chartreuse CONTACT: Doug Shampine 940-902-3855 doug@lakeforktrophybass.com www.lakeforktrophybass.com TIPS: July crappie ﬁshing is always good on Lake Fork. This is the time to get the family on the lake and catch a mess of crappie to take home or learn to catch crappie which is especially great for the kids. I am ﬁshing brush piles in 18-22 feet of water using jigs or minnows. The 515 East and West bridges or the 154 bridge will also be holding crappie in the 20 foot range.

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Bass: Carolina-rigged 10” worms, deep diving crankbaits | Crappie: minnows, jigs CONTACT: Mike Knight 936-635-2427 notechmike@hotmail.com www.easttxﬁshingguide.com TIPS: Sam Rayburn should have good bass ﬁshing this time of year. July is an offshore month like in my Toledo Bend report but usually not as deep. Humps and ledges in 12 to 20 feet with Carolina rigged 10” worms or deep running crankbaits should work. The crappie are the same all over east Texas and can be found in 20 to 30 feet deep over man-made brush piles. LOCATION: Toledo Bend North HOTSPOT: Huxley Area Main Lake Points GPS: N 31 46.2179, W 93 50.094 (31.7703, -93.8349)

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: White and green 1 oz. jigging slabs, Tsunami 1 oz. Zombie eye jigs, trolled pet spoons CONTACT: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 dave@palmettoguideservice.com www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: July is a structure fishing month for Lake Livingston white bass. The 190 road bed, Pine Island and Dove Island are some great spots to find Whites on structure. Use your fish finder and GPS to locate the fish and then drop the slabs to the bottom and jig up and down. Look for bites on a falling jig. Fifteen foot humps will hold fish on top of the humps and on the

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Birch Creek GPS: N 32 54.972, W 95 38.7719

LOCATION: Sam Rayburn Lake HOTSPOT: Buck Bay GPS: N 31 11.136, W 94 4.0739 (31.1856, -94.0679)

SPECIES: Black Bass & White Bass BEST BAITS: Top water plugs, crankbaits, plastics, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages 936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: Concentrate on the main lake points close or falling off into the river channel. Early and late, throw Rat-L-Traps, top water plugs, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and shallow diving crankbaits. When the sun gets up

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6/24/19 12:48 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS and the shallow bite slows down, back off to deeper water and throw Texas-rigged or Carolina-rigged plastics and deep diving crankbaits for the black bass and ½ oz. to ¾ oz. spoons jigged on the bottom for the whites. Also, look for any gulls feeding on shad that the ﬁsh have pushed to the surface.

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A Wichita Hunt for Tawakoni Stripers

by Dustin Warncke & Dean Heffner

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni HOTSPOT: Wichita Bay GPS: N 32 55.932, W 95 59.178 (32.9322, -95.9863)

••

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Carolina rigs, live shad CONTACT: Andrew Taylor, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service 903-269-6587 etxbass@gmail.com www.Laketawakoni.guide TIPS: In July I’ll be Carolina rigging shad on 24” leaders. Typically I’m structure fishing early in the day, hitting humps and sides of embankments. After the sun gets up and the water starts to turn warm, I typically head out to deep water, around 35’-45’, and spend a lot of time on my electronics searching for schools of stripers. Once a school is located and depending on the size, I figure out how we will set up on them. If the schools are moving super-fast, I like to set up a slow drift, dragging large threadfins. If the schools seem to commit and hold under the boat, we will “Spotlock” and let them feed under us.

817-597-6598 johnnystvens@1scom.net johnnysguideservice.com TIPS: This area just north of the dam is a series of humps with deep water all around them. As the water heats up the Hybrids that have come down from lake Bridgeport during a ﬂood hang out in this area. An effective method is to troll a very deep running lure. A Hell pet rig with a bell sinker on the front of the Hell

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Bass: spinnerbaits and chatterbaits CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: This time of year bass will usually always be in 1 to 5 feet of water until August then they move out a little deeper in the middle of the lake. Spinnerbaits seem to work the best along with chatterbaits. When It gets a little warmer and it’s super bright out, ﬁsh the bridges or the rip rap with access to deeper water. LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Mid-Main Lake Humps GPS: N 32 16.5779, W 96 8.226 (32.2763, -96.1371)

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: 1 oz. slabs CONTACT: Jason Barber 903-603-2047 kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com www.kingscreekadventures.com TIPS: This is the time of year when we are “slabbing humps” for white bass on Cedar Creek. Fish mid-lake humps in 12’ to 24’ foot of water with 1 oz. slabs near bottom. Various colors will work this time of year. LOCATION: Lake Eagle Mountain HOTSPOT: Eagle Mountain Dam GPS: N 32 52.693, W 97 28.006 (32.8782, -97.4668)

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LOCATION: Bachman Lake HOTSPOT: Webb Chapel Road Bridge GPS: N 32 51.5699, W 96 51.3899 (32.8595, -96.8565) SPECIES: Hybrid, White Bass BEST BAITS: Hell Pet or deep running lure CONTACT: Johnny Stevens T E X A S

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FISHING HOTSPOTS Bender to make it run deep. LOCATION: Fayette County Res. HOTSPOT: Deer Stand Hump GPS: N 29 55.944, W 96 43.7819 (29.9324, -96.7297)

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Punch bait, cut bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Anchor here and throw out some sour grain as chum. Fish straight down over the chummed spot. Mark the spot with a buoy which will help you in knowing where chum is at for future reference. Use CJ’s punch bait on a #6 treble hook or cut bait on a regular hook and feel for the bite.

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Slab spoons CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell 512-365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: “Right now is the best month for white bass in the open lake. They are feeding heavily on shad right in the middle of the day. Best times are from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Look for humps or ridges out from the dam. The top of the hump being around 10’ deep and surrounding area being much deeper. Look for the whites on your sonar or spot them crashing the top. Position your boat on the top of the hump and bounce a slab spoon off the bottom. Just hop it two or three feet from the bottom. Dragging the spoon can also work. Good luck and good ﬁshing!”

LOCATION: Gibbons Creek HOTSPOT: Dam Rocky Point GPS: N 30 36.684, W 96 3.9959 (30.6114, -96.0666)

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Tickey Creek Park Point GPS: N 33 5.4959, W 96 28.668 (33.0916, -96.4778)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows, crappie jigs CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Rocks and stumps are in this area. Fish with 1/16 oz. jig in red/white or black/chartreuse or drift a minnow under cork at a 12 foot depth.

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Cohoes, slabs CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorn_alex@yahoo.com www.whitebassﬁshingtexas.com TIPS: Fish main lake points in 1-18 feet. The whites should be schooling on surface in the morn-ing and then holding on structure like points with immediate deep water access. Stay within 2 miles of the dam and hit all the points. Start at the island tip. Hybrid Point is directly east of the island tip. This is a great spot with a huge ﬂat and drop offs on edges.

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake/Dam Area GPS: N 30 42.498, W 97 19.962 (30.7083, -97.3327)

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Saline Creek GPS: N 32 8.9999, W 95 27 (32.1500, -95.4500)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Texas-rigged Mister Twister Pocket Crawls CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Lake levels have been high, and lake has been muddy. Bass fishing prospects are good, and we are pitching and flipping the tall grass in 1 to 2 foot of water. County Line Creek in Sa-line Creek flats are two great spots to try this time of the year. LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake HOTSPOT: Long Arm Branch GPS: N 31 59.196, W 96 12.2939 (31.9866, -96.2049)

SPECIES: White Bass & Hybrid Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Tiny Torpedo or other small top water lure, blue/chrome Rat-L-Trap CONTACT: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 simmonsroyce@hotmail.com www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: July is one of the best summer months for white bass top water schooling activity on Richland Chambers. It seems the hotter the weather the hotter the action gets on RC as the whites will be chasing shad to the surface and feeding almost every morning. Tie on a small top water lure like a clear Tiny Torpedo or go with a blue/chrome Rat-L-Trap and you’re in business. Check out the main lake area from Fisherman’s Point Marina to the 309 Flats or if you have a nice south wind, the Long Arm branch point is always a great main lake point for schools of fish. If you get lucky and have some cloud cover and a nice breeze, the top water ac-tion can last much of the morning. It’s absolutely great for kiddos as the fish almost jump in the boat! LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Deep Water Brush Pile GPS: N 33 24.005, W 97 2.796

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6/24/19 12:48 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS (33.4001, -97.0466)

SPECIES: Crappie, White Bass BEST BAITS: Minnows, Small Swimbaits, Shad colored topwaters CONTACT: Justin Wilson 214-538-2780 justinwilson371@yahoo.com TIPS: Summer is in full swing; the weather is hot and so is the ﬁshing. Crappie are out on deep-er brush piles and structure. 30-40 foot water seems to be best, but shallower 20 footers are working as well. They can be caught on jigs, but minnows are the best choice. The white bass can be found schooling on top out in the deep water as well. I recommend small swim baits and topwaters, but they can be caught on just about anything ﬂashy or shad colored. Look for them feeding heavy, early morning and late evening but keep an eye out for that boiling water at all times of the day.

LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Island Ledge & McCowan Flats GPS: N 31 55.439, W 97 24.624 (31.92398, -97.410407)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Top water lures, slabs CONTACT: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfishlaketexoma@gmail.com www.striperexpress.com TIPS: “Early morning, serval large schools will surface around the lake. These schools of fish can be a mile long and a half mile wide. Cast Pencil Popper top water plugs for great action! After surface action ends, locate the schools of fish with your electronics. Then, vertically drop slabs and use a fast retrieve. The fish will try to pull the rod out of your hands! Bank Access: Washita Point and Platter Flats.” LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: McCowan Flats GPS: N 31 55.4519, W 97 24.6239 (31.9242, -97.4104)

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: North Schooling Area GPS: N 30 19.638, W 96 32.064 (30.3273, -96.5344)

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Live ghost minnows, shad, silver spoons, Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Anchor in this area and us tight lines, fishing with ghost minnows. If fish start schooling, toss silver spoon or Rat-L-Traps into the school of fish. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Alberta Creek GPS: N 33 57.54, W 96 36.012 (33.9590, -96.6002)

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: 3/4 oz. Chartreuse Slabs from RSRLURES.com CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com, www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The thermocline has set in and the Whites are relating to a reaction strike. Bouncing chartreuse 3/4 oz. slabs on ledges above the thermocline ( 20 feet) has been catching limits daily. In the early morning, look for schooling white bass from island to dam and around the McCowan flats. You can make long cast with the slabs and let them flutter down below the schooling fish and catch the larger ones feeding on what they injure and drop.

••

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: 1/2 oz. white jigs with 7” Striper Sniper Snake Worms CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com www.teamredneck.net TIPS: It’s hot and some days the fish have fed at night or real early and it turns into a reaction strike pattern. I’m using my downriggers and pulling 1/2 oz. white buck tail jigs with the lemon lime 7 and 10” snake worms from Striper Sniper Tackle (www.stripersniper. com). Running the old road beds and small ledges in the McCowan flats has been productive. The depth of my baits vary depending on the depth of the fish, but most have been between 15’ to 18’. For big-ger fish that sometimes are isolated - looking like a hump on the bottom - I’m making long casts and running my downrigger balls closer to the bottom and basically skipping the jigs off the bottom. Yes, I get hung up occasionally and lose a bait or two, but the rewards of big fish are worth it. Hang on as there are some big ones on those flats!

•••

Henry Bass Hide in the Deep

by Dustin Warncke & Dean Heffner

• • • SPOTLIGHT LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Little Grape Creek GPS: N 33 2.814, W 101 3.81 (33.0469, -101.0635)

•••

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spoons, swim jigs, deep diving crankbaits, Strike King 5XD or 6XD in shad color CONTACT: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220 nclayton42@sbcglobal.net

6/24/19 12:48 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS 325-692-0921 michael.homer@tpwd.texas.gov TIPS: July is hot here. The ﬁsh know it too. Out deep around the sunken bridge and between Goat Island and the Dam are the hot spots. Bass like the deep divers and during early morning and late evening they will hit a topwater like a rocket. Call ahead for info on the boat ramp due to the water levels.

http://www.lakealanhenry.com/norman_clayton.htm TIPS: “July will ﬁnd most of the bass moved back to deep water. Usually they will be 20 to 40 feet deep. You will need to use your electronics to ﬁnd the schools of shad and the bass will be close. You can catch a lot of bass by trolling over the channels this time of the year. Choose any creek and drag a Strike King 5XD or 6XD in shad color while following the channel, and you will catch bass. If you catch bass over and over by going over the same spot, then you can use a jigging spoon to catch the bass. Fish fun - Fish safe!”

LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Gaines Bend GPS: N 32 52.689, W 98 28.001 (32.8782, -98.4667)

•••

LOCATION: Amistad HOTSPOT: Rough Canyon GPS: N 29 36.31098, W 100 58.377 (29.605183, -100.972950)

LOCATION: Lake Coleman HOTSPOT: Rear Cove GPS: N 32 2.3976, W 99 27.6871 (32.0400, -99.4615)

SPECIES: Striped, White Bass BEST BAITS: Shad, Mister Twister CONTACT: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 fav77334@aceweb.com TIPS: Summertime translates into early morning bites, so set that alarm early! Shad are best, but we have found that the hotter it gets, the faster the ﬁsh want the bait moving past them. That’s why we do so good downrigging and trailing with Mister Twister Curly Tails. Watch your graph and look for ﬁsh suspended at 16 to 42 feet, in 50 feet or deeper water. The magic number has always been 24 feet. Remember: The early bird gets the worm!

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, slabs CONTACT: Michael D. Homer, Jr., Texas Parks & Wildlife Department 325-692-0921 michael.homer@tpwd.texas.gov TIPS: The coordinates listed mark an old concrete structure that is surrounded by flooded brush. Fishing that shoreline into the rear cove works best with spinner baits, whacky worms, Senkos, and trick worms to catch bass. Sunrise often produces a great top-water bite in the rear cove. Occasionally hybrid striped bass can be caught in this cove, which these fish will put up a nice fight. Anglers targeting hybrids may have the best luck using live shad for bait or spinner baits, chrome or white suspending jerk baits, or slabs.

••

Pick Hydrilla Pocket in July Heat

LOCATION: Hubbard Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Goat Island GPS: N 32 45.764, W 99 00.499 (32.762738, -99.008317)

•••

by Dustin Warncke

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Lake Amistad HOTSPOT: Hydrilla Pocket GPS: N29 32.53482, W101 12.918 (29.542247, -101.215300)

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Texas and Carolina-rigged plastic worms, topwater lures, crankbaits CONTACT: Larry Scruggs, Amistad Lodge and Adventures 210-789-1645 TIPS: Fish topwater lures in the far backs of all the pockets here during the early-morning hours and then target the underwater hydrilla beds at 12 to 15 feet with bright-colored plastic worms and crankbaits during late-morning and afternoon hours.

••

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Pop Rs, buzzbaits, Zara Spooks CONTACT: Stan Gerzsenyl 830-768-3648 stan@amistadbass.com amistadbass.com TIPS: Fish topwaters from the main lake grass beds to the backs of the creeks. Zara Spooks are my favorites but Pop Rs and buzzbaits also can be effective. Look for schooling ﬁsh throughout the day.

••

•••

Troll Turkey for Canyon Stripers

by Dustin Warncke

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Turkey Creek Point GPS: N 29 51.7079, W 98 12.948 (29.8618, -98.2158)

••

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: topwaters, deep-diving crankbaits CONTACT: Michael D. Homer, Jr., Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

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FISHING HOTSPOTS SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Sassy Shad in pearl color CONTACT: Capt. Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230 steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com http://www.sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Trolling this area with downriggers seems to produce the best catches. Set the downrig-gers from 40 to 60 feet deep and look for schools of Striped Bass. When located, vary trolling speeds until the fish strike. Tight lines and fish on! LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Lower Lake GPS: N 30 44.79, W 98 25.71 (30.7465, -98.4285)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@gmail.com www.centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: “Stripers can be found this time of year drifting or anchored mid-lake to the dam. Early morning fishing in 25-40 feet should be effective using 6””-8”” live shad. Later morning move to 50-60 ft over trees. During the last hour of daylight move back to ridges and humps in shallower water.” LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Dam Area GPS: N 30 45.528, W 98 25.38 (30.7588, -98.4230)

SPECIES: Striped Bass & White Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, 1-1.5 oz. slabs CONTACT: Ken Milam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: Stripers will be towards the dam on the lower end of the lake. Due to the strange weath-er we had earlier this year they are still biting! White bass are all over the lake holding on structure. Fresh live shad

TexasOutdoorNation-1907-DIG.indd 55

being the best bait of choice along with 1 to 1 1/2 oz. slabs! Have fun and just know it is Summer in Texas. Stay cool and hydrated and also wear sunscreen. LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Horseshoe Bay Area GPS: N 30 33.618, W 98 22.9799 (30.5603, -98.3830)

SPECIES: Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Bass: Topwater lures, lipless crankbaits and worms; Crappie: Jigs or minnows CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide Service-Barry Dodd 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtofish.net www.teachemtofish.net TIPS: There is lots of vegetation, enough contour and deeper water in this area to hold some big bass. I prefer Matzuo sickle style hooks for live bait, jigs and soft plastics because they penetrate easier and hold firmer. Bass and crappie have mostly settled into their summer patters of holding near the thermocline, along deep water ledges, points and cover near these areas. For bass, spend most of your time fishing points with deep diving crank baits and soft plastics. For crappie, look for channels bends or points with brush piles.

••

•••

July Bass Keep Early Hours on Coleto

by Dustin Warncke

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Turkey Creek GPS: N 28 44.832, W 97 10.308 (28.7472, -97.1718)

••

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Pearl white Zoom fluke, dipped slightly in chartreuse with a 4/0 worm hook - rigged weightless CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-960-0566 TIPS: July is hot as usual, but the good news is that the bass are feeding more regularly, especially early in the morning or late in the evening. I like it up river this time of year as there is less boat traffic. I’m a “fluke nut” on Coleto. pearl white Zoom, dipped slightly in chartreuse with a 4/0 worm hook, rigged weightless. Get in the hydrilla and let it sink along the edges or holes . A lot of times I’ll see it just disappear or see my line moving a little then set the hook. My biggest bass on Coleto with the fluke was over 11 pounds and I have caught numerous fish in the 3-5 pound class. If you like a lot of action, keep using the fluke until your confidence is up there. I can’t emphasize enough on how many fish I have caught with this bait and on so many different lakes . Give it a try and you won’t be disappointed.

•••

LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Alejandrejas Roadbed GPS: N26 44.22498, W99 11.9439 (26.737083, -99.199065)

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Jigs, plastic worms, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Robert Amaya 956-765-1442 robertsfishntackle@gmail.com robertsfishntackle.com TIPS: Fish the brush here early with topwater lures, Texas-rigged plastic worms and spinnerbaits. Carolinarigged soft plastics also work well off the roadbed and in the openings where the water drops off from five to 8-12 feet. Also fish nearby humps.

6/24/19 12:48 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK JULY 2019

Tides and Prime Times

USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

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

T12

T11

T10 T9

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

T8 T17

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

T15 T16

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 T6

T3 T2 T1

T14

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

T18

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

T19

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 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

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

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

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

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

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

KEY T12 T13 T14 T15 T16 T17

PLACE Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay Gilchrist, East Bay Jamaica Beach, W. Bay Alligator Point, W. Bay Christmas Pt Galveston Pleasure Pier

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

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

KEY T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23

PLACE HIGH San Luis Pass -0.09 Freeport Harbor -0:44 Pass Cavallo 0:00 Aransas Pass -0:03 Padre Island (So. End) -0:24 Port Isabel +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

READING THE GRAPH

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

Moon Overhead

Fishing Score Graph

Moon Underfoot

Day’s Best Day’s 2nd Score Best Score

Best Day Overall

MOON PHASES

l = New Moon l = Full Moon = First Quarter º » = Last Quarter «= Good Day by Moon Phase 56

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JULY 2019

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

TUESDAY

Jul 1 « FEET

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

5:41a 10:52a 12:31p 9:53p

1.54ft. 1.30ft. 1.30ft. -0.53ft.

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

6:28a 11:38a 1:13p 10:39p

WEDNESDAY

3«

1.60ft. 1.34ft. 1.35ft. -0.62ft.

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

7:14a 12:19p 2:10p 11:27p

1.63ft. 1.34ft. 1.35ft. -0.64ft.

THURSDAY

4«

High Tide: 7:59a Low Tide: 1:05p High Tide: 3:16p

1.60ft. 1.30ft. 1.32ft.

FRIDAY

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

12:17a 8:41a 1:59p 4:36p

-0.57ft. 1.54ft. 1.19ft. 1.22ft.

SATURDAY

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

1:07a 9:19a 3:00p 6:19p

-0.41ft. 1.46ft. 1.02ft. 1.08ft.

SUNDAY

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

1:59a 9:53a 4:02p 8:19p

-0.17ft. 1.36ft. 0.79ft. 0.95ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

5:30 — 7:30 PM Sunrise: 6:22a Sunset: 8:21p Moonrise: 5:15a Moon Set: 7:29p

AM Minor: 4:25a AM Major: 10:39a PM Minor: 4:53p PM Major: 11:08p Moon Overhead: 12:21p Moon Underfoot: None

12p

12a

BEST TIME

6:00 — 8:00 PM Sunrise: 6:23a Sunset: 8:21p Moonrise: 6:11a Moon Set: 8:30p

AM Minor: 5:21a AM Major: 11:36a PM Minor: 5:51p PM Major: 12:06p Moon Overhead: 1:20p Moon Underfoot: 12:50a

TexasOutdoorNation-1907-DIG.indd 57

12p

BEST TIME

7:00 — 9:00 PM Sunrise: 6:23a Sunset: 8:21p Moonrise: 7:12a Moon Set: 9:29p

AM Minor: 6:22a AM Major: 12:06a PM Minor: 6:52p PM Major: 12:37p Moon Overhead: 2:22p Moon Underfoot: 1:51a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

8:00 — 10:00 PM Sunrise: 6:23a Sunset: 8:21p Moonrise: 8:19a Moon Set: 10:22p

AM Minor: 7:26a AM Major: 1:11a PM Minor: 7:56p PM Major: 1:41p

Moon Overhead: 3:23p Moon Underfoot: 2:52a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 PM Sunrise: 6:24a Sunset: 8:21p Moonrise: 9:27a Moon Set: 11:10p

AM Minor: 8:31a AM Major: 2:17a PM Minor: 9:01p PM Major: 2:46p

Moon Overhead: 4:22p Moon Underfoot: 3:52a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

4:30 — 6:30 AM Sunrise: 6:24a Sunset: 8:21p Moonrise: 10:35a Moon Set: 11:53p

AM Minor: 9:35a AM Major: 3:21a PM Minor: 10:03p PM Major: 3:49p

Moon Overhead: 5:17p Moon Underfoot: 4:50a

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 AM Sunrise: 6:25a Sunset: 8:21p Moonrise: 11:41a Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 10:36a AM Major: 4:22a PM Minor: 11:02p PM Major: 4:49p

Moon Overhead: 6:10p Moon Underfoot: 5:44a

6/24/19 12:48 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

8 FEET

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

2:53a 10:22a 4:59p 10:24p

TUESDAY

9º

0.12ft. 1.27ft. 0.52ft. 0.90ft.

Low Tide: 3:53a High Tide: 10:48a Low Tide: 5:52p

WEDNESDAY

0.43ft. 1.20ft. 0.25ft.

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

12:26a 5:06a 11:11a 6:42p

0.97ft. 0.73ft. 1.16ft. -0.01ft.

THURSDAY

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

2:17a 6:53a 11:32a 7:29p

1.12ft. 0.97ft. 1.15ft. -0.22ft.

FRIDAY

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

3:45a 9:00a 11:49a 8:14p

SATURDAY

1.28ft. 1.12ft. 1.17ft. -0.37ft.

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

4:49a 10:45a 12:02p 8:58p

SUNDAY

1.40ft. 1.19ft. 1.19ft. -0.46ft.

High Tide: 5:38a Low Tide: 9:39p

1.46ft. -0.49ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

6:00 — 8:00 PM

12a

12p

7:30 — 9:30 PM

AM Minor: 12:45a AM Major: 6:58a PM Minor: 1:10p PM Major: 7:22p

Moon Overhead: 7:49p Moon Underfoot: 7:25a

MONDAY

TUESDAY

16 «

1.47ft. -0.47ft.

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

FEET

6:53a 1:02p 1:48p 10:56p

17 l High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

7:23a 12:59p 2:50p 11:32p

12a

1.40ft. 1.20ft. 1.21ft. -0.32ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 PM

9:00 — 11:00 PM

12a

10:00P — 12:00A

12a

5:00 — 7:00 AM Sunrise: 6:28a Sunset: 8:19p Moonrise: 6:42p Moon Set: 4:29a

AM Minor: 2:59a AM Major: 9:12a PM Minor: 3:24p PM Major: 9:37p

Moon Overhead: 10:17p Moon Underfoot: 9:52a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:27a Sunset: 8:20p Moonrise: 5:46p Moon Set: 3:44a

AM Minor: 2:14a AM Major: 8:27a PM Minor: 2:39p PM Major: 8:52p

Moon Overhead: 9:27p Moon Underfoot: 9:02a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:27a Sunset: 8:20p Moonrise: 4:48p Moon Set: 3:02a

AM Minor: 1:30a AM Major: 7:43a PM Minor: 1:55p PM Major: 8:07p

AM Minor: 3:45a AM Major: 9:58a PM Minor: 4:11p PM Major: 10:24p

Moon Overhead: 11:09p Moon Underfoot: 10:43a

Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:35a

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

1.44ft. 1.23ft. 1.23ft. -0.41ft.

12p

Sunrise: 6:26a Sunset: 8:20p Moonrise: 3:48p Moon Set: 2:23a

Moon Overhead: 8:38p Moon Underfoot: 8:13a

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS Fishing Score Moon Moon Graph Overhead Underfoot

READING THE GRAPH

12a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:26a Sunset: 8:20p Moonrise: 2:47p Moon Set: 1:46a

AM Minor: ----AM Major: 6:10a PM Minor: 12:22p PM Major: 6:34p

Moon Overhead: 7:00p Moon Underfoot: 6:35a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:26a Sunset: 8:21p Moonrise: 1:46p Moon Set: 1:10a

AM Minor: 11:31a AM Major: 5:19a PM Minor: 11:56p PM Major: 5:44p

High Tide: 6:18a Low Tide: 10:18p

6:30 — 8:30 PM

Sunrise: 6:25a Sunset: 8:21p Moonrise: 12:44p Moon Set: 12:33a

15 «

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

18 «

High Tide: 7:52a Low Tide: 1:03p High Tide: 3:43p

1.35ft. 1.15ft. 1.17ft.

l = New Moon l = Full Moon = First Quarter º » = Last Quarter « = Good Day by Moon Phase

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

19 « Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:07a 8:19a 1:23p 4:35p

-0.20ft. 1.30ft. 1.08ft. 1.11ft.

SATURDAY

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

12:40a 8:45a 2:00p 5:34p

-0.06ft. 1.26ft. 0.99ft. 1.03ft.

SUNDAY

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

1:11a 9:09a 2:47p 6:51p

0.10ft. 1.21ft. 0.88ft. 0.94ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

5:30 — 7:30 PM Sunrise: 6:28a Sunset: 8:19p Moonrise: 7:36p Moon Set: 5:18a

12a

6:00 — 8:00 PM

AM Minor: 5:23a AM Major: 11:35a PM Minor: 5:48p PM Major: -----

Moon Overhead: 12:01a Moon Underfoot: 12:27p

Sunrise: 6:29a Sunset: 8:19p Moonrise: 8:25p Moon Set: 6:10a

AM Minor: 4:33a AM Major: 10:46a PM Minor: 4:59p PM Major: 11:12p

12p

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: 12:52a Moon Underfoot: 1:18p

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12p

12a

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 6:14a AM Major: 12:01a PM Minor: 6:38p PM Major: 12:26p

12a

7:30 — 9:30 PM

8:00 — 10:00 PM

AM Minor: 7:56a AM Major: 1:45a PM Minor: 8:19p PM Major: 2:07p

Moon Overhead: 2:33a Moon Underfoot: 2:56p

F I S H

12p

Sunrise: 6:31a Sunset: 8:18p Moonrise: 10:27p Moon Set: 8:53a

AM Minor: 7:05a AM Major: 12:53a PM Minor: 7:29p PM Major: 1:17p

T E X A S

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:30a Sunset: 8:18p Moonrise: 9:50p Moon Set: 7:58a

Moon Overhead: 1:43a Moon Underfoot: 2:08p

12p

BEST TIME

7:00 — 9:00 PM Sunrise: 6:29a Sunset: 8:18p Moonrise: 9:10p Moon Set: 7:04a

Moon Overhead: 3:20a Moon Underfoot: 3:42p

12a

12p

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 PM Sunrise: 6:31a Sunset: 8:17p Moonrise: 11:00p Moon Set: 9:46a

AM Minor: 8:46a AM Major: 2:35a PM Minor: 9:07p PM Major: 2:57p

Moon Overhead: 4:04a Moon Underfoot: 4:26p

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

3:30 — 5:30 AM Sunrise: 6:32a Sunset: 8:17p Moonrise: 11:32p Moon Set: 10:39a

AM Minor: 9:34a AM Major: 3:23a PM Minor: 9:55p PM Major: 3:44p

Moon Overhead: 4:47a Moon Underfoot: 5:08p

G A M E ®

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6/24/19 12:48 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

22 FEET

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

1:42a 9:31a 3:36p 8:32p

TUESDAY

0.28ft. 1.18ft. 0.75ft. 0.87ft.

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

2:13a 9:48a 4:23p 10:26p

WEDNESDAY

24 »

0.47ft. 1.14ft. 0.60ft. 0.85ft.

Low Tide: 2:45a High Tide: 10:01a Low Tide: 5:05p

THURSDAY

0.67ft. 1.12ft. 0.44ft.

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

12:22a 3:25a 10:03a 5:47p

0.93ft. 0.86ft. 1.12ft. 0.26ft.

FRIDAY

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

2:06a 4:24a 9:50a 6:30p

SATURDAY

1.07ft. 1.05ft. 1.16ft. 0.07ft.

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

3:18a 6:10a 9:12a 7:15p

1.24ft. 1.20ft. 1.22ft. -0.12ft.

SUNDAY

High Tide: 4:08a Low Tide: 8:02p

1.39ft. -0.31ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

4:30 — 6:30 AM

12a

12p

12a

12:30 — 2:30 PM

MONDAY

30 «

1.50ft. -0.46ft.

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

FEET

5:29a 10:25a 12:24p 9:39p

31 l High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

6:07a 10:47a 1:54p 10:28p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12p

12a

BEST TIME

2:00 — 4:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:35a Sunset: 8:14p Moonrise: 2:17a Moon Set: 4:07p

AM Minor: 12:52a AM Major: 7:04a PM Minor: 1:16p PM Major: 7:28p

AM Minor: 1:36a AM Major: 7:49a PM Minor: 2:02p PM Major: 8:14p

Moon Overhead: 8:20a Moon Underfoot: 8:44p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

3:00 — 5:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:34a Sunset: 8:14p Moonrise: 1:39a Moon Set: 3:07p

Moon Overhead: 7:34a Moon Underfoot: 7:56p

3:30 — 5:30 PM Sunrise: 6:36a Sunset: 8:13p Moonrise: 3:02a Moon Set: 5:09p

AM Minor: 2:22a AM Major: 8:36a PM Minor: 2:50p PM Major: 9:04p

Moon Overhead: 9:10a Moon Underfoot: 9:36p

Moon Overhead: 10:04a Moon Underfoot: 10:32p

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

1.58ft. 1.37ft. 1.38ft. -0.56ft.

12a

AM Minor: 12:08a AM Major: 6:21a PM Minor: 12:32p PM Major: 6:43p

Moon Overhead: 6:51a Moon Underfoot: 7:12p

TUESDAY

1:00 — 3:00 PM

= FALLING TIDE = RISING TIDE = DAYLIGHT HOURS = NIGHTTIME HOURS Fishing Score Moon Moon Graph Overhead Underfoot

READING THE GRAPH

12p

Sunrise: 6:34a Sunset: 8:15p Moonrise: 1:04a Moon Set: 2:10p

AM Minor: 11:48a AM Major: 5:38a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 5:59p

Moon Overhead: 6:09a Moon Underfoot: 6:30p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:33a Sunset: 8:15p Moonrise: 12:32a Moon Set: 1:15p

AM Minor: 11:05a AM Major: 4:54a PM Minor: 11:25p PM Major: 5:15p

Moon Overhead: 5:29a Moon Underfoot: 5:49p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:33a Sunset: 8:16p Moonrise: 12:02a Moon Set: 12:22p

AM Minor: 10:20a AM Major: 4:10a PM Minor: 10:41p PM Major: 4:30p

High Tide: 4:49a Low Tide: 8:50p

5:00 — 7:00 AM

Sunrise: 6:32a Sunset: 8:16p Moonrise: None Moon Set: 11:31a

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

Aug 1 «

1.60ft. 1.34ft. 1.40ft. -0.59ft.

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

6:43a 11:23a 3:12p 11:17p

1.58ft. 1.26ft. 1.39ft. -0.52ft.

l = New Moon l = Full Moon = First Quarter º » = Last Quarter « = Good Day by Moon Phase

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

2«

High Tide: 7:17a Low Tide: 12:07p High Tide: 4:30p

1.52ft. 1.12ft. 1.34ft.

SATURDAY

3« Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:07a 7:49a 12:58p 5:52p

-0.36ft. 1.44ft. 0.94ft. 1.26ft.

SUNDAY

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

12:56a 8:18a 1:54p 7:22p

-0.11ft. 1.36ft. 0.71ft. 1.16ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

4:00 — 6:00 PM Sunrise: 6:36a Sunset: 8:13p Moonrise: 3:53a Moon Set: 6:11p

12a

5:00 — 7:00 PM

AM Minor: 4:06a AM Major: 10:22a PM Minor: 4:37p PM Major: 10:52p

Moon Overhead: 11:02a Moon Underfoot: 11:32p

Sunrise: 6:37a Sunset: 8:12p Moonrise: 4:52a Moon Set: 7:12p

AM Minor: 3:12a AM Major: 9:27a PM Minor: 3:42p PM Major: 9:57p

12p

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: 12:02p Moon Underfoot: None

J U L Y

TexasOutdoorNation-1907-DIG.indd 60

2 0 1 9

12p

12a

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 5:04a AM Major: 11:20a PM Minor: 5:35p PM Major: 11:51p

12a

1:00 — 3:00 PM

2:00 — 4:00 PM

AM Minor: 7:08a AM Major: 12:53a PM Minor: 7:37p PM Major: 1:23p

Moon Overhead: 2:06p Moon Underfoot: 1:36a

F I S H

12p

Sunrise: 6:39a Sunset: 8:10p Moonrise: 8:16a Moon Set: 9:47p

AM Minor: 6:05a AM Major: 11:46a PM Minor: 6:36p PM Major: 12:21p

T E X A S

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:38a Sunset: 8:11p Moonrise: 7:05a Moon Set: 9:01p

Moon Overhead: 1:05p Moon Underfoot: 12:34a

12p

BEST TIME

12:00 — 2:00 PM Sunrise: 6:37a Sunset: 8:11p Moonrise: 5:57a Moon Set: 8:09p

Moon Overhead: 3:05p Moon Underfoot: 2:36a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

3:00 — 5:00 PM Sunrise: 6:39a Sunset: 8:09p Moonrise: 9:25a Moon Set: 10:29p

AM Minor: 8:10a AM Major: 1:57a PM Minor: 8:38p PM Major: 2:24p

Moon Overhead: 4:01p Moon Underfoot: 3:33a

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

4:00 — 6:00 PM Sunrise: 6:40a Sunset: 8:09p Moonrise: 10:32a Moon Set: 11:08p

AM Minor: 9:11a AM Major: 2:58a PM Minor: 9:38p PM Major: 3:25p

Moon Overhead: 4:53p Moon Underfoot: 4:27a

G A M E ®

6/24/19 12:48 PM

JULY 2019

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

5 FEET

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

1:45a 8:45a 2:56p 9:04p

0.20ft. 1.29ft. 0.48ft. 1.09ft.

TUESDAY

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

2:37a 9:10a 4:00p 10:57p

0.53ft. 1.24ft. 0.25ft. 1.10ft.

WEDNESDAY

Low Tide: 3:37a High Tide: 9:32a Low Tide: 5:05p

0.85ft. 1.21ft. 0.05ft.

THURSDAY

8º

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

1:00a 5:22a 9:52a 6:06p

1.20ft. 1.10ft. 1.21ft. -0.10ft.

FRIDAY

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

2:53a 8:38a 10:01a 7:05p

1.35ft. 1.22ft. 1.23ft. -0.21ft.

SATURDAY

High Tide: 4:05a Low Tide: 7:58p

1.46ft. -0.26ft.

SUNDAY

High Tide: 4:52a Low Tide: 8:46p

1.51ft. -0.28ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

4:00 — 6:00 AM Sunrise: 6:40a Sunset: 8:08p Moonrise: 11:37a Moon Set: 11:46p

AM Minor: 10:10a AM Major: 3:57a PM Minor: 10:35p PM Major: 4:22p

Moon Overhead: 5:44p Moon Underfoot: 5:19a

12p

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 AM Sunrise: 6:41a Sunset: 8:07p Moonrise: 12:40p Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 11:05a AM Major: 4:52a PM Minor: 11:30p PM Major: 5:17p

Moon Overhead: 6:34p Moon Underfoot: 6:09a

TexasOutdoorNation-1907-DIG.indd 61

12a

12p

BEST TIME

12:30 — 2:30 PM Sunrise: 6:41a Sunset: 8:06p Moonrise: 1:42p Moon Set: 12:23a

AM Minor: 11:57a AM Major: 5:44a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 6:09p

Moon Overhead: 7:24p Moon Underfoot: 6:59a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

1:00 — 3:00 PM Sunrise: 6:42a Sunset: 8:05p Moonrise: 2:42p Moon Set: 1:02a

AM Minor: 12:21a AM Major: 6:34a PM Minor: 12:47p PM Major: 6:59p Moon Overhead: 8:15p Moon Underfoot: 7:49a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

2:00 — 4:00 PM Sunrise: 6:43a Sunset: 8:05p Moonrise: 3:42p Moon Set: 1:43a

AM Minor: 1:09a AM Major: 7:22a PM Minor: 1:34p PM Major: 7:47p

Moon Overhead: 9:06p Moon Underfoot: 8:40a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

3:00 — 5:00 PM Sunrise: 6:43a Sunset: 8:04p Moonrise: 4:39p Moon Set: 2:27a

AM Minor: 1:55a AM Major: 8:08a PM Minor: 2:21p PM Major: 8:34p

Moon Overhead: 9:57p Moon Underfoot: 9:32a

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

4:00 — 6:00 PM Sunrise: 6:44a Sunset: 8:03p Moonrise: 5:32p Moon Set: 3:15a

AM Minor: 2:41a AM Major: 8:54a PM Minor: 3:07p PM Major: 9:20p

Moon Overhead: 10:49p Moon Underfoot: 10:23a

6/24/19 12:48 PM

Texas TASTED by BRYAN SLAVEN :: The Texas Gourmet

Oven Broiled Speckled Trout

S WE MOVE INTO SUMMER, speckled trout fishing heats up with the weather. I love fishing for specs with touts and mirrolures. I also enjoy fishing with live shrimp under a popping cork. When it’s on, it’s a blast. Trout is a delicate fish with a flakey meat that can be a challenge on the grill, so here is a recipe for cooking trout in the oven. A parchment-lined cookie sheet will be needed if cooked in the oven or on the grill. Ingredients 4 Trout Filets (4-6 inches) if you have larger filets cut them in half. Check carefully for bones 2 Zucchini & 2 Yellow Squash (slice into ¼” thick round slices 2 Green Onions sliced thin 4 Cloves of fresh garlic, diced 2 Lemons sliced one thin and quarter the other one 4 tsp. Fresh cilantro chopped coarsely 1 Stick of butter melted 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil Preparation Lay the filets on the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Spread them evenly. Arrange the squash rings around the edge of the cookie sheet. Sprinkle cilantro, onions and chopped garlic over fish and squash. Combine the melted butter and olive oil with 2 tsp fresh lemon juice and brush on filets and squash. Place in a preheated oven @ 450 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes. Turn oven to broil and cook for 3-4 additional minutes or until golden brown. 62

1907 Tasted Recipe.indd 60

J U L Y

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Delicious oven broiled speckled trout with veggies—before (above) and after (below) cooking—a perfect recipe for the summer!

If cooking on the grill, place the cookie sheet in preheated grill @ 400 degrees. Cook as above. You may add some mesquite or apple wood chips. When done, remove from oven or grill and cover loosely with piece of foil to rest |

T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

for 5-7 minutes. Serve hot with your favorite rice dish.

Email Bryan Slaven at bryan@thetexasgourmet.com PHOTOS: BRYAN SLAVEN

6/11/19 1:50 PM

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GET YOUR TF&G APPAREL HERE!

WWW.FISHGAME.COM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

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U.S.A!!!

2019 EDITION

WWW.FISHANDGAMEGEAR.COM T E X A S

1907 Outdoor Directory.indd 61

F I S H

G A M E Â®

J U L Y

2 0 1 9

6/11/19 12:26 PM

REDFISH Sabine Lake Jackson “Reel Deal” Adix with a 32-inch Sabine Lake redﬁsh. His Uncle Curtis, a.k.a. “Netman” assisted.

BASS Caddo Lake Jennifer Britton and Colby Hand had a good day ﬁshing for bass on Caddo Lake.

RAM

WHITE BASS

Kimble County

Black Cypress Bayou

Tripp Yuras shot his ﬁrst ram, while hunting with his dad, Robert Yuras, Jr., on the family ranch in Kimble County.

1907-ReaderPhotos.indd 62

J U L Y

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T E X A S

F I S H

Nine-year-old Lincoln LaFerney, working on a limit of white bass on Black Cypress Bayou.

G A M E ®

6/11/19 12:29 PM

SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO photos@FishGame.com For best results, send MED to HIGH quality JPEG digital ﬁles only, please.

Also Enter our PHOTO CONTEST: FishGame.com/HotShots No guarantee can be made as to when, or if, a submitted photo will be published.

REDFISH Port Aransas Cayden Egger of Belton caught this redﬁsh in the bay near Port Aransas. It was just a couple weeks after his 12th birthday. He was ﬁshing with his Dad and two brothers, and this was the biggest catch of the day.

PRONGHORN ANTELOPE Dalhart Ralph Davis shot this pronghorn while hunting near Dalhart with his son, Hatcher.

RAINBOW TROUT Alaska Nine-year-old Braden Evans caught these rainbows at Delta Junction, Alaska last summer.

CATFISH Sabine River Kenneth and Jason Barnett (right) caught these big cats on the Sabine River in East Texas. Helping hold the ﬁsh are David and Weston Keith.

SPECKLED TROUT Aransas Pass

Quintana Beach

Kendra Coonfield caught her first keeper trout while visiting grandpa and grandma and fishing out of Aransas Pass.

Ronald Barraza landed this bull red in the surf at Quntana Beach.

T E X A S

1907-ReaderPhotos.indd 63

REDFISH

F I S H

G A M E ®

J U L Y

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6/11/19 4:01 PM

C3-Sealy.indd 3

6/12/19 9:50 AM

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6/11/19 12:00 PM