Texas Fish & Game December 2019 by Texas Fish & Game

December 2019 | $3.95

Chilled Catfish CCA Fights Channel Deepening Night Before Christmas... in Duck Camp A Kayak for Christmas 1912-Dec-Cover-DIG.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

Book a Trip to the Future

PUBLISHERS

CHESTER MOORE EDITOR IN CHIEF

COUPLE OF ISSUES BACK, WE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE AMAZING PARTNERship we have developed over the past three decades with agriculture teachers across Texas. This partnership has been built around the very popular Wildlife Recreation course that attracts tens of thousands of teenagers each semester. We supply these classrooms with multiple-copy subscriptions that the teachers use as supplemental study materials. We also send teachers a weekly email newsletter with links to stories and videos they can use to further supplement their lesson planning. At the time of our last writing, Texas Fish & Game was being used in 750 Texas classrooms, and we were preparing to attend summer conferences for students and teachers to recruit more. We’re happy to report that we added another 125 schools, and are now used in 875 Texas classrooms, reaching more than 50,000 Texas high school students each semester. These young people, already enthusiastic about the outdoors, represent a tremendous resource to anyone interested in preserving—even growing—the sport. They are the core of the future of the outdoors. For nearly 30 years, we have been impressed by the dedication of the teachers to their jobs and to their students. One of the ways this dedication was exhibited directly to us was in how many teachers wanted to buy our ﬁshing and hunting books—and were willing to pay with their own money. Stories abound in this crazy world where property taxes have skyrocketed, school district budgets have gotten ever fatter, and yet classroom resources have become more and more scarce, where teachers are forced to hit their own personal bank accounts to acquire even the most basic supplies and classroom materials. And though they are professionals, these are not the highest-paid individuals, notably, even when compared with the admin-level positions in their own districts. Teachers want to use our books for in-class lessons and extra-credit assignments. The TF&G library consists of more than a dozen titles, covering saltwater and freshwater ﬁshing, as well as deer, hog and waterfowl hunting. We would love to be able to give them to all 875 teachers. But we also would like to stay in business. That’s were you can help.

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 NICOLE BECKA CYNDI DELANA LISA MOORE

1) ONLINE: Go to Fishgame.com/products/school-library-bundle. Use credit card or PayPal. 2) CALL: (800) 750-4678 and order your bundle(s) and give us your credit card. 3) MAIL: Send the school address, your name and a check to: Book Bundle Donation • 247 Airtex Dr. • Houston TX 77090. Thanks in advance. Your support will help keep these kids engaged in outdoors sports, and will add to the ongoing effort to make sure future generations can enjoy our great outdoors.

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

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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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Call this number if you receive a suspicious offer in the mail or by phone

School Book Bundle Donations

We have come up with a program where individuals and businesses can purchase a set of books to be sent to teachers. The list of books includes: Pat Murray’s No-Nonsense Guide to Coastal Fishing, Trout Tactics and Flounder Fever by Chester Moore, Freshwater Strategies by Doug Pike, Wadefish Texas by Bink Grimes, Hog Wild and Texas Waterfowl by Chester Moore, and The Texas Deer Book by Steve LaMascus and Greg Rodriguez. These books normally sell for $14.95. We’ve bundled them into a school donation package with a price of $49.75 FOR ALL EIGHT BOOKS, INCLUDING SALES TAX AND SHIPPING. That is basically $5.00 per book—just enough to barely cover printing and royalties—plus tax and shipping. We will send the books to the school of your choice, and include a letter that identifies you as the donor of the books (if you want to be identified). If you would like to donate a set of books to your local high school or group of schools, we have three easy ways for you to do it:

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A D V E R T I S I N G ARDIA NEVES PUBLISHER

: (281) 869-5549 ANEVES@FISHGAME.COM

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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 December 2019 | Vol. 36 • No. 7

FEATURE ARTICLES

DREDGE REPORT CCA is opposing a project to deepen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, in the prime fishing areas west of Port Aransas.

by TF&G Staff

16 THE MIGHTY MALLARD

Pike on the Edge by DOUG PIKE

Texas Boating

CHRISTMAS COOKING Wild game recipes for a wild Christmas.

by Lisa Moore

by LENNY RUDOW

Bass University

TF&G Report • 38 The News of the Nation

by PETE ROBBINS

Bare Bones Hunting by LOU MARULLO

Texas Tactical

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by DUSTIN ELLERMANN

Open Season by REAVIS Z. WORTHAM

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What to look for in a starter paddle craft for young people.

by Chester Moore

NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN DUCK CAMP A reworking of the classic Christmas poem with duck hunting in mind.

TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

by CHESTER MOORE

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A KAYAK FOR CHRISTMAS

by Chester Moore

Editor’s Notes

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by Chester Moore

Big and beautiful, mallards rule when it comes to Texas duck hunters. Here’s how—and where—to bag them all over the state.

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Few people associate catfish with Christmas, but the chilly weather around the holidays is prime time for catching big blue cats.

COVER STORY

CHILLED CATFISH

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Letters

by TFG Readers

by Bryan Slaven &

Tides & Prime Fishing Times

DEPARTMENTS Outdoor Directory

Texas Tasted F I S H

Hotshots 38 Texas Action Photos Focus 40 Coastal Columns 49 Texas Hotspots 56 Sportsman’s Daybook

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Fish & Game Photos by TFG Readers

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LETTERS to the Editor More On Wild Sheep THE AUGUST COVER WITH THE BIGhorn was absolutely stunning. And the story was very touching. It’s rare in an outdoor publication where you get the combination of adventure and heart along with such great photography. I wanted to thank you on a personal level for that and for having the guts to put wild sheep on the cover of a magazine like yours. People need to see these animals need our help and that hunters are the ones doing the work. I salute Texas Fish & Game for a job well done.

future they will be here to carry this on.

Dan Stewart

Blast from the Past

Fishgame.com Turkey

I WAS PREOCCUPIED IN THE BATHroom when I started reading this article, the magazine was from 2015, I still keep them around. Good for lighting the dozens of brush piles we push up every year.

I HAVE FOLLOWED YOUR TURKEY Revolution stories at fishgame.com this year and have been so excited to see someone out there doing that. Will you continue this project next year? If so, count me in.

Tex Ford I WAS SO EXCITED TO GET THE email with the wild sheep curriculum. What an incredible blessing that was! The lessons in it are fun and my kids have enjoyed them. Thank you for going the extra mile to do something great for conservation and education.

Sissy Smith THAT SHEEP COVER WAS SO GOOD I had to question whether it was real or Photoshopped. I of course saw it was taken by Chester Moore and he wouldn’t do such a thing so I knew it was real. What a great photo and story too.

Jerry Dutch I HAVE A QUESTION FOR CHESTER Moore about the wild sheep story and the photos in it. How close were you when you shot the cover photo?

Lacey Williams Editor: I was 25 yards away when I shot the cover shot but at one point the sheep (there were three rams) were about 10 yards away. It was truly mind-blowing and incredibly inspirational. I am glad it has resonated with so many people.

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Editor: Thank you! This has truly been a labor of love. Next year we will continue and I am going out to New Mexico and Arizona to pursue the elusive and rare Gould’s turkey of the mountains along with some really in-depth investigative stories on turkeys in Texas and other areas.

I am fortunate to spend much of my time on a multi thousand acre ranch managing the wildlife and cattle. From producing ten pound plus bass in the lakes to the low fence MLD deer heard with most of the bucks passing on at old age. This article brought back memories of my younger days when things were simpler and the joy I had with a fishing pole and a cricket or grasshopper as bait. I miss those days but know without them, I wouldn’t be protecting and managing my land and supporting organizations that protect our wildlife. Take a kid hunting or fishing and in the F I S H

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Email your comments to: editor@ﬁshgame.com

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

Christmas Conservation

LOVE THE FACT THIS MAGAZINE is called Texas Fish & Game. It’s not, Texas Guns & Gear or Texas Hunters and Fishermen. It’s Texas Fish & Game, reminding us that without the game and fish we pursue, there is no pursuit. Christmas is a great time of giving as we celebrate the birth of humanity’s greatest gift with fun, generous traditions passed on for generations. I challenge you this Christmas to make a stand for wildlife and give to conservation causes. If you know someone who truly loves fishing, hunting, and wildlife, give a gift in their honor to a great cause related to their favorite creatures or provide them with a membership in a pro-hunting/fishing conservation organization. Let me share how the Moore family does this and give you some creative ideas about how to create Christmas conservation. Lisa and I are members of the Coastal Conservation Association, The Wild Sheep Foundation, Texas Bighorn Society, National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance, Houston Safari Club, and Trout Unlimited. This year we have several young people in our life who, through our Wild Wishes® program have taken a deep interest in conservation. Wild Wishes® grants wildlife encounters to children with a terminal illness or loss of parent or sibling. One of these young people will be getting a membership in the Texas Bighorn Society, another in the National Wild Turkey Federation, and another in the Coastal Conservation Association. With those memberships come email alerts, 6

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magazines, and opportunities to take part in events that will keep them focused on a proconservation message and seeing they can make a difference. Another creative way to do this to create a Christmas fundraiser in a person’s name for conservation. Let’s say the person you want to bless is really into wild sheep like yours truly. Then you could go to Facebook and ask people to donate to the Texas Bighorn Society in their honor for Christmas. You could do the same with the National Wild Turkey Federation or any other group registered as a nonprofit on Facebook. As a family and ministry, we have found donating to causes in the name of someone can have a powerful impact. Through our Wild Wishes® program, we make donations for kids coming through to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo’s Persian fallow deer restoration project. They are working to bring the highly endangered Persian fallow deer back to the Holy Land and are doing a fantastic job. When deer translocated to the wild show up on game cameras or when fawns are born, we get updates from the zoo. It’s a great way to share with young people to see that people can do great things for wildlife. In fact, we are working with our kids to launch a fundraiser for this Israel project. If you would like to help, you can email me at cmoore@fishgame.com for details. Something else to consider is to talk with your children about forsaking getting presents. Instead, have them send out cards to friends and family asking them to give to their favorite conservation cause for Christmas. Can you imagine the impact if dozens of people get cards from an eight-year-old asking to donate to the Coastal Conservation Association so |

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they can save oyster reefs? Talk about counter culture-in a good way! If you teach your kids or grandkids to hunt and fish, but don’t teach them about sustainable resource use and conservation, their learning is incomplete. They need to know that a hunter named Teddy Roosevelt started wildlife conservation in America. He was an essential figure in American history. They need to know how a group of anglers in Texas formed the Gulf Coast Conservation Association (now CCA) and saved the redfish. They need to know that polluting streams equals bad health for fish and humans. They need to know that destroying wetlands eliminates duck habitat. They need to know they can be difference makers. We can help with that by supporting their wildlife education with free resources. Texas Fish & Game does a weekly e-newsletter with stories and lessons that go out to 800 classrooms in Texas. It’s great for home-schooled kids, scout groups, or simply families wanting to promote a wildlife conservation ethic in their family. I have also personally created a curriculum called North American Wild Sheep that goes into great detail on wild sheep with 20 separate lessons. Both are free, and you can get them by emailing cmoore@fishgame.com. Maybe, if your budget is low, you commit to the time to teach them about these issues and use our resources to help. Dr. Guy Harvey, the world’s most celebrated marine wildlife artist and ocean conservationist, told me that if we all do a little, it would make a big difference. Let us know how we can help you create a conservation Christmas for your kids, friends, and family. This can be the beginning of something extraordinary.

« Email Chester Moore at cmoore@ﬁshgame.com

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PIKE on the Edge by DOUG PIKE :: TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Outdoors Tomorrow

FEW MONTHS BACK—NOT long before Texas got its first taste of fall—an encouraging email hit my Inbox. I nearly missed it, too. That address receives 100-plus emails daily, most of which are straight-up junk; I can’t hit the “Delete” button fast enough. Whenever my eyes catch mention of young people and the outdoors, I lift my deleting finger and take a closer look. This time, those important words were high in a press release from a group called the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation. This is a Dallas-born and Dallas-based operation that formed quietly in 1981 with the broad-brush goal of getting kids back into the outdoors. Worth noting: Unless you count pagers and four-function calculators, there wasn’t much on the personal electronics shelves at Radio Shack. Portable phones traveled in briefcases carried by the wealthy, and the Internet was still a couple of years from birth. Now, you know all about personal electronics. Yes, I recognize that social media and apps and new technology of all sorts can be invaluable to those of us who want to catch more fish or become better hunters. However, I’ve also read that teenagers are burning an average of nine hours daily with their impressionable eyeballs glued to screens filled with anything and everything—but educational or life-enhancing content. My young son and I were at a family-style restaurant recently when four high school aged kids were seated two tables away from us. Within seconds of settling into their chairs, all four of them—all four—were staring at their phones and not saying a word to each other. They paused to order, ate one-handed while still looking at their phones and not speaking. Then, they got back to their two-handed toggling from one app to the next.

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and families that didn’t spend much time outdoors. I get calls and emails routinely from parents in that age group who realize now that they missed out on something healthy and fun and rewarding. Their parents didn’t fish or hunt or even hike or watch birds. The children of those parents, now parents themselves, are increasingly aware that being outdoors connects them to something important. Walking or hiking or biking through the woods is a better experience than watching a documentary about the woods. Learning to catch a fish, baiting your own hook and casting your line or watching your cork—even if you release that fish rather than eat it—lights a primal, prideful fire in us. If you hadn’t heard of OTF until now, take a minute to look it up online at gootf. com. They’re not the only group that’s trying to expose young people to the outdoors, but they’re one of the better ones I’ve come across lately. I’m all for any group that helps young people find their way outdoors even once. Some exposure and education certainly is better than none. OTF has found a way to reach young people when they’re most likely to be trying new things. They reach kids who are independent enough to do so without asking permission or needing a ride. They’ve reached more than a quarter million students already and are optimistic they’ll lose that “quarter” qualifier as quick as possible. The same study that came up with those nine daily hours of electronics among young people also revealed that the youngsters knew that nine hours a day was excessive—but didn’t know what else to do with their time. OTF gives them something else to do with their time. It teaches indoor kids how to enjoy the outdoors, safely, in any of a couple dozen ways. It’s something for everyone. Well done, OTF!

Maybe, just maybe, their high school will adopt the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation programs. Maybe they’ll haul those kids outside for a proper introduction to fishing, shooting, and hunting. Maybe they’ll also be exposed to boating, backpacking, archery, camping, mountain biking, outdoor cooking, first-aid, gun safety— and a dozen other skills that introduce them to an entirely new world. So far, in fact, OTF has found its way into more than 500 schools in 34 states. OTF’s average enrollment is more than 100 students. “It’s truly amazing and inspiring to see how this program is impacting the lives of younger generations,” said Sean McLelland in the email. That 500th school, by the way, is a small one in rural New York. Its goal was a dozen students. Twenty signed up. The program OTF installs in these schools is fully accredited by the Texas Education Agency.OTF is a lot more fun than traditional physical-education options, such as volleyball and sitting on the bleachers for an hour. One of my favorite features of OTF is actually a two-for-one benefit. It’s being offered to kids who are old enough either to drive themselves to the outdoors or phone a peer who can drive. Too often, programs that introduce young people to the outdoors are cookie-cutter exposures to fishing. A weekend morning on a baited or stocked (or both) piece of water, and dozens of volunteers to help the kids catch a fish while their parents sit on the sidelines – and stare into their phones. Afterward, the child’s enthusiasm often fades after the second, third or fourth time he/ she asks a parent to take them fishing again and gets turned down. OTF puts young adults in touch with the outdoors at a time early enough that the experiences might be their first, but late enough that they can enjoy their new skills without having to involve uninterested parents. Good thing, too, because the generation that’s got children in middle and high school now includes a high percentage of folks (outside Texas, anyway) who grew up in homes F I S H

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story by Chester Moore OST WATERFOWLERS AGREE that mallards rule for duck hunting. There’s something about the big guys with the vibrant green heads, stately neckbands and bright yellow bills that turn the heads of duck hunters like no other duck. It’s a legendary reign that is almost symbolic of royalty. Nothing captures the grandeur better than a wily group of drakes pitching through tree tops on a crisp winter morning — wings

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cupped and iridescent green heads gleaming. In short, mallards fuel the fire for most duck hunters. Kevin Kraai of Canyon knows a thing or two about North America’s most abundant duck, and he’s a staunch proponent of the lore associated with hunting them. “Duck hunters are opportunistic,” he said. “They hunt ducks largely in the order that they’re presented. However, if duck hunters have a goal, it is obviously the drake mallard. “It’s a regional thing, but for the most part mallards are considered to be the king of ducks. They are the most sought-after

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species in most areas of the country from prairie Canada, the Dakotas, flooded bottomlands of the southeast and the grain fields of middle America, including the Texas Panhandle.” Kraai, 45, is a veteran waterfowler. More than two decades ago, he turned his passion into a career as a waterfowl biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. He’s been heading up the state’s waterfowl program for the last eight years. With winter and the second split of another Texas duck season fast approaching, I recently caught up with Kraai and asked him to share some thoughts on the current status of North America’s favorite duck. He said mallard numbers are faring well despite habitat loss Mallards continue their historic reign as the most abundant duck species, according to figures released last summer by the

U.S. Fish Wildlife Service in its “2019 Trends in Duck Breeding Populations: report. This annual report is based largely on aerial surveys conducted during May and early June by the USFWS, Canadian Wildlife Service and a host of other partners. The 2019 survey numbers include 10 species totaling about 38.9 million ducks. Mallard numbers totaled about 9.4 million— an increase of about two percent from 2018 and 19 percent above the long-term average dating back to 1955. The bluewinged teal is the second most abundant duck with an estimated population of 5.4 million, according to the survey. Kraai says it’s a blessing that mallard populations are holding their own across a landscape where critical habitat is on a decline. It also illustrates their resilience and ability to adapt. “Mallards are well above average and surprisingly doing very well,” Kraai told me. “I say ‘surprisingly’ because we as humans have done a really good job of destroying their habitat, especially their breeding grounds. We’re seeing wetland drainage on the prairies and more grasslands being turned into cropland. We keep thinking these scenarios are ultimately going lead to a grave population impact, but so far it hasn’t happened. The birds just continue to flourish.”

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Public Mallards WHITE OAK CREEK WMA Location: Bowie, Cass, Morris and Titus counties in northeast Texas. Size: 25,777 acres About: Mostly bottomland hardwoods at the confluence of the Sulphur River and White Oak Creek. RICHLAND CREEK WMA Location: Freestone and Navarro counties Size: 13,700 acres Note: Consists of two units, North and

WRIGHT PATMAN RESERVOIR Size: 18,900 acres Location: Bowie and Cass counties

South. North Unit consists of about 2,000 acres of primo waterfowl habitat consisting of bottomland cells that are flooded annually through a partnership with the Tarrant Regional Water District. South Unit has about 1,000 acres that offer excellent bottomland hunting the Trinity River/Richland Creek flood plains and flooded sloughs adjacent it.

COOPER LAKE Size: 19,305 acres Location: Delta and Hopkins counties LAKE TEXOMA Size: 74,686 acres Location: On the Red River, Texas/ Oklahoma border northwest of Sherman

COOPER WMA Size: 14,480 acres Location: Delta and Hopkins counties

years of liberal hunting seasons, and that’s purely driven off of mallard numbers. The fact they continue to do well is a testament to their ability to adapt and still be successful in less than desirable conditions.”

The biologist says strong mallard counts are largely responsible for the liberal duck hunting seasons allowed under federal frameworks over the last two-plus decades. “Mallard populations and habitat conditions are what drive our adaptive harvest management hunting packages,” Kraai said. “We’ve have had more than 20 consecutive

« 2019: Banner for nesting/survival Although much of prairie Canada was dry this past year, areas farther south saw unprecedented rainfall that kept tractors out of the fields and stifled the planting of agricultural crops early in the year. This allowed mallards and other ducks to enjoy a banner spring nesting season across much of the eastern Dakotas. Kraai said the ducks also experienced excellent survival, because the wet conditions persisted into early summer. “Canada was pretty dry, but the conditions in the Dakotas were as good as they could possibly be,” Kraai said. “The biologists up there called it epic. It’s really good for things that are important to Texas with respect to dabbling ducks such as mallards, pintails and blue-winged teal. That’s where a pretty good supply of our birds come from. We also get a lot mallards out of Alberta and the province of Saskatchewan.”

Texas Sweet Spots Kraai says the mallard is a dabbling, inland species that is largely absent along the Gulf Coast. The two areas of the state that typically attract the most greenheads are northeast Texas and the Texas Panhandle. The Panhandle is always at its best during years with ample rainfall to fill playa lakes and plenty of waste grain like milo and corn to provide birds some groceries in the fields. “Northeast Texas sees the highest harvest amounts by far,” Kraai said. “That’s largely because it has an abundance of preferred habi10 |

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tat. Mallards really like to associate with major watersheds. The Red, Sulphur, Trinity and Sabine rivers are the core for mallard populations Texas.” The key ingredient to attracting birds to these areas is water—lots of it. “Mallards like it when it rains,” he said. “Flooded bottomlands and pastures are exactly what mallards look for, and northeast Texas is where a lot of those events occur. Plus, there are literally thousands of small water bodies sprinkled throughout the region. Because that water is so spread out the birds can often times sit down and not be disturbed. Bowie, Cass, Red River, Hunt, Delta, and Hopkins are the counties where most of our mallards are typically shot.” Another major factor that can influence where mallards settle is hunting pressure, or a lack of it. “Mallards like to stay where they aren’t going to get shot at,” Kraai said. “We’re beginning to see real strong evidence of all kinds of waterfowl — ducks and geese — beginning to really respond to hunting pressure and human disturbance. They’re doing things they weren’t doing 10 years ago.

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“They’re using areas they haven’t used before—adapting if you will. Hunter activity is a strong driver as to where ducks settle in a landscape and how long they stay there, even if they aren’t getting shot at. Just the bang of guns a half-mile away can be very alarming. The like a quiet landscape if they can find it.”

Timing: It’s all about the Weather Unlike most ducks, whose southward movements are triggered largely by photoperiod, Kraai says mallards are big, tough stubborn birds that typically demand some additional encouragement before they migrate south for winter. “Mallards are different,” Kraai said. “They have to be told to leave. They’ll be happy so long as they’ve got open water and food.” Mallards are driven largely by cold fronts, but big rain events can have an impact, too, the biologist said. “Big floods are important to Texas getting a bunch of ducks to come here,” Kraai said. “If you get a big flood in early November you’re

liable see some mallards show up because of the new food source, even though it hasn’t gotten real cold up north.” As a rule, however, it is usually after Thanksgiving and into December before Texas duck hunters start seeing greenheads push into the Lone Star State in large numbers. “Those are usually the peak times,” Kraai said. “If you look at harvest data for northeast Texas, the hunting improves every month starting in November. November is always the slowest month, and it usually gets progressively better from there. January is when majority of the mallards get shot. It’s all weather driven. “But there are exceptions to every rule,” Kraai added. “You could have a very warm winter in the Dakotas and things might not freeze up until after Thanksgiving. That can mean problems in Texas. I always prefer to see it turn cold up north in early- to midNovember to get our birds down. It’s possible they could even have some cold snaps in late October that push some birds down early.”

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CCA IS OPPOSING THE DEEPENING OF THE CORPUS CHANNEL

ITING CONCERNS FOR THE REGION’S AQUATIC resources, Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Texas is opposed to the Port of Corpus Christi’s proposed Channel Deepening Project (CDP), permit application number SWG-2019-00067.

The location of the proposed project is an ecologically sensitive

tidal inlet, connecting the Corpus Christi and Aransas Bay systems to the Gulf of Mexico. These major bay systems support the Nueces and MissionAransas Estuaries, home to numerous species of marine shrimp, crabs, and finfish that utilize the varied habitat types offered. This includes oyster reefs, seagrass beds, mud flats, hard structures, shoreline vegetation and unique intertidal mosaics of the aforementioned habitats. An abundance of economically and ecologically important species depend upon the inlet for migration,

recruitment, spawning, and other vital life processes. Flatfish, penaeid shrimp, red drum, blue crabs, Atlantic tarpon, and numerous other aquatic species utilize this pass on a seasonal basis to fulfill biological requirements within their life history. 12 |

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CCA Texas The area under respectfully requests consideration that the Port of for the Corpus Corpus Christi reconChannel sider their analysis of Deepening. alternatives C and D in their Purpose and Need Document. These alternatives would allow for the Very Large Crude Carriers (“VLCCs”) to be fully loaded offshore and eliminate the need to bring them into an ecologically sensitive region of the Gulf Coast. Through the process of conducting public hearings and conducting an environment impact statement, CCA Texas expects that the following impacts would be reviewed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before further consideration: • Impacts of increased salinities in Corpus Christi Bay on sustainability of oyster reefs. • Impacts of dredging on southern flounder during annual migration and seasonal larval recruitment. • Timing of dredging in relationship to resident spawning populations of spotted seatrout and sheepshead. • Impacts of dredging activities and increased channel depth on larval recruitment from offshore spawning populations of southern flounder, penaeid shrimp species, blue crabs, and red drum. • Impacts of increased turbidity (reduced light penetration) on seagrasses. • Impacts of increased saltwater intrusion. • Impacts of decreased flow through nearby inlets. Any disturbances in this ecological bottleneck can have significant impact on numerous flora and fauna, so it is paramount that all direct and indirect impacts are fully understood. In the best interest of the region’s coastal resources, we urge the applicant to reconsider this project and plans for a deepwater port at Harbor Island.

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Texas BOATING by LENNY RUDOW :: TF&G Boating Editor

Think Fast!

ECENTLY I WAS INVITED aboard a new boat, to test and review it. The 41-foot center console had a brace of quadruple Mercury 400s lining the transom. Yes—quads totaling 1,600 horsepower. To state the obvious, that’s a lot of juice. When I opened up the throttles we raced up to a top-end speed of 75 mph. I don’t even like driving my truck that fast, much less a boat. The wind ripped at my hair, and my pants flapped so violently it actually hurt. I realized that if I suddenly spotted something bobbing around in the water just in front of the boat, there was no way I’d ever be able to avoid it. Consider this: At 75 mph, your boat travels 110 feet per second. So if you spot a log that surfaces 50 feet away, you’ll have less than half a second to take evasive actions. Good luck with that. Speeds like this are far more dangerous on the water than they are on dry land. There, better visibility is usually assured, you’re not being thrown around as you hit waves, and you’re ensconced in the quiet, wind-free cabin of a car or truck. Most boats top out in the low 50s. However, plenty of them– especially bass boats and bay boats–reach up into the 70s. If you take the wheel of one, will you know how to safely operate it? Here are 10 ironclad rules that should help. High-Speed Handling Rule Number One— Go only as fast as the conditions allow. Just how fast is that? It’s a judgment call that only you can make as you stand or sit at the helm. Obvious factors that come into play include visibility (which can be restricted severely by fog, rain, and flying spray), sea state and how rough the waves are, and how crowded the waterway is. Other factors exist that people don’t think about as much as they should. Has there been a lot of rain and runoff lately? This might cause the lake, river, or bay to be strewn with floating limbs and tree branches. Are water levels down because of drought or very low tides? If so, you risk striking bottom.

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or a change in the direction of the waves when you transition from an area sheltered from the wind to one that’s more exposed. High-Speed Handling Rule Number Six— Don’t make sudden turns if at all possible. If you’re faced with the choice between hitting a tree limb and wiping out your lower unit or making an evasive maneuver that risks rolling the boat, accept your fate and be prepared to shell out a few bucks. Bottom line, safety has to come before the boat’s mechanical well being. High-Speed Handling Rule Number Seven—If you’re not already intimately familiar with the boat you’re running and how it handles at high speeds, work your way up to speed gradually. If the boat’s capable of 75 mph, for example, stop advancing the throttle when you get to 50 and get a feel for things. Only when you’re comfortable should you inch up to 60, 65, and so on. High-Speed Handling Rule Number Eight— Inspect the boat thoroughly prior to operating it at these speeds. A simple mechanical issue, such as a stuck trim tab, can have huge implications when you’re going this fast You need to know about it ahead of time and either make a repair or hold that throttle back. High-Speed Handling Rule Number Nine— Don’t just trim the engine up as high as possible to attain maximum speed, and forget about it. Engine trim has a huge impact on a boat’s handling at high speeds. Every boat is different in this regard. Weight distribution because of passengers and gear will change how a boat reacts to trim. So, unless you already know the boat very well, experiment a bit at slower speeds before determining the best trim position at WOT. High-Speed Handling Rule Number Ten— Here’s the no-brainer you’ve been waiting for, folks: never operate a boat at high speeds under the influence of alcohol. Period. Remember, 75 mph means 110 feet per second. Even the slightest drop in your reaction time is simply unacceptable.

Do you have any young or old passengers aboard who may have a more difficult time hanging on sufficiently for high-speed operation? The list of variables that can contribute to increasing the danger of high-speed operation is essentially endless. As captain you need to be vigilant to assess the current conditions, then speed up or slow down accordingly. High-Speed Handling Rule Number Two— Provide plenty of warning to your passengers. This means you give a heads-up and ask whether everyone’s ready prior to nailing the throttle. Also, you shout a warning prior to making turns, and make sure everyone’s comfortable with and prepared for high-speed boat travel. You probably know a few things they don’t, which you need to communicate to your passengers. Remind them to hold on at all times no matter what and take off their hats or be prepared to lose them. If they wear glasses, tell them not to turn their faces perpendicular to the wind-blast or risk them flying off. High-Speed Handling Rule Number Three—Give a wide berth when you overtake other boats. You just never know when the guy steering that bowrider is going to decide to make a U-turn. If you’re approaching at high speed, you might not have the time or space to avoid it. Every other boat on the water needs to be considered a dangerous and unpredictable hazard. High-Speed Handling Rule Number Four— Eliminate all distractions. That doesn’t just mean you turn off and pack away your cell phone, it also means you turn off the stereo and travel at high speeds only when you don’t need to constantly consult a chart plotter. You need to pay constant attention to what lies directly ahead of the boat. You also need to maintain peripheral focus. You need to be constantly aware of boats, markers, and other items that are not only in your direct path, but which could suddenly be in that path, if either you or they change direction. High-Speed Handling Rule Number Five— At the first hint of any sort of issue, slow down. This might include the sensation of chine walking, which can be utterly deadly when traveling at high speed. It also includes oncoming boat wakes, spray causing a sudden drop in visibility, F I S H

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CATFISH AND CHRISTMAS DON’T exactly go together. Well, it doesn’t SEEM like there would be a connection, but the reality is some of the best action for big blue catfish comes this time of year along the coast. We have put together some tips for blue cats as well as other coastal rod benders that bite when the temperatures drop. Frank Moore, who pursues these big, brackish blues every year, said there are precise locations you need to target to find them. “My favorite spots to get them are the deep, wide bends in some of the bayous,” Moore said. “There tends to be a lot of mussel shells in some of these spots, which blues feed on. There are also quite a few crabs, which the blues and redfish feed on as well. If we find blues in these PHOTO: JACK BISSELL

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areas, the reds are always close by.” He fishes small chunks of cut mullet on a Carolina (Fish Finder) rig and targets outgoing tides. “These fish will move up tight to the shorelines to feed on high tides, and when it starts to trickle out, you can really get on a good bite. It is very common to catch fish up to 15 pounds but most of them are in the five to eight-pound range.” Another spot he targets is along the edge of drop-offs in the Intracoastal. “There are lots of big blues and reds in the ship channel during the winter, Moore said. “On warm afternoons when you have a high tide, the dark mud heats up and the fish move onto there. Any time from an hour or so before peak high tide until an hour or so after it starts falling is a good time.” T E X A S

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Jetties are home to massive “bull” black drum that can weigh more than 50 pounds, and once again the boat cuts can be a good location. Typically drums will gather and feed as the forage moves through the cut. If the tide is going from the channel into the Gulf, anchor near the jetty and cast away from it. If, it is moving from the Gulf into the channel anchor out about 75 yards and cast toward the cut. Probably the best spots, however, are the deep holes formed by current near the southern tip of a jetty. I prefer to fish for drums with heavy tackle, in the 30 to 50- pound class. Crab is the best choice for bait. Broken in half, and hooked through the carapace, crab has a long hook life and is irresistible to drum. D E C E M B E R

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Winter offers the best blue catﬁsh action of the year

this, but it can still be tough at times. Many times they thump a jig pretty hard, but when they go stealth, few fish can pick a bait off of a hook quicker. When the water clears up, these fish can be line shy, so use a fluorocarbon leader under the cork for best results. Fluorocarbon is virtually invisible. It also has low-stretch properties, which enhances its sensitivity. Many anglers use small treble hooks, which the fish ingest. Yet with regulations that require us to throw back many sheepsheads, that is probably not a good idea. I have my best luck with solid, shortshanked hooks. Hook girth is something to consider, because these fish often bite through thin hooks. I have had them bite through thick hooks as well, but that is a rarity. Anglers should also target reds that gather in warm-water discharges during winter. A warm-water discharge comes in many forms. It can be a vast cooling plant that spews out thousands of gallons of warm water each minute, or it can be a small drainage pipe or culvert that has a very light flow. Chemical refineries often have small pump stations

Drums are a pecking fish, and sometimes they’ll not take your bait and run with it. When you see something pecking on your line, pick it up and wait until you feel pressure on the other end. At that point, pull back and brace yourself. Sheepshead are highly overlooked and are perhaps the coast’s best winter fishery. These fish congregate in the highest numbers in our jetty systems. Right now is an excellent time to catch them as they begin gathering in large numbers to spawn next month. This species’ unique dentures give them an edge on picking baits off of a hook. My favorite method for catching them is using a 1/4-ounce jighead rigged with a small piece of shrimp, fished vertically over rock outcroppings at the jetties. I use a light braided line such as Berkley Fireline, which has an eight-pound diameter and 20-pound test. This low stretch line helps with hookset in a hard mouth. Low stretch also aids with sensitivity. The sheepshead’s bite can be so slight you actually have to watch the line. It can be virtually impossible to detect otherwise. A braided or fusion line can help overcome

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that produce a warm water flow that diverts into underwater pipelines. Any of these areas can hold a surprising number of fish. More flow and warmer water, compared to the surrounding waters, will hold more fish. Different species favor various degrees of warmth or current. For example, redfish congregate next to the outflow pipes and prefer areas where the water is warmest. Deeper holes in the canal may also hold many reds. Dead shrimp will catch a mess of small reds, but use cut mullet or crab if you are after big ones. I have found squid to be an effective alternative. It has the right smell, and its bright color adds visual appeal in dark water. Keep in mind that even small flows from a single drainpipe can draw fish. They may not hold massive schools of fish for long periods, but even a slight change in water temperature can make a big difference in cold weather. Look for the little things in these spots, because very often that’s all it takes to attract game fish.

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11/7/19 6:00 PM

The BASS University by PETE ROBBINS :: for TF&G and Bass University

Zaldain Drops Jigs on Vertical Rock

ASSMASTER ELITE SERIES pro Chris Zaldain may be a westerner by birth, and a Californian through and through, but he’s adopted north Texas as his home base. Although others who live in the Lone Star State are watching football and preparing for spring, this veteran pro spends much of the winter honing his skills on the region’s waterways. “By December, the cold of winter has definitely kicked in,” he said. “That’s when I head out to lakes like Lewisville, Bridgeport and Texoma. It may be cold, and you probably won’t get many bites, but you have a really good chance of catching six-plus pounders if you drop a jig on any vertical rock.” The jig in question is a Texas product, a Santone Football jig, either ½ or ¾ ounce, usually with a black/brown/ amber skirt, and paired with a green pumpkin or black “big meaty chunk trailer.” “I always start at the dam and then work my way around from there,” he said, providing a simple road map for anglers. Although two-dimensional sonar, down imaging and side imaging may come into play, mapping is his primary technological tool. “I use my Lakemaster chip to find the most vertical lines. I’m typically looking for tight topography in the 12 to 24 foot range. You’re looking for places where the deep main channel intersects rocky banks.” He’ll start on the first few channel swings closest to the dam and then expand it outward from there. While he’s happy to get started early, he noted that the best bite often occurs in the afternoon, after the sun PHOTO: COURTESY B.A.S.S.

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that handles well even when the mercury dips below freezing. “This is something that will work on just about any north Texas lake,” he said. “Don’t be afraid of the cold. This is the time when you’ll catch some of the biggest bass of the year if you stick with it.” Stay with painfully slow presentations, obvious contours on the map, and a lure that’s in just about everyone’s tackle box and you’re bound to intersect the mother lode. When it’s on, this experience is good enough that you won’t miss California at all.

has beaten down on the water for a few hours. The retrieve itself is simple. Whether he’s letting the jig descend 4 inches or 4 feet between stopping points, the bite most often occurs on the fall. “That real vertical fall is what triggers it,” he said. “When you lose contact with it and it’s free falling, that’s when you can expect to feel pressure. His favorite jig rod is a 7’2” extra-fast Megabass Orochi Perfect Pitch which combines extreme sensitivity with the ability to set the hook firmly and decisively. He pairs it with a 200-sized baitcasting reel with a 7:1 gear ratio, which enables him to take up line quickly on a bass that’s grabbed his jig on the descent and decided to swim out toward the boat. He spools it up with 25 pound test Seaguar InvizX, a supple and sensitive fluorocarbon

« Email Pete Robbins at contactus@ﬁshgame.com

Chris Zaldain

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HE POPULARITY OF kayak fishing continues to grow by leaps and bounds. It’s no wonder. Fishing from a kayak is great fun, great exercise, and an extremely effective way to hook into those fish. Thanks to this popularity, however, there’s also a flood of new fishing ’yaks hitting the market. How do you know which one to pick, especially if you’re choosing one as a gift for a young angler? As you peruse the marketplace, here are a few things to consider: • The seat is one of the most important parts of a fishing kayak. A good seat can mean the difference between quitting after an hour or two of fishing, or casting in comfort all day long. Look for seats that are adjustable, have tall backrests, and padding where appropriate. Simple molded plastic seats are the pits and will wear out an angler’s butt and back in no time. • Consider both transportation and angler size when choosing kayak size. Remember that smaller, lighter kayaks are easier to handle (especially if car-topping will be necessary), and they’re also easier to store. However, large people may need larger kayaks. If you want to be able to stand up now and again, wider beams are a must. Generally speaking, a 30-inch beam is minimal for safe

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standing. • Does the angler hope to paddle, or pedal? Pedal kayaks have the obvious advantage of letting you maintain propulsion while a fishing rod is in your hands. However, they’re also usually much more expensive. Most beginners start off with the paddle variety. Many find the use of a paddle really doesn’t impact their fishing success too terribly much. One exception: anglers who like to troll do tend to gravitate towards pedaling, for sure. • Focus more on getting a highquality platform, and less on choosing one with lots of bells and whistles. All the extras are great but different anglers like different accessories and fishing kayaks are highly customizable. Accessories from rodholders to fishfinders can be added to a basic kayak over time. Buying a top-notch model allows a kayak angler to start fishing, then rig up the boat to their own personal liking as time goes on. Whichever make and model you may eventually pick out, we can guarantee you one thing: any young angler who gets a fishing kayak for Christmas is going to be one happy camper. So after you pick out that ’yak don’t forget to buy lots of wrapping paper—lots and lots of wrapping paper.

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‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the camp Not a creature was stirring, not even a lab. The socks they hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and clawing of each reptile foot. As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, Down the chimney, St. Nicholas came with a bound.

The young sportsmen were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of redfish swam through their heads. And mamma in camo, and I neatly matched, Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.

He was dressed all in muskrat, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with mud and soot. A bundle of decoys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a hunter just opening his pack.

When out on the marsh there arose such a clatter, I jumped from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a teal, Tore open the shutters and to see what is the deal.

He had a broad face and a little round gut, That shook, when he laughed like an out of shape mutt. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And quickly spied the bowl on the shelf.

The moon hitting down on the strong tidal flow Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below. When, what my weary eyes did spy Eight tiny gators and a pirogue in the sky.

He took to the gumbo like a dog to a bone Read the note we had left him next to the phone. He then filled all the stockings with lanyards and masks Left all new presents then was done with the task.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than widgeons his gators they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name.

And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a call, And away they all slithered through the marsh they did crawl.

“Now, Boudreaux! now, Trahan! Now, Broussard and Comeaux! On, Bergeron! On Savoy! On, Dugas and Thibodeaux! To the top of the camp! To the top of the wall! Slither away! Slither! Slither away all!”

But I heard him exclaim, when he was out of sight, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

As dry leaves that before the blue norther do fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky. So above the piling-tops the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of prizes, and St. Nicholas too.

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Bare Bones HUNTING by LOU MARULLO :: TF&G Hunting Editor

Not Over Until it’s Over

that a successful hunt will happen. However, after the hunt, many will go to a camera or cameras to see what deer are in the area, leaving human scent everywhere. December is not the time to be doing that. How many hunters hunt from the same couple of stands all season long? When you put them up, the area looked great, and it probably was. But after a few hunts the deer know where those stands are and make no mistake, deer DO look up. As you made those mistakes I spoke of, the whitetails learned they are being hunted and are now avoiding the area where they know you are. I have said before that the best time to score on a whitetail is the first time you hunt from a particular stand. That still holds true. That’s why you should find a new location in the lease you’re hunting. The deer are still there. You just need to take the time to find them. Then place a stand in a brand new spot—one where the deer are not accustomed to seeing humans. Obviously, you cannot put a ladder stand up because the bucks will spot that new furniture in their living room, but if you can hunt out of a hang-on stand, then I think it is VERY possible to score on an unsuspecting animal. I was invited once on a bow hunt in Indiana with Nathan Jones. At that time, Nathan had an outdoor hunting television show called Wild Extremes. The first few nights, we saw deer, but no slammers that he could use for his show. We talked about it over dinner and Nathan had the answer. He was planning on hanging two new stands in a different area that he scouted on the way back to our camp—one for me and one for the cameraman. Sounded good to me, except he was going out at midnight to place the stands in the blanket of darkness. I thought we would spook all the deer in the woods, but Nathan assured me that the deer were not in the woods at that hour. Instead, they were in the fields, feeding and chasing does. After just a few hours of sleep, I showered, got in my hunting gear that was in my contain-

HAVE A QUESTION. Is your freezer full yet? If not, there’s no reason to panic. You still have time to fill your tag. Not a lot of time, but enough. This game we call hunting is still going on. You just have to change the way you have been playing if you want to win. Any deer hunter worth his salt already knows that keeping your scent to a minimum is paramount. But sometimes, as the season progresses, hunters get a little lazy in that department. Pre- season, you take the time needed to wash your clothes in a scent-free soap. You hang them on the line to air them out, keep them in a container until you get to your hunting location, and are very careful to pay attention to the wind direction. However, after waking up at oh-dark-thirty for many mornings and putting long hours in your stand, you get weary and do not put as much effort in scent control. You are just hungry for that buck you saw in the beginning of the season. That’s a huge mistake many hunters make. As the days roll on by, the hunting does not get any easier. As a matter of fact, it gets harder. The bucks have had an education. Human scent has been in their living room. I would even go so far as to say some bucks have stood still in the shadows watching frustrated hunters as they leave the woods. Many times, after a long hunt with no deer sightings at all, a hunter will climb out of his stand and just head for the car not thinking about the noise they make or the wind direction. One of the biggest mistakes a hunter can make is checking his trail cameras too many times. Again, early morning brings promise 24

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er in the truck and headed for that stand. The cameraman was a little higher than I was and I followed him up the tree. Once settled in the stands, we waited for the approach of dawn. At first light, an eight pointer and a 12-pointer jumped a fence and stood broadside. The eight-point did not offer a shot, but the 12 stood there in perfect position. He never knew he was about to have a bad day. My point here is that the very first time you hunt a spot is your best chance of scoring on a nice deer—as long as you pay close attention to your scent control and the wind direction. One thing that I have found that REALLY hides your scent is an Ozonics machine. I usually use the Ozonics garment bag the night before to hide any scent on my clothes. Then I charge the battery to full power for the morning hunt. A full charge will last about seven hours if you choose to use the high mode. It will last a little longer on standard mode. Believe me, this works, and it works well. When I tested it, I placed it so that the deer would be directly downwind of me. Four deer were in the field, and not one of them caught my scent. I even had one of them walk right under my stand. I let a friend of mine borrow it for a hunt, and he told me a nice buck never caught his scent. Amazing. I have had friends tell me that the Ozonics is a little pricey. All I can say is, you spend your good money on the best bow or gun, the best tree stands, the best camo, trail cameras and any other aid you may use while hunting. This is the one thing that you should always have when you hunt for deer. Remember, it’s not over until it’s over. Stay focused and good luck. Have fun and hunt safe.

Email Lou Marullo at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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Texas TACTICAL by DUSTIN ELLERMANN :: TF&G Contributing Editor

Bond Arms ‘Rough’ Derringers

OND ARMS HAS BEEN MANufacturing high quality, robust, double barrel handguns in Granbury, Texas since 1995. Resembling a Remington Model 95, Bond Arms handguns come in a variety of popular and beefy calibers making them a durable defensive handgun option for close quarters. But with the high-end quality, you have to pay to play. Many of the Bond Arms can carry a price of $550 to $1,000. Until now. The Bond Arms “Rough and Rowdy” and “Roughneck” models are listed at a surprisingly low price point of $269 and $299. These budgetfriendly versions are available in .45LC/.410 with a 3-inch barrel for the Rowdy, and a 2.5-inch barreled Roughneck in either .357 Magnum/.38 Special, .45ACP or 9mm. Like all Bond Arms handguns, the barrels are completely interchangeable. This can be done in just a minute with an 1/8-inch hex wrench. Bond Arms offers several different calibers, from .22LR to 10mm in lengths from 2.5 to 6 inches. It’s a very simple yet creative design giving the user many future options. The cost savings of these budget models is primarily from minimal clean up and deburring at the factory. Yet the pistols I had looked great to me. So, the higher end ones must boast of museum quality because these look plenty finished for a defensive pistol. You load a Bond Arms handgun by unlocking the action with your thumb and swinging the barrel over the handle. This can feel awkward for the safety conscious shooter because in theory you just flipped the muzzle to point toward you. After inserting two rounds and locking the barrel back into place you can cock the hammer back. The pivoting hammer is unique. Each time the hammer rises and falls it has a block that pivots on PHOTO: DUSTIN ELLERMAN

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Bond Arms Roughneck (left) in 9mm and the Rough and Rowdy (right) in .410/.45LC

barrel first, the muzzle won’t rise as much because of the very low bore in your hand. Watching some Cowboy Action Shooters, I found they like to simply hold the trigger and fan the hammer. This might be a handy technique to practice. By the manual’s own admission, these tiny pistols are not designed for long range engagements and are most practical within seven yards. I test fired mine from 15 feet and got a two-inch group with HSM 115 grain ammunition. I found about a fourinch point of impact difference from the top barrel to the bottom. I imagine the .410/.45LC Rowdy is the most popular model. Winchester PDX1 shells with three copper plated discs and 12 BBs gave a very interesting and devastating pattern that would be very effective at bad breath distance. That’s exactly what these are designed for— close quarters bad breath distance defense. A .410 shell fired from six feet scattered #6 pellets within a 20-inch spread—an excellent tool to dispatch a slithery serpent. The Bond Arms handguns might not be for everyone and every situation, but mine sure were a hit at range day. Everyone wanted to shoot the little guys. If you want to know more about the entire line check them out at www.bondarms.com

a cam allowing it to strike either barrel. The barrels will have a different point of impact evident even at close range. So, if you want your rounds to hit closer to your point of aim you might need to check and slowly cycle the hammer to strike the appropriate barrel next in order to be on target. However, this also gives you the option to have two different cartridges ready to rock. For instance, you could have a Winchester PDX1 Defender in the top barrel, and a Sig .45 Colt in 230 grain HP for the second shot. The trigger takes a bit of practice. If you attempt to pull directly to the rear with your finger up high the hammer might never fall. But as the owner manual states, you should pull back and downward from the end of the trigger to activate it. When fired correctly, the trigger falls right under five pounds of pressure. The hammer has a cross bolt safety. However, this is not meant to be carried “cocked and locked” nor to be used for dry fire. It is designed to be used as a safety while loading, carrying, and when using the internal trigger lock function. On unloading the Rowdy in .45LC or .410, an ejector releases the spent casings or shells from the chamber. The 9mm Roughneck I have does not include an ejector because the cartridge is rimless. However one casing always came out on its own. Then I could use it as a tool to pry the stuck casing loose. Because of the design of the derringer, you will feel the full impact of the recoil. If you fire the lower T E X A S

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REPORT: NEWS 38 u TF&G OF THE NATION Reported by TF&G Staff

HOT 38 u TEXAS SHOTS Trophy Photos from TF&G Readers

40 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

49 u TEXAS FISHING HOTSPOTS

by Tom Behrens, Dustin Warncke and Dean Heffner

56 u SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK

HRISTMAS AND WILD GAME ARE A perfect match. A special time of year calls for special cuisine. In the Moore household we refuse to believe man should live on beef and chicken alone. We prefer whitetail, wild turkey, blue-winged teal, flounder, crappie and all kinds of wild flavors. These are some ingredients we have used as well as some we got from our friends. We hope you enjoy these and they help special-up your Christmas season..

Tides and SoLunar Data

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CHRISTMAS in

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Fried Turkey (Courtesy National Wild Turkey Federation) A plump, juicy turkey may be the traditional Thanksgiving meal centerpiece, but why not celebrate the bird any time of year by deep-frying it to perfection. INGREDIENTS: 3 to 5 gallons peanut oil 1 whole wild turkey, cleaned Seasonings of your choice (injectable and dry rubs work) DIRECTIONS: Heat oil to 300 F to 350 F. Rub the turkey with seasonings and inject with further seasonings, if desired. Hook a wire coat hanger around each

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Fried turkey

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CHRISTMAS in

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of the drumsticks and carefully lower turkey into oil. Cook for 3½ to 4½ minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer inserted into the white meat registers 180 F. Turkey tends to float when cooked through. Remove the turkey from the oil and drain well. Wrap in foil to keep warm. Let stand at least 20 minutes before carving. Serves 10, depending on the size of the bird.

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Redﬁsh On The Half Shell (A Moore Family Favorite) INGREDIENTS: 1 fresh redfish

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Redﬁsh on the Half Shell

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CHRISTMAS in the OUTDOORS Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper 1 12 ounce beer, strong 1/4 stick butter 1 Tbs Worcestershire 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tsp Caribbean jerk seasoning DIRECTIONS: Fillet the fish leaving the skin and scales on. Lay the fillet skin side down. Sprinkle flesh side with onion power, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper, and rub in with your fingers. Put the fish in the fridge for one to two hours to marinate. Make the following sauce just before taking the fish out of the fridge: In a medium saucepan, combine beer, butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, jerk seasoning, and a little pepper.

Stir over a medium flame until blended and butter is melted. Oil the skin side of 32

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CHRISTMAS in the OUTDOORS the redfish, then place the fish skin side down on a hot grill. Baste the flesh with the sauce every 10 minutes. Cook the fish 30 to 45 minutes over low to medium heat. The skin will curl up, keeping the sauce on the meat and making it very moist. Fish flakes easily when done. Remove fish from the grill; most of the scales will stay on the grill.

1 pinch ground rosemary 1 pinch ground sage 1 pinch ground parsley 1 pinch ground caraway seed Salt and pepper to taste ½ bottle quality dry red wine

2 tablespoons blueberry jam DIRECTIONS: Cut the meat into approximately 1×1inch cubes and put them in a bowl of cold water. Cut the onion into small ¼ inch pieces

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Deer Stew With Red Wine (Courtesy TF&G Hunting Editor Lou Marullo) INGREDIENTS: 2 lbs. cleaned deer thigh 1 large onion 2 tablespoons oil

Delicious deer stew.

4 teaspoons ground paprika 2 bay leaves PHOTO: CANSTOCK

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and sautĂŠ in the oil until the pieces turn clear. Add the paprika and sautĂŠ it for a couple of minutes on low heat, with continuous stirring. This is the base of the stew. Take the meat out of the water and add it to the base. Sear it on a higher heat until the edges of the meat lightly brown. Lower the heat and add the bay leaves, sage, caraway seed, rosemary and pepper. Do not add the salt and parsley yet. Adding the salt early can cause the meat to be tough. The parsley is best added last, as it will lose its taste and essential oil if it is overcooked. Cover the pan, but check and stir it very often while it is cooking.

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the OUTDOORS PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

CHRISTMAS in

Flounder beignets are a Moore family favorite.

11/7/19 6:12 PM

CHRISTMAS in the OUTDOORS When some of the liquid has reduced (about an hour later), add the red wine and cook the meat without the cover for 15 more minutes. Taste the meat. If it is close to being done (The cooking time for game is similar to beef. The meat of older animals tends to require more time.) add the salt and the parsley and simmer it for a little while without the cover. Serve the stew with jam and noodles. (If you wish, you can add the jam to the stew close to the end of the cooking process to thicken the stew).

Place a leaf lettuce on a salad plate. Spoon beignet sauce onto lettuce. Place flounder beignets on plate. Garnish with chopped parsley, and serve.

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Hot Italian Sausage (Courtesy TFG Hunting Editor Lou Marullo) INGREDIENTS: 2 pounds Chopped Venison

sss Flounder Beignets (Another Moore Family Favorite) INGREDIENTS: 3 pounds flounder Hot sauce 3 cups flour 1-cup cornstarch 1 Tbs paprika 1 tsp cayenne pepper 2 Tbs salt 1/2 tsp garlic powder DIRECTIONS: Marinate flounder in hot sauce for 1 hour or more. Combine remaining ingredients to make breading. Roll flounder in breading and deep fry at 350F until fish pieces float. Remove from deep fry and place on a paper towel. Make a sauce by combining: 1-cup mayonnaise Âź cup sour cream 1 Tbs Dijon mustard Salt and pepper to taste

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GUNS, GEAR, and GRUB DIRECTIONS: Depending on your own taste, you may want to increase the amount of fennel you use. If you like your hot sausage really hot, just add more red pepper.

3 Tbs salt 3½ Tbs of red pepper 4 Tbs of crushed or ground fennel seeds

Lou’s Italian sausage can be either in bulk, or in casings.

Lou likes to use some garlic powder as well with both the hot and the sweet sausage. A little goes a long way. Once you make the seasoning, put it in a zip-lock bag and shake it up. Then, spread some of the seasoning on the meat. Mix about a quarter of the seasoning into the meat. Use water to make it easier to mix. Add more and more of the seasoning until it is used up while mixing it very well into the meat. Lou prefers to keep it in bulk form and just make our own patties then freeze them in smaller packages. His brother, Frank, prefers some of his sausage in sausage casings. This is easy to make as well. You need an attachment to your grinder that the casings can slide on. If you decide to use casings, it is easier if 36

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GUNS, GEAR, and GRUB which take standard wild game offerings to a new level. I must admit I personally have not tried every recipe here yet, but I do have my favorites, and with these delicious dishes, you will too.

Enjoy and feel free to send your favorite recipes to cmoore@fishgame.com. We would love to share them at fishgame. com.

ÂŤ

you soak them in water for about an hour first. Before you slide the casing onto the attachment, force some water through the casing, which makes it much easier to slide onto the attachment. If you want to make some unforgettable breakfast sausage, I have a delicious recipe for that as well. Here is what you need: Again, this is for every 10 pounds of meat. I use about 50 percent pork with the venison. You need to grind the meat first, using a medium or hamburger-sized blade on the grinder. Once it is through the first grind, mix the seasoning in and grind it again. Keep mixing it all the time.

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The NATIONAL

Trophy Hunting Is Conservation Solution

News of TEXAS

fered tremendously. Illegal criminal enterprises that commit poaching have benefited greatly from the misguided efforts of antihunting eco-imperialists in other parts of the world. In a speech to European officials, Michel Leonidas Mantheakis, Chairman of the Tanzania Hunting Operators Association, summed up the overall situation. “It is ironic that anti-hunting pressure resulted in the deaths by poaching of more elephants, lions and other wildlife than safari hunting ever has,” he said. “A decision taken on wrong information can never be right. When emotion prevails, you are bound to come to the wrong conclusions even if the infor-

PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF HOW TROphy hunting fits into the wildlife situation in Africa has been triggered again with an editorial in Africa Geographic titled: “Trophy hunting in Africa is in decline, and no longer pays its way.” Such a suggestion is misleading at best. It does, however, demonstrate the need for a more complete understanding of the entire picture so that precious wildlife resources can be sustained in wild places now and into the future. Wildlife in Africa has suf-

mation is right.” Hunters, as conservationists, practice the sustainable use of wildlife resources. It hasn’t been until recently that our message is disseminated more broadly so that those interested in true conservation and effective wildlife management can understand the very complex issues involved. Well-regulated trophy hunting helps wildlife and local economies. On the other hand, attacks on hunting result in harm to the very animals that we all want to save. Any decline of hunting in Africa is at least in part because of importation restrictions imposed by foreign governments. There are significant differences in conservation and economic benefits between countries such as South Africa and

GROUPER

BASS

Flower Gardens

Lake Tyler

Cathy Johnson caught this yellow edge grouper near the Flower Gardens last July. It was submitted as a state record.

Jason Barnett of Hawkins caught these two bass, the one on the left weighing 8.13 pounds, on Lake Tyler.

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Cape buffalo

Namibia, which have strong hunting programs, versus countries such as Kenya and Botswana that currently lack strong hunting programs. For example, a prominent study titled “The Conservation Equation in Africa” concluded that between the years 2012 and 2014, hunting contributed a staggering $426 million to the GDP of Botswana, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Moreover, direct spending by foreign hunters injected an additional $326 million into these Southeastern Africa economies while also supporting over 53,000 jobs for local residents. The hunting that takes place on these lands and the subsequent economic benefit that hunting provides have no viable replacement. Additionally, trophy hunting plays a vital and irreplaceable role in wildlife conservation. The millions of dollars that hunters bring to these African nations offer powerful incentives both to governments and private landholders to preserve land for wildlife. Properly incentivized by the cash injections brought by hunters every year, local populations are more proactive about managing real threats to wildlife such as indiscriminate poaching and agricultural land development. For example, several African species’ conservation status has been improved by hunting programs. A report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) shows:

• BONTEBOK population was 126 in 1925. The population is more than 8,000 today. Source: Safari Club International

• CAPE BUFFALO herds were devastated in the early 1900s. There are more than one million today;

• WHITE RHINO population was fewer

Black rhino

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than 100 in 1895. Between 19,600 and 21,000 white rhinos are in existence today;

• BLACK RHINO recovered from approximately 1,000 in the 1890s to more than 3,500 today;

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Coastal Focus: SABINE :: by Capt. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

December Brings Excitement

two very different fishing patterns while targeting speckled trout. Often times the winter season gets off to a slow start here on Sabine so we are blessed with an extension of the fantastic fall bird action that can last throughout the month. You need to keep your guard up though because, just like that, an Arctic front can blow through and give us a few days of temperatures in the 30s with stiff North winds. Be prepared to change strategies overnight and switch to winter patterns that will include a lot more drifting or wading and a lot less running and gunning. We are fortunate here on Sabine to have some nice flats on both the Texas and Louisiana sides of the lake that hold good fish fairly consistently when the mercury dips down into the blue. Make long drifts in one and a half to four feet of water until you are able to home in on trout. Drop the Power Pole or hit anchor mode for a shot at some hefty coldwater trout for the ice chest. Morning Glory, Red Shad and Glow Assassins on 1/4 ounce heads work really well for us, as do Corky

NOTHER CHRISTMAS SEAson is bearing down on us here on Sabine, and we have so much to be excited about. First of all, we are all excited about getting to spend quality time with family and friends, and the children are all anxiously awaiting Santa’s arrival. Texas coastal fishermen should also be excited for those things as well as the great angling opportunities that this month brings. December is a unique month for trout fishing on the upper coast of Texas. What makes it special is that, traditionally, during the month of December we get to experience

Originals, Fat Boys and Devils. Topwaters are another exciting option as these sows are not at all scared to crush a surface walker in the cold, shallow water. Adding to the excitement of December is the number of redfish we’ve got stacked in the bayous in the winter months. Actually, the entire Sabine ecosystem is loaded with reds year-round, but, December will always be one of our favorite months to seek them out. The bayous on the Louisiana side have always been on the top of our lists. The price of a Louisiana fishing license is peanuts when compared to the rewards of targeting December reds in the LA bayous. Any sign of bait life on the banks, especially mullet, means that there is a very good chance there will be hungry reds there, too. Again, Assassins as well as shorter, paddletailed soft plastics rigged on 1/8 ounce heads are hard to beat. Dark colors like Roach, Morning Glory and Red Shad will usually draw more strikes. Enjoy your quality time spent with family, friends and God’s great outdoors this holiday season and have a Merry Christmas!

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Keith Lake Fish Pass SPECIES: Redﬁsh, Black Drum, Croaker, Whiting Baits/Lures: Soft plastics, Fresh Dead Shrimp, Cut Bait BEST TIMES: All Day (especially with good tidal movement)

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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Coastal Focus: GALVESTON :: by Capt. MIKE HOLMES

December: Holiday Cheer for the Gulf Coast

HE UPPER TEXAS COAST can see many different weather conditions in December. Most years, though, are fairly mild in temperature—with sunny and “warm” days being pretty common. Winds will normally be relatively mild, unless an early “Norther” blows in—which is a possibility this month. These conditions invite fishermen to the bays. With “normal” tides, areas that tend to run deeper will be holding fish even during cold snaps, but the warm days make bay reefs worth trying. Although shrimp will not be as common as in warmer conditions, baitfish such as finger mullet and mud minnows will be there for fish to feed on. Weather this month will often be warm enough for “wet” wading, either in the bay or the surf. All the regular players will be in the game— speckled trout, redfish, croakers, and flounder will be possible. Good catches can be made for sport and table. Boaters will find fish on the sandbars and reefs when the weather is mild, and inside of the passes and near canals when it is a bit “bumpy.” Besides fresh caught baitfish, shrimp can produce good catches—either live shrimp if they can be had, or fresh dead if not. Cut squid can pay off at times, also. Although artificial lures can be productive, “winter” fishing is slower, so natural baits should usually be preferred. Structure is more productive than open water this time of year. This can be in the form of sandbars, oyster reefs, or deeper spots such as “holes” or canals. The surf is a structure in itself, with sand bars and cuts and the wave action caused by both. Although not the best time of year for it, “bull” reds will be caught in winter surf. They have to eat this time of year, too!

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Beachfront piers, inshore pilings, jetties and rock groins SPECIES: Trout, reds, croakers, flounder, and an occasional black drum BAITS: Cut natural baits such as mullet and squid, live baitfish or shrimp when available BEST TIME: This time of year, temperatures should be good for fishing all day, although sometimes night forays under lights will be the most productive.

Nearshore rigs and other structure will attract various species from croakers and “Gulf” trout to red snappers. Excellent snapper fishing—also groupers—will be found at rigs farther from shore, as well s around natural bottom formations. Although they’re not always present, Spanish mackerel and bluefish hang close to shore, just past the surf line at times. Winter weather will not always be comfortable for fishing, but there usually are “win-

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Coastal Focus: MATAGORDA :: by Contributing Editor MIKE PRICE

It’s a Drag

and it pays off. He does not lose fish because the drag is set too tight or too loose. Most fishers set their drag by puling line off the reel and adjusting the drag until it “feels” right. It is better to have the drag set a little too loose than too tight. Reels are designed to have the drag re-set when you are not working a fish, and you usually lose the fish when trying to adjust the drag with a fish on. In early December, just after a cold norther came through, I was kayak fishing in a 12-foot-deep lake. Fish were not biting in the lake, so I paddled to an adjacent bayou that was two to four feet deep. It was late afternoon on a cold day and the water had warmed a few degrees in the shallow bayou. I was hoping that the three-degree water

EFORE HENRY ATKINS GOES fishing, he enlists the help of his wife to set the drag on his reel. His wife holds a Bota Grip scale (any scale will work). Henry hooks it and backs away to adjust the drag to 1/3 the strength of his line. When fishing offshore with 60-pound test line the drag is set at 20 pounds. When fishing in the bay with 20-pound test line, the drag is set at six to seven pounds. Henry is very particular about making sure his fishing equipment works properly,

temperature increase would stimulate some action. Just after entering the bayou I had a hard hit. The fish ran with power into the bayou, then past the front of my kayak and then back to the lake. The drag was a little on the loose side, but I did not touch it, preferring instead to work the fish in a little at a time. Finally, I got the 25-inch redfish to the side of the kayak. I put the net deep into the water so the fish would not see it and swam the redfish into the net. I put the stringer point through the fish’s lower and upper lips and thought, “I need to remove the hook.” But the hook had fallen into the net. A lightly set drag, along with a consis-

Mike Price with a pretty winter redfish. If you rub the belly of a freshly caught fish the dorsal fin will display.

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tently tight line while working the fish, works better than better than setting the drag too tight—you do not lose the fish. When the water and weather are hovering near 50°F, you might want to try live bait. Last December Eddie Vacek and I drift fished using soft plastics on the north side of East Matagorda Bay for 2½ hours with no result. At the same time on the same day, on the southwest side of East Matagorda Bay, some friends of Eddie’s used live croakers and limited out, catching trout up to 28-inches. Another approach to winter fishing is to fish the creeks and rivers. Tim Garcia and two friends went to one of the creeks feeding into the bays three times in two weeks after air temperatures had dropped to the low 40s for a couple of nights. This lowered water temperatures to less than 57°F. Each time they limited on trout. They caught 57 the first trip, 45 on the second trip, and 35 on the third trip and kept 15. On each trip, the keepers were from 16 to 20 inches. They used soft plastics on 1/8 ounce jigs and trolled. Saltwater had moved up into the creek because it had been 10 days

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since we had rain. There are times when live shrimp out-fish soft plastics. On a 55°F December day with a 14-mph east wind, Jeff Wiley and I were anchored at the mouth of a bayou in West Matagorda Bay. We were throwing spoons and soft plastics. Next to us were two fishermen fishing with live shrimp under popping corks. They hooked up with 15- to 16-inch trout on every cast. We did not get a hit. An effective compromise to shrimp versus soft plastics is a Berkley Gulp lure. This soft plastic lure is permeated with fish-attracting scent. On December first Tom Asch was kayak fishing on the southeast side of West Matagorda Bay. The tide was outgoing, and the water was low. Tom watched a redfish showing it’s dorsal and tail fins as it splashed along the shoreline attacking prey. He placed his Gulp shrimp just in front of the redfish and the fight was on. Tom put the 21-inch red on his stringer and went on to catch two more that were a little bigger. If you are going fishing in the early morning in December, look out for decoys. When

you see decoys near the shoreline, stay clear of them or you will disrupt duck hunters. Afternoon fishing when the weather and water are cold is usually better than morning fishing, because the water warms as much as 5°F through the day and most duck hunters go out in the morning. Duck hunting season in December in the South Zone is December 7 to January 26. Photo 3528: Mike Price with a pretty winter redfish. If you rub the belly of a freshly caught fish the dorsal fin will display.

THE BANK BITE PALACIOS has a long pier with lights going into the bay on South Bay Boulevard. Fishing from this pier at night can be very productive using either soft plastics or shrimp. It is also a good spot for daytime ﬁshing.

Email Mike Price at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

11/7/19 6:13 PM

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

December Trophy Tips

shallows situated adjacent to deeper water. Mullet are going to seek the muddy shallows at sunrise because this is where the water is going to warm the fastest following cold nighttime temperatures. The water may only be a foot deep, but this is where you’ll typically find the mullet. Find the mullet, and you’ll typically find the trout! A few key locations to search for big trout along our section of the coast are any of the mud flats along the ICW between Port O’Connor and San Antonio Bay. Other spots are the flats outside the mouth of the Victoria Barge Canal, and the flats situated outside the entrance to the Army Hole cut out on Matagorda Island. Pay attention to the muddy flats on the Espiritu Santo Bay side of the Matagorda Ferry Channel cut near Port O’Connor. Also check out the cut farther down the ICW toward San Antonio Bay across from Charlie’s Bait Camp. Looking for big trout in December in shallow water is going to require either drift fishing or wading. A cautionary note for drifting anglers, however, is that you cannot approach the shallow areas with much speed, whatsoever. Any boat wake you happen to throw across the water’s surface or up against the shore is going to seal your fate with any big trout that might be in the area. Wading is your best bet, as it provides a stealthy approach. Park the boat a fair distance from your target area and slowly make your way there on foot. The longer the cast you’re able to make, the better. There are a lot of high-end rod and reel combos on the market today, so look for a rod of your liking in the six and a half to seven foot range. Bait-casting reels and spinning reels are typically the two reel options for most everyone along the coast, so choose what best meets your needs and preferences. Equip your reel with a 20-pound braided line and a 30-pound fluorocarbon leader. Then you’ll be ready to attack anything. Big trout get to be big by not getting caught. They are smart, and they spook easily. When searching for big trout in skinny water, use ures

F YOU HAVE FISHED ALONG THE Texas coast in December, you know we can sometimes experience some warm days. At this point in the year, however, bay waters have already cooled enough to send the shrimp and other small baitfish packing. This means that mullet is practically the only food source left for big wintertime speckled trout. When the sun comes up on a cold December morning, look for some of the larger trout in

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that don’t make any noise—no rattles. Fish the shallows the same way you would fish on a dead-calm day. If you go with topwater baits, any of the floating Corky or Corky Devil models are good choices. If you happen to be fishing in really clear water, which is often the case in winter, you may prefer throwing some of the brighter colors. If you’re fishing in stained water, muddy water, or under overcast skies, the better bet would be to throw some of the darker colors. Other lure options are subsurface baits and soft plastic jerk baits in a variety of models such as plastic shrimp tails, sand eels, and bull minnows. A keen subsurface producer that’s hard to beat year round is the MirrOdine suspending twitch-bait, by MirrOlure. A simple twitch, twitch, pause retrieve is all that’s required with these baits to resemble an injured baitfish, which is often quite effective on big wintertime trout, especially in shallow water. Most anglers have their own theories as to the best times to fish for big December trout. Some swear by the moon phases. They claim that three to five days leading up to and then three to five days following the new and full moons are the absolute best times to be trophy trout fishing. Others like fishing lower tide stages, claiming the fish are easier to locate because they’re concentrated. There are also those who strictly fish the barometric changes just prior to and three days following a wintertime cold front. As we’ve discussed, winter’s colder temps often produce very clear water conditions, which makes it more difficult for the trout to ambush their next meal. Under these conditions, the trout will most often be found feeding during periods of very low-light conditions because their prey are unable to see very well when there’s not much light. This makes night fishing for wintertime trout a very good option, especially in places with very clear water. Bundle up, stay warm, and have fun out there!

Email Capt. Chris Martin at BayFlatsLodge@gmail.com

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Coastal Focus: ROCKPORT :: by Capt. MAC GABLE

The Addict

HEIR VISION IS OF THE prowling red that can bend even the best rod double—the trout that gives the true definition of gator, the black drum whose size belongs in the Jurassic period. They never have decision dilemmas about boats or kayaks or five hundred-dollar rods (because NOT to own one is unthinkable, unreasonable). They need these as much as they need air to breathe. Their habits and lifestyle are a conundrum to most. They are different but not in a menacing kind of way. Their karma, chi, mindfulness seems to be opposite of most on our planet. At a young age, the first fishing trip wasn’t just an outing, but an awakening—the first thing in their life that made complete sense. It is what they were meant to do; there was no other rational explanation. A pain in the *!#! to their parents, always wanting, needing, even begging to be taken. Holidays were less about why and more about opportunity to pursue what seemed to be coded in their genes. Infringe on this sacred time or threaten to interrupt it—just the thought is hateful, threatening and even physically painful to them. From a young age this was always their first love. When romance entered the scene it seemed invasive. A new first love seemed to border on infidelity. They would grow comfortable with these new priorities, but would they really? Age, sex, race, gender preference has no place here. You either have this or you don’t. They are willing to share, but will not tolerate being invaded. The tools of this passion are off limits like the apple in the Garden of Eden. Religion, politics, social graces are tolerated only if they complement their passion. Dusk to dawn days on the water are the norm, after all what else is worth doing!?

CARLOS BAY: On warm days, drifts across Carlos Lake, using topwaters in bone, red, silver and blue colors are good for trout and reds. The shell edges of Carlos Dug Out is good for trout using mud minnows or live shrimp on a light jig head. Deep running lures such as rattle traps can be a good choice as well. MESQUITE BAY: I like Brays Cove this month. Drifts across can produce trout, reds and some flounder. Live shrimp jigged across the bottom and Berkley Alive shrimp are good choices. Beldon Dug Out is good for reds on warmer days. Free-lined is best with finger mullet. AYERS BAY: The north side of Ayers Reef is a good spot for trout and black drum using mud minnows. A light Carolina rig works best, but wait for a hit before reeling in as this a heavy shelled area. The east shoreline holds some black drums and a few flounder. Freelined live shrimp is best.

THE BANK BITE WADES TO NEWCOMB POINT are long, but worth it if you have the energy. This area has it all—shell, grasses, oysters, mud ﬂats and sand pockets. I like lures here in soft plastics. New penny Berkley Alive shrimp on a light jig head with a light north wind is a good combination.

ST CHARLES BAY: The mouth of Cavasso Creek is a good spot for keeper trout. Live shrimp free-lined or under a silent cork is best. Drifts across the wide mouth of the creek, where it enters the bay, is the best spot. Some black drums are still close to Twin Creek. A light Carolina rig and small kahle hooks with peeled shrimp is the ticket. T E X A S

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ARANSAS BAY: The potholes/sand holes on the north side of Mud Island are a good spot for reds. If you can find them, finger mullet is the best bait on a free-line or light Carolina rig. Dead Man Reef is holding some black drums and a few trout. A silent cork works best with live shrimp being the best bait.

Conservation is near and dear to their heart for it supports directly a heartfelt purpose. One cannot exist without the other. Meticulous with daily chores, this allows more time for their pursuit. Karma, mantra, mojo is all tied up in a neat package for them. Presents received for Christmas or birthdays, unless directly related to their passion, are set-aside for years sometimes never used or enjoyed. Of course, I am talking about fishing. The word itself can be a verb or a noun, but to them, it is so much more. To them, it’s just what they do, have always done and always will. Obsessive? Gifted? It is difficult to say. To witness this level of passion, happiness and joy is truly a divine gift, and I believe that is what this special time of year is all about— Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year! December is an easy-to-fish time of year for me because I only use lures, specifically top waters. This flies in the face of wisdom, for most use top waters during the hatch or when the bugs/insects come out. It’s called match the hatch. Small topwaters with hooks tipped with wet flies are a good choice. I tie my own files with the white hair from deer tails I harvest. Then I just hang it off the back treble hook of the lure. It takes patience, but I’ve caught some nice fish using this rig. • • • COPANO BAY: Black drums like the mouth of Mission Bay. Set up here and use a light Carolina rig with fresh or frozen peeled shrimp. Sheepshead action is good close to the pilings on the old LBJ causeway. Use braided line and a light carbon leader. A freelined piece of cut squid or shrimp is a good choice; set the hook at the slightest tap.

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

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11/7/19 6:13 PM

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

Slow, and Slower

sit there and make a presentation of 360 degrees. You can change the lure color, or go to a different bait that presents a different look. His favorite December lures for big trout are soft plastics, MirOdines, Corkys and the Catch 2000, worked just below the surface, targeting drains till mid-morning and late evening. Favorite soft plastic colors are black, plum, pumpkin seed in off-colored water. Dark colored baits cast a shadow underneath the bait. Under sunny skies, a Pearl, Fire Tiger or Limetreuse-colored bait reflect the sun providing a highlighted target for a curious trout. “Before you move, change colors to see if it makes a difference, or change bait styles. If you don’t get a bite in five minutes, move on,” says Marcaccio. Thomas provides fly rod wading trips or kayak fishing trips. “When we’re fly fishing, we’ll be sight casting for redfish using poppers, spoon flies, or Clouser Minnows. Get the bait in front of them and shake it. Fishing from a kayak allows the anglers to get closer to the fish.”

ECEMBER IN TEXAS—ONE day it might be in the mid to high 80s. The next day it could be snowing. I have experienced both. Aransas fishing guide Dean Thomas said it can still be 90 degrees in December and really doesn’t change till January or February. “The first week in December is the best schooling action for tailing redfish on flats,” Thomas said. “The fish are still in the same places we caught them in August, but the better locations will be close to drop offs into deep water. If the temperatures flip, the fish need a place to slide off into deeper water.”

Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh Guide Paul Marcaccio is hunting for big speckled trout in December when the water temps go south. He and his anglers are wading shorelines early, searching out mud and shell mix bottoms. The mud bottom absorbs heat when the sun beats down on it; the trout snuggle down into it to keep warm. The shell provides a hunting place to pick up some “serious impaired” live mullet that has tossed all caution to the four winds. Whatever favorite spot you’re fishing—if the temperatures have taken a nosedive— slowing the bait/lure presentation way, way down is critical. The fish are like us; we are not too energetic when the temps start dropping. “Finding some bait action will increase your chances for a hook-up. If you only find an occasional mullet flipping the surface, that’s okay; there’s a predator fish in the area that has the mullet excited,” said Marcaccio. Wading really helps because you can 46

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Flounder For an accelerated case of high blood pressure, go after flounder with a fly rod, working shallow water. From December 1 to 14 the daily bag limit increases from one to two fish, an early Christmas gift. If you don’t mind the cooler, or maybe colder temperatures at night, gig for the flatfish. A light or medium-spinning rod is the most versatile pole for inshore flounder fishing. The “perfect” spinning rod and reel for flounder is a light, seven-foot spinning rod with extra-fast action. A spinning reel with a low gear-ratio is appropriate with 12to 14-pound test line. Tried and true for catching flounder on rod and reel include ¼ ounce jigs, live bait fish including mullet, mud minnows and shrimp, 3-4 inches long if possible. Two cold weather flounder fishing trips stand out in my mind. One trip was along a |

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large, shallow flat next to a deep-water ship channel. My fishing buddies and I were in waders, layered clothing, and water resisting hooded jackets. It was important to have the jacket bottom cinched up tight on the outside of the waders to prevent an occasional wave from putting cold water in the waders. I remember saying we looked like the Pillsbury Doughboy. Presenting your lure or bait to a flounder is a slow retrieve, no matter whether summer or winter. A flounder bite is more like a slow tightening of your line. Let the fish have the bait for a few seconds, then set the hook. On another trip I was fishing from a boat that had an enclosed cabin where we could retreat from the cold. We were anchored under a bridge, soaking cut bait along the bottom close to the bridge pilings. I can truthfully say that the action was non-existent that day, but for one bite that woke me up out of my reverie. It was the biggest flounder I ever saw when I got him to the boat. My buddy knocked him off the hook while attempting to bring him onboard. It was my fault for not setting the hook better, but it makes for a great fish story. I hope everyone has some time to get out on the water during December. It can be a challenge to carve out some time with all the Christmas parties and shopping, but it can be a great time to spend time with family members and friends that maybe you don’t see that often. May the Jolly Red Man stuff your stocking with a lot of good things. Remember the angels’ message on that blessed evening, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.” Peace and Good Will to all.

« Email Tom Behrens at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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11/7/19 6:14 PM

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

Trout & Ducks

HE MAGICAL COMBINATION of fishing and duck hunting in December is perfect for the outdoor adventurer on Baffin Bay. While you fish, it’s a great opportunity to scout for the next duck hunt. While hunting ducks, fishermen are watching the water for bait movement and trying to decide where the next fishing spot is going to be. Trophy trout season is in full swing now, and Baffin Bay does not fail to deliver. Big trout move up shallow and are feeding up to survive the winter and begin preparation for the spring spawn. Mother Nature has conveyed a message to them that winter is coming with the drop in water temperatures. After a long, lazy summer without any worries and so much food in the system, these fish finally get into gear and they are eating big mullet. A lure of choice would be the Saltwater Assassin “Die Dapper” in either the Snowstorm color (which is a white variant), or the Morning Glory (which is black with a chartreuse tail). These two lures are the go-to for targeting big trout. These wide-bodied paddle tails, hooked up on the 1/32 oz. jig head “Black’s Magic” are deadly because they can swim along the bottom or even be suspended, with the light weight of the jig head, and big trout cannot resist this natural “mullet” action. Top waters can be very productive on the right days. A One-Knocker Spook, She-Dog, Yozuri 3DB, Skitterwalk or Super Spook, Jr in various colors tossed up shallow can be deadly. Something to remember working a topwater when the water is chilly is to pause the retrieve from time to time. This gives a hungry trout time to suck that lure down. The pause is important and will catch a lot of fish. The sound that all of these top water lures make is what attracts a fish to strike. Some lures have low thuds, some have high-pitched rattles, and some have quieter presentations. Find the sound that

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include mis-fires or wounded ducks that get away. Make the investment in good shells and keep your gun clean and ready to go. When seeking trophy trout on Baffin Bay, anglers should upgrade rods to a 6 foot 6 inch or 6 foot 9 inch medium light with a light, sturdy casting reel. Braid or mono is an angler’s choice, but, a reel that is not reliable will take away from your trophy trout experience. Make sure that the reel is lubed up and ready to cast light weight lures with minimal back lashes or tangles. Know how to adjust the reel’s brakes and spool tensioner, based on the weight of the lure being casted. Fly fishermen and sight casters follow similar rules to ensure a quality experience. Time on the water or in the duck blind is precious, so having the right tools for the job are crucial. Early winter comes quickly in South Texas and can include cold temperatures or a step back to summertime. In the event of chilly mornings, good waders and jackets are essential to keep a focus on either ducks or fish, not hypothermia. Get geared up and ready for anything because Baffin Bay is bringing it all. It’s the home of the largest and heaviest trout on the Texas Coast and it’s usually the end of the road for most ducks coming down the fly way because of the lack of pressure on the saltwater and the abundance of fresh water on the King and Kenedy Ranches. Our lodge is ready to host groups of up to 20 people, including a cozy fire ring and unbelievably great food served up by Chef Adam. Recently, the Orvis Company endorsed Baffin Bay Rod and Gun for Wingshooting and Fly Fishing. This will open up so many doors and a knowledge base for both of these sports that are second to none.

draws a strike by throwing a few of these different lures on days when the top water bite is on. Stretches of warm and sunny days will bring redfish and black drum up shallow to feed. Take a break from the trophy trout hunt to walk up to the sandy beaches of Baffin Bay and sight cast. Whether you toss a smaller paddle tail on the Black’s Magic 1/32oz jig head, like a 4-inch Saltwater Assassin Sea Shad in White, Sugar and Spice or Chicken on a Chain, or go with the irresistible 3-inch Chartreuse Gulp “Swimming Mullet”, big reds and black drum are shallow for one reason… to eat. Make a natural presentation (cross a redfish’s path about an inch or two in front of their mouths) and they cannot say no. Black drum don’t really like to chase their food, they like to find it, so observe which way they are moving and put the Gulp right in front of them and stop, letting the lure rest on the bottom. As soon as they get close, move the lure less than an inch. When the black drum tips his tail up, he’s got the lure, so set the hook. Black drum fishing is the most highly under-rated sport on the Coast. Plus, the black drum is delectable table fare. Fly fishermen use these same techniques for reds and drum and nice, sunny days. Use a white clouser with bead-chain eyes, tied on a number 4 hook, or a small, white crab pattern and these two fish will not say no. Sometimes, black drum prefer a black crab, but either way, use a fly that you can see. It’s important to be able to see the fly and its proximity to the feeding end of your prey. Presentation is everything, so keep an eye on the fly for better hook-ups and more fun. The month of December delivers a high-quality dose of everything to outdoorsmen on Baffin Bay. Trophy trout, ducks, sight-casting reds and black drum and fly fishing. Some days are better for ducks than fish; some days deliver all of the above. It’s a great dilemma to have. Be prepared for a big-time experience by keeping duck gear at the ready, trophy trout lures and fly rods set up. Using the right gear is so important for successful outdoor experiences. The arsenal should include a good 12-gauge shotgun, some high quality shells, like Black Cloud in #2 or something similar. Don’t shoot cheap, junky shells because being on a duck hunt shouldn’t F I S H

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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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11/7/19 6:14 PM

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

The Things You Can’t Change

three to eight pound fish, and they provide some great and underrated sport on trout and redfish tackle. Much like freshwater carp, drums have often been looked down upon as fish that lack the sophistication and erudition of their spotted contemporaries, However, these fish can be quite wily. Fishermen who want to catch more than a single fish here or there, have to exercise the same care and attention to strategy as they would for trout or redfish. On calm, clear days, a pod of feeding drums is easy to spot. This is especially true if they’ve been grubbing around on the bottom feeding on crab, shrimp, and worms (they’ll leave mud boils as their calling cards). Anglers can’t simply blast their boats up onto the pod, however. A smarter strategy would be to circle the school and set up a drift that will bring you within easy casting range. The same baits that you brought along for trout and redfish will always work with drums. The venerable shrimp/popping cork combo is more than enough. Fish it a little more slowly than normal, with an occasional jerk to get the cork to pop. Drums are more gustatory and olfactory-oriented than audio, and will “smell” themselves to your bait. The cork merely serves the function of keeping your shrimp in the drum’s face. Because drums are more scent feeders, artificials such as the DOA Shrimp and Gulp! Shrimp also work. You can use either under a cork like live shrimp, or you can bottom bounce them. Use a ¼-ounce round jighead with the Gulp! Shrimp for best results. Cast ahead of the feeding drums, and bounce it along the bottom when the fish gets close. If he sees or smells it, he’ll eat it. If you didn’t make the run north, but you’re still finding some tough fishing, you may want to focus your attention on the old causeway. Winter means sheepsheads are holding to the pilings. These fish hold around the concrete through the winter and into their March spawn. They are fairly aggressive, and will take either a live

ISHING IN DECEMBER reminds me of the Serenity Prayer, especially the part about the serenity to accept the things we cannot change. Lord knows we can’t change it when December coughs up snotty front after snotty front that can roil up the Lower Laguna Madre. You get out of a warm bed and drive down to the ramp. For the first time in weeks, the weekend weather is actually mild, with sunny skies, temperatures starting in the mid-50s and promising to creep into the 70s, and even if the wind is still out of the north, it at least is a soft five to eight miles an hour. You stop at White Sands Marina and you’re happily surprised to find that they have live shrimp (Which can be hard to come by in Winger) and you get yourself a quart. You gas up, putter your way out of the finger channels and turn your boat north to find some trout and redfish. Three hours later, you’ve whipped the water into a lather. You still have a quart of shrimp, less about a dozen or so. There are no fish in the box, and you’re starting to smell the skunk that is hiding somewhere on the boat. Now what? A nice January day like yours is not a complete loss, especially if you’ve used the gas to get up north. If the trout and redfish are not cooperating—as is their wont this time of year—you can turn your attention to the schools of black drum that are prowling around the spoil islands in winter. Large numbers of slot-sized uglies patrol the drop-offs and flats around Unnecessary Island (N26 12.522, W97 16.334). These are

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or fresh dead shrimp. Many fishermen prefer to freeline the bait around the pilings, but savvy anglers use floats to suspend the bait to act as strike detectors. As I’ve written earlier, if the bait moves off to the side or toward the pilings, set the hook hard. Sheepsheads are also very plentiful around Dolphin Point during winter’s occasional calm days. The great thing about Dolphin Point is it is provides access to boat and shorebound anglers, both. Access the latter via Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island. The fishing can be very productive for ground-pounders. Many fishermen focus on the visible structure of the jetties around the point. However, fishermen who back their boats up and fish deeper rocks or the drop-off find some larger fish in greater numbers. The standard shrimp/cork combo works well here, too, especially if you want to keep your bait off the rocks. Fortune, however, can favor the bold. On one trip my wife, son, and I fished live shrimp with ½-ounce egg sinkers in 20 to 25 feet of water. It was a snotty, drizzly day, but we ended up with a triple limit of sheepsheads ranging from four to nine pounds. At one point the three of us each had a good Borrego on the line, which made for a real fire drill. Trout and redfish will take a winter nap, occasionally, but that doesn’t mean that fishing is over. If you want to have a pole bent and a line stretched, there are other more accommodating fish that won’t let a little bad weather get in the way. After all, they’re already cold and wet.

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Dolphin Cove GPS: N26 4.02, W97 9.42 SPECIES: Black Drum, Sand Trout TECHNIQUES: Fish with shrimp or crab on a bottom rig. Use heavier tackle if you’re after drum.

Email Cal Gonzales at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

G A M E ®

11/7/19 6:14 PM

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 Anahuac Specks Take Refuge

by Tom Behrens

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Anahuac Refuge Flats GPS: N 29 33.804, W 94 32.374 (29.5634, -94.5396)

••

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Confederate Reef GPS: N 29 15.755, W 94 55.177 (29.2626, -94.9196)

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.

Contact: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: Bait movement: Flipping mullet -” A dangerously impaired mullet...There won’t be a lot of them, just an occasional mullet. There is a predator in the area.” Capt. Marcaccio

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, MirrOdine, Corky, Catch 2000 Contact: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: According to Capt. Marcaccio, December is the time to target big speckled trout, “Two days before the new moon, two days after each moon phase.”

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Tire and Tong Reef GPS: N 29 32.232, W 94 30.351 (29.5372, -94.5059)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, MirrOdine, Corky, Catch 2000 Contact: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: “Wading really helps because you can sit there and make a presentation of 360 degrees. You can change bait colors, presentation and type of baits before you move on to a new area.” Capt. Marcaccio

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LOCATION: Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Burnett Bay GPS: N 29 46.282, W 95 03.163 (29.771362, -95.05271)

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Carancaua Reef GPS: N 29 12.694, W 94 59.788 (29.2116, -94.9965)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, MirrOdine, Corky, Catch 2000 Contact: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: Soft Plastic colors: black, plum, Pumpkin See in off-color water…pearl, Fire Tiger, Limeteuse for clear water. “The style of bait becomes more important than color.” Capt. Marcaccio

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, MirrOdine, Corky, Catch 2000 Contact: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com gofishgalveston.com TIPS: Presentation of your bait is “slower and slower”. Target shorelines with drains, mid-morning to late evenings, while wade fishing.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, MirrOdine, Corky, Catch 2000 T E X A S

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11/17/19 4:58 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Chocolate Bay Shoreline GPS: N 29 10.392, W 95 9.005 (29.1732, -95.1501)

LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Colorado River GPS: N 28 35.683, W 95 58.981 (28.5947, -95.9830)

LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Oyster Lake Cut GPS: N 28 35.379, W 96 10.781 (28.5897, -96.1797)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, MirrOdine, Corky, Catch 2000 Contact: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: “Soft plastic baits with a 1/8 oz jig head for the shorelines; a 1/4 oz. jig head if drifting. Slow down … if you are not getting stuck, you are reeling too fast.” Capt. Marcaccio

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Tails with 1/4 or 3/8 oz. jig heads Contact: Capt. Kendall Kersh 979-248-1871 kendallkersh@gmail.com puresaltadventures.com TIPS: “We travel up the river to the Hwy. 521 bridge, and then let the current move us down the river. We are looking for bait activity, and then concentrate on ﬁshing drop-offs and sandbars.” Capt. Kersh

LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Colorado River GPS: N 28 35.542, W 95 58.706 (28.5924, -95.9784)

LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Diversion Channel GPS: N 28 39.018, W 95 59.301 (28.6503, -95.9884)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Tails with 1/4 or 3/8 oz. jig heads Contact: Capt. Kendall Kersh 979-248-1871 kendallkersh@gmail.com puresaltadventures.com TIPS: Capt. Kersh says as long as the Colorado River remains “green” the river should provide good trout ﬁshing in December. He and clients will be throwing soft plastics on a 1/4 or 3/8 oz. jig head.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Tails with 1/4 or 3/8 oz. jig heads Contact: Capt. Kendall Kersh 979-248-1871 kendallkersh@gmail.com puresaltadventures.com TIPS: Slow retrieve: “Using paddle tail soft plastics, you just want to keep it barely moving, just off the bottom. If you are snagging the bottom, retrieve just a little bit faster. A hit will come sometimes just as you speed up your retrieve or lift up your ﬁshing rod.” Capt. Kersh

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LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Oyster Reef GPS: N 29 46.198, W 93 54.781 (29.7700, -93.9130)

SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Cut Mullet or Soft Plastics Contact: Capt. Eddie Hernandez 409-721-5467 www.goldenhookguide.com TIPS: Flounder can be great in December at the Bridge Hole (n 29 46.082 w 93 53.747). At the Reef, anchor just off the shoreline in 3-6 feet of water. At the bridge anchor below the bridge. Make sure your bait or lure goes all the way to the bottom.

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G A M E ®

11/17/19 4:58 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS Corpus Specks & Reds Play Dead

Contact: Capt. Dean Thomas 361-463-6545 rockportredrunner.com TIPS: Besides wade fishing, Capt. Thomas and his anglers sometimes prefer to fish from a kayak. “Allows the anglers to get closer on the fish.” by Tom Behrens

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Dead Man’s Hole GPS: N 27 40.655, W 97 12.442 (27.6776, -97.2074)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Paddle Tail Baits

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LOCATION: Redﬁsh Bay HOTSPOT: Dagger Island GPS: N 27 50.217, W 97 9.967 (27.8370, -97.1661)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Paddle Tail Baits Contact: Capt. Dean Thomas 361-758-0463 www.slowrideguide.com TIPS: Capt. Thomas says that in the Aransas Pass

area the places to fish stay the same year-round. The difference between catching fish and not catching fish is how you fish them. LOCATION: Redfish Bay HOTSPOT: Inside Dagger GPS: N 27 51.104, W 97 9.352 (27.8517, -97.1559)

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Poppers, Spoon Flys or Clouser Minnows Contact: Capt. Dean Thomas 361-463-6545 rockportredrunner.com TIPS: “When we are fly fishing…always wading … along drop offs, we are sight casting. Get in front of the fish and shake the bait.” Capt. Thomas

11/17/19 4:58 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Redﬁsh Bay HOTSPOT: Dagger Flats GPS: N 27 49.754, W 97 10.61 (27.8292, -97.1768)

LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Kleburg Point Rocks South GPS: N 27 16.371, W 97 36.6363 (27.2729, -97.6106)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Piggy Perch or Big Topwaters Contact: Capt. Rudy Romero 956-226-3561 Wheelsonﬁre.sk8@gmail.com TIPS: Fish cuts and sloughs using Piggy Perch or big topwater lure such as a Super Spook.

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Paddle Tail Baits Contact: Capt. Dean Thomas 361-463-6545 rockportredrunner.com TIPS: “In the colder months fish drop-offs, flats connected to deeper water.” Capt. Thomas

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LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Three Islands GPS: N 26 16.282, W 97 17.402 (26.2714, -97.2900)

LOCATION: Redﬁsh Bay HOTSPOT: Outside Dagger GPS: N 27 50.644, W 97 9.149 (27.8441, -97.1525)

••• FRESHWATER ••

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Paddle Tail Baits Contact: Capt. Dean Thomas 361-463-6545 rockportredrunner.com TIPS: “The first week in December is the best tailing, schooling action (redfish), on the flats for us.” Capt. Thomas

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Go to Town on Arroyo Trout

by Tom Behrens

LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Townsite Point GPS: N 26 16.338, W 97 18.478 (26.2723, -97.3080)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Piggy Perch or Big Topwaters Contact: Capt. Rudy Romero 956-226-3561 Wheelsonﬁre.sk8@gmail.com TIPS: Rigging the Perch: Number 5 circle hook. “If live bait is hard to ﬁnd I switch off to a big topwater or a Corky.” Capt. Romero

Large Bass on the Prairie

LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Badlands South GPS: N 27 17.152, W 97 25.053 (27.2859, -97.4176)

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Sam Rayburn Lake HOTSPOT: Prairie Creek GPS: N 31 19.494, W 94 19.6199 (31.3249, -94.3270)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp or Soft Plastics Contact: Capt. Chad Verburgt 361-463-6545 rockportredrunner.com TIPS: Drift the flats looking for holes and depressions, free lining. Capt. Verburgt likes to fish after a frontal passage. “It blows the water out and the fish locate in the depressions.”

• • • SPOTLIGHT • • •

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp or Soft Plastics Contact: Capt. Chad Verburgt 361-463-6545 rockportredrunner.com TIPS: Drift live shrimp under a popping cork, slowly over top of rocks. Before a frontal passage drift adjacent in deeper water, using soft plastics. “Also ﬁsh the potho9les using cut bait and ﬁnger mullet if we have high water scenarios.” Capt. Verburgt

T E X A S

F I S H

by Dustin Warncke

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Jerkbaits, 3/4 oz. lipless crankbaits Contact: Mike Knight 936-635-2427 notechmike@hotmail.com www.easttxﬁshingguide.com TIPS: Fish the drains of side coves in major bays with suspending jerkbaits and 3/4 oz. lipless crankbaits. If deep hydrilla is found in these side coves, the ﬁshing

G A M E ®

11/23/19 12:01 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS will be even better. Late December is a perfect time to catch a double-digit ﬁsh!

umbrella rigs in the river and creek bends this time of the year.

LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Ames Spring Basin GPS: N 32 42.7499, W 94 5.394 (32.7125, -94.0899)

LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 22.5239, W 95 35.8385 (30.3754, -95.5973)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Jigs, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits Contact: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith 318-455-3437 caddoguide1@att.net www.caddolakeﬁshing.com TIPS: Fish the cypress trees with 1/2 oz. black/blue jigs in 4-5 foot of water. Fish shad or white colored 1/2 oz. spinnerbaits and chatterbaits over the grass ﬂats and in the pad stems. Another option is to throw

SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers BEST BAITS: Live shad, Storm Shad swimbaits, jigging spoons Contact: Richard Tatsch 936-661-7920 admin@fishdudetx.com www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: “The hybrid stripers are schooling around ledges along the river channel. Find the schools of shad and you will find the hybrids. This time of year,

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TexasOutdoorNation-1912-DIG.indd 53

they will run shad up on these ridges and during the day they will move deeper around the area. Find the depth the bait are in and you will find the fish. As the water temperatures drop, they will be in 30 to 40-foot depths. Live shad will be the bait of choice in deeper water, but the swim shad will work as long as you can control your retrieve to keep the bait in the depth the fish are going to be in. Jigging spoons will work if you can find them stacked up! The depths will vary from one day to the next, today they may be in 20 fee of water and tomorrow they may be in 40 feet of water. It all depends on the schools of shad. “

11/23/19 12:01 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Little Caney Creek GPS: N 32 49.302, W 95 32.9159 (32.8217, -95.5486)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Buzzbaits, Zara Spooks, white swimbait on weighted hook Contact: Doug Shampine 940-902-3855 doug@lakeforktrophybass.com www.lakeforktrophybass.com TIPS: December ﬁshing in Texas can be very good as the daily temperatures makes for some very nice days on Lake Fork. The bass are still shallow, chasing shad along the creeks and bigger pockets that have vegetation. This is an exciting time for the top water bite, especially if you like the buzzbait or Zara Spook bite. The other bait I like to throw this time of the year will be the white swimbait on a weighted hook reeled through the vegetation. These bass go crazy for the moving baits as they are getting ready for winter. The bite is aggressive! Areas I ﬁsh will be Little Caney, Chaney, Burch, and Running Creek. LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Caney Point GPS: N 32 50.718, W 95 32.4299 (32.8453, -95.5405)

with a Grandebass Hammer Jammer. Cast this set up past schooling ﬁsh and reel it to them for jam up action. Good ﬁshin’ all!”

or drop shots. If cold, with water temperatures below 50 degrees, use 1/2 oz. - 3/4 oz. football jigs along the main river channel ledges in 15 to 30 feet.

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Harmon Creek Area GPS: N 30 51.4379, W 95 26.43 (30.8573, -95.4405)

LOCATION: Toledo Bend North HOTSPOT: “Fisherman’s Wharf” River Ledge/Bar GPS: N 31 46.644, W 93 49.602 (31.7774, -93.8267)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Fresh shad, cut or whole Contact: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 dave@palmettoguideservice.com www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: “There is lots happening this month here on Lake Livingston in East Texas. It’s a sportsman’s paradise! The falling or rising lake level can dictate your fishing or duck hunting plans. Fishing out of Harmon Creek Marina and Resort this time of year for blue cats can be outstanding. Fish around the old standing dead timber under the bird roost at Harmon Creek. Rig a Legend popping cork on 20lb. test with a 3-5ft. drop baited with fresh shad. Throw the cork up against the base of the dead tree and pop it. Just like fishing for Reds or Trout. Good luck fishing Lake Livingston! BANK ACCESS: Harmon Creek Marina and Resort”

SPECIES: White Bass & Crappie BEST BAITS: Slab spoons & Rat-L-Traps for the sandies and shiners and jigs for the crappie. Contact: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages 936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: My annual Christmas gift to you: two “Hotspot” species in one location. Catch both crappie and white bass. Here on Toledo Bend we are blessed to be able to fish year-round. December is the time to kill two birds with one stone, or I should say two limits of fish with one rod and two baits in the same relative location. December is a prime month to be fishing on the north-end of the lake for both crappie and white bass. The crappie will be bunched up on the main lake river channel ledges over planted and natural brush. The white bass will be on the channel sandbars.

LOCATION: Toledo Bend Lake HOTSPOT: Big Sandy Creek GPS: N 31 15.534, W 93 42.0179 (31.2589, -93.7003)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, swimbaits, underspin rigged swimbaits with a flash blade like a Grandebass Hammer Jammer Contact: Lance Vick (903-312-0609 lance@lakeforkbass.com www.guideonlakefork.com TIPS: “November is the time for bass to feed up for winter. The early morning bite will be shallow around grass with spinnerbaits and swimbaits. Later in the day the deep fish get active on humps and points. Fish 20 to 30 feet deep with spoons on the bottom. Watch for schooling fish. Later in the afternoon, catch them with an underspin with a swimbait on it like a Flash Blade

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Weighted flukes/swimbaits, drop shots, 1/2 to 3/4 oz. football jigs Contact: Mike Knight (936-635-2427 notechmike@hotmail.com www.easttxfishingguide.com TIPS: The fishing this time of year is very dependent on mild weather. Fish should be holding on creek channel bends in the back half of major creek arms in 8 to 15 feet. Best baits are weighted flukes/swimbaits |

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G A M E ®

11/23/19 12:01 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS Kick A Bass on Lake Palestine

by Dustin Warncke & Dean Heffner

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Kickapoo Creek GPS: N 32 17.016, W 95 27.6599 (32.2836, -95.4610)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Big Eye jigs

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Contact: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: “Bass good early morning on the Big Eye swim jigs in 3/8 oz. Fish along the banks of the creek in 3-5 feet, ﬁshing along stumps and lay downs. Later in the day, ﬁsh the Big Eye jigs in black/blue on the edge of creek and down into the creek.” LOCATION: Bachman Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 51.504, W 96 51.558 (32.8584, -96.8593)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Bass: spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps | Crappie: minnows, crappie jigs

Contact: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 Whitebassfishingtexas@gmail.com www.whitebassfishingtexas.com TIPS: For bass, throw spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps along the weed line. Crappie are under the bridge this time of year. Minnows and jigs are your best bet right now. This lake is small and fairly easy to fish from the shoreline, making it a great fishing destination for many urban anglers. LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 18.906, W 96 9.72 (32.3151, -96.1620)

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Cut shad or rough ﬁsh

11/17/19 4:58 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS at or near the bottom. Water is cooling this time of year.

Contact: Jason Barber (903-603-2047 kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com www.kingscreekadventures.com TIPS: The technique we are using this month is drift fishing for catfish. Fish long stretches in deep water throughout the lake. Fresh cut shad or any type of rough fish is the bait of choice. Just cover lots of water in various depths from 20’ to 40’ and use big tackle for catching big fish!

LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Troy’s Ridge GPS: N 30 38.412, W 96 3.2279 (30.6402, -96.0538)

LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake HOTSPOT: Twin Points Humps GPS: N 32 53.16, W 97 29.672 (32.8860, -97.4945)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch bait Contact: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: This water is near by the discharge so here you can fish warmer water for the winter. Watch for under water stumps here. Use tight line on the bottom due to the current.

SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Slabs with a fly 12-in. above Contact: Johnny Stevens 817-597-6598 johnlu1313@gmail.com johnnysguideservice.com TIPS: This area has two very large humps surrounded by deeper water. During late fall shad congregate around these humps and the white bass will follow. I find the shad and fish on my electronics and jig straight up and down with the slab and fly and many times will catch two at a time. For people who like to cast, fan cast over the humps and work the slab slowly back to the boat.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Rough Creek GPS: N 32 24.9354, W 97 47.2602 (32.4156, -97.7877)

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch bait, shad Contact: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: This is the old pond just right of the discharge. There are rocks under the surface and a sandy bottom. Fish in 10-foot-deep water, near rocks. Tight line here

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LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 33 5.5079, W 96 28.6799 (33.0918, -96.4780)

SPECIES: White and black crappie BEST BAITS: Live minnows and small jigs (electric chicken, blue ghost, and chartreuse and white) Contact: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 817-578-0023 TIPS: Work over structure slowly and work deeper until you locate the best depth. Bridge pilings can also be a great choice on those colder days. Fish maybe suspended. Granbury water temperatures continue to fall into the 50’s. Winter patterns are in place after the ﬁrst freeze. Wintering Birds have returned and are pointing anglers to active feeding ﬁsh from the dam to the river above Granbury.

LOCATION: Lake Fayette HOTSPOT: Pond Near Discharge GPS: N 29 55.662, W 96 45.054 (29.9277, -96.7509)

T E X A S

F I S H

SPECIES: White Bass & Crappie BEST BAITS: Flukes and crappie jigs Contact: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 Whitebassfishingtexas@gmail.com www.whitebassfishingtexas.com TIPS: Both white bass and crappie will be suspended in about 18-25 feet this time of year. Tapping on the boat with a rubber mallet or a broom stick will usually call them in as they will come to investigate the noise. Dead sticking flukes is usually the best bet. LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake HOTSPOT: Richland Creek Channel GPS: N 31 57.348, W 96 18.7139 (31.9558, -96.3119)

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 41.8259, W 97 20.8439 (30.6971, -97.3474)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut bait, shad, Zote soap Contact: Tommy Tidwell 512-365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: The wintertime at Granger Lake is very spotty fishing for crappie, white bass, and black bass. These species are good for the 8 warm months of the year, but the best fishing now is for catfish and namely the blue catfish. Blues like the cold weather and are very active during this time of year. Fish wind-blown shorelines where shad are being blown in. On very cold days there can even be some shad die offs and this just “turns on” the blues. Jug lines work well using all the normal baits, but rod and reel can also be good. Take advantage of this time to fill your freezers with some good catfish fillets.

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11/17/19 4:58 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS to get into casting distance. Make long casts and count down about 10 seconds. Make a slow to medium retrieve, twitching the bait occasionally. Catching a mixed bag of white bass and stripers is the norm this time of year.

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Juniper Point East GPS: N 33 51.9839, W 96 50.376 (33.8664, -96.8396)

••

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Danny Kings punch bait Contact: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 simmonsroyce@hotmail.com www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: The heavy timber along the Richland Creek channel of the lake and near the Crab Creek area is loaded with blue cats as early winter arrives. These fish, both eaters and BIG ONES over 30 Lbs., will be there all winter long and actually get easier to catch in January and February. While we use Danny King’s blood punch bait on a #4 treble hook and target the 1 lb. to 5 lb. fish. Other fishermen like shad or cut bait on a circle hook and go for the trophy catfish as well. You will find catfish in the clustered timber in 15-20 feet of water as well as along the creek channel drop off in 30 feet of water. Be sure and spool up with a heavier line and hang on as you just might catch “The Fish of a Lifetime” this year! LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Rocky Creek Road Bed GPS: N 30 18.522, W 96 33.39 (30.3087, -96.5565)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Liver, CJ’s punch bait Contact: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Fish in 15-18 foot of water here as fish frequent this area during the winter. Fish tight lines and put out more than one rod for best results. There are white bass as well as catfish here during the winter months.

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Things Get Rocky on Alan Henry

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Road Runners and Sassy Shad jigs Contact: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfishlaketexoma@gmail.com www.striperexpress.com TIPS: Few anglers know how good the fishing is in December. Cooler water temperatures make the fish go into a feeding frenzy. Large fish up to 20 pounds will be on the prowl. A 4” to 6” Sassy Shad on a 1 oz. jig head will work the best. Texoma’s stripers prefer white glow and chartreuse colors. Road Runner 1 oz. white jigs with a 7” worm trailer are deadly on the big fish holding on structure. Fish the main lake points, mouths of creeks and humps near deep water. Always keep your eyes on the seagulls. Large schools of stripers can be under the birds.

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, jigs, shaky heads, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits Contact: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220 nclayton42@sbcglobal.net www.lakealanhenry.com/ﬁshing-guides.html TIPS: “December can be a really good time of the year to catch bass. It depends on the cold fronts that come through the area. You will need to hit the lake on the day just before a front is scheduled to hit the lake. Hit the steep banks anywhere the sun is hitting it. Use shaky heads, jigs, jerk baits, and spinner baits. Also crank baits in shad or perch color will work. Fish fun-ﬁsh safe.”

SPECIES: Striped Bass & White Bass BEST BAITS: 3” chartreuse swim baits and Stripaholic lead heads from RSR Lures Contact: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The stripers and whites are roaming the flats early morning into mid-day. Then, again late afternoon, you will find the fish chasing and gorging on shad. On days with cloud cover the bite can last all day. I am using chartreuse swim baits, making long casts behind the boat and running the trolling motor at a medium to slow speed. I will twitch the rod tip occasionally, keeping a close eye on the surroundings and watch for diving gulls or birds that are sitting on the water. Approach from upwind and then use your trolling motor F I S H

by Dustin Warncke & Dean Heffner

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Rocky Creek GPS: N 33 1.4879, W 101 6.6179 (33.0248, -101.1103)

LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Island Flats GPS: N 31 53.652, W 97 23.0579 (31.8942, -97.3843)

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LOCATION: Hubbard Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 48.78, W 98 57.642 (32.8130, -98.9607)

SPECIES: Blue Catﬁsh

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FISHING HOTSPOTS BEST BAITS: Cut carp, shad Contact: Michael D. Homer, Jr., TPWD 325-692-0921 michael.homer@tpwd.texas.gov TIPS: Wintertime can produce great catches of larger blue catfish. Hubbard Creek Reservoir has been no stranger to anglers that desire to land a sizable blue catfish in West Texas. Cut carp and shad are optimal baits of choice. Fish may surface in evenings to feed on schools of bait fish but may likely be hanging out in deeper water to avoid surface temperatures during other times.

Think Inside the Box for Bass

LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Costello Island GPS: N 32 53.69, W 98 27.692 (32.8948, -98.4615)

SPECIES: Striped, white bass, hybrids BEST BAITS: Slabs Contact: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: Time to tie slabs on if you can’t get live bait. This is the time of year to fish in front of the cold fronts, because the barometric pressure will be rising, and the fish are biting. Stick to natural colors. White and chartreuse are two great colors this time of year. If you can, add some glitterflake. We catch stripers, hybrids, white bass—even blue cats—with these slabs. Just hop them off the bottom, fast up followed by slow back down. Ninety-nine percent of your bites will be on the fall.

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by Dustin Warncke

Buchanan Stripers & White Bass

by Dustin Warncke

LOCATION: Amistad HOTSPOT: Box Canyon GPS: N29 31.55466 W101 9.9786 (29.525911, -101.16631)

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Mid to Upper-Lake Area GPS: N 30 49.992, W 98 24.2099 (30.8332, -98.4035)

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Plastic worms, lizards, jigs CONTACT: James Burkeen 830-734-9652 jjburkeen@gmail.com amistadﬁshin.com TIPS: Fish the plastic worms and lizards on a Carolina rig with an 18-inch leader and one-quarter ounce weight. Fish the deep pockets in the middle of the draws and creek channels. Fish very slowly and look for a light bite. During the middle of the day, a deepdiving crank bait worked atop the grass in the deeper cuts will work. Let the lures tick the top of the grass beds for best results.

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad Contact: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@gmail.com www.centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: “Stripers are in transition to begin moving to the upper end of the lake so fish the mid to upper end of the lake this time of year. Live bait, drifting or anchored in 25-45 feet of water is your best strategy. Fish early morning and evening, moving to the river channel mid-day.”

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LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Shaw & Garret Islands GPS: N 30 50.544, W 98 24.9539 (30.8424, -98.4159)

••• SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Medium diver trolling baits in shad color Contact: Ken Milam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: White bass can be found around Garret Island and Shaw Island. Troll the river channel with medium depth diving baits. Also watch for sea gulls working at this time as they are a great ﬁsh ﬁnder!

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11/17/19 4:58 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Potters Creek Park GPS: N 29 54.0899, W 98 16.158 (29.9015, -98.2693)

SPECIES: Striped Bass and White Bass BEST BAITS: 1 oz. jigging spoon Contact: Capt. Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures (210-573-1230 steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com http://www.sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: “Fish from the point back to the swim beach casting out the spoon. Try to maintain a depth of 20 to 40 feet. The striped bass and white bass like to school in this area this time of year. Tight lines and fish on!” LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Arant Creek Area GPS: N 30 37.1468, W 98 24.975 (30.6191, -98.4163)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Squarebill and deep diving crankbaits CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide Service-Barry Dodd 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtoﬁsh.net www.teachemtoﬁsh.net TIPS: This area is a good location for this time of year. If you can get out of the wind and there are good break lines that hold bass and crappie. This is the time to begin shifting from tight wiggling crank baits to those with a wider wobble. Square bills work great around grass but use deep divers close to deeper edges along the main river channel. In high-pressure clear sky conditions, shift to smaller baits and go deeper using 4’ to 6” drop shot rigs.

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Coleto Bass on a Feeding Frenzy

Rage Hogs, CONTACT: Jim Behnken 210-414-8048 jimbehnken@hotmail.com www.fishlakefalcon.com TIPS: For December you want to concentrate on defined creek channel edges. Throw slow rolling spinnerbaits and cast Texas rigs for pre-spawn females. Keep your boat in the creek channels and fish the center of creeks as well as the edges.

by Dustin Warncke

• • • SPOTLIGHT • LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 28 45.9419, W 97 11.5559 (28.7657, -97.1926)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, Zoom baby brush hogs or lizards, Carolina rigs Contact: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-960-0566 TIPS: December will find fish feeding all they can this time of year. This is especially true on those warmer days. The bass are getting all the fat they can before the fry gets scarce. It’s dog eat dog in the underworld, or should I say fish eat fish! Ha! Bass will still be shallow on warmer days. On windy days the spinner bait is a good choice and calmer days a Carolina rig can be very productive. South Texas’ “go to color” is always watermelon red dipped slightly in chartreuse in my opinion. I like Zoom baby brush hogs or lizards, but brush hogs are always my first choice. Have a little more patience and focus on main water grass. You’ll be sure to get some big bites. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone! Thanks for another great year!

LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Salinas Creek GPS: N 26 52.4038, W 99 15.9796 (26.8734, -99.2663)

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Texas rigged Jobaby spinnerbaits,

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Sportsman’s DAYBOOK DECEMBER 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 60

D E C E M B E R

TexasOutdoorNation-1912-DIG.indd 60

2 0 1 9

T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

11/17/19 4:58 PM

DECEMBER 2019

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

25 « FEET

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

1:26a 8:44a 4:29p 9:43p

TUESDAY

26 «

1.35ft. -0.22ft. 1.60ft. 1.19ft.

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

1:44a 9:26a 5:30p 10:43p

WEDNESDAY

27 l

1.37ft. -0.38ft. 1.65ft. 1.30ft.

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

1:59a 10:08a 6:30p 11:51p

THURSDAY

28 «

1.38ft. -0.46ft. 1.65ft. 1.37ft.

High Tide: 2:06a Low Tide: 10:53a High Tide: 7:30p

1.39ft. -0.45ft. 1.61ft.

FRIDAY

29 «

Low Tide: 11:39a High Tide: 8:29p

SATURDAY

Jan 30

-0.38ft. 1.55ft.

Low Tide: 12:26p High Tide: 9:27p

SUNDAY

Dec 1

-0.26ft. 1.48ft.

Low Tide: 1:16p High Tide: 10:17p

-0.11ft. 1.41ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

10:30A — 12:30P Sunrise: 6:50a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 5:39a Moon Set: 4:56p

12a

12p

5:30 — 7:30 AM

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

0.05ft. 1.34ft.

Low Tide: 3:01p High Tide: 11:23p

4º

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

FEET

7:12a 9:14a 3:58p 11:43p

12a

0.85ft. 0.87ft. 0.39ft. 1.21ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

7:00 — 9:00 AM

12a

7:30 — 9:30 AM

12a

8:30 — 10:30 AM Sunrise: 6:55a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 11:22a Moon Set: 10:11p

AM Minor: 8:13a AM Major: 2:00a PM Minor: 8:40p PM Major: 2:27p

Moon Overhead: 3:02p Moon Underfoot: 2:35a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:54a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 10:37a Moon Set: 9:14p

AM Minor: 7:14a AM Major: 1:00a PM Minor: 7:41p PM Major: 1:27p

Moon Overhead: 2:07p Moon Underfoot: 1:39a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:53a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 9:46a Moon Set: 8:18p

AM Minor: 6:13a AM Major: 11:55a PM Minor: 6:41p PM Major: 12:27p

AM Minor: 9:10a AM Major: 2:58a PM Minor: 9:35p PM Major: 3:23p

Moon Overhead: 3:55p Moon Underfoot: 3:29a

Moon Overhead: 4:45p Moon Underfoot: 4:20a

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

0.22ft. 1.27ft.

6:00 — 8:00 AM

Moon Overhead: 1:11p Moon Underfoot: 12:43a

TUESDAY

12p

Sunrise: 6:52a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 8:50a Moon Set: 7:23p

AM Minor: 5:14a AM Major: 10:56a PM Minor: 5:42p PM Major: -----

Moon Overhead: 12:15p Moon Underfoot: None

MONDAY

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:51a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 7:49a Moon Set: 6:30p

AM Minor: 4:18a AM Major: 10:31a PM Minor: 4:45p PM Major: 10:59p

READING THE GRAPH

12a

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 AM

Moon Overhead: 11:20a Moon Underfoot: 11:47p

Low Tide: 2:07p High Tide: 10:55p

Sunrise: 6:51a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 6:45a Moon Set: 5:41p

AM Minor: 3:26a AM Major: 9:39a PM Minor: 3:53p PM Major: 10:06p

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Day Overall

THURSDAY

Low Tide: 7:02a High Tide: 11:15a Low Tide: 4:55p

0.70ft. 0.87ft. 0.54ft.

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

FRIDAY

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

12:00a 7:07a 12:44p 5:52p

1.17ft. 0.53ft. 0.94ft. 0.69ft.

SATURDAY

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

12:15a 7:19a 1:55p 6:45p

SUNDAY

1.15ft. 0.35ft. 1.04ft. 0.81ft.

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

12:28a 7:37a 2:53p 7:35p

1.14ft. 0.17ft. 1.15ft. 0.92ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

9:00 — 11:00 AM Sunrise: 6:55a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 12:02p Moon Set: 11:06p

AM Minor: 10:03a AM Major: 3:52a PM Minor: 10:27p PM Major: 4:15p

Moon Overhead: 5:32p Moon Underfoot: 5:09a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

10:00A — 12:00P Sunrise: 6:56a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 12:38p Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 10:52a AM Major: 4:41a PM Minor: 11:14p PM Major: 5:03p

Moon Overhead: 6:17p Moon Underfoot: 5:55a

12p

BEST TIME

11:00A — 1:00P Sunrise: 6:57a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 1:11p Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 11:36a AM Major: 5:25a PM Minor: 11:57p PM Major: 5:46p Moon Overhead: 6:59p Moon Underfoot: 6:38a

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-1912-DIG.indd 61

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

6:30 — 8:30 PM

7:30 — 9:30 PM Sunrise: 6:59a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 2:11p Moon Set: 1:44a

AM Minor: ----AM Major: 6:06a PM Minor: 12:16p PM Major: 6:26p

AM Minor: 12:33a AM Major: 6:43a PM Minor: 12:54p PM Major: 7:04p

Moon Overhead: 7:40p Moon Underfoot: 7:20a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:58a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 1:41p Moon Set: 12:53a

F I S H

Moon Overhead: 8:21p Moon Underfoot: 8:00a

G A M E ®

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 1:10a AM Major: 7:20a PM Minor: 1:30p PM Major: 7:41p

Moon Overhead: 9:02p Moon Underfoot: 8:41a D E C E M B E R

12p

12a

BEST TIME

8:00 — 10:00 PM Sunrise: 6:59a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 2:41p Moon Set: 2:36a

8:30 — 10:30 PM Sunrise: 7:00a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 3:13p Moon Set: 3:30a

AM Minor: 1:46a AM Major: 7:57a PM Minor: 2:07p PM Major: 8:18p

Moon Overhead: 9:46p Moon Underfoot: 9:24a 2 0 1 9

11/17/19 4:58 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

9 FEET

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

12:40a 8:01a 3:44p 8:23p

TUESDAY

10 «

1.14ft. -0.01ft. 1.25ft. 1.02ft.

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

12:50a 8:30a 4:32p 9:08p

WEDNESDAY

11 «

1.16ft. -0.18ft. 1.33ft. 1.10ft.

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

12:58a 9:03a 5:19p 9:53p

THURSDAY

12 l

1.19ft. -0.33ft. 1.40ft. 1.17ft.

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

1:05a 9:40a 6:09p 10:38p

FRIDAY

13 «

1.22ft. -0.45ft. 1.45ft. 1.23ft.

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

1:15a 10:21a 7:01p 11:29p

1.26ft. -0.54ft. 1.46ft. 1.26ft.

SATURDAY

14 «

High Tide: 1:29a Low Tide: 11:06a High Tide: 7:53p

1.27ft. -0.57ft. 1.45ft.

SUNDAY

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

12:37a 1:39a 11:53a 8:43p

1.26ft. 1.26ft. -0.55ft. 1.41ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

9:30 — 11:30 PM

12a

5:00 — 7:00 AM

MONDAY

-0.45ft. 1.34ft.

Low Tide: 1:38p High Tide: 10:02p

-0.28ft. 1.25ft.

FEET

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

5:23a 6:46a 2:36p 10:31p

12a

0.82ft. 0.82ft. -0.05ft. 1.16ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

6:00 — 8:00 AM

AM Minor: 5:43a AM Major: 11:57a PM Minor: 6:11p PM Major: -----

Moon Overhead: 12:15a Moon Underfoot: 12:42p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:03a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 6:57p Moon Set: 8:22a

AM Minor: 4:45a AM Major: 10:59a PM Minor: 5:13p PM Major: 11:26p

6:30 — 8:30 AM Sunrise: 7:04a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 7:58p Moon Set: 9:19a

AM Minor: 6:44a AM Major: 12:30a PM Minor: 7:13p PM Major: 12:59p

Moon Overhead: 1:11a Moon Underfoot: 1:39p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

7:00 — 9:00 AM Sunrise: 7:05a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 9:02p Moon Set: 10:12a

AM Minor: 7:48a AM Major: 1:34a PM Minor: 8:17p PM Major: 2:02p

Moon Overhead: 2:08a Moon Underfoot: 2:37p

Moon Overhead: 3:07a Moon Underfoot: 3:35p

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

5:30 — 7:30 AM

Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:48a

TUESDAY

12p

Sunrise: 7:03a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 6:01p Moon Set: 7:22a

AM Minor: 3:53a AM Major: 10:06a PM Minor: 4:19p PM Major: 10:32p

Moon Overhead: 11:22p Moon Underfoot: 10:56a

BEST TIME

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

READING THE GRAPH

12a

Sunrise: 7:02a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 5:11p Moon Set: 6:22a

AM Minor: 3:06a AM Major: 9:18a PM Minor: 3:30p PM Major: 9:43p

Moon Overhead: 10:32p Moon Underfoot: 10:09a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:01a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 4:26p Moon Set: 5:22a

AM Minor: 2:24a AM Major: 8:36a PM Minor: 2:47p PM Major: 8:58p

Low Tide: 12:44p High Tide: 9:26p

10:30P — 12:30A

Sunrise: 7:01a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 3:48p Moon Set: 4:25a

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

19 » Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

5:17a 9:48a 3:41p 10:56p

0.55ft. 0.74ft. 0.21ft. 1.08ft.

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

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

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

5:49a 11:52a 4:56p 11:18p

0.24ft. 0.81ft. 0.47ft. 1.04ft.

SATURDAY

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

6:27a 1:31p 6:22p 11:38p

-0.07ft. 0.96ft. 0.70ft. 1.02ft.

SUNDAY

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

7:08a 2:52p 7:49p 11:58p

-0.35ft. 1.12ft. 0.87ft. 1.03ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

8:00 — 10:00 AM Sunrise: 7:05a Sunset: 5:22p Moonrise: 10:08p Moon Set: 11:00a

AM Minor: 8:51a AM Major: 2:37a PM Minor: 9:19p PM Major: 3:05p

Moon Overhead: 4:04a Moon Underfoot: 4:31p

12p

BEST TIME

9:00 — 11:00 AM Sunrise: 7:06a Sunset: 5:22p Moonrise: 11:13p Moon Set: 11:43a

AM Minor: 9:52a AM Major: 3:38a PM Minor: 10:19p PM Major: 4:05p

Moon Overhead: 4:59a Moon Underfoot: 5:25p

D E C E M B E R

TexasOutdoorNation-1912-DIG.indd 62

2 0 1 9

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 10:48a AM Major: 4:35a PM Minor: 11:14p PM Major: 5:01p

12a

5:30 — 7:30 AM

AM Minor: 11:39a AM Major: 5:27a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 5:52p

T E X A S

Moon Overhead: 6:42a Moon Underfoot: 7:07p

F I S H

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:07a Sunset: 5:23p Moonrise: 12:18a Moon Set: 1:00p

Moon Overhead: 5:51a Moon Underfoot: 6:17p

12p

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 AM Sunrise: 7:06a Sunset: 5:22p Moonrise: None Moon Set: 12:23p

7:00 — 9:00 PM Sunrise: 7:08a Sunset: 5:23p Moonrise: 1:21a Moon Set: 1:36p

AM Minor: 12:02a AM Major: 6:15a PM Minor: 12:27p PM Major: 6:39p Moon Overhead: 7:31a Moon Underfoot: 7:56p

12a

12p

BEST TIME

7:30 — 9:30 PM Sunrise: 7:08a Sunset: 5:24p Moonrise: 2:23a Moon Set: 2:13p

AM Minor: 12:47a AM Major: 7:00a PM Minor: 1:12p PM Major: 7:25p Moon Overhead: 8:21a Moon Underfoot: 8:46p

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

2:30 — 4:30 AM Sunrise: 7:09a Sunset: 5:24p Moonrise: 3:27a Moon Set: 2:51p

AM Minor: 1:31a AM Major: 7:44a PM Minor: 1:57p PM Major: 8:10p

Moon Overhead: 9:12a Moon Underfoot: 9:38p

G A M E ®

11/17/19 4:58 PM

DECEMBER 2019

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

Low Tide: 7:50a High Tide: 3:57p Low Tide: 9:08p

TUESDAY

-0.57ft. 1.23ft. 0.98ft.

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

FEET

12:19a 8:33a 4:53p 10:14p

WEDNESDAY

25 «

1.06ft. -0.72ft. 1.30ft. 1.05ft.

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

12:43a 9:15a 5:44p 11:08p

THURSDAY

26 l

1.08ft. -0.80ft. 1.31ft. 1.08ft.

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

1:09a 9:58a 6:30p 11:52p

FRIDAY

27 «

1.09ft. -0.80ft. 1.28ft. 1.07ft.

High Tide: 1:38a Low Tide: 10:40a High Tide: 7:14p

SATURDAY

28 «

1.08ft. -0.74ft. 1.22ft.

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

12:35a 2:05a 11:21a 7:55p

1.04ft. 1.05ft. -0.64ft. 1.15ft.

SUNDAY

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

1:46a 2:11a 12:01p 8:33p

0.98ft. 0.98ft. -0.51ft. 1.08ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

11:00A — 1:00P

12a

12p

5:00 — 7:00 AM

MONDAY

-0.34ft. 1.01ft.

Low Tide: 1:18p High Tide: 9:38p

-0.16ft. 0.92ft.

FEET

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

5:25a 6:30a 2:00p 9:59p

12a

0.64 ft. 0.64 ft. 0.04 ft. 0.87 ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

6:00 — 8:00 AM

12a

7:00 — 9:0 AM

AM Minor: 6:45a AM Major: 12:32a PM Minor: 7:11p PM Major: 12:58p

Moon Overhead: 1:43p Moon Underfoot: 1:16a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:11a Sunset: 5:27p Moonrise: 9:15a Moon Set: 7:58p

AM Minor: 5:48a AM Major: 11:31a PM Minor: 6:15p PM Major: 12:02p

Moon Overhead: 12:49p Moon Underfoot: 12:22a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:11a Sunset: 5:27p Moonrise: 8:27a Moon Set: 7:01p

AM Minor: 4:52a AM Major: 11:05a PM Minor: 5:19p PM Major: 11:33p

8:00 — 10:00 AM Sunrise: 7:11a Sunset: 5:28p Moonrise: 9:58a Moon Set: 8:54p

AM Minor: 7:41a AM Major: 1:29a PM Minor: 8:05p PM Major: 1:53p

Moon Overhead: 2:35p Moon Underfoot: 2:10a

Moon Overhead: 3:24p Moon Underfoot: 3:00a

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

Jan 1

5:30 — 7:30 AM

Moon Overhead: 11:54a Moon Underfoot: None

TUESDAY

12p

Sunrise: 7:10a Sunset: 5:26p Moonrise: 7:34a Moon Set: 6:04p

AM Minor: 3:57a AM Major: 10:11a PM Minor: 4:24p PM Major: 10:38p

Moon Overhead: 10:58a Moon Underfoot: 11:26p

BEST TIME

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

READING THE GRAPH

12a

Sunrise: 7:10a Sunset: 5:26p Moonrise: 6:35a Moon Set: 5:10p

AM Minor: 3:05a AM Major: 9:19a PM Minor: 3:32p PM Major: 9:46p

Moon Overhead: 10:04a Moon Underfoot: 10:31p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:09a Sunset: 5:25p Moonrise: 5:34a Moon Set: 4:20p

AM Minor: 2:17a AM Major: 8:30a PM Minor: 2:43p PM Major: 8:57p

Low Tide: 12:40p High Tide: 9:06p

11:30A — 1:30P

Sunrise: 7:09a Sunset: 5:25p Moonrise: 4:30a Moon Set: 3:34p

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Day Overall

THURSDAY

2º Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

5:17a 9:07a 2:38p 10:16p

0.47 ft. 0.55 ft. 0.24 ft. 0.83 ft.

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

FRIDAY

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

5:33a 11:12a 3:21p 10:30p

0.29 ft. 0.57 ft. 0.44 ft. 0.81 ft.

SATURDAY

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

5:54a 12:57p 4:19p 10:39p

0.10 ft. 0.68 ft. 0.61 ft. 0.81 ft.

SUNDAY

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

6:20a 2:17p 5:47p 10:41p

-0.09 ft. 0.81 ft. 0.76 ft. 0.83 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 AM Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:29p Moonrise: 10:36a Moon Set: 9:50p

AM Minor: 8:34a AM Major: 2:22a PM Minor: 8:57p PM Major: 2:45p

Moon Overhead: 4:11p Moon Underfoot: 3:48a

12p

BEST TIME

9:00 — 11:00 AM Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:29p Moonrise: 11:10a Moon Set: 10:43p

AM Minor: 9:24a AM Major: 3:13a PM Minor: 9:45p PM Major: 3:34p

Moon Overhead: 4:54p Moon Underfoot: 4:33a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

4:30 — 6:30 PM Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:30p Moonrise: 11:41a Moon Set: 11:35p

AM Minor: 10:10a AM Major: 4:00a PM Minor: 10:31p PM Major: 4:20p

Moon Overhead: 5:36 Moon Underfoot: 5:15a

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-1912-DIG.indd 63

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 PM

12:00 — 2:00 AM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:31p Moonrise: 12:40p Moon Set: 12:27a

AM Minor: 10:53a AM Major: 4:43a PM Minor: 11:13p PM Major: 5:03p

AM Minor: 11:34a AM Major: 5:24a PM Minor: 11:54p PM Major: 5:44p

Moon Overhead: 6:16p Moon Underfoot: 5:56a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:31p Moonrise: 12:11p Moon Set: None

F I S H

Moon Overhead: 6:57p Moon Underfoot: 6:36a

G A M E ®

12a

12p

BEST TIME

6:30 — 8:30 PM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:32p Moonrise: 1:11p Moon Set: 1:19a

AM Minor: ----AM Major: 6:03a PM Minor: 12:14p PM Major: 6:24p Moon Overhead: 7:38p Moon Underfoot: 7:17a D E C E M B E R

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

7:30 — 9:30 PM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:33p Moonrise: 1:43p Moon Set: 2:12a

AM Minor: 12:31a AM Major: 6:42a PM Minor: 12:53p PM Major: 7:04p Moon Overhead: 8:23p Moon Underfoot: 8:00a 2 0 1 9

11/17/19 4:59 PM

Texas TASTED by BRYAN SLAVEN :: The Texas Gourmet

Good Hunting Grub

tions. Take one slice of tenderized meat in one hand, and lay one onion slice in the center, inside up. Place a slice of cheese on the onion and lay one jalapeno piece on the cheese, face down. Carefully roll the meat around the veggies and cheese. Wrap a slice of bacon around the wrap from one end, stretching the bacon as you wrap. Carefully fold in and seal the ends with a toothpick. Grill over mesquite charcoal or gas fire set

T’S BEEN A GOOD HUNTING SEAson. We’ve had warm afternoons in South Texas waiting for the afternoon flight of mourning doves. We’ve shared stories around a warm campfire after a day of hunting in the Hill Country. Backstraps, hams, and trimmings for chili meat and sausage are all part of the reward of time well spent hunting with friends. There are many good places throughout Texas where you can take your meat to be processed. Here is a recipe from our virtual cookbook on the Texas gourmet website. Feel free to browse the site for additional recipes and cooking tips, as well as a listing of all of our spicy grilling sauces, glazing jellies, and dry rubs. Our products can be ordered online, or check the site for stores that carry them.

Venison Backstrap Wraparounds

2 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp coarse mustard 1 cup Merlot or other dry red wine 2 cloves of garlic 2 Tbsp black pepper Heat basting ingredients until well blended and remove from heat. Remove all sheath, membrane, or skin from the backstrap. Cut into a dozen or so 3/4-inch thick steaks. Place each steak, one at a time on a cutting board. Cover with Saran wrap and lightly tenderize, using the shallow side of the tenderizing mallet. The meat should be 1/4-inch thick after tenderizing. Be careful not to put holes in the steaks. Spray with olive oil or Pam spray, then set aside. Separate the onion into 1- to 2-piece sec-

Venison Backstrap Wraparounds 1 loin venison backstrap (venison may be substituted with pork tenderloin or filet mignon) 14-16 slices thin bacon 1 large purple onion, peeled and quartered lengthwise, then halved lengthwise again 6-8 large fresh jalapenos, seeded and quartered length wise 1 pound pepper jack cheese, sliced in 1/8x2x1/2 wide slices 1 box round toothpicks (place picks in water) BASTE: 1 Tbsp sesame seeds 3 Tbsp Texas Gourmet Jalapeno Jelly 64

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to medium high heat. Place the wraps indirectly over the heat. Baste liberally, cook covered for 3-5 minutes per side. Baste when turning. When bacon is done, place wraps on plate and remove the toothpicks. Rest wraparounds before serving. Serve with Texas Gourmet Quick Dirty Rice and Black Bean Pico de Gallo. Bon Appetit! Check out TheTexasGourmet.com for other wild game and spicy food recipes along with our fine family of products. Or give us a call at (888) 234-7883.

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

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TEXAS FRESHWATER

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MID TEXAS COAST

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Statement of ownership, management and circulation 1. Publication title: Texas Fish & Game. 2. Publication number: 7577-70. 3. Filing Date: 10/01/2019. 4. Issue freq: Monthly. 5. No. Issues Annually: 12. 6. Annual subscr. price: $19. 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication (not printer): 247 Airtex Dr., Houston TX 77090; Contact Person, Roy Neves; Tel, 281-227-3001. 8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher (not printer): Same. 9. Full names and complete mailing addresses of publisher, editor and managing editor: Publisher, Roy Neves, 247 Airtex Dr., Houston TX 77090; editor: Chester Moore, 247 Airtex Dr., Houston TX 77090; managing editor: n/a. 10. Owner: Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co. LLC; Full Name, Ronald A. Ward, Complete Address 247 Airtex Dr., Houston TX 77090; Full Name Roy C. Neves, Complete Address 247 Airtex Dr., Houston TX 77090. 11. Known bondholders, Mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1% or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages of other securities: none. 12. Tax status has not changed during preceding 12 months. 13. Publication title: Texas Fish & Game. 14. Issue date for circulation data below: October 2019. 15. Extent and nature of circulation: Total published Avg. no. copies each issue during preceding 12 mos., 127,157; No. copies of single Issue published nearest to filing date, 133,653. a. Total number of copies (net press run): Avg. no. copies each issue during preceding 12 mos.,40,616; No. copies of single Issue published nearest to filing date, 33,052. b. Paid Circulation (1) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 36,403; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 29,582. (2) Mailed InCounty Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies): 0. (3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS®, Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 3,330; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 3,115; (4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS®: Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 0; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 0. c. Total Paid Distribution (Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3), and (4)): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 39,733; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 32,697. d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside County Copies included on PS Form 3541: Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 247; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 250 (2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies included on PS Form 3541 Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 0; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 0 (3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS®: Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 0; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 0. (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 10; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 10. e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (sum of 15d (1), (2), (3), and (4)): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 257; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 260. f. Total Distribution (sum 15c and 15e): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 39,990; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 32,957. g. Copies not Distributed: Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 626; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 95. h. Total (sum 15f and g): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 40,616; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 33,052. i. Percent paid: (15c divided by 15f times 100) Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 97.82%; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 99.68%. 16. Electronic Copy Circulation a. Paid Electronic Copies: Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 87,167; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 100,696. b. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15c) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 126,900; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 133,393. c. Total Print Distribution (Line 15f) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 127,157; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 133,653. d. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic Copies) (16 b divided by 16c x 100): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 99.8%; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 99.8%. 17. Publication of statement of ownership required. Will be printed in December 2019 issue of this publication 18. Signature and title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager or Owner: Roy Neves, publisher, Date 10/24/2019

DFW METROPLEX

TEXAS SALTWATER UPPER TEXAS COAST LOWER TEXAS COAST

Merry Christmas!

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SPECKLED TROUT Galveston Bay

TILAPIA San Antonio River

Twelve-year-old Camryn Aikin of Katy caught her ﬁrst speckled trout while ﬁshing with her mother and grandpa on Galveston Bay.

Six-year-old T.C. “Cash” Tilly caught and released his ﬁrst tilapia on the San Antonio River.

SHARK Galveston Russell Polk of Allen shows off a nice blacktip shark that he caught while ﬁshing near the North Jetty at Galveston.

FLOUNDER Carancahua Bay Ten-year-old Cameron Labay of Garwood caught this ﬂounder while ﬁshing with his uncle, Drew Kana on Carancahua Bay.

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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/texas-hotsots-upload No guarantee can be made as to when, or if, a submitted photo will be published.

BLACK DRUM Stewart Beach David Garza caught this black drum on Stewart Beach on Galveston-Trinity Bay.

REDFISH Laguna Madre Case Taylor loves to ﬁsh—he wants to be a guide when he grows up. He caught this big red at the Land Cut on the Laguna Madre.

BLACK DRUM Bolivar Peninsula Tamala Stephens caught this big drum while ﬁshing the Intracoastal Waterway at Bolivar Peninsula.

BASS Private Lake Leslie Riseden caught this 27-inch, nine-pound threeounce largemouth while ﬁshing on a private lake in Northeast Texas.

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Open SEASON by REAVIS Z. WORTHAM :: TF&G Humor Editor

Vintage Boots

Doc raised an eyebrow. “You gonna tell them one boot was a burial crypt?” “I’ll leave that part out.” “The only thing you’re gonna leave out is that nasty boot.” Doreen appeared beside us, a damp and stained dishcloth against her mouth. “Put it outside.” “It’s raining.” Doc hid behind the menu. “That’ll probably wash the stink off it.” “I’ve been working on that. I took the insole out, because that’s where the mouse was stuck, and dropped it in a Dutch oven this morning for a good boil.” “That the same one you were using to cook with last night?” Jerry Wayne’s eyes widened. “Well, yeah. I only have the one.” Doreen gagged. “Out, I said!” She pointed at the door. Almost feeling guilty, I carried the offending footwear to the front door and sat them just outside where they immediately filled with rainwater. Doc had his reading glasses on, squinting at the menu. “You know, you should put brighter bulbs in those fixtures so we could see better.” Doreen harrumphed, spun on her heel, and headed back toward the kitchen. “Then you’d see the stains she’s trying to hide.” Wrong Willie scratched his cheek. “I never knew she served calf fries.” “She doesn’t.” I reached over and wiped dried gravy off the plastic menu. “That says thank you, please come again.” He borrowed Doc’s reading glasses. “Oh.” Jerry Wayne looked up. “I hope she comes back soon. I’m starving. That soup back at camp this morning didn’t fill me up, neither, and it tasted kinda weak at that.” Doc frowned. “Didn’t you just hear Rev say…” I punched at my phone. “How does this sound for an ad. “Vintage Browning hunting boots for sale. Like New. Recently waterproofed. $50.” “Like new?” Wrong Willie glanced at the door. “They’re forty-seven years old.” “They look good because I rubbed some mink oil on them last night.”

HE HUNTING CLUB MEMBERship was settled in the large round booth in Doreen’s 24 HR Eat Gas Now Café. A cold December rain slashed across the parking lot. We finally had packed up deer camp and come in that morning. On the thin window shelf behind the booth sat a pair of Browning Kangaroo Featherlight hunting books I bought way back in 1972. Doc pointed. “Why are those in here?” “The War Department ordered me a new pair of hunting boots for Christmas.” “How do you know that?” “Because a box was delivered to the house the other day and I peeked. Hunting boots size eleven.” He nodded. “Makes sense.” “Anyway, I found my Brownings in the attic while we were moving to the new house. I slipped them on for old times’ sake, and they’re too short.” Wrong Willie sniffed. “What’s that smell?” I studied Jerry Wayne across the table. He’d dissed my cooking out on the lease the night before. “It might be residual dead mouse I found in one boot.” “Whattt!!!???” Doreen’s screech filled the café, causing at least one diner to stop and glance around, looking for the cat that was being skinned. The rest of the regulars kept eating as if nothing had happened. “You have a dead mouse in there?” Doc raised an eyebrow. “Dang, she has good hearing.” “Not have a dead mouse in there, had. The mouse is gone.” I whispered under my breath. “Just not the smell.” Willie rested his chin on a fist. “Exactly why do you have them in here?” “Thinking about shooting a photo and selling them on Ebay.”

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“That’s the recent waterproofing?” I pointed at the door. “They’re holding water just fine, so it looks to me like if they don’t drain, they won’t leak.” Jerry Wayne burped. “Good point.” Doc tested the air. “I still smell that rotten mouse.” I sniffed my fingers, just in case. “Don’t smell a thing.” “That’s enough!” Doreen suddenly appeared beside the table. “You’re gonna make my customers sick.” A grin dimpled Doc’s cheek. “The only folks sitting close enough to hear are wearing hearing aids.” “Well, I heard.” Looking pale, Jerry Wayne swallowed. “Never mind guys. Look, I want to order. Chicken fried steak, fries, salad, Thousand Island.” “I couldn’t eat after what you’ve been through,” I said. “I’d be sick as a dog.” “Why?” Jerry Wayne put down the menu. “Because that soup you had this morning wasn’t soup. I was just boiling the shoe inserts from my hunting boots.” Jerry Wayne blanched. “And I…” “Yep. Weak mouse stew.” Jerry Wayne levitated, planted one shoe in the middle of the table and launched himself toward the bathroom. Doreen spun and the doors on both restrooms slammed. I chuckled. “There. That paid him back for trying to set me up with that gal with the mustache down in Corpus when we were in college.” Willie shook his head. “You got him for something that happened back in 1970???” Doc and I bumped knuckles. He was in on it too. “I have a long memory, and I really didn’t boil those insoles. It was a new soup recipe that didn’t work out.” “Well-played,” Wrong Willie nodded, thoughtfully. “Now, I’d offer those boots for forty dollars and list them as slightly worn, no insoles, then take thirty.”

Email Reavis Wortham at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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