Texas Fish & Game February 2020 Issue by Texas Fish & Game

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A Texas World Record Speckled Trout? A Proper Backpack for Fishing 2002-Feb-CoverDIG.indd 1

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

by ROY and ARDIA NEVES TF&G Owners

ROY AND ARDIA NEVES

The Art of Forecasting

PUBLISHERS

CHESTER MOORE

EDITOR IN CHIEF

NE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF OUTDOOR PURSUITS, especially fishing, is the ability to accurately predict the future. Like high-stakes gamblers and Wall Street speculators (which, come to think of it, are basically the same guys), anglers rely on advance knowledge of future conditions, as well as predicted patterns for a given location, species and forces of nature, to improve their chances of success. Instead of reading injury reports and scouting charts, or analyzing quarterly earnings statements, anglers use weather and tidal forecasts and gather fishing reports from their favored locations. With the value of one’s personal time at an all-time premium, not to mention the literal value at cost of even the most basic fishing trip, no one wants to waste such precious resources on failed excursions due to poor timing. As on Wall Street, in fishing timing is everything. The parts of a day when the tides will be moving, the days of the month when the moon will have its greatest influence, when the barometer is about to change, and when a cold front is going to blow through, are a few of the timing factors that experienced anglers key on to set their fishing clocks. Weather reports on TV, Radio, the Internet, your phone, your chart plotter, maybe the thermostat on your wall, can give you fairly accurate predictions of barometric changes, frontal activity, and whether the day after tomorrow is going to be stormy, icy, too damn hot, or otherwise not suited for an outing. These ubiquitous sources provide valuable basic information on the conditions of the near future. Tides, of course, have their greatest effect on coastal anglers, especially in areas along the upper Texas Coast where the actual water movement is most evident and influential. Moving water is a proven fish motivator. But the same tidal forces that push and pull saltwater fish into feeding patterns also appear to have similar affects on freshwater fish and even wildlife and other species (including gamblers, Wall Street honchos and normal people). Fortunately for anglers who synchronize their fishing schedules to tidal movements, these are highly predictable. Tide forecasts for any given location are available from countless sources. Similarly, the position and phases of the moon can be precisely forecasted for any location. The impact that heavenly bodies have on wildlife has been speculated, theorized and debated (sometimes hotly) for decades. In our humble opinion, there exists enough empirical data to suggest a real correlation between the positions of the moon and sun and wildlife patterns, especially feeding periods. That is why we have published in-depth tide and sun/moon (SoLunar) data charts for more than a dozen years. Enough readers report back to us that this information is, indeed, accurate that we continually work to improve our data. Of special interest to many of our angler readers is the Fishing Score Graph that plots the best times of day based on tide, moon, and sun data. Hopefully, this forecasting information is a useful tool in the planning of your fishing trips. In that spirit, we have reformatted some of this information into the Fish & Game Forecast Center, in which we have combined all of our prognostic resources into regionalized sections. This new Center continues to include insightful narratives from pro saltwater anglers and writers focusing on the major coastal regions from Sabine to South Padre. In coming issues, we will add similar focus columns from Freshwater specialists. These Saltwater and Freshwater sections also include our Hotspot reports, now regionalized with the focus narratives, providing specific locations with GPS coordinates, the targeted species and the best bait and techniques—all tied to the current issue month. On the Freshwater side, we have added a Lake Level table for each region (East, Central, West). And, of course, we still provide the Sportsman’s Daybook, featuring tide forecasts, moon overhead/ underfoot times and the Fishing Score Graph showing the best times of the day and of the month. In the near future, we hope to have a fully dynamic Forecast Center up and running on our website. For certain, we will keep tweaking and improving, and welcome your comments and suggestions. Check it out (page 34) . We predict you’ll like it.

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

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T E X A S

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

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

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

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Contents February 2020 | Vol. 36 • No. 10

FEATURE ARTICLES

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story by Chester Moore photo by Doug Stamm

Texas Boating

Texas Tactical

by PETE ROBBINS

by LENNY RUDOW

j34 6 61

by DUSTIN ELLERMANN

Bare Bones Hunting by LOU MARULLO

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PACKING IT IN Finding the perfect backpack for fishing the rough terrain along Texas creeks and rivers.

by Chester Moore

HOG 911 Harrowing tales by of real-life attacks and close calls with feral hogs hin Texas.

by TF&G Staff

by DOUG PIKE

Bass University

by CHESTER MOORE

Is it possible that Texas waters will ever produce a new world record speckled trout?

TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

COLUMNS

Pike on the Edge

WORLD RECORD TROUT FROM TEXAS?

From picking the right locations to executing proper casting techniques, here are valuable tips for chasing the monster bass of spring.

by Matt Williams

by Chester Moore

CATCHING MONSTER BASS

Editor’s Notes

Pro angler Tommy Martin says it is not uncommon to find spawning bass in Texas lakes in February.

COVER STORY

SPAWNING VALENTINE

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52 Sportsman’s Daybook

The TF&G Report • News of the Nation Fish & Game Forecast Center

Letters

by TFG Readers

Fish & Game 56 j Hunting Center

DEPARTMENTS Texas Tasted

Outdoor Directory F I S H

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by Bryan Slaven

Fish & Game Photos by TFG Readers

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LETTERS to the Editor Turkey Questions DEAR CHESTER, I follow your work on turkeys closely and have a question about these great game birds. How would you rank taking a wild turkey with a bow in comparison to other game in North America?

Adam Cole Editor: Thanks for following what I am doing with turkeys. You will love what’s coming with turkeys beginning in the March issue. In my opinion taking a turkey with a bow is one of the greatest accomplishments a bowhunter can seek out. Turkeys are wary and have incredible vision and hearing. Being able to draw back on a turkey is extremely challenging. The only way to do it with any consistency is in shoot-through ground blinds. It must be said that taking a Rio Grand gobbler on a private ranch that have rarely been shot at and are coming to a feeder is radically different than taking an eastern turkey for example on public land. They can both be challenging, but pressure, public land turkeys are next-level challenging. Any turkey hunt is awesome though no matter where. My goal in the next five years is to get the Grand Slam (Rio Grande, Eastern, Osceola, Merriam’s) by bow. It should be an exciting quest.

Gould’s turkey

“Yes sir, I saw them on a hunt last year. We were literally standing yards away from Mexico, but there were Gould’s out pretty close to El Paso,” he said. When pressed for more info he had little to say other than he was blown away by the sighting. He had been traveling from a lodge in Texas to hunt Gould’s in Mexico. The Gould’s turkey is hunted in Mexico and is known to have isolated pockets in New Mexico and Arizona, but this was the first I heard of Gould’s in Texas. If anyone has information, photos or videos of these majestic birds that are part of the Royal Slam of turkeys (Eastern, Osceola or Florida, Rio Grande and Merriam’s, along with Gould’s) please send to cmoore@fishgame.com. I have investigated some studies done in New Mexico and there is a pocket of Gould’s fairly close to Texas, but so far, we have no conclusive proof. Although this Mexican bird’s status is controversial, very few Texas hunters know that there is also a population of Merriam’s turkey in the state. According to Texas Turkey Talk, a treatise on native birds compiled by Ralph Suarez, the Merriam’s turkey, is the least common subspe-

ARE THERE ANY GOULD’S TURKEYS on far west Texas?

Jason Rose Editor: A few years back I was at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas and noticed some brochures about wild turkey management on a particular gentleman’s table and as soon as he noticed the Texas Fish & Game logo on my shirt, he took a look around and said something that quite frankly shocked me. “You know there are Gould’s turkeys out in extreme West Texas,” he said. “Gould’s?” I asked. 6

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cies of turkey in Texas and is located in a few isolated mountainous areas of West Texas. “The historic range of the Merriam’s turkey occurs throughout the western coniferous forest mountain regions of the United States including the states of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. Populations exist in the Guadalupe and possibly Franklin Mountains of Texas.” It is likely that the sighting was actually a similar looking Merriam’s turkey but in the world of wildlife you just never know.

Thanks To TFG I just wanted to give a big thank you to Texas Fish & Game for publishing articles that are a cut above other publications and going deep into issues of wildlife conservation. I know it would be easier for you to toe the industry line and publish only fluff pieces but you don’t and that’s admirable.

William White

Email your comments to: editor@ﬁshgame.com PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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

An Open Letter To Animal Apologists

LOVE ANIMALS. Besides being a lifelong hunter and angler, I have always had companion and guard dogs. My wife Lisa and I run a small zoological facility with more than 50 species ranging from Siberian chipmunks to gorgeous green-naped lorikeets from New Guinea. Animals are a huge part of our lives. I say this to preface the diatribe that is about to ensue. I have a burr under my saddle regarding people who never put the blame for any incident on animals—and I’m not talking about animal rights activists. I’m talking about hunters and fishermen. We ran a story on fishgame.com about the tragic hog attack in Anahuac the day after it occurred last November. We had a few people who claimed to be hunters saying the actions could not possibly be a hog. One guy went as far as to say hogs “always run” when people approach them. He claimed to have hunted hogs with dogs for years and never had a hog charge. I have hunted hogs with dogs a handful of times and had hogs charge on the majority of occasions. I got charged twice by the same hog in the Cumberland Mountains in Tennessee while hunting with dogs. A second charge occurred with a huge boar on a hog-dog hunt in East Texas. Also, along with my cousin Frank Moore, I was forced up a tree by a boar in Edwards County while we were simply walking through a cedar thicket. Maybe this gentleman was pursuing vegan hogs on a gluten free diet or something. I mean, imagine the horror of the poor things actually being chased by dogs as they were out there minding their own business destroying native wildlife habitat and causing untold damage to agriculture. Can you imagine the nerve of those hunters?

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This reminds me about the time I was investigating coyote attacks and was told by a wildlife “expert” there had never been a coyote attack on a person in Texas at that time. When I pointed out that a coyote bit a man in the butt while grilling in his backyard, the expert said that wasn’t really an attack because the coyote was attracted to the food. Tell that to the guy who had a coyote’s canines piercing his buttocks! While talking about cougar management and the increasing presence of cougars in urban areas in California and other areas of the west, I was told that humans should stop going into their habitat. I informed this person that they are currently living on former cougar habitat and that their home displaced cougars and other critters. When I mentioned the case of a cougar stalking kids on an elementary school playground, this person told me the cougars were there first, and we should not blame them if they kill a kid. I am all for keeping mountain lions around. I think they should be managed properly and considered a prized game animal. I do however think that cougars crossing onto playgrounds should have crosshairs put on their shoulders and 150 grains of lead sent into their vitals. Kids come first—period. Anyone who would prefer a cougar over children should not be making decisions on wildlife or human issues for that matter. Their opinion is invalid. Then there’s the other side of animal apologetics. It is the cluelessness involving domestic animals and livestock and all-out hatred of wildlife. On my radio program I occasionally get calls from people who think we should basically eliminate wildlife and stop conserving any kind of predator. This came up in a discussion about sharks. |

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My response was that according to the Centers for Disease Control sharks kill about one person in the United States annually. Horses kill around 20. That won’t grab too many headlines because too many media figures and wealthy, influential people have horses, but it is a fact. Sharks are easy to sensationalize but in reality Mr. Ed’s kind has killed far more people than “Jaws” and its family in the United States. They have also killed more people than bears and mountain lions. Dogs are the most egregious human attacker with anywhere between 30 to 50 fatalities annually and tens of thousands of hospital visits because of dogs. However, you can’t even mention a particular dog breed related to attacks or fatalities without people blowing a gasket. Pit bulls have more keyboard warrior defenders than murder victims. If you don’t believe me, dare to post a news story about an attack involving a pit bull and see the people come out of the woodwork. I have nothing at all against the breed, but I am sick of apologists denying that sometimes they do kill folks. Yes other breeds do too, but that’s not the point. We defend animals more than we do people. We put energy and money into animal defense when it would go much better if spent on wildlife conservation. We have a problem when people defend exotic animals such as hogs, which have caused billions of dollars of damage to agriculture, destroy untold acres of wildlife habitat—and yes attack people. I would expect this from animal rightists, but not hunters and fishermen. It’s time to put the focus back in the right place, which is the safety of people and the conservation of native wildlife. Now if I could just find some of those vegan, gluten-free, diet hogs. Seems like they would be great to cuddle with. Maybe they’ll fly one day, too.

Email Chester Moore at cmoore@ﬁshgame.com

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

Listen Up, Choir

F TEXAS WANTS TO RETAIN ITS hunting heritage and rightful reputation as a hunter-friendly state, its sportsmen must reacquaint themselves with how to conduct themselves on other people’s land. Up front, I know that presenting this piece to the readers of Texas Fish & Game truly is like preaching to a pitch-perfect choir. I know that you know. However, to protect your own leases, and ultimately the leases of your children who follow you into the hunting lifestyle, you’d best learn this sermon and preach it loudly. There’s a handful of folks who could ruin the lessee-lessor relationship for us all. We know that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, try as it might, can never provide enough public-land hunting opportunities to satisfy all of its hunters. It tries, and does a pretty good job, but can only do so much in a state that’s almost entirely private property. We know that, here in Texas, landowners can charge whatever the market will bear for hunting access. It’s worth noting that in Canada, you can hunt on private property with permission from the landowner—but without any exchange of money. Landowners can’t legally charge you to hunt on their land, and you cannot legally pay them to hunt on their land. That said, there’s no harm in showing up to ask permission with flowers for the farmer’s wife or a fresh-baked pie for the farmer’s family. Been there, done that. Down where we hunt, most of us forego pies and flowers for formal lease agreements, including significant amounts of money, with landowners. Leases have gotten longer over the years, too, thanks to landowners being sued by their lease-holding hunters. I’m sure there have been some legitimate cases of landowner negligence, but I’m equally sure what’s caused leases to get longer is frivolous suits filed by hunters

whose own negligence caused them to be hurt. It’s a ranch. While on a ranch—most any working ranch—you can expect to come across things that might scratch you, cut you, bite you, break you or otherwise hurt you. You’re leasing a ranch, not a beach house. Lease prices, where you can find a decent opportunity, are rising faster than biscuits in an overheated oven. In fact, quite unfortunately, they’ve escalated to a point where many Texans have been wallet-whipped into submission and quit hunting altogether. Not because they lost interest, but because they couldn’t afford a place to hunt. That should never have happened in a state so large with so much open ground, but it has. To a small degree, hunters brought it on themselves. A minority still walk among us who don’t understand that access to private property, no matter how much you paid, is not an invitation to tear the place up like a drunken rock band in a hotel room. Manners and respect get cast aside by people who think lease money covers damages. It doesn’t. It’s not a rental deposit. Those few bad apples are making it harder for the rest of us apples to find hunting leases. The list is long of things that can either get you an invitation not to let the gate hit you in your back pocket on the way out or a welcome back next season. Here, in no particular order, are a few slices of that list. TRASH: Actually, that’s a big one. On any hunting lease, when you leave it, there should be no physical signs of your presence other than boot prints and maybe a barrel of burned trash. Protein bar wrappers don’t fall from the sky onto trails between roads and stands. Neither do water bottles. Neither does toilet paper. Spent shotgun shells don’t pile themselves along fence rows. If you carry it out, bring it back. Or, as appropriate and allowed, bury it. GATES: Most ranchers can tell you at any moment whether a specific gate on their place is open or shut—and why. Don’t do the rancher a favor by closing open gates. Leave open gates open and closed gates closed. Simple. T E X A S

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For bonus points, if you pass through an open gate, leave it that way and contact the landowner to make sure it’s supposed to open. FENCES: Animals tear up fences. If you find a breach in the wire, notify the landowner. Don’t throw a couple of sticks in the hole and forget it. For bonus points, offer to repair it (and have the tools to do so). ROADS: Just because your ATV can navigate muddy roads doesn’t mean you should be on them. Before the season, get clear instructions from the landowner as to where you can and cannot go in vehicles that are likely to leave deep ruts in their slushy wakes. Bonus points are earned by offering to drag or grade ranch roads at the end of a wet season. PREDATORS: Lots of us enjoy predator hunting, and most of us can hardly resist knocking down wild pigs. Before you start drilling bobcats and coyotes, and even hogs, take the landowner’s pulse about where and when and how many of those animals you can take. Bonus points are earned by keeping a head count on predator sightings and offering those stats to the landowner. CLEARING BRUSH: Hunters value clear lines of sight, but a paper lease doesn’t give you the right to clear another man’s land. Strategic limbs here and there, yes. Felling trees to get a better view of your corn feeder, no. To stay in good graces, ask before cutting and offer to use your tools to clear something the rancher wants cleared. Texas, as major landowners die and leave their parcels to multiple children, is getting smaller. Worse for hunters, many folks who inherit land these days are lawsuit-shy—with good reason—and uninterested in leasing their place at any price. Be patient if you’re looking for a good lease. They’re available, but they don’t become that way often. If you already have one, stay friendly with your landowner. Maybe send that family a pecan pie a couple of times a year.

Email Doug Pike at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com |

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EXAS BASS PRO TOMMY Martin of Hemphill likes to remember that spring-like morning back in the winter of 2013. It was February 7 and the weather had been unseasonably pleasant across eastern

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Texas for nearly a month. Water temperatures on Toledo Bend were on a gradual upswing after several 70-degree days. Martin had a hunch the bass might be nudging toward sunbaked shallows, so he headed to the back of Clear Creek near Patroon to do some exploring. He and two

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guide clients didn’t look for long before they discovered pay dirt. “Bass were everywhere, and they were shallow,” he recalled. “Some were on beds and some were just cruising.” Martin put the Power Poles down and didn’t raise them again for nearly three

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hours. The anglers caught and released close to 80 bass — several in the fourpound range — without ever moving the boat. All were caught on a Texas rigged Zoom Baby Brush Hog matched with a light slip sinker. Martin says it’s not uncommon to

find spawning bass in Clear Creek during February, but stumbling across such a large congregation so early in the month was somewhat of an anomaly. “Clear Creek is always one of the first areas to warm up on this lake, but it happened way early that year,” he said. “The

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water temperature was 60 degrees in there that day. It was probably five degrees warmer than it normally is. That’s why those fish were there.” Like most bass fishermen and many fisheries scientists, Martin is adamant that nothing plays a bigger role to trigger

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spawning activity than water temperature. Rising water temperatures are a byproduct of the increasingly longer days and shorter nights that accompany the seasonal shift from winter to spring. “There is no doubt about it,” he said. “If the water temperature isn’t right, it’s not happening.” As a rule, bass will begin gravitating towards the shallows when water temperatures climb into the upper 50s. Males are always the first to arrive. The guys build the spawning beds while the girls hang tight to nearby “staging areas” in deeper water until the water temperature warms sufficiently to take the courtship to the next level. Sometimes, it takes a few days for all this to occur. Other times, a vacant spawning flat might become crowded with big bass overnight. That’s what happened on the eve of the Bassmaster Top 150 event held on Florida’s Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in January 2001. Many competitors spent the entire the tournament practice searching for spawning bass to no avail. On the final afternoon after a multi-day warming trend, Arizona pro Dean

Tommy Martin

Rojas stumbled across a gold mine in Shingle Creek on Lake Tohopekaliga. “I couldn’t believe what I saw,” Rojas told Bassmaster.com. “I saw 10 pounders, 9

pounders, 8 pounders everywhere I looked.” Rojas returned to the spot during the opening round, January 17. Casting to spawning beds he could actually see, he

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PHOTO: MATT WILLIAMS

caught a five-bass limit weighing 45 pounds, 2 ounces. The record still stands as the BASS single day weight total on five fish. He went on to win the event with 20 bass weighing 108-12. Most were caught from spawning beds using Texas-rigged lizards and creature baits. “That just goes to show you what can happen when things get right,” Martin said. “When the water temperature reaches 60 degrees it’s a good idea to be shallow, and you had better be looking.”

Big Girls First

As soon as water temps get warm enough, the big girls will be the ﬁrst to move into spawning beds in the shallows.

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Martin says Rojas’s catch lends some credence to the belief that some of the biggest bass in a lake are prone to spawn earlier than smaller ones. “I definitely think a lot of the big fish eight pounds and up are done quicker than we realize,” he said. “I don’t know why that is, but I think they spawn in colder water than smaller bass will. They’ll spawn deeper, too, five to eight feet or sometimes deeper in really clear water.” As important as water temperature is to

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trigger spawning activity, there are some secondary factors that can impact on how quickly the warm up will occur. More important is which areas within an impoundment might heat up quicker than others.

Lakes Don’t Warm Uniformly Certain areas within a reservoir system will warm quicker and attract spawning fish earlier in the year than others. To wit: On a man-made reservoir that lies north to south, the warmest water early in the year will almost always be found at the northern reaches of the impoundment. Reservoirs are generally flatter, shallower and faster to warm at the upper end compared to deeper quadrants closer to the dam. Martin says it is not uncommon to see an eight- to ten-degree swing in surface temperatures on opposite ends of large lakes such as Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn. Martin says you can refine the search for the warmest water by keying on pockets, coves and creeks located along the lake’s

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northwest shoreline. These areas are usually protected from chilly north winds 100 percent of the time by the surrounding landscape. They also receive abundant sunlight over the course of the day. “A creek or cove protected from north winds may be four to five degrees warmer than one that isn’t,” Martin said.

Location, Location The geographic location of a reservoir can have a huge impact on how quickly the water warms. The farther south a lake is, the quicker that water temperature will warm sufficiently to attract spawning bass into the shallows. The farther north a reservoir is, the longer it takes for the crucial warm-up to occur. Lakes Falcon and Ray Roberts pose a good comparison. The winters are much less severe in Zapata than in Denton. It’s not uncommon for bass to be on beds on Lake Falcon in mid-January while Ray Roberts fishermen are still thawing ice off their windshields, so they can see to drive to the lake.

Getting a Rise Martin thinks a timely rise in water level can spur an early move toward the shallows, especially if the rise comes after an extended period of low water. “It seems like the fish are reluctant to come to the bank in low water because of the lack of cover, even if the water is warm,” Martin said. “Rising water floods new cover, so the fish are naturally more comfortable. Plus, rising water usually means murky water, and murky water warms faster than clear.” Spring is just around corner, and big bass are on the prowl. Anglers can do themselves a favor by making sure all of their gear is in good working order before heading to the lake. A temperature gauge that is functioning properly should be at the top of the list. Without it, seeking out the warmest water in an otherwise chilly lake will be nothing more than a guessing game.

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

Crews Gives ’Em a Little Lip in February

RAT-L-TRAP MAY BE THE longstanding power fishing technique for Texas largemouths in February, and a swimbait is the newly stylish way to tempt big ones. Nevertheless, when Virginia pro John Crews visits the Lone Star State this time of year in search of monsters, one of his favorite tools is a little, lipped crankbait, his namesake SPRO Little John 50. It weighs a half-ounce and has a weighttransfer system, so you can fling it a mile into toothy Texas winds. It’s a compact 2-½ inch package that doesn’t discriminate against smaller fish. With a circuit board lip, it gets down into the five-foot range quickly, and has a tight wobble, but can still be banged off cover. “That’s a great time of year for a crankbait,” Crews said. “Whether you’re fishing around hard bottom or over grass, the Little John serves both purposes. At that time of year, I like it in one of several different red colors, like Fire Craw.” This technique excels any time the water temperature is above 50 degrees. “Anything in the fifties is primo,” he said, “all the way to the upper 50s. You can still catch them with a chatterbait or a spinnerbait or a lipless crankbait. Yet, for some reason this has a knack for catching bigger fish. A little bit of stain is going to be preferred. “Nevertheless, the flat sides mean that it doesn’t have the aggressive posture of a rounder or harder-wobbling lure. It has a distinct vibration that’s not overpowering. It doesn’t move a ton of water.” On a lake like Conroe without much vegetation, Crews looks for “any kind of transition areas leading toward the backs of pockets.” That might include the sides of PHOTO COURTESY JOHN CREWS

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on the same cast, but in the same general area. If you find a good stretch like that, you can often come back to that stretch two or three times in a day and catch more.” Because the lure floats back toward the surface very slowly, Crews usually employs a steady retrieve and then pauses the lure after making contact, daring a bass to strike. In the pre-spawn, Crews prefers a cranking rod with slightly more power than the one he’d probably use later in the year. He relies heavily on a cranking stick that Cashion Rods makes for square bills. “The cooler water makes their mouths tougher, so you need a little bit more power.” He uses 12-pound test Sunline Crank FC fluorocarbon, a line made specifically for this sort of technique, with just the right amount of stretch. The Little John comes straight out of the package with sticky-sharp Gamakatsu trebles. At the first sign of dulling, he’ll swap them out for sharp Gamakatsu round bend replacements. Even with perfect tackle and execution on the hook set, there’s little reason to give the bass any advantage. This is the time of year when they’re often at their heaviest. A fish that looks like a threepounder might weigh four and a quarter. Once you put the wood to them, take your time. Keeping the rod loaded is the key.”

points or the sides of pockets, and he tends to favor “a little bit steeper banks.” On the Texas lakes where bass relate heavily to submerged aquatic vegetation, such as Sam Rayburn, Toledo Bend and Amistad, he’s very careful to ensure that his lure hits the salad, but doesn’t get buried in it. “The key is to pay attention to where it hits the grass and where it does not hit the grass. You’re looking for isolated clumps or points. Boat positioning is a big key. You want to get roughly out in the deepest part of the strike zone and then parallel it to keep your bait in the key zone. Make super-long casts.” Although grass tends to hold the biggest concentrations of fish, he’ll sometimes use this same technique in the upper ends of the waterways where there’s less of it, focusing on other available cover. At this time of year it’s not necessarily a means of finding mega-schools of bass, but “wind or current can bunch up three, four or five or them. Normally you won’t catch them

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LY FISHERMEN CARL “BUD” ROWLAND CAUGHT THE CURRENT official state record speckled trout May 23, 2002 in Lower Laguna Madre. It weighed 16 pounds and measured a monstrous 37 inches. This replaced the record trout Jim Wallace caught in 1996 in Baffin Bay that weighed 13 pounds, 11 ounces. The all-tackle world record for speckled trout was caught in 1995 in Fort Pierce, Florida and weighed an astonishing 17 pounds, 7 ounces. Is it possible that Texas will one day produce a world-record speckled trout? If not, will it one day at least see its own state record eclipsed? First, it’s necessary to look at how rare these truly giant catches are along the Gulf Coast.

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PHOTO: JOHN N. FELSHER

Wallace’s fish beat the 13-9 record held by Mike Blackwood set in 1975. It took 21 years for that record to fall and this year marks 18 years later that Rowland caught his Lower Laguna giant. The Florida world record has stood for 25 years. Let’s take a look at the speckled trout water body record along the Texas coast. SABINE LAKE: Kelly Rising (12 pounds/March 28, 1999) GALVESTON BAY: R.J. Spencer (12 pounds/March 19, 2007) CORPUS CHRISTI BAY: Filip Spencer (12 pounds/March 18, 2014) MATAGORDA: Mark pounds/Jan. 20, 1999)

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GULF OF MEXICO: Lanny Myers (13 pounds/May 25, 1969) Looking at these sizes and dates it is easy to see there is no real pattern. Unlike largemouth bass for example, where a huge

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Big specks in Texas tend to be singular events for anglers, as the focus of management efforts has been more on increasing numbers than size.

amount of Texas’s largest fish came from 1986 to 1993 at Lake Fork, big trout seem to show up at various times. There is no question 1996 was an incredi-

ble year for the Baffin system because several fish in the 11- to 12-pound class were caught within a short span of Wallace’s catch, but all of these records have now stood for years.

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PHOTO: JOHN N. FELSHER

Nothing quite compares to the thrill of a big speck on the other end of a taut line.

One could look at major coastal freeze kills as being a limiting factor in big trout production, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a valid point, but Wallaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fish came seven years after the major freeze kill of 1989. That fish was definitely born before the freeze.

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Again, there is no real pattern here. Unlike largemouth bass where intensive management of hatchery fish attempts to create trophy-sized and perhaps world record fish, trout have no such program. They are bred in captivity and stocked, but

they are done so for numbers, not for size at this point in time. The entire Texas coast is now under a five trout limit, which will limit harvest to some extent and alleviate some pressure on the fishery.

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PHOTO COURTESY LUKE LEDBETTER

Florida has better conditions for catching giants, like this 34.25-inch monster caught by Luke Ledbetter near the Florida/Alabama state line.

But are these things enough to produce a world record? In my opinion Texas could produce a world record trout, but it is unlikely.

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Florida has better genetics and water conditions for such a trout to grow to record proportions. After all, it already has. Additionally Florida has a 15- to 20-inch

slot limit on trout with only one allowed that measures more than 20 inches. They also have a five fish limit. Much more pressure is put on trout here. Floridians have many more inshore and nearshore species to pursue, and pompano, snook, tarpon, grouper and redfish are more popular. A world record trout could appear here, and in my opinion, it would be on the Lower Coast. (Doesn’t take a genius to figure that out.) It could also be dwelling around one of the nearshore oil and gas platforms in the Gulf. There are huge trout out there, and they are not targeted nearly as much as those in the bays. I hope to get a call that the world record trout has been broken in Texas but I’m not holding my breath. Giant trout are rare, elusive and downright special. I have to concede that when it comes to trout, not everything is bigger in Texas. However, that could change by the time this story goes to press. You just never know.

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

Resolve to be a Better Boater

ELCOME TO 2020, FOLKS! With a new year rolling in, it’s a good time to look at what we did right on our boats in 2019, what we did wrong, and what we need to try to improve upon in the coming year. Of course, since I didn’t run out to catch specks and reds or spend a morning of waterfowling with most of y’all, I can’t say just what “we” did right or wrong. But I do know what happened on my own boat, and hopefully, looking back and listing out these 2020 new year resolutions will help everyone enjoy their time out on the water in the coming year.

What I Did Wrong FUELISH BEHAVIOR: Early in the season I was in a rush, I had things on my mind, and mostly I just got lax. Three times in a row I filled up the fuel tank without putting in any additive, each time thinking to myself “oh darn, I left it at home in the shed.” Three times I promised myself I’d get the additive, drive back down to the marina, and put it in the tanks. Three times I failed to do so. And about halfway through the third tank, one of my outboards had trouble starting. Then, it began stalling out. It would be easy to blame ethanol for the issue, but I know darn well that failing to treat modern, ethanollaced fuel that’s used in an outboard-powered boat is a no-no. And, I paid the price – plus the price of having the fuel system cleaned. RESOLUTION: Keep plenty of additive on the boat, and make darn sure to add it with each and every fill-up. BLIND EYE: In a charity auction, a father and his son who didn’t have a boat and didn’t know how to fish “bought” me for a day.

NAUTICAL REHABILITATION: Last winter I hauled my boat into the shop, and had a ton of work done on it: the wiring and switches, bilge and livewell pumps, and VHF radio were all replaced. A decade ago I would have done the work myself. But as my knees have grown creakier and my knuckles appreciate being skinned less and less, through the years I began deferring major maintenance projects. Recognizing that these things simply had to be done, in 2019 I pried open my wallet and accepted the fact that I had to pay someone to work on the boat if I wasn’t going to do it myself. The net result? I’m actually much happier with my boat. While 2018 was riddled with pump-failures and on-the-water quick-and-dirty fixes, this year the all the boat’s systems functioned properly.

RESOLUTION: Remember that when non-boaters are aboard, you have to pay extra attention to the conditions and warn them about things that regular boaters are accustomed to. JUICELESSNESS: Not once but twice this year, when I turned the key the port engine failed to react. In both cases the battery was deader than a doornail – because I had left the battery switch on after the previous trip. The first time, luckily, I had one of those little jumper packs in my truck and we had the engine running in a minute or two. The second time it happened, however, the jumper pack was at home. We lost 20 minutes of our precious fishing time, as I went to get it.

RESOLUTION: Create an end-of-season work list. Instead of pretending I’ll eventually get the work done myself, shell out the cash and pay a pro to do it on an annual basis – for 2020 and beyond. FUN FOR FUNDS: Despite the mishap on that charity trip I mentioned earlier, it was a great day of fishing and fun and both the gent and his son had, overall, a very rewarding experience. In fact, I did three charity trips in 2019 for organizations ranging from the Coastal Conservation Association to the Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute. All were excellent trips with excellent people and in total, we raised close to $2,000 for non-profits.

RESOLUTION: Buy a dedicated jumper pack for the boat, charge it up, and leave it aboard. Check it now and again to be sure it’s fully charged… and don’t forget to turn off the battery switch.

What I Did Right FRESH THINKING: After each and every voyage in saltwater – without exception – I hooked up the hose to my outboard(s) and gave them a full five-minute flush with freshwater. We all know we should do this, but few boaters take the task as seriously as they should. Talk to any outboard mechanic and they’ll tell you that this simple, easy practice is one of the most important things you can do to extend the life of your engine.

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RESOLUTION: Keep it up in 2020, and never fail to give the outboards a thorough freshwater flush.

Knowing that they were inexperienced, I took my time at the dock showing them how to use the gear and explaining safety aboard. All was well and we were having fun catching one fish after the next when, halfway through the trip, a boat wake hit my boat on the beam and sent us rocking. Unfortunately, the father lost his footing and fell to the deck. It wasn’t tragic, but he did end up with a nasty bruise where his elbow smacked the fiberglass. This was, of course, entirely my fault. I got carried away with the fishing, forgot to keep an eye peeled, and didn’t shout a warning as the wave approached.

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RESOLUTION: In 2020, I’ll make myself available for five not-for-profit days on the water. They’re a win-win, for everyone involved. Happy 2020, boaters!

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ATCHING MONSTER BASS IS not an accident. Sure, some newbies are blessed to somehow hook into a 10-pounder while they’re pulling out a backlash at the back of the boat. But those anglers who consistently bring in the big ones, do many things right. Let’s start with perhaps the most basic tenet of all that involves catching trophy-sized bass by casting. While interviewing professional bass anglers, I noticed that most of them, if pressed, said that once on the water the most important thing an angler can do to catch big bass is to “cast far and cast softly.” Big bass are elusive fish, so the farther from the boat the better. However, being able to make those long shots and do it with grace, requires the right reel.

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HE TATULA ELITE HAS A HIGHLY-TUNED, MAGNETICbased braking system tweaked from Daiwa’s industry-leading Magforce system to maximize casting distance. The combination of the newly designed spool and the ﬁne tuned braking system allows for an effortless cast, as the startup inertia of the spool is much lower. FEATURES: • Lightweight A7075 aluminum spool • T-Wing system (TWS) • Aluminum frame and aluminum side plate (gear side) • Zero adjuster • Laser Engraved D-Vec logo • 90mm swept handle • 100-sized frame • Reengineered Magforce system to cater directly to distance casting.

The Daiwa Tatula Elite was designed and engineered with distance casting as a focus, with features to complement that objective. A redesigned A7075 aluminum spool is extremely lightweight, allowing for increased casting distance with minimal effort. According to Daiwa officials, “the highly-tuned, magnetic-based braking system has been tweaked from our industry-leading Magforce system to maximize casting distance. The combination of the newly designed spool and the fine-tuned braking system allows for an effortless cast, as the startup inertia of the spool is much lower.” “When I first had the chance to fish this reel, I decided I was going to call their bluff on casting distance, and I can say you will get more range out of this reel,” said Daiwa pro angler Cody Meyer. Don’t expect to catch big bass on the type of lure you would throw just to make a catch in a stock pond. Focus on proven bigbass-catching lures such as large crankbaits and spinners, jigs, topwaters and super-sized Carolina-rigged worms. Anglers can have incredible casting skills and the best lures, but if they don’t choose the right location, it will not matter. A water body with a history of produc24

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The Tatula Elite allows for maximum distance with minimum effort. The reel is also equipped with Daiwa’s well known T-Wing System, zero adjustor, a 100-sized aluminum frame and side plate, and a 90mm swept handle. The combination of the newly designed spool, the ﬁnetuned braking system, the T-Wing system and our redesigned lightweight spool truly make the Tatula Elite the race car of casting reels. It’s a valuable long casting tool for the arsenal of any skilled angler.

ing big fish of the variety you prefer is obvious for what you are looking to accomplish. If you find an area with a consistent history of producing monster fish, with a recent history trending toward big fish, you are in good shape. An area not managed for big fish will not consistently produce big fish. There is simply too much intelligent angling pressure out there to make this possible in most of the continental United States. “You have to fish where big fish live,” said avid angler and writer Brian Johnson. “If you are fishing in an overstocked pond that only has small bass, it stands to reason that you will catch only small bass. “The same is typically true for some of |

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our rivers and bayous. Although there is an exception to every rule, if you want to catch big bass, go fishing where they are known to live.” Pressure is another issue anglers should consider. This ties in with two types of location: water body and specific spots on a water body. Nowadays, it is rare to find a water body that produces lots of big fish, but is lightly pressured. In the information age, people find out about big catches in real time and respond accordingly. Sam Rayburn gets a lot of pressure, but the open water areas of the main lake cover get very little. The shorelines get beat up, but quite often the areas where the biggest bass dwell don’t. A dream scenario is a water body that gets very little angling pressure, and you fish a location on it that gets even less. Anglers should also consider seasonality. Fish are driven by a variety of seasonal urges and timing in particular areas. This can literally enhance the chance of catching monster fish tenfold. The best chance at catching the bass of a lifetime is during the pre-spawn or spawn. That might seem like rudimentary information, but you should remember that spawns

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If you want to catch big fish, you have to fish where big fish live.

happen at different times. On a power plant lake once, some bass were on the beds in December. Talk with local fisheries biologists and guides. Keep up with water temperatures on your chosen lakes to pick the right time to be on the water. The wild card of catching big bass is what I call “the phenomenon factor.” Natural phenomena occur that can be extremely valuable in your quest. They are not common, but when they happen, you need to be on the water. Savvy bass anglers know that when reservoirs have a prolonged drought and then go

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Before this, few anglers would consider traveling to Ivie, but once word got out, many anglers went there. Conditions at Ivie are radically different now, but there are other lakes where things are aligning for similar catches. Find out what’s happening across the state and be ready to be at the right place at the right time with the right lure and the right reel. If you do, there’s a good chance you’ll catch that dream bass you’ve been looking for since childhood.

back up to the pool level, the so-called “new lake effect” occurs. For several years, the system becomes super rich in habitat and nutrients from the vegetation that grew on the lake bed during the drought. The lake becomes red hot for a season or two for producing monster bass. A decade ago, Lake O.H. Ivie near San Angelo, Texas was going through one of these production spikes and produced more Sharelunkers than any other lake in Texas during 2010. In fact, one angler caught two on the same day. Then after the season closed he caught another that was more than 13 pounds. F I S H

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ALKING IN AND around the rocky Nueces and Llano Rivers is a riskfor my gear. I’m a bit of a bull in a china closet (more like a Cape buffalo) so my camera gear is always at risk when I’m around water, especially in wild places. I recently took two boys and one of their fathers on a special catch-and-release 26 |

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conservation quest for Texas’s unique, native, the Guadalupe bass. Our mission was to teach the boys the value of catch and release of these fish and instill in them a love of streams and stream fishing. The boys are part of my Wild Wishes program that grants wildlife encounters to children with terminal illness or loss of parent or sibling. We wanted to capture photos to publish that would raise aware|

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ness about this unique species and stream and river health in Texas. That means my cameras needed to be secured. The areas we fished were extremely remote and required wading long distances down slick rocks and flowing water. Enter the LocoDry Wetrek PackNModPok. This is a heavy-duty, welded; waterproof backpack built for your longer

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adventures with more than 50 liters of storage space, and it only weighs two pounds, eight ounces. That counts for a lot when you’re carrying heavy camera gear along with a bit of tackle and drinks. Featuring the new LocoModiv shoulder straps with the patented UniLoop system you can easily swap between the included black and neon green breathable, strong, grippy, stretchy, and custom

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izable shoulder straps. It is also built with a padded mesh back panel, quick access front pocket, and multiple lash points. The pack managed to keep my gear dry the entire trip. When you rely on it to preserve your camera to preserve precious memories it is greatly appreciated. I was extremely impressed with the straps, which features a breathable ladder T E X A S

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design. This allows the weight of the pack to flow with movement. I was able to fish in waist-deep water comfortably with the pack on. Most impressive. I can’t see me doing these kinds of expeditions without one from now on. Kudos to Seattle Sports for making my job easier.

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

Law Enforcement Precision Riﬂe Course

ECENTLY I WAS INVITED TO sit in at the local county’s precision rifle course. This course is designed to train and qualify county deputies to carry a precision rifle to use in the line of duty. Although the majority of most law enforcement defensive situations (or even civilian for that matter) occur in a distance of just a few feet, there are instances where long distance shots can be necessary. Further, when they are necessary, that long distance shot had better be precise and find its intended mark. After a classroom portion discussing zero, optics, ammunition, Texas Penal Code, external ballistics, and rifle fundamentals, we hit the range. For a benchmark we all fired a fiveround group at a one-inch square target at 100 yards from the prone position. Then the real world skills began. This is something I have taught ever since I competed on Top Shot—get off the bench! At most shooting ranges, shooters will get as comfortable and stable as possible and never practice shooting otherwise. There is absolutely a place for solid prone and bench rest shooting, especially when zeroing a rifle and testing equipment. However, real world defensive and hunting situations rarely allow ideal conditions. For the first skill assessment, we were required to fire prone at 100 yards, kneeling at 75 yards, sitting from 50 yards, and freestanding from 25 yards. We had to place every round in a three-inch circle representing the cranial vault. If you weren’t careful, it was easy to throw a round outside the target area while trying to beat the timer. This is where I saw a great advantage in running my heavy-barreled LaRue Tactical PredatAR. My follow-up shots were much faster since I never had to run a bolt. However, 28

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the drawback was also the weight of my rig, especially with a suppressor. The next real life law enforcement drill was also the most dreaded. In law enforcement scenarios, a sniper might be in position for hours

trigger finger seemed to be in tune with the instructor’s signal firing almost instantly at the sound of the buzzer. The stress shooting exercise is common among competition shooters. With rifles loaded and ready on the 100-yard line, shooters were required to perform jumping jacks until the instructor hit the shot timer. On the signal, the shooters jumped behind their guns and fired five rounds into a three-inch diameter circle in less than 10 seconds. This is another that I recommend practicing on your own. It will

Dustin zeroing in on a golf ball around 130 yards practicing unconditional positions. The magazine was removed so there was only one round loaded for the challenge.

and must be ready instantly to make a shot if called upon. This is practiced in the 3/30 Drill. Every shooter loaded three rounds and got into a prone position staring at the FBI headshot target for a total of 30 minutes. Over the next 30 minutes, at a random signal the shooters would have to engage the target as quickly as possible. During this exercise I found my hand getting quite tired as it held correct tension on my rear shooting support bag. However, my |

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even help hunters push through buck fever! This was just a sampling of the class. I didn’t mention finding holds and practicing shots out to 400 yards. Because life doesn’t always give us optimum conditions, it’s helpful to subject ourselves to training like this, so we can shoot as straight as possible.

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

ELL, ANOTHER DEER hunting season has come and gone, and I can only hope that you had more luck than I. This year, I decided I would shoot a big buck, only. It was just a personal choice. I planned on taking the first adult doe I would see and then hunt for the monster in my area. It has been years since I was able to actually take my time and hunt the entire season. Normally, my touring schedule would take me overseas right during the bow season. That limited my time in the woods. I was forced to try my luck at the first adult deer I saw that offered a clean, humane shot. I checked my trail cameras and saw there were plenty of huge bucks in my area. A few had split brow tines and one in particular had a huge rack. His G2s were so long that they almost touched each other. When I showed that picture to a friend of mine, he asked me where it was. I quickly told him “In the woods!” He laughed hard knowing it’s a hunter’s standard answer. As I sit here and write this, I still have about a week to score on a nice whitetail. All is not lost…not yet! I really have put my time in this season and did everything right. I just have not seen the deer I am looking for. One cold morning, I heard some promising, familiar sounding footsteps slowly creeping up behind my stand. It was a buck, and he stood there standing broadside to me feeding on acorns. However, he was a young four-pointer and not what I was going to fill my tag with. As I watched that little buck, he kept looking at something else. I thought that maybe he was checking out the big boy of the woods. WRONG! He was watching another young whitetail. As I surveyed the immediate area near my

“ As I sit here and write this, I still have about a week to score on a nice whitetail. All is not lost… not yet!

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Never Give Up!

my tags, camo, a knife, and arrows in a quiver that was attached to my recurve bow. That was it!—and I still was successful at taking a whitetail. I have to admit that my wife was right when she told me I have too many gadgets for hunting a deer, but it’s not my fault! After all, Bass Pro decided to build less than a mile from my house. I tried to tell my wife it’s their fault for putting a store so close to me. I’m not sure she agrees. I took an inventory of what I usually bring in my backpack. Are you ready for this? T E X A S

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I had a release, gloves, hand warmers, a three-piece hook for my bow/rifle, knife, flashlight, some deer scent, scent eliminator spray from Wild Life Research Center, an Ozonics machine, rope for my safety vest, a haul line, radio, deer calls, a bag with some first aid essentials, deer drag. Whew! Oh! I almost forgot my thermos. I have to have my coffee. I should stop by Bass Pro to see whether they sell a darn pack mule to carry all my gear. I know non-hunters would agree with my wife, but I am sure that actual hunters would understand my point of view…. Right? Hello? Okay. I guess now that deer season is over; I can go through all of my gear and see what I can do without. It is also a great time for me to gather my stands in. When I do, I’ll make sure there are no loose parts or missing bolts. Just doing the maintenance to keep things in tiptop shape is a great idea. If you are one of those who can leave stands up on your lease year-round, then you should make the effort to check them at the end of the season. Also, don’t forget to loosen the straps around the tree. Remember, trees grow. If you don’t loosen the strap, it could get so tight that it could break when you put your weight on your stand. I should remind you that when you check your deer stands, you should always bring and WEAR your safety vest. Harness yourself around that tree. It doesn’t take much for an accident to happen. Bad things can happen in a heartbeat. At best, such an injury could keep you from hunting for a few seasons. I heard about a hunter who fell from his stand and is now a paraplegic. He’s one hunter who will find it difficult to continue to hunt—all because of a safety issue. Don’t let something like that happen to you. Have fun and hunt safe.

stand, I saw no less than seven deer all at the same time. All were small year-and-a half old bucks. This was the first time anything like this has ever happened to me. Oh dark thirty in the morning seems to arrive earlier every day. Or maybe I’m just over exhausted from dragging my sorry butt out of a warm bed, loading my backpack with way too many things, hiking almost a mile in the woods every day, then out again. Yes, EVERYDAY! As I sat in my stand this morning, I thought about how heavy my backpack is and how I can leave some of the gear at home. I know that 40 years ago, when I first started this sport, I had

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REPORT: NEWS 33 u TF&G OF THE NATION Reported by TF&G Staff

& GAME 34 u FISH FORECAST CENTER SALTWATER

Reported by Capt. Eddie Hernandez, Capt. Mike Holmes, Mike Price, Capt. Chris Martin, Capt. Mac Gable, Capt. Sally Black and Cal Gonzales

& GAME 44 u FISH FORECAST CENTER FRESHWATER

Reported by Dustin Warncke and Dean Heffner

52 u SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK Tides and SoLunar Data

& GAME 56 u FISH HUNTING CENTER by Chester Moore ERAL HOGS ARE INCREASINGLY becoming not only a nuissance across Texas, but a deadly threat as evidenced by the recent killing of a woman near Anahuac. In light of this and other reports of harrowing encounters between humans and feral hogs, we thought it would be interesting—and instructive—to ask our subscribers and website readers to share their own stories of attacks and close calls with hogs. The stories on the following page are personal accounts of hog encounters submitted by Texas Fish & Game readers and fishgame.com users. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE u

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Baby hogs may be cute and cuddly, but if you see one, expect a mean mother to be nearby.

Mad Mama This hog may have pretty eyebrows, but it is big enough to cause damage. I grew up in the backwoods of Newton County. As a child I spent a lot of time playing in the woods. My cousin and I were about 10 and 12 years of age. We were out in the woods one day and spotted some cute baby pigs. We each picked one up, planning to keep them as pets. The piglets were squealing, of course. We heard snorting and blowing with the sound of something coming through the brush at us. Within a minute, the sow was rushing toward us. We started running as fast as we could, and as quickly as we ran, the mama was closing in on us. I prided myself on being able to run fast, but I promise you, pigs are faster. One of us had the good sense the drop her pig. The other followed suit. Mama took a brief second to nose around on her babies to check them out. I am convinced those brief seconds saved us. Angelina Primeaux

Harsh Hog Reality Jaw Dropping

Shot in the Foot

Back in 2017, my then-husband Sam and I were hunting on our lease at Sergeant. A 125pound boar came out, and I took a shot at it. Well, I jumped when I shot, so it hit him just below the jaw and he ran off. My husband stepped out of the blind to see where the hog had run to. At that point, the boar charged him. Sam kept running and changing direction, trying to get away from him, but he kept charging! I was finally able to get a shot and kill him after Sam was clear. It was horrible and could have been worse. Since that day I no longer walk to my blinds, and I carry a pistol in the woods.

On December 29, 2001, I was lighting a fire in the Rizzo cane poles. We were burning marsh. When I went back in to light a fire, a wild boar about 300 pounds was in the smoke just feet in front of me. It charged me. As I stood up to shoot it, I tripped over some dead grass and Rizzo canes. The gun went off, and shot me in the left foot. The bullet went through and hit the hog. They later killed it and found a part of the bullet that traveled through my foot. I had surgery and was very lucky to still have a foot, or even to be alive. The bullet hit a quarterinch from the main artery in my foot. I was over an hour boat ride from town and could have bled out.

Brenda C. Hughes

Thanks for sending me your “Wilderness Wednesday” report about the woman being killed by hogs near Anahuac. People need to know that’s reality. I’ve written several times about growing up in east Texas and spending significant time in the Big Thicket along Beach Creek. My mentor, Uncle Josh Munro told me “There are many things in the woods that can hurt you, Little Jack; but hogs can kill you—and eat you.” John Jefferson (Award-winning Outdoor Writer)

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The NATIONAL

CWD Found in Free-Ranging West Texas Doe CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE (CWD) has been detected in a free-ranging, 5 ½ year-old white-tailed doe between Del Rio and Amistad Reservoir, making it the first confirmed case of the disease in Val Verde County. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) are implementing a containment strategy designed to limit the spread of CWD from the affected area and better understand the distribution and prevalence of the disease. “Because eradication is thought to be impossible once CWD becomes established in a population, it is imperative that we work with other agencies, landowners and hunters to contain this disease within a limited geographic area and prevent it from spreading further among Texas deer populations,” said Dr. Bob Dittmar, TPWD’s Wildlife Veterinarian. “This containment strategy is particularly urgent considering this detection happened in the middle of the general deer season.” Effective immediately under an executive order issued by TPWD Executive Director Carter Smith, a CWD Containment Zone and all associated rules for that designation are in effect within the boundaries of a line beginning in Val Verde County at the International Bridge and proceeding northeast along Spur 239 to U.S. 90; thence north along U.S. 90 to the intersection of U.S. 277/377, thence north along U.S. 277/377 to the U.S. 277/377 bridge at Lake Amistad (29.496183°, -100.913355°), thence west along the southern shoreline of Lake Amistad to International boundary at Lake Amistad dam, thence south along the Rio Grande River to the International Bridge on Spur 239. A CWD Surveillance Zone is in effect

4957 US-90, Del Rio TX 78840 (29.43187° N., -100.90898° W). For full details and instructions on how to bring deer to the check station, hunters should check the Outdoor Annual mobile app or online. CWD among cervids is a progressive, fatal neurological disease that commonly results in altered behavior as a result of microscopic changes made to the brain of affected animals. An animal may carry the disease for years without outward indication, but in the latter stages, signs may include listlessness, lowering of the head, weight loss, repetitive walking in set patterns, and a lack of responsiveness. To date there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or non-cervids. However, as a precaution, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend not to consume meat from infected animals. “Though CWD has not been discovered in susceptible exotic species in Val Verde County, our agency is working proactively alongside our TPWD partners to achieve enhanced surveillance for all susceptible species in the identified zones,” said Dr. Andy Schwartz, TAHC Executive Director and State Veterinarian. Hunters are encouraged to report to TPWD any “sick looking” deer, elk, or other CWD susceptible species while hunting in any CWD zone. Contact information for the CWD zone check stations is found within the CWD section of the current Outdoor Annual and associated smart device application. To report a “sick looking” deer outside of a CWD zone, contact a TPWD wildlife biologist or Texas Game Warden. TPWD will continue to collect samples from all hunted properties located within the containment and surveillance zone as well as roadkills. The department is seeking as many additional samples for testing as it can obtain in order to get a better handle on the geographic extent and prevalence of the disease in this area.

within the boundaries of a line beginning in Val Verde County at the confluence of Sycamore Creek and the Rio Grande River (29.242341°, -100.793906°); thence northeast along Sycamore Creek to U.S. 277; thence northwest on U.S. 277 to Loop 79; thence north along Loop 79 to the Union Pacific Railroad; thence east along the Union Pacific Railroad to Liberty Drive (north entrance to Laughlin Airforce Base); thence north along Liberty Drive to U.S. 90; thence west along U.S. 90 to Loop 79; thence north along Loop 79 to the American Electric Power (AEP) Ft. Lancaster-to-Hamilton Road 138kV transmission line (29.415542°, -100.847993°); thence north along the AEP Ft. Lancasterto-Hamilton Road 138kV transmission line to a point where the AEP Ft. Lancasterto-Hamilton Road 138kV transmission line turns northwest (29.528552°, -100.871618°); thence northwest along the AEP Ft. Lancaster-to-Hamilton Road 138kV transmission line to the AEP Ft. Lancaster-to-Hamilton Road maintenance road (29.569259°, -100.984758°); thence along the AEP Ft. Lancaster-to -Hamilton Road maintenance road to Spur 406; thence northwest along Spur 406 to U.S. 90; thence south along U.S. 90 to Box Canyon Drive; thence west along Box Canyon Drive to Bluebonnet Drive; thence southwest along Bluebonnet Drive to Lake Drive; thence south along Lake Drive to Lake Amistad (29.513298°, -101.172454°), thence southeast along the International Boundary to the International Boundary at the Lake Amistad dam; thence southeast along the Rio Grande River to the confluence of Sycamore Creek (29.242341°, -100.793906°). CWD Containment and Surveillance Zone rules include restrictions on the movements of carcass parts as well as live deer possessed under the authority of a permit. The department is also implementing mandatory CWD testing of deer taken within the containment and surveillance zone within 48 hours at a new check station located at the RV park at the Del Rio Fisherman’s Headquarters, T E X A S

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protection and warmer water. The big winner in this, of course, is you! Live baits such as shrimp, mullet, and fresh dead shrimp will work very well as do long, dark-colored soft plastics. Eight to ten inch worms in black, red shad, or tomato are excellent choices. Fish them slow and have the patience to work the area over well, and you should get good results. Trout and reds will be more than happy to take these baits, but don’t be surprised if you put a few croakers, whiting and black drum in the box as well.

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GALVESTON

February A Time of Coastal Awakening would be wise to avoid the bay altogether. Fortunately though, February is only one of 12 months and just so happens to be the one with the fewest days. All is not lost, because some days, moving fishing up a few notches in the pecking order is not such a bad idea. There are sure to be a handful of days with mild conditions and winds not approaching gale force. These are the kind of days you need to take advantage of. The upper coast of Texas actually gives up lots of fish in February when the conditions are right. Your chances of scoring this month depend greatly on knowing where to be and not wasting time fishing areas that won’t hold fish in chilly water. This holds true for Texas’ entire upper coast. From Galveston to Sabine, you’ll want to fish the warmest water possible. The difference between catching or not can be decided by less than a degree of water temperature. So fishing deeper water will definitely work to your advantage. Deeper water adjacent to shallow flats, and drop offs near ledges or flats are what you should key on if fresh fish is on the menu tonight. Idle over these areas with an eye on your sonar to help locate drop offs and deep holes. Key on areas that mark pods of bait or visible reef with fluctuating depths. Late winter trout and baitfish will use this to their advantage as they seek both

SABINE Reported by CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

ITH THE INTENSITY and frequency of the cold fronts peaked-out during the traditional, coldest month of Southeast Texas winter, it’s no wonder that coastal fishing is pretty far down on a lot of people’s pecking order. There will be lots of days this CAPT. HERNANDEZ month when it ContactUs@Fishgame.com

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Reported by CAPT. MIKE HOLMES

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ANUARY WAS A SLOW month for the Texas Gulf, and February will usually be no better. Generally, the winter months are more wisely spent acquiring or working on tackle and other equipment, laying plans for warmer weather trips or even traveling to a warmer climate to test the waters. For those of us likely CAPT. HOLMES ContactUs@Fishgame.com to remain close to home who simply MUST get out and see what’s happening in near shore Gulf waters, however, there are nearly always a few options. Speckled trout and redfish are not likely to migrate long distances because of winter. Both species normally seek deeper, warmer habitat. Reds generally seek the deeper waters of the near-shore Gulf, where both food and shelter from cold winds will be found. Although the surf may be devoid of marine life for the most part, near-shore rigs and bottom structure will shelter baitfish species. Mud bottoms around solid structures provide some refuge from currents, but still have enough water movement to encourage feeding activities. On some winter trips seeking snappers, we have instead found reds, sheepshead, even a few flounders in water much deeper than they would seek in summer. Specks

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will probably be closer to shore than their red cousins, but are still to be found at times. Of course, this type of fishing requires one to be on “weather watch,” but there will be tolerable fishing days. Some days are actually pleasant with calm breezes and lots of sun. For those with enough boat and desire, roaming a bit farther out could bring good catches of snappers and even groupers. I have seen folks fishing offshore in small open boats in winter, but even when you’re bundled up, a vessel with more weather protection is the better choice! Most action will be from bottom fishing, although drifting a bait closer to the surface is usually worth a try. The reason more surface feeding fish are not reported caught in colder weather is because fewer anglers are trying for them. Still, were I determined to go offshore in winter in our area, I would look for bottomfeeding snappers on natural structure, reefs or bottom protrusions—in deeper holes when weather is not so pleasant. A boat that provides a warm, sheltered area for the rides out and back can make such trips worthwhile, if not exactly pleasant.

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MATAGORDA Reported by MIKE PRICE

N FEBRUARY, THE BAYS WAKE up. It’s the time when water temperatures head into the 60s and fish move and feed more than they have been during the cooler months of December and January. However, you have to choose your fishing days in accordance with the weather— PRICE ContactUs@Fishgame.com February weather can be relentlessly cold and windy, so you should look for a fishing window. On February 20 we went kayak fishing on just such a “weather window” day. The wind was light and variable, water clear and 56°F, tide incoming, and it was a sunny day with air temperatures from 60º to 70°F. I was kayak fishing the south shore of

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came in, Eddie and a friend caught their limits of trout between 21 and 29 inches, drifting in the same place. They might have done better because they were fishing before, instead of after the front, or because they had more wind and strong tidal movement. Whether you have a bang-up fish catching day or a lackluster day, you think about these factors and do your best to learn from them. Another helpful tool is to keep a fishing log and review it prior to a trip, paying attention to what happened in similar conditions. In early February, Brian Tulloch and I fished on a sunny day when air temperatures were between 60ºF and 70°F and the tide was incoming strong. We were on the south shore of West Matagorda Bay fishing where a cove met the bay and we found redfish hunting for prey. On that same day we learned that trout were hitting as well when we talked later to a man at the harbor. He had a cooler full of big trout he had caught at Airport Lake on the west end of West Matagorda Bay. February usually has more cold days with rain and strong winds than sunny days with light winds. However, on one of those nice days in between fronts, chances are you’ll find fish that are looking for prey aggressively.

East Matagorda Bay. The oyster reefs in the backwaters were exposed. I was tossing a gold spoon between oyster patches in onefoot-deep water, thinking, “This feels like redfish territory”, but to my surprise the spoon was hammered by a big trout. My drag was set on the loose side, which works best with trout. They have soft tissue around their mouths, and once hooked you don’t want to lose them by creating too much resistance with an over-tight drag. The fish ran displaying its specks in the shallow water. I kept a tight line and worked it in between the oyster reefs. The trout measured 22 ½ inches and weighed 3 ½ pounds. In early February, Jeff Wiley and I fished Shell Reef in West Matagorda Bay on the one good weather day out of seven or eight on both sides of it. Water temperatures started at 53°F and went up to 57°F. We had a light north wind, strong incoming tide and sunny skies. When we arrived, there was very little fish activity, but as the day and the water warmed, the fish started to move and feed. Jeff caught the first keeper on a gold spoon, a 21-inch redfish. Shortly thereafter I picked up a 17-inch trout on a pumpkinseed/chartreuse Bass Assassin. Then three bottlenose dolphins were herding and bashing trout 70 yards away from me. I am convinced that dolphins consider trout some of their favorite food. Trout are aware of this and dart away when they sense the presence of these voracious predators. If dolphins are right next to me, I move, but if they are 50 or so yards away, they may assist my fishing by sending some trout my way. I didn’t catch more trout that day, but did get into rat-reds. When it was time to leave, I made the old “one more cast” and managed to catch a 20-inch red. Drift fishing East Matagorda Bay in February can either be highly productive or somewhat disappointing. Last February I drift fished with Eddie Vacek and Bob Turner on the west side of East Matagorda Bay. We were over the Raymond’s Reef area two days after a front had come through. We had very little wind, very little tidal movement and made an estimated 7,000 casts. We caught only five undersized reds and trout. But one day before that same front F I S H

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UPPER COAST HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: East Galveston HOTSPOT: Siever’s Cut GPS: N29 26.562 W94 42.13788 (29.4427, -94.702298)

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: MirrOLures series 51 and 37 in chartreuse/silver side or orange/black/gold side CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 |

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LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Cleveland Reef GPS: N28 39.98298 W95 51.9819 (28.666383, -95.866365)

UPPER COAST captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: Lot of fronts in February...ﬁsh up to the front and then two days after frontal passage LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Colorado River GPS: N28 40.539 W95 58.07898 (28.67565, -95.967983)

are going to be. Just make long drifts, bouncing it off the bottom. LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Raymond Shoals GPS: N28 33.02796 W96 18.081 (28.550466, -96.301350)

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Heavy lead heads with chartreuse, soft plastic double tail or paddle tail grubs CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net TIPS: The River is a good option as long as you don’t have any rain. Drift the river, feeding the lure out behind the boat, feeding it out at different depths until you ﬁnd where the ﬁsh are. Use the trolling motor to keep the boat straight in the current.

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Norton Sand Shad CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net TIPS: If you want to fish out of the boat, your best choice would be East Bay. The main areas to fish in February are the west end because it’s all scattered shell across the bottom. The shell holds a lot more bait and your chances of catching fish are enhanced by the amounts of bait that is in the area. Don’t look for crystal clear water; crystal clear water is probably the least productive water in the wintertime. Look for off-color water. A lot of times that murky water is caused by baitfish. They are near the bottom where it’s warmer. They stir up the bottom and that’s what makes off color water. Find off-color water and your chance of catching fish is a lot better.

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Boiler Bayou GPS: N28 38.685 W95 54.06696 (28.64475, -95.901116)

SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: 3/8 to 1/4 oz. lead heads, Norton Sand Shad in Margarita, sometimes a Black Magic CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net TIPS: Drifting over scattered shell is a prime tactic this time of year, Normally the water is pretty cold and clear. What we look for is off-color streaks. If you can find streaks of off-color water, that’s where the fish

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SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Bass Assassins in Pumpkin Seed, Opening Night, Space Guppy or Texas Roach CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Alexander 979-709-8242 captalexander@yahoo.com TIPS: Drift ﬁshing—In February we are ﬁshing pretty deep, 5-6 feet of water, over shell. Use a heavier lead head than you would use in the warmer months. Get down as deep as you can without getting hung up. LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Shoal GPS: N28 43.371 W95 46.22796 (28.72285, -95.770466)

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkys in chartreuse. Pink is always a good color. CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net TIPS: Move into the shallow areas, some of the drains coming out of the peninsula and ﬁsh. Work the lures slow, also anywhere you can ﬁnd bait.

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LOCATION: Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: HLP Spillway GPS: N29 45.22296 W94 48.85692 (29.753716, -94.814282)

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Bass Assassins in Red Shad or Limetreuse colors CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: Tough month...traditional weather along the Gulf coast in February is anything but pleasant. Pick the 6 or 8 days during February that has the optimum tide—3 days before new moon and 3 days before a full moon. LOCATION: Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Jack’s Pocket GPS: N29 44.07696 W94 45.852 (29.734616, -94.764200)

CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com TIPS: Concentrate near bayous and drains, no matter whether wading or fishing from a boat. The drains hold significant bait at those ambush points. LOCATION: West Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Confederate Reef GPS: N29 15.75498 W94 55.17696 (29.262583, -94.919616)

LOCATION: West Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Starvation Cove GPS: N29 3.906 W95 11.93898 (29.236494, -94.938529)

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics if drifting, slow sinking plugs if wading CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corky or Corky Devils in pearl or plum colors

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Bass Assassins CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman 409-256-7937 captsteve@hillmanguideservice.com TIPS: There are some tremendously big ﬁsh caught in February both near the mouth of the Trinity River at Anahuac and near the HL&P spillway

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tcountz@sbcglobal.net TIPS: If you want to wade fish, your best choice in February would be West Bay. Work the bait really slow because the fish will be really sluggish. Fishermen who are using braided line in the wintertime have an advantage over fishermen using monofilament. There is no stretch and you can feel much more of the bite. In the wintertime sometimes the fish just pick the bait up and start moving with it. If you don’t feel that movement, you aren’t going to catch that fish.” — Tommy Countz

UPPER COAST 409-256-7937 captsteve@hillmanguideservice.com TIPS: “In late February we do pretty good for big trout, not numbers, but big trout” — Steve Hillman. LOCATION: West Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: North Deer Island GPS: N29 16.96398, W94 56.22294 (29.282733, -94.937049)

keeper for every ﬁve throwbacks. LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Cotton’s Bayou GPS: N28 31.34196 W96 12.48894 (28.522366, -96.208149)

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Maverick Bayou GPS: N28 34.66296 W96 3.705 (28.577716, -96.061750)

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: MirrOdine XL and Corky Fat Boys CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman 409-256-7937 captsteve@hillmanguideservice.com TIPS: If you get a blue norther, don’t waste your time leaving the house. Two days after is when you should be back on the water. Fish a lot in the afternoon in February, in the evenings, even after the sun goes down. That’s when everything stabilizes, bait gets active, and a lot of times the bigger ﬁsh feed at that time.

SPECIES: redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Bass Assassins on 1/4 oz. jig heads. Opening Night and Texas Roach are two good colors. CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Alexander 979-709-8242 captalexander@yahoo.com TIPS: Wading—Wade ankle deep mud, 4-6 inch deep mud. Do not set the hook right away; give them an extra second or so. The ﬁsh are lethargic at this time of the year.

LOCATION: West Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Chocolate Bay GPS: N29 11.31996 W95 8.7489 (29.188666, -95.145815)

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LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Green’s Bayou GPS: N28 29.73798 W96 13.56498 (28.495633, -96.226083)

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Bass Assassins in plum, 10W40, or Limetreuse colors when the water is green CONTACT: Capt. Steve Hillman 409-256-7937 captsteve@hillmanguideservice.com TIPS: : Chocolate Bay is a reliable place in February, not very many big ﬁsh, but a lot of throw backs—one

SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: 1/8 oz. lead heads with Black Magic or Roach colored soft plastic baits CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 tcountz@sbcglobal.net TIPS: “I like to go into West Matagorda Bay when the tides are super low and wade fish for redfish, targeting guts.” — Tommy Countz

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SPECIES: redﬁsh BEST BAITS: MirrOLures in chartreuse/gold or Hot Pink colors CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037

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Cold, Lack of Live Bait Set Tone for February

SAN ANTONIO BAY AREA Reported by CAPT. CHRIS MARTIN

EBRUARY IS TYPICALLY ONE of the colder months of the year along the Texas coast. It probably has less of a swing in temperatures compared to late fall or early spring—it’s simply cold most of the time. This means CAPT. MARTIN bayﬂatslodge@gmail.com day to day conditions where anglers can experience almost carbon-copy fishing sessions from day to day. A couple of reasons–food and deeper water—are why one wintertime area will continue to hold fish when other areas won’t. This month’s key factor is deeper water or immediate access to it. Everyone’s heard that trout move and react slower during colder months of the year. They start conserving their energy at the onset of colder weather. Add to that a slower metabolism on winter days, and that makes for a reduction in aggressive feeding habits. It’s during these colder days you’ll need to slow down your bait presentation. When

you slow your retrieve, the bait is worked in the very lowest portion of the water column. In theory, the trout prefer deeper water during cold periods because deep water maintains a more consistent water temperature longer. The deeper water temperature doesn’t fluctuate as much as in more shallow waters. It takes longer for deep water to be affected by surface water changes. Coastal anglers who wade-fish, walk in water between one to four feet deep, Keep in mind that when we speak of deeper water, it might be as little as one foot, or as much as four feet. The fish will key on water depths that present the least amount of biological change to them for a prolonged period. So you’ll need to experiment to locate them. If you’re wading in thigh-deep water, check in the lowest part of the water column first, by casting a plastic tail bait attached to a lead head jig out into nearby deeper water. No strikes? For whatever reason, the fish have discovered better, more consistent conditions somewhere between the bay floor and the surface. Any of a number of things could cause this. One of the more probable is underwater currents that are just a bit warmer flowing throughout different levels of the water column. So, now it’s time to explore the rest of the water column between the bay floor and the surface. This is the reason subsurface and slow-sinking lures play such a huge role in catching big trout this time of the year. These lure types have become increasingly popular for coastal wintertime fishing, with some of favorites being the entire Corky lineup, as well as the ever-popular MirrOlure MirrOdine XL plastic baits. So, pick the lure you have the most confidence in. When you fish a shoreline with these baits, start with a slow retrieve. Allow the bait to sink a foot below the surface. Then practice a slow twitch-twitch-pause cadence. If you fish deep water or reefs, let the bait fall between the middle and lower portion of the water column. Always begin reeling at a slow-to-moderate speed once the bait sinks. T E X A S

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It’s good practice to make sudden stops with the lure, allowing it to fall. Once the lure has fallen, start reeling at a slow pace. if it feels too comfortable, it’s probably the wrong speed. If you discover grass on your hook, the lure is sitting too long. If you find yourself casting more frequently, you’re definitely working your retrieve too fast. When you receive a strike, pay attention to how the fish hits the lure. In deeper water, you’ll normally get hits on subsurface lures as the lure falls. In shallow water, the fish often hit the lure aggressively just as you begin reeling. Any of the subsurface or slow-sinking lures mentioned above will allow you to keep the target out in front of the fish for a longer period of time while delivering a slower presentation.

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ROCKPORT AREA Reported by CAPT. MAC GABLE

HE SCARCITY OF LIVE BAIT this time of year makes crank bait (lures) the go-to answer for most, but that old, leftover bait you’ve been saving for a rainy day in the CAPT. GABLE freezer can captmac@macattackguideservice.com be put to productive use this time of year. Black drum and sheepshead will bite small portions of just about any frozen bait when they are feeding. Put it in the boat, and it will thaw just about the time your arm gives out from chunking lures.

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MIDDLE COAST HOTSPOTS

MIDDLE COAST COPANO BAY: My go-to spot is the mouth of Mission Bay. This area is a good spot for black drum and some keeper reds. Free-lined dead shrimp is the ticket. If the wind persists, a light Carolina rig will work. The old fishing pier adjacent to the LBJ causeway is a good area for sheepshead using frozen shrimp or small pieces of cut squid on braided line with a small split shot about 18 inches up from the hook.

LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: Italian Bend GPS: N28 2.56596, W97 8.08896 (28.042766, -97.134816)

ARANSAS BAY: Long Reef has been holding some black drum with peeled shrimp free-lined, the best choice. The area just off Jay Bird Reef is a good spot for some keeper trout using new penny-colored jerk shad on a light jig head.

ST. CHARLES BAY: The mouth of Cavasso Creek is a good place for some keeper trout using live shrimp or imitation Berkley shrimp under a rattle cork. Drifts in this area are a good tactic here for black drum. Big Sharp Point and Little Sharp Point are good areas to set up for reds on warmer days. Finger mullet free-lined works best, but cut mullet is a good substitute. Fish the deeper water transitions about 30 to 50 yards off the shoreline.

CARLOS BAY: The area near Ballou Island is a good spot for reds using mud minnows on a light Carolina rig. Drifts across Carlos Lake are still productive for trout. Jerk shad in morning glory and new penny are great lures for this area. MESQUITE BAY: Belden Dugout is a good spot for reds using free-lined finger mullet. The reefs at the mouth of Bray Cove are holding some black drum. Peeled shrimp work best fished on a light Carolina rig. Flounders are caught here as well. AYERS BAY: East Pocket (east shoreline) is a good spot for trout and reds using Berkley imitation shrimp under a bubble cork. Long casts are needed along with a stealthy approach. Wades just off Ayers Point are good for trout using live shrimp, free-lined. Stay about 20 yards offshore and cast 360 degrees. BANK BITE: Wades down the south shoreline across from the boat ramp in Goose Island State Park (you must pay for access) are long, but productive. The many reefs and cuts hold fish. There is a lot of boat activity here, but the fish still stay in this area. One can fish from the bank, moving east or wade, if that’s your preference. Soft plastics in morning glory and nuclear chicken work well, as do live shrimp free-lined. This is heavy shell so good booties or shoes are a must.

SPECIES: redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Kevin McCoy 361-775-2027 reelmccoy@cableone.net TIPS: Drag the lure along the bottom. You are looking for a mud/shell bottom. LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: Middle Copano Reef GPS: N28 7.60896, W97 7.09998 (28.126816, -97.118333)

SPECIES: redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Bass Assassins in plum/chartreuse; Brown Lures Devil Eye in chartreuse CONTACT: Capt. Kevin McCoy 361-775-2027 reelmccoy@cableone.net TIPS: Live bait such as pinﬁsh and croaker are not available in February. McCoy promises that soft plastics will work just as well.

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LOCATION: Nueces Bay HOTSPOT: Oyster reefs GPS: N27 51.59796, W97 25.31496 (27.859966, -97.421916)

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in plum/chartreuse or chartreuse colors CONTACT: Capt. Kevin McCoy 361-775-2027 reelmccoy@cableone.net TIPS: Nueces Bay is a good place to catch some big trout in February, primarily shell reefs. The deeper side of the reef where the shell meets mud, is going to hold your ﬁsh. LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N27 49.98498, W97 2.48298 (27.833083, -97.041383)

SPECIES: sheepshead BEST BAITS: Shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Marvin Engel 361-658-6674 CaptMarvinEngel@yahoo.com TIPS: Cast out and let the shrimp fall while reeling it in. Once you hang up a couple of times you will know where the rocks are and you can better place you’re casts. Fishing around the jetties, you’re bound to lose some terminal tackle.

LOCATION: Redﬁsh Bay HOTSPOT: Mustang Point GPS: N27 49.44396, W97 8.21094 (27.824066, -97.136849)

LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Fina Docks GPS: N27 50.71296, W97 3.65292 (27.845216, -97.060882)

LOCATION: Redﬁsh Bay HOTSPOT: Dagger Flats GPS: N27 49.75398, W97 10.60992 (27.829233, -97.176832)

SPECIES: black drum BEST BAITS: Peeled shrimp CONTACT: Marvin Engel 361-658-6674 CaptMarvinEngel@yahoo.com TIPS: Engel prefers freshwater over saltwater shrimp. “They work better at this time of the year. I put three or four shrimp on my hook at a time.” LOCATION: Redﬁsh Bay HOTSPOT: Inside Ransom GPS: N27 52.46796, W97 8.4999 (27.874466, -97.141665)

SPECIES: redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Bass Assassins in plum/chartreuse color CONTACT: Capt. Kevin McCoy 361-775-2027 reelmccoy@cableone.net TIPS: Put the bait on the bottom in the sand holes.

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SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Brown Lures Devil Eye in chartreuse CONTACT: Capt. Kevin McCoy 361-775-2027 reelmccoy@cableone.net TIPS: Redfish Bay is mostly grass flats with shallow water. Fish the open sand holes in the grass.

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SPECIES: sheepshead BEST BAITS: Shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Marvin Engel 361-658-6674 CaptMarvinEngel@yahoo.com TIPS: Freeline shrimp—cast and let it sink to the bottom. Something will probably pick it up before it gets to the bottom.

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It’s Trophy Trout Time on the Lower Coast something that makes it. It could be a sign of a predator about. Big trout hang out on the bottom, in general, when the water temperatures are low. Low and slow is the tactic for lure presentation. Dragging across the bottom with a big paddle tail, jerking a slow sinker like a Mirro-dine, a Catch 2000 or a Corky, slowly on the bottom or a slow lift with a drop back to the bottom with a straight tail lure like a Saltwater Assassin (SW Shad), a Willowtail or a Flappin-Shad can all be very effective. When the sun comes out and the wind is low, start looking along the bank. If mullet are there, the chances are good that a big girl is lurking about. This is when a top water may be effective. The time is right to toss a topwater when there is action on the top. Skittery or jumping mullet will give the sign. Fly casters jump on in here. Baffin Bay is the right place to come and blind cast the bigger flies with sinking tip lines right along with the lure chunkers. This year fly fisherman are beginning to target Baffin Bay as the best kept secret in fly fishing, world-wide. Orvis anglers fly all over the world to target trophy trout on the fly, why not Baffin Bay! Come and be the first fly angler to drag a 10 pound trout out of Baffin! Or maybe the new state record on the fly, just like Bud Rowland of South Padre Island did in 2004! Sometimes hunting for the trophy trout is really reserved for the hardest core fishermen. But really, most days, this hunt is open to all fishermen with good waders and gear. Extra clothes and gloves are necessary to bring in case someone gets wet. The day is over if someone steps wrong and cold water overflows the wader top. If there is a supply of warm, dry clothes on board, the problem is solved. It’s always good to have a back-up plan while winter fishing. The good news, however, is that trophy trout fishing on Baffin Bay goes through May. Last year, everything was a little late and the heaviest fish were caught in May. However, a big, fat, trophy trout can be caught any time from December to the end of the spawn, which would be late April or early May, when the water temperatures get

BAFFIN BAY Reported by CAPT. SALLY BLACK

HIS MONTH IS A GIFT. Sportsmen don’t seem to think so, however. The reason; duck season is over. Dove, over. Deer, over. Too cold to fish. Boat won’t start anyway. Ladies and gentlemen get that boat started. Get that tackle together. Make sure those waders don’t leak and the outer wear is solid. It’s time to start to focus on CAPT. BLACK Sally@CaptSally.com Baffin Bay Trophy Trout! Three out of the last four state records for trophy trout have come from Baffin Bay. Jim Wallace caught his 13.69 in February in Baffin Bay. Jim single-handedly started the Corky craze by catching a tremendous stringer of big girls on Mr. Brown’s Corky in 1994. Targeting trophy trout on Baffin Bay is an interesting angling endeavor. No matter what the temperature, there will be bait visible somewhere. Even just one mullet jumping tells a story. When the water is cold, mullet don’t just jump unless there’s

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to 75 or 80 and stay there. Trophy Baffin trout are not only feeding up for the winter, to survive colder temperatures, but then, they start eating extra hard when water temperature start to rise, even slightly. That’s the message from Mother Nature that the time to spawn is near. Trout don’t have the muscles to expel eggs, so they have to physically beat themselves on the bottom or between the rocks to dislodge the eggs from their bodies. This take a lot of energy. This is the reason that these big girls are so heavy February through May. This is also the reason that these big trout have reddish scrapes, scratches and wounds on their bodies when caught. These girls are working hard to keep those Baffin Bay genetics going! The hunt for the State Record is on. Anyone can beat it, especially on Baffin Bay because of the history here. The odds do go up for those who spend more days on the water. Timing is everything, so, if possible, target the third day after a cold front, or the day or two before a cold front. Low barometric pressure helps these fish put the feed on and up the odds of being caught. Actively feeding fish can be found anywhere there are mullet. No bait, not fish, move on. Keep looking for concentrations of any bait for best success. Sometimes, a big trout fishing day may result in just one or two strikes. Sometimes just one fish is caught, but that fish is a big one. Trophy trout hunting is just that, a hunt. Patience and fortitude are virtues and will bring much success, even on bad weather days. Baffin Bay Rod and Gun is equipped to help any angler, fly or conventional, achieve their personal best trophy trout. We provide everything necessary to put you in the right place at the right time. Since we are Orvis Endorsed for Fly Fishing, we would like to

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invite all fly anglers out there to try their hand at catching a Baffin Bay Big Girl on the fly this year! All of our guides are set up and ready to make it happen! Thank you for all of your support, we look forward to hosting you again this year, on the hunt for the Texas State Record Trophy Trout!

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LOWER LAGUNA MADRE

trout will cruise close in during low-light conditions. Work the area with smaller topwaters such as a Spook, Jr., or the Mirr=O=Lure Mirrodine are also excellent choices for working the early morning shallows. Soft plastic aficionados can work weightless jerkbaits such as the DOA Airhead 5 or Gulp! five-inch Jerk Shad. After you’ve worked the area thoroughly, then turn your attention to

Reported by CALIXTO GONZALES

T TAKES A SPECIAL KIND OF angler to wade fish the Lower Laguna Madre in the winter. The water will hover between 58 and 65 degrees, depending on the severity of winter. It is rarely fast action, mainly because of the coldblooded nature of speckled trout and redfish. This means they are in a bit of GONZALES ContactUs@FishGame.com a blue funk thanks to the cooler water. They won’t be up to chasing down fast moving baits, and their lower metabolisms mean that they aren’t going to be on the feed as often as they will in spring, fall and summer. Even so, the hardy, wader-clad angler can find some surprising success while hoofing it in the chilly waters of the South Texas Coast. One of the most popular bank accessible wading spots on the Lower Laguna Madre, for example, is the Community Bar in Port Mansfield. Access for shore-bound anglers was available via a pedestrian entrance at Fred Stone Park, but ambitious anglers are better served by wading out around the fence line and walking through the shallows the quarter mile to the bar. Others can reach it via boat and anchoring up on the bar itself, hopping out, and fishing the drop-off. Regardless of how you reach Community Bar, you can wade out toward the bar and start fishing. Don’t head straight out into deeper water immediately. It doesn’t hurt to work parallel to the shoreline in knee-deep water, especially on a high tide. Redfish and

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361-449-7441

LOWER COAST

TIPS: When a north wind limits your options, set up a wade on this popular winter spot. The mud bottom retains warmth more effectively than sand, and trout and redﬁsh, as well as forage species, gravitate to it. Fish around and through color changes with lightly weighted soft plastics. The wading is a bit tough because of the soft mud, but he quality ﬁsh make it worth the effort.

deeper water. There is plenty of deeper water. Between the shoreline and Community Bar is a deep gut that speckled trout use as a migration route up and down Laguna Madre. The wide gut deepens until you are in neck-deep water, which can make a fisherman pretty nervous. It’s easy to spot where the really deep stuff is, though, because local commercial crabbers set their traps at the bottom of the gut, and the white buoys mark where the really deep water is. They also make great fish attractors, so it never hurts to make a number of casts to it. Set up in waist-deep water and fan cast into the gut to prospect for trout. The classic shrimp/popping cork rig is the top fish producer in the area, but many fishermen who would rather avoid lugging a bait bucket switch over the either a Gulp! Shrimp in Nuclear Chicken or Glow. Both are very effective under a popping cork or Mansfield Mauler. You can also use a ¼ ounce Gulp! Shrimp or a DOA Shrimp in Root Beer or Red, or any of the classic patterns produced by Norton Lures. I’ve also taken to using DOA’s Bone/Glow pattern to great success. As Mark Nichols says about the pattern, it doesn’t resemble any natural shrimp color, but fish still love it. Make sure your leader is 18 to 24 inches long, and that your rod is long enough (7 to 7 ½ feet) to facilitate long casts into the gut. If you prefer to eschew the floats, shad tails such as the classic H&H Queen Cocahoe Norton Bull Minnow are good choices to fish the gut (the latter, especially the classic strawberry/white pattern, has literally caught millions of trout in LLM). The throbbing shad tail puts off plenty of vibration that can get a trout’s attention from a long way off. Lipless crankbaits such as the Rat-L-Trap in gold/black are also excellent options for the gut, and they help you cover a lot of water quickly. Fan cast an area. If you don’t find any fish, move a few feet to your left or right, and keep working the deeper water until you hit paydirt. Some adventurous fishermen are willing to negotiate the deeper water to cross the 44

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gut and reach the actual Community Bar. They will either fish the grassy top for redfish (with gold spoons being the #1 choice), or turn around to fish the edge of the depth break. The latter method is quite popular because it allows you to fish the deeper water with the wind at your back. There will almost always be a stiff breeze pushing off the Gulf of Mexico by the middle of the day. If a cold front blows in, the same wind will be coming out of the northwest. In that case, it’s time to head to the house and warm up. Boaters need to keep a close eye if they are passing by the Bar en route to other parts of LLM. Wade fishermen aren’t very mobile. Most boaters are savvy enough to give the shallows a wide berth in this area, but there is always an angler ignorant of the area’s popularity among waders. Don’t let those boaters deter you though. The fishing around Community Bar can be quite good. Keep a sharp eye, and you’ll be fine.

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LOWER COAST HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado HOTSPOT: Unnecessary Island GPS: N26 22.002, W97 18.82398 (26.3667, -97.313733)

SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, soft plastics in red/ white, LSU, Rootbeer/chartreuse, New Penny. CONTACT: LG Outfitters 956-371-0220 lgoutfittters.com TIPS: Tuck into the leeward side of Unnecessary and drift the length of the flats near the ICW. Watch for mud-boils to cue you into where redfish are cruising. Live shrimp is good, so are scented soft plastics. Long casts may be necessary if the water is very clear. LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Black’s Bluff GPS: N27 14.23698, W97 33.93498 (27.237283, -97.565583)

LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: The Badlands GPS: N27 18.228, W97 24.33792 (27.3038, -97.405632)

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters early, soft plastics in limetreuse, pumpkinseed/chartreuse, corkies. CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart |

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SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in limetreuse, pumpkinseed/chartreuse. CONTACT: Captain Mike Hart, 361-449-7441 TIPS: Look for nervous bait popping about near dropoffs. That’s usually a sign that there are predators lurking. Plastics should be ﬁshed on light jigs. 1/8th ounce is good. 1/16th is even better. Once you

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natural patterns, or soft plastics on small (1/16-1/8 ounce) jigheads.

begin working the area, ﬁsh deeper water with soft plastics and suspending plugs for trout. Work your lures slowly, and pay attention. The bites can be very, very subtle.

LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Andy Bowie Park Shoreline GPS: N26 11.55918 W97 10.53294 (26.192653, -97.175549)

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: New Queen Isabella Causeway GPS: N26 4.96998, W97 12.06 (26.082833, -97.201000)

LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Land Cut Spoils GPS: N26 52.27008, W97 27.7995 (26.871168, -97.463325) SPECIES: black drum BEST BAITS: Live or fresh shrimp, crab chunks, mantis shrimp (sea lice). CONTACT: Captain Carlos Garcia 956-433-6094, 956-433-6028 southtexasredfish20@gmail.com TIPS: Schools of drum roam this broad flat, which can be reached by shore-bound anglers from Pirate’s Landing Fishing Pier. Some of the fish will be big uglies in the 20-30 pound range, which you’ll have to release. Fish the edges of the Intracoastal Waterway with either live shrimp, or fresh crab, shrimp, or sea lice on a dropper or Carolina Rig works. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: The Saucer GPS: N26 28.149, W97 23.87394 (26.46915, -97.397899)

SPECIES: all species BEST BAITS: Fresh Shrimp, Ghost Shrimp CONTACT: Quick Stop 956-943-1159 TIPS: Fish two hook rigs with 1 to 2 ounce sinkers (spider weights are best if the surf is sloppy) in the ﬁrst or second gut (the latter on an outgoing tide) to target pompano and whiting. You can purchase live shrimp and keep them alive in sawdust for easy portability, or fresh shrimp. Use long-shanked hooks. You’ll be impressed by the size of some of these “bull” whiting.

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, Catch 5s in smoke, pinﬁsh patterns. Soft plastics in LSU, gold or chrome spoons. CONTACT: Captain Danny Neu 979-942-0165 Danny.Neu.39@facebook.com TIPS: Fish topwaters early on mild days, and throughout the whole trip when clouds dominate. If the ﬁsh are sitting deeper, switch to suspending plugs in

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SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkies, soft plastics in red/white, LSU, Rootbeer/Chartreuse. CONTACT: LG Outfitters 956-371-0220 www.lgoutfitters.com TIPS: Fish the edges of potholes on warm days with sub-surface plugs and soft plastics. On cloudy or cooler days, fish deeper water such as guts and dropoffs near spoil islands.

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the cypress trees using a jig or weightless Senko in most any dark color. There many other areas like this on Caddo such as Big Green Break, Whatley Island, etc. that can be ﬁshed the same way as well. LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 24.0899, W 95 34.398 (30.4015, -95.5733)

Trophy Bass Season Ready for Kickoff • • •

EAST TEXAS HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Ames Spring Basin GPS: N 32 42.7619, W 94 5.43 (32.7127, -94.0905)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Stinkbait, chicken livers, shrimp CONTACT: Richard Tatsch 936-661-7920 admin@fishdudetx.com www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: Catfish this time of year are pretty big! Fish the main lake points between the creeks in anywhere from 10 to 20 feet of water. I normally bait an area using cattle cubes and the 1 1/2 to 5-pound channels will show up and, occasionally, you’ll have a big blue cat make the rounds. I’ve been catching a lot of them between 20 and 60 pounds. You can get them to hit stink baits, chicken livers or shrimp or cut shad well this time of year. LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: 154 Bridge Pilings GPS: N 32 51.5459, W 95 31.9919 (32.8591, -95.5332)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Black/blue 1/2 oz. V&M bass jigs, Senkos, Rat-L-Traps CONTACT: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith 318-455-3437 caddoguide@gmail.com www.caddolakefishing.com TIPS: The February time frame can produce some giant bass on Caddo Lake. Ames Spring Basin on the Texas North side of the lake is just one example of where we catch big ones in February. If water temperatures are below 55, I will start with fishing the grass and trees with a 1/2 oz. red or crawfish colored Rat-L-Trap around the cypress and grass flats here. Most of the water here is 3-5 feet deep. If the water is above 55 degrees, I start concentrating more on just

Reported by DUSTIN VAUGHN WARNCKE

EBRUARY IS WHEN TROPHY bass anglers start getting serious, as the pre-spawn activity begins on Fork, Conroe, Rayburn and other big largemouth lakes. Look for the fish to start moving toward points and mid-depth areas in preparation for the spawn. Meanwhile, white bass will be moving up stream for the kickoff of their own spawning season. Don’t forget crappie and catfish, as this month can be a great crappie producer on Livingston and the cats get big this month on Lake Conroe.

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: 3/4 oz. red Rat-L-Trap, white swim baits, 3/4 oz. spinner baits in white or white/chartreuse, chatterbaits in white, plastic lizards in black CONTACT: Doug Shampine 940-902-3855 doug@lakeforktrophybass.com www.lakeforktrophybass.com TIPS: February is the month on Lake Fork the big females are moving around and thinking about early pre-spawn. This is also the ﬁrst month the ShareLunker bass will start showing up, especially

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EAST TEXAS CURRENT LAKE LEVELS LAKE

CAPACITY AC. FT. Addicks -n.a.B A Steinhagen 69,186 Barker -n.a.Bob Sandlin 192,417 Bonham 11,027 Caddo 29,898 Coleto Creek 31,040 Conroe 410,988 Crook 9,195 Cypress Springs 66,756 Fork 605,061 Houston 130,147 Houston County 17,113 Jacksonville 25,670 Jim Chapman 260,332 Lake O’ the Pines 241,363 Livingston 1,741,867 Monticello 34,740 Murvaul 38,285 Nacogdoches 39,522 Palestine 367,303 Pat Mayse 113,683 Sam Rayburn 2,857,077 Striker 16,934 Sulphur Springs 17,747 Toledo Bend 2,236,450 Wright Patman 553,344 As of 1/4/2020

CURRENT AC. FT. -n.a.66,257 -n.a.185,805 9,178 29,898 22,294 370,150 9,070 66,756 543,129 117,413 17,113 24,991 221,677 241,363 1,741,867 28,373 35,577 35,036 333,641 113,683 2,612,504 16,934 16,380 1,695,002 424,047

% FULL -n.a.96% -n.a.97% 83% 100% 72% 90% 99% 100% 90% 90% 100% 97% 85% 100% 100% 82% 93% 89% 91% 100% 91% 100% 92% 76% 77%

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under the 154 bridge around the bridge pilings. The other areas they will be showing up will be Glade, Burch, Running, Coffee Creeks and the north areas of the lake that is protected from a strong north wind. If you can ﬁnd vegetation in those areas, the bass will be hanging around there. LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Kintchloe Branch GPS: N 32 57.18, W 95 37.6439 (32.9530, -95.6274)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Lunker Thumper, Grandebass 6.5” Rattlesnake CONTACT: Lance Vick (903) 312-0609 lance@lakeforkbass.com www.guideonlakefork.com

14 miles northeast of Nacogdoches

HOTSPOTLIGHT:

LAKE NACONICHE LOCATION: on Naconiche and Telesco creeks, 14 miles northeast of Nacogdoches off US Highway 59 SURFACE AREA: 692 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 40 feet IMPOUNDED: 2009 FISH STOCKINGS BEGAN IN 2009 AND included channel catﬁsh, bluegill, Florida largemouth bass, and white and black crappie. The most popular sport ﬁsh at Lake Naconiche is the largemouth bass. Bass 15 to 20 inches in length are very abundant, some exceed 6 pounds, and an excel-

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TIPS: “ February on Lake Fork is the kickoff of trophy bass fishing. Fish are moving shallow in pre-spawn areas, secondary points leading to spawning flats and shallow creek channel bends. The best techniques to get a giant bass in the boat is casting a Lunker Thumper from www.finchnastybaitco.com. This vibrating jig really calls out the big ones. When it is windy and cold, the Thumper really works. Cast to hard cover such as standing timber and boat docks. If it has been warming and the water is calm, it’s hard to beat a Grandebass 6.5”” Rattlesnake, rigged weightless. Cast around shallow cover. If it is a little deeper or windy, put a 1/8 oz. Texas weight in front of it. Fish it slow and be ready for a big bite! Good fishin’ to all!”

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lent fishery exists. Growth rates of largemouth bass are fast, so the population will continue to improve and abundance of fish over 6 pounds will increase over the next few years. An excellent crappie population is also present in the reservoir. Initial stockings of channel catfish were successful, and many of these fish exceed 4 pounds. Sunfish are present in high numbers and provide good fishing, especially for youth or inexperienced anglers.

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LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Little Caney Creek GPS: N 32 49.686, W 95 33.42 (32.8281, -95.5570)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Crappie jigs in pink/chartreuse CONTACT: Doug Shampine 940-902-3855 doug@lakeforktrophybass.com www.lakeforktrophybass.com TIPS: February is the last month on Lake Fork that you keep the ﬁrst 25 per person crappie you catch |

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TIPS: In February I’ll be spending the majority of my time on the Sabine River loading up the boat with white bass. The whites will be making their annual river run up the river to spawn. Locating the whites is contingent on several factors: river level, current and clarity. If the river is out of its bank, work the flooded sloughs and find some clear water. If the river is at normal or below normal stages, you can usually find the whites on the inside bend sandbars. If the river has a lot of current, look for still water where the fish can get out of the current. Look for the eddies formed on the downside of the inside bends of the river. When you locate the fish, they will be bunched up and feeding heavy. Be extremely careful running the river. A lot of under water hazards, mainly submerged logs and debris, can show up at any time.

EAST TEXAS no matter the size. March starts back to a 10” length limit. The crappie will be starting to move from their winter holding pattern, which is on the deeper ridges and humps, and start moving towards shallower water. But early February check the deeper flats in the mouth of Little Caney, humps in front of the damn and start your search in 30-45 feet of water. Here is where good electronics will help you locate baitfish and the schools of crappie feeding in the deeper water. Use two jigs on your pole. One will cover the bottom and one will cover the suspended crappie. The bite is normally light in the cold water but this is when you can catch some really nice sized fish.

LOCATION: Sam Rayburn Res. HOTSPOT: Brush Creek GPS: N 31 21.2459, W 94 26.7059 (31.3541, -94.4451)

LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: White Rock Creek GPS: N 30 57.2999, W 95 19.9199 (30.9550, -95.3320)

LOCATION: Toledo Bend Res. HOTSPOT: Staveyard Branch GPS: N 31 17.334, W 93 45.564 (31.2889, -93.7594) SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-traps in red CONTACT: Mike Knight 936-635-2427 notechmike@hotmail.com www.easttxﬁshingguide.com TIPS: February at Sam Rayburn is the beginning of the magic. Lots of bass and some monsters too will be on the move staging on points, mid-depth ledges and humps. There will also be plenty of bass moving into ditches and drains leading into and out of large bays and ﬂats. This is number 2 of the 3 best months to catch a Rayburn giant.

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Live minnows, micro tube crappie jigs in black and chartreuse CONTACT: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 dave@palmettoguideservice.com www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: February on Lake Livingston can be one of the best fishing months of the year. Weather dependent, all species of game fish can be good now. Water temperature and clarity are two important factors to look for this time of year. Head up White Rock Creek now for some of the best crappie fishing this season. Crappie will be in the deep holes in the cut banks. Fish 5 to 6 feet down near wood and lay downs. “Stump jumping” is a favorite technique. Catch three or four off a stump and move quietly to the next stump. Best bait is live minnows; however, they will take a variety of jigs this time of year and the black and chartreuse micro tube is one of my favorites right now. Good Luck fishing Lake Livingston!

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LOCATION: Toledo Bend North HOTSPOT: Sabine River (Grand Cane Bayou) GPS: N 31 56.76, W 93 58.614 (31.9460, -93.9769)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Jig and pig combo, deep diving crankbaits CONTACT: Mike Knight 936-635-2427 notechmike@hotmail.com www.easttxﬁshingguide.com TIPS: February at T-Bend depends on the type of winter we have. If it’s been mild, expect some big female bass to begin staging on deep docks and timbered points near spawning ﬂats in 10 to 15 feet. If winter has been rough it will be an offshore bite in 15 to 30 feet of water. Jig and pig is February’s go-to bait with a deep crankbait as a backup.

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, Road Runners, Crank Baits, Slab Spoons and live Crawﬁsh CONTACT: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages 936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com www.toledobendguide.com

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Cold or No Cold, Plenty of Fishing in February

Reported by DUSTIN VAUGHN WARNCKE

ROM STRIPERS TO PREspawning largemouth, to ready-torun white bass, catchable crappie and plenty of catfish action, February offers a full plate of opportunities for anglers. Weather permitting, of course. The pre-spawn is on for most of the best bass producers in the region. Meanwhile, stripers are moving on Buchanan, Canyon, and of course, Texoma. White bass are getting into the starting blocks up rivers and creeks in preparation for their spring run on Eagle Mountain, Granbury and Whitney. Catfish action is good on Buchanan, Lavon, Richland Chambers, Somerville and Tawakoni. Smaller lakes like Bachman, Coleto Fayette County, Gibbons and Granger offer plenty of bass, catfish and crappie opportunities this month.

• • •

CENTRAL TEXAS HOTSPOTS

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Bass: spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps | Crappie: minnows and 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 lines. Bass fishing is especially good at the dam, by the banks and near the timber under the bridge. Crappie are under the bridge at night this time of year. Minnows and jigs are your best bet right now for them. LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Rocky Point GPS: N 30 49.092, W 98 23.232 (30.8182, -98.3872)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasfishing@gmail.com www.centraltexasfishing.com TIPS: February will find Stripers moving up the lake for spawning patterns. Concentrate your efforts from Rocky Point to Garrett Island. Fish drifting or anchored with live bait. Focusing on humps and ridges in 25-40 feet of water is your best strategy.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 49.014, W 98 24.894 (30.8169, -98.4149)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut bream, carp, shad, chicken or beef liver CONTACT: Ken Milam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: Blue catfish will be along the river channel, on the sides of humps and along old tree lines. Jug lines and rod and reel are the best methods to catch catfish this time of year. Cut bait will do well along with any bloody bait such as chicken or beef liver. Just get on the lake and have FUN! LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: River Channel GPS: N 29 53.508, W 98 17.808 (29.8918, -98.2968)

SPECIES: Striped Bass & White Bass BEST BAITS: 1 oz. KT Jigging Spoon in white and sliver CONTACT: Capt. Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230 capt.steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com www.sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Fish from the point back to the river channel casting out the spoon and 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, preparing for the spawn run. Tight lines and fish on!

LOCATION: Bachman Lake HOTSPOT: Webb Chapel Road Bridge GPS: N 32 51.552, W 96 51.3659 (32.8592, -96.8561)

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www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com

CENTRAL TEXAS

TIPS: This cove is 8 feet deep for a good way. North wind is blocked in this cove. Chum along edge of channel and drift bait with cork through the chummed area.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 18.768, W 96 8.562 (32.3128, -96.1427)

LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Hog Island GPS: N 30 37.9919, W 96 3.498 (30.6332, -96.0583) LOCATION: Lake Eagle Mountain HOTSPOT: Mud ﬂats just east of Church Point GPS: N 32 55.492, W 97 30.051 (32.9249, -97.5009)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: 3/8 oz. bass jigs with plastic craws or creature trailers in multiple colors CONTACT: Jason Barber 903-603-2047 kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com www.kingscreekadventures.com TIPS: This month we are “dock skipping” for largemouth bass. Focus on spawning creeks and ﬁsh all the docks in an entire cove. Skip bait under and around all areas of each dock and near any visible cover including brush, rocks and retaining walls.

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Slab with a ﬂy 12” above or a spinner with shiny blade CONTACT: Johnny Stevens 817-597-6598 johnnysguideservice.com johnlu1313@gmail.com TIPS: This area is composed of many slopes and humps. Water depth is normally 12 to 24 ft. deep. When water temperature approaches 60 degrees many white bass spawn on humps and slopes. Look on each slope and hump with your electronics until you see a series of small humps on the bottom. Throw out a marker buoy, anchor over them, and jig up and down with slab rig. On many occasions you will catch two at a time. Another productive way is to cast to the hump with a lure that has a lot of ﬂash to it.

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Res. HOTSPOT: Turkey Creek GPS: N 28 44.604, W 97 10.182 (28.7434, -97.1697)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Shad colored lures CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-960-0566 TIPS: The ﬁsh should be hungry, and the food should be a little scarce. Fish will be taking advantage of any opportunity this time of year. Slow retrieves and, more importantly, natural looking lures, should be your strategy. This is probably the most important month that we need lures to look the most natural. Fish will be deeper on colder days and up against the shallows during the afternoons when the sun is out. Find the grass (hydrilla) and you will most likely ﬁnd the bass.

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Shad, CJ’s punchbait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Water is deeper here, around 10-18 foot. Blues seek deeper water in the winter. Tie to stump in shallower water and cast out using tight lines. Use #4 Kahle hook with shad. LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Channel Bends in the River GPS: N 32 32.869, W 97 48.959 (32.5478, -97.8160)

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: White/chartreuse jigs and roadrunners worked near spawning grounds. CONTACT: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 817-578-0023 TIPS: Bouncing Jigs off the bottom where ﬁsh are located. Trolling spinner baits or rattle traps can be used to locate active ﬁsh.

LOCATION: Fayette County Res. HOTSPOT: Dead Fish Cove GPS: N 29 57.0179, W 96 44.6339 (29.9503, -96.7439)

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Shad, CJ’s punchbait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com

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CURRENT CENTRAL TEXAS LAKE LEVELS

LAKE

As of 1/4/2020

Aquilla Arlington Athens Austin Bardwell Belton Benbrook Buchanan Canyon Cedar Creek Choke Canyon Corpus Christi Eagle Mountain Georgetown Granger Grapevine Halbert Hubert H Moss Inks Joe Pool Lavon Lewisville Limestone Lyndon B Johnson Marble Falls Martin Medina Mountain Creek Nasworthy Navarro Mills New Terrell City Ray Hubbard Ray Roberts Richland-Chamb. Somerville Stillhouse Hollow Tawakoni Texana Texoma Travis Tyler Waco Waxahachie Weatherford Whitney Worth

CAPACITY

(Acre Feet)

43,243 40,188 29,503 23,972 46,122 435,225 85,648 860,607 378,781 644,686 662,820 256,062 179,880 36,823 51,822 163,064 6,033 24,058 13,962 175,358 406,388 563,228 203,780 115,249 6,901 75,726 254,823 22,850 9,615 49,827 8,583 439,559 788,167 1,087,839 150,293 227,771 871,685 159,566 1,258,113 1,113,348 72,073 189,418 10,780 17,812 553,344 553,344

CURRENT

(Acre Feet)

34,742 36,186 28,198 22,405 38,982 399,209 63,466 777,482 353,723 564,341 298,954 192,913 160,516 24,986 51,822 163,064 5,063 23,821 11,500 154,184 338,389 563,228 163,054 95,536 6,858 59,674 198,083 22,850 8,469 38,458 8,129 380,340 788,167 933,348 146,824 206,884 807,463 117,519 1,258,113 923,084 62,592 149,854 9,855 15,085 424,047 424,047

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Willis Creek GPS: N 30 41.958, W 97 23.9819 (30.6993, -97.3997)

% FULL 80% 90% 96% 94% 85% 92% 74% 90% 93% 88% 45% 75% 89% 68% 100% 100% 84% 99% 82% 88% 83% 100% 80% 83% 99% 79% 78% 100% 88% 77% 95% 87% 100% 86% 98% 91% 93% 74% 100% 83% 87% 79% 91% 85% 77% 77%

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5 miles west of Belton

HOTSPOTLIGHT:

STILLHOUSE HOLLOW LOCATION: Five miles west of Belton off US 190 SURFACE AREA: 6,429 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 107 feet IMPOUNDED: 1968 STILLHOUSE HOLLOW IS AN EXTREMEly clear and deep reservoir. The main lake area is dominated by steep rocky shoreline with limited amounts of standing timber. There are also numerous beds of hydrilla in the lower lake. The upper lake and river areas are slightly stained with numerous laydowns, brush piles, and standing timber. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recently worked with local partners to add ﬁsh attracting structure at four sites. Largemouth bass ﬁshing is best

•

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: 1/16 oz. crappie jig CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell 512-365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Now is the time white bass and crappie start to move up the creeks and river. Whites will be on and off, but you just have to go ﬁsh to have a chance. Crappie are moving into shallow water in the sloughs and can be caught in very shallow water. A good way to catch crappie is to wait until there are 3 warm days and nights and that will move the crappie to the shallows. Use slip bobbers set at 14 to 18 inches. Good luck and good ﬁshing.

T E X A S

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during spring and fall when water temperatures range from the mid-50s to the mid-70s. At first light, topwater baits fished on rocky points or over hydrilla beds can be good. Later in the day, drop a heavy jig or large worm into matted hydrilla in 5’-15’ of water. Smallmouth bass can be good year round. Topwaters and crankbaits fished around rocky points and riprap can be very productive. Channel catfish can be caught throughout the year. Drift fishing with shad across the flats is usually good. Trotlining is best in the upper lake. Flathead catfish are most often caught by trotliners using live sunfish on the upper lake.

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LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Elm Creek GPS: N 33 5.8679, W 96 26.1119 (33.0978, -96.4352)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut shad CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 Whitebassfishingtexas@gmail.com www.whitebassfishingtexas.com TIPS: Now is a good time to catch some good catfish on Lavon. Fish 1 to 15 feet deep in coves in |

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CENTRAL TEXAS timber using cut bait for best results. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: North End GPS: N 32 17.6519, W 95 26.9399 (32.2942, -95.4490)

the evening bite. The water will often warm up 8 to 10 degrees throughout the day and then cool back down over night. The males should start pushing up as water gets around 60 degree’s and the females should start moving up to the beds as the water warms to 65 degree’s or warmer. Please note that navigating to the creeks can be very tricky with a lot of shallow ﬂats and wooded areas that are not visible. Take your time and be safe.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Junebug red Big Eye Jigs, Big Eye spinnerbaits, Big Eye buzzbaits CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Fish the drains in by the islands and weeded areas using the above Big Eye baits. Take your time and ﬁsh this area thoroughly.

LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake HOTSPOT: Grape Creek GPS: N 31 57.348, W 96 18.7139 (31.9558, -96.3119)

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Elm Creek GPS: N 33 29.345, W 97 05.805 (33.489086, -97.096753)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Danny Kings Blood Punch Bait CONTACT: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 simmonsroyce@hotmail.com www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: February as well as the other winter months are prime time for Catfish on Richland Chambers. Both blue and channel cats can be caught in large numbers in the timber along the Richland Creek Arm of the Lake. The Crab Creek area is equally good. Focus on areas in depths of 20’-30’feet of water and especially look for timber where the cormorants roost. We use blood punch bait on a # 4 Treble Hook and usually fish on or near the bottom. We also use 15 lb. line and a 1/4 to 1/2 oz. weight depending on water depth, wind speed and how the catfish are biting. On some days, it helps to chum with sour maize or range cubes.

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: 1/16-oz. jigs CONTACT: Cliff Spindle 940-727-3493 cliffspindle@yahoo.com www.spindleguideservice.com TIPS: Fishing for crappie during the spawn can be a lot of fun and exciting action. Target areas along the creek with any type of cover such as log jams, laydowns or weeds. Work the area slow from 1 FOW to 5 FOW. I personally like using a Walley Marshall Signature Series 10’ rod to be able to work the area over without having to get right on top of what I am ﬁshing, this will help avoid spooking the ﬁsh that are up shallow. The crappie relate to the water temp’s during the spring so the warmer the water the better the action, with that being said, at the beginning of the spawn the morning bite may not be as good as

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LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Dam Area GPS: N 30 19.038, W 96 31.986 (30.3173, -96.5331)

T E X A S

F I S H

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Shad, cut bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Water is at its coldest. Fish deep, drifting is good - use a no roll sinker. Drift 1/2 mph. using a drift sock to slow down. Time to catch large blues in deep water! LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni HOTSPOT: Wichita Bay GPS: N 32 55.8359, W 95 59.238 (32.9306, -95.9873)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut gizzard shad CONTACT: Andrew Taylor, Lake Tawakoni Guide Service 903-269-6587 etxbass@gmail.com www.Laketawakoni.guide TIPS: As we progress further into fall/winter look for water temperatures to continue to fall. One of my favorite parts of wintertime fishing is the deep bite. Typically, I will look and find most of my fish in the 35’-50’ of water range. With the water temperature dropping, it forces a lot of the bait to go deep, which makes pinpointing trophy blue cats that much easier. Where there is bait there are feeding fish! I do spend a lot of time behind the graph before setting up a drift, looking for clouds of bait fish with feeding blues under it. I run a Santee Cooper Rig, with about a 3’ leader, 2 oz. slinky weight, and 8/0 Gamakatsu circle hook. My favorite type of bait to run is gizzard shad. Sometimes they’re tough to come by in the winter months but if you can manage to get your hands on them, remember, the bigger the better. A lot of people have different ideas on how to run the bait, but I’ve always ran chunks with better results.

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LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Slickem Slough GPS: N 33 51.3539, W 96 52.686 (33.8559, -96.8781)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Road Runner jigs, Sassy Shad jigs CONTACT: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfishlaketexoma@gmail.com www.striperexpress.com TIPS: Winter fishing on Lake Texoma is legendary. Chances of landing trophy stripers in February are in your favor. Road Runner ½oz.- 1oz. white Bucktail jigs with a 7-inch soft plastic worm are deadly on the big fish holding on structure. Always keep your eyes on the seagulls. Cast your 1 oz. white glo Sassy Shad jigs under the birds where large schools of stripers can be feeding. Multiple hook-ups are common with

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lots of action in the open water. LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: State Park Area GPS: N 31 55.074, W 97 21.8219 (31.9179, -97.3637)

BEST BAITS: 3” chartreuse, swim baits from RSRLURES.com and chartreuse Bass Assassins CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Two patterns are putting stripers and whites in the boat right now. Wild Eyed chartreuse swim baits cast out behind the boat, slow trolled with the trolling motor, covers a lot of water and presents your baits to more fish. SLOW is the name of the game. Watch your graph and when you do come up on a school of bait and fish, mark the fish, stop the boat and switch over to 5” to 6” Bass Assassins with 3/4 oz lead heads. Drop them down to just above the fish then “DO NOTHING” - hold the bait dead still (dead sticking). Every so often raise your rod tip slowly then drop it back down slowly and get ready for a quick hook set. The bite will more often than not feel like the tap of a small fish, be quick on the trigger, set the hook, and hang on to the rod!

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SPECIES: Striped Bass & White Bass

1/17/20 2:21 PM

Find the Sweet Spot Between Cold Fronts WEST TEXAS HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Gobbler Creek GPS: N 33 2.5379, W 101 6.99 (33.0423, -101.1165)

ing ﬁsh. After the sun rises, work the under-water brush and stumps with Carolina-rigged worms. LOCATION: Lake Leon HOTSPOT: LaMancha Resort GPS: N 32 21.6857, W 98 41.1983 (32.3614, -98.6866)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits in shad colors, spinnerbaits, bass jigs, shaky heads, jerkbaits CONTACT: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220 nclayton42@sbcglobal.net www.lakealanhenry.com/fishing-guides.html TIPS: February is one of my favorite times to fish Alan Henry because I have caught a lot of my big fish in this month. The bass will start moving up the creeks on warm days. If they are not up the creeks, I then go to the steep banks where I will use jigs, shaky heads, jerk baits, and shad-colored crank baits.

Reported by DEAN HEFFNER and DUSTIN VAUGHN WARNCKE

INTER IN WEST TEXAS poses many challenges for anglers, but there are also ample opportunities. On the one extreme, the cold days can be brutal both for the fish and the fisherman, and are probably best spent doing something other than facing an ice-blue wind out of the cruel north from the bow of a boat. Fishing for crappie in the shelter of a covered marina dock—a Texan’s version of ice fishing—is about the only sane option on such days. On the other hand, there will be plenty of breaks from the winter cold, even in February, and West Texas lakes offer a lot of action. The stripers, largemouth, and white bass are starting to move into predictable patterns in anticipation of their spring ritual. Stay tuned to local weather reports and time your trips to beat the cold fronts to the water by a couple of days. That’s your best bet for reaping winter success in the West.

LOCATION: Amistad HOTSPOT: Pencil Point GPS: N29 36.35118, W100 58.4484 (29.605853, -100.974140)

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Carolina-rigged worms, jigs, deepdiving crankbaits CONTACT: Stan Gerzsenyl 830-768-3648 stan@amistadbass.com amistadbass.com TIPS: Fish the under-water ledges and end of the narrow point with a deep-diving crankbait early, slowly working the lure across the end of the point for feed-

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T E X A S

F I S H

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Jigs, curly tails, tubes CONTACT: Michael E. Homer, Jr., TPWD 325-692-0921 michael.homer@tpwd.texas.gov TIPS: During the cold months, many anglers can be successful by ﬁshing the rocks and off the pier at LaMancha Resort on Lake Leon. The LaMancha Resort has a use-for-fee dock and pier that often yields successful catches in white crappie. Fishing along the rocks along the resort also may yield successful catches. Using 1/16 to ¼ oz. jigs with curly tails or tubes work very well for catching keeper crappie. Colors can be challenging to decide between, but chartreuse and red or white and blue combinations may work well. Other baits such as small spinner baits like rooster tails and beetle spins also work well. LOCATION: Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Costello Island GPS: N 32 54.777, W 98 27.989 (32.9130, -98.4665)

SPECIES: White Bass

G A M E ®

1/17/20 2:21 PM

SEE INSET BELOW

CURRENT WEST TEXAS LAKE LEVELS

LAKE

As of 01/04/2020

Abilene Alan Henry Amistad Amon G Carter Arrowhead Brady Creek Bridgeport Brownwood Champion Creek Cherokee Cisco Coleman Colorado City E V Spence Elephant Butte Falcon Fort Phantom Hill Graham Granbury Greenbelt Hords Creek Hubbard Creek J B Thomas Kemp Kickapoo Leon Lost Creek Mackenzie Meredith Millers Creek Mineral Wells Natural Dam Nocona N. Fork Buffalo Cr. O C Fisher O H Ivie Oak Creek Palo Duro Palo Pinto Pat Cleburne Possum Kingdom Proctor Red Bluff Squaw Creek Stamford Sweetwater Twin Buttes White River

CAPACITY

(Acre Feet)

7,900 96,207 1,840,849 19,266 230,359 28,808 366,236 130,868 41,580 40,094 29,003 38,075 30,758 517,272 1,973,358 1,551,007 70,030 45,288 132,949 59,968 8,443 313,298 199,931 245,307 86,345 27,762 11,950 46,450 500,000 26,768 5,273 54,560 21,444 15,400 119,445 554,340 39,210 61,066 26,766 26,008 538,139 54,762 151,110 151,250 51,570 12,267 182,454 29,880

CURRENT

(Acre Feet)

5,117 89,953 1,380,866 17,639 201,841 24,430 311,564 107,804 27,606 40,094 25,224 32,905 13,807 138,493 560,682 499,968 61,208 38,264 131,403 11,964 6,710 273,019 49,744 202,582 70,192 23,571 11,234 5,342 208,894 22,862 4,752 26,421 19,358 11,466 12,933 384,906 34,350 3,248 20,066 21,312 521,329 39,828 95,397 146,681 44,947 11,951 115,998 5,569

% FULL 65% 94% 75% 92% 88% 85% 85% 82% 66% 100% 87% 86% 45% 27% 28% 32% 87% 85% 99% 20% 80% 87% 25% 83% 81% 85% 94% 12% 42% 85% 90% 48% 90% 75% 11% 69% 88% 5% 75% 82% 97% 73% 63% 97% 87% 97% 64% 19%

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BEST BAITS: Slabs, trolling CONTACT: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: It’s time to slab, troll and deadstick at Possum Kingdom. The ﬁsh are fat and ready to make their spring run up the rivers. Stick to natural colors. When the water is muddy, go with bright colors. Best days are before a cold front gets here, but any day is a

INSET

68 Miles East of Abilene

HOTSPOTLIGHT:

LAKE LEON

LOCATION: On the Leon River in Eastland County, 68 miles east of Abilene and 10 miles south of Eastland SURFACE AREA: 726 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 55 feet IMPOUNDED: 1954

Lake Leon offers some of the best fishing in the area. Most known for its largemouth bass tournament fishing, the reservoir also supports excellent populations of channel catfish, sunfish, and white bass. Florida largemouth bass were introduced in 1975.

•

SPECIES: Crappie and Bass BEST BAITS: Jigs for crappie; dropshots, Carolina rigs for bass CONTACT: Michael D. Homer Jr. 325-692-0921 michael.homer@tpwd.texas.gov TIPS: Catch deep-water crappie and largemouth bass off of some submersed brush piles and artificial fish habitat structures. Curly-tail and tube jigs will work well to target crappie. Drop-shots and Carolina rigs may produce a bass bite. Also, February 18th, we are co-hosting a youth trout derby at Grover Nelson Park in Abilene from 10AM-1PM. The event is free. Please see the flyer for more details

good day to be ﬁshing. Be careful when keeping white bass because we have a lot of short hybrids this year. You can identify them by the two tongue patches instead of one. Also, it’s pretty obvious when it looks like a HUGE white bass, chances are it is a hybrid, so just be careful, the ticket isn’t cheap and its per ﬁsh! LOCATION: Proctor Lake HOTSPOT: Promontory Pier GPS: N 31 58.7268, W 98 29.3465 (31.9788, -98.4891)

••

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-2002-DIG.indd 55

For the angler who prefers a variety of fishing cover, Lake Leon is the place to fish. There are boat docks, standing timber, creek channels, aquatic vegetation, rocky areas, riprap, and brush. For largemouth bass, whatever lures or patterns you like to fish, you can do it at Lake Leon. White bass catches are up the river in the spring during wet springs or in the lower end of the reservoir on large sandy flats, particularly around the bulrush island.

F I S H

G A M E ®

F E B R U A R Y

••• 2 0 2 0

1/17/20 2:21 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK FEBRUARY 2020

Tides and Prime Times

USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

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

T12

T11

T10 T9

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

T8 T17

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

T15 T16

TIDE PREDICTIONS are shown in graph form, with High and Low tide predictions in text immediately below. SOLUNAR ACTIVITY data is provided to indicate major and minor feeding periods for each day, as the daily phases of the moon have varying degrees of inﬂuence on many wildlife species.

T13 T6

T3 T2 T1

T14

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

T18

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

T19

T20

PEAK DAYS: The closer the moon is to your location, the stronger the inﬂuence. FULL or NEW MOONS provide the strongest inﬂunce of the month. PEAK TIMES: When a Solunar Period falls within 30 minutes to an hour of sunrise or sunset, anticipate increased action. A moon rise or moon set during one of these periods will cause even greater action. If a FULL or NEW MOON occurs during a Solunar Period, expect the best action of the season.

T21

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE

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

KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

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

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

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

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

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

KEY T12 T13 T14 T15 T16 T17

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

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

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

KEY T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23

PLACE HIGH San Luis Pass -0.09 Freeport Harbor -0:44 Pass Cavallo 0:00 Aransas Pass -0:03 Padre Island (So. End) -0:24 Port Isabel +1:02

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

SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK IS SPONSORED BY:

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION T22 T23

READING THE GRAPH

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

Moon Overhead

Fishing Score Graph

Moon Underfoot

Day’s Best Day’s 2nd Score Best Score

Best Day Overall

MOON PHASES

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

F E B R U A R Y

TexasOutdoorNation-2002-DIG.indd 56

2 0 2 0

T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

1/17/20 2:21 PM

FEBRUARY 2020

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

27 «

Low Tide: 10:24a High Tide: 7:18p

-0.28 ft. 1.16 ft.

FEET

TUESDAY

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

12:40a 1:28a 10:57a 7:19p

1.00 ft. 1.00 ft. -0.05 ft. 1.07 ft.

WEDNESDAY

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

12:45a 3:19a 11:27a 7:10p

0.86 ft. 0.89 ft. 0.18 ft. 0.98 ft.

THURSDAY

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

1:11a 5:12a 11:55a 6:56p

0.68 ft. 0.77 ft. 0.39 ft. 0.92 ft.

FRIDAY

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

1:43a 7:36a 12:23p 6:35p

0.48 ft. 0.71 ft. 0.59 ft. 0.88 ft.

SATURDAY

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

2:19a 10:52a 12:49p 6:05p

SUNDAY

2º

0.25 ft. 0.77 ft. 0.76 ft. 0.87 ft.

Low Tide: 3:00a High Tide: 1:32p

0.02 ft. 0.93 ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

7:00 — 9:00 AM Sunrise: 7:10a Sunset: 5:51p Moonrise: 9:09a Moon Set: 8:34p

AM Minor: 7:04a AM Major: 12:53a PM Minor: 7:26p PM Major: 1:15p Moon Overhead: 2:49p Moon Underfoot: 2:27a

12p

BEST TIME

8:00 — 10:00 AM Sunrise: 7:10a Sunset: 5:52p Moonrise: 9:41a Moon Set: 9:27p

AM Minor: 7:52a AM Major: 1:42a PM Minor: 8:13p PM Major: 2:03p Moon Overhead: 3:32p Moon Underfoot: 3:11a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

3:00 — 5:00 AM Sunrise: 7:09a Sunset: 5:53p Moonrise: 10:11a Moon Set: 10:19p

AM Minor: 8:39a AM Major: 2:29a PM Minor: 8:59p PM Major: 2:49p

Moon Overhead: 4:12p Moon Underfoot: 3:52a

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-2002-DIG.indd 57

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 AM

5:30 — 7:30 AM Sunrise: 7:08a Sunset: 5:55p Moonrise: 11:10a Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 9:24a AM Major: 3:14a PM Minor: 9:44p PM Major: 3:34p

AM Minor: 10:08a AM Major: 3:58a PM Minor: 10:29p PM Major: 4:18p

Moon Overhead: 4:52p Moon Underfoot: 4:32a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:09a Sunset: 5:54p Moonrise: 10:41a Moon Set: 11:10p

F I S H

Moon Overhead: 5:33p Moon Underfoot: 5:13a

G A M E ®

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12:00 — 2:00 AM Sunrise: 7:08a Sunset: 5:55p Moonrise: 11:41a Moon Set: 12:02a

1:00 — 3:00 AM Sunrise: 7:07a Sunset: 5:56p Moonrise: 12:15p Moon Set: 12:56a

AM Minor: 10:52a AM Major: 4:41a PM Minor: 11:13p PM Major: 5:02p

AM Minor: 11:36a AM Major: 5:24a PM Minor: 11:58p PM Major: 5:47p

Moon Overhead: 6:16p Moon Underfoot: 5:54a

F E B R U A R Y

Moon Overhead: 7:01p Moon Underfoot: 6:38a

2 0 2 0

1/17/20 2:22 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

Low Tide: 3:44a High Tide: 2:03p

TUESDAY

-0.22 ft. 1.08 ft.

Low Tide: 4:31a High Tide: 2:40p

-0.44 ft. 1.23 ft.

WEDNESDAY

Low Tide: 5:21a High Tide: 3:21p

-0.64 ft. 1.35 ft.

THURSDAY

Low Tide: 6:11a High Tide: 4:03p

FRIDAY

7«

-0.80 ft. 1.45 ft.

Low Tide: 7:02a High Tide: 4:43p

SATURDAY

8«

-0.91 ft. 1.49 ft.

Low Tide: 7:52a High Tide: 5:18p

SUNDAY

-0.93 ft. 1.46 ft.

Low Tide: 8:42a High Tide: 5:45p Low Tide: 10:44p

-0.85 ft. 1.37 ft. 1.15 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

2:00 — 4:00 AM

AM Minor: 12:41a AM Major: 6:54a PM Minor: 1:07p PM Major: 7:20p

Moon Overhead: 7:49p Moon Underfoot: 7:24a

12p

4:00 — 6:00 AM

AM Minor: 1:28a AM Major: 7:42a PM Minor: 1:56p PM Major: 8:10p

11 « High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

2:09a 10:22a 6:06p 11:09p

1.07 ft. -0.39 ft. 1.04 ft. 0.68 ft.

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

3:58a 11:14a 6:04p 11:52p

12a

0.97 ft. -0.05 ft. 0.89 ft. 0.35 ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

4:30 — 6:30 AM

5:00 — 7:00 AM

12a

5:30 — 7:30 AM

12a

6:00 — 8:00 AM Sunrise: 7:02a Sunset: 6:02p Moonrise: 6:45p Moon Set: 7:32a

AM Minor: 4:08a AM Major: 10:23a PM Minor: 4:38p PM Major: 10:53p

Moon Overhead: 11:37p Moon Underfoot: 11:07a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:03a Sunset: 6:01p Moonrise: 5:35p Moon Set: 6:43a

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

Moon Overhead: 10:37p Moon Underfoot: 10:07a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:04a Sunset: 6:01p Moonrise: 4:28p Moon Set: 5:48a

AM Minor: 2:18a AM Major: 8:33a PM Minor: 2:48p PM Major: 9:02p

AM Minor: 5:07a AM Major: 11:21a PM Minor: 5:36p PM Major: 11:51p

Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 12:07p

Moon Overhead: 12:37a Moon Underfoot: 1:06p

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

12p

Sunrise: 7:05a Sunset: 6:00p Moonrise: 3:24p Moon Set: 4:50a

Moon Overhead: 9:38p Moon Underfoot: 9:09a

TUESDAY

1.16 ft. -0.67 ft. 1.21 ft. 0.96 ft.

12a

BEST TIME

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

MONDAY

FEET

Sunrise: 7:05a Sunset: 5:59p Moonrise: 2:27p Moon Set: 3:50a

Moon Overhead: 8:42p Moon Underfoot: 8:15a

READING THE GRAPH

12:05a 9:32a 6:01p 10:40p

12a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:06a Sunset: 5:58p Moonrise: 1:37p Moon Set: 2:50a

AM Minor: ----AM Major: 6:08a PM Minor: 12:20p PM Major: 6:33p

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

3:00 — 5:00 AM

Sunrise: 7:06a Sunset: 5:57p Moonrise: 12:53p Moon Set: 1:52a

10 «

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

High Tide: 5:55a Low Tide: 12:08p High Tide: 5:54p

0.90 ft. 0.32 ft. 0.82 ft.

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:

12:43a 8:09a 1:12p 5:35p

0.01 ft. 0.91 ft. 0.66 ft. 0.83 ft.

SATURDAY

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

1:39a 10:41a 3:15p 4:31p

-0.29 ft. 1.03 ft. 0.93 ft. 0.94 ft.

SUNDAY

16 »

Low Tide: 2:40a High Tide: 12:46p

-0.53 ft. 1.19 ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12:30 — 2:30 AM Sunrise: 7:02a Sunset: 6:03p Moonrise: 7:54p Moon Set: 8:17a

AM Minor: 6:06a AM Major: ----PM Minor: 6:34p PM Major: 12:20p Moon Overhead: 1:34a Moon Underfoot: 2:02p

12p

BEST TIME

1:30 — 3:30 AM Sunrise: 7:01a Sunset: 6:04p Moonrise: 9:01p Moon Set: 8:58a

AM Minor: 7:06a AM Major: 12:52a PM Minor: 7:32p PM Major: 1:19p Moon Overhead: 2:29a Moon Underfoot: 2:56p

F E B R U A R Y

TexasOutdoorNation-2002-DIG.indd 58

2 0 2 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 8:05a AM Major: 1:52a PM Minor: 8:31p PM Major: 2:18p

12a

3:00 — 5:00 AM

AM Minor: 9:03a AM Major: 2:50a PM Minor: 9:28p PM Major: 3:15p

T E X A S

Moon Overhead: 4:13a Moon Underfoot: 4:39p

F I S H

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:59a Sunset: 6:05p Moonrise: 11:11p Moon Set: 10:13a

Moon Overhead: 3:22a Moon Underfoot: 3:48p

12p

BEST TIME

2:30 — 4:30 AM Sunrise: 7:00a Sunset: 6:05p Moonrise: 10:07p Moon Set: 9:36a

4:00 — 6:00 AM Sunrise: 6:59a Sunset: 6:06p Moonrise: None Moon Set: 10:51a

AM Minor: 9:59a AM Major: 3:46a PM Minor: 10:25p PM Major: 4:12p Moon Overhead: 5:04a Moon Underfoot: 5:30p

12a

12p

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 AM Sunrise: 6:58a Sunset: 6:07p Moonrise: 12:16a Moon Set: 11:31a

AM Minor: 10:53a AM Major: 4:40a PM Minor: 11:20p PM Major: 5:07p Moon Overhead: 5:56a Moon Underfoot: 6:22p

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

6:00 — 8:00 AM Sunrise: 6:57a Sunset: 6:08p Moonrise: 1:19a Moon Set: 12:14p

AM Minor: 11:46a AM Major: 5:33a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 6:00p Moon Overhead: 6:49a Moon Underfoot: 7:16p

G A M E ®

1/17/20 2:22 PM

FEBRUARY 2020

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

Low Tide: 3:43a High Tide: 2:00p

TUESDAY

-0.68 ft. 1.32 ft.

Low Tide: 4:46a High Tide: 2:54p

-0.75 ft. 1.37 ft.

WEDNESDAY

Low Tide: 5:47a High Tide: 3:40p

-0.75 ft. 1.38 ft.

THURSDAY

Low Tide: 6:43a High Tide: 4:18p

FRIDAY

-0.68 ft. 1.35 ft.

Low Tide: 7:34a High Tide: 4:50p

SATURDAY

22 «

-0.57 ft. 1.30 ft.

Low Tide: 8:19a High Tide: 5:14p Low Tide: 9:32p

SUNDAY

23 l

-0.42 ft. 1.23 ft. 1.10 ft.

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

FEET

12:07a 9:00a 5:28p 9:39p

1.13 ft. -0.24 ft. 1.15 ft. 1.01 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12:00 — 2:00 AM Sunrise: 6:56a Sunset: 6:09p Moonrise: 2:21a Moon Set: 1:01p

AM Minor: 12:10a AM Major: 6:24a PM Minor: 12:37p PM Major: 6:51p

FEET

12p

1.11 ft. -0.04 ft. 1.06 ft. 0.89 ft.

AM Minor: 1:00a AM Major: 7:13a PM Minor: 1:27p PM Major: 7:40p

2:00 — 4:00 AM

AM Minor: 1:48a AM Major: 8:01a PM Minor: 2:15p PM Major: 8:28p

2:30a 10:10a 5:28p 10:21p

1.07 ft. 0.15 ft. 0.98 ft. 0.75 ft.

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

3:37a 10:42a 5:16p 10:48p

12a

1.02 ft. 0.34 ft. 0.90 ft. 0.58 ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

11:00A — 1:00P

5:00 — 7:00 AM

12a

5:30 — 7:30 AM

12a

12:00 — 2:00 PM Sunrise: 6:50a Sunset: 6:13p Moonrise: 7:09a Moon Set: 6:27p

AM Minor: 4:08a AM Major: 10:20a PM Minor: 4:31p PM Major: 10:43p

Moon Overhead: 11:12a Moon Underfoot: 11:37p

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:51a Sunset: 6:12p Moonrise: 6:33a Moon Set: 5:32p

AM Minor: 3:22a AM Major: 9:34a PM Minor: 3:47p PM Major: 9:59p

Moon Overhead: 10:22a Moon Underfoot: 10:48p

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:52a Sunset: 6:12p Moonrise: 5:52a Moon Set: 4:36p

AM Minor: 2:35a AM Major: 8:48a PM Minor: 3:01p PM Major: 9:14p

AM Minor: 4:53a AM Major: 11:04a PM Minor: 5:16p PM Major: 11:27p

Moon Overhead: 12:00p Moon Underfoot: None

Moon Overhead: 12:46p Moon Underfoot: 12:23a

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

26 «

12p

Sunrise: 6:53a Sunset: 6:11p Moonrise: 5:06a Moon Set: 3:40p

Moon Overhead: 9:30a Moon Underfoot: 9:56p

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

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:54a Sunset: 6:10p Moonrise: 4:16a Moon Set: 2:44p

Moon Overhead: 8:36a Moon Underfoot: 9:03p

25 «

12a

BEST TIME

1:00 — 3:00 AM

MONDAY 1:22a 9:37a 5:33p 9:57p

12a

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

READING THE GRAPH

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

Sunrise: 6:55a Sunset: 6:09p Moonrise: 3:21a Moon Set: 1:51p

Moon Overhead: 7:42a Moon Underfoot: 8:09p

24 «

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

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

4:50a 11:15a 4:58p 11:20p

0.97 ft. 0.52 ft. 0.85 ft. 0.40 ft.

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

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

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

6:17a 11:52a 4:34p 11:57p

0.93 ft. 0.68 ft. 0.84 ft. 0.22 ft.

SATURDAY

High Tide: 8:05a Low Tide: 12:48p High Tide: 3:55p

SUNDAY

Mar 1

0.95 ft. 0.84 ft. 0.87 ft.

Low Tide: 12:42a High Tide: 10:20a

0.05 ft. 1.03 ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12:30 — 2:30 PM Sunrise: 6:49a Sunset: 6:14p Moonrise: 7:42a Moon Set: 7:20p

AM Minor: 5:38a AM Major: 11:24a PM Minor: 6:00p PM Major: ----Moon Overhead: 1:29p Moon Underfoot: 1:07a

12p

BEST TIME

1:00 — 3:00 PM Sunrise: 6:48a Sunset: 6:15p Moonrise: 8:13a Moon Set: 8:12p

AM Minor: 6:23a AM Major: 12:13a PM Minor: 6:44p PM Major: 12:33p Moon Overhead: 2:10p Moon Underfoot: 1:50a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

2:00 — 4:00 PM Sunrise: 6:47a Sunset: 6:15p Moonrise: 8:42a Moon Set: 9:04p

AM Minor: 7:08a AM Major: 12:58a PM Minor: 7:28p PM Major: 1:18p Moon Overhead: 2:50p Moon Underfoot: 2:30a

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-2002-DIG.indd 59

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

2:30 — 4:30 PM

3:00 — 5:00 PM Sunrise: 6:45a Sunset: 6:17p Moonrise: 9:42a Moon Set: 10:48p

AM Minor: 7:53a AM Major: 1:43a PM Minor: 8:13p PM Major: 2:03p

AM Minor: 8:39a AM Major: 2:29a PM Minor: 9:00p PM Major: 2:49p

Moon Overhead: 3:31p Moon Underfoot: 3:10a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:46a Sunset: 6:16p Moonrise: 9:12a Moon Set: 9:55p

F I S H

Moon Overhead: 4:12p Moon Underfoot: 3:51a

G A M E ®

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12p

12a

BEST TIME

10:00P — 12:00A Sunrise: 6:44a Sunset: 6:17p Moonrise: 10:14a Moon Set: 11:42p

10:30P — 12:30A Sunrise: 6:43a Sunset: 6:18p Moonrise: 10:49a Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 9:26a AM Major: 3:15a PM Minor: 9:48p PM Major: 3:37p

AM Minor: 10:14a AM Major: 4:02a PM Minor: 10:37p PM Major: 4:26p

Moon Overhead: 4:55p Moon Underfoot: 4:33a F E B R U A R Y

Moon Overhead: 5:41p Moon Underfoot: 5:18a

2 0 2 0

1/17/20 2:22 PM

Death of a Blacktail

Whitetail dominate conversations among hunters and wildlife managers and mule deer take up the slack but blacktail barely make a blip on the radar. Scientists believe blacktails split off the whitetails eons ago and at some point mule deer arose out of the blacktail. There are two varieties of blacktail, the Columbia which can be found from California through Washington and the Sitka, which roams British Columbia and Alaska. Blacktail are facing a number of issues in the Pacific Northwest ranging from an exotic louse introduced to the region in 1995 to loss of habitat and decline of quality forage in available habitat. A 2018 report by the Mule Deer Working Group of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies features concerning

HE SACRAMENTO RIVER IN northern California is magnificent. With cool waters running from the Klamath Mountains in the shadow of magnificent Mount Shasta it flows over smooth, gray stones along wooded shorelines.

story by CHESTER MOORE

As I made my way up a game trail leading from the main river, a shocking scene unfolded before me. Lying on the edge of the trail was a massive, dead blacktail buck. With antlers that would make any hunter proud it was evident this buck had died within the last 24-36 hours. For a moment I pondered if I might have come across a mountain lion’s kill but it was not buried and there were no marks in the neck. Upon closer examination it was evident coyotes had started eating the hind quarters but there was no sign they killed the buck. There were also no gunshot wounds. Only a single hole with no exit wound could be found near the base of the neck and judging by the diameter it was made by the antlers of another buck. It seems like this old buck met his match and I had been fortunate enough to get a glimpse before nature had its way and all of its parts went back into the ecosystem. The blacktail is America’s forgotten deer. 60

F E B R U A R Y

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observations from a majority of states and provinces in the blacktail’s range. Oregon: Both mule deer and black-tailed deer are substantially below long-term management objectives and benchmarks. Washington: Regional harvest trends indicate black-tailed deer in western Washington have decreased. Loss of blacktailed deer habitat due to encroaching human development continues to be a concern. British Columbia: Predation from wolves and cougars on black-tailed deer continues to be a concern in most areas as well as the need for effective measures to conserve high quality habitat. Black-tailed deer buck harvest has dropped by approximately half since the early 1990s. California’s population seems to be stable but habitat problems proven in other states seem to be rearing its head there. Alaska’s numbers have faced ups and downs but seem to be holding steady overall. Things are changing quickly in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest and it is my opinion that blacktail and their close cousins the mule deer are the proverbial canaries in the coal mine. What happens to them is an indicator of what is happening at a much larger level ecologically and I have committed to monitoring this issue. Finding this massive buck inspired a deeper look at blacktails and gave me an even deeper appreciation for these majestic forest dwellers.

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The giant blacktail deer found by the author on the banks of the Sacramento River was most likely killed in battle with another buck.

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Try Free Ranging Aoudad

HE AOUDAD (BARBARY sheep) is now a part of the Southwestern landscape that will never leave it-at least not until something cataclysmic like a worldwide flood or giant asteroid strikes the planet. Aoudad populations in the Trans Pecos are growing and are potentially a threat to desert bighorns and other native wildlife.

story by CHESTER MOORE

I’m serious. Imported from north Africa for hunting more than 60 years ago in Texas there are now large feral populations in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The aoudad is rufous tawny in color according to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Stories of aoudad outwinning hunters and ranchers are legendary. One rancher had a 640 acre tract in Real County that was high fenced and had aoudad on it when he bought it. If you were to take all of the surface acres with canyons, hills and caves it is probably more like three times that size, at least it feels that way when I have been there. Aoudad have rarely been killed there although herds as large as 30 have been seen. He came across an aoudad ewe at a game sale and had the idea to fit her with a bell around her neck. When she got with the herd, he could hear the area they were in on the ranch. It is often extremely quiet out there. The herd completely rejected her. Another ranch had an aoudad in an acre pen that had grass grown up several feet high. They went to find the animal to try and lead it into a chute to put in a cage for the sale. It took them an hour to find the aoudad in an acre pen. They animal kept quietly crawling around on its knees. These animals are survivors but are extremely elusive. Even in areas where they are common aoudad are far more shy than any of the native North American sheep. According to some estimates there

might be as many as 100,000 free-ranging aoudad in Texas and they are beginning to be a conservation problem competing with Texas desert bighorns as well as other animals. If you want to get in on a truly challenging hunt that is far less expensive than a big-

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horn, give free-ranging aoudad a try. Numerous outfitters offer aoudad hunts in the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle on open range. Consider giving it a try. It might just be the most exciting hunt you’ve ever done.

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Are Hogs a Threat to Bighorn Sheep?

HEN DISCUSSING issues impacting bighorn sheep in the United States, three main issues dominate the conversation.

tion they will eventually move into all of the Lower 48. According to an article published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), feral hogs are a major threat to wildlife through water pollution. “Water polluted from feral swine wallowing can be contaminated with parasites and bacteria such as giardia, salmonella, and pathogenic E. coli that could be transmitted to humans and other animals. This can happen when feral swine use an agricultural water source, such as an irrigation pond…” They noted since hogs lack sweat glands, wallowing in mud and water is an instinctual behavior necessary for them to maintain a healthy body temperature. “Unfortunately this behavior has cascad-

story by CHESTER MOORE

1. Domestic Sheep Disease Transference 2. Predation 3. Habitat Loss/Degradation And those should be the three primary concerns but there is a growing threat in the Western United States. Feral hogs. Originally brought over by Spanish explorers in the 1500s, feral hogs have taken a foothold in 31 states and there is no ques-

Hogs are moving deeper into bighorn sheep country and could pose some threats to these iconic animals.

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ing impacts, not only to water quality in individual streams, ponds, and wetlands, but to entire watersheds and ecosystems.” Looking at a current distribution map, it is easy to see hogs are already established in the entirety of desert bighorn habitat in Texas and California and are also growing in numbers in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Oregon. In drought years in particular hogs will impact ponds, stock tanks, streams and guzzlers. These of course are crucial to bighorns and other wildlife. Feral hogs can also carry pseudorabies. According to USDA officials, pseudorabies is a disease of swine that can also affect cattle, dogs, cats, sheep, and goats. “Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a contagious herpesvirus that causes reproductive problems, (abortion, stillbirths), respiratory problems and occasional deaths in breeding and finishing hogs. Infected newborn pigs may exhibit central nervous system clinical signs.” It is typically spread through direct contact but there are other ways transmission can occur. “If present on inanimate objects, such as boots, clothing, feed, trucks, and equipment, the virus can also spread from herd to herd and farm to farm.” Could hogs transfer PRV to domestic sheep that in turn transfer to bighorns? Maybe. And that’s a frightening prospect for animals already facing great challenges. Another potential threat from hogs is predation. According to officials with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, “wild hogs may prey on fawns, young lambs, and kid goats.” There is no question hogs could prey on bighorn lambs, especially desert bighorn lambs in the early days of their life. I have

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found no concrete evidence of hog/wild sheep predation but it remains a possibility. I will dig more into hog predation on other ungulates in another post but for now just consider what has been presented here. No one thought 30 years ago feral hogs would now be hunted in New Jersey and more hogs would be killed by hunters in Texas than whitetails. Could a growing population of hogs in the western United States put more stress on bighorn populations? I believe it is a possibility, especially the water pollution and disease aspects. I’ll let you know more as soon as I do. Hogs are smart and resilient an are ﬁnding plenty of opportunities to thrive in mountain and desert regions.

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Where to See Wildlife: Guadalupe Mountains

UADALUPE MOUNTAINS National Park protects the world’s most extensive Permian fossil reef, the four highest peaks in Texas, an environmentally diverse collection of flora and fauna, and the stories of lives shaped through conflict, cooperation and survival. Visitors can experience mountains and

is open year-round and offers a variety of outdoor activities including backpacking, camping, and hiking. While most trails and both of the park’s campgrounds are available for use anytime, park facilities have posted hours, and several park locations are designated as day-use only. The Pine Springs Visitor Center is located at Pine Springs and can be accessed via U.S. Highway 62/180 between Carlsbad, NM and El Paso. The visitor center is open daily except Christmas Day, hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Mountain Time.

canyons, desert and dunes, night skies and spectacular vistas within a place unlike any other within the NPS. Wildlife lovers can see everything from mule deer to porcupines and black bears. Although it’s a long-haul from virtually everywhere but El Paso and Midland in Texas, it is worth a visit. Guadalupe Mountains National Park

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Coyotes are among the creatures the public can see in the Guadalupe Mountains.

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Texas TASTED by BRYAN SLAVEN :: The Texas Gourmet

Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb

leaves • 1 lemon, juiced • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 (3 1/2-pound) boneless leg of lamb, butterflied but not tied • 1/4 cup sliced green onions • 1 jar Texas Gourmet’s Jalapeno Kiwi Jelly • 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish • 1 tbsp. sugar

HIS IS AN AWESOME RECIPE that is great at any time of the year. The Jalapeno Kiwi Jelly dipping sauce is a perfect complement to the delicate but earthy flavor of the lamb.

The Vinaigrette: TO A BLENDER, ADD: THE OIL, VINegar, garlic, oregano, thyme, lemon juice, green onions and Dijon mustard, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Blend until thoroughly combined. Pat the lamb dry and put it on a shallow platter. Season all over with sugar, salt and pepper, then pour the vinaigrette over the lamb, turning the meat to get it well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Remove the marinated meat from the refrig-

Ingredients • 1/3-cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar • 4 garlic cloves, chopped • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 64

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erator about 30 minutes before grilling. Heat the grill (or large cast iron skillet) and oil it lightly. Remove the lamb from the marinade and grill for about 15 to 20 minutes per side for medium-rare. Insert your thermometer, should be at 150 degrees for med. rare. (Adjust the time accordingly for other degrees of doneness.) Transfer to a platter, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Stir the jalapeno kiwi jelly in the jar, then remove and place in a bowl. Add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard and the prepared horseradish. Serve this at the table as a dipping sauce for the lamb. Note: If you have my Lemon Rosemary Habanero Grilling Sauce on hand it will work great as the vinaigrette, and will add a spicy bite as well.

« Email Bryan Slaven at bryan@thetexasgourmet.com

PHOTO: BRYAN SLAVEN

1/8/20 4:47 PM

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FLOUNDER Rockport Brad Brumback caught this nice flounder while fishing at Rockport. CRAPPIE Lake Houston Six-year-old Carson Goodrich had a great time crappie fishing with his dad, Loren, on Lake Houston.

AXIS DEER San Antonio Rodie Pankratz took down this axis while hunting just north of San Antonio. WHITETAIL

BLACK DRUM

Rusk County

Undisclosed

Seven-year-old Grayson Holland got his ﬁrst deer of the season while hunting in Rusk County.

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Thirteen-year-old Connor Hoffman shows off a 50-pound black drum that he caught in an undisclosed location.

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REDFISH & TROUT Galveston Bay

REDFISH

Levi Macaluso caught these fish during a West End Anglers Kidfish 2 tournament, on Galveston Bay, to with first (for the red) and third place (the trout). His twin brother Luke is in the background.

Sabine Lake Ten-year-old Jackson Adix caught this redﬁsh while ﬁshing on Sabine Lake with his Paw Paw.

WHITETAIL Harrison County Weston Keith, 8, took his ﬁrst deer while hunting with his mother, Diedra Keith in Harrison County.

FLOUNDER Port Bolivar Darren Pyfer of North Richland Hills caught this ﬂounder near Port Bolivar.

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1/10/20 2:33 PM

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