Texas Fish & Game January/February 2022 by Texas Fish & Game

January/February 2022 | $3.95

Freeze Frame: Analyzing Last Year’s Frigid February A Real Woman of the Outdoors Green Hunts: A Win for Conservation Special Section: The Best of the Texas Outdoors 2201-JanFeb-Cover-DIG.indd 1

Inside the Boating Boom

www.FishGame.com

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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

Vigilante Conservation

PUBLISHERS

CHESTER MOORE EDITOR IN CHIEF

S TEXAS FISH & GAME EVOLVED OVER OUR ALMOST 40-YEAR HISTORY, we cultivated strong working partnerships with a number of “Boots on the Ground” conservation organizations. These groups stand up for the welfare of wildlife and habitat, and for the rights of anglers and hunters. We are proud of our affiliations with them and have incorporated the spirit of their missions into our own. In a recent sit-down with leadership of one of these groups, the topic of the Biden Infrastructure bill came up. The bipartisan bill—a.k.a. the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (HR 3684)—signed by President Biden in November, contains several significant items aimed at improving fish and wildlife conservation programs and increasing access. The $1.2 trillion plan reauthorizes the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust fund, earmarks funds to reduce wildlifevehicle collisions and to improve connectivity between species and habitat, and funds efforts to restore fish passage by modernizing culverts. It enables national forest restoration and the restoration of abandoned mine lands. And, it increases access to federal lands. In all, some $40 billion has been earmarked for improving infrastructure, habitat, and access on the nation’s natural resources. Forty billion may seem like a drop in the one-point-two trillion dollar bucket, but forty billion is still a lot of zeros. You’ll need all your fingers to count them. The bill, and the portions targeting outdoors interests have been met with generally positive, even enthusiastic, reviews. The problem is... It’s all still just on paper. As our friend in the above-mentioned conservation group said when asked his opinion of the bill, “Overall there are a lot of good things in this bill, but whether they actually do anything for us in the end, we’ll have to wait and see.” “We’ll have to see” is a critical component of this legislation. A lot can happen, or more accurately, NOT happen, between congressional action and the intended action at the point of need. Someone is going to have to play watchdog and hold Congress, the Biden administration, and future administrations accountable to see that this money is indeed put to its intended use. Fortunately, there are plenty of watchdogs in the yard. They are the numerous fishing, hunting and wildlife conservation associations, foundations, and clubs that exist to promote and protect outdoors interests. No matter what your outdoors sporting passion is, there is an organization you can join and support that will, in turn, support your sport. And since most of you embody the concept on which Texas Fish AND Game was founded, your outdoors passion is very likely plural. Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is the major player in saltwater fishing that most Texans recognize. International Game Fish Association (IGFA) represents the interest of both fresh and saltwater anglers. In hunting, a host of organizations exist to promote the interests of specific species, including Ducks Unlimited (DU), National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), Safari Club International (SCI), Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF), Dallas Safari Club (DSC), Delta Waterfowl (DW), Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), Quail Unlimited (QU), and the Texas Dove Hunter Association (TDHA). There are many others, including smaller, local support groups. These organizations keep a firm grip on the pulse of the sporting world. If any agency responsible for the implementation of outdoors related portions of the Infrastructure bill fail to live up to expectations, we’ll know about it thanks to their vigilance. But they need the support of members and volunteers. If you’re not already an active member of one—or more—of these groups, we urge you to join. Become a vigilante for conservation.

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C O N T R I B U T O R S JOE DOGGETT DOUG PIKE LENNY RUDOW MATT WILLIAMS PETE ROBBINS KELLY GROCE LOU MARULLO LARRY WEISHUHN DUSTIN ELLERMANN REAVIS WORTHAM GRANT GISEL STAN SKINNER LISA MOORE

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SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR BOATING EDITOR FRESHWATER EDITOR BASS FISHING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR HUNTING EDITOR WHITETAIL EDITOR SHOOTING EDITOR HUMOR EDITOR DIGITAL CONTRIBUTOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR

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TEXAS FISH & GAME (ISSN 0887-4174) is published bi-monthly by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC., 3431 Rayford Road, Suite 200-408, Spring, TX 77386. ©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, 3431 Rayford Road, Suite 200-408, Spring, TX 77386. 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, 3431 Rayford Road, Suite 200-408, Spring, TX 77386. Address all subscription inquiries to TEXAS FISH & GAME, 3431 Rayford Road, Suite 200-408, Spring, TX 77386. 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 772679946 and at additional mailing offices.

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January/February 2022 | Vol. 38 • No. 5

FEATURE ARTICLES

FREEZE FRAME Analyzing last year’s devistating freeze and the long-term impact it will have on Texas fish and wildlife.

by TF&G Staff

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COVER STORY

BEST LAKES FOR A RECORD BASS

This January marks the 30th anniversary of the Texas state largemouth record. Will the thing ever be broken again? Here are five lakes that just might make it happen.

HUNTER GREEN Using darts instead of bullets for wildlife management, Green Hunts can also be a big win for conservation and hunter recruitment.

by Chester Moore

A REAL OUTDOORS WOMAN Continuing our celebration of women who hunt, fish and enjoy outdoors sports, here is the autobiography of a Real Outdoors Woman.

by Bea Segura

BOATING & FISHING BOOM The numbers are in: outdoor recreation grew at an astounding rate during the pandemic, with boating and fishing leading the way.

by TF&G Staff

Story by Matt Williams Photo: Ryno Bartha

COLUMNS

Editor’s Notes

Doggett at Large

Texas Whitetails

Texas Freshwater

Going Coastal

Bass University

by CHESTER MOORE

by JOE DOGGETT

by LARRY WEISHUHN

TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

CONSERVATION CHALLENGE A challenge for high school bass teams to step up for conservation.

by TF&G Staff

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Fish & Game Forecast Center: Saltwater Fish & Game Forecast Center: Freshwater

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Letters

from TF&G Readers

Fish & Game Photos

Special: Best of the Texas Outdoors

Outdoor Directory

Guides, Outfitters & More

by TF&G Readers

by PETE ROBBINS

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Sportsman’s Daybook

DEPARTMENTS

by MATT WILLIAMS

by KELLY GROCE

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LETTERS to the Editor Women Hunting I JUST WANTED TO SAY I REALLY appreciate the article on the Women Hunt program in the September/October Issue. It was interesting to see the industry stepping up to get real women hunting initiatives out there. And I salute Texas Fish & Game for having the boldness to not only do a story on this, but put it on the cover. Double kudos!

Mary Hansen THANKS FOR THE ARTICLE ABOUT women hunting. I grew up in a family where all of us women hunted so it’s nice to see a program to help coach women who never had that chance.

Kaycee Smith

Smoke-Colored Turkey I READ YOUR ARTICLE ONLINE about turkey color phases. Five years ago, I saw a smoke hen and the following year I saw a jake.

Karson Lester with his albino-ish Lavaca County hog.

I watched him until last spring. My neighbor stated he was hunting him. So I decided I’d go for him as well. He eluded us both until I was able to get him at 37 yards with my bow! Well people are telling me it’s just a wild turkey fornicatiing with a domestic turkey. It’s no big deal. I thought it would reach out to you and see what your thoughts are.

Corey Anderson Wright County, MN

Albino Hog NOTE: In the TF&G newsletter we posted an article looking for photos of white or albino feral hogs. THIS IS PROBABLY NOT ALBINO, but pretty white. It was killed by my son Karson Lester in Lavaca County in 2019. It was his first rifle kill.

Ken Lester Editor: Congrats! What an amazing story and bird! Smoke-colored turkeys are probably the most abundant of the color phases, but they are still super rare. You got the trophy of a lifetime! That is not the result of mating with a domestic turkey, but a color phase, rarely found in wild birds.

Corey Anderson’s smoke-colored gobbler.

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Editor: What a cool hog! Tell Karson we said congrats! That’s as white a hog as I have ever seen.

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Email your comments to: editor@ﬁshgame.com PHOTOS: KEN LESTER; COREY ANDERSON

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

Elk, Nature and Love

all day online, but she’s not going to trek through the Roosevelt National Forest in Colorado unless I bring her. Faith is a young kid who loves dance (ballet, tap and jazz), sports, pro wrestling and likes animals. She’s not obsessed, but she does get excited seeing wild animals. Mom likes wildlife but really just likes to get away. Demi likes wildlife but loves scenery. She was blown away by the beautiful fall colors the first day we were there and the contrast of white snowcovered scenery on day two. It was Faith’s and Demi’s reaction that really inspired me on this trip. For starters, if anyone is less prone to wake up earlier than Faith, it’s Demi. But when she saw the snow and the elk she rolled out of bed, put on some warm clothes and followed Faith and me outside. A few cows were about 20 yards from our cabin, but most of them were up to 100 yards away, including a big bull, a medium bull and one smaller one. Faith wanted to document this on video on her cell phone, and Demi followed me with her camera to get photos. “Now ladies, we have to be very careful. The rut has not ended yet, which means the bulls can still be territorial. So, we have to be pretty careful out here.” For the next hour in 20 something degree weather, we followed this herd down toward a lake. The two bigger bulls locked antlers a couple of times, and the cows seemed like they couldn’t care less we were there. I watched Faith spend more time in the cold at one time than she had in her life, combined. Also, I saw Demi get really detail-oriented, trying to match up the elk with pretty aspects of the habitat. I wasn’t giving a typical Chester wildlife education lesson, either. It was all about the experience. As the herd disappeared, we went to get breakfast. Lisa, Demi, and I drove down toward Lake Estes, which borders a golf course because that’s where the elk headed. Lisa stayed in the truck. “It’s too cold out there,” she said. A friend of mine gave her the Indian name, “She Who Sits in Truck” after she refused to go into a mosquito infested river bottom with us a few years ago. That name was on point today. Demi and I saw a big bull down by the lake and

AD, THERE’S A BUNCH OF elk out here, and one of them’s a bull—a big bull!” My daughter Faith rarely rises first in the morning, but in October 2019 on a trip to Estes Park, Colorado, she was the first one up. It started snowing the night before, and she wanted to see the beautiful, mountainous country covered in snow. This was a special family getaway we put together because we found cheap tickets to Denver and

Demi, Chester and Faith at the iconic bighorn statue in Estes Park, Colorado.

desperately needed some time in the mountains. It was me, my wife Lisa, Faith, my mother Gloria and Demi, our spiritual daughter. That’s a term we use for this fireball of a Jesus follower whom we started mentoring five years ago when she was just 20 years old. Now, she’s considered family and travels with us when she can. It was an absolutely amazing trip in so many ways. In hindsight it provides a unique view of how people of different interest levels view wildlife and what gets them motivated. I’m the fanatic of the bunch. You’ve obviously figured that out by now if you’ve read more than a couple of my stories. My wife’s really into wildlife, but she wouldn’t seek wildlife out without me. She’ll look at videos 6

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an even bigger one on the golf course. We snuck up behind the bathroom area in the park on the edge of the golf course. We were going to use an adjacent treeline to get closer to the big bull. As we got around the corner of the bathrooms, the big bull was right in front of us—I’m talking 10 feet away! When we looked behind us, the bull that had been by the lake was running up to challenge him, and we were in the middle! I grabbed Demi, pushed her ahead of me, and we high-tailed it to the truck. Lisa was sitting inside laughing. “She Who Sits in Truck looks pretty smart now, huh?” she quipped. Demi was laughing hysterically. “That was awesome! It was scary, but how cool was that to get that close to those big elk?” Later that morning we ventured into Rocky Mountain National Park, and it was stunning. The beauty of the fall colors the day before was enhanced by the continually falling snow. Demi and I spotted three big mule deer bucks, so we sneaked down a draw toward them and captured some incredible photos. I love mule deer and seeing them put a smile on my face. Watching Demi, who is not a major wildlife enthusiast, so eager to get good photos put an even bigger smile on my face. And so did what she told me about 20 minutes later. “I love these mule deer and I love you even more but it’s getting too dang cold. I’m going back to the van,” she said. She was right. The temperature was dropping, and the wind was blowing hard. I hung with the deer for another five minutes and went back up. We need to find ways to connect those things that intrigue people and lead them to ways they can do something positive for wildlife and its habitat. Sometimes that simply requires taking them into the wild. Through Faith and Demi, I learned a lot on that trip. Oh, and I can’t leave out “She Who Sits in Truck.” I had a little frostbite on my fingers after the mule deer photo session. She might’ve been right to sit that one out.

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Email Chester Moore at cmoore@ﬁshgame.com PHOTO: LISA MOORE

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

Pump Perfection

ERTAIN THINGS BECOME benchmarks of excellence. And these things gain traction through the decades. For example, if you are talking about something as profound as gospel singing, where do you go from Mahalia Jackson and her rendition of Trouble of the World in the funeral scene of the 1959 film, Imitation of Life? If you are talking about something as basic as corn chips for snack food, where do you go from the original Fritos made by C.E. Doolin and sold from the back of his Model T in 1932 in San Antonio? The list of standard bearers goes on and on. If you are talking about pump-action shotguns, where do you from the Winchester Model Twelve, conceived at the New Haven, Connecticut plant in 1912? To many shooters and collectors, it remains the pinnacle of form and function. It evolved from several previous slide-action guns, most notably the Model 1897 (with its exposed hammer). The Model Twelve is a trim hammerless repeating shotgun anointed by Winchester as the “Perfect Repeater”—and that advertising hype was pretty much on the mark. Or, perhaps more accurately, in the center of the pattern. The first guns issued in 1912 were readily available only in 20 gauge. That seems a strange decision by Winchester, given that the 20-gauge was a slow seller. Most of the pump-action shotguns were pointed with heavy loads at waterfowl. The first 12-gauge and 16-gauge guns were listed in 1913, and available in stores a year later. A few 28s and .410s (built on a smaller frame, dubbed the Model 42, prized by collectors) were later added. But the 12-gauge field grade with a pistol grip walnut stock and a plain barrel was the huge favorite. Upgraded guns with solid ribs or ventilated ribs as well as select “fancy” walnut and hand-cut checkering were offered on a limited basis. The run of the Model Twelve lasted until 1964, when Winchester famously and notoriously cheap-

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ened many of its popular models. The meticulously crafted Model Twelve became too expensive to produce as a field-grade gun. Fortunately, almost two million “pre-’64” Model Twelves had already been manufactured. I realize that the Remington 870 Wingmaster is America’s largest selling shotgun, outnumbering the

after decade, and under the most adverse field conditions. According to a Winchester ad in 1943, Robinson grabbed a random gun from the regular assembly line on March 13, 1914. This gun was used in continual testing for 29 years, firing approximately 1,247,000 rounds. The firing pin and spring were replaced only once, a remarkable record for any “off the rack” firearm. During the past 50 years I have owned five Model Twelves, two with plain barrels, three with the hard-to-find solid ribs. The newest was built in 1953, the oldest in 1931. I did not have a single malfunction with any of them. All were fitted with the early “corn cob” walnut slide grip. The grip is slim and cylindrical with a series of 18 deep circular cuts for a secure hold. To my eye, it is the most pleasing of the various fore-end configurations. It (as well as the solid rib) complements the sleek profile. If a minor drawback exists with the Model Twelve, the typical stock of the earlier guns might be cut a tad short for today’s average man. This is fine for layered-up cold-weather shooting but maybe a bit stubby for shirtsleeve dove work. A quick fix is to have a gunsmith add a narrow black spacer and a red hard-rubber Winchester recoil pad. Looks great, too. The cost for classic quality keeps increasing. Field grade, 12-gauge Model Twelves in reasonably clean and original condition are selling in the $600 to $1,000 range. Expect to pay more for an upgraded gun or a smaller gauge or an unusual barrel/choke combination—maybe a lot more. But put your hands on one and you are holding a benchmark. So long as Americans proudly own guns, I’ll bet that the venerable Model Twelve will only increase in value. And I’ll also bet it will keep on shucking long after you and I are gone.

The Winchester Model Twelve pump-action shotgun.

Model Twelve approximately 5 to 1 since its introduction in 1950, and it is an excellent pump gun. I’ve owned three Wingmasters. I still have one. But, well, it’s not the “Perfect Repeater.” Winchester took few, if any, shortcuts in the design, components and construction of the grand old gun—no stamped parts, no plastic do-dads, no pressed checkering, no flashy trimmings. A book, “The Winchester Model Twelve,” written by George Madis in 1982, details its fascinating history. According to Madis, “a partial list of the tooling for this model includes 271 forging and trimming dies, 427 milling, grinding and edging fixtures and 1,643 gauges. “Many small parts which could have been made from standard steel stock were forged, trimmed, machined and polished instead of being made in a less expensive manner. This resulted in much higher quality and raised the cost of manufacture.” Each component was inspected after each operation. According to T.J. Johnson, one of the masterminds behind the Model Twelve, there were an astounding 2,739 separate inspections performed on the parts of each gun before the final proof testing. Mind, this was for the standard field grade, not a special order from a custom shop. Despite the graceful lines, the Model Twelve was built like a bank vault. Merton A. Robinson, ballistics engineer at the Winchester plant, stated that each Model Twelve was proof tested “with loads 330 percent more powerful than the heaviest factory loads.” This pump-action gun was made to keep functioning smoothly year after year, decade T E X A S

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 Email Joe Doggett at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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EXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE Department (TPWD) biologists have recommended the following special trout regulations. • Past emergency rule provisions • Three fish bag limit • 17- to 23-inch slot limit. No fish over 23 inches.

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• From Laguna Madre north through East Matagorda Bay. • Rule to expire on August 31, 2023 and revert back to previous rule. These recommendations were made by TPWD staff November 2021 and were in response to gill net surveys conducted over the summer as well as fishing pressure. Although trout numbers declined in many areas, fishing pressure did not.

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CRUNCHING NUMBERS In mid-June 2021, Coastal Fisheries biologists completed their routine gill net surveys and began analyzing the data for trends. “Data from these sampling efforts were compared to sampling efforts from previous years in spotted seatrout populations,” TPWD officials said. “Spring gill net sampling when compared to other years shows a decline in spotted seatrout in the upper and lower Laguna

Madre bay systems. Spring gill net samplings were not completed in 2020 because of COVID-19.” The officials reported that gill net data in both the upper and lower Laguna Madre found that the spring 2021 spotted seatrout catch rates were approximately 30 percent lower than the 10-year average. The data also indicated that there were noteworthy declines in the Matagorda and San Antonio Bay systems in 2021 spotted

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seatrout catch rates. Those catch rates were approximately 40 percent lower than the 10-year average. For Aransas, Galveston, and Sabine Lake, the data showed catch rates that were at or near the 10-year average catch rates. “Corpus Christi, in fact, saw a 10 percent increase in catch rates for 2021. Considering the natural annual variation in populations, the freeze impact to these systems appears minimal. Also of note were low salinity levels in multiple Texas bay systems when 2021

levels were compared to the 10-year historical average.” HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Although the February 2021 event impacted a large area of the Texas coast, the overall number of fish killed in this event appears to be lower than any of the three freeze events in the 1980s according to TPWD officials. “Using history as a guide, we believe our fishery has the potential to bounce back fairly

quickly as it did after the 1980s freeze event,” said Robin Riechers, Coastal Fisheries Division Director. “Based on our long-term monitoring, we saw the recovery in terms of numbers of spotted seatrout bounce back in approximately two to three years. This does not mean the fish size and age structure were the same as pre-freeze, but the overall numbers did return in that timeframe.” However, the Spotted Seatrout mortality in the combined upper and lower Laguna Madres is comparable to the events from the 1980s. Below is a breakdown of each event in the 1980s according to TPWD. • December 1983: 14.4 million fish killed with a geographic extent of the entire coast • February 1989: 11.3 million fish killed with a geographic extent of East Matagorda Bay south to the Lower Laguna Madre • December 1989: 6.2 million fish killed with a geographic extent of the entire coast The 1997 freeze event saw 328,000 fish killed, but had a significantly higher percentage of game species killed (56 percent) than in 2021. “While some areas of the coast and some species of fish were clearly impacted more than others, overall, this is the worst freezerelated coastal fish kill we have experienced since the 1980s,” TPWD reported. HOPE FOR THE FUTURE The massive coastal freeze that hit Texas in February killed more than four million fish. Speckled trout, especially mature fish, were killed by the tens of thousands from Upper Laguna Madre to the Mexico line. That area happens to coincide with the location of the last two Texas state records. Did the freeze kill the next state record trout? No one reported finding a fish of that size, but it certainly could have been rotting in a pile of carcasses no one noticed. Or perhaps the fish with that genetic potential died at 10 pounds and we will never know. It’s important to look back at history for some perspective on this. 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 Baffin Bay in 1996 that weighed 13 pounds, 11 ounces.

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PHOTO: COURTESY NATHAN WHIPKEY

Nathan Whipkey holds a huge trout found dead after the freeze in Oso Bay in the Corpus Christi Bay complex.

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. One could look at major coastal freeze

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kills as being a limiting factor in big trout production, and that’s a valid point, but Wallace’s fish came seven years after the major freeze kill of 1989. That fish was definitely born before the freeze. That should give anglers hope of what

is possibly still swimming the waters of the Texas coast or what will appear in a few years.

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ATHAN CHIDRESS WAS NERVOUS. THE HUGE ibex billy he was hunting had eluded him all afternoon, but now it seemed as if he might have an opportunity for a clean shot. The big, beautiful goat was positioned behind a tree, which made a shoulder shot impossible, but the ibex had his head down and was eating. Perhaps he would continue feeding and move out just a few feet, and that’s exactly what happened. With only a few yards of opening between the tree and a cedar thicket, fourteen-year-old Nathan raised the rifle, placed the crosshair behind the shoulder and squeezed the trigger. “You missed,” said outfitter Thompson Temple, who was watching with binoculars. “Oh man, I thought I had him,” Nathan replied. “I’m just messing with you. It was a perfect hit. Job well done young man,” Temple said. Nathan breathed a sigh of relief, and we all had a good laugh. Now it was time to wait a few minutes for the ibex to go down, but there would be no blood trail to follow. Nathan shot it with a special dart that injects a tranquilizer. Temple needed to inoculate it from disease and move it to another pasture. There, it could mate with a herd of female ibex as part of his ongoing breeding management program. The author Ten minutes later, we found the ibex. After administerdarted this big ing some inoculations, Nathan posed for photos with the ram and helped animal he had very legitimately hunted. Then we moved innoculate it from disease. it to another pasture.

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Tompson Temple showed Nathan Childress how he gives injections to his animals.

One of the author’s early mentors, Tony Houseman, who at different times served as the president of both the Houston Safari Club and Dallas Safari Club, went on an early “green hunt” for a rhino.

graphs, and the animal is fitted with a GPS tracking collar. About an hour before sunset on the same day Nathan darted the ibex, got to do the same thing with a masI sive exotic hybrid ram. He wanted to inoculate the ram. However, unlike deer which can be injected easily by shooting them with a dart, these sheep have thick hair and wool which makes it necessary to do it by hand. After all, you only know the animal is hit with the tranquilizer when it starts moving slowly. Antibiotics don’t have the same impact. It was very much like bowhunting because I had to get within 30 yards for a shot. Also, since sheep are herd animals, it was a challenge to hit the ram and not the wrong animal. I love wild and exotic sheep and getting my hands on this big one for a photo was exciting. Even more fulfilling was knowing we helped Temple’s management plan to move forward by giving this big, breeder ram some protection against sickness. On the same trip, Nathan shot a beautiful Texas Dall ram, successfully taking his firstever big game animal. He was understandably excited. “Getting to dart, give a medical treatment of sorts and move that big ibex was even cooler. I’ll never forget that opportunity,” he said. Green hunting is already making an impact globally for wildlife. Here in Texas, animals are darted, examined, medicated and moved on a daily basis on ranches throughout the state. I believe this could be a great way to get young people perhaps from hunting families who are not quite down with killing an animal to understand hunting, game management and conservation.

Temple injected it with the antidote, and the billy shot straight up and started walking. He would not have passed any sobriety test with his wobbly strut, but it didn’t take long for him to find his bearings. Soon he was off with the nannies that were calling out in the distance. That’s a radically different story than the first dart hunt I ever heard of back in the early 2000s. One of my outdoor mentors, the late Tony Houseman shot a white rhino as part of a “green hunt” on a remote tract in southern Africa. Sperm was collected from the big male and then taken to another area to artificially inseminate a female. This practice has been ongoing and has contributed to the genetic diversity of white rhinos. “After hitting the rhino with the antidote, they are supposed to take a few minutes to get moving,” Houseman recounted upon returning from his expedition. “But the one I shot jumped right up and gave us a good scare. We were all moving pretty fast.” These are called green hunts because the animal isn’t killed, but all other parts of the hunting experience are intact. These green hunts are regularly done with rhinos. Similar hunts are now staged with jaguars in South America. Hunters are paying to hunt the jaguar with hounds, tree the cat and dart it. The hunt pays for important conservation research. After darting the jaguar, the hunters take photo14

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The real opportunity here is with exotics. If a rancher needs to dart and move a big blackbuck or red stag, why not involve a young person? It would be a golden opportunity to see the benefits of the hunting industry and how game management works. Adults on the outer edges of the hunting world might want to see what it’s about too. I got to scan the horns of the ibex and ram with Trophy-Scan, an incredible technology that is already in use in a major way scoring deer for the Los Cazadores Whitetail Deer Contest. An app and scanner along with an ipad allows horns to be detail-scanned. This will create an image that can be sent to 3-D printers. Theoretically you could scan a horn or skull mount of an animal you helped move for a rancher. The technology even allows the image to be scaled up or down to something like a pendant for a necklace. Although what Nathan and I did wasn’t labeled as a green hunt, in essence, it was one. For Nathan in particular, it was a wonderful experience. It’s amazing to me that nearly 20 years ago, I first heard of this concept with Tony Houseman’s incredible rhino adventure. Maybe one day I’ll get to travel across the Atlantic and go on a green hunt for rhinos. My finances would have to radically change, but it’s okay to dream, right? But if not, the memories of sharing such a special experience with Nathan and Thompson Temple will live with me forever. For more information on exotic hunting go to www.thompsontemple.net

 PHOTOS: CHESTER MOORE

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AM 33 YEARS OLD, BORN AND RAISED IN NEW Mexico. I grew up living with my mom, brother, and sister in the city of Albuquerque. My mom’s family is mostly non-hunters, but they support wildlife conservation. There are several hunters in my dad’s family, some of which also raise various farm animals for natural food sources and harvesting. I was never exposed much to the hunting culture growing up. I was very rarely exposed to firearms; however, I shared the interest of fishing with my dad growing up. He passed away when I was 23. Bea Segura Growing up I was always told takes aim on one that hunting was too dangerous of the ranges at the FTW Ranch.

for girls. They were not allowed on the hunting trips. I never found the interest to learn about it, and I stuck with fishing instead until just recently. With my kid’s dad, I currently co-parent two amazing kids, my son 10 and daughter 9. Over the last year, I moved in to my own home with just me and my kids. I started finding new hobbies and interests. Recently, I learned to shoot a traditional bow and participated in a bow shoot this last year. A friend, who is now my mentor, started showing me how to track and hunt turkeys with my bow. Over the last several years I’ve acquired some really bad food allergies to preservatives. and it’s been a challenge for me to find natural foods. So, when I started learning more about bow hunting, I started getting very motivated to take home my first turkey. I then grew more interested in bow hunting and started asking my mentor more questions about hunting bigger game to bring home natural meat for me and my family. PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

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It was such a coincidence of timing when my mentor, then received an email from the Wild Sheep Foundation about an opportunity for women to participate in a new hunter program called “Women Hunt,” founded by Renee Thornton of the Wild Sheep Foundation. It is designed to teach women like me about ethical hunting, wildlife conservation, and harvesting animals to provide natural sources of food. I applied for the opportunity to learn. I was one of 12 women chosen to partici-

pate in a new hunter program at the FTW Ranch in Texas and be a representative of the Women Hunt program with the Wild Sheep Foundation. This opportunity has changed my life. It has prepared me to spread awareness of wildlife conservation and ethical hunting to others. I seek out women who, like me, had had no exposure to the hunting culture, but who want to learn how to provide and prepare food for our families. Not only did the Women Hunt program

Bea Segura took her ﬁrst-ever whitetail, this mature doe, while hunting at the FTW Ranch near Barksdale.

teach me how to hunt (which ultimately prepared me to take home my very first whitetail doe), but it helped me build my confidence to seek out my interests. Now, when anyone tries to convince me that “some things are too dangerous for women,” I challenge that statement and make a judgment for myself independently. I don’t believe in categorizing anyone based on gender, age, race, or religion. I think anyone should go out and try something new they find interesting, and I did just that. I came back home from hunting in Texas and provided food for my kids, and more importantly, came back with more knowledge than I expected about hunting and wildlife conservation. I now have more respect for the hunting culture and enough knowledge about it to share the awareness about wildlife conservation with my kids and family. After my experience at the FTW Ranch, I immediately went to my state affiliate of the Wild Sheep Foundation and asked how I can get more women involved here in my state of New Mexico. I plan to share my experiences with other women, children, and anyone else interested. I feel that there are people out there that are in the position I was in wanting to eat natural, and provide food for our families. I want to be a role model for my kids and inspire them to chase their dreams and be independent human beings that can provide for themselves. Most importantly, I want to teach my kids the ethical ways and reasons for respecting the culture of hunting and how we, and the next generations to come, can continue to support wildlife conservation.

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TEXAS WHITETAILS by LARRY WEISHUHN :: TF&G Whitetail Deer Editor

Keeping the Hunt Going

NOW YOU’VE STILL GOT A hunt or two left on property under the TPWD’s Managed Land Deer Permit program,” stated my brother. He continued, “Some of the bucks I saw early before the season on my property just started showing up again. Don’t have a MLDP, but I have the Muzzleloader Season to look forward to.” “Lots of good deer hunting still to be had in January and even into February with managed land permits.” I responded. Indeed, there is some great whitetail hunting still to be had before the Texas whitetail deer seasons are over. Late winter is a great time to take a big mature buck that, during the earlier part of the hunting season, made himself scarce. There are basically two reasons older, mature bucks move—hunger and sex. By the time we get into January most of the whitetail hunting is over. But in Texas, we have greatly varied habitat and terrain. This results in widely different times when the breeding seasons across our state, occur. I have seen bucks seriously chasing does as early as the first week of September along the central part of the Gulf Coast—and as late as mid-January in the Brush Country. The reason the rut occurs when it does, where it does, is so that about 230 days later, fawns are born at the most nutritionally opportune times in that immediate area. With changes in land practices, and yearround supplemental feeding, deer in those areas where the nutritional levels are high do not change with the season. There is no longer a real reason for fawns to be born during a specific window. It’s interesting that female whitetail fawns, PHOTO: LARRY WEISHUHN

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“There is lots of good deer hunting still to be had in January.”

ranch until after the annual DSC Convention (www.biggame.org) in early January. Thankfully, the owner had invited me to hunt in mid-January. A cold north wind was blowing when I arrived at the ranch. I knew where there was a food plot that had been planted in late fall, and had only recently started producing forage. I felt assured young and old does, as well as some bucks, would be there. First afternoon, hidden behind a “comfortable” boulder, I watched a mature typical 12-point stride into the field. He made a run at a couple of young of the year does. It was a fatal mistake on his behalf. Food and sex!

if they are on a really good nutritional level, (meaning about eighteen percent protein, excellent energy and optimum vitamins and minerals) can and often do breed at six to eight months of age. It is not uncommon for upwards of sixty to eighty percent of doe fawns born in late spring and early summer, to begin breeding in January or even early February. Young doe fawns that experience their first estrus are highly sought after by bucks. Thus, a good hunting strategy in January amounts to hunting prime feeding areas where deer concentrate and congregate. Bucks come to these feeding areas to forage, but also check on the estrus status of young does. A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to hunt a well-managed property in central Texas near Llano. For the most part the peak of the whitetail rut in the area had taken place in mid-November. My schedule was such I could not get to the T E X A S

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ANUARY 24, 2022 MARKS THE 30TH anniversary of Texas’s state record bass. Many TF&G readers weren’t even born when the 18.18pound largemouth gobbled up the live shiner Barry St. Clair of Athens was dabbling for crappie near the Lake Fork dam on that fateful winter day in 1992, but that’s beside the point. The focus here is it is high time that Texas’s most coveted freshwater fishing record find a new owner. 20 |

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Nothing against St. Clair. Records are made to be broken, and this one has been gathering dust way too long. In random order, here are my picks for the lakes most likely to kick out Texas’ next state record: O.H. IVIE O.H. Ivie had the hot hand for Legacy

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Lunkers last year with 12 entries, including six 13 pounders, four 14 pounders, a 15 pounder and a 16.40 pounder. The 16 pounder ranks as the No. 16 heaviest Texas bass of all-time and the biggest fish reported statewide since 1999. One fat crappie or channel cat in its belly and that fish would have been knocking at the state record’s door.

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Ivie’s bass fishery has a strong Floridastrain influence. The fish are currently enjoying some great habitat and abundant forage, which are three key ingredients to creating and sustaining a trophy fishery. It’s spooky to think what might happen there if the lake catches some water and stays in good shape over the next few years.

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LAKE FORK It isn’t the big bass factory it once was, but only a fool would rule out “Mother Fork” as a state record contender. The lake maintains a heavy Florida-strain influence, thanks to heavy annual stockings. The fish continue to thrive despite aging habitat and heavy fishing pressure, due in part to a restrictive 16- to 24-inch slot limit. The lake has produced seven of the state’s Top 10 bass, 30 of the Top 50 and 264 Toyota Legacy ShareLunkers since 1986. Its most recent Top 50 entry was a 15.48 pounder in March 2018. Fork produced a pair Legacy ShareLunkers in 2021, including a 15.27 pounder last March that was subsequently released back into the lake. NACONICHE First opened to fishing in September 2012, 692-acre Naconiche has been managed for trophy bass from the get-go with heavy stockings of Florida-strain largemouths. This includes hundreds of hatchery brood fish retirees (some close to seven pounds) and thousands of Toyota ShareLunker offspring. The lake has a 16-inch maximum length limit

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to protect big ones, a bounty of forage to keep them plump and a jungle of great habitat where they can thrive. Naconiche produced a lake record 14.16 pounder in July 2016. Surprisingly, it has yielded only one Legacy Lunker, a 13.06 pounder in 2017. Fisheries biologists are predicting a big bass explosion in the near future as more year classes come of age and reach trophy size. With the genetics that are finning around out there, look out. ALAN HENRY Too much big bass history here to count Alan Henry out. The 2,900-acre West Texas gem is tied with Sam Rayburn as the state’s third leading producer of Legacy Lunkers (29) behind O.H. Ivie (41) and Lake Fork (264). It was the state’s hottest lake for whoppers in 2005-06 with 18 Legacy Lunkers, including the current lake record of 15 pounds. ’Henry’s most recent bruisers came in 2020 when it produced a pair of Legacy class fish for the same angler less than a month apart, the heaviest weighing 14.36 pounds.

SAM RAYBURN Well-known as one of the country’s top tournament lakes, Sam Rayburn is a massive reservoir with a strong Florida bass influence, abundant forage base and historically great habitat. With more than 114,000 surface acres to roam, one can’t help but ponder thoughts of giants finning around out there that have never seen a lure. Plenty of fat girls have been reeled in, including a May 1997 lake record of 16.80 pounds and 29 Legacy Lunkers ranging from 13 pounds to 14.32. Additionally, there was a 14.94 pounder that died in February 2020, soon after being weighed on certified scales. Several tournament anglers have lived big bass nirvana on ‘Rayburn in recent times, including a trio of single day tournament catches topping the 40-pound mark on five fish. The most remarkable belongs to Danny Iles and Brian Shook, who weighed in 49.31 during a Texas Team Trail event in February 2020. It may be the heaviest limit of bass ever documented in an organized team tournament on U.S. public waters.

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

Hawg Hunting Season

E ARE ON THE CUSP OF another lunker season in Texas. Bass junkies, it’s time to get your game faces on and get ready for war! More heavyweight Texas bass are caught between January and April than at any other time of year. Back in the late 1980s and 1990s, I spent several days fishing with a guy named John Hope. Hope lived in Palestine at the time and worked as a fishing guide on Houston County Lake. He was well known across Texas, largely through his affiliation with the now-defunct publication, Honey Hole Magazine. Hope lived for the big bite. He loved it so much that he became infatuated with learning all he could about big bass behavior. The guide was so obsessed with fat fish that he began equipping them with electronic transmitters so he could monitor their daily routines. Between 1986 and 1994, Hope surgically implanted electronic transmitters inside 57 fish ranging from six to 15 pounds in more than a dozen Texas lakes. Three were Texas ShareLunkers, including a 15 pounder from Lake Fork, a 14 pounder from Lake Murvaul and a 13 pounder from Sam Rayburn. Hope worked tirelessly on the project. He once spent five consecutive days and nights tracking fish at Houston County. The guide slept in the bottom of his boat in a sleeping bag, waking periodically to document the movements of his finny subjects. The studies taught Hope a ton about big bass. He wrote a book documenting the findings. Fittingly, the book is titled Trackin’

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Location a huge key. The guide spends an abundance of time fishing creeks. He does so slowly and methodically. “I basically pick a creek apart, and I take my time doing it,” he explained. “I fish up one side, down the other and pay real close attention to bends in the channel with sharp breaks, especially if there is a bunch of brush down there. The more cover there is, the better the big fish like it.” When Stevenson’s bait comes in contact with thick cover, he makes a point to fish through it instead of around it. “When I feel my bait bumping brush, I actually slow down and allow my bait get down into it,” he said. “I may not get the bait back. But then, I may get it back with a big bass holding on to it.” Stevenson said it is essential to have the right mindset in when targeting big bass. “Fishing for big bass is an entirely different ball game than going after numbers,” he said. “You have to realize you aren’t going to get as many bites and not get discouraged. Fishing for big bass is a lonely game, but it can be really rewarding if you don’t mind putting in the time.” According to Stevenson, big bass are prone to go on the prowl when nasty weather sets in. “Don’t be deterred by the weather,” Stevenson said. “The days that are most conducive for comfortable fishing are not necessarily the days when big fish bite the best. For some reason, big bass go on the prowl during nasty weather. Something about it turns them on.”

Texas Trophies. One of the more valuable lessons Hope learned is that big bass are home bodies. “Every big bass has a bedroom where it rests and a kitchen where it feeds,” Hope said. “And those places won’t be very far apart. I never had a fish move more than 400 yards from its bedroom when it went to feed. They don’t go roaming around all over the lake from one day to the next.” Hope also learned that big bass feed predominantly at night, 12 months a year. “Every fish over seven pounds is a nocturnal feeder,” Hope said. “They may feed periodically during the day, but they do most of their feeding at night, usually in two hour intervals. They feed for a while, then rest for a while.” Hope also learned something about how fish relate to cover and structure in shallow, mid-range and deep water. Furthermore, his findings helped him firm up his “funnel point” theory. “For several years I would mark an X on the map when I would catch a big bass,” Hope explained. “At the time, the only common denominators I noticed between the spots were deep water access, cover and structure.” Hope was referencing the X-riddled lake map one day, when he made an interesting discovery. “It was like someone flicked a light switch,” he said. “There was a narrow trail leading to all the X’s. They looked like funnels - wide at one end, narrow at the other. These are the types of places big bass like to travel. Spend more time fishing defined funnel points, and you’ll catch more big bass.” Mark Stevenson knows what it takes to land the big ones. Since 1984, Stevenson has caught nearly 300 weighing 10 pounds or more from Lake Fork, including a 17.67pound former state record that still ranks as the biggest Texas bass ever caught on an artificial lure. Stevenson says there are number of things anglers can do to boost the chances of getting big bites. F I S H

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HE BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS (BEA) released its 2020 report on outdoor recreation’s economic impact, which confirmed that boating and fishing remain the number one contributor to this critical sector of the U.S. economy. The new numbers show outdoor recreation generates $689 billion in economic output, supports 4.3 million American jobs, and comprises three percent

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of all U.S. employees. The report, a snapshot in time of a challenging and uncertain year, includes national and state level data. In 2020, conventional outdoor recreation activities (such as bicycling, boating, hiking, hunting, etc.) accounted for 37.4 percent of U.S. outdoor recreation value added, up from 30.6 percent in 2019. This increase was due to higher spending on boating and fishing, as well as RVing. Boating and fishing was the largest conventional activity for the nation – up nearly 30 percent compared to 2019 – as

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well as the largest conventional activity in 39 states and the District of Columbia. “Americans have faced a number of challenges and uncertainty since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but one thing is certain – recreational boating and fishing provided a much-needed outlet for millions of Americans, and continues to be a major economic driver,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

“Despite the pandemic, public lands and water closures, canceled trips and travel, gathering restrictions, supply chain issues and more, the outdoor recreation economy is a huge contributor to national and local economies,” said Jessica Turner, president of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR). “This data, along with what we have seen throughout the past year and a half, proves how vital continued investments in our public lands and waters and recreation infrastructure are to the national

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Outdoor recreation generated $698 billion during a year of shutdowns and closures.

and local economies and how communities big and small, rural and urban, benefit from outdoor recreation.”

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During an ORR briefing event on the new report, Steve Heese, President and CEO of Chris-Craft and Chairperson of NMMA’s

Board of Directors, highlighted the increasing demand the industry experienced in 2020. According to Mr. Heese, America’s

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Commerce, has released government data on the outdoor recreation sector. The release shows how the outdoor industry continues to support communities across the country during the pandemic. This is despite the impact of widespread public lands and business closures, suspended trips and travel, gathering restrictions, supply chain issues and more, Prior to 2020, the outdoor recreation economy was growing faster than the economy as a whole in every indicator. It has served as a resilient economic growth engine

and job creator. America’s outdoor recreation community continues to support the Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account (ORSA), which is the project compiling and releasing this data. As is the case for many other industries, the goal is to provide annual data on the economic importance of national and regional outdoor recreation economies that can be tracked for years to come.

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recreational boating industry is strong and getting stronger and this trend is expected to continue in the years ahead. Key highlights from 2020 data on the outdoor recreation economy: • Outdoor recreation generated $689 billion in gross output during a year of shutdowns and closures, and 4.3 million jobs in communities across the country. • Industry segments like boating and fishing, biking, camping and RVing, hunting and shooting sports, and powersports experienced record sales and unprecedented growth. • 2020 was one of the toughest years in recent history. With so much isolation and loss, the outdoors was something we could all turn to in order to connect with families and friends while maintaining physical and mental health.

Outdoor participation soared in 2020, especially close-to-home recreation.

• Declines in travel and tourism had an outsized impact on outdoor recreation’s overall economic activity and related outdoor segments may continue to struggle. • Outdoor participation soared, especially close-to-home recreation, highlighting the importance of better access to the outdoors for all communities. • Americans’ prioritization of outdoor recreation continued into 2021 with strong numbers in participation and sales data. This is the fourth consecutive year that BEA, an agency of the U.S. Department of

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Going COASTAL by KELLY GROCE :: TF&G Contributing Editor

Getting Snookered in Texas

HEN IT COMES TO inshore fish, there’s no doubt that snook dominate their class. And yes, besides Florida, Texas is home to a fishable and expanding population of snook. Their pronounced, black lateral line is something to marvel over as well as their gleaming yellow dorsal fins and narrow set of eyes. Aggressive in attitude, snook check all the boxes an angler could seek with their extraordinary fight. Hostile headshakes, freight train runs and full body aerials; these fish do it all. Releasing a snook is just as fun as catching one. The mouth of a snook is similar to that of a largemouth bass. When releasing one, grasp its lower jaw with your thumb. The snook will close down on it until it’s ready to swim off. This is where they get the nickname “thumb-sucker.” The Lower Laguna Madre is the prime spot to target both species of snook, the common and the fat snook. South Texas has mild winters which are favorable for snook, who are sensitive to cold water temperatures. Both the deep waters of the Brownsville Ship Channel and the South Padre Island/Boca Chica Jetties are great, safe havens for these fish when the temperatures drop. During the freeze of 2021, snook sought refuge in these deep-water channels and didn’t take a massive hit. The slot for a snook in Texas is 24 to 28 inches. With their numbers on the rise, it is not uncommon to hook one or two fish of this size during a fishing trip. These fish are also growing in overall size. Capt. Brian Barrera is a local fishing guide who special-

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izes in tarpon and snook and has spent days on end studying and chasing after these fish. On a recent trip I had with Brian, he caught a massive snook coming in at 38 inches. We landed several fish in the 33- to 36-inch range on this same day, as well. If you’re like me and thought snook of this size only existed in Florida, think again. Similar to bass, snook seem to eat everything, or nothing at all. When they aren’t being picky, there are several ways to catch a line-sider. Focus on areas with structure and preferably a strong current. Live baits such as |

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a finger mullet under a cork, or a noisy topwater, even a soft plastic on a heavy jighead will make an attractive snook meal. The rarity of catching a snook in Texas makes the pursuit and chase of this first-class fish that much more special. No matter the size, landing a lone star line-sider is a prized moment for any angler.

 Email Kelly Groce at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com PHOTO: KELLY GROCE

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

Shyrock Uses a Jack Hammer on Texas Bass

ASS PRO TOUR COMPETItor Fletcher Shryock loves grass fishing so much that he left his native Ohio for the shores of Lake Guntersville in Northern Alabama. It’s a big fish factory, known for its thick fields of vegetation and central to his tournament travels. However, whenever he gets a chance early in the season he slides on over to East Texas where the true giants live. He knows that a red “trap” is deadly over the Texas greenery, but in recent years he’s turned to a vibrating jig to eke out bigger bites when it’s cold. Not just any vibrating jig—the Evergreen Jack Hammer, usually in Fire Craw with a matching orange Gary Yamamoto Zako on the back. When the fish want something different, he’ll substitute in an all-green pumpkin version. “I’ve fished a lot of different Chatterbaits, but this is the only one I carry since BHite put that thing on the map,” he said. “It’s super-simplified and doesn’t require much of a mental process.” The only change or modification he makes is to trim back the skirt a bit straight out of the package. Typically, he’ll have both the 3/8 and ½ ounce versions on the deck of his boat. In deeper and clearer water he might add the ¾ ounce. “You just want a slow and steady retrieve that comes into contact with the grass. Pick the right size so that you tick the tops of it and deflect off of it, but don’t get bogged down.” He’ll look for the freshest, crispest grass he can find in the transition between wintering areas and the spawning grounds, following the bass inward as it warms up. Generally, PHOTO: COURTESY MAJOR LEAGUE FISHING

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may be a little bit pricier than some other lures in its category, the rest of your tackle need not be costly. In fact, Shryock relies heavily on a $79.99 Favorite Fishing White Bird model exclusively. It’s a seven-foot, six-inch heavy action, but it’s “really soft and parabolic.” He initially tried heavier and stiffer rods, but kept losing lots of fish, especially good ones. “A lot of times when they engulf the lure, with a heavier rod you’ll blow their mouth open,” he said. “This is almost like a swimbait rod. You just keep reeling and let it load up.” He pairs his preferred rod with a baitcasting reel in the 6.4:1 to 7.1:1 range, depending on how fast he wants to retrieve it, and he spools it up with 15-pound test Vicious fluorocarbon. “I do not like braid because it doesn’t stretch. That ties in with the rod. You don’t want to blow their mouth open.” Although it’s possible to lose a jumping or surging fish when they flop around this heavy lure, Shryock said that “the best way to keep them pegged is to get them hooked right in the beginning.” That involves the right rod and line and avoiding the King Kong hook set. He’ll still keep a lipless crank, a swim jig and a swimbait on the deck, but when he’s dialed into the grass bite, the Jackhammer is his number one tool for attacking Texas-born grass fish.

this is in flat areas which “keep the heat and stay warm.” The colder the water, the slower he tends to retrieve the lure. He wants the lure to contact the grass, but unlike a lipless crankbait where the ripping action is often what triggers the strike, he said that in this case it can be a deterrent or a negative. “Of course, if you need to rip the lure to get it free, that’s your only option, but in most cases a gentler approach will put more fish in the livewell. “When it gets in there, don’t jerk,” he instructed. “You want to break the bait free with your rod. Just turn the handle to clear the grass and that’s what will generate reaction strikes.” While the Jack Hammer

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Email Pete Robbins at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

Fletcher Shryock T E X A S

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12/21/21 12:53 PM

ASS FISHING AND CONSERVATION GO HAND-INhand.

St. Croix and Texas Fish & Game want to take this to the youth and incentivize conservation activism among Texas high school bass fishing competitors. “We believe this tech-savvy generation can do great things for fisheries and conservation. We have partnered with Texas Fish & Game to create the Texas High School Bass Conservation Challenge, which will be a fun way for students to promote conservation as well as win some great prizes,” said Jesse Simpkins, Vice President of Marketing at St. Croix. Beginning Jan. 17, TF&G and St. Croix will send challenges to high school bass team sponsors throughout the

& GAME 34  FISH FORECAST CENTER SALTWATER

Reported by Capt. Eddie Hernandez, Capt. Derek York, Capt. Mark Talasek, Capt. Mac Gable, Capt. Joey Farah and Capt. Gerad Meritt

& GAME 44  FISH FORECAST CENTER FRESHWATER

Reported by TF&G Staff

52  SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK Tides and SoLunar Data

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PHOTO: ST. CROIX RODS

a $1,000 scholarship courtesy of St. Croix and get special recognition at the 2022 Bassmaster Open at Lake Sam Rayburn on Oct. 22. The challenges kick off with a #hashtag challenge. #HASHTAG CHALLENGE: Students are challenged to come up with a creative hashtag that promotes the high school bass conservation challenge and then use it in a post on their Instagram account. TF&G and St. Croix will judge this category and then this will be the official hashtag for the run of the program. The other challenges are as follows:

PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

Participating student anglers will have a chance to win a St. Croix Bass X Rod.

One of the challenges will be to create a zebra mussel meme.

ZEBRA MUSSEL MEME: Students will create a meme to share on Instagram regarding the zebra mussel problem in Texas. POLLUTION SOLUTION: Students will post a simple solution to Instagram and/or Facebook on pollution issues plaguing freshwater fisheries. Ideas would be proper line disposal, cleaning up litter around boat docks, and reporting the dumping of oil, gas, and other pollutants. GUADALUPE BASS AWARENESS: Students will post a reel on Instagram or video on Facebook talking about the Guadalupe bass of the Texas Hill Country and promoting catch-and-release of this unique Texas Fish.

state. New challenges will go out every two weeks, with a total of seven before the end of the spring 2021 semester. Individual challenge winners get their choice of a Bass X rod from St. Croix and 32

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a special package of books and other items from Texas Fish & Game. A special panel will evaluate all entries at the end of the semester, and select a grand prize winner. That student will win |

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GOING COASTAL: Students will have an opportunity to create a post on Instagram or Facebook on one of three coastal issues, promoting proper fisheries

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PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

conservation. The topics would include 1. Awareness of bycatch of redfish and tarpon in the menhaden fishery 2. Release of 20-inch or better flounder 3. Release of speckled trout through the year 2022 to help fisheries recover from the freeze.

Another challenge will spotlight the State Fish of Texas, the Guadalupe Bass.

PHOTO: TPWD

Students will be asked to demonstrate proper handling techniques.

HANDLE WITH CARE: This challenge involves showing proper handling of largemouth bass for photos via Instagram or Facebook. SALVINIA STINKS!: Common and giant salvinia are a huge problem in many Texas waterways. Students will use the theme “Salvinia Stinks!” in creative ways on Facebook or Instagram to raise awareness of ways to keep from spreading it to other fisheries. “It all involves social media and raising awareness to conservation through this important means of communication,” said said TF&G Editor-In-Chief Chester Moore. “We believe students will learn a lot

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“It’s inspiring to see how students are connecting with fishing through high school competition. And it will be equally inspiring to see how they make a stand for healthy fisheries with these challenges.”

from these challenges and that going forward in their lives as fishermen, they will be inspired to consistently use social platforms for the good of the fishery as well as wildlife in general.” “We at St. Croix are excited to see what students come up with and to see their creativity unleashed for the sake of conservation,” Simpkins said. F I S H

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Accepting the Cold, Hard Fact It’s Winter coastal anglers feel the same way. The cold, hard fact, however, is that it’s winter. We’ve got to make the most of the conditions we’re dealt if we want to catch fish. Some days will be sprinkled in with mild conditions and winds not approaching gale force. These are the kind of days you need to take advantage of. The number of fish caught on Sabine during the winter months, given the right conditions, would probably actually surprise a lot of people. Your chances of scoring depend greatly on knowing where to be. Don’t waste time fishing areas that will not hold fish in chilly water. One thing for sure is you’ll definitely want to fish the warmest water possible. The difference between casting and catching can be decided by less than a couple of degrees of water temperature. So, fishing deeper water will definitely work to your advantage. Drop offs, guts and deep holes are what you should key on if you want to put fish on the stringer. CAPT. HERNANDEZ The extreme GHGSEddie@gmail.com south end of

SABINE Reported by CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

ERE WE ARE, RIGHT IN the thick of the coldest months of the year. Many of us are catching ourselves daydreaming about the warmer temperatures that will begin to prevail in the not too distant future. I’m definitely guilty, even though we fish in just about anything Mother Nature throws our way. If it were up to me, I’d rather be out there in more tolerable conditions. I’d venture to bet that the majority of

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Sabine Lake, between the south revetment and the causeway bridge, can be prime real estate for wintertime fishing, if you know what to look for. Keep an eye on your sonar as you cruise through. You’ll notice the bottom contour and depth are constantly changing. As you make your way over the giant oyster reef that blankets the entire south end of the lake, key on deep troughs and valleys. Late winter trout and baitfish will use them to their advantage as they seek protection and warmer water. The big winner is, of course, you. Baits such as live shrimp, mullet and fresh dead shrimp work well as do long, dark-colored soft plastics. Eight- to ten-inch plastic worms in Tomato, black and Fire Tiger are excellent choices when rigged on 1/4 ounce lead heads. Fish them slow. Be patient enough to work the area over really well, and you should have good results. Trout and reds will readily accept these offerings, but don’t be surprised if you also box a few black drum, whiting and croakers.

• • •

Big Trout & ‘Big Uglies’ GALVESTON Reported by CAPT. DEREK YORK

APPY NEW YEAR TO everyone! I hope you all had a great Holiday season. This time of year is always a great time to target those trophy trout on those warmer days, along with catching redfish. We’re also starting to catch those “Big Uglies” or black drum CAPT. YORK during their spotstalkerﬁshing@yahoo.com spawning

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season. Water temperature is always an important factor when fishing this time of year. Trying to balance tides, wind and water temperatures is kind of like going to the casino. Most days we have a better bite in the mid-morning to afternoon timeframe owing to warming waters from the sun being overhead. I spend a lot of my time fishing up on the north end of the bay including Clear Lake, Tabbs, Scott’s and Burnett bays as they provide shelter from the wind and an abundance of species to go after. Large speckled trout are often targeted by wade fishermen during this time by throwing Corkys and Mirrolures over mud bottom. These lures can provide some great action when the conditions are right and often lead to catching a personal best trout. Drifting these same areas and areas with scattered shell can also have great results. I primarily throw soft plastics on a lighter jig head to slow the presentation down as much as possible, Or I fish with the reliable live shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish are also found in these areas and can be targeted with the same techniques. They’re also feeding heavily up in the marshes looking for food flushed out by the cold fronts that pass so frequently this time of year. If you are looking to get out and just have a great time catching lots of big fish that pull hard, February is usually the start of the black drum migration. You’ll find them around the passes where they stack up in deeper water around structure and are simple to catch. I usually target them in 15 to 30 feet of water near the Galveston jetties or the gas wells and use fresh cracked blue crab on a bottom rig. Typically, I am using a threeway swivel with 40-pound test monofilament to a single swivel and a large circle hook. I attach my weight, usually a bank sinker (two to six ounces, depending on current), with a lighter line so it will break off if snagged. Once you locate these fish, it’s not uncommon to catch multiple fish in one spot. Last year I had several trips where we had more than 25 fish in the 15- to 50-pound range. This is a great way to get kids and adults into a great day on the

 INSET

Gulf of Mexico

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HOTSPOTLIGHT

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SABINE PASS

SABINE PASS IS A NATURAL OUTLET, WHERE SABINE LAKE EMPTIES INTO THE Gulf of Mexico. Sabine Lake is the smallest of the estuaries on the Texas coast and is located on the line between Texas and Louisiana. Large marshes surround the area. Selected HOTSPOTS and FACILITES are shown in the table below, and on the map. SPECKLED TROUT KEY

HOTSPOT NAME

Lighthouse Cove

Short Rigs

Big Rocks

REDFISH

LNG Spoils

End of Jetties

FLOUNDER

Mouth of Texas Bayou

Riprap/Old Jetty Remnant

BLACK DRUM Jetty

SHEEPSHEAD

Jetty

Short Rigs

WADEFISHING 1

McFaddin Beach

Texas Point Shoreline R/A

FACILITIES KEY

FACILITY NAME

GPS

BEST BAIT & TACTIC

N 29 42.759, W 93 50.981 N 29 39.236, W 93 48.289 N 29 39.417, W 93 49.501 N 29 41.149, W 93 49.503 N 29 38.603, W 93 49.584 N 29 42.759, W 93 51.485 N 29 41.990, W 93 51.156 N 29 39.247, W 93 49.899 N 29 39.708, W 93 49.544 N 29 39.236, W 93 48.289

Soft plastics, topwaters Soft plastics, live bait Live shrimp, mullet, spoons

Cut mullet, spoons Cut mullet, croaker

Mud minnows, mullet, soft plastic curltails. Soft plastics, live mud minnows. Use Caution in High Tide. live shrimp or crab on a bottom rig, anchor till found;

midday

Best bait is live shrimp Best bait is live shrimp

N 29 40.506, W 93 51.064 N 29 40.356, W 93 53.319

Silver, chrome tops; watch for ﬁsh feeding on mullet; dawn thru morning

GPS

LOCATION

Trout & redﬁsh, live croaker or shrimp, cast to guts

N 29 44.386, 4701 Broadway St, Sabine Sabine Pass Ramp W 93 53.403 Pass, TX 77655 SOURCE: TEXAS LAKES & BAYS FISHING ATLAS 2021

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(29.6939, -94.9424)

UPPER COAST water. Although you are allowed to keep one black drum over 52 inches per day, this is almost always a catch and release situation. Allowing these fish to go back and spawn will help us ensure the black drum populations continue to remain at good numbers and provide opportunities for the next generation to enjoy these amazing fish!

Might not get many bites, but when you do it’s a good one. I have caught some of my personal best trout this time of year. For those who don’t have the patience, red fish are always plentiful in the back lakes off the canal. Mullet on the bottom will always stretch the line out. Drifting deep shell in the boat with plastics is productive. Use a heavier lead head to reach the lower water column. The Colorado River is always an option when weather conditions sour in the bay. Speckled trout migrate to the deeper confines of the river for warmth. Working deeper drop offs will pay off. I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas and have a Happy New Year. Let’s go fishing!

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Chasing Fat Winter Specks MATAGORDA Reported by CAPT. MARK TALASEK

OST FISHERMAN TAKE these winter months to repair our gear. With the summer months taking a toll on equipment it’s time to work on things. Cold weather and water temperatures make the fish and fishermen sluggish. No better time to get things back in working condition. Hopefully everyone got their CAPT. TALASEK MarkTalasek@sbcglobal.net Christmas wishes left under the tree. After repairing everything, I get bored. It’s time to chase a Big Girl. I like to get out between the cool fronts mid-day. The wind is calm and mud flats warm up with the sun. Bigger trout don’t feed as frequently. They will eat a larger bait. I’ll tie on my favorite corky and pull it across a mud bottom, patiently waiting for a big one to eat.

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UPPER COAST HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Freeport HOTSPOT: Swan Lake GPS: N 28 58.098, W 95 16.446 (28.9683, -95.2741)

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Corkies or Catch 2000 SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: In January the water gets a lot clearer and lower. You can do a lot of sight fishing with the majority for redfish. LOCATION: Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Tabbs Bay GPS: N 29 41.634, W 94 56.544 |

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Deep water close by if the fish are not shallow. LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Smith Point Flats GPS: N 29 31.258, W 94 45.095 (29.5210 -94.7516)

SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Soft plastics, spoons SOURCE: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: Pumpkinseed soft plastics, gold spoon; watch boils LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Camp House GPS: N 29 46.171, W 94 45.232 (29.7695 -94.7539)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Suspending twitch baits SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas ﬁshgame.com/ﬁshgamegear TIPS: Wade shallow early, drift late LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Confederate Reef GPS: N 29 15.755, W 94 55.177 (29.2626 -94.9196)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Texas Tackle Factory soft plastics with either 1/8 or 1/4 oz jig heads SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fishing from the boat you will catch a lot of the smaller fish around Confederate Reef in West Bay, right in front of the Causeway, just drifting.

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkys in Day Glow SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fishing for trophy trout on muddy grass flats with scattered shell. The fish like to bury up in the mud because of the chilly water temperatures.

LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Colorado River GPS: N 28 40.542, W 95 58.08 (28.6757 -95.9680)

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: South Causeway Reef GPS: N 29 47.221, W 93 57.029 (29.7870 -93.9505)

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Offats Bayou GPS: N 29 16.819, W 94 51.507 (29.2803 -94.8585)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics with a 1/4 oz. jig head SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: In January catches of numbers of fish probably will not happen but concentrate on catching bigger fish.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics with a 1/4 oz. jig head SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Rivers, creeks and bayous will produce the most fish.

SPECIES: Black Drum BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas ﬁshgame.com/ﬁshgamegear TIPS: Drift with current using a drift sock; dawnmidday

LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Brown Cedar Flats GPS: N 28 44.406, W 95 42.09 (28.7401 -95.7015)

LOCATION: Surfside HOTSPOT: Brazos River GPS: N 28 56.469, W 95 22.888 (28.941155, -95.381466)

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Starvation Cove GPS: N 29 14.221, W 94 56.409 (29.2370 -94.9402)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Corkys or MirrOdine SOURCE: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 www.goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: Wade ﬁshing: You will have eight or ten days in the month that are favorable for catching quality trout in excess of 25 inches…three days preceding the new moon and three days preceding the full moon.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Norton Sand Shad or Corkies SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 www.matagordaﬁshing.com TIPS: Look for bait activity, maybe a couple of loons working. They will tell you where bait is. LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Eidelbach Flat GPS: N 28 41.499, W 95 47.614 (28.6917, -95.7936)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics with a 1/4 oz. jig head SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas ﬁshgame.com/ﬁshgamegear TIPS: The Brazos River in Freeport, around the Chemical Plant is a “well-kept secret”. A lot of trout come from out the river in the colder months.

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Returning for the One That Got Away lot to me, so I pressed on through two double doors. I was greeted at the nurse’s station, manned by none other than a look alike of Nurse Ratchet from the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. We’re all gonna die, and she will be the last face we see, was the newly-formed nightmare in my mind! Luckily, I found his room, and upon knocking, was greeted by his wife. She grabbed me and immediately the tears were flowing from both of us. “Can you talk to him about fishing?” she asked. “I can do that,” I promised. “Ed, let’s go fishing!” I said in a loud voice. His smile let me know he was glad I was there. “Captain Mac!” he beamed. “Did you bring a rod?” “Yeah, but I forgot the bait, AGAIN!” He had a laugh which consumed his whole body, making even total strangers like him immediately. “Do you remember our first trip when you forgot to get bait?” he said. “Yeah, that was the day that big red yanked the rod out of your hand, and you caught it with your feet.” “It’s a good thing I did, because I learned later you didn’t have but three rods to your name!” “Well, with big tippers like you, I knew I would be able to afford some more gear before mine wore out. Besides, I planned to marry well.” “Those rods were already worn out,” he howled with laughter. “Besides, a decent woman would push you out of the way just to get to a man like me!” he chuckled. “Looks like that’s true,” I said, as I looked to his wife. “Isn’t she a peach?” he said as the mood got more somber. “What type of cancer is it?” I asked. “The kind that kills you,” he said. “That’s all you need to know.” Nurse Ratchet came bursting in due to all the noise we were making. She pushed me aside and quickly took the command post next to the bed. Her demeanor now changed

ROCKPORT AREA Reported by CAPT. MAC GABLE

S IT THE “THRILL OF THE KILL,” the “Excitement of The Catch?” Or is it the memory of cherished moments in our rich outdoors that leave a mark on our souls? I had heard he was in the hospital, and the prognosis was not good. He was a client of many years CAPT. GABLE who had grown ContactUs@Fishgame.com into a friend. My aversion to hospitals is deep seeded. I don’t like their smells, their noises, or the organized chaos that permeates their walls. The courage it takes to work at these medical institutions borders on heroism, I thought as I walked through the door. After asking directions to his room, I quickly navigated the maze of halls. I did my best to keep track of north, south, east, and west in case dead reckoning was required for a speedy exit. The fact this man was my first real client as a new guide meant a

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as she cared for her patient. “Captain Mac, meet Nancy. If you are ever in this shape, I pray you have her at your bedside.” I could tell he was in good hands. She then finished, turned, and said, “You two keep it to a dull roar, please.” “Do you remember that big trout?” he said. “I do. It was October, on the beginning edge of a cold front. We had a good box of fish that day.” “You put two mud minnows on a hook and handed me the rod,” he said. “It was like my rod tip was hit by a framing hammer and the fight was on. You thought it was a red, then it came out of the water, biggest yellow mouth I have ever seen! “Rod tip up! you kept saying, and when it gets to the boat put your rod tip down into the water. I fought that trout like a pro,” he beamed. “And just as you grabbed the net, with the trout right beside the boat, I yanked the rod up and tried to hoist it out of the water. It shook loose in midair and landed in the water beside the boat. “It seemed to sit there as you went to scoop it out of the water with the landing net, a last-ditch effort to catch it for me. Then I asked you NOT to catch him that way, and we just looked down at that beautiful monster of a trout and watched it slowly swim off. He would have been a state record don’t you think?” “For sure!” I said. We both sat silently in his hospital room for a while. “Sad as it sounds, they say I won’t be leaving here, Captain Mac, but they’re wrong. I will be leaving just before my time is up, to a time and a place of the one that got away.” • • • FISH THE BLACK MUD/SHELL areas as they hold the heat. Trout and reds

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HOTSPOTLIGHT

Mission Bay

1 leave the protection of deeper water to feed in these areas which can be three to four degrees warmer than the rest of the bay.

7 3

COPANO BAY: The mouth of Mission Bay is the spot for black drum. Freelined, peeled shrimp is the ticket. Wades near Italian Bend is a good tactic for trout using New Penny jerk shad or Morning Glory sand eels on a rising tide.

8 4

ST CHARLES BAY: The mouth of Salt Creek is a good spot for reds using cut mullet or menhaden on a light Carolina rig. There are still some keeper trout at the mouth of Cavasso Creek. A silent cork and live shrimp work well here.

5 11

1 6

Copano Bay

9 12

ARANSAS BAY: Some good sheepshead may be found near the spoil area at the mouth a Dunham Bay. Freeline is best using cut squid or frozen shrimp. This area is also a good black drum spot, using peeled shrimp under a silent cork. Wades down Blackjack Point is a good plan for reds and trout using a bubble cork and imitation shrimp like the Vudu shrimp.

BAYSIDE ON COPANO BAY

BAYSIDE IS A SMALL COMMUNITY ON THE WESTERN SHORELINE OF COPANO Bay, situated between Mission Bay to the east and the Aransas River on the west. Selected HOTSPOTS are shown in the table below, and on the map. SPECKLED TROUT KEY

HOTSPOT NAME

Oyster Reef

40-Acre Reef

REDFISH

Mouth of Mission Bay

Bigfoot Reef

Little Shellbank Reef

Bayside Shoreline

FLOUNDER

Misson Bay Cut

West Copano Shoreline

Fulton Dock & Piles

BLACK DRUM Shell Bank Reef

SHEEPSHEAD

Bigfoot Reef

Copano Pier

WADEFISHING

Copano Reef near shoreline

FACILITIES KEY

FACILITY NAME

GPS

BEST BAIT & TACTIC

N 28 05.603, W 97 10.699 N 28 04.543, W 97 11.209

Piggy perch, tactic same as #1, drift if wind permits; dawn thru morn, dusk

N 28 08.246, W 97 08.804 N 28 05.603, W 97 10.699 N 28 05.882, W 97 09.064 N 28 05.955, W 97 12.119

Piggy perch, cut bait, gold spoons, same tactic as #1; dawn thru dusk

N 28 08.316, W 97 09.404 N 28 07.017, W 97 10.640 N 28 04.970, W 97 02.011

Mud minnows, jig off bottom, count to 4 then set hook; morning - midday

N 28 06.033, W 97 08.701

Fish transition from 2 to 5’, 4 second count after hit; , morn & dusk

N 28 05.603, W 97 10.699 N 28 04.494, W 97 13.292

Cracked oyster shell, live shrimp under cork, drift; dawn thru afternoon

N 28 08.536, W 97 07.832

Trout, reds, ﬂounder, sheepshead, black drum; live bait; free ﬂoat or freeline; dawn-morn, dusk

GPS

LOCATION

1 8/6 oz. jig, tactic same as #1, drift if wind permits; dawn thru morn, dusk

MESQUITE BAY: Drifts across Brays Cove are good for flounders using white grubs on a light jig head. Live shrimp jigged across the bottom work, as well. The mouth of Cedar Bayou is still a good spot for trout and reds using live shrimp or crushed sea lice on a light Carolina rig.

Live shrimp under cork using subtle rattle action; dawn, dusk Need light wind, will get 2 or 3 strikes before bait takes; morn-aftn Good on rising tide & sm moon phase, cast to shallow; dawn and dusk

Live shrimp, carbon leader w inline rattler, slow jigging; dawn and dusk

AYERS BAY: East shoreline is a good wade for trout using live shrimp or jerk shad in Morning Glory and Nuclear Chicken colors. The north end of Ayers Reef is a good spot for black drum using a silent cork and peeled shrimp. Live mullet fished here can produce keeper reds but be patient.

Live shrimp, ﬁsh the docks, piles and lighted areas; all day

Cracked oyster shell, live shrimp under cork, drift; dawn thru afternoon

N 28 05.487, Driscoll Rooke Park Copano Bay Drive, Bayside W 97 12.772 SOURCE: TEXAS LAKES & BAYS FISHING ATLAS 2021

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CARLOS BAY: This time of year, the go-to spot is Carlo Trench. Use live shrimp fished in the deeper water for reds and trout. A heavy Carolina rig works well.

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BANK BITE: The south end of the LBJ causeway is a good spot to wade for big trout. Wade out and then cast into the shell reefs using gold/red spoons and top water lures in bone/red colors. This area is best fished in a light north wind.

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MIDDLE COAST

Be Ready for Any Weather

CORPUS CHRISTI BAY

the best areas in South Texas. The largest trout and redfish will be able to regulate and hold their temperatures better than small fish because of their body size and experience. They will anticipate bait movements up and into the flats and move into position. Finding a good mix of shallow mud, grassy flats with sand pockets, all close to some deep-water retreating zones will be the perfect area for trophy trout wade-fishing. Deep water presentation is best with soft plastic lures. Using a jig head in the 1/4- to ½-ounce size, tap the bottom keeping the lure in the trout’s face, especially during the colder parts of the day. As the lunar bite increases and temperatures climb, vary your rod strokes to produce soft rises and falls of the bait as well as swim and pause presentations. Finding what action matches their activity level is ever-changing. Change things up every five to ten casts as you work the edge of the deep water. Drift over deeper flats in three to six feet. A DOA three-inch Cal Shad, and the four-inch shrimp body with a ½-ounce jig head are the perfect winter baits for deep water. My favorite winter colors are Key Lime and Rainbow Trout. For shrimp, Near Clear and Red. Deep fishing can be fast action and lots of fun, especially on the first day after a front has passed that the winds lay flat. Shallow water hunting for big trout is my passion. Stalking the flats, casting for giants keeps me boiled up in excitement inside waterproof waders and jackets. This kind of fishing is not easy. Hard work and hours on the water produce the greatest catches of the year—and many long days with few strikes. Large gamefish do not feed every few hours this time of year. Their metabolisms slow way down. Big trout and redfish might only feed every four to five days, during favorable conditions and lunar periods. Putting these pieces of the puzzle together and staying out, casting all day is what works

Reported by JOEY FARAH

EATHER ALONG THE Texas Gulf Coast is never the same for very long. So, fishing in January and February will host a variety of strategies and techniques. Anglers willing to bundle up to fish before and after the cold fronts can score on some of the best fishing of the New Year. Gamefish have settled into areas with the foundations of the food sources. This means that soft mud is where mud worms, eels, crabs, shrimp, and tiny sea creatures you have never seen, bury up for the winter. Baitfish and larger predators, both, hold close to these winter food sources. When CAPT. FARAH jfarah@yahoo.com temperatures dive toward the bottom of the thermometer, everything runs to the mud. However, as the fronts pass, look for the signs of life to quickly move toward the shallow water, or the nearest drop off to get some sun. With seasonal low tides, the extreme shallows along the sides of the ICW Canal will heat up in the mid-day sun. Tidal changes and wind will push this warm water into the channel where anglers can pick along with soft plastics catching trout redfish and drum. The channel between Rockport and Con Brown Harbor in Aransas Pass, from the JFK Bridge to the mouth of Corpus Christi Bay, and the Land Cut will be

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best. Locate areas of good bait numbers, small bait and large. Scouting during the warmest parts of the day are the best way to find these zones. Then still-hunt, moving very slowly. Sometimes just stand in place for long periods, using inch-by-inch lure movements to present your slow-moving baits the same speed as coldstunned baitfish. My go-to lure selections for this extreme shallow water fishing are essential in producing constant success. The DOA Shallow Water Bait Buster in natural color patterns is a slow-sinking, suspension bait that’s easier to use than those with large treble hooks. This bait is fool-proof and has a perfect live mullet action. When you think you are moving it too slow, slow it down even more. For conventional soft plastics try Down South Lures Super Model. This bait hovers over extremely shallow water at low speeds, when rigged with a light, 1/16-ounce jig head. Color selection should vary between brights, darks, and naturals, and DSL Baits have some truly hot colors available. Make each cast to a precise spot, swim the bait as if it were a cold-stunned and confused baitfish. A fast retrieve with your lure will leave your stringer empty. Allow the largest and smartest high-end predators the opportunity to size up and strike your bait with precision. The north shoreline of Baffin Bay has miles of perfect wade fishing waiting for you to come hunt the trophy of a lifetime. Catch and release them. Fiberglass reproductions have more detail and color than do dead trophies, and they last forever.

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MIDDLE COAST HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Halfmoon Reef GPS: N 28 4.5259, W 96 59.062 (28.0754 -96.9844)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas

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fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Trout should be in 4-6 feet of water. You may find some shallower, but they won’t stay there long.

LOCATION: Mesquite Bay HOTSPOT: Cedar Bayou GPS: N 28 6.708, W 96 49.812 (28.1118 -96.8302)

LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Mud Island GPS: N 27 56.635, W 97 1.266 (27.9439, -97.0211)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish like the round body of Down South soft plastics, and the willow tail of Kelley Wigglers.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Paddle Tails or live shrimp SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: January and February are almost identical as far as spots and baits. There is no reason to be on the water at the crack of dawn. The fish are cold too.

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Nueces Bay GPS: N 27 51.894, W 97 21.132 (27.8649 -97.3522)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Gulp New Penny and any other soft plastic in purple are effective colors.

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LOCATION: Rockport-Fulton HOTSPOT: Long Reef GPS: N 28 3.618, W 96 57.679 (28.0603, -96.9613)

MIDDLE COAST LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Quarantine Shoreline GPS: N 27 54.468, W 97 3.5159 (27.9078, -97.0586)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Paddle Tails or live shrimp SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: The fish will be real lethargic, especially on the flats until the sun gets up and warms everything up. LOCATION: Redfish Bay HOTSPOT: Dagger Island GPS: N 27 50.1019, W 97 10.2659 (27.8350, -97.1711)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Down South & Kelley Wiggler soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Whatever soft plastic you choose, make sure to fish slow across the bottom. SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish BEST BAITS: Soft Plastic Paddle Tails or live shrimp SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Cut bait on the potholes…it will all be good when the water warms up.

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Guadalupe Bay East Shore GPS: N 28 24.803, W 96 45.342 (28.4134, -96.7557)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout & Redfish BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a popping Cork SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: When wading, concentrate around Panther, south of Panther and Cedar Bayou LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Nine Mile Hole GPS: N 27 5.159, W 97 24.621 (27.0860, -97.4104)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Slow Sinking Artificial Baits SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: If you use a real light color in the morning. The fish are looking up and the light color is sticking out.

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Tricks for Fishing Tricky Winter Weather BAFFIN BAY Reported by CAPT. GERAD MERRITT

ET’S TALK JANUARY AND February fishing. With this time of year comes tricky weather. Finding a good window can be tough, but it is always an adventure. Winter is in full swing, and fish react differently with the slightest change in weather. This leads to a more challenging hunt. Wind is always a factor on Baffin Bay, but the geographic location allows anglers to fish the waters with any wind direction. I personally prefer the third day after a cold front and try and schedule trips accordingly. The betterquality fish are starting to move and are CAPT. MERRITT looking for bait geradmerritt@gmail.com action to keep their weight on. During these months, I am on the lookout for warmer water. I throw to the shallow side as water temperature will be higher as the day progresses. Fish can get selective in their food sources during this season, so I try to throw a wide variety of artificials, along with live shrimp, until I find one that is successful. Throwing lures or live bait against a grass line or structure is key, as this is where your bait fish will be hiding. Although I do not use one particular brand of lures, I always carry a variety of dark and light colors with me. I also enjoy having several different tail options and a lure that has a lot of movement. The fish in Baffin Bay are normally aggressive and tend to be heavier during winter, so changing bait sizes or lure lengths may be necessary depending on the type of fish you are targeting.

LOWER COAST HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Badlands GPS: N 27 18.447, W 97 26.293 (27.3075, -97.4382)

Live bait and popping corks are a routine choice for my guided trips this time of year. Throwing a live shrimp under a popping cork, while working it every 30 to 40 seconds has proved to be extremely successful. An advantage to this method is the ease of use for anglers of all ages and experience levels. As many anglers know, there are times when there is no rhyme or reason as to where the fish are located, and I take this into consideration in colder months. There are many days when I find myself reassessing the original game plan. So, I begin moving spots to find the fish pattern for that particular day. In addition, the weather plays a huge role in where or how to fish and should be the main factor that determines where to be on the hunt. South Texas winter fishing may have its challenges, but it can be one of the most fulfilling trips for anglers looking for their trophy fish. So, bundle up, grab your fishing pole, and see what the cooler waters of Baffin Bay have to offer.

LOCATION: Bafﬁn Bay HOTSPOT: Kennedy Rocks GPS: N 27 16.255, W 97 26.7329 (27.2709, -97.4456)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: MirrOlure soft plastics with either a 1/8- or 1/16-ounce jig head SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 www.matagordaﬁshing.com TIPS: When the water is clear, throw the Morning Glory color. Use the MirrOlure soft plastics because they are already scented. That enhances your chances of attracting ﬁsh.

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: MirrOlure soft plastics with either a 1/8- or 1/16-ounce jig head SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 www.matagordaﬁshing.com TIPS: If there is any sunshine and there are rocks around, the rocks heat up quick. They’re kind like ﬁsh magnets.

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LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Brownsville Ship Channel GPS: N 26 0.405, W 97 16.465 (26.0068, -97.2744) SPECIES: Speckled Trout, Snook, & Redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, mullet, or Berkley Gulp SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Work the edges for trout, snook, and redfish.

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LOCATION: Middle Ground HOTSPOT: Big Oak Mott GPS: N 26 41.965, W 97 27.791 (26.6994, -97.4632)

HOTSPOTLIGHT

ARROYO COLORADO

ARROYO COLORADO IS LOCATED BETWEEN PORT MANSFIELD ON THE NORTH and Port Isabel to the south, approximately 45 miles north of Port Isabel. The most popular species caught here are Red drum, Black drum, and Spotted seatrout. Selected HOTSPOTS are shown in the table below, and on the map. SPECKLED TROUT KEY

HOTSPOT NAME

West of Green Island

North of Arroyo

Green Island

Bird Island

REDFISH

White Sand east of Green I.

Horse Island Flats

Horse Head Island

FLOUNDER

Colorado Island Hole

Rattlesnake North Channel

BLACK DRUM

Arroyo Colorado

North Point

SNOOK Mouth of Arroyo

WADEFISHING

Green Island

East Horse Island Flat

FACILITIES KEY

FACILITY NAME

GPS

BEST BAIT & TACTIC

N 26 23.310, W 97 19.876 N 26 22.645, W 97 20.033 N 26 23.106, W 97 19.305 N 26 21.494, W 97 19.233

Drift potholes between island & spoils, cast into potholes; dawn, dusk, ngt

N 26 23.226, W 97 19.173 N 26 20.618, W 97 19.704 N 26 20.258, W 97 19.896

Wade or drift the crystal clear water, sight cast to reds; all day

N 26 22.255, W 97 19.857 N 26 21.288, W 97 19.397

Let bait sink to btm., slowly retrieve up sloping edge; dawn, morn, dusk

N 26 21.902, W 97 19.523 N 26 21.408, W 97 20.921

Great spot at low tide, live or dead shrimp under cork; dawn thru morning

N 26 21.713, W 97 19.735

Red/white topwaters, wade shorelines where Arroyo opens; dawn, morn, dusk

N 26 23.468, W 97 19.725 N 26 20.873, W 97 19.708

Trout & redﬁsh; freeline live bait, soft plastics, topwaters

GPS

LOCATION

Live shrimp under pop-n cork, drift or anchor; avoid midday Dusk-night best with full moon, anchor or drift slowly; all day Bone Topwaters, ﬁsh the south, north & east island areas; dawn-morn

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LOCATION: Middle Ground HOTSPOT: East Side of Spoil Islands GPS: N 26 47.049, W 97 27.561 (26.7842, -97.4594)

Topwaters, gold spoons, ﬁsh potholes, look for tailing; dawn thru afternoon Wade shoreline S to N in a zig zag fashion, ﬁnd zone; dawn thru morning

Live minnows, most productive early morning, edges; dawn thru midday

Live shrimp under cork or bottom rig, ﬁsh with tides; Oct-Dec, dawn-am, ngt

SPECIES: Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, mullet, or Berkley Gulp SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/ﬁshandgamegear TIPS: Fish hug the east shoreline at high tide night & early morning; all day.

Trout & redﬁsh; freeline live bait, soft plastics, topwaters

N 26 20.993, A. Thomae Co. Park FM 2925 (Hutts Rd) W 97 23.459 SOURCE: TEXAS LAKES & BAYS FISHING ATLAS 2021

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, plastics w Mansfield Mauler, wade up to 200 yds; dawn thru midday SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear TIPS: Topwaters, plastics w Mansfield Mauler, wade up to 200 yds; dawn thru midday

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PHONE

956-748-2044

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LOCATION: Middle Ground HOTSPOT: Land Cut Spoils GPS: N 26 49.564, W 97 28.129 (26.8261, -97.4688)

fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Beginning in February it’s time again to be looking for that trophy trout. LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Dubbs Island GPS: N 26 43.2409, W 97 25.6 (26.7207, -97.4267)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Topwaters, soft plastics, spoons. SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/ﬁshandgamegear TIPS: If ﬁshing plastics or spoons, go with red/white soft plastics, gold, or chrome spoons.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Butchers Island GPS: N 26 38.1019, W 97 23.149 (26.6350, -97.3858) SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Corkys SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Wading is the only way to go if you are trying for that bite of a lifetime. SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Corkys SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas

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GPS: N 30 22.3499, W 95 33.342 (30.3725, -95.5557)

Time to Fish the Depths for Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Liver, prepared bait SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/ﬁshandgamegear TIPS: Fish liver or prepared bait on C-rig, anchor & tightline; morning, night LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Big Cypress River GPS: N 32 43.9559, W 94 8.682 (32.7326, -94.1447)

SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers BEST BAITS: Live shad, Storm Swim shad SOURCE: Richard Tatsch 936-661-7920 admin@fishdudetx.com www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: The hybrid stripers are schooling around ledges along the river channel. Find the schools of shad and you will find the hybrids. This time of year, they will run shad up on these ridges during the day they will move deeper around the area. Find the depth the bait is in, and you will find the fish. As the water temperatures drop, they will be in the 30-to-40-foot depths. Live shad will be the bait of choice in deeper water, but the swim shad will work if you can control your retrieve to keep the bait in the depth the fish are going to be in. The depths will vary from one day to the next. Today they may be in 20 foot of water and tomorrow they may be in 40 feet. It all depends on the schools of shad. LOCATION: Lake Cooper/Chapman HOTSPOT: Right Side of Dam GPS: N 33 19.272, W 95 36.688 (33.3212, -95.6115)

Reported by TF&G STAFF SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits and umbrella rigs in shad or white color, 1/2 oz. chrome jigging spoons SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Concentrate on the bends and cuts in this main channel. When the bass are active, throw the shad or white colored crankbaits and umbrella rigs. When they are not feeding well, drop a 1/2 oz. chrome jigging spoon in these same areas and vertically jig off them off the bottom. Watch visibly and on your electronics for balls of shad to increase your odds of finding these wintertime schools of bass.

EAST TEXAS HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Lake Bob Sandlin HOTSPOT: Monticello Cove GPS: N 33 4.718, W 95 2.994 (33.0786, -95.0499)

LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake

SPECIES: Catﬁsh

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Ofﬁce 903-593-5077 TIPS: The ﬁsh will be suspended here, so use deepdiving crankbaits and cast into the rocks. Morning to midday

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HOTSPOTLIGHT: CURRENT LAKE LEVELS LAKE

EAST TEXAS

As of 12/15/2021

Addicks B A Steinhagen Barker Bob Sandlin Bonham Caddo Coleto Creek Conroe Crook Cypress Springs Fork Houston Houston County Jacksonville Jim Chapman Lake O’ the Pines Livingston Monticello Murvaul Nacogdoches Palestine Pat Mayse Sam Rayburn Striker Sulphur Springs Toledo Bend Wright Patman

CAPACITY

(Acre Feet)

-n.a.69,186 -n.a.192,417 11,027 29,898 31,040 410,988 9,195 66,756 605,061 130,147 17,113 25,670 260,332 241,363 1,741,867 34,740 38,285 39,522 367,303 113,683 2,857,077 16,934 17,747 2,236,450 122,593

CURRENT

(Acre Feet)

-n.a.66,257 -n.a.178,017 8,409 29,898 30,829 388,875 8,040 61,551 520,844 130,147 17,113 25,508 211,787 232,978 1,741,867 26,769 36,348 34,659 352,245 102,602 2,486,218 16,934 10,000 1,890,008 122,593

3 Miles Northwest of Mineola

% FULL -n.a.96% -n.a.93% 76% 100% 99% 95% 87% 92% 86% 100% 100% 99% 81% 97% 100% 77% 95% 88% 96% 90% 87% 100% 56% 85% 100%

Lake ok ro b l o H

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LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Woodpecker Island or Dam Area GPS: N 32 49.2839, W 95 32.934 (32.8214, -95.5489)

LAKE HOLBROOK SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Crappie jigs: 1/8 oz. jig head, pink in color with a chartreuse/pink jig body SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: January is the month to look deep for the schools of crappie located on deep humps and creek channels on Lake Fork. It’s also one of the months you are required to keep the first 25 per person you catch. There is, however, no length limit for the months of December, January, and February. The humps to fish are around the dam area or the flats in the mouth of Little Caney. Also fish the deeper flats off Woodpecker Island or point. Look for the crappie in 30-45 foot of

LOCATION: On Lankford Creek, a tributary of the Sabine River, in Wood County 3 miles northwest of Mineola SURFACE AREA: 653 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 30 feet IMPOUNDED: 1962 LARGEMOUTH BASS IS THE MOST popular sportfish in the reservoir. TPWD began stocking the Florida strain bass in 2007. Subsequent stockings have been conducted to influence the genetics of the population. Bluegill and redear sunfish popu-

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lations exist in the lake, with some individuals up to 10 inches. Strong populations of both black and white crappie are found in the open water of the reservoir. Flooded timber, boat houses and brush piles provide limited cover. TPWD staff have been working to establish stands of native aquatic species since 2006. The department has also joined local organizations to create ﬁsh habitat structures in this lake.

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: RatLTraps SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/ﬁshandgamegear TIPS: Fish near stumps, hit brush near the Wall; dawn, morning, dusk.

EAST TEXAS water and you will see the bait ﬁsh and the crappie will be around them. This is the time of year you will need good electronics and calmer winds to hold in the open water. Once you locate the crappie, throw out a marker buoy and get out your favorite jig or crappie poles and go to work. If the jig bite is working, Put 2 jigs on the pole about 18 inches apart, using a 1/8 oz. head, pink in color and use a chartreuse/pink jig body. This will catch you a good mess in no time. LOCATION: Lake Houston HOTSPOT: Skier’s Cove GPS: N 29 58.058, W 95 8.896 (29.9676, -95.1483)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Live minnows

LOCATION: Lake Nacogdoches HOTSPOT: Swimming Hoe Creek GPS: N 31 35.925, W 94 49.304 (31.5988, -94.8217) SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/ﬁshandgamegear TIPS: Fish live minnows slow using spider rigs LOCATION: Lake Murvaul HOTSPOT: Goat Island Saddle GPS: N 32 2.263, W 94 27.278 (32.0377, -94.4546)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Pop-R rigs SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Ofﬁce 409-698-9114 TIPS: Be very quiet; Midday through afternoon. LOCATION: Lake O the Pines HOTSPOT: Alley Creek GPS: N 32 48.184, W 94 35.064 (32.8031, -94.5844)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Jigs SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Ofﬁce 903-938-1007 TIPS: Use black/blue or red/black jigs, pitch and ﬂip to visible cover. Morning to midday. LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn HOTSPOT: Carrizo Creek GPS: N 31 25.224, W 94 30.596 (31.4204, -94.5099)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Jigs, soft plastics

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SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/ﬁshandgamegear TIPS: Hit the grass and brush. Dawn to late morning, dusk.

LOCATION: Lake Wright Patman HOTSPOT: North Shore Big Creek GPS: N 33 19.86, W 94 12.125 (33.3310, -94.2021)

LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Tucker’s Lake Area GPS: N 31 51.75, W 93 54.8099 (31.8625, -93.9135)

SPECIES: Black Bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, swim baits, jigs, Rat-LTraps and finesse plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear TIPS: In February the bass will start moving or staging from their deep water haunts following the creeks and ditches towards the spawning flats in protected areas. The bass will be hungry and feeding heavy

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bulking up for the spawn. Work the ledges and drops along the creeks looking for the bait- ﬁsh. Use your temp gauge to ﬁnd the warmest water in the area you are working. Rat-L-Traps are a great go to lure to cover a lot of water and to locate the bass. If you get bit, slow down and work that area hard. If you catch one bass, there are usually more around.

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Jigs SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Ofﬁce 903-938-1007 TIPS: Tie two crappie jigs together, 2 feet apart. Fish with a fast retrieve. Dawn through dusk.

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Expect Lowest Water Temps of the Year SPECIES: Striped Bass and White Bass BEST BAITS: Striper: Live shad |White Bass: 2”-4” shad, white or chartreuse slabs SOURCE: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 www.centraltexasﬁshing.com TIPS: For striper: Fish the upper half of lake drifting or anchored with 4”-6 “ shad on top of ridges and humps. Fish 25’ down in 30’-40’ of water. For White Bass: Fish the upper half of lake drifting or anchored with 2”-4” shad or jigging with white or chartreuse lead slabs on top of ridges and humps near bottom in 25’-35’ of water. LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Silver Creek and Paradise Point GPS: N 30 50.5139, W 98 24.942 (30.8419, -98.4157)

Reported by TF&G STAFF

CENTRAL TEXAS HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Lake Austin HOTSPOT: Commons Ford Dock GPS: N 30 20.533, W 97 53.409 (30.3422, -97.8902)

SPECIES: Striped Bass, Hybrid Striper and White Bass BEST BAITS: Large shiner, live perch, 1oz or 1/2 oz. silver or chartreuse slabs, Large Zara Spooks, Pencil Poppers or any other topwater lure that splashes. SOURCE: Ken Milam 325-379-2051 www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: The stripers will be on the upper end of the lake around the Silver Creek and Paradise Point area as well as around Shaw and Garret Islands. Watch for feeding seagulls. White bass will be in the river channel. Troll shad colored diving baits.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass Best Bait: Spinnerbaits, soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/ﬁshandgamegear TIPS: Spinnerbaits, soft plastic worms; all day LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Upper Main Lake GPS: N 30 49.9739, W 98 25.512 (30.8329, -98.4252)

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F I S H

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Docks GPS: N 32 16.552, W 96 09.252 (32.275872, -96.154195)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: 1/4 oz. - 3/8 oz. bass jigs SOURCE: Jason Barber 903-603-2047 www.kingscreekadventures.com TIPS: This month we are skipping docks! Fish all docks throughout the lake with 1/4 to 3/8 oz jigs on 14lb to 20lb line. Skip and ﬂip bait under and around docks and ﬁsh super slow. LOCATION: Lake Corpus Christi HOTSPOT: Submerged Timber GPS: N 28 2.875, W 97 53.173 (28.0479, -97.8862)

SPECIES: Catﬁsh Best Bait: Live minnow, perch SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/ﬁshandgamegear TIPS: Live or cut shad, cheesebait, use heavy line, wire leaders; Year Around.

G A M E ®

12/21/21 12:54 PM

CURRENT LAKE LEVELS

CENTRAL TEXAS

LAKE

As of 12/15/2021

Aquilla Arlington Athens Austin Bardwell Belton Benbrook Buchanan Canyon Cedar Creek Choke Canyon Corpus Christi Eagle Mountain Georgetown Gibbons Creek 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 40,157 29,503 23,972 46,122 435,225 85,648 860,607 378,781 644,686 662,820 256,062 179,880 36,823 25,721 51,822 163,064 6,033 24,058 13,962 175,800 406,388 563,228 203,780 115,249 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 1,243,801 1,113,348 72,073 189,418 10,780 17,812 553,344 24,419

CURRENT

(Acre Feet)

39,772 32,297 29,503 22,772 45,216 409,912 67,197 756,670 377,300 592,502 292,087 205,626 166,044 26,717 21,365 51,822 155,511 5,122 22,779 12,832 168,060 330,538 520,604 179,771 111,003 6,809 64,813 66,883 22,850 8,745 44,590 7,687 411,429 767,078 995,973 150,293 217,057 804,995 155,637 1,194,019 793,736 69,377 167,438 8,860 14,945 505,049 19,835

LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake HOTSPOT: Riverbed GPS: N 32 53.0786, W 97 28.3675 (32.884644, - 97.472793)

% FULL 92% 80% 100% 95% 98% 94% 79% 88% 100% 92% 44% 80% 92% 73% 83% 100% 95% 85% 95% 92% 96% 81% 92% 88% 96% 99% 86% 26% 100% 91% 90% 90% 94% 97% 92% 100% 95% 92% 98% 96% 71% 96% 88% 82% 84% 91% 81%

•

Southwest of Cleburne on US 67

Lake Pat ne r u b e Cl HOTSPOTLIGHT:

LAKE PAT CLEBURNE LOCATION: On the Nolan River just southwest of the City of Cleburne off US 67 SURFACE AREA: 1,558 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 64 feet IMPOUNDED: 1961 LARGEMOUTH BASS FISHING IS GENerally good here, while Pat Cleburne’s channel catﬁsh action is excellent. Flathead and blue catﬁsh in lesser numbers are also catchable. The

•

SPECIES: Catﬁsh Baits: Cut bait SOURCE: Kolby Kuhn, Final Cast Guide Service 817-243-5858 kolbymkhun@gmail.com TIPS: The water temps are dropping to the lowest that they will be this time of the year and the catﬁsh

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-2201-DIG.indd 51

lake’s white bass ﬁshing is also good. Water quality is generally stained to murky, and there is plenty of cover from shallow vegetation and laydowns. TPWD and local volunteers have installed crappie condos near the dam, which provide cover for a variety of species.

F I S H

G A M E ®

will be schooled up on the deep edges of the riverbed. Focus on the bottom edge of ledges, points, and humps that meet up with the bottom of the riverbed. These ﬁsh can be caught by drift ﬁshing at a slow speed or by anchoring

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2 0 2 2

12/21/21 12:54 PM

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/ﬁshandgamegear TIPS: Fish the deep holes in winter and spring, minnows; morn-dusk

CENTRAL TEXAS LOCATION: Fayette County HOTSPOT: Dam Rock Area GPS: N 29 55.05, W 96 44.55 (29.9175, -96.7425)

LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Kickapoo Creek GPS: N 32 17.7299, W 95 30.2699 (32.2955, -95.5045)

SOURCE: Tommy Tidwell 512-365-7761 www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: This month is a lot like January except that around the middle of February, the white bass start moving up the creek and river. Fish just like you would during the spawn using moving baits. Crappie also move into the shallow sloughs on warm days and can be caught with slip bobbers ﬁshed in two feet of water. If you get 3-foot warm nights in a row, try for the shallow crappie. Good luck and good ﬁshing.

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: CJ’s Punch Bait SOURCE: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Water is warming. Channel cats and yellow cats hang out in these rocks. Anchor up in 12’-15’ water and use a cork to drift your bait through the rocks. LOCATION: Gibbons Creek HOTSPOT: Discharge Point GPS: N 30 38.2679, W 96 3.162 (30.6378, -96.0527)

LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool HOTSPOT: State Park Brush Pile GPS: N 32 37.746, W 96 59.265 (32.6291, -96.9878)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Texas Spinnerbait Company spinnerbaits in chartreuse and white, the famous Shimmy Shakers in Skeeter color, 3/8 oz. Big Eye Jig in black/ blue, Mister Twister Swim Station in black/blue SOURCE: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201 www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Bass ﬁshing is now and in the beginning of the spawn. Fish your Big Eye Jig along the creek channels and back waters around the islands and on the river. Fish the stumps and any brush you can ﬁnd in two to four feet. Fish slow for best results. LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Yankee Creek GPS: N 32 50.028, W 96 29.878 (32.8338, -96.4980)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Cut Shad SOURCE: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Power Plant is shut down so there is no flow right now. However, water drops off into discharge in deeper water. Look for blue cats in deep water.

SPECIES: Largemouth BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, soft plastics SOURCE: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 whitebassﬁshingtexas.com TIPS: Fish deep-diving crankbaits or Carolina rigged soft plastic worms & lizards. Avoid midday.

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: River Sloughs GPS: N 30 39.984, W 97 23.2679 (30.6664, -97.3878)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Fish the deep holes in winter and spring, minnows

SPECIES: Crappie and White Bass BEST BAITS: Jigs, Road Runners, crankbaits

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass Best Bait: Pumpkin, watermelon worms, lizards, work tree lines SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/ﬁshandgamegear TIPS: Pumpkin, watermelon worms, lizards, work tree lines; morning & afternoon

LOCATION: Lake Lewisville HOTSPOT: Hickory Creek GPS: N 33 7.339, W 97 5.058 (33.1223, -97.0843)

T E X A S

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G A M E ®

12/21/21 12:54 PM

LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Main Lake/Creeks GPS: N 33 23.9603, W 97 3.1223 (33.3993, -97.0520)

we’ll stick with the Catfish which will be on a good bite regardless of the weather, temps, fresh water or anything else that normally slows the other fish from biting! The best location will be up the Richland Creek Arm of the Lake in the heavy timber near Crab Creek. Fish the 20’-25’ depths with Danny King’s Blood Punch Bait on a # 4 Treble Hook and you’ll go home with lots of filets. There are no specific GPS Coordinates, but just look for where the Comorrants are roosting and there you will find the Catfish!

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Paw Paw Creek and Willis Bridge GPS: N 33 53.9879, W 96 53.796 (33.8998, -96.8966)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs SOURCE: Dannie Golden, Get Bit Guide Service 817-228-5999 www.get-bit.com TIPS: With February being the shortest month of the year, it can almost be like two different months with how much the ﬁshing can change. Early in the month you can still do the same things you were doing in January. Late February can be fantastic. It all depends on the weather. If it is still cold at the end of the month, it will stay the same as early February. Fishing mainly on the main lake and the mouth of the major creeks on the North end of the lake. Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs will be a main pattern in most of February. Sexy Shad and Firetiger are great colors to use on your jerkbaits. I recommend a suspending jerkbait. The key is too ﬁsh it slow. Make sure you are waiting in between jerks. You want that bait to come to a complete stop. Most of the bites come when it is sitting still. If it warms toward the end of the month, the creeks will also start to heat up. You can use the same patterns but concentrate on the secondary points. A trap and square bill will also start to produce with the warmer weather.

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Deer Island GPS: N 30 17.904, W 96 35.3099 (30.2984, -96.5885)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, Road Runners and Sassy Shad jigs SOURCE: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 www.striperexpress.com TIPS: January is a big fish month at Lake Texoma. The cool water winter fishing is legendary. Large stripers up to 20 pounds will hold on structure. A 7-foot medium heavy fishing rod with 20-pound test is recommended. The 1 oz. Road Runner jig with a white 9-inch worm will produce fish located on main lake points and the mouths of creeks and humps with deep water nearby.

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: CJ’s Punch Bait/Crawdad SOURCE: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Fish the sunny side of the island where the water is warming, and the wind is blowing into the island. Use a tight line and cast toward the stumps.

LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: State Park and Brazos River at the mouth of Nolan Rive GPS: N 31 55.074, W 97 21.8219 (31.9179, -97.3637)

LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni HOTSPOT: Two Mile Bridge GPS: N 32 54.401, W 95 58.641 (32.9067, -95.9774)

LOCATION: Richland Chambers Res. HOTSPOT: Richland Creek Arm/Crab Creek GPS: N 31 58.7579, W 96 18.7919 (31.9793, -96.3132)

SPECIES: Channel and Blue Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Danny Kings Punch Bait CONTACT: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 www.goneﬁshin.biz TIPS: February is traditionally the toughest month of the year on RC as the weather plays such an important role in the bite. However, for my Customers and I,

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Live minnows, 1/8 oz. jigs, fish bridge pilings, shadows SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishandgamegear TIPS: Live minnows, 1/8 oz. jigs, fish bridge pilings, shadows; Dec-March, dawn thru mid-day.

••

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-2201-DIG.indd 53

SPECIES: Striped Bass & White Bass BEST BAITS: 3” chartreuse swim baits from RSR lures and chartreuse Bass Assassins SOURCE: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 www.teamredneck.net TIPS: The water temp has dropped. The shad have been pushed from the creeks, ganging up in a “safety in numbers” type of pattern in the open water. The stripers and whites are following and gorging on them. The water is cold, the bait ﬁsh are lethargic and not moving as fast as normal so when you think your ﬁshing slow enough, slow down even more.

F I S H

G A M E ®

J A N / F E B

••• 2 0 2 2

12/21/21 12:54 PM

Try Dead Sticking in the Dead of Winter

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Jigs, minnows SOURCE: Lance Benson, TPWD 325-692-0921 TIPS: Try crappie fishing at Lake Daniels in the Gonsolus Creek area for wintertime crappie. Gonsolus Creek is lined with many willow trees and deep enough water to hold schools of crappie feeding on silverside minnows and small shad. Crappie jigs or minnows should work well during the winter. During this time crappie are feeding heavy to prepare for the rigors of the upcoming spawn.

T’S A NEW YEAR AND THE FISH will be stacked up along the bottom where the water is actually warmer. So look for them along river and creek channels. Find the bait then you’ve found the fish. Look along the 20-foot contour and shallower on cloudy days.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Deep Water Ledge GPS: N 32 23.014, W 97 42.55 (32.3836, -97.7092)

Reported by DEAN HEFFNER

This is the time of year to be dead sticking. Count down your jig to a certain depth, set your drag and put it in a rod holder. Sit back and slowly troll with your trolling motor. Only grab the rod when it bends over with a bite. If you want to learn more about this technique, just look it up on YouTube. Dead sticking is a great way to fish in winter. In late January and February, watch the birds. They will put you on fish.

HOTSPOT: Cat Hollow GPS: N 33 2.868, W 101 5.9039 (33.0478, -101.0984)

• • •

WEST TEXAS HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Lake Abilene HOTSPOT: West End GPS: N 32 14.0552, W 99 54.3623 (32.234254, -99.906039)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Deep diving crankbaits, jigs, spoons SOURCE: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220 www.lakealanhenry.com/fishing-guides.html TIPS: January will find the bass following the shad and perch into deep water. Everything will depend on the weather. Some bass will remain shallow if the water temps stay in the 50’s. If the water drops below 50, the bass will move into the deep water. Use your electronics to find balls of shad and you will find bass.

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, worms SOURCE: Lance Benson, TPWD 325-692-0921 TIPS: Try fishing slow rolling spinnerbaits or Texas rigged worms on drop offs and deeper creek edges. Multi bait setups such as Alabama rigs should also work well in cold water. Lake Abilene is located inside Abilene State Park and a code is needed to enter the lake. If crappie fishing is your goal Lake Abilene has some quality size white crappie. Crappie jigs or minnows work well near the dam.

LOCATION: Lake Daniel HOTSPOT: Gunsolus Creek GPS: N 32 37.9674, W 98 50.6224 (32.632790, -98.843707)

LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry

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2 0 2 2

T E X A S

F I S H

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: 3/4 to 1oz jig heads with 5-inch swimbaits/jerkbaits in blue/chartreuse SOURCE: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 254-396-4855 TIPS: Work over structure slowly and work deeper until you locate the best depth. Very little movement is required to get bit. LOCATION: Hubbard Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 45.7988, W 99 0.6078 (32.7633, -99.0101)

SPECIES: White crappie BEST BAITS: live minnows, worms, jigs SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office 325-692-0921 TIPS: Hubbard Creek Reservoir has seen a resurgence of its crappie since catching full. February may provide a great opportunity to catch the early spawning crappie. Lures such as 1/16-1/8 oz. jigs in white or chartreuse may produce a bite. Live minnows and worms may also serve well as a bait.

G A M E ®

12/21/21 12:54 PM

HOTSPOTLIGHT: CURRENT LAKE LEVELS LAKE

WEST TEXAS

As of 12/15/2021

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 1,985,900 1,551,007 70,030 45,288 132,949 59,968 8,109 313,298 199,931 245,307 86,345 27,762 11,950 46,450 500,000 26,768 5,273 54,560 21,444 15,400 115,742 554,340 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)

6,126 87,171 908,699 19,095 201,169 16,686 329,543 122,080 29,208 37,597 25,471 35,979 22,981 130,130 154,296 337,237 66,450 39,546 128,909 9,899 3,537 279,390 81,215 208,973 66,255 24,552 11,635 3,588 175,031 23,483 5,152 26,444 19,141 12,616 7,252 304,276 27,279 461 26,094 20,872 519,758 47,328 111,479 151,250 45,744 9,880 95,427 5,934

% FULL 78% 91% 49% 99% 87% 58% 90% 93% 70% 94% 88% 95% 75% 25% 8% 22% 95% 87% 97% 17% 44% 89% 41% 85% 77% 88% 97% 8% 35% 88% 98% 49% 89% 82% 6% 55% 70% 1% 98% 80% 97% 86% 74% 100% 89% 81% 52% 20%

•

 SEE INSET

rs s. e ll Re i M ek e Cr

INSET 

77 miles southwest of Wichita Falls

MILLERS CREEK RES. LOCATION: 77 miles southwest of Wichita Falls, off US 277 SURFACE AREA: 2,212 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 46 feet IMPOUNDED: 1974

row of timber by the water pump station southwest of the boat ramp, across from boat ramp around submerged brush piles, and when the reservoir is full at a CR 190 bridge crossing at spawning time. Good largemouth bass can be found around submerged trees and terrestrial vegetation. When water levels are up, pondweed will hold bass. White bass and hybrid striped bass are often located in the lower half of the reservoir. Many anglers target these ﬁsh in the cove across from the boat ramp. Many prefer trolling for these species.

MILLERS CREEK HAS A ROCKY shoreline, with some standing timber in the upper end. Shallow humps, and random brush piles are found throughout the middle to lower section. This isolated reservoir has generally good ﬁshing for all species with traditional baits. Catﬁsh are usually caught in upper portion of reservoir. Crappie are abundant and are of good size. They can be caught in the

•

LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Oil Well Slough GPS: N 32 55.322, W 98 27.857 (32.9220, -98.4642)

SOURCE: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 Fav7734@gmail.com TIPS: Jigs with Mister Twister Curly Tails and 1-oz. slabs in white and chartreuse are hot this time of year.

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•••

SPECIES: Striped Bass, Hybrids BEST BAITS: Jigs, slabs T E X A S

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F I S H

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12/21/21 12:54 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK JAN/FEB 2022

Tides and Prime Times The following pages contain TIDE and SOLUNAR predictions for our Base Point, Galveston Channel (N 29.317, W 94.88) Tidal movement and the daily phases of the moon have varying degrees of inﬂuence on many ﬁsh and game species. AM & PM MINOR phases occur when the moon rises and sets. These phases last 1 to 2 hours.

TIDE CONVERSION TABLE HIGH

SABINE AREA T1 Sabine Bank Lighthouse

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

LOW

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

Eagle Point

+3:54 +4:15

T17

Galveston Pleasure Pier

-1:06 -1:06

-1:46 -1:31

Clear Lake

+6:05 +6:40

T18

San Luis Pass

-0.09 -0.09

Sabine Pass Jetty

-1:26 -1:31

T10

Morgans Point

+10:21 +5:19

Sabine Pass

-1:00 -1:15

T11

Round Pt, Trinity Bay

+10:39 +5:15

T12

Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay

+5:48 +4:43

T20

Pass Cavallo

0:00

-0:04 -0:25

T13

Gilchrist, East Bay

+3:16 +4:18

T21

Aransas Pass

-0:03 -1:31

LOWER COAST T22 Padre Island (So. End)

-0:24 -1:45

Galveston Bay, S. Jetty

-0:39 -1:05

T14

Jamaica Beach, W. Bay

+2:38 +3:31

Port Bolivar

+0:14 -0:06

T15

Alligator Point, W. Bay

+2:39 +2:33

Texas City Turning Basin

+0:33 +0:41

T16

Christmas Pt

+2:32 +2:31

MONDAY

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

4:58a 10:39a 3:25p 10:27p

TUESDAY

0.37 ft. 0.64 ft. 0.37 ft. 0.95 ft.

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

5:27a 12:36p 4:36p 10:33p

0.06 ft. 0.79 ft. 0.62 ft. 0.94 ft.

Fort Worth

UPPER MIDDLE COAST T19 Freeport Harbor

WEDNESDAY

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

6:06a 2:07p 6:05p 10:38p

-0.28 ft. 1.00 ft. 0.85 ft. 0.99 ft.

Sunrise: 7:31a Sunset: 6:33p Moonrise: 3:55a Moon Set: 4:46p

AM Minor: 2:45a AM Major: 8:57a PM Minor: 3:09p PM Major: 9:21p

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

6:51a 3:19p 7:41p 10:47p

San Antonio

Galveston Port O’Connor

Freeport

Aransas Pass



Corpus Christi

BASE POINT: GALVESTON CHANNEL (N 29.317, W 94.880)

-1:20 Port Isabel

+1:02 -0:42

THURSDAY

12a

Port Arthur

Houston

-0:44 -1:02

Port Isabel

T23

Dallas

Austin

LOW

GALVESTON BAY AREA T4 Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass

FEET

LOW

12p

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: 10:25a Moon Underfoot: 10:49p

TIDE PREDICTIONS are located in the White Area MONDAY at the top of the Calendar Pages. You can use the Nov 1 High Tide: 2:36a 1.63 ft. CONVERSION TABLE below to make adjustments. Low Tide: 8:33a 1.03 ft. High Tide: 2:05p 1.46 ft. It is keyed to 23 other tide stations along the Texas Low Tide: 8:10p 0.71 ft. Coast (see these map icons: T1 ). Adjust low and high tide times, plus or minus in minutes, from the times given for the Base Point at Galveston Channel.

While tides are not a direct factor in FRESHWATER FISHING, SoLunar Activity still accounts for increased feeding activity in freshwater species. It is also a prime factor in the movement and feeding habits of game species.

10:00a — 12:00p

Lubbock

SOLUNAR ADJUSTMENT SCALE

PEAK TIMES: Our Forecast Calendar uses both Tide and SoLunar projections to predict the best fishing times and days. Generally, if a SoLunar Period (Major/Minor) falls within an hour of sunrise or sunset, fishing conditions should be better. On certain days where Tidal Activity is stronger, the best fishing times may fall ouside the normal SoLunar range.

PLACE

12a

Use the SOLUNAR ADJUSTMENT SCALE on the map below to adjust times for points East and West of our Base Point at Galveston Channel.

Amarillo

(See Instructions for reading the Graphs on the opposite page)

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.

KEY

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY is shown in the Green Boxes on the Calendar pages. Moon Overhead and Underfoot times are given in the SoLunar Box and illustrated on the Fishing Graph.

USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

-0.60 ft. 1.19 ft. 1.02 ft. 1.07 ft.

FRIDAY

31 

Low Tide: 7:40a High Tide: 4:21p

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Jan 1 

-0.87 ft. 1.33 ft.

Low Tide: 8:29a High Tide: 5:23p

2

-1.09 ft. 1.42 ft.

Low Tide: 9:23a High Tide: 6:15p Low Tide: 11:00p

-1.18 ft. 1.40 ft. 1.22 ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12:00 — 2:00 am Sunrise: 6:53a Sunset: 5:27p Moonrise: 12:30a Moon Set: 12:47p

AM Minor: 11:39a AM Major: 5:28a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 5:51p

Moon Overhead: 6:42a Moon Underfoot: 7:05p

12p

BEST TIME

12:30 — 2:30 am Sunrise: 7:11a Sunset: 5:28p Moonrise: 1:31a Moon Set: 1:20p

AM Minor: 12:00a AM Major: 6:12a PM Minor: 12:24p PM Major: 6:37p Moon Overhead: 7:29a Moon Underfoot: 7:53p

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TexasOutdoorNation-2201-DIG.indd 56

2 0 2 2

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 12:44a AM Major: 6:57a PM Minor: 1:11p PM Major: 7:24p

12a

2:30 — 4:30 am

12a

8:30 — 10:30 am

AM Minor: 2:22a AM Major: 8:38a PM Minor: 2:53p PM Major: 9:09p

Moon Overhead: 9:15a Moon Underfoot: 9:44p

F I S H

12p

Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:30p Moonrise: 4:56a Moon Set: 3:30p

AM Minor: 1:31a AM Major: 7:45a PM Minor: 2:00p PM Major: 8:14p

T E X A S

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:29p Moonrise: 3:44a Moon Set: 2:40p

Moon Overhead: 8:19a Moon Underfoot: 8:46p

12p

BEST TIME

1:30 — 3:30 am Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:28p Moonrise: 2:35a Moon Set: 1:57p

Moon Overhead: 10:15a Moon Underfoot: 10:46p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

4:00 — 6:00 am Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:30p Moonrise: 6:08a Moon Set: 4:28p

AM Minor: 3:19a AM Major: 9:36a PM Minor: 3:52p PM Major: 10:08p Moon Overhead: 11:19a Moon Underfoot: 11:52p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

4:30 — 6:30 am Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:31p Moonrise: 7:17a Moon Set: 5:33p

AM Minor: 4:22a AM Major: 10:38a PM Minor: 4:55p PM Major: 11:11p Moon Overhead: 12:25p Moon Underfoot: None

G A M E ®

12/21/21 12:54 PM

JAN/FEB 2022

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

3 FEET

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

12:39a 10:16a 7:02p 11:30p

TUESDAY

4

1.23ft. -1.17ft. 1.33ft. 1.15ft.

High Tide: 1:59a Low Tide: 11:09a High Tide: 7:44p

1.18ft. -1.06ft. 1.22ft.

WEDNESDAY

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

12:18a 3:17a 12:01p 8:20p

1.03ft. 1.07ft. -0.86ft. 1.10ft.

THURSDAY

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

1:20a 4:42a 12:51p 8:50p

0.85ft. 0.92ft. -0.60ft. 0.99ft.

FRIDAY

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

2:31a 6:22a 1:40p 9:14p

SATURDAY

0.63ft. 0.74ft. -0.29ft. 0.89ft.

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

3:36a 8:16a 2:30p 9:34p

SUNDAY

0.39ft. 0.61ft. 0.03ft. 0.81ft.

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

4:32a 10:21a 3:25p 9:50p

0.14ft. 0.57ft. 0.33ft. 0.76ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12:30 — 2:30 PM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:32p Moonrise: 8:19a Moon Set: 6:43p

12p

-0.08ft. 0.66ft. 0.58ft. 0.75ft.

2:30 — 4:30 PM

AM Minor: 7:39a AM Major: 1:25a PM Minor: 8:06p PM Major: 1:53p

6:03a 2:39p 7:35p 10:02p

-0.27ft. 0.81ft. 0.74ft. 0.77ft.

Low Tide: 6:43a High Tide: 3:53p

12a

-0.42ft. 0.94ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

3:30 — 5:30 PM

4:00 — 6:00 PM

12a

5:00 — 7:00 PM

12a

5:30 — 7:30 PM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:36p Moonrise: 12:09p Moon Set: 12:02a

AM Minor: 10:22a AM Major: 4:11a PM Minor: 10:43p PM Major: 4:33p

Moon Overhead: 5:04p Moon Underfoot: 4:41a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:35p Moonrise: 11:40a Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 9:33a AM Major: 3:21a PM Minor: 9:56p PM Major: 3:44p

Moon Overhead: 4:18p Moon Underfoot: 3:53a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:35p Moonrise: 11:09a Moon Set: 11:05p

AM Minor: 8:39a AM Major: 2:26a PM Minor: 9:04p PM Major: 2:51p

AM Minor: 11:06a AM Major: 4:56a PM Minor: 11:27p PM Major: 5:17p

Moon Overhead: 5:48p Moon Underfoot: 5:26a

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

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

12p

Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:34p Moonrise: 10:36a Moon Set: 10:06p

Moon Overhead: 3:27p Moon Underfoot: 3:00a

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

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:33p Moonrise: 9:58a Moon Set: 9:02p

Moon Overhead: 2:31p Moon Underfoot: 2:01a

12a

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 6:35a AM Major: 12:19a PM Minor: 7:05p PM Major: 12:50p

MONDAY

FEET

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

READING THE GRAPH

5:20a 12:34p 4:52p 10:01p

12a

1:30 — 3:30 PM

Moon Overhead: 1:30p Moon Underfoot: 12:58a

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

Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:32p Moonrise: 9:13a Moon Set: 7:54p

AM Minor: 5:28a AM Major: 11:08a PM Minor: 6:00p PM Major: -----

10 

12p

BEST TIME



Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

Low Tide: 7:21a High Tide: 4:36p

-0.53ft. 1.01ft.

 = New Moon  = Full Moon = First Quarter   = Last Quarter  = Good Day by Moon Phase

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

Low Tide: 7:58a High Tide: 5:08p

SATURDAY

-0.60ft. 1.04ft.

Low Tide: 8:35a High Tide: 5:34p

SUNDAY

16 

-0.65ft. 1.05ft.

Low Tide: 9:10a High Tide: 5:59p Low Tide: 10:48p

-0.69ft. 1.04ft. 0.95ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

6:30 — 8:30 PM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:37p Moonrise: 12:38p Moon Set: 12:57a

AM Minor: 11:48a AM Major: 5:37a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 5:58p

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

12p

BEST TIME

7:30 — 9:30 PM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:38p Moonrise: 1:09p Moon Set: 1:52a

AM Minor: 12:06a AM Major: 6:17a PM Minor: 12:28p PM Major: 6:38p Moon Overhead: 7:55p Moon Underfoot: 7:33a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

1:30 — 3:30 AM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:39p Moonrise: 1:42p Moon Set: 2:47a

AM Minor: 12:45a AM Major: 6:56a PM Minor: 1:08p PM Major: 7:19p Moon Overhead: 8:39p Moon Underfoot: 8:17a

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-2201-DIG.indd 57

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

2:00 — 4:00 AM

12a

3:00 — 5:00 AM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:40p Moonrise: 3:01p Moon Set: 4:38a

AM Minor: 1:25a AM Major: 7:37a PM Minor: 1:49p PM Major: 8:00p

AM Minor: 2:07a AM Major: 8:19a PM Minor: 2:31p PM Major: 8:43p

Moon Overhead: 9:26p Moon Underfoot: 9:03a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:39p Moonrise: 2:19p Moon Set: 3:43a

F I S H

Moon Overhead: 10:15p Moon Underfoot: 9:51a

G A M E ®

12p

12a

BEST TIME

4:00 — 6:00 AM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:41p Moonrise: 3:47p Moon Set: 5:33a

12a

5:00 — 7:00 AM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:42p Moonrise: 4:38p Moon Set: 6:25a

AM Minor: 2:51a AM Major: 9:04a PM Minor: 3:16p PM Major: 9:29p

AM Minor: 3:38a AM Major: 9:51a PM Minor: 4:04p PM Major: 10:16p

Moon Overhead: 11:06p Moon Underfoot: 10:40a J A N / F E B

12p

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:31a

2 0 2 2

12/21/21 12:54 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

17  FEET

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

12:06a 9:45a 6:25p 10:20p

TUESDAY

18 

0.95ft. -0.70ft. 1.03ft. 0.94ft.

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

1:09a 10:18a 6:51p 10:43p

WEDNESDAY

19 

0.96ft. -0.70ft. 1.02ft. 0.90ft.

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

1:55a 10:50a 7:16p 11:21p

0.94ft. -0.66ft. 1.00ft. 0.83ft.

THURSDAY

20 

High Tide: 2:42a Low Tide: 11:23a High Tide: 7:40p

0.89ft. -0.58ft. 0.96ft.

FRIDAY

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

12:05a 3:40a 11:56a 8:00p

0.73ft. 0.81ft. -0.44ft. 0.90ft.

SATURDAY

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

12:52a 5:01a 12:32p 8:14p

SUNDAY

0.58ft. 0.69ft. -0.25ft. 0.83ft.

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

1:42a 6:55a 1:10p 8:23p

0.38ft. 0.59ft. 0.00ft. 0.77ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

8:00 — 9:00 AM

12p

12:00 — 2:00 AM Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:44p Moonrise: 7:29p Moon Set: 8:38a

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

Moon Overhead: 12:48a Moon Underfoot: 1:13p

MONDAY

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

3:30a 11:25a 2:40p 8:09p

-0.14ft. 0.67ft. 0.58ft. 0.78ft.

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

4:29a 1:32p 3:55p 7:24p

12a

-0.42ft. 0.86ft. 0.84ft. 0.88ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

1:00 — 3:00 AM

1:30 — 3:30 AM

AM Minor: 7:52a AM Major: 1:41a PM Minor: 8:15p PM Major: 2:04p

Moon Overhead: 2:25a Moon Underfoot: 2:48p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:46p Moonrise: 9:26p Moon Set: 9:47a

AM Minor: 7:01a AM Major: 12:50a PM Minor: 7:25p PM Major: 1:13p

2:30 — 4:30 AM

12a

3:30 — 5:30 AM

Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:47p Moonrise: 10:24p Moon Set: 10:18a

Sunrise: 7:11a Sunset: 5:48p Moonrise: 11:23p Moon Set: 10:49a

AM Minor: 8:43a AM Major: 2:32a PM Minor: 9:05p PM Major: 2:54p

Moon Overhead: 3:11a Moon Underfoot: 3:33p

12p

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 9:32a AM Major: 3:21a PM Minor: 9:54p PM Major: 3:43p

Moon Overhead: 3:56a Moon Underfoot: 4:18p

Moon Overhead: 4:40a Moon Underfoot: 5:02p

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

12p

Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:45p Moonrise: 8:28p Moon Set: 9:14a

Moon Overhead: 1:37a Moon Underfoot: 2:01p

TUESDAY

0.13ft. 0.56ft. 0.29ft. 0.74ft.

12a

BEST TIME

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

READING THE GRAPH

FEET

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 5:18a AM Major: 11:30a PM Minor: 5:43p PM Major: -----

Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 12:22p

2:34a 9:08a 1:51p 8:23p

12a

Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:44p Moonrise: 6:30p Moon Set: 7:58a

AM Minor: 4:27a AM Major: 10:40a PM Minor: 4:53p PM Major: 11:05p

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

11:00P — 1:00A

Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 5:43p Moonrise: 5:33p Moon Set: 7:14a

24 

12p

BEST TIME



Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

Low Tide: 5:30a High Tide: 3:01p

-0.69ft. 1.06ft.

 = New Moon  = Full Moon = First Quarter   = Last Quarter  = Good Day by Moon Phase

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

Low Tide: 6:31a High Tide: 3:57p

-0.91ft. 1.19ft.

SATURDAY

Low Tide: 7:30a High Tide: 4:41p

SUNDAY

30 

-1.07ft. 1.24ft.

Low Tide: 8:27a High Tide: 5:19p Low Tide: 10:01p

-1.16ft. 1.22ft. 1.06ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

4:30 — 6:30 AM Sunrise: 7:11a Sunset: 5:49p Moonrise: None Moon Set: 11:20a

AM Minor: 10:21a AM Major: 4:10a PM Minor: 10:44p PM Major: 4:33p

Moon Overhead: 5:25a Moon Underfoot: 5:48p

12p

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 AM Sunrise: 7:11a Sunset: 5:50p Moonrise: 12:24a Moon Set: 11:54a

AM Minor: 11:11a AM Major: 4:58a PM Minor: 11:35p PM Major: 5:23p

Moon Overhead: 6:12a Moon Underfoot: 6:38p

J A N / F E B

TexasOutdoorNation-2201-DIG.indd 58

2 0 2 2

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

AM Minor: ----AM Major: 5:48a PM Minor: 12:01p PM Major: 6:14p

12a

1:00 — 3:00 AM

1:30 — 3:30 AM

AM Minor: 1:17a AM Major: 7:33a PM Minor: 1:48p PM Major: 8:04p

Moon Overhead: 8:00a Moon Underfoot: 8:30p

F I S H

12p

Sunrise: 7:09a Sunset: 5:52p Moonrise: 3:48a Moon Set: 2:11p

AM Minor: 12:24a AM Major: 6:39a PM Minor: 12:54p PM Major: 7:08p

T E X A S

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:10a Sunset: 5:51p Moonrise: 2:37a Moon Set: 1:18p

Moon Overhead: 7:04a Moon Underfoot: 7:31p

12p

BEST TIME

6:00 — 8:00 AM Sunrise: 7:10a Sunset: 5:51p Moonrise: 1:29a Moon Set: 12:33p

Moon Overhead: 9:01a Moon Underfoot: 9:32p

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

2:30 — 4:30 AM Sunrise: 7:09a Sunset: 5:53p Moonrise: 4:57a Moon Set: 3:12p

AM Minor: 2:13a AM Major: 8:29a PM Minor: 2:45p PM Major: 9:01p

Moon Overhead: 10:05a Moon Underfoot: 10:37p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

3:30 — 5:30 AM Sunrise: 7:08a Sunset: 5:54p Moonrise: 6:01a Moon Set: 4:19p

AM Minor: 3:12a AM Major: 9:28a PM Minor: 3:44p PM Major: 10:00p Moon Overhead: 11:09a Moon Underfoot: 11:41p

G A M E ®

12/21/21 12:54 PM

JAN/FEB 2022

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

31  FEET

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

12:12a 9:21a 5:51p 10:10p

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Feb 1 

1.08ft. -1.15ft. 1.15ft. 0.96ft.

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

1:45a 10:11a 6:20p 10:42p

2

1.07ft. -1.06ft. 1.05ft. 0.81ft.

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

3:03a 10:59a 6:45p 11:25p

1.02ft. -0.87ft. 0.95ft. 0.62ft.

THURSDAY

3

High Tide: 4:17a Low Tide: 11:44a High Tide: 7:08p

0.93ft. -0.61ft. 0.85ft.

FRIDAY

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

12:14a 5:33a 12:27p 7:27p

SATURDAY

0.42ft. 0.81ft. -0.31ft. 0.77ft.

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

1:06a 6:57a 1:07p 7:44p

0.23ft. 0.70ft. 0.01ft. 0.72ft.

SUNDAY

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

2:02a 8:34a 1:44p 7:56p

0.05ft. 0.64ft. 0.30ft. 0.69ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

11:30A — 1:30P

12p

1:00 — 3:00 PM Sunrise: 7:07a Sunset: 5:57p Moonrise: 8:29a Moon Set: 7:47p

AM Minor: 6:10a AM Major: 11:53a PM Minor: 6:37p PM Major: 12:23p

Moon Overhead: 1:11p Moon Underfoot: 12:42a

MONDAY -0.10ft. 0.65ft. 0.56ft. 0.70ft.

Low Tide: 4:01a High Tide: 4:04p

-0.23ft. 0.76ft.

Low Tide: 5:01a High Tide: 3:50p

12a

-0.32ft. 0.90ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

2:00 — 4:00 PM

3:00 — 5:00 PM

12a

3:30 — 5:30 PM

12a

4:00 — 6:00 PM Sunrise: 7:04a Sunset: 6:00p Moonrise: 10:38a Moon Set: 11:42p

AM Minor: 8:50a AM Major: 2:39a PM Minor: 9:12p PM Major: 3:01p

Moon Overhead: 3:40p Moon Underfoot: 3:17a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:05a Sunset: 5:59p Moonrise: 10:08a Moon Set: 10:46p

AM Minor: 8:00a AM Major: 1:48a PM Minor: 8:22p PM Major: 2:11p

Moon Overhead: 2:54p Moon Underfoot: 2:30a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:06a Sunset: 5:58p Moonrise: 9:38a Moon Set: 9:49p

AM Minor: 7:06a AM Major: 12:54a PM Minor: 7:31p PM Major: 1:18p

AM Minor: 9:38a AM Major: 3:28a PM Minor: 10:00p PM Major: 3:49p

Moon Overhead: 4:24p Moon Underfoot: 4:02a

Moon Overhead: 5:07p Moon Underfoot: 4:45a

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

12p

Sunrise: 7:06a Sunset: 5:58p Moonrise: 9:05a Moon Set: 8:50p

Moon Overhead: 2:05p Moon Underfoot: 1:38a

TUESDAY

8

12a

BEST TIME

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

READING THE GRAPH

FEET

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 5:11a AM Major: 10:53a PM Minor: 5:40p PM Major: -----

Moon Overhead: 12:12p Moon Underfoot: None

3:00a 10:32a 2:16p 7:57p

12a

Sunrise: 7:07a Sunset: 5:56p Moonrise: 7:47a Moon Set: 6:39p

AM Minor: 4:11a AM Major: 10:27a PM Minor: 4:42p PM Major: 10:58p

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

12:00 — 2:00 PM

Sunrise: 7:08a Sunset: 5:55p Moonrise: 6:58a Moon Set: 5:29p

12p

BEST TIME



Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

Low Tide: 5:59a High Tide: 4:16p

-0.40ft. 0.98ft.

 = New Moon  = Full Moon = First Quarter   = Last Quarter  = Good Day by Moon Phase

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

Low Tide: 6:51a High Tide: 4:39p

-0.46ft. 1.02ft.

SATURDAY

Low Tide: 7:38a High Tide: 4:53p

-0.51ft. 1.02ft.

SUNDAY

Low Tide: 8:17a High Tide: 5:03p Low Tide: 10:04p

-0.55ft. 1.02ft. 0.92ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 PM Sunrise: 7:04a Sunset: 6:01p Moonrise: 11:08a Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 10:25a AM Major: 4:14a PM Minor: 10:47p PM Major: 4:36p

Moon Overhead: 5:50p Moon Underfoot: 5:28a

12p

BEST TIME

7:00 — 9:00 AM Sunrise: 7:03a Sunset: 6:02p Moonrise: 11:41a Moon Set: 12:38a

AM Minor: 11:10a AM Major: 4:59a PM Minor: 11:32p PM Major: 5:21p

Moon Overhead: 6:35p Moon Underfoot: 6:12a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

12:00 — 2:00 AM Sunrise: 7:02a Sunset: 6:03p Moonrise: 12:17p Moon Set: 1:34a

AM Minor: 11:55a AM Major: 5:43a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 6:06p

Moon Overhead: 7:21p Moon Underfoot: 6:58a

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-2201-DIG.indd 59

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

1:00 — 3:00 AM

2:00 — 4:00 AM Sunrise: 7:01a Sunset: 6:04p Moonrise: 1:41p Moon Set: 3:26a

AM Minor: 12:15a AM Major: 6:27a PM Minor: 12:39p PM Major: 6:51p

AM Minor: 12:59a AM Major: 7:12a PM Minor: 1:24p PM Major: 7:37p

Moon Overhead: 8:09p Moon Underfoot: 7:45a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:01a Sunset: 6:03p Moonrise: 12:57p Moon Set: 2:30a

F I S H

Moon Overhead: 8:59p Moon Underfoot: 8:34a

G A M E ®

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

3:00 — 5:00 AM Sunrise: 7:00a Sunset: 6:05p Moonrise: 2:30p Moon Set: 4:19a

12a

4:00 — 6:00 AM Sunrise: 6:59a Sunset: 6:06p Moonrise: 3:24p Moon Set: 5:09a

AM Minor: 1:44a AM Major: 7:57a PM Minor: 2:09p PM Major: 8:22p

AM Minor: 2:30a AM Major: 8:43a PM Minor: 2:55p PM Major: 9:08p

Moon Overhead: 9:50p Moon Underfoot: 9:25a J A N / F E B

12p

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: 10:41p Moon Underfoot: 10:16a

2 0 2 2

12/21/21 12:54 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

14  FEET

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

12:04a 8:53a 5:15p 9:30p

TUESDAY

15 

0.93ft. -0.57ft. 1.01ft. 0.89ft.

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

1:10a 9:26a 5:30p 9:42p

WEDNESDAY

16 

0.96ft. -0.57ft. 1.00ft. 0.83ft.

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

2:04a 9:57a 5:48p 10:10p

THURSDAY

17 

0.97ft. -0.53ft. 0.98ft. 0.73ft.

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

2:58a 10:29a 6:05p 10:44p

0.96ft. -0.44ft. 0.95ft. 0.60ft.

FRIDAY

18  High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

3:57a 11:02a 6:20p 11:21p

SATURDAY

0.93ft. -0.29ft. 0.90ft. 0.44ft.

High Tide: 5:04a Low Tide: 11:37a High Tide: 6:32p

0.88ft. -0.08ft. 0.85ft.

SUNDAY

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

12:03a 6:23a 12:14p 6:37p

0.24ft. 0.84ft. 0.18ft. 0.82ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

10:30P — 12:30A Sunrise: 6:58a Sunset: 6:07p Moonrise: 4:21p Moon Set: 5:55a

12p

11:30P — 1:30A

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

1:43a 9:52a 1:32p 6:07p

-0.18ft. 0.88ft. 0.74ft. 0.89ft.

2:46a 12:10p 2:15p 5:15p

12a

-0.37ft. 1.00ft. 0.99ft. 1.02ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12:30 — 2:30 AM

12a

1:00 — 3:00 AM

AM Minor: 7:17a AM Major: 1:06a PM Minor: 7:39p PM Major: 1:28p

Moon Overhead: 1:54a Moon Underfoot: 2:16p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:54a Sunset: 6:11p Moonrise: 9:17p Moon Set: 8:52a

AM Minor: 6:27a AM Major: 12:16a PM Minor: 6:50p PM Major: 12:39p

Moon Overhead: 1:08a Moon Underfoot: 1:31p

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:55a Sunset: 6:10p Moonrise: 8:18p Moon Set: 8:21a

AM Minor: 5:39a AM Major: 11:50a PM Minor: 6:02p PM Major: -----

2:00 — 4:00 AM Sunrise: 6:53a Sunset: 6:11p Moonrise: 10:18p Moon Set: 9:23a

AM Minor: 8:08a AM Major: 1:56a PM Minor: 8:31p PM Major: 2:19p

Moon Overhead: 2:39a Moon Underfoot: 3:01p

Moon Overhead: 3:24a Moon Underfoot: 3:47p

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

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

12:00 — 2:00 AM

Moon Overhead: 12:21a Moon Underfoot: 12:45p

23 

12p

Sunrise: 6:56a Sunset: 6:09p Moonrise: 7:20p Moon Set: 7:49a

AM Minor: 4:51a AM Major: 11:03a PM Minor: 5:15p PM Major: 11:27p

TUESDAY

BEST TIME

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

0.03ft. 0.83ft. 0.46ft. 0.82ft.

12a

Sunrise: 6:56a Sunset: 6:08p Moonrise: 6:20p Moon Set: 7:15a

Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:56a

MONDAY

FEET

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 4:03a AM Major: 10:16a PM Minor: 4:28p PM Major: 10:40p

READING THE GRAPH

12:50a 7:58a 12:52p 6:32p

12a

5:30 — 7:30 AM

Moon Overhead: 11:32p Moon Underfoot: 11:07a

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

Sunrise: 6:57a Sunset: 6:07p Moonrise: 5:20p Moon Set: 6:37a

AM Minor: 3:16a AM Major: 9:29a PM Minor: 3:41p PM Major: 9:54p

12p

BEST TIME



Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

Low Tide: 3:56a High Tide: 2:33p

-0.53ft. 1.17ft.

 = New Moon  = Full Moon = First Quarter   = Last Quarter  = Good Day by Moon Phase

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

Low Tide: 5:11a High Tide: 3:17p

-0.67ft. 1.28ft.

SATURDAY

Low Tide: 6:22a High Tide: 3:49p

-0.77ft. 1.30ft.

SUNDAY

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

7:27a 4:16p 9:29p 11:36p

-0.81ft. 1.27ft. 1.08ft. 1.10ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

3:00 — 5:00 AM Sunrise: 6:52a Sunset: 6:12p Moonrise: 11:21p Moon Set: 9:56a

4:00 — 6:00 AM

AM Minor: 9:55a AM Major: 3:42a PM Minor: 10:21p PM Major: 4:08p

Moon Overhead: 4:10a Moon Underfoot: 4:35p

Sunrise: 6:51a Sunset: 6:13p Moonrise: None Moon Set: 10:32a

AM Minor: 9:01a AM Major: 2:48a PM Minor: 9:25p PM Major: 3:13p

12p

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: 5:00a Moon Underfoot: 5:26p

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12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 10:51a AM Major: 4:37a PM Minor: 11:19p PM Major: 5:05p

12a

6:00 — 8:00 AM

AM Minor: 11:49a AM Major: 5:34a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 6:04p

T E X A S

Moon Overhead: 6:51a Moon Underfoot: 7:21p

F I S H

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:49a Sunset: 6:14p Moonrise: 1:36a Moon Set: 12:03p

Moon Overhead: 5:54a Moon Underfoot: 6:22p

12p

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 AM Sunrise: 6:50a Sunset: 6:14p Moonrise: 12:28a Moon Set: 11:14a

12:00 — 2:00 AM Sunrise: 6:48a Sunset: 6:15p Moonrise: 2:44a Moon Set: 12:59p

AM Minor: 12:16a AM Major: 6:31a PM Minor: 12:47p PM Major: 7:02p

Moon Overhead: 7:52a Moon Underfoot: 8:23p

12a

12p

BEST TIME

1:00 — 3:00 AM Sunrise: 6:47a Sunset: 6:16p Moonrise: 3:48a Moon Set: 2:02p

AM Minor: 1:13a AM Major: 7:28a PM Minor: 1:44p PM Major: 8:00p

Moon Overhead: 8:55a Moon Underfoot: 9:26p

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

2:00 — 5:00 AM Sunrise: 6:46a Sunset: 6:16p Moonrise: 4:47a Moon Set: 3:09p

AM Minor: 2:09a AM Major: 8:24a PM Minor: 2:39p PM Major: 8:55p

Moon Overhead: 9:57a Moon Underfoot: 10:27p

G A M E ®

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JAN/FEB 2022

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

Low Tide: 8:24a High Tide: 4:38p Low Tide: 9:17p

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Mar 1 

-0.79ft. 1.19ft. 0.96ft.

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

FEET

1:16a 9:16a 4:57p 9:38p

2

1.13ft. -0.69ft. 1.09ft. 0.78ft.

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

2:33a 10:02a 5:15p 10:10p

THURSDAY

3

1.13ft. -0.51ft. 1.00ft. 0.58ft.

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

3:43a 10:45a 5:32p 10:48p

1.12ft. -0.27ft. 0.93ft. 0.37ft.

FRIDAY

4 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

4:51a 11:26a 5:46p 11:28p

1.08ft. 0.01ft. 0.88ft. 0.19ft.

SATURDAY

5

High Tide: 6:01a Low Tide: 12:04p High Tide: 5:59p

1.03ft. 0.29ft. 0.86ft.

SUNDAY

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

12:09a 7:16a 12:40p 6:05p

0.05ft. 0.99ft. 0.55ft. 0.85ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

10:00A — 12:00P Sunrise: 6:45a Sunset: 6:17p Moonrise: 5:38a Moon Set: 4:19p

AM Minor: 3:03a AM Major: 9:18a PM Minor: 3:32p PM Major: 9:47p

Moon Overhead: 10:56a Moon Underfoot: 11:24p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

11:00A — 1:00P Sunrise: 6:44a Sunset: 6:18p Moonrise: 6:22a Moon Set: 5:27p

AM Minor: 3:56a AM Major: 10:10a PM Minor: 4:23p PM Major: 10:37p Moon Overhead: 11:51a Moon Underfoot: None

12p

12:00 — 2:00 PM Sunrise: 6:43a Sunset: 6:18p Moonrise: 7:00a Moon Set: 6:31p

AM Minor: 4:47a AM Major: 11:00a PM Minor: 5:12p PM Major: 11:25p Moon Overhead: 12:42p Moon Underfoot: 12:17a

T E X A S

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12a

BEST TIME

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12:30 — 2:30 PM

1:00 — 3:00 PM Sunrise: 6:41a Sunset: 6:20p Moonrise: 8:05a Moon Set: 8:31p

AM Minor: 5:37a AM Major: 11:21a PM Minor: 6:00p PM Major: -----

AM Minor: 6:26a AM Major: 12:15a PM Minor: 6:49p PM Major: 12:37p

Moon Overhead: 1:30p Moon Underfoot: 1:07a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:42a Sunset: 6:19p Moonrise: 7:34a Moon Set: 7:33p

F I S H

Moon Overhead: 2:15p Moon Underfoot: 1:53a

G A M E ®

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

2:00 — 4:00 PM Sunrise: 6:40a Sunset: 6:20p Moonrise: 8:35a Moon Set: 9:29p

12a

2:30 — 4:30 PM Sunrise: 6:38a Sunset: 6:21p Moonrise: 9:06a Moon Set: 10:26p

AM Minor: 7:16a AM Major: 1:05a PM Minor: 7:37p PM Major: 1:27p

AM Minor: 8:05a AM Major: 1:54a PM Minor: 8:27p PM Major: 2:16p

Moon Overhead: 2:59p Moon Underfoot: 2:37a

J A N / F E B

12p

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: 3:43p Moon Underfoot: 3:21a

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“As they say, history doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.” THAT QUOTE FROM MARK Twain could not be more fitting as we enter 2022. At the time of this writing lockdowns are occurring globally. Things aren’t exactly the same as in 2020 when all of this began, but it sure is beginning to rhyme. Confusion, Chaos, Fear—Sound familiar? All are certainly part of what’s happening around the world at this moment as year three of the pandemic-era begins. So, instead of focusing on the negative, we’re doing what we do best and that is

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ILLUSTRATION: TF&G

12/17/21 11:47 AM

focusing on the great outdoors. Texas has an incredible amount to offer whether you started hunting or fishing when the pandemic began or have been at it for years. Here are our picks for the top outdoors challenges in Texas that best reflect the wide diversity of opportunities the state has to offer. This does not include any migratory birds ( be the subject of a feature of their own down the line, but it does include one avian species: HOG HUNTING: Deer season is winding down, but we have hog hunting opportunities aplenty, virtually every-

where from the eastern Trans-Pecos to the Louisiana line. The Texas hog population has exploded and expanded geographically over the last decade. Today, hunters are taking some absolutely huge hogs. Super-sized porkers are found—not in some remote forest—but in huntable areas near suburbia. Neighborhoods around the state are reporting huge hogs ravaging their neighborhoods. Setting up a stand next to a bus stop isn’t going to fly from a legal standpoint. However, you’ll find plenty of places where hunting IS legal on the outer edges of communities. These are great places to bag big boars

T E X A S

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F I S H

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that are trading between places such as cattle pastures and little league parks. MEGA-BASS: The bass action on lakes like O.H. Ivie and Sam Rayburn have been tremendous over the last couple of years. Texans (and many visitors) are catching genuine mega-bass and there’s no reason to think that trend will slow any time soon. With droughts having ended in several parts of the state, lakes are getting the “new lake effect” which occurs when vegetation that has grown during drought conditions is covered by water. It provides new habitat and gets the bass stirred up.

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Lake Fork, Toledo Bend, Lake Austin, Lake Nacogdoches, Bob Sandlin, Tawakoni are among many great places to hang the bass of a lifetime. TARPON: Last year was an incredible year for tarpon fishing on the Texas Coast. These mysterious sportfish tend to move into our waters in mid-summer and hang around until the first cold fronts strike in October. South Padre Island, Port Mansfield and “Tarpon Alley” off of Galveston are top places to score on the silver king. But there are also good opportunities at Port O’Connor and Port Aransas and occasional schools showing up between High Island and Sabine Pass. Nothing fights quite like a tarpon and catching one of these special fish is extra special when it’s done in Texas waters.

Everyone has caught a largemouth, but how many of you have caught a Guadalupe bass? These fish prefer streams with lots of current and will fight like a largemouth twice their size. They’re super fun on fly gear and a test for ultralight tackle. Add one to your list of Texas catches and you will not be disappointed.

GUADALUPE BASS: On the complete opposite end of the spectrum is the Guadalupe bass. Native only to a handful of river drainages in Central Texas, these small bass are feisty and fun to catch.

FREE-RANGING AOUDAD: This one is either free or pricey. Let us explain. Many hunters in Central and West Texas have free-ranging aoudads on their deer lease. Killing one there is a free bonus.

Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. and the National Wild Turkey Federation released turkeys in Angelina County in 2021.

Booking an outfitter in the TransPecos to hunt aoudad can be a little expensive compared to the rest of our list. However, it’s the closest thing most hunters will ever get to hunting desert bighorn sheep—and it’s only a tenth of the price. Aoudads are African animals with an attitude. They might be the smartest freeranging animal in North America, but even when populations are dense, they are hard to hunt. Even if you book a high-fenced hunt, expect a great challenge. Aoudads are notorious for being difficult to find, even in breeding pastures where the only cover is tall grass and a few cedars. TURKEYS: Texas has more turkeys than any other state. The bulk of these are Rio Grandes, which inhabit the western two-thirds of the state. However, a growing Eastern turkey population can be found in the Pineywoods. Also a small, remote number of Merriam’s turkeys exist in the TransPecos. If hunters want to take the “Grand Slam” of turkeys (the Rio Grande, Merriam’s, Eastern and Osceola) then Texas is a great place to start. Outfitters offer plenty of Rio hunting options, and diehard, serious turkey hunters can slug it out on public land in the Pineywoods to try for an Eastern.

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PHOTOS: CHESTER MOORE

12/16/21 4:41 PM

Jaxon Sloan shows off a Guadalupe bass on the Nueces River.

tends to run quite a bit larger on the hoof than the others. The Avery Island whitetail is the resident of the extreme southeastern corner of the state extending into Louisiana. Body sizes tend to run a little smaller, and the racks are very basket-like. Finally, the Carmen Mountain whitetail lives in a few ranges in the Trans

Pecos. It’s a small deer, slightly larger, but comparable to the Key deer of Florida. The fact is, if you want biodiversity, Texas has you covered. If you want ample outdoor opportunities, Texas has plenty to keep you focused on positive things, even during confusing times.



REDFISH: We would have mentioned speckled trout here, but the freeze of 2021 caused some major die-offs. Fisheries are limited for trout in many areas, but redfish remain in good shape at virtually every location on the coast. Whether you want to sight cast for tailing reds in the marsh, seek out seagrassloving schools, or battle bull reds in the nearshore Gulf, Texas has it all. WHITETAILED DEER: What list of Texas best would be complete without whitetailed deer? Texas, after all, has the largest deer population. Last year it reached more than five million, the highest it has been in many years. One of the coolest things about Texas is that it has numerous subspecies of whitetails. The Texas whitetail dominates most of the state from north Texas to the Mexico line and most in-between. The Kansas whitetail dips down into the Panhandle. This big-bodied deer Landowners in the Trans-Pecos report aoudad are reporoducing like wildﬁre.

T E X A S

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CATFISH

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Karnes County

Lake Sam Rayburn

Five-year-old Emma Neves of Corpus Christi caught her first fish, a healthy catfish, while fishing at a pond on her family’s ranch in Karnes County.

Caroline, Scarlett, and Bella Daws (left to right) of Beaumont enjoyed catching these largemouth bass on Lake Sam Rayburn with their dad, Malachi.

RED SNAPPER

BONITA

Port Mansﬁeld

Key Biscaine, Florida

Monica Stem caught her first red snapper while fishing out of Port Mansfield.

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Dana Bailey Mullennix of Irving caught this nice Bonita while ﬁshing on her very ﬁrst Deep Sea trip out of Key Biscayne, Florida.

T E X A S

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12/16/21 4:12 PM

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

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

LARGEMOUTH BASS Lake Conroe Chris Torry from South Louisiana caught this nice Lake Conroe bass on a Sixth Sense Divine Shakey Head during the Louisiana Hurricane Ida Evacuation. RED SNAPPER CATFISH

Port Aransas

Henderson

Fifteen-year-old Brandon Ayers of Richmond caught this red snapper while ﬁshing with friends out of Port Aransas.

Nine-year-old Grayson Holland caught this albino catﬁsh while ﬁshing at a friend’s private pond in Henderson.

WHITETAIL Garrison Landon Peddy took his ﬁrst buck while hunting with his Dad, Walter, and his brother Hayden at Garrison.

T E X A S

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Outdoor DIRECTORY Guides & Outfitters

Lodging

Destinations

Real Estate :: Gear

TEXAS FRESHWATER

TEXAS SALTWATER

LAKE TEXOMA

UPPER TEXAS COAST

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MID TEXAS COAST

HUNTING SOUTH TEXAS

TEXAS SALTWATER UPPER TEXAS COAST

LOWER TEXAS COAST

Statement of ownership, management and circulation 1. Publication title: Texas Fish & Game. 2. Publication number: 7577-70. 3. Filing Date: 10/16/2020. 4. Issue freq: Monthly. 5. No. Issues Annually: 6. 6. Annual subscr. price: $24.95. 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication (not printer): 3431 Rayford Rd Ste 200-408 Spring TX 77386-3649; Contact Person, Roy Neves; Tel, 281-227-3001. 8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher (not printer): Same. 9. Full names and complete mailing addresses of publisher, editor and managing editor: Publisher, Roy Neves, 3431 Rayford Rd Ste 200-408 Spring TX 77386-3649; editor: Chester Moore, 3431 Rayford Rd Ste 200-408 Spring TX 77386-3649; managing editor: n/a. 10. Owner: Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co. LLC; See Uploaded Owner File on the PS Form 3526 - Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation. 11. Known bondholders, Mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1% or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages of other securities: none. 12. Tax status has not changed during preceding 12 months. 13. Publication title: Texas Fish & Game. 14. Issue date for circulation data below: November 1, 2021. 15. Extent and nature of circulation: Total published Avg. no. copies each issue during preceding 12 mos., 79,944; No. copies of single Issue published nearest to filing date, 91,697. a. Total number of copies (net press run): Avg. no. copies each issue during preceding 12 mos. 21,848; No. copies of single Issue published nearest to filing date, 22,178. b. Paid Circulation (1) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 19,662; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 19,832. (2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies): 0. (3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS®, Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 2,132; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 2,290; (4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS®: Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 0; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 0. c. Total Paid Distribution (Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3), and (4)): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 21,794; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 22,122. d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside County Copies included on PS Form 3541: Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 54; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 56 (2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies included on PS Form 3541 Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 0; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 0 (3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS®: Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 0; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 0. (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 0; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 0. e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (sum of 15d (1), (2), (3), and (4)): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 54; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 56. f. Total Distribution (sum 15c and 15e): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 21,848; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 22,178. g. Copies not Distributed: Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 0; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 0. h. Total (sum 15f and g): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 21,848; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 22,178. i. Percent paid: (15c divided by 15f times 100) Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 99.75%; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 99.75%. 16. Electronic Copy Circulation a. Paid Electronic Copies: Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 58,096; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 69,519. b. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15c) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 79,890; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 91,641. c. Total Print Distribution (Line 15f) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 79,944; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 91,697. d. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic Copies) (16 b divided by 16c x 100): Avg. No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 99.0%; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing, 99.0%. 17. Publication of statement of ownership required. Will be printed in November/December 2020 issue of this publication 18. Signature and title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager or Owner: Roy Neves, publisher, Date 10/16/2020.

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Texas Fish & Game January/February 2022

Articles inside

Fish & Game Photos

Doggett at Large

Letters

Texas Whitetails

Going Coastal

Texas Freshwater

Outdoor Directory

Editor’s Notes