Texas Fish & Game September-October 2022

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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

Hot Diggity Dog Days

PUBLISHERS

CHESTER MOORE EDITOR IN CHIEF

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

HEW. THAT WAS ONE HELL OF A SUMMER. LITERALLY. HEAT RECORDS fell like wilted leaves, not just across Texas, but all over the U.S. and in places around the world that never saw it coming. A hundred and four degrees in London? Blimey!

As much as we’d like to think—now that September is here—that it’s almost over, it’s not. To Texans, “summer” is a fluid term. We can legitimately use it to describe our weather in as many as ten months out of the year. When the calendar turns over to Autumn every September 21, we rarely notice. This year, thermometers could be flirting with triple digits well into October.

Along with the heat, scary dry conditions have prevailed across Texas for months. In a large swath of the state, those conditions have persisted for years. Lakes are drying up—48 of the 120 major impoundments measured by the Texas Water Development Board are below 75% capacity, and the statewide storage level has fallen by almost 20% since a year ago. Falcon, less than 10% full, is basically now just a wide stretch on the Rio Grande. The Frio River stopped flowing in July.

These overheated and arid conditions play havoc on both fishing and hunting. Wildlife species are especially vulnerable to unrelenting high temperatures and lack of water. Deer, upland birds, waterfowl, and other wild game suffer as food sources shrivel up and watering holes go dry.

Some anglers welcome lower lake levels. As fish populations concentrate into smaller areas, they become, theoretically, easier to catch. But this exacts a price. Falling lake levels increase stress, reduce oxygen, and interrupt normal patterns. The only upside to cycles of drought and recovery for freshwater fisheries is something called the “new lake effect.” We published an article on this effect back in February 2014, after the devastating 2011 drought, considered to be a historic crisis (fishgame.com/2014/03/the-new-lake-effect/). The effect is, in essence, when lake levels drop, new vegetation grows on the exposed lake bottom. When the lake re-fills, the newly inundated areas are reborn with fresh structure. Great. But for this “new lake” effect to work, the lakes have to re-fill.

Some West and South Texas lakes never came back to much over 50% capacity after the 2011 drought, and if they did, not for long. In the decade since that historic drought, the population of Texas has exploded. Commercial and residential real estate development has also boomed. As a result, this latest extended dry spell hit us at a time when demand for water has risen exponentially, and our battered resources face even greater threat from dozer blade wielding developers.

Droughts and heat waves are a way of life in Texas. Sure, next February we will probably be freezing our butts off and feeling a bit nostalgic for the July blast furnace. A Hill Country gully washer could re-fill Lake Travis in an afternoon. And some will be like, “See... everything is back to normal.

Nothing to worry about.” Except, it’s not. Worldwide temperatures are rising and it doesn’t matter whether it’s a natural cycle or if it is due to gas guzzlers and cow farts. Either way, ice caps and glaciers melt. Storms get wilder and more unpredictable. Wildfires burn from Malibu, California to Huntsville, Texas. Gulf waters get hotter and lakes evaporate. Fish and wildlife suffer great stress.

Like it or not, we in the outdoors are on the front lines in this war with Mother Nature. And, to mix the metaphor, she brought her A game. If ever the world needed conservationists, it does now.

Rather than argue about hoaxes and pseudo-scientific rationalizations, we hope that our collective voice, as TRUE conservationists, can be heard above the din. We’re stewards of the planet’s wild resources. It is our duty to take this threat seriously and to not only contribute, but lead, the fight against it. If there is anything that humans can do to blunt Mother Nature’s rage, the best ideas are more likely to come from our camp than from the camps of industrial interests or political grifters.

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JOE DOGGETT DOUG PIKE LENNY RUDOW MATT WILLIAMS PETE ROBBINS KELLY GROCE LOU MARULLO LARRY WEISHUHN DUSTIN ELLERMANN REAVIS WORTHAM GRANT GISEL MORIAH FORMICA 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 DIGITAL CONTRIBUTOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR

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September/October 2022 | Vol. 39 • No. 3

FEATURE ARTICLES

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REDFISH SCHOOL This primer offers a crash course for coastal anglers on one of their favorite subjects: red drum.

by Chester Moore

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THE RIGHT GUN FOR BIRDS Texas is a wingshooters paradise, and as the early season gets off to a booming start, here are some great gun selections.

by TF&G Staff

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COVER STORY

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FALL BASS CHASE Fall bass fishing can be really slow.

But the right approach can help locate a haul of early lunkers.

story by Matt Williams

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ALSO...

GEAR UP FOR THE HUNT There is much more to consider beyond the big ticket items of hunting.

by TF&G Staff

TIME TO HIT THE SURF It may seem odd, since summer Gulf waters are more wade friendly, but now is the best time to cast for trophy fish in the surf.

by TF&G Staff

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WHY THIS COLLEGE GIRL HUNTS One young woman’s personal journey.

TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

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COLUMNS Editor’s Notes

by CHESTER MOORE

Doggett at Large

by JOE DOGGETT

Texas Freshwater

by MATT WILLIAMS

Going Coastal

CAST & BLAST Our annual “Cast & Blast” special section looks at all the “Slam” challenges for Texas sportsmen.

by TF&G Staff

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Fish & Game Forecast Center: Saltwater

by LARRY WEISHUHN

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Letters

from TF&G Readers

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Sportsman’s Daybook

Fish & Game Forecast Center: Freshwater

by KELLY GROCE

Texas Whitetails

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Fish & Game Photos

by TF&G Readers

Outdoor Directory

Guides, Outfitters & More

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LETTERS to the Editor Rogue Waves Stories Make a Splash QUITE A FEW YEARS AGO, I WAS with a bunch of family members camping and fishing off the banks of the Brownsville Ship Channel. The banks we were fishing from were about five feet above the water itself.

At one point, a huge tanker came through toward Port Brownsville and displaced the majority of the water from the bank walls into the deeper part of the channel. So much so, that we could see the bottom of what used to be underwater. I’d say about 10 to 15 yards of the channel bottom was visible.

A younger cousin of mine who was seven years old at the time, jumped in, and no sooner than he hit the bottom did the water violently rushed back in. We could see it coming, and it was coming fast slamming against the bank walls. It swept my young cousin off his feet, but the force of the raging water also pushed him far enough up the five-foot bank that an older cousin was able to snag him out of the water before it was too late. We were very lucky to have not lost a family member then.

Rene Martinez Jr. GREAT ARTICLE. SEVERAL YEARS ago, I was wading the Kemah flats and noticed a large wave in the distance coming toward me out of the blue. I was too far from the shore to get back, so I retreated a short distance as the wave approached. I turned sideways and steadied myself as the wave washed over me. I was blessed that I held my footing and just got a good soaking.

God is good. Love all your articles and your books that I have purchased.

Wayne Singleton I’VE EXPERIENCED SOME CRAZY wave action at El Jardin Del Mar in Pasadena from passing ships. This is a small beach 4

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David Clark of the Lone Star Harbor Safety Committee submitted this photo of the new signs warning about wave dangers in the Houston-Galveston area.

area, and I’ve witnessed waves / swells that could be dangerous to small children.

Bob Dunn Editor: The feedback on the rogue waves story has been tremendous. In fact, we’ve had more letters, social media engagement etc on the series of web stories and the July/August feature than anything in a while. It’s a real issue and we appreciate you all sharing your stories. Awareness can help save lives.

Freedom, American Style ONE OF THE MOST REASONED takes on the [gun violence] issue I’ve seen.

(Inside Fish & Game, July/August 2022) I’ve been a hunter and gun owner all my life and have a healthy distrust of the Government’s motivations relative to ownership restrictions and the slippery slope that could follow.

At the same time, it is obvious that we must do something to keep firearms out to the hands of those who are legitimately T E X A S

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unstable, radicalized and simply represent the criminal element. Just like any business negotiation “the Devil is in the details” and the details here, as you point out, are innumerable and akin to the proverbial rabbit hole.

I have a lot of friends, also gun owners, who cling to the dogmatic “never give an inch” approach. I get it at some level, but as I think you are acknowledging, if we don’t offer up some solutions based on compromise, we, as sportspeople and gun owners interested in self-protection, are going to find ourselves on the outside looking in while the only people with guns will be the mal intentioned.

Thanks.

Mike Landon Dallas

Hog Taxidermy Question I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO GET A feral boar mounted, but I have heard taxidermists use fake tusks to make them look longer. I know the main teeth are fake, but I think fake tusks are unnecessary.

William Forse Editor: I’ve never heard of fake tusks being used but what usually happens is they sort of add to tusk length.

When you see a boar mounted, the tusks are almost always pulled out of the jawline.

Most of the tusk (2/3 or more) is in the jawline. So, when you see a mounted hog with five inch tusks, there were probably only two inches protruding the mouth.

You can go with this or ask your taxidermist to keep tusks protruding like they were in nature. Most opt for longer tusks.

« Email your comments to: editor@fishgame.com PHOTO: COURTESY DAVID CLARK

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EDITOR’S Notes

by CHESTER MOORE, JR. :: TF&G Editor-in-Chief

Caution in the Dark Outdoors

METH LABS & MORE DEBAUCHERY: Wildlands of our state are often used for drugrelated activities. Check out this statement from the National Drug Intelligence Center.

“Drug trafficking organizations, criminal groups, and independent traffickers frequently produce and transport illicit drugs, particularly marijuana and methamphetamine, in or through federal lands. Consequently, several hundred thousand cannabis plants are eradicated and hundreds of methamphetamine laboratories are seized each year from National Forest System lands managed by the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and lands managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior.”

Texas is certainly not immune to these issues,and in fact, I have found two bizarre shacks in different areas over the years. I immediately left and assumed they were used for these purposes. Either that or Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th lived there.

Either way, I didn’t want to find out.

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EY CHESTER, WHAT’S the most dangerous thing in the woods?” A few years ago, I conducted a seminar on hog hunting and mentioned hog attacks.

This was the first question, and the man asking later told me he assumed my answer would be boars and bears.

My answer however was quite different.

“People,” I said. “People by far are the most dangerous thing in the woods.”

You could hear a pin drop in the room as the reality of that sank in. Then people started raising their hands to share stories of dangerous human encounters in the great outdoors.

It’s a topic I addressed in this column in 2019 and something that has become an area of deep investigation.

The things happening in the great outdoors involving people rarely get mentioned beyond local news coverage, and it’s seemingly a nontopic for outdoor media. I’m not sure why but you would think stories like those I’m about to share would get attention among the media covering those who hunt, fish, camp, and hike.

Check out these examples:

TEXAS KILLING FIELDS: In 1997, my wife Lisa and I drove over to my friend Clint Starling’s place in Pasadena. On the way down Spencer Highway, we came across the largest police barricade I have seen to date. Probably 20 to 30 police cars, dogs, and even a helicopter.

We knew something terrible had happened.

When we got to Clint’s house, we told him, and it had already hit the local news there.

Twelve-year-old Laura Smither’s body had been found, 20 days after she went missing while jogging in Friendswood.

“It’s the killing fields,” Clint said in a very somber tone.

“They always find murdered young girls between here and Galveston.”

I would learn more about this dark area as stories of missing girls popped up every few years in this area. The actual “killing fields” is a remote tract in Texas City, but the killings have all occurred along that corridor, near areas many of us love to fish.

At 23 years old, that shook me to think we had just been 100 yards from the lifeless body of a precious little girl who had been brutalized by, no doubt, a monster.

DECAPITATION LINES: Biking trails in the Sam Houston National Forest have been hit up with razor wire decapitation lines set to take out mountain bikers and anyone else who comes through the area. I’ve seen the photos and spoken with people in the area.

Also, there is a history of John and Jane Doe finds in the forest as well as a bizarre connection of more than 40 missing people in and around that area in Montgomery and San Jacinto Counties. Jerrie Dean founded the “Missing Texas 40” to examine these disappearances.

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In June, DNA evidence shows that a monster named William Reece, already incarcerated for other crimes against humanity, killed her and another young woman in the Houston area in 1997. Laura was simply going out to jog and then ran into the real-life boogeyman.

FLORIDA FISHING MASSACRE: In July 2020, three people were murdered while on a fishing trip in Polk County. Sheriff Grady Judd, who has worked at the department since 1972, described the killings as a “massacre.”

“This is one of the worst crime scenes I have ever seen,” Judd told me in an interview a week after the killings.

Three friends had gathered to go fish at a remote location and had been friends for years.

The victims had been savagely beaten and shot.

I’m not telling you these stories to scare you, but to raise awareness. These stories are real, and they are only a tiny fraction of the things going on out there.

I produced a documentary that my friend Paul Fuzinksi of Aptitude Outdoors edited called Dark Outdoors. It’s a look at this issue.

It also spawned special Dark Outdoors podcast episodes. You can watch the documentary at darkoutdoors.com.

My mission is to make people think before heading outdoors and to be prepared for what they might encounter. But I need your help.

If you’ve had a crazy encounter with people in the outdoors, email me at cmoore@fishgame. com. I’d love to hear the stories. Sharing them might just help save someone’s life.

In the week leading up to Halloween, we will do a special series on this topic at fishgame.com and in the Texas Fish & Game e-newsletter, and on social media, sharing these stories.

Over the last few years, I’ve developed a simple, but effective routine before I enter the woods or hit the water. My advice is to pray, prepare and pack heat. If that sounds a little wild, so be it. It’s kept me alive through some dangerous situations.

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Email Chester Moore at cmoore@fishgame.com

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DOGGETT at Large

by JOE DOGGETT :: TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Sunset’s Secret Thrill

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ITHER WE WERE EARLY, OR the doves were late. Regardless, the South Texas brush was sweltering under 95-degree September heat— and no flights were incoming to water at the stock tank.

“This is brutal,” I said, hunkering in the sweaty semi-shade of a mesquite bush.

Klink peered over from his folding stool on the tank levee. “Well, it was your bright idea to get here at 4 o’clock; we could be kicking back in the air-conditioned motel room. No rush— plenty of time to get here before sunset.”

“You never know. Besides—Hey, over you!

Over you!”

A lonesome dove banked above the levee and lowered flaps 20 yards above Klink. Caught off guard, he swiveled abruptly, and the stool shifted. He swept his pump gun in an awkward arc.

Bang, Bang… Bang!

The unscathed mourner flared and disappeared.

“Aye!” he lamented. “I’m the worst wingshot in all of Frio County!”

“No way, dude! You’re not that good!”

His muttered response was lost in the whipping south wind, but payback for my flip critique occurred fifteen minutes later. Looking for better shade, I repositioned on the far side of the levee and managed to stand in the middle of a fire ant bed. Moments later I was flapping and slapping while Klink was hooting.

He studied my frantic jig. “Hey, dude! What moves! You’re a cinch for ‘Dancing with the Stars!’”

The water hole continued to steam and simmer under high sun, and the thornbrush continued to shake and rattle against dry gusts—and I continued to itch and scratch as the clock moved

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“Show time!” he exulted, waving the fluffed dove.

The late-afternoon flight was commencing— first, a few sporadic singles and doubles, then a flock of 10 or 12 slanting from grain fields to the west and strafing above the slick surface.

I picked my shots and rolled six straight, all easy incomers with lowered flaps. A proper tank shoot can be a great balm for the ego, as the hunter is stationed exactly where doves want to be. Most of the shots are close, within 30 or 35 yards, and the disciplined hunter can select “cream puff” chances.

Numbers seven and eight also crumpled over smooth gun play. I was starting to feel pretty cocky and started thinking about a straight run, and naturally missed twice on a dove trying to land on my head. Klink cackled from across the pond.

The sky surrounding the tank never swarmed, but the shooting was steady. The low glow was spreading above the frilly mesquite tops as I dropped my final dove. Both Klink and I were “inside a box” for our 15-bird limits, an uncharacteristic average. Still, to repeat, the dove gunner seldom has a better opportunity than when birds are circling and slowing to close water.

Our belt bags were jammed with mature mourners, the makings of excellent greasy-fingered sessions on the grill. Plump dove breasts wrapped in bacon and stuffed with onion and jalapeno slices and served over rice remain my all-time favorite gamebird meal.

We retreated to his Expedition and cased the guns and popped the tailgate (and the cooler lid) to watch the dusky theater. The sun was below the levee, turning the shadows from gray to black. The lighting was soft, and the air carried the first shirtsleeve brush of fall. Flights of doves, dark against the fading light, landed with confidence along the open banks.

To be there relaxing in the satisfaction of a great experience while watching the wild bounty unfold—that is the secret thrill of sunset that awaits Texas dove hunters this season.

inchmeal like torture. The only thing that could have made the vigil more unpleasant would be if the tank proved to be a watering hole for Spanish fighting bulls.

Assorted hooves and horns aside, the untested pond had the marks of an ideal draw for mourning doves. The water level was low, drained by late summer evaporation, and the exposed banks were flat and open. Doves are wary of tanks with steep banks and rims of brush that can hide all sorts of rude surprises.

Growing restless, I ceded levee priority to the resident ants, and walked to a three-strand fence near the lower end of the tank. The site was promising, with a sandy swath and several dead mesquites—incoming doves often land on high branches to oversee the situation.

I positioned alongside a fan of scraggly brush; the cover was sufficient to hide a camo-clad crouch, but low enough to permit an open view and a clean swing. Smart tank hunting favors concealment—but also the ability to react to quick chances. Burrowing inside a thick tangle might be a fine way to ambush an armadillo, but the dove shooter can get handcuffed by too much overhanging clutter.

Another bottle of Ozarka later, conditions began improving. The shadows were longer, and the air was cooler—well, maybe not “cooler,” just not as hot. But the sky remained empty.

Hovering dragonflies and darting swifts don’t count.

I waited. My company was a huge bullfrog puffing and pouting in the scummy rim. I glared over suspiciously. Once—no kidding—a bullfrog ate a dead dove I dropped in a tank.

This audacious rascal with its bulbous eyes and squat, square maw looked entirely capable of glomming a mature mourner, if not a blue rock pigeon.

I fingered the safety on the Winchester Model 21. I was tempted to rake froggy with a load of 7½s, adding a pair of jumbo legs to the hunt, but the mixed-bag musing was interrupted by the abrupt “POP” of a wind-blown 12 gauge.

As Klink walked straight-arrow to retrieve the dove, the thrilling and unmistakable silhouettes of several long-tailed wing mates sailed above him.

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EPTEMBER AND October sometimes translate to pretty tough times for Texas bass fishing junkies. A change in seasons is coming and the fish (and bait) may be scattered from here to yonder as they transition from deep to shallow.

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Some anglers might be wondering what the heck happened, because tricks that produced some solid days over the past month or so might not be working so well anymore.

The good news is most lakes are usually at their lowest water level of the year during late summer due to limited moisture, water usage and day-to-day evaporation. This reduces the the playing field. |

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On lakes with grass, the hydrilla beds may be topped out on the surface, making it easy to follow creek channels and pinpoint sharp bends, guts, humps, drop offs and other potential sweet spots where shallow water meets with deep. Plus, most impoundments are less crowded because many anglers are stoked about hunting season.

MLF bass pro Jim Tutt of Longview PHOTO: ADOBE

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has seen his share of tough times as summer’s dog days wind down, but he has also caught a boatload of fish. He pointed to his home lake, Lake O’ the Pines in northeast Texas, to show readers the way.

“The bite can really be pretty slow on just about every lake, because it’s still hot and the fish are on the move,” Tutt said.

“But it can also be pretty decent once

you stumble across the right spots. A few years ago, a friend and I weighed in 31 pounds in a September team tournament. It was the biggest sack I’ve ever brought to the scales, and we lost a ninepounder!”

The two anglers caught the fish doing what just about every bass angler loves— throwing topwaters. Their bait of choice was a Heddon Zara Spook, a deadly bass T E X A S

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fishing staple that walks side-to-side.

“They’ll slam the Spook this time of year, especially on ’Pines,” Tutt said. “If I was going there now, I’d throw it all day long, and I’d throw it around the grass.”

Hydrilla can be found in different areas, but Tutt is most fond of the big flats north of the Highway 155 bridge where Big Cypress Bayou enters the lake.

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underwater sloughs where the shallow grass meets up with deeper water and forms an outside edge. Tutt pointed to cranking or casting a big shaky worm along the edges of defined structure as a good secondary pattern.

Things are altogether different out west at O.H. Ivie near San Angelo. Texas’s newest big bass capital is a hotbed for giants, and fishing guide Brandon Burks is a specialist at catching them. Burks recorded his 20th double-digit bass of 2022 in June. ’Ivie doesn’t have any hydrilla, but it has a ton of flooded salt cedars and hardwoods the big ones use to ambush forage. Burks says the best stuff will be found over flats and points in water ranging from zero to 20 feet, adjacent to 20 to 60 feet of water provided by a creek channel.

His bait choices include an eight-inch glide bait made by Gold Belt Customs and a 3:16 Rising Son line-thru swim bait. Both are colored like a gizzard shad.

“For a long time, I was intimidated by throwing such big bait,” Burks said, “but not anymore. A big bait has great drawing power because it imitates the big gizzard shad in this lake.”

Another part of the Burks master plan is forward-facing sonar. He uses it to spot fish holding around flooded cover and to judge how they react when they see his bait.

“Bass are like great whites,” he said. “If they see something they want to eat, they’ll eat it. It doesn’t make any difference whether they weigh two pounds or twelve. I’ve seen big fish come rushing out from 20 feet away to grab that big glide bait. It’s pretty exciting to see that happen.”

Sam Rayburn ace Derek Mundy is well known for his skills at sniffing out big bass on the 114,000acre lake east of Lufkin. He says now is a good time to look offshore to find them.

“A lot of it depends on cold fronts,” Mundy said. “Once we start getting some early fronts, the fish will scatter from deep to shallow, and things can be pretty tough. So long as it stays hot, though, I’ll spend most of my time away from the bank.”

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O.H. Ivie guide Brandon Burks with a nice autumn lunker from his home lake.

attention.

He also likes isolated stumps and lay downs. “A big female will move around an isolated piece of wood and keep all of the small fish run off,” he said. “It’s sort of like a big whitetail buck. They pretty much own that spot.”

Mundy’s preferred bait for probing offshore targets is an Azuma Z Boss crankbait in a Blue Vengeance or translucent color.

He’ll choose between the three-inch 20 and four-inch 24 sizes depending on how deep the fish are holding.

The depth of a thermocline is a big factor to consider in narrowing down the proper water depth this time of year. It’s always a good idea to fish above it.

Another big fish pattern that could play this fall, is fishing around deeper grass south of the Highway 147 bridge. The hydrilla has made a big come-back this summer, and Mundy says it can be found matted on the surface to 10 feet in some areas—plenty deep enough for flipping with a heavy creature or jig.

He thinks the most productive grass will be toward the mouths of major creeks or main lakes that see some wave action. Look for points, guts and indents in a grass bed that might indicate a change in water depth.

Lake Fork fishing guide Brooks Rogers remembers the hey days when Lake Fork had plenty of hydrilla growing beyond 10 feet. With those times in the rearview now, Rogers advises anglers to look more toward wood cover such as stumps and timber lines in the hunt for a September/October lunker.

“That’s about all they’ve got,” Rogers said.

Location and water depth dictate the best spots. Rogers likes distinct trees on main lake points in eight to fifteen feet, channel swings near four- to six-foot flats— places where the water shallows up with deeper water nearby.

Rogers says there will be lots of fish suspended and roaming around the wood. Two of his favorite baits for going after them are a shad pattern deep-diving crank bait and a 10-inch worm rigged Texas style.

Late summer and early fall aren’t the best times to reel in a Texas heavyweight, but there are still plenty of fat girls to be caught.

It’s all about location and playing the right card once you get there.

« Major League Fishing angler Jim Tutt knows a thing or two about snagging big fall bass. |

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TOP PHOTO: TPWD; BOTTOM PHOTO: MAJOR LEAGUE FISHING

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Texas FRESHWATER

by MATT WILLIAMS :: TF&G Freshwater Editor

Fish Tales: Super Bites

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T’S NOT EVERY DAY YOU CATCH a 50-pound flathead catfish on rod and reel.

The piscatorial giants are frequently caught by trot-liners, using live perch for bait or hand fishermen brave enough go rooting around in their spawning dens.

Many rod/reel encounters with flatheads happen while the angler is targeting an entirely different species. Wayne Zartman of Bedford knows all about that deal.

Zartman was enjoying an eventful white bass feeding spree at Lake Ray Roberts near Denton when he inadvertently crossed paths with a heavyweight flathead. His bait of choice was a 1/2-ounce slab spoon, a flat piece of lead painted chartreuse and white with a treble hook on the business end.

Sand bass had been biting fairly well, Zartman said. He had already landed about 30 fish when he felt the thump of another bite. He was bringing the fish toward the boat when something much larger gobbled it up, headed the opposite direction and peeled drag off his bait caster.

What Zartman called an “epic battle” ensued. He figured he had hooked a big catfish, but said he didn’t know for certain until about 10 minutes later when finally managed to work the fish to the surface. A flathead with a weight problem had decided to munch the eight-inch sandie for lunch.

“Much to my surprise, when I went to retrieve my lure from this beast, the two of the three treble hooks were in the sand bass’s mouth and only one hook was in the catfish,” Zartman recalled. “I got the single hook out of the catfish’s mouth with a simple twist of my pliers and then did the same with the sand bass.”

Zartman said the fat cat bottomed out a set of 50-pound scales. He worked the sand bass

out of the catfish’s throat and his girlfriend took a few pictures. Both fish were released unharmed.

“It’s definitely one of my favorite fishing memories for sure!” Zartman said.

Some anglers may have been tempted to keep the catfish, but it would have been illegal to do so. That’s because the flathead ate the sand bass, not Zartman’s slab spoon. Both fish are labeled as “sport fish” in Texas, and it is illegal to use any sport fish as bait.

Walter (Junior) Thomas of Alba knows the situation all too well. In 2010, Thomas was fishing for crappie at Lake Fork when he hooked a crappie on 1/16-ounce jig rigged on ultralight gear. Thomas was reeling the crappie to the boat when a big bass grabbed it and took off.

The angler landed eventually landed both fish. The 15.69 pounder would have ranked in the Top 50 heaviest bass ever reported in Texas had it been caught on a lure or minnow instead of a crappie.

Interestingly, Thomas was already aware the catch was not legal. The angler had caught and released two fish over 10 pounds the same way the month before. Thinking there was a chance he might catch a bigger one, he contacted TPWD’s law enforcement headquarters to find out more.

Robert Goodrich, TPWD’s assistant chief of fisheries enforcement at the time, explained that it is not legal to retain any fish that is caught using game fish for bait, even if it is unintentional.

“The bottom line is you can’t use game fish for bait,” Goodrich said. “It was ultimately a crappie that attracted that fish, not the artificial jig.”

Things can get even more dicey when you hook what you think is a fish, but it doesn’t turn out to be a fish at all.

Justin Broomhall of Jefferson got a good taste of fishing’s wild side during a Father’s Day fishing trip to Lake Cherokee, a private lake near Longview.

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had caught several channel cats and blue cats when the bite suddenly waned.

“I told my dad there might be a predator around that spooked the fish,” he said.

Broomhall’s intuitions were correct. He saw a bubble trail on the surface within casting distance and lobbed a fresh glob of Catfish Charlie toward it. He saw the line jump and set the hook.

“At first it didn’t budge, sort of like a log or a rock,” he said. “I knew right then, it was no catfish.”

Broomhall eventually worked the critter close enough to shore to it see was an alligator snapping turtle. Sometimes called a loggerhead because of its large head, the alligator snapping turtle is easily distinguishable by the three rows of spiked ridges on top of its shell.

The snappers have jaws powerful enough to break a broom handle. They frequently use a worm-shaped appendage on the tip of their tongues to lure fish or other prey close.

The prehistoric-looking beast is the largest freshwater turtle in North America. Also, it’s a threatened species protected by law in Texas.

Turtles pushing 300 pounds have been documented, but Broomhall’s wasn’t quite that big.

He knows because he got his hands on the turtle and carefully wrestled it to shore to get a closer look.

“I do a lot of heavy lifting at work.

My guess is it weighed around 150-160 (pounds),” he said, “and it wasn’t very happy at all.”

Broomhall used pliers to remove the hook, took a few pictures and released the big turtle unharmed back into the lake. Word of his catch spread quickly as the photos circulated on social media. Eventually, it was picked up by local and national news outlets. Not surprisingly, he also got a visit from local game wardens interested to learn more about the fate of the dino-looking turtle.

“He’s doing just fine—a neighbor saw him a couple of days later,” he said.

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Email Matt Williams at ContactUs@fishgame.com | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 |

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story by Chester Moore

EDFISH ARE THE ULTIMATE symbol of nearshore fishing along the Gulf Coast.

Whether it’s pursuing tailing reds with fly gear in the marsh, monster bulls in the surf, or drifting for them over seagrass flats, this species is a vital part of Gulf fishing culture.

Let’s take a minute to get educated on all things redfish.

Over the last 15 years, more anglers are reporting catching bull redfish (over slot size) in our bay systems and this is reflected in the records. Over half of our main bay system records were broken since 2008.

SABINE LAKE: 35.44 pounds, by Brian Poirier in 2004 GALVESTON BAY: 44 pounds, by Russell Jana, 2010 MATAGORDA BAY: 41.50 pounds, caught by Candance Kern (on a fly!) in 2019 SAN ANTONIO BAY: 28 pounds, by Tracy Dews, 1998.

ARANSAS BAY: 35 pounds, by Daniel Markey in 2006 CORPUS CHRISTI BAY: 22.09 pounds, caught by Filip Spence in 2008 BAFFIN BAY: 27.99 pounds, by Ismael Pena in 2020 UPPER LAGUNA MADRE: 39.13, caught by Dr. E. Stanton Shoemaker (on a fly!) in 2008

Redfish Size The state record redfish was caught by angler Artie Longron in 2000. It weighed 59.50 pounds and was caught in the Gulf of Mexico out of Sabine Pass.

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LOWER LAGUNA MADRE: 33.60, caught by Carlos Hernandez in 2006

Everything Isn’t Always Bigger In Texas According to officials with North Carolina Environmental Quality, North Carolina is famous for its trophy-sized red drum that can weigh in excess of 40 pounds.

“They are traditionally caught in the surf and sound between Oregon Inlet and Cape Lookout. In 1984, a giant red drum weighing 94 pounds, 2 ounces was caught off Hatteras Island. It broke both the state and all-tackle world record, and it remains the International Game Fish Association AllTackle world record for red drum today” “North Carolina waters also produced 18 of the current IGFA Line Class (Conventional Tackle) world records, one IGFA Tippet Class (Fly Tackle) world record, and one IGFA Junior and Smallfry world record.”

A 94-pound redfish! That’s amazing!

Redfish are bottom feeders, which creates the phenomenon of “tailing” in shallow water.

from 20 to 28 inches, weighing 4 to 9 pounds. Then they leave. Even though a few larger fish remain inshore, after age three, redfish show substantial movement to offshore waters where they ultimately join the schools of spawning “bull” redfish. Even if we had 10 great spawning year classes in a row, inshore fishermen will catch fish mostly from the last three, and only keep fish from two-year classes, since the fish from the last spawn will average under the legal size.”

Cool Cousins

Life History Of Young Reds

According to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) officials, redfish are related to black drum, spotted seatrout, weakfish, mullets, and croakers, most of which also make drumming sounds.

“Scientists believe that the black spot near their tail helps fool predators into attacking the red drum’s tail instead of their head, allowing the red drum to escape.”

Young red drum feed on small crabs, shrimp, and marine worms. As they grow older, they feed on larger crabs, shrimp, small fish, and sometimes their cousins, the Atlantic croaker according to TPWD officials.

“They generally are bottom feeders but will feed in the water column when the opportunity arises. A phenomenon called “tailing” occurs when the red drum feed in shallow water with its head down in the grass and the tail exposed to the air.

Predators include humans, birds, larger fish, and turtles.”

Redfish School Year Classes When asked if redfish will ever become more plentiful in our marshes than they are now, LSU Ag Center officials had a very indepth answer.

“Not likely. Even though redfish live as long as 40 years, the number of redfish in inside waters depends on the success of the last three spawns before the year in question. Redfish spawn from late August through October. At one year old, they will range from 10 to 17 inches long, averaging 14 inches. At 2 years old they will range from 18 to 24 inches, and weigh 3 to 6 pounds.”

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Great White Food Seasonal Distribution and Historic Trends in Abundance of White Sharks in the Western North Atlantic published by PLOS One shows gives an interesting tidbit about redfish.

It details redfish are among the items preferred by the Gulf’s great whites.

“Analysis of white shark stomach contents from this region are extremely limited, |

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however, documented prey items include dolphins, sharks, red drum, sea turtles, and squid.”

Pogie Boat Bycatch The bycatch of redfish in pogie (menhaden) boats in Louisiana where they are allowed to fish much closer to the shore than in Texas is a major controversy east of Sabine Lake.

When asked why pogie boats operating close to shore is such a problem, CCALouisiana officials said the following.

“The way pogie is fished, and its occurrence within some of the most fertile waters for a variety of fish, there is a significant bycatch resulting in harm to many of Louisiana’s favorite recreational fish-approximately 135,000 pounds of trout and redfish specifically each year – and harm to forage for many of our most iconic Louisiana birds and wildlife like Brown Pelicans.”

“According to the industry, bycatch by percentage is relatively low in comparison to other commercial fisheries, representing 2-3% of the total catch. But even at 2-3%, you are still talking about 20-30 million pounds of bycatch—our drum, redfish, speckled trout, crabs, shrimp, and more killed each year.”

In each issue, we give you information via our hot spots, hot spots focus, and often in columns on how and where to catch redfish.

We hope you enjoyed this issue’s educational journey through “Redfish School” to learn more about their life and conservation.

« PHOTO: TF&G

8/5/22 1:19 PM

Going COASTAL

by KELLY GROCE :: TF&G Contributing Editor

Feeling the Tarpon Thump

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HE SUN WAS STILL BELOW the horizon, and all you could hear was the fluttering of a massive menhaden bait ball that pelicans were dive-bombing.

It was a gorgeous early morning at the South Padre Island jetties. I had lost a 100pound tarpon here a couple of days earlier, so I was eager for another shot at silver.

Capt. Brian Barrera threw his cast net and loaded up on menhaden. The bait ball was so thick, getting a live-well full of these prime tarpon baits was no problem.

Too bad finding a bait this easy isn’t a daily occurrence. Feeling optimistic with the baits we had onboard, we began fishing. We were the first boat out and nature was still waking up.

We set two rods out the back of the boat with menhaden rigged under a cork. In the meantime, I was on the bow, casting like a mad woman. It’s a good idea to have a variety of live baits and lures in the water, since you never know what flavor a tarpon will be desiring.

The set-up I was using was a GLoomis E6X extra heavy rod with a Shimano Saragosa 10,000 reel spooled with 60-pound braid, tied to a 100-pound leader. Per usual, we used the tried-and-true tarpon catcher, the D.O.A. Lures Baitbuster.

This lure mimics a mullet to a tee and with its heavy weight is great for casting and getting to the desired depth quickly. Tarpon enthusiasts in Florida have been relying on this lure for decades, and with the Lower Laguna Madre fishery being comparable to that of Southern Florida, we use them too.

The pleasant coolness of early morning PHOTO: CAPT. BRIAN BARRERA

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Groce wore this armored beast down after a short 21-minute battle.

had burned off, and the south Texas fireball in the sky was beaming down on us as I continuously casted my Baitbuster. If you have never experienced it, this is tarpon fishing, brutally hot with no wind. We had seen a handful of 120+pound fish rolling on the surface, which kept my enthusiasm high.

“There are two large tarpon to the left of the boat,” said Capt. Barrera. He could see these fish thanks to his Humminbird Solix 12 GPS. My lure was already in the water, so I slowed my retrieve way down.

About two seconds later, I felt the unforgettable thump-thump of a tarpon. I saw my line moving and set the hook harder than I have on any fish in my life. The jaw of a tarpon is primarily bone so making sure your hook penetrates through is key.

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Most tarpon do an explosive jump soon after being hooked, and this fish followed suit.

Berserk is the only word I can use to explain what happened during this epic battle with this highly respected game fish.

Ten jaw-dropping jumps and multiple rolls all within close proximity of the boat, had Capt. Brian and me hooting and hollering like never before. Although it was exciting, yet organized chaos, each jump felt like it was visually in slow motion. Seeing a 150-pound, seven-foot-long fish come blasting from the water depths is simply incredible.

The silver king had exerted so much energy performing these jumps, that it worked out in my favor. I had the armored beast boat-side in only 21 minutes.

As Capt. Barrera got his camera ready, I was connected to this catch of a lifetime by holding its huge lower jaw with my own two hands. This moment is why we count down the days for the arrival of big tarpon in our waters and endure the hours on end of casting under the wicked sun.

Having this intimate moment with one of these perfectly designed and beautifully armored prehistoric beasts is what gets my blood pumping. To see the massive eyeball of a tarpon staring back at you while grasping its rough sandpaper like lower jaw is quite humbling. Makes you wonder all the things this fish has seen while migrating miles upon miles to and from the Yucatan where they reside during winter. After quick pictures, we released the king back into the wild waters where it belongs.

Once you experience or witness the power of a tarpon, all the hype of this fish becomes blatantly clear. No other species compares when it comes to the pure strength, style, and beauty of a tarpon.

« Email Kelly Groce at ContactUs@fishgame.com

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 |

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EXAS IS A WINGSHOOTER’S PARAdise. There is no state quite like Texas when it comes to opportunities to hunt game birds.

From by far the largest population of doves in the nation to pheasants in the Panhandle and quail in the cactus thickets, Texas is a destination for great bird hunting opportunities.

Throw in the fact about ⅓ of the Rio Grande turkeys in North America live here and that we are a major migratory state for ducks, geese, and sandhill cranes, it’s obvious Texas is next-level for wingshooting enthusiasts.

As this issue reaches subscribers and dove season kicks off, we

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thought we would check in with our friends at CZ-USA and look at a variety of shotguns to match specific hunting needs.

UPLAND BIRDS Simple, strong, and smooth, CZ’S 612 FIELD is designed to shoot everything from targets to turkeys. Wearing a walnut stock and satin chrome finish, this rugged pump will hunt for generations to come. Capable of shooting 2 ¾ and 3-inch shells and supplied with three chokes, it’s a workhorse shotgun that won’t break the bank.

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classy pump gun to carry in the field. It is built on a gaugespecific 7075 aluminum action, this 20 or 28-gauge pump has a deep glossy blue finish and select-grade Turkish Walnut. A set of interchangeable chokes lets you tune constriction and the full forend and pistol grip help make this lithe shotgun feel good in the hands. With a 28″ barrel, both variants clock in at well under 6 lbs., lightening the load for those full days chasing birds.

CZ’S 1012 uses a gas-less inertia operating system. Instead of redirecting gas from the barrel to run the action, the 1012 uses a spring within the bolt to store energy during the shotgun’s recoil, spending this energy a split second later to rotate and

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unlock the twin lugs from the barrel extension and withdraw the spent shell.

The major advantage of an inertia system is the less stringent maintenance schedule. Unlike gas guns that need periodic cleaning of the piston and magazine tube, the 1012’s needs are vastly fewer.

During CZ’s field testing, they pushed 1012s to 5,000 rounds without a drop of oil or cleaning of any sort, while experiencing zero parts breakage or malfunctions.

In normal field use, the occasional cleaning and oiling should be more than enough.

Additionally, the gas-less system itself is tuned to run a wider

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Redhead Premier Youth IDEAL FOR SMALL-STATURED SHOOTERS AND YOUTH, THE REDHEAD PREMIER Reduced Length has a shorter length of pull (13 inches instead of 14.5 inches) as well as shorter 24-inch barrels. Only available in 20 gauge, it has all of the quality features expected of a Redhead Deluxe including auto ejectors, Turkish walnut stock, a single selective trigger, and chrome-lined barrels finished in weather-hardy black chrome.

Add to that the unparalleled craftsmanship and reliability it’s a great option for a youth shotgun.

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variety of shells — from light-recoiling target loads up to the smoking hot 3″ magnums currently on the market.

fowl camo pattern combined with a 3 ½ inch chamber for magnum shotshells.

This machine is for making big birds like snow geese fall from the sky. The 612 Magnum Waterfowl ships with five extended black choke tubes.

1012 SYNTHETIC BOTTOMLAND, with its iconic camo pattern, is a bird-hunt-

1012 Synthetic

Available in 12 gauge with a 3½-inch chamber and a 28-inch barrel, the Magnum Waterfowl is hydro dipped in appropriate camo.

ing machine. Using the same uber-reliable inertia semi-auto system that was used to set a clay shooting World Record in 2019, this auto-loader is built for serious use in the field.

TURKEY

The CZ 612 MAGNUM TURKEY was created for the turkey woods and since Texas has both a fall and spring turkey season there is ample opportunity. This pump gun comes equipped with two chokes, one

The CZ CTP STERLING’S unique dimensions of this gun create a stock that looks very different from most other shotguns, allowing smaller female and youth

extra-full to deliver maximum pellets to the kill zone, and one modified for upland hunting and steel shot.

It is available in 12 gauge with a 3½-inch chamber and a 26-inch barrel and is hydrodipped in camouflage.

SCTP Sterling

shooters to keep their heads up and eyes on the target. A four-way adjustable comb helps fine-tune the fit and increased pitch makes it much more comfortable to shoulder (around 8 degrees).

This classy shotgun is built on the Upland Sterling receiver and is chambered in 12 gauge with 30″ barrels. It handles both 2¾ and 3” shells and comes with five interchangeable chokes.

A WINGSHOOTING TOUR OF TEXAS A hunter could take a tour of Texas wingshooting in numerous ecological regions and never repeat species.

Ever heard of the chachalaca?

Texas is the only state to have enough of these unique birds to offer a season, and they are available to hunt in four counties (Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Willacy) along

WATERFOWL Built for the goose blind, the CZ 612 MAGNUM WATERFOWL boasts a water18

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the Mexican 612 Magnum Turkey border.

Swing up the coast a bit and a hunter could enjoy incredible opportunities and large rafts of redhead in Lower Laguna Madre.

These gorgeous ducks are more common here than anywhere else in the Central Flyway and are considered “trophy ducks” for their stunning beauty.

Head due west and hunters find themselves in the best quail hunting left in America.

This year may be tough due to drought conditions but wellmanaged ranches always have bobwhites to hunt here.

A couple of hours north, hunters will find the largest population of Rio Grande turkeys in America in the Texas Hill Country.

Counties like Llano and Kimble are loaded with big, beautiful Rio Grande gobblers, especially along river bottom corridors.

Stop virtually anywhere in the state and get a great opportunity at doves. The San Antonio and Uvalde areas are great for whitewings, but mourning doves are pretty much abundant everywhere.

Traveling north to the Panhandle, hunters will find ring-necked pheasants, Canada geese, and sandhill cranes.

Texas really is a unique place for those who like to hunt birds and if you choose the right gun, adventure awaits in every corner of the state.

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UNTING SEASON IS UPON US. WITH dove, early teal, and archery-only for whitetail starting within the dates of this issue, five total months of hardcore Texas hunting are about to ensue.

Much of the conversation among hunters will revolve around their rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, or bow of choice. But there is much more to hunting gear.

It’s the little things, much of it that we wear that can make a key difference in the field.

We reached out to Calcuttaoutdoors.com to learn how their HQ 20

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Outfitters line and myriad of products for fall hunting can help hunters prep for the season.

DOVE & SMALL GAME HUNTING VEST Dove and squirrel hunters take note. This vest can make your life much easier in the field.

Mesh and canvas material to maximize durability and breathability. Lined game-bag on back. Dual front pockets with shell loops. Mossy Oak® Break-up Country camouflage pattern.

Features include Mossy Oak Break-Up pattern, two front pockets, and duck canvas.

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Dove & Small Game Vest

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DOVE BELT

ment, giving hunters the option of removing the excess weight of the quiver from their bow and relocating it to an easy-access location on their pack.

If you’re not a fan of vests, this product might be for you. It comes with a Mossy Oak® Break Up Country pattern, a lined Dove Belt rear game bag, four front pockets, a water bottle pocket, and an adjustable buckle that fits 32-52 inch waists.

POP-UP BLIND The HQ pop-up blind easily springs open into shape as soon as you pull it from the bag. Double window designs on 3 sides allow for complete views of any incoming game. Once the hunt is done, easily fold up the blind and take it with

DAY PACK The HQ Hunter’s Daypack is made with a quiet brushed tricot fabric to reduce noise while hunting and PVCbacked Ripstop to ensure durability in the field.

Two large main compartments allow for anything you may need over the day’s hunt.

Side water bottle pockets and a front Day Pack organizer pocket with a daisy chain allow for quick access to your essential gear.

Pop-Up Blind

you without leaving a trace.

Features include the following: Compact design for easy transport 60” x 60” Wide base 66” height at center Three large zipper windows Three small zipper windows with removable mesh panels Great for rifle and bow hunters

ARCHER’S PACK The HQ Archer’s Pack revolutionizes treestand hunting. Unlike traditional daypacks, the HQ Archers incorporate full-length zippers that work in concert with dual rear-facing compression straps. This allows hunters not only to pack the HQ Archer’s Pack from the top but to open the entire length of the bag, making organization easier than ever. Instead of traditional mesh water bottle holders, we’ve incorporated Archer side access pockets that Pack unzip to accommodate drink bottles of all sizes without sacrificing critical storage area.

To truly set the HQ Archers Pack apart from all other bags on the market, we’ve developed a MOLLE style quiver attach22

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HUB BLIND Easy field setup allows for you to quickly get the blind positioned in the perfect spot you’ve been scouting. The brush straps allow you to brush in your blind to create a seamless back-

drop. The tri-fold window design allows you to fully customize how wide or narrow you want the corner windows open, great for both the firearm and bow hunter.

Features include the following: 58” x 58” x 67” Height Customizable Full Corner Windows Backpack Carry Bag

FOLDING STOOL The HQ Outfitters Folding Hunting Stool is easy to set up and carry to your favorite hunting spot.

Constructed with heavyduty camouflage nylon fabric and a sturdy 19mm steel frame.

Features underseat zippered storage and a sturdy carry strap for easy hands-free transFolding Stool port.

PERFORMANCE FLEECE BALACLAVA This HQ Outfitters® fleece balaclava is made from 250 GSM fleece to keep you warm and comfortable on those cold days.

Mid-weight fabric wicks moisture. Adaptable construction allows the face shield to be raised and lowered as needed. Mossy Oak® Terra Gila pattern provides versatile concealment. The face shield can be raised and lowered as needed. It’s made Balaclava of 250 GSM fleece perfect for those cold & windy days and helps wick moisture to keep you warm.

DOVE DECOY (4 PACK) Realistic dove decoys with built-in metal clip for easy mounting. True-to-life form and colors will help bring doves in. Clips on the bottom of the decoy allow

Hub Blind

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for placement on branches, limbs, or wire fences. Four doves per pack.

PERFORMANCE CAMO HOODIE Featuring Mossy Oak Original Bottomland, this HQ Outfitter Hoodie blends classic looks with new features. A 250GSM weight fleeced back Polyester makes for a warm and comfy feel while the additional hidden accessory pocket located in the main kangaroo pouch makes for great added discreet storage.

STAYING SAFE While gearing up for hunting season, please consider safety.

Most hunters are smart, ethical, and sober-minded but annually upwards of 1,000 hunters are shot in incidents in the United States and Canada annually with around 75 of those fatal. This is according to the International Hunter Education Association.

Considering there are millions of hunters in the woods those numbers are low but in

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our opinion, one is too many, much less one thousand.

The number one thing you can do to

protect yourself is to wear blaze orange. It is required on most public land in Texas but it is not required for example in Texas on private land. Wear it anyway.

We do.

We know it’s not fashionable and the boys at deer camp might give you grief, but deal with it.

Blaze orange shines through the woods like a beacon and someone wearing a full jacket and cap is easily seen. The chances of someone shooting you and thinking you’re a deer or some other game goes down dramatically when wearing blaze orange.

An HQ blaze orange beanie at a minimum is a great choice but wearing that as well as a vest might just save your life.

That’s why you should not only invest in your hunting gear but hunting safety as well.

Check out calcuttaoutdoors.com to gear up for the hunt.

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Texas WHITETAILS

by LARRY WEISHUHN :: TF&G Whitetail Deer Editor

Whitetails & Extreme Heat

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T’S TIME!” Summer has been unseasonably hot and unfortunately dry. Finally, the “weather guessers” are predicting cool breezes and at least a chance of rain. Got to love those early days of autumn.

“Our” time is here!

The heat and extended dry have definitely had an effect on whitetailed deer. In many areas of the state, antler development will not be as good as in previous years.

Old bucks five-years old and older, will have been affected less than younger bucks, as well as those bucks that chased really hard last fall. Body development always takes precedence over antlers.

Some bucks that are run down from the rigors of last fall’s rut might not have recovered in time to develop antlers as big or bigger than they had last year. Because of this, some multi-tined three and four-year old bucks scoring 140 B&C points or more last fall will revert to 120-class eight points this year. This is something to consider if you are into “culling” all mature eight-point bucks.

On properties that I am involved in through H3 Whitetail Solutions (www. h3whitetailsolutions.com) most eight-points will likely get a pass this year, unless we know the history of a particular buck. Too, we will likely not put much pressure on spikes. There will be exceptions however, if the deer herd’s nutrition was daily, freechoice supplemented with cottonseed and/ or pelleted rations.

Whitetail does? I no longer bowhunt, but on my property our family will be doing our best to take does as early as possible.

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Larry with a doe he shot last fall with his Taurus handgun.

bows. We plan on removing at least one doe per 50 acres, based on our current population and long-term management goal.

The hunting lease I am involved in west of San Angelo, is under Texas’s Managed Land Deer Program (MLDP). We plan to shoot the appropriate number of does as early as possible, starting in October.

I will be hunting primarily this year with my Taurus Raging Hunter .44 Mag and .454 Casull handguns topped with Trijicon RMR red dot sights and shooting Hornady’s XTP ammo. Which does will we concentrate on taking? The ones we can keep our sights on long enough to pull the trigger!

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of spring and summer rainfall has been lowered fawn survival rates. Because of sparse rainfall. we had few forbs or “weeds” that provide forage and ground cover. Forbs normally hide fawn from predators.

The lower fawn survival rate will be felt for several years into the future. Four and more ensuing years hence, we will have very few mature bucks.

Although those are the negatives, the positive and more important fact is, this whitetail season will be fabulous, and it is time to get started!

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Email Larry Weishuhn at ContactUs@fishgame.com PHOTO: LARRY WEISHUHN

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8/4/22 4:00 PM

T’S TIME TO GET READY FOR THE BEST surf fishing of the year. That might seem odd since much of it is done during the spring and summer when warm Gulf temperatures allow for comfortable wading and fishing for a variety of species.

There is however, extremely good surf fishing action to be found during fall and even into winter. Many of the same species are available (although some get bigger) and others show up as well. Let’s look at the top surf fishing species and gear.

SPECIES BULL REDFISH: They are the king of the surf during early fall and they are present at some level throughout the year.

Fall brings huge redfish spawning in nearshore waters. At times schools of them will invade the surf and we’re talking huge fish.

Catching reds over 40 inches is not uncommon and having days where anglers catch and release 10 or more apiece is an attainable goal.

Look for redfish action to peak in mid-October but stay variable throughout winter.

Big reds love to hit live mullet or croaker as well as cut bait and blue crab.

SHARKS: We think of sharks in the summer but there is sold shark action in early fall and even into winter.

Look for late summer and early fall to produce some blacktips, bulls, Atlantic

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Storm the Beaches with the Right Rod SEAGE SURF RODS, BY ST. CROIX, RANGE FROM A SEVEN-FOOT medium-light action edition to an 11-footer, with many sizes and actions in between.

• Constructed with newly engineered SCII carbon fiber that is both stronger in flexural strength and lighter than its previous formulation.

• Crafted strategically placing ART and Veil reinforcing technologies increasing strength and impact protection.

• Built with proprietary FRS technology.

• Off-set ferrules on two-piece models deliver one-piece performance.

• Sea Guide® Hero Hi-Grade guides with slim aluminum-oxide rings and

• • • • • •

SS316 stainless gun smoke frames.

Sea Guide® NPS reel seat with integrated black hoods.

X-Flock covered slim diameter handles.

Winn® comfort-focused foregrips.

Two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish.

15-year warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service.

Designed in Park Falls Wisconsin and handcrafted in Fresnillo, Mexico.

• Shorter two-piece models have angler-requested 50/50 splits, while longer two-piece models have angler-preferred 70/30 or 60/40 splits.

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sharpnose, and maybe a few hammerheads.

Later fall on the Lower Coast will see some tiger sharks and other big sharks come into the surf for incredible rod-bending action.

Big sharks love cut bait but favorite selections of serious surf anglers include stingray and jack crevalle.

Big drum prefer blue crab but will also take shrimp and occasionally squid.

SAND TROUT & GULF TROUT: Sand trout (sand seatrout) are silvery with a pinkish color on the upper sides according to TPWD. Their large mouths are orange on the inside with one or two rounded teeth at the front of the upper jaw. Sand trout start appearing in decent numbers in early fall and their bite gets stronger going into winter.

TPWD describes Gulf trout (silver seatrout) as bright silver all over with no stripes, bars, or other marks. The only place you’re likely to find color on these fish is inside their mouths which are orange. They live mostly in the Gulf where they feed on fish and shellfish but they do come into the surf in late fall and early winter.

Both of these species will readily hit dead shrimp, small chunks of cut bait or curly-tailed grubs and shrimp imitation soft plastic lures.

GULF KINGFISH: Gulf kingfish, also called Gulf whiting according to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, live in small schools in the surf along the Texas coast.

“Young kingfish sometimes move into the shallows in coastal bays. Like their relatives the southern kingfish, Gulf kingfish feed on bottom-dwelling animals such as worms, clams, and other shellfish.”

Whiting start showing in fall and their populations grow into spring. brings lots of “whiting” to beachfronts and the beautiful thing about catching them is simplicity.

A dead shrimp or small chunk of cut bait fished on the bottom is usually enough to get their attention.

ATLANTIC CROAKER: Atlantic croaker are about 12 inches long and weigh 1/2 to 2 pounds on average according to TPWD. “Its distinguishing characteristics include three to five pairs of small barbels or “whiskers” on their chins to help them feel for food on the seafloor; a lateral line that extends to the tip of its caudal (tail) fin; inferior mouth (located to the bottom of the

BULL BLACK DRUM: There is no mistaking these giants. Oversized black drum move into the surf beginning in late fall and their populations gradually build into spring.

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head facing the ground), and brown vertical stripes on its sides.

Croaker are also simple to catch and take to dead shrimp quickly. When they are abundant in the surf, croaker will gladly take scented lures like Gulp! and also hit small spoons and spinnerbaits especially if you find some of the bigger ones.

Rodding Up When people think of a “surf rod”, they think of a super-long rod set in a rod holder for big fish like sharks. And that is certainly an important part of a surf-fishing arsenal.

St. Croix Rod has shown us there is much more to the surf fishing game with their Seage series of reds.

Ranging from 7-11 feet, these rods cover the gamut of surf fishing needs.

The 7-foot medium-moderate fast action is great for catching fish like sand trout and whiting. While the 10-6, medium-heavy edition would be great for big drum or redfish.

And if you need to make that extra long coast, there’s an 11-footer that comes in medium heavy with moderate action and is perfect for everything from big reds to blacktips.

The keys for surf fishing are being able to cast a long distance, action to feel what can be very finicky bites (including for big fish like a drum), and backbone to finish the job.

The Seage line of rods from St. Croix covers all of these bases.

PHOTOS: ST. CROIX

8/4/22 6:35 PM

Surf fishing is growing in popularity in Texas.

Surf’s Rising Surf fishing is on the rise in Texas and in a big way.

It has always had a strong following but huge catches of hammerheads and tiger

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sharks, as well as a fascination with saltwater panfish like whiting, have attracted many new anglers to the sport of surf fishing.

Texas has 367 miles of coastline with in many cases very accessible surf fishing opportunities. And as fall arrives, the best

surf fishing of the year comes with it.

Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity for world-class sport fishing that can be done without a boat.

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COMPOSITE PHOTO: TF&G

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HE BIODIVERSITY OF TEXAS IS stunning. Whether it’s speckled trout and snook in the bays, whitetails, and turkeys in the woods or a host of introduced species, Texas has incredible opportunities for hunters and anglers.

Every year, we present cast and blast opportunities. This year we thought we would talk about various hunting and angling quests often called “slams” that are both already in place, and some we came up with ourselves.

We hope you enjoy this look at some hunting and angling challenges,

30  CAST & BLAST: SLAMS

Reported by TF&G Staff

& GAME 36  FISH FORECAST CENTER SALTWATER

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

& GAME 46  FISH FORECAST CENTER FRESHWATER

Reported by TF&G Staff

54  SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK Tides and SoLunar Data

some of which can only happen here in Texas.

TEXAS SLAM: We might as well start with the namesake slam. This is the Records of Exoticsbased slam of exotic sheep.

These are not true North American wild sheep, but exotic sheep that are common and popular to hunt on ranches throughout the state. Modeled after the Grand Slam (desert bighorn, CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE 

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Rocky Mountain bighorn, Stone sheep, and Dall sheep) it includes a mouflon, Corsican, Texas Dall, and Hawaiian black.

This has become extremely popular and most of these animals are available for a fee on exotic ranches. Of the four, the mouflon (a wild sheep from Europe) is the most difficult to find.

TEXAS GRAND SLAM: (aka Bay Slam) This is a fishing version that consists of a redfish, speckled trout, and flounder.

Most coastal anglers have caught all three of these, but the real challenge is catching all three in one day. This is a fun and attainable slam even for kids just now getting into fishing.

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TEXAS FLATS SLAM: Here’s one where we took some liberties. The true Flats Slam is the bonefish, permit, and tarpon. The only one of those with catchable numbers in Texas is the tarpon.

So, a Texas flats slam could include the following, a tarpon, sheepshead, and black drum, or a tarpon, sheepshead, and redfish.

Fly-fishermen are increasingly interested in catching sheepshead and black drum on a fly, so that adds a bit of prestige. We’ve even heard the sheepshead referred to by fishermen as the “poor man’s permit.”

TEXAS INTRACOASTAL SLAM: Here’s another one we came up with to

encompass the most prized fish from Port Arthur to Port Isabel along the Intracoastal Waterway. This includes redfish, speckled trout, flounder, black drum, sheepshead, and snook.

BROWN WATER ROYAL SLAM: IGFA recognizes six fishing slams where anglers have to catch several recognized species in a given category. The most prestigious is the billfish slam. A few years ago we had a bit of fun with that and came up with the brownwater slam.

BOWFIN: Also known as choupique, grinnel, mudfish, and mud marlin this fish fights hard and jumps when caught. That makes it a great marlin replacement.

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BULLHEAD: Also known as a mud cat, these fish bite when nothing else does, and where nothing else dares to swim.

Well, except maybe for the bowfin.

The rule in this slam is the bullhead has

to be caught in a bar ditch. A creek won’t do. This is the brown water slam and murkiness is our vibe.

GASPERGOU: Talk about prestigious—

any fish frequently called “goo” is something anglers around the world dream about. Uglier than a bullhead or a grinnel, these fish are found in major rivers and reservoirs in the state, but tend to congregate where the water is a little more brown than clear.

BUFFALO: Yes, they are nearly impossible to catch on a rod and reel. Sure, they have more bones than a carp and taste half as good, but the buffalo gets huge.

SUPER SLAM OF EXOTICS: This is another slam recognized by Records of Exotics. It includes axis deer, fallow deer, sika deer, blackbuck antelope, mouflon sheep, aoudad, Corsican sheep, ibex, red deer, and Catalina goat.

This one gets a little pricey, but offers many different hunting options and some radical hunting challenges, especially for aoudad and ibex.

FREE RANGING EXOTIC SLAM: Texas has three primary free-ranging exotic species. These are the axis, nilgai, and aoudad. There are many more, such as blackbuck for example, but the above three are by far the most numerous.

They are also the three most challenging exotics to take whether on open range or high fence. In our opinion, nilgai and axis are the best wild meats period. Aoudad isn’t bad either, especially if you take a younger ewe.

We recommend shooting every ewe you can. The aoudad is causing problems for native bighorn sheep and other wildlife. Taking ewes is key to conservation.

TEXAS DEER SLAM: This one’s a long

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shot but it can be achieved. It includes the whitetail, mule deer, elk, and axis. There are free-ranging elk in the Trans Pecos.

The axis is not native to Texas, but we have more here than in their native countries of India and Pakistan. Getting all four of these would be truly special.

created? If so, email your suggestions to us at cmoore@fishgame.com. We would love to learn about them and maby include

them in a future installment.

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HILL COUNTRY STREAM SLAM: Here’s another one of our creations. This time it’s all about the Texas Hill Country.

This would include a Guadalupe bass, Rio Grande cichlid, and a rainbow trout.

Caught on spinning or fly gear, seeking these beautiful fish is tons of fun. Also, it’s something kids can pull off, which in our opinion, is always a bonus.

• • • We hope you’ve enjoyed the slam edition of our annual Cast and Blast.

Do you have personal slams you have

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Easing Into Autumn Patterns SABINE Reported by CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

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S WE EASE EVER SO slowly into the fall fishing months here on Sabine Lake, I can’t help getting excited about all that it signifies. Although the grueling summer months are not in any big hurry to leave, it means that we are that much closer to the very beginning of what is a welcomed transitional period for us. We can now gradually begin to shift our focus away from the jetties and the Gulf and concentrate more on fishing the bay.

There are still plenty of fish to be caught south of the Causeway, but fall is definetely on the horizon, and for us that means spending more time fishing the lake, the bayous and surrounding marsh.

Flounder are CAPT. HERNANDEZ beginning to GHGSEddie@gmail.com stack up in 36

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anticipation of their big migration to the Gulf. Shrimp are beginning to make their way out of the marsh and bayous, where big schools of trout and reds are there to greet them.

Over the next few months, seagulls, terns and slicks will lead us to these schools, and there will be lots of nice stringers caught.

Although we are not quite through fishing the channel and jetties, it is nice to slip into the lake on a good, calm, early fall morning and get a little sneak peek of what is right around the corner.

Have a good pair of binoculars handy and cruise the lake looking for working gulls and slicks. They may be north, south or anywhere in between, but when you find them it will be worth your trip.

Kill the big motor ahead of the school and drift or troll until you get into casting range. Almost any color soft plastic baits rigged on 1/4 oz. lead heads will work well.

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chartreuse and Bone, as well as chrome/ black and chrome/blue 1/4 oz. Rat-LTraps.

The future of our redfish also continues to look bright as the marsh and shorelines are loaded with juveniles, slots and oversized fish. Coaxing them into a game of potential life or death tug’o war isnt very hard as they are not scared to attack live or dead bait, plastic or metal.

On good, calm days you should have little problem locating them on the eastern bank from Coffee Ground Cove, all the way south to Blue Buck Point. Troll down the shoreline in two to five feet of water and tempt them with soft plastics, topwaters or gold spoons.

Some excellent soft plastic choices are Zoom Super Fluke, Down South Lures and GULP! Shrimp in Hudini, Glow and New Penny. Pearl or pink Skitterwalks and black with chartreuse She Dogs are hard to beat topwaters.

If you prefer the real deal, pole down or spot lock on the points on either side of the mouth of the bayous. Use a fish finder rig with a 3/0 Kahle hook. Live or cut mullet and croakers, fresh dead shrimp and cracked crab fished either on the bottom or under a popping cork will work well.

On really calm afternoons you can also expect to find big schools of reds roaming the mid lake area from Johnson Bayou to the Intracoastal Canal. These massive schools shouldn’t be hard to find or stay with when the wind is calm and the lake is smooth.

You should also encounter some giant clouds of shad, especially in early September. Fish the perimeters with gold spoons, plastics or shad and mullet under a popping cork and make sure your drag is set. I hope to see you transitioning with us here on Sabine this year.

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HOTSPOTLIGHT

SAN LUIS PASS

SAN LUIS PASS CONNECTS WEST GALVESTON BAY TO THE GULF OF MEXICO AT the southwestern end of Galveston Island. The pass has extreme tidal action and produces dangerous currents. As a result, wadefishing and beach access are restricted. But the fishing, especially for trout and redfish, is excellent year-round and can still be accessed by boat. Selected HOTSPOTS are shown in the table below, and on the map.

SPECKLED TROUT KEY

HOTSPOT NAME

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Bird Island Flats

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Cold Pass

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San Luis Pass Beach Front

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Salt Cedars

REDFISH

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Mud Cut Flats

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Bird Island Flats

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Redfish Cove

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San Luis Pass Flats

FLOUNDER

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Mud Cut

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Cold Pass

BLACK DRUM

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San Luis Pass Bridge

FACILITIES KEY

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GPS

BEST BAIT & TACTIC

N 29 06.128, W 95 08.726 N 29 04.834, W 95 08.335 N 29 05.354, W 95 06.333 N 29 06.240, W 95 05.382

Work the grass/sand with tops early, live bait later,drift; dawn-morn, dusk

N 29 07.797, W 95 09.540 N 29 06.128, W 95 08.726 N 29 06.101, W 95 06.569 N 29 05.711, W 95 07.106

Drift the flat, look for sandholes, nervous mullet, grass; dawn thru morn, dusk

N 29 06.163, W 95 09.519 N 29 04.901, W 95 08.136

Great night gigging, sure-foot wading, mud minnows; dawn; morn, dusk

N 29 04.957, W 95 07.425

Cracked crab, anchor and work the bottom; avoid afternoon, dusk

GPS

LOCATION

Live bait, soft plastics in red/white, natural mullet Drift past the breakers and fish the guts; avoid midday, night Topwaters & spoons, fish the breaks and drops

Weedless gold spoons, live bait, work grass holes; dawn thru morn, dusk Drift using shrimp under cork or topwaters; dawnmorning, afternoon-dusk Live shrimp & spoons, fish with the tides.

Mud minnows, 1/4 oz. jigs, red/wht. anchor outgoing td; dawn thru dusk

PHONE

N 29 04.735, San Luis Co. Park 14001 CR 257 W 95 07.793 SOURCE: TEXAS LAKES & BAYS FISHING ATLAS 2022

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OMING INTO SEPTEMBER is the start of my favorite time of year here on Galveston Bay. With school back in session and hunting season starting back up the fishing pressure on the bay is way down from the summertime craziness. This time of year is when you can catch huge numbers of redfish in a day. The reds are starting their annual migration to the nearshore waters off the Texas coast for their spawn. It’s not uncommon to see schools of hundreds of redfish out on the beachfront.

I remember one such CAPT. YORK spotstalkerfishing@yahoo.com encounter several years back at the north jetty when we were seeing huge schools of cownose rays coming through and then the water just turned completely dark, and we realized they were redfish. We boated and released these reds as fast as we could catch them while keeping up with the school of fish. These schools of reds can be targeted easily in the bay while looking for mud boils and schooling birds out in open water. Generally, any type of bait will do the trick from live shrimp to plastics and topwater lures.

As the start of the Fall season progresses going into October, the bait getting pushed out of the marsh and back lakes really allows anglers an easy target to go after.

Driving around and looking for birds hovering over schools of shrimp and menhaden is a lot of fun and offers a very fast paced

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UPPER COAST HOTSPOTS

UPPER COAST day of fishing. There are lots of trout found under these birds and sometimes you must work through the small “schoolie” trout to get to those larger fish. And not to forget, the wade fishing is still great this time of year. West Bay provides some great areas for both bank and boat fishermen to hop in the water and go after trout, reds and flounder.

Flounder are also starting their annual spawning migration to the gulf waters in October. With the recent regulation changes causing a total closure of the flounder fishery in November and the first part of December, the fish are getting targeted a lot more than normal this time of year. While some fish are starting to get caught in the deeper “flounder” holes along the channels, I usually try targeting them on the exits of large marsh drains along drop offs where they can easily ambush bait. Artificial baits like Chickenboy Lures Bubba Cluckers and the Gulp swimming mullet are great choices and are the perfect sized bait to go after these fish. Swimming and jigging these baits near the bottom are the best ways to catch them. I have also had some good catches of flounder throwing spinner baits. The blades of the spinner bait and a bright colored soft plastic are key to reaction strikes.

So, get out and enjoy all the great fishing opportunities this time of year has to offer.

With the weather cooling off and less pressure, you’re bound to have a great day out on the water!

LOCATION: Carancahua Bay HOTSPOT: Pipeline GPS: N 28 42.6, W 96 23.816 (28.7100, -96.3969)

much rain in the spring at all. We have gone months without any measurable rain until midsummer. Salinity levels are high. I have had enough of this heat. I’m ready for some fall fishing.

New size and bag limits seem to be helping the trout fishery. But we are still feeling the effects of the freeze a couple years ago.

Redfish have been the staple for those wanting to keep a fresh mess. Conservation is recommended for the trout. If you want to eat some fish keep another species or go to the market. Give them a chance to replenish. Most anglers enjoy a bent pole anyways.

Cold fronts should start coming more frequently. Water temperatures are on the decline. Shrimp are migrating out of the marsh. Redfish are tailing in the shallows.

Birds are starting to work. The bay system is alive. My favorite time of the year to fish.

I wish it would stay like this year around.

You wouldn’t get any complaints here.

Trout has been good in east bay when the wind lays. Deep shell is holding good numbers with a few redfish mixed in. Soft plastic has worked well. Flounder have been plentiful. This has been another great year for flounder. They are starting the annual run to the gulf.

Everyone who asks when is the best time for fishing?

CAPT. TALASEK Now! This is MarkTalasek@sbcglobal.net the best time of the year to catch fish. Give me a call to book your next trip to Matagorda.

• • •

Bring on the Cold Fronts MATAGORDA Reported by CAPT. MARK TALASEK

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E JUMPED FROM WINter this year right into summer. It’s been a hot dry one so far. We didn’t receive

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SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Pink Skitter Walk topwater bait SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: Capt. Countz likes to wade fish in October for redfish. The redfish, a lot of times, can be found schooling in October. The tides are usually a little better, and he can get the boat in closer to the shoreline.

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

SPECIES: Redfish 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: Check out the oyster reef in the middle of the bay. There is a good shell reef that comes off the deep water reef, 4-5 feet of water.

LOCATION: Freeport HOTSPOT: Swan Lake GPS: N 28 58.0981, W 95 16.446 (28.9683, -95.2741)

SPECIES: Redfish &

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you want the lightest possible jig head I can use to get that done. More fish are going to bite something that is not intimidating them.

New size limits seem to be helping the Matagorda trout fishery.

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

BEST BAITS: Saltwater Assassins in Texas Roach SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Try fishing from a kayak for the quiet approach.

Use Saltwater Assassins or Gulp! under popping cork.

LOCATION: Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Old Pilings GPS: N 29 25.06, W 94 48.48 (29.4177, -94.8080)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Down South soft plastics with a 3/8 or 1/2 jig head SOURCE: Capt. Glenn Boyd 409-789-6225 www.boydsguideservice.com TIPS: If you want to stay at one foot off the bottom,

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Small topwaters SOURCE: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: Small baits, like She Pups, Baby Spooks, small Skitter Walks in chrome, bone or chartreuse should be magnificent early. Falling tides are essential.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE 

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Down South soft plastics SOURCE: Capt. Glenn Boyd 409-789-6225 www.boydsguideservice.com TIPS: Paddle tail soft plastics with either a 3/8 or 1/2 oz. lead head…bounce it off the shell. The sound helps draw the fish.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Artificial Reef GPS: N 29 30.7333, W 94 39.9 (29.5122, -94.6650)

PHOTO: MARK TALASEK

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UPPER COAST LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Elm Lake GPS: N 29 27.147, W 94 41.691 (29.4525, -94.6949) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Pink Skitter Walk topwater bait SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: Watch for the shorebirds concentrating in one area. They are usually following redfish, blowing them up into the grass.

with lateral lines along their body.

LOCATION: Keller Bay HOTSPOT: Mud Reef GPS: N 28 36.467, W 96 28.059 (28.6078, -96.4677)

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Shrimp under cork SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Troll grassline, drift open water; dawn-morn, dusk

LOCATION: Sabine Pass HOTSPOT: Jetties GPS: N 29 39.3139, W 93 49.8719 (29.6552, -93.8312)

LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Beasley Reef GPS: N 29 40.268, W 94 52 (29.6711, -94.8667) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Pink Skitter Walk topwater bait SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: Topwater action early in the morning, working some of the drains, scattered shell along the shorelines.

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Drift and bounce soft plastics on bottom

LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Chinquapin Reef GPS: N 28 43.994, W 95 47.954 (28.7332, -95.7992)

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LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: North Deer Island GPS: N 29 16.954, W 94 56.223 (29.2826, -94.9371)

LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: Shell Island GPS: N 28 37.533, W 96 3.515 (28.6256, -96.0586)

TIPS: A lot of people walk along on top of the shell, because it’s easier walking, but it spooks the fish. It doesn’t sound bad to you, but the fish sense the noise | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout & Redfish BEST BAITS: Down South soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Shrimp migration begins in September which in turn causes the fish to school up and the birds to start working.

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics or small topwater lures SOURCE: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 www.gofishgalveston.com

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Four inch soft plastics SOURCE: Capt. Bill Watkins 409-673-9211 www.fishsabinelake.com TIPS: Capt. Watkins says the jetties can be good at this time of the year. The fish will be right up against the rocks early in the morning.

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or Triple Surgeon’s Loop, and the Three Loop Passthrough knot. Are there stronger knots? Yes, but not many and not by much.

These are easiest to tie on a boat, on the bank, wading, and even in the dark with just a little practice. Look ‘em up or drop me an email and I will send you the directions.

P.S. If you want just one knot, go with the Palomar. Its track record is golden. boy scouts. An angler skilled in knot tying can hold the attention of almost any angler.

It’s poetry in motion. Most of these guys and gals are schooled in knot application.

Tie the wrong knot to a hook or lure and they will tell you about it!

Knot strength is defined as its efficiency to retain the line’s lb. rating without breaking or coming untied. Practical application or ease of use is another important factor.

I was on a drift boat on the Kenai River in Alaska and the young man working the oars was struggling to tie an effective Snell knot that would hold large kingfish. The last thing a guide from the great North wants is for some flatlander, especially from the Lonestar state, to offer his / her advice. My politeness was overshadowed by my inability to keep my mouth shut and my need to catch fish. The guide blamed the line he was using as it kept breaking or was coming untied. “Might not be the line. Perhaps a different knot would work,” I suggested.

“That won’t help,” he said. “Five dollars says it will, and you can tie it in a fraction of the time. Let’s do this: you tie your knot, I’ll tie mine, and you do the testing by setting the hook under the boat seat and pulling with all your might.” “You’re on!” he said. The testosterone was almost pushing my wife out of the boat. It was the north against the south all over again. The 100lb test line and 14/0 hook test lines were ready, so let the pulling begin. The Snell knot gave way again and my Palomar knot was holding fast. I thought he was gonna herniate himself, honestly!

The Snell knot is a good knot in certain applications, but to effectively rank knots, ease of tying in the heat of the battle is paramount and second only, in my humble opinion, to strength. After years of tying every knot I came across, these three knots are the easiest to tie and are rated at the top in strength: the Palomar, the Double

Knot the Whole Truth ROCKPORT AREA Reported by CAPT. MAC GABLE

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ENJOY TYING KNOTS. I AM always on the lookout for the next greatest fishing knot. Most serious anglers make knot tying too difficult for the average or new angler. The criteria I use for ranking knots is strength and ease of use while fishing. I have seen some really neat knot concoctions, but they almost require an engineering degree to tie. The earliest term for knotting is the Latin word “nodology” the Greek rendition is “kompology” and American tyers prefer the term “knotology” and often refer to themselves as “knotologists”.

The terms guides use include, but are not limited to, nimble fingers, knot doctors, line CAPT. GABLE knitters and ContactUs@Fishgame.com

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THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO USE TOP waters and crank baits. The bays have been fished hard with live bait through the past 5 months and changing your presentation is a great idea. Early morning use dark colors like morning glory and motor oil type colors. Late evening use lighter colors like beer run and bone/white or electric chartreuse.

COPANO BAY: The shoreline near Turtle Pen is good for reds and some gator trout. Use light to medium weight spoons in red and gold or silver and blue. Drifts across Redfish Point are good for reds and trout using a popping cork and shrimp.

ST. CHARLES BAY: The mouth of Cavasso Creek is still a good place for trout using free lined croaker. The reefs close to Boy Scout are a good spot for reds using finger mullet and or cut mullet on a light Carolina rig.

ARANSAS BAY: The spoil area at the mouth of Dunham Bay is a good for sheepshead and black drum. Throw fresh dead shrimp under a cork close to the rocks, set the hook at the slightest tap. Deadman Reef is a good spot for trout and black drum using reef lined live shrimp.

CARLOS BAY: Crank baits work well here in Carlos Trench and the surrounding shell reefs. Slow your retrieves as there is usually a strong current.

MESQUITE BAY: Opening Cedar Bayou has created some opportunity for trout and reds on the deep edges of the shorelines. Black drum and flounder can be caught here as well. Free lined croaker or live shrimp is the ticket. Some reds may be found in the early morning just off Rattlesnake Reef using finger mullet on a light Carolina rig.

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AYERS BAY: Some trout may be found near Bent Pipe Reef; croaker freelined works best. Second Chain is a good spot for reds using freelined finger mullet on a light Carolina rig.

BANK BITE: Wades between the LBJ causeway and Newcomb Point are great idea this time of year. I like a good quart of live shrimp and a rattle cork. The wade can be long, so bring water and a snack and fish the deep edges. Evenings are best on a high tide. Be respectful of private property.

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GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK

MIDDLE COAST HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Mud Island GPS: N 27 56.635, W 97 1.266 (27.9439, -97.0211)

GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK IS SITUATED IN ONE OF THE PRIME LOCATIONS FOR fishing on the middle coast, at the convergence of St. Charles Bay and Aransas Bay, and just east of where Copano Bay joins Aransas Bay. Selected HOTSPOTS are shown in the table below, and on the map.

SPECKLED TROUT KEY

HOTSPOT NAME

1

Center Goose Island

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East Goose Island

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Blackjack Point

4

Blackjack Shoreline

REDFISH

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St. Charles Bay

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East Pocket

FLOUNDER

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St. Charles Bay Cut

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St. Charles Bay

BLACK DRUM East Pocket

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WADEFISHING

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Goose Island

2

Blackjack Shoreline

FACILITIES KEY

FACILITY NAME

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Goose Island State Park

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GPS

BEST BAIT & TACTIC

N 28 07.579, W 96 59.427 N 28 07.353, W 96 58.845 N 28 07.308, W 96 57.951 N 28 07.273, W 96 57.320

Drift with live shrimp under cork, anchor freeline croaks; dawn-morning, afternoon-dusk

N 28 08.446, W 96 57.200 N 28 07.675, W 96 57.809

Gold spoons, live shrimp, croakers, freeline from boat; morning-afternoon.

N 28 07.511, W 96 57.941 N 28 08.228, W 96 57.333

Mud minnows, cut mullet, bottom fish the falling tide; good all year, dawn through dusk

N 28 07.675, W 96 57.809

Live shrimp under popping cork, sight fish, see tailing; midday-afternoon

N 28 07.629, W 96 59.463 N 28 07.290, W 96 56.818

Speckled trout, live croaker, wade in North or Southeast wind.; dawn through morning

GPS

LOCATION

Piggy perch, wade or anchor in SE to E wind; dawn through afternoon Chartreuse plastics, freeline live bait, best in SE wind; dawn through afternoon Fish outside sandbar edge, fish parallel to bank; good all day

Gold spoons, dark soft plastics, 1/16 oz jigs, drift fish; morning through afternoon.

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Shamrock Cove GPS: N 27 45.369, W 97 9.733 (27.7562, -97.1622)

Mud minnows, 1/4-1/2 oz. jig heads, fish reefs/shores; morning thru dusk

Trout, redfish, work down shoreline to sandy spots; good all day PHONE

N 28 07.711, 202 S. Palmetto St. W 96 59.138 N 28 08.519, Lamar Peninsula Ramp Lamar Beach Rd W 96 58.574 SOURCE: TEXAS LAKES & BAYS FISHING ATLAS 2022

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: In the fall, try the strawberry color. A gold spoon also works good.

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics or live finger mullet SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: The flats should be good for redfish and the deeper water over reefs should yield trout.

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GPS: N 28 16.356, W 96 44.034 (28.2726, -96.7339) SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Super Spook Junior or soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish the grass and sand bottoms, early in the morning with topwaters, then changing to soft plastics as the sun rises in the sky.

MIDDLE COAST LOCATION: Espiritu Santo Bay HOTSPOT: Contee Lake GPS: N 28 17.779, W 96 33.157 (28.2963, -96.5526)

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Favorite colors in soft plastics are Pumpkin seed/chartreuse, or any combination of dark or medium colors with a chartreuse tail.

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live shrimp under a popping cork, cut bait, or soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Contee Lake is a location for big trout, while using soft plastics. He like the Gambler in Chicken0n-a-Chain color and the Paul Brown Big Eye Devils in Plum/Chartreuse.

LOCATION: Redfish Bay HOTSPOT: Brown and Root Flats GPS: N 27 51.1639, W 97 5.212 (27.8527, -97.0869)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Croaker SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Put three red glass beads on the leader before you tie on the hook. Makes a lot of difference because of the noise, and because of the color.

LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Dagger Flats GPS: N 27 49.7597, W 97 10.6099 (27.8293, -97.1768) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live finger mullet SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Free line the mullet in the sand pockets. Twitch the bait once-in-a-while to draw the redfish to it.

SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Drag it across the bottom; don’t bounce or jig the soft plastic. You actually drag it over the fish, making the fish react.

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Kelly Wigler soft plastic SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: This time of year any color will work. Just some might trigger a little more aggressive strike.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp under a popping cork SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Free line the shrimp with the lightest weight that will keep the bait where it should be.

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LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Bird Island Reef

SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Soft plastics

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LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: JFK Causeway GPS: N 27 38.071, W 97 14.461 (27.6345, -97.2410)

LOCATION: Rockport HOTSPOT: Spaulding Reef GPS: N 28 6.2689, W 96 54.4709 (28.1045, -96.9079)

LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: St. Joseph Island GPS: N 28 0.7279, W 96 58.365 (28.0121, -96.9728)

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LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Boat Hole GPS: N 27 39.169, W 97 14.9989 (27.6528, -97.2500)

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Trick or Treat Time on Baffin BAFFIN BAY Reported by CAPT. GERAD MERRITT

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ISHING CAN BE TRICKY IN September and October, depending on the weather here in Baffin Bay. We have to consider summer rain fall, wind, water color and condition, along with the rest of the things that factor in to a saltwater bite.

This year has been exceptionally windy and dry for most of the summer, and with that said, I normally fish a little closer to the mouth of the bay than usual.

I work my way from the farthest point I am willing to fish that day, slowly moving towards the CAPT. MERRITT point of return. geradmerritt@gmail.com Starting out closer to the mouth of the bay helps with “new” water being flushed in just by normal tidal change. Once I’ve reached my starting point, I am always looking for different water color and clarity; in my opinion this helps to determine quality on the fly.

With winds being on the higher side most times, this means the water is more stirred up.

The more the water mixes with good clean water from the Laguna hopefully the better.

Once I’ve assessed the water, I start thinking about how clear the water is; if it’s too clear I usually only fish the drop-offs until I reach a green colored water that is on the fine line of being simply dirty. Once I see this, I tend to stay on the flats, grass beds, and structures of Baffin Bay, while still working the water color.

In my opinion, green water in Baffin Bay is a huge deal when working with windy and

dry conditions.

Bait size also plays a huge deal in this plan, but normally this time of year the bait is plentiful and healthy, and for the artificial fisherman, just a paddle tail light in color or bright in color for the water conditions, tends to work.

On that note, the rock structures are holding tons of speckled trout (spotted sea trout).

We are still having to weed through them to catch our good limits of fish but are able to do so.

The fourteen to seventeen inch trout are thick in our area; we have had several days of running out of bait when I take 12-14 dozen live croaker, then switch to lures, but we are still able to pull limits of trout that are on our rock structures pretty consistently, and have been doing so for the last couple years since our limits have changed, although last year I did spend most of my time in the Laguna Madre.

I’d say the population, at least this year, in Baffin Bay, is still plentiful.

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LOWER COAST HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: ICW Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Cullen Bay Channel GPS: N 26 15.6, W 97 17.415 (26.2600, -97.2903)

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Topwaters or soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Watch where they are bubbling up. The fish get on top and start bubbling water. When you see that you know the fish are there. Capt. Garcia LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Butchers Island GPS: N 26 38.1019, W 97 23.149 (26.6350, -97.3858)

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: Between ICW Spoils GPS: N 27 17.392, W 97 24.51 (27.2899, -97.4085)

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkies, big topwater artificials, live croaker and live piggy perch SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Once the croaker season slows down and

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SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Mud minnows, best with moving tide or south or southeast wind; dawn-morning, dusk-night SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Mud minnows, best w moving tide or w S or SE wind; dawn-morning, dusk-night; Jul-Oct, dawnmorn, dusk-night

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LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Dubbs Island GPS: N 26 43.2409, W 97 25.6 (26.7207, -97.4267)

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big cold fronts start coming, croaker will be hard to find. Use piggy perch for the winter. When the perch become hard to find, then switch off to Corkies.

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HOTSPOTLIGHT

GLADYS’ HOLE

GLADYS’ HOLE IS A SMALL INLET SOUTH OF THE LAND CUT THAT DIVIDES THE Upper and Lower Laguna Madre. On the land side of the Intracoastal Waterway, the area is a big trout haven. But it also has a lot of redfish and flounder action.

SPECKLED TROUT KEY

HOTSPOT NAME

1

Mouth to Gladys’ Hole

2

Gladys’ Hole

3

Rincon de San Jose

4

Ricon de San Jose

5

Marker 45 Hole

REDFISH

GPS

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White/red plastics, drift soft bottom along ICW; all day High tide drift shore and fencelines, low drift mid bay; dawn thru midday Topwaters or soft plastics, 101/8 oz. jigs or lighter; Year Around Live, wade potholes near shore, be there at daylight; dawn-morning Topwaters or soft plastics, drift or wade the edges

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LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Greens Island GPS: N 26 23.5379, W 97 19.465 (26.3923, -97.3244)

BEST BAIT & TACTIC

N 26 48.691, W 97 28.592 N 26 49.038, W 97 30.450 N 26 47.975, W 97 28.390 N 26 46.837, W 97 28.481 N 26 46.398, W 97 27.363

N 26 48.903, Topwaters, red/white soft plastics on 101/8 oz. leadhead; all day W 97 29.708 N 26 47.384, Topwaters, red/white soft plastics on 101/8 oz. leadRincon de San Jose Shoreline 7 head; all day W 97 28.459 N 26 47.049, Fish hug E shoreline @ high tide night & early mornEast Side of Spoil Islands 8 ing; all day W 97 27.561 N 26 45.523, Topwaters, soft plastics, live bait; wading recomKing Ranch Shoreline 9 mended.; W 97 28.237 N 26 41.484, Gulp!, Jerk Shads, soft plastics; drift deep grass with Big Oaks 10 soft plastics; W 97 27.653 FLOUNDER N 26 47.697, Soft plastics; fish edges of ICW with 1/4 oz. football jig Land Cut 11 W 97 26.999 N 26 47.803, Mud minnows, fish deep gut 100 yds. out from island; North Tip of Rincon 12 dawn-midday W 97 28.557 N 26 44.975, Live shrimp or mud minnows, bottom rigs on backside; North Spoils 13 all day W 97 26.978 WADEFISHING N 26 48.903, Trout, redfish & flounder, live bait & soft plastics; good 1 Gladys’ Hole year round W 97 29.708 N 26 46.306, Trout, big topwaters, cast towards shore for big trout 2 Rincon de San Jose W 97 28.352 N 26 43.242, Redfish, gold spoons & soft plastics, sight cast 3 Dubb’s Island W 97 25.843 SOURCE: TEXAS LAKES & BAYS FISHING ATLAS 2022

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkies, big topwater artificials, live croaker and live piggy perch SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish cuts and sloughs with big croaker, piggy perch, or a big Super Spook topwater

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkies, big topwater artificials, live croaker and live piggy perch SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Use a number five circle hook for croaker. In summer use a number four hook (croaker are smaller).

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Land Cut mouth GPS: N 26 48.6139, W 97 28.1399 (26.8102, -97.4690)

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkies, big topwater artificials, live

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croaker and live piggy perch SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: The chatter weight is available in multiple colors. One of the best options is the smaller weight in a Hot Pink color.

LOCATION: South Bay HOTSPOT: South Bay East Shoreline GPS: N 26 2.02464, W 97 10.28562 (26.033744, -97.171427)

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Rincon de San Jose GPS: N 26 47.154, W 97 28.6819 (26.7859, -97.4780)

SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Corkies, big topwater artificials, live croaker and live piggy perch SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Let the croaker sit on the bottom to hook a big red or trout. Don’t jerk the croaker too much.

BEST BAITS: Live Bait, Gulp! Shrimp pearl, soft plastics in pearl/red, strawberry/white, topwaters in bone, chartreuse.

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish topwaters up in the cuts early in morning, move back as the sun rises up in the sky and fish the edges. Fish plastics deeper on a ¼ ounce jighead.

LOCATION: South Bay HOTSPOT: South Bay Center GPS: N 26 1.11768, W 97 11.34654 (26.018628, -97.189109)

SPECIES: dolphin BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, fresh dead shrimp.

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish the channel edge on a moving tide. There are large schools of black drum in the boat channel during the fall. Most are slot-sized “eaters.” Use a split shot rig with live shrimp. If the tide is really tearing through the channel, use a 1-ounce pyramid and a dropper rig.

LOCATION: South Padre Island HOTSPOT: Convention Center Flats GPS: N 26 6.57072, W 97 10.5885 (26.109512, -97.176475)

LOCATION: Middle Ground HOTSPOT: Big Oaks GPS: N 26 41.484, W 97 27.653 (26.6914, -97.4609)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: jigs SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Glow/chartreuse, 1/4 oz jighead, drift grass beds; all day LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: East Bay GPS: N 26 23, W 97 17.029 (26.3833, -97.2838)

SPECIES: redfish BEST BAITS: Soft plastics in red/white, clear/glitter/chartreuse (Kelly Wiggler Sand), poppers in red/ white, bone.

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Watch for large schools of over-sized redfish cruising the broad flats. New sea grass regulations will curtail “running and gunning” to intercept these schools, but you can still pole, drift, or use a trolling motor to get into range. Use a popper such as the Strike Pro Thunder Pop or a MirrOlure Pop-a-Dog. If you prefer plastics, long baits such as a Down South Lures Shad or Kelly Wiggler Ball Shad pinned on a 1/8th ounce jighead can be a stealthy option. Cast in front and beyond the schools and bring the lure back into them.

SPECIES: speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp, shrimp tails in light colors/1/8th ounce jighead. Shad tails.

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Drift fish for trout with live shrimp or soft plastics under a popping cork or Mauler-type of float.

Gulp! Shrimp were made for this sort of application.

An old school chrome spoon is also very effective. If there are few fish over the grass and potholes, move west to the color change and drift the transition line.

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936-291-1277 www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: With the first cold fronts of the year beginning to move in the bass will begin to feed on shad in preparation for the cold weather when they will begin to selectively feed. This is good for us fishermen who enjoy the top water bite and the aggressive strikes that a spinnerbait can bring. If you’re on the water this time of year immediately after a cold front (up to the 3rd day after) and it is at daylight, or an overcast day locate the rip rap rock around the lake and start by throwing a small single blade spinner bait at the rocks then retrieving it back at a very fast rate where the bait is waking the surface. The next thing to try would be a Pop’r or a Zara Spook type bait. Work this bait in the same areas and alternate between the baits to determine which they want on that particular day.

They will also hit a chatter bait very aggressively. I put a small curly tail grub on as a trailer; I’ll also alternate between a white trailer and a chartreuse one.

LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Pad Fields GPS: N 32 41.634, W 94 3.7979 (32.6939, -94.0633)

LOCATION: Lake Cooper HOTSPOT: Moore Creek Buoys GPS: N 33 18.888, W 95 37.952 (33.3148, -95.6325)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Hollow body frogs, V&M Wild Thang 8.5 inch worms, buzzbaits SOURCE: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith 318-455-3437 www.caddolakefishing.com TIPS: Fish the main lake pad fields using the hollow body frogs and buzzbaits where the pads are a little scattered. Also make sure there are baitfish and hydrilla present. Use the large worms in colors of June bug and redbug with a 1/2 oz weight on the edges of the thick vegetation where it meets a drop off of a channel or creek.

Reported by TF&G STAFF

EAST TEXAS HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Lake Bob Sandlin HOTSPOT: Pump Station Area GPS: N 33 5.192, W 95 1.021 (33.0865, -95.0170)

LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 28.596, W 95 34.7459 (30.4766, -95.5791)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Liver, prepared bait on Carolina rig, anchor & tightline SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Liver, prepared bait on Carolina rig, anchor & tightline; dawn, am, dusk, night

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Pop’r, spinnerbaits and chatter baits SOURCE: Richard Tatsch |

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SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office 903-593-5077 TIPS: slowly fish minnows or green/black jigs 6 reels from the bottom. Action is good all day.

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points and Ridges GPS: N 32 54.21, W 95 39.7319 (32.9035, -95.6622)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Chrome 1/2 oz Rat-L-Trap and Spooks SOURCE: Doug Shampine 940-902-3855 www.lakeforktrophybass.com

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CURRENT LAKE LEVELS LAKE

EAST TEXAS

CAPACITY AC. FT. Addicks -n.a.B A Steinhagen 69,186 Barker -n.a.Bob Sandlin 192,417 Bonham 11,027 Caddo 29,898 Conroe 9,195 Crook 66,756 Cypress Springs 605,061 Fork 130,147 Houston 17,113 Houston County 25,670 Jacksonville 260,332 Jim Chapman 268,566 Lake O’ the Pines 1,741,867 Livingston 34,740 Monticello 38,285 Murvaul 39,522 Nacogdoches 367,303 Palestine 113,683 Pat Mayse 2,857,077 Sam Rayburn 16,934 Striker 17,747 Sulphur Springs 2,236,450 Toledo Bend 231,496 Wright Patman 43,243 As of 8/1/2022

CURRENT AC. FT. -n.a.64,479 -n.a.179,390 9,295 28,278 8,233 58,406 435,140 124,131 15,384 24,277 199,506 229,186 1,616,310 27,046 35,377 34,442 330,386 107,382 2,443,746 15,249 11,529 1,908,423 231,496 30,641

% FULL -n.a.93% -n.a.93% 84% 95% 90% 88% 72% 95% 90% 95% 77% 85% 93% 78% 92% 87% 90% 95% 86% 90% 65% 85% 100% 71%

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TIPS: September is a month the fishing on Lake Fork is on the upswing due to cooling water. We normally start getting a little cooler weather in September and that makes the bass bite really improve. You can find bass back in the shallow water, deeper water on the deeper points and schooling bass just moving around the lake feeding on the big schools of shad. Areas I like to check out this time of the year will be SRA point, Chaney Point, and the ridge in front of Dale to name a few. One of the baits I always have handy is the chrome 1/2 oz Rat-L-Trap. It’s good in the shallow water and when the schooling bass decide to come to the surface and feed. I also keep a Spook handy for the schooling bass. You may catch some big sand bass with the bass!

LOCATION: Lake Houston HOTSPOT: West Fork, Kingwood GPS: N 30 2.137, W 95 9.62 (30.0356, -95.1603)

14 miles northeast of Nacogdoches

HOTSPOTLIGHT:

LAKE NACONICHE LOCATION: 14 miles northeast of Nacogdoches, off US 59 SURFACE AREA: 692 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 40 feet IMPOUNDED: 2009 THIS RELATIVELY NEW LAKE IS already known as an excellent producer of largemouth bass.

Crappie and channel catfish were also part of the initial stocking that began in 2009, and Naconiche now SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Troll live minnows or jigs LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: Ben Shot Lake GPS: N 30 42.246, W 95 9.276 T E X A S

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has strong populations of both white and black crappie. Channel cats in excess of 4 pounds are common.

The lake has abundant aquatic vegetation and standing or submerged timber.

PVC cube fish attractors have been added to the lake in two locations. ) on the map.

See this symbol (

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(30.7041, -95.1546)

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LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Green Willow Point (Myrek Reach) GPS: N 31 45.072, W 93 50.2379 (31.7512, -93.8373)

EAST TEXAS SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, slabs, spoons, Tsunami Slim Wade 1 oz. chrome w/ green prism SOURCE: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: Bounce baits off the bottom. Best times are early morning and late evening. Watch for schooling fish. Fishing has been best with a north wind less than 10 mph or no wind.

LOCATION: Lake O the Pines HOTSPOT: Johnson Creek Back End GPS: N 32 48.388, W 94 32.730 (32.8065, -94.5455)

LOCATION: Lake Murvaul HOTSPOT: 1971 Bridge GPS: N 32 2.342, W 94 28.822 (32.0390, -94.4804)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Frozen shad, shrimp, wigglers SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office 903-938-1007 TIPS: Carolina rig your bait and fish the bottom slowly. Afternoon and night.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Soft plastics, crankbaits, topwaters SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Hit rip rap around bridge; dawn, morning, dusk, night

LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn HOTSPOT: Hogg Branch GPS: N 31 14.722, W 94 16.974 (31.2454, -94.2829)

LOCATION: Lake Nacogdoches HOTSPOT: Highline Point GPS: N 31 37.304, W 94 49.482 (31.6217, -94.8247)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Chicken livers, cut bait SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish the bushes. Move to grass if the water temperature falls.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, soft plastics SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office 409-698-9114 TIPS: This spot has a good point with a sharp edge and hydrilla. Avoid midday.

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Rat-L-Traps, Tail Spinners, Slab Spoons, shallow diving crank baits SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: The whites will be schooling off the main lake points, road beds, tree lines and boat lanes. Use a Rat-L-Trap or other shallow diving bait when the fish are breaking the surface. When they go down, switch to a slab spoon or drag a tail spinner. The Whites will usually school in the same areas around the same time of day. Look for any birds dive bombing the bait fish that the Whites have pushed to the surface.

LOCATION: Lake Wright Patman HOTSPOT: Herron Creek GPS: N 33 17.297, W 94 19.667 (33.2883, -94.3278)

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Senkos, spinnerbaits SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office 903-938-1007 TIPS: Fish PB&J Senkos or spinnerbaits. Throw to all visible cover; midday thru afternoon.

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HOTSPOTLIGHT:  SEE INSET

 INSET

Reported by TF&G STAFF

CENTRAL TEXAS HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Deep Humps GPS: N 31 54.204, W 97 12.18 (31.9034, -97.2030)

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: 1oz Chartreuse slabs from RSRLures. com and Tail Spinners SOURCE: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Watch your graph along the humps for white bass stacked up on the edges. Drop slabs and bounce off bottom making contact with bait as it falls. Watch the lake for the herons and cranes that land on the water. fish push bait to the surface for the birds.

LOCATION: Lake Austin HOTSPOT: Little Bee Creek GPS: N 30 17.814, W 97 47.228 (30.2969, -97.7871)

Within the city limit of Marble Falls

LAKE MARBLE FALLS LOCATION: On the Colorado in the city of Marble Falls SURFACE AREA: 611 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 60 feet IMPOUNDED: 1961 LAKE MARBLE FALLS PART OF A chain of reservoirs on the Colorado River known as the Highland Lakes.

The lake is narrow and riverine in nature. It is lined by steep shorelines featuring rock bluffs or boulders.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish a RatLTrap or other lipless crankbait.

LOCATION: Bachman Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 51.1859, W 96 52.014 (32.8531, -96.8669)

There are a few docks and boat houses along its banks. Cover in the form of aquatic vegetation, standing timber or laydowns is limited.

Marble Falls’ best fishing is for blue and channel catfish. The lake does have moderate populations of largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and, in its upper end below Lake LBJ, white bass.

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baits (3-4 inches long) SOURCE: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 whitebassfishingtexas.com TIPS: Bass are on fire shallow along the banks as shad are running shallow too. Fish in 1-5 feet of water using the bridge for shaded cover. Cast along the banks parallel as the fish are no more than five feet from the banks. At the time of this report, 1-8 pound fish are being caught!

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Small rooster tails and small creature T E X A S

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Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

LOCATION: Lake Belton HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 31 8.3459, W 97 31.932 (31.1391, -97.5322)

TIPS: The heat is finally over. The water is starting to cool, and the fish are biting. Topwater lures are good early morning and late evening. Dip your white fluke it in chartreuse while the sun is high for better action.

LOCATION: Lake Eagle Mountain HOTSPOT: Deep rocks GPS: N 32 52.772, W 97 28.607 (32.879528, -97.476778) use flukes weightless as well SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Work the shallows early and then move into the deeper depths. Bass are in their later summer homes and with the weather being warm are not apt to be aggressive in nature. Use a good seven-foot rod for Carolina rigging. This rod can handle anything you get into and then some. Good colors include watermelon red, blue fleck, June bug, (if really sunny) watermelon candy (dip it in chartreuse).

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits, spinnerbaits SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Crankbaits or spinnerbaits in a white or sexyshad color, worked from the shoreline. You will have to cover a lot of water to get a bite, but the upside is when you do, hold on—the fish are big and healthy.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Lower Half of Main Lake GPS: N 30 46.2119, W 98 25.098 (30.7702, -98.4183)

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Bridges GPS: N 32 18.546, W 96 6.738 (32.3091, -96.1123)

LOCATION: Lake Eagle Mountain HOTSPOT: Channel edges GPS: N 32 55.748, W 97 29.594 (32.929138, -97.493231)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live Shad SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish the lower half of the lake toward the dam area. Fish the downwind side of your boat with live shad either drifting or anchored in 25 to 35 feet concentrating on coves or ridges.

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Jigs and minnows SOURCE: Jason Barber 903-603-2047 TIPS: Fish all bridges and you’ll find the fish suspended around the pillars usually about 10 to 12 feet down regardless of the depth.

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Canyon Lake Marina GPS: N 29 54.576, W 98 14.2979 (29.9096, -98.2383)

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SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Punchbait SOURCE: Kolby Kuhn, Final Cast Guide Service 817-243-5859 kolbykuhn@gmail.com TIPS: Early in October, look for both blue and channel catfish to be holding off the ends of points where they meet the channel edge in 15-20 feet of water.

The best way to catch these fish is by anchoring up.

Later in the month, pull up shallower on these same points and cast out cut bait. Look for wind-blown points to have the bait stacked up.

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 28 43.4879, W 97 11.178 (28.7248, -97.1863)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: ¼ oz Shakey Head, Carolina rigged Watermelon flukes (1/2 oz or ¾ oz tru-tungsten weights), Senko type baits Texas rigged or weightless,

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SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: soft plastics, jigs SOURCE: Kolby Kuhn, Final Cast Guide Service 817-243-5859 kolbykuhn@gmail.com TIPS: The largemouth bass will be lethargic this time of the year and will use big borders as a place to sit in the shade and wait for a good time to ambush their prey. Look for rocky points in the 8-15 foot range during the day and fish those same places in shallow water early and late in the day.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Zoom pearl white fluke SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas

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LOCATION: Fayette County HOTSPOT: Deer Stand Hump GPS: N 29 55.944, W 96 43.7819

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CURRENT LAKE LEVELS

CENTRAL TEXAS

LAKE

As of 8/1/2022

CAPACITY

(Acre Feet)

Aquilla Arlington Athens Austin Bardwell Belton Benbrook Buchanan Canyon Cedar Creek Choke Canyon Coleto Creek 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 Navarro Mills New Terrell City Ray Hubbard Ray Roberts Richland-Chamb.

Somerville Stillhouse Hollow Tawakoni Texana Texoma Travis Tyler Waco Waxahachie Weatherford Whitney Worth

40,157 29,503 23,972 46,122 435,225 85,648 816,904 378,781 644,686 662,820 31,040 410,988 256,062 179,880 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 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

(29.9324, -96.7297)

SPECIES: Catfish

CURRENT

(Acre Feet)

31,546 27,377 22,788 39,012 349,489 61,927 554,308 339,433 520,273 229,110 24,990 384,239 116,798 143,486 21,526 19,681 44,208 156,208 4,682 22,601 12,862 154,556 343,389 510,772 166,377 111,432 6,804 65,678 26,939 21,919 40,657 6,775 396,682 762,070 922,119 123,909 183,091 755,009 120,656 1,220,342 591,674 64,324 127,119 8,258 10,339 413,229 16,539

% FULL 79% 93% 95% 85% 80% 72% 68% 90% 81% 35% 81% 94% 46% 80% 59% 77% 85% 96% 78% 94% 92% 88% 85% 91% 82% 97% 99% 87% 11% 96% 82% 79% 90% 97% 85% 82% 80% 87% 76% 98% 53% 89% 67% 77% 58% 75% 68%

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BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch Bait SOURCE: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Anchor on the shoreline side of the hump and cast toward shore or the hump. Excellent night fishing.

Throw out a buoy, chum around it, then cast at the chummed spot.

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 42.402, W 97 20.964 (30.7067, -97.3494)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Marabou jigs and Berkley Crappie Nibbles SOURCE: Tommy Tidwell 512-365-7761 www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: Late September through October is probably the best time of the year for crappie at Granger Lake.

They have been feeding all summer and are very thick and fat. Find any structure in 6 to 12 feet of water and you will find quality crappie. Fish a jig vertically holding it still right over the structure.

LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool HOTSPOT: Mountain Creek Bridge GPS: N 32 35.075, W 97 01.476 (32.5846, -97.0246)

LOCATION: Lake Lewisville HOTSPOT: Yacht Club Point GPS: N 33 9.308, W 96 59.562 (33.1551, -96.9927)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Use cut or live shad on bottom rigs; all day LOCATION: Lake Limestone HOTSPOT: Lambs Creek GPS: N 31 22.581, W 96 18.299 (31.3764, -96.3050)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows SOURCE: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 whitebassfishingtexas.com TIPS: Fish minnows. Use your graph on pilings for depth then tie to pillars. Avoid midday.

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SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: live bait SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Trotline or jugline in 3-15 of water; all day

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 33 2.646, W 96 31.116 (33.0441, -96.5186) T E X A S

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SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Slabs, Rat-L-Traps, Rooster Tails, Road Runners, small Crappie jigs, and top water plugs up to 7 inches SOURCE: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 whitebassfishingtexas.com TIPS: This time of year, the Sandies tend to go nuts on the surface making them easy targets. Expect them to start boiling up at about 8:30 in the morning till about 11:30. Then they pop up again between 4:45 and 5:45 and go until 7:30pm. You can catch them on the surface even when it was dark. The wind will make it very difficult locating them.

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LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Yegua Park GPS: N 30 18.552, W 96 31.6679 (30.3092, -96.5278)

CENTRAL TEXAS LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Flat Creek and Saline Creek GPS: N 32 12.852, W 95 32.316 (32.2142, -95.5386)

spinnerbaits SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: This time of year, especially as the water starts to cool down, the bass fishing normally gets good.

Fish ¼-ounce lipless crank baits and white spinnerbaits around any flooded vegetation. Most of the fish will be in water from 1-6 feet deep. Fish can be found in the back of any main lake cove. Continue to keep moving and covering water until you catch a couple in one area. Then fish that area thoroughly—there should be several more fish to be caught.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Big Eye Jig, Texas rigged baby Brush Hog and spinnerbaits SOURCE: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201 www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Fish the back of Flat Creek near the dogwood ridge as well as the back of Saline Creek. Fish the Big Eye Jig on and around the docks. Fish Texas-rigged baby Brush Hogs and spinnerbaits around the stumps.

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch Bait/cut bait SOURCE: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: The north shoreline of Yegua allows you to reach deeper water. Great catfishing, also white bass.

LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni HOTSPOT: Tall Man Timber Point GPS: N 32 52.001, W 95 54.957 (32.8667, -95.9160)

LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake HOTSPOT: Creek Channels & Timbered Flats GPS: N 31 56.424, W 96 7.38 (31.9404, -96.1230)

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Rush Creek GPS: N 32 49.292, W 96 29.929 (32.8215, -96.4988)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Danny Kings Punch Bait on a #4 treble hook SOURCE: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: You can always count on the Channel and Blue Cats on Richland Chambers for lots of action! Most of our fish come from areas where we have “baited” with a 5 gallon bucket filled with range cubes. I drill 1/4” holes in the bucket, tie it off to a tree, sink it, and the cubes dissolve over a period of a few days. The Catfish are attracted to the area. Throw out a little sour maize when you first arrive.

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad, bream SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Use cut shad or bream, drift just outside of creek; dusk-morning LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Big Boot Cove GPS: N 33 25.324, W 97 1.922 (33.4221, -97.0320)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Use live minnows, 1/8 oz. jigs, work in and around timber; dawn, midday, dusk LOCATION: Lake Texana HOTSPOT: Mustang Creek Bridge GPS: N 29 1.445, W 96 30.3 (29.0241, -96.5050)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad, shrimp SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Use cut shad or shrimp on bottom rig; all day

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Lipless crank baits and small white

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LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Texas Flats and Mill Creek Flats GPS: N 33 48.936, W 96 46.2479 (33.8156, -96.7708)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Slabs and Coho Minnow Jigs SOURCE: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfish@striperexpress.com www.striperexpress.com TIPS: Stripers are moving out of the deep water and roaming the flats in September. The lures of choice are slabs and jigs. Vertically jig one-ounce chrome, white and chartreuse slabs along the bottom in 10 to 30 foot depths. Coho minnow jigs in white glow color with a ¾ ounce jighead and a four-inch tail are perfect for these hungry stripers. Cast the jigs and use a medium retrieve. If you find surfacing or swirling

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fish, cast the jig, hold your rod high and keep the jig subsurface.

LOCATION: Lake Waco HOTSPOT: Airport Cove GPS: N 31 36.045, W 97 14.534 (31.6008, -97.2422)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad, prepared bait SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish the bottom; morning, dusk thru night LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Striper Point / Whitney Hump GPS: N 31 54.834, W 97 23.0879 (31.9139, -97.3848)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Redfin and Live Shad SOURCE: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Look for a shallow top water bite at Striper Point and Whitney Hump. Make long casts with a redfin. Retrieve it back to the boat and make it wobble on the surface. When the Striper blows up wait until the rod doubles up with the weight of the fish and THEN set the hook! After the sun gets up back off the points, drift the same area in 18 ft. of water.

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8/6/22 3:28 PM

BEST BAITS: Holographic slabs in silver and chartreuse.

SOURCE: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 254-396-4855 TIPS: Look for bait congregated on or near the bottom in around 15 to 20 feet of water. Work channel ledges and humps near deep water.

325-692-0921 Lance.benson@tpwd.texas.gov TIPS: Looking for some sheltered AM and PM largemouth fishing? Head to Cason Cove on the Southwest side of Lake Brownwood and throw your favorite popping style top water and dark bladed jigs. Utilize the topwater around and between docks in the mornings and work the shoreline with the bladed jigs in evening.

The cove is protected from the wind.

Reported by DEAN HEFFNER

WEST TEXAS HOTSPOTS

SPECIES: White Bass and Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Topwaters, plastic worms SOURCE: Lance Benson, TPWD 325-692-0921 TIPS: Lake Cisco has several lighted boat docks that can be fished at night for white bass and largemouth bass. The lights attract smaller bait fish therefore attracting feeding white bass and largemouth. Popper type topwater baits work very well for enticing strikes.

Fishing at night also allows fishermen to escape the heat. Weightless stick worms are also a great option.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spoons, jigs, and worms SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish should be in the 30 to 50 foot deep range.

Use your electronics to find the shad, then fish with spoons, jigs, or worms at 30 to 40 feet. Most bass will be near the dam or in the mouth of the major creeks.

LOCATION: Lake Brownwood HOTSPOT: Cason Cove GPS: N 31 48.766, W 99 04.125 (31.812774, -99.068755)

LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Twin humps GPS: N 32 26.404, W 97 46.977 (32.440067, -97.78295)

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: topwaters, jigs SOURCE: Lance Benson, TPWD

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SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Spinner baits, rattletraps, top water spooks, white frogs, and power worms later in the am SOURCE: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 254-396-4855 TIPS: Blacks are schooling with the sand bass on several areas of the lake. Work points with stick ups and look for bird action shallow.

LOCATION: Lake Cisco HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 26.497, W 99 00.092 (32.4416, -99.0015)

LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Mouth of Major Creeks and Dam Area GPS: N 33 1.722, W 101 6.654 (33.0287, -101.1109)

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LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Gaines Bend GPS: N 32 52.689, W 98 28.001 (32.87815, -98.466683)

SPECIES: Striped bass, hybrid striped bass BEST BAITS: Jigs SOURCE: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 Fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: PK is still hot in September, but the water is starting to cool down and fish are getting ready to migrate. Still catching fish down rigging with jigs and Mister Twister curly tails, trolling fast. Fishing is best early and late, and under the lights until about midnight.

LOCATION: Lake Proctor HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 31 58.6996, W 98 28.4398

SPECIES: White bass |

LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: 10-Foot Hump Near Blue Water Shores GPS: N 32 23.189, W 97 42.441 (32.386483, -97.70735)

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CURRENT LAKE LEVELS LAKE

WEST TEXAS

As of 8/1/2022

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 Nasworthy 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 1,960,900 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 9,615 9,615 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

(31.9783, -98.4740)

CURRENT

(Acre Feet)

3,761 74,210 590,998 18,016 172,262 13,172 303,055 93,292 25,360 34,682 22,475 30,412 18,474 106,043 82,589 157,881 50,824 39,362 117,334 8,464 2,704 236,258 58,209 154,066 57,209 18,934 11,047 3,026 155,567 19,485 4,699 8,245 8,245 17,450 8,588 4,614 245,438 21,850 275 18,979 15,088 480,237 31,388 95,228 150,871 36,164 8,182 64,999 4,097

% FULL 48% 77% 32% 94% 75% 46% 83% 71% 61% 87% 78% 80% 60% 21% 4% 10% 73% 87% 88% 14% 33% 75% 29% 63% 66% 68% 92% 7% 31% 73% 89% 86% 86% 81% 56% 4% 44% 56% 1% 71% 58% 89% 57% 63% 100% 70% 67% 36% 14%

•

Five miles north of Graham

HOTSPOTLIGHT:

LAKE GRAHAM LOCATION: On Salt Creek, five miles north of Graham on US 380 SURFACE AREA: 2,444 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 45 feet IMPOUNDED: 1929 LAKE GRAHAM, A POWER PLANT REServoir, is actually twin lakes. The smaller body is Lake Eddleman.

Discharge only occurs during high SPECIES: Hybrid Striped Bass BEST BAITS: RatLTraps, crankbaits, slabs SOURCE: Lance Benson, TPWD Inland FisheriesAbilene 325-692-0921 TIPS: Hybrid striped bass have been stocked by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for many years to support the popular fishery. On the northwest and

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-2209DIG.indd 57

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

demand periods and when that occurs, fishing is best near the hotwater discharge on the Eddleman side.

Largemouth, crappie, and catfish are the most popular species, but fishing is solid for white bass and hybrid striped bass.

•

southeast sides of the island near the dam, there are humps that hybrids can commonly be found shoaling together. Trolling with chrome or white RatLTraps, deep diving crankbaits, or slabbing may produce a good catch. Heavy spinner baits with similar colors could be effective as well.

••

•••

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 |

57

8/6/22 3:28 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK 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

LOW

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

LOW

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

T8

Eagle Point

+3:54 +4:15

T17

Galveston Pleasure Pier

-1:06 -1:06

-1:46 -1:31

T9

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

T3

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

T5

Galveston Bay, S. Jetty

-0:39 -1:05

T14

Jamaica Beach, W. Bay

+2:38 +3:31

T6

Port Bolivar

+0:14 -0:06

T15

Alligator Point, W. Bay

+2:39 +2:33

T7

Texas City Turning Basin

+0:33 +0:41

T16

Christmas Pt

+2:32 +2:31

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Aug 29 « 30 High Tide: 6:48a Low Tide: 12:09p High Tide: 6:00p

1.43ft.

0.88ft.

1.35ft.

FEET

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

12:10a 6:57a 12:45p 7:15p

0.55ft.

1.39ft.

0.70ft.

1.33ft.

Fort Worth

UPPER MIDDLE COAST T19 Freeport Harbor

WEDNESDAY

31

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

12:44a 7:00a 1:27p 8:44p

0.79ft.

1.36ft.

0.51ft.

1.34ft.

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:

1:19a 6:50a 2:15p 10:33p

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

Sep 1

12a

Port Arthur

Houston

-0:44 -1:02

Port Isabel

T23

6p

Dallas

Austin

LOW

T2

GALVESTON BAY AREA T4 Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass

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.

6a

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

1.05ft.

1.38ft.

0.32ft.

1.41ft.

FRIDAY

2

Low Tide: 1:55a High Tide: 6:21a Low Tide: 3:11p

1.31ft.

1.45ft.

0.15ft.

SATURDAY

3º

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

12:50a 2:26a 5:42a 4:17p

1.55ft.

1.54ft.

1.58ft.

-0.00ft.

SUNDAY

4

High Tide: 4:22a Low Tide: 5:30p

1.72ft.

-0.13ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

2:00 — 4:00 PM Sunrise: 6:54a Sunset: 7:45p Moonrise: 8:57a Moon Set: 9:21p

AM Minor: 7:26a AM Major: 1:16a PM Minor: 7:48p PM Major: 1:37p

6p

3:00 — 5:00 PM Sunrise: 6:54a Sunset: 7:43p Moonrise: 9:54a Moon Set: 9:51p

AM Minor: 8:14a AM Major: 2:03a PM Minor: 8:36p PM Major: 2:25p

Moon Overhead: 3:13p Moon Underfoot: 2:51a

58

12p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: 3:56p Moon Underfoot: 3:34a

6p

12a

AM Minor: 9:04a AM Major: 2:53a PM Minor: 9:27p PM Major: 3:16p

12p

6p

4:30 — 6:30 PM

AM Minor: 9:57a AM Major: 3:44a PM Minor: 10:21p PM Major: 4:09p

T E X A S

Moon Overhead: 5:30p Moon Underfoot: 5:05a

F I S H

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:56a Sunset: 7:41p Moonrise: 11:55a Moon Set: 10:59p

Moon Overhead: 4:41p Moon Underfoot: 4:18a

|

6a

BEST TIME

3:30 — 5:30 PM Sunrise: 6:55a Sunset: 7:42p Moonrise: 10:53a Moon Set: 10:23p

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

TexasOutdoorNation-2209DIG.indd 58

12p

BEST TIME

&

5:00 — 7:00 PM Sunrise: 6:56a Sunset: 7:40p Moonrise: 1:00p Moon Set: 11:40p

AM Minor: 10:52a AM Major: 4:38a PM Minor: 11:18p PM Major: 5:05p

Moon Overhead: 6:23p Moon Underfoot: 5:56a

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

6:00 — 8:00 PM Sunrise: 6:57a Sunset: 7:39p Moonrise: 2:08p Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 11:49a AM Major: 5:35a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 6:03p Moon Overhead: 7:20p Moon Underfoot: 6:51a

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

1:30 — 3:30 PM Sunrise: 6:57a Sunset: 7:38p Moonrise: 3:15p Moon Set: 12:29a

AM Minor: 12:17a AM Major: 6:32a PM Minor: 12:47p PM Major: 7:03p

Moon Overhead: 8:21p Moon Underfoot: 7:50a

G A M E ®

8/6/22 3:28 PM

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

5

High Tide: 3:54a Low Tide: 6:42p

1.83ft.

-0.23ft.

TUESDAY

6

High Tide: 4:20a Low Tide: 7:48p

WEDNESDAY

7

1.86ft.

-0.28ft.

High Tide: 4:44a Low Tide: 8:47p

THURSDAY

8

1.83ft.

-0.26ft.

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

FEET

5:04a 9:58a 1:42p 9:41p

FRIDAY

9«

1.75ft.

1.49ft.

1.62ft.

-0.15ft.

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

5:23a 10:16a 3:08p 10:30p

SATURDAY

10 «

1.65ft.

1.28ft.

1.63ft.

0.04ft.

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

5:40a 10:49a 4:24p 11:16p

1.56ft.

1.04ft.

1.63ft.

0.29ft.

SUNDAY

11 l High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

5:56a 11:27a 5:37p 11:59p

1.48ft.

0.80ft.

1.61ft.

0.59ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

1:30 — 3:30 PM Sunrise: 6:58a Sunset: 7:37p Moonrise: 4:19p Moon Set: 1:26a

AM Minor: 1:15a AM Major: 7:30a PM Minor: 1:46p PM Major: 8:02p

12a

6a

12p

6p

2:30 — 4:30 PM

1.43ft.

0.59ft.

1.58ft.

3:30 — 5:30 PM

FEET

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

12:41a 6:23a 12:52p 8:11p

0.88ft.

1.41ft.

0.42ft.

1.55ft.

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

1:24a 6:27a 1:38p 9:41p

12a

6a

1.16ft.

1.41ft.

0.32ft.

1.55ft.

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

12:00 — 2:00 PM

6p

12a

6a

12:00 — 2:00 AM

AM Minor: 5:45a AM Major: 11:57a PM Minor: 6:09p PM Major: -----

Moon Overhead: 12:23a Moon Underfoot: 12:49p

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:00a Sunset: 7:31p Moonrise: 8:03p Moon Set: 7:07a

AM Minor: 4:54a AM Major: 11:07a PM Minor: 5:20p PM Major: 11:34p

Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:55a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:00a Sunset: 7:32p Moonrise: 7:29p Moon Set: 6:00a

AM Minor: 4:02a AM Major: 10:16a PM Minor: 4:30p PM Major: 10:45p

1:00 — 3:00 AM Sunrise: 7:01a Sunset: 7:29p Moonrise: 8:35p Moon Set: 8:11a

AM Minor: 6:35a AM Major: 12:23a PM Minor: 6:58p PM Major: 12:47p

Moon Overhead: 1:15a Moon Underfoot: 1:39p

Moon Overhead: 2:03a Moon Underfoot: 2:27p

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

14

6p

11:00A — 1:00P

Moon Overhead: 11:26p Moon Underfoot: 10:57a

TUESDAY

12p

Sunrise: 6:59a Sunset: 7:33p Moonrise: 6:51p Moon Set: 4:50a

AM Minor: 3:08a AM Major: 9:23a PM Minor: 3:38p PM Major: 9:53p

Moon Overhead: 10:26p Moon Underfoot: 9:55a

13 «

6a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:59a Sunset: 7:34p Moonrise: 6:08p Moon Set: 3:39a

AM Minor: 2:12a AM Major: 8:28a PM Minor: 2:43p PM Major: 8:59p

MONDAY

12a

BEST TIME

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

READING THE GRAPH

High Tide: 6:11a Low Tide: 12:09p High Tide: 6:51p

6p

Sunrise: 6:58a Sunset: 7:35p Moonrise: 5:17p Moon Set: 2:30a

Moon Overhead: 9:24p Moon Underfoot: 8:52a

12 «

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

15

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

n

2:10a 6:03a 2:28p 11:38p

1.38ft.

1.44ft.

0.28ft.

1.59ft.

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

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

16

Low Tide:

3:26p

0.28ft.

SATURDAY

17

High Tide: 2:45a Low Tide: 4:35p

1.67ft.

0.30ft.

SUNDAY

18 »

High Tide: 3:31a Low Tide: 5:49p

1.73ft.

0.32ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

2:00 — 4:00 AM Sunrise: 7:01a Sunset: 7:28p Moonrise: 9:07p Moon Set: 9:12a

AM Minor: 7:25a AM Major: 1:14a PM Minor: 7:49p PM Major: 1:37p

12p

6p

BEST TIME

2:30 — 4:30 AM Sunrise: 7:02a Sunset: 7:27p Moonrise: 9:39p Moon Set: 10:13a

AM Minor: 8:17a AM Major: 2:06a PM Minor: 8:40p PM Major: 2:29p

Moon Overhead: 2:50a Moon Underfoot: 3:13p

Moon Overhead: 3:36a Moon Underfoot: 3:59p

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

3:00 — 5:00 AM Sunrise: 7:02a Sunset: 7:26p Moonrise: 10:14p Moon Set: 11:13a

AM Minor: 9:09a AM Major: 2:58a PM Minor: 9:33p PM Major: 3:21p

Moon Overhead: 4:23a Moon Underfoot: 4:46p

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-2209DIG.indd 59

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

3:30 — 5:30 AM

6p

10:30A — 12:30P Sunrise: 7:03a Sunset: 7:23p Moonrise: 11:33p Moon Set: 1:12p

AM Minor: 10:02a AM Major: 3:50a PM Minor: 10:26p PM Major: 4:14p

AM Minor: 10:55a AM Major: 4:43a PM Minor: 11:20p PM Major: 5:07p

Moon Overhead: 5:10a Moon Underfoot: 5:34p

&

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:02a Sunset: 7:25p Moonrise: 10:51p Moon Set: 12:13p

F I S H

6a

Moon Overhead: 5:59a Moon Underfoot: 6:24p

G A M E ®

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

11:00A — 1:00P Sunrise: 7:03a Sunset: 7:22p Moonrise: None Moon Set: 2:08p

AM Minor: 11:47a AM Major: 5:34a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 5:59p Moon Overhead: 6:49a Moon Underfoot: 7:14p

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

12:00 — 2:00 PM Sunrise: 7:04a Sunset: 7:21p Moonrise: 12:19a Moon Set: 3:01p

AM Minor: 12:13a AM Major: 6:24a PM Minor: 12:37p PM Major: 6:49p

Moon Overhead: 7:40a Moon Underfoot: 8:05p

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 |

59

8/6/22 3:28 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

19

High Tide: 4:00a Low Tide: 6:55p

1.74ft.

0.32ft.

TUESDAY

20

High Tide: 4:16a Low Tide: 7:47p

1.73ft.

0.33ft.

FEET

WEDNESDAY

21

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

4:23a 10:43a 12:02p 8:29p

THURSDAY

22

1.70ft.

1.48ft.

1.49ft.

0.35ft.

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

4:29a 10:03a 1:29p 9:05p

FRIDAY

23

1.67ft.

1.43ft.

1.52ft.

0.39ft.

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

4:37a 9:53a 2:32p 9:36p

SATURDAY

24 «

1.65ft.

1.33ft.

1.56ft.

0.46ft.

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

4:48a 10:04a 3:30p 10:08p

SUNDAY

25 l

1.63ft.

1.18ft.

1.59ft.

0.57ft.

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

5:00a 10:27a 4:28p 10:41p

1.60ft.

1.01ft.

1.62ft.

0.73ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

2:30 — 4:30 PM Sunrise: 7:04a Sunset: 7:20p Moonrise: 1:08a Moon Set: 3:50p

AM Minor: 1:00a AM Major: 7:13a PM Minor: 1:25p PM Major: 7:38p

FEET

6a

12p

6p

1.57ft.

0.82ft.

1.65ft.

0.91ft.

AM Minor: 1:46a AM Major: 7:59a PM Minor: 2:11p PM Major: 8:24p

4:00 — 6:00 PM

5:18a 11:29a 6:35p 11:53p

1.55ft.

0.62ft.

1.68ft.

1.13ft.

12a

6a

1.55ft.

0.42ft.

1.72ft.

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

11:00A — 1:00P

12p

6p

12a

6a

11:30A — 1:30P

6p

12a

12:00 — 2:00 PM Sunrise: 7:07a Sunset: 7:12p Moonrise: 6:49a Moon Set: 7:22p

AM Minor: 4:36a AM Major: 10:47a PM Minor: 4:58p PM Major: 11:09p

Moon Overhead: 11:42a Moon Underfoot: None

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:07a Sunset: 7:13p Moonrise: 5:51a Moon Set: 6:53p

AM Minor: 3:55a AM Major: 10:07a PM Minor: 4:18p PM Major: 10:29p

Moon Overhead: 10:56a Moon Underfoot: 11:19p

6a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:06a Sunset: 7:15p Moonrise: 4:53a Moon Set: 6:22p

AM Minor: 3:14a AM Major: 9:25a PM Minor: 3:37p PM Major: 9:49p

AM Minor: 5:18a AM Major: 11:29a PM Minor: 5:39p PM Major: 11:50p

Moon Overhead: 12:26p Moon Underfoot: 12:04a

Moon Overhead: 1:09p Moon Underfoot: 12:47a

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY High Tide: 5:19a Low Tide: 12:08p High Tide: 7:49p

6p

10:30A — 12:30P

Moon Overhead: 10:09a Moon Underfoot: 10:33p

28 «

12p

Sunrise: 7:06a Sunset: 7:16p Moonrise: 3:55a Moon Set: 5:50p

AM Minor: 2:31a AM Major: 8:43a PM Minor: 2:55p PM Major: 9:07p

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

6a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:05a Sunset: 7:17p Moonrise: 2:58a Moon Set: 5:14p

Moon Overhead: 9:20a Moon Underfoot: 9:45p

27 «

12a

BEST TIME

3:30 — 5:30 PM

MONDAY 5:10a 10:56a 5:29p 11:16p

12a

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

READING THE GRAPH

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

6p

Sunrise: 7:05a Sunset: 7:18p Moonrise: 2:02a Moon Set: 4:35p

Moon Overhead: 8:30a Moon Underfoot: 8:55p

26 «

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

29

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

12:33a 5:08a 12:52p 9:16p

n

1.36ft.

1.58ft.

0.26ft.

1.77ft.

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

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

30

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

1:15a 4:43a 1:44p 11:03p

1.59ft.

1.67ft.

0.14ft.

1.83ft.

SATURDAY

Oct 1

Low Tide: 2:04a High Tide: 4:04a Low Tide: 2:45p

1.78ft.

1.79ft.

0.06ft.

SUNDAY

2

High Tide: 1:11a Low Tide: 3:57p

1.92ft.

0.03ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

1:00 — 3:00 PM Sunrise: 7:08a Sunset: 7:11p Moonrise: 7:46a Moon Set: 7:52p

AM Minor: 6:01a AM Major: 11:46a PM Minor: 6:23p PM Major: 12:12p

6p

1:30 — 3:30 PM Sunrise: 7:08a Sunset: 7:10p Moonrise: 8:46a Moon Set: 8:24p

AM Minor: 6:48a AM Major: 12:37a PM Minor: 7:11p PM Major: 1:00p

Moon Overhead: 1:53p Moon Underfoot: 1:31a

60

12p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: 2:38p Moon Underfoot: 2:15a

6p

12a

AM Minor: 7:40a AM Major: 1:27a PM Minor: 8:04p PM Major: 1:52p

12p

6p

3:30 — 5:30 PM

AM Minor: 8:36a AM Major: 2:22a PM Minor: 9:02p PM Major: 2:49p

T E X A S

Moon Overhead: 4:19p Moon Underfoot: 3:52a

F I S H

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:09a Sunset: 7:07p Moonrise: 10:53a Moon Set: 9:39p

Moon Overhead: 3:26p Moon Underfoot: 3:02a

|

6a

BEST TIME

2:30 — 4:30 PM Sunrise: 7:09a Sunset: 7:09p Moonrise: 9:48a Moon Set: 8:59p

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

TexasOutdoorNation-2209DIG.indd 60

12p

BEST TIME

&

4:30 — 6:30 PM Sunrise: 7:10a Sunset: 7:06p Moonrise: 12:00p Moon Set: 10:26p

AM Minor: 9:36a AM Major: 3:22a PM Minor: 10:04p PM Major: 3:50p

Moon Overhead: 5:15p Moon Underfoot: 4:46a

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

5:30 — 7:30 PM Sunrise: 7:11a Sunset: 7:05p Moonrise: 1:08p Moon Set: 11:19p

AM Minor: 10:39a AM Major: 4:24a PM Minor: 11:09p PM Major: 4:54p

Moon Overhead: 6:15p Moon Underfoot: 5:44a

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

11:30A — 1:30P Sunrise: 7:11a Sunset: 7:04p Moonrise: 2:12p Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 11:42a AM Major: 5:27a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 5:58p Moon Overhead: 7:16p Moon Underfoot: 6:45a

G A M E ®

8/6/22 3:29 PM

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

3º

High Tide: 2:28a Low Tide: 5:15p

TUESDAY

4

1.98ft.

0.02ft.

High Tide: 3:02a Low Tide: 6:31p

1.98ft.

0.05ft.

WEDNESDAY

5

High Tide: 3:24a Low Tide: 7:38p

THURSDAY

6

1.91ft.

0.12ft.

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

FEET

3:41a 9:20a 1:05p 8:37p

FRIDAY

7

1.82ft.

1.45ft.

1.60ft.

0.26ft.

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

3:56a 9:28a 2:34p 9:29p

SATURDAY

8«

1.71ft.

1.21ft.

1.65ft.

0.46ft.

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

4:10a 9:53a 3:50p 10:17p

SUNDAY

9«

1.62ft.

0.94ft.

1.70ft.

0.69ft.

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

4:23a 10:24a 5:00p 11:02p

1.56ft.

0.69ft.

1.75ft.

0.95ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

12:30 — 2:30 PM Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 7:03p Moonrise: 3:11p Moon Set: 12:21a

AM Minor: 12:20a AM Major: 6:29a PM Minor: 12:44p PM Major: 7:00p

12p

6p

BEST TIME

1:30 — 3:30 PM Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 7:01p Moonrise: 4:03p Moon Set: 1:27a

AM Minor: 1:12a AM Major: 7:27a PM Minor: 1:42p PM Major: 7:57p

Moon Overhead: 8:18p Moon Underfoot: 7:47a

TexasOutdoorNation-2209DIG.indd 61

Moon Overhead: 9:17p Moon Underfoot: 8:48a

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

2:30 — 4:30 PM Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 7:00p Moonrise: 4:47p Moon Set: 2:36a

AM Minor: 2:07a AM Major: 8:21a PM Minor: 2:35p PM Major: 8:49p

Moon Overhead: 10:13p Moon Underfoot: 9:46a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

10:00P — 12:00A Sunrise: 7:13a Sunset: 6:59p Moonrise: 5:26p Moon Set: 3:45a

AM Minor: 2:57a AM Major: 9:10a PM Minor: 3:23p PM Major: 9:36p

Moon Overhead: 11:05p Moon Underfoot: 10:40a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

11:00A — 1:00P Sunrise: 7:14a Sunset: 6:58p Moonrise: 6:01p Moon Set: 4:51a

AM Minor: 3:43a AM Major: 9:55a PM Minor: 4:07p PM Major: 10:20p Moon Overhead: 11:54p Moon Underfoot: 11:30a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

11:00P — 1:00A Sunrise: 7:14a Sunset: 6:57p Moonrise: 6:33p Moon Set: 5:55a

AM Minor: 4:27a AM Major: 10:39a PM Minor: 4:50p PM Major: 11:02p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 12:18p

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

11:30P — 1:30A Sunrise: 7:15a Sunset: 6:56p Moonrise: 7:04p Moon Set: 6:56a

AM Minor: 5:11a AM Major: 11:22a PM Minor: 5:34p PM Major: 11:45p Moon Overhead: 12:41a Moon Underfoot: 1:04p

8/6/22 3:29 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

10 l FEET

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

4:34a 10:58a 6:07p 11:46p

TUESDAY

11 «

1.53ft.

0.47ft.

1.78ft.

1.19ft.

High Tide: 4:42a Low Tide: 11:34a High Tide: 7:14p

1.53ft.

0.32ft.

1.79ft.

WEDNESDAY

12 « Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:31a 4:41a 12:12p 8:26p

1.40ft.

1.55ft.

0.24ft.

1.79ft.

THURSDAY

13

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

1:23a 4:08a 12:53p 9:46p

1.56ft.

1.59ft.

0.22ft.

1.78ft.

FRIDAY

14

Low Tide: 1:40p High Tide: 11:31p

SATURDAY

15

0.26ft.

1.78ft.

Low Tide:

2:33p

SUNDAY

16

0.32ft.

High Tide: 1:54a Low Tide: 3:38p

1.79ft.

0.40ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

12:30 — 2:30 AM Sunrise: 7:16a Sunset: 6:55p Moonrise: 7:36p Moon Set: 7:56a

12a

6a

12p

6p

AM Minor: 6:46a AM Major: 12:34a PM Minor: 7:09p PM Major: 12:58p

2:00 — 4:00 AM

AM Minor: 7:38a AM Major: 1:26a PM Minor: 8:02p PM Major: 1:50p

TUESDAY

18

1.80ft.

0.46ft.

High Tide: 2:47a Low Tide: 5:58p

1.77ft.

0.50ft.

High Tide: 2:53a Low Tide: 6:53p

6p

12a

6a

1.74ft.

0.55ft.

FEET

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

2:30 — 4:30 AM

AM Minor: 8:32a AM Major: 2:20a PM Minor: 8:57p PM Major: 2:45p

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 AM

12a

Sunrise: 7:19a Sunset: 6:48p Moonrise: 11:51p Moon Set: 1:43p

AM Minor: 10:23a AM Major: 4:11a PM Minor: 10:49p PM Major: 4:36p

Moon Overhead: 4:39a Moon Underfoot: 5:05p

6p

5:00 — 7:00 AM

Sunrise: 7:19a Sunset: 6:49p Moonrise: 10:59p Moon Set: 12:52p

AM Minor: 9:28a AM Major: 3:15a PM Minor: 9:53p PM Major: 3:41p

12p

BEST TIME

9:30 — 11:30 AM

Sunrise: 7:18a Sunset: 6:50p Moonrise: 10:11p Moon Set: 11:57a

Moon Overhead: 3:49a Moon Underfoot: 4:14p

AM Minor: 11:18a AM Major: 5:05a PM Minor: 11:43p PM Major: 5:30p

Moon Overhead: 5:30a Moon Underfoot: 5:56p

Moon Overhead: 6:21a Moon Underfoot: 6:47p

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

19

12p

Sunrise: 7:17a Sunset: 6:51p Moonrise: 9:26p Moon Set: 10:58a

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

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

MONDAY

6a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:17a Sunset: 6:52p Moonrise: 8:46p Moon Set: 9:58a

Moon Overhead: 2:13a Moon Underfoot: 2:36p

READING THE GRAPH

12a

BEST TIME

1:00 — 3:00 AM

Moon Overhead: 1:26a Moon Underfoot: 1:49p

High Tide: 2:34a Low Tide: 4:50p

6p

Sunrise: 7:16a Sunset: 6:53p Moonrise: 8:09p Moon Set: 8:57a

AM Minor: 5:57a AM Major: ----PM Minor: 6:20p PM Major: 12:08p

17 »

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

20

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

2:59a 9:37a 12:21p 7:38p

n

1.70ft.

1.37ft.

1.42ft.

0.61ft.

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

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

21

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

3:07a 9:10a 1:43p 8:18p

SATURDAY

22

1.66ft.

1.24ft.

1.47ft.

0.69ft.

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

3:16a 9:09a 2:49p 8:56p

SUNDAY

23 «

1.63ft.

1.06ft.

1.54ft.

0.81ft.

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

3:26a 9:25a 3:51p 9:36p

1.60ft.

0.84ft.

1.63ft.

0.96ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

12:30 — 2:30 PM Sunrise: 7:20a Sunset: 6:47p Moonrise: None Moon Set: 2:29p

AM Minor: ----AM Major: 5:57a PM Minor: 12:09p PM Major: 6:22p

6p

1:30 — 3:30 PM Sunrise: 7:20a Sunset: 6:46p Moonrise: 12:46a Moon Set: 3:11p

AM Minor: 12:33a AM Major: 6:46a PM Minor: 12:58p PM Major: 7:10p

Moon Overhead: 7:12a Moon Underfoot: 7:36p

62

12p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: 8:01a Moon Underfoot: 8:25p

6p

12a

AM Minor: 1:19a AM Major: 7:31a PM Minor: 1:43p PM Major: 7:54p

12p

6p

3:30 — 5:30 PM

12p

6p

12a

9:30 — 11:30 AM

AM Minor: 2:42a AM Major: 8:53a PM Minor: 3:04p PM Major: 9:15p

Moon Overhead: 9:34a Moon Underfoot: 9:56p

F I S H

6a

Sunrise: 7:22a Sunset: 6:43p Moonrise: 3:38a Moon Set: 4:51p

AM Minor: 2:02a AM Major: 8:13a PM Minor: 2:24p PM Major: 8:36p

T E X A S

12a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:22a Sunset: 6:44p Moonrise: 2:41a Moon Set: 4:21p

Moon Overhead: 8:48a Moon Underfoot: 9:11p

|

6a

BEST TIME

2:30 — 4:30 PM Sunrise: 7:21a Sunset: 6:45p Moonrise: 1:43a Moon Set: 3:47p

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

TexasOutdoorNation-2209DIG.indd 62

12p

BEST TIME

&

Moon Overhead: 10:18a Moon Underfoot: 10:40p

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

10:00A — 12:00P Sunrise: 7:23a Sunset: 6:42p Moonrise: 4:35a Moon Set: 5:21p

AM Minor: 3:20a AM Major: 9:31a PM Minor: 3:42p PM Major: 9:53p

Moon Overhead: 11:02a Moon Underfoot: 11:23p

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

11:00A — 1:00P Sunrise: 7:24a Sunset: 6:41p Moonrise: 5:33a Moon Set: 5:51p

AM Minor: 3:58a AM Major: 10:09a PM Minor: 4:20p PM Major: 10:31p Moon Overhead: 11:45a Moon Underfoot: None

G A M E ®

8/6/22 3:29 PM

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

24 « FEET

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

3:34a 9:50a 4:52p 10:17p

TUESDAY

25 l

1.57ft.

0.60ft.

1.72ft.

1.13ft.

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

3:40a 10:22a 5:55p 11:02p

WEDNESDAY

26 «

1.56ft.

0.36ft.

1.81ft.

1.32ft.

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

3:41a 11:00a 7:01p 11:48p

1.59ft.

0.15ft.

1.88ft.

1.51ft.

THURSDAY

27 «

High Tide: 3:34a Low Tide: 11:43a High Tide: 8:14p

1.64ft.

-0.02ft.

1.92ft.

FRIDAY

28

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

12:39a 3:17a 12:32p 9:37p

SATURDAY

29

1.69ft.

1.73ft.

-0.13ft.

1.95ft.

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

1:57a 2:30a 1:28p 11:11p

SUNDAY

30

1.82ft.

1.82ft.

-0.16ft.

1.96ft.

Low Tide:

2:32p

-0.13ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

11:30A — 1:30P

12a

6a

6p

1:00 — 3:00 PM

AM Minor: 6:15a AM Major: 12:02a PM Minor: 6:42p PM Major: 12:29p

Moon Overhead: 1:18p Moon Underfoot: 12:54a

MONDAY 1.95ft.

-0.05ft.

TUESDAY

Nov 1 º High Tide: 1:23a Low Tide: 4:59p

6a

1.90ft.

0.07ft.

High Tide: 1:52a Low Tide: 6:13p

6p

12a

6a

1.81ft.

0.23ft.

FEET

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

2:00 — 4:00 PM

9:30 — 11:30 AM

6p

12a

6a

4:00 — 6:00 PM

6p

12a

9:30 — 11:30 AM Sunrise: 7:29a Sunset: 6:35p Moonrise: 1:06p Moon Set: 11:19p

AM Minor: 9:25a AM Major: 3:09a PM Minor: 9:56p PM Major: 3:40p

Moon Overhead: 4:07p Moon Underfoot: 3:36a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:28a Sunset: 6:35p Moonrise: 12:05p Moon Set: 10:13p

AM Minor: 8:17a AM Major: 2:02a PM Minor: 8:47p PM Major: 2:32p

Moon Overhead: 3:06p Moon Underfoot: 2:38a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:27a Sunset: 6:36p Moonrise: 10:58a Moon Set: 9:13p

AM Minor: 7:13a AM Major: 12:59a PM Minor: 7:42p PM Major: 1:28p

AM Minor: 10:33a AM Major: 4:17a PM Minor: 11:04p PM Major: 4:49p

Moon Overhead: 5:09p Moon Underfoot: 4:38a

Moon Overhead: 6:11p Moon Underfoot: 5:40a

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

2

12p

Sunrise: 7:27a Sunset: 6:37p Moonrise: 9:48a Moon Set: 8:20p

Moon Overhead: 2:10p Moon Underfoot: 1:44a

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

READING THE GRAPH

12a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:26a Sunset: 6:38p Moonrise: 8:39a Moon Set: 7:35p

AM Minor: 5:24a AM Major: 11:36a PM Minor: 5:49p PM Major: 12:01p

Moon Overhead: 12:30p Moon Underfoot: 12:08a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:25a Sunset: 6:39p Moonrise: 7:34a Moon Set: 6:56p

AM Minor: 4:39a AM Major: 10:51a PM Minor: 5:02p PM Major: 11:13p

High Tide: 12:34a Low Tide: 3:43p

6p

12:30 — 2:30P

Sunrise: 7:25a Sunset: 6:40p Moonrise: 6:32a Moon Set: 6:22p

Oct 31

12p

BEST TIME

n

Day’s 2nd Best Score

Best Day Overall

THURSDAY

3

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

2:12a 8:34a 12:17p 7:21p

1.70ft.

1.21ft.

1.37ft.

0.42ft.

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

FRIDAY

4

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

2:27a 8:41a 1:58p 8:22p

SATURDAY

5

1.59ft.

0.94ft.

1.43ft.

0.64ft.

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

2:40a 9:03a 3:19p 9:19p

SUNDAY

6

1.51ft.

0.65ft.

1.52ft.

0.87ft.

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

1:52a 8:31a 3:30p 9:12p

1.46ft.

0.39ft.

1.62ft.

1.09ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

11:00A — 1:00P Sunrise: 7:30a Sunset: 6:34p Moonrise: 2:01p Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 11:38a AM Major: 5:23a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 5:53p

12p

6p

BEST TIME

12:00 — 2:00 PM Sunrise: 7:30a Sunset: 6:33p Moonrise: 2:47p Moon Set: 12:27a

AM Minor: 12:14a AM Major: 6:24a PM Minor: 12:38p PM Major: 6:52p

Moon Overhead: 7:12p Moon Underfoot: 6:42a

Moon Overhead: 8:09p Moon Underfoot: 7:41a

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

1:00 — 3:00 PM Sunrise: 7:31a Sunset: 6:32p Moonrise: 3:27p Moon Set: 1:36a

AM Minor: 1:04a AM Major: 7:18a PM Minor: 1:31p PM Major: 7:44p

Moon Overhead: 9:01p Moon Underfoot: 8:36a

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-2209DIG.indd 63

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

9:00 — 11:00 PM

6p

12a

9:30 — 11:30 PM Sunrise: 7:33a Sunset: 6:31p Moonrise: 4:33p Moon Set: 3:45a

AM Minor: 1:53a AM Major: 8:05a PM Minor: 2:17p PM Major: 8:29p

AM Minor: 2:36a AM Major: 8:47a PM Minor: 2:59p PM Major: 9:10p

Moon Overhead: 9:50p Moon Underfoot: 9:26a

&

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:32a Sunset: 6:31p Moonrise: 4:02p Moon Set: 2:42a

F I S H

6a

Moon Overhead: 10:36p Moon Underfoot: 10:13a

G A M E ®

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

10:30P — 12:30A Sunrise: 7:34a Sunset: 6:30p Moonrise: 5:04p Moon Set: 4:46a

AM Minor: 3:16a AM Major: 9:27a PM Minor: 3:38p PM Major: 9:49p

Moon Overhead: 11:21p Moon Underfoot: 10:58a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

11:30A — 1:30P Sunrise: 7:34a Sunset: 6:29p Moonrise: 5:34p Moon Set: 5:45a

AM Minor: 3:55a AM Major: 10:07a PM Minor: 4:18p PM Major: 10:29p Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:43a

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 |

63

8/6/22 3:29 PM

64

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

MFea 1-College Girl-Spread.indd 64

|

T E X A S

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

PHOTO: AMBER BOREL

8/7/22 10:27 AM

E

VERYONE REMEMbers how they felt when they killed their first deer, whether they were ten years old or twenty.

Nothing can replace that feeling of bringing down your first buck or doe, no matter how big or small. In that moment it feels like you shot a record winner.

I first got into deer hunting when I was eleven years old. My dad had been going for years, and just like most little kids I decided I wanted to be just like him. Little did I know, it would spark a lifelong passion for the outdoors.

I don’t remember everything from when I first started hunting because I’ve had four concussions since then. But there are a few details that I don’t think I will ever forget.

I think what I remember the most was hating morning hunts.

I was a little kid and waking up early was not something I wanted to do on my two days off from school. Not to mention, I didn’t like walking in the woods in the dark.

If there was even a little bit of moon showing in the sky, my dad would not turn on the flashlight while walking to the blind. As I got older and started hunting by myself, I did pick up the same habit from him.

Although morning hunts weren’t my favorite, I would still drag myself out of bed to go each morning for that chance to take down a deer—and eat a ham and cheese sandwich in the blind.

The first deer I shot is still my favorite hunt to this day. I was

PHOTO:

MFea 1-College Girl-Spread.indd 65

T E X A S

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

particularly fond of it because it was an evening hunt, and I shot a buck.

It was youth weekend in 2013, and I sat in the blind with my dad, squirming with anticipation.

I remember turning my head at every noise thinking that it’d be a deer. I was ready to cuss out the squirrels by the time the hunt was over.

The sun started setting, and I was beginning to lose hope.

Just before it was time to go, an eight-point stepped out at the feeder. I pulled the trigger slowly and watched the deer’s knees crumple.

To this day I still don’t think I’ve seen my dad be any prouder of me than he was in that moment. After that day, I was hooked. I was obsessed with anything that involved hunting.

My love for deer hunting grew as I got older and along with it, my respect for nature and its resources.

To have the opportunity to be able to hunt as much as I do is a gift from God. As a hunter I feel like I have the responsibility to protect the resource for the next generations to be able to use as well.

That’s why I decided to go to Stephen F. Austin State University to pursue a degree in Forestry and Wildlife Management. I’m hoping to use this degree to spread the joy that I find in hunting as well as to promote the ethical use of natural resources.

«

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 |

65

8/7/22 10:27 AM

DIGITAL BONUS

66

| S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2022 |

MFea 2-Turkey.indd 66

T E X A S

F I S H

&

G A M E ®

PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE

8/7/22 10:27 AM

R

UNNING IS THE typical retreat method for wild turkeys.

When spooked these big birds can move at impressive speeds but their flying ability is equally impressive.

As Wade Ledbetter of Spring Creek Outdoors opened a cardboard box marked National Wild Turkey Federation, a Rio Grande turkey hen flew out in a flash.

She flew quickly over a lush, green pasture and lit about 50 feet up a pig pine tree ¼ mile away.

“These turkeys are probably wondering why the trees are so big,” Ledbetter said.

These birds were captured under the careful permitting process of Texas Parks & Wildlife on a ranch in South Texas to help restore birds on the Rafter K Ranch near Madisonville.

“Some ranches have an overabundance of Rio Grande turkeys so occasionally we will get requests for stocking on ranches that have lower numbers. In this case, the ranch is on the edge of two ecological zones and stockings could have either been Eastern or Rio Grande turkeys,” said Spring Creek Outdoors founder Macey Ledbetter.

Rafter K Ranch owner Tucker Knight said the working cattle ranch is managed for not only livestock but wildlife.

“We’re Wade Ledbetter of Spring so excited to Creek Outdoor have turkeys releases a Rio return here.

Grande hen.

We’ve been

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working on the habitat and have good populations of whitetail and have been involved in bobwhite quail restoration too,” Knight said.

Macey Ledbetter Knight and his crew have put hard work into this project and are seeing the fruits of their labor already.

“They are seeing the birds disperse on the ranch. They have installed elevated turkey feeders and the birds are actively using them,” he said.

The ideal wild turkey habitat is a mixture of hardwood bottomlands with good roosting trees, pasture, and open forest.

The Rafter K has all of the above, making it a great place for Rio Grande recovery on the fringe of their habitat.

Texas has more turkeys than any other state due to its incredible number (around 400,000) of Rio Grande turkeys along with about 10,000 Easterns in the Pineywoods and a few Merriam’s in the Trans Pecos.

There are gaps in turkey populations. Projects like this one on the Rafter K and ongoing TPWD Eastern turkey stockings are helping to fill those gaps.

Turkeys require healthy forests to thrive, so when properties are managed for them other creatures benefit.

Turkey restoration is not just about the birds themselves, but a healthy ecosystem.

And that’s something we all can get behind.

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OMETIMES STANDARD BOW hunting methods don’t get the job done, so you have to resort to tricks.

For example, where there are deer, there are also turkeys. Both are extremely wary animals and along with that comes extremely keen senses, particularly their hearing and sight.

Either one is very tough to sneak up on. With that said, it is not uncommon to see whitetails feeding fairly close to turkeys.

I tried an experiment one day. I set my portable blind up on the edge of a field one day while hunting turkeys. Early in the predawn, I set up a few turkey decoys near the blind and then climbed into my humble abode and waited for the turkeys.

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hit the open field, they showed signs of extreme caution as they looked directly at my blind.

After two weeks (at least it seemed like that), actually only a few long minutes later, they decided they did not like the big bush that was not there yesterday. I took my mouth call and softly yelped a few times; and like magic, the deer decided that all was safe. They paid no attention to the blind at all after that and actually fed much closer to me. The smile on my face showed that it is true. You really are never too old to learn something new.

Here is another trick that worked extremely well. I quickly put my math skills to the test one day and decided that 3 plus 1 equals success. In this particular scenario, I was talking about three turkey decoys and one deer decoy. Now THAT is a deadly set up. &

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Whitetails can often be called in with wild turkey decoys and calls.

toward the waiting hunter.

The bedded whitetail will be compelled to get up and find safety elsewhere. He won’t go left or right because he heard voices and can also smell the “ghost” hunters on the outside of the woods. The only place he feels safe is on the escape route and right into the path of the waiting bow hunter.

Time after time, I witnessed deer that would stop and look at my array of decoys.

After hearing me do a few soft turkey yelps, they were persuaded that all was safe. So they came to my decoys, unaware that they were about to have a bad day.

I have written about driving deer during bow season. Yes, it does work. Here is a deer-driving trick that works great if you have two or three hunters, preferably three.

Through your pre-season scouting in a small woodlot, you already know which escape route the deer prefer. With the wind in his face, one of the above-mentioned hunters is on a stand that offers him a good shot to the anticipated escape route.

The other two guys, equipped with radios or cell phones, walk on opposite sides of the woods walking parallel to one another while they talk to each other in loud voices about whatever they want (The football season is a favorite topic of conversation for me).

Once they get to the end of the woods, they start to walk back the same way they just came. Except now, they spray a foreign substance, like WD 40 or Old Spice, whatever, on the brush or branches as they walk past them. After that task is done, they can start the zigzag approach through the woods 70

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This is an excerpt from LOU MARULLO’S audiobook, String Theory for Bowhunters, now available at FishGame.com/fishgamegear

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Congratulations! You just made your own little funnel that forced the deer in the direction you wanted. Success!

Last year I made my way to my tree stand and was equipped with the items I spoke of earlier. I followed the deer trail back toward their bedding area, being careful not to get too close. I located a major deer run that intercepted other smaller ones.

In short, I had found the mother lode of deer trails. It was in some thick cover, but this was a blazing trail that was dug down deep with deer prints. I followed the trail in the general direction of my tree stand. I soon realized that the main trail was starting to go in the wrong direction.

I grabbed my brush clippers and took a few branches down and made a small barrier right on that main trail. I added brush and just about anything else that I could find and simply piled it on the main trail.

Then I cleared a path toward my stand.

I made it obvious that this was a pathway and much easier to follow. It worked like a charm.

The whole project only took about two hours out of my day, but I was sure that the payoff would be worth it. I stayed away from that particular woodlot for a week. Then when the wind was right for that stand, I headed out with high expectations.

It was an afternoon stand that was overlooking a trail leading to a well-used food plot. I had a few does come by early that offered a good shot, but I was going to wait for a nice buck.

I heard grunting in the distance, but the sun was going down fast. I was hoping that the buck would move in a little faster, but that was not to be. At least not this night.

I was assured of one thing though—my plan had worked. It would just be a question of time for me to see a nice buck from that stand.

These tricks have all worked for me, and I know of a few more as well. But hey! while I will admit I know a few more, I need to keep some of them a secret, right?

Perhaps these tips will inspire you to try out some of your own “crazy” ideas that just might work. If for some reason they do not, I guarantee that you will still have fun trying them. Just remember “crazy” is okay, as long as you think of safety first.

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Statement of ownership, management and circulation 1. Publication title: Texas Fish & Game. 2. Publication number: 7577-70. 3. Filing Date: 10/16/2020. 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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BLACK DRUM & SHEEPSHEAD Jamaica Beach Harper Beardon caught her first sheepshead and her sister, Addison, caught her first black drum while fishing West Galveston Bay at Jamaica Beach.

WHITETAIL Victoria County William Bates took his first buck while hunting with his Dad, Bill, on family land in Victoria County.

WHITETAIL Private MLD Henson Compton got his first deer while hunting with his dad on a family friend’s MLD ranch.

LARGEMOUTH BASS Lake Tyler Fourteen-year-old Jayden Potter caught these bass, 6.67 pounds and 4 pounds respectively, while fishing on Lake Tyler.

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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.

WHITETAIL East Texas

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Twelve-year-old Brody Bowers made the best of the Late Youth Season, hunting with his Paw Paw Ricky in East Texas.

Lake Tyler Kim Nelson sent in this photo of a 10.1-pound largemouth beauty, caught and released on Lake Sam Rayburn.

TURKEY Dewitt County Antoine Hythier with his first and second turkeys, bagged in Dewitt County. He has turkey fever now.

CATFISH Sabine River Pat Stewart of Montgomery caught this 25-pound flathead catfish on a live perch, fishing in the Sabine River.

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