Texas Fish & Game November/December 2021

TEXAS FISH & GAME  NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 • VOL. 38 NO. 4

November/December 2021 | $3.95

The Next Big Bass Lake?

VOICE OF THE TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

Have a Kayak Christmas!

www.FishGame.com

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

by ROY and ARDIA NEVES TF&G Owners

ROY AND ARDIA NEVES

Giving Thanks, for Nothing

PUBLISHERS

CHESTER MOORE EDITOR IN CHIEF

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ETTING INTO THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING HAS BECOME A LOT HARDER these last two years. Between an Energizer Bunny of a virus fueling a pandemic that just won’t quit, and the economic devastation left in its wake, the ranks of cynics among us have swollen. “Thanksgiving? Yeah. Thanks for nothing.”

But hold on there, Gloomy Doomers. You might be onto something. What’s so bad about nothing? The absence of a lot of things can be a blessing. Negative—as in test results—is a hell of a lot more positive than positive in this context. A clean driving record with nothing on it beats one that’s littered with speeding tickets. Do you want your dentist to find a mouthful of cavities, or nothing but gleaming enamel? Credit card balance... large? ...or, next to nothing? Tough job at work, or nothing to it? We could go on... and when you consider how severe the problems and worries that we’ve accumulated lately have been, any reduction or near elimination of them is certainly worthy of gratitude.

Granted, there is still plenty to be concerned about and to worry us. Covid will continue to lurk around every corner in one or another of its variant forms (Delta may be peaking, but what about Gamma? Epsilon? ... Double Omega?). This winter could see another rise in hospitalizations and deaths, if any predictability can be drawn from our experience with traditional flu seasons and what we’ve learned from this new disease. Then, there’s been the pandemic’s harsh impact on our economy, and its long term effects which are only now becoming clear. Boat dealerships still have near-empty lots, and shelves at Academy and other sporting goods stores still look like the last hour of Black Friday. But on both the health and economic fronts, there is light at the end of this long, dark and twisty tunnel.

If we can separate the political idiocy from reality, it’s clear that what keeps people safer is personal and medical responsibility. If you follow common sense protective measures, your odds of getting sick plummet. If you haven’t been vaccinated, stay away from indoor crowds or wear the damn mask.

Experience is showing that these simple steps work. If more of us follow them, and as more people get vaccinated and gains increase on the treatment side, time will become an ally and this so-called “novel” disease will join the ranks of other diseases we’ve learned to live with. By next spring, there is an excellent chance that we will have gained the upper hand and that new cases, hospitalizations and deaths from Covid will be reduced to close to nothing.

Meanwhile, our industry sources have been telling us—with guarded confidence—that many of the supply chain disruptions responsible for scarcities in big ticket items and basic gear that we use for fishing and hunting (and lots of other things we need in everyday life) may also begin to improve next spring. We’re already seeing relief from ammo shortages. By April or May, manufacturing and shipping in general could start returning to normal. So, you may finally be able to take delivery on that new bay boat you decided to purchase months ago. And this return to normalcy should also mean a sturdier economy... which will help when the payments on your new boat come due.

As we deal with whatever form the viral culprit assumes this winter, and with the lingering challenges it has put on our livelihoods and our lifestyles, we need to stay positive and hopeful. Knowing that we have a good chance of getting things back to normal next year should help.

We’ve said this before in previous columns on the subject, but there have been plenty of positive things gained during this two-year period of loss. Having nothing else to do, more of us have renewed our interest in the simpler virtues of life, especially those that involve the outdoors. With nothing else competing for our time, we’ve spent more of it with our families and friends... a lot of it on outdoors adventures which, thankfully, have offered the perfect escape from the dangers posed by a virus that thrives indoors.

If the signs of recovery next year include having next to nothing to fear from Covid, if nothing is keeping you from enjoying your new boat or ATV, if nothing separates you from your friends, family and sporting buddies, then hell yeah, let’s find more reasons to give thanks for nothing.

In that spirit, Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas from all of us at TEXAS FISH & GAME.

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

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C O N T R I B U T O R S JOE DOGGETT DOUG PIKE LENNY RUDOW MATT WILLIAMS PETE ROBBINS KELLY GROCE LOU MARULLO LARRY WEISHUHN DUSTIN ELLERMANN REAVIS WORTHAM 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 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR

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10/13/21 3:29 PM

November/December 2021 | Vol. 38 • No. 4

FEATURE ARTICLES

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THE NEXT BIG BASS LAKE Lake O.H. Ivie, in an area of Texas plagued by drought, is currently staging a comeback and could be the big bass producer for 2022.

by Matt Williams

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HAVE A KAYAK CHRISTMAS If you or a friend or loved one own a kayak, the holidays are a prime opportunity for giftgiving and gift-getting that could make that kayak even better.

by Lenny Rudow

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DEER IN DANGER: A PRE-SEASON UPDATE Whitetail, from the Texas Panhandle to the Piney Woods, and down to Mexico are in good health. But a number of diseases, including CWD and anthrax, are raising concerns.

Story by TF&G Staff Cover photo by Chester Moore

COLUMNS

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COVER STORY

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HOLIDAY BUYING GUIDE Gift ideas for the sportsman who can’t possibly have everything.

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Fish & Game Forecast Center: Saltwater

Bare Bones Hunting

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Fish & Game Forecast Center: Freshwater

by LOU MARULLO

Texas Boating

by DUSTIN ELLERMANN

Open Season

by REAVIS Z. WORTHAM

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Sportsman’s Daybook

DEPARTMENTS

by LENNY RUDOW

Texas Tactical

by TF&G Staff

TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

Pike on the Edge

by DOUG PIKE

We’ve found a whole tackle box full of lures and gear that are perfect for your pursuit of trophy largemouth.

by TF&G Staff

Editor’s Notes

by CHESTER MOORE

UNIQUE GEAR FOR BASS

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Letters

from TF&G Readers

Outdoor Directory

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Fish & Game Photos

by TF&G Readers

Guides, Outfitters & More &

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LETTERS to the Editor Coastal Brigade I WOULD JUST REALLY LIKE TO say thank you for helping me be able to go to such a wonderful camp this year at Coastal Brigades in Galveston.

We are only two days in and I am having such an amazing time. This for sure an unforgettable time. And we also are meeting really amazing people along the way. Today we went out with some biologist and volunteers and I learned so much about oysters and how we can help out with making the fishery better.

I also could see a future to wetland biology and this Coastal Brigade really opened my eye to what my future will look like.

Without your guys support I don’t think I would be having another chance at a amazing experience like this.

Wildlife biology is the field I would really enjoy going into when I’m older and this camp has truly helped me get a better understanding of what I would love to do when I’m older.

In this week my passion for the fishery and wildlife has only gotten better. And I have started to understand more and more about the outdoors.

Thank you for supporting my passion and my future.

facing the shore and my feet were slightly separated. For some reason I looked down and saw what I thought to be a long black and white banded piece of rope or cable hanging between my legs, which I figured must have somehow gotten stuck to the back of my swimming trunks, but when I twisted around enough to look down at my butt, I saw a head and two eyes looking up at me.

I panicked and started thrashing wildly, not knowing what it was and expecting a painful bite at any moment, but a few seconds later, to my immense relief, it was gone. It was only many years later, when I was looking at photos of sea snakes on the web that I came to know who my uninvited guest had been.

Sherman Marcus Editor: Sea snakes are known for being pretty docile but their venom is so hyper toxic you have to be really careful. Part of me is jealous you got to encounter a sea snake and the other part is glad I didn’t have an encounter quite like that.

I WAS READING YOUR ARTICLE AT fishgame.com. Partway down you mentioned the rare Gulf salt marsh snake. I found one of these in my back yard about six years ago. I was mowing my backyard, when a small snake popped up behind my mower. It was about 12 inches long. My first thought was, “Holy smoke! I just killed a snake.” I reached down and grabbed it before it could wriggle down into the grass.

Amazingly, it was unhurt, not a scratch, and I easily kept hold of it, even though most snakes immediately try to get loose.

At first I thought it was some kind of color variation of a garter snake. I consulted some of the books I have on snakes, and discovered to my surprise that it was a Gulf salt marsh snake, and at least 40 miles outside of its normal range. My house is about a mile and a half southeast of the race track,

Zaden Pharis 5th Battalion Coastal Brigade Cadet Editor: It was great meeting you at Coastal Brigades. It was a pleasure speaking for your group this year and Texas Fish & Game was glad to supply you with my books and copies of the magazine.

Snake Encounters IN RESPONSE TO YOUR INTERNET article on sea snakes, I had a terrifying experience at the public beach in Santa Marta, Colombia sometime in the mid 70’s.

I had been standing in crystal clear water up to my waist for several minutes and had probably moved very little or not at all. I was 4

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and West Road and Hollister is the closest major intersection to my house. The nearest ditch with substantial water (a small rivulet) is about a quarter mile west of my address.

Needless to say, there is no salt water or marshes around where I live. This seems to indicate to me that the range of this snake might be greater than supposed, and that it might sometimes live fairly far from water.

I might add that there had been no tropical storms in the area recently at the time to drive the snake from its normal habitat.

After determining what the snake was, I released it in my backyard. The only other snakes I’ve seen on my property in 21 years were several earth snakes in the front flower bed.

I might mention that up on a disc golf course in The Woodlands, I came upon a coral snake that was missing the red coloration, and was totally black with yellow rings. I didn’t learn until about 10 years ago that it had been a local color variation of the coral snake. For about 10 years I wondered about its identity.

David N. Currey Editor: David, that’s a very interesting story. For starters, I would love to see a coral snake like that. And secondly, I don’t hear about a lot of meetings with the Gulf salt marsh snake especially in someone’s backyard.

Thanks for letting us know.



Email your comments to: editor@fishgame.com

Send Your Comments to: Texas Fish & Game 3431 Rayford Rd Suite 200-408 Spring, Texas 77386 editor@fishgame.com

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10/10/21 4:59 PM

EDITOR’S Notes

by CHESTER MOORE :: TF&G Editor-in-Chief

Aim Small, Miss Small “Aim small, miss small.”

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HOSE WORDS UTTERED BY Benjamin Martin, played by the brilliant Mel Gibson in 2000’s The Patriot had an impact.

In the film, Martin is telling his sons, they need to focus their aim on something small on the British soldiers if they hope to be successful and rescue their brother.

It’s a sad, but powerful scene and one that would never get into a mainstream Hollywood film during this era. For starters, it paints America in a good light, and that’s not allowed anymore— and it shows kids with guns.

The Patriot is one of my favorite movies, and that line has stayed with me over the years.

It adds to the “pick a spot” theory of bowhunting that I learned early on. It aims to stop the archer from shooting at the body, instead of a particular spot on the vitals.

But “aim small, miss small” has many other applications including in the world of wildlife and habitat conservation.

In the September/October issue, I addressed the habitat loss apocalypse we’re facing. I said we would talk about how we can be a solution.

“Aim small, miss small”.

All of us who truly love our natural resources need to pick a cause or two and focus raising our awareness and donations there.

It can be overwhelming to see all of our conservation problems and think your efforts cannot have an impact. This is why many people quit before they ever really get started. My suggestion is to “Aim small, miss small.”

My family is committed to wild sheep conservation, so we started our Sheep Scrapbook Project. The sole aim is to raise awareness of the disease issues facing wild sheep in North America.

Everyone who turns in a photo of a desert PHOTO: LISA MOORE

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bighorn, Rocky Mountain bighorn, Dall or Stone sheep gets a special challenge coin. Then we share the photos at highercallingwildlife.com and post information about disease issues in the state or province where the photo was taken.

Sometimes the disease information comes from those submitting the photos. A Nevada hunter submitted a beautiful photo of a herd of six California bighorns (a subspecies) and said that the whole herd was killed by the state. The reason? They had been exposed to pneumonia from domestic sheep contact. As shocking as that sounds, that’s common practice in sheep country.

By starting this project, we have been able to get media coverage, raise awareness of the issue among hunters outside of the quite small sheep hunting world and we hope, help wild sheep.

Maybe you don’t want to start a conservation project, but you can donate to one. PIck a specific project of a conservation group you respect.

Many will have specific projects that need help.

Remember, funds donated to them have to be legally earmarked for that project.

It can be quite gratifying to know you helped create new oyster habitat on the Texas coast. Or stop native grasslands crucial to waterfowl nesting from going under the plow.

Something as simple as buying a duck stamp can do just that. That money goes to waterfowl refuge land acquisition and much of it is in the prairie pothole region. Also, there’s no limit on how many stamps you can buy.

Buy one each for your whole family and everyone at work even if they don’t hunt. It would be a great way to let people know how duck hunters contribute to conservation.

Inquire about conservation groups. Find a project you want to help with and get involved.

It’s a very gratifying feeling to know you are making a difference.

Something else that helps is volunteerism.

Groups such as CCA, the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, The Texas Bighorn Society and others are always looking for volunteers for projects involving habitat and species restoration.

How cool would it be to catch a fish on a piece of coastal habitat you helped restore?

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A new signature look for 2022

we don’t do it, then we have no excuse for losing it down the line. Everyone needs some skin in the game.

Hunting doesn’t make you a conservationist and fishing doesn’t qualify you as a fisheries advocate. However, being proactive for the sake of our resources does. Now is a great time to get in the fight.

For the last nine years I have been wearing a zebra bandana. I did it for branding purposes for a television project I was involved in. Also, it represents some important things to me—one of my favorite scriptures Isaiah 53:5, and my wife’s love of zebras.

But as I enter year 10, I am changing it to camouflage. It will represent the increasing spiritual and mental battle we face in a world gone mad—and an enhanced commitment to habitat conservation.

Putting it on will remind me that the mule deer I love need a place to roam. It also reminds me that redfish, bonefish and tarpon need quality seagrass flats. It’s just a little thing, but is another example of “aim small, miss small.”

I commit to hitting the target of more conservation action and that means paying attention to the little details that pay big dividends down the line. Stay inspired and keep wildfire, fisheries and habitat on your minds going into 2022.

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PIKE on the Edge

by DOUG PIKE :: TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

Hooking Up Can be a Real Pain

day. Before that can happen, though, he’s still got to load his kayak. I’d like to think a couple of guys who saw what happened volunteered to help.

That night and for days more, that hand hurt.

Or—picture the same scenario with someone who had followed my advice holding that rod and working that lure. Then, it would have been a 10-minute mess at best.

First, I’d never have let a bare hand (or leg or any other important body part) get so close to a hooked skipjack. They’re like jackrabbits after a cup of espresso. Had I been in a kayak, that fish never would have crossed over the side and into the boat.

Instead, pliers would have been employed to wiggle that fish off—no matter how many hooks were keeping it from freedom.

For the record, I am in no way knocking the young man in the kayak, neither the lure he threw, nor how he handled that incident. I was his age once, many years ago, so odds are high that I’d have found myself in the same situation.

He’s a fisherman, and I’d guess from the video that he catches more fish than most.

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OR DECADES NOW, I’VE encouraged fishermen to mash flat every barb on every hook on every lure they throw. A video that showed up in my facebook feed this past summer was not the first I’ve seen that fortifies my case, and it won’t be the last.

But it sure was a good one.

Envision a kayak fisherman working his way down a rock jetty and throwing a swimming plug—with two treble hooks—in hope of catching a speckled trout or redfish or Spanish mackerel or whatever.

The rod bends, and this young man’s “whatever” turns out to be a skipjack. It’s doing what skippies do, jumping and flopping and trying its best to break free. When the fish finally comes close, the guy grabs it by the bug-eyed head.

That’s where things take a turn for the worse.

Not just a one-hook-in-the-hand turn, either. This fish, to its credit, managed to bury hooks in both the fisherman’s hands. And he hurts—loudly and colorfully.

Quite fortunately for him, other fishermen on that little rock groin saw his situation and called emergency services to the location.

When the EMTs arrived, they and the fisherman assessed the situation and came up with a plan that included cutting hook shanks and even pushing one hook the rest of the way through the guy’s hand so its shank also could be cut.

Probably at least an hour after he actually felt the strike of that ladyfish, he and the fish and the lure were separated.

So he’s lost an hour of fishing, he’s in considerable pain, and he probably should call it a 6

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GOING BARBLESS

To flatten a hook’s barb, use strong pliers with relatively flat jaws. Squeeze tightly, rolling the barb slightly back and forth. Test the result by sliding a finger back along the shank or hold the hook up and visually inspect your work.

Note that some hooks, especially discount brands and smaller hooks in general, can be brittle. When you squeeze those pliers, wear protective glasses or at least close your eyes and turn away.

Don’t use any sort of power tool to grind away barbs. The friction heats the hook and weakens it.

Go barbless. You won’t regret it.

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He just made a mistake, one he’s unlikely to make again.

Education can be painful sometimes. Ask anyone who fell headlong in love with the wrong person and got their heart broken—or got a hook in the hand.

Those lessons hurt, but they also stick. The next time a similar situation arises, the memory of that pain jumps up and waves its arms, doing all it can to keep you from making the same mistake twice.

I was fortunate enough (already thousands of fish into however many I’ve caught now) to bury my first hook into my hand on a private bass lake that mandated barbless hooks. As I grabbed the lip of a two-pound bass, it twisted and planted one of the rear hooks of a Pop-R into the meaty part of my thumb.

My grip on that fish tightened, and my mind raced. Push it through? Go to the dock and see whether anyone can convince me they’re good at that “yank the string” method?

No! No! —barbless hook!

I set down my rod and slid the hook straight back out the hole it made on the way in. Then I unhooked and released the fish, squeezed my thumb twice to get the poison out—I don’t really know why I do that, but I do—and got right back to fishing.

If you didn’t know, barbs on hooks actually were put there to keep live bait where it belongs, not to keep fish on the line. In some cases, but not many, barbs actually can cause anglers to lose hooked fish.

Once you make the switch, you’ll discover quickly how few fish manage to shake off a tight line. That goes for all fish, too, even the jumpers.

Barbless hooks also can save a trip to the ER with kids or seniors who definitely would need to be seen by a medical professional for removal of a barbed hook.

No barb—no trip to the emergency room.

Just a quick extraction, a sigh of relief, and more fishing.

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Email Doug Pike at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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O.H. Ivie is Primed to be the Best Big Bass Producer of 2022 8

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story by MATT WILLIAMS

’VE NEVER BEEN MUCH of a gambler. If I were, I’m thinking it would be a pretty safe bet to put some chips on Lake O.H. Ivie as the happiest of all hunting grounds for hauling in a big Texas bass in 2022. Maybe the entire country.

That’s not a hunch based on tackle

PHOTO: KWANZA/ADOBE

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shop chatter. It’s a hot tip gleaned from inside sources such as Joe McKay, Josh Jones and more than three dozen other fishermen. These anglers have reeled in Ivie whoppers documented by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Toyota ShareLunker program over the last 10 months.

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the reservoir has had a really hot hand for kicking out big bites and enormous bass in 2021.

In fact, while much of Texas was still reeling from the winter freeze that crippled the state’s power grid, Ivie maintained its story book reputation as a lake where fairy tales sometimes come true. |

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For those who may not have heard, the bite was literally insane out west last spring.

Between February 19 and March 27, the 19,000-acre fishery cranked out 12 legacy class Toyota ShareLunkers. This included six 13 pounders, four 14 pounders, a 15 pounder and a 16.40 pounder.

This fish was caught by McKay on February 19. McKay’s fish ranks as the sixteenth heaviest Texas largemouth of all-time.

It was also the biggest bass reported statewide since February 1999.

Zane Roche of Salado caught this Legend Class ShareLunker July 23, 2021 on O.H. Ivie. The bass weighed 13.27 pounds and measured 26 inches in length.

McKay was fishing with YouTuber Ben Milliken on the heels of the record-breaking freeze. That’s when they enjoyed an epic day of fishing. This spurred a social media frenzy and a blitz of fishing pressure on the remote West Texas reservoir.

Together, the two men boated multiple bass topping 10 pounds, including a pair of 12 pounders to go with the 16 pounder. The big bass anchored what is being touted as the heaviest five-fish, single-day catch ever documented on camera on a public lake — 60 pounds!

Jones is another popular YouTuber who experienced big bass nirvana at Ivie. The Oklahoma fishing guide showed up at the lake on February 21 hoping to catch the fish of a lifetime. He wound up reeling in an army of lunkers in just eight days, including a pair of Legacy Lunkers weighing 13.20 pounds and 15.40 pounds. On Febtuary 22, Jones reported that he boated five bass weighing a total of about 51 pounds.

The madness didn’t end there.

Through September 1, 43 Ivie bass (minus the 12 Legacy entries) had been reported to the ShareLunker program, 13 more than any other Texas lake. Among them were seven 10

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eight pounders, 10 nine pounders, five 10 pounders, three 11 pounders, four 12 pounders, one 13 pounder and one 14 pounder.

David Guajardo had a ringside seat to the beatdown. Guajardo owns Elm Creek RV and Campgrounds near Voss, a lakeside big bass hub where many of the lucky anglers brought their fish to be weighed.

“It was pretty incredible to watch it all unfold,” Guajardo said. “In February we went from seeing just a handful of boats each day to well over 300. We’ve had people coming from all over the country to fish this year.”

But not all of them have reported their lunkers. Guajardo said he knows of at least a dozen fish over eight pounds caught and released in July and August that were not entered in ShareLunker.

“What’s exciting is that most of the big fish caught this year went right back in the lake,” he said. “It’s going to be really interesting see what’s caught this year. There are some giants out there.”

Perhaps no one is more stoked about the 2022 fishing prospects than Lynn Wright of San Angelo. Wright is the fisheries biologist who rides shotgun over Ivie for the Texas PHOTO: TPWD

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Parks and Wildlife Department.

Wright says 2021 wasn’t the lake’s first big bass rodeo. Based on the 31-year-old reservoir’s rich history of producing whoppers, he says it won’t be a surprise if another flurry of double-digit fish surface this spring.

“Will it do what it did last year?” Wright said. “That remains to be seen, but I think there is a great possibility it will continue to produce some really nice fish over the next few years.”

To date, ‘Ivie has kicked out 38 Legacy Class ShareLunkers, including a pair of 16 pounders. It’s best run prior to the 2021 boom came in 2010, when it produced 11 bass ranging between 13.03 and 16.08 pounds. The lake followed up with seven entries in 2011 and two in 2012 but wasn’t heard from again until 2020 when it produced a single entry.

Wright says the two spikes in big bass activity came on the heels of “trophic upsurge,” a fancy phrase fisheries biologists sometimes use to describe what happens when a reservoir catches a significant amount of water after a long drought.

During extended periods of low water,

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large expanses of the lake bed normally covered by water are exposed to direct sunlight.

This spurs the growth of all sorts of terrestrial vegetation native to the landscape.

Like liquid fertilizer, rich nutrients fill the lake when rising water levels rise and the plant life begins to decay. This promotes a boom in plankton growth, benefitting everything from forage species to game fish such as bass, catfish and crappie.

The jungle of flooded cover also provides juvenile fish good places to hide from predators. This usually results in high recruitment among one, or more year classes of fish. This ultimately leads to banner fishing several years down the road as they mature. Also known also known as the “new lake effect,” trophic upsurge can make a tired or old fishery seem new again.

Ivie has benefitted from trophic upsurge multiple times over the years. It is riding one those highs right now, thanks to big rains in 2018 and 2019 that resulted in a 30-foot rise on the heels of a multi-year drought.

The lake expanded from about 4,500 surface acres to 15,000 surface acres in short order, flooding thousands of acres of new

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growth mesquites and salt cedars. Thus, a healthy bass population dominated by Florida strain genetics has flourished with a bountiful food supply. The reservoir has since shrunk to about 13,500 acres, 8,000 acres of it comprised of flooded brush.

According to Wright, last spring’s flurry likely goes back to strong year classes of fish produced in 2008 and 2009, when water levels rose about 15 to 17 feet ahead of a decade long drought.

“That would correlate pretty well with those fish seen last spring being 10 to 12 years old, Wright said. “There were still plenty of 8 to 10 pounders in the lake when we got the big rise in 2018 and 2019. Those fish have had the run of the place with an unlimited food supply. It just took them a few years to get over the 13-pound mark. I expect we will see more of those this year.”

How many is anybody’s guess, but one thing is for certain. Anglers looking for big bite this spring can’t go wrong heading west.

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THE GENERAL WHITETAIL DEER SEASON IS UPON US. That means Texas, the state with the largest whitetail population and the largest number of deer hunters is abuzz with activity.

Normally, our feature this time of year would talk about deer forecasts and strategies. Our columnists are providing some of that and our e-newsletter via fishgame.com is giving weekly whitetail updates.

This year we need to address some whitetail deer health issues you could encounter in the field.

For starters, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) officials received confirmation of anthrax in a captive white-tailed deer herd on a Val Verde County premises on July 11, 2021.

This is the first anthrax case in Texas this year according to TAHC officials and at the time of this writing no other reports were filed.

The premises is located in the south central portion of the county, north of Comstock, and has been quarantined. TAHC rules require proper disposal of affected carcasses on the premises prior to release of the quarantine.

“The TAHC will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide updates as needed,” said Dr. Andy Schwartz, TAHC State Veterinarian and Executive Director.

An outbreak of anthrax caused quite a bit of damage to whitetails in Southwest Texas over the last few years.

“Producers are encouraged to remain vigilant and consult with their local veterinary practitioner if they suspect their animals are exposed to anthrax or are interested in vaccinating their livestock.” Anthrax is a bacterial dis Whitetail herds from the Pineywoods to the ease caused by Bacillus anthracis, which Panhandle and down to is a naturally occurring organism with Mexico are healthy, but there are things that worldwide distribution, including certain concern us on the parts of Texas. disease front.

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found in portions of Crockett, Val Verde, Sutton, Edwards, Kinney and Maverick counties according to TAHC officials.

“An effective vaccine for livestock is available and is commonly used in areas that are prone to have anthrax. To be effective, the vaccine must be used before the animal is exposed to the bacteria.”

Owners of livestock and animals displaying symptoms consistent with anthrax or hunters experiencing death of animals on their leases should contact a TAHC official immediately.

There is no approved vaccine for deer.

And speaking of vaccines, COVID-19 has been found in wild deer.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) announced confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in wild white-tailed deer in Ohio.

“These are the first deer confirmed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide, although earlier studies have shown both that deer can be experimentally infected with the virus and that some wild deer had antibodies to the virus,” USDA officials reported.

Researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) analyzed blood samples from more than 600 deer in Michigan, Illinois, New York, and Pennsylvania over the past decade, and they discovered that 152 wild deer, 40 percent of the deer tested from January through March 2021, had antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Another three deer from January 2020 also had antibodies.

Similar stories have also been posted in The Smithsonian and Science.

One of the most interesting looks comes from Jürgen Richt, DVM, PhD, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University.

Richt was involved directly with the study and wrote a guest post for USDA.gov.

“The “Investigation of Sars-Cov-2 Susceptibility in Ruminants and the Development of Diagnostic Tools” project, funded with a $350,000 grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, is exploring the risk that SARS-CoV-2 poses to deer, and ultimately to develop tools to protect the health and security of livestock and humans.”

“This project’s first stage according to Richut was to determine whether deer cells 14

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This deer has obvious signs of Chronic Wasting Disease. The disease itself is controversial in Texas with some believing its danger is blown of out proportion while others are highly concerned. One thing is for sure. It’s fatal to deer that get it.

can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 and if white tail deer can become infected and transmit SARS-CoV-2. This would reveal critical information for decision-makers in the quest to develop and implement proper mitigation and control measures.”

The team discovered that in white tail deer and mule deer primary lung cells are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

“The researchers then explored SARSCoV-2 transmission in infected white tail deer. Results concluded that adult white tail deer are susceptible to the virus and can transmit SARS-CoV-2 to uninfected whitetail deer. The final step of the project, currently underway, is to develop diagnostic tools to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection in deer.”

What this means for hunters is unclear but there have been no warnings posted by government officials as it relates to deer transmission to humans.

It is an issue we will be covering in our e-newsletter and posting on our social media.

And we can’t cover deer disease without mentioning Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

Hunters who harvest mule deer, whitetailed deer, elk, red deer, or other CWD susceptible species within the Trans-Pecos, Panhandle, and South-Central Texas CWD Containment and Surveillance Zones are REQUIRED to bring their animals to a TPWD check station within 48 hours of harvest. |

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TPWD urges voluntary sampling of hunter harvested deer outside of the CWD zones.

Hunters interested in providing voluntary samples can contact their local TPWD biologist or bring their animals to any of the check stations located around the state. If bringing a quartered animal and the associated head to a check station, be sure to remove the head from the carcass 2 to 3 vertebrae below the head to ensure that the appropriate tissues for CWD testing are not damaged. Hunters should keep heads cool but not frozen. Rules also impose restriction of permitted live-deer movements to and from CWD zones. The rules are part of the state’s comprehensive CWD management plan to contain the disease to the areas where it is known to exist.

Hunters are encouraged to report any “sick looking” deer, elk, or other CWD susceptible species while hunting in any CWD zone to TPWD. Contact information for the CWD zone check stations is found within the CWD section of the current Outdoor Annual and associated smart device application.

To report a “sick looking” deer outside of a CWD zone, contact a TPWD wildlife biologist or Texas Game Warden.

To get information on exact counties where restrictions apply and much more on CWD visit https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/

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Bare Bones HUNTING

by LOU MARULLO :: TF&G Hunting Editor

Hiding in Plain Scent

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INALLY—FINALLY, IT’S HERE! After all those months of dreaming about that big buck you’ll take this fall, it’s time to make those dreams a reality—at least that’s the plan.

With so much to do to prepare for the season, I can only hope that you have already done your due diligence. Stands should already be in place, keeping in mind the prevailing winds in your area.

If that wind does not blow in your face, you might have a problem. If you haven’t already made a pathway to your stand to keep the wind in your face, you might have a problem. If you haven’t already scouted out what food sources are available to the whitetails in your area (remembering to keep your scent down to a minimum), you might have a problem.

You might have already guessed what I am talking about. —it’s scent control.

I cannot stress enough how important scent control is when you hunt deer. Hunting with a rifle, it’s hard enough to hide from that whitetail nose. Hunting with a bow, it’s super hard to stay undetected from that deer. But the way I look at it, if it were easy, everyone would just do it.

In my audio book String Theory for Bowhunting, I talk about scent control in detail. Let me just give you a few facts. A human nose carries about 5 million olfactory receptors. Sounds like a lot, doesn’t it?

Consider a dog. A canine has about 220 million scent receptors. That explains why police use dogs regularly to sniff out whatever the police are looking for. Now Let’s talk about a deer for a minute. A whitetail has

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at all.

I just sat there and smiled. Wow! I found something that really hides my scent.

Now, I am not sure whether it was just the product or a combination of all I did to control my scent. All I know is I never hunt without my Ozonics unit.

The company also has a garment bag that you can put your hunting clothes in and start the unit up. It activates ozone on your clothes. I love it!

The Ozonics people even came up with another product that I will use this season.

It is a mini unit that plugs into the cigarette lighter receptacle in your truck. You cannot use it while you are in the vehicle, but I use it the night before I leave to clear out any unwanted scents that might be lingering in the truck. Pretty cool!

One more thing I wanted to bring up. If you haven’t already decided how to get to and from your stands, grab a rake and some clippers to make an easy, quiet path to your stand. Use the clippers to keep any brush or tree limbs from rubbing against your pants. That will help to keep your scent undetected.

If you really want to go a little crazy, then rake away any leaves or sticks that might give you away. You want to be as quiet as possible.

Sneak in and sneak out.

Hey! Hunting season is finally here, and it is time for you get that big boy you saw on those field cameras. If you go that extra mile and keep your scent down, your chances of success are much greater. Good luck to all this year.

Have fun and hunt safe.

about 297 million scent receptors. How can we hide from that?

You must respect the nose of a whitetail deer if you want to be successful in the field.

A deer can smell danger from several hundred yards away. If the conditions are perfect, he can smell you from up to a half mile away.

Now that is just crazy!

This brings me to my morning routine if I plan on hunting that day. Many who know me think I am crazy when it comes to scent control.

I already have washed my hunting clothes in a scent-free soap and have dried them with earth scent dryer sheets. (The wife loves that.) I keep those clothes in a clean plastic bin that is kept in my truck until I arrive at my hunting location.

I shower with a scent-free soap, and I do not change into my hunting clothes until just before I head into the woods. I spray my boots and hat with a scent neutralizer, and again once I get to my stand.

Many companies advertise that their product reduces human scent up to 99 percent. Hmmm, I’m not sure whether that really works, but I think it does, and I use it.

I use Wildlife Research Center products and have for years. Hey, it can’t hurt!

One product that I swear by is Ozonics.

That is one product that really does hide your human scent. I decided one day to give my Ozonics unit a test run early in deer season.

I picked a tree stand that was absolutely horrible for wind direction. The wind was blowing directly behind me into a clover field.

It was not too long before I saw three does come out into the field. I just sat there and waited for them to pick up my scent.

Every once in a while, one by one they would raise their noses and go right back to eating.

I think they smelled something, but did not distinguish it as a danger to them. In any event, the human element seemed to have vanished.

All were well within bow range. One actually walked directly under my stand and never knew I was there. Soon after that, a buck entered the field and never smelled me F I S H

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 Email Lou Marullo at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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10 GREAT IDEAS FOR KAYAK ACCESSORIES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

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AYBE YOUR LOVED one owns a kayak or maybe you have one of your own — either way, the holidays are a prime opportunity for giftgiving and gift-getting that could make that kayak even better.

Although many of today’s kayaks come well equipped, half the fun of owning a kayak is rigging it up for casting, trolling, and catching in the ways you most enjoy.

Plus, kayaks may seem like small, simple fishing machines, but in fact, PHOTO: LENNY RUDOW

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they can be uber-jazzed with bells and whistles ranging from pole anchors to propulsion systems.

Which options, gadgets, and goodies are the best? That depends on your own personal way of kayaking and fishing. That said, at least a few of these top 10 picks are sure to be on every kayak owner’s short-list: 1. ELECTRIC PROPULSION: Whether you’re looking at Torqeedo’s Ultralight Outboard Motors, a Motorguide Xi3 Kayak, or another F I S H

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Dumb Stick

and can also expand your choice of launch spots by making short hikes possible.

Note: strap-ons that spread the load across the structure of the kayak tend to be better options for long-distance hauling than wheel systems that fit into scupper holes, as these can stress the plastic.

option, motorizing your fishing kayak is probably the ultimate upgrade. It’ll allow you to go farther, faster, and explore waters that until now have been out of range.

2. LiFePO4 POWER: The latest lithium iron phosphate batteries are half the weight and hold twice the power of a standard-issue 12-volt lead-acid battery. Plus, they’re far safer than early versions of lithium batteries. Whether you’re powering a propulsion system, or you need the juice for accessories such as lights and fishfinders, a LiFePO4 system is the latest and greatest.

6. DUMB STICK OR SMART STICK: Yes, you read that right: there’s a Dumb Stick for kayaks, and a Smart Stick as well. Both serve the same purpose, which is allowing

you to hitch your kayak (rigged with the aforementioned wheels or carts) to your bicycle. Then you can pedal your way to nearby ramps and soft launches.

7. POLE ANCHOR: A pole anchor lets you “stake out” your kayak in a static position, so you can cast without blowing around or drifting in the current. There are plenty of manual options, but if you want to go whole hog, get one of the auto-deploying models from the likes of Power Pole (the Micro).

3. A TRACK SYSTEM: If your kayak doesn’t already have a track system installed, adding one will allow you to mount everything from rodholders to cupholders. There are a number of excellent choices on the market, such as those made by YakAttack, Railblaza, RAM, and YakGear. When choosing one, just be aware of the fact that these usually aren’t interchangeable between brands so you’ll have to choose one (make sure the manufacturer produces all the accessories you’ll want) and stick with it.

4. RODHOLDERS: More Rodholders.

If one thing is for sure, you can never have too many rodholders. Adding some forward of the cockpit will allow you to troll while watching the rod tips for strikes. Adding more aft will increase your rod-hauling capacity.

5. WHEELS AND CARTS: Wheel and/ or cart systems will make it much easier to get your kayak from the vehicle to the water, 18

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waiting for—a fishfinder is second to none when it comes to locating those finned critters.

If you do have one already, we have to ask—does it have side-scanning abilities?

Are the detail levels up to snuff? Does it have chartplotting abilities? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, maybe it’s time for an upgrade.

Then you’ll be able to stake out in place with the press of the button on a key fob remote.

8. FOAM DECKING: Adding foam decking like SeaDek or ShipsDek will make your kayak look great—you can choose just about any color combo or customize with a camo finish—but more importantly, it provides padding for standing or kneeling, creates a non-slip surface, and provides a sound-absorbing barrier that helps prevent fish-spooking noises such as dropped tools or sliding tackleboxes.

Note for sponsored yak anglers and YouTubers: if you have a logo or graphics in a digital format, the companies that make and/or install foam padding can usually have the graphic computer-routered right into the foam, for the ultimate in customization.

9. LIVEWELLS: Most kayak anglers haul a bait bucket, but that simply doesn’t cut it for large live baits or large numbers of baits. Plenty of livewells are designed for use on kayaks, however. Some are made by the kayak manufacturer specifically to fit on certain models (such as Hobie’s Livewell V2,

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Bait station

which locks into the cargo deck scuppers of rigid Hobia kayaks). Also, more universal models are on the market (such as Frabill’s Bait Station line), which can be strapped into place on just about any kayak.

10. FISHFINDERS: If you’re a serious angler we’re guessing you have one installed already. But if not, we wonder what you’re

BONUS GOODIE: You have a lot of time and money invested in that kayak, so protect it from the weather and UV damage.

Fitted covers are available for just about any size kayak and will extend the lifetime of rotomolded polyethylene by years, so if you don’t already have a kayak cover make this one a priority.

Which of these kayak-enhancing accouterments will be the best pick for you or your loved one, come Christmas? That’s your call, not ours. But one thing is for sure. Any and all of these options will be appreciated by every paddling or pedaling angler on the water.

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PHOTOS: ADOBE; MATZUO AMERICA; CHESTER MOORE

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ASS FISHING IS NOT JUST A SPORT. IT’S an art. Largemouth bass can be extremely abundant in a lake and yet a highly-skilled angler can fish all day without getting a bite.

It is because these fish are extremely sensitive to fishing pressure, barometric pressure and other conditions in their environment. And while we can’t do anything about weather, we can work around the human pressure issue.

Ever wonder why a new style of lure or type of rigging is all of a sudden red hot around the country?

It’s because occasionally anglers tap into something the bass have not seen yet and it gives enough of an edge to make a splash in the fishing world. We have found a brand that does just that.

Matzuo America has its origins in Japan where the artistic side of bass fishing collides with the practical to create some special tackle offerings. We have discovered some unique lures and riggings that could change the game for bass fishing along with some great and affordable rod and reel combos and line.

HONSHU RIG Are you looking for a way to rig your soft plastics that most Texas bass have not seen? Are standard rigs for bass positioned near the bottom not getting it done.

This could be the solution.

The Matzuo Honshu rig is a technical rigging tool built to position a plastic just off the bottom. The Honshu features a unique clacker system that is completely new to the market.

These rigs are pre-weighted out of the package and come in ¼, ½ and full one-ounce weights and are available with either a 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 or 4/0 – EWG hook.

This rig allows you to hop, crawl, drag or even slow troll and with the addition of the clacker bead you can not only cue in on Honshu Rig the bass’s visual predatory instincts but draw reaction strikes to sound as well. They are an excellent alternative to drop shot rigs and jigs.

Honshu rigs are especially deadly whenever bass are positioned near the bottom. Depending on what plastic you pair the Honshu Rig with – you can drag, hop, or slowly retrieve your rig by any hungry fish, and they will surely find it hard to resist!

Rig this with a crawfish or creature bait pattern and hold on tight!

INSET: Calcutta’s Squall Tactical Tackle Backpack is perfect for hiking into the backcountry and fishing areas seen by few anglers.

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NED STYLE RIGS These ready-to-cast-out-of-the-package finesse rigs are good for everything from largemouth and smallmouth to crappie.

They come weedless and are excellent for fishing hydrilla-infested lakes where some of Texas’ biggest bass dwell.

is great for working those shallow to middepths.

And think about it. How many other anglers have worked a crankbait this size through the area?

That alone makes it worth a try.

The Dorgan Minnow is a hard plastic, jointed swimbait with super-lifelike action.

The lure swims with impressive action and swims at rest giving anglers the option of a “swim and sink” action which is especially effective when you can see wary trophy bass following the lure but not quite committing.

Doragon by the way means “dragon” in Japanese and while these lures don’t spit fire, they will certainly entice monster-sized bass on lakes like O.H. Ivie, Fork and Sam Rayburn.

Ned Style Rigs have herky-jerky action that is perfect for finesse fishing.

These come in a four pack and the worms are three inches long and are easy to fish. Simply cast, let sink and work back to the boat.

IKARI Lipless crankbaits are standard edition bass fishing gear across Texas, but you probably haven’t

KROAKER FROG Who doesn’t like frog fishing?

There may not be a more exciting style of bass fishing than chunk a frog imitation

Lipless Ikari

seen one quite like the Ikari. Coming with super ornate designs with colors like Fire Craw, Giz Shad, Green Craw, Red Craw, Rusty Craw and Chrome Blue, their shape is a little different than anything else out there.

The lure has loud, resonating steel rattles to draw those reaction strikes, slowly sinks in parallel wobbling motion and is balanced for great action at all retrieve speeds.

The Matzuo Kroaker Frog has great action and is perfect for fishing over weeds where huge bass dwell on Texas trophy fisheries.

NANO CRANK Whether you’re seeking slab crappie or trying to get a big largemouth to bite when the barometer is high and the bite is tough,

over pads and thick grass. The Kroaker Frog features a unique cupped mouth that spots a large plume of water when popped.

It also features multi-strand legs and a dual weedless black nickel Matzuo hook.

DORAGON MINNOW This one definitely falls into the category of art meeting performance fishing. This swimbait has a five section body with four joints for super realistic swimming action.

The finish is stunning and is as lifelike as anything on the market.

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Red Series Finesse Combo

options in the rod and reel department.

The Matzuo Red Series Light Finesse combos come in two actions: the 5’, 5’6”, and 6‘ ultralight and the 6’6” and 7 foot light action.

These combos feature a premium, five ball bearing graphite reel that it’s paired with a high quality, high modulus IM6 rod that’s thin enough and light enough to feel the most sensitive of bites but at the same time strong enough with enough backbone to fight your larger fish.

MATZUO BRAIDED LINE This braided line comes with superior strength in low-vis green and floats at rest.

It comes in 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 65-pound options.

Since braid has no stretch it is crucial for helping anglers feel soft bites and also powering lunker largemouth out of heavy grass and cover.

Bass fishermen take their time on the Matzuo Braided Line water seriously. And for those who want to try something a little different and maybe start the new lure or technique trend in Texas, Matzuo has the goods.

Check out all of this great fishing gear at calcuttaoutdoors.com.

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PHOTOS: TF&G; MATZUO AMERICA

10/11/21 9:21 AM

Texas BOATING

by LENNY RUDOW :: TF&G Boating Editor

Buying a Used Fishing Boat: Five Critical Tips

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ITH THE PRICES OF boats going through the roof thanks to increased demand, supply chain issues, and raw material cost increases, the idea of buying a used boat is sounding better and better.

On top of that a flood of new boaters has entered the market, so it’s easy to predict there will probably be a lot of previously owned boats for sale. That means the prices of used boats are likely to take a dip at some point in the relatively near future and upgrading could be a good move. “Could be” is the key phrase here. Buying a boat is always a big investment, and buying one used always involves some level of risk. The best way to mitigate that risk is to simply scrub the whole idea and buy a new boat in the first place.

However, if you can’t resist the temptation of getting more boat for less buck, you at least want to make sure you minimize that risk, these five used boat buying tips will help: • Do a compression check on the engine, or if you’re not mechanically handy, take it to a professional and have them perform one. A compression check is sort of like running an EKG on a person’s heart in that it’ll give you an indication of basic health levels. It won’t give you a complete report on all aspects of the engine’s health by a longshot, but it will expose major basic issues with the pistons, rings, and cylinders.

If a compression check goes well, you at least know the fundamentals are likely to be solid.

Performing a compression check is fairly simple, but note that different makes and models can be more or less complex to address depending on whether they have EFI or not, are computer-controlled, and the type of ignition system.

That said, the basic principle remains the same: After warming up the engine then shutting it down, pull the kill switch and the spark plugs so the engine can’t inadvertently start. Screw a compression gauge into the first cylinder and crank the engine until the gauge’s needle stops advancing. Note the results and repeat the process with the other cylinders. If the results from all the cylinders aren’t within about 10 psi of each other or if they’re outside the manufacturer’s specs, beware.

• Flip every switch, activate every system, and turn on every light. Don’t assume anything on a used boat actually works until you’ve tested it for yourself. This includes automatic switches on things like bilge pumps.

Reach into the bilge, pull up the float switch manually, and listen for the hum. More often than you’d think, as you poke through a used boat and start flipping switches, you’ll discover a dead washdown pump, light, or electronic accessory.

This isn’t necessarily a deal-killer since all this stuff can be fixed, but you need to know just how much money you’ll have to sink into the boat to get it back into tip-top shape. Plus, if you discover a number of items that are failing it gives you some valuable insight into just how well the boat has been maintained through the years.

• Be sure to account for the cost of new vinyl and canvas. The soft goods on a boat commonly deteriorate quickly and are something many used boat buyers replace.

However, the price to have this done has, like so many other things, gone through the roof in recent times. If you’ll be replacing seat cushions, Bimini top canvas, and similar items, have the job priced ahead of time and figure the cost into your calculations. Otherwise, you could end up getting a nasty surprise.

• If the boat was built with any plywood materials (especially in the deck, stringers, or transom) check for soundness and check them with a moisture meter. Most builders have moved away from using wood, but a surprising number still do.

Although many use marine treated plywood (which may even come with a lifetime guarantee), anomalies still arise in the rot department. On top of that, if you’re looking at a boat with a decade or more of age on it you don’t know what sort of repairs have already been made, which may or may not have included the use of plywood.

BONUS TIP: Never, ever, ever buy a boat without first going on a sea trial. Out on the water you’ll learn far more about the boat than you ever will on land. The longer the sea trial, the better. Make sure you try running the boat into, with, and beam-to the seas to get a feel for how it will handle in different conditions.

Finally, remember there’s only one surefire way to avoid the pitfalls of buying a used boat: buy a new one, instead.

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Email Lenny Rudow at ContactUs@fishgame.com

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to failure. We do, after all, regularly dunk them into the water. Used trailers with failing lights are about as common as, well, used trailers.

Although fixing the light system on a trailer isn’t a big deal, bearing issues, corrosion issues, dry-rotted tires, bent axles, and other major (read: costly to fix) issues are. Unless you’re very familiar with boat trailers or are a mechanic yourself, it’s always a good idea to get the rig inspected by a pro before writing out a check.

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Texas TACTICAL

by DUSTIN ELLERMANN :: TF&G Contributing Editor

The Sound of Silence

completely remove the eight baffles for servicing. Further, it has a long and short option.

Suppressors can add several inches to the end of your rifle barrel. That extra length can be cumbersome in a hunting blind or while tracking hogs through brush.

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EXAS SURPASSES ALL other states in firearms suppressor ownership by leaps and bounds.

If you haven’t shot a firearm with a suppressor, you don’t know what you are missing. It makes shooting so much more pleasant, as well as polite.

We noticed that running suppressors at our youth Marksmanship Camp allowed students to perform better in the sport because they weren’t startled by the rifle firing.

It is ridiculous that suppressors are so heavily regulated. However, Silencer Central helps you wade through those government infringements with a complete turnkey process.

Silencer Central actually ships your suppressor to your door once all the paperwork is approved. Not only that, but they offer an in-house barrel threading service and even include a trust with your silencer purchase.

For those who haven’t fought through the red tape of suppressor ownership, purchasing a suppressor with a legal NFA trust has benefits for a suppressor to be shared among friends as well as passing it on to family members without having to go through the transfer process again for the same silencer.

Silencer Central also offers their own brand—Banish. With models in .22, .223, .30, and .45 they offer most anything you would need to quiet your arsenal. I tested the Banish 30 recently and it’s an impressive multi-caliber package.

Most centerfire rifle suppressors on the market are constructed on a sealed tube with limited options. However, the Banish 30 is end-user configurable and serviceable. With a competitor’s sealed suppressor, you would never want to send any large volume of dirty rimfire ammo through the silencer because you cannot clean it.

However, the Banish 30 allows you to

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ity of the suppressor itself.

The Banish 30 was easy to disassemble after taking to the range, and the owner’s manual recommends cleaning after every 50 to 100 rounds. I tend to shoot a bit more than that, so that’s probably why they also offer a

The Banish 30’s modularity allows the end user to reconfigure the tube to long or short mode as desired. It also allows for easy cleaning, which means you can feel free to fire dirty low-pressure calibers through it.

The Banish has a compact mode that allows you to reduce the overall length by removing the forward end of the tube to take off two inches, therefore lightening it by three ounces. Pretty impressive considering the titanium construction only weighs 13 ounces in the first place.

I tested the Banish 30 on a longer barreled .308 Savage rifle, and I couldn’t tell much difference in the performance in short mode, so I would likely keep it short. However, I’m sure it does help—more so on shorter barrels. In that case, an extra two inches wouldn’t be as noticeable as on my 24-inch barrel test rifle.

The reason I chose the Banish 30 over the .223 version is that with a small thread adapter I can use it on my AR15 as well. I tested it on my 16-inch, 5.56mm Faxon build and noticed it to be just as quiet as my other suppressor with limited blowback due to the larger capac|

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baffle removal tool in case baffles seize up for folks like me.

The Silencer Central Banish line ranges from $535 for the smaller .22 can to $1,699 for the Banish 30 Gold QD model. And remember - due to the ATF processing time, the best time to start your suppressor purchase was 12 months ago. So let Silencer Central start you on your transfer right away at silencercentral.com

 Email Dustin Ellermann at ContactUs@fishgame.com

PHOTO: DUSTIN ELLERMAN

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: TF&G

10/21/21 5:02 PM

HE HOLIDAY SEASON IS UPON US, with Christmas being the crown jewel in a special time of gratitude, blessing, and new beginnings.

Picking Christmas gifts for outdoors lovers isn’t always easy as it often seems the outdoors lovers in our lives have everything they need for fishing, hunting, and camping. But we have put together a list of Christmas-related outdoors items that will thrill even the most spoiled outdoors lover.

Since Thanksgiving is up first, let’s start with the harvest.

Getting fish and game from field to freezer and eventually to the grill isn’t always easy. The following are some items that should help.

FISH & GAME 26  THE HOLIDAY BUYING GUIDE

Compiled by TF&G Staff

& GAME 36  FISH FORECAST CENTER

DEER/BIG GAME TRANSPORTS: Shooting a deer, hog, or exotic is an exciting event, but they are often in remote, inhospitable places, which makes getting them out a serious challenge.

Hunters need to transport the animal and hoist it into a tree to do the field dressing.

Major outdoors retailers are all stocked with sleds, hoists, gambrels, and even woods-friendly wagons to help get your game back home. Even the big box general retailers usually have a hoist of some kind or other device for helping hang game, and no big-game hunter will be disappointed when they see such a practical and energy-saving gift from their loved one.

SALTWATER

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

& GAME 48  FISH FORECAST CENTER FRESHWATER

Reported by TF&G Staff

58  SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK Tides and SoLunar Data

KNIVES: Whether you fish or hunt, knives are an essential part of the equation. High-quality fillet knives can do wonders for fishermen who like to fry up slab crappie fillets or grill redfish on the half shell. In general, super cheap blades are that. Super cheap.

So, if you see some at a dollar store or that is

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“I have too many knives,” said no hunter or angler, ever.

⅓ the price of anything else on the shelf, you might want to pass. There are plenty of affordable options for knives, but some are a little too affordable and don’t last like in application.

Electric knives are welcomed by

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anglers who do a lot of fish cleaning. Our advice is if they are cleaning redfish or other thick-scaled fish to get an industrial/commercial electric knife. Reds, in particular, are notorious for wearing out electric knives.

Catfish fans will always appreciate a good pair of catfish skinners. A good pair of skinners, along with a stunning glove and a fillet knife make for a great gift set.

For hunters, skinning knives are appreciated. Make sure and get one with a gut hook to help with the dressing process.

Many major outdoors retailers now sell kits with a knife, cleaver, saws, and other tools needed to get an animal processed.

These are great and often will have items that anglers never thought about using for their hunting endeavors.

SHARPENERS: If you have knives, sharpeners are a necessity. Keeping a knife sharp requires special attention and being able to do it easily with modern, afford-

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SPECIAL able sharpeners is a convenience you can’t afford to skip.

Trying to cut into a game with a knife that’s not adequate for the job will leave you frustrated.

COOLERS: Hunters and fishermen never have too many coolers. There are premium coolers that will keep meat cold for days, soft coolers for backpacking and all kinds of options. Everyone who loves the outdoors thinks a cooler is a cool gift.

MEAT GRINDER: If a hunter can afford processing for their game, that’s great. Processors offer a valuable service, but many can’t afford it, so they do their best on their own.

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A meat grinder is a great gift to help hunters grind most deer, exotic, or hog meat that is best for ground patties or sausage.

VACUUM SEALER: A hunter who kills a couple of deer and a hog during a season will have more meat than they can get in short order. Getting them a vacuum sealer ensures they can have that meat for a long time and allows presenting wild game in a storable, attractive fashion for those less fortunate.

With our world seemingly gone mad and economic issues impacting many, some sealed packs of venison can go a long way to let someone know you care about them.

The right gun, especially for a new or young hunter, is a great gift.

GRILL: Freshy killed, and grilled axis backstrap or bacon-wrapped dove breast is hard to beat.

A grill can be a wonderful gift for the outdoors lover.

If you have the bank to make it happen, pellet-fired grills are all the rage now and can do wonders with wild game geat.

But even a simple grill they can easily haul to the deer lease or campsite allows them to keep everyone at camp fed and utilize their kills and catches while they’re enjoying their time in the great outdoors.

There are plenty of other kinds of gifts outdoors lovers will appreciate. Here are our picks for great stocking stuffers: GUNS: Find a hunter and you will find a gun lover. Today there are gun options for specific species ranging from hog rifles to varmint specials and shotguns tailored for turkeys. If you know what your favorite outdoors lovers likes to pursue, there’s a gun for them out there.

AMMO: If you have a gun, ammo is sort of a necessity, right? And ammunition has been hard to find so anyone who shoots a lot knows the value of ammuniPHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

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SECTION tion. Gifting ammo is guaranteed to put a smile on your loved ones face.

LURES: Fishermen love lures. Setting up a special stocking stuffed with lures for their favorite species is a guaranteed Christmas morning hit.

NETS AND GAFFS: Nets are crucial for fishermen and not only are created equal. There are nets for big fish like bull redfish and nets for stream fishing for trout. And then when it comes to the really big fish a gaff is important and can make the difference between success and failure, particularly on an offshore trip.

TRANSPONDER: You won’t need

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Lures make perfect stocking stuffers for anglers on your list.

this item until you need it. A transponder can send an alert by pushing a button with your GPS coordinates to search and rescue teams in the region. Some even have pre-set texts that can be sent to a specific list of family and friends.

Over the last few years, there have been many hunters, campers, and fishermen go missing, especially on public land out West. This gives the family a sense of peace.

PLIERS AND HOOK REMOVERS: Handling fish can be tricky and an absolutely needed tool is pliers. You simply can’t function on the water without quality pliers. And taking things to the next level, there are special hook removers that can help you save time and maybe save the fish want to release’s life.

HABITAT: This might seem like a strange gift but there are fish habitat enhancers that are great gifts for anglers who have their own ponds. They not only concentrate fish but also give baitfish a place to hide and have many other benefits. Some of these devices are legal on public waters as well but you must check PHOTO: GARY YAMAMOTO CUSTOM BAITS

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LEGGINGS: Wade fishermen fear rays. And a good pair of stingray leggings could save them worry and potential misery and a hospital visit if they get hit by a ray. Snake legging and chaps are also welcome, especially for Texas hunters who spend time in the rattlesnake thickets of South Texas and the cottonmouthcovered swamps of East Texas.

BACKPACK: A good backpack is a lifeline for deep woods hunters as well as anglers who take off on foot into our river and stream systems. Many waterproof editions are available that are great for every-

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thing from duck hunting to hiking into the backcountry to fish for Guadalupe bass in Texas, or trout in neighboring states.

TIME: The most valuable thing you can give a person is your time. If you don’t know what to get your favorite outdoors lover or don’t have the cash to purchase these items, set up some time to go fishing with them or set up a camping trip on public land.

While these gifts are great, the true spirit of Christmas is best shown in sacrificial acts of kindness, and there’s no better place to do that than in the great outdoors.

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Ready or Not, Fall and Winter are Upon Us years due to flooding and runoff.

Flooding or no flooding, runoff or no runoff, one thing we can always count on in November/December is some of the best redfishing on the entire coast. Even if Old Man Winter decides to show up for a while there is no need for alarm because the redfish bite should keep going strong. It should even become a little more consistent as we get closer to the end of the year.

This is something we have always looked forward to. The east bank of Sabine Lake will produce lots of reds during these months, but it should still pale in comparison to the hot action in the cold bayou water.

Reds will definitely be cruising the shoreline of Sabine Lake looking for an easy meal.

However, if you want real, consistent rod bending action, deep in the bayous is where you want to be.

Redfish are pretty easy to catch yearround, but here on Sabine, the month of December has become very popular for targeting them in the CAPT. HERNANDEZ chilly waters of GHGSEddie@gmail.com the bayous. It

SABINE Reported by CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

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’M NOT QUITE SURE HOW WE got here so fast, but if you check the calendar, it will inform you that we are in the late fall/very early winter fishing season of 2021. It reminds us that the end of another stellar fishing year is near, but it also tells us that some of the best fishing is still yet to come.

The Big Three behaved just as they were supposed to for the better part of the year.

Our salinity levels here on Sabine were much higher than they have been for the past few

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pretty much boils down to finding bait.

Mullet is a major source of nutrition for redfish in the winter, This is mainly because other options such as shrimp and shad become increasingly scarce as the water temperature drops. If you happen to see a school of mullet, or even just a couple cruising the shallow bank, there’s a very good chance that there are some hungry reds nearby.

On nice calm days, it shouldn’t be hard to find some mullet along long stretches of shoreline in the bayous. If you’ve located the bait, you’ve probably located the fish—especially if there’s any tidal movement.

Small drains and cuts leading to the back lakes in the marsh will usually hold the most bait and fish. Soft plastics in darker colors such as Roach, Red Shad and Texas Croaker rigged on 1/8-ounce or ¼-ounce lead heads work very well.

Gold spoons and plastics rigged with a spinner leaf are also hard to beat. Keep your eyes open also for mud boils and wakes as these fish will feed aggressively in very shallow water.

•••

GALVESTON Reported by CAPT. DEREK YORK

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ATE FALL AND EARLY WINter are a busy time for those who love being outdoors. If you are not spending all your time in the woods chasing whitetails, here on Galveston Bay we are enjoying some of the best fishing of the year for speckled trout and flounder.

With the cold fronts starting to come through with some consistency, the back lakes and marshes are dumping all the fish and shrimp into the bay system. This causes lots of bird activity and the spawning migration of the southern flounder.

Working bird activity is always a fun thing to do as it provides so much action CAPT. YORK spotstalkerfishing@yahoo.com and the

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chance to catch lots of fish. You can find birds working all over the bay system most days.

Wind determines where I fish most of the time. Most fish caught under the birds are redfish and speckled trout. My favorite and probably the easiest way to catch these fish is using a soft plastic on a jig-head.

Depending on the wind, I will usually use jig-heads from 1/8 to 1/2 ounce. Or I sometimes throw a spoon. I tend to prefer a gold color to match the shrimp, but also throw a lot of chartreuse and Texas roach patterns.

When fishing from a boat, a good trolling motor is a great tool to have when chasing birds. Once the birds move off don’t be too quick to leave the area as most times those fish are still there feeding.

I’ve also found a lot of my bigger trout are usually located lower in the water column below the smaller schooling fish. Wade fishermen can also really key in on these marsh drains and be highly successful.

As for flounder, this year will be a lot different with the new flounder regulations going into effect November 1 – December 14, where you cannot keep any flounder during this time. I am planning to use this time to locate new spots and possibly try some new techniques. The limit goes back to five fish on December 15, and the run should still be going strong.

Live bait, such as finger mullet or mud minnows fished on the bottom using a Carolina rig, soft plastics on a jig-head or tandem rigged soft plastics all work well to locate and catch flounders. My favorite baits to throw include Chicken Boy Lures Bubba Clucker in pink and chartreuse and Gulp three-inch swimming mullet in the same colors.

Whatever you plan on targeting during this time of the year, just remember to be safe and be prepared as these colder months bring fast moving fronts from the north. Speaking from experience, now I always pack an extra set of clothes and dress in layers.

Hope everyone stays safe and healthy, catches lots of fish and gets to enjoy the holidays with family this year!

A

5 8

1 2 6

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Gulf of Mexico

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HOTSPOTLIGHT

CHRISTMAS BAY CHRISTMAS BAY IS INLAND OF FOLLETS ISLAND, A BARRIER ISLAND SOUTHWEST of Galveston Island. The bay is bounded on the northeast by West Galveston Bay and San Luis Pass. Bastrop Bay lies to its north and Drum Bay to its Southwest.

Selected HOTSPOTS and facilities are shown in the table below, and on the map.

SPECKLED TROUT KEY

HOTSPOT NAME

GPS

1

Cold Pass

2

Christmas Bay North Shore

3

Mouth of Churchill Bayou

4

Christmas Bay South Shore

REDFISH

5

Christmas Point

6

Wildlife Refuge Shoreline

7

Christmas Bay North Shore

FLOUNDER

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Cold Pass

9

Churchhill Bayou

10

Arcadia Reef

WADEFISHING

1

Christmas Bay North Shore

2

Christmas Bay South Shore

FACILITIES

BEST BAIT & TACTIC

N 29 04.834, W 95 08.335 N 29 04.009, W 95 11.625 N 29 03.350, W 95 09.722 N 29 02.407, W 95 11.473 N 29 04.663, W 95 10.495 N 29 03.633, W 95 12.185 N 29 03.530, W 95 12.233 N 29 04.901, W 95 08.136 N 29 03.664, W 95 09.574 N 29 01.734, W 95 12.574 N 29 03.906, W 95 11.939 N 29 02.681, W 95 10.384 GPS

Live bait, soft plastics in red/white, natural mullet Norton Sand Eels, Trout Killers, Corkies She Dogs, Top Dogs, Bass Assassins, Corkies Top Dogs, Norton Sand Eels, DOA Shrimp

Mullet, crabs, TX Red Killers, gold spoons Live shrimp, finger mullet; topwaters early; soft plastics Bass Assassins, gold spoons, mullet, crabs

Mud minnows, 1/4 oz. jigs, red/wht. anchor outgoing tide; dawn thru dusk Little Fishies, Stanley Wedgetails, shrimp Stanley Wedgetails, jig-tipped shrimp, finger mullet

Trout, redfish, flounder Trout, redfish, flounder

KEY

FACILITY NAME

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San Luis Co. Park

LOCATION

979-233-6026

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TPWD Ramp

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N 29 04.735, 14001 CR 257 W 95 07.793 N 29 02.908, Off County Rd 257 W 95 09.916 SOURCE: TEXAS LAKES & BAYS FISHING ATLAS 2021

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GPS: N 29 21.2719, W 94 43.0909 (29.3545, -94.7182)

UPPER COAST

MATAGORDA Reported by CAPT. MARK TALASEK

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ATAGORDA HAS BEEN blessed with an abundance of rain this summer. An influx of fresh water usually means a good fall shrimp crop. That in return will make some great fall fishing.

When the first cool front rolls through Texas, shrimp start their migration to the gulf waters. Red fish and trout feed on the shrimp pushing them to the surface. Seagulls work on the shrimp from the top. This makes finding fish much easier this time of the year.

Cast a plastic lure close to some diving seagulls and get ready for a bent rod.

Fall fishing can turn a fisherCAPT. TALASEK man into a MarkTalasek@sbcglobal.net professional.

Locate the birds, and you’ll find the fish.

All indicators are pointing to a spectacular fall—my favorite time of the year.

Some of my favorite colors are Roach with a Chartreuse tail in dirty water and Chicken on a Chain in clear water. I usually throw a heavier lead head to get deeper.

Bigger fish are on the bottom.

Limits of redfish have been caught in east and west Matagorda Bay. Most of the trout caught have been released, only keeping some for dinner. Live bait has been working well.

Regulations on the limit are getting more stringent due to the freeze. This should help numbers return.

Flounder gigging has been on fire. This has been one of the better years since I started running gigging trips in the ’90s. All of my flounders have come from West Bay. Water clarity just hasn’t been consistent in East Matagorda. Give me a call to book your next trip: Capt. Mark Talasek (979) 479 1397.

UPPER COAST HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Burnet Bay GPS: N 29 46.248, W 95 3.192 (29.7708, -95.0532)

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LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Big Pasture Bayou GPS: N 29 30.322, W 94 35.78 (29.5054, -94.5963)

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Live bait under popping cork, soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Drift bouncing plastics or working popping corks; morning through dusk.

LOCATION: Freeport HOTSPOT: San Bernard River GPS: N 29 6.7207, W 95 40.5332 (29.1120, -95.6756)

SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Live mud minnows, soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Anchor NE side of bayou mouth, fish outgoing tide; dawn-dusk LOCATION: Galveston East Bay HOTSPOT: Deep Reef GPS: N 29 30.802, W 94 40.581 (29.5134, -94.6764)

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Small Flies SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: For a challenge, try a fllyrod for redfish. Flashy small flies work best.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Let soft plastics hit bottom, medium up & down retrieve; dawn-dusk

LOCATION: Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: North Jetty

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SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Live finger mullet or curly tail Gulp SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Use live finger mullet, rigged Carolina style fishing for flounder.

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LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Richard’s Reef GPS: N 29 31.429, W 94 45.323

(29.5238, -94.7554)

depends on wind and current.

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Jones Bay Shoreline GPS: N 29 18.525, W 94 56.3999

(29.3088, -94.9400) SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Corkys or MirrOlures continued on next page u

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics with 1/4 ounce jig head CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: November is a great month to fish the birds as they point out feeding specks.

LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: April Fool Reef GPS: N 29 29.077, W 94 54.773

(29.4846, -94.9129)

SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, finger mullet SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Work top and reef edges; dawn through morning, dusk-night LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Gas Wells GPS: N 29 42.984, W 94 43.1399

(29.7164, -94.7190)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tails SOURCE: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 www.gofishgalveston TIPS: If you see a slick pop up in front of you, cast in to it. But in any other direction, cast behind it. It all

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LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Bird Island GPS: N 28 43.86, W 95 45.6169 (28.7310, -95.7603)

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SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: The bite is a lot slower in the wintertime. You may have to grind for them. When it starts cooling down, throw Corkys or MirrOlures.

LOCATION: Matagorda HOTSPOT: Colorado River GPS: N 28 40.5419, W 95 58.08 (28.6757, -95.9680)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Bass Assassin and MirrOlure soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: If there is a lot of rain, it will drive the fish out of the river down into West Matagorda Bay. Run off will not affect East Matagorda Bay.

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Topwater lures SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Pink is a great color for a topwater bait. Pink is one of the hardest colors for a redfish to see. They will hit it hard.

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Now’s the Time to Take the Weather Seriously ROCKPORT AREA

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HE TRIP HAD BEEN SCHEDuled for over a year. It was an annual fishing trip for a man and his wife who both dearly loved to

fish.

Reported by CAPT. MAC GABLE

It was early November; the bite was stellar with some great rod bending action. Of course, I checked the weather forecast and read what looked like a bewildered forecast.

Any time one sees the words “the confluence could” it’s best to err on the side of caution.

Two weather systems, one from the northwest and the other from the southeast, were hell-bent to slam into each other according to the “latest models” (which means they don’t really know) somewhere in the Texas panhandle.

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no wrong, I thought, feeling proud of my guide prowess, quickly followed by a second thought—all glory is fleeting!

As the couple ate their lunch the woman looked up and said “Wow, it kinda looks like we are in a hole.” To the north were dark blueish clouds; when I looked south, I saw moisture-swollen thunderheads full of lightning.

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of us. The cold upper air mass from the north had gathered some moisture on its advance south and was pushing an ominous wall cloud that looked like an upside-down anvil.

The thunderstorm from the south was rapidly advancing as well, seemingly to challenge the onslaught from the north.

“Folks, we gotta go and go quickly!” I alerted.

Both looked puzzled but reacted in turn.

There was nowhere to go. We were blocked from any safe haven. Any guide worth his or her salt will always have an exit plan to safety, and I was no different, but there was simply not enough time.

The titan storms would be on us in minutes. My Garmin GPS chirped, not with a weather alert but a weather warning: tornadic activity, large hail, heavy rain, gale force winds.

I needed a plan and fast!

An old guide once told me there will come a time when you are tested; how you react will define you as a guide. Two miles across Mesquite Bay CAPT. GABLE I saw a small ContactUs@Fishgame.com island with

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water, coming our way.

I told the woman to crawl under my console then covered her with my heavy waders.

I told the man to grab one of my hull lids and put it over his head. I then grabbed the other and we crawled behind the console and put seat cushions over our legs. The cracking noise of the hail on the fiberglass was deafening. The boat was moving and being tossed about.

“Oh My God!” came the cries from the lady.

“You think it’s bad under there? Try being out here with us!” her husband yelled.

The ricocheting hail off the boat floor was painful, but it began to subside after the boat began to fill with water. Lightning struck just off the bow, and we all felt a slight charge as hundreds of fish leapt from the water trying to escape the electric jolt.

The confluence lasted about an hour.

When we raised our heads and peeked out, we were in the middle of the bay. The power pole rod had sheared off, and the anchor was dragged across the bay bottom.

Two rods were broken, my Garmin GPS had made its last chirp, the windshield was broken, we were soaked, and cold as the temp had dropped 40 degrees. The woman, shivering cold, finally moved from under the console. She peeked out and sheepishly asked “Capt. Mac, are you going to charge us extra for that!!???”

We all howled with laughter, lucky to be alive and except for some bruises, unharmed.

The only thing warm on the boat was my thermos of coffee, and we all agreed coffee never tasted so good.

This time of year deserves close attention to weather forecasts. If cold fronts have already hit the area, fish with cut bait and be methodical in your tactics, with patience being a true virtue.

Happy Holidays!

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B

San Antonio Bay HOTSPOTLIGHT 5

GUADALUPE BAY GUADALUPE BAY IS AN EXTENSION OF SAN ANTONIO BAY. IT LIES TO THE north, near where the Guadalupe River empties into the larger bay. The community of Seadrift is located along its eastern shoreline. Immediately to its west is Hynes Bay. Selected HOTSPOTS are shown in the table below, and on the map.

SPECKLED TROUT KEY

HOTSPOT NAME

1

Guadalupe Bay East Shore

2

Guadalupe Reef

3

Rebecca Reef

REDFISH

4

Guadalupe Reef

5

Grassy Point Shore

FLOUNDER

6

Guadalupe Bay East Shore

7

Mud / Sand Flats

8

Seadrift Waterfront

FACILITIES KEY

FACILITY NAME

A

Breezy Palms

B

GPS

BEST BAIT & TACTIC

N 28 25.986, W 96 45.203 N 28 24.803, W 96 45.342 N 28 23.846, W 96 44.633

1/8 oz jig head, roach/chart. plastics, wade reef ends; dawn - midday

N 28 24.803, W 96 45.342 N 28 24.067, W 96 46.624

1/8 oz jig head, roach/chart. plastics, wade reef ends; dawn - midday

N 28 25.986, W 96 45.203 N 28 24.698, W 96 45.004 N 28 24.517, W 96 43.995

Deer hair/red shrimp-tipped shrimp, set on 2nd tap; morning - afternoon

GPS

LOCATION

1/8 oz jig head, roach/chart. plastics, wade reef ends; dawn - midday Corky Devil, chart. tops, cast to reef crown, high tide; morning, afternoon

Live mullet, cut bait, anchor, cast to breaks near shore; dawn-morning, afternoon, night

Outstanding night gigging area under lights with the tides; night Outstanding night gigging area under lights with the tides; night PHONE

N 28 24.466, 101 Bay Ave. W 96 42.705 N 28 23.425, Swan Point Boat Ramp Off SH 185 W 96 42.487 SOURCE: TEXAS LAKES & BAYS FISHING ATLAS 2021

high ground and heavy brush. It would block the north wind and the high ground might protect us from lightning strikes.

I gave them PFDs and then ran the boat as far up on the shoreline as possible, carried the 18-pound anchor, dug it into the sand

COPANO BAY: Cut mullet on a fish finder rig is a good choice at the mouth of Copano Creek for reds. The shoreline just west of Redfish Point is a good spot for black drum using peeled shrimp under a silent cork.

361-785-6800

and secured it to the front of the boat. I then set my power pole as deep as it would go off the transom.

The man then hollered “LOOK!” as the rain hit us. “It looks like footsteps in the water.” It was hail, large hail splashing the T E X A S

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ST. CHARLES BAY: The mouth of Little Devils Bayou is a good spot for reds using free-lined cut mullet or cut menhaden. The cut between Aransas Bay and St. Charles Bay |

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MIDDLE COAST is a good spot for reds and trout using freelined live shrimp. Fish the deep edges and allow the current to carry the shrimp into the cut/deeper water.

ARANSAS BAY: If the north wind is blowing, wades on the north side of Mud Island can produce some great action. Anchor far off the shoreline and wade stealthily into the shoreline using finger mullet or soft plastics in New Penny or Morning Glory colors.

the largest of redfish of the year.

Live or cut mullet and whole blue crabs are the best baits to use in the first three guts, or off of the Port A and Packery Jetty. Larger surf rod setups will allow fishermen to cast out and keep the line high above the waves.

After a long fight these oversized redfish should be handled carefully and quickly put back into the water. These fish are over 20 years old and are our lifeline to a healthy redfish population.

Trout have been spawning on overtime this year after the big freeze kill. We have seen spawning activity every month on the full moon through the summer. We are expecting a major spawn in November in the shallows of Baffin Bay. Wadefishing the south shoreline of Baffin with top waters is prime for explosive action.

The land cut will also be a great place to catch a mixed bag of trout, redfish, and drum. Live shrimp along the western edge of the channel, especially around the channel intersections will produce good stringers.

Anglers working the edge of the drop off with soft plastics can expect some great success. Winter color favorites are the Down South Lures Magic Grass, Red/White, and Bone Diamond.

Using a slightly heavier jig head of ¼ to1/2 ounces will bring that lure down to the bottom quickly and allow long pinpoint casting. When water clarity is clear, use a fluorocarbon leader.

The winds will pull back and forth with each cold front.

Drifting the strong southeast winds before a CAPT. FARAH front will serve jfarah@yahoo.com well for fisher-

CARLOS BAY: Carlos Trench is the place to be, especially on the colder days. The deeper water holds trout and reds with top water or deep diving lures such as a rattle trap, the best bet. Bone and red and blue and white colors are good choices.

MESQUITE BAY: The spoil area just off Roddy Island is a good area for sheepshead using cut squid or shrimp. Free-lined is best, but a silent cork works as well. Small hooks are the best approach, but beware of the powerful jaws of these crappie of the bays.

AYERS BAY: The east shoreline is a great wade for trout using soft plastics such as jerk shad in Morning Glory and Electric Grape colors. This area is also good for black drum using peeled shrimp on a light Carolina rig.

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CORPUS CHRISTI BAY Reported by JOEY FARAH

N

OVEMBER AND DECEMBER strikes the chill we all have been waiting for in man, beast, birds, and fish.

Here in the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay area we are looking forward to seeing a big fall spawn with our speckled trout and redfish, both. With the coming of the winter season, fish will be feeding hard to build up their reserves and move toward their wintering grounds. Duck hunters will enjoy miles and miles of public hunting opportunities and make memories to last a lifetime.

Jumbo redfish will be on the beachfront spawning starting in November. Surf fishing is where you need to be to catch and release

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men using live shrimp and popping corks.

Drift the western shoreline along the King Ranch as well as the many submerged spoil islands in the Laguna Madre. You will find trout out in three to five feet of water and redfish up shallow. We have been using nothing but Owner 2 to 4# circle hooks so we don’t hook too deep any trout we need to release.

The resistance of the cork actually sets the hook for you, so you just lift the rod and reel.

In the Northern Lagoon at first light use a trolling motor to work the edge of the ICW with soft plastics. DOA 3-inch Cal Shads are the perfect all day bait. Texas Croaker and Key Lime are my favorite colors for this time of year.

The channels that intersect the channel from the east out of Nighthawk Bay will be full of trout, redfish, and flounders.

November and December are my favorite times of the year on the water. No crowds and lots of action.

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MIDDLE COAST HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Super Flats GPS: N 27 54.669, W 97 2.196 (27.9112, -97.0366)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish BEST BAITS: Cut or live mullet CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 TIPS: It doesn’t matter if you fish live or dead mullet.

Free line everything as long as the wind allows.

LOCATION: Copano Bay HOTSPOT: Copano Reef GPS: N 28 7.5019, W 97 4.737 (28.1250, -97.0790)

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BEST BAITS: Live shrimp under a popping cork SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Start early along the shore, and then work out toward the open bay as the temperature begins to heat up.

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Shamrock Cove GPS: N 27 44.017, W 97 9.747 (27.7336, -97.1625)

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Berkley Gulp shrimp SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Spoons and soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Use a copper spoon, if you can find it. It’s not really the size and color of spoons, but more the area where they are going to be used. Super grassy, a lighter sppon so it doesn’t sink as fast. Sand pocket and less grass, go with a little heavier spoon.

LOCATION: Espiritu Santo Bay HOTSPOT: Long Lake GPS: N 28 16.912, W 96 35.776 (28.2819, -96.5963)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Shrimp under a popping cork SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Use a Popping Cork because that makes a lot of sound.

LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Morris & Cummins Cut GPS: N 27 53.2851, W 97 6.661 (27.8881, -97.1110)

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LOCATION: Redfish Bay HOTSPOT: Outside Dagger GPS: N 27 50.664, W 97 9.149 (27.8444, -97.1525)

MIDDLE COAST 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: If you get a sunny day and can do a lot sight casting, the redfish will come up and lay on the sand.

Use a salt/pepper color.

LOCATION: Port Aransas HOTSPOT: Traylor Shoreline GPS: N 27 56.1799, W 97 4.471 (27.9363, -97.0745)

UPPER COAST  CONTINUED FROM PAGE

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp under a popping cork SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Don’t forget the flounder that should still be in the bay system.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish BEST BAITS: Cut or live mullet CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 TIPS: Always target the grass and sand pockets. The only time I don’t target sand pockets is if I’m on flats with real short grass, where it doesn’t matter.

Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tails SOURCE: Capt. Bill Watkins 409-673-9211 www.fishsabinelake .com TIPS: If the November temps are dropping pull back from the shorelines and focus on the deeper water.

TIPS: Best colors: Bass Assassin... Roach, plum/ chartreuse and pumpkin seed/green tail. MirrOlure: #808, #21, #28

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LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay HOTSPOT: Tripod GPS: N 28 40.392, W 95 55.8 (28.6732, -95.9300)

LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: Mad Island Reef GPS: N 28 37.2109, W 96 5.7829 (28.6202, -96.0964)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Bass Assassin, MirrOlure soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Look for birds. Depending on how cold it gets, they could still be working in December.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: East Pass GPS: N 29 59.0269, W 93 46.5619 (29.9838, -93.7760)

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Pink Skitter Walks SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz 281-450-4037 www.matagordafishing.com TIPS: Redfish grow almost an inch a month. In October they weren’t legal. In November redfish should be in the 20 1/2 to 21 inch size.

LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay HOTSPOT: Intercoastal Canal GPS: N 28 39.9529, W 96 0.6739 (28.6659, -96.0112)

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Mid Lake 3 GPS: N 29 51.2069, W 93 49.755 (29.8535, -93.8293)

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics or crab, live shad or mullet SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Beisdes the East Pass area, the East Pass Rig is also a good location to find trout.

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Bass Assassin, MirrOlure soft plastics SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas

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800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

LOCATION: Rockport HOTSPOT: Newcomb Shoreline GPS: N 28 8.793, W 97 1.446 (28.1466, -97.0241)

TIPS: Free line the shrimp with the lightest weight that will keep the bait where it should be.

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay HOTSPOT: Half Moon Reef GPS: N 28 20.274, W 96 46.347 (28.3379, -96.7725)

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Cut Mullet or crab SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Look for isolated sand pockets in the grass.

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

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live shrimp under a popping cork SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Shrimp under a popping cork SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: In November be on the lookout for shell structure.

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10/21/21 5:03 PM

November, December Great for Wade Fishing

N

OVEMBER AND DECEMBER can be fun months to wade fish.

Air temperature is dropping and the seasons are starting to change.

Reported by CAPT. GERAD MERRITT

HOTSPOT: Long Bar GPS: N 26 12.164, W 97 15.957 (26.2027, -97.2660)

This summer, we noticed the effects of the freeze from February, and the impact it had on our speckled trout populations. With that being said, right now fishermen are venturing a little farther south into the land cut to chase trout and redfish. On the days that I fish in Baffin Bay, I encourage my anglers to hop out of the boat and make long shallow wades on shorelines, targeting sand pockets along the grass flats.

This time of year, we are using lures and live shrimp along with the occasional piggy perch or croaker. The fish tend to switch their CAPT. MERRITT diet around geradmerritt@gmail.com November, and croaker does not seem to work as well.

However, I will still try croaker on occasion when they are available.

Topwaters are fun on a nice clear morning, and I can’t forget to mention my old “go to”, which is a gold or silver spoon. The specific color of artificial bait I use changes daily, but I always lean toward a good glitter and sparkle to help the sun reflect under water.

For me, it’s all about getting the sun to reflect off the lure and make a fish turn its head in curiosity. If a grass flat is fished out, we will work our way over a drop off and cast into the deep side, working just along the edge.

Some areas you can wade for hours, so you don’t want to be too far away from the boat. On the days we are not wading, I drift using all the same tools over the flats and also over our many different rock structures.

Using a Gulp! under a popping cork tends to keep the lure off of the top of the rocks and the proper distance under the water.

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From a freeze to tropical storms, anglers including myself have had to make many adjustments to fishing techniques and locations. This year has been an adventure, but we have made the best of what Mother Nature has thrown our way.

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LOWER COAST HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Baffin Bay HOTSPOT: East of Palms GPS: N 27 19.116, W 97 23.609 (27.3186, -97.3935)

SPECIES: Founder BEST BAITS: Finger mullet, best wtih moving tide or with S or SE wind; dawn-morning, dusk-night SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Finger mullet, best w moving tide or w S or SE wind; dawn-morning, dusk-night; Jul-Oct, dawn-morn, dusk-night.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre |

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SPECIES: Speckled trout BEST BAITS: Live shirmp, Shirmp tail/popping cork, soft plastics in red/white, Tequila Gold.

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: If the tide is down, or cooler weather is prevailing, fish the edges and deeper water.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Marker 67 GPS: N 26 13.877, W 97 16.178 (26.2313, -97.2696)

SPECIES: Flounder BEST BAITS: Live bait, soft plastics in pearl, Smoke.

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish the weedline along the edge of the ICW. Look for cuts into the weeks and sharpshoot into them.

Use a 1/4 or 3/8 ounce jighead and fish slowly.

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

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Fish hug E shoreline @ high tide night & early morning SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame /fishandgamegear TIPS: Fish hug E shoreline @ high tide night & early morning; All Year, all day

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Lower Laguna Madre

6 10 3

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LOCATION: Middle Ground HOTSPOT: The Hole GPS: N 26 59.318, W 97 25.451 (26.9886, -97.4242)

HOTSPOTLIGHT

EL REALTO & STOVER COVE THE AREA SOUTH OF THE ARROYO COLORADO ON THE LOWER LAGUNA MADRE includes El Realto Bay and Peninsula, Stover Cove and a chain of islands along the Intracoastal Waterway. To the south and west is the Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge. This area offers great fishing for speckled trout, redfish, flounder, sheepshead and snook. Selected HOTSPOTS are shown in the table below, and on the map.

SPECKLED TROUT KEY

HOTSPOT NAME

1

Duncan’s Channel

2

East of 3 Islands

3

El Realito Bay

REDFISH

4

East 3 Islands

5

Townsite Point

6

Three Islands

FLOUNDER

7

Townsite Hole

8

Three Islands (other side)

9

ICW @ Three Islands

10

Cullen Channel

SHEEPSHEAD

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Cut mullet or ballyhoo, anchor, fish channel bottom; all day

N 26 17.364, W 97 16.835 N 26 16.338, W 97 18.478 N 26 16.282, W 97 17.702

Area is a fish magnet, drift deep potholes, cast into; All Year, all day

N 26 16.616, W 97 19.495 N 26 16.732, W 97 17.385 N 26 16.478, W 97 17.242 N 26 15.812, W 97 17.166

Live shrimp, finger mullet, live minnows, fish hole; avoid midday

Topwaters, drift deep pot holes, cast into or just beyond; avoid midday, aftn Live shrimp under pop-n cork, drift or anchor; avoid midday

Night best @ full moon, fresh ballyhoo, drift slowly; dawn-morning, afternoon, night

Mud minnows, finger mullet, anchor, fish dropoffs; morning thru midday Mud minnows, finger mullet, anchor, fish dropoffs; morning thru midday Live shrimp, fish channel mouth eges and down back; dawn thru dusk

Live shirmp under pop-n cork, drift or anchor; all day

Barclay Island

N 26 14.244, W 97 18.687

Topwaters, work close to and under mangrove bushes; dawn, morn, dusk

Caballo Island

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Gold Spoons, soft plastics in LSU SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Wade or drift the deep potholes with topwaters, soft plastics, spoons, or your favorite redfish lures.

N 26 17.162, Trout & redfish; freeline live bait, soft plastics, topwaters; March thru November W 97 18.308 SOURCE: TEXAS LAKES & BAYS FISHING ATLAS 2021

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LOCATION: Port Mansfield HOTSPOT: Marker 151 GPS: N 26 31.89, W 97 23.26 (26.5315, -97.3877)

Topwaters, live bait under 1/4 or 1/8 oz, jig head, work the point; dawn-afternoon, dusk

N 26 18.161, W 97 18.267

WADEFISHING 1

BEST BAIT & TACTIC

N 26 19.599, W 97 18.591 N 26 17.076, W 97 17.016 N 26 15.214, W 97 18.715

Caballo Island Spoils

SNOOK

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GPS

SPECIES: Redfish BEST BAITS: Drift deep grass bottom, potholes, high tide hit sands; dawn thru midday SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Drift deep grass bottom, potholes, high tide hit sands; dawn thru midday; Apr-Dec, dawn thru midday

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Chatterbaits, spinnerbaits and swimbaits SOURCE: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith 318-455-3437 www.caddolakefishing TIPS: Any type baits listed above in light or shad colors work well. Watch for shad grouped up along the grass edges and you will find the bass.

LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 26.226, W 95 35.508 (30.4371, -95.5918)

Late Fall is a Great Time to be on the Water EAST TEXAS HOTSPOTS

LOCATION: Lake Bob Sandlin HOTSPOT: Cypress Dam GPS: N 33 3.467, W 95 8.281 (33.0578, -95.1380)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Liver, worms SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

Reported by TF&G STAFF

N

OVEMBER IS A PRIME month for fishing East Texas lakes. Besides the pleasant weather with cool mornings and warm afternoons, the views from the water can be mesmerizing with the fall foliage and waterfowl migration. Besides soaking in all the glorious surroundings of nature, the fish will be feeding like crazy bulking up for winter.

Largemouth bass, in particular, will be gobbling shad in the shallows. They will also tend to school up.

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LOCATION: Lake Chapman/Cooper HOTSPOT: Buggy Whip Creek GPS: N 33 17.591 , W 95 40.00 (33.2932, -95.6667)

TIPS: Use liver or worms on a Carolina rig, fish stumps and chum; morning, night LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Jackson’s Arm and Alligator Bayou GPS: N 32 43.1699, W 94 5.4359 (32.7195, -94.0906)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office 903-593-5077 TIPS: Fish white/green spinnerbaits. Follow and fish the creek edges. Dawn to dusk.

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Creeks, Deep Points, and Road Beds

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SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Pop’r, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, Bass Assassin shad SOURCE: Richard Tatsch 936-291-1277 www.fishdudetx TIPS: Baits like Pop’rs and buzzbaits will work good on overcast days. 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.

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 SEE INSET

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 Coleto Creek 31,040 Conroe 410,988 Crook 9,195 Cypress Springs 66,756 Fork 605,061 Houston 130,147 Houston County 17,113 Jacksonville 25,670 Jim Chapman 260,332 Lake O’ the Pines 241,363 Livingston 1,741,867 Monticello 34,740 Murvaul 38,285 Nacogdoches 39,522 Palestine 367,303 Pat Mayse 113,683 Sam Rayburn 2,857,077 Striker 16,934 Sulphur Springs 17,747 Toledo Bend 2,236,450 Wright Patman 135,069 As of 10/11/2020

CURRENT AC. FT. -n.a.61,199 -n.a.180,596 8,747 29,898 14,696 387,202 7,969 63,149 555,945 130,147 16,766 25,094 233,219 241,363 1,717,306 27,414 36,752 36,043 354,049 106,225 2,600,812 16,398 11,746 1,895,630 135,069

% FULL -n.a.89% -n.a.94% 79% 100% 47% 94% 87% 95% 92% 100% 98% 98% 90% 100% 99% 79% 96% 91% 96% 93% 91% 97% 66% 85% 100%

INSET

Lone Star Lake

•

GPS: N 32 48.498, W 95 36.684 (32.8083, -95.6114)

Off US 259 in the City of Lone Star

HOTSPOTLIGHT SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Back of Creeks and Around Creek Channels: Top water lures, crankbaits, spinnerbaits.

Deep points and road beds: spoons and Alabama rigs SOURCE: Lance Vick 903-312-0609 www.guideonlakefork TIPS: Look for schooling activity in the back of creeks around creek channels. Key to succeed this time of year is to find shad activity. Enjoy the cooler weather and hungry fish! Good fishing all!

LONE STAR LAKE LOCATION: On the west side of the City of Lone Star, in Morris County.

SURFACE AREA: 1,516 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 40 feet IMPOUNDED: 1943

for a wide range of species. Catfish, largemouth, white bass, hybrid striped bass, crappie and sunfish are present in the lake. Inundated timber, brush and rip rap make up the sparse structure, with some aquatic vegetation.

•

LONE STAR OFFERS GOOD FISHING

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Worms, liver or cheesebait, freeline SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Freeline your choice of bait.

LOCATION: Lake Houston HOTSPOT: South of Railroad Tracks GPS: N 29 58.891, W 95 7.755 (29.9815, -95.1293)

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LOCATION: Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Huxley River Channel GPS: N 31 44.5248, W 93 49.764 (31.7421, -93.8294)

EAST TEXAS LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: The Pocket GPS: N 30 55.662, W 95 15.054 (30.9277, -95.2509)

BEST BAITS: Just about any artificial SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office 409-698-9114 TIPS: Try your entire artificial arsenal until you find what works. Fish deep & shallow until you find the bass. Avoid midday.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics and jigs SOURCE: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 www.palmettoguideservice TIPS: Flip docks, lay downs, boat houses and rocks with Charlie’s June Bug 6 inch Gecko and Charlie’s 1/4 oz. Green Pumpkin Swimming Jig tipped with Charlie’s Chunk Green Pumpkin Blue Flake.

LOCATION: Lake O the Pines HOTSPOT: East Point Johnson Creek GPS: N 32 46.321, W 94 32.207 (32.7720, -94.5368)

LOCATION: Lake Murvaul HOTSPOT: Tinkle Park Ramp GPS: N 32 1.203, W 94 26.155 (32.0201, -94.4359)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Shiners and crappie jigs SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: On the north end of the lake the crappie will start moving and bunching up along the ledges of the river channel. A good stretch to cover is the river ledges between Still Water and Bayou Seipe. Use your electronics to locate the bait-fish and natural cover or drop your own brush tops. As the water temperature falls the Crappie will move deeper. Either shiners or jigs will load up an ice chest of Crappie.

LOCATION: Lake Wright Patman HOTSPOT: Herron Creek and Malden GPS: N 33 16.441, W 94 19.298 (33.2740, -94.3216)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office 903-938-1007 TIPS: Bounce minnows on the bottom with a spinning rig. Morning through midday SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad, stink bait SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Live or cut shad, stink bait, chum area, fish bottom; all day; all day

LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn HOTSPOT: Boggy Branch GPS: N 31 12.685, W 94 05.423 (31.2114, -94.0904)

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Slabs SOURCE: TPWD District Fisheries Office 903-938-1007 TIPS: Fish chartreuse slabs. Bounce them off the bottom, then reel in a fast retrieve. Dawn through dusk.

••

LOCATION: Lake Nacogdoches HOTSPOT: Hidden Point GPS: N 31 36.173, W 94 49.400 (31.6029, -94.8233)

•••

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows, jigs SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: Fish live minnows, or slow roll crappie jigs over grass.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass

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Fall Becomes Winter in the Next Two Months www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Watch your graph along humps and you will see the White Bass stacked up on the edges of the humps. Drop slabs down and bounce off bottom making contact with the bait as it falls. Carry binoculars and glass the lake occasionally, watching for the birds to be diving on shad. The White Bass push the shad to the surface and quick limits are coming from under the birds.

HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 49.572, W 98 23.658 (30.8262, -98.3943)

LOCATION: Lake Austin HOTSPOT: Steiner Ranch Lake Club GPS: N 30 19.551, W 97 55.052 (30.3259, -97.9175)

F

ALL PATTERNS GIVE WAY TO winter between November and December. Fish will head for shallower water and will be chomping down on bait in anticipation of winter chill.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear TIPS: RatLTrap, lipless crankbait; all day.

Reported by TF&G STAFF

Docks will be good spots to find crappie, while the best places to seek largemouth and stripers will be in much shallower water near banks and points.

•••

LOCATION: Bachman Lake HOTSPOT: Upper Lake GPS: N 32 51.5699, W 96 51.396 (32.8595, -96.8566)

CENTRAL TEXAS HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Lake Aquilla HOTSPOT: Deep Humps GPS: N 31 54.21, W 97 12.174 (31.9035, -97.2029)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Bass: spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps | Crappie: minnows, crappie jigs CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 whitebassfishingtexas.com TIPS: For bass, throw spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps along the weed line. Crappie are under the bridge this time of year. Minnows and jigs are your best bet right now.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: 1 oz. chartreuse slabs from RSRLures.com SOURCE: Randy Routh 817-822-5539

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SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Top water lures, slabs and jigs SOURCE: Ken Miliam 325-379-2051 www.striperfever.com TIPS: Stripers will be around mid-lake. Watch for top water fish. Look for seagulls working. Any top water lure will work as well as slabs and jigs for under water lures.

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Canyon Park Point GPS: N 29 53.2559, W 98 13.638 (29.8876, -98.2273)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Hogies 4” Super Shad Pearl / Black Back SOURCE: Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230 www.sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Look for the Striped Bass to be shallow (20-40 feet). They will be suspending over the river channel and feeding on the point in this area. Fishing the Super Shad close to the bottom produces fish in this area. Tight lines and Fish-On!

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HOTSPOTLIGHT

 SEE INSET

Lake Navarro Mills

Between Waco and Corsicana

INSET 

LAKE NAVARRO MILLS LOCATION: North of Texas State Highway 31 between Waco and Corsicana SURFACE AREA: 5,070 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 49 feet IMPOUNDED: 1963

white bass are present in significant numbers to provide decent catches.

The lake has largemouth bass, but typical water conditions make the fishing a challenge.

•

NAVARRO MILLS IS CONSIDERED AN excellent crappie fishery. Catfish and

LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Docks GPS: N 32 19.044, W 96 10.0139 (32.3174, -96.1669)

LOCATION: Lake Corpus Christi HOTSPOT: Cliffs Area Submerged Timber GPS: N 28 5.488, W 97 54 (28.0915, -97.9000)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits SOURCE: Jason Barber 903-603-2047 www.kingscreekadventures.com TIPS: Fish all docks throughout the lake with jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Fish 2 to 10 inches and cover everything. Any rocks you find in shallow water can be good as well.

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad, cheesebait SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear.com TIPS: Live or cut shad, cheesebait, use heavy line, wire leaders; this spot is good all year.

LOCATION: Eagle Mountain Lake HOTSPOT: Boat Docks GPS: N32 57 38, W97 29 26 (32.960556, -97.490556)

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SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Jigs SOURCE: Kolby Kuhn, Final Cast Guide Service 817-243-5858 kolbymkuhn@gmail TIPS: In November, the crappie are feeding up on shad for the winter. Look for them under or around boat docks that are near creek channels and deeper water. They’ll use these docks to ambush bait but also for the shade that is under them. The best way to

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CURRENT LAKE LEVELS

CENTRAL TEXAS

CENTRAL TEXAS

catch these fish is by shooting or skipping jigs under the docks and letting them fall down to the fish.

LAKE

CAPACITY AC. FT. Aquilla 43,243 Arlington 40,157 Athens 29,503 Austin 23,972 Bardwell 46,122 Belton 435,225 Benbrook 85,648 Buchanan 816,904 Canyon 378,781 Cedar Creek 644,686 Choke Canyon 662,820 Corpus Christi 256,062 Eagle Mountain 179,880 Georgetown 36,823 Gibbons Creek 25,721 Granger 51,822 Grapevine 163,064 Halbert 6,033 Hubert H Moss 24,058 Inks 13,962 Joe Pool 175,800 Lavon 406,388 Lewisville 563,228 Limestone 203,780 Lyndon B Johnson 115,249 Marble Falls 6,901 Martin 75,726 Medina 254,823 Mountain Creek 22,850 Nasworthy 9,615 Navarro Mills 49,827 New Terrell City 8,583 Ray Hubbard 439,559 Ray Roberts 788,167 Richland-Chamb. 1,087,839 Somerville 150,293 Stillhouse Hollow 227,771 Tawakoni 871,685 Texana 159,566 Texoma 1,243,801 Travis 1,113,348 Tyler 72,073 Waco 189,418 Waxahachie 10,780 Weatherford 17,812 Whitney 553,344 Worth 24,419 As of 10/11/2020

LOCATION: Fayette County HOTSPOT: Northwest side Main Point GPS: N 29 56.5679, W 96 44.0639 (29.9428, -96.7344)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Marabou jigs SOURCE: Tommy Tidwell 512-365-7761 www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: The crappie are in shallow water this time of year and are being caught in 3 to 7 feet. Use Berkley Crappie Nibbles on your jigs and loop knots to get the best action. Any cover will hold crappie at this time of year and they will be big after feeding heavily on shad all summer. Good luck and good fishing.

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch Bait SOURCE: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Concentrate on fishing timber here in 8-12’ water. Chum around the boat, use tight line and expect very light bite even for big fish.

LOCATION: Lake Joe Pool HOTSPOT: Lynn Creek Treeline GPS: N 32 37.754, W 97 03.026 (32.6292, -97.0504)

LOCATION: Gibbons Creek HOTSPOT: Employee dock area GPS: N 30 37.602, W 96 4.5899 (30.6267, -96.0765)

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows, shad, jigs SOURCE: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 whitebassfishingtexas.com TIPS: Fish the treeline along creek channel. Avoid midday.

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch bait/perch SOURCE: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Fish concentrating on 7-8’ water next to the lilly pads. Use Cj’s punch bait under corks. At night use perch. along pads for yellow cats.

LOCATION: Lake Lewisville HOTSPOT: Pockrus Hump GPS: N 33 5.289, W 97 0.097 (33.0882, -97.0016)

LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 41.952, W 97 23.22 (30.6992, -97.3870)

CURRENT AC. FT. 40,454 31,272 29,209 22,895 44,225 421,629 62,951 764,712 354,432 609,066 310,124 220,727 168,705 25,037 20,549 51,822 155,828 5,047 22,716 12,892 171,815 333,261 530,781 186,864 111,064 6,739 67,893 73,267 22,850 8,073 45,672 7,852 403,834 769,310 1,029,954 148,048 222,972 832,007 147,923 1,167,970 803,910 69,469 178,417 9,262 15,750 518,512 20,919

% FULL 94% 78% 99% 96% 96% 97% 74% 94% 94% 95% 47% 86% 94% 68% 80% 100% 96% 84% 94% 92% 98% 82% 94% 92% 96% 98% 90% 29% 100% 84% 92% 92% 92% 98% 95% 99% 98% 95% 93% 94% 72% 96% 94% 86% 88% 94% 86%

•

Fishgame.com/fishgamegear.com TIPS: Fish live shad on bottom rigs; all day

SPECIES: Hybrid Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Shad SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas

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LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Back ofFlat Creek Near the Dogwood Point GPS: N 32 12.912, W 95 31.548 (32.2152, -95.5258)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Big Eye Jig and Texas Spinnerbait SOURCE: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201 www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Bass fishing is good mid-lake fishing the back of Flat Creek near the dogwood point. Fish the creek and shallow water around the islands. Best lures will be the Big Eye Jig along the creek and the Texas Spinnerbait around the islands and grass.

LOCATION: Lake Ray Hubbard HOTSPOT: Harbor Bay Marina GPS: N 32 53.8, W 96 29.004 (32.8967, -96.4834)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Shad Pop-R SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear.com TIPS: Fish the Shad Pop-R on Texas rig, fish north bank of marina brush; dusk-dawn LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake HOTSPOT: 309 Flats GPS: N 31 58.368, W 96 6.99 (31.9728, -96.1165)

SOURCE: Royce Simmons 903-389-4117 www.gonefishin.biz TIPS: If this fall turns out like the last couple of years and the Whites and Hybrid Stripers get tough to find, check out RC for an AWESOME Catfish bite. Both Blues and Channels will congregate in the timbered areas up the Richland Creek Arm of the Lake. You can also find them off the Hwy 309 Flats along the edges of drop offs in 20’ plus water depths. Punch Bait fished near the bottom will result in a nice box of quality Cats ranging from 2lbs. to 5lbs.

LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Five Creeks GPS: N 33 54.8339, W 96 42.3959 (33.9139, -96.7066)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Sassy Shad jigs and live shad SOURCE: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 www.striperexpress.com TIPS: The stripers should be running in large schools by now. Pay close attention to the seagulls. They will locate the stripers ambushing large bait balls. The favorite artificial are 4 Sassy Shad on a 1oz. jig head.

The best colors are white glow and chartreuse fleck.

Live shad fishing is also a great way to catch stripers.

You can anchor or drift live bait.

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Brushy Creek GPS: N 30 20.94, W 96 33.2039 (30.3490, -96.5534)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: CJ’s punch Bait/Crawdad SOURCE: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Anchor here, chum around the boat, fish tight line on the outside of the cane.

LOCATION: Lake Whitney HOTSPOT: Big Rocky Creek GPS: N 31 52.794, W 97 23.682 (31.8799, -97.3947)

LOCATION: Lake Tawakoni HOTSPOT: Hickory Cove GPS: N 32 56.293, W 96 1.473 (32.9382, -96.0246)

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Storm’s Wild Eyed Shad in chartreuse, white 1/2 oz. Bucktail jigs and chartreuse snake tail trailers by www.stripersniper.com SOURCE: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 www.teamredneck.net TIPS: Cast out 30 feet behind boat and turn trolling motor on medium speed. Drag baits behind boat in mouth of creek and hump just out from creek. Stripers have baits pushed up in the mouth of Big Rocky and they are gorging on them.

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Live minnows, jigs SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas 800-725-1134 Fishgame.com/fishgamegear.com TIPS: Fish live minnows, 1/8 oz. jigs, work these in the shallows; dawn, midday, dusk.

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•••

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Danny Kings Blood Punch Bait

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Getting Prepared for the Big Chill

N

OVEMBER IS THE FIRST real transition month since summer heat descended months ago. Water temperatures will continue to fall into the 60s across most of the region.

GPS: N 33 2.6279, W 101 3.7379 (33.0438, -101.0623)

Reported by DEAN HEFFNER

As the water cools, most species will change toward their winter patterns. Fish will start actively feeding to stock up for the cold season and passing cool fronts dominate the weather pattern.

Once Thanksgiving has passed, the real winter fishing will begin to fire up. Best action will occur as the barometer falls, signaling the approach of a cold front.

WEST TEXAS HOTSPOTS

•••

LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Mouth of Major Creeks and Coves

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Chatterbaits, jigs with blue worms, crankbaits, top water lures and Red Eye Shad SOURCE: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220 TIPS: Bass fishing in November will really start to

Lakean m Cole

HOTSPOTLIGHT

LAKE COLEMAN LOCATION: 45 miles southeast of Abilene and about 13 miles north of Coleman SURFACE AREA: 2,000 acres MAXIMUM DEPTH: 48 feet IMPOUNDED: 1966

during the summer and early fall when hybrids roam in large schools and feed on the surface. Fast moving lures and topwater baits work well. Downrigging and drift fishing with live shad or sunfish are also very effective for hybrids in this reservoir.

Largemouth bass fishing is best from September through May. Lake Cole-

LAKE COLEMAN IS WELL KNOWN FOR hybrid striped bass fishing, especially

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man is an excellent topwater lake for these bass. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, plastic worm, jigs, and jerkbaits are also effective. Jerkbaits and floating worms are hard to beat from March through May, with a general shift from jerkbaits to floating worms as the water warms.

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pick up action as cool fronts cool the water. Check for schooling shad up Big Grape, Little Grape, Ince, Gobbler and Rocky Creeks.

LOCATION: Lake Abilene HOTSPOT: Elm Creek, Abilene State Park GPS: N 32 14.140, W 99 53.412 (32.235664, -99.890207)

SPECIES: Rainbow Trout BEST BAITS: Small spinnerbaits, corn, cheese SOURCE: Natalie Goldstrohm, TPWD 325-692-0921 TIPS: Fish for Rainbow Trout in the one-acre pond at Abilene State Park. During the winter months, Rainbow Trout will be stocked throughout Texas. Use light tackle since they have excellent eyesight. Try small white inline spinners or a small cricket hook with a sinker.

LOCATION: Fort Phantom Hill Reservoir HOTSPOT: Shorelines GPS: N 32 33.471, W 99 41.265 (32.557855, -99.687753)

SPECIES: Largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits SOURCE: Natalie Goldstrohm, TPWD 325-692-0921 TIPS: Look for areas of standing timber or dead flooded terrestrial brush along the shoreline because bait fish will be schooling in the shallow water and attract bass to the area.

LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Lower ends by Pump Station GPS: N 32 23.014 W 97 42.550 (32 23.014, -97 42.550)

LAKE

CAPACITY AC. FT. Abilene 7,900 Alan Henry 96,207 Amistad 1,840,849 Amon G Carter 19,266 Arrowhead 230,359 Brady Creek 28,808 Bridgeport 366,236 Brownwood 130,868 Champion Creek 41,580 Cherokee 40,094 Cisco 29,003 Coleman 38,075 Colorado City 30,758 E V Spence 517,272 Elephant Butte 179,880 Falcon 1,551,007 Fort Phantom Hill 70,030 Graham 45,288 Granbury 132,949 Greenbelt 59,968 Hords Creek 8,109 Hubbard Creek 313,298 J B Thomas 199,931 Kemp 245,307 Kickapoo 86,345 Leon 27,762 Lost Creek 11,950 Mackenzie 46,450 Meredith 500,000 Millers Creek 26,768 Mineral Wells 5,273 Natural Dam 54,560 Nocona 21,444 N. Fork Buffalo Cr. 15,400 O C Fisher 115,742 O H Ivie 554,340 Oak Creek 39,210 Palo Duro 61,066 Palo Pinto 26,766 Pat Cleburne 26,008 Possum Kingdom 538,139 Proctor 54,762 Red Bluff 151,110 Squaw Creek 151,250 Stamford 51,570 Sweetwater 12,267 Twin Buttes 182,454 White River 29,880

SPECIES: White and Black Crappie SOURCE: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 254-396-4855 BEST BAITS: Live minnows and small jigs (electric chicken, blue ghost, and chartreuse and white) TIPS: Work over structure slowly and work deeper until you locate the best depth. Bridge pilings can also be a great choice on those colder days.

LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Peanut Patch GPS: N 32 53.267, W 98 30.998 (32.887783, -98.516633)

SPECIES: Striped Bass, Hybrids BEST BAITS: Swim baits, live shad SOURCE: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 Fav7734@gmail TIPS: Well, it’s time for some slabbin’ and thumpin’ so get your coveralls and headgear out. Look for the birds to give you a heads up on where the fish are.

However, your graph will put you right on them. Look for the fish to be running the 20- and 30-foot breaklines. These are their natural highways to the flats and shallows, where they push bait up. Once you catch a F I S H

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WEST TEXAS

As of 10/11/2020

LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Rough Creek GPS: N 32 24.935, W 97 47.260 (32.41559, -97.78767)

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CURRENT LAKE LEVELS

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Swim baits in glow and chartreuse, live shad SOURCE: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 254-396-4855 TIPS: Slow troll using your trolling motor with your bait in 20 to 25 feet of water near channel ledges.

Look for birds to point you to active fish. Bigger stripers are typically under the smaller fish feeding shallow.

CURRENT AC. FT. 6,775 90,881 957,279 19,266 207,947 17,612 349,488 127,163 30,288 37,701 26,276 37,049 24,224 137,420 168,705 312,718 68,782 41,275 132,949 10,710 3,668 294,223 87,521 241,042 70,192 25,365 11,698 3,753 183,125 24,910 5,180 26,375 20,031 13,674 7,587 315,663 28,768 644 26,766 22,832 528,887 50,189 111,843 151,250 48,872 10,171 97,262 6,722

% FULL 86% 95% 52% 100% 90% 61% 95% 97% 73% 94% 91% 97% 79% 27% 94% 20% 98% 91% 100% 18% 45% 94% 44% 98% 81% 91% 98% 8% 37% 93% 98% 48% 93% 89% 7% 57% 73% 1% 100% 88% 98% 92% 74% 100% 95% 83% 53% 23%

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fish, pay attention to how deep the water is where and when you made the catch. Stay at that depth and you’ll determine the correct fishing depth faster.

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Sportsman’s DAYBOOK NOV/DEC 2021

Tides and Prime Times The following pages contain TIDE and SOLUNAR predictions for our Base Point, Galveston Channel (N 29.317, W 94.88) Tidal movement and the daily phases of the moon have varying degrees of influence on many fish and game species.

AM & PM MINOR phases occur when the moon rises and sets.

These phases last 1 to 2 hours.

TIDE CONVERSION TABLE HIGH

SABINE AREA T1 Sabine Bank Lighthouse

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

LOW

KEY

PLACE

HIGH

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

Nov 1 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

2:36a 8:33a 2:05p 8:10p

TUESDAY

2

1.63 ft.

1.03 ft.

1.46 ft.

0.71 ft.

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

2:48a 8:52a 3:19p 9:02p

UPPER MIDDLE COAST T19 Freeport Harbor

3 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

2:59a 9:23a 4:29p 9:55p

4 High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide:

3:09a 10:01a 5:37p 10:48p

12a

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

Austin

Port Arthur

Houston 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

1.54 ft.

0.43 ft.

1.72 ft.

1.09 ft.

6p

Dallas

-0:44 -1:02

Port Isabel

T23

WEDNESDAY

1.58 ft.

0.75 ft.

1.59 ft.

0.88 ft.

Fort Worth

LOW

T2

GALVESTON BAY AREA T4 Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass

FEET

LOW

12p

BEST TIME

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

TIDE PREDICTIONS are located in the White Area MONDAY at the top of the Calendar Pages. You can use the Nov 1 High Tide: 2:36a 1.63 ft.

CONVERSION TABLE below to make adjustments. Low Tide: 8:33a 1.03 ft.

High Tide: 2:05p 1.46 ft.

It is keyed to 23 other tide stations along the Texas Low Tide: 8:10p 0.71 ft.

Coast (see these map icons: T1 ). Adjust low and high tide times, plus or minus in minutes, from the times given for the Base Point at Galveston Channel.

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

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

FRIDAY

5

1.54 ft.

0.13 ft.

1.84 ft.

1.30 ft.

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

3:18a 10:44a 6:47p 11:43p

1.57 ft.

-0.13 ft.

1.92 ft.

1.50 ft.

SATURDAY

6

High Tide: 3:24a Low Tide: 11:32a High Tide: 8:00p

1.63 ft.

-0.30 ft.

1.95 ft.

SUNDAY

7

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

12:46a 2:19a 11:25a 8:19p

1.66 ft.

1.69 ft.

-0.38 ft.

1.94 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

10:00a — 12:00p Sunrise: 7:31a Sunset: 6:33p Moonrise: 3:55a Moon Set: 4:46p

12a

10:30a — 12:30p

AM Minor: 3:27a AM Major: 9:40a PM Minor: 3:52p PM Major: 10:04p

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

|

6p

Sunrise: 7:31a Sunset: 6:32p Moonrise: 4:58a Moon Set: 5:20p

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

58

12p

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: 11:13a Moon Underfoot: 11:37p

N O V / D E C

TexasOutdoorNation-2111-ISSUU.indd 58

2 0 2 1

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

11:30a — 1:30p Sunrise: 7:32a Sunset: 6:31p Moonrise: 6:03a Moon Set: 5:55p

AM Minor: 4:11a AM Major: 10:24a PM Minor: 4:36p PM Major: 10:49p

6p

12a

12:00 — 2:00 pm

6p

1:00 — 3:00 pm

AM Minor: 5:54a AM Major: ----PM Minor: 6:23p PM Major: 12:38p

Moon Overhead: 12:56p Moon Underfoot: 12:29a

F I S H

12p

Sunrise: 7:34a Sunset: 6:30p Moonrise: 8:21a Moon Set: 7:18p

AM Minor: 4:59a AM Major: 11:13a PM Minor: 5:26p PM Major: 11:40p

T E X A S

6a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:33a Sunset: 6:30p Moonrise: 7:10a Moon Set: 6:34p

Moon Overhead: 12:03p Moon Underfoot: None

|

12p

BEST TIME

&

Moon Overhead: 1:53p Moon Underfoot: 1:24a

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

6:30 — 8:30 am Sunrise: 7:35a Sunset: 6:29p Moonrise: 9:34a Moon Set: 8:09p

AM Minor: 6:57a AM Major: 12:41a PM Minor: 7:27p PM Major: 1:12p Moon Overhead: 2:54p Moon Underfoot: 2:23a

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

7:30 — 9:30 am Sunrise: 7:35a Sunset: 6:28p Moonrise: 10:46a Moon Set: 9:06p

AM Minor: 8:04a AM Major: 1:48a PM Minor: 8:36p PM Major: 2:20p

Moon Overhead: 3:57p Moon Underfoot: 3:25a

G A M E ®

10/21/21 5:03 PM

NOV/DEC 2021

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

8 END DST Low Tide: 12:23p High Tide: 9:42p

-0.36 ft.

1.91 ft.

TUESDAY

9

Low Tide: 1:26p High Tide: 10:57p

WEDNESDAY

10

-0.26 ft.

1.86 ft.

Low Tide: 2:36p High Tide: 11:50p

THURSDAY

11

-0.11 ft.

1.77 ft.

Low Tide:

3:50p

FRIDAY

12 

0.07 ft.

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

FEET

12:25a 7:36a 9:02a 5:04p

SATURDAY

13

1.67 ft.

1.23 ft.

1.24 ft.

0.26 ft.

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

12:49a 7:24a 11:20a 6:12p

SUNDAY

14

1.56 ft.

1.02 ft.

1.22 ft.

0.46 ft.

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

1:06a 7:39a 12:55p 7:13p

1.46 ft.

0.80 ft.

1.27 ft.

0.66 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 am Sunrise: 6:36a Sunset: 5:28p Moonrise: 10:53a Moon Set: 9:10p

AM Minor: 8:15a AM Major: 1:59a PM Minor: 8:47p PM Major: 2:31p

FEET

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

9:30 — 11:30 am

10:30a — 12:30p

1.39 ft.

0.57 ft.

1.36 ft.

0.86 ft.

16

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

1:31a 8:21a 3:16p 8:56p

17

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

1:39a 8:44a 4:13p 9:42p

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 pm

12p

6p

12a

6a

9:00 — 11:00 pm

6p

12a

10:00p — 12:00a Sunrise: 6:41a Sunset: 5:24p Moonrise: 3:06p Moon Set: 2:25a

AM Minor: 12:36a AM Major: 6:47a PM Minor: 12:58p PM Major: 7:10p

Moon Overhead: 7:43p Moon Underfoot: 7:19a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:40a Sunset: 5:25p Moonrise: 2:37p Moon Set: 1:27a

AM Minor: ----AM Major: 6:03a PM Minor: 12:15p PM Major: 6:27p

Moon Overhead: 6:54p Moon Underfoot: 6:28a

6a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:39a Sunset: 5:25p Moonrise: 2:04p Moon Set: 12:27a

AM Minor: 11:25a AM Major: 5:12a PM Minor: 11:52p PM Major: 5:39p

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

Moon Overhead: 8:27p Moon Underfoot: 8:06a

Moon Overhead: 9:10p Moon Underfoot: 8:49a

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

1.34 ft.

0.37 ft.

1.44 ft.

1.03 ft.

6p

11:30a — 1:30p

Moon Overhead: 6:01p Moon Underfoot: 5:33a

TUESDAY

12p

Sunrise: 6:39a Sunset: 5:26p Moonrise: 1:27p Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 10:28a AM Major: 4:14a PM Minor: 10:57p PM Major: 4:43p

Moon Overhead: 5:03p Moon Underfoot: 4:33a

6a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:38a Sunset: 5:26p Moonrise: 12:44p Moon Set: 11:22p

AM Minor: 9:24a AM Major: 3:09a PM Minor: 9:55p PM Major: 3:39p

MONDAY 1:20a 7:59a 2:12p 8:07p

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: 6:37a Sunset: 5:27p Moonrise: 11:53a Moon Set: 10:16p

Moon Overhead: 4:01p Moon Underfoot: 3:30a

15

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

18 

1.32 ft.

0.21 ft.

1.51 ft.

1.18 ft.

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



1:44a 9:09a 5:04p 10:23p

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

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

19 

1.33 ft.

0.08 ft.

1.56 ft.

1.29 ft.

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

1:43a 9:37a 5:52p 11:03p

SATURDAY

20 

1.35 ft.

-0.00 ft.

1.58 ft.

1.37 ft.

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

1:23a 10:09a 6:42p 11:47p

SUNDAY

21 

1.38 ft.

-0.05 ft.

1.58 ft.

1.42 ft.

High Tide: 12:26a Low Tide: 10:43a High Tide: 7:35p

1.42 ft.

-0.06 ft.

1.57 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

9:30 — 11:30 pm Sunrise: 6:42a Sunset: 5:24p Moonrise: 3:35p Moon Set: 3:19a

AM Minor: 1:53a AM Major: 8:03a PM Minor: 2:13p PM Major: 8:24p

Moon Overhead: 9:51p Moon Underfoot: 9:30a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

10:00p — 12:00a Sunrise: 6:43a Sunset: 5:23p Moonrise: 4:04p Moon Set: 4:13a

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

Moon Overhead: 10:32p Moon Underfoot: 10:11a

6a

12p

6p

10:30p — 12:30a Sunrise: 6:44a Sunset: 5:23p Moonrise: 4:34p Moon Set: 5:07a

AM Minor: 3:06a AM Major: 9:16a PM Minor: 3:27p PM Major: 9:37p

Moon Overhead: 11:15p Moon Underfoot: 10:53a

T E X A S

TexasOutdoorNation-2111-ISSUU.indd 59

12a

BEST TIME

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 am

6p

12a

12:00 — 2:00 am Sunrise: 6:45a Sunset: 5:22p Moonrise: 5:42p Moon Set: 6:58a

AM Minor: 3:46a AM Major: 9:57a PM Minor: 4:08p PM Major: 10:19p

AM Minor: 4:29a AM Major: 10:41a PM Minor: 4:52p PM Major: 11:04p

Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:36a

&

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:44a Sunset: 5:22p Moonrise: 5:06p Moon Set: 6:02a

F I S H

6a

Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 12:22p

G A M E ®

|

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

5:30 — 7:30 am Sunrise: 6:46a Sunset: 5:22p Moonrise: 6:22p Moon Set: 7:54a

6p

12a

6:00 — 8:00 am Sunrise: 6:47a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 7:06p Moon Set: 8:49a

AM Minor: 5:17a AM Major: 11:29a PM Minor: 5:41p PM Major: 11:59p

AM Minor: 6:08a AM Major: ----PM Minor: 6:33p PM Major: 12:21p

Moon Overhead: 12:45a Moon Underfoot: 1:09p N O V / D E C

12p

BEST TIME

Moon Overhead: 1:34a Moon Underfoot: 1:59p

2 0 2 1

|

59

10/21/21 5:03 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

22 

Low Tide: 11:20a High Tide: 8:34p

TUESDAY

-0.04 ft.

1.56 ft.

23

Low Tide: 12:01p High Tide: 9:36p

-0.01 ft.

1.54 ft.

WEDNESDAY

24

Low Tide: 12:44p High Tide: 10:29p

THURSDAY

25

0.03 ft.

1.53 ft.

Low Tide: 1:32p High Tide: 11:06p

FRIDAY

26 

0.09 ft.

1.51 ft.

Low Tide: 2:23p High Tide: 11:30p

SATURDAY

27

0.17 ft.

1.47 ft.

Low Tide: 3:19p High Tide: 11:47p

SUNDAY

28

0.28 ft.

1.41 ft.

Low Tide: 7:24a High Tide: 9:53a Low Tide: 4:21p

0.94 ft.

0.96 ft.

0.43 ft.

FEET

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

7:00 — 9:00 am Sunrise: 6:48a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 7:55p Moon Set: 9:42a

AM Minor: 7:02a AM Major: 12:50a PM Minor: 7:27p PM Major: 1:15p

FEET

6a

12p

6p

12a

AM Minor: 7:58a AM Major: 1:45a PM Minor: 8:23p PM Major: 2:10p

8:00 — 10:00 am

30

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

12:11a 6:47a 1:32p 6:33p

1.28 ft.

0.39 ft.

1.20 ft.

0.81 ft.

12:20a 7:18a 2:47p 7:41p

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

10:00a — 12:00p

12p

6p

12a

6a

11:00a — 1:00p

6p

12a

1:00 — 3:00 am Sunrise: 6:53a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 12:40a Moon Set: 1:43p

AM Minor: 11:27a AM Major: 5:15a PM Minor: 11:50p PM Major: 5:38p

Moon Overhead: 5:42a Moon Underfoot: 6:06p

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:52a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: None Moon Set: 1:10p

AM Minor: 10:38a AM Major: 4:26a PM Minor: 11:02p PM Major: 4:50p

Moon Overhead: 4:54a Moon Underfoot: 5:18p

6a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:51a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 11:41p Moon Set: 12:36p

AM Minor: 9:47a AM Major: 3:35a PM Minor: 10:11p PM Major: 3:59p

AM Minor: ----AM Major: 6:01a PM Minor: 12:12p PM Major: 6:24p

Moon Overhead: 6:29a Moon Underfoot: 6:52p

Moon Overhead: 7:15a Moon Underfoot: 7:38p

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

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

12a

9:00 — 11:00 am

Moon Overhead: 4:04a Moon Underfoot: 4:29p

Dec 1

6p

Sunrise: 6:50a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 10:42p Moon Set: 11:58a

AM Minor: 8:53a AM Major: 2:41a PM Minor: 9:18p PM Major: 3:05p

Moon Overhead: 3:14a Moon Underfoot: 3:39p

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:49a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 9:44p Moon Set: 11:17a

TUESDAY

1.34 ft.

0.70 ft.

1.04 ft.

0.61 ft.

6a

BEST TIME

7:30 — 9:30 am

MONDAY 12:00a 6:33a 12:03p 5:26p

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: 6:49a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 8:48p Moon Set: 10:32a

Moon Overhead: 2:24a Moon Underfoot: 2:49p

29

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

2

1.26 ft.

0.04 ft.

1.39 ft.

1.01 ft.

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



12:30a 7:58a 3:56p 8:46p

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

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

3

1.28 ft.

-0.29 ft.

1.55 ft.

1.19 ft.

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

12:40a 8:42a 5:01p 9:49p

SATURDAY

4

1.34 ft.

-0.56 ft.

1.66 ft.

1.34 ft.

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

12:53a 9:30a 6:05p 10:51p

SUNDAY

5

1.41 ft.

-0.76 ft.

1.71 ft.

1.45 ft.

High Tide: 1:09a Low Tide: 10:22a High Tide: 7:10p

1.47 ft.

-0.84 ft.

1.70 ft.

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: 6:53a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 1:41a Moon Set: 2:15p

AM Minor: 12:32a AM Major: 6:43a PM Minor: 12:55p PM Major: 7:07p Moon Overhead: 8:02a Moon Underfoot: 8:25p

60

|

12p

6p

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 pm Sunrise: 6:54a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 2:43a Moon Set: 2:49p

AM Minor: 1:13a AM Major: 7:25a PM Minor: 1:38p PM Major: 7:50p

Moon Overhead: 8:49a Moon Underfoot: 9:14p

N O V / D E C

TexasOutdoorNation-2111-ISSUU.indd 60

2 0 2 1

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

9:30 — 11:30 pm Sunrise: 6:55a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 3:47a Moon Set: 3:25p

AM Minor: 1:56a AM Major: 8:09a PM Minor: 2:22p PM Major: 8:34p

6p

12a

10:00p — 12:00a

6p

12a

4:30 — 6:30 am

AM Minor: 3:34a AM Major: 9:50a PM Minor: 4:05p PM Major: 10:20p

Moon Overhead: 10:34a Moon Underfoot: 11:03p

F I S H

12p

Sunrise: 6:57a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 6:08a Moon Set: 4:53p

AM Minor: 2:42a AM Major: 8:56a PM Minor: 3:10p PM Major: 9:24p

T E X A S

6a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:56a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 4:56a Moon Set: 4:06p

Moon Overhead: 9:39a Moon Underfoot: 10:06p

|

12p

BEST TIME

&

Moon Overhead: 11:33a Moon Underfoot: None

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

5:00 — 7:00 am Sunrise: 6:57a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 7:22a Moon Set: 5:48p

AM Minor: 4:34a AM Major: 10:50a PM Minor: 5:06p PM Major: 11:22p Moon Overhead: 12:36p Moon Underfoot: 12:04a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

5:30 — 7:30 am Sunrise: 6:58a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 8:33a Moon Set: 6:50p

AM Minor: 5:41a AM Major: 11:20a PM Minor: 6:14p PM Major: ----Moon Overhead: 1:42p Moon Underfoot: 1:09a

G A M E ®

10/21/21 5:03 PM

NOV/DEC 2021

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

6 FEET

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

12:02a 1:20a 11:16a 8:14p

1.49 ft.

1.49 ft.

-0.83 ft.

1.64 ft.

TUESDAY

7

Low Tide: 12:12p High Tide: 9:13p

-0.72 ft.

1.55 ft.

WEDNESDAY

8

Low Tide: 1:11p High Tide: 10:03p

-0.53 ft.

1.44 ft.

THURSDAY

9

Low Tide: 2:12p High Tide: 10:40p

-0.29 ft.

1.32 ft.

FRIDAY

10

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

5:58a 7:13a 3:16p 11:08p

0.93 ft.

0.93 ft.

-0.02 ft.

1.21 ft.

SATURDAY

11  Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

6:02a 9:50a 4:25p 11:29p

0.68 ft.

0.83 ft.

0.24 ft.

1.12 ft.

SUNDAY

12

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

6:28a 11:50a 5:38p 11:46p

0.43 ft.

0.85 ft.

0.49 ft.

1.05 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

6:30 — 8:30 am Sunrise: 6:59a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 9:39a Moon Set: 7:57p

AM Minor: 6:51a AM Major: 12:35a PM Minor: 7:23p PM Major: 1:07p Moon Overhead: 2:47p Moon Underfoot: 2:15a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

7:30 — 9:30 am Sunrise: 7:00a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 10:35a Moon Set: 9:07p

AM Minor: 8:01a AM Major: 1:46a PM Minor: 8:32p PM Major: 2:16p

Moon Overhead: 3:49p Moon Underfoot: 3:19a

TexasOutdoorNation-2111-ISSUU.indd 61

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 am Sunrise: 7:00a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 11:23a Moon Set: 10:14p

AM Minor: 9:07a AM Major: 2:53a PM Minor: 9:36p PM Major: 3:21p

Moon Overhead: 4:46p Moon Underfoot: 4:18a

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

9:30 — 11:30 am Sunrise: 7:01a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 12:04p Moon Set: 11:19p

AM Minor: 10:07a AM Major: 3:54a PM Minor: 10:33p PM Major: 4:20p

Moon Overhead: 5:38p Moon Underfoot: 5:13a

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

5:30 — 7:30 pm Sunrise: 7:02a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 12:38p Moon Set: None

AM Minor: 10:59a AM Major: 4:47a PM Minor: 11:23p PM Major: 5:11p

Moon Overhead: 6:25p Moon Underfoot: 6:02a

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

6:30 — 8:30 pm Sunrise: 7:02a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 1:09p Moon Set: 12:19a

AM Minor: 11:45a AM Major: 5:34a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 5:56p

Moon Overhead: 7:09p Moon Underfoot: 6:48a

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

7:30 — 9:30 pm Sunrise: 7:03a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 1:38p Moon Set: 1:15a

AM Minor: 12:04a AM Major: 6:15a PM Minor: 12:25p PM Major: 6:36p Moon Overhead: 7:51p Moon Underfoot: 7:30a

10/21/21 5:03 PM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

13 FEET

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

6:56a 1:29p 6:55p 11:59p

TUESDAY

0.20 ft.

0.95 ft.

0.70 ft.

1.01 ft.

14

Low Tide: 7:24a High Tide: 2:48p Low Tide: 8:09p

-0.01 ft.

1.07 ft.

0.86 ft.

WEDNESDAY

15

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

12:09a 7:52a 3:49p 9:20p

1.01 ft.

-0.17 ft.

1.17 ft.

0.97 ft.

THURSDAY

16

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

12:14a 8:20a 4:38p 10:28p

FRIDAY

17 

1.02 ft.

-0.30 ft.

1.24 ft.

1.05 ft.

High Tide: 12:11a Low Tide: 8:49a High Tide: 5:19p

SATURDAY

18 

1.06 ft.

-0.38 ft.

1.27 ft.

Low Tide: 9:21a High Tide: 5:59p

SUNDAY

19 

-0.43 ft.

1.28 ft.

Low Tide: 9:54a High Tide: 6:39p

-0.46 ft.

1.27 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 pm Sunrise: 7:04a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 2:07p Moon Set: 2:09a

AM Minor: 12:42a AM Major: 6:53a PM Minor: 1:03p PM Major: 7:13p

12a

6a

12p

6p

9:30 — 11:30 pm

AM Minor: 1:18a AM Major: 7:29a PM Minor: 1:39p PM Major: 7:50p

10:30a — 12:30p

AM Minor: 1:55a AM Major: 8:06a PM Minor: 2:17p PM Major: 8:27p

21 

Low Tide: 11:05a High Tide: 8:03p

-0.45 ft.

1.24 ft.

Low Tide: 11:41a High Tide: 8:42p

6p

12a

6a

-0.41 ft.

1.22 ft.

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

11:00a — 1:00p

4:30 — 6:30 am

6p

12a

6a

5:00 — 7:00 am

6p

12a

5:30 — 7:30 am Sunrise: 7:07a Sunset: 5:23p Moonrise: 5:51p Moon Set: 7:38a

AM Minor: 4:01a AM Major: 10:13a PM Minor: 4:26p PM Major: 10:38p

Moon Overhead: 11:30p Moon Underfoot: 11:06a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:07a Sunset: 5:23p Moonrise: 5:04p Moon Set: 6:44a

AM Minor: 3:15a AM Major: 9:27a PM Minor: 3:39p PM Major: 9:51p

Moon Overhead: 10:43p Moon Underfoot: 10:19a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:06a Sunset: 5:22p Moonrise: 4:20p Moon Set: 5:49a

AM Minor: 2:34a AM Major: 8:45a PM Minor: 2:56p PM Major: 9:08p

AM Minor: 4:50a AM Major: 11:03a PM Minor: 5:15p PM Major: 11:28p

Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:55a

Moon Overhead: 12:20a Moon Underfoot: 12:45p

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

22

12p

Sunrise: 7:06a Sunset: 5:22p Moonrise: 3:42p Moon Set: 4:53a

Moon Overhead: 9:57p Moon Underfoot: 9:35a

TUESDAY

-0.46 ft.

1.26 ft.

6a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:05a Sunset: 5:22p Moonrise: 3:07p Moon Set: 3:57a

Moon Overhead: 9:13p Moon Underfoot: 8:52a

MONDAY

12a

BEST TIME

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

READING THE GRAPH

Low Tide: 10:29a High Tide: 7:20p

6p

Sunrise: 7:04a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 2:36p Moon Set: 3:03a

Moon Overhead: 8:32p Moon Underfoot: 8:11a

20 

12p

BEST TIME



Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

23

Low Tide: 12:18p High Tide: 9:17p

-0.34 ft.

1.19 ft.

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

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

24

Low Tide: 12:58p High Tide: 9:44p

-0.24 ft.

1.13 ft.

SATURDAY

25

Low Tide: 1:40p High Tide: 10:03p

-0.08 ft.

1.06 ft.

FEET

SUNDAY

26  Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

5:40a 7:26a 2:29p 10:18p

0.63 ft.

0.64 ft.

0.13 ft.

0.99 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

6:00 — 8:00 am Sunrise: 7:08a Sunset: 5:24p Moonrise: 6:43p Moon Set: 8:29a

AM Minor: 5:42a AM Major: 11:55a PM Minor: 6:08p PM Major: ----Moon Overhead: 1:10a Moon Underfoot: 1:36p

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12p

6p

BEST TIME

6:30 — 8:30 am Sunrise: 7:08a Sunset: 5:24p Moonrise: 7:39p Moon Set: 9:16a

AM Minor: 6:36a AM Major: 12:24a PM Minor: 7:01p PM Major: 12:49p Moon Overhead: 2:01a Moon Underfoot: 2:26p

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12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

7:00 — 9:00 am Sunrise: 7:09a Sunset: 5:24p Moonrise: 8:36p Moon Set: 9:59a

AM Minor: 7:31a AM Major: 1:18a PM Minor: 7:55p PM Major: 1:43p

6p

12a

8:00 — 10:00 am

AM Minor: 8:24a AM Major: 2:13a PM Minor: 8:48p PM Major: 2:36p

T E X A S

Moon Overhead: 3:40a Moon Underfoot: 4:03p

F I S H

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 7:09a Sunset: 5:25p Moonrise: 9:34p Moon Set: 10:37a

Moon Overhead: 2:51a Moon Underfoot: 3:15p

|

12p

BEST TIME

&

8:30 — 10:30 am Sunrise: 7:10a Sunset: 5:25p Moonrise: 10:33p Moon Set: 11:12a

AM Minor: 9:17a AM Major: 3:05a PM Minor: 9:40p PM Major: 3:28p

Moon Overhead: 4:26a Moon Underfoot: 4:49p

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

9:30 — 11:30 am Sunrise: 7:10a Sunset: 5:26p Moonrise: 11:31p Moon Set: 11:44a

AM Minor: 10:06a AM Major: 3:55a PM Minor: 10:29p PM Major: 4:18p

Moon Overhead: 5:12a Moon Underfoot: 5:34p

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

11:30p — 1:30a Sunrise: 7:10a Sunset: 5:27p Moonrise: None Moon Set: 12:15p

AM Minor: 10:54a AM Major: 4:43a PM Minor: 11:16p PM Major: 5:05p

Moon Overhead: 5:57a Moon Underfoot: 6:19p

G A M E ®

10/21/21 5:03 PM

NOV/DEC 2021

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

27 FEET

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

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

0.37 ft.

0.64 ft.

0.37 ft.

0.95 ft.

TUESDAY

28

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

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

0.06 ft.

0.79 ft.

0.62 ft.

0.94 ft.

WEDNESDAY

29

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

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

-0.28 ft.

1.00 ft.

0.85 ft.

0.99 ft.

THURSDAY

30

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

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

-0.60 ft.

1.19 ft.

1.02 ft.

1.07 ft.

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Dec 31  Jan 1  Low Tide: 7:40a High Tide: 4:21p

-0.87 ft.

1.33 ft.

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

2

-1.09 ft.

1.42 ft.

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

-1.18 ft.

1.40 ft.

1.22 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+3.0

+2.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

0

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

6a

BEST TIME

12:00 — 2:00 am Sunrise: 7:11a Sunset: 5:27p Moonrise: 12:30a Moon Set: 12:47p

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

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

12p

6p

BEST TIME

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

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

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12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

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

AM Minor: 12:44a AM Major: 6:57a PM Minor: 1:11p PM Major: 7:24p Moon Overhead: 8:19a Moon Underfoot: 8:46p

12a

6a

12p

6p

BEST TIME

2:30 — 4:30 am Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:29p Moonrise: 3:44a Moon Set: 2:40p

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

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

12a

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 am Sunrise: 7:12a Sunset: 5:30p Moonrise: 4:56a Moon Set: 3:30p

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

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

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

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

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

6a

12p

6p

12a

BEST TIME

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

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

10/21/21 5:03 PM

Open SEASON

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

What’s Conversation to a Pig?

I

T WAS DUSK WHEN WRONG Willie leaned over and placed his lips less than an inch from my ear. He virtually breathed the words. “You hear it?”

I whispered back. “That tickles, and the only thing I hear is your stomach grumbling.”

Delbert P. Axelrod thumped against the side of the ground blind we’d erected only the day before and spoke in a volume slightly less than that of a jet on takeoff. “What are you guys whispering about?”

“The hog.”

This time Willie’s whisper was stronger, from aggravation.

“I asked him if he heard the hog, but I doubt if it makes any difference, because that stinkin’ thing’s probably in the next county by now because you’re talking so loud.”

Apparently, the large slab of bacon on the hoof was hard of hearing. Bulling its way through brush and fallen leaves, it shoved through the brush toward the pond where we were hunting near the East Texas town of Centerville.

An explosive sneeze in my ear echoed off the nearby pines.

“Harrruuuggghhhnnn, sput!”

Delbert P. Axelrod, King of the Idiots, cleared his throat. It was incomprehensible that he’d make so much noise when he knew we were supposed to be quiet.

Everything around us went dead silent.

No birds chirped. The wind ceased to move the trees, and the hardwoods dropping the last of their leaves were stunned into holding onto what leaves they had left for a few more hours.

“Are you insane!!!” Wrong Willie whispered in astonishment. “We’re hunting!

You’re supposed to be quiet!

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“Hey. The last time you hunted with Rev’s wife, she made noises and squalled like a banshee, saying she was calling hogs. You didn’t get onto her.”

“That’s a good point, Delbert, but we’re talking about you. I’m sitting right next to you. Don’t you know how to whisper?”

“Yes.” His whisper made my ears ring.

I held up a hand for silence, and the deaf pig grunted again.

“That thing needs a hearing aid,” I said.

Our prey was close, but the light was going and soon it would be too dark to shoot.

“Snuuuggkkk,” came another nasal sound as Delbert cleared his sinus passages.

A sudden movement inside the stand caught my attention. Delbert raised a hand, and his finger went under his nose.

Fascinated, I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

I thought sure by this point he’d demonstrated every noise the human sinuses could make.

“Aaaachoooo!”

“That does it,” Wrong Willie stood and spoke in a normal tone of voice. Silence was futile at that point. “Delbert, did your parents have any kids that lived?”

“Just me.” He missed the entire point.

“Technically, they didn’t have me, I was adopted.”

We absorbed that bit of information concerning the luck of the draw.

Delbert continued, “The story goes that Dad went out to buy a Pontiac and came back with me. He got me from an Italian family.”

Shocked at the story we’d never heard, Willie and I waited for him to finish.

“When he got home with me, he told Mom what he’d done, and she immediately went out and started taking Italian lessons.” |

T E X A S

F I S H

&

I couldn’t stand it. “Why?” “So, she could understand me when I started talking.”

“We could shoot him,” Wrong Willie suggested.

Delbert continued, as if Willie hadn’t spoken. “Dad was a little weird.”

“Your dad was a little weird!!!???” Wrong Willie exclaimed.

Delbert continued through the interruption. “Maybe it was because he had high blood pressure. Probably did something to his brain. Because of that, he never went above the first floor of any building.”

I saw that one coming. “To keep his blood pressure as low as possible?”

“Right.”

“Shoot him,” Wrong Willie suggested.

“No, it’s the truth,” Delbert defended, then sneezed again.

“No, shoot him now!” Wrong Willie said to me.

Misunderstanding, Delbert took off running and screaming for the camp, thinking Wrong Willie was referring to him.

Wrong Willie turned to me. “I was talking about the hog,” he said, pointing at the porker standing broadside to us. It was apparently confident that we were no threat, because dangerous beings are most often noiseless during the hunt.

I stood. “This makes no sense. We’re supposed to be quiet while we hunt. Here we are having a pointless conversation in a normal tone of voice, and this stupid pig just walked out into the open.”

I shouldered my rifle and stepped into the dusk.

“Where you going?” Wrong Willie asked.

“To talk to the pig. The intelligence level of this conversation has to go up.”

 Email Reavis Wortham at ContactUs@fishgame.com

G A M E ®

10/11/21 11:29 AM

Outdoor DIRECTORY Guides & Outfitters

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T E X A S

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10/11/21 11:30 AM

WHITETAIL

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Garrison

Lake Fork

Dr. Walter Peddy took this eightpoint buck while hunting with his sons at Garrison. Both boys also got their first bucks on the hunt.

Joan Conway was crappie fishing at Lake Fork when she caught this 8-pound, 9-ounce lunker. The bass was her biggest fish, ever.

Her secret? “Minnows, perseverance, wearing pearls, and luck.”

REDFISH Port Mansfield Monica Stem caught this 34-inch redfish while fishing at Port Mansfield.

REDFISH Aransas Pass Five-year-old Lilly Fontenot caught her first redfish while fishing with her grandparents in Aransas Pass.

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T E X A S

F I S H

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G A M E ®

10/21/21 4:58 PM

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

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

LARGEMOUTH BASS

SPECKLED TROUT Sabine Pass

Lake Tawakoni

Alyce Haynie caught this five-pound speckled trout at the Sabine Pass Jetties.

Thirteen-year-old Parker Jarvis landed this eight-pound largemouth with a white spinnerbait while fishing with his “Papa” on Lake Tawakoni.

FERAL HOG Henderson Nine-year-old Grayson Holland shot this sow hog... get this ...out of his bedroom window!

CATFISH Karnes County Ten-year-old Sam Neves of Corpus Christi caught this catfish while fishing with his Uncle Thomas Reding at the family ranch in Karnes County.

T E X A S

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