Texas Fish & Game November 2018 by Texas Fish & Game

Pintail Perils

Free Range Trophies

Wading for Fall Bass

Bull Reds in the Bay

Treble Gulf Trout

Guns, Gear www.FishGame.com & Grub

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November 2018 | $3.95

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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 NEVES

World’s Dumbest Crooks

PUBLISHER

CHESTER MOORE EDITOR IN CHIEF

VER THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE HAVE ISSUED PERIODIC WARNINGS AND updates on efforts by lowlifes who have been attempting to defraud subscribers to TEXAS FISH & GAME and other major Texas magazines, including TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE and TEXAS MONTHLY. The scheme these crooks have deployed is both simple and simple minded. They send fraudulent subscription renewal notices to a list of addresses—in our case hunting and fishing license holders—in the hope that some will respond, thinking they are legitimate notices from publications to which they subscribe. If someone does respond, the perps simply keep the money and the subscriber does not receive the magazine they think they have ordered. Most of the subscribers to TF&G who have received these fraudulent notices have been smarter than the toilet floaters sending them. Very few of you have fallen for the con. Most have either ignored the notices, or have contacted us to question their legitimacy. We have taken care of the few who have fallen prey to the scam and notified us. We’ve honored the subscription term these subscribers paid for, even though we never received the payment. Because we consider ourselves to be the real targets of this fraud, we have had no problem taking the financial hit. Fortunately, the actual damages have been minor, thanks to the aforementioned I.Q. gap between our subscribers and those trying to steal from them (and from us). The fact that these creeps are engaged in a criminal activity that actually puts more financial risk on them than on their targets shows that we are not dealing with class valedictorians here. We have no clue where they got the idea that fortunes were to be made siphoning cash from individuals responding to direct mail renewal notices. First of all, to operate this scam, the morons basically have to incur much of the same business expenses they would if they were running a legitimate operation. This means printing hundreds of thousands of order forms, carrier and reply envelopes, and then paying the postage to mail them to the individuals on their list (which they had to obtain somehow—and the more illicit the list source was, the more expensive it would have been). Our guess is they are spending in the neighborhood of $400 per thousand items mailed—most of it in postage. Direct Mail campaigns are dicey even for highly skilled marketing experts. One to two percent is the normal response rate for a successful direct mail campaign—and that is usually achieved with an elaborate package of glossy, full-color brochures, enticing extras, and postage-paid reply envelopes. These clowns use a simple form, with little or no selling verbiage, and a reply envelope that requires a stamp. In most cases, the fraudulent notices use higher prices than normal for a one-year subscription, such as $48 (where we normally only charge $24.95). But even at that exorbitant markup, if they get one percent return—and keep in mind, the higher the price, the lower the response potential—they stand to receive $480 for every thousand notices mailed—after spending $400 just to get in the game. If they were able to get better than one percent on such a flimsy marketing effort, heck, we’d want to hire them to run our marketing campaigns legitimately! But it’s doubtful they are getting anywhere near that high of a response, which means they can’t be making much, if anything, more than what it is costing them to run their scam. Aren’t there a lot of other, easier, ways to make a dishonest buck? Which might explain why different operators seem to keep popping up to try this scam. The latest is an outfit going by the name Publisher Payment Services. This one, for the first time, is operating out of Austin, Texas. Most of the others have been in Oregon, Utah and Arizona. Being in Texas, it was easier for us to sic the authorities on this new gang of nitwits, and the Texas Attorney General’s office and U.S. Postal Inspectors are already on the case. If you have received any of these fraudulent notices, whether from the Austin bunch or any other source that does not look (or smell) legit, let us know. Just call the Fraud Hotline number above, right. Unfortunately, when we do shut this latest operation down, another slime bucket, too lazy—and too stupid—to make an honest living, will pop up somewhere else and start the scam all over again.

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

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C O N T R I B U T O R S JOE DOGGETT DOUG PIKE TED NUGENT LOU MARULLO MATT WILLIAMS CALIXTO GONZALES LENNY RUDOW STEVE LAMASCUS DUSTIN ELLERMANN KENDAL HEMPHILL REAVIS WORTHAM TOM BEHRENS GREG BERLOCHER RAZOR DOBBS CAPT. MIKE HOLMES DUSTIN WARNCKE STAN SKINNER LISA MOORE

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SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR EDITOR AT LARGE HUNTING EDITOR FRESHWATER EDITOR SALTWATER EDITOR BOATING EDITOR FIREARMS EDITOR SHOOTING EDITOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR HUMOR EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR

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

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Contents November 2018 | Vol. 35 • No. 7

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ALSO IN NOVEMBER TREBLE TROUT by TF&G Staff

Pintails are highly prized, but their numbers raise concerns.

by Chester Moore

BULLS IN THE BAY & BEYOND Catch big reds in the bays and canals, not just offshore.

Editor’s Notes

by CHESTER MOORE

Doggett at Large by JOE DOGGETT

Nugent in the Wild

by Ted Nugent

Texas Saltwater

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by LARRY WEISHUHN

Texas Guns

by STEVE LAMASCUS

Texas Freshwater by MATT WILLIAMS

Open Season

by REAVIS WORTHAM

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On small water bodies, put your best foot forward for bass.

by Joe Doggett

Coastal Focus Columns

by Chester Moore

Texas Hotspots

News of the Nation + Texas HotShots

Sportsman’s Daybook

URBAN HOGS The invading hordes of inner city giants.

Tides & Prime Fishing Times

DEPARTMENTS

Texas Whitetails

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WADING FOR BASS

TEXAS OUTDOOR NATION

by CALIXTO GONZALES

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by Chester Moore

COLUMNS

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Are there open range bucks as big as on managed ranches?

PINTAIL PERILS

Reflecting on the whitetail’s wildest attributes.

story by Chester Moore photo by Lowell Mower, www.LMowerArt.com

FREE RANGE TROPHIES by Chester Moore

COVER STORY WHITETAILS GONE WILD

FEATURE ARTICLES

T E X A S

Letters

by TFG Readers

Special Section: Guns, Gear & Grub by TFG Staff

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Fish & Game Gear by TF&G Staff

Fish & Game Photos by TFG Readers

Texas Tested by TF&G Staff

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LETTERS to the Editor Mr. Kendall Hemphill:

Native Black Bass

WHILE SITTING IN THE LUXURIOUS and spacious radiation waiting room at Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas last week, I picked up the September, 2017 issue of Texas Fish & Game. Now you know about your true audience, where and when. My wife was undergoing diagnostic evaluation and testing. Lo and behold, I find my name staring back at me; and in the Commentary section of that magazine, no less. We must be related because I always have a comment and opinion on everything. At least, that is what my first wife told me. I loved the topic of the article “Farewell, My Reality” on the subject of living off the land. This journey into fantasyland is typical of our Texan stereotype of a New York journalist-writer. As the French would say, “Well, it works in reality but will it work in theory.” Such is the task set by the New York writer, Doug Fine. Of course, he fails miserably, but is not perceptive enough to realize it. It works in liberal academia theory, but not in reality. And so it goes. Your conclusion nailed it, all cylinders. Mr. Fine has little contact with reality and the facts. Further, Affiant sayeth not. Best regards, Tocayo,

kept coming. I splashed vigorously again, and it went under. I never saw it again. I high tailed to shore and now I’m trying to identify it. It is a deserted island with a few sea oats and bird nests. There is no bridge. You can swim there at low tide or take a boat.

L. Chappell I AM A BOAT CAPTAIN OUT OF PENsacola Florida. Two weekends ago I was delivering a boat from Pensacola to Long Beach Mississippi off of Gulf Shores Alabama. We had the boat on autopilot and were hanging out on the bow checking out the jellyfish. I saw a brown sea snake about 14 inches long swimming in a southeast direction; we were about five miles off of the coast. This is the first time I had ever seen one in the gulf of any size. Over the next two hours and ten miles I saw two more that could have been twins of the first one. It did not appear to be an eel as it had a large head like a viper, a slender round body and swam on the surface. I am a 53-year-old life long sailor and scuba diver. I have seen many sea snakes in my lifetime but always when scuba diving and usually in the Caribbean Sea. I could not get pics, but can recall its look, size and color easily. I am wondering what type of creature it may have been.

Paul Hemphill Brownsville, Texas

L. McMillan Editor: Thanks for your letter. It’s as colorful as Kendal’s writing.

Editor: We have done several things on sea snakes in the Gulf. Recent red tide events on the Florida coast seem to have caused fish kills. I have been sent photos of eels readers thought were sea snakes, but some reports like the two above are more mysterious. We have even received a report of a black and yellow sea snake in Texas. Do I think they are out there? Possibly a few. The jury is still out but the search definitely continues.

Gulf Sea Snakes I WAS SWIMMING OFF A LARGE sand bar island on the gulf side of Fort De Soto park outside of St Pete and was surprised by a sea snake. It was approximately two to three feet in length, appeared silvery gray in the water and definitely had a flat tail. It was swimming on the surface six to ten feet from me and coming in my direction. I splashed hard at it, and it paused and then 6

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ENJOYED THE ARTICLE ABOUT Guadalupe bass. Too bad the native southern black bass never received the same efforts or concerns before it was too late. Born in 1961, I grew up in NE Texas in a time of higher limits on bass and new lakes being opened. I remember catching and eating black bass just like the crappie and catfish that we caught. Their flesh was nutty and delicate. I vividly remember catching schooling bass every year. My family made many a meal on small black bass skinned and fried whole. Then came the completely misguided statewide frenzy directed toward pumping all our Texas lakes full of Florida bass fingerlings. Careless efforts who’s singular purpose was to increase the size of bass in Texas by adding Florida bass genetics regardless of side effects. So now, in my opinion, these efforts also ruined the edibility of bass. Their flesh is now coarse and fishy tasting. Their golden green color, their larger scales and thick hide have now replaced the more elegant and beautifully evolved southern black bass. Larger fish are now not worth cleaning. Then add the fact that we can no longer retain the more edible smaller fish and it all adds up to a species relegated almost exclusively to catch and release. Just what all the tournament fishermen wanted, right? Ironically, today’s Florida bass caught by most fishermen in Texas are no bigger than the southern black bass we used to have. Tournament fishermen still make their living on bass no bigger than the fish we had before the biological idiots took over. Tournament fishermen call a 5-6lb fish a giant? Yeah right. Who do they think they are kidding? The oversized lunkers caught occasionally don’t come close to justifying what was done to our native populations. I buy a fishing license because I love to catch and eat fish. Maybe I’m in the minority these days, but to me, managing any species for a single trait makes absolutely no CONTINUED ON PAGE

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

Wild Dogs and the Conservation Moon Shot

ILDLIFE CONSERVATION needs a moon mission. When President John F. Kennedy declared by the end of the 1960s the United States would put a man on the moon it set forth incredible innovation, unleashed ingenuity, inspired dreaming big and fueled the hard work to make it happen. Wildlife conservation needs that. It needs a single project that can shift the tide of decline and turn around a sure extinction in a big way. The wildlife lovers of the world need to see that if it can be done for one species it can happen for many. But it needs to start with one. An example would be a sweeping, multi-faceted program to save the African wild dog also known as Cape hunting dog. With a population that sits at around 5,000 scattered throughout Southern Africa this animal faces poaching, habitat fragmentation, rabies and distemper spread by domestic dogs. These problems are all ones that Americans and Europeans understand to some level and can even relate to being that virtually everyone has owned a dog or has been around domestic dogs. Let’s call it “10,000 dogs for Tomorrow”. Hashtag #10kdogs on social media and set a goal for twice the number of African wild dogs in a decade. Instead of the population declining or remaining static shoot for doubling it. A project like this would include the following. Vaccination: Rabies and distemper vaccinations have been accomplished in coyotes in America by dropping what are essentially medicated dog biscuits from the air. 8

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Since a good many of the hotspots for these animals are known by scientists they could be rather easily targeted and even vaccines put into bait in carcasses left for the animals. The public understands the need to vaccinate dogs and applying this common practice with a way to save endangered canines could easily gain public interest. People donate millions to spay, neuter and vaccinate dogs in America and Europe. Why not do it with an endangered species? Poaching: Targeted anti-poaching patrols that specifically seek out

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areas with high concentrations of these beautiful wild canines. Snares are a big problem as they are caught in them frequently as poachers target other animals. Simply reducing the number of snares in their range by a great degree would have an extremely positive impact. Hunting-related conservation groups are probably already helping in this effort by default but targeted effort could make a huge difference. Depredation Subsidies: Ranchers often kill African wild dogs when they prey on goats, sheep or cattle and will kill them if they simply show up near their livestock. By going into these areas and meeting one on one with ranchers, a system of essentially buying them off to keep the dogs alive could make a big difference. Ranchers could receive an annual or monthly fee to not kill the animals. If it were found out they were killing them, had snares or traps on their property etc. then the subsidy would end. This would have to be done in such a fashion that they actually profit from having the dogs around. Bonuses could be added for allowing researchers to put game cameras on the property to track them and any photos or reports of dogs sent in a timely fashion would also be a way for bonus compensation. Money makes the world go-around and it can help save this overlooked species. Captive Breeding/Release: At some point captive release of these animals can equal success in increasing the number of wild animals. According to the American Association of Zookeepers, early attempts to reintroduce captive-bred animals to the wild were hampered by the dogs’ poor hunting skills and naive attitudes to larger predators. “However, recent reintroductions have overcome this problem by mixing captivebred dogs with wild-caught animals and releasing them together. This approach has been very valuable in re-establishing packs in several fenced reserves in South Africa, but is not considered a priority in other parts of Africa at present.” Engaging the public via social media ILLUSTRATION: ARTHEART/BIGSTOCK

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could be a great rallying point for a program like this. There are few animals cuter than a baby-hunting dog so taking a captive-bred litter and doing a live web cam would be fun and engaging. Millions tuned in for a long period of time awaiting the birth of a giraffe at a New York facility. If this were promoted right it could have the same kind of excitement. So, why am I writing about this in hunting and fishing publication? Simple. The people best equipped to do something for the African wild dog are hunters. There are thousands of Texas hunters who go to Africa and spend big money there. African hunters could use a boost of good PR by the way. Like it not, “Cecil the Lion” and several other viral trophy hunting stories from Africa have destroyed what little goodwill was left for Africa hunting. By picking a nongame species, one that does not directly benefit the hunter, it would show nonhunters (not antis-they’ll never agree with anything hunting) that hunters can and will do great things for conservation

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and not just for animals they can kill and have mounted. Hunters do great thing in Africa-whether it’s the Dallas Safari Club, Houston Safari Club or Safari Club International-all have put good money toward helping Africa’s wildlife. I think a project like this could give hunting a boost in the PR department and most importantly help an incredibly unique and beautiful species. To move forward with wildlife conservation we need to use 1. Awareness 2. Money 3. Creativity. If we put those things together many species could move from the brink of extinction into a much more stable standing. This is just one species. Can you come up with a plan for other endangered animals the hunting (or fishing) community can help? If so email to us at cmoore@fishgame. com. We will publish these ideas in a future issue.

Email Chester Moore at cmoore@ﬁshgame.com

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sense at all and is reckless biological management policy. Just like the whitetail deer gets managed based only on antler size, regulatory efforts disregard hunters who eat what they kill and would rather eat a younger, more tender animal and care little about antler size. Bigger and older is rarely better when it comes to eating fish and game. It may be too late for the indigenous southern black bass to be brought back to any degree. What a shame. Luckily for me, I can still catch bass from an unpolluted population in an old private pond that my family owns if I get a craving for bass. They are superb table fare compared to the Florida mutts that now swim in our lakes.

E. Myers

Email your comments to: editor@ﬁshgame.com

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

Riding the Bench

first bullet got the lungs and the second broke the shoulders. It’s true what say: You don’t feel a thing over big game. The .416 was an extreme example, and the white-tailed deer hunter uses far less horsepower. The effective options for deer are many, from light choices such as the .243 Winchester to the realm of the.300 magnums. The .270 Winchester and the .30-06 Springfield are the classic standards, very manageable in most adult hands. Still, Mr. Flinch can fester somewhere within a 20-round box of cartridges. For the newcomer outfitting for a deer hunt, I suggest you be cautious about selecting a belted magnum. In skilled hands, these powerful, flatshooting rifles are thunder and lightning out to extreme ranges—but they can be hard to shoot with accuracy for the shaky beginner. Also, the glowing downrange statistics might encourage a long poke that the excitable rookie has no business attempting. On numerous occasions, I have used a 7mm Remington Magnum or a .300 Weatherby Magnum. I must admit that, like many hunters, I like the idea of a powerful gun—especially for Rocky Mountain mule deer and elk, or for the physically larger bucks of Deep South Texas. But under most circumstances the venerable .270 or .30-06 loaded with a proper bullet does just fine. To repeat, unless you are dedicated to serious range training, a robust magnum can be hard to handle. Sadly, I’ve jerked some big belted rounds on important chances at deer. I’m just being honest. Regardless of caliber, a recoil pad can soften the punch, as can a strap-on shoulder pad of similar material. So do toned-down cartridges, if you don’t mind forfeiting some performance. Muzzle brakes and suppressors also tame kick but I’m addressing simple fixes for an out-of-thebox rifle. My second advice is to avoid one of the short, featherweight rifles intended for hard-core mountain hunting. Such rifles look trim and racy but they encourage wobbling and bobbling. Even in standard calibers they can really pop you. Remember, you are not concerned with hiking to those hazy peaks “way over yonder.” Typically, you are strolling a short distance to a box blind

HE BENCH REST CAN BRING out the best and the worst in a rifle. The best, of course, is the shooter’s ability to confirm the performance of a particular combination of rifle and cartridge. This is done from a secure rest at a fixed target, usually from a distance of 100 yards. The worst is the enhanced sensation of recoil. You are well aware the sharp “kick” is coming and there are no gleaming antlers to defuse the moment. The veteran bench shooter does not live who has not been bitten by the dreaded flinch. During the past 60 years, I have owned numerous rifles of various calibers and I’m confident that at one time or another I have flinched with every one of them. The worst was a .416 Remington Magnum purchased about a dozen years ago for a Cape buffalo safari in Zimbabwe. It was a fine rifle, a Winchester Model 70 with a heavy barrel, and fitted with a low-profile 2 1/28X Leupold scope. Tricked and loaded, the rig weighed about 11 pounds—and you want every ounce of that mass to help absorb the violent recoil. About two months out, I made a point to go once a week to the Carter’s Country rifle range in Houston. The first session was, to say the least, intimidating. I settled behind the sandbag-stable stock and racked a long, fat cartridge into the chamber. I took a deep breath, released about half, and slowly began pressing the crisp trigger. Gracious! I had the distinct impression that the 400-grain Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer solid remained stationary while the rifle and I flew backwards at 2,400 feet per second. Thanks to the repeated range sessions, both from the bench and offhand, I came to grips (literally) with the big boomer. I am nothing more than a decent rifle shot but the training was rewarded. I fired twice inside 50 yards at my buffalo; the 10

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or tripod and sitting and waiting. Frankly, under such conditions, a heavy rifle with a standard 24-inch barrel is an ally, not a hindrance. A scoped deer rifle weighing about 8 or 8 1/2 pounds helps smooth things out, and you won’t hear me barking if it scales closer to nine. Select a scope with superior “eye relief.” That’s the effective full-field distance between the rear lens and your predatory face as you lean hungrily into the stock. Short eye relief encourages the recoil to smack the top edge of the steel frame into your eyebrow, splitting the skin and probably resulting in more blood loss behind the muzzle than in front of it. Most of us tend to remember a beating like that, which doesn’t do much for the next few attempts at an aimed shot. One reason I favor Leupold is that the models I’ve used have superior eye relief. Of course, other fine brands are available. Before toting the new rifle/scope to the range, check all screws for tightness. The scope mounted by a competent gunsmith probably was boresighted with a collimator, but this is a rough adjustment intended to get “on paper.” Don’t automatically assume that the zero is where you want it (with many popular deer cartridges about an inch or so high at 100 yards, proving hold-on capability out to about 250 yards). Cable hunting shows and outdoor magazines make a big deal of minute-of-angle accuracy (basically, a three-shot group inside one inch at 100 yards), and that’s an excellent foundation for long range performance. But, in the real world of Texas tower blinds and game feeders, most shots at whitetails are inside 200 yards. Probably well inside. Consistent two-inch groups are fine. Compared to the bull’s-eye on a 100-yard target, the realistic kill zone on a broadside buck is generous, about the size of a basketball. Just be confident through a pre-hunt range session or two that the rifle is tuned and zeroed with the chosen hunting bullet. And try not to flinch when it really matters.

Email Joe Doggett at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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NUGENT in the Wild by TED NUGENT :: TF&G Editor-at-Large

ELEBRATE THE AMAZING wildlife management success story of North America and say Hallelujah and pass the backstraps like you mean it. It really wasn’t really that long ago when America woke up to the heartbreaking disaster of the irresponsible, runaway, indiscriminate market hunting slaughter of our precious wildlife. With bison nearly wiped out by a corrupt government program to eliminate the spiritual beast that supported the Native American culture and the near decimation of so many large and small game species for the world market, thank God a small but determined cadre’ of hunter/conservationists stepped up and sounded the alarm, thereby implementing the simple science of sustain yield and regulated harvests based on sound scientific productivity reality. Whew! That was a close one. And due to the miracle of God’s renewable creation, within a few short years wildlife populations began to rebound. Financed by sporters’ self-imposed regulations and license fees, the North American wildlife management model proved to be the envy of the world, and the good old days of hunting, fishing and trapping took off like a firestorm. We have it so good in North America that even a less than perfect hunting season is still as fun and exciting as can be. But if we truly take a good, hard, honest look at hunting these days, there is enormous room for improvement by implementing a serious dose of sincere critical thinking. In a nutshell, hunting, fishing and trapping must be managed for maximum family hours

“ Say Hallelujah and pass the backstraps like you mean it.

“

Wildlife Science Battle Cry

ally creating attrition in our ranks. When bureaucrats ignore simple whitetail deer biology and ban feeding and baiting in some states while many other state’s trained biologists conclude there is no negative consideration to feeding and baiting, less recruitment and increased attrition are given. When good, decent hunters are harassed by laws forcing them to case their guns and bows while traveling to and from their deer stands, even on their own private property, people get so frustrated that they simply quit hunting. When bureaucrats and biologists in Michigan can out and out lie that the number one official migratory game bird on planet earth is somehow a songbird, Michigan families are denied the #1 activity enjoyed and celebrated by more families than any other outdoor activity in the nation. When there are so many sand hill cranes in Michigan that farmers can shoot them at will but are forbidden by law to eat the “rib eye in T E X A S

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the sky “like so many other states, one can only wonder what could possibly motivate bureaucrats and the DNR to outlaw the most basic ethic of wise use conservation. When game departments in some states hysterically over react to CWD that they spend tens of millions of sporter’s dollars to wipe out thousands and thousands of deer, thereby causing yet more attrition and discouraging recruitment, we are clearly witnessing dishonesty and abuse of power much to the detriment of our hunting heritage. When fawn killing wolves, bears and coyotes are unnecessarily over-protected, who could possibly be surprised that deer herds are reduced so drastically that hunters simply don’t go hunting in those historically prime areas anymore. We can kill six ducks and fifteen doves but are only allowed three shells in our shotguns. What is that all about? There are so many counterproductive, absurd, arbitrary, non-scientific laws and regulations across the country, that many law professionals have declared that a hunter needs a fulltime lawyer to know what the heck is legal and what is illegal. I haven’t even scratched the surface here of crazy laws and regulations across the land. I would implore my fellow sporters to review the regulations in the states where they hunt and want to hunt, and start asking questions, demanding changes and raising hell with our elected employees and game departments to get rid of all laws and regs that play no meaningful role in wildlife management and that represent a disastrous minefield that deters recruitment and causes attrition in our hunting sport and lifestyle. Join me on my Facebook/TedNugent daily conversation to take part in the self-evident truth, logic and commonsense that is alive and well out there. Upgrade is a beautiful thing, especially when it comes to the ultimate joys of the Great Outdoors. Maximize it like you mean it.

of recreation while generating maximum revenues for state’s economies without ever over harvesting or jeopardizing the resource. Unfortunately, with the dumbing down of America, the runaway and ever plummeting disconnect with our elected employees and the embarrassing scourge of political correctness dishonesty, we are certainly not maximizing anything anywhere near its potential. When there are still nine states that make 50% of the average Joe’s hunting season illegal by banning Sunday hunting, clearly the cards are stacked against recruitment and intention-

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HERE’S PLENTY TO love about a Texas deer season, but perhaps my favorite part of all is when all the great stories start to unfold. Naturally, every deer-hunting tale leads down a different path, and some play out way better than others. In my book, the best ones are those that come together when a casual hunter heads to a tiny patch of woods on a crisp fall morning. He’s not really expecting to see much, then winds up killing a hell of a good buck. Another favorite is about a hardcore hunter who invests dozens of hours chasing a crafty ol’ buck over the course

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of two to three years, then finally manages to close the deal as daylight wanes during the final minutes of another deer season. A corn feeder may or may not be involved in my favorite style of deer hunting story, and there could be talk of a game camera or two. But there will rarely be a mention of a high fence. Make no mistake. I don’t have anything against high fences, what they stand for, or the folks who choose to hunt behind them. A tall fence can be like a cherry on top for an already good management plan, provided those in charge stay on top of things. A high fence gives land managers T E X A S

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full control of what goes on within the perimeter of the property. This allows an existing deer herd and the habitat to be manipulated over time to achieve more desirable results. The fence prevents any worry of outside influence from other deer or neighboring hunters. With a high fence the herd can be altered even more by spending the money to bring in new genetics, if you’re into that sort of thing. With more than 1 million acres of private land currently under high fence statewide, much of it in South Texas, it is safe to say the concept is here to stay. If you’re among the minority with pockets deep enough to get a key to one

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of the golden gates, more power to you.

I’m a much bigger fan of following the game as it is played out the old fashioned way. On open range no impassible barriers prevent deer and other critters from coming and going as they please. So, the element of surprise remains as deeply rooted in the hunting experience as it was 50 years ago when I shot my buck at my uncle’s farm in Hico. I’ve shared the stories of dozens of successful deer hunters over the years. Not surprisingly, most of my favorites are built around low fence properties that have kicked out some extraordinary bucks for average hunters. One of my favorites dates back to 2002, when Paul Howard of Huntington killed a remarkable 10 pointer despite getting caught with his britches down—literally. Howard was hunting on a little 50-acre spread in Cherokee County. He was walking along a hardwood creek bottom when Mother Nature called. Unfortunately, he didn’t find much privacy when he leaned his rifle against a tree and stopped to relieve himself. A doe trotted by and spooked when she saw him. Seconds later, the hunter saw a buck with large antlers topping out over the ridge on the same path as the doe. Howard coped with the odd predicament better than many hunters would have. He scrambled for his rifle and disposed of the buck with a perfect neck shot. The deer netted 169 5/8 B&C inches and ranked as the No. 1 Region 6 typical reported to the Texas Big Game Awards program that year. Another good story goes back to opening morning of 2013, when Trent Kendrick of Weatherford bagged an enormous 13 pointer scoring 167 1/8 while hunting on the Davy Crockett National Forest in Trinity County. That’s a whopper on anybody’s lease. It’s an exceptional buck for public land that just goes to show hunters what is out there if they’ll get out and hunt. There are more than 1 million acres of public hunting land around Texas. The area where Kendrick hunts requires a $48 Annual Public Hunting Permit for access, and he has hunted there for years. He has spent enough time learning the land to help him avoid one the pitfalls many public hunters run into—big crowds. If he finds one area occupied by other hunters, he always has a back-up spot to go to. “I just drive around until I don’t see any other vehicles,” he said. “Once I head out to 14

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A.J. Downs’s 28-point buck was taken on open range land.

hunt I’ll walk until I stop seeing cans, candy wrappers and other signs of other hunters before I even think about setting up.” The list of top-notch open range bucks in my story archives goes on and on. Among them are Conroe archer A.J. Downs’s massive 28 pointer taken in 2012 in San Jacinto County, Mark Lee’s 29-point giant shot in 2013 in Houston County, and McKenzie Tiemann’s 24-point bruiser shot during last year’s October Youth Only weekend in Washington County. Scoring 256 7/8, the Downs buck ranks as Texas’s biggest open range archery buck of all-time, the No. 2 TBGA open range, nontypical of all-time and the No. 8 non-typical of all-time in North America by Pope and Young Club records. Lee’s buck nets 259 3/8 in the B&C registry and ranks as the top free-ranging non-typical reported in Texas since the inception of TBGA. The Tiemann buck nets 209 1/8 and ranks as the second largest free-ranging, non-typical ever-reported in Washington County. It is arguably the biggest buck ever killed by a youth hunter in Texas. What makes the youngster’s buck even more remarkable is she was only nine when she shot it while hunting on the 120-acre family farm with her dad, Wade. The point of all this is you don’t necessarily need the key to one of those golden gates to tag a good buck in Texas. Thousands of whitetail bucks across the state are shot every year. My guess is a bunch of the better ones go unreported to records committees for fear of |

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attracting unwanted attention. So, where is the best place to kill a braggingsize Texas whitetail on open range in Texas? That is a tall-tined question with an answer that is sure to vary depending on whom you talk to. Perhaps one of the most reliable gauges is the TBGA database. The San Antonio-based hunter recognition program has been around since the early 1990s. The program maintains white-tailed deer records for eight geographic regions in typical and non-typical categories. TBGA program coordinator Kara Starr ran the numbers and pinned down the counties with most qualifying “scored entries” by region. Keep in mind, minimum net scores vary from 125 to 140 on typicals and 140 to 155 for non-typicals, depending on the region: • Region 1 (Trans Pecos): Terrell County, 86 entries • Region 2 (Panhandle): Cottle County, 89 entries • Region 3 (Cross Timbers): Sterling County, 151 entries • Region 4 (Edwards Plateau): San Saba County, 83 entries • Region 5 (Post Oak): Anderson County, 141 entries • Region 6 (Pineywoods): Trinity County, 252 entries • Region 7 (Coastal Prairies): Colorado County, 135 entries • Region 8 (South Texas): Kleberg County, 366 entries

PHOTO: A.J. DOWNS

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Boone and Crockett record book entry requirements are much steeper, 170 net for typicals and 195 net for non-typicals. I used the organization’s “Trophy Search” program to learn which Texas counties account for the most B&C entries dating back to 1830. B&C accepts only low fence animals to it whitetail registry. The top five counties for typical record book entries though 2017: • Webb County, 67

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• Kleberg County, 16

• Maverick County, 63 • Dimmit County, 56 • La Salle County, 51 • Kleberg County, 22 Top five counties for non-typical record book entries though 2017: • Maverick County, 22 • Webb County, 20 • La Salle County, 19 • Dimmitt County, 17

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Of course, numbers such as those don’t mean much when it comes to killing a “good buck” in Texas. Deer hunting is a sport where beauty is found in the eye of the beholder. A respectable buck is apt to show up just about anywhere around here. Often times when you least expect it.

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OU KNOW TIMES have changed for the better when anglers are complaining that most of the redfish they catch are too big for the slot. I am not talking in the surf during the bull red run or even at the jetties. I am

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talking about in the bays and surrounding canal systems. Anglers who want to catch bull reds in the fall do not have to venture offshore, but they can start near the Gulf and work

to move through in small schools or hold over one piece of rock in large numbers. I use large, lipless crankbaits such as the Bomber Saltwater Grade Super Pogy and start by seeking out menhaden

their way north. Look for reefs and large rock deposits along shorelines north of the jetties. The reds in these areas tend

(shad) suspended over submerged rocks. The key here is to look for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;cover on the cover.â&#x20AC;? In other words, the jetties

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themselves represent a type of cover, but the fish will bond to certain kinds. Reds tend to like large boulders that have fallen off the main wall holes carved into the rocks by the current. Once I locate the bait on these spots, I throw out the Super Pogy, let it sink down to the level of the baitfish and rip

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it. I will pull a few feet, reel. Pull a few feet and reel. Most of the times the reds will hit just after the first pull and will even hit on the fall. Something to keep in mind, if dolphins are feeding in the area consider yourself fortunate. In my logbook, I have noted that every time I have caught lots

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of bull reds there have been dolphins feeding in the vicinity. The few times we had few fish there were no dolphins feeding. The presence of dolphins is a great indicator of the presence of menhaden. This in my opinion, is the key to success on bull redfish, especially at jetties, but it can also be an indicator in the channel.

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If you do not want to troll for these fish, drifting is a viable option. Drop some marker buoys around the baitfish schools and then drift over them while throwing the lures you choose. Be mindful of the depth you are getting strikes and mark it. Most of the time, these reds will be in a very specific area and may not deviate even a few feet.

Another option for big reds is in the Intracoastal from the just past the Gulf and upwards of two miles north. If you run this area on your depth finder, you will notice large pods of baitfish that sort of stack up. Most of the time it is menhaden but often it can be mullet. Both will draw in these big reds, which tend to suspend below the bait. Deep diving crankbaits are the key here as these reds will suspend as deep as 20 feet of water. Anglers can cast smaller crankbaits or use trolling plugs run through the baitfish schools at a medium pace. Live baiters can simply fish a Carolina-rigged croaker or mullet.

River Redfish A highly under-fished area is the river systems north of the bays along the Gulf Coast. They are loaded with redfish and oftentimes,

huge ones. These reds tend to roam in small “wolf packs” and feed along riprap, docks and drop-offs. They will not always feed aggressively on the surface. It is important to wear polarized shades and watch for reds pushing wakes or simply sitting around key pieces of cover. In these river zones, coastal marsh frequently pours into the rivers, intersected by large manmade canals. Reds use these canals as travel corridors, and they find feeding easy as tides dump from the marsh into the bays. Target the areas where these canals empty large marsh ponds or dump into a

Saving the Vaquita 30. That is the number of days in an average month. There are 30 teams in the NBA. And there are 30 tracks on The Beatle’s The White Album. It is also how many vaquitas scientists believe exist on the planet. The vaquita is a type of porpoise, the world’s smallest in fact. It is also the single most endangered marine mammal. Living only in the upper reaches of the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), these small, strikingly marked cetaceans are the very definition of critically endangered. The problem is a gill net fishery that is now heavily centered on another endangered species-the totoaba (fish). Vaquitas often end up tangled in the nets and are either killed or left to die. “The issue facing the vaquita is emblematic of larger impacts that humans are having on our oceans,” said worldrenowned marine artist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey. “From unsustainable fishing practices to marine pollution to changing ocean chemistry, human behavior is negatively affecting ocean health. As the human population continues to increase, we will depend on our oceans even more and need to ensure that we are using these resources in a sustainable manner to benefit future generations.” Harvey has partnered with Sea World to raise funds for Vaquita CPR. This is an international effort to save the species by creating a “Save The Vaquita” line of items that will be sold at Sea World Parks and through Dr. Harvey’s properties. Fifteen percent of proceeds from these sales go directly to conservation efforts. “I was proud to paint my first ever vaquita porpoise in support of SeaWorld and Vaquita CPR’s efforts to save this species that is on the brink of extinction,” Harvey said. In addition Sea World has donated an additional $120,000 to the project. “The plight of the vaquita porpoise illustrates the devastation the illegal wildlife trade can inflict on a species,” said Dr.

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Chris Dold, SeaWorld’s Chief Zoological Officer. “We are proud to partner with Guy Harvey to help educate people about this crisis and raise money toward a solution. The Vaquita CPR effort is an extraordinary, last ditch attempt to prevent the extinction of a porpoise species that is only found right here in North America. We at SeaWorld care deeply about the ocean, and we care especially about the animals that live there. We can not sit idly by as another animal goes extinct.” According to Vaquita CPR, which is spearheaded by the National Marine Mammal Foundation, the Mexican government has determined that emergency action is needed. The plan is to temporarily remove some of the remaining animals from their threatening environment and create a safe haven for them in the northern Gulf of California. An emergency conservation plan has been developed by an international team of experts, with field recovery operations set to begin in May 2017. Catching and caring for vaquitas may prove impossible, but unless we try, the species will probably vanish. A project like this might indeed seem impossible. After all, is there any hope for a species that only has 30 representatives? In 1987 there were only 22 California condors. Now there are more than 400. The black-footed ferret was thought extinct in the early 1980s and then a population of a few dozen was found. Thanks to captive breeding and active monitoring efforts, around 1,200 black-footed ferrets now exist in the wild. Yes, the fact that vaquitas are ocean dwellers complicates things, but hope still exists. The common denominator for all endangered species success stories is people taking action. And that is what a coalition of people is doing right now. Let’s do what we can to help the vaquita by supporting those who are supporting efforts to save this beautiful, severely endangered marine mammal.

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Any red over 28 inches must be tagged if kept.

bay on outgoing tides. These canals typically range from three to six feet deep. Reds gather in the deepest holes and absolutely hammer the menhaden, shrimp and crabs coming out of the marsh. Where you have adjoining canals or the edge of a pond, tidal flow creates potholes. They can be as shallow as six inches or as deep as two feet, and they are like magnets for reds. A Gulp! Shrimp or Swimming Mullet fished under a popping cork is hard to beat. For live baiters try the same rig with the biggest shrimp you can find.

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These are also great places to fish squarebilled crankbaits, which are perfect for shallow water and can cover lots of water. This is key in these kinds of ecosystems. Simply throw them out and reel them in as fast as possible. Most are designed to “walk” most efficiently at a high rate of speed. You should keep in mind that reds have what can best be described as a “cone of vision,” a term that was first coined by late outdoor writer/redfish guru Ed Holder. Reds can see about 180 degrees, and the most likely strikes will be found in front of the red and perhaps just off to the side.

If you have a visual on the reds, remember precision casting is important. They will rarely turn around to strike at something they only hear. If you happen to find these super-sized reds schooling, be prepared for a chase. Big reds move fast when in the bays and river systems, so don’t get upset if you get skunked a few times. Be patient and they will eventually surface again and give you another shot at hanging into one of these tackle-testing brutes.

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Texas SALTWATER by CALIXTO GONZALES :: TF&G Saltwater Editor

Thinking Differently

Queen Cocahoe. I’ve caught several limits of trout, redfish, and flounder over the years on a variety of soft plastics, as have many of my counterparts up and down the Texas Coast. There doesn’t seem much to the technique: tie on a 1/8, ¼, or even 3/8 ounce jighead, thread on your favorite tail, and go fishing. Honestly, it can actually be that easy. Sometimes, however, it doesn’t hurt to change things up just a bit. Great Lakes anglers were the first to use football-shaped jigs then plumb the rock-strewn flats that are spread out around the perimeter of the big lakes. The jig heads would drag along the bottom and bump into gravel and rocks and imitate the movement of a crawfish or goby scuttling across the bottom. Both are preferred forage for smallmouth bass. The erudite angler who thinks in plaid can also use football jigheads for bottom huggers such as flounders and redfish. It doesn’t even take very different equipment. Many smallmouth fishermen use four-inch tube baits on these jigheads to imitate the action of a mudbug or goby. The same tail and colors work quite well in saltwater. If tube baits aren’t your thing, then a shrimp tail works just as well. My best results have been fishing football jigs around and in sand potholes on flats, and around jetty rocks. The common technique calls for slowly dragging the bait along the bottom by lifting your rod from 9 o’clock to 12, lowering your rod tip and repeating the sequence (reel in the slack as you drop your rod tip). An occasional twitch of the rod will hop the bait and cause a puff of sand or mud. Of course, this technique isn’t the only way to work a football jig. Use your imagination to vary the retrieve. Who knows what you’ll discover?

NEW STUDENT CAME TO ME after a particularly fast-paced session on creating a chart to map out how you would block, plan, and perform a chosen script. She was smiling and shaking her head. “G-Dog,” she said, calling me by the nickname my students gave me (long story). “You don’t teach anything like my other drama teacher. You look at things differently; not black and white, but kinda polka-dotted.” It was an esoteric comment from a very esoteric student (I can already tell she is going to be a remarkable actress) but I got what she was saying. I don’t necessarily look at things from typical angles and perspectives. I come from a long line of thinkers who look at things a bit…differently. I’ll throw an eephus pitch; use a Flea Flicker on the first play from scrimmage. If being a little different may help me achieve my goal, I’ll do it. The very nature of successful anglers necessitates an occasional plaid view to their pastime. There are times where all the old tricks don’t work. Sometimes, fish want something other than what you’re offering, and you’d better find a solution quick or it’s pizza for dinner. Walk the Dog doesn’t always work, nor does twitch-twitch-pause. Red and white doesn’t always treat you right. At times when the orthodox doesn’t produce, you need to dust off your eephus and let it rip. In short, look at things a little differently, and try different things, the sort of things your partner will look at and ask, “What in the world are you doing?”

A Turn of the Worm Sometimes, even the most aggressive fish won’t bite. Whether it’s because of post-frontal conditions, moon phase, tide conditions, or some other factor, I don’t know. I have dropped chunks of fresh ballyhoo in front of a pod of redfish and saw them just cruise right by it without even a sniff. Fish with the mullygrubs can leave you talking with yourself.

Football Fever No one can argue the effectiveness of leadhead jigs/plastic tail combos for inshore species. The biggest trout I’ve ever caught, a 30-inch beast that was lurking around the Brazos-Santiago Jetties back in 1999, inhaled a four-inch, pink 20

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Thanks to C.A. Richardson and his WFN show Flats Class, I’ve learned a technique that is effective on lock-jawed fish. Take a six- to eightinch worm such as a Senko, then thread it onto a 3/0 thin-wire circle hook such as the Eagle Claw 2222 In-line Circle Hook (only thread the hook about ½-inch into the worm, and move it until it bumps up against the eye). A bead of Super Glue will prevent the worm from slipping. Cast it into a likely-looking pothole, weightless, and work the worm slowly through it. The non-mechanical, undulating action drives fish crazy. Once you feel resistance, raise your rod tip up to set the hook. You’d be surprised at how well it works.

Go big or Go Home Sometimes, a predator wants a big meal. In fall and winter, fish look for more protein to survive during winter. Anglers habitually throw big topwaters such as the Super Spook and Top Dog, or Corkies to give what the big trout and redfish want. Even then, most fishermen can probably go bigger than that. Over the years, I’ve experimented with swimbaits as big as seven, eight, and even nine inches long. The results have been very impressive. Soft plastics such as the venerable King Cocahoe, a six-inch Sassy Shad, and DOA Big Fish Lure have proven very effective for winter trout that are looking for an XXL meal. The size of the lures requires a slower retrieve, which is exactly what is needed to get a cold fish to notice and strike. I’ve fished side by side with anglers throwing smaller, similar plastics, and I have out-fished them almost every time. By the end of the morning, they’re trying to sling the industrial-sized baits with their light, whippy trout rods (you can rightly infer that you will need stiffer, slightly heavier rods for this application, which is good because you have an excuse to go buy a new outfit). Fishing isn’t always a cut and dried endeavor. Sometimes you need to change your views, or at least start seeing the plaid for the colors.

Email Cal Gonzales at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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PINTAILS ARE THE MOST PRIZED ducks of the Texas coastal marshes and prairie. With a sleek, streamlined appearance and the males sporting a cool “sprig” at the end of their body, they are stunning. Pintails are a species however that has had many problems. Right now, they are 40 percent below their long-term average and 18

percent under the 2017 population, even after a few years of steady rises with a breeding index of roughly three million birds. Although gadwall and teal, which both have seen major population increases, prefer tall-grass prairie for nesting, pintails use short-grass plains, farm fields and shallow wetlands that expose them to numerous risks.

the pintails’ preferred nesting rounds. Since the early 1980s, millions of acres of this region have changed from fall seeding to spring seeding. This has been severely detrimental to pintails. Studies by Ducks Unlimited (DU) in Canada have shown that fallseeded areas produce one successful pintail nest per 80 acres, but spring-seeded areas only produce one per 1,000 acres.

A prime example is in the Canadian prairie,

Another change in Canadian agriculture has also hurt pintails. Farmers used to practice “summer fallowing,” where they give cropland a rest every second summer. According to DU Canada, since the 1970s, farmers have converted 13 million acres of summer fallow to annual cropping in prime pintail breeding grounds. Predators are another problem for pintails. The decline of the gray wolf and changes in agriculture along with a decline in trapping allowed small predators such as raccoons to flourish. The natural prairie habitat is not very conducive to raccoons, but as farmers made changes to the region, it allowed ’coons to flourish. By the 1970s, ’coons took a strong hold on the region and are now very common to the point of being a major problem. Just how bad of a problem is ’coons and other predators in this region? Nesting success in some areas is as low as zero to seven percent and ’coons do much of this damage. The fragmentation of grasslands makes it easier for predators to encounter duck nests and this puts pintails in particular in harms way. Delta Waterfowl officials conducted a trapping study in the spring of 2000 in what they call the “moonscape” of southern Saskatchewan. This area has very little cover now and is perhaps the pintail’s greatest area of vulnerability.

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The pintail is a duck prized by hunters and it has been the most stressed of all top huntable species.

The control block (untrapped) had an 11 percent nest success while the trapped area had 28 percent. Duckling survival in the control area was 28 percent and 50 percent in the trapped area. That was after only one year. Predator control tends to become more effective after consecutive seasons. Currently, waterfowl managers are keeping an eye on their numbers and are working on ways to get them back at least to a semblance of what they used to be. It is worth mentioning that hunters should not feel guilty for taking pintails. Wildlife officials closely monitor these species and believe it has minimal impact on their populations under current provisions. Waterfowl numbers have been on an uptick, but pintails have been the target species facing the most issues. There is no single solution. Because of the hard work of conservation groups such as Delta Waterfowl and Ducks Unlimited, ideas are being tossed around to help not only these majestic ducks, but all waterfowl. In my opinion, that’s when hunters are at their best, putting first the quarry they pursue and pushing for habitat conservation.

A US Fish and Wildlife Service biologist band a pintail. Research on pintails is crucial to help the species.

In some areas pintail nest success is as low as ﬁve percent.

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Red foxes and other predators are having a huge impact on pintails due to destruction of natural grasslands.

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TEXAS WHITETAILS by LARRY WEISHUHN :: TF&G Contributing Editor

In the Pursuit of Maturity

About an hour later Chris and I headed to the natural rock outcropping, ground blind I called “The Wall”. Although it was in the low 80s deer started feeding into the food plot within minutes after we arrived at 2:30 pm. Before leaving home I had checked wildlife activity charts, which indicated today there would be a peak feeding period starting just before 3 pm. I have come to rely heavily on these published “major and minor feeding periods” in determining when I really want to be in the woods. Although I will hunt every chance I get, I really want to be “in the woods” when

ENOR LORENZO, CATORCE grande…ees no meurto! Meee, I seed heem eem en brasada, dos noches.” Said Chris, holding up two fingers. He was describing the buck I had hunted the year before, obviously without success. I shrugged, “No comprende o’ great Upper Tamaulipas hunting guide.” “Okay, The 14-point made it through the winter. Saw him a couple of nights ago just before dark. No question it’s the same buck, same basic antler style. But this year he’s a typical twelve with possibly a kicker or two. Looked like he’s at least nine-years old. Sway backed and bellied with almost as loose skinned about his face as you.” said Chris with a smile. “Saw him in the food plot there at the ‘the wall.’ I think he’s living in that area.” He continued, “Planted that food plot back in late September with Tecomate’s Greenfield. Lots of dead grass in the field, but a goodly amount of green forage growing under it. The deer have really been hitting it of late.” “Sounds good! I just put a new Trijicon scope on my .300 H&H Mag, Ruger No. 1. It’s only roughly sighted in with Hornady’s 180-grain soft points. I need to run by the range and make certain it’s shooting where I want it at 100 yards” I explained to Chris Treiber, manager of the Sandstone Mountain Ranch. He suggested we stop by the range on our way to the lodge. A few minutes later I put three shots into less than a half-inch group just above the x-ring at the 100-yard target. Evidently, I had sighted it in better than I thought. My rifle/scope/ammo were ready for action. |

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‘No comprende o’ great Upper Tamaulipas hunting guide.’

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those times occur during daylight hours. Over my somewhat long hunting career, I have shot numerous big, mature bucks during these times, especially when those times occurred during the mid-day. First afternoon we saw numerous young and old bucks including some I might have considered taking had it not been that I was looking for a particular buck. To me one of the great hunting challenges is selecting one buck on a particular ranch, and then hunting him to the exclusion of all others. In setting such a goal, sometimes I have come out on top, but most of the time I ended up not using a tag on that ranch. Yet in the process I learned much about whitetails, especially mature bucks. |

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Next morning Chris and I hunted another part of the ranch. We rattled in several bucks. I dearly love rattling, especially when mature bucks respond, or for that matter any age bucks. We hunted throughout the day and saw numerous bucks from about ten in the morning until three in the afternoon, a peak activity period, based on the moon phase information. One of the deer we saw could have been our targeted buck. But, we only got to see him for about three mili-seconds. Our afternoon’s hunt, seated behind “the wall” was relatively slow. We only saw four young bucks, and a handful of does and fawns. Fast-forward a couple of days, during which time we hunted hard, hunting “the wall” only when the wind was right for that stand. Late afternoon of my last day of hunting, the activity chart suggested a major feeding period beginning a few minutes after sunset. With about twenty minutes of legal shooting light remaining I spotted a buck mostly hidden behind white brush on the field’s brushy edge two hundred yards away. He appeared to be tall-tined, long main-beamed with a spread beyond his ears. Even without the aid of my 10X Meopta binoculars, I could count ten points. Taking a closer through binos I could see he was actually a typical twelve, six points per side. His body was essentially hidden behind brush, but his head was fully visible. The rack looked very much like the 14-point I had seen the year before. I turned to look at Chris and saw him smiling and then nod a “yes” even before I could ask the question. The buck strode into the field, made a move on a doe and then threatened a younger buck. I followed him through the scope. When he stopped, I gently squeezed the trigger. The buck fell in his tracks. Love it when a plan comes together!

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Texas GUNS by STEVE LAMASCUS | TF&G Shooting Editor

Practical Hunting Trajectory

from there. With this zero, you can put the crosshairs on the middle of a buck and hit it in the vitals out to ranges of from about 300 to as much as 400 yards. Again, this depends on the velocity, sectional density, and ballistic coefficient of your bullet and the size of the kill zone of your quarry. With a .308 and 165-grain Nosler AccuBond bullets at 2,700 fps, your trajectory would be as follows: Three inches high at 100, 2.2 inches high at 200, dead center (or nearly so) at 250, and five inches low at 300. This will allow you to hold center on a deer’s chest and

HESE DAYS WE ARE INUNdated with devices of all kinds that will tell us the exact range to a target, the wind speed at the muzzle of our rifle, angle up and down, elevation, even barometric pressure.Also, phone apps will tell us everything else we need to know. The trouble with this is that in actual hunting scenarios we seldom have the time to drag out our rangefinder and phone to make the necessary calculations. Even scopes with added ballistic crosshairs are not quick enough in many such cases. Therefore, we must be able to make a reasonably long shot, as quickly as possible, without having to dope it out, make adjustments on our scope or figure out which aiming point to use. Even taping your load’s trajectory to the stock of your rifle is not sufficient. The way to handle this is by sighting in our rifles at the longest possible range that will not cause midrange misses. Most rifles, if sighted-in to zero at 100 yards, will start to fall below the kill zone of a deer at from 150 to 200 yards. So it should be obvious that sighting Ol’ Blaster dead center at 100 yards is not the way to go. There is, however, a way to sight in that will give you the utmost range your rig is capable of without having to change the sight setting. With a scope-sighted rifle firing a spritzershaped bullet at from 2,700 to above 3,200 fps, the best way I know to sight-in is a method I first saw in Jack O’Connor’s book The Big Game Rifle, published in 1952. That is to set your sights to put the bullet three inches high at 100 yards. This will, generally speaking, put the bullet about three or four inches high at 150 and 200 yards, and it will drop down |

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Most riﬂes, if sighted-in to zero at 100 yards, will start to fall below the kill zone of a deer at from 150 to 200 yards.

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kill it at any range from 50 yards to almost 300. If, for instance, you had sighted-in to be dead on at 200 yards your trajectory would be two inches high at 100 and 8.7 inches low at 300, which could cause a low miss at 300 with a center hold. A .270 Winchester with a 130-grain Nosler AccuBond bullet at 3,100 fps would have the following trajectory: three inches high at 100, 3.7 high at 150, 3.4 high at 200, 1.8 high at 250, 1.1 low at 300, and 5.3 low at 350. That is nearly 350 yards of point blank range on a |

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deer-sized animal. I have no idea how many deer I have killed with this sighting by simply holding on the center of their chests and shooting. Some I hit a bit high, but they were all dead deer. A real hotrod like a 7mm Weatherby with a 140-grain AccuBond at 3,350 fps would give you even greater range. three inches high at 100, four inches high at 150 and 200, 3.1 high at 250, 1.1 high at 300, two inches low at 350, and only 6.4 low at 400. As you can see from the above, by sighting in your hunting rifle three inches high at 100 yards, you will have the maximum point blank range that it is possible to get from your gun without causing mid-range misses. A deer’s kill zone is something like 10 or 11 inches square so a four-inch rise at mid-range is not too much. I have used this sighting now for more than 40 years and have never lost a deer because I over-shot it at mid-range. I have, however, killed deer at fairly long and undetermined range that I would have missed if I had sighted in at shorter range, or if I had used the old standard of sighting in to be only one inch high at 100 yards. The longest shot I ever made on a deer was successful because I used this sighting. It was 346 yards, as measured later with a laser rangefinder. I was shooting a very accurate .2506 using 100-grain Barnes X bullets at nearly 3,400 fps. At that range, with that load, I was only about two inches low. I held on the deer and killed it, without knowing exactly how far it was. Had I sighted in at a shorter range I would have either missed it, or been forced to guess the range and hold accordingly, and my internal range guesser is extremely fallible. How is yours?

Email Steve LaMascus at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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

Pond Hopping in Search of Stock Tank Magic crappie and channel cat you’ve ever seen. There’s no telling how many fish were caught from those tanks by friends and family. The time we spent watching our bobbers dance in the wind ranks among my fondest childhood memories, and I’m thankful for them. Otherwise, I may have never come to realize the huge rewards to be reaped from

“ There’s no telling how many ﬁsh were caught from those tanks by friends and family.

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’VE BEEN FORTUNATE OVER THE years to have had the opportunity to soak my baits in some of the very best fishin’ holes in the world. Interestingly, some of the fondest memories of all are tied to water bodies so small in size that you could stand on one side and hit the opposite bank with a lure if you weren’t careful. Some folks call them ponds. Others call them mini-lakes. Back when I was a growing up, we always called them tanks—heavenly places where an adventuresome youngster could roam for hours and never get bored until darkness forced you to go indoors. I wasn’t an expert pond hopper, but I could hop with the best of them back in the day. I got plenty of practice on playing fields all over north Texas. My dad always saw to that. Dad was a born and raised country guy who grew up in the Great Depression. He picked cotton as a kid, worked as an electrician on a U.S. Navy destroyer escort and eventually banged out a modest living as a troubleshooter for General Telephone. He also fooled around with cattle and sold a little real estate on the side. Farms and ranches were his forte. The real estate gig lead to plenty of gate keys along with lots of open invitations to wet a hook or go hunting whenever he wanted. Over time, dad gained access to fishing holes all over Collin and Hunt counties. We even had places to go in Fannin County, but we rarely visited them. If we ventured that far north, it was usually to check cattle, mend a fence or fish at our small farm near Leonard. There was one tank in place when dad bought the land in the late-1960s. Two more were added and stocked in short order. In time, they produced some of the prettiest

wetting a hook in tiny bodies of water. Stock tank magic lives everywhere. Thousands of private ponds and lakes dot the Texas landscape. If you own one, or know somebody who does, now would be a good time to pay it a visit if the owner gives you the green light. Some golf courses may even allow fishing, if you ask. If your deer lease has a few stock tanks, and fishing rights are in the agreement, it might be a good idea to bring along a rod/ reel and a few baits when you head out for opening weekend. It will give you something do if you kill out early or want a change of pace when the deer aren’t moving. T E X A S

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Fall’s cooling trends are sure to put the fish in the mood to munch. Better yet, many tanks may not have seen a hook in a year or more. Most stock tanks can be fished efficiently from shore. This holds especially true if those miniature jewels are less than one to two acres in size. If there’s a laydown log, weed bed, stump or stick-up in such a mini-lake, it’s usually within easy casting distance of the bank. Larger tanks can be fished from shore, but you might be more successful using a small flat bottom, kayak, belly boat or by wading. I like the convenience of fishing from a float tube. Not only does the float tube mean more mobility, but it’s much safer. Float tubes also enable you slip into fishy areas without being detected. If you forget everything else you’ve read here, remember this. Never take the liberty of fishing in a private lake without asking permission first. That’s trespassing. It could get you into trouble with the law and cost you brisk fines if you get caught and the landowner presses charges. Not every private property owner will allow a complete stranger to fish, but some of them will. The key is to ask politely, convince the landowner you’re trustworthy and then prove it. Leave every gate like you found it, don’t leave any trash behind, and don’t keep any fish unless the landowner says it’s all right. Better yet, make yourself useful. Ask the landowner whether he has any odd jobs around the place you could do in exchange for fishing. One good deed could lead to long-term access to a magical place.

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Email Matt Williams at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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ACH ABLE-BODIED BASS angler has a matched pair of secret weapons. Mine are ample Size 12â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Wading is an effective and often overlooked approach during early fall. The summer swelter is gone and cooling conditions encourage bass to move shallow. The fish are there to feed, and putting your best forward, one step at a time, can

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be a good way to intercept them. Catch numbers aside, the one-on-one elemental contact carries the experience to a higher level. At least, this is my opinion based on more than half a century of soggy research. This tactic can be exercised from bank or boat. The former allows the shoreline angler to work open water beyond clogging rims of weeds or brush; the latter

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permits the boater to ease over the side to probe inside screening cover that blocks conventional traffic. By either path, the soft shuffle offers several advantages: First, the cautious wader presents a lower and smaller profile. Under highvisibility conditions of calm surface and clear water, this ability to work under the radar offers a stealthy edge.

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PHOTO: JOE DOGGETT

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Frog-imitation surface lures are an effective choice for shallow bass during early fall.

not match the sly creep of a pair of boots amid brush-choked or weed-clogged quarters. The dip of a kayak paddle comes close but—Oops!—here comes a mutinous gust of wind. The wader is planted, difficult to uproot by blustering weather. Conversely, the boater struggles to hold steady along a windward bank—and the exposed shorelines during mild weather often are best for aggressive feeding. Also a thought, the very chops and riffles that confound the boater can provide surface “cover” for the wader. At best, having to reposition a windblown boat every few minutes to reach new casting water is a hassle. Wind or no wind, the wader should have the ability to ease close, perhaps shading left or right to set up a high-percentage cast to a specific target. No rush, no panic; take the

Camouflaged casting pays dividends in the shallows. The savvy wader is a predator who, like the flooded- timber duck hunter, should strive to blend with the background. Worth note, the mallards are just passing through; the bass live there. Walking into the realm of the bass is no time to be sporting a bright cap and a loud Tommy Bahama or Tori Richard aloha shirt. Wear drab garb and keep movements slow and tight. When possible, hug the shadows. This attention to detail can earn a few extra strikes on skittish fish. Second, the angler afoot is quieter than the fisherman afloat. Well, this is assuming he doesn’t fall over a submerged log or bumble up the back of a slumbering alligator. Untimely interferences aside, each calculated step is virtually silent. The banging, clanging, clunking boat can32

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time to fine tune the delivery. And, as veteran bass anglers will agree, accurate presentations can be critical for covering ambushoriented fish. The boater bouncing by in the gusts may have to “chuck and chance it” with a marginal shot at long range during a fleeting window of opportunity. This random work might be satisfactory while drifting for specks and reds on Galveston Bay or the Laguna Madre, but maybe not so good when you miss by 10 feet the 10X circle holding a big bass. Of course, wading has drawbacks. It’s not for everyone—or every situation. The wader is severely limited to the amount of water within reach; therefore, the astute angler needs to study the available options and pick a shoreline ripe with fish-holding potential. This is assuming the bottom is reasonably firm, not a goo-pie quagmire awaiting the first step. But being restricted to a small theater forces you to concentrate on covering the water, hitting every realistic target within reach. A particularly good-looking spot might be worth repeated casts, perhaps a lure change. The determined wader has this ability, and by moving slowly and quietly you might be able to double-dip the same stretch. For example, you can use a craw-type soft plastic or a shad-imitation spinnerbait to work down the bank, then rig with a frog-pattern topwater plug to retrace to the starting point. Shallow bass are opportunistic feeders and a different look might pull the trigger on “used” water. But, as another negative, a careless step might carry into harm’s way. Unpleasant creatures thrive along the rims of bass water. Sightings of snakes can be common on mild days—but most are non-venomous species. Innocent snakes outnumber by a huge margin the pit vipers. But, for sure, the dangerous cottonmouths and copperheads are native to the edges of ponds, lakes and sloughs of Texas. Snakes usually are sighted on the banks, rather than in the water, so vigilance pays when stepping through brushy or marshy terrain. Shoreline logs or stumps, especially ones with scooped out bowls, sometimes are used as sunning perches. Regardless of pedigree, the typical snake wants nothing to do with you. If a startled cottonmouth pops open its white jaws, it is not preparing to attack. It is in a defensive PHOTOS: JOE DOGGETT

10/12/18 2:46 PM

Wading is a good way for the bass angler to work beyond shoreline rims of grass or brush and reach open water.

mode, proclaiming, “Here I am! Don’t tread on me!” Give any snake of uncertain Identity a wide berth. It will either remain motionless, trying to stay undetected, or unravel in the opposite direction. A giant alligator might be a different issue. Decades ago, attacks on humans were extremely rare but the rules of engagement seem to be changing. This no doubt is due to increased familiarity and interaction, especially in urban-type ponds and lakes. In my opinion, any small body of water known to harbor a resident jumbo—old “Fred” or “Brutus”— should be avoided. The odds of being snatched by an alligator probably are less than being hit by a shark— or a bolt of lightning, for that matter. But if a swarthy, snuggly 10 or 12 footer is lurking within easy casting distance you might want to seriously reconsider those statistics. Towing a short stringer of twisting, flashing fish probably doesn’t help.

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chance of a hostile encounter than his saltwater counterpart—no sharks, stingrays, jellyfish, or oyster reefs, not to mention risks of dreadful bacterial infection. Fresh or salt, water safety always is a consideration. If you plan on wading more than a few steps from a reliable bank, a life jacket is smart insurance against a hat-floater channel. The pond wader does not have to contend with tidal currents or breaking waves or river flows but irregular bottom demands respect. And many freshwater impoundments have uncertain structure—more so than the typical shoreline of a coastal bay. If nothing else, the proper wade-fishing vest provides pockets for stashing a small lure box or two—all you need for a short wade. And in our increasingly cluttered lives of pro-class, can’t-miss, must-have gadgets this simple and basic approach can be, literally, a refreshing change of pace.

To my knowledge, I never have been in proximity to a large alligator while wading. But I would be remiss in not pointing out that the possibility of an aggressive encounter, however remote, does exist on some ponds and lakes. Various infestations of insects can be an issue. Chief among them are fire ant beds along high banks and wasp nests in overhanging branches. Concerning the former, be careful where you stand or place any accessory gear; regarding the latter, look carefully before “busting the brush” or grabbing foliage for shoreline stability. Certain water bugs or beetles can be annoying. Not being an entomologist, I have no idea what the hateful things are or whether they bite, sting or pinch—or all three at once—but the contact can be irritating. Incidentally, a pair of chest waders provides insulation from assorted riffraff, an overlooked plus for cool-weather fishing. But, in the sum, the bass wader has less

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Reﬂecting on the Whitetail’s Wildest Attributes story by CHESTER MOORE 34

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HE WHITETAIL DEER. I have hunted them in Texas, pursued them in upstate New York and, believe it or not, photographed them at the southern extreme of their range in the rainforests of Venezuela. With every encounter respect for the species grew. There is something unique and special about whitetail deer, and that is what sends millions of hunters into the woods annually and what keeps thousands of local hunters inspired during the fall. The following are some notes I have made about whitetails over the years that we can reflect on as the season opens up this weekend in our local woodlands and across the state. Deer hunters love to hunt after cold fronts, but according to Ken Swenson of the Swenson Whitetail Ranch in Orangefield, we might be missing out before fronts arrive. “Our deer absolutely increase their eating in a big way before a front arrives,” he said. “A couple of days in advance, they eat, eat and then it actually slows down after the front comes.” His deer are captive and are fed high protein diets, but they are still whitetails. They go through all of the same cycles as other deer. “This certainly made me question my thoughts on cold fronts and deer,” Swenson said. The observation makes sense as animals instinctively feed in advance of plummeting temperatures. Texas bass fishermen love to fish in coralberry or “buck brush” on reservoirs when water levels are high. The name should give it away. The thicket it creates along with the nutrition it provides, makes it a favorite among deer hunters in the region. Another good one is yaupon (the bush that produces the pretty little red berries). Humans consider it a nuisance, but deer love it. Yaupon thickets are decent places to hunt. If you can find yaupon on the edge of a field, you will see deer feeding on it fairly frequently. It’s something that’s easy to key on for hunters and is more readily identifiable than many other plants in the field. The whitetailed deer’s sense of smell is legendary. There are hundreds of products on the market and homegrown remedies for eliminating human scent and appealing to hunger and sexual urges through smell. Did you know however, deer actually have two noses? According to a fascinating article put out by Dr. Karl V. Miller from the University of Georgia, few hunters realize that a deer actually has two “noses.”

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“The second nose is technically not a nose, but it serves some of the same purpose,” Miller said. “If you look on the roof of the deer’s mouth, you will see a diamond-shaped structure with a small passage leading into the palate. “This additional nose, called the vomeronasal organ (VNO), is similar to the Jacobson’s organ that snakes use to ‘taste’ the air. Deer use the VNO exclusively to analyze urine. When a buck sees a doe urinate, he will often take some of this urine into his mouth and perform a behavior called flehmen, or lip-curl. “This flehmen helps to introduce urine into the VNO,” Miller explained. “It is interesting that this organ is not connected to the same part of the brain that the nose is connected to. Instead, it is connected to the part of the brain that controls the reproductive condition of the deer. What type of information the deer is getting is unknown, but it is likely that odors analyzed in the VNO help get the hormones pumping in the buck and bring him into rutting condition.” If you happen to miss the peak rutting period on your lease or the section of national forest you hunt, fear not. There is more coming. According to a Texas Parks & Wildlife Department study, a doe may be attractive to bucks for about five days, but may be willing to breed for a period of only 24 hours. If the doe is not bred during her first cycle, she will generally come into heat again about 28 days later.” “In areas where there are few bucks, a doe may not encounter a buck when she is first receptive and may not be bred until one of her later cycles,” according to the study. “A hunter, landowner or biologist who sees the late breeding activity may be convinced that there was a late rut. “On the other hand, those who see does attended by bucks in the early part of the season believe there was an early rut. This helps explain the wide variety of opinions on the timing of the rut during a particular year.” In other words, does will keep going into estrus every 28 days until they are bred. On top of that, the buck/doe ratio can be a factor. If there are say, eight does to one buck, chances are those bucks will not breed all of the does in the area. So, the chances of another estrus cycle for does comes into play. Whitetails are fascinating creatures, and I could write 10 stories on their unique attributes. Hunters should cherish their time in the woods pursuing this great animal, which has motivated generation after generation to step beyond the pavement and into the wild.

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10/10/18 4:25 PM

HE LARGEST AND BY FAR THE MOST popular trout species in the Coastal Gulf is the spotted sea trout (Cynoscion nebulosis) and it is most often called speckled trout or simply speck. According to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) officials, spotted sea trout males average 19 inches (48 cm) in length. Females are 25 inches (63 cm) long on average. Males and females weigh two to three pounds (1 to 1.3 kg). Distinguishing characteristics include a dark gray or green back and silvery-white below, with distinct round spots on back,

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fins and tail; black margin along the edge of tail; soft dorsal (back) fin with no scales; and one or two prominent canine teeth usually present at the tip of the upper jaw. The sand sea trout (Cynoscion arenarius) are silvery with a pinkish color on the upper sides. Their large mouths are orange on the inside and have one or two rounded teeth at the front of the upper jaw. Although common in deeper bays, channels and the shallow Gulf, sand sea trout live nowhere else. Silver sea trout (Cynoscion nothus) are bright silver all over with no stripes, bars or other marks according to TPWD.

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“The only place you’re likely to find color on these fish is

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Top, Cynoscion arenarius (sand seatrout); Middle, Cynoscion nebulosus (spotted seatrout); Bottom, Cynoscion nothus (silver seatrout).

inside their mouths, which are orange. They live mostly in the Gulf where they feed on fish and shellfish but they do come into bays in the winter.” All of these sea trout are good to eat. According to TPWD you should remember that care of the fish between landing and the skillet is important. Clean and place your fish on ice as rapidly as possible. The delicate meat of the trout loses quality rapidly if left unchilled, especially during warm weather. “Some trout caught may have worms embedded in the flesh along the backbone. These “spaghetti” worms are

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larval stages of a tapeworm that can only reach maturity in sharks. It cannot survive in man even if it is eaten raw. The worms can easily be removed during filleting to make the meat more appealing.”

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RE FERAL HOGS THE NEW COYOTE? In other words, have they become the latest large wild creature living quite cozily within the city limits of the largest cities in Texas and beyond? The answer is “yes”. Right now, sizable feral hog populations exist in the Golden Triangle and Houston. You can find them on the outskirts of San Antonio as well as some inner city penetration in the greater Austin area. I believe what we are about to see is cities harboring some absolutely monster-sized hogs. In the past I have written and lectured on what I call “Monster Hogs,” which are any weighing more than 500 pounds. Such animals are few and far between, but some of our cities offer adequate habitat, food and cover to support them. Large boars in particular, which tend to be solitary, are great at remaining hidden. They may in fact possess more “intelligence” than any other wild animal in North America. Add to this a lack of hunting pressure. The fact that firing guns in city limits is a no-no will give hogs with monster genes the opportunity to live to maximum potential. This is where it will get interesting. Sightings will be elusive, but these creatures will be seen. It might be in a schoolyard near children or eating Fifi the poodle as granny takes it for a stroll in the park. Early in my writing career a man told me he had located a really big, black boar in a wood lot behind a department store in East Texas. He wanted to know whether I wanted to tag along with him and his dogs to catch it. I declined because I figured he did not have permission to hunt there. Two weeks later a letter arrived in the mail with a photo of the hog they killed, all 400 pounds of it. I later drove by the area to inspect and saw the 20-acre wood lot where the beast had lived right around people. Animal control officers throughout Texas (and as far

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by Tom Behrens, Dustin Warncke and Dean Heffner

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north as New Jersey) are contending with hogs now on a daily basis. However, monsters like these are unlikely to participate in any trapping program they initiate. Without standard hunting as an option in these urban sanctuaries, those hogs with the genetic code to grow huge could dethrone the coyote as the apex predator of city-dwelling wildlife. Young pigs will provide food for coyotes, but the ones I am writing about might just decide to make coyotes their food.

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Red Wolf Rediscovery: Ancestral Genes Found Alive In Texas

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(not yet peer reviewed) at biorxiv.org. “Rediscovering species once thought to be extinct or on the edge of extinction is rare,” researchers said. “Red wolves have been extinct along the Gulf Coast region since 1980, with their last populations found in coastal Louisiana and Texas. We report the rediscovery of red wolf ghost alleles in a canid population on Galveston Island, Texas.” Biology Online Dictionary defines an allele as “one member of a pair (or any of the series) of genes occupying a specific spot on a chromosome that controls the same trait.” An example would be eye color or head shape. A “ghost allele” is essentially a genetic variant that has disappeared from a population through reduction or some

THE RED WOLF (CANIS RUFUS) HAS been rediscovered along the Texas Gulf Coast. Or at least its essence has proved to survive long-thought extinction. A collaborative effort of Princeton, Trent University, University of Georgia and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium researchers, among others, make this claim in a just published study preprint

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Lake Conroe

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Six-year-old Ava Foreman caught her ﬁrst ﬁsh on Lake Conroe. She was throwing a topwater off a boat dock and the rod bent so far that her dad, CJ, thought she had hooked the dock. To his surprise, she had caught a 22-inch, 4.5-pound largemouth.

other factor and then rediscovered elsewhere. In this case it was found in two road-killed wild candid specimens from Galveston Island, Texas near the last known stronghold of the red wolf. Among the first species listed under the Endangered Species Act, the red wolf was declared extinct after decades of relentless predator control and habitat destruction led to strained populations and hybridization with coyotes. Some 14 of hundreds of canids caught by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) officials were considered to be true representatives of the species. They became the genesis of a successful nationwide captive-breeding program and limited wild restoration effort in North Carolina today. The study authors note surviving ancestral traits from the shared common

Jesse Sabia caught this 30-inch speckled trout while wadefishing at Port Mansfield. The fish weighed 8.5-pounds on Jesse’s Boga.

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NEWS PHOTO: CHESTER MOORE:

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A few scientists have even questioned whether Canis rufus exists at all by hypothesizing it is a fertile gray wolf/coyote hybrid, not a separate species. Other interests are concerned about recovery impact on deer populations and livestock. The corporate wildlife media have all but ignored the red wolf’s story. It has never resonated with the public at large like its larger cousin the gray wolf’s comeback in the Yellowstone region, though the red wolf has long been much more at risk. But the aforementioned essence of the red wolf has survived despite the obstacles. It may even be thriving, not only on Galveston Island but in a broader area. Thousands of hunters, hikers, fishermen and landowners have reported seeing wolves in the Texas-Louisiana region since 1980. They have often been told they saw a coyote or a feral dog, not a wolf. This study shows that if it looks like a wolf and howls like a wolf that it might not necessarily be fully wolf or fully coyote as we currently understand them. What people are seeing in Texas and Louisiana however could be wild canids with genetics that could be the key to the survival of this misunderstood species.

This red wolf is part of the federal captive breeding program at The Texas Zoo in Victoria.

ancestor of coyotes and red wolves could have drifted to a high frequency in the captive breeding red wolf population. A small portion of Gulf Coast coyotes; or wild coyotes in the Gulf Coast region are a reservoir of red wolf ghost alleles that have persisted into the 21st century. “Through interbreeding with coyotes, endangered and extinct red wolf genetic variation has persisted and could represent a reservoir of previously lost red wolf ancestry. This unprecedented discovery opens new avenues for contemporary red wolf conservation and management. Ghost alleles possibly could be re-introduced into the current captive and experimental populations.” Noted red wolf researcher and former USFWS biologist Dr. Ron Nowak said the study supports long-standing morphological evidence and visual observations. Animals at least partly red wolf have continued to exist along the Texas coast, in other parts of eastern Texas and in Louisiana from the 1970s to the present day. Nowak said, “This new information should help to stimulate further relevant study that should ascertain the status of red wolf genetic material across larger areas, determine the mechanisms that have

enabled survival of such material and develop appropriate management programs.” Red wolf recovery has been controversial because of a variety of factors. This includes its protection under the Endangered Species Act which spooks some private landowners.

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—TF&G Staff Report

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10/10/18 4:47 PM

Coastal Focus: SABINE :: by Capt. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

Less Is More In November

at all a bad thing. It simply means the fish have one thing on their mind—eating! Little things such as lead heads with very sharp hooks don’t seem to bother them at all. They are not going to let something so trivial stand between them and an easy meal. Another thing we’ve got working in our favor in November is the decreasing water temperatures that the frequent cold fronts bring. When it begins to settle down after the front blows through, predator fish and baitfish alike will cruise the bay with newfound adrenaline. You can almost feel the bite before your lure hits the water. Light northerly winds and high pressure are ideal conditions for scoring big in November. Low pressure, however, is probably the number one reason I would choose November as my “guarantee” month. Low, as in low fishing pressure, that is. We all know there are no guarantees in fishing, hence the appropriate name, but having significantly less competition on the water greatly increases your chances. A big

F I HAD TO PICK THE ONEmonth that is as close to a guarantee for loading the ice chest goes, it would have to be November. Several factors help me arrive at this conclusion. For starters, the entire bay is absolutely loaded with shrimp. This in itself is probably the number one reason my confidence level is maxed out. Shrimp in the bay equals fish; plain and simple. Whether you’re fishing the shoreline in 12 inches of water, or in the open bay, if you cast near an air-borne shrimp you are going to get bit. In fact, you may get bit a few times before you actually hook up, and that is not

portion of the outdoorsmen who would typically be roaming the waters of Sabine will be settling into box blinds about the same time I roll into the boat ramp. I am happy for them, and I’ll admit at times I’m a little jealous, but the rewards of staying home and fishing can be huge. As the crowds get smaller your window of opportunity gets bigger. Having about half of the boats that would normally be on the lake when fishing is this good allows you to fish more spots that you know hold fish. The mouths of East and West Pass usually hold some of the biggest flounders of the year in November. Being able to work these areas thoroughly gives you the upper hand on catching some bonafide saddle blankets. The same holds true for the lake. Being able to choose your flock of birds and have it to yourself can be the difference between limiting out early or really having to work for them. When it comes to fishing and fishing pressure on Sabine Lake in November, less is definitely more!

THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Dick Dowling Park (Sabine Pass) SPECIES: Flounder, Reds, Whiting BAITS/LURES: Mud Minnows, GULP! Swimming Mullet, Fresh Dead Shrimp BEST TIMES: Moving Tides

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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10/12/18 3:02 PM

Coastal Focus: GALVESTON :: by Capt. MIKE HOLMES

Fishing Down?

OVEMBER IS SORT OF A “Middle Month” for Texas coastal fishing. This is really our fall season, compressed quite a bit. The heat of summer is in the very recent past, and has often reached well into September. Even when we get exceptions to our normally mild winters, the “real” cold does not usually come until December. November is usually VERY pleasant, with comfortable temperatures and settled weather. In 2018, however, it has become a year with a more than normally active tropical weather presence. Besides the Category 4 or 5 Hurricane Florence, several other disturbances of the tropical storm level came roaring across the Atlantic in September. Issac, as I write this, appears to be headed to the lower Texas coast or maybe (hopefully) farther into Mexico. A mass of heavy rain activity is aiming for Galveston right now. We who are in its path hope it does not intensify into a full-fledged tropical system. Last year gave us Harvey, and it would have been really nice not to have any storms for this year. Of course, long-term effects of such storms often have an up-side. Bay systems, bars and guts, natural passes and channels, and even tidal streams get some needed flushing. This normally leaves our coastal water bodies cleaner than before the storm. So far, our tropical activity for 2018 has not caused significant damage to either the natural resources or man-made features, so perhaps this hurricane season will be less destructive than Harvey was last year. I have hopes for this after a few nights having to get up every few hours to check the level of rising waters The high waters and receding of same will

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I was trying for bull reds around some new bars and cuts and came up with a nice king mackerel, instead. Hopefully, all this extra action in the Gulf will result in November being even better without storms. Besides exotic species, reds will be in the surf, along with some nice sharks. Speckled trout will wander between the bay systems, the surf and nearshore waters. Calm waters should allow good, smaller boats to make the trip to intercept them. For those fishermen cursed with boats a bit larger, offshore waters will be as productive as we are likely to find them. Go Fishing.

affect coastal fishing, but hopefully for the better. Bait species such as shrimp and small baitfish, should prosper with cleaner bottom features and filtered water. As a result, pan fish and gamefish species should also be on an increase. Until enough flushing tides have occurred to allow normal salinity to be resumed, fishing along the “bay side” of Galveston Island might be more productive than working the mainland shoreline. The surf should be cleaner after the storms have passed and probably have new channels and cuts. Passes will be washed deeper. These changes, even if somewhat temporary, will increase fish activity, and often result in catches that would not normally occur in the surf. After a major storm several years ago,

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10/12/18 4:21 PM

Coastal Focus: MATAGORDA :: by Contributing Editor MIKE PRICE

Make a Wish Month

shoreline in my kayak, and I saw birds working a mile out into the bay, so I paddled out there and made a cast. I hooked and landed a 22-inch trout on that first cast and thought, “Wow what a great situation.” Then a boat came roaring right up to me and scared all the shrimp, fish, and birds away. In the shallow backwaters in November, great numbers of grass shrimp are in the cord grass on the shorelines. On one memorable morning in West Matagorda Bay, the outgoing tide had moved much of the water out of the back bayous. This forced the shrimp to leave their hiding place and move into the guts. There, gangs of redfish were waiting. When I paddled my kayak into the bayou I

S AN ANGLER, IF YOU could choose the most desirable conditions for your upcoming trip, what would those conditions be? For most of us they would be—white shrimp moving out of the bays to go offshore and spawn, abundant grass shrimp in the shallow water, lots of blue crabs and bait fish, water temperatures in the 70s and 60s, daylight hours shortening, and fewer other people on the water. Is there such a fantasy month for fishing in East and West Matagorda Bays? Yep! That month is November. In November, white shrimp move from the bays into the Gulf of Mexico with the outgoing tide to grow and spawn. This shrimp migration, along with signs that winter is coming, such as shorter days, cooler water and weather, supercharge the predator fish to feed. So when you see laughing gulls diving to the water’s surface, squawking, and coming up with shrimp in their mouths, you can bet that aggressively feeding fish are pushing those shrimp to the surface. Admittedly, they are not always trout or redfish, sometimes the fish are gaff-topsail catfish, but much of the time they are speckled trout and red drums. If you see these excited birds hitting the surface and you are in a boat, approach so you don’t disturb the feeding frenzy. Go up wind, cut your engine and drift to the birds. If another boat or two are trying to work the same activity, be respectful. If you can access the action without disturbing the other boats, go ahead, but it you will mess up their fishing, back off. You’ll find another group of feeding birds. I was in East Matagorda Bay in November on the south 44

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will catch some redfish and flounders, but the main fish feeding on those reefs will be trout. Often these trout will measure more than 20 inches. Matagorda guide Al Garrison likes to rig popping corks over live shrimp so the bait is just off the bottom. He does so because when the shrimp aren’t being chased by hungry trout, that’s where they are. just off the bottom. You can do well fishing with artificial shrimp under a popping cork in November, because the white shrimp are moving through the bays. Egret Baits, Vudu, Gulp, and D.O.A. Shrimp all have shrimp look-alike baits. Another November adrenaline stimulator

Excited laughing gulls picking up shrimp over redﬁsh.

saw the backs of two schools of redfish smashing and bashing, chasing grass shrimp. All you have to do to catch one of those reds is get a lure, any lure, in front of them. November is a good month to drift over the oyster reefs in East Matagorda Bay. You |

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is the movement of flounders out of the bays to go offshore to spawn. Flounders gather energy by feeding up as they move along the shorelines. In addition to targeting flounders on the shorelines, try the intersections of draining bayous into the bays on outgoing tides. PHOTO: MIKE PRICE

10/12/18 3:06 PM

Don’t forget the surf! Redfish move through the guts in November, and they are looking for food as well. Matagorda County Sheriff Skipper Osborne and his family do real well fishing the surf in November for redfish. He said, “We fish with cut mullet and cut cigar minnows for bait, use two circle hooks on a leader, and an eight-ounce weight on the bottom. Sometimes, when the current is strong, we use spider weights, and we never keep redfish over 28 inches.” Even though November is the best month to fish in the bays, many people don’t take advantage of it because they want to attend a football game, go hunting, or go to other events when the weather is pleasant. This lack of fishing pressure, and all the great fish feeding activity in the bays make it a superb time to go fishing.

THE BANK BITE Wade or Bank Fishing in East Matagorda Bay. One reason the water temperatures are decreasing in East and West Matagorda bays in November is

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THE BANK BITE LOCATION: With moderate air temperatures, anyplace can be good—tidal streams, back bays, open bay water near or over reefs, as well as the passes, surf, and near-shore Gulf. SPECIES: Best time of the year for bull reds, as well as their smaller cousins. Those who seek them will also find speckled trout, flounders, and smaller pan fish.

that many northers come through. Usually these winds come from the northeast and are pretty strong, 15 to 20 mph. When you have these conditions, you can ﬁsh the back lakes and bayous in East Matagorda Bay. One place is Three Mile Lake, on the maps it’s Spring Lake. To get to this spot, take the road to the beach. When you reach the

BAIT: Shrimp and most baitﬁsh species will be abundant, and easily caught in a cast net or purchased from bait dealers. Lures imitating these same species can pay off well. BEST TIME: Mornings and evenings are still best, but these times can be extended longer in comfort without summer’s burning sun. Night ﬁshing is also a good bet, as it usually is.

« Email Mike Holmes at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

sand, turn left, go 1.2 miles and turn left. You will find multiple places where you can fish from the bank or wade fish.

Email Mike Price at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

10/10/18 4:47 PM

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

Warm Trout Hunting in November

EASONED COASTAL anglers know from experience just how cold some of November’s nights and mornings can be. And, November anglers know that this means there may very well be some rather chilly boat rides across open water during pre-dawn or late afternoon hours. At the end of such a day a lot of us look back and think it would’ve been a good idea to have dressed warmer, or to have an extra set of dry

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clothes to change into. You might discount the idea of carrying extra clothing for a number of reasons: it takes too long to get extra clothes together in the morning, extra clothes take up too much space in the boat, I’ll never need to use them, etc. What if you slip on a wet boat deck and fall into the water? or trip on a submerged obstacle while wading and inadvertently fill your chest waders with 60-degree water? Incidents like that happen all the time, and it’s not fun when you’re forced to sacrifice comfort for the entire day. It’s for instances such as this that you should make “adequate and proper clothing” a permanent line item on your daily checklist. Learn to plan ahead by reviewing weather forecasts for the upcoming day and then organize your clothing for the day’s trip accordingly. If temperatures are going to dip overnight, but then rise again during daylight hours, you should wear a couple layers of lighter clothing beneath your jacket. This promotes proper protection from the elements while also allowing for complete comfort at various temperatures. On cold, cloudy, windy days layer your clothing by starting with a heavier base layer. Having a lot of clothes on your body at one time often seems cumbersome and can frequently become restrictive to otherwise normal body movements. However, the very first time you find yourself caught out in miserably cold weather without enough warm clothing will tell you that casting your favorite lure a distance of 20 feet less than normal is a small price to pay for an entire day of comfort. Now, back to fishing. You can almost always find ample discussion about the feeding habits of speckled trout just prior to, and during, cold weather frontal passages. However, it |

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seems like you hardly ever hear anything about the trout bite at the post-frontal passage stage. This might be because the weather and water conditions after a cold front passes, projects negativity in the minds of most anglers. Take this scenario for example: Water conditions and tides couldn’t have been better the past few days, and the fishing has been excellent. However, a cold front is scheduled to arrive tonight. As you awaken the next morning, you glance outside and hope what you’re seeing is a bad dream. A cold, north wind is blowing, and the water level has dropped a foot. The color of the water has abruptly changed from trout-green conditions to a dismal dirty brown. The very next question is, “What am I supposed to do now?” Heck, at this point, a lot of folks will simply go back to bed to wait for a better day, but that doesn’t have to be you! This is the best time in the world for you to consult a good hot spot fishing map. The barometric pressure and water temps often change dramatically during the course of a frontal passage, and the trout tend to search for shelter, warmth, and refuge as a result. Your top priority on a day like this should be to locate leeward shorelines with deeper water. Additionally, cuts and bayous leading into back lakes hold excellent water conditions after a front has passed. The cuts to look for are between five and seven feet deep and have a warm, soft, mud floor. Passes running between reefs or islands have also produced great results in these conditions. If you’re throwing artificial baits, remember to work them deep and slow because of the recent temperature drop. Above all else, don’t give up and wait for a “better” day to go fishing simply because the bay looks bad. Fishing among the challenges of post-frontal conditions will help develop your skills to become an all-around better angler.

« Contact Capt. Chris Martin at bayﬂatslodge@gmail.com or visit bayﬂatslodge.com

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10/10/18 4:47 PM

Coastal Focus: ROCKPORT :: by Capt. MAC GABLE

Can We Move On?

HIS ARTICLE IS GOING TO upset some people and hopefully be a relief to others. As I made my way through Houston Texas to attend my daughter Michelle’s Ironman competition (yes, I am very proud of her!) it had been seven months since Harvey dropped biblical amounts of rain on the bayou city. Needing to escape the wreckage in Rockport, I knew in my heart that Houston was probably the last place to do that. To my surprise Houston had recovered, or better, was recovering well. It was hard to see the wide spread flooding damage I was prepared to see. My wife Lisa asked “You looked perplexed, are you worried about Michelle?” “Well, yes.” I was perplexed, but something was different here in Houston, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. It was as if life was moving forward at its usual pace. Stopping to eat, I expected to hear (as is the case in Rockport) about THE storm, but during the whole time we were in Houston (several days) not one word was uttered. The whole city was not only working again, it was almost BAU. INCREDIBLE! Of course, you can’t compare the two. One was a direct hit and the other had incredible flooding. If you have never been through a flooded area (I have), I can’t say one is any easier than the other. Both are truly life altering. Houstonians, or at least the ones I interfaced with, seemed to have put the event behind them. Note to self: there is no future in the past. As much as I want to move on, I would be remiss not to acknowledge at the time of writing this article, Rockport was amid recognizing the Anniversary of the Storm that visited us. For three days events such as The

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that infamous day or its affects. Adios Harvey, like a memento we hang on a wall that occasionally jogs our memory, you are part of the past. We look to the future now and are moving on. We as anglers are the world’s worst at hanging onto things, so it’s no wonder in a fishing community such as ours that letting go of the old is not in our nature.

Harvey Grateful Fence, Harvey Reflection Gathering, A County Wide Moment of Silence, Book Signings, First Responders Program, and finally on Sunday 8/26/18 churches throughout offered special services aimed directly at remembering and recovery. I am sure there are those who needed this. However, let me be the voice of those who have bent my ear and say we don’t need help remembering what happened. For those who live here, it has been chiseled into our memories forever. We greatly appreciate those that came to our aid, and we now hold our neighbors closer. Of course, we still have much to do. Our hearts are in the right place with these remembrances, but many just wanted the anniversary to get by us. Like a bad dream they needed to wake up and embrace a bright new day. Rockport has been in the focus long enough, and it’s unhealthy to stay there. Some folks will while away in self-pity forever, but many locals yearn for the day when a conversation can be had that doesn’t include

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I saw him arrive at the bait stand many times. His boat was truly a clanking, cluttering, collection of caliginous junk. He worked on the trailer and the boat to and from the bait house, and if he were successful in launching the leaky vessel it seldom would start. If it did it would run for no more than two minutes max. Often he would start it, run for two minutes or until the old Evinrude died and wait until it would start again, doing this the whole way to a fishing hole. He’d fish a bit, then start, run and wait his way back to the boat ramp, all the while sipping his thermos of coffee.

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Forecast: ROCKPORT some of the cool boats and motors offered now. More than likely, you will end up pulling a new boat/motor/trailer home. Good advice is to leave your receiver hitch and ball at home. creating a safety zone from the explosion from an unsuspecting spouse who sees a new rig sitting in the driveway— umm, next to the old rig. Some of us would be much better off cleaning house, getting rid of the old, sell it, give it away or throw it away and start afresh. Some old salts like me are so old school that we are in danger of not seeing that newness and the future can be a very good thing. If life has taught me anything, it’s taught me change is inevitable—you are not gonna stop it. Storms will come, things get old, priorities will change and often need to. The old /past can be truly liberating. It can also be a prison in which you while away your life. Don’t you dare allow that! Can you move on? Will you move on? Yes, we all must! •••

The boat wasn’t worth the effort it would take to pull the plug and send it to the bottom of the bay. The trailer couldn’t qualify as scrap iron, it was so rusted through. I often thought there was probably some financial reason why he kept the rig, but soon learned he had more money than any five of us put together. Sentimental I thought, or he just liked tinkering. Whatever the reason, he soon stopped fishing. I was told later he thought fishing was just too frustrating. Incredible! I thought. But in truth I was almost as bad, holding onto wornout rods, old rain slickers, corks, any variety of hooks and fishing line one might need. I have seen anglers take a tackle box along with a special toolbox just to work on old rods and reels they know will break once put to use. How about old bait (my wife’s pet peeve)? Oh sure, there is a sound reason, but seldom if ever do I use old frozen bait, and I especially don’t need a freezer full of it. Shake your head at me, but I’d bet you are just as guilty. Why can’t we move on to new things where fishing is concerned? These THINGS may give us warm, fuzzy feelings, but why do we persist in taking them fishing? I mean, it’s called fishing, not fixing! For those of you much like me who are too cheap to buy new, tell yourself you must go see new fishing tackle/stuff. Grab a cup of coffee and head to a good tackle store or boat dealer. There is some great equipment out there. Nano tech rods, reels that are light, balanced and flat cool to look at, fishing clothes—OMG! Everything from sun blocker and color-coordinated to keep you cool-inthe-relentless-heat garments. For lure chunkers (artificial), some of us would catch more fish if we’d just turn our tackle boxes upside down over a trashcan and start over. I mean seriously, look at your lures. Most, if you fish saltwater, are rusted to a reddish brown and should they hook a fish, it’s doubtful the rusted thin hook would stand the strain. Okay, one or two are sentimental but not twenty! How about soft plastic baits? Some are so old they have eaten through the plastic bag they came in. Word of caution here—if you are an old boat owner and decide to head to your favorite dealer, beware! It might be beyond your ability to resist 48

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HOW ABOUT REDFISH ON THE HALF shell for Thanksgiving? The cold fronts often send the redfish into deeper trenches, like the ICW. Find these areas with adjacent shell reefs or salt grasses and a live finger mullet free-lined or on a Carolina Rig could put fish instead of turkey on your table for Thanksgiving. Redfish on the half shell is nothing more than a fillet with the skin still attached. When cooked on a grill with lots of smoke, the skin imparts a delicious flavor to the meat. Lay the fillet skin-side down. I leave the ribs and belly meat attached on a punctured piece of foil, and then add my favorite spices. The fish is ready when it easily pulls away from the skin. Happy Thanksgiving! COPANO BAY: The mouth of Mission Bay is the place to be for black drum. Fresh dead shrimp on a fish finder rig works well here. Plenty of sheepsheads may be found on the pilings of the old fishing pier next to the LBJ causeway. Free-lined pieces of squid or frozen shrimp is the ticket here. Once hooked up on a fish, reel fast to get the fish away from the pilings.

ST CHARLES BAY: The area close to |

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Twin Creeks is a good spot for black drum using fresh dead shrimp on a light Carolina rig. A moving tide is best here. The mouth of Little and Big Devils Bayou is a good place for reds using cut menhaden or cut mullet free-lined or on a light Carolina rig. Stealth is needed here for best results. ARANSAS BAY: Live shrimp under a silent cork is a good rig for trout on the ICW side of Deadman Reef. Some black drum may be found here as well, fished best with a north wind. Drifts down Traylor Island are good for trout using croaker or mud minnows freelined. There are still some reds on the north side of Mud Island. Finger mullet free-lined and thrown into the sand pot holes work well here. CARLOS BAY: Carlos Trench is the best bet for this bay. Deep running lures fished in the current in bone and red and blue and silver colors work well here for reds and trout. MESQUITE BAY: Rattlesnake Reef is a good spot for reds using finger mullet freelined. Patience is needed. Wades at the mouth of Cedar Bayou using soft plastics such as Jerk Shad in new penny and morning glory colors work well for reds and trout. AYERS BAY: Some trout may be found on the north side of Ayers Reef with free-lined live shrimp the best choice of baits. The east shoreline is good for some black drum using fresh dead, peeled shrimp on a very light Carolina rig.

THE BANK BITE HOWARD MURPH MEMORIAL PARK behind the airport on Copano Bay is a good place to wadeﬁsh for reds using soft plastics in nuclear chicken and root beer colors. Top waters on calm days work well for large trout using Super Spooks in bone and red and white and blue colors. Wade out enough to be able to cast 360 degrees.

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

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10/10/18 4:47 PM

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

Artiﬁcial Reef Basically a Net-Less Aquaculture

N THE SEARCH FOR GREAT FISHing spots, 13 miles northeast of the South Padre Island Jetties, is a massive handmade reef, RGV Reef. Some offshore Corpus Christi/Port Aransas anglers have already fished the reef. The RGV website (rgvreef.com) describes the reef as “basically net-less aquaculture driven by creating a cradle-to-adult fish habitat for reef fish, primarily red snappers.” Also, when you get it right for all the life stages of snappers, you have made a great reef for all fish. At 1,650 acres, it’s the largest artificial reef off the Texas Coast. RGV Reef is funded by individuals, conservation groups, family foundations, businesses, fishing tournaments, grants and state and local governments. In the spring of 2018, through a grant from TPWD, 250 reef pyramids and 250 low relief modules were deployed on the west half of the reef. Friends of RGV deployed about 1,500 tons of concrete riprap in patch reefs. This enhances the CCA Corner, seeding around the two boats and augmenting the trolling trails on the north and south boundaries of the reef. “During the summer, four to eight thousand tons of concrete rip rap, granite or concrete railroad ties in one or two piles were deployed and sit about 45 feet high off the bottom,” states the Reef website. “That’s within 30 feet of the surface, the crowning glory of the reef, habitat for the adult reef fish we grow, and drawing pelagiids such as kings, ling, tarpon and sail.” In 2017, deployments were primarily arranged for two simple productive fishing techniques, drifting and trolling. Anchoring so that the boat rides at anchor over a patch reef or one of the sunken vessels will usually be the most productive method.

Fishing the Squares The west half of the reef is dominated by 250 pyramids and 250 concrete slabs with small rock and cinderblocks, arranged in a giant science experiment, which was deployed in spring 2018. Some of the squares will have just one pyramid, some will have four pyramids. It’s cover that spreads out and may withstand fishing pressure well. If you’re not catching in the denser east side, give the west a try. The pyramids in the squares were paid for by a Conservation Management Plan Grant of $400,000 from the Texas General Land Office. This was matched by $400,000 from TPWD, unlike the rest of the reef, which was funded through Friends RGV Reef.

Drifting the CCA Corner for snappers… The southeast corner of the reef is called the CCA Corner, honoring CCA for their early, consistent, ongoing and substantial support of the reef. The southeast corner is a grid of reef patches on 50-yard centers, each made up of three or four 10-foot-square box culverts with lots of concrete rip rap and some cinderblocks thrown in for good measure. Start a drift there and under most wind and current conditions you will drift to the northwest over a reef patch every 50 yards, every few minutes. The grid extends 250 yards and was significantly expanded in spring of 2018. Deeper-weighted baits will catch snappers and unweighted or lightly weighted mid depth and surface baits will catch kings, lings, and jacks.

Waste of Time There isn’t any structure around the yellow tube buoy, marking the center of the reef.” Check out the RGV Reef web site, rgvreef. com for a map of the reef, and more detailed information along with GPS coordinates. Friends wants the Reef to put more fish back in the Gulf than it takes, primarily red snappers. This will alleviate a juvenile snapper survival bottleneck caused by a lack of habitat. Mortality is high out on the flat bottom of the Gulf. The idea came out of scientific research at the experimental level. RGV Reef is the first reef to provide that habitat on a large scale. All deployments are positioned and spaced in ways and numbers that can be used for scientific research. Most of the local research has been spearheaded by UT RGV’s Dr. Richard Kline.

Trolling the Trails Lines of patch reefs are mostly oriented in east - west lines on the north and south boundaries of the reef. Each patch is made up of three or four pyramids of concrete highway divider walls, 10 or 20 tons of concrete rip rap, and a pallet or two of cinderblocks. The east-west trails have patches on 200yard spacings. “Enter the beginning and end of the trails and troll away.” There is a fourmile square following the perimeter of the west side of the reef.

Fishing the Boats

Max’s Wreck, named for Max Nichols, an early and continuing supporter of the reef, is a 60-foot, steel hull shrimp boat. RGV website says the boat is located on the south boundary of the reef in about the center and seems to have more than its share of kingfish and ling. The south end of a trolling trail leads T E X A S

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to the TIFT Tug, another reef supporter.

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Email Tom Behrens at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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10/10/18 4:47 PM

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

Seasons Converge

is, these trophy hunters are not just looking for their new personal best trout; they are looking for a new Texas State Record, which is the ultimate goal. The beginning of duck season brings out all of the hunters who’ve been longing for this day ever since the season closed last year. The off-season is all about new guns, dog training, duck calling and reading any duck magazine or article that can be found. Another addiction, duck hunting means more than life to a lot of outdoorsmen. Put this addiction together with the trophy trout addiction, and it’s magic. Commonly known as the “Blast and Cast,” duck hunters load up every single piece of gear into a boat—including a dog. Then they head out in the pitch-black dark. After shooting a limit, or running out of patience for that last duck to show up, these hearty souls head for the first fishing spot of the day. Dogs nap on board and sneak snacks or sandwiches while their people “grind it out” for a trophy trout into the late afternoon. After cleaning ducks, fish, and the boat, these adventurers eat anything in sight and get a good night’s sleep. Put a few of these days together in a row, and this is the definition of “hard-core” outdoorsman. Baffin Bay Rod and Gun is the only Orvisendorsed lodge for wing shooting on the Texas Coast. The resource of Baffin Bay is nothing less than magic, this year, even more so. Lots of grass will mean lots of ducks wintering over on the bay and on the King and Kenedy ranches. Fresh water ponds keep the ducks moving back and forth. The best part is the patterns that are established. Guides at BBR&G go where the “ducks want to be.” This means following these freshwater/saltwater patterns. Using portable panel blinds and camo captains chairs, it’s easy to set up on the banks of the King or Kenedy at that place called the “X.” Commonly shooting over 13 species a year, Baffin Bay is home to almost every duck that migrates through, not just the ever-

UMMER, FALL, AND WINTER all converge and keep outdoorsmen guessing as Texas starts its dive into the cold weather portion of the year. Getting ready for winter means digging through the mini-Academy stuffed in the garage, looking desperately for waders, boots, gloves, jackets and anything else necessary for a comfortable duck hunt. This leads to the discovery of leaky waders, missing gloves. Then comes a trip to the store to replace antiquated gear with the latest and greatest in really expensive stuff. Let’s change gears to flip around between trophy trout hunting and duck hunting on Baffin Bay. November is one of those months that begin to bring out the hard-core adventurer in all of us. The beginning of the trophy trout season means that water temperatures are dropping, letting all creatures know that winter is coming. When water temperatures drop and stay there, the predator fish begin eating to pack on some fat to be able to survive. The more these trout eat, the heavier they get. A 28-inch, six-and-a-half-pound trout caught in the summer could, over the course of the winter, easily pack on another pound or two. Double-digit, 30- to 31-inch trout begin to be caught, photographed and released, and social media proudly shows off these trophies. This breed of angler has studied the facts, know the best locations and understand lure presentations and tactics because they are obsessed with catching these “Baffin Big Girls.” These select anglers have fed their obsessions with expensive boats, rods, reels and gear; to be sure they have the “edge” over their wily prey. No matter what the weather

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present redhead, which winters in the Upper Laguna Madre by the hundreds of thousands. The Baffin Bay Trifecta of pintail, redhead and wigeon can be augmented with a sweet bufflehead drake, mottled duck, spoonie, gadwall, even an occasional canvasback and a stray mallard. As the season wears on, more and more ducks show up to escape the brutal cold of the north to lounge at their Baffin Bay retreat. On a personal note, to me, duck hunting is all about the dog. I’ve been blessed to hunt with my best friend and big ole black lab, Kelly for the past ten years. This year, she’s developed cancer and will have to sit out the season, which will be very hard for her, and me. It’s a bittersweet situation because I have a new black lab, Cinder, who looks like she’s going to be a superstar and just a great allaround friend. She’s one year old and will hopefully have a long time to fetch ducks for our clients and me. Every day without Kelly is going to be tough. Every day with young Cinder is going to rekindle my love for duck hunting and help ease the pain of losing Kelly. Every single dog owner knows exactly what I’m talking about, and it’s the hardest part of loving our pets. Whether you’re seeking trophy trout or some wall-hanger ducks, Baffin Bay is home base for both activities. Please give us a call to see what this is all about, and to live a fivestar experience and adventure at BBR&G. See you soon at “The Last, Best Place on the Texas Coast.”

« Contact Capt. Sally Black at 361-205-0624 Email: Sally@CaptainSally.com Web: www.BaffinBayRodandGun.com Facebook: Baffin Bay Rod and Gun Twitter: @CaptainSally Instagram: baffin_bay_rod_and_gun

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10/10/18 4:47 PM

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

Hidden Treasure

LOUNDERS ARE A HIT AND miss proposition on the Lower Laguna Madre this year. The tasty flatfish can be maddenly scarce to find, and sometimes you can limit out with fat three-pound doormats in a morning. November is an underrated season for flounders since most sportsmen are out on their deer leases looking for Ol’ Mossyhorn. The anglers who decide to head out into LLM are usually targeting the schools of redfish that form and roam the flats during back-to-school season. Flounders also begin to stage during fall then move to the edges of guts and channels to feed actively in anticipation of winter. Some captains such as Jimmy Martinez (956551-9581, captjimmmtz@aol.com) prefer to fish for flounders in the fall. Anglers who pick up their mail in Port Mansfield won’t burn too much gas looking for flounders. You’ll find plenty of spots just a short run across Lower Laguna Madre in the East Cut. The side channels that feed into the back bays attract flounders on the incoming and outgoing tides. The fish settle on thin drop-offs along the pass on an outgoing tide, then work their way into the inside edges on an incoming tide. Watch for the light-colored strip of mud that marks the gut from one of these little bays, and work live bait or a soft plastic along the edges. A live shrimp or mullet is an ideal bait. Fish them on a split-shot or fishfinder rig and a 1/0 short-shanked (such as a Daichi Flounder or Khale hook). If you are going to hop a shrimp or shad tail, use a ¼ ounce football jighead and hop the bait. This is akin to fishing for bass with a jig/pig combo. Hop with the rod tip up until you feel the tell-tail “thump” or mushy resis-

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Carolina rig or soft plastics is the trick. Don’t be surprised to latch onto some trout and the occasional redfish. These fish tend to share space with flounders. A classic, but unused technique for working these shoreline edges is the classic bucktail jig. A ¼ ounce pink bucktail, such as the one produced by Berkley, with a Gulp! Shrimp to sweeten the deal, is one of the most effective combos I’ve ever used for flounders. Live shrimp are equally effective. Break the horn off the shrimp so that it will ride straight on the hook. Then pass the jighook through the bug’s head from bottom to top (as usual, avoid the black spot on the shrimp’s head, or you’ll kill it instantly). If you want to add scent, snip the tailfan off. Cast the rig up to the shallows, and bounce it back to you. When you feel a heavy “thump!” set the hook hard. I’ve been experimenting with the hot pink Gulp! Curlytail minnow, and I’ve been encouraged with the results. If live shrimp are hard to come by, try a three-inch Gulp! Shrimp or Deadly Dudley as an alternative to real meat. Flounders don’t seem to be very discriminating when they’re on the feed. Adherents to the DOA brand will find that the CAL Minnow is a deadly weapon during flounder missions. Don’t overlook flounders when you are on Lower Laguna Madre in September. They make a welcome addition to the fall festivals that you usually invite specks and redfish too.

tance of a pick-up. Lower the rod tip, reel in the slack, and set the hook hard. If you miss, start over. Nothing to it, right? The channels that lead into the back of Cullen Bay hold flounders around the edges in November. Fishing for them is very straightforward. Use the same sort of live bait rigs that you would for Mansfield flounders. If you’d rather fish with lures, then the same Deadly Dudley or similar shrimp tail works. There are times, however, when flounders are short striking conventional plastics. In that case, try a three-inch Gulp! Shrimp in New Penny or Pearl pinned to a ¼ ounce jighead and bounce it along the bottom. Even the snarkiest of flounders would be hardpressed to ignore it. Moving south, an underutilized flounder area is the channel into South Bay. Most ignore the gateway for the riches on the other side, but they miss out on the treasure that abounds here. On a flood tide, the narrow flats on either side (especially the ones on the south side) hold plenty of flounders to keep you happy. This is an especially effective area to fish at night under a full moon. The only problem is to pay attention to the tides, or you may be stuck for a while on the ebb. If you target South Bay flounders with live bait, take a different approach. Rather than the fish-finder rig, use a free-shrimp rig with a #3 split shot sinker. Pitch your bait onto the flats adjacent to the channel and ease it onto the drop-off. Finger mullet is also a very good bait. It will attract some jarring strikes from the flatties and any redfish that might be nosing about and looking for mischief. The mainland shoreline on the island that splits the intersection of the Brownsville Ship Channel and the Port Isabel Channel (also known as the Y) is another good flounder hole. A trolling motor allows you to fish this area the most effectively. Work parallel to the drop-off and cast your bait or lure toward shore and work back to the boat slowly. Again, live bait on a F I S H

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THE BANK BITE LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOT SPOT: Mansfield North Jetties SPECIES: Redfish, shark. TECHNIQUES: Use live or cut mullet fished on the bottom near the rocks.

Email Cal Gonzales at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com |

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10/10/18 4:48 PM

FISHING HOTSPOTS Saltwater: n Upper Coast n Mid Coast n Lower Coast Freshwater: n Piney Woods

Freshwater: n Prairies & Lakes n Panhandle n Big Bend n Hill Country n South Texas

SALTWATER Sabine Specks Dressed in Black

GPS COORDINATES are provided in two formats: “Decimal Degrees” (degrees.degrees) and “Degrees and Minutes” sometimes called “GPS Format” (degrees minutes.minutes). Examples (for Downtown Austin): Decimal Degrees: N30.2777, W97.7379; Degrees and Minutes: N30 16.6662, W97 44.2739. Consult your manual for information speciﬁc to your GPS device.

www.goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: Capt. Paul’s favorite soft plastic colors … Chicken on a Chain, Limetreuse and Fire Tiger. The orange tail on the Fire Tiger seems to light up the ﬁsh in the wintertime.

by Tom Behrens

LOCATION: Sabine Lake HOTSPOT: Black Bayou GPS: N 29 59.866, W 93 45.182 (29.9978, -93.7530)

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay HOTSPOT: Richard’s Reef GPS: N 29 31.429, W 94 45.323 (29.5238, -94.7554)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: MirrOlure Provoker soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Bill Watkins 409-673-9211 4097862018@sbcglobal.net www.ﬁshsabinelake.com TIPS: “We will probably have a cold front or two in November pushing the water out. The majority of the shrimp will leave the marsh to go into the bigger bayous, rivers and the lake, and we will be working birds a lot in November.” Capt. Watkins

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

LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Oyster Farm Drain GPS: N 28 44.406, W 95 42.09 (28.7401, -95.7015)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Pink One Knocker topwater, pink Corkies and White Ice Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Peyton Arrison 832-600-9801

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics with 1/4 ounce jig head CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com

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peytorrison@gmail.com www.shells2scales.com TIPS: “Fish ﬂats between 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.…. ﬁsh tend to stay more in the mud that is warmed by the sun.” Capt. Arrison LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Brown Cedar Flats GPS: N 28 44.145, W 95 42.444 (28.7358, -95.7074)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Pink One Knocker topwater, pink Corkies and White Ice Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Peyton Arrison 832-600-9801 peytorrison@gmail.com www.shells2scales.com TIPS: Capt. Arrison prefers to wade ﬁsh in November. Look for structure … a log lying in the water, drop offs, guts, even a prop wash. LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Northwest Pocket GPS: N 28 40.992, W 95 56.311 (28.6832, -95.9385)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Pink One Knocker topwater, pink Corkies and White Ice Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Peyton Arrison 832-600-9801 peytorrison@gmail.com www.shells2scales.com TIPS: “Along the south shoreline of East Matagorda Bay look for grass and bait.” Capt. Arrison LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Three Mile

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10/25/18 10:59 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS GPS: N 28 38.642, W 95 55.534 (28.6440, -95.9256)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Pink One Knocker topwater, pink Corkies and White Ice Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Peyton Arrison 832-600-9801 peytorrison@gmail.com www.shells2scales.com TIPS: “Fishing soft plastics…let the soft plastic sit on the bottom, bounce it off the bottom, let it sink, twitch a few times…slow retrieve.” Capt. Arrison LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay HOTSPOT: Boiler Bayou GPS: N 28 38.642, W 95 53.772 (28.6440, -95.8962)

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SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Pink One Knocker topwater, pink Corkies and White Ice Down South soft plastics CONTACT: Capt. Peyton Arrison 832-600-9801 peytorrison@gmail.com www.shells2scales.com TIPS: “Topwaters … slow retrieve, Walk the Dog; Corkies … ﬁsh the water column, starting at the bottom and work your way to the top…remember where the bite was.” Capt. Arrison LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Moses Lake GPS: N 29 26.808, W 94 55.712 (29.4468, -94.9285)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics with 1/4 ounce jig head CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@gofishgalveston.com www.gofishgalveston.com TIPS: “Slicks … Keep in mind the wind is pushing the slick. Where it started is where the fish are, not where it ends up.” Capt. Marcaccio LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay HOTSPOT: Gas Wells GPS: N 29 42.984, W 94 43.14 (29.7164, -94.7190)

10/25/18 10:59 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Redﬁsh Bay HOTSPOT: Stedman’s Reef GPS: N 27 52.982, W 97 7.483 (27.8830, -97.1247)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics with 1/4 ounce jig head CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com www.goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: “Shrimp are returning to the shorelines where they originally migrated out of. Each succeeding cold front pushes the shrimp further into the mud back in the marshes.” Capt. Marcaccio

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish BEST BAITS: Cut or live mullet CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: Capt. McPartland concentrates his fishing efforts on redfish on flats, water 4 1/2 feet or shallower. LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Super Flats GPS: N 27 54.669, W 97 2.196 (27.9112, -97.0366)

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay HOTSPOT: Campbell Bayou GPS: N 29 20.139, W 94 53.694 (29.3357, -94.8949)

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

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Cut or live mullet CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: “It doesn’t matter if I’m ﬁshing live or dead mullet. I free line everything as long as the wind allows.” Capt. McPartland

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics with 1/4 ounce jig head CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio 281-788-4041 captpaul@goﬁshgalveston.com www.goﬁshgalveston.com TIPS: “Fish the ambush points on coves, the outside of a point of the cove. Drive your boat into the back of the cove and then wade out to these points.” Capt. Marcaccio

••

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Cut or live mullet CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: “If it’s too windy I like a Texas Rig on the mullet.” Capt. McPartland

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay HOTSPOT: Shamrock Cove GPS: N 27 45.437, W 97 9.717 (27.7573, -97.1620)

•••

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Cut or live mullet CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com 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.” Capt. McPartland

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Find Reds & Specks in Aransas to Corpus

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redﬁsh BEST BAITS: Cut or live mullet CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland 361-290-6302 treblejcharters@yahoo.com www.treble-j-charters.com TIPS: “Sand pockets … You should be able to distinguish light and dark green patches in the ﬂats. The light green are sand pockets.” Capt. McPartland

by Tom Behrens

LOCATION: Aransas Bay HOTSPOT: Traylor Island GPS: N 27 55.995, W 97 4.494 (27.9333, -97.0749)

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•••

Peyton is the Place for Laguna Specks

by Tom Behrens

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Peyton’s Bay GPS: N 26 26.122, W 97 22.352

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10/25/18 11:00 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS (26.4354, -97.3725)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Mullet CONTACT: Capt. Dave Edwards 956-524-3002 www.spiﬁshingtrips.com TIPS: Capt. Edwards says in November he is using live mullet rigged like a lure.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Mullet CONTACT: Capt. Dave Edwards 956-524-3002 www.spiﬁshingtrips.com TIPS: “Cut the tail off and put a hook into the nose area. Cast it out, lower my rod tip down and take us the slack line.” Capt. Edwards

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Mullet CONTACT: Capt. Dave Edwards 956-524-3002 www.spiﬁshingtrips.com TIPS: “You won’t feel the hit, but all of a sudden you will start to feel pressure on the line as he pulls the bait down.” Capt. Edwards

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: Green Island GPS: N 26 23.538, W 97 19.465 (26.3923, -97.3244)

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Bay GPS: N 26 1.707, W 97 10.613 (26.0285, -97.1769)

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre HOTSPOT: South Padre Island GPS: N 26 10.713, W 97 11.107 (26.1786, -97.1851)

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10/25/18 11:00 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Caddo Lake HOTSPOT: Alligator Bayou GPS: N 32 43.182, W 94 5.4419 (32.7197, -94.0907)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout BEST BAITS: Live Mullet CONTACT: Capt. Dave Edwards 956-524-3002 www.spiﬁshingtrips.com TIPS: “The retrieve … It looks like a dying mullet… comes up, and then drops back down, comes up and drops back down. You want to use the freshest dead mullet you can ﬁnd.” Capt. Edwards

••

LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Southern Creeks and Brushpiles GPS: N 32 49.674, W 95 33.546 (32.8279, -95.5591)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Whopper Ploppers, umbrella rigs, large flukes, lipless crankbaits CONTACT: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith 318-455-3437 caddoguide1@att.net www.caddolakefishing.com TIPS: The November-December time of the year is my favorite because the water is cooling, and bass are starting to feed heavy for the upcoming winter months. This time of the year you can find schools of larger bass in the creeks and bayous chasing shad. Stick with shad or white colors on your lures. When fishing these creeks and bayous concentrate on the bends and points of grass. Usually when you catch one there are more in the same spot or area.

•••

FRESHWATER Attend Shad School for Sam Bass

Good luck and good ﬁshing! Bank Access: Stowaway Marina

LOCATION: Lake Conroe HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 24.888, W 95 34.7459 (30.4148, -95.5791)

by Dustin Warncke

LOCATION: Lake Sam Rayburn HOTSPOT: Parker Creek GPS: N 31 9.8879, W 94 11.622 (31.1648, -94.1937)

SPECIES: Hybrid Stripers BEST BAITS: Live shad, swim baits, shad colored crankbaits CONTACT: Richard Tatsch 936-661-7920 admin@fishdudetx.com www.fishdudetx.com TIPS: The hybrid stripers will begin to school along ledges along the river channel. Find the schools of shad and you will find the hybrids. This time of year they will run shad up on these ridges. During the day they will move deeper around the area. Find the depth the bait are in and you will find the fish. Live shad will be the bait of choice in deeper water, but the swim shad will work as long as you can control your retrieve to keep the bait in the depth the fish are going to be in. The depths will vary from one day to the next. Today they may be in 20 foot of water and tomorrow they may be in 40 foot. It all depends on the schools of shad.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Jerkbaits, shad imitating reaction baits CONTACT: Mike Knight 936-635-2427 notechmike@hotmail.com www.easttxfishingguide.com TIPS: November at Sam Rayburn is about finding shad schools to find bass. The shad will be bunched and constantly moving towards the backs of creeks. Shad imitating reaction baits will work best. Rayburn has lots of hydrilla that should be starting to recede deeper and the shad will be just above this deeper grass. A suspending jerkbait could be the secret weapon to catch a late fall personal best.

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SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Crappie jigs in electric chicken color, live minnows CONTACT: Doug Shampine 940-902-3855 doug@lakeforktrophybass.com www.lakeforktrophybass.com TIPS: November is a month where Lake Fork fish are feeding up before it gets cold. The crappie bite is very good, and my brush piles pay off big time!! The best depth for November crappie will be 18 to 24 feet and I can catch them on both minnows and jigs. My best color for the colder water is always electric chicken (green/pink)The bite will be aggressive, so the most inexperienced fisherman can catch fish. The north end of the lake has started cooling off more than the southern end, so I try to fish the brush piles that has the warmer water. Best areas for this will be Little Caney, Dale, Ray and Chaney. Cold fronts now can be a factor in where you fish and all these areas will have places to get out of the wind. I furnish everything for your trip so just come get in my boat and go fishing. With a 22-foot bay boat I can handle 4 adults on a trip. LOCATION: Lake Fork HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points and Humps GPS: N 32 52.9253, W 95 36.63 (32.8821, -95.6105)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits, swim baits, spoons CONTACT: Lance Vick 903-312-0609 lance@lakeforkbass.com www.guideokefork.com TIPS: November is a great time of the year to be on Lake Fork. Hunting season is on and bass are feeding up for the winter. Fish spinnerbaits and swimbaits

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10/25/18 11:00 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS around grass and creek channels early. Then, as the day warms up, move out to points and humps. Watch for schooling activity on the surface or find schools of fish with your electronics. Use spoons for deep fish and have swimbaits ready to throw when they come up to the top to feed. The key to finding fish in November is to find large groups of shad shallow or deep. Good fishing to all! LOCATION: Lake Livingston HOTSPOT: The Pocket Near Riverside GPS: N 30 55.662, W 95 15.054 (30.9277, -95.2509)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: June bug or watermelon red lizards or creature baits - all Texas rigged, peanut butter and jelly colored bass jigs CONTACT: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service 936-291-9602 dave@palmettoguideservice.com www.palmettoguideservice.com TIPS: November offers some of the best black bass ﬁshing of the year on Lake Livingston. Cooler water temperatures and ambient air temperatures in the fall will move largemouth bass shallow. Here they will be feeding and gaining weight for winter. The Pocket near Riverside is one of my favorite places to target largemouth in the fall. Look for clear water here. Fish the boat houses, rocky points and lay downs. Key in on the down swing of cut banks and rocky points. BANK ACCESS: Carolina Cove Marina, Betty Creek Resort, Highway 19 public boat ramp LOCATION: Lake Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Buck Creek GPS: N 31 10.164, W 93 36.792 (31.1694, -93.6132)

about that BAIT BAIT BAIT. The shad will gather in large schools and migrate towards the backs of major creeks. You must cover lots of water until you ﬁnd the bait and the bass will be close by. Use shad colored reaction baits like square billed cranks and Rat-L-Traps for best results.

Aquilla Humps Hold White Bass

LOCATION: Lake Toledo Bend HOTSPOT: Still Water to Bayou Seipe GPS: N 31 44.5248, W 93 49.764 (31.7421, -93.8294)

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

SPECIES: Crappie BEST BAITS: Minnows, crappie jigs CONTACT: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages 936-368-7151 gregcrafts@yahoo.com www.toledobendguide.com TIPS: November is my favorite month of the year to be fishing on Toledo Bend. Besides the weather being pleasant with cool mornings and warm afternoons, the vista of the lake 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. On the north end of the lake the crappie will start moving and bunching up along the ledges of the river channel. 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 full of crappie. If the lake is high and the stumps are under water, it’s hard to stay over your brush tops in order to catch your fish. If you want to make your fishing time more productive, invest in a hands-free trolling motor with Spot Lock technology like the MinnKota I-Pilot. You’ll be glad you did.

••

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: 1 oz. chartreuse slabs from RSRLures. com CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com 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. LOCATION: Bachman Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 51.5699, W 96 51.396 (32.8595, -96.8566)

•••

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Bass: spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps | Crappie: minnows, crappie jigs CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorlex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.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.

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Shad colored reaction baits CONTACT: Mike Knight 936-635-2427 notechmike@hotmail.com www.easttxﬁshingguide.com TIPS: November bass ﬁshing at T-Bend will be all T E X A S

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F I S H

by Dustin Warncke & Dean Heffner

G A M E ®

N O V E M B E R

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10/25/18 11:00 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS LOCATION: Cedar Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 23.9579, W 96 11.7299 (32.3993, -96.1955)

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Fresh cut shad or cut rough fish CONTACT: Jason Barber 903-603-2047 kingscreekadventures@yahoo.com www.kingscreekadventures.com TIPS: This month we are fishing for blue cats. Drift long stretches on the main lake with fresh cut shad or cut rough fish, getting your bait on the bottom or just off the bottom. You are sure to cover a lot of water this way from 15’ to 30’ depths. LOCATION: Lake Eagle Mountain HOTSPOT: Long Ridge South of Pelican Island GPS: N 32 54.067, W 97 30.193 (32.901113, -97.503215)

SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Slab w/ a fly 12-in. above CONTACT: Johnny Stevens 817-597-6598 johnnysguideservice.com johnnystevens@1scom.net TIPS: This area is a long ridge surrounded by deeper water. White bass chase shad along this ridge. I have found the best way to work this area is to find fish on your electronics and anchor on them and let them come to you along this ridge. I use a slab and a fly above, jig this rig up and down. This is area that they will surface very early. LOCATION: Fayette County Reservoir HOTSPOT: Cedar Creek Timber GPS: N 29 56.1839, W 96 44.6339 (29.9364, -96.7439)

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Live worms, shad, punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk

N O V E M B E R

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T E X A S

F I S H

979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Water here is 40-50 feet deep. Put out a marker, chum around the marker and use trolling motor or long anchor rope to stay close to buoy. The ﬁshing is best here when winds are moderate to light. LOCATION: Gibbons Creek Reservoir HOTSPOT: Hog Island GPS: N 30 37.9919, W 96 3.504 (30.6332, -96.0584)

SPECIES: Catﬁsh BEST BAITS: Punch bait, fresh dead shad CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.ﬁshtales-guideservice.com TIPS: Fish deeper side of Hog Island around 7-15 foot deep. Fish on the bottom. Shad is a good bait for big blue cats here this time of year. LOCATION: Lake Granbury HOTSPOT: Lower end near Blue Water Shores GPS: N 32 23.014, W 97 42.55 (32.3836, -97.7092)

SPECIES: White bass BEST BAITS: Little Georges, Mepps spinners, Road Runners, RatLTraps and holographic slabs in silver and chartreuse. CONTACT: Michael W. Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters 817-578-0023 TIPS: Slabs jigged off the bottom in 20 to 30 feet of water where baitﬁsh are located. Look for hovering birds and use the Little Georges, rattle traps and Spinners on schooling ﬁsh. Bring your binoculars. LOCATION: Granger Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 30 42.6479, W 97 20.814 (30.7108, -97.3469)

G A M E ®

10/25/18 11:00 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS some tasty blues. Good luck and good ﬁshing.

GPS: N 32 17.172, W 95 27.57 (32.2862, -95.4595)

LOCATION: Lake Lavon HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points and Humps GPS: N 33 5.5979, W 96 29.1239 (33.0933, -96.4854) SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Zote soap, cut shad CONTACT: Tommy Tidwell 512-365-7761 crappie1@hotmail.com www.gotcrappie.com TIPS: This month, the crappie and white bass have pretty well shut down their bite for the year. However, the blue catfish are still going strong and cold fronts coming in trigger them to bite well. Most luck is had using jug lines baited with shad or some type of cut bait. I myself have had good luck with Zote Soap (pink) sold at Walmart locally. The bigger fish come on shad, but the gar can be a problem stealing bait. With the soap, the gar will not bother it and it is not stripped off before a catfish can eat it. I use a #11/0 tuna circle hook for the jug lines. They can be ordered online from Academy. Try this out and you might come home with

1811-TexasOutdoorNation-DIG.indd 59

SPECIES: White Bass BEST BAITS: Slabs in white or chartreuse CONTACT: Carey Thorn 469-528-0210 thorlex@yahoo.com TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Fish main lake points and humps using slabs. Feel for the bite on the fall of the slab. Concentrate on 15-25 feet of water. LOCATION: Lake Palestine HOTSPOT: Cades Lake Area

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Big Eye jig in 3/8 oz. in grasshopper color, Shimmy Shaker, spinnerbaits CONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff 903-561-7299 or 903-530-2201 ricky@rickysguideservice.com www.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: Bass ﬁshing has been good in the shallows up near Cades Lake and on the river this time of year. Fish the lay downs and logs along the channels. Use 1/2 oz. Shimmy Shaker and spinnerbaits back up in Cades Lake area. LOCATION: Lake Ray Roberts HOTSPOT: Main Lake Point GPS: N 33 22.545, W 97 3.076

10/25/18 11:00 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS (33.3758, -97.0513)

(30.2905, -96.5932)

SPECIES: Crappie, White bass BEST BAITS: Minnows, 3/4-1oz slabs CONTACT: Justin Wilson 214-538-2780 justinwilson371@yahoo.com TIPS: Colder weather is here but that doesn’t mean the fish aren’t biting. White bass bite has been consistent. Look for big schools of fish off the main lake points in 20-40 foot of water. Once you find them, slabs jigged off the bottom usually make quick work of filling a cooler. Less lake pressure is starting to show, as more keeper crappie are coming in the boat. Look for these fish holding close to brush piles in 25-30 foot of water. Jigs are working well but the quality of fish seem to be better on minnows. Brighter color slabs and jigs have been a very good key to success.

SPECIES: Catfish BEST BAITS: Shrimp, punch bait CONTACT: Weldon Kirk 979-229-3103 weldon_edna@hotmail.com www.fishtales-guideservice.com TIPS: With the lake full there are few stumps visible. At this GPS site, stumps are all under the water. Please be careful. Chum here and catfish will come. Fish near bottom. LOCATION: Lake Texoma HOTSPOT: Five Creeks GPS: N 33 54.8339, W 96 42.3959 (33.9139, -96.7066)

LOCATION: Richland Chambers Lake HOTSPOT: Richland Creek Arm and Crab Creek GPS: N 31 57.348, W 96 18.7139 (31.9558, -96.3119) SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Sassy Shad jigs and live shad CONTACT: Bill Carey 903-786-4477 bigfishlaketexoma@gmail.com www.striperexpress.com TIPS: The stripers are running in large schools. 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. Bank Access: Sand Creek

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

LOCATION: Lake Somerville HOTSPOT: Fat Point GPS: N 30 17.43, W 96 35.5919

N O V E M B E R

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SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Storm’s Wild Eyed Shad in chartreuse,

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••

•••

Whites or Stripers: Take Your Pick

by Dustin Warncke & Dean Heffner

LOCATION: Lake Possum Kingdom HOTSPOT: Pickwick Bridge Area GPS: N 32 54.777, W 98 27.939 (32.9130, -98.4657)

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

white 1/2 oz. Bucktail jigs and chartreuse snake tail trailers by www.stripersniper.com CONTACT: Randy Routh 817-822-5539 teamredneck01@hotmail.com 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. BANK ACCESS: Walling Bend.

T E X A S

F I S H

SPECIES: Striped, white bass BEST BAITS: Slabs, jigs, crankbaits CONTACT: Dean Heffner 940-329-0036 fav7734@aceweb.com TIPS: It’s that time of year again to break out the thumper and tie on slabs! The Stripers and white bass will be running the 20- to 40-foot break-lines like natural highways and staging to fatten up for winter so they’ll be ready for early floods—if they come—so they can migrate early in February. So they will be back in this area till the floods come. Some fish will NOT migrate to north of Costello island and will winter around the Stump Patch and into Cedar Creek, so if you don’t find them around Pickwick Bridge, watch the gulls and check the State Park area. Slabs and jigs with Mister Twister Curly Tails are the name of the game and some days, diving cranks will work. LOCATION: Lake Alan Henry HOTSPOT: Shallows in Major Creeks GPS: N 33 1.9499, W 101 3.7919

G A M E ®

10/25/18 11:00 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS (33.0325, -101.0632)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Crankbaits in shad colors, swim jigs, shaky head jigs with a blue worm, top water lures CONTACT: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services 806-792-9220 nclayton42@sbcglobal.net www.lakealanhenry.com/fishing-guides.html TIPS: November will find the bass moving up the creeks and into shallow water following the shad. Any of the creeks on Lake Alan Henry will hold bass once the cold fronts come in to cool down the water. I will be using crank baits in shad colors, swim jigs, and shaky head jigs with a blue worm on it. Also, the top water bite should be going strong this time of year! Fish fun and fish safe! LOCATION: Kirby Reservoir HOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 32 22.3139, W 99 44.184 (32.3719, -99.7364)

SPECIES: Blue catfish BEST BAITS: Cut shad, cut carp, punch bait CONTACT: Michael D. Homer Jr., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 325-692-0921 michael.homer@tpwd.texas.gov TIPS: The fall bite for blue catfish at Kirby Reservoir should be good this year. Cut shad, cut carp, and punch bait are the baits of choice. Consider fishing with 5/0 or 7/0 circle hooks for the best bait retention.

••

Amistad Bass Rough and Ready

Canyon Stripers, White Bass

by Dustin Warncke

LOCATION: Amistad HOTSPOT: Rough Canyon Area GPS: N 29 34.82838, W 100 58.9488 (29.580473, -100.98248)

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: River Channel Area GPS: N 29 53.4479, W 98 17.778 (29.8908, -98.2963)

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: War Eagle spinnerbaits, soft plastic worms, lizards CONTACT: Capt. James Burkeen 830-734-9652 jjburkeen@gmail.com www.amistadbassin.com TIPS: The bass will be holding off the drop-offs along the numerous points in this area. Start early with a spinnerbait to search for any bass that are on the move and feeding shallow and then switch to a Carolina rigged worm or other soft plastic. Concentrate on the drop-offs but cast your lures toward shallow water and work them all the way out until you feel the drop-offs.

SPECIES: Striped Bass & White Bass BEST BAITS: 1 oz. KT Jigging Spoon White and Sliver CONTACT: Capt. Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230 capt.steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com http://www.sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Fish from the point back to the river channel casting out the spoon and try to maintain a depth of 20 to 40 feet. The striped bass and white bass like to school in this area this time of year preparing for the spawn run. Tight lines and fish on!

••

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Mid-Lake to Dam Area GPS: N 30 46.344, W 98 25.248 (30.7724, -98.4208)

•••

SPECIES: Striped Bass BEST BAITS: Live shad, top water lures CONTACT: Clancy Terrill 512-633-6742 centraltexasﬁshing@gmail.com www.centraltexasﬁshing.com TIPS: Fish drifting or anchored with live shad this time of year and concentrate your efforts mid-lake to the dam area in 30-40 feet of water. Early mornings, focus on ridges and humps and even throw some top water lures as the top water bite should be on.

•••

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Shaw & Garrett Islands T E X A S

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F I S H

G A M E ®

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 8

10/25/18 11:00 AM

FISHING HOTSPOTS 210-771-0123 barry@teachemtofish.net www.teachemtofish.net TIPS: This area has a good break lines and is convenient to shallow water for crowding baitfish. Work slowly moving up and down the break lines while watching your electronics and look for schools of fish breaking the surface. Fall fishing can be one of the most productive times of year. In the fall, bass and crappie chase baitfish into the shallower water, so finding wind protected coves just might be an excellent choice. Following the cove’s creek structure, cover and secondary points should yield good results.

GPS: N 30 50.7899, W 98 25.0079 (30.8465, -98.4168)

SPECIES: Stripers, Hybrid Bass, & White Bass BEST BAITS: Top water lures, live shad, slabs CONTACT: Ken Milam 325-379-2051 kmilam@verizon.net www.striperfever.com.com TIPS: Stripers will be on top this time of year. Fish top water lures and HANG ON! Watch for seagull action as they will tell you where the ﬁsh are. White bass will be around Garret and Shaw Islands. Fish live shad or slabs.

••

Main Points for Coleto Bass

LOCATION: Canyon Lake HOTSPOT: Potter’s Creek Park GPS: N 29 54.1739, W 98 16.14 (29.9029, -98.2690)

SPECIES: Largemouth Bass BEST BAITS: Spinnerbaits and Zoom fluke in pearl white CONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-960-0566 TIPS: This time of year a lot of guys are out hunting deer so there is not as much pressure on the lake, along with not many weekenders. Nice cool days are always a treat in south Texas. This time of year fish will pretty much feed all day. Main food source being shad or even perch. I like spinners this time of year although I usually go with my Zoom pearl white fluke. I use a four ought worm hook and rig weightless. If it’s sunny dip it slightly in chartreuse. A lot of times, if you have the patience, cast it out and just let it sink slowly. I’ll twitch it a little, then just wait for my line to tighten a little. Then set the hook. I’ll use it top water early morning then let it sink in the afternoon. You’ll be sure

LOCATION: Lake LBJ HOTSPOT: Barnett Cove Area GPS: N 30 35.778, W 98 23.874 (30.5963, -98.3979)

SPECIES: Bass and Crappie BEST BAITS: Soft plastics, crankbaits, jigs CONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide Service-Barry Dodd |

N O V E M B E R

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by Dustin Warncke

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Lake HOTSPOT: Main Lake Points GPS: N 28 44.466, W 97 10.812 (28.7411, -97.1802)

SPECIES: Striped Bass and White Bass BEST BAITS: 1 oz. Red Jigging Spoon CONTACT: Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230 steve@sanantonioﬁshingguides.com www.sanantonioﬁshingguides.com TIPS: Fish from the point back to the swim beach casting out the spoon and try to maintain a depth of 20 to 40 feet. The Striped Bass and White Bass like to school in this area this time of year.

•••

T E X A S

F I S H

to get action. Happy Thanksgiving to my readers. May your bites be big and your ﬁsh be healthy! LOCATION: Falcon Lake HOTSPOT: Alejandrejas Road GPS: N 26 44.04954, W 99 12.05676 (26.734159, -99.200946)

SPECIES: largemouth bass BEST BAITS: Craw worms, jigs CONTACT: Robert Amaya 956-765-1442 robertsfishintackle@gmail.com www.robertsfishintackle.com TIPS: Slowly fish a Carolina or Texas-rigged craw worm or a jig with a soft plastic trailer on the drop-offs around the islands in this area. Topwater lures can produce some fish during the early morning hours around the brush but most fish will be deep along the edges off the drop-offs during the day. LOCATION: Calaveras Lake HOTSPOT: Picnic Point GPS: N 29 17.6759, W 98 18.114 (29.2946, -98.3019)

SPECIES: Blue Catfish BEST BAITS: Shad CONTACT: Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures 210-573-1230 steve@sanantoniofishingguides.com www.sanantoniofishingguides.com TIPS: Drift fishing shad close to the bottom at a depth of 15 to 25 feet in this area produces some good catches of Blue Cats.

G A M E ®

10/25/18 11:01 AM

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10/25/18 11:00 AM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK NOVEMBER 2018

Tides and Prime Times

USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

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

T12

T11

T10 T9

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

T8 T17

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

T15 T16

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

T13 T6

T3 T2 T1

T14

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

T18

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

T19

T20

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

T21

TIDE CORRECTION TABLE

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

KEY T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

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

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

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

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

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

KEY T12 T13 T14 T15 T16 T17

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

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

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

KEY T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23

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

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

SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK IS SPONSORED BY:

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION T22 T23

READING THE GRAPH

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

Moon Overhead

Fishing Score Graph

Moon Underfoot

Day’s Best Day’s 2nd Score Best Score

Best Day Overall

MOON PHASES

l = New Moon l = Full Moon = First Quarter º » = Last Quarter «= Good Day by Moon Phase 64

N O V E M B E R

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T E X A S

F I S H

G A M E ®

10/25/18 11:00 AM

NOVEMBER 2018

Tides and Prime Times MONDAY

29 FEET

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

2:25 AM 3:41 AM 2:03 PM 11:12 PM

TUESDAY

1.67 ft. 1.68 ft. 0.05 ft. 1.85 ft.

Low Tide:

WEDNESDAY

31 »

3:07 PM 0.09 ft.

High Tide: 12:18 AM 1.83 ft. Low Tide: 4:18 PM 0.16 ft.

THURSDAY

Nov 1

High Tide: 1:05 AM 1.79 ft. Low Tide: 5:32 PM 0.27 ft.

FRIDAY

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

1:40 AM 8:18 AM 11:41 AM 6:44 PM

1.73 ft. 1.23 ft. 1.34 ft. 0.40 ft.

SATURDAY

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

2:07 AM 8:26 AM 1:24 PM 7:50 PM

SUNDAY

4 END DST

1.65 ft. 1.01 ft. 1.40 ft. 0.56 ft.

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

1:31 AM 7:50 AM 1:45 PM 7:49 PM

1.58 ft. 0.75 ft. 1.49 ft. 0.74 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

9:30 — 11:30 AM Sunrise: 7:28a Sunset: 6:35p Moonrise: 11:07p Moon Set: 12:20p

AM Minor: 10:04a AM Major: 3:50a PM Minor: 10:34p PM Major: 4:19p

Moon Overhead: 5:14a Moon Underfoot: 5:43p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

10:30A — 12:30P Sunrise: 7:29a Sunset: 6:35p Moonrise: None Moon Set: 1:17p

AM Minor: 11:08a AM Major: 4:53a PM Minor: 11:37p PM Major: 5:23p Moon Overhead: 6:13a Moon Underfoot: 6:42p

1811-TexasOutdoorNation-DIG.indd 65

12p

BEST TIME

11:30A — 1:30P Sunrise: 7:30a Sunset: 6:34p Moonrise: 12:09a Moon Set: 2:10p

AM Minor: ----AM Major: 5:54a PM Minor: 12:09p PM Major: 6:23p

Moon Overhead: 7:11a Moon Underfoot: 7:40p

12a

12p

BEST TIME

12:30 — 2:30PM Sunrise: 7:30a Sunset: 6:33p Moonrise: 1:14a Moon Set: 2:59p

AM Minor: 12:37a AM Major: 6:51a PM Minor: 1:05p PM Major: 7:19p Moon Overhead: 8:09a Moon Underfoot: 8:36p

12a

12p

BEST TIME

1:30 — 3:30 PM Sunrise: 7:31a Sunset: 6:32p Moonrise: 2:19a Moon Set: 3:42p

AM Minor: 1:30a AM Major: 7:43a PM Minor: 1:57p PM Major: 8:10p

Moon Overhead: 9:03a Moon Underfoot: 9:30p

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

9:00 — 11:00 AM Sunrise: 7:32a Sunset: 6:31p Moonrise: 3:23a Moon Set: 4:23p

AM Minor: 2:18a AM Major: 8:31a PM Minor: 2:44p PM Major: 8:56p

Moon Overhead: 9:56a Moon Underfoot: 10:21p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

10:00A — 12:00P Sunrise: 7:33a Sunset: 6:31p Moonrise: 4:25a Moon Set: 5:01p

AM Minor: 3:03a AM Major: 9:15a PM Minor: 3:28p PM Major: 9:40p

Moon Overhead: 10:46a Moon Underfoot: 11:10p

10/25/18 11:00 AM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

5 FEET

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

1:52 AM 8:20 AM 2:55 PM 8:44 PM

TUESDAY

6«

1.52 ft. 0.51 ft. 1.58 ft. 0.92 ft.

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

2:12 AM 8:54 AM 4:00 PM 9:35 PM

WEDNESDAY

7«

1.49 ft. 0.29 ft. 1.65 ft. 1.09 ft.

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

2:31 AM 9:30 AM 5:00 PM 10:25 PM

THURSDAY

1.47 ft. 0.13 ft. 1.70 ft. 1.24 ft.

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

2:47 AM 10:06 AM 5:58 PM 11:15 PM

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

9«

1.47 ft. 0.03 ft. 1.71 ft. 1.36 ft.

High Tide: 2:58 AM 1.47 ft. Low Tide: 10:44 AM -0.00 ft. High Tide: 6:56 PM 1.70 ft.

10 « Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

12:13 AM 2:52 AM 11:24 AM 7:57 PM

1.44 ft. 1.46 ft. 0.02 ft. 1.67 ft.

SUNDAY

Low Tide: 12:05 PM 0.08 ft. High Tide: 9:00 PM 1.63 ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

12p

12a

BEST TIME

10:30A — 12:30P Sunrise: 6:33a Sunset: 5:30p Moonrise: 4:26a Moon Set: 4:38p

11:30A — 1:30P

MONDAY

Low Tide: 1:41 PM 0.27 ft. High Tide: 10:57 PM 1.56 ft.

12a

Low Tide: 2:35 PM 0.38 ft. High Tide: 11:35 PM 1.52 ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

2:00 — 4:00 PM

12a

7:30 — 9:30 AM

AM Minor: 6:56a AM Major: 12:43a PM Minor: 7:21p PM Major: 1:08p

Moon Overhead: 1:52p Moon Underfoot: 1:27a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:38a Sunset: 5:27p Moonrise: 9:20a Moon Set: 8:03p

AM Minor: 6:01a AM Major: 11:44a PM Minor: 6:26p PM Major: 12:13p

Moon Overhead: 1:02p Moon Underfoot: 12:37a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:37a Sunset: 5:27p Moonrise: 8:24a Moon Set: 7:17p

AM Minor: 5:08a AM Major: 10:51a PM Minor: 5:33p PM Major: -----

8:30 — 10:30 AM Sunrise: 6:38a Sunset: 5:26p Moonrise: 10:13a Moon Set: 8:52p

AM Minor: 7:51a AM Major: 1:39a PM Minor: 8:17p PM Major: 2:04p

Moon Overhead: 2:42p Moon Underfoot: 2:17a

Moon Overhead: 3:33p Moon Underfoot: 3:08a

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

Low Tide: 12:51 PM 0.17 ft. High Tide: 10:03 PM 1.59 ft.

1:00 — 3:00 PM

Moon Overhead: 12:12p Moon Underfoot: None

TUESDAY

12p

Sunrise: 6:36a Sunset: 5:28p Moonrise: 7:26a Moon Set: 6:34p

AM Minor: 4:18a AM Major: 10:30a PM Minor: 4:42p PM Major: 10:55p

Moon Overhead: 11:23a Moon Underfoot: 11:48p

BEST TIME

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

READING THE GRAPH

12a

Sunrise: 6:35a Sunset: 5:29p Moonrise: 6:26a Moon Set: 5:53p

AM Minor: 3:31a AM Major: 9:43a PM Minor: 3:55p PM Major: 10:07p

Moon Overhead: 10:35a Moon Underfoot: 10:59p

12:00 — 2:00 PM

Sunrise: 6:34a Sunset: 5:29p Moonrise: 5:27a Moon Set: 5:15p

AM Minor: 2:47a AM Major: 8:59a PM Minor: 3:11p PM Major: 9:23p

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

15 º Low Tide:

3:34 PM 0.48 ft.

FEET

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

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

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

12:02 AM 8:01 AM 9:46 AM 4:33 PM

1.49 ft. 1.08 ft. 1.09 ft. 0.58 ft.

SATURDAY

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

12:23 AM 7:33 AM 11:35 AM 5:28 PM

1.45 ft. 0.96 ft. 1.11 ft. 0.68 ft.

SUNDAY

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

12:41 AM 7:26 AM 12:52 PM 6:20 PM

1.42 ft. 0.81 ft. 1.19 ft. 0.78 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

9:00 — 11:00 AM Sunrise: 6:39a Sunset: 5:25p Moonrise: 11:02a Moon Set: 9:43p

AM Minor: 8:47a AM Major: 2:34a PM Minor: 9:11p PM Major: 2:59p

Moon Overhead: 4:22p Moon Underfoot: 3:58a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

9:30 — 11:30 AM Sunrise: 6:40a Sunset: 5:25p Moonrise: 11:48a Moon Set: 10:35p

AM Minor: 9:40a AM Major: 3:28a PM Minor: 10:04p PM Major: 3:52p

Moon Overhead: 5:11p Moon Underfoot: 4:47a

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12p

12a

BEST TIME

AM Minor: 10:31a AM Major: 4:19a PM Minor: 10:54p PM Major: 4:42p

12a

11:30A — 1:30P

12:30 — 2:30 PM

AM Minor: ----AM Major: 5:51a PM Minor: 12:02p PM Major: 6:14p

Moon Overhead: 6:43p Moon Underfoot: 6:21a

F I S H

12p

Sunrise: 6:43a Sunset: 5:23p Moonrise: 1:45p Moon Set: 12:22a

AM Minor: 11:18a AM Major: 5:07a PM Minor: 11:41p PM Major: 5:30p

T E X A S

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:42a Sunset: 5:24p Moonrise: 1:09p Moon Set: None

Moon Overhead: 5:58p Moon Underfoot: 5:34a

12p

BEST TIME

10:30A — 12:30P Sunrise: 6:41a Sunset: 5:24p Moonrise: 12:30p Moon Set: 11:28p

Moon Overhead: 7:28p Moon Underfoot: 7:06a

12a

12p

BEST TIME

1:30 — 3:30 PM Sunrise: 6:43a Sunset: 5:23p Moonrise: 2:19p Moon Set: 1:15a

AM Minor: 12:22a AM Major: 6:33a PM Minor: 12:44p PM Major: 6:55p Moon Overhead: 8:12p Moon Underfoot: 7:50a

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

8:00 — 10:00 PM Sunrise: 6:44a Sunset: 5:23p Moonrise: 2:52p Moon Set: 2:09a

AM Minor: 1:02a AM Major: 7:13a PM Minor: 1:23p PM Major: 7:34p

Moon Overhead: 8:55p Moon Underfoot: 8:33a

G A M E ®

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10/25/18 11:00 AM

Sportsman’s DAYBOOK MONDAY

19 FEET

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

12:58 AM 7:34 AM 1:56 PM 7:08 PM

TUESDAY

1.40 ft. 0.63 ft. 1.28 ft. 0.88 ft.

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

1:13 AM 7:53 AM 2:53 PM 7:56 PM

WEDNESDAY

21 «

1.39 ft. 0.42 ft. 1.40 ft. 0.99 ft.

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

1:27 AM 8:21 AM 3:48 PM 8:43 PM

THURSDAY

22 «

1.38 ft. 0.20 ft. 1.50 ft. 1.11 ft.

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

1:41 AM 8:55 AM 4:42 PM 9:31 PM

FRIDAY

23 l

1.39 ft. -0.00 ft. 1.60 ft. 1.22 ft.

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

1:54 AM 9:33 AM 5:39 PM 10:20 PM

SATURDAY

24 «

1.41 ft. -0.18 ft. 1.66 ft. 1.32 ft.

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

2:06 AM 10:17 AM 6:38 PM 11:14 PM

1.44 ft. -0.32 ft. 1.69 ft. 1.41 ft.

SUNDAY

25 «

High Tide: 2:19 AM 1.47 ft. Low Tide: 11:04 AM -0.39 ft. High Tide: 7:40 PM 1.69 ft. FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

9:00 — 11:00 PM Sunrise: 6:45a Sunset: 5:22p Moonrise: 3:26p Moon Set: 3:04a

AM Minor: 1:40a AM Major: 7:51a PM Minor: 2:02p PM Major: 8:14p

12p

12:19 AM 2:26 AM 11:55 AM 8:42 PM

1.45 ft. 1.47 ft. -0.39 ft. 1.66 ft.

12a

BEST TIME

9:30 — 11:30 PM

10:00P — 12:00A

Low Tide: 12:50 PM -0.32 ft. High Tide: 9:39 PM 1.61 ft.

Low Tide: 1:51 PM -0.18 ft. High Tide: 10:28 PM 1.53 ft.

12p

12a

BEST TIME

11:00P — 1:00A

12p

12a

6:00 — 7:00 AM

AM Minor: 5:37a AM Major: 11:52a PM Minor: 6:06p PM Major: -----

Moon Overhead: 12:09a Moon Underfoot: 12:36p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:49a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 6:59p Moon Set: 8:07a

AM Minor: 4:39a AM Major: 10:53a PM Minor: 5:07p PM Major: 11:20p

Moon Overhead: None Moon Underfoot: 11:42a

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:48a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 6:06p Moon Set: 7:03a

AM Minor: 3:47a AM Major: 10:00a PM Minor: 4:13p PM Major: 10:26p

6:30 — 7:30 AM Sunrise: 6:50a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 7:57p Moon Set: 9:10a

AM Minor: 6:40a AM Major: 12:25a PM Minor: 7:10p PM Major: 12:55p

Moon Overhead: 1:05a Moon Underfoot: 1:34p

Moon Overhead: 2:04a Moon Underfoot: 2:34p

MOON PHASES

Day’s Best Score

WEDNESDAY

12a

4:30 — 6:30 AM

Moon Overhead: 11:16p Moon Underfoot: 10:51a

TUESDAY

Sunrise: 6:48a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 5:20p Moon Set: 6:00a

AM Minor: 3:01a AM Major: 9:13a PM Minor: 3:25p PM Major: 9:38p

Moon Overhead: 10:27p Moon Underfoot: 10:03a

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:47a Sunset: 5:21p Moonrise: 4:38p Moon Set: 4:59a

AM Minor: 2:19a AM Major: 8:31a PM Minor: 2:42p PM Major: 8:54p

MONDAY

FEET

12a

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

READING THE GRAPH

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

Sunrise: 6:46a Sunset: 5:22p Moonrise: 4:01p Moon Set: 4:00a

Moon Overhead: 9:40p Moon Underfoot: 9:18a

12p

BEST TIME

Day’s 2nd Best Score

THURSDAY

Low Tide: 2:56 PM 0.01 ft. High Tide: 11:06 PM 1.44 ft.

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

Best Day Overall

FRIDAY

30 » Low Tide: High Tide: Low Tide: High Tide:

6:08 AM 9:21 AM 4:07 PM 11:37 PM

0.90 ft. 0.98 ft. 0.23 ft. 1.35 ft.

SATURDAY

Dec 1

Low Tide: 6:26 AM 0.64 ft. High Tide: 11:24 AM 1.00 ft. Low Tide: 5:22 PM 0.45 ft.

SUNDAY

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

12:04 AM 6:56 AM 1:02 PM 6:36 PM

1.28 ft. 0.37 ft. 1.09 ft. 0.65 ft.

FEET

+3.0

+2.0

+1.0

+1.0 0

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

7:30 — 8:30 AM Sunrise: 6:51a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 9:00p Moon Set: 10:11a

AM Minor: 7:47a AM Major: 1:31a PM Minor: 8:17p PM Major: 2:02p

Moon Overhead: 3:04a Moon Underfoot: 3:35p

12p

12a

BEST TIME

8:30 — 10:30 AM Sunrise: 6:52a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 10:05p Moon Set: 11:07a

AM Minor: 8:53a AM Major: 2:38a PM Minor: 9:23p PM Major: 3:08p

Moon Overhead: 4:05a Moon Underfoot: 4:35p

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12p

12a

BEST TIME

9:30 — 11:30 AM Sunrise: 6:52a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 11:11p Moon Set: 11:57a

AM Minor: 9:57a AM Major: 3:43a PM Minor: 10:26p PM Major: 4:12p

12a

10:30A — 12:30P

AM Minor: 10:57a AM Major: 4:43a PM Minor: 11:24p PM Major: 5:10p

T E X A S

Moon Overhead: 6:00a Moon Underfoot: 6:27p

F I S H

12p

BEST TIME

Sunrise: 6:53a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: None Moon Set: 12:43p

Moon Overhead: 5:04a Moon Underfoot: 5:32p

12p

BEST TIME

11:30A — 1:30P Sunrise: 6:54a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 12:16a Moon Set: 1:24p

AM Minor: 11:50a AM Major: 5:37a PM Minor: ----PM Major: 6:03p

Moon Overhead: 6:53a Moon Underfoot: 7:18p

12a

12p

BEST TIME

12:30 — 3:30 PM Sunrise: 6:55a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 1:18a Moon Set: 2:02p

AM Minor: 12:13a AM Major: 6:25a PM Minor: 12:38p PM Major: 6:50p Moon Overhead: 7:43a Moon Underfoot: 8:07p

12a

12p

12a

BEST TIME

8:00 — 10:00 AM Sunrise: 6:56a Sunset: 5:20p Moonrise: 2:19a Moon Set: 2:38p

AM Minor: 12:58a AM Major: 7:10a PM Minor: 1:21p PM Major: 7:33p Moon Overhead: 8:31a Moon Underfoot: 8:55p

G A M E ®

10/25/18 11:00 AM

Special SECTION

T E X A S

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F I S H

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N O V E M B E R

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10/10/18 4:11 PM

Special SECTION Guns, Gear & Grub

A .223, .243 or similar cartridge is a much better option. With today’s higher quality ammunition, you can get a higher grade rifle than was available when I was kid. It depends on your kid’s size and maturity level. Rifles chambered for these cartridges offer minimal recoil and will greatly reduce the chance of your kid flinching and making a bad shot. An absolutely crucial point is that adult-sized guns usually have a pull length of 14 to15 inches, which is just too long for most kids. Take your kid with you to the gun shop to select a rifle, and make sure it is a good fit. Let your kid ask questions and handle the rifle.

HUNTING SEASON IS UPON US. AT the beginning of the season, families are still making the decision on whether to take their kids hunting for the first time.

Much can be said about this, but perhaps the single most important topic to address is gun selection. You don’t want to send a 10-year-old out into the field with a .300 Magnum to down their first deer. They probably will not make it past the first shot at the practice range when the blast rattles their eardrums.

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T E X A S

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Also, whether it’s your kid’s first hunt, your spouse’s or yours, remember you can’t eat antlers. The first deer I ever shot was a doe. I was just as excited about it as I was my biggest ever buck. I had taken the step from being someone who daydreamed about deer hunting to actually taking a deer. Don’t bother a kid with Boone & Crockett scores and trophy hunting terminology. If you hunt in an area where doe hunting is permitted, let them take a doe. Explain to them that taking does as well as bucks is a vital key to managing a deer herd. They will not only get some great meat, but it will help the herd. I was so impressed with this concept

G A M E ®

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10/10/18 4:11 PM

Special SECTION after taking my first deer, I did my sixthgrade science project on deer management and doe harvest. I got an honorable mention. Celebrate even the does because chances are your kid will see them first. Then by all means eat them! When it comes to preparing deer from field to freezer we always reach out to our Hunting Editor Lou Marullo who is a master on that topic. This month he submitted a few killer recipes that he has proved are super tasty and easy to fix.

Hot Italian Sausage 3 tablespoons salt 3½ tablespoons of red pepper

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4 tablespoons of crushed or ground fennel seeds Depending on your own taste, you may want to increase the amount of fennel you use. If you like your hot sausage really hot, just add some more red pepper. I like to use some garlic powder as well, with both the hot and the sweet sausage.

and just make his own patties, then freeze them in smaller packages. His brother, Frank, prefers some of his sausage in sausage casings. This is easy to make as well. You just need an attachment to your grinder that the casings can slide on. If you decide to use casings, know that it’s easier if you

A little goes a long way. Once you make the seasoning, put it in a zip-lock bag and shake it up. Then, spread some of the seasoning on the meat. Mix about a quarter of the seasoning into the meat and use some water to make it easier to mix. Add more and more of the seasoning until it is used up while mixing it very well into the meat. Lou prefers to keep it in bulk form

soak them in water for about an hour first. Then, before you slide the casing on the attachment, force some water through the casing. This makes it much easier to slide it onto the attachment. Now, if you want to make some breakfast sausage, I have a delicious recipe for that as well. Again, this is for every 10 pounds of meat. Again, I use about 50 percent pork with the venison. You need

T E X A S

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10/10/18 4:11 PM

Special SECTION to grind the meat first using a medium or hamburger-sized blade on the grinder. Once it’s through the first grind, mix the seasoning in and grind it again. Keep mixing it all the time. So, for an unforgettable breakfast sausage, here is what you need. Enjoy!

ing

Since this is a peak coastal fishing month here are a couple of redfish recipes.

Cook all ingredients except fish about 90 minutes on a low fire in a two-quart saucepan. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking. Place fish in roasting pan and fill inside with ingredients. Cook on barbecue pit uncovered for 45 minutes to one hour, basting every 15 to 20 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

1 cup white wine 2 Tbs. Worcestershire 2 sticks butter or margarine 1/2 can beer 2 Tbs. catsup Salt and pepper to taste

Barbecued Redﬁsh 1 5- to 6-lb. redfish, whole, cleaned 1 bell pepper, chopped 3 sticks celery, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 2 8-oz. bottles Zesty Italian salad dress-

Redﬁsh Casserole 2 lb. redfish fillets 1/2 cup creamy Italian salad dressing 1/2-cup butter, melted 1-1/2-cups Potato chips, crumbled 8 slices American cheese (Note: Do not use ridged potato chips and use only “creamy” dressing.) Place fish in a 9x12 baking dish. Pour salad dressing and melted butter over fish. Sprinkle with potato chips and add cheese slices. Bake 15 minutes in a preheated 350º oven.

Bacon-Wrapped Pheasant Breast 2 pheasant breast (skinless) 6-8 rashers of streaky bacon 2 tsp of paste (see Tips) Olive oil 74

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10/10/18 4:11 PM

the oven for 2 minutes to crisp the bacon. 6. Rest for a couple minutes before serving.

for the sauce; or put a large sage leaf and/ or prune on the pheasant breast before wrapping it in the bacon.

• • •

Tips: Green Pesto, chilli jam, harissa paste, sundried tomato paste, cranberry sauce, prune sauce, tapenade, roasted pepper cream would work well. Or you could just mix grainy mustard & minced garlic

OUR OWN TEXAS GOURMET, Bryan Slaven has a few recipies to share, including this delicious pie, just in time for your Thanksgiving dinner planning.

BBQ Redﬁsh

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 2. Wipe the breast fillets dry, then add spoonful of your chosen sauce using a silicon brush, and cover both sides evenly. Season to taste. 3. Put 3 or 4 strips of bacon on a chopping board slightly overlapping each other. Put the breast in the middle, then wrap it up in the bacon, tacking in the sides. Repeat with the other pheasant breast. 4. Heat some oil in a frying pan, add the wrapped breasts and seal them on each side for a few minutes. Transfer them to the oven for about 10 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and the pheasant has cooked through. 5. Alternatively: put the wrapped breasts in a baking dish (with the wrapped edge downwards), and cook for 20 minutes. Finish it off with the grill/brioler in T E X A S

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F I S H

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10/10/18 4:11 PM

Special SECTION Amy’s Amazing Apple Pie

Hackberry, Louisiana named Amy Elmer. She was the head cook in the kitchen at Hackberry Rod and Gun Club, and was kind enough to allow Bryan and the film crew from the Academy Outdoors Televi-

THIS RECIPE WAS SHOWN TO Bryan Slaven by a sweet little lady in

sion show to shoot a few episodes in her kitchen between the waves of hunters coming through for lunch and dinner. As Bryan reports, “Boy, howdy, you should have seen the massive pots of gumbo and Etoufee they prepared. Awesome. Anyway this was a favorite pie recipe of Amy’s, and I have made it several times. It is without a doubt the best pie I have ever tasted, and it’s not that difficult to make. I hope you will enjoy it too! By the way, that Hackberry Rod and Gun Club is one fine place to take friends, family or clients when you want the absolute best in bay fishing, and world-class duck hunting!” 1 package - Pillsbury’s pie crust - 2 pieces top and bottom – set out for 20 minutes before opening to make handling easier 1 glass pie pan Butter 2 cups pecans - chopped coarsely 2 cups - dark brown sugar 6 apples- Brae burn or any other firm 76

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T E X A S

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PHOTO:

10/10/18 4:11 PM

and it will look really high but its OK) Add the other pie shell and pinch the edges of the two crusts together Cut a few slits in the top of the pie to allow the steam to escape during baking Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes Then – remove and carefully place a plate on the top of the pie and flip over

onto the plate Lift off the pie shell carefully scraping any pecan bits over the top of the pie Enjoy!!! (Find more of Bryan’s wild game recipes at thetexasgourmet.com)

Amy’s Amazing Apple Pie

and juicy variety- peeled and sliced thin 2 1/2 Tablespoons- flour 1/2 tsp. - cinnamon 1-cup sugar A pinch of nutmeg Preheat oven to 350 degrees Place a double large sheet of foil under pie pan rack-the juices will tend to bubble out of the shell Take the butter and line the inside of the pie pan Place the pecans in the bottom of the pan Now- place the brown sugar on the pecans and gently pat down Place the first pie shell over the brown sugar and pecans and be sure to make the shell hang over the edge of the pan slightly Place the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and stir together well Sprinkle the dry mixture over the sliced apples, and stir gently to combine Place the apples in the pan on top of the first pie shell (careful its a lot of apples PHOTO:

1811 Special Sec Guns & Grub.indd 73

T E X A S

F I S H

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10/10/18 4:11 PM

Texas TESTED Good Old Reliable Leather

quality leather holsters for over 40 years. The Osprey is one of their newest editions to their line. The Osprey gives the user the option of a comfortable concealable IWB holster while also allowing OWB carry if you desire. I’ve been wearing the Osprey with my G19 for a few weeks and found it to be secure and comfortable. I mostly carry IWB style at both appendix and 3 o’clock. The very firm “pull the dot” button IWB strap takes a bit of getting used to, however there is no doubt that it will stay secure. The OWB loops are a

AS PLASTIC AND KYDEX BECOMES all the rage for holster construction, let us not forget that tried and true leather still does a bang up job at securing your handgun. This DeSantis Osprey holster gives both IWB and OWB options for carry. And it looks downright classy as well. DeSantis has a longstanding reputation of

The DeSantis Osprey conveniently allows for both Inside-the-Wasteband (IWB) or Outside-the-Wasteband (OWB) carry.

special bonus that makes this an easy purchase. The Osprey allows for adjustable tension with the lower screw. But since it is not a retention level holster I wouldn’t recommend it for public open carry. However out and about the hunting grounds it is a perfect match and comfortable option. It has a nonadjustable FBI cant gives you a slightly faster draw. I was also pleasantly pleased that the Osprey had enough clearance for my suppres-

The opposite side of the Osprey reveals canted loops for OWB carry. These add no noticeable bulk when in IWB mode.

sor high XS Sights and it looks like it might even hold a handgun with a mounted RMR on the rear of the slide. The Osprey is available for dozens of models of major manufactured handguns such as Colt, Sig, S&W, Springfield, Glock, Ruger and more. It is available in tan in right and left handed models for 1.5″ belts. Retail price is listed at $69.99. You can browse through all the options on DeSantis’ site here or purchase from Amazon here: https:// amzn.to/2wVI2pO Extra High Suppressor Sights were no problem with the DeSantis Osprey.

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—by Dustin Ellermann

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Fish and Game GEAR Textron Introduces New Vehicles TEXTRON OFF ROAD SIDE-BY-SIDES is introducing three new vehicles as part of its Model Year 2019 lineup. Joining the Havoc X are the Havoc and Havoc Backcountry Edition, and the Wildcat XX receives more horsepower and sees the addition of the Wildcat XX LTD to the line. The new Havoc Backcountry Edition is perfect for recreational riders. The vehicle features a standard roof and hood rack, and its exclusive styling features a Bright

vehicle in its class. The vehicle is offered in Bright White with a MSRP of $20,699. New for 2019, the Wildcat XX LTD sports all the features of the Wildcat XX with front and rear bumpers, half windshield, and heavy-duty, marine-grade Bimini Roof featuring a built-in roll-up top with a sun screen for nice days. The vehicle also has a factory-installed SSV® stereo system with all marine-grade components, including an integrated amp, two Kicker® speakers, custom enclosures and wiring harness. The new Wildcat XX LTD is available in Jet Black and retails for $21,999.

small circle directly under your feeder. Slow Glow automatically turns on at dusk and stays on all night at a dull 5% intensity, training game to the presence of a dull non-invasive light in the area. When the light detects motion, the Slow Glow effect is triggered. After detecting motion, the light slowly increases intensity to 60% over a 2-minute period to avoid spooking game. If you need more light, or want to activate the light manually, the included remote control slowly brings the light to 100% intensity from up to 1,000 yards away! The beauty of the Slow Glow is using the light like an alarm. It’s quite obvious from several hundred yards away if your light has been triggered by motion, so you’re not forced to sit in a blind all night waiting on something to show up. Sit back a few hundred yards and wait for the trees to light up! Your light provides plenty of light to make sniper shots from several hundred yards away, or bow-hunters can stalk in from downwind and behind the light to get crazy close shots with a bow. Slow Glow comes with an unconditional 1-year warranty and will be hand-built by the Slow Glow Texas family. For more information, visit www.SlowGlow.com

Slow Glow Hunting Lights HUNTING WILD PIGS AND EXOTIC game at night is one of the most fun types of hunting out there! It opens up year-round hunting and is a new challenge for veteran sportsman and new hunters alike. Slow Glow Hunting Lights are a Texas-Made, hand-built product that makes hunting at night insanely fun. Unlike traditional feeder lights, Slow Glow Lights are designed to be mounted 5 feet off the ground, 20 feet away from your hunting area. This allows an entire hunting area to be well lit, instead of a

Textron Havoc Backcountry Edition

Slow Glow Hunting Light

White with Orange color with Backcountry badging. It retails for $17,799. Textron Off Road also is introducing a Havoc base model with a 100HP EFI engine providing power for the toughest tasks, standard Electronic Power Steering (EPS), class-leading 12.8-inch front suspension travel, 2,000-lb towing capacity, 24-cu-ft of storage with extended cab, and 600-lb cargo box. The 2019 Havoc retails for $16,299 and is available in Fire Red. For 2019, the Wildcat XX gets an upgrade in horsepower to 130HP, and is still the highest horsepower, naturally aspirated T E X A S

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10/10/18 4:16 PM

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

Inspired by Commercials

ed at my dually. “She’s got big hips that are wayyyy to wide for this track.” “I’ll bring my four-wheeler,” Doc said. “I don’t have one,” I told him. Willie spoke up. “I do.” “Really?” “Yep, bought it last week. It needs a little fixing up, but that’ll give us two. Rev, you oughta buy one, too.” “I ain’t buying a four-wheeler right now. You guys have been after me to buy a motorcycle for the past few years, and you want me to get a boat. I already have a camper. How about I bring the pop-up down here and we can sleep in it?” “I’m not sleeping anywhere near Jerry Wayne,” Doc said. “He snores louder than a saw mill, and you guys keep putting me in the same room with him. I want a good night’s sleep for once.” “Hey, I’m standing right here,” Jerry Wayne complained. Delbert tilted his head back like McConaughey and for a moment I could have sworn that he looked like him. “Plans are discarded. Sleep is elusive.” “Shut up, Delbert.” I scratched my head. “He’s right about plans, though. I’ll just walk to where I’m going to hunt, and if I knock a deer down, I’ll come find one of y’all and we’ll haul it out.” “You can’t do that.” “Why not?” “Because we’ll be hunting,” Willie argued. “No you won’t. Doc will be asleep, because Jerry Wayne kept him up all night, so the four-wheeler will be right here.” “Deer appear. They vanish, but we continue the hunt.” “Shut up, Delbert.” “You’d like it better if I had hair down to my collar and looked like Brad Pitt.” Doc frowned. “So you’re planning to keep me awake all night so you can use my gear to pack your deer out of here?” “It wasn’t a plan, but it might work.” “Wherever we go, we’re together. Our luck intertwines and our faith is genuine.” “Shut up, Delbert.” I kicked a rock. “What

HE HUNTING CLUB MEMBERship stood amid the cedar and mesquite trees that defined our lease just outside of Austin. Doc slipped his hands into his pockets and shrugged. “I’m not going to drive my new truck through this.” Part of a conservancy, the lease was thick with vegetation that defined the beautiful landscape of water and limestone cliffs of the Texas Hill Country. Delbert P. Axelrod, whose head is as cluttered as the lease, mimicked Doc’s stance and looked pensive. He spoke in a soft, measured voice. “This is not the perfect lease, every lease is different, but we continue our search.” “What?” Jerry Wayne edged away. Wrong Willie sighed. “He’s been doing that since he started watching that stupid commercial he found on YouTube when Brad Pitt was talking like he was on downers and making commercials for Chanel Number Five.” “It’s called Free Association,” I said. “I think it’s called talking out of your empty head without thinking,” Wrong Willie said. “Time passes, and we are drawn into the slipstream.” “Those commercials came on years ago.” Doc shook his head. “Why now?” “I’ve decided I love YouTube. Besides, Pitt’s cooler than Matthew McConaughy.” “But Matthew’s from Texas. He has that Texas thing going for him.” Delbert thought for a moment. “I guess I could start liking his car commercials, instead of thinking about perfume all the time.” I ignored Delbert’s comment. “Doc, I’m with you. I’m going to park my truck right here in this open space and walk in.” I point-

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I’m saying is that none of us wants to scratch up our trucks, and face it Doc, you really like to sit by the fire these days and take it easy. Your idea of a good hunting trip is relaxation. When was the last time you shot a deer?” “Nineteen eighty-nine.” “See?” Delbert looked pensive. “Together, we are connected by fate and fortune.” “He has a point,” Wrong Willie said. “As bad as I hate to admit it.” “Women’s perfume.” Delbert sniffed. “You smell that?” “Huh?” Delbert shrugged, suddenly back into the real world. “My new covering scent smells like women’s perfume. I’m afraid the deer will know where I am.” I held out a hand. “Let me smell it.” He produced a small brown bottle and I unscrewed the cap. “This is perfume.” “Uh oh,” Delbert said. “What?” “My wife is wearing my covering scent this week. I must have mixed them up when I put them in these new bottles. I was doing my own YouTube commercial the other day and didn’t want anyone to recognize the labels. Do you think anyone will notice?” “It’s inevitable,” I said, remembering his cover scent was doe urine. “Hey, I sounded just like McConaughey.” “That’s my gig,” Delbert complained. “Let’s go shoot a deer!” Wrong Willie pumped his fist. I looked at my group and consciously stopped my chin from quivering. “Heaven help us.”

« Email Reavis Wortham at ContactUs@ﬁshgame.com

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10/10/18 4:05 PM

Outdoor DIRECTORY Guides & Outfitters

Lodging

Destinations

TEXAS FRESHWATER

TEXAS SALTWATER

LAKE TEXOMA

MID TEXAS COAST

Real Estate :: Gear

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS!

DFW METROPLEX

LAKE LIVINGSTON

LOWER TEXAS COAST

TEXAS SALTWATER

HUNTING

UPPER TEXAS COAST

SOUTH TEXAS

THE NEW 2019 TEXAS LAKES & BAYS COMING SOON!! T E X A S

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10/10/18 4:08 PM

SPECKLED TROUT

BASS

Surfside REDFISH

Lake Lavon

Dennis Viveiros caught this nice speck while ﬁshing the surf at Surfside Beach last June.

Jayden Potter caught this bass while ﬁshing on Lake Lavon.

Aransas Bay Nine-year-old Isabella Rivera with the biggest fish of her life, 22-inch redfish caught in Aransas Bay on a fishing pier using live shrimp. The fish was released. Joining her were her sisters Abryanna (seven) and Katalyna (four). Dad Mark held the fish.

SPECKLED TROUT BARACUDA

Port Aransas Anderson “Upgrade” Casey of Dallas shows off his ﬁrst solo speckled trout, with proud Dad, Lee Casey, and excited Grandmother, “CiCi.”

South Carolina Clay Brown caught this Barracuda while free lining live baits 15 miles offshore of Edisto Island, South Carolina.

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

Also Enter our PHOTO CONTEST: FishGame.com/hotshots No guarantee can be made as to when, or if, a submitted photo will be published.

SHARK Surfside First time to surf ﬁsh with his Dad, Konnor Bittner, age nine, caught this blacktip shark off Surfside Beach.

CATFISH Lake Tawakoni Kenneth Barnett of New London caught this 46-pound catﬁsh on a guided ﬁshing trip on Lake Tawakoni.

REDFISH Galveston Kelley Bergeson caught this redﬁsh near Tiki Island in Galveston while ﬁshing with her dad, Bruce. She is thankful her dad taught her to love the outdoors.

SHEEPSHEAD Galveston Bay Levi Powell, Esau Powell and Jonathan Holland caught the limit of sheep head in the Galveston Bay on a ﬁshing trip with Clay Wills. The trip was guided by Hingle’s guide service.

FRESHWATER REDFISH Lake Calaveras Mary and Chris Blood, with daughter Britney (center) caught their limit of reds, the largest a 10-pounder, in three hours on Lake Calaveras. Mary caught her first fish that day, despite grow-ing up on the Pacific Ocean where her dad was chef on a fishing boat!

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10/12/18 3:17 PM

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Texas Fish & Game November 2018

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