Texas Fish & Game July 2015

Huntin

July 2015$3.95

Bass Canopies:A Big MatAttack

Spike theCatfi shPunch

Affordable Options forBargain Hunters

Water Ghosts:BowfishTilapia

CrossingOff HogsCrossbows vs. Ferals

THE TEXAS OUTDOOR AUTHORITY www.FishGame.com

Trout are a Lot Tougher than Many Anglers Think

July 2015$3.95

Trout are a Lot Tougher than Many Anglers ThinkTrout are a Lot Tougher

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www.FishGame.comPublished 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.

ROY NEVESPUBLISHER

CHESTER MOOREEDITOR IN CHIEF

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

JOE DOGGETT • SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR DOUG PIKE • SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR TED NUGENT • EDITOR AT LARGE LOU MARULLO • HUNTING EDITOR MATT WILLIAMS • FRESHWATER EDITOR

CALIXTO GONZALES • SALTWATER EDITOR LENNY RUDOW • BOATING EDITOR STEVE LAMASCUS • FIREARMS EDITOR DUSTIN ELLERMANN • SHOOTING EDITOR KENDAL HEMPHILL • POLITICAL COMMENTATOR WILL LESCHPER • CONSERVATION EDITOR REAVIS WORTHAM • HUMOR EDITOR TOM BEHRENS • CONTRIBUTING EDITOR GREG BERLOCHER • CONTRIBUTING EDITOR PAUL BRADSHAW • CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CAPT. MIKE HOLMES • CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

DUSTIN WARNCKE • CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

STAN SKINNER • COPY EDITOR LISA MOORE • CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR JOHN GISEL • STRATEGIC ADVISOR

A D V E R T I S I N G

ARDIA NEVESVICE PRESIDENT/ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

LARRY DALTON • ADVERTISING COORDINATOR 1745 GREENS ROAD HOUSTON, TX 77032 PHONE: (281) 227-3001 • FAX (281) 227-3002

EMAIL: [email protected]

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TEXAS FISH & GAME (ISSN 0887-4174) is published monthly by Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC., 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. ©Texas Fish & Game Publishing Co., LLC. All rights reserved. Content is not to be reprinted or other-wise reproduced without written permission. The publication assumes no responsibil-ity for unsolicited photographs and manuscripts. Subscription rates: 1 year $19.00: 2 years $34.75; 3 years $48.50. Address all subscription inquiries to Texas Fish & Game, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, Texas 77032. 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, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Address all subscription inquiries to TEXAS FISH & GAME, 1745 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77032. Email change of address to: [email protected] Email new orders to: [email protected] Email subscription questions to: [email protected].

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2 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ®



JULY 2015Volume 32 • NO. 3

COVER STORY:Spunky SpecksSpunky Specks

STORY:

20 Speckled trout are touger and can survive more catch and release stress

than many anglers think.

Story and Cover Photo by John N. Felsher

FEATURES

COVER STORY:


HUNTING WATER GHOSTSTilapia are sensitive to movement and can disappear like a ghost. This makes bowfishing for them an exciting sport, on par with hunting Rio Grande turkey or stalking whitetail in the woods.

by Dustin Warncke

CATFISH WITH A PUNCHPunch bait is a deadly effective tactic professional whisker chasers rely on when going after summer catfish.

by Matt Williams

BARGAIN HUNTS With land in Texas being about 97 percent privately owned, public hunting opportunities here are limited. But for the diligent Bargain Hunter, inexpensive options are out there.

by Dustin Warncke

28

36

44

BIG MAT ATTACKLily pads and other dense mats of aquatic vegetation are prime lurking territory for big bass. Pro anglers share their techniques for probing these thick canopies for lunker largemouth.

by John N. Felsher

24

Table ofContents

Table ofContents

Table of

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Crossing Off HogsCrossing Off HogsSTORY:

52 A feral hog control project gets a lot more interesting when a crossbow

becomes the weapon of choice.

by Gerald Burleigh

Kayak Launch Points

STORY:

50 A new book profiles 101 freshwater kayak launch points in

East, South and Central Texas.

Mussel Bound

STORY:

48 Individual boaters have a legal obligation to help stop the invasion

of Texas lakes by zebra mussels.

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Pocket-Size Conservation

THANKS TO THREE OF OUR IMPORTANT industry partners, TEXAS FISH & GAME has been able to produce and distribute a pair of informative new conservation booklets. They will be available in Academy Sports + Outdoors stores throughout Texas beginning this month, and, thanks to Costa Sunglasses and Yamaha Outboards, both publications are free.

“Gulf Sport Fisheries—Your Role in Their Future” was underwritten by Yamaha and deals with a number of political and natural challenges that currently affect the fi sheries—and anglers—of the Gulf of Mexico.

Chester Moore, FISH & GAME editor in chief, edited this timely booklet. It deals with the controversy over red snapper regulation in federal waters,

the recently renewed Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and other issues affecting an increasingly complex sport fi shing world.

As Chester explains in the introduction, “The complexity of managing fi sheries that sometimes span continents is challenging, to say the least, and the number of interests in these fi sheries are all seeking a voice. Who will manage the fi sheries? How much will be allocated to recreational fi shermen? What about commercial and party boats?”

We hope this pocket-sized booklet provides a basic foundation from which everyday anglers can begin looking for and demanding solid answers.

COSTA SUNGLASSES PROVIDED THE support for our second booklet, “Catch and Release Conservation Manual.” This handy booklet provides clear instructions on the proper release techniques for eleven freshwater and saltwater gamefi sh common to Texas lakes and coastal waters.

Its compact six-by-nine-inch size makes it easy to carry in a tacklebox or within reach on your boat.

Catch and release is now a standard component in the ongoing effort to sustain the sport of fi shing. But a fi sh released improperly is just as doomed as one thrown into the ice box. We are proud to provide this simple guide to doing it right. (You might also want to read this issue’s cover story on speckled trout catch and release, page 20).

Our other partner, Academy, is distributing both booklets throughout Texas. You’ll fi nd them in special displays on Academy’s fi shing counters.

Yamaha, Costa and Academy have done a great service by underwriting and distributing these booklets. Blue Wave Boats also contributed as a sponsor. They all have our sincere appreciation, and they deserve yours.

Email Roy and Ardia Neves at ContactUs@fi shgame.com

by ROY and ARDIA NEVESTF&G Owners

InsideFISH & GAME

InsideInsideFISH & GAME

InsideFISH & GAME

Pocket-Size Conservation has been able to produce

and distribute a pair of informative new conservation booklets. They will be available in Academy Sports + Outdoors stores

ARDIA NEVES

FISH & GAMEFISH & GAME COLUMNS10 Editor’s Notes by Chester Moore TF&G Editor in Chief

14 Doggett at Large by Joe Doggett TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

16 Pike on the Edge by Doug Pike TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

18 Nugent in the Wild by Ted Nugent TF&G Editor At Large

19 Commentary by Kendal Hemphill TF&G Political Commentator

27 Texas Freshwater by Matt Williams TF&G Freshwater Editor

35 Bare Bones Hunting by Lou Marullo TF&G Hunting Editor

47 Texas Saltwater by Calixto Gonzales TF&G Saltwater Editor

55 Open Season by Reavis Wortham TF&G Freshwater Editor

56 Texas Boating by Lenny Rudow TF&G Boating Editor

60 Practical Angler by Greg Berlocher TF&G Contributing Editor

62 Texas Guns by Steve LaMascus TF&G Firearms Editor

92 Texas Tasted by Bryan Slaven The Texas Gourmet

by Kendal Hemphill

Texas Freshwater

Bare Bones

by Calixto Gonzales

8 LETTERS

12 TF&G REPORT

34 TEXAS DEPT. OF DEFENSE

40 TRUE GREEN

64 INDUSTRY INSIDER

66 FISH AND GAME GEAR

68 HOTSPOT FOCUS

72 TEXAS HOTSPOTS

86 TIDES & PRIME TIMES

94 TF&G PHOTOS

DEPARTMENTS

Contents (continued)


www.FishGame.com


8 LETTERS

12 TF&G REPORT

34 TEXAS DEPT. OF DEFENSE

40 TRUE GREEN

64 INDUSTRY INSIDER

66 FISH AND GAME GEAR

68 HOTSPOT FOCUS

72 TEXAS HOTSPOTS

86 TIDES & PRIME TIMES

94 TF&G PHOTOS

DEPARTMENTS


LETTERS to the EditorLETTERS LETTERS LETTERS LETTERS LETTERS to the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editorto the Editor

Wild Kingdom FansI WAS TELLING MY WIFE AND some friends about how much I loved Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. I even did the jingle “Mutual of Omaha is people, you can count on when the goings rough.” They laughed and then the next day in your article you quoted the same thing from memory.

Hilarious. I was born in ’74 and you and I share a lot of the same passions and memories. I appreciate all your good work and hope you can come share a duck blind with me in the near future.

Brian R. Sanford

IT WAS WITH GREAT PLEASURE that I read your mention of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom in your column. I remember gathering together with my broth-ers and sisters on Sunday evening to watch Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler tangle with all kinds of wild creatures.

My fondest memory is watching them rescue a puma on a little island in the fl ooded Amazon. I also remember them coming close to elephants and wrestling an anaconda.

There are more technical programs on wildlife out today, but none with the spirit of Wild Kingdom. Thanks for reminding me of it.

Joshua Williams

GREAT ARTICLE MENTIONING Wild Kingdom. That was my favorite show as a kid as is probably my favorite show of all time.

Thanks Chester for bringing the Wild Kingdom feel to Texas Fish & Game and reminding us we would not have hunting and fi shing without the fi sh and game itself. I appreciate you promoting wildlife steward-ship.

Ralph Donald

Catfi sh AppreciationCATFISH ARE SUPER POPULAR IN Texas but get little respect in the outdoor media. Thank you having so many quality catfi sh articles this year. There is nothing better than sitting on a rainy day catching a limit of channel cats.

Jason Rogers

Statewide Trout Changes?WHY DIDN’T THE STATE GO coast-wide with the fi ve trout regulation proposal?

Carl Levin

Editor: The numbers on the Upper Coast are stronger than in the Middle Coast area. Trout populations here are super healthy,

plus there is far more support for a fi ve fi sh bag down there than there is in our neck of the woods.

Flounder Gigging BanDO YOU THINK WE WILL EVER SEE a total gig on fl ounder gigging in Texas?

Bruce Brister

Editor: If it happens it will be a decade or so away. Before we get to that point, I could see something like making gigging a wading only (no boat) affair or something to that effect.

Weird AnimalsI HAVE TWO QUESTIONS-HOW BIG can wild hogs get and is it true there have been hyenas spotted in Texas?

Glenn Schmitt Editor: A 500-pound feral hog is a mon-

ster. The biggest I have ever killed was 350 pounds. They can get bigger but 500 pounds is a good top size to go by.

There have been reports of hyena-type animals but there are very few hyenas in zoos and even few in private facilities in Texas and Louisiana, so it is doubtful there are escapees. I believe the animals people are referring to as “hyenas” are the same things being labeled as “chupacabras”. They are coyotes with severe mange, which gives the animals a hyena-like appearance although they are much, much smaller than a hyena. I got to interact with hyenas three years ago and they dwarf coyotes.


Send Your Comments to:MAIL:

EditorTexas Fish & Game1745 Greens RdHouston TX 77032

EMAIL:

editor@fi shgame.com

“The numbers on the

Upper Coast are stronger than in the Middle Coast area.“

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Women’s Screams and Deep Growls

AN ENRAGED CACOPHONY of growls, yells, and grunts broke the silence of the darkened forest.

While rabbit hunting in a remote East Texas creek bottom, my father and I happened onto something that did not appreciate our being there. With each pass-ing moment, the noisemaker seemed more agitated as it increased the intensity of its furious-sounding cries.

The sounds were guttural and vile and they pierced my 12-year-old soul, permanent-ly embedding their frequencies in my memory bank. Although it is impossible to accurately describe them, they still echo in my mind as if I were standing by my Dad right now, wondering what we had gotten ourselves into.

I knew something was wrong when my Dad told me it must be a bull that got loose from a nearby ranch, as we retreated from the woods and called off the hunt.

No bull sounded like this. Not even close.Neither of us had heard anything like this

until August 20, 2000 as I accompanied our friend Bobby Hamilton on an expedition in Polk County, TX.

It had been a long night as we sat out between a creek bottom and pine thicket. Other than a few faint moans heard in the distance, the venture was uneventful. That is until about 4 a.m.

That is when a low grunt sounded from a thicket 40 yards to the west.

Hamilton and I responded with grunts of our own and the mysterious noisemaker

replied with great fury. A chill ran down my spine as memories of our encounter 15 years earlier came back. The tone was the same and so were goose bumps on my arm.

It started with low volume grunts and then worked itself into a yelling frenzy until it let out a high-pitched roar that can only be described as terrifying. After fumbling through our packs, we fl ooded the woods with the powerful beacon of a million-can-dle Q-Beam fl ashlight, and the noisemaker crashed through the brush, then got quiet.

Just nine months before the aforemen-tioned event, I encountered a howler monkey while fi shing on Venezuela’s Lake Guri.

My guide and interpreter called the mon-key a “mono vil” or “mean monkey” and after messing with one of the creatures, it is easy to understand why. As we approached more closely, it jumped from branch to branch, snapping limbs and increasing the intensity of its yells. Finally, I decided to do a series of grunts and see how the animal responded.

I would grunt and it would grunt. I would grunt twice and it would grunt twice. And fi nally, tired of my harassment, the monkey let out a loud roar and disappeared into the dense canopy of the South American rainforest

This was virtually the exact behavior and very similar sound to what occurred 3,000 miles to the north nine months later.

Strange, huh?What about the bizarre screams of “pan-

thers” commonly reported throughout Texas?People often report something that sounds

like a lady screaming into the night. In fact, between Seguin and San Antonio there is a creek off Interstate 10 named “Woman Hollering Creek.”

I have been blessed to be around captive cougars many times and in fact worked with them directly for two years while I was in col-lege. I heard many vocalization, but none that I thought sounded like a woman screaming. Of course, sounds are hard to describe so maybe the high pitch yell they let out is what people are talking about.

Screech owls are a common source of strange noises, and they are common in much of Texas. They are our tiniest owls, but let out the most intense vocalizations�very spooky, especially if you are cruising along a river bottom at night.

Feral hogs make many unusual noises that could easily be interpreted as something else if you are not familiar. They have plenty of sounds besides “oink.” Coyotes, particularly when a bunch of them start yipping, have a sound that is fl at out weird.

Last January, we were at the Texas Zoo in Victoria, and I watched as two coyotes did their yipping thing right in front of us. It sounded like there were three times that many.

Other interesting sources of unusual wood-land sounds are the various exotic deer that roam the Lone Star State. Axis and sika deer have a high-pitched sound that will certainly grab your attention. Elk are also present in Texas, and if someone is not used to their bugle it might sound like something from beyond.

Some sounds out there are truly strange. They are not easy to fi gure out, and if you have recordings of anything like this, I would love to hear them. You can email them to cmoore@fi shgame.com.

I am working on a wildlife audio project for <fi shgame.com>, and I would like to get a collection of strange sounds from across the state.

Admit it, you have heard stuff in the woods you cannot explain. Maybe you are like me and want to know more.

Then again, maybe you’re better off not knowing. That might make those pre-dawn walks to the deer blind less frightening.

Until that scream summons from the thicket…

Email Chester Moore atCMoore@fi shgame.com

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

EDITOR’S Notes


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Legislature Passes Hunting/Fishing Amendment BillTHE TEXAS LEGISLATURE HAS passed a proposed constitutional amend-ment that will guarantee a citizen’s right to hunt and fi sh.

According to the Associated Press last week, the House passed it 111-1 with 20-plus abstentions. Senate approval came last month.

“Voters in November will be asked to modify the Texas Constitution to recognize “the right of the people to hunt, fi sh, and harvest wildlife subject to laws that promote wildlife conservation,” the AP report said.

“Eighteen other states have approved simi-lar measures, which supporters say come as some areas have shortened hunting

seasons or limited what animals can be hunt-ed. The amendment wouldn’t trump hunting rules or ordinances banning discharging guns within city limits.”

This will be an interesting public vote as very few people take part in some of these state elections. How will the public, with particular emphasis on a growing urban area, react to a state constitutional amendment on hunting?

The answer will come in November.

TPWD Changes Shrimp, Oyster RegsCOMMERCIAL BAY SHRIMPERS will no longer have to cull small shrimp during the fall season, thanks to regulation changes adopted last week by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.

The elimination of a 50 heads on shrimp

per pound count/size requirement for com-mercial bay shrimpers in inside waters during the fall season (Aug. 15-Oct. 31) should help reduce resource waste that occurs from undersized shrimp mortality during the cull-ing process.

The commission also clarifi ed reference to the effective date of federal rules stipulating turtle excluder device (TEDs) requirements and corrected an outdated statement regard-ing the waters in which TEDs are required.

In addition, the commission approved changes to commercial oyster fi shing regula-tions requiring dead oyster shell greater than ¾ inches to be returned to the reef at the time of harvest and be counted as an undersized oyster, and amended the defi nition of sack of oysters to include dead oyster shell greater than ¾ inches.

TPWD reported many of the state’s oyster reefs have been depleted and hun-dreds of thousands of cubic yards of cultch

(material, such as oyster shell, that furnishes a place for larval oysters to attach and grow to maturity) have been BIG BAGS CATCHES

lar measures, which supporters say come as some areas have shortened hunting

changes adopted last week by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.

The elimination of a 50 heads on shrimp

BIG BAGS CATCHES grow to maturity) have been

REDFISH

Baffi n Bay

Augie Hinojosa of Bishop caught this 55-inch bull red in the backwaters of Laguna Salada near Baffi n Bay. He caught the fi sh with his trusty Shimano Curado and 6-foot, nine inch H2O Xpress Ethos rod on a fee-lined 7-inch live mullet. He saw the red feeding in 1-1/2 feet of water. He landed the fi sh about 200 yards from where he hooked it.


The TF G ReportTF GTF GTF GTF GTF G

seasons or limited what animals can be hunt-

TF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF G Report Report Report Report ReportTF G ReportTF GTF G ReportTF GTF G ReportTF GTF G ReportTF GTF G ReportTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF GTF G

Visit FishGame.com to upload your Big Bags & Catches Photos and Vote for our next Winners

BIG BAGS CATCHESBIG BAGS CATCHESBIG BAGS CATCHES

ZEBRA

South Africa

Morgan Holden, 13, shot this zebra while on a hunt in South Africa with her family, dad Shawn, mom Becky and sister Kris-tine. Morgan used a .243 handed down from her grandfather to bag the zebra at 160 yards

1507 TFG Report.indd 12 6/8/15 6:03 PM

removed from the state’s public oyster reefs because of oyster dredging.

The majority of the cultch removed from public reefs is not recovered. The continuing removal of shell from oyster habitat poses a threat to the viability of the state’s oyster fi sh-ery, because a reduction in the cultch juvenile oysters depend on for growth results in less recruitment and, potentially, fewer legal-sized oysters.

Mustang Island State Park Gains AcreageTHE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE Commission has approved a 690-acre land acquisition that increases the size of Mus-tang Island State Park near Corpus Christi to 4,783 acres. In addition, the commission agreed to accept a 100-acre conservation easement donation adjacent to the park.

Both land actions result from the settle-ment of a pollution mitigation case brought in 2005 against Asarco and Encycle, which operated smelting and waste management facilities that discharged pollutants into upper Corpus Christi Bay for more than 60 years.

Mustang Island State Park opened to the public in 1979.

Mustang Island has developed rapidly in recent years, and few opportunities remain to enlarge the popular state park.

La. Black Bear Could be Removed from ListTHANKS TO A HIGHLY SUCCESS-ful public-private partnership spanning more than two decades, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal announced today that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to remove the Louisiana black bear from the list of threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

“The Louisiana black bear symbolizes how the Endangered Species Act can be a remarkably effective tool to protect and recover threatened and endangered species when we work in close partnership with states and other stakeholders,” Jewell said.

“Across Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, we have worked together with our partners to protect and restore habitat, reintroduce popu-lations and reduce the threats to the bear. The bear’s recovery is yet another success story of the Endangered Species Act.”

The Endangered Species Act has been a critical safety net for imperiled plants and wildlife for more than four decades, prevent-ing more than 99 percent of the species listed from going extinct.

In addition, the Act has helped to remove many species from the brink of extinction to the path to recovery, including the American alligator, Florida panther, bald eagle, brown pelican and gray whale. The Obama Administration has removed more species from the endangered species list due to recov-ery than any prior administration.

“Today, after more than 20 years of col-laborative research and recovery efforts, I’m proud to fi nally announce the recovery of the Louisiana black bear,” said Louisiana

Governor Bobby Jindal.“With today’s announce-

ment, we will fi nally start the process of removing the Louisiana black bear from the

United States Threatened and Endangered Species List. This announcement highlights the vital steps we’ve taken to protect such an iconic symbol of our great state, and I’m proud of the work we’ve done to get here.”

The Louisiana black bear is a subspecies of black bear unique to Louisiana, western Mississippi and eastern Texas.

In 1902, it became part of American culture when, during a hunting trip near

Onward, Mississippi, President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a tethered Louisiana black bear. An editorial cartoon in The Washington Post relayed the story, sparking an idea from a Brooklyn candy store owner to create the Teddy Bear.

When the Louisiana black bear was listed under the ESA in 1992 due to habitat loss, reduced quality of remaining habitat and human-related mortality, the three known remaining breeding subpopulations were con-fi ned to the bottomland hardwood forests of Louisiana in the Tensas and Upper and Lower Atchafalaya River basins.

Today, those subpopulations have all increased in number and have stable-to-increasing growth rates. Additional breeding subpopulations are forming in Louisiana and Mississippi,which provides a healthy long-term outlook for the species.

For more than 20 years, the Service has collaborated with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Tennessee, private landowners and others to address the threat of habitat loss in the bear’s range.

This includes researching the status of the existing populations, establishing additional subpopulations, and protecting or restoring more than 750,000 acres of habitat. A large proportion of habitat supporting and con-necting breeding subpopulations has been protected and restored voluntarily through private landowner restoration efforts.

Long-term habitat protection is defi ned as having suffi cient assurances that degradation is not likely to occur for at least 100 years. These assurances rest heavily on voluntary conservation agreements with private land-owners and public conservation agencies in the Tensas and Atchafalaya River basins.

The ESA requires delisted species to be monitored for a minimum of fi ve years.

Through the public comment period, which ends on July 20, 2015, the Service is seeking additional biological data and infor-mation regarding threats to the Louisiana black bear.

For more information about the proposed delisting of the Louisiana black bear, please visit the Service’s websites at http://www.fws.gov/lafayette or http://www.fws.gov/south-east/.

—from Staff Reports

enlarge the popular state park. the path to recovery, including the American alligator, Florida panther, bald eagle, brown pelican and gray whale. The Obama Administration has removed more species from the endangered species list due to recov-ery than any prior administration.

“Today, after more than 20 years of col-laborative research and recovery efforts, I’m proud to fi nally announce the recovery of the Louisiana black bear,” said Louisiana

Governor Bobby Jindal.

ment, we will fi nally start the process of removing the Louisiana black bear from the

United States Threatened and Endangered Species List. This announcement highlights the vital steps we’ve taken to protect such an iconic symbol of our great state, and I’m

TROUT

Upper Laguna Madre

Jeremiah Jones was fi shing the Upper Laguna Shoreline in a 40-degree north wind when he got his only aggressive bite of the day, followed by a storybook surfacing headshake and several hard, drag-pulling runs. The 30-inch, 8-3/4 pound monster trout responsible for all this excitement was gratefully released.

T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | 13

1507 TFG Report.indd 13 6/8/15 6:03 PM

Watch the Knife

WITH APOLOGIES TO Shakespeare’s Marc Antony, I submit that the “unkindest cut of all” is not delivered by

a treacherous hand, as Brutus did to Julius Caesar. It is the cut you infl ict upon yourself.

Outdoorsmen frequently wield large knives capable of delivering terrible wounds. Through a moment of carelessness, a hand can be only a short stroke from trouble.

Perhaps now, as the summer fi shing season peaks, is a good time to stress this “point” �or edge, if you prefer. The catch-and-release ethic aside, plenty of fl ashing fi llet knives will be in use during the next few months across the state.

I recently fi lleted a redfi sh in my kitchen. The red was a smallish keeper,

maybe 22 inches. I held the

old Russell knife in my right hand. The thin, nine-

inch blade sliced the fi rst fi llet from the backbone, and I fl ipped the slab over to peel the skin. I have done it thousands of times and was working on autopilot.

Somehow, with the fi nal fl ourish, the blade turned and slipped, slashing

deeply through the base of my left index fi nger. I think it hit the bone.

Mercy!Knife cuts are scary. The whole business

makes you queasy. Bright blood sprayed across the brick

fl oor, across the granite counter, and appro-

priately enough, splattered against the tile backsplash.

I dropped the bloody knife in the sink and bound the fi nger in a handy paper towel. Fortunately, my thumb was able to apply direct pressure to the wound. I sneaked a peek, easing the pressure, and the impromptu bandage turned red over the sink.

My quick appraisal was, I’d better get to the nearest emergency room. I scuttled upstairs and grabbed my credentials, keys and a bath towel in case the wound started bleeding all over the vehicle.

All this took about fi ve min-utes. Before climbing into the Tahoe, I snuck another peek. The bleeding had slowed

consid-erably, so I

kept the pressure on and checked the inch-long

crescent slice about 10 min-utes later. No serious leaking.

I washed the cut and applied an antisep-tic and bound the base of the fi nger in a tight bandage. The slice sealed over in several days, with no evidence of infection, although the scar is still red. The nerves burn a bit now and then, but the fi nger movement seems fi ne.

THAT WAS ONLY THE SECOND BAD knife cut I’ve infl icted on myself in a lifetime of messing around with all sorts of blades. The fi rst occurred about 25 years ago on the second morning of a week-long, fl y-out trip on a small river in Alaska.

Six of us were camped on a gravel bar within reach of a long pool fi lled with 20- to 35-pound king salmon, a dream wilder-ness setup. Following a quick breakfast, I grabbed my 10-weight fl y rod and hastily reached into an open tote bag for a second box of bright streamer fl ies.

In the bag was my old leather surf wading belt rigged with a piggyback sheath for pli-ers and fi llet knife. The knife had worked partway loose from the scabbard and I severely slashed the outside edge of my right trigger fi nger against the base of the blade.

I fl apped along the gravel bar, scatter-

ing blood like a wounded

grizzly and yelling all sorts of epithets. Outfi tter J.W. Smith

saw the commotion and rushed over. Smith could radio for help but the situation was only a semi-emergency. He eyed the cut, applied treatment, and then wrapped it in several layers of “second skin” adhesive tape. The bleeding slowed to a trickle, and we went fi shing.

Incidentally, despite having an injured casting hand, I had a great morning. I landed and released six king salmon to 30 pounds, while the other three anglers totaled only three or four fi sh. They accused me of soaking the big egg-sucking, leach fl y in blood; maybe they had a point because each time I “set up” with a hard strip-strike on the 20-pound leader, blood would squirt from the fi nger.

Both times I was lucky. Worth note, a clean knife slice is similar to a surgical cut, and the two edges pull together nicely.

The adage “familiarity breeds contempt” probably accounts for most cuts from fi llet knives. The contempt is for caution. The long-time angler has done the drill so many times that the motions become rote. It’s easy to forget that the sharp blade is working mere inches from wet and slippery fi ngers.

SELF-INFLECTED WOUNDS FROM hunting knives probably are the result of the

by JOE DOGGETT :: TF&G Contributing Editor

DOGGETT at Large


Watch the KnifeW

ITH APOLOGIES TO Shakespeare’s Marc Antony, I submit that the “unkindest cut of all” is not delivered by

a treacherous hand, as Brutus did to Julius Caesar. It is the cut you infl ict upon yourself.

Outdoorsmen frequently wield large knives capable of delivering terrible wounds. Through a moment of carelessness, a hand can be only a short stroke from trouble.

Perhaps now, as the summer fi shing season peaks, is a good time to stress this “point” �or edge, if you prefer. The catch-and-release ethic aside, plenty of fl ashing fi llet knives will be in use during the next few months across the state.

I recently fi lleted a redfi sh in my kitchen. The red was a smallish keeper,

maybe 22 inches. I held the

old Russell knife in my right hand. The thin, nine-

inch blade sliced the fi rst fi llet from the backbone, and I fl ipped the slab over to peel the skin. I have done it thousands of times and was working on autopilot.

Somehow, with the fi nal fl ourish, the blade turned and slipped, slashing

deeply through the base of my left index fi nger. I think it hit the bone.

Mercy!

priately enough, splattered against the tile backsplash.

I dropped the bloody knife in the sink and bound the fi nger in a handy paper towel. Fortunately, my thumb was able to apply direct pressure to the wound. I sneaked a peek, easing the pressure, and the impromptu bandage turned red over the sink.

My quick appraisal was, I’d better get to the nearest emergency room. I scuttled upstairs and grabbed my credentials, keys and a bath towel in case the wound started bleeding all over the vehicle.

All this took about fi ve min-utes. Before climbing into the Tahoe, I snuck another peek. The bleeding had slowed

consid-erably, so I

kept the pressure on and checked the inch-long

crescent slice about 10 min-utes later. No serious leaking.

I washed the cut and applied an antisep-tic and bound the base of the fi nger in a tight bandage. The slice sealed over in several days, with no evidence of infection, although the scar is still red. The nerves burn a bit now and then, but the fi nger movement seems fi ne.

THAT WAS ONLY THE SECOND BAD knife cut I’ve infl icted on myself in a lifetime of messing around with all sorts of blades. The fi rst occurred about 25 years ago on the second morning of a week-long, fl y-out trip on a small river in Alaska.

Six of us were camped on a gravel bar within reach of a long pool fi lled with 20- to 35-pound king salmon, a dream wilder-

In the bag was my old leather surf wading belt rigged with a piggyback sheath for pli-ers and fi llet knife. The knife had worked partway loose from the scabbard and I severely slashed the outside edge of my right trigger fi nger against the base of the blade.

I fl apped along the gravel bar, scatter-

ing blood like a wounded

grizzly and yelling all sorts of epithets. Outfi tter J.W. Smith

saw the commotion and rushed over. Smith could radio for help but the situation was only a semi-emergency. He eyed the cut, applied treatment, and then wrapped it in several layers of “second skin” adhesive tape. The bleeding slowed to a trickle, and we went fi shing.

Incidentally, despite having an injured casting hand, I had a great morning. I landed and released six king salmon to 30 pounds, while the other three anglers totaled only three or four fi sh. They accused me of soaking the big egg-sucking, leach fl y in blood; maybe they had a point because each time I “set up” with a hard strip-strike on the 20-pound leader, blood would squirt from the fi nger.

Both times I was lucky. Worth note, a clean knife slice is similar to a surgical cut, and the two edges pull together nicely.

The adage “familiarity breeds contempt” probably accounts for most cuts from fi llet knives. The contempt is for caution. The long-time angler has done the drill so many times that the motions become rote. It’s easy to forget that the sharp blade is working

by JOE DOGGETT JOE DOGGETT JOE DOGGETT :: TF&G Contributing EditorTF&G Contributing EditorTF&G

DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT DOGGETT at Largeat Largeat Largeat Largeat Largeat Large

1507 Doggett.indd 14 6/9/15 2:54 PM

opposite mindset. The

average hunter is a bit uncertain because he doesn’t

fi eld-dress game that often. One or two deer a season, maybe a

hog or an exotic, but that doesn’t put youin the class of an African game skinner.

Groping around inside the bloody car-cass can be sort of hit of miss. You are carv-ing and slicing, maybe hacking by Braille, and using both hands. A fi xed-blade knife with some sort of thumb rise or cross-piece fi nger guard provides superior purchase although many salty ranchers prefer large

folding knives. If you opt for the latter, a locking blade provides extra insurance against a fumble.

The worst knife cut I’ve witnessed occurred when a deer hunter had the blade of a big pocket knife fold back across his knuckles. He was in a hurry, yanking hard, and the knife turned with a vengeance.

Perhaps his knife lacked leverage. Or the edge wasn’t as keen as it should have been. Ironically, regardless of function or design, a sharp knife is the safest to wield. It cuts cleanly and with less awkward force.

Actually, the more I think about it, the Bard of Avon probably was correct: The treacherous thrust is the unkindest cut. The self-infl icted slice is the dumbest one.

Email Joe Doggett atContactUs@fi shgame.com

opposite mindset. The

average hunter is a bit uncertain because he doesn’t

fi eld-dress game that often. One or two deer a season, maybe a

hog or an exotic, but that doesn’t put youin the class of an African game skinner.

Groping around inside the bloody car-cass can be sort of hit of miss. You are carv-ing and slicing, maybe hacking by Braille, and using both hands. A fi xed-blade knife with some sort of thumb rise or cross-piece fi nger guard provides superior purchase although many salty ranchers prefer large

“Ironically, regardlessof functionor design,

a sharp knifeis the safest

to wield.“

1507 Doggett.indd 15 6/9/15 2:54 PM

Wild Weather

WATER, WATER EVERY-where. That will be my recol-lection of May 2015. The rain won’t stop, the rivers haven’t

crested just yet, lives have been lost, and thousands of people have had most or all of what they owned washed away.

Half a continent west, Californians will look back differently on the same month. They’re living thirstily on the opposite end of the spectrum, halfway across the coun-try, withering and parched under relentless, unprecedented drought. They are as desper-ate for the rivers to rise as we Texans are for

them to subside. And all around the world, similar situa-

tions play themselves out regularly�tsunami�earthquake�volcanic eruption�blizzard.

Somewhere on the planet, right now, whenever now might be, it’s too wet or too dry, too hot or too cold, too windy or�well, calm’s not so bad unless there’s a tropical storm overhead. (Houstonians: Remember Allison?)

In small doses, within reason, weather extremes are tolerable and make good con-versation starters. When you wind up talking about homes washed off their foundations, people trapped in fl ooded cars or heat suck-ing the life from half a state the size of three states, however, the reality of it becomes a heart-twisting burden.

We are reminded every century or so by extreme fl ood and drought, major hurricanes and tornados, that nature remains in charge�full force�one hundred percent.

We build bigger and stronger behind every loss, but that doesn’t matter nearly as much as we think. Nature, on a whim, can shear off an entire mountaintop. Upgrading from shingles to tile or using 2x6 studs instead of 2x4s to anchor a wall doesn’t mean much to triple-digit wind or rushing water.

On the plus side, as mentioned ear-lier, these events aren’t regular occurrences. Nonetheless, they seem to be creeping into our lives and getting under our skin more often, enough to be more than mildly bother-some.

Looking at historic weather data makes me

by DOUG PIKE :: TF&G Senior Contributing Editor

PIKE on the Edge

1507 Pike.indd 16 6/8/15 6:59 PM

wonder whether we’re actually experiencing more severe wind and water events or just hearing about them more promptly and in greater detail thanks to instant (and often sensationalized) news reports.

Our attention is grabbed day in, day out, by buzzers and fl ashing lights and scrolling text to tell us how bad things could get in the blink of an eye. My stomach aches as the watches and warnings creep across the bottom of the screen or appear as text messages on my phone.

I go to the Internet to look for details. I look back at the television and change chan-nels in case one station has an update that the others missed. Then I eat some more Tums.

My young son, in the meantime, has slept peacefully through dozens of signifi cant storms, including Hurricane Ike when he was barely one. He lives under a confi dent, youthful presumption of safety, which most often is going to be the case for us all despite television reports that highlight worst-case scenarios and leave me lying awake at night hoping the roof doesn’t fl y off or the car doesn’t fl oat off.

I can’t turn my head or bury it under the covers. I want to know what could happen because my family’s safety is on the line, but I’m equally interested in what’s most likely to happen. Throw me a bone of hope as the

clouds form overhead, so I can get some rest.That’s the story I want, a balanced report

of how things are now, how they’re most likely to develop, and then maybe some words of caution that outline a worst-case roll of the

atmospheric dice. My thoughts at present are with those who

already lost family members or property, or both� and those whose homes and safety are currently threatened. Until this emergency passes, we’ll all keep a watchful eye over our shoulders.

It wasn’t many years ago, as most Texans will recall, that drought and resultant fi res wiped out huge chunks of the state’s midsec-tion. During roughly the same time span, if memory serves, parts of the nation’s Midwest were, as we are now, underwater. It’s always something.

Tragically, however, nature is an equal opportunity destroyer. Given time, nothing is immune from its power or outside its path. As has been said so often and will continue to be said, this, too, shall pass.

And as soon as it does, once any neces-sary repairs are made to whatever’s broken or fl ooded or baked or knocked down, I’ve got some fi sh to catch.

Email Doug Pike atContactUs@fi shgame.com

“Nature, on a whim,

can shear off an entire mountaintop.“

1507 Pike.indd 17 6/8/15 6:59 PM

The Spirit of the Wild Saves Lives

THE GREAT OUTDOOR LIFE-style will not only cleanse the soul, it will save your life. Just ask my favorite guitar player (yes, that’s

me) and I assure you that the jury is not still out.

Growing up on the not so mean streets of Detroit back in the roaring ‘50s and 60’s, then on the fi ery global rock-n-roll road beyond, all those so called “peer pressure” temptations were nonstop and ubiquitous. I swear to God it was the mystical fl ight of the arrow, critter encounters, the call of the wild and “aim small miss small” discipline that fortifi ed me to defy all such nonsense.

I thank God on a daily basis that my parents were darn good parents, and the determining factor for being a good parent can be described in a single word;

DISCIPLINE!When it is all said and done (which by the

way it never is) good old-fashioned discipline equals love and is without question the defi nition of good parenting.

When I was growing up, my youthful igno-rance allowed me to believe that discipline was nothing more than a major pain in the ass getting in the way of my youthful fun and adven-ture. But now 66.6 years later, with an honest look at the MotorCity Madman guitarboy, my brothers Jeff and John and my sister Kathy, and I give you four gungho, ultra-disciplined, ultra-hard working, ultra-loving, ultra-produc-tive Americans ensconced solidly in the asset column of life.

When my intellect and instincts developed adequately and then kicked in in my teenage years, there was simply no questioning that quality of life, and in many cases life itself, are derived from a conscientious mindset and the accountability that comes with it.

At the tender age of 66.7 years, there is no

doubt at all in my mind that the hunting and shooting disciplines I was taught growing up fortifi ed me to defy the lies of peer pressure and standard youthful desire to get involved in less than desirable activities that cost so many lives.

I defi ed the drug and alcohol and tobacco nonsense for the simple reason that my dad for-bade them early on, and eventually my trained pragmatism guided me to avoid any and all activities that would get in the way of my marks-manship, predator level of awareness and overall “aim small miss small” regimen in everything that brought joy to my life.

Getting high and poisoning one’s self does not enhance the hunting lifestyle, or anything else. Fewer opening days are not better than more opening days.

Just saying.Which brings me to the bigger picture of how

the hunting/shooting disciplines have saved so many young lives over the years.

At the behest of my hero and friend Fred Bear, following our last hunt together in 1987, I created the Ted Nugent Kamp for Kids 501C3 charity to bring the outdoor lifestyle to as many young people as I possibly could. And thanks to an army of phenomenal volunteers, we have cleansed the souls of about 15 thousand young Americans and their families since 1989.

The purpose of this writing is to encourage as many readers as possible to create their own lifesaving children’s event in order to counter-punch the embarrassing self-infl icted scourge of political correctness that is on the fast track to further dumb down more American children with such lies and scams as animal rights, anti-hunting and anti-gun propaganda fl ooding from the media, our government and academia nationwide.

It’s really very simple; galvanize a few of your hunting friends and fi nd a decent location like a farm, ranch, park or even an existing

campground.Get some Genesis youth bows and feather

fl etched arrows, a few 3D and bulls-eye archery targets, some slingshots and air guns and ammo, fi shing gear, a taxidermy buddy and a trapping buddy, some hotdogs and grills, earmark a Saturday during the summer, check all local laws and regulations, make certain each volun-teer is qualifi ed, trustworthy, good with kids and experienced, then have at it and save some lives.

As we have learned for 25 years, it does indeed take some serious effort and sacrifi ce, but I can assure you that there is nothing available in the world today that will spike kids’ attention like the discipline of the various shooting sports, the magic of trapping and taxidermy and an organized day afi eld with family and friends reconnecting with the powerful instinct to be self-suffi cient and learn the ways of the wild.

It’s not rocket science, and with some effort, each of us can be a positive force to reckon with to educate, enthuse and recruit many new sport-ers to the conservation responsibility.

Reaching out to any of the various sport-ing/conservation organizations, archery clubs, shooting ranges, 4H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Explorer Scouts, and so many others, and I have to believe that a nationwide network of these events could spread far and wide, and like a tsunami of goodwill and love, we the people can make an enormous difference for our children.

I know one over the top, dangerously uppity, slightly obnoxious, wired, somewhat maniacal old guitar player that is living proof.

Email Ted Nugent atTNugent@fi shgame.com

by TED NUGENT :: TF&G Editor-at-Large


NUGENT in the WildNUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT NUGENT

1507 Nugent.indd 18 6/8/15 7:14 PM

Freedom from Fear

STEPPING OUT THE BACK door of my house, as I had done thousands of times before, I can honestly say I was totally without

fear. My house sits on a hill seven miles east of the rural Central Texas town of Mason, a town of 2,200 souls, where “crime” gen-erally means kids swiping street signs, or shooting bottle rockets at one another on July 4. Real crime is rare in Mason, and the citizens are respectful of one another. It’s a safe place.

So when I stepped out of my house, I cer-tainly didn’t expect to be in any danger, from anyone or anything�until I looked down�and saw a fi ve-foot western diamondback rattle-snake coiling up and sticking his tongue out at me. Suddenly, I didn’t feel quite so safe.

The fact is that life contains hazards, more in some places than others, but there is no locale in the world that is totally pro-tected. Bad things happen to good people, and the fact that danger is not immediately perceived is not proof that it doesn’t exist, but proof that it hasn’t been detected yet.

Americans have certain rights, and none of those rights derive from government. All rights come directly from God, and govern-ment can either protect them for its citizens, or attempt to take them away. Those who don’t wish to acknowledge God, for what-ever reason, refer to “human rights,” but the result is the same. Government cannot grant rights, because it lacks the necessary authority.

A movement seems to have begun lately to protect American citizens’ right to feel safe. People feel threatened by the violence inherent in life, and they wish to insulate themselves from danger. This is a natural reaction, since humans are endowed with

a sense of self-preservation, but there is one small problem with the right to feel safe�it doesn’t exist.

There is a big difference between the right of self-protection, which we all have, and the right to safety, which no one has. Evil is real, and we can watch for it, try to avoid it, and protect ourselves from it when it attacks.

What we cannot do is eliminate it, which would be the only way to actually be safe from it. As long as evil exists, there is no

true safety.This fact certainly doesn’t deter humans

from seeking safety, nor should it. But until we grasp the reality that evil is real and can-not be removed from the equation, we are unable to understand that complete safety is too much to ask for. Evil is like a virus�we can inoculate against it, but we can’t cure it.

The problem is that many Americans seem to believe they have a right to safety, so they push for laws that make them feel safe. The laws don’t make them any safer, and in most cases they make people less safe, but the illusion of safety is more important to these people than actual safety.

A case in point is a recent court decision in Illinois, in the case of Friedman vs. City of Highland Park. The court ruled in favor

of a fi rearm ban in the city park, maintaining that “the ordinance may increase the public’s sense of safety.”

The court acknowledged that the ban would not eliminate gun violence in the park, but upheld the ban, on the grounds that it “may” give people a “sense” of safety. In other words, the court recognized that the gun ban created an illusion of safety, but not real safety, which no law could ever do anyway. So the court created a right that doesn’t exist�the right to freedom from fear.

Creating a freedom from fear is a dan-gerous concept. It causes people to ignore danger in favor of an imaginary utopia. When reality bites�and it will�the victim feels betrayed by the system, when in fact he has been betrayed by his own desire for a safety that is non-existent.

This court decision is akin to a doc-tor prescribing morphine for a broken leg. The symptom, pain, is eliminated, but the problem remains unsolved. The patient feels fi ne, and may consider himself healed, until he tries to walk. The resulting damage is far more diffi cult to fi x than if the doctor had set and cast the leg to begin with.

Everyone would like to be safe from harm, but only the incredibly naïve believe such a state to be obtainable. Even those who claim the police can protect us lock their houses. If the police could protect us, locks would be unnecessary.

When I walked out my back door, I was in familiar territory, where nothing bad had happened to me, and believed I was perfectly safe.

Finding a rattlesnake on my porch was not the fault of government, any more than evil is the fault of government. Believing the government can pass laws that protect us, whether from snakes, or thieves, or rapists, or murderers, is not just naïve. It’s criminal.

Email Kendal Hemphill atContactUs@fi shgame.com

by KENDAL HEMPHILL :: TF&G Political Editor


TF&G COMMENTARY

“Americans have

certain rights, and none of those rights

derive from government. “

1507 Commentary.indd 19 6/8/15 7:12 PM

the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, the spotted sea

trout ranks among the most popular species in

coastal waters. Also known as speckled trout,

these sporty fish normally enter brackish estu-

aries, coastal bays and nearshore waters from

Massachusetts, around Florida and down to the

Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

In Gulf Coast states, about 75 percent of

all coastal fishing trips target trout. On

those trips, anglers bring in more

than 42 million trout annually.

This highly prolific fish can

sustain considerable angling

pressure because one female

trout may produce between

five and 15 million off-

spring in a single season.

As fish grow older and

larger, they produce

more eggs―up to a

point.

20 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTO:

Fea 1-Trout.indd 20 6/8/15 6:07 PM


Hardy TroutSurvive Longer Than ManyPeople Think

story and photos byJohn N. Felsher


Speckled trout females attain sexual maturity when they reach about 11 inches long, usually when they turn about a year old. Specks spawn over several months from mid-spring to early fall. Individual fi sh may spawn multiple times during a season. If only one percent of those offspring survives to reproduce, a single female could replicate herself many hundreds of thousands of times in her 10- to 12-year lifespan.

With generally liberal trout limits and long or non-existent seasons in most states, many anglers practice “catch and grease” when it comes to this popular food fi sh. Not only do speckled trout taste delicious, but many anglers think that the seemingly fragile fi sh simply cannot survive if released. However, studies prove that trout can sur-vive better than many people believe.

“A speckled trout has a very delicate mouth, but it isn’t as delicate as a lot of people think,” explained marine biologist Randy Pausina, who is assistant secretary for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. “Indications are that by far the greatest majority of trout survive angling capture and release. Nearly all mortality in both trout and redfi sh occurs within the fi rst 48 hours (of capture.)”

Researchers from Texas A&M University and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department studied trout mortality rates in a test lasting from July 2004 to June 2005. In the test, researchers caught 479 trout of varied sizes using common recreational angling methods including single hooks, tre-ble hooks, artifi cial lures and live bait. The researchers also used handling techniques regularly used by recreational anglers such as grabbing fi sh to unhook them by hand or with pliers. After catching the fi sh, research-ers released the trout into controlled tanks that simulated conditions in the nearby bays and observed the fi sh for 72 hours.

According to “Catch-And-Release Mortality of Spotted Seatrout,” a report issued by the TP&WD, all but 92 of those 479 trout lived, giving them an 81 percent survival rate. Most of the fi sh that died suffered extensive bleeding or severe hook injuries.

About 95 percent of the fi sh hooked in the esophagus and 75 percent of those hooked in the gills died. Only 10 percent of the fi sh hooked just in the mouth died. Another eight percent of the trout hooked in other body parts, such as fi sh foul-hooked in the side, perished.

In an earlier study by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, researchers caught 1,512 speckled trout and 743 redfi sh over nearly two years. Like in the Texas study, researchers used single hooks with live bait, treble hooks with live bait, single-hook lures and lures with treble hooks. The Louisiana researchers also unhooked and handled fi sh with methods normally used by recreational anglers.

After catching the fi sh, the Louisiana researchers put them into large live wells aboard their boats. Upon returning to shore, they transferred the fi sh to large holding tanks that simulated temperature, oxygen and salinity levels then found in the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the Louisiana study, 82.5 percent of the trout and 97.3 percent of the redfi sh survived. Because fi sh swallow live bait and often try to spit out lures, more trout caught on artifi cials survived. Ironically, more trout survived after hitting treble hooks, probably because they couldn’t swallow them as easily.

Of the trout that hit lures with treble hooks, 97 percent lived. About 91 percent of trout that hit single hook lures survived. For live bait takers, 83 percent caught on treble hooks and 74 percent on single hooks lived.

Redfi sh fared better than trout, par-ticularly after hitting baits with single hooks. About 99 percent of redfi sh that hit single-

hook lures and 97 percent caught with treble-hooked lures survived. About 96 per-cent of the reds that hit natural bait offered on single hooks and 94 percent that ate baits on treble hooks lived to fi ght again.

Even with live bait, circle hooks may keep fi sh from swallowing temptations. A circle hook generally anchors securely in the corner of a fi sh’s jaw, seldom causing much tissue damage. Therefore, anglers using circle hooks with bait can often release fi sh more easily.

The season of the year and daily con-ditions also infl uenced mortality rates, researchers from both Louisiana and Texas concluded. Hot, shallow water such as that found in many coastal estuaries during the summer contains the least amount of dis-solved oxygen. Fish caught in this environ-ment often die more easily than fi sh caught in cold, well-oxygenated water.

With a 78 percent survival rate, June came in with the lowest fi gure during the Texas study, followed by July with 88 percent, August with 90 percent and September with a 93 percent survival rate. With the exception of April, in which 98 percent of the fi sh caught survived, all trout caught between October and May survived.

Being cold blooded, fi sh reduce their metabolism in frigid weather, but extreme cold can also shock and kill specks. Therefore, fi sh caught during normally pleasant temperatures in spring or fall typi-

22 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTO: JOHN N. FELSHER

In a TPWD study, ninety percent of speckled trout survived after being hooked in the lip. Esophagus andgill-hooked trout,however, sufferedmuch highermortality.


cally survive better than fi sh caught under a broiling summer sun or a biting January frost.

“Temperature is a major factor with sur-vivability, as is dissolved oxygen,” Pausina advised. “In warmer weather, the longer fi sh are out of the water the less likely they will survive. In the summer, the dissolved oxygen content is low, so that puts more stress on them.”

The Texas researchers also looked at survival rates during catch and release trout tournaments. In nine tournaments held between February 2004 and June 2005, anglers brought in 1,373 trout. Of those, 23 percent died. Many tournaments either penalize anglers for bringing in dead fi sh or refuse to weigh them.

Driven fi rst by catch and release large-mouth bass tournaments during the past fi ve decades, boating companies greatly improved live well technology to keep more fi sh alive for longer periods.

That technology transferred over to anglers fi shing saltwater tournaments. Some anglers even bring small oxygen bottles to put in their live wells or add built-in oxy-

genation systems for their boats so they can bring in healthier fi sh.

“I’ve seen fi shermen put speckled trout in a live well with redfi sh and bass at the same time and they survive,” Pausina recalled. “Even pumping Gulf water into large tanks in the summer, the water gets too warm. We have to cool them down a bit.”

To avoid excessively stressing fi sh, you should simulate existing natural conditions on that day as much as possible. Refresh tanks frequently with water of similar tem-perature, salinity and dissolved oxygen lev-els.

Keep live wells thoroughly aerated. On a hot day, water in even the best live wells can heat up dramatically, but cooler water can lower a trout’s metabolism and increase its survival rate.

To keep more fi sh alive during the sum-mer, drop some crushed ice into the live well to lower the water temperature slowly. Don’t overwhelm it with ice, which can also distress and kill fi sh.

Sometimes, people catch potential record fi sh, or even just a personal best. Live fi sh weigh more than dead fi sh. The more time

that passes between when a fi sh dies and when it hits the scales the more weight it could lose.

Many boats come equipped with multiple live wells. If so, transfer all other fi sh to one tank, release them or put them on ice. Gently place the potential record fi sh by itself in one well-aerated live well. Then, as fast as safely possible, run to the nearest certifi ed weigh station. Losing just a few ounces could mean the difference between a record and just another big fi sh.

In the old days, anglers fi shing in states without daily limits could fi ll several large ice chests with trout. Many of those fi sh went to waste before people could eat that many.

If you want to keep some trout to eat�no problem. You should ice enough trout to make a few meals, but release specks larger than four pounds to fi ght and breed again another day. Keeping a 9- or 10-pounder as a trophy won’t adversely affect fi sh popula-tions since those old fi sh have already pro-duced millions of offspring over several gen-erations and won’t live much longer anyway.


SILHOUETTED BY the glow of the rising sun, the frog hopped from lily pads to a patch of mat-ted aquatic grass and

remained motionless for a few seconds, but it didn’t stay that way for long. Moments later, a big bass exploded on the tempta-

tion, flinging froth and weeds in all direc-tions as it discovered a plastic imitation imbedded with steel hooks instead of a juicy morsel for breakfast.

“Throwing a frog is a tremendous way to fish grass,” explained Shaw Grigsby, a professional bass angler and national tele-vision host. “A buzz frog is like a buzzbait

that can easily come through the middle of the thickest vegetation. It’s a very simple bait to use, but it can produce really big bass. The legs on a buzz frog sputter like a buzzbait. Bass come out from under the lily pads or grass beds to eat it. When a big bass explodes on a frog, there’s noth-ing more exciting.”


Fea 2-Bass.indd 24 6/8/15 6:08 PM

Across the state, thick hydrilla, milfoil, lily pads, water hyacinths or other vegeta-tion can clog many waterways. Matted vegetation might occur in practically any Texas waterway, but some lakes only con-tain scattered grass patches. Parts of other lakes almost look like solid meadowlands. Lakes with grass include Fork, Toled


Probing DenseCanopies forLunkerLargemouth

story and photos by John N. Felsher

Fea 2-Bass.indd 25 6/8/15 6:08 PM

Bend, Caddo, Sam Rayburn, Tawakoni, O.H. Ivie, Possum Kingdom, Lake O’ the Pines and Palestine.

Lily pads line many swamps and bay-ous in eastern Texas, particularly along the Sabine and Neches rivers. Along the coast, shallow marshy lagoons and rich river deltas can grow thick with matted vegetation.

During the summer, bass seeking shade congregate under thick grass canopies. These vegetated blankets also attract abun-dant forage, such as shad, minnows, bream, crustaceans, insects and other creatures.

In some lakes, grass can grow so thick that it intimidates anglers who only see an impenetrable barrier to fi shing. Anglers passing on grass mats skip some of the potentially most productive and least pres-sured waters in Texas.

With abundant food, oxygen, shade and “security blankets” over their heads keeping them safe from airborne predators, many wily lunkers grow old and fat hunkered down under thick grass mats while rarely seeing lures.

“The reason so many fi sh are up under the grass is because nobody messes with them,” explained Ken Cook, a former Bassmaster Classic champion. “People who don’t fi sh mats are losing the opportunity to catch a lot of fi sh. For bass, matted grass is kind of like a briar patch for rabbits. If mats blow from one side of the lake to the other,

I’m going to go where the mats are.”Many anglers poke around the grassy

edges with spinnerbaits, crankbaits and top-waters, but to really reach lunkers, people typically need either to go over the grass or punch through the canopy into the lair of the beast. Sometimes, the biggest, most aggressive bass hover just beneath canopies waiting to snatch any creature slithering across the mats.

To entice these lurking lunkers, throw unweighted, soft plastic lizards, fl ukes or similar creatures and dance them over the grass tops. At open pockets, let these baits sink a foot or two before continuing the retrieve.

“I use a lot of Texas-rigged plastics with-out weights,” said Randy Blaukat, a profes-sional bass angler. “I use a straight-tail worm or a trick worm rigged Texas-style without the weight. I rig a 10-inch worm and swim it across the surface like a top-water lure or reel it across the surface like a buzzbait. Often, when fi sh want to hit a top-water bait or buzzbait, but don’t really strike it, they might go for one of those top-water buzzing worms.”

Among the most popular grass baits, soft plastic frogs produce many bucketmouths. Some frogs sink and others fl oat. Anglers can fi sh either type in several ways. You can buzz them across the surface with a steady retrieve or pop them across the surface like a top-water bait. The commotion simulates a live frog splashing across the water. Buzzing frogs also make excellent search baits.

“Sometimes, I’ll throw a search bait, but keep another bait handy in case something blows up on the fi rst bait and misses,” advised James Niggemeyer, a bass pro from Van, Texas. “What I throw back a second time is largely dependent upon the cover I’m fi shing.

“Sometimes, the bass will eat the same lure again,” he said, “but usually, I follow up with a more subtle bait, especially in heavily pressured lakes and when the bite turns slow. If I’m working a frog over thick grass, I may throw back a soft plastic bait.”

If bass won’t come up through the mats, anglers may need to go in after them. What might look like an imposing canopy on the surface may provide fi sh ample maneuver room beneath the vegetation.

o penetrate beneath mats, many anglers fl ip jigs, tubes or other Texas-rigged plastic temptations through pockets in the mats. Working grass beds at close range, a good

fl ipper can drop a bait through just about every hole in a mat.

When the subtle approach fails, try some-thing more dramatic. Nothing gets a fi sh’s attention like a chunk of metal smashing through the roof like a cannonball. A heavy jig crashing down through nearby water often provokes a quick reaction strike, even from non-aggressive bass.

“Sometimes, the best places to fi sh are the toughest to go through, in the thickest places,” Cook emphasized. “Often, the thicker the cover, the bigger the fi sh. When I’m fi shing really thick cover, I use a big sinker to punch through the canopy. I might throw the bait up in the air about 20 feet. When it crashes down on the mat, it punches through. Do whatever it takes to get it through the mat to where the fi sh are.”

Most people think of weeds when consid-ering “canopy cover,” but anything that pro-vides low shade or a “roof” over the water could constitute a canopy. This includes overhanging trees, bridges and moored boats. Most familiar to many bass anglers, docks offer very obvious overhead cover. Old, crusty docks adjacent to deep water, such as a ditch or creek channel, typically offer the best fi shing.

“The best docks are usually the oldest because they have more cover and fi sh are more accustomed to using them,” said Alton Jones, a former Bassmaster Classic cham-pion from Waco. “I like old, crusty wooden docks with large diameter pilings the best. I also look for secondary structure, such as brush piles.”

To reach big bass lurking way under a dock or other overhanging cover, some people fl ing baits with light spinning tackle. Open the bail, grab the lure and bend the rod almost like a bow.

Pick an opening between the dock and the water, a crack between pilings or a space between a moored boat and the dock. Then, release the bait. The slingshot effect fl ings a Texas-rigged worm, tube or jig far under cover where anglers cannot place lures with conventional casts.

A seemingly solid canopy could dissuade some anglers, but people who know how to fi sh over, around or through such cover could reap big rewards. Even in highly pres-sured areas, anglers might fi nd bass that few people tempt when they hit the grass.

26 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTO: JOHN N. FELSHER

Pro Shaw Grigsby, works a soft plastic jerkshad through vegetation.

Fea 2-Bass.indd 26 6/8/15 6:08 PM

Bounty Placed on Tagged Toledo Bass

ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS about fi shing is you never know what might happen or what you might catch on the very next cast.

I’ve have enjoyed some neat experiences with a rod in my hands and reeled in a few surprises along the way.

Believe it or not, back when I was a kid, I once caught a four-pound largemouth on a colorful wildfl ower top that I had plucked off the banks of my grandmother’s stock pond. I’m not sure what possessed me to thread the bright yellow fl ower onto a gold Aberdeen crappie hook, but I do remember what hap-pened the second the bait hit the water.

In a fl ash, the burly fi sh darted out of a fallen locust tree, snatched the fl ower off the surface and raced back towards the cover. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had just witnessed a primo example of a modern-day “reaction strike.”

Through the years I’ve reeled a num-ber of other odd-ball catches that came as somewhat of a surprise. I’ve caught chan-nel catfi sh on topwater lures. Blue cats on spinnerbaits. Crappie on crankbaits. And hybrid bass on slabs of cut bait meant to fool a whiskered fi sh.

But one thing I have never caught is a bass with a tag poking out of its back. Not many folks have. But there are a whole bunch of them fi nning around in Toledo Bend right now—100 to be exact—as part of an all-new fi shing tournament format that offers everyone from casual anglers to fi shing guides and tournament pros the chance to win some big cash prizes for catching pre-tagged bass as well as fi sh over 10 pounds.

Fittingly, the tournament is called “BassCashBash.”

According to tournament founder P.D.

Vinson of Leesville, La., tournament organizers marked 100 bass with offi cial BassCashBash tags before the fi ve-month long event got underway on May 1. The fi sh were tagged and released up and down the lake to ensure all anglers have a fair shot, regardless of where they choose to fi sh.

The tagged fi sh range in size from 14 inches up to about two pounds. The cylinder shaped plastic tags are blue in color and wear the BassCashBash insignia and phone number.

Anglers who catch one or more of the tagged fi sh between now and September 7 will be eligible to win cash prizes ranging in value from $1,000 to $5,000.

The only conditions are you must be pre-registered and turn the fi sh over to one of four offi cial weigh-in stations. These are: Toledo Town and Tackle, Huxley Bay Marina, Buckeye Landing and Fin and Feather Resort in order to win.

One-time entry for the tournament is $50; bonus T-shirts are $20.

The fi rst tagged fi sh turned in will be worth $5,000 and second will be worth $2,000. All remaining tagged fi sh will be worth $1,000 apiece.

Additionally, cash prizes will be awarded for as many as 200 bass over 10 pounds weighed at offi cial weigh-in stations during the designated tournament time.

The largest fi sh overall is worth $5,000; second wins $2,000; 3rd-10th win $1,000; and 11th-200th win $500.

Bonus prizes of $500 will be awarded to winning anglers who purchase a T-shirt when registering. Regular updates will be posted on the tournament website, basscash-bash.com.

Winning anglers must submit to and pass a polygraph test to be eligible for the prize money. All awards will be presented during the BassCashBash awards banquet on September 26 at the Fin and Feather Banquet Hall.

Vinson said the ultimate goal of the concept is to raise enough money to make donations of $5,000 to three different non-profi t organizations.

“Hopefully we’ll be able grow this thing from one year to the next for a great cause,” Vinson said. “Who knows - we could have a truck or a boat for fi rst place next year depending on how it takes off.”

To learn more about the tournament, see bass cashbash.com or call Vinson at 337-353-3381.

Email Matt Williams atContactUs@fi shgame.com

by MATT WILLIAMS :: TF&G Freshwater Editor

Texas FRESHWATER


“Fittingly, the

tournament is called

BassCashBash.“

1507 Freshwater Col.indd 27 6/8/15 7:02 PM


Bowfi shingfor Tilapia

story by Dustin Vaughn Warncke

Fea 3-Bowfishing.indd 28 6/9/15 5:08 PM

Bowfishing for tilapia on lakes and rivers around

Texas is a challenging and fun sport equivalent to

coming face to face with a Rio Grande turkey or

whitetail deer in the woods.

Tilapia are sensitive to movement and can disap-

pear like a ghost, but they are also curious. This combina-

tion of characteristics makes bowfishing for tilapia among

one of my favorite outdoor pursuits.

Tilapia are usually found in the southern United States

as well as Central and South America where the climate is

warm. Since they tend to thrive in warmer bodies of water,

power plant cool-

ing lakes are

among

the

best

places to

find tilapia.

We have several

of these lakes in Texas such as Lake

Calaveras, Lake Brauning, Gibbons Creek, Coleto Creek,

Lake Fairfield, and many more.

Tilapia can also be found in other lakes and rivers. One

example in South Central Texas, near my home town of

New Braunfels is the Guadalupe River and Lake Dunlap.

I have shot several tilapia on that lake over the years. One

theory on how tilapia ended up in Texas rivers and lakes

is that fishermen used to use tilapia to bait trotlines for cat-

fish. Many of these escaped and reproduced.

T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | 29PHOTO: CANSTOCK; INSET, GEORGE KNIGHTEN


The paradox regarding tilapia is that they are an invasive species, but they are also a fi ne fi sh for table fare, served in many fi ne restaurants across the world as well as avail-able farm-raised in numerous fi sh markets.

Bowfi shing for tilapia is comparable to turkey hunting in that tilapia can see very well and will bust you if they catch you mov-ing even slightly before you shoot. This is why I call tilapia the “ghosts of the water.”

They are simply there one minute and gone the next, leaving a cloud of mud behind after they quickly swim away.

Most bowfi shers would tell you that day-time is the best time to go hunting after these fi sh. On clear water rivers and lakes, tilapia are relatively easy to see, but you can see them even better with a good pair of polar-ized sunglasses. Remember, though, if you can see the fi sh easier, they can see you, too.

You can bowfi sh for these fi sh by trolling around the edges of the lake in two to seven feet of water, much like bowfi shing for other species. Go slow and keep your eyes open for them. My main strategy for bowfi shing is to pull up into a patch of aquatic vegetation and fi nd an area where there is a clearing with relatively calm and clear water.

Anchor your boat and wait, with your bow in hand, ready to draw at any second. Typically, tilapia will peek out to look at you, exposing an easy shot. The moment you see one come out close to the surface for a look, shoot!

Tilapia are a curious fi sh and their curios-ity usually leads to a shot opportunity if you are fast enough. You can put dozens of fi sh in your ice chest if you can beat them at their own game.

The two things you will most likely fi ght in bowfi shing on power plant lakes is cast-netters and wind. Cast-netters usually stir up an area trying to fi ll the bottom of their boats with fi sh, making it harder to fi nd tilapia for a couple of hours. The wind can push you around off your favorite spot and ripple the water, making it harder to see the fi sh. If you can avoid these two factors, it makes bowfi shing so much easier.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make, and I am thoroughly guilty of this, is to point out the fi sh to your bowfi shing bud-dies before you shoot. Remember, tilapia can easily sense movement. When they do, expect to see a cloud of mud as they dart back into the cover of vegetation. Poof! Just like a ghost.

If you don’t have a boat and only bank access to a river or lake, try wade fi shing around aquatic vegetation. Again, look for calm and clear water and areas where you can get a clean shot. Then wait and ambush the curious fi sh as they come up for a look at you.

My friend, bowfi shing guide Marty McIntyre (www.GARQUEST.com), rec-ommends using a six foot or larger ladder for wade fi shing. Just place the ladder in the

30 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTOS: DUSTIN WARNCKE

Cody Waxler bowfi shing on Lake Fairfi eld.

Our group’s bag from the last trip to Lake Fairfi eld.


water and climb to the top. This allows you to get a better vantage point to ambush your quarry when they come out of hiding.

Many bowfi shermen even take it a step farther and wade a tripod hunting stand out to a good spot on the water. They then climb

up the ladder, sit down and wait for the action to start. Bowfi shing like this closely resembles bowhunting on land. Many lake authorities do not mind you bringing in auxiliary equipment like this because these are invasive fi sh.

For bowfi shing points, I recommend a two-barbed tip such as the Pro-Point from Innerloc H2O. The damage to the fi sh is pretty minimal, but a point like this really holds the fi sh well, and it allows for fast fi sh removal.

If you get into a hotbed of tilapia bowfi sh-ing action, you can have great fun shooting and reeling in fi sh. Remember to have some back-up gear such as spare bowfi shing arrows to make sure you can keep fi shing in case you lose or break an arrow. I also rec-ommend having extra tips in case the tip you are bowfi shing with gets dull or bent from striking a rock or other hard object.

However you choose to approach bow-fi shing for tilapia, you are most certainly going to have fun doing it. I assure you that the adventure is well worth the trip, if you have tilapia near where you live or can travel to a place that has them. Remember to aim low, think big, and have fun out there.

See more of Dustin Warncke’s outdoor adventures at www.dustinsprojects.com.

Marty McIntyrefrom GARQUEST.com wading and bowfi shingon Lake Fairfi eld.


Holsters for Concealed Carry

I HAVE FOR MOST OF MY ADULT life, and at times even before that, either carried a concealed weapon or had a handgun near at hand, especially in my

home.When I was in high school in Eagle Pass,

when my father was working night shift with the Border Patrol, I kept a handgun by my bed or under my pillow to protect my mother, two younger brothers, and baby sister. One dark, stormy night, someone tried to break down the back door of our house.

I was sleeping in that room and was awakened by the sudden noise. I sat up in

bed, pulled the little .32 revolver (a very poor choice for protection, but all I had) from under my pillow and aimed it at the door just in time to see the wood bow inward from another heavy blow. Thank God whoever was trying to break in did not succeed, but if he had, he would have had a lethal surprise in store.

Later, when I was the assistant manager of a big discount store, I carried a snub-nosed .38 in my waistband as, at closing time, I picked up all the money from the cash regis-ters and stowed it in the big safe in the offi ce.

Then when I went into law enforcement, I learned to carry a concealed weapon at all times when I was off duty. Since that time I have tried, literally, dozens of different concealed carry holsters. Most of them were pretty poor at the job they were intended to perform, but some were very good. After all those decades I have a drawer in my fi ling cabinet that is full to the top with various holsters that I have tried and discarded or

tried and still use.I am not going to tell you about all the

holsters that are available. That would be an impossibility. But I will attempt to give you an idea of what I think are the most practical.

Today, with the widespread laws allowing concealed carry by civilians in so many states, there are more good holsters than ever before. The best holster for concealed carry is prob-ably one of the inside-the-waistband holsters. These are more concealable than one worn on the waist belt outside the pants, and they can be very comfortable.

Strangely enough, in this case the mini-malist approach may not be the best. I have found that holsters with a wide layer of leather next to the body are more comfortable than holsters without such padding. Examples of these are the Milt Sparks Versa Max

Self Defense by STEVE LAMASCUSTactical :: Concealed Carry & DUSTIN ELLERMANN

TEXAS Dept. of DEFENSEby &

Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of Dept. of DEFENSEDEFENSEDEFENSEDEFENSEDEFENSE

Free Floating AdvantageWHILE SHOOTING WITH THE local sheriff’s department recently, I learned a valuable lesson on a rifl e drill. We were shooting through various holes in the barricade at an eight-inch steel plate about 70 yards away. I thought I could get away with resting my barrel and suppressor on the barricade since the shot wasn’t very far.

Boy, was I wrong.It took two or three shots to discover

my bullets were fl ying about 8 to 12

inches over the target. The pressure I induced on my bar-rel by just resting the weight of the rifl e on the barricade (It was impossible to rest my rail because of the small, three-inch slot I was shooting through.), infl uenced my point of impact signifi cantly.

The reason this happens is well-known.This is why we free-fl oat our barrels in the fi rst place. Pressure on the rifl e, especially on a longer barrel, actually fl exes the barrel and changes its point of impact. Still, I was very surprised about how much it infl uenced my shot at such a short distance.

Later, at my home range, I set up at 50 yards and duplicated the scenario on paper.

When I rested my rifl e’s free-fl oated

rail against the barricade, my shots were perfectly centered on target. However, whenever I rested the rifl e barrel on the barricade, my shots were consistently


point of impact. Still, I was very surprised

Point of impact at 50 yards shifts from center hits with a proper rest, to drastic misses when the rifl e rests on the barrel.

1507 Dept of Def.indd 32 6/9/15 3:39 PM

ALMANAC-1506-Jun.indd 57 5/7/15 9:40 AM

2 and the Minotaur MTAC series (see photo). This type of holster keeps the metal away from your skin, prevents chafi ng and scratching, and pads the body against such protuberances as the safety and slide release of 1911 models.

A great many models now have what is called a slide guard that puts a layer of leather between the gun and the wearer’s skin. I pre-fer all my IWB holsters to have at least this much protection.

There are even holsters that allow the wearer to tuck in his shirt. I wear one of these a lot these days, and it is a real pleasure to go about without my shirttail waving in the breeze. In the past I had to wear my shirt-tail out or wear a jacket or vest, which is very uncomfortable in Texas summers. Also, wearing a photographer’s vest everywhere, especially in the hot summer, is a sure sign to anyone who knows that the wearer is probably carrying a gun; the same can be said of a big fanny pack.

Holsters that I do not like are small of the back (SOB) holsters, shoulder holsters, and any of the cheap gun pouches that have no method of keeping the mouth of the holster open. The SOBs make it diffi cult to sit in a chair and you cannot maintain contact with the gun with your elbow in crowds.

Shoulder holsters are hot and uncomfortable and require the wearer to wear a jacket of some kind. The pouches, whether made of leather or nylon, are concealable but collapse when the gun is drawn, making it all but impossible to reholster the weapon.

All good holsters should have some way of keeping the mouth of the holster open so that the gun can be reholstered, preferably with one hand. Some use a metal insert and some use several thicknesses of heavy leather. The type is immaterial, as long as it works.

Other good holsters are the Summer Special variety, if they have a slide guard. But they cannot be worn with the shirt tucked in. For small revolvers the Bianchi Model 100 Professional is a great choice. In situations where you are wearing a suit coat, any quality belt holster that keeps the grip of the handgun pulled up close to the body is fi ne.

The fi rst of this type was the original Roy Baker Pancake holster, but many are made now. Bianchi makes a very good one in the Model 56 Serpent, a pancake with a thumb break that blocks the hammer from striking the fi ring pin.

On cocked and locked 1911s these are comfortable and very fast to draw from, but the downside is that the coat must be worn all the time. Others are any that are patterned after the Askins Avenger, or that have some method of pulling the grip of the gun close to the body.

The holster should, also, have some meth-od of keeping the gun secure in the holster in case the wearer has to make sudden and vio-lent movements. This can be anything from a thumb break to a simple friction device. I use both and have no real preference, although I do fi nd myself wearing the friction type more often these days.

There are my thoughts on proper holsters, take them for what they are worth. Be safe.

—Steve LaMascus

10 inches higher and a few inches to the right.

This shift to the right occurred because I also pulled pressure to the left with my support hand to stabilize the rifl e. The shots were very consistent and my group was only a tad bit larger than my origi-nal. But a 10-inch shift at only 50 yards is a very signifi cant change. It can mean the difference between life or death in a defensive scenario.

I was shooting a suppressed rifl e, so I decided to test out a nearly stock AR15 in the same scenario. I know that rifl es have a point of impact shift when using suppressors so I wanted to eliminate that variable. I also wanted to use an AR15 with a standard handguard as opposed to the free fl oated rail that I have on my primary rifl e. I fi gured there were two possibilities: fi rst, the results would mimic

the earlier tests. Or second, the results wouldn’t be as drastic because perhaps the suppressor weighed down the barrel and caused more drift or because that a fac-tory handguard mounted to the barrel might give more support.

The rifl e I used in the second test was a Bushmaster Carbon 15 that I keep around for my wife. While I’ve seen these composite receivers crack, I fi gure the overall lightweight helps my wife for short training sessions. So duplicating the exact test from earlier, I had the exact same results as the previous rifl e, with over a 10” point of impact change when fi red from 50 yards.

The moral of this story is to not rest your barrel on anything when shooting.

This is why we use free fl oated rails that do not contact the barrel in precision and competition shooting. I knew the theory was sound, but I fi gured at close distances on a moderate sized target it wouldn’t matter.

It does.Know your equipment, train hard, and

shoot straight.

—Dustin Ellermann


TEXAS Dept. of DEFENSE

Dustin demonstrates how NOT to rest your rifl e while shooting through small slots. The point of impact changes drastically when your rifl e rests on the end of the barrel.

PHOTOS: ROBERT MORGAN

1507 Dept of Def.indd 34 6/9/15 3:39 PM

Hide in Plain Sight with the Right Camo

RECENTLY, IN ONE OF MY bow hunting classes, I asked the students, “What do you really need to go hunting?” One young

lad shouted that you need a bow.Right! What else?A barrage of answers came from all cor-

ners of the room; answers that I hear at every class I give. Then suddenly, an 11-year old said, “You need camoufl age”.

That statement caught my ear and begged for further discussion from the class. Do we need camoufl age to have better success in the fi eld? Do we need scent controlled camo? Should we hunt with blaze orange?

I have been bow hunting now for almost 50 years. I also take my rifl e out once bow season is over. Have I had success every year? The short answer is no. But I sure had fun every year. And if I had to make an educated guess as to my success versus the seasons gone by with no venison, I would have to say that success outweighs failure without a doubt.

What I am trying to say here is that I am not a “newbie” at this sport and have tried many tactics and new ideas, including dif-ferent hunting clothing that claimed to be a “must” in the hunting world.

Science has proved that deer see in shades of gray. Much has been written about the eyes of a whitetail so I will not bore you with any details. But the fact that deer see in dif-ferent shades is important to know. We all are aware that with the constant improvement of camo designs we can pick and choose the right camo for the right situation. But this writer is of the opinion that if you want to hunt, but cannot afford the expensive camo outfi ts, then put on your favorite dark-colored plaid shirt and grab your bow. If you choose the right dark background to hunt from, you

will be invisible to the whitetails� as long as you stay still!

I think this is the problem that most hunt-ers fail to realize. If a deer is staring at them, then they feel that the camo didn’t do its job when in fact, the hunter moved. It is true.

If you can just sit still until the deer is convinced you are no threat to them, you have a good chance for success. That may take 10 seconds or ten minutes.

With dark-colored camo clothing, you need to hunt from the shadows. This will help you blend into your surroundings. I have such a spot that’s a natural ground blind. Twenty yards off the main deer trail is a spot that’s always in the shade.

Using all of the downed tree branches and brush in the immediate area, I built my own ground blind. The only downside to this approach is that this lack of sunlight also means you will not be able to hunt as late as you could if your stand were on the edge of an open fi eld.

I also have something called “sky camo.” I like to use it when I hunt from a tree stand. Prior to the season, when I actually put my stand up, I check out the trees in the area with the perspective of what a deer would see. I bend down so that I am about the same height of a deer and look up in the direction where I wish to place my stand.

If I am wearing my sky camo, then, to a whitetail deer, I look like tree branches with a sky background. On the other hand, if I wore my other camo that blends better in a tree with leaves and bark, to a deer, I would stick out like a sore thumb. I would look like one big dark blob on the side of a tree which, in turn, could alert a deer of my presence.

Having said that, during rifl e season you should always wear hunter orange camo

clothes. I realize this will raise concerns and questions about whether the deer see that bright color.

I am convinced that as long as you stay still, you will in no way alarm the deer. I prefer the orange camo instead of the solid orange. With the camo orange outfi t, your body is still broken up with different shades while still being extremely safe. That should be paramount for all hunters �all the time.

Hunting with a bow is by far much safer than taking game with a rifl e. For as far back as I can remember, only a few bow hunting incidents that were not self infl icted�and none of those involved a fatality.

Rifl e hunters cannot make that same statement. The sad thing is that most fatal incidents could be avoided if the hunter sim-ply remembered what he or she learned in the hunter safety classes. “Know your target�and what’s beyond.” This is reason enough to wear hunter orange during rifl e season.

How can the shooter see a hunter who is dressed in camoufl age and is in a woodlot across a fi eld? The answer is simple. It is impossible. Remember how far a bullet from a rifl e will travel. A missed target could result in a bad day for an unsuspecting hunter.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and that would mean rifl e hunters should always dress in orange of some kind. Bow hunters should blend into their surroundings.

All hunters need to hunt safe and have fun out there.

Email Lou Marullo atContactUs@fi shgame.com

by LOU MARULLO :: TF&G Hunting Editor


Bare Bones HUNTING

1507 Hunting.indd 35 6/8/15 7:15 PM

I’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER MY DAUGHTER’S FIRST

experience with punch bait. She was 17 at the time and was way more

into guys and cheerleading than she was whiskered fi sh. Her snooty reac-

tion when I cracked open the lid on the gallon bucket of Danny King’s

Punch Bait didn’t come as much of a surprise.

Taylor’s nostrils fl ared the second she caught wind of the smelly con-

coction, but it was the look on her face when I started poking around in

the mushy slop with a screwdriver that I’ll never forget.

“That’s disgusting,” she quipped as I yanked the treble hook out of the

tub with a nasty-looking glob of the bait in tow.

Amused, I cracked a grin and lofted the bait towards a shallow point

and reeled the line semi-taunt once the egg weight settled to bottom.

“Watch this,” I said.

Moments later, the rod tip went bump-bump and I set the hook into

the fi rst of several solid channel cat that sniffed out the bait on that sultry

summer morning at Lake Nacogdoches.

Taylor is grown and married now, and she hasn’t been catfi shing with

me since. But she became a fi rm believer in how deadly punch bait can

be on channel cat that day.

Chad Ferguson is a punch bait junkie from way back. Ferguson is

a D/FW area angler whose guide service runs hundreds of catfi shing

trips on lakes Eagle Mountain, Worth, Ray Roberts, Lewisville and

Grapevine every year. According to Ferguson, punch bait is huge part of

his program, especially when channel cat are on the menu.

“I primarily fi sh punch bait in the late spring and summer,” he said.

“I do use it during other times of the year, such as when targeting blue

cats around cormorant roosts, but it is not as extensive as late spring and

summer when I focus primarily on channel catfi sh.”

I recently caught up with Ferguson and asked him to share some punch

bait fi shing tips that just about any angler learn from. Follow them and

you will catch more and bigger catfi sh:

36 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTO: MATT WILLIAMS

Fea 4-CatfishPunchBait.indd 36 6/9/15 3:49 PM


Pro Tips for Going AfterSummer Catfi sh | story by Matt Williams


Choices, Choices and More Choices

Not to be confused with dough, dip or stink bait, punch bait is a prepared bait. It’s made from a variety of ingredients aimed at producing a poignant bait that is denser and thicker with more texture than other prepared baits.

It gets its name from the manner in which anglers bait or load their hook. This typi-cally involves using a fl athead screwdriver,

wooden spoon or stick to poke a treble hook into the bait at a downward angle. When the hook is removed, the bait packs or balls up around the hook.

Not surprisingly, Ferguson is super-par-ticular about the type of punch bait he uses. That’s because none of them are created equal.

“There’s a lot of great punch baits on the market that will catch fi sh,” Ferguson said, “but many of them have issues with texture and consistency or cannot tolerate the extreme summer heat.”

“Because punch baits are cheese based, Ferguson said, “they thin when they get hot. There are many good baits that just turn into a soupy mess when they get hot�they won’t load on the hooks easily and won’t stay on the hooks when you cast. If bait isn’t right, it is diffi cult to bait the hook, and it won’t stay on the hook. That means you will be spending a lot of time fi ghting with the bait and not catching fi sh.”

Ferguson has experimented with a num-ber of prepared punch baits. His favorite is Uncle Josh Little Stinker Punch Bait. It comes in three scents -- crawfi sh, minnow and rotten shad. When it is hot outside, he recommends keeping punch baits covered and in a cool spot to help it maintain opti-mum consistency.

Punch Bait RigsCatfi sh, especially channel cats, have

a tendency to bite punch bait so light at times that it can be diffi cult for many anglers to detect the strike until it is too late. Ferguson’s favorite summertime remedy for what he sometimes calls “mealy mouthing” is a slip-cork rig centered around a two-inch, Slip-Stick fl oat from Comal Tackle. The purposes of the cork are two-fold�to suspend the punch bait off bottom and alert the angler when fi sh eats it.

“A lot of people make the mistake of using a big, bulky bobber when they fi sh for catfi sh, but I can tell you from experience that it is going to cost you a bunch of fi sh,” Ferguson said. “Channel cats are really bad about mouthing the bait, sometimes so lightly that you probably won’t even know they are there. The Slip-Stick cork is so light, sensitive and streamlined that it allows me to tell when a catfi sh comes anywhere near the bait.”

Ferguson recommends using the fl oat combination with a bobber stop, No. 6 4X treble and split shot sinker, just heavy enough to make the fl oat stand erect in the water. Ferguson likes to build his rig light as possible to reduce resistance and optimize sensitivity. He doesn’t recommend using any swivels or leader.

The guide says using 4X treble hooks is super important when fi shing with punch bait. The hooks are signifi cantly stronger than 2X hooks, which reduces breakage.

“I recommend using plain hooks, too�no springs or sponges,” Ferguson said. “Punch bait is made to stick to a plain hook. Using

38 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTOS: MATT WILLIAMS

The author’s dad, Bill Williams, with a mess of catfi sh from Lake Ray Hubbard.


sponges or dip tubes actually makes punch bait more diffi cult to fi sh with.”

Another key ingredient to Ferguson’s cat-fi sh rigs is Stren Catfi sh Monofi lament line. The line is bright orange in color, which makes it easy to see. “It’s also very tough, so it holds up well around heavy cover.”

Stay on the MoveFerguson approaches channel catfi shing

similar to bass fi shing. He stays on the move.“Get out of the mindset that you need to

throw a big glob of bait out and wait for a catfi sh,” he said. “Be active, cover a lot of water, move fast and move often and you’ll catch more fi sh. If you don’t catch a fi sh in 15 minutes, move to a different spot.”

Rebait OftenPunch bait is soft straight out of the

tub, and it begins losing its consistency when immersed in water. For that reason Ferguson recommends reloading the hook with fresh bait before every cast.

“People often think they should be able to bait the hook and cast multiple times, but it doesn’t work like that,” Ferguson said. “Bait the hook every single time you cast; put a good wad of it on the hook. Some of the bait will fall off when it hits the water, and some will fall off while it’s sitting in the water. That gets the scent in the water and draws channel catfi sh in, sort of like chum-ming. If you don’t have a bite in fi ve minutes, pull the bait in, rebait and cast again.”

Fish Shallow Cover

From May through September, Ferguson recommends concentrating on depths of fi ve feet or less. He almost always fi shes areas with some sort of cover or structure.

“Get out of the mindset that you need to fi sh deep water for catfi sh, and don’t be afraid to fi sh cover,” Ferguson said. “Channel catfi sh love a variety of cover�everything from timber, rip-raff, boat docks and lily pads. Get tight against the cover and experiment.”

Experiment with Depth

Ferguson says making slight adjustments in the depth of the bait can at times make a huge difference in the number of bites you’ll get on punch bait.

“Let the fi sh tell you what they want,” he said. “Sometimes having a bait 18 inches below a fl oat instead of 12 inches makes the difference between fi shing and catching. It can be different every day, and different throughout the day.”

SCHOOL’S OUT AND SUMMER is here. The time is ripe to gather up the family and head out to your favorite catfi sh for some serious fun in the sun.

If you forget everything else, be sure you don’t forget the punch bait.


Catfi sh pro Chad Ferguson says there are many punch baits on the market that will catch catfi sh. But not all of them are formulated to withstand the brutal heat of a Texas summer.

Packing a Punch

PUNCH BAIT IS ALL about convenience and longev-ity.

You can “punch out” a ball of this stuff and it will stay on the hook longer than many other kinds of prepared baits. It is effective for any kind of cat-fi sh action but excellent in areas with current of some kind.

The Little Stinker Punch comes in minnow, crawfi sh and rotten shad varieties, giving anglers options that match the primary forage species in any Texas water body.

Punch Bait is super popular in East Texas, particularly the northeast quadrant but it will catch catfi sh anywhere from the Panhandle to Rio Grande and everywhere in between

—Chester Moore



True GREENTrueTrueTrueTrueTrue GREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREENGREEN

Unwanted Species

INVASIVE SPECIES AND ORGAN-isms continue to be a constant threat across Texas, but one particularly noxious one has gained a foothold,

and in some cases been devastating to fi sh and other wildlife in some of our most well-known locales.

Golden alga, a highly toxic, microscopic organism can be lethal to all types of gill-breathers. Prymnesium parvum, which turns water a yellowish-copper color when it blooms. It has accounted for fi sh kills in fi ve Texas river basins — the Canadian, Red, Brazos, Colorado and Rio Grande chains — and probably will affect others. Though golden alga blooms have killed many gilled organisms and seems to thrive in colder temperatures, no humans or other mammals have been affected by the alga.

According to TPWD reports, affected

fi sh can recover from the early effects of the alga if they are able to swim to an area free of toxins.

Craig Bonds, named this year as the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s inland fi sheries division director, has spent time in several state locales as a biologist and director. He previously noted that golden alga’s worst effects have been docu-mented mostly in Central and West Texas bodies of water.

“E.V. Spence (just west of Robert Lee) and some other lakes historically were good fi sheries, but in the past decade they have been severely impacted by golden alga,” he said. “The lakes in the western part of the state have higher saline levels and the alga thrives in that type of environment.

“When the golden alga blooms, it cre-ates a toxin in the water that causes fi sh

gills to hemorrhage, and they suffocate.”Bonds said that though golden alga has

become a serious problem, it hasn’t affected wide portions of lakes it has moved into.

“The golden alga is really a brackish water-living alga,” he said. “It causes fi sh kills when the pH level is high and condi-tions are more conducive to its growth. It usually takes place in pockets and coves, not on a lakewide basis.”

Since 2001, golden alga blooms have caused more than 130 major fi sh kills and resulted in the loss of more than 34 million fi sh valued at more than $14 mil-lion. According to TPWD reports, Lake Whitney saw the largest one-day fi sh kill in recorded history, a 4.9 million kill in February 2005. More than four million fi sh were killed as a result of golden alga on Lake Granbury in the winter of 2004 and spring of 2005.

Reports show the heaviest hit to the statewide fi shery occurred in 2001 at the Dundee State Fish Hatchery in the Red River Basin. The hatchery, the largest in the state, is one of two sites where TPWD produces stripers and hybrid stripers that are then stocked into lakes for anglers to catch.

Stripers don’t reproduce in fresh water lakes that don’t have readily available rivers running into them such as Lake Texoma, so TPWD grows fry, fi ngerlings and larger fi sh in a series of ponds.

Golden alga got into those shallow ponds and before it could be stopped or the fi sh moved, the organism had killed an entire year’s worth of striper production, more than fi ve million fi sh.

It is not known whether golden alga is a native species or one that was accidentally brought to North America.

According to TPWD, Texas biologists were the fi rst to document the occurrence of the alga in fresh water in the Western Hemisphere. Among other southern states that have been affected by golden alga are Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New

Edited by WILL LESCHPER TF&G Conservation Editor

Continued on page 42 u

1507 TrueGreen.indd 40 6/10/15 8:54 AM

DU Secures Gulf Restoration FundingDUCKS UNLIMITED HAS BEEN awarded three North American Wetlands Conservation Act grants to support its res-toration efforts along the Texas Gulf Coast. Approximately $3 million in NAWCA funding will be combined with nearly $6 million in partner funding to restore nearly 13,000 acres in coastal Texas. These proj-ects will provide high quality foraging habi-tat capable of supporting tens of thousands of waterfowl throughout the winter.

“The coastal prairies and marshes of Texas and Louisiana provide some of the most critical waterfowl habitat on the con-tinent,” said DU Director of Conservation Programs Jerry Holden. “Unfortunately, this habitat and all of its values to wildlife, fisheries and people are disappearing, We are battling a long-term crisis of coastal

marsh loss exacerbated by the Deepwater Horizon disaster, and the selection of these grants reflects a national understanding of that importance.”

Gulf Coast wetlands protect nationally important infrastructure for energy and shipping industries and provide critical waterfowl, fisheries and cultural resources.

“While our focus is waterfowl habitat,” Holden said, “it’s important to remember DU’s conservation work makes a huge dif-ference for all wetland dependent species, especially people.”

It has been five years since the Deepwater Horizon incident that claimed 11 lives and dumped an estimated 3.2 mil-lion barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Since then, Ducks Unlimited has received $5.35 million in funding from the National

Fish and Wildlife Foundation administered Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund for proj-ects to improve migratory bird habitat in coastal Texas and Louisiana. In addition to the NFWF grants, DU has received $3.6 million in Gulf Coast NAWCA grants supported by Gulf Spill funding. Ducks Unlimited and its conservation partners match every NAWCA dollar at least 1 to 1, and on average 2 to 1.

“Since our Dust Bowl era founding during the Great Depression,” Holden said, “Ducks Unlimited has been making the best out of bad situations for North America’s wetlands.” “Even the cloud of oil at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico had a silver lining, and we will harness it for the benefit of waterfowl, other wildlife and people.”

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989 was passed, in part, to support activities under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. It provides competitive, matching grants to organizations and individuals who have

Continued on page 42 u


True GREEN

developed partnerships to carry out wet-lands conservation projects in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Program funding comes from Congressional appropriations, fi nes, penal-

ties, and forfeitures. These funds are col-lected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950, and from interest accrued on the fund established under the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937.

«—Andi Cooper

Mexico.Other states that have been

impacted and are thousands of miles away include Hawaii, Maine, Washington and Wyoming.

Golden alga research efforts have been coordinated in differ-ent areas of the state to monitor, study and prevent large outbreaks. These include surveys, genetic studies, historic assessments and control mechanism studies.

Despite major fi sh kills and the

loss of angling opportunities and revenues, the state is continuing its push to fi nd out what makes golden alga tick and what it can do to protect a major Texas indus-try. Hopefully, the future won’t be bright for one particular menace.

For more information on inva-sive species in Texas, go to tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/environconcerns/hab/ga.

(Also—see the article on zebra mussels, page 48 of this issue)

«Email Will Leschper at

[email protected]

Mexico.

t Continued from page 40

Unwanted

Aerial shot of marshland bird habitat.


developed partnerships to carry out wet-

t Continued from page 40

Funding



44 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTO: CANSTOCK

Fea 5-Hunting.indd 44 6/8/15 6:14 PM

round 97 percent of land in Texas is privately owned, which makes our state unique

compared to any other area in the USA.

One of the challenges many Texas hunters face is fi nding affordable hunt-ing land. Cost and availability are two of the main factors that cause many would-be hunters each year to abandon hunting to seek something more afford-able with an easier entry point.

When I fi rst started hunting on my own as an adult I was nearly broke, having just graduated from college. I had purchased my fi rst home, so I didn’t have the money for a season or year-long lease. I had to learn how to be creative in fi nding hunting opportu-nities

Although it was a challenging pro-cess, it was rewarding. There are many alternatives available today that were not as common years ago.

Day hunting ranches are at the top of my list of recommendations for fi nd-ing hunting property. Game hunting ranches usually fall into high-fence and low-fence categories with some hav-ing both high and low-fenced hunting areas.

One of the ranches I work with in the outdoor industry is DB Hunting Ranch in central Texas (www.dbhunt-ing.com). On ranches such as DBHR,

hunters can pursue wild hogs or exotic game animals year-round. Game animals such as

blackbuck antelope, exotic deer, and even some African game

species are available. Lodging and accommodations are also avail-

able at most ranches, and your guide usually works hard to help you take your quarry.


ing.com). On ranches such as DBHR, hunters can pursue wild hogs

or exotic game animals year-round. Game animals such as

blackbuck antelope, exotic deer, and even some African game

species are available. Lodging and accommodations are also avail-

able at most ranches, and your guide usually works hard to help you take your quarry

round 97 percent of land in Texas is privately owned, which makes our state unique

compared to any other area in the USA.


Cost for something simple such as a hog hunt usually starts at about $125, and your hunt is semi- or fully-guided. Although you have to follow the ranch rules, opportunities are usually greater for success.

This is because day hunt-ing ranches want you to return year after year for any-thing from a meat hunt up to a trophy hunt. If you choose this route, do your research on the ranch to make sure it has a good reputation, and don’t forget to tip your guide.

Another option for fi nd-ing affordable hunting areas is a membership network where hunters pay a yearly membership fee and enjoy deep discounts on hunts ranging from low cost to high ticket all-inclusive tro-phy hunting adventures.

Joining a membership network like this is much like joining a big-box wholesale club. Your yearly membership fee allows the freedom to choose what hunt you want and where you want it, all at a discounted price from a network of hunting and fi shing outfi tters all over Texas and even nationwide.

One outfi tter pioneering this model is Elite Outdoorsman (www.trophyhuntstexas.com). Their mission is to give more people an affordable opportunity to explore the hunting and fi shing sports at a better price than sourcing an outdoor adventure them-selves. They are based in Texas but outfi t hunts all over North America.

With the loss of wildlife habitat, urban and suburban areas are more populated with deer and other wild game than ever before. This makes for some great hunting opportunities in these areas. I wrote an article on urban and suburban bowhunting that appeared in the October 2014 issue of TF&G, and I have even written an eBook on the subject.

If you aren’t a bowhunter, think about investing in a crossbow and check out your local area for possible hunting opportunities. Talk to your local game warden about it. In most cases, it is legal to hunt outside of city limits, but some cities have ordinances that

allow bowhunting

within city limits�with certain restrictions.I have hunted fi ve- to 10-acre woodlots

and even smaller areas with great success. In fact, last season I killed my personal best archery buck, named “Mr. Big,” from one of my suburban hunting hotspots, a property that sits just outside city limits. Looking at this property at fi rst, it may not look like much, but it turns into a deer hunter’s dream in the mornings and evenings.

Most urban and suburban hunting occurs on private property so having a great rela-tionship with the landowner owning the property and neighboring landowners is the biggest key for success. The nice thing about hunting this way is that it can cost you next to nothing.

I always offer my landowners meat from my hunts or services to help them with whatever they need. If you want to see what a hunt like this looks like, check out my YouTube channel as I have fi lmed many of these hunting adventures.

Another option for fi nding affordable hunting land is hunting on government property. One of the fi rst deer hunting experiences I had when I became an adult and out on my own was at Fort Hood as part of their hunt control program. Civilian hunting permits are only $125 at Fort

Hood. Many other military instal-

lations around Texas have similar hunting programs. Although there are many rules and restrictions to follow when hunting on government property, many hunters have found success here.

Public land is another good option as Texas Parks and Wildlife has expanded its public hunting program, including a coop-erative of participating land owners and state property. A good friend of mine frequent-ly hunts public land, especially WMAs (Wildlife Management Areas) for many different species of game with great success. An annual public land hunting permit only costs $48 and gains you access to almost a million acres of land.

There are indeed ways to make hunting more affordable. You just have to learn how to think outside of the box. Approaching the quest to fi nd affordable hunting property may seem a daunting task at fi rst; but as we discovered, there are many affordable options available. The journey to fi nding some of these low cost gems is sometimes even more fun than the destination!


46 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTOS: DUSTIN VAUGN WARNCKE


The author with twomemorable public hunt

trophies: (left) a red stag from DB hunting Ranch, and

(right) “Mr. Big” a trophy buck from one of his urban

hunting hot spots.


Drawing the Line

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT the snook. What’s not to like? They explode on your lure like a bass on a road rage. They pull and

jump like a spastic tarpon, and their yellow fi ns, silver sides and stylish black stripe make for attractive pictures.

If you are willing to ignore the snarking from anglers who have little better to do than harass their piscatorial brethren, snook tastes pretty good too. The robalo is one easy fi sh to love.

July’s warmth is snook time on the South Texas coast. Catches of small-to-medium snook have been relatively commonplace on the Lower Laguna Madre, and in areas that were tradition-ally non-snooky.

The fi sh have broken out of their traditional haunts in the South Bay, the Brownsville Ship Channel, and Brazos Santiago and have been caught in areas more popular for trout and redfi sh. Though you will never complain about the snook getting in the way of catching specks, I don’t think anyone will complain about hooking a snook while looking for other quarry.

There is no need to rely on wishful thinking to have a shot at catching snook when conditions stifl e activity. Nor do you need to start wondering whether the mangrove snappers are biting. You may need to adopt a different plan of action to get your fi x, but the day is certainly not lost.

Weather is the single factor that most affects a snook throughout the year. Meteorological patterns can minimize tidal fl ow and cause snook lockjaw.

This might be a sudden cold front that sends water temperatures plummeting as much as 15 degrees (especially a late-season norther that catch-es fi sh and fi shermen alike fl at-footed). Or it could be rising barometric pressure from a summertime high-pressure system that parks itself over an area for days�even weeks�at a time.

Snook, just like most inshore gamefi sh, seek

warmer digs when shallow-water temperatures creep below 70 degrees. They abandon their regular haunts along shoreline timber and on shallow fl ats

Conversely, during the warm days of a Texas summer, snook will stretch their fi ns and start roaming bay systems and the fi rst and second guts of the surf. They become more aggressive and can be easier to catch. It doesn’t take much, however to change that attitude.

Ironically, the blue-bird skies and bright days of a mid-summer high pressure system that draws so many anglers to the coast can be the same condi-tions that shut down snook. The intense sunlight can push bigger snook deeper into shaded areas and cover.

Most summers, a large high pressure sys-tem moves over much of the lower Texas coast and parks itself for the duration of the season. Southeast winds can get gusty and high tempera-tures often persist through the end of August.

The conditions can make it tough to fi sh effec-tively for snook. The fi sh will hug tightly to man-grove treelines, or sulk deep along passes. When the system eases, which can happen for short windows during the summer, fi shing for snook can be worth the effort.

If tough conditions persist though, you may be required to adopt a different approach. Persistence is important in succeeding with tough conditions. The fi sh might not be hungry, but you can trigger reaction strikes.

Finesse is the order of the day. Jerkbaits such as the Zoom Fluke or the venerable Saltwater Assassin in silver or straight white, rigged weed-less on a 3/0 Owner Screwlock hook is absolutely lethal. Toss it up against the treeline and work slowly. Rig it weightless for a suspending action. More often than not, a snook will glide up under-neath the offering, and suck it down.

Another summer option for moody snook is live bait. It may seem downright sacrilegious to some anglers to even think of plying so wily and noble an adversary as the snook with meat. However, if you’ve been fl inging everything in the tackle box at a fi sh that won’t even budge to look at it, you’ll reach for the cast net soon enough. Besides, fi sher-men in Florida chum for snook, for crying out loud.

Bait has its purposes.Later in the summer, when snook really start

developing lockjaw, a large, live shrimp or a feisty mullet or pinfi sh may serve to get their attention. Shrimp can be fi shed in a traditional fashion, such as under a popping cork or free-lined around structure.

Live fi nfi sh should be hooked just above the anal fi n, so that it will swim up and away from structure. Moreover, the bait will give off a lot of vibration, which will draw a snook’s attention. Even if a linesider isn’t hungry, he’ll strike out of instinct.

Surf snook can get a case of the mullygrubs just as easily as their bay-running counterparts. Again, these fi sh are very catchable, but the rock-hoppers are at an advantage here more than boat anglers.

A snook will often hold very tight to rock crev-ices and groins when a high pressure system hits. A jetty walker can drop a bait or lure straight down into these tight spots when the most accurate angler can’t thread the needle and get to the fi sh.

The up-close approach can be very effective. Back when I was a teenager, when there were “no snook in Texas,” I remember seeing an old fi sherman on the North Brazos Santiago jetty who would fi sh with a 12-foot cane pole and live mul-let. He’d drop the mullet into a crevice or notch and wait. More often than not, he’d yank up a big snook or trout.

He caught plenty of the former, and tons of the latter. He’s long gone, but his lesson remains. When I dabble with his technique, I use a nine-foot surf rod instead of the cane pole. I’m not as suc-cessful as he was, but I still catch a few fi sh.

Inactive snook may not be on the feed, but they are still catchable. You sometimes have to be creative to get a bite. You may have to tease them until they lose their temper; other times you make them an offer they can’t refuse.

Email Calixto Gonzales atContactUs@fi shgame.com

by CALIXTO GONZALES :: TF&G Saltwater Editor


Texas SALTWATER

1507 Saltwater.indd 47 6/8/15 7:15 PM

48 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTO: TPWD:

Stopping the Invasion ofZebra Mussels

in Texas Lakes is YourResponsibility

reported by TF&G Staff

Spec Fea 7-ZebraMussels.indd 48 6/8/15 6:17 PM

TINY BUT DEVASTATING, INVASIVE ZEBRA mussels are attacking Texas lakes. They threaten to spread to water bodies across the state, but you – anglers and boaters – can help stop zebra mussels, and there are legal requirements for you to take action.

To avoid spreading zebra mussels, you must always “Clean, Drain and Dry” your boat, trailer and all gear before transporting them to another water body. For anglers, this includes bait buckets, waders, nets and anything else that’s come in contact with the water. These preventative actions are imperative because there’s no feasible way to rid a lake of zebra mussels once they’ve invaded.

It is unlawful to transport zebra mussels even if you’re unaware you’re doing so. And because zebra mussel larvae are invisible to the naked eye and can survive in small amounts of water, you are also required to drain all water from your boat and onboard receptacles when traveling to or from any public water body. This law applies to all types of boats, whether powered or not. Violation of these laws could land you with a Class C misdemeanor and a fi ne of up to $500.

These rapidly reproducing mussels have serious economic, environmental and recre-ational impacts. They are fi lter feeders that impact the lake’s food web and directly com-pete with baitfi sh such as shad for food. Any impact on baitfi sh can affect their predators — including game fi sh. Zebra mussels can

damage boats by attaching to the hulls and clogging water-cooling systems, completely cover anything under water, and litter shore-lines with their sharp shells. Economically, they can cause millions of dollars of dam-age to drinking water facilities and electric power plants, ultimately resulting in higher utility bills.

Zebra mussels have infested seven North and Central Texas lakes since 2009. They’re now in Lakes Texoma, Ray Roberts, Bridgeport, Lavon, Lewisville, Belton and Waco. If you have been on these lakes, you are at high risk for transporting zebra mussels and must be vigilant. The small adult mussels attach to boat hulls and motors, hiding in the tiniest of crevices, and can be diffi cult to detect. If you fi nd zebra mussels attached to your boat or are plan-ning to transport a boat that has been stored on an infested lake, call Texas Parks and Wildlife at (800)792-4263.

Visit texasinvasives.org/zebramussels for more information and instructions on how to Clean, Drain and Dry.

Zebra mussels attached to a boat pulled from Lake Ray Roberts in 2014.


Spec Fea 7-ZebraMussels.indd 49 6/8/15 6:17 PM

THE LATEST BOOK TO BE published in the TEXAS FISH & GAME library is called “101 Freshwa-ter Kayak Launching Points,” written and beautifully photographed by long-time kayaker Paul Batchelder, Sr.

Paul spent more than a year exhaus-tively researching the book, traveling across East and scouth-Central Texas to personally launch from and photograph

each profi led point. In the end, he pro-fi led quite a few more than 101 spots!

This 256-page book features vivid black & white photographs of the sites, as well as detailed directions and maps, including GPS coordinates and elevations. Paul also provides helpful tips and information about each launch site. The book features launching points on lakes, rivers, creeks and in

state, county and city parks. “101 Kayak Freshwater Launching

Points” will be available in July from the FishandGameGear.com online store, as well as at Academy Sports + Outdoors and other sporting goods, kayak, boating and specialty stores.

HERE ARE SOME samples of a few of the locations profi led in the book:


by Paul Batchelder, Sr.

Double LakeLake Livingston Area301 FM 2025 N 30 32.861, W 95 07.974 • Elevation: 286 ft.

FROM THE INTERSECTION of US 59 and Bus. Hwy 105 in Cleveland, Texas, continue north on US 59 for 1.3 miles to FM 2025 just north of Cleveland. Turn left and continue 16 miles.

The entrance to Double Lake will be on your right. This is a fee park. The water levels have been down in this park over the past year, so it may not be accessible.

Check with the forest service before you go.

Double Lake Recreation Area: (936) 344-6205.

This is a very nice protected water that did hold some nice fi sh in the past.

16 mi

Spec Fea 8-KayakBook.indd 50 6/8/15 6:19 PM

PHOTOS: PAUL BATCHELDER, SR. T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | 51

Sheldon Reservoir8674 Pineland Road, Sheldon TXN 29 51.134, W 95 10.415Elevation: 44 feet

FROM THE INTERSECTION of Sam Houston Parkway (Beltway 8) east in and Garret Road in Houston, go east on Garret, .5 miles to

Pineland Rd.. Turn right 2.5 miles, the reservoir and parking lot will be on the left. You can also access this from Hwy 90, east of Beltway 8 turn north on Pineland Rd.. The launch will be on the right .5 mile. This is a free paved launch with a small parking lot.

If you are looking for a spot for a great paddle close to the city this is it. The 1254 acre reservoir was created in 1943 and offers a series of channels and islands that give you lots to explore. If you love birds this is a prime nesting spot for many species. Largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfi sh are all present in the lake. I have fi shed mainly for bass. Bring your weedless gear. Top water frogs and buzz baits will work well. The lily pads are abundant and make great cover for the bass. The water is clear to slightly stained. Calm water most of the time makes this a great place to paddle, because the fl ow is controlled water levels remain very consistent.

No amenities here, be sure and take everything you need.

Lake Pinkston Dam N 31 42.607, W 94 21.778Elevation: 301 feet

FROM THE INTERSECTION of Hwy 59 north and Sam Houston Parkway north (Beltway 8) Travel Highway 59 north, 125 miles to loop

224 in Nacogdoches. Turn right (east) on loop 224 and continue 4.2 miles to Highway 7. Turn right on 7, travel 18.1 miles to county road 1234 and turn left on this dirt road. There are no signs showing access to this lake. In just .3 mile, bear right at the Y onto County Road 1510 and continue 2 miles back to the dam. The road goes across the dam and the launch is on the far side

on the right.This is a free paved

launch. It is only one lane and parking is available on both

sides of the road.

Yegua Creek Park (1) Lake SomervilleUS Army Corps of EngineersN 30 18.423, W 96 32.733 Elevation: 245 feet

FROM THE INTERSECTION of Hwy 36 and FM 1948, just south of Somerville, Texas,

continue west on FM 1948 2.6 miles to the park entrance on the right. After you enter the gate take the fi rst left to ramp #1. This is a paved ramp

with plenty of paved parking. No amenities at this ramp.

Max Starcke ParkGuadalupe RiverSeguinN 29 33.091, W 97 58.236 Elevation: 486 feet

FROM THE INTERSECTION of I -10 and State Hwy 123 Business continue south on Hwy 123 Business 3.4 mi., until you reach Max Starcke park.

You will exit right onto River Dr. and proceed straight to the launch. It is a concrete bulkhead with stairs that allow you water access. No fee required.

love birds this is a prime nesting spot for many

on the right.This is a free paved

launch. It is only one lane and parking is available on both

Pineland Rd.. Turn right 2.5 miles, the reservoir

18.1mi

Spec Fea 8-KayakBook.indd 51 6/8/15 6:19 PM

In late 2014, I

engaged in one of the

most exciting projects of my life―

helping control hogs on property

owned by Morgan and Deven

Michael in Orange County.

The following are my notes from this

truly unique adventure.

After catching some hogs in traps

with my friend Don Hubbard,

I got a Titan Extreme TenPoint

crossbow and started hunting them at

night. The first night, I could hear a

boar coming through brush very slowly.

A slight breeze came from the wrong

direction, and he was only about 30

yards away. Away he went.

The next night I set up on the

up-wind side in a one-chair, pop-up,

ground blind. As I sat there in this not-

too-safe-feeling blind, I heard him com-

ing down the same cow trail I was sitting

on. He stopped about six feet even with

my blind, behind some brush. He was

so close, I could hear him breathing.

My scent killer must have been working

overtime, yet he evaded me again.

52 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTOS: FOREGROUND, GERALD BURLEIGH;BACKGROUND, CANSTOCK

Fea 6-Hogs.indd 52 6/8/15 6:17 PM


Fea 6-Hogs.indd 53 6/9/15 4:17 PM

A couple nights later, I was back up in the tripod stand. It was a windless night but started getting a light fog. He came back usual time. I could smell the old sour mud he had been rolling in and hear a light sound in the wet saw grass. He was here but very nervous he wanted the corn but did not come into the light. I came out the next evening and found the hog I had been hunting in the trap we set. It weighed 251 pounds.

Next up big boar number 2 with much longer tusks. In fact, some local younger gentlemen thought they wanted to catch this hog. I mentioned they might not want to do that. He killed one dog and badly injured another.

This one will stick his head in at this trap to but will not go in. I fi xed a soft green light set up at this feeder and bought a Wicked green light to put on my TenPoint Crossbow. The hunt went on for several nights with the tusker only coming when the wind blows in his favor.

Finally, he appears when I about to give up but he stays in the shadows most of the time darting in and out to get a bite of corn.

At least he gives me a full broadside shot. I watch the Lumenok hit behind his shoulder but he drops the bolt about 20 feet in front of my tripod . The bolt was not very bloody so I fi gured he survived.

Three nights later, he came in on the shadowy side next to the trap and begins to feed in front of it. I turned on green light and as soon as the green light touches him, all I see is the rear end of that boar in overdrive going though the tallow thicket.

I did not think green lights bother hogs and it did not with other but this one was freaked out.

I ordered a red light bulb for my Wicked light and arrive that evening right at dark to set up.

About 8 p.m. I make sure my light and scope are set right. Red light looks great. As I am shinning the light around I look down road and there is a big pig coming.

I fi x the red light on him but something not right for him. He crosses over to the feeder and goes behind it a clump of trees and looks back my way. He starts to come back around feeder and cross the road to where I have a coyote live trap. He eats a little corn then goes into brush.

A few minutes later, I catch something moving by coyote trap but on my side of trap as I swing the red light to him and as red light touches his face, he backs up into

the pine trees. At this point I glad I am trapping hogs

I at least have meat in freezer. I fi gure this hunt is over for tonight and just as I turn my red light off something moves to the left. This hog has made a complete circle, went by my parked truck down the road behind me came out to the left of me headed back to the feeder like everything was OK.

He moves to about 20 yards, offering a perfect quartering shot. I watch red glow of the Lumenok hit right behind the shoulder & disappear . He ran to my right into a thick of blackberry and pine trees. It did not sound like he ran very far . This clump was about 1/8 acre in size so I waited awhile and started circling this patch looking for signs.

The beast ran about 30 yd and piled up

with a perfect heart shot. Only about three inches of my bolt was left in him with the rest out the other shoulder.

This was an accommodating boar as he ran within 20 yards of my truck. I called Morgan & his son JT they help me load this 211 pound trophy boar loaded up.

He is not biggest boar on the ranch. Game cameras are already showing some bigger boars taking their place. I look for-ward to continue the trapping efforts and attempting to kill more big boars with a crossbow.

Anyone who thinks hunting hogs is not a challenge should try to specifi cally hunt a mature boar. It will quickly change your mind.

54 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTO: GERALD BURLEIGH:

The author admires a boar that he bagged on a night crossbow hunt.

Fea 6-Hogs.indd 54 6/8/15 6:17 PM

Finale

BARELY OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN proper, the Hunting Club member-ship pulled up to our almost unused campsite in the miserable conser-

vancy lease we’ve had for the past couple of years. An envelope in a plastic ziplock bag was tied to the lower limb of a live oak.

Wrong Willie plucked it off like a piece of rotten fruit. “Looks like the mail’s in.” He slipped a folded sheet out of the baggie. “Well, it seems that one of you guys cut a limb off this tree without permission for an impact study the last time we were here.” He pointed at a thumb-sized scar on the trunk.

I raised my hand for the foul. “It was me. That limb stuck out over the road and nearly scratched the truck, so I took it off with my pocket knife.”

Willie continued to read to himself and Doc rocked back on his heels, probably to get away from the sinner. “I’ve about had it with this place.”

Willie lowered the page. “I’m with you. They have more rules than my old high school. We couldn’t come out here to hunt the way we wanted when dove season opened because they wanted to give the birds a rest. They must have looked tired from all that fl ying. Anyway, these folks are reinforcing here that we can’t be on the lease now except for the next two weekends and not at all during the week…”

He stopped as a truck approached. Sally, the ranch manager, de-trucked and approached as if one of us might bite. She was probably right. “I see you found my note.”

Willie held it aloft. “It’s more like a letter, maybe a tome…wait, I was thinking Stephen King wrote it…”

I cleared my throat. “Uh, I’m the one who cut off the limb.”

“Well, you guys know the rules. You can’t go hacking off limbs like you’re cutting brush through the Serengeti.”

I couldn’t help myself. A two-year buildup of silence struggled to get free. “The Serengeti

is a plain. They don’t have much brush, but if you’re talking about those movies where a guy leading a safari is chopping away at little palms, well, that’s just Hollywood.”

She stared for a long moment before bursting into an oratory I won’t repeat here, except to say that somewhere in the middle of her carefully prepared speech she listed her college degrees and experience in plant and animal conserva-tion, and explained that cutting off the limb was sure to accelerate global warming.

When she fi nished, Jerry Wayne took out his iPhone, turned his back to us all, and took a selfi e.

“What are you doing?”He gave me a grin. “I have the feeling these will

be the last pictures we’ll ever shoot of this lease.”“What do you mean?” Sally demanded.Doc scratched his ear. “I’d guess it means

that Rev or Willie is about to say something.”“Smile.” Jerry Wayne took another selfi e.Willie folded the piece of paper once, then

again. Then he tore it into tiny pieces that he scattered on the ground. “You can call this mulch. Here’s the deal. We paid for a deer lease that we’re not allowed to use during the week, or when turkey season opens, we can’t hunt except on the weekends...” He continued until he had everything off his chest.

I was impressed.Sally huffed up as he listed every issue he

could remember. “We allow plenty of opportu-nity to hunt. What did you expect?”

“Access?” I suggested. “We’re all retired. We worked for years and could only hunt on the weekends, now that we’re free, we wanted to spend some time in the outdoors.”

“You can!”“Not when we want to be here during the

week. We can’t hunt on Tuesdays, or days when someone wants to come out here and count grass seed. You don’t want campfi re, you really don’t want us to come here, and you keep changing the codes…”

“That’s because we fi nd people in here who aren’t lessees.”

“But you never tell us, and I’ve been here when the gate’s standing wide open,” Willie said. “You won’t allow us to cut a small limb on

a cedar that’s jutting across the road, yet in the next pasture you have a bulldozer scraping the ground like there’s going to be a new Walmart.”

“That’s a carefully designed and evaluated plan to eliminate the cedars.” She paused, hear-ing how that sounded.

I couldn’t help myself. “How many native plants are you grinding under those tracks? Do you realize there are trout lilies not far from here?”

She blanched. “You found trout lilies?”“Yep.”Sally gazed toward the direction I’d pointed.

“Trout lilies. So what are y’all saying?”I heard Jerry Wayne’s phone click again.

“They’re saying adios, au revoir, adieu, auf wiedersehen or guten tag.”

I frowned at Jerry Wayne. “You know what all that means?”

“Yeah, I was a foreign language major in college.”

“You?”He grinned, shrugged, and climbed in the

truck. Doc turned to follow. “I got a better one. See ya, wouldn’t want to be ya!”

Willie waved his fi ngers. “Have a nice life.”I was the last to leave. Sally looked crest-

fallen. She met my eyes. “You know about native plants, too?”

“Yep. I was pretty involved with a conser-vancy myself about twenty-fi ve years ago. Bye.”

I slipped behind the wheel and started the truck. In the back seat, Willie leaned forward. “Did you really see trout lilies here?”

“Didn’t say here. Said I know about some not far away…like about two hundred miles, in Garland, but that isn’t far in the great scheme of Texas.” I glanced in my rearview mirror to see her on the phone. “I wish I could be around while she searches that creek bottom for the next few years.”

Jerry Wayne took one more photo out the window. “Well, boys, we’re without a lease again.”

Doc grunted and rolled his window up. “I don’t think we ever had one here.”

So now we’re back on the hunt again, for somewhere to hunt.

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


Open SEASON

1507 Humor.indd 55 6/8/15 7:09 PM

Is It Time to Upgrade Your Electronics?

MARINE ELECTRONICS evolve and change just as rap-idly as other types of consumer electronics. Are you carrying

the same cell phone you used fi ve or 10 years ago? I didn’t think so.

Have you upgraded your computer or tablet in the last decade? Of course you have. So, why are most of us running boats with electronics that were built in the pre-2010 olden days?

Yes, I know, it’s painful to upgrade those electronics so rapidly. That fi ve year old unit works just fi ne, so why the heck should you replace it? Here are three types of ground-breaking systems that out-navigate and out-fi sh-fi nd their predecessors; each of them provide clear reasons why it’s time to upgrade your electronics.

1. FISHFINDERS –THE ADVENT OF high-frequency, high-resolution units has

completely revolutionized your fi sh-fi nding views at the helm. By utilizing frequencies in the 400 kHz to 800 kHz range (instead of those in the neighborhood of 200 kHz) these units commonly called “scanners” or “imagers” get a serious sensitivity boost.

Think of them as giving you an MRI-like picture, compared to the X-ray-like view of a traditional fi shfi nder. The downside is a loss of range, but since they easily probe depths of 100 feet and more, this limitation is relatively unimportant.

Now, consider that most scanner/imagers can also send out traditional lower-frequency fi sh-fi nding pings, if you press the right but-tons and ask them to. This limitation then becomes 100 percent irrelevant.

Meanwhile, when compared to tradition-al fi shfi nders, their detail level is 10 times better. You can easily tell the difference between a sprig of weeds, a tree branch, and the fi sh swimming around them.

Added bonus: these units need not be expensive. In fact, you can get a good scanner/imager from a number of manufac-turers for a couple hundred dollars. And a combined fi shfi nder/chartplotter with a screen big enough to consistently operate in a split-screen mode is only a few hundred dollars more.

You say you already have a scanner/imager? Sorry, it’s probably out of date, too. In the past year, a new twist has been added: “CHIRP” multi-frequency scanning. Sure, this is a scaled-down version of CHIRP, with a shorter bandwidth. The Raymarine Dragonfl y 5 and Lowrance Elite 7 CHIRP, for example, both introduced in the past year, ping through ranges about 50 to 70 kHz apart.

Full-blown multi-channel offshore-style CHIRP units usually have a much broader range, running through more like a 200 kHz spectrum. But they also cost thousands of dollars, while the aforementioned examples are well under $1,000.

The bottom line? Even if you upgraded to a scanner/imager two or three years ago,

by LENNY RUDOW :: TF&G Boating Editor


Texas BOATINGTexas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas

PHOTO:

ALMANAC-1507-Jul.indd 56 6/9/15 4:54 PM


your unit is already technologically dated.

2. MFDS–IF YOU RUN A BOAT WITH a multifunction display at the helm, and it’s more than a few years old, I’m afraid it’s a thing of the past, too.

Sure, we’ve seen these units become more and more capable over the past decade. They offer more and more features that used to require black-box add-ons for everything from satellite weather to radar.

If you upgraded a couple years ago, you may have a do-everything box at the helm with no add-ons needed at all, except for one, and it’s a biggie: Wi-Fi.

Wait a sec—before you say you don’t need and don’t want Wi-Fi on your boat, let me why it’s an awesome addition: car-tography.

Thanks to developments like the latest Navionics app, with Wi-Fi onboard, your phone and your boat can talk to each other. You don’t even have to tell them to do so; just set up the system to do it automatically, and when you step aboard and open the app, your phone will feed the latest cartographic updates directly into your MFD’s brain. It can also grab your fi shfi nder’s pings, match them up with your GPS coordinates, and use the info to replace pre-existing mapping data already in the unit.

Yes, you can “build” your own digital charts (much like the Insight Genesis map-ping service provided by Lowrance, and the Autochart service of Humminbird), without lifting a fi nger. Your Wi-Fi-equipped MFD and your cell phone do all the work.

But—built-in Wi-Fi just started popping up in MFDs a couple of years ago. Not all manufacturers offer it (though add-ons and after-markets are available), and no manufacturer offers it on all of the units in their line-up. So yes, that means that the unit currently sitting at your helm is almost certainly obsolete.

3. VHF RADIOS–REMEMBER WHEN the USCG mandated that all new VHFs produced for use in America would be required to have DSC capabilities? That happened all the way back in 1999. Yet as of 2010, the best estimates put the propor-tion of VHFs with active DSC at a mere 10-percent. Why? Because going from “capable” to “active” requires a bit of extra work. You have to wire your GPS and VHF together via an NMEA connection, then register to obtain an MMSI number and program that number into your radio.

Having active DSC (which allows the USCG to immediately know your current GPS coordinates as well as vital data about

your boat, if you call them in an emergency) is probably the number-one way to signifi -cantly increase your safety margin. Yet that little bit of extra work (or perhaps the confu-sion related to wiring NMEA connections) prevents 90-percent of the boaters out there from taking advantage of it.

Luckily, as is often true with all sorts of electronics, the cost of those once-expen-sive GPS receivers has plummeted. And physically, they’ve shrunk signifi cantly. As a result, many VHF manufacturers have begun building GPS into the radios, both fi xed-mount and handheld varieties.

With the GPS built-in you don’t have to wire a thing, and you can get DSC at the press of a button. Do you still have a DSC capable VHF on your boat, which is not DSC-active? If ever there was a reason to upgrade, this is it.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, folks, but these three systems and the advances they’ve seen in the last year or two make it clear that the vast majority of us are running our boats with outdated electronics.

Unless you fi tted out your boat with a brand-new electronics system in the very recent past, yes, it most certainly is time for an upgrade. And on the fl ip-side, this bad news is actually really, really good news—because once you upgrade your electronics, boating will become a whole lot better.

Email Lenny Rudow atContactUs@fi shgame.com


Texas BOATING

“Why are most of us running boats with

electronics built pre-2010?“




by GREG BERLOCHER | TF&G Contributing Editor

The FlashA

LURE’S POPULARITY TENDSto come and go over time. The hot new lure of today is often tomorrow’s afterthought.

Through no fault of its own, Old Faithful suddenly is dropped from the A-Team and relegated to the back of the tackle box, or worse, the storage bin in the back of the garage. So it is with the humble spoon.

For three decades after World War II, gold and silver spoons were the go-to lure for fresh and saltwater species. Bass fi sher-men and coastal pluggers simply would not hit the water without an assortment of Tony Accetta, Dixie Jet, and Johnson spoons.

Plastic lures weren’t really new but many

early entrants left a lot to be desired. As lure-friendly plastic resins were developed, better-built plugs came to market and start-ing shouldering in on the spoon’s popularity.

Today, spoons are either an afterthought to many anglers, or a complete mystery. I fi nd, with increasing regularity, anglers that

admit they don’t own a spoon or they have never caught a fi sh on

one.

I have yet to meet anyone that told

me “I fi shed with a spoon the entire day and never caught a

thing.” When queried about

their commit-ment of time, most

offered sheepishly that they had invested only 5-10 minutes casting the shiny, metal lure.

Spoons are still an excellent o f f e r i ng

and will fool just about anything that swims. The problem is that no one gives them a serious try. Invest several hours chunking a spoon during ice cream conditions and you will be a convert.

Whenever word of a hot, new lure spreads, tackle stores sell out quickly and shelves become bare. Why? Fishing pres-sure has increased signifi cantly over the last few decades and will only get worse as more people move to the Lone Star State. Fish are smart and studies of the largemouth bass reveal that Florida-strain bass get lockjaw when they see the same lure day-after-day. Anecdotal evidence suggests the same prin-ciple applies to trout and redfi sh. Hence, the interest in a lure that sport fi sh have never seen before.

Spoons come in a variety of different sizes, shapes, weights, and colors. Long before drop-shotting was conceived, jigging heavy silver spoons was a productive way to catch largemouth bass suspended in deep water.

If you see a ball of shad on your depth fi nder, position your boat directly overhead and drop your spoon overboard, pulling out a yard of line at a time of line until your spoon reaches the correct depth. Sweep the rod tip up a foot or two and then let the spoon fl utter seductively down. If you are anywhere near the bait ball, you will get a

The Practical ANGLERThe Practical The Practical The Practical The Practical The Practical The Practical The Practical The Practical The Practical The Practical by GREG BERLOCHER | TF&G Contributing EditorTF&G Contributing EditorTF&G

URE’S POPULARITY TENDSto come and go over time. The hot new lure of today is often tomorrow’s afterthought.

Through no fault of its own, Old Faithful suddenly is dropped from the A-Team and relegated to the back of the tackle box, or worse, the storage bin in the back of the garage. So it is with the humble

For three decades after World War II, gold and silver spoons were the go-to lure for fresh and saltwater species. Bass fi sher-men and coastal pluggers simply would not

early entrants left a lot to be desired. As lure-friendly plastic resins were developed, better-built plugs came to market and start-ing shouldering in on the spoon’s popularity.

Today, spoons are either an afterthought to many anglers, or a complete mystery. I fi nd, with increasing regularity, anglers that

admit they don’t own a spoon or they have never caught a fi sh on

one.

I have yet to meet anyone that told

me “I fi shed with a spoon the entire day and never caught a

thing.” When queried about

their commit-ment of time, most

Spoons are still an excellent o f f e r i ng

and will fool just about anything that swims. The problem is that no one gives them a serious try. Invest several hours chunking a spoon during ice cream conditions and you will be a convert.

Whenever word of a hot, new lure

The Practical The Practical The Practical ANGLERThe Practical The Practical


strike—most likely as the lure is falling.Surf spoons are heavy, with 3/4 ounce

models being the most popular; the extra weight allows you to punch a cast into a stiff coastal breeze with authority. When you are trying to eak out every last inch of cast-

ing dis-tance, the

combination of the surf spoon’s aerody-

namic profi le and extra heft makes it the plug of

choice.I love fi shing topwaters in

skinny water. The sight of an apex predator detonating on a surface plug is

visual candy to me. But when the fi sh refuse to feed on the fi lm, my fallback is a 1/8 or 1/4 ounce, gold Johnson Sprite. When the water is thigh deep, I opt for more weight to enhance casting distance but in skinny water I downsize to a small spoon. With my rod

tip held high, I can dance the small payload above the top of the seagrass below.

Seagrass and treble hooks don’t make a good marriage. If you fi nd yourself picking

seagrass off your hook after every cast, it is time to switch to a spoon with a single hook outfi t-

ted with a weed guard.The Johnson Silver Minnow has

been the standard for generations in this cat-egory. Also worthwhile noting is a Shorty’s Spoon, made locally in Corpus Christi by Joe Newcomb.

The Shorty’s Spoon is similar to a Silver Minnow but a large gap single hook is screwed to the inside face of the spoon, instead of soldered, allowing you to change out hooks when needed. To get more information on a Shorty’s Spoon, email Newcomb at [email protected].

If you want to fi sh with something the fi sh haven’t seen in a while, a spoon outfi tted with a sporty bucktail fi ts the bill. Bucktails can be purchased in a variety of colors and the added hue contrasts nicely to the metal-lic fl ash.

Yellow is my favorite color with char-treuse being a close second. Red and black are both productive colors. In addition to the eye-catching splash of color, bucktails also add an enticing wiggle to a spoon’s action.

Fishing a spoon is no different from fi shing a jig head tipped with your favorite soft plastic tail. A steady retrieve with the occasional twitch is my standard retrieve, but I would encourage you to experiment.

Spoons are economical baits that are a good choice for young anglers on a budget. A ten spot will buy you a handful of lures in different colors and sizes. With a judicial rinse in fresh water after a trip to the salt, they will last years and stand up to repeated attacks from toothy predators.

If you are looking for a change of pace this summer, try spoon-feeding the fi sh a little fl ash and fur.

Email Greg Berlocher atContactUs@fi shgame.com

tip held high, I can dance the small payload above the top of the seagrass below.

Seagrass and treble hooks don’t make a good marriage. If you fi nd yourself picking

seagrass off your hook after every cast, it is time to switch to a spoon with a single hook outfi t-

ted with a weed guard.The Johnson Silver Minnow has

been the standard for generations in this cat-egory. Also worthwhile noting is a Shorty’s Spoon, made locally in Corpus Christi by Joe Newcomb.

The Shorty’s Spoon is similar to a Silver Minnow but a large gap single hook is screwed to the inside face of the spoon, instead of soldered, allowing you to change out hooks when needed. To get more information on a Shorty’s Spoon, email Newcomb at [email protected]

If you want to fi sh with something the fi sh haven’t seen in a while, a spoon outfi tted with a sporty bucktail fi ts the bill. Bucktails can be purchased in a variety of colors and the added hue contrasts nicely to the metal-lic fl ash.

strike—most likely as the lure is falling.Surf spoons are heavy, with 3/4 ounce

models being the most popular; the extra weight allows you to punch a cast into a stiff coastal breeze with authority. When you are trying to eak out every last inch of cast-

ing dis-tance, the

combination of the surf spoon’s aerody-

namic profi le and extra heft makes it the plug of

choice.I love fi shing topwaters in

skinny water. The sight of an apex predator detonating on a surface plug is

visual candy to me. But when the fi sh refuse to feed on the fi lm, my fallback is a 1/8 or 1/4 ounce, gold Johnson Sprite. When the water is thigh deep, I opt for more weight to enhance casting distance but in skinny water I downsize to a small spoon. With my rod


by STEVE LAMASCUS | TF&G Shooting Editor

Wildcats

A WILDCAT CARTRIDGE IS one that is not available in factory ammunition. It is almost always based on a factory cartridge that is

changed in some way to fi t the needs of the individual shooter.

Wildcatting is almost strictly an American pastime. In Europe and other countries the shooter is usually happy with factory rifl es and ammunition. Americans, being indi-vidualists of the fi rst order, have always been dissatisfi ed with the status quo.

Usually, by the time any factory cartridge is widely available, it has been necked up, necked down, blown out, or changed in some way a wildcatter thinks he can make it fi t his needs better. This usually results in a cartridge that is no better than some factory cartridge, but once in a while, the result is a really great cartridge that does fi ll a vacant niche in the factory lineup.

Over the years, Remington has adopted several previous wildcats and made them legitimate factory cartridges. The .22-250, .25-06, .35 Whelen, .257 Roberts, and several more are examples of former wildcats that are now available in factory rifl es and ammunition.

If the truth be known, a great many of the factory cartridges of today started their lives as “wildcats.” For example: The .270 Winchester is nothing more than the .30-06 necked down to .277. The .280 Remington is a 7mm/06; the .243 Winchester is a 6mm/308; the .220 Swift is based on the 6mm Lee Navy; the .257 Roberts is based on the 7mm Mauser, as is the 6mm Remington. I could go on, probably for pages, but you get the idea.

One of the simplest and probably best of the wildcat types was made famous by P.O. Ackley—the “improved” type. An improved cartridge is changed by the expe-dient of simply fi ring a factory cartridge in

an “improved” chamber, which changes the angle of the shoulder and lessens the body taper to increase the powder capacity.

The headspace of the cartridge is not changed, so factory ammunition can still be fi red in the improved chamber. The improvements are increased velocity, usually longer case life, and a reduction in the ten-dency of the brass to fl ow forward, requiring less frequent trimming.

Other types of wildcats require some advanced methods of altering the case. This usually involves either moving the shoulder back to decrease case capacity, or moving the shoulder forward to increase capacity, as in the Gibbs line of wildcats, which are based on the .30-06, with the shoulder moved forward and the case blown out.

The former requires a set of forming dies and the latter requires very precise loading of the parent cartridge when fi re-forming.

The handloader must seat the bullet fi rmly into the lands of the barrel in order to keep the base of the cartridge fi rmly against the face of the bolt. This requires the user to be a very experienced reloader. I personally don’t believe it’s worth the trouble.

The simplest wildcats are those that do

nothing but change the diameter of the car-tridge neck. Some of these are the .22-250, which is a .224 caliber based on the old .250 Savage; the .25-06, which is simply the .30-06 necked down to .257 caliber; the .30-338, also known as the .30 Belted Newton, which is the .338 Winchester Magnum necked down to .30 caliber; and the 7mm-08, which is nothing more than the .308 necked down to .284 caliber.

The reloading manuals, especially the older books like those printed by Ackley, are full of such cartridges. Some, like the .22-250 became great cartridges, and some, like the .17 Flintstone Super Eyebunger and .240 Page Super Pooper are all but forgotten.

Some of the wildcats were made with very narrow ideas in mind. One such is the .22 Eargesplitten Loudenboomer (don’t you love these names?), which is a monstrous .22 caliber based on the .378 Weatherby cartridge, intended for nothing more than setting a velocity record. It uses over a hun-dred grains of powder behind a 50-grain bullet. I suspect the barrel life would be barely enough to sight it in.

By and large, wildcats are not real-ly worth the trouble, even for reloaders. Generally you can fi nd a factory cartridge that is just as good and not have to go to the trouble of fi re-forming and the other things needed to make use of a wildcat.

However, for some of us, wildcats are fun and worth the time and trouble. I have several wildcats that I love to shoot. Are they better than some factory cartridge? Not really. But for me they are exactly what I want, so I put up with the inconveniences. You might, also. You will never know until you try them.

Email Steve LaMascus atContactUs@fi shgame.com


Texas GUNS

“Americans, being

individualists of the fi rst order, have

always been dissatisfi ed with the status quo.“



64 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTOS: SUNSHINE KIDS FOUNDATION

Industry INSIDERIndustry Industry Industry Industry Industry INSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDERINSIDER

Tournament Set to Shine this September

THE SUNSHINE KIDS FOUNDATION has announced the date for their 4th Annual Texas Tail Chasers Charity Fish-ing Tournament. The tournament will take place Saturday, September 19, 2015 at Top Water Grill in San Leon. All pro-ceeds from this special event will benefi t the Foundation, helping to make a differ-ence for children and their families fi ghting cancer.

Over the past three years, this exciting event has helped raise over $45,000 for children with cancer in the community. The tournament starts at 5:30AM with weigh-ins from 12:00-2:30PM. Participants will enjoy lunch, draft beer, door prizes, raffl e, silent auction and an awards ceremony beginning at 3:00PM. Top Water Grill is located at 815 Ave. O, San Leon, TX 77539. Please visit our website: www.

sunshinekids.org/fi shing to register and fi nd more information.

The Sunshine Kids Foundation is a non-profi t organization dedicated to chil-dren with cancer. Established in 1982, the Foundation is committed to providing qual-ity group activities and emotional support to

Kids who are receiving cancer treatments in hospitals across North America.

The mission of the Foundation is to provide exciting, positive group activities for children with cancer, so they may once again do what Kids are meant to do…have fun and celebrate life.

The fourth annual Sunshine Kids Foundation charity tournament will take place September 19 in San Leon.

“This event has

helped raise over $45,000.“


New Bass License Plates UnveilledTHE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE Department is re-introducing its largemouth bass conservation license plate with a new graphic design. Artwork on the new plate depicting a jumping bass chasing a lure was created by well-known wildlife artist Clem-ente Guzman.

In an online contest to determine the new plate design, Guzman’s jumping bass received the most votes from anglers with more than 4,000.

“Our hope is that this more robust bass will appeal to more anglers who will want to display this plate on their vehicles and boat trailers. By purchasing this specialty plate they will help provide critical funding for Texas’ fi sh management programs,” says Dave Terre, Inland Fisheries Man-agement and Research Chief. “The more plates purchased by anglers, the more fund-ing will be available to help keep Texas one of the best places to fi sh in the country.”

The new plate launched May 25, at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Lake Fork. Plates can be purchased online at www.ConservationPlate.org/Bass or at local tax county offi ces for $30/year, of which $22/plate goes to TPWD.

“The bass plate was one of the fi rst plates we introduced back in 2002 and we wanted to take advantage of the new digital printing capabilities at Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and give this plate a much-needed facelift” says Janis Johnson, TPWD marketing specialist.

TPWD now offers seven conservation license plates, including the recently intro-duced hummingbird and rattlesnake plates and the horned lizard plate, the white-tailed deer (benefi tting big game management); and the camping and bluebonnet plates (both benefi tting state parks). Specialty plates have generated more than $7 million for conservation in Texas since 1999.

The plates are available for cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers and RVs for an annual

fee of only $30. This fee does not replace the regular vehicle registration cost.

Specialty plates may be purchased at

any time of the year.Visit www.conservationplate.org/projects.


66 | J U L Y 2 0 1 5 | T E X A S F I S H & G A M E ® PHOTOS: GARY YAMAMOTO, AIMPOINT, MIDASU

Yamamoto’s New Swimbait Has HeartTHE NEW HEART-TAIL IS A VERY versatile style of lure; fi sh it deep on a jighead, swim it Texas-rigged in the grass, or on the back of a swim jig or chatterbait

– the heart-tail’s compact profi le facilitates the proper presentation by not overburden-ing moving baits. A wide body makes it ideal for buzzing on the surface over lily-pads and thick vegetation where it really shines. Its unique, heart-shaped paddle tail produces a big side-to-side vibration that displaces a ton of water, and its extra-large hook cavity was designed for better hook penetration.

The Heart-Tail’s wide body is perfect in situations where the water clarity isn’t that great and fi sh are using their lateral line more than sight - that big wobble attracts big bass.

Available in 10 strike-inducing col-ors. Visit www.baits.com.

Micro H-2 Sights in New FeaturesAIMPOINT’S NEW SIGHT PROVIDES additional features and enhanced perfor-mance for hunters.

Aimpoint, the originator and world leader in electronic red dot sighting tech-

nology for forty years, has announced the addition of the new Micro H-2 sight to the company’s commercial product line. The Micro H-2 will be available for shipment in August 2015, and will be offered alongside the company’s existing Micro H-1.

Since its introduction in 2007, the Aimpoint Micro

sight has become a popular hunting sight worldwide due to its lightweight and compact size, durability, and extremely long battery life. Product reviews with hunters and sport shooters identi-fi ed a series of desired product enhancements that have now been added to this new product. These changes include: a new sight housing which allows the addition of front and rear protec-tive fl ip covers, additional physical

protection for the sight’s adjustment turrets, and increased ruggedness for the sight’s internal electronic components.

The most signifi cant developments in the Micro H-2 however, are the advanced optical lenses that allow for even better light

transmission and provide a notice-able increase in the clarity and

performance properties of the sight. This ensures

a more distinct and clearer dot in all

conditions and situations.

“The Aim-point Micro

has become the worldwide

standard for compact refl ex sights” says Matt Swenson,

Vice President of Sales. “With the sight’s new design, the Micro H-2 takes the level of performance available from a compact sight to an entirely new

level.”The Micro H-2 can

be mounted on nearly any rifl e, shotgun,

handgun or crossbow, and can be used with most existing mounts that fi t the Micro H-1 including the Bla-

ser saddle mount. The sight can also

be mounted to a larger magnifi ed scope with a 30mm or 34mm scope adapter giving the hunter ability to hunt at both

short and long distances while providing faster target

acquisition. The Micro H-2 can operate for up to fi ve years of constant-on

Fish and Game GEAR

sights” says Matt Swenson, Vice President of Sales.

“With the sight’s new design, the Micro H-2 takes the level of performance available from a compact sight to an entirely new

level.”The Micro H-2 can

be mounted on nearly any rifl e, shotgun,

handgun or crossbow, and can be used with most existing mounts that fi t the Micro H-1 including the Bla-

ser saddle mount. The sight can also

be mounted to a larger magnifi ed scope with a 30mm or 34mm scope adapter giving the hunter ability to hunt at both

short and long distances while providing faster target

addition of front and rear protec-tive fl ip covers, additional physical

situations where the water clarity isn’t that great and fi sh are using their lateral line more than sight - that big wobble attracts

Micro H-2 Sights

AIMPOINT’S NEW SIGHT PROVIDES additional features and enhanced perfor-

leader in electronic red dot sighting tech-

acquisition. The Micro H-2 can operate for up to fi ve years of constant-on Aimpoint Micro H-2

Yamamoto Heart Tail Swimbait

nology for forty years, has announced the addition of the new Micro H-2 sight to the company’s commercial product line. The Micro H-2 will be available for shipment in August 2015, and will be offered alongside the company’s existing Micro H-1.

Since its introduction in 2007, the Aimpoint Micro

sight has become a popular hunting sight worldwide due to its lightweight and compact size, durability, and extremely

protection for the sight’s adjustment turrets, and increased ruggedness for the sight’s internal electronic components.

The most signifi cant developments in the Micro H-2 however, are the advanced optical lenses that allow for even better light

transmission and provide a notice-able increase in the clarity and

performance properties of the sight. This ensures

a more distinct and clearer dot in all

conditions and situations.

“The Aim-point Micro

has become the worldwide


THE NEW HEART-TAIL IS A VERY versatile style of lure; fi sh it deep on a jighead, swim it Texas-rigged in the grass, or on the back of a swim jig or chatterbait

– the heart-tail’s compact profi le facilitates the proper presentation by not overburden-ing moving baits. A wide body makes it ideal for buzzing on the surface over lily-pads and thick vegetation where it really shines. Its unique, heart-shaped paddle tail produces a big side-to-side vibration that displaces a ton of water, and its extra-large hook cavity was designed for better hook

The Heart-Tail’s wide body is perfect in situations where the water clarity isn’t that great and fi sh are using their lateral line more than sight - that big wobble attracts


Vice President of Sales.

compact size, durability, and extremely long battery life. Product reviews with hunters and sport shooters identi-fi ed a series of desired product enhancements that have now been added to this new product. These changes include: a new sight housing which allows the addition of front and rear protec-tive fl ip covers, additional physical

– the heart-tail’s compact profi le facilitates the proper presentation by not overburden-

ideal for buzzing on the surface over lily-

shines. Its unique, heart-shaped paddle tail produces a big side-to-side vibration that displaces a ton of water, and its extra-large hook cavity was designed for better hook

The Heart-Tail’s wide body is perfect in situations where the water clarity isn’t that

Yamamoto Heart Tail Yamamoto Heart Tail Swimbait


use, using just one CR-2032 battery, and is waterproof.

For more information on Aimpoint or its products, visit www.aimpoint.com.

Midasu Adds Lipless Crank to Hard LineONE OF THE HOTTEST STYLES of hardbait right now is the Lipless Crankbait and Midasu is excited to add it to their hard bait lineup. Similar to their Chikara crankbait in that it offers a loud sound chamber, it is available in unique foil fi nishes and comes with Mustad hooks

They have gone out of their way to improve the design of this bait by creating a tear-drop belly which presents a more shad-like profi le. When the bait is stopped in the water, the weight settles into this tear-drop belly and causes the bait to fl utter seductively.

They have stretched the body slightly

and moved the front hook forward and the rear hook

closer to the back so you can change out to bigger hooks without worrying about them tangling up with each other.

The goal of lipless crankbaits has always been to wake up lethargic bass. Tie one on and you’ll see that the Midasu does just that.

Two unique characteristics that set the Midasu apart from the fl eet of lipless baits on the market today is the sound the bait makes in the water and the vibration it pro-duces. The Midasu has a more subtle rattle to it than other lipless baits. It is also wider.

This lipless crank was designed to mimic baitfi sh, but it also have characteristics that

mimic swimming crawfi sh and is perfect for cold-water fi shing in the spring.

These unique approaches to the design in our Midasu Lipless

Crankbait will provide hours of suc-cess on the water.

Visit www.baits.com.

CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE STORE for an expanding selection of

innovative, new and hard-to-fi nd outdoor gear.

Visit

FishandGameGear.com

use, using just one CR-2032 battery, and

For more information on Aimpoint or www.aimpoint.com.

Midasu Adds Lipless Crank

ONE OF THE HOTTEST STYLES of hardbait right now is the Lipless Crankbait and Midasu is excited to add

and moved the front hook forward and the rear hook

closer to the back so you can change out to bigger hooks without worrying about

mimic swimming crawfi sh and is perfect for cold-water fi shing in the spring.

These unique approaches to the design in our Midasu Lipless

Crankbait will provide hours of suc-cess on the water.

Visit www.baits.com

Midasu Lipless Crank


Hot Temps, Hot Action

IT’S JULY AND THE TEMPERA-ture and fi shing action are ascending rapidly and simultaneously. They actu-ally have been for a while, but usually

tend to peak somewhere around the middle of the month.

The rod bending action has been gain-ing momentum steadily since the extra fresh water from record rain totals this spring has been fl ushed out and is now in full swing. The trout bite is usually super consistent

here on Sabine, but was pretty much non-existent from mid-March to early May. This was because of all the rain we had and the runoff from our neighbors to the north.

It was indeed a very wet spring, probably the wettest I can remember. That is all in the past now. It is July, it’s hot, and the fi sh are hungry. The jetties, short rigs and surf are loaded with trout and reds.

Throwing top-waters early and light col-ored plastics once the sun begins to pen-etrate the sandy green water should be your keys to a successful trip. At the jetties, start at the boat cut or the end and work the entire wall, paying special attention to washouts and rock piles. When you hit a group of fi sh, work that area thoroughly before moving on.

Live baits such as shrimp, shad and

fi nger mullet are also very effective in these hot summer months. Place a split shot about 18 to 24 inches above a Kahle hook, or rig it with a popping cork. Both of these tech-niques are very effective, especially when the fi sh decide to get lockjaw on artifi cials as the water heats up in the summer months.

Something else that many people don’t realize is that, often, the fi sh really stack up north of the boat cut. Again, top-waters, light-colored soft plastics, and live bait should all put fi sh in the box.

The crowd is usually a lot thinner on that side of the cut, so you can spend more time fi shing instead of maneuvering around boats. Remember that tidal movement is very important. Both incoming and outgoing tides can be productive. Also, the channel side can be just as good as, or better than, the Gulf side at times.

The short rigs are also holding nice trout and some big reds. Soft plastics and live fi nger mullet or shad should get the job done. You might also get to tangle with some Spanish mackerel on steroids, gaff-tops and sharks.

Drifting or wading the surf is another exciting option in July. Early mornings when the pretty water has found its way to the beach before the wind picks up should be your best bet.

Wherever you end up this month, remem-ber to prepare for the hot weather. Bring plenty of extra water and wear a hat, long sleeves and good sunglasses. Also remember to lather up with sunscreen early and often.

THE BANK BITELOCATION: Surf, High Island, TXSPECIES: Speckled Trout, Redfi sh, JacksBAITS/LURES: Topwaters, soft plastics, live shrimpBEST TIMES: All day in calm conditions

Email Eddie Hernandez atContactUs@fi shgame.com

Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

SABINE Area



More Water Issues?

ALTHOUGH THE UPPER Texas Coast had an almost nor-mal amount of rainfall over the summer of 2014, the winter of

2015 was pretty wet.Driving north you will cover a lot of ter-

ritory before running into the extremely dry conditions that areas such as Wichita Falls are struggling with. My in-laws live on what used to be Lake Arrowhead, where now only a small stream wanders through the dry lake bed.

This was a body of water used as a sole source of H2O by rural residents and several communities. Now water barrels at each corner of most homes catch rain run-off via gutters—and this is the main water supply for many. The problem is not a lack of impoundments to catch water, but rain to fi ll them.

Of course, the coast depends on major streams for much of the water that feeds the bays. Those streams usually begin in Northern Texas and meander through a lot of landscape and major reservoirs to get to the Gulf.

When fresh water fl ow is lessened, salin-ity of the bays becomes too harsh for many immature fi sh and shrimp that use them as nursery areas. Even aquatic plants suffer. A wet season on the immediate coast can some-what mitigate the damage of inland drought, but not completely offset it.

With this in mind, hearing a representa-tive of Ducks Unlimited tell us at the 2015 Texas Outdoor Writers Convention that climate scientists are predicting drought conditions for the next 30 to 40 years was quite a shock. If this prediction comes even

partially true, a lot of Texas game and fi sh—fresh and saltwater species, both—are going to suffer.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is to be commended, in my humble opinion, for their efforts to conserve the alligator gar. This is a fi sh that many would say is not worth the effort.

Big gars are worthy opponents on suit-able tackle, but they can be diffi cult to hook solidly. Instead of being beautiful creatures with graceful lines, they are brutish and threatening in appearance. Although gars are edible, they are not to everyone’s taste. To top all this off, gars can—and do—eat other fi sh such as bass and catfi sh and also compete with them for food and space in the water.

Being a bit contrary, I have always considered the alligator gar a challenging fi sh that can pull harder than just about anything else in Texas in fresh or brackish water. A gar can sometimes jump to rival a tarpon—and is a fi sh not just anyone wants to go after.

At one time in the 1970s, I tried to organize a group dedicated to the sport of pursuing these fi sh—to be called the IGFA, or International Gar Fishing Association. To be able to “borrow” from more than one existing organization, our slogan would have been, “First let’s save the ‘gator gar!” Guess I always was a bit ahead of my time.

Last year about this time, I reported that TPWD required no license to fi sh in state parks, including Galveston Island State Park. Now I am happy to report that many parks will have fi shing equipment available to loan to visiting would-be-anglers. These measures are aimed at getting more people involved in fi shing, which might be a very good way to increase attendance at state parks.

TPWD personnel still agree with most of us that the red snapper is pretty much fully recovered and could support a lot more fi sh-ing pressure than NOAA Fisheries is will-ing to allow. So the “season” in state waters inside of nine miles will stay open all year,

Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. MIKE HOLMES

CONTINUED ON PAGE 69 u

GALVESTON AreaGALVESTON GALVESTON GALVESTON GALVESTON GALVESTON GALVESTON GALVESTON GALVESTON GALVESTON GALVESTON GALVESTON



Bare Structure to Vibrant Marine Ecosystem

ON FEBRUARY 2, 1972 THE VA Fogg, a 572-foot tanker carrying benzene, exploded and sank 35 miles offshore from Free-

port, Texas, in 105 feet of water.I was the owner of Houston Scuba

Academy at that time, and I organized the fi rst group of divers (other than the Coast Guard) to dive on the ship. The ship was upright, but missing its center section, which had been blown out.

Speculation was that while empty tanks (which had contained benzene) were being cleaned, a spark had ignited the volatile gas. The superstructure of the ship was intact, and a small portion of it stuck out of the water.

The VA Fogg was my fi rst experience watching a hard object on the fl oor of the Gulf of Mexico act as a collection point for marine life. Within a month or so, everything from colorful tropical fi sh to a 150-pound Warsaw grouper was calling this unfortunate grave site home. It had become an artifi cial reef.

Since that time, offshore oil rigs have been put in, and they collected lots of marine life, which in turn, created great fi shing. Then, to the dismay of those of us who enjoyed fi shing on them, the rigs were removed.

Their commercial life had run its course, and federal waters rules require that they be removed at that point. Some rigs ae still out there, and they offer great fi shing, but they will be removed eventually as well.

However, everyone agrees that artifi -cial reefs are the best way to attract and keep healthy marine ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has worked hard to provide those reefs, starting in 1979 when nine liberty ships were sunk in Texas’s waters. The liberty ship closest to the Matagorda jet-ties is the Matagorda Liberty Ship Reef 616,

GPS 28 06.996 and 96 05.201. It is 30 nautical miles southwest from the jetties in 120 feet of water. The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) has teamed up with TPWD to help with several artifi cial reefs along the Texas coast. Among these is the ship George Vancouver, sunk in 1995. This one has had additional reef structure added since then.

The Vancouver is the second large arti-fi cial reef site accessible with a day trip out of Matagorda, GPS 28 47.555 and 95 20.850. The Vancouver lies35 miles from the Matagorda jetties in 60 feet of water. Numerous small wrecks lie offshore from Matagorda, but at present, these artifi cial reefs are our closest large reef sites.

However, that is fi xing to change.Dale Shively, Artifi cial Reefs Program

Coordinator for TPWD, said Texas has received funds from the Deepwater Horizon Restoration fund that have been designated for the installation of an artifi cial reef. The reef will be eight nautical miles from the Matagorda jetties, and seven nautical miles directly offshore from Matagorda Beach.

CCA is also contributing to this important addition to near-shore Matagorda recreation-al fi shing sites. The 160-acre reef site will be four times larger than the largest reef yet con-structed by TPWD using this process. It will be made up of 1,600 three-sided pyramids that have 20-foot bases and are eight feet tall.

The Coast Guard requires a clearance of 50 feet above the pyramids, and they will be placed at a depth of 60 feet. The concrete pyramids will have limestone attached to the sides. Limestone is porous and makes a good substrate for small organisms to attach to and grow on, and they will match the pH of a natural reef.

Each pyramid will weigh 6,000 pounds

and be built to withstand storm events. One side of the pyramids will have an opening so turtles that may have burrowed under the sand will have a way to get out. The pyramids will also have small holes for little fi sh to move through.

Fish will be attracted to the structures immediately,” Shively said, “and certain fi sh will make a permanent home at the reef, including red snapper.

This is what happened at Sabine and Corpus Christi in a very short period of time. Other species such as trigger fi sh, grey snap-per, and black drum are likely to occupy the reef. Redfi sh, trout and ling will probably also be found on the reef.

After a time, some colorful tropical fi sh such as queen angel fi sh, wrasse, French angel fi sh, and sergeant major fi sh may show up. This is what happened at Port Mansfi eld.”

The project is fully permitted, and the process of making the pyramids should have started by the time this piece appears in July, 2015. The contractor will prob-ably bring the pyramids out in multiple trips, and the reef should be complete by late 2016. For more information go to http://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/habitats/artifi cial_reef/ and https://www.facebook.com/TexasParksAndWildlife-Artifi cialReefProgram.

Shively also said that another artifi cial reef is being permitted to be located in Port O’Connor near-shore waters. It will encom-pass 380 acres and will be placed south of the Port O’Connor jetties, 70-feet deep. There are two abandoned platforms in state waters there as well. Like the Matagorda reef, this reef will be composed of triangular pyramids.

The pyramids will be placed in a rectangle around the platforms. When the platforms get rusty and must be removed, they will be cut at 20 feet leaving the required 50 feet of clearance.

This is great news for Matagorda anglers. As soon as they start placing pyramids on the reef site, the fi shing just seven nautical miles

Hotspot Focus :: by MIKE PRICE

MATAGORDA AreaMATAGORDA MATAGORDA MATAGORDA MATAGORDA MATAGORDA MATAGORDA MATAGORDA MATAGORDA MATAGORDA MATAGORDA MATAGORDA



from Matagorda Beach will improve. The site is close enough for small boats to reach safely on a good weather day.

THE BANK BITE

JULY OFTEN OFFERS many days of calm wind and blue water on the beach, days that beckon—almost beg—fi shermen to try their luck in the surf. Contrary-wise, this kind of day may not be a good day of fi shing at all in the bays. If the bays are off-color because days previously the wind had blown from the west or southwest and because the tide is not moving, head to the surf. The water is always moving, collecting oxygen from the air and stirring up the bait fi sh, even when the waves are tiny. If you do not have a four wheel drive vehicle, you may want to park your vehicle at the entrance to the beach or at Matagorda Bay Nature Park, and walk to fi sh in the surf. If you go east on the beach you will fi nd that driving on the beach is challenging because some new dunes have formed very close to the water.

Email Mike Price atContactUs@fi shgame.com

with a four fi sh bag limit. A short season in federal waters, combined with frighten-ingly low bag limits of two, or maybe even only one fi sh per day, does not encourage fi shing for this species.

Captain Joe Kent of Galveston, also writes for the Galveston Daily News on outdoor subjects. He told me that on one of his trips, he found only a few boats trying the old Buccaneer Field of oil production platforms. At one time, this area might have looked like the parking lot of a busy mall.

Many platforms have been removed, of course, but many were toppled in place, so the fi sh holding habitat is still there. My fi rst trip to the Buccaneers years ago in my old Bertram saw us catch red snapper, king mackerel, and ling while tied to a rig. We also caught kings and dolphins trolling on the way out and back.

It was always a good area for multiple

species. I’m sure it still is for those willing to spend the money on fuel and equipment to bring home maybe one small fi sh dinner.

THE BANK BITELOCATION: San Luis Pass is good on either the Galveston or Follett’s Island sides when tides are bringing bait—and game fi sh—from bay to Gulf, and back. Just be very careful wading, as this is a very dangerous spot for the unaware.SPECIES: Redfi sh, speckled trout, fl ounder will often be joined by Spanish mackerel, various sharks, even tarpon or kings at times. A big alliga-tor gar might not be out of the question, either.Best Baits: Live bait caught in a cast net, or cut mullet will catch anything that swims through here, as will many artifi cial offerings. BEST TIMES: Tide movement—coming in or going out—is the key here, and usually more important than time of day.

Email Mike Holmes atContactUs@fi shgame.com

t CONTINUED FROM PAGE 67

Focus: GALVESTON


July’s Topical Tactics

IN JULY, BEGIN YOUR DAY early with a top water presentation, making sure you work the lure across the shallows in a variety of patterns. If

the wind happens to be ruffl ing the surface of the water or is kicking up small intermit-tent waves, toss a larger, noisier bait like the GunDog Flush or Dummy, the Super

Spook, or the She Dog. In the event there happens to be abso-

lutely no wind whatsoever, then you should offer the fi sh small baits like the Super Spook Junior, a Skitter Walk Junior, or even a small Zara Pup.

A favored color during the bright days of summertime in clean, green water is anything with chrome on it. The chrome has such a high level of refl ection that it seems to attract almost without effort.

You can test this next time you’re catch-ing a lot of fi sh on a chrome lure in clean water on a partly cloudy day. The bite will seem to turn off almost immediately as the sun disappears behind some of the day’s occasional clouds.

If the sky happens to be completely fi lled with clouds, and the water is either clean or stained, the old reliable colors of bone and black can often be very productive. Both of those colors portray a vivid silhouette against the surface of the water in dim and in bright light conditions, and both have historically been very productive on days when abso-lutely no other colors seem to do the trick.

One of the more common retrieval pat-terns for top water baits is the “walk-the-dog” pattern, where the angler intermittently jerks the rod tip upwards and then reels in slack in the line between each jerk of the rod tip, thus “walking” the lure from side-to-side as it is retrieved back to the angler. Some people like to “walk-the-dog” fast, while others like to slow it down a bit, and some prefer to alter the pattern.

Try a number of different retrieval speeds until you fi nd what works best for that day under those conditions. If a slow retrieve doesn’t do it, then speed things up. If a continuous walk-the-dog isn’t effective, try altering the retrieve to a start-and-stop walk-the-dog pattern, staggering the time between rod twitches as much as fi ve to ten seconds. If the fi sh continue to blow-up at your bait, but just aren’t exploding on it, try altering your retrieval pattern in one of two ways.

First, at the time of the next blow-up, let your lure sit completely still for ten seconds

immediately following the strike. After ten seconds, make one, two, or three simple and brief jerks of the lure with the rod tip. All the while, allow the lure to remain almost in the exact spot where the initial strike came from. The fi sh will most often come back to the lure and will hit it with an act of vengeance.

A second tactic that has also been very effective in the past is to simply let the lure remain completely still, immediately fol-lowing a missed blow-up. It’s sometimes extremely diffi cult to do this, but it works more times than not. After all, if you think about it, it’s probably much easier for the fi sh to catch a stationary target than a mov-ing one.

If short strikes continue, or if the bite on top simply turns off where you‘re wading, try relocating to another area that contains similar structure. If after moving, things still do not improve, consider moving to an area offering completely different structure.

At this time of the year, there’s no better structure to be trying your top water luck at than that of shell—either along shorelines or out among open-bay reefs. Only the winds of July settling enough to clear mid-bay waters in San Antonio Bay will allow you to try your luck atop the bay’s numerous shell pads.

If you get the chance, take advantage of it. There has been many a July set afi re by the hot action atop the shell in San Antonio Bay as an angler throws top water baits. But the fi shing atop shell is not the only thing that heats up this month—so do our bodies. Hydrate early, and hydrate often. You’ll be glad you did.

Contact Capt. Chris Martin at bayfl [email protected] visit bayfl atslodge.com

Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. CHRIS MARTIN

UPPER MID CoastUPPER MID UPPER MID UPPER MID UPPER MID UPPER MID UPPER MID UPPER MID UPPER MID UPPER MID UPPER MID UPPER MID



Positivity

THE PLENTIFUL RAINS OF spring time have had a positive impact on the bay systems in the Rockport area. The fresh water

coming into our major bay systems has had a washing affect. Couple that with the improvement in nutrient levels, salinity factors and the life building nutrients have produced a healthy ecologically sound estua-rine bay system.

Texas, having been in drought condi-tions, has gotten at least a fresh drink of rain water from Mother Nature. Unfortunately if you believe the predictions overall climate change will bring, these spring rains will be the exception and not the rule as we move forward in time.

Of course, no one including our best scientifi c minds can predict exactly how this will play out. For now we can enjoy the benefi ts this life-sustaining liquid brings to our fi sheries and healthier bays, includ-ing healthier fi sh and to some extent better fi shing.

The opening of Cedar Bayou is another reason for optimism. The exchange of salt water and the migration of more bait through this natural pass will in the long term be nothing but good.

To date we have seen some short term improvement in the adjoining bays close to the bayou. We pray this has positive long-term impact over the next three to fi ve years. The Texas Parks and Wildlife lowering the trout limit, although controversial, should see (by the experts’ predictions) an up-tic in the quality of our fi sheries as well.

The mosquito population has never been better. High tides and fl ooded marshes have brought swarms not seen since Biblical times / decades. The larvae of these sharp beaked insects are excellent food for juvenile reds, trout and other predator fi sh. Bait fi sh also feed endlessly on the marvelous wiggling wonders.

I fi nd it interesting that only the female mosquito is the biter as they require blood to produce their eggs.

The best way to not get bitten is not by annihilation of the female but by confusion.

It seems the chemical, DEET, disrupts their chemical receptors, and they seek other prey. I’m thinking there might be something for man to learn from this but pursuing that

line of thought will no doubt get me, ummm, bitten.

IT SEEMS A NEW AND HEIGHTENED awareness of litter on our bays has taken effect. Just the other day I beheld the most incredible sight. I witnessed another boat full of folks making their way down the ICW when, as is not unusual, an empty soda can and a Styrofoam cup blew out of the boat. To my sheer glee, they turned around, pro-duced a fi shing net and scooped the trash up out of the water. There might be hope for the human race after all.

It might be my imagination, but I have seen what appear to be VERY courteous actions and gestures at our now-congested boat ramps. It seems bait has been plenti-ful, so no fi st fi ghts at local bait stands. One angler actually shared his six quarts of shrimp with another angler at a sold-out bait stand, though it wasn’t for free.

Some of my clients have actually turned to me and said “Capt. Mac, we have enough fi sh, how about catch and release now?” I

Hotspot Focus :: by Capt. MAC GABLE

ROCKPORT Area


“Texas has gotten a fresh drink from

Mother Nature.“


had two clients that actually turned loose two 27-inch-plus trout—and no they did not have limits of trout at the time. They know who they are, so I won’t mention names, but—T and D, thanks so much for such great sportsmanship and care of our natural resources.

Not too long ago while I was on a trip, my motor started making noise. If you have ever run the same type motor like I have for more than 22 years, you know your motor’s noises better than you know the ring tone on your phone.

The sound was ominous: it was a defi ni-tive metal slap. Either my power head was about to throw a rod, my lower unit was fi xing to lock up or my on-board fuel com-pressor was toast.

Naturally I was 18 miles from my home dock, so we slowly limped back, me nursing the ADDK motor (Already Dead Didn’t Know it) back to the dock. Immediately, I called the best mechanic I know (Mac at Chris’s Marine), and he asked me what was going on.

“I’ve got trouble. I have trips, and I have a motor with a bad power head, a bad lower unit or my compressor is fried, and I need it fi xed yesterday!”

He told me they were busy, but said I needed to get it in. I don’t normally plug a business in my articles, but these guys not only got to it, the owner himself, Chris, was the one that worked on my motor.

I knew in my heart of hearts it was going to be A LOT of money—I feared it would be thousands of dollars. Times were lean for me right then. Chris called three times with a status and then told me like a voice from heaven, there was nothing wrong with my motor. It was just a loose prop.

They could have sold me anything had they wanted to, but thank goodness for hon-esty, integrity, and the willingness to help out someone in need. You da man Chris and Mac, thanks again for getting me back on the water.

How about those good friends?I don’t mean those that just say hello and

talk about the weather. I mean those who, when your boat’s broken, your truck’s broke down, or your body or spirit is broken, you know one phone call and they will be there

for you?Or how about that wife, who at the end of

a bad fi shing day is there to help you clean the boat, clean the reels, wash the sweat and fi sh out of your clothes and oftentime, ban-dages you up from mishaps that just seem to happen? Or who cooks the great meal that is often waiting for you when you do clear the doorway. All this makes your next day’s fi shing not only possible but tolerable.

Thank you, Lisa Gable, for always being there for this man, your husband. Lord I wish I wasn’t so guilty of looking mostly at the down side of life. It just seems these days to be so easy to do that.

God, this country, our environment, including our beloved bays, have so much to be excited and feel good about. We need this affi rmative and constructive view and mind set today more than ever.

Tip: Many anglers move too often this time of year, meaning they have little patience. Even though it’s hot waiting in a place where you know you have had good fi sh activity in the past, it can be very productive. During the heat of the summer, I have seen trout turn off and turn on, all in the same place many times in a 12-hour period.

I have often moved to other fi shing spots only to return to the spot I left to fi nd the fi sh in a feeding frenzy. Cover up, drink plenty of fl uids and wait it out.

• • •

COPANO BAY — Croakers on Italian Bend shoreline are good for trout and some keeper reds. Free-line is best here. The reefs close to Smith Channel are good for black drum, using a light Carolina rig and fresh, dead shrimp. On high tide, Rattlesnake Point is good for reds using cut mullet free-lined.

ARANSAS BAY — The mouth of Allyns Lake is good for reds and fl oun-ders using live shrimp on a light Carolina rig. Jay Bird Reef is holding some black drum, peeled shrimp free-lined or on a light Carolina rig works best here.

ST. CHARLES BAY — Black drum

action still good around Salt Creek using peeled shrimp on a light Carolina rig. Cut menhaden on a fi sh fi nder rig is good for reds at the mouth of Little Devil’s Bayou.

CARLOS BAY — Third Chain is a good place for reds, using free-lined fi nger mullet or cut menhaden. Drifts across Carlos Lake are good for trout using a rattle cork and Berkley shrimp.

MESQUITE BAY — Wades at the mouth of Cedar Bayou are good for trout and reds using free-lined croakers. Rattlesnake Reef is a good place for some fl ounders using free-lined shrimp. The trick is to set the hook at the slightest tap, as the fl ounder often grabs the shrimp and buries itself again on the bottom, making you think you are hung up. If that happens, slow and steady pressure will free the fl ounder from the bottom.

The north shoreline of Brays Cove is good for reds and trout using free-lined fi nger mullet and croakers.

AYERS BAY — Rattlesnake Island shoreline is good for sheepsheads using a popping cork and shrimp. Some trout and reds holding in the deeper water transition off of Second Chain Island. Finger mullet free-lined work best here.

THE BANK BITE

LIVE OAK POINT is a good place for big trout and some keeper reds using red and gold spoons or sand eels in sapphire shine color. Early morning wading out is best. Late evening casting from the bank is best.

Contact Capt. Mac Gable at Mac Attack Guide Service,

512-809-2681, [email protected]


Focus: ROCKPORT


In the Pink

SO WHAT’S A BODY TO DO IF he wants to get in on some good summer fi shing action on the Lower Texas Coast, but he

doesn’t own a boat?

Easy: think pink, as in pink granite and jetties.

Some of the most underrated summer fi shing in South Texas takes place along either side of the Brazos Santiago Jetties that bookend the pass by the same name that feeds in and out of Lower Laguna Madre.

These jetty systems are accessible from land (the north jetties from South Padre Island, and the south jetties from Brownsville via SH 4, and then turning left onto Brazos Island (known locally as Boca Chica Beach). However, access can be iffy now that Space X is building a launch pad in the area.

This jetty system offers excellent fi shing for everything including the most popular species, speckled trout, redfi sh, fl ounder, tarpon and snook. Fishing is also good for mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel, and even kingfi sh for the properly equipped.

Certainly, the most sought-after species of the dedicated rock-hopper are speckled trout and redfi sh. Both can be caught from the jetties on the same trip; however, different techniques are called for. Speckled trout will be usually holding closer to the rocks and patrolling up and down the gut that runs parallel to the jetties. This is especially true on the north jetties, where prevailing cur-rents create gentler eddies and currents that, on an outgoing tide, push water and bait against the surf-side of the rocks. Redfi sh will be prowling the surf away from the jet-ties and in the guts that intersect them.

The key to fi shing the jetties is catch-ing the “cupcake” conditions that prevail starting in late June and holding on into September. An incoming tide and soft

southeast breezes that send clean water in from the Gulf, lay swells down to make early mornings magical off the rocks.

A fi sherman can do well throwing live bait under a noisy fl oat such as an Alameda fl oat or Cajun Thunder near the rocks for trout (and mangrove snappers, which almost become a nuisance with their abundance), or on a Carolina rig out in the surf for redfi sh.

The bait bucket, however, isn’t necessary, and might even be a nuisance for the fast-moving rock hopper. What works to keep you mobile is a box fi lled with topwaters such as the Storm Chug Bug or Pradco’s Heddon Pop’R, a few 1/4 ounce jigheads, a ½ ounce silver spoon or two, and a collec-tion of your favorite plastic tails in red/white, or chartreuse patterns. By the way, weighted worm hooks such as the Eagle Claw Trokar are helpful to mitigate snagging on the rocks.

Start an early morning expedition on the jetties by casting back towards the corner where the rocks meet the beach and work the lure back along the bottom. Trout should be there, but there may also be a few big fl oun-ders waiting in ambush. From those casts, expand out into the guts and cast parallel to the beach to see if there are any redfi sh.

It doesn’t hurt to take a few wire leaders in your tackle box. This time of year, there are schools of Spanish mackerel that tear into bait balls in front of the jetties. They aren’t discriminating, and can clean you out of tackle in a hurry.

On the South jetties, the surf is a bit rougher, and the rocks are not laid as smoothly, but the presence of snook in the suds more than makes up for the tougher work. These fi sh will also attack the same trout and redfi sh lures with abandon, only they offer some gill-rattling jumps for your thrills.

The question always comes up about the sort of tackle needed for the jetties. Honestly, your traditional inshore 10-12 pound tackle is enough, but if you hook into a big red or snook, you are going to be in trouble, and you may as well just give up if you hook into a tarpon or a jackfi sh (another

summertime denizen of the rocks). Upping slightly to 14-17 pound tackle

is a safer bet to handle just about anything that swims the suds around the pink granite. It gives you a little more power in reserve if Mr. Big comes calling.

If you are going to walk all the way to the end of the jetties to take a shot at a kingfi sh or something else really big, you may want to upgrade to a surf rod and high-capacity reel. You could hook into a smoker, and if you don’t have at least 300 yards of 20-pound line, you may be waving bye-bye in less than a minute.

For moon-launching off the end of the jetties, I prefer a Shimano Terez 8-foot spinning rod with an 8000 Sustain spin-ning reel loaded with 40-pound braid. I’ve handled 40+ inch kingfi sh and some big redfi sh with this rig, and it offers enough fl ex that I can send a one-ounce Rat-L-Trap waaaaaayyyyy out there where the lunkers lurk.

Then again, you may be doing that anyway if one of the true monsters shows up around the jetties. Kingfi sh, sharks, tarpons, giant bull redfi sh, and other surfi ng hoods know no mercy.

Then you may not be rocking, but crying the blues.

THE BANK BITEHOTSPOT: Padre Island shoreline, north side of causewayLOCATION: Left side, immediately after crossing.SPECIES: Speckled Trout, Redfi shLURES/BAITS: Live shrimp or soft plastics under a Mauler or Popping Cork, topwaters early.BEST TIMES: Early morning, late afternoon, especially with a rising tide. Wade out toward boat channel and fi sh dropoffs.

Email Calixto Gonzales atContactUs@fi shgame.com

Hotspot Focus :: by CALIXTO GONZALES

LOWER Coast



Texas HOTSPOTS

UPPER COAST

by TOM BEHRENS

Jetty Reds Make the Cut

LOCATION: GalvestonHOTSPOT: North Jetty Boat CutGPS: N 29 23.074, W 94 46.194 (29.3846, -94.7699)SPECIES: Redfi shBEST BAITS: Live ShrimpCONTACT: Capt. Ralph Frazier281-337-0321ralph2fi [email protected]: North or South Jetty? “It all depends on the water clarity and the amount of bait showing up. Bait is the key to wherever you fi sh.” Capt. Ralph Frazier

LOCATION: East Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: TripodGPS: N 28 40.3609, W 95 55.132 (28.6727, -95.9189)SPECIES: Triple TailBEST BAITS: Live shrimp under a popping corkCONTACT: Capt. Tommy [email protected] shing.comTIPS: Capt. Countz says triple tail usually will be located around any structure sticking out of the water.

LOCATION: GalvestonHOTSPOT: BeachfrontGPS: N 29 5.718, W 95 5.832 (29.0953, -95.0972)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Live Shrimp or spoonsCONTACT: Capt. Ralph Frazier281-337-0321ralph2fi [email protected]: “I drive the beachfront until I see slicks,

birds, or a lot of bait activity, and then fi sh the location.” Frazier likes the beachfront on the Bolivar side.

LOCATION: GalvestonHOTSPOT: North JettyGPS: N 29 21.2719, W 94 43.0909 (29.3545, -94.7182)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Live Shrimp CONTACT: Capt. Ralph Frazier281-337-0321ralph2fi [email protected]: “Use the trolling motor and go along the jet-ties, free shrimping until you fi nd the fi sh.” Capt. Ralph Frazier

LOCATION: Galveston East BayHOTSPOT: Van-Ta-Un FlatsGPS: N 29 32.794, W 94 45.805 (29.5466, -94.7634)SPECIES: Redfi shBEST BAITS: Live CroakerCONTACT: Capt. Ralph Frazier281-337-0321ralph2fi [email protected]: Live bait or artifi cial? “We will work the gas wells with live shrimp and throw croakers on the reefs.” Capt. Ralph Frazier

LOCATION: Galveston East BayHOTSPOT: Hanna’s ReefGPS: N 29 28.92, W 94 43.6559 (29.4820, -94.7276)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Live CroakerCONTACT: Capt. Ralph Frazier

281-337-0321ralph2fi [email protected]: Live croaker, free lined on the bottom.

LOCATION: Galveston East BayHOTSPOT: Deep ReefGPS: N 29 30.804, W 97 58.74 (29.5134, -97.9790)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Live ShrimpCONTACT: Capt. Ralph Frazier281-337-0321ralph2fi [email protected]: Live croaker, free lined on the bottom.

LOCATION: Galveston Trinity BayHOTSPOT: Trinity Bay WellsGPS: N 29 41.677, W 94 47.3249 (29.6946, -94.7888)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Live ShrimpCONTACT: Capt. Ralph Frazier281-337-0321ralph2fi [email protected]: “As temperatures rise during the day move out to fi sh the different wells in Trinity Bay.” Capt. Ralph Frazier

LOCATION: MatagordaHOTSPOT: Matagorda SurfGPS: N 28 35.569, W 95 59.2679 (28.5928, -95.9878)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Paddle tail soft plasticsCONTACT: Capt. Tommy [email protected] shing.comTIPS: “Any time the surf is green and fl at, head to the beachfront.” Capt. Tommy Countz

LOCATION: OffshoreHOTSPOT: Heald BankGPS: N 28 56.524, W 94 19.657 (28.9421, -94.3276)SPECIES: Ling and kingfi shBEST BAITS: SardinesCONTACT: Capt. Ralph Frazier

GPS COORDINATES are provided in two for-mats: “Decimal Degrees” (degrees.degrees) and “Degrees and Minutes” sometimes called “GPS For-mat” (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 specifi c to your GPS device.


Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas HOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTSHOTSPOTS

UPPER COAST

Jetty Reds Make 281-337-0321ralph2fi [email protected]: Live croaker, free lined on the bottom.

GPS COORDINATES are provided in two for-mats: “Decimal Degrees” (degrees.degrees) and


Texas HOTSPOTS281-337-0321ralph2fi [email protected]: Send the bait down deep using just enough weight, usually 1/2 to 1 ounce, to allow the bait to swim.

LOCATION: Sabine LakeHOTSPOT: Johnson BayouGPS: N 29 51.063, W 93 47.2097 (29.8511, -93.7868)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: TopwatersCONTACT: Capt. Adam [email protected] shsabine.comTIPS: Jaynes likes to wade the beachfront throw-ing topwaters before sunrise. His favorite color is Limetreuse.

LOCATION: Sabine LakeHOTSPOT: End of JettyGPS: N 29 38.6029, W 93 49.584 (29.6434, -93.8264)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Wedge Tail soft plastics with a 1/8 oz.. jig headCONTACT: Capt. Adam [email protected] shsabine.comTIPS: Jaynes’ biggest summertime trout, 9 pounds, came from the jetties. He was using a 3 inch swimming shad, making long casts parallel to rocks.

LOCATION: West Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: Mudd Island ReefGPS: N 28 37.212, W 95 5.784 (28.6202, -95.0964)SPECIES: Redfi shBEST BAITS: Croaker or piggy perchCONTACT: Capt. Chad Verburt361-463-6545rockportredrunner@yahoo.comwww.rockportredrunner.comTIPS: Fish the edges of the sand bars on Mudd Island

LOCATION: West Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: Shell Island ReefGPS: N 28 37.788, W 96 3.9029 (28.6298, -96.0651)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Soft plastics with 1/8 oz. jig headsCONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz281-450-4037

[email protected] shing.comTIPS: “In early morning I will be wading West Bay, working some of the grass beds, probably the outer beds more than the inside beds, targeting big trout.” Capt. Tommy Countz

LOCATION: West Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: Mad Island ReefGPS: N 28 37.2109, W 96 5.7829 (28.6202, -96.0964)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Paddle tail soft plasticsCONTACT: Capt. Tommy [email protected] shing.comTIPS: “When the water starts heating up in July, I will be standing on the bar, throwing into the guts, working the edges,” says Countz.

LOCATION: West Matagorda BayHOTSPOT: New Reef by Half Moon ReefGPS: N 28 43.374, W 95 46.2299 (28.7229, -95.7705)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Live Shrimp with a popping corkCONTACT: Capt. Tommy [email protected] shing.comTIPS: Capt. Countz says if the wind lays and you can fi sh the new reef that was built last year, he practically guarantees you will catch trout.

MIDDLE COAST

by TOM BEHRENS

Speckled Trout on the Halfshell

LOCATION: Copano BayHOTSPOT: Oyster ReefGPS: N 28 5.6029, W 97 10.699 (28.0934, -97.1783)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Soft plastics with 1/8 oz. jig headsCONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland361-290-6302treblejcharters@yahoo.comwww.treble-j-charters.comTIPS: McPartland likes soft plastics in Pumpkin

Seed and Mullet colors.

LOCATION: Aransas BayHOTSPOT: St. Joseph IslandGPS: N 28 0.7279, W 96 58.365 (28.0121, -96.9728)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Croaker or piggy perchCONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland361-290-6302treblejcharters@yahoo.comwww.treble-j-charters.comTIPS: “Early morning bite for trout is best along St. Joseph Island and the reefs of Copano Bay.” …. Capt. Jack McPartland

LOCATION: Corpus Christi BayHOTSPOT: The RocksGPS: N 27 48.1949, W 97 23.04 (27.8033, -97.3840)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Live croaker or piggy perchCONTACT: Capt. Chad Verburt361-463-6545rockportredrunner@yahoo.comwww.rockportredrunner.comTIPS: A pink Skitter Walk topwater will work before or right at sunrise.

LOCATION: Port AransasHOTSPOT: Lydia Ann ChannelGPS: N 27 52.218, W 97 2.886 (27.8703, -97.0481)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Croaker or piggy perchCONTACT: Capt. Chad Verburt361-463-6545rockportredrunner@yahoo.comwww.rockportredrunner.comTIPS: Capt. Verburt seeks out the fi sh migrating in from the jetties.

LOCATION: Port AransasHOTSPOT: Lydia Ann IslandGPS: N 27 53.694, W 97 2.5919 (27.8949, -97.0432)SPECIES: Speckled troutBEST BAITS: Bass Assassins or Norton Sand EelsCONTACT: Capt. Chad Verburt361-463-6545rockportredrunner@yahoo.comwww.rockportredrunner.comTIPS: Clear or natural colors with a chartreuse tail are Verburts choices in soft plastic colors. Avocado is another good color.

LOCATION: Port Aransas



HOTSPOT: Estes FlatsGPS: N 27 57.12, W 97 5.148 (27.9520, -97.0858)SPECIES: Redfi shBEST BAITS: Cut bait - mullet and pin perchCONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland361-290-6302treblejcharters@yahoo.comwww.treble-j-charters.comTIPS: Capt. McPartland said the redfi sh action on the fl ats should be good early in the morning.

LOCATION: Port AransasHOTSPOT: South BayGPS: N 27 53.4589, W 97 5.7889 (27.8910, -97.0965)SPECIES: Black drumBEST BAITS: Dead ShrimpCONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland361-290-6302treblejcharters@yahoo.comwww.treble-j-charters.comTIPS: At this time of the year anglers should still be able fi nd eating size black drum scattered along the bay systems.

LOCATION: Port AransasHOTSPOT: Dagger IslandGPS: N 27 50.22, W 97 9.966 (27.8370, -97.1661)SPECIES: Redfi shBEST BAITS: Mullet and pin perchCONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland361-290-6302treblejcharters@yahoo.comwww.treble-j-charters.comTIPS: “When it starts to heat up a little, move out to the gas wells in the deeper part of the bay. Free line using no weight.” Capt. Jack McPartland

LOCATION: Upper Laguna MadreHOTSPOT: Laguna FlatsGPS: N 27 33.196, W 97 16.369 (27.5533, -97.2728)SPECIES: Redfi shBEST BAITS: Live croaker or piggy perchCONTACT: Capt. Chad Verburt361-463-6545rockportredrunner@yahoo.comwww.rockportredrunner.comTIPS: Cast to the grass pockets, free lining a live croaker.

LOWER COAST

by CALIXTO GONZALESand TOM BEHRENS

The Other Gulf Snapper

LOCATION: Gulf of MexicoHOTSPOT: Port Isabel Fishing ReefGPS: N 25 57.736, W 97 3.577 (25.9623, -97.0596)SPECIES: Mangrove snapperBEST BAITS: Cut squid, cut mullet, bucktails.CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TIPS: Big mangrove snapper swarm over the reef south of Boca Chica. Cut bait is very effective. Try chumming them to the surface and free-lining a bait to them.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna MadreHOTSPOT: The Washing MachineGPS: N 26 1.694, W 97 10.327 (26.0282, -97.1721)SPECIES: Speckled TroutBEST BAITS: Live Shrimp, soft plastics in red/white, glow/glitter; topwaters in Bone, Red/White.CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TIPS: Night fi sh during a full moon. . Live shrimp, mullet, and mud minnows all work, as do soft baits that imitate same. Fishing lights aren’t very necessary to attract fi sh

LOCATION: Lower Laguna MadreHOTSPOT: North JettyGPS: N 26 4.121, W 97 8.718 (26.0687, -97.1453)SPECIES: Kingfi shBEST BAITS: Ribbonfi sh, Magnum Rat-L-Traps, Jointed Bomber Magnum Long A’s.CONTACT: Captain Layne Levens281-705-5537TIPS: Ribbonfi sh under a balloon can drift out away from the rocks. If you have a 12’ surf rod, you can also try zinging a big lipless crankbait out where the lunkers lurk and burn it back

LOCATION: Lower Laguna MadreHOTSPOT: Long BarGPS: N 26 8.349, W 97 14.194 (26.1392, -97.2366)SPECIES: Redfi sh

BEST BAITS: Cut bait, live shrimp, Gold spoons, topwaters.CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TIPS: Drift through the potholes with cut bait, or swim a soft plastic or gold spoon. Watch for tailing reds early in the morning.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna MadreHOTSPOT: Three IslandsGPS: N 26 16.95, W 97 16 (26.2825, -97.2667)SPECIES: Redfi shBEST BAITS: Cut bait, live shrimp, Gold spoons, topwaters.CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TIPS: Fish soft plastics on 1/8 ounce or 1/16 once jigheads. White and chartreuse are always a good color combination. If you are having a problem with fl oating grass try a weedless gold spoon. Really work the light colored pot holes.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna MadreHOTSPOT: Marker 67GPS: N 26 13.877, W 97 16.175 (26.2313, -97.2696)SPECIES: Black DrumBEST BAITS: Live Shrimp, fresh dead shrimp, Gulp! Shrimp/1/4 ounce head.CONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TIPS: Fish the edges of the ICW near the shacks. Use a slip-sinker rig or slit sot. Fish around the eddies that form when the tide is moving.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna MadreHOTSPOT: Gaswell FlatsGPS: N 26 16.309, W 97 16.222 (26.2718, -97.2704)SPECIES: Speckled TroutBEST BAITS: Live shrimp, soft plastics in LSU, Pumpkinseed, Rootbeer/chartreuseCONTACT: Captain Jimmy Martinez956-551-9581TIPS: Set up a long drift across the broad fl at, spot the pods working over the bottom, and use cut bait on the bottom or weedless gold spoons to tempt them. Quarter-ounce spoons are best, but you may want to move up to a heavier spoon if the wind is blowing hard out of the Southeast.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre @ Port Mansfi eldHOTSPOT: Big OaksGPS: N 26 41.965, W 97 27.791 (26.6994, -97.4632)SPECIES: Speckled Trout


Texas HOTSPOTS



BEST BAITS: Live Bait, Topwaters early, soft plasticsCONTACT: Captain Steven Devries956-289-3631TIPS: Cast topwaters towards the shoreline early in the morning. Turn around and cast into deeper water as the morning progresses and fi sh drop into it.

PINEY WOODS

by DUSTIN WARNCKE

Toledo in Vivid Black & White

LOCATION: Toledo Bend Res.HOTSPOT: Myrick’s Reach/Green Willow PointGPS: N 31 46.266, W 93 50.0219 (31.7711, -93.8337)SPECIES: Black & White BassBEST BAITS: Numerous topwater lures, crank-baits, Rat-L-Traps and plasticsCONTACT: Greg Crafts, Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottages936-368-7151gregcrafts@yahoo.comwww.toledobendguide.comTIPS: In July the main lake points will be active with plenty of schooling activity for both the Black and White Bass. Typically early morning and late evening will be the prime feeding times. Work top water plugs, Rat-L-Traps, medium diving crank baits like the new Rat-L-Trap Echo, slab spoons and plastics. Start off shallow and back out to deeper water if needed.

LOCATION: Caddo LakeHOTSPOT: Main Lake FlatsGPS: N 32 41.262, W 94 3.6 (32.6877, -94.0600)SPECIES: Largemouth BassBEST BAITS: V&M Pork Shad, V&M Bayou Bullfrog or Buzz FrogCONTACT: Caddo Lake Guide Service/Paul Keith [email protected] shing.comTIPS: Fish the fl ats where you have a mixture of lily pads, cypress trees, and hydrilla that sit in 3-5 ft. of water.

LOCATION: Lake Conroe

HOTSPOT: Main LakeGPS: N 30 25.8048, W 95 35.61 (30.4301, -95.5935)SPECIES: Catfi shBEST BAITS: Primos Dipping baitCONTACT: Richard Tatsch (936) 291-1277admin@fi shdudetx.comwww.fi shdudetx.comTIPS: Locate stumps lining the river channel edge and tie off in 20 to 25 foot of water. Use a bag of cattle cubes to bring the fi sh to you. I will dump a half bag of cubes on two different locations and come back to the fi rst, tie up and get my boat back in the same position. Using a spinning reel with a treble hook, an 1/8 ounce egg sinker and a piece of cut sponge wrapped around it; dip it in the bait and drop it to the bottom. I stay in contact with the bot-tom raising the bait up and down slowly until I feel some resistance, then set the hook. On most days, you can catch limits of fi sh in just a few hours.

LOCATION: Lake LivingstonHOTSPOT: The HumpGPS: N 30 40.8299, W 95 4.992 (30.6805, -95.0832)SPECIES: Striped BassBEST BAITS: Live Shad, 1 ¼ oz. white slabs, spoons, Tsunami Holographic hot pink/gold 4 inch Swim Shad.CONTACT: David S. Cox, Palmetto Guide Service936-291-9602dave@palmettoguideservice.comwww.palmettoguideservice.comTIPS: Bounce baits off the bottom, look for strikes on falling baits. Troll Tsunami Swim Shad behind a #10 jet diver.

PRAIRIES & LAKES

by DUSTIN WARNCKEand DEAN HEFFNER

Granbury Full to the Gills

LOCATION: Lake GranburyHOTSPOT: Lower EndsGPS: N 32 23.262, W 97 42.432 (32.3877, -97.7072)SPECIES: Striped bassBEST BAITS: Live shad and jigging slabs in

Chartreuse and Holographic SilverCONTACT: Michael Acosta, Unfair Advantage Charters817-578-0023www.unfairadvantagecharters.comTIPS: Fish near humps and ridges around 20 feet down. Early surface action is possible on spinners and rattle traps. Granbury levels are full and all ramps are open. All species are in their summer patterns as the lake continues to heat up (Water temperatures are in the 80s). Rains in May fi lled the lake and there is a lot of brush that grew during the drought that is now covered. This submerged brush is great structure for bass and crappie. Thermoclines are sure to develop later in July, which will congregate the fi sh. Stripers and sand bass are relating to structure, namely ridges, humps and points on the lower ends of the lake. Stripers and sand bass continue to push bait up on feeding fl ats adjacent to deeper water. Best baits for sand bass includes slabs, rattle traps and small spinner baits. Limits of sand bass and stripers are common. Crappie have been good on jigs and small minnows near deeper structure near mid lake and on the lower ends. Channel catfi sh are good to excellent on prepared baits and hot dogs mid lake.

LOCATION: Cedar Creek LakeHOTSPOT: Main Lake BridgesGPS: N 32 19.674, W 96 11.0579 (32.3279, -96.1843)SPECIES: CrappieBEST BAITS: Jigs and MinnowsCONTACT: Jason Barber903-887-7896kingscreekadventures@yahoo.comwww.kingscreekadventures.comTIPS: “Fish 12’ to 24’ and work the middle of the water column for suspended fi sh. The shade makes a nice retreat from the heat!”

LOCATION: Fayette County Res.HOTSPOT: Deer Stand HumpGPS: N 29 1.9439, W 96 43.7819 (29.0324, -96.7297)SPECIES: Catfi shBEST BAITS: Punch bait, cut baitCONTACT: Weldon [email protected] shtales-guideservice.comTIPS: Anchor here, throw out some sour grain. Fish straight down over the chum. Mark the chum spot with a buoy help knowing where it is. Use CJ’s punch bait on a #6 Treble hook.

LOCATION: Gibbons CreekHOTSPOT: Dam Rocky Point


Texas HOTSPOTS


GPS: N 30 36.684, W 96 3.9959 (30.6114, -96.0666)SPECIES: CrappieBEST BAITS: Minnows, 1/16 jig in red/white or black/chartreuseCONTACT: Weldon [email protected] shtales-guideservice.comTIPS: Fish rocks and stumps here with a 1/16 jig in red/white or black/chartreuse. Drift a minnow under corks at 12 foot depth.

LOCATION: Granger LakeHOTSPOT: Main Lake Humps and RidgesGPS: N 30 41.4599, W 97 21.2819 (30.6910, -97.3547)SPECIES: White BassBEST BAITS: Slab SpoonsCONTACT: Tommy Tidwell(512) [email protected]: Right now is the time to catch white bass at Granger Lake. They are schooling out in the main lake and can be caught on shallow roadbeds early in the mornings and over deeper humps in the heat of the day. The time I like to catch them is from about 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. They will herd the shad up from deeper water and push them up over the humps with shallower water. It is a funneling point. The deeper water is from 20 to 25 feet deep and the humps top out at about 10 feet. You can look for them with your sonar or just look for top water activity. When you fi nd the fi sh, you need to position your boat right on top of the hump and use a slab spoon to catch them. Do not be lured off the hump just because you see some hitting the top over deep water away from the hump. Drop the spoon to the bottom and bounce it about 2 feet off each time. When you feel them hitting just keep up the action and they will hook themselves. Another technique is to cast out and drag the spoon along the bottom like you would a Carolina rigged worm. These methods will catch you the larger fi sh. If you just cast out and reel back in, you can catch fi sh but they will be the smaller undersized fi sh. The big whites sit on the bottom waiting for the mangled shad to drift down. The very hot calm days are the best time to try for these whites.

LOCATION: Lake AquillaHOTSPOT: Dam and AeratorGPS: N 31 53.97, W 97 12.5039 (31.8995, -97.2084)SPECIES: White BassBEST BAITS: Chrome and blue Rat-L-Traps and Little Georges

CONTACT: Randy Routh817-822-5539teamredneck01@hotmail.comwww.teamredneck.netTIPS: The Whites are schooling early along the Dam. Run the dam and make long casts using chrome and blue Rat-L-Traps and Little Georges. After the sun get’s high, move over to the Bubbler (aerator) and enjoy fast action on Whites and Black Bass as they move in to gorge on the shad taking advantage of the aerator.

LOCATION: Lake LavonHOTSPOT: Main Lake GPS: N 33 5.112, W 96 27.2399 (33.0852, -96.4540)SPECIES: Largemouth BassBEST BAITS: Mister Twister Hog Frog, buzz baits, BD7 Shad colored crankbaitCONTACT: Carey Thorn469-528-0210thorn_alex@yahoo.comTexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com TIPS: Fish the rocks in around boat ramps that have been submerged in about 12 feet of water sur-rounding the lake. They are usually located around the old boat launches. These can be found with good side imaging.

LOCATION: Lake PalestineHOTSPOT: Kickapoo CreekGPS: N 32 15.6659, W 95 27.792 (32.2611, -95.4632)SPECIES: Largemouth BassBEST BAITS: Mister Twister Hog Frog, buzz baits, BD7 Shad colored crankbaitCONTACT: Ricky Vandergriff903-561-7299 OR 903-530-2201ricky@rickysguideservice.comwww.rickysguideservice.com TIPS: “Fish the creek channel in 6 - 10 feet of water with a big eye jig.Fish the stumps and trees near the creek. Fish grass beds with a Mister Twister Hog Frog and buzz bait along side the grass. Down south of 155 bridge, fi sh a BD7 shad colored crankbait on the main lake points in 8 - 16 feet of water.

LOCATION: Lake Ray HubbardHOTSPOT: East BankGPS: N 32 52.158, W 96 33.984 (32.8693, -96.5664)SPECIES: Largemouth BassBEST BAITS: Weed-less frog lures or buzz baitsCONTACT: The Cajun Guide/Johnny Procell (972) [email protected]

TIPS: “Black bass have invaded the recently inun-dated vegetation that grew in the upper east end of the lake during the drought. Weed less frog imita-tions or buzz baits are the ticket here to get some smashing strikes. I suggest 30 to 50 pound braid to pull these pesky 3 to 5 pound green trout from the heavy vegetation. This area is reached by hug-ging the east bank of Hubbard until one reaches the fi rst set of high line supports. A good map will then


Texas HOTSPOTS


show the way into the river and this bonanza.

LOCATION: Lake Ray RobertsHOTSPOT: Kates PointGPS: N 33 22.6895, W 97 3.172 (33.3782, -97.0529)SPECIES: White BassBEST BAITS: Headon Baby Torpedo, chartreuse/white slabCONTACT: Dannie Golden - Get Bit Guide Service817-228-5999www.get-bit.comTIPS: July is one of the best months of the year to catch a bunch of fi sh. The sand bass will be school-ing on the main lake. Most main lake points and fl ats will have schooling fi sh. Kates Point is known for schooling action. Towards the dam and south of the marina will have schooling fi sh as well. A clear Headon Baby Torpedo is great for schooling sand-ies. Once the schooling action stops, drop a 1 oz. chartreuse/white slab down in the same area.

LOCATION: Lake Ray RobertsHOTSPOT: State Park CoveGPS: N 33 21.7323, W 97 1.9963 (33.3622, -97.0333)SPECIES: Largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Topwaters, crankbaits, Carolina rigs, poppers CONTACT: Dannie Golden - Get Bit Guide Service817-228-5999www.get-bit.comTIPS: The largemouth bass will be on their sum-mertime spots. Typically deep water or close to deep water is key. Topwater early morning, then move to deep diving crankbaits or a Carolina rig. A popping bait can also be good, but take your time with it. Fish can be located using a crankbait on drop-offs and rocks. A Carolina rig can be used in the same area once the crankbait bite dies off. There will still be some shallow fi sh on the main lake, around the grass. With all of the new water, the fl ooded willows on the bank will also attract black bass. Senkos or fl ukes will get you bit around the grass and willows. Fish them weightless.

LOCATION: Lake SomervilleHOTSPOT: North Schooling AreaGPS: N 30 19.638, W 96 32.064 (30.3273, -96.5344)SPECIES: White BassBEST BAITS: Ghost minnows, shad, Rat-L-Traps, spoonsCONTACT: Weldon [email protected]

www.fi shtales-guideservice.comTIPS: Anchor, using tight lines fi shing with Ghost Minnows. If fi sh start schooling, toss silver spoons or Rat-L-Traps into school.

LOCATION: Lake TexomaHOTSPOT: Alberta CreekGPS: N 33 57.54, W 96 36.0059 (33.9590, -96.6001)SPECIES: Striped BassBEST BAITS: Top-waters and SlabsCONTACT: Bill Carey903-786-4477bigfi [email protected]: “Top water fi shing at its best. Early morn-ing, several large schools will surface around the lake. These schools of fi sh can be a mile long and a half-mile wide. Cast Pencil Popper Topwater plugs for great action. After the surface action ends, locate the schools of fi sh with your electronics. Then, vertically drop slabs and use a fast retrieve. The fi sh will try to pull the rod out of your hands!Bank Access: Washita Point and Platter Flats”

LOCATION: Lake WhitneyHOTSPOT: Island Ledge & McCowan FlatsGPS: N 31 55.434, W 97 24.6239 (31.9239, -97.4104)SPECIES: White BassBEST BAITS: 3/4 oz. Chartreuse Slabs from rsrlures.comCONTACT: Randy Routh817-822-5539teamredneck01@hotmail.comwww.teamredneck.netTIPS: The thermocline has set in and the Whites are relating to a reaction strike. Bouncing chartreuse 3/4 oz. slabs on ledges above the thermocline ( 20 feet) has been catching limits daily. In the early morning, look for schooling white bass from island to dam and around the McCowan fl ats. You can make long cast with the slabs and let them fl utter down below the schooling fi sh and catch the larger ones feeding on what they injure and drop.

LOCATION: Richland Chambers Res.HOTSPOT: Fishermans Point Marina to Ferguson Point, 309 Flats GPS: N 31 57.1212, W 96 7.9799 (31.9520, -96.1330)SPECIES: White BassBEST BAITS: Clear Tiny Torpedo or 1/4 oz.. Blue/Chrome Rat-L-TrapCONTACT: Royce [email protected] shin.biz

TIPS: July is the month that the White Bass nor-mally begin their early AM and late PM top water schooling activity that will last all summer long! Check out the main lake south shoreline from Fisherman’s Point Marina to Ferguson Point, and the Hwy 309 Flats on the north shoreline. Look for the terns and egrets picking up bait over large schools of White Bass. Sometimes, the schooling fi sh will literally be chasing shad in 5 to 10 acre size schools. This is a thrill for kids and adults who think like kids!”

PANHANDLE

by DUSTIN WARNCKEand DEAN HEFFNER

Stump Patch for PK Stripers

LOCATION: Possum KingdomHOTSPOT: Stump PatchGPS: N 32 51.756, W 98 26.01 (32.8626, -98.4335)SPECIES: Hybrids & Striped BassBEST BAITS: Perch, live shad, white, chartreuse, yellow artifi cialsCONTACT: Dean [email protected]: It’s July, it’s getting hot and the bit doesn’t last long—so the early bird gets the fi sh. Or, fi sh after dark or under heavy cloud cover. Live bait is best but we are still catching fi sh trolling artifi cials. Work the shallow fl ats early and stay out in the bend enough to watch for schooling fi sh. Move deeper around 11 am. Drop shad from 20 to 42 feet. On cloudy days, anytime clouds cover the sun for 3 to 15 minutes, fi sh will come explode on baits up close on this spot (but they are spooky). Once you start seeing the thermocline, use it to fi nd fi sh above and below it.

LOCATION: Lake Alan HenryHOTSPOT: Main Lake CreeksGPS: N 33 2.814, W 101 3.582 (33.0469, -101.0597)SPECIES: Largemouth BassBEST BAITS: “Deep diving crankbaits, jigs, spoons, and worms. “CONTACT: Norman Clayton’s Guide Services806-792-9220nclayton42@sbcglobal.netwww.lakealanhenry.com/norman_clayton.htmTIPS: “July will fi nd the bass on Lake Alan Henry


Texas HOTSPOTS


in their summer mode. The bass will be related to the schools of shad. The shad will be in schools over the channels of the Brazos River, Little Grape, and Big Grape Creeks. Use your electronics to fi nd the schools of shad and you will fi nd the bass. Some of the lesser creeks will also have schools of shad, such as,Ince Creek, Rocky Creek, and the area around the dam. When you fi nd the school of shad, drop a buoy.”

BIG BEND

by DUSTIN WARNCKE

Rough it for Amistad Bass

LOCATION: AmistadHOTSPOT: Rough CanyonGPS: N29 36.31098, W100 58.377 (29.605183, -100.972950)

SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Pop Rs, buzzbaits, Zara SpooksCONTACT: Stan Gerzsenyl, [email protected], 830-768-3648, amistadbass.comTIPS: Fish topwaters from the main lake grass beds to the backs of the creeks. Zara Spooks are my favorites but Pop Rs and buzzbaits also can be effective. Look for schooling fi sh throughout the day.

HILL COUNTRY

by DUSTIN WARNCKE

Austin Bass Like the Shade

LOCATION: Lake AustinHOTSPOT: Main Lake Rocks, Shade Trees, and Shaded DocksGPS: N 30 19.464, W 97 50.316

(30.3244, -97.8386)SPECIES: Largemouth BassBEST BAITS: V&M Baby Swamp Hog, Pacemaker Jigs, Picasso Inviz-Wire Spinnerbait, Picasso Shock Blade, Gandy CrankbaitsCONTACT: Brian Parker - Lake Austin Fishing817-808-2227lakeaustinfi [email protected] TIPS: “With the eradication of the grass, the bass will be searching for cover and ambush positions throughout the lake. I break my guide trips into 3 approaches, mornings, daytime, and evenings.Mornings: I like throwing the Picasso Spinnerbaits and Shock Blade early when the fi sh are still on the feed. I usually do this just off the rocks and docks.Daytime: I like to move closer to the docks and shaded cover fl ipping the Pacemaker Jigs and Swamp Hogs. Be patient and work your bait with twitches to trigger those bites. Evenings: I go back to my morning routine and change to darker colors.”

LOCATION: Canyon LakeHOTSPOT: Dam Area

Texas HOTSPOTS


GPS: N 29 52.2479, W 98 12.276 (29.8708, -98.2046)SPECIES: Largemouth BassBEST BAITS: “¼ oz. Picasso Shakey Head, Carolina rigged Watermelon fl ukes (1/2 oz. or ¾ oz.weights), Senko type baits Texas rigged w/ ¼-3/8-oz. Picasso Tungsten weights”CONTACT: KC’S Bassin’ Guide [email protected] TIPS: “Be sure and fi sh the point near the drop off slowly. Work the shallows early and then move into the deeper depths. Bass are in their summer homes and with the weather being warm are not opt to be aggressive in nature. Use a good rod like Denali Rosewood Heavyweight 7’ for Carolina rigging. This rod can handle anything you get into and then some. Good summer colors include, watermelon red, blue fl eck, June bug, watermelon candy.”

LOCATION: Canyon LakeHOTSPOT: North Park PointGPS: N 29 52.2659, W 98 12.4259 (29.8711, -98.2071)SPECIES: Striped BassBEST BAITS: White Striper JigCONTACT: Steve Nixon, Fishhooks Adventures210-573-1230steve@sanantoniofi shingguides.comwww.sanantoniofi shingguides.comTIPS: “Trolling this area with downriggers seems to produce the best catches. Set the downriggers from 20 to 40 feet deep and vary trolling speeds. Tight lines and Fish On!

LOCATION: Canyon LakeHOTSPOT: Comal Park Point Area GPS: N 29 52.398, W 98 14.1959 (29.8733, -98.2366)SPECIES: Bass and CrappieBEST BAITS: Bass: Drop Shot, Wacky Worms; Crappie: Jigs and minnowsCONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide Service-Barry Dodd210-771-0123barry@teachemtofi sh.netwww.teachemtofi sh.netTIPS: Bass and crappie have mostly settled into their summer patters of holding near the thermo-cline, along deep water ledges, points and cover near these areas. For bass, spend most of your time fi shing points with deep diving crank baits and soft plastics. For crappie, look for channels bends or points with brush piles. There is little cover or vegetation on this point but there is enough contour to hold bass. This a perfect time of year for drop-shot and wacky worming. When crappie fi shing,

start with the brush piles found on many points. Use minnows or jigs under slip bobbers. I prefer Matzuo sickle style hooks for live bait, jigs and soft plastics because they penetrate easier and hold fi rmer.

LOCATION: Lake BuchananHOTSPOT: Lower Part of the Main LakeGPS: N 30 47.01, W 98 25.0379 (30.7835, -98.4173)SPECIES: Striped Bass, White Bass, CrappieBEST BAITS: Stripers and White Bass: Trolling with small shad lures, chartreuse and white slabs small live baits. Crappie: small jigs and live min-nows. CONTACT: Clancy Terrill512-633-6742centraltexasfi [email protected] shing.com TIPS: The lower half of the lake is getting substan-tially clearer compared to the upper half which will make fi shing much more challenging. Stripers are starting to move heading mid-lake and even to the lower half. Whites are a little slower on the move but not far behind. Ridges and sand bars from 15 to 30 feet of water for whites almost anytime but mornings and evenings are usually better. Crappie are excellent with small jigs and small live bait close to shore trees and rocks.

LOCATION: Lake Buchanan HOTSPOT: Garret IslandGPS: N 30 50.525 W 98 24.588 (30.842078, -98.409793)SPECIES: White BassBEST BAITS: Slabs and jigsCONTACT: Ken [email protected]: White bass are on the upper end of the lake around Garret Island area. Fish slabs and jigs in 15 to 30 feet of water.

LOCATION: Lake BuchananHOTSPOT: Lower Part of the Main LakeGPS: N 30 45.924, W 98 24.816 (30.7654, -98.4136)SPECIES: Striped Bass, White Bass, Catfi shBEST BAITS: Shad, slabs, and jigsCONTACT: Ken [email protected]: “On Lake Buchanan, the stripers will be on the lower part of the lake. Work the sides of the river

channel and deep water humps and along the trees. Live bait (Shad or perch) Slabs and jigs will also work doing a YO YO style fi shing. Down rigging 1/2 oz. white and yellow jigs being trolled along the tree lines and along the humps will work as well. Catfi sh action will be good. Fresh shad, cut perch, and cut carp will be a good bait.White bass will be on the deeper ridges use slabs and jigs to catch them! Just get on the water and try different baits and colors and use what works! Its summer time so take the kids fi shing!”

LOCATION: Lake LBJHOTSPOT: Horseshoe Bay Area GPS: N 30 33.618, W 98 22.9799 (30.5603, -98.3830)SPECIES: Bass and CrappieBEST BAITS: Bass: Topwater lures, lipless crankbaits and worms; Crappie: Jigs or minnowsCONTACT: Teach ‘Em to Fish Guide Service-Barry Dodd210-771-0123barry@teachemtofi sh.netwww.teachemtofi sh.netTIPS: There is lots of vegetation, enough contour and deeper water in this area to hold some big bass. I prefer Matzuo sickle style hooks for live bait, jigs and soft plastics because they penetrate easier and hold fi rmer. Bass and crappie have mostly settled into their summer patters of holding near the thermocline, along deep water ledges, points and cover near these areas. For bass, spend most of your time fi shing points with deep diving crank baits and soft plastics. For crappie, look for channels bends or points with brush piles.

SOUTH TEXAS

by DUSTIN WARNCKE

Summer Cats Go Deep on Choke

LOCATION: Choke Canyon Res.HOTSPOT: Main LakeGPS: N 28 29.274, W 98 22.8239 (28.4879, -98.3804)SPECIES: Catfi shBEST BAITS: Punch bait, cut baitCONTACT: Charlie Brown830-780-2162TIPS: Expect to fi nd catfi sh in shallow and in deep water this time of year. Use a fl oat rigged to 3 feet


Texas HOTSPOTS


and move to another spot if you don’t get a bite within 10-15 minutes. For deeper water, fi sh on the bottom.

LOCATION: Coleto Creek Res.HOTSPOT: Main Lake CreeksGPS: N 28 45.054, W 97 11.5799 (28.7509, -97.1930)SPECIES: Largemouth BassBEST BAITS: Plastics such as worms, lizards, and crawls in watermelon colorCONTACT: Rocky’s Guide Service 361-960-0566www.coletocreekguidefi shing.comTIPS: Now that the lake is full it can really go way back into the creeks. I don’t catch as big of fi sh, however I do catch many more of them. I like fl ipping the edge of the banks and any structure I can fi nd. Watermelon colors dipped in chartreuse is about all I pitch. Early morning top water or late evening can be a lot of fun too. May your bites be big and your fi sh be healthy!

LOCATION: Falcon LakeHOTSPOT: Dos Creeks

GPS: N26 55.44252 W99 19.56072 (26.924042, -99.326012)SPECIES: largemouth bassBEST BAITS: Plastic worms, spinnerbaits, buzz-baits, topwatersCONTACT:Robert Amaya956-765-1442robertsfi shntackle.comTIPS: Fish shallow points early with topwater lures and buzzbaits. Once the sun is up, move out to six to eight feet of water and fi sh the thickest brush with a Texas-rigged plastic worm.


Texas HOTSPOTSDIGITAL EXTRA:

Locator Maps link toGoogle Maps

online


Tides and Prime Times JULY 2015

USING THE PRIME TIMES CALENDAR

SPORTSMAN’S DAYBOOK IS SPONSORED BY:

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

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.

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 infl uence on many wildlife species.

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

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 liter-ally under your feet). Most days have two Major Feed-ing Phases, each lasting about 2 hours.

PEAK DAYS: The closer the moon is to your location, the stronger the infl uence. FULL or NEW MOONS provide the strongest infl unce 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.

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T9T10

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T23

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

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 PLACE HIGH LOW Sabine Bank Lighthouse -1:46 -1:31 Sabine Pass Jetty -1:26 -1:31 Sabine Pass -1:00 -1:15 Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass -0:04 -0:25 Galveston Bay, S. Jetty -0:39 -1:05 Port Bolivar +0:14 -0:06

KEY PLACE HIGH LOWGalveston Channel/Bays Texas City Turning Basin +0:33 +0:41 Eagle Point +3:54 +4:15 Clear Lake +6:05 +6:40 Morgans Point +10:21 +5:19 Round Pt, Trinity Bay +10:39 +5:15

KEY PLACE HIGH LOW Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay +5:48 +4:43 Gilchrist, East Bay +3:16 +4:18 Jamaica Beach, W. Bay +2:38 +3:31 Alligator Point, W. Bay +2:39 +2:33 Christmas Pt +2:32 +2:31 Galveston Pleasure Pier -1:06 -1:06

KEY PLACE HIGH LOW San Luis Pass -0.09 -0.09 Freeport Harbor -0:44 -1:02 Pass Cavallo 0:00 -1:20 Aransas Pass -0:03 -1:31 Padre Island (So. End) -0:24 -1:45 Port Isabel +1:02 -0:42

T1T2T3T4T5T6

T7T8T9T10T11

T12T13T14T15T16T17

T18T19T20T21T22T23

KEYS TO USING THE TIDE AND SOLUNAR GRAPHS

AM Minor: 1:20a

AM Major: 7:32a

PM Minor: 1:45p

PM Major: 7:57p

Moon Underfoot: 9:15p

Moon Overhead: 8:50aTime Moonis at its Highest Point in the Sky

SOLUNAR ACTIVITY:

Time Moon is DirectlyUnderfoot (atits peak on opposite sideof the earth)

AM/PM Timeline

MAJORFeedingPeriods(+/- 2 Hrs.)

MINORFeedingPeriods(+/- 1.5 Hrs.)

TIDE GRAPH:

BEST:5:30 — 7:30 AM

Yellow: Daylight

Light Blue:Nighttime

AM/PMTimeline

Blue:Rising Tide

Gold Fish:Best Time

Blue Fish:Good TimeRed Graph:

Fishing Score

Green: Falling Tide

Tab: PeakFishing Period

Sportsman’s DAYBOOKSportsman’s Sportsman’s Sportsman’s Sportsman’s Sportsman’s Sportsman’s Sportsman’s Sportsman’s Sportsman’s Sportsman’s DAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOKDAYBOOK


12a 12a6a 12p 6p

12a 12a6a 12p 6p



TID

E L

EV

EL

S


Fishing Score Graph

Day’s BestScore

2ndBest

= Peak FishingPeriod

BEST:7:45-9:40 AM

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

DIGITAL EXTRATap for

CustomizedTide Charts

29

High Tide 4:48 AM 1.35 ftLow Tide 9:25 AM 1.20 ftHigh Tide 12:39 PM 1.23 ftLow Tide 9:07 PM -0.25 ft

30 «


Jul 1 «


2 ¡


3 «

High Tide 7:22 AM 1.52 ftLow Tide 12:22 PM 1.15 ftHigh Tide 3:51 PM 1.23 ftLow Tide 11:54 PM -0.38 ft

4 «

High Tide 7:59 AM 1.48 ftLow Tide 1:12 PM 1.04 ftHigh Tide 5:01 PM 1.16 ft

5

Low Tide 12:40 AM -0.25 ftHigh Tide 8:34 AM 1.42 ftLow Tide 2:09 PM 0.89 ftHigh Tide 6:26 PM 1.05 f

AM Minor: 3:27a

AM Major: 9:40a

PM Minor: 3:53p

PM Major: 10:06p

AM Minor: 4:14a

AM Major: 10:28a

PM Minor: 4:41p

PM Major: 10:55p

AM Minor: 5:06a

AM Major: 11:20a

PM Minor: 5:34p

PM Major: 11:48p

AM Minor: 6:01a

AM Major: -----

PM Minor: 6:29p

PM Major: 12:15p

AM Minor: 7:00a

AM Major: 12:46a

PM Minor: 7:28p

PM Major: 1:14p

AM Minor: 8:01a

AM Major: 1:47a

PM Minor: 8:28p

PM Major: 2:15p

AM Minor: 9:02a

AM Major: 2:48a

PM Minor: 9:29p

PM Major: 3:16p

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

FEET FEET

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

BEST:7:00 — 9:00 pm

BEST:8:00 — 10:00 pm

BEST:3:00 — 5:00 am

BEST:6:00 — 8:00 pm

BEST:5:30 — 7:30 pm

BEST:5:00 — 7:00 pm

BEST:4:30 — 6:30 pm

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

SO

LU

NA

R A

CT

IVIT

Y SO

LU

NA

R A

CT

IVIT

Y

Sunrise: 6:24a Set: 8:21pMoonrise: 11:14p Set: 10:12a







TID

E L

EV

EL

S

l = New Moon

º = First Quarter

l = Full Moon

» = Last Quarter

« = Good Day

n = Best Day

SYMBOL KEY

Moon Underfoot: 11:14a Moon Underfoot: 12:08p

Moon Overhead: None Moon Overhead: 12:35a Moon Overhead: 1:31a Moon Overhead: 2:28a Moon Overhead: 3:24a Moon Overhead: 4:19aMoon Overhead: 11:41p

Moon Underfoot: 4:46pMoon Underfoot: 2:56pMoon Underfoot: 1:59p Moon Underfoot: 3:51pMoon Underfoot: 1:03p

12a 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 12a6a 12p 6p 6a 12p 6p 12a 12a6a 12p 6p




Fishing Score Graph

Day’s BestScore

2ndBest


BEST:7:45-9:40 AM


6

Low Tide 1:27 AM -0.05 ftHigh Tide 9:07 AM 1.35 ftLow Tide 3:10 PM 0.69 ftHigh Tide 8:07 PM 0.95 ft

7

Low Tide 2:16 AM 0.20 ftHigh Tide 9:38 AM 1.29 ftLow Tide 4:12 PM 0.46 ftHigh Tide 10:00 PM 0.90 ft

8


9 »

Low Tide 4:11 AM 0.74 ftHigh Tide 10:36 AM 1.21 ftLow Tide 6:10 PM -0.02 ft

10

High Tide 1:45 AM 1.08 ftLow Tide 5:38 AM 0.97 ftHigh Tide 11:05 AM 1.20 ftLow Tide 7:04 PM -0.21 ft

11


12


AM Minor: 10:02a

AM Major: 3:49a

PM Minor: 10:29p

PM Major: 4:15p

AM Minor: 11:00a

AM Major: 4:47a

PM Minor: 11:26p

PM Major: 5:13p

AM Minor: 11:55a

AM Major: 5:42a

PM Minor: -----

PM Major: 6:08p

AM Minor: 12:21a

AM Major: 6:34a

PM Minor: 12:47p

PM Major: 7:00p

AM Minor: 1:10a

AM Major: 7:23a

PM Minor: 1:37p

PM Major: 7:50p

AM Minor: 1:58a

AM Major: 8:11a

PM Minor: 2:25p

PM Major: 8:38p

AM Minor: 2:46a

AM Major: 8:59a

PM Minor: 3:12p

PM Major: 9:26p

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

FEET FEET

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

BEST:8:00 — 10:00 AM

BEST:3:00 — 5:00 PM

BEST:4:00 — 6:00 PM

BEST:1:00 — 3:00 PM

BEST:12:00 — 2:00 PM

BEST:11:00A — 1:00P

BEST:10:30A — 12:30P


TID

E L

EV

EL

S TID

E L

EV

EL

SS

OL

UN

AR

AC

TIV

ITY S

OL

UN

AR

AC

TIV

ITY

Sunrise: 6:27a Set: 8:20pMoonrise: 3:36a Set: 5:24p





Sunrise: 6:25a Set: 8:21pMoonrise: None Set: 12:19p


l = New Moon

º = First Quarter

l = Full Moon

» = Last Quarter

« = Good Day

n = Best Day

SYMBOL KEY

13


14 «


15 «


16 l


17 «


18 «


19


AM Minor: 3:33a

AM Major: 9:46a

PM Minor: 4:00p

PM Major: 10:13p

AM Minor: 4:22a

AM Major: 10:35a

PM Minor: 4:48p

PM Major: 11:01p

AM Minor: 5:11a

AM Major: 11:24a

PM Minor: 5:37p

PM Major: 11:49p

AM Minor: 6:01a

AM Major: -----

PM Minor: 6:26p

PM Major: 12:38p

AM Minor: 6:52a

AM Major: 12:40a

PM Minor: 7:16p

PM Major: 1:04p

AM Minor: 7:43a

AM Major: 1:31a

PM Minor: 8:05p

PM Major: 1:54p

AM Minor: 8:32a

AM Major: 2:21a

PM Minor: 8:54p

PM Major: 2:43p

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

FEET FEET

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

BEST:1:30 — 3:30 PM

BEST:3:00 — 5:00 PM

BEST:9:00 — 11:00 PM

BEST:12:30 — 2:30 PM

BEST:5:30 — 7:30 PM

BEST:5:00 — 7:00 PM

BEST:4:30 — 6:30 PM


TID

E L

EV

EL

S TID

E L

EV

EL

SS

OL

UN

AR

AC

TIV

ITY S

OL

UN

AR

AC

TIV

ITY









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 GALVES-

TON CHANNEL in the calendars.

KEY PLACE HIGH LOW

Sabine Bank Lighthouse -1:46 -1:31

Sabine Pass Jetty -1:26 -1:31

Sabine Pass -1:00 -1:15

Mesquite Pt, Sab. Pass -0:04 -0:25

Galveston Bay, S. Jetty -0:39 -1:05

Port Bolivar +0:14 -0:06

KEY PLACE HIGH LOW

Galveston Channel/Bays

Texas City Turning Basin +0:33 +0:41

Eagle Point +3:54 +4:15

Clear Lake +6:05 +6:40

Morgans Point +10:21 +5:19

Round Pt, Trinity Bay +10:39 +5:15

KEY PLACE HIGH LOW

Pt Barrow, Trinity Bay +5:48 +4:43

Gilchrist, East Bay +3:16 +4:18

Jamaica Beach, W. Bay +2:38 +3:31

Alligator Point, W. Bay +2:39 +2:33

Christmas Pt +2:32 +2:31

Galveston Pleasure Pier -1:06 -1:06

KEY PLACE HIGH LOW

San Luis Pass -0.09 -0.09

Freeport Harbor -0:44 -1:02

Pass Cavallo 0:00 -1:20

Aransas Pass -0:03 -1:31

Padre Island (So. End) -0:24 -1:45

Port Isabel +1:02 -0:42

T1

T2

T3

T4

T5

T6

T7

T8

T9

T10

T11

T12

T13

T14

T15

T16

T17

T18

T19

T20

T21

T22

T23

Moon Overhead: 6:05aMoon Overhead: 5:13a Moon Overhead: 6:58a Moon Overhead: 7:50a Moon Overhead: 8:42a

Moon Underfoot: 6:31p Moon Underfoot: 7:24p Moon Underfoot: 9:09p Moon Underfoot: 10:02p Moon Underfoot: 10:56pMoon Underfoot: 8:16pMoon Underfoot: 5:39p

Moon Overhead: 9:36a Moon Overhead: 10:29a

Moon Underfoot: 11:49p Moon Underfoot: None

Moon Overhead: 12:15p Moon Overhead: 1:06p Moon Overhead: 1:56p Moon Overhead: 2:44p Moon Overhead: 3:29p Moon Overhead: 4:13pMoon Overhead: 11:22a

Moon Underfoot: 3:51aMoon Underfoot: 2:20aMoon Underfoot: 1:31a Moon Underfoot: 3:07aMoon Underfoot: 12:41a


NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATIONSportsman’s DAYBOOK







Fishing Score Graph

Day’s BestScore

2ndBest


BEST:7:45-9:40 AM


20


21


22


23 º

Low Tide 2:26 AM 0.73 ftHigh Tide 9:40 AM 1.13 ftLow Tide 5:05 PM 0.38 ft

24

High Tide 12:34 AM 0.92 ftLow Tide 2:55 AM 0.89 ftHigh Tide 9:52 AM 1.14 ftLow Tide 5:51 PM 0.25 ft

25

High Tide 2:23 AM 1.04 ftLow Tide 3:37 AM 1.04 ftHigh Tide 9:56 AM 1.16 ftLow Tide 6:35 PM 0.12 ft

26


AM Minor: 9:21a

AM Major: 3:10a

PM Minor: 9:43p

PM Major: 3:32p

AM Minor: 10:09a

AM Major: 3:58a

PM Minor: 10:30p

PM Major: 4:19p

AM Minor: 10:55a

AM Major: 4:44a

PM Minor: 11:16p

PM Major: 5:05p

AM Minor: 11:40a

AM Major: 5:29a

PM Minor: -----

PM Major: 5:51p

AM Minor: 12:01a

AM Major: 6:13a

PM Minor: 12:25p

PM Major: 6:36p

AM Minor: 12:46a

AM Major: 6:57a

PM Minor: 1:09p

PM Major: 7:21p

AM Minor: 1:30a

AM Major: 7:42a

PM Minor: 1:54p

PM Major: 8:07p

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

FEET FEET

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0


SO

LU

NA

R A

CT

IVIT

Y SO

LU

NA

R A

CT

IVIT

Y





Sunrise: 6:33a Set: 8:17pMoonrise: 12:21p Set: None



TID

E L

EV

EL

S TID

E L

EV

EL

S

Moon Underfoot: 4:35a Moon Underfoot: 5:17a Moon Underfoot: 6:00a

Moon Overhead: 7:04p Moon Overhead: 7:50p Moon Overhead: 8:37p

Moon Underfoot: 9:02a

Moon Overhead: 9:27pMoon Overhead: 6:21p

Moon Underfoot: 8:13a

Moon Overhead: 4:56p

Moon Underfoot: 7:27aMoon Underfoot: 6:43a

Moon Overhead: 5:38p

l = New Moon

º = First Quarter

l = Full Moon

» = Last Quarter

« = Good Day

n = Best Day

SYMBOL KEY


NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATIONSportsman’s DAYBOOK


BEST:1:00 — 3:00 PM

BEST:2:00 — 4:00 PM

BEST:2:30 — 4:30 PM

BEST:12:00 — 2:00 PM

BEST:11:00A — 1:00P

BEST:10:30A — 12:30P

BEST:9:30 — 11:30 AM



TID

E L

EV

EL

S


Fishing Score Graph

Day’s BestScore

2ndBest


BEST:7:45-9:40 AM


DIGITAL EXTRATap for

CustomizedTide Charts

27


28


29 «


30 «


31¡


1 «


2 «


AM Minor: 2:15a

AM Major: 8:28a

PM Minor: 2:41p

PM Major: 8:54p

AM Minor: 3:02a

AM Major: 9:15a

PM Minor: 3:29p

PM Major: 9:43p

AM Minor: 3:51a

AM Major: 10:05a

PM Minor: 4:19p

PM Major: 10:34p

AM Minor: 4:44a

AM Major: 10:58a

PM Minor: 5:12p

PM Major: 11:27p

AM Minor: 5:39a

AM Major: 11:54a

PM Minor: 6:08p

PM Major: -----

AM Minor: 6:38a

AM Major: 12:24a

PM Minor: 7:06p

PM Major: 12:52p

AM Minor: 7:38a

AM Major: 1:24a

PM Minor: 8:06p

PM Major: 1:52p

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

FEET FEET

+2.0

+1.0

0

-1.0

BEST:6:30 — 8:30 PM

BEST:7:30 — 9:30 PM

BEST:8:00 — 10:00 PM

BEST:5:30 — 7:30 PM

BEST:5:00 — 7:00 PM

BEST:4:00 — 6:00 PM

BEST:3:00 — 5:00 PM


SO

LU

NA

R A

CT

IVIT

Y SO

LU

NA

R A

CT

IVIT

Y








l = New Moon

º = First Quarter

l = Full Moon

» = Last Quarter

« = Good Day

n = Best Day

SYMBOL KEY

Moon Underfoot: 9:54a Moon Underfoot: 10:48a

Moon Overhead: 11:15p Moon Overhead: None Moon Overhead: 12:12a Moon Overhead: 1:10a Moon Overhead: 2:07a Moon Overhead: 3:03aMoon Overhead: 10:20p

Moon Underfoot: 3:30pMoon Underfoot: 1:38pMoon Underfoot: 12:41p Moon Underfoot: 2:35pMoon Underfoot: 11:44a


TID

E L

EV

EL

S



Sauce Up Your Fish Fry

I HAVE ATTENDED MANY A FISH fry in my lifetime, and have cooked almost as many myself. I have tasted a ton of different tartar sauces and cocktail

sauces along the way and have developed a few as well. This month I have listed a few of my favorites. I hope you will give them a try!

Bryan’s Screaming Red Sauce

INGREDIENTS2 Cups Heinz Chili Sauce1 Serrano pepper peeled & minced2 T. Texas Gourmet Habanero Pepper

Jelly3 T. Lemon juice1/2 T. Tarragon3 T Prepared Horseradish2 T. Worcestershire Sauce1 T. Salt1 T Cayenne powderPREPARATIONMix all of the ingredients in a bowl.

Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours. Serve with fi sh, shrimp or oysters.

Jalacado SauceIf you love tartar sauce and you like the

fl avor of fresh avocado then you are going to love this sauce, it’s great with fried sea-food, chicken or used as a spicy dressing with seafood salad. I hope you like it and share it with your friends!

INGREDIENTS: 1-cup mayo1/3 cup sour cream

½- fresh and ripe avocado, mashed2- Green onions- sliced thin1 - Tablespoon – freshly chopped

cilantro 1 fresh jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and

dicedJuice of ½ lemon, (or as much as you

like)1 tablespoon-Texas Gourmet’s Side

winder Searing SpiceSeason with salt and pepper to tasteCombine all of the ingredients, then

refrigerate for an hour or more to com bine the fl avors, serve chilled!

Red Delicious Tartar Sauce

INGREDIENTS:1 Cup mayonnaise2 tablespoons- fresh lemon juice1/3 cup- freshly diced Red Delicious

apple, leave the peel on3 teaspoons- purple onion, coarsely

chopped1 Jalapeno- cored, seeded and coarsely

chopped½ teaspoon- prepared horseradish½ teaspoon- sea salt1 teaspoon- freshly cracked black pepper¼ teaspoon – Cayenne pepper

PREPARATION:Combine all ingredients in a food pro-

cessor and process until fi ne, approx. 30 to 40 seconds, transfer to a bowl and refriger-ate until ready to serve. Should chill at least 1 hour before serving. Serve chilled, use all in 2 to 3 days.

Email Bryan Slaven [email protected]

Texas TASTEDTexas Texas TASTEDTASTEDTexas TASTEDTASTEDTASTEDTASTEDTASTEDTASTEDTASTEDTASTEDTASTEDTASTEDTASTEDTexas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas by BRYAN SLAVEN :: The Texas Gourmet

Red Delicious Tartar Sauce

PHOTO: BRYAN SLAVEN



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SPECKLED TROUT

West Galveston

BayLinda Reynolds caught this 28-inch trout in West Galveston Bay.

REDFISH

BayportNatalie and J.R. Lozano caught these reds (J.R.’s 22 ½-inch and Natalie’s 24 ½-inch) on live shrimp under Texas Rattlin rigs in the Bayport ship channel. Their reels started screaming at the same time.

FLOUNDER

BolivarTerry Wilson caught this 23-inch, 5-pound, 10-oz. fl ounder while fi shing at Laguna Harbor on the Bolivar Peninsula.

BLACK DRUM

Bolivar PeninsulaAiden Martinez, age 6, caught and released a black drum while on a kayak fi shing trip with his family on the Bolivar Peninsula.

BASS

Lake TexomaEight-year-old Avery Hall caught this largemouth bass while fi shing at Lake Texoma.

WHITETAIL

Llano CountyThirteen-year-old Matthew Seymour took this buck on his fi rst day bow hunting, in Llano County.



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

MAIL TO: TFG PHOTOS1745 Greens Rd, Houston TX 77032NOTE: Print photos can not be returned.

EMAIL: [email protected] best results, send MED to HIGH quality JPEG digital fi les only, please.

REDFISH

Upper Laguna MadreJulie Cass is a tennis pro in Austin who grew up in—and still loves—Corpus. On a recent visit, she caught these two keeper reds (normally she catches and releases).

REDFISH

Keith LakeBradley Achord caught this redfi sh at Keith Lake on a crispy November morning using Gulp new penny shrimp.

CATFISH

Lake HoustonTara Mainord, 14, caught this catfi sh while fi shing on Lake Houston.

FERAL HOG

Sublime, TexasEleven-year-old John Schwake killed this large feral hog near Sublime, Texas with one shot with his trusty Remington .243.

REDFISH

San Luis PassFour-year-old Braxton Ermis caught his fi rst fi sh while out with his dad, Cody, around San Luis Pass. He caught (and released) the little red with a Berkley Gulp! Shrimp.

WHITETAIL

UndisclosedLocation

Camden Repper, 8, shot his fi rst deer last Thanksgiving Day, along with his fi rst feral hog, shot the same day, both with a .243.




C3_Columbia Sportswear.indd 3 5/7/15 7:47 PM

C4_Xpress.indd 4 5/7/15 7:48 PM

Documents

Texas Fish & Game July 2015